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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	service_n	spirit_n	worship_v	1,834	5	8.9813	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12523	An exposition vpon the sixt chapter of the prophesie of Hosea VVherein is set down the true repentance of the godly, as also the hypocriticall repentance of the wicked; most needfull for these times. Wherein 1. The summe and scope. 2. The doctrines. 3. The reasons. 4. The vses. Of most texts are obserued. First preached by Samuel Smyth minister of Roxwel in Essex, and now by him published, intending the further good of his charge, and the profit of as many as shall please to read it. Seene and allovved.	Smith, Samuel, 1588-1665.	1616 (1616)	STC 22847.3; ESTC S102418	218,718	364

counterfeit repentance of Hypocrites from the fourth verse to the end of the Chapter which was neither sound nor sincere nor yet durable and lasting whereof wee must take heed and labour to auoyde all hypocrisie in the seruice of God who as hee is a spirite so he loues truth in the inward affections And will bee serued in spirit and truth Psal 51.6 The three first verses containe a most holy and christian perswasion of the beleeuing Iewes Text diuided to turne vnto the Lord from all their sinnes especially from that vile and horrible sinne of Idolatry And in the same we are to consider three things First the motion and godly perswasion which the children of God make one to another Come let vs returne c. Secondly the reasons and arguments which they vse to enforce their godly exhortation to perswade each other to turne vnto the Lord and they bee two especially The first drawn from the iustice of God in these two words Hee hath spoyled hee hath wounded The other drawne from the mercy of God in these words Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp And because this argument taken from the mercy of God is a reason of all reasons and such an argument as Paul makes choyse of aboue all others saying I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies Rom. 12.5 c. As if he should say If the manifold mercies of God both for soule and body if the bloudshed of Iesus Christ will not moue a man to turne vnto God he is in a wofull case I say because this argument is of speciall force to moue hard-hearted sinners to turne vnto God The people of God in this place vrge it further and amplifie this argument by two other circumstances First The shortnes of the time After two dayes hee will reuiue vs and the third day hee will rayse vs vp If wee draw neere vnto him by true and vnfained repentance The other circumstance is taken from the greatnesse of Gods mercy Hee will reuiue vs Hee will rayse vs vp answerable to the two former words He hath spoyled vs he hath wounded vs So here the mercy of God exceedes his iustice for it is not sayde that hee had kilde vs or cast vs away but onely spoyled vs and wounded vs with a blow or stripe or twaine But his mercy is aboue all his workes for though he had vtterly killed vs yet he will reuiue vs Nay hee will rayse vs vp though wee had layne not foure dayes but foure hundred dayes in the graue of sinne yet his mercifull right hand can and will rayse vs vp againe The third speciall thing in these verses is the fruits of repentance and of true conuersion If we doe truly repent and draw neere vnto God by Conuersion The first fruit of our Repentance is this That as wee draw neere vnto God by true and vnfained Repentance so he will draw neere vnto vs and Wee shall liue in his sight that is in his fauour and in the light of his countenance Nay wee that are truely conuerted shall liue and behaue our selues as euer in Gods presence and before his blessed face The second fruit of our true Conuersion and sincere Repentance is Ioh. 17.3 That wee shall haue knowledge The Lord will in mercy poure into our hearts the true sauing knowledge of himselfe euen the knowledge of the whole Trinity Father Sonne and holy Ghost Nay wee shall not onely haue this heauenly knowledge poured into our hearts by the Spirite of Iesus Christ but as a man in a dropsie the more hee drinkes the more he thirsts and desires drinke so Wee shall indeuour our selues to know the Lord That is wee shall hunger and thirst after this heauenly knowledge as the food of our soules and neuer to be glutted with it but labour to abound more and more in it The third fruit of our Conuersion is in the third verse That as wee doe by true and vnfained repentance draw neare vnto our God So will he be most ready to helpe and to comfort vs. The Lords comming foorth is prepared as the morning True it is that the sense and feeling of Gods mercy is oftentimes extinguished in the hearts of his children as the comfortable light and beames of the Sunne vnder a thicke cloud or when it is gone vnder the earth So as oftentimes wee thinke that God forgets vs and hides himselfe from vs But his comming to helpe vs is Prepared and therefore most certaine and he shall come as the Morning most comfortably vnto vs. Euen as the bright beames and cleare countenance and face of the Sunne after a windy tempestuous stormy and boysterous night is very comfortable So the bright beames of Gods mercies breaking foorth and shining vpon our hearts after a darke and cloudy night of affliction it is most comfortable to glad and reioyce the distressed Soule of a poore sinner Nay in the second similitude hee shewes that the comming of the Lord shall bee not onely ioyfull and very comfortable but most effectuall to a wounded Soule that lyes languishing vnder the heate of Gods wrath that as helpe long looked for and in time of greatest danger is of al other most welcome so when the Lord shall come with helpe and deliuerance after great danger and long expected this is most set by and most esteemed And therefore the Prophet sayeth The Lord will come as the raine euen as the latter raine vnto the earth Now as moderate raine is welcome at all times so especially in the heate of summer after a great and a long drought when the earth is scorched with the heate of the Sunne and begins to capper and gape for want of moisture so then a gracious raine a sweet shower is most welcome then it doth most good not onely to cherish the thirstie and scorched earth but also to ripen the fruites of the field and to bring them to perfection Euen so when a poore Soule doth pant and breath vnder the burthen of his sinnes and is scorched with the burning heate of affliction then if the Lord in mercie send a gracious storme and comfortable raine into our thirsty soules and send a heauenly shower of his blessed mercy Nay if he distill but one little droppe of his mercy in the burning heate of affliction this is most welcome this is most comfortable to asswage and to comfort the heate of a sinner scorched and tormented for feare of the burning anger and wrath of God against sinne Thus much briefly for the vnfoulding of the words and the meaning of them in generall IN the former Chapter the Lord told them Coher that hee would bring great and grieuous Iudgements vpon them vntill such time as they would turne and seeke him confessing their sinnes and amending their euill liues And in the last verse of the former Chapter the Lord saith In their afflictions they will seeke me diligently Shewing

seeing the Flocke of Christ is small and they few that beleeue be the true Church of God this reason is more against them then with them Secondly this may serue to condemn them that Vse 2 excuse their sinnes by the example of the multitude as Pride couetousnesse c. I doe but as others doe It is the fashion and I am not alone And thus poore soules they thinke they haue alleadged an argument that cannot bee answered What shall wee go to Hel for company Psal 50.18 Wee see it is dangerous to doe as most doe The gate is wide that leadeth to destruction and many goe in thereat Let vs rather suspect our selues because wee doe as the most doe and Fashion not our selues like vnto the world but ioyne with the little Flocke of Christ and if there bee but one Elias that feares God let vs ioyne with him to obey God And therefore let men know that by shrouding themselues vnder the multitude Exod. 23.2 Ier. 6.13 they are so far from excusing themselues as that the rather they accuse themselues because commonly the greatest part is the worst Vse 3 Thirdly this may comfort the Ministers of the Word of God who when they study take paines preach in season and out of season and yet see no fruit of their labour few beleeue and repent it is that which indeed doth much grieue them and discourage them as wee see in Elias but this must bee our comfort that it hath euer been so in olde time in the Prophets times in Christs time and since and wil be so to the end of the world onely let euery faithfull Minister of Iesus Christ doe his indeuour and commit the successe to God And thus much of the persons of whom the Lord complayneth the complaint it selfe followeth For your goodnes is as the morning cloud and as the Morning Dew it goeth away HEre is the third generall point in the complaint namely the cause of it The complaint it selfe which so moued the Lord to complaine of this people And it is indeed the preuenting of an obiection and cauill of this people for they might obiect and say What aileth him he hath no cause so to exclaime and complaine of vs that he cannot bring vs to repentance and to serue God why doe wee not bring our Sacrifices to his Altar doe wee not come dayly to serue God Yea we haue lamented our sinnes and humbled our selues before his face crauing pardon at his hands What would hee haue vs to do more To this cauill of theirs the Prophet answeres in laying open the cause of this complaint in these words For your goodnesse c. By goodnesse here he meanes their outward seruice and worship of God their fayned repentance they had some outward shew of holines and of repentance and seruice of God but it was voyd of sincerity and soundnesse of heart it was not in truth but from the teeth outward and therefore it was vanishing and vnconstant and of the sodaine like vnto the Dew or Morning cloud which is dispersed in a moment by the Sunne In this people here we may behold the nature and Doct. 6 property of all hypocrites they content themselues with the bare naked and outward seruice of God It is the property of hypocrites to minde more the outward part of Gods worship then the inward neuer looking for the truth of it in their hearts soules for though they offered Sacrifices and oblations came to the Temple seemed to repent yet it was onely in outward shew not sound nor sincere it neuer came from their hearts And what account such seruice of God is with God hee declares by his Prophet Esay when hee sayth Esay 1.14 My soule hateth your New Moones and your appointed Feasts They are a burden vnto mee I am a weary to beare them They would keepe the Sabbaths and frequent the solemne assemblies but it was but for custome and for fashion sake they would learne nothing at al though their bodies were there yet their hearts were not there And this sinne of theirs Almighty God layeth to their charge else where when he sayth Esay 29.13 This people come neare vnto mee with their mouth and honour mee with their lips but their hearts are far from mee He blameth them not for that they came not into Gods Temple and into the Assembly of Gods people for herein they were very forward but that they brought now a lame Sacrifice vnto the Lord it was but a lippe seruice and a Will worshippe and the Lord doth esteeme no better of it then the killing of a man and the cutting off of a dogges necke or the offering vp of Swines bloud all which are abominable vnto the Lord for God is a spirit and therefore will bee worshipped Esay 66.3.4 not onely according to the outward ceremony of his worshippe but in spirit truth To whom will I haue respect vnto but to him that is poore of a contrite spirit Ier. 7.7 Pro. 15.11 and trembleth at my words And if this bee wanting all that wee can doe in the seruice and worshippe of God is but sinne vnto vs and shall adde vnto the measure of our iniquities And surely this is the onely reason as I take why men profit no more vnder the Preaching of the Word in this time of the Gospell namely this because men perswade themselues that so long as they performe the outward rites of Gods worshippe seruice as to come to Church heare the Word receiue the Sacrament and the like all is well with them they need no more In these Iewes wee may clearely see a counterpane of our people and time What is the cause why after Vse 1 so much and so long preaching men should remayne so ignorant so couetous so vile and so sinneful stil is it not because most men content themselues with the outward seruice and worship of God Why did not the meanes that conuerted those Iewes in the beginning of this Chapter conuert these of whom the Lord speaketh in this place Surely the Prophet giues a reason of it in this verse namely because these Iewes thought that they had goodnesse inough and religion inough so long as they performed the outward part of Gods worshippe and seruice and for this very cause all these meanes could doe them no good And is not this the sinne of our times and people Note doe not most men content themselues with the outward seruice and worshippe of God to come to Church to heare the Word receiue the Sacrament and thinke then they haue honoured God highly and serued him aswell as the best of them all and that God can require no more at their hands I appeale vnto your hearts and consciences whether this be not so that most doe content themselues with the very outward action of Gods worshippe neuer looking for soundnesse of heart to come in faith repentance and obedience Oh then

the Word preached and taught read receiue or what duty else wee are to perform in Gods seruice chearefulnesse is required And indeed this is that which puts the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in all Christian dueties whatsoeuer The wicked man with Cain comes with his Sacrifice as well as Abel And so for hearing reading prayer receyuing and the like the Hipocrite comes so maskt vnto these duties that the child of God at all times is not able to decerne betwixt them both the godly and the wicked yet if they would sit as Iudge ouer their owne hearts they might euen by the rule of this Doctrine Note perceiue a great difference for the one doth performe these duties for fashion sake for feare of the Law shame punishment or the like whereas the child of God doth performe them willingly and chearefully notwithstanding no temporall Law did require the same but onely in obedience vnto Gods most righteous lawes and holie commandements And surely there can be no greater ioy to any Christian soule then to know how God the Father is affected vnto him and loues him as his child to know that Iesus Christ hath been content to shed his owne heart bloud to saue his soule and to know the power of Gods Spirit weakning our corruption and making vs to cry Abba Father this knowledge passeth all knowledge in the world Rom. 8.15 this wil bring peace of conscience and ioy in the Holy Ghost Seeing that wee must seeke after Knowledge so willingly and so chearefully Vse as the Huntsman after his game And so that all duties in Gods worshippe and seruice are to be performed of vs willingly and chearefully we learn how God doth esteeme of our actions and that not according to the worke it selfe but according to the affection of the doer This is cleare by the Lords own words when he sayth This people come neare mee with their mouth Esa 29.13 and honour mee with their lips but their hearts are farre from mee Alas what the better to draw neare to the Lord with our lippes when our hearts are from the Lord It is the seruice of the heart that tht Lord looks after and this was Ezechias comfort and cheare when he was to goe the way of all flesh that hee could say in truth of heart Esa 28.3 Remember Lord that I haue walked before thee in truth and with an vpright heart And what is the cause why carnall men and women neuer seeke for this knowledge but come alwayes to the Ministery of the Word for custome and for fashion sake Alas they could neuer find the excellency of this Knowledge they neuer felt the power of this Knowledge they neuer yet tasted of the sweetnesse of this Knowledge then no maruell they prize it not nor heare it with any chearefulnesse at all Oh then let vs all labour to feele our spirituall want of it that so wee may hunger and thirst after it as the spirituall foode of our Soules Then shall wee endeuour our selues to know the Lord. One thing more may be noted from these words that seeing the child of God vpon his Repentance true conuersion vnto God Doct. hath not onely true sanctified Knowledge Gods children labour for an encrease of knowledge dayly in thē Then shall wee haue Knowledge but more then that Wee shall endeuour our selues to know the Lord that is not rest content with a small measure of the Knowledge of Gods will but to attaine euerie day to a greater measure of the same Hence wee are taught this point of Doctrine that the children of God are not content with a little knowledge but they still desire for more and labour to grow and to encrease in Knowledge The couetous man the more hee hath the more hee couets Euen so the Christian man and woman is right couetous of heauenly matters hee couets dayly for more knowledge in the Word to haue a greater part in this blessed Knowledge of God and of our saluation by Iesus Christ and in this regard the child of God is like vnto a man in a dropsie the more he drinks the more he is a thirst Euen so the more knowledge the child of God hath the more he hungers and thirsts after this Knowledge that he may grow in the same And this is a speciall point to bee noted that there is no standing at a stay in Religion for eyther wee must goe forward or backward eyther wee must grow dayly in Knowledge 1. Thes 4.4 or else we must needs decay in Knowledge And for this cause Saint Paul doth often pray for those Churches to whom hee writes that they may grow in Knowledge and spirituall vnderstanding and Saint Peter hee exhorts vs 1. Pet. 2.2 As new borne Babes to desire the sincere milke of the Word that wee may grow thereby Where hee layes down three most excellent points First that here wee be but as babes in Knowledge and children in vnderstanding of the Word Wee know heere but in part Secondly hee shewes the means whereby we must encrease in knowledge namely the sincere Milke of the Word of God the Preaching of the Gospell of Christ it is the foode of our soules whereby wee must bee nourished to eternall Life And thirdly the end of the preaching the Gospell namely that wee may grow in knowledge grow in faith grow in obedienc so that though men heare the Word yet if they grow not and are not bettered by it they are no good hearers the Word hath no good fruit in them This duty of growing and increasing in Knowledge and all spirituall graces is often vrged in the Scripture 1. Cor. 13.9 1. Thes 4.4 2. Pet. 3.18 Heb. 6.1 Pro. 4.18 We beseech you brethren exhort you in the Lord Iesus that yee encrease more and more grow in grace And againe Let vs bee ledde forward to perfection And the Prophet compares the graces of God in the Elect to the waters flowing from the Sanctuary Ezec. 47.3 which were at the first to the Ancles then to the Knees next to the Loynes and last to a Riuer that could not bee passed ouer So are the graces of God in the Elect though their beginning be but small yet they encrease dayly till they come to that full measure the which the Lord hath allotted to euery Christian The Doctrine being thus cleared wee will now come to the vses of the same Vse This Doctrine doth concerne vs all very neerely wee professe our selues Schollers in the Schoole of Christ now then let vs not proue Trewants after long teaching and preaching to proue ignorant of the Principles of Religion as the a.b.c. If our children goe to Schoole and learne nothing it must needs be that they play the Truants or else they haue a bad Master Euen so we being long taught in the word what shame is it that wee should still proue ignorant of the Word of God We are trees

when it was to the erecting of Idolatry he could no sooner aske for them but he had them This is clearely to bee seene by that of our Prophet Hosea where hee shewes how bountifull the people were in bestowing their Corne and Wine Hos 2.8 and Oyle together with their gold and siluer vpon Baal They thought nothing good inough that was giuen that way Now this is no strange thing Gen. 6.5 considering that All the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts are onelie euill and that Continually Reason So that whensoeuer wee are about to commit sinne especially to set vp Idolatry Wee haue the whole streame and current of our hearts and nature with vs and indeed wee are neuer exercised in things naturall vnto vs till wee haue our hand in some plotte against GOD himselfe Vse 1 Well seeing wee are so apt by nature to set vp Idolatry and superstition It stands vs all in hand to be acquainted with the vilenesse of our Nature herein as also what the Lord esteemes of Popery and superstition namely Villany and Whoredome no better and therfore howsoeuer the Papists stand vpon their good meaning and their honest dealing yet they worship the Deuil and not God as Moses tels the Israelites that they offered not to God as they intended but vnto Deuils euen the Idols of Canaan Euen so the Papists though they brag of their good intents and meanings the truth is they offer not to God but to the Deuill neyther doe they worshippe God but the Deuill and therefore wee must take heed that wee neuer take liking to Popery though the same seem neuer so pleasing to flesh and bloud For all men are naturallie most inclinable vnto that which is euill And therefore most men being so prone vnto Popery what can bee concluded but this but that it is an euiil and a damnable Religion Oh then let vs labour to bee rooted and grounded in the truth of God to be builded vpon the rocke Iesus Christ that wee may neuer put out the hand to entertaine or to receyue any dregges of Popery and Idolatry but euen remember what Christ sayeth Reu. 18.4 Come out of her my people least yee partake of her plagues Oh let vs euer stand out against their abhominable Idolatry as no better then villany and whoredome in Gods sight Secondly seeing wee are so apt by Nature Vse 2 to receyue Idolatry and Superstition and to embrace Poperie it may bee a very good reason vnto vs to prooue that all the Religion of the Papists is most wicked and abhominable because it agrees so fitte to the corrupt heart and Nature of man for since Adams fall our Nature being corrupted wee hate GOD and hate his Truth Now touching the Religion of the Papists there is nothing in it but that which Nature it selfe doth desire Let vs instant the same by one thing for all What seemeth more against Nature practised by them then their Whippings and Scourgings and that of themselues This wee may thinke to bee against Nature But yet if wee examine the end of this punishment as rhe same is inflicted vpon them it will appeare otherwise that Nature it selfe may in some sort desire the same for that man that shall bee taught and assured Note that when hee hath committed some great and grieuous sinne as Adultery Theft Drunkennesse or the like that after such a punishment inflicted once vpon him his sinne shall bee done away and neuer after layde to his charge Who would not vndergoe such a punishment better in reason vndergoe that for a time then the guilt of an accusing conscience For as Salomon sayth A man may beare his sicknesse and infirmity but a wounded conscience who can beare And therefore seeing that by Nature wee loue Popery and Idolatry and that there is in the same nothing contrary to Nature this proues that it is not the Religion of God but the deuice of wicked men for what can delight our corrupt nature more then to see a Crucifixe the picture of Christ on the Crosse To pray to Saints Angels the Virgine Mary c. all this is very agreeable to the corrupt Nature of man and therefore cannot bee good Last of all wee may here behold the nature of Doct. 2 sinne it is like the plague easily conuayed from one to another Sinne is very fruitfull easily scattered and spread abroad as wee see a naughty and a stinking Weede it is easily spread and will runne abroad so will Idolatrie and of all other sinne that is like vnto the Lappewing it will runne as soone as it is hatcht and as a man that liues in the house with them that haue the plague is in exceeding danger to bee infected so is it with them that liue in Idolatrous places all to nothing they will bee infected The Istaelites when they came into Canaan the Lord suffering a small remnant of the Cananites to remaine still in the land for the tryall of the Israelites it is sayd Psa 81. They were mingled amongst them and learned their works It is the nature of sinne to bee euer encroaching giue it an ynch and it will take an elle It is like the Gangren or Canker it fretteth and eateth further and further as here Idolatry was onely to bee found in Israel and not in Iudah but it quickly set footing there and spred it selfe in a short time ouer all Iudah Wheresoeuer it findeth entertainement it enlargeth and spreadeth it selfe Psal 26.4 Bidde sinne home to thy house once and like a bolde and shamelesse Guest Psal 15.4 ● it will come the second time vninuited How carefull then ought euery man to be to shun and auoyd the company of Idolaters and al other wicked men Pro. 9.6 It is the graue counsell of Salomon Forsake the wicked and you shall liue Yea the Apostle labouring to confirme his new Conuerts amongst many other his Exhortations hee vrgeth this Saue your selues from this froward Generation Act. 1.40 So then wee see how dangerous it is for men and women to bee present in places of Idolatry Vse to liue and conuerse with Idolaters it is very like they shal hardly escape from being tainted with Superstition For herein the Papists haue the aduantage against vs If they perswade and intice they haue our Nature to helpe them And as wee vse to say the Wife in the bosome is the best Sollicitor But let vs deale with men eyther to perswade or disswade wee haue both Sunne Moone and Starres against vs neyther Reason nor Nature will take our part till the Spirit of God doth strike the stroke to perswade the heart of man But Oh say some this is too much nicenesse Obiect I hope wee are not so weake nor so simple but we can chuse the best and leaue the worst bee present at the Masse and yet keepe our hearts to God Conuerse with Papists and Idolaters Answere and yet bee Christians still But what haue you so good a conceit of your selues you doe thereby giue mee iust occasion to haue an ill perswasion of you that indeede yee care not much what Religion yee are of therefore they that can bee present at the Masse and thinke they are so strong that they cannot bee taynted such men doe no better then tempt God Euen so for those that make choyse to dwell in houses knowne to bee infected with Popery they shal easily bee carried away with the streame of Poperie When Iudah conuersed with Israel they were quickly poysoned with their Idolatry Then let vs take heed how wee conuerse with the wicked and like of their Company for we shall soone bee infected with their sinnes but rather shunne and auoyde their Company as noysome and hurtfull The Father of all mercy and God of all Consolation strengthen vs with his grace and keepe vs in his holy feare vnto the End Amen Gratias tibi Domine Iesu FINIS