ill conscience will waste and consume it in a day of calamity For here it makes all faces gather blacknesse See Prov. 14.30 and 17.22 Vers 7. They shall runne like mighty men they shall climbe the wall like men of warre and they shall march every one on his wayes and they shall not break their ranks 8. Neither shall one thrust another they shall walk every one in his path and when they fall upon the sword they shall not be wounded 9. They shall runne to and fro in the city they shall runne upon the wall they shall climbe up upon the houses they shall enter in at the windowes like a thief The fifth branch of the description is that these creatures shall not only waste the land and destroy the fruits and herbs but shall vexe cities and houses And as a strong and numerous armie doth assault a City in order without breaking their ranks So shall they invade Cities in orderly troops and shall enter mens houses by secret passages Yea they shall be beyond armies in this that they shall not fear the sword or any resistance but shall go through all impediments without either fear or hurt Doct. 1. The sovereigne and wise Lord can order the motions of irrational creatures to his purpose as if they were reasonable and trained and disciplined men in an army For so much doth this large description of their orderly march and assault in tearmes borrowed from Warriers teach us Of this also he gave proof in directing the motion of the Kine who brought the Ark from the land of the Philistines 1 Sam. 6.12 2. Men may expect when God is angry to have no shelter from his judgements but they will pursue them into their walled Cities and closed houses even when they are executed by creatures who usually do flee from men For so is here held out 3. Whatever be mens duty to defend themselves from injury even when God thereby is pursuing a controversie Yet where divine vengeance pursueth resistance of the instruments thereof will be to small effect For walls and houses will not hold them out nor will the sword wound them which also holds true of other instruments that such means will not overturne their projects so long as God hath service for them Vers 10. The earth shall quake before them the heavens shall tremble the Sunne and the Moone shall be darke and the Starres shall withdraw their shining The fixth branch of the description is that the calamity shall be so dreadful as to work a great alteration in all the creatures This may indeed be understood of extraordinary signes accompanying this plague such as thunder whereby the heavens seem to tremble earth-quakes ecclipses and darknesse hiding the shining lights But it seemeth rather to point at the greatnesse of the calamitie which should be such as if it were the day of judgement and dissolution of heaven and earth as it is usuall in Prophets to describe great calamities so Isa 34.4 and that it should lo change the order and condition of the creatures as men shall have no quiet in them or consolation by them more then if they hid themselves and their influences The Sunne Moon and Starres should be either hid by reason of their multitude or their light should be as uncomfortable as if it were dark and serve only to let men see their calamity and their influences should be made void by the destruction of whatsoever they produce Doct. 1. Times of calamity for sin serve to shew how unworthy man is of the earth for an habitation to him or of heavens to cover him and to shew what a disturber he is of the whole creation So much is pointed out by the earths quaking and heavens trembling 2. Whatever may be the issue of particular calamities yet they serve to put sinners in minde of a day of judgement and dissolution of all things wherein they will not escape however they wrestle through temporal judgements Therefore also is this calamity thus described 3. Times of calamity will make a strange shake and overturning of delights which seemed to be very settled even as heaven and earth and which seemed to be of constant continuance as the Sunne Moon and Starres their light and influences are 4. All created comforts and what men rest on beside God will fail a sinner when God pleads with him For neither earth nor heaven nor Sun Moon nor Starres will give quiet or comfort to him they will quake and tremble and be darke and withdraw their shining Ver. 11. And the LORD shall utter his voice before his armie for his camp is very great for he is strong that executeth his word for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible and who can abide it The last branch of the description which is by way of conclusion sheweth that all this dreadfulnesse and successe of these creatures is of God who will make it manifest that they fight under his Banner as General who gives them the word to encourage them and to fall on upon his enemies and that they are so strong because they execute vengeance in his Name according to his threatenings against them who provoke him and they shall demonstrate his power and terrour which none shall be able to resist Whence learn 1. Judgements will be then rightly seen for our use when the Lord is seen in them as chief and as employing all instruments Therefore is the description closed with this that the Lord is General of this Army 2. When the Lords people will not hear his voice he is provoked to speak against them as an enemy attended with instruments of vengeance excited by him For The Lord shall utter his voice before his army The speech may relate to a voice of thunder Psal 18.13 or to the dreadful noise made by these creatures intimating that he sent them out to do execution or it may be understood simply that as a General on the head of his Army encourageth his souldiers and exhorts and commands them to fall on so the Lord would animate this his Army and send them out with fury 3. Albeit the Church that should be for God would not only ly by but provoke him to be an enemie yea albeit there should be no men to appear in his quarrel Yet he can easily when he pleaseth raise a numerous and strong army beseeming such a General Therefore it is added for his camp is very great so as he may owne them for his Army and send them out on service 4. The strength of any instruments of vengeance and their successe is to be ascribed to God who is so nuchangeable in his holy justice as he will execute his threatenings against the impenitent And who is Omnipotent so to do by any instruments he pleaseth for it is a reason of the strength of his Army for he is strong that executeth his word 5. Divine wrath will be found intolerable when it comes to be executed and
Imprimatur EDMVND CALAMY January 1. 1655. A BRIEF EXPOSITION ON THE XII Smal Prophets THE FIRST VOLUME CONTAINING AN Exposition ON THE PROPHECIES OF Hosea Joel Amos. By GEORGE HUTCHESON Minister at EDENBURGH HOSEA 12.10 I have also spoken by the Prophets and I have multiplied visions used similitudes by the ministery of the Prophets AMOS 3.7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the Prophets Ver. 8. The Lion hath roared Who will not fear The Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesy London Printed for Ralph Smith at the BIBLE in Corne-hill 165â— TO THE RIGHT REVEREND THE MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL IN THE CITY OF Edenburgh And the PROFESSOUR of DIVINITY in the UNIVERSITY there The Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ that great Shepherd of the sheep with grace and peace be multiplied Right Reverend ALbeit I sufficiently know you are not desirous of such addresses as this is nor is the Piece it self as to what is mine in it of such worth as to deserve the Patronage of so many Reverend and Learned men Yet the reasons that have moved me to present it first unto you and under your name to the view of the world have been so pressing upon me that I could not incline to make any other choice One of you was the first mover and solicitour of me to any undertaking of this kinde when I little dream'd of such a matter and hath continued a constant encourager of me in going about it Others of you have been particularly assistant and very refreshful unto me in your perusing this and the former pieces before they came to publick view and in your brotherly and free animadversions upon them according as ye saw cause which I do look upon as a very special kindnesse and favour And all of you have been so indulgent toward me while at any time I have been necessitate to retire my self for perfecting what I had undertaken that I should account my self very ingrate if I did not take hold of an occasion to give some publick testimony of my special obligations unto you upon this very account Next Seeing it is the will of God that the spirits of the Prophets be subject unto the Prophets I hold it my duty in this Piece to give you an account of the substance of some of my labours in the common work of the Ministery with you in this place as acknowledging that ye with the rest of the Reverend Presbytery and other Judicatories established by CHRIST are over me in the LORD and as a testimony that I look upon subjection and orderly walking as a very special ornament of a Minister of the GOSPEL Withall it is one of my speciall purposes in this work that not onely these of my particular charge might have presented to their view for their further edification what they once heard in publick But that as our work and charge in this CITY is in many respects common so I might make what was delivered to one Congregation common to all And I could not think of a more fit mean to render it acceptable to them then by its coming to them under your name and with your approbation Finally that I be not tedious I am much convinced of many obligations laid upon me to acknowledge the mercy of GOD toward me that in this dark time of much confusion and distemper he hath cast my lot in the society of so many faithful Servants of CHRIST whose Company Example Counsel and Encouragement hath been so often refreshfull and edifying unto me and that whatever differences there are the LORD hath keeped our Society free of many of these woful and scandalous distractions which have miserably rent this afflicted Church and which are a lamentation and if mercy prevent not will be for a lamentation even to those who for present look upon them with another eye This mercy hath so often refreshed me that I could not but upon this occasion leave my acknowledgement thereof upon Record as not knowing when I might again have the like opportunity As these reasons I hope will plead for your candid interpretation of this application and your favourable acceptance of this small token of love and duty So I purpose not to insist in prefacing upon any subject unto you to whom I rather professe my self a Scholar and Disciple Onely my desire is that as hitherto ye have received mercy not to faint in the exercise of this Ministery notwithstanding the times that have gone over some of you so ye may continue and abound more and more in feeding the flock of GOD which is among you and being examples to them in acquitting your selves as his wise and faithfull Servants whose aime is to advance the KINGDOME of CHRIST and the Truth of Piety and to follow Truth with Peace and Sobriety without a byass or selfish and carnal designe And my prayer to GOD for all of us shall be that we may be daily more and more rooted and established in the Truth and in these wayes that are well pleasing in his sight and may be made willing and ready to undergo any lot wherewith it shall please him to exercise us In which petition I know you will joyn with Your loving Brother and Fellow-labourer in the Work of the Gospel GEORGE HUTCHESON TO THE READER Christian Reader I Have now through the Lords assistance finished and do here present thee with this Exposition of these three Prophets which with the Piece formerly published do compleat the whole lesser Prophets according to my undertaking when I published the first Piece That I have published these last when yet they are first in order may I confesse seem somewhat strange to any who shall not consider according as I hinted in the Preface to the first that by a recommendation from a faithful Servant of CHRIST I was only desired to undertake Obadiah with some that follow it being expected that others should have done somewhat upon the three first and some of the last of these Prophets But finding that they could not for divers reasons prosecute what they had purposed I was stirred up to essay first these that followed after the Prophets I had undertaken and then these now presented to thee wherein it hath pleased the LORD to carry me on to this period I do acknowledge that beside the conscience of mine own inability and the incumbrance of many diversions from without I have encountered with two great impediments in prosecuting this way of writing especially in this last Piece One is that in these Holy Writings which runne much upon one straine and subject as divers of these Prophets do however the studying of one may contribute much light for understanding of another yet I conceive that the variety of gifts communicated unto empty men were needfull for searching out the Rich Treasures of Doctrine which are hid up in them and that one man especially being of mean parts will on
grave will be so destroyed at their resurrection as they shall neither have sting nor victory over them for so much doth this promise concerning the grave and death which is the last enemy 1 Cor. 15.26 as it is held out here and explained 1 Cor. 15. teach us 7. The mercies which were shewed of old unto Israel and more particularly to be fulfilled at their Conversion are not able evidences and pledges of Gods power to perform what he hath promised to perform to his own at the resurrection therefore are both held out in one promise the one being as a pledge of the other for their Conversion will be as life from the dead not only to themselves but to the world Rom. 11.15 which will notably confirme faith and the hope of a future resurrection 8. As Gods purposes of mercy toward his Elect are immutable and unchangeable so also are his purposes concerning the raising up and Conversion of Israel as a Nation therefore is it subjoyned to this promise concerning them repentance shall be hid from mine eyes that is not only will he plague death without pity but generally he will never repent nor change this purpose of raising them up See Rom. 11.28 29. Ver. 15. Though he be fruitful among his brethren an East-winde shall come the winde of the LORD shall come up from the wildernesse and his spring shall become dry and his fountain shall be dried up he shall spoile the treasure of all pleasant vessels The Prophet closeth this chapter with assuring them that however he would help them yet they should once be laid desolate which if it be joyned with the promises in chap. 14. doth make up another ample proof of that assertion v. 9. This assertion is held forth first in a threatening against Ephraim whose name is alluded unto here who is threatened here in borrowed termes that however both for number power and riches he was above other tribes yet God should send the enemy like a tempestuous winde which parcheth up the moisture of the earth and makes it barren to cut off his prosperity to the very root and to bereave him of what he delighted in Whence learn 1. God hath all lots in his hand to make one person or people increase and be fruitful above another as he pleaseth for Ephraim as his name imports is fruitful among his brethren according to Jacobs prophecie Gen. 48.19 See Psal 75.6 7. 2. Such as are most advanced by God in outward things do ordinarily ripen most for stroaks for fruitful Ephraim by his carriage draweth this judgement on himself 3. Mens prosperous condition or Gods bounty toward them of that kinde will not avail them when they ripen for judgements for though he be fruitful among his brethren an east-winde shall come 4. Judgements for sin will look very boisterous and dreadful-like especially to the guilty conscience for it shall be an Eastwinde which was tempestuous in these parts and a winde from the wildernesse where windes rage most or whence the Assyrians came 5. Judgements will be the more sad when God is seen a party in them and that this tempest is the winde of the Lord not only a great winde as this phrase often imports the greatnesse of a thing but raised by him to pursue them 6. Though the prosperous condition of sinners may seem to be such as will never faile as if it were a stream fed from a springing fountain yet wrath from God will soon reach the bottom of all these and utterly strip the sinner for his spring shall become dry and his fountain shall be dried up 7. Pleasures will not secure against wrath nor need men think that pleasures and pleasant things at used to sin will continue with them for he that is Ashur and the Lord by him shall spoile the treasures of all pleasant vessels or stuffe He shall take away what they treasured up as of most worth and to be kept in greatest safety Ver. 16. Samaria shall become desolate for she hath rebelled against her God they shall fall by the sword their infants shall be dashed in pieces and their women with childe shall be ript up Secondly the same sentence is given out in more proper termes against Samaria the chief City wherein is threatened that because of sin it should be totally laid desolate by the cruel enemy and sacked by the sword without any mercie even to Infants and women with childe Whence learn 1. Chief and eminent places are ordinarily chief in provocations and exemplary in punishments for them so much doth Samaria's example teach 2. Sin given way unto may lay strong and flourishing Cities even utterly desolate for Samaria shall become desolate 3. The great cause of Gods controversie against the visible Church or particular persons and societies therein is their rebelling against a received yoke and their declining after engagements for this is the quarrel here for she hath rebelled against God 4. The nearer that God draws to any in relations and offers and they to him by Professions the more hainous is their sin for this addes to the quarrel she hath rebelled against her God See Isa 58.1 2. 5. It is righteous with God not to rest satisfied with spoiling the wealth or laying desolate the habitations of impenitent sinners but to pursue their persons also therefore it is added they shall fall by the sword 6. Impenitent sinners do provoke God to cut off themselves and their posterity also and that he should give up enemies to be destitute of all humanity and compassion in their dealing toward them for their infants shall be dashed in pieces and their women with childe shall be ript up Infants even in their mothers belly have in themselves sufficient guilt to deserve such judgements and so they may be inflicted without any imputation to God But in this stroak the Lord would have us chiefly look to the desert of that present generation and their Parents CHAP. XIV IN the close of this Prophecie the Lord giveth ample hope of the future conversion of Israel undertaking to stir them up unto it effectually to direct them in doing of it by giving them the spirit of supplication and then graciously to answer them The parts of the Chapter are 1. An exhortation wherein Israel are invited to repent and turne to God v. 1. together with a direction how to go about it by calling on God and ingaging themselves to him v. 2 3. 2. Gods gracious answer to that prayer which he shall put in their hearts and mouthes wherein he promiseth to pardon their iniquity and be reconciled with them v. 4. to make them flourish through his blessing and influence v. 5 6. and to blesse them who shall come in under their shadow v. 7. So that they shall see that there is no need to have recourse to Idols but they shall renounce them considering what they finde in God v. 8. 3. There is a conclusion subjoyned to this whole Prophecy
of this sentence and command given to the executioners is that there shall be great execution made of the enemies and they shall fall without number And for the Churches greater comfort it is declared that this day of the Lords vengeance is near not when the Prophet spake this but it shall speedily come after the enemies great preparations against the Church The place of this execution is called the valley of decision or threshing which is the same with the valley of Jehoshaphat v. 2 12. and it gets this new name because there the Lord will make a great havoke of enemies which is usually expressed by threshing Mic. 4.13 Isa 41.15 2 Kings 13.7 or because it is the valley determined and appointed as the word will signifie wherein to do this execution or the place wherein God will decide this great controversie betwixt him and his Church on the one part and these enemies on the other Doct. 1. Albeit it may be matter of admiration and terrour to the Church to see so great and so many enemies combined against her yet God shall make that resolve in as great a wonder to see the great havoke made of them Therefore is it held out by way of admiration Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision 2. God will at last decide the controversie betwixt the Church and especially of Israel and her enemies and will determine the question by making many a skin pay for it For the valley of Jehoshaphat will be also the valley of decision and there multitudes multitudes shall be laid in the dust 3. When enemies are at the height of their attempts especially against converted Israel then the Lords people may expect that he will not be long in taking his day about of them wherein his glory will shine for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision Verse 15. The Sunne and the Moon shall be darkened and the Starres shall withdraw their shining This execution is further amplified that as the Church had felt before in her calamities chap. 2.10 so the enemies should at that time of their extremity be denied all comfort in the creatures from heaven or earth and that there should be great alterations in the world of which more v. 16. if not also the extraordinary signes of eclipses and darknesse presaging and accompanying the same Doct. 1. Though enemies may be insulting when the Church is in great bitternesse yet the day may and will come about wherein they shall drink of her cup if not of a worse For what was denounced against the Church ch 2.10 is now made their portion 2. Whatever be the delights and enjoyments of Gods enemies yet when he begins to reckon with them all their comforts and refuges from heaven or earth will faile them and all things will frowne and lowre upon them For so much is imported in that the Sunne and Moon shall be darkened c. These creatures shall deny them light and comfort and this shall make all things dark on earth to them and these dreadful sights shall terrifie them Vers 16. The LORD shall also roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake but the LORD will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel Followeth a comfortable application of all this to the Church and particularly to Israel holding forth in several promises what mercie to them shall be in their recollection of which v. 1. and in this streak on their enemies and what sweet consequents shall follow thereupon The first promise is that when the Lord shall manifest himself thus terribly against their enemies according to the predictions of his Word and out of his love to his people and when he shall make great alterations therby which is a further amplification of the calamities which are to come on enemies Yet in the midst of these confusions and terrours he will afford hope and strength to his Church and people Whence learn 1. When God manifests himself against his Churches enemies and specially against Israels adversaries he will be very terrible and dreadful And his being a party will make all the creatures to deny comfort and will adde to the bitternesse and terrour of such a desolate condition for the Lord shall roar like a Lion see Zeph. 2.11 Isa 42.13 14. And beside their desolate condition v. 15. the Lord also shall roar to imbitter that and as the cause of it as is after cleared of the shaking of heaven and earth 2. Gods executing of vengeance will be according to the predictions uttered in the Church and these will be found terrible in execution what ever men thought of them before for the Lord shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem imports that God from out of Zion had spoken against them by his Word and that now his speech going forth in execution shall be found terrible as the roaring of a Lion 3. God will make his presence with and love to his people conspicuous by his indignation and severity against their enemies for the Lord shall roar out of Zion c. imports also that he is present there and that he evidenceth his respect to his habitation by his dreadful thunderings against the enemies thereof 4. As God is powerful to overturne heaven and earth when he pleaseth So his subduing of enemies may bring great alterations and overturnings in the world for when he shall roar the heavens and the earth shall shake which together with what is said v. 15. maketh a compleat parallel with the condition of the Church chap. 2.10 and it imports such an alteration of affairs as if there were a dissolution of the world and overturning of the course of nature And it is no wonder if they who are so well rooted in the world cause it to shake hefore they be cast out of it and if they who are so universally spread through the earth need general commotions to make them miserable 5. When God is shaking the earth to overturne enemies Gods people may be exercised with many fears and apprehensions that the storme will break upon them Therefore they need a promise to secure them against this 6. Nothing will be able to secure the hearts of Gods people against the terrours of a time of great commotions but God only and what they finde in him and from him Therefore doth the promise remit them to what the Lord will be unto them 7. In times of great confusion the Lords people may expect that he will be a place of refuge to hide them in that he will furnish them who come to him with ground of hope for the future and with strength and courage to bear out till the accomplishment come for that which is propounded here iâ— hope or a refuge and strength and God undertakes not to disappoint them of these the Lord will be the hope of his people c. he
the purpose maketh clear 2. While Amos is directed to call them kine of Bashan we are not to conceive that he conâ—emns and affronts what lawful authority any of them had for that is contrary to duty and sound principles Jude v. 8.9 But he doth onely point out what their course was in it selfe and laieth to their charge that they had prostituted and abused their place and office and rendered it and themselves contemptible And in particular by this he would teach 1. That however great men do ordinarily despise ministers especially if they be mean persons yet their sinful courses do render themselves more base and contemptible notwithstanding all their grandour for whereas they thought little of him as being an herdman he declareth that they were yet worse then he and but like beasts and so an herdman was a fit enough messenger for them 2. Albeit also great men be readily puffed up by reason of their wealth and outward prosperity yet that affords but poor matter of gloriation and abused wealth doth not augment the honour but rather increase the contempt of the abusers for in oppositon to the high thoughts they had of themselves by reason of their wealth he declareth that they had no more to glory of then beasts which got a good pasture as well as they and that all their wealth and greatnesse did but render them more brutish and effeminate See Psal 49.20 Doct. 3. Albeit that men and especially great ones be unwilling to hearken to God speaking in his word and albeit their grandour and prosperity doth but hinder them to hear and harden them that they will not hear Jer. 5.5 and 22 21. yet they are bound to hear and will be made to hear upon their own cost if they do it not willingly for hear this word to wit of the challenge but especially the sentence as the construction of the purpose bears imports that preaching to them needs a preface to attention that it is even their duty to hear and however they stop their eares yet God will inforce audience one way or other 4. Whatever be the prosperity of men or their apparent stability in it yet they are still in a wofull case so long as the word is a party against them condemning their way or writing bitter things against them for it for though they were fat and settled and wanton on their mountain yet hear this word is still an alarme unto them and that which may mixe their cup with wormwood 5. Oppression is one chief sin for which God contends with a land and specially when Magistrates who are appointed for the protection and support of the weak and indigent do rather by fraud or force crush them for it is the challenge against these kine of Bashan that they oppresse the poor and crush the needy The first word may signifie their oppression by fraud and the other their violent oppression and crushing them so that they were made utterly unable to subsist And so oppression is distingushed Luke 3.14 It is a sin in any to oppresse and especially in Magistrates to oppresse their subjects and most of all to oppresse these who are already miserable Naboths Vineyard lost Ahab a Kingdome and Rehoboams oppressing humour lost him ten Tribes See Jer. 34.17 Neh. 5.1 13. 6. Albeit the poor and indigent have none to owne them nor to resent the injuries done to them yet God who is the supreme Lord will not faile to plead their cause with the greatest for here he pleads it against the kine of Bashan and how much more will he plead their cause if they be his own people and cry to him under oppression See Psal 12.5 Luke 18.7 8. 7. It is a great height of sin which God will not passe over when men and especially Judges dare encourage and stir up others to oppresse and dare concurre with them for their own interests for this the Lord doth specially challenge they say to their Masters Bring and let us drink 8. It is but a poor benefit men reap by their oppression when all is employed to satisfie their lusts and that is the height of the good that ever men will get of ill purchase that they provoke God yet more against them by the ill use thereof for all they mind in their bribery and oppression is Bring and let us drink which was a vice they were addicted to Isa 28.1 And for this the Lord also challengeth 9. Though nature be content with little and sobriety and religion would teach men so Yet men devoted to their lusts are in Gods judgement insatiable and have never enough for albeit they be like fat beasts yet they must drink more and albeit they have much yet their lusts consume it all and they must oppresse and take bribes and all little enough to furnish them wherewith to drink Verse 2. The Lord God hath sworn by his holinesse that lo the dayes shall come upon you that he will take you away with hooks and your posterity with fish hooks The sentence for this sinne which is confirmed with an oath is that these great ones and their posterity should shortly be carried into captivity and that as easily and exactly as men do catch little fish Whence learn 1. It is the great plague of secure sinners that notwithstanding their punishment be certain yet they will not believe it but are surprized therewith for that the Lord God hath sworn it doth import that this matter is certain and without all controversie and yet that they will not credit it but are surprized the dayes come upon them 2. The holinesse of God may assure wicked men that their impenitent courses will not escape vengeance for he hath sworn by his holiness not only to prove that he is the most High who swears bâ— himselfe Heb. 6.13 but to shew that his holinesse could not endure such courses especially in them See Hab. 1.13.3 When mens grandour power and wealth tempts them to become oppressours and give up themselves to sinful pleasures it doth portend some suddain and remarkable shake for upon that challenge v. 1. it followeth lo the dayes shall come upon you that he will take you away c. 4. Oppression and mens setling on the world and pleasures thereof doth deserve not onely spoile and poverty but captivity also and the rooting of them and theirs out of all their enjoyments for this is the particular stroak threatned he will take you away and your posterity 5. God in inflicting general stroaks can finde out and reach particular sinners and every one of them for so much doth the similitude from fishing import that God will single and finde them out as the fisher man doth take out his fish one after another with hooks and fish hooks And thus the similitude seems to be understood Jer. 16.16 6. How great and strong soever wealthy oppressours think themselves yet Gods judgements will find them light and will easily reach and bring them
of whoredomes and children of whoredomes for the land hath committed great whoredome departing from the LORD 3. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim which conceived and bare him a son Diblaim The first Message wherewith Hosea is intrusted and the divine authority of which is in particular asserted is an accusation of Israel for their spiritual whoredome or idolatry and violation of the Marriage-Covenant betwixt God and them represented by the Prophets taking a wife of whoredomes which however some understand literally and that Hosea did this pretending to justifie it by Gods extraordinary command who might warrant Israel to spoile the Egyptians and Abraham to offer up his own Son yet beside what difference may be conceived in the actions themselves between mens taking of reward and wages for their long and hard service and offering up to God what was his own and this fact of a Prophet making himself the member of an harlot this would seem probable 1. That the Prophet took not so long a time in preaching this one Sermon as was requisite for marrying a woman and having three children by her she her self giving them suck and weaning them far lesse that he should take yet another as he is commanded Chap. 3.1 either with her or after her in so short time and should multiplie such strange facts 2. That in a time wherein the Prophets person and calling was already much in contempt the Lord would not enjoyne him that as a duty which might justly adde to it as being not only specially prohibited unto the Ministers of holy things Lev. 21.1 7. but at the same time wherein Hosea lived was threatened as a curse upon a false Priest Amos 7.17 Therefore I rather understand it typically that the Prophet is commanded under this type to point out the great Idolatry of the land and their defection thereby from God and to declare that the Nation was such to God as if after he had taken a wife she had plaid the harlot and particular persons were such as if his wives children were children of whoredomes that is suspected to be Bastards being borne of such a mother though going under his name or given to whoredome in imitation of their mother And accordingly the Prophets taking Gomer the daughter of Diblaim is his preaching their case under such a type and the names here used may either be taken properly for the name of a famous strumpet in that time daughter to such a one who might fitly resemble Israels filthinesse or they may be taken appellatively the first word Gomer signifying either perfection or consumption and the second Diblaim being either the name of a great wildernesse called Diblath Ezek. 6.14 or signifying a cluster or cakes of figs as a word like this is translated 1 Chron. 12.40 1 Sam 30.12 which were used in Feasts Both these may very fitly point out the condition of Israel whom God is now challenging as being brought from an howling wildernesse and desolate condition and made perfect through his comliness Ezek. 16.3 14. but now because of her sensuality drawing her unto and attending her Idolatry was to be consumed Doctrine 1. Such as would profit by the Word will finde it not enough to acknowledge in general the authority thereof unlesse they have serious thoughts of it in receiving every particular message and particularly hard tydings Therefore beside the general inscription v. 1. we have the divine authority of this particular message twice asserted it is The word of the Lord by Hosea or in Hosea to wit by divine inspiration And The Lord said it to Hosea 2. Whatever be the Lords tendernesse and meeknesse and his allowance that his servants deal so with such as sin through ignorance and infirmity and are not hardened in their sin yet when a people are obstinate and desperate in sinning it is the Lords will they be handled sharply and peremptorily dealt with For this sad challenge is the first Message put in Hoseas mouth to this people It is the beginning of the word of the Lord or the first message he got in commission 3. Albeit it should be the care of Ministers to gain the affections of people that way may be made for their message yet they would guard lest in so doing they blunt the edge of zeal and quit their faiâ—hfulness and a good conscience but they would first and last declare their opposition to sin Therefore also is Hosea commanded to begin thus without any previous insinuation to the prejudice of this duty 4. Whatever grosse iniquities may be in the visible Church and whatever Gods controversie may be because of them yet the great sin and cause of Gods controversie is when she corrupts Religion and especially when she makes Apostasy unto Idolatry Therefore doth the Lord begin with this as the great challenge against Israel 5. Idolatry especially in the Church is spiritual whoredome because it strikes at the marriage-tie and relation betwixt God and his people and takes in another lover and therefore is more hainous in the Church then among Pagans and because it is an irreconcileable fault as awaking jealousie which the Scripture calleth the rage of a man Therefore is it called whoredome and their sinfulness is represented by a wife of whoredomes See Exod. 20.4 5. 6 As Idolatry is exceedingly aggreaged by the consideration of the partie whom Idolaters do desert who is the Lord Jehovah and by their obligations unto him by reason of many favours being the land or the people who were setled in that promised land by his especial hand and who enjoyed special dignities and priviledges in it and by the gene above flowing of this sin when it is not some few only but the land all of them and the body of the Nation who fall in it So whatever Idolaters may pretend of cleaving to God together with their Idols as Jeroboam did 1 Kings 12.28 yet the Lord will look upon them as rejecters of him and his yoke and such as he wil have no communion with Therefore saith he The land hath committed whoredome departing from the Lord or whoredome from after the Lord as in effect renouncing all subjection to him and casting him off whatever they pretend See 2 Cor. 6.15 16. 7. It is the plague of God on a visible Church that when she renounceth God and his Worship she is given up to be exceedingly grosse in Idolatry and corrupting the Worship of God as not only the fruit of her inclination but that Gods judicial upgiving of her may also be seen in it Therefore is Israel resembled to a wife of whoredomes or a wife eminently and superlatively whorish as the Original forme of speech imports See 2 Chron. 33.9 Ezek. 16.46 47 48 51 52. 2 Thess 2.10 11. 8. Idolatry is also an intangling sin which when the Church once falleth into she is still the more enamoured and taken with it and goeth the more incessantly on adding one degree of defection to
another to which she is given up of God as a punishment for her presuming to debord in the least so much also are we taught in the challenge The land hath committed great whoredome or in whoring hath gone a whoring one step hath drawn on another as the Original imports 9. A Church making defection from God unto Idolatry doth bring great prejudice upon her children or particular members either by drawing them into defection with her or by making them share in the sad effects thereof Therefore albeit an Idolatrous Church may bring forth children unto God so long as he hath not given her a bill of divorce Ezek. 16.20 21. yet the state of the particular members of the Church of Israel is here represented under the type of children of whoredomes partly because Idolatry was not only authorized and enjoyned by the representatives of Church and State but generally embraced by the people and partly because when such an iniquity overfloweth it fareth the worse with particular members for their sake and they do share in the common plagues as children of whoredomes Idolatry is a speciall sin the sad effects whereof may follow posterity long Exod. 20.5 10. As a people do grow in sin or draw neerer judgement they become the more stupid and insensible of their sin and danger for this cause it is that Israel needs these types to inculcate this Doctrine 11. Such as God employeth in carrying his minde to the Church must deny themselves and their interests and be content to be exercised and disposed of as the Lord seeth may most contribute to make their Doctrine useful and effectual Therefore must Hosea apply unto himself this ignominious type of taking a wife of whoredomes even Gomer the daughter of Diblaim if so be it might convince them So Ezekiel must be content to lose his beloved wife by a sudden stroak and to forbear mourning under it if so be it might move the people to hear one Sermon Ezek. 24.16 17 c. Ver. 3. Which conceived and bare him a Son Vers 4. And the LORD said unto him Call his name Jezreel for yet a little while and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of John and will cause to cease the Kingdome of the house of Israel 5. And it shall come to passe at that day that I will break the bowe of Israel in the valley of Jezreel Followeth from the end of ver 3. to v. 10. a prediction of the calamities that were to come upon them by degrees till they should cease to be a Kingdome a Nation or a Church This is typically held forth under the representation of three children brought forth to the Prophet by this wife of whoredomes whereby is signified a threefold period of the ripening of their sin and a threefold degree of their ruine and destruction And in this the type doth suite well for as children are the fruit of Marriage or of unlawful conjunction under cloak of an Husband so their Idolatry and other sins being ripe did at last bring forth that sad fruit The first son called Jezreel did intimate sins coming to an height under Jehu's posterity for which the Lord threatens shortly to call them to an accompt and to take vengeance on Jehu's race for his bloodshed committed on the house of Abab 2 Kings 9 and 10th Chap. as accordingly was accomplished on Zechariah the son of this Jeroboam who reigned but six moneths before he was slain by a conspiracy 2 Kings 15.8 9 10 12. This stroak is amplified from some effects thereof that by it not only Jehu's race should be cut off but the Kingdome should cease or get such a blow in their fall and after it as it should never recover its former vigour till it were destroyed And that their warlike power should be broken even in the very heart of their Countrey and in the valley lying before Jezreel which was one of the habitations of Ahab 1 Kings 21.1 of which see Josh 17.16 Judg. 6.33 To all this prediction doth the childes name Jezreel agree as being to be punished for the blood which was shed in Jezreel as being a den of bloody robbers as Ahab made Jezreel by killing Naboth and being in stead of Israel to become Jezreel or scattered of the Lord and broken by divisions as they were after that time till they were utterly scattered Doct. 1. Whatever present fruits men may seem to reap by sin yet at last being continued in it will ripen to an height and fit for stroakes for this wife of whoredomes doth conceive and beaâ— a son her whoredomes come to an height and did draw down the sad fruits thereof 2. Notwithstanding that sinners in the Church do conceit of their priviledges yet God will not only plague them but make their sin and judgement as conspicuous as if it were their very name For The Lord said unto him Call his name Jezreel whereby is signified that however they gloried in the name of Israel yet the Lord should make them become a Jezreel by manifesting of their sin and by plagues for it 3. Albeit Idolatry be the great sin of the Church and doth deserve saddest judgements yet the Lord useth to give up such Apostates unto other grosse wickednesses to let them and the world see the fruit of their departing from God and by all these sinnes together to hasten the judgement For albeit the chief sin and cause of Gods controversie be Idolatry v. 2. yet for these causes are they given up to murther and bloodshed with it 4. The Lord is so respective of man made after his Image and of justice and equity among men as the blood even of these who are wicked and deserve destruction at Gods hand will not be unrevenged on these who shed it unwarrantably either for their way or end in it I will saith he avenge the blood or bloods of Jezreel or the blood of Ahabs house the Lords requiring whereof gives ample ground of hope to expect the like of others who suffer more innocently See Gen. 9.6 Ps 9.12 He nameth it bloods because there were many slaughters even of all Ahabs family 2 King 10.11 together with Ahaziah 2 King 9.27 and his brethren 2 Kings 10.13 14. And the bloods of Jezreel because however some of these were slain in Samaria and elsewhere yet not only did the execution begin or was most there and was done elsewhere by Jehu's authority in Jezreel but because what was done there on Jehoram and Jezebel seemed to be most justifiable because of foregoing Prophecies 2 Kings 9.25 26 36 37. and yet the Lord will avenge it 5. Men may not only be doing that which God in his Holy Providence will permit to succeed but even that which is in it self just and materially Gods command and yet be guilty before God and justly punished for it when either they do not the Lords work sincerely but for their own base ends and interest or when they do it
note upon it 5. Where the Lord denies his mercy under affliction not only will that stroak prove irrecoverable but it is an evidence of moe strokes to come till a people be consumed for saith he I will no more have mercy but I will utterly take them away that is seeing I deny mercy not only shall this captivity be without recovery but moe of them even the whole Nation shall follow Vers 7. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and will save them by the LORD their God and will not save them by bowe nor by sword nor by battel by horses nor by horsemen This sad condition of Israel is illustrate from the contrary condition of Judah who adhered better unto the Covenant Albeit Judah was both before and after this molested by Israel Isa 7.1 c. 2 King 14.12 c. and looked on as forlorne by them yet the Lord promiseth to manifest mercy unto them and deliver them from their enemies and that not by ordinary meanes and wayes but by his own immediate hand or by Christ Dan. 9.17 and by vertue of the Covenant Zech. 9.11 This was verified in their deliverance from Senacherib when Israel was carried captive and Judah was very low and in their returne from the Babylonish captivity Hosea doth thus speak favourably of Judah whom their own Prophets dealt more roundly with not only because he was sent chiefly to insist on Israels condition but because Judah in his dayes had none of the worst Kings except Ahaz and especially an Hezekiah to whose dayes this seems especially to relate and because they were in many things better then Israel as Hosea 11.12 and were accordingly better dealt with Doct. 1. Albeit the Lord cut off a sinfull people pretending interest in him yet will he not want a Church to whom he will be kinde and whose priviledge shall be to be the object of his mercy for at this time of calamity on Israel I will have mercy upon the house of Judah saith he 2. It will be an aggravation of backsliders misery to see others who waite on God well dealt with when they reap the fruit of their doings Therefore is Judah's lot set in opposition to theirs to imbitter their cup I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel vers 6. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah 3. Great mercy may be attending a people who yet may be plunged in great difficulties for so was Judah after this promise both by Syria and Israel 2 Chron. 28.5 6 c. and by the Assyrians 2 Kings 18.13 we must not measure Gods purposes of love by present crosses without which we could not take up his mercy well 4. The mercy of God is a fountaine from whence deliverance will flow according to the tenor of the Covenant and the safety and deliverance of the Church is a thing out of question though she oft-times fall in debate with God about the way and means of it for upon this I will have mercy it followeth I will save them and it is an absolute promise I will save them though he will not take these wayes to do it that the Church usually looks most unto 5. The Lord needs not creature-helps nor is he so tied to meanes as that he cannot work greatest things without and above them yea he oft-times delights to act more immediately for his Church and to take her as the forlorne into his own hand for saith he I will save them by the Lord their God that is as is before explained by his own hand through Jesus Christ and by vertue of the Covenant and thus he saves them though he will not save them by bowe c. 6. The Lords laying aside probable meanes and instruments in delivering his people is for their double advantage for not only are they certainly delivered but their deliverance that way doth assure them of their interest in God through Christ by vertue of a Covenant standing firme in the midst of all their afflictions for the God by whom they are saved is then seen to be the Lord their God 7. Albeit deliverance of the Lords Church from her troubles be a sweet mercy and call for praise whatever way the Lord be pleased to send it and albeit the Lords people having his calling may by warre assert themselves into freedome yet it is a special mercy when the Lord not only saves by his own hand but without warre and bloodshed not only because he humbleth them so farre and so advanceth their spiritual good but because warre even when it brings safety is a terrible lot and in effect a scourge and produceth such distempers and effects as may leave matter of humiliation in the midst of greatest deliverances so much also may be gathered from this that the Lord will not save them by bowe nor by sword nor by battel by horses nor by horsemen that is neither by military preparations nor actians how promising soever but by his own hand answering the mournful prayers of his people as in Hezekiah's dayes Vers 8. Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah she conceived and bare a sonne 9. Then said God Call his name Lo-ammi for ye are not my people and I will not be your God The last period of their sinnes ripening for Gods judgements is represented under the type of the third childe called Lo-ammi or not my people pointing at the time of their utter captivity by Shalmanesor 2 King 17. whereby God made void the relation betwixt him and that people scattering them among the Nations and making them cease from being his Church and people to wit as a Nation for otherwise remnants of them did cleave to Judah Whence learne 1. Such is the long-suffering patience of God especially toward the visible Church that he is not only slow to anger and to manifest the same by judgements but even when he hath begun to strike he yet waits patiently to see what use they will make of present judgements to prevent future and sadder stroakes and in particular it is very long ere the Lord come to unchurch a people that have been in Covenant with him So much are we taught in this type that this stroak came not till the birth of the third childe and that this childe was not conceived till after she had weaned Lo-ruhamah which took up a longer time then if she bad given it suck by another 2. However the Lords long-suffering patience be great and admirable yet it will not last alwayes toward a sinfull people especially after he hath begun to plead with them but will at last come to a sad period For at last she conceived and bare a son typifying their utter rejection 3. Albeit no limits ought to be set to the freedome and efficacy of the grace of God who can and doth sanctifie afflictions unto the Church and make them a mean to turne her and cause her cleave faster to him yet it doth also
oft-times prove too true that when the Lord begins to contend with her she proves so obstinate in sin and so incorrigible and incessant in defection that nothing ends it but her utter rejection at least for a time For such was the issue of his former dispensations with Israel as is to be seen till this day 4. The capestone of all judgements upon a people and in which they will resolve if not made use of is their unchurching and cutting off the relations betwixt God and them For this is the sad and final stroak on Israel Ye are not my people and I will not be your God or not be yours as it is in the Original See the like forme of speech Ezek. 16.8 Thou becamest mine or my people 5. Whatever may follow upon Gods smiting of a people in severity and their not making use thereof yet his relation and interest in a people is not alwayes to be measured by his severity in striking or denying any expression of his compassion and sympathy under it For under the former stroakes they were Lo-ruhamah and yet came not to be Lo-ammi till this stroak See Isa 63.15 16. 6. When ever the Lord gives up with a people as to being their God he will make it appear that the breach began on their side and that they first voluntarily rejected him and choosed that state and condition sinfully to which and the effects thereof he gives them up judicially So much doth the order of this sentence import ye are not my people and therefore it is reason he subjoyne I will not be your God 7. A people may seem to be on the recovering hand for outward strength yea and possibly seem not to be so ill as formerly when their utter captivity is even at hand So much seemeth to be represented to us in that the type of this last stroak is a son whereas in the former it was a daughter pointing at their condition about the time of their captivity partly in that they recovered some little strength making them attempt to free themselves of the Assyrian yoke 2 Kings 17.4 Hereby teaching how little cause impenitent sinners have to trust to outward appearances even albeit they seem to have wrastled out of many difficulties and to be upon the amending hand And partly in that they were not so ill as formerly neither their King 2 Kings 17.2 who it may be let all that would go up to Jerusalem and worship as some conceive that Passeover 2 Chron. 30. was before their final captivity nor yet were the people at least some of them so ill For they did their wickednesse secretly 2 Kings 17.9 and yet then they went into captivity Hereby warning all that smaller sins of a present age joyned with the grosser abominations of predecessors will soon fill up a cup and that any seeming reformation when it is not through nor former defections mourned for and any liberty a people enjoy after bondage when it is not improven do but hasten on judgements Withall it may be the Lord did this that he might send them away with some sense of God and his Worship for their use in their captivity Ver. 10. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the Sea which cannot be measured nor numbred and it shall come to passe that in the place where it was said unto them Ye are not my people there it shall be said unto them Ye are the sonnes of the living God Unto these threatenings are subjoyned some Gospel-promises for the comfort of the godly who should taste of these calamities The first Promise is that though Israel should be rejected as a Nation yet the true Israelite of Jewes and Gentiles should be increased under the Gospel as the sand of the Sea And though their being cast out of their Land should be an evidence of their rejection as well as the Gentiles were yet in all places throughout the World where they and the Gentiles should embrace Christ they should enjoy the dignity and the priviledges of the Sonnes of God This Prediction is so expressely applied both to Jewes and Gentiles Rom. 9.24 25 26. and to the scattered strangers 1 Pet. 1.1 with 2.10 that there is no doubt to be made of it Doct. 1. In a time of greatest severity the Lord remembereth mercy and doth not alter his purpose of being great and getting Worshippers in the World For so much doth this Promise teach 2. Albeit the godly in their dayes and generation should meet with nothing but hard lots yet it may be a comfort unto them under present hard dispensations that there are promises of better dayes to be accomplished in after-ages and in particular the Prediction of Gospel-times and dispensations was the comfort of the godly under the Law much more should the accomplishment be so to us Therefore doth the Lord by Hosea comfort the godly in his time with these promises See Luke 10.23 24. Gen. 48.21 3. Believers of all Nations are Abrahams seed and the true Israel and consequently whatever became of Israels temporal priviledges yet their spiritual priviledges were not lost when they were cast out but distributed among Believers of them and the rest of the children For they are called The children of Israel and come to be the Sonnes and People of GOD See Rom. 4.16 17. Gal. 3.7 6 16. 4. The encrease of the Church is a great mercy and doth richly make up the dispersion and scattering of any visible Church Therefore is it held out as the encouragement The number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the Sea which cannot be measured nor numbred 5. The Lord is still mindful of his Covenant and so careful of performing the same that whatever appear to the contrary yet he will still make it good one way or other and in particular the promise to Abraham concerning the multiplying of his seed is richly accomplished under the Gospel though his seed after the flesh be rejected for a time Therefore doth he repeat that promise to Abraham Gen. 22.17 as a thing that would not fail and to be accomplished under the Gospel 6. The priviledges of the people of God under the Gospel and better Covenant have an advantage of the times under the Law and the priviledges of the truly godly are far above these of any visible Church whatsoever Therefore in opposition to their being not my people it is promised not only that they shall be my people but Sonnes And it is thus expressed partly because however the Covenant under the Old and New Testament be the same in substance yet the priviledges are more ample clear and distinct now then before Though his people were then children yet they were keeped under the condition of a servant whereas now their Sonship is more clear Gal. 4.1 7. and partly because the external state and priviledges of the Nation of Israel come far short of the dignities of the
of Israel after their conversion yet herein is ground of comfort that they are under Christ their Head who hath influence to assist and refresh them and power to protect and support them For they shall appoint themselves one head and they shall come up out of the land See Cant. 8.5 Mic. 2.13 As for that reason subjoyned in the end of the ver For or because or albeit great shall be the day of Jezreel If we take Jezreel to signifie the scattered of the Lord as v. 4. the meaning will be as if the Lord said because there will be such a dreadful day of Iezreel therefore I will make it up by this restitution as indeed in a time of love his compassion floweth out the more abundantly as calamities have been sad and unsupportable Ier. 31.20 21. or it may be taken thus Albeit there hath been such a great day of Jezreel yet this mercy shall also come to passe neither the irreparablenesse of his stroak nor his anger inflicting it shall make his promise of mercy void But we may as well here take Jezreel for the seed of God as it is alluded to Chap. 2.23 to intimate by way of confirmation of the promise that as seed when it is sowne in the ground doth hereby multiplie and bring forth increase so they being encreased and multiplied in their dispersion it should make the day of their recollection to be a great and remarkable day And it teacheth 1. In a time of love the Lord can and will turn his peoples hardest lots into mercies Jezreel scattered of the Lord becomes Jezreel the seed of the Lord. 2. Dayes of the Lords manifesting mercy towards his people are indeed great dayes and worth the marking as affording mercies above any mercies beside For such a day shall be a great day 3. As all the times wherein God is kinde to his people are remarkable times so in particular a time of his love after sad calamities his bringing forth the fruits of their afflictions and of his love after a long interruption will make a refreshful time whereof the state of Israel shall be a clear instance the time of whose conversion will be a remarkable and glorious time For great shall be the day of Jezreel when God shall regard them as his seed after their scattering and make them encrease thereby CHAP. II. IN the first part of this Chapter 1. The Lord chargeth the godly remnant to contend with the Church of Israel because of her defection and to exhort her to repentance and reformation v. 1 2. lest he plague her and her children v. 3 4. 2. For confirmation of this the Lord laieth before her her sin and the judgements that were to follow thereupon Threatening that since she impudently followed Idols because of advantage as she supposed by them v. 5. therefore he should stop the course of her prosperity and whoredomes till she should finde her errour v. 6 7. and threatening that since she acknowledged him not for her prosperity v. 8. therefore he would take it from her v. 9. make her vileness appear v. 10. deprive her of her mirth and solemnities v. 11. and lay her land waste v. 12 And in a word he threatens to take course with her grosse Idolatrie v. 13. In the second part of the Chap. the Lord promiseth unto Israel under the Gospel conversion and manifestation of his kindnesse under affliction vers 14. restitution to her former enjoyments ver 15. an exact and through reformation v. 16 17. the blessing of peace v. 18. the renovation of the Covenant v. 19 20. outward means of subsistence v. 21 22. and increase and many satisfactory proofs of interest and love after their rejection and hard usage v. 23. Vers 1. SAy ye unto your brother Ammi and to your sister Ruhamah 2. Plead with your mother plead for she is not my wife neither am I her husband let her therefore put away her whoredomes out of her sight and her adulteries from between her breasts In this Chapter we have an enlargement and application of the former Doctrine wherein the accusation and threatenings that were typically propounded are insisted on by way of Exposition to ver 14. and the promises which were briefly propounded are more fully branched out to the end of the Chapter In these verses there is a charge laid upon the godly remnant that they should enter in a contest with the Church of Israel their mother concerning her Idolatry whereby she had forefaulted her priviledge of being Gods wise and that they should stir her up to duty and to forsake this spiritual whoredome Whence learn 1. In times of greatest defection of a visible Church the Lord may and doth keep unto himself a remnant for whose sake he continueth his presence with a corrupt Church or they prove witnesses for him and these to whom he will be good however it go with the body of the Church For so is imported here there are brethren and sisters to plead which can never be understood of the Church which was to be in the dayes of the Gospel chap. 1.10 11. as if they were brought in by the Lord to shame present Israel from her whoredomes nor yet of Judah called unto to plead with Israel For the present Church of Israel could not be called a mother to either of these But it is to be taken of a remnant among themselves at that same time See 1 Kings 19.18 2. The great priviledges of the truly godly is that the priviledges offered to the visible Church are ensured to them even when she is rejected And in particular that they have interest in God as his peculiar people which as it floweth from Gods free mercy allanerly so it proves the Fountain of much mercy and tender dealing toward them So much may be gathered from their names Ammi or my people and Ruhamah or having obtained mercy which names are given to them when the body of the people are for present or shortly to be Lo-ammi and Lo-ruhamah Chap. 1.6 9. Yet it would be considered that we are not to look on these names as to be given one to the brethren the other to the sisters only but both of them as common to both though because of the Original construction they be thus distributed 3. It is the duty of the godly to be much in cherishing mutual love among themselves especially in times of general defection and of approaching calamities Therefore are they designed as brethren and sisters one to another 4. It is the commendation of the truly godly in an ill time to be careful of others and of the publick good and when their sense of their great priviledges and of Godstender mercies toward them makes them compassionate and active for the publick weal of the Church in their stations So much is imported in the charge laid on Ammi and Ruhamah in reference to their Mother-Church 5. Whatever be the activity of the godly in their duty yet
consists is brought into bondage or destroyed in their powers and want the face of a Church yet God pursuing for sinne will not only break a Nation but cause judgements reach particular persons also for the children of this mother be the children of whoredomes and therefore are threatened also 6. It is the sad sting of and an addition unto trouble when mercy is denied either for preventing moderating or removing of it such is their doom here I will not have mercy upon her children Where this is not denied deserved strokes may be kept off Hos 11.8 9. and irreparable strokes may be made up such as are naked and in their blood may be bid live in wildernesses men may meet with gracious leading and get water even out of flinty rocks Vers 5. For their mother hath played the harlot she that conceived them hath done shamefully for she said I will go after my lovers that give me my bread and my water my wooll and my flax mine oile and my drink To clear the equity of this sentence the Lord doth repeat their sinne in sad challenges and the judgements deserved by it in sharp threatenings Their sinne may be comprehended in this general of their idolatry in and because of their prosperous condition but since the Lord doth branch it out in several challenges and subjoynes threatenings to every one of them I shall follow it in that method The first branch of the challenge is that in her prosperity she would follow the idolatry of the calves and her confederates and their idols because she thought they upheld her and were the cause of her prosperity and so followed any course which might bring her profit and pleasure This the Lord challengeth as being not simple whoredome which may be done in the dark but avowed effronted adultery Whence learn 1. Such is the stupidity of grossest sinners that they neither see the ill nor danger of their way unlesse it be much and frequently inculcate therefore doth the Lord insist so much again upon both and subjoynes this challenge to the former sentence with the particle for that he may yet let her see how justly he accused her as being not his wife and threatened her because of that For their mother hath played the Harlot 2. A visible Church declining will readily turne impudent in sinne in regard the more corruption hath been hemmed in by the external bonds of order it swells the more over all banks and bounds and God justly giveth such up to be filled with their own devices for not only hath the mother played the harlot but she that conceived them hath done shamefully and impudently which may also be imported in her going after her lovers or pursuing of them as Ezek. 16 33 34. 3. It is a great aggravation of the sinne of idolatry that idols do become lovers and do bewitch and draw the heart from God Therefore doth she call not only her confederates by joyning with whom she thought to prosper but chiefly her idols my lovers in regard they drew her heart from God See Jer. 50.38 4. As it is a great sinne to depart from God and his true worship so especially it is a shamefull way of departing from him when mens ends are so low and base that they will follow any way of Religion for interest and advantage and account the thriving way best for herein did she shamefully that she went after her lovers and why they give me my bread and my water my wool and my flax c. she thought she thrave best in and because of her idolatry Albeit it was her mistake and sinne to father her prosperity so as we will finde v. 8. yet supposing it had been as she said it was still her great sinne to make that the rule whereby to trie true Religion and not to love the way of God whatever disadvantage followed See Jer. 44.17 5. It is also a great evidence of impudence when men do not sinne through infirmity or tentation but deliberately and do wilfully follow their resolutions whatever be said to the contrary for herein also she did shamefully in that she said I will go after my lovers c. She avowed it and was obstinate in it against all warnings See Jer. 44.16 17. Ps 81.11 Vers 6. Therefore behold I will hedge up thy way with thornes and make a wall that she shall not finde her paths 9. And she shall follow after her lovers but she shall not overtake them and she shall seek them but shall not finde them then shall she say I will go and return to my first husband for then was it better with me then now Because of this impudent and base wilfulnesse the Lord threatens that as a wanton and wandering adulteresse is curbed by hard usage and shut up by her husband so by afflictions and captivity he would daunton her wantonnesse and stiffnesse and make her following of idols as unpleasant and difficult as if an harlot would essay to creep through a thorn hedge and climbe over an high wall to get to her paramours v. 6. And if that should not yet reclaime her but she would obstinately follow Idolatry as hoping yet to prosper in it he threatens still to disappoint her till she should renounce them and turn to him confessing she had fated the worse for leaving him v. 7. As for this effect of her affliction and disappointments albeit this far it might be true of the wicked that affliction may let them see and convince them of their folly in forsaking God as we finde the body of Judah convinced of the truth of Gods Word which they contemned Zech. 1.6 yet taking this prediction altogether it holds out their true conversion which was verified in the Elect among them and will be more conspicuous when that Nation shall turn to the Lord. Doct. 1. Where God is not acknowledged in prosperity not looked upon as the giver of it he will be seen in adversity and prove himself God by overturning these resolutions wherein men have never so much of will Therefore in opposition to their mistake and wilfulnesse v. 5. he subjoynes Therefore behold I will hedge up her way c. Though she should follow her lovers he will crosse her way though she saw not him as the giver of prosperity he will be remakably seen in removing it 2. It is righteous with God that nothing that draweth the Churches heart from him should prosper in her hand and it speaks mercy if well emproven when the way of sin is made difficult to a people Therefore because prosperity drew her away he threatens to remove it and to hedge up her way with thornes and make a wall that she shall not finde her paths that is to make her have a bitter and difficult time of it while she adheres to Idolatry and all this in order to her reclaiming 3. Albeit afflictions from the Lord should point out sin and prove as hedges and walls to hem us
was and who upon her good behaviour would promise to marry her As to the custome of an Israelites marrying the Heathen Virgin Deut. 21.10 13. Doct. 1. As it is matter of sad challenge against the Church that she ingrately sins against loving kindnesse and is an adulteresse unprovoked for so may be imported here that this adulteresse had been beloved and yet plaid the harlot See Jer. 2.5 Mic. 6.3 so loving kindnesse doth not alwayes give up upon sad provocations nor upon saddest dispensations for so is expressely held out here the repudiate adulteresse is yet beloved of her friend and this sets out the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel c. This holds true of the Nation of Israel to this day Rom. 11.28 29. and there may be toward all the Lords people many sweet purposes lying hid under sad dispensations Jer. 29.11 2. Such is mens stupidity in taking up their own case and their superficialnesse in pondering of it that it needs to be much and sensibly inculcate Therefore is this matter twice told first in the type Go yet after that former type chap. 1.2 love a woman c. and then in the explication according to the love of the Lord c. 3. This outward grosse Idolatry with other gods as they judged them to be gods which Israel was guilty of and for which she was repudiate may teach That corrupting the Worship of God and declining from him and his way is the great sin for which the Lord doth plead and may at last reject a visible Church and albeit tentations to such courses may be removed from a Church yet the dispensation and way of Israel may warne us that the hearts of all men are prone that way if they had a tentation that we encline more to false worship then true that naturally we have false wayes to heaven and happinesse and that idols and not the true God are chief in our hearts And when God and his way of service are not delighted in we may charge all these upon our selves So much may we gather from this challenge against Israel they look to other gods or turning their back on God they placed their affection confidence dependance respex on Idols For looking doth import this Ps 123.1 2. Isa 45.22 See Ezek. 20.16 24. 4. The challenge joyned with this that they love flagons of wine or sensual pleasures doth teach that as idolatry and false worship are plagued with sensuality and delight in it as witnesse the feasts of Idolaters Exod 32.6 So sensual men bewray their own inclination that they are ripe for being Idolaters if they had the tryal Therefore are they conjoyned in the challenge as having much affinity and drawing on one another Vers 2. So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver and for an homer of barley and an half homer of barley 3. And I said unto her Thou shalt abide for me many dayes thou shalt not play the harlot and thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee In these verses the type of the second and third parts of the Chapter is propounded As if the Prophet should purchase this adulteresse out of the hand of all her lovers for so much money and barley and sequestrate her from himself and them to live on this sober entertainment in hope of marriage if she carried her self well So should it be betwixt the Lord and Israel as is explained in the following verses Albeit this type be expounded by the Lord himself yet since his speaking of the matter twice invites us to look on it again and again I shall observe somewhat on the type And first the Prophets purchasing the adulteresse for so much money is not to be strained to signifie the Lords redeeming of his Church for the price is given to her self for maintenance and to purchase her good-will though she be his own in order to second marriage But it teacheth that as a common strumpet being bought from all her lovers and a slave bought with money are at the buyers disposal So however Israel followed many idols yet the Lord would prove that he alone had dominion over her to set her in what condition he pleased where none of her lovers should help her Secondly the price given for her fifteen pieces of silver whereby we are to understand so many shekels being but half a servants worth Exod. 21.32 and half the estimation of a woman Lev. 27.4 may teach how little worth they are and how base and contemptible they make themselves who despise the Lord and corrupt his Worship as may be seen on the Jewes to this day and much more on Israel who are in a manner lost in the World See Amos 9.7 Thirdly this small price with the barley joyned with it and given her being but little and sober fare and unfit food especially for women may teach 1. That sensuality provokes God to send pinching penury For she who loved flagons of wine v. 1. cometh to this fare 2. That we must be much stripped of all things before we be sensible and weaned from our idols For this adulteresse must be thus pinched before she give over her wantonnesse Our hearts are so mad on Idols that they will be fed so long as we have any thing to our selves Fourthly his charging her to abide many dayes sequestrate not playing the harlot nor enjoying him for so the Original hath it Thou shalt not be for a man either me or any other but having hope of marriage if she did well may teach 1. That cutting short of outward mercies should cut off sin and humble us that we may be ripe for mercy and whatever our frame and carriage be yet by affliction God will cut short occasions of sin For as an adulteresse shut up and dieted is secluded from her lovers so Israel by Gods dispensations is made to abide and not be for a man 2. The Lord may intend much good to them whom he brings in contempt and to a low condition For he sequestrates and shuts up Israel thus with an eye to marrying of her 3. Such as God intends this mercy for may yet continue long in a sad condition partly to shew the greatnesse of his displeasure against his people when he is provoked to reject them and partly that they may see the ill of their wayes and may cleave to God the faster when he restores them For Israel is to abide many dayes whereof we have seen a sad accomplishment from the time of their captivity to this day whereof though they get no use in the time of their rejection yet it will be otherwise when they turne to God 4. As it is a choice mercy in affliction not to forsake God nor cleave to other idols though he seem to reject us So it is a token for good to Gods people when by affliction he cuts short their sin For so this sequestrating her is expounded to be an
threatens them with sudden and violent destruction and captivity where they should be ashamed of their corrupt worship v. 19. Ver. 1. HEare 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 nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land 2. By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood HItherto this Prophet in the Lords Name hath denounced the finall destruction and prophesied of the future conversion of Israel making use of some types for that end Now in a great part of this ensuing Prophecy he proceeds in more plain termes to rip up and lay open the iniquitie of this people and to reveal and denounce future judgements if so be there might be any hope of reclaiming them or any of them at least that they might be left without all excuse In this Chap. we have Gods controversie pleaded against them wherein is contained an accusation for diverse sins drawn up in several articles to every one of which the sentence or threatening is subjoyned In these Verses First they are cited to the Tribunal to hear the controversie discussed Then the first article of the accusation is subjoyned which is more generall laying to their charge the violation of the Law in many omissions and commissions against both Tables Namely that there was no truth nor tendernesse in their dealing no spark of the knowledge of God shining in their way but on the contrary perjury and rash swearing lying murther stealing and adultery were committed without moderation and sin heaped upon sin Whence learn 1. Albeit the servants of the Lord may oft-times have little or no ground of hope that their Ministery shall have any successe among a people yet it is their duty having Gods call not to give over while they have any opportunity For albeit in the former Sermons the matter be so closed that Israel was certainly to go into captivity yet Hosea doth not give over pleading as God doth put them to it when they are laid by Jer. 20.9 So their Ministery will have its own successe one way or other Isa 55.10 11. and their labours will not be lost before the Lord Isa 49.4 5. 2. As they who are nearest to God for outward relations may have their own grosse faults which their titles and priviledges will not cover So the Lord will especially contend with them because of these For so is verified here in the children of Israel against whom this procedure is 3. When men look on sad and unpleasant messages as coming from God it will call on them to receive them with other respect then is given when men are only seen for this end doth he begin with Hear the word of the Lord. 4. When people and especially the Church do sin they must expect a processe to follow it and when people do not make right use of better tydings from the Word they must expect sad challenges and sentences from it And when the authority of God contending by his Word is not heeded the Lord is provoked to plead the controversie more immediately For the Lord hath a controversie following on sin and this is pleaded partly by the Word here and that not succeeding by the judgements here threatned 5. Sin is so much the more odious and doth provoke God when it is universal and committed by these who have found him true in his promise and rich in his bounty to them For it is a controversie with the inhabitants of the land or with the body of the people now corrupted and with the people who were setled in that good land which he had sworn to their Fathers to give it them 6. It doth commend the Lords mercy and clear his justice when it is manifested on his sinfull people that he doth not strike before he hath warned them of their danger and debated the matter with them For here he warnes them by the Prophet and before he execute the sentence he doth plead the cause that they may consider of it 7. As the visible Church not walking with God may become monstrous in sinfulnesse so the Lord doth not contend with her without cause or for lesser faults and ordinary infirmities though these do justly provoke him to anger but for grosse debordings in omission or commission So much doth this accusation teach in the general 8. The Lord will not be mocked or deceived with any pretences of Religion when men neglect the duties of the second Table Therefore doth he begin the challenge with these and insist most on them 9. Whatever secret mourners there may be in a corrupt Chuch yet when the contagion becometh general and riseth to an height the Lord will take no notice of them as to holding off a common calamity For albeit there were no doubt some good men in the land yet he saith there is no truth c. in the land because they might get their soules for a prey but would not turne his anger from the land See Ezek. 9.4 5. 14.14 16 18. 10. The Lord abhorreth flattery in his people their want of ingenuity their politick and subtile carriages and unfaithfulness and deceit in bargains and trusts That may be the cause of Gods sore controversie which men look on as an handsome conveyance For the Lord hath a controversie because there is no truth 11. Such as cast off bowels of mercy and exercise oppression either where the cause is unjust or a just cause cruelly prosecuted and affliction added to the afflicted may expect judgement without mercy if they persevere in it For the Lord hath a controversie because there is no mercy 12. As the true knowledge of God is the fountaine and root of true Religion and as mens ill carriage in duties one to another doth prove them void of the knowledge of God and of Religion professe what they will So ignorance of God continued in and affected and appearing in such effects is the matter of a sad controversie against the Church For he challengeth that there is no knowledge of God in the land that is they are void of any Religion which flowes from saving knowledge of God and accompanieth it and in their way toward others they walked as if there were no God in heaven and this is a sad challenge when it is in the land where he may and especially should be known and acknowledged Psal 76.1 See Ps 14.1 2 Thess 1.8 13. Not only perjurie and false swearing but vain and rash swearing wherein men bewray their high presumption in prophaning the Name of God and violating his command without any the least appearance of profit or advantage will be pleaded against when the Lord prosecutes a controversie against a land Therefore is swearing put in the catalogue of the causes of this controversie 14. As lying is a sin inconsistent with humane society and doth provoke the Lord to just wrath
rather Therefore shalt thou fall c. 2. How high soever men exalt themselves in their opposition to God and his truth yet that guilt will bring them down and when God begins to reckon he will reach every sinner particularly For his height will bring a fall and the higher up the greater fall and the threatening is directed against every one in particular thou shalt fall 3. Vengeance can reach sinners in the height of their prosperity and can ruine them suddenly and inavoidably For Thou shalt fall in the day that is not only shortly on this day but in a time when none would expect it as there is no cause of stumbling in the day 4. It is a plague upon sinners that when they go furthest wrong and oppose the faithful Servants of God yet they will never want corrupt men pretending to come in Gods Name to bolster them up in their evil way and God hath a sad controversie against such seducers For there is the Prophet who is threatened also 5. This sentence of falling in the night with them threatened against the false Prophet doth teach not only that the one and other shall be cut off in a continued tract of judgements as the night followeth upon the day or that their calamitie shall turne their day into night wherein they cannot choose but fall or that the Prophets whatever light they pretend to shall yet be in the dark and ignorant of this calamity till it come But chiefly it teacheth that when calamities come such as have been seducers and soothers up of others shall fall with greater horrour then any as having been the cause of the ruine of so many It shall be night with them and day with others in comparison of them 6. However sinners shelter themselves under the priviledges of a visible Church or State yet the Lord may let them finde that their sin doth not only undo themselves but bring utter desolation also on he Church and Nation whereof they are Therefore it is suboyned and I will destroy thy mother Vers 6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because thou hast rejected knowledge I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children The third Article of this accusation is against the corrupt Priests and teachers and is intended not so much against these Priests of Aarons family and other Levites who after the rent and defection of the ten Tribes staid still in Israel because of their inheritance as against Jeroboams Priests who whatever they were before God yet since they took the name and office on them the Lord threatens them for not walking answerably This Article hath several branches in the first whereof he reprehends them for the ignorance of the people occasioned through their negligence and their rejecting and sleighting of the means of knowledge which might enable them to teach others For which he threatens to cast them out of the office they seemed to have and to reject their posterity that they should not exceed them Whence learn 1. As ignorance is a very rise and destroying sin in the visible Church so the guilt thereof doth oft-times lie in great part at Preachers doors with whom God will reckon according to the priviledges of his people whatever they be in themselves For saith he My people perish for lack of knowledge and this the Lord challengeth the Priests for and as being the occasion of it in those who were his people though they deserved not the name as v. 4. 2. Such as would be able to teach others ought to take much pains that they may be instructed themselves from God in his Word Ignorant Ministers are great plagues their private idlenesse is the cause why they do not edifie in publick and when the Lord doth not teach them they will not reach others to purpose Therefore it is a challenge against them and a cause of the former ill thou hast rejected knowledge to wit of the Law as is after cleared 3. The more familiar occasion of converse men have with holy things wanting holinesse their contempt and dislike of them will be the greater and their opposition to light have the more of perversity and lesse of infirmity in it For these Priests do reject knowledge or wickedly and with contempt despise it 4. Such as do for a time reject and resist means of knowledge when it bears it self upon them may at last come to forget it without a challenge to lose the light they had and to be nothing moved with any stamp of authority that is in what God saith Therefore it is added to the former thou hast forgotten the Law that is not only lost any small knowledge of it they had but they had as little minde of it and it as litâ—le authority in their hearts or bred them as little disquiet when they neglected it or went otherwise wrong as if they had never heard of it See Psal 50 17. 5. The more relation any pretend to God by vertue of their general or particular calling the Lord will make use thereof to aggreage their sin and unanswerable walking Therefore doth the Lord name himself thy God because they pretended so and to shew that if they got not benefit by such a relation it should adde to their wo. And so the blinde presumption of many will but make their ditty the greater while they pretend to much interest in God and yet their way looks nothing like such a pretence 6. Unfaithfulnesse in offices especially in the Church will cast men out of it as unsavoury salt with much guilt which is a sad judgement service to such a Master being honourable and especially to minister to him in holy things For it is his sentence I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me to wit as they pretended they were However men may spare such who by neglecting duty prove that they keep the office injustly yet God will not 7. However the posterity of godly Ministers may oft-times meet with hard measure from an ingrate world as well as Ministers themselves yet it is the righteous judgement of God on unfaithful Ministers that as they neglect and forget Gods children committed to their charge so God suffers their posterity to be neglected For I will also forget thy children who it seemeth succeeded to them in imitation of the order established by God in Aarons Family Ver. 7. As they were increased so they sinned against me therefore will I change their glory into shame In the second branch of this Article the Lord accuseth them of ingratitude that the more they prospered or increased in number or glory they were the more bold on sin Therefore he threatens them with ignominie to come in place of that glory which made them to miscarry so far Whence learne 1. Such as do provoke God highly may yet in his long-suffering patience not
exile who would not be bounded with the Law he can lay them open to felt and feared dangers who placed all happinesse in being rid of his yoke and he can make them weak and faint-hearted in trouble who were strong and stout-hearted to sin for the Lord will feed them not by taking care of them though that in some respect be true but in place of their residence in their own land he will drive them into exile and make their pasture to be as a Lamb not any more a wanton strong heifer in a large place where by its bleating alone it shall bewray its own solitude danger and fear and where it shall be exposed as a prey and not know where to turn it 12. When defection from God cometh to the height of wantonnesse and rebellion against him and rejecting of his yokes then judgement is not far off for now the Lord will feed them c. that is shortly 13. Whatever may be the present condition of back-sliders which might tempt others to joyne with them yet a serious consideration of the certain consequents of such a course may break that snare therefore however Judah for present might be tempted by reason of Israels successe yet the Lord propounds this as an argument to disswade them that now the Lord will feed them as a Lambe in a large place Vers 17. Ephraim is joyned unto idols let him alone The sixth and last article of the accusation is against their Kingly tribe called by the name of Ephraim because the first and many of their following Kings were of that tribe and it is conceived that Samaria their chief city stood in that tribe The accusation hath two branches in the first whereof they are charged with being so mad on idolatry that they are become desperate and irrecoverable Whence learn 1. As mens greatnesse hath its own snares to sin accompanying it so however they think themselves above the reach of any challenge or censure yet the Lord will not spare the sins of the greatest as being ordinarily ring-leaders and chief masters in the sins of a land therefore doth he challenge Ephraim especially for idolatry which he actively carried on by reason of his State interests 2. Idolatry is a very bewitching sin and doth keep where it gets a grip for Ephraim is joyned to idols or glued to them that he cannot any more be divided from them for albeit his politick interest drew him that way at first yet being engaged not only that but a spirit of whoredome and Gods judgements keeps him to it as a way most agreeable to his own heart 3. As the Lord will at last give up desperate and incorrigible sinners to themselves and their own wayes so to be thus left is the chiefest of miseries Men need no more to make them miserable but to get leave to want a check from conscience or the Ministery of the Word or from Providence for saith he let him alone that is not so much thou Judah have no converse with him of which sufficient hath been spoken on v. 15. as let him go on without any further reproving of him Vers 18. Their drink is soure they have committed whoredome continually her rulers with shame do love Give ye In the second branch of this article their sins against the Second Table are laid to their charge namely 1. Their intemperance in drinking till it corrupted in their stomack which made them to vomit it up again 2. Their incessant filthinesse 3. Their covetousnesse and corrupting of justice thereby Whence learn 1. It is the great madnesse of the children of men that if they attain to any greatnesse they make it shine in nothing but in eminent beastly sins as if all grandour consisted in this as here we see in these great ones in Israel 2. Mens abusing of the good creatures of God and distempering their own bodies through intemperance is an iniquity for which God will reckon with the greatest for it is a challenge their drink is soure or gone to wit from its native savour and taste being putrified in their stomack so that they cannot digest it 3. As uncleannesse is a sin not easily shaken off when once men are engaged in it but it will be their Master far beyond their first resolutions so such obstinacy in it is odious before God when men become devoted and incessant slaves to their own lusts for it is a cause of anger They have committed whoredome continually 4. It is a shameful sin in rulers and men of power especially to be covetous and to love bribes and reward and such cannot but pervert justice and they do come to the height of impudencie when they are so affected with it as they dare avow such a course and command bribes to be brought to them for her rulers with shame do love Give ye or it is a shame that they who should be shields as it is in the Original to protect the people from oppression should oppresse the people with taking of bribes and corrupting of justice thereby and that they should love not only to take but to seek and command them to give Ver. 19. The winde hath bound her up in her wings and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices The Lords sentence because of these sins is that suddenly and as with a tempest they should be carried into captivity where they should be ashamed of all their corrupt worship Whence learn 1. The Lords long-suffering toward a wicked and impenitent people will at last end in speedy and sudden judgements which shall surprize them and shall be violent and dreadful to compense the delay for the winde hath bound her up in her wings that is they shall be as speedily carried into captivity as if they were carried on the wings of the winde and with as great violence and suddainty as if a tempestuous whirlwinde surprized them he speaks of this as a thing done because of the certainty of it and names the whole people her in the feminine gender either with an eye to the wanton heifer v. 16. or to shew that as they were effeminate by reason of their sins so they should prove such under their trouble 2. Wicked rulers by their sins against the first and second Table have great influence on the ruine or captivity of a Nation as being ordinarily set over a Nation appointed to destruction to hasten it and as drawing the Nation into the same sins with themselves for this threatening against the Nation comes out as a sentence because of Ephraims sins 3. Mens following of corrupt worship will be matter of shame and confusion and not of comfort in a day of distresse in that not only it will be reproachful in the eyes of all the world that Gods people should have forsaken him and so provoked him to make them an astonishment 1 Kings 9.7 8 9. but also in that all comfort from their courses wherein they glory in prosperity will disappoint
notwithstanding the Lords free admonitions given to all ranks by the Prophets that had lived among them such as Ahijah Elijah Elisha and others and notwithstanding his warnings by lesser corrections Whence learn 1. Oppression is in Gods account bloody cruelty and slaughter for all of it and every kind of it is here cal'd a making slaughter 2. Mens ability or parts in compassing defending ill courses doth not extenuate but rather aggrege them and make them the more odious that they seem to convey them handsomly make them seem plausible for it is a challenge that they are profound to make slaughter or as robbers who lie in wait they lay their plots deep that they may compasse them handsomely and plausibly 3. As mens subtile conveyances in sinning and their parts in palliating of it prove snares to themselves to harden them so much the more in it so to be deeply rooted and engaged in a course of sinning is an aggravation thereof so much also may be imported in that they are profound to make slaughter or have taken deep root in that course as Hosea 9.9 Isa 31.6 which is in part occasioned by their subtile way of it 4. Apostates and revolters from God are ordinarily given up to be grossest in their course to be bloody and cruel without a check or scruple to be plagued with abilities to compasse their ends and to defend their wayes and to be most deeply plunged in ill courses for it is the revolters who are profound to make slaughter 5. As it is of the Lords great mercy that he gives free warning to his Church of her danger and sends out lesser corrections to reclaim her so sin after such dealing becomes very sinful for it is an aggravation of their way that they went on though I have been a rebuker or correction as the word also signifieth of them all 6. When men once breed themselves to contemn the Word of God and to despise instruction by his corrections it is not only an evidence they are deeply engaged in grosse sin but then certainly grossest courses will follow on it for they are then profound to make slaughter when he had been a rebuker or correcter but without effect Vers 3. I know Ephraim and Israel is not hid from me for now O Ephraim thou committest whoredome and Israel is defiled Notwithstanding all their policies and pretexts for which he hath challenged them the Lord declareth that he perfectly knoweth all of them both rulers called Ephraim and people called Israel In testimony whereof which is the third ground of challenge or accusation he pronounceth them idolaters and polluted thereby and by their other conversation Whence learn 1. It is no strange thing to see wicked men ignorant of themselves deceived with their own hearts and hardened in their sin by reason of the false glosses they put upon it to blinde themselves and others for this assertion I know Ephraim c. supposeth that they were not known to themselves and that they dreamed to blinde others as themselves were 2. However men may mistake themselves may wilfully hide light from themselves or put a vaile on their wayes to deceive others yet the Lord seeth through all pretexts and how things are in truth for I know Ephraim and Israel is not hid from me let him mask himself as he will 3. God will prove his omniscience and knowledge of men as by other means so in particular by his Word discovering their wayes and setting them before them in their colours which men would look upon as warning them of an eye of God upon them therefore doth he prove his knowledge of them by this challenge in the mouth of his servant for now thou art come at length to that degree of defection or I take thee in the very fact notwithstanding thy pretences and do challenge thee that O Ephraim thou committest whoredome c. See 1 Cor. 14.24 25. Heb. 4.12 4. Idolatry and corrupting of Gods worship is spiritual whoredome and a pollution before God and errour or superstition is so small a friend to piety that it tends to pollution in conversation and it is a proof of Gods omniscience when he is not mocked with mens plausible pretexts covering such wayes but doth discover and teach his servants to discover them to be so vile for in testimony of his knowledge of them he sends out his Prophet to declare that their well marked wayes were whoredome and that thereby all Israel is defiled both with these ways in themselvs and with the effects of them Ver. 4. They will not frame their doings to turne unto their God for the spirit of whoredomes is in the midst of them and they have not known the LORD A fourth challenge which is also an aggravation of the former is for their being obstinately impenitent and incurable in their sin through long custome in it through a spirit or strong inclination to whoredome or idolatry and through their affected ignorance of God Whence learn 1. It is a great aggravation of sin when men not only do fall in it but do impenitently and obstinately persist in it for it is a challenge and aggravation of all the former that they will not turne to God See Jer. 8.4 5. 2. It doth yet more aggreage mens impenitencie that God to whom they will not turne hath been their God by their Profession and by his tender care of them and that he offers yet to prove himself their God if they will return for it addes to the challenge that they will not turne to their God and indeed despised and abused mercy will be one of the bitterest ingredients in the challenges against the Church 3. A people are yet the more inexcusable in their impenitencie when they will not so much as think on endeavouring or using the very outward means which might tend toward repentance for they will not frame their doings to turn they might have sought and yet not come speed because of their unsoundnesse and formality in their way but they were either so ignorant or malicious and impious as they did not so much as endeavour to bend their course that way 4. Custome in sin is a great slavery and cause of impenitence and is a judgement to which such as delight in sin are given up for so the words will also reade their doings will not give or suffer them to turn which is the first cause of their impenitencie flowing from what followeth See 2 Pet. 2.14 Jer. 13.23 5. It is just with God to give Apostates up to the violent inclination of their own spirits and to a spirit of Satan to possesse their hearts which will drive them on to follow sin madly and render them incorrigible for it is another cause of their impenitencie and that from which the former flowes for a spirit of whoredome is in the midst of them or hath possessed their heart and very inwards whoredomes may be understood here either generally
accuseth their Rulers especially for violating all Lawes divine and humane which set bounds to men in the matters of Religion and righteousnesse which being a great sin as it is to remove ancient land-marks and enter upon the possession of others of which See Deut. 19.14 27.17 doth justly provoke the Lord to threaten them with wrath in great abundance and violence as a deluge of water overflowing and overturning all This sin was eminently to be found in Ahaz his practice as is to be seen in the History Doct. 1. God in his absolute Sovereignty hath set bounds and limits to men in the matter of their estates Religion and duties of righteousnesse which it is not lawfull to transgresse For so much doth this challenge with the allusion to the removing of land-markes teach 2. Men are naturally so perverse that strictest bounds set by God will be so farre from keeping them in that they are thereby irritate to break them the more and the words prohibitions do but put an edge on their humours to runne the more violently wrong For they are like them that remove the bound though Lawes be set down more sacred then land-markes yet they will encroach upon them 3. Albeit great men think they may make bold with Gods Law above others and so are ill examples to all others yet their greatnesse gives them no allowance nor will shelter them in so doing For it is held out as a challenge that the Princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound 4. When great ones do sin and cannot be reached by others God will prove himself the avenger of such transgressors For therefore I will poure out my wrath 5. Whatever the stroak on sinners be yet when wrath is seen in it and that the wrath of an infinite God it will be dreadful Therefore the stroak is held out under this name my wrath See Ps 90.11 6. It is righteous with God to let out wrath without bound or moderation and in great violence on these who will not be held in by any bond or Law prescribed by him For therefore because they remove all bounds I will poure out my wrath on them like water or largely like a deluge which violently overflowes all banks The word also rendred wrath being borrowed from among men doth signifie such indignation as passeth bounds Vers 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgement because he willingly walked after the commandement Secondly as for Israel he accuseth the bodie of that Nation under the name of Ephraim not here taken onely or so much for the Kingly tribe for their obeying the injunction of their Rulers in changing of their Religion and that they did it willingly and without compulsion For which he threatens that their Rulers should be as already they were their oppressours and overturners of publick justice Whence learn 1. Such as usurpe unto themselves power in the civill state have ordinarily woful injunctions in the matters of God and of Religion partly that they may as they think mould it so as may tend to the safety of their affaires and partly that in Gods judgement they may more eminently engage him against them for all their iniquities For such was the comandement of Jeroboam and his successors here mentioned 2. No command of men even of Rulers will excuse sin especially in matters of Religion but obedience to what they command may oft-times be the cause of Gods controversie against a people For it is a challenge against Ephraim because he walked after the commandement and gave obedience to it 3. Albeit it be enough to prove a course sinful that it is against Law whether it be expressely voluntary or not yet God looks on mens willingnesse as a great aggravation of sin particularly of Apostasy For here it is the challenge he willingly walked 4. Albeit it be a most hainous and eminently voluntary sin when men fully consent to it of their own inclination yet a sinne doth not cease to be altogether voluntary even when commands of men attended with present dangers and terrours draweth them to consent far lesse when the simple command of men obtaines their full and free consent for albeit there was a commandment because of which they might pretend terrour yet as it was not terrour that prevailed with them so the Lord seeth that and that they did it willingly notwithstanding all that for it was of their own consent that the generality of Israel made defection at Jeroboams beck 5. The body of a people as they are naturally most prone and willing to what is ill so are they easily misled and carried any way that it pleaseth these who have power over them For so is here laid to the charge of Ephraim or the generality of them though some did otherwise 2 Chron. 11.16 6. Such as do corrupt the worship of God for their carnal ends are ordinarily great oppressours and however they may flatter people till they gain their ends yet then they will crush them For albeit Jeroboam carried on the rent under pretence of ridding the people of great oppressions and invented a way of Religion pretending the peoples ease yet by him and his successors Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgement not only in the righteous judgement of God but in the administration of justice they were crushed and oppressed by their corrupt Rulers who were great bribers c. 4. â—8 This is spoken of in the present time because they had already sadly felt it as a pledge of more of that usage 7. As corrupting of the worship of God is a ready way to shorten a peoples prosperity so it is righteous with God to make any whom men study to please by offending of him prove saddest scourges For so did the Rulers prove to Ephraim who followed their command neglecting Gods 8. As the sad fruits of sin and defection will not alwayes be suspended but be really felt by the transgressours So when stroaks are on it is the Lord alone who must discover the cause thereof For now Ephraim may feel his smart he is oppressed c. and yet he must be told that it is because he willingly walked after the commandement Vers 12. Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth and to the house of Iudah as rottennesse 13. When Ephraim saw his sicknesse and Iudah saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Iareb yet could he not heal you nor cure you of your wound 14. For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion and as a young lion to the house of Iudah I even I will tear and go away I will take away and none shall rescue him In the next place the Lord comes to deal with Judah Israel conjunctly challenging and threatning them for the ill use they made of his corrections We may take up this purpose thus when the Lord did punish them for their sins especially by more sensible rods like a moth in cloth and
the great sin of men to turne brutish in their oppressing others yet Gods providence is holy and his hand is to be seen in all of it For saith he I will be as a lion albeit it was the Assyrians and Caldeans who were instruments of that beastly cruelty and again I even I will teare c. 4. God being provoked is an invincible and sore party he will teare as a lion go away with his prey without fear when none dare or can rescue For I will tear and go away I will take away and none shall rescue Vers 15. I will go and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early The Lord insists in the sentence threatning that he will not only destroy them as a Lion but speaking after the manner of men will withdraw his gracious presence and leave themselves till in their exile they be humbled for their sins and turn to God which he promiseth and undertaketh they shall do As was verified not only in Judah after their captivity Dan. 9. Ezr. 9. and 10 but will be more fully accomplished in the future conversion of all Israel Zech. 12.10 11 c. Whence learn 1. It is a verie sad addition to an afflicted condition when the Lord not onely strikes a people in great severitie but doth desert them also under the stroak not manifesting any tokens of his favour to them Therefore is it subjoyned I will go and returne to my place that is speaking after the manner of men he will manifest no more of his care of them nor of himself to them then if he had shut up himself in heaven See Deut. 32.20 Isa 57.17 64.7 Ezek. 22.20 2. Gods sore stroakes and especially his sad desertions do call men to repentance as being that which may be attained then that which the godly if the sense of their condition be blessed to them will be stirred up unto and that which can promise a blessed issue of their condition to them For this is Gods end in all this to draw them to the true remedie I will returne till they acknowledge their offence As the Lord will make trouble pursue his own especially till they come to the right use of it So where his people are set on work this way by his withdrawing of himself it is a token the desertion is not total but that the Lod hath left somewhat behinde him that drawes them after him whereas to be deserted in trouble in respect of duty when men either neglect means in such a case as Dan. 9.13 or become more estranged from God that he deserts them as Zech. 11.8 is more sad then to be deserted as to the want of sensible comfort and manifestations of God when yet they are pursuing duty as Psal 88.13 14. 3. Repentance is then true when men are indeed convinced of sin and driven to confesse and plead guilty before the Lord and without this much shew of prayer and service by a sinful people will be but little worth For that is here expected to acknowledge their offence or to be guilty that is that they not only make a shew of confession but that really before God they be convinced of guilt and look like a people who have such a burden upon them 4. Such as are really humbled under the sense of guilt ought also to turn real seekers of God that is to be such as would not only be rid of present guilt that they may get ease of trouble but such as set themselves for time to come to presse after communion with God and walk in his way and for that end they must make God himself and not sinister ends their scope in this course they must be sensible of their distance from God and pursue when they do not enjoy yea whatever they enjoy they must still be on the pursuit of more while they are within time All this is imported in that the Lord saith they shall seek me 5. Such as do seek God indeed ought to be ardent and instant in it taking hold of all opportunities and pursuing after God as him whom they may not want and especially former negligence ought to be made up with doubled diligence by such as turne to God So much is imported in that they will seek me early and be betimes at it when they are turned to God 6. All these duties required in right seeking of God ought to be especially set about in sad times Times wherein affliction presse men hard on all hands ought to be times of seeking God indeed and ought to put an edge on diligence and duties otherwise it may draw to a sad account For in their affliction they will seek me early 7. Such as look toward God ought not to be discouraged that afflictions drive them to it who sought him not before and albeit afflictions first set us on duty yet if when we come God give us other earrands it is a sufficient proof of soundnesse For it is foretold as the sound conversion of Israel that in their affliction they will seek me early albeit they sought not before and the crosse drave them to it yet it is sound since their erarand is to seek God 8. Repentance is not only our duty to endeavour it but it is Gods promise who undertakes to work it in his own And such as minde repentance ought to set about it in the faith of a promise and eying him who only can produce it For it is a promise they will seek me early which though it relate particularly to Israels future conversion yet all the Lords people as they are pressed with need may lay hold on it and come to him who is exalted to give repentance unto Israel as well as remission of sin Acts 5.31 CHAP. VI. THe Lord having in the close of the former Chap. foretold the repentance of Israel he doth in the first part of this Chap. enlarge and confirme the same prediction by bringing them in practising what he had foretold of them and by prescribing a forme wherein they shall expresse their repentance This consists of a mutuall exhortation to that duty ver 1. and of encouragements drawing them to it namely that being penitent God will bind up their wounds and sores ver 1. That he will restore and raise them up out of their deadly calamities ver 2. And that he will manifest himselfe his kindnesse and favour to them after all their trouble causing them thereby to grow in piety ver 3. In the second part of the Chap. the Lord clears himselfe from being the cause of Israels destruction and that he could do no otherwise to them then he did ver 4. Considering their inconstancie in any seeming good ver 4. And the ill fruit of the Word among them who were but slain by the efficacy thereof ver 5. And did desperately sin against the clear light thereof ver 5 6 7. Which he
proves from the wickednesse that was to be found in particular places as Gilead ver 8. And particular ranks of persons as Priests ver 9. And in the whole Nation both of Israel ver 10. And of Judah who though they should be punished yet their trouble should end in restitution ver 11. Ver. 1. COme and let us returne unto the LORD for he hath torne and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up IN this first part of the Chap. the Lord insists on the future repentance of Israel and brings them in as doing what he had promised of them Chap. 5.15 Partly for the encouragement of the godly in that time to whom these sad messages and dispensations published by the Prophets and performed before their eyes could not be insupportable unlesse they had this ground of future hope And partly to prescribe unto the present generation a pattern of true repentance in the practice of these who after them should obtain mercy that so they might not please themselves with their own way of repentance but might let about the duty in earnest if so be there might yet be hope This verse containeth the mutuall exhortation and up-stirring one of another to repentance and their first ground of encouragement which is that though while they were impenitent the Lord had smitten and torne them sore Chap. 5.12 14. yet now upon their turning to him he would as a tender Chirurgion binde up and heale all these wounds Doct. 1. Where-ever there is true repentance there will be a returning unto the Lord which imports 1. That a true penitent will be sensible not onely of straying from God which hath made a distance betwixt God and him but that his straying hath begotten an aversenesse and turned his back upon God so that he needs to return And particularly he must be sensible of further straying under afflictions which were sent to reclaime him as was their case Chap. 5.13 See Isa 1.5 2. A penitent must have a deep sense that all other courses he hath essayed in his straying from God are but vanity that he hath been a loser thereby and that the Lord is onely worthy to be chosen and embraced and therefore he returneth to him as the onely excellent of choices See Hos 2.7 And 14.3 Jer. 3.22 23. c. 3. A penitent must have a through indeavour to make up this distance not being moved by affliction onely or by sin as it draweth on affliction but by the want of God whose favour he desires to enjoy and to come under his yoke and not contenting himselfe with motions or fits in this endeavour but studying to follow it forth till he come to a reall enjoyment of God and so return unto the Lord indeed which these penitents are yet endeavouring albeit already there be such an edge upon them as makes them stir up one another Doct. 2. As there is great need of upstirring for the right performance of the duty of repentance which is a duty far above our reach Isa 64.7 So however love may prevent the Lords people in their very dead condition yet the ordinary forerunner of a time of mercy is the Lords stirring up his people to seek him for here they are excited and exciting one another to this duty come and let us return and this is their temper in a time of love See Ezek. 36.37 Zech. 12.9 10. 3. As it is a sure evidence of true repentance when men are deeply convinced of the need of repentance and would have all to set about it as here they are and as true repentance and brotherly love exciting one another go together and want of love argues much impenitency So it is a sweet thing when the Lords people joyn hand in hand and by their example and encouragement stir up one another to seek God and times of mercy will be joyning times and unite the Lords people in the duties of repentance for such will be their way in this time Come and let us return See Zeph. 3.9 4. When a people once begin to decline from God ordinarily they become desperate in sin and are neere undone before they become sensible or be drawn to God for so is supposed here they are torn and smitten before they are brought to need repentance See Lev. 26.18 39. Amos 4.6 11. Apostasie once given way unto is not easily recovered sense of calamities and of sin procuring them is not soone attained the blessing of afflictions is not taken up at our foot our ill humors raised by afflictions in swelling against Providence doating after ruined Idols c. are not soone laid So that it is no wonder matters draw to this height 5. God is a severe purâ—urer of sin when once he begins to prosecute a controversie with a visible Church for he will both smite and tare and deale severely before they return not He is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 not to be provoked Heb. 10.31 His provoked love will end in jealous rage Hos 13.8 His sovereignty and power will not endure that men should refuse to receive correction from him or think to prove stronger then he in walking contrary to him Lev. 26. And his love will not want his people though he should pursue them with never so great severity 6. Sad strookes which have been long inflicted on the Lords people and yet they have continued stupid under them may at last be blessed and work upon them to make them sensible and seek to God for now they not onely feel but are driven to seek the true remedy of their afflictions which they did not before Chap. 5.13 Albeit our hearts and afflictions of themselves will never produce this yet the Lords free-grace and blessing accompanying afflictions will bring it about See Lev. 26.40 41 c. 7. As the afflictions of the Church are from God and to be taken as from his hand so the healing thereof must come onely from him for He hath torn and he will heal us c. God will not proceed in such a way of judgement toward his people as to deliver them from trouble when yet they are not led to him thereby or to obscure his own love which doeth for them but will blast all probable means till they come to him and be left on him and then he will cure what is otherwayes incurable and for which there is no balme beside 8. It is the duty of such as minde to set about repentance and conversion to God in earnest to do it with encouragement and hope and as we are to believe that the Lord not onely sends cleanly trials that he may get work and give proofes of his art but even corrections for sin as minding our good and that he may draw us to repentance and alloweth us to take even a stroak inflicted in wrath as an errand to come to him with and sent to drive us to his mercy when we want another argument So we ought to
in this also doth the resemblance hold in the former and latter rain 5. Albeit the Lord see it fit oft-times to delay and suspend the manifestation of himselfe yet it is his peoples duty not to weary but they ought to testifie their estimation thereof by their eagerness and unwearied patience in expecting it for to this end also is this similitude made use of in Scripture That as men wait for this rain with great earnestnesse as being of singular use Job 29.23 and as the husband-man patiently waits for it that he may at last have a fruitfull harvest to recompence his labours So should the Lords people earnestly and yet patiently wait for him as knowing that his coming will make up all Jam. 5.7 8. Ver. 4. O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I do unto thee for your goodnesse is as a morning cloud and as the early dew which goeth away Followeth the second part of the Chap. wherein after this sweet digression foretelling their future repentance the Lord returnes to his former challenges against these two Kingdomes and clears himselfe that he was not the cause of that destruction that was to come upon them before these joyfull dayes So that this purpose doth not come in by way of exception against their repentance formerly described as unsound for that contains a patterne of true Repentance and of what they will do at their last conversion But the dependance may be conceived thus That on the one hand the Lord having comforted the truly godly by this prediction he now turns himselfe to the body of the people and his affection if we may speak of him after the manner of man being kindled with the thoughts of that sweet time of love that was to be betwixt Israel and him he expostulates with them that they were nothing like this pattern here prescribed and that themselves being Judges he could do no other then destroy them On the other hand whereas they might object how could he destroy them toward whom he had such a purpose and they were still ready to accuse his rigour and severity toward them Therefore he puts them to instruct any cause they could wherefore he should deal otherwise with them We may take up the purpose in these 1. An assertion that he was not to blame for their destruction but their own condition which was so deplorably desperate that he propounds the matter to themselves to shew upon what grounds he could do otherwise with them then he did considering their way 2. Some confirmations of this assertion whereof the first in the rest of this v. prevents an objection taken from their seeming goodnesse at some times as we finde severall reformations in Judah and in Israel we have Ahabs humiliation Jehu's zeale and others of their Kings not so bad as the rest of them 2 King 17.2 Concerning this the Lord declareth that whatever reall good was in some persons yet any work of repentance or reformation the body of the people attained to was empty and in constant and could no more endure nor abide the touch-stone then the morning-cloud and dew can endure the rising Sun And therefore this could not hinder but rather hasten their destruction Doct. 1. When the Lord proceeds in severity against his people he is not to be looked on as one who takes pleasure in such a way or who delighted in it if their condition did not unavoidably call for it for so much doth this expostulation wherein he puts on the affections of a perplexed creature teach us See Hos 11.8 2. The disposition and way of the visible Church is oft-times so desperate that no dispensation will better them and however the Lord take no pleasure in their destruction and their priviledges seeme to call for another lot yet there is no remedy but their carriage draweth it on For O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee c. imports that he had essayed all other means but in vain and that now he could do no otherwise with them See Mat. 11.16 17. Isa 5.4 Jer. 9.7 Ezek 5.13 with 6.9 and. 24.13 3. The consciences of the Lords people may plead for God proceeding in greatest severity if they were awaked and it is their duty to justifie him in judging and for this end to be sensible of their desperate incorrigiblenesse for this question What shall I do unto thee doth not import any ignorance and perplexity in God but puts the matter to their own consciences which being well informed as they ought to be would justifie him in his greatest severity 4. As oft-times a people enjoying purer worship may be as ripe for judgement and in as desperate a condition as they who have made fouler visible defection so the universall overspreading of sin contributes to make a peoples case more irremediable Therefore is Judah put to it with Ephraim who yet seemed to be far better then they and this is an evidence of their desperate case 5. A people may have some shew of goodnesse at least at some times who yet are little the better and their condition nothing the lesse desperate for so it is supposed this people had your goodnesse which comprehends any shew of piety toward God or of goodnesse bounty and mercy toward men which they had at any time 6. Mens goodnesse when it is onely in shew and not in reality proves ordinarily a great snare and neck-break to them as hiding the sight of their deserving from them being a ground of exceptation against challenges and of swelling against corrections Therefore must the Lord here take off this objection and clear what their goodnesse was 7. Whatever goodnesse men seeme to have yet it will not availe to exempt them when either it is but empty and wants a firme root or proclaimes its own unsoundnesse by its inconstancy and being but at fits for so much doth this comparison teach us Your goodnesse is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away Whatever use may be made of these similitudes elsewhere to point out what is really good yet in this place they point at the emptinesse of their goodnesse as a cloud that hath no rain in it and the dew that enters not into the ground to moisten it and at its inconstancy and evanishing Ver. 5. Therefore have I hewed them by the Prophets I have slaine them by the words of my mouth and thy judgements are as the light that goeth forth 6. For I desire mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt-offerings 7. But they like men have transgressed the Covenant there have they dealt treacherously against me The second confirmation of their desperate condition is that the Word did no good unto them Albeit the Lord by his Word dealt effectually and sharply with them as men do with rough stones and knotted timber to square them yet all this did but slay them v. 5 And albeit their duty was held clearly out
in the Word as the light of the morning v. 5. And particularly they were informed that God was not pleased they should rest on their ceremoniall performances which ought onely to have the second place neglecting morall duties of the first and second Table which should be their chiefe work v. 6. yet they made ill use of all this cleare light And whereas God had not onely enjoyned their duty clearly but entered in a Covenant with them that they seeing and embracing the Messiah who was pointed at in these sacrifices might worship him in faith and love as is enjoyned v 6. They on the contrary brake the Covenant and dealt treacherously in it while they obtruded Ceremonies and sacrifices upon him for expiation of sin and so turned it in a Covenant of workes and even in these neglected the morall and substantiall duties v 7. Doct 1. Such as are not wrought upon and bettered by the Word are in an hopelesse condition and not to be wrought upon by any other thing for this is a proofe of their desperate condition See Luk. 16.29 30 31. 2. As it is the Lords mercy that he yet continueth his Messengers with his sinful people who provoke him if so be they may yet be reclaimed so it is their duty to take up what they speak either by extraordinary revelation or according to the Word as spoken by God and not to sleight their Message nor contradict their authority in carrying of it for it is a witnesse for God against them that they had the Prophets and they carried the words of my mouth saith the Lord. See 2 Chron. 36.15 16. Jer. 5.12 13. 3. As all men by nature are unfit for any good as rough stones and knotty timber for a building till the Word worke upon them and be effectuall in its reproofs and directions So a desperately incorrigible people or a people inconstant in any good do provoke God to deale more sharply with them by his Word and such are not to be soothed up by Ministers and this is a part of Gods care of them for upon what is laid to their charge v. 4. it followeth by way of conclusion Therefore have I hewed them by the Prophets c. See Tit. 1.12 13. 4. As the Word of the Lord is of such efficacy that it will either cure and rectifie a people or else undo them So this ordinary result in the most part that the sharp reproofes and directions of the Word do but make them worse and tend at last to their ruin Therefore it is subjoyned to his hewing I have slain them by the words of my mouth which is not to be understood onely of the sharp edge of the convictions of the Word which did so cut upon them as they thought themselves slain by it nor yet onely of the finall event of this preaching that many were cut off according to the certain threatenings of the Word as 1 King 19.17 Isa 11.4 Jer. 1.10 But of some neerer accidentall effect tending to that to wit that all his sharp reproofes and great pains did but make them worse and put out what life or activity they seemed yet to have in any good Hence it is elsewhere said that the Word doth but harden Isa 6.9 doth make men worse Hos 11.2 and exasperate them the more it is inculcate Mar. 7.6 Act. 7.54 Amos 7.10 5. The Lord hath so clearly revealed his will concerning mens duty as may justifie him and make sinners inexcusable whatever they do pretend For it is another argument against them thy judgements or the righteous ordinances wherein thou art commanded to walk are as the light that goeth forth that is as cleare as day-light which breaks out in the morning It may be he alludes to the ordinary houre wherein the Prophets were sent out to hold forth this light which seemeth to have been in the morning Jer. 7.13 Zeph. 3.5 6. Such as yield syncere and Evangelicall obedience to what the Lord requireth may expect that it will be accepted and themselves in doing of it with pleasure and acquiescence For I desired mercy c. saith he not onely commanded but desired it as a thing wherein I take pleasure as the word signifieth 7. The rule of true Religion requireth that as all that God commandeth should be respected and obedience endeavoured So that morall and most substantiall duties as a fruit of faith in Christ be chiefly made conscience of which as they ought to take place of ceremoniall observances So without them the other are of no account in Gods sight For this was the subject matter of the doctrine which was so clearly pressed and therefore comes in with a for as an illustration of that generall in the end of v. 5. I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt-offerings Where under sacrifice and burnt-offrings is comprehended all their ceremonial performances and spoken of not as they related to Christ the substance of all of them but as they were externall performances rested on by that people In which respect his not desiring sacrifice is not to be understood simply as if the Lord did not approve even of the externall performances which were enjoyned by himselfe but comparatively that he desired morall duties more then burnt-offerings as it is in the next sentence To which may be added that in some cases when morall duties come in competition with ceremonials the Lord doth not desire ceremonials at that time but moral duties even of the second Table take place of them or other positive commands concerning the externals of Religion As Mat. 9.11 12 13. and 12.2 7. Yea further let men submit never so much to the externall injunctions about worship or think to satisfie their own consciences therewith yet where Christ is not closed with to enable and make men willing and active in morall duties they will not be approven in the other at all As Isa 1.11 13. and 66. 3. See 1 Cor. 12.31 8. Such as would approve themselves to God ought to make conscience of morall duties both of the first and second Table of the Law and particularly the saving knowledge of God whereby we may regulate the rest of our obedience and shewing of mercy in cases wherein we seeme not to be so strictly bound will prove our reality in Religion Therefore he puts in both the knowledge of God of which before and Psal 14.1 2. and mercy of which Jam. 1.27 Though Christ indeed extend it as comprehending mercy toward our selves as the rule of our duty toward our neighbours Mat. 12.1 2 7. And mercy toward the soules of lost sinners Mat. 9.11 12 13. 9. As it is of the Lords great mercy and condescendence that he will not onely enjoyne sinners their duty but enter in tearmes of a Covenant with them So he is a faithfull Covenant-keeper on whose part no breach will be found for here all this doctrine is held out in the Covenant as it
are up with carnal pleasures and joy and benummed with sensuality they care not what they do they stand in aw of none and they will scorne all that contradict them or are not of their minde and way For it is imported here there are scorners in the day of their King that is either mockers of all such as applaud not their way as Psal 35.16 or such as are come to an height of impiety to scorne and defie God and his threatenings and therefore are called the scornful Psal 1.1 7. It is also the great sin of drunkards that by their sensuality they deprive themselves of the use of reason and render themselves contemptible and like beasts that they can neither know their place nor dutie For the King in his drunkennesse stretched out his hand with scorners that is debased himself to keep society with such lewd persons and looked liker one of these then a King 8 It is the sin of Kings and Rulers or any in lawful power to prostitute that authority wherewith God hath stamped them in their office and to render it contemptible by their own miscarriage by countenancing insolent sinners whom they should suppresse and by conversing with base and vile persons and joyning with them in base courses unbeseeming their station and dignitie For herein did their King sin in stretching out his hand with scorners Vers 6. For they have made ready their heart like an oven while they lie in wait their baker sleepeth all the night in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire A sixth challenge is for their fraudulent carrying on of wickednesse to a maturity He maketh use of the former similitude shewimg that as a Baker heats his Oven by putting in fire and fuel enough and then sleeps on till it be ready at which time it will burne up in a flame though he had been sleeping so they did subtilly with leasure and length of time premeditate and plot their wickednesse and did dissemble it as if they were sleeping till they had an opportunity and then they were all on fire to execute that which they had been so hot and serious in contriving Whence learn 1. Raging and lustful sinnes are nothing the lesse discerned by God nor the lesse odious that they are managed with policy and subtilly conveighed Therefore saith he for or certainly as the word will also import they have made or applied and fitted their heart like an oven violent hot and raging and that whiles they lie in wait 2. Men who are wicked and subtile may seem to be lying by and doing nothing when yet 1. Their hearts are very bent on their course their Oven is heating while they sleep 2. Their designes are still going on the heat is tending to burning as a flaming fire while the baker sleeps Doct. 3. Iniquity that is hatched through abundance of lust is most violently executed when an opportunity offers and the more violently that it hath been long delayed For this Oven it burneth as a flaming fire and the more violently that their baker sleepeth all the night Vers 7. They are all hot as an oven and have devoured their Judges all their kings are fallen there is none among them that calleth unto me An instance is given of this challenge shewing that these plots which were so generall among them grâ—w to the height of frequent conspiracies against their Kings and Judgess that every one might set himself upmost according as we finde it was among them after Jeroboam the second in whose dayes Hosea first began to prophesy See 2 Kings 15. Their condition under all these confusions is amplified from the great and universal stupidity that was among them in that they called not on God nor employed him in all these distempers Doct. 1. An ill ordered Church is ordinarily plagued in justice with an ill ordered State and when men inflamed with lusts get leave to rage over all bounds in the matters of God and in other things it is righteous with God to let them loose to the overturning of policy and humane society For they who were as an heated oven in adultery bodily or spiritual v. 4. are now hot as aen oven and devoured their Judges c. 2. Sedition and conspiracies against authority are in effect but the fruits of strong and raging lusts let them have what pretext soever men please to put upon them and the actors pretend to what they will For They are all hot as an oven and upon this followeth and have devoured their Judges all their Kings are fallen that is many or most of them are cut off by violent deaths And by Judges we are to understand either the Kings themselves or inferiour Officers their creatures who were cut off by these who made the change to establish their own faction 3. Profane and corrupt men their fawning upon or seeming to comply with the humors of these in authority even in every thing and without any respect to the commands of God is yet no assurance but they may when they have opportunity turn disloyal And they may take as little notice of Gods Law subjecting them to the higher powers as they did of his other commands in their sinful compliances with Rulers humours For they who make the King glad with their wickednesse v. 3. and who observed their Birth or Coronation-dayes with much riot sensuality v. 5. now they have devoured their Judges c. 4. These violent lusts and turbulent effects of them are the fruit of not calling on God who being sought unto would subdue these lusts and correct these evils which lust leads men to apply violent remedies unto When God giveth up a people to such courses of sedition and conspiracy it is a token that neither the Land which is in such a distemper nor the actors in these courses are given to prayer at least in a right and sincere way For where these courses are it may be said there is none among them that calleth unto me or generally they neglect it 5. It is an evidence of great stupidity and the cause of a controversie from the Lord when greatest commotions alterations and confusions will not make a people sensible nor stir them up to look to God and call on him For the words may import also this challenge that all these overturnings of the state did nothing at them the people never thought on turning to God or employing of him there is none among them that calleth unto me Vers 8. Ephraim he hath mixed himself among the people Ephraim is a cake not turned The seventh sin for which they are challenged is their mixture with the Heathen Nations carried on especially by Ephraim or their Rulers whereby they became a cake not turned by which I do not understand so much a threatening that the hungry enemy of whom v. 9. shall cat him up as a hungry man would eat a cake lying on the fire not staying till it be baked as a declaration of
Her interest is little regarded and her love of no worth to any unlesse she hire them 4. Departing from God and employing sinful helps and means is very prejudicial not only in the event and issue but even in the work it self For whereas they might have had real and effectual help from God if they had turned to him without money and without price now albeit their other helps did stand in no stead yet they must hire lovers Vers 10. Yea though they have hired among the nations now will I gather them and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the King of princes The Lord threatens because of this that their endeavours to hire help among the Nations should not availe them but God should gather them that is either their hired friends to be employed against themselves or he will gather themselves among the Nations in heaps as dead corpses or whereas they were wilde and untameable v. 9. he will reclaim them from this humour and make them endure his yoke of judgements as Jer. 2.24 This stroak is amplified from an effect that however the taxes imposed upon them by the great King of Assyria 2 Kings 15.19 20. and 17.3 were very heavy and a cause of that revolt 2 King 17.4 yet they should finde cause to grieve little at that in respect of what followed when part of the Nation was carried into captivity 2 Kings 15.29 and then all of them 2 Kings 17. Doct. 1. It will be but to small purpose what means men use so long as they do not make matters sure with God and do not consider how he will dispose of them or their helps For so it proved here Yea though they have hired among the nations now will I gather them 2. When God is provoked to anger he can employ the means of our help to ruine our selves and can bring the wildest under sad rods So much doth his gathering them as is before explained teach Now or shortly will I gather them 3. When the Lord hath his Church to try or them and the rest of the world to scourge he can and may let wicked men prosper to a very great height for that end For the Assyrian is the King of princes having so many Kings and Princes subject and tributarie to him Isa 10.8 36.13 4. A people who have suffered under lesser trouble and yet have made no right use of it to prevent more or have used sinful means to be rid of it may expect no other issue but that the Lord will send a greater trouble to make them forget the former For this had been their carriage under their tribute and burdens and they are therefore told they shall sorrow a little for the burthen of the King of princes See Matth. 24.7 8. 5. Taxes and burdens under the feet of oppressours are but easie in comparison of captivity and exile and therefore ought to be the more patiently born For they sorrow a little for the burden c. as being easie in respect of what followed Verse 11. Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin altars shall be unto him to sin Followeth the fourth sin and cause of their judgement wherein their further corrupting of worship is laid to their charge and aggravated in three branches whereof the first which is charged on Ephraim as the misleader of the people is that whereas God had appointed only one Altar for his Worship and their Fathers of old had made a great stirre when there was appearance of erecting another Josh 22. Now they had not only set up one in Dan and another in Bethel beside that which God had appointed at Jerusalem but had multiplied them on every hill as ch 4.13 and almost every where as ch 12.11 This they did to sin that is not so much that they did this to offer expiatory sacrifices for sin as that the nature of their work was sin And therefore the Lord threatens that they should have their fill of sin by it and feel it Whence learn 1. Albeit the Lord be justly provoked to anger by all the sins of his Church yet their corrupting of Religion is his chief and great quarrel and is the sin in following of which men contract so much stupidity as they need to be frequently charged with it Therefore doth the Lord fall again upon their corrupt worship as his great quarrel and the sin wherewith they were most blinded 2. When men once leave God and the true way of his Worship there will be no satisfaction in any other way of Religion they follow and therefore no end of defection For Ephraim hath made many altars not contenting himself with these he set up at first 3. However men may buske up a false Religion to make it plausible and may seek to colour and excuse it with good intention yet not only doth the follower and promoter of it sin but God lookes upon him as intending all the sin that is in it For he hath made many altars to sin as if he intended all the sin that is in that course 4. As men are then most fearfully plagued when they are given up to go on in their sin and perish So when men do not stand in aw of the sin of their course it is righteous with God to make them feel what sin is and how ill he is pleased with it for altars shall be unto him to sin imports both these that they shall be given up to that sin and as they sinned and cared not so the Lord should make it be seen to be sin indeed and make them feel how sad that is Vers 12. I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing The second branch of the challenge is that in their defections and specially in this sin in corrupting the Worship of God they contemned the Law or Word of God written to them by God looking on its directions as of little importance and little concerning them Whence learn 1. The Word of God is the true touch-stone whereby mens wayes and their Religion is to be tried and approven and neither Traditions nor Revelations Therefore to prove the sin of their corrupt worship he chargeth them with contempt of the Law or Divine Doctrine in that matter See Isa 8.20 2. It was the great mercy and priviledge of Israel of old to have the Word and Oracles of God for instructing them in the way of salvation and it is so still to any who enjoy it and they ought to finde and esteem it so For it is an aggravation of his sin as the abuse of a very great priviledge that it was written to him See Psal 89.15 147.19 20. Rom 3.1.2 3. As it is a great mercy that the Lord hath caused to registrate his Will in writing to prevent delusion and mistakes So he is the Author of the written Word whoever be employed as Penman For I have written my Law saith
miseries it speakes a wo with every affliction that is on and threatens with more till the sinnner finde it so For Yea wo also so to them when I depart from them Vers 13. Ephraim as I saw Tyrus is planted in a pleasant place but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer A twofold amplification is subjoyned to this sentence The first is that their strong and flourishing condition even like Tyrus of which Ezek. 27. should not hinder the execution of the former sentence of cutting off their children Whence learn 1. Prosperity is one of the great bucklers whereby men would ward off Gods threatnings that they may not move nor affect them For this comes in as an exception against the sentence that Ephraim as I saw Tyrus is planted in a pleasant place that is he flourisheth as ever the Prophet or any saw Tyrus do or as some read as they saw a tree planted in the pleasant places of Tyrus 2. However when God is even departing from a people they may be in a more prosperous condition then ever yet all that will not make his threatnings void For so was Ephraim and yet the former sentence stands 3. The Idolatry of parents is a speciall cause of judgements on their posteritie For such was Ephraim who shall bring forth his children to the murderer or slayer For they are called murderers not so much because the Assyrian had not a lawfull authority as to point at the cruelty of their execution like murderers Vers 14. Give them O LORD what wilt thou give give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts The second amplification of this sentence is held out in the Prophets intercession who fore seeing this misery would rather wish that the children came never to maturity in the womb or that they died from their cradles for lack of suck then that they should live to be cut off in ripe age Whence learn 1. It is the lawfull and necessary duty of Ministers and other godly men to commiserate and condole the miseries of a visible Church and to pray for them though they be most wicked and going to ruine For so much doeth the Prophets practice teach 2. It may put godly men to a great stand and perplexity what to pray for in outward things when they consider a peoples sin and the certainty of judgements that justice calls for stroakes and that yet these are sad and will undo them and when they consider that in times of calamity there is no lot we can pitch on but it may be made sadder then what appears more formidable So much doth the Prophets perplexity in his suite teach Give them O LORD what wilt thou give as wishing the peoples deliverance on the one hand and yet pondering their sin and justice pursuing on the other which he could not but subscribe unto and as fore-seeing that however their childrens growing up seemed a greater mercy at present yet afterward it would produce a sharper trial 3. The fruitlesseness or barrennesse of the womb and breasts is from God and he is to be seen and acknowledged in it whatever second causes there be For the Prophet supposeth here it is Gods gift give them a miscarrying womb c. 4. A Nations sin may draw on such sad times that in many respects it were a mercy if parents had no children borne or they died in their infancy then that their children should live to see these times and be exposed as a prey to slaughters tyrannie false Religion Apostasy c. So soon can God imbitter the cup of sinners mercies and make the sad private afflictions of some in losse of children be seen to be a mercy afterward For so much doth this wish import that considering the slaughter that was to be of their children v. 13. and other miseries they were to endure it were a mercy to give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts See Luk. 21.23 Vers 15. All their wickednesse is in Gilgal for there I hated them for the wickednesse of their doings I will drive them out of mine house I will love them no more all their princes are revolters In the last part of the Chap. the Lord as it were answering to the Prophets intercession ver 14. accuseth them for their Idolatry especially of the calves which they used in Gilgal among other places Chap. 4.15 and 12.11 and that all their Princes who led them on these courses were Apostates from the first to the last And therefore he proceeds to threaten declaring that he hates them and that he will cast them out of his land and from being a Church and will withhold the former effects of his kindnesse While he saith all their wickednesse is in Gilgal the meaning is not 1. That they had no other wickednesses but that of Idolatry but that as their Idolatry was their chiefe and greatest sin and the fountain whence their other wickednesse did spring so that whereas they pretended to cover all their wickednesse with these Idolatrous sacrifices which they obtruded on him the Lord declares that this was the chief and height of their wickednesse Nor 2. is this the meaning that they had no other place of publick worship but Gilgal But whereas they had chosen and possibly now frequented most this place as holy and more famous then Bethel because of more recent favours there in rolling away their reproach giving them the first fruits of the land and the first passeover after they came out of the wildernesse The Lord declares that this adds to the sin and their sacrifices were more abominable there then any where Whence learn 1. Not only is Idolatry and corrupting of Religion a peoples chiefe sinne and openeth the sluce to other wickednesse But peoples think ing to cover their other sins and stop Gods mouth with externall performances of worship espcially in an unlawfull and unwarranted way of worship doth exceedingly add to the sin and become their chiefe guilt For thus all their wickednesse is in Gilgal as is before explained See Jer. 7.9 10. 2. The fairer pretexts and maskes men have for a corrupt way of serving God and in corrupting Religion it is still the more odious and the more men would wash such a course it will be still the blacker For so was all their wickednesse in Gilgal which they thought the best place and made uâ—e of what God had done of old there as a plausible pretence to make their Religion taâ—e with others 3. It is a chiefe sin in people to meet Gods mercies with ingrate and corrupt service and to abuâ—e them to render a corrupt religion acceptable For thus did they in Gilgal return Idolatry for all the mercies they had received there and made a pretence of these to make it passe currant 4. Rulers will not be able to assoile people from sin by their commanding it but may well get themselves challenged as chiefe Apostates For so are they here all their Princes are
the pitiful mothers and then dashed the mothers to death and laid them in heaps above their children Ver. 15. So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickednesse in a morning shall the King of Israel be utterly cut off Secondly as for their confidence in their way of Religion and settled State the Lord threatens First that that sore calamity mentioned v. 14. should come upon them because of their great sin of Idolatry at Bethel Secondly that their King and Kingdome should fall by a sudden and speedy blow Whence learn 1. Idolatry and corrupting of Religion is the great wickednesse of a visible Church and the cause of saddest judgements For So as is before threatned shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickednesse to wit which is committed there and under Bethel the other place of their corrupt worship are comprehended 2. As we are ready enough to see instruments in our calamities and ought to acknowledge Gods hand in them So we should see the great influence of our own sin in procuring them For So shall Bethel do unto you to wit by your provoking of God there 3. Impenitent Rulers and their Kingdomes may not only be sore afflicted and wasted but it may draw at length to utter cutting off even though they be Gods people in visible Covenant with him for the King of Israel and the Kingdome with him shall utterly be cut off 4. God can very speedily and suddenly bring about great revolutions and overturnings of Kingdomes And he would have the greatnesse of their sin and of his displeasure seen in such a dispensation for in a morning shall this be done which imports a short time as a morning before the Sun rise and a sudden stroak as if in a morning before men were awake an Army or City were surprized And it seemes that albeit Samaria endured a three years siege 2 King 17.5 yet some one morning it was surprized and so their King and Kingdome came to an end CHAP. XI IN the first part of this Chap. the Lord continueth to accuse and give out sentence against Israel And 1. He accuseth them of ingratitude in that albeit he had loved them in their Infant-condition and delivered them out of Egypt ver 1. and had sent Prophets to them to teach them their duty v. 2. yet they walked contrary to their directions and served Idols v. 2. And albeit he did carry them through the wildernesse yet they did not consider nor acknowledge this v. 3. and that notwithstanding he did gently draw them to their duty and provide for them v. 4. For this the Lord threatens that they should finde Egypt no refuge to them but should be carried to Assyria v. 5. and that the sword should abide upon their Townes and Villages till it consumed them according as they deserved v. 6. 2. He accuseth them for their pronenesse to Apostasie and ill intertainment given to the messages sent from God unto them v. 7. In the second part of the Chap. the godly are comforted against the judgements imminent and deserved by their sinnes wherein is held forth the mercy of God interposing to hold off the judgements deserved by them v. 8. and his expresse promise to moderate the execution of his just displeasure in not consuming the Nation utterly v. 9. and to convert and restore them after their rejection and exile v. 10 11. In the third part of the Ch. the Lord rejects all their pretences wherewith they would cover their faults and sheweth how much they were worse then Judah ver 12. Ver. 1. WHen Israel was a childe then I loved him and called my sonne out of Egypt 2. As they called them so they went from them they sacrificed unto Baalâ—m and burnt incense to graven images THis Chap. begins with a challenge of Israels ingratitude And for this end the Lord brings to remembrance his favour and his benefits conferred upon them and subjoynes what their ingrate carriage had been In these Verses he calls to minde his love toward them in their infant-condition in Egypt his preserving and delivering them out of Egypt as his adopted children and as a type of Christ and his sending Prophets particularly Moses to call them to obedience and to entertain fellowship with him in the use of his worship which trust these Prophets faithfully discharged All which doth aggreage their sin and convince them of ingratitude who walked so crosse to the directions of the Prophets and multiplied Idols and Images which they worshipped Doct. 1. Ingratitude and walking unanswerably to many received mercies is the great and crying sin of the Lords people and Church as this challenge teacheth Unfruitfulnesse under rods will not be rightly mourned for till this sin be begun at See Deut. 28.47 48. 2. The Church and people of God are in themselves very unlike the great dignities to which he advanceth them And particularly Israel was in a very mean and low condition till God did forme them both into a distinct and potent Nation and into a visible Church for himselfe For Israel was a child or in an infant-condition not as yet grown up No more like to the condition God put them in when he increased and delivered them and when he exalted and established them in the promised land then a child is like a grown up man And at that time they were not formed in a Church-State till after their deliverance from Egypt Which may put us in minde of the mercy of a grown up Church-State under the Gospel and what obligations a perfected reformation layeth upon them who attain to it 3. Gods love to the Church is her first and great priviledge which prevents her in her lowest condition when she is unworthy and base and which is the fountain of all his bounty and so makes it comfortable For when Israel was a child witlesse and worthlesse then I loved him and this is the fountain of all his bounty after mentioned Deut 7.7 8. 4. The Lord will make his love to his people conspicuous in their preservation in a low condition and under much trouble when he seeth it not fit to deliver them from it For so is supposed he dealt with Israel in Egypt preserving them from being extinguished by the fury of Pharaoh till he called them out of Egypt See Exod. 1.12 5. The Lord also will magnifie his love in their deliverance from trouble and bondage not only spirituall but outward also in so far as is for their good For I called my Son out of Egypt or brought him out with my invitation by the Ministery of such as were sent to speak to Pharaoh and them which I made effectuall And this was not only a type of the Churches delivery from spirituall bondage but a pledge also of his doing great things for his people See Exod. 12.42 Psal 34.19 6. As the Lord doth oft-times manifest his love and put speciall honour on his people by putting them to sufferings
and trouble Jer. 31.20 Heb. 12.5 So he will especially make his delivering of them proclaime his love and estimation of them and his peculiar interest in them For saith he I called my Son out of Egypt that is he delivered them as his adopted children above all Nations which he not only caused intimate to Pharaoh Exod. 4.22 23. but made manifest to all the world by his asserting them into liberty by an outstretched arme 7. This calling out of Egypt is applied unto Christ and his coming out from thence Matth. 2 15. because the Lord in delivering Israel did also bring forth Christ 1. As the head of his body the Church from whom he is inseparable 2. As the blessed seed of Abraham descending in the loines of his parents and to be manifested in due time And so as Levi payed tithes in Abrahams loines Heb. 7.9 10. So he came out of Egypt in the loins of his progenitours 3. As in a type The carrying of Israel into Egypt and their deliverance from thence being a type of his exile there and his return from thence to perfect the work of mans Redemption It teacheth 1. That the Scriptures are a great and unsearchable depth containing far more then our shallow judgements can reach or discern in them as appeares in that the lot of Christ in his own person is couched under this type So likewise in the Apostles inferences on very words and their being expressed in this or that way as Gal. 3.16 And from his doctrine on Abrahams Sons and of mount Sinai Gal. 4.22 23 24 25 c. and in many other instances And albeit this be no warrant for men curiousty to dip into Scriptures and multiply types and allegories neglecting the literall sense yet it ought to humble all in their making use of such a treasure and lay the pride of these who either contemne the simplicity of the Scripture or conceit of their own skill and insight in it 2. The Lord hath a great respect and eye to Christ in all his great works especially in his Church And as this deliverance was great and notable not only in it selfe but chiefly as it pointed at Christ So should we learn to esteeme of every thing according as we see Christ in it and as it leads to him 3. It is a great evidence of the love of Christ to his Church that not only as her head be sympathizeth with her in all her troubles but that in the dayes of his flesh he would in his own person essay what had been her lot and what she might meet with that so he might experimentally know the heart of a stranger and be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest Therefore did he undergo exile in Egypt See Heb. 4.15 Doct. 8. It is a great addition to a peoples mercies when they not only get deliverances but have Messengers sent unto them by God to point out their duty to direct them how to make use of mercies and to put them in mind when they go out of the way For it is supposed here as a further mercy that they had men who called them â— The true touch-stone and triall of a peoples thankfulnesse for mercies is by their obedience to the Word and their subjection to God speaking in it Therefore is this the first challenge and evidence of their ingratitude they called them and they went from them 10. As God speaking in his Word doth oft-times get little obedience even from his own people to whom he hath been especially kinde as this instance teacheth So when a people do not profit by the Word their corruptions will be irritate and themselves grow so much the worse as pains is taken on them For as they called so they went from them that is they went openly and of purpose and in contempt the quite contrary way 11. It is Satans great engine to draw men to contemne God and his Word under pretext of disrespect and prejudice against the Messengers only And however men palliate their sin that way yet in Gods account that same very disrespect and hatred of Ministers is an evidence they are wrong and a snare to lead them further wrong For so they went from them to wit from these that were sent unto them as Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron but indeed against the Lord Exod. 16.8 12. The contempt of Gods Ministers and their Ministery and Message is a forerunner of Idolatry and of defection from the true Religion Such a temper of it selfe is ready to go wrong and God justly plagues such with giving them up to wilde courses For upon this it followeth they sacrificed to Baalim See Joh. 5.43 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. 13. When men renounce the true God and his way of worship and turne Idolaters they renounce also their owne happinesse and tranquillity which they do proclaime by their multiplying of Idols and confidences For they had Baalim in the plurall number many Idols under that name 14. Beside the sin of grossest Idolatry in choosing a false god for the object of worship the Lord cannot away with Images put in any religious State for representing him or to worship him in and by them Therefore it is added as another challenge and burnt incense to graven Images a notable instance whereof we have in the golden calfe wherein they pretended to do service to God Exod. 32.4 5. Vers 3. I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by their armes but they knew not that I healed them In this v. the Lord records a further benefit conferred on Israel which seemes to relate to his leading them in the wildernesse in that he directed their way and tenderly conducted them in it as a tender parent or nurse leads a child by the hands and lifts it up by the armes and carries it over a rough piece of way See Deut. 1.31 and 32.10 11 12. Unto this he subjoyneth by way of challenge what their ingrate carriage was to wit that they considered not that he did all this and that he healed them that is when they by their sins had made breaches on themselves he recovered them Psal 106.23 Yea and saved them from all dangers whereinto they might have fallen in that wildernesse Whence learn 1. Deliverance from bondage and distresse is not all that the Church needs at Gods hand but her way being delivered may be so dark and so rough as usually Gods way is to flesh and blood that she neither knoweth it nor can walk in it more then a child in a rough way For so is here imported that they needed God to guide the way and to enable them to go in it 2. It is the Churches great advantage that God who delivers her will not leave her so but will guide and carry her For after the former mercy v. 1. it is added I taught Ephraim also to go By Ephraim he understands the ten tribes and albeit all Jacobs posterity tasted of this mercy in the wildernesse
yet here he speakes only of these whom he is challenging for the abuse of it 3. Such is the Lords tender mercy as that abuse of former kindnesses doth not alwayes prevaile to withhold what further mercies a people need He will not alwayes cast off a delivered people but add new mercies to make their deliverance compleat albeit they have not made right use of what they have received For notwithstanding their ingratitude v. 2. yet he added this mercy 4 When Gods people are weak and their way dark and rough Gods guiding and tender respect to them may yet give them very little to do and make their lot very easie For I taught them to go taking them by their armes Their being alwayes in his hand and lifted over impediments might make their path easie Some have found even sad trials more easie then their ordinary walking 5. It is the usual sin and great ingratitude of a people either to mistake their own mercy and account it evill and a cruell lot or not to see and acknowledge Gods hand in it when they are satisfied that it is good For but they knew or considered and acknowledged not that I healed them Many choice mercies they quarrelled witnesse their murmuring at their deliverance from Egypt their loathing of Manna and their repining at almost all their lots in the wildernesse See Numb 17.12 13. And they did not observe nor acknowledge Gods hand as became them in these mercies they were convinced of 6. The Lords recovering of his people after their crushes for sin and his preventing of other dangers are both rich mercies and the one ought to be acknowledged as healing as well as the other Therefore both get this name I healed them Verse 4. I drew them with cords of a man with bands of love and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jawes and I laid meat unto them To aggravate their ingratitude the Lord mentions yet further kindnesse manifested to them in that he drew them to their duty not by violent means but by perswasions encouragements and other dealing suitable to reasonable creatures and by many proofes of his love And that as a tender husband-man easeth his beast by loosing it from its labour and bearing the yoke when he takes it off and laying meat to it So he had eased them and gave them breathings and rest after some short trials from their oppressours and provided necessary refreshment for them All which kindnesse they had abused as here is to be understood and is expressely charged upon them in the reasons of the sentence v. 5 6. Whence learn 1. Naturally man is so averse from God and from holinesse that he needs to be drawn to it and to have his inclination wrought upon as here is imported I drew them 2. The Lords dealing with his Church whether by his Word or dispensations is fitted and suitable to man as he is a rational creature and singularly obliging except men do even renounce humanity For I drew them with cords of a man that is such as are fitted to mans temper as he is a reasonable creature such as exhortations promises threatenings c. And such dealing as men use to oblige others to them thereby 3. The love of God whether offered in the Word or manifested in dispensations doth lay on strong bands obliging us to duty and it is an hainous aggravation of sin when it is committed against love For it adds to the challenge that he drew them with bands of love evidenced in his revealed Covenant and many sweet dispensations and yet they would not be perswaded See Cant. 8.6 2 Cor. 5.14 4. The Lords people are not to expect that because he loveth them therefore he will keep off trouble when they need it nor ought troubles to hide a sight of his love from his people whatever fatherly displeasure they read in them For so is supposed that notwithstanding those bands of love they had sometime a yoke on their jawes which yet did not prove that his love did cease 5. The Lord will also manifest his mercy to his people in giving them ease after their toile and breaking the yoke of their oppressours whatever be in the way For such was his great mercy here I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws or above their jaws that is by lifting it off their neck and over their head and jawes See Psal 12 5.3 6. It is also a very obliging and convincing mercy that our food and other necessaries are provided and prepared of God for us from day to day and that the burden of our anxieties may be laid over on him and his providence For I laid meat to them as the owner to the Oxe and brought it to their hand See Psal 127.1 2. Verse 5. He shall not returne into the land of Egypt but the Assyrian shall be his king because they refused to returne Followeth the Lords sentence for this their ingratitude in two threatnings First having supposed their being invaded he threatens that it should be in vain to think on Egypt with whom they were confederate 2 King 17.4 for a refuge or retiring place For they should be subdued by the Assyrian and carried to live in his territories And that because they would not returne to God when he reproved and invited them Doct. 1. Whatever confidences or expectations men have which harden them in their evill wayes in hard times yet it is folly to lean to them For when men walk contrary to God and his will he will walk contrary to their will and blast their expectations For they would not hearken to God because they thought Egypt would either releeve them or be a retiring place unto them Therefore it is threatned he shall not return into the land of Egypt where by naming it a returning he puts them in minde of their former bondage there to check their folly in making it now their refuge 2. As it may be expected by all in a time of triall that they shall be put to the exercise they have least will of because that is a triall indeed So in particular whatever lot wicked men are most averse from it is just with God to put them to it For Israel could not endure Assyria either to be subject unto or be in exile there and the Lord threatens the Assyrian shall be his King that is he shall subdue and bring them under his dominion and shall carry them into his own territories 3. Simple sinning is not so great a quarrell against men as impenitency and persisting in it after mercies shewed and offered and means used to reclaime them And it is not so hainous simply not to return which may be for a time through infirmity or the violence of tentation as to sleight repentance and invitations to it All this is included in this reason of the sentence because they refused to return they not onely returned not
when they had gone astray but they openly and avowedly refused when they were seriously invited See Jer. 8.4 5. Vers 6. And the sword shall abide on his cities and shall consume his branches and devour thee because of their own counsels Secondly the Lord threatens them with an abiding sword upon their cities and their villages which as branches spring out from the cities or on their bars that is their strong holds Rulers and valiant inhabitants and that because of their following their owne wayes and counsels rejecting the Lords Of this See Chap. 10.6 Doct. 1. The sword ought to be looked on as one of the Lords scourges because of his peoples ingratitude and abuse of mercies and their trusting to their own counsels and not regarding Gods Word For because of these provocations it is threatned here 2. The sword is then a most sharp scourge and speakes much of Gods displeasure when it rageth not only amongst armies in the fields but falls in upon Cities when it is universall upon Cities and branches or villages or Forts or Rulers and other inhabitants and when it continueth long thus and abideth till it consume and devour See Jer. 47.6 7. 3. However men trust much to their own inventions and projects neglecting God and his way as here is supposed Yet all this their wit and policy will be so far from holding off a judgement that on the contrary it doth draw it on For it is added as a reason of the sentence because of their owne counsels Vers 7. And my people are bent to backsliding from me though they called thee to the most High none at all would exalt him The first part of this v is by many taken as a further threatning that they should be in suspense and anxiety being pressed on every hand because of their backsliding from God Which though it be a truth in it selfe Deut. 28.66 and the word doth also signifie to be in suspense yet the Originall construction will not beare this interpretation for it is not because of but to backsliding Therefore I understand it with the translation as a second accusation against Israel for their backslidings to which they were so prone that their inclination and course did still hang sway and bend toward it And if they were at any time in suspense and doubt about their course as the word also imports yet all that but tended to more Apostasy and testified their inclination to it in that no such hesitation stopped their course This generall challenge is more particularly confirmed in the end of the v. from the ill entertainment they gave to the Messages sent by Gods servants to them Doct. 1. Backsliding and Apostasy is the great sin of the visible Church to which she hath a strong inclination naturally even in her best frame any other course she followeth being but a motion against nature For it is a challenge that they not only backslide from what they attained but are bent to backsliding See Chap. 6.4 2. Mens hanging sometime in suspense and having some inclinations to returne will neither double out their point against the power of corruption within them nor will it extenuate but rather aggreage their backsliding that it overfloweth such banks So much doth the other reading teach they are in suspense and yet it tends but to backsliding 3. The great backsliding of Gods people is their backsliding from God and communion with him which draweth on all other Apostasies and defections And every backsliding of the Church in duty or worship is a backsliding from God in so far as men thereby do renounce his prerogative to be the sovereigne Lord to prescribe their duty and the way of his own service and do renounce these wayes and means wherein only communion with God is to be found and intertained In these respects it is challenged that they backslide from me saith the Lord. 4. God will not forget a backsliding peoples interest and pretences of interest in him to aggravate their sin For it adds to the challenge my people are bent to backsliding It cannot but grieve God when these whom he hath choosen to be his peculiar people and hath put them in possession of speciall favours and gained their consent in part do recede from him as unworthy and do choose husks whereon the world feeds as the only desirable portion And it is a sad case when all a peoples priviledges and advantages serve only to make their ditty the sadder 5. As it is of the Lords great mercy that he ceaseth not to follow backsliders with Messages from his Word as here it is supposed that yet there were and that diverse and many who called them So by the entertainment that is given to the Word men may trie whether they have backsliden or not or whether they be persisting in it or turning from it For by this is the charge of Apostasy and bentnesse in following it proven in that they obeyed not the call though they called them none at all would exalt him 6. When the Lord by his Word reclaimes his people from their backsliding it is not because he needs them who is glorious and high in himselfe but for their own advantage For he called them from these base things which drew them away to the most high 7. We are never free of backsliding but when God is most high to us and in our estimation and when he is exalted in our hearts and in our respect to his commands and directions and conscience made of his praise the neglect whereof is an evidence of Apostasy and portends more of it For so is imported in that they are called from their backsliding to come to him as the most high and to exalt him 8. Backsliding is by so much the sadder and the cause of a greater quarrell that it is universall For none at all would exalt him but all refused the call Though it may be also understood and read together they exalted not that is not only with one consent they refused but they joyned not in that work as indeed want of union is a speciall mean of carrying on backsliding and defection Vers 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together In the second part of the Chap. the Lord comforts the godly against the imminent and deserved judgements with some blenks of his mercy And first in this v. the mercy of God is held forth in coming over their provocations to do any thing for them and interposing to hold off the extremity of judgements deserved by them wherein 1. It is insinuate by way of sentence for their Apostasy that their sins deserved hard things even such calamities as befell Sodom and the neighbouring Cities of which See Gen. 19.24 Deut. 29.23 But 2. in the execution the Lord was willing to make a stand
and not let it out And here the Lord speaks to our capacity that as a father greeved with the disobedience of a son is ready to avenge it sharply and yet out of fatherly affection represseth his anger and doth not let all of it out in execution So the Lords bowels of compassion are such as not to execute his just wrath as if he repented and as men who repent use to do Doct. 1. The provocations of the visible Church may be and oft-times are so great both in themselves and by reason of many aggravations of ingratitude and backsliding as to deserve utter extirpation like Sodom and Gomorrah For so is imported that it was just to make them as Admah and set them as Zeboim See Isa 1.10 Ezek. 16.48 It is but a needlesse curiosity to enquire why he mentions these two Cities and not Sodom and Gomorrah and therefore I passe it 2. Not only doth the Churches sinne deserve much but it is no easie matter to hold off the extremity of execution when after long forbearance sin is still continued in For so is imported here that only strong afflictions in God prevented the extremity of desolation They were at this brink of misery though they little considered it 3. Whatever be the desert and danger of the sinfull people of God yet no trouble can take effect against them unlesse God permit and let it out and actively concurre in it For whatever their sin was yet they could not be plagued till he give them up and deliver them to the will and power of enemies yea till he make them as Admah and set them as Zeboim See Deut. 32.30 4. When the Church hath put her selfe in a wofull plight by sin there is nothing to step in and interpose for preventing what is deserved but only mercy in God For there is no other impediment to this sad sentence but how shall I give thee up c mine heart is turned within me c. And this he layeth before them that at least they would study to see their need of mercy 5. Mercy in God toward his sinfull people as it cannot be hindered by the greatnesse of their sin So it can put a stop to deserved judgements For how shall I give thee up c. Saith he mine heart is turned within me c. He can finde reasons against his own proceeding in justice against them taken from himselfe when they have nothing to plead and there is no cause of it in them And can argue that mercy is free and goeth not by the rule of deserving and therefore may be extended to the most unworthy And albeit it be an act of his sovereignty in free-grace thus to respect a people going on in sin and therefore ought not to be presumptuously rested on by the impenitent Yet as that cannot hinder it to be shewed even to them So it may be an encouragement to them who are driven sensibly to need his mercy 6. The greatnesse of Gods mercy toward his people is such as all the affections of parents toward their children are but shadowes of it and he who is the unchangeable God will do all for them that can be expected from a parent whose anger is overswayed and changed into pity For so much do all these expressions point out How shall I give thee up doth import that his fatherly affection could not think of putting Israel into the miserable condition they deserved and that he looked on it as not beseeming his love and interest so to deal with them mine heart is turned within me or overcome with motions of love striving against that severity and my repentings are kindled together which are tearmes borrowed from among men do import what abundance of stirrings of love are in his heart toward his ill-deserving people and how all things that might prevent that sentence were kindled and mustered up within him that it might not come to execution and effect 7. It is a speciall evidence of Gods magnified mercy toward Israel that whatever condition they be put in yet they are never dealt with as Sodom and Gomorrah nor totally consumed without hope of restitution or recovery For that is the scope of this whole v. which is further explained in the following purpose Vers 9. I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger I will not returne to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not man the holy One in the middest of thee and I will not enter into the city In the next place the Lord comforts them by expresse promises pointing out what this his mercy which had interposed for their good had purposed concerning them The promises are two In the first whereof in this v. he promiseth to moderate that punishment which he in just anger might inflict and that he will not deale with them like an angry man who after he hath stricken returneth and strikes again till he destroy and undo them he is angry at or as souldiers who spoile and spoile again so long as there is any thing to take but he will deale like a mercifull conquerour who having subdued his rebellious subjects and brought them at under doth not come with an army to destroy their câ—ty So he will plague them for sin and yet will not utterly destroy and cut off that Nation This he confirmes from some reasons 1. Because he is not an implacable man but a mercifull unchangeable God 2. He is in the midst of them as his elect and chosen people and holy in his promise to perpetuate the elect of the seed of Abraham throughout all generations Whence learn 1. Gods mercy interposing on the behalfe of sinners doth produce not only good wishes but reall effects unto them For here unto the former stirring of his bowels an expresse promise is subjoyned to shew that he not only as is usuall with men pittied and could not help them but that his pitty produceth reall help 2. Gods mercy toward his sinfull people doth not see it fit to keep off all effects of his displeasure or leave them altogether unpunished For the promise is only I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger which imports he will execute it in measure See Jer. 30.11 Albeit the Lord do pity them yet it concerneth him to vindicate his own holinesse and to promote their good by afflicting them in measure 3. When a sinful people are under saddest temporal judgements yet so long as they are in the land of the living they are bound to reckon that their condition might be yet worse if all Gods just displeasure were let out For notwithstanding all that was to come on Israel as we see it accomplished this day yet it is imported it had been worse if he had executed the fiercenesse of his anger and returned with stroak after stroak to destroy Ephraim and entered into the city See Lev. 26.18 21 24 28. Isa 9.12 17 21. 4. The Lords moderating of deserved judgements if it were but to
preserve a people from being utterly consumed is a great proof of Gods mercy and ought to be acknowledged as such For this is held out as a fruit of his kindled repentings I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim c. See Lam. 3.22 That this may be well discerned 1. We would not only see what we suffer but consider what we deserve 2. We would take up the dreadfulnesse of the fiercenesse of anger against sin and how much mercy it speaks and how it proves him to be God that he doth set any bounds to it and that he doth not pursue with stroak after stroak till he cease to be but lets us subsist under our saddest condition 3. Though we be readily imbittered under present troubles and that we are not rid of them even by cutting off when there is no other present issue yet that is but our pride and our case would appear otherwise if we considered that preservation may portend much future good to be laid up for a people or for the Elect among them as the Lord here manifests afterward Doct. 5. It is the great mercy and advantage of the Lords sinful people that they have to do with God and not with man in their miscarriages For mans pity and mercy may be exhausted were it never so great but God is infinit pitiful and merciful men may for a time be so totally transported with anger as to do that which afterward they will repent of but he is the Lord not subject to such perturbations Man may change and his love turne into hatred He is the Lord and changeth not Man may think it dishonourable to agree with or spare an inferiour when he stoops not to him God is so far above the creature as he may when he will think him below his indignation and magnifie his mercy upon him and man in his executing justice is a creature and bound to a Law which he may not transgresse but God is Sovereigne and hath mercy on whom he will Upon these considerations it is that this is subjoyned as a reason of the promise and ground of their encouragement for I am God and not man 6. The Lords relation to and interest in a people may stand unaltered when yet he doth because of sin smite them with sore judgements drive them into exile and keep them long so under sad distresse For so is held out to Israel that notwithstanding all he was to do unto them yet he still is the Holy One of Israel or God of Israel in the midst of thee as to the standing of the Covenant-right to be manifested in due time Rom. 11.28 29. 7. God is so pure and holy that not only his anger against his people is without all mixture of any thing that may be an imputation to him but there shall be no cause of imputing to him any breach of promise however he afflict Therefore it is added the Holy One of Israel who can be charged with no blemish and who hath given his Holinesse as a pledge of the stability of his Covenant even when he afflicts most sharply Psal 89.35 Ver. 10. They shall walk after the LORD he shall roare like a lion when he shall roare then the children shall tremble from the West 11. They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt and as a dove out of the land of Assyria and I will place them in their houses saith the LORD In the second promise the Lord undertakes further that not only he will not consume Israel under their troubles but that after their rejection and exile he will convert them to follow him that the Lord will declare himself so terrible as none shall dare to hinder their return and themselves shall tremble to resist the call of God bidding them return but shall go as affrighted sparrowes and doves from all the places where they are scattered And that God will place them not only in the Church but as would appear in their land and houses to serve him in peace And this is a promise to Ephraim or the ten Tribes v. 8 9. Doct. 1. The Lords preserving of his people how long soever rejected and scattered may at last end in much good to them as this promise to Israel subjoyned to the former doth teach 2. Conversion unto God is the dawning of this fair day and here his purpose of good begins openly to manifest it self toward these whom he hath long preserved For this is the first visible effect of his mercy toward Israel They shall walk after the LORD or be converted 3. Such as are truly converted will take God for a teacher to follow his directions and for their captain to be employed where-ever he commands in doing or suffering and he will be a guide and captaine to such For so is their conversion described They shall walk after the LORD 4. When a people turne to God and follow after him he will manifest himself terrible to all who would stand in the way of their felicity For he shall roare like a lion not only by the voice of the Gospel working upon Israels hearts but shall manifest himself to the terrour of the world who will be alarmed by the conversion of Israel and their appearing on the stage again 5. The dreadfulnesse of God ought to work even upon his converted people to affright them from neglecting duty and to make them tender-hearted before him For when he shall roare the children shall tremble from the West They shall tremble as a bird and as a dove that is the dreadfulnesse of God shall not only make them with reverence flee to him but shall make them afraid to sit Gods call inviting them to return as appears to their land whatever difficulty there be in the way 6. The Lord will not lose his scattered people and especially Israel but will seek them and finde them to do them good in whatsoever corner they are For from the West out of Egypt and out of the land of Assyria that is in all quarters he will finde and bring them to restore them 7. The Lord is sufficiently able to settle his people in their wonted enjoyments after long tossing and for this Gods undertaking and promising of it is ground of hope sufficient For I will place them in their houses saith the LORD Ver. 12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lies and the house of Israel with deceit but Judah yet ruleth with God and is faithful with the Saints In this Verse which agreeth best with the beginning of Chap. 12. we have the third part of the Chap. Wherein the Lord rejects Israels and their Rulers excuses whereby they thought to cover their faults in Religion and conversation These they made a pretence of before God that they might prevent plagues and they did cast them up to the Prophets when they threatned but the Lord declares them to be but false and deceitful pretences And to
up their own hearts against wrath and the threatenings of the Word For so doth Ephraims example teach 2. Carnal confidence in humane helps and confederacies is one maine hinderance of the words working upon people and a prop to deluded and wicked men For such was Ephraims hope in particular 3. Men are naturally so averse from God that they will spare no paines or expence to keep them out of his reverence and will turne them to all hands to prevent any necessity of seeking to him For therefore doth Ephraim make a Covenant with the Assyrians to his own great expence a Kings 15.19 17.3 and to secure himself yet more oile which was very excellent in Judah 2 Kings 20.13 is carried into Egypt on the other hand to buy their peace And all this is that he may secure himself without turning to God 4. Upon due consideration men may finde that they have no lesse pains by going out of Gods way then if they had kept in it but that Gods way as it is undoubtedly the surest so in many respects it is even the easiest course For when Ephraim goeth wrong he must follow after and earnestly pursue his course he must dayly increase though it were but lies and he must hire Egypts kindnesse with oile and the Assyrians not without a present Whereas turning to God however it be altogether contrary to nature yet it doth not impose such bondage and toile upon men 5. When men are given up to place their rest in sinful confederacies and carnal confidences ordinarily they prove also perfidious in their pactions and Covenants For such also was Ephraims way They do make a covenant with the Assyrians to be servants to them as it is 2 Kings 17.3 and yet oile is carried into Egypt in a clandestine way to borrow help in proving false to the Assyrian as is cleared 2 Kings 17.4 6. Whatever carnall hopes men do rest upon yet they are but empty and deceitful and will prove so let men esteem of them as they will For they are but winde and lies That which is said of Idols Isa 44.20 will prove true of all such confidences 7. Such as would deceive God with faire shewes and vain pretences are justly plagued with disappointment in these courses they choose unto themselves For they who compassed the Lord or his servants with lies ch 11.12 do now feed on winde and increase lies 8. Carnal confidences will not only deceive men but draw on more plagues and be the occasion and cause if not also the mean of their ruine For the winde proves the East-winde and their lies desolation And so it was verified for not only did they impoverish themselves with presents and gifts but the Assyrians were Ephraims ruine and the Egyptians not only helped them not but their seeking to them drew the Assyrians upon their tops 2 Kings 17.4 5. Vers 2. The LORD also hath a controversie with Judah and will punish Jacob according to his wayes according to his doings will he recompense him To terrifie Israel the more he declareth that he hath a controversie with Judah also though better then they which he will plead as well as he will punish Israel who descended from Jacob and gloried in that title according to their wayes and doing Whence learn 1. Such as do promise unto themselves impunity because sin is general and others imbarked in it with them will meet with a disappointment And all the advantage that the general over-spreading of sin affords will be that it provokes God the more and that every sinner shall get more company in the calamity For this was one of Israels refuges that Judah also was not very good and in particular that they were now and then following these confederacies as the Scripture makes clear And this the Lord refutes by this threatning 2. Whatever God approve of in people that is right either in publick managing of affaires or external way of Worship yet he both seeth and will punish the sins of their conversation which are not answerable to these For albeit Judah be commended ch 11.12 yet because of their failings in daily practice The Lord hath also a controversie with Judah 3. The Lord is so impartial and tender as that however every sin deserve extreamest judgements and he will not spare any yet he will measure out his stroakes and dispensations according to the degree of peoples sin and their obstinacy in it For he hath a controversie with Judah which imports that the processe was but yet in pleading by the Word and more gentle corrections and that he would not so suddenly destroy them whereas for Israel he will punish Jacob c. 4. The Lord will not be deceived nor cease to prosecute a controversie because of faire titles which men pretend to when yet their wayes are not answerable For though they were Jacob all whose children were of the blessed seed as it was not with Abraham and Isaac and therefore as good as Judah yet the Lord will punish Jacob according to his wayes according to his doings will he recompense him Vers 3. He took his brother by the heele in the wombe and by his strength he had power with God 4. Yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him he found him in Bethel and there he spake with us Having mentioned Jacob in whom they gloried so much he takes occasion to relate what was Jacobs deportment and successe partly that he might invite them to imitate him in hope of like favours and partly also that it might be seen how justly he did accuse and sentence them for being no way like to him as appears from the rest of the Chap. In this relation he points at three Histories concerning Jacob The first is that of his conception and birth Gen. 25.22 26. where in the very wombe he took his brother by the heele whence also he got his name as striving by a divine instinct for the blessing It imports 1. A divine instinct and inclination put in Jacob in the very wombe to strive with his brother for the Birth-right and Blessing And teacheth 1. The favour of God and his grace are so far from being conferred according to mens merits and works that the Lord not only chooseth his own from eternity and before they have done good or evil but doth also sometime prevent them with his sanctifying grace in the very wombe as here appeareth in Jacob. See Jer. 1.5 Luke 1.44 2. It is a great blessing and a double mercy when the Lord not only conferreth grace upon a sinner but doth it timely and makes them his from the wombe to the grave as here he did to Jacob. This doth prevent much bitternesse for many slips before conversion and for being as it were borne out of due time 3. It is the commendable evidence of grace when it stirs up men to labour that none out-strip them in desiring spirituall blessings For it
was about this that Jacob was moved by instinct to contend with Esau 2. It imports that however Jacob was not able by strugling to prevent Esau's being the first-borne and so likely to get the Birth-right and Blessing yet this strife in the very birth presaged that in Gods purpose he was preferred and that he should be advanced to be the root out of which the Church and blessed Seed should spring And it teacheth further 1. Where our endeavours fall short yet they are not to be given over expecting that free-grace will make it up For Jacob strives still even when Esau is coming forth before him as an evidence that grace would make up his disadvantage 2. As Jacob had his dignity and priviledges by gift so it beseemed his posterity ill to boast of it and abuse it And as grace bestowed that on him after much wrestling so it was their duty not to rest formally upon it but to entertain it as he got it So much would he teach Israel from this example of their Father Jacob. The second History pointed at is recorded Gen. 32. wherein being afraid of danger from his brother Esau he wrestled with God by prayers and teares striving for a blessing and obtained it It teacheth 1. The choicest mercies of the people of God come oft-times unto them after sad afflictions wrastlings and terrours for so doth Jacobs experience teach 2. Difficulties when they encounter us would not be given way unto but set against for so doth Jacobs practice teach who fell a wrastling when he was in danger Discouragement and lying by will serve for nothing but to make difficulties more insupportable 3. The best way of managing difficulties is to see Gods hand in letting them out and to begin at him by wrastling with him for his favour and blessing as the compendious way to prevaile with men in what trials they may have a hand in For so did Jacob overcome all his difficulties by having power with God c. See Gen. 32.28 4. God will give unto his weak servants strength in striving with him answerable to the task he puts upon them yea he who is Omnipotent and invincible will condescend so farre as to let them prevaile over him in his own strength when he seemes to resist and be opposite unto them For by his strength to wit which God had given him he had power with God yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed Gods appearing as a partie doth not portend a foile to the poor sinner who wrastles with him though he be Omnipotent and they weak 5. God is therefore easie to be prevailed with because his people have not to do with God simply considered in himself and in his distance from the creature but with God in the Mediatour Christ For it is with the Angel or Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 who is also God that Jacob had to do and therefore had power and prevailed 6. Supplications and prayers are the great prevailing Ordinance with God in wrastling For thus did Jacob prevaile he made supplication unto him and thus did Christ leave us a paterne Luke 22.44 7. Such as wrestle with God by prayer must have their heart broken and melted before God and pressed with their great need For it was Jacobs true magnanimity that he wept and made supplication The third History wherein chiefly Gods mercy and gracious bounty toward Jacob appeared is Gods appearing to Jacob at Bethel first when he fled from his Fathers house Gen. 28.11 12 c. and again after his trouble at Shechem Gen. 35.1 2 c. At both which times God manifested his minde to him in things concerning not only himself but his posterity and namely in making promises concerning the Church to come of him Whence learn 1. The Lord will finde and be found of his people when they are little expecting it as Gen. 28.16 and when they are in great distresse as Jacob was by reason of the slaughter of the Shechemites Gen. 34 3â— with 35.1 yea and when they came to him after they have failed in duty and forgotten their former vowes and obligations as Jacob had forgotten his vowes made to God the first time Gen. 28.20 21 22. till upon occasion of his distresse God calls him to go again Gen. 35.1 In these respects it is said he found him in Bethel which may be understood both of God who prevented Jacob by a vision the first time and with a call the second time and of Jacob who found God there when he sought unto him 2. Gods comfortable interview and intercourse with his people is by his Word wherein he is to be sought and found For there he spake 3. Gods manifestations and revealing of his minde of old serves for the use of the Church in all ages For saith he there he spake with us as if they had been there present because what was spoken concerned them This was especially true in Jacobs case to whom the promises were not personal only but chiefly for his posterity But it is also of general verity that as the Church is much concerned in mercies and preservation granted in former times whereby they also are preserved who otherwise had not been and therefore ought to rejoyce as one body with the Church and as if they had been there Ps 66.6 So the promises made to the Church of old belong to the present Church and particular persons in their need as if they had been first spoken to them Josh 1.5 with Heb. 13.5 Heb. 12.5 Vers 5. Even the LORD God of hostes the LORD is his memorial To the end he may apply this to the present purpose to stirre them up to their present duty He describes God who did all this and spake thus to Jacob as the true God and God of armies and that he did this to be a memorial of himself throughout all generations who is still the same And it teacheth 1. Christ is without all controversie true God the same in Essence and equal in Power and Glory with the Father For this Angel ver 4. is even Jehovah the God of hostes 2. Great is their advantage and their dignity who have converse and keep communion with God who hath being of himself and who hath all creatures ready as Hostes at his Command as there is need For this sets out Jacobs advantage that in his wrestlings and other intercourse he had to do with the LORD God of hostes whereof he got a proof Gen. 32.1 2. 3. God is unchangeably still the same as kinde able and exorable to his people as ever he was at any time if they would come and make use of him For he did all that to Jacob not only for present use but that proving himself to be Jehovah this might be his memorial for the use of his Church in all generations and upon this ground it is that in the next v. they are exhorted to turne to him See Exod. 3.15 4. The Lord
Temple one Altar and one Priest-hood appointed of GOD. Vers 12. And Jacob fled into the countrey of Syria and Israel served for a wise and for a wife he kept sheep 13. And by a Prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt and by a Prophet was he preserved The second branch of the accusation is a challenge for their vain gloriation in their Original while they sleighted the grace of God which exalted them They looked on themselves as excelling all Nations for Nobility of kinde according to men and to the flesh forgetting what root they did spring from and that Jacob their Father being a stranger with his Fathers in the promised land was made to flee into Syria and was there so poor that he had no portion to pay for a wife but sold himself to be a shepherd to pay it His posterity likewise were but in a mean condition being driven out of Canaan by famine made slaves in Egypt and delivered from thence and preserved in the wildernesse only by the Ministery of Moses who though a Prophet yet was not famous for carnal prerogatives but a banished man and a shepherd in his exile And by this also the Lord would again set before them the carriage of their forefathers which they did not imitate and his great kindenesse in delivering preserving and advancing them and that by the means of a Prophet to aggreage their ingratitude toward him and their contempt of present Prophets Whence learn 1. Scripture-Histories and examples are recorded for our use and they are profitably read only when use is drawn from them For so doth the Lord hold out this History of Jacob and Israel not as a naked History but as containing challenges and documents for the present generation See Rom. 15.4 2. Albeit the Church when she is exalted by God and honoured with great priviledges do readily swell with conceit as if God could not get a people beside her Yet if she keep her Original in minde she will see cause to glory in nothing but in grace alone For so much do these examples teach 3. The Lord may lay them very low by afflictions whom yet he will advance and may traine them up under the rod and prepare them for these intended mercies For so much did Jacob finde in his flight and hard service when Esau who had sold his birth-right is prospering and Israel in Egypt and the wildernesse See Deut. 8.14 15 16. 4. A good wife is one of the chief of mens external blessings and a favour that cannot be dear bought And it is the duty of wives so to carry themselves as they may not be esteemed of only for the great portion they bring with them which they may soon misspend and more with it but for their being a comfortable help to their husbands So much is imported in the Law among some Nations of paying dowry for a wife Gen. 34.12 1 Sam. 18.25 2 Sam. 3.14 which Jacob paid by hard service Israel served for a wife and for a wife he kept sheep 5. God by very small means can deliver his people out of extream dangers and can preserve them as they will need preservation after deliverance that so they may glory in him only For by a Prophet without any visible power the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt and by a Prophet was he preserved 6 Whatever estimation secure and profane men may have of a Ministery yet they are Gods notable instruments for the good of his Church as they alwayes finde in a day of distresse For by mentioning a Prophet as the instrument of Israels deliverance and preservation he doth upbraid their sleighting of Prophets now though of old they had stood them in so great stead Vers 14. Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly therefore shall he leave his blood upon him and his reproach shall his Lord returne unto him The last branch of the accusation and the summe of all the rest is that by their sinful ingratitude and their own inventions they provoked God grievously and as it were of set purpose To all which is subjoyned the Lords sentence that he will give them up to reap the fruit of their bloody crimes whereof themselves only should bear the blame And that he will cast on their own faces the fruit of that reproach and dishonour which they offered to do to God by their sins All which he will do according to his right of dominion over them Whence learn 1. Gods people cannot prove that he takes up a controversie needlessely against them but he is only angry when they put him to it by their sin For Ephraim who misled all the rest provoked him to anger 2. As all sin floweth from a bitter root and doth provoke God to let the sinner feel it bitter in end so the provocation of his people is most bitter especially when they forsake him and embrace idols and when they carry themselves ingrately toward him and yet will pretend to an interest in him For it was by these and the like sins that Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly where he speaks after the manner of men who are imbittered by undutiful and grosse miscarriages toward them and it imports that their provocations were intolerable and that they should finde by the bitter fruits of them how much he is provoked 3. God needs no more for taking course with men but leave them to their own guilt to reap as it deserveth And it is a sad judgement when our guilt and not Gods mercy gets the measuring out of stroaks For it is his sad sentence therefore shall he leave his blood upon him that is God will leave him under the guilt and power of his bloody crimes and cruel sinnes against the second Table that they may draw vengeance upon him 4. When God threatens and strikes his sinfull people he is innocent of their ruine and onely sinne is to be blamed For he shall leave his blood upon him may import also that his blood and destruction for these bloody crimes was upon his owne head and not to be charged on God 5. Wicked men within the Church do by their miscarriage reproach and raise an ill report upon God as if he were not an all-sufficient God worthy to be served as if he should be guided by them in the matter of duty and Religious performances and accept what they offer and not what himself commands and as if he were a liker and approver of their sinne because he continues his favour toward such And all this they do beside the reproach cast upon God by the Heathen because of their miscarriages For there is a reproach to be returned which consequently imports they had cast it upon him 6. A reproached Lord will vindicate his own glory by causing all the reproachful effects of sin to return upon the sinner For his reproach shall his Lord return unto him 7. When God is provoked to anger neither a real nor pretended interest
certain signe of reverence performed to them This multiplying of Images more and more points at the growing superstition of the people who albeit at first they had the calves only at Dan and Bethel yet afterward they not only choosed Gilgal Gilead and Beersheba as is before marked to be places of solemn worship but they multiplied little images and calves as well as altars chap. 8.11 and 12.11 for their private devotions at home Doct. 1. Idolatry is a sinne not soon abandoned especially where it seemeth to serve and uphold an interest for therefore do they still cleave to the calves and their images when Baal is put down 2. Idolatry may in processe of time become universal and a peoples choice who were not so willing to it before for they that is all the people with Ephraim do this 3. Impenitencie after corrections and Gods moderating of them doth highly aggravate sin for now after they are in a manner dead and yet God hath kept them from being quite taken away from off the earth they sin 4. Lesser sins for which God will not destroy a people till they grow worse will be grievous and hainous when continued in after corrections for albeit Ephraim at first died not till he sinned in Baal yet now their images and idols which is understood of the calves as appeareth from the end of the verse become a land-destroying sin 5. Whatever it be that men pretend to represent by their images as the object of their worship yet images are idols in themselves and do not represent the true God as their worshippers pretend and give it out but an idol fancied by the deviser and will prove matter of sorrow and terrour in the end for their molten images are idols and do represent or bring to remembrance no other thing however they pretended to make them in remembrance of the Lord who brought them out of the land of Egypt 1 Kings 12.28 and the same word that is rendered idols signifieth terrours also because they prove so in end 6. Such as are not reclaimed from idolatry by corrections but do persevere in it will readily grow worse and worse for now they sin more and more Not only do they bewray more obstinacy and maliciousnesse in following that sin which before might be masked with a pretence of ignorance and infirmity but they multiplie that sin and have made them molten images besides what they had before 7. It will also aggreage the sin of idolatry that they are so hot upon it as they will spare no expence to promove it for they made them molten images of their silver and were lavish enough that way 8. Mens leaning to their own skill and prudence rejecting Gods counsel and revealed will is the false principle and rule that begins and carries on all corruption in Religign for they made idols according to their own understanding They followed their own fancie and skill in making and multiplying of them to further their devotion as they thought 9. It doth bewray the brutishnesse of idolaters that they do worship these things whereupon themselves or others inferiour to them confer all the excellencie they have for all of it is the work of the Craftsmen Mean artificers do put the stately shape upon their idols and yet they do worship them 10. Commands of authority do not take away the sinfulnesse of idolatry but it doth rather adde unto it that such iniquity should possesse the throne for this challenge that they say of them Let the men that sacrifice c. may be understood of their Rulers enjoyning this signe of reverence when men came to offer sacrifice See Psal 94.20 11. Mens open avowing of idolatry within the visible Church and their encouraging of one another to it doth yet make it more odious before the Lord for this also may be understood of the peoples mutual up-stirring one of another to performe this as an addition to the sin And this may very well consist with the former that as their Rulers gave out a wicked command so the people yielded prompt and ready obedience and strengthened one another in it 12. God doth not judge of idolatry only by considering mens intentions and heart in what thay do but there is an external idolatry which he abhors also when a religious act of worship is performed immediately to some object set up in a religious State however the worshipper pretend to direct it by that mean unto God for here he condemnes kissing of the calves which was a signe of reverence either when they kissed the object it self or brought their hand to their mouth and kissed it in token of religious observance 1 Kings 19.18 Job 31.27 as an idolatrous act whatever they pretended their intentions were Vers 3. Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud and as the early dew it passeth away as the chaffe that is driven with a whirlwinde out of the floore and as the smoke out of the chimney The destruction threatened for this sin is held forth under foure similitudes of a cloud and the dew evanishing before the Sun as chaffe driven away before the whirlwinde and of evarishing smoke Whereby is pointed out that they should be driven out of their land and consumed till they should in a manner come to nothing Whence learn 1. Where stroaks inflicted do not amend a people the Lord hath yet more to let out even till they be utterly consumed for beside all that had been inflicted v. 1. he hath yet more here 2. Nothing will be able to stand out against an angry God all that the creature can oppose may be compared to frailest things yea and many similitudes are little enough to point out this frailty for therefore are all these similitudes borrowed from evanishing things gathered together to point out what they should prove 3. Great appearances and shewes of a flourishing condition will not guard against Gods hand for so much also do these similitudes teach a great cloud over-spreading the skie and abundance of dew watering the earth seem to promise much but they soon passe away before the Sun chaste lying secure among grain is soon driven by a whirlwinde and great heaps of smoke going out of a chimney do soon scatter and evanish and so should their condition prove 4. Judgements on impenitent sinners will come swiftly and violently and will bring utter desolation so much further do these similitudes teach the cloud and dew is swiftly gone the whirlewinde violently drives the chaffe and all of these do utterly evanish Vers 4. Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt and thou shalt know no God but me for there is no Saviour beside me 5. I did know thee in the wildernesse in the land of great drought The third destroying sin and an aggravation of the sin of their idolatry as appears from the way it cometh in Yet I am the Lord c. is their ingratitude Concerning which he records 1. What
of many of them was accompanied with the ruine of many of the people and the Nation was cut off with the fall of the last King 6. All the courses and carnal policies that men can follow will not avail them in the least against Gods displeasure for though they sought a King and Princes that they might be a stately Monarchie yet where is there any other that may save thee in all thy Cities they could finde none any where that might so much as help in one City 7. When all refuges have failed the Lords sinful people yet he remains able and willing to supply what other means cannot and will take advantage to do for them because there is no other to do for them for I will be thy King or I will be to wit unchangeably still the same and the help as I have been Where is thy King that may save thee seeing there is no other help therefore he will appear Ver. 12. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up his sin is hid 13. The sorrowes of a travelling woman shall come upon him he is an unwise son for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children The second proof and evidence of his assertion v. 9. is that his help shall be forth-coming when they are redacted to greatest extremities The extremitie is in these verses and his promise of help is v. 14. The summe of these two verses is that their sin though yet spared was laid up on record as a sealed bond put in a coffer to a day of payment and was treasured up as a growing summe to be counted for altogether in due time and that this long forbearance should end in sudden and bitter sorrow wherein they should perish because of their stupidity and their not extricating themselves by repentance Whence learn 1. Albeit a people may continue long sinning and God in the mean time forbear them yet their sin is but growing and heaping up to a day of vengeance for the iniquity of Ephraim is bound up his sin is hid like a thing that is safely laid up out of the way that it be not lost See Job 14.17 Rom. 2.4 2. The Lords long-suffering and patience toward impenitent sinners will at last break forth in sudden and extreme sorrow for the sorrowes of a travelling woman shall come upon him and these are both sharp and sudden 3. The greatest extremity of trouble upon the Lords people is travelling with mercy to them if they by repentance would labour to bring forth that birth for it is the sorrows of a travelling woman and there is a birth if they would endeavour to make it break forth 4. It is an usual plague upon impenitent sinners that they lie stupid under judgements not bestirring themselves to get the use and issue of them by conversion unto God for it is supposed he stayes long in the place of the breaking forth of children like a childe that sticks in the very birth and doth not struggle and move for its own relief 5. Stupidity under judgements is a great evidence of madnesse and folly and a very deadly token and an evidence of an hopelesse condition in it selfe for he is an unwise son who doth this and it is like the staying long in the place of breaking forth c. which is a deadly token both to the mother and childe and so their stupidity proved to them as is insinuate in the following promise Vers 14. I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plague O grave I will be thy destruction repentance shall be hid from mie eyes Gods helping of them in thir extremity is held forth in a promise of delivering them when they shall be as men dead and in their graves and of his triumphing over death and the grave to the utter undoing of their power of which purpose toward them he declareth that he will never repent This promise together with Isa 25.8 is applied to Christs giving a compleat and full victory to his people at the resurrection 1 Cor. 15.54 55. Partly because this deliverance is a notable pledge of that and partly because that spiritual promise is included here to be performed as well as the other to penitent Israel who flee to Christ for reconciliation and salvation as many of them will do when the Lord shall open their graves and bring them out to embrace the Gospel Doct. 1. The troubles that come upon Gods people for sin may bring them so low as to make them like dead men lying in their graves for so is imported here that they are under death and the power of the grave See Ezek. 57.11 all this is but little to the full desert of sin if God should pursue it in strict justice and even the Lords people may be driven to this before they be put from their carnal confidences to draw to God 2. A peoples being dead and buried under calamities is neither an argument that God will not help them nor any impediment to his Omnipotency to do for them but they may be as near help then as when their trouble is lesse for I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death See Ezek 37.22 John 11.25 40. 3. The Lords mercies and deliverances granted to the visible Church do flow from a purchase made of the Elect among them and so these mercies come to them and to the visible Church for their sake for so much is imported in that he will ransome and redeem them from the grave and death that is because a real ransome is paid to divine justice for the elect among them and because he hath a purpose to give unto these a compleat victory over death at last therefore he redeems or delivers all of them from their deadly difficulties that they may participate of the means which do promove these spiritual ends Compare Mic. 4.10 4. The Lord will not only preserve a people in whom he hath interest under trouble or simply give them deliverance from it but will deliver them by the utter destruction of the means and instruments of their trouble if it were even death and the grave for O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction imports so much as it relates to Israels deliverance that God will destroy all that may stand in the way of it 5. Temporal deliverances are then sweet when with them men by fleeing to Christ have assurance of spiritual and eternal mercies also for so much doth this promise in its full extent import that not only the Nation of Israel should be delivered from their deadly calamities but the Elect among them should at last be raised up to enjoy eternal salvation 6. It is the special comfort of such as flee to Christ that they will at last solidly triumph over all their enemies And particularly this death and the
moe neck-breaks they have to meet with both by their own further sinful stumbling and by Gods breaking of them in pieces in due time For but the transsours shall fall therein by their own sinful stumbling at Gods Word and dealing Luk. 2.34 1 Pet. 2.8 and by Gods causing them to fall in end and come to miserable ruine Joel THE ARGUMENT THE time wherein this Prophet lived and exercised his function is not specified here nor any where else in Scripture Nor can it certainly be determined when that stroak of famine spoken of by him was inflicted That in the dayes of Jehoshaphat which came upon Israel under Joram according to the prediction of Elisha 2 Kings 8.1 cannot be it For here there is no word of Israel but only of Judah And upon the same ground it can hardly be conceived to be that which Amos spaâ—â— of as came upon Israel Am. 4.6 7 8 9. And therefore it may more probably be conceived to relate to that famine under Josiah Jer 14.1 2 c. However it be this may suffice us that as the Lord in wisdome points at the time of the Prophets their exercising of their calling when the Prophecy could not be so well understood without the knowledge of the History of that time So in this Prophet the determination of that question is not so needful seeing the purpose may be understood without it For in summe he denounceth and pointeth out a grievous famine to come upon Judah exhorting them to make right use of it by repenting and turning to God and subjoyning many promises for encouragement of the penitent both concerning their deliverance from that present rod and concerning the spirituall benefits of the Kingome of Christ and their recollection and restitution under the Gospel CHAP. I. IN this Chapter after the Inscription v. 1. First the Prophet propounds and describes the anger of God which was manifested or shortly to be manifested in a terrible judgement of famine He propoundeth it and that as singular and to be observed v. 2 3 4. and then he describeth and amplifieth it from several effects to affect them the more as namely that the scarcity should be such as should make drunkards to howl and weep v. 5 6 7. that want of publick services should be matter of bitter lamentation v. 8 9. that the desolate face of the land shall be a sad sight v. 10. and that the Husbandmen should be disappointed of their hopes and of the fruits of their labours v. 11 12. Secondly the Prophet prescribes the right use and true remedie of this calamity which is that they should humble themselves before God and deprecate his anger and therefore he exhorts the Priests to observe private fasts v. 13. and to call the body of the land to a publick humiliation that they may call on God v. 14. considering that that dreadful day was near at hand v. 15. that their meat and sacred solemnities were to be cut off v. 16. that it was but lost labour to sowe v. 17. that beasts and herds were made to groan out their life v. 18. and that the Prophet behoved to cry to God about it when he looked upon the desolate condition of the fields and how the beasts were put to cry to God v. 19 20. Verse 1. THe Word of the LORD that came to Joel the sonne of Pethuel This Inscription wherein the messenger is designed and the authority of his message asserted teacheth 1. What Gods servants deliver in his Name is not their own but should be looked on as Gods Word for it was the Word of the Lord that came to Joel He did not seigne this nor is it lesse the Word of God that God sent it by a weak man 2. The minde of God is not to be sought nor enquired after in the fanatick revelations of wilde spirits but in what he hath mediately delivered to the Church by his extraordinary officers and hath registrate in his Word for the Word of the Lord came to Joel the sonne of Pethuel and by his Ministery to the Church in all ages 3. It is Gods great mercy toward his Church that when stroaks are on or coming on them he leaveth them not without his Word which may expound his dealing toward them and direct them how to carry under it for in or about the time of this sad stroak the Word of the Lord came to Joel See Psal 94.12 4. The Lords sending diversity of messengers either at the same time or after other as here Joel is after many others and it may be with others and others also coming after him doth not only teach the alsufficiency of God to furnish many instruments and to raise up instruments to fill their room who are removed but it tends also to confirme the doctrine which is testified by so many witnesses and to convince the Church of obstinacy and incurablenesse if she contemn them and be not prevailed with by such variety of tempers and instruments See Matth. 11.16 17 18 19. Ver. 2. Heare this ye old men and give care all ye inhabitants of the land Hath this beene in your dayes or even in the dayes of your fathers 3. Tell ye your children of it and let your children tell their children and their children another generation 4. That which the palmer worme hath left hath the locust eaten and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten and that which the cankerworme hath left hath the caterpiller eaten The Prophet doth here propound this terrible judgement inflicted by the means of small insects or devouring vermine who coming in great multitudes one kinde after another did devoure the fruits of the ground so as little was left for man and beasts This he doth not propound nakedly but as singular and to be observed as such it was so singular that none of the eldest in Judah either by themselves or by report from their Progenitours had ever known the like and their posterity even to the fourth generation should never see the like but as the history of it should come to after ages they should think upon it as a prodigious judgement For clearing of this a little Consider â— Albeit these insects be only named here as the cause of their famine yet it seemeth also that either before or with or after them there was rotting unseasonable raines in seed-time v. 17. and a drought likewise causing it which is expressed under the name of withering v. 12. and of fire v. 19 20. which that it cannot be understood only of these creatures devouring all as fire doth is clear from v. 20. where it is the rivers of water are dried up 2. It is not necessary for us peremptorily to determine whether the Prophet speak of this as a judgement already lying on or shortly to be inflicted seeing it is usual with the Prophets to set out approaching judgements as if they were present and it is certain that some of these at
least were only near and at hand v. 15. 3. As for the continuance of these plagues it is certain they lasted for some successive yeares chap. 2.25 but it is neither safe nor needful to determine whether the first came and spoiled one year and the second the next year spoillng what had been reserved the former yeare and so on for four yeares or whether in every one of the yeares they came all every one after another It is likewise needlesse to determine whether the drought was a new plague after these were over or was sent with them or before them 4. The setting out of this stroak as singular doth nothing contradict what is said of the plague of locusts on Egypt as singular Exod. 10.14 for that on Egypt was singular for the great number of one kinde of insects and their doing so much in so short a time but this is singular for the great numbers of divers kindes succeeding one another and their continuing so long to be a scourge Doct. 1. When men become incorrigible and sin ripens to an height then the Lord will reprove and plead against it by judgements and not by his Word only for whereas the method of other Prophets is first to reprove sin then to threaten for it and then to subjoyne exhortations to repentance with encouragements and promises This Prophet doth at first point out their sin and guilt as to be read in visible judgements 2. Famine is one of the rods whereby the Lord pleads against his Church for her sin and strippes her of abused mercies and of tentations to wantonnesse and rebellion for such is his rod here 3. God can when he pleaseth arme very mean and contemptible creatures to execute his judgements and particularly to deprive man of the fruits of the ground for here he sends out the palmer-worme the locust the cauker-worm and caterpillar and they eat up all It were a needlesse labour to describe every one of these little creatures and shew the difference of each of them from another it being sufficient in general to know that they were such as Gods Omnipotency shined in doing so great things by them accordding to the threatenings of his Law Deut. 28.38 39 42. 4. As God hath still one scourge after another wherewith to plague a sinful and incorrigible people who will not repent but think to escape with the plagues that have come on them Lev. 26 18 21 c. So it speaks sad things when one calamity stints not the controversie but he pursueth still with one judgement after another and with breach upon breach for so is it here what one left another did eat up See Isa 9.12 17 21. 5. Albeit the Lord in every age be testifying his displeasure against sin yet at some times and when sin is come to a great height he may make one age a remarkable spectacle of justice and bring judgements on them the like whereof have not been in many generations for such was his dealing with this generation their fathers past memory of man rhad not seen the like nor should the like be seen for many generations to come 6. Such dispensations ought to be especially observed and remarked for use and that not only by the present but by succeeding generations who also are not to let them die and weare out of memory for Heare this ye old men and give eare all ye inhabitants of the land Tell ye your children of it It is mens duty to be wise observers of Gods judgements especially when they are singular and such as forget what hath been done on others may be taught the same lesson on their own expences See Ps 28.5 and 64.9 7. Albeit the Lords singular judgements be very loud and speaking yet such is mans natural dulnesse and stupidity his unprofitable astonishment usually under the rod and his forgetfulnesse if once delivered from it that he needs to be stirred up by the Word to consider or inculcate them on others for Joel is sent out with this message Hear and give eare tell ye your children of it c. 8. Even men of greatest age and experience have still somewhat more to learn while they are within time especially when their lot falleth in times of extraordinary dispensations for old men are to observ make use of this as well as all the rest of the inhabitants of the land 9. It is the duty of Parents to be communicative of good and spiritual instructions to their children and it is the duty of the present generation to transmit to posterity the truth of God and what they have found of him in their time and for this end they ought frequently to inculcate the remembrance of it upon their children that they may do the like with their successors for so is commanded here Tell ye your children of it and let your children tell their children See Gen. 18.18 19. Deut. 6.7 Ver. 5. Awake ye drunkards and weep and howl all ye drinkers of wine because of the new wine for it is cut off from your mouth 6. For a nation is come up upon my land strong and without number whose teeth are the teeth of a lion and he hath the cheek-teeth of a great lion 7. He hath laid my vine waste and barked my fig-tree he hath made it clean bare and cast it away the branches thereof are made white That this calamity may affect them the more and stir them up to make right use of it the Prophet to v. 13. insists to amplifie it and to set forth several effects thereof The first effect is that there shall be such scarcity of wine as should make drunkards to howl and weep for swarmes of these creatures for their number and coming in troops compared to a Nation as Prov. 30.25 26. should invade the Lords land and being armed with his displeasure should without resistance eat the fruits and bark the trees leaving only peeled branches meet to be cast away and so should cause that scarcity to afflict the drunkards Whence learn 1. Weakest instruments being employed by God and armed with his vengeance will prove invincible and dreadful and make great havock for this is a Nation whose teeth are the teeth of a lion and he hath the cheek-teeth of a great lion and therefore layeth the vine waste c. without resistance Gods being a Party will make a small scourge heavy and his judgements executed even by such will prove irresistible 2. As the smiting of the fruits of the ground is for mens sin so such is the stupidity of men that present stroaks will not do at them so long as there is any hope of recovery and till all probable ground of hope be cut off therefore must not only the fruit be eaten but the trees be made white with peeling and meet to be cast away to affect them he hath laid my vine waste and barked my fig-tree c. 3. In intimating this judgement the Lord or the Prophet
in his Name calleth the land my land and the trees my vine my fig-tree to teach 1. That interest in God especially if it be but in an external way and by reason of visible interest in priviledges will not hold off deserved stroaks for albeit all these were the Lords because the people were his and he had given them the land and all that was in it and had a special respect to them and to what was theirs yet a Nation is come up upon my land he hath laid my vine waste c. 2. It doth aggreage the guilt of sinners that they do provoke him not to spare even what he hath interest in â— for it was their great sin that made him smite his own land 3. The greatnesse also and severity of Gods displeasure against sin may be read in his pursuing it even to the smiting of what is his for so much also is held out here Doct. 4. As there are many men so grosse even in the visible Church as to live for no other end but to abuse themselves and the creatures by intemperance so when the Lord sends famine upon a land he intends to plague such in a special manner thereby therefore are drunkards and drinkers of wine first alarmed with this rod for not only is their sin visible in such a rod and so their guilt may make it bitter but it will especially afflict them who cannot endure want so well as others who have lived more soberly 5. Albeit that drunkards do besot themselves and do make themselves a merry jovial life yet God by famine can both rouze them up and marre their mirth Awake saith he weep and howl and if they will not repent nor be sensible of their provocations or of the want of Gods favour he will cause their abuse of the creatures end in lamentation for want of occasion to feed their lusts and will make them howle in trouble like beasts whom they resembled in their conversation Awake saith he weep and howl because of the new wine for it is cut off from your mouth The command doth not import any approbation of such a carriage but is only a prediction of what he should drive them to by calamities Vers 8. Lament like a Virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth 9. The meat-offering and the drink-offering is cut off from the House of the LORD the Priests the LORDS Ministers mourn The second effect of this stroak is that it shall be matter of bitter lamentation to see the interruption of the publick worship of God through the want of offerings and of the Priests maintenance by reason of the scarcity to see the Lords Priests mourning for both these causes Whence learn 1. The Lord is so severe an avenger of sin that he will not spare it though the stroak should reach even his own worship and ordinances for by this stroak for sin the meat-offering and the drink-offering is cut off from the House of the Lord. Under these two all other sacrifices and oblations are to be understood which could not but be restrained when the beasts were consumed as well as the fruits of the ground v. 18 20. and these are named because they were sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving and therefore the joyful dayes they had in offering them are chiefly missed as v. 16. 2. Calamities and judgements are then sad when they reach the Lords publick worship and ordinances and however it fare with men in their own case do bring an interruption to them one way or other for it is to be lamented when the meat-offering and drink-offering is cut off and so there is no publick worship nor allowance for Priests to wait upon it See Zeph. 3.18 3. Men ought to be so far from selfishnesse and minding their own things only in times of calamities that they should be most affected with the sufferings that are on Gods interests for this consideration calls them to lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth who being newly married or betrothed only and therefore called a virgin is deprived of him by death and that in the time of her youth when affections are more violent and ready to resent crosses 4. As the Lord hath appointed and set apart officers to minister to him in his service and as it is their duty to be affected and mourn for the interruption of his service so it is a sad token of anger and matter of lamentation when they are made to mourn for neglected ordinances and want of livelihood and maintenance The Priests the Lords Ministers mourn holds forth both their office and duty and is a reason of that lamentation v. 8. It could not but be sad to see them mourne who otherwise were not allowed to mourn even for matters of great concernment to themselves Lev. 10.6 7. and 21.1 2 8. c. Vers 10. The field is wasted the land mourneth for the corne is wasted the new wine is dried up the oyle languisheth A third effect of this stroak and another cause of the lamentation v. 8. is that the land shall look with a desolate and mournful countenance being despoiled of corne wine and oile and that partly as would appear from the words by drought Whence learn 1. The earth when it is blessed of God with increase and variety of fruits is a very pleasant and refreshful sight whereby as it were it rejoyceth in Gods bounty and inviteth us to rejoyce in him who maketh his creatures to smile on us therefore it is said to mourn when these things are taken away See Psal 65.12 13. 2. When sinners will not mourn for sin it is righteous with God to reprove and punish that fault by making the earth to mourn and look sorrowful like under judgement for because of their sin it is that the field is wasted the land mourneth c. See Jer. 12.11 Ver. 11. Be ye ashamed O ye Husbandmen howl O ye vine-dressers for the wheat and for the barley because the harvest of the field is perished 12. The vine is dried up and the fig-tree languisheth the pomegranate-tree the palme-tree also and the apple-tree even all the trees of the field are withered because joy is withered away from the sons of men The fourth effect is that the Husband-men and Vine-dressers should be ashamed and disappointed of their expectations through the barrennesse of land and trees yea and the decaying and withering of all sorts of trees And so they should be made to lament and their joy which was usual in harvest Isa 9.3 and 16 10. Jer. 48.33 should cease with the ceasing of the fruit of their labours Doct. 1. Albeit men are bound to labour for their daily bread yet except God blesse their labour will be in vaine and their expectations by it end in sad disappointments and God is provoked so to deal with sinners For Be ye ashamed O ye husband-men howle O ye vine-dressers for the
the exhortation to the Priests that they by sounding of the trumpet should call the people to solemne humiliation and he exhorts the people to tremble at this alarme of his appearing in judgement Unto which is subjoyned a general intimation that the dreadful day wherein God would infflict these plagues was at hand And this is brought in as an argument to make the exhortation effectual and is prosecuted and enlarged in the following Verses See ch 1.15 This blowing of the trumpet in Zion or the holy mountaine of the Temple is according to the direction of the Law Num. 10.3 9. wherein the Priests were to convocate the people and to sound an alarme in war by blowing of the trumpets And both of these are pointed at here They are to alarme the people and give them warning of the approaching judgement and to call a convocation for fasting as it is v. 15. Doct. 1. Whatever the Lord say to sinners by his rod when it is imminent and incumbent yet such as would have good use of it have need of the help of the Word and Ordinances with it either for prevenâ—ion preparation or use of it For the trumpet must be blown either to warne them before it come or to stirre them up to be sensible and to do duty when it cometh 2. Whoever be asleep in times of threatened or incumbent dangers yet Ministers ought especially to be awake that they may stir up others For on them is this charge laid Blow ye the trumpet 3. Ministers must be faithful in discharging their trust as becometh watchmen and they must not set themselves to please men but should faithfully point out their danger procured by sin For they must blow and sound an alarme 4. It is not enough for Ministers to point out dangers by sin unlesse they point out remedies also nor is it sufficient for people to be sensible of the one unlesse they be stirred up to the other For they are to blow the trumpet and call to fasting as it is expounded v. 15. as well as to sound an alarme yea this is but subservient to the other 5. The consideration that a people are Gods Church and do enjoy his presence is a special argument to move them to be sensible and study duty in times of calamitie For all this is to be in Zion and my holy mountaine not only because it was the place where the Priests sounded and where the people were to meet for solemne worship but that all this calamitie being on a Church whereof Zion and the mountaine of the Temple was a type therefore they should be sensible and hearken to these alarmes and invitations 6 When God threatens or inflicts judgements it becometh all to be deeply sensible and not to please themselves with formality or trifle with outward shewes but they should quake at the heart at the tokens of Gods anger and it is great courage not to harden our selves but to tremble before an angry God for the inhabitants of the land are to tremble upon the alarme and call to humiliation and repentance See Isa 66.2 Jer 5.22 7. Albeit the Lord may keep off temporal judgements upon the repentance even hypocritical of Rulers as 1 Kings 21.27 28 29 And albeit some few godly may sometime hold off wrath from a Nation as Psal 106.23 Ezek. 22.30 yet it is the duty of all to be afflicted and humbled under common calamities and where this is wanting the piety and repentance of some few will not alwayes availe Therefore is the direction general let all the inhabitants of the land tremble See Ezek. 9.3 4 5. and 14.13 14 15 16 c. 8. It is not to be sleighted but seriously laid to heart how sad it is when God makes alarmes real and stroakes to follow upon them when the day followeth upon the alarme how strong a party God is and how he will prove himself God by his judgements upon them who would not otherwise take notice of him and how dreadful a stroak will be when it is near whatever men think of it at a distance all this is imported in what is here repeated from chap. 1.15 as an argument to affect them for the day of the Lord cometh for it is nigh at hand Verse 2. A day of darknesse and of gloominess a day of clouds and of thick darknesse as the morning spread upon the mountaines a great people and a strong there hath not been ever the like neither shall be any more after it even to the years of many generations That the thoughts of this sad day may take deep impression and stir them up a description of it is held forth at large in several branches as so many arguments pressing them to repent and tremble before God The first branch of the description is that this troop of devouring creatures called a people or Nation as chap. 1.6 being armed with Gods power should come in so great a number as to cover and hide the sight of the skie and heavens as also to put the people in great trouble and perplexity which is figuratively pointed at by a dark day Isa 5.30 and 8.22 Ezek. 32.7 8. Amos 5.18 And they should so swiftly overspread the countrey as the morning light or clouds overspreads all the mountaines Amos 4.13 Joh 38.12 13. And they should be so numerous as the like had not been seen before nor should be afterward for many ages Whence learn 1. As it is the Lords way to make a time of calamity for sin very uncomfortable and full of darknesse and perplexity So this should serve to affect sinners and to humble and stirre them up to repentance For so much doth this day of darknesse c. figuratively taken import and it is propounded here as an argument to make that exhortation v. 1. effectual 2. When God is provoked to punish a people for sin he can easily multiply instruments of vengeance he can make them though small and weak of themselves prove strong he can make them swiftly and suddenly execute all his counsel and can make them hide and take away all comfort from sinners which they might expect from heaven or earth For these small creatures make this time A day of darknesse and of gloominesse a day of clouds and of thick darknesse as hiding any sight of the sky or heaven by reason of their number they swiftly cover the earth to waste it all and deprive men of comforts from thence as the morning spread upon the mountains and in Gods hand they prove a great people and a strong 3. As the Lord will inflict singular calamities eâ—e he be not avenged on impenitent sinners So such singular judgements ought to affect sinners much For it testifieth Gods just and severe pursuing of sin and the necessity of trembling before God that they are a great people and a strong there hath not been ever the like c. 4. The Lord is so gracious that albeit he be so provoked in
whatever sinners dream yet there is no resisting nor abiding of a day of vengeance nor any refuge against it but by turning to God by faith and unfeigned repentance For so much is held out in this further confirmation of the reason of the strength of this Army for the day of the Lord and not of the appearing of these creatures only is great and very terrible and who can abide it Ver. 12. Therefore also now saith the LORD Turne ye even to me withall your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning 13. And rent your heart and not your garments and turne unto the LORD your God for he is gracious and merciful flow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the evil Followeth the second part of the Chap. wherein the Lord calls upon them to make right use of this calamity and of the warning given them This he doth in two exhortations whereof the first in these verses is That they should set about sincere repentance and humiliation testified by holy private fasts and unfeigned sorrow and so prove that they are really converted to God and reconciled to him through faith in the Mediatour v. 12. and that they should study to be rather afflicted in spirit for sin then by performance of externall ceremonies to pretend to it only v. 13. Unto this exhortation two reasons are subjoyned the first whereof in the end of v. 13. is taken from the properties of God who is merciful and gracious not easily provoked rich in kindnesse and who upon sinners repentance is ready to recall his threatenings that they be not executed Doct. 1. Were there never so many plagues on sinners yet God is not bound to take notice of them so long as they repent not And were there never so much terrour and affliction of spirit upon men under feared or felt judgements Yet all these serve to no purpose if they stir not up to repentance and they must be mad who being in such a condition yet do not set about that duty Therefore after all the representation of plagues and of terrour upon men they are called to this as the only remedy and way to an issue and as the duty which they cannot but minde who are seriously affected with such a condition Therefore turne ye See Psal 106.44 Jer. 31.18 19 20. 2. When God is threatening most sadly and proceeding most severely he would be still understood as inviting by these to repentance and willing to accept of it For the Lord who threatens doth exhort and he brings it in with a therefore or upon the back of the former discourse to shew that this is his scope in all of it Therefore saith the Lord Turne ye 3. Such as have been so long abusers of Gods patience as matters seem irremediable and stroakes are either imminent or incumbent should not for all that look upon the exercise of repentance as too late and out of season but ought to judge that it is good even then to set about it and that it will do good however matters go Therefore notwithstanding they were in this sad plight yet the Lord exhorts them even now also to turne 4 Such as do minde repentance especially when God declareth himself angry would not linger nor delay to set about it So much also may be imported in that now also they should turn 5. Whatever doubts such as are humbled under judgements may have that their repentance will not be accepted yet they are bound to answer all these from Gods naked Word who giveth the invitation to such Therefore is the exhortation given to such in his Name to remove all doubts Turn ye saith the Lord. 6. Repentance for particular sins under sad judgements will neither be right nor acceptable so long as men do not minde conversion to God and a change of their state by regeneration that so the tree being good the fruits may be answerable Therefore doth he begin with turne ye to me where the exhortation doth not import any power in man but only points out his duty and sheweth that exhortation is a mean which God blesseth to his Elect and not only deals thereby with them as with rational creatures but therewith imparts strength that they may obey 7. In turning unto God men would beware of being faint or feigned but would study to be sincere and single since they cannot attain to perfection For this in a Gospel-sense is to turn even to me with all your heart 8. As men would begin at conversion to God so they would therewith study to be deeply affected for sin and bygone evils and under the judgements procured thereby and would evidence their affliction of spirit by sorrow and humiliation suitable in some measure to their condition Therefore is it added as an evidence and companion of the former turn ye with fasting and with weeping and with mourning or with such sorrow as is usual in mourning for the dead and expressed not only by wailing but by smiting on the breast and the like gestures It is a change to be suspected where men please themselves with their present good condition and do lightly passe over their former miscarriages And albeit signes and expressions of sorrow be not alwayes at command when men are most afflicted yet repentance for grosse and long continued in iniquity and under extraordinary judgements would not be past over in an ordinary and common way 9. It is our duty in performing repentance and a good evidence of it when our stout hearts are broken and afflicted with the sense of sin and of Gods displeasure for it Therefore it is subjoyned and rent your heart or every one his own heart which is not to be understood literally but that they should be afflicted in spirit as Ps 51.17 10. We are prone to hypocrisie and ought to beware of dallying with God even when we are in greatest distresse and making fairest shewes of repentance Therefore is it needful to qualifie this exhortation rent your heart and not your garments 11. God is not pleased nor will a true penitent be pleased with externall performances and ceremonies neglecting substance For saith he rent your heart and not your garments However they made frequent use of this signe in times of great sorrow as Gen. 37.34 2 Sam. 13.19 Job 1.20 and frequently yet God doth not allow of it when it is alone or preferred to the other as is said in another case Hos 6.6 though we are willing to do many things rather then bow and afflict our hearts before God 12. In all these exercises of repentance we would again and again take heed that we deceive not our selves in the matter of our conversion and pretend only to it till our particular distresse be removed and though we finde our selves reall yet we are to look on it as a work wherein we should still make progresse Therefore after the former exhortation v. 12. it is again subjoyned and turn
unto the Lord. As a matter whereof they should be sure and grow in it that they may go on in repentance 13. Repentance and conversion would neither be gone about in our own strength nor managed with discouragement nor any inherent change wrought in us be rested on as sufficient to make up our peace with God But our chief care should be to embrace God by faith as ours through Christ and to draw strength out of him for the duty and by faith set against all our crushing discouragements which may be ready to arise upon our affliction of spirit and sense of sin Therefore are they commanded in this repeated exhortation turn unto the Lord your God wherein all these are included 14. Whatever the Lord be or will say and do to the impenitent yet there is nothing in him to be terrible to a convert and a penitent And without the sight of this conviction or contrition would but end in despare Therefore notwithstanding all the former threatenings to this is subjoyned to the exhortation by way of reason and encouragment Turne ye for he is gracious c. 15. These many encouragements taken from Gods properties and put together may teach 1. How hard it is to raise up truly cast down sinners and overcome their diffidence how presumptuous soever they had been before 2. It may teach what infinite fulnesse not easily expressed there is in God to answer all the doubts and feares of a penitent 3. It teacheth how willing the Lord is that penitents be encouraged as may be evidenced by his laying out that fulnesse of comfort that is in him for that end Doct. 16. Gods graciousnesse and readinesse to shew mercy freely without our deserving and his tender bowels of compassion and sympathy are such as may assure the afflicted penitent that he will be respected And a serious study of this may invite sinners to set about their duty in hope For Turne ye for he is gracious and mercifull 17. Gods long forbearance and waiting for the repentance of sinners before he strike albeit it may make the stroak sad when it comes yet it is an evidence and argument that he is willing to embrace a penitent Turne ye for he is slow to anger 18. Gods great bounty and kindnesse which is over all his works and fills the earth Psal 33.5 may assure the penitent that he will meet with special kindnesse and with a liberal Lord and benefactour So much doth the other property teach he is of great kindnesse or bounty 19. It needs not affright nor discourage the penitent that God hath denounced wrath against his sin and it may be hath begun to execute it for he hath to do with a Lord who so delights in mercy and is so affected with his peoples distresses that upon their repentance he will willingly recall his sentence from being executed and withdraw his hand from striking For so much is held out in this argument he repenteth him of the evil or changeth his dealing as repenters use to do Ver. 14 Who knoweth if he will returne and repent and leave a blessing behinde him even a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the LORD your God The second reason of the exhortation is that as God is gracious in himself so it is possible and to be hoped that upon repentance he will avert the judgement so farre as the people shall subsist and the publick worship not be altogether interrupted during the famine And that after these plagues are over they shall have plenty This phrase of leaving a blessing behinde him or after these devourers are past by and God past by with this his scourge and armie is to be understood partly that after every one of these have devoured in their course as chap 1.4 somewhat may possibly be preserved for the peoples subsistence and the publick worship and partly that after all these plagues are over plenty may come As for that doubtful phrase who knoweth c We may for further understanding of it compare what is said on Jon. 3.9 and Zeph. 2.3 Doct. 1. When sinners are most exercised in the duties of repentance yet the true penitents hope is only fixed on God and his turning and change of dealing and not on his own turning and repentance for so are penitents directed to look to Gods turning and repenting 2. Albeit God will be certainly reconciled with sinners upon their repentance and faith in Christ And albeit God will mitigate his plagues unto penitents at least so far as that judgements are turned into fatherly chastisements to them Yet repentance will not alway hold off or take off a temporal stroak when either sinne hath come to a great height calling on God to vindicate his glory in punishing it or when he would have the penitent yet more quickened up in his repentance which readily he would fall slack in if the rod were away And albeit the Lord may intend to prevent or remove calamities yet he will make the penitent more solicitous diligent and humble by keeping him in suspence about it for these causes it is that there is so incertaine like a promise concerning their preservation under and issue from this rod who knoweth if he will returne c 3. No incertainty about these things should discourage a penitent in his duty as knowing that better promises are sure enough to him That Gods exercising him with incertainty is no evidence that he will not do even that for him And that however it go he is in Gods way for attaining these things as they may tend to his good Therefore is he encouraged to repent upon this same who knoweth if he will returne c 4. Outward benefits and meanes of plenty are in themselves a blessing however we abuse them They flow in their growth and preservation from a rich blessing of influences They do us good because God puts a blessing in them for that end And they are given to the penitent wiâ—h a special blessing for these causes are the fruits of the ground here called a blessing as Isa 65.8 because as they are given to mankinde especially in any measure of plenty they are a common favour to all though the wicked make them a snare and plague to themselves and a special blessing to the godly 5. Gods correcting will not hinder his blessing to penitents and there may be rich mercies waiting for them both in the time of affliction to make them subsist and after them to make them up for there is hope that upon repentance he will leave a blessing behinde him in both these respects as is before explained 6. As true penitents will be most affected with what concerneth God and his worship in times of calamities and will be encouraged when he holds up his publick worship and ordinances among them whereby their interest in him is avowed and confirmed whatever become of their outward conditions So it gives ground of hope to penitents that he hath an
waiting for such an advantage 5. It is also an argument of pitie and ground of pleading to the penitent that enemies are lying at wait to take advantage of their distresse and that trouble may drive them on tentations and put them to hard shifts Therefore is it pleaded as another inconvenient following on their reproachfull trouble that the Heathen should rule over them Which though some read it as an explication of that reproach to use a by-word against them yet as it is translated it signifieth that their want did not only give the Heathen occasion of reproach against them but they might be ready also to take advantage of their weaknesse to invade them And they might be ready to sell themselves into bondage to get meat or to wander among the Heathen as Ruth 1.1 2 Kings 8.1 5. And therefore they pray that God wousd prevent this 6. Affliction will be yet sadder to the penitent when it seemeth to reflect on God and his honour as if he were not willing or able to supply his people And this reproaching of God is an argument of pitie especially when it becometh the penitents affliction for it is another ground of pleading that they say among the people Where is their God and that they are affected with this as a chief ingredient in their distresse Wherefore should they say among the people Where is their God Ver. 18. Then will the Lord be jealous for his land and pitie his people Followeth in the third part of the Chapter the encouragements unto repentance held forth by God wherein he promiseth that upon their repentance and seeking unto him he will bestow upon them many blessings and these both temporal relating to their present affliction and spiritual The temporal promises are first propounded to v. 21. then they are applied and amplified to v. 28. In this verse we have the first promise wherein they are assured that upon their repentance Gods affection toward them and their land shall appear in compassion and pity as the cause of staying further vengeance and of the blessings following Whence learn 1. Penitents will undoubtedly finde good acceptance at Gods hand whatever their deservings have been for upon their performing what is enjoyned before it is subjoyned then will the Lord be jealous 2. Penitents are allowed to plead an interest in God and will be owned and confirmed in so doing by God for whereas they had pleaded themselves thy people v. 17. now the Lord confirmeth that declaring that they are his people 3. Gods people are not only dear to him being penitents but all their enjoyments and concernments will be respected for their sakes and as coming to them by Covenant for not only his people but their lands distresse is considered as being his land given them by Covenant Which though it was true of the promised land in a peculiar way Yet it is still of general verity that the Lord hath a special respect to what belongs to penitents 4. A roome in Gods affection is the first and chief mercy conferred on penitents for it is here the first promise from whence all the rest do flow 5. Affection in God toward his people and their enjoyments for their sake will do whatsoever can be expected from marriage or parental affection in distresse His affliction will resent injuries done to them as an husband doth in behalfe of his wife and will pitied stresse and upon that will spare as the word imports for the Lord will be jealous for his land and pitie his people See Psal 103.13 His jealousie for the land relates to what is said of its being married Isa 63.4 Which was a pledge of their being married to him Vers 19. Yea the LORD will answer and say unto his people Behold I will send you corne and wine and oile and ye shall be satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen The second promise sheweth that in answer to their prayers he will provide liberally for them in things of this present life to their satisfaction and the taking away of their reproach Whence learn 1. God will prove his affection to penitents by reall effects and may answer them in the very particular which they seeke when it good for them And particularly he may give plenty to them to let them see that piety is the shortest cut even to do well outwardly for so much is held out in this promise subjoyned to the former wherein he satisfieth their desire and evidenceth his jealousie and pitie I will send you corne and wine and oile 2. Mercies unto penitents and supplicants are twice mercies both in themselves and in that they are the answer of prayers and do evidence his love to them and interest in them for so this mercie cometh the Lord will answer and say and that unto his people 3. Mercies are also sweet when we see Gods hand in them And it is especially to be remarked when he who formerly had smitten begins to deale favourably and when his hand makes an admirable change from great distresse and want to great abundance Therefore doth he owne this mercie and prefix a behold to it Behold I send you câ—rne c. 4. Penitents get their mercies first by promise that so their faith may be tried and they may have the advantage of spiritual exercise even about temporal favours And that the mercie when it cometh may be so much the sweeter unto them Therefore is their plenty first held out in a promise I will send or I am sending you corne c. 5. Penitents mercies will be satisfactorie by their getting abundance of them or a blessing with what they get and by their contentment and quiet of minde with what they enjoy which the simple favour of it self could not produce for and ye shall be satisfied therewith 6. As reproach is a very sad affliction especially when it ariseth upon Gods hard dealing giving occasion to enemies to be insolent So however the Lord will smite his impenitent people and see to his own glory another way Yet in due time he will take away the visible marks of his displeasure from penitents and so remove the occasion of their reproach Therefore albeit before this time he had justly given them over to the sad trial of reproach yet now he promiseth I will no more make you a repraach among the heathen Ver. 20. But I will remove farre off from you the Northerne army and will drive him into a land barren and desolate with his face toward the East-sea and his hinder part toward the utmost sea and his stink shall come up and his ill savour shall come up because he hath done great things The third promise which secureth their plenty v. 19. and removeth the great cause of their fear is that he will drive away these devouring creatures who were driven upon them as a great army by a North-winde and that he will kill them so that nothing shall
be left of them but their noisome stinke and this he will do because or though they had done great things against Gods people As for that which is said and will drive him to a land c. with his face toward the East-Sea c. it may be either understood thus that though they were so many as to fill the breadth of the land from the East or Dead Sea to the West or Mediterranean Sea Yet he would drive them to the Wildernesse and kill them there or rather that the main bulk and body of them should be driven into the Wildernesse their fore-party into the dead sea and their reere into the West-sea there to die However it teacheth 1. Scourges and hurtful things were they never so dreadful yet God who sends them can drive them away and consume them when he will for I will remove farre off from you the Northern armie which had beene dreadful before And he can make use of Wildernesses and Seas even the uselesse dead Sea to help his people against their enemies I will drive him into a land barren and desolate c. 2. God can let scourges be seene how contemptible they are when he hath done with them for this formidable armie serveth for nothing but to stink above ground his stink shall come up and his ill savour shall come up 3. Instruments of Gods vengeance against his people will gaine nothing by their paines but stroaks And though they have acted much yet God will reach them for all this done because or although he the Northern armie hath done great things Ver. 21. Fear not O land be glad and rejoyce for the LORD will do great things 22. Be not afraid ye beasts of the field for the pastures of the wildernesse do spring for the tree beareth her fruit the fig-tree and the vine do yield their strength These promises are for more assurance and comfort applied and amplified And first application is made to the land that it should not fear but rejoyce seeing God was to do great things and to the beasts that they should lay aside their fear since the earth was to be blessed with pasture and fruit This speaking to the land and beasts doth not import them capable but God by this would speak to the comfort of the penitent And it teacheth 1 The Lord would have his promises and comforts applied by them to whom they are given for their refreshment So much doth this application of the former promises import 2. Gods kindnesse to penitents will be such as not only to refresh themselves but to gladden and refresh their land their beasts and all in their kinde for so is held out here 3. Penitents are instrumental to draw down blessings on themselves and on what they enjoy for now the mourning land ch 1.10 and the crying beasts ch 1.18 20. are made to rejoyce 4. Gods care of the earth and of very cattel may assure penitents of his respects to them If he respect the lands affliction and the beasts how much more theirs See Matth. 6.26 30. 5. God when he pleaseth can make fears end in joy and the hope thereof should bring joy when fear is yet on for so much is held out in the command to the land Fear not be glad and rejoyce and that in hope 6. Gods great power who promiseth and who hath given proof thereof in executing threatenings may guard against fear and afford ground of hope were the thing promised never so great and difficult for so is held forth in the reason of joy that the Lord who had done great things by that Army v. 20. will do great things 7. God can and in due time will remove the feares of his people by giving actual proofes of his love for so are they encouraged by the promise made to the beasts for their sake and good v. 22. Be not afraid ye beasts of the field for the pastures of the wildernesse do spring c. Ver. 23. Be glad then ye children of Zion and rejoyce in the LORD your God for he hath given you the former raine moderately and he will cause to come down for you the raine the former raine and the latter raine in the first moneth 24. And the floores shall he full of wheat and the fats shall overflow with wine and oile 25. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten the cankerworme and the catterpiller and the palmerworme my great army which I sent among you Secondly the promises are applied to the Church whom he exhorteth to rejoyce And that because 1. He will give them which he speaks of as done because of reall certainty raine in due season and measure and make the effects prove it a reall blessing v. 23 24. 2. Because by succeeding plenty he will make up the losse they sustained by the years of famine v. 25. Whence learn 1. Whoever misse of joy yet God will have his penitent Church and people to rejoyce and they are allowed to have as much and as solid joy as any and more Therefore are the children of Zion called to it 2. The Lord must not only afford matter of joy and comfort to his people but must speak and apply it to their heart and stir them up to rejoyce in it before it work Therefore is this exhortation and application needful Be glad then ye children of Zion and rejoyce 3. Common favours and benefits should be unto the Lords people but as a step leading them up to rejoyce in God and not to be rested on themselves Therefore though the promise be of plenty yet they are to rejoyce in the Lord their God and because of a special interest in him See Jer. 9.23 24. Luke 10.19 20. 4. Common favours given so a people upon repentance do warrant them to rejoyce in God as evidencing his respect unto them and interest in them even by these For so the penitents here are upon this promise commanded rejoyce in the Lord your God 5. As man needs many things for his subsistence and for furnishing the meanes thereof as raine at several seasons to make the earth fruitful So the Lords measuring and timing of outward mercies is that which makes them mercies indeed for though rain be needful yet it is the blessing of it that he giveth it moderately and that he sends the former raine and the latter raine in the first moneth which was the season as appeareth of the latter rain concerning which it is not needful to make further inquiry Only what is here said of raine holds good in all outward mercies that it is the great advantange of Saints that the disposing of them is in the hand of their only wise Lord. 6. Promising mercies will not prove unuseful nor disappoint the expectation of penitents as the Lord in justice deals often with the wicked For as moderate and seasonable rain promiseth a good harvest so it shall prove so the floores shall be full of
wheat and the fats shall overflow with oile 7. The Lord can and will make up the losses of penitents And when ever sinners do turne to God he will convince them in due time that they have been no losers by their afflictions of this truth we have a particular proof and instance in this promise and I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten c. 8. Our seeing of God and his hand in saddest scourges and losses will assure us that he can soon and easily make them up For saith he they were my great army which I sent among you and if he sent them and made them able to make such havoke then certainly he can not only remove them but send as remarkable plenty Vers 26. And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the Name of the LORD your God that hath dealt wonderously with you and my people shall never be ashamed 27. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel and that I am the LORD your God and none else and my people shall never be ashamed These promises and causes of their joy are amplified from some effects As 1. That they shall have the use of this plenty to their satisfaction 2. That they shall praise God for it 3. That by this his dealing and his other mercies toward them he will convince them of his relation to them who is God only and will confirme them and all the godly that they shall never be disappointed of their hope in him which he asserts twice for further confirmation And this is the first spiritual promise whereby he encourageth them to repent Doct. 1. It is an addition to the mercy of plenty when men are allowed the use of creatures to satisfaction without challenge of conscience and are not denied a blessing upon and with them nor are others permitted to take them away after they are growen up as Isa 62.8 For it is a promise Ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied 2. It is the duty of such as receive the good things of this life to make conscience of thankfulnesse to God whose providence supplieth their wants And true penitents and such as are turned to God will make conscience of this duty considering especially that these common favours come to them in special love and from their own God in Covenant with them Therefore it is added to their eating and satisfaction and shall praise the Name of the LORD your God See Isa 62.8 9. Deut. 8.10 3. It is our duty to stir up our selves to praise in this by considering the wonderfulnesse of the providence of God in providing continually our daily bread And especially in his sending great plenty after famine in which change of dealing both his providence and mercy shineth For it is added as an argument of praise that he hath dealt wonderously with you both in his ordinary providence and especially in that great change 4. The chief blessing and advantage of temporal benefits unto the godly is that by receiving and using of them they reap some spiritual benefit and advantage by confirmation of their faith and discovering of the love of God unto them so much are we taught by subjoyning this spiritual promise containing an effect of conferring this temporal favour 5. Gods dealing kindly with his Church or any one of them in any particular according to the Covenant may be a pledge that none be who they will that are his people will ever finde it in vaine to seek him or be ashamed or disappointed of their hope in him according to his Word For this is a general conclusion drawn from this particular proof of his love and my people shall never be ashamed 6. An interest in God by vertue of a Covenant and his manifested presence following upon that is the choice of mercies And it is sweet when this maybe read and seen shining in his mercies as a penitent is allowed to do For it is held out as the sweet effect and consequent of his bounty toward penitents ye shall know not only that I am the Lord your God but that he hath not withdrawn himself though the interest stand but that I am in the midst of Israel or these who are now left of Israel to be a people to him And however the Lord here promiseth prosperity to evidence this yet if the Lord clear it any other way it is sufficient 7. It is also a great addition to the Churches mercy that he who alone is her God is also the only true God and therefore is the only portion and above all the opposition that can be made to her felicity For I am the Lord your God and none else none beside him to prove a God unto her let her choose never so many 8. However the people of God may be oft put to pray against that sad affliction of being ashamed of their confidence as Psal 119.116 Yet it is to be believed and again and again inculcate that not only now but for ever Gods people have no cause of fearing disappontment that God will by actual performance of his promises put them from all cause of fear Therefore in opposition to the recurring of such tentations it is again repeated and my people shall never be ashamed Where it is given them as a ground of hope that God who chooseth and calleth them to be his peculiar people will not raise such an ill report upon his own love or service as thus to entertain them Nor will he make his own purpose and grace in election and calling void albeit they be worthlesse Vers 28. And it shall come to passe afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions 29. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those dayes will I poure out my Spirit The second spirituall promise is that under Christ and in the dayes of the Gospel as it is expounded Acts 2.16 17 c. he will poure out his Spirit more amply then before upon all sorts of persons of all Nations both old and young sons and daughters bond and free whereby they shall be endued with such knowledge of the mysteries of salvation as may be compared with the knowledge of the ancient Prophets For clearing this a little Consider 1. By the Spirit here promised is not to be understood any natural or moral endowments conferred upon men But partly the spiritual common gifts conferred upon men for the edification of the Church And partly the saving graces of the Spirit conferred upon the Elect in order to their eternal salvation 2. By all flesh on whom the Spirit is to be poured out we are not to understand all and every one for this promise is made only to these within the Church and to these who at least by visible Covenant become the Lords as it is
expounded of the servants and handmaids Acts 2.18 But it is to be understood of all sorts of persons of whatsoever Nation of these who embrace Christ and that there should be many of them in comparison of the times under the Law who should participate either of the gifts or graces of the Spirit or of both 3. As for the effects of the pouring out of the Spirit here mentioned that there shall be prophecies dreams and visions it is true that in that signal accomplishment of this promise Acts 2. and afterward in these primitive times there were such extraordinary wayes of manifestation of God and of his will for many did prophecie then even women as is instanced in the daughters of Philip Acts 21.9 Paul and Peter had visions 2 Cor. 12.1 2 c. Acts 10.10 11. And God appeared to Joseph in a dream Mat. 1.20 But this was but a partial accomplishment of this promise and a mean to carry on the full accomplishment therof And therefore we are to conceive that the Prophet speaks of Gospel-times and mercies in tearmes borrowed from the times of the Old Testament and the meaning is that as of old the excellent way and measure of the knowledge of God was by prophecie vision and dreams Numb 12.6 So under the New Testament beside what was extraordinary all who get the Spirit of God may for knowing the mysteries of salvation be compared with these ancient Prophets And as of old by these wayes of manifestation men attained to the knowledge of the mysteries of God so should they by the Spirit of God in the use of ordinary means 4. This may also serve to clear that the Prophet is not foretelling that under the Gospel all who receive the Spirit and know the mysteries of salvation thereby are therefore warranted to exercie the office of Prophets or Ministers For Prophecie being so strictly taken is not given to all upon whom the Spirit is poured out as is clear from 1 Cor. 12.29 5. It is also clear that the Prophet is not here speaking of any revelations to be given unto men without or beside the Word or which are not to be tried thereby for beside what is alrerdy said for exposition of this promise if we look to the most solemne and signal accomplishment of this promise we will finde the conceit refuted For in the very first Sermon of Peter after the Spirit is poured out he leads the hearers all along to Scripture both to justifie the strange change wrought upon them and to justifie the doctrine which being thus endowed he preacheth Acts 2.16 17 25 30 31 34. Doct. 1. The times of the Gospel are the times of letting out spiritual encouragements and wherein men ought to be more spiritual and made up with spiritual advantages however it go with them outwardly Therefore the Prophet entering upon spiritual promises and refreshments after these temporal promises for the comfort of this people doth remit them to what shall come to passe afterward or in the last dayes as it is expounded Acts 2.17 2. The Lords letting out of his Spirit in gifts and spiritual graces is the great Gospel-refreshment and encouragement as making the mysteries of God known and applying all Christs purchase to Believers So that all who would finde the advantage of the times of the Gospel ought to seek much of the Spirit for this is the promise I will poure out my Spirit 3. The letting out of the Spirit is God and his Son Christs free promise and gift and therefore to be sought of him and expected from him by these who are in themselves unworthy For it is a promise I will poure out my Spirit which Christ did performe Acts 2.33 See Luke 11.13 4. Albeit the Spirit of God was communicated unto the Church under the Law yet it is the advantage of the times of the Gospel 1. That the Spirit is let forth in more ample measure then formerly being poured out largely and not dropped out only So that we may seek largely and not be content with little nor be straitened in our own bowels 2. That this gift is not restricted now to one Nation of the Jewes with their proselytes and but to a few of them but is free to all sorts of persons and Nations and to many of them For it is upon all flesh the Spirit is poured out Doct. 5. Whatever be the abundant measure of the Spirit that is poured out yet there is still infinitely more in God to communicate as need requireth Therefore doth Peter Act. 2.17 expound it I will poure out of my Spirit or but some portion of that fulnesse that is in him Which is not only true in respect of Christ who hath the Spirit without measure John 3.34 but also in respect of the infinite fulnesse that is in God 6. God in pouring out his Spirit will not disdain men because of their frailty or felt sinfulnesse And where the Spirit is given it will keep men still sensible of their condition and what they are in themselves Therefore are they designed flesh or fraile and sinful creatures upon whom the Spirit is to be poured out shewing that their being such doth not hinder his bounty and his bounty will not make them forget that they are such 7. It is a special advantage reaped by the enjoyment of the Spirit that not only doth he water and refresh and fructifie the barren spirits of these in whom he dwels and therefore is said to be poured out like water on the ground See Isa 44.3 But that also he doth illuminate men with the knowledge of God He doth make known the mysteries of salvation furnisheth instruments to carry the glad tydings of salvation leads into all truth and maketh knowen the things that we have freely received Therefore doth he cause to prophesie and to dream dreams c. as is before explained See John 16.13 Acts 1.8 1 Cor. 12.7 8. and 2.12 to 15. 8. The knowledge of the mysteries of salvation which is communicated by the Spirit under the Gospel is comparable to any measure of knowledge attained by ancient Prophets of old Not only doth extraordinary revelation under the New Testament in the primitive times parralel what they had then But even the gifts of light and knowledge conferred in ordinary upon men and the saving knowledge conferred upon Believers may be compared therewith for whereas these revelations were but at fits and times only this is constant and these albeit they were singular in the manner of communicating yet the truth conveighed thereby was but more darkly held out and under a vaile whereas now truths are seen with open face Therefore as is before cleared are the names of prophecie visions and dreams given to this knowledge So that the ignorance of men under the Gospel doth speak but little enjoyment of the Spirit 9. Whereas he is not content to say only in general that all flesh shall receive of the Spirit but doth instance
it in sons and daughters old men and young servants and handmaids It may teach 1. No rank or sex or condition of persons are secluded from the promise of the Spirit â—e they old or young male or female bond or free 2. The efficacy and fulnesse of the Spirit of God is such as to refresh and prevaile with all these sorts of persons young ones who are not capable of mans teaching yet are not secluded from his teaching Mark 10.14 16. Luke 1.15 The Spirit hath vertue to illuminate and subdue young men notwithstanding all the power of their corruptions 1 John 2.13 14. to keep men fresh and lively in old age Psal 92.13 14. and to make servants happy in their condition 1 Cor. 7.22 3. It is Gods sure promise to the Church of the Gospel that the knowledge of him and of his truth shall be continued and propagated therein from generation to generation For therefore is it put in the first place your sons and daughters rising up to succeed you shall prophesie Doct. 10. As for these wayes of revealing the will of God of old by prophecie visions and dreams albeit they point all at one thing and seem to be named all here to let out the fulnesse of Gospel-knowledge answering to all of them and therefore seem to be comprehended all under prophesying as it is attributed to his servants of all sorts and ages Acts 2.18 Yet seeing they are distinctly named and attributed to several sorts of persons as prophesying to sons and daughters visions to young men and dreames to old men We may from it take up some steps and degrees of the knowledge of God wherein they grow up who are under the Spirits teaching As 1. By prophesying attributed to sons and daughters we may understand simply the knowledge of divine things 2. By visions attributed to young men we may understand their clearer insight and uptaking of these mysteries then they had in their younger dayes For vision doth represent the thing revealed more sensibly 3. By dreams wherein men have their senses shut up from the world and which are attributed to old men we may understand a further degree of illumination when light received doth take hold on the affections to sanctifie and subdue them So that mens hearts are taken off the world and filled with the things of God And so this gradation will teach That the knowledge of God which is communicated unto men by the Spirit will be on the growing hand till from a common notion and remembring of it it come to be more seriously pondered and laid to heart and till it take hold upon the affections and conquer the whole heart to God Ver. 30. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth blood and fire and pillars of smoake 31. The Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the LORD come To prevent all secure and carnal thoughts as if upon embracing of the Gospel and receiving of the Spirit men should be rid of all outward trouble The Lord foretells of great commotions which were to be in the world after the pouring out of the Spirit Whereof though there were some particular accomplishments in these primitive times and before that dreadful day of the destruction of Jerusalem Yet the prediction stretcheth forth to all ages after the pouring out of the Spirit till the second coming of Christ to judgement which is here called the great and terrible day of the LORD The expressions pointing out these commotions of wonders in heaven earth c. may be understood either literally that there shall be signes of blood fire darknesse and eclipses of Sun and Moon going before these calamities as presages thereof or figuratively that there shall be such commotions and such signes of Gods anger for sin such judgements and calamities of sword famine and sicknesses such persecutions desertions tentations heresies schismes c. as if heaven and earth were going through other the course of nature overturned and the world full of dreadfull fights of blood fire and darknesse and neither Sunne or Moon affording wonted light or comfort To dip further into what may be connceived to be figuratively pointed at under every one of these I conceive is not very safe Doct. 1. Whatever breathing times God may allow upon his Gospel-Church yet it is her duty to look for commotions and troubles especially after times of pouring out of the Spirit and times of much light and reformation For upon the one hand Satan will bend all his power to oppose the progresse of the Gospel and will set the world in opposition to the Church and on the other hand God will poure out all sorts of calamities upon the visible Church to punish them who contemne his rich offer and do not walk answerably to such dispensations and to trie the graces of his own that they may aspire toward spiritual happinesse in heaven And he will punish secret and open enemies for the injuries they do to the Church For these causes is this prediction subjoyned to the former promise 2. It is the Churches duty not only to look for troubles but to expect that they will be great and very dreadful such as may testifie the greatnesse of Gods displeasure against sin and of mens fury against the Church such as may throughly trie the godly and bring about Gods deep counsels For there will be wonders in the heavens or the firmament and several regions of the aire and in the earth blood and fire c. 3. Whoever be employed in raising these great commotions and whatever be the designes and malice of men in them yet it is the Churches good and safety to see a supreme hand of God in all of them For saith he I will shew wonders c. 4. Though the Church in several ages may get times of breathing and tranquillity yet these will not be permanent but interrupted with sad blasts till the second coming of Christ which as it is certainly approaching so it will put a period to all stormes wherewith the godly are tossed For these things will be before the great and terrible day of the Lord come that is in all ages till that time and belike very violently immediately before Math. 24.29 30. 5. The day of Christs second coming will be great and terrible and as it is Acts 2.20 a notable or illustrious day A despised Christ will be seen great there great things will be done in that day He will then reach his full and final end of all his works All things will then be revealed and made patent the glory of God will be seen face to face the secrets of hearts the glory of Saints and the truth of promises and threatenings will then be made manifest And though the godly will then be free of all terrour yet it will be in it self a day of much state and majesty of the Lord and of great
terrour to the wicked For it is for these causes it gets this name Vers 32. And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the Name of the LORD shall be delivered for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the LORD hath said and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call To confirme the godly against these calamities he subjoynes the third spiritual promise which is That all true Israelites and Converts of the Gentiles who cleave to God and worship him sincerely shall finde deliverance by preservation under trouble till they come to full deliverance and salvation at last This he confirmeth in a generall promise that of the Jewes and Gentiles called of God there shall be deliverance according to Gods promise or some remnant to escape to preserve a people to God upon earth and at last to inherit salvation Doct. 1. Were the condition of the visible Church or of the world never so deplorable and desperate yet it should not drive men from God his truth and pure worship but rather make them cleave to it more and evidence this by frequent and earnest calling on him For this is the duty required under these calamities to call on the Name of the LORD under which is comprehended all outward and inward worship of God whereof this is a chief part and mens cleaving to it 2. As God is able to save in greatest extremities so he will undoubtedly save and deliver them who cleave to him and seek him be of what Nation or people they will He will either hide some of them from trouble in great tempests or preserve them under it till he give an issue from it here or hereafter and at last will compleatly save them For whosoever shall call on the Name of the LORD shall be delivered or escape See Rom. 10.13 3. The Church is the place of greatest safety and where deliverance may most readily be expected of any and however it fare with particular persons in times of commotions yet the Lord will still preserve a Church and remnant in the world yea even a remnant of Jewes till their full conversion The efore saith he for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall he deliverance and in the remnant Where he names Zion and Jerusalem not only as a type of the Church wherein safety is to be found and the remnant are to be preserved but to point out that of the Jewes belonging to these places he would keep still a remnant Rom. 11.5 till that day come whereof he speaks in the next Chapter 4. God hath past his word for the preservation of a remnant under trouble and this is to be trusted to whatever our sense say to the contrary For saith he there shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said frequently in the Holy Scriptures 5. As the true Church is but a remnant in comparison of the rest of the world So times of trouble cutting off some and tempting others to Apostasie may draw them to a very small number who cleave to God and shall partake of promised salvation Therefore it is added by way of explication that deliverance shall be in the remnant or among them though some of them escape not the stroak of trouble 6. It is Gods effectual calling and election of grace that makes a difference among men and makes them seek and cleave to him And this is also a pledge that he who hath called and ingaged them in that service will give them deliverance and an issue from it Therefore it is added both by way of reason how it cometh there is a remnant and by way of confirmation that they shall be delivered they are the remnant whom the Lord shall call See Rom. 11.4 5 6 7. 1 Thess 5.24 CHAP. III. IN this Chap. the Lord doth prosecute and confirme that promise in the close of the former Chap. concerning the preservation and deliverance of a remnant especially as it relateth to the Jewes and therefore the dependance and connexion is expressed by the particle for which intimates that what followeth is an explanation and confirmation of what is there said In this confirmation 1. He promiseth to return the captivity of Judah v. 1. 2. He promiseth to punish all the enemies of the Church especially of the Jewes And that for this end he will convocate them to plead the cause of his people against all of them v. 2 3. and particularly against some of their nearest neighbours v. 4 5 6. and having pleaded with them he will passe sentence against them v. 7 8 and see it executed by convocating all of them as he will also bring his prepared executioners v. 9 10 11 12. who at Gods command v. 13. will do great execution upon them v. 14. In which case they shall be left destitute of all comfort v. 15. and God will be terrible unto them v. 16. 3. He closeth these promises with comfortable applications to the Church particularly to Judah and Israel shewing what proofes of love they shall meet with in these dispensations and what shall be the sweet consequents thereof and namely that when he shall be thus terrible to enemies yet he will be their hope and strength v. 16. that he will confirme them in their interest in him and that they shall be holy and secured from the invasion of stâ—angers v. 17. that they shall have abundance of temporal benefits together with spiritual graces and refreshments v. 18. and that when their enemies shall be utterly destroyed yet he will establish and perpetuate them v. 19 20. and will cleanse them from their pollution that he may evidence his presence with them and may continue it v. 21. Ver. 1. FOr behold in those dayes and in that time when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem Albeit this Vers doth expressely hold out only the time of Gods sentencing and punishing Judahs enemies of which he speaks in the following purpose Yet it doth import further 1. That there was to come a captivity and dispersion of the Jewish Nation both in City and Countrey and that under the Gospel and after the pouring out of the Spirit of which ch 2.28 for all the ensuing predictions do follow upon that It hath been already declared that after the performance of that promise great troubles were to follow ch 2.30 31. and that in the midst of these troubles not only should the truly godly attain to eternal salvation by cleaving to God and his Worship but the Lord should preserve a remnant for himself who should escape these troubles v. 32. And this as the connexion imports and hath been said before is but a confirmation and particular instance given of that general promise in the case of the Jewes So that it cannot at all relate to the captivity of Babylon 2. It imports that a restitution and returne of their captivity was to follow upon their dispersion at which time he will performe what is after
spoken of And this is the first promise which is made to Judah as a pledge of the spiritual deliverance of his Church and all his people and of temporal deliverance also in so far as it is needed Doct. 1. When the Lord giveth general grounds of encouragement from his Woâ—d he is able to instruct and make them good by particular evidences of his love to the consciences of his own Therefore having given that generall promise ch 2.32 he doth here subjoyn a particular and convincing evidence thereof For I will bring again the captivity of Judah 2. Gods dispensations toward his Church and people whether in mercy or judgement are very admirable And men ought instead of their sleepinesse carelessenesse and astonishment when great things are in doing to stir up themselves to observe them much Therefore is a Behold prefixed to this wherein their captivity is supposed and their restitution promised and to what further shall be done at that time 3. Greatest spiritual mercies manifested to the Church may be seconded with saddest outward afflictions even with captivity and restraint of liberty driving them from their interests and acquaintance and putting them under the power of others And that as for other reasons so because they contemne and make no use of these spiritual mercies For so is imported here that after Christ came in the flesh to the Church of the Jewes and the Spirit was poured out among them yet because they despised and opposed all this therefore there is a captivity of Judah and Jerusalem 4. Deliverance and restitution according to the tenour of the Covenant will certainly follow upon the captivity of the Lords people even to admiration and the astonishment of all And particularly Judah's second and long captivity will have a remarkable issue For Behold I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem Verse 2. I will also gather all nations and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the nations and parted my land 3. And they have cast lots for my people and have given a boy for an harlot and sold a girle for wine that they might drink Followeth the second promise concerning the punishment of all the enemies of the Church and of Judah in special as a pledge of what he will do for others The time of performing this promise being propounded ver 1. We have here further 1. The convocation of these enemies and the bringing of them to judgement Their conspiring against the Church and particularly against Israel about the time of their conversion and recollection shall be the Lords work to gather them to the place of judgement and execution of vengeance 2. The place of judgement is here called the valley of Jehoshaphat which some take for some valley lying in view of Jerusalem to intimate that these enemies may surround the Church and bring her into great straits before that Gods issue come as Rev. 20.9 And that the execution of this vengeance will be in view of the Church to her full satisfaction and contentment when her eyes shall see her desire upon her enemies But it rather seemes to point at that valley where Jehoshaphat got that notable deliverance 2 Chron. 20.22 26. And albeit it were needlesse curiosity to determine that that same should be the place of this notable judgement and execution yet the allusion intimates that the plague on these enemies should be like that which befell Edom and his confederates then when the Lord stirred them up to slay one another and they became a prey to the Jewes The word also being taken appellatively doth signifie the valley of Gods judgement and so it will be let the particular place be where it will 3. We have the forme of procedure which that the certainty and equity of the judgment may appear the more is set down by way of judicial processe wherein God the Judge doth plead the cause of his people against them to v. 7. giveth out sentence v. 7 8. and seeth it executed v 9 16. In these Verses we have Gods pleading against all these enemies in general for their scattering his hereditary people their parting the land that was proper to him and for that with cruelty and contempt they divided his people and children by lot among themselves to be so many slaves and gave boyes and girles to satisfie their lusts Doct. 1. God will not only restore and deliver his people but will give them a seen and satisfactory amends for all the wrongs they have received from men and will make the time of their restitution prove sad dayes to enemies So much doth the connexion of this with the former Verse teach in that time when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem I will also gather all Nations c. 2. Albeit that enemies will be on foot when ever God appears for his people and particularly at the conversion and recollection of Judah and Israel to oppose and bear them down Yet God will not only frustrate their designes but will bring his own purposes to passe by their enterprizes For the Nations gathering of themselves to oppose the Church is Gods gathering them to judgement I wâ—ll gather all Nations and bring them down c. 3. Albeit they are not few but many who do conspire against the Church on all occasions and will gather together at the conversion of Israel yet their multitude will not make Gods purposes void For I will gather even all Nations c. 4. God hath even the very place prepared and fore-ordained in his counsel wherein he will plead with and execute vengeance upon enemies and wherein he will manifest his justice and power and his love to his people as of old Therefore doth he point at the place putting them in minde of what he had done of old and assuring them of his righteous judgement to be executed on their behalf I will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat 5. The injuries done to the Church are such as God will certainly plead with men for albeit none else should regard them and he will so revenge their quarrel as equity and justice shall shine in it For I will plead with them there for my people And albeit his pleading here be by stroakes yet he giveth it the name of pleading and frameth a processe to shew how conspicuous his justice shall be in that procedure 6. Albeit Gods people be in themselves worthlesse yet his interest in them is sufficient ground of hope that he will plead against their enemies And albeit his dealing seem oft-times to obscure this interest yet he will again make it conspicuous and prove it by his pleading for them yea whatever he have to say against them yet he will never lay aside this interest when he pleads against enemies but will recompence them as if his people had never
hand as might enclose the people of God and yet the Lord should have his mighty instruments for executing vengeance there also v. 11. and should make all this their enterprize but a convocation of them to the place which he hath appointed for judging them and executing vengeance upon them v. 12. Doct. 1. The enterprizes of enemies are but service of divine providence and they are but doing that which he stirs them up to do for bringing about his holy ends For this proclamation to prepare war wake up the mighty men c. tends to shew that their enterprizing of this is of God to bring about his purposes See Acts 4 27 28. 2. God is not afraid of mens attempts nor of the courage of the mighty nor of their vigilancy activity numbers or preparations nor needs he steal a stroak upon them but can let them do their utmost and then work his point thereby and make their purposes void For what they will do he calls upon them to do it and to use all endeavours that his glory may shine in defeating thereof See Isa 8.9 10. 3. Men may have much resolution and great undertaking there may be much courage and eagernesse even among the weakest and they may be encouraging one another to work and laying aside other employments that they may prosecute this work seriously when yet they are but running on their own destruction For they are waking up or exciting themselves they are coming up against hilly Judea the weak are saying I am strong and they are laying aside husbandry and beating their plow-shares into swords c. when yet God is convening them for judgement 4. Warre is a scourge full of evils and an enemy to profitable callings and husbandry For then they beat their plow-shares into swords and their pruning-hookes into speares whereas in peace it is contrary Mic. 4.3 5. Whatever be the Lords end and purpose in convocating enemies yet the Church may have much exercise with it and may be environed on all hands with difficulties and dangers thereby before she get an issue and before his purposes do appear For Assemble your selves and come all ye heathen and gather your selves together round about imports that these enemies shall first inclose the Church on every hand before that God appear against them See Rev. 20.9 6. The Lords distressing of the Church by enemies calls on her to pray and look to him who only can secure her and as she should not rest on her being afflicted as if that were enough to plead pity when yet she cryeth not to God So she should not be diffident nor discouraged to call on him whatever her distresse be Therefore is it subjoyned to this great distresse Thither cause thy mighty ones to come down O Lord pointing out that the Churches refuge will be prayer to him at that time 7. God hath alsufficiency of power and instruments who will be able to do for his Church when she calls to him were all the world-against her For Thither cause thy mighty ones to come down is a promise that he will provide instruments armed with his power whom he will bring down to the valley of Jehoshaphat at that time though he will first put his Church to it to intreat him to do this for her Ezek. 36.37 It is needlesse to enquire who these mighty ones are whether Angels inflicting some extraordinary judgement or the enemies themselves thus convened whom he will inable to cut off one another But it seemeth that there will be somewhat extraordinary in the overthrow of Israels enemies as is his usual way when his Church is brought into eminent danger See Rev. 20.9 8. It is an heathen-like mark upon men to come in opposition to the Church of God Therefore are they so oft called the heathen here Which though it may be understood only of the Nations yet as all these were heathens in Joels time so be of what profession they will they prove themselves heathens who would bear down the Church of the true God and particularly who would crush the Church of Israel being turned to him after her long rejection 9. The Lord would have his people infallibly assured that he is nothing troubled with the opposition of enemies and albeit they be often shaken with the apprehensions of their formidable power and preparations yet they would recollect themselves and see Gods over-ruling hand in all of them Therefore again saith he let the heathen be wakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat And by repeating of it would have his Church perswaded that he hath an hand in it and knoweth how to over-rule it 10. God will make use of enemies gathering themselves to secure them from fleeing his judgement wherein he will deal with them as delinquents brought before his tribunal in the place which he hath appointed Therefore it is again repeated from v. 2. that he brings them to the valley of Jehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about Ver. 13. Put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe come get ye down for the presse is full the fats overflow for the wickednesse is great In the next place the delinquents and executioners being thus convened the Lord commands his instruments like prepared reapers brought to a field of ripe corne to do execution upon them because their sin is now come to an height and they are ripe for judgement as ripe corne is for cutting down and full fats and wine-presses for treading out Whence learn 1. When God ariseth to judgement he will not only give out sentence but real execution will follow thereupon So much doth this command after the former processe teach 2. Albeit the least sin deserveth greatest plagues even when it is first committed yet such is Gods patience and long-suffering thae he will not at first punish even the sins of enemies but will let them tipen and come to an height before he smite Therefore is it that after all this opposition of enemies he now declareth that the harvest is ripe See Gen. 15.16 3. Albeit the Lords long-suffering patience be so great yet the sin of enemies will at last ripen and come to a very great height For now saith he the harvest is ripe the presse is full the fats overflow to wit with grapes to be pressed and trodden out and this is afterward expressed in proper tearmes their wickednesse is great 4. When sin is ripe then execution of vengeance will no longer be forborne but the greatnesse of sin will be made visible in the greatnesse of judgements Therefore becaose of this ripenesse and great wickedness the command is given put ye in the sickle to cut down this ripe corne Rev. 14.15 come get you down c. to wit into the valley to tread and presse out the grapes Vers 14. Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision for the day of the LORD is neare in the valley of decision The effect
will take them under his protection he will let them see ground of hope in himself and furnish them with hope to lay hold on it and with strength to bear them out 8. What the Lord hath been or will be at any time to his people Israel in performing spiritual promises that he will be to all who are indeed his people Therefore doth the promise run generally both to his people whoever they be and to the children of Israel Ver. 17. So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion my holy mountaine then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall no stranger passe thorow her any more The second promise is that by these and other experiences of his love they shall be confirmed of his interest in them and care of them no lesse then when of old he resided among them in the visible signes of his presence The third promise is that for fitting them to enjoy his presence he will make them holy by sanctification And upon this shall follow their preservation from the invasion of open enemies and that they shall not be exposed as a prey to them as formerly they had beene This also in Scripture-language is understood by their being holy as it is observed in Obad. v. 17. partly because of the ceremonial pollution that of old did accompany the invasion of their land by heathens beside that it did obscure their priviledge of being the Lords peculiar sanctified and set apart people But chiefly because as is usual in wars when prophane Nations invade the Cuhrch they did overturne holy ordinances and cast all loose and in confusion Doct. 1. Interest in God is the great ground of the Churches encouragement for it is held out as their great mercie I am the Lord your God 2. This interest is yet more sweet when it is evidenced by his presence and the gracious effects thereof among his people and he is not provoked to forsake them though they be his Therefore it is added I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion 3. It is an addition to all these mercies when not only matters stand so but the Church knoweth it and is convinced of it And this must be Gods own work without whose help they will neither see interest nor presence who yet in reality enjoy both Therefore he undertakes it to make their comfort and mercy compleat Ye shall know that I am the Lord your God c. See 1 Cor. 2.12 4. The Lord will in due time make his interest in and presence with his people convincingly clear by visible dispensations and actings for them for so by what I will do for you shall ye know that I am the Lord your God c. 5. Where God takes up his dwelling among a people all that concernes them becometh his and he takes care thereof for then it is my mountaine to wit Zion where he dwelleth 6. Gods presence with a people must be entertained and proven by their holinesse for then it is my holy mountaine and Jerusalem is holy See Psal 93.5 7. It is God only who can undertake for making his people holy and it is their duty to deny themselves and imploy him for that end for it is his promise then shall Jerusalem be holy 8. Where a people have real sanctification as a fruit and evidence of Gods presence they have also the promise that he will preserve them from the invasion of enemies for then shall Jerusalem be holy in this respect also that no stranger shall passe thorow her to wit in an hostile way And albeit this seeme to be a peculiar promise to converted Israel and albeit others even Judah it self when they have been upon the amending hand have met with sad stormes from enemies Yet certainly such have the promise of this mercy when it is for their good and what they meet with which seemeth contrary to it is but to stir them up yet more to the study of holinesse and in that respect they get a blessed issue from their troubles and will come to a compleat issue at last 9. It is a sad ingredient in the trouble of the Lords people when they are invaded by profane Nations that not only their priviledges are obscured thereby but that their invasion and the confusions occasioned therreby together with their corrupt principles and practices do cast lâ—â—se and overturne Religion and bring in a deluge of prophanity Therefore is the mercy of their deliverance from strangers set forth under the name of being holy as is before explained 10. Such as have been long molested by enemies though they will meet with trouble in one kinde and degree or other while they are within time yet they may attaine to this mercy to be free of molestation and trouble from invading enemies and not meet with it any more in the measure that formerly they have had for such is the promise to Israel and Jerusalem being converted there shall no strangers passe through her any more Whatever troubles they may meet with from enemies after that great day of vengeance formerly mentioned yet they shall not any more passe through them as formerly to subdue or rulâ— over them or carry them into captivity So that their greatest hazard then will be that quietnesse may breed security Vers 18. And it shall come to passe in that day that the mountaines shall drop down new wine and the hills shall flow with milke and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD and shall water the valley of Shittim The fourth promise is that God shall be so bountiful to converted Israel thâ—â— they shall not want abundance and variety of temporal benefits which are instanced in their mountaines and hills abounding with vines and with good pasture for the herds and flockes that they may afford much milke and that they shall have abundance of water which was oftentimes scarce in that land To this is subjoyned the fifth promise that this plenty should be accompanied with spiritual graces and refreshments conveighed by the Gospel and flowing forth not only for their own quickening and comfort but for the good of the Nations round about even of those whose condition seemeth most desperate To clear this promise a little we have first 1. The benefit it self compared to a fountain of waters flowing out whereby as is cleared on Zech. 14.8 is understood all spiritual graces and refreshments which are held forth and instrumentally communicated and conveighed to sinners by the Doctrine of the Gospel and applied and quickened by the Spirit 2. We have the fountaine and rise of this benefit it shall come forth of the house of the Lord. It is conceived that the speech alludeth to some conduits that conveighed water to the Temple some whereof came by the Altar to wash away the blood that was poured out there and so ran out again with it See Ezek. 47.1 and so it
should point out that as these waters flowed out from the Temple with the blood of the sacrifices So these Gospel-refreshments and graces do flow out unto the world from the death of Christ Which is a truth of it self that Christ is to be acknowledged for all of these whatever be said of the allusion Or it may be conceived thus that as of old the Doctrine of the Gospel conveighing these graces and refreshments came from Zion and Jerusalem Isa 2.3 so after the conversion of Israel and their becoming the house of the Lord these same refreshing waters should flow out again from them And this leads to the third thing to be explained which is the extent of this benefit that it shall flow out as a river to water not only Judea but the country about signifying that there should not only be abundance of saving doctrine and of graces and refreshments in the Church of Israel but that fountaine opened up among them should flow forth to other Nations to water them and make them fruitful And in particular the valley of Shittim is named which is a plaine in Moah Numb 25.1 Josh 2.1 which it seemes was barren and the waters thereof unwholesome by reason it lay so near the Dead-sea or lake of Sodome And yet it is promised that this fountain shall water it and make it fruitful See Ezek. 47.8 Doct. 1. Piety hath indeed the promises and is the shortest cut to do well every way and where the Lord cometh and is entertained in spiritual benefits he will give what is good in other things for converted Israel shall get an ample proof of what God is able to do in all ages if it were for his peoples good In that day the mountaines shall drop down new wine and the hills shall flow with milke and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters 2. It is the great fault even of the Lords people that their estimation of mercies decayeth because they are common and ordinary whereas Gods hand should be seen dispensing them in a peculiar way to them And to prevent their miscarriage he doth so order their outward mercies as his special providence may be seen in giving them Therefore doth he make promises concerning these temporal things that they may see more then others in his giving thereof to them And he did so order matters concerning their land as the having abundance of water which is a very common benefit among many others should be a special favour to them 3. When the Lord lets out much plenty to his Church there is great need of much of the grace of God and spiritual things of his Kingdome therewith to season and sanctifie the use thereof unto her Therefore is there a spiritual promise subjoyned to the former albeit it was said before they should be holy Without this prosperity is but a snare and it is an evidence of an ill condition when much plenty doth not put men to it to presse after the enjoyment of God and after grace so much the more 4. As the graces and blessings held out and conveighed by the Gospel are the great refreshment of the children of men and therefore compared to a fountain of waters which quencheth thirst and refresheth and watereth the earth So where they are once received they will never utterly decay and will still be refreshful and comfortable Therefore are they compared to a fountain coming forth or a spring which never runs dry and the waters thereof are still fresh 5. Spiritual Gospel-blessings are twice mercies when not only they refresh and do good to these who receive them but do make them instrumental to make the same spread to others for it is the advantage of this fountain that it shall come forth not only to water themselves but others 6. As at the first the riches of the Gospel flowed out from among the Jewes and by the Ministery of the Jewes to the Gentiles So again converted Israel will be made instrumental to propagate the Gospel and the Kingdom of Christ to other Nations For then a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim See Rom. 11.15 7. The Doctrine of the Gospel and the graces and refreshments communicated thereby are able to cure and recover them whose condition is most deadly and to make them fruitful who have been most barren And in particular converted Israel will be employed to bring in Nations to Christ who have layen still under the curse during the rime of the Gospels spreading among the Gentiles though possibly at the first going forth thereof many of them have heard somewhat of it So much seemeth to be signified by this fountaines watering even the valley of Shittim though it be probable that even then some will be left still in their former condition See Ezek. 47.8 Verse 19. Egypt shall be a desolation and Edom shall be a desolate wildernesse for the violence against the children of Judah because they have shed innocent blood in the land 20. But Iudah shall dwell for ever and Ierusalem from generation to generation The sixth promise is that their inveterate enemies such as Egypt and Edom had been of old shall be utterly destroyed because of the injuries done to them Whereas the Lord shall not only establish but continue them a Church to him from age to age after their conversion Whence learn 1. Inveterate enemies to the people of God and such as do cruelly oppresse them after the manner of Egypt of old and do prove false brethren to them as Edom did of old will certainly be destroyed and that utterly that so an end may be put to their opposition for Egypt shall be a desolation and Edom shall be a desolate wildernesse or made void of inhabitants This is oft repeated again and again that others who trace these steps may see their own danger before-hand and study to prevent it and to assure the godly that this is not a rash sentence but such as he will not recal it 2. A peoples opposition to the Church of God and their violence and cruelty toward them is a special controversie which God will prosecute for this sentence is given out for the violence against the children of Judah because they have shed blood c. 3. The Lords controversie against his people for sin because of which he lets enemies loose upon them doth not make the quarrel of enemies the more just nor doth his peoples blood which they shed cease to be innocent blood for all that and to cry for vengeance upon them For saith he they have shed innocent blood 4. If this that they have shed blood in their land be referred to Egypt and Edom that they were cruell to such Jewes as lived in exile among them It doth teach that mens cruelty is so much the more odious before God when it is exercised on these who are already broken with afflictions But it seemes rather to
be understood of the Jewes land which these enemies invaded and so it holds out that cruelty is odious when men exercise it upon these who have given them no provocation as they did on Judah when they were staying at home and not troubling them 5. Albeit the Church do oftentimes seem to be furthest behinde of any society for outward prosperity yet the time will come when she shall see her own mercy in the misery of others and shall be in good condition when they are gone for in opposition to what shall come on Egypt and Edom it is added But Judah shall dwell for ever c. See Isa 27.7 Exod. 14.30 31. 6. The Lord will perpetuate a Church of Israel after their conversion and restitution till the end of time for it is his expresse promise Judah shall dwell for ever and Jerusalem from generation to generation Ver. 21. For I will clense the blood that I have not clensed for the LORD dwelleth in Zion All these promises and particularly that of perpetuating the Church of Israel are confirmed by a new promise wherein the Lord undertakes to purge her by Justification and Sanctification from the pollution wherein she had layen so long and that he will do this because he dwells or that so he may dwell among them by his Word and Spirit with no lesse blessing then of old Whence learn 1. Sin when it is rightly looked upon will be found a very vile and loathsome thing and they will so judge of it whom God is about to deliver from it Therefore is not only the bloody crimes but all the iniquity of these whom he is about to purge called their blood as Ezek. 16.6 2. There can be no assurance of obtaining other favour till this pollution be done away Therefore this promise cometh in as a confirmation of the former and making way for them For I will clense their blood 3. There can be no purging of sin to fit us for other mercies till God interpose in it and till he apply the merit and efficacy of the death of Christ to take away the guilt and pollution thereof and this he will do to his own he will send this mercy to fit and prepare them for moe I will clense their blood saith he The endeavours of such as are most convinced of sin will not availe without this and till they imploy him for this end 4. The Lords former rejecting of a people and giving them up to walk in their own wayes will not hinder his respecting them and purging their sin in a time of love For albeit Israel have now for many ages not been clensed yet saith he I will clense their blood that I have not clensed 5. As it is the Lords presence in favour with a people and not their merit that assures them of his purging their sin for this is done for the Lord dwelleth in Zion So his clensing of a people from sin doth assure them more and more that he will abide with them for so will the words also read I will clense c. and the Lord or so shall the Lord dwell in Zion AMOS The Argument This Prophet was raised up by God and sent from Judah to preach unto Jsrael much about the same time with Hosea who in executing of his Commission after he hath threatned some Nations about for their sins and spoken against Judah also he falls expresly upon Jsrael and chargeth upon them and sometimes upon Judah with them the many sins of idolatry oppression incorrigiblenesse wantonnesse and the like for which he threatneth that God would destroy them to chap. 7. After which by divers types and representations he confirmeth that this sentence of their destruction was irrevocable threatning the false Priest at Bethel who opposed him in his ministery And then closeth the Prophecy with some promises relating to the times of the Gospel which are sub-joyned for the comfort of the godly who should live in these sad and calamitous times that were ensuing CHAP. I. IN this Chapter after the inscription of the Prophecy v. 1. and the generall summe thereof v. 2. The Lord by his Prophet denounceth judgements to come on several Nations about because of their many and multiplied sins and namely on Syria v. 3 4 5. On the Philistines v. 6 7 8. On Tyrus v. 9 10. On Edom v. 11 12. And on the Ammonites v. 13 14 15. Verse 1. THe words of Amos who was among the herdmen of Tekoa which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Vzziah King of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash King of Israel two yeers before the earthquake The inscription of this Prophecy holds forth first That Amos who carried this message was but a meane man of Tekoa in Judah of which 2. Chro. 11 5 6. Jer. 6.1 and of a mean employment being but an Herdman and of the meanest sort not one who had herds which were kept and fed by others as the word here used somtime signifieth 2. Kings 3 4. but one who was either a mean servant to others or at best a mean man who fed his own cattel as appeareth from Chap. 7.15 Secondly it holds forth that he was sent especially to Jsrael though he deale also with others upon occasion And thirdly that he received his Divine message and began his preaching in the days of Vzziah and Jeroboam the second two years before that earthquake of which mention is made onely here and Zech. 14.5 Some conceive it to have been in the year of Vzziahs death and that it is hinted at Isa 6.1 4 Others that it was at the time of his presuming to offer incense 2. Chron. 26.16 as another testimony beside his leprosie 2. Chron. 26.20 of divine displeasure against his course But at whatever time it was this is certain that hereby the Lord gave warning of great and dreadful commotions and alterations that were to be among these Nations as accordingly came to passe on Israel after the death of Jeroboam the second Doct. 1. The word of the Lord ought not to be rejected in the mouth of meanest instruments nor is their authority to be suspected or condemned because they are meane for Amos who was among the herdmen of Tekoa hath the words which he saw concerning Israel 2. Albeit that men ought not to usurp the ministerial calling nor leave their mechanick and servile employments to intrude themselves upon it for Amos had an extraordinary calling and albeit men who are called to that office ought not to tempt God by neglecting lawful means appointed for their enabling to discharge their calling for the endowments of Amos who was not bred for that calling Chap. 7.14 were by extraordinary dispensation Yet such as are called of God and are conscious to themselves of much insufficency and inability though they use means such I say have notable encouragment to come to God for teaching and furniture in an ordinary way who hath given such
proofe of his fulnesse in raising up and instructing this herdman to be his extraordinary Ambassadour 3. Such as give but ill entertainment to the messages they receive may get rougher messages sent unto them and such as despise eminent and discreet messengers God may send such to them as will use them more roughly for Israel had many notable Prophets both before and at this time who being despised he employes this herdman who was not onely hatefull to them as being a Jew and a base man and so it might lay their pride when God sent such a one unto them but God makes use of his rustick and rude humour that they might be dealt with plainly and roughly who now through their own obstinacy were become like the brute beasts which Amos had kept before 4. Such as are called of God were they never so mean may boldly and on all hazards declare his minde to a sinfull people and their courage is a testimony of their calling witnessing against all despisers for as Amos durst deale freely with Israel and tell the words which he saw concerning Israel so the Lord did convince Israel that he was called by him in that he durst leave his own country and trusting in God durst deale freely with this flourishing Kingdom according to their deservings 5. It is a great snare to a wicked Nation when they prosper notwithstanding their wickednesse and there is need in such a case that the wrath of God pursuing sin be frequently inculcate from the word that men may not deceive themselves therefore is Amos as well as Hosea sent with these hard tidings in the days of Vzziah and in the days of Jeroboam c. Both of which had prosperous reignes at least for a time 2. Kings 14 23 24 25 c. 2. Chron 26. 3 6 7. 6. When the Word of the Lord is not regarded it is just with him to preach to a people by his judgements and by unnatural and extraordinary signes and wonders to let them know his anger so much may be gathered from this Earthquake which was a terrible stroak and warning to that people who beleived not and therefore is taken special notice of here and long after Zech. 14.5 Verse 2. And he said The Lord will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the habitations of the Shepherds shall mourn and the top of Carmel shall wither This verse holds out the summe of the whole Prophecy to wit that God was about to manifest his terror in executions according to the threatnings of his Word As the sentence may relate to heathen Nations round about who are also threatned by this Prophet it hath been opened upon Ioel 3.16 But as it relates to Israel to whom this Prophet is chiefly sent and to whom the most part of what followeth is directed the sense and summe of it is that the Prophet speaking in his own termes who was well acquainted with the roaring of Lions in the wildernesse and with pastures for sheep declares that however Israel since their defection from the house of David despised the Temple of Jerusalem yet they should finde that God dwelt there and that the true Doctrine sounded there and from thence and as other Prophets before him and he among the rest were sent out by God dwelling in Zion and some of them from thence to denounce his terrible judgements so these threatnings were now to break forth in dreadful execution In somuch that the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn c. Whereby we may understand that all their fertile and pleasant places such as their green pastures and fruitfull Carmel either that in Asher near the Sea Josh 19.24 26. Jer. 46.18 or rather that in Judah better known to him Josh 15.21 55. 1. Sam. 25.2 should be laid desolate and that as the Land should feele the stroak so the inhabitants being deprived of their delighted-in prosperity should be filled with sorrow and griefe and be made to mourn as herdmen do when their pastures are dried up Doct. 1. However the Church and truth of God be contemned by these who make defection therefrom and God may seem to lie by for a time from avenging this Yet he will appear to assert his presence in his Church and to manifest the truth of his word by execution according to it for the Lord will roare from Zion his dwelling place and utter his voice from Jerusalem where the Temple stood that is he will now in a terrible way make it manifest that what Doctrine was preached there and elsewhere in his name was his word 2. However men contemn God in the matter of subjection to him yet he will be their party to punish them for their sin whether they will or no for Amos gets it in Commission to publish that God will manifest himself dreadful against them and he said the Lord will roar from Zion c. 3. The Lords word how much soever it be despised yet it will prove terrible to the stoutest when it breaks fourth in execution for the Lord will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem that is his threatnings though despised will prove thus dreadful in that day 4. God is provoked to make the creaturres whereof man makes use feel his anger and smart under it if men will not be sensible for the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn and the top of Carmel shall wither that is their pleasant pastures and the most excellent of their friutful Fields as Carmel signifieth shall feele the stroak See Jer. 12.11 5. Whatever fruitful or pleasant thing it be that men lean to and delight in neglecting God it will certainly in due time decay till nothing be left them but sorrow for the want of them for so much also is imported here in that the habitations of shepherds shall mourn not onely shall the Land be put in a mournful posture but the inhabitants shall be filled with sorrow Verse 3. Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of Iron Albeit the Lord sends Amos chiefly to preach against Israel as appears from v. 1. yet he ordains him to begin with accusations and threatnings against forraign Nations round about before he come to deal with them And accordingly in this and the beginning of the next Chapter there are six of these Nations spoken to We may conceive these reasons why the Lord followeth this method 1. That however this Prophet was a mean man yet Israel might be convinced of his Authority and Commission to be a Prophet in that God had revealed his mind to him concerning so many Nations beside themselves 2. That when Israel should look on other Nations and see them plagued as well as themselves they might not as men are naturally unwilling to see God in calamities ascribe their owne afflictions to fortune or chance among the
did this that they might enlarge their border Senacherib gloried that he was good at this of removing the bounds of the people Isa 10.13 And God suffered his sons to passe over the bound of their duty and kill him Isa 37.37 38. 4. When men do with cruelty and violence usurpe upon others God is provoked to make them lose what was their own as well as that which they purchased so sinfully for because of this I will saith the Lord kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbath c. It brings calamity and desolation to their own Country and Cities 5. Judgements upon wicked and cruel men will have much of Gods wrath in them and they will come suddenly and violently and be accompanied with much terror and confusion for the calamity shall be like a fire which devoureth all as being inflicted in the burning indignation of God and they shall be consumed with shouting in the day of battell that is in the fury of war wherein there shall be dreadful shoutings of assailing enemies and of affrighted people and with a tempest in the day of the whirlewinde that is the calamity shall surprize and overwhelme them like a tempestuous whirlwinde All which sheweth how sweet it is to have peace with God in a sad and boisterous time for it is the want of this that maketh this condition so dreadful to them 6. Kings and great ones will be so far from helping these whom they draw to sin with them and idols so unable to help these that worship and trust in them that themselves shall be made eminent spectacles of justice and monuments of the power of the true God and of the truth of his word for their King or Malchom shall go into captivity he and his Princes together saith the Lord. CHAP. II. IN this chapter 1. The Lord proceedeth to chalenge and threaten Moab another of the Nations about v. 1.2 3. 2. He doth also speak a word against Judah v. 4 5. 3. He begins the processe against Israel his more peculiar charge whom he chargeth with many sins particularly with injustice oppression and uncleannesse v. 6 7. and that they joined their oppression with and strove to cloak it by their corrupt worship v. 8. and with great ingratitude in that they sinned thus against him who not onely subdued their enemies who possessed that Land v. 9. but delivered them from Egypt and preserved them in the wildernesse till they got that Land v. 10. and in that they did no lesse prophanely entertain his spiritual mercies and favours v. 11 12 Because of all which he declareth that being burdened with their sins v. 13. he would send inevitable calamities upon them v. 14 15 16. Verse 1. THus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Moab and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime In this Verse Moab is chalenged and the Lord threatens not to spare them any longer And that because of their many and multiplied sins and particularly because of some horrid cruelty committed by their King as would appear upon the body of the King of Edom whose bones he burnt into lime that is into small white dust like unto lime or as some conceive he made indeed lime of it to plaister his house that so his cruelty might be satisfied This fact of the King of Moab is applied by very many to that which is recorded 2. Kings 3.26 27. as supposing that the King of Moab being beseiged by three Kings did attempt to break through into Edoms Campe either because it was weakest or because he had greatest indignation against him for joyning with Israel and Judah to whom he was yet subject in this quarrel but failing in the attempt he took the King of Edoms Son who was either new taken or before that time in his power and burnt him But it seems rather that that History should be understood of the King of Moab's offering of his own Son in a barbarous Sacrifice to his idols imploring their help in his extremity And beside the heire of the Kingdom could not well be called the King of Edom while his father was yet alive and in the Camp Therefore I conceive that this chalenge relates to some other act and that the King of Moab either when he went to avenge himselfe on Edom after these three Kings had raised their seige 2. Kings 3.27 or at some other time did let out his fury upon the very bones of the dead King either after he had slaine him or being dead before he digged them out of the grave Doct. 1. Gods providence and dominion is universal in the world not onely to avenge wrongs done by heathen Nations unto the Church but to take order with the wrongs done among themselves for he threatens to reckon with Moab for what he did to Edom. 2. The Lords having a sad and just quarrel against men will not assoile nor excuse others who do them wrong for he hath much to say against Edom Chap. 1.11 and yet Moabs fault is not the lesse 3 Barbarous and inhumane cruelty is odious to God and the fruit of much growth and ripenesse in sin for here it is the result and height of Moabs three transgressions and four for which the Lord will not turn away the punishment thereof 4. It is in particular an hateful and barbarous cruelty that is exercised against the dead bodies and graves of men for this is chalenged here that he burnt the bores of the King of Edom into lime And if God will not passe over this when it is done to a prophane man how much more will he avenge it when it is done to the bodies of his Saints and Martyrs 5. Cruelty is so much the more odious to God when it is exercised by kinsmen and friends against these to whom they have relation for Moab was also a kinsman to Edom and therefore his cruelty is the more hainous Verse 2. But I will send a fire upon Moab and it shall devour the Palaces of Kerioth and Moab shall die with tumult with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet 3. And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof and will slay all the Princes thereof with him faith the Lord. The particular threatning and sentence against Moah is that God will consume Moab and their chief City Kirioth Jer. 48.41 with the fury of his anger in the heat of war when there shall be great tumults and cries and sounding of trumpets stirring up the assailers to do execution and great noise among them who perish v. 2. It is also further threatened that God will make them cease from being a Nation by cutting off all their Rulers of all ranks v. 3. Whence learn 1. What ever men may expect by cruel policies which they use either to avenge or secure themselves for the future yet it will certainly bring home terrible judgements upon themselves and
will not availe against God when he pursueth for how formidable soever Moab thought to make himself by that horrid fact yet that availes not but even because of that I saith the Lord will send a fire upon Moab c. 2. Wicked and cruel Nations deserve not onely to be afflicted but to be utterly consumed for such is the threatning they shall be devoured and die 3. Albeit any kinde of death be dreadful enough to these against whom God hath a quarrel yet it is a sad calamity and judgement and an addition to the stroak upon them when they are cut off in the terrible confusion and heat of war in a storme and sack by enemies for it adds to this calamity that Moab shall die with tumult with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet intimating that they should not get quarters or conditions of enemies but should be cut off in the fury of war 4. It is a sad judgement on a Nation and portends the ruine thereof when it is left destitute of Rulers or they are cut off for it adds to the calamity I will cut off the Judge from the midst thereof c. 5. The word of him who is the true God is sufficient to assure us of vengeance if it were even on Kings and Princes and the greatest of the world who provoke him yea even albeit they had so much power as to attempt and prosper in a rebellion against them who are over them for albeit the King of Moab did succeed after some difficulties in his rebellion against the King of Israel 2 Kings 3 4 5 c. yet God passeth his word for cutting him off I will cut off the Judge from the midst thereof and will slay all the Princes thereof with him saith the Lord. 6. The supream Magistrate of Moab who had the Princes under him is onely named the Judge though elsewhere the name of King be given to him it may be because they had no King but a Regent when they were destroyed or because they deserved not that title after their rebellion being no lawfull Kings but Judges or Deputies to Israel who had revolted and assumed the title of absolute Kings Or rather this designation given even to their King should teach that even these who are in highest place of authority should look upon themselves as bound to judge and to doe justice to the people otherwise they are not worthy of their place Verse 4. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not turne away the punishment thereof because they have despised the law of the Lord and have not kept his commandements and their lies caused them to erre after the which their fathers have walked 5. But I will send a fire upon Judah and it shall devoure the palaces of Jerusalem The Lord having thus spoken his minde concerning severall Nations about he seeth it meet also before he come to speak of Israel to speak a word concerning Judah that so he might not onely use meanes for warning and reclaiming of them but might prevent all occasion of carping at Amos as partial and sparing toward his Countrymen And might take from Israel all occasion of hardning themselves in sinne by reason of the wickedness of Judah who kept the worship of God more pure as was frequently objected to Israel by the Prophets The Lord doth here chalenge and threaten Judah for their many and multiplied sins and specially that they did despise and not observe the Law of God in the matter of worship and conversation as if it were not a sufficient rule for either and that they did deceive themselves and one another in their debordings with false excuses and pretences of good intentions and particularly with the pretence of imitating the customes of their Progenitors Because of which the Lord threatens to punish and destroy the Nation and their chief City as was accomplished by the Chaldeans Whence learn 1. The visible Church not entertaining communion with God nor emproving her spiritual advantages may fall into provocations nothing inferiour for number and hainousnesse to the iniquities of Nations about her for there are also three transgressions of Judah and four as if they had striven with the prophane Nations to have as many and grosse sins as they 2. If God do not spare heathens who sin without law and have but little knowledge of God or his will far lesse will he spare his people who are as lewd as they therefore is that same sentence justly pronounced against Judah for the three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof 3. The contempt of the word of God is the great sin of the Church comparable to the hainous debordings of others as being a great sin of it self to contemn the authority of the Great Lord and the great mercies offered to themselves upon obedience to his word and a sad aggravation of all their other transgressions therefore in place of the atrocious crimes laid to the charge of heathens Judah is in particular chalenged for this because they have despised the Law of the Lord. 4. When men do not make conscience of keeping close by the Commandements of God in their conversation and worship but do walk as they list and do corrupt Religion by their devices God doth justly reckon that to be a contempt of his word therefore it is sub-joyned by way of confirmation and explication of the former chalenge and have not kept his Commandements For albeit men may professe a respect to the word when yet their carriage is loose and they dare follow their one devices in the matter of Religion yet such practices are upon the matter a contempt of it and it will come at last to an expresse contempt for when the word inculcates their duty upon them and yet they resolve to goe on they cannot but at last loath and hate it 5 Albeit men will not want pretexts and shifts to palliat their ill courses and harden them in them notwithstanding the admonitions of the word yet all these are but deceiving lyes and snares to mislead them and will be so far from justifying a sinful course that they heighten Gods quarrel against it and against sinners because of it for it is added as a part of the quarrel and their lyes caused them to erre Where by lyes I do not so much understand their idols and fair expectations in serving them which did draw them away as their pretences and excuses whereof they wanted not abundance and that was a judgement upon them for hereby they were confirmed in their defection and at last should be miserably disappointed when all these were found vain and frivolous 6. However men labour to justifie their corrupt courses by the example and practice of their Progenitours yet that will not extenuate but rather aggravate sin and serve such sinners heirs to the sins of their fathers which they imitate and to the
on other sinnes at which at first men may be ready to startle 8. Sinne in the visible Church is not onely odious in it selfe but as it tends to the dishonour of God when it is committed by these who have his name called upon them and who will needs pretend they are his dear people notwithstanding all they do for it aggravates their sinne that it was done to profane my holy name saith the Lord. Verse 8. And they lay themselves downe upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar and they drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their god The third particular sinne laid to their charge is their joyning of oppression with Idolatry and seeking to palliate it by their corrupt worship for they not onely took and detained the poore mans pledge contrary to the law and did unjustly fine men and exact money of them but when they had done so they durst goe to their Idols Temples and their Altars to worship and thought all well enough if they employed the unlawfull purchase in sacrifices and feasts before their Idols Whence learne 1. The Lord abhorreth cruelty even in mens prosecuting of their rights against the poore for so much doth the Law against detaining of the poore mans pledge Exod. 22.26 27. teach for the violation whereof they are here challenged they lay themselves downe upon cloaths laid to pledge that is they not onely detained them but did weare and make use of them 2. Idolatry in worship and corrupt conversation are very neere in kin and will agree well together for worshipping of that which they accounted their God who was not the true God who would not be represented by their calves and their many Altars doe suit well with detaining of pledges and condemning of men unjustly Which should warne the followers of the true Religion that they doe not put a blot upon it by such courses 3. As Idolatry is a very licentious way for they lie downe there as was the custome at Feasts Ezek. 23.41 and drink wine and are still at Feasts in their Idol service So ill purchase is ordinarily ill spent and employed in Idolatry and Luxury or the like for so did they with their pledges and fines 4. It is an high degree of impiery when men dare avow sinne before and in worshipping of that which they suppose to be a deity for it was their great presumption that they lay themselves downe upon cloaths laid to pledge by every Altar and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their God see Matth. 5.23 24. 5. It is also yet higher presumption when men doe think that outward shewes or performances of Religion whether it be true or false are sufficient to expiate or cover their grosse oppressions or iniquities for in this also they sinned that they thought all well enough if they came and made offerings to their Idols of their unlawful purchase Which was a great errour had the way of Religion been even pure and and according to the rule as it was not see Jer. 7.8 9 10 11. Verse 9. Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them whose height was like the height of the Cedars and he was strong as the Oaks yet I destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from beneath 10. Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt and led you fourty years through the wildernesse to possesse the land of the Amorites The fourth particular sinne charged upon them and which is an aggravation of their other iniquities is their ingratitude in thus sinning against God who had heaped upon them mercies both temporal v. 9 10. and spiritual v. 11. The temporal mercies conferred upon them were 1. The destroying and cutting off of the Amorites both root and branch before them that so he might give them their land and riches And that the Lord did this notwithstanding that the Amorites were Gyants and stronger then Israel v. 9. 2. That before this the Lord did deliver them from Egypt and preserve and keep them in the wildernesse till he brought them to the possession of that Land v. 10. From v. 9. Learn 1. Ingratitude is the great sinne and aggravation of all the other sinnes of the visible Church when mercies will not doe at them either to prevent sinne or make their heart melt for it when it is committed for this is the aggravation of all their sinne that notwithstanding this their carriage yet I destroyed the Amerite before them c. saith the Lord. 2. As the Lord is able to overcome the greatest and strongest of Nations and will quite root them out if they stand in the way of his peoples mercie so deliverance from potent and mighty enemies is an obliging mercy and the greater difficulties there be in bringing about deliverance the more of Gods power and love and the more obligation to duty should be read in it when it comes for albeit the Amorites height was like the height of the Cedars and he was strong as the Oakes and so were stronger then Israel yet I saith the Lord destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from beneath or did quite extirpate them out of that Land as a tree that is taken away root and branch And therefore Israels sinne was the greater who received so notable proofe of love and yet sinned against God 3. The Lords sore stroakes on wicked enemies because of sinne and for the Churches good should be laid to heart to stirre her up to duty who is more kindly dealt with for so much also may be gathered from this challenge and aggravation of their sinne that since the Lord had made the Land to spew out these Nations root and branch for sinne it was abominable in Israel who were put in their room to grow as ill or worse From v. 10. Learn 1. Albeit wee be ready to forget greatest mercies and to despise them when they are past yet they should never be forgotten but kept in remembrance to binde us to our duty And when we grow negligent herein God will not forget to inculcate them to aggravate our sinne for albeit this his kindness in redeeming them from Egypt was forgotten and out of date in their account yet God mentions it on all occasions as a mercy which did yet oblige them and which would not faile to make up their dittay when they sinned Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt 2. Albeit the Lords people in their distresses may be ready to say wherein hast thou loved us yet even a wildernesse-condition may have much obliging mercie in it and mercies which it is great ingratitude to sleight and not to walk answerably for it commeth in also as an aggravation of their sinne I led you fourty yeares through the wildernesse His protection provision and suffering of their manners there were mercies not onely to sweeten the hardships of that lot but to oblige them to God throughout all their generations 3. Whatever may be
blown in the city and the people not be afraid where he brings in their feares in such dangers as witnessing against their stupidity when they are threatned and puts the matter to their consciences if they could excuse them in this 3. It would help much to make threatnings effectual if men would look over these who carry them to God who sendeth them and to what they portend for so much also doth this similitude teach A watchman in himselfe is not terrible nor wisheth ill unto the City nor is the sound of his trumpet in it selfe dreadfull but as it warneth of the approach of a furious enemy and so is it here 4. Threatnings do not prove false alarmes but are seconded with plagues on these who make no use of them and it is very rare to see it otherwise but they who debord so far as to need threatnings do also provoke God to smite for the one doth follow on the other here and Israel tasted of both having before this been visited with many rods chap. 4.6 c. to prevent the finall sentence all which they had also abused 5. Albeit afflictions for sin be the holy works of an holy God and acts of justice and so good and albeit they do worke for good to the Lords penitent people Psal 119.67.71 yet as they are evil in themselves so they are and will prove an evil to the wicked and impenitent as here they are called evil in the City or in any of their Cities For they are sent to be bitter and crosse to men who walk contrary to God and to thwart their corruptions and rob them of their enjoyments They should also discover the evil and bitternesse of mens departing from God Jer. 2.19 and where they have not this effect it will not avail that men finde them evil unto them Yea they will prove evil to make men worse and more wicked then they found them 6. As the not seeing of Gods hand in trouble and that we have to do with him is a chief cause of our miscarriage under it so this is an evil not soon remedied and a lesson not easily learned Therefore after what is said v. 5. it must be again inculcate shall there be evil in the city and the Lord hath not done it 7. Whatever be mens stupidity and wilfull blindnesse yet the Lord hath a witnesse in every mans bosome who doth not utterly renounce a deity that he is the author of afflictions Therefore doth he pose their consciences to see if they could shift this shall there be evil and the Lord hath not done it 8. Let men be never so unwilling yet it is their duty never to give over till they have seen God in their afflictions Therefore doth the Lord so presse it upon them as a needful lesson For beside what is marked of our own advantage and duty on v. 5. it is our glorifying of God to acknowledge his providence and that not onely in general but as it shines in particular actions and in particular to look upon afflictions for sin as beseeming an holy and just God and this would help us to our duty under them Verse 7. Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the Prophets 8. The lion hath roared Who will not fear the Lord God hath spoken Who can but prophesie Lastly whereas they might except that if judgements were to come upon them from God yet why would they trouble them continually with the noise thereof before they came They could not but look on Prophets as the authors of their disquiet and delighters in their ruine since they would never let them alone and in particular they would little regard him who was a base man and one of Judah who bare them at little good will The Prophet in the Lords name declareth in answer to this that they were rather bound to see and acknowledge Gods long-suffering and mercy who would forwarne them of their danger before it came and for that end imployed his messengers and him in particular v. 7. And therefore it was but folly and madnesse in them not to tremble when God by him did testifie his anger like a roaring lion or to let out all their spleen against him who could not but deliver what he had in Commission v. 8. For the understanding of that general assertion v. 7. consider 1. God is not bound at all to observe this method but may execute what he pleaseth though he have neither reveaved it to men nor angels onely it pleaseth him out of his gracious condescendence ordinarly to follow this method 2. This is not to be extended to all persons nor yet to all things as if he did nothing in mercy justice or soveraignty in all the world but he did communicate it with his servants first But the meaning is that in inflicting judgements on the Church he usually takes this course first to advertise them by his messengers 3. Albeit this relates especially to the time wherein the Church had extraordinay Prophets yet this holds still true that the desert of all sin is held out in the written word and declared unto people by their faithful pastours from the word so that the Church may see and know what she is to expect as well as when she had extraordinary messengers Doct. 1. As divine Doctrine is a mystery above the reach of reason and to be known onely by revelation so in particular however the Lords wrath be very clearely deserved by sinners yet it is ofttimes a secret to them and not discerned till it be inculcate upon them or till they feel it Therefore is it called his secret here 2. The way to know Gods minde concerning men is by the ministery of his servants either extraordinary or ordinary speaking according to the word for he revealeth his secret unto his servants the Prophets for the Churches information 3. Such as would get the minde of God to carry to his people would become his servants not onely by taking up that office upon his call and attending on him in it but also by being in their whole course devoted to him that so he may blesse them in that particular function for they are his servants 4. It is the Churches great mercy whereof she should make especiall use that God doth warn her of her danger before she fall into it for it is held out as their advantage that surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the Prophets 5. A people may mistake and quarrel many dispensations of God towards them which yet do speak his great kindnesse to them if it were well considered for they quarrelled all this freedom which yet flowed from Gods mercy and long-suffering toward them 6. The word of God is the sure rule whereby men may know their duty and what will be the profit or danger of any course they follow And albeit dispensations may seem for a time
to go otherwise then according to the words verdict yet at last all things will certainly and visibly be according to what the word sayth for so much doth this hold out in general that it is from the word whoever carry it that men may know what God thinks of their way and such as cleave to the word in duty may expect that Gods dealing will in due time be according as they are warranted from the word to expect 7. It is needful work to stir up our own hearts again and again to see God in threatnings and to read his dreadfulnesse therein that so we may be ashamed of our own stupidity that will not fear his anger albeit it have not burst forth in execution Therefore is it again inculcate The lion hath roared who will not feare 8. There is small cause to be offended at ministers freedome in publishing their Commission considering that it is an evidence of their zeal to be imitate by all rather then quarrelled and that they stand strictly engaged to be faithful upon their greatest perill for whereas they could not indure this Prophets freedome he excuseth himselfe with this that the Lord God hath spoken by giving Commission who can but prophesie Whereby we are not onely to understand a strong impulse upon their hearts with the Commission though Prophets had that Jer. 20.9 and conscience and love and zeal for God will set all on edge to plead for God who have his Comission but that his calling laid a necessity on him were he never so unwilling as Cor. 9.17 And that he was in great hazard having his own soul at the stake if he were not faithful as Ezek. 33.6 And therefore he behoved to preach however they quarrelled or contemned him Verse 9. Publish in the palaces at Ashdod and in the palaces in the land of Egypt and say Assemble your selves upon the mountains of Samaria and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof and the oppressed in the midst thereof 10. For they know not to doe right saith the Lord who store up violence and robbery in their palaces These exceptions being thus removed and refuted the Lord by the Prophet goeth on to the processe to accuse and sentence them And for this end forraign Nations about such as Egyptians and Philistines are called to come and bear witnesse against their sinne and to justifie the Lord in the judgements that were to come upon them The sinnes for which they are accused are horrid tumults and oppression v. 9. Wherein they bewrayed much obstinacy and voluntarily contracted blindnesse through custome in sinne and great insatiablenesse in that they heaped up goods taken by oppression in their houses v. 10. He names the Mountains of Samaria though it appeareth there was but one hill on which the City was built 1 Kings 16.24 either because he understands the whole hilly Country that depended on that City or rather since he seems to speak chiefly to the ills done in that City because that hill had several risings in it And so he intimates that in every corner of the City these iniquities were to be found Doct. 1. Whatever be the vain-gloriation of a sinful and corrupt Church yet their course is oft-times worse then the way of very heathens and such as they would condemn for albeit Israel despised all other Nations and these among and above the rest yet they are called to assemble and behold their great wickednesse which they would abhor In which we may consider 1. Albeit Israel would not hear nor could bear these threatnings as appeareth from the former doctrine in this Chapter yet it is here intimated that the Nations about would see they were deserved as 1 Kings 9.8 9. 2. How blind soever Pagan Nations be in matters of the first Table and of Religion though even in that their cleaving to what they chose for a deity will aggravate the inconstancy of the Church Jer. 2.10 11. yet in matters of justice and equity and of the second Table which are here spoken of the practice of many of them by the light of nature may condemn them who have the clear light of the written word Rom. 2.26 27. And so also will the use they make of any means that at any time hath been offered unto them Matth. 12.41 3. In particular these Nations of Egypt and the Philistines of whom Ashdod was a part were noted and infamous among the very Pagans for luxury and other vices And yet even these and they who lived in palaces among them would condemn Israel So is Judah called worse then Sodom Ezek. 16 46 47 48. To shew how vile a people who have visible interest in God may grow when once they decline even to be matter of admiration to the vilest of Pagans and to shew how odious sin is in such Doct. 2. The Lord will also imbitter the cup of such as provoke him by making their enemies witnesses of his judgements upon them for it is for this end also they are assembled to be witnesses and spectators of what he here threatens to afflict upon them And the Egyptians and Philistines are called to in particular partly because they had seen most of Gods glorious actings for Israel therefore now he will vindicate his own holinesse in their view that none may think that he who had owned Israel did approve their sin And partly because these Nations had been inveterate and bitter enemies to Israel and therefore the Lord will add to Israels calamities by letting even such enemies behold that upon them which would be so sweet a sight unto them See 2 Sam. 1.20 Mic. 1.10 3. Times of licentiousnesse tumults and disorders are times of great provocation both in themselves and in their effects for their great sinne which he would have remarked is their great tumults which were sins in themselves and causes and occasions of many other sinnes 4. Oppression is one of the fruits of licentiousnesse and disorder which God is highly offended at for the same word signifieth both tumults and troubles or vexations and then it clearly followeth that there are the oppressed 5. Oppression is so much the more odious when it is not committed in the remote corners of a land but in the midst of Cities where justice should be executed and bear sway for these great tumults and the oppressed are in the midst thereof to wit of the mountain of Samaria where the City stood 6. It is an horrid aggravation of sinne when men do voluntarily blind themselves and will not acknowledge God nor his law to be their rule that so they may sinne without a check and when through a custom and habit in sinne they put out all light and cannot do any thing that is right for both these are in this challenge as an aggravation of their course for or and they know not to do right 7. Whatever course men take to shift the challenges of the word yet they should know that it is God
with whom they have to do who cannot erre in what he saith and whose challenges and the effects thereof cannot be got shifted therefore it is added they know not to do right saith the Lord. 8. Oppression continued in is a great evidence of a people being under many spiritual plagues And particularly that they are voluntarily blinded and hardened through custome in sinne Therefore is this challenge not onely subjoyned to the former of oppressions and tumults to shew from whence these evils flowed but more expresly it is said They know not to do right who store up violence and robbery or goods purchased by that means 9. Much gaine and heaping up of wealth by oppression will not assoil the oppressour nor will mens great state and pomp warrant them to oppresse but will rather make their sin the more heinous considering how inconsistent in reason the one is with the other that they should be great men having enough and yet be endlesse in oppression and that their stately palaces should be filled and defiled with such ill purchase for it addes to the challenge that they store up robbery and violence and that in their palaces Verse 11. Therefore thus saith the Lord God An adversarie there shall be even round about the land and he shall bring down thy strength from thee and thy Palaces shall be spoiled Followeth the Lords sentence and threatning for these and other sins mentioned in the sentence it selfe The sentence hath four branches whereof the first in this v. is that the Lord will surround them and their land with enemies so that there shall be no way for them to escape and that neither their power nor their wealth should avail them but the enemy should bring down the one and spoil them of the other This adversarie round about the land is chiefly to be understood of the Assyrians who it seemes invaded them on all quarters and did break their power and take their wealth Yet it may be extended also to signifie that if any should escape their hands and flee they should finde enemies on all quarters of the Nations about them ready to intrap them Doct. 1. Whatever be the condition of impenitent enemies and oppressors yet God is sufficient and able to reach them and be about with them Therefore is this threatning against potent oppressors begun with Thus saith the Lord God 2. Men are bound to see more in Gods quarrel and oft-times another thing then what their enemies do pursue them for for the Assyrians undertook this war onely to punish Hosheas rebellion 2 Kings 17.4 but the Lord tells them that therefore because of their oppression and their idolatry of which afterward an adversarie shall be about the land 3. Albeit men think they have many shifts against a day of trouble Yet God can and when he is provoked will easily surround them so that they shall not escape trouble and make them finde few friends notwithstanding all their confederacies for an adversarie there shall be even round about the land 4 When God imployeth instruments of vengeance against his incorrigible people they will not onely be able to threaten them on every hand with trouble at distance but also to be successful in their enterprizes against them for the adversarie shall not onely be round about the land but shall come in upon them with successe to break and spoile them 5. A peoples power and strength or their wealth especially being ill purchased will not availe when God is angry but as strength will prove weak and be easily crushed so their ill purchased wealth will but contribute to make Gods vengeance on them conspicuous in taking it away it will make their lot under want more bitter then if they had never had wealth and it will leave the sting of an ill conscience behind it to imbitter their want for he shall bring down thy strength from thee or dispoile thee of power and lay thee low and thy Palaces where they heaped up wealth v. 10. shall be spoiled Verse 12. Thus saith the Lord As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed and in Damascus in a couch The second branch of the sentence is that few should escape in this judgement but as a lion having taken his prey doth eat till he be full and then go away and so the shepherd may recover a piece of an ear or two legs which he hath left So there should be a very few of them left who should hide themselves in Samaria lurking under or about beds As for that which followeth And in Damascus in a couch whether we understand it of the City of Damascus in Syria whither many should flee as to friends and where they should be sought out except such as escaped by lurking in couches after the land of Israel is subdued or of some street in Samaria called Damascus where men should lurke in or under couches or whether we take the word appellatively that they should lurke in Samaria in the corner of a bed and in the feet or corner of a couch whichsoever I say of these waies we understand it all comes to this that very few should escape who should lurke and hide themselves in holes and corners And as for the judgement which so few shall escape if we understand it of slaughter it must certainly be understood of the inhabitants of Samaria who it seems were generally cut off at the taking of the City for otherwise many went into captivity or it may be understood that of all the Nation of Israel very few escaped but either they fell by the sword or were carried into captivity Doct. 1. Gods judgements and such as he employes to execute them will be terrible and irresistible till he have done all his worke therefore it is declared that it shall fare with Israel as with a lamb in the mouth of a lion which no shepherd dare rescue but must be content to gather up what the lion leaveth as a witnesse that it is not lost through his default 2. Times of judgement upon a land will ordinarily be so universal as very few will escape but either by death or captivity or some other wayes they will drink of that cup therefore are they who escape compared to two legs or a piece of an ear 3. Such as in a time of a calamity do escape death or captivity may yet be put to many hard shifts in lurking to avoid them for they are taken out from this danger in the corner of a bed and in Damascus in a couch as is before explained So that they who in these times get their life for a prey should not also seek great things for themselves Jer. 45.4 5. Verse 13. Hear ye and testifie in the house of Jacob saith the Lord God the God of hosts 14. That in the day
that I shall visit the transsions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground The third branch of the sentence the certainty whereof is intimate in a new Commission to publish it and wherein more of Gods quarrel is held forth is that when God comes to punish them for their other sins he will also take course with their idolatry at Bethel and that the horns of their altar there which they made in imitation of that in Judah Exod. 27.2 shall be broken down It appears that this was done by the Assyrians who defaced their altars and places of worship because their Religion did not agree with theirs though it was idolatrous also But it was Josiah who after that did quite demolish that altar 2. Kings 23.15 Doct. 1. Such as are to carry Gods minde unto his people have need frequently to rouze up themselves and to be rouzed up by God to take up his minde and authority in it therefore in the midst of his purpose is there a new charge given to Amos and the rest of the Prophets Hear ye saith the Lord God c. 2. When God is threatning a people and declaring the causes of his displeasure they have need to be stirred up again and again to hear for this charge to the Prophets is not onely for themselves but to shew to the people what they need also 3. When God is either chalenging or threatning it is needful to consider what his power is to avenge the fault he chalengeth and to execute what he threatens therefore is he designed in this the Lord God the God of hosts 4. What the Lord doth give his servants to hear and understand they are bound to communicate it and that so seriously as they give not occasion to hearers to slight it for hear ye and testifie in the house of Jacob saith he 5. Albeit men do place their confidence in their idolatrous and corrupt way of religion and worship as thinking thereby to escape the punishments deserved by their other sins yet this will deceive them and what was their confidence will prove a land destroying sin with and above the rest for in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel as his great sin See Jer. 48.13 6. Idolatry once admitted is so hard to remove that it may continue till a period be put unto it by the utter ruine of a Nation for their altar of Bethel continueth till the Assyrians break them and it both 7. A people once addicted to idotatry are very averse and incapable of seeing either the evil of it or the danger that cometh by it therefore this challenge and sentence especially must be testified in the house of Jacob. 8. Such as will not put away idolatry nor destroy the monuments of it will finde that God will cause others though they were idolaters themselves do it upon their cost and expence for God sent the Assyrians upon them who made the hornes of the altar be cut off and fall to the ground though they had kept them up with great respect Verse 15. And I will smite the winter house with the summer house and the houses of ivory shall perish and the great houses shall have an end saith the Lord. The last branch of the sentence is that he will take course especially with the great ones and richer sort of people who had winter houses for repelling the cold and summer houses wherein they might get coole aire See Jer. 36.22 Judg. 3.20 These the Lord threatens to destroy and cast to the ground albeit for pleasure and pomp they had adorned them with Ivory and built them ample and large Whence learn 1. Such as tast most of prosperity in a wicked Nation may look for a peculiar stroak therefore is a particular sentence directed against such here 2. Mens pride and keeping up much state and pomp while they wallow in their sin will not hold off vengeance but is another cause of Gods controversie against them and as prodigality in apparrell so also mens sumptuousnesse in their habitations and dwellings may be a cause of Gods anger therefore will God testifie his displeasure against the winter house and the summer house the houses of ivory and great houses of such sinners 3. Mens pleasant and commodious habitations wherein they do not honour God will but help to augment their misery when God doth overturn them in his kindled displeasure for this shall be one part of their calamity that these their statly and pleasant habitations shall perish and have an end CHAP. IV. IN this chapter the Lord goeth on with the processe against Israel yet inviting them to repentance that they may prevent the small stroak and 1. He accuseth and sentenceth their great ones for their cruel oppression v. 1.2.3 2. He challengeth them for and giveth them up unto the idolatry of the calves in following whereof they were so obstinate v. 4.5 3. He challengeth them for incorrigiblnesse and impenitence under all the judgements that formerly had been sent to reclaim them v. 6. 11. Unto which he sub-joines a sentence of further judgements v. 12. which since they were not able to resist he exhorts them to prevent by repentance considering the advantage they had of a Covenant yet standing betwixt God and them v. 12. and considering what a Lord he was with whom they had to do v. 13. Verse 1. HEar this word ye kine of Bashan that are in the mountain of Samaria which oppresse the poor which crush the needy which say to their masters Bring and let us drink In this first article of accusation the Lord prosecuts that processe for cruel and covetous oppression which he had begun chap. 3.9 10. And in this v. he calls the Nobles and Judges of the chief City Samaria to hear what he had to say against them for their oppression and crushing of the poor and meaner sort and he laieth to their charge that they stirred up one another as they had power over the poor by being Creditors or Judges in their causes to poll them that so they might have among them wherewith to satisfie their lusts Or they being Judges did conspire with the Creditors and Masters of the poor to crush them providing they got a bribe wherewith to make merry He compareth them to kine of Bashan which was fit place for pasturage Num. 32.4 Deut. 32.14 because they were not onely fatted and made brutish and insolent by prosperity upon which grounds enemies are compared to bulls of Bashan Psal 22.12 but were also become effeminate thereby Doct. 1. Nobles Judges and great and potent men are ordinarily the ringleaders of all provocations in a land and such as God hath most to say against for these are understood by kine of Bashan that are in the mountain of Samaria and especially the Judges as
down So much also doth the similitude teach that they should not prove fat and strong kine when enemies are sent upon them but should be as easily carried away as fish are taken up with hooks And thus the similitude seemes to be applied Hab. 1.14 15. Verse 3. And ye shall go out at the breaches every Cow at that which is before her and ye shall cast them into the palaces saith the Lord. This sentence is further enlarged and amplified and it is threatned that the Walls of Samaria being broken down they who before keeped great state and order in their going in or out and did so shut up themselves that it was not easie to get accesse to them should abruptly like affrighted Cows whom they resembled v. 1. flee out at every breach thinking to save themselves As for that which followeth ye shall cast them into the palace it may with some little supplement be thus rendered ye shall cast away the things that were brought into the palace and so the meaning is that they shall cast away these pretious things that were brought and kept in their palaces that so they may escape with their lives if it be possible as is threatned Chap. 2.16 And according to this interpretation he would teach That wealth purchased by oppression will prove but a burden and vexation in a day of calamity and the day may come wherein men would be as gladly rid of it as ever they would have had it But the most simple reading is you shall hastily or abruptly cast your selves into or toward the palaces And so the meaning is that as some should seek to flee away by the breaches so others of them should run toward the palace or strong houses if so be they may find shelter there Doct. 1. Wicked and oppressing Rulers and great men do not onely bring ruin on themselves but on the places they live in and trust to for security for because of them Samaria is full of breaches They have so deep roots in the earth that they pluck up much earth when they are pulled up 2. This Metaphore of going cut at the breaches like affrighted Cows running out of their inclosures wherein he insists in what was said of them v. 1. and their running abruptly to their palaces may teach 1. Whatever courage oppressours may seem to have in prosperity or how bold soever they seem to be in oppressing innocent subjects yet approaching or incumbent vengeance will fill them with fear and terrour They shall be like mad Cowes glad to get away any way 2. Conjunction in sinful courses will breed no amity nor kindnesse in a day of trouble and trouble will so astonish wicked men as all their care will be for themselves onely for they who were consorted together v. 1. shall now go out every one at the neerest breach not caring nor waiting for another 3. The Lord also by judgements will put an affront upon the state and pomp which great men keep when yet they study not to honour God for they who would not appear in publick but in great state and order are now forced to betake themselves abruptly unto their palaces or strive to get away 4. The great confusion of conscience wherewith the Lord doth justly plague wicked men in a sad day will appeare in their great irrâ—â—olution and incertainty what course to take but one running one way and another taking another for so is verified in these while some flee out of the City as then onely refuge and others into their palaces Verse 4. Come to Bethel and transgresse at Gilgal multiply transgression and bring your sacrifices every morning and your tythes after three years 5. And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven and proclaim and publish the free offerings for this liketh you O ye children of Israel saith the Lord. In the second article of the processe he prosecutes that which he had intended against them chap. 3.14 concerning their idolatry of the Calves at Gilgal and Bethel of which there is frequent mention in Hosea And the Lord declareth that however they pretended to imitate Gods instituted worship in Judah and to be very diligent and active in these external performances yet since they did not cleave to the appointed place and Altar erected for publick worship and did change the Priesthood and set up their Calves as relative objects of worship he could not look on their way but as transgression and defection and since they were obstinate in it he doth judicially give them up to their own ways Doct. 1. If we do consider the parts of Gods approven ceremonial worship which they pretended to imitate it may hold out several instructions to us And 1. The sacrifices every morning which is not to be understood as if Israel did not imitate them in the evening sacrifices also but this is named onely to shew how early they were at their corrupt worship may teach That Religion and the duties thereof should be a daily task wherein men should employ themselves early and diligently And that Christ pointed out by the sacrifices should be daily made â—â—e 〈◊〉 by them who would approve themselves to be 〈◊〉 â—â—â—gigious 2. Their tithes after three years is an imâ—tation of that Law Deut. 14.22 29. wherein all Israel 〈◊〉 commanded to lay apart a second tithe after the Priests had got theirs which for two years counting from the seventh or Sabbaticall year was carried up or the worth of it in money to Jerusalem to make holy feasts inviting the Levites and Widows thereunto and the third year they kept it at home and did distribute it among the Levites the Stranger the Fatherlesse and the Widow which were among them And this practice doth teach That men are not to rest upon external performances of Religion but with it they ought to joyne a conscientious performance of duties towards their neighbours and particularly of maintenance and encouragement to their Ministers and of pity to the poor See Math. 15.5 6. 3. This offering of a sacrifice of thanksgiving teacheth That no other duty of Gods service can be rightly performed unlesse conscience also be made of praise See Philip. 4.6 4. The use and allowance of leven in the sacrifice of praise and that according to the law Lev. 7.13 cannot be so understood as if the Lord in this service allowed any thing which is prohibited under the prohibition of leven in all other sacrifices Lev. 2.11 and namely hypocrisie errour and prophanity which is in Scripture pointed at by the name of leven for albeit the Lord do in his Christ pardon the great mixture of these things which is in his peoples service yet he will not allow it in any But this ceremonial precept concerning leven in these sacrifices may point at these things partly that leaven is indeed forbidden in all offerings that are burnt upon the Altar to God and it was an addition to Israels sinne if they did otherwise which yet
righteous with him to let them smart under want for this stroak cometh also because they did but abuse plenty to serve their lusts and make them drunk v. 1. And because they left his Temple and Priests without Sacrifices and maintenance and employed all these on their idols and to the maintenance of their unlawlul priests v. 4 5. 3. It is a sad lot and speaks much displeasure from the Lord when he makes stroaks become universal so that none can help another and by such a lot he would invite sinners to repentance for this adds to the affliction that it was in all your cities and in all your places and by this he put them to it if so be they would return 4. Sin is for the most part so deeply rooted in mens hearts and so much affected by them and God so little taken notice of in calamities that it is no wonder to see men starved out of the world before they will famish their idols and relinguish sin for albeit their stroak was such Yet have ye not returned to me saith the Lord. From v. 7 8. learn 1. The longer time that sinners be warned of judgements before that stroaks be inflicted it doth heighten their impenitency before the Lord for it adds to their sin that they had three moneths drought before the harvest came in which time rain was most needed to warn them of the ensueing famine and yet it took no effect ye have not returned to me 2. As Gods providence is supreme in ordering all natural causes and effects even in dispensing rain as he pleaseth so it aggravates the impenitency of sinners when Gods hand is eminently seen in a stroak and yet he is not sought unto therefore it is marked that he caused it to rain upon one city and not upon another c. And yet have ye not returned 3. The Lord when he pleaseth can make as small a matter as a drink of water prove a great trial to a people and cause them change their station to follow it for two or three cities wandred to one city belike where rain had been to drink water Such a great pinch was even Ahab brought unto 1. Kings 18.5 6. 4. It cannot but adde to a peoples sin when they are made to feele a stroak and are put to toile by it and yet make no use of it to see Gods quarrel or turn to him for it is his challenge they were made to wander to seek water and yet returned not 5. Whatever course sinners take to be rid of troubles when yet they neglect repentance it is meet and just that they be disappointed therein for notwithstanding their wandering yet they were not satisfied The wells that might supply one city could not supply so many 6 It is the great sin of men that being disappointed in all their expectations and crossed in all the courses they take to be rid of troubles yet they will not among the rest essay to turn to God for this is the challenge that not onely they wanted water but when they used all means they were not satisfied and yet have ye not returned to me saith the Lord. See Hos 2.6 7. From v. 9. Learn 1. God hath variety of means whereby to plague men and to bring upon them any affliction he intendeth against them and particularly he hath several wayes whereby to bring on famine He can arme all his creatures to cut off mens provision one of them after another he can make the change of aire and small insects do that worke when he pleaseth for beside the drought v. 7 8. blasting and mildew do cut off their corne and the palmer-worme spoiles their gardens vineyards and other fruit-trees 2. Albeit men under affliction have their eye much upon the present particular meane of their trouble yet the removal of that will not availe them so long as God is angry But whatever be the change of providential dispensations the impenitent may expect to meet with trouble for as blasting came by withering windes so when that was removed and they got rain either after the drought or in other places where it rained v. 7. that did not availe but cold rain and the heat of the sun after it begot mildew or rottennesse 3. It is a great aggravation of impenitency when the Lord makes all creatures prove enemies and every dispensation prove a crosse to men and yet they will not be driven to make God their friend for this is the challenge that under all this yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord. From v. 10. learn 1 When one kinde of affliction will not worke upon sinners God hath change of rods wherewith to exercise them for whem famine prevaled not he had pestilence and the sword 2. It is a very sad and humbling case when the Lord who did gloriously appear for his people by plaguing their enemies is provoked to put his people in the roome of enemies to feele the same plagues And it is yet sadder when such a dispensation doth not affect and drive them to God for this addes to the affliction that I have sent among you the pestilence after the maner of Egypt pointing as would appear at that stroak Exod. 9.8 9. and it is sad that though there was such a strange dispensation yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lard See Isa 63.9 10. 3. Whatever be a peoples duty yet where God hath a controversie their indeavours aganst their enemies will be to small purpose and will onely contribute to heap miseries upon themselves and they are bound to see Gods quarrel and hand in this for your young men have I slain with the sword and have taken away your horses and I have made the stinke of your camp to come up into your nostrils 4. It doth yet adde to a peoples sin when the Lord doth choose new rods for them when he by his immediate hand concurreth with enemies to ruine them and when these who are reserved beare the sad prints of and warnings from these calamities and yet they will not be induced to turn to God for this is his quarrel here that albeit he not onely made the indeavours of enemies successful but did immediatly smite them with pestilence and albeit their low condition by breaking their military force and the stink of their campe were a warning to them yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord. From v. 11. learn 1. The visible Church may so far debord as to deserve to be afflicted as severely as the worst of people and God may in justice inflict what she deserveth for I have overthrown some of you as God speaking of himselfe in the third person overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah It needs neither be certainly affirmed nor denied that God did by fire or some extraordinary vengeance from heaven consume some of them for on the one hand that may be true though it be not recorded in the history And on the other
hand the expression may point rather at the measure of Gods displeasure then at the manner of the punishment and it is sufficient to assert that by the many and divers judgements inflicted on them they were utterly consumed in several places 2. As the Lord is still gracious to his Church and people to preserve a remnant of them in the midst of utter desolation and notwithstanding great provocations so he seeth it meet to cause such as are preserved bear the marks of common calamities that they may be stirred up to make use of them for saith he to the remnant preserved ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning intimating what was his goodnesse which plucked them out and what prints of that combustion were upon them whereof they might make use of See Zech. 3.2 3. It is an undeniable proofe of a peoples incorrigibelnesse when neither the extremity of judgements or of Gods displeasure or immediate hand in them nor of mercy remembred in wrath will prevaile with them to make them turn to God for this feals up the challenge that when some of them were overthrown like Sodom and yet some of them were preserved yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord. Verse 12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel Unto these challenges a further threatning is sub-joined of some strange judgements to come upon them In consideration whereof he exhorts them to prepare to meet him that is according to that speech Luke 14. 31 32 either they would strengthen themselves to grapple with him and resist his judgements Or since they were too weak for that they would by repentance study to prevent this stroak of an angry God And this exhortation hath an argument couched in the bosome of it that as it became them who were Israel thus to behave themselves So it might encourage them that the Covenant was not yet renounced or made void but he was their God still Doct. 1. The incorrigiblenesse and impenitency of a smitten people doth portend terrible judgements yet to come and doth justly procure them For it is righteous with God to prosecute his begun processe against an undanted people who have said by their practise that they will not receive correction nor be reclamed whatever he do till it be seen whose word shall stand his or theirs as Jer. 44.28 And it is just with him not to respect any afflictions that are on a people who make no use of them but still to inflict more plagues though they had never so many before Therefore doth their incorrigiblenesse draw forth this sentence Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel 2. When the Lord hath smitten a people never so sore he hath yet more and sadder judgements to inflict if they continue impenitent for after all the former stroaks he yet threatens thus will I do unto thee and Lâ—v. 26. it is often said he can smite an impenitent people yet seven times more The judgement here threatned is onely mentioned in a general thus will I do whereby we are not so much to understand that he will do as he hath formerly threatned v. 2.3 or that he keeps it up that he might make it sadder or lighter according as they carry themselves in the matter of repentance But by this it seems he would point out the tetriblenesse of this stroak in that it is inexpressible and the very nameing of it terrible And if any question what can be added to the judgements formerly inflicted it would be considered 1. Albeit former judgements have not wrought upon a people yet there may be hope that Gods pursuing them may prevaile Therefore the Lord may adde this to all the former judgements that they shall be plagued with the want of any future blessings of rods and that afflictions shall never do them any more good but shall harden them See Ezek. 22.20 and 24.13 2. Whereas these judgements had wrought slowly toward their ruine He can turn the moth into a lion and speedily consume them See Hos 5.12 14. 3. He can send these judgements not successively one after another upon a people but can pour them out all at once as Lam. 2.22 4. Whereas mens mindes may be supported under a deluge of outward calamities he can break the peace of their minde can fixe their eyes to pore upon their troubles raise up tentations about them and waken up anguish and perplexities as Lam. 3.18 19. Iob. 9.18 27 28. 5. Whereas notwithstanding all the former judgements a people may yet have a remnant preserved and be permitted to dwell in their land He can cast them out of their land and make their remembrance to cease as v. 2.3 Ezr. 9.14 Deut. 32.26 6. Whereas a people under all these calamities may yet continue to be a Church He can break his staves and unchurch them Hos 1.9 7. All these calamities formerly mentioned are but temporal but God can adde to all these the casting of both body and soul in hell Doct. 3. This exhortation given to threatned Israel may in general teach 1. When the Lord is about to strike in great severity yet he desireth an intercessor and to be prevented And albeit this will not alwayes hold off the stroak especially when some few onely set about it and the body of a people are perverse and stubborn Jer. 14.11 Ezek. 14.13 14. c. yet it is well pleasing to him that the duty be set about therefore doth he command it here See Isa 59.16 Ezek. 22.30 2. Such as have been much hardened in impenitency under many warnings and judgements may yet attain to repentance if they will know the plague of their own heart and in time set about the duty for the exhortation supposeth that any who are sensible of their former obduration should not despair of repentance as impossible See Lev. 26.40 41. 3. No man but he will indeavour to prevent wrath by repentance who is sensible that he is no party for God nor able to abide his anger for so much doth the exhortation import that if they were not able to stand it out they should submit and repent See 1.1 Cor. 10. 22. Psal 90.11 Doct. 4. In particular these exhortations to prepare to meet God holds out the duty of true penitents in these particulars 1. A penitent should take up God as his party with whom he hath to do both in judgements and in performing duties of repentance for it is God he hath to do with 2. He is not to look upon repentance as a duty he will attain to at a fit but there must be preparation and up-stirring for it by reall conviction for sin much diligence and seriousnesse for they must prepare for this duty 3. He must make it his care especially to prevent wrath by repentance for he must prepare to meet God comming against him with vengeance Albeit repentance be good
themselves but it should be to no purpose v. 11. and that he knew their horrid injustice however they did palliat it v. 12. and would therefore punish them with judgements under which they should not dare to mutter and wherein wise observers should adore his justice v. 13. 4. The exhortation is yet again repeated and they are stirred up really to seek good and abandon evil promising them life and his presence which now they did but presumptuously boast of v. 14. and they are pressed to prove the sincerity of their seeking by their zeal and affections and executing of judgement and justice upon which there is hope of mercy held out to that remnant v. 15. otherwise it is threatned that all persons and places shall be filled with sorrow and lamentation v. 16.17 In the third part of the chapter the Lord refutes their carnal confidences which made them contemn his threatnings and namely 1. Their atheistical scorning of threatned judgements and their looking to be better dealt with which he declares was a plague upon them and would be refuted by the dreadful darknesse of the day of vengeance wherein one misery should be heaped on another to plague them v 18 19 20. 2. Their hypocritical conceit of their external worship which the Lord rejects since beside the unwarrantablenesse thereof they walked not streightly in the duties of the second Table v. 21.22 23 24. 3. Their glorying in antiquity and the customes of their fathers Concerning whom the Lord declareth that they had corrupted his worship as well as they who succeeded them v. 25.26 and therefore they who had imitate them should pay for all by their captivity v. 27. Verse 1. HEar ye this word which I take up against you even a lamentation O house of Israel 2. The virgin of Israel is fallen she shall no more rise she is forsaken upon her land there is none to raise her up In these verses the Prophet laieth before Israel their sad condition and approaching ruine in a lamentation given and dictate to him by God thereby to expresse his sense of their condition Wherein it is lamented that the Church and state of Israel is fallen and that without hope of recovery she being deprived of her members and subjects and none left to raise her up againe From v. 1. learn 1. A peoples obstinacy and opposition to God and their contemning of better tidings from the word will at last resolve in sad newes and lamentations and whatever it be that people rejoice and comfort themselves in neglecting God it will certainly end in bitternesse and sorrow for now the wanton and incorrigible house of Israel get a word against them even a lamentation 2. Impenitent sinners are ordinarily so carelesse and so deafe that they have need to be stirred up to give attention even when saddest news are gone out against them for they need a call here Hear ye this word c. O house of Israel 3. Albeit the Lords faithful servants must carry hard tidings against his people when they are comanded and are bound to glorifie Gods justice when it is manifested in righteous judgements Yet their own dispositions are not so cruel but they will be ready to lament for the sad tidings which they must carry and it is matter of deep sorrow when the Lord enters into judgement even with his sinful Church and people and rewards them as they deserve Therefore is this threatning held forth in a lamentation of the Prophet From v. 2. learn 1. It is the sad and lamentable fruit of sin that it brings a Nation or person violently down from their dignities and enjoyments into a gulfe of miseries for it is the lamentation that Israel is fallen which is a violent change to the worse He speaks of it in the present time because of its certainty and nearnesse and because the lamentation is fitted to the time when it should be so 2. A peoples former flourishing condition and their not meeting with such sad lots yea and Gods former tendernesse toward them will not hold off deserved wrath it may well make it sadder for though they be the virgin of Israel both in respect of Gods tendernesse toward them as a man is careful of his daughter being a virgin and in respect of their former flourishing condition and that they had been as an untouched virgin in respect of total subduing and so it is spoken of other Nations Isa 47. 1. Jer. 46.11 Yet the virgin of Israel is fallen and that maketh her fall the sadder 3. Albeit secure sinners especially in the Church do ordinarily dreame of a speedy recovery out of their calamities yet it is no wonder to see deliverance long a coming when once God is provoked to strike in extremity Yea it is just with God to strike an impenitent Church without hope of recovery at least for many generations Therefore it is added she shall no more rise or recover like a weak woman so crushed with a fall that she cannot get up again Which is not to be understood as if Israel should never recover for the contrary is promised Hos 3.5 and 41.10 11. Rom. 11.26 and elsewhere And the original expression is used of things which come not to passe onely for a time as 2. Kings 6.23 and 24.7 compared with Jer. 37.5 But the meaning is that however formerly when they were afflicted they did recouer again either in the same or in the following generation 2. Kings 13.22.23 24 25. and 14.25 26 27. yet now it should not prove so But by this stroak the Nation and state should for once be lost without hope of recovery and should continue so for a long time as hath been sadly verified to this day 4. God when he is provoked can deprive a people of all refuges and leave them destitute of all helpe in the midst of their former enjoyments for she is forsaken and that upon her land there is none to raise her up This confirmes her hopelesse condition that like a virgin crushed with a fall to the ground and wanting help to raise her up so should she be deprived of her subjects who in great numbers had possessed that land and should have none to recover her out of her difficulties but she behoved to lie still upon the ground and not get her state erected again on that land as formerly Verse 3. For thus saith the Lord God The City that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten to the house of Israel The Lord enterposeth to confirm this lamentation and explaineth yet further their helplesse condition in their trouble by shewing that not onely they should be broken as a State or Nation but that great havoke should be made even of the body of the people In so much that whereas in armies offending Commanders use to decimate them and punish the tenth man He on the contrary should onely leave the tenth
and cut off nine parts to wit by slaughter and captivity as is explained chap. 3.12 Doct. 1. It is a needful study to observe and hear God speaking in threatnings and seriously to consider what a Lord he is therefore is it subjoyned for thus saith the Lord and to affect them the more he is described to be the Lord God 2. When God is provoked to let out the wrath that is due to sin it will make a sad and great change and a great havoke of men for so it is here scarcely is the tenth man left The City that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten to the house of Israel The forme of speech alludes to the dividing of the people under captains of thousands and of hundreds 3. When a Nation becometh impenitent and obstinate it is just with God not onely to ruine them as a State and break their authority as a Nation but to break forth upon the body of the people and consume them with judgements also for such was Israels lot not onely did they fall as a Nation v. 2. but here the body of the people are consumed 4. The Lord in greatest severity doth yet remember mercy toward his people Even threatnings against them have promises of mercy in their bosome And in particular no sad dispensation toward Israel doth utterly make void Gods mercy toward them for so doth appeare here albeit it be a threatning that they are but ten yet that they are ten is a mercy and promise See Isa 6.13 Verse 4. For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel Seek ye me and ye shall live 5. For seek not Bethel nor enter into Gilgal and passe not to Beersheba for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity and Bethel shall come to nought Followeth the Lords scope in all this threatning which is to invite them to repentance unto which they are so frequently exhorted and pressed and directed in this part of the chapter In these verses they are 1. Commanded and exhorted to seek him 2. They are encouraged so to do by a promise of life whereby we are to understand not onely a spiritual life of grace here and glory hereafter but also that they should be delivered from trouble at least not be totally consumed by it and enjoy outward prosperity and felicity in place of the calamities which their sin drew on 3. They are directed how to seek him rightly to wit that they should seek him in his own appointed way and not follow their idolatrous courses And to this a reason is sub-joined that the places where their idols were entertained and worshipped were to be consumed by the wrath of God and therefore it was their folly to follow them From v. 4. learn 1. The Lords scope when he threatens most severely is to drive his people to repentance that they may be fit for mercy Therefore this exhortation comes in with the particle for or since it is so this is the thing I drive at seek me Unlesse we fasten upon this we will either but despise threatnings so long as we can or become heartlesse when are sensible of them 2. As to enjoy God will be the chiefe desire and aime of penitents and not to be freed from trouble onely So however secure sinners glory much of their enjoying of God yet when trouble is blessed to set them on worke they will finde their mistake and see that he is departed In both these respects are they directed to seek God as their chiefe desire and him whom they had lost in their security 3. Albeit sensible souls finde the Lord absent from them through their own default Yet that should not deterre them from seeking and pursuing after him again for to such is the command seek ye me To be made sensible of a distance and of absence is a greater token for good then that it should be crushed by such discouragements 4. Albeit also such as finde a distance and are seeking to make it up may possibly for their further exercise not seem to come speed at first yet that should not weaken their hands nor will they be accounted lesse penitent or be further from acceptance that they are but pursuers and not enjoyers for approven repentance here is not to finde God but to seek God and these get the promise Seek ye me and ye shall live 5. Albeit Satan lay many impediments in a penitents way Sometime by assaulting him with fits of security sometime representing God so unto him as he dare not approach sometime suggesting that there is no hope for him and sometime discouraging him that his former endeavours seme to have been in vain Yet this may resolve the doubts of most desperate sinners that even they are commanded to come to God and that by him whose power may terrifie and whose sufficiency may encourage and at whose command we may let down the net Therefore is the exhortation thus pressed Thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel as bad as they are seek ye me See Isa 45.19 6. A penitent seeker of God would not onely minde the command of God but would eye the encouragement also and joine the Gospel with the Law to quicken him in his duty Therefore is there an encouagement sub-joined seek ye me and ye shall live 7. As all they who do not seek God are but dead even while they seem to live in pleasure 1. Tim. 5.6 So to seek God is the undoubted way to attain a spiritual life and to get a sentence and principle of eternal life and to live comfortably in his favour Yea it is the ready way to obtain outward prosperity in so far as is for their good and to have their lot whatever it be made comfortable for this promise ye shall live albeit it hold not out such temporal favours to every penitent as it doth to Israel yet it holds out so much as is contained in the doctrine to every penitent From v. 5. learn 1. The right and acceptable way of seeking God is an old controversie in the Church and a controversie which God onely by his word must resolve and determine Therefore doth he adde this direction how to seek him 2. The following of idoles and their service and the worshipping of God in and by them will prove but a poor shift in trouble and is a service which he will not accept nor approve of as right seeking of him Therefore whereas they might be ready if they did any thing upon such an invitation to run to the worship of the calves The Lord expressly prohibites them if they would approve themselves as seekers of him But seek not Bethel nor enter into Gilgal and passe not into Beersheha These places have been often spoken of in Hosea onely Beersheba is here first named in these Prophets which it seemes they also frequented for idolatrous worship because Abraham and Isaac had dwelt often
there Gen. 21.31 and 26.23 and not onely they but Jacob also had worshipped God there Gen. 21.33 and 26.23 24 25. and 46. 1. It was afterward a City on the very south border of the promised land as Dan was on the north Judg. 20.1 1. Sam. 3.20 and did belong to to the Tribe of Judah Josh 15.20 28. And therefore it is a question how Israel came to erect their idolatry there It may be it was because that City fell afterward in Simeons lot Josh 19.1 2. who revolted with the rest from the house of David Though after the captivity of the ten Tribes we finde it in the possession of Judah and polluted with their idolatry 2. Kings 23.8 3. Idols will be so far from helping these who worship them and trust in them that God will discover the vanity of them by making them causes of ruine to all places where they are entertained for so much is held out in this reason disswading them from these courses for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity and Bethel shall come to nought Where in the Original there is an allusion to the names of these places that as Gilgal had its name from rolling Josh 5.9 so it should roll into captivity And Bethel should prove vanity or Aven as it was in effect by reason of idolatry whence it is called Bethaven Hos 4.15 Verse 6. Seek the Lord and ye shall live lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph and devour it and there be none to quench it in Bethel The exhortation and encouragement are here the second time repeated And a certification is sub joined that if they did not obey wrath would break out and consume them like a fire which they should not be able to quench by their idolatry Whence learn 1. There is need of frequent up-stirrings and encouragements to set us on work and keep us going in seeking God Therefore must both the command and encouragement be repeated 2. What the Lord saith for the encouragement of penitents and such as seek him may safely be leaned unto for he will not recall nor eat it in again Therefore doth he again promise Seek the Lord and ye shall live as that which he will stand to and make good 3. The Lords displeasure against his sinful and impenitent people will break forth and prove so much the more violent as they have had many warnings and encouragements for upon the back of the exhortation and promise it followeth lest he break forth like fire in the house of Joseph or ten Tribes whereof Ephraim the son of Joseph was the chiefe 4. Idolatry and corrupt Religion have need of prospering times for when wrath is kindled such courses will not availe either to avert or moderate it Therefore saith he when this fire is kindled there will be none to quench it in Bethel Verse 7. Ye who turn judgement to worm-wood and leave of righteousness in the earth To help them to take with this exhortation he laieth before them their guilt needing repentance and deserving wrath And as before it is insinuated that they had sinned against the first Table in the matter or worship So here their violation of the second Table is laid to their charge in that they turned the seats of justice into places of bitter and deadly injustice and left no place for any righteousness among them but did tread it under foot Whence learn 1. Men will never be serious and sincere in the matter of repentance and seeking of God for any troubles that can come upon them till first they be convinced of sin and guilt Therefore are they charged with guilt to make the exhortation effectual 2. The Lord abhorreth partiality in mens taking with guilt He will have them so take with one sort of sin as they do not lightly passe over another and so to see their sins against the first Table as they be humbled also for provocations against the second Therefore after the challenge for their idolatry he layeth before them their sins in the matter of justice and righteousnesse 3. As the impartial administration of justice is a very profitable and pleasant thing So it is a bitter and deadly thing to pervert justice And as it is bitter and intolerable to the innocent So God will look upon it as a bitter course which he cannot endure Therefore doth he challenge them that they turn judgement to wormwood 4. When publike judicatories are corrupted with injustice then a door is opened to all crimes and unrighteousnesse in private dealing And this will be put on their account who make not justice formidable to such transgressors Therefore it is added and leave off righteousnesse 5. It is an high degree of wickednesse when not onely righteousnesse is omitted but is despised also and all they are condemned and trod upon who would follow it This was their sin here and leave off righteousnesse in the earth or let it rest on the earth and leave it on the ground as a contemptible thing to be trod upon Verse 8. Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion and turneth the shadow of death into the morning and maketh the day darke with night that calleth for the waters of the sea and poureth them out upon the face of the earth the Lord is his Name This v. in the Original hath onely Him or he that maketh the seven stars c. And it is conceived by many as a continued challenge repeating from v. 7. Ye leave off or forsake him that maketh the seven stars c. But it runs as well with the translation as a resuming of the exhortation which is the principal thing insisted on in this part of the chapter And it is again pressed partly from the consideration of the power and providence of God v. 8 9. and partly from the consideration of their own sins and and of the judgements comming upon them because of sin In this v. the power and providence of God are commended as shining in natural things and their motions 1. That he is the Creatour and Governour of the stars and their influences and of the seasons caused thereby This is instanced in the seven stars who do afford more warme influences and Orion which produceth boisterous stormes See Job 9.9 2 That he is the appointer and orderer of the vicissitudes of day and night whereby a cleare morning succeeds to darknesse like the shadow of death and again a darke night shuts up the clear day or as this last part may be also understood He can alter natures course and darken the clearest day with thick clouds 3. That he can raise vapours out of the sea and pour them out in rain upon the earth or can by inundations and deluges let in the sea upon the land By all which it appeareth that he is Jehovah the true God Compare chap. 4.13 Doct. 1. Such as would seek God rightly ought to know him and study what he is That so
themselves And albeit it be mens great cruelty so to intreat an afflicted people yet the afflicted are bound to see Gods justice therein So much doth the first interpretation hold forth 2. As all men are bound reverently to adore and submit to God in his judgements and to silence all the swelling thoughts of their heart against his dealing or at least to smother them when they cannot suppresse them for so much doth this silence in general import See Lev. 10.3 Psal 39 9 So it is a sad case when the truly godly who are cordial sympathizers and earnest intercessours in the straits of a Nation are striken dumb in a day of calamity and do see so much provocation among a people and so much incorrigiblenesse under other means that they have nothing to say wherefore God should not take his rod in his hand for beside the general duty this is it which is here held forth in particular as an addition to Israels calamity that they should be smitten and the godly should have nothing to plead why it should not be so The prudent shall keep silence c. 3. Such as would walk aright under sad dispensations and judgements ought to be spiritually wise and prudent and ought to compare dispensations with provocations procuring the same for they are the prudent who keep silence and they consider that it is an evil time for which God sendeth these dispensations Verse 14. Seek good and not evil that ye may live and so the Lord the God of hosts shall be with you as he hath spoken The exhortation is the fourth time repeated and is partly explained and pressed by propounding encouragements v. 14 15. and partly pressed from the calamities that were approaching v. 16 17. In this v. the exhortation is explained that they should so seek him as to follow what is good and to renounce evil And unto this the former promise of life is sub-joined To which is further added by way of explication that whereas they now onely presumptuously dreamed and boasted of their enjoying Gods presence they should upon their sincere seeking of him finde it really true Whence learn 1. When the Lord is most sharply reproving and sadly threatning a people yet he would not have them thereby deterred from seeking to him Therefore to prevent this mistake he repeats the exhortation after the former challenges and threatnings 2. Men do need frequent up-stirring unto and informations concerning the right way of repentance and seeking of God as being unwilling and very ignorant and ready to run wrong or please themselves on sleight grounds in that matter Therefore is the exhortation again inculcate and explained 3. Men in seeking God should follow that which is really good and not what seems to be so onely And they who seek God sincerely do not onely offer service and homage to God but are seeking their own reall good Therefore is seeking of God explained to be seek good 4. Albeit it be an evidence of mens enjoying reall good when they sincerely seek God And albeit there be much good daily conferred on them who are seeking him Yet the sincere seeker of God will see his wants most and be set on work to pursue after what is good and these who are sincerely pursueing are accepted in Gods sight Therefore are true penitents described that they seek good rather then by their enjoyments 5. Men must not lay their account to seek after good retaining their former evils But they who would approve themselves must abandon them that they may enjoy good Yea their former fervour in following thereof must be employed in seeking good and must be a spur in their sides not to be remisse and coldrife in their duty Therefore it is Subjoyned seek good and not evil 6. Let men reproach God and his waies as they please yet it is a certain truth that God delights to do good unto his people and that none shall seek him in vain For his word is again given that seeking tends to this that ye may live Wherein not onely the certainty of their liveing is held forth but his delight and desire that they should live and therefore he exhorts them to seek that so they may take the way to life and get it seek good that ye may live see Ezek. 18.29 30 31 32. 7. Albeit convinced sinners ought to make use of the Law as well as the Gospel and albeit their discouragement and unbeliefe being convinced may for a time put them to some diligence and pains Yet neither will they be able to persevere in such a course nor will it worke an effectual and through change unlesse the Gospel and encouragement by faith be made use of and eyed likewise Therefore also doth he propound Gospel encouragements and comforts as a special means of making the exhortation effectual seek good that ye may live c. 8 The Lords presence in favour and mercy is the sweet comfort and rich upmaking of a people and the special and cheife cause of their happy life And no wonder he being the Lord whose being is of himselfe and needs nothing of them and can give a being unto any encouragement and by his word can create it of nothing when they need it and being the Lord of hosts whose power is able to protect them and raise instuments and meanes of help unto them Therefore it is added as their special encouragement an explication of that promise of life So the Lord the Lord of hosts shall be with you 9. Albeit the members of a visible Church will not be put from a conceit of Gods favour and presence with them what ever their way be Yet they are but deluded and do onely dreame of it while they continue in sin and do not sincerely seek him for it is imported they have spoken much of his presence but groundlesly so long as they did not seek good and not evil 10. It is a special encouragement to seek God sincerely that whatsoever men conceit of Gods favour and their own happinesse while yet they are in a wicked way will prove all really true if they will take the right way of seeking God for so is expresly held out for their encouragement seek good c. And so the Lord the God of hosts shall be with you as ye have spoken 11. Whatever men may boast of Gods favour and their hope to attain salvation as their great happinesse yet they declare themselves liars and proclame their contempt thereof when they will not so much as follow the sure way to attain that which they pretend so much to esteeme Therefore also doth he urge their presumptuous delusions against them as pleading for what he presseth that they should take the right way to attain what they pretend to account so much of Vers 15. Hate the evil and love the good and establish judgement in the gate it may be that the Lord God of Hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of
Joseph In this verse the exhortation is yet further explained that not onely in external practices they should seek good and not evil but that in their heart they should seriously and with affection and zeale embrace the one and detest the other And that they should prove the sinceritie hereof and of their turning to God by the exercise of judgement and justice Unto which an encouragement is subjoyned that however Joseph or the ten tribes whereof Ephraim was chief were sore crushed and but a remnant left of former judgement Yet there is hope that God will shew mercy to them Whence learn 1 Mans lazinesse in seeking God before they be convinced and their discouragements when they are convinced are ordinarily so great that they need much upstirring and encouragement Therefore are the exhortation and encouragement yet again repeated and enlarged 2. The Lord will not respect mens external practice of good when it may be their hearts abhore and loath it and are bent on other courses But he requireth cheifly that they be rooted in the love of good and do zealously affect it And when it is so the Lord through Christ will passe over many failings in practice Therefore it is further added to explaine and enlarge what is said v. 14. love the good see Rom. 7.22 23 24 25. 3. Mens affections toward good must be evidenced by their cordial detestation of evil Their hatred of evil must kindle their affection to good and their tasting of the sweetenesse of what is good should again make them detest evil yet more And where it is so the Lord will have respect to the sincerity of men under many failings Therefore are they conjoyned Hate the evil and love the good He wil not have them simply not doing evil while it may be their heart is going a whoring after it but will have them really detest it and not onely so but he will have their hatred thereof setting them an edge to what is good and their loving of good cherished thereby see Rom. 12.9 4. Albeit the following of good bring true advantage unto men and evil courses bring prejudice and albeit this may be an encouragement and argument to prevaile with men Yet it is not sufficient that mens affections be set upon good meerely because of gain and advantage thereby or that they loath evil only because in some cases and times it may bring losse and detriment But mens affections should look upon courses as good or evil in themselves and accordingly love and hate them whatever may attend them Therefore it is simply commanded Hate the evil because it is evil and love the good because it is good 5. Such as are truely seeking God and turned unto him ought to respect justice and to prove their sincerity thereby Therefore it is subjoyned and establish judgement in the gate Where to establish it is not onely to erect Courts for judgements but to prosecute the course of justice firmly not being shaken or diverted by intrest passion or reward 6. Free grace and mercy in God is the onely clame of all such as are sincere in seeking God and are not puffed up with a conceit oâ— their owne worth And his grace and mercy being the glorious and omnipotent God is so infinite so free and so tender as may invite all to seek him and to acquiesce in what his grace and mercy seeth fit to carve unto them Therefore is this propounded as their encouragement The Lord God of hosts will be gracious 7. When a people do sincerely seek God he will respect all their afflictions as arguments why he should have mercy on them And his former afflicting of them in just displeasure will not be an hinderance to his shewing mercy Therefore it is added he will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph that is though he had been provoked to leave them but a remnant yet he will now be gracious yea so much the more as they are but a remnant 8. Albeit the Lord do allow encouragement upon such as sincerely seek him Yet he would not have them absolutely expecting temporal deliverances when provocations are come to a great height And he seeth it meet to exercise them with incertainties that they may be yet more deligent Therefore is the promise propounded with it may be to shew that as his graciousnesse appears in temporal deliverances he would not have them peremptory about them but to prove their real piety by submission in these things And that he will hold out all their encouragements so as may prevent security Compare Joel 2.14 Jon. 3.9 Zeph. 2.3 Vers 16. Therefore the Lord the God of Hosts the Lord saith thus Wailing shall be in all streets and they shall say in all the high waies Alas alas and they shall call the Husbandman to mourning and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing 17. And in all vineyards shall be wailing for I will pass through thee saith the Lord. To quicken them yet more unto his duty the Lord declareth that if they will not repent as there was no hope they would he will not contest any longer but that the sentance is already passed that he going through them with vengeance will give matter of sorrow and sad lamentations to all persons in all places Whence learn 1. Whatever encouragement God allow unto men upon their repentance yet none should scorn his threatnings because of his gracious offers for when he enters in a processe with a wicked people he will either amend or end them thereby And it proves too often true that men are rather ripened for judgements then reformed by the Lords dealing with them Therefore he guards the former encouragements by this threatning if they repent not waling shall be in all streets c and he propounds it absolutly by way of concluded sentence Therefore the Lord saith thus c. to intimate that however he exhorted and encouraged them yet there was no hope that they should hearken unto him 2. Such as do provoke God should seriously consider how great and strong a party he is and for this end they should meditate upon him as he hath revealed himselfe And they who will not acknowledge his greatnesse in his Law propounding their duty and prohibiting sin or in offering encouragements to divert them from their evil way and vain deluding comforts They I say may expect that he will make his greatnesse conspicuous in punishing of them Therefore in pronouncing this sentence he is declared to be the Lord the God of hosts the Lord who saith thus where he taketh unto himselfe his several names pointing out his essence power and authority and dominion 3. When God is provoked by his people especially by their neglecting repentance and scorning his offers he will not dwell in the midst of them nor protect them but will turn their party and run through their land with his judgements for where the former exhortations have not place I will passe through thee
saith the Lord See Exod. 12.12 and this is the cause of all the wo that is here denounced against them 4. When the Lord is provoked to appear in anger against them who will not repent he will make all their joy and insolent scorning of repentance end in sorrow for there shall be wailing and they shall say alas alas 5. God will make the sorrow of a guilty people universal both on persons and in places That so he may reach all who are guilty and that they may be stripped of all comforts who will not seek to him for this sorrow shall be in all streets in all high-wayes among the husbandmen and in all vineyards Neither City nor Country shall be free of it nor open fields and high-wayes nor inclosed vineyards 6. It is righteous with God to make the sorrow of an impenitent people singular and unto such trouble inflicted by an angry God will produce sorrow greater then can be expressed Therefore beside these who are afflicted such as are skilful of lamentation of whom see 2. Chron. 35.25 Jer. 9.17 18. Math. 9.23 shall be called to wailing Whereby the spirit of God doth not justifie the lawfulnesse of mens having skill and faculty to put on such affections and their hireing them out for gain But he intimateth that their sorrow should be so great as to need help to expresse it 7. We ought frequently to consider that it is God with whom we have to do in threatnings and judgements lest forgetting that we miscarry under them Therefore again all is sealed up with this saith the Lord. Verse 18. Wo unto you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light 19. As if a man did flee from a lion and a bear met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit him 20. Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even very dark and no brightness in it Because the Lord had to do with men of corrupt dispositions who would neither be allured with offers not affrighted with threatnings that so they might seek him But still fostered themselves in security by reason of many false pretences and presumptuous conceits Therefore in the close of this chapter he refutes these their confidences that so the threatnings might sink down in their hearts to move them to repent And first he deals with them who desire the day of the Lord that is such who being Atheists and Epicures did not acknowledge God or a providence nor would believe any thing of approaching judgement Or such who being presumptuously secure of Gods favour and an interest in him could not believe that any such day would come as the Prophet threatned or that it would be so dreadful to them as the Prophets foretold And therefore in presumptuous scorne they desired once to see that day wherewith they were so often threatned See Isa 5.19 Jer. 17.15 Ezek. 12.22 2. Pet. 3.3 4. Concerning these the Lord declareth that this disposition was an evidence of a plague upon them and of more yet to come and that they little considered what they were doing for that day should not onely come but it should be full of perplexities and miseries without any light or comfort v. 18. And heaps of evils should follow one after another so that he who escaped one should fall in another v. 19. yea certainly it should be a time of great misery without any light of counsel or comfort v. 20. From v. 18. learn 1. When the word is most clearly preached and threatnings most terrible there will still some be found so atheistical as not to credite them at all and so presumptuous as not to submit to the verdict of the word but they will comfort themselves expecting that God will do otherwise then it faith for so is here imported 2. It is no wonder to see such Atheists and presumptuous sinners come to that height as not onely to harbour such thoughts in their own bosomes but to pluck off any vaile of hypocrisie they had and set down in the seat of the scornful and openly deride the word for so do they here they desire the day of the Lord or the day of vengeance wherein he will prove himselfe to be the Lord that is with insolent and profane scorne they desire to see that day and that the Prophets would make their words good which they expect will never be Albeit many who harbour such thoughts would be unwilling it should be known Yet God is provoked to pluck off the mask and bring them out And where the word effectually preached doth not prevaile corruption will be irritate thereby to vent it selfe more openly 3. Such atheistical and presumptuous dispositions in men are an heavy plague of themselves and do portend more plagues and that there is a plague and wo in all the calamities that come upon them In these respects it is said Wo unto you that desire the day of the Lord. 4. Epicures and presumptuous Atheists and Hypocrites do little consider what they are doing or what is their danger when they scorne threatnings and desire to see them accomplished And if their consciences were put seriously to it they would tell them it were so Therefore doth he pose them to what end is it for you Or what can ye expect in such a day or what do ye gain by such a scornful temper that ye should be so bent on it Their consciences if awake could tell them that such a day were rather to be prevented then desired and that they could reap nothing by such atheistical scorn For neither did it produce any present true good in them nor would it hold away that day but rather hasten it and make it more bitter and grevious And therefore they ought to consider better and avoid it 5. As even the cleanly trials of Gods people may produce much humbling exercise through want of light or sensible comfort that so they may be trials indeed and may purge drosse And as judgements inflicted upon a people for sin will be full of perplexity and discomfort as being accompanied with reall desertion with guilt of conscience and other spiritual plagues So in special presumptuous and secure Atheists may expect an hot alarme and that calamities will be made dreadful to them for unto all but especially unto them the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light that is full of misery and perplexity leaving them void of counsel and comfort From v. 19. learn 1. When God appears in anger against an atheistical and incorrigible people they may expect to be involved in an heap of miseries on all hands and that not one but many evils either together or following one after another or both Therefore it is resembled to the condition of a man environed on all hands with lions bears and serpents 2. There is no shifting nor declining
of their Idolatry in the matter of the golden calfe as is cleared Act. 7.40 41 42. 8. It is the great folly and madnesse of men to think that a deitie is in their choice to choose and make what they will a God unto themselves Or to think to represent a deitie by Images which are of their making or to worship these Images as in reality they do whatever they pretend to the contrary for it was also their fault that they had Images the star of your God which ye made to your selves And Act. 7.43 it is said figures which ye made to worship them 9. Idolatry being continued in will at last draw on exile and captivity Therefore is the sentence given out against the present generation that since that course had gone such a length Therefore I will cause you go into captivity beyond Damascus And by this expression beyond Damascus is imported not onely that they should be carried far away beyond that place which Stephen Act. 7.43 respecting the event declareth how far it was even so far beyond Damascus that it was beyond Babylon also But further the expression may also import 1. Whereas they thought much of the stroaks had been inflicted on them by the Syrians of Damascus and that belike some of them were carried into captivity by them The Lord declareth that they should be carried further off then ever they were carried by the Syrians And that their continued in provocations should make them think little of what they had felt in respect of what was to come upon them 2. Whereas they might think strange of that sentence given out against the Syrians and of their threatned captivity chap. 1.5 The Lord declareth that they should be carried further off then the Syrians and that the stroak to come on them who were his people and yet proved incorrigible should be sadder in that respect then his stroak on a pagan Nation 3 Whereas they might look on the Kingdome of Syria and Damascus as a strong bulwark betwixt them and any remoter enemy on that quater as being a potent Kingdome not easily to be subdued The Lord declareth that this refuge shall faile them and an enemy should come further-off who should carry them beyond it Doct. 10. Men will very readily sleep securely under saddest threatnings unlesse they consider again and again that God is their party and do seriously meditate upon his greatnesse and power Therefore are they again advertised that this is said by the Lord whose name is the God of hosts CHAP. VI. ALbeit Israel was Amos peculiar charge yet in this chap. Iudah is joyned with them both in the challenge v. 1. And all alongst as appeareth from the last threatning v. 14. And by so doing the Lord would have it cleared that his servant was not partial in his doctrine nor led by any private spleen against Israel And he would let Israel see how little cause they had to be secure seing Iudah is so dealt with also In the first part of the chap. the Lord challengeth and denounceth a wo upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and Samaria and especially the great ones for their prophane security relieing upon their strength and eminency v. 1. which yet was but a weak ground if they considered other Nations and cities v. 2. for their contempt of threatnings and the oppression that followed thereupon v. 3. And for their sensualty and luxury little regarding the afflictions of the rest of the countrey v. 4.5.6 In the second part of the chap. the Lord explains that wo v. 1. and pronounceth sentence against them That these secure voluptuous persons should go into captivity with the first and so their jollity should be removed v. 7. That certainly he would not regard their priviledges and execellencies but would trample upon them and deliver up their city to the enemies v. 8. That there should be a great mortality among them v. 9.10 And that he would ruine the families and houses of great and small v. 11. In the third part of the chap. the Lord confirmeth this sentence shewing that however hitherto he had manifested his patience and taken pains upon them Yet now it was to no purpose to use any further meanes to reclaime them as appeared from their horrid injustice v. 12. And however they were insolent and boasters of their own strength v. 13. Yet he would refute that carnal confidence by sending an enemy who should overrun the Land of Canaan from one end to another Verse 1. Wo to them that are at ease in Zion and trust in the mountain of Samaria which are named chief of the nations to whom the house of Israel came In this v. a wo is pronounced against the inhabitants of the chief Cities of both Judah and Israel and especially against the great ones there because they were stupidly secure as trusting in their strength by situation and their own and the places eminency these two places being the two chief places of both the Nations or Kingdomes to which all Israel did resort as to the chief Cities of the Kingdomes and places of publick justice and of publick worship also in Jerusalem Doct. 1. Albeit ease and a quiet settled condition be that which men love well and do hunt after by all means and take too well with when they enjoy it Yet ofttimes such a condition breeds so much presumption and carnal security that it brings a wo and curse with it for wo to them that are at ease or secure as these at ease ordinarily are 2. Such as seeme to cleave or really do cleave to God and his way better then others may readily make a sleeping pillow of that and yet that doth not warrant them to be secure but will rather put them in the front of those that are under the wo if they prove so Therefore doth he begin with this wo to them that are at ease in Zion before Samaria Where it is imported that they may be at ease and that then they get the first of the wo. And he names Zion rather then Jerusalem because among other reasons this mount was the eminent part of their City being the City of David the man according to Gods heart with whom the Covenant was made and who herein was a type of Christ and the place whereunto David brought the Arke 2. Sam. 6.12 And therefore it is that however the Temple stood on mount Morijah 2. Chron. 3.1 yet mount Zion is often named as the place of Gods residence to which the promises are made being a type of the Church where Christ the Son of David reignes and dwells And yet the Lord declareth that all this should no avert the wo. 3. Albeit that the strength of places by situation do breed carnal confidence and that draw on security yet all that is no warrant for it nor will guard against the wo Therefore also is Zion named because it was strong and long a taking from the Jebusites 2.
beds of ivory and eat and drink well c. Not that it is simply unlawful for great men to lie better and feed on better things then others but that beside the unseasonablnesse thereof of which afterward they exercised all their care about these things were excessive and superfluous in them and rested thereon and glutted themselves therewith And if this be a sin in those that are at ease much more in them who are in distresse Isa 22.12 13. 2. Men have need to watch over their wayes even in meanest things and to take heed lest in their very beds houshold furniture meat and drink and dressing of their bodies and the like they be drawing a wo upon themselves for in all these the Lord hath a quarrel against these secure sinners 3. Ministers lawfully may yea and in duty should be particular in condemning sins and lay before men their failings in beds table apparrel for so doth Amos here in the Lords name 4. As men may lead a merry life who yet have no cause of joy so however secure sinners who chuse such mirth for their portion and shelter against all stormes do keep themselves throng with it lest an evil conscience flee out upon them yet all this their joy doth but adde fuel to the fire and contribute to make the wo the sadder for so much may we learn from their chaunting to the sound of the viol or joyning their voice with the instrument and inventing instruments of musick whereby musick is not condemned but they are condemned who please themselves with it and fed their security thereby little minding their duty or that which would be matter of true peace and joy unto them 5. It is an aggravation of the sin of wicked men when they abuse the example of Saints to sin either when they stumble on their infirmities or do pretend to imitate their good actions in their ill courses and abuse that which they enjoyed well for this adds to their sin that they alleadged they did this like David who was a great lover and Master of musick but he spent all his care that way in setting forth Gods praise whereas they onely made use of it for carnal pleasure 6. Afflictions are sent upon some people and not upon others or on some part and persons of a Nation and not upon others not onely for their own correcttion and exercise who are afflicted but to try the sympathie of others and to see what use they will make of it for Josephs affliction or the breach made upon him tried these Grandees 7. As much sensual pleasure doth besot men and deprive them of all sense of the afflictions of others and sympathie with them for here the one followeth on the other So whatever may be pleaded for the pomp and state and pleasures of great men yet it cannot but be sinful in a time of affliction and when it deprives them of all sympathie and fellow feeling and they make themselves a good life when others are undone For it is the challenge that they do all these things but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph Verse 7. Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed Followeth the Lords sentence for these sins and an explication of that wo v. 1. in several branches And first He threatens that they shall be first and chief among these who shall go into captivity whereby he will put an end to their luxurious feasting Whence learn 1. The luxury of great and rich men doth import such a distemper among a people as will draw on speedy captivity upon them for now captivity is to be the lot of all as well as of them 2. Such as are most secure when the Lord makes a breach by trouble and do think themselves furthest from it may taste first of it for they shall go captive with the first that go captive to wit of the inhabitants of these Cities for otherwise the country was spoiled and many of them captivated before Or it may be read they shall go captive in the head of them that go captive that is they shall be ring-leaders and noted and eminent sufferers in this misery as before they were eminent in place and chief in following sinful pleasures Yea in Judah we finde they suffered before the poorer sort 2 Kings 24.12 13. and more then they 2. Kings 25.18 19 20 21. 3. Luxury and wanton sensuality and superfluity will be made to cease and if nothing else will do it God can make captivity effect it Therefore it is sub-joined and the banquet of them that stretched themselves or abounded with superfluities shall be removed The word rendered banquet signifieth mourning or a mourning feast as it is translated Jer. 16.5 in the text and margent to intimate that their feasting should in the issue prove sad and mournful as their mourning feasts were 4. God abhorreth sensuality for this among other causes that it exhausteth men with providing needlesse superfluities whereas nature is content with a little and it mispends their time and makes them unable for a calling for so is held out here they as the word will beare abounded with superfluity in their banquets and they did eat and drink and then stretched themselves on beds when they were full as being meet for no employment Verse 8. The Lord God hath sworn by himself saith the Lord the God of hosts I abhor the excellency of Jacob and hate his palaces therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein Secondly which cleareth how their captivity shall come to passe He threatens to deliver up their City or the chief City of every one of these Kingdomes with all the people and wealth thereof into the enemies hands And this is confirmed by the oath of God who is omnipotent and who also which is another confirmation declareth that their priviledges and excellencies wherein they trusted and gloried were hateful to him and therefore to be taken from them Doct. 1. Sensuality in men produceth great stupidity that they will not beleive God when he threatens Therefore must he swear and give an oath to end that controversie 2. Whatever be the secure thoughts of sinners yet it is his irrevocable sentence to punish these who continue impenitent in luxurious courses and he is able to execute it for the Lord God hath sworn by himself or by his life or soul that he will do this He not onely swears by himself because there is not a greater But this oath imports further that men may swear in a sudden passion and change again but he is Jehovah and unchangable Men may swear to be avenged yet they may die and their thoughts perish but he liveth to see his will done and giveth his life for assurance of it and men may swear to be avenged and yet want power but he is the Lord God and again the Lord the
God of hosts who sweareth this 3. A peoples excellencies and priviledges will not hinder their being hateful to God who is no respecter of persons when they provoke him Yea when priviledges are abused and carnally rested upon they become abominable especially when men neglect and despise what is their true excellency and content themselves with what is baser All these are imported in that assertion I abhor the excellency of Jacob and hate his palaces Whereby is signified 1. That though Jacob have peculiar excellencies and priviledges yet now God abhorreth him 2. That his excellencies and priviledges are abominable and stinking before God when he is proud of them as the word also signifieth 3. That it was abominable in him on whom greater priviledges and excellencies were allowed to glory onely in wealth and palaces and therefore that word is sub-joined as an explication of the former Doct. 4. When men will not take notice of Gods abhorring them when it is intimate from the word he will make them feele it by effects by giving themselves and all they gloried in to be trod upon by enemies Therefore it is added as an evidence and effect of his abhorring them Therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein Verse 9. And it shall come to pass if there remain ten men in one house that they shall die 10. And a mans uncle shall take him up and he that burneth him to bring out the bones out of the house and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house Is there yet any with thee And he shall say No. Then shall he say Hold thy tongue for we may not make mention of the Name of the Lord. Thirdly he threatens that beside captivity and the taking of their Cities there should be a great mortality among them so that these who escape other judgements shall die at home and as would appear by pestilence And that so few or no domesticks should be left to bury the dead that the uncle or nearest kinsman to whom the right of succession to the inheritance belongs must come to do it and with the help of one must burn them to bury the bones since they cannot carry away the whole body As for that conference in the end of v. 10. it is by many understood thus That when the Uncle shall know from him who goeth into burn the body and bring out the bones that no more are left alive or that all the dead are now burnt he shall enjoine him silence and not to murmure against the just providence of God seeing neither the dead nor themselves had acknowledged or glorified him But it seemeth more genuinly to point at this That they two when they are assured that there are no witnesses of what they have done shall aggree together to keep silent what they had done left they should be sequestrate as being legally polluted by touching the dead Num. 19.14 seeing in these extremities and confusions they could not possibly observe these legal injunctions This is called a making mention of the name of the Lord because by observing these ordinances they did acknowledge and glorifie him as he revealed himselfe and enjoined to them Doct. 1. Where God hath a controversie mens escaping of one stroak will not secure them against another for if there remaine ten men in one house they shall die Whether we take ten men for few or which is more likely for many in a great family yet they remain after former calamities that have swept away others and now they shall die 2. Beside the overthrowing of a State and Nation and these who fall in such a time by the sword and captivity God is provoked also in a time of wrath to pursue particular families and persons with pestilence and other plagues Yea it is not strange when the Lord breaks a Nation by captivity or subjection to see that present generation posted away with mortality and death for after the former stroaks v. 7.8 it followeth if ten men remain in one house they shall die 3. It is an addition to the calamity of sad times when men are not onely cut off but want the honour and solemnity of ordinary burial for a mans uncle shall take him up and he that burneth him to bring out the bones out of the house Albeit among the Jewes they burnt odours at the funerals of some of their Kings 2. Chron. 16.14 and 21.19 yet in ordinary they buried the dead bodies and onely in great extremities burnt the bodies and buried the bones as 1. Sam. 31.12 13. And therefore it adds to the affliction that there are but two here to bury many and that they must burn them See Psal 79.3 4. Whatever may be the Lords condescendence in extremities Yet it is a great addition to the calamities of a time when the observation of any ordinances enjoined by God are interrupted thereby For albeit in many extremities and belike in such as this was the Lord did dispense with Ceremonial observations yet it was in it selfe an affliction that they might not make mention of the name of the Lord. Compare Hos 9.3 5. The Lords appointing of ordinances unto a people is that whereby he reveals himselfe unto them and in the observance whereof he will be acknowlegded and honoured by them and it is the honouring of him which men should chiefly minde in these observances Therefore as God setting up ordinances is his recording of his Name Exod. 20.24 so the right performance and observing of these ordinances is declared to be a making mention or remembring of the name of the Lord. 6. Whatever clearnesse men themselves have in the matter of their liberty concerning religions observations Yet especial care should be had that they give no scandal in the use of their liberty So much seemeth to be imported in the conference and that they should keep the matter quiet knowing that some were so scrupulous as not to digest this even in greatest extremities Vers 11. For behold the Lord commandeth and he will smite the great house with breaches and the little house with clefts Fourthly all these threatnings are amplified by shewing that God had determined utterly to ruine not onely or so much the habitations as the families of great and small as an house cometh to ruine by breaches and clefts and droppings Whence learn 1. In great desolations it is good and necessary to see an hand and purpose of God which maketh them effectual and irresistible Therefore it is premitted the Lord commandeth and he will smite c and a behold is prefixed to this See Nah. 1.14 Jer. 47.6 7. 2. Where God hath a purpose of vengeance he can reach all persons of all ranks and all their enjoyments And he will not spare or be hindered to smite the greatest because of their greatnesse nor will he passe over the small sinner because of his meannesse but will be about with both for he will smite the
great house and the little house 3. These stroakes are yet sadder when the Lord sends them not on some persons onely but makes them run through whole families and societies till they be consumed and their houses made a desolation for he will smite the great house with breaches or droppings and the little house with clefts that is he will consume whole families as an house is dissolved and consumed by breaches and continual droppings and will leave their habitations ruined as a witnesse of this desolation Vers 12. Shall Horses run upon the Rock will one plow there with Oxen for ye have turned judgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into hemlock In the rest of the chap. this whole sentence is confirmed by obviating two exceptions First Whereas they might object that God was more strictly engaged to them then to do so and would certainly take some other course He declareth that it were to as small purpose to take pains by messengers or gentle dealing and the like to reclame them as for an horse to run upon and among rocks or to yoke a plough there in hope of increase And therefore he would wait no more upon them the time of his patience being expired This their hopelesse condition he proveth from their great injustice so that in place of judgement and righteousnesse which should abound in their Courts there was no fruits there to be found but such as were bitter and deadly like gall and hemlock see chap. 5.7 Hos 10.4 Doct 1. Albeit Gods efficacious working be irresistible yet his moral operations and his dispensations are such as men may make their hearts proofe against them and turn incorrigible under them for so is imported they would no more be prevailed with by warnings or dispensations then a rock could be a place for an horses runing or for increase 2. Though mens consciences be blinde oft times in their own particular Yet their very common sense in other things may witnesse to them their own desperate condition for albeit they would not see their own case yet their very common notions of horses running and plowing might preach to them if they were wel applied See Isa 1.3 3 When men turn obstinate and incorrigible God doth justly give up with them whatever he do to the Elect out of his soveraignity in grace and their consciences will witnesse for God that it is righteous he do so for so much doth the scope of these questions and similitudes as they are before explained import 4. There is no clearer proofe of the desperate and incorrigible condition of a people then their injustice in the Courts of Judgement and their making it bitter and deadly to the oppressed for so doth the Lord confirm this for ye have turned judgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into hemlock Vers 13. Ye which rejoyce in a thing of nought which say Have not we taken to our selves horns by our own strength 14. But behold I wil raise up against you a Nation O house of Israel saith the Lord the God of Hosts they shall afflict you from the entring in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness Secondly whereas they did glory that their strength was renewed and increased as it was under Jeroboam the second and Judah was strong under Vzziah 2 Chron. 26. so that they might drive away any enemies who should invade them The Lord declareth that all this was but vain gloriation And that he would refute it by sending enemies who should afflict and oppresse them from Hemath on the North border as is cleared v. 2 to the river of the wildernesse or of Egypt on the South border as Num. 34.5 Josh 13.3 and 15.47 1 King 8.65 And so it comprehends the whole land of Canaan and takes in Judah also who were vexed and oppressed as the word signifieth by the Assyrians when Israel went into captivity If it do not also relate to their captivity by the Babylonians which must be understood in these threatnings v. 7.8 Doct. 1. It is no strange thing to see much gloriation and carnal joy among a people when yet their sins are come to a great height and vengance is very neare for at this time they were rejoycing 2. The power and strength of a people is one cheefe cause of a peoples sinful gloriation and it is hard 〈◊〉 have these and not to glory in them for this they rejoyce in that they have horns or power to push their enemies 3. As all things beside God are but naught and vain to be gloried in So a peoples gloriation in any thing is a way to make it prove naught in effects whatever it seeme to promise for in these respects he saith of this their power ye rejoyce in a thing of naught or that which is nothing 4. Mens exalting themselves in what they enjoy and ascribing the glory of it and the purchase thereof to themselves is a cleare evidence of carnal gloriation and that what they glory in will prove naught for this was an evidence thereof they rejoyce in a thing of naught who say Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength as quickening up themselves and others to consider this as if they were not yet high enough in their own or others thoughts See Dan. 4.30 31. and 5.19 20. 5. Men are ordinarily so deluded in the matter of carnal gloriation that they will not see the folly thereof any other way then by effects And God will refute it so for so is subjoyned But behold I will raise up against you a Nation c. see Ezek. 28.9 6. God is an impartial avenger of sin in one and other and when a disease is universal he can make scourges go through a land and all the corners thereof And as carnal gloriation will not cease so long as a people have any thing to look to in any corner So God will strip sinners of any such refuge for so much is imported in this they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wildernesse whereby is held out that God would neither spare Israel nor Judah but would send an universal stroak to refute their folly in every corner CHAP. 7. THe scope of the most part of the rest of this prophecie tends to confirme the sentence already past against this incorrigible people Wherein by several types represented and explained by God is declared that the sentence of their desolation was irrevocable And with all the prophet asserts his own authority to deliver this message and subjoynes somewhat for the comfort of the godly In the first part of this chap. under the type of devouring grashoppers and of burning fire both which are diverted at the prayer of Amos v. 1. 6. and of the Lords standing upon a wall with a plum-line v. 7. is signified that the Lord having hitherto chastised Israel moderatly to reclaim them and having removed these afflictions that they might
be wrought upon Now since they are become desperate he will not forbear nor moderate their calamities as formerly v. 8. but will especially destroy their Idolatry and cut off their Royal Family v. 9. In the second part of the chap. Amos being accused and delated to the King by the false Priests at Bethel v. 10.11 and being by him allured and terrified from prophesying any more against them v. 12.13 he doth vindicate and assert his own authority to prophesie v. 14 15. and threatens this subtil persecuter and confirmes the sad sentence against the land v. 16.17 Verse 1. THus hath the Lord God shewed unto me and behold he formed grashoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth and lo it was the latter growth after the Kings mowings 2. And it came to passe that when they had made an end of eating the grasse of the land then I said O Lord God forgive I beseech thee by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small 3. The Lord repented for this It shall not be saith the Lord. The Lord being to declare that his long-suffering and patience toward that people was at an end He doth first hold forth how and in what measure it had been manifested to them by two types and visions The first whereof in these verses is of grashoppers created by God to consume their fruits which having consumed much they are upon the intercession of Amos pleading from Jacobs irrecoverable condition recalled from the utter consuming of all For clearing of this consider 1. This being but a vision it is not needful to understand these grashoppers literally or onely of these or the like creatures sent among them and causing famine of which chap. 4.9 But generally they signifie all the lesser afflictions by incursions and invasions from enemies by drought insects or the like whereby they were afflicted and by which and his sending them in a more moderate and gentle way God did excite them to repentance 2. As for the time of this vision being the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth after the Kings mowings it seemeth to be understood not so much of their cutting the first growth of the rank corn that so it might stand and ripen the better as that the first growth of their grasse was cut down for the Kings use to maintain his war-horses and the latter growth came to the people for their private use And this circumstance of the vision is not necessarily to be interpreted of their condition after their defection from the house of David that their former flourishing condition was become but like a latter growth oft cut down But it seemeth rather to signifie that this rod did afflict chiefly onely the body of the people their Kings being as the type imports furnished and their state yet standing 3. This intercession of the Prophet albeit it hold forth in particular his tendernesse and sympathie with that people yet it points out also what was the practice of all the godly in that time Doct. 1. When the Lord is about to strik his people in greatest extremity it is their duty to be convinced and acknowledge that mercy and long-suffering hath been much manifested toward them before it come to that for so much doth the scope of this and the following type and vision premitted to the third import for by the two first he clears what his long-suffering had been before the final sentence come forth 2. Such is our stupidity and little observing of Gods dealing that when it is most obvious and visible yet it must be much and divers wayes inculcate for albeit the afflictions that had come upon them might be sensibly felt Yet it must not onely be told they were afflicted but it must be held out in a sensible type and they excited twice to remark it Behold lo and all this especially is done to let them see Gods hand in these lots that so they might make use of them 3. It is not inconsistent with the Lords mercy and long-suffering toward a sinning people that he strikes them in some measure But when he doth smite in measure and not procceed to extremity even that should serve to magnifie his mercy and long-suffering and to invite them to repentance that they may reap more fruits of mercy for in this vision wherein he holds out his long-suffering it is declared he did smite them but so as might rather allure them to come to him then consume them 4. Trouble is of Gods creating and forming and he is to be looked on as the author thereof and before a needful affliction be wanting God will create or forme it out of nothing or what is unlikely to produce such a trial for the Lord God shewed to me and behold he formed grashoppers 5. Weak means and scourges in Gods hand will serve his turn to afflict in what measure he pleaseth Therefore are these afflictions compared to grashoppers or the like little creatures and yet they did eat up and put the sensible Prophet to prayer 6. It should be acknowledged as special mercy when God doth spare any thing when he inflicts stroaks on a people for sin And in particular albeit stroaks on particular persons may be very sad yet they should not be accounted intolerable so long as the publick interest and a state stands for so much may be signified by the grashoppers coming not before the latter growth after the Kings mowings as is before explained 7. It is no strange thing that when God inflicts any calamities they do consume much before a people be stirred up to make any use of them for so much is imported in the vision they made an end of eating the grasse of the land before the Prophets intercession 8. Albeit ofttimes few of these who are smitten and especially concerned in judgements will be sensible or seek to God under them yet the truly godly both should and will intercede with God in times of publick calamities for so much doth Amos practice teach 9. Such as would intercede acceptably with God in times of calamities should be most affected with the sense of sin and a desire to have it removed Therefore doth Amos begin O Lord God forgive I beseech thee as expecting a good issue from the trouble in the pardon of their sin 10. Such as are truly convinced of and humbled under the sense of sin will be driven to seek for a free pardon as their onely refuge and will be far from thoughts of their own deservings or of their ability to rid themselves of that burden for such is Amos request forgive I beseech thee 11. Trouble will soon exhaust and bring a people so low as there will be no visible effectual mean of their restauration were they never so potent before for so much is imported in that question by whom shall Jacob arise that they were fallen and neither could they raise themselves nor were there any other to help
them 12. When the Lord brings a Church so low and they are sensible of their sin such a condition calls on them who are sensible to betake themselves to God as Amos doth here and they are warranted to cleave to a Covenant interest imported in the name of Jacob with whom the Covenant was made or renewed to plead in faith against the utter ruine of a Church and her falling without recovery for the question laieth this as a principle that Jacob must arise and upon that he pleads against their hoplesse condition and they are warranted to make use of their own weak and low condition as an argument of pity Therefore it is sub-joined for he is small 13. The Lord is very willing to be intreated and upon intreaty to divert and moderate his stroaks especially during the time of his long suffering for this it shall not be to wit to undo them quite saith the Lord his word is enough for it 14. Whatever be the carriage of men under calamities Yet it is Gods mercy and gracious condescendence that is alone to be magnified in any moderation or favour they meet with for The Lord repented for this or of this c. It was his gracious condescending to change his dealing as men do when they repent that produced this favourable sentence Verse 4. Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me and behold the Lord God called to contend by fire and it devoured the great deep and did eat up apart 5. Then said I O Lord God cease I beseech thee by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small 6. The Lord repented for this This also shall not be saith the Lord God The second type and vision pointing out Gods long-suffering is of fire devouring the great deep or drying up the springs which come from it and consuming a part of the land the progresse whereof is stopped upon the intercession of Amos as the former was This also being a type represented in a vision needs not to be understood literally of fire or drought whereby some parts of that Kingdome were afflicted chap. 4.7.8.9 but it seemeth to point out other sadder calamities which like fire threatned to devour the whole Kingdome which may be here signified by the great deep or a confluence of waters as usually great Nations are signified by waters Rev. 17.1.15 and did consume it in part when their power was broken and weakned their men killed and the sword famine and pestilence succeeding one another or coming together had almost ruined them And particularly it seemeth to relate to the stroaks inflicted by Hazael and his son which had undone them if the Lord had not raised up Jeroboam the second to interpose 2. Kings 14.23 27 and it may be also to the stroaks inflicted by the Assyrians before their final overthrow Doct. 1. Lesser corrections and moderation and favour shewed in them are ofttimes so abused as draweth on new and sadder stroaks for this followed after the former when they had made no use of them nor of their deliverance from them 2. Such as will contend and strive with God and will not be bettered by his dealing do provoke him to strive with them yet more and he hath still more and sadder stroaks and instruments to inflict them and power to make them effectual for he called to his fitted instruments to contend against their stubbornnesse by a new judgement of fire and it devoured By all which he proveth himself to be the Lord God as here he is twice designed 3. The wrath of God pursuing an inpenitent people is so violent and irresistible as no indeavours of men can stand in its way or stop the course thereof Therefore it is compared to fire devouring the great deep and eating up a part and ready to devour all if God had not recalled it 4. It is the duty of Gods people not to be weary of prayer and intercession in times of calamitiy even albeit they should increase and a people grow still worse for Amos intercedes again upon this new occasion though greater and though the people were so much the more hardened by their abuse of Gods former dealing 5. Albeit Gods faithful servants be ofttimes ill-beloved and hated by a wicked people yet they are indeed their best friends and special means by their intercession of drawing down any blessings which they enjoy for so did Amos prove to Israel however they could not endure him 6. The same arguments for coming speed in prayer must not be cast away even when a people have abused Gods accepting of them but may yet be pleaded before him in new straits for albeit the people made ill use of Gods favouring them in mercy upon the grounds of Amos pleading yet he reneweth the same sure in this new difficulty onely in place of pardon and forgiving he pleads that God would cease or forbeare to strike further and consume them by it as being a visible effect of pardon which he desires may be manifested or as pointing out what it is to grant a National pardon to the body of a people to wit That the Lord would so far passe over their provocations as not to destroy them from being a Church and Nation though by peece-meal he cut off all the particular offenders were they never so many yea and punish them eternally for their sins See Numb 14.19 20 21 22 23. 7. The Lords compassion is not so exhausted by letting forth it selfe in former exigents nor yet by a peoples abusing the effects thereof but he hath still bowels of mercy ready upon prayers and intercessions to respect them and it is not once but often that he moderates the afflictions of his people before he utterly consume them For upon this second intercession for this stubborn people Amos finds the same mercy in God and gets the same answer that formerly And albeit Amos was an eminent Prophet yet he was a man subject to like passions and may be an encouragement to others Jam. 5.17 Verse 7. Thus he shewed me and behold the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb-line with a plumb-line in his hand Verse 8. And the Lord said unto me Amos what seest thou and I said A plumb-line Thou said the Lord Behold I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel I will not again pass by them any more The scope of this third type and vision of the Lords standing upon a wall made by a plumb-line c. is to shew that the Lord will not deale so favourably with this people as formerly But as he had like a Master builder building a straight wall by a plumb-line erected them into a Nation and orderly state and had given them an excellent rule and line of lawes whereby they ought to have squared their actions So since they were so far degenerate and were neither excited by lighter rods nor drawen to repentance by heavier judgements nor wrought upon by his favours He will not
it yet God will make them hear ere all be done Therefore is it subjoined to the former sentence Hear this O ye c. 2. Oppression of the poor is an inhumane beastly sin and a great cause of Gods controversie against a land provoking him to prove himself higher then the highest Eccl. 5.8 Therefore is this brought in as his quarrel and pointed out as a beastly sin ye swallow up the needy or pant and gape to get him swallowed down even to make the poor of the land to fail And albeit this be the sin of the richer sort onely yet it is held out as the cause of the lands destruction Because however the poorer have their own sins yet the greater sort are ordinarily ring-leaders in procuring National judgements and it may be here the meaner followed the footsteps of the greater so far as they had power 3. As the covetous are never without their own sorrows were they never so thriving 1. Tim. 6.9 so it is matter of sad challenge when the cares of the world turn an enemy unto and make men weary of Religion and attendance upon the duties thereof And when men not onely have their hearts upon the world on sabbaths and times of religious duties but do look on all these as distractions and matters in the by and make the world and gain their great earand for this was their fault here When will the new moon be gone that we may sell corn and the sabbath that we may set forth wheat They mention onely sabbaths and new moons though they had other solemnities because these recurred more frequently and other solemnities came about but once a year and therefore did not so often vexe them And if this was a land destroying sin how much more is God provoked when men dare openly by actions profane the Sabbath and neglect duties of worship See Neh. 13.15 16. c. 4. When men do make a prey of the poor by falsifying of wares measures weights and coine they will finde that they do highly provoke God whatever they gain thereby for such is the challenge they make the ephah small and the shekel great by adding to the weight whereby it is weighed They falsifie the balances by deceit either in weighing money or other commodities and they sell the refuse of the wheat 5 As the Lord seeth it meet to exercise some with poverty and by putting them in the reverence of great men so their condition is not onely an exercise to themselves but a trial to others wherein God takes special notice how they are intreated Therefore doth the Lord challenge for what they did to the poor and needy 6. Albeit oppression in the matter of goods and means be very intolerable and horrid yet that is but little in comparison of injuries done to the persons of men and when for small things the poor are brought in bondage slavery or restraint for they buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of shoes or for a mean thing they made bondmen of them abusing that law Lev. 25.39 Verse 7. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob Surely I will never forget any of their works Followeth an explication and enlargement of the grievousnesse of the judgements formerly denounced for these sins This is contained in several branches The first whereof holds out in general that certainly punishment would ensue the Lord having sworn by himself that he would not forget their carriage but put all their doings upon their account till he return them a meet recompence Whence learn 1. When wrath is most deserved and ready to be let forth men are ordinarily least sensible and will least beleeve it Therefore must the sentence be again confirmed by an oath which is the third time an oath is given in this prophecy See chap. 4.2 and 6.8 2. The Lord swears here by the excellency of Jacob which is himself seeing he cannot swear by another Heb. 6.13 and he is expressly called the excellency or glory of his people Psal 106.20 Luk. 2.32 And by this title he would teach 1. That nothing beside God can make a people truly excellent enjoy what dignity and excellency they will 2. That it is the great ingratitude and dittay of a people when being excellent through him they do not acknowledge him nor walk answerable for it is to aggreage their sin that he gives himself this title in this sentence 3. That whatever be mens confidence in their priviledges Yet when they provoke God they will be disappointed yea their sin will turn what they gloried most in to plead against them Therefore also is this brought in in the sentence Doct. 1. Oaths when men are called to give them should be taken and given with much gravity reverence and dread for so much may be imported in the way of this oath of the Lord which is in the Original if I ever forget c. which imports not onely the certainty of what he swears as it is translated and therefore the certification is suppressed in silence But this covering of it in silence doth import that men in giving an oath should tremble at the very mentioning of what will follow if they sweare falsly 4. Albeit an impenitent people when they are spared do think that all is forgotten Yet they have Gods word and oath for it that where pardon is not obtained through Christ the account is but growing and that all their sins lesser and greater will at last be brought forth to make their case the sadder when he reckons for all together for saith he Surely I will never forget any of their works He will remember all of them and not any of them but they shall be brought out in the processe Verse 8. Shall not the land tremble for this and every one mourn that dwelleth therein and it shall rise up wholly as a flood and it shall be cast out and drowned as by the flood of Egypt In the second branch of this enlargement of the sentence it is declared that as the very land might be astonished and shake at their provocations which their consciences could tell them was deserved so it should be filled with horrible confusions causing all to lament And that they should no more get dwelling or abiding in it then if it were drowned and overflowed as Egypt is at some seasons by the River Nilus This seemeth to be the sense of this verse the first part thereof concerning the lands trembling imports not onely that the insensible earth might tremble under such a burden of sin and sinners and be ready to testifie its indignation against them as it may be he speaks this about the time of that earthquake chap. 1. 1. and pointing at it But further it imports there should be horrible confusions upon the land as if it were trembling to cast them out of it and make them mourn as it is subjoined and so the speech is taken Psalm 60.2 and 75. 3. The
they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord and shall not finde it Fifthly Whereas they were now so desirous to be rid of the word The Lord threatens that in their extremities they should be deprived of it and should not finde it though they seek after it Whence learn 1. The word of the Lord should be and is unto the Soule what food is to the body for refreshing and strengthening thereof for keeping it in life and enabling to action and work Therefore is the want thereof called famine in the land See Job 23.12 2. When the word is despised and men be weary of it God is justly provoked to take it from them for whereas the false priest expresseth their general temper chap. 7.12 13. now the dayes come Saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the land of hearing the words of the Lord. 3. As mens Souls are better then their bodies and their eternal welfare to be preferred to a natural life So a famine of the word is a sadder stroak and speaks more wrath then if the Lord should let a Nation starve for want of meat and drink Therfore is it expressed so as not a famine for bread nor a thirst for water which were a small matter in comparison of this but of hearing the words of the Lord And therefore also is a Behold prefixed to it 4. Greatest despisers of the word and they who would think it their great mercy to be rid of the trouble thereof may yet come into extremities wherein they shall misse the word and would be glad of it and take much pains to enjoy it for they shall wander and run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord. 5. It is righteous with God that they who contemne the word when it is offered and do misse and seek it in trouble onely out of the sense of calamities to get ease of them and not out of any sense of sin or desire of true spiritual comfort It is righteous I say with God that such should come no speed in seeking after the word though they take never so much pains to run through all the corners of the land for they shall wander from sea to sea and from the north even to the east they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord and shall not finde it Where in assigning the borders of the land the onely difficulty is that as the great sea was on the west so the other is placed south which elsewhere is said to lie eastward But it sufficeth us that however the dead sea lay eastward to Judah yet it lay south or southeast to Israel or it may be conceived that the sea on the south is the red sea which sometime is put for the border of the land Exod. 23.31 It is further to be considered that however he speak of their wandering with relation to the bounds of the land of Canaan yet it appeareth not that they had that want before their captivity for not onely had they prophets still in Judah if they had been so earnest but it is probable Hosea continued till their final captivity But as it is usual to describe the several quarters of the earth with relation to the borders of Canaan and under the same names So it seemeth to be the sense that in their exile they should seek for the word in all quaters and not finde it Verse 13. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst Sixthly He threatens that their calamities should be such as the very young men should not be able to endure them and fair and tender virgins should not be respected but should succumb under them By thirst here we may understand either literally the want of food and drink or figuratively that they should finde no refreshment nor comfort under their troubles as Hos 2.3 Whence learn 1. When the Lord removes his word from a people it is an evidence of sad plagues following upon it and of much fainting discouragement without hope of issue under them for after that threatning v. 11.12 it followeth in that day shall they faint for thirst Either shall they be plagued with famine or left under that or the like rod without all refreshment and comfort and that not for a fit but till they faint again 2. Mens natural strength and vigout as it comes far short of what strength God gives unto his faint people Isa 40.29 30 31. so especally it will not endure not carry through under calamities and judgements for sin for the young men shall faint 3. When God is provoked against a Nation he will not respect nor spare them whose condition otherwise pleads for pitty for neither fair and tender virgins nor growing up youth and posterity are here spared Verse 14. They that swear by the sin of Samaria and say Thy God O Dan liveth and the manner of Beersheba liveth even they shall fall and never rise up again Lastly He thretens that all Idolaters Such as all they were that worshipped the Calves at Bethel Dan or Beersheba or any other place should chiefly suffer and perish without hope of remedy And this not onely contains a threatning but poynts out also another cause together with their oppression v. 4.5.6 of these threatned judgements Their idolatrous worship is expressed by swearing which is frequently put for all religious worship as is marked on Zeph. 1.5 And several sorts of it are expressed here And namely that they did swear by their Idols which were maintained by their chief city Samaria though it was their sin and not their God That though they pretended to worship the true God in this and to swear by his name Yet they did not honour him as he revealed himselfe in his word and is acknowledged in his true Church but did swear by him as he was worshiped in Dan and by the God whose way and manner of service they had erected at Beersheba And so they gave that honour to their Idols and calves immediately and pretended to offer it to God onely in and by these Idols Doct. 1. God hath a special controversie against Idolaters and corrupters of Religion in his Church Therefore is there a peculiar threatning against such 2. The true God will not acknowledge any service as done to him which is offered in any Idolatrous way and in and by Idols and Images Nor will he acknowledge that he is the God who is worshipped and acknowledged in such away for albeit to swear by the true God be a part of his worship Yet he makes it a quarrel that they swear by him as represented by their Idols and as he is served in Dan and in Beersheba after their devices They swear by the sin of Samaria and say Thy God O Dan liveth and the manner of Beersheba liveth 3. Idolatry will be especially charged upon these who are chiefe in promoting and entertaining thereof for in that respect
their Idols are called Samaria's though it may be understood also of Bethel which was within the territory of Samaria 4. When men reckon rightly they will finde that Idolatry is their great sin and the chiefe cause of Gods quarrel and not the matter of their confidence Therefore it shall be called the sin of Samaria 5. Whatever the Lord may do unto the body of a Nation after he hath afflicted them Yet it is just with him to prove his displeasure against Idolaters therein by consumeing them utterly without restitution for even they shall fall and never rise up again CHAP. 9. FOr the right taking up of the scope of this chap. we are to consider that the vision of the Lord standing upon the Altar c. v. 1. is not to be understood of the Altars of their Idols nor of their temples in Israel with which the Lord had never any thing to do but of the Temple of Jerusalem And so as they were chalenged and sentenced together Chap. 6. so here over again this sentence is confirmed to be irrevocable against both And by the Lords joyning of Judah who had some forme of external lawful worship and their Temple in the sentence with Idolatrous Israel he would let them see what great cause they had to be affraid Withal they are thus joyned in the sentence that so way may be made for the following promises v. 8.9 11. c. which are common to both In the first part of this chap. by a new type and vision is signified the cutting off of the Nation of Israel comprehending Judah also both great and small wherein there should be no escaping v. 1. seeing there is no sleeing from God when he pursues in anger as he would do them v. 2.3 4. which is further confirmed from the great power of God v. 5.6 and their sinfulnesse and basenesse v 7. In the second part of the chap. this sentence and the rest of these hard messages are sweetened and moderated by a twofold promise First which qualifies the extremity thereof for the present that God will spare a remnant in the midst of these calamities and that though he destroyed the prophane body of the Nation yet he will reserve them v. 8. and will not lose them however he scatter and tosse the Nation v. 9. and do cut off prophane Atheists v. 10. Secondly which followeth upon the former in due time he promiseth to restore the Church of Israel and raise up a Gospel Church under Christ comparable to the condition of Israel of old v. 11. to enlarge the Church by the addition of the Gentiles unto them v 12. to blesse them with prosperity v. 13. And particularly that he will recollect restore and establish Israel v. 14.15 Verse 1. I Saw the Lord standing upon the altar and he said Smite the lintel of the door that the posts may shake and cut them in the head all of them and I will slay the last of them with the sword be that fleeth of them shall not flee away and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered The scope of the type and summe of the sentence in this v is that by the Lords command to his instruments to smite the lintel of the door till the posts upholding it do shake is signified not onely the destruction of the Temple but the cutting off of great and small of the people which is declared to be a stroak which none of them should escape Doct. 1. Despised ordinances will at last bring sad judgements and mens conceit of their service and Gods former savour and acceptance thereof will not hold it off So much is signified by the Lords standing upon or beside the Alter which not onely imports that his glory is now removed from the mercy seat and come that length as Ezek. 9.3 and that he is standing ready to execute his judgements but that the sentence cometh from the abused Altar and that God cares for no other sacrifice there but a sacrifice of men and that the place of propitiation where they thought to please him however they sinned is now turned into a seat of justice Therefore also is the Commission given to the executioners while they stand beside the brazen Altar Ezek. 9.2 Even Gods mercy-seat will be terrible to impenitent sinners 2. Gods smiting of his own house is a sad presage to a people and his not sparing his own Church may cause others tremble who are yet worse then they for therefore is use made of such a type he said to his prepared instruments smite the lintel of the door which was graven with flowers and so gets the name from them that the posts may shake whereby is signified that he was to destroy that Temple and the service thereof as a pledge of Judah's ruine and by this sentence against Judah he lets Israel see what they may expect And albeit this smiting of the lintel of the door and shaking of the posts may import that it is a chiefe mean of ruining a Church when the doors of discipline and order are broken down yet that is not to be strictly pressed but the general scope is to shew that it should be a ruinous house And withal beside what relates to the Temple it selfe it may point at what is further typified thereby that as the stroak on the lintel did shake the posts so the ruine of the Nation should begin at the stroaks that were to come upon the great ones as is after cleared 3. When God is angry against a Nation he will not spare great nor small but by cutting off these in eminency he will expose the people to ruine for as smiting the lintel made the posts to shake so saith he cut them in the head all of them or cut the head and great ones and I will slay the last of them or the meaner sort with the sword 4. However men may think to secure themselves when God is angry yet all will be in vain There is no way of escaping his indignation nor will probable means secure them for he that fleeth of them shall not flee away but shall be over taken and he that escapeth of them from one stroak or at one time shall not be delivered from another stroak or at another time Verse 2. Though they dig into hell thence shall mine hand take them though they climbe up to heaven thence will I bring them down 3. And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea thence will I command the serpent and he shall bit them 4. And though they go into captivity before their enemies thence will I command the sword and it shall slay them and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil and not for good This last part of the sentence concerning their not escaping is further amplified and enlarged wherein it is declared that wherever
they can flee to for shelter he is omnipresent and able to reach them and will do so Though they should dig into hell or the depths of the earth or climbe up to heaven yet he will take them and bring them down In tops of mountains he will finde them out in depths of the Sea he hath monsters ready to bite and devour them and their thinking to escape by yeelding unto enemies and being carried into captivity will not for all that preserve them from the sword It is also further declared that the Lord will do all this in his great displeasure against them which shall watch over them for evil and not for good Doct. 1. Secure and and presumptuous sinners are endlesse in multiplying false confidences and even when trouble breaks out upon them they will not be driven to God nor see their extreame danger but are ready to think they will finde wayes abundant to get out for so is here imported in all these suppositions of digging to hell climbing to heaven c. which shew how many shiftes they dreamed of to avoid this sentence even albeit it should break forth in execution 2. Among other deluding confidences whereby secure sinners think to shelter themselves this is one that they think their captivity and former troubles lying on should be a reason why no more should be laid upon them Therefore is that brought in among the rest though they go into captivity before their enemies because they reckoned that being already captives either their enemies with whom they had capitulate would spare them or God who had thus afflicted them would therefore forbeare to strike them any more 3. All the defences creatures can seek unto are to no purpose against an angry God were they more then they are He is omnipresent and cannot be fled from Psal 139.7.8 c. He is powerful to destroy having armies and instruments of vengeance everywhere for so is here held out and all these suppositions of climbing to heaven digging to hell hiding in the bottom of the sea c are here produced not that they could do so much for their own safety but to shew how vain their confidences were seeing albeit they could do much more yet it would not availe them 4. It is righteous with God not to rest satisfied with the subduing yea and captivity of an incorrigible and impenitent people but to pursue them with the sword in all the corners where they are carried captives for so is threatned here Though they go into captivity before their enemies thence will I command the sword and it shall slay them See Ezek. 5.2 5. It is a sad addition to the weight and bitternesse of stroaks when they flow from anger and are inflicted in displeasure Therefore it is added to the rest and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil c. which is borrowed from among men who as they look with delight on these they affect so their anger against these they are displeased with appeares in their lookes and their watching all advantages to be about with them 6. God pursuing in anger is too sore a party for a sinner He can take advantage of them at every step to deprive them of all good and afflict them with all kinde of evils and when sinners are so crossed and afflicted on every hand they are bound to read the vigilant displeasure and severity of God in it for so much is imported in this I will set mine eyes upon them for evil and not for good that he will be so to say intent and watchful to reach them as he can easily do See Jer. 44.11 and this is yet the sadder that a reconciled people have a contrary promise Jer. 24.6 Verse 5. And the Lord God of hosts is he that toucheth the land and it shall melt and all that dwelleth therein shall mourn and it shall rise up wholly like a flood and shall be drowned as by the flood of Egypt 6. It is be that buildeth his stories in the heaven and hath founded his troup in the earth he that calleth for the waters of the sea and poureth them out upon the face of the earth the Lord is his Name This whole sentence is further confirmed in these verses from the power of God who is the Lord God of hosts and whose power appeareth in that with a touch he can dissolve the land as with a melting fire and fill it with confusions to make all the inhabitants to mourn and can make it as inhabitable as if it were drowned v. 5. It is he also who by his wisdome and power created the heavens and several regions of the aire as so many stories one above another Psa 104.3 13. who hath variety of creatures as so many troups on earth to serve him and who sendeth out the waters of the sea upon the earth by rain or inundations By all which he proveth himselfe to be Jehovah v. That which is spoken of him v. 5. is the same in substance and almost in words with chap. 8.8 and may be either a repetition of that same particular threatning whereby he undertakes to prove his power and repeats it that they may think more seriously upon it Or it may be taken in general as pointing out what he can do to any land or the whole earth and what he hath done at some times that so he may rouze up this secure people That also which is in the close of verse 6. is again repeated from chap. 5.8 as a doctrine to be much studied Likewise that passage v. 6. he hath founded his troup in the earth may also be thus understood that he hath established the earth as a bundle as the word signifies and a foundation to that stately fabrick of the heaven and stories thereof whereof mention is formerly made Or that he hath founded his bundle upon or beside the earth that is the sea or gathering together of waters which God hath set bounds unto and made it one globe with the earth Any of these interpretations may well enough consist with the scope which is to set forth the great power of God Doct. 1. It is one great sin and snare of sinners that they little consider what God is with whom they have to do and that much pains will not so make him known to them as they may see him formidable while they are in a sinful course Therefore is so much pains taken to inculcate this doctrine 2. General notions of Gods essence and power are not sufficient to make sinners know him unlesse they study to consider him more distinctly as he reveals himselfe Therefore it is not enough to say he is the Lord God of hosts but it is further declared who he is and wherein that appears it is he that toucheth the land c. 3. Albeit the earth be all that carnal men desire and do rest upon when they may enjoy it yet it is easie for God to make the earth
feele his power when men will not tremble and to make it uncomfortable and full of sorrow to them and drive them from off the face thereof with deluges of troubles for it is he who toucheth the land and it shall melt and all that dwell therein shall mourn and it shall rise up wholly like a flood c. 4. Gods power and dominion is universal in heaven and earth in sea and dry land so that there is no escaping of him And the glory of his power doth shine and may be read in the creating of the glorious heavens and ordering of the several regions of the aire and all that is in them in establishing of the earth and seas and in having so many armies at his command ready to execute his command against his enemies All this is held forth in this description of God as it is before explained it is he that buildeth his stories in the heavens and and hath founded his troup in the earth And these visible and ordinary evidences of Gods power are so much insisted on partly to shew how much of him doth shine in these though they be little observed by most for that end partly to shew how much of him spiritual mindes will see in these things having so broad a book open wherever they turn them But chiefly to shew how stupide this people was now become that they did not take up the dreadfulnesse of God as he revealed himselfe in his word to his Church but they must be led out to study him in these things whereby he reveals himselfe to all the world as well as to them 5. Gods power over the waters to call them out of the sea and pour them out on the earth may also serve to affright impenitent sinners when they consider how he can raise up and bring about their calamities in a strange and insensible way as vapours are insensibly drawn out of the sea and gathered in clouds above our heads and then poured down And when they consider how he can and will alter the course of nature and overturn what seemeth most established before they want a scourge as when he causeth the sea transgresse the bounds set unto it and overflow the earth Therefore also is this instance made use of He calleth for the waters of the sea and poureth them out upon the face of the earth 6. God is then rightly seen and acknowledged in his workings when he is taken up to be Jehovah who is of himselfe and from whom is the beginning and continuance of the being of all the creatures and therefore to be adored and obeyed by all Therefore is it subjoined to all this Jehovah is his Name Verse 7. Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me O children of Israel saith the Lord have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt and the Philistines from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir A further confirmation of this sentence is taken from their sinfulnesse and ill deservings For whereas they might object against this sad sentence that they were come of religious and holy Progenitours and were adopted to be his peculiar people He declareth not onely that he did that freely but that their carriage was more like the Ethiopians then the children of Abraham or Israelites and therefore he would deale with them as such And whereas they might reply that he had proven a peculiar interest in them by delivering them from Egypt He answers that the like external favour had been shewed to the Philistians and Syrians and they needed no more boast of the one then they of others the like since their behaviour was no better then theirs As for what is said of the Philistines that he brought them from Caphtor we finde indeed that they and the Caphtorims were of one stock of people Gen. 10.14 But it is not so clearely determined in Scripture how they were brought out from Caphtor whether it was that after the Caphtorims had captivated them in their country the Lord had delivered them from thence by his providence and brought them to the land they now possessed Or whether they and these of Caphtor were incorporated in one people and were delivered from some common slavery in their own country and brought to the country they now dwelt in Yet this last seemes to be more aggreeable to what is elsewhere recorded as Deut. 2.23 where the Caphtorims are said to have possessed the land of the Avims even unto Azzah or Gaza And Jer. 47.4 the Philistines are also called the remnant of the country of Caphtor As for the other instance of bringing the Syrians or Aramites and not the Assyrians as diverse of our translations read it from Kir we finde that they were to be carried captive to Kir about this time or shortly after chap. 1.5 2. Kings 16.9 But it is not so safe to understand this passage here as a prediction of their future return from thence spoken of as if it were already done For the Prophet is convincing them by things already done and it seemes rather to relate to some old story not mentioned elsewhere of their deliverance from thence and when the Assyrians subdued them they sent them back thither again as run-awayes are returned to their old Masters Doct. 1. A sinful peoples priviledges are turned by them into a great snare whileas it hides from them the odiousnesse of their sin and the punishments they deserve thereby Therefore must this be refuted and their condition pointed out in its native colours to them 2. Whatever marks of favour God put upon a people differencing them from others yet they have no cause of boasting thereof before him who gave it and made the difference for are not ye as children of the Ethiopians unto me may import so much that before him they were nothing better of themselves but were all of them his creatures and all alike unworthy and corrupt till he of free grace made them to differ and what they had was all his own and of him See Deut. 7.6 7 8. 3. Whatever priviledges be conferred upon a visible Church yet that will not hide their sin and provocations nor do they secure them against Gods displeasure when they sin far lesse do they afford them cause of boasting for so much is further and more expessly held forth here are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me or I account of you as such O children of Israel saith the Lord See Joh. 8.44 4. Not onely will not priviledges hide a peoples sin but as a priviledged people may strangly degenerate so the Lord will account them as base as the basest of the people when they do so and so much the baser as they have sinned against so great mercies and being in such a state as he advanced them unto Therefore are they resembled to and compared with not every fort of people but the Ethiopians whether Arabians or the Southerne Ethiopians I will not determine either
at large prosecute Gods Controversie against Israel especially in sharp accusations and sad sentences for the many hainous iniquities committed both by private and publick persons against both first and second Tables of the Law His Scope in all which is to invite them to repentance and if they continued obstinate that God might be justified in his judgements and they rendered inexcusable This taske he performes in such sharp and concise termes as might testifie how his heart filled with zeal and love to God stood affected to their way and with very little intimation of any hope of future mercie till towards the end wherein he brings forth Gods purpose of love and in the very close summeth up all with Evangelical and ample promises to them CHAP. I. IN this Chap. we have 1. The Inscription of the whole Prophecy ver 1.2 A typicall accusation of Israel for their Idolatry v. 2 3. 3. A prediction of several degrees of calamities to come upon them under the type of three children brought forth to the Prophet By the first whereof is intimated the judgement to come on Jehu's posterity and on the Kingdome thereby v 3 4 5. By the second is signified a further stroke upon them in their begun captivity by the Assyrians v. 6. In opposition to which there is a promise of mercy and deliverance to Judah v. 7. And by the type of the third childe is held forth their utter rejection in their finall captivity v. 8 9. 4. We have subjoyned unto these threatenings some Gospel-promises of the increase of the Israel of God v. 10. and of the recollections of Judah and Israel under Christ their Head v. 11. Vers 1. NHe word of the LORD that came unto Hosea the son of Beeri in the dayes of Vzziah Jotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Judah and in the dayes of Jeroboam the son of Joash King of Israel THe Inscription of the Prophecy holds forth 1. The Pen-man of this Doctrine described from his own and his Fathers Name concerning whom since we read no more it were needlesse curiosity to dip further in it seeing that is not the great businesse to be here looked to 2. The Divine authority of this Doctrine and his calling to publish it 3. The time of his Ministery which is reckoned by the reignes of the Kings of Judah in that time though he preached unto Israel because as would appear the fearful miscarriages of most of these Kings and the confusions occasioned thereby rendered them unworthy of being taken notice of by God Only Jeroboam the second one of Jehu's race is mentioned partly to shew that he did not begin to Prophesy toward the end of Uzziah's reigne but even in Jeroboams time who began his reigne before Uzziah or Azariah 2 Kings 14.23 and 15.1 and ended it a good while before him 2 Kings 15.8 and so it intimates that he Prophesied long and continuing in the dayes of Hezekiah it is likely that he saw the captivity of Israel which was in the sixth year of Hezekiah 2 Kings 18.10 partly this is marked to shew that Hosea began thus to Prophesy not when the declining condition of affaires under the succeeding Kings might represent to any these sad things which he foretold but when Israel was in a most flourishing condition as it was under this King 2 Kings 14.23 25. From this Inscription Learn 1. Whoever be the instrument that carrieth the Lords message it is still our duty to study the Divine Authority of his Word and Messages sent by them that so we may know whereon to lane that we may be attentive considering we have to do with God and not with men and vain terrours from them and that it may take the envy of any hard Message from off instruments as flowing no way from their humors or desire to disturbe the common tranquillity For these causes is the Divine Authority of this Prophecy in particular asserted it is The word of the Lord to Hosea the son of Beeri See 2 Pet. 1.20 21. 2. As it is the duty of the Lords faithful servants to preach only Gods Word to his people so for performing of this it is required not only that they have abilities and endowments but authority and a calling also which may assure them of assistance and successe in some measure and of support under any difficulties they meet with Therefore it is called The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea The Lords Word came unto him to call him to the Office and being called he received the ensuing Messages by Inspiration and extraordinary Revelation and these only be recordeth and publisheth 3. Such is the goodnesse and long-suffering of God as not to give up with his sinful people at first but he will pursue them with messages from himself even for a long time and till their case prove irrecoverable For so much doth he manifest by continuing Hosea in his Ministery for so long a time notwithstanding their Apostasy The word of the Lord came unto Hosea in the dayes of Uzziah Jotham Ahaz and Hozekiah c. See 2 Chron. 36.14 15 16. 4. It may be the lot of the Lords faithful servants that when they have spent their time and strength for a long time among a people yet they become worse and go to ruine For notwithstanding Hoseas paines for so long a time yet Israel was not converted but sent into captivity as his own Doctrine and the History of these times bear witnesse See Isa 49.4 5. It is the commendation of thâ— Lords faithful servants that as length of time doth not make them weary of their hard toile and apparently fruitlesse labours so in varierie of times and changes they remaine the same For notwithstanding the many revolutions in the time of Hoseas Ministery yet he bears out in his calling and is uniforme in his Doctrine 6. As the Lord may have sad strokes coming on a people when they are in the height of prosperity and have overcome all their outward enemies So however wicked people do abuse their prosperity and turne it into a snare for themselves yet spiritual observers will not be blinded therewith but will see sad wrath under all of it ready to break forth For this message containing sad threatenings came in the dayes of Jeroboam the son of Joash King of Israel when Israel was flourishing and then the Prophet saw it 7. It is in special commendation of faithfull Ministers when the prosperity of an impenitent people doth not tempt them to Prophesy smooth things but they denounce wrath most stoutly against a people liable to it when the Lords dispensations seem to promise the contrary Therefore in the dayes of Jeroboam when all seemed to go well and when therefore faithful Prophets could hardly be suffered Amos 7.10 12. even then doth he so freely plead the Lords controversie Ver. 2. The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea And the LORD said to Hosea Go take unto thee a wife