that is I look to God why because the place where the Temple was to be built it was not onely upon one hill but upon hils and so this expression hath reference to those two hills it was built upon the hill of Moriah and the hill of Zion which were rather but two ridges of the same as 2 Chron. 3. 1. Solomon began to build the house of the Lord upon mount Moriah and Psal 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion I look saith David unto God my Faith hath reference to that place that God hath chosen for himself that this is the meaning will appeare if we compare this with Psal 87. 1. His foundation is in the holy hils not hill but hils The respect Idolaters had to their Idols being manifested by lifting up their eyes to them therefore God commanded them that they must not so much as lift up their eyes to their idols And indeed we had need take heed in what we doe in this so much as to lift up our eyes to look upon the inticements of the flesh many will not commit their former sins but they love to be looking that way I have read of a Lady a loving wife who being at the maryage of Cyrus she was askt how she liked the Bridgeroom how saith she I know not I saw no body but my Husband Love and respect drawes the eye either to God or to the creature According as our hearts are so our eyes will be And love flaggons of wine The word comes from a word that signifies fundavit The old Latin turns it vivacia uvarum the leaves skinnes and stones of the grape that remaines after pressing that sinke down into the bottome of the vessell Noting thereby how saplesse and savourlesse and unworthy Idolatrous worship is in comparison of the true worship of God True worship of God is sweet and savoury lovely and excellent but mans institutions how saplesse are they The spirits of such men as pleade for and delight in superstitious vanities the devises of men how saplesse and unsavoury do they quickly grow though heretofore they have had some quicknesse and livelinesse in their wayes yet if once they delight themselves in the inventions of men in Gods worship their spirits grow very unsavory to those with whom they converse But take the traslation as it is in your books flaggons of wine called by this name in the Hebrew because that vessell the flaggon is broad in the bottome That is as some carry it thus They are as drunkards that call for one flaggon after another Superstitious and idolatrous people when they have one way of superstition they call for another and when they have got that they will have another and are still greedy of more they are never satisfied as drunkards are greedy of their flaggons Or rather to note the sensuality of the wayes of their Idolatrous worship their flaggons of wine are joyned to their gods The Seventy translate the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bellaria fine Cates and junkets delicate things made with wine and grapes together by all the art they can devise for the pleasing the appetite From thence the note is cleare Spirituall adultery and carnall sensuality goe together They used flaggons of wine in their idolatrous solemnities that made them love their Idols so much the rather In the true worship of God there is abundance of sweetness to satisfie the hearts of the Saints they need not have sensual pleasures to make up their delight but in superstitious worship there is no such sweetness to satisfie the spirits therefore they are saine to call for flaggons of wine and other sensuall things to make up a full delight to themselves Superstitious and idolatrous Rites bring with them pleasure to the flesh hence how are they loved and followed by people they can hardly ever be taken off from them In their Idolatrous solemnities they were wont to have Feasts to pamper the flesh Judg. 9. 27. They went out into the field and gathered their vineyards and trod the grapes and were merry went into the house of their God and did eate and drinke and cursed Abimelech So Amos. 2. 8. They drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God What is that By oppression and violence they would rend the estates of men from them and when they had gotten them then they made merry yea they would come into the house of their gods and drinke bowles of wine that they had gotten from the estates of such men whom they had wrongfully condemned Let Idolaters have their lusts satisfied and they care not what God they serve 2 Cor. 8. 10. If any see them sit at meate in the Idols temple at meate they had their flesh satisfied in the Idols temple Thus God complaines of his people here As if he had said Let all bemoane my condition for though I have loved Israel dearly she hath gone a whoring from me and she loveth flaggons of wine because she hath more pleasure to the flesh in serving Idols she will serve them What an abominable thing it is to forsake the blessed God meerly for the love of wine How many are there in the world who forsake all that good that is in God in Christ in heaven in eternity meerely for flaggons of wine Calvin hath a note from the word that carries some-what more with it flaggons of grapes so the words are in the Hebrew not flagons of wine and of grapes rather then wine saith he because there were artificiall wayes used by them to make their superstitious ways to be more pleasant to them As when drunkards have drunk even ad nauseam that they begin to loath what they delighted in then they will use some artificiall way or other of mixture of grapes or some other thing with the wine to make it have a new tast that they may have still delight in drinking So saith he because their old superstitions have nothing in them to satisfie the heart therefore they are fain to invent new kinds of artificiall wayes to please themselves withall although saith he they brag of their antiquity yet the truth is they are fain to invent new things every day to give a new lustre and pomp to their worship they are alwayes devising some new ceremony or other or else it would grow loathsome to themselves This wee have seene in our owne experience the wantonnesse of mens hearts in superstitious ways is very great they invent new ways to uphold their old moth-eaten vanities So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver The Prophet obeyeth God in this other hard command God many times sends his Prophets upon very hard businesses yet they must be willing to serve the Lord in the hardest work and bought her to himselfe for fifteen pieces of silver The word that is here translated bought signifies to digg it is taken as some think from the
when Ieremiah had told them the mind of God that they should continue in the land of Iudah and not goe down into Egypt Then spake Azariah and Johaâ—an and all the proud men saying unto seremiah Thou speakest falsly the Lord hath not sent thee to say Goe not into Egypt to sojourn there They are loth to break off their association with Egypt I remember Gwalter in his Comment upon Hosea though not upon this Text telleth a story of the Grecian Churches that in the yeare 1438. because they were afraid of the Turks breaking in upon them they sent to the Bishop of Rome that they would be under his subjection meerly that they might have the help of the Latine Churches to keep them from the rage and tyrannie of their adversaries but within a few yeares they were destroyed Constantinople and the Empire were subdued so as Heathenisme and Atheisme prevailed and this is the fruit saith hee of seeking the association of others in a sinfull way But because this is not the chiâ—â— thing that is aimed at we passe it by She said she would goe after her Lovers that is her Idols What those were we shall see by and by Idolaters use to keepe good thoughts of their Idols They call them their Lovers they look upon their Idols as those that love them and hence they used to call them Baalim from Baal a husband So it should be the care of the Saints evermore to keep good thoughts of God to look upon God as their Lover as one that tendereth their good Idolaters doe so to their Idols shall not the Saints do so to the true God My brethren let us not be ready to entertain hard thoughts of God it is a dangerous thing Gods great care is to manifest to us and to all the world that he loveth us and he hath done much to manifest to us here in England and to our brethren of Scotland that he loveth us and them In Revel 3. 9. the Text saith of the Church of Philadelphia that God loved them Forty yeares ago Master Brightman interpreted that Text of the Church of Scotland Philadelphia signifieth as much as brotherly love You know how they are joyned in Covenant one with another and wee see that those that said they were Iewes they were the Church the Church but proved themselves to be of the Synagogue of Satan are forced to bow before them and if they were not madde with malice they must needs acknowledge that God hath loved that Church And since God hath done great things for us to manifest that he is the lover of England let us then keep good thoughts of God Seventhly Idolaters highly prize the love of their Idols They do not only maintain good thoughts of their Idols or thinke that their Idols are their lovers but they set a price upon them they said I will follow my lovers I must make account of their love they must doe me good for ought I know more then any thing you speak of It is true both of bodily whoredom and spirituall whoredom I will onely make use of one Scripture to daunt the heart of whore-masters and uncleane wretches that so much prize the love of their whores and whore-masters You prize their love but what get you by it you get Gods hatred by it You rejoyce that you have the love of your whores and upon that God hateth and abhorreth you Marke that good you will say Thus Pro. 22. 14. The mouth of a strange woman is a deepe piâ— he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein What get you by this your whores imbrace you and God abhorres you If there be any whore-master any unclean wretch in this Congregation either thou art an Aâ—heist or this text must strike thee at thy heart Art thou in that way and yet not repenting thou art the man that this day God tells thee to thy face that he abhorres thee But how then should wee prize the love of JESUS CHRIST our husband Cant. 1. 4. The remembrance of thy love is better then wine The Church prizeth the love of JESUS CHRIST more then men in the world prize their delight in wine And my brethren doe you prize Christs love and Christ will prize yours and that is observable according to the degree and way of your prizing Christs love so Christ will prize your love Cant. 4 18. you have there the same expression of Christs love to his Church answerable to what hers was before Thy love is better then wine saith the Church to Christ How much better is thy love then wine saith Christ to the Church Eightly I will follow my lovers In bodily and spirituall whoredome there is a following hard after those things they commit whoredome withall I will follow them and not onely say they are my lovers but I will expresse it by following of them The heart of whore-masters and Idolaters do follow hard after their uncleannesse in bodily and spirituall filthynesse First for bodily filthyness observe whore-masters how they follow their lovers Josephus in his Antiquities tells us this strange story of one Decius Mundus that offered to give so many hundred thousand Drachmies that came to six thousand pound English money to satisfie his lust one night with a whore yet could not obtaine his desire neither Will not you be content now who have been guilty of spending a great part of your estate in a way of uncleannesse now to doe as much for Religion for God and Christ and his Kingdome as ever you have done for your whores If there should be any in this place that have beene profuse for their uncleannesse and yet now are strait handed in these publike affaires such as these are fitter to be taken out of Christian congregations and to be shut up in slies For spirituall whoredome I shall shew you how superstitious and Idolatrous people as they prize their idols so they follow hard after their lovers You know that story of the children of Israel when the Calfe was to be set up upon proclamation all the men and women tooke off their ear-rings and their jewels and brought them to Aaron to make the Calfe What a shame will it be to us if we should keepe our eare-rings and our jewels and things perhaps that have not seene the sunne a great while that we should keepe them now when God calleth for them Let women do that for God his truth for your own liberties posterities that they did for their Idols Though you have care-rings and jewels and rings that you prize much yet let them be given up to this publicke cause And it were a shame that gold-rings should be kept meerly to adorn the fingers when the Church and State is in such necessity as it is Away with your niceties now and your fineness and bravery and look to necessities and to the preservation of the lives and liberties both of your selves and your
neerly concerning us you see the scriptures were made for other times then for the times in which they were first revealed a most excellent place of Scripture you have for this Psal 21. 13. Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength so will we sing and praise thy power When God cometh in his own strength and not in the strength of the creature and by meanes then do the Saints sing and praise the power of God Dulcious ex ipso fonte wee use to say that which cometh imediately cometh exceeding sweetly Then the Saints may boast in God when God cometh immediately with his salvation so you have it Psal 44. 7. 8. Thou hast saved us from our enemies and hast put them to shame that hated us What followeth in God will we boast all the day long and praise thy name for ever So that the Saints of God then praise God nay they may lawfully give up themselves to boast when God works imediately When God works by means then they must take heed of ascribing to the means but when God cometh imediately then they may boast It is the blessednesse of Heaven that Gods mercy cometh imediately created mercies are the most perfect mercies Suppose God had bin with them by bow and by sword when Senacherib came against them could they have been saved as they were Gods hooke that he put in his nose and bridle that he put in his lipps for so God saith he would doe with him use him as a beast were better then their sword or bow Surely if ever any nation knew what it was to have imediate mercies come down from heaven England doth If ever Nation saw God exalting himselfe in his own power England hath we have lived and blessed be God we have lived to see the Lord exalting himselfe in his own power Oh let us cry out with the Psalmist and with that I shall end Be thou exalted O Lord in thy own strength amongst us so will we still and still and still sing and praise thy power The Fourth Lecture HOSEA 1. 8. c. 8. Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah shee coâ—ceived and bare a sonne 9. Then said God call his name Lyâ—ammi for you are not my people and I will not be your God 10. Yet the number of the children of Israel shal be as the sand of the sea which cannot be measured nor numbred c. THe last day was finished the signification of the name of the second childe of Hosea Lo-ruhamah We now come unto the weaning of it and the begetting of the third Lo-ammi When shee had weaned Loruhamah We doe not reade of the first child Jezreel that it was weaned but the second childe Loruhamah that was weaned before the third child Loammi was conceived What is the meaning of this There is much of Gods minde shewed unto us even in this very thing that we ordinarily let slip and passe over The reason is because this second childe Loruhamah was to signifie unto the people of Israel their carrying out of their own Countrey into captivity into Assyria It was to signifie to them that they should be weaned from the comforts and delights that there were in their owne Countrey they should be taken away from their milke and honey that they had there and be carryed into Assyria and be there fed with hard meate even with the water of affliction and the bread of affliction The first childe did but signifie their scattering especially in regard of their seditions amongst themselves But the second childe signified the carrying away all of them wholly into captivity from their own Land Therefore the second childe is weaned Cibis sustent abitur immundis So. Jerome hath it They should be carried amongst the Gentiles and be fed with unclean meat they should be deprived of prophesie and of the milke of the word and of the ordinances that they enjoyed So Vatablus Ordinances are as the breasts of consolation out of which the people of God suck soul-satisfying comforts So you have it Esay 66. 11. That you may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations that you may milke out and be delighted with the aboundance of her glory And Cant. 1. 4. We will remember thy loves more than wine The old latine hath it Wee will remember thy dugs above wine and so the words will beare These people should be deprived of those dugs and breasts out of which they had sucked much sweetnesse before even deprived of all comfort in God Gods people hang upon God and suck comfort from him even as the infant upon the mothers brest and sucks sweetnesse and comfort and nourishment from thence This expression then of weaning the childe implies these two things First That the enjoyment of the comforts of a sweet native soile specially where there are any ordinances together with it is a very great blessing of God and the being deprived of it is a great affliction yea to some it comes as a curse The very sucking of the ayr of a sweet native soile and especially such a comfortable soile as we have here in England is certainly a great blessing from the Lord. Those that have been deprived of it and banished away have been more sensible of it than any of you who alwayes have enjoyed it Many have laine sucking at the sweetnesse of this our English ayr and at the comforts that there have been in their accommodations so long till they have sucked in that which if Gods mercy had not prevented would have proved to have been poyson to them to have baned their soules But I speak not of all I make no question but there have beene many of Gods dear servants that have tarried in their native soile and kept the uprightnesse of their hearts and consciences as cleare as others that went away It is true the comforts of a native soile are sweet but except we may enjoy them with the breasts of these consolations or Ordinances of the Church they are notable to satisfie the soul yea except we may suck out such milke of these breasts as is sincere milke and not soiled nor sowred by the inventions of men better a great deale that we were weaned from all the sweetnesse and accommodation we have in our native soile by the mortifying of our affections to them then that God should weane us from them by sending of us into captivity or by giving the adversary power over us or by making the Land too hot for us But that for the first Again in that this childe was weaned and by the weaning was to signify their being carried away out of their own into a strange Countrey this expression implies thus much That it is an evil thing for a childe to be taken from the mothers brest too soone and sent away to be nursed by others The expression doth fully imply this for it is to tell us the evill condition of the people
and so terrible yet now behold the feete of him that bringeth good tydings that publisheth peace God abroad publisheth war yet he hath a messenger to publish life and peace to some Is it not so this day It is true the wrath of the Lord is kindled the wrath of the Lord burneth as an oven and it is hot but it is against the ungody but peace shall be upon Israel And let us sanctifie the name of God in this too for so it followes in this very Chap. of Nah. ver 15. Oh Iudah keepe thy solemne feasts performe thy vowes for the wicked shall no more passe through thee And because God revealeth such rich grace in the middest of judgement let this engage your hearts to the Lord for ever Yea a little further because it is an instraction of great use in these times and may be yet of further use in times we may live to see not onely when God threatneth judgements let us sanctifie Gods name in looking up to promises but when judgements are actually upon us Suppose we should live to have most fearful judgments of God upon us yet even then we must look up to promises and exercise our faith and have an eye to God in the way of his grace at that time this is harder then in threatnings You have an notable place for that in Esay 26. 8. In the way of thy judgements O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soule is to thy name Oh blessed be God my brethren the Lord calleth us to wait upon him in the wayes of mercy for the present It is true there was a time not long since that the Lord was in a way of judgement toward England and there were some of Gods people when he was in the wayes of his judgements amongst us yet would wait upon God and keepe his wayes though there were many because Gods judgements were abroad and they saw that they were like to suffer departed from God and declined his wayes Much cause of bitterness of spirit and of dread of humiliation have they that did so But others may have comfort to their soules that in the very wayes of Gods judgments they waited for him they can now with more comfort wait upon God when he is in the ways of his mercy But if God should ever come untous in the ways of his judgments let us learne even then to wait upon God keep his way And yet another Text that may seeme to be more notable than this for this purpose and that is Iere. 33. 24. Consider est thou not what this people have spoken saying the two families which the Lord hath chosen he hath even cast them off thus they have despised my people that they should be no more a nation Marke the low condition the people were in at this time Oh God hath cast them off they are despised contemptible not worthy to be accounted a nation This condition was very low but though they were brought low in a condition contemptible yet now God confirms his Covenant with them at this time For observe ver 25. Thus saith the Lord. If my Covenant be not with day night and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven earth then will I cast away the seed of Iacob ond David my servant As if God should say let them know that whatsoever their condition is now yet my love my mercy my faithfulness is toward them as sure as my covenant with day night and as the ordinances of heaven and earth An admirable Text to help not onely nations but particular persons when they are cast under contempt by wicked ungodly men yet at that time the Lord is most ready to confirm his covenant with them to be as sure as his covenant with day night and heaven earth This bringeth honour to God when at such times we can looke up to God and exercise our faith And indeed this is the glory and dignity and beauty of faith to exercise it then when Gods judgements are actually upon us But what promises are these They were not promises to any that then lived the promise that is here made was to be fulfilled in future Ages yet it is brought in by the Prophet as a comfort to the people of God living then in that time Hence this excellent note that nearly concerns us Gracious hearts are comforted with the promises of God made to the Church though not to be fulfilled in their dayes If the Church may prosper and receive mercies from God though I be dead and gone and rotten in the grave yet blessed be God When Jacob was to die saith he unto Joseph Behold I dye but God shall be with you and bring you again unto the land of your fathers he will fulfill his promises to you though I am dead Our fore-fathers that generation of the Saints that lived a while since how comfortably would they have dyed if God before their death had revealed to them that within 3. or 4. or 7. yeares so much mercy should come to England as we now have seen in these dayes Yea how comfortably should any of us have died I appeal to any gracious heart here suppose God should have taken thee away but this time two yeares and he should have said thus to thee Go and be gathered to thy fathers in peace within these two years such and such things shall be done for England as we now live to see would not we willingly have dyed would it not have been comfort enough against the fear of death but to have had revealed to us what should have been done in after time to our posterity what mercy then is it now that it is not onely revealed to us but enjoyed by us That is the second Note But thirdly What was this promise This promise was that Israel should be a multitude that the number of them shall be as the sand of the sea shore VVe shall examine the excellency of the mercy of God in this promise by and by Onely for the present enquire we a little why God would expresse himselfe in this that his grace should be manifested in this to multiply them as the sand of the sea shore If we compare Scripture with Scripture we shall finde that God therefore promiseth this because he would thereby shew that he did remember his old promise to Abraham for that was the promise made to Abraham that God would multiply his seed as the starres of heaven and as the sand which is upon the sea shore and now God along time after commeth in with renewing this promise Hence we are to observe this Note That the Lord remembers his promises though made a long time since God is ever mindful of his Covenant as it is Psal 111. 5. When we have some new and fresh manifestations of Gods mercy our hearts rejoyce in it but the impression of it is
the face of all those that seekes the contrary doe what they can God needs no shifts no tricks nor devices to carry on his work but he can carry it on in the sight of his adversaries he will carry on his worke and shame them in the sight of their lovers and bring them downe low doe what they can God can make use of the wisedome and policy of men and hee can make as much use of their indiscretion as he hath done of late The great workes of God amongst us of late have been carryed on with a high hand in the sight of those that have been our adversaries what discoveries have there been of the filth of men how hath their nakedness been made naked what charges in their conditions what contempt hath God cast in the face of those that were the great champions sor lewdnesse and that in the very face of their lovers Their lovers looked on them and had as good a heart to them as ever there was little or no change in the hearts of their lovers and though their lovers were as eager for them as ever yet their shame hath been discovered This Scripture is as cleerely made good this day as any Scripture in the Book of God Againe In the face of their lovers Dishonour before those we expect honour from is a sad a great evill Oh saith Saul Honour me before the people Saul cared not much if hee were dishonored before strangers but he would be honored before the people It is such a thing to be dishonoured before those that we would be honoured before that the stronger a mans spirit is the more intolerable the burden is one of a mean and low spirit doth not much care for dishonour any where but a man that hath strength of spirit indeed counts it the worst thing that can be to be dishonoured before those that love him This we finde among many Tradesmen that are civill at home but if they get among strangers oh how lewd are they in an Inne those that love God and the Saints are most afraid to have their evill discovered before God and the Saints for a gracious heart desires honour from them most One that is godly can beare disgrace any contemptuous abuse from many of those that are profane rather then from one that is godly Wicked men care not for dishonour among the Saints because they care not for their love If dishonour before lovers be such a shame what will dishonour before God at the great day be and before the Saints and wicked men too who were your lovers I will discover their lewdness in the sight of their lovers When I take away their corne and wine and flaxe and these things their lovers will be ashamed of them The way of carnall friends are to esteem of men when they are in prosperity but when they are down in adversity then they contemn them Huntsmen when they would single out a Deer they shoot her first and as soon as the blood appears all the rest goe out of her company and push her from them It is so with carnall friends if a man be in affliction if they see their friend shot they look aloofe from him Wee have had wofull experience of this of late when many godly Ministers were persecuted those who before had seemed to be their lovers grew strange unto them In a sun-shine day men that passe by look on a dyall but in a darke stormy day a hundred may ride by it and never look to it When wee are in a Sun-shine day of prosperity men will look towards us but if the gloomy day of adversity come then they passe by without regard to us Iâ— a man of fashion come to a house the dogs will be quiet but when a beggar comes in raggs they flye upon him It is apparant by this that men in their prosperity are not regarded for any thing in themselves but for their prosperities sake for their moneys sake for their cloathes sake Suppose any of you have a servant goes up and downe with you and you know whither soever you goe the respect that is given is not for your sake but for your servants sake you go to such a house and they use you kindly only for your servants sake you take it very ill This is all the respect that men have from false lovers it is not for any good in them it is for their prosperity for their servants sake O how vaine is respect from the world If you be gracious God will not deal with you thus if you have your estates taken from you God will not despise you as carnall friends doe Psal 22. 24. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted When the Saints are afflicted God doth not hide his face from them but when they cry to him he hears them Yet further we see here carnall hearts have a great deale of confidence in many things they trust to in time of danger they will not believe but they shall escape Let us not be troubled at the confidence our enemies have they doubt not but to prevaile this is from the curse of God upon them their case is never so desperate but they have something to shelter themselves in their own thoughts Oh what a shame is it that any thing is rather trusted in then God! the husbandman casts seed-corn that costs dearer then any other corne into the ground The Merchant trusts all his estate to the winds waves of the sea if they saile all is gone you trust servants with busines of weight If you goe to Westminster you trust your lives in a boat halfe an inch thicke God is not trusted so much that blessed God who is the only true object of soule-confidence Lastly when God sets himselfe against a generation of men or any particular all the means in the world shall not help Ezek. 9. the Prophet had a vision of six men with weapons of war in their hands there were six principall gates in Jerusalem and God would set these sixe men with weapons in their hands at each gate that if they run to this or the other or any gate the man with the weapon in his hand should be sure to take them they should not escape Amos 5. 8. Seeke him that maketh the seven Stars and Orion Why are these named seven stars and Orion the one is the extreame of cold and the other of heate The Lord hath the power of both if they escape the heat the cold shall take them if the cold the heate shall take them and I likewise saith the Lord can make both these helpfull to you as I please Hence there is such blasting of means for the cursing of those whom God sets himselfe against let us not be afraid of the great assistance that our adversaries have though they have great assistance they are in Gods hand and none can deliver out of Gods
was but to believe in Jesus Christ Jesus Christ came to pardon sinners c. when he came upon his sick bed he was in great torment of conscience and grievous vexation and cryed out bitterly of his Apostacy there came some of his acquaintance to him and spake words of comfort and tells him that Christ came to save sinners and he must trust in Gods mercy c. At length he begins to close with this and to apply this to himself and to have a little ease upon which his companions began to be hardned in their ways because they saw after so ill a life it was so easie a matter to have comfort but not long before he dyed he brake out roaring in a most miserable anguish O! saith hee I have prepared a plaister but it will not sticke it will not sticke wee shall find though the grace of God be rich and the salve be a soveraign unlesse God be pleased to make it stick by speaking to our hearts nothing can be done From hence further learn this note As when God speaks comfortably to his people he speaks to their hearts so Gods Ministers when they come to speak in Gods name should labour to speak so as to do what they can to speak to hearts It is true indeed it is impossible that any man of himselfe can speake to the heart of another but yet he may endeavour and aime that way there is a kind of speaking that God doth assist so as to bring it to the heart of his people What speaking is that you will say That that cometh from the heart will most likely go to the heart though I know God can take that which comes but from the lips and carry it to the heart when he pleases yet ordinarily that that comes from the heart goes to the heart therefore Ministers when they come to speak the great things of the Gospel they should not seeke so much for brave words and enticing ways of mans wisdome but let them get their own hearts warmed with that grace of the Gospel and then they are most like to speak to the hearts of their Auditors It is a good note that I have met with from Ribera let Ministers remit saith he of their care of fine curious words of brave neate phrases and cadencies of their sentences but let them bend their studies to manifest humility and mortification and to shew love to the soules of people otherwise though they speake with the tongues of men and Angels they shall become but like the sounding brasse and the tinckling cymball this is an expression even of a Jesuite it were then a great shame that Gods Ministers should not labour to speak so as that they may speak to the hearts of people you must be desirous of such kind of preaching as you find speaks to your hearts not that that comes meerly to your eares how many men love to have the word jingle in their ears and in the mean time their hearts go away and not one word spoke to them but when you finde a Ministry speake to your hearts close with it bless God for it and count it a sadd day when you goe from a Sermon and there is not one word spoke to your hearts in that Sermon From the connection of these two I will bring them into the wildernesse speak unto their hearts if we should take the wildernesse for bringing into affliction because there are so many interpreters that are very godly men learned men go that way I dare not wholy reject it but that there may be some intention that way Hence the first note is Afflictions make way for Gods word to the hearts of sinners there are many obstructions at the hearts of men while they are in prosperity but when afflictions come God by them opens those obstructions and so gets his word to their hearts afflictions cannot convert the heart but they can take away some obstructions that did hinder the word from coming to the heart Many of you have heard thousands of Sermons and scarce know of any one that hath come to your hearts but when God casts you upon your sicke beds and you apprehend death then you feele the same truthes that you were not sensible of before they lie upon your hearts the threatning word of God that went but to the ear before now it is got to the heart now it terrifies now you cry out of your sins and rellish the sweet promises of the Gospel that afflictions make way for I remember an expression that I have read of Bernard he had once to a brother of his who was a Souldier but riotous and prophane Bernard gives him many good instructions wholsome admonitions and counsels his brother seemed to slight them he made nothing of them Bernard comes to him and puts his hand to his side one day saith he God will make way to this heart of yours by some speare or launce he meant God would wound him in the Wars and so hee would open a way to his heart and then his admonitions should get to his heart and as he said so it fell out for going into the Wars he was wounded and then he remembers his brothers admonitions they got to and lay upon his heart to purpose It God should let the enemy in upon us their swords or bullets may make way to our hearts that so Gods word may come to have entrance there the Lord rather pierce our hearts by his spirit then that way to our hearts should be made thus Secondly when we are brought to great affliction that is the time for Gods mercies This should make us not to be so afraid of afflictions how afraid are we how do we hang back when we see afflictions coming why art thou so loth O thou Christian to come to affliction the time of affliction is the time for God to speake to the heart of a sinner many sinners may say that their condition hath been like Jacobs he never had a more sweete vision of God then when he lay abroad in the fields with no other pillow under his head then a stone it may be God will take away all your outward comforts and when they are all gone then may be Gods time to speake comfortably to your heart Thirdly the words of mercy O how sweet are they when they come to the heart after an affliction Psam 141. 6. Thy Judges shall be overthrown in strong places they shall he are my words for they are sweet If the words be taken for bringing into the wildernesse that is for Gods wonderfull workings for the good of his people then the note is When God works great and wonderfull things amongst a people then God speaks to the heart of that people then surely God hath spoken to our hearts for he hath done great and wonderfull things amongst us he did not more wonderfull things amongst his people in the wildernesse
then he hath done omongst us here in England But from that meaning of bringing into the wildernesse as the custome of marriage of solemnizing of nuptials then the note is this When God is reconciled once to a people they may expect full manifestations of his love unto them one manifestation after another as alluring and carrying abroad into fields and nuptiall songs all kind of manifestations of Gods love A people a soule that was never 〈◊〉 sinfull before and is new reconciled may expect it Let all back-fliders then whom God is about to draw again to himself listen and hear what God saith unto their hearts if they come in and repent let them know that God is willing to manifest all expressions of love and goodnesse to them Againe there is yet one note more from this expression of bringing into the wildernesse and speaking to the heart yet because it is the most improbable I will onely but mention it to you there may be yet some good use made of it and therefore I will set it before you I finde divers going that way it is this say they by bringing into the wildernesse God meanes that he would take them off from their engagements in their own Country carrying them to a strange place and so take them off from their houses lands shops estates friends acquaintance from the pomp the glory and all the clutter of the world that they enjoyed and were snared by in their owne Countrey and so he will carry them aside into desolate places and there he will instruct them when he hath got them as it were alone That hath been Gods way in making himself known unto his people whom hee hath had a love unto to draw them aside from the clutter of the world from their engagements and there to speak to their hearts We have a famous place for that Mar. 8. 23. the poor blind man whose eyes Christ intended to open the Text saith Christ took e him by the hand and carryed him out of the City and there fell a working upon him and opened his eyes he carryed him from the clutter of people from his friends and acquaintance and there opens his eyes While we are in the midst of engagements here in our owne land while we have our estates and all well about us wee are scarce fit to hearken what God hath to say to us Many of Gods people have found it by experience that whereas there were many truths of God that they had some incklings 〈◊〉 while they were here and read books about them and heard much of them yet they could not be convinced of them and their consciences tell them while they were here they did not go against the light of their consciences but how ever it came to passe convinced they were not but when God took them aside from their engagements and from the pomp and glory of their land and carryed them into the wildernesse or into some remote places where the glory of their own Countrey did not so glister before their eyes they then could see into truths that they never saw before those things that could not get into their hearts before now when God drew them aside got in and it is not now their conceit but they knovv certainly that they do understand much of Gods minde that they did not understand before vvhen God hath taken them aside then God hath opened their eyes Vers 15. I will give her her vineyards from thence Vinatores so some translate the vvord her vine-dressers and indeed the Heb. vvord that is for vine-dressers vines or vine yards is the very same letters only the puncta are different but vve vvill read it as it is here from thence illinc ibi either from that time that they are in the vvildernesse or from that condition of their affliction in the wildernesse wherein I will speak comfortably to her thence I will give her her vineyards God threatned to destroy her vineyards now God saith he will give vineyards Observe God can as easily restore as he can destroy It is an easly thing for men to make havock to do mischief but it is not so easy a thing for them to restore all again they can easily spoile a Country but they cannot so easily raise a Country again Psal 52. 1. Why beastest thou thy selfe in mischiefe O mighty man There is no reason that a man should boast that he can do mischiefe we have some who make their boasts in nothing but this that they can go up and down the Country and plunder spoile and make havock but can they make all up againe that they undo Plut arch tells us of one commending the power and valour of Philip for that he had utterly destroyed Olynthus a City of Tracia a Lacedemonian standing by answered but he cannot build such a City A foole may breake a glasse and all the wise men in the Countrey are not able to make it up againe Men may do a great deale of hurt and mischiefe but it is not their lives nor the lives of a thousand such as they are can make up againe what hurt is done by them But it is Gods property he can destroy vineyards and he can restore them againe I will give them their vineyards againe when I am reconciled to them Suppose there be the greatest Pacification that can be yet all this while who shall make up the hurt is done if there be reconciliation with God he will make up all our hurts again Secondly I will give her her vineyards It is a note of Calvin God saith not I will give them their corne that is for necessity but I will give them their vineyards that is for delight the note is When God is reconciled to a people hee will not onely give them substance but abundance even for delight as well as for necessity Thirdly When God is reconciled to a pâ—â—ple he comes with present reall evidences of his love he reserveth indeed abundance of mercy afterwards but he is never reconciled but he comes presently with some reall evidences and demonstrations of love God saith not onely I will speake comfortably to them and there is an end and they shall expect mercy along time after No but I will speake comfortably to her I will give her her vineyards againe I will give unto them reall manifestations of my love so it should be with us when we come in to God to be reconciled to him we should come in with reall expressions of our repentance of our respects unto God Here is a deceit I beseech you confider of it many when they lye upon their sick beds will promise what they will doe for God if God restore them but they doe nothing for the present and so they are deceived When you therefore finde your hearts wrought upon broken and melting take heed of this deceit doe not satisfie your selves in promising what you will doe for God
well pleased with it Esay 53. 10. Why was God pleased with it Because the Lord saw this was the way for him to communicate himself in the fulnesse of his grace unto his Church and therefore though it cost him so deare as the death of his own Son yet he was well pleased with it And as for Christ he takes delight in letting out himself to his people after he had suffered the Text saith he was satisfied when he saw of the travell of his soul As if Christ had said O let me have a Church to communicate my self unto though I see it hath cost me my blood it hath cost me all these fearfull sufferings yet I am satisfied I thinke all is well bestowed so I may have a people to partake of my love and mercy for ever Cant. 4. 9. Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes Then for the Saints the delight they have in communicating themselves unto Christ is unutterable Stay me with flaeggons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love saith the Church Cantic 2. 5. Psal 63. 5. My soul shall be satisfied with marrow and fatnesse and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lips when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate of thee in the night watches Take this note the more fully you lay out your selves for Christ the more comfort you shall have in your lives Here is the great difference between hypocrites and others in the comfort of their lives It is impossible that any hypocrite can have that comfort in his life as a gracious heart can have upon this ground because a hypocrite reserveth somewhat of himself for something else there is not a full comunication of himself unto Christ he alwayes keepes somewhat back and thereby loseth his comfort But a gracious heart fully letting out himselfe into Christ from thence cometh the comfort sweetness that he hath in the ways of Christ above all hypocrites in the world Perhaps you thinke that the onely comfort you can have is by receiving some benefit some mercy from God you are much mistaken the comfort of letting your hearts out to God is a greater comfort then any comfort you have in receiving any thing from God And now Oh how happy are they unto whom Christ is thus espoused How comfortably may you live being made sure to Christ and how comfortably may you die It is our work to seeke to draw soules to Christ to allure soules to be in love with him Gen. 24. 35. You may see what course Abrahams servant took in drawing the love of Rebekah and her friends to his Masters son he begins wiâ—h telling them that he is the servant of Abraham and that the Lord had blessed his Master greatly so that he was become great and that the Lord had given him flocks and herds and silver gold and that he had an onely soone that was to be heire of all this This is the work of Ministers to tell people what riches of mercy there are in God and that all the treasures of those infinite riches of the infinite God are in JESUS CHRIST and to be let out in him this gaines the heart Yea it is not onely the work of Ministers but it should be worke of every gracious heart thus to seek to draw souls to Christ as Rev. 22. 17. not onely the Angels there say Come but the Bride saith Come and let him that hea eth say Come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely VVere I not in such a way of explication as I am surely wee could not get off such a point as this but that which I shall say for the present is onely this Know that it is not want of any worth in you that can hinder communion with Jesus Christ doe not reason in that manner I am a poor wretched sinfull creature will ever Christ be married unto me It is not thy sinfulnesse it is not thy base condition that can hinder thee Christ never joynes himselfe to any because they are worthy but he joynes himself to them that they may be worthy hee makes them to be worthy in joyning himselfe unto them The woman is not married unto the King because she is a Queen but the King maryeth her to make her a Queene And further know if your hearts be not taken with Christ to joyne with him in his holy mariage if he be not your husband to enjoy conjugall communion with you he will be your judge to condemn you But besides this betrothing between Christ a soul there is a betrothing between Christ a visible Church especially the Church of the Jews when they shall be called God shal appeare in his glory when this maryage shall be between Christ and the Jewish Church the King will then be in his Robes if a man of estate have a sonne to marry and intends to solemnize the maryage according to his estate if he have any better cloathes then other he puts them on that day so at the calling of the Jewes the King of heaven will be in his robes God will appeare in a most glorious manner to the world then ehe did since the creation Yea and you know the Bridegroome too will be very fine upon the mariage day so Jesus Christ will then appeare whether personally or otherwise wee say not but certainly hee will gloriously appeare at that day Tit. 2. 15. We looke for the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour jesâ—s Christ And 2 Thes 1. 10. Christ shall come so as to be admired in all them that believe the Church likewise shall then be arrayed in her fine cloaths shee shall be then cloathed in white cleane and fine liâ—nen as it is Rev. 19. 8. all in the righteousness of Christ the great doctrine of justification by Christ shall be made out full and cleare Yea and the creatures her servants shall put on the best rayment as in a great marriage the servants in the house have new cloathes at that day there will be a change in all the creatures and another kind of face in the world then now there is Then will be the marriage supper and happy shall those be that shall then be found worthy to enter into the bed-chamber let us now love Christ let us now cleave to him let us now suffer for him we may perhaps be some of those who beside our eternal enjoyment of christ in heaven may enjoy him in this mariage upon the earth But we must leave this argument we spake something of it in the end of the first chapter And I will betroth thee unto me for ever For ever This adds to the mercy to make it glorious this for ever makes a misery though never so little an infinite misery and a mercy an infinite mercy This betrothing for ever shall be fulfilled
of new manifestation but in regard of the thing it selfe presently they follow it that they may be counted some body and seem to go beyond other men they are as a ship that moveth a mighty pace all the sails are up and winds blow fairely but there is no ballast so the ship topples up and downe but never comes to the end of the voyage Lu. 8. 6. when the seed was sown in the stony ground it sprung up presently but because there wanted moisture at the root it withered away This judgment is as moysture at the roote that is the reason that Mat. 13. 21. we read of the stony ground that notwithstanding it received the word with joy yet when persecution arose because of the word by and by they were offended they were mightily taken with the wayes of God with the great things of the Gospel at first but not having judgment as soon as suffering came by and by they were offended If times should change again the adversaries should prevaile which God forbid we shal soon have experience enough of abundance of professors who have chosen the ways of God not out of judgment by and by they will be offended Thirdly I will betroth thee unto me in loving kindnesse Though Christ takes us to himself and will not cast us off yet he may see such failings and frailties in us as we may be grievous and burthensome unto his spirit we shall enjoy but little sweetness in our comunion together through the wretchednesse of our hearts No saith Christ I will betroth you unto mee in loving kindnesse my heart and wayes toward you shall be full of gentlenesse and sweetnesse and I will put such a frame likewise into your hearts both toward me and toward one another you shall have hearts full of sweetness and gentleness The Scripture speaks much of the loving kindness of God to his people in Christ Eph. 2. 7. The exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us in Christ Jesus Tit. 3. 4. After the kindness love of God our Saviour toward man appeared You have these Epithets given unto Gods kindness great kindeness Neh. 9. 17. Marvellous kindness Psal 31. 21. Mercifull kindness 〈◊〉 19. 2. Everlasting kindness Isa 54. 8. Excellent â—ving kindnes Ps 〈…〉 Multitude of loving kindness Isa 63. 7. Thus full is is the Scripture of the loving kindness of God towards us in Christ To open it a little The kindnesse of God unto us in Christ consisteth First In the freenesse of Gods goodnesse kindnesse in a friend is seene much in this when he doth a thing meerely out of his good nature freely when he doth a kindnesse so as he doth not burthen it he doth not upbraid his friend with what he hath done as he expects little before he will not be mercenary so when he hath done he doth not upbraid him with it he expects not such great matters in lieu and recompence of what he hath done as shall make his kindness worth nothing but leaves it to his friend to answer him in a way of kindness again as he thinks fit Thus it is in all Gods dealings with us he looks not for much at our hands before but that he doth is out of his free grace he doth not upbraid us he giveth liberally and upbraideth no man he doth not burthen his kindnesse towards us But doth not God burthen his kindnesse he requireth that we should give up our selves unto him and serve him and suffer for him for his kindness I answer there is nothing God requireth in lieu of all his kindness to us but it is another kindness in God to enable us to do it and a further kindness in him to accept it at our hands when we have done it therefore his kindness is free The Heathens were wont to paint their Gratiae their goddesses of kindness naked upon this ground because all workes of kindnesse should be free not clogged not burthened The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it The kindnesses of this world are ordinarily clogged scarce worth the having the kindnâ—ss of God not so it is free Again kindness consists much in this in our tenderness over those wee shew kindnesse to The kindness of God in Christ is much this way in tendring our weaknesse and dealing with us in all his wayes accordingly Esay 57. 16. I will not contend for ever why lest the spirit which I have made should faile before me He considereth our weakness Psal 103. 13. The Lord knoweth our frame and heremembreth we are but dust Isa 40. 11. Christ gathers the Lambes with his arme and carryeth them in his bosome and gently leadeth those that are with young Esay 63. 9. In his clememcie so the word is he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them alwayes continually Kindnes makes one long-suffering he bare them always and continually It is kindness for the Man to consider all the weaknesses of the wife and to deale with her in a loving way accordingly tendring her good this is the kindness of Christ to his Church Thirdly kindness is passing by all infirmities not taking advantages against his people because of them Christ takes notice of all the good that is in his people though it be never so little but that which is a weaknesse he will passe it by The Lord is not strict to marke what we doe amisse but the Lord is strict to mark what we do well if there be never so little good in an action that hath an hundred weaknesses in it Christ will mark what good there is in it and passe by all the weaknesses 〈◊〉 commended by Pecer for calling her husband Lord in that speech of hers there was nothing but sin saving that word and the holy Ghost takes notice of that one word and le ts goe all the other If thou aymest at serving Christ and canst appeale to him that thy heart istowards him to honour him as he requireth I say though there be an hundred weaknessesin an action if there bee but one thing good all thy weaknesses are past by that one good thing is taken notice of Again kindnes is in a loving sweet amiable carriage toward one another in our converse one with another Oh the sweet amiable carriage that is in Christ toward his people and that Christ expects likewise from them to him again If you reade the book of the Canticles you shall finde what sweet amiable expressions there are between Christ and his Church what rebounding as it were there is of love and kindnesse one to another Thy love is better then wine saith the Church unto Christ and thy love is better then wine saith Christ unto his Church This ought to be between man wife this is kindness 1 Cor. 13. 4. Love is there said to be kinde there is no morosity in love but all a sweetnesse Fiftly kindness is in easiness to be
pawne when there is some speciall thing done in way to that which wee make account of that we are not only promised it and have it under hand and seale and have an oath and a pawne but it is in a great degree begun and so begun as the difficulty is over Those who live under the Gospell see the greatest part of our salvation already done for us God made a promise of sending his Son into the world Now in Gods performing that promise that God-man should come into the world to be made a curse for sin this is the greatest worke of all that is to be done to all eternity and if God would have failed in any thing it would have been in that It is not so much for God to deliver us in this world it is not so much for him to bring us to heaven as it is to send his Son into the world to be made a curse for us Now when God hath done so great a work and hath beene faithfull in that great promise he hath taught us for ever to trust in him to beleeve his faithfulness in making good other promises If a man who owes five thousand pound and payes you foure thousand nine hundred of it you thinke surely hee will never breake for one hundred I may trust him for the rest seeing hee hath dealt so faithfully with me in the great summe God hath paid the four thousand nine hundred and much more in comparison of what God hath done for us take all the glory of heaven we have not one hundred of the five thousand left behince therefore we may well confide in him for the payment of the rest But is God able It is true God is faithfull This is seldome an objection at least an explicite objection in the mouths of people but surely an implicite one it is in the hearts of many that appears by those cautions God gives to take away that objection 1 Pet. 4. 19. Commit the keeping of your souls unto him as unto a faithful Creator as if he had not said enough in saying he is faithfull he adds faithfull Creator as if he should say f there be no means to help you I will create means I will put forth my Almighty power to create helpe for you but you shall have helpe Dan. 9. 27. The Lord will confirme the Covenant the word is used for a mighty man a Giant in Scripture Gen. 19. 8. He began to be a mighty one in the land as a Giant in the earth the word here is of the same root God will come forth as a Giant as a mighty man to make sure the Covenant he hath made with his people if there be any thing in the world wherein God will stirre up his infinite power the excellency of his power the glory of his right hand it will be in confirming his Covenant to his Saints Esay 26. 4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Esay 54. 5. Thy Maker is thy husband the Lord of Hosts is his name the God of the whole earth shall he be called Seeing God is so faithfull let not us be faithlesse But things goe very crosse and how shall we beleeve our faith shakes the true genuine love of the Saints is such as will love God without gifts for himself so the genuine art of faith is to beleeve in God without experience yea though things seem to goe contrary That love is but a lame love that loveth God onely for that which vve receive from him for the present and that is but a lame faith that beleeveth only in â—od for that which we see for the present Doe things goe crosse they are corrections and those may come from faithfulnes as well as any thing the Church enjoyes Psal 119. 75. I know O Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted me As God comes downe to you and sutes himself to you as his poor creatures so you should labour to raise your hearts to him to beleeve in him as a great God â—od deals with you as having to deale with weak creatures you should deale with him as having to doe with an infinite God You must give God leave to doe his worke his owne way The object of our confidence in God it is the thing will be done it is not how it will be done or when it will be done but that God will carry his worke thorough Shall our weakness be so much regarded as that things must not work so as to shew Gods power Certainly it is too too much for us to think our weakness must be so far condescended to One would think that it is enough that God condescendeth so much as to expresse himself so to you as you may beleeve would you have God condescend to expresse himselfe so to you as he should not have the glory of his worke nor you the glory of your faith this is too low Though we be bound to deny our selves much because of the weakness of our brethren Must God deny his glory because of our weakenesse We burden God too much with our weaknesse It is for Gods glory that things goe as they doe Lazarus was dead and dead so long that the work of God might appeare But I finde not things go so as I expected I thinke I have beleeved at such a time in prayer I thought my heart did close with the promises of God but yet things goe not so as I expect Though things be otherwise then thou expectest yet it may be God calls for new acts of thy beleeving and it is because there is no renewing of thy faith in his faithfulness You must know the continuall actings of Faith draw out the continuall actings of the power of God I will give you for that one famous Text perhaps you may reade it often and heare it but not perceive the strength there is in it Psal 31. 19. O how great is thy goodnes which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee but marke what followeth which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee Great is the goodnesse thou hast laid up Gods goodnesse is great to admiration for them that feare him but how It is laid up for them but now marke which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee All the goodnesse that is in God is for them that feare him but it is not fearing God that will bring it to work it is laid up in a treasury indeed do you feare God God hath laid up abundance of goodnesse in a treasury for you but you must not expect this will work for you unless you trust in him your Faith must bring it forth into work and that before the sonns of men thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of men Would you be hid in the secret of Gods presence from the pride of men you
mine And amongst other things by which God will make all the world to know that his people are his this is one in sâ—tting up the beauty of his Ordinances amongst them Ezek. 37. 27. My Tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my people and the Heathen shall know that I the Lord doe sanctifie Israel when my Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them Thus they shall know saith God that they are my people and that I am their God when I have set my Sanctuary in the midst of them for ever Were it that the Ordinances of God might be set up in their purity amongst us in England were Reformation perfected and the Saints walked humbly peaceably as they should the whole world will be convinced that these are indeed the people of the Lord and that God is amongst them And they shall say thou art my God God must begin withus we cannot begin and say Lord thou art my God but God must begin with us first and say You are my people There are a great many who say God is their God but God never said they are his people Joh. 1. 12. it is said of those who beleeved in Christ that God gave them power to be the Sonnes of God the word signifies authority that they might with authority acknowledge themselves to be the sons of God and call God Father they had the broad Seale for it Will you call God Father where is your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your authority if God call you children if he say you are my people you may give the Ecchoto Gods mercy and say thou art our God Secondly When God speakes mercy to us we must answer according to it Doth God say you are my people we must answer Lord thou art our God This is a great fault amongst Christians God manifests himselfe to many a gracious heart in abundance of love and mercy they give an answer to God in a way of dispaiting and discouragement Gods ways toward thee speake thus and say thou art one of my people but thy heart works as if God were none of thy God Hath not God done much for thee thou thinkest it is all in hypocrifie that thou dost whereas the truth is it is the fruit of his love and kindnes to thee He speakes aloud in what he hath done for thee that thou art one of his people and yet thy heart thinks that he is thy enemy that he haâ—â—s thee and will cast thee off at last The wayes of God are full of mercy to thee and he hath set his stampe upon thee by his ways of love he tels thee that thou belongest unto him O unbeleeving soul answer Lord thou art my God! lay aside these discouraging sinking thoughts of thine O that thou wouldst goe away with such an answer in thy mouth Doe not answer Gods loving kindnesse and his gracious dealings towards thee with discouragement and sinking of heart this is dishonorable to him and tedious to his Spirit Thirdly God works an answerable disposition in the hearts of his people unto him This is thy duty but God will work it in time if thou belongest to him As thus doth God chuse us to be his people then the hearts of the Saints chuse him to be their God Doth God say you are my people the Saints say Lord thou art our God Doth God say I will dwell with them they answer Lord thou art our habitation Doth God say I delight in them they say Lord our delight is in thee Doth God say I will rest in them for ever the Church saith O my soule returne unto thy rest Here is a sweet answer a rebound of all Gods loving kindnes Lastly the Saints must professe God to be theirs It is not enough to beleeve with the heart but thou must confesse with the mouth professe it outwardly of this before Further This is the highest happinesse of the Saints that God is their God when they can say this they have enough If we could say this house is mine this street this Lordship this City this Kingdome this World is mine What is all this A Christian comes at length and saith this God that made all is mine As it is reported of the French Ambassador and the Spanish meeting together saith the Spanish Ambassadour my Master is King of Spaine my Master replyed the French is King of France my Master said the Spaniard againe is King of Naples and my Master said the French is King of France my Master is King of Portugal and my Master is King of France still he answered with that my Master is King of France as being enough to answer all the several Kingdomes of the Spaniard So one saith I have this house this land this stock this estate this trade yea but saith a Christian I have God God is mine Surely having him thou hast enough And if God be thy God he will be a God to thee 1 Chron. 17. 24. The Lord of hosts is God of Israel even a God to Israel So it must be with thee if thou beest a Saint of God be a Saint to God Are we a people of God then we must be a people to God Blessed are the people that are in such a case yea happy are the people whose God is the Lord. Thus we had opened the gracious manifestation of God to his Church in part fulfilled spiritually to spiritual Israel here but more sensibly to be made good at the great day of Jezreel that is when the Jews shall be called then the Spouse of Christ in a visible way shall be thus married unto him and the Lord will be their God Jerome saith upon the Text All these things that are here promised to the Church the Jewes expect it at the end of the world after the time of Antichrist And I make no question though in a spiritual sence this Scripture is made good for the present unto the Saints yet in a more visible and sensible way all this Scripture will be made good to the people of the Jews the Gentiles then joyning with them even literally the glory of the Church shall be visible and apparant More whereof in the next Chapter HOSEA CHAP. 3. The First Lecture CHAP. 3. VER 1. 2. 3. Then said the Lord unto me go yet love a woman beloved of her friend yet an adulteresse according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel who looke to other gods and love flaggons of wine So I bought her â—o me for fifteen pieces of silver and for an homer of barley and an halfe homer of barley 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 THe close of the former Chapter had much mercy in it and this Chapter containes the
of God This is to be wanton not to fear the goodnes of God The goodnes of God in the gospell telleth us that the grace of God is strong that the Saints shall persevere that those that are once in Christ shall never fall away therefore let us take liberty to our selves what need we be carefull of our wayes seeing the grace of God will carry us through Oh to abuse this goodnes of God thus is wicked the heavens may blush to behold it and the earth tremble under it But we have not so learned Christ the more of the goodnes of God in Christ is made known to us the more should we fear him The goodnesse of God in the Gospel is so rich that the truth is because the hearts of men are so vile and so ready to abuse it we are almost afraid to preach it Oh is this the fruit of the preaching of the Gospel Never was the Gospel so cleare as in England and in no Age so as in this Age and is this the fruit of all that men should draw such absurd consequences from this goodnesse of God that men should goe away harder from that which is the softning word VVhen we come to preach the Gospell the goodnesse of it we come I say with feare with what feare trembling lest it should cost the damnation of some soule The preaching the goodnes of God in the Gospel doth certainly cause ex accidente the damnation of many a soul Therefore in the mean time you who are Gods Saints know how dearly God tendereth you God will have the goodnesse of the Gospell preache◠to you though it cost the damnation of 〈◊〉 a soul you had need it therefore make a good use of it Let this meditation cause you to improve to the uttermost what you hear of all the goodness of the Lord. That which I hear is costly to some it costs the perishing of many a soule that I may have it though God sees that many souls will be hardned by it well saith God let them be hardned these my servants shall not want it though they perish for ever When a man hath a thing in his house and he hears that it cost dear even the lives of many men he hath other thoughts of it then before David had a reverent respect to the water of the well of Bethlem because it cost the hazard of the mens lives learne then to feare God and his goodnesse 4. Fearing God and his goodnesse is this in all rejoycing in and praysing God for his goodnesse there shall be a mixture of feare They shall be well skilled in this mystery of godlinesse when they enjoy so much of Gods goodness and are called upon to sing and rejoyce they shal sing with a mixture of feare Their hearts shall be very serious and spirituall in all their joy It is very hard for us to rejoyce in Gods goodness and not to have our hearts grow slight and vain it is a hard thing to keepe a day of thankesgiving with a serious spirit joy commonly causeth vanity in the hearts of men But now the goodnesse of God shall be so strong in their hearts that though they shall seek Gods goodness and rejoyce abundantly in it yet with a mixture of abundance of feare their hearts shall be kept very serious holy and spirituall in the service of God I will give you a text or two for this Exod. 15. 11. when Moses was blessing God for that goodness in delivering his people out of Egypt which was a typicall song as appeareth in the Revelation that bondage typifying Antichristian bondage mark the expression Who is like unto thee O Lord among the gods who is like unto thee glorious in holiness fearful in praises God is to be praysed but so praysed as his name must be fearfull in prayses Consider this in all your joyfull celebrating the memoriall of Gods goodness you must so rejoyce and blesse God as you must hold forth this before all you converse with that the name of God is fearfull in these praises you tender to him this a slight heart cannot doe So Psal 52. 6. The righteous also shall see and feare and shall langh at him Mark what a mixture here is the righteous shall see and feare and laugh he shall rejoyce but with trembling Psalm 2. 11. God much delights to have the glory of his goodnesse thus We have much goodnesse of God at this day and God calleth us to feare him and his goodnesse if we give him not his glory in this God may soone call us to feare him and his greatnesse to feare him and his justice to feare him and his wrath This is the argument now there is forgivenesse with thee that thou maist be feared But how soon may God justly turn this argument there is wrath with thee vengeance with thee there is sword fire blood storm an horrible tempest with thee therefore shalt thou be feared Our consciences are ready to misgive us when wee have any evill tidings for wee have much guilt upon our spirits we 〈◊〉 had much goodnesse indeed from God who ever thought to have lived to see that goodnesse you have seen but because you have not feared God and his goodnesse here is the reason of those misgiving thoughts when you heare of any ill newes oh now God is coming against us with his wrath that he may be feared Something might be said to open a little the difference betweene fearing God and his goodnesse and fearing God and his wrath and justice in a legall way Only thus in a word The fearing God and his goodnesse is such a feare as enlargeth the heart Other feare contracts the heart We have an excellent text for this Isa 60. 1. compared with ver 5. Arise shine for thy light is come the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee and so he goeth on describing Gods goodnesse that referreth to these times that we are speaking of then vers 5. Thou shalt see and flow together and thy heart shall feare upon that and be inlarged When the heart so feareth as it is inlarged unto God this is the fearing God and his goodnesse aright Again It is such a feare as yet the heart clings to God for ever It drives not from God but makes the heart cleave closer to him that is the phrase in the Text in the Hebrew They shall feare to God and to his goodnesse I will put my fear in their hearts that they shal not depart from me This keeps the heart to God Further This fearing God and his goodnesse workes the heart to a high degree of sanctification 2 Cor. 7. 1. Seeing we have such precious promises let us perfect holiness in the feare of God And Heb. 12. 28. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdome that cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverent and godly feare Lastly It is a feare that is joyned with love whereas the
and then you shall have this voyce from heaven The kingdoms of the earth are become the kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ and hee shall reign for ever and then shall ye together with the Jews seeke the Lord and David your King and fear the Lord and his goodnesse Now through Gods goodnesse wee have gone through these three Chapters Tertullian hath this expression of the fulness of the Scriptures Adorâ— plenitu dâ—nem Scripturarum I adore the fulnesse of the Scriptures By searching thus into the Scriptures we may come to see rich treasures in them and so adore the fulnesse of them how do we read over texts as if there were nothing in them but certainly God hath revealed much more of his mind in Scripture then wee are aware of let us all be in love with the study of the Scriptures May 8. 1642. a Nesco utrum brevitatem sermonum an magnie tudiuem sensuum admirari debeas b Commaticum qua si persentias loquen tem c Geâ—â—s generalissimum omnium benorum Si hoc auferas solâ—m e mundo sustulisli quid mundus sublate verbo quam infernus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Quid est Scriptura sacra nisi quaedam epistola emnipotentis Dei ad creaturam suam Greg. 1. Ep. â—0 ad Gregorium Theodorum Medicum Sacrae scripturae expositio est emnium quae ad culâ—â—m Dei fiunt â—pus maximum utilitates humano generi max 〈◊〉 efferens Lect. 1. Wolfius in loc Luther in Gen. c. 19. Ego adi lie beos meâ—s saepe opto eos interire quod metuo nemorentur lectores abducant lectione ipsias scripturae quae sola omnis sapientiae fons est c. Ioh. 7. 17. â—um debere scire se aliquid profecisse cui Ciceronis lectio eft valde iucunda 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hiphil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salvavit Obs â— King â— 2. 19. Ier. 36. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Puteus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magna semper facerunt qui Deo vocaute docuerunt Luther Euseb de Prapar Euan. l. 20. c. ult Ab hec tempore Graeca de temporibus historia vera creditur Obs 1. Obs 2. Obser 3. Obser 4. Obser 5. Obser 6. Obser 7. Obs 1. Obs 2. Obser 3 Obser 4 Obser 5 Obser 6. Obser Obsec Ch. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quanto 〈…〉 dius 〈◊〉 em loâ—â—itur 〈◊〉 into opetoâ—ius peneâ—â—ratur Aug. de Hosea l. 18. deciu. Iam. 1. 20. May 23. 1642. The scope of the Chapter Segnius irritant animos demissa per aurem Quamqua sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus quae Ipse sibi tradit spectator Lect. 2. * Such a one as Thais was among the Athenians Vir sanguinum Aug. cont Faust l. 22 c. 80. Quid adversura clementiae veritatis quid fidei Christianae si meretrix relicta forâ—â—catiane 〈◊〉 castum conjugium commutetur c. Eorum audaciam mirari satis nequeo qui non verentur dicere verba haec esse rebus destituta Theod. in Hos enaâ— c. 1. Obser Gods command takes away the offence not he comâ—mand of the Magistrate Ans 2. Obser Obser Reasons why Hoseas marrying a whore was but only in a vision 1. 2. How the woman is the glory of the man 3. Apparens loquens ei per vifiouem interiorem ecstafi Obs Adulterium committenâ— quasi ad alterium se 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conferens Wherein is Idolatry like to the sinne of Adultery 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 4. Hos 4. 11. 5. 6. 7. Filii Ecclesiae Quest Answ 1. Fornicando fornicatur or as Arius Montanus Fornicando fornicabitur Obser Obsec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs 5. Reasons of the name of Hoseas son Obser 3. Obser A twofold scattering of a People 4. 5. Obser Obser God will avenge 〈◊〉 blood Answ 1. Three reasons why God avenged the blood of Iezreel upon the house of Iehu 3. Obser 1. Obser 2 Obedience so farre as serves a mans owne turn Obser 3. God makes use of mens parts Obser 4 God makes 〈◊〉 use of menâ— sins Obser 5 God rewards here those works that must be answered for he easter Obser 6 A dangerous thing to subiect publique works to our own ends Obser 7. GOD curseth partiall obedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser 8. Reformers must not be more carefull of Policy then of religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Pol. l 7. cap. 8. Mâ—n can see the evill of sin in others rather then in themselves Obser 10 Oser 11. Magistrats must take heed of livâ—ng in the same sinnes they punish Quest Ans Obs Why a threat against posterity in the second Command rather then in any â—ther Theequâ—ty of childrens suffering for their Parents Observ Question Answer Observ Question Answer 2 King 10. 36. 13. 1 13. 10. 13 23. Obser Sin punished a long time after the commission Gen. 42. 22 Isa 65. 20. Observ Quest Answ Observ Many years are but of little while in Gods account Obser Present things affect not Omnis actie fit per contactum Obser Obser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quiescere faciam Obser Observ Observ No weapons can prosper against the Church Observ Fortified places are nothing where the wrath of God is out against a people 2. Obser God punishes men in that they most glory in Lect. 3. Hoseas 3. children shews the 3 estats of 〈◊〉 Observ Base effeminatenes of spirit in a people yeelding to what shall be imposed upon them a signe of ruine Purity in the Church cannot stand long with slavery in the â—eate Viri fortâ—â— est aut pul chrevivere aut fartiter mori After base yeelding to slavery follows ruine Quae suâ—â—u abjecturi in altum tolimus ut majori ruina decidant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oblitus fuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abâ—â—ulit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser 1 Encouragement from gracious youth in England Obser 2. 〈◊〉 2. 1. The feares of the Saints that heretofore mercy was departed from us iustified Luk. 14. 14. Rev. 22. 1â— Gen. 6. 3 God must not be dallyed withall in the offers of his grace Obser 3 Obser 4. Obser 5 Obser 6 Lesse judgments forerunners of greater Obser 7 Obser 8 Amos 3. 2. 1 Kings 13. 4. Exod. 33. 5 A dangerous thing to reiect an offer of mercy after reiection of former offers 2. Obser The ground of civill Churh government different Answ How farre mans authoritybindes Obser 1 Obser 2 Obser 3 Obser Object 5. Obser Poor afflicted ones finde mercy when the rich are rejected 6. Obser Ministers must be Impartial Obser 7 Mercy to the saints are aggravation of judgement to the wicked Dives magis uritur gloria Lazari quam suo incendio Chrysologus After promise of mercy yet great afflictions may follow No advantage in yeelding to wicked men Obser A great evill to be discouraged at some difficulties when God is in
thâ— Church and State as children towards the mother Obser Sin causeth shame False worship 〈◊〉 shamefull thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The more full of beauty Gods Ordinances are the more shamefull it is to decline to waves of false worship Obser Omnes libros tam veteris tam novi testamenti nec non traditionis ipsas pari pietatis affectâ— ac reverentio suscipit ac veneratur Idem honor debetur imagini exemplari Governers and parents must take heed of putting their servants 〈◊〉 children to too much 〈◊〉 Obser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser Aelianus variar historâ— Bodily and spirituall whoredom makes men very wilful in their uncleannesses Obser Ego in ea opinioâ—e sum Monarchias longe diutius duraâ—uras sâ— Monarchae hoc unum pronomen Ego omisissens Luther in Psal 127. Tolle voluntatem non erit infernus Bern. It s a fearefull iudgement for a man to hee given up to ones owne will Professed wickedness is shamefull wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adaras Iovis aut Veneris adorare ac sub Aâ—tichristo fidem occul tare Zuin. ep 3. It is not enough to have goodnesse at the heart but we must professe it Ans 1. Association with those of a different Religion is dangerous Obser Wee must keepe good thoughts of God Obser If we prize Christs love hee will prize ours Obser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser The enâ—es of false worshippers are very low and meane A true child of Abraham hath a high spirit Obs Men love that Religion that brings them most corne and wine c. Fac me pontificem et Christi anus â—ro Novi hominâ—m non ex vna canoni catu nebilem commonstrantem digito delicatiorem penem vin m quod prestan iâ—simum erat oppositum haec in quit sunt quae faciunt ut hoc vitae genus dejerere non libeat Triobojare Beneficium Magis soliciti de meroquam de vero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magis amantmâ—n di delitiâ—s quam Christi divitias Obser It is a shamefull thing to subiect Religion to corn wine and flaxe and wool â—ermâ—ns illa bestia non curaâ— aurum Quasi vero deus nolit darelanem ecclesiae suae aut satius sit asathana peâ—era Obsre Prosperâ—ty in evill wayes hardens Obs God reserveth propriety in all that he giveth unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vadam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persequa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ—udiose quaâ—rensâ— Summae conatuam bulatione pedibuâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser Isa 27. 4 ver 9. The difference of Gods aims in afflicting his Saints from his aims in afflicting the wicked Obs 1. There remains much of slaviâ—h disposition in the godly Obser God studies what may do his people good Obs A mercy to have stumbling blocks laied in the way of sin O inâ—aelices et miseros quando relinquit Deus homiones sibi ipsis nec resistiâ— eorum fureri et cupiditatibus sed vae illis ad quorum peccata conniveâ— Deus Luther Obser Much brutishness remains in the hâ—arts even of the godly Obser 2. Obser 3. Afflictions are â—ods hedges If our way be Gods wee must breake through all difficulties Obser Wicked men will suffer much for their lusts Obs God keeps many from thit sins in a way of violence whether they wil or no. Obser Obser God strikes wicked men with blindnesse It is a good blindnes not to find the paths of sinne Obs Obser Obs Obs Obser When wee cannot enjoy all ordinances vet our hearts must be working after them Obs Obs Cum ne mi ni ob trvdi po test itur da me Obs God accepts of us when we come to him in our affliction Obser Rom. 6. 21. Nothing got by departing from Christ Obs Object Answ Humiliation must go before reformation Obs Lect. 6. In vaine to be humbled except we reform Obs The reasonings of heart in a repenting Apostate Obser Obser Pro. 14. 14. Lect. 6. Apostates seeming mercy must observe three things Examination whether times before were better then they are now The weakness of the argument taken from the opinions and practises of learned godly men Creâ—o vera purfecta fide quod Deus creator gubernator susteu ator sit omnium creaturarum quod idem ipse operatus siâ— omnia operetur adhuc inaeternam operaturus sit Buxtorf synag Iudaic. c. 1. Benedictus sis Domine Deus noster rex mundi quod fructum vitis condidisti Synag Iud. c. 7. Benedictus esto Deus qui dulcia bene volentia crearis c. Buxtsynag Iud. cap. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What Baal was Obs God provideth for the bodies of his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si opus est corni paâ—e si opus est aqua si open est vinâ— si opus est nummo si opus est jumento a Deo petere debet nan a daemoniis idolis qui Deo sitiunt undi que debent sitire anima carne Nunquid animam tuam Deus fecit carnem damonia fecerunt qui fecit ambas res ipse pascet amlias Aug. in 〈…〉 longeth for thee 〈…〉 Obj. The greatest man in the world must beg his bread at Gods gate every day Obs The sweetnesse of a comfort is that it comes from God Obs Many and great are Gods unknown mercies Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat alter Obser We know no more then we lay to heart philosophi sumus factis noâ— verbis nec magna loquimur sed vivimus Cypr. de patientiâ— Mat. 11. 27. Hoc morbo didici quid sit peccatum quanta majestas Dei Gasper Olevianus Verbâ— sensus denotant affectus Obs Affected ignorance is no excuse Graviter O homo peccas si divitias dei longanimitatis contemnis gravissime si ignoras Ambroâ— Obser Obs Obser Prosperity makes men grow wanton Obser Obs An evill thing to fight against God with his own creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs Obs Lect 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser 1 Obs 2. Abuse of mercies causes God to take them away Obser 4 Gratiarum actio ipsa confessio donum est acceptum quanto magis ipsa dona Luther postquam locuplitati sumus bane â—idesam particulam addimus ego geci Obs 5. When God takes away a mercy then conscience troubles foâ— the abuse of that mercy Obser 6 Obs 7. wrath from God when wiked men least think of it Obs 8. how far wicked men have right to the creature Obs 9. Substantiâ— caro nostra incorporetur Sanctis nt in â—is ad gloriam resurgat non peccatoribus in illis enim resurgâ—t ad â—ehenam Obser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser Prosperity hides much filth Obser Lect. 6. Reâ—taining some good covers much evill Obser Obser Lewdnes of men must be discovered