not Ministers be tart in the Pulpit ib. Obs 8 Saints may be bold in seeking God in prayer 151 Obs 9 The Saints that walk close with God must needs be verie secure 154 Obs 10 When judgments come upon Gods own people there is some great matter in it 155 Obs 11 There is a difference between the day of patience and the day of wrath ib. Obs 12 If God do not hasten Judgment against us we should not hasten it against our selves ib. Obs 13 The people of God are subject to as sore evils as the worst of men 156 Obs 14 When sinners are neerest to judgment then the bowels of Gods mercie works towards them 157 Obs 15 Those that are in relation to God have a priviledg that others have not ib. Use Take heed of abusing Gods mercies 158 Obs 16 If God be unwilling to make his People like the Wicked in punishment let them not make themselves like them in sin ib. Obs 17 Though God be never so much inclin'd to mercy he doth not hide his eyes from the sins of his own People ib. Use Let not the encouragement of mercie hide our sins from us 159 Obs 18. Strong motions to repentance give strong encouragements to come to God 160 Obs 19 Let arguments of obedience to God cause stirrings in our hearts 161 Obs 20 Let us not think it too much to have our hearts turned from strong resolutions to do evil ib. Obs 21 God's repentings are mighty encouragements to Prayer 162 Obs 22 Wee must gather as many arguments as we can to kindle Repentance in us ib. Obs 23 Our mercies to others should not be cold but burning 165 VER IX Exposition 165 Obs 1 The stirrings of mercie in our hearts should rather prevaile with us than stirrings to wrath 166 Obs 2 Stirrings for God should rather prevail with us than temptations to sin 167 Obs 3 Gods mercies do not free his People from all fruits of displeasure ib. Obs 4 We should acknowledge mercie though we suffer hard things 167 Obs 5 Sinners should not be secure when evil is upon them and think Now we know the worst on 't 168 Obs 6 God is very gracious to his People when evil is upon them ib. Difference between God and Man in point of Anger 169 1 Man is not able to rule his Anger ib. 2 Man is of a revengeful and cruel disposition 170 3 Man is in a rage often-times with others because of the disquit of his own heart ib. 4 There is but very little if any mercie at all in man ib. 5. Man is of a fickle and unconstant disposition ib. 6 If man pass by an offence it is from some motive from without ibid 7 Man thinks it his dishonor to be reconciled to those that offend him ibid 8 Man cannot foresee the consequences that may follow upon his pardoning of offences 171 9 Man cannot work good out of what ill carriages are against him ibid 10 Though man promise much mercie yet upon any offence he will recall his promise again ibid 11. Man thinks it's best to take his advantage of offenders at the present time 172 12 Man is bound to positive Rules of Justice that are set to him But God is free He will have mercie on whom he will have mercie ibid Obs 7 God glories in the goodness and mercie that is in himself ib. Use Passion and anger debases man 173 Obs 8 If God were like Man sinners could not be forborn 174 Obs 9 It is a good way to exercise faith in Gods mercie ibid Use Let us labor to be holy in our anger 178 Obs 10 God delights to shew the glory of his holiness in mercie toward sinners 179 Obs 11 Gods faithfulnesse is a special part of the glory of his holiness ibid Use 1 We may see hence how holiness will help our faith ibid Use 2 Let us manifest our holiness in our faithfulness ibid Obs 12 God continues among a people for his Saints and Elects sake ibid Obs 13. The Saints are of great use where they live 179 Obs 14 Humiliation and reformation do often save a City from destruction 180 Use Let not our sin provoke God to destroy us ibid VER X Exposition ib. Obs 1 It is the Lords infinite goodness to be the Captain of his people 181 Obs 2 It is the honor safety and happiness of the Saints to have God go before them ibid Obs 3 That the Majestie and terribleness of God causeth the wicked guilty conscience to fly from him 182 Use Oh the blessing of a clean conscience ibid Obs 4 That when Gods time is come for a through reformation in the world he will make the earth tremble 184 Use 1 Despair not at the strength of the wicked 185 Use 2 Learn to prepare for those times ibid Obs ult There are like to be great stirrings in the West 186 VER XI Exposition 186 Obs 1 God hath his time to place his people in their own houses in peace and safetie 187 Obs 2 It 's a good work to be instrumental in this ibid Obs 3 They that walk after the Lord shall be placed in their houses ibid Use Trust God with your houses ib. VER XII Exposition General 188 Particular 189 Obs 1 Many profess to God the acknowledgment of his Greatness Glory Power c. but it is but as a lye to God ib. Obs 2 Many men beset the business and affairs that they mannage with lyes also 190 Obs 3 That when men are once engaged in shifts and lyes they grow pertinacious in them 191 Obs 4 The sin is the greater where there is no example of evil in others 192 Obs 5 To continue in a false way of worship when a right way is held forth is an aggravation of sin ib. Obs 6 It 's a great comendation to continue in the Truth when others fall off ib. Obs 7 We should be more severe to those that are nearest to us when they dishonor God than to others 193 Obs 8 To enjoy but little with God is better than to have much without enjoying God 194 Obs 9 To serve God is to reign 195 Obs 10. God hath never bin without som Witnesses to his Truth ib. Obs 11 It is unfaithfulness to forsake the true Worship which God hath appointed 196 Obs 12 God hath a special eye to a States faithfulness in point of Worship ib. Obs 13. Faithfulness consists in a constant persisting in good ib. Obs 14 We should look more at the example of a few Saints than of thousands of wicked men 198 CHAP. XII VER I Exposition 199 Obs 1 Creature-Comforts will prove but wind 202 Obs 2. It 's a grievous thing when troubles come to have nothing within us to help us but wind 203 Several waies of encreasing Lyes 1 By carrying about Reports 207 2 By mis-reporting of Reports ib. 3 By adding to Reports ib. 4 By inventing new Reports ib. 5 By maintaining Lyes by Lyes ibid. Use 1. Take heed of spreading
cruelty to reign over them how sad and dreadful condition are those in This is that the Lord threatens here and why Because they refused to return I beseech you observe this saith he They shall not return to Egypt but the King of Assyria shall reign over them because they refused to return From whence the Observation is this If we will not do Gods will God will cross us of our own They would have their will they would return but they shall not saith God for they will not return to me therefore they shall not return whither they will themselves God can cross us in our own wills at every turn Foolish men who will presume to cross God in his will when God hath them at such infinite advantages to cross them every way in every thing If you cross God in that he delights in you may expect God will cross you in that you most delight in Oh! when you are crost in your minds in any thing that you have set your thoughts and heart most upon reflect upon your own hearts and think thus Have not I crost God in his mind in that which God hath set his heart and mind upon It 's a good way my Brethren to take a holy revenge upon our selves if we cannot get our hearts to work for God as they ought not to suffer them to work for our selves as they would Again For they would not return saith God God is not so much displeased at our sins as at our not returning He doth not say that the Assyrian should rule over them because they had sinned but because they refused to return It is too much that thou hast sinned but as soon as ever thou hast sinned it concerns thee to think of returning God expects presently as soon as ever the sin is taken notice of that thou shouldest begin to return it is dangerous to continue in sin in the least this aggravates thy sin dreadfully and endangers thy sealing up to wrath everlasting And then Thirdly He refuses to return after all means used after all mercies tendered after all callings after thee yet to stand out this is yet worse Not to return is evil but to refuse to return notwithstanding means used mercies tendered Oh this is fearful indeed Oh! lay this to heart thou convicted sinner what offers of mercie hath God made to thee what calling unto mercie hast thou heard outward calls inward calls of the the Spirit of God Oh! how hath God called after thee Return return thou Shulamite Return return return thou wretched wilful sinner Oh come in and return what means of all sorts hast thou had to cause thy heart to return to God and yet standest out think of that Scripture in Job 9. 4. Who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered What doest thou think to harden thy self against God and yet think to prosper Who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered and mark what follows Which removeth the Mountains and they know not which overturneth them in his anger which shaketh the Earth out of her place and the Pillars thereof tremble And yet cannot thy heart be overturned nor tremble In this that thou refusest to return thy sin is aggravated above the sin of the Devils themselves for we do not know that ever the Devils refused to return for they were never offered mercie God did never offer the Devils mercie God never sent to preach to them either by his Ministers or Spirit and to call them to return and you shall have mercie here 's a price paid here 's a salvation for you your sins may be pardoned the Devil had never such an offer Who knows what the Devil might do if such an offer were made to him But now these offers are made to thee and thou refusest to return Oh! return therefore O thou sinful soul who art wandering from God in the waies of death and destruction give in thine answer as we reade in Jer. 3. 22. where the Lord there calls his back-sliding children Return ye back-sliding children and I will heal your back slidings Mark the answer that they give to God Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Oh! that there might be such an answer given this day from some back-sliding soul that is turned from God! Oh poor soul whither art thou gone God calls this day to thy soul Return return and professes that he is willing to heal thy backslidings Oh! give in this answer Oh Lord behold we come for thou art the Lord our God Oh! that some soul might return and might refuse no longer to return Why wilt not thou return God is content to return to thee thou art turned from God and God in the waies of his Administrations is turned away from thee but mark the Promise in Jer. 8. 4 5. Thus saith the Lord Shall they fall and not arise shall he turn away and not return by then is this people of Jerusalem sliden back by a perpetual back-sliding they hold fast deceit they refuse to return Shall he turn away Some interpret this of God The Lord is not so turned back but he is ready to return Oh! why shouldâ—â— thou backslide with a perpetual back-sliding And then the last Note is They refuse to return The word that is translated they refused may signifie they scorned What talk to him of returning tell him of his sin against God the greatness of his sin and the greatness of the danger and the threatnings of God against his sin he despises all these things these are poor things to scare children withal Tell him of the mercies of God in pardoning his sin he slights all this humiliation now for sin this breaking off of sinful courses they deride the motions of them they scorn to return Scornful spirits when they are called upon in the bowels of mercy to return from their evil waies they do not only deny returning but they scorn and slight what is said to them Wel know there are some who admire at Gods mercies calling of them to return who admire at mercy tendred to them and prize it more than all things in the world they turn unto the Lord with all their souls nothing in all the world can stop them they bless God that ever their ears heard the call of God calling them to return and they would not for ten thousand thousand worlds but they had heard Gods call and felt the Spirit of God working their hearts to him to return howsoever thou dost scorn and contemn it Thus much for the 5th Verse It follows VER 6. And the Sword shall abide on his Cities c. THey relied upon their Cities and therefore refused to return but saith the Lord here The Sword shall abide on his Cities The old Latin hath it The Sword hath begun and Hierom in his Translation takes it so If we should take it
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
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
among men Judgment That is Righteous Judgment among men thou canst not turn to God from thy Unrighteousness and to a Righteous God and yet still not be Righteous towards men Certainly if thou beest turn'd to God from thy Unrighteousness towards a Righteous God then thou will be turn'd likewise from thy unrighteousnes towards men and will be righteous towards them Many texts of Scripture I might have shewn you that commend this Grace of Righteousness and it 's made the great Promise to the Glorious Church when that shall be That Righteousness shall prevail there that the People shall be a Righteous People And Judgment Not only Judgment in doing no man any wrong and being righteous in dealing But thus Judgment Execute Justice against Sin manifest thy hatred against Sin by the Execution of Judgment This is the Note from thence That those who turn to God will manifest their hatred against sin by the Execution of Judgment if they be in place of Power Though in thine own cause thou maiest forbear yea thou shouldest be merciful but when Publick Manifestation of hatred against Sin requires Justice then there 's no place for Sparing when God calls thee in any Publick Place to manifest hatred against Sin then I say thou maiest not think of Sparing But you will say Oh! I must pity and shew Mercy Well If you would be merciful be merciful in your own cause Many men that will pleade for Indulgence to Malefactors yet in their own business they have no Indulgence to those that offend them It beseems a Judg to be very pitiful when he is wronged himself but it beseems him to be very righteous and just when the Publick calls him Keep MERCY and JVDGMENT Mercy is first and Judgment afterwards The Scripture makes a difference between our respect to Mercy Judgment that place in Micah The Lord hath shewen thee O man what he would have thee to do LOVE MERCY and DO JVSTICE There should be a Preheminency in Mercy Mercy must not only be shown but loved and Justice must be done And then Keep MERCY and JVDGMENT The mixture of Mercy and Judgment is very comely The Scripture doth mix them very often Psal 101. 1. I will sing of Mercy and Iudgment and Prov. 21. 21. He that followeth after Righteousness and Mercy findeth Life Righteousness and Honor. Psal 112. 4. The upright man he is full of Compassion and Righteousness Jer. 9. 24. The Lord there doth seem to glory in this in his Righteousness aswel as Mercy saith the Lord Let no man glory in the flesh but let him glory in this That he knoweth Me that I am the LORD which exercise loving kindness Iudgment and Righteousness in the Earth Let him glory in this That he knows that I am such a God this is my glory That I am both Righteous and Merciful Now for the several Rules when Mercy should be Shown and when Judgment should be Executed that would be the Use here How men should be directed to mix both these together Mercy when men offend by Infirmity when I see it 's but a weakness it is not through wilfulness Mercy then should be shown Oh that we would consider of this our brethren that sometime differ from us in Judgment in practice consider Do they appear in any of their carriages any waies to be wilful in their way can you take it upon your consciences that it is through obstinacy and through any wicked principles that they have that they go against conscience doth it not appear in all their other waies that they walk humbly and conscionably that if they be in the wrong yet it is through meer weakness that they cannot see the Truth that thou thinkest thou doest see Now thou shouldest be merciful towards them and carry not thy self in a ridged severe bitter and harsh way towards them but in a Merciful way Mercy when the offence is by infirmity And then when the offender is already sensible of his offence then Mercy Or when there may be as much good done in a fair gentle merciful carriage as in a harsh ridged carriage And then especially at that time when any man or woman begins to feel passion arise in their hearts and a spirit of revenge to stir in them above all times then is the time for mercy examin thine heart thou hast to deal with thy brother now see whether there doth not begin to arise passion and revenge in thy spirit towards him now is the time for Mercy it 's not the fit time for Judgment it 's not a fit time to give Judgment nor for thee to execute Judgment but now is the time for Mercy And then there 's the time for judgment When thou art call'd to manifest hatred against sin when the publick good requires it when you cannot be merciful to one but you must be cruel to another As in many things wherein men would be merciful the truth is the Mercy they shew to some is cruelty to others and when thou hast the least interest in a business then there 's the most like to be the time for Judgment Well Keep Mercy and Judgment Keep it not only do some acts of Mercy and Judgment but keep it Many men in some good moods observe it Oh how pitiful are they how merciful are they but come to them at another time and Oh! how ridged are they then Oh! how sowr are they how bitter how cruel how harsh are they We have found it so by experience you can say such a man Oh! what sweet converse had we together and what a sweet temper'd man he was how loving how meek how gentle how pitiful But come to him now how harsh and how rugged in his expressions and extream bitter mightily turned as if he were not the man keep Mercy keep it Doth God at any time melt thy heart and make thee apprehensive of thy need of mercy doth thy heart begin to bleed towards thy Brethen Oh! keep it keep this temper the Lord keep this in the thoughts and purposes of thy heart for ever Oh take heed of change of heart It should be the care of Christians not only to do that that is good but to keep their hearts in such a constant frame Oh that some of you would but call to mind the dales of old Was there not a time that your hearts did melt towards your brethren and had sweet converse and communion with them what 's become of those spirits now Oh! turn to that gracious sweet temper again and if ever God bring you to that temper again keep it Consider what is it that hath changed my heart what hath brought me to it now if God doth discover how thou hast lost that sweetness of thy heart Oh! labor to repent and turn to God and resolve if ever God bring me to that temper again as sometimes
through his mercy I have felt I hope through his Grace that I shall keep my self in that temper Oh how happy were it with us if when God brings our hearts into a good temper if we had but hearts to keep them in that temper keep Mercy And keep Judgment too In some acts you shall find men very just and take them in other acts and there they will be false enough But now It should be our care to be as it 's said of God in Jer. 50. 6 7. God is said there to be the habitation of Justice so it should be in the Courts of Justice there should be the habitation of Justice Perhaps sometimes in some one Cause a man may have Justice in a Court yea but if it be not so in all Causes at all times there is not the keeping of Justice Justice should be alwaies at home sometimes you may come to a Court and not find Justice at home but it 's gone abroad but it should be alwaies the habitation of Judgment And so it should be in Families and in particular Persons It may be at some times thou wert just in thy waies yea but then thou hadest not a temptation the tempration came not for unjust dealing There are some men that by a temptation are brought to such unjust dealing that if a man should have said some divers yeers ago that thou wouldest have done such things you would have been ready to think Am I a dog that I should do such things but now when a man is once engaged in any unjust way then he must go on and therefore keep Judgment It follows Keep Judgment and wait on thy God continually That 's thus Do not satisfie your selves in duties of Mercy and Judgment only but worship God For by waiting on God is meant the exercise of spiritual Graces wherein the Worship of God consists wherein we come to make God to be our God As it is not enough for men to think they worship God and yet make no conscience of the Second Table so neither is it enough for men to make conscience of the Second Table and not to worship God It may be there is som of you that are very just yea but what worship of God is there in your Families and in your own hearts Do your souls worship God and sanctifie the Name of God in all your waies Therefore this is added Turn to the Lord thy God and keep Mercy and Judgment and wait on thy God continually Wait on God The bases or foundation of waiting is Faith Beleeve there is good in God help supply here and that in God alone however things seem to be contrary let things go how they will I beleeve there is help in God alone and not in those former base waies that I have taken before that my corrupt heart hath led me into here 's help and not in the other way Secondly Waiting on God is To attend God in the use of what means God hath appointed for the attaining of such a thing that I expect from him Thirdly A looking out for Mercy I beleeve here is Mercy and no where else I attend on God for it in the use of these means and I look out for mercy Fourthly I quietly submit in the mean time though God staies long that 's to wait so as not to be discontent not to have my heart sink though God staies long Fifthly I keep in the way of seeking of God all the while That soul that doth this may be said to wait on God A turning heart to God is a heart that is a waiting heart the heart that turns truly to God is taken off from all Creature contentments so as to rest in them and looks up to God for all help and for all supply And this waiting is of very great use to those that are turning to God Consider of it Is any of you about the work of turning to God hath God begun to make a turn to any of your hearts Know that when you are turning to God you are very like to meet with a great many things that may discourage you many suggestions of the Devil and your own hearts Why should not I go back again what good have I gotten by reading and praying I get nothing by it and all will come to nothing at last Temptations are like to come thick and three-fold upon the heart of a sinner turning to God I am confident I am speaking in this to the hearts of all that knows what it is to turn unto God there was a time that thou wert departing from God and then thou wentest on quietly but ever since the time that God hath begun to turn thy heart Oh! the thick and three fold temptations of the Devil that come to thee Now this is a very seasonable exhortation turn to God and wait upon him be not discouraged not withstanding all difficulties fears temptations and discouragements from Men and Devils and thine own heart yet wait upon God and keep in his way Oh! it had been happy that this exhortation had been set home upon the spirits of many that the Lord was beginning to give a turn to their hearts not long since the Lord was beginning to turn thy heart to himself and thou mettest with some things that discouraged thee which hath turned thee quite off again Oh! had but this exhortation come seasonably then Turn to the Lord and wait upon him Oh! it had been happy for thee The Lord make it seasonable now to thee Oh! remember this text Turn to God and wait upon him Wait. Oh! there 's reason that thou shouldest wait upon God Oh! thou saiest if I had comfort and if I were sure I should be saved at last though I have discouragements from men yet if I had but comfort from God then I could be content yea but wait wait for comfort wait for peace wait for assurance God is a great God and is worthy to be waited on Men that are above others will take state upon them and they will be waited on God is great and therefore wait upon him And we are vile creatures and unworthy and therfore let us wait Beggers if they should rap and rap and you come and see it to be a begger your heart rises upon him if he beg he must wait if you be busie We are Beggers and therefore it is fit for us to wait And Thirdly God hath waited on us a long time how long did God wait upon thee it may be thou wert twenty yeers old before thou didest begin to turn to God perhaps thou wert thirty or fortie yeers old and God was waiting upon thee to be gracious all that time God was waiting for opportunity to do thee good and therefore wait thou upon God And Fourthly What we wait for it is worth our waiting If a man did beleeve there were nothing but
Excommunication see Difference Excuses Excuses of deceiptful dealers 319 Mens excuses 515 F Faith Faith see Church Encouragement Root Faculties Faculties see Love Families Families see Imperiousness False False see Encrease Fill Men fill themselves with sensual things 445 Forced Forced see Blows Wives Folly Folly of Apostats 307 Form A form of answering to Gods call 128 Forgiveness Healing with forgiveness a sweet Mercy 95 Free see Grace Free grace of God to our Ancesters 222 Fruit To understand the Scriptures is a fruit of love 20 Fruit see Way G Gift see Ministry God Gods great design is to magnifie free grace 25 God deals gently with his people 53 Gods great design in the Gospel 70 God deals roughly with the great and graciously with the grieved and oppressed 500 God will be a Lyon to them that forget him ibid. Why God compares himself to a Leopard 502 God is to be preached as terrible 508 God see Christ England Know Trembling Help Healer Merciful Godly heart Godly heart see Difference Good Good see London Company Good Cause Good Cause see Success Goods Goods ill got the third Heir enjoyeth not 319 Government Government see Church Guides Guides their changeableness 31 Guiding Why the soul needs Guiding 32 H Hear Hear see Reverence Healing Healing see Forgiveness Healer God will be acknowledged the Healer of his people 40 Help God delights to Help men in misery 519 High minded Why the rich are apt to be high minded 459 Honor Honor of our inferiors must be preserved 55 God hath little honor in the world 132 Hope Hope see Wind Host Host see People Humbles What humbles most effectually 287 Hurtful Hurtful see East Wind. I Jacob What God spake to Jacob at Bethel 264 Jacob's mean condition 356 Jacob's flying into Syria 358 Why Jacob is sent away so meanly 359 Jacob hath the blessing renewed at his going away 359 Why Jacob served seven years for Rachel 394 Jehovah Jehovah what it infer's 273 Jehovah what it should mind us of 274 Jehovah what terror is in the Name 291 Jehovah what Consolation in the Name 292 Jehovah see Excellency Jews One of Gods special Covenants with the Jews 427 Ill-got Ill-got see Goods Image Image see Wrath Imitate Imitate God in resisting temptations to sin 149 Immoderate Immoderat desires to be taken heed of 537 Imperiousness The Imperiousness of some in their families 416 Increase Whence such Increase of false Doctrine 205 Increasing see Lyes Inferiors Inferiors see Honor Ingratitude Ingratitude see Perverse spirit Insolent Insolent see Bass Israel What a child Israel was 3 Wherein Gods Love to Israel stood 4 Israel see Mercy Instances Instances of the working of Gods heart towards England 148 Instruments Instruments see Abuse Iron Iron Tools unfit to build God's Tabernacle 343 Israelites Why the Israelites would have a King and Princes 530 Judgment It may prove a Judgment to invent a way to satisfie Conscience 211 Judgment when to be Executed 300 Judging Judging see Error K Kingdom Kingdom see Troubles King King see Israelites Kings Kings see Caution Kissing Against kissing the Book in Swearing 443 Know What it is to know God 447 L Labor Labor see Prevailing Language The Language of the sin of Apostacy 409 Law Saints not under the Law 11 Liberty What use we should make of Liberty 96 Licentiousness Licentiousness see Evils Lives Lives how to compleat the comfort of them 10 Leopard Leopard see God Lyon The Lyons property 504 Lyon see God Little A little of Spiritual things serves mens turns 455 London Gods mercy to London all this War 114 London's good is to be labored for 115 Love Gods Love doth not find but make the person lovely 8 Love commands all the souls faculties 64 The Love of Christians formerly compared with our divisions 72 Love see Persons Children Fruit England Love see Superiors Convince Notes Magistrates Love see Servants Sanctifies Overcomes Love see Relations Element Lyes Several waies of encreasing Lyes 206 M Magistrates Magistrates must deal by Reason rather than by Violence 51 Magistrates should govern by Love 76 Mark The Mark of the Beast 313 Marriage Marriage founded on consent 391 Married condition Married condition see Blessing Mean condition The mean condition as well as the greatness of our Ancestors is to be regarded 392 The mean condition of Moses 396 Meditation A Meditation for passionate spirits 464 A Meditation ser Trades-men in London 469 Merchant Merchant see Canaanite Mercie Gods mercy towards Israel is a Type of his waies with his people 8 Mercy when to be shewn 299 Mercy see Carnal props London Plea Affliction Merciful hearts neerest to God 173 Ministers Ministers pattern 35 Ministers must convince not scare men 51 It's Ministers duty to open Gods Love 66 Ministers should be wary in using tartness 150 Ministry The Ministry a magnificent gift 346 Why men profit no more by the Ministry 345 In chusing our habitation we should have regard to a good Ministry 347 Monopoliz To monopolize Commodities is oppression 313 N Necessary Necessary see Truth New New Officers see Pride Notes Notes to know whether it he Love or Hatred by all that is before us 540 Note of Peprobation 3â—â— O Obstinate Obstinate see Devil Oppression Oppression of others after deliverance from oppression is a great evil 97 Oppression see Deliverance Monopolize Oppression see Conscience Trading Evil. Opression see Under-trades-men Overcome Gods Love overcomes all unworthiness 84 Outward Outward Comforts see Thoughts P Pardon Pardon see Restitution Parents Parents and Masters must use more conviction than correction 52 Particular Particular persons should remember Gods ancient Love 7 Particulars affect most 294 Passionate Passionate spirits see Meditation Peace A blessing for them that hastens peace 112 People Gods People are his Host 272 Perseverance Perseverance why more frequent under the Gospel than under the Law 69 Perverse A perverse spirit the punishment of ingratitude 401 Piety Piety raiseth the heart more than Pride 126 Plea The plea of Justice and Mercy 140 Popery Popery see Beginning Posture The posture of a Congregation 417 Prayer Prayer see Encouragement Priests Priests see Vanity Preserve Preserve see Honor Prevailing Prevailing recompenceth all our labor in seeking 242 Pride Notes of pride in some new Officers 461 Priviledg Priviledg see Saints Procession Procession see England Profit Profit see Ministry Promise No command in the Gospel without a promise 91 Prosperity Many Saints worse for prosperity 453 Prosperity see Exalted Proud Proud men see Vanity Providence Things accidental are under providence 18 Provoke How we should provoke one another 464 Provoking Provoking God see Aggravation Provoking sins expressed 465 Punishment The punishment of Apostacie 409 R Reason Reasons of Jacob's taking his brother by the heel 219 Reason see Magistrates Use Relations The love of all Relations in Gods Love 85 Religion Religion see England Reformation Reformation see Awaking Recreation Times for Recreation to be allowed to Servants 101 Repentance Repentance a Gospel-Grace not of the Law
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
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
is called by the Name Love it shews that Love is very amiable and very beautiful Secondly Love it hath much sweetness in it much power to insinuate its self into the heart As we know base love adultrous love it hath a great deal of power to insinuate into the heart in Eccles 7. 26. the hands of the whorish woman are called bonds If whorish love hath such power so to insinuate and to be bonds much more then hath True Love Cracious Love Thirdly Love it is generative Love hath a great generative power to beged Love Augustin saith There is no greater provocation to Love than to begin to love Love can draw iron hearts Love it is the Loadstone of Love it will draw Love and beget Love where ever it is Fourthly Where Love is got into the soul it cōmands all it commands all the Faculties and Understanding where Love is got Look what a man loves so accordingly his understanding will work It a man loves his sin his understanding will be working for his sin Oh what subtil Arguments will men have for their sin when they love it any way that a mans heart is engaged in Love he will be very subtil to argue for it So on the contrary when once the Lord hath taken the heart with Love this Love commands the understanding and then all reasonings are for God and the soul it hearkens after no reasonings that are against God or against his waies when once the heart is taken with Love If a mans heart be taken with love to a Woman he will hear nothing against her but if his love be taken off from her then every report that he hears against her he will aggravate to the uttermost he can and will soon beleeve it So it is when a mans heart is taken with the things of God and of Religion it will hear nothing against them but if a mans heart be off and do not love the waies of God then they are glad if they can hear any thing that makes against them Love commands all the Faculties of the Soul the Understanding and the Thoughts it commands the Will and Affections it commands the Body it commands the Estate it commands the Liberties it commands all that a man hath or is or can do Love hath the absolute commanding power of all Oh! Love hath strong Bonds And again Love it makes every thing that is done for the beloved to be delightful It doth not only command to do a thing but it makes it delightful I will rest in my love and rejoyce over them with singing saith God When the heart is once taken with love I say it doth not only do that which is good for that which it doth love but doth it with delight And then Love knows not any bounds it never sets its self any bounds at all but would do and do and do and do even infinitly for that it doth love so far as love prevails no bounds are set Yea and when it doth much it will not be wearie neither So far as the Soul is acted with Love it will never be wearie with what it doth Men that love their pastime all night they will sit up at it and never be tired so those that love the waies of God though the flesh may be weak yet not the spirit And then Love it is strong so as it stands out against all oppositions nothing that doth oppose can prevail against love in Cant. 8. 6 7. Love is as strong as death and many waters cannot quench the fire of love And then in the next place Love it rejoyces in suffering not only delights in doing but delights in suffering If one that loves another shall suffer for him that he doth love he will rejoyce in those sufferings And lastly Love it suffers not its self to be its self as it were to be at his own dispose Love doth wholly give its self into the possession of him that it doth love it is not his own no longer The heart that is once taken with love is no more its own but gives its self into the possession of that that it doth love so that put all these together and you may see that love it hath strong Bonds I drew them with the Bonds of Love And then a Second Note of Observation is this Let us do as God doth then that is Labor to cast the Bonds of Love upon those we have to deal with it 's Gods way to his people to bind them to himself to throw upon them Bonds of Love And then saith God I have enough I have them strong enough if I get them with the bonds of Love Oh let us do as God doth labor to draw people with bonds of Love If you would draw any to you let it be by Love do you desire to draw any to you you that are Ministers especially you are appointed to draw others to God it 's your work what should you do open the Love of God to them present the Grace of the Gospel to souls labor to work upon their hearts by all the mercies of God By the mercy of God tendered to them by the mercy of God received by them bestowed upon them There 's no such way to draw souls to God as this Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that 's the preaching of the Gospel The first preaching of all Christs Sermons and of his Disciples was Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand As if he should say Oh! Sirs look about you Consider your waies there 's a glorious Kingdom now at hand a Kingdom of righteousness and mercy wherein the glory of the Grace of God comes to be revealed to the children of men in another way than ever formerly This is the way to bring men to repentance It 's true it 's good to use all means to shew the greatness and the justness and the holiness of God and the like But the prevailing argument above all to bring men to repentance it is That the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and indeed we would do so if we did consider that repentance it is a Gospel Grace it is not that that comes by the Law the Law takes no notice of repentance but the Gospel and therefore to present the Love of God as it is in the Gospel so there God manifests his love to the children of men and that 's the way to draw to repentance there 's a notable story that we have in the book of Martyrs not far from the beginning as also in the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius speaking of John the Apostle that did commit a yong man which was very hopeful unto a Bishop to take care of him but afterwards proved to be very wicked and got among a company of theeves and so came to be the Captain of a company of theeves and robbers
Sun as the Sun is high above a piece of earth But now this we may know let there be never such excellent Creatures made they cannot have a greater fruit of love than mankind hath from God Oh! this is the love of God to mankind this cals aloud to the children of men to love God here 's a fruit of love beyond that which is to Angels for the Lord took not upon him the Nature of Angels but the Nature of man Fifthly God so loved his people as he hath given himself too as well as his Son Not only given the Second Person in Trinity but Himself He doth not think enough to give Heaven and Earth to thee to be thy Portion but he will make Himself to be thy portion he will be thy God You would think it a great matter if God should say Well all this world I will give to be thy portion yea that I might give a testimony that I love thee I will make another world for thy sake and make thee the Emperor of it all but in that God hath given thee his Son and given thee Himself this is a greater degree of Love and the soul of man were it enlarged indeed so as it might be yea so as grace doth enlarge the hearts of the Saints such a soul would say Lord what will thou give me if thou givest me not thy Son if thou givest me not thy Self though I be less than the least of thy mercies yet except I have thy self to be my protion this is not sufficient for me Well saith God That thou maiest know that my heart is set upon thee for good I 'le give thee my Son I 'le give thee my self and my Spirit Oh! what love is this to the children of men that ever we should live to have our ears filled with this sound from Heaven that God should do such things as these are for the children of men Sixthly God doth so love his people as in comparison of his Saints he cares not what becomes of all the world in Isa 43. 4. I loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life If thy case be so that it shall not be well with thee without great evils that shall come upon the children of men the generality of men and many people and Nations I do not so much care for them saith God my heart is upon you so as in comparison of you I care not what becomes of all the world Oh the Love of God unto his Saints Yea further God hath loved thee so as he hath pardoned all thy sins here 's another twist of Gods Love in Rev. 1. 5. Vnto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sins by his own blood For his giving himself for us that is in Gal. 2. 20. He hath loved us and washed us from our sins by his own blood here 's a fruit of Love You do not hear it said that Christ hath loved us and hath purchased great Kingdoms for us hath made you Lords and Earls and Countesses and so hath loved you no But he hath loved us and washed us from our sins by his blood Now it 's a good argument that the Love of God is upon you if you account this to be a great fruit of Love to wash you from your sins by the blood of Jesus Christ Surely if he will do so much for you as shall cost him so dear as his own blood he loves you the Love Jesus Christ broke through these difficulties for when there were such transactions between the Father and Son about redeeming the Soul saith God If thou wilt take upon thee to deliver them from their sin thou must come thy self and be made a Curse for their sins What will you undertake such a thing as that to deliver them from their sin it will cost you thus much Saith Jesus Christ Lord thy will be done in it yet let me deliver them from their sin though I lose my life though it cost me my blood though I be made a Curse whatsoever it cost me yet let their sins be washed from them He hath washed us from our sins though it cost him his blood Oh! the Love of Christ to his Saints what Bonds of Love have we here I have seen some that they may twist and bind their cords the more fast they will wet them that so they may close and bind the more Oh the Cords of the Love of Jesus Christ are wet with his own blood Again Loved thee surely his Love hath been great he hath put loveliness upon thee he hath put upon thee his own Nature If one can say any thing greater than hath been said this one would think should be very high and great tor God so love us as to put his own Nature into us to make us partaker of the Divine Nature so to love us as to put his own Life into us to enable us to live the very same life that himself doth live so to love us as to put his own Image upon us Oh! this is the Love of God to his Saints Again He loves thee with the very same Love wherewith he loves Jesus Christ himself In John 17. about the latter end That thou maiest love them with the same Love wherewith thou hast loved me saith Christ to the Father Oh! to have the same Love that the Father loves Christ withal Is not this a strong Bond to bind thy heart to God If God had loved thee only so as to give thee an estate and honors here in this world this is no other love but that the Reprobate may have and will this Love satisfie thee Oh! the difference between the Love of God to his Saints and the Love of God to other men he loves the great ones of the world that are wicked with no other love but with the love that he loves a Reprobate but he loves the Saints with the same Love wherewith he loves his Son and this Love will bring thee one day to be one with the Father and the Son and is not here a strong Bond of Love to gain thy heaâ—t to Himself And further from this it must needs be that the Lord must delight in Communion with his Saints and indeed God doth all this for his Saints puts the Divine Nature into them and the Life of God and sets so much Love upon them why that he might have a people to enjoy everlasting Communion with him saith God I would fain have some Creatures that might live with me to enjoy communion with me that might live to see my face and see all the Glory that I intend to manifest to all eternity Oh blessed God! hast not thou the Angels that are with thee to enjoy thy Glory to have communion with thee no saith God but I would have these poor creatures that are so low and mean in the
Word this day these Bonds may be somewhat strengthened that you may feel some strength in these Bonds that you may go away with your hearts more strongly united to the Love of God than ever I drew them with the Cords of a man With Bonds of Love and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their Jaws and I laid meat unto them Part of the last Sermon it was spent in opening unto you these Bonds of Love And shewing First What were the Bonds of Gods Love towards the people of Israel the several expressions of Gods Love to them in several particulars And shewed you how that all those that had to deal with men to draw them to God should do as God doth labor to draw them with Bonds of Love I have especially directed my self unto the Saints of God and shewed to them what bonds of of Love God hath laid upon their hearts to draw them to himself I have not applied this point generally yet for indeed one principal Bond of the Love of God towards the Nation will follow in the words after But certainly the Lord hath sought to draw this Nation to himself with Bonds of Love We may say concerning God he hath loved this Nation Loved it It was the first Nation that ever received Jesus Christ by the countenance of publick Authority of the Supream Authority in the Nation And when Antichrist had darkned the light of the Gospel here the bowels of Gods Compassions yerned towards it and God wrought wonderfully to deliver this Nation from Antichristian Tyrannie Moreover The Lord hath not sent the light and power of the Gospel to any Nation under Heaven more fully nay without prejudice to any other we may say not so fully as to this Nation though there are many of the Saints of God else where yet in no place under Heaven hath God more yea so many Saints I might almost say put all the Nations of the earth together so many that know him so fully and have that power of godliness in the worshiping of him as here in this Nation Oh! the Bonds of Love that are upon us Yea If we look upon our outward mercies those liberties that we enjoy there 's scarce any Nation that hath the Commonalty of the people that live like men in comparison of ours for the most part of all the Nations in the world the generality of people are like slaves rather than any Free-men their Governors rule over them with Tyranny but here the Common people have Liberties and God works mightily for them for the vindicating of the Liberties that they have both for their bodies and outward estates and their souls likewise and Oh! the Love that God hath shewn unto us of late in working so miraculously for us as he hath done But there is one point more observable in these Bonds of Love that God draws people unto himself by The scope of the Prophet here in mentioning these Bonds of Love it is to aggravate their sin from whence there is this That there 's nothing more aggravates sin than that it is against Love God hath Three Bonds to bind us to Obedience There 's the Bond of his Law And the Bonds of Afflictions And the Bonds of Love But now to break all these Bonds The Bonds of the Commandements and the Bonds of Afflictions and Bonds of Love too this aggravates sin very much Oh charge thy sin with this aggravation Oh thou sinner What against such a God such Love Oh what a vile heart have I Saith Augustin Oh 't is too hard a spirit that though it will not bestow Love yet it will not requite Love O! let not there be such a hardness in the Spirits of the Saints Thou didest not begin with God to love thou didest not begin to bestow Love be not so hard towards God as not to requite Love Do not we see how base Love can gain upon mens hearts adulterous love what strong bonds that love is the giving of gifts and bribes what bonds they are to tie mens harts their hands and tongues and shall not the Love of God and the fruits of that be a stronger Bond to tie thy heart unto him Nothing goes more to the heart of Man of God than the abuse of Love A man can better bear the abuse of his mony the abuse of any thing he doth or hath than the abuse of his Love Gods Spirit is grieved with his Saints we do not reade that the Spirit of God is grieved with the Wicked God may be angry with the wicked every day but not grieved but when the Saints sin against him the Spirit of God is grieved because their sins are against Love when thou sinnest against God the Lord looks upon thee as Caesar once upon Brutus What thou my Son What thou whom I have so loved What break all those bonds When we reade in the second Psal of the Kings and Princes of the Earth that said Let us break their Bonds asunder and cast away their Cords from us We think that 's great Rebellion but for thou that professest thy self to be Gods it 's a greater evil to break these bonds of Love Oh! thou my Son my Child thou whom I have bestowed so much Love upon yet thou to sin against me when thou art committing of any evil conceive with thy self as if God were looking upon thee and pleading with thee by all those fruits of his love that ever thou hast received from him and wilt thou yet sin against him for all this We reade in Mark 14. 72. when Peter had sinned Christ did but look upon him and he wept bitterly Oh! Peter saw love in the looks of Jesus Christ and therefore we know after when Christ came to him he pleaded with him with this argument of love Doest thou love me and doest thou love me Oh! when he saw the eyes of Christ so sparkling of love and then considered that he had sinned against that Christ that had so loved him broke all those bonds of love then he went out and wept bitterly the word is in Mark 14. 72. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did break out in weeping For so it may signifie that force that there is in doing any thing to lay a force upon ones self to do a thing He did break out break out in weeping he was not able to bear it his heart burst even in sunder when he considered how he had burst asunder the bonds of Love Oh that after such manifestations of Mercy and goodness such warmings of heart in Communion with Jesus Christ what thou Oh my soul what canst thou find in any waies like Gods waies canst thou find the like love and the like sweetness in any as thou hast done in God yet for all this unkind unloving dealings God follows thee with Love his heart is yet open unto thee
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
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
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
to the Clouds then Lord be thou exalted above the Heavens that is in our hearts and in our lives Oh! that God may be exalted in an answerable way above the Heavens in what we do for Him as He hath been exalted above the Heavens in what he hath done for us let 's all exalt Gods Name he will be exalted in spight of your hearts My brethren God hath exalted Himself of late in our eyes in a glorious manner in Psal 21. 13. Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength Oh the Lord hath exalted Himself in His own strength but mark what follows So will we sing and praise thy Power Oh! let us sing and praise the power of God who hath exalted Himself in his own strength and for the good of his own people so of late But none would exalt him saith the text God hath little honor in the world men seek to exalt themselves but none to exalt God every man follows his own way his own lusts but the blessed and glorious God is exalted by few or none Men will appear to lift up Antichrist to exalt him the Kings of the Earth they will give their power to the Beast but none will exalt the Lord. Oh! let this grieve the hearts of the Saints to see that the blessed God so blessed in their eyes should be exalted by so few And consider every one of you how little he hath been exalted by you in all your waies And why should you vex and fret that you have not honor and respect when as the blessed God who is so infinitely worthy of honor and glory yet none almost respects Him Well let this be the Meditation from it The less glory I see God have from the children of men the more let me labor to honor him None would exalt him So the words are read in your Books and I think that is the most proper sense Yet I find Luther hath another reading and so others and that might likewise stand with the Original for if you observe the words him is not there But it may be saith Luther there is none that lifts up himself he and others turns it thus That 's thus Men are in a sleepy sullen mood that when God calls them they will not stir up themselves to listen to Gods Call and so Luther makes use of this similitude As a stuborn servant or child when the master cals him he will not stir and lift up himself to his call There 's none will lift up themselves drossie base drousie spirits that are sleepy and sink down to base low things they will not lift up themselves when they are called to the most high God It 's a great evil to give way to a dead dull and sullen heart not to lift up our selves when God calls When you come to the Ministry of the Word you come with hearts dead and sinking down with discouragements Now when God cals you should stir and lift up your hearts to close with those Truths of God that do concern you and it 's a great evil in many when they hear excellent Truths that might do them good yet they do not lift up their hearts to close with those Truths And now we come to the Eighth Verse which is a Verse very full and if in any you will give me liberty a little to enlarge in that Verse VER 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together HEre according to Luther ends the Eleventh Chapter and the Twelfth begins at the next Verse For the words themselves we have not a more full expression of pathetical Affections of Mercy and Compassion in God in all the Book of 〈◊〉 than here How shall I give thee up I beseech you observe God was in the midst of his threatnings of Judgment charging of them with their sin saith he The Sword shall abide upon their Cities and consume their branches because of their own Counsels And when they were called to the most high God yet none would exalt him How not one would com in What would follow One would think Now let wrath pursue them let the curse of the Almighty overtake them one would wonder that it did not but mark a greater wonder that after the charging of them for this wickedness and in the midst of Gods threatnings of the most dreadful judgments to consume them by the Sword How shall I give thee up Ephraim c The Lord here takes upon Him as it were the person of a loving Father towards a stubborn and rebellious child the child hath gone away from the Father and hath continued in slout waies It may be the Father sends after it it will not come it will not return but goes on stubornly the Father hath many workings in his heart to cast it off he shall never be a peny the better for me let him beg his bread from door to door he is unnatural to me yea but when he is in the midst of these resolutions and hath these sad thoughts towards the child yet there comes a turning of his bowels on a sudden Oh! but how shall I give it up how shall I disinherit it how shall I do it It is my child though stuborn why may it not return why may not yet God work good upon it It 's very evil but how shall I give it up I know not how in the world to bring my heart to it Thus the Lord breaks out here Here we have in your books four How 's How shall I give thee up Ephraim How shall I deliver thee Israel How shall I make thee as Admah How shall I set thee as Zeboim I confess in the Hebrew there are but two but yet for the sense of it the Interpreters put in the other and they have the sense of four How How How How shall I do it there are four Interogations here and four Answers Four Pathetical Interogations that God asks as it were Himself First How shall I give thee up Ephraim Secondly How shall I deliver thee Israel Thirdly How shall I make thee as Admah Fourthly How shall I sâ—t thee as Zeboim God is here Interogating Himself in these four Interogatories that come from his own bowels And here are four Answers to these As thus First Mine heart is turned within me Secondly My repentings are kindled together Thirdly I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger Fourthly I will not return to destroy Ephraim These are the Four Answers and the Last Answer hath Two Arguments First I am God and not Man Secondly The holy One in the midst of thee Now what the force of the Arguments are we shall see when we come to them But first to give you the brief opening of the words in a way of paraphrase and
then the several Doctrinal Notes from them First How shall I give thee up Ephraim Or as some others reade it What shall I do to thee I am as it were at a stand what to do as the Father that hath the rod in his hand comes to correct and lets the rod fall out of his hand his affections work so strongly What shall I do As if God should say Oh! were there but any repentings were they but ever so little I would be glad of it I would take any little repentings could I but tell how to vindicate mine honor any other way I would do it Oh! what shall I do It is your foolish wilful stubornness going on in such a vile finful way that puts God to such a stand What shall I do God seems here to have his heart troubled in him much like that in Exod. 33. 5. when God was offended with the people there saith he Put off thine ornaments that I may know what to do with thee It 's a strange expression as if he should say come and fast and pray put off your ornaments and humble your selves before me that I may know what to do to you Oh! why may there not be some hope put off your ornaments if there be but any repentings and turning to me Or if you take it as it is in your books How shall I give thee up Then the scope is thus Thou art upon the very brink of destruction wrath and miserie it is prepared for thee thou art in the very mouth of ruin It 's nothing but only a giving thee up and thou art undone wrath and miserie stand waiting only for my giving thee up Oh! but how shall I do it I see thee upon the very brink of ruin thy very neck upon the block and thou now waitest for my giving up but I cannot tell how to find in my heart How shall I do it How shall I give thee up Ephraim Oh! here was a strong argument that mov'd the bowels of God Ephraim if thou wert indeed the refuse of the world I would not so much care for many thousand of them but thou art Ephraim Thou art my deer child Ephraim my deer son you know what God saith in Jer. 31. about the 18. verse How shall I give thee up Ephraim How shall I deliver thee Israel As if he should say Justice calls for thee that I would deliver thee up to him thou art call'd for to be delivered up to Justice Justice plead that thou art her due but How shall I do it How shall I do it How shall I deliver thee It goes much against me to do it The Septuagint they turn the words How shall I protect thee So the old Latin And the mistake comes from a little difference in the Hebrew word so that the same radical letters in the Hebrew word that is for delivering signifies a Shield likewise To protect as with a shield And therefore they translate it so How shall I protect thee but that comes to the same thus How shall I protect such a one as thou art How shall it be for mine honor that thou shouldest be under my protection Men indeed do abuse their power they have to give protection to others you know there hath been a great abuse since the Parliament begun by protections that have been given to others but saith he How shall I do it that is I who am a holy and infinite God how shall I protect such a one as thou art How shall I protect thee Israel Israel here 's another argument indeed Israel I remember thy Father I remember that mighty Prince who wrastled with me and prevail'd and I account it my glory to be the glory of Israel and his seed What art thou the posterity of Israel of such a one so deer to me and such a Prince that heretofore prevail'd with me in prayer What art thou his posterity Oh! how shall I deliver thee up Israel Oh when God looks upon them he sees them sinful and wretched but when he looks upon what they were in reference to their forefathers How shall I give thee up Israel How shall I make thee as Admah How shall I set thee as Zeboim Admah and Zeboim they were the names of two Cities that were two of the five Cities that were together with Sodom and Gomorah now four of these five Cities were destroyed by fire from Heaven for the wickedness of them and one of them only was spar'd for Lot's sake But this Admah and Zeboim were two of the Cities that the judgments of God was most terrible upon the Apostle Jude in his Epistle the 7. verse saith That they did suffer the vengance of eternal fire Now saith God here The truth is you have provoked me as much as Admah and Zeboim have done their sins were not greater than yours and there is as great wrath that belongs to you as to them but oh how shall I do it how shall I make thee as Admah and Zeboim how is it possible for me to find in my heart to yeeld to do it Hierom upon the place doth move this Question Why doth he mention Admah and Zeboim and not Sodom and Gomorah The Answer that he gives is this That Judab those Tribes they are compared in their sin to Sodom and Gomorah in Isa 1. and Ezek 16 for Judah had more means than Israel had Judah had the Temple with them and therefore their sin was the more aggravated Sodom and Gomorah they were the chief sinners and Admah and Zeboim they did but as it were follow them so he And by following their example they came to inwrap themselves in the same Judgments but yet altogether their sin was not like Sodoms and Gomorahs therefore Judah that had more means is compared to Sodom and Gomorah and the ten Tribes to Admah and Zeboim My heart is turned within me Luther hath a Note upon this according to his usual way in expressing the Grace of God to the height saith he 'T is as if it were that the heart that 's stir'd with anger for the sins of men were not the true heart of God and therefore saith he My heart is turned to me mine own heart now I have my own heart indeed when I have thoughts of peace when I had thoughts of wrath that was not as it were mine own heart sutable to that expression we have in Scripture That God calls his execution of Jugment his strange work So that 's Gods own heart that is affected with our evil and that doth even turn with mercie towards us so mine heart is come to me saith God as if it were gone before But My heart is turned within me The meaning is this As when a mans heart is much affected in love and compassion there 's the working of the Spirits and blood round about the heart and mighty motions and stirrings in the heart So saith
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
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
As Joseph you know it was his reasoning when he had as fit an opportunity to fin as almost a man could have had with his Mistris yet presently comes there this reasoning in his heart How shal I do this and fin against God Oh! there is reason it should be so with us when God hath fit opportunities to destroy us there comes the reasoning of Gods mercy into his heart so when we have our temptations to sin there should com these reasonings into our hearts Oh! how shall I do this and sin against the Lord our God Let us present al these reasonings to our souls Men wil gather reasonings for their sin and so we should gather al the reasons that possibly we can against our sins It were well my brethren if men after they have sinned would say Oh what have I done But it 's better if men before they have sinned would say How shall I do it Oh! certainly our mind are very barren that we have not upon every occasion when a temptation comes reasonings to move us against it Indeed after a sin is committed men then can think of this reasoning and the other reasoning Oh! if God should thus deal with us First deliver us up and and destroy us and then God should think of this and that what might have been to have preserved us it would have been ill for us therfore God just when the danger comes for our ruin then he thinks of all that might keep off ruin from us And so when the temptation to a sin comes then should we think of all things that might keep us from this sin How shall I give thee up Ephraim c. The last Exercise we opened unto you this verse and made some Observations from it to proceed now The next Note is this It is not the Image of God in any man to be prone to wrath to delight in wrath to be sudden in the execution of anger when God comes to execute anger he cannot do it but he must have a how shall I do it before he doth it he must make a stop proneness to anger suddenness to let out wrath it is not the Image of God in any man or woman When any of you are about to do any thing especially against your Brethren against those that you have relation to be not over passionate reason the Case first in thine own heart How shall I do this True I think such and such they are in the wrong but what good will come of it if I do thus and thus Are they not those that I have had sweet converse with and experience of their godliness would it not be more for the honor of God if I did forbear will any good come to the publick shall not I rather serve the designs of the enemies with such sharpness and bitterness will they not laugh and scorn at Religion Oh! How shall I do this Oh! when we have workings in our own thoughts as bitter as gall if before we vent them we would but put this to our selves how shall I do this with presenting all the arguments that possibly we can to stop it much good would come of it Yea Ministers when they are to preach when they have prepared to deliver something yet if there will be any tartness in it they should think how should I do this what may come of it I may vent my self but what good may come of it what glory to God what good to the Church We should make many pauses and many stops to our anger As somtimes when you are traveling abroad in the Country you come upon some steep hill you shall find that the Country men they lay here and there in several places something to stop the Current of the water for otherwise it would gore too much if it should run down swiftly but when it hath some stop it doth not do so much hurt Oh! how doth the anger of men gore deep why because it runs headily and violently down and it hath nothing to stop it Men in anger they are very full of thoughts and resolutions and continually all the reasonings of the hearts of men and women in their anger tend to nothing else but to heat their hearts more all their thoughts work that way till their hearts are made fiery hot and so they burst out and cannot stay they muse upon nothing else but that that may further their anger and displeasure And those that are barren enough in their thoughts otherwise yet are very quick in invention and wittie for the letting out of anger and wrath But this would be your wisdom had you the Image of God prevailing in you when you find anger stirring in your bosom you would rather muster up reasons that may allay your anger that may qualifie it you would muse upon those things that may serve to be a stop to it for the present as God doth here Oh! did men but do so say How shall I do this what peace and quiet might we have among us A Ninth Observation is this you see when God though he threatned very sorely and charges deeply yet How shall I do this He reasons in his own heart for waies of mercy towards his people The Note from it is this Here we have encouragement plentiful encouragement to come to God in prayer in seeking mercy notwithstanding our wretchedness and sinfulness yea encouragement for beleeving This Scripture may be a mighty help to faith in our prayers seeking of our resting upon God as thus What doth God find it hard to him to execute wrath doth God muster up all arguments that may be to stop his anger and how he may manifest goodness and mercy why then if thou hast any arguments to plead with God for mercy thou mayest come up with boldness and freedom to him he is ready to receive it for thou bringest unto him that which is exceedingly sutable to him sutable to his very heart thou bringest matter to him that is agreeable to what his heart is set upon what doest thou apprehend the displeasure of God out against thee or against the Land where God hath any relation hast thou any arguments at all in prayer to plead with God For so God gives his Creature leave to plead with him as if he were a man Oh! come I say with a free spirit come cheerfully come with encouragement for thou comest now to do that which Gods heart is full of If so be that a man could know the thoughts of other men know what thoughts their spirits are most full of and could come at that time and suggest thoughts unto them sutable to what their thoughts are upon what entertainment would they have why surely when poor sinners if they be penitent sinners shall come to God and suggest any arguments for mercy I say thou doest suggest that which the heart of God was full of and exceedingly sutable to it The same
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
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
And that expression of God here My heart is turned it is not only to note according as I see several Interpreters go that God doth change the sentence of his wrath yet without any change in Gods Nature for the same God working upon divers objects works in a diverse way without any change in himself so that though there were those things that might have produced wrath and reasoning for it and God speaking after the manner of men as it were inclinations to it yet upon such considerations it should not be and though this would be a change in man yet God is infinitly above us and we are not able to know his Nature this is without any change in him But I think the words besides that it specially hath another scope and that is to note the strong affections as it were in God for so in all this we must speak of him after the manner of men to note the strong affections that there were in the heart of God as now We know that strong affections in us whether they be affections of Love or of Joy or of Anger They carry the heart along with them and cause very strong motions in the heart I 'le give you one Scripture that hath this very phrase that will shew you the meaning is not Turned within me that is in a way of change so much as to note strong motions that there are in the heart of God towards sinners Lam. 1. 20. there the Church is lamenting for her sin and expressing the mighty workings of heart that she did feel in her self by reason of her sin and of her affliction and you have there the same expression that you have here I am in distress my bowels are troubled mine heart is turned within me The meaning is not there that I am changed in my heart so as I am turned from my sin But My heart is turned within me that is I find a mighty moving in my heart through the mighty workings of it and the strong affections of my heart as we say sometimes You make my heart to leap in my belly or pant or ach within me Any kind of strong affections makes strong stirrings in the heart So 't is here My heart is turned within me I find mighty strong motions and stirrings in my heart The Notes First When there are strong movings of the heart of a penitent after God such an one may be very well encouraged to come to God for there are strong motions in Gods heart after him My heart is turned there are mighty strong movings in my heart for mercy to you do you find such movings in your hearts as you never were acquainted withal before before your hearts lay dead and dull and nothing would stir your hearts and now you find your hearts mightily stirring and working Doth your hearts work strongly towards God be encouraged in those stirrings there are as strong stirrings in Gods heart towards sinners And then secondly Let arguments to obedience for God cause stirrings in our hearts let them not lie dead and dull in us As Arguments for mercy Oh! how stirring are they in Gods heart If any argument for mercy towards finners be propounded the heart of God mightily stirs Oh! what arguments do you meet withal coming from the Word many times that one would think might work upon the heart of a Devil to draw to obedience and yet your hearts lie dead and dull under all those powerful arguments Oh! how unsutable are your hearts to God! Do you expect that Gods heart should work strongly towards you to do you good and yet nothing stir in you And then Thirdly My heart turned within me we must not cast out wholly the sence that 's given of it Turned in respect of the revoking of the sentence The Note is When we have resolutions strong resolutions to that that 's evil let us not think it too much to have our hearts turned to recall our thoughts and our determinations and our strong inclinations Many times men have strong resolutions to a thing and they see arguments that might turn them but only this They have resolved and they are loth to change their thoughts and resolutions Oh! take heed of this for God expresses himself after the manner of men there have been many times strong resolutions to have destroyed thee eternally but the Lord doth that which man would do when he changes his resolutions though there be no change in Gods Nature and he would by expressing himself after this manner to us hold forth this Note That we should take heed we stand not upon our resolutions when there are arguments to the contrary but be willing to have it known that now we are otherwise than before we were My repentings are kindled together Surely God repents not as man doth But you know the answer of Divines viz. That his administrations are such as if he did repent But the word here translated Repenting comes from root that signifies as well Comfort as Repentance noting that Repentance and Comfort are very neer a kin one to another as the Hebrews express Sin and Punishment with the same word so they express Repentance and Comfort with the same word My Repentings are kindled My bowels yern within me so that expression you have in Gen. 43. 30. Josephs bowels did yern within him And 1 Kings 9. 26. The mother of the child when she saw it would be cut pieces her bowels yerned the word yerned there is the same here with kindled her bowels kindled within her she found a heat in her bowels They are kindled together Whatsoever might cause any Repentings they all come together they lie glowing at the heart The Notes are these Three First Here 's mighty encouragement for prayer when we present arguments to God for mercy to think that those arguments we present and all other that possibly may be presented they lie glowing at Gods heart they lie glowing warm at the heart of God they are not only before God but there they lie as a company of sticks that are gotten together and so glow and are ready to flame out so all considerations that any way may serve to do good unto the Saints they do lie glowing at the heart of God altogether It may be sometimes we come in prayer alas we are straightned in our own bowels perhaps we cannot express our selves it may be but in one or two particulars we are able to express and that which comes out of our hearts comes very cold but when we are straigtned in our own bowels and can express but little for our selves and if we see such as belongs to Gods Covenant we must know that all considerations that possibly men and Angels can express that may do thee good they are all with God and are in a heat in Gods heart I do not know such a full expression as this is of Repentings kindled kindled together
Then Secondly Let us gather as many arguments as we can to cause repentance and lay them together and never leave working them upon our hearts till we find them kindled Surely there 's all the reason for it in the world Doth the Lord gather all together that may be for our good and lay them upon his heart and there keep them to his heart till they kindle and work powerful workings upon his heart for good to us then when we would repent for there 's reason that we should repent as well as expect that God should for us we should be gathering all arguments that possibly can be and never leave till we find them kindled and warm at our hearts Oh! many of you at some times you have one argument that sticks at your hearts and at another time there 's another at such a time there was some one truth darted in and it took your hearts and you would say as those that went to Emaus Did not we find our hearts burn within us so you found Truths coming in at such a Sermon and at another and another yea but now could you get but all those arguments that ever God did dart into you to waies of repentance could you but get them together and work them upon your hearts and never leave till they be kindled and be crying to God as Elisha did till he got fire to come from Heaven to consume the Sacrifice Oh Lord my heart hath a deal of waterie stuff in it that will not kindle till the fire of the holy Ghost come to kindle these arguments and make them to burn Oh! if it were with us as David in Psal 39. 31. saith he While I was musing my heart was hot within me and the fire burned so we should go into our closets and be gathering all things together that we can to work upon our hearts and continue mufing till we find the fire burning within us Nay our hearts heat so as to break forth with our tongues and even to say from our souls Well the Lord is God it is he that is worthy for ever to be feared and honored and serv'd I have lived like a base and sinful wretched creature without a God in the world but it 's the Lord that is God that is worthy to be honored from my Bodie and Soul and Estate and Name and Liberty and Life and whatsoever I am or can do now if it would break forth in such a resolution how excellent would it be Oh! let us be humbled I beseech you for the coldness of our hearts that nothing can kindle there What a damp is there upon our spirits that when any argument is laid it goes out presently We have Truths laid upon us when we come to the Word but our dampie hearts quenches them all they do not kindle many are wittie enough to gather arguments for sin and lay them upon their hearts and so to kindle wickedness in their hearts as in Psal 41. 6. you have a notable Scripture there of wicked men that came to David They gathered iniquity in their hearts all things that might sute with their wicked hearts and for the furtherance of their ungodly waies they gathered them together for the encouraging and strengthening of them in their evil waies But it should be the care of the Saints to gather all things that might further repentance in them That 's the reason why wicked men are so hot in that that 's evil They gather arguments together and hence it is that wicked men when they have been in wicked company they come from it so hot in their resolutions to sin Why because they have gathered a great deal together for the heating of their hearts in their sin and so should the Saints when they are together in a holy communion and fellowship they should be gathering one from another every one come and afford something to lay as it were to kindle the fire But how laying their light ends together and not their dead ends together And then the Third Note is this Our mercies to others should not be cold but burning Let us be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful That is Not only wishing good to others but let there be kindled mercies in our bowels that we may not be able to keep them in I suppose many of you especially of estates have had many thoughts that you would do this and this for such good uses and you see some reason why it should be so yea but now have these arguments burnt in your hearts so as to cause you to break forth into resolutions Well though I have had thoughts and inclinations to make use of my estate thus and thus yet I have been kept off but now they are kindled in my heart and I am resolved upon it Thus it was with God and let it be so with you And thus much for the Eighth Verse The Ninth follows VER 9. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger I will not execute the burning of mine anger so the words are IT 's true your sins and arguments against you did lie at my heart and did even burn it but I will not execute that I will execute the kindling of my mercy but not the kindling of mine anger Mark the several phrases Bowels was kindled in way of mercy and Wrath was kindled there was burning Wrath and burning Mercy but that which prevails It is the burning Mercy that prevails I will not execute the burning of mine anger why For I have kindlings of mercy in my bowels But how was this true Was not Israel carried into captivity and continued there many yeers and never yet returned again as some think and when they were carried into captivity for three yeers together there was a siege at the City and yet God saith here He will not execute the sierceness of his anger For the Answer That which before was said will give sufficient answer to it How shall I make thee as Admah and Zeboim that is though God did suffer them to be carried away captive and their enemies prevail'd against them yet he did not make them as Admah and Zeboim though There was not the fierceness of Gods anger the Burning of the anger of God out against them And the Lord had even in their carrying into Captivity yet he had respect to his Elect Ones and hath to this very day an intention to do them good afterwards And so we shall find in the next verse that there is a promise of the returning from their Captivity and therefore though they were for a long time to continue in Captivity yet still God did not execute the fierceness of his anger Sin indeed stirs up anger and fierce anger in God The Septuagint translate the words thus I will not do according to the anger of my wrath that is in extremity I will not do thus with you
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
Ish a strong man or a Noble man but I am God Ell I am a strong God and I am able to rule anger so as man cannot Secondly Man is of a revengeful and of a cruel disposition man cares not what he doth so that he may have his lusts but I am a God and not a man of a loving sweet and tender disposition Thirdly Man many times because he hath not satisfaction within his own heart therefore he is in a rage with every body Man flies upon others not so much for any thing that they do but because of the disquiet of his own heart but I am a God and not man I am infinitly Alsufficient of my self there is no disquiet in me all it at rest and quiet within me and this makes me to be of such a quiet disposition towards my Creature Fourthly If there be any mercie in a man it 's but verie little a little matter will stop the current of the mercy that is in man but I am a God and not man there is infinite mercie in me an infinite current and the current of the mercie that is in me cannot easily be stopt for I am a God Fifthly Man is of a fickle and an unconstant disposition but I am Jehovah and change not and therefore the sone of Jacob are not consumed Sixthly If man passes by an offence it is from some motives or some perswasions from without if there be none of those motive and perswasions from without he is fevere and he is ridged but I am a God and not Man I have enough in mine own heart to perswade me though there be no arguments from without yet there 's enough within me in my own bowels to perswade me for I am a God Seventhly Man he thinke it a dishoner to him to begin reconciliation with those that have offended him what shall I go and disgrace my self to begin with my inferior let him begin with me if he will this is mans disposition but I am a God and not man I account it my glory to begin the work of reconciliation there is not such a disposition in me as in man Eightly Man he cannot foresee the consequences that may follow upon his forbearing or pardoning of offences and therefore he is loth to forbear or pardon But I am a God and not man I have infinite wisdom and can foresee all consequences that will come Ninthly Man he cannot work good out of what ill carriages there are against him and that makes him not to forbear but I am a God and not man I know how to work out mine own ends and for the glory of my Name out of all the sins of my people Tenthly Man though he promises much mercie yet oftimes if those that he promises meroy to do offend him he will recal his promise again and he thinks he may do it and he makes all his promises but conditional yea but I am a God and not man I do not stand so upon it though I know beforeh and there will be many weaknesses and infirmities is my creature yet I have some promises that are absolute promises to those that are my Elect Ones and I will not recal my Promises though they be unfaithful and sinful Man doth not only recal Promises when there is occasion given but many times through unfaithfulness And therefore I remember Brentius an approved Divine hath this More upon this place The word saith he is Ish not Adam and so he translates it I am a God and not a Noble man you shall not have such dealings with me as from your great men many great then make great and fair promiseâ— and you depend upon them but they will deceive you according to that in Psal 62. 9. Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye and your Courtiers and great men how do they deceive the expectation of those that are with them especially in their need they leave them in the lurch many times but I am a God and not man you shall not have such unfaithful dealings with me Further If man forbears and passes by offences now he cannot have the offenders again at advantage when he pleases and therefore he thinks he had best take the advantages now Oh but I am a God and not man my Creatures I have them alwaies at advantage it 's true I can spare them now for I can have them under my feet again and again and again and therefore I have no such reason to take advantage of my poor Creatures as one man hath of another Lastly I am God and not man that is Man he is bound to positive rules of Justice that are set to him but I am a God and not man I will have mercy on whom I will have mercie and whom I will I harden The Observations First Goodness and mercy in God is that wherein he Glories it 's true the Lord is high above man in all excellencies but mark here how he glories that he is a God and not man in the point of execution of wrath Many glory in their anger and make that to be their excellencie and their bravery Oh they are brave men and of brave spirits when they can vent their wrath when they can rail and speak evil and make others to come and submit to them and strike or punish them why now they are brave men I 'le make you do thus and thus as in a Familie you shall have sometimes a poor man or woman manifest abundance of pride of spirit as if they were Princes and Monarchs they will do thus and thus and you think your selves to be of brave spirits but mark God glories in this that he doth not execute the fierceness of his anger I am infinitly above man Wherein O Lord art thou above them I am above them in this That I can rule mine anger and am merciful to those that are beneath me here 's Gods glory My Brethren this Scripture were there no other shews that passion and anger debases man we have a notable Scripture for this that God glories in his long suffering and patience towards his Creature in Numb 14. 17. And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken What had God spoken or where had he spoken any thing Mark this Scripture hath reference to the latter end of Exod 32. there God promised that Moses should see his glory and in Chap. 34. God made his glory pass by him and what was it The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundance in mercy and truth c. Now Moses hath reference to this Moses laies hold upon this as if he should say Oh Lord was not there a time that I was pleading with thee and didest not thou promise to shew me thy glory and was it not the
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
this is that now I am naming that thou shouldest have such mercie as an infinite God should therefore manifest to that end that he might shew to Men and Angels to all eternitie what the power of his infinite Mercy can do would not this mercie serve thy turn such a mercie as this is I 'le name it again abuse it at your peril Suppose thy condition so low yet would not this serve thy turn such mercy as an infinit God should shew to that end that he might appear to men and Angels to all eternity what he is able to do in the infinitness of his mercy Would not this serve thee and help thee and heal thee Now this is tendred to thee in the Gospel even this mercy is tendred to thee in Christ to be an object of thy faith and the very presenting of this is a work of the Ministry of the Gospel that it might draw acts of faith for it hath a power to draw forth faith yea to beget faith the very presenting such a thing as this is hath a quickness in it It 's true if you look upon God only as a merciful man this is no such glory as the shining of it upon the soul will ad life As now the shining of the Moon or a hundred Torches wil never beget life in a Garden but the shining of the Sun wil do it so the apprehending of the mercy of God any other way but as a God as a God in Christ will never beget life in the soul but look upon him in the infinitness of his mercy whose thoughts of mercy are beyond ours as high as the Heavens are above the Earth this is the way to beget faith And therefore those that cannot beleeve they take very il courses for themselves only to have their thoughts upon such things as may discourage them and they think that this is as pleasing to God but certainly the way to beget or raise faith in thy heart is to look upon God as a God in the waies of his mercy Yea but you will say The truth is this that you speak of that God is a God and not a man is rather a discouragement to my heart 't is a God that I have sinned against and not a man as one way it may encourage me so another way it may discourage me Against thee against thee only have I sinned saith David Psal 51. And indeed this is the most piercing thought in a true penitent heart My sin is against God I have lived so long a time without a God in the course of my life and I have struck at God himself in my sinful waies Oh wretch that I have been I have been guilty of the darkening of the glory of the great God in the world Now I 'le answer thee this in a word And is this that which doth aggravate thy sin in thy heart does this work upon thy heart most that thou canst appeal to God that of all the considerations of sin that ever thou hadest in thy life there is nothing grieves thee so much as that it is against God Because God is so glorious so infinitely worthy of honor from all his creatures be of good comfort and take encouragement from this point and mark what I am saying and with that I shall close all If the confideration of the glory of God above a man doth thus aggravate thy sin to thy humiliation then it will aggravate the mercy of God to thy consolation as well If thou workest this thought upon thy heart Oh my sin is against a God and not a man and therefore my heart is humbled then the Lord would have thee to make use of the consideration of his glory as a God for thy comfort God is a God and not a man in the way of mercy The Holy one in the midst of thee God glories much in his Holiness and that in the midest of his people Gods Holiness is He is here said to be the Holy One. 1. To shew that the anger He would let out should be such as should have no mixture of evil But what considerations might be to order and guide it should not be wanting Mens angers are very unclean there is much smoke and fil thy stuff together in their fire But here in Exod. 15. 11. God is said to be Glorious in Holiness Gods vials of wrath are golden Revel 15. 7. Let us labor to be holy in our anger This is a rare thing if there be any corruption in mans heart it usualappears in his anger 2. Because of his gracious carriage toward them in regard of his Covenant to make that good to them he would remember his faithfulness to Abraham Obs 1. God delights to shew the glory of his Holiness in mercy and in pardoning of sin rather than in revenging for sin Obs 2. Gods faithfulness is a special part of the glory of his Holiness Use 1. Hence see how Holiness will help our faith Use 2. Let us manifest our holiness in our faithfulness I am holy to make them holy to sanctifie them to my self In the midst of thee Casting the beams of his Glory on every fide of him But how in the midst when they so vile and cast off from being his people a sink of Idolatry and wickedness In respect of some of his Elect Saints Obs God continues among a people for his Saints his Elects sake The Saints should consider of God a holy God in the midst of them and accordingly behave themselves Levit. 26. 12. I will walk among you and I will be your God But 2 Cor. 16. 16. I will dwell among them and walk in them Obs Men of Place and Government should be in the midst of those that are under them carrying themselves holily though they should be froward pettish sinful yet they should carry themselves according to rule in all holiness gravity wisdom moderation c. Rivit Tarnovius with some others thinks that here is Enallage Numeri a change of the number Sanctus for Sancti Holy for Holy Ones or Saints and so hath reference to the destruction of Sodom because there were no righteons here are Obs The Saints are of great use in the places where they live They are the cause of mitigation of Judgments I will not enter into the City Luther thus God would signifie himself to be merciful to scattered Israeh among the Gentiles Vt tamen non redeant ad Politiam Mosaicam but so that they should not return to the Mosaical Law But rather it is to be taken in reference to the manner of Gods proceedings in the destruction of Sodom after he had done conferring with Abraham he entred into the City and destroyed it by fire and brimstone Obs God many times stands at the gates of a City ready to enter in and destroy it but humiliation in prayer and reformation keeps him out God
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
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
I will never leave thee nor forsake thee that the Apostle to the Hebrews applies to the Christians at that time that he spake to us he spake it to thee and me if we be BELEEVERS that that God spake to the distressed and afflicted ones in Psal 102. He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer that he spake to us for in ver 18. This shall be written for the Generations to come And that which God spake to Jacob at these two several times in Bethel it 's written for the Generations to come it 's written for us Well then what was it What was the special thing that God spake to Jacob when he found him at Bethel and what was that to us I 'le shew you many things There are nine or ten notable things to be observed by us which God spake unto us The first thing that he spake to Jacob that concerns us as well as himself was this That the foundation of the comfort of the Saints it is in the Covenant of God That he spake to us there Gen. 28. 13. when he appeared to Jacob what said he to him I am the God of Abraham thy Father and the God of Isaac Jacob was flying for his life then and this was to comfort him in his danger I am the God of Abraham thy Father the God of Isaac then he spake this to us that the foundation of the comforts of the Saints in the times of their distresses it is the Covenant of Grace that God hath made with them and their fathers before them The second thing was this That the seed of Jacob are the inheritors of the Land of Canaan for so he told him The Land wherein thou liest I 'le give to thee and to thy seed Now this concerns us that the seed of Jacob shall inherit the Land of Canaan That was typified by it There are some that have a thought that yet there shall be an inheritance of the Land of Canaan by the faithful seed of Jacob but however this certainly he spake to us that all the seed of Jacob are the Inheritors of the Land of Canaan one way or other take it in the Litteral or in the Typical Sense The Third thing was God would have faith raised to beleeve in mercies promised even when there is a great deal of unlikelihood of the fulfilling of it that 's the Third thing he he spake of to us there he tells Jacob there at that time when he was a poor lone man with his staff and no provision but a stone for his pillow then he tells him of making good his promise it was as unlikely a time as could be a poor lone man that Jacob was went over with his staff at that time and that he should have such a Promise fulfill'd and his seed to be so great and to inherit the hand of Canaan how unlikely was this But God would have him to exercise his faith upon the Promise at this time when there was such a great unlikelihood of it The Fourth thing is this That the multiplying of the Church is a great blessing for saith he thy seed shall be thus and thus as the sand of the Sea shore I 'le encrease my Church abundantly from thy loyns Fifthly Promises defer'd though they are to be looked upon as certain as ever they were Yet the Saints of God have need of renewing of Promises even those that have most faith God renews the same Promise to him that was made before God had promised to Abraham to make his seed great but the truth is that the Promise though it be as certain as before yet it had been a long time and there was little come of it And then the Sixth thing was this That the blessing which comes to the world it is by the Promised seed He tels him that in his seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed the great blessing of the world is by the Promised seed by Jesus Christ And then the Seventh thing was That we Gentils were in Gods heart to do good unto us for thousands of years since Though at that time we were as Dogs yet it was in Gods heart to bless us Oh! this is a comfortable speech to us it concerns us Gentils in a more special manner than it did them that Hosea did prophesie to at this time And then the Flighth thing is That the Presence of God and his Protection is the only Encouragement of the Saints in their waies For in Vers 15. saith God Behold I am with thee and I will keep thee in all places whither thou goest this he spake to us this the Saints should make high account of And then the Ninth thing is That though Promises be not yet fulfilled yet God is still working towards their fulfilling for so he tels him I will not leave thee until I have don all that I have promised to thee though you cannot see how my Administrations towards you do any way work for the fulfilling of my Promise yet know I will not leave you until I have fulfilled my Promises And then the last thing is this which God spake to us there he tels us of the constancy of his Mercy and faithfulness that however things may go with us here for a while yet the mery of God continues the line of Gods mercy is not cut asunder but his faithfulness is carried along till all the good that he hath promised or that Faith can beleeve shal be granted to us for so he tels Iacob there I will not leave thee till I have done that which I have spoke to thee of All this he spake with us That 's the first time of Gods meeting with Iacob in Bethel Now the Second time that he met with Iacob in Bethel it is in Gen. 35. 10. and there see what God spake with us there God changes his Name to Israel there God confirms his Promise and Covenant to him again as before God there remembers his prevailing with him and his wrastling with him and in that God tells us he remembers our servent prayers after they are gone yet his heart is upon them there he confirm'd his name Israel and confirm'd his Promise That 's that he spake with us there too That the Saints have need of the confirmation of mercies especially the Covenant But then further Gods presenteng himself to the soul as God Almighty that 's a great help to faith I am God Almighty saith he there thou hast had experience of my Almighty power in turning the heart of thy Brother and now thou art in a great danger Because thou art few in number thou art afraid of the people of the Land but I am God Almighty There 's little power in Thee but there 's great power in Me. The Consideration of Gods Almighty power is that that should help the Saints in the midest
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
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
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 wonderful thing for them to have rain then But though it be Harvest-time yet it shall rain and thunder and all to the end that you may be convinced of yourgreat wickedness in asking you a King They had not only had their desires granted before this time but as they thought had some confirmation of their desires for Saul had prospered after he had been a King but yet for all that saith he I will give you an evident demonstration that it is not in love that you have him but it was your great wickedness in seeking you a King And Samuel called upon the Lord saith the text and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day And then in vers 19. All the people said to Samuel Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we die not for we have added unto all our sins this evil To ask us a King Now we do acknowledg it to be a very great and sore evil indeed though our King hath prospered a while yet God shews us now that it is an evil And by this you may see that it is hard for men to be convinced when they have according to their hearts desires that it is in Anger rather than in Love But to give you some Notes whereby you may be helped to come to see whether what you have granted by God according to your desires be in anger or love As First When you desire a gift rather than God in it when your desires are for the Gift rather than the Giver you can have no comfort that there 's love in it There 's no man that hath to deal with another if he knows that what he doth desire from him it is not out of love to him but meerly from the love of the gift certainly though he may give him for some other ends yet he doth not give it out of love Those desires that are not out of love are not satisfied from love Love satisfies no desires that are not raised by love love it acts alwaies upon love Now God knows what the ground of our desires are if we desire the Gift rather than the Giver rather than God in it I say we can have no comfort that it is from love what we do enjoy A gracious heart whatsoever it would have from God yet this is the main thing in its desires Oh! let me have God in it such is my condition here in this world that God appoints that I shall not enjoy him immediately altogether but I shall enjoy him through such and such mercies Oh then that I might have these mercies that I might enjoy him in them Certainly any thing that thou hast in way of satisfaction to these desires is out of love but when thou lookest no further than the Creature thou wouldest have the thing but lookest not at God in it thou canst not expect the love of God to be conveyed by it That 's the first thing Secondly When our desires are imoderate and violent then we have cause to suspect if God satisfies them that they are not out of love when we are in a hurry in our desires This was just the case of this People here Nay but let us have a King say they we must needs have him whatsoever comes of it we will have him When God doth use to satisfie the desires of his People in his love he doth first quiet their hearts he brings their hearts into a sweet and blessed moderation but when mens hearts are violent that the thing they desire they must have God doth manie times say You shall have it then take it but then he speaks not in love that 's verie remarkable The desires of the People in the 11. of Numbers for Quails it 's a notable Scripture to confirm our Point here That God doth not alwaies satisfie in love Reade Psal 78. 30. and so on there you have the same story recorded of their desiring of Quails they were mightily violent in their desires But that 's the thing I would observe there That the Lord after he had shewed that he did not answer their desires in love but in wrath then in vers 34. after the judgments of God had come upon them in the satisfying of their desires that many of them were slain by God then saith the Text he called the name of that place Kibroth-Hattaavah because there they buried the people that lusted that is The Sepuleres of the lusts of the desires that they had God sets a Brand upon that place saith he Here are the Graves of the desirers Oh! the desirers they must needs have flesh and they stood upon their desires their desires must be satisfied And here 's the Graves of the desirers saith God Oh remember you that lust after evil things remember when your desires are immoderate and violent it 's just with God to set a brand by som remarkable hand of his against you and say Here 's the mark of these desires that were so immoderate and so violent That 's the Second Note Thirdly When God grants unto men their desires but it is before the due time They have what they would have Oh! but they have it not in Gods time Children they long and desire after green Fruit but if they could stay but a few weeks or months one Apple then would be worth an hundred when they are green but they cannot stay they must have the Fruit when it is green They have it but it breeds Worms in their bellies and doth them no good So when we have our desires satisfied before the due time it 's not in love then Certainly a Mother intends little good to her Child though her Child should cry for green Apples from off the tree to fill the belly of her Child with those green Apples No it 's not the due time God had promised that Israel should have a King in due time that there should come KIngs from the loins of Abraham And in Deut. 17. 14. There 's a prophesie of a King that they should have yea but they would not stay Gods time and therefore it was not out of love in Psal 106. 13. it is said there That those that did so lust God gave them their lusts in his wrath They did not wait for his Counsel That 's that which is noted there Oh! we should be willing to wait for Gods Counsel We would have the thing presently done yea but Gods Counsel works one thing after another and one thing depends upon another and we should be willing to wait for his Counsel If we will not mind Gods Counsel but must have our desires satisfied and that now we cannot expect love in them but it 's rather wrath He gives unto them in his Anger and that 's the Third Note Fourthly When God grants us what we would have but there comes no blessing at all with what we enjoy he doth grant the thing but takes away the
blessing of the thing he takes away the comfort of it the satisfaction in it They shal eat but they shall not be satisfied So in Psal 106. 15. There he gave them their request but sent leanness into their soul the text saith He filled them according to their desires with flesh but sent leanness into their soul the meaning of the text is this It is a similitude transfer'd from the bodie to the soul that as many times men may have a dogs appetite as the Physitiaus cals it that is a mightie greedie stomach but they cannot digest what they eat and so the body is lean so here they had a mightie desire but as in the bodie manie times there is such a disease that the meat turns not to nourishment so in their souls they had even that their souls desir'd yea but their souls could not be satisfied there was that distemper in the soul as in the bodie the bodie doth not thrive with what it eats when it hath such a disease upon it so though the soul hath what it did desire for the matter of it yet it had a distemper in it thus it could not be satisfied nor thrive nor prosper with what it had Oh he sent leanness into their soul How many times are men and women mightie greedie and desirous after such and such contents and think thus Oh how happy should I be if I had this and the other thing it may be God lets you have what you would here but when he hath let you have it he snatches away the comfort of it you shall have a Well but it shall have no bottom you shall not be able to get out the good and comfort in what you have And that 's the Fourth thing Surely God is not in it for the blessing of God makes rich and ads no sorrow with it no he brings comfort Fifthly When that which we desire is meerly to satisfie our lusts meerly that we might have our humors and lusts satisfied that 's all we do not desire such and such comforts that by them we may be fitted for the Service of God in our places not so much because we have need of them to help us in our work but because we would have our lusts satisfied there 's all we cannot give an account why these and these things should help us in the work of the Lord but that we may go on as well without them But these and these things are sutable to our lusts Oh! if God doth give thee any thing to satisfie thy lusts certainly he gives it in his wrath as now If a man that hath a disease in his bodie if he hath an enemie comes to him and knows what will feed his disease the Enemie will give it him that he might dispatch him the sooner there 's no faithful Physitian nor no loving friend will give unto any that that will feed their disease but will take it from them and take it from them in love because it will feed theirdisease Oh! the Lord sees mens hearts set upon such and such lusts and if they have such and such things granted them their lusts will be fed by them they shall have them saith God It 's as dangerous a sign of Reprobation as any thing to give them that that shall be most sutable to their lusts that shall most harden them And on the other side The greatest love when God shall take that from his children that he knows will but feed their lusts there 's many diseases are such that the only way to cure them is to keep the Patient in a short dyet though they crie for food and be very hungry yet they must be kept very sparing why because the nature of the disease is such as will draw all nourishment to it self to feed it and so God is fain to do with his own people when he sees them sick of such a disease the Nature of which will draw all nourishment for the feeding of it Sixthly When men desire that they would have and are eager upon it but they take no great care whether they do enjoy it from a reconciled God or a provoked God it 's all one to them let me have it but whether it comes from God reconciled or God provoked they do not much stand upon that that 's very remarkable here in Numb 11. there is this notable story of Gods satisfying desires in his wrath If you turn to the beginning of the Chapter you shall find that God was very much provoked with the people here The people complain'd it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it and his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consum'd them and the people cried to Moses and so the judgment was got off from them but then presently after they fell to murmuring before ever any thing was done to reconcile God and their souls together you do not reade of any work of humiliation to seek reconciliation with God between the time that God did manifest his sore displeasure against them and the time that God satisfied them in their desires no they look'd not upon that God indeed was displeased but it was off now and for any matter of atonement or making up their peace with God that they look'd not at but let them have their desires hence it came to be in wrath the satisfying of their desires Doth thy conscience tell thee that there hath been a time wherein God hath been displeased with thee the anger of God hath burst out against thee perhaps thou art in a better condition now than thou wast before Oh but tell me hast thou humbled thy soul before God to make up thp peace with him hath there been a day of atonement between God and thy soul hath Gods displeasure been out against thee and now doth he come and satisfie thee in what thou doest desire before any thing hath been done in falling down before him and seeking his face and making peace thou canst not have comfort in this satisfying of thy desires but it 's rather in wrath than in mercy Seventhly When God regards not our preparation for a mercy he gives it whether we be fitted for it yea or no no great matter And carnal hearts take no great care themselves of it let me have it whether my heart be in a fit condition that 's not the thing It 's your sin and wickedness not to regard the preparation of your hearts for what you have and it 's Gods Judgment to give it to you before you be prepared A gracious heart when it would have a mercy it is as careful to get the heart prepared for the mercy as to obtain it Oh! there 's such and such things that indeed would be sutable to me but is my heart fit for such a deliverance is my heart fit for such a mercy as this when as it is thy care to prepare thy heart
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
their Judges generally were good and guided them in Gods waies but the Kings did not so For the Kings of Israel were none of them good from the beginning of them to the end Oh unthankful wretches that they are so eager to have another condition never minding nor blessing God for what they had forgetful of all the good that ever they had Samuel could appeal to them Whose Ox or Ass have I taken he judged righteously in his judgment But they forget all Gods goodness and mercy towards them and must now be in another condition Oh! consider of this you that desire new conditions be not you unthankful for what you have had if you be so eager to have more so as to forget what you have had if God should send you more your case is like to be worse than now it is If one should go and take meat to eat befor he hath digested what he eat before he hath fill'd his stomach but there comes new dishes to the Table that pleases his pallate and he falls upon that and eats more and more but that doth not nourish him but turns to evil humors and so doth him hurt but if he would stay till he hath digested what he hath eaten before then he might eat and have good nourishment And you that would fain have more and more have you digested what you have had are you thankful for what you have had hath God had the glory of what you have had before then if God gives you any thing you may have comfort to your souls that it comes out of love Further When men desire new things out of distrust of God and make such conclusions of unbeleef Surely if God should not grant such and such things unto them then they are lost and undone and there 's no way in the world to help them and their desires are put on by distrust Whereas my Brethren Gracious desires are put on by faith it 's the prayer of Faith that doth â—ood it is Faith that doth inflame gracious desires that are sent up to God they are sent up by the strength of Faith and not the strength of Vnbeleef It is the strength of Vnbeleef that makes the desires of people so strong as they are as thus These people desir'd a King Why because they could not trust God to have but only Judges as they had before Samuel was an old man his sons were naught and they see themselves in a hard condition yea but now seeing God had nor spoken to them about a new Government they should have had it from God if they had it at all God should chuse them one but they thought that they must have one to go before them in their Battels or else their Battels would miscarry and they saw the Princes of the earth they went before their Subjects in their Battels and therefore they would be like unto them and durst not trust God in that way that they were in before and therefore it was in wrath that God gave them their desires Yet further If when God changes our condition we bring the sins of our old condition into our new we can have no comfort then that it is out of love our care should be when our condition is changed Oh but what were the fins of my former condition what were the sins of my afflicted my low condition let me take heed that I do not bring those corruptions into my new condition And then lastly If we seek to attain our desires by unlawful means certainly that is curs'd If God doth let us prosper in waies that are unlawful in themselves we cannot beleeve that what we enjoy comes out of love but out of wrath I was the willinger to enlarge this Point because of the great usefulness of it Now then by way of Corallary by all that hath been said First Learn we then from hence To take-heed that we quiet our selves in our desires be not too earnest in your desires remember that Scripture 1 Cor. 10. 6. Now these things were our ensamples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted It hath reference even to their lusting for their Quails it was call'd lusting after evil things though the things themselves were good yet because of the way of their lusting it made them evil to them these are for our ensample because we should not lust so as they lusted Oh! when you reade but that 11. of Numb and the 78. Psal and there find how they lusted after evil things and how the wrath of God came upon them when they had their desires satisfied let these be ensamples for us that we take heed of lusting so And so when we reade of their desires so after a King and what they met withal when they had him I say it should teach us so far to moderate our desires as to labor to regulate them by the Word of God and not be headie in them but to order them according to the mind of God And then the Second is this Let us by all that hath been said learn to prepare our hearts for what we have and to seek proportionable grace for any thing that we do desire Treasure up this lesson when thou wouldest have a mercie from God Oh seek proportionable grace and prepare for the mercie Thirdly learn this Lesson Be not too much exalted when thou hast thy desires satisfied Me thinks this Point might be as a prick to prick the bladders of the pride of mens hearts Oh! take heed though you have prospered according to your desires Saul prospered a great while and yet it was in wrath Certainly there 's no great matter to be expected from such things as we may have in Gods wrath and therefore no cause to be exalted Fourthly Learn from hence Never to draw any arguments of Gods love by satisfying your desires in outward things It is a vain conceit of people to think thus God loves me why because I have desired such and such things and God hath given them to me If a man were to go and chuse a Wife if he knew her face were painted would he conclude Surely here 's one of an excellent complexion No he would rather suspect it truly the argument is as good That this womans complexion and the constitution of her body is whole and good as that argument that my condition is good because God satisfies me in my desires Fifthly draw this consequence likewise Learn never to envie at any men that have their lusts satisfied there 's little cause that you should envie them If you should see a man that loves Wine and you knew it were poisoned And a man that hath a Sattin Sute and you know it hath the Plague in it there were no cause of envying such a man a Leather Sute were a great deal better God satisfies men many times but it is in
example Act. 7. 2. observed Use A form of Answering to Gods call Note Obs 5. Quest Answ When we exalt God Note The comfort of a dying person An Exhortation 1 To great men 2 To the Saints How God hath exalted the Saints 1. 2 3 4 5 6. 7 Psa 108. 4. 5. noted Also Psa 21. 13. Obs God hath little honor in the world Use Luthers reading of the Text. Nemo erigeret se Alij ne unus qui se erigeret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simile Obs A drousie spirit a great evil to nourish it Expos general Analysis of the Text. The Text paraphrased Expos in partic 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Al. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simile Exod. 33. 5. Noted Ephraim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 68 70. Protegam Vulg. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tradidit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—lypeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 protexit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Israel Ieroms Quest on the place His Answer Sodoma Gomorah principes fuerunt in peccato Adama Zeboim earum exempla sectala sunt Luth. Expos Cor inversum Cor concitatum ira propter peccata hâ—minum non sit verum Dei cor verum Dei cor quod afficitur malis nostris quod ardet commiseratione The Authors Expos Accommodat so ruditati nostrae Calv. Simile The plea of Justice The plea of Mercy The Authors Apology Obs 1. Jerusalem's exsample noted Use 1. 2. Obs 2. Obs 3. Obs 4. The incompossibility of satisfaction salvation puts God to the highest exercise of his wisdom Simile Obs 5. 1 Sam. 16. 8. Simile Obs 6. Quest Answ The Reason Other Reasons 1. Prayrs of the Saints Simile 2. The little ones 3. Few worshipers 4 Former service to God 5 A remnant of Saints 6. Groans of the afflicted 7 Insulting of the Adversary 8 Elect in the loins of their parents 9 Other objects of wrath 10. Gods own affliction 11 God makes himself work 12. Justice glorified by others 13. Mercy may convert Application to England Instances of the workings of Gods heart towards Engl. Obs 7. For the resisting of temptation to sin imitate God in the Text. God reasons before not after our evils are upon us Obs 8. Proneness to wrath not Gods Image Use Ministers should be wary in using tartness Simile The effects of Anger Obs 9. Encouragement to Prayer Faith Advice when the blow is coming The casting voice Prayer Obs 10. Isa 53. Jer. 31. 19 20 with Rom. 8. 32. Obs 11. Obs 12. Obs 13. Rev. 14. 10. illustrated Obs 14. Note Obs 1 Note Object Answ Obs 2. Obs 3. Use of Admonition Obs 4. Obs 5. Use Direction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos 1. 2. The Authors Obs 1. Obs 2. Obs 3. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consolat poenituit c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos Obs 1 The Text remarkable Obs 2. Note Note Psa 41. 6. Opened Company heals whether evil or good Obs 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos Quest Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. Obs 3. Obs 2. Obs 3. Obs 4. Expos Obs 5. Obs 2. Text. Expos The differences betwixt God and man in point of Anger 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 3 Note 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10. Brentius Noble men 11 12. Obs 1. Masters of Families Use Numb 14. 17. explained Vers 19. Neerness to God most merciful yea if but in amoralneernes Masters of Families Obs 2. Obs 3. An apt simile The Devil's stratagem Discouraging thoughts in afflicted consciences curable by the former doctrine 〈◊〉 2. 3. 4 5 A ground of strong consolation from Ephes 2. 4 5 6 7. Caution against the abuse of this doctrine The chief work of the Ministry What is the imediate root of Faith Objects Answ Expos Use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest Answ Obs 1 Obs 1. Expos 2. Obs 2. Luth. Expos Cultum meum non ponum in unâ tantum civitate sed per totum mundum from the rising of the Sun c. Obs 2. Use Expos 1 Reas Expos 2. Obs 1. Obs 2. Expos Obs Use Simile Plutarch Quest Answ 1. Rejected 8 Quid faciomus viri fratres eum severe mentes audiunt non contingere salutem nisi Baptizatis credentibus in Nomen Christi verè expanescunt et de salutemsunt soliciti Luther â— Obs Great troubls at the aaising of Christs Kingdom Lactant. Prodigia miranda per omnia elementae mundi Reas 1. Luke 18. 8. eulightned Obs 1. Obs 2. Text. Saints need awaking before times of Reformation * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Turpidè accurrent Tremel Properabunt Vatablus in notis Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Filij Maris Expos Obs Expos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Advolabunt Vulgat Expos 1. Expos 2. Text Text Expos Obs 1. Obs 2. Obs 3. Use Text. Obs Cohaerance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos general Particular Expos 2. Theologus fidelis nihil aliud est quà m Centrum ad quod omnes line 〈…〉 dolorum tendunt Meisner The meaning Obs 1. Use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest Answ Obs 2. Let deceitful men note Expos 1. The time between Hosea the Prophet and King Hezekiah Obs Expos 2. Obs 1. Obs 2. Obs 3. Obs 4. Ministers Masters of Families Al men shold shew zeal for God Jerom in loc Expos Obs 1. Few regard this Shifts Luther in lo 〈…〉 Why some decline the waies of God Expos 2. Obs Revel 1. 6. illustrated Testis descendit cum Deo vulg adhuc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 testis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnatus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 descendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Riberain loc Obs 1. Obs 2. Text. Obs 1 Obs 2. Obs 3. Expos 1 Holy ones for the Holy One Expos 2. 1. 2. 3. Obs A Caution Feeding on the wind 1. 2 3 Simile The Chamaeleon the reason of its changablenes None sink lower when disappointed than conceited and confident men 4. The East wind Why hurtful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. Aestus Vulg. Obl. Creatures hope will prove but wind And pernicious Obs 2. Difference in the Saints froÌ„ others in Afflictions Expos 1. Lyes in Doctrine Vno absurdo dato mille sequuntur These times Rev. 12. 5. enlightned England Let Novelists mark Whence it comes that there is such an encrease o false doctrine in England Note An apt similo 2 Lyes against the Prophets Simile Several waies of encreasing lyes 1 2 3 4 5 Servants See the Apology of the dissenting Brethren And the Assembly's Answer to it Austin A horrible temptation to Atheism We should mourn for this Condderations to prevent suggestions of Atheism froÌ„ the contrary reports of godly parties 1. 2 3 Simile in Scripture 4. Use 1. 2. 3. Lyes in practice Why men find not satisfaction in their waies Invention to satisfie conscience may prove judgment Expos Expos Obs Expos Aegypt Canaan Note Mirâ—m est c. Calv. in loc Expos 1 2. God