which draws nigh to be given to you for an inheritance but I shall leave that as the work of one more knowing in those great and deep mysteries of the Fathers love then my self being one who hath more need to learn and to be taught of the meanest and weakest amongst you and indeed none can make you sensible of these things but the Spirit himself Onely I have out of that feast of far things of marrow and wine upon the lees well refined that God hath prepared for his chosen ones I say Out of that feast I have gathered a collation for you made up of such dainties as I conceive most suitable to your present state and condition Mal. 3.16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name Mic. 4.13 Arise and thresiâ— O daughter of Sion for I will make thy â—orn iron and I will make thy hoofs brass and thou shalt beat in pieces many people and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth Isa 17.13 14. The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters but God shall rebuke them and they shall flee far off and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the winde and as a rolling thing before the whirlwinde and behold at evening-tide trouble and before the morning he is not this is the portion of them that spoil us and the lot of them that rob us Isa 4.2 3 4 5. In that day shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel and it shall come to pass that he that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy even every one that is written among the living in Ierusalem when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughter of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgement and by the spirit of burning and the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoak by day and the shining of flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence Yea the Lord will answer Joel 2.19 32. and say unto his people Behold I will send you corn and wine and oil and ye shall be satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen and it shall come to pass that whosover shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered for in mount Sion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call For unto us a child is born Isa 9.6 7. unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace Of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to estabish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever Fear thou not for I am with thee ch 41.10 11. be not thou dismaid for I am thy God I will strengthen the yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they that strive with thee shall perish Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable ch 43.4 and I have loved thee therefore I will give men for thee and people for thy life And the ransomed of the Lord shall return Isa 35.10 and come to Sion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away The meek also shall encrease their ch 29.19 20 21. joy in the Lord and the poor among men shall rejoyce in the holy One of Israel for the terrible one is brought to nought and the scorner is consumed and all that watch for iniquity are cut off that make a man an offender for a word and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate and turn aside the just for a thing of nought ch 54.17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me saith the Lord. Mal. 4.1 2 3. For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an Oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch but unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with heaâ—ing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall and ye shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this saith the Lord of hosts Fear not O land Joel 2.21 be glad and rejoyce for the Lord will do great things The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this Isa 9.7 What shall one then answer the messengers of the nations ch 14.32 that the Lord hath founded Sion and the poor of his people shall trust in it Make hast my beloved Cant. 8.14 and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountaines of spices I am come into my garden Cant. 5.1 my sister my spouse I have gathered my myrrhe with my spice I have eaten my hony-combe with my hony I have drunk my wine with my milk eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved Zac. 12.3 And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burthensome stone for all people all that burthen themselves with it shall be cut in peices though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it Luke 21.34 And take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts he overcharged with surfeting and drunkenness and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares FINIS
and people of the Lord that mourned for the sins of the Land Yea so exemplary they were in their outward holiness and obedience This piece of â—olicie is one of â—he chief recreâ—tions of our â—ehu's that the Prophet takes up a parable from them to condemn the house of Israel in vers 14. Now Iehu engages these holy men and of what advantage is it to him Verily it 's of exceeding great advantage to him How acceptable is it to the people when the good men of their times are countenanced nourished and exalted Yea doth it not savour of much piety that he will have the good and holy men for his Counsellors Yea they must be the men that must plead for him in case he slip or discover his nakedneses they with the credit of their words with the people must cover all they must trumpet out his excellencies and pray for him and speak of him as if he were the onely Protector and Deliverer of the Lord's people from their great oppressions Yea he is not contented to have the Lords Prophets on his side from whom he had his Commission but good man he must have all good men satisfied or he will not be satisfied not so much as a Iehonadab shall be dissatisfied if he may have his will Iehu was a good and sweet-temper'd man now it 's true he was hot and furious in the field like a Lion in God's work there but is like a Lamb in his Chamber and Palace his words are smoothe as butter and oil he will maintain all good mens liberties though of different opinions and profession they are all alike dear to him O heavenly Iehu that hast such a large heart to hold all good men in it wherewithal shall we honour thee what service shâ—â—l we do thee We will joyn our selves to thee and make thy hands stâ—ong to do whatsoever thou deâ—â—est But stay good soule Iehu will turn separatist shortly and let you know when you proceed to the taking away his golden Calves his sins â—ounded on State-polâ—cy that he can tell how to separate and divide yâ—u and keep only those in his favour that will serve his turn although he turn from God 6. And lastly Iehu's policie appears in the matter of the worshippers of Baal Jehu was now at a stand he knew not what to do to root out all the Priests and worshippers of Baal he knew well enough that he could not be secure in his Throne if they continued in the Land and he forsake Baal they would remember their old friend Ahab and avenge his death if by any means they could accomplish it and he might think too that if he performed not the chief ends of God God would remove him himself and some sparks of light of conscience might tell him it was his duty and one chief end why God had anointed him King that he might destroy Baal out of Israel But it was his corrupt and deceitful heart that drew him to play the hypocrite and dissemble Now Jehu's chief motive that carried him on in all his work being his own outward glory and security in it he thought himself not safe unless Baal and his worshippers were destroyed To take courage to himself That this is an exact embleme of this present season a little time will discover and do it openly according to the command of the Lord by the voice of his Prophets his wisdom would not suffer him no that was too dangerous a course that would ruine all but he must deal wisely forsooth use policie and beat the devil with his own staff And what was this good piece of policie but to play the hypocritical dissembler In vers 18. Ahab served Baal a little but Iehu shall serve him much Jehu was acquainted with that Princely Maxime Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare He that knows not how to dissemble knows not how to reign Ahab served Baal a little he gave a little encouragement to his worship priests and worshippers small gifts and riches it may be to a favourite or here and there some eminent man he would give largely But I will serve him much I will have all to taste of my fatness and feel of my warmth enjoy the benefit of my good-will to Baal they shall all be the better for me those that could not live on the short commons of their Tythes and Oblations shall now have more In this shameful business Iehu had his Jehonadabs his outwardly-holy men to assist and counsel him but not one Prophet of the Lord appeared in it they were mourning I 'll warrant you for the sins of the Land for that black cloud that was coming over them which at best did foretel no likelihood of going up to Jerusalem to worship without more earthquakes first And now he proclaims a solemn assembly of all those idolatrous worshippers of Baal and he sends thorow all Israel that none might be wanting for he would make a great feast for Baal So that by this he set them on such work as fitted them for slaughter and destruction they must offer sacrifices to Baal put on their vestments be in all their gallantry They must take to themselves their full power not suffer one of the Lords people not one against their opâ—nion to be among them Oh how zealous a King have we Ahab was not to be compared to him for zeal for our God we shall have happie days we shall see no sorrow we shall never be removed long live Jehu let thy days be as the sand of the sea for number But stay Sir Priest make not your selves drunk in the conceit of your Elysian joys your joy shall be turned into mourning there 's death in the pot though the broth seem never so pleasant your sacrifices shall be dyed in your blood and your Baal shall be buâ—ied in your ruines But Jehu did it in subtilty to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal And thus he destroyed Baal out of Israel Good God! what vicissitudes and changes are here how mutable and uncertain is the heart of man This little world man ruling over the greater makes false deceitful reeling work Come Lord Iesus come quickly and take away this sinful wicked mouldering tottering world and give us new heavens and new earth that thy people may live to sing Hallelujahs to thee for evermore But in the Jehu's Zeal Fourth place Let us view Iehu this mighty man in his zeal O how gloriously zealous is he full of zeal and good works his heart seems on fire for God and his glory not one tittle of the word of the Lord shall fall to the ground he will slay all that belongs to the house of Ahab not leave a man to pass against the wall and as hath been before observed he will deliver the people of God fully from their oppressions and take off every heavie yoke But let us view the particulars wherein his zeal shews it self so
ominously First against the sins and wickedness of the times When he met Joram saith the King Is it peace Jehu Peace saith he What peace so long as the whoredoms witchcrafts of thy mother Jezebel are so many Peace belongs not to thee no peace with thy abominations I will not sheath my sword until I have destroyed all those Oppressions in the State and Innovations in the Church Was not this our practice in our first motions that have provoked God to wrath against the Land and hindered the people from worshipping the true God What peace with Ahab peace with Iezebel No you shall know I am raised up and inspired by God to avenge the blood of his servants upon your heads correct your tyrannies and destroy the cause of them out of the Land I will not withdraw my hand until I have purged the Land from all those things that pollute it and Cursed be he that withholdeth his hand from shedding of blood Well said Iehu thou art hot now but thou wilt be cool enough anon when thine own turn is serv'd when thou hast done as much as is needful for thy own designes then thou wilt let Gods work go whither it will for thee they are fools and asses that mind THEN any thing more then setling the State in peace and quiet that they may enjoy the fruits of their labours Secondly his zeal puts forth it self in this He would not have one to remain alive of Baals priests he would kill them all every mothers childe yea whosoever let one of them escape his life should go for it But have a care Iehu thou art not at last as furious against the Lords own Prophets as thou art now against Baals Thirdly his zeal appears in this These things have been done visibly before our eyes That he brake down all the images of Baal and brake down the house of Baal and made it a draught house How zealous was this man for God! one would have thought that surely this man liv'd in heaven and his thoughts were always upon Jerusalem and his heart thitherward Can it be imagined how glad the hearts of the unfeigned servants of the Lord were at the sight of this Will it be counted an errour to think that their hearts heads mouths were filled with the thoughts of their going up to Jerusalem to worship and behold the glory of God in his Ordinances But alas poor hearts you are mistaken in Iehu the golden Calves in Dan and Bethel will stop you there 's no passiâ—g those ancient bounds founded upon so much State-wisdom He departed not from the sins of Ieroboam the son of Nebat Jehu's Profession In the fifth place let us view him in his profession he profest himself to be one that studyed much the minde and will of God to regulate all his actions by that model he had received from God by his Prophets Thus saith the Lord This is the word of the Lord as you may observe all along the history When he met the King what was the profession he made but that his work was the rooting out all those abominations that had provoked the Lord to anger What peace so long as the whoredoms and witchcrafts are so many When he had slain Ioram he profest he did nothing but what he was commanded of the Lord Cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Iezreelite for remember how that when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father the Lord laid this burden upon him c. He would have a Word for all his actions and nothing would he seem to do This is a true and compleat Character of some in these our reforming times but what was consonant to the minde and will of the Lord. Again when he had slain Jezebel and she was eaten by the dogs what application did he make It was the will of the Lord This is the word of the Lord which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite saying c. O heavenly man whose tongue is tipt with Scripture the experiences of the Saints and the Revelations of the Prophets When he had subtilly caused the seventy sons of Ahab to be slain what was the conclusion That the people should know that nothing of the word of the Lord should fall unto the earth which he had spoken by Elijah concerning Ahab And when he met with Iehonadab what was his profession but to be zealous for God What a profession of sincerity and plainness of heart in the cause of God did he make How curious was he of his associates and companions He would have none but such as were like himself holy men in appearance If thy heart be right as my heart come and see my zeal for the Lord be my companions otherwise not By the way observe how poor Iehu praises himself if thy heart be right as my heart he praises his own sincerity his zeal come and see my zeal there 's none like mine his grace his conformity to the will of God his performance of the Word of the Lord the effects of the Spirit upon his heart O none like his Surely he had forgot Solomon's counsel Let a stranger praise thee And did not that Pharisee write by this copie that said Lord I thank thee that I am not as that Publicane is c. And Iehu was a great Preacher too whether he were in the field or in the palace or in the gate of the city he was always preaching as the story mentions This is the word of the Lord Remember what the Lord said c. He seem'd as if he could speak no other language but the words of God Notwithstanding all this he walked not in the law of the Lord with all his heart Jehu's Hypocrisie Sixthly Let us view him in his hypocrisie How close a hypocrite was this seeming-heavenly Iehu Who could discern him to be counterfeit till he came to the touch He had as fair an outside as ever man had yet he was as a whited sepulchre full of dead mens bones within nothing but corruption and deceit lodging in his heart This man's hypocrisie appeared clearly in his dealing with Baal and his priests playing the counterfeit and dissembler with them Now what a case may we think the poor people of God were in in this time of temptation and trouble what could they do but make their complaints to their all-seeing God and Father who they knew would hear their sighs and groans Is not this the case now disputed in these our dissembling times and give an answer full of grace and love Well but when he had discovered himself but to dissemble with Baal and his Priests and to mean otherwise then he at that time pretended how could he shift off the guilt of hypocrisie before the people of God who knew by the experience they had of their own hearts that it could not stand with a sincere spirit with Water-men to look one way and
of spirit that the greatest glories here below yield yet that takes him and he is overcome and besotted so as that he cannot stir one foot from it his heart is glued to it and he commits Idolatry worships the devil that he may enjoy it all his work now is to endeavour to maintain what he hath got But Iehu it 's but for a little while thou canst keep it Here he takes up his abiding place and gives all to understand he can live by faith no longer he must now live by sense How many of such Jehu's have we in these our dayes rather then the loss of their mammon their belly-gods shall be hazarded by Christs raigning over his people in the world they will fight with sword and buckler against him and do what in them lies to hinder him Those that have formerly preached up the kingdom of Christ sounded the alarms to prepare for his coming having now joyned themselves to the powers of this world turne their note and begin to tell another tale Witness the letter sent to the Norfolk-Ministers headily and injuriously charging the people of God with things that are not true falsities but their folly shall be made manifest to all men 3. Another aggravation of Iehu's sin is this That he had commission given him from God and his people to execute the vengeance of God upon Ahab and Iezebel for the very same sins that he now commits himself onely he keeps from he more gross sins as the worshipping Baal and the like For one man to execute the judgements of God written upon another man for breaking the Laws of God and men and then to do the same things himself it 's most hainous Hosea 1.4 Surely in the end there will be found an instrument to execute the same vengeance upon thy head O Iehu which thou hast executed upon others though judgement linger out of mercy for a little while to the fourth generation It 's evident how guilty we are of the same sins our forefathers were yea those very abominations for which God hath cast out and caused the Land to spue out that generation of men before us are to be found rise amongst us worshipping the Mammon of this world Pluralities Non-residents c. with this addition The forsaking the Churches of Christ and cleaving to this present evil world for filthy lucre's sake Innovations both in State and in the Worship of God or if you will something like that course Ieroboam took to establish the Kingdom to himself is now taken in the things of a spiritual concernment what meaneth else this new invention of Tryers an Innovation a thing never heard of before that men must have a Commission from humane hands upon a humane account to preach the Gospel or else no Wages Is not this like the proceedings of the Beast Antichrist that would not suffer any to buy or sell but such as had his mark Consider I pray how neer this comes to Antichrist's making merchandise of souls Let our Jehu's look to it God will remember them in the day of his accounts when he makes enquiry for blood and out of their own mouth they shall be condemned in that they have condemned and executed the judgements written against others and committed folly with the same sins themselves 4. Another Aggravation of Iehu's sin lies in this in that God did honour him with that special anointing by a special messenger as he did none of the Kings of Israel beside since Solomon's days no not Ieroboam Indeed God sent a messenger to Ieroboam to tell him what he would do for him but he was not anointed as Iehu was One Tyrant slew another and usurp'd the Kingdom to themselves but none was anointed but Iehu he was anointed to do the Lords work yet against this Anointing against this special testimony of God did Iehu sin O ungrateful Iehu But God will reward thee according to thy works Can we shift this Aggravation also off from our selves What Anointings hath God anointed us with What special and signal Testimonies hath he given of his being with us giving us Commission to do his work and being well pleased with us for obeying his voice witness Naseby Dunbar and Worcester besides many other Read over the Story of our times and see if ever God dealt so signally-graciously with any people since Israel's time Yet against all this do we sin for the present our hearts like the stony ground received them with joy and how full of resolutions were we to do for God and to the glorifying of his Name by following him fully whithersoever he would lead us but loe how soon are we turned out of the way we are sitting still building cieled houses for our selves and making sure the kingdom that it return not from us to the Son of David though God hath said that though the heathen rag and the people imagine a vain thing and Kings and Rulers take counsel together against his anointed laughing them to scorn and having them in derision he will yet set his King upon his holy hill of Sin on and give him the utmost ends of the earth for his possession O kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little If a little wrath will perish you what ruine will that great wrath which you deserve bring speedily upon you if you prevent it not by a timely repentance 5. A fifth aggravation of Jehu's sin was this He was anointed King of the people of the Lord. This people were the Lords people and he was their God God set this Iehu ruler over this his people If they be the Lords people and the Lord be their God then he onely must he worshipped and served and feared by them they must bow down to no other Gods but him they must serve him in his own appointments not by any inventions of their own they must worship him in the place where he will be worshipped not upon the Altars of mens devising at Dan and Bethel If the people of the Lord they must walk in the Lords Wayes obey his Laws Precepts and Commands and no other All this and much more is intimated in these words The people of the Lord. And this manner of expression of the Prophet to Jehu did intimate to him that God did expect that he should lead the people on to the performing of all this God had made him the leader of his chosen ones and now he expected that he should lead them in the wayes God had chosen to communicate himself in Quest Now what benefit is this to Jehu to be King over the people of the Lord more then over any other people Answ Truely it 's a very great benefit for 1. He was in a very fair way to the fullest enjoyment of God attainable on this side heaven in his own appointments his Ordidances for being made ruler over the Lords people had
counsels that I should make thee a disolation and the inhabitants thereof an lâ—ssing therefore ye shall hear the reproach of my people Jer. 11 10 11. They are turned back to the iniquities of their fore-Fathers which refused to hear my words c. therefore thus saith the Lord Behold I will bring evil upon them which they shall not be able to escape and though they shall cry unto me I will not hearken unto them Isai 3.14 15. The Lord will enter into judgement with the ancients of his people and the Princes thereof for ye have eaten up 〈◊〉 vineyard the spoile of the poor is in your â—ouâ—â—s What mean ye thaâ— ye beat my people to peices and grinde the faces of the poor saith the Loâ—d God of hosts Mic. 1.2 â—o to thâ—m that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds when the morning is light they practice it because it is in the power of their hand Behold I am against thee Jer. 50.31 32. O thou most proud saith the Lord God of hosts for thy day is come the time that I will visit thee and the most proud shall stumble and fall and none shall raise him up and I will kâ—nale a fire in his cities and it shall devour all round about him For he bringeth down them that dwell on high Isa 26.5 6. the lofty city he layeth it low he layeth it low even to the ground he bringeth it even to the dust the foot shall tread it down even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy And I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease ch 13.11 12. and will lay low the haugheiness of the terrible I will make a man more precious then fine gold even a man then the golden wedge of Ophir How is the faithful city become an harlot it was full of judgement ch 1.21 22 23 24. and 3.25 26. and 4 1. righteousness lodged in it but now murderers thy silver is become â—hoss thy wine mixt with water thy Princes are rebellious and companions of thieves every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards â—â—â—y judge not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them Therefore thus saith the Lord the Lord of hosts Beware the mighty one of Israel Ah! I will case me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine â—nemies Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy mighty in the war and her gates shall lament and mourn and she being deâ—olate London shall sit upon the ground and in that day seven women shall take hold of one man saying we will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel onely let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach â—o unto them that joyne house to house that lay field to field ch 5 8 9. till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth In mine ears said the Lord of hosts Of a truth many houses shall be desolate even great and fair without inhabitant ch 30.1.9 10 12 13 27. Wo to the rebellious children saith the Lord that take counsel his not of me and that cover with a covering but not of my Spirit that they may adde sin to sin lying children children that will not hear the law of the Lord which say to the seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesie not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things prophesie deceits Wherefore thus saith the holy one of Israel Because ye dispise this word and trust in oppression and perversness and stay thereon Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall swelling out in a high wall whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant Behold the name of the Lord cometh from far burning with his anger and the burthen thereof is heavy his lips are full of indignation and his tongue as a devouring fire ch 6.9 10 11. And he said Go and tell this people Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed Then said I Lord How long and he answered Vntil the cities be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be utterly desolate I will send him against in hypocritical naâ—ion ch 10.6 and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoile and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire of the streets And when you spread forth your hands ch 1.15 I will hide mine eyes from you yea when you make many prayers I wll not hear your hands are full of blood Then said the Lord unto me Jer. 15.1 Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my minde could not be towards this people cast them out of my sight and let them go forth Behold Isa 59.1 2 3. the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear for your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity your lips have spoken lyes your tongue hath muttered perversness Now therefore be ye not mockers Isa 28.22 lest your bands be made strong for I have heard from the Lord of hosts a consumption even determined upon the whole earth I shall close up this discourse with a word to these three parties so neerly concerned in it Jehu Jehonadab and the people of God A word to Prince Jehu First to thou O thou mighty man have I somwhat to say thou hast been curious and lovely in thy apparel and thy face hath shin'd as if thou hadst been on the mount with Christ thy profession hath been so excellent that we have been ravished with thee we never had such hope of the satisfaction of our souls in the free service of our God in the enjoyment of the promised land in going up to Jerusalem to worship in the highest of Gods appointments as we have had in thee and wilt thou now deceive us whither shall we go to complain but to our God who anointed thee whose messenger we took thee to be yea and we are sure thou wast so long as thou didst keep in his way Thou ô Jehu didst run well who hath hindred thee who hath bewitched thee But blessed be God for anointing Jehu to do his work and blessed be God for giving Jehu a heart to do so much of the work as he hath done but what reason can be given why Jehu should play the hypocrite at the lattet end of the day Is this the reason Jehonadab counselled him so to do to take that wise course truely
Christ himself lived their policy kept them from receiving Christ the true God caused them to reject him for say they If we receive him IF WE LET HIM THVS ALONE ALL MEN WILL BELIEVE ON HIM and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation And what great afflictions and destructions it brought upon them we see in the story of the Macchabees yea what utter ruine at last overwhelmed them is evident have they not been as dung upon the face of the earth for more then 1200 yeers So that there 's nothing more clear then this That the ruine of States and Kingdomes is founded in and bottomed upon their State-policy at one time or other first or last their walking by the rules and maximes of this policy breaks them to pieces and brings them to their utter ruine Secondly consider The pernicious loathsome abomination of Jehonadabs counsel Hypocrisie is most odious to God most provoking yet Iehonadab counsels to that the righteousness of thy counsellors will not save thee ô Iehu although they have been exemplary for holiness and as a beacon upon a hill to shew men the way of life yet now they commit adultery with this grand strumpet State-policy God leaves them and they are become abominable by how much the more close and spiritual their iniquities are by so much the more wicked and abominable they are to God as the most excellent things once depraved are most vile base and abject most destructive so these men now going astray no counsel so destructive so contrary to God in the aggravations of it as theirs But now Iehu at parting I shall leave to your serious consideration some few of the words of God it may be you may get meat out of them 〈◊〉 15. â—3 28. And Samuel said Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold â—o obey is better then sacrifice and to heaâ—ken then the sat of rams 〈◊〉 6.14 Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath rejected thee from being king The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day and hath given it to a neighbour of thine that is better then thou 〈◊〉 â—3 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord even against the word of the Lord which he kepâ— not And also by the hand of the Prophet Jehu the son of Hanâ—ni 2 Kin. 16.7 came the word of the Lord against Baasha and against his house even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the Loâ—d in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands in being like the house of Jeroboam AND BECAVSE HE KILL'D HIM And he said unto him 1 King 20.42 Thus saith the Lord Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people Hosea 1.4 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 Jehu and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel Gal. 2.18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor 1 Chron. 28.3 But God said unto me Thou shall not build an house for my name because thou hast been a man of war and hast shed blood 2 Chron. 19.2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the Seer went out to meet him and said unto King Jehosaphat Shalt thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore wrath is upon thee from before the Lord. 2 Chron. 26.16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgrest against the Lord his God ch 32.25 But Hezekiâ—h rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem ch 28.10 11. And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bond-men and bond-women to you but are there not with you even with you sins against the Lord your God now hear me therefore and deliver the captives again which ye have taken captive of your brethren for the fierce wrath of God is upon you Wherefore it shall come to pass Isa 10.1 13. that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Sion and on Jerusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks For he saith By the strength of my hand I have done it and by my wisdom for I am prudent and I have removed the bounds of the people and have robbed their treasuries and I have put down the inhabitant like a valiant man The Lord of hosts hath purposed it to stain the pride of all glory ch 23.9 and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth And it came to pass 2 Chron 25.16 as he talked with him that the King said unto him Art thou made of the Kings counsel forbear why shouldst thou be smitten then the Prophet forbare and said I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not hearkened to my counsel Now the good Lord help thee Iehu that upon reading this the maist understand the minde and will of God and repent and do tâ— first works lest c. A word to Jehonadab Jehu's counsellor In the second place I have a word to speak to Iehonadab hâ— excellent hast thou been how perspicuous hath thy glory shin'd the face of men insomuch that the Princes have taken notice of thâ— and have chosen thee for their counsellour thinking surely they shoâ— be happy and prosper if such counsellors as thou art teach theâ— Thou hast been counted worthy to ride in the chariots of the noâ— of the earth and thou hast been so far taken and ravished with tâ— sight of worldly glories from those mounts that thou hast fallen down and done worship to them notwithstanding all thy excellencies and perfections thou art overcome and fallen Repent and do thy first works or else saith the Lord I will come quickly and take that away that thou hast take away thy candlesticke Thou hast climed up the ascending steps to those Altars which are not of Gods appointment and your feet have slipt and you are fallen to the discovering of all your nakedness Remedies against this thou thy self O Jehonadab hast taught the people but now the disease hath overtaken thy self may we not justly say Physitian cure thy self but thy unskilful dealing with and carelesness towards thine own soul and thy being so slightly and so easily overcome makes it appear thou art really ignorant