God seems to work against me but yet the Word of God works for me and I will try whether shall prevail Gods Word or Gods Providence thus Jacob wrastles I will not let thee go as if he should say I have the Word for what I do and God hath bound himself by Covenant and so long though Heaven and Earth meet together although I see my brother coming against me and God departing from me and all threatning ruin yet I will beleeve still that there is mercy for me This was Jacobs last turn as I may so say as the trying as it were the last fall in this his wrastling in opposing the Word that he had with the Work of God towards him And this is a Note of very great use in al our conditions let us not lay so much weight upon any Work of God as upon the Word of God let us build upon the Word rather than fear the Works for it hath been the usual way of God when he hath given out a Word that his Works have seem'd to go quite cross as not only in our father Jacob but even in our father Abraham What was the Word of God to Abraham There was two promises by God made to Abraham one was this That he would bring him into a Land that flowed with milk and hony And a second That he would make his seed as the Stars in the Firmament Wel here was Gods Word But how was Gods Work The very next thing that you hear of him he was carried into Canaan after he had left all his friends and was ready to starve presently now the word is Thou shalt be brought into a Land that flows with milk and bony and assoon as ever he comes into that Land he was ready to starve Here 's a Land indeed And then a second Promise of having his seed as the Stars of Heaven Abraham was twenty five yeers after this before he had any one child of the Promise and he grew old and also his wife Well he had at length one and God commands him to kill that one to sacrifice that one But what a work is here how quite contrary to the Word Well he was saved and Isaac is forty yeers before he marries here 's sixty five yeers gone from the promise and there 's but even one of his seed that must be as the Stars of Heaven at length Isaac marries and he was twenty yeers without a child here 's eighty five yeers and but only one birth from him yea and after that the story will make it out that Jacob was above fourscore yeers before he married and had any children there 's between eight and nine score yeers gone and here 's but only Isaac and Jacob. How doth the Work of God seem against his Word in appearance It 's the way of God and therefore let us never trouble our selves about Gods Works he came indeed afterwards with his Works and fulfilled his Word to the uttermost but for the present it seem'd to be against it Oh! lay up this as a lesson you will have use of it many and many a time It follows With his strength he prevailed Prevailing at last will recompence all our strivings Jacob was fully recompenced here he speaks in a way of recompence of Jacob after his striving Oh! it was a hard wrastling I but he prevail'd at length And so it will be with all the people of God let them go on and wrastle and though things be hard for the present when mercy comes it wil pay for all Oh! thou wilt hereafter see no cause of repenting that ever thou did est continue in this wrastling with God Oh! thou wilt see cause to bless God blessed be God that kept up my heart all this while Oh! God knows that many times it was ready to sink and if I had left off what had become of me I had lost the mercy that now I find but I continued through Gods mercy and now he is come he is come at length Prevailing recompences all our labor and trouble in seeking Well he prevail'd but what 's this to this people of Israel Thus this was to shew the base degenerateness of this people as if he should say Oh! of what a brave spirit was your Father Jacob but you you are a base people you basely subject your selves to Heathens to Idols your father was of a brave spirit indeed and would not have subjected himself to any creature in the world yea he would wrastle with God himself when he had his Word for it Oh! but it is otherwise with Jacob's posterity you can crouch to every base thing you will crouch to the humors of men in the Worship of God and do any thing to save your skin saith he you are unworthy to be counted of the posterity of Jacob that 's the meaning of the Prophet here Jacob's posterity indeed they should be prevailers upon the world above temptations it 's unseemly for one of the seed of Iacob to yeeld to the base lusts and the humors of men what shall we yeeld to a base lust when Iacob would not yeeld to the Almighty but prevail'd with him are we of the seed of Iacob now Oh! we are of low mean spirits led aside of every vanity and overcome with every difficulty But how did he prevail in what way did he put forth this his strength It follows VER 4. He wept and he made supplication THis weeping of Jacob is not recorded in the History of Genesis nor in all the Book of God but only here his supplication is recorded but not his weeping therefore his weeping was had either from hand to hand by way of tradition it was known that when he wrastled so with the Angel he prevailed or otherwise by Revelation but certain it was that he wept when he did wrastle There are many ridiculous conceits of the Jews and some old Writers about this they say it was the Angel that fell a weeping and prayed Jacob to let him alone thus they carry it But to take it generally as our Divines do that Jacob wept and made supplication and so prevailed with God Iacob's heart was prest in the condition that he was in and so prest that it caused tears to bubble from him and no mervail though tears came from him his heart could not but be full for when he came to think thus with himself What after I have served such a hard service under Laban my Uncle and God bad me come away from him which I took to be such a great mercy from God to deliver me yet how soon was I presently in danger of my life even my Uncle Laban pursuing of me and God delivered me there And must I now fall into the hand of my Brother is the day come for him now to have his rage upon me I see little other likelihood his strength is great and God himself appears against me and I have
better than thy waies they are so rational The Second Observation is this The way to prevail with men it is to deal with them in a rational way the way that I took with this people to prevail with them it was to draw them with the cords of men Certainly the way that God takes to prevail with people is the best way Therfore those men that would prevail with any people to bring them to any thing that they desire t is to deal with them in a rational way and so seek to prevail with them the Spirit of God doth so in Joh. 16. 8. And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin it is shall come with DEMONSTRATION for so the word Logically signifies it 's a word that signifies to convince in a way of demonstration that one cannot deny possibly and so the Apostle saith We came in the demonstration of the spirit and of power Mark Demonstration of the Spirit so it came to be in power and it concerns Ministers more especially If you that are Ministers would speak powerfully to people speak in demonstration the demonstration of the Spirit indeed it must be there is a spiritual Reason in the Scripture Ministers must not think to scare men into the waies of Godliness though I know some times God makes use of the bare terrors of the Law but the main thing whereby Ministers must have hope to do good to their people must be by preaching convincingly to overcome their very reason as much as possibly can be and to set the Law of God so before them as if they will but judg between God and their own souls they shall condemn themselves and approve of God That Ministry is like to be the best Soul-saving Ministry that meets with every objection of their hearts and at every turn the secrets of their hearts comes to be opened Oh! remember you preach to men and therefore you make use of that reason that you find in Scripture I know reason alone will never do it I but God when he works to the salvation of souls he works upon them after the manner of men and therefore the Ministers of God that are Co-workers with God they should work in such a sutable way And not only Ministers but Majestrates too they must labor to draw them with the Cords of men also that is not by violence in thing that men cannot be convinc'd of to think to force them in a way of violence I say in things that they cannot be convinc'd of in such things as they are not wilfully ignorant of they must not make prisons and fines to be arguments these are not the Cords of men indeed in things that have the light of common Equitie and Justice as Civil things that carry in the very face of them a light of common Equitie and Justice there Majestrates need not stay for any further convincement and there I say they need go no further but they may deal with them in a violent way if they break those but in all things that are of a more dubious nature and that are from connexions and consequences and more difficult to be understood and that are controversal even among godly men and wise men there they must look to it and people must have waies of instruction first and to be informed first and likewise if they do not oppose them in a wilful way but if they see that they do desire to understand what they are able and cannot they must not think to go on in a way of violence there that is not to deal with men like men in that thing to force them unto such waies that they do not see reason for and let them labor to the uttermost they can they are not able to understand then certainly there must be forbearance in such things and especially the rather because that Christ hath given us charge not to yeeld to any thing in matter of Religion till we do understand the rule of it Whatsoever is not of faith is sin when Chist gives that charge that we must not yeeld to it because such and such men do so till we do examine it and be able to understand the rule now then surely the uttermost that the power of violence and force can do is this To make men examin things but no further And so for you that have any under you your servants and children instruct them shew them the evil of their waies do not fly upon them with your rage and passion but deal with them like men in way of instruction The third Note is this It 's a great aggravation of mens sin not to be drawn by these Cords of men for a man to stand out against reason is a great aggravation so men stand out against many waies of God and yet their consciences fly in their faces and condemn them Oh! thou art a wretch that though the Lord hath sought to draw thee with the Cords of a man with Reason and hath convinc'd thee he hath gotten the cords into thy conscience and God pulls and thou pullest and wilt not be drawn with those Cords Oh! this is a wickedness for men to go on in waies that their own consciences do condemn them in Some vain reasonings can draw men to sin as a Cart-rope that 's the meaning of that place They draw iniquity as it were with a Cart rope that is their vain reasnings that they have for their sin twisted together make a strong Cart-rope to draw iniquity Oh! shall not Gods Cords be as strong as the Devils Cords or Mans Cords Manie there are though God seems to draw them with these Cords of a man yet their lusts are so strong like pamperd horses in a Team they will break the Cart-ropes break all their harness to peeces and so do manie unruly Spirits even say like those in Psal 2. Let us break his bonds and cast away his Cords from us Well thou shalt one day be held by the Cords of thine own sin as the Scripture speaks and thy conscience shall lash thee with those Cords of Conviction that did not draw thee Shall not the Cords of Conviction draw thee from thy sin they shall serve to be as whips to lash thy soul even to all eternity know that the Rules of Right-reason and Scripture-reason shall stand when thou and thousands of such wilful fools as thou art shall perish eternally And these are the Notes for Gods dealing in a Rational way And then the second was in a Gentle way First Mans Nature if it be not degenerated is of a loving gentle disposition 't is the nature of man to be of a gentle disposition that 's the Note from hence and I raise it thus I dealt with them with the Cords of a man that is Gently which is mans Nature such a gentleness as fair means will work upon it rather than ridged waies
magnificence then the Conduits will run Wine sometimes Now when Christ ascended up to be crowned on high What was the great thing that he gave in the world He gave gifts to men Some to be Prophets and Apostles and some Pastors and Teachers that 's the great gift of Jesus Christ upon his Ascention into Heaven and taking the Crown of Glorie as if Christ should say Shall I give a magnificent gift to the world like a Prince like the King of Heaven I 'le give gifts to men I 'le give them Apostles Prophets Pastors Teachers that 's the great magnificent gift that Jesus Christ hath given to the world Oh! that we could learn to prize it I remember I have read in Chrysostoms time that the godlie men when he was silenc'd they were so affected with it that they had rather the Sun did withdraw his beams and not shine in the world than that the mouth of Jo. Chrysostem should be stopt They did so prize the Word of God by his mouth Oh that men could learn to prize it more at a higher rate And you that are Citizens shew your prizing of it in this one thing Many of you here have your City and your Country Houses But what little care is there for men to seat themselves in places where they shall have faithful Ministers of God to reveal the mind of God to them If they come to seat themselves any where they scarce take it into consideration to give a peny the more because of a faithful Minister or a peny the less if it hath none Oh! this shews the extream neglect of God and of his Ordinances How few Country Villages about the City were supplied with faithful Preachers It 's a great blessing of God to the world to have faithful Prophets Thirdly God will take account of what becomes of the Word Labor and Pains of his Prophets for so he speaks in a way of upbraiding of them God will take account of all the Spirits that his Ministers spend of every drop of their sweat and of all their watchings in the night I sent my Prophets rising early and going to bed late God will take account of all and you shall know that there hath been a Prophet among you the Ministers shall be brought out to say and testifie Lord I was in such a place and I reveal'd thy mind thus and thus unto them in these and these waies that they could not but be convinc'd of and yet still they continued thus and thus wicked Fourthly It is a great mercy for God to declare his mind to men again and again I have multiplied visions saith God It were a mercie for God but once to tell us of his mind and if we will not come in at first for ever to cast us off but I have multiplied visions in Jer. 18. At what instant I shall speak c. God may justly expect that at what instant Christ is preached that people should come in for indeed their Commission seems to run very quick Go and teach all Nations he that beleeves shall be saved he that beleeveth not shall be damned As if Christ should say There shall be quick work made with men but yet the Lord is gracious to men to multiply visions one after another to reveal his mind at one time and at another time the Lord is long-suffering though our hearts be not mov'd at one time yet still he would try and he would have his Ministers to do so too 2 Tim. 2. 25. Instruct with meekness those that oppose themselves if God per adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth It was a great aggravation of Solomons sin that he departed from God after the Lord had appeared to him twice 1 King 11. 9. Oh! God took this ill I have appeared twice to him and yet he departed from me Oh! how may God upbraid us with this thing that not twice but twenty yea an hundred times God hath appeared to us we have had even the Visions of the Almighty some of you at least May not your Consciences tell you that at such and such a time you have had the Visions of the Almighty and yet you have stood out against them yea and at another time and another time Oh my brethren the multiplying of Visions is a great aggravation of our sin in standing out It was the comfort of Paul at his Conversion in Act. 26. 19. saith he O King Agrippa I was not disobedient to the heavenly Vision Oh how happie were it for you if upon the first vision your hearts would come in Oh that you could but say so Though it 's true I lived at such a time in such a place in ignorance and darkness I knew little of God but the first time I came to hear the Word wherein the Mysteries of the Gospel were reveal'd I bless God my heart came off then so the Aposile he blesses God for the effect that the Word had upon the Thessalonians from the first day even until that time I multiplied visions And then it follows I used Similitudes Now for that I will not trouble you with divers readings or divers interpretations of those words I used similitudes It is a very strange expression we have it not that I know of in the Book of God but here to shew the aggravations of mens sins that they hearkened not to the Word though the Word was brought to them in way of similitude You may see here That the Lord takes account of the manner of mens preaching as well as the things they preach and men may have their sins aggravated not only for standing out against the Word but against the Word so and so delivered The main necessary Truths of God are made known to you all yea but some of you have them made known to you in a more sweet woing and winning way and a more convincing way than others have and God takes account not only of the things you hear but of the manner of it And Secondly The revealing the Word by similitudes is a very useful and profitable way for it makes much for the setling of Truth and the making Truth go to a mans heart before he is aware the Truth conveyed in a way of similitude takes impression upon the memory sometimes speak a Truth and express it in the way of a Simile and many will go away and remembring the Simile so come to remember the Truth I remember it 's reported of that Noble Marques Marques Galeacias that had a great Estate and was of Kin to the Pope and yet coming upon a time but to hear Peter Martyr preach and upon a meer Simile that he had God stroke his heart and it was the means of his Conversion the Simile was thus Peter Martyr was preaching and he had occasion to speak of this Men may think very hardly of God and his People
with in a journy or business that God set him about he had an express command of God to go and a promise of God that he would be with him in the journy it would ask some time to shew the many hard things that Jacob met withal in the journy but among other of the hard things that he met with this was a very sad one that being to go by the Land of Seer the Country of Edom where his brother Esau liv'd he sent messengers before him not being altogether without some fear that the old grudg that was in the heart of his brother still remain'd and that his brother might now have an opportunity for to satisfie his desire upon him and according as he fear'd he found it for having sent messengers to his brother they reurn again to him and bring him word that his brother was coming against him with four hundred men in a hostile way so manifesting by the manner of his coming that he did intend mischief against Iacob in Gen. 32. 6. and now upon this the heart of Iacob was much distressed so the text saith That Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed vehemently afraid and great straits was upon his spirit now being in so great straights Iacob seeks to provide for himself he did not presently conclude and say we are utterly undone but he would see what could be done so though he knew the sury of his brother yet if it were possible but to save some part of his company he would do it and so he divides them in the way of prudence as might be the best way that he conceived for the safety of any of them but though he dealt in a way of prudence for safety yet That he trusted not to but seeks unto the Lord he would go to prayer in so great a straight and extremity that he was in for so in verse 24 he had been at prayer and there he was found alone which cannot be interpreted to no purpose but that he might be waiting upon God to know his mind and to seek God And when he was alone there appeared to him in the form of a man that came out against him as an enemy and as though he would destroy him not only Esau his brother came out to destroy him but there comes out one wrastling against him as though he intended to destroy him likewise and this man that did appear as a man the truth is was no other than God himself it was Jesus Christ and so he is call'd an Angel That it was Christ appearing in the form of a man there taking humane shape it 's cleer from verse 5. for he is call'd Jehovah and the Lord of Host and you shall find in Gen. 32. that Jacob call'd the name of the place Peniel for saith he I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved so that Jacob knew before he had done he knew it was God God comes and appears against him as an enemy even at that time that this holy man Jacob was in so great straights as he was and yet Jacob though God did thus appear against him he did not sink in his heart but stir'd up all the strength that he had and wrastles even with God himself thus appearing like an enemy and prevail'd and had power at length though one would have thought that there had been enough to have sunk Jacob's spirit the distress that he was in at that time his brother coming with four hundred men ready to destroy him he left alone one comes and wrastles with him yet he had power with God This is a famous and a notable story as any we have in the old Testament And for the First that which is implied here He had power with the Angel that is with God when he came and wrastled with him in such a time of so great extremity Oh! I beseech you observe this in the first place This is Gods way with his Saints sometimes with his best and dearest Saints that when they are in the greatest dangers and in the greatest afflictions and troubles God even then comes and seems to be an enemy to them at that time for the time that God came wrastled with him and seem'd to be as an enemy to him it was in the time of the greatest extremity that one would think it's possible for a man to be in you cannot apprehend greater distresses or greater cause than there was for the distres of Jacob at this time A poor man with a few women and children and cattel and having his brother that owed him a grudg and had sought his death to come with four hundred men in an hostile way and he left alone and at this time God appears like an enemy to him this was sad a very heavie condition indeed As God did with Jacob so with Christ himself when Christ was betrayed God never appeared in outward appearance against Christ as at that time when his Disciples left him just in the night when he was to be betrayed then he was in an Agony and sweat drops of water and blood yea and when he was in the hands of his enemies and lift up to the Cross and made a decision to all the world yet then he cries My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Forsaken at that time in so great a distress Jacob in this was even a type of Gods forsaking Christ in times of such great distress And so we find in Job when he was in so great distresses yet the terrors of the Almighty were upon him And Heman with divers others that we might name 'T is a point of very great concernment to us Oh be not discouraged be not discouraged you that are the people of God if at any time you be brought into his condition for Jacob was a type of all the people of God in this case and therefore this story is of very great concernment Gods waies towards him were a resemblance of what they are like to be to others afterwards and to the end of the world namely this That the most eminent precious Saints of God must not think to be excused even from this condition but when they are brought into the greatest outward afflictions that possibly can be imagined that God even at that time should appear against them like an enemy Oh! this is the saddest condition that can be to any one that hath any acquaintance with God You shall have many poor Servants of God in affliction wil say As for these afflictions they are heavy indeed upon me my Estate gon or Husband gon or Wife gon my Friends leave me in this condition yea and it may be the hand of God is upon me in sickness and so one trouble after another Oh! but though these are heavy had I but the light of the face of God upon me it would be nothing to me had I but those comforts that once I had
in the assurance of Gods love it would not be much to me but when all these outward comforts are gone and I never saw God appearing like an enemy to me so as at this time Doth God deal thus with any of his people Am I not a Reprobate For God doth use when his People are in affliction then to appear with the light of his face to comfort and encourage them but he hath not done so to me even at this time I find God more terrible to my soul than ever yet I found him and therfore surely I am but a cast-away I make no question but some of you may know the meaning of such temptations as these are in the time of your afflictions or if you have not known the meaning of them hitherto you may come to know the meaning of them hereafter and you that have known or hereafter if you shall know what these things mean Oh! treasure up this Scripture it will be worth a world to you For the Devil wil mightily strengthen himself with this What are not you a cast-away surely God hath rejected you he would never appear against you in your afflictions if he had any love to you Or you may answer the temptation thus Yes yes I have read in the Book of God and heard that even thus God dealt with my father Jacob that was so precious Yea but was not he in some way of sin No he was in the way that God bad him go on in and yet even then when he was in so great a distress God wrastled with him never wrastled more with him than then and seem'd to come against him like an enemy and such a time as that was Oh! treasure up this that your hearts may not sink in despair in the greatest afflictions and spiritual dissertions that are both together Only this by the way He had power with God It appears that when God came thus against him to wrastle with him God intended no hurt to him it was but to stir up his strength and to prepare him for great deliverance and for choice mercies God at this time did intend to Jacob as great a mercie as ever he gave to any of the children of men in this world and that was this That he should have strength to prevail with God and as a Prince to prevail with God and that he should in this be a type of all his people hereafter that they should prevail with God that he should have his name changed and be called Israel because he was a Prince prevailing with God and in this he should be honorable to the end of the world and be set up as a type for the comfort of al the Saints to the end of the world I say it was as great a mercy as ever any meer child of man had in this world at this time when Jacob was in the greatest depth of affliction almost as you can conceive a man to be in Therefore oh remember this that it is the way of God when he doth intend the greatest mercy to any of his people sometimes to bring them into the depth of affliction and therefore do not conclude that never any was so afflicted as I have been why Jacob might have said so and yet at that time God had never greater thoughts of mercy than he had to him then and therefore remember this again when such kind of temptations work never any was so afflicted as I have been grant it yet it may be there is mercy intended for you at this time that never yet was granted to any of the children of men before 't is possible it may be so it was so with Jacob and therefore let not your faith flag He had power with God in this great distress that he was in he doth not lie down as a man discouraged but he 〈…〉 rs up what strength he had and he falls a wrastling a wrastling with this man even with God thus appearing against him as an enemy Oh! thus should the seed of Jacob do you that are the seed of Jacob for so specially your praying Christians in time of distress are call'd by the seed of Jacob I said not to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain They are not call'd the seed of Abraham but of Jacob because Iacob was so eminent in praying in so great extremity the seed of Iacob should do so every little opposition that comes upon a sluggish heart a heart that hath low and mean principles sinks him presently I say take a man or woman that hath but low and mean principles every little opposition presently damps his spirit and maketh him yeeld and bows him down and they are ready to say al is gone if they are but opposed a little Oh! art thou of the seed of Iacob the seed of Iacob should never think their condition to be so sad but there may be recovery Is it a great affliction that is upon me am I in great distress let me so much the more stir up my strength As I remember it was said of Alexander that when he was in a great danger saith he Now there 's a danger fit for the mind of an Alexander So doth God bring into great straights now there 's a straight fit for a gracious heart for one that is partaker of the Divine Nature to incounter with stir up therefore what strength thou hast do not say I shall never be table to overcome this difficulty do not say so for you are not in greater straights than Iacob was at this time and yet mark Iacob had power and stirs up his power It may be you have that strength that will do more than you are aware of the grace of God is mighty in the hearts of his Saints Have you never been enabled to do more than ever you thought you should have been enabled to have done he stirs up his strength he doth not lie down sullen and discouraged as it 's usual for Christians to do if God doth but afflict them and specially if he draws but the light of his face a little from them presently they lie down discouraged and will not be comforted Oh! thou doest not shew thy self to be of the seed of Iacob thou hast not the spirit of thy Father Iacob in thee By his strength he prevailed with God Strength What strength you will say He had very great bodily strength he wrastled partly with bodily strength as in Gen. 29. 8. 10. you shall find that Jacob was a very strong man of his body for the Stone of the Well that the Shepherds was fain to meet together to roul away Jacob took it and roul'd it away presently but certainly he had strength beyond his ordinary bodily strength at this time God raised a bodily strength beyond what ever he had and it 's like beyond what ever man had before God raised Sampsons bodily strength to be very great and
the power of God was seen in that and may be seen much in the elevating of nature in a creature whereas the Scripture saith The body that is sown in weakness shall rise in power I remember Luther saith That mens bodies shall be raised to that strength that they shall be able to coss Mountains as a man tosseth a Ball. And Anselme hath such an expression tending that way That the Saints shall be so strong in the world to come that if they will they can shake the earth at their pleasure Surely much bodily strength was here to wrastle with an Angel you know the power of an Angel one in one night could slay above fourscore thousand men and yet here Jacob himself wrastles with an Angel that is the Son of God the Second person in Trinity that is the Messenger the Angel of the new Covenant but especially his spiritual strength was great wrastling with his soul the wrastling of Faith that was in his soul at that time that was very great he had power with his spirit when he did prevail Now from hence observe That he did prevail with his strength That when God strives against his servants he gives them strength answerable to his striving Here Jacob was in great extremity and God comes and wrastles against him but God gives him strength proportionable to his wrastling Oh! take this for thy comfort and encouragement Many times thou art ready to reason thus Alas I am not able to lie under a little affliction what shall I do if I meet with a greater affliction certainly then I should sink Oh! be not discouraged with such unbeleeving thoughts for though thou beest weak and it is as much as ever thou canst do to stand under the burden that there is upon thee now it may be there may be greater burdens but then there may be greater strength there was answerable strength put into Jacob to wrastle with those difficulties he was call'd unto He will not suffer us to be tempted beyond our strength And then With HIS strength What Jacob's strength Mark The strength that God puts into us though it be Gods own yet when we have it and work by it God accounts it as ours 't is call'd Jacobs strength though the truth is it was Gods strength God himself wrastling with him gives him strength and yet he will account it Jacob's own strength Further That 's another Note It 's a great honor to manifest much strength in prayer in wrastling with God this was the honor of Jacob O! with his strength he prevailed with God a great honor to put forth strength in wrastling with God even in prayer We should not come with weak and empty prayers but we should put forth strength if a Christian hath any strength in the world for any thing he should have it in prayer According to the strength of the fire the bullet ascends so according to what strength we put forth in prayer it 's that we prevail with this strength of Jacob was a type of the spiritual strength that God gives his Saints when they have to deal with him and we find in the new Testament there 's mention of very great strength that the Saints have by the Grace of God in Ephes 3. 16. According to the riches of his Glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Mark what expressions are here That they might be strengthened be strengthened with might and with might by the Spirit of God and in the Inner man and all this according to the riches of his Glory This is the strength that a Christian may attain to I say a Christian may here in this world attain to that strength as it shall appear that there is Might added to Strength and the Spirit of God to enable him to that Might and that in the Inner man and that according to the riches of Gods Glory surely the strength is great that is by the Spirit of God but such strength as shall manifest the Glory of the Spirit of God yea such strength as shall manifest the riches of the Glory of the Spirit of God this is the strength that is attainable for Christians even here in this world This is that the Apostle praies for the Ephesians Oh! let us be ashamed of our weaknesses seeing there is such strength to be had Jesus Christ is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah he hath strength And of his fulness we may come to receive Grace for Grace Oh! let us not be satisfied with faint desires and wishes when as Jesus Christ is tendered to us as the Fountain of strength Now I appeal to you Christians Do you walk so as that it doth appear that you have such strength as doth manifest such riches of the glory of God in you And there 's another Scripture Col. 1. 1â— Strengthened saith the text there with all might Mark Strengthened with all might with all might according to his glorious power Thus Christians should seek for to be strengthened with all might according to the glorious power of God To what Vnto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness Vnto all patience It may be you have strength to bear some afflictions you have some patience But are you strengthened with all might and are you strengthened according to the glorious power of God unto all patience And it may be for a time you seem to have some patience But hath Patience had her perfect work in you and is it to all long-suffering Though the affliction doth continue a great while Will you patiently hold out to long-suffering and that with joyfulness This is the glory of a Christian to have strength with God the glorious power of God strengthening of them to all might to all patience with long-suffering and with joyfulness And with his strength he had power with God and he prevail'd he was as a Prince with God and so that 's the word according to the expression in Gen. 32. 28. For as a Prince he hath power with God whereas it is said in your books That with his strength he had power with God the words may be as well translated He was a Prince with God and then it is repeated yea he had power over the Angel he was a Prince against the Angel and so prevailed Now the main thing in this expression That he had power with God as a Prince and prevailed The main thing that is held forth is this That the way to prevail with men it is to prevail with God This was an evidence to Jacob that certainly he should prevail against his brother Esau Esau came against him to destroy him and he was afraid God gave him a certain evidence that he should prevail saith he Thou hast prevail'd with me and there 's no fear of prevailing with all the men of the world now thou hast prevailed with God This
indeed were a notable point if one would speak of this at large and a very useful point in these times That the way to prevail with men it is to prevail with God What 's all the powers of men they are all at the dispose of God the work is done when thou hast but prevail'd with God thou heatest of great dangers that there are abroad in the world but do thou get alone in thy closet and fall a wrastling with God and be wrastling till thou feelest thy faith wrastling with God then thou mayest come down and conclude the work is done no men shal ever prevail against you that have so much interest with God these may live joyfully in the world never need fear the power and the rage of wicked men they have that within them that helps them to prevail with God and certainly man cannot prevail against them Our rough brethren have come out against us as here Esau this rough brother of Jacob came out against him and yet Jacob prevailing with God prevail'd against him And blessed be God that when our rough brethren have come enraged against us there hath been some amongst us have prevailed with God and by prevailing with God have prevailed over them and against them But though we are delivered from these rough brethren yet we have rough ones in another kind still that are against us Oh but let us carry our selves blamelesly and inoffencively towards them that yet behave themselves roughly and furiously against us and so seek to prevail with them that way in a constant carriage of innocence and blameless lives before them to convince them if it be possible of all their mistakes But above all let us seek to prevail with God and then God may turn their hearts turn the hearts of our roughest and furiousest brethren whose mouthes are so opened as they are and whose pens do go so as they do let 's prevail with God that so at length they may come and fall upon their necks as Esau did and to give them the right hand of fellowship it 's not impossible that such things may be done surely one would not have thought that they that were at such a distance as they were that they should have come so together surely we have never provoked our brethren so as Esau hath done Jacob let 's not be troubled more than God would have us but seek God and wrastle with God it 's in vain to stand wrastling with them giving ill word for ill word and pen for pen that 's not the way but wrastle with God and walk convincingly before them and so you may turn the hearts of our rough brethren and that in a little time surely it 's not more impossible to soder the spirits of brethren that seem not to be at so great a distance and so imbittered one against another it is not more impossible to soder them than it was here with God to soder the spirits of Esau and Jacob and to have such a comfortable meeting as there was at this time In this prevailing of Iacob against Esau we have a type of the Churches prevailing against all the ungodly though the Enemies may be strong and furious certainly the people of God shall prevail As before in Iacobs taking Esau by the heel there was a type that the people of God shall supplant all the wicked so in Iacob's prevailing at this time here 's a type that certainly the Churches shall prevail let men do what they will and be as bitter as they will the Iacobs shall prevail at length Mark yet further With his power he prevailed even over the Angel If you look into the Story you shall find that he did prevail but it was after he had wrastled a great while Constancie in wrastling with God will overcome at length though we do not prevail at first as Iacob did not but was wrastling all night and day broke and then he prevailed Oh! be not discouraged though you prevail not at first Oh! I have been seeking God thus long and have not prevailed but go on still you know not but that may be done in one hour that hath not been done a long time before Mark further Iacob after he was lame prevailed Iacob had been wrastling all night and got nothing then the hollow of his theigh was toucht and he was lame now surely he will be overcome shall he prevail now he that could not prevail when he was so long and strong he is not like to prevail now Oh! this is very useful and seasonable for us That the times for the Churches prevailing it is the times when they are most weake when they are most unlikely to prevail when they are lame why then is the time for them to prevail We are ready to think Oh! if we could not get it when we had so much strength is it like to be done now we have so little strength Now by this Iacob came to be more humbled when his theigh was toucht so that he was lame God uses to damp means and to bring even the sentence of death before he doth intend to bring the greatest mercies Further Iacob though he had a strong Adversary against him and he wrastled long with him and he was lame yet continuing wrastling he grew more resolute towards the latter end than he was before for you never read of Iacob so peremptory before I wil not let thee go until thou bless me and that 's one thing that 's very observable for the sad condition Iacob was in the hollow of his theigh was toucht and that likewise should have been added That the Angel would have been gone God would have been gon and have left him in that affliction but then Iacob's spirit grew up more with a greater resolution than he had before I will not let thee go except thou bless me It seems now that Iacob had more sight of him that he was God than he had before This should be our way in our dealings with God that when God brings us in the lowest condition and God seems as if he would leave us we should stir up our spirits then and be more resolute and strong than before Oh! it 's time now for the heart to bestir its self when God is ready to go away do not say God will be gone and therefore link down sullenly but it 's time for thee then to stir up all that thou hast and to act faith more then as if Jacob should say I will try yet one fall more I will not yield the cause yet certainly I must not perish as if Jacob should say it 's true all things seem against me as if I should be destroyed but it must not be saith Jacob Faith begins to stir Hath not God bid me come here have I not the Word of God for it did not God say he would do me good in this journy and though it 's true the providence of
of provoking one another wonderful mischiefs have come of provoking out another What mischief do you think will come then of provoking God to anger Consider this especially you that are of passionate spirits if a Wife a Servant a Child doth any thing a mise you are presently all on fire Oh that you would have this meditation What shall I a poor worm be so soon provok'd with a fellow creature if he doth displease me O Lord what a wretch am I then that dare provoke the infinite God! What can I think my anger to be so terrible to a Child a Neighbor a Servant Oh! how terrible is the anger and wrath of an infinite God against a Creature when he is provok'd I cannot beat it whoever provokes me why should I think that the infinite God should bear with me when I provoke him Oh! that passionate men and women would have these considerations But further They provoke me bitterly Bitterly I remember Gualter hath a very good expression about this and specially speaking of the way of Idolatry provoking of God Just as if a Wife that had plaid the whore and had used many dalliances with the Whoremaster and this Wife should come to manifest respect to her own Husband in the same way of dallyance as she did with the Whoremaster before and he knew what love tricks and sports she had with him and she makes use of the same waies when she comes home to her Husband Oh what a bitter provocation would this be a Husband would not bear that Just so did this people do in the way of Idolatry in Idolatry they go a whoring to Idols and they will tender up to God himself that kind of worship that they give to their Idols Oh this is a bitter provocation The Note from whence is this That though sin of its own nature doth provoke God yet there are some sins provoke him bitterly In Heb. 3. 8. Harden not your hearts as in the day of provocation in the time of bitterness so the word is do not harden you hearts as in the provocation as in the bitterness of my spirit Oh! some things doth imbitter Gods Spirit as Hardness of heart doth imbitter God Spirit and False worship yea many times even those things wherein we think we do God a great deal of service doth imbitter Gods Spirit Oh! there 's many men that think they serve God in doing that which provokes him bitterly we know what the Scripture speaks of men that when they shall deal thus and thus with the Saints they shall think that they do God good service They may have a good intention in what they do and yet they shall provoke God bitterly Oh let us not rest in good intentions I make no question but this people did say so to the Prophet Wel whatsoever their intentions were yet God was provokt biterly by what they did And as there are some sins that are as bitter clusters as the holy Ghost speaks in Deut. 32. so God will be as bitter against those that do provoke him bitterly in Deut. 32. 24. he threatens bitter destruction Oh! for the creature to forsake God is an evil and a bitter thing in Jer. 2. 19. and it will be bitterness in the end As Abner said to Joab in 2 Sam. 2. 26. Will it not be bitterness in the end Oh those dalliances of thine will be bitterness in the end those sins of thine that are the most pleasing to thee as they are bitter to God so God will make them bitter to thee one day in Prov. 5. 4. Her end is bitter as Wormwood though the beginning is as pleasant as Sugar to you yet the holy Ghost saith that her end is as bitter as Wormwood In Jer. 4. 18. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee and this is thy wickedness because it is bitter My Brethren we are charged in Scripture to take heed of being bitter one against another the Husband in Colos 3. 19. is charged not to be bitter against his Wife It is an evil thing when in a family there is bitterness Oh! but when the Spirit of the eternal God is bitter against a people You Wives who have such a bondage upon you and you find it evil to have such bitterness from your Husbands Oh but then look up to God is Gods Spirit sweet to you Oh! it is a blessing to have the Spirit of God sweet There is a Generation of men that hath Gods Spirit bitter towards them it 's one way whereby we provoke God bitterly by being bitter one against another in Ephes 4. 31. Let all bitterness wrath and evil speaking be put away there 's a charge of God As we would obey him in any thing we are charged to put away all bitterness anger and evil speaking Oh what a spirit of bitterness prevails among us what bitter words and speeches are there among us in Psal 64. 3. there the tongues of wicked men are said to be as Arrows They shoot their Arrows even bitter words If ever bitter words did fly like Arrows about our ears then they do at this day I verily beleeve that England never understood what bitter words meant as lately it hath known we reade in Revel 8. 11. it 's said That the third part of the waters became wormwood and men died of them because they were bitter My Brethren sometimes the third part of Sermons are Wormwood are bitter Oh! I would to God that sometimes we could not say that the third part of prayer were not bitter bitterness in prayer in writing in speaking in conferring one with another Do not you think that this provokes God bitterly yea even those men that were wont to sweeten one anothers spirits and there was a sweetness came upon one anothers spirits in their prayers and yet now what do they do but imbitter one anothers spirits so that they cannot meet together now but they come with bitter spirits one imbittering the other as if there were nothing but Gall and Wormwood among us Let me apply that Scripture in Jam. 3 11. Doth a Fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter What those that were of such sweet natures and dispositions and by grace much more sweet and now nothing but bitterness come out of such Fountains one would wonder to see mens natures so changed besides the work of grace Oh! shall out of the same Fountain come forth sweet water and bitter It follows Therefore shall be leave his blood upon him That is he shall bring his sin upon his own head Those that will be wilful in sin the blood be upon their own heads that 's the meaning Never stand excusing any more you have warning enough if you will go on in your way the blood be upon your own head you wil undo your selves and there is no help Mark the phrase He shall leave his
blood upon him When God comes to bring the guilt of sin and the punishment of sin on a mans own head and there leaves it upon him that 's sad indeed We reade in 2 Sam. 12. 13. there it is said when Nathan came and rebuk'd David for his sin David confest his sin and saith Nathan to him The Lord hath put away thy sin the word is translated by some thus The Lord hath made thy sin to pass away Oh that 's a happiness indeed when it may be said of God he doth make the sin and the guilt to pass away from the sinner that 's a happiness But on the other side when God shall leave the sin upon the sinner leave the guilt of the sin upon him as if God should say here 's the guilt of sin upon the head of such a man and let it abide and lie he shall leave his blood upon him as in Ezek. 22. 20. the Lord saith He will bring them into the fire and leave them there the Lord many times brings his Saints into the fire of afflictions Oh but he will not leave them there but when he brings the wicked into the fire he leaves them there And his reproach shall his Lord return unto him His reproach That 's thus They do what lies in them to bring a reproach upon me the living God as if there were not an Alsufficiency in me but I 'le make the reproach to turn upon their own heads yea they reproach my Saints too but I 'le make this to return upon their own heads Oh take heed of doing any thing to bring a reproach upon God You will say Can the Creature bring a reproach upon God I might shew you divers waies I 'le instance but in this one thing Apostatizing from God when professors of Religion that have been very forward and seem'd to rejoyce in the waies of God and to relie upon God and they shall forsake God to follow after their vain lusts I say these do bring a reproach upon God himself in Heb. 10. 29. they did despite to the Spirit of Grace they wrong and bring a reproach upon the Spirit of Grace And then Heb. 6. 6. They put the Son of God to an open shame saith the text they make him a reproach before all As when you cart people up and down the City you hold them out as a scorn so they put the Son of God to open shame they do as it were hold forth the Son of God to open shame so what thou professest There is more good to be had in a Whore than in Jesus Christ and God and the blessed Spirit that 's the language of a Whoremaster Well you that are Apostates and think to bring a reproach upon Religion and upon the Saints and they all suffer for you from whence is it that the people of God are reproach'd but because of Apostates Well do you bring a reproach upon God upon his Name upon Profession upon his Saints the Lord hath waies to turn the reproach upon your selves and usually such men as these before they die God doth put to open shame he leaves them to such vile courses as they come to be a shame a by-word a scorn and cast out as dung and filth not only to the Churches but from such as have any kind of civility or morality at all Oh! take heed of bringing a reproach upon God and so by bringing reproaches upon his Saints Oh! let the Saints go on in a constant way of holiness and faithfulness God will wipe away their reproach the Lord will return the reproach upon the heads of such as seek to reproach them And when there comes a reproach upon the wicked it shall be another manner of reproach than upon the Saints it 's call'd a perpetual reproach the reproach of the Saints is not a perpetual reproach but when it 's upon the ungodly it shall be a perpetual reproach and in Jer. 41. 18. those two things are joyned together a Curse and a Reproach Nehem. 4. 4. Hear O God for we are despised and turn their reproach upon their own heads saith Nehemiah Sanballat and Tobiah did reproach the Servants of God that did seek in the uprightness of their hearts to honor God but Lord return their reproach upon themselves saith Nehemiah And truly this is the best way when the Servants of God are reproached though they may by lawful means seek to vindicate their names yet their chief way is to pray Lord turn the reproach upon the heads or bosoms of our adversaries And then the last Note is this And his reproach shall His LORD return unto him His Lord What is God the Lord of this people his Lord shall turn it yes saith he 't is as if the Prophet should say thus you reject God and will not be in subjection to him you will not own him to be your Lord but he will be your Lord in spite of your heart God will be God and he will be Lord let wicked men do what they can and what they will he will be their Lord Christ hath purchased to be Lord over the world and he will be Lord over all over all Apostates Hypocrits wicked men let them do what they can against Jesus Christ Jesus Christ will be Lord over them in spite of their hearts Oh it s a blessed thing to give up our selves willingly to the subjection of Jesus Christ If we say we will not have thiâ— man to rule over us Christ will say but I will rule over you the Lord hath sworn by Himself and the word hath proceeded out of his mouth in righteousness that every knee shall bow unto him and every tongue confess his Name be still saith God and know that I am the Lord So I say to the most troublesome and tumultuous spirit that would cast off the yoke of God Oh! be still thou wretched thou proud spirit and know that God is the Lord he will prevail against you God made Julian to know this that when a dart was struck into him he cast his heart blood into the Air with an O than Galilean thou hast overcome me And so all wicked men shall be forced to say one day Well though I would cast off the Commands of God behind my back and break his Cords yet the Lord hath overcome me and though I perish to all eternity yet God will be God blessed for ever and Lord of the whol Earth And thus through Gods mercy we have gon through this Twelfth Chapter CHAP. XIII VER 1. When Ephraim spake trembling he exalted himself in Israel but when he offended in Baal he died THis Chapter is partly Legal and partly Evangelical Legal charging this people with their fin of Idolatry and of Ingratitude shewing them Gods wrath partly already inflicted and further threatned them to the 14. Verse and again in the
that inferiors should give to their Superiors to shew reverence when they speak Oh let us give this to God Psal 103. 20. Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength and do his Commandements hearkening to the voice of his Word The Angels they excel in strength the most excellent Creatures and what do they slight and disregard the Word of God Oh no they hearken to the voice of His Word they give a reverent respect to the voice of Gods Word and it infinitly beseems us when God speaks to give respect to him that 's the first Secondly Those who are in place of power over others they account it their honor not only that those under them regard what they say but that they should tremble at what they say It is a great delight that man hath to lift up himself above others and to be imperious above others we might give divers examples of men that have had great power in their hands and when any thing hath displeased them they would speak so as to make others to shake and tremble Nay not only men in great place will do it but you shall find this disposition in men that are very mean and of a very low rank yet if they have any under them they will be imperious over them as now in Families how many when they do but speak to their Wives though she be colateral and not directly under him yet how imperiously do they speak speak so as to make the house shake almost when they speak and so Servants and Children and this they account their Glory My Brethren though this be often through much distemper and pride and vanity in men to delight to make all that are under them to tremble when they speak yet this is an honor due to God and God expects it from us for the Lord is infinitely above us and we are all of us under the feet of God and at his dispose both for our present and eternal estate And it is â—it for us therefore to give regard and some reverence to God when he speaks to have an heart to tremble at his Word that 's that God looks for In Isa 66. 2. The Lord that is on high yet he looks to him that is of a poor and contrite spirit and trembleth at his Word the Word that God speaks is that that hath the dreadful Authority of God in it It is that that binds Conscience it 's that Word that if thou obeyest not will bind thee over to eternal death It becomes the greatest Monarchs in the world to have shaking and trembling hearts when God speaks Oh! who art thou that canst stand against the Voice of God when he speaks Oh bold and hard heart I say that canst stand out against Gods Voice In Psal 29. 4. The Voice of the Lord is powerful the Voice of the Lord is full of Majesty And in Hab. 3. 16 When I heard my belly trembled and my lips quivered at the Voice and I trembled in my self again This is the honor that is due to God Oh it is a comely thing to see a Congregation sit even trembling under the Word of God manifesting their hearts to be affected with the Authority and Majestie of what it is that God speaks for there 's much Majesty in the Voice of God Oh! 't is full of Majestie Again When he spake there was trembling This the Prophet mentions as a means to aggravate his sin and misery afterwards As if the Prophet should say There was a time that God did subdue the hearts of people under Ephraim so that Ephraim had a great deal of Authority over those that were under him When Ephraim spake there was trembling From whence the Note is this which Pareus hath upon the place saith he The subjection of the hearts of men unto those in Authority it is a work of God God is to have the glory of it It is from God that the hearts of multitudes shall be brought under some few so as to fear them and to receive what they speak with trembling it is from God In Josh 4. 14. On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel and they feared him as they feared Moses Joshua before Moses dyed was but a servant to Moses and we do not reade that he was so magnified among the People they did not fear him so much No the fear was then upon Moses because Moses was in place of Authority but when Moses was taken away and Joshua was to succeed him in Authority then the Lord magnified him the Lord put a lustre upon him and the Lord caused the People to fear him as they had feared Moses It is a work of God to cause People to fear Magistrates So in Dan. 5. 19. For the Majestie be gave him that God gave the King all People and Nations and Languages trembled and feared before him It 's God that puts majestie upon Governors to make those that are under to fear It 's a very observable Scripture we have in Psal 77. 14. there it 's spoken of God that he did wonders and marvellous things What are those wonders and marvellous things If you reade you shall find among others Thou leadest thy People like a flock of Sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron that 's reckoned among the wonders and marvellous things that God doth That he did lead his People like a flock of Sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron that so great a multitude should be led like a flock of Sheep by the hands of two it is a wonderful work of God God is to have the glory of it it is for the maintaining of Government and Order in the World that God doth so subdue the hearts of many under few Then Fourthly When Ephraim spake trembling Though Ephraim the yonger yet when he got Authority in his hand how imperious was he And observe The meaner the beginings of men are the more imperious often-times they are when they come in place of Power none more imperious and insulting over men than such as have meaner beginings this was the yonger Brother and had power by a special providence of God not according to the ordinary common course and very often we find it that men of mean qualitie and that were inferior to others if any providences raises them above others they grow more imperious than others And then a Fifth is this which is a principal thing to be observed here a Note from the change of the condition of Ephraim when Ephraim spake trembling but after he sinned he died That men which heretofore have been of very high repute and of reverend respect so as they had much power to prevail with people that they had to do with yet by their sin they fall off from their dignity Sin will bring mens honors down though there was a time that every one reverenced him had high esteem
that have to deal in any kind of alteration in matter of Government had need be very wise in their carriage in it in respect of the people for much depends upon them When there was any alteration in Government there was trembling then mighty fears and troubles in the hearts of the people Secondly Men of Spirit they will break through difficulties if once they be resolved upon a business And when God doth intend to have a work acomplisht he will raise up men of Spirit to go through with it notwithstanding any difficulties there is in it He exalted Himself Though the Peoples spirits were very much troubled and a great deal of shaking there was throughout the Land yet he lifts up Himself he had some encouragement from the Prophet and otherwise so that he would go through When God I say hath an intent to bring a business about for this was that he might fulfil what was threatned to Solomon for his former sin And then Thirdly If men when they have been helped to go on through difficulties yet if they shal afterwards rest in their parts rest in their strength so as to forsake God and sin against him it 's just with God to leave them that they shall vanish and come to nothing He did exalt himself and prevailed in what he spake notwithstanding the trembling of the People for having got himself warm in the nest and strong in his Kingdom then he lifts up himself in another manner and forsakes God and trusts in his own strength And now he dies now God casts him off Men had need take heed though they be carried thorow many and great difficulties and by a Spirit more than ordinary they had need take heed I say that afterwards they do not walk in their own strength but walk humbly before God If they forsake God they wil die and perish That 's the First thing that Jeroboam spake Secondly When he spake when he first mentioned the business in the Alteration of Religion this it 's like caused more trembling than the other What is that Jeroboam spake That now they were not to go up to worship at Jerusalem God did not stand upon such things No they might save that long journy and so there was a Calf set up at Dan and Betbel and they must go and worship there This was a mighty alteration in the matters of Religion And surely when this was mentioned first to the People there could not but be great trembling the spirits of the godly to be sure they would tremble at such a motion they would look upon it as a most dreadful Curse of God upon the Kingdom that there should be such a change in the matters of Religion from the Truth to that which is False and even others too there was a general trembling for men have some kind of conscience of Religion and of worshiping God this was so flat against the Word that where there was but any Conscience of God they could not but have som fear they could not tel what might come of it and therefore there could not but be a very great concussion of spirit in the People of the Land to tremble at such a strange kind of thing as this was at first it was so But yet afterwards they had dead spirits that he might do with them what he would and so joyned with Jeroboam and joyned with Abab and sinned more and more From this speaking and trembling you have these Notes First That the Alteration in Religion is a very difficult business it cannot be expected but the hearts of People will stir much upon the Alteration of Religion though it be from worse to better yet the hearts of People wil stir very much at first When the Reformation was first from Popery here what a stir was there they were presently ready to take up Arms in Cornwel What adâ— was there for the Book of Common Prayer so that the King was fain to write to them That it was no other than the sum of what they had before only translated into English with some Amendments And certainly the casting out of Prelacie hath caused a great deal of trembling a great ado there is How hard it is to get but any rotten tooth out of a mans head it costs a great deal of pain and trouble Though the Warrs were undertaken for the maintainance of our Liberties as we are Subjects and Men and for the Civil-Right we have to our Religion also but yet we see that the very thoughts of any kind of change in matters of Religion whatsoever it be it causes the hearts of men to be up and shake and to be unsetled it 's a matter of great moment the change in matters of Religion and therefore requires much Prayer where it is changed though from the worse to the better If it cause trembling when it 's changed from the better to the worse it wil likewise cause trembling where it is changed from the worse to the better and therfore it requires that al the Godly should joyn al their strength together against those that would oppose their strength against it The Second is this That men of resolute spirits will go on even in the matters of Religion though it be from the better to the worse yet you shall have some men whose spirits are resolute that they will go on Oh! but you will say The People will not bear nor endure it Yea but they will venture to go on with their way and design though it be from the better to the worse but now if the change be from the worse to the better than it 's a special gift of God to give men hearts to go on notwithstanding difficulties And then in the Third place He exalted himself though there were trembling That is He did prevail in this his way in this change of Religion Jeroboam did not carry things by open violence presently it was a great while first but he carried things on by fair shews one thing after another and so he prevailed with the People This is the way to get a design and not by open violence at present And then Fourthly Then he died when he sinned in Baal Though God may suffer men to make some alteration in Religion though it be to the worse and let them prosper yet if they will grow from one degree to another in forsaking God then God comes upon them with his wrath then they die if they know not where to hold then God will not continue patient towards such a people any longer And then the Fifth thing is this That a Family or People from whence God hath withdrawn his protection and blessing is a dead carcass Then He is dead that I take to be the meaning of that in Mat. 24. 28. For wheresoever the carcass is there will the Eagles be gathered together though it 's true it 's spoken about
rising of corruption in your hearts Oh keep this trembling frame and do not regard that boldness of spirit that there is in some some are alwaies so frolick and so bold in their way Oh but that 's a dangerous condition for you to be in but rather keep a trembling heart fearing sin for if you lose that and begin but to tamper with some sin if the Devil tamper thus with you 100. to one but when you are once gone you will go more and more and never leave tumbling till you come into the pit And let us learn my Brethren to be more and more in the waies of God as Apostates are more and more in the waies of sin Oh that it were so with us in the waies of God let 's not content ourselves to do a little for God but still more and more as David in Psal 71. 14. I will yet praise thee more and more I will add to thy praise so the words are in the Hebrew Lord some praise thou hast had in the world Oh that I could live to ad any thing to it I will praise thee more and more And t 〈…〉 further Note is this That Idolatry for so it is spoken of their Apostacy more generally but particularly it aims at their Apostacy in the matters of worship is a very growing sin They have sinned in Baal and died and now they sin more and more Gross Idolatry hath grown upon men by fair pretences upon plausible Principles My Brethren do but break this one bond in the matters of Worship and that 's this That all worship must be by institution I say all the Worship of God must be either that which is written in mans heart or otherwise what is in the Word by institution If so be that men will venture to raise any creature beyond what God either in a work of NATURE hath raised it or by an INSTITUTION hath raised it then begins Superstition then begins false Worship I say here 's the beginning of all false Worship to raise any creature higher than ever Nature hath raised it or then it is raised by Institution do but venture upon one Ceremony to put any thing in it more than Nature or Divine Institution hath put into it then you know not where you shall stop You know what a height of Idolatry Popery is grown to but it began fair at first And so we were going to most vile and abominable Idolatry but by what steps We had broken the bond of binding up the Worship of God unto the Word and bringing in mens own reason and inventions and for to put a Religious respect upon that which God had never done now do but grant that thing in the least matters and then you do not know whither you will run in way of Idolatry you will run more and more Oh let Reformation be to us as Idolatry is to wicked men let not us rest in any degrees but still reform more and more Idolaters they will not stand at a stay Oh why should they then that seek to reform stand at a stay It follows And have made them molten Images of their s 〈…〉 r. They were at great charge in making of them and so went on strongly in their way though it would cost them much yet still they would go on strongly in their way They made themselves Images Tertullian in his Book of Idolatry in the 4 6 and 7. Chapters enveighs much against the maker of any Images in way of Religion and saith he 'T is not enough for you to say we will not worship them but you must not make them Of their silver Silver is put for their money Silver is used in divers Languages for their money in general the Calves were of Gold but it 's said they were of Silver because the people did contribute their money and other images they added to them that they made by their money their Idolatry was chargable to them to avoid trouble in going to Jerusalem and charge there in their journy Oh they would not go to Jerusalem to worship but they were willing to be at charge in their way of Idolatry Though Men will not have Gods service to be chargable to them yet their own waies are chargable to them They made them molten Images and Idols The word that is translated Idols it signifies griefs and those things that do terrifie and indeed Idolatry will bring grief and men that are of Superstitious Idolatrous spirits they are fill'd with fears many times But this is all according to their own understanding that is as they thought fit themselves such as should be sutable to their own ends they took the liberty to tender up their respects to God according to their own inventions and herein indeed comes superstition as I told you Hence comes the Worship of God to be so much corrupted When men will interpose their own understandings when men will leave the simplicity of the Rule and go their own way when men think that the Worship of God is not pompous enough of its self They which do not worship God in a Spiritual way they will labor to make up the want of the Spiritual part by addition of many outward things by their own understanding and because they think those things in the service of God are rational to them they think they must be acceptable to God and therefore wonder that any body should be against them Calvin upon this very text hath most notable expressions against men bringing in their own understandings in the Worship of God saith he Here is â—oken of the Worship of God in which whatsoever is of mans Prudence whatsoever is of Reason must give way Prudence and Reason must give way to it yea whatsoever counsels of men that they in a Prudential way shall think this and the other fit they must not judg by Sence by Reason by Prudence in the matters of Worship If they do give way to themselves in the least degree they do nothing but defile the Worship of God And another notable expression he hath about it This is the very Principle whereby men must be taught to worship God â—â—ight that they must be made Fools first themselves It men will come to worship God they must deny their understandings they must lay down their understandings they must not so much as permit to themselves to be wise and thus he heaps one upon another these expressions Only saith he let them listen to the Word of God for this saith he doth condemn whatsoever is pleasing to the judgment and reason of men Oh! God is little beholding to mens understandings in the matters of Worship and in the matters of Faith those two things the respect it may be to the man may be somewhat the more to make such an expression to go down that it 's the very Principle of right worshiping of God for
so much of the presence of God with them Oh we see that that which hath been is still to this verie day Of whom thou saidst Give us a King and Princes Where did they say so they said so in 1 Sam. 8. 5. there say they to Samuel Come give us a King that may reign over us indeed the word Princes I do not 〈…〉 here but here the holy Ghost ads Princes and give us Princes too but that must of necessity be supposed for if there be a King a King must have his Court and Nobles about him and must be as a fountain of honor and must confer honor and have great men about him so that though Princes be not named there yet the holy Ghost supplies them as a thing that must of necessity be understood Come let us be Governed by a King and great ones that are about him But you wil ask me What 's the reason that nothing would satisfie them but a King and Nobles There are these Seven REASONS that may be given for it nothing would satisfie them but a King onlie First Consider their extream earnestness about it if you reade 1 Sam. 8. you will find that they were almost mad upon it a King they must have and would have Oh! it was very grievous to Samuel's spirit he told them their great sin and the Lord said They have rejected me and not thee Samuel told them what God said and God bad Samuel go and tell them what a King they should have that he would oppress them extreamly they shall have Arbitrary Government come in to the full he will take away your servants and children and do with them what he pleases you will be brought to be slaves to him any Parasite at Court may easily get your estates you shall be accounted an offender for a word and Fin'd what they please you shall be in most miserable bondage if you have him But now you shall find afterwards after Samuel had told them all this Nay say they but let us have a King for all this they answered him nothing If any one should come and reason Why do you desire a King so much what shall you get by it do not you think that he will have your Estates and all you have at his dispose and your Liberties no man now could denie this they did not denie the 〈◊〉 word that Samuel said but they will hold their conclusion Nay but we must have a King say they What 's the matter that should make them thus First Somewhat even for novelty sake they had other kind of Government before but now they would have somewhat more Mens spirits are very much given to change though they can give no account in the world for the thing But Secondly There might be some distrust in them in their former Judges because they were men of meaner rank as I told you they might think that they should not be able to help them Oh say they Let us have a King that shall go before us in our Wars Though they had never so much experience of the Judges yet they thought there would be more good if they had great ones and they were afraid that these men of a lower meaner rank would fail them at last And then a Third reason is That they might be like other Nations because they loved pomp What say they Shall we see our neighbor Nations to be governed by those that have great pomp and glory and shall we be governed by men that were but Trades-men a while ago No they would be like other Nations Fourthly It is like they had some oppressions upon them even from the former Judges though most of them were good yet certainly there cannot be a Government of Men but there wil be some cause at one time or other for some to complain Take the best Government that can be in the world yet seeing it is a Government of men by men there will be some cause or other to complain at some time or other Now this is the peevishness of mens hearts that if there be but any condition wherein they suffer they do nothing but complain of their suffering and therefore would fain have a new way and never think of the inconveniences and sufferings that would come in by that new way Oh! they would be rid of these that now they were under and would have a King these men angred them these men laid some taxes upon them that they were not pleas'd withal now so be it they might be rid of them they car'd not what they bring upon themselves and therefore they would have a King not minding what sufferings they should bring upon themselves in another kind And then Fifthly A King they would have out of a spirit of opposition against that way that God had set God was in a way of governing of them and their hearts was against that way of God a meer spirit of opposition though they would give no reason why they might not be as well that way as another but it was Gods way And there is an opposition in the heart of man to any thing that hath God in it the more any thing hath of God in it and the more God rules in a way the more opposite are the hearts of evil men And then a Sixth Reason is this They had some hopes that they should have some more liberty for their lusts Now having such a way of Government as they had there was more inspection over them and they could not so easily corrupt them but now in the Government of one man over them if they can but make a friend to him they may do what they list they might brave it over all their other neighbors if they would be but willing to be a slave to him they might make all their neighbors slaves to them they had a great deal more hopes of libertie for their lusts it 's like this way than the other And then lastlie Many of them had hopes to get preferment this way let us have a King and Princes and we shall get preferments in the Court and Places this way and therefore this is the best way we will not be satisfied with any other way but this we live in a mean low condition without this but we shall get preferments this way therefore give us a King But now that 's observable Though they thought they had agreed deal of Reason for themselves yet after they had once smarted and they found indeed that there was that oppression upon them after they had a King and these Princes more than ever they were under in their lives now was a time that Hosea could speak freely to them and say in the Name of God Where is your King and those men that you were so earnest for what good have you got For it is observable though they were never so eager upon having a King yet if you
eyes and was heard to speak these words I come I come I come and so gave up the ghost It had been much to be wished that the Author had been more concise brief in som Amplifications which though they were al exceeding useful yet they have deprived us of his Preaching and compleating both the former Sermon and the rest of the Prophesie But God was pleased for our sin no doubt to deprive us of that Mediator like Instrument between the divided Godly Parties of this Nation and of the further mind of the Holy-Ghost which be had revealed to this his Servant touching the Scope and Vse of this Prophesie in these daies God took him away in the strength of his Parts and Graces that he might not lose in the reputation of his Ministry or Piety as some have before their death Also though we cannot affirm as one of Josiah That he was taken away Ne malitia mutaret intellectum ipsius lest the evil of the time should have wrought upon his temper yet we may say as another doth He was taken away from the evil to come Moreover It is not an unuseful Note that the Preface to the Tigurine Bible hath whereof the inference is That whilst in some weighty point we labor for great exactness and preparation we are either disabled by our diligence or prevented by our tardiness and delay whereas moderat preparation seasonably applied might be more useful to the Church than such exactness so deferred Which is not spoken to reflect any thing on our reverend Author but to admonish others ut maturens Now among other arguments good Reader to commend this Excellent piece This is one That it hath been brought to thy hand through several Elements having been in danger part of it to be rotted in the Earth where it was buried part of it to be consumed in the Fire wherewith much of the Town where it was flamed part of it to be lost in by holes where it was hidden in the midst of Enemies Make special use therefore of what is come as it were through fire unto thee for that end to use the Prefacers words before Mr Cartwright's Answer to the Rhem. Test And if thou find that fruit the Supervisor did in preparing it for thee thou wilt not repent thy pains or peny Farewel FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Eleventh Twelfth and Thirteenth CHAPTERS of the Prophesie of HOSEA A Abuse ABuse of Instruments of Deliverence a great evil Page 399 Affliction None of the Saints worse for affliction 453 Afflictions sometimes deepest when greatest Mercy is intended 231 Affliction see Difference Afflicted Wee may be sorely afflicted in doing Gods Commands 227 Aggravation The aggravation of provoking God 403 An aggravation of self destruction 513 Alteration Alteration of Government causeth Trembling 422 Anceston Ancestors see Mean condition Free-Grace Anger Anger see Difference The Effects of Anger 151 Apostats Apostats see Folly Apostats to return again 340 Apostacy Apostacy see Language Punishment Steps Apostacy brings a reproach on Gods waies 408 Arabian Arabian why taken for a Thief 310 Aright How to conceive aright of God 274 Armies Gods Armies 271 Astrologer Astrologer see Chaldean Awaking Saints need awaking before Reformation 185 B Baal-zephon Baal zephon what 30 Baptism Baptism see Church Base Base spirits most insolent 415 Beast Beast see Mark Beginning The Beginning of Superstition Ceremonies and Popery 437 Bethel Bethel see Jacob Bitterness Bitterness see England Blessing What 's the blessing in a married condition 392 Blessing see Peace Bonds Gods Bonds what 30 Blows To be forced by blows is to be drawn like a beast 57 C Canaanite Canaanite Why it signifies a Merchant 310 Carnal It 's mercy to be taken off from carnal props 104 Carnal heart see Difference A sore sign of a carnal heart 326 Cause The cause of corruption in Gods Worship 439 Caution A Caution concerning Earthly Kings 523 Chief The Chief work of the Ministry 177 Chaldean Chaldean why taken from an Astrologer 310 Child Child see Israel A Childs great disobedience Children How we may know whether God loved us when we were children 10 Christ God hath an eye to Christ in all he doth 19 Christians Christians see Love Church The Church one in Faith Spirit Baptism and visible Government 13 Comfort Comfort see Lives Comfort of a dying person 130 Common Comforts common to Hypocrites 433 Command Command see Promise Company Company heats whether it be goâ—d or evil 164 Confident Yong beginners not to be too confident 33 Confident men sink lowest if disappointed 201 Confidences The confidences of the ten Tribes 525 Congregation Congregation see Posture Conduct Gods Conduct of his people through the Wilderness 450 Conscience The conflict of conscience and corruption 122 Conscience oppression the most grievous 98 Convince Convince see Ministers It 's hard to convince men when they have their desires that it is not in love 539 Conviction Conviction see Parents Convert A true Convert what 333 Cords Cords of a man what 43 Correction Correction see Parents Covenant Covenant see Jews Covetousness Covetousness hard to be convinced 331 D Day Day of Judgment see Mercy Dangerous A dangerous sign of Reprobation 544 Deceiptful dealers Deceiptful dealers see Excuses Decree Decree what it is 511 The Decree of Election ibid. Gods Decree damns none ib. Devils The Devils Stratagem 175 An obstinate sinner worse than the Devil 109 Deliverance Deliverance from oppression a great mercy 92 Difference Difference between Spiritual and Temporal blessings 557 Difference between a carnal and gracious heart 329 556 Difference between the Churches and Gods Excommunication 436 Difference between God and man in point of anger 169 Difference in the Saints from others in time of affliction 308 Difference of Gods working for his people and for others 399 Disappointed Disappointed see Conceited and Confident Disobedience Disobedient see Child Drawn To be drawn by the Word is to be drawn like 〈◊〉 man 57 Doctrine Doctrine see False Drowsie A Drowsie spirit a great evil 133 Duty Duty see Ministers Dying Dying see Comfort E East Wind The East wind why hurtful 202 Effects Effects see Anger Effectual Effectual preaching what 349 Elect Elect see Thoughts Election Election see Decree Element God the Element of Love 85 England Gods ancient love to Engl. 6 England the first Nation that imbraced the Christian Religion ibid. God remembers the kindness of England's youth ibid. Publick love gone out of England 72 Gods special love to England Englands sin 93 Procession weeks in England 355 Englands bitterness aggravated 407 England see Instances Encouragement Encouragement to saith and prayer 151 Error Mens error in judging others 213 Evil Evil of licenciousness after deliverance 94 Men excuse their evil by their good 214 Evil of deceipt in Trading 315 Evil see Suspense Drowsie Company Excellency Excellency of the Name JEHOVAH 293 Excellency of Gods saving 449 Exalted We should not be exalted by prosperity and why 462 Excommunication