in them Note that it doth so hurry on their hearts that they cannot with a ny calmness with any quietness of spirit hearken unto any thing that may take them off from their errour That 's a spirit of errour God gives them up to the efficacy the spirit the activity the power of error to beleeve a lye Is in the â—â—lst of them That is Exposit Difference of obssâ—ssion and possession ay Satan in respect of sin it is come into them and sitteth as a King and ruleth in their hearts An evil spirit may beset the godly may compass them about but it getteth not into the midst oâ— them they keep it out from the throne it doth not come to reign over them The coming into the midst of them noteth the ful possession that this unclean spirit that this Impetus and strong inclination of spirit hath over them And therefore you find in Prov. 8.20 Pro. 8.20 opened that it is said of Wisdom I leade in the way of righteousâ—ess in the midst of the paths of judgment In the midst of the paths that is wisdom doth not only bring men to the verge of Gods waies to be a little taken with the outside of them but brings them into the midst of the paths of judgment that is they come wholly into them so as tâ—â—y are even possest of them So here the spirit of uncl â—nness is in the midst of her So in the 1. Sam. 4.3 you have the same word Let us fetch the Ark unto us say they there that when it cometh among w it may save us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words in the Hebrew are that â—he Ark mâ—y come in the midst of us and there have the full oppâ—â—ation to dâ— us good and save us They depended much upon the Ark and yet it failed them By the way then we may depend too much upon a good cause the cause may be good A good cause may be lost by too much depending on it and yet depending upon the goodness of the cause and neglecting our own persons in reforming our lives we may fail as they did here But that by the way The spirit is come into the midst of them Many men receive an evil spirit quickly into the midst of them when God knows the good Spirit of the Lord standeth knocking at the door of their hearts and can have no entertainment so much as into the outward room It follows Exposit And they have not known the Lord. That is they know not My greatness My holiness they know not what a jealous God I am Idolaters have low and mean apprehensions of God The right knowledg of God will put the heart upon seeking after the right manner of the worship of God but when men know not God see not God in his glory and greatness and excellency they think to put off God with any kind of worship Here is the reason that men do so stick to their own waies to will worship to their own fancies and conceits because they know not the Lord neither do they understand the glory and holiness of God nor what a jealous God he is When once the soul cometh to know what God is such a soul dares not tender up unto God any worship but His own Now from the connection of these words The spirit of whoredom is in the midst of her and they have not known the Lord the special Note is this which indeed is very observable Obser strong inclinations blind the mind When men have an Impetus of spirit that is a strong bent and inclination of spirit in any evil way it is that which blinds their minds The spirit of whoredoms is in her and then follows they have not known the Lord Whatsoever is said then against their way they cannot be convinced of it And men do not consider how they come to be blinded We find it in ordinary experience when men are stirred in passion they have a spirit to such and such a thing that they have a mind to their spirit is strongly set and they must have it and I will and I will and I will have it Come then and say any thing to them and they understand nothing they are blinded When their spirit is up when there is an Impetus a strong inclination of spirit to any thing say what you will they do not understand you So it is true in other affections of love when the heart is set upon a thing to love by an Impetus a strong bent of spirit though the love be falsly placed come and say what you will against their way they do not understand it their minds are blinded they do not know any thing So it is true of fear of sorrow any affection when it is set with a strong bent and inclination to the object of it it doth much blind the mind Some have a spirit of sluggishness and they love their ease a spirit of covetousness and they must have their estates a spirit of ambition and they must have their honor and respect a spirit of pride and self-love they must not yeild themselves as ignorant and mistaken by no means therefore they cannot see the truths the waies of God But now let God humble these men that have such a spirit of pride self love covetousness and the like let the edg of their spirits be taken off A little hint of Truth prevails with a subdued heart let God come and but mortifie this their lust in them and then they come to see that which they could never see before and that with far less ado then a little hint of any truth prevaileth with their hearts whereas before all the means of conviction could not do it Oh my brethren Use when we come to examin truths let us look to our spirits Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord him will the Lord teach in his way that he should chuse When a man humbling his soule before the Lord and being jealous of his own spirit examineth a truth and crieth unto God to subdue what is evil in him and then cometh with a teachable heart to find out the truth suppose that yet he cannot find it let such a man walk according to his light whereunto he hath attained and he may have comfort God in due time will shew him more But that is the thing that is evil in Gods eyes and in the eyes of the Saints when men are hindered from seeing a truth by a spirit of opposition to it There is no gracious heart can take it ill if he see one that hath a spirit subject unto God a spirit wherein the fear of God appeareth so that he desireth unfeignedly to know what the mind of God is suppose this man for the present I cannot make him understand what I would he is not of my mind yet so long as his spirit is thus under God I have no cause to be provoked against
word here translated Swearing it is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies Maledicere Execrare and likewise Pâ—rjurare It signifies these three things to Curse and to be Perjured and to Swear Any of these three this word importeth And likewise it signifies sometimes to howl out Ejulare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joel 1.8 Lament like a Virgin girded with sackcloth c. It is the same word Lament or howl out So that the same word that signifies cursing and swearing and forswearing signifies to howl and cry for God hath a time to make cursers and swearers and forswearers to howl and cry out An Oath is a sacred thing a part of Gods worship and therefore the abusing of this is a dreadful sin Especially if it be abused to swear to that which is false In Aegypto siquu juret per Caput Regn non praestet morte plectitur nec permititur ut auto vel aliâ revitaÌ„ redimat Paulus Phagius in his Comment upon Genesis 42. saith it is reported of the Egyptians that if any man did but swear by the life of the King and did not perform his Oath that man was to die and nâ— gold or any thing in the world could redeem hiâ— life so did Heathens hate that sin of perâ—urie Yea we have found others that have not had much Religion in them yet have extreamly hated the sin of ordinary swearing I have read of Lewis the 9. of France that he punished that sin by searing the lips of swearers with an hot Iron which Law being executed upon a Citizâ—n of Paris some said it was two cruel which he hearing of gave this answer I would to God saith he that with searing mine own lips with an hot Iron I could banish out of my Realm all abuse of Oaths He could be willing to seaâ— his own lips that he might banish the abuse of swearing Chrysostom in some 16. Homelies together if not more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 11. Ad pop Antioch whatsoever his text was he alwaies concluded against swearing as being such a vile and notorious sin And amongst other things because some pleaded custom he putteth them upon this saith he if you would but punish it thus that if there were an oath sworn in your house he that swore should but abstain but from one meals meat that that servant or that child that swore an oath should not dine that day that would do somewhat yet saith he the command of God will not do so much as that Divers other expressions I might name but I must hasten That place Jer. 23.10 is remarkable for this and sutable to this text For because of swearing the land mourneth the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up and their course is evil and their force is not right It is a sin that hath more malignancy in it against God by how much the less the temptation is unto it I verily beleeve that if God had never made the third Commandement there would never have been so many Oaths in the world but it springs from a meer malignancy of spirit that is in men against God because he hath forbidden it For there is no profit that can come by it If men be guilty of thiâ— sin meerly thorough a vain custom what high indignitie is this against God what slighting and neglect of God is there As if sinning against God were an argument of no more weight but that the using of a thing without any reason when nothing can be got by it could down-weigh that argument Custom indeed is enough to prevâ—il in things that are of no moment a now some man that hath by custom gotten such a kind of posture of his body or taking hold of hiâ— beard and the like such a kind of gesture he hath gotten by custom and he cannot leave it why becauâ—e the thing in its own nature hath no great consequence in it and so custom prevaileth But that custom should be enough to be set against the high displeasure of the blessed God or be set â—gainst his solemn professiâ—n that he will not hold that soul guiltless that takes his name in vain this argueth a most insufferable vilifying his sacred Majestie Secondly To swear that thereby the words of men may be graced this is more horrid impiety As if the polluting of the holy Name of the most holy God were the best ornament of thy speech as if the dishonour put upon God were the best grace to thy language Thirdly To swear out of a conceit that this argueth braveness of spirit a braver spirit than other men have a spirit of valor and courage as if according to the fulness of mouthing of Oaths there were a braveness of spirit this yet is more hideous wickedness As if that were the courage and excellency of our spirits to fly in the very face of God Whence it is that many men if any anger them what do they do they fall a cursing and swearing that is when others displease them they will fly in Gods face that is the language of it though you will not dare to say so but that is the language of your practice others displease and anger me and I to revenge my self will fly in the very face of God A hiddeous wickedness there is in this that you do not think of You that are passionate spirits when you come home and your wives and children or servants anger you you fall to cursing and swearing Know you do no other but this this is the language of your practice they displease me and to revenge my self I will fly in the very face of God And whence it is that Gentlemen and Noble-men and those that belong unto them are such great swearers because they imagine that it is an argument of some braveness of spirit and that thereby they express a spirit of a higher strain than other men Oh hiddeous and abominable wickedness This is all the valour that many men have that they daâ—e sin against the glorious God and never be troubled at it wherea a godly man is described in Scripture Eccles 9.2 To be a mâ—â— thâ—t feareth in Oath but for these it is not for them to fear it is for timâ—rous melanchâ—lly poor spiriâ—s but they are mâ—n of bâ—ave spirits â—nd they would have men know thâ—t they can swear and not be troublâ—d at it they have stronger spirits than o her mâ—n hâ—ve Thuâ— is the blesâ—â—â— God diâ—honored by this sin more than we are aware of There is a fourth sort that are higher than these and those are they that swear that they may not be accounted Puritans or of the number of such a faction Because where they go if they be but suspected to be savorers of such kind of men as were heretofore named by that nick-name and now are by another I say if they go into company where they think they may be suspected to be inclined to that partie what do they
but if they keep their sins alive then their diet is ill diet for they feed upon their sins What is there such wickedness in the hearts of men as to rejoyce in the sins of others for their own advantage Conseg ex opositio Oh how much more then should the Saints rejoyce in the graces of God in others for Gods glory In Ezek. 8.17 Ezek. 8.17 you have an expression that seems hard to be understood Opened God chargeth the people there as with other notorious evils so with this among the rest that they did put the branch to their nose In these words the people are charged with a most notorious wickedness this may be often read and little understood what it is I conceive the meaning to be this It is a charge of this people for Idolatry that they worshipped the Sun or Vesta the goddess of the earth either of both because by them the sweet flowers and branches of trees came forth from the earth they attributed the flourishing of trees and of the plants wholly unto the Sun whom they worshiped as a god Sol homo generunt hommem or unto Vesta whom they worshiped is a goddess and when they worshipped either of those in the acknowledgment of the honor due to them they took a branch and put to their nose thereby shewing their respect and their homage unto them as rejoycing in that good and sweet fruit that was caused by the Sun or by Vesta their god or goddess So that God chargeth them here for so rejoycing in these creatures as to worship the Sun or the earth as the cause of it To apply it to our purpose As Idolaters because they looked upon the Sun or the earth as causes of such flourishing of plants and sweetness of branches and flowers did put them to their nose and delighted in them and thereby shewed their honoring of the Sun and of the earth simile so should we take the graces of the Spirit of God in our brethren that are the fruits of the Sun of righteousness for the Sun of righteousnes causeth them to flourish in the hearts of our brethren and we should put them to our nose smell at them account them fragrant and thereby do honour unto Jesus Christ as the Author of them this is quite contrary to this of rejoycing in the fins of people Thus much for that phrase they eat up the sin of my people And they set their hearts upon their iniquity The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They lift up their hearts every ones heart Calu. It may be interpreted either of the heart of the Priests or the heart of the people both waies and according to the scope of the Spirit of God either way First the heart of the Pâ—â—ests they lift up their hearts to the iniquity of the people so it may be understood for so this phrase lifting up of the heart to a thing doth note in Scripture the earnest desire that there is in the heart for the attaining of such a thing as in Deut. 24.15 speaking of poor men He is poor saith he and sets his heart upon his wages A poor man that wants provision for his family he sets his heart upon his wages Oh when shall I have my wages that I may provide for my family now the word is here in this text of the poor man he lifteth up his heart to his wages Oh my wages that it might come And Jerem. 22.27 the land whereunto they desire to return thither shall they not return that is the land whereto they lift their hearts so the word is the same here in the text they have an earnest desire unto the land And Ezek. 24.25 I will take from them the desire of their eyes and that whereupon they set their minds their sons and their daughters it is spoken of their love unto their children they lift their minds or their hearts to their children So that then it notes thus much the earnest desire the Priests had unto the sins of the people that they might have the greater advantage by them As it is noted of some who are of poor servile spirits and whose greatest means comes in by burials simile Sextons that they are glad and rejoyce when they hear the bell ring and they are ready to desire the death of men out of respect to their own â—ees because the more die and the richer they die the more adâ—â—â—â—age cometh in to them So the Priests at this time they 〈◊〉 â—he multiplying of the sins of the people that they 〈◊〉 have â—he more sacrifices thereby 〈◊〉 rather think according to other Interpreters the scope to be more principally in regard of the lifting up of the hearts of the people that the Priests did lighten the hearts of the people that is thus that they might have the more advantage by their sacrifice they do make the sins of the people nothing encourage them in their sins lighten their hearts they lift up their hearts above their sins perswading them that if they offer sacrifice all should be well they should be fully cleared they need not be further troubled Whereas indeed the Priests ought to convincâ— mens consciences of the evil of their sins when they came to sacrifice they ought to have shewed them how they deserved death for their sins whereas this poor beast dies and you are to lay your hands upon the head of it know that your sins deserve the death of your souls eternally the sacrifice what it taught and they were to instruct the people how the sacrifices typified the blood of Christ they were to tel them you come now to offer sacrifice and to have the blood of the beasts shed this typifieth out the Messiah that is to come into the world the Son of God that is be made Man and to shed his precious blood to pacifie the wrath of God for your sins and you are to exercise your faith upon this Messiah that is to come they should have told them that no sin could be pardoned but by the blood of Christ they should have loaded their consciences with their sins they should have made their sins heavy upon their consciences but they lightned their minds by putting such apprehensions into them that if they did but offer sacrifice all would be well they might take their liberty then and though they committed sin again yet still there was a sacrifice for it and so they lightned the sins of the people that way This was a most abominable sin of the Priests Calvin upon this place brings in Plato himself that Heathen Calvin Plato inveighing against the absurdity and ridiculousness of peoples offering sacrifice thinking thereby to pacifie their gods and then take liberty to sin again Even Plato thought it an abuse of an Heathen god for people to think it enough to offer sacrifice And yet is not this the
they did fall on the right hand or on the left before or behind so they did divine their good luck or their ill luck as they call'd it A third way was this they used to peel off the bark of some part of a stick and then cast it up and divined according to which part of the pith either black or white appeared first A fourth was which we find in the Roman antiquities that their Augures or South-sayers used to sit upon the top of a Tower or Castle and the air being very cleer and fair without any clouds having a crooked staff in their hand which the Latines câ—ll Liâ—uus there they quartered out the regions of Heaven so much as was for their purpose when they had quarter'd them out they did reach forth this staff having first offered sacrifices and prayers to their gods upon the head of a person or a thing they would divine for and so they came to have good or ill luck to be shewed according to what at that time they observed in the Heavens the birds flying c. when that staff was upon the head of the party This the Romans did and it is like they had it somewhat from the Jews they did ask counsel of their staff By all this we may see what poor waies Idolaters have had to know the mind of their gods Obs When men forsake the right way of knowledg of Gods mind what poor waies do they go to know the mind of God Use Oh by this how should our hearts be raised up to bless God that we have such a way to know his mind that we have his Word that we have his Son that come out of his bosom to declare the eternal counsel of his father unto us These are the poor waies that Idolaters have to know the mind of their gods Now follows the ground of all For the spirit of whoredomes hath caused them to eâ— and they have gone a whoring from under their God For the spirit of whoredoms Some would have it thus that look as there are particular sins so there are particular Devils to attend upon them As there is a devil especially to attend upon Idolatry another to attend upon whoredom another upon drunkenness another upon envy another upon pride another upon passion and the like and so the spirit of whordom that is say they that devil that especially attended upon this sin caused them to er But I think this not to be the scope but this rather the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to er the spirit that is that impetus of spirit that was in them there is an impetus an ardency a vigour an activity of their spirits to such a kind of sinful way it is that which hath carried them on and caused them to er The Scripture oft speaks of several sorts of spirits as sometimes the spirit of perversness Esa 19.14 it is translated in your books a perverse spirit but the words are Spiritus perversitatum a spirit of perversness there is an impetus of spirit that hath caused Egypt to er in every work thereof So the spirit of uncleanness Zech. 13.2 it is translated in your books the unclean spirit but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of defilements or uncleanness so the spirits of lying 1 King 22.22 the spirit of error 1 John 4.6 He that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error that is there is an Impetus a strength of spirit that carries men on unto such an erronious way Use And the consideration of that will be of mervailous use unto us Let us look to our spirits my brethren strong inclinations of spirit and consider what spirit we are of especially when we are carried with an Impetus of spirit to a thing that is when we find an eagerness of spirit that way to such a thing we would fain have let us then take heed to our selves when you find I lay your spirits very eagerly and strongly set upon such a thing examine then what spirit you are of that it be not a spirit of lust of envy of malice as sometimes there is in mens hearts when they are carried with a more than ordinary strength after such a way There is many people when they find themselves carried on with such an impetus and ardency and fervency they cannot endure that any body should cross them in it no but they must have it As they in Samuel that would have a King when they heard all the reasons that could be to perswade them against it they would not answer one reason but held to their conclusion No but we will have a King say they So a man that hath a spirit of such an evil A spirit of envie a spirit of error a spirit of Antichrist in him a spirit of domineering in him a spirit of crueltie a spirit of bitterness in him first he will rush upon such a thing without examining of it and further if there come any thing against it any truth he slights it presently and casts it off and thinks there is nothing in it why because he hath a spirit that carries him that way and if the truth come more strongly that he is convinced by it yet he hath a spirit that carries him on and though he meet with many difficulties in the way he will break through them all Oh it is a dangerous thing when men have a spirit of errour or a spirit of bitterness You shall find some men that have much remaining of Antichristanisme in them do but speak to them of any thing that concerns an Ordinance of Christ of Christs institution of the will of Christ in the word assoon as it is but mentioned you shall not hear any answer to the argument but you may perceive a spirit of bitterness a spirit of envy a spirit of frowardness and passion presently to rise in them So in other things you shall find men and some that have good things in them that if you do but discourse with them of some things that you know are according unto the mind of Christ yet they have been brought up otherwise and have drunk in other principles and they have a spirit of bitterness and anger and vexation that presently will appear in them to cast off any truth that is suggested unto them But let us labour on the other side rather to be acted by the Use 2 Spirit of God the Children of God are led by the spirit And it is true the Saints of God have a Spirit of holiness in them as wicked men have a spirit of uncleanness in them so Gods children are carried on with a spirit of holiness the love of Christ hath taken hold of their hearts and perhaps they are weak and cannot reason out the case with some subtill Sophisters but they have the spirit of Christ an Impetus of
brought into perplexity and doubtfulness of ones counsels and waies that they do not know which way in the world to go that is the propriety of the word I say by their doubtfulness of their way not knowing which way to go being perplexed in their counsels thereupon they come to stumble and fall This people that do not understand shall thus fall Indeed it is more proper and sutable to the words before they do not understand therefore they must needs be perplexed in their waies and not know which way to go and therefore must fall as a man that is in the dark and knows not which way to go he must needs fall so when men have left the true light and are in the dark they shall fall and when they are fallen they shall be perplexed in that misery into which they ate fallen From whence these two Notes Obs 1 First That it is a fearful judgment of God and a forerunner of a grievous fall for him to leave men to perplexed counsels When men are perplexed in their counsels one is for this way and another is for that way and then carry it back and then forward again Oh this i◠a forerunner of falling into grievous misery In Esa 19.14 the Lord threatneth Egypt that he wil send a perverse spirit in the midst of them they shal er in every work as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit they shall er in their counsels and this comes from a perverse spirit The Lord many times sends a perplexed spirit and a perverse spirit in judgment upon men and what then then they reel and stagger up and down in their counsels first they will go one way and then another and so bring a great deal of sorrow and trouble upon a people The Lord grant our enemies these perplexed counsels and deliver us from them Obs 2 Secondly It notes thus much That when they are fallen and are once down and have brought misery upon themselves and others by their ill waies and counsels then they shall be so insnared and most dreadfully perplexed that they shall not know which way to go or what to do Men that are Idolatrous and superstitious and men that God leaves to themselves they are in miserable perplexity when they are fallen they are as those poor blind men in 2 King 6. that Elisha led to Samaria in stead of Dothan what miserable perplexity were they in when they found themselves in Samaria among their enemies simile So when men are left unto themselves and God hath brought them into those perplexities when they shall see the fruit of their perplexed counsels how grievous will it be On the other side when a man goes according to the rule of Gods word and in the uprightness of his heart desires to be directed according unto that rule though such a one should meet with trouble and fall into affliction for his trial he need not be perplexed there shall be quietness and peace to his spirit in the midst of his afflictions why because he hath followed God he hath gone according to his rule It may be he knows not Gods end in bringing him into affliction he understands not the depth of Gods waies yet having endeavoured in the sincerity of his heart to walk according to Gods will you that have done so you understand much though you should fall into affliction yet you shall not fall into perplexity Verse 15. Though thou Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend and come not ye unto Gilgal neither go ye up to Beth-aven nor swear The Lord liveth The close of this Chapter is a warning to Judah to take heed that she doth not do as Israel did in regard of the vileness of their sin the fearfulness and suddenness of their judgment Though thou Israel Thou wretched wicked stubborn stout hearted Israel that no means wil reclaim though thou play the harlot yet let not Judah offend The word translated Offend that is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies desolare likewise because sin brings desolation The Hebrews have divers words to express sin and punishment both in one because they are so neer a kin Israel playeth the harlot and so is like to bring desolation unto her self but let not Judah likewise offend and bring the same desolation likewise upon her self The Prophet Hosea was especially sent to Israel to the ten Obs 1 Tribes but here we see he turns his speech unto Judah Ministers Ministers should especially look to those whom they are bound unto by Office but yet so as to labour to do good to others as occasion is And not only Ministers but others likewise We should all intend good especially to those that are under our charge but yet neglect no opportunity to do good unto any Secondly When we see our labor lost upon those we desire Obs 2 most good unto we should be desirous then to try what we can do unto others If this or the other get not good by our Ministry by our Admonition by our Exhortations by our Counsels yet it may be the Lord may bless our endeavors upon such and such let us try what we can do there Thirdly Let not Judah offend Let not Judah do as Israel did Exposit There was a great deal of danger that Judah should be insnared and polluted with Israels Idolatry and that in many regards which are the ground of this seasonable admonition of the Prophet Though Israel do thus and thus yet let not Judah do so as if he should say the truth is Judah is in great danger to be defiled by Israel and why so Reas 1 First They lived neer unto them and there is a great deal of danger in living neer unto Idloaters or wicked ones All sin especially Idolatry is as leaven that will spread and you may see the danger that there was in living so neer them in Ezek. 16.46 and indeed afterwards it proved to be dangerous one special reason of the iniquity of Jerusalem is there given Ezek. 16.46 Opened Thine elder sister Samaria she and her daughters dwell at thy left hand and thy younger sister that dwells at thy right hand is Sodom and her daughters That was an especial reason of the iniquity of Jerusalem their elder sister Samaria that is the ten Tribes were on the left hand and their younger sister Sodom were on the right hand and so they came to be sinful To be neer Idolaters and wicked ones is very dangerous then much more to be in the same Town Obser in the same family where superstitious and wicked persons are there we had need to take heed to our selves for there is much danger Again This was not only dangerous that Judah should be defiled by Israels Idolatry because of their neerness but secondly because they were brethren and so the danger was the greater to be drawn aside by them Obser If you have a kinsman if you have one
work upon them Satan Oh let me put it on as much as I can The Devil doth so when he see us in a framable disposition to sin he setteth tempters on work to improve it and we know it was the way of Idolaters Idolaters when they saw England in a framable disposition to Idolatry what abundance were sent amongst us to improve it Oh the mercy of God toward England that when we were framing our doings to return to Idolatry the Lord cometh and putteth the frame of England more from thence than before it was Oh let not us lose this framableness though it is not so much as we desire yet let not us lose what it is England would be in a lamentable condition if it should lose what it hath got from God already Yet further They will not frame their doings The Note from hence is That Obser Apostates seldom have any inclination to turn unto God No meltings of spirit no yeildings but their hearts are hardned and they depart further and further from God for so he speaks of Israel as an apostatizing people I dare almost challenge you all when did you ever know a notorious Apostate turn unto God very rarely I will not say it is impossible but especially for Apostates that are men of parts and have gone far from God if they have but proceeded so far as to turn to be persecutors of the truth or contemners of it as these Israelites here were when did you ever know any of them to turn unto God They will not frame their doings To turn unto their God Their God 1. By profession 2. Their God who hath shewed much mercy to them and hath done them much good 3. Their God who is yet willing to be their God They will not return unto Him This is the aggravation of their sin that they will not turn to such a God What not turn unto Him whom they profess to be theirs whom they flatter with their mouthes and they say that all their good and happiness is in Him Not to Him that hath done so much good as He hath done to them all their daies Not to Him who is yet willing to be reconciled unto them O this is a sore and bitter evil indeed that they will not turn unto this God But yet there is a furthâ—r thing observable here Their God that is this That True repentance it is not only to leave evil and to do good Observ True repentance to turn to as our God but to turn unto God as our God To turn unto God as a God in covenant with us as a God in whom is our portion and happiness as a God willing to be reconciled Here indeed is the very formality of repentance A man may by the terors of the Law turn from the practice of a sin not to live wickedly so as he hath don heretofore he may by the strength of natural conscience and self ends set upon good duties but here is no true repentance True repentance is this When we look upon God as a God tendring Himself unto us in the way of a covenant in Christ and so we turn unto Him In Jer. 3.22 Jer. 3.22 explained Return ye back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will heal your back-sliding Now mark the answer of true penitents Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Here is true repentance When God shall call upon a sinner O wretched vile sinner return O return unto the Lord for He is willing to be your God in an everlasting covenant He manifesteth His grace toward you in His Son and offereth mercy there yea He is willing to heal all your backslidings He is willing to be your portion He iâ— willing to be the happiness of your souls When a sinner shall answer unto this cal of God Bâ—hold we come unto Thee for Thou art the Lord our God True indeed we have sought after vanity but here is not our happiness and our portion Our good our happiness is in Thee We come unto Thee the Lord our God It follows For the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of her Here is the reason why they turn not unto the Lord The spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of her Expos 1 First That evil unclean spirit that did possess them So I find divers do take the words And then the Note is That Obser The danger of forsaking the truth It is Gods just judgement to give men over to the Devil to be blinded and hardâ—ed when they sâ—all forsake Him and His Truth Do not excuse thy sin by saying it is the Devil that tempts thee for this may prove to be the agravation of thy sin that by the just judgment of God thou art now given up to be under the power of the Devil and to be acted by him As in Eph. 2.2 the scripture speaks of the miserable estate that men are in by nature Dead in sin the children of wrath and amongst other aggravations of their misery this is not the least they walk according to the spirit that now workâ—th in the children of disobedience The word translated working there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the greatest activity that can be the spirit that is the unclean spirit Satans temptation may be an aggravation of our sin the prince of the power of the air that now worketh in those children of disobedience This is an aggravation of their misery and not any excuse unto them for their sin Thou hast rejected the good Spirit the holy Spirit of God and now the spirit of whoredome an unclean vile spirit hath possest thee Expos 2 But rather thus The spirit of whoredoms A violent inclination of spirit unto uncleanness to spiritual and bodily uncleanness that they have got by custom We have had this phrase before in Chap. 4.11 The spirit of fornication that impetus of spirit that violent inclination of spirit So then saith the Prophet they will not turn unto the Lord for there is a violent inclination of spirit an impetus with which they are carried on in the waies of wickedness but there is little hope of turning them unto God The spirit of whoredoms that is that efficacy that there is in that wicked disposition of their hearts that carries them on so violently In 2 Thes 2.11 2 Thess 2.11 the Scripture saith that because men love not the truth the Lord gives them up unto the efficacy of error God saith he for this cause shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye so it is in your translations but the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie the greatest active efficacy of errours to carry on with the greatest strength unto error that possibly may be We find sometimes men that are carried on to erronious opinions and come to speak with them about them and you shall perceive such an impetus of spirit such an efficacy of the error
prosperous way of sinning Page 597 Obs 10 God hath his time to punish openly ibid Obs 11 God will have his time to convince men ibid Obs 12. Gods judgements are gradual ibid Obs 13. The more powerful the Ministry is the more sharp shall the judgment be if despised Page 598 VERS VI. Opened Page 600 Objections answered Page 601 Obs 1 Carnal hearts are verie cruel in their dealings Page 614 Obs 2 Carnal hearts think to satisfie their consciences by observing outward Ordinances ibid Obs 3 God and mens consciences will not be put off ibid Obs 4 The Lord hath an highesteem of mercy Page 615 Obs 5 It is a Christians skill when two duties come together which to chuse ibid Obs 6. If Gods Worship may be forborn in case of mercy how much more mens Institutions ibid Obs 7 God will have mercy rather than desputing about sacrifice Page 616 Obs 8 Mercy must be preferred before our own wils Page 617 Objections answered Page 619 Obs 9 The duties of the first and second Table are joyned together ibid Use Instruct your children and servants in this knowledge Page 620 Obs 10 Men may be very diligent in worship and yet very ignorant ibid Obs 11. Soul-worship must be preferred before all other ibid VERS VII Obs 1 It is Gods goodness that He enters into covenant with such poor creatures as we are Page 623 Obs 2. God is constant in His Covenant with men ibid Obs 3 Mans nature is very weak Page 624 Obs 4 The apprehension of our obligation should keep us within covenant ibid Obs 5 Breach of covenant is a grievous agravation of sin ib. Obs 6 God expects that of His people which every one cannot do Page 625 Obs 7 Men may do many services and yet be Covenant breakers ibid Obs 8. The sins of Saints which break Covenant are sins of a double dye ibid Obs 9. The want of the right knowledg of God is the cause of breach of Covenant ib. Obs 10 There can be no Covenant kept where there is no mercy Page 626 Obs 11. We should be humbled because we break Covenant with God ibid VERS VIII Obs 1 Through mans wickedness the best of Gods Ordinances ar corrupted Page 628 Obs 2 We must not judg of places as they have been heretofore ibid Obs 3 Places of Religion if corrupted are the worst of all others ibid Obs 4 It is abominable to be a worker of iniquity ibid Obs 5 Clergie men if wicked are the worst of all others ib. Obs 6 Wicked Clergie men overthrow whol Nations Page 629 Obs 7 False worship and tyranny are joyned together ibid Obs 8 None so cruel as Clergie men ibid VERS IX Obs 1 Wicked Ministers are most outragious against those that leave them Page 630 Obs 2 Wicked Ministers wait to do mischief ibid Obs 3 Many men are neerest undoing when most secure ibid Obs 4 Wicked men abuse the esteem others have of them ib. Obs 5 Judges are least called to an accompt for wrongs ib. Obs 6. None plot mischief so much as Clergie men Page 631 Obs 7 Plotted wickedness is most vile ibid VERS X. Obs 1 Idolatry is a horrible sin Page 632 VERS XI Obs 1 The sins of the people are seeds for a harvest of judgment Page 635 Obs 2 God hath a set time for judgment ibid Obs 3 In judgment the Lord remembers mercy for his people ibid CHAP. VII VERS I. Obs 1 In great Cities there is all manner of evils Page 637 Obs 2 The sins of a Kingdom are the sores of a Kingdom Page 638 Obs 3 The Lord is the healer of a Kingdom Page 639 Obs 4 God doth not will things according to his omnipotency Page 640 Obs 5 Much wickedness lies hid many times in a Kingdom Page 641 Englands wickedness 1 Bitterness against the power of godliness Page 641 2 A sordid spirit Page 642 3 A trtacherous spirit ibid 4 A blasphemous spirit ib. 5 A bloody spirit ib. 6 A spirit of division ib. 7 An oppressing spirit Page 643 8 A spirit of envy ib. 9 A spirit of superstition ib. 10 A wanton spirit ib. 11 An unmerciful spirit ib. Obs 6 It is a forerunner of mischief when people are false in their relations Page 647 Obs 7 There is much secret wickedness in men of false Religions ib. VERS II. Obs 1 It is a good thing to be often speaking with ones own heart Page 648 Obs 2 God remembers wickedness a long time Page 649 Obs 3 Wicked men consider not that God remembers their wickedness ib. Obs 4 When God punisheth sin be manifesteth that he remembers it Page 650 VERS III. Obs 1 Wicked people are easily led aside by their Governors Page 655 Obs 2. Governors ought not to be obeyed when their comands are unlawful ibid Obs 3 It is a vile wickedness to flatter Princes Page 653 Obs 4 It is a vile thing to be made glad with wickedness Page 654 Obs 5 That King is in a sad condition when his ends must be accomplished by wickedness ibid Obs 6 Idolatry is a lye in Gods account Page 656 Obs 7 Idolaters further their worship with lyes ibid Obs 8 It is an evil thing to make men glad with lyes Page 657 VERS IV. Opened and applied Page 658 VERS V Obs 1 Festival daies are usually distempering daies Page 662 Obs 2 Drunkennesse is an old Court sin Page 663 Obs 3 Drunkennesse breeds diseases ibid Obs 4 Sensual Courtiers are for the most part great scorners Page 666 Obs 5 Times of feasting are times of contemning Religion ibid Obs 6 The right way of worship is slighted by carnal hearts ib. Obs 7 When Kings hearts are against Relegion they shall never want pestilent wits to further their designs Page 667 VERS VI. Obs 1 God will be hot in judgment as men are hot in sin Page 668 VERS VII Obs When Governors set up false worship it should quicken our prayers Page 670 VERS VIII Opened Page 673 VERS IX Obs 1 The hearts of wicked men work strongly after their lusts VERS X. Obs 1 God expects we should turn upon afflictions Page 679 Obs 2 Afflictions if not sanctified never turn the heart ib. Obs 3 Not to turn in Affliction is a great aggravation of sin ibid VERS XI Obs 1 Men are not excused though seduced by others Page 680 VERS XII Obs 1 It is just that those which go out of Gods way should be ensnared Page 682 Obs 2 God may for a time let wicked men prosper in their waies Page 685 Obs 3 Sinners had need regard what they hear out of Gods Word Page 684 Obs 4. When judgements come upon impenitent sinners 't is an humbling consideration ib. VERS XIII Obs 1 Gods redeeming mercies are great aggravations of our sins Page 687 Obs 2 Such as sin freely after deliverance give God the ly ib. Obs 3 For a man to urge another to a false opinion is a lying against God ibid Obs 4. The great evil of sin is that
like those in Christs time who put him to a stand they were so difficult and cross that neither John nor Christ himself could please when John came they cryed out of him that he was ridged and harsh and when Christ came he was mild and gentle and of him they said he was a winebibber and a friend of publicans and sinners John had that which Christ had not and Christ had that which John had not and yet neither of them could please these But it may be objected God knew not what to do Object how is that he could have put forth his almighty power and turned their hearts and that presently how then is it said God knew not what to do To this I answer that God was not bound to do this Answ for God had used all means to prevail with Ephraim and Judah which the most loving and compassionate friend could have done Suppose a man were in such a condition that for his cure there were all the Doctors of Physick in the Country where he lived gathered together and these should consult advise and pâ—â—pound things for his recovery and nothing do it you would wonder what the matter should be would not all this aggravate and set forth the danger of the disease and the difficulty of the cure All this is in God and much more and it is put forth for the good of souls I have put forth more power wisdom love and mercy than man can do now shall this be an aggravation in respect of the creature and not of the Creator all means to do you good have been put forth excepting my almighty power and yet the work is not done Obs 5 The condition of that people is very sad when no means can do them good then that fearful judgment may be pronounced upon them Jer. 6.30 Reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Ezek. 24.13 Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged any more until I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Obs 6 It is a thing that goes very neer the heart of God to see those that are nigh unto him to be perverse in their waies What for Judah to forsake me It is sad to find crosses and untowardness in Ephraim but to meet with them in Judah where my Ordinances are in a special manner and they so neer unto mee and I so tender of them 't is much to behold of what knotty crabid spirits Gods own people are A piece of wood may be sound yet full of knots and very tough What goes neerer a man than to find crossness in his wife his children or friend 't is not so much from a stranger as from one in relation Even so God takes the unkindness of his people to heart more than the wickednesses of the ungodly Obs 7 It is not enough to worship God better than others if we be of perverse spirits This was the sin of Judah because they had the Ordinances in a purer way and worshiped God better than Ephraim Applicat for Engl. they thought they might continue in this their sin Oh that this were not Englands sin at this day Let us be humbled for it that we may escape their judgment For your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benegnitâ—s miscricordia Also Sanctitas pictas vestrum vel est ri Vide Kimchi of kercher Your goodness That is your kindness or your mercy as the word signifies in the Original it is chesed the same word which we have in the sixt verse your mercy I will have mercy that is your piety and godliness in the strickt signification of it but mercy in the large sense The Seventy Translators render the words your mercy your goodness but why your goodness yours because either of Gods goodness towards them or their goodness their holiness which was in them Gods goodness towards them which is called ours somtimes Gods goodness as in Rom. 11.31 That through your mercy they might obtain mercy by that mercy which God bestowed on you you may encourage the gentile to come in 2. Their goodness which is double either to their brethren or their piety holiness both these were as the morning cloud or as the early dew that goeth away If the first signification of them be taken then the sense runs thus Gods goodness to them was as the morning cloud that is They by Expos 2 their sin had drove away Gods mercy and goodness from them even as the wind carries the dust before it God was in the way of mercie to them in appearances and they by their sins put them all away from them Bernard Bernard saith that the wind of their unthankfulness did drive away the flouds of mercy from them much more the dews of mercy Now God forbid that this should be our condition the clouds of mercy are over us and the dews of mercy are upon us now should we by our sins drive these away from us what a woful case should we be in Therefore let us not only pray to have the dews of mercy but also the clouds to shower down rivers of mercy Though I do not think this to be the principal scope and sense of the words ye it may be noted and afford us useful Expos 3 meditation but the proper meaning of the words seems to signifie their own goodnesse which may betaken 1. more strictly for mercy and compassion towards one another because in the sixt verse God calls upon them so earnestly for mercy notwithstanding all their shews and promises of reformation it was but in hypocrisie like those in Jer. 34.15 16. of whom God saith That they were turned and had done right in his sight in proclaiming liberty to their servants but they had polluted his Name again by causing those servants formerly set at liberty to return and bringing them into subjection so that people which are for a time pitiful and very merciful afterwards grow cruel and hardhearted Let us take heed of such a disposition which is so great an evil Appâ—iâ— we when together sometimes can joyn in love and unity pittying each other and bearing with each others infirmities bearing Christian admonition patiently but these good words and fair shows are vanished come to nothing where are those refreshing showers of love friendship which you were wont to water each other withal in your Christian societies In the room of these there now grows nothing but the lusts of pride passions and sad dissentions among us which parch and dry up all these good seeds of love and gentlenesse I desire to presse this the more because the Scripture is pleased to make use of this expression of the dew to set out the sweetness of a Christian spirit Psal 133.3 Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwel together in unity How
pleasant is it It is like the dew of Hermon and like the dew that descended upon the mountain of Zion as that refreshed the grasse so is this affection of mercy and love in the Saints He compares it not to a dew that dried up presently but to a dew which descended down and there the Lord commanded his blessing Psa 133. expound Church-fellowship even life for evermore There Where Even in the communion of his Saints This is spoken particularly of Church fellowship Oh then take heed that your mercy and bounty in releeving your brethren and persecuted Saints be not as the dew that passeth away the Lord hath not made his mercie no not his mercy in dewing the earth as a morning cloud that vanisheth away and comes to nothing Oh let not our mercy and love be only in shows and proffers withot any truth and reality our mercies should come like showers upon those who have been parched with the burning rage nnd malice of the adversary help those that suffer for a good cause Now the Lord expects more from us in this duty than at other times we must not only pity them and give them good words saying Alas my Brother and alas my Sister and no more I would I could help you the Lord pity you and help you you must not only do thus but in actions and reality you must releeve them with your money and provisions Is it not with too to many of us as it was with those in James 2.15 who say to a brother Depart in peace be ye warmed and filled but give them not wherewith to do it what good doth this passing cloud do them it is but an overture but perhaps you will say that you have not been as an overture a cloud passing away you have bedewed the Saints in their need you have given something but perhaps t is but a poor pittance and that out of your abundance know that this is not sufficient it must be a constant dew and proceed on in degrees of mercy we should rejoyce that God gives us an opportunity to shew our love and mercy and not think much at it doing that you do forcedly or repiningly therefore let not our mercy be as the dew that passeth away Thus much of the words in this signification of mercie Now if we take the words in a large sense as in Scripture they are often taken and in this place also for their goodness and piety and in this sense there is much of the mind of God in the words they are so full of marrow and sweetness as can be desired Now in that God should express godliness and piety by such a word as mercy Note from thence The necessity of this grace of love and brotherly kindness in regard Obs 1 godliness it self receives its name from them though by nature men are passionate and rugged grace will mollifie them of covetous men it will change them to liberal and make them free-hearted for grace is part of the Divine Nature Nothing is so communicative as God the highest good The more excellent the nature the more cōmunicative and according to the height of any creature is the communicativeness of it as the Sun being sublime and excellent is most communicative so a gracious man hath he parts they are not for himself but for the Church hath he an estate he distributes and communicates of it to the Saints and according as grace ariseth in the soul wil communicativeness arise a true Christian is not close handed If grace hath its denomination from hence Then surely this Obs 2 grace of mercy is most excellent because the whol frame of the new man is set out by it and by this it is expressed When we use to set out the whol of any thing by a part we do not express it by an inferior part but in some thing which is eminent in it as by prayer many times is expressed the whol worship of God as be that cals upon the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved Rom. 10. Expos 1 As the morning cloud and as the early dew In these words God charges this people for three things in which their notorious hypocrisie was expressed Clouds and dew passing what they imploy For their vacuity and emptiness their words were empty sounds they were clouds without water as Jude expresses it Jude 12. 't is the high commendation of Christians to be full of God of Christ and ful of grace and knowledg of which Ephraim had a shew but it was but a shew Expos 2 For their falfness and desembling they had a heart and a heart towards God they dealt treacherously with God they were all in shows but in the bottom nothing but vanity Expos 3 For their unconstancy and sickleness As rain in the clouds shews much but is by the wind presently blown over the clouds now are all black and lowring but in a short time are blown over and there is a perfect cleer sky even thus it was in their goodness though they made glorious shows in their reformation yet were they all empty false and unconstant Thus it was in the general in the reformation of the Land when things were reformed in the Kingdom it was but by halves and in their particular turnings it was but as the morning cloud many times there was great appearences of reformation but they were like the early dew which presently goeth away The ten Tribes and Judah did make such beginnings in reformation and setting up the worship of God that if God were truly worshiped by any people in the world it would be by these that they would set God up high in their thoughts high in their practices and this was very burdensom to the Spirit of God therefore he saith What shall I do unto thee Ob Ephraim What shall I do unto thee Oh Judah We find glorious shows of reformation to come to nothing as appears in these many examples 2 King 1 9. and the 10. chapters Jehu made great shows when Joram asked him Is it peace Jehu he answered him What peace so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many And in the 10. chapter what a slaughter doth he make upon the Priests of Baal Well what came of this reade but on in the chapter verses 29. and 31. it is said That Jehu departed not from the sins of Jeroboam who made Israel to sin What a cloud of hopes was there in Ahahs time 1 Kings 18.39 all the people cryed The Lord is God the Lord he is the God upon the miracle which was wrought by Elijahs prayer when the fire came down and consumed the sacrifice but this all vanished in the people and for Ahab himself the text saith he did abominably in following of Idols so that there was none like unto him who sould himself to work wickedness 1 Kings 21.26 27. When the Prophet comes to him