Thirdly seeing the menaces and threatnings of Vse 3 God shall bee accomplished vpon the wicked and vngodly so is it true of the blessed promises of the Gospell so as looke what promise God hath made there either of pardon of sinne or of life and saluation they shall likewise bee performed wee are not to doubt of it for will God keepe touch with the wicked and will hee not much more remember his promise to his children this were iniurious to the Spirit of God so to thinke Oh then let vs learne to depend vpon God 2. Cor. 1.20 and to wayte duely vpon his gracious promises Knowing that all his promises are yea and Amen and Hee is faithfull which hath promised Let vs learne then to rest vpon him for the pardon of our sinnes the hearing of our prayers the resurrection of our dead bodies and life euerlasting the Lord is iust and true in all his promises Oh what a comfort is this to poore distressed soules Doest thou mourne for sinne and desirest to feare thy God and walke in his wayes wel assure thy soule that whatsoeuer gracious promise hee hath made vnto thee in his Word it shall be performed Heauen and Earth shall passe but one iot or tittle of my Word shall not passe away but a◠euery iudgement and plague pronounced against sinne and sinners shal bee brought vpon them to destruction euen so euery gracious promise made to Gods Church and people shall bee performed to their eternall comfort and saluation and therefore let vs beleeue this and rest vpon it that the Lord will perform his Word in the mouths of his Prophets and Ministers Whatsoeuer yee bind on earth I will bind in heauen Mat. 16.19 and whatsoeuer yee loose on Earth I will loose in heauen And thy iudgements were as the light that goeth forth The equity of the iudgement IN these words the Lord shewes that they could not pretend ignorance of the will and Word of God for the Lord had taught them and declared vnto them manifestly and apparantly what hee would haue them to doe for by Iudgement in this place is meant the doctrine of God taught vnto them by his seruants the the Prophets q.d. my Doctrine in the mouthes of my seruants where I shewed and layde open before your eyes the way to lead holy liues and to serue mee it was cleare as the light as the Sunne-shine at Noone day when there is no cloud so as you haue now no excuse at all for yourselues but must needs acknowledge that my iudgements are now iustly inflicted vpon you and that you haue of malice with a hie hand and most rebellious heart sinned against mee So then you see what is heere meant by the iudgement of the Lord namely the cleare and manifest doctrine of God to direct vs in the way to life eternall Seeing the Lord doth heere professe vnto his people Doct. 6 that his Iudgements that is the Doctrine of God wherein hee would haue taught them how ro liue well and blessedly was cleare and manifest God neuer strikes with his iudgements before hee giues warning and that they could alleadge no excuse of ignorance Hence we learne that the Lord doth neuer strike with his iudgements but hee first giues warning so as if men would bee wise to beleeue his Word and to amend their liues they might auoyde his iudgements but if they will bee so rebellious and hard hearted that they will not amend they must needs acknowledge confesse that they are most worthy to bee plagued and punished This was Gods mercifull dealing towards the people of the old world vnto whom the Lord vouchsafed one hundred and twenty yeares to repent in before hee brought his iudgements vpon them besides all which time he vouchsafed vnto them Noah that Preacher of righteousnesse Gen 6.3 2. Pet. 2.5 warning them still of a iudgement to com to this end that they hearing from Noah what iudgement the Lord had intended against them if they repented not their condemnation might be so much the more heauy vpon them Thus dealt the Lord with those sinnefull Sodomites Gen. 19. vnto whom hee sent his seruant Lot Exod. 9. Whose righteous soule was vexed from day to day Thus dealt hee with Pharaoh and his people vnto whom hee sent Moses Aaron againe and againe and still againe to admonish him to let the people of Israel goe When this preuailed not he sent iudgement vpon iudgement and all to humble the hard heart of Pharaoh What shall wee say of Ahab and Iezabel vnto whom the Lord sent Elias such is the goodnesse of God towards the sonnes of men that hee will euer warne before hee strike and admonish before hee correct for so did the Lord deale with this people as in the former verse Oh Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee Hos 11.8 Oh Iudah how shall I entreat thee Meaning thereby that the Lord had vsed many wayes and meanes to humble them if it might bee before he proceeded in iudgement against them This is most liuely set out vnto vs in the booke of the Prouerbs Pro. 1.20.21 where Salomon brings in Christ Iesus the wisdome of the Father sometime by his Ministers and sometimes by himselfe calling and crying vnto vs to heare his voyce and to receyue instruction and if this fayre meanes that the Lord shall vse will not serue to humble vs the Lord doth there threaten That the time shall come when wee shall cry and call vpon him and hee will not heare vs Yea hee will bee then so farre from pittying in the time of our distresse as that hee will then Laugh at our destruction and that because wee did not chuse the feare of the Lord. This was the mercifull dealing of God towards the Niniuites Ion. 3.4 vnto whom hee sent his Prophet Ionas to bring them home by repentance and thus dealt hee with Ierusalem Mat. 23.38 vsing all means possible to humble them before the iudgement came foorth For if God would reclaime vs by his Word hee would neuer take his Rodde But of this before And the reason of this Doctrine is cleare Reason because the Lord by this meanes will leaue the wicked and those that are reserued to destruction without all excuse for this doth the Apostle declare Act. 14.16.17 when he sayeth In times past hee suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne wayes Neuerthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that hee did good and gaue them raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with ioy and gladnesse Now if the giuing of them showers of raine the dew of Heauen bee vnto them the Lords witnesses and the Testimonies of his power Oh how much more thē is the word of God which is the sauor of life vnto those that beleeue Surely this warning that the wicked haue heere hence shall much more leaue them without excuse in the day of
plenty and aboundance how may wee remoue the anger of God and his iudgements eyther already vpon or else eminent ouer our heads Surely remoue the cause of Gods iudgements namely sinne else the hand of God cannot bee remoued And therefore let vs all practise this counsell and wisely consider what the Lord hath against vs and wherefore hee is angry with vs that so wee may bee reconciled vnto him and brought into his fauour againe This Doctrine Vse may serue to condemne that preposterous course that many men doe take eyther for themselues when they lye vnder the Crosse or with others For themselues If the hand of God lye vpon them with long and tedious sicknesse how many are there that leaue the Lord and resort to Witches and Wizards that looke againe more to the meanes then they doe to the Lord without whose blessing they can doe vs no good So in time of Famine Pestilence Warre and the like how many are the windings and turnings in the heart of man to preuent the iudgements of God they will leaue no attempt vnattempted for their deliuerance But to trie their owne hearts to find out their sinnes which are so many rebellious Ionasses in the shippe of their own soules that haue moued the Lord to send those stormes of afflictions Oh this they neuer thinke vpon And as they themselues fayle in the maine point of all that is to try their owne hearts to looke into their wayes and to turne vnto the Lord by vnfained sorow So deale they with others for what is the counsell else they giue vnto others in time of sicknesse but this Be of good cheare Eate warme meats Vse good physicke c. Oh! this is not the counsell we should giue but to say with the godly heere Come returne to the Lord Repent of thy sinnes beg the pardon of them at Gods hands This is the counsell wee must giue to the afflicted and not to seeke helpe from men before wee haue sought forgiuenesse of sinnes of God Come let vs returne vnto the Lord. Heere we may see the fruit of true conuersion they seeke not euery man his owne good but the good of their brethren and therefore vse godly motions and christian perswasiōs one to another to returne vnto God Doct. 3 From whose godly practise and religious example wee gather a further poynt of Doctrine It is the duty of euery christian to labor to draw others to god that it is not inough for a man to goe to heauen himselfe but it is the duty of euery Christian to labour to draw others with them as these holy Seruants of God say heere Come let vs returne these bee their godly perswasions one to another they labour to goe hand in hand in their repentance as we say to men women Come will yee goe to the Market fayre c. So in Religion we must call one vpon another to draw men to God and as one wicked man seeketh to make another like himselfe so hee that is truely conuerted will not rest in that inward comfort of his owne conuersion but will labour by all meanes to conuert others vnto GOD and labour to make them partakers of the same comfort which they themselues haue receiued from God This thing is very apparant in the conuersion of the godly when Andrew was brought to Christ hee found his brother Simon Io. 1.41.43.45 and said vnto him We haue found that Messias that is Christ So when Christ called Phillip and said vnto him Follow me Io. 4 28. Phillip found Nathaniel and sayd vnto him Wee haue found him of whom Moses did write in the Law and in the Prophets Iesus the sonne of Ioseph that was of Nazareth The like appeares in the woman of Samaria when Christ had reueiled himselfe vnto her and offered her to drinke of the water of life after which she should neuer thirst agane shee ran into the Citty and said Come see a man which hath told mee all things that euer I did is not hee that Christ being moued her selfe she labours to moue others And this doth the Prophet Dauid promise vnto the Lord that if hee would restore him once more vnto the ioy of his saluation that then he would become a Preacher Ps 51.12.13 Ps 66.16 Ps 116. Gal. 3 2. Cor. 1.4 Esay 38.19 Luk. 22.23 and Proclaimer of the same mercy vnto others And surely this is a speciall fruit of faith and true repentance to labour by all meanes possible to conuay grace vnto others and to shew them what God hath done for our soules and to draw out the blessings which God hath bestowed vpon our selues to the good and benefit of others The Prophet Dauid doth labour herein Come sayth he and I will shew you what God hath done for my soule And the Elect are called vessels of mercy because they being themselues filled with the mercies of God should draw out the same as good liquor for the vse and comfort of others Saint Paul sayth God had mercy on him that he might shew mercy vnto others The child of God is not like vnto Nabol All for himselfe but he is taught of God to loue his brother And thus wee see how wee ought to behaue our selues in respect of Gods gifts we must not hide them in the ground or in a napkin but wee must imploy the same to the good of others This may serue to reproue that common conceite Vse 1 in mens minds that so long as they doe well themselues they need not care how other◠doe whether they sinke or swimme whether they goe forward or backeward grow vpward or downeward to God or the Diuell but it is impossible for any Christian man or woman who hath truely tasted of the worke of grace in his owne heart but hee must communicate the same to the good of others Indeed most men little regarde this they cannot be perswaded that they bee bound to saue the soules of their brethren and therefore they say euery man for himselfe and God for vs all but the truth is that when euery man seeks himselfe the Deuill gets all To saue soules to draw men to Christ Oh wee thinke this is the Ministers duety it belongs to him alone it belongs not to vs. True it is that it belongs especiall to the Minister to labour to saue mens soules and therefore they are especially bound to labour by continuall teaching and preaching of the word of God as also by their godlie life to draw men to God to exhort them to call vpon them to turne vnto the Lord and if they bee negligent and carelesse the flocke of Christ must needs go to ruine yet many there are that feed themselues to the full but regard not to feed the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made them Ouerseers These are they that liue of the Altar but care not to minister at the Altar They will bee sure to reape carnall things but they haue no
wounded doth make no account at all of the same nor neuer seekes vnto God for mercy Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp NOw followes the second reason drawne from the mercy of God For though hee hath spoyled vs and wounded vs yet he will heale vs and bind vs vp againe And these be the most gracious words of God himselfe Behold I am hee and there is no God but I Deu. 32.34 1. Sam. 26. I kill and make aliue I wound and make whole againe And therefore this reason drawne from the mercy of God seeing hee offers himselfe to heale vs and to bind vp the wounds of our soules Oh it ought to moue vs greatly to turne vnto him So then the point of Doctrine that offers itselfe to Doct. 1 be considered of vs is this The mercy of God must lead men to repentance that as the iudgements of God must alluremen to repentance and to returne vnto God so must his mercies I remember the speech in the Prophet where the Lord is pleased to make vs the better to conceiue of his mercy to take to himselfe the affections of a man Ier. 31.20 Hos 11.8 His bowels were troubled for Ephraim And againe How shall I giue thee vp Ephraim how shall I deliuer thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within mee my repentings are rowled together It is all one as if the Lord should haue said Oh it goes neare me O Ephraim Exod. 34.6.7 O Israel that I should euen be forced by thy rebellion and horrible impieties to deale so straightly with thee And the Lord tels Moses Psal 86.15 that he is a Mercifull and a gracious God slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands and forgiuing iniquity and transgression and sinne Hee is called againe of the Psalmist A pittifull God And the like is intended in the language of the new Testament That when hee saw the multitude dspersed as sheepe hauing no shepheard his bowels earned within him Mat. 9.36 These examples and the like whereof the Scriptures are full all serue to confirm the euerlasting truth of this doctrine that God is a God of mercy that his mercies ought to allure men to repentance for though the thundering out of the threatnings and iudgements of the Law be a meanes to awake a secure heart yet nothing will so much affect a mans mind euen melt a mans soule to make a man returne vnto God as the due knowledge and consideration of the vnspeakable riches of Gods mercy and therefore it is no maruell though the Prophet here doe vse this as one forcible reason to stir vp men to make their returne vnto God by vnfained repentance for that he will bee ready to Heale our sores and Bind vp the bleeding wounds of our soules which we haue made by sinne if we will repent and returne vnto him And indeed this is one of the maine differences betwixt the godly and the wicked The iustice of God doth sometimes so farre preuaile with the wicked as that they feare and tremble but it is not for the losse of Gods fauour but for feare of torment But on the contrary the goodnesse and mercy of God doth euen cause the seruants of God to quake and to tremble lest by any means they should depriue themselues of the comfortable enioying of his loue according to that of the Prophet Dauid Psal 130.4 There is mercy with thee O Lord that thou mayest be feared Oh blessed feare when the mercy of God doth beget it in a mans Soule So then we see that the mercy of God is infinite his compassion is higher then the heauens it is the greatest dishonour done vnto God that can be to doubt of his fauour and to call his louing kindnesse into question Let vs build vp his promises as a sure foundation that shall neuer be remoued Heauen and Earth shall passe away but his word shall not passe away We haue the Word and the Oath of God as two vnchangeable Witnesses so that it is impossible he should lye or be deceyued Againe we haue the Sacraments of God as two Authenticke Seales to ratifie his promises and to make them most sure vnto vs. Mat. 5.18 Heb. 6.18 Rom. 8.16 And we haue withall the earnest penny as a pawne left vnto vs and all to assure vs of his fauour and loue and therefore this reason of the Church and people of God drawne from the mercy of God seeing that he is so ready to pardon sinne and to entertain poore penitent sinners that sue to him for mercy it ought to be most forceable vnto vs to moue vs to Returne vnto him Now let vs come to the vses First seeing that the Lord as hee doth wound vs chastice man for sinne so it is he alone that is the spirituall Vse 1 Physitian of our soules Hence then we are directed to whom to seeke for remedy euen vnto God alone who as he wounds so he heales as he breaketh asunder so hee bindeth vp If a man haue some dangerous disease in his body or other deadly wound if hee know any man to be of skill and a faithfull Chirurgion he will seeke to him and let him out and laâ—nce him Well this is our case we bee spiritually sicke euen vnto eternall death in regard of ourselues our soules be grieuously and dangerously wounded what shall we now doe but runne to Iesus Christ the blessed Physitian of our soules who is most able and willing to cure vs and heale vs And as the poore Begget vnlaps his legges and shewes his grieuous sores to those that passe by and all to moue compassion So let vs not be ashamed to lay open our soules to Iesus Ghrist let vs confesse our grieuous and manifold sinnes Let vs not be ashamed to let him see our spirituall wounds but let vs make our moane to him and craue his help and begge as for life death for the pardon of them and if wee can get but one drop of his precious bloud it will bee a plaister to heale our wounds and cure the deadly diseases of our soules When the children of Israel had grieuously sinned Num. 21. the Lord sent fierie Serpents amongst them now many of them by the stinging and biting of them were so inflamed that they died and could not be cured But when they repented and cryed to God in their misery behold he commaunds that Moses should make a brazen Serpent set it vpon hie that so many as were stung with those fiery Serpents might cast their eyes immediately vpon that brazen Serpent and so might bee cured Euen so all of vs are stung by the fiery Serpents of our sinnes and we newly wallowing in the bloud of our soules Yet see Oh see the mercy of God who hath giuen vnto vs his owne sonne who is the brazen
shall bee a heape and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the Forrest The false Prophets did not onely procure Gods wrath against themselues but the common people were punished for their sakes It is that which our Sauiour himselfe concludeth of If the blind leade the blinde they both fall into the ditch And in the Reuelation Reu. 3.14 that Church being committed to a wicked man they were guilty of the same sinnes with their Pastour And in those Epistles sent to the seuen Churches in Asia where the Pastor is commended for any vertue so are the people and when the Pastor is reproued for any vice the people also haue part in the same reproofe For such as the Pastors bee such bee the people such as the Shepheards bee such bee the Sheepe In them lyes the bad or the good estate of the Flocke For where the Minister is blinde ignorant and dumbe that neyther can nor will reach where hee is carelesse and vnconscionable liues solely and wickedly how can it chuse but the people must needes bee ignorant blinde and vnskilfull in Gods matters prophane wicked and irreligious This is proued indeed by wofull experience in the World Goe to any Towne or Parrish in the land where there liues a carelesse and vnconscionable Minister an ignorant sot a beastly liuer a miserable worldly man that seldome or neuer preacheth and when hee doth so colde and so raw as good neuer a whitte as neuer the better You shall finde generally sinne to raigne in that place the people like their Pastor blinde ignorant rude so simple and so ignorant in Gods matters that they know nothing of the Scriptures what Faith Sacrament Repentance or New birth meanes no not the meaning of one Article of their Faith or petition in the Lords prayer Seeing the state of a Congregation doth depend Vse 1 so vpon the Pastor This serueth to reproue all such Ministers as take this charge on them and yet not as Gods Ministers to preach the Word to bring good tyding of the Gospell doe seldome or neuer preach the Word of God These the Lord doth not esteeme as Ministers but Murderers not Shepheardes but Wolues they will take the dignity but doe no duty The Prophet Esay cryes out against such Pastors Io. 21. Esay 66. calling them Dumbe Dogges that cannot barke They looke to the Fleece but not to the Flocke Secondly this reproues such as leaue the sincere Milke of the Word of God and teach their own fantasies their owne dreames Toyes and Fables which doe not labour to make the people to vnderstand the sense and doctrine of the Scriptures and hence it comes to passe that though they teach and preach yet they finde little fruit few conuerted because they teach not Gods Message but their owne deuises Thirdly such as are reprooued as in bringing the Lords Messuage and deliuering it to the people seeke not the honour of God and the credite of their Master that sent them but their owne credite and honour Neyther doe they desire to preach Iesus Christ plainely in the euidence of the Spirite but in the intising Words of mans wisedome Yea whereas Saint Paul had rather speake fiue wordes in a knowne tongue to edifie 1. Cor. 14. then fiue thousand in a strange tongue Some there bee who thinke they neuer speake wel vnlesse they speake so as none can vnderstand And here also wee may note the folly of our common people who doe they esteeme and account of as a good Preacher but hee that speaketh eloquentlie in a strange tongue him whom they vnderstand least they commend most And no maruell for they learne nothing at such a Sermon therefore they admire it and commend the man least they should seeme to say nothing Vse 2 Seeing this is so Like Priest Like People Wicked Priest Wicked people carefull Pastor good Sheepe for Knowledge Faith Repentance and Obedience Then wee see that a good Gouernour Pastor and Minister is a singular blessing of God that not onely can but is willing to take all possible paines to doe good to teach in season and out of season to bee like a Cocke first to awake himselfe by reading meditation and prayer and secondly the people by his Crowing like a Candle that spendes himselfe to giue comfort to others such a one is a maruellous blessing of God when hee is bestowed vpon a people for when the Lord would shew his loue to the people hee sayth I will giue them Pastors after my owne heart Such as should watch ouer their soules to feed to instruct and to comfort them Oh how should men with thankefull hearts blesse God when they haue such set ouer them But on the contrary part it is a feareefull iudgement of God to liue vnder such as bee blinde ignorant vnconscionable prophane wicked and irreligious for how can they teach and instruct others that are ignorant themselues And how can they seeke to conuay grace to others Mat. 18. Ier. 3. â—4 that haue not tasted of the worke of grace themselues If the blinde lead the blinde they both fall into the ditch together And by the Prophet Ieremie the Lord there threatneth this as a grieuous plague to giue them naughty Ministers It seemes the Prophet had no reason to accuse the poore people and to complaine of them alas Obiect they did but as the Priests taught them they meant well Answere Neyther the euill life Answere and ignorance of the Priests nor yet their owne intent and purpose could any whit excuse them so long as they liued in sinne But wee see here that the Lord complains of them that hee saw villany in the house of Israel There is the whoredome of Ephraim Israel is defiled Hence then wee learne that neyther the wickednesse of the Priests and Gouernours nor yet the good intent and meaning of the people can please God or any way excuse themselues if men liue in sinne in impietie and prophanesse They are farre wide that thinke their ignorance will excuse them Doct. 2 Ignorance may excuse indeede à tanto but neuer à toto Ignorance may lessen faults but not change their natures Ignorance will excuse none if they liue in sinne sinne shall still be sinne though a man doe the same neuer so ignorantly for as men are commaunded to take notice of the Princes Lawes and being found to trespasse against them their ignorance shall not excuse them so the Lord hath straightlie commaunded vs to take notice of his Lawes that so we may performe our obedience vnto him The Commandement of God to this end is very staight These words which I commaund thee this day Deu. 6.6.7.8 shall be in thy heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy Children and shalt talke of them when thou tarriest in thy house and as thou walkest by the way when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a signe vppon thy hand
c. Behold here what a straight charge the Lord hath giuen vnto the people of Israel and so vnto vs all to this end that no man should bee a Stranger vnto the Word And it is the commandement of our Sauiour Io. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for they are they that testifie of mee Act. 17. It was the great commendations of the men of Bereah that they searched the Scriptures to see whether those thinges were so as Paul deliuered they would not presentlie entertaine that Doctrine of theirs vpon the first view but brought the same to the Touchstone of Gods Word neyther would they reiect it though they had not before heard of the like 2. Cor. 4.3 What meanes that place of the Apostle Trie the Spirits whether they bee of God And againe If the Gospell bee hidde it is hid to those that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds So that it is most cleare that Ignorance of the Word and glorious Gospel of Christ in such as ought to know it is a most fearefull sinne and a most certaine fore runner of destruction for if this bee life eternall Ioh. 17.3 To know thee to bee the true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Then on the other part it must needs bee the beginning of eternall death in those especially in these dayes that are ignorant of the true God and Iesus Christ whom hee hath sent So that wee see clearely that it is not our good intents and meanings that will goe for payment at Gods handes in that the Lord doth require that all men should take notice of his Will reuealed in his Word This condemnes the horrible practise of the Vse 1 Papists that maintaine all Idolatry and superstition their Masse Inuocation of Saints Prayer for the dead Worshipping of Images c. And they thinke that so long as they meane well and haue good intents and purposes all is well God cannot but bee pleased with them But wee are taught heere another Lesson namely that that is not good which we thinke good but that the Lord allowes and aproues of for good And therefore seeing the Lord abhors all Idolatry and superstition as most abhominable in his sight and that therein the whole seruice and worshippe of God amongst the Papists doth consist It shall little auaile them one day that they stand vpon their good intents and meanings All these shall not bee worth a button if the Lord can say of them as hree of this people I see villany amongst them Idolatry worshipping stockes and stones praying to Saints c. This is villany in Gods account and then what will their good meaning stand them in stead Had not Vzza a good intent to stay the Arke from falling but the Lord doth not so take it at his handes for it cost him his life And therfore sayth Samuel vnto Saul To obey 1. Sam. 15. is better then Sacrifices and to hearken is better then the fatee of Rams Oh then remember that thy ignorance will not excuse thee nor thy good meanings will not goe for payment at Gods hand to say though I doe this and this I meane well as the best of them all but if the Lord like not of it nor approue of it bee thy intent what it will bee all is in vaine the same is an abhomination to the Lord. Vse 2 Secondly this may serue to condemne a great many amongst vs that notwithstanding wee liue in such an age and time that both knowledge and grace is euen thrust vpon vs yet alas doe not the very body of our Congregations remayne ignorant still This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light Ioh 3.19 because their deedes were euill It must needes bee a strange darknesse that cannot bee driuen away by the bright heames of the glorious Gospell of Christ And surely God doth euen now sitte in iudgement vpon such persons and by this their ignorance especially in these dayes makes knowne their reprobation and finall perdition The excuses of men are but vayne I am not booke learned and I hope God will beare with me Thus I am taught and instructed by my Teachers I. but what if thy Teacher bee a blinde Guide wilt not thou trie the Spirits whether they be of God Surely such persons conclude their owne iudgement and giue sentence against themselues that they want grace and are in a most fearefull condition for now to bee ignorant in the cleare light of the Gospel it argues that Gods wrath and vengeance hath taken hold on such persons as the Apostle sayth 2. Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell bee hid it is hid to those that are lost in whome the God of this world hath blinded their minds that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto them Oh then seeing it is so fearefull a iudgement of God to be ignorant of his Word and Will and that it will not excuse when God shall enter into iudgement with vs Let vs I say seeke for knowledge as for treasures Let vs search the Scriptures that in them wee may finde eternall Life Let vs labour to haue the Word of God dwell plentifully in vs which is able to make vs wise vnto saluation Let vs vse all holy meanes both to begette as also to increase this Knowledge in vs that so wee may not bee ledde aside by blinde guides to commit Idolatry with this people here but that God may bee still our God and wee his People I haue seene the villany of the house of Israel and the Whoredome of Ephraim Idolatry the sinne of this people THe sinne that Almighty God doth heere accuse them of it is Idolatry and that in most vile manner ouerspred generally the whole body of this people euen all the Ten tribes which sinne to shew the vilenesse of it the Lord cals Villany whoredome things abhominable to the Lord and such as hee loathes And hee cals it Whoredome because as an Harlot or an Whore doth forsake her owne husband and commits filthinesse with another man euen so Idolaters forsake God and marry themselues to Idols It is called the Whoredome af Ephraim because Ieroboam which came of the Tribe of Ephraim had set it vp amongst them 1. Reg. 12.28 to worship the Calues in Dan and Bethel Doct. 3 Now the Doctrine wee gather hence is this that it is a wofull and an heauy iudgement of God vpon a Country or Kingdome It is a heauy iudgement of God vpon a people when the chiefe gouernors bee Idolaters 2. Sam. 6.1 when the chiefe Gouernours be men voyd of religion and giuen to superstition Idolatry We see this in this present Text for here the Lord complaines of Ephraim and the ten Tribes because they were poluted with miserable Idolatry which was set vp