ever thy heart shall be raised by the work of Faith to beleeve in him and to be enabled to triumph in him and say Lo this is our God we have waited on him and this is the God of my salvation And therefore you that are turning to God wait upon him continually But besides The Use of Exhortation he hath a Use of Reprehension and that 's in the 7. and 8. Verses Notwith standing all this as if the Prophet should say Oh! your hearts are set upon your Covetousness upon the pelf of this world these vanities that are here below You are not saith he as your Father Jacob I exhort you thus to turn unto the Lord and to keep Merey and Judgment but it 's otherwise with you VER 7. He is a Merchant the ballances of deceipt are in his hand he loveth to oppress THis Scripture though it seems to be somwhat a harsh one and hard to reade yet it may be a good providence of God that did bring it to hand at such a time as this is That 's the scope of the Prophet We may exhort long enough saith he yet so long as their hearts are covetous and set upon their way of getting gain they will never regard what I say they will not turn to God they will not hear of turning to God but will turn a deaf ear rather This indeed is the guize of men that have great dealings in the world and their hearts are set upon their riches let there be the most glorious Truths set before them that ever were yet they are as nothing to them we reade in Luke 16. of Christ himself preaching before a company of men and some of them being very covetous mark what the Text saith vers 14. The Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and they derided him they blew their noses at him so the word signifies they scorn'd him Christ he spake of Excellent and Divine Misteries and there were some of his Auditors that had dealings in the world and great estates and they scorn'd at whatsoever he spake Tel us of such things as these are tell us of waies of gain how we may come to enrich our selves This seem'd to be the disposition of some of the Auditors of Hosea at this time therefore saith he He is a Merchant The word that is here translated a Merchant it signifieth a Cananite and may be translated if you would translate it according to the very letter of the word He is a Cananite for the same word that signifies a Cananite signifies a Merchant in the Hebrew tongue You have the like in other places of Scripture Job 41. 6. Shall they part him among the Merchants among the Cananites so is the word in the Hebrew and in Prov. 31. 24. She delivereth Girdles to the Merchants the word is to the Cananites Now the reason why that a Merchant and a Cananite hath the same name in Scripture it is because the Country of Canaan was much given to Merchandize and indeed much to deceipt As the Mathematicions were cal'd Caldeans from the Country because the Country was so full of Mathematicions so Arabia Robbers and Theeves were call'd by the name of Arabians because that it was so full of them and so because Canaan had so many Merchants therefore it hath the denomination A Cananite and a Merchant But here the holy Ghost calls them not Israelites mark God he doth not say you are an Israelite but a Cananite and that is by way of upbraiding of them because they had degenerated so much from Israel that was spoken of before so he would not call them Israelite but calls them Cananite Observe that Men by their sin may lose the honor of their Progenitors And further Though it 's true that the calling of a Merchant is not only Lawful but a very honorable imployment yet the abuse of it may make it very contemptible if it be abused and corrup ed it may grow to be very contemptible for so here the holy Ghost doth cast such a word upon them to shew how through their corruption they had made a calling that was honorable to become contemptible and they had brought contempt upon their own persons for though Merchants that are subtil may in the pride of their hearts rejoyce in their subtilty and cunning and think that they can circumvent others by their deceipt and get money that way in going beyond them they may glory in this as if it were a great excellency in them but the holy Ghost casts contempt upon those he is a Merchant a Cananite and the ballances of deceipt are in his hand The ballances of Deceipt are in his hand The Lord abhor'd their ballances of deceipt yea and professed that they are an abomination to him if you reade Levit. 19. 35 36. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in Judgment in Metyard in Weight or in Measure Just Ballances just Weights a just Ephah and a just Hin shall ye have I am the Lord I am Jehovah This lies upon it if you will acknowledg me to be the Lord to be Jehovah be just in your dealing have no unjust ballances let there be no injustice in your trading And in Deut. 25. 13. and so on to the 16. Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights a great and a smal thou shalt not have in thy house divers measures a great and a smal But thou shalt have a perfect and a just weight a perfect and a just measure shalt thou have c. For all that do such things and all that do unrighteously mark are an abomination to the Lord thy God There 's much laid upon it you think you may take liberty in such things no saith the text all that do such things they are an abomination to the Lord thy God 't is not only a thing that God forbids but a thing that God abominates to be deceiptful in trading Doest thou profess any interest in God hast thou any hope that God should be merciful to thy soul to do thee any good doest thou think that God is thy God know this is an abomination then to thy God to that God that thou professest to have any interest in nay in Prov. 11. 1. there 's likewise a Scripture to the same purpose A false ballance is an abomination to the Lord but a just weight is his delight God takes pleasure in that Now saith the Prophet here The ballances of Deceipt are in his hand as if he should say let him have riches any way he doth not mind turning to God but he regards the ballances of deceit We are to understand this for all kind of deceit in trading though only ballances are here mentioned yet here 's a synechdoche one special thing is mentioned in a business to set out all of that nature not only Deceitful Ballances but Measures and Tale and Lights and Mixtures when they shall
Ish a strong man or a Noble man but I am God Ell I am a strong God and I am able to rule anger so as man cannot Secondly Man is of a revengeful and of a cruel disposition man cares not what he doth so that he may have his lusts but I am a God and not a man of a loving sweet and tender disposition Thirdly Man many times because he hath not satisfaction within his own heart therefore he is in a rage with every body Man flies upon others not so much for any thing that they do but because of the disquiet of his own heart but I am a God and not man I am infinitly Alsufficient of my self there is no disquiet in me all it at rest and quiet within me and this makes me to be of such a quiet disposition towards my Creature Fourthly If there be any mercie in a man it 's but verie little a little matter will stop the current of the mercy that is in man but I am a God and not man there is infinite mercie in me an infinite current and the current of the mercie that is in me cannot easily be stopt for I am a God Fifthly Man is of a fickle and an unconstant disposition but I am Jehovah and change not and therefore the sone of Jacob are not consumed Sixthly If man passes by an offence it is from some motives or some perswasions from without if there be none of those motive and perswasions from without he is fevere and he is ridged but I am a God and not Man I have enough in mine own heart to perswade me though there be no arguments from without yet there 's enough within me in my own bowels to perswade me for I am a God Seventhly Man he thinke it a dishoner to him to begin reconciliation with those that have offended him what shall I go and disgrace my self to begin with my inferior let him begin with me if he will this is mans disposition but I am a God and not man I account it my glory to begin the work of reconciliation there is not such a disposition in me as in man Eightly Man he cannot foresee the consequences that may follow upon his forbearing or pardoning of offences and therefore he is loth to forbear or pardon But I am a God and not man I have infinite wisdom and can foresee all consequences that will come Ninthly Man he cannot work good out of what ill carriages there are against him and that makes him not to forbear but I am a God and not man I know how to work out mine own ends and for the glory of my Name out of all the sins of my people Tenthly Man though he promises much mercie yet oftimes if those that he promises meroy to do offend him he will recal his promise again and he thinks he may do it and he makes all his promises but conditional yea but I am a God and not man I do not stand so upon it though I know beforeh and there will be many weaknesses and infirmities is my creature yet I have some promises that are absolute promises to those that are my Elect Ones and I will not recal my Promises though they be unfaithful and sinful Man doth not only recal Promises when there is occasion given but many times through unfaithfulness And therefore I remember Brentius an approved Divine hath this More upon this place The word saith he is Ish not Adam and so he translates it I am a God and not a Noble man you shall not have such dealings with me as from your great men many great then make great and fair promiseâ— and you depend upon them but they will deceive you according to that in Psal 62. 9. Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye and your Courtiers and great men how do they deceive the expectation of those that are with them especially in their need they leave them in the lurch many times but I am a God and not man you shall not have such unfaithful dealings with me Further If man forbears and passes by offences now he cannot have the offenders again at advantage when he pleases and therefore he thinks he had best take the advantages now Oh but I am a God and not man my Creatures I have them alwaies at advantage it 's true I can spare them now for I can have them under my feet again and again and again and therefore I have no such reason to take advantage of my poor Creatures as one man hath of another Lastly I am God and not man that is Man he is bound to positive rules of Justice that are set to him but I am a God and not man I will have mercy on whom I will have mercie and whom I will I harden The Observations First Goodness and mercy in God is that wherein he Glories it 's true the Lord is high above man in all excellencies but mark here how he glories that he is a God and not man in the point of execution of wrath Many glory in their anger and make that to be their excellencie and their bravery Oh they are brave men and of brave spirits when they can vent their wrath when they can rail and speak evil and make others to come and submit to them and strike or punish them why now they are brave men I 'le make you do thus and thus as in a Familie you shall have sometimes a poor man or woman manifest abundance of pride of spirit as if they were Princes and Monarchs they will do thus and thus and you think your selves to be of brave spirits but mark God glories in this that he doth not execute the fierceness of his anger I am infinitly above man Wherein O Lord art thou above them I am above them in this That I can rule mine anger and am merciful to those that are beneath me here 's Gods glory My Brethren this Scripture were there no other shews that passion and anger debases man we have a notable Scripture for this that God glories in his long suffering and patience towards his Creature in Numb 14. 17. And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken What had God spoken or where had he spoken any thing Mark this Scripture hath reference to the latter end of Exod 32. there God promised that Moses should see his glory and in Chap. 34. God made his glory pass by him and what was it The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundance in mercy and truth c. Now Moses hath reference to this Moses laies hold upon this as if he should say Oh Lord was not there a time that I was pleading with thee and didest not thou promise to shew me thy glory and was it not the
deliver them from violence and wrong 2 Sam. 7. 10. Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel and I will plant them that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more It 's a good work to be instrumental in this that those who live godlily and are peaceable may abide quietly in their houses and not be tossed up and down because they cannot beleeve or practice what others do This tossing such up down though it may be from a zeal for Christ yet Christ will never own it Those who walk after the Lord shall be placed in their houses They were willing to leave their houses that they might follow him and now God places them in them Trust God with your houses Resolve to follow the Lord whithersoever he goes he hath time to place his people in their houses when others who dared not trust God shal wander in darkness Saith the Lord. This must be the work of the Lord it 's only He can do it That mercy that comes beyond all means it 's the sweetest mercy No matter what the means be whether any or no so be it you have a Word of God for the thing VER 12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lyes and the house of Israel with deceit THe Lord having manifested the bowele of his tender compassion towards Ephraim the ten Tribes he comes further to shew what was that that stopt the way and course of his grace of the grace that otherwise might have been let out unto them Ephraim compasseth me about with lyes Besets me with lyes that 's the word be besets me round I am in respect of the sin of Ephraim that is of the Governors and of the house of Israel that is the People I am as it were a man beset round As a men that would have a passage such a way he goes one way and there he is stopt and another way and there he is stopt so God compares himself to such a man as if he would be going on in the waies of mercy there he is stop◠in one co 〈…〉 of sin or another and going on in another way there 〈◊〉 is stopt again Ephraim hath beset me with lyes that is with false wor ship for that 's a lye with Pretences they put fair Glosses upon things but all are but lyes he hath beset me with politick shifts of his own These did beset God yea and beset the Prophet too for so I find some turn it they think it 's spoken as in the person of the Prophet the Prophet complaining that he was beset with lies that they might prejudice his Ministry that they might do what they could to take off the power of his Ministry in their hearts they beset him with lyes with false reports of this and the other thing Upon which one hath that Note A faithful Divine a Preacher is nothing else but as it were a Center to which all lyes of falsehood do tend they all go that way 't is a great plot of the Devil to draw his lines and to let them make the Ministers of God that God uses as any Instruments of good unto his people to be as the Center of them all Thus Meisnerus in his Comment upon the place But I rather take it as spoken in the Name and Person of God Beset me with lyes i. e. They do not only seek to blind men but they would do what they could if it were possible to deceive me saith God And indeed when men seek to blind their own consciences what do they but seek what they can if it were possible to deceive God In the very act of Worship saith God they are false they do profess honor and service to God but they lye unto him even when they are worshiping of Him Many in their prayers in the solemn act of Worship they beset God with lyes Oh! how do many come into the presence of God when they are worshiping of him and there profess to God the acknowledgment of his Greatness his Glory his Majesty his Power his Sovereignity his Dominion over them and profess a great deal of the fear of the Name of God! and yet God knows it is not in their hearts it is but as a lye to God when they are worshiping God there they acknowledg their sin and judg themselves for their sin as if they were very much humbled and troubled for their sin but God knows that this is but a lye to him there is no such humiliation of their hearts before him as seems to be in their expressions before God especially when they are in company they cry to God for grace and would fain above all things in the world have his Grace but God knows 't is but a lye all their prayers are even besetting God with lyes Oh! Consider how far any of you have been guilty of this especially in praying with others according to that Scripture Psal 78. 36. They flattered him with their mouth and lyed unto him with their tongue The word that is translated flattered it signifies deceived They deceived him with their mouth Why Can God be deceived No But they did what lay in them to deceive him if it were possible that he should be deceived they would deceive God No mervail though men do deceive men so much as they do many that are of upright hearts they wonder when they hear of the falsness of mens spirits that they can be so No mervail I say when as God himself complains of being deceived by them that is They are so false and do so beset God with lyes that if it were possible he himself should be deceived That 's the first Note And then Secondly As it was here with this people besetting God with lyes Thus many do compass and beset businesses the businesses and affairs that they mannage they beset them with lyes that 's thus They plot with themselves how they may handsomly contrive a company of lyes together by a handsom putting of them together that so they may beset mens unsterstandings there is such a cunning abroad in the world I say to seek to beset the understandings of men so as men shall not know what to say to things and yet they cannot tel how to beleeve them neither do they know what to say things are so contriv'd and so set they think with themselves If such a thing shall be questioned then I have such a shift to put it off and if another thing shal be doubted of then I have such a report to make it good some fair pretence or other And thus they beset businesses with lyes and beset mens understandings But Judah yet ruleth with God and is faithful with the Saints This of Judahs ruling with God Luther Meisnerus and others do think that it hath reference unto the story that you find in 2 King 18. the
5. They loathing Manna had fiery Serpents sent Vers 22. Sion King of the Amorites coms out against them and fights Vers 33. Og King of Bason fights against them Chap. 22. Then Balac sends to curse them Numb 25. The People committed whoredom with the Daughters of Moab upon which a plague and went to the sacrifice of their gods at Baal-Peor upon which all the Heads of the People which joyned to Baal-Peor were hung up before the Lord. Numb 31. They war with Midian slay their five Kings destroy their Cities Women Children Flocks Thirty two thousand Women that had not known Man they take captive And in this war they had not lost one man Vers 29. Now 1. From their sin that God knew and yet destroyed them not for it Observe mans wickedness and Gods goodness 2. From the provision God made for them Observe First It 's a great mercy for God to know a man in time of distress This is Gods way Men know in prosperity But let us make God our friend he wil be a friend otherwise than men will be Let not us be dejected in times of trouble that 's the time for God to know thee be willing to follow God in any estate Gods knowing of us in distress is a mighty engagement Let us look back to the times when we were in trouble Let us know Gods Cause when it suffers and know our Brethren when they suffer Gods knowledg is operative and working It does us good Our knowledg of God should be so too To sin against our knowledg of God is evil but to sin against Gods knowing of us is worse VER 6. According to their Pasture so were they filled they were filled and their heart was exalted therefore have they forgotten me YOU have formerly heard the gracious providence of God towards his people while they were in the wilderness I knew them in the wilderness in the Land of great drought God glories much and mentions often the care over and goodness to his people in the wilderness when they had got out of the wilderness into the Land of Canaan where there were much Pastures they thought themselves to be well now they could live of themselves they could provide for themselves and so they liv'd to themselves and in a little time destroyed themselves the truth is they were in a worse condition then than when they were in the wilderness for saith he According to your Pastures so you were filled and then you forgot me and therefore I 'le be as a Lyon to you and as a Leopard and a Bear We do not hear such terrible things against them when they were in the wilderness I knew them in the wilderness but now it 's otherwise From the connexion note first It 's better to want the comforts of the creature and to have Gods care and protection than to have abundance of the creature and to live of our selves We do not love a depending life but it 's safest many have more of Gods presence with them and protection over them when they are in the wilderness when they are in adversity than they have when they come into prosperity when they come to enjoy abundance of the creatures God knows them when they are in afflictions and they knew God but when they come into prosperity God doth neither know them so much nor they know God so much Examin I beseech you when you were low any of you say had you not more of Gods presence with you then than you have now did not God know you more then did not you know God more then had not you more sweet communion in those times than now you have Oh! God made you know him by gracious visitations of his Spirit and there were gracious workings of your spirit towards him Are not you grown flat dead and drossie and carnal now more than before do not you seek greedily after the world to fill your selves and do not you begin to be exalted in your own hearts do not you begin to be puft up have you none of your friends so If you know but any of your friends that when they were lower than now they are knew God better than now they do and God knew them and there was more sweet converse between God and them than now there is put them in mind of this text I knew them in the wilderness in the Land of great drought but now according to their Pastures they are filled and their hearts are exalted and they have forgotten me God deliver them from the remaining part of the text I 'le be a Lyon and a Leopard and Bear to them to tear them You seldom find in Scripture any of Gods Saints worse for afflictions give me any one example for my part I know not one in all the Book of God that came worse out of an affliction than when they went in But I can tell you of many even of Gods dear people that came worse out of prosperity than when they came in therefore it 's observable in 2 Chron. 17. 3. it 's spoken in commendation of Jeboshaphat it 's said that Jeboshaphat walked in the first waies of David his Father David his Father at first was in an afflicted estate afterwards in a more prosperous estate he was hunted like a Partridg at first but when he came to prosperity his waies were not so good therefore the holy Ghost doth put a commendation upon his first waies rather than upon his after waies I fear it may be said so of some that their first waies when they were low were a great deal better than their after waies This for the connexion According to their Pastures so were they filled According to the fatness and riches of the Land when they came into it they were filled they fell upon whatsoever sensual content they could enjoy to the uttermost according to what means they had for to satisfie the flesh According to their Pastures They would improve all the means and opportunities they had for to give content to the flesh so that they were filled Thus you see men that love to live in the satisfaction of the flesh up to the height of their means according to all means that they have to satisfie the flesh this way or the other way they will be sure to have satisfaction if it be to be had therefore you shall see men that have estates they please the flesh to the uttermost they can think of if they go abroad and see any thing that may give content to the flesh they resolve to have it if they can when they come home According to all the means that they have so they will have the flesh satisfied Oh! how happy were men if they were so wise for their souls if according to the means of grace we sought to fill our souls Oh how doth the Lord lead us in green Pastures and yet what
he doth not say here Your King shall not save you nor your Cities shal not save you nor your Princes and Nobles shall not save you but where are they in a kind of Irony God loves to insult over the carnal confidences of men And we find in Scripture many such kind of Insultings over men in Deut. 32. 37. Where are your Gods that should deliver you And in Is 19. 12. Where are thy Wise-men What we have got States-men men known in State Affairs we have them with us But where are they saith God Thus the Lord insults over men that put their confidence in the flesh and especially when they have been confident in their own waies forsaking God and so bringing themselves to misery when they have brought themselves to misery by forsaking the waies of God now God insults now where are these things that you put such confidence in And truly even the Saints so be it they do it in an holy humble way they may have some kind of insulting over ungodly men only because they have so much flesh in them there 's danger therefore they had need keep their hearts very low But if they do it in the strength of God we have it in Scripture That the Virgin Daughter of Zion shall laugh at them and laugh them to scorn Only keep your hearts I say low and you may come to see the Glory of God even insult in this That God hath heard your Prayer and hath been with his People and that the Enemy hath had so much power and strength in the flesh and yet how the Lord hath disappointed them And then further This is the great confusion to carnal hearts when they shall be asked Where 's their Confidence and their Boasting and they shall be found speechless when this shall be ask'd them Where 's your bravery and pride and stoutness of your hearts and they shal be able to say nothing Oh! this wil be a great confusion and shame upon them Certainly ere long it will be so to all carnal hearts that make their boast in the pomp and glory of the world there shall be a confounding Where Asked them Where 's all your Bravery and Pride and Rage I say this confounding Where will be asked to every wicked and ungodly man What will they be able to say then In Judg. 9. 28. we reade of one Gaal the son of Ebed who said Who is Abimelech but in vers 38. when Abimelech came with strength against him Zebal said to him Where is now thy mouth wherewith thou saidest Who is Abimelech that we should serve him When men are in their pride bravery then they scorn at God and men they little regard any thing that is said to them but when God brings them down low then wheretis that mouth of thine that did so boast and speak so proudly as heretofore it did My brethren let us learn from hence therfore To seek after and rest upon those things which we may be able alwaies to give an accompt of where they are if it should be ask'd us the Saints if it should be ask'd them Where is their God they can give an accompt It 's the God of Heaven that we have trusted in it 's the God that is in the highest Heavens and in the hearts of the Saints we can tell where our God is It is just with God that wicked men should be insulted over because they insult over the Saints so if God do but seem to absent himself from his People they will presently insult over them yea where 's your God where 's your Prayers and Fastings Have not some of you heard such language many times in this Kingdom There 's no such time but the Saints of God can give an Answer to this Where they can tell where their Fastings and Prayers are but the wicked are not able to tell what is become of their Confidences and boastings Therfore O you Saints of God never be afraid of evil men for ere long it will be demanded of them where their Pomp and Glory and Pride is but they cannot answer And it follows Thy Judges of whom thou saidst Give me a King and Princes By Judges though sometimes Kings are meant as Amos 2. 3. I will cut off the Judg out of the midst of thee he speaks saith Drusius of the King of Moab we are to understand here their Nobles and Great men upon whom they relied for so they are call'd in Scripture Judges they had indeed Judges before that time when they said Give us a King and Princes they had Judges but they were of meaner rank in comparison of those they had after they had Judges that by Gods appointment govern'd them but they were too mean for them no they must have a KING they must have PRINCES they must have such JUDGES that are Kings and Princes Great men for these that they had to rule over them they were but of their own rank and this would not satisfie them but they must have such as were great ones above them those were but ordinary men what were they but the Commons of the same ranke with other men and raised up but a little while ago from the ordinary way and rank of men and why should not we be rul'd and govern'd by them No we must have a King and Nobles and they must govern us Give us a King and Princes God had been much with these Judges reade but the story of the Judges and you shall find that God had ever more appeared with them I do not remember any one of the Judge but ever prevail'd when God raised him up but now this people they regard them not why because they were but meaner men they were but men of their own rank though God did assist them so exceedingly Oh my Brethren this is the ordinary guize of carnal hearts Though God be much with men yet if they be but of a low rank carnal hearts regards them not let them do never so great services and be never so instrumental for the Kingdom even those men that have had their estates preserved by them that have had their Liberties and all kept by them and by a mighty Spirit that God hath put into them yet when the work is over they look upon them but as mean ordinarie men men of a common rank and so let them go they after all the great things that God hath done by them still their thoughts and minds are upon others that are above them and Princes and Nobles such men they rely more upon men in whom they see outward pomp and glory then upon those that have the presence of God never so much with them and they regard them more and they do think that they shall receive more good by them and their hearts are more towards them if they have outward pomp and glory than towards such men that are in a meaner condition though there be never