that hath but the Calves and hath not the right Ordinances of God among them whatsoever they do yet let not Judah offend that have the true Ordinances of God and the true Priests and Ministers of God among them Observ Oh those that enjoy Gods Ordinances in his own way and the Ministers of God in a right way of calling they should take heed of doing as other people do And then Thirdly Judah was not compell'd by her Governours to Reas 3 do so as Israel for Israel you know by Jeroboam and other of the Princes was compeld to do what they did and they might pretend that it was for their own safety to save their lives and to save their estates but there was no such necessity for Judah to do it for God many times sent godly and gracious Princes to Judah and there was not such waies there to compel them they were not so necessitated to that way of false worship as Israel was if we may call it any necessity to that which is evil Obser When people have liberty and are not forced but God doth give them liberty that they need not except they will be Idolaters yet for them to close with waies of Idolatry and superstition when they need not this is more sinful It is true heretofore there might have been some excuse we were forced to it it was as much as our estates were worth we must have been cast into prison and persecuted and that made us do that we did The Lord be merciful to us for that we rather than we would suffer would joyn in those superstitious waies that were amongst us But now thorough Gods mercy we are delivered from that bondage we are not so compel'd yet that now for all this our hearts should yet cleave to those old superstitious waies this makes our sin so much the greater Reas 4 Fourthly Let not Judah sin for what then should become of Gods worship For God had no other people upon the face of the earth but Judah and Israel to worship him well Israel is gone from him and will Judah go too what will become of the worship of God A mighty argument to those that make profession of godliness to keep them from the waies of false worship and wickedness in any kind Obser If you depart from God too as others do what honor will God have in the world what will become of the service of God in the world Is not God worthy of all honor and of all service from all his creatures It is pitie there should be any creature in the world that should not honor and serve the blessed and infinite God But we see most do not and there are but a few a handful of people that regard to worship God aright and shall this few this handful forsake God where then shall God have any honor in the world Shall Judah go away too then the Lord will have no Church no worship no service in the world Fiftly God had much mercy in store for Judah more than Reas 5 for Israel therefore let not Judah offend For Christ was to come from that Tribe of Judah and the Lord promised that he would shew mercy unto Judah when he had said he would reject Israel as indeed he did Though Judah was carried into captivity as well as Israel yet God was with Judah in their captivity and promised them a return from it but he never promised Israel a return in the like manner as Judah Therefore since God had the more mercy in store for Judah let not Judah offend From hence these Notes are to be observed First We must not do as others do especially in point of Obs 1 Gods worship we must not make the example of men not of any sort of men not of our brethren not of those that profess Religion not of those that prosper in the world we must not make them an exemplar or rule in any thing especially in the matters of Gods worship Indeed the consideration how others sin against God should be so far from being an argument to draw us unto sin as it ought to be the greatest argument to draw us from sin Thus every sin against God it is a striking at God simile It 's true if there be a common enemy come into a City or Town every one desires to have a blow at him and when men make this an argument for their sin because others do it they deal with God as those in a Town would deal with a common enemy that is thus why such and such and such go on in such wicked waies they strike at God therefore let me strike at God too when thou pleadest that argument and saiest because such and such do sin therefore I may sin thou doest in effect as much as say such and such strike at God let me have a blow at him too Is there any force in this argument For ever take heed of pleading the example of others in waies of wickedness and remember this one expression that thou doest in effect as if thou shouldst say others about me they strike at God and I must have my blow at him too as well as they In any sin we must take heed of example but above all in matters of worship Hence Deut. 12.30 Take heed to thy self that thou be not snared by following of the Nations after that they be destroyed from before thee and that thou enquire not after their gods saying How did these Nations serve their gods even so will I dâ— likewise Take heed saith God thou dost not so much as enquire how these people serve their gods and say I will do so likewise God would not have us use that argument Take heed therefore of pleading thus other people do so and so and other Nations why may not we do as other Nations do It is a very ill argument to plead example in matters of worship I mean that worship that here Judah is forewarned of that is worship that is by institution and above all things the examples of men are not to be followed in points of institution In any thing in the world there may be more plea for example than in instituted worship and the reason is this Note Because that other things have somewhat of them written in the Law of nature in mans heart all matters of morallity are in some degree or other written in mans heart by nature every man hath somewhat of the moral Law written in his heart but institutions they are such things as depend meerly upon Gods revealed will and are not written in the heart of man Therfore though we might have a plea to follow the example of others in point of morality yet there can be no just plea to follow the example of others in point of Institutions there we must be sure to keep to the rule of Gods Word to look above all things in points of Institution to what is written and
in the air Oh but let us rather frame our hearts to turn unto the Lord. If we will not frame God may put us into the fire again A workman you know puts the Iron into the fire because it might be framed to such a work as he would have it simile but still the iron is hard and it will not frame to his hand then he puts it into the fire again and then falleth a knocking again So the Lord hath begun to put us into the fire that we may frame our doings to turn unto him and if the fire we have been in will not bring our hearts to a framable disposition the Lord may put us into the fire again and again And let not us complain of the heat of Gods fire but rather let us complain of the unframableness of our own hearts that we do not frame our doings so as to turn unto the Lord. But yet through Gods mercy we cannot say but that there are many in Parliament many in the Assembly Parliam Assembly City Country many in the City and many in the Country that are framing themselves to turn unto the Lord and so far we are gone Let us take notice of Gods goodness therefore As. First It is one argument of a people framing themselves Notes of Framing 1. abolish what is sinful that they have abolished what is sinful It was a great plea among us first let us know what we shall have and then we will cast out this that we have This was a pleâ— fomented by the Antichristian party but certainly it was the way of God and we have cause to bless God for it that put it into the heart of the Parliament and of the Kingdom to be willing to put down and to cast out and that by a solemn Oath by lifting up hands unto the most High God whatsoever was naught The Covenant And further In that the Parliament hath called an Assembly Assembly such as I beleeve never yet was in this Nation nor scarce in any other Nation men of more gravity 2. Take advice and judgment and holiness such as they could possibly pick out and whom they thought might best direct them in the waies of God such they have chosen to help them to know what is the right way of God and they do profess that whatsoever shall be revealed to be the way of God they will walk in it That is a good frame of heart And then That the Assembly hath begun with a solemn day of humiliation 3. Humiliation to humble themselves before God that so the Lord might guide them in chusing a right way to direct those that had called them together for their assistance There was never such a work in England before that was begun with such a day of humiliation Did your Convocation Convocation ever keep such a day unto God to beg of him directions in the work Peoples discontent Let not people run away with thoughts of discontent or lay any kind of slanders and clumnies upon them because of some failings in particulars for you must know when God looks upon Kingdoms and States God looks not at particular failings of a State but at the publick work he doth not so much look at particulars as at the publick work Now that there is so much done in a publick way that there is so much framableness though there be much failing in particulars yet we have cause to bless God It is true those that would fain have a perfect Reformation they woul fain have men throughly frame themselves presently and set up all presently without any more ado Short spirits and banish all presently I suppose thiâ— cometh from a good intention from love unto Christ and his Ordinances but we must know it is not so easie to reform a whol Nation that hath been so corrupted and defiled therefore though there be not so perfect a Reformation at present yet let us bless God for what is done that there is so much framing of the doings of the Nation to turn unto the Lord and not murmur and repine because all is not done that we desire And though perhaps they may never bring the work thoroughly to the pitch we desire Though no perfection yet a foundation for posterity yet I make no question but what the Parliament and Assembly hath done will be enough to lay a foundation for another generation if they bring it not to perfection themselves Oh that the Lord would yet further frame our hearts and doings to turn unto him Hath God at any time put into your heart a framable disposition to turn unto the Lord Applic. 2 to partic persons 1. Our selves Hath God begun to make you think of your waies Hath he begun to stir fear in your hearts concerning your eternal estate Hath he wrought in you some desires to know him to attend upon him in the use of means Make much of this framable disposition for it is very much pleasing unto God God complains where it is not therefore he likes it where it is and improve it O happy had it been with many had they improved that framable disposition that God hath wrought in them Cannot you remember when sometimes you came to the word what a melting frame of spirit had you and in such an affliction you were as iron put into the fire and you know then it is in a framable disposition to be brought into any fashion and hath it not been so with you simile But what is become of this disposition Is it not worse with you now than before Have you not lost it The time was when the word wrought upon you and you have had good desires and dispositions and you have thought Oh now I hope God will turn me unto himself Now I hope I shall never be at such a pass again as I have been and thou begannest to abandon such and such a corruption This was a good frame and now if you had gone alone and sought God and Oh that the Lord would perfect this work and put it on and so improved this framable disposition it had been well with you but you have fallen upon other business and gone into company and it may be upon the next temptation you have bin overcome your hearts have been hardned Irâ—n is hâ—â—dâ—r afteâ— quenching and iron you know when it hath been once in the fire and is grown cold is more unframable than before so it is with many after they have had some workings by the Word and after some melting by affliction they have been more unframable than they were before And let us make much of it likewise in others Is there any friend or child or kinsman or acquaintance of yours brought into this framable disposition doth the Lord begin to melt them to soften their hearts Is the Lord by such a Sermon or by such an affliction beginning to
4 When the Lord is pleased to work grace in the heart that heart is taken off from all creature helps they dare not go with Ephraim to King Jareb How are they then to be blamed who seek to the Devil for help in distress they dare not go to Councels or to Armies for releef but to God it is too much to rest upon men much more upon the Devil Do any of you go to Inchanters or Wisards to find God you may seek him but shall not find him Obs 5 We are not to be discouraged in our seeking of God though our afflictions drive us to it This people sought God but their afflictions did drive them to it yet God accepted them Use Sit not down despairing in your afflictions saying God will never be gracious our seeking Him is to no purpose It is true God may justly say to us as Jeptha said to the people Do you now come to me in your distress So God may say do you now come to me in your sorrows and miseries and cast me off in your prosperity Caution I confess it is very dangerous venturing the putting off our seeking of God till then but if then God be pleased to work upon your hearts be not discouraged but seek him still So Joel saith That in his affliction he sought the Lord But did the Lord answer him Yea his requests were granted Note That every seeking of God is not sufficient it must be early Obs 6 seeking of Him Early seeking acceptable Now men are said to seek God early When 1. It is in the morning of their years 1. In youth when young ones shal make this text true in the letter of it it is wonderful pleasing to God It may be God laid his hand upon thee in thy youth and then God revealed the knowledge of Himself to thee thy misery by sin thy remedy in his Son so that the Churches prayer was thine Psal 90.14 O satisfie us early with thy mercie How many sins are by this prevented Your father or master if godly would give a world if they had it that they had begun sooner to serve the Lord and to seek him early therefore bless God who hath put it into your hearts to seek him John was the young Disciple and he in his youth began to know Christ and of all the Disciples none had that respect shewed them as John had for it is said that he lay in Christs bosom and Christ loved him 2. As this is acceptable in the morning of our years 2 At first enlightning so in the morning of Gods revealing Himself as soon as ever God begins to discover Himself we should then seek Him early when the soul saith as Paul said Acts 26.19 I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision neither consulted I with flesh and blood Hath God set up a light in your consciences and hath it discovered to you your misery and have you hearkened unto the voice of your consciences What have you done since Is sin reformed Are you changed in the inner-man Is Christ formed in you and exalted upon his throne in your hearts Is your will subjected to the will of God and your whole man delivered up to the government of God This were happy if it were so But contrariwise is sin let in and liked of as well as ever after these stirrings and convictions of consciâ—nce Then are you far from the number of those who are early seekers of God 3 With fervency and diligence 3. When we seek Him with diligence and with fervency not in a formal way When Gods hand is out against us He then looks that we should seek him with intentiveness of spirit See how the Church seeks God with diligence Isa 26.9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night season yea with my spirit within me will I seek the early When was this In a grievous night of affliction when they were in great troubles then to seek God early with their spirits within them this is most emphatical So Acts 12.5 prayer was made by the Church for Peter without ceasing it was continued prayer prayer stretched out even so ought our prayers to be lifted up with fervency true prayer is active and working the fervent prayer of the righteous prevails much with God Jam. 5.16 Lively working prayers are prevailing prayers Quest But what is it to seek God diligently Answ 1 When we seek God with all other things under our feet when all other things are sought in order to this Contemn all for God The soul is carried after the seeking of God with a panting and longing desire as the Hart after the water brooks Answ 2 To seek God early is to seek him with our whole heart The heart is not divided in the work With our whol heart every part is imployed as Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.23 feared and set himself to seek the Lord he gave his whole self to the duty Answ 3 When the soul bears down all difficulties in seeking of God when nothing shall keep him off his wook Vanguishes all difficulties as Jacob wrestled with God and would not be put off without the blessing Gen. 32.24 So the woman of Canaan how earnestly did she seek to Christ for her daughter and would not be put off by difficulties Matt. 15.22 23 24 25. Answ 4 When no means is neglected to be used whereby that may be had which we seek for No means neglected The soul tries this means and the other duty and follows God in all his waies that it may find him as the poor woman which followed Christ from place to place to touch the hem of his garment Christ could not be hid from her Resolve to die in persuit of him 5. Resolutions for to die seeking of God is earnest seeking of God it 's our constant practice living and our resolutions dying as Jacob the nearer the dawning of the day approached the more earnest was he How contrary are the practises of too many who at the first seek God early and earnestly too yet after a while leave off and grow cold Oh that it were not thus with us at this day Use England the Lord hath brought us low at this time yea how sad is our condition at this time 'T is true there is a spirit of seeking abroad in the Land but now God calls for a quickning of this we should now put an edg upon our seeking of God Be fervent in spirit serving the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seeking in the original 't is boyling in spirit let us so seek him now that hereafter we may praise him Psal 22.26 Ps 22.26 they shall praise the Lord that seek him your hearts shall live for ever illustrated How sweet are those mercies which are won by prayer and worn with praises Therefore now stir up the gift that is within you you that never prayed before pray
together in an unanimous way saying Come and let us set about the Lords work with one shoulder every one encouraging each other then there is hope the times of mercy are nigh that people Use a sad presage to But this is our misery the divisions and the rendings that are amongst us being diâ—-joynted each from other Oh the wantones of mens spirits now among us for which God is much displeased and certainly is one great stop in the way of mercy that notwithstanding God hath us in the fire and threatens even our consuming yet that we should not joyn and unite together Obs 4 True penitent hearts seek to get others to joyn with them Oh how glad are they to see any comming on to seek the Lord with them and how careful are they to give encouragement example they perswade them with al gentleness saying Come let us go up to the house of the Lord we have found the Lord very gracious to us Oh come he is good still yea and good to you if you wil come into him if the husband have found God good to him he will perswade the wife the child the servant to come to Christ Thus much of their resolution to return the reason follows For he hath smitten us and he will heal us Hence observe Obs 1 That in times of the greatest sufferings a true penitent heart retains good thoughts of God God hath torn wounded and smitten us what then run away from God think hardly of him No think well of him and bless his Name even when you God in former times have practised Nehemiah Ezra Ezra 9. Neh. 9. Dan. 9 Psal 44. and Daniel in all their miseries how careful were they to acquit and cleer God to be just in all that was come upon them yea the Church in the time of her desertion retains Christ as a King and calls him so so that they have as high esteems of God now in their low condition as in their prosperous estate and as they dare not entertain hard conceipts of God so neither of his Cause nor his People they are not sorry that they have been so far engaged for them Many people are like bad servants simile Use of reproof who while they have every thing fitting that becomes them can give their masters family a good report but let them be crost of their minds and go away in a discontent Oh how vily do they speak of it and as sturdy beggers while they find releef and succor they can give good words and they are their masters and best friends but let them be sent away empty and then what name is bad enough for them so when things goes well with the cause of God and his people they will be on Gods side Oh take heed of being sorry that ever you were engaged so far as you are or thinking to draw back that it had been better you had not been so forward as you have been this is a base and vile spirit see but how low the Church was in affliction and yet with what a gallant spirit she carried it out Psal 44.12 13.15 and 17. verses in these times how is this text fulfilled in the 15. verse how do they complain that men do blaspheam deride and scorn them and in the 17. verse All this is come upon us What then Is not God good and his Cause good that we maintain No God forbid such a thought should enter into us Although all this evil be come upon us yet have we not dealt falsly with thee in thy Covenant Oh let us lay up this truth and it would be a mighty comfort and stay to us in these times and it would be a very good rise to prayer for mark in the 23. verse Awake why sleepest thou Oh Lord arise and help us Those can pray to purpose who in the sorest afflictions can manifest the most fear of God and exercise the most love towards God and his waies notwithstanding Obs 2 A repenting heart is not a discouraged heart It is such a heart as sinks not down in discouragements saying as some do we are a lost people and undone there is no hope we had been better never to have ventured so far as we have but give over what we have done it dares not draw conclusions from what hath been to what is and what will be this is too much presumption for any man David in the Cave can trust in God and hide himself under Gods wing Psal 57.1 So long as there is a God in Heaven this soul will expect help from him a true penitent will expect mercy notwithstanding Gods severity and justice the severity of justice in God cannot keep him from waiting for and expecting of what God hath promised if the soul can but get over this difficulty the deep gulf of Gods justice it will easily get over all other dreadfulness of mens displeasure a repenting heart is a purged heart and therefore not a discouraged but a supported heart those which are unclean of foul and filthy spirits are alwaies jealous of God and his dealings towards them Oh let it appear that we are not of discouraged and sinking spirits by the cleanness of our lives and the purity of our conversations carnal hearts are not discouraged when they have carnal helps to underprop them and shall we be afraid of any difficulty who have God for our help Remarkable is that place The Philistines motive to courage in the battel 1 Sam. 4.9 concerning the speech which was made to the Philistims upon the coming of the Ark into the camp of Israel what a fear were they put into yet how do they encourage themselves Let us fight valiently for our wives and children and estates that we and our little ones be not slaves to the Hebrews So say I let us be couragious in these times and fight for our Liberties Laws and Religion Did we but spend that strength in returning unto God which we do in discouragements Oh how soon would help come for us were we but thus resolved Now though we must not be discouraged when helps and means fail but yet humbled we must be for our sins which cause these breaches see how the Prophet Habackuk mannages this disposition c. 3. v. 16 17. we should improve our humiliation as they did Judges 20. who though in a good cause Judg. 20. a cause which God approved of yet lost fourty thousand men at two battels in the prosecution of it what do they now leave it off and run away No but put on courage and resolution fasted and prayed and humbled themselves before the God of their fathers and then they prospered Oh let us be humbled that we may not be discouraged And as we must not be discouraged so must we not falsly encourage our selves as they said The bricks are fallen down but we can build with hewen stone so say not this Army is lost but we can raise another quickly
and lumpish And as God smiles Use 2 when we humble our selves So should we look cheerfully upon our children and servants upon their submission having committed a fault Obs 3 Gods people account their life to be in Gods favour not so much in what they receive from God as what they are in Gods favour and presence Hypocrits desires are only for the enjoyment of mercies if they obtain their desires they are contented though they have no presence of God at all in them but the Saints if they have precious mercies and no presence of God with them it contents not them if they have health and not Gods presence in it if they have peace and not their peace with God it satisfies not them this is their cry Lord let us hear thy voice let me see thy face Cant. 2.14 for thy voice is pleasant and thy countenance comely Obs 4 When the Lord delivers his repenting beleeving Israel he settles mercy upon them and settles their hearts in the possession of mercy He doth not only give them hints but real possessions of mercy We are revived and raised yea but we may die again No we shall live in his sight we shall live before him Mercies to the Saints are not the fruit of Gods patience for then they would not be setled mercies But they are such mercies as comes from the Covenant of grace and so they come to be setled therefore called the sure mercies of David Isa 55.3 Obs 5 Faith is such a grace as raises the soul high and will not be contented with small mercies He will revive us and He will raise us up A carnal heart Is that all No but we shall live in his sight It is an argument of a very carnal heart to be contented with low mercies when a man will be put off with any thing It pleaseth God very well when his people will not be put off with smal mercies Caution though it 's true we must be thankful for the least mercie and content with it in oppâ—sition to murmuring yet we must not rest therewithal satisfied but if thy faith be true it wil expect more and if it hath got a promise from God it wil improve it to the utmost extent that the promise wil bear and when it hath one promise fulfilled it wil look out for the answering of another we do not approve of such a craving disposition in a beggar but God is much delighted with it in his people Gods people rejoyce much in this That God sees them they Obs 6 have much comfort from Gods eye whereas 't is the greatest terror to the Hypocrites hypocrits that God sees them that they are continually in Gods eye Job 24.17 If one know them they are in the terrors of the shadow of death if man being a spectator is so terrible how much more is Gods eye It 's no wonder they would fain hide themselves from his presence for the face of the Lord is against them that do evil but his eyes are over the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer 1 Pet. 3.12 The Saints account it their priviledge that God sees them and it 's a very good sign of sincerity when the soul is not afraid that God should see him when the soul can look upon the cleer beams of the Sun of righteousness without dazeling simile as the Eagle when she would prove her young ones holds them up in the sight of the Sun and if they can endure the shining and look upon it then are they of the right Obs 7 kind It is the great care of the Saints to walk as in Gods sight and to have their eyes in Gods sight Psal 16.8 I have set the Lord alwaies before me because he is at my right hand I will not be moved I will not fear I have set him before me this text is spoken chiefly of Christ as a Prophetical expression of him And if Christ must be kept from falling Use by setting the Lord alwaies before him much more must we not that he was in danger of falling as we are but this is to be understood as that text is he learned obedience by his sufferings he looking at God helped him to obey and to stand in obeying as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 2. ult What we speak it is as in the sight of God in Christ that is what we say it is in the power and efficacy of Christ but how comes this to pass that they thus preach why as in the sight of God We thus preach his power enables Obs 8 The eye of God upon his people is their safety and security The forenamed place testifies it 1 Pet. 3.12 The eyes of the Lord are the safety and guard of the righteous simile as a child thinks it self safe if it be in the parents eye so the Saints should look upon themselves very secure in the sâ—ght of God A Philosopher could say in danger of Shipwrack in a light starry night A notable speech of an heatheÌ„ in danger Surely I shall not perish there are so many eyes of providence over me Could a â—hilosopher say thus and may not a Christian say so much more that he shall not perish seeing Gods providential eye is over him VER 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the LORD His going forth is prepared as the morning and He shall come unto us as the rain as the latter and former rain unto the earth THIS Scripture is very full and hath much sweetnesse in it As an egg is full of meat so full are these words of marrow and sweetness and there is little difficulty in them We shall know if we follow on to know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Incumbamus in id ut cognoscamus Dominum If is not in the original but it is thus read And we shall know and we shall follow on to know The word signifies to prosecute and persecute to follow one as eagerly as a man which persecutes another and persecutes him as Paul did the Saints with all intention and affection when men thus follow on to know God will reveal Himself more Luther applies these words to Christ and the Gospel revealing him setting mens minds on fire by the truth so cleerly discovered and inflamed with such love to it that they followed on to know it But although these words have reference to Christ yet first they are to be understood of Gods delivering his people out of Captivity Then they shall know What shal they know that they shall live in his sight When God delivers them then they shall know 1. Gods faithfulness in his Covenant made to our fathers What the saints shal know wheÌ„ they follow on to know the Lord. 't is very little that we know of it now but the time is coming that we shal know it cleerly 2. The works of Gods wisdom al working for his peoples good in
pleasant is it It is like the dew of Hermon and like the dew that descended upon the mountain of Zion as that refreshed the grasse so is this affection of mercy and love in the Saints He compares it not to a dew that dried up presently but to a dew which descended down and there the Lord commanded his blessing Psa 133. expound Church-fellowship even life for evermore There Where Even in the communion of his Saints This is spoken particularly of Church fellowship Oh then take heed that your mercy and bounty in releeving your brethren and persecuted Saints be not as the dew that passeth away the Lord hath not made his mercie no not his mercy in dewing the earth as a morning cloud that vanisheth away and comes to nothing Oh let not our mercy and love be only in shows and proffers withot any truth and reality our mercies should come like showers upon those who have been parched with the burning rage nnd malice of the adversary help those that suffer for a good cause Now the Lord expects more from us in this duty than at other times we must not only pity them and give them good words saying Alas my Brother and alas my Sister and no more I would I could help you the Lord pity you and help you you must not only do thus but in actions and reality you must releeve them with your money and provisions Is it not with too to many of us as it was with those in James 2.15 who say to a brother Depart in peace be ye warmed and filled but give them not wherewith to do it what good doth this passing cloud do them it is but an overture but perhaps you will say that you have not been as an overture a cloud passing away you have bedewed the Saints in their need you have given something but perhaps t is but a poor pittance and that out of your abundance know that this is not sufficient it must be a constant dew and proceed on in degrees of mercy we should rejoyce that God gives us an opportunity to shew our love and mercy and not think much at it doing that you do forcedly or repiningly therefore let not our mercy be as the dew that passeth away Thus much of the words in this signification of mercie Now if we take the words in a large sense as in Scripture they are often taken and in this place also for their goodness and piety and in this sense there is much of the mind of God in the words they are so full of marrow and sweetness as can be desired Now in that God should express godliness and piety by such a word as mercy Note from thence The necessity of this grace of love and brotherly kindness in regard Obs 1 godliness it self receives its name from them though by nature men are passionate and rugged grace will mollifie them of covetous men it will change them to liberal and make them free-hearted for grace is part of the Divine Nature Nothing is so communicative as God the highest good The more excellent the nature the more cōmunicative and according to the height of any creature is the communicativeness of it as the Sun being sublime and excellent is most communicative so a gracious man hath he parts they are not for himself but for the Church hath he an estate he distributes and communicates of it to the Saints and according as grace ariseth in the soul wil communicativeness arise a true Christian is not close handed If grace hath its denomination from hence Then surely this Obs 2 grace of mercy is most excellent because the whol frame of the new man is set out by it and by this it is expressed When we use to set out the whol of any thing by a part we do not express it by an inferior part but in some thing which is eminent in it as by prayer many times is expressed the whol worship of God as be that cals upon the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved Rom. 10. Expos 1 As the morning cloud and as the early dew In these words God charges this people for three things in which their notorious hypocrisie was expressed Clouds and dew passing what they imploy For their vacuity and emptiness their words were empty sounds they were clouds without water as Jude expresses it Jude 12. 't is the high commendation of Christians to be full of God of Christ and ful of grace and knowledg of which Ephraim had a shew but it was but a shew Expos 2 For their falfness and desembling they had a heart and a heart towards God they dealt treacherously with God they were all in shows but in the bottom nothing but vanity Expos 3 For their unconstancy and sickleness As rain in the clouds shews much but is by the wind presently blown over the clouds now are all black and lowring but in a short time are blown over and there is a perfect cleer sky even thus it was in their goodness though they made glorious shows in their reformation yet were they all empty false and unconstant Thus it was in the general in the reformation of the Land when things were reformed in the Kingdom it was but by halves and in their particular turnings it was but as the morning cloud many times there was great appearences of reformation but they were like the early dew which presently goeth away The ten Tribes and Judah did make such beginnings in reformation and setting up the worship of God that if God were truly worshiped by any people in the world it would be by these that they would set God up high in their thoughts high in their practices and this was very burdensom to the Spirit of God therefore he saith What shall I do unto thee Ob Ephraim What shall I do unto thee Oh Judah We find glorious shows of reformation to come to nothing as appears in these many examples 2 King 1 9. and the 10. chapters Jehu made great shows when Joram asked him Is it peace Jehu he answered him What peace so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many And in the 10. chapter what a slaughter doth he make upon the Priests of Baal Well what came of this reade but on in the chapter verses 29. and 31. it is said That Jehu departed not from the sins of Jeroboam who made Israel to sin What a cloud of hopes was there in Ahahs time 1 Kings 18.39 all the people cryed The Lord is God the Lord he is the God upon the miracle which was wrought by Elijahs prayer when the fire came down and consumed the sacrifice but this all vanished in the people and for Ahab himself the text saith he did abominably in following of Idols so that there was none like unto him who sould himself to work wickedness 1 Kings 21.26 27. When the Prophet comes to him
did God say here mercy and not sacrifice Quest did not God require sacrifice as well as mercy Yea God did require sacrifice as well as mercy Answ But we must understand this with these limitations 1. I will have sacrifice but not without the spirit Sacrifices without the spirit joyned with them are nothing worth when spiritual worship is joined with their outward sacrifices then they are accepted of instituted worship separated from natural worship is regarded 2. Not sacrifices to make atonement for their sins The people thought by their sacrifices to make atonement for their lives though they were never so vile and base but saith God I wil not have it thus I will have it only typical in relation to Christ but they left out Christ in them therefore saith God in this sense I will have mercy and not sacrifice 3. Not sacrifice That is of your own They had many sacrifices of their own which God did neither require nor would He accept them from them I will have mercy and not c. 4. Not sacrifices That is such as are injuriously gotten the Jews were a very oppressing grinding people they would be much in sacrifices but it was out of the rights of the poor they would oppress and grind the poor and then think to make up all again by their sacrifices in this case I will have mercy and not c. 5. Not sacrifices that is comparatively mercy rather than sacrifice this negative in Scripture is often set out for half the thing it self as in Prov. 8.10 Receive instruction and not silver and the knowledg of God rather than fine gold Receive instruction not silver that is rather than silver Gods requiring of knowledg does not forbid men seeking estates but it shews us rather that knowledg is to be chosen before it So Paul is sent to preach the Gospel and not to baptize that is rather than to baptize for Paul did baptize in some places so saith God here I will have mercy and not sacrifice that is let me have both but if both cannot be had let me have mercy of the two I do so much delight in it that if I cannot have mercy and sacrifice together let me not miss of mercie Quest 3 Why should God require mercy rather than sacrifice Answ 1 Because mercy is good in it self but sacrifice is good only in reference to something else the good of sacrifices are only in their references to Jesus Christ Answ 2 Mercy is good in it self but sacrifice is good because commanded by Gods Prerogative Gods command puts its goodness upon it Answ 3 Mercy is part of Gods Image in man but sacrifice is not and by how much more excellent Gods Image is in man above any other excellency by so much is mercy more excellent than sacrifice Answ 4 All instituted worship was made for man not man for it but for natural worship man was made for it and not it for man therefore must needs be more excellent Christs reasoning thus warrants this reasoning saith Christ The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath Now this cannot be said of Natural worship of the duties of fearing God loving of God trusting in God Answ 5 There is more self-denial in a duty of Mercy than in any Sacrifice to do good to the poor and that in obedience to Gods command argues more self-denial than to be offering up to God sacrifices it puts a great honor upon the creature to offer up sacrifice to God because then man hath to do with God in an imediate manner Mercy is Aeternae veritatis it is an eternal everlasting duty it Answ 6 was alwaies and shall be so and the habit of it shall be so to all eternity though in Heaven there be no objects to be delired out of misery yet this disposition of mercy remains in them Sacrifice is a typical duty for the obtaining of the pardon Answ 7 of sin but mercy is a moral duty now that which is a moral duty is better than that which is but to further us in the getting of pardon for a moral offence committed against the great God Because sacrifices are but to further us in natural duties Answ 8 to what end serve Sacraments and why do I receive Sacraments but to strengthen my faith encrease my love and to further my appetite in hearing Gods mind why do I hear the Word of God but that it may turn me unto God Now the end of a thing is better than the means for the attaining of that end therefore upon these grounds God may be said to desire mercy rather than sacrifice What are these cases in which God will have mercy and not sacrifices Quest 4 The principal cases are these ten Answ in 10. Cases Sometimes in the case of a beast he will have mercy and not sacrifice if a beast should be in danger of losing its life by any casualty upon the Lords day God doth allow us to forbear all Church Ordinances at that time rather than let the beast perish but because this liberty by God is allowed to men in this case yet you must not think that a beast is better than all Gods Ordinances In case of mercy to the poor and that I conceive to be the principal scope of the words of this text these people here they wronged oppressed and tyrannized over the poor and then they thought to make amends to God by their sacrifices and offerings men must not lay out so much of their estates either in superfluities or for the maintainance of Gods true worship as to hinder them in their benevolence and charity to the poor no Ordinance of God should hinder us in shewing mercy to the least member of Jesus Christ although those which are next us ought to be first relieved yet know 't is a shame that others should be neglected and forgotten yea it is a reproach to the waies of God that prophane men should be more liberal to the poor that more hungry bellies should be fed naked backs cloathed by them than by those which profess Religion and would seem to honor God most do not you think this will be sufficient to excuse you before God when the cry of the poor shall come up before him that you have been at such and such charges for the Ordinances and for Gods worship no in this case God will have mercy Mercy to parents to releive parents in their necessity is a case in which God will have mercy and not sacrifice if providence so cast it that parents should stand in need of our help if we are able to help them in their decay it is our duty to do it though by this means you are deprived of Gods Ordinances you ought rather to regard the releif of parents than the observation of the Sabbath if the case should so fall out you are ready to think thus Were not I better to let my parents alone I must obey the
the Ordinances and Communion with God But yet know that the maintainance of the subject is to be more regarded than the comfort of it though it be spiritual but now have a care of turning what I have said into poyson do not ye say that you may now do any thing for the preservation of the subject we must not do the least thing that can be by which an Ordinance may be polluted and defiled To be serviceable in publick use is more than to enjoy Ordinances as for a Minister to preach Jesus Christ to a people is a greater mercy than his particular good can be and this hath been the judgment of all the Churches yea it hath been the practice of the Churches to send forth men to preach the Gospel and to open the things of the Kingdom to them in which time they could not enjoy the Ordinance of the Sacrament Paul would have been content to have been Anathema for his brethren the being of publick use for the Churches good was a greater good to him and more in his esteem than private Thus far of the objections the observations follow answerable to these Ten. Obs 1 That carnal hearts who make little conscience of their duties towards men and are very cruel in their dealings towards them yet may be contented to submit to instituted worship This very Scripture I will have mercy and not sacrifice is a secret rebuke unto such people as these such were those in Jer. 7.4 who cried The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord yet very wicked in their dealings Isa 58. those Hypocrites they could be content to submit to instituted worship frequent in solemn duties of fasting and prayer yet were such as did smite with the fist oppress and grind the poor Ezek. 24.21 Ezek. 24.21 the sanctuary was accounted their strength opened the excellency of their strength and that which their eyes did pitie and yet these very wicked and in the 28. verse their minds were on it their hearts did love it yet themselves carnal Reas Because men may be exercised in instituted worship without any power of godliness it is a very easie work to flesh and blood there is little difficulty in it in respect of the outward act of performance 2. Because it hath the most shew of the power of godliness they seem to be as sincere as any in their worship there is a great shew in the flesh in the outward man whereas Gods worship is inward soul worship which carnal hearts cannot endure nor do they desire it 't is outside worship which they prize now God forbid that any should have low conceipts of Ordinances because wicked men joyn in them Obs 2 Carnal men by joyning in outward Ordinances think thereby to satisfie their consciences Thus did they in this place think to put off God and their own consciences by living in the external acts of worship and yet live in the love of known sinne what a deal of stir had the Prophet to convince these Hypocrites of this their wickedness Obs 3 God and mens consciences will not be put off with this God will despise both it and them the Heathen gods would not be put off with such outsides Plato in Alcitiade even the Heathens had such a conceit of their gods one saith What a vile thing is it to think that the gods will be put off with gifts no these are despised by them they look that the souls should be just Seneca And another saith It is not fat sacrifices but inward performances that God looks at The Lord hath a high esteem of mercy and it appears in this Obs 4 that he will have it preferred before sacrifice and this is called an acceptable sacrifice and a sweet savour in Gods nostrils Phil. 4 18 Chrysostom Chrysostom saith That he had rather work a work of mercy than a miracle and surely that must needs be high in Gods eyes and esteem which he paies so dear for Oh Christians immitate God in this Use Exhort to mercy let your esteems of mercy be raised higher than ever before from this that you have heard concerning the excellency of it The works of mercy are gloriouâ— works there is more in such acts of mercy than in those acts of religion which men think are more spiritual I speak the more of this because it is a scandal which is laid upon godly men by the men of the world that they are miserable and close handed now in this we should labor to convince the world by the practice of mercy It is the Christians skill when two Duties come together which to Obs 5 chuse This is a snare in which many Christians are caught and foiled they think both must be done at the same time when as the one is the duty the other not Though the object of an action be spiritual yet it is not a sufficient Obs 6 ground to prefer it before another action whose object may be but natural The Ordinances of God have God for their object and the enjoying of communion with him yet in other actions which may be only natural I may shew more obedience to God in the doing of them than in offering up of sacrifice If Gods own Worship may be forborn in case of mercy how much Obs 7 more mens institutions and inventions Oh what a vile spirit is there in those men which will not suffer their superstitious vanities to give place to mercy men must be undone in their bodies and estates rather than their wills be disobeyed the Prelates faction have confessed themselves that the Cross the Surplice and the rest of that trash were their own institutions yet Ministers must be silenced bodies imprisoned families starved and thousands of souls destroyed rather than their wills should not be fulfi'ld Oh the intollerable pride of these men had they been Gods institutions yet in this case they might have been forborn what did these men say in plain English but thus much Let Christ never be revealed to millions and thousands of souls rather than these ceremonies shall be omitted or neglected Obs 8 If God will have mercy rather than sacrifice Certainly he will have mercy rather than disputing about sacrifice Suppose there be a truth in that which is disputed about yet God in this case will have mercy rather than sacrifice rather than mercy shall be neglected he will have sacrifice omitted we have Ordinances and plenty of preaching but the Lord knows how soon we may be deprived of them let us not dispute and wrangle away our mercy Object But must we not enquire after truth and at this time also Answ God forbid we should deny or speak against any which shall search into or enquire after truth yea at this time when it is a case of mercy As in young converts as thus when young converts are taken off from fundamental truths and led into errors and souls hindered from coming
afflicted by the Assyrians plundering and spoiling of them and it is no strange thing to see men gray with very grief and sorrow Scaliger tells us of a young man who through the extream trouble of his spirit was turned all gray in one one night How much more should our spirits be affected with the miseries of our times Gray hairs That is their miseries were so long upon them that made them gray they were lasting sorrows they were old in sin and God made them old in miseries and punishments for their sins Thus Germany hath been gray-headed for many yeers together in respect of the length of their miseries Gray hairs that is They have been a long time and might have gained more knowledge of me and got large experiences of the goodness of my waies yet they know me not nor my waies the whiter mens heads are the blacker are their sins many times 't is a most dreadful sight to see a white head and an old sinner I have read of one Eleazer Eleazer which would not do any thing which might seem to be evil because he would not spot his white head Gray hairs should be a strong argument to move men to walk blamelesly in their lives Gray hairs that is They had many symtoms of their ruin and destruction upon them As gray hairs show that mens ends are near men that are gray and would not be thought to be old wil pluck out their white hairs but if there be gray hairs upon us let us know they are admonitions to us and warnings of our ruin Heb. 8. ult There are many symtoms of a kingdoms gray hairs I shall instance in some of them As 1. Oppression in Courts of Justice is a gray hair 2. Idolatry and superstition in Gods Worship and Ordinances 3. The secret curse of God upon men and their estates 4. The taking away of the valiant and righteous men out of the kingdom is a sad gray hair in that kingdom Such a kingdom where these gray hairs are is in a dying condition and happy were it for us if these gray hairs were not to be found amongst us we have lain a long time at the graves mouth and yet many gray hairs do continue still and what God will do with us we know not how covetous and self-seeking are men in these daies notwithstanding Gods wrath burns so hot threatning an utter desolation of al Had we not need therefore to prepare for a dying kingdom It follows And he knows it not Doth not this speak our condition likewise Gray hairs are here and there and we know it not how have the Mini-nisters of God forewarned us a long time since of these times but we would not regard them both they and their message was slighted this people was so stupified they knew not who it was that smote them nor for what it was they were smitten VER 10. And the pride of Israel testifies to his face and they do not return unto the Lord their God nor seek Him for all this IN the fifth Chapter we opened the same words with these only the scope of the place is different they would not take notice of Gods hands but braved it out in a proud way and would not learn his meaning in the rod. Let us learn the contrary humility to accept of the punishment of our iniquities submitting and acknowledging that our father hath smitten us and spit in our face and yet they return not to me Whence observe God expects we should turn upon afflictions Job 33.16 Sealed Obs 1 their instruction Chap. 36.10 Commands that they return repentance forced by afflictions Afflictions if not sanctified will never turn the heart Obs 2 It is a great aggravation of mens sins not to turn under afflictions Obs 3 Though when afflictions work repentance yet repentance is seldom Obs 4 true it will not oft times hold out the trying yet people should try and see what it will do repentance coming from afflictions hath a promise Levit. 26.14 If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled if then even when my hand is upon them they accept of the punishment of their iniquities then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob and I will remember the Land True repentance is rather a seeking of Gods face than our Obs 5 own ease from afflictions VER 11. Ephraim also is like a silly Dove without heart they call to Egypt they go to Assyria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE word translated silly signifies easily seduced perswaded to any thing we use to say that children and fools are easily perswaded to any thing men that are hardly perswaded to beleeve in God and what God saith yet are easily perswaded to beleeve errors these are silly Doves yet they thought themselves very wise in going to Egypt but they have done very sillily 2 King 17.4 the leaving of Gods waies and following our own is very silly how many when it hath been too late have cryed out of this their folly From whence this Note may be observed Obs That although men by others may be misled and seduced yet are they not excused this will not excuse them before God at the great day to say others did thus and I followed them thinking them to be in the right Without heart That is without understanding Prov. 6.32 But who so committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding Prov. 10.21 The lips of the righteous feed many but fools die for want of understanding or for lack of wisdom Now of all creatures the Dove is the most silly as appears The Dove The Dove defends not her yong ones as other creatures do the Hen and other flying creatures will preserve their young ones but the silly Dove lets them go quietly so was Ephraim in this respect like unto the Dove they were destroyed and made a prey on by others yet they never laid it to heart The Lord in mercy look upon us Is not this our case we suffer our brethren to be destroyed and made a prey of and never lay it to heart because we for the present are quiet The Dove will keep her nest alâ—hough you take away her nest Yea Pliny Pliny reports of some Doves which will fly many miles to their lockers Even in this is Ephraim like unto a silly Dove also where he was â—any yeers ago there he is still And so it is with many men they know and are convinced that such company hath done them mischief which they have frequented and yet they cannot leave them here is a silly Dove without understanding indeed Doves though they be swift in their flying yet dull in preventing of danger it is easily caught with the net Plin. l. 10. c 37 so was Ephraim easily ensnared by his enemies at their pleasures and preyed upon by them The Dove is delighted in the beauty of her feathers and prides her self in the clapping of her wings IdeÌ„ l. 11. c. 36. and cutting
only be upon him but upon all those that joyned with him and a bet him in the breaking of this covenant ver 21. All his fugitives with all his hands shall fall by the sword and they that remain shall be scattered towards all winds I know not two scriptures more full for Gods being set to contend with men for breach of promise Oh take heed all you that are intrusted in any publick trust that you break not covenant And as you have examples of this in the Scripture so there is also an example or two in History which are exceeding full for this purpose I suppose that is known unto you of Rodolphus who having set his hand to a Covenant with Henry the fourth which he afterward brake and his right hand coming to be cut off his conscience accused him Oh saith he This is that right hand that subscribed the Covenant and now God revengeth the breach of it upon this right hand But above all that is the most remarkable that is in the History of the Hungarians concerning Vdislaus the King of Hungary and Amurath the great Turk they report that Vdislaus making war with Amurath having before promised the contrary in a battle between them the Turk had the worst of it AMURATH being there and having with him the Covenant made between the King of Hungary and him and seeing himself put to the worst he plucked forth the Covenant out of his bosom and with his eyes fixed toward Heaven he speaks thus This Oh Jesus Christ is the Covenant that thy Christians have struck with me O holy Jesus they have done it in thy Name and sworn by thy Majestie and yet they have violated it they have perfidiously denied their God Now Oh Jesus if thou beest a God as they say and as we guess thou art revenge this wrong that is done unto me and unto thy self upon these that have violated their faith and promise and do thou shew unto us that do not know thy Name that thou art an avenger of such as betray their trust and then we shall know thee to be a God Now just upon this God so ordered it that the Hungarians having the better of the day they through covetousness of the prey broke off the fight fel upon the loaden Camels whereupon the Turks totally routed the Hungarians Vdislaus their King was slain and a famous Victory left unto Amurath Thus you see how God will be avenged for the breach of trust certainly God will follow those that have been guilty of it we see it apparantly how God follows them already And indeed if we have to deal with men that are popish * As Rodolphus Vdislaus were how is it possible that we can confide in them in any thing they promise in any thing they agree to For we know it is their very opinion that fides non servenda hereticis faith is not to be kept with hereticks This Is their opinion they hold that for the Catholick Cause they may break al their trust promises and covenants Certainly that people are besotted that shal so depend upon those that are Papists and carried away by Papists as to lay their lives their liberties and their outward comforts at their feet at their mercy for certainly there is no truth in them The Nations of the earth are even besotted in this that they will ever make any covenant any league with Papists who hold such an opinion that they may break all their Covenants for the Catholick cause What a case should we be in if we lie down at the mercy of those that have no truth in them when afterwards we shall find they break assunder al their bonds of agreement and all their covenants then we our selves know that this was their opinion before and that they would enter into league and make peace with us meerly to serve their own turns and when they have what they would have then to make our estates lives and liberties to be a prey to them But we must let that passe only this in a word added to it Nor no Mercy The Merciful God sets himself against Unmerciful men and hath a dreadful controversie against them And when this controversie cometh to be pleaded Unmerciful men will be confounded before the Lord For God will lay his plea thus What you that stood in so much need of mercy every moment to keep you out of Hell You that lived upon mercy continually as you breathed in the air You who are begging at my gates every day You who are undone for ever it you had not mercy supplied every hour and yet You unmerciful to your brethren This plea wil stop the mouths of all Unmerciful ones It was the controversie that God had with Sodom it self becâ—use they were Unmerciful Much more than hath God a controversie with the inhabitants of the land of Israel if they be unmerciful Ezek. 16.49 there God laies his charge his plea against Sodom That they did not strengthen the hands of the poor Unmercifulness it is a sin against the very light of nature Josephus in his 15. book of Antiquities Chap. 12. reports this of Herod that wicked and ungodly king that we reade of in the Gospel That there being a great famine in Judea he melted all his movables of Gold and Silver that were in his Pallace he spared nothing of his Plate either for the preciousness of the matter or for the excellency of the fashion of it no not so much as those vessels wherein he was daily served at his table but he melted them all and made money of them and sent this money into Egypt to buy Corn which Corn he distributed unto the Poor and he appointed Bakers to provide bread for such as were sick and he provided raiment for the naked because the sheep were likewise dead and the poor had no work yea he sent to his neighbors the Syrians Corn that might be Seed-corn for them to sow the ground with This was that wicked Herod and yet in time of publick calamity thus merciful was he to the poor Surely God must needs have a controversie with Israel then with Christians then that have received so much mercy from the Lord if they shall be unmerciful in times of common calamity And if ever unmercifulness were a vile sin and provoked God against a people it must needs do now at such a time as this when there are so many objects of pity and commiseration daily presented before us If this should but prove to be our charg that there is no mercy in the land at this day God must needs have a fearful controversie against us The whole land cannot be said to be charged now as at some time it might have been Not long since in England there hath been crying out of violence and wrong those which ruled over us have ruled over us with violence rigour and cruelty according to that complaint Ezek. 34.4 With cruelty
sakes he shall bring even destruction upon the creatures And this seems to be a threatning of greater wrath tha◠〈◊〉 let out when he destroyed the world In destroying the olâ— world the wâ—ath of God was not so great as that here threatned against these ten Tribes for then the fishes of the Sea we do not reade of any hurt unto them but here the beasts of the field the fowls of the air the fishes of the Sea shall be taken away It referreth unto some fearful plague wherein not only the air but the waters are pestilential and the cattel and the fish die So it hath been in other Countries even in England in the time of Edward the third our Chronicles report of such a pestilential quality that was in the air and water that birds and fishes were found with botches upon them A strange plague in London And then there were in one Church-yard in one yeers space I think it was about the Charter house fifty thousand buried of pestilential diseases Such advantage hath God us at and can let out his wrath by such waies as these and such plagues are very fearful fruits of Gods wrath upon a Countrey What cause have we to bless God that he hath delivered us from the infection of the air If God should have but brought a plague upon London the last year Oh it would have been a plague indeed we had been in a sad condition it would have been the heaviest plague that ever was upon any Kingdom in the world if we had had but such a plague that should have caused men to have fled and the Parliament not have set and even by that should have been dissolved and so all the Kingdom would have been in a lamentable estate at this day Bless God for that And the fish of the Sea I remember upon this text a Jesuite that wrote but very lately Cornelius a Lapide hath a most audacious lye saith he since Scotland and Ireland hath departed from the Catholick faith that is from Popery Gods judgments are out against them and whereas they were wont to be such plentiful countries for fish God hath curs'd their very waters and now their trade of fishing is nothing like to what it was wont to be Upon this text he observeth such a judgment to be upon those Kingdoms he observeth it not of England at all for he was one that wrote lately and he had it seems some hope that England was coming to them again But through Gods mercy both Ireland and Scotland and England have found it otherwise in this regard But for Observations from hence thus First The good or evil of the creature dependeth on man Observ beause it was made for man man iâ— punished or blessed even by the creature and the creature comes to feel good or evil according as mans behavior is towards God Let then mercy pity toward the creature be an argument to keep us from sin If you have not cruel hearts towards the creature keep from sin for you do not only undo your selves but undo the world undo the creatuâ—e by your sin And when at any time we see the hand of God out against any creature let us reflect upon our own hearts and say My sin is the cause that this creature feels that evil that it doth and say as Judah said unto Tamar She is more righteous than I. So do you say of the creature Indeed Gods hâ—nd is out against it but the creature is more righteous than I. Obs 2 Secâ—ndly God when he is in a way of wrath can cause his wrath to râ—â—ch to those things that seem to be most remote from him As the fishes in the Sea seem to be most remote therefore this is naâ—â—â—â—â—â—re yea and the fish in the Seâ— also As if he had said my â—â—â—th shall burn burn fiercely and shal reach not only to your selves and houses and Cities and your Land and Cattel but to the very fish in the Sea God can let out hiâ— wrath as far as he pleaseth Obs 3 Thirdly No creature can help man in the time of Gods wrath Why for every creature suffers as well as man doth How vain then are the hearts of men who comfort themselves in hope of the enjoyment of comfort from this or that creature in the day of God wrath If you cry unto the mountains and hils and say help us they will give an Eccho help us for they had need of help as wel as you their Eccho will be help us too for the wrath of God is upon the creature in the day of his wrath therfore the creature cannot help in the day of wrath Verse 4. Yet let no man strive nor reprove another for this people are as they thâ—â—â—rive with the Priest Yet The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vere as if he should say truly it is in vain for any one to stand striving or reproving his neighbor or seek to convince or admonish him it is in vain for one friend to meddle with another Text opened for they are so violent in their wicked waies they are so far from hearkning to privat admonition that they wil contend with the Priest even with him that is set by God and designed by special office to teach and reprove Some carry it thus They are so vile as no man is fit to reprove one another being their wickedness is general no man is fit to reprove his brother of his sin But I rather take it the other way It doth first import thus much unto us in the general Obs That sin cannot be got from men without striving Such is the perversness of mens hearts that they take fast hold of deceit Jer. 8.5 and you cannot get them away without striving like men in a frenzie you cannot get them off from that which will mischieve them without strugling with them When you admonish and reprove men for sin you must make account aforehand that they will strive with you strugle with you yet afterwards perhaps they will blesse God for you If you come indeed at the first you shall have rugged usage What you come to judge uâ— as they said to Lot Who made you a Ruler So you have very ill language usually from men at first when they are reproved yet be not be discouraged they will bless God for you afterwards they wil say as David unto Abigail Blessed be God and blessed be thy advise and blessed be thou for thy counsel Secondly which is imployed in the former Even private Obs 2 men so long as there is any hope they should strive with their brethren by way of admonition and reprehension to bring them from their sin We must not say Are we our brothers keepers that is the language of a Cain There is much striving and contending one with another for our own ends Oh that there were more striving and contending for God and his glory It is a
prohibiteth this Deut. 12.13.14 Take heed to thy self that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest but in the place which the Lord shall chuse in one of thy tribes there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings God would limit them the place of his worship When the Ark was made and the Tabernacle they were bound to come to that and sacrifice there and no where else and so when the Temple was built they were bound to come thither and to sacrifice there and no where else Yea then the Lord commanded them to pull down the high place and to cut down the groves and trees Deut. 12.2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the Nations which ye possess served their gods upon the high mountains and upon the hills and under every green tree When once God had appointed a place of worship then they were to destroy the other places where the Heathens were wont to worship their gods The Note is this from it When once God chuseth places or things when God once putteth a stamp of holiness upon places or things Obser then no men may chuse places or things and put such a stamp of holiness upon them as God hath put If God appointeth a way of worship of his own this stops us from all other of our own If God makes a place holy this stops us that we must never make any place holy but that so it is true of things of ceremonies any thing if once God sets a stamp upon a thing to make it holy we must confine our selves to that and not think to immitate God in it to make any thing of the same kind to be holy as God hath done It was now a sin for them and God stands much upon circumstances we see in his worship You shall have many men plead why should men be so strict and scrupulous to stand upon circumstances what must we have every circumstance in the word of God commanded My brethren that which is natural and moral and may be subservient to religious things may be left it's true unto prudence but whatsoever hath any Religion in it though it be but a circumstance God stands much upon it and we must have a Divine rule for it Natural circumstances moral civil circumstances prudence is enough to guide us in but any religious circumstance we must have a rule for it Here they are not accused for sacrificing the things they ought not to sacrifice no question but they offered those sacrifices which they were commanded sheep and beeveâ— and the like but only in the circumstance of place they did not sacrifice where God would have them sacrifice therefore God charged them in this thing that they went a whoring from under their God It is true we reade sometime of some godly mens sacrificing else where Gideon under an Oak Judg. 6. and Samuel upon an high place 1 Sam. 2. and so David in the threshing floor of Araunah 2 Sam. 24. Now to all those instances the answer generally is given by Divines that they could not be any way lawful for them to do thus but by some special dispensation of God himself some special revelation from God to give them order to do it there or elf it could not but be a sin For the Kings of Israel and Judah they also are charged for their sacrificing in the high places Even Solomon himself in 1 King 3.3 where when he is commended for loving the Lord and walking in the Statutes of David his father at first yet the text saith Only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places And amongst other high places we reâ—de in 2 Chron. 1.2 that Solomon went to Gibeon that was a great high place And though some excuse him because it is said the Tabernacle was there therefore he might go to Gibeon that great high place to sacrifice yet for al that Austin in his Questions upon Judges he thinketh Solomon is to be blamed though the Tabernacle was there Austin for he it seems sacrificed in other high places besides and though the Tabernacle was there yet it seems he put a more than ordinary respect upon that high place wherefore else is it called the great high place and he went there not only for the sake of the Tabernacle but became it was that great high place therefore he is to be blamed So that we may go to Gods Ordinances but if we do go to the Ordinances of God where yet there are other mixtures and we do the rather go and esteem of them because there is some addition of mans inventions Obser this is a sin against God And further this is observable though Solomon were blamable for going unto that high place though the Tabernacle were there having some more than ordinary respect unto that high place yet we find that God revealed himself unto Solomon in a wonderful gracious manner even in that place and bad Solomon ask what he would Solomon had very graciâ—uâ— manifestations of God unto him when he went to that high place though there was evil in it and he put more respect upon it than he should So certainly many of Gods people have found God so far indulge them that though sometimes they have been in the use of Ordinances where there hath been such mixtures as they have sinned against God that Ordinance hath been polluted unto them by those mixtures yet 〈◊〉 Lord hath been so gracious unto them that he hath accepted of the uprightness of their hearts and they have had many sweet manifestations of God unto them even in these Ordinances they can remember those times when they have been at Sacrament and they have known how they offended against God by reason of some pollutions yet they have found for all this God letting out of abundance of mercy unto them refreshing their souls with comfort and joy in the holy Ghost This was Gods meâ—cy Do not you think therefore that there was no evil in it because God let out himself so far unto you Use There was evil in Solomons respecting this high place so much yet God let out himself abundantly unto him Other Kings there were that are exceedingly blamed that they did not take down the high places which were all one with these mountains here spoken of Yet there were some of the Kings that were very careful in this thing As amongst the rest Hezekiah and Jehosaphat Hezekiah in 2 King 18.22 where he is charged by Rabshekah for taking down the high places Is it not he that hath destroyed the high places and Altars of God saith he God approveth of it well though Rabshekah thinks he hath done ill Oh saith he Hezekiah do you trust in him he hath taken down the high places He thought that Hezekiah had been an enemy unto Religion and to the worship of God for taking down the high places Thus it is with ignorant people at this day that do not know the
sense But I think that is not the scope Others reade these words comparatively and that I confess hath some probability in it I will not punish them that is I will not punish them in comparison of you for your example makes them such as they are you should restrain them and though the sin be great in them yet in comparison of you they shall not be punished at all Wicked parents they look upon their children when they are wicked as swearers lyars unclean c. they look upon them as those that it will go very ill withal Well it shall go ill with them indeed but if you be so too it shall be worse with you Many wicked parents are loth their children should be wicked I have known some drunkards and whoremasters have put their children to be educated by Puritans they are wicked yet their consciences tell them it is not good for their children to be so But the truth is if you be wicked and your children too though they may perish in their sins yet you shall perish with a seven-fold destruction But thirdly it is read plainly by most thus I will not punish them when they commit adultery that is I will shew my wrath against you in this that I will even give up your children and your wives let them do what they will I will not restrain them by any punishment And this is many times a way of Gods judgment against wicked ones that the Lord will not restrain them in their evil waies that 's the especial Note from these words Obser That it is one of the most fearful judgments of God in the world for the Lord not to restrain men from their wicked waies but to let them go on and to have their will in them for a while Hierom Hierom. upon those words in Ezek. 7.4 I will not spare God doth not spare saith he that he might spare he hath not mercy that he might have mercy upon people that is when God intends any good then he will not spare that is he will afflict and chastise those that he loves he will chastise but if you be bastards and not children he doth not care for chastising of you simile All the while a parent hath any respect to a child and intendeth he should inherit he doth correct him but when once he hath cast off a child and is fully resolved he shal never inherit one penny of all that he hath he lets him go on and take his course A Phisitian doth so with a patient he will give him potions and bitter potions all the while that there is hope but if the disease be grown too strong and there is no hope Hom. 8. in 20. cap Exod. vis indignantis Dei terribilem vocem audire c. Luther Vae illi ad quoruÌ„ peccata conniâ—eo Deus he lets him alone thus God deals with sinners many times in this world Origen Origen in one of his Sermons upon Exodus quoting this Scripture he hath this expression Will you hear the terrible voyce of a provoked God! I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom nor your spouses when they commit adultery this is the most terrible thing this is the most extream thing of wrath and judgment that can be imagined here is a terrible voice of God indeed I will not punish you So Luther Wo to those men at whose sins God winketh It is a fearful judgment to fall into the hands of the living God but it is a more fearful judgment to fall out of the hands of the living God in this regard Many men bless themselves in this that they can go on in the world and sin and sin and still prosper and thrive they do not pray in their families as others do they are not so scrupulous in their consciencces as others are they are not so strict to walk exactly as others yet they thrive in their trades as others they are as rich as others as healthful as others they have as fine bodies as hansom children as others and upon this they are hardened in their sin Oh but know though thou mayest bless thy self in this thing yet it is the heaviest curse of God that can bee upon thee unless he should send thee quick unto Hell There is no such brand of a reprobate as this for God to suffer a wicked man to prosper in his sin Hierom hath this Note upon these words Hierom Quando videris peccatorem divitijs affluentem jactare se potentia sanitate abundare delectare conjuge coronâ circundare liberorum dic in illum comminationem compleri when thou seest saith he a sinner flow w th wealth when thou seest him boasting and braving of his power when thou seest him very healthful and hail and have a lusty body when thou seest him delighting in his wife when thou seest him to have a company of brave children bravely arraied then say the threatning of God by the Prophet Hosea is fulfilled upon that man Thy judgment is very great in this for the less punishment thou hast now the more thou art like to have hereafter The less punishment the more sin and so the more misery Know that Justice will have somewhat and much too for the forbearance of her act of her stroke and certainly it were better for thee that art a wicked and ungodly man that thou shouldest beg thy bread from door to door Perhaps now thou hast much coming in thou liest soft and farest daintily while others are put to miserable extremities and have scarce a rag to cover them or a bit of bread to put in their bodies and in cold weather have no fire to warm them and yet thou art ungodly and wicked know that it were better for thee and thou wilt one day say it and wish it thy self that thou hadst been in such a case as the poor beggar that hath begged a farthing at thy door and it is Gods wrath upon thee that thou art not now as miserable as they Let us therefore stop the troubles of our thoughts in this we see the wicked how they prosper in the world and how vile men are exalted and though they undertake causes that we know are abominable in the eyes of God and we know their waies are loathsom before God and they provoke the God of Heaven in their wicked waieâ— and tempt him to his very face yet they prosper They are indeed ready to take this their prosperity as an argument that God approveth of their waies and that God loves them Oh let us not I say be troubled at their prosperity for it is so far from Gods shewing it as an argument of his approbation of their waies that it is one of the greatest judgments that can possibly befall them in the world when God shall say let them go on and fill up the measure of their sâ—ns they shall have their hearts desire for a while
concerns God This was the condition of Ephraim Where have you a man almost but if God let him prosper except he come in with abundance of his grace but he grows wanton in his prosperity Judah was almost in the same way though here the Lord would not have Judah to be like Ephraim as a wanton heifer spurning and kicking with the heel yet it appears in Jer. 2.24 that Judah was not much unlike them Judah is there compared to a wild Ass used to the wilderness that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure all they that seek her will not weary themselves but saies God in her month they shall find her take her when she is full of spirit and strength and there is no dealing with her but in her month when she is more weakened then they shall find her So many men take them at some times when they are in the ruff of their pride and prosperity there is no dealing with them but when God hath tamed them by affliction then you may talk with them and then they will hear you Israel is as a back-sliding heifer The word that is translated heiser here it is in the feminine gender though it is spoken of the ten Tribes because being stubborn and raging mad in wickedness though they did seem to themselves and others to be of brave spirits yet the Lord looks upon them as people of base and effeminate spirits of poor and weak spirits There is none that are stubborn and proud but they think themselves to be of more than ordinary spirits they are the only brave spirits Obser but the Lord looks upon those that are stubborn and proud as base and weak spirits and therefore speaks of them here in the feminine gender Now the Lord will feed them as a Lamb in a large place I find some Mercer and Vatablus they would carry it thus Lautè ut Agnus pastus mox mactatur As a Lamb when it hath large food it is soon slain so God threatneth Ephraim here that he will soon make an end of them only he will let them prosper for a while and feed them largely but it shal be for the slaughter Many men that are fed largely and are in their prosperity they think themselves blessed God intends them only for the slaughter But I think that is not the meaning of the place Obser they shall be fed as a Lamb. But thus As a Lamb. They are as a heifer raging mad but I will make them as a Lamb I will bring such affliction upon them as that I will tame the pride of their hearts Have you not seen experiences of this kind did you never see a ruffianly blasphemous proud stubborn spirit when the hand of God was upon them tamed Fed as a Lamb. Parce ac tenuiter not fed as a heifer that noted their prosperity but fed as a lamb that notes their adversity for the food of a lamb differs from the food of a heifer that which will feed a lamb will starve a heifer Now saith God they have been proud and wanton by their prosperity but now they shall have short Commons I will bring them down I will lay them low they shall be but as a lamb that picks up the grass in the wilderness As a lamb in a large place That is dispersed among the Countries amongst the Assyrians and Medes in their captivity which was a very large Countrey They would not be satisfied with Canaan which was a narrower Countrey and with that Sheep-fold of mine that was there they shall have more room saith God they shall go into a large place but it shall be into their captivity Or rather which I conceive to be the full scope of the holy Ghost in these words I will feed them as a lamb in a large place That is as a lamb that shall be alone one lamb he speaks of a lamb singly because they shall be scattered They had society and might have made good use of their society where it was but they did not regard to make good use of it to edifie themselves in the fear of God they shall be scattered one in one place and another in another and they shall be as a lamb alone in the wilderness succourless helpless shiftless bleating up and down in the wilderness in the wide vast wilderness and none to have any regard unto them simile As now if you should see one poor lamb in a vast wilderness in a mighty great heath and in a wilderness where there are a great many Wolves that are ready to devour it and there is no body neer it no shepheard to look after it none that regard it but it goes bleating up and down alone and none takes any care of it what will become think you of this lamb what a succourless condition is it in So saith God they have been wanton heifers but I wil feed them as a lamb in a large place their condition shall be just thus they shall be carried into captivity and there they shall be bleating and howling and crying out and in danger of Wolves but there shall be no body to regard them and succour them It is a great deal safer for a lamb to be in the flock though it be more pind in than to be thus alone in a large place We love our liberty Obser and we may have liberty enough but this our liberty may prove to be our misery To keep within the compass of Gods commands is the best liberty of all as David professeth Psal 119. Then shall I have liberty when I keep all thy commandments As for all other liberty it will certainly bring us into straightness therefore Rom. 2.4 5. where tribulation and anguish is threatned to be upon the head of every one that worketh wickedness the word translated anguish is straightness of place they shall have straightness of place you would have elbow room and would fain get out of Gods limits though God may for a time let you have such liberty yet the conclusion will be anguish of spirit Applic. Oh my brethren there is largeness there is room enough in God our souls may expatiate themselves in God we need go no further for liberty If we would have liberty out of God out of his bounds our liberty will prove our undoing and utter destruction society of Saints to be improved Let us make much then of the to society of the Saints while we are not yet through Gods mercy scattered up and down in other Countries as some of our brethren have been though thorough Gods mercy some in strange Countries have met with Gods fold and have been in Gods fold there but others have been scattered about and have walked up and down in the streets and have known no body and have had none to help them in any strait but now we may meet together we may be in Gods fold and have our hearts refreshed we may go into our
in the midst of dangers yet saith God Let them alone they shall not have my protection and help And this is a just punishment of God upon wicked sinners that will go on in their wicked waies Reas 4 Fourthly When God saith Let them alone he intends this as the making of way unto some fearful wrath that is to follow after Let my mercy and goodness let them alone but it is that they may fall into my wrath and that will not let them alone that will trouble them howsoever they cannot enduâ— to be troubled by my Word by mâ— Messengers by my Spirit but my Wrath shall trouble them afterward that shall not let them alone as in that place Ezek. 24.13 before quoted Thou shalt not be purâ—â—â— from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury â—o rest upon thee they shal not have any means to trouble them for a while but at length my fury shall rest upon them When the Lord shall seem to be quiet toward men and let them alone it is but to make way for fearful wrath that is coming after Reas 5 Fiftly If God once inflict this judgment upon sinners to say Let them alone if God will not vouchsafe to speak unto them any more he will not then vouchsafe to hear them speak unto him any more If God once shall take away his Word from them If once the Lord shall say they would not hear me they shall never hear me more Let them alone God will then likewise say I will not hear them let them cry in the anguish of their spirits I will let them alone that is certain When God shall let sinners alone in regard of his mercy then he will let them alone too when the greatest wrath shall be upon them As thus when they shall come under the greatest affliction the most dreadful miseries and torments in this world and eternally in the world to come when they shall then be crying and roaring and yelling out in the anguish of their spirits unto God Oh that God would now have mercy upon us God will let them even then alone I will bring them into the fire saith God and then I will leave them there Oh think of this when you feel that there was a time when God was stirring and striving with your hearts but now it is not so as before yet you are worse in your lives than before And then further It is a dreadful sign of reprobation Reas 6 for God to say of a people or of a person thus Let them alone For first What is reprobation Reprobation what Reprobation certainly is not for God to decree to damn men you mistake in that that is not the first act of God upon any man but thus reprobation is this for God to decree whereas there are some that he hath set his heart upon he is resolved to do them good there are others he doth not presently decree to damn them but he doth decree to leave them unto themselves that what they Earn they shall have and no more Earnings he will deal with them according to their works he will do them no wrong he will not be unjust to them Justice he will not damn them but for their sin he never decrees to damn any but for sin but he decrees this he will leave them to a course of justice I will give them what is sit for them to have in creation I will make such a covenant with them and then I will leave them unto themselves and what they work for they shall have this is then another kind of reprobation and worse than that first Reprobation that is reprobation for God to decree to leave a man to himself when he had no sin in him as God did not make man with sin at first suppose you were now made according to the Image of God without sin yet if God should decree to leave you fully and eternally to your self you were but a reprobate but now when God sees a man in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity now for God to leave him to himself this is reprobation of the second Edition this is a most dreadful reprobation indeed Secondly There is a reprobation in it in this regard That God now doth manifest that he doth intend to fetch his glory from this sinner out of his ruin he manifesteth no other now for thus Certainly God will have glory from every creature howsoever you may resist God in his glory God will have it he will fetch it out from you Well but now on the first hand God he would have his glory from his creature in the waies of obedience and service but they deny this to God they will not give him this glory they will have their own will they will set up themselves in Gods Throne Well saith God I have used such and such means to draw their hearts from those waies to my self but they stand out Let them alone now As if he should say thus I have thought now of another way to fetch out my glory from them as he reasoned in the Gospel when he could not provide for himself one way I know what I will do saith he so saith God I am denied my glory one way well I know what to do I have another way that is to glorifie my infinite Justice and the power of my infinite wrath they have refused to give me glory by obedience and coming in to me I will not have my glorie that way but now I will rather chuse to have my glorie from them in their everlasting misery they shall be spectacles of my wrath and justice and it shall be known to Angels and men unto all eternity what my infinite justice and power is able to do therefore let them alone to that saith God Reas 7 And further When God shall say of any Let him alone it is a greater judgment than if he should inflict all the outward judgments of this world upon them Too many of you are afraid of sickness of being spoild of your goods that God should let the enemy in upon you and all should be taken from you this were a great judgment Oh but this judgment here in the Text is a greater judgment than if you were stripped of all the comforts in the world and brought into the miserablest condition that ever any creature was upon the earth in regard of outwards you were not under such a dreadful judgment as thiâ— for God to say Let them alone better any judgments than spiritual judgments As the spiritual blessings of God bestowed upon the Saints are the greatest blessings Ephe. 1.2 Oh blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that hath blessed us with al spiritual blessings in heavenly things so the judgments of God that are spiritual judgments they are the most dreadful judgments of God in the world Oh that we could have our hearts possest with a
Gods hands we shall then receive them with abundance of sweetness and excellency But here he calleth them Their flocks and their herds though they were tendered unto God in sacrifice yet He will not say they are His but their own Thus it is with all Hypocrites and formal and superstitious persons in what they tender unto God What is done out of selfe-love is our own Self is the principle of what you do and therefore all your services remain your own you serve your self rather than God in them Herein lies the sweetness and true comfort of a mans estate and of his credit and parts or of whatsoever he hath when he shall consecrate and devote them unto God so as they remain no longer his own This is a sacrifice that God is well pleased with These are my parts saith God this is my estate here I give them back to you again And when a man shall take what he hath as having first consecrated and devoted it unto God and taking it out of Gods hand again Oh this addeth a sweetness and a blessing to his estate All we have is Gods as He is the first cause of all but mark God rejoyceth as well God delights most in his second right if not more in a second right that He hath to what we have namely by our tendring up all unto Him in a gracious manner than He doth in the first right of being the cause of all I beseech you observe it God hath a twofold right to the estates parts and abilities of His people First He hath a right to them as He is the cause of them I gave them to you therefore they are mine But Secondly There is a second right that God seemeth more to rejoyce in and that is this When His servants by an exercise of grace shall tender them up again and give them back again unto Him Now saith God they are mine by a second right and this second right unto them they being tendered up unto me in a holy way is the right that I rejoyce in and this will be most comfortable unto you Oh my brethren let us not deprive God of this second right to all we have or are or can do for this will not at all weaken our right of our own to what we have we may enjoy our estates and parts and abilities but this will strengthen and sweeten and bless them abundantly They shall go with their flocks and their herds Another Note is this That Obs Superstitious abundant in services Superstitious and Idolatrous people they are abundant in their services They are content to go with all their flocks and their herds to seek after God thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of oyl any thing to offer up unto God but mark it is in this their own way of worship and whatsoever is mens own that they will be abundant in their worship but what is Gods that they will be scant enough in Holydays as might be again instanced in in regard of setting of daies apart for God Reason Natural conscience telleth us that when we have to do with God in our services that great things are sutable to a great God Your Papists Papists in times of straights they have a kind of praying that they appoint for fourty hours together but it is in their own way they will be abundant enough in that Many of you think much to spend a quarter of an hour in a morning or in an evening in seeking God in your families Family Duties when superstitious and Idolatrous people are abundant in those services in seeking God in their own way But observe it though superstitious and Idolatrous people be abundant in their services to their Idols yet they are not infinite in their services to them But the Saints of God if their spirits be right they are enlarged to a kind of infinitness in Gods service As thus still they would know more of Gods mind they would do more and are never satisfied with what they do There is no Idolatrous and superstitious person but there are some limits that he puts himself to and he thinks that when that task is over when the fourty hours is over the work is done But now here is the difference between a natural work and a spiritual A natural work is alwaies a limited work supernatural works unlimited but a spiritual work hath alwaies an infiniteness in it Thus though I am not able to do what is actually infinite yet my heart is infinite in this that it is never satisfied but it would fain have more and if I were able to do ten thousand times more than I do yet my heart would be as eager to do more as it was at first I should not think I am any neerer to the end of my journey than I was at the first day for I am to deal with an infinite God therefore let my services be never so great and many yet still Oh that I could rise higher Oh that I could do more Here is the supernatural work of grace which doth go beyond all Idolatry in the world Again observe Obs Superstitious spare no cost in worship Superstitious and Idolatrous people they will spare no cost in Gods service in their own way They will go with their flocks and with their herds bestow all their estates upon the service of their Idols How shameful is this for us to be so sparing and scant in the true service of God Use Never men had more large opportunities to honor God with their estates than at this present we have And certainly men should rather rejoyce that they have an opportunity to serve God with their estates than murmur that the service of God is so chargable to them as it is Although some men think themselves wise in appearing little in what may be chargable unto them yet they lose the chief comfort in and blessing upon what they do in withdrawing themselves from such a service as God requireth at that time They shall go with their flocks and their herds and seek the Lord. From whence the Note is That There is a time when vile and wicked men shall see need of God Obs Wicked men shall need God Though wicked men when they have all about them suitable to their carnal desires they slight and neglect God yet there is a time when they shall be brought into such a condition as they shall see their need of him Oh let us remember this in the midst of our prosperity We find by experience that God doth bring men to times wherein they see need of Him Oh therefore now the love of God now the mercy of God and pardon of our sins and peace with God how precious should it be in our eyes It is good to make God our friend whom we are sure one day we shall have need of We all conclude that it is a point of wisdom to
willing to fully themselves with such vanities as their parents and masters before them did they do begin to know the Lord and to enquire after God Young ones the hope of a Nation And blessed are you of the Lord you are our hope that God intendeth good unto us and that He will not let out the wild beasts to devour us but will rebuke them for your sakes And although perhaps many of these gracious young ones may perish yea many have been slain already in this Cause yet let not others that remain behind be discouraged at it for it is in argument that there is some great and special mercy that God intendeth for us in that He is willing to venture such precious ones for the procuring of that mercy We may well reason so that if so much precious young blood that might have lived to serve God be shed in this Cause if God come to grant unto England mercy He wil grant such mercy as wil be worth al their blood and that mercy must needs be great that shal be worth all the blood of those that are so precious which might have lived to serve God so many years here in this world And seeing God makes use of them it is because the mercy that is to come for the next generation is so precious that indeed such as have defiled themselves with superstitious vanities are like to have no share in it and as they are not like to live to see it so God will not make use of them to prepare that mercy for the next generation But because God hath a love unto the young generation that are godly therefore He hath reserved much mercy for many of them that are like to see and enjoy it and others of them that are not like to see it yet he will be so gracious to them as he will imploy them in making way for that mercy And whether it is better to be made instrumental for the glory of God and the good of another generation or to live to see the fruit of this it is hard to determine Certainly those that in one generation are made so instrumental as to lay the ground work of mercy for another generation they are as happy as that other generation that comes to reap the fruit of their labours and sufferings and those that do come to reap the fruit of their labors shall bless God for them and when they enioy the good and liberty of the Gospel they shall say Oh blessed be God that stirred up such a generation of young ones to shed their blood and now we reap the fruit of it and blessed be God for them they will bless you to all generations Therefore let there be no discouragement to godly young ones though it pleaseth God to cut of many by death in this Cause for God hath some excellent end in it beyond all our reaches Thus much for these words Only one Note more and that is this That Obs God takes it exceeding ill at mens hands that they should corrupt young ones This Note is as full in the words as any other God takes it exceeding ill it is a part of treachery against God for any to be a means to corrupt young ones Take heed what you do in corrupting of young ones Those young people that are coming on and beginning to enquire after godliness take heed what you do that you hinder them not Especially parents and governors Oh let your consciences flie in your faces when you begin to curb them for their forwardness Many times your consciences cannot but misgive you when you think I have been wicked and naught most part of my daies I spent God knows many of my yeers in vanity and profaness here are young ones that begin betime to enquire after God and yet wretch that I am my heart riseth against them And as these people that hinder young ones are to be rebuked so such as seek to corrupt them by false opinions Certainly it is that by which God is much provoked at this day and as on the one side there is hope of mercy in regard so many young ones begin to enquire after God so I know no such dreadful argument of Gods displeasure against this Nation as this That assoon as young ones begin to come to know Jesus Christ there are presently corrupt erroâ—â— infused into them and that under the notion of honoring Christ and free grace and the Gospel so much the more whereas indeed they do no other than infuse principles of libertinisme and loosness and such as will even eat out the heart of godliness Certainly the Lord hath a quarrel against such as corrupt young ones by their false principles for there are none so ready to drink in false principles as young ones especially young converts who begin to enquire after the waies of God and these men that are their corrupters they have this advantage they come not to them to perswade them to profaness but they come to them with seeming pretences of giving honor unto Christ and of magnifying free grace and in the mean time sow seeds in them that will eat out the power of godliness Oh to corrupt children and young ones and when they begin to enquire after God and to know him for you to do that which may estrange them from God this is that which God will have a quarrel against you for And it is a greater argument of Gods displeasure against us A common evil that it is so common and frequent at this day than any one I know there is not any one argument that I know that is a greater discouraging argument to us of Gods displeasure than this thing But so much for those words They have begotten strange children It follows Now shall a month devour them with their portions Expos A month I find Interpreters have a great deal of do about this expression Many think that God aims at one special month and they tell uâ— of one month in the yeer which answereth to our July that there were many grievous things to befal the Jews in that month in former times and in latter times too as if that were a more Ominous month than any other I will not spend time to speak further of that But there is certainly somewhat else in this expression I find an expression paralel to this in Zech. 11.8 the holy Ghost there speaks of three Shepherds that God will cut off in one month these Idol Shepherds saith he My soul loathed them and their soul also abhorred me I will cut them off in one month There is the most exact description of your superstitious Idol Shepherds even such as we have at this day amongst us in many places saith God My soul loathed them and their soul abhorred me Who do more hate the power of godliness than those kind of men and against whom is the soul of God more than against those kind of men
than to think to have strength enough to repel them when they come Thus in general And then As Kingdoms so particular persons they should lay to heart Gods judgments neer to them As thus Dost thou see Gods hand upon thy neighbor after thee O sinner thy turn may be next what is Gods hand stretched out upon your fellow-servant upon your brother upon your deer friend after thee O sinner thou art guilty of the same sin thy turn may be next Is Gods hand out upon thy companion after thee O sinner Oh lay this to heart think with thy self my turn may come to be the next and it may soon come to be my turn The very thought of this when God hath struck some with sudden death in a fearful manner God hath sanctified this to some what thought they if God strike me next such a one is sent down for ought I know to his place I may be the next the thought I say of this hath been so setled upon the heart of some that it hath been a meâ—ns of their conversion The Lord make it so to every sinner that sees his fellow his neighbor sinner struck before him VER 9. Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke among the Tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be IN the words before you heard that the Lord by the Prophet did not only threaten war but summon the Cities of Israel Judah and Benjamin as if war were at the gates But what if troubles do come we shall do well enough they will have an end and blow over again we shall wear them out we have been delivered out of great troubles and so we may be out of these No 't is otherwise now Ephraim shall now be desolate Ephraim that is the ten Tribes shall be desolate Leshamnne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies a most stupendious thing the the hand of God shall be upon them even to amazement they shall come into desolation in the time of his rebuke in the day of his trouble The words are plain the Notes from them are these That the day of Gods peoples affliction is the day of their rebuke Obs 1 See this proved in Numb 12.14 Moses saith If her father had spit in her face should she not be ashamed When God afflicts His people he doth as it were spit in their faces and ought not they much more to be ashamed what ever that wanton generation think or say that God never chastiseth his people for sin there is nothing more frequent in Scripture than this that God chastiseth His for sin But they tell us it was in the old Testament Old Testament and herein they shew their weakness and a meer cavel but that which seems to have some shew of strength is this They tell us Obj. That it derrogates from the satisfaction of Christ But the force of this is nothing Answ for Christ satisfied for them under the Law as well as for us they were saved by the same satisfaction that we are therefore if it now derrogates from Christs satisfaction under the Gospel it did then also under the Law A second Note is God hath his set times of rebuke As they have Obs 2 their daies of sinning so God wil have his daies of correcting you have your daieâ— of prosperity now riches honor plentie in abundance but remember it may be the day of rebuke is coming 'T is good to put this very case to our selves I have mercy now both for soul and body and Oh how comfortable is it and how happy is my condition but is there not a day of rebuke coming when all these will be taken from thee and then what wilt thou do Oh my soul Isa 10.3 and what will you do in the day of visitation When wicked men stand out lesser judgments and corrections they Obs 3 have cause to fear a day of utter desolatiâ—n Ephraim had daies of lesser chastisements but slighting them God would try him no more there are times in which God wil utterly pursue sinners to destroy them not for instruction but destruction the Lord hath his houses of instruction correction and execution when the first cannot effect Gods end the third shall and yet the Lord be just and righteous for the Lord hath no need of us what is it to him if we should perish everlastingly He could have his glory from us in our damnation That is a dreadful time when the Lord comes so to rebuke a people Obs 4 as tâ— destroy them when the hand of God shall be so upon them as he is resolved never to take it off again even as it was upon Ephraim at this time I intend not to mend him but to ruine him this now is a most dreadful time For Reas 1 1. All that wrath which they have treasured up breaks in then upon them Now as wicked men treasure up wrath so doth God Rom. 2.5 Now God lets out the floudgates of His wrath against such a people Reas 2 2. Because then all a mans sins comes together into Gods remembrance Exod. 32.34 In that day I 'll visit for this saith the Lord God It may be you are for the present spared but the time is coming that God will visit and then look to it Reas 3 3. In this day the cries of justice prevails against such men I speak of wicked men mingled and intermixed with the godly In this day God will not call back His anger there are times in which God doth not stir up all His wrath as in Psal 78.38 Many times Gods anger is coming against a Nation family or person but God cals it back again but in this day of rebuke God wil not call it back again but let it forth to the uttermost Reas 4 4. Because in this day Mercy leaves such a people and wil never own them to to them any good Ezek. 7.5 An evil an only evil behold it is come But that place is most remarkable for this Ezek. 22.20 I will bring you into the fornace and there I will leave you God brings His people into great troubles sometimes but never leaves them there But there are some whom Mercy leaves and forsakes in their troubles and this is a most sad condition for by this God shews that He will have no more honor by them in their servings of Him but in their sufferings God saith thus Seeing they would not give Me My glory in a way of duty I will extract and force it from them in a way of suffering Reas 5 5. Because the Lord then intends hurt to such a people the Lord perhaps brings you out of an affliction but in that deliverance He intends your hurt and no good at all Jer. 24.9 I intend nothing but hurt to such a people in all My dealings Reas 6 Because then al Creatures leaves such an one and dares not own him God being against thee the Creatures cannot help
goodness of God is not honored by us when the Lord for our good shall give us notice of our sins that so we may prevent judgment the desert of our sins and we notwithstanding shâ—l â—in it dishonors Gods goodness 2. The truth of God is not honored when we do not obey this is no other than a venturing whether the word be true or no whether Gods words are yea and nay Oh sinner dost thou know what thou dost thou temptest God saying Lord there are such and such threatnings against sin but I do not beleeve them Lord I 'le venture it I 'le put it to the tryall whether it be so or no. 3. As it aggravates the sin so the punishment the judgment cannot but be the greater thou canst expect but little pitty from the goodness of God which thou hast slighted when it warned thee of those judgments which are now upon thee His mercy to remove them cannot be expected God by His Ministers warned me in such a Sermon but I went on and would not reform and now there is matter for the worm of conscience to gnaw upon that thou maist say as Job What I feared is now come upon me and this is that which aggravates our misery Use Engl. At this time have not the Ministers of God for these twenty yeers especially in these latter seven yeers made this the subject of their preaching to warn us of judgments and now the judgments of God are come upon us God hath vindicated the word of His servants But these words though they may be thus understood yet I conceive they bear a further signification which is this I have declared among the Tribes what shall be without revolk without Expos 2 any change or alteration I have formerly repented and have been intreated but now I 'le repent no more They continue Gods unchangable purpose for the desolating of this people and being thus understood the Note from them will be this That there is a time when there shall be no help to be delivered from judgment though they should call cry mourn weep fast Obser and intreat yet the judgment should not be removed As 't is said of Esau He found no place for repentance Heb. 12.17 Heb. 12.17 There is a great mistake by many in the interpretation of that place from which text many gather that there may be many tears shed much sorrow found and yet no true repentance but the meaning of the words is this he found no place for his father Isaacs repentance though he cried and shed tears for the blessing yet his father repented not that he had bestowed it upon Jacob so that people may cry and humble their souls before God yet shall find in God no place of repentance nay if that the Saints of God should all joyn together and pray for such a people they should not prevail Ezek. 14.20 Though Noah Daniel and Job should pray for them they should not prevail Oh sinner take heed this be not thy condition thou hast godly parents and kindred it may be and they set themselves to seek God for thee but God will deny them their prayers shall not prevail for thee this may be the case of Nations and Kingdoms that there may be true repentance found and turning to God and yet no deliverance from outward affliction I deny not but that true repentance shall deliver a soul from eternal wrath from perishing in hell but this I affirm that there may be true repentance found and turning unto God and yet no deliverance from a temporal affliction And this I shall make good by two famous texts of Scripture The first is in Deut. 3.26 Moses had sinned and God saith he should not go into the land of Canaan which was a sore affliction to Moses upon this Moses he praid and 't is certain Moses had repented him of that sin yet see what he saith The Lord was wrath with me for your sake and would not hear me but let it suffice thee speak no more of this matter All his prayers and repentance could not deliver him from that outward affliction and bring him into Canaan The second text is in 2 Kings 23.25 in the former chapter we find the heart of the King melting when he heard the Law read and perceived the anger of the Lord against his people was provoked yet the Lord tels him that he should die in peace And in the 23. Chapter the King he sets upon reforming the people enters into a solemn Covenant with God causeth the people to joyn with him pulls down the groves destroies Idolatry and although it be said in the 25. verse that like unto him was there no King before him yet in the 26. verse God saith Notwithstanding all this he will remove Judah out of his sight So that sometimes God is so set upon his threats that they shall come to pass God will make them good whatever comes of it this I conceive to be the meaning of these words And so Mr. Calvin reades them God may be so resolved against a mans eternal estate that he will never shew such a man or such a people mercy more as we may see in those which were bid to the Gospel-supper therefore we had need to gather our selves together before the decree bring forth Zeph. 2.1 2. Oh let us in this Kingdom take heed yet through Gods mercy we are not left desolate but have many points of mercy even in this day of our rebuke but what God will do one cannot determine therefore it concerns us to prepare to meet our God lest the wrath of God meet us overcome and destroy us till there be no remedy though through mercy for the present we may say there is remedy yea rather let us tremble and be awakened because God sometimes comes against and is more quick with a people that are not so openly and notoriously vile as others are than he doth with the most profane So much for this ninth verse VER 10. The Princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound therefore I will powre out my wrath upon them like water BUT why is God so wrath with Israel ConexioÌ„ Have not the Princes of Judah provoked Him also Yea for God here speaks to them principally It seems the people were not so bad so sinful as they for in the next words he saith That Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the commandement First Princes must answer to God for all their doings Though they are above all men in power and so are not so lyable to give an account to man as others are yet to God they must those actions which are least obnoctious to men are much to God The Princes of Judah are like to them that remove the bounds Obser 1 Are like That is not so much in a similitude as reality as 't is usual in Scripture to put the word like for the thâ—ng
now and you that have prayed before quicken up your diligence and double your care How much better it it to seek God than men to cry to God for mercy than to cursed men God might have made your condition to have bin the condition of your brethren How many are this day running for their lives and begging of their lives at the hands of barbarous merciless blood-sucking monsters and you are yet in peace seeking your God for your selves and them But it may be asked Why should we seek God Quest Can we do any thing to move God Will God be ever the sooner intreated by us I answer No that is not the meaning of the words Answ that we can alter or change Gods mind but such exhortations as these are to make us fit and to prepare us for mercy to boyl and raise our spirits to a sutable frame and disposition for mercies expected and looked for And thus we leave this rich Mine of the fifth Chapter which hath been so fruiâ—ful in affording many choice truths and come to the sixt Chapter a rich Mine also of heavenly and most seasonable Directions no less useful than the former THE CONTENTS CHAP. VI. VERS I. Observ 1. WHen Gods time of mercy is come He puts a spirit of seeking into men Page 531 Obs 2 A joynt turning to God is very honorable Ibid Obs 3 Times of mercy are joyning times Page 532 Obs 4 A true penitent heart seeks to get others to joyn with him ibid Obs 5 A penitent heart retains good thoughts of God in time of suffering ibid Obs 6 A penitent heart is not discouraged Page 534 Obs 7 When God intends good to a people he leaves them intimation of his love Page 536 Obs 8. Apprehension of mercie causes the heart to turn Page 537 Obs 9 The Saints make their healing not a fruit of their returning but of Gods mercy ib. VERS II. Opened Page 538 Obs 1 Gods own people may lie for dead in their own eyes Page 540 Use 1 Do not draw dark conclusions from Gods dealing ibid Use 2 Be not impatient in prayer Page 541 Obs 2 Gods reviving his people is not long in Gods nor the Saints eyes Page 542 Obs 3 Faith makes Gods reviving real in the saddest condition ibid Obs 4 Mercies after two daies death are reviving mercies Page 544 Obs 5 The real sight of deliverance puts the soul upon returning Page 547 Obs 6 The apprehension of the death and resurrection of Christ is a special help to faith in affliction Page 549 Obs 7 When God grants mercies he would have his people to be of lively spirits Page 549 Obs 8 When God is reconciled to a people his face is towards them ibid Obs 9 The eye of God upon his people is their safety Page 550 Obs 10 Gods peoples life consists in Gods favor ib. Obs 11 Faith raiseth the soul high ibid Obs 12 It is the care of the Saints to walk as in Gods sight Page 551 VERS III. Obs 1. True penitents turn to God that they may know God Page 554 Obs 2 No man can turn to God but as Gods face is towards him Page 555 Obs 3 The knowledg of God is a very comfortable thing to the Saints ibid Obs 4 The more men turn to God the more they shall know of him ibid Obs 5 Those that know somthing of God desire to know more Page 556 Obs 6 A gracious heart endeavors strongly after the knowledg of God ibid Obs 7 It is a blessed thing for a man to take notice of Gods revealings Page 557 Obs 8 Those that follow on to know God shall know more of him ib. Obs 9 One mercy makes way for another Page 558 Obs 10 The times of Gods delivery is in the morning Page 561. Obs 11 The Church hath no afflictions but there comes a morning after them ibid Obs 12 It is Gods presence that makes the morning to the Saints ibid Obs 13. Gods mercies to his people are prepared and decreed Page 562 Obs 14 The Saints in affliction comfort themselves that morning is coming ibid Obs 15 The Saints night is darkest a little before their deliverance ibid Obs 16 Gods delivery is by degrees ibid Obs 17 Gods deliverance is like rain to the corn ibid Obs 18 Gods mercies to his people are seasonable and sutable Page 563 Use Let us be seasonable in duty Page 565 Obs 19 When God hath begun with mercy to his people he will go on Page 566 Use Let us do so with God in obedience ibid Obs 20 Gods mercies to his people procure much good ib. Obs 21 Gods peoples deliverance comes from heaven ib. Obs 22 Gods peoples deliverance cannot be hindred Page 567 Obs 23 We should make a spiritual use of Gods works in his creatures ibid VERS IV. Obs 1 God doth not willingly grieve men Page 569 Obs 2 We should not think much to lose our pains with others ibid Obs 3 It it a speceal means to humble men to consider what means hath been used to do them good Page 570 Obs 4 God many times seems to be in a straight what to do with men ib. Obs 5 The condition of people is sad when no means will do them good Page 572 Obs 6 It goes nigh the heart of God to see men perverse ibid Obs 7 For a man to make good beginnings and let them fall is grievous to God and dangerous to a mans self Page 581 Grievous to God 1 Because God is holy Page 582 2 He is unchangable ib. 3 It stifles the conceptions of the spirit ibid 4 Such people cannot be trusted ibid 5 There is no fear of God before their eyes ibid 6 It pollutes Gods Name ib. 7 Religion is looked upon by such as a thing indifferent ibid 8 They never had good beginnings ibid Dangerous to a mans self 1 Because we lose many opportunities Page 583 2 We shall never grow to any eminency ibid 3 It hardens the heart ibid 4 It aggravates sin ibid 5 It spoils the acception of our services ibid 6 It damps our hearts in duty ibid Means to persevere 1 Trust not in suddain flashes Page 584 2 Get your hearts off from earthly engagements Page 585 3 Take heed of secret sins ib. 4. Take often accompt of your hearts ib 5 Never trust your hearts after reviving ib. 6 Humble your selves after good desires Page 586 7 Rest not in beginnings Page 587 VERS V Obs 1 When God comes against false Prophets he looks the people should not be led by them Page 588 Obs 2 Inconstancy in Religion provokes Gods anger Page 592 Obs 3 Many mens hearts are like knotty timber Page 593 Obs 4 Gods Ministers are hewers ibid Obs 5 When Ministers hew God hews Page 594 Obs 6 Gods Ministers are Gods tools Page 595 Obs 7 Gods Ministers are Gods mouth Page 596 Obs 8 The Word of God is of great power ibid Obs 9 Gods judgments lie dark when men go on in a
prosperous way of sinning Page 597 Obs 10 God hath his time to punish openly ibid Obs 11 God will have his time to convince men ibid Obs 12. Gods judgements are gradual ibid Obs 13. The more powerful the Ministry is the more sharp shall the judgment be if despised Page 598 VERS VI. Opened Page 600 Objections answered Page 601 Obs 1 Carnal hearts are verie cruel in their dealings Page 614 Obs 2 Carnal hearts think to satisfie their consciences by observing outward Ordinances ibid Obs 3 God and mens consciences will not be put off ibid Obs 4 The Lord hath an highesteem of mercy Page 615 Obs 5 It is a Christians skill when two duties come together which to chuse ibid Obs 6. If Gods Worship may be forborn in case of mercy how much more mens Institutions ibid Obs 7 God will have mercy rather than desputing about sacrifice Page 616 Obs 8 Mercy must be preferred before our own wils Page 617 Objections answered Page 619 Obs 9 The duties of the first and second Table are joyned together ibid Use Instruct your children and servants in this knowledge Page 620 Obs 10 Men may be very diligent in worship and yet very ignorant ibid Obs 11. Soul-worship must be preferred before all other ibid VERS VII Obs 1 It is Gods goodness that He enters into covenant with such poor creatures as we are Page 623 Obs 2. God is constant in His Covenant with men ibid Obs 3 Mans nature is very weak Page 624 Obs 4 The apprehension of our obligation should keep us within covenant ibid Obs 5 Breach of covenant is a grievous agravation of sin ib. Obs 6 God expects that of His people which every one cannot do Page 625 Obs 7 Men may do many services and yet be Covenant breakers ibid Obs 8. The sins of Saints which break Covenant are sins of a double dye ibid Obs 9. The want of the right knowledg of God is the cause of breach of Covenant ib. Obs 10 There can be no Covenant kept where there is no mercy Page 626 Obs 11. We should be humbled because we break Covenant with God ibid VERS VIII Obs 1 Through mans wickedness the best of Gods Ordinances ar corrupted Page 628 Obs 2 We must not judg of places as they have been heretofore ibid Obs 3 Places of Religion if corrupted are the worst of all others ibid Obs 4 It is abominable to be a worker of iniquity ibid Obs 5 Clergie men if wicked are the worst of all others ib. Obs 6 Wicked Clergie men overthrow whol Nations Page 629 Obs 7 False worship and tyranny are joyned together ibid Obs 8 None so cruel as Clergie men ibid VERS IX Obs 1 Wicked Ministers are most outragious against those that leave them Page 630 Obs 2 Wicked Ministers wait to do mischief ibid Obs 3 Many men are neerest undoing when most secure ibid Obs 4 Wicked men abuse the esteem others have of them ib. Obs 5 Judges are least called to an accompt for wrongs ib. Obs 6. None plot mischief so much as Clergie men Page 631 Obs 7 Plotted wickedness is most vile ibid VERS X. Obs 1 Idolatry is a horrible sin Page 632 VERS XI Obs 1 The sins of the people are seeds for a harvest of judgment Page 635 Obs 2 God hath a set time for judgment ibid Obs 3 In judgment the Lord remembers mercy for his people ibid CHAP. VII VERS I. Obs 1 In great Cities there is all manner of evils Page 637 Obs 2 The sins of a Kingdom are the sores of a Kingdom Page 638 Obs 3 The Lord is the healer of a Kingdom Page 639 Obs 4 God doth not will things according to his omnipotency Page 640 Obs 5 Much wickedness lies hid many times in a Kingdom Page 641 Englands wickedness 1 Bitterness against the power of godliness Page 641 2 A sordid spirit Page 642 3 A trtacherous spirit ibid 4 A blasphemous spirit ib. 5 A bloody spirit ib. 6 A spirit of division ib. 7 An oppressing spirit Page 643 8 A spirit of envy ib. 9 A spirit of superstition ib. 10 A wanton spirit ib. 11 An unmerciful spirit ib. Obs 6 It is a forerunner of mischief when people are false in their relations Page 647 Obs 7 There is much secret wickedness in men of false Religions ib. VERS II. Obs 1 It is a good thing to be often speaking with ones own heart Page 648 Obs 2 God remembers wickedness a long time Page 649 Obs 3 Wicked men consider not that God remembers their wickedness ib. Obs 4 When God punisheth sin be manifesteth that he remembers it Page 650 VERS III. Obs 1 Wicked people are easily led aside by their Governors Page 655 Obs 2. Governors ought not to be obeyed when their comands are unlawful ibid Obs 3 It is a vile wickedness to flatter Princes Page 653 Obs 4 It is a vile thing to be made glad with wickedness Page 654 Obs 5 That King is in a sad condition when his ends must be accomplished by wickedness ibid Obs 6 Idolatry is a lye in Gods account Page 656 Obs 7 Idolaters further their worship with lyes ibid Obs 8 It is an evil thing to make men glad with lyes Page 657 VERS IV. Opened and applied Page 658 VERS V Obs 1 Festival daies are usually distempering daies Page 662 Obs 2 Drunkennesse is an old Court sin Page 663 Obs 3 Drunkennesse breeds diseases ibid Obs 4 Sensual Courtiers are for the most part great scorners Page 666 Obs 5 Times of feasting are times of contemning Religion ibid Obs 6 The right way of worship is slighted by carnal hearts ib. Obs 7 When Kings hearts are against Relegion they shall never want pestilent wits to further their designs Page 667 VERS VI. Obs 1 God will be hot in judgment as men are hot in sin Page 668 VERS VII Obs When Governors set up false worship it should quicken our prayers Page 670 VERS VIII Opened Page 673 VERS IX Obs 1 The hearts of wicked men work strongly after their lusts VERS X. Obs 1 God expects we should turn upon afflictions Page 679 Obs 2 Afflictions if not sanctified never turn the heart ib. Obs 3 Not to turn in Affliction is a great aggravation of sin ibid VERS XI Obs 1 Men are not excused though seduced by others Page 680 VERS XII Obs 1 It is just that those which go out of Gods way should be ensnared Page 682 Obs 2 God may for a time let wicked men prosper in their waies Page 685 Obs 3 Sinners had need regard what they hear out of Gods Word Page 684 Obs 4. When judgements come upon impenitent sinners 't is an humbling consideration ib. VERS XIII Obs 1 Gods redeeming mercies are great aggravations of our sins Page 687 Obs 2 Such as sin freely after deliverance give God the ly ib. Obs 3 For a man to urge another to a false opinion is a lying against God ibid Obs 4. The great evil of sin is that
find out the meaning of a text who stand so curiously upon such inceties The meaning the meaning therfore of the words are after two daies that is although God do not come presently after two daies yet he will come mercy though it staies long yet it will come two daies in Scripture signifies a little and a short time as Numb 9.22 whether it were two daies or a month or a yeer that the cloud stayed upon the Tabernacle two daies that is when we shall be in any great extremity of pain or misery Mercer Mercer quotes R. Abrah R. Abrah Ezra filium who saies that wounds and gashes in a mans body pain and smart more at two daies end than at the first so God may let us lie in the smart of pain and sorrow two daies but in the third day mercy shall follow Interpreters generally conceive these words to have reference unto the two daies that Christ lay in the grave Christs resurectioÌ„ prophesied in this scripture and Luther saith that this is the Scripture which Paul speaks of in 1 Cor. 15.4 That Christ rose the third day according to the Scripture what Scripture why this the third day we shall live in his sight though the text Notes the confidence which repenting Israel had in Gods mercy towards them yet hath it reference also unto Christ as if they should say our straits and miseries may be great and we may lie in them a while so did Christ but he was raised the third day and so shall we Mr. Calvin Calvin saith that God gave a famous and memorable example of Israels mercy after their captivity by Christs rising from the grave and this may well be meant of Christ as that Scripture shews Hosea 11.1 When Israel was a child then I loved him and called my son out of Egypt Who would have thought that this had meant Christ but that the Scripture applies it unto Christ in Mat. 2.15 And he departed into Egypt untill the death of Herod that it might be fulfilled c. How darkly was Christ shadowed out in the old Testament as by Jonas in the Whales belly three daies Oh what cause have we to bless God who lives in the times of the Gospel where Christ is manifested so cleerly what dark and mistical intimations had they of Christ in those daies this was one of the cleerest and that of Jonas in the Whales belly When at any time God would comfort his people in distress what doth he do Christ Gods usual medium to comfort his afflicted people Luthers Object he reveals a prophesie of the Messias to come as in Isa 7.14 and in Isa 9.6 and when was this when the rod of the oppressor was broken in Zacca 9.9 and so here God having smitten wounded torn them he comes and heals them promising life and reviving to them But here now Luther makes an objection If these words had reference unto Christ they should run thus He should live in his sight not we and he answers it himself that it notes the efficacy of his resurrection Answ Ostendit fructum resurectionis Christi we are risen live in Christs resurectioÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad facies ejus not only for himself but for many others We shall live in his sight that is comfortably mortis habet vices que trahitur vita genitib before his face that is His favor shall be towards us for mercy as the turning the face away shews anger so the turning of Gods face towards us signifies favor 2. We shall see his face with comfort and reâ—oyce in the sight of it 3. We shall eye his face in acts of obedience and he will eye our duties with acceptance 4. It notes security in his presence As when we are in the presence of a King his very presence is our security and safety so we shall live in his â—â—ght that is we shall be safe in his presence The Notes from hence are Obs 1 That Gods own people may not only he smitten and wounded by God but may lie for dead in their own eyes and in the eyes of all about them for a time see it in the case of Heman Psal 88.8 14. verses Lord why castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me verse 10. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead shall the dead praise thee Ezek. 37.3 we reade there of drie bones which should be made to live and Revel 11. the witnesses shall be slain and lie dead in the streets the beast shall overcome them the generallity of those that stand for Christ shall be slain by the beast and overcome by his power Reas God works by contraries The reason of this may be because God can work about his glory by contrary means This is a great affliction yet not so great as sin is when God fetches out his glory from the afflictions of his people it costs him not so much nor so deer as when he fetcheth it out of sin now if Gods glory be so dear to him that he will suffer sin to be in the world thereby to fetch his glory out of it why should we be unwilling that God should suffer afflictions to be upon us seeing by them he fetcheth out glory to himself Exod 15.7 In the greatness of thine excellency hast thou overthrown them which rose up against thee how should God manifest his glorious power in raising them up were they never brought very low In Heaven God will manifest his glory so to us that we shall not need such dark shadows to have it set out and opened unto us as here it is Use Care to be well grounded in a cause thâ—t may suffer If this be thus take heed of drawing darker conclusions from Gods dealings than they will bear as to say the Lord hath forsaken us and God will have mercy no more upon us he hath forgotten to be gracioos or to say he hath left his cause and turned his back upon his inheritance therefore we should labor to be well informed in the grounds upon which his cause stands and is maintained and which may uphold us in the maintenance of it for know that God may put thee to the tryal and if thou art not throughly grounded thou wilt apostatize God leaves his people in that dead condition for a time the first Obs 2 day they may look for help and it may not come and the second day he may let them lie when help is look'd for and this may be after their seeking of God This people they said Come let us return unto the Lord yet what do they say after two daies he will revive us it must be some time first God is a great God and his creature must wait there is much grace exercised in an afflicted condition when the soul quietly submits to God and patiently waits upon his pleasure let his dealing be never so hard towards them God
his Covenant with thee he never yet broke Covenant so long as Christ is thine and thou art his Gods faithfulnesse in keeping Covenant is also thine what if those that stand for Christ and his Cause be sometimes beaten must they therefore give over No but venture still and if our sins hinder not though we may lie dead to day and to morrow yet the third day we may live in his sight Obs 5 Mercies after two daies death are reviving mercies After two daies I will revive you Promises in times of afflictions are sweet indeed Oh then how much more deliverance Such mercies are resurection-mercies which God sends after killing afflictions And such mercies hath the Lord given us at this very day the Lord hath revived us when almost dead Applicat for Engl. therefore would we give God the glory of such mercies and render unto him due and seasonable praise for such seasonable mercies Let us observe these rules First Look back to your base unbeleeving hearts formerly and chide them upbraid them with this now Oh vile heart of mine did not I begin to say Alas I am undone all iâ— now lost my hopes are now abortive was not I sorry that ever I was so engaged as I am were it to do again I would be better advised did not I think newters which had never manifested themselves for God in his Cause in a far better estate than I and wish my self in their condition how hath the Lord been dishonored by me what secret pining and grudging thoughts have I had even against God Himself because of the various dispensations of providence Say now oh base vile unbeleeving heart how hath the Lord confuted thee and made thee to see thy shame and ignorance in beleeving sence rather than faith Secondly Hath God bestowed reviving mercies upon you then be willing to give God the glory of them and resign them up to him upon thiâ— ground because we have forfited them by our unbeleef an unbeleeving heart forfits all mercies before he hath them 't is true God gives many precious mercies to sad dumpish froward discontented spirits but you cannot have that comfort in your mercies which others have because they are forfited and though God through his bounty lets you enjoy them yet you are in fear continually lest God should take his forfiture Oh beleeve your mercies in the promise through the difficulties Thirdly Remember the Covenants which you made unto God in the times of your trouble and keep them 'T is a provoking sin to break Covenant with God God complains of it against Israel Psal 78.38 They flattered him with tâ—â—ir lips in making Covenants to him in their trouble but they were not sâ—eadfast in their Covenants Oh how usual is it with men in any misery to Covenant largely with God and presently to forget what they have done this is a sign of a false heart therefore take heed of it Lay more wait upon your Covenants which you make if ever you mean to give God real praise for any mercy Fourthly Consider how much better it is to give God the glory of a mercy willingly than force him to extort it from you in a way of wrath God is better pleased with active praise than passive for his mercies consider glory he will have for his mercies Oh put not God to that trouble to force his own glory so due to him from you if you give not God the glory of a mercy in possession he in wrath will take it from you and had not God given us this reviving mercy it might have been our case to have been forced to give God his glory in a passive way Fiftly Whatever God câ—lls for now from you be willing to give it up to him freely whatsoever we would have been willing to have given for such a mercy in our misery had God indented with us for it let us be ready and willing to give it to him now the mercy is come had we known our danger and the miseries which would have flowed in upon us had not mercy prevented if God should have said thus What would you do what would you suffer what would you part withal for me and you shall be delivered out of this danger and possess the contrary mercy Then seeing God hath given us such a mercy without this indenting make this an argument to come off freely in giving God that which he now calls for you have been perhaps in bodily fears and danger of death by some sickness now if God should have cald for your estates would not you have given them to him Do that now which you would then have done Lastly Lay up against unbeleef for time to come Hath God remembred us in our low estate let us say with David We will trâ—st in him so long as we live we will never determine so as formerly we have either against our selves or the cause of God we wil never entertain hard thoughts of God more but we are resolved to do what belongs to us as creatures and leave the success of the business to God apply this any way and it will be very useful hath God helped us in any soul-trouble revived thee in the depths of sorrow when God hid himself from thee lay up the passages of God towards thee in this case against all the risings of unbeleef whatsoever resolve upon this that thy soul shall relye upon him for help whatsoever becomes of thee this is to give God the glory of reviving mercies Psal 18.1 2. thus doth David apropriate God to himself and gathers strength from this to support him David at this time was in a great straight by Sauls persecution of him that he gave all for lost I shall one day perish by the hands of Saul but he soon recals himself again It was in my hast he said in his hast the Prophets of God Gad and Nathan they are lyars they tell me that I shall be King that I shall sway the Scepter in Israâ—l but 't is nothing so I am like to be kild and betrayed every moment such enemies wait to catch me and is it ever likely that I should fit upon the Throne and be King So men in their hast are ready to think that God will forsake them and leave his cause upon every frown and hard word which he speaks but David found a reviving mercy presently upon it in the 1. and 2. verses of the 18. Psalm where he praised God for that mercy which formerly he would not beleeve before in this 2. verse he sets out God in way of praise by eight titles 8. Relations of God in Psal 18.2 with the Believers propriety in them and all his propriety in them for strengthening of his faith 1. My rock 2. my fortress 3. my deliverer 4. my God 5. my strength in whom I will trust 6. my buckler 7. the born of my salvation 8. my high Tower from all these titles of God as his he
strengthens himself In all the Scripture I know not such a short text so full for the strengthning of faith as this is and it is the special work of faith to make God to be ours in all these relations Ps 18.2 An eminent prop of faith Oh how beautiful would our praises for reviving mercies shew could we but exercise our faith thus upon all these titles of God as ours The real sight of deliverance from evil and the apprehension of Obs 6 certain mercy a coming is a strong argument to put the soul on to turn to God This people did make this use of mercy coming to them What wil God after two daies deliver and revive us Come then and let us return unto him let us not any longer stand out but come in that he may revive us and raise us up When the soul sees mercy coming it beholds God out-bidding all other temptations and over-powering all difficulties when men by sence can behold mercy coming they will then think it best to turn to God happy are those who by faith can see mercy coming a great way off and thereby are stirred up to turn to God when God lets such thoughts as these into the soul and settles them upon the spirit I am now in a very good condition well and in health for the present but where may I be within two daies I enjoy peace and have every thing that heart can desire both for necessity and delight but within a short time where may I and these be These are dreadful thoughts to consider of But on the other side to beleevers these words are very comfortable and full of sweetness I am in great extremity of misery but after two daies they will blow over then oh where shall I be in heaven in joy and blessedness for evermore at rest with my Savior dreadful are the meditations from these words to all the wicked but very sweet and comfortable to the Saints of God as any text I know This consideration made Paul over look all his afflictions 2 Cor. 4. â—7 he thus considered ' â—is true I am under great afflictions but they are but light and 't is but for a moment and what shall I have then An eternal waight of glory Therefore Christians should not be alwaies poring upon their afflictions but look up to mercy behold that which may comfort them as well as what may discourage them consider that within two daies God will raise us up again and this wil mightily raise our spirits and quel the tumults in our hearts as we should be sensible of Gods hand to be humbled for our sins the cause of it yet should we take care that we do not destroy our selves by our fears Obs 7 The apprehension of the death and resurrection of Christ is a special means to help faith in the times of the greatest afflictions Many things may help faith in this case but the consideration of Christs resurrection is the chief when the soul shall exercise faith thus I am thus and thus afflicted and in misery so was Christ and much more although he were the Son of God the first begotten of the Father and so blessed for ever he was delivered up into his enemies hands scorned persecuted and contemned nay he was crucified and put to a shameful death but my condition for the present is not thus but if it should be so it is no more than Christs was in this his great misery all his frinds forsook him which aggravates their misery which are in straits in so much that those two Disciples which went to Emmaus said We had thought that God would have delivered Israel by this man What a low condition did God bring Christ unto and yet this was the greatest work that ever was done and such a â—ork as brings God the most glory of any work in the world Christ therefore become miserable for our consolaâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 the Church ever in a lower condition than Christ himself was yet Christ was raised and delivered out of them all yea this was a special end why Christ was brought into such a low estate to be a comfort and a pattern for his Churches that may come into the same condition which he was in and seeing this is held forth unto us in a cleerer way than it was to the Jews under the Law we should make more use of it than they did was Christ so low that the wrath of God was upon him for satisfactâ—on even to death this surely was a very low condition and now is there any hope that ever he should be raised from this yea now was Gods time to shew his power and to diclare him to be his Son God be speaks his people in all their strâ—its thus Did my power raise my son in such a low estate it is able also to raise you as the Apostle argues in the 1 Cor. 15. If Christ be not risen the dead are not raised c. so from thence I also infer That the Church must rise because Christ is risen if the Church does not rise Christ is not risen and if so then our preaching is in vain and your faith is to no purpose therefore raise up your sadded spirits upon thiâ— ground wel Christ is risen and I also shall rise with him It was wont to be the salutation of the Christians in ancientt time Christ is risen tâ— antient form of salutatio among christian Christus resurrexit Christ iâ— risen so the Saints may conclude though brought very low yet that power which raised the head will in his time raise the body and make it glorious with himself And we shall live in his sight As Israel was repenting so it was beleeving Israel also Faith anâ— repentanâ—â— muâ—ually act one another and as their beleeving furthered their repentance so their repentance furthered their faith they were confident that they should live in his sight When God grants mercies to his people he would have them of Obs 1 lively spirits to be quick and vigorous and of active spiriâ—s And this is the scope of the holy Ghost in this text however the Saints may seem as dead men when wicked men prevail over them yet when God gives rest and life they shall be lively and full of spirit God loves not to see his people of a sad fullen pensive disposition when that they have matâ—er of the greatest joy in the world When God is reconciled to 〈◊〉 people his face is then towards his Obs 2 people he looks then upon them and loves them Apoâ— 22.4 And they shall see his face God doth nor deal with us as David did with his son 2 Sam. 14.24 And the King said Let him not see my face any more But if God be once reconciled all the frowns in his face are turned into smiles he is all lovely towards them Use 1 Now how incongruous a thing is it that when God smiles we should lowr be heavy
decree with day and night morning and evening cald a Covenant because it is sure and certain so also is the Covenant which God hath made to Christ and to his Church firm and sure and this is a ground of strong consolation to the Saints to consider that mercies which they want are set and decreed mercies therefore with patience wait for them Obs 6 The Saints in the night of their affliction can comfort themselves in this That the morning is a coming It is night yet but the morning will come 't is approaching the assurance the morning is coming upholds the Saints spirits in the night of their sorrows the Marrener in tempestuous storms in the dark night the traveller in his wearisom and dirty journy comforts themselves with this the morning light is a coming 't is far better to be in darkness and know the morning light is a coming than to be in the light and to know or fear that darknesse is a coming and light never to returne more Obs 7 A little before the Saints deliverance out of their greatest disturbances of miserie and trouble the darkness of their night is the greatest As a little before the dawning of the day the darkness is the thickest and the most terrible thus it was in Egypt a little before Israels deliverance and their return out of captivity and this should mightily encourage us not to be disheartned in these times though our miseries should encrease for the darker the cloud is and the bigger it grows the neerer it is to its period therefore wait with patience Obs 8 Gods delivering of his Church is gradual by degrees not all at once as the day breaks by degrees so the Saints shine gradually in their lives answerable to the light which God hath let into them We would have deliverance at an instant light and perfect noontime presently but this is not Gods way of dealing with his people a child does not know that it is day till it be very light indeed simile but wise discerning men can see day at a little hole as we use to say Oh that we were so wise to discern Gods dealings in the workings of providence towards us It follows His going forth is prepared as the morning Text And he shall come unto us as the rain God glories much in this creature of Rain Rain in so much that he wonders when men do not fear him who is the giver of rain They did not say in their hearts let us fear God who gives rain there is so much of my glory in this very one creature that mens hearts must be very hard that will not give God glory for it Jer. 5.24 God is stiled the Father of rain this speech the mention of it here hath reference to that country in which the Prophet spake to Canaan where they had rain not so frequently as we have but twice a yeer especially viz. at seed time to soften the ground and a little before harvest to plump and fill up the Corn in the ear The Apostle James seems to allude unto this Jam. 5.7 Jam. 5.7 illustrated The husbandman waiteth patiently for the fruits of the earth so should we for Gods time of delivering his people Gods deliverances to his people shall be as seasonable as the former and the latter rain The Notes of observation from these words are Look what the rain is to the Corn so is Gods blessing to his people Obs 1 We have the same dependance upon God for blessing mercy that the seed hath upon the rain for growing and encrease without the rain the Corn will be but as the parched ground in the wilderness which is the curse and brand upon wicked men Jer. 17.5 6. hence we may see what poor creatures we are having our dependance upon such a poor creature as the rain is in its self and by the dependance which we have on this creature we should learn to consider what dependance we have upon the infinite God for all the good things which we enjoy Obs 2 As the Church is parched and dried up without the rain of Gods blessing so on the other side all the earth and flowers in the field are refreshed and a beauty there is put on them by the rain that coms from the Heavens it makes them to encrease And as the earth is not unthankful for the rain Use but sends forth Corn Grass and Flowers so should we alwaies after the receiving of mercies return unto God in duties we would think it strange if the earth after all the cost man hath bestowed upon it and after the sweet and seasonable showers of rain it should be barren and fruitless Oh man condemn thy self the word is compared to rain and how many times hath the sweet showers and droppings of the word lighted upon thee and yet thou barren all cost hitherto being lost upon thee Deut. 32.2 Obs 3 Gods mercies to his people are both seasonable and sutable this promised in the text They should come as the latter and former rain The Lord comes to wicked men in a general way of providence but to the Saints as rain in seed-time and harvest with much fulness how should this teach us our duty to wait with patience upon God with the husbandman Jam. 5.7 for the appointed weeks of harvest so should we till mercies come seasonably if mercies should alwaies come when we would have them they would prove judgments to us that which in its self is a mercy coming untimely proves an affliction God sent his people Israel Israel a King but he proved a heavy judgment to them simile if a woman should be delivered upon every pain and throwing she feels what mishapen birth would she have It is Gods mercy unto you to prolong your births till the full time we cry out Oh our troubles are great and continue long we had thought to have seen a period to these times our wars at an end and peace setled in our Kingdom Oh know that if they had ended sooner when we would have them what a plague would it have been to us Saints experience in this how many that observe Gods dealings can say that if such a mercy had come when they desired it they had been undone by it it had ruined them therefore Gods time is the best time hence we find that the Saints have often blessed God when he hath crossed them in their desires and hath denied them the thing which they so importunatly desired The Lord hath sent us the former rain at the begining of the summer in its season to prepare the earth for fruit but now there are scorching heats in the Kingdom heats of displeasure in the Country in the City nay almost in every family Now let us with patience wait and the latter rain in its season will assuredly come Is God so seasonable in his mercies for us Let us be seasonable and sutable in our
duty Use let us bring forth fruit unto God in season Seasonablenesse cōmend duty as the godly man in the first Psalm is said to do herein consists the excellency of service when it is in its place Therfore it is no other but a temptation of Satan that when men are cald to exercise in their callings they are then stirred up to prayer or hearing but these are not the motions of the Spirit for they are seasonable for God never puts the soul upon extreams the performing of two contrary duties at one and the same time A note o◠a good heart It is an excellent sign of a gracious heart to account a season for service a mercy and a misery to want an opportunity Certainly it is a great judgment of God upon a man to be unserviceable in a season of service Jude 12. A great judgment to be unservicable in times of service Jude describing those corruptions of the Gospel by life and doctrine in his time saies they were trees withered twice dead plucked up by the roots trees corrupt in the time of autumne then when their fruit should come in Even thus it is with many men at that time when God expects the most fruit from them show themselves most corrupt and vile These are such as mightily provoke God Reproof and how many such have we among us at this day who when God cals them to service manifest the rotteness which is in their spirits Many when they are in a poor condition think Oh had I such a mans estate what a deal of good would I do with it had I such parts and abilities as some have and so much time and many oportunities given as they have how would I lay them out for God Many that are now servants have many good resolutions Oh what will they do for God when God calls them to it O foolish hearts who when they can do nothing would do most and when they may do most do nothing at all Obs 4 Gods mercies to his people are according to the variety of their necessityes the former and the latter rain Towards the seed-time they wanted rain and God sends it them now let our duty be according to the variety of mercies God may call us to variety of service let not us content our selves in that we have don somthing in such services we have had our heads hands and purses such and such have been idle let them now appear Oh say not so be not weary of wel-doing God hath imployed thee this day in one service he hath another to do the next be willing and ready to be set on work and blesse God he will imploy thee in service Obs 5 When God hath begun in mercy with his people he will go on with them and will not leave them If God should give only the former rain it would not bring up the seed the seed would not fructifie and increase without the latter rain Faith will beleeve that God will not lose the glory of former mercies for want of succeeding mercies Faith beleeves that God wil never begin a work and there leave it Use Now let not us begin in waies of obedience with God and then leave off and lose all that we have done let us consider that the vows of God are upon us and many prayers we have put up now let us not lose the return of them How many in the daies of their youth followed on to know God and they found the sweetness of the Word to be as the former and the latter rain unto them Do not now lose all which you got in your youth by denying him service in your age let not slothful age lose the sweetness of those things which in youth through christian diligence we found sweet Obs 6 Gods mercies to his people procure much good They are not empty shels there is that good in them to the ful which they promise to have these Notes are observable from the words thus understood but now put al the sense of them together and then they afford us two or three usefull Observations more Obs 7 Note That Gods peoples deliverance comes from Heaven They spring not out of the earth if ever Gops people are delivered there must be a Divine Almighty power put forth else it will never be a deliverance in mercy Gods peoples deliverances cannot be hindered no not by all the Obs 8 powers in Hell or Earth Why because they come from above they are as the light of the Sun and as the rain that comes upon the earth who can hinder the Sun from shining the rain from falling who can interupt night and day so who can hinder the rain of mercy from a people prepared for it We should make a spiritual use of Gods works in his creatures We Obs 9 see after the coldest winter there comes a summer after a drought a spring-tide they take their turns let not us in the times of cold and dark afflictions which God may bring us into conclude that mercy is quite gone that God hath shut up his loving kindness in forgetfulness No but rest assured that there will be a return of mercy for thee again which shall revive thee VER 4. O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I do unto thee for your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away LUTHER upon this place Luthers Exposit carries on these words as a further expression of mercy to this people Israel and not in any way of reproof to them as if the Lord had said to them thus Oh Israel my people I have been very good and gracious to you in the Land of Egypt and delivered you from that tyranny and oppression which you were under and I have been with you in the wilderness and I have brought you into the Land of Canaan but what are these all but temporal mercies I have greater mercies than these to bestow upon you the Gospel it shall reveal other manner of things to you He carries it all along as in a way of mercy but if this be the meaning then this objection will arise What shall we understand by the next words your goodness is as the morning cloud how can this be said Luther to this answers thus Your goodness that is the goodness of God which is yours by Covenant and purchase prepared for you this mercy of God shall refresh your parched souls as the morning cloud doth the earth after a long drought thus he carries it declined But the words passing away and their goodness being but as the morning cloud taking these together the sense runs another way viz. to a breaking off from the discourse about the promise of mercy to a convincement of the generality of Ephraims and Judahs formality in their greatest pursute of reformation they al passed away as the morning cloud which vanisheth away and as the early dew that
comes to nothing And Jeroms Hierom thinks that it is Gods mercies towards them which doth thus pass away he would not leave them quite without hope they should have some mercy but it should not abide nor stay with them But the genuine sense of the words I conceive to be The genuine meaning according to the English the generality of their formality in their pursute of reformation therefore O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee As if the Lord should say you put me to a stand you even non plus me in this thing what therefore shall I do unto thee Obser Here in the general we may observe the change of the Prophets voice in the beginning of the chapter it is all mercy and their repentance sweetly joyning with the mercy promised them but now he falls to upbraid them for their hypocrisie incorrigiblenels and unconstancy in the waies of God a very good pattern for Ministers For Ministers who have to deal with varieties of people But now to open the expression of the words more particularly Expos 1 What shall I do unto thee The manner of the expression is either in a way of compassion or expostulation compassion as if he should say Oh Ephraim it is in my heart to do thee good but nothing will work upon thee therefore O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee Like that expression in Isa 5.4 What could I have done more to my vinyard that I have not done were there any other course further to be taken any thing else to do I would do it Now from this sense thus taken of Gods compassionating of them we may note That God doth not willingly grieve the children of men he is even Obs 1 forced to it at that very time they are grieved by afflictions at the same time is God troubled for their miseries Can any tell me men of Angels nay I appeal to your selves can you tell me what I should do more to you than I have done If you can I would do it God expostulates with them he comes not suddenly upon them punishment is the last way God takes with his people And so it should be with us to those that are under us Use all means before correctioÌ„ as to children or servants all means must be tried to prevail with them before correction exhort advise reprove and pray for them have you first taken this course else you can have little comfort in correcting them this is Gods way though you perhaps see it not God here meets with an objection which repining Israel might seem to make we are such as do beleeve to whom the promise doth belong why might not the Lord bring mercy to us without using such means of smiting wounding killing and parching of us no saith God I could not bring about mine own ends but by this way Oh therefore let us check our selves at such thoughts as these God brings us low by afflictions he could do it by mercies but then his end which he aims at would not be so fully accomplished We should not think much to lose our pains in the use of means to others Obs 2 God he hath taken pains and been at cost with this people and he hath lost all God seems to mourn for the loss of his charges I have used this admonition the other counsel yet still hypocritical Oh what shall I do unto thee but yet Gods does not leave them or grow weary of his pains he persists still in the means to do them good In this should the Saints imitate God! if this course will not prevail use a second if not this use a third perhaps that may and if it does do good it will pay for all the pains And thus much of the words by way of compassion Expos 2 Now by way of expostulation and so they are to be taken to humble them or to convince them of their sin Hence observe Obs 3 That it's a speciâ—l means to humble men for sin to put them to it to consider what means they have had used to do them good Would we be seriously affected with sin and humbled for sin then go alone and call our souls into examination whether means have not been used sufficient to do us good consider what means they have been judgments national domestick and personal Mercies reproofs out of the word admonitions from friends terrorâ— and checks of conscience c. when you have done thus charge conscience to speak and tel thee the truth Form of expostulatioÌ„ with a mans own foul and when it doth tell truth give it leave to upbraid thee thus what so unprofitable so stout and stubborn so froward and impatient so unthankful and so unbeleeving for all this This would be a singular means to shew the soul a view of sin in its colors But alas most men put off and shun such a course as this is and the Devil he knows the prevalency and efficacy of such a way as this and he strives what he can to put the soul off from such a course and puts men upon such excuses as these Had I such and such means as others have I should be more fruitful I was reprooved but it was too open And of mens excuses had it been in private and with more love by such a one and in such a place it would have done more good Infinite are the reasonings of a base heart either to put it off with the want of means or some defect in the means and this is Satans subtilty in the soul but when the Lord comes truly to humble the soul that soul will charge it self home throughly for its sins in all the circumstances and aggravations of them Obs 4 These words What shall I do unto thee notes unto us that God was as it were in a straight at this time about this people the observation from them is That such is the perversness of men hearts many times that God knows not almost what to do with them God was here even at a stand he was fain to consult with himself about them see in other Scriptures how God expresses this Ezod 33.5 Therefore now put off thy ornaments that I may know what to do with thee and Deut. 32.5 They have corrupted their waies they are a perverse and a coooked generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contortiss of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luctori contorquer i The words there signifies the way of wrastlers who wave up and down that if the one thinks to have the other here he is winded the other way so did this people when God dealt with them this way they put him off another way Therefore Acts 2.40 we are coÌ„manded to save our selves from this untoward generation such a people that none can do good unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crooked piece no marvail then Gods Ministers are put to a stand with people many times who are so crooked and gainsying
like those in Christs time who put him to a stand they were so difficult and cross that neither John nor Christ himself could please when John came they cryed out of him that he was ridged and harsh and when Christ came he was mild and gentle and of him they said he was a winebibber and a friend of publicans and sinners John had that which Christ had not and Christ had that which John had not and yet neither of them could please these But it may be objected God knew not what to do Object how is that he could have put forth his almighty power and turned their hearts and that presently how then is it said God knew not what to do To this I answer that God was not bound to do this Answ for God had used all means to prevail with Ephraim and Judah which the most loving and compassionate friend could have done Suppose a man were in such a condition that for his cure there were all the Doctors of Physick in the Country where he lived gathered together and these should consult advise and pâ—â—pound things for his recovery and nothing do it you would wonder what the matter should be would not all this aggravate and set forth the danger of the disease and the difficulty of the cure All this is in God and much more and it is put forth for the good of souls I have put forth more power wisdom love and mercy than man can do now shall this be an aggravation in respect of the creature and not of the Creator all means to do you good have been put forth excepting my almighty power and yet the work is not done Obs 5 The condition of that people is very sad when no means can do them good then that fearful judgment may be pronounced upon them Jer. 6.30 Reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Ezek. 24.13 Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged any more until I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Obs 6 It is a thing that goes very neer the heart of God to see those that are nigh unto him to be perverse in their waies What for Judah to forsake me It is sad to find crosses and untowardness in Ephraim but to meet with them in Judah where my Ordinances are in a special manner and they so neer unto mee and I so tender of them 't is much to behold of what knotty crabid spirits Gods own people are A piece of wood may be sound yet full of knots and very tough What goes neerer a man than to find crossness in his wife his children or friend 't is not so much from a stranger as from one in relation Even so God takes the unkindness of his people to heart more than the wickednesses of the ungodly Obs 7 It is not enough to worship God better than others if we be of perverse spirits This was the sin of Judah because they had the Ordinances in a purer way and worshiped God better than Ephraim Applicat for Engl. they thought they might continue in this their sin Oh that this were not Englands sin at this day Let us be humbled for it that we may escape their judgment For your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benegnitâ—s miscricordia Also Sanctitas pictas vestrum vel est ri Vide Kimchi of kercher Your goodness That is your kindness or your mercy as the word signifies in the Original it is chesed the same word which we have in the sixt verse your mercy I will have mercy that is your piety and godliness in the strickt signification of it but mercy in the large sense The Seventy Translators render the words your mercy your goodness but why your goodness yours because either of Gods goodness towards them or their goodness their holiness which was in them Gods goodness towards them which is called ours somtimes Gods goodness as in Rom. 11.31 That through your mercy they might obtain mercy by that mercy which God bestowed on you you may encourage the gentile to come in 2. Their goodness which is double either to their brethren or their piety holiness both these were as the morning cloud or as the early dew that goeth away If the first signification of them be taken then the sense runs thus Gods goodness to them was as the morning cloud that is They by Expos 2 their sin had drove away Gods mercy and goodness from them even as the wind carries the dust before it God was in the way of mercie to them in appearances and they by their sins put them all away from them Bernard Bernard saith that the wind of their unthankfulness did drive away the flouds of mercy from them much more the dews of mercy Now God forbid that this should be our condition the clouds of mercy are over us and the dews of mercy are upon us now should we by our sins drive these away from us what a woful case should we be in Therefore let us not only pray to have the dews of mercy but also the clouds to shower down rivers of mercy Though I do not think this to be the principal scope and sense of the words ye it may be noted and afford us useful Expos 3 meditation but the proper meaning of the words seems to signifie their own goodnesse which may betaken 1. more strictly for mercy and compassion towards one another because in the sixt verse God calls upon them so earnestly for mercy notwithstanding all their shews and promises of reformation it was but in hypocrisie like those in Jer. 34.15 16. of whom God saith That they were turned and had done right in his sight in proclaiming liberty to their servants but they had polluted his Name again by causing those servants formerly set at liberty to return and bringing them into subjection so that people which are for a time pitiful and very merciful afterwards grow cruel and hardhearted Let us take heed of such a disposition which is so great an evil Appâ—iâ— we when together sometimes can joyn in love and unity pittying each other and bearing with each others infirmities bearing Christian admonition patiently but these good words and fair shows are vanished come to nothing where are those refreshing showers of love friendship which you were wont to water each other withal in your Christian societies In the room of these there now grows nothing but the lusts of pride passions and sad dissentions among us which parch and dry up all these good seeds of love and gentlenesse I desire to presse this the more because the Scripture is pleased to make use of this expression of the dew to set out the sweetness of a Christian spirit Psal 133.3 Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwel together in unity How
meaner a work of mercy God is wonderful careful of our bodies God careful of the body and would have us also careful of the bodies of others men ought not to massacar their bodies God doth not require weak sickly bodies to spend whol nights in fasting and prayer God in this case will have mercy and not sacrifice of us Mercy in case of our own estates But here some may say What may we regard our own particular estates before the service of God Yea in some cases we may as thus Suppose we were in the Assembly at publick Ordinances and there should be a fire in the Town or theeves breaking into a house we might lawfully leave the Ordinances to quench the fire or to apprehend the theeves and save our goods Numb 9.13 If a man were in a journey and in the mean time the Passeover were to be delivered he might go on in his journey and do his business and yet no sin to him So may we if in a journey or special business if not on purpose we go about this in slighting or contemning of the Ordinance we may go on in our business without sin God will have mercy In the times of persecution God doth allow his people the forbearing of some Ordinances as is cleer in Acts 8.1 There was at that time a great persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem so that the Church was scattered and could not be together to enjoy Church-fellowship and yet it was no unto them Church assemblys not alwaies safe it had been an unjust charge if any should have come and said What do you prize your lives so highly and fear the losse of them more than the Ordinances of God wil not you joyn together in Church-fellowship and constant assembling your selves together because you think you shall suffer by it No in such case God will have mercy and not sacrifice In the case of some eminent service for God As in the case of Nehemiah he being the Kings Cup-bearer he must attend it and when he was to go up to Jerusalem by the Kings leave when he had finished his work he returns to the King again to serve in his place though he wanted the Ordinances there in the Kings Court which he might have enjoyed at Jerusalem yet that he might be more serviceable in the Churches Cause he is contented to deny himself in his own comforts These are the cases with others of the like nature in which God wil have mercy and not sacrifice I shal answer some Objections that may be made against this Obj. 1 But mens hearts are deceitful and they may pretend cases of mercy when there is no such thing in hand Answ Know though in such a case thou couldst not do it yet do not thou judge another man that may or can do it the rule is difficult that 's true yet do not thou envie another mans grace to whom God hath given power to mannage his business with Christian wisdom thou thinkest that if thou wert in such places and hadst such temptations as others have thou shouldst miscarry and aim at self in them yet do not thou judge another man that may do it in sincerity do not thou judge another mans duty through thy weakness Gods servants in this world are as his stewards now we know that a steward hath not every thing given him in a particular command by his Lord but only general rules given him to order particulars according to prudence faithfulness and zeal 3. vertues requisiâ— in a steward for the exercise of these three graces are required in a steward Prudence and wisdom faithfulness and trust care and zeal in all these So doth God give general rules for the ordering of a Christian life and these general rules being observed particular cases are to be ordered in prudence 1. Prudence faithfulness 2. Faithfulness and zeal 3. Zeal wisdom to judge faithfulness in doing zeal to keep up life and spirit in action and where there is a miscarring through frailty God will have mercy But it may be asked Can any duty of the secâ—nd Table be more Obj. 2 excellent than the duties of the first Table of the one God being the object of the other man is the object The duties of the first Table are to be understood Answ either for the substantial and internal duties of the heart or some super added duties of the first Table joyned with the internal and substantial duties then there are duties of the second Table some more substantial some superadded now if we compare the internal and substantial duties with the superadded duties there the substantial are above them and to be preferred before them they having God for their immediate object yet in some cases God is pleased to indulge with men so far that he wil let the duties of the second Table duties of mercy towards men go before the more substantial duties of the first Table so in the duties of the second Table to men some duties which are but circumstantial and not so necessary God allows should be done when others more fundamental shall lie still omitted yet without sin But if Gods Ordinances are duties can they he omitted at any Obj. 3 time and that without sin Are they duties or not duties For answer Take notice there are two sorts of Precepts Answ Negative and Affirmative a negative binds semper ad semper alwaies and at all times but an affirmative doth bind only semper but not ad semper alwaies but not at al seasons at one time we may omit a thousand actions which are to be done but we cannot do many actions at one and the same time therefore for affirmative duties if they be done in their season God accepts of them as done continually as for that command Pray continually if it be done in its season God looks upon it as done continually and alwaies done if providence should so order it that another duty be brought to be done at this instant that duty which I was going to perform ceaseth then to be a duty to me at this time if two good things come together the one can be done but at a time so that the other is not a duty at that time to you which otherwise is a duty else if this were not man would be necessitated to sin and all the grace and mercy and assistance of God could not help in this case if that two affirmative precepts must bind at the same time to be done therefore this must be remembred for a truth that when two â—ffirmative precepts come together the one is a dutie to be performed the other not Instance But what say you to the case of Daniel when he knew that the writing was signed he went into his house and prayed more earnestly Dan. 6.10 Might not he have saved his life according to this rule I will have mercy and not sacrifice yet his was a sacrifice
in to Christ in this case we should abstain from contending Instance But young converts must abstain from all appearance of evil and labour to come to the knowledge of Christs will in everie point Answ It is true they must but this must be orderly they must first be established and grounded in fundamentals and then they have liberty in this that rule is perpetual and holds in this case Rom. 14 1 urged Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtfull disputations Now let no man say the point was a case of indifferency some would eat herbs out of conscience others would forbear now certainly it is a sin to do that out of conscience which God doth not regard nor command the thing it self here was indifferent yet in this case they must not receive them to doubtful disputations now if not to doubtful disputations then surely not to disputation to hold up error and to ensnare and betray young beginners in godliness Acts 15.24 There were troublers crept in among them who were formerly of them and they laboured to subvert their souls The word in the Original signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if a man should have been packing up wares in a fat to send beyond the Seas and there should come another and scatter and undo all again which was packed up or as Soldiers who have packed up their artillery their bag and baggage and all forced to be undone of a sudden again so did these false teachers that did unvessel them scatter and bring them all into a confusion so they labored to subvert them from the faith If the duties of inward worship and mercy to men be preferred before Obs 9 sacrifice then surely before our own wills and lusts God is contented that we may perform our duties to our brethren to forbear his own Ordinances and what shall we stand upon our wills and humors Oh proud spirit that exalteth thy self against the Lord we must be content to deny our selves very far for the publick good and our brethren because in this case God is pleased to indulge with men so far as for a time to be without that honor which he should have from men in their acknowledgment of him in publick service As God is contented to forbear his Worship let men also be contented Obs 10 to forbear their Institutions with those which cannot yeeld in their consciences to them but let there be peace and quiet maintained by us we should indulge and bear each with other in such cases of mercy especially there should not be the urging of lesser things upon tender consciences with that severity as to undo them though they be Gods Ordinances But if this be so Object then what hinders but men may do what they list No. Answ What hath been said hath been limitted only to instituted worship and so it be not to the undoing of men punnish them they may but not to the ruin of them nay in these controversies in which men are so divided many sitting in consultation some thinking this to be the way others thinking another to be the way of Christ things ought not so to be urged as to undo the other party that oppose certainly such a practice as this is contrary to the rule of mercy in this text but men must unsatisfie themselves presently and lay down their opinions upon such a day as shall be appointed them Is not this cruelty Instance But you wil say It is sufficient that learned and godly men hold this opinion they find sufficient to satisfie them and we may mistake Answ To this I answer That those who are ignorant in this kind must understand the grounds of those men upon which they hold their opinion and if their grounds can satisfie you then it is something but to say I must hold such and such things because others do I ignorant of their grounds this is folly for as we must not have an implicit faith so we must not have an implicit judgment to hold an opinion because others hold it And thus I have given you the mind of God in this Scripture so far as God hath revealed it to me for the present It follows Text. And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings Expos For the understanding of these words I shall 1. Answer some Questions and then give you the Observations Quest 1 What knowledg of God is it that is here meant Answ Certainly not a knowledg barely notional but such as is joyned with faith and obedience a practical knowledge which brings the heart to love and imbrace the truth Isa 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Quest 2 Why is the knowledge of God joyned to mercy here was it not full enough before Mercy and not sacrifice Answ Because as God accepts not mercy without sacrifice neither doth he regard knowledg without mercy men are here in the extreams on both sides some are very merciful as the Papists but withal very ignorant of the knowledg of God and his waies that as the Apostle saith of love If I should give al my goods to the poor and my body to be burnt it were nothing so if we be never so merciful and ignorant it availeth nothing others have much knowledge yet very rugged and hard hearted now when these are separated God regardes them not but when mercy and knowledge meet together then are they pleasing Why is knowledg only named here when as there are many duties Quest 3 of the first Table as well as this Because both of the excellency and necessity of the knowledg Answ 1 of God the knowledg of God it hath an influence into all the duties of Gods worship Because many are very much exercised in instituted worship Answ 2 yet very ignorant in the knowledg of God it was so then and is so now in our daies many who contend for Ordinances and Christs Government in his Church yet are very ignorant of Christs redeeming the world the way of God in reconciling himself and sinners together ignorant of the Attributes of God and their working for his peoples good therefore he requires the knowledg of himself to be in men principally Why is the knowledg of God put after mercy it being better than Quest 4 mercy The knowledg of God is not set after mercy Answ because mercy is to be preferred before knowledg but because mercy is more apparent and most conspicuous it is most convincing to men now when people are convinced of one duty they are the sooner convinced of another conscience will easily convince them of what is Gods mind But why is it said burnt offerings rather than peace offerings Quest and sin offerings which we read of Because these have more respect unto God than other offerings have as hath been manifested to you at other times Answ with the differences between burnt offerings and other offerings as if
into it any thing would then take impression upon the heart but when we give back there is a hard brawniness upon the heart You that are so unconstant shall never grow to any eminency of grace and godliness though there should be truth at the bottom It is said of Ruben Gen. 49.4 Vnstable as water thou shalt not excel Men that do but very little yet go on in a constant way of godliness though their parts be weak and their performances mean many imperfections in them yet going on they come to something but those who at the first do a great deal run very fast in their youth and afterward grow cold again are very bad the cooling after heating is very dangerous as to the body so more to the soul This hardens the heart very much when the spirit is cooled after a heating it 's like water which being hot and cold again is more cold than it was before or like iron heat and quenched is harder than formerly This aggravates all other sinning what wilt thou sin thus after God hath appeared thus This spoils the acceptation of all our other services be they never so specious as a man that hath a child lunatick in his fits and moods he is very senceless and sottish but in his Lucida intervalla he comes to himself and speaks sensibly and well now if a man should see him at this time he would think he aild nothing so there are many who seem to be eminent Christians for the present but let a temptation come or lust stir and they are overcome There is nothing will more dâ—mp the heart when it comes before God in duty than this unconstancy of spirit Goâ— may say to thee Oh soul how darest thou come beâ—oâ—â— in such a duty as this when thou knowest thou aâ—◠〈◊〉 breach of promise and falsefying Covenant with me this will be an eating corrasive upon thy spirit God may say to thee how canst thou expect that I should be constant in my mercies towards thee when thou art so unconstant in thy duty to me this unconstancy towards God brings wavering in faith and unsetledness in our confidence in God the one makes way for the other unconstancy in duty and wavering in beleeving God shews himself to us as we carry our selves to him To the pure be will shew himself pure Tit. 1.15 How should this stir us up to look to our own hearts seeing they are so fickle and deceitful let us watch over and daily suspect them John 2.23 24. 't is said of the people that many beleeved in Christ because of the miracles which he wrought yet Christ would not commit himself unto them so Deut. 5.29 there is a people that made large promises to God that they would walk in all the Statutes and Ordinances of their God now saith God this people say well they are good words but Oh that there were such an heart in them God regards no work you do except he find it rooted in you John 8.31 Then are you my Disciples indeed if ye continue in my words no true Disciple of Christ without abiding in Christ all flesh is grass that is whatsoever is done by fleshly principles every duty though never so well done to the outward appearance if it come from a principle of flesh it is but as the grass and as the grass withereth and dies away so will these specious outside duties vanish away therefore look to your hearts and above all keepings keep it very diligently for if the root be sound the branches will be so too and the fruit savory which comes of it Means to persevere 'T is a very dangerous thing to let beginnings to die Therefore would you be preserved from such an evil as this is of fickleness and unconstancy take my counsel in these particulars Do not rest in sudden flashes and stirrings of spirit perhaps at a Sermon some truth or other that neerly concerns thee is pressed home upon thy conscience and it begins to stir the heart and warm the affections now do not think the work is now over or that the hazard of miscarrying to al eternity is over no thou must rise higher and go further than this or else thou art undone for ever this is that rock upon which many poor souls split and overthrow themselves for ever therefore look to your hearts in time Labor to get your hearts off from all earthly engagements 't is not like that man should ever stand constant toward God who is intangled with the snares and cares of this world That man whose heart is constantly fixed upon God though he does but little in way of duty in comparison of many an hypocrite yet he shall hold out when the most glorious hypocrit in the world shall fall to the ground Take heed of secret sinning secret sins will undo thee if they are loved and maintained simile one moth in a garment may spoil the garment one leak in a ship may drown the ship a pen-knife may stab and kill a man as well as a sword so one sin may damn the soul nay there is more danger of a secret sin causing the miscarrying of the soul than open prophaness because they are not so obvious to the reproofs of the Word therefore take heed that secret sinnings eats not out good beginnings Often take an account of your hearts how things stand with them say Oh my soul how is it with thee how stand tearms between God and thee Come my soul there was a time that there was such good stirrings and good motions in thee what is now become of them at the first beginning thou wert very forward and active for God such a chamber such a closet can witness the intercourse God and thou hadst thou didst walk close with God and his fear was in thee this would be a special help were it observed to keep the heart upright but I fear many a Minister may say of his people as Paul did to the Galatians Where is now the blessednes which you spake of Never trust your hearts after warmings with comfort and spiritual revivings when thou in any Ordinances hast met with Gods presence and he hath shined upon thee in love if thou hast got a smile from Jesus Christ at that time have a care of your hearts and look for temptations and prepare for them many when they have good desires and hopeful beginnings in them think that the work is past and the danger is over and and then for the most part comes a temptation of Satan and incounters with them and they are basely foyled and lose their peace again great consolations usually precedes great temptations Mat. 3.17 when God testifies that Jesus Christ is his beloved son This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased in the very next chapter how was he led into temptations what a combate had he with the Devil As after the greatest mercies many times follows the greatest
miseries See how Christ thinks of these temptations all his glory and magnifficence could not put the thoughts of his sufferings out of his mind John 12.12 Christ comes riding in pomp to Jerusalem and the people they magnified him crying out Hosanna to the son of David yet ver 27. he cries out Father save me from that hour When you find any stirrings of good desires to arise any motion of the Spirit to affect you work them downwards to humble your hearts making you base and vile in your own eyes that so you may grow downward in the root 't is very dangerous when beginnings run upwards presently but when they shew us our sins and unworthiness then they work kindly If there be no moisture at the root of the tree though there be never so many blossoms they will die vanish and come to nothing so if your joyes and secret raptures of soul are not moistened in the tears of sorrow and humiliation they will blow off and be shaken down by the next temptation but when the inward workings of joy in the heart do as well operate to humiliation as consolation when they work both waies then will not your goodness be as the early dew that goeth away and as the morning cloud which soon vanisheth Psal 110.3 Ps 110.3 opened 't is prophesied that in the times of the Gospel Christs people shall be a willing people in the day of his power Christs power shall be put forth upon his people to subdue their wils to the will of God so that if we find this effect of Christs power in us then may we be sure that our goodness shall not prove as the morning cloud Rest not in stirrings and beginnings except you find them to work you to union with Jesus Christ therefore assoon as your hearts begin to work you should stop a little and ask your hearts what of Jesus Christ is there in those beginnings have I more of his righteousness wisdom and love than I had before only such stirrings of heart as bring Christ into the soul will hold and stand fast that is very observable which we reade of concerning the Manna Exod. 16.14 simile that the dew which was upon the ground that passed away but the Manna that stayed on still so the good affections and desires which are in many are even like the dew which assoon as the Sun is up is gone presently now if you would not have the efficacy of them gone try what Manna there is left behind what of Christ is strengthened is your faith propped your love encreased your humility acted then it 's something the Israelites could not feed upon the dew but the Manna was their nourishment so how is it with you when the heat of your desires and stirrings are over can you then feed upon Christ this spiritual Manna look what word of promise is left in your hearts after your stirrings are over and how your hearts are affected with it such as find the promise remaining when the dew is gone and that these promises are as sweet now as they were at the first working of the affections such a soul will hold out and his righteousness shall not be as the morning cloud or early dew that passeth away VER 5. Therefore have I hewed them by my Prophets I have slain them by the words of my mouth and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth THerefore have I hewed them We would think there were little dependance upon these words ConexioÌ„ yet there is a very fit one Therefore that is because they are so fickle and unconstant so off and on therefore have I caused my Prophets to deal sharply with them to cut them to the quick I would not have dealt thus w th them but that I have no other way to take with them seeing that they are so vain so slight in their spirits I deal thus with them that if it were possible I might fit them and they might be brought to see what a God it is they have to deal withal The Apostle in Titus 1.13 is commanded to reprove them sharply that they might be sound in the faith sharply that is cuttingly rebuke them cuttingly My Prophets have been as an ax in Prophetis as an ax that cuts hard knotty wood or as the instruments of Carvers in stone which cuts rough things Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And have slain them by the words of my mouth the seventy Translators carry these words thus Have slain the Prophets that is have hewn the Prophets and Hierom Hierom. refers it to the time of Elijah 1 Kings 18.40 who slew so many of Baals Prophets and unto Jâ—hu's time that slue also many of Baals Prists 2 Kings 10.25 thus they carry it and in this you have an objection answered that the people might plead thus Expos 1 'T is true we have been led aside and have not worshiped God as we should do but it is our Priests and our Prophets which have led us aside we did but as we were taught and if we have been led aside our Prophets and our Priests have done it Nay saith God you cannot plead so for you have seen my hand against the Prophets sufficiently I have cut them off So that though I conceive not this to be the meaning of these words yet from this sense this useful Note may be observed Obser That when God comes out against false Prophets and appears against them then God looks especially that people should not follow them nor do as they have been taught by them Ezek. 13.10 there is a woful judgment denounced against the false Prophets for prophesying peace when Gods purposes were set against Jerusalem for destruction Their judgment was That they should not come into the Assemblies of his people and my hand shall be against them and mark you shall know that I am the Lord God They shall then know more particularly that I am the Lord God when my hand is thus out against them It is a mighty convincement of people when they see the hand of God out against their false teachers and if so how may the people of England be convinced of the evil of that way they so admire and cry up Applicat for Engl. superstit Ministers when the hand of God is so heavy upon the superstitious time-servers and maintainers of these waies But there are others who carry the word unto the good Expos 2 Prophets as Pareus with some others so in a twofold sense they are said to be slain First In their charge I have sent them saith God to deliver my message to this people and they have flown in their faces and have kil'd them and destroyed them and I account it as if I had done it because I set them about their work and this was spoken at that time when the Prophets were grosly abused 2 Chron. 24.1 when Zaccariah the Prophet delivered