punished Oh the sad cries of many people in their sicknesses and death-beds How many times have I been warned by the Word but I slighted warnings I did not regard them warnings have been no warnings to me therefore justly am I in misery Use Oh that the consideration of this might be more prevalent and work more upon us than ever Gods quikness in His judgments wrought towards those that stand out against a quick searching Ministry VER 6. For I desired Mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings THis being a great Scripture having much of the mind of God in it and much difficulty in the understanding of it ConexioÌ„ I reade no further at this time Here we have a reason of Gods severe expression in the former verse where it was said that God had hewed them by his Prophets and slew them by the words of his mouth Why was God so severe against them it was because he would not be put off with their sacrifices they boulâ—tered up themselves with these objecting against the Prophet when he pressed them to mercy and to the knowledg of God Why are not we abundant in serving of God burnt offerings are not neglected by us and why should not we be accepted No saith God I desired mercy and not sacrifice never tell me of your sacrifices and burnt offerings so long as there is no mercy among you Therefore have I hewed them by my Prophets slain them by the words of my mouth you are so glued unto these outward things that I must hew you off from them This sentence is most famous quoted twice by Christ himself in the new Testament which we do not find of any place again which notes the eminency of it the first time it is quoted you shall find in Mat. 9.13 and the second in Mat. 12.7 For the meaning of of the words Exposit For I desired mercy the word signifies to desire and to will a thing with a great complacency or delight as if God should say mercy is a thing so pleasing to me that I desire it at my heart the word in the Original is fuller than is exprest in our English translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing in the world is so pleasing unto me as mercy There is Gods great mercy in reconciling the world unto himself by Jesus Christ and this is more worth than al the sacrifices in the world but this is not the mercy meant in the text Heb. 10.5 6 Burnt offerings and sacrifices thou hadst no pleasure in but a body hast thâ—u prepared there is no mercy like this the mercy of God in his Son Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy goodness and rigâ—teousness But the mercy here meant in the text it is the mercy of man and the word here mercy is the same word in the Original with that in the 4. verse your goodness is as the morning cloud that passeth away so that I desire mercy that is not the mercy of God but mercy to Man and that mercy to our selves so Chriâ—t interprets it in Mat. 12.7 Iâ— ye had known what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice ye would not hâ—ve condemned the guiltless As if Christ should say God in some cases would have men provide for themselves though they neglect the keeping of the Sabbath I will have mercy as to our selves so to others mercy to men either to their bodies or to their souls mercy to the body every one will grant but it ought to be especially to the soul warranted from Christs other quotation of these words Mat. 9.13 Go ye and learn what that meaneâ—h I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance This word mercy Mercy is a synechdoche comprehending all the duties of the second Table under one I will have mercy and not sacrifice Sacrifice by sacrifice is meant synechdocically all instituted Ordinances and Worship all the affirmative precepts of the second and fourth commandements all Ordinances commanded them then or that ever should be commanded them hereafter are included in these commands and this appears to be so by Christs applying of the text in Mat. 12.7 where it is applyed to the sanctification of the Sabbath and in Mat. 9.13 there Christ applies it and quotes it under an Ordinance whether true or not humane or divine it matters not the separation of the Jews from publicans and sinners it being unlawful to eat with them yet in a case of mercy they might having thereby an opportunity to do good to their souls so that from these two texts you see a cleare warrant for the interpretation of this text Now in the further cleering of it I shall answer some questions satisfie some objections and lastly raise certain observations Quest 1 What is an instituted Ordinance There are natural Ordinances and instituted Duties Now what is the difference between them for natural worship God stands so much upon it that He will have it before all kind of mercy inform us therefore of the difference of these two Answ For the unfolding of this know that by Natural Duties we understand 1. Natural Duties such Duties as we ow to God as God and to be performed by us as to a God Then there are other duties to be performed by men as unto men which if there had been no law to bind them to the performance of them yet they would be performed by men they were bound to perform them they are radicated in the heart such Duties as the first Commandement binds us unto Duties of Natural worship To have no other Gods but the Lord to fear this God and Him alone to love Him before all and above all to trust in Him for help at all times these are Duties to be done as unto a God Nature it self teacheth a man to perform these Duties Then there are Duties to be performed unto men Natural duties of humanity As honoring of parents speaking the truth not deceiving one another defiling mens bodies these Duties are radicated in the heart that were there no Law of God to bind men yet it were in mens hearts to do them Natural duties must not yeeld to mercy 2. Instituted duties Now these Duties must not yeild to mercy But for instituted worship such which if God had not revealed had not been duties neither could men be bound unto them As for their sacrifices under the Law by Bullocks and Goats these kind of sacrifices were they not revealed by some Prophet to be the mind of God they had not bin bound unto them So for our Church Ordinances of Sacraments Christian Admonition and the like are such as flow from Gods Prerogative and not so much from Gods Nature the other duties lie in Gods Nature and Holiness and are to be performed unto Him as to a God so holy But how
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 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
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
a party low and ready to be trodden down yet have been so far from seeking help from or protection of wicked men that though they have been sent unto and have had fair offers of enjoying what they desire yet they have resolved to venture the loss of all in a good Cause whether they get any thing by it or no whether they have what they would have Liberties or not Liberties yet they are content to venture their estates their lives and all in that Cause and not to provide for themselves by the help of such as they see to be evil and whose waies and designs they see are not with God And if to seek unto wicked men for help and protection be so sinful Use Admonition to those that seek to Satan See Peter Martyr on 1 Sam. 22.23 what is it then for men in times of straights to seek to the Devil for help Surely that must be much more sinful to use those waies that are in themselves directly evil as lying swearing cheating and cozening c. In times of straights for you to think to help your self by those waies it is as much as if you should say I see God doth not help me I will try what the Devil will do Certainly by iniquity shall no man be established Prov. 12.3 Art thou in a straight under any affliction never think of seeking out to unlawful means to help thy self for thou canst get no good that way And that will appear more in the words that follow Yet could he not heal you nor cure you of your wound The Assyrian could not help Jareb could do no good yea indeed they were so far from helping of Israel and Judah that they made the wound greater for Israel was afterward carried away captive by the Assyrian to whom he sent for help and for Judah we reade in 2 Chron. 28.20 that when Ahaz sent for help to Tilgath Pileser King of Assyria he came unto him indeed but he distressed him and strengthened him not From whence we may observe First That creature comforts avail little in the day of Gods wrath Obs 1 Gods wrath was out against Ephraim and Judah and they would fain seek to help themselves in some creature way but it would do them no good Creatures are little helpful in the day of Gods wrath they are all as a broken reed that rather runneth into a mans hand thâ—n any way releeveth him So the Scripture saith of riches that they avail not in the day of wrath All the creatures will then say to you if God help you not how can we help you They are but as a tree in the time of a storm you may run under the tree and perhaps a few droppings may be kept from you for a while but if the storm be great and continue what good can the leaves of a tree do you to keep you from it The creature may refresh you a little but if Gods wrath continue what good can the creature do But the word which the Seventy translate he could not heal you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non sedabit dolorem vestrum he shall not so much as ease or mittigate your grief or give you a little refreshment It 's true sometimes by seeking to creature comforts a man may think he hath some refreshing but the truth is it endeth in trouble and sorrow A man in this case that seeks for help to the creature when God hath struck him simile is as a Deer that is shot with an Arrow the Deer runs up and down from one bush to another to seek for case but the blood falls all along and perhaps by and by his bowels run out what ease can bushes do to a poor Deer when the arrow sticks in his body God many times strikes his arrows into the sides of people and they run up and down to the creature to this bush and to the other bush for help but little or none can they have form any I confess somtimes for a little while as I say there is a little case I find it so in the case of Ahaz when he was in straits his heart did melt as you heard before Now that story in Isa 7. hath reference to the 2 Kings 16. aforenamed When Rezin and Pekah came against him you shall find that Ahaz had a little help for the present by Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria that he sent for but afterwards as we shall shew you when we come to another point it did him little good for Gods hand was out against Judah so much the more dreadfully Obs 2 And as the creature hath but little help in it in the time of straits So of all things that men rest on for help wicked men are most like to prove helpless They leave you in your straits as the Scribes and Pharisees did Judas When Judas was brought into straits by his sin and in the anguish of his spirit came and said I have sinned in betraying innocent blood What is that to us say they look thou to it There was all the comfort he could have from them They were forward to draw him into the sin but when he had done it then Look you to it Use Such comfort you are like to have from your wicked companions in times of straits They will draw you into that which is evil and afterward when God shall strike you and they come to visit you and you lie crying out of those waies they have drawn you into Oh! miserable comforters will they be You can have noe helpe from wicked men in times of straits Yea We are not to rest upon the best men of all in time of straits The best not to be depended on God hath given us experience at this day that every man is vanity so the Scripture saith Verely every man is vanity Cease from Man for wherein is he to be esteemed Had we no other rest but upon man what should become of us Therefore neither unto the Assyrian no nor unto any living are we to send for help so as to look higher upon them than as on an arm of flesh God pronounceth a curse upon him that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and saith he shall be like the heath in the desert and shall not see when good commeth but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness Jer. 17.5 6. But why is it that the Assyrian can do Israel no good It follows VER 14. For I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon to the house of Judah THat which iâ— here translated in your books a Lyon thâ— Seventy translate it by the Panther which is the most swift fierce creature one of them in the world Gods wrath for strength is compared to a Lyon and for swiftness to a Panther Panther To a Lyon because though he is most strong and terrible yet Historians say that if you fall down and submit unto him he
will shew mercy God is a Lyon Lyon and strong and fierce in his wrath yet merciful to those that submit unto Him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ordinary word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tear or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 validus Gesner the Lyon The word here translated Lyon it is not that ordinary word that is for a Lyon but Shacal that signifies a fierce Lyon And so you have it in Joh 4.10 the roaring of the Lyon and the voice of the fierce Lyon Shacal So that God threatneth here to be a fierce Lyon This creature is very fierce and therefore Gesner in his Historie of living creatures saith That nature hath so ordered it that because the Lyon is so fierce of himself that alwaies he hath a kind of a quartan feaver or ague upon him to mittigate or refresh his fierceness And it were well with many if it were so with them Many that are fierce and of Lyon-like spirits for their lusts and for the satisfying of their own humors but are sheepish enough for the cause of God But mark God was before a moth and a little worm but now He is become a Lyon I will be a moth unto Ephraim and a little worm unto Judah for so you may translate it And now I will be a Lyon to Ephraim and a young Lyon to Judah Why a Lyon that is He will appear in the fierceness of his wrath against Ephraim The different expression of the text But what is the reason of the difference of these expressions here As he said before He would be a moth to Ephraim and rottenness to Judah so here he saith He will be a Lyon to Ephraim and a young Lyon unto Judah Here is a different expression and the reason is the same here that was there As there it was to shew that God though He intended the destruction of Ephraim and of Judah both yet Ephraim sooner and Judah later so here though God would be terrible in His wrath to Judah yet He would be more terrible in His wrath to the ten Tribes For we find that though Judah was carried into captivity yet that captivity lasted but for seventy years and Judah returned again but Israel he was torn in pieces so as he was never made up after They were both sinners but Judah retained somewhat of Gods true worship therefore God would spare them a little Though wicked men will spare the Saints so much the less because of their godliness and will take so much the more advantage of their frailties because they are professors yet God will pitie them The observations from hence are these First When Gods lesser afflictions work not Obser 1. there God will be most terrible You heard of the moth and little worm before they are lesser afflictions and it seems the moth and little worm did not work their hearts to repentance to bring them unto God therefore God doth turn to be a fierce Lyon and a Lyons whelp unto Ephraim and Judah Gods wrath is as Elijahs cloud that at first appeareth but as a handbreadth but within a while after the whol Heavens were overspread with it It is as the thunder that when you hear it first it is simile 1 but a little roaring noise a far off but stay a while and it will be a dreadful crack It is as the fire that at first burneth a little within upon a few boards but when it prevaileth it simile 2 bursteth out in a most terrible flame As in that known place Levit. 26.18 If you will not yet for all this saith the Lord hearken unto me then will I punish you seven times more for your sins and again seven times more and seven times more God will go on in His wrath from a little unto a great deal of wrath From being as a moth and as a little worm to be like a Lyon Such degrees there are in Gods wrath You had need look to it when the hand of God is stretched out but a little against you though it be but as a moth and as a worm yet if you look not to it there may be such a gradation of Gods wrath upon you For as great a difference as is between a moth and a fierce Lyon such a difference may be between wrath now and that which is to come Thus the Lord is many times unto mens spirits Many men have gripes and nips of conscience Admonit to those that are a little touched in spirit and God causeth secretly that worm of conscience to be gnawing upon them and there is some kind of trouble but notwithstanding they go on in their sins and at length God cometh upon them as a Lyon tearing their spirits Did you never see a sinner lying upon his death bed in the torment of his soul Gods wrath like the pawes of a Lyon preying upon the very caul of his heart A dying terrified conscience when he lies roaring out he is damned he is damned and now he sees yea feels the heat of the wrath of God against him Thus God comes as a Lyon to prey upon those that will not regard the gnawings of the worm When the worm was but little and small they slighted it and that caused God to bring the greater judgment So it is with families God cometh upon families sometimes in a little sickness in a child or in a servant and that is not regarded afterwards God cometh with plague of pestilence or some other dreadful judgment So in Kingdoms the Lord cometh first with little judgments and then with greater As in Ireland Ireland for many yeers together there the Lord was as a moth and rottenness but of late how like a Lyon hath he there appeared How hath He torn and rent that Kingdom in a most dreadful manner Yea the truth is the Lord had been to England England as a moth and rottenness And this very text I make no question but some of you have heard many yeers ago applied unto England when as those Ministers that preached upon this text did little think that ever there should be such a hand of God against many parts of England as now there is at this day In many parts of this Kingdom the Lord is at this day as a Lyon We all hear the roaring of the Lyon and who can but tremble Oh it is time for us all to fall down to the ground before the Lord. It is true God hath not yet come to this Citie as a Lyon to tear and rend it as other places in the Countrie London but yet we have heard the roaring of the Lyon abroad and God calleth us to fall down before Him that He may not be so to us that he may not come and tear us likewise Certainly the Lord will have glory of His creature God hath sworn by Himself and the word hath proceeded out of His mouth in
is that which God râ—quires Joshua bids Acan Give glory to God my son and confess Confâ—ssiâ—n giveâ— glory to God and when thou standest ouâ— in this thing thou opposest God in his glory Lâ—timer reports of a man in his time who was to be executed at Oxford for some villany being brought to the place of execution much means was used to him that he would confess the act but none could prevail being turnd off and after a space hanging he was cut down and when he was cut down they peâ—ceived he was not quite dead they carrying him to a fire and by means used came to himself and then he confessed all of himself to the full This example may shew us thus much not alwaies to conclude men are not guilty when they confess nothing there is that stoutness in the hearts of men that they will rather venture damnation than yeild to men Obs 3 God will have his glory from us If we do not acknowledg our guiltiness by lesser judgments he wil continue them and ad more to them till we confess and give glory to him This is the reason that we are so long under trouble because we wil not confess when we are cald for to do it Use sin in the conscience lies as filthy corrupted matter in a sore which throbs belks and akes till it be opened and let out so in the consciences of men there is much guilt and that lies throbing in the conscience no ease can be got God calls for confession but it will not be and no true peace can be enjoyed any other way Oh therefore sinner confess and give glory to God How many are there who have lain a long time under anguish of spirit till they have taken this course freely and fully to confess sin committed lying heavy and burdensom upon the conscience Neglect not this duty when you are cald to it it is an Ordinance appointed by God for the easing of troubled souls and when you cannot get peace any other way having used other means and yet God withholds the light of his countenance then are you cald to confess to others see what course David took and how he sped Psal 39.2 3 4. I was dumb I held my peace I roared and was vexed but I said I would confess my sin and shame my self for them and then thou forgavest the sin of thy servant Mark here there was some sin which lay upon Davids conscience and he could not get peace in again what course takes he I said he did but say I would confess and then thou forgavest my sin thou diddest then seal a pardon to me Oh take this course and thou shalt have the like success God comes to thee in a sicknesâ— and saith sinner Guilty or not guilty give God then the glory of an humble confession 'T is true to confess offences against men to men there may be danger in it making us liable to trouble but confession of offences against God never causes trouble Expos And seek my face that is my Favour my Son and my Ordinances for in the general Gods face is nothing else but Gods manifestation of himself in his Love in his Son in his Ordinances and 't is a most blessed thing thus to behold Gods face Revel 22.4 this is that which David so earnestly praid for Lord lift up the light if thy countenance upon me one sight of God is better than all the world To see God any way is sweet but to see him in Christ this is most excellent In the world we have nothing of God but his very footsteps but in Christ there is the chief manifestation of the wisdom mercy and love of God to poor lost man and in the Ordinances there God chiefly lets out himself in an especial manner These are the Three things which shew unto us the meaning of those words And seek my face The Notes from them are these 'T is not enough to acknowledg our sins but we must seek Gods Obs 1 face The heart in the work of humiliation must be active ConfessioÌ„ without reconciliation insufficient that soul which is truly humbled before God must be lively and active after God else our humiliation is worth nothing in the sight of God When the heart is sullen lumpish and sinking in its humiliation God looks not at it Ezek. 33.10 we reade of some who are said to pine away in their sin Many men when God begins to afflict them with their sins Dulness under affliction an ill sign and put them into some trouble of spirit they pine away in their iniquity it is a very ill sign when humiliation makes men dull sullen and unserviceable hindering them from dutie when men lie down under their trouble discontented and melancholly therefore here 's the tryall of our trouble of conscience whether it be right or no if from melancholly it duls the heart puts it out of all spirit and activity disabling it wholly from service but if true it enlivens the heart and puts activity into the spirits though naturally dull and lumpish it puts the soul in waies of activity for God when they have to do with God this is a very good sign that such trouble for sin is right and good simile The melting of Lead consumes the Lead but the melting of Silver doth but refine and purifie it so the trouble of a carnal heart melts and consumes it but a gracious spirit will abide the fire and comes out purified and bettered therefore repentance is set out by a word of activity Isa 55.1 2. Come buy wine and milk Mat. 11.20 Come unto me The frame of a true repenting heart is in an active coming posture fitted for any service Obs 2 God leaves in his people at his parting impressions to seek him When God leaves his people he leaves something behind him which causeth the heart to make after him The soul hath her eyes upon God looking after Him Therefore much are they to be reproved who are so full of their sad conclusions and desperate speeches from such as these the Lord is gone and he will never return again I am undone and lost for ever there is no hope to Hell I must go but a gracious heart in the darkest night of sorrow and trouble can see some glimps of light and comfort saying as that good man Ezra 9.2 Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing and as the Church in Isa 42.24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned What then yet O Israel fear not Use 2. consolation Let us lay up this for sad times to support our spirits withall we know not what sad and black daies we may see yet know that we cannot be in a sadder condition than Ephraim was in here to have God to be to us as a moth and as a Lyon to tear and devour us many make
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
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
work Obs 12 There can be no keeping Covenant with God where there is unmercifulness to men let there be never such professions and expressions of Religion in words if there be cruelty and unmercifulness there can be no keeping of Covenant with God Heb. 3.10 Obs 13 The consideration that it is God that we break Covenant withal is a humbling consideration It is against Me who am their God who have protected them from dangers delivered them in straights 't is against Me that they have thus sinned as a man that should bring up a poor child and take care for him and when he comes to yeers this child should abuse him and wrong him would not this be ingratitude and unkindness indeed so the consideration of what a God it is that we break Covenant withal doth wonderfully set forth our unkindness to God VER 8. Gilead is a City of them that work iniquity and is polluted with blood VVEE reade in Numb 32.1 of the Land of Gilead which was on the other side of the river which Reuben and the false Tribe of Manassah possessed in it were divers Cities of refuge which were the Cities of the Levites and one of them the most famous which had the name of the whol Country was Gilead which thing is usually among us at this day that whol Countries receive their names from some eminent place in that Country as Northampton Northamptonshire Leicester Leicestershire in this Citie of Gilead the Priests were and should have been holier than the rest but it was polluted and from thence the rest of the places of the Kingdom The word translated They have wrought is drawn from a word that signifies they have wrought iniquity that is vain things And is polluted with blood or supplanted with blood or overturned with blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agere cum energia effectu Pagn the Levites which had their abode there have undone the City how many Cities are supplanted and overturned by the Priests which live in them by their cruelties and by their distinctions and subtil pretences for sin and wickedness they have supplanted these Cities of refuge these Cities of refuge were for those which had shed blood at unawars they flying to them were secure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vanitas but these Cities were supplanted and polluted now this was done these four waies 1 By taking those in which were wilful murderers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supplantata Hier. when as the City was for the shelter of those which had kild any by accident now these men they would judg wilful murder to be but manslaughter as we call it and I wish our Kingdom be not deeply guilty of this sin English guilty of blood by calling murder manslaughter even by this distinction as it is used when men in their passions shall make nothing to kill a man and this shall be accounted for manslaughter certainly God will never account it so but even willful murder 2. By refusing to take in those which of right they should except they had good store of mony to give them when some that were poor came to be let in they would refuse them and put them by and by that means they were often taken by the pursuer of blood for these priests were to judg of it 3. By casting those out which were in and could not be gainful to them and many times they did deliver those out to the avenger of blood when they should have protected them 4. By their cruelty to those that would not joyn with them in their false worship perhaps they might some of them be men of tender consciences and could not joyn with them in their superstitious worship now these Priests perhaps would make complaints of them to the Magistrate that they were troublesom persons and bred divisions and by this means they got them out of the Cities of refuge And hath not this been our case of late thus they supplanted these Cities of refuge The Notes of Observation are Obs 1 That through mans wickedness the best Ordinances of God for the good of his people are corruted and abused These Cities of refuge were for special use Ordinances of God set apart for the saving of blood and they made it a means and instrument for the sheding of blood The Sacrament is an Ordinance set apart by God for union and communion and what doth more separate from this than the abuse of this Ordinance mens coming unprepared separates tender consciences from joyning with them so likewise in Civil Ordinances for mens outward good how have they been perverted where have they tyrannized more and used more cruelty and injustice than in those Courts of Justice where Justice should have been done and such as should have seen equity performed were the greatest instruments of oppression and mischief Obs 2 We must not alwaies judg of places as heretofore they have been Gilead was a City famous for Gods worship yet now how defiled with blood So in Rome how famous was it for the worship of God yet now it is become the very filth of abomination Obs 3 Places set apart for Gods worship and Religion if they are corrupted they are the worst of all others Gilead a City of refuge yet where was there ever such a defiled and corrupted place as it was Universities so in our Universities and Colledges what superstitions and vanities did abound among them even like Augeus Stable a place of filthiness and vileness and this is no new thing Greg. Naz. for Grâ—gory Nazenzine reports of Athens that it was the plaguest place in the world for superstition and he acknowledgeth it a great mercy that God did preserve him and Bazil from those infections Obs 4 To be a worker of iniquity is a most abominable thing Gilead is a Citie of them that work iniquity Gods people sometimes be overtaken by sin but they are never workers of iniquity for the Scripture tells us that he which works iniquity is of the Devil Obs 5 That of all wicked men Clergie men if wicked are the worst No men can work out or bring to pass their own ends so as they can the Priests were in Gilead and they were the men which wrought the mischief and hath not our times sealed to this truth Who have been so vile and wicked as our corrupted Clergy but how hath God broken the plots and crossed the designs of these vermine The cunning plots of the wicked Clergie over-whelm whol Cities Obs 6 and Countries These were they which over-turned this City of Gilead And thus would they have done to us had not God in his infinit wisdom and mercy prevented their hellish plots False worship and tyranny are joyned together Where ever you Obs 7 see tyranny there conclude is false worship therefore we had need to pray hard for the Ordinances in their purity that we may not have false religion and so have tyranny ushered in Luther tels