Lord long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity and transgression c why now Lord manifest thy glory now Lord shew thy self to be a glorious God in doing what mark in the 19. verse Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people That 's the glory that God should shew forth and manifest his power in it one would rather think that the power of God should rather be manifest in the destruction of sinners no the power of God is manifest in Mercie as well as in miserie and destruction And we find that those that come up neerest to God they are the most loving and gracious merciful hearts yet if they do but come neer to God so as possibly natural men may to have but any magnanimitie that 's a little neerer to God than a base sordid spirit the magnanimousness of of any mans spirit appears in his love and forbearance and meekness and gentleness for so we know the Heathens could say The greater any one is the more placable is his anger a generous mind not easily mov'd and so he compares the Lyon and Bears and Wolves 〈…〉 the Lyon is a magnanimous Creature therefore saith the Heathen it 's enough for to fall down before a magnanimous Lyon but for Wolves and Bears they insult over those that falls down before them So those that have the most magnanimous spirits have the most patient spirits and forgiving spirits and pardoning spirits This is as cross a Note unto a carnal heart almost as any thing I mean to one that gives way to the lusts of his passion for he thinks himself only magnanimous when he can vent his anger and were it not for the thought that he thinks he should be a fool he would forbear his anger it is not thy honor but it makes thee base in the eyes of thy servants children and wife when thou comest into thy house like a mad fool it makes them look upon thee and despise thee when they see thee thus drunken in thy passion Secondly Such are the provocations of God caused by sin that if God were like to you sinners could not be forborn as if God should say The truth is your sins were such as were not I a God it were impossible that I could bear for so it is though we think not of it the evil of sin is so great that if all the patience that were in all the men that ever was since the world began were put into one man if he knew the great evil that there is in sin he would destroy the world he would not bear if his heart were but holy as here God saith himself Thirdly It 's a good way to exercise saith in Gods mercy to look upon God as a God beyond us beyond any creature for so this is therefore exprelled to the end that the people of God might exercise faith in beholding God as a God that 's the way to help thee in thy faith wouldest thou exercise faith upon God look upon him as a God 〈…〉 do not conceive him to be as a man It 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 upon him somtimes as a compassion at man is a litle help 〈◊〉 that will not do it I suppose it would help a little some that are here suppose this Thou hadest to deal with the most merciful man that ever liv'd upon the face of the earth wouldest not thou hope then that thou mightest be sav'd if he had the dispose of thy eternal estate suppose there were a Judg that had the most relenting heart that ever was in the world and all relentings that ever were in all mens hearts were in him if this Judg had the dispose of thy eternal estate would it not help thee to know thou hast to deal with one that is infinitely above that Judg That Judg were a cruel Tyrant and Tyger in comparison of this God God is God and not man he is infinitely above man in the waies of his mercy We many times with looking upon God as our selves it makes us bold in sin first and afterwards it makes us despair in sin as thus in Psal 50. 21. Thou thoughtest I was like to thy self saith God there that is because I was patient and long-suffering towards thee thou thoughtest I was like unto a man and a man though he be a little offended you think you may please him again and so you thought I was like to your selves therefore you go on in your sins So the Devil first makes us look upon God like our selves and so we think that God hath no greater hatred to sin than we have but then turn the other side when we have once committed the sin when the Devil would tempt to despair then he makes us look to God like to our selves that 's thus I find that I could not forgive such an one if he had wronged me in such a manner and therefore they look upon God like a man nay like a corrupt man Oh! what a dishonor is this to God that because thou thy self hast a froward perverse cruel heart that thou canst not forgive therefore thou lookest upon God as if it were as hard for him to forgive as for thee My Brethren the looking upon God as a God it would help against many discouraging thoughts in poor sinners as first thus My sins are very great Men will forgive little offences but God is a God and not man and therefore great mercies are little in comparison to him A second discouraging thought is I have sinned against many offers of mercy but God is God and not a man and Gods mercy is such as brings in men that have refused the offers of Mercy And then Thirdly None is so sinful as I but God is a God and not a man and therefore he is above thee in the waies of his mercie God hath more mercy yet than ever he did manifest to any one creature in the world and though I be the vilest of all sinners yet let me look upon God as a God and not a man Fourthly I am unworthy saith the sinner of any mercy from God Indeed if you had to deal with a man it might hinder but God is a God and not a man therefore 't is not unworthiness that hinders mercy in God it is that mercy pleases him Yea But I am like to be of no use to God It 's true if you were to deal with a man he might not be pleased but God stands in no need of you or any of his creatures for he is a God and not man thou doest not honor God as a God if thou doest not cast thy soul upon his mercy as the mercy of a God If I put this unto thee I hope the glory of it will be so great as will keep it from being abused What doest thou think thy condition is grievous but doest thou think that such mercy would not serve the turn as
AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical Observations CONTINUED Upon the Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Chapters of the PROPHESY OF HOSEA Being First delivered in several LECTURES at Michaels Cornhil LONDON By Jeremiah Burroughs Being the Seventh Book published by Thomas Goodwin William Greenhil Sydrach Simpson William Bridge John Yates Will. Adderly LONDON â—â—inted by Peter Cole at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1651. To the READER GOD who alone is perfect in Himself hath reteined this Prerogative to Himself That His Work should be perfect as Moses speaks And as another Holy One hath it doth al his pleasure Paul though in what-ever he was to commit to writing in matters sacred had infalibility of assistance yet perfected not all be intended These things we will do if God permit said he to the Hebrews But we no where find extant any evidence that he accomplished what he there intended Namely A full Methodical Discourse upon those first Principles and Foundations of Religion which that speech had reference unto It is no wonder then that if such a kind of Imperfection accompanied the Works of so great a Master-builder if it attend those who build on this Foundation and are not priviledged as yet he was from building Hay and stubble This sort of Incompleatness hath befallen the Works of this worthy Author in respect to the finishing of this Prophesie which he intended and had performed wherein yet to the Church of God there shal be no loss there being no thoughts nor Notions suggested to any man which though for the present they die with him But the same Spirit that is the inspirer of all doth bring to light in some one or other servant of God in his own time What a Treasury of Thoughts seemed to be lost and to die with the Savior of the World which he had not could not then utter which yet the Spirit that fil'd him without measure distributed amongst the Apostles that came after him according to the measure of the gift of Christ in each There is no beam of Divine Light hath shone into any mans heart that shal finaly and for ever be put under a Bushel but in the end shall be set up to give light to the whol House The purpose of this Preface is To consign the Pasport thorough the World of these last Notes of the Author upon this Prophesie Namely The Eleventh Twelfth and Thirteenth Chapters and to assure the Reader That they are the best and most genuine that can be expected being collected out of those under his hand al along and the best Copies of those that took them from his mouth And to subjoyn this hearty prayr for a blessing from Heaven on these the rest of these our Brothers Labors that are published that his Works may follow him and he receive at latter day a full reward even according to the fruit of his doings Thomas Goodwyn William Greenhil Sydrach Simpson William Bridge John Yates Will. Adderly THE CONTENTS CHAP. XI VERS I. COhaerence Page 2 Observation 1 God stands much upon the cleering of himself to be a God of Love and Mercy Ibid. Obs 2 It is the Priviledg of the Saints to be beloved of God 4 Obs 3. It is a great aggravation of sin to sin against Love 5 Obs 4 It 's very useful to call to mind Gods old Love 6 Obs 5 All Gods old mercies remain engagements to duty and aggrations of sin 7 Obs 6 Let not our hearts sink though we are able to do but little for God 8 Obs 7 If God love us so soon our love to God ought not to be deferred 9 Obs 8 The Church is in the same relation to God as a Son is to a Father 11 Obs 9. Let wicked men take heed how they use the Saints for they are Gods Sons 12 Obs 10 The Saints are not only Sons in relation but in community ib. Obs 11. Gods Sons are not free from sore and grievous evils in this world 13 Obs 12 It 's a great mercie to be called out of Egypt 14 Obs 13. God hath an eye to Christ in all he doth 19 VER II. Exposition 22 Obs 1 It 's a mercie of God to have Gods Ministers calling us to obedience 23 Obs 2 When God hath called us out of affliction it 's a great addition of mercie to call us out of son unto duty ib. Obs 3 It 's a great aggravation of mens sins if they be called to duty after God hath called them out of misery and they do not obey it ib. Obs 4 For men not only to disobey Gods call but to turn away themselves from it and from those that speak to them in his name is very micked and a high degree of sinfulness 24 Obs 5 It is yet a higher wickedness to have our corruptions irritated by the Word and provoked ib. Obs 6 That Gods free grace is very great and very strong 25 Use Comfort against a stubborn heart 26 VER III. Exposition 27 Obs 1 When God calls his people out of afflictions yet they know no more how to guide themselves in their way than a little child doth 28 Vse for England 29 Obs 2 The way that God leades people in many times may be a way of much difficultie ib. Use We have cause to bless God that we are in his way 30 Obs 3 Though we meet with difficultys in our way yet God loves to teach his people how to go in their way and the more difficult their way is the more care hath God of them to teach them how to go ib. Use Be not discouraged at your difficulties but look up to God for guidance ib. Obs 4 Seeing God makes it a fruit of his love to teach them how to go when you see others slip and stumble in the way of profession of Religion Bless God then for his mercie towards you that he helps and teaches you in your way 33 Obs 5 Take heed you that have need of teaching that you be not wayward foolish wanton and unruly and that you do not wilfully run into rugged and slippery waies 34 Obs 6 Gods Ministers and all others should labor to follow God in this way of his that is To have a tender care of others ib. Obs 7 Gods Ministers must not be discouraged though they meet with those that are very froward 35 Obs 8 It is a great aggravation of sin when children requite not their parents for their education 36 Obs 9 God will not cast off his children though they get hurt 37 Use Be not discouraged when you have gone out of Gods way because the Lord will heal his people 38 Obs 10. God doth us much good we knew not of 39 Use Not to abuse our strength in the waies of sin and so manifest that you know not that God hath healed you 41 VER IV. Exposition 42 Obs 1 That the waies of God are very rational so that they may draw any man of understanding to love
thew 49 Obs 2 The way to prevail with men is to deal with them in a rational way 50 Obs 3 It 's a great aggravation of sin not to be drawn dy these cords of men 52 Use 1 Saints should be eminent in courtesie 54 Use 2 We should draw our relations with gentleness ib. Use 3 Gentle means rejected aggravate sin 55 Obs 4 We must preserve the honor of our inferiors though their faults be great ib. Obs 5 It will aggravate the shame and confusion of men which disregarded Gods using them in an honorable way 56 Obs 6 Not to be drawn to our duty but by violence and strength it is beastial 57 Obs 7 As God deals with us according to our nature so we ought to deal with God as far as we are able sutable to his nature ib. Obs 8 That the Lord doth not alwaies stand upon number though the greatest 59 Obs 9 That Love it hath strong bonds 63 Obs 10 We should labor to cast the bonds of love upon those we have to deal with 66 Obs 11 Seeing Love hath such bonds in it we should make use of the Love of God to bind our hearts to him 78 Obs 12 There 's nothing more aggravats sin than that it is against Love 88 Obs 13 That deliverance from oppression is a great mercie 92 Obs 14 To abuse our ease when God is pleased to deliver us from yokes is very sinful 93 Obs 15 To oppress one another after we are delivered from oppression is likewise a great evil 97 Obs 16 Mercies prepared and provided for laid before us are to be prized 101 Obs 17 In receiving of our food we must look up to Heaven 102 Obs 18 The Service of Gods people is easie and their provision is bountiful ib. Use How great is the mercy of God to us who hath eased our yokes and laid meat before us 〈◊〉 103 VER V. Obs 1 That which bardens men hearts against threats in their sin is some shifts that they have in their thoughts 104 Obs 2 A stout heart cares not whether it goes rather than it will return to God 105 Obs 3 Stubborn hearts if any thing crosses them will foolishly and desperately wish their return to their former condition of misery ib. Obs 4 God knows how to cross wicked men of their wills to spoil them of their plots 106 Obs 5 If we will not do Gods Will God will cross us of our own 107 Obs 6 God is not so much displeased at our sins as at our not returning 108 Obs 7 To refuse to return notwithstanding means used and mercies tendered is a fearful thing ibid. Obs 8 Scornful spirits when they are called upon to return from their evil waies do not only deny returning but also scorn and slight what is said to them 110 VER VI. Obs 1 It 's time for a people to return when God doth whet or draw out his Sword 111 Obs 2 That the abiding of the Sword is a sore judgment ib. Use Against protractors of the War Obs 3 The sword shall abide as long as God will have it ibid Obs 4 That though it be sad for the sword to be in the Field yet for the sword to be in the City is sadder 113 VER VII Exposition 118 Application 1 Publick to England ibid 2 Private to particular persons 119 Why men start back Reasons 1 Gods waies are unsutable to them ibid 2 They have a greater mind to other things ibid 3 They are weary of the waies of God ibid. 4 They have watched advantages to get off from what they have formerly made profession of ibid 5 They are sorrie they engaged themselves so much as they did ibid 6 They greedily embrace any Objections against such waies ibid 7 They are very greedie to take any offence ib. 8 They watch for offences 120 9 They are willing to embrace any opinion that will give them liberty 121 Obs 1 That it is a great evil for men to strive against their conscienoes 122 Obs 2. Mens hearts sink down to low and mean things naturally 126 Obs 3. It is the end of the Ministry of the Word to call men to the Most High God who have their hearts groveling after low and base things ib. Obs 4 It is a great and sore evil to stop our ears against the calls of the Word 127 Obs 5 That the calling to the most high God is a special means to cause those that are in a suspence to come in to a full resolution ibid Obs 6 The true Worship of God is an elevating thing 129 An Exhortation 131 1 To great men ibid 2 To Saints ibid How God hath exalted the Saints 1 He hath raised them from the depth of miserie 131 2 He hath made them one with his Son ib. 3 Hath loved them with the same love wherewith he loved his Son ib. 4 Hath made them Co-heirs with his Son ib. 5 Hath given his Angels to be ministring spirits to them ibid 6 God intends to honor himself in their eternal good ib. 7 He hath prepared for them a Crown of Glory ib. Obs 7 God hath little honor in the world 132 VER VIII Exposition general 134 Exposition particular 135 Obs 1 The greatness of mans sin hinders not the work of Gods mercie 141 Use 1 If the bowels of Gods mercie work towards us let ours work towards our brethren 142 Use 2 Why should great afflictions for God hinder our hearts working to him when our great sins against God hinder not Gods heart from working towards us ibid. Obs 2 Sinners are at the very mouth of misery when they do not think of it ibid. Obs 3 Gods free mercie is that which keeps us from being destroyed ibid. Obs 4 Sinputs God to a stand ib. Obs 5 The salvation of a sinner breaks through manie reasonings and workings in Gods heart 143 Obs 6 According to the relation a sinful people have to God so difficult a thing is it for God to execute his wrath upon them 144 Why God is not readie at any time to execute Judgment upon a sinner 1 The prayers of the Saints stand against Justice 145 2 The Lord look upon the place with an eye of pitie ib. 3 God considers that he hath but little worship in the world 146 4 He looks upon the Service hath been formerly given him in that place ib. 5 There may be a remnant of Saints there ib. 6 He eyes the miseries they will endure ib. 7 The Lord sees how the adversaries will insult 147 8 He looks upon the Elect ones not yet born ib. 9 If my wrath must be satisfied let it run out upon others ib. 10. The affliction of the Saints is Gods own affliction 148 11 God will fetch good out of their evil ib. 12 Gods Justice is glorified by his patience ib. 13 Gods mercie may convert ib. Obs 7 A chollerick disposition is none of Gods Image 150 Use 1 Take heed of being passionate ib. Use 2 Let
Reports to the dishonour of Religion 210 Use 2. Search out the truth first before you report at all ib. Obs 3 When people are guilty of a sin the Prophets should beat upon it again and again 212 VER II. Exposition 213 Obs 1 God commends and contends with his Church at once ib. VER III. Exposition 1. 219 Obs 1. We are to acknowledg God's Election of our Forefathers to be an Act of free grace 222 Obs 2 Those which receive great blessings from Gods mercy to their Ancestors are to acknowledg the free grace of God ib. Exposiston 2 223 Exposition 3 ib. Exposition 4 226 Exposition 5 228 Exposition 6 231 Exposition 7 232 Obs 3 That when God strives against his Servants he gives them sirength 234 Obs 4 It 's a great honour to manifest much strength in prayer ib Obs 5 The way to prevail with men is to prevail with God 236 Obs 6 That the time for the Church to prevail in is then when she is most weak 239 VER IV. Obs 1 Prayer is the great prevailing Ordinance with God 246 Ingredients to Prayer 1 Faith in the Covenant of God 248 2 To be in Gods way 259 3 To plead a particular promise ib. 4 Sence of our own unworthiness ib. 5 Acknowledgment of mercies and truth in promises 260 6 Remembrance of former means ibid. 7 Deep sence of the thing desired ibid. 8 Strong arguments 261 Obs 2 God finds his people many times when they little think of him 262 Obs 3 The foundation of the Saints comfort is in the Covenant of God 264 Obs 4 Mercies promised should beleeved when there is much unlikelihood 265 Obs 5 The multiplying of the Church is a great blessing ibid. Obs 6 The Saints have need of renewing promises ibid. Obs 7 The blessing that comes to the world comes by promised seed ibid. Obs 8 It was in Gods heart to do good unto us Gentiles thousands of yeers since ibid. Obs 9 God is still working towards the fulfilling of promises 166 Obs 10 The mercie and faithfulness of God is constant for continuance ibid. Obs 11 The Saints have need of the confirmation of mercies ibid. Obs 12 It 's a great help to fiath to have God present himself to the soul as God Almighty 267 Obs 13 God delights to revive his people in their fears with sutable mercie ibid. Use To learn tender-heartedness towards them that are in fears and troubles ibid. VER V. Exposition 269 Obs 1 That though God be never so strong and terrible in himself yet faith hath strength to wrastle with him 284 Use Christians should raise up their spirits when they have to deal with God ibid. Obs 2 God is the same to us if we forsake him not as he was to our forefathers 289 Obs 3. There 's no need of Images to keep Gods remembrance 288 Obs 4 God manifests his glory that he may be remembred from age to age ib. Obs 5 The meditation of the Name JEHOVAH is a useful Memorial of God 289 VER VI. Obs 1. The consideration of our godly forefathers is a great argument to turn us to God ib. Obs 2 That God is the Lord of Hosts is another argument to turn us to him 290 Obs 3. Because God is Jehovah we must turn to him 291 Obs 4 The Excellencie of the Saints is an Argument to turn us to God 293 Obs 5. We depart from God in the midst of our services when we perform them not in Gods way ib. Obs 6. In our turning to God we must reform our special sins 295 Obs 7 We must reform as well in Duties of the Second Table as in matter of Worship 296 Obs 8 There must be righteousness among men where there is a turning to God 298 Obs 9 Those that are in Authority must manifest their turning to God by Execution of Judgment ib. Obs 10 The mixture of Mercie Judgment is very comely 299 Obs 11. A turning heart to God is a waiting heart 303 VER VII Exposition 310 Obs 1. Men by their sin may lose the honor of their progenitors ib. VER VIII Exposition 324 Obs 1 Wicked men will have somthing to say for themselves ib. Obs 2 Wicked men may prosper a while in their evil courses ib. Obs 3 Wicked men attribute all that they get unto themselves ib. Obs 4 Carnal hearts account riches the only substantial things 325 Obs 5 Wicked men glory in the estates they have gotten ib. Obs 6 Carnal hearts seek to relieve their consciences with outward comforts 326 Obs 7 Wicked men beleeve not that God is so angry with them as they are told he is 327 Obs 8 Evil things many times have good names 330 Obs 9 It 's hard to convince covetous men of their iniquitie ib. Obs 10 It 's hard to convince them that they do not love to be charged with their sin 331 Obs 11 Men may in words profess the thing that they are guilty of to be abominable ib. Obs 12 Wicked men care not so other men cannot accuse them 332 Obs 13 A carnal heart extenuates his sins 333 Obs 14 If wicked men can but scape the danger of Law it 's all they care for 334 VER IX Obs 1 The prosperity of men in a sinful way makes them forget what God hath done for them in former times 336 Obs 2 God takes notice of mens unthanfulness ib. Obs 3 Old mercies are great engagements to duty and the neglect of dutie a great aggravation of sin 337 Obs 4 God gives hopes of mercie to sinners upon their Repentance 339 Use To persons offended by others 341 Doct. 2 The consideration of what God 〈…〉 h done should help our 〈◊〉 in beleeving what he will do ib. Applied to England VER X. Obs 1 It 's God that speaks by his Prophets 344 Obs 2 It is a great mercie to a people for God to speak to them by his Prophets 345 Obs 3 God will take account what becomes of the labor and pains of his Prophets 347 Obs 4 'T is a great mercie for God to declare his mind again and again ibid. Use How may God upbraid us with this 348 Obs 5 The Lord takes account of the manner of mens preaching as well as of the things they preach 349 Obs 6 The revealing the Word by similitudes is very useful and profitable ibid. Obs 7 Slight not the Word when it comes by a simile 350 Obs 8 Rest not in the pleasantness of the simile ib. VER XI Obs 1 Whatsoever is presented in the Worship of God if not of Gods appointment is meer vanity 352 Obs 2 When Gods Judgments have been against any for sin all sinners guilty of the same sins have cause to feare 353 Obs 3 Such whose principles are neerer to God than others if they be superstitious God will surely be revenged of them 354 VER XII Scope 357 Obs 1 Such as take pride in their Ancestors should look back to the mean condition of their Ancestors 392 Obs 2 Dependance
upon God in afflictions shews grace of God in any 393 Use 1 To servants which are in hard service ib. Use 2 To servants which are out of it ib. Obs 3 Love wil carry through long service 394 Obs 4 A good Wife is a great blessing of God though she have no portion ib. Obs 5 Children should not marry without their Parents consent 395 VER XIII Obs 1 None shal lose any thing by what they do for God 397 Obs 2. The shiftless estate of our Ancestors should humble us much 398 Obs 3 God works great things for his Church by smal means ib. Obs 4 It 's a great aggravation of sin to transgress against God's more than ordinary appearing for peoples good 399 Obs 5 Abuse of suth as have reference to the service of God is a great evil ib. VER XIV Obs 1. God is not angry unless he be provoked 403 Obs 2. It is only sin that provokes God 403 Obs 3 Som sins provoke God more than others 405 Obs 4 They that be wilful in sin their blood will be upon their own heads 407 Obs 5 God will be Lord let wicked men do what they can 410 CHAP. XIII VER 1. Obs 1 It 's an Honor to have respect from others when we speake 415 Vse for Inferiors ib. Obs 2 Those who are in Place of Power account it their honor that others should tremble at what they say 436 Obs 3 The subjection of the hearts of men to those in authority is a work of God 417 Obs 4 The meaner the beginnings of men are the more imperious they prove 418 Obs 5 Men of great repute and reverend respect by sin fall from their dignitie 419 Verified in Magistracy and Ministry ibid. Use For Magistrates and Ministers 421 Obs 6 Alteration in marter of Government is a hard and difficult thing 422 Obs 7 Men of resolved spirits will break through difficulties when God raiseth them up to it 423 Obs 8 If after they have gone through difficulties they rest in their own strength they shall vanish and come to nothing 423 Obs 9 Alteration in Religion is a difficult business 424 Obs 10 Men of resolute spirits will go on in matters of Religion though it be from better to worse 425 Obs 11 When God withdraws his protection from a Familie he leaves it as a dead carkass 426 Obs 12 Corruption of Worship causeth God to withdraw from a people ib. Obs 13 When wicked men are most active in their evil way then they may be under the sentence of death 427 VER II. Obs 1 Vse makes a mighty alteration in mens spirits 428 Obs 2 When destructions neerest evil men are wickedest 430 Obs 3 There 's no stop in Apostacy 431 Obs 4 Every sin against conscience weakens the work of conscience 433 Obs 5 In what degree a man fals off from God in that degree he loseth his comfort in God 434 Obs 6 When one hath sinned against God his spirit and holy duties are unsutable ib. Obs 7 The presence of God is terrible to an Apostate ib. Obs 8 What may turn an Apostates heart to God is grievous to him ib. Obs 9 One sin cannot be maintained without another 435 Obs 10 The pride of an evil mans heart is such that he will be justifying his sin ib. Obs 11 When men are grown far in an evil way they grow desperate ib. Obs 12 When men trust to their own understandings in matters of Worship God gives them up to sottishness 441 Obs 13 It 's false Worship to give Religious respect to any creature by kissing as well as bowing to it 443 Use Against such as kiss the Book when they take an Oath ib. VER III. Obs 1 The messenger of wrath drives unsetled men to misery 444 VER IV. Obs 1 It 's a great evil to sin against the work of mercy 445 Obs 2 Deliverance from Egypt is a Note of Gods being our God 446 Obs 3 The end of Gods great work is That he may be known to be God ib. Obs 4 God delights to manifest himself in a way of salvation 448 Obs 5 Saving mercies are great mercies ib. Obs 6 No creature can do us good further than God gives it leave ib. Obs 7 Our faith should be exercised on God as a Savior ib. Obs 8 We are never safe but when our peace is made with God 449 Obs 9 God is never worshiped as God but when he is worshiped as a Savior ib. VER V. Obs 1. It 's a great mercie for God to know a man in time of trouble 451 Obs 2 Gods knowing us in distress is a mighty engagement to us 452 VER VI. Obs 1 It 's better to want the comfort of the creature and to have Gods protection than to have the creature and live of our selves ib. VER VII Obs 1 The Lord pities sinful men in adversity 499 VER VIII Obs 1. The wrath of God is more dreadful than the dreadfulness of all the creatures in the world 505 VER IX Obs 1 It 's an aggravation of sin another day to be the cause of the evils we suffer 508 Obs 2 Men would put offtheir evils from themselves to God 510 Obs 3 God knows how to turn all the evils upon our selves 511 Obs 4 A man can bring himself to no misery but there 's help in God for it 519 Use Look up to God when you have done evil 520 Obs 5 Those that seek help in God and yet misery grows upon them let them examin themselves 521 Obs 6 The more God hath helped men the greater will their destruction be if they be destroyed at last 522 VER X. Obs 1 It 's a sad condition when God rules over a people in spight of their hearts 523 Obs 2 The things that carnal hearts rest upon will vanish 526 Obs 3 God loves to insult over men in their carnal confidences 526 Obs 4 It 's great confusion to carnal hearts when they shall be asked Where 's their confidences 527 Use Let us learn to seek after those things we may be able to give an account for 528 Use 2 Let not the Saints be afraid of evil men ib. Obs 5 Though God be much with a man yet if he be of a low rank carnal hearts regard him not 529. Obs 6 Men will not hear so long as they do not suffer 533 VER XI Obs 1 God may have a hand in things wherein men sin exceedingly 535 Obs 2 Things that are very evil may have present success 536 Obs 3 Gods gifts are not alwaies in love ib. Notes whether it be out of Love or Hatred 1 When we desire the gift rather than God in it 540 2 When our desires are immoderate and violent 541 3 When God grants men their desires before due time 542 4 When there comes no blessing at all with what we enjoy 543 5 When what we desire is meerly to satisfie our lusts 544 6 When men are so eager that they care not whether they have it from a
love unto his people and surely God intends yet further love unto us And then for our selves in particular It 's very good for us to look back unto his ancient love That is Now God hath loved some of you from your child-hood how the providence of God did work towards you then Some of you I suppose in this place may say that God loved you when you were children when I was a child I had such and such expressions of Gods love towards me It was love that I was born of Christian Parents and that I was brought up in Christian education That I was delivered from such and such dangers yea it may be God began to reveal himself to me betimes And if you would call to mind all the loving passages of Gods providence since you were children you might have matter of meditation sufficient There 's many of you that complain you cannot find matter for meditation I 'le give you a rule to help you in meditation at any time it 's this When you cannot meditate of other things but you are presently be wildered and know not whither to go then turn your selves to this meditation To think of all the gracious passages of Gods providence towards you ever since you were children and this the weakest may be able to go along in And that 's the third Note of Observation Fourthly All Gods old mercies remain engagements unto duty and aggravations to our sin I loved him when he was a child 't is brought to that end to aggravate their sin and further to engage them unto duty Remember that the love and mercies of God unto you when you were children are engagements to duty when you are old And they are aggravations of your sin The sins of those men and women that are against old mercies they are the greatest sins Oh! that you should sin against that love of God unto you when you were children God began with you then and hath continued his love and mercy to you ever since then Oh! make this an aggravation of your sin in the day of your humiliation charge it upon your own souls these and these sins have I committed though God loved me though Gods mercy and goodness was towards me when I was a child and hath gone along to me yet I have walked unworthy of all that love and mercy know that if you do forget the old love of God yet the Lord remembers it he remembers his old mercies and he remembers your old sins But then fiftly Let not our hearts sink in despairing thoughts though we see that we are able to do but little for God and though we are unworthy of love Though there be much vanity and folly in our hearts and in our lives yea though there hath been much stubbornness yet still let not our hearts sink in despairing thoughts I loved them when they were a child They could do little for me and they knew little of me and they were vain and foolish and stubborn and yet I loved them Certainly the waies of God towards Israel are as a type of his waies towards his Saints as the afflictions of Israel are Typical to the Church and we gather an argument to be patient in afflictions when we reade how God dealt with the people of Israel in the wilderness so we may gather an argument to help our faith when as we reade how God dealt with them though they were unworthy and were poor and weak yet God loved them Therefore you poor people that find your selves weak in understanding alas you know little and can remember little of that which is good and alas you can do little for God â—ea I find perhaps saith one much frowardness and stubborness in my heart against God but do you bewail it if so let not your hearts be discouraged do not think that these are things that will hinder the love of God Gods heart may be towards you notwithstanding this when God comes to love he doth not find the object to be lovely before he loves but his love makes the object to be lovely therefore God can love though thou knowest little and can do but little But you will say He can love I but Will He love If I did but know that this would satisfie my heart To that I answer First how ever when you hear that God did love Israel when he was such a child that none eye pitied him this is enough to help you against any concluding thoughts against Gods love for God did love his people when they were as unworthy as you are And then secondly But would you know whether God would love you the readiest way for you to know whether God will love you yea or no It is first To raise up your faith if you are able upon such grounds as these are Upon the consideration of his love to his people when they were unworthy And then secondly In quietness and meekness of spirit to lay thy self before the Lord as an object of his pity If thou doest not think thy self worthy to be an object of love yet lay thy heart before God as an object of pity and there resolve to wait til the time of love shall come till God shall make known that his heart is towards thee for good 't is not the way for thee to be froward and vexing because of thy unworthiness meanness poverty and baseness and so to determine that he will not love thee therefore but I say the way for thee to have the sence of Gods love is this When thou seest there is no worthiness in thee why he should love thee yet there is enough in thee to make thy self an object of his pity And sixtly Doth the love of God to his people begin so soon I loved Israel when he was a child Oh! let not thy love then to him be deferred too long Gods love begins betimes to his people let not his people love be deferred too long God is before hand with you in love and when ever we begin to love him it is upon this ground Because he loved us first You who are yong youths do you love God betimes for if you be such as ever shall be saved God did not only love you when you were a child but he loved you before you were born before the foundations of the world was laid Oh! it is pity that the first springing of your love should not be bestowed upon God Certainly old love is the best love as old love in God is sweet so old love in the Saints it 's a sweet thing to think that God loved me from a child but then if I can say this too I loved God from a child this will make it sweeter put but these two together Oh! when these two can be added what is wa 〈…〉 g to the comfort of ones life God loves that love that is from a child Jer. 2. 2.
Egypt yet stil they were my Sons Now we are ready to think that if God bring us into sore afflictions then we are no more sons No thou mayest be delivered up to the power of the enemy and yet a son of God still and no slave for all that and no enemy There 's a notable Scripture in Deut. 32. 10. where it is said of the people of Israel That they were in the waste howling wilderness and yet they were as the apple of Gods eye so thou maest be delivered up to the wast howling wilderness to suffer sore things to be banished from thy house and home and to wander up and down in the wilderness and yet remain as the apple of Gods eye It is a strange sight indeed to see a child of God an Heir of Heaven a Co heir with Jesus Christ one dearer unto God than Heaven and Earth to be under the power the humors the lusts of wicked men of base ungodly ones yet it is so yea for a time they may be slaves to Satan I say those that God hath an eternal love to even are for a season oft times slaves to Satan But then they have not the comfort of this Son-ship nor do not know it But now they may know themselves to be Sons and yet slaves to the humors of wicked and ungodly men there is not a stranger sight in the world I beleeve the Angels in Heaven do not see a stranger sight that they more admire at when they see a godly man to be under the lusts of wicked men but this is Gods work for the present God intends to manifest himself in another way hereafter but for the present he fetches about the glory of his own ends this way to let even his own dear sons to be in Egypt But God calls them out of Egypt God hath his time to deliver his people and call them out of Egypt and 't is but a Call and it 's done it is as easily done as a man that gives a call for such a one out of such a place let our bondage be never so great 't is but a word from God to deliver us Again It is a great mercy to be cal'd out of Egypt This the Lord here brings as a great testimony of his love to them that he calls them out of Egypt In Exod. 12. 42. It is a night to be much observed of all the Children of Israel in their Generations To be called from that Egypt was a fruit of Love and so to be called from spiritual Egypt for mans natural estate is a spiritual Egypt to be cal'd from Antichristian Egypt is a great fruit of Love and as 't is a fruit of love so it is an aggravation of sin for so it is brought I called my Son out of Egypt and yet they did thus and thus If God remembred this mercy of calling them out of Egypt so many years before as an aggravation of their sin how much more may the Lord make that an aggravation of our sin that called us of late out of that Egypt that we were in Many waies I might shew you that we were under a great if not a greater bondage than the Israelites were under in Egypt And there hath been as out stretched an arm though not so obvious to sence in calling of us out as in calling of them out of Egypt now let not this be an aggravation of our sin the sound of our cries under the yoke of our bondage is not yet out of our ears and the very sores of our shoulders through their yokes are not yet throughly healed and therefore if we now before the sound be out of our ears and our sores be healed yet grow to be wanton foolish vain proud cruel oppressing one another and abusing of our liberty Oh! our sin must needs be accounted exceeding great before God Well but yet we see not all the mind of God in this expression nor the chief part of his mind for we find in in Matth. 2. 15. that there the holy Ghost cites this Scripture that now I am opening to you and interprets it of Jesus Christ When Jesus Christ was fain to fly into Egypt to save his life the holy Ghost saith That it was to fulfil that Scripture I called my Son out of Egypt It is a very strange Interpretation as we have divers other such in the new Testament and Hierom upon the place saith That Julian takes advantage upon this and some of the Jews with others that hated Christian Religion did take much advantage upon this quotation of Matthew against the Authority of the Gospel and said surely it argued Matthew very unskilful in Scripture that he should make such a quotation as this when it is apparant that it is spoken of the calling of the people of Israel out of Egypt And truly we should never have thought that there had been such a meaning in this place of Hosea had we not found it so interpreted by the holy Ghost And by the way before we come to open that and shew how that was a right quotation of this Scripture I 'le but observe this one Note from it that we may see that by the interpretation both of Matthew and divers other places we find in the new Testament that there is much more of the mind of God in the old Testament than was ordinarily known to them that lived in those times Which of the Jews could have made such an Interpretation I have called my Son out of Egypt That is Jesus Christ after he is born he shall be persecuted and forced to fly for his life and that into Egypt and he shall come again out of Egypt who could have thought the holy Ghost could have intended such a thing as this is Things were not understood til they came to be fulfilled and then they were understood And the truth is as in the old Testament so in the new there are a great many Scriptures that we understand yet but little of And the time of our knowing the meaning of them is reserved to the time when they are to be fulfilled many Prophesies we have in the Revelations and other places that are I am confident as dark to us as this place of Hosea was dark to the Jews and there is as excellent a spiritual meaning in many places of the new Testament hidden from us that will hereafter to the Church of God be revealed cleerly as there were in the old Testament many places I know not whether I may say as many as those but are as much hidden from us Jesus Christ that was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world in Rev. 5. 〈◊〉 he that shall open the Book that is seal'd and it is a fruit of the death of Christ it is the Lamb as he is a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world that shall open the Book that is sealed there are many
it 's an excellent thing to be able to understand the reach of God in his Word as I may so say and it 's a fruit of love It 's a fruit of the love of Jesus Christ to his Saints that we should know his mind more than other men do And certainly if the people of Israel had but known this when they first went into Egypt and returned back again that the Lord did aim at Jesus Christ in it Would it not have been a comfort to them if they had known that God intended to make them conformable to his Son Would it have been a comfort to them to have known it Then certainly it must needs be a comfort to the Saints to know now that in all their sufferings they have a conformity to Jesus Christ we know it now and that 's the reason why we do suffer it is to make us conformable to Jesus Christ the Jews did not know this that which was the reason why God would have them suffer but we know it and therefore in all our sufferings we should exercise our faith in the sufferings of Jesus Christ Do we suffer thus and thus he did so to take away the sting of our sufferings and in a special manner you that have been driven from house home if there be any here that have been driven to fly for their lives and perhaps you have been driven to go among strangers Oh! but your suffering is not so great as the suffering of Jesus Christ was he fled for his life when he was but an infant and did not only fly to strangers but to his enemies to the Egyptians you are driven but from one part of England to another Oh! exercise your faith in this it was a very strange work of Gods providence that presently after he was born he must fly for his life you that are fain to carry your children with you Oh! remember how Joseph and Mary was fain to do it was fain to fly for the life of Jesus Christ and carry him and this flight was a great deal more than your flight for they were fain to fly to Egypt Now supposing it was by land as that many reasons may be given they were fain to fly a matter of an hundred miles through the desert wilderness where there was no habitations you fly from one town to another and find relief they were fain to fly above an hundred miles it 's fifty leagues which your Marriners accompt three miles to a league and was in the very desert between the Land of Canaan and Egypt Now though it 's true the people of Israel was fourty yeers in the Wilderness but it was not through the length of the place three daies journey might have carried them into the Land of Canaan but it was fourty years that they were about it God prolonged it and they did intangle themselves and were stubborn and Rebellions and so it was prolonged though the way was but in its self short but yet certainly this flight of Joseph with Christ to Egypt must needs be sad and miserable it cannot be conceived that any of your flights should be so said and miserable as that was for they could not carry any provision with them but were fain to fly in a private way to save the life of Jesus Christ Oh! how often do you think did Joseph and Mary look upon this Babe when they were flying through the desert Wildernes think What is this the Son of God Is this the Savior of the World Is this he that should be the redeemer of Israel Is this he that is God and Man Is this he that is the second person in Trinity that presently after he is born we must fly for his life through a desert wilderness Oh! the strange work of God in the very work of Mans Redemption Things were so low and poor and seemed to go on in such a contrary way as it would have put any ones faith to it to have thought that Jesus Christ should have done such great things as he did Oh my brethren this is the way of God to put the faith of men to it especially at first So it was with Christs flight into Egypt It follows VERS 2. As they called them so they went from them c. AS they That is Moses and Aaron and other Prophets and Ministers of God sent unto them they called them to serve the Lord and to worship him according to his own way And especially they called them from Idolaters and false worship As they called them so some turn it that is Though they were so called so called yet they went from them When the means of God is so powerful to resist then is a very great evil If our Gospel that is our Gospel preached with so much plainess and power is hid it is hid to those that are lost But take it here As they called them that is Look what earn 〈…〉 ess there was in Moses and Aaron and other Ministers of God to call them from their evil waies so much stubornness and stoutness was it for them to go against it Calvin thinks it is Because they called them THEREFORE they went from them Because they called them that is They went from them for the very nonce as we use to say Because Moses would have us do thus and thus we will do the quite contrary for the very nonce They went from them that is Turned their backs upon them like stuborn Children and Servants when they are called they will not hear but turn their backs upon you so did they to Moses From whence observe First It is a mercy of God to have Gods Ministers calling us to obedience Who are we that God should send his Messengers after us What need hath God of us Suppose we go on in the waies of death and perish what shal God lose by it But this is Gods mercy that he will cal after us God may say If you will go go on and perish everlastingly Oh! but he doth not so Secondly When God hath called us out of affliction it is a great addition of mercy to call us out of sin unto duty and we should account one as great as another We think it a great mercy if the Lord will call us out of an affliction but when God calls us out of a misery and calls us to a duty Do you think that that 's as great a mercy That 's a sign of a sanctified heart indeed You are in sickness and under great extremity if God should say I wil give out my Word to deliver you that would be a sweet word you would say I but when God gives out his Word to call thee out of thy sin to a duty thou shouldest as joyfully take an hint of that Word of God too Oh! do you prize Gods call unto you from sin to duty as much as from misery to prosperity
5. He shall not return into the Land of Egypt but the Assyrian shall be his King because they refused to return He shall not return TO give you first a short paraphrase of the words for there 's no difficulty in them and then the Notes of Observation It is As if the Prophet should say Howsoever he thinks to help himself with ease to shelter himself there yet he shall not but he shall go into Captivity into Assyria for all means that have been used would not bring him to return So then the Observations First That which hardens mens hearts against threats in their sin is some shifts that they have in their thoughts let the worst come that can be yet I have such a relief My Brethren it 's a great mercy of God to take mens spirits off from all their vain shifts and hopes so as to be throughly convinced that there 's no help in any thing in the creature in Heaven and Earth but only in my turning to God and casting my soul down before Mercy if that saves me not I am undone for ever when the heart comes to this I say God is in a gracious and merciful way working I see my sin my affliction that is upon me and feel it though my heart would be shifting this way and that way yet God hath convinc'd me nothing can do me good but I am lost and undone what ever course I take except I return to God and humble my soul before him and seek his face and obtain meroie from him Secondly He shall not return to Egypt It was a verie strange perverseness to think of this shift to go back to Egypt why was not Egypt the place of his bondage and the Egyptians still retained their cruelty and yet they thought of this help that they would turn to Egypt rather than to God From whence the Observation is A stout heart cares not whither it goes rather than it will return to God As the Prodigal will rather go to the Swine to feed upon husks than to his father like some stout children they care not what miseries they suffer rather than they will come and humble themselves to their parents They will hang themselves and drown themselves and seek their fortune as they use to say rather than be perswaded to come in and submit themselves No never as long as they live though they die yet they will not and thus their hearts are stout and while they think they are stout against their parents they are stout against God too yet God hath waies to bring mens stout hearts to yeeld Thirdly A stubborn heart though God be in any way of mercy God calling them to waies of mercy yet if any thing crosses them they will foolishly and desperately wish their return to their former condition of misery If you make any thing that God doth an argument to a stubborn heart for duty if it pleases him not he will reject all that 's done for him and say he had rather be as he was before let me go into Egypt again stubborn hearts if they meet with any cross in their way this is their unthankfulness that because they are vext and crost in some one thing they will I say foolishly and desperately wish that they were in the the condition that heretofore they have been in Oh! thus it is with many of us how foolishly how wickedly have we thought and said it was better with us heretofore then now let us return to our former condition This is thy folly and thy desperat wickedness But saith the text He shall not return though he thinks of returning as if the holy Ghost should say do not please your selves to think it is but to return to Egypt you cannot be worse than now you are for God hath worser things for you And my brethren this is our case this day let not us think of returning to our former condition certainly if we should take such a course to return to our former condition we should be far worse than we were before our danger would be far greater this is certain to the view of any men that have their eyes open that our condition in England must either be far better than it was or far worse than it was There 's many say Oh! we were thus and thus in former times and if we were but as we were we should do well enough Oh! let 's not think of that we must certainly either be far better or far worse than we were for if we think of returning it will not be to Egypt but to Assyria which will be worse The Fourth Note is this God knows how to cross wicked men of their wills to spoil them of their plots they please themselves with this and the other thing they will do thus and thus if they be put to this shift then they have a second and a third yea but there 's a God in Heaven that hath determined otherwise Never were wicked men more cross in their plots than they are at this day They have said that they would do thus and thus but God hath said they should not and they have not done it Now God in his Mercy crosses his people of their wills that are set upon sin but when the wicked are crost upon their sin it is because God hath other waies to bring about greater evils to them To bring them to Assyria Well then whatsoever any mans thoughts and desires are the Lord deliver us from turning into Egypt again And likewise the Lord grant the Assyrian may not be our King It follows The Assyrian shall be his King The Lord deliver us from both That an Assyrian may not be our King Why an Assyrian why was he threatned to be their King You shall find that he was one of a cruel stout heart an hard heart and a proud heart the Assyrians were so They were a generation of men of cruel proud stout hard-hearted men Isa 10. 5. Oh Assyrian the rod of mine anger saith God and in the 7. verse It is in his heart to destroy saith God of the King of Assyria and in the 12. verse When the Lord hath performed his whol work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks Oh! 't is a sore evil to be put under the rage of a proud and a stout hearted man who will set his heart against God himself who though God fights against him yet will stand it out though his design is crost yet he will not come in he will not give glory to God though his will cost him the blood of many thousands yet he goes desperatly on he regards more his own will and lusts than the blood or lives of millions For people to have such a stout heart armed with power raised with pride enraged with
God Me thinks I find all the blood as it were and my spirits so working and stir'd that I find my heart even turning up and down within me when I come to the execution of wrath And then My repentings are kindled together It is a very notable phrase Here by Repentings I take is meant those thoughts of God by which he came to do such things as men do in their repentings My repentings together That is All the thoughts that I could as it were possibly muster up that could be mustered up together for to turn my heart from the waies of Truth to the waies of Mercy they are all come up together to me saith God and being all joyned together they make a fire and have set my heart on fire As a company of brands being laid together make a great flame so all those thoughts that possibly may be any means to work my heart to good to this people they are all presented together and being come and joyned all together in one they set my heart even of a flame and mightily are stirring in my heart Oh! this is the goodness of God to his people to have all things that any way may be a motive to do good to his people to come up all together before God all in one and when they come in one there to make a fire in the very bosom of God all the reasonings as it were of my heart being joyned together for them have kindled a fire so that I cannot hold but I must needs vent my self thus How shall I give thee up Ephraim But you wil say Why doth God express himself thus God might without any more ado pardon and help or deliver why should he express himself in this manner It 's the Answer of Mr. Calvin here He doth accommodate himself saith he to our rudeness God who disdained not to take mans nature upon him disdained not to act in the person of a man who being much wronged is reasoning in himself what to do his heart is full of pity his bowels yern and he would fain find a way for mercy and when provocation of execution comes in in his mind it is as a dagger to his heart Oh! how shal I do this As if you would imagin any merciful man in the world that were put to a straight would fain have a way for mercy to save a wretched sinner God takes upon him the person as it were of this man and saith How shall I do it God doth as it were in this bring Mercy and Justice both together to plead the Case both against and for Ephraim Justice comes in and pleads Lord their Sins are great and many their Mercies have been great their Means that they have had hath been exceeding much thou hast been exceeding much thou hast been patient a long time towards them and this hath been abused their hearts are still hardened thy Name is blasphemed because of them These Arguments come up against them But now there comes up Arguments for them I but than Mercy steps up and pleads But Lord art not thou a God thou art a God These actions indeed may overcome men but shall they overcome thee And this is Ephraim Are not they thy People are they not in relation to thee are they not in Covenant with thee Spare them Lord for their for fathers sake for Abrahams sake for Israels sake who was so mighty with thee remember Lord the kindness of their youth the wonders that thou hast done heretofore for them when they were stuborn and rebellious Lord thou hast many of thine Elect among them and therefore wilt thou utterly consume them Oh! when the Lord hears these prayers of Mercy on the other hand How shall I do it I cannot do it Thus you have seen the opening of the words with the paraphrase But now for the Notes If any one of you should have any thoughts that I do not briefly pass over this Scriptur in an Expository way I may even answer you How shal I do it It were a very great burden upon one to meddle with such Scriptures as these are in an Auditory that doth desire to have something spoken to their hearts and meerly to pass it over in a meer Expository way therefore for the Notes the first Observation is this The greatness of mans sin hinders not the work of the bowels of God towards them There was none exalted him but they followed their own Counsels and did what they list yet how shall I give thee up this from the Connexion I will give you an instance and that 's a very famous one as we have in all the book of God What sins were greater than the sins of Jerusalem against Christ when he lived and yet Christ looks on Jerusalem and weeps over it weeps over it when he considered of the destruction of it Yea and mark Though Jerusalem were guilty of the Blood of Christ took away the very Life of Christ yet when Christ was risen again one of the first things that Christ doth in the 24. of Luke 47. when he was going there to Emaus Christ saith That Repentance and Remission of sins was to be preached in his Name among all Nations begining at Jerusalem Repentance and remission of sins preached to all Nations Oh! but surely Jerusalem must be left Jerusalem that did slay the Prophets and was so injurious yea Jerusalem that put Jesus Christ to death though all Nation should have Repentance and Remission of sins preached to them yet one would think Jerusalem now should be excepted No saith Christ begining at Jerusalem Jerusalem shall be the first place where I 'le have preached Repentance and Remission of sins even that Jerusalem that took away my life I 'le have preached Repentance and Remission of sins there in the very first place of all Oh! Gods mercies are beyond mans iniquities My brethren If the bowels of Gods mercies shal work toward us notwithstanding our great sins why should not the bowels of our compassions work towards our Brethren notwithstanding their infirmities why should we upon every little discontent cast off all pity and love to our Brethren What such great things in us and yet moves not God to cast us off but still How shall I cast thee off Oh! when you look upon your Brethren that once your hearts did close withal and that were as your own souls and if now you should be any instruments of evil to them you should have such reasonings as this How shall I do it I see infirmities in them I but notwithstanding my great sins God saith of me How shall I give thee up And then Secondly Why should great afflictions for God hinder your hearts working to him seeing great sins against God doth not hinder Gods heart yerning to you Why should any great afflictions for God hinder your hearts working twards him Surely if God will he merciful to us
to our own destruction seeing Mercy pleads as it were against the execution of it let us take heed of new provocations when God is about the letting out of his wrath let not us pull it upon our own heads seeing God keeps off and forbears let not us hasten it I say and pul it upon our own heads If Sodom had but known Gods reasonings with Abraham in the behalf of it one would have thought it might have broke the very hearts of Sodom And let us consider of the reasonings of God in this and lay them to our hearts for the breaking of our hearts and think thus with our selves Lord why should it be so hard with thee to deliver me up when it is so easie with me to sin against thee there 's no pleadings hath stop'd me in the course of my sin the Word hath pleaded Conscience hath often pleaded but I have not been stop'd in the course of my sin Oh! why should any pleadings stop thee in the course of thy wrath The Lord cause such kind of workings to be in our hearts for the breaking of them Considering that indeed it is through the pleadings of Mercy that any of us are alive that we are out of the nethermost Hell And thus much for those words How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel It follows How shall I make thee as Admah and set thee as Zeboim I opened the words the last day what is meant by Admah and Zeboim the two Cities that were neer to Sodom and Gomorah that were destroyed in the same destruction The Notes of Observation follow First That Gods people may be in danger of as sore and great evils as the vilest and worst of men their sin may have such agravations upon them as may make them liable for the present in this world to as sore great evils as the worst of mankind For indeed the aggravations of the sins of the Saints are such as makes their sins if God should deal with them according to a Covenant of Works and not in a Covenant of Grace their condition would be sadder than the most wicked and vile In Amos 9. 7. saith God there Are ye not as the children of the Ethiopians unto me You have had indeed deliverances and so have they And are you not unto me as the children of the Ethiopians What are you better than the children of the Ethiopians unto me if I should look upon you as in your selves Therefore in Isa 1. 10. The Princes of Judah are called the Princes of Sodom and the people the people of Gomorah And in Lament 4. 6. The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom Ezek. 16. 48. As I live saith the Lord Sodom thy sister hath not done she nor her daughters as thou hast done thou and thy daughters As I live God swears to it that Sodom was not guilty of such great sins You will say Yea but we are delivered from such evils by being under another Covenant Yea but that should not at al hinder the work of your humiliation but rather further it considering what you are in your selves Secondly When sinners are at the worst and the neerest Judgment yet bowels of mercy are working towards them when they do deserve to be as Admah and Zeboim even then This Note rises from hence but we had it also from the dependance of the words Thirdly Those that have relation to God have a great priviledge that others have not Thus As if God should say Let Admah and Zeboim perish if they will let Fire and Brimstone come from Heaven and Eternal Fire pursue them what care I for Admah and Zeboim But how shall I make thee as Admah and Zeboim Oh! I know not how to find in my heart to make thee so Those that have relation to God have a great priviledge that others have not God disposes his Mercies as he pleases It may be some of you think that your sins are not so great or not greater than the sins of others and therefore you may escape as well as they No you may mistake in that God may save some that are guilty of greater sins than you and yet damn you damn you for sins less than the other Gods mercy is his own If God wil destroy Admah and Zeboim eternally who can say against Gods dealings with them But how shall I make thee as Admah and Zeboim God knows how to make a difference between man and man Let no man presume and say Because others commit as great sins as I I may escape aswel as they No thou reckonest in this without thine Host God may make a great difference between his dealingswith them and with thee and do thee no wrong neither for the mercies of God are his own Fourthly Seeing God is loth to make his people like to others like to the wicked and reprobates in punishments let not them make themselves like to them in sin Doth God put a difference between Reprobates and his People in punishment Oh! let the Saints then labor to put a difference between themselves and such as are of the world in matter of sin let that be no argument to them Such and such do thus and why may not I do so â—oo that 's no argument with God I have destroyed such and such and why may not I destroy thee that argument wil not prevail with God Thou committest such a sin and I have some in Hell that I sent thither for the same sin but this argument prevails not with God Oh! let not such an argument prevail with thee that because such and such sin therefore I will venture too A Fifth Note is Though God be never so inclined to mercy yet this doth not hide from his eyes the sins of his own people he still sees them he sees what they are in themselves and he sees what would become of them if they were left to themselves Now I am in a way of mercy towards you yet I look upon you now as such as have deserved to be as Admah and Zeboim do not think that because my mercy works towards you that therefore your sins are not before my eyes I know your iniquities and yet am gracious and merciful And is it so Neither then should the hope or encouragement of mercy from God hide our sins from us As the thoughts of Gods mercies to us do not hide our sins from him so our hope of mercy from God should not hide our sins from our own eyes but at the same time when we think of the greatest mercy yet we should look upon our selves as the most wretched miserable forlorn Creatures in our selves It follows My heart is turned within me my Repentings are kindled together The word here translated Turned it signifies some great stirring some change into another condition
there were mighty stirrings in Gods heart pleadings of Justice and pleadings of Mercy but Gods mercy overcomes gets the day as it were Mercie triumphs over Justice The Observations When we have stirrings between Mercy and Wrath the stirrings of Mercy should rather prevail the bent of our hearts should rather be in them When we have workings this way and that way which is the most benign side the arguments had need be very much the stronger for wrath than for Mercie If the arguments have any equality or neer any equalitie in them certainly the arguments for mercie should prevail they do so with Gods heart Oh! be you like God in this And then Secondly When there are stirrings with God and temptations to draw to sin the stirrings for God likewise should prevail Have not you found it thus many times in your selves you have had stirrings in your hearts to such and such duties and at the same time there hath been temptations coming to such and such sins now I put it to your Consciences as in the Name of God Cannot you tell divers times how the temptations to sin hath got the day you have been rather carried from God to your base sinful lusts and your Conscience hath been overcom Conscience hath pul'd and drawings of the Spirit have been very powerful but yet temptations have been more powerful and you have gone that way Oh! be ashamed of this that it should ever be said That at such a time there were stirrings with Conscience and Temptations Temptations and Conscience stirring together yet that Temptation should overcome Conscience Thirdly Gods mercies do not free his People from all fruits of displeasure But I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger And my brethren this is not meant meerly of the times of the Law for this anger of God upon them is to this very day But yet it is not fierceness of anger like that of Adamah and Zeboim There are no question among them the elect Ones of God at this day God wil not have this called the fierceness of anger So 't is displeasure 't is captivity long captivity They are a reproach and a by-word to the world and yet not fierceness of anger Our discontented hearts are ready to call every little affliction fierceness of anger Oh! how fierce is God if we suffer any little And indeed did we but know what anger our sins deserve we would learn not to call every affliction that is upon us no nor our greatest afflictions fierceness of anger Fourthly We should acknowledge mercy though we suffer hard things If yet we be not utterly not everlastingly cast off acknowledge Mercy it is Mercy my Repentings kindled I will not execute fierceness of anger Why Because they were not as Admah and Zeboim Learn we all this This day whatsoever afflictions are upon me though it may be you are ready to say Such afflictions are upon me as upon none we are ready to think our afflictions to be the greatest of all yea but bless God that thou hast not fire from heaven to consume thee and thy family for this might have been thy portion this fierceness of Anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim God here compares himself to a Captain that comes with his Soldiers unto a Town I suppose many of you in this place may easily come to understand the meaning of this word by what they have seen and felt themselves Soldiers come to a Town and there they pillage it and away they go and so the poor people think Soldiers have been here and I hope we shall do well enough now and think all 's over It may be within a month or two after the same Soldiers come again and utterly ruin the place and strip them of all But now saith God I will not return to destroy Ephraim that is Though I lay my hand upon them and afflict them and take away many comforts from them yet when I have done that there I 'le leave I will not come back again with a purpose utterly to ruin them This I might do I might return upon them with one evil upon another but I will not do so From whence note There is no cause that sinners should be secure when some evil is upon them to think this is all now they know the worst No God may justly return upon them again and again If thou turnest not to God under thy affliction God may justly return upon thee to ruin thee Indeed if thy afflictions were such as hath caused thy heart to return to God thou maiest then hope that God wil not return upon thee but if so be thou behav'st thy self frowardly under thy afflictions I say thou maiest justly expect that God should return upon thee But Secondly God is very gracious to his people when evil is upon them he will not ad and ad till he utterly destroy them but he will forbear that he might have some subject for his Mercie he will not contend for ever For I am God saith he and not man Here 's an argument that is very full I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger for I am God and not a man Before God took upon him the person of a man in those yernings of his bowels that is When he would express his mercie mark there God would come in the most familier way to make us know the meaning of his mercy but when he comes to speak of Anger there he would have us know that he is not like to a man in way of Anger in the way of Mercie saith he if there be the most merciful man upon earth know that I am like him but when I come to anger I am not like man in the way of anger God is verie desirous that we understand fully his heart in the waies of his mercy but when he speaks of the execution of his wrath I will not do that why For I am a God and not a Man And mark the strength of this expression the difference between God and Man in the point of the execution of wrath you will find it very useful to you First for the opening of it and then for the several Observations to be drawn from it As first Man is of a weak spirit not able to rule his anger Man if he be but a little heat with anger it 's turn'd into rage and there 's no rule at all but I am not man saith God I am God I am no man 't is not with me thus I am not of a weak spirit I am able to rule my anger in Nahum 1. 6. the Lords anger there is said to be furious but I find the word in the Original The Lord of anger so Montanus turns it a God that 's able to rule his anger and expresses it in the midst of the expression of his greatest wrath I am God and not Man Man the word is not Adam but
is called The first begotten of all creatures and the blessing upon the first born was a type of the blessing that we have by Christ Now though this in an orderly way belonged to Esau as being the first-born yet Jacob's taking of him by the heel was a certain token from God that Jacob should supplant him and that he should get the birthright from him and so the blessing from him and in that Jacob should thus get the blessing though he were the yonger and this sign was given of it when he was in the womb this did shew the free election of God that it was through Gods meer free Grace that Jacob had the blessing rather than Esau and so that the posterity of Jacob were in a better condition than the posterity of Esau It was only the free Grace of God not from any excellency in Jacob any worthines in him more than in Esau for God shewed a sign of it that he intended good when they were in the womb before Jacob could do any thing that was good Though Esau was the Elder stronger hairy active stout man and Jacob a plain man yet Jacob is chosen Esau is rejected and God shews the sign of this by his taking his brother by the heel Now this concern'd the people very much they understanding this to be the scope of it As if he should say What you are the posterity of Jacob and not of Esau and you glory in this Wel how comes it to pass there is so great a priviledge to the posterity of Iacob rather than to the posterity of Esau how comes this Is it not from the free Grace of God in chusing one rather than the other that in the very womb as in Mal. 1. 2. I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say Wherein hast thou loved us Was not Esau Jacob's brother saith the Lord yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau In this I manifested my free love even unto this people that though Esau was Iacob's brother and eldest brother yet I loved Iacob and hated Esau So in Rom. 9. 11. The children being not yet born neither having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth It was said The elder shall serve the yonger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Now this was to shew Gods free grace that it was in the womb If any should say But God foresaw that Jacob would be a better man than Esau I answer If it were of foreseen works there were no Argument in this to prove Gods free election but the Apostle makes it to be an Argument to prove Gods free election of Iacob rather than Esau because he chose them in the womb Luther upon the 25. Chap. of Genesis hath an excellent discourse upon this subject concerning Gods rejecting the pride pomp and vanity of the world and chusing the things that are mean and contemptible in the eyes of the world and it was an emblem of it in that God would rather chuse Iacob the plain man than Esau the hunter and the hairy man I say it was an emblem of this That the Lord intends to reject the brave things in the world the galantry glory and pomp of the world and wil rather chuse the mean and contemptible things of the world Who can perswade saith Luther upon the place the Pope and Charls the fifth the French King and the like that they being great in the world yet are contemptible in the eyes of God and God hath rather chosen despised and contemptible things than them And that was the scope of the Prophet to humble this people that they should consider of the free grace of God towards Jacob. And we should make use of this We are to consider the free Grace of God how it hath wrought in chusing our for fathers and what good we do enjoy by such a choice we are to acknowledg it to be a fruit of free Grace too Others were before God as well as our forefathers as now when God brought the Gospel first to England other Nations were before God as well as them It was meer free Grace that pitcht upon them rather than others and we enjoy the blessing of it to this day let us not sin against this free Grace of God shewed to our Ancestors And more particularly You that now enjoy great blessings from Gods mercies to your Ancestors either outward or inward you must consider the free Grace of God as now such of you as are rich great in the world whence is it that your Ancestors were richer than others and were not beggers as well as others Was it not free Grace free Grace in in the kind of it it was the free goodness of God Others that had their Ancestors to be beggers they were before God in the same lump with your Ancestors and that God should rather pitch upon your Ancestors to be honorable in the earth and rich and you enjoy the benefit of it in this world look to the free goodness of God that hath made such a difference between your Ancestors and others it may be some of you though you be honorable and rich yet your elder Brother might be rejected and sometimes Families rises from the yonger Brother rather than the elder It was so here Iacob that was the yonger he afterwards came to have the blessing and Esau rejected And it may be that the posterity of the elder Brother proves wicked it was so here Religion in the Family of Jacob and not in Esau look back to this and see what cause you have to bless God and how you are engaged to the free Grace of God towards you in regard of your Ancestors as here the Prophet would have this people look back to the free Grace of God to their Father Jacob and that 's the first thing the Prophet aim'd at But in the Second place Jacob took his Brother by the heel That is as if he should say your Father Iacob he was greedy of the blessing greedy of the birth-right there was a secret in stinct of God upon the spirit of Iacob when he was in the very womb to be greedy of the blessing of the birthright and therefore he would do what he could to get it from his Brother as if the Prophet should say Oh! but you that are his posterity you are carnal you do not regard the priviledg of the birthright you do not regard the blessing that comes by it being carnal you care not which way that goes so be it you may but live and have your ease and contentment to the flesh Oh! you are not like your Father Iacob that was so greedy to have this blessing We are to make use of this for our instruction thus some of you that have had your parents very forward in their youth betimes some of your
from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo and devour Abimelech As if he should have said God will avenge this What did God make my Father an Instrument of so great good to you and do you so ill requite all his kindness and service that he did for you The Lord judg and if it be so indeed as now I charge you let this be a manifestation of Gods displeasure That fire come from Abimelech c. As if he should say Do not think that you can have peace and quiet in such kind of waies as you are in you think you have provided well for your selves in setting up of Abimelech and now you bless your selves We shal have peace and go on and be quiet Oh no the displeasure of God will go on and pursue you and there wil be a fire among your selves and it 's just with God that it should be so for this ingratitude of yours towards those that have bin so instrumental for your good The Scripture holds out this that this is one way for God to avenge himself upon a People that shall be ungrateful to such as have been instrumental for good to them that they shall have a perverse spirit mingled among themselves that when they think to provide for their own ease and peace they shall have a fire mingled among themselves so as in the conclusion to devour themselves These people were very zealous for Gideon in Judg. 8 22. when God had delivered them they came to Gideon and said unto him Rule thou over us both thou and thy son and thy son's son also they made great promises Oh how were the people affected Come Rule over us thou and thy son and thy son's son c. Oh! we were in a dangerous condition and were like to have been in a perpetual bondage under our enemies but God hath stirred up thee and blest thee and therefore thou and thy son and thy son's son shall rule over us they were mightily affectd with this mercy of God when it was fresh but presently after you shall find they were off and forgot what an Instrument of God Gideon had been unto them and required the posterity of Gideon as ill as if he had been one of their greatest enemies Oh my brethren this is a sore and grievous evil the Lord cannot endure ingratitude And thus much for the 13. Verse It follows VER 14. Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly IT 's true saith God by the Prophet I loved your Father Jacob and I have magnified my self towards his posterity in great and wonderful things which I have done for them But you have been a wretched people and provok'd me most bitterly as if he should say I have a spirit of gentleness sweetness and love as indeed there is nothing else in God if he be not provok'd If there be any anger it is from mens provoking him You have provok'd me bitterly in bitterness You have provok'd you have imbittered my Spirit against you by your sins that are bitter you make my Spirit that is so sweet of it self you have made it to be bitter The word signifies sometimes to Exalt and make high And I find Tremelius Vatablus Calvin and others translate it High places You have provoked me with the High Places so it 's true And indeed that was a special sin the sin of Idolatry that did provoke God most bitterly against them and he will come to one in the main if we take it so But it is more full to translate it according to that that the word doth signifie more properly You have provok'd me in bitternesses you have been very bitter against my Saints that would go from Samaria to worship at Ierusalem I have shewn in this story of the Prophet how bitter the ten Tribes were against any that would separate from them and go worship at the Temple you have provok'd me in that kind of bitterness you have provok'd me in that bitter sin of abusing my Prophets you have provok'd me in that ingratitude of yours towards those that I have made Instrumental for your good you have provok'd me in finning against such great mercies Oh! you have provok'd me bitterly you have for saken the living God the fountain of all good and have turned your selves to vanity you have provok'd me to anger most bitterly From whence the Notes are First That God is not angry but when he is provok'd neither should we be let us be as our Heavenly Father is saith God You have provok'd me to anger And then Secondly It is sin that provokes God it puts God to stir up his anger it puts it to tryal to see whether there be any anger in God or no in Heb. 3. 9. Your Fathers provok'd me they tryed me they would put it to tryal whether there was such anger in me yea or no. Wicked men indeed do so they hear much of the anger of God against sin and they put it to tryal they will see whether it be so or no they dare not say so in words but their actions do so Oh! it 's a dreadful evil to provoke God 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do ye provoke the Lord to jealousie are you stronger than he Can you stand it out with God Is it not folly to provoke a man that is a Superior that hath power over you and can crush you Oh wretched bold heart that darest stand it out to provoke the eyes of his Glory to provoke the holy one of Israel What to provoke him that can stamp you into Hell presently to provoke him that hath the point of the Sword of Justice at your hearts but yet this is the boldness of ungodly men a man that dares not provoke his Landlord yet will dare to provoke God My brethren it 's a great evil to provoke one another to wrath but a greater evil to provoke God to wrath in Ephes 6. 4. Parents are charged not so much as to provoke their Children to wrath And wilt thou provoke God then If we will be provoking one another let us be provoking to love and to good works as in Hebr. 10. 24. unto a kind of Acrimony of love If there be a kind of sharpness let it be that which puts us on with an eagerness of spirit to love and so provoke one another as much at you will provoke one another to love and to good works In Gal. 5. 26. Be not desirous of vain glory provoking one another Calling forth one anothers corruptions that 's the meaning of it Let there not be a desire of vain glory provoking one another calling sorth one anothers corruptions Oh! 't is an evil thing that we do call forth the corruptions of one another so Was there ever times of provoking so as there are now every man provoking one another and stirring up one another to envy wrath and malice Oh take heed
be bowed to as well as to be kissed in taking an Oath The lifting up the hand to the High God in an Oath we find in Scripture therefore that is safe VER 3. Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud and as the early dew it passeth away as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor and as the smoke out of the chimny HERE are four Elegant similitudes to fet forth Ephraims weak vanishing condition Gods power over them the swiftness of the punishment the violence of it and his utter desolation so that his place shall not be found 1. A cloud Ephraim was risen seemed to threaten great things overcast the leaves like a cloud but upon the brightness of Gods Justice appearing all was dispelled Their righteousness chap. 6. was as a cloud and dew now they shall be so themselves 2. Dew The dew it seems to bespangle the grass but the Sun rising it is soon dried up Ephraims estate was beautiful but the heat of Gods wrath consumes all presently 3. The Chaff The word signifies the smallest of the chaff the dust of the chaff-heap and that abroad where their floors were and a whirlwind coming upon it Psal 35 5. Let them be as chaff before the wind and let the Angel of the Lord chase them Oh! Many when they begin to be unsetled to be going the Angel of God as a messenger of wrath drives them on apace to misery 4. Smoke The smoke out of the chimney it seems to darken the Heavens but presently it is scattered The words signifies a chink or hole Because in Judea there were not such chimnies as we now adaies use but as it were windows or open places in the upper part of the house or in the wall as it is this day in Norway and Swethland saith a Learned Interpreter upon the place We may note hence The vanity of proud men Here God compares them to such mean vile things persons that heretofore were so lofty So 1 King 14. 10. Jeroboam's house is threatned to be destroyed as a man takes away dung till it be gone Why should wicked men be feared who are thus before the Lord. Do not bless you selves in any prosperity never think your selves setled for when you are in the most prosperous setled way yet are ye but as the cloud yea as the dew the chaff the smoke VER 4. Yet I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt and thou shalt have no gods but Me there is no other Savior besides me THIS is spoken first by way of aggravation of their sin as if he should say you have thus provoked me notwithstanding I am the Lord thy God I have done very great things for you and for your forefathers Yet It 's very evil to sin against great works of mercy wherein the hand of God hath appeared plainly When we do any thing for another wherein we think we might gain him to our selves for ever and he yet this is very grievous 2. It is spoken by way of encouragement Yet I continue to be the Lord thy God I am ready to shew thee the like mercy still This is to break their hearts and to provoke them to come in to the Lord. He speaks to an Apostate people as if he should say Were you yet what you sometimes seemed to be Oh how gracious should I be to you I am yet what ever I seemed to be to you why are you so perverse and untoward towards me Jer. 2. 2. I remember the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a Land that was not sowen I am the Lord thy God This should have been a strong argument to obedience When the will of God is once known saith Luther we are no further to dispose of Rights because neither Parents neither Lords and Masters have this Title I am the Lord thy God From the Land of Egypt As if he should have said what a case had you been in if I had not delivered you out of Egypt from the Iron furnace a low base imployment ye had been bond-slaves there you might have spent your daies in sorrow and trouble Consider first your low estate 2. How your strength might have been spent 3 When this anguish was upon you what crying to me and my delivering of you Hence note that Deliverance from Egypt is a great note of Gods being our God Q But how doth this concern us A. Yes There is a spiritual Egypt from which we have been delivered as the Apostle makes use 1 Cor. 57. c of the paschal Lamb in a spiritual sense The power severity and holiness of God appears in the delivery of his people from Egypt so also of us from Antichrist as Revel 15. 2 3. the Church is brought in singing the song of Moses which the children of Israel sung for their deliverance from Pharaob for its deliverance from Antichrist Pharaoh was the Dragon in the waters Psal 74. 13 14. so is Antichrist The City of Zurick engraved the yeer of their deliverance from Antichrist upon Pillars in letters of Gold Thou shall know no God but me That is Effectually acknowledg worship serve love God as a God and no other Hence note That the end of Gods great work is That he may be known to be a God A sincere gracious holy One. The knowing God to be a God is a special part of that Worship that is due to God To acknowledg God to be God is to know him in his Excellency Majesty Glory above what is known of him by the light of Nature This cannot but have a mighty operation upon the heart For To know God to be a God is 1. To know him to be the First being of all 2. The Infinit Al sufficient God 3 The Fountain of all good to his Saints 1 This must needs gain the heart to him 2 There is no worship of God where this is not 3 Where this is all follows 4 The right knowledg of God keeps from false worship Gal. 4. 9. Since you know God or rather are known of God how turn ye to the weak and beggerly elements of the world See the Jewish way of Ceremonial worship Thou shalt know no God but me This is the first Commandement of which Luther saith All flows from that great Ocean of the first Commandement and again return thither We see the Prophets to be most exercised in the use of the first Commandement Hence note It is not good to know Idolaters worship at all for this is spoken in the Text by way of opposition Thou shalt know no God but me that is Thou shalt be acquainted with no other worship according to that in Deut. 12. 30. Thou shalt not enquire how these Nations worshiped their gods Therefore for those that are not grounded And who
is so grounded if it be against the precept of God not to go to see it Again Nothing should be known or acknowledged to have any good in it but with an infinite distance between it and God for so the words also imply Thou shalt know no God but me i. e. Nothing but with infinite difference from me as much as between God and the Creature There is none like to thee saith the Psalmist Psal 89. 6. 8. and other places there is an infinite distance between God and every Creature We may know Creatures as Creatures but nothing as God but God We should know God and acknowledg God when we are in misery and straits So the Church Isa 45. 15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Savior Many in time of prosperity will know God and acknowledg him but when troubles come they change their thoughts There is no Savior besides me Hence note That God delights to manifest himself a God in the way of salvation Jer. 14. 8. O hope of Israel the SAVIOR thereof in the time of trouble Isa 60. 16. Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the breast of Kings and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy SAVIOR and they Redeemer the Mighty One of Jacob. Chap. 63. 1. Who is this that cometh from Edom I that speak in righteousness mighty to SAVE And Act. 5. 31. speaking of Christ Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a SAVIOR for to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins There is his Glory and there should ours be also He might manifest himself a God in our ruin Again note That saving mercies are great mercies Thirdly Though God does more for us than any yet he hath not so much from us Fourthly No Creature can do us any good further than God gives a saving power unto it Fifthly Our faith should be exercised on God as a Savior as such a Savior as none but he Be strong in the Lord saith the Apostle Ephes 6. 10. and in the power of his might if our dangers are more than any yet our Savior is more than any also 2 Sam. 22. 4. I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised so shall I be saved from mine Enemies Sixthly God must be acknowledged in all salvation Psal 106. 21. They forget God their Savior who had done great things in Egypt We should make use of all his saving mercies to engage our hearts to him For 1. God saves from such evils as none else can 2. He saves some from as great or greater than ever he hath 3. God saves from all evil 4. Without means 5. Above means 6. Contrary to means 7. None saves but by him There is no God else besides me a just God and a Savior there is none beside me 8. God saves in all kind of waies of saving See 2 Sam. 22. and Psal 18. But will he be such a Savior to me in my condition Yes He expresses himself thus in the midst of threats in that place of Isaiah now cited and adds vers 22 Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth even then when he threatens look up to him as a Savior above all God magnifies this his Title every day to some in one kind to some in another Time is coming when he will magnifie this to all together saving them from all evil Though God does us more good than any yet for our hearts not to be with him as with other things this is vile Happy are they who have an interest in this God if we have interest but in one man that is able to do us good we bless our selves in it We are never safe but when our peace is made with God Unless you pray to God as a God having all power to save you pray to an Idol Isa 45. 20. They have no knowledg that set up the wood of their graven Images and pray unto a God that cannot save Then is God acknowledged as God and worshiped as a God when he is acknowledged and trusted in as a Savior It is not to say God is our God but to rely on him as a Savior VER 5. I knew thee in the wilderness in a place of great drought THE Wilderness where there grew not one grain of Corn. And you who were so poor in the wilderness depending on me for every bit of bread yet after when you were fed how proud and wanton grew you Deut. 32. 15. But Jesurun waxed fat and kicked then he forsook God c. Ezek. 16. 49. the Sodomites are condemned for behaving themselves contemptuously against the poor But these do it against God God evidenceth this his knowledg and acknowledgment of them as his People in leading them through the wilderness by several instances and expressions he takes notice of this wilderness Deut. 8. 15. Who led them through that great and terrible wilderness Luctus ubique pavor et plurima mortis imago He knew them as peculier treasure above all people A Kingdom of Priests an holy Nation Exod. 19. 5 6. He kept them as the apple of his eye Deut. 32. 10. As an Eagle beareth her yong ones on or wings Vers 11. They lacked nothing Deut. 2. 7. He led them with a glorious Arm Isa 63. 12. Now God knew them in the wilderness 1 In respect of their sin which he visited 2 In regard of their wants which he provided for First They went Three daies and found no water Exod 15 22. Then when they found it it was so bitter they could not drink of it Vers 23. Then he sweetned it by a miracle Chap. 16. Then in the wilderness of Sin they complained that the whol Assembly would be slain with Hunger Then Manna a rain of Manna Then Quails Numb 11. Exod 17. 2. They pitched in Rephidim and there was no water so that Vers 4. they were ready to stone Moses Then water out of the Rock is given them But Vers 8. Then came Amalek to fight against them As an even lay they were when Moses hands hung down Amal 〈…〉 prevailed but at last Joshua discomfited them Cap. 18. Jethro was sent to refresh them with Moses his Wife and two sons Chap. 19. and Chap. 20. God gave them his Law Miriam and Aaron contend with Moses Numb 12. that God appeases Numb 13. Spies being sent they discourage the People yet God leads them on Numb 16. Corah Dathan and Abiram conspire upon which the earth opened and swallowed up the Rebels On the morrow Vers 41. all the Congregation an hundred forty and seven thousand murmured against Moses and Aaron for it upon which the Plague came They were Idolaters Amos 5. 25. Act. 7. 43. besides the Calf Num. 21. King Arad the Cananite fought against them and took some of them prisoners Vers
5. They loathing Manna had fiery Serpents sent Vers 22. Sion King of the Amorites coms out against them and fights Vers 33. Og King of Bason fights against them Chap. 22. Then Balac sends to curse them Numb 25. The People committed whoredom with the Daughters of Moab upon which a plague and went to the sacrifice of their gods at Baal-Peor upon which all the Heads of the People which joyned to Baal-Peor were hung up before the Lord. Numb 31. They war with Midian slay their five Kings destroy their Cities Women Children Flocks Thirty two thousand Women that had not known Man they take captive And in this war they had not lost one man Vers 29. Now 1. From their sin that God knew and yet destroyed them not for it Observe mans wickedness and Gods goodness 2. From the provision God made for them Observe First It 's a great mercy for God to know a man in time of distress This is Gods way Men know in prosperity But let us make God our friend he wil be a friend otherwise than men will be Let not us be dejected in times of trouble that 's the time for God to know thee be willing to follow God in any estate Gods knowing of us in distress is a mighty engagement Let us look back to the times when we were in trouble Let us know Gods Cause when it suffers and know our Brethren when they suffer Gods knowledg is operative and working It does us good Our knowledg of God should be so too To sin against our knowledg of God is evil but to sin against Gods knowing of us is worse VER 6. According to their Pasture so were they filled they were filled and their heart was exalted therefore have they forgotten me YOU have formerly heard the gracious providence of God towards his people while they were in the wilderness I knew them in the wilderness in the Land of great drought God glories much and mentions often the care over and goodness to his people in the wilderness when they had got out of the wilderness into the Land of Canaan where there were much Pastures they thought themselves to be well now they could live of themselves they could provide for themselves and so they liv'd to themselves and in a little time destroyed themselves the truth is they were in a worse condition then than when they were in the wilderness for saith he According to your Pastures so you were filled and then you forgot me and therefore I 'le be as a Lyon to you and as a Leopard and a Bear We do not hear such terrible things against them when they were in the wilderness I knew them in the wilderness but now it 's otherwise From the connexion note first It 's better to want the comforts of the creature and to have Gods care and protection than to have abundance of the creature and to live of our selves We do not love a depending life but it 's safest many have more of Gods presence with them and protection over them when they are in the wilderness when they are in adversity than they have when they come into prosperity when they come to enjoy abundance of the creatures God knows them when they are in afflictions and they knew God but when they come into prosperity God doth neither know them so much nor they know God so much Examin I beseech you when you were low any of you say had you not more of Gods presence with you then than you have now did not God know you more then did not you know God more then had not you more sweet communion in those times than now you have Oh! God made you know him by gracious visitations of his Spirit and there were gracious workings of your spirit towards him Are not you grown flat dead and drossie and carnal now more than before do not you seek greedily after the world to fill your selves and do not you begin to be exalted in your own hearts do not you begin to be puft up have you none of your friends so If you know but any of your friends that when they were lower than now they are knew God better than now they do and God knew them and there was more sweet converse between God and them than now there is put them in mind of this text I knew them in the wilderness in the Land of great drought but now according to their Pastures they are filled and their hearts are exalted and they have forgotten me God deliver them from the remaining part of the text I 'le be a Lyon and a Leopard and Bear to them to tear them You seldom find in Scripture any of Gods Saints worse for afflictions give me any one example for my part I know not one in all the Book of God that came worse out of an affliction than when they went in But I can tell you of many even of Gods dear people that came worse out of prosperity than when they came in therefore it 's observable in 2 Chron. 17. 3. it 's spoken in commendation of Jeboshaphat it 's said that Jeboshaphat walked in the first waies of David his Father David his Father at first was in an afflicted estate afterwards in a more prosperous estate he was hunted like a Partridg at first but when he came to prosperity his waies were not so good therefore the holy Ghost doth put a commendation upon his first waies rather than upon his after waies I fear it may be said so of some that their first waies when they were low were a great deal better than their after waies This for the connexion According to their Pastures so were they filled According to the fatness and riches of the Land when they came into it they were filled they fell upon whatsoever sensual content they could enjoy to the uttermost according to what means they had for to satisfie the flesh According to their Pastures They would improve all the means and opportunities they had for to give content to the flesh so that they were filled Thus you see men that love to live in the satisfaction of the flesh up to the height of their means according to all means that they have to satisfie the flesh this way or the other way they will be sure to have satisfaction if it be to be had therefore you shall see men that have estates they please the flesh to the uttermost they can think of if they go abroad and see any thing that may give content to the flesh they resolve to have it if they can when they come home According to all the means that they have so they will have the flesh satisfied Oh! how happy were men if they were so wise for their souls if according to the means of grace we sought to fill our souls Oh how doth the Lord lead us in green Pastures and yet what
our servants A masters comfort 1 Sam. 18. 22 Servants should love one another Object Answ Magistrates shold govern by love 1 Chr. 28. 2. The difference betwixt the gesture language of David the Princes of these times John 2d King of Portugal The property of the Pelican A Princes pattern Timeri quà m diligi A pernitious state maxime The evils of striving otherwise than by love Why Hypocrites are hide-bound towards God The benefits of love Obs 3. Deut. 11. 13. The cords of Gods love to his people 1 Eternal Gods thoughts from eternity concerning his Elect. 2 Elective and separating Malach. 1. 2. Use 3 Free Hos 14. 4. Deut. 7. 7. discoursed 4 He gave his Son for them Which he did not for Angels 5 And Himself also This is set forth by gradation and prosopopie 6. Regards nothing else Isa 43. 4. illustrated 7 Pardoned all their sins Revel 1. 5. Gal. 2. 20. observed A representation of the love of Christ in coming to take away our sin An apt simile 8 Puts loveliness upon them 9 Loves them with the love he hath to Christ Joh. 17. 23. 10. Hence God delights in his Saints Why God does all the former things for his Saints Eph. 1. 23. illustrated by Joh. 17. 24 11 Gods love sweetens and sanctifies all A meditation for afflicted Saints 12. Gods love overcomes all our unworthiness both before after conversion which he foresaw 13 Gods love hath in it the love of all relations 14 An everlasting and unchangable love Zeph. 3. 17. Jer. 3. 13. 2 Thess 2. 16. Application 2 Cor. 5. 14. God the Element of Love 1 Joh. 4. 16. Eph. 3. 17 18 19. The rarity of the expression in Eph. 3. 19. Why Christians ar so scant in their obedience and empty in their spirits Cant. 7. 12. noted God regards nothing but love Our love should be eminent toward Christ Minus te 〈◊〉 Deus diligit qui praeter te aliquid diligit qui propter te non diliget August Confess Gods special love to Engl. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The scope of the Text. Obs 4. Three sorts of Gods Bonds Use Niâ—â—â— durus est animus qui amore si nolebat impendere noltt rependare August Adulterous love Gifts The Spirit grieved only by the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A meditation for a Saint about to sin Mark 14. 72. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erupisset Beza Ovelatione capitis he covered his head as Marriners use to do Theophylact. Simile Simile Expos Luther No coÌ„mand in the Gospel without a promise Simile Obs 1 Deliverance from Oppression a great mercy Levit. 26. 13. Ezek. 34. 27. Expounded A cure for Atheistical thoughts Obs 2. To grow wanton after deliverance from yokes is very sinful Englands sin The Evils of licentiousness after deliverance 1 It hardens our Adversaries Suppression of Errors by violence no argument of the truth of Church-government Omnes licentiâ deteriores sumus 2 It obscures the work of God Psal 149. 4. enlightned 3 Deprives others of just liberty Which wil be charged on the ocasioners of it 4 It â—aâ— bring the yoke on again 5 It justly provokes men against liberty Lam. 1. 14. What use we should make of our liberty Exod. 12. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illustrated Obs 3. Oppression of others after deliverance from oppression a crying sin Deut. 28. 48. Conscience oppression the most grievous What Statesmen should consider in imposing things Object Answ Such Truths as are not of necessity not to be imposed Men of latitude in judgment A meditation for such And necessary at this time Isa 58. 6. 9. We should make the lives of Beleevers comfortable In what things we should bear with our brethren And why Use To Magistrates and Governors of families Times of Recreation to be permitted to servants 1. It would drown the memory of the superstitious Holydays 2. It would forward the sanctification of the Sabbath Expos Faciam eos edere quietè Luth. Obs 1. Use To the Rich. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 descendere ferit Obs 2. Obs 3. Use to Hard Masters Use 2. The misery of other places cy mer 1. The Text paraphrased Obs 1. Use A great mercy to be thorowly taken off from carnal props 2. Obs 2. Obs 3. Use for England Englands condition must be far worse if it think of returning Obs 4. Who the Assyrian was Isa 10. 5. 7. 12. A Character of a stout heart Obs 1. Use A way of holy revenge Obs 2. Obs 3. Use to the convicted Job 9. 4. to be observed by such An obstinate sinner worse than the Devil in some respect Jer. 3. 22. should be our example An exhortation to backsliders Jer. 4. 5. expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renuit fastidinit Pâ—el Obs 4. Expos 1. Caepit vulg Hierom. of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hiphil Obs 1. Jer. 18. 7 8. England Expos 2. Obs 2. Isa 34. 5. 6. Jer. â—6 1â— Use Against protractors of the War The War taken by the great The New-Model of the Army Anno 1645 1646. A blessing for those that hasten peace Obs 3. Use for Engl. How men were deceived at the begining of this war Jer. 47. 6 7. Obs A sad thing for the sword to be in a City Ioseph de Bello Iudaic. lib. 7 cap. 7. 1100000. slain in the siege at Jerusalem The mercy of God to London all this War The Butt the enemy aimed at Isa 37. 33. 34. 35. Ezek. 14. 17. Jer. 25. 15. Not only preserved but made the City of Refuge for the kingdom Expos Isa 14. 31. This the caus why London hath been so aimed at Every good patriot ought to labor the the good of London By prayer and all good endeavors Psal 55. 9. 17. explained Our own Counsels a cause of Englands lasting war Expos Comâ—det capita torum Vulg. Propter consilia eorum Pagn Ezek. 11. 2. When Parliament Army City and Kingdom wil give over their own Counsels Good intentions may be seduced A false religious and State principle Gods waies not our waies Expos Application 1. 〈…〉 England Why some were 〈◊〉 w 〈…〉 at the begining of this Reformation Why they started off again 2. Private particular persons Why these start back 1. 2 3 4 5 6. 7 8. 9. Admonition to such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suspenst sunt Calv. Parâ—us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. In suspence here what Applicat to England Populus meus dubitat au velit redire ad me Luth. * Populus meâ—s haesitat se convertere ad Legemmeam Chald. Paraphrase Obs The conflict of conscience corruption Suspence a caus of much evil Considerations tending to settle the unresolved about the waies of God Simile Populus meus pendebit ad reditum meum i. e. pendulus sperabit vulg Montanus Expos 2 3. 4. Obs 1. Piety raises the heart more than pride Obs 2. Obs 3. Simile Obs 4. Psa 97. 9 10. illustrated Abrahams
when God loved him you may find in Ezek. 16. 4 5. c. And as for thy Nativity in the day that thou wast born thy navel was not cut neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee thou wast not salted at all nor swadled at all and then in the 5. verse None eye piâ—ed thee to do any of these unto thee to bave compassion upon thee but thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast born then in the 6. verse And when I passed by tree and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Livâ— yet I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live Again and again and then in the 8. verse Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness yea I sware unto thee and entred into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine Well but wherein did God manifest that he did love Israel when he was a Child Mark the 8. verse When I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness yea I sware unto thee and entred into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine The Love of God to Israel i exprest in these three particulars First That God made a Covenant with him Oh 't is a great mercy of God and a fruit of great love that such an infinite God would be pleased to make a Covenant with his people to bring them into Covenant with him all man-kind was in Covenant with God at first but falling from that first Covenant there was but only a peculier people that God took into Covenant with himself and made it as a fruit of his great love to take a certain people into Covenant with himself more than others And secondly Thou becamest mine that is I had separated thee for my self and took thee for a peculier one to me and intended special mercy and goodness to thee Thou becamest mine so as that I should have a special propriety in thee and thou shouldest have a special propriety in me And then thirdly I confirmed all this by an Oath I sware this unto thee Was not here love for God to Covenant to take in to such propriety and to swear that we should be his Thus when Israel was a child I loved him that 's the meaning of this Scripture Now the Note of Observation is this First That it is the priviledg of the Church and of the Saints for God to love them God loves his people this is their priviledge he loves them with a special love In the 12. of Jer. 7. they are called the dearly beloved of Gods soul see how God loves his people God he delights in his Saints and there is nothing in the world that should sanctifie a gracious heart more than this That God loves him And as Gods love is extraordinary to them more than to other People so their love again should be reflected upon God in a more than ordinary way There 's nothing can be a recompence to Love but Love that 's certain Love is never satisfied but with Love And therefore seeing God professes love to his people he doth expect love from them therefore he will not be satisfied with any duties you perform whatsoever you do but it must be out of Love Love must have Love and know that you cannot prize Gods love more than God prizes yours there is nothing in Heaven and Earth that God prizes more than the love of his Saints and therefore if ever Gods love or Gods prizing of your love may gain love Oh you Saints love the Lord. That 's the first But Secondly It 's a great aggravation unto sin to sin against love For to that end God here shews that he loved them that he might aggravate their sin so much the more and cleer himself Many times you make in the daies of your humiliation and at other times many aggravations of your sin that your sin it is against knowledge this is great That your sin it is of an hainous nature that it doth a great deal of hurt that it brings you under dreadful threatnings that it provokes the wrath of an infinite God against you these are great things for the humbling of your hearts for sin But above all aggrevations for sin this is the great aggravation That your sin is against Love that though God hath shown much love to you yet you sin against a loving God and a gracious God God begins with this aggravation being his scope here to cleer himself and to charge his people of ungratefulness yet God loved them Oh! sins against love are great sins indeed But Thirdly I loved him when he was a child 〈◊〉 very 〈…〉 to mind Gods old love That 's the Third Note The love of God unto us when we were children yea the love of God unto our fore-fathers the love of God unto a people when they were at the first beginning the ancient love of God to a people 't is of very g 〈…〉 use it is of great use for al to consider of the love of God in former times to them nay brethren it would be of very great use for us to consider of ancient love of God to England And I will give you one remarkable Note of Gods antient love to this Nation that 's this That it was the first Nation that ever God set his heart upon for the chusing of the Gospel the first Nation in the world that by publick Authority did submit to the Gospel and certainly God remembers that love of England For we find it recorded it 's true we cannot expect Scripture for this because it was â—â—nce the time of any Scripture but so far as we may give any credit to Stories we find it of all Nations upon the face of the Earth the first that received the Gospel with the Countenance of Publick Authority And this is not a little matter Certainly the Lord remembers the kindness of our youth and the old love of England and the first love of England in receiving the Gospel Indeed God caused the Gospel to be preached to other places before it was to England I but there was no placâ— that by the countenance of Publick Authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it so soon as England did and therefore England may be said to be the very first fruits of the Gospel in that respect Oh! 't is good for us to consider of that and many good uses we may make of Gods old ancient love when we see any further expressions of Gods love it may encourage us upon the thoughts of his former love there was an old love and this God continues his old
Thirdly It 's a great aggravation of mens sins if they be called to duty after God hath called them out of misery and they do not obey it After thou comest out of an affliction whether bodily or spiritual God expects thou shouldest as diligently hearken to his call that calls thee to duty as thou doest take hold of his mercy when he held it to thee to deliver thee out of thine affliction charge thy soul thus Oh wrenched heart that I have I called to God and God hath heard my call and now God hath delivered me and calls me to a duty and shall I stop mine ears against Gods call Oh how just were it for God to leave me in misery when I turn my back to him when he cals me to a duty Fourthly For men not only to disobey Gods call but to turn away themselves from it and from those that speak to them in his Name this is very wicked a high degree of sinfulness before God In Jer. 2. 27. They have turned their back unto me but not their face and so in Jer. 32. 33. They turn their backs that 's more than not to obey Our backs that is to refuse to obey to resolve not to obey in Jer. 18. 17. God threatens them that in the day of their calamity he would shew them his back too as when a Traytor is petitioning to his Prince so long as the Prince is but willing to parly with him and reade his Petition there is hope but if the Prince turns his back and will not look upon his Petition there 's no hope then So there is hope of people that we may bring them to obedience so long as they will hearken to the Word but if once they turn their backs then there 's little hope so when God turns his back upon sinners there 's little hope then Remember you that turn your back upon calls to obedience Oh! remember that Scripture in Jer. 18. 17. that God threatens in the day of your calamity he will turn his back to you Now this wickedness men do not grow to on a sudden at first they are loth to be convinced that such a thing is a truth but at length when the evidence of truth comes cleer they in a desperate way turn their backs upon it and resolve not to hearken to it a famous instance you have of this in Jer. At first they said that Jeremiah did not speak the Word of the Lord but afterward As for the Word of the Lord that thou hast spoken we will not hear Fifhly It is yet a higher wickedness to have our corruptions irritated by the Word and provoked As they call'd so they went away When mens hearts grow as Lime that the showers of the Word shall inflame them this is a sad condition indeed when the more cleer evidence they have of the Word the more desperate wicked they grow We find it so in some places when the word comes with the greatest power this is all the effect it hath upon the hearts of men to make them the more desperate wicked You wonder sometimes that where the Word is preached with power men should grow more wicked wonder not at it for where the Word doth not convert sinners it doth harden them Sixtly From the extream perverseness and stubornness of the Jews we may learn this Lesson That Gods free Grace is very great and very strong the Lord was merciful to his people that were thus stuborn and stout but the more they were call'd to obedience the more wicked they grew and yet Gods mercy continued towards them for a long time together and indeed in that God should set his heart and love upon such a people as this it is one of the greatest helps against despair almost as any we know Do but look into the Book of God and reade of the people of the Jews what wretched froward perverse stuborn stout-hearted people they were and yet that God of all the people of the earth should chuse them to be his peculier people Oh! the free Grace of God! there 's nothing that God hath in his design more than to honor free Grace I confess I had thought to have spent some time in shewing to you the extream stubornness of the people of the Jews and all to this end to magnifie the free grace of God towards such an unworthy people you find that God doth so himself when he speaks of his Mercy to that people he doth give them this notice That he would have them to know that what he did for them was not for their own righteousness in Deut. 9. 6. Vnderstand therefore that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good I and to possess it for thy righteousness for thou art a stiff-necked people As if God should say I might magnifie free Grace whereas I might have chosen some other people that might have been more yeeldable to my hand I chose you that it might appear that all that I did was out of free Grace In Psal 78. 8. Be not stuborn as your forefathers were they are called stout-hearted stiff necked strong they seem to be of strong spirits but it is strong against the truth and though stubornness hath a kind of Glory in it yet the truth is there is nothing but weakness in it in Ezek. 16. 30. How weak is thy heart saith the Lord seeing thou doest all these things the work of an imperious whorish woman They are said to be strong-hearted stiff hearted but saith the holy Ghost how weak is thy heart and you shall find in Scripture that they are called stiff necked and Iron-â—inewed and that they walked contrary to God and that they are perverse and crooked and that they had hardened their hearts and made them like an Adamant and saith Stephen You have alwaies resisted the holy Ghost and impudent children and rebellious children It is very observable if you read those Scriptures presently after they came out of the Land of Egypt within three daies after God had shown them such a miraculous work they fell to murmuring nay they did not stay so long for it is said in Psal 106. They provoked the Lord at the Sea even at the red Sea And in Exod. 16. 2. 28. and in chap. 17. ver 2. the people did chide with Moses again so reade the story of Exodus Numbers Deuteronomy Judges and the Kings and you shall find them continually rebelling a people with an Iron sinew against God and yet for all that the Lord makes choice of this people and loves them Oh! free Grace the free Grace of God When your children are stuborn and stout against you consider of this you think it a grievous affliction to you Oh! but there is none in the world that are so crossed with stuborn children as God himself is And though you
they must come into the wast howling wilderness and there be led along for fourty years together and yet God doth reckon up his guidance of them here in this way as a fruit of his love So long as we are in Gods way though the way be difficult yet we have cause to bless God that we are in his way and let not us be troubled at the difficulty of our way when we see God before us and leading us in our way Thirdly Though we meet with difficulties in our way yet God loves to teach his people how to go in their way and the more difficult their way is the more care hath God of them to teach them how to go We do not find such an expression of Gods care of them to teach them in any other way but this of theirs when they went first out of Egypt because that way was the most difficult therfore God takes upon him in a special manner to teach them in that way Be not discouraged at your difficulties but when you are in your way and your conscience tels you that it is not a way that you have chosen to your selves look up to God for guidance cry to him as you find in Psal 107. 6. They cryed to the Lord in their trouble and then vers 7. he led them forth in a right way Mark how these two are joyned together They cryed to the Lord in their trouble and he led them forth in a right way When you are in straights cry to God in your trouble the Lord will lead you forth in a right way When we have been in the greatest straits and have had the hardest way to go how hath God taken us up in his arms Through Gods mercy though we be very weak yet we are gone on a great way even from Egypt from our spiritual Egypt and bondage It is unthankfulness in people to say We are in as bad a condition as ever we were VVhat God may bring us to through the unthankfulness of men we know not but certainly through Gods mercy we have been led along a great way in our journey God hath taught us to go it hath not been the wisdom nor providence of men that hath carried us on in our way so far as we have been no we have found apparantly we are not much beholden to the wisdom of men for that way that we have been carried on in but 't is God that hath come in in our straits we see by what hath fallen out how we should have perished in our way we should have returned into Egypt how often have we been ready to think Would things were with us as heretofore they have been Oh! this hath been the peevishness of our spirits to be thinking of turning into Egypt as it was with this people though God was with them in their way yet often they thought of returning back again We have been ready to be thinking of by-waies for our selves and every one to be shifting his own way and what cross paths have we walked in first one way and then another way undoing what we have done First engaging men and then discouraging the same men that we have encoraged though they have continued the same yet our spirits have not continued the same towards them VVe may apply that that you have in Jer. 31. 22. which is spoken in reference to their way coming out of their captivity How long wilt thou go about O thou backsliding daughter It may be well applied to England at this day Oh! how long wil we go about that is shifting this way and that and not daring to trust God in his way we are afraid that if we should go on in the right path that God guids us in that we should miscarry and therefore we go about and that 's the reason it is so long before we have our deliverance because we go about and do not follow Gods guidance in our way There 's an excellent promise that God makes to his people in Jer. 31. 9. in reference to the guiding of them in their way from their Captivity They shal come with weeping and with supplications wil I lead them I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble for I am a father to Israel aud Ephraim is my first born This is a Scripture very sutable to that Scripture we are now opening It 's a fruit of fatherly love to guide us in a straight way and keep us from stumbling But mark how this shall be done They shall come with weeping and with supplications will I lead them There must be weeping and supplication to cry to God for guidance in our way As a poor child if it be left a little by the Mother or Nurse it stands crying to be guided in its way and this should be our care in all our straights not to fly upon this Instrument or the other but to cry to God to guide us in our way We may apply this to Gods guidance of the soul from spiritual Egypt when God brings the soul out of the spiritual bondage he guides it in the way to heavenly Canaan you whom the Lord are bringing out of your Spiritual Bondage look up to God to teach you how to go why For your way is a hard way it is a straight way it is a narrow way that you are going now it hath many stumbling blocks in it it hath many by-paths near it that are very like to it Your way is a very slippery way and you had need be taught how to go you may slip and fall and break your selves quickly if you be not taught how to go you that are yong beginners in the way of Religion be not too confident in your own understanding and your own strength many poor children for want of the care of their Nurses have gotten such fals when they were children that have lam'd them and made them go crooked all their daies and so it hath been with yong Professors of Religion many yong ones in the profession of Religion because they have been too bold and confident in their own understanding the Lord hath left them to such fals that they prove but crooked all the daies of their profession but though they do go on in a way of profession of Religion they are but maim'd Professors crooked Professors because of the falls that they have gotten when they were yong ones And truly we have very great cause to fear that who lives but a few years to see those that are yong Professors of Religion now live to be something old I say we have cause to fear that those that live to see it will see a great many maim'd and crooked Professors of Religion for there are a many yong ones in these slippery times gets fals that venture so much upon the Ice upon doubtful things
weakness or wilfulness when they were disobedient I did not make it all one whether they disobeyd through weakness or wilfulness and so I dealt with them accordingly And then Sixtly In all afflictions that was brought upon them I considered that they were but men of weak natures and could not bear much I did not lay on as if I were laying on upon an Ox or such a creature that had so much strength to bear but I considered they were men and I laid on my strokes gently considering that they had tender natures as you know the Prophet speaks in Isa 57. 16. I will not contend for ever lest the spirit that I have made should fail before me The Lord looks upon the weaknesses of his people and therefore will not contend lest their spirits should fail before him Seventhly In their afflictions I was sensible of their afflictions as well as themselves so you know what the Lord saith In all their afflictions I was afflicted I was sensible so as a tender Father or wise Master if he doth strike the child or servant the very blows in a manner will be as sensible to him as to them but it is not so with you when you strike a beast So saith God I did not afflict them but it went to my very heart and I was afflicted as well as they Thirdly I drew them with the Cords of a man that is in an honorable way so as that honor and respect that was any way due to such a creature or that was sutable to such a creature it was preserved First My Instructions was ever more than my blows I never struck more blows than I gave them Instructions if I struck them one blow I gave them twentie fourtie instructions to one blow When you have children or servants and perhaps you will give them fourty blows to one instruction you deal with them not like men but like beasts That 's the first It 's a dishonor to mankind for any Superior to give more blows than instructions but I dealt with them like men sutable to that respect that is in a kind due to humane Nature Secondly Whatsoever spark of ingenuity remained in them I took care to preserve it that 's the second thing If there were but a spark of ingenuitie in any of them I took great care to preserve that ingenuitie and not to quench that spark in all my dealings towards them Thirdly I aim'd at their good as well as mine own as well as my glory there 's many Scriptures that way you do not do so when you strike beasts you do not consider of the good of the beast but at the benefit that you should have that he may further your work But now when you come to strike men you must look at their good as well as at your own good there 's no parent must strike the child but must look at the benefit of the child rather than to satisfie his humor When you strike meerly for your own advantage without aiming at the good of those you strike you deal not with them like men but like beasts Fourthly I did never any thing towards them but so as they might have hope still preserved in them of being reconciled to me upon their coming in though they deserved never so much and I seemed to come against them the most harshly yet I never so came against them but there was hope preserved that at any time of their coming in and repenting I would be reconciled to them this is to deal with them like men when you deal with any that offend you parents or Governors never be so harsh but though they be very evil there must be preserved som hope that upon their coming in they be reconciled to you Fiftly I was careful to maintain their honor as my people that is in all my dealings with them though they were hard somtimes to flesh and blood yet I put a difference between them and other people other people were to me in comparison but as dogs as it were but these as men and as free men in Jer. 2. 14. Is Israel a Servant is he a home born Slave why is he spoiled What Israel a servant a home-born Slave no he must be look'd upon as a free man So in Isa 27. 7. hath he smitten him as he smot those that smit him No I look upon them with some different respect and as men and as Free-men and deal with them so Sixtly Whensoever they began to return I met them half way I did not stand it out to the uttermost to discourage their hearts but I met them half way in all their returnings And did not God deal honorably with them Indeed if you would deal in a contemptuous way with another that hath offended you will say Let them wait yea but if we will deal with another in an honorable way if we see him but in coming a far off we will run and meet him as the father of the prodigal did so saith God I did not deal with them in a contemptuous way but I drew them with the cords of a man and in an honorable way I dealt with them Thus you have this expression opened I drew them with the cords of a man Now there are divers Observations from hence The first is That the waies of God are very rational so that they may draw any man of understanding to love them If mans nature were not degenerated were it that we did but stand right in regard of our principle of Reason it were impossible but the waies of God should draw us at least to an outward obedience to them there 's no reason in your waies but there 's reason in Gods waies and therfore if you had but the hearts of men though you had not the hearts of Saints yet to approve of Gods waies at least and for an outward conformity to them you might be drawn if men were not besotted with their lusts certainly they would never be so confident in their sinful waies as they are if men did but bethink themselves of the way of God Saith Solomon When thy people are carried away captive and shall bethink themselves there is so much reason in Gods waies that if one did but bethink himself Saith David I considered my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Oh! it 's a great mercy to have a considering heart and it 's a great judgment of God to leave men and women to a slight and vain spirit not to weigh and ponder things most people are led on in a continued hurry of passion like to the Horse in the Battel and no man saith What have I done Oh! couldest thou but have so much power over thy passion and the violence of thy lusts as to get alone and weigh Gods waies surely thou couldest not but be convinc'd that the waies of God are
Covenants to God and then sin again and God comes upon them again and they fall a crying out of their sin again Well they are raised and the hearing of the Word that never prevails with them but in their afflictions then they will repent and cry out Oh! cry out of their companie Oh! that we had spent our time in praying and in lamenting for our sin that we spent in such and such company Yea this is when Gods hand is upon you But what do you do upon the hearing of Gods Word that 's to be like a man to be drawn by the Word and not to be mov'd only by blows Oh! thou hast a beastial heart and brutish heart and charge your selves with that brutish heart I fear some of you have cause to say That in all the course or my life my heart hath never yeelded to God but just when blows hath been upon me I beseech you brethren deal with God like men God deals with you like men And that might have been another Note in windâ—â—g up all I drew them with the Cords of a man and with the bonds of Love The Lord deals with us sutable to our Nature Oh let us deal with God as far as we are able sutable to his nature Why doth God regard us as men let us regard him as God then let us glorifie God as a God when the Lord hath to deal with us he considers we are men when we have to deal with God let us consider he is God and as the Lord is pleased to condescend to us as men Oh! let us labor to ascend up to him as God With Bonds of Love The word here translated Bonds it is Thick Cords not only with Cords as you have it before but with Thick Cords so the word that is translated Bonds signifies for it comes of a word that signifies to Wreath and to thicken with wrea hing that as you see those that make Cords and Lines they take their Hemp and wreath one Wreath and then they take another and wreath that and so another and wind many Wreaths together and so make a strong Cord that 's the propriety of this word With the Bonds of Love That is with such Bonds as have many Wreaths in them have many things joyned together to make it to be a strong Cord a Cord as strong as a Cart rope for so I find the same word is used in Isa 5. 18. where it is said They draw iniquity with the Cords of vanity and sin as it were with a Cart rope The word that is trranslated there Cords it is the same that is in the former part of our verse The Cords of a man But now the other And sin as it were with a Cart rope that 's the same word that here you have in the text translated The Bonds of Love With a thick Rope of a Cart with a Rope that hath many Wreaths in it so that though the former word in your English CORDS seems to have as much as the latter BONDS yet according to the Hebrew this latter hath more in it and signifies such Cords as have many twisted and wreathed together As indeed we shall find when we come now to open the Bonds of Love that God did draw this people withal we shall find many Cords wreathed and twisted together to bind this people fast to God you have a sutable expression somewhat paralel to this in Jer. 31. 3. With loving kindness have I drawn thee saith God I have drawn them with the Bonds of Love that is thus I have used them in a loving way If love would have gained them if love would have overcome them if love would have bound them to me they have wanted no love saith God whereas they had deserved the bonus of iron to be upon them instead of those iron bonds that their sins deserved they have had the bonds of love If you ask me what were those Bonds of Love that God drew this people of Israel unto Himself by The first was this God did wonderfully separate this people from all the Nations in the world unto Himself to be a people unto himself and that out of love and this was a great fruit of love and a strong Wreath this was had there been nothing else That God should set his heart upon this people above all other people in the earth to be his people in Exod. 33. 16. Wherein saith Moses shall it be known that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight if thou goest not with us for thereby saith he shall ne be separated from all Nations of the Earth it is in your books only shall be separated but the Hebrew word signifies wonderfully separated we shall wonderfully be separated from all the Nations of the earth Indeed the Lord he did wonderfully separate the people from all the Nations of the earth and this was only out of love it was not from any excellencie he saw in this people In Deut. 7 6. The Lord did not chuse thee c. but in the 7. verse He did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because you were more in number than other people for you were the least of all people Observe my brethren by the way That the Lord doth not alwaies stand upon number upon the greatest this indeed is our argument that so many go in such a way and so few in another way and so surely God is most like to approve of that that the most go on in No God doth not alwaies stand upon number saith he I did not chuse you because you were most in number for I knew that you were the least therefore it was only love that made the Lord chuse this people at first and separate them from other Nations And then the second Bond of Love is I chose you and your seed also And this was a great mercie If I had but only set my heart upon your selves it had been somwhat but it was upon you and your seed so as to bring you and your seed into Covenant with me There 's two twists as I may so say in this Bond of Love that he should chuse them and their seed and bring them both into Covenant for thus you have it in Deut. 4. 37. Because he loved thy fathers therfore he chose their seed after them and in Ezek. 16. 8. there the text saith It was a time of love and I took you and entered into Covenant with you It was a time of Love and that made the Lord to enter into Covenant with this people God shewed it was a time of love indeed that he would take such a people as this was and enter into Covenant with them And then the third Twist I set my heart upon them to delight in them too I made them my portion my inheritance my Treasure the Deerly
As a man that goes from the Sun yet he hath the warm beams of the Sun that follows him and doth warm him so the hearts of the Saints do many times go from God decline from him yet they have the warm beams of Love that follows after them to draw their hearts again to him Oh! return return into this bosom of infinite Love here thy soul may have everlasting imbracings And I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws and I laid meat unto them Here 's a fruit of Love in delivering them from their bondage as a Husband-man who is merciful to his beast he will not tire it too much with hard labor but takes off the yoke lifts up the yoke with his hands and gives it food so did I saith God I did not tire Epbraim with labor and servitude When you were in Egypt and often afterwards when under your enemies yokes I freed you from your bondage as the Husband-man when the beast hath been plowing and begins to be hot lists the yoke up to cool the neck that the beast may refresh its self From their jaws Because of some Instruments some bridle that was fastened to the yoke that was on their neck and put into their jaws Therefore there 's this phrase Lifting up the yoke from their jaws Luther upon the place understands this of that spiritual ease that there is in the yoke of Jesus Christ so saith he The Lord by his Spirit doth help us to obey he doth not only command and tel us what to obey but assists us with his Spirit and gives us power and lifts up the yoke and bears it together himself with us and hence Christ tells us that his yoke is easie and his burden is light Indeed it 's an easie yoke in comparison of the Law the Law saith Do this and live do not and die the Law takes advantage upon every infirmity It admits not of endeavors without performances It gives no strength to what it commands Oh! but the yoke of Christ is easie Christ continues strength there 's never a Command without a promise to give strength As an artery that runs together with the veins And Christ accepts of endeavors Oh! the yoke of the Gospel is far easier than the yoke of the Law So I have taken off the yoke We must not think this too far fetcht because we find that the holy Ghost in the new Testament interprets the beginning of this chapter concerning Christ that we would never have thought to have been meant of Christ I called my Son out of Egypt I opened there how this was to be understood of Christ Now if so be that God had an eye to Christ when he said I have called my Son out of Egypt why should we not think that there might be an eye to Christ in this when he saith I took the yoke from off their Jaws I delivered them from the yoke that neither they nor their fathers could bear and I brought a more easie yoke of the Gospel upon them But though the holy Ghost had an eye to this yet that that is firstly and litterally meant it is the deliverance from oppression I delivered them from the oppressions that were upon them From whence then the Observation is this First That deliverance from oppression is a great mercy Oh! what ease is there in it Oh! how doth it cool our necks In Levit. 26. 13. I have broken the bonds of your yoke and made you go upright There was a time that we had heavie yokes upon us that made us stoop we stoop'd under them but through Gods mercy these bonds of our yokes are in a good measure broken that we may go upright and wo to us if we go not upright now In Ezek. 34. 27. They shall know that I am the Lord when I have broken the bonds of their yoke and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them My brethren If ever God manifested himself to be the Lord towards us it hath been in breaking the bonds of our yoke of the yokes that were upon us and in delivering us from those who served themselves of us we were under a proud and cruel generation of men that minded themselves and car'd not what became of the Consciences of the Estates Liberties and Lives of men so be it that they could have their humors their lusts served upon us and what means could we see for the deliverance of our selves from their yoke But the Lord hath appeared and then saith the text They shall know that I am the Lord If we did not know that God was the Lord before yet now we may know him and the truth is such hath been the wonderful works of God towards us in the breaking of our yokes that it were enough to convince an Atheist me thinks those of you that have been heretofore troubled with temptations of Atheism The strange waies of God towards this Nation in freeing of us from those yokes that have been upon us may convince you of a God may make you say Surely there is a God in Heaven that beholds the waies of the children of men the Lord is God Then shall you know that I am the Lord. Oh! that upon the manifestation of God in this way of mercy we may come to know that God is the Lord the Lord might have forced us to have known that he was the Lord by laying more grievous yokes upon us by bringing us under more dreadful evils than ever yet we were but the Lord hath rather been pleased to chuse a way to make us to know that he is the Lord by taking our yokes off from us This God hath done The Second Observation is from the Scope that the Prophet brings this for which is to aggravate their sin so much the more as if he should say I have taken off the yoke from your jaws and yet now you are wanton and kick and spurn with the heel against me From whence Note That to grow wanton to abuse our ease when God is pleased to deliver us from yokes is very sinful a very great evil What now when we come to have a little libertie more than we had before to be freed from that yoke and bondage that we were in and begin to feel our necks freed of those yokes that were before upon them What! now to begin to frisk and spurn and kick and against God Himself that hath taken the yoke from off us Oh! this is very dreadful What to abuse our libertie that we have from our bondage to all manner of licentiousness in horrid and wanton Opinions in wicked and abominable practises certainly this is an ill requittal of this fruit of Love in lifting up the yoke from off our jaws This is a very great evil which we are this day guilty of if ever there were a people guilty of this
now I 'le work thus miraculously to deliver you from that servility that you were under and now you shall keep this Service Oh my service is a great deal better than the service under your Enemies And indeed this should be the use we were slaves to our Adversaries let us be willing now seeing we are free men to be servants of Jesus Christ and to take his yoke but the growing wanton upon the taking off our yoke is a great aggravation of Sin But further As it is a very great evil to grow wanton when we are delivered from our yokes so certainly to oppress one another after we are delivered from oppression must needs be a great evil likewise In Deut. 28. 48. but that belongs to the former Note that we should serve God with the strength that before was spent in serving our Enemies Because thou servedst not the Lord with joyfulness and gladness of heart therefore shalt thou serve thine Enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in want of all things and he shall put a yoke of Iron upon thy neck until he have destroyed thee But surely If this be a mercy that we should bless God for That we are delivered from the yokes of men and the abuse of it in our wantonness be great Then this must needs be greater That we should fall upon laying yokes one upon another If it be the mercy of God to take off your yokes we should seek to take off yokes from our Brethren and to make their waies to be as easie to them as possibly we can not to seek waies to pinch their consciences Conscience oppression of all oppâ—ssions is the worst There was heretofore a generation of men who studied what would pinch conscience most and that that they found would most pinch conscience that they would urge to the uttermost upon men this was devilish I hope we have not many so vile as these were But you should consider what though such and such opinions and waies will serve my turn will they not be burdens to others Well but though they be burdens if they be truths why should they not be urged Nay Suppose they be truths yet except they be necessary let not men be instrumental in imposing them upon them If there be a necessity then there 's no plea but some men are so happy if I may so call it as that they have a latitude in their judgements that which way soever the times turn they can find out a distinction to help themselves that so their fair necks should never come under a yoke so it fals out that alwaies their judgments sutes with the times I will not condemn these men for possibly it may be God gives them to see further than others do but yet by this they have ease but now were these men ingenuous they should consider their brethren thus I have a Latitude and I could go along with the countenance of the times as they were before the former times and now the times are changed I can go in these times too But some others whom I have reason to judge as faithful as gracious as my self they have no such latitude it falls out unhappily for them for in former times their judgments could not suffer them to do what was enjoyned them they were fain to suffer and to be deprived of estates and livings and whatsoever they had well now the times are changed it falls out so that their judgments cannot sute now neither with these times and yet surely it is not through frowardness nor through perversness for take these men in all things else I find them as consciencious as spiritual as my self Alas must they now suffer and shal I ad to their afflictions shall my hand be used to lay the yoke on them to press it hard God forbid I 'le rather study though I will not bauk any truth I 'le stand to defend what ever I am perswaded in my conscience is a truth yet I 'le study what possibly I can to ease them and to make their lives as comfortable to them as I can I know God hath given them ability and hearts to do him service and it may be as much as I Oh! why should they be hindered and discouraged in their work I 'le study what latitude there may be for them This were somewhat like Oh! this were ingenuity indeed this would savor of a good spirit indeed This would be a good testimony of your thankfulness unto God for breaking off the yokes that were upon you My brethren when our yokes are taken away or lifted up we must have regard to others as well as our selves and not think or say let them bear let their necks bear Oh no what are our necks more than theirs If God pities his people and will lift up the yoke let us do what we can to put under our hand although we bear somewhat our selves Some men they glory in imposing upon others but it is the Glory of God to take off the yoke from the Jaws of others and from their necks that 's his Glory 't is not such a glorious thing to lay yokes upon others but the glory is in lifting up the yoke from them Christ professes his yoke is easie his burden light Oh! let not ours be hard and heavy then If Christs be easie and especially in these daies of our Fasting and Prayer Oh! let us be verie careful to lift up the yoke from our brethren as much as possibly we can without sin Isa 58. 6. Is not this the Fast saith God that I have chosen To loose the bonds of wickedness to undo the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free and that ye break every yoke Is not this the fast that I have chosen that ye break everie yoke c. and in the 9. verse Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer Thou shalt cry and he shall say Here I am If thou take from the midst of thee the yoke Still mark how God urges this when you come to fast Is this the Fast that I require to do thus and thus no saith he but to undo the burden and to let the oppressed go free to break every yoke and again if you shall do so Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and be shall say Here I am God stands much upon this in the daies of our fasting that we lay no burdens and yokes upon our brethren but that we do possibly what we can to take off yokes that we may be able to appeal to God Lord thou knowest that I do what possibly I can and I pray that thou wouldest direct me to do any thing to make the lives of those that I beleeve to be faithful and consciencious to be comfortable to them This is not to let liberty to all licentiousness and
blasphemy whatsoever but when I see that such and such things are no other but that may stand with Godliness and godlie and peaceable men may have many doubts among them and especially seeing I hold this now of late and did not see it heretofore as now I do I will do possibly what I can with a good conscience that my brethren may enjoy thy Ordinances in what liberty thou wilt afford unto them this savours like the Spirit of a Christian indeed And likewise you that are Governors seeing God account it his Glory to take off the yoke from his people Oh! be you tender towards them that are under you as Majestrates so all Governors Parents and Brethren and Neighbors not to lay too heavie yokes upon Children and Servants Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath and Masters they should be gentle towards them that are under them knowing they have also a Master and therefore give them what libertie may be without sin even outward libertie not to keep them continually at work but some times of recreation some times of refreshment it 's true your Holy-daies are taken aken away but surely there was no such way and means to bury them in Oblivion that they should never be thought of again then to have some set times for Servants and Children to have their recreation It were the only way to keep the Sabbath pure for if they have it not in the week day they will have it on the Sabbath or otherwise they will keep up that which they were wont to have in their former Holy daies The beast must not alwaies be plowing sometimes the yoke must be lifted up and must have some refreshing It follows I laid meat unto them Luther I so wrought for them as they should eat their meat quietly as if he should say You did not provide for your selves your meat I prepared it for you and came and laid it before you thus God laid meat before them when he rained Manna from Heaven when the Quails were he provided it Whence observe Mercies prepared and provided for laid before us are to be prized When we come to have a mercy I say that did not cost us much when it is prepared and set before us this is to be prized How many of you have all your mercies prepared for you When you go abroad about business now you take no care for provision at home in your families you do but dress you and go abroad it may be to a Sermon or other company and return home again you have your Tables spread and find full Dishes upon your Tables without any care of yours it 's all prepared for you Oh! consider of the mercies of God towards you in this thing Whenas many poor people they are fain before they can get bread to be working hard to prepare food for their families their wives and children but the Lord laiet meat before you God is to be acknowledged in this The propriety of the word is I made it to descend it came down from Heaven it was neither too high nor too low but it came just to you fitted for you which teaches us thus much In the receiving of our food we must look up to Heaven we are more beholden to the Heavens than to the Earth for our bread God is to be acknowledged in that he satisfies the poor with bread yea and that he satisfies the rich with bread you that are the richest of all you are to see how it comes from Heaven I made it to descend I say our very food we should look from whence it doth descend it doth descend from Heaven lift up thine eyes to Heaven when as thou art eating meat be not as the Swine under the Tree that looks downward to the Achorns but never upwards towards the branches of the Tree from whence the Achorns fall but look up to Heaven from whence thy meat and provision did descend I took off their yoke and I laid meat unto them I made their service easie and I made their provision comfortable It 's quite otherwise with many ridged and cruel Governors they make the service of those that are under them hard but their provision to be very scant quite contrary The service of Gods people is easie and their provision is bountiful Now the service of your servants is hard and your provision is very penurious you would have your servants to do your hard labor and yet provide little food for them Oh this is a baser cruelty than any to put their servants to hard labor and yet not to provide comfortably for them for their food But my brethren the main thing that I would note from hence is How great the Mercies of God is to us who hath eased our yoke this day and laid meat before us too my brethren who would have thought four years since that there should be Civil Wars for almost four years together in our Land and such cruel bloudy Wars and so overspreading the Kingdom as they have and that yet we should at this day have provision so plentiful as we have Did not all say even at the first year when the Wars began Surely things would be very scarce many began to lay in Corn and other provision and we had cause enough to have feared it but behold the bountifulness of the love of God that hath eased our yokes and hath laid meat before us that the poor is satisfied with bread there is no complainings in our streets we have not only our bread but our Tables fi'ld What difference do you see upon the Tables of men now from that they were in former times If a stranger should come into this Kingdom hearing what miserable Wars there hath been as bloody and cruel as in any Kingdom and yet come to see every mans Table so fill'd he could not but stand and wonder Certainly strangers think our condition to be far more sad in respect of provision than it is let 's not be wanton with our plenty we were wont to say if we might have but Bread and Cheese and the Gospel it were good cheer Now my brethren we have outward food and the Bread of life too What Is this sweet to be freed from outward bondage and to have meat laid before us how sweet is it then to be freed from spiritual bondage and to have the food of life laid before us yet this is our condition Our blessing is specially in having our spiritual yokes taken off from us and having the Bread of Life laid before us in a more plentiful measure then ever we had Was there ever a time that this City had so much meat laid before it for the soul as at this day the misery of other parts of the Kingdom is your mercie the Lord grant that you do not loath your Manna and despise it God hath waies enough to cut you short VER
thus we might have a hint of a very profitable meditation It 's time for a people to return when God doth but wher his Sword or draw out his Sword in Jer. 18. 7 8. At what iustant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destray it if that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil I will repent of the evil I thought to do unto them Oh! happie had it been for us if when the Sword begun with us we had turned from our evil But we must rather take it as it is in our Books and so the words are more proper for The Sword shall abide on their Cities As for the evil of the Sword that I have already opened in the latter end of the former Chapter But that which I here would note is The abiding of the Sword upon their Cities From whence observe That the abiding of the Sword it is a sore Judgment So it was here for afterwards in the reign of Hoshea then was this Prophesie fulfilled when Samaria was besieged for three years together When God threatens fearfully he threatens the abiding of the Sword when he doth not only threaten the Sword but Bathing his Sword and being filled with blood and made fat with fatness and devour and shall be made Satiate and made Drunk with blood All these expressions we have in Scripture these six expressions in two Scriptures you have them all Isa 34. 5. 6. and then Jer. 46. 10. Oh! this is a dreadful thing for the Sword to abide It hath abode long upon Germany the Lord hath been angry with them for almost this thirty years we think three or four years long for the abiding of the Sword But if it be such a fearful judgment for the Sword to Abide how vile are they that seek to prolong the abiding of the Sword upon a people and that for their own advantage Oh! that is a cursed thing these men live upon blood every draught they drink they drink blood that have endeavored the prolonging of the Sword upon this Kingdom for their private advantages My Brethren we have cause to bless God that God hath raised up instruments for us who have hazarded the shortening of their own lives for the shortening of the War who have done their work of late this year as if they took it by the great there is a froward and envious Generation of men that will say of some kind of men because they differ from them in somethings they would be glad that these troubles might continue because they might have the more libertie But we see that men though of different judgments they do not take a course to have the trouble continue you see how they hazard themselves to make all the hast possibly they can and that to admiration and doing things in the winter season that is not ordinarilie heard of among other Nations and all this that the Sword may not abide upon their Country but that peace may be hastened so that the blessing of God be upon such Again further The Sword shall abide as long as God will have it he that is the Lord of Hosts he gives the Commission to the Sword and till he calls for his Commission back again the Sword it shall go on We may think the wars may be at an end Oh! let us look to it that we make up our peace with God and then we may hope it but otherwaies the Lord may cause a Serpent to come out of the Cockatrice Eg the Lord may kindle fires otherwise than we can imagin therefore saith God The Sword shall abide It may be they thought that indeed if the enemy come he will not stay long Oh! but he shall abide I verily perswade my self that there were many yea and the wisest in this Kingdom that did perswade themselves at the begining of the taking up of the Sword that it would scarce have held twelve months together it was impossible to have foreseen the abiding of the Sword so long upon us as it hath Yea but if God gives Commission it must abide There 's a notable text for that in Jer. 47. 6 7. O thou Sword of the Lord How long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy self into thy scabbard rest and be still Mark the answer there How can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge It must go on it must abide seeing the Lord hath given it charge And then The Sword shall abide on his Cities It is a sad thing for the Sword to be in the Field but for the Sword to be in the Cities it is sadder for in the Cities there is the strength of the Kingdom when the Sword comes into the Cities Oh! the fearful sights of houses fired of streets running with blood the hideous noise of shreeking and cryings out of women and children I remember Joseph us in his story of the Jewish Wars reports of Jerusalem when the Romans came against it and took it that the narrow streets of the City of Jerusalem was so filled with dead bodies that there was no passage and he saith That the streets ran with the blood of men and there were many things set on fire that were quenched with the blood of men and women that ran in the streets so dreadful was the Sword there and the number of those that were slain died in that time that the sword was stretch'd out against that one City he saith was Eleven hundred thousand because it was that time that the people came-up to the Passeover and then he saith it was that they were surrounded Oh! for the Sword to come to populous Cities is very dreadful And the dreadfuller it is the greater is the mercie of God to our Citie the Lord hath wholly delivered it from the Sword that it hath not come at all upon it If the Sword should have come to this City Oh! it would have raged indeed for this was the But of the malice of the Adversaries their furie it was reserved for this City Oh! but the Lord hath protected it it hath been the Citie of the Lord of Hosts the Lord hath commanded that no Army should meddle with it for hurt Isa 37. 33. 34. 35. I will defend this City saith God and I will save it for mine own sake Yea it is for Gods own sake indeed that he hath said to the Sword Go through the Land and indeed quite through the Land except this City and a few Counties about it as in Ezek. 14. 17. Or if I bring a Sword upon that Land and say Sword go through the Land c. The Sword hath even devoured from one end of the Land to another Jer. 25. 15. And yet this Citie preserved Oh! not only preserved but made a refuge and a succour
had there it 's impossible but flesh and blood would suggest many thoughts to Abraham to keep his heart in suspence But what took Abrahams heart off from suspence to resolve fully what to do in such a case the text saith The God of Glory appeared to him it was not only God but the God of Glory My Brethren when God is calling you off from all Creature comforts from all things that may quiet your hearts in the world and you have strong temptations to keep you in the waies of sin let but the God of Glory appear to you and this will take up your hearts this will bring your hearts to a full resolution Oh! blessed blessed are those souls though they have continued long in suspence yet at length the God of Glory appears to them in the midst of their doubts and temptations and hangings off And if there be such a force in this then learn to present before thy soul that is in such a suspence the Glorie of the great God look up to this great God 't is the infinite high God that I am called to Oh! thou suspending thou wavering soul look up to this most high and answer this call of God unto himself answer it thus Oh Lord Thou art an Infinite Blessed Glorious Being the Supream Being of all I am a poor vile worm that lie under thy feet it 's mercie that thou wilt vouchsafe to look towards me thou mightest have let me gone on in base waies and perished to all eternity without giving me any call to thy self but now that thou shouldest give me a call to thy self the high and glorious blessed Lord this is mercy Lord I come and with fear and trembling fall down before thee saying Lord what wilt thou have me to do Those who have been wavering and afterwards setled they have found that this hath been the thing that hath setled them some dreadful authoritie of the high God that hath come to their hearts in some truth beyond what formerly he hath done and this hath fully taken off their souls to him And then Fifthly The true Worship of God is an elevating thing Then are they called to the most high when they are called to the true Worship of God for it raises the soul to the most high Mens inventions are low things are base and unworthy things Oh consider whether thou findest this in the Worship of God doest thou find thy soul raised up to the most high in his Worship thou doest never worship God aright except thou findest in some measure thy soul raised up to the most high in his Worship let no man look upon the Worship of God as a low mean thing know when thou art to come to worship God thou hast now to deal with the high God whom Angels worship and adore 't is that God who is far above all Creatures in Heaven and Earth thus thou art to look upon the Worship of God Oh! how far are most men from this when they are worshiping of God! very few there are that lift up their hearts to the most high even in the duties of Worship And so it follows in the words None at all would exalt him Why If God be the most high God how can he be exalted I answer He is so high as he cannot be more high than Himself God cannot be more excellent than he is in Himself God cannot make Himself better than He is nor more glorious in Himself than He is Therefore no creature can make him more than he is all that all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth can do for God can ad nothing to him In Nehem. 9. 5. He is exalted saith the text above all blessing and praise Yet then God accounts Himself to be exalted First When he is known and acknowledged for the High Supream First being of all things when we fear Him as a God when we humble our selves before him as before a God when we are sensible of the infinite distance there is between him and us when we are willing to lay down what we are or have or can do for the furtherance of his praise when his Will is made the Rule of all our waies and especially of his Worship when we make him the last end of all when 't is the great care of our souls and work of our lives to do what possibly we can that he might be magnified lifted up in the world and when we account the least sin a greater evil than can be recompenced by all the good that Heaven and Earth can afford unto us and now God accounts Himself exalted by us And this is the Work that all of us have to do to give up our selves to the exalting of the Name of this blessed God He is worthy so worthy of honor from us creatures that though ten thousand millions of Men and Angels should perish eternally for the furtherance of the least degree of his honor he is worthy of it all so high is this God and therefore know it to be our work to endeavor in our places to exalt him and blessed is that man or woman that when they are to die are able to say Oh Lord thou hast been high in my heart thy Wisdom I have adored and submitted mine unto it thy Will I have honored and yeelded mine likewise to it and it hath been the great care of my soul that I might do somthing in my place to lift up thy Name according as I have been able I say thou maiest go out of the world in peace as having done in some measure that thou camest into the world for Oh! you whom God hath exalted let it be your care to exalt this God and especially the Saints of the Lord know God hath exalted you on high and expects that you should lift up his Name he hath lifted up you out of the depth of miserie from the nethermost Hell he hath joyned you to his Son he hath made you one with his Son He hath loved you with the same love wherewith he loveth his Son he hath made you Heirs Co-heirs with his own Son he hath given his Angels to be ministring Spirits to you he hath made it his great design to honor himself in your eternal good the greatest work that God hath to do in the world it is the honoring himself in your Glory he hath prepared a Crown of glory for you Oh then do you joyn together to exalt the Name of this God who hath lifted up you who were such poor vile worms let the high praises of this God be in your hearts and mouths for ever in Psal 108. 4. Thy mercy is great above the Heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the Clouds mark what follows in the 5. verse Be thou exalted O God above the Heavens and thy Glory above all the Earth Oh Lord we see thy mercy is exalted above the Heavens and thy truth
notwithstanding our sins we should go on in the waies of obedience to him notwithstanding any afflictions that we meet withal for our obedience Again a Second Note is this Sinners are at the very mouth of misery the brink of destruction when they think not of it there 's nothing but giving of them up And then Thirdly It 's nothing but Gods free mercy that keeps us from being destroyed le's the Lords mercy that we are not consumed In the Fourth place Sin puts God to a stand How shall I do it It brings disorder into the world God must set his infinit wisdom on work to bring thing about to his own glory sin hath brought disorder and confusion Now saith God I must set mind infinite wisdom on work to bring glory out of this confusion If God hath any good intentions to thee know they sin laies such difficulties in Gods way to find out a way for thee as puts him to a kind of stand as thus For God to find out a way that all the wrong that sin hath done to him should be made up and yet thy soul should be sav'd 't is the hardest thing in the world Thou canst commit sin easily but I say when the sin is committed for God then to find out a way that all that wrong that 's done to him should be made up as it must be for otherwise all the disorder will not be brought into order and yet thy soul sav'd it 's the hardest thing in the world and were not God a God infinite in wisdom it would put him so to it as he were never able to find out a way God doth seem as it were to be at a stand How shall I do to save these sinners and yet not to wrong my self Oh! this should humble us for our sins As if a child should do so much evil as to bring himself into such bryars and troubles as that his tender father being affected with his sad condition would fain help him but if he doth help him he is put to abundance of difficulties for the helping of him and he is fain to beat his brains and study waies and means how he shall come to save this his child from utter undoing now if the child hath any ingenuity in him he will not only think it 's no great matter so be it I be delivered Oh! but this will break his heart Oh! what troubles have I brought my father into It is thus with us in reference to God if we look upon God thus as personating a man And then in the Fifth place The salvation of a sinner it breaks through a great many reasonings and workings of Gods heart How shall I do it saith God We little think what reasonings there are between Mercy and Justice about our lives about our souls many times could we but hear what reasonings there are in Heaven between Mercy and Justice about our lives Oh! it would go to our hearts The great salvation that comes by Christ it was not determined without many reasonings between Mercy and Justice there was presented to God whatsoever Justice could say and what ever mercy could say What saith God must my son be under my wrath for the satisfying of Justice and be made a Curse yet this must be Justice requires satisfaction How can it be done without the Son of God being made a Curse for mans sin these kind of reasonings there are in the heart of God for saving of mans soul in 1 Sam. 16. 8. we reade of Abishai and Davids reasoning the case about Sauls life saith Abishai to David God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day now therefore let me smite him c. No saith David do not smite him do not destroy him and thus they reasoned one with another Saul was in a very ill case when there was that reasoning about his life such a case are we in many times the Justice and Mercy of God doth reason about our lives and souls Oh! how do we depend upon God for our lives and souls and if we be sav'd we are sav'd through many reasonings But the main Point of all is this That according to the relation that a people a sinful people or persons have unto God So God finds it a difficult thing to execute wrath upon them How shall I do it The wrath of God is many times brought to the birth and God cannot as it were to speak after the manner of men know how to put strength to it to bring it forth This is the reason that in Scripture we have such sending after sinners and crying to them to return such earnest wishes Oh! that they would return and such pleadings with them They will not come in and return This is the reason why we reade of the Lord whetting his Sword and bending his Bow and preparing his Arrows Why is not God ready at any time to execute judgment upon a sinner Oh no he will be whetting and bending and preparing and all because it is a work that he is loth to go through withal as it were and this is the reason why God will not stir up his wrath or if it be stir'd up he will call it back again Lament 3. 33. The Lord afflicts not willingly neither doth he grieve the children of men and all this is because Gods nature is to be merciful mercy pleases him and the Lord doth perfectly foresee and hath perfectly in his view all the reasons that might move him to mercy As now thus These are the things that makes God to be at a stand when he comes to execute judgment upon a people or persons that have relation to him where his Name is professed and where himself is worshiped First This reason is presented The many prayers of the Saints withstand against justice Justice must break through all the prayers of all the Saints of God that are in such places and this is not an easie matter we account it not an easie matter for to break through a mighty Army God cannot come to a people that he is related to and is worshiped by but that he must break through an Army the Army of the prayers of his people now saith God How shall I do it Oh! it is a mighty Army that is between me and them Yea Secondly The Lord looks upon such a place with pity Because of the many children and little ones that there are in such a place yea the children of his own people You know when God was about destroying of Neniveh he look'd upon the many thousands that knew not the difference between the right hand or the left But when God comes to destroy a Kingdom that doth worship him he looks upon those many infants and the little ones and sees them many of the posterity of his Servants As they are but littles ones that moves his bowels they have not
thing that thou pleadest mercy is pleading already and mercy carries on those arguments with a great deal more strength than thou art able to do but it takes it well at thy hand to present any to it Thou art loth to perish and God is as loth thou shouldest perish if God give thee a heart to come to him to stop wrath thou comest to him to do a work exceeding acceptable to him 't is as acceptable to God such a work as it can be acceptable unto thee when thou apprehendest Judgment ready to be executed look up to mercy it may 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost may raise an act of faith and this act of faith will set bowels on work the bowels of God are very ready to work That which is very ready to work a little thing will set it on work I say Gods bowels are very ready to work in the waies of grace and mercy towards sinners and the least act of faith in that mercy would certainly set bowels on work a main Mercy calls thee to help Mercy hath been pleading a great while and Justice pleading Mercy calls thee in to help and assist her to plead for thee and who knows but the casting voice staies for thy coming in though there hath been pleadings in Gods heart yet the dispensations of God may be such as the casting voice shall not come till thy pleadings be come in and then the business may be determined as it was here The Tenth Observation is this Oh consider the different dealings of the Father with his Son let our Meditations be raised from this Doth the bowels of God thus work towards poor sinners pleading for them when wrath is ready to be executed then we may here see the great difference between Gods dealings with his Saints and with his Son When God comes to deliver his people these that he had relation to where he had some of his Saints and for their sakes he speaks this he saith How shall I deliver thee We do not find that God said so concerning his Son God did deliver up his Son unto wrath without a How shall I do it yea the Heart of God was in it there 's no such expression of reluctancie about this work but the Scripture saith that it pleased God to bruise him It pleased him well it was an act that pleased God to bruise his Son Indeed it was for glorious ends that he had in it why so God might have ends enough for to bring forth his glory in our bruising but yet notwithstanding any ends that he might bring about he saith How shall I do it God doth not delight to grieve the children of men but God did grieve his Son he bruised him and it pleased him to bruise him You shall find such an expression in Isa 53. and in Psal 40. In the volumn of the book it is written of me that I should do thy will It was the will of God that Christ should come and suffer what he did when Ephraim was bemoaning himself Góds bowels were troubled within him he doth let the rod fall out of his hand in Jer. 31. 19 20. When Ephraim was bemoaning himself mark how Gods bowels there works but the Scripture saith That God did not spare his Son God would spare Ephraim Jesus Christ did bemoan himself when he cried out If it be possible let this Cup pass from me and Oh God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh what a bemoaning of himself was this and yet in Rom 8. 32. God spared not his own Son he did not spare him notwithstanding all the moans that he made unto him but he delivered him up Here we reade of the repentings of God that are kindled and divers times in Scripture of Gods repenting of the execution of Justice upon sinners but when he speaks of Chist I have made him a Priest for ever that is so as he should be a Sacrifice both the Priest to offer and the Sacrifice its self in Heb. 7. 21. The Lord sware and will not repent Oh certainly it was from this work of God the delivering up of his Son that the Lord hath such working of bowels towards sinners when wrath comes to be executed to say How shall I give thee up Yet further If the heart of God doth thus work towards sinners when they are ready to be given up yea towards those that are very evil for so these were Their hearts bent to back-sliding Hence then we may learn That the State of the Saints that walk close with God must needs be very secure If the Lord deals thus with rebellious Sons what will he do with a Son that serves him that walks close with him though a Son very vile very sinful yet there is a how shall I give thee up Oh then thou whose conscience witnesses of thy sincere endeavor in walking close with God continually know that thy estate must needs be secure Yea further if this be so Surely whensoever God delivers up his own people to any judgments there 's some great matter in it some great matter in it for never doth any affliction come unto them but it breaks through many reasonings of Gods heart God intends some great matter Doth judgment begin at the house of God It is because the Lord hath some great intents to bring forth it is not because the Lord takes pleasure in the moans of his people in the sorrows and sufferings of his Servants but it is because he intends some great things for certainly these bowels of compassion would not let such sore and grievous evils pass if there were not some great ends and purposes of God to bring about And yet further hence observe The difference between the day of patience and the times of wrath for the sakes of those that were godly here Gods patience speaks thus towards the body of the People and so was patient and long-suffering towards them There is a time that God wile laugh at the destruction of sinners and he will mock when their fear cometh when he will execute his wrath and be comforted as the Scripture speaks There is a time indeed when God saith How shall I give them up but there is another time wherein God doth give forth the wine of his wrath The Wine it doth delight the Lord as Wine doth unto a man when indignation shall be as Wine to God then mercy and patience shall hold their peace for they have then their glory already they will never speak more but turn over the sinner unto Justice yea pleads unto Justice against the sinner And then lastly Seeing that God comes off thus when he is about the letting out of wrath making such stops as he doth then surely we should not hasten Judgment against our selves but let us make use of these dealings of God for the breaking of our hearts and causing them to return unto him let not us assist Justice
hath not entred in here thus yet Oh! let not our sin cause a meroiful God to go out and a provoked God to enter in VER 10. They shall walk after the Lord He shall roar like a Liyon THey shall not walk after their own inventions any more nor after the lusts of their own hearts nor after the examples or the counsels of men but after the Lord they shall see God before them their hearts shall be drawn after him as they shall see God in his various administrations so they shall turn this way or that way which way soever God leads them though in paths they have not known before yet now they shall walk after him though in paths that few others walk in yet Through fire and water though in difficult paths never so dangerous to outward appearance though God should lead them from their dearest comforts sweetest contents though it did not appear to them whither the way tended what God meant to do with them yet seeing God before them they shall be willing to walk after him they shall account that way God is in the best way the safest way the most comfortable way Revel 14. 4. These shall follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth these were redeemed from among men being the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. They shall walk in a constant steady course of obedience after the Lord. It is the Lord the blessed glorious God whom their souls love whom they desire to honor to whom they have given up souls bodies lives liberties names estates whatsoever they are have or are able to do When Peter heard it was the Lord he threw himself into the Sea that he might walk after him there Thus the soul converted to God loves to walk after him But this is spoken of the Church as walking after the Lord in times of Reformation especially that famous time of the restitution of all things when God shall call home his people the ten Tribes who yet are scattered up and down wandring and groping in darkness They shall walk after the Lord the Lord shall be a Captain to them leading them along as his redeemed ones working by them glorious things in the earth and bringing them through all opposition to places of rest and fulness of all good God shall appear in such visible administrations of his so as they shall say Lo this is our God this is the Captain of the host of the Lord yea it is even the Lord himself we will joyn together and follow him whose wisdom faithfulness and courage is infinite we will follow no other but him and in subordination to him The sight of such a Captain going before them shall put life courage and magnanimity into them whatsoever they were before Hence note Obs It is the infinite goodness of the Lord to be the Captain of his people Obs It is the honor safety happiness of the Saints to have God before them to be walking after him He shall roar like a Lyon If God appears thus it will make them fly from him No they shal notwithstanding this walk after him Obs That the majesty and terribleness of God in his wonderful and dreadful works causes the wicked guilty conscience to fly from him But the Saints shall follow after him and cling unto him Isa 33. 14. The sinners in Syon are afraid fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites Who amongst us shall dwell with devouring fire who amongst us shall dwel with everlasting burnings He that worketh righteously and speaketh uprightly Act. 5. 13 14. Of the rest durst no man joyn himself to them And Beleevers were the more added to the Lord multitudes both of men and women Psa 46. Luthers Psalm 2. We will not fear though the Earth be moved though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea though the waves thereof roar though the Mountains shake Vers 6. The Heathen raged the Kingdoms were moved be uttered his voice the Earth melted The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our Refuge Nahum 1. 2. The Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance of his adversaries Vers 3. The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm Vers 5. The Mountains quake at him the Hills melt and the Earth is burnt at his presence Who can stand before his indignation who can abide the fierceness of his anger his fury is powred out like fire and the Rocks are thrown down by him Vers 7. The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Joel 3. 15 16. The Sun and the Moon shall be darkened and the Stars shal withdraw their shining the Lord shall roar out of Syon and utter his voice from Jerusalem The Heavens and the Earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the Figtree shall not blossem c. yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Oh! the blessing of a clean Conscience it looks on th 〈…〉 Terror of the Law and of God with comfort Where there is neighing of Horses beating of Drums ratling of Pikes foaring of Cannons yet if a friend be the General we fear not Al the terror there is in God is comfort to the Saints the wicked have the dark side of the Cloud the Saints the bright Deut. 33. 2. From his right hand went a fiery Law Vers 4. Moses commanded us a Law even the inheritance of the Congregation of Jacob. Nehem. 9. 32. The great mighty and terrible God will keep Covenant and Mercy Psal 47. 1 2. Shout unto God with the voice of Triumph for the most high is Terrible Be godly and keep Conscience clean in these latter times train up your Children in waies of godliness Shall roar like a Lyon The roaring of the Lyon invites the rest of the beasts there is something for them Quest But when was this Answ Many think when the Babylonian Monarchy was broken by Cyrus then Belshazzars knees beat together and then the Captivity returned and that divers of the ten Tribes joyned in the return But this is spoken of the Body of them and if any such remarkable return had been Ezra would not have left out their Genealogyes Others refer it to the times of the Gospel Heb. 12. 26. Yet once more I shake not the Earth only but also Heaven The voice of the Gospel Repent and he that beleeves shall be saved but he that beleeves not shall be damned was a Terrible voice When secure minds saith Luther hear that salvation belongs to none but those that are baptized and that beleeve in the Name of Christ they indeéd tremble and are solicitous concerning their salvation Junius when he read the first Chapter of the
in the assurance of Gods love it would not be much to me but when all these outward comforts are gone and I never saw God appearing like an enemy to me so as at this time Doth God deal thus with any of his people Am I not a Reprobate For God doth use when his People are in affliction then to appear with the light of his face to comfort and encourage them but he hath not done so to me even at this time I find God more terrible to my soul than ever yet I found him and therfore surely I am but a cast-away I make no question but some of you may know the meaning of such temptations as these are in the time of your afflictions or if you have not known the meaning of them hitherto you may come to know the meaning of them hereafter and you that have known or hereafter if you shall know what these things mean Oh! treasure up this Scripture it will be worth a world to you For the Devil wil mightily strengthen himself with this What are not you a cast-away surely God hath rejected you he would never appear against you in your afflictions if he had any love to you Or you may answer the temptation thus Yes yes I have read in the Book of God and heard that even thus God dealt with my father Jacob that was so precious Yea but was not he in some way of sin No he was in the way that God bad him go on in and yet even then when he was in so great a distress God wrastled with him never wrastled more with him than then and seem'd to come against him like an enemy and such a time as that was Oh! treasure up this that your hearts may not sink in despair in the greatest afflictions and spiritual dissertions that are both together Only this by the way He had power with God It appears that when God came thus against him to wrastle with him God intended no hurt to him it was but to stir up his strength and to prepare him for great deliverance and for choice mercies God at this time did intend to Jacob as great a mercie as ever he gave to any of the children of men in this world and that was this That he should have strength to prevail with God and as a Prince to prevail with God and that he should in this be a type of all his people hereafter that they should prevail with God that he should have his name changed and be called Israel because he was a Prince prevailing with God and in this he should be honorable to the end of the world and be set up as a type for the comfort of al the Saints to the end of the world I say it was as great a mercy as ever any meer child of man had in this world at this time when Jacob was in the greatest depth of affliction almost as you can conceive a man to be in Therefore oh remember this that it is the way of God when he doth intend the greatest mercy to any of his people sometimes to bring them into the depth of affliction and therefore do not conclude that never any was so afflicted as I have been why Jacob might have said so and yet at that time God had never greater thoughts of mercy than he had to him then and therefore remember this again when such kind of temptations work never any was so afflicted as I have been grant it yet it may be there is mercy intended for you at this time that never yet was granted to any of the children of men before 't is possible it may be so it was so with Jacob and therefore let not your faith flag He had power with God in this great distress that he was in he doth not lie down as a man discouraged but he 〈…〉 rs up what strength he had and he falls a wrastling a wrastling with this man even with God thus appearing against him as an enemy Oh! thus should the seed of Jacob do you that are the seed of Jacob for so specially your praying Christians in time of distress are call'd by the seed of Jacob I said not to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain They are not call'd the seed of Abraham but of Jacob because Iacob was so eminent in praying in so great extremity the seed of Iacob should do so every little opposition that comes upon a sluggish heart a heart that hath low and mean principles sinks him presently I say take a man or woman that hath but low and mean principles every little opposition presently damps his spirit and maketh him yeeld and bows him down and they are ready to say al is gone if they are but opposed a little Oh! art thou of the seed of Iacob the seed of Iacob should never think their condition to be so sad but there may be recovery Is it a great affliction that is upon me am I in great distress let me so much the more stir up my strength As I remember it was said of Alexander that when he was in a great danger saith he Now there 's a danger fit for the mind of an Alexander So doth God bring into great straights now there 's a straight fit for a gracious heart for one that is partaker of the Divine Nature to incounter with stir up therefore what strength thou hast do not say I shall never be table to overcome this difficulty do not say so for you are not in greater straights than Iacob was at this time and yet mark Iacob had power and stirs up his power It may be you have that strength that will do more than you are aware of the grace of God is mighty in the hearts of his Saints Have you never been enabled to do more than ever you thought you should have been enabled to have done he stirs up his strength he doth not lie down sullen and discouraged as it 's usual for Christians to do if God doth but afflict them and specially if he draws but the light of his face a little from them presently they lie down discouraged and will not be comforted Oh! thou doest not shew thy self to be of the seed of Iacob thou hast not the spirit of thy Father Iacob in thee By his strength he prevailed with God Strength What strength you will say He had very great bodily strength he wrastled partly with bodily strength as in Gen. 29. 8. 10. you shall find that Jacob was a very strong man of his body for the Stone of the Well that the Shepherds was fain to meet together to roul away Jacob took it and roul'd it away presently but certainly he had strength beyond his ordinary bodily strength at this time God raised a bodily strength beyond what ever he had and it 's like beyond what ever man had before God raised Sampsons bodily strength to be very great and
indeed were a notable point if one would speak of this at large and a very useful point in these times That the way to prevail with men it is to prevail with God What 's all the powers of men they are all at the dispose of God the work is done when thou hast but prevail'd with God thou heatest of great dangers that there are abroad in the world but do thou get alone in thy closet and fall a wrastling with God and be wrastling till thou feelest thy faith wrastling with God then thou mayest come down and conclude the work is done no men shal ever prevail against you that have so much interest with God these may live joyfully in the world never need fear the power and the rage of wicked men they have that within them that helps them to prevail with God and certainly man cannot prevail against them Our rough brethren have come out against us as here Esau this rough brother of Jacob came out against him and yet Jacob prevailing with God prevail'd against him And blessed be God that when our rough brethren have come enraged against us there hath been some amongst us have prevailed with God and by prevailing with God have prevailed over them and against them But though we are delivered from these rough brethren yet we have rough ones in another kind still that are against us Oh but let us carry our selves blamelesly and inoffencively towards them that yet behave themselves roughly and furiously against us and so seek to prevail with them that way in a constant carriage of innocence and blameless lives before them to convince them if it be possible of all their mistakes But above all let us seek to prevail with God and then God may turn their hearts turn the hearts of our roughest and furiousest brethren whose mouthes are so opened as they are and whose pens do go so as they do let 's prevail with God that so at length they may come and fall upon their necks as Esau did and to give them the right hand of fellowship it 's not impossible that such things may be done surely one would not have thought that they that were at such a distance as they were that they should have come so together surely we have never provoked our brethren so as Esau hath done Jacob let 's not be troubled more than God would have us but seek God and wrastle with God it 's in vain to stand wrastling with them giving ill word for ill word and pen for pen that 's not the way but wrastle with God and walk convincingly before them and so you may turn the hearts of our rough brethren and that in a little time surely it 's not more impossible to soder the spirits of brethren that seem not to be at so great a distance and so imbittered one against another it is not more impossible to soder them than it was here with God to soder the spirits of Esau and Jacob and to have such a comfortable meeting as there was at this time In this prevailing of Iacob against Esau we have a type of the Churches prevailing against all the ungodly though the Enemies may be strong and furious certainly the people of God shall prevail As before in Iacobs taking Esau by the heel there was a type that the people of God shall supplant all the wicked so in Iacob's prevailing at this time here 's a type that certainly the Churches shall prevail let men do what they will and be as bitter as they will the Iacobs shall prevail at length Mark yet further With his power he prevailed even over the Angel If you look into the Story you shall find that he did prevail but it was after he had wrastled a great while Constancie in wrastling with God will overcome at length though we do not prevail at first as Iacob did not but was wrastling all night and day broke and then he prevailed Oh! be not discouraged though you prevail not at first Oh! I have been seeking God thus long and have not prevailed but go on still you know not but that may be done in one hour that hath not been done a long time before Mark further Iacob after he was lame prevailed Iacob had been wrastling all night and got nothing then the hollow of his theigh was toucht and he was lame now surely he will be overcome shall he prevail now he that could not prevail when he was so long and strong he is not like to prevail now Oh! this is very useful and seasonable for us That the times for the Churches prevailing it is the times when they are most weake when they are most unlikely to prevail when they are lame why then is the time for them to prevail We are ready to think Oh! if we could not get it when we had so much strength is it like to be done now we have so little strength Now by this Iacob came to be more humbled when his theigh was toucht so that he was lame God uses to damp means and to bring even the sentence of death before he doth intend to bring the greatest mercies Further Iacob though he had a strong Adversary against him and he wrastled long with him and he was lame yet continuing wrastling he grew more resolute towards the latter end than he was before for you never read of Iacob so peremptory before I wil not let thee go until thou bless me and that 's one thing that 's very observable for the sad condition Iacob was in the hollow of his theigh was toucht and that likewise should have been added That the Angel would have been gone God would have been gon and have left him in that affliction but then Iacob's spirit grew up more with a greater resolution than he had before I will not let thee go except thou bless me It seems now that Iacob had more sight of him that he was God than he had before This should be our way in our dealings with God that when God brings us in the lowest condition and God seems as if he would leave us we should stir up our spirits then and be more resolute and strong than before Oh! it 's time now for the heart to bestir its self when God is ready to go away do not say God will be gone and therefore link down sullenly but it 's time for thee then to stir up all that thou hast and to act faith more then as if Jacob should say I will try yet one fall more I will not yield the cause yet certainly I must not perish as if Jacob should say it 's true all things seem against me as if I should be destroyed but it must not be saith Jacob Faith begins to stir Hath not God bid me come here have I not the Word of God for it did not God say he would do me good in this journy and though it 's true the providence of
God seems to work against me but yet the Word of God works for me and I will try whether shall prevail Gods Word or Gods Providence thus Jacob wrastles I will not let thee go as if he should say I have the Word for what I do and God hath bound himself by Covenant and so long though Heaven and Earth meet together although I see my brother coming against me and God departing from me and all threatning ruin yet I will beleeve still that there is mercy for me This was Jacobs last turn as I may so say as the trying as it were the last fall in this his wrastling in opposing the Word that he had with the Work of God towards him And this is a Note of very great use in al our conditions let us not lay so much weight upon any Work of God as upon the Word of God let us build upon the Word rather than fear the Works for it hath been the usual way of God when he hath given out a Word that his Works have seem'd to go quite cross as not only in our father Jacob but even in our father Abraham What was the Word of God to Abraham There was two promises by God made to Abraham one was this That he would bring him into a Land that flowed with milk and hony And a second That he would make his seed as the Stars in the Firmament Wel here was Gods Word But how was Gods Work The very next thing that you hear of him he was carried into Canaan after he had left all his friends and was ready to starve presently now the word is Thou shalt be brought into a Land that flows with milk and bony and assoon as ever he comes into that Land he was ready to starve Here 's a Land indeed And then a second Promise of having his seed as the Stars of Heaven Abraham was twenty five yeers after this before he had any one child of the Promise and he grew old and also his wife Well he had at length one and God commands him to kill that one to sacrifice that one But what a work is here how quite contrary to the Word Well he was saved and Isaac is forty yeers before he marries here 's sixty five yeers gone from the promise and there 's but even one of his seed that must be as the Stars of Heaven at length Isaac marries and he was twenty yeers without a child here 's eighty five yeers and but only one birth from him yea and after that the story will make it out that Jacob was above fourscore yeers before he married and had any children there 's between eight and nine score yeers gone and here 's but only Isaac and Jacob. How doth the Work of God seem against his Word in appearance It 's the way of God and therefore let us never trouble our selves about Gods Works he came indeed afterwards with his Works and fulfilled his Word to the uttermost but for the present it seem'd to be against it Oh! lay up this as a lesson you will have use of it many and many a time It follows With his strength he prevailed Prevailing at last will recompence all our strivings Jacob was fully recompenced here he speaks in a way of recompence of Jacob after his striving Oh! it was a hard wrastling I but he prevail'd at length And so it will be with all the people of God let them go on and wrastle and though things be hard for the present when mercy comes it wil pay for all Oh! thou wilt hereafter see no cause of repenting that ever thou did est continue in this wrastling with God Oh! thou wilt see cause to bless God blessed be God that kept up my heart all this while Oh! God knows that many times it was ready to sink and if I had left off what had become of me I had lost the mercy that now I find but I continued through Gods mercy and now he is come he is come at length Prevailing recompences all our labor and trouble in seeking Well he prevail'd but what 's this to this people of Israel Thus this was to shew the base degenerateness of this people as if he should say Oh! of what a brave spirit was your Father Jacob but you you are a base people you basely subject your selves to Heathens to Idols your father was of a brave spirit indeed and would not have subjected himself to any creature in the world yea he would wrastle with God himself when he had his Word for it Oh! but it is otherwise with Jacob's posterity you can crouch to every base thing you will crouch to the humors of men in the Worship of God and do any thing to save your skin saith he you are unworthy to be counted of the posterity of Jacob that 's the meaning of the Prophet here Jacob's posterity indeed they should be prevailers upon the world above temptations it 's unseemly for one of the seed of Iacob to yeeld to the base lusts and the humors of men what shall we yeeld to a base lust when Iacob would not yeeld to the Almighty but prevail'd with him are we of the seed of Iacob now Oh! we are of low mean spirits led aside of every vanity and overcome with every difficulty But how did he prevail in what way did he put forth this his strength It follows VER 4. He wept and he made supplication THis weeping of Jacob is not recorded in the History of Genesis nor in all the Book of God but only here his supplication is recorded but not his weeping therefore his weeping was had either from hand to hand by way of tradition it was known that when he wrastled so with the Angel he prevailed or otherwise by Revelation but certain it was that he wept when he did wrastle There are many ridiculous conceits of the Jews and some old Writers about this they say it was the Angel that fell a weeping and prayed Jacob to let him alone thus they carry it But to take it generally as our Divines do that Jacob wept and made supplication and so prevailed with God Iacob's heart was prest in the condition that he was in and so prest that it caused tears to bubble from him and no mervail though tears came from him his heart could not but be full for when he came to think thus with himself What after I have served such a hard service under Laban my Uncle and God bad me come away from him which I took to be such a great mercy from God to deliver me yet how soon was I presently in danger of my life even my Uncle Laban pursuing of me and God delivered me there And must I now fall into the hand of my Brother is the day come for him now to have his rage upon me I see little other likelihood his strength is great and God himself appears against me and I have
been wrastling a great while and I can get nothing from God but that it 's likely here I must die and perish yea and that God should leave me thus as he doth that God should appear a greater enemy to me than my Brother Esau and lame me Oh! now might not this be a sign that God intends to destroy me yea God would be gone too when I am in such a strait as this is Oh! this makes him weep As a poor child when it is in straits and is crying to the mother the mother beats it and strikes it yea the mother will be gone and leave it in those straits Can you blame the child though it cry So it was here Jacob was in straits and was seeking God and God beats him and makes him cry and would be gon Oh! this doth press tears out of the eyes of Jacob Oh! what will become of me now As if Jacob should have said Were it that I should perish alone it were not so much but my Wives perish and how can mine eyes be able to see their destruction yea it may be they will be ravished before mine eyes by these rude Soldiers These kind of workings in Jacob's spirit you cannot but conceive that it must draw tears he wept before the Angel considering this his sore distressed condition And on the other side there were thoughts would make him weep too The thoughts of his Misery and the reasoning of his Faith when he considered I but surely I am in the way of God though I be in a great deal of danger I have the Promise of God I have his Covenant with me I have to deal with the Holy Blessed and Gracious God in all my waies Who knows but that my extremity may be Gods opportunity The heart of my brother it is certainly in the hand of God and all Creatures are in Gods hands too Now the actings of Faith would make one to weep aswel as of Fear and Trouble and it were well if we could weep on both sides Sometimes you roul in your thoughts all the aggravations of your afflictions and they make you weep Now can you roul in your thoughts the aggravations of Gods Goodness and Mercy and can that make you weep The end why God brought Jacob into this condition to fal a weeping before the Angel it was That he might humble him and break his heart before he gives him deliverance for it was one of the greatest honors as we intimated before that God did for Jacob that ever he did to man therfore God would bring him very low before he would raise him so high and make him fall a weeping aswel as praying before he should have the Mercy Oh! this is Gods way He will bring men very low to humble them before they shall have mercy therefore when mens hearts are high and lofty stout and hard they are not in a way of Mercy from God but when mens hearts begin to break thaw and melt and are tender then they are in a way of mercy as here So we find it often in Scripture that God intending mercy first breaks the heart and melts it by mourning and sorrowing as Josiah you know that was his condition his heart melted when he heard the Law and God sends presently a Promise of Mercy to him and in Ieremiah there the Lord promises his People That he will bring them with weeping and with supplications that shall be the way One Note or two more It becomes the most generous and magnanimous spirit to have his heart breaking and to express his heart breaking with tears before God It is an excellent thing to see a man of a brave spirit strong and ful of courage in any service of God and yet when he comes to have to deal with God to have a melting tender and soft spirit in his dealings with God If you should see now a great Captain or General that were brave and magnanimous when he was abroad in the field about any difficult work but when he comes before God in Prayer there he can weep like a child there he can mourn and lament and his heart break assoon as a child this is an excellent spirit now spirits that can turn according to what God cals them to this way or that way can be stout and hardy in a work that requires stoutness and can be soft tender and yeelding in such a work that requires such things Thus was our father Jacob Oh! to have tender hearted Captains and Generals to have couragious spirits yet broken hearted spirits to mix the work of Grace thus it is most excellent and it becomes the most bravest spirit in the world not only to fall down to prayer but to weep before the Lord some men think it 's too low a thing to fall a weeping in prayer as if it were a womanish and a childish thing Oh! it 's an argument that thy heart is carnal and base to think that it 's for want of understanding I say this is evil and it comes from much corruption in the heart for to think it either beneath a brave spirit or beneath a prudent spirit I 'le give you one example that weeping is not beneath a brave spirit this is enough and also that of David no man did shed more tears in the presence of God than David that brave Captain but to put both together I 'le set before you the example of Jesus Christ in Heb. 5. 7. the text saith That in the daies of his flesh he offered up prayers and supplications how with strong cries and tears even Jesus Christ the Son of God God blessed for ever he that was equal with the Father the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah he that had all strength and power and had all the treasures of wisdom hid in him and the fulness of the God head dwelt bodily in him and yet when he had to deal with the Father he offers up prayers with strong cries and tears Doth it become the Captain of our salvation in his seeking of God to weep know then it is not unbecoming any man or woman Are you of the seed of Jacob then when you would prevail with God labor to work your hearts even so as you may express your affections outwardly labor to do it in prayer it will help to break thy heart As a broken heart will cause outward expressions so outward expressions will be a further cause to break the heart And work thy heart by all arguments thou canst to come to that tenderness and softness that thou mayest be like the Captain of thy Salvation when thou art crying to God to cry even with tears before him and when thy heart is so broken with tears then exercise thy faith upon the prayer of Jesus Christ Now it is through the Spirit of Jesus Christ that my heart doth thus break but I do not rest upon these God forbid that I should rest upon my enlargements
of all their straights and afflictions We find in Scripture that God very seldom when he speaks of his Almighty Power speaks of his willingness to do them good for that God would have his people take for granted that 's implyed in his Covenant that he made with them at first And then lastly When Iacob was afraid of being cut off because he was few in number now God presents himself as God Almighty and he blesses him now with fruitfulness and tells him he will multiply him to a company of Nations and Kings shall come out of his loyns In this we have an excellent lesson that God speaks to us That God delights to receive his people in their fears with sutable and seasonable mercies Iacob was never in greater fears than at those two times yet now the Lord comes at this time of his great straits and tells him now of multiplying of him to many Nations and that Kings should come out of his loyns at that time when he was afraid that the Nations should come and destroy all that belonged to him at that time God tells him that Kings should come out of his loyns Oh! the Lord delights to revive his people in their fears and doth come with sutable mercies to them Oh it should teach us to be tender-hearted towards the Saints that are in sears and troubles and to labor to comfort our Brethren with seasonable and sutable mercies And especially after great conflicts that 's observable for Jacob had been wrastling with God not long before and after these great conflicts God comes with the manifestation of great mercies this God spake to us there That we should not be discouraged though God bring us into great conflicts because after those times are the seasons for God to speak the most comfortable and the most encouraging things unto us There God spake to us So you see the Third Story thus opened unto you and the usefulness of it I know scarce a Scripture fuller than these two verses And the Reason why the Prophat brings this Third Story to upbraid this people is this as if he should say thus First Your Father Jacob he worshiped the true God in Bethel you worship the Calf in Bethel For you know that in Dan and Bethel the Calves were set up as if the Prophet should say Are you the Children of Jacob did Jacob worship an Idol in Bethel No God found him in Bethel and God spake with him there but you Worship a Calf in Bethol Secondly God made gracious promises to your father Jacob in Bethel you flight them you regard them not you go to shifting courses for your selves and dare not rely upon Promises as your Father Jacob did Thirdly You pollute the place that God had made his House that place where there were such gracious manifestations of God you pollute it It 's an aggravation of sin to sin in those places where God hath shewed much mercy And then lastly You are gone from the Covenant that your Father Jacob made with God at Bethel your Father Jacob as God renewed his Covenant enters into Covenant himself with God at Bethel and saith that the Lord should be his God But have not you forsaken that Covenant you do not stand to the Covenant that your Father Iacob did make at Bethel It follows VER 5. Even the Lord God of Hosts the Lord is his Memorial HE that appeared to your Father Iacob was no other than the Lord of Hosts Jehovah and Jehovah is his memorial Your Father Jacob conversed with God he had great power with the great God the Lord of Hosts Jehovah You forsake this God you see no such excellency in him you rather turn to Idols The Lord of Hosts But how doth the Prophet make use of this Title of God The Lord of Hosts It is in reference unto those Hosts of God that appeared to Iacob a little before he met with his Brother Esau the Prophet is speaking of the story of Jacob's meeting with Esau and how he then wrastled with God upon which his name was changed in Gen. 32. 1 2. the text saith The Angels of God met him And when Jacob saw them he said This is Gods Host This hath reference to that place The Hosts of God appeared to Iacob just upon this time of his wrastling and the text saith there He called the name of the place Mahanaim that is two Hosts or two Camps Saith Hosea The Lord of Hosts is his name as if he should say It is the same Lord that was the Lord of Hosts that appeared to Iacob your Father a little before his wrastling it 's the same God he remains the same God still and your sin is against that God and return unto that God that is this Lord of Hosts Now for this Title The Lord of Host That which you see this morning may put you in mind a little of it yet I shall not speak much of it now Because you that have been Auditors here and others too may know that even in this place I have preached upon that Title The Lord of Hosts That glorious Name of God the Lord of Hosts and likewise published it I opened that Title some yeers since because God did appear to England in that Title the Lord of Hosts more fully than in former times Therefore to the end that we in this Land might learn now to sanctifie that Name of God The Lord of Hosts I endeavored to open it as I was able unto you to shew what glory of God was in that Name that we might sanctifie it and since that time the Lord hath given us more occasion to sanctifie that Name of his than formerly indeed this Title Lord of Hosts as well as Iehovah is the Memorial of God and should be to the posterity that remains we should tell the posterity after how the Lord hath manifested himself the Lord of Hosts among us if ever God appeared in the Glory of this Title in any Country and Nation then he hath done it here It is from the Lord of Hosts that our Armies have prevailed so as they have done one that hath but half an eye as we use to say can see it Had God wrought our Victory by a company of Old Brave Gallant Soldiers and by Mighty Armies then the Glory of God as the Lord of Hosts had been ecclipsed in some measure but when as such great things have been done as scarce any story can tell us since Ioshua's time the great things that have been done as have been here in this Kingdom within this twelve months I say the most remarkable story it will be of what hath been done as ever we reade of in any stories How wil the Lord of Hosts be in his memorial if these Stories be set out to the life lustre and verity of them the children that are not yet born will learn to magnifie God by this Name of his
turn to God than others There are more arguments to perswade thy heart than others Turn Thou to God And this is a great mercy of God towards any man or woman when as God shall dare powerfully those special considerations and arguments that concern their souls to turn to God a man or woman comes to hear the Word and hears the nature of Repentance the motives to Repentance but that generally concerns all and this doth not much stir the heart but at another time it pleaseth God to hint something out of the Word that concerns them in particular and this gives a mighty turn to their hearts more than all the other As if a man be asleep though there be a great noise perhaps this doth not awaken him but let one come and call him by his name Thomas or Richard or John and speak particularly to him and that will awaken him when a greater noise will not do it so though there be general arguments of turning to God it doth not so much prevail with people as when God speaks to men and women by name and saies Turn thou to God There are these special arguments why thou shouldest turn to God rather than others Many times you will say If ever any were bound to God then I am then turn thou to God because thou art more engaged than others Turn thou to THY God That is Though you have departed from him yet he hath not wholly cast you off so but he may yet be thy God From whence the Note is That the sight of any Relation to God or hope of Mercy from him is a special means to draw the heart to turn to him Yet he may be thy God God hath not left thee O thou wretehed sinful soul who knows but that he may be thy God and thy God to all eternity Thou mightest have been past such an Argument of hearing any possibility of God's being thy God and therefore turn to God turn to thy God And keep Mercy and Judgment Want of Mercy in the Fourth Chapter of this Prophesie was charged upon this People That there was no Mercy in the Land and so in diverse other places want of Justice Now Turn to thy God and keep Mercy and Judgment The Note from the Connexion is this That in our turnings to God we must look to our special sins and reform them It 's not enough for men and women to turn to God and leave some gross sins But is there any sin more special than another that you have lived in before your turning unto God Reform in that sin above all A man or woman can never have any sure argument that their Repentance is true though they have left many sins if they have not left their special sins there 's som special sin that thou hast liv'd in what saiest thou to that Then Secondly It is nothing for people to reform in Gods Worship except they reform also in the duties of the Second Table that 's wonderful The duties of the Second Table Mercy and Judgmeut Turn to thy God and keep Mercy and Judgment Many men and women that seem to be forward in duties of Instituted Worship which is very good we are to honor God God is jealous in that business but now together with that if we be not conscionable in the duties of the Second Table of Mercy and Judgment too it 's nothing all will vanish and come to nothing except thou livest righteously and mercifully with men also as well as worship God do not think to put off thy conscience with the duties of Worship except thou doest keep Mercy and Judgment that 's more General And then Particularly Keep Mercy and then Keep Judgment be merciful unto thy Brethren A heart turning to God if it be a true turning it must needs be very merciful to men God expects that from all that do turn to him that upon thy turning to God thy bowels should yern towards thy Brethren and turn to them in Love and in Mercy and Meekness and Gentleness and Forgiveness for when thou turnest to God is it not the mercy of God that draws thy heart If it be not that thy turning is not right never any turned to God rightly but their hearts were taken with Gods mercy And can thy heart be taken with Gods mercy and thou not merciful to thy Brethren Many Professors of Religion think little of this but I find the Scripture makes as much of this as of any thing but faith its self faith in the Covenant of Grace These Three thingâ—â—he Scripture holds forth and urges very much upon men Faith Mercy and Vnity the two latter are thought to be little and of no moment with men but certainly the Lord Christ doth lay much upon mercy towards men that all that are his Members should be of merciful dispositions and of uniting dispositions one towards another Oh! 't is Mercy that the Scripture makes Religion to consist in Jam. 1. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled is To visit the Fatherless and Widdows and in Jam. 2. 13. Mercy rejoyceth over Judgment it is that which will help men and women in the time of straits and in times of danger that they have been merciful towards their brethren for that I take to be the meaning of that text Mercy rejoyceth over Judgment not that Gods mercy is more than his Judgment and that though a sinner hath deserved Judgment yet Gods Mercy will prevail and triumph over it but I take the meaning of that text to be Mercy in man and not Mercy in God that 's thus That when man hath had a merciful heart towards others towards his brethren that then if he should live to meet with affliction live to a time of Judgment times of common calamity common dangers that mercy that he hath exercised towards his brethren in the time of his prosperity will cause his soul to triumph in the midest of all dangers In the time of affliction mercy rejoyces over Judgment let Judgment come let afflictions come in the world let there be never such hard times abroad in the world yet I have a testimony to my conscience the Lord hath given me a merciful heart towards my Brethren that are in misery and I that am but a poor creature that have but a drop of mercy to that God that hath an infinite Ocean of Mercy will not that God be merciful to me much more Keep Mercy therefore you that turn to God be of merciful dispositions towards your brethren Oh! this is wanting among many that are Professors of Religion they are of cruel and harsh dispositions ridged sowr and severe dispositions towards others care not what becomes of others Oh! be merciful to your brethren You that are turn'd to God shew it in this That you keep MERCY The next is JVDGMENT Where there is a turning to God there must be righteousness
scraps to be had at last then he would not wait so long but if he did hope there was some great thing to be gotten then he would wait Beggers if they come to some mean house they knock at the door and stay a little and if they give them nothing away they will go but if they come to great Houses or Coaches they will wait though it be long and run a great way after them So that which we wait for it is worth thousands of worlds we wait for the pardon of Sin and wait for the assurance of Gods Love we wait for the shedding abroad of the holy Ghost in our hearts we wait for rich Treasure and know that there is enough to be had in God your waiting will pay for all Know also 'T is a great part of Gods Worship to wait upon him 't is not the Worship of God only to Pray and hear the Word and receive Sacraments but when you are waiting you are worshiping of God Further God is all this while preparing mercy for you Suppose you come to have a Scrivener write somthing for you Well the thing is not yet done yea but he is writing as fast as he can know O thou soul who art turning to God all the while thou art waiting God is working God is setting all his Attributes on work for thy good while thou art waiting and therefore wait on thy God And know God is infinitly wise and he knows when 't is best for us to have the mercy he knows the times and seasons wait upon God for the Lord is a God of Judgment Alas we are hasty we cannot judg when the time is fittest but God is a God of Judgment and therefore wait upon him should we have a mercy just when we would our mercy would undo us and therefore let us wait Oh my Brethren we have as much encouragement here in this Land to wait upon God as ever any people had we would fain have had the Wars ended and we began to murmur and repine because it was not done Oh! but we will not wait therefore we will not turn and those that turn to God least will wait least upon him and those that turn to God most will wait most upon him Do not you see that God hath wrought abundance of good for us by deferring what we would have had we had no opposition at the beginning of the Parliament and suppose the King and Parliament had agreed and said You shall have your desires What would we have desir'd we would have desir'd some few things as taking away Ship-mony Tonnage and Poundage Monopolies c. and to have a Triennial Parliament and the like Now what abundance hath God wrought by deferring what we would have had Oh it is good for people to wait upon God Oh let us look back to our murmurings and repinings all this while It 's true we have suffered something yea but hath not God wrought good out of our sufferings and suppose there should be fears of new storms arising Oh let us not say we will wait no longer Oh I take heed of foolish resolutions of your own God is wisest leave God to do his own work keep the way of God and go on in your duty and then let God work his own ends either by War or Peace any way as he pleases wait upon God and mark Wait upon God Continually Wait It 's fit for us to wait Yea but we have waited a long time Well but yet know that you are at the right door Suppose a man be knocking at a door and he hath knockt a great while and no body comes he begins to think it 's not the the right door but some body tells him that it is the right door and then he staies so we may assure our heares thus much we are at the right door certainly and let us not think to go away and we shall find somebody within God wil appear at length What shal we lose all for want of waiting a little while longer Thus it is with many wretched Apostats that have taken a great deal of pains in seeking after God a great while and for want of waiting a little longer they have lost all Oh! let there be this resolution in your hearts If I die and perish yet I 'le die and perish waiting upon God Certainly that soul that hath this resolution will never come to dispair yea there 's no such way for the hastening of Mercy as for a soul to lie flat at the feet of God let God do what he will with me if I perish I 'le perish waiting upon him though he kills me I 'le trust in him and stay upon him You have waited how long I pray Oh! you have been waiting and seeking of God it may be this half year or twelve months What 's that I pray O thou wretched soul thou hast deserved eternal flames and wilt thou grudg at God for waiting a few years If God would keep thee waiting all thy daies and at the last manifest Himself unto thee thou hadst cause to bless God for ever and therfore do not grudge though thou hast been waiting a while and it may be though Thy time is come yet Gods time is not come the time that you call long God doth not call it so One day with God is as a thousand years it 's no time with God and therefore do not complain of the length of thy time And your betters have waited longer Reade but the 88. Psalm and there you will find your better waited all his time The Lord was pleased to work Grace upon him when he was yong his heart was turned to God then and you may find in the text that from his youth up the terrors of God was upon him Wait upon God continually And you cannot better your self Whither wilt thou go poor soul Now you are seeking God you have not what you would have Whither will you go Can you mend your self any way if you cannot then wait upon God continually It may be before God began to turn thy heart thou thoughtst Mercy was easie to be obtain'd thou thought'st then it was nothing to beleeve thou wondrest that people spake so much of the hardness of beleeving thou thought'st it easie Wel the Lord is now working upon thy heart and the Lord would humble thee for those slight thoughts thou hadst of Faith the Lord will have thee to know That beleeving in his Grace it requires a mighty work of God even the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead Be humbled for thy slight thoughts about the work of Faith and know that this it may be is the thing that God intends in keeping thee so low so long That thou maiest come to see that Faith requires the mighty Power of God to work it that so thou maiest give glory to God when
God would but discover unto the world unto all your neighbors what he is able to charge you of how loathsom would many of you appear to your neighbors how unfit would you be to trade with men or who would meddle with you if I say God should open to the world all that he is able to charge you of Now certainly your condition is not the better because it is kept so secretly that men cannot charge you but perhaps it would be better if they could for it might bring you sooner to be humbled for it you think now because you have only to deal with God you can do well enough with him Do you think it such a matter to deal with the infinite holy and glorious God! Indeed Servants would be troubled if their Masters should know their deceipt and cozening but if a little child knew it they care not for that so men think it is no matter for the knowledge of God but they are loth that men should know it that will bring shame and disgrace unto them Oh! carnal wicked Athiestical heart that canst not be satisfied if men know the evil but can be satisfied well enough though God knows it A Sixth Note is A carnal heart lessens his sins that he commits Indeed the words may carry it Who shall find iniquity in me If they could find it I would acknowledg it to be a great sin But I rather take it thus Who shall find iniquity in me that were any great matter Both these waies I find Interpreters carry it It is but a little over-reaching a little craft and cunning the matter is not great Well that which thou accountest little the Lord will account great another day the over reaching thy brother the defrauding thy borther though it be but a slight of hand God will find it to be a great matter one day if God were but humbling thy heart and doing good to thy soul Thou wouldest rather aggravate thy sin that 's in the way of a true Convert he labors rather to aggravate his sin to bring all the circumstances he can to make his sin heavie upon his soul Oh! I find I cannot get my heart to break for my sin I cannot apprehend the evil of my sin as I would in the greatness of it and therefore Oh! that God would help me to see the greatness of it he studies all the circumstances that he can to make his sin great in his own eyes but now a heart that is not wrought upon to a work of Repentance all that he labors for it is to lessen his sin and to have all the reasonings that he can in a way of deminution of his sin Oh! this is an ill sign It is a very ill sign That a man stands it out as long as he can 2. When he can stand out no longer than he falls a lessening It is no more than others do and how should I maintain my family and I hope men may make the best of what they have Oh! If the Lord once shew thee the evil of sin all these reasonings will vanish before thee and thou wilt fall down and humble thy self before God as one worthy for ever to be cast out from the presence of God for in this that thou darest not trust in him thou seekest to Hell to provide for thy self and family rather than thou wilt depend upon God And then the last Note is this That if men can but scape the danger of Law that they cannot be sued there 's all that they care for Who shall find iniquity in me that were sin That is by the Law Oh how many are there that you may easily convince them that they have been very false you speak to their consciences yea but what 's that can you take your advantage Take your advantage if you can say they Now if it were not for Atheism in mens hearts it would be the greatest advantage of all that a man is able to charge his conscience What witness have you for such a thing I have your conscience Oh they are glad of that if they hear that you have no other witness then they think they can do well enough Now that 's an argument of Atheism in mens hearts that they think they are well enough whatsoever they do when Law cannot take hold on them Well there is a Court of Conscience to sue thee in and Justice will sue thee in that Court and cast thee one day though mans Law cannot It follows VER 9. And I that am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in Tabernacles as in the daies of the solemn feast THe dependance is this You say you are grown rich by those sinful waies of yours I am grown rich I have found substance You think now you have no need of me you have found substance other waies and I am forgotten by you but you should remember that I am the Lord your God and that God that brought you out from the Land of Egypt there was a time when you had need of me there was a time when you knew not what to do without my help when you were in great affliction then I delivered you with a mighty hand you should remember those old mercies of mine Oh! but you are ungrateful you do not think what I have done for you in bringing you out of the Land of Egypt If I be the same God still why might not you live upon me and receive as much good from me as others You wil go and seek to shift for your selves by false waies and forsake me Aâ—â— not I the Lord that God that brought you out of the Land of Egypt Have not I by what I have done for you shown plainly to you that you might aswel provide for your selves by me as by any other God by my waies aswel as by any other waies that you take Can any God work for you so as I have done Is there that good to be got in those waies of sin as there is in mine I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt not only at that time delivering of you but ever since providing for you graclously preserving of you doing you good many waies from the time that I have been a God to you and yet you do thus wretchedly forsake me In all your straits I have helped you in all your necessities I have supplied you in all your difficulties I have relieved you in all your distresses I have delivered you in all you burdens I have eased you everie way of my providence hath been gracious to you from the verie time of your coming out of the Land of Egypt how did I provide for you in the wilderness after by Judges raising you up Kings And I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt The Observation is First When men prosper in a sinful way they forget what God
hath done for them in former times As if he should say You do not remember that I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt Now you are frolick and merrie and have your hearts desires but remember there was a time when you were low enough and cried and made your moan to me in your affliction Oh! remember those daies Oh! how ordinarie is it for us in our prosperitie to forget Gods mercies in delivering of us from Affliction We have been low enough not long since but the Lord hath in great measure delivered us from our Egypt and presently assoon as God hath delivered us everie man begins to think of enriching themselves and are plotting for estates presentlie I say we have forgotten our sad condition the time of our mourning our praying Oh what disposition is there in our hearts now contrarie to what seem'd to be a while ago when we were under sore and sad afflictions New sins that we commit doth as it were occasion God to remember afresh his mercies that he hath done for us The Second Note is this When you walk unthankfully it doth occasion the fresh remembrance of Gods mercy to you God looks upon such a people that walk so vilie What are these the people that I have done such things for it's as fresh in Gods memorie to speak after the manner of men what he hath done for us And if we could have what God hath done for us afresh in our minds upon the commission of new sins it would be a mightie means to humble us And the next is Old mercies are great engagements to duty and great aggravations of our sin or neglect of duty But we have had occasion to speak of these things for merlie It follows And I will yet make thee to dwell in Tabernacles By way of Interogation some reade it thus What shall I the Lord that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt make thee to dwell in Tabernacles Shall I yet continue my wonted love to you as to make you to keep your Feast of Tabernacles still with joy as you were wont to do yeerly shall I do thus saith God Or as Calvin hath it and it 's a peculier interpretation that he hath different from all it 's as if God should say thus It is a wonderful thing that you should be so forgetful of my great mercie in bringing of you out of Egypt it is so out of your minds that I had need work over that deliverance again What shall I cast you out of your houses and bring you into captivity again and then deliver you again and bring you into the wilderness to dwell in Tabernacles again shall I go over my work again It is so much gone out of your minds and hearts as I had need to quicken up your spirits to go all over it again this is Calvins Interpretation upon this place and he commonlie hits as right as any And this Interpretation may be of verie good use to us thus Let us consider our selves that if all Gods merciful dealings towards us were to begin again if we were to go through all those straits and fears and sorrows that we have passed through our hearts would shake within us as a Marriner that hath past through dangerous Seas Oh he thinks if I were to pass over these again it would be hard and grievous Now let us consider of this if God should but put us into the same condition that we were in seven yeers ago and say you shall pass through all those straights that you have been in and you shall come into the same condition that you have been in it would be very sad to us to think of it would make our hearts quake to think of it I verily beleeve there 's scarce any of you who have been any way observant of the providence of God towards you but would be very loth to venture all again would be loth that God should be to go over with you in all those providences and yet God is the same God still and may do it yea but flesh and blood would shake at it now do not show your selves so unworthy of Gods gracious dealings with you as to put him to it to bring you into straits again to renew what he hath done unto you Thus he Many carrie the words in a meer threatning way and no otherwise I did indeed bring you from the Land of Egypt but I 'le bring you into Tabernacles again as if God should say I 'le cast you out of your brave stately Pallaces your City and Country Houses and you shall come into the wilderness again and dwell in Tents and Tabernacles Thus many But rather I think the scope and meaning of the words is a consolatory Promise whereby the holie Ghost invites them here to-Repentance as if God should say thus Though you have indeed deserved to be cast out of your dwellings you have deserved to be brought into Tents and Tabernacles in the Wildernes again yet I remember my ancient goodness towards you and my Covenant with your Father Abraham I am the same God that brought you out of the Land of Egypt and therefore return and repent and I 'le be with you in as much mercy as ever I was what ever the breaches have been for time past I 'le be as gracious to you as ever I was as you have celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles with abundance of rejoycing so I 'le continue this your prosperous estate you shall from yeer to yeer have cause to rejoyce havâ—â—ause to rejoyce in the Feast of Tabernacles For this Feast of Tabernacles it was the principal Feast of their rejoycing that they had and therefore all their Feasts were Feast of rejoycing in Lament 2. 7. They have made a noise in the House of the Lord as in the day of a solemn Feast There was Triumph and Joy in their solemn Feasts But now this Feast of Tabernacles was a special Feast of rejoycing and that you have in Deut. 23. 40 there they are commanded to rejoyce in this Feast for it was after the gathering in of their Corn and Wine in Deut. 16. 13 14. there you shall see further and in the end of the 15 verse Thou shalt surely rejoyce it is not only you may but a Command look to it that you do rejoyce in this Feast of Tabernacles so that the Feast of Tabernacles was a very joyful Feast Now saith God I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt and I will yet make thee rejoyce as in the Feast of Tabernacles From hence we have these Notes First God loves to give hopes of mercy to sinners upon their repentance God loves to draw the hearts of wretched vile sinners by giving them hopes of mercie upon their repentance so you have it in 1 Sam. 12. 21 22. there they confest their sin and their special sin in asking a King
never returned I shall follow those that think it hath reference to the times of the Gospel and to all the true Israel of God that should be converted to the faith and I think it hath reference to that because we find so often in this Prophesie of Hosea things that are so far off to be interpreted to the times of the Gospel Therefore I will yet make them to dwell in Tabernacles Thus to be understood in this Spiritual Sense That the Lord hath his time though he seem'd to cast off these ten Tribes yet to bring the Jews and all the Israel of God to bring them into his Church and to build several Tabernacles for them in his Church And there in several Churches as so many several Tabernacles there they shal have the feast of sweet things of fat things of refined Wine upon the Lees as in Isa 25. the Promises of the Gospel are set out by a feast of fat things so saith God I 'le bring thee into several Churches as several Tabernacles and there shall they keep a feast and there shall their hearts rejoyce and be satisfied as with marrow and fatness My Brethren the Lord hath delivered us in great measure from Egypt all the difficultie now is about building of Tabernacles for the present there 's verie little matter to make Tabernacles of amongst us I remember Mr Ainsworth in Exod 25. 3. he tells of a Tradition of the Jews and cites Rabbi Menachem for it that observed there was no Iron stuff for the building of the Tabernacle truly our hearts are most Iron and hard one towards another and therefore notfit matter for Tabernacles in 1 King 6. 7. There was no Iron tool neither heard in the building of the Temple Oh! my brethren Iron tools will not do the work for the building of Gods Tabernacle we must have other manner of tools than these There 's no Tabernacles almost yet wherein the Saints either of one judgment or of another have much rejoycing The Glory of God hath not yet filled our Tabernacles that we have built what God intends towards this Generation whether ever to bring them into those Tabernacles that here he promises I know not but surely that God that hath brought us out of Egypt he will bring either us or the posteritie after us he will bring a Generation of his people to keep the feast of Tabernacles with rejoycing It follows VER 10. I have also spoken by the Prophets and I have multiplied visions c. THis is a further Declaration of Gods goodness to this people and upbraiding them for their wickedness they have had so much means as if God should say They have not wanted the revealing of my Will I have spoken by my Prophets and multiplied visions Heb. 1. 1. seems to have reference to this That God at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past to the Fathers by the Prophets several sorts of waies God reveal'd himself in former times I have spoken by my Prophets There is not much difficulty in the words The Notes briefly are these That it's God that speaks by his Prophets Though Prophets are mean and the messengers of God mean yet so long as they speak to you in his Name the Authoritie of what they say it is above any They may be under their Auditors many waies but the message they bring it is above them though they are weak yet there 's the power of God goes along with what they speak to make it good and therefore you shall find when Christ sent his Disciples to preach Go saith he and teach all Nations but first he saith All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth then the words that follow are Go ye therfore and teach all Nations as if he should say All the power that is given to me shall go along with your teaching it is the Lord that speaks the Lord Christ that speaks in his Word by his Messengers He that hears you hears me and he that despiseth you despiseth me The Word doth little good til men come to apprehend this That it's God that speaks by his Messengers 1 Thess 2. 13. the Apostle saith That they received the Word not as the word of Men but as it is in truth the Word of God That is observable of Samuel God called to Samuel and Samuel thought it had been Eli that spake and all that time God would not reveal his mind to him til at length Samuel gives this answer Lord speak for thy servant heareth Mark God would reveal his mind to Samuel then and not before So 't is here You come to the Word and you come to hear the gifts of such men and such a man hath excellent gifts and abilities and delivery and such kind of things God reveals nothing to you you go away and hear a sound and there 's all and no more is revealed to you than if you heard an Oration in a School but when God shall be pleased to dart this thought into your minds I am now going to hear that which is the Word of God Himself the Word of that God that is my Judg and that must be my Judg at the great day now see whether God will not make himself known to you that so you shal say Methinks I never heard Sermon before in all my life I have come and heard a Man preach but I never heard God preach before It was not as the Word of God but as the word of such a man God expects that men should tremble at his Word and therefore look upon it as his Word Secondly It is a great mercy to a People for God to grant his Prophets among them to reveal his mind to them What would all the world be but as a dungeon of darkness were it not for the Prophets and Ministers of God 〈…〉 ey are as the Light of the World and the Salt of the Earth the World would rot and be unsavorie were it not for the Ministry of the Word in the World and so we find that when God-would make a special Promise to his People he promises them that they shall have their Teachers in Isa 30. 20. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers Oh! here 's a promise to a gracious heart But to another it 's nothing What Shall the Ministry of the Word countervail the loss of my estate God doth not say I 'le take away from you your afflictions Oh no but your eyes shall see your Teachers perhaps your eyes shall never see your Money and Estates again but your eyes shall see your Teachers And we know when Christ was ascended up on high in his Coronation Day Kings in their Coronation daies use to give great Gifts to shew their
magnificence then the Conduits will run Wine sometimes Now when Christ ascended up to be crowned on high What was the great thing that he gave in the world He gave gifts to men Some to be Prophets and Apostles and some Pastors and Teachers that 's the great gift of Jesus Christ upon his Ascention into Heaven and taking the Crown of Glorie as if Christ should say Shall I give a magnificent gift to the world like a Prince like the King of Heaven I 'le give gifts to men I 'le give them Apostles Prophets Pastors Teachers that 's the great magnificent gift that Jesus Christ hath given to the world Oh! that we could learn to prize it I remember I have read in Chrysostoms time that the godlie men when he was silenc'd they were so affected with it that they had rather the Sun did withdraw his beams and not shine in the world than that the mouth of Jo. Chrysostem should be stopt They did so prize the Word of God by his mouth Oh that men could learn to prize it more at a higher rate And you that are Citizens shew your prizing of it in this one thing Many of you here have your City and your Country Houses But what little care is there for men to seat themselves in places where they shall have faithful Ministers of God to reveal the mind of God to them If they come to seat themselves any where they scarce take it into consideration to give a peny the more because of a faithful Minister or a peny the less if it hath none Oh! this shews the extream neglect of God and of his Ordinances How few Country Villages about the City were supplied with faithful Preachers It 's a great blessing of God to the world to have faithful Prophets Thirdly God will take account of what becomes of the Word Labor and Pains of his Prophets for so he speaks in a way of upbraiding of them God will take account of all the Spirits that his Ministers spend of every drop of their sweat and of all their watchings in the night I sent my Prophets rising early and going to bed late God will take account of all and you shall know that there hath been a Prophet among you the Ministers shall be brought out to say and testifie Lord I was in such a place and I reveal'd thy mind thus and thus unto them in these and these waies that they could not but be convinc'd of and yet still they continued thus and thus wicked Fourthly It is a great mercy for God to declare his mind to men again and again I have multiplied visions saith God It were a mercie for God but once to tell us of his mind and if we will not come in at first for ever to cast us off but I have multiplied visions in Jer. 18. At what instant I shall speak c. God may justly expect that at what instant Christ is preached that people should come in for indeed their Commission seems to run very quick Go and teach all Nations he that beleeves shall be saved he that beleeveth not shall be damned As if Christ should say There shall be quick work made with men but yet the Lord is gracious to men to multiply visions one after another to reveal his mind at one time and at another time the Lord is long-suffering though our hearts be not mov'd at one time yet still he would try and he would have his Ministers to do so too 2 Tim. 2. 25. Instruct with meekness those that oppose themselves if God per adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth It was a great aggravation of Solomons sin that he departed from God after the Lord had appeared to him twice 1 King 11. 9. Oh! God took this ill I have appeared twice to him and yet he departed from me Oh! how may God upbraid us with this thing that not twice but twenty yea an hundred times God hath appeared to us we have had even the Visions of the Almighty some of you at least May not your Consciences tell you that at such and such a time you have had the Visions of the Almighty and yet you have stood out against them yea and at another time and another time Oh my brethren the multiplying of Visions is a great aggravation of our sin in standing out It was the comfort of Paul at his Conversion in Act. 26. 19. saith he O King Agrippa I was not disobedient to the heavenly Vision Oh how happie were it for you if upon the first vision your hearts would come in Oh that you could but say so Though it 's true I lived at such a time in such a place in ignorance and darkness I knew little of God but the first time I came to hear the Word wherein the Mysteries of the Gospel were reveal'd I bless God my heart came off then so the Aposile he blesses God for the effect that the Word had upon the Thessalonians from the first day even until that time I multiplied visions And then it follows I used Similitudes Now for that I will not trouble you with divers readings or divers interpretations of those words I used similitudes It is a very strange expression we have it not that I know of in the Book of God but here to shew the aggravations of mens sins that they hearkened not to the Word though the Word was brought to them in way of similitude You may see here That the Lord takes account of the manner of mens preaching as well as the things they preach and men may have their sins aggravated not only for standing out against the Word but against the Word so and so delivered The main necessary Truths of God are made known to you all yea but some of you have them made known to you in a more sweet woing and winning way and a more convincing way than others have and God takes account not only of the things you hear but of the manner of it And Secondly The revealing the Word by similitudes is a very useful and profitable way for it makes much for the setling of Truth and the making Truth go to a mans heart before he is aware the Truth conveyed in a way of similitude takes impression upon the memory sometimes speak a Truth and express it in the way of a Simile and many will go away and remembring the Simile so come to remember the Truth I remember it 's reported of that Noble Marques Marques Galeacias that had a great Estate and was of Kin to the Pope and yet coming upon a time but to hear Peter Martyr preach and upon a meer Simile that he had God stroke his heart and it was the means of his Conversion the Simile was thus Peter Martyr was preaching and he had occasion to speak of this Men may think very hardly of God and his People
condition but you are proud and haughty you can bear nothing but be high and brave and must sute your selves with other Nations your Father JACOB was content to serve a long time for a Wife seven years and seven yeers again and went on in a humble and patient way and kept close to God all that while it 's not so with you who are his posterity Thirdly He brings in the example of Jacob to shew how wonderful the providence of God was towards him in carrying him to his Uncles house and providing there for him in protecting of him against his Uncle Laban is raising of his estate for he went over with his staff in his hand but the Lord raised him to be two Bands The providence of God was that towards your father Jacob as if the Prophet should say You speak of your Father Jacob Oh that you would but consider of him to be as he was to be patient and humble under Gods hand and wait upon Gods providence to work good for you no but you will be providing and shifting for your selves and you dare not trust to God as your father Jacob did and thus you see the scope why the Prophet brings in Jacob. But this will not suffice for the opening of this notable Scripture we must have some reference to the story this Scripture is taken out of You shall find the story of Jacob's flying into Syria in Gen. 28. 2. and then there 's a second story in Gen. 29. about the 15. For this verse hath two stories in it the story of his flying into Syria from the house of his father Isaac to Labans house and then the story of his serving for his Wives those two seven yeers Now for the First you shall find matter of much instruction The First story of his flying into Syria it was for two ends That was the First to fly for his life because Esau did threaten the life of Jacob and by the counsel of his Mother he fled to his Uncle Labans until the wrath of Esau should be appeased Yea but there was a Second Reason God made advantage of that flight of his As many times God is pleased to turn the flights of his people to abundance of good unto them they may fly because of the danger of their Enemies and they may think that if they can but have their lives for a prey if they can avoid the danger of the Enemy it will do well yea but God may have a further end and intend abundance of good to them that they shall find more mercy in that place where they fly but to get a shelter for their lives than ever they had in all their lives before many that have fled from persecution of ungodly men they have found greater mercy in the place they have fled unto though they have fled from their Fathers house and from their own Country yet they have found greater mercies there than ever they did in all their lives they can tell great stories of the mercies of God unto them in the places of their flight So it was here with Jacob that was one end of God that he should fly that he might provide a Wife for himself out of his Mothers kindred for so he was charged you shall find in the story of Gen. 28. that he was charged there by his Father to get a Wife of the Daughters of Laban And now observe it in Gen. 28. 3. ver when as Jacob did thus fly into Syria because Isaac did see that he was like to endure a great deal of trouble and affliction in this his flight Isaac doth renue the blessing upon him And thus God doth use to do when he sees his people to be in such a way wherein they are like to suffer sore and hard afflictions the Lord prepares them by renewing his blessing upon them by a fresh manifestation of himself unto them and the renewing of Gods blessing is enough to carry a man or woman through abundance of afflictions for that did help much to carry Jacob through all his afflictions Further Observe in the Second place when Isaac sent Jacob away he sent him away in a very mean condition without any such provision as Abrahams servant was sent with when he went to seek a Wife for Isaac we reade in Gen. 24. 10. where Abraham sent his servant to find out a Wife for his son Isaac Abraham sent him with a great deal of provision with ten Camels and with Earings and Bracelets and the like but Jacob is sent away to seek for a Wife and sent with a staff in his hand If it be said That this is the reason why he was sent so meanly that it was for privacie because he would not be discovered in regard of the rage of Esau Though that might be a reason of his first going away in so mean a condition yet that could not be the reason why Isaac should not send after him afterwards for we never reade that Isaac sent any servant after him but sent him away with his staff in his hand having only the blessing of God upon him Therefore it is more probable this That God did mean to train up Jacob in a low condition in an estate of affliction to train him up to patience and humility and in dependance upon God Well then he goes to Laban he flies to Syria that is to his Uncle Laban when he comes there he serves him yea he was a Servant to him for twenty yeers together in a low condition so you find it in Gen. 31. 38. he saith there He had served him twenty yeers and in all this time he found Laban though his kinsman very rough to him as many times yong people coming to their kindered find them very rough and hard towards them Laban was very churlish towards him and very false to him yet Jacob goes on and endures all the heat of the day and the cold of the night and Isaac his Father was alive all this while and yet we never reade that Isaac sent to him all this time a thing much to be wondered at there was never any intercourse that I read of between his Father Isaac and him all this while but lives from his Father though his Father a rich man and a great man and yet he goes on in a humble patient and quiet way depending upon God to make an issue out of all his sufferings and God did at length make a very glorious issue out of all though Laban used him hardly Now being Isaac's son and he had the blessing one would have thought that Laban should have been willing to have bestowed a daughter upon him nay but he serves for a Wife and when he had served him yet he was deceived with a Leah which was a very great injury to Jacob Laban urged her upon him and it 's a very great part of roughness and ridgedness
you afterwards Yea but now did not you behaue your selves proudly and stubbornly and so make your service so much the more hard by provoking your Governors Oh! look back to these things and consider how far you are from being of the disposition of Iacob that you proâ—â—ss to be your father Many Apprentises in their hard services have don that that they have cause to repent of afterwards He served for a Wife First the Note is That Love will carry through long service Love is ashamed to complain of difficulties Oh! so it wouid be if we loved God do not complain of the service of God to be difficult The Second is this That a good Wife is a great blessing of God though she hath no portion though a man serve for her yet it is a great blessing of God there is a more special mercy of God there than there is in giving men an Estate he served long and long even for a Wife Luther upon the place speaks much about the blessing in Marriage and of a good Wife Saith he Certainly Iacob did not serve so long that he might have a Companion of his life with whom there should be nothing but railing scolding and wrangling no but he look'd upon an estate of Marriage at the School of all Vertue for so should a married estate indeed be And then further another Note that is very observable He served these two seven years This may be one ground why Iacob served so long for a Wife and a special ground why Because that he had a charge from his father Isaac to take a Wife in La 〈…〉 's family and therefore he would rather serve seven years and seven years after that to have a Wife from him than to go to seek a Wife any other where in obedience to the charge of his Father Luther in his Comment upon this very Scripture he doth much urge that very Note That Children should be obedient to their Parents in their matches and take heed of matching against their Parents consent If you profess your selves to be of the seed of Jacob for so the godly are set out in Scripture be like unto your Father Jacob in this In being obedient to your parents in your matches there is no greater disobedience in the world than the disobedience of a Child in the case of marriage in the flinging off of the yoke of subjection to your Parents in this kind Luther urges this exceeding much from hence Civil Laws require the consent of Parents in all Lawful marriages and so the Authority of sacred Scripture declares to us that those marriages have been ever happy that have been with the consent of their Parents And again saith he experience doth testifie that those marriages have been for the most part unhappy that have been without consent of Parents certainly the blessing of God is not upon them you may to satisfie your lusts think to please your selves for a week or two but it 's just with God that you should live miserably all your daies that make no more conscience of disobedience to your Parents in your matches And any of you that are here present if you be guilty this way know that the Lord rebukes you this day and you are taught to go alone and humble your selves and to bewail that sin of yours which is certainly a very great sin and you had need both Husband and Wife together both fast and pray to get away the guilt of that sin that so you may have a blessing upon your married estate and upon your posterity without which you cannot expect it therefore did Jacob serve thus that he might be obedient to his Father Isaac which did charge him to go and take a Wife in that place And thus much for that Twelfth Verse It follows VER 13. And by a Prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt and by a Prophet was he preserved STILL the Prophet goes on in shewing their meanness in their Ancestors your Father Jacob was thus mean a poor exile he was fain to serve thus for his Wife It 's true Joseph was a while in prosperity but when Joseph was dead all your Ancestors then they were in Egypt as miserable bondslaves they were there as bondslaves and how should they get out there was no way in the world Pharaoh a mighty King they had no friends abroad nor no Armies to help themselves only a Prophet God sent them a Prophet Moses and what was this Prophet one that had been a poor Shepheard for forty yeers together in the Wilderness and when this Prophet was to go into Egypt to be a deliverer of them was it ever like that he should be the man in Exod. 4. 20. the text saith He took his Wife and his Sons and set them upon an Ass we reade but of one Beast that he had and so he went into Egypt in a mean and low condition and when he came there he was not owned and we never read that Moses did declare who he was and the children of Israel would not own him and Pharaoh begun to buslâ— and would not let Israel go how should this one Moses deliver them nay their bondage did encrease when Moses came unto them Yet by a Prophet the text saith the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt and by a Prophet was he preserved This was a mighty work of God to bring Israel out of Egypt by a Prophet and to preserve them in the Wilderness and be the way there is on useful Note you reade in Exod. 38. 26. There was six hundred thousand and three thousand five hundred and fifty males from twenty yeers old and upwards And in Numb 1. 46. that was the second yeer after they went out from Egypt and there you shall find that there was just so many besides Levi after God had taken Levi for himself to be his portion thereby God would shew that none should lose any thing that they did for him How often when men have been willing to give any thing to God God hath made it up in one yeer but that by the way This that I bring this for it is To shew the great work of God that by a Prophet he brings such a number out of Egypt and he preserves them in the Wilderness uses no means for their preservation for the guiding of them which way they should go but a mean Prophet for the providing water for them for the providing meat for them for the providing of cloathes for them for the defending of them against their Enemies that they should not come and destroy them when they were in any danger to help them when they were stung by the Serpents to shew them what they should do to heal them and to keep them all in peace that they should not mutiny one against another To compose all their differences this Prophet had the great stroke in all these
things this was the mighty work of God towards them He doth not say he brought them out of Egypt but by a Prophet he brought them out of Egypt and by a Prophet was he preserved This was first to shew their very low and mean condition that they had no succor nor help in the sight of humane reason humane reason could no way help them they had none but a poor Prophet Secondly It was to shew this That God in their deliverance would appear himself and would work such a glorious work by his own hand Thirdly It was to upbraid this people that Hosea did preach unto at this time for the abuse of his Prophets there was a time saith he a Prophet stood you in stead now you care not for the Prophets they may speak what they will but you care not for them but there was a time that a Prophet stood you in stead how ever stout and proud you are now I find divers Interpreters observe this and among the Ancients especially Cyril of Alexandria hath it shewing how Instrumental a Prophet had been after good unto them Had not God blessed the endeavors of a Prophet for good unto your forefathers where had you been at this day First note That the consideration of the shiftless estate of our Ancestors should humble us much And if the consideration of our Ancestors should humble us thus how much more when we consider of our own shiftless estate Oh! lately how shiftless were we And the truth is though there were Armies raised yet God would not so much look at them but rather look'd at his Prophets and his Servants the praying people were the main and principal means that did help us in that condition and this should humble us we should take heed of growing haughty and proud when we are delivered considering how shiftless we were but a little while ago and therefore if now we have gotten peace and prosperity we think is coming in take heed of pride now look back to that shiftless poor condition that you were in a little while ago Secondly God shews here mercy to his people by a Prophet that notes this That when God works great things for his Church his way is to work it by very smal means little means God uses when he intends the greatest mercies to his Church Gods deliverance of his people from Egypt it was a type of the deliverance of his Churches to the end of the world from their bondage and afflictions and God sends them a Prophet and he must deliver them Though God did it yet God puts it upon the Prophet as the great Instrumental means for their help God takes delight in this when he doth good to his people not to make use of such great means as when he doth work his own ends other waies towards other people when God intends good towards other people he will do it in a more natural way by natural means but when he comes to work good for his own he will do it in a more supernatural way For mercies are so much the sweeter by how much the more God is in them so much the more as we see the finger of God in a mercy so much the sweeter it is And above all things the Lord accounts himself glorified in his peoples depending upon him in the want of all means the Lord accounts this his Glory that he may be an object of the rest of the souls of his people that when they are in any straights in any afflictions that yet they can look upon God as an object for their rest and can say My soul return unto thy rest Oh consider of this you that are the Servants of God when you are in straits and difficulties remember this Note That God accounts it to be the great glory that he rejoyces in the special glory of his Name that his Servants shall make him in their straiâ—s to be the rest of their souls and this is the reason why he hath used to work so much good for his people by such poor and weak means as he hath done Thirdly It is a great aggravation of mens sins if they grow naught and wicked after God hath in a more than ordinary manner appeared for their good If then they grow naught and wicked when God hath appeared from Heaven for their good and wrought beyond all natural means and set them upon their legs again and delivered them it much aggravates their sins Fourthly which is a principal thing that I verily beleeve the holy Ghost aim'd at in this place and that is this That the Unkindness to and Abuse of such as have reference though but in a way of succession unto such as God hath used to be Instruments of our deliverance is a very great evil that 's the Note By a Prophet the Lord brought them out of Egypt and by a Prophet he preserved them and what do you abuse them now and are so much against them Divers good things God hath done for his People by Prophets As by Moses here so afterwards by Samuel and Eliah and Elisha great things in the matters of State God had done for this People by Prophets and therfore he takes it very ill that they should so abuse and slight the Prophets as they did This shews for people to do thus 1. A base levite of spirit 2. An abominable ingratitude of spirit and vile injustice and God will avenge these things We have a notable Scripture in Judg. 8. 34 35. and in Judg. 9. 16. In the 8. Chapter of Judges you reade there how God charges the People And it came to pass assoon as Gideon was dead that the Children of Israel turned again and went a whoring after Baalim and made Baalberith their god and the Children of Israel remembred not the Lord their God who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies on every side neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal namely Gideon according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel Gideon had been a famous Instrument of good to Israel that they received forty years prosperitie by him but assoon as he was gone the people went a whoring from God and then they were unkind towards his posteritie so you find in Chap. 9. Vers 16. All the men of Shechem gathered themselves together and all the house of Millo and went and made Abimelech King And one of Gideon's Sons goes and expostulates the matter with them and tels them the Parable of the Trees that did desire a King but saith Jotham to them afterwards in the 19. Vers If ye have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day then rejoyce in Abimelech and let him also rejoyce in you but if not let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo and let fire come out
as the story of this last six yeers will be if it be faithfully recorded and yet though the Lord be going on in his waies and hath not yet finish'd it we have forgotten Oh doth it not appear so what do men look after everie man his own advantage and own ends and seeks to fill themselves minding nothing else And what mighty haughtiness of spirit there is in many men within this six yeers Oh how have we forgotten the Lord and forgotten those Instruments that God hath made use of for good unto us God had more honor from us when there was not the hundredth part done for us as now there is now we as it were shake our ears and let God do as he will we hope we can do prettie well to shift for our selves Oh! the Lord deliver this Citie out of this and from this evil of forgetting the Lord when we are fill'd You begin to have more full trading now than formerlie now the Countrie begins to be open and they repare to the Citie for all Oh the Lord deliver this Citie from surfetting by their fulness and from this of forgetting the Lord Oh that we could but say that the Lord having restored the trading to the City having such ful trading as now they are like to have Oh to sanctifie the Name of God more than ever they did Oh how do you remember God everie time you see Customers come into your Shops everie time you see the Waggons come out of the Countrie into your Streets how do you bless God and how is God honored among you Oh that it were so it 's a sore and grievous evil to forget the Lord after the Lord hath granted us fulness it 's a horrible ingratitude as if there were nothing to be regarded but our selves First It 's against many charges that God gives beforehand to forwarn us of it If you reade the 6th of Deuteronomy 11. Vers and the 8. Chap. 12. Vers you shall find there how the Lord charges this people When you come into the Land and your houses are full of good things and you eat of the good of the Land beware you forget not the Lord beware and forget not beware and forget not again and again this is inculcated shewing how prone we are to forget the Lord in our fulness Oh! that those of you that providence hath brought this morning would consider of these Scriptures now God is beginning to come in with more fulness than before Oh beware that you forget not the Lord God in the midst of your fulness Oh! let there be as much or more prayer in your familie than there was in former times that you may have a sanctified use of the fulness that now you enjoy yea it 's worse than beastlie The Ox knows his Owner and the Ass his Masters crib but Israel hath forgotten me If the Ox be but fed he knows his Owner Who is it that feeds you is it not the Lord and will you forget him Oh! this will lose the blessing of all you do enjoy and your hearts will grow very wicked beyond what you can imagine you cannot imagine the evil that your hearts will grow to if you forget God in the enjoyment of that estate that God sets you in And it is a sin that God knows not how to pardon for so he expresses himself Ier. 5. 7. How shall I pardon thee for this Why is it that God should say so as if he should say Though I be a God of infinite mercy yet here 's a sin I know not how to pardon why saith he when I had fed them to the full they committed a dultry and they abused that fulness Oh! how shall I pardon thee And if ever you have need of God again how will conscience be stop'd With what face can you go to God again to seek for help if God should bring you low Conscience will presently say You were once emptie and God fill'd you and what honor had God from you no your hearts were exalted and you forgot God And 't is a most foolish thing for you to do so you depend upon God in the midst of all your fulness as much as before everie moment you lie at Gods mercie though perhaps you are not sensible of it yet certainly it is so A foolish thing it is then to forget the Lord Your forgetting God will make you forget your selves and just it may be with God to forget you and to change the waies of his administration towards you Oh take heed then of being exalted and of forgetting the Lord in your fulness Truly Brethren God had rather have his people fall into any sin almost than into the sin of pride and forgetfulness of him and specially that of pride Therefore you find in Scripture That God will rather set the Devil upon his people than to have their hearts exalted as Paul lest he should be lifted up above measure he had a prick in the flesh the buffeting of Satan God had rather see the Devil buffeting of his people than to see the hearts of them to be exalted Yea he had rather suffer them to fall into any other sin Charge your souls then against this as David in Psal 103. at the beginning Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits See what a charge he puts upon his soul Oh my soul thōu hast received many benefits from the Lord and there is this deadness in thee if thou beest but left to thy self thou wilt forget the Lord and this will be a sore evil in thee Oh my soul forget not all his benefits Oh that you would go home and charge your souls not to forget the Lord and all his benefits let Husband put Wife in mind with this charge and Wife the Husband but especially your selves in secret between God and your selves to charge your souls not to forget his benefits The more we remember God in the blessings we have the more sweet will our blessings be to us You have a great many mercies but when you forget God you lose the verie sweetness of all your mercies Oh! when you can see a mercie and see the God of that mercie then it 's sweet when I can see a mercie and the Fountain from whence it comes and whither it tends then the mercie is sweet Oh! therefore you deal foolishlie in forgetting the Lord. And the more safe you will be And the more eminent you will be in grace Oh what a lovely object is it to behold a man or woman in the midest of all outward enjoyments to be Heavenlie and Spiritual I say the Graces of such Oh! they glister like Diamonds like most precious Pearls indeed and therefore remember the Lord in al the good things that you do enjoy It follows VER 7. Therefore I
and when thou art labouring for the mercy thou art as well labouring to prepare thy heart for it surely then when it comes it must be sweet indeed but when there 's no preparation before thou canst not know that it is in love We little think that we have need of preparation for mercies If indeed God should threaten some judgment we would think that we had need be prepared but certaialy there is as great need for preparation for mercies to be able to make good use of them as for afflictions to be able to bear them And this seventh Note I have likewise from Numb 11. 18. And say thou unto this people Sanctifie your selves against to morrow There 's a charge that they should sanctifie themselves against to morrow for God would give them flesh I do not find that they did do it but when God promised to give them sesh◠he bid them sanctifie themselves as if he should say If that your desires come before you have sanctified your selves it wil be in wrath not in mercy Oh therefore when as you are earnest to have your desires satisfied think thus The Lord charges thee to sanctifie thy self Oh! doest thou take care of this doest thou make it to be thy endeavor to sanctifie thy self before the mercy comes then thou maiest have comfort in it and not otherwise Eighthly When we seek greedily to have our desires satisfied but rest in the means we use and seek to be beholding to the creature only for it we do not lay the great weight upon prayer what ever it is that we enjoy and we do not get it by prayer we cannot know that it is in love When God intends a mercy from love he doth first fill the heart with the Spirit of Prayer when a mercy comes after much prayer then it 's a mercy from love When the Saints have been praying and then God hath come in with mercy Oh then they have gathered arguments of Gods love to them This I had because I sought thee as Hannah did concerning Samuel how did she rejoyce in Samuel Oh! this is the child that I prayed for saith Hannah unto Eli Oh! this is the mercy that I prayed for therefore she called her childs name Samuel one that was sought of God And so when we can call every gift we have we can call it Samuel that is a gift ask'd of God here 's a gift that 's got by prayer Whatsoever means was used yet prayer was the chief ingredient this is an argument of love But otherwise we can have no assurance that it is from love It 's true a King was not unlawful for them to desire because they had such hints in Scripture Oh but they did not so much mind them no but they come to Samuel and say Come Give us a King we do not reade that they go to God for it Such a great change of their State as that was one would think should have required divers daies in seeking of God It was a mighty change from such a Government as they had unto a new kind of Government and from a Government that was of Gods own appointment to another Government wherein now they would sute themselves according to the Nations And yet we find no daies of prayer for this and therefore it was in wrath that they had it Therefore when you would have any thing look not so much to come by it according to second causes but be much in Prayer according to the excellency of the thing that you seek for Ninthly When God gives our desires but doth not give a proportionable measure of Grace that so we might make a sanctified use of them when God gives you the shell but not the kernel surely it is not in love If your children should ask a Nut of you and you give them a Nut that hath no Kernel they wil not think if so be that you knew it that it is in any great love Truly all the good things that wicked men have they are but Shels without Kernels they are not in love The Kernel of every Blessing it is a proportionable measure of grace to use it for God You have a great desire that God should change your condition if he should change it and not give you a heart fit for that condition you had better be without that thing you have a desire that God should prosper you in such a business yea but if he doth not teach you how to abound you had been better never to have abounded Now it 's not in love for God to give any success except he gives a proportionable measure of Grace according to the success therefore that 's that which you should all examin the Lord hath altered my condition and many good things I have more than before but what Graces have I more than before what exercise of Grace what work of Grace more than before Certainly if it be in love it will be so Tenthly Surely our desires cannot be in love when God doth not only deny a proportionable measure of Grace 〈◊〉 there goes a secret curse with what we have If so be that 〈◊〉 man should be very hungry and hath a mighty desire to satisfie himself and he fals greedily upon his meat and eats it but assoon as he hath eaten it his body swels more and more till it be as big as two bodies surely he begins to think then that all is not well Lord have mercy upon me saith he he is afraid that he is poysoned So God gives you your desire and assoon as you have it you begin to swell you are bigger than you were before your hearts are proud and you can look scornfully upon others then Oh you are poysoned this is an ill satisfying of your hunger you are poysoned surely in this In Isa 10. 16. you have there a notable expression to this purpose Therefore shall the Lord the Lord of hosts send among his fat ones leanness and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire Even such things wherein there appears to be a great deal of glory such things perhaps as when your desires are satisfied in you can glory in Oh you glory in such and such a mercie such a good thing you have above others but under this glory there is a burning kindled there 's a great deal of the wrath of God in it a secret curse that goes along with it Eleventhly When we regard the satisfying of our desires so as we regard not what becoms of others sobeit we have our desires satisfied and this is from their example here Let 's have a King A King What shall become of Samuel then hath not he judged you and been faithful with you What will you shew your selves so ingrateful to him for all the good he hath done to you as to reject him and his house and family Oh! they cared not for
that let us have a King let become of Samuel what wil come and of his house what care they And so when men are greedy in their desires Let us have such and such a thing but care not what becomes of others That 's another N 〈…〉 of desires not granted in love Twelfthly When God satisfying of our desires makes way for some judgment Now indeed the thing is comfortable that we have but stay a while and you shall see there is some judgment making way by that very thing that you have and when the judgment is come afterwards you will see how it made way for it there are very great judgments many times upon men that are made way for by the satisfying of their own desires God hath many waies to prepare a path for his anger by giving you your desires many times there 's nothing more ordinary in experience than this and therefore we need not stand upon it If you wil but examin the course of your lives sometimes you may see that if God had satisfied your desires in such and such things it would have made way for the greatest misery that ever you had in al your lives and when God denies sometimes to his People they can confess O Lord I see that had I had my mind in such a thing which I would have had I had been undone And on the other side You wil find that those things which you accompt the greatest mercies to you do make way for the greatest evils surely they were not given in love then Thirteenthly When men are greedy of things and never consider the inconvenients when they would have their desires satisfied in a foolish way never minding what inconveniences may follow in this thing more than in the other thing meerly looking upon that which is for the present sutable to them but never think what inconveniences may follow Thus it was here they would have a King but Samuel came and told them all the inconveniences that would follow upon it how that they should have this affliction and the other You that are so desirous of him if he comes among you he will bring you into slavetie your Estates and your Children shall be under his power you wil be in slaverie to everie Courtier Nay but we will have a King for al this they would needs change the way of Government O that we might have a king And they would be brought more under Law than before for indeed in the time of the Judges if you reade that storie you shal find that the People of Israel were in a great deal of Libertie then and they obeyed the Judges in a great measure in a voluntary way if you raade the storie you shal find but Two Tribes that followed Barach and Deborah and so of Jepihthah and Sampson those that were willing freely to offer themselves they followed them and those of Ephraim they did chide with the other and ask'd them Why did you not call us to it as noting that there was a great deal of freedom in the time of the Judges Yea but we will have a King and we wil all then be tied to the same thing and be under the same power and so there will be a great deal of union that way when this man shall not be in this way and the other shal not be in another way and men to have their freedom thus thus but al shal come in and joyn under the same Law and so we shall go on in one Certainly this was their reasoning in their desire of having a King Now this kind of union no question was verie good among the People but to have it in this way That whereas the People were governed in such a way before as stood with a great deal of Libertie It 's true they shall have a kind of union but they do not consider what inconveniences there will be in their being thus chain'd together Prisoners that are chained at a Post they are altogether all the day long But would you have such a kind of union to be united with such chains Consider that with the union there may come a slavery upon you But they did not consider of any such things no matter say they Come let us be all joyn'd in one and let the same Law be upon every one But now how this would bring them under bondage and slavery in those things they would be loth to be brought under in in that they considered not at all Fourteenthly When men seek to have their desires sarisfied meerly because they love change We cannot have any comfort that God doth it out of love when it is out of a foolish spirit that loves novelty They though they had bin long enough under that kind of Government and in a meer kind of novelty not knowing what might come of such a change but a change they would have And so people though there be never so much good in a way yet out of a novelty they would fain have a change And if God grant them a change when they have no other ground but that for it it is a sign that there is wrath in it and not love Further When it is through impatiency and want of heart to submit to God in a former condition It 's ill when it is through a meer novelty but when it 's through impatiency then it 's like to be in wrath and not in mercy if your condition be changed God hath put you in a lower and mean condition it 's true it 's lawful for you to desire a change yea but if you desire it because you cannot submit to Gods hand then it 's a sign that it is in wrath but when you have brought your hearts to this Lord here I am dispose of me as thou pleasest I am content to lie under thy hand but Lord I look up to thee for mercy Consider I am a poor weak Creature and it is fit that thou shouldest have thy will and not I mine then if God make a change you may have comfort that it is in mercy but if you have it through impatiencie you can have no comfort at all in it It was just so here they could not bear the hand of God that was upon them any present trouble that they had upon them and so thought to help themselves by having a King and God gave them one but it was in his anger Further When our desires of further mercies makes us forget the former mercies and makes us unthankful for former mercies they would have a King that might go before them and fight for them Fight for them Did not God fight for them before Oh wonderful and glorious Battels they had when they were under their Judges when they had Samuel to direct them they never had more glorious Victories afterwards than then Nay you shall find in the whol Story of the Judges that they did alwaies prevail and
eyes and was heard to speak these words I come I come I come and so gave up the ghost It had been much to be wished that the Author had been more concise brief in som Amplifications which though they were al exceeding useful yet they have deprived us of his Preaching and compleating both the former Sermon and the rest of the Prophesie But God was pleased for our sin no doubt to deprive us of that Mediator like Instrument between the divided Godly Parties of this Nation and of the further mind of the Holy-Ghost which be had revealed to this his Servant touching the Scope and Vse of this Prophesie in these daies God took him away in the strength of his Parts and Graces that he might not lose in the reputation of his Ministry or Piety as some have before their death Also though we cannot affirm as one of Josiah That he was taken away Ne malitia mutaret intellectum ipsius lest the evil of the time should have wrought upon his temper yet we may say as another doth He was taken away from the evil to come Moreover It is not an unuseful Note that the Preface to the Tigurine Bible hath whereof the inference is That whilst in some weighty point we labor for great exactness and preparation we are either disabled by our diligence or prevented by our tardiness and delay whereas moderat preparation seasonably applied might be more useful to the Church than such exactness so deferred Which is not spoken to reflect any thing on our reverend Author but to admonish others ut maturens Now among other arguments good Reader to commend this Excellent piece This is one That it hath been brought to thy hand through several Elements having been in danger part of it to be rotted in the Earth where it was buried part of it to be consumed in the Fire wherewith much of the Town where it was flamed part of it to be lost in by holes where it was hidden in the midst of Enemies Make special use therefore of what is come as it were through fire unto thee for that end to use the Prefacers words before Mr Cartwright's Answer to the Rhem. Test And if thou find that fruit the Supervisor did in preparing it for thee thou wilt not repent thy pains or peny Farewel FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Eleventh Twelfth and Thirteenth CHAPTERS of the Prophesie of HOSEA A Abuse ABuse of Instruments of Deliverence a great evil Page 399 Affliction None of the Saints worse for affliction 453 Afflictions sometimes deepest when greatest Mercy is intended 231 Affliction see Difference Afflicted Wee may be sorely afflicted in doing Gods Commands 227 Aggravation The aggravation of provoking God 403 An aggravation of self destruction 513 Alteration Alteration of Government causeth Trembling 422 Anceston Ancestors see Mean condition Free-Grace Anger Anger see Difference The Effects of Anger 151 Apostats Apostats see Folly Apostats to return again 340 Apostacy Apostacy see Language Punishment Steps Apostacy brings a reproach on Gods waies 408 Arabian Arabian why taken for a Thief 310 Aright How to conceive aright of God 274 Armies Gods Armies 271 Astrologer Astrologer see Chaldean Awaking Saints need awaking before Reformation 185 B Baal-zephon Baal zephon what 30 Baptism Baptism see Church Base Base spirits most insolent 415 Beast Beast see Mark Beginning The Beginning of Superstition Ceremonies and Popery 437 Bethel Bethel see Jacob Bitterness Bitterness see England Blessing What 's the blessing in a married condition 392 Blessing see Peace Bonds Gods Bonds what 30 Blows To be forced by blows is to be drawn like a beast 57 C Canaanite Canaanite Why it signifies a Merchant 310 Carnal It 's mercy to be taken off from carnal props 104 Carnal heart see Difference A sore sign of a carnal heart 326 Cause The cause of corruption in Gods Worship 439 Caution A Caution concerning Earthly Kings 523 Chief The Chief work of the Ministry 177 Chaldean Chaldean why taken from an Astrologer 310 Child Child see Israel A Childs great disobedience Children How we may know whether God loved us when we were children 10 Christ God hath an eye to Christ in all he doth 19 Christians Christians see Love Church The Church one in Faith Spirit Baptism and visible Government 13 Comfort Comfort see Lives Comfort of a dying person 130 Common Comforts common to Hypocrites 433 Command Command see Promise Company Company heats whether it be goâ—d or evil 164 Confident Yong beginners not to be too confident 33 Confident men sink lowest if disappointed 201 Confidences The confidences of the ten Tribes 525 Congregation Congregation see Posture Conduct Gods Conduct of his people through the Wilderness 450 Conscience The conflict of conscience and corruption 122 Conscience oppression the most grievous 98 Convince Convince see Ministers It 's hard to convince men when they have their desires that it is not in love 539 Conviction Conviction see Parents Convert A true Convert what 333 Cords Cords of a man what 43 Correction Correction see Parents Covenant Covenant see Jews Covetousness Covetousness hard to be convinced 331 D Day Day of Judgment see Mercy Dangerous A dangerous sign of Reprobation 544 Deceiptful dealers Deceiptful dealers see Excuses Decree Decree what it is 511 The Decree of Election ibid. Gods Decree damns none ib. Devils The Devils Stratagem 175 An obstinate sinner worse than the Devil 109 Deliverance Deliverance from oppression a great mercy 92 Difference Difference between Spiritual and Temporal blessings 557 Difference between a carnal and gracious heart 329 556 Difference between the Churches and Gods Excommunication 436 Difference between God and man in point of anger 169 Difference in the Saints from others in time of affliction 308 Difference of Gods working for his people and for others 399 Disappointed Disappointed see Conceited and Confident Disobedience Disobedient see Child Drawn To be drawn by the Word is to be drawn like 〈◊〉 man 57 Doctrine Doctrine see False Drowsie A Drowsie spirit a great evil 133 Duty Duty see Ministers Dying Dying see Comfort E East Wind The East wind why hurtful 202 Effects Effects see Anger Effectual Effectual preaching what 349 Elect Elect see Thoughts Election Election see Decree Element God the Element of Love 85 England Gods ancient love to Engl. 6 England the first Nation that imbraced the Christian Religion ibid. God remembers the kindness of England's youth ibid. Publick love gone out of England 72 Gods special love to England Englands sin 93 Procession weeks in England 355 Englands bitterness aggravated 407 England see Instances Encouragement Encouragement to saith and prayer 151 Error Mens error in judging others 213 Evil Evil of licenciousness after deliverance 94 Men excuse their evil by their good 214 Evil of deceipt in Trading 315 Evil see Suspense Drowsie Company Excellency Excellency of the Name JEHOVAH 293 Excellency of Gods saving 449 Exalted We should not be exalted by prosperity and why 462 Excommunication
comends and contends with his Church at once Reas 1 Mens error in judging others 1. 2. 2. Men excuse their evil by their good Reformed worshipers 3 4 A Note for passionat men Quest Answ Quest Answ Scope of the Text. Note Ambrose Theodotius Three Historys to explain the Text. 1. 2. 3. Expos 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 á 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supplantavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 á 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 operatus est * Habet nomen à faciendo hic ille vir qui praeclarè omnia faciet ut â—ulgd dicitur fac totuÌ„ mirabilit profectò Historia Luth. Reasons why the Scripture sets down Iacobs taking his brother by the heel Quest Answ Luther in Gen. 25. Obs 1. Obs 2. The free grace of God to our Ancestors Expos 2. Use of Instruction Expos 3. 4. 5. Odiosum impium dogma Anabaptistarum qui ideo pueris Baptismum negant quia sensu ac mentacareant nec intelligant quae cum eu aguntur Luth. in loc 6. S. Dominic Vt splendore sanctitatis doctrinae homines toto orbe inflammaret Text. Expos Gen. 32. 31. observed We may be sorely afflicted in doing that which God commands us See Judg. 20. 18. 1 Sam. 4. 1 2. 10 11. Gen. 32. 6. Vers 24. Gen. 32. 36. explained Expos 1 Use 1. Use 2. Encouragement to the Saints 2. Quest Answ Text. Expos 2. God sometimes brings the deepest afflictions when he intends the greatest mercy Text. Expos 3. Text. Quest Answ 1 Cor. 15. 43 Luther Anselm Obs 1. Text. Obs 2. Eph. 3. 10. Explained Use Col. 1. 11. enlightned Gen. 32. 28. Opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princeps fuisti Obs 1. Expos Expos Obs Two Promises to AbrahaÌ„ 1. 2. 2. Text Obs Prevailing recompences al our labor in seeking A Jewish fiction Simile Note Weeping sutable to an high spirit Text. Obs Rev. 8. 4. Opened Bombardo nostrae * For the sens is more full and cleer by that addition Quest Answ 1 Faith Rom. 4. Jam. 5. 2. In Gods way 3. Particular Promise 4. Sence of unworthiness 5. Acknowledgment of mercies and truth of promises 6. RemeÌ„brance of former meanness 7. Deep sence of what is prayed for Use 8. Strong Arguments Use Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos 1. 2. Obs Use 2 Josh 1. 5. with Heb. 13. 5. What God spake to Iacob and to us at Bethel Obs 1. Obs 2. Obs 3. Obs 4. Obs 5. Obs 6. Obs 7. Obs 9 Obs 10. The Second story implied in the Text. Obs 1. Obs 2. Obs 3. Use The scope of the Text. Expos Quest Answ Lord of Hosts The glorious Name of the Lord of Hosts the Title of a Book of the Authors being one of the first in defence of the Wars on the Parliaments side An impartial story of the late Warrs would tend much to Gods glory The New-Model at first Gods Armies 1. 2. 3 Gods People are his Hosts in a special Song 6. 4. Exemplified in England Jehovah Iehovah what it signifies Iehovah Gods being of himself what it infers 1 2. 3. 4 5 6. Nothing can be properly predicated of God How to conceive aright of God Simile 7 The name Iehovah what it shold remind us of 8 Iebovah to be kept in the translation * Alwaies when it is in capital letters as LORD not when it is in other letters as Lord Obs 1. Use Obs 2. What humbles most effectually Obs 3. Use Obs 4. Obs 5. Use Obs 6. Cohaerance Obs 1. Obs 2. Simile Simile Act. 27. 23. Explained Obs 3. What Terror in the Name Iehovah And whrt Consolation A fit simile The Excellency of the name Iehovah Obs 4. Obs 5. Text. Expos Use 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 6. A mercy for God to speak particularly to a soul Particulars affect most Text. Expos Obs Expos Obs 1. Obs 2. Obs 3. The Scripture most in this next to Faith What the Scripture presses much Jam. 2. 13. Interpreted Ridged Professors Obs Expos Obs Quest Answ Pretended Mercy Obs Mic. 6. 6. Obs Quest Answ 〈◊〉 When we are to shew Mercy 1. Difference in judgment 2. 3 4. Answ 2 When we are to execute Judgment Text. Obs Note Courts of Justice Families Text Expos How we ar to wait on God 1. 2. 3. 4 5. Obs Use for new Converts Applie to some back-fliders Why we should wait 1 2. Simile 3. 4. Simile What we wait for 5. 6. Simile 7. England Note Expos Simile The folly of Apostats * As he hath done divers 8. 9 10. Note 2. The Text seasonable The scope Great dealers * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos 1 Cananite why signifie a Merchant Chaldaeans why taken for an Astrologer Arabian why a Thief Expos 2. Obs 1. Obs 2. Levit. 19. 〈◊〉 36. Illustrated The Point urged 1 The Text opened 2. The Mark of the Beast 3. Innuitur continuum ac perpetuum studium Meisn in loc Deut. 25. 13. observed 2. Text. Oppression in Trading 1. Monopolizing Commodities 2. Expos 1. Oppression of under-trades-men 2. Debtors 1. The evil of deceipt in trading 2. 3 4. 5. 6. 7. Chrysostom 8. The excuses of deceiptful dealers De mali quaesitis non-gaudet tertius Haeres Of goods ill got the thud Heir joyeth not A vehement applic of the text 9. 10. Restitution Why we pardon without Restitution 1 Reason 2. Scripture Numb 5. 6 7. an excellent Scripture for Restitution Illustrated 1. 2. Mr. Latimer His expressioÌ„ of non-restorers Ve 〈…〉 tamen labor opes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vanitas c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos Obs 1. Obs 2. Obs 3. Deut. 6. 12. Interpreted Obs 4. Prov. 8. 21. Noted * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs 5. Zeph. 1. 9. Opened Obs 6. Isa 57. 8. Interpreted A sure sign of a carnal heart Obs 7. The Mother of Gratian c. Populus me sibilat at mihi plaudo ipse domi simul ac numos contemplor in Arca. Videtis quà m bona navigatio ab ipsis dijs sacriligis tribuatur Val. Maximus lib. 1. cap. 2. A dangerous Note of Reprobation Text. The difference between a godly and a carnal heart Text. Expos 1. 2. 3. 4. Obs 1. Obs 2. Covetousness hard to be convinc'd Obs 3. Obs 4. Absit ut deprehendar sceleratus in meis factus Luthâ—â— l. Obs 5. Simile Obs 6. A true Convert Ill signs 1. 2. Obs 7. Cohaerance Obs 1. Applied to England Obs 2. Use Obs 3. Expos 1. 2. Calvin Applic. to England 3. The Authors Exposition Feast of Tabernacles Obs 1. Ministers duty Note A sinners duty Apostats Note in special Use to persons offended by others Obs 2. Applied to England Applied spiritually Text. Albertus and others Reformation in England Ainsworth A Note for the Congregational and Presbyterian Churches Expos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs 1. Matt. 28. 18 19. observed Note Why men profit no more by the Ministry How to profit better Obs 2. Matth. 5. 13. Isa 30. 20. Noted With Eph.
upon my breakings No but I will rest upon the breakings of Jesus Christ who in the daies of his flesh did send up mighty cries with tears to God and was heard he prevail'd He made supplication Supplieation or prayer it is the great prevailing Ordinance with God that 's the Note It hath been the great Engin that hath carried things on in the world Prayer in Revel 8. 4. The prayers of the Saints were offered up and voices of Thunder and Lightening and Earthquakes followed when they were offered Prayers of the Saints can move Heaven and Earth they can prevail with the God of Heaven and Earth The Praying Legion was called the Thundering Legion And Luther saith of prayers they are our Guns our Cannons our Prayers can prevail more than Cannons The Saints have alwaies put their great strength upon Prayer It 's a very observable Scripture Psal 109. 4. For my love they are my adversaries but what then But I pray it is in your books But I give my self to prayer but the words Give my self you may observe printed in another distinct Character which is to note that those words are not in the Original but added by the Translators and in that they dealt faithfully but if you reade it as it is in the Hebrew it is For my love they are my adversaries but I pray as if he should say that 's my refuge I account prayer to be the great help that I have when they are my adversaries and rail upon me I will not rail upon them again when they oppose me I will not oppose them again but I pray I 'le pray to my God and I make account I have help enough there to resist my enemies that I have Jacob prevailed over the Angel by suppication It 's a good sign of a gracious heart to lay the weight of business upon pra 〈…〉 But I will not enter into this common place of the excellency or power of Prayer and Supplication but only this It 's not every prayer that will prevail so with God What prayer will then Such a prayer as Jacob's was in Gen. 32. 9. there 〈◊〉 shall find how your Father Jacob prayed and there 〈◊〉 excellent Ingredients saith the text And Jacob said O God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac c. That 's the First Ingredient to Prayer Faith in the Covenant of God upon that the strength of any prayr most depends Indeed to have strong Expressions and Affections in prayer are good but Strength of Faith in the Covenant of God is the greatest strength of prayer and it was with this strength that Jacob did prevail Oh! God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac as if he should say Oh! thou God that hast entred into Covenant with my Father Abraham and Isaac O God remember thy COVENANT O God I rest upon 〈◊〉 COVENANT the COVENANT of Grace that 〈◊〉 hast made with them for so certainly that with 〈◊〉 hans and Isaac was the same for it 's said That Circum 〈…〉 sion was the sign and seal of the righteousness that he had 〈◊〉 Faith And in Thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be bl 〈…〉 There was the Covenant of Grace Now O Lord 〈◊〉 it is the Covenant of Grace that I rest upon in the 〈◊〉 straits When you are in any strait and go to Go 〈…〉 prayer if you can have recourse to the Covenant 〈◊〉 Grace and act your saith upon Gods Covenant with you Oh! that will be a strong prayer When there are but words in prayer they vanish as the wind but when there is much saith in prayer that makes it to prevail the prayer of faith that 's prevalent saith the Apostle James that 's the first ingredient in his prayer he made supplication and exercises faith in the Covenant And then the second was His appeal to God that he was 〈◊〉 the way that he had set him He could appeal thus to God which saidst unto me Return unto thy Country and to thy Kindred Why Lord am I out of my way am I not in the way that thou hast set me I met with difficul 〈…〉 in my way but Lord thou saidest to me Return 〈…〉 to thy Country thou bidest me return so that 's an excellent ingredient in prayer and ads much strength when the soul in prayer can come to God and say O Lord there is this and this difficulty befallen me but Lord I am in the way that thou hast set me I am doing thy work I am not out of my way For any man or woman to be out of their way that God hath set them in will mightily damp their hearts in prayer And it 's a mighty encouragement to prayer and carries it on with mighty strength when the soul can appeal to God Lord whatsoever straits I meet withal yet I am in thy way Then the Third thing in prayer It is the pleading of â—particular Promise And I will deal well with thee God 〈…〉 de a Promise to Jacob in particular that he would deal 〈◊〉 with him in his journy that he went And the 〈◊〉 faith we have to take hold upon particular promises that concerns the particular business we pray about 〈◊〉 we pray about any business though it 's true the 〈◊〉 strength is in the great Promise the Covenant of 〈…〉 But then it ads much strength likewise to have 〈…〉 f particular Promises that concerns the very business we are about and it 's a very good thing when we go about a business that hath difficulty in it to search the Word and to see what Promises there are that doth more particularly concern the business we go about The Fourth Ingredient it was his Acknowledgment and Sence of his own unworthiness and vileness in ver 10. I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewn unto thy Servant When the soul comes with humility before God in Prayer and is truly sensible of its unworthiness of any mercy Lord I am not worthy of the least crum of bread but rather worthy to be cast out from thy presence for ever it 's an easie matter for men and women to have such words in their mouths but to have this indeed in their hearts in prayer ads very much strength to prayer The Fifth Ingredient in his prayer it was The acknowledgment of the mercy that he had received and of the truth of God in fulfilling Promises and both ads much strength to prayer to take notice of what God hath done for us to take notice how God hath fulfil'd his Word in great measure for us when we are praying we many times are sensible only of what we would have but not of what we receive and the vehemencie of our desires after what we would have doth take away our apprehensions and hinders our acknowledgment of the
mercies we have had already but when thou comest to prayer whatsoever thy condition be though in never such great straits yet acknowledg what thou hast already be willing to praise God in the lowest condition that thou art in And then he doth proceed further and looks back to his former meanness that once he was in For with my staff passed I over this Jordan and now I am become two band 〈…〉 that 's a further expression of his humility and God 〈◊〉 ther mercy And then the next thing is the great sence of what he praies for Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my Brother from the hand of Esau for I fear him lest he will come and smite me and the mother with the children Lord I do not speak words that have expressions in them without sence of my heart for Lord as I am crying to thee for help against my Brother I do apprehend my great extremity Lord I fear him lest he come and smite me with the mother and the children When we come to prayer we must not have words that are puft-up words and have little in them but there must be as much sence of the thing that we pray for as the words that we speak do seem to import carry with them many times we have great words and little sence and that makes our prayers to be so empty And then the next thing in his prayer it was The strong arguments that he did use with God though it 's true That what we can say to God cannot move God yet it may move our own hearts and God would have us to use strong arguments in prayer And thou saidest in ver 12. I will surely do thee good and make thy seed as the sand on the Sea which cannot be numbred for multitude As if he should say Lord how will thy promise be fulfill'd didest thou not say that my seed should be as the sand of the Sea now if the mother and children be cut off what will become of thy Promise God is so indulgent as to suffer us to plead our cause with him And these pleading prayers are strong prayers he wept and made supplication so he prevail'd with God Now labor you if you be of the seed of Jacob to pray as your Father Jacob did But so much shall suffice for that Second History about Jacob's prevailing with the Angel Now the Third History follows He found him in Bethel and there he spake with us The words in the Hebrew are He will find us in Bethel and there he spake with us As if it were an encouraging word of the Angel to Jacob that God would find him in Bethel and indeed the Gramatical sense of the words would carry such a sense but rather because the Learned know that the word is often used for the Preter tense in the Hebrew and it 's more according to the scope of the place to reade them as you have them in your books He found him in Bethel and there he spake with us That is He found Jacob in Bethel and spake to Jacob and in speaking to Jacob he spake unto us all Now for the opening of this History and the shewing how it sutes with the scope of the Prophet in this place We reade in Scripture of two Meetings that God and Jacob had together at Bethel and this Text in Hosea doth refer to them both God finds him in Bethel two times and spake with Jacob and spake to us both those times The First time for fear of danger he fled from his brother when his brother had mischievous thoughts against him after he got the blessing from him And the Second time again after his wrastling with the Angel God meets him in Bethel The First of these you have in Gen 28. 10. and the Second in Gen. 35. 1. and so on And it 's necessary to refer to those two Scriptures for the interpretation of this Scripture you will not know what it means else 1. He finds him in Bethel Gen. 28. 10. yea indeed for Jacob he lay asleep with a stone under his head he saw a vision of Angels ascending and descending from Heaven and God speak excellent things unto him But the Note is That God finds his People many times when they little think of him He comes unto his People in waies of mercy when they scarce dream of it Jacob was but in a dream at this time and yet God came in very wonderful waies of mercy towards him Oh! how often hath God found us in this way how often may many of you say that the Lord hath come unexpectedly to you in waies of mercy that you never made account of such mercies as you have met withal Oh! when unexpected mercies come we should consider that God found us whereas our sins might have found us but the mercies of God have found us out And the other time that God found Jacob it was when he was in great distress after his daughter Dinah had been defloured and his sons Simeon and Levi had committed that great outrage against the Shechemites so great an outrage as to kill the City and upon that Jacob and all his family was in great danger of being destroyed for the act was so foul that it could not but make all the people as Jacob thought to abhor him and would be a cause that they should all rise against him and utterly to cut him off therfore in Gen. 34 30. Jacob tels his sons that they had made him to stink among the inhabitants of the Land so that he was afraid they would gather together and destroy him and his house no question the distress that Jacob was in was very great that his daughter should be defloured by the uncircumcised ones and that his two sons should commit such an outrage and should endanger him to be destroyed utterly by them For who would have thought but that all the Inhabitants of the Land should have risen against him and have cut him off Now the next thing that we hear of God meets with him at Bethel and speaks very gracious things to him there and he did not only speak to him but there he spake with us That is God meeting with Jacob in Bethel that which he spake to him there concern'd us aswel as it concern'd Jacob. An expression to the same purpose we have in Psal 66. 6. He turned the Sea into dry land they went through the Floud on foot there We did rejoyce in him For indeed the mercy of God towards the Isralites at that time that did rejoyce them was a matter of Rejoycing for us Whatsoever is written is written for our learning 't is as if God spake to us That which God spake to Abraham I am God Alsufficient walk before me and be upright he spake that to us he spake that to thee and me That that God spake to Joshua