An IMAGE OF OUR Reforming Times OR JEHV in his proper Colours Displayed in some EXERCITATIONS on 2 Kings 9 and 10 Chapters Setting forth The Opportunity was given him to do his Work in Cause he had committed to him to manage ALSO His POLICIE ZEAL PROFESSION HYPOCRISIE With his SINS and their Aggravations REASON for all this In all which he is proved to be a particular Character of our Times by which as in a Glass we may see the state and condition we have brought our selves into by our Deviations CONCLUDING WITH A Word to Jehu Jehonadab his Counsellor and the despised persecuted People of God By Col. EDW. LANE of Ham-pinnulo Isai 26.20.21 Come my people enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation 〈◊〉 overpast For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity the earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain London Printed for L. Chapman at the Crown in Popes head-alley 1654. A WORD from the PRISON To the Reader UPon request I have read by a running eye the ensuing Treatise in the Copie and I finde it like a good Jewel in a plain Leathern Case Although as B. Iewel once said Against Harding Faults will escape betwixt a man's fingers let him look to it ever so narrowly and be they never so few yet the Sophisters of our Times can tell how to multiply them in their Arithmetick Therefore the Lord Jesus make us watchful and wary who is able to keep us from falling these times and to present us FAULTLESS before the presence of his glory as Iude 24. For it is too too true that Piety doth now dance attendance to Policie and Iehu cul gravior est jactura Regionis quam Religionis is gotten up again by a mad Metempsuchosis upon the Stage in England to act his part Onely in this we are worse then Israel was for we have many Idols which men adore and evils which they harbour Non unum tantùm Vitulum sed multos habemus Not one Calf but many And such as refuse for their conscience sake must suffer persecution as they do and will do But though Israel play the harlot yet let not Iudah offend Ephraim is joyned to idols let him alone And heark hear it is the sound of the seventh Trumpet Rev. 11. for which the Saints are persecuted imprisoned and threatned of their lives at this day and shall the Trumpet give an uncertain sound God forbid O how alike is this Cup to Christs viz. traytor to Caesar enemy to Government therefore Fear not little flock Luk. 22.33 and Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom Matth. 5.10 Open your ears O ply your Oars you that row against the stream lose not one stroke for ye shall reap in due season if ye faint not Nicolas of Ienvile a young man was condemned to die and being set in a Cart his father came with a staff and would have beaten him but the Officers would not suffer him at which the son cries to the Officers to let his father alone saying he had power over him to do in that kinde what he would but Christ was dearer to him then his dearest friend on earth Hence it was that Hierome said that if his father were weeping on his knees before him his mother hung crying on his neck behind him and all his brethren sisters children kinsfolks howling on every side on him he 'd fling them all to the ground despise all his kindred run over his father tread under his mother to run to Christ and his Cause though on the Cross And what shall our bowels be shut up to blessed Jesus and his crucified Cause at this time of day seeing the Rulers Priests and Souldiers have got him up upon the Cross once again and that through the High treason of the Iudas's of these times Therefore up Christians up with the Sword of the Spirit Declare declare the Decree Psal 2.7 March march under Christs banner and bid deâ—â—â—â—â—e to the Apostates and present enemies of King Iesus who sputum lingunt â—lick the very spittle of IEHU The first Battel must he begun by the sword of Christs mouth Rev. 19.15 Isai 11.4 yet they onely shall overcome who love nos their lives unto death Rev. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like sober solid sincere holy humble heavenly-minded New-Nonconformists Thou that art ignorant of our danger in these days mayst do well to learn with a little self-denial as a Scholar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that lies along in the dust and peruse this Treatise with an impartial eye whereby I believe thou wilt soon see with Luther that it is Policie doth ruine true Religion and persecute the true seed and remnant at this day But be not troubled at these Trials which are foretold Mat. 24. Let us fear none of these things we must suffer for a short time behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be TRIED Be faithful unto death and he will give you the crown of life Rev. 2.10 2 Tim. 4.7 8. So Dan. 11.35 and 12.10 Many shall be purified and made white and tried but the wicked shall do wickedly None of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand And Rev. 7.14 These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Out of PRISON he shall come to Reign Eccles 4.14 O Blessed prison golden priviledges with the Lamb. Such bonds are become our best chains through which our souls are mounting into Christ's Paradise and by which we take many a turn every day in Christ's White-hall where we have our life liberty light and the best air which no man can keep us from where we see our King in his beauty and receive many a sweet visit from him that others have not the happiness of Welcome Cross welcome Crown As Paul says God forbid I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me and I unto the world Gal. 6.14 And as Chrysostome says on Eph. 3.1 Non ita beatum Paulum puto quod in coelum raptus quà m quod in carcerem conjectus I hold Paul was not so happy in his rapture as in his captivity Never so happy heavenly holy and translated as in a Prison So we for we are in the Mount and see all the world under us and do daily view the downfal thereof Babylon is falling is falling with all her worldly powers Policies and Abettors New and Old For out of Prison we see it and therefore say it A dreadful day a terrible day a wonderful day of the Lord is coming and yet a little little while and he will avenge the blood of Iezreel upon the
are many voices in the world we may soon be deceived It 's a special character of Christ's sheep That they now his own voice from a strangers voice and a stranger they will not follow Christ is raising his voice and calls aloud to his people to prepare for his coming and gives many signes of his nigh â—pproach And the devil raises his voice too and transforms himself into a glorious angel of light If Moses do strange and wonderful things the Magicians will do so too The cry and voice of the kingdom of Christ is up and begins to rise high and Satan raises many confused voices to stifle that cry that through the noise and din that he makes about the ears of mens souls they may not hear and believe and be saved Therefore now it behoves us to have a great care lest we be deceived to search and try every thing ere we receive it as truth but above all take heed of being offended lest we prove offended at the Truth and so perish for that is that at which we are most apt to be offended If there be one Truth incumbred about with through Antichristian fogs and mists a hundred Errours a thousand to one if we take not great heed we shall pass all those errours with a favourable construction at least and be offended at that one Truth and so stumble and fall foul on it and what follows then PERISHING Wo. As for this Treatise I shall onely say thus much It might have been enlarged and many things further proved and illustrated but I desired brevity for thy accommodation and knowing how well thou lovest thy money I was loth to intrench too much upon thy purse Read it over considerately and compare one thing with another and I suppose thou wilt see a line of truth going thorow it and something that may deserve laying up in our hearts and pondering If we do hearken to the truth in it we may possibly finde the way to get such a frame of heart as may free us from the bitterness of that Cup which the Author of this book fears may be the porton of this generation to drink the dregs of Onely I intreat thee again beware of offences they are the ready way to destruction there 's no hope in that path but that which is perishing And let me adde this That he that takes offence not given is both the giver and the taker of the offence and then what MILL-STONES OF WRATH may he expect to grinde him to powder Now the good Lord teach thee and me to know the voice of Christ the true Shepherd from a strangers voice and follow him alone and fully Farewel An Image of part of our Reforming Times OR JEHV in his proper colours displayed In some EXERCITATIONS on 2 Kings 9 and 10 Chapters 2 Kings 10.29 31. Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin Jehu departed not from after them to wit the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam which made Israel to sin SOlomon the wisest of men upon his great experience tells us that there is no new thing under the sun Indeed every generation of men are but as new Editions of their forefathers one differs from the other onely in circumstantials Perhaps other faces and shapes but the same flesh and blood the same humours of the body the same faculties and passions of the soul Now there being such sameness and likeness in the fountain there must needs follow the like in the streams Mens actions and ways are as their hearts and affections are Likeness in sin and wickedness brings likeness in afflictions and publishments Times past seem to be a type or figure of the present and the present to be a re-acting or doing over again those things either more clearly or more obscurely that the former times brought forth Vicissitudes and changes are sutable to the mutable nature of Man What one Age doth or builds up another undoes or pulls down a third comes and would reform all if they could tell how yet still it 's but like the hand of a Dyal that goes from One to Twelve and then to One again There is no new thing under the sun Nothing can properly be said to be new but the new creature the works of God and of the Spirit of God are new but the works and ways of men are old at best but new images of old things and all old things must pass away nothing will be durable till all things become new new heavens new earth These three parts of time past present and to come are very nigh of kin they are so like each other that they may well be taken for brethren An indifferent Judgement studying the times past may cast the waters and give a true Judgement of the present and a prudent eye may by the same rule be able to give a shrewd ghess at the times to come especially times nigh or next at hand Those who make Cornelius Tacitus Titus Livius or other Romane Stories their Gospel will tell us that Julius Augustus and Tiberius Caesar's parts are acting over again in the world by other persons and under another Vizard and I could heartily wish that they had not so much ground as they have for their conjecture But the Saints and people of God have a more sure Word of prophecie The good and unerring Word of God and the promise of the Spirit to interpret it It was not for nought that our Lord so sharply reprehended the Scribes and Sadduces for not observing the signes of the times And the men of Issachar are characterized by the holy Ghost for their wisdom having understanding in the times What though they be counted the half-witted men the asses of the times it's no matter seeing they have the holy Spirit to stand by them and encourage them Christ our Lord rode to Hierusalem on an ass and he will again make use of the worlds asses the foolish things of this world when he goes up to his kingdom to the shaking of the earth and the heavens also I say yet not I but Solomon the wise-man saith That the present times are but an Image of times past there is nothing new under the sun Is there any thing whereof it may be said See this is new Eccles 1.9 10. It hath been already of old time which was before us and there is nothing new under the sun Ponder these things in your hearts and you will not wonder nor be prejudiced in your thoughts if I tell you that this story of Jehu is An exact description of part of our Reforming times or of a great part of our times Reformers Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin Iehu departed not from after
them to wit c. But before we come to the opening of these words which is our main intendment it 's necessary that we should see what help the whole history of Iehu will afford us to the clearing up of our work That which is requisite for us to observe as to our present business may be brought under these six Heads 1. The time that God took to have this work done in 2. The cause Iehu had committed to him to manage 3. His policy 4. His zeal 5. His profession 6. His hypocrisie First The time the opportunity or season God gave Iehu to do his work in It was as wicked a time as ever was in Israel wherein the poor people groaned under all sorts of Oppressions in their outward man as in the case of Naboth may be seen In things of a spiritual concernment in the Worship of God Baal and the Calves tell what a sad case the poor people of God were in then Prerogative and absolute Soveraignty advanc'd to the highest the Kings will and pleasure above Law as in the case of Naboth's vineyard and may be further seen in the complaint of good Obadiah What have I sinned that thou wouldst deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab to slay me The King's will was grown extreme boundless that a man so neer Ahab's person as Obadiah was Governour over his house so great and powerful a man should be so subject to the imperious fury of his Prince that he should incur the danger of death for a supposed telling of a lye that was the case if he should go and tell Ahab that Elijah was there and the Spirit of the Lord take him and carry him elsewhere and Ahab should not finde him he would slay Obadiah Surely Ahab was an absolute Soveraign had scru'd up Prerogative to the higest pin And this mans wife Iezebel was more absolute then he he rul'd the Kingdom but she rul'd the King for she made him more wicked then he was before that Ieroboam's sins could not serve his turn but he must have an Ahab's sins too She being a Sidonian brought him to worship her Idols and submit to her superstition to serve her gods and her Priests and who rul'd the King now think you Oppression and Superstition were brought up to the highest pitch and that by her means The times thus qualified gave Iehu an easie entrance into this work God order'd it so that the sense of the Oppressions and Superstitions of their Rulers wrought so upon the Souldiers hearts as made them of a willing minde to follow Iehu otherwise it would have been a difficult and hard matter for Iehu to have engaged them against their King * Who was a valiant man for he was wounded his wounds spake forth his valor which vertue is mighty ravishing and taking to the heart of a souldier He had a fit season to do his work in the harvest was ripe and he wisely thrust in his sickle How can he do amiss that hath God to direct him Now look back and behold the countenance of our late times consider our King and Queen the Prelates the Friers and Jesuitical Priests view the temper of the times the ways and courses were taken and you will presently be of my minde and say These two times though at so great a distance of time are complexion'd exceeding like each other and with Solomon thou wilt cry out There 's no new thing under the sun but the present age many times commits the same sins former ages have done and fall under the same punishment and possess the same ruine if they differ in any thing it 's but in the circumstantial aggravations of their sin and so may breed like difference in the effects Secondly for the Cause Jehu had in hand to manage It was as excellent as noble a Cause as ever man had the prosecution of What was it but the execution of God's wrath and vengeance upon his and his peoples enemies and the deliverance of his people from their bondage and oppressions that lay upon them both in matters of Worship and their outward concernments The people of Israel groan'd under the hand of their oppressors as you may read in the story of Naboth and they were compel'd to worship idols in stead of the true God the best whereof were Jeroboams calves characteristically called his sins and the more gross were Baal and other the gods of the heathens Now the Prophet gives Iehu full commission to execute the vengeance of God upon these Tyrants the enemies of God nad his people as you may read in 2 Kings 9.7 8 9 10. The other part of the Cause to wit deliverance and liberty for the people of God to worship the true God is plainly intimated in Chap. 10. vers 31. But Iehu took no heed c. God expected he should walk uprightly before him as David did wherefore did God give him commission to make the house of Ahab like to the house of Ieroboam but to let him know that he expected his turning from Ieroboam's sins as well as Ahab's and that he should take away the peoples oppressions and bondage in matters of Worship as well as in their outward estate Yea one reason why God would have Ahab thus dealt with is that he might avenge the blood of the prophets which blood was shed in defence of the true Worship of God And what was it that made God so wroth with Ieroboam and Baasha but because they made Israel to sin by compelling them to forsake the true God and his Worship 1 King 14.9 10. and 16.2.3 So that it 's clear that the cause Iehu had the managing of was the execution of God's wrath and deliverance of his people from all bondage and oppressions What a neer affinity there is between this Cause of God in these times of Israel and the Cause this present generation have had the managing of for these many yeers last past yea that it 's one and the same is so obvious to every serious eye that it would be but time lost to bring arguments to prove it Thirdly Let us consider the policie of the man view his intellectuals a little and we shall see that according to the received opinion of our times that grace is but a secondary qualification in Rulers and Magistrates natural gifts and accomplishments to be sought after in the first place he was as fit for the Magistracie as any man of that Judgement would fix upon A very embleme of our times This Policie of his discovers it self in divers particulars 1. By a faigned humility his companions without question read something in his countenance whereby they conceived that the matter which was communicated to him was of some importance upon which one of them demands Wherefore came this mad fellow to thee He answers The man you know and his communication you know As much as to say It 's no matter let it alone the thing shall die
ominously First against the sins and wickedness of the times When he met Joram saith the King Is it peace Jehu Peace saith he What peace so long as the whoredoms witchcrafts of thy mother Jezebel are so many Peace belongs not to thee no peace with thy abominations I will not sheath my sword until I have destroyed all those Oppressions in the State and Innovations in the Church Was not this our practice in our first motions that have provoked God to wrath against the Land and hindered the people from worshipping the true God What peace with Ahab peace with Iezebel No you shall know I am raised up and inspired by God to avenge the blood of his servants upon your heads correct your tyrannies and destroy the cause of them out of the Land I will not withdraw my hand until I have purged the Land from all those things that pollute it and Cursed be he that withholdeth his hand from shedding of blood Well said Iehu thou art hot now but thou wilt be cool enough anon when thine own turn is serv'd when thou hast done as much as is needful for thy own designes then thou wilt let Gods work go whither it will for thee they are fools and asses that mind THEN any thing more then setling the State in peace and quiet that they may enjoy the fruits of their labours Secondly his zeal puts forth it self in this He would not have one to remain alive of Baals priests he would kill them all every mothers childe yea whosoever let one of them escape his life should go for it But have a care Iehu thou art not at last as furious against the Lords own Prophets as thou art now against Baals Thirdly his zeal appears in this These things have been done visibly before our eyes That he brake down all the images of Baal and brake down the house of Baal and made it a draught house How zealous was this man for God! one would have thought that surely this man liv'd in heaven and his thoughts were always upon Jerusalem and his heart thitherward Can it be imagined how glad the hearts of the unfeigned servants of the Lord were at the sight of this Will it be counted an errour to think that their hearts heads mouths were filled with the thoughts of their going up to Jerusalem to worship and behold the glory of God in his Ordinances But alas poor hearts you are mistaken in Iehu the golden Calves in Dan and Bethel will stop you there 's no passiâ—g those ancient bounds founded upon so much State-wisdom He departed not from the sins of Ieroboam the son of Nebat Jehu's Profession In the fifth place let us view him in his profession he profest himself to be one that studyed much the minde and will of God to regulate all his actions by that model he had received from God by his Prophets Thus saith the Lord This is the word of the Lord as you may observe all along the history When he met the King what was the profession he made but that his work was the rooting out all those abominations that had provoked the Lord to anger What peace so long as the whoredoms and witchcrafts are so many When he had slain Ioram he profest he did nothing but what he was commanded of the Lord Cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Iezreelite for remember how that when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father the Lord laid this burden upon him c. He would have a Word for all his actions and nothing would he seem to do This is a true and compleat Character of some in these our reforming times but what was consonant to the minde and will of the Lord. Again when he had slain Jezebel and she was eaten by the dogs what application did he make It was the will of the Lord This is the word of the Lord which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite saying c. O heavenly man whose tongue is tipt with Scripture the experiences of the Saints and the Revelations of the Prophets When he had subtilly caused the seventy sons of Ahab to be slain what was the conclusion That the people should know that nothing of the word of the Lord should fall unto the earth which he had spoken by Elijah concerning Ahab And when he met with Iehonadab what was his profession but to be zealous for God What a profession of sincerity and plainness of heart in the cause of God did he make How curious was he of his associates and companions He would have none but such as were like himself holy men in appearance If thy heart be right as my heart come and see my zeal for the Lord be my companions otherwise not By the way observe how poor Iehu praises himself if thy heart be right as my heart he praises his own sincerity his zeal come and see my zeal there 's none like mine his grace his conformity to the will of God his performance of the Word of the Lord the effects of the Spirit upon his heart O none like his Surely he had forgot Solomon's counsel Let a stranger praise thee And did not that Pharisee write by this copie that said Lord I thank thee that I am not as that Publicane is c. And Iehu was a great Preacher too whether he were in the field or in the palace or in the gate of the city he was always preaching as the story mentions This is the word of the Lord Remember what the Lord said c. He seem'd as if he could speak no other language but the words of God Notwithstanding all this he walked not in the law of the Lord with all his heart Jehu's Hypocrisie Sixthly Let us view him in his hypocrisie How close a hypocrite was this seeming-heavenly Iehu Who could discern him to be counterfeit till he came to the touch He had as fair an outside as ever man had yet he was as a whited sepulchre full of dead mens bones within nothing but corruption and deceit lodging in his heart This man's hypocrisie appeared clearly in his dealing with Baal and his priests playing the counterfeit and dissembler with them Now what a case may we think the poor people of God were in in this time of temptation and trouble what could they do but make their complaints to their all-seeing God and Father who they knew would hear their sighs and groans Is not this the case now disputed in these our dissembling times and give an answer full of grace and love Well but when he had discovered himself but to dissemble with Baal and his Priests and to mean otherwise then he at that time pretended how could he shift off the guilt of hypocrisie before the people of God who knew by the experience they had of their own hearts that it could not stand with a sincere spirit with Water-men to look one way and
counsels that I should make thee a disolation and the inhabitants thereof an lâ—ssing therefore ye shall hear the reproach of my people Jer. 11 10 11. They are turned back to the iniquities of their fore-Fathers which refused to hear my words c. therefore thus saith the Lord Behold I will bring evil upon them which they shall not be able to escape and though they shall cry unto me I will not hearken unto them Isai 3.14 15. The Lord will enter into judgement with the ancients of his people and the Princes thereof for ye have eaten up 〈◊〉 vineyard the spoile of the poor is in your â—ouâ—â—s What mean ye thaâ— ye beat my people to peices and grinde the faces of the poor saith the Loâ—d God of hosts Mic. 1.2 â—o to thâ—m that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds when the morning is light they practice it because it is in the power of their hand Behold I am against thee Jer. 50.31 32. O thou most proud saith the Lord God of hosts for thy day is come the time that I will visit thee and the most proud shall stumble and fall and none shall raise him up and I will kâ—nale a fire in his cities and it shall devour all round about him For he bringeth down them that dwell on high Isa 26.5 6. the lofty city he layeth it low he layeth it low even to the ground he bringeth it even to the dust the foot shall tread it down even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy And I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease ch 13.11 12. and will lay low the haugheiness of the terrible I will make a man more precious then fine gold even a man then the golden wedge of Ophir How is the faithful city become an harlot it was full of judgement ch 1.21 22 23 24. and 3.25 26. and 4 1. righteousness lodged in it but now murderers thy silver is become â—hoss thy wine mixt with water thy Princes are rebellious and companions of thieves every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards â—â—â—y judge not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them Therefore thus saith the Lord the Lord of hosts Beware the mighty one of Israel Ah! I will case me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine â—nemies Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy mighty in the war and her gates shall lament and mourn and she being deâ—olate London shall sit upon the ground and in that day seven women shall take hold of one man saying we will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel onely let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach â—o unto them that joyne house to house that lay field to field ch 5 8 9. till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth In mine ears said the Lord of hosts Of a truth many houses shall be desolate even great and fair without inhabitant ch 30.1.9 10 12 13 27. Wo to the rebellious children saith the Lord that take counsel his not of me and that cover with a covering but not of my Spirit that they may adde sin to sin lying children children that will not hear the law of the Lord which say to the seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesie not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things prophesie deceits Wherefore thus saith the holy one of Israel Because ye dispise this word and trust in oppression and perversness and stay thereon Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall swelling out in a high wall whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant Behold the name of the Lord cometh from far burning with his anger and the burthen thereof is heavy his lips are full of indignation and his tongue as a devouring fire ch 6.9 10 11. And he said Go and tell this people Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed Then said I Lord How long and he answered Vntil the cities be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be utterly desolate I will send him against in hypocritical naâ—ion ch 10.6 and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoile and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire of the streets And when you spread forth your hands ch 1.15 I will hide mine eyes from you yea when you make many prayers I wll not hear your hands are full of blood Then said the Lord unto me Jer. 15.1 Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my minde could not be towards this people cast them out of my sight and let them go forth Behold Isa 59.1 2 3. the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear for your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity your lips have spoken lyes your tongue hath muttered perversness Now therefore be ye not mockers Isa 28.22 lest your bands be made strong for I have heard from the Lord of hosts a consumption even determined upon the whole earth I shall close up this discourse with a word to these three parties so neerly concerned in it Jehu Jehonadab and the people of God A word to Prince Jehu First to thou O thou mighty man have I somwhat to say thou hast been curious and lovely in thy apparel and thy face hath shin'd as if thou hadst been on the mount with Christ thy profession hath been so excellent that we have been ravished with thee we never had such hope of the satisfaction of our souls in the free service of our God in the enjoyment of the promised land in going up to Jerusalem to worship in the highest of Gods appointments as we have had in thee and wilt thou now deceive us whither shall we go to complain but to our God who anointed thee whose messenger we took thee to be yea and we are sure thou wast so long as thou didst keep in his way Thou ô Jehu didst run well who hath hindred thee who hath bewitched thee But blessed be God for anointing Jehu to do his work and blessed be God for giving Jehu a heart to do so much of the work as he hath done but what reason can be given why Jehu should play the hypocrite at the lattet end of the day Is this the reason Jehonadab counselled him so to do to take that wise course truely
Christ himself lived their policy kept them from receiving Christ the true God caused them to reject him for say they If we receive him IF WE LET HIM THVS ALONE ALL MEN WILL BELIEVE ON HIM and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation And what great afflictions and destructions it brought upon them we see in the story of the Macchabees yea what utter ruine at last overwhelmed them is evident have they not been as dung upon the face of the earth for more then 1200 yeers So that there 's nothing more clear then this That the ruine of States and Kingdomes is founded in and bottomed upon their State-policy at one time or other first or last their walking by the rules and maximes of this policy breaks them to pieces and brings them to their utter ruine Secondly consider The pernicious loathsome abomination of Jehonadabs counsel Hypocrisie is most odious to God most provoking yet Iehonadab counsels to that the righteousness of thy counsellors will not save thee ô Iehu although they have been exemplary for holiness and as a beacon upon a hill to shew men the way of life yet now they commit adultery with this grand strumpet State-policy God leaves them and they are become abominable by how much the more close and spiritual their iniquities are by so much the more wicked and abominable they are to God as the most excellent things once depraved are most vile base and abject most destructive so these men now going astray no counsel so destructive so contrary to God in the aggravations of it as theirs But now Iehu at parting I shall leave to your serious consideration some few of the words of God it may be you may get meat out of them 〈◊〉 15. â—3 28. And Samuel said Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold â—o obey is better then sacrifice and to heaâ—ken then the sat of rams 〈◊〉 6.14 Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath rejected thee from being king The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day and hath given it to a neighbour of thine that is better then thou 〈◊〉 â—3 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord even against the word of the Lord which he kepâ— not And also by the hand of the Prophet Jehu the son of Hanâ—ni 2 Kin. 16.7 came the word of the Lord against Baasha and against his house even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the Loâ—d in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands in being like the house of Jeroboam AND BECAVSE HE KILL'D HIM And he said unto him 1 King 20.42 Thus saith the Lord Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people Hosea 1.4 And the Lord said unto him Call his name Jezreel for yet a little while and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel Gal. 2.18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor 1 Chron. 28.3 But God said unto me Thou shall not build an house for my name because thou hast been a man of war and hast shed blood 2 Chron. 19.2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the Seer went out to meet him and said unto King Jehosaphat Shalt thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore wrath is upon thee from before the Lord. 2 Chron. 26.16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgrest against the Lord his God ch 32.25 But Hezekiâ—h rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem ch 28.10 11. And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bond-men and bond-women to you but are there not with you even with you sins against the Lord your God now hear me therefore and deliver the captives again which ye have taken captive of your brethren for the fierce wrath of God is upon you Wherefore it shall come to pass Isa 10.1 13. that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Sion and on Jerusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks For he saith By the strength of my hand I have done it and by my wisdom for I am prudent and I have removed the bounds of the people and have robbed their treasuries and I have put down the inhabitant like a valiant man The Lord of hosts hath purposed it to stain the pride of all glory ch 23.9 and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth And it came to pass 2 Chron 25.16 as he talked with him that the King said unto him Art thou made of the Kings counsel forbear why shouldst thou be smitten then the Prophet forbare and said I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not hearkened to my counsel Now the good Lord help thee Iehu that upon reading this the maist understand the minde and will of God and repent and do tâ— first works lest c. A word to Jehonadab Jehu's counsellor In the second place I have a word to speak to Iehonadab hâ— excellent hast thou been how perspicuous hath thy glory shin'd the face of men insomuch that the Princes have taken notice of thâ— and have chosen thee for their counsellour thinking surely they shoâ— be happy and prosper if such counsellors as thou art teach theâ— Thou hast been counted worthy to ride in the chariots of the noâ— of the earth and thou hast been so far taken and ravished with tâ— sight of worldly glories from those mounts that thou hast fallen down and done worship to them notwithstanding all thy excellencies and perfections thou art overcome and fallen Repent and do thy first works or else saith the Lord I will come quickly and take that away that thou hast take away thy candlesticke Thou hast climed up the ascending steps to those Altars which are not of Gods appointment and your feet have slipt and you are fallen to the discovering of all your nakedness Remedies against this thou thy self O Jehonadab hast taught the people but now the disease hath overtaken thy self may we not justly say Physitian cure thy self but thy unskilful dealing with and carelesness towards thine own soul and thy being so slightly and so easily overcome makes it appear thou art really ignorant
which draws nigh to be given to you for an inheritance but I shall leave that as the work of one more knowing in those great and deep mysteries of the Fathers love then my self being one who hath more need to learn and to be taught of the meanest and weakest amongst you and indeed none can make you sensible of these things but the Spirit himself Onely I have out of that feast of far things of marrow and wine upon the lees well refined that God hath prepared for his chosen ones I say Out of that feast I have gathered a collation for you made up of such dainties as I conceive most suitable to your present state and condition Mal. 3.16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name Mic. 4.13 Arise and thresiâ— O daughter of Sion for I will make thy â—orn iron and I will make thy hoofs brass and thou shalt beat in pieces many people and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth Isa 17.13 14. The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters but God shall rebuke them and they shall flee far off and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the winde and as a rolling thing before the whirlwinde and behold at evening-tide trouble and before the morning he is not this is the portion of them that spoil us and the lot of them that rob us Isa 4.2 3 4 5. In that day shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel and it shall come to pass that he that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy even every one that is written among the living in Ierusalem when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughter of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgement and by the spirit of burning and the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoak by day and the shining of flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence Yea the Lord will answer Joel 2.19 32. and say unto his people Behold I will send you corn and wine and oil and ye shall be satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen and it shall come to pass that whosover shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered for in mount Sion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call For unto us a child is born Isa 9.6 7. unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace Of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to estabish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever Fear thou not for I am with thee ch 41.10 11. be not thou dismaid for I am thy God I will strengthen the yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they that strive with thee shall perish Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable ch 43.4 and I have loved thee therefore I will give men for thee and people for thy life And the ransomed of the Lord shall return Isa 35.10 and come to Sion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away The meek also shall encrease their ch 29.19 20 21. joy in the Lord and the poor among men shall rejoyce in the holy One of Israel for the terrible one is brought to nought and the scorner is consumed and all that watch for iniquity are cut off that make a man an offender for a word and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate and turn aside the just for a thing of nought ch 54.17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me saith the Lord. Mal. 4.1 2 3. For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an Oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch but unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with heaâ—ing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall and ye shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this saith the Lord of hosts Fear not O land Joel 2.21 be glad and rejoyce for the Lord will do great things The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this Isa 9.7 What shall one then answer the messengers of the nations ch 14.32 that the Lord hath founded Sion and the poor of his people shall trust in it Make hast my beloved Cant. 8.14 and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountaines of spices I am come into my garden Cant. 5.1 my sister my spouse I have gathered my myrrhe with my spice I have eaten my hony-combe with my hony I have drunk my wine with my milk eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved Zac. 12.3 And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burthensome stone for all people all that burthen themselves with it shall be cut in peices though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it Luke 21.34 And take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts he overcharged with surfeting and drunkenness and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares FINIS