AN EXPOSITION Of the Prophecy of HOSEA. Begun IN DIVERS LECTURES Upon the first three Chapters, At MICHAEL'S Cornhill, LONDON, By JER. BURROUGHES. The Second Edition Newly corrected. Inter omnia dona, donum verbi Dei est amplissimum: Si hoc auferas, solemn mundo sustulisti: Quid erit mundus, sublato verbo, quaminfernus? Luther. LONDON, Printed for R. Dalwman, in the Year, 1652. TO THE READER. YOu have these Lectures as they were taken from me in preaching, Iperused the notes, but I could not bring the style to that succinctness that I desired, except I should have wrote all over again, which I had no time to do: my perusal was but cursory, therefore many things have slipped me: You have them as I preached them, without any considerable alteration. I had thought to have been far briefer: that which caused me to go somewhat beyond an expository way, was the meeting with so many things almost in every Lecture so nearly concerning the present times: in the remaining part of the Prophecy, if God give life to go through it, I shall keep myself more close to an expository way: what here you have, take it as you find it: what good you meet with, receive it in. This will be the encouragement of Thy friend in Christ, J. B. Aug. 10. 1643. Imprimatur, joseph caryl, AN EXPOSITION OF The Prophecy of Hosea. The First LECTURE. May 8. 1642. Chap. 1. Vers. 1, 2. etc. 1. The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Vzziah, jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, Kings of judah, and in the days of jeroboam son of joash King of Israel. 2. The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea: and the Lord said to Hosea, etc. The Preface To The Work. THis day beginneth a Scripture Exposition Exercise, which hath lost much of the honour of it, by the disuse of it: The best Apology for it is to set presently upon it. It is ancient in the Church of God, old enough to speak for itself. Nehem. 8. 8. we read, that Ezra, jeshua, Bani, and the rest read in the book of the Law, and gave the sense, and caused the people to understand the reading. You love brevity; in this Exercise you shall have it, in all that shall be delivered unto you. I have pitched upon the Books of the small Prophets, to open them unto you, of whom Jerome hath this expression: a Nesco utrum brevitatem sermonum, an magnie tudivem sensuum admirari debeas. You cannot tell which to wonder at most, either the brevt●y of speech, or the greatness and abundance of sense. And this Prophet Hosea in special is excellent this way, of whom the same Author speaking, calls him b Commaticum & qua si persentias loquen tem. exceeding concise, & speaking by sentences. Being the Prophetical books is the work that falls to me, why I chose rather to begin with Hosea then Isaiah, I shall afterward give you an account. If God continue this Exerciseand life, we may go through them all, both small and great. In these Prophets we have most admirable divine Truths revealed to us, and pity it is, that the mind of God contained in them should be so little known, even unto his children, that such treasures of heavenly truths that are there should lie hid from so many so long a time as they have done. We might preface this our work (because this is the first day's entrance into it) with labouring to raise and sweeten your hearts with the consideration of the excellency of the Scriptures in general. Luther hath an high expression about them; he calls them c Ge●●s generalissimum omnium benorum. Si hoc auferas, sol●m e mundo sustulisli: quid mundus sublate verbo quam infernus. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. the highest genus that contains in it all good whatsoever. Take away the Scripture, and you even take away the Sun from the world. What is the world without the Scriptures, but hell itself? We have had indeed the word of God to be as the Sun in the world, but oh how many mists have been before this Sun! We have seldom the Sun shine clearly to us. It is pity, seeing there is such a glorious Sun risen, that there should be such a misty day. Now this is the work we are called unto, to dispel the mists and fogs from before this Sun, that it may shine more brightly before your eyes, and into your hearts. Chrysost. in his 29. Sermon upon Genesis d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. Quid est Scriptura sacra nisi quaedam epistola emnipotentis Dei ad creaturam suam. Greg. 1. Ep. ●0. ad. Gregorium Theodorum Medicum. exhorting his Auditors to get the Scriptures into their houses, and to a diligent exercise of himself in them, tells them that by them the soul is raised and elevated, and brightened, as with the beam of the Sun of righteousness, and delivered from the snares of unclean thoughts. The Scripture is that wherein the great God of heaven hath sent his mind to the children of men, wherein he hath made known the counsel of his will, & opened even his very heart unto Mankind. It is the Epistle that God hath sent into the world. And did we but hear of such a Book that were dictated immediately by God himself, to the end to show the children of men what the eternal counsels of his will were for the ordering of them to their eternal estate, and to open his thoughts and intentions concerning their everlasting condition what it shall be: Did we I say but hear that there were such a book in the farthest part of the Indies, would we not rejoice that the world was blest with such a mercy? what strong and vehement desires should we have to enjoy but one sight of it before we die! We would be willing to venture upon any hazard, to pass through any difficulty, to be at any charges, that we might have but a sight of such a book as this. My brethren, you need not say, Who shall go to the farthest part of the Indies to fetch this book? Who shall descend into the depth, or go to the uttermost part of the earth to help us to a sight of this book of Scripture? For behold, the word is nigh unto you, it is in your houses, and we hope in your hearts, Sacrae scripturae expositio est emnium quae ad cul●●m Dei fiunt ●pus maximum, & utilitates humano generi max 〈◊〉 efferens. and in this exercise is to be in our mouths, not only to tell you what it saith, but open unto you the mind of God in it. The exercising ourselves in this book is sweet indeed; Luther professes himself out of love with his own books, and wished them burnt, lest men spending time in them, should be hindered from reading the Scriptures; which says he are the only fountain of all wisdom: and I tremble says he at the former age, that was so much busied in reading of Aristotle and Averro. We read in that 8. Lect. 1. of Nehem. vers. 5, 6. when Ezra opened the book of the Law to expound it to the people, he blessed the Lord the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen. And now blessed be the Lord, the great and gracious God, for stirring your hearts up to such a work as this is, Wolfius in loc. and blessed be his name for those liberties we have thus freely to exercise ourselves in this service; Luther in Gen. c. 19 Ego adi lie beos me●s & saepe opto eos interire, quod metuo, nemorentur lectores & abducant lectione ipsias scripturae, quae sola omnis sapientiae fons est, etc. O praised be the name of the great God for this day's entrance into so good a work as this is. Yea they did not only bless God, but the Text saith, They lifted up their hands, and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Why? because the book of the Law was read to them and expounded. How comes it to pass that their hearts were so taken with it now to hear the book of the Law expounded to them? Surely it was because they were newly returned out of their Captivity; and now they came into their own Land, and heard the Law of God opened to them, they blessed his great Name, & bowed their faces to the ground, worshipping him. This day (my brethren) witnesseth to us our great deliverance and return from our bondage. It was not long since that we could have either Ordinances, or Truths, or Religious exercises, but only according to the humours of vile men: But now through God's mercy a great deliverance is granted to us (as this day witnesseth) that we may come and have free liberty to exercise ourselves in the Law of our God: O do you bless the Lord, and bow your faces to the ground, worshipping of him. In the 12. vers. of that Chap. we read, that after they had heard the Law read and expounded to them, they went their way to eat and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth: Why? Because (saith the Text) they had understood the words that were declared unto them. I hope if God shall please to give in assistance unto this work, many of you shall go away hereafter from this Assembly rejoicing, because you will come to know more of God's mind revealed in his word then formerly: And this will be the comfort of your meat and drink, and of your trading, and the very spirits of all the joys of your lives. As the sweetness of the fruit comes from the graft, rather than from the stock, so your comforts, and the blessings of grace in you, must come from the word engrafted in your souls, rather than from any thing you have in yourselves. In the first verse. the Text saith, that all the people gathered themselves together as one man, into the street that was before the water-gate, to desire Ezra to bring the book of the law, and to read it, and to open it unto them. Behold it is thus this day in this place; here are a great company met together, perhaps some to know what the business will be, some for novelty, and some for other ends; howsoever, come unto us you are, and we hope many for this end, that you might have the book of the Law read & opened unto you. Now we expect that from you, which is said of them, ver. 3. And the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law, when it was read & opened to them. And truly that attention that you now begin withal, doth promise unto us that we shall have an attentive auditory. But that is not all; let us have further a reverential demeanour and carriage in the hearing of the Law, as it becomes those that have to deal with God in it. The Text saith, vers. 5. that when Ezra opened the book of the Law, all the people stood up. We do not expect the same gesture from you, but by way of Analogy we expect a reverential demeanour in the carriage of he whole work, as knowing we are to sanctify God's Name in it. And as those people after the first day's exercise were so encouraged, that they came again the second day, (for so the Text saith, vers. 13. On the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the Priests and the Levites, unto Ezra, to understand the words of the Law) so (I hope) God will so carry on this work, that you shall find encouragement too, to come again and again, that you may know more of the mind of God; and that this work shall not be only profitable to the younger and weaker sort, but to the Fathers, to the Priests and Levites too. Let it be with you as it was with them, according as you have any truth made known unto you, submit to it, yield to it, obey it presently, and then you shall know more of God's mind: He that will do my will, shall know my doctrine to be of God: joh. 7. 17. Thus did they, for vers. 14. when they found it written in the book of the Law, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month, (This was one passage of the Law that was expounded, how they should keep the feast of Tabernacles, and what booths they should make) the people went forth presently unto the mount, and fetched Olive branches, and Palm branches, and branches of thick trees, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house. In this Prophecy of Hosea you shall find many suitable truths to the times wherein we live, the Lord grant you obedient hearts to what shall be delivered. I must not retard the work, nor your expectations any longer with large prefacing to it, only somewhat have been said about the rules for interpretation of Scripture; I will say no more of that but this, to interpretation of Scripture, a Scripture frame of heart is necessary, a heart holy & heavenly, suitable to the holiness & heavenliness that is in the word: as it was said of Tully's eloquence, that nothing but the eloquence of Tully could set out the excellency of it: So it may be said of the Scriptures spiritualness, nothing but a heart filled with Scripture spiritualness can set forth the excellencies of it: and because the authority of Scripture is dreadful, we desire the prayers of you all to God for us, that his fear might fall upon our hearts that seeing we are menfull of error, and full of evil, yet howsoever we may not bring any Scripture to the maintenance of any erroneous conceit of our own heads, nor any evil of our own hearts: This we know to be a dreadful evil. It was a fearful evil for Lucifer to say, I will go and ascend up, & be like the Highest, it is as great an evil for any to seek to make the Highest to become like Lucifer; for so do they that make the Scripture come down to justify any erroneous opinion, or any way of evil they go about to make the blessed God and the holy Ghost to be the fathers of lies. It is counted a great evil in a Commonwealth to put the King's stamp upon false coin; and to put the stamp of the Spirit of God upon an error, upon a conceit of a man's own, is certainly a great evil before the Lord: and it was for this that God did make the Priests vile and contemptible before the people, because they were partial in the Law, Mal. 2. 9 And for you (my brethren) our prayer shall be, that the fear of God may fall upon you likewise, that you may come to these Exercises with Scripture-frames of heart. What frame of heart is a Scripture-frame? The holy Ghost tells you, Isa. 66. 1. God looks at him that trembleth at his word: come with hearts trembling at the word of God; come not to be judges of the Law, but doers of it. You may judge of your profiting in grace by the delight you find in Scripture, as Quintilian was wont to say of profiting in eloquence, a man may know that, says he, by the delight he finds in reading Cicero; much more may this be said of the Scriptures, it is a true sign of profiting in Religion, to whom the Scriptures are sweeter than the honey, and the honeycomb. And now I shall only tell you what the work is we have to do, ●um debere scire se aliquid profecisse cui Ciceronis lectio eft valde iucunda. and then we shall fall upon it, and that is to open Scripture unto you, not only difficulties, but to show unto you what divine truths are contained in them what may come fresh, and spring up from the fountain itself, to present them unto you with adding some quickness. This is our work not to enlarge any thing with long Explication, Probation, or Application. There are these five things to be enquired concerning this our Prophet, whose Prophecy I have now pitched upon to open. 1 Who he was. 2 To whom he was sent. 3 What his errant was. 4 His Commission. 5 The time of his prophecy All these you have either in the first verse, (where most of them are) or you shall find them in the Chapter. For the first then, who this Prophet was. I will tell you no more of him then what you have in the first verse, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hiphil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hosea the son of Beeri. His name signifieth a Saviour, one that brings salvation. It is the same root that joshua had his name from; and many saving and savoury truths we shall find this Prophet bringing to us. He was the son of Beeri. This Beeri we do not find who he was in Scripture, Salvavit. only in that he is here named as the father of the Prophet in the entrance into this Prophecy, Surely it is honour is gratia to the Prophet, and from it we may note thus much. That so should parents live and walk, Obs. as it may be an honour to their children to be called by their names, that their children may neither be afraid nor ashamed to be named by them. The jews have a tradition that is generally received among them, that whensoever a Prophet's Father is named, that Father was likewise a Prophet as well as the Son. If that were so, then surely it is no dishonour for any man to be the Son of a Prophet. Let those that are the children of godly, gracious Ministers, be no dishonour to their Parents, their Parents are an honour unto them: But we find it by experience, that many of their children are far from being honours to their godly parents. How many ancient godly Ministers, who heretofore hated superstitious vanities, whose sons of late have been the greatest zealots for such things. It puts me in mind of what the Scripture notes concerning jehoiakim the son of josiah, ● King. ● 2. 19 the difference between his father and him. josiah when he heard the Law read, his heart melted, and he humbled himself before the Lord. But now jehoiakim his son, when he came to hear the Law of God read, he took a penknife, and cut the roll in which it was written, jer. 36. 23. in pieces, and threw it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed. A great deal of difference there was between the Son and the Father, and thus it is between the sons of many ancient godly Ministers and them: their Fathers indeed might be an honour unto them, but they are dishonour to their Fathers. The son of Beeri. This word Beeri hath its signification from a Well that hath springing water in it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Puteus. freely and clearly running: So Ministers should be the children of Beeri, That that they have should be springing water, and not the mud and dirt, and filth of their own conceits mingled with the word. This only by way of allusion. To whom was this Prophet Hosea sent. He was sent especially to the Ten Tribes. I suppose you all know the division that there was of the people of Israel in Rehoboams time, ten of the Tribes went from the house of David, only judah and Benjamine remained with it. Now these ten Tribes renting themselves from the house of David, did rend themselves likewise from the true worship of God, & there grew up horrible wickednesses, and all manner of abominations amongst them. To these ten Tribes God sent this Prophet. He sent Isaiah & Micah to judah, Amos and Hosea he sent to Israel, all these were contemporary. If you would know what state Israel was in, in Hoseas' time, read but 2 K. 15. 19 & you shall find what their condition was, jeroboam did that which was e●ill but he fight of the Lord, he departed not from all the sins of jeroboam the son of Nebat which made Israel to sin. But notwithstanding Israel was thus notoriously wicked, and given up to all Idolatry, yet the Lord sendeth his Prophets, Hosea and Amos, to Prophesy to them even at this time. O the goodness of the Lord to follow an apostatising people, an apostatising soul! It was mercy yet while God was speaking; but woe to that people, to that soul to whom the Lord shall give in charge to his Prophets, prophesy no more to them. But what was Hosea his errand to Israel? His errand was to convince them clearly o● this their abominable Idolatry, and those other abominable wickednesses that they lived in, and severely to denounce threatenings, yea most fearful destruction. (This was not done before by the other Prophets, as we shall afterward make it appear, but it was Hosea his errand to threaten an utter desolation to Israel more than ever was before) and yet withal to promise mercy to a remnant to draw them to repentance, and to Prophesy of the great things that God intended to do for his Church and children in the latter days. What was his Commission? The words tells us plainly, The word of the Lord came to Hosea. It was the word of jehovah. It is a great argument to obedience to know it is the word of the Lord that is spoken. When men set reason against reason, and judgement against judgement, and opinion against opinion, it prevails not: but when they see the authority of God in the Word, than the heart and conscience yieldeth. Therefore however you may look upon the instruments that bring it, or open it to you, as your equals or inferiors, yet know there is an authority in the Word that is above you all: It is the word of the Lord. And this word of the Lord, it came to Hosea. Mark the phrase, Hosea did not go for the word of the Lord, but the word of the Lord came to him: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sought it not, but it came to him, factum fuit verbum, so are the words, the word of the Lord came, or was made into him, was put into him. Such a kind of phrase you have in the new Testament, john 10. 35. If he called them Gods unto whom the word of God came; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. that is, to whom the commission came, to put them in the place wherein they were. So the word of the Lord came to Hosea. The knowledge of a call to a work, will help a man through the difficulties of the work. One of the notablest Texts of Scripture to encourage a man to that work to which he sees he is clearly called, Magna semper facerunt, qui Deo vocaute docuerunt. Luther. is that which is spoken of Christ himself, Isa. 42. 6. I the Lord have called thee in righteousness: what follows then? I will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light to the Gentiles. If we know Gods call to a work (as for the present this of ours is exceeding clear unto us) though the work will be difficult and liable to much censure, Yet the Lord will hold our hands, and will be with us, and with our minds, and our tongues, and our hearts, and will keep us in this work, and make us instruments to give some light unto you. But the principal business is to inquire of the time when Hosea prophesied. You have it in the Text, In the days of Vzziah, jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah Kings, of judah, and in the days of jeroboam the son of joash King of Israel. It is computed by Chronologers, that Hosea lived about 814. years before Christ: In his time was the City of Rome built. It was the beginning of the Olympiads. Eusebius tells us that there was no Grecian History (and if no Greek learning, than not any that was of any authority) extant before this time of Hosea. He prophesied in these King's reigns, Euseb. de Prapar. Euan. l. 20. c. ult. Ab hec tempore Graeca de temporibus historia vera creditur. Vzziah, jotham, etc. You shall find that we shall have much of God's mind revealed in this, more than at first view we can comprehend. We shall find by this that Hosea prophesied a very long time, it is very probable fourscore years, but it is certain he was in the work of his Ministry above seventy years, and I make that clear thus, He prophesied in the days of jerobam (who though he be here named last, yet he was the first of these Kings, and we shall show you the reason by and by, why he was named last) that then took up some of his time: But suppose you reckon from the end of jeroboams reign, yet from that to the beginning of Hezekiah, here were 70. years, and yet the Text saith he prophesied both in jeroboams time, and in Hezekiahs' time too: after the death of jeroboam, Vzziah lived 38. years (he reigned 52. in all) He began his reign in the 27. of jeroboam, 2 King. 15. 1. Now jeroboam lived after that 14. years, for he reigned 41. in all, take 14. out of 52. and there remains 38. and after him jotham reigned 16. years; and than Ahaz. succeeded him, and reigned sixteen years more: so that between these two Kings, jeroboam and Hezekiah, there was 70. years, in which Hosea prophesied, besides the 41. years of jeroboam, and 29. years of Hezekiah, in both whose reigns too you see he lived, and therefore it is probable it was 80. years at least that Hosea continued in the work of his prophecy. See what of God's mind we have that will spring fresh from this. Hosea continued so long, Obs. 1. and yet you see there is not much of his prophecy extant, only 14 short Chapters. It pleaseth God sometimes that some men's labours shall abide more full to posterity than others, though the labours of those others more large, and as excellent as theirs: this is according to the diversity of God's administrations. Let the Ministers of God learn to be faithful in their work, and let God alone for to make them eminent by having their labours extant. 2. It appears from hence that Hosea must needs begin to prophesy very young. Obs. 2. If he were a Prophet 80. years, certainly he was but young when he began first to prophesy, and yet he was set upon as great an employment as any of the Prophets were (as we shall see hereafter.) It pleaseth God sometimes to stir up the hearts of young ones to do him great service, he sends such sometimes about great works and employments, so he did Samuel, and jeremiah, and Timothy, therefore let no man despise their youth. 3. Hosea prophesying thus long, Obser. 3. it appears he lived to be old in his work. When God hath any work for men to do, he doth lengthen out their days. So he did the days of John the Disciple, he lived near upon an hundred years, if not more, for the time of the writing of his Gospel (as it is noted) was in the 99 year of Christ, 66. after the Ascension. Let not us be too solicitously careful about our lives, to maintain our healths and strengths, let us be careful to do our work; for according as the Lord hath work for us to do, so he will continue to us our health and strength, and life: when you come to die, you may die comfortably, having this thought in you; well, the work that the Lord sent me to do, is done, and why should I seek to live longer in the world? God hath others enough to do his work. It was a sweet expression of jacob, Gen. 48. 21. Behold I die (saith he) but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. So may the Prophets of God say that have been faithful in their work: Behold I die, but the Lord shall be with you, my work is finished, but God hath others that are young, to go on in his work, that is the third Observation. 4. You may so by Hoseas' continuance in so many Kings reigns, Obser. 4. that he went through variety of conditions; sometimes he lived under wicked Kings, sometimes under moderate Kings, sometimes he had encouragement from godly and gracious Kings, although they were of judah. Not only the people of God, but specially Gods Ministers must expect variety of conditions in the world, they must not promise to themselves always the same state. Yet further. Hosea prophesied in all these Kings reigns. Here appears the constancy of his spirit, notwithstanding the many difficulties he met withal in his work: for he prophesying in Jeroboams, jotham, and Ahaz his time who were wicked Princes, surely he must meet with many discouragements; And though he continued 80. years, yet he saw but little success of his labour, for the truth is, the people were never converted to God by his Ministry. Nay it is apparent that they grew worse and worse, for it is said of that jeroboam time in which Hosea began his Prophecy, only that he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and continued in the ways of jeroboam the son of Nebat, 2 King. 15. 15. But after we read most horrible things that Israel was guilty of, 2 King. 17. 17. It is said, they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divinations, and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger, besides many dreadful things, you may read in that Chapter, Israel was grown guilty of. This was in King Hoshea his time, which was many years after Hosea began to prophesy, towards the end of his Prophecy. God may continue a Prophet a long time amongst a people, Obser. 5. and yet they may never be converted. It is a distemper in Ministers hearts to think to give over their work because they see not desired success. I remember Latimer in one of his Sermons, speaking of a Minister, who gave this answer, why he left off Preaching, because he saw he did no good, this says Latimer is a naughty, a very naughty answer. That we have here may be a great stay to these who have lived many years in the work of the Ministry, and yet have done little or no good. Hosea was fourscore years a Prophet to Israel, and yet did not convert them. Yet notwithstanding all these discouragements, he continued constant, and that with abundance of freshness and liveliness when he comes to the end of his prophesying. It is an honour to the Ministers of God, Obser. 6. that meet with many difficulties in their way, and with many discouragements, yet to continue fresh and lively to the very end; not to be fresh and lively only at first, as many young Ministers are when they begin first. O how fresh are they, how full of zeal and activity are they then? but after they have been a while in their work, or when they have gained what they aimed at, than they grow cold, and that former vigour, freshness, and zeal, which appeared to be in them, comes to be a great deal flatter. Like soldiers, that at the first were forward, and active in service, but afterward come to live upon their pay, and can do no service at all; or rather as vessels of wine, that when they are first tapped are very smart, and quick, and nimble, but at last grow exceeding flat: as we commend that vessel of wine that draws quick to the very last of all: so it is an excellent thing indeed for a Minister of God to continue fresh, and quick, and lively, to the last end. It is true, nature and natural abilities may decay, but a spiritual freshness may appear, when natural abilities are decayed. To see an old Prophet of God, that hath gone through many difficulties, and sufferings, and yet to continue fresh & lively in the work of the Ministry, and to have spiritual excellencies sparkle in him then, this is a most honourable sight, and calls for abundance of reverence. Lastly, Hosea prophesied so long that he came to see the fulfilling of his Prophecy, for he continued prophesying till Hezekiahs' time, and in the sixth year of Hezekiahs' reign came the destruction of Israel. Hosea had threatened an utter taking of them away, but all this while it was not done till then, and then it is most likely he saw the fulfilling of his Prophecy. It pleaseth God many times to let his Prophets see the fulfilling of their threatenings upon the people against whom they have denounced them. Obser. 7. Perhaps they go away, and scorn, and contemn the Prophets, and their words are but wind with them, but God many times lets his Ministers live to see their words fulfilled upon them. For particular persons, when they are cast upon their beds of sickness or death, it is then ordinary for them to say, Oh the word of the Lord is true that I heard at such a time, it is now come upon me. So God dealt with the people in Jeremy's time, they laughed and contemned him, but Jeremy lives to see the fulfilling of those threatenings at last. And if they live not to see the fulfilling of their words, yet presently after their death they are fulfilled, as it was at Hippo, where Austin threatened judgements against them, they were not executed in his time, but presently after he was taken away, they came. Yea but he did not only prophesy in these King's days, but in the days of Jeroboam King of Israel. Here are three Questions: 1. What is the reason that Jeroboam, who in truth was the first of these Kings, that he is named last? 2. Why only one King of Israel is named, and three Kings of Judah? for besides him in the time of Hosea's prophecy there were 6. other Kings of Israel, Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Peka, Hoshea. 3. Why Jeroboam is named at all? One answer will be sufficient for the two first Questions, why Jeroboam is named last, and why there is but one King of Israel named. The answer is this, God took no great delight in the Kings of Israel, for they had forsaken the true worship of God. Though there was much corruption in Judah, yet because they kept to the true worship of God, God took more delight in Judah then in srael. Therefore he nameth Jeroboam in the last place, though he was first, and only him. But why was Jeroboam named at all? This is of great use. You shall find that it was for this end, that you might understand what estate the people of Israel were in at this time of Hosea's Prophecy. Much you shall see is to be learned from hence. The state of the people of Israel in the time of Jeroboams reign was very prosperous, though their wickedness was very great. For if you look into 2 K. 14. you shall find there, that a little before this they had been in very great distress, and under sore afflictions: Now in Jeroboams time they were in the greatest prosperity that ever they had been in: for this Jeroboam was not the first Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that caused Israel to sin, and was a means of the rent of these Ten Tribes from the house of David, that was 140. years and more before this; but this Jeroboam, in whose time God sent Hosea to prophesy this greatwrath against the house of Israel, was the son of Joash. Now in all this time this Kingdom was never in a more prosperous condition then in the days of this Jeroboam. Two things are to be observed concerning the condition of this people at this time. First, That they were a little before this in great adversity, and then after they grew upto great prosperity. For if you read that 14. Chap. of 2 Kings, you shall find that they were under sore affliction, for the Text saith, vers. 26. There was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel. It is a comparison taken from Shepherds, that use to shut up their flocks when they would keep them safe from danger; but now here was such a general desolation and woeful affliction upon Israel, that there was none shut up, nor no helper left. But than comes this Jeroboam, and it is said, ver. 25. That he restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the Sea of the plain. And ver. 28. He recovered Damascus and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel. This Hamath that he speaks of was of great use, it was the inlet of the Assyrians, and for Jeroboam to conquer that place, land to recover Damascus, and to add that to the Crown of Israel, which belonged to Judah, it shows that after their bitter affliction, God granted a great mercy by Jeroboams means, and that now Israel flourished greatly, and grew exceeding prosperous. There is much of God's mind held out to us in this: As, in that the people of Israel had been under sore affliction, and delivered, yet God sent Hosea to them, to show them their horrible wickedness, and to threaten destruction. Hence see the perverseness of the children of men, Obs. 1. that after great deliverances granted them from bitter and sore afflictions, yet they will continue still in their wickedness and rebellion. The Lord grant this may not be true concerning us. God hath delivered us in great measure from those sore and bitter afflictions, and heavy oppressions, under which we lately were, and many gracious liberties are restored to us; Now have we not need of an Hosea to be sent unto us to rebuke us, and to threaten judgement for the evil of our ways? This is a sad thing. Further, Obs. 2. God may let a sinner continue a long time in the way of his sin, and when he hath flourished many years, and thinks surely the bitterness of death is past, than God may come and threaten judgement. Jeroboam reigned 4●. years, and it cannot be but that Hosea prophesying so long after Jeroboams death, came in the latter end of Jeroboams time. Jeroboam might think, what doth he come to contest with me, and to tell me of my sin and wickedness, and to threaten judgement? have not I continued these 40, years King, and have prospered? and surely God hath been with me. Well, a sinner may hold out long, and yet afterward judgement may come. Thirdly, Obser. 3 A people in a flourishing condition, when they prosper most, and overcome their Enemies, and have all according to their hearts desire, even that may be the time for God to come out in his wrath against them. So it was here, therefore we must not judge our Enemies to be happy, nor fear them because of their flourishing estate for the present, neither let us be secure ourselves because of the mercies we enjoy. God doth not always so, but sometimes he is pleased thus to deal with sinners, to stay till they be at the height of their prosperity, and then to come upon them, as here he did. Sometimes God is more sudden, it is like Zechariah the son of this Jeroboam thought he might venture as well as his Father, his Father prospered in such ways 41 years, and why may not I? No, God came upon him in six months, 2 King. 15. 8. Fifthly, Hosea when he came to prophesy against Israel, he saw them in their prosperity, and yet continueth to threaten judgement against them. It was a further argument of the Spirit of God that taught him, and of a special insight he had into the mind of God, that he should thus prophesy destruction to them when they were in the height of their prosperity. It is true, if Hosea had come afterward in Zachariah his days, when the Kingdom was declining; or if Hosea had pophesied in Shallums time, and others after him, than he might have seen by the working of second causes, that the kingdom was going down indeed. No, but he comes in Jeroboams time, when there was no appearance of second causes at all of their destruction, and then prophesieth destruction unto them. It is a sign of special insight the soul hath in the ways of God, Obser. 4 that can see misery under the greatest prosperity. The Prophet did not think Israel in a better condition, because of their outward prosperity. A sign his prophecy was from God. Yet further, this being in the reign of Jeroboam, when they were in great prosperity, surely their hearts were exceedingly hardened against the Prophet; and it cannot be imagined, but that they entertained his prophecy with scorn and contempt: for it is an usual thing, when men are in the height of their pride, and in their ruff, then like the wild ass' colt, to scorn and contemn all that comes against them. It is nothing for a Minister of God to deal plainly with people in the time of adversity, when they are down the wind, but when men are in the ruff of their pride, and in all their jollity, to deal faithfully with them then, this is something, and thus the Prophet Hosea did. That their great prosperity did raise up & harden their hearts with pride against the Prophet, Obser. 5 it appears plainly, if you will but read Amos 7. 10. (for we must find God's mind by comparing one place with another) there you shall find what the fruit of Jeroboams prosperity was, for Amos and Hosea were contemporary. When Amos was prophesying, Amaziah the Priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam King of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee, the land is not able to bear his words. This was said of Amos, it is like that Hosea did not meet with better measure than this. Amaziah the Priest of Bethel did this. If there be any enemies against the faithful Ministers in a place, they are the Priests of Bethel, idolatrous and superstitious Ministers. And what course do they take? They send to the King, to the Governors, O they have conspired against the King, they are seditious persons, factious men, that keep a stir in the kingdom, and break the peace of the Church, the Land cannot bear their words. Such a message as this you see did Amaziah send concerning Amos; he turns off all from himself to the King, and all the punishment that must be inflicted upon Amos, must be in the name of the King. And mark the 12. ver. of that Chap. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee away into the land of Judea, and prophesy there. We are not holy enough for you forsooth, we are Idolaters, we do not worship God aright, we are no true Church, get you to Judah among your brethren, and prophesy not any more here at Bethel, why? Because it is the King's Chapel, & it is the Kings Court. It seems then in those times, that the King's Chapel, the King's Court could not bear with a faithful Prophet. And what was the ground of it, but because at this time Jeroboam prospered in his way, and the kingdom was in such a flourishing condition as it never was before? Here then was the trial of the faithfulness of Hosea's spirit, yet to go on in the work of his Prophecy. Yet further. Obser. 6. In that Hosea did prophesy in the time of Jeroboam, by that it will appear that he was the first Prophet that ever brought these hard tidings to them, of the utter destruction of Israel, It will appear by that which is said, 2 King. 14. 27. that before this time God had not so threatened Israel; for the Text saith: The Lord said not before this time that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. Mark, there is given the reason why the Lord saved them by the hand of Jeroboam, because he had not yet said he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, that is, the Lord never before sent any of his Prophets thus plainly and fully to declare his intention to them for the utter blotting out th' name of Israel, upon their going on in their sins. So that it is clear, that Hosea was the first that was sent about this message. And certainly it was so much the harder, he being the first of all. For they might have said, why do you come with these new things, and in so great severity, who did ever so before you? It was a hard task: For we know if a Minister come with any thing that seems to be new, if he presents any truth to you that hath but a show of Novelty, that you heard not before, though it be never so good and comfortable, he shall find little encouragement. Nay if he do but come in a new way, as this very exercise, because it is like to go on in a way that yet hath been disused, it will meet with many discouragements. What then will the threatenings of hard things, of judgements, and destruction do when they come with novelty? Surely Hosea had a hard task of this, and yet he went on faithfully with it. Thus much for the time wherein Hosea prophesied. Now to make a little entrance into the prophecy. The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. Some from these words do gather that Hosea was the first Prophet that ever was, Though it is true, we cannot gather it directly from hence, yet it is apparent, that notwithstanding Isaiah be set first, yet Hosea was before him; for if you look into the 1 Isa. you shall find that his beginning was in the days of Vzziah. Now Hosea was in the days of Jeroboam, and Jeroboam was before Vzziah. And this may be one reason why though I intent the whole prophetical books, yet I rather pitch upon Hosea first, because indeed he was the first Prophet: it is clear you see from the Scripture, though we cannot gather it from these words in this second verse. But yet thus much we may gather from these words, The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea, that this was the beginning of his prophecy. And what was this beginning? what did God set him about first? Mark presently the next words, he must take him a wife of whoredoms, and children of whoredomos, and so declare to the people of Israel that they had committed great whoredom departing from the Lord. The most grievous charge, and most severe and terrible expression of God's wrath against that people that you meet with in all the book of God. This is the work Hosea must do, and Hosea was very young when first he went about it. Now as I told you before, God sometimes calls young ones to great services; but to call a young man to this service, to go to this people with such a message, now in the midst of all their pride and flourish to contest with them thus, & to tell them that they are children of whoredoms, and no longer the people of God, for what? for a young man to do this? Why, they might have said, if this came from the mouth of some old ancient Prophet, reverend for his years, and experience, it had been somewhat; but to come from a green head, for an upstart to upbraid us with such vile things. Thus men grown old, and sodden in their sins, Obser. are ready to reason. But let us know (my brethren) if God send any message unto us, though by young ones, he expects your entertainment of it. When God would destroy Elies' house, he sends the message by young Samuel; but Eli did not reason thus, what this young boy come to speak thus malapartly to me! No, he stoops to it, Good is the word of the Lord, saith he. Again, Obsec. Hosea must tell them that they are children of whoredoms, and not the people of God. What for a Minister when he comes first among a people, to begin so harshly, and severely, and ruggedly, is it not better to comply with the people, to come with gentle and ●aire means, to seek to win them with love? if you begin with harsh truths, surely you will make them fly off presently. Thus many do reason. Now I beseech you take heed to your own hearts in reasoning thus, Many have done so, and have sought to comply with people so long till they have complied away all their faithfulness, and conscience, and vigour that before they had: When they come to great men, rich men, men in place and emmency, they will comply with such; but let them have any of God's people in their Parish that are of a mean rank, and poor, they comply little enough with them, but are harsh and bitter to them, and regard not the tenderness of their consciences at all. It is true. If Ministers have the testimony of their own consciences that they would take no other way but what shall be for the greatest profit of their people, maintaining such a disposition as to be willing to undergo any sufferings that God shall call them unto: they may say first when they come to a house, Peace be to this house, especially when they come to a place that hath not had the means before. But if it be to a people that go directly against the light of their consciences, a superstitious people that cannot but be convinced, and have had many evidences that it is against the mind of God, and yet only for their own base ends will go on and not amend; in such a case as this we may come with harshness at the very first. So Paul gives a charge to Titus in dealing with the Cretians who were evil beasts and slow bellies, that he should rebuke them sharply, Ch. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. (so we translate it) the word in the Original is, cuttingly. The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. The particle which is translated [by] signifieth [in] as well as by, it is not El, but Beth, and so it is read by some, The word of the Lord came in Hosea. This expression notes the inward and intimate converse that the Lord had with the spirit of Hosea in the work of the Ministry. The Lord spoke first in Hosea, and then he speaks out unto the people. Some such expression we have concerning Paul, Gal. 1. 16. That Christ may be revealed in me, not only to me, but in me. The more inwardly God speaks, and converseth with the hearts of his Ministers, the more inwardly and efficaciously they are able to speak to the people. This is the deep preaching, when it is from the heart. And so Augustine says of Hosea, Quanto 〈…〉 dius 〈◊〉 'em lo●●itur, 〈◊〉 into opeto●ius pene●●ratur. because that which he spoke was so deep it wrought more strongly. Hoseas' Prophecy must needs be deep, for God spoke in him before he spoke out to the people. We say, that which cometh from the heart will go to the heart: Surely that which cometh from the voice of God in the heart, will go beyond the ears to the hearts of people. And blessed are the people that have such Ministers that shall speak nothing to them, Aug. de Hosea l. 18. deciu. but what hath first been spoken by God in them. Again in this second verse he comes twice with the same expression, The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea, and again, The Lord said to Hosea; and yet in the beginning of the first verse, The word of the Lord came to Hosea. Why all this, three times? All this upon good reason; for Hosea was to come with a terrible message to the people, and to reprehend them with much sharpness, to tell them that they were the children of whoredoms, and that they had departed from the Lord, and he would have no more mercy upon them, but would utterly take them away. He had need therefore have an express command for what he did, and to have much evidence of the Spirit, that what he said was from God, and not any thing of his own spirit. When a Minister of God shall come and reprehend a people severely for their sins, and threaten God's judgement, let him then if ever look to it, that he hath a good ground for what he saith, that what he shall deliver may be nothing but the word of God in him, the sheer word of God, without any mixture of his own. It is an ordinary thing in Ministers in reprehending of sin, and denouncing of threatenings, to mingle much of their own spirit and wrath: But if at any time Ministers should take heed of mixing their own wrath, then especially when they are to denounce God's wrath, than they should bring nothing but the word of the Lord; for it being a hard message, the spirits of men will rise up against it, if they once see the spirit of the Minister in it, they will be ready to say as the devil in the possessed man, jesus I know, & Paul I know, but who are you? So they, the word of the Lord I know, but what are you? here is your own passion, your own humour, etc. O let not any think to oppose sin with sin, jam. 1. 20. the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousness of God. You that are Ministers, would you have a sentence? I will give you one; and I have done: When you are called to reveal God's wrath, conceals your own. The Second Lecture. May 23. 1642. Hosea 1. the middle of the second verse, and so on. Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord. 3. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, which conceived and bore him a son. 4. And the Lord said unto him, Call his name jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of jezreel upon the house of jehu, & will cease the Kingdom of the house of Israel. 5. And it shall come to pass in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of jesreel. THE Preface to the work, and to the whole prophecy you heard the last time. The scope of the Chapter. The scope of the prophecy is the very same that the scope of this Chapter is, to declare, first, The evil condition that Israel, the ten Tribes were in, in regard of their sins, and punishment that was to be executed for their sins. Secondly, Gracious promises of mercy, to a remnant, to judah in the 7. ver. and to Judah & Israel both, from the 10. ver. to the end of the Chapter. First, Segnius irritant animos demissa per aurem, Quamqua sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus: & quae Ipse sibi tradit spectator. God beginneth with conviction, to show them their sin, and the dreadfulness of it. Conviction should go before correction. You must not presently fly in the faces of those that are under you when they cross you: first instruct them, and then correct them, do as God did here, God would first convince them of the greatness of their sins, not by verbal, but by real expressions. Those things that come but to the ear, they do more slowly stir and work upon the heart, but things that are presented before the eye are more operative; and therefore Hosea must not tell them only that they had committed whoredom, but must tell them in this way, he must go and take a wife of whoredoms, Lect. 2. and beget children of whoredoms. In the very threshold, in the entrance of the prophesy you see we meet with a difficulty, a great difficulty. First, a command from God, from the holy God, unto a Prophet, a holy Prophet, to go and take a wife of whoredoms; not an ordinary whore, but a most prostitute whore, for so the word signifieth, * Such a one as Thais was among the Athenians. Vir sanguinum. of whoredoms, as in the Scripture phrase, a man of bloods, is a man that hath shed much blood; and a man of sorrows, is a man that hath been exercised with many sorrows; and so a wife of whoredoms is one that hath committed notorious whoredoms, vile whoredoms. Yet such a wife must the Prophet take to himself, and his children must be children of whoredoms too. How can this be? S. Austin, Aug. cont. Faust. l. 22 c. 80. who had been a Manichee, having to deal much with Macichees, met with this object on, from one Fausta's a Manichee, against the Old Testament, Quid adversura clementiae veritatis, quid fidei Christianae si meretrix relicta for●●catiane 〈◊〉 castum conjugium commutetur, etc. for they denied it: saith Fausta's, that Old Testament of yours, Moses and the Prophets, is that of God? do you not find there a command to take a wife of whoredoms, and can this be from God? Austin answereth it thus. Though she had been a prostitute whore before, yet she might be reclaimed, and so she might be called a wife of whoredoms, from that whoredom that heretofore she was guilty of, and now reclaimed. And so he thinketh that it was a reality indeed, that Hosea did take to himself a wife of whoredoms, and think to salve it up thus. Theodoret is somewhat angry with those that think it was not really done, but done only in away of vision. I find many of our later men that are of the same mind, Eorum audaciam mirari satis nequeo qui non verentur dicere verba haec esse rebus destituta. Theod. in Hos. ena●. c. 1. that think there was a reality in it, that God did command Hosea to take to himself a wife of whoredoms, and that he did take such a wise, one that was a notorious harlot, so Arius Montanus, Piscator, Pareus, Tarnovius, and others, they go that way, and they think to salve it only thus, that it is a command of God, and therefore though it had not been lawful for Hosea to have done it, yet God commanding it, he might do it: As they instance in other cases that seem to be somewhat of the like nature, as the children of Israel's robbing the Egyptians, abraham's killing his son, and the like. If this should be so, (as many Interpreters going that way might make one to think it not a thing impossible) we might learn thus much from it. First, Obser. that God's command takes away all matter of offence. It would be a notorious offensive thing for a Prophet, a Minister of God to marry one that is wicked, a wicked whore; yet so far as the offence is, God's command is enough to take it away. God's command takes away the offence, not he command of the Magistrate. For the subject of offence is not duty, but indifferency: any thing that is a duty to be done, we must go on in it, though it be never so offensive to others, that is no rule at all to hinder us if it be a duty: but if it be a thing of indifferency, than we must stop. God's command takes away all plea of offence; I say not that man's command doth so, for men, even Magistrates themselves are bound not to offend their brethren, as well as others. But than it may be said they should command nothing at all, for some or other would be offended, and shall not they command, because some weak ones may be offended? It is true, Ans. that which they may take upon their consciences to be their duty, that they are bound to command, and they should sin against God if they did not command it, and require obedience to it; they must do it though never so many be offended. But in matters that they themselves acknowledge to be neither here nor there, either for God's service or for the good of a Commonwealth, herein the rule bindeth them as well as others in regard of offences, to forbear. 2. Supposing this to be a real thing, 2. we see that the Prophet must suffer much in his credit before men, only to be serviceable to God for a further expression of his mind. All our credits, Obser. all our names, and all we are, or have, must lie down at God's feet to be serviceable to him in the least thing; if but in a way of expression of his mind, much more than in bearing witness to his truth. 3. This being so, we see the way of God in putting the Prophet in the very first service upon a very difficult work: Obser. It could not but be a thing exceeding tedious and irksome to his spirit to marry such a one, yet God put him upon it. It is the usual way of God, when he calleth any to great services, at the beginning, to put them to such difficult works, to try them thereby, that if they go through them, than they may be confided in, that they will go through more afterward. But we shall rather take this in a way of vision, as others do; not that indeed Hosea did really marry such a wife, but this did appear to him in a vision, as if such a thing were really done, only to declare what the condition of the people of Israel was at this time in respect of God: As if God should say, Hosea, this people of Israel is to me no other than as if thou shouldest have a wife that were the most notorious whore in the world, and all their children are to me as if thy children were the children of whoredom and fornication. And this I conceive to be more directly the mind of God, and I will not give you my mere conception of it neither, but reasons for it why it must be so. First, Reason's why Hoseas marrying a whore was but only in a vision. 1. because we find in Scripture that which is historically related, yet was done by way of vision. And it is an usual way of Scripture to express that which is done in a way of vision, as if it were a history, as if it were really done. I will show you two examples for this, one of jeremy when he was at Jerusalem, yet the Scripture speaks as if he had been at Babylon: and the other of Ezekiel, when he was at Babylon, it speaks as if he had been at Jerusalem. It is as fully related as this is here, and both must therefore needs be understood as in a way of vision. First for jeremy, you have it Chap. 30. ver. 4. God requireth there that he should go to Euphrates and hide his girdle there in the hole of a rock. But this river was a river in Babylon, and jeremy was not in Babylon at this time, nor in all the time of the siege, nor in the time of the captivity, neither could he go to Babylon, for the City was now besieged, and when he did but assay but to go a little way to Anathoth his own Town, he was presently taken hold upon as if he had been a Traitor to his Country. Therefore this which is here declared as a history, as if he had really done it, was but only done in a vision. And so Ezekiel the other way, he was at Babylon (for he was that Prophet that prophesied to the people that were carried captive to Babylon, God sent a Prophet to them to help them there in their captivity) yet in the 8. Chapter of his Prophecy, Ezekiel seemeth to be brought to jeremiah, and he is bidden there to dig a hole in the wall to see the wicked abominations that the ancients of Israel did there. Now Ezekiel was not there, he was at Babylon all this while, but it is declared as if the thing had been done really. So we are to understand Isaiah his going naked 20. days, and Ezekiels lying three hundred and ninety days on the one side, and 43. on the other, Ezek. 4. 2. That it was a vision and not really done, 2. the reason is, it was Gods command, Leu. 21. 7. That the Priest must not marry with a whore; & of all men's wives God is most careful of the wives of those that are in the work of the Ministry, that are Church Officers, therefore 1 Tim. 3. 11. when but a Deacon is described what he should be, there is his wife described too, that she should be grave, no slanderer, sober and faithful in all things. You never read that when God appointed what a Magistrate should be, what his office should be in a Commonwealth, that he takes such care to set down what his wife should be: But when he appointeth the lowest officer in a Church, a Deacon, he appointeth what his wife should be too. Therefore the wives of Ministers should go away with a lesson from hence, and know that God hath a more special eye to them, then to the wives of all the men in the world besides. God is tender of the credit of the officers of his Church, and so should man be; for their discredit is a hindrance to their work. Yea further, we read Amos 7. 16. that it was threatened as a curse to Amaziah the Priest of Bethel, that his wife should be a harlot, for resisting the Prophet: shall then the wife of Hosea be a whore? For Amos & Hosea prophesied both at the same time. And the Scripture saith (you know the place, How the woman is the glory of the man. 1 Cor. 11.) that the woman is to be the glory of the man. What a glory should Hosea have had in such a match as this? The woman is the glory of the man, How? (for so I desire not only to open the Scripture that I read here, but as I go along and quote Scripture, so far as may be for your edification, and suitable to our argument to open there too.) In two respects she is so. 1. because it is a glory to a man that he hath such an image, for she is from the man, and as the man being the image of God, showeth the glory of God, because he is the image of God, and from him; so the woman being from the man, and as it were his image, she is the glory of the man. 2. Because man hath such an excellent creature brought under subjection to him: so the woman is the glory of the man. Man is not only made glorious by God, in that God hath put all other creatures under him, but especially in this, that God hath put such an excellent creature under him as the woman is, so the woman is the glory of the man. This could not be here in such a match as this. 3. It could not be that it was a real thing, 3. but a vision from the prophecy itself, for then Hosea must have stayed almost a whole year before he could have gone on in his prophecy: For first he must take to him a wife of whoredoms, and beget a child of whoredoms, than he must have stayed till the child had been born, before he could have come to the people and say, My child is borne, and his name is jezreel, and it is upon this ground that I have named him thus, and then he must have stayed almost a year more before he could have Locuhamah, and then after that he must stay almost another year longer before Loammi could be born. And lastly, Apparens & loquens ei per vifiovem interiorem ecstafis. that which is noted by Polanus, the expression that we have here is, that God spoke in Hosea, speaking and appearing to him by an inward vision as it were in an ecstasy, saith Polanus; therefore we must take it so that this wife of whoredoms that Hosea was to marry, was in a way of vision, it was to signify that Israel was to God as a wife of whoredoms, and as children of whoredoms should have been to the Prophet if he had been married to her. From all these there is this result, that the people of Israel were gone a whoring from God. Obs. Idolatry it is as the sin of whoredom, Adulterium committen● quasi ad alterium se 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conferens. and I cannot open this Scripture except I show you wherein idolatry is like the sin of whoredom: The idolatry of the Church, not the idolatry of Heathens is whoredom. One that committeth adultery doth give herself to another: The Heathens because they were never married to God, their idolatry is not adultery; but the people of GDO being married to the Lord, their idolatry is adultery. Adultery first, Wherein is Idolatry like to the sin of Adultery. because it breaks the marriage bond, there is nothing breaks the marriage bond between God and his people but the sin of idolatry, as not between man and wife. Though a wife may be guilty of many failings, and be a grievous trouble and burden to her Husband, yet these do not break the marriage knot except she defile the marriage bed: 1. So though a people may be guilty of notorious and vile sins, yet if they keep the worshp of God pure, they are not guilty of whoredom, but still God is married to them. 2. Whoredom is a loath some thing, 2. though delightsome to men, yet loathsome to God: Idolatry is so, therefore the Scripture calleth the Idols that men set up by a name that signifieth the very excrement that comes from creatures, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ezek. 22. 3. Idolaters think their way of idol-worship to be very delightsome. but that which they call delectable, God calleth detestable, so you shall find it if you compare these two Scriptures, Isa. 44. 9 they call their Idols delectable things; but in Ezek. 5. 11. God calleth them detestable things. Idolatry is a detestable loathsome thing. 3. There is nothing wherein a man is so irreconcilable as in the point of the marriage bed, 3. the defiling of that by adultery causes an irreconcilable breach. Jealousy is the rage of a man, and he will take no ransom. There is nothing wherein God is so reconcileable to a people, as in the point of false worship. 4. Adultery is a besotting sin. 4. Whoredom and new wine take away the heart, Hos. 4. 11. saith the Prophet: and in that 44. Isa. 19 there, saith God, he hath no understanding to consider and say, What, have I not taken one part and roasted flesh with it, and with another part have baked bread upon the coals, and warmed myself with another part, and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination, and fall down to the stock of a tree? He hath no understanding to consider this. Idolatry is a besotting sin as well as adultery. And therefore we need not marvel though-men of great parts and abilities continue in their superstitious way of worship, for nothing besotteth men's hearts so much as that doth. Again 5. 5. Whoredom is a most dangerous sin. We have a most dreadful place for that, Prov. 22. 14. The mouth of a strange woman is as a deep pit; heath at is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein. Oh most dreadful place to an Adulterer! if there be any Adulterer in this place this day, when thou goest home turn to that Scripture, and let it be as a dart to to thy heart, the mouth of a strange woman is as a deep pit; he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein; A sign of a man abhorred of God, and so is Idolatry, for in 2 Thes. 2. 11, 12. God gave them over to believe a lie that they might be damned. Those that follow the Idolatries of Antichrist are given over by God to believe a lie, That lie of Popery is altogether one lie. Hence it is that the Popish party invent so many such strange lies, all to uphold that great lie. What is this? that they might be damned. It is a dreadful dangerous sin the sin of Idolatry, though they think they please God in and by such ways of worship, yet they are given over by God that they may be damned. If this prove to be a place that concerns those that follow Antichrist, & if Rome proves to be so as by that place is described, it is a dreadful place to all Papists. Again, 6. Whores use to deck themselves up in pompous attire, in dainty, glorious raiment. So idolaters use to deck up their Idols in bravery, and lavish gold (as the Scripture speaks) upon their Idols; whereas the King's daughter is all glorious within, and the simplicity of the Gospel will not permit such things. And lastly, 7. as whores, though they go a whoring from their Husbands, yet still they retain (before the divorce) the name of wives, and their children (though bastards) retain the name of children, and bear the father's name: So Idolaters, they will retain the name of the Church, the Church, and those that they beget, must still be called the only sons of the Church. But how are his children said to be children of whoredoms? Filii Ecclesiae. for suppose his wife were a wife of whoredoms, Quest. yet being married to her, wherefore should the children be called children of whoredoms? To that is answered first, Answ. 1. some think upon this ground, because the children when they are grown up would ●ollow the way of the Mother, as it is an usual thing for children to do. Therefore you need to take heed how you enter into the state of marriage for your children's sake, for they will follow the way of the Mother. Or rather this, because though they were begotten after marriage, yet they will ye under suspicion as those that are illegitimate; the children of one that hath been a whore are always suspected, and so in repute they are the children of whoredom and fornication: so saith God, these people are to me as if their children were accounted the children of fornication. For the whole land hath gone a whoring from the Lord. In going a whoring they go a whoring: Fornicando fornicatur. or as Arius Montanus Fornicando fornicabitur. Or as Arius Montanus reads it, In going a whoring they will go a whoring. They not only Have, but Will, they are set upon it, they are stouthearted in the way of Idolatry, and it is the land that hath done it, the people of the land. But why the land? It is a secret check to them, and upbraiding them for their unthankfulness, that when God gave them so good a land, the land of Canaan, that flowed with milk and honey, the land of promise, that was given to them for that end to nourish up the true worship of God, yet they made this land of God, this land of promise to be a land to nourish up most vile Idolaters. Gone a whoring from the Lord. From Jehovah. The more worthy the Husband is, Obser. the more vile and odious the adultery of the Wife. What, to go a whoring from God, the blessed God, in whom is all beauty and excellency, and turn to blind Idols? What, change the glory of the invisible God, into the similitude of an Ox that eateth grass? with what indignation doth God speak it? Oh you that go a whoring after your sinful lusts, this one day will lie most dreadfully upon your consciences, that it was from the Lord that you departed, from that infinite glorious eternal Deity, the fountain of all good, to cleaye to whoring after base, sinful, and unclean lusts. Who is this whore? and what are the children that are begotten to Hosea by her? So he went, saith the Text, He obeyeth, We must obey God in things that seem to be never so much against our reason and sense. Obsec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim. The word Gomer, here, cometh from a word that signifieth perficere, and defi●ere, perfection & defection: and so it may be applied both ways. Some apply it to perfection, that is, a harlot that was perfect and complete both in her beauty, and in her fornication and wickedness. The word likewise signifieth rottenness, corruption, and consumption: so indeed are all things in the world; as soon as they grow to any perfection, they begin to decline quickly to corruption. All things but spiritual do so, they indeed grow still higher and higher. This Gomer we will take rather in the second acceptation of it, as it signifieth rottenness and consumption. Who was this Gomer? She was the daughter of Diblaim. The signification of that is (according to so me) one that dwelleth in the desert, in reference to that famous desert Diblath, of which we read Ezek. 6. 14. noting the way of Idolaters, that they were wont to go into woods and deserts, and there to sacrifice to their Idols. But rather, according to most, Diblaim signifieth bunches of dried figs that were the delicacies of those times, so Oecolampadius, from which he hath this note, That rottenness and corruption proceedeth from voluptuous pleasures, from delicacies, Obs. and the like. Though the pleasures of the flesh be very contentful to you, yet destruction is the fruit of them; destruction is the daughter of sensual pleasures and delights, of all your delicacies, so saith the Scripture, Rom. 8. 13. If you live after the flesh you shall die. Phil. 3. ult. whose God is their belly, whose end is destruction. But to apply it to Israel. Israel was as Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, that is, the people of Israel were now near to destruction, and were the daughters of sensual delights, they gave over themselves to sensual delights and pleasures. It is the usual way of Idolaters, those that forsake the true worship of God to give up themselves to the pleasures of the flesh. Sensuality and Idolatry do usually go together. When the people of Israel sacrificed to the calves, what did they? They eat and drank, and rose up to play, that was all their work, and good enough for the worshipping of such a god, a calf. You know the more we began to decline in the worship of God, we began to be so much the more sensual, there must be Proclamation to people to take their sports and delights upon the Lord's day; And indeed it is that which doth usually accompany defection in the way of God's worship. False worship doth not lay such bonds upon men's consciences for the mortifying the lusts of the flesh, as the worship of God doth. Therefore those men that love most to take liberty to the flesh, they are those that are soon enticed to ways of superstitious worship. Jerem. 24. 9 there Jeremy setteth out the state of those naughty Jews that were in Captivity by that similitude of a basket of rotten figs, suitable to this, and the more confirming this interpretation, that Israel was as Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, that is, rottenness, the daughter of sensuality. Thus for the Mother. But now the son that is begotten of this mother, it is jezreel. Call his name jezreel. The Prophet must give a name to his son. It is that which belongeth to Parents to give names to their children. Godfathers and Godmothers (as they call them) are of no use for this, or for any thing else that I know; and in such holy things as Sacraments are, we must take heed of bringing in any unuseful, any idle things. But here we are to inquire, First, the signification of this name, Secondly, the reason why the son of Hosea must be callied by this name, jezreel. You shall find a great deal in this before we have done with it. For the first, 5. Reasons of the name of Hoseas' son. jezreel signifies the scattered of the Lord. For the second, there are five reasons may be given why the son of this Prophet must have this name put upon him, jezreel. First, that hereby God might show that he did intend to avenge that blood that was shed in jezreel. Secondly, to show that Israel had lost the honour of his name, and was no more Israel, but Jezreel. There seemeth to be much nearness between the name Israel, and Jezreel, but there is a great deal of difference in the signification, for Israel is one that prevaileth with God, the strength of the Lord, Jezreel is one that is scattered by the Lord. Israel hath lost the honour of his name. Many outlive the honour of their names and reputations. Obser. These ten Tribes are no more worthy to be called by the name of Israel, their famous Progenitor, but now Jezreel, the scattered of the Lord. Thirdly, 3. Jezreel, to show the way that God intended to bring judgement upon these ten Tribes. And what was it? The way should be by scattering, God would scatter them. It is a special way of Gods bringing judgement upon a Kingdom, Obser. by scattering of them. We read, that when Micaiah saw the destruction of Ahab and his people, he had this vision, I saw (saith he, 1 King. 22. 17.) all Israel scattered one from another as sheep that have no shepherd. There is a twofold scattering; A twofold scattering of a People. A scattering among ourselves in ways of division, and a scattering by the Enemy one from another to fly for our lives. The one part of this judgement (the Lord be merciful to us) is upon us already, and in this sense we may be called Jezreel. Oh how is our Kingdom divided! how is it scatted? The Lord keep us from the other scattering, that we be not scattered one from another, by being forced to fly for our lives before the Enemy. It is just with God that if we scatter our felves sinfully by way of division, that God should scatter us in his wrath to our destruction, by giving us up to our Enemies. If we love scattering, if we delight in division, we may soon have scattering enough, there may soon be divisions far enough one from another. 4. Call his name Jezreel, 4. to note that the Lord would scatter them even in that very place where they did most glory, as they did in the valley and city of Jezreel, they did much glory in that place (as you shall hear afterward) But God would scatter them even in that place in which they did so much boast. And lastly, 5. Jezreel, because the Lord would hereby show that he would turn these conceits and apprehensions that they might have of themselves, quite the contrary way. As thus, Jezreel, it signifieth indeed scattered of the Lord, but it signifieth also the seed of the Lord, or sown of the Lord: and so the Jews were ready to take the name Jezreel, and would be content to own it, because it signified the seed of God; And hence it cometh to signify scattered too, because that seed is to be scattered when it is sown: And hence it was that they might glory so much in that name. Oh! they were the seed of the Lord, in an abiding condition, as being sown by the hand of God himself: No, saith God, you are mistaken, I do not call you Jezreel upon any such terms, because you are sown of me, but quite the other way, because you shall be scattered, and come to be destroyed by me. It is the usual way of God to turn those things which men take as arguments for their comfort to their confusion. Obser. Haman who made such an interpretation of the action of ester's inviting him to the banquet alone with the King, the truth is the right interpretation of it had been that it was to his destruction: and so here, whereas they might make such an interpretation of jezreel, as that they were the seed, the sown of the Lord, the true interpretation is, that they are the scattered of the Lord. All these five reasons you have either in the nearness of the name Israel with jezreel, or otherwise in the words that follow after. For yet a little while I will avenge the blood of jezreel upon the house of jehu, and cause to cease the Kingdom of the house of Israel. Here now we come to that which is the main in this Scripture; And these four questions are of great use, and will tend much to edification. 1. What is this blood of jezreel that God will avenge? 2. Why God will avenge the blood of jezreel upon the house of jehu? 3. Why is it called the house of jehu, and jehu alone without the addition of the name King, as it is usual in others, as Hezekiah King of judah, and such a one King of Israel, but here only the house of jehu. 4. What is this little while God speaks of? yet a little while. The words are read I suppose ordinarily, and past over as if there were little in them, but you shall find that there is much of the mind of God held out to us in them. For the first then, What was the blood of Jezreel that here God threateneth 〈◊〉? You may read the History of it in 2 King. Chap. 9, 10, 11. (for the way of opening the Prophets is to compare them with the Scriptures that went before) read those Chapters and you shall find what this blood was. It was the blood of the house of Ahab, the blood of jezabel, the blood of the 70. sons of Ahab, whose heads the Elders of jesreel sent to jehu in baskets. This was the blood that was shed here in this place, which God saith he will aveuge. God will certainly avenge blood, and if God will avenge the blood of Ahab, Obser. he will surely avenge the blood of Abel; if the blood of jesabel then surely the blood of Sarah; if the blood of Idolaters, than the blood of his Saints. God will avenge 〈◊〉 blood. Oh what vengeance then doth hang over that Antichrist, for all the blood of the Saints that hath been spilt by him! the scarlet whore hath died herself with this blood, yea and vengeance will come for that blood that hath been shed of our brethren's in Ireland upon any whosoever have been instrumentals in it great or small: Certainly the righteous God will not suffer that wicked and horrid work to go unavenged, even here upon the earth. Let us wait a while, and we may live to see that time wherein 〈◊〉 shall not only be said by the voice of faith, but by the voice of sense itself, Verily there is a God that judgeth the earth. But why will God avenge the blood of jesreel upon the house of jehu? Answ. 1. Indeed this to an outward view at first is one of the strangest things we have in all the book of God. If you compare this place here in Hosea with other Scriptures, you shall find that it is a strange thing that ever it should be said that the Lord would avenge the blood of jesreel upon the house of jehu. For in 2 King. 9 7. you shall find that jehu was anointed by the Lord on purpose for that action, to shed that blood, and he had a command from God, he was bidden to go and shed it, and the holy oil was poured upon him, for that end that he might shed that blood; yet now this blood must be avenged, and avenged upon the house of jehu. Yea Chap. 10. v. 30. you shall find that God saith, because he had done such a thing, & shed the blood of the house of Ahab in Jesreel, that he would reward him for it, and that his children to the fourth generation should sit upon the throne of Israel, and govern that Kingdom. Now that which Jehu was anointed to do, that which he was commanded to do, that for which God afterward rewarded him for doing; now God saith he will avenge it, and avenge it upon his house. What should be the reason of this? There are three reasons why God would avenge this blood upon the house of Jehu. Three reasons why God avenged the blood of jezreel upon the house of jehu. First, Because though Jehu did it, yet he rather looked at himself and his own ends than at God in it, his aim was to get the Kingdom to himself, but he never aimed at God in the work, therefore God saith he will avenge it upon his house. 2. Because though he did that which God set him about; yet he did it but by halves. Indeed he destroyed ahab's house, but he should have destroyed Ahabs Idolatry too, but he did not do that, and therefore now God cometh upon him. Yea 3. 3. Though he were made ahab's executioner for his Idolatry, yet he proved ahab's Successor in his Idolatry. He was God's rod in punishing Ahab, but he yet continued in the sins that Ahab did commit therefore now God saith, he will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu. From hence we have most excellent observations, that do spring naturally as a fountain bubbleth up fresh and springing water. I will but only show them to you, and so pass them over. First, Obser. 1. That a man may do that which God commandeth, and yet not obey God. He may do that which God would have done, and yet not please God. He may do what God requireth, and yet serve himself therein, and not God. Secondly, Obser. 2 A carnal heart is contented to go so far in Gods commands as will serve his own turn, but there he stoppeth. So far as might serve the bringing up of jehu to the Crown of Israel, Obedience so far as serves a man's own turn. to the setting of him on the Throne, so far he goeth in the way of God's command, but no further. Such a heart is like to the hand of a rusty dial: Suppose a rusty dial hath the hand stand (as now) at ten of the clock, come and look upon it now, and it seemeth to go right, but it is not from any inward right frame of the clock it doth so, but by accident; for stay till after ten, and come again at eleven or twelve and it standeth still as before at ten. So let God command any thing that may hit with a man's own ends, with his own way, and be suitable to him, and a man seems to be very obedient to God; but let God go on further, and require something else, something that will not serve his turn, that will not agree with his own ends, and here God may seek for a servant, as for him he will go no further. Thirdly, Obser. 3. God makes use of men's parts. God knoweth how to make use of men's parts and abilities, and yet to punish for their wickedness notwithstanding. Jehu was a man of an excellent, brave, valiant, and quick spirit, full of activity and courage, and God would make use of this for the destruction of the house of Ahab, yet Jehu must not scape. Many men that have excellent parts of learning and state policy, which God may make use of for the pulling down his proud adversaries, yet God may punish them afterward notwithstanding, Many that have but weak parts, and can do but little, shall be accepted of God: and others that have strong parts and can do much, shall be punished by God. We read Revel. 12. 16. The earth helped the woman, yet Chap. 16. 1. The vials of God's wrath were poured forth upon the earth; men may be useful for the public, and yet not freed from the 〈◊〉 of God. Fourthly, The Lord knows how to make use of the sins of wicked men for his own ends, to further his own counsels, yet no excuse to them, Obser. 4 but his curse will come upon them at last for those sins, God makes 〈◊〉 use of men● sins. God knoweth how to make use of the proud heart and ambitious spirit of Jehu for that end to fulfil his purpose against the house of Ahab, and yet afterward when God hath done with him, he cometh against Jehu with a Judgement. There are many whose lusts being strong, yet God over-ruleth them for himself, and overpowreth them for the furtherance of his own ends. Many a Scholar who through the mere pride of his heart will study hard and preach very often and well, God makes use of that for the good of others, and yet the Minister may be damned himself, A fifth Observation, God may sometimes reward a work here in this world, Obser. 5 yet may curse a man for the work afterward. God rewards here those works that must be answered for he easter. Many there are that do some outward service for God, and perhaps rejoice in it, and think that God must needs accept of them: what they? they have been excellent men in the Commonwealth, they have stood for Ministers, they have been forward in a good cause. Well, thou hast done these; hath not God rewarded thee? hast thou not health of body, and strength? look upon thy estate, art not thou blessed there? look upon thy table, thy wife and children, art not thou blessed there? Thou hast thy penny for what thou hast done. But yet after thou hast had thy pay here in this world for what thou hast done, God may curse thee hereafter even for the sinfulness of thy heart in that work which for the matter of it was good. God may reward thee for the matter of thy work, but curse thee for the manner of it. 6. It is a most dangerous thing for men to subject the works of God to their own base ends, Obser. 6 A dangerous thing to subject public works to our own ends. specially the public works of God, when a man is called to public services, if he subject that to his own base ends, God will be sure to be even with him for that. The more excellent any work is, the more dangerous it is to subject it to a lust. It is an evil thing to make use of meat, and drink, and cloth, to be serviceable to our lusts; but to make use of the great works of God, suppose he calls us to public services, to make these stoop and be serviceable to your base lusts, must needs be grievous indeed. It is a thing accounted burden enough for the basest servant that is, to be serviceable to some base lust of his Master; but if the Mr. should make his wife serviceable to his filthy uncleanness, oh what a villainy were that! So I say, the greater the thing is any man makes serviceable to his lust, the more vile and the more dangerous is the sin. Harken to this you that are professors o● Religion. The drunkard he makes beer serviceable to his lust, and he shall be damned for that: but you make the worship of God, Prayer, and hearing, and fasting, etc. serviceable to your lust, oh what shall become of you▪ A base wretch that sitteth tippling in an Alehouse you account vile, but it is but a poor creature that he subjects to his base lust; but a Minister or a Magistrate subjects things of a higher nature to their lusts, oh this is exceeding vile. We had need (my brethren) all pray earnestly for those whom God employeth in public works, that they may not only have strength to assist them, and success in them, but that they may have hearts to give God all the glory of them; for though they may do never so worthily for God in the Church or in the Commonwealth, yet if they be not careful to give God all the glory, God will curse them at last notwithstanding. Further, Obser. 7. Jehu doth somewhat which God commanded him, but not all. We learn from hence, that when but half the work is done, God curseth the whole for our neglect of the other half. GOD curseth partial obedience. I remember Master Calvin upon this place, likeneth Jehu unto King Henry the 8. Henry the 8. saith he, cast off some degree of Popery so far as would serve his own turn, but there were the five Articles in force still, for which many suffered at that time, and so he was like Jehu in that. God will be served with the whole heart, for all our good is in God, & therefore all our hearts must make out after God. God must have perfect obedience in the desire and endeavour, or else he will have none. Certainly that which must make any man acceptable, it is not so much that there is somewhat done, but is there that which God calleth for done? or is it done in regard of the endeavour? for that indeed will be acceptable: though we cannot do all at once, but it we bring somewhat to God as a part, and acknowledge the debt as the whole, and so are working for the other, it will be accepted. As suppose a man owes you an hundred pound, and bringeth you but fifty pound in part of payment, yet if he acknowledge the rest, and promise the payment of it., if you know he will be faithful in the payment of the other he will accept of it: But if a man bring you fourscore pound in lieu of all, you will not accept it. So it is here, Hypocrites they say they cannot be perfect in his world, and so think to put off God with a little; it is true, if thou hadst an upright heart, and didst bring God but part, and labourst after the whole, he would accept of it: But if thou bringest him ten times more than a sincere heart can bring him, it will not be acceptable, no not ninety nine pounds will be accepted if brought in stead of the whole. God must have a man according to his own heart, such an one as David; you know what was said of David, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. I have found a man after mine own heart that shall fulfil all my wills, for so the words are in the Original, not all my will, but all my wills, in the plural number. Again, Obser. 8. Jehu did but half, and the worst half too, and therefore God cometh upon him. For the great care of Jehu was only to reform things in the State and Kingdom, and therefore that indeed he did throughly, he altered the way of government from the house of Ahab, and set up another government. But for the matter of the worship of God, he cared not what became of that, still the calves continued in Dan and Bethel, he took no care that the people of Israel should go up to Jerusalem, the place that God had appointed to worship him in a right way. This is that for which God thus cursed him and his house. It is a very evil thing in Reformers who have power in their hands, to be more careful of the State then of the Church; to be more careful of affairs in civil policy, Reformers must not be more careful of Policy then of religion. than of affairs in Religion, who are afraid to meddle with Religion, for fear of hindrances in their civil policy, to be so timorous in fearing disturbances in civil policy, that they will sacrifice Religion for it, and let that go which way it will: This is an evil thing, and a bitter. Or if they do reform in the Church, yet to reform only that which is notoriously evil and vile; so far Jehu went, he destroyed the Priests of Baal, but not the Priests of Dan and Bethel: the Idols of Baal were destroyed, but the Idols of Dan and Bethel were kept still. It is the speech of the Philosopher in his Politics, when he giveth a rule of policy. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. Pol. l 7. cap. 8. First, the care of Divine things must be, and that is the best policy. Politicians must trust God in the way of policy, & take care of Divine things first. Yea, and go to a through Reformation too; for Jehu did something in Religion, but left other things therefore God cursed him. Men must take heed of betraying, of sacrificing the cause of God for the maintenance of State Policy; let them be never so excellent in their way, yet if they do thus, God will blast them. Yet further, M●n can see the evil of sin in others rather then in themselves. Jehu saw the danger of that wicked and abominable sin of Idolatry in others, but he could not see it in himself. What peace (said he to joram) so long as the whoredoms of thy mother jezebel continue? What peace? Then what peace jehu, so long as the whoredoms of Israel continue afterwards? This is ordinary (my brethren) for men to see a great deal of evil and danger in the sins of others, but when they should come to themselves, to be blind there; to inveigh against the sins of other men, when they seem to be far off from them, or that they cannot make use of them; but when they can make use of them, then to embrace them. Thus it was with Saul, he was exceeding severe against Witchcraft, all the Witches in Israel must be put to death: but when Saul had use of a Witch for his lust, he himself goeth to the Witch of Endor. In the tenth place, Jehu thought by retaining the calves in Dan and Bethel, Obser. 10 to preserve the Kingdom to his posterity, and this proved the ruin of his posterity. Those ways of sinful policy by which many think to raise their houses or themselves, are the means of the ruin of them. He that walks uprightly, walks surely. Lastly, jehu doth thus, and God punisheth jehu because he continued Oser. 11. in the same sin that Ahab was punished for. This is of excellent use, specially to Magistiates; and indeed it is a dreadful place to Magistrates, if considered of. Let them who are used to punish the sins of others, take heed what they do, Magistrates must take heed of liv●ng in the same sins they punish. lest they be found guilty themselves; for if they be found guilty, God will plague them, as if they did the greatest act of injustice that can be: As for instance, Suppose a Magistrate should take away the life of a man lawfully for that which God would have him take it away: yet if this Magistrate should be guilty of the same sin, or that which amounteth to the same sin, God will avenge himself upon this Magistrate, as upon a Murderer, as here, God revengeth himself upon the house of jehu as for murder, yet jehu was a Magistrate, and this was commanded jehu by God himself. So suppose a Magistrate fine a man for any evil, and that justly, yet if he be guilty of the same himself, God will deal with this Magistrate as if he rob by the high way side, and took away a man's money by violence. It is apparent out of the Text. Certainly my brethren, therefore great wrath and vengeance hangeth over the head of wicked Magistrates. All this you learn from what is here said, that God will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, upon the enquiring into the reason of it. And he will do this upon the house of jehu, (that is the third Question.) What is the house of jehu? That is his Posterity, Quest. Ans. his Family that was to succeed. And indeed it was to the fourth generation till God came against him, (as we shall hear by and by) God followeth wicked men to the 3. and 4. generation. The posterity of the ungodly, Obs. Why a threat against posterity in the second Command rather than in any ●ther. specially Idolaters, shall suffer for their Father's sin. It is very observable what you have in the second Commandment, that God in no other doth threaten the sin of the fathers upon the children, but in the second Commandment. What is thereason of this? (That Commandment forbiddeth Images) Because your superstitious worshippers of all men are strengthened by the tradition of their Fathers. Oh our Fathers did thus and thus, and shall we be wiser than our Forefathers? We have now a company of upstart men, and they will be wiser than their Ancestors. Because superstitious worshippers harden themselves so much in that way upon their Fathers, therefore it is, that in that very Commandment against making and worshipping of Images, God threateneth to visit the sin of the fathers upon the children, and in no other. What, the house of jehu, after jehu was dead? how can this be? Yes, Theequ●ty of children's suffering for their Parents. as a Prince that hath to do with two Traitors, both of them have deserved death, but the Prince is inclined to show mercy; and against the one there cometh this Accusation, This man's Father was a Traitor, and his grandfather, and his great grandfather were Traitors: Nay then let him die, saith the Prince. But now the other that is guilty of as much as this man was, yet it is told the King, Sir, This man's Fathers hath done a great deal of excellent service for the Commonwealth, there were never any of his house but were loyal. This man now is spared though he deserveth death, and guilty with the other of the same treason; and the King is just in this. And so the first man may be said to die for his Father's sin, that is, he should not have been executed if his Forefathers had not been in the fault. Take heed what you do in the course of your lives, (if you regard not yourselves, yet for your children's sake) that you may not leave a curse behind you upon the offspring of your loins, and fruit of your wombs; look upon them, pity them. Though you yourselves may escape in this world, yet you may leave the inheritance of your sins unto your children. Pity your children, that they may not have cause to curse the time that they were borne of such parents, and wish that they had rather been of the offspring of Dragons, and a generation of Vipers, then to be born of such parents that have left them a curse for an inheritance. It had been better you had left them never a penny, then to leave them to inherit the curse of your wickedness. Upon the house of Jehu. The house of Jehu fareth the worse for Jehu. Those that desire to raise and continue the honour of their houses, Observe. let them take heed of ways of wickedness; for wickedness will bring down any Family whatsoever. But why is it The house of Jehu, Question. without any addition of Jehu the King as in others it is usual? Hereby God would give a check to Jehu, and bid him look back upon the meanness of his birth, Answer. for Jehu was not of the Kingly race: yet how unthankful was he who was raised from the dunghill, thus unworthily to depart from the Lord. You whom God hath raised up on high to great honours and estates, Observe. look back to the meanness of your beginning, that God hath raised you from, and labour to give him an answerable return of obedience. Those that will not give God the glory of their honours and estates, it is just their honours and estates should be taken from them. But what is this, Question. Yet a little while? This is to be understood in reference to Jehu, Answer. or in reference to the house of Israel. Yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cease the Kingdom of the house of Israel. It was a long while before God came upon the house ol Jehu, and yet now he saith, yet but a little while, I will stay but a little longer ere I avenge the blood of jezreel upon the house of jehu. It was now the third generation since jehu committed those sins, nay, it will appear that it was above an hundred years from the sins of jehu to God's avenging the blood of jezreel upon his house: 2 King. 10. 36. 13. 1 13. 10. 13 23. for jehu reigned 28. years, his son jehoahaz 17. years, and jehoash his son 16. years, and jeroboam his son 41. years, and then in the days of Zachariah the son of this jeroboam, God came to avenge this blood, which was above a hundred years. Oh the patience of the Lord towards sinners! But though he stayed long, yet he saith, yet a little while. Here is an excellent observation from hence. That God sometimes cometh upon sinners for their old sins, for sins committed a long time agone: Obser. Sin punished a long time after the commission. Sins a long time agone committed, are perhaps forgotten by you, yet they are remaining, filled up, and recorded in heaven, above a hundred years after the commission. It is like these sins of jehu were forgotten, yet God cometh now at last to avenge the sins of jehu upon his house. So he did for the sins of Manasses, and for the sins of Joseph's brethren, it was 22. years before they came to have their consciences troubled, and then say they, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, therefore is this distress come upon us, and now (saith Reuben) behold also his blood is required. Gen. 42. 22 Look to yourselves you that are young, take heed of youthful sins, Youthful sins may prove to be ages terrors. Perhaps you think it was a great while agone that you (when you were a young man) were in fuch a Tavern, or in such a journey, and committed such and such sins: Have you repent for them? Have you made your peace with God for them? Though you were then young, and did not fear the wrath of God to come upon you; yet now you are old, the wrath of God may come upon you for sins committed in your Apprenticeship. Isa. 65. 20. A sinner of a hundred years old shall be accursed. Yet a little while. In reference to the house of Israel: Yet a little while and I will cease the Kingdom of the house of Israel: This Nation had continued a pompous successful Nation (thoughidolatrous) for about 260. years before the wrath of God came upon it that was here threatened. God may come a long time after the flourishing of a Nation upon it in ways of judgement. Observe. Which may make us look back to the sins committed in Henry the 8, his time, and in Queen Mary's time. Let us not plead for our forefathers for the maintenance of superstitious worship, but let us look to the sins of our forefathers, and bewail them before the Lord, for God may come upon a Nation for former sins after it hath flourished a long time. But at length it will prove but a little while. Quest. What, was it but a little while from the beginning of this Prophecy till the ceasing of the Kingdom of the house of Israel. Yes (my brethren) it was many years. Answ. and it is very observable that from the beginning of this Prophecy) which was in the end of the reign of Jeroboam) to the rulfilling of what was here threatened, to the ceasing of the Kingdom of the house of Israel, it was 76. years. For (as I reckoned the last day, to show the time of Hoseas' Prophecy) from the end of Jeroboam here spoken of, ver. 1. unto the time of Hezekiah was 70. years, and in the 6. year of Hezekiah Israel was destroyed by the King of Assyria, and yet God saith here by Hosea (which was in the time of Jeroboam, for than was the beginning of Hoseas' Prophecy, as ver. 1.) Yet a little while. Seventy six years is but a little while in God's account. Observe. Many years are but of little while in God's account. Sinners think either in ways of judgement or mercy, a little while to be a great while. If God do but defer mercy seven years, it is a great while in our account. We think our Parliament hath sat a long time; How long? almost two years. A great while! We think every day a great while, for that we would faint have but 76. years, yea a hundred, a thousand years are but as one day unto God. So for judgement: a sinner if he hath committed a sin seven years ago, he thinketh it is a great while, and he hath not heard of it, thereforre surely it is forgotten. But what if it be seventy years ago? you that are sinners of seventy years old, all is but a little while in regard of God. Again, Yet a little while. The apprehension of a judgement just at hand is that which will stir the heart, and work upon it most. Yet a little while, and God will cause the kingdom to cease, Obser. therefore if ever you repent, repent now, for it is but a little while ere God will cause the kingdom to cease. The apprehension of a sinner to be upon the brink of judgement, when a poor soul shall see himself ready to launch into the infinite ocean of eternal destruction, to lie under the scalding drops of the wrath of the Almighty; this works upon the heart indeed. It is the way of the flesh and the devil to put far from us the evil day, to make us believe the day of death is a great way off. But it is the way of God to present things present and real; and in this consisteth the efficacy and power of faith to make things that are to come as if present. Present things affect not. We say in nature, there must be a contiguity and nearness between things that must work. So we must apprehend a nearness between the evil that is to come upon us and ourselves, that so it may work upon our hearts. An excellent place you have to this purpose in 1 King. 14. 14. where the Lord threateneth to stir up a King over Israel who should cut off the house of jeroboam that day; Omnis actie fit per contactum. but what? (saith he, he presently calleth back his word) even now: you may think the day a great way off, but it is even now: and therefore now come in, return, and repent. Oh sinners consider that your danger is now, not only in that day of Christ, but what? even now, it may be at hand. Lastly, Yet a little while. Jeroboam had continued above forty years in his sin, but now Zachariah his son, upon whom this threatening was fulfilled, continued but six months, perhaps he thought to escape as long as his father. No, God suffereth some sinners to continue long, Obser. others he cutteth off presently: though the father continue old in his sins, if the son presume to follow his steps, he may be cut off presently. And I will cause to cease the Kingdom of Israel. Kingdoms, Obser. great Kingdoms and Monarchies are subject to change, What is become of all the glorious Monarchies in the world? how hath the Lord tossed them up and down as a man would toss a ball? Idolatry is enough to destroy the greatest Monarchy, the greatest Kingdom in the world. But here is some instruction in the elegancy of the word. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quiescere faciam. It is in the Original, I will cause to cease. It is a Metaphor (according to some) taken from instruments that a man makes use of for a while, and when he hath done with them, either hangs them up against a wall and regards them no more, or else bringeth them to the fire to be burned. So saith God, yet a little while, and I will cause to cease, etc. As if he should say, Indeed there was a time wherein I had some use of this way, of the rent between Judah and Israel, and of this Kingdom, but I have done with that use, there is an end of it now, the use is over I intended, & now I will cause to cease the Kingdom, I will take them away, they shall be to me as an instrument not to be used any more, or for the Fire. When the Lord hath any use of a people, Obser. or of any particular men to do him service, he will preserve them though they be wicked, and when he hath done with them, he either lays them aside, or else brings them to the fire. A Husbandman so long as he hath use of thorns to stop a gap with them, he lets them alone, but when there shall be no further use of them, he then bring them to the fire. so God here, I will cause to cease the Kingdom of the house of Israel. But how and where will God cause to cease the Kingdom of Israel? Vers. 5. I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. By breaking the bow, is here meant the blasting and bringing to nothing all the strength of their warlike power, all their Arms and Ammunition, for the bow was a great warlike instrument in these days, therefore in Psal. 46. 9 He makes wars to cease, he breaks the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder, etc. But here, by breaking the bow, there is something more, it is not only mentioned because the bow is a warlike instrument, but there is some particular reason why the bow is instanced here, and that is this, because whereas Jehu did many memorable things in his warlike affairs, yet none more than that he did by his bow. Mark that place, 2 King. 9 24. And jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jeroboam between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, etc. So that the victory that Jehu got ever the two Kings of Israel and judah, was by the Bow especially. What observe we from hence? That wherein wicked men have been most prosperous and successful, Observe. even in this God will curse them, and let out his wrath upon them. Again, Break the bow, blast all the power of their Ammunition. Carnal hearts trust much in their warlike weapons, Observe. but they are nothing when God cometh to break a people's strength. God hath the power of all Ammunition, the Lord is called The Lord of Hosts, (and he delighteth much in this title) First, because God hath not only the power over Ammunition and all Warlike weapons, so as they cannot be used but by him: But secondly, because when they are used, they can have no success at all but by him; and so the Lord is the Lord of Hosts in a peculiar sense: He is the great General of all Armies, more than all other Generals, for the success of all dependeth upon him. My brethren, why then need the Church of God fear the strength of weapons, the Bow, the Cannon, or all the Ammunition of the enemies of the Church, No weapons can prosper against the Church. seeing our Lord is the Lord of Hosts? no weapon can be used or have success but by this Lord of Hosts. He can break the bow, though of steel, when pleaseth, and can give his people strength to do so too. For this you have an admirable promise, Esa. 54. 17. Behold (saith God) I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and bringeth forth an instrument for his work, and I have created the water to destroy. No weapon that is form against thee shall prosper. What need the Church fear then? God breaks the bow when he pleaseth: For as God hath a providence over all the things in the world, so there is a specialty of providence of God to order Battles, to give the victory, not to the strong, or to the multitude, but sometimes to the weak and few, even as he pleaseth. And therefore he is the Lord of Hosts, because though his providence is general over all creatures, yet there is a specialty of providence of God in warlike affairs. But what was this valley of Jezreel? It is worthy our time to inquire after this valley of Jezreel, wherein God will break the bow of Israel. There were two places called Jezreel, the one belonging to judah, Iosh. 15. the other belonging to Israel, Iosh. 17. 16. & Chap. 19 18. jezreel was a fruitful valley, ten miles long, and by it there was a famous City built, which was in ahab's time the principal seat, the Metropolis of the Kingdom, and there was a glorious tower in it, & from thence they might see over Galilee and over jordan. Now there were two great Cities that belonged to the ten Tribes, Samarea and jezreel, as we in England have two principal Cities, London and York. But this jezreel was the most fortified, in which they put a great deal of confidence, yet God saith here, He will break the bow of Israel in the valley of jezreel. That is, there by that City in that place, that they accounted the great strength of their Kingdom, there he would break the bow of Israel. Fortified Cities cannot help when God cometh out against a people. Observe. Fortified places are nothing where the wrath of God is out against a people. If we can fortify our Cities against sin, we may soon fortify them against an Enemy. If sin once get in, the enemy will quickly follow. Nah. 3. 12. All thy strong holds shall be like figtrees with the first ripe figs; if they be shaken, they shall fall into the mouth of the eater. You shall with the least wind like the first ripe figs shall off, all your strong holds shall do so. Yea, ver. 13. Thy people in the midst of thee are women, the gates of thy land shall be set wide open to thine enemies, the fire shall devourthy bars. You see what the valley of jezreel is, & the meaning of it. But why will God break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel? There are these two reasons for it. 1. Because God would deal with this people of Israel, as Judges deal with Malefactors; they will hang them up there where the fact was committed, as we see some hanged up in Chains near to the City, at or about the place where their villainy was done. So in Jezreel was shed the blood of Jezebel, and the blood of the 70. sons of Ahab, and the blood of Jehoram, and there will God break the bow. Hence it is that guilty consciences are many times afraid to go near to the places where they have committed wickedness, because their consciences will fly in their faces, for fear God should come upon them in the place where the fact was done. But further, 2. He will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel, that is, in that fortified place in which they did so much glory (this is specially observable.) Even in that place wherein a kingdom shall most glory, Obser. God punishes men in that they most glory in. & seem to trust most in, God many times doth come and break the kingdom in that very place, and makes that the breaking of the kingdom most. Nah. 3. 8. Art thou better then populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampant was the sea, & her wall was from the sea? Mark, a people just like England in this case: what we overcome by the Enemy? we that have the Seas for our Wall, and such a multitude of people amongst us? These have been & are the two pleas that England hath for herself, because our people are many, and we have the seas for a wall: But art thou better than populous No? yet was she carried away, she went into captivity, etc. vers. 10. Thus the Prophet pleadeth with them. But further, These trusted in Jezreel, they seemed to scorn the Prophet What, the kingdom of Israel cease, what think you of Jezreel, such a strong place as that? just as we should say, what, an Enemy come to us what say you to London, a brave City, a strong City? what say you to the Ammunition, to the Militia, to the strength that is there? Are they not able to resist all that can come against it? Have we cause to fear danger? It is true, the kingdom hath cause to bless God for London, and London hath not yet been the valley of Jezreel, but an Israel, the strength of the Lord, & hath prevailed with God, as an instrument: & therefore we bless God for that we have had. But yet let us not trust in that we have, for even in London, in the valley of Jezreel the bow may be broken, and God knows how to bring things about so as to make the Ammunition of London to be broken in pieces, and turned against themselves: Oh therefore do not trust here. Only let it be your care you of this City of London that you prove not the valley of Jezreel, and then we shall do well enough, our bow shall not be broken. What attempts have there been to have made London by this time the valley of Jezreel, that is a scattered valley, to have brought divisions in this City, that it might be a scattered people; & woe to the kingdom if this had been effected, better these men had never been born then that they should have had success in that horrid enterprise. Oh London now the blessing of God is over you! the means of grace abundantly among you. The eyes of the kingdom are upon you; take heed you be be not the valley of jezreel, Lect. 3. your divisions will cause great thoughts of heart; continue you untied one to another, and then you are as one Israel of God, the instrument of God for our strength. Pardon me this little digression, though it be a little from an expository exercise. Thus we have done with the Mother, and with the first son. The Third Lecture. Hosea. 1. 6. 7. And she conceived again and bore a daughter, june 6. 1641 and God said unto him call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them away. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, & will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by bartell, by horses, nor by horsemen. COncerning Hoseas first son, the last day. She conceived again. This conception sets out also the estate of Israel in regard of her sin and misery: Sin it is fruitful, and what bringeth it forth? Parents bring forth a likeness to themselves, and so doth sin; and what is that? Nothing but ruin & misery. This second child it is a daughter, it noteth the weakness of the state of the ten Tribes at this time, they were grown to be effeminate in regard of their lust, and the baseness of their spirits, and in regard of their strength also they were like the female sex. There are 3. estates of the people signified by the 3. Hoseas 3. children shows the 3 estates of 〈◊〉 children of Hosea; the first was their scattered estate, and that was signified by Jezreel, the first son; of which the last day: And the story of that you had in 2 K. 15. ver. 9 to the 19 where you may read their woeful sedition; for Zach●riah reigned but 6. months, & then Shallum sle● him, & reigned in his stead, and he reigned but one month, for Menah●● came & smote Shallum & slew him, & reigned in his stead: So here was nothing but murders and seditions amongst them. A scattered people. The 2. state of the people of Israel was their weak condition that they were brought unto, signified by this daughter; and the history of that you have from v. 16. of that Ch. onwards, where when Pull the K. of Assyria came against Israel, Menahem presently yielded to him what he would have, giveth him JOCO. talents of silver to go from him, & so layeth a taxation upon the people for it. Here they were brought to a very low & weak condition. And afterwards this K. of Assyria cometh again, and carrieth part of them into captivity. The 3. child was Loammi, and the history of the state of the people signified by that you have in 2 K. 17. 6. where they were fully carried away, & wholly rejected for ever: And because they were a little before that time grown up to some strength more than formerly, therefore this last was a son. We are now to speak of the second. She conceived again and bore a daughter. From that interpretation I have given of it, to note the weakness and effeminacy of the state of the people at this time, a little before their ruin; The observation from thence is this, When the manliness, Observe. courage, and vigour of the spirits of people are taken away, than they are under a fearful judgement, and near to ruane. Even when their men shall be as women, Base effeminateness of spirit in a people yielding to what shall be imposed upon them, a sign of ruin. as Nah. 3. 13. when there shall be such baseness of spirit in people, that for the enjoyments of their present ease and quiet they yield to any thing. So it was with these, and in that their effeminateness was showed. When the King of Assyria came to them, they yeeelded to any terms he would appoint, to give him any thing he would demand; and when the taxes were laid upon the people, they enquired not whether they were just or no, but merely for their peace & safety they yield. We must take heed of bringing ourselves into trouble, we were better pay this then venture the loss of all, we must not displease those that are above us, we know not what hard things may follow; it is our wisdom, though things are hard, and we complain the taxations are heavy, yet to suffer something, they had rather have a little though with baseness, then venture any thing for further peace and liberty for themselves and their posterity. 2. The effeminateness of their sp●rits were shown in this, that they were willing to bow down their necks to submit to the government of most vile murderers, without any enquiry after them, or taking any course or way at all to find out their murders and wickedness. Zecharia was slain by Shallum, then cometh Menahem and he killed Shallum, after Menahem, reigned Pekahiah, and against him conspired Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him in Samaria, and with him killed 50. men, and reigned in his room, then cometh Hoshea the son of Elah, and he made a conspiracy against Pekah, and slew him, and reigned in his stead. Here were murderers upon murderers, and yet the people all this while bow down their necks, and look not after these things: They have gotten power in their hands, and we must take heed of looking so high, to inquire after things that are above us, and it is ill displeasing of them, we were better a great deal be quiet and hold our peace, & say nothing, than to inquire after such high matters as those are; and so they let all go, and bowed their necks to the yoke, and by no means such horrible guile of murders must be questioned, because the murderers had got power in their hands. Their cowardly timorous spirits were much like the temper of Issachar, we read of Gen. 49. 15. Isachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens, Purity in the Church cannot stand long with slavery in the ●eate. he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant, and he bowed his shoulders to bear, & became a servant unto tribu●e. And when men's spirits are effeminate in regard of the civil state, they quickly grow so in regard of their consciences and religion too. Purity of religion in the Church cannot stand long with slavery admitted in the State. We read Rev. 4. 7. of 4. Ages of the Church set out by four living-creatures: the 3. living-creature the Text saith, had the face of a man, and that was to note the state of the Church in the time of reformation, they began then to be of manly spirits, & to cast off that yoke of bondage that was before upon them, to inquire after what liberty God had granted to them. Not then like those we read of, Isa. 51. 23. that would bow down to such as would say to their souls, Bow down that we may go over them. This (my brethren) hath been the condition of many of us; there hath been that effeminateness of spirit in us, that we have bowed down our necks, yea, our souls to those that would go over us; yea, (as it is there in 51. Isa.) they made themselves the very street to them that went over them, their very consciences were trampled upon by the foot of pride, and all for the enjoyment of a little outward accommodation in their estates, in their shops, and in their trading, Oh they must not venture these, rather yield to any thing in the world. And truly we were afraid not long since that God was calling us by the name of this daughter Loruhamah, in regard of our effeminateness of spirit, that the Lord was departing from our nation. But blessed be God that now here hath begun to be a rising of spirit among us, especially among our worthies in Parliament, and their warmth, vigour, & life, hath put warmth, vigour, spirit, and life, into the whole Kingdom. Now our Kingdom will never bow down and submit their Consciences, Viri fort●● est aut pul chrevivere aut fartiter mori. nor Estates, nor liberties to that bondage and oppression that heretofore hath been. No, they had rather die honourably then live basely. But why do I make such a disjunction? dy honourably, or live basely? Had we spirits we might free ourselves and posterity from living basely, and we need not die at all; for the malignant party hath neither spirit to act, nor power to prevail, if we keep up our spirits and be strong in the Lord we are safe enough, yet we shall not have our name Loruhamah, but Ruhamah, the Lord will have mercy upon us. 1 King. 14. 15. God threatens to smite Israel, that they shall be as a reed shaken with the wind: After base yielding to slavery follows ruin. and then mark what followeth, and then he would root them out of this good land which he gave to their Fathers. If this judgement be upon England that our spirits be shaken as a reed with the wind, that we bow and yield to any thing in a base way, the next may justly follow that the Lord may root us out of this good Land. As it was with Israel before their destruction, they grew effeminate, so it was with Judah too before theirs, Isa. 3. 3. when God intended judgement against them, you may observe there that He took away the mighty man & the man of war, the prudent and the ancient, the Captain & the honourable man & the Counsellor. men of truly noble spirits were taken away, their Nobles became to be vile and sordid, & to yield to any humours and lusts, than they were near the ruin; and ver. 12. the Text saith women rule over them; for women that have many spirits to rule is no judgement at all; but for women of revengeful spirits to rule over a nation is a most fearful judgement. But so much of the first, that it is a daughter that is here born to Hosea. What is this daughter's name? Call her name Loruhamah? Non dilecta, so some, Non misericordiam consecuta, so others, both come to one, either not beloved, or one that hath not obtained mercy, for God's mercy proceedeth from his love. I will no more have mercy. I will add no more mercy; Quae su●●u, abjecturi in altum tolimus ut majori ruina decidant. Nothing that God had showed abundance of mercy to Israel before; but now he saith, I will not add any more, I will show no further mercy to them. But I will utterly take them away. Tollendo tollam; so turned by some, In taking them away I will take them away; Levaho levando, so others, I will lift them up, that I may cast them down so much the more dreadfully. The old Latin hath it thus, Obliviscendo obliviscor, forgetting I will forget. And this was upon a mistake of the Hebrew word, because there is little difference in the Hebrew, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oblitus fuit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ab●●ulit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. between the word that signifieth to to forget, and that which signifieth to take away. The 70. setting myself against them, I will set myself against them. Well the name of the child must bear this upon it, that God will have no more mercy upon them. Hence than first. Sometimes the very children of families, and in a kingdom do bear this impression upon them, that God will have no mercy upon this family, upon this kingdom. One may (my brethren) read such an impression upon the children of many great families in this Kingdom, Obser. 1 when we look upon that horrible wickedness of the young ones that are coming up, how different from their former religious Ancestors; we may see with trembling hearts) such an impression of wrath, as if God had said, I have done with this family, I intent no further mercy to this family. As sometimes when we see in a family gracious children, gracious young gentlemen, noble men, we may see the impression of God's mercy to that family, Ruhaniah, I intent mercy to it. It was not long since that we might, Encouragement from gracious youth in England. and we thought indeed we did see such an impression upon the young ones of this kingdom, the young ones in the City, the young ones in the chief families in the Country; that we were afraid that Lornhamah to England was written upon them, for oh the rudeness and wickedness of the young ones! But blessed be God that we see it otherwise now; now in regard of that graciousness, that forwardness of so many young ones amongst us, we may see written upon them, Ruhamah to England, mercy to England, God hath taken away his Lo, and writeth only Ruhamah, mercy to you, this great change God hath made. For the great ground of the hope we have for mercy to England, is the impression of God upon the young ones: When God hath tender plants growing up in his Orchard, Obser. 2. certainly he will not break down the hedge or dig it up. Secondly, Call her name Loruhamah, for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel. 〈◊〉 2. 1. There is a time when God will not have mercy upon a kingdom or upon a particular people. Gather your seves together, oh nation not worthy to be beloved, before the decree come forth. There is a time for the decree to come forth against a kingdom, when God will not be entreated; a time when though Noah, Job, and Daniel should stand before him, yet he will not be entreated, though they cry, cry ●arly, cry aloud, cry with tears, cry with fasting, yet God will not be entreated. God's mercy is precious, and he will not let it run out to waste, he will not be prodigal of it, a time wherein God will say, The fears of the Saints that heretofore mercy was departed from us justified. Now I have done, I have done with this people, mercy hath had her turn. It is true, except we had that immediate revelation that the Prophets had, we cannot now determine of the particular time; yet by examining God's way toward his people in former times, the truth is, that those that laboured most to search God's mind in his word, they were even afraid that this decree had been gone out upon us in England. It is true, God hath seemed for the present to tell us that he hath a prerogative, and he will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy: But yet neither are those altogether to be blamed, that even in their own hearts determined (as it were) that mercy was gone; except they did wholly limit God, and left nothing of prerogative at all to him, but because it was Gods ordinary way; and except God had wrought with us in a way of prerogative otherwise than ever he did with any nation before, they did then conclude that the decree was gone forth; and so it might be true, and what God may do with us yet we do not know. But this we can say, if the decree be not gone forth, if there be mercy for us, God hath showed his prerogative, that he will now go on in such a way otherwise than formerly he hath done in the world; and if God will do so, who can say against it? A time there is likewise for God to say against particular persons, he will not have mercy upon them, Luk. 14. 14. Rev. 22. 1● Gen. 6. 3 God must not be dallied withal in the offers of his grace. a time when God will say, those men that were bidden shall not taste of my Supper; he that will be filthy, let him be filthy still, my spirit shall no longer strive with them. God hath no need (my brethren) that we should receive or entertain his mercy, we had need that God should grant it. God many times is quick in the offer of his mercy. Goc and preach the Gospel, he that believeth shall be saved, he that believeth not shall be damned. A quick work God makes many times in the effects of mercy. Yet 3. Obser. 3 I will not have mercy: This is pronounced as the most dreadful judgement. What, not have mercy upon them? then indeed is a State or a Kingdom in a dreadful condition, when God shall say of them that he will not hve mercy. woe to you (saith the Lord) when I depart from you, woe then to you when my mercy is for ever gone, than all judgements & miseries must needs flow in upon a nation, or a particular soul; when the Sea-bank is broken up, than the waves will all flow in. Isa. 56. 9 All you beasts of the field come to devour, yea, all you beasts in the forest, why what is the matter? His watchmen are blind, etc. I argue thus from thence, if the prudence of the watchmen being taken away which should stop misery, than all evils come flowing in upon a Nation. What then if the mercy of God that should stop misery be taken away? whither should the poor creature go if mercy be gone? to what creature should it look for help? if it cries to any creature, the creature saith, I can afford no comfort, because God affordeth no mercy: what shall uphold the heart then when it hath no hope at all? It must needs sink. I will not add mercy (saith God) showing, that what good they had received before it was from his mercy, though they would take no notice of it; well, saith God, you shall have no more, you have taken no notice that it was my mercy that helped you before, but when my mercy is gone, than you will know it, Obser. 4. but then I will not add more. Men best know what the worth of mercy is, when mercy is taken away from them, when God addeth no more. Again, Obser. 5 I will not add mercy. God doth not use to take away his mercy fully from a people or from a soul: but when mercy hath been showed and abused, after much mercy hath been received, and that being abused, than God saith he will not add more. You have a parallel place to this, judg. 10. 16. I will deliver you no more, saith God, I have delivered you many times, my mercy hath been abused, I will deliver you no more. It is just with God when mercy is abused, that we should never know farther what mercy meaneth. Mercy as it is a precious thing, so it is a tender thing, and a dangerous thing to abuse it. There is nothing that more quickly works the ruin of a people or of a soul, then abused mercy. But further, I will utterly take them away. Before it was only that they should be scattered, the name of the first child before was but jezreel, that they should be the scattered of the Lord; but the 2. is Loruhamah, that they shall have no more mercy from the Lord. Obser. 6 God's 2. strokes usually are more dreadful than the first: Less judgements forerunners of greater. God beginneth first with the house of Correction before he bringeth to the gallows. There is branding first before hanging: there are warning pieces before murdering pieces. God makes way for his wrath by lesser afflictions, before he cometh with destroying judgements. I remember Mr. Knox in his History of Scotland hath this story of one Sir james Hamilton, that having been murdered by the Ks. means there, he appeared to him in a vision with a naked sword drawn, and strikes off both his arms, with these words, Take this before thou receive a final payment for all thy impieties, and within 24. hours 2. of the Ks. sons died. God cometh to nations & particular persons with a sword, cutteth off arms before he takes their lives, he cometh by degrees upon them. As the Lord when he cometh in a way of abundance of mercy, lesser mercies make way for greater mercies. When Manna was reigned down, the dew ever came before it: So, lesser judgements to the wicked are forerunners of, and maker's way for greater judgements; first they are parboiled before they come to be roasted in the fire. Further, I will not add mercy to the house of Israel. He doth not say, I will not add mercy to this or that particular man of Israel, but to the house of Israel. A Multitude of sinners, with God is no argument for their escape of judgement. It is a rule indeed with man, Multitudo peccantium, tollit peccatum, Multitude of offenders take away their offences; Obser. 7 Men know not how to execute the offenders when they are in Multitudes, here and there some of the ringleaders may be taken for example sake. But it is no rule with God, though it be the whole house of Israel, God hath no mercy for the whole house of all the people of Israel. Let no man presume to sin against the Lord, because there are Multitudes that do offend, & think that he shall escape with the Multitude. No, all the nations of the world with the Lord are but as the drop of a bucket, & as the small dust of the balance, nothing, even less than nothing. And yet further, No mercy upon the house of Israel: Though it be the house of Israel, yet no mercy upon her. If it were the house of Pharaoh it were not so much, Obser. 8 but what, no mercy to the house of Israel? The neareness of any to God exempts them not from the wrath of God. God hateth sin, Amos 3. 2. and hateth sin most when it is nearest him: You have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore will I punish you for your iniquities, saith the Lord. As we hate a Toad in our bosoms more than when it is at a further distance; so God hateth sin in those that are nearest to him more than in those that are further off; for God will be sanctified in all those that draw near unto him. But wherefore is all this that God will have no more mercy upon the house of Israel? what hath the house of Israel done, that God should be so angry with it? It is worth our searching and enquiring after, why the Lord will at this time have no mercy upon the house of Israel. It concerns ourselves nearly. The first and main reason is, because of their continuance in their false way of worship, notwithstanding all the means that God had used to bring them off; not only by his Prophets, sending them again and again to show them the evil of their false worship in those 2. Calves in Dan and Bethel, but by most remarkable works of his providence against them. As for example. The work of God against Jeroboam, when he was but stretching out his hand against the Prophet that came to denounce judgement against that Altar upon which he was offering Sacrifice, 1 Kings 13. 4. his hand that he put forth against him dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him, and upon the prayer of the Prophet it was restored & became as was before. Again, the remarkable work of God in anointing jehu to destroy the house of Ahab and his seed for their Idolatry. Yet notwithstanding these Prophets, and these works of God, with many other, they still persisted in their way of Idolatry. And this caused the Lord now not to have mercy upon the house of Israel. Let us take heed of this, God hath used, and still doth use means to bring us off fully from all ways of false worship, not only by sending his Ministers from time to time to declaim against such things, but by wonderful and remarkable works of his providence towards England, especially at this day. Never had any Nation, never had England heretofore more remarkable works of God to draw them off from all ways of false worship, to bring them to worship God in the right way according to his will. Now let us tremble at this sentence; I will not add mercy, I will have no more mercy. God hath added mercy to us again and again from time to time. And now me thinks in this work of God's mercy, that he is about concerning us, Exod. 33. 5 he speaks to us as he did to the people, Come and put off thy ornaments, that I may know what to do with thee. Come now and humble yourselves that I may know what to do; As if God should say, Come & give in your last answer. A dangerous thing to reject an offer of mercy after rejection of former offers. Certainly in that way that God is now in with us, he calleth England to give its last answer, as if he should say, Now I am sheing mercy once more, take heed of rejecting it, lest you have a Loruhamah upon you, I will add no more mercy, consider not only what we have done, but what we do, how we have abused mercy, and how we do now abuse present mercy; how opposite the spirits of most are against the work of reformation now in hand, who even say to the Lord Christ depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. When the people of Israel were offered Canaan, and God bade them go in and possess it, they were then near unto it; but when they then refused Canaan, God swore in in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest. If ever a people were offered Canaan, were offered the Ordinances of God in his own way, certainly we are at this time, Let us tremble lest God (if we reject this mercy) should swear in his wrath, I will have no more mercy upon you, and so we prove to be a Loruhamah indeed. But a second reason why this people could have no mercy, 2. might be, because of their forsaking God even in the civil State. For you are to know that this people of Israel had not only left God in their Church, State, and defiled themselves with false worship, but they had in their civil government wickedly departed from that that God had appointed over them: They had departed from the house of David, and rend themselves from it. It is true, this was of God's permission, but yet it was the wickedness of their hearts, & no excuse at all for them. Hence Chap. 8. 4. God chargeth them that they had set up Kings, but not by him. From whence this may be observable. That it is a most dangerous thing for a people to forsake that government to rebel against that civil government that God doth set over them. Obser. When the people in 1 Sam. 8. 7. had required a King, and would not be ruled by Judges any more, saith the Lord to Samuel, They have not rejected you, but rejected me, that I should not reign over them: A most dreadful place, And I confess freely to you, this one Text of Scripture was the first Scripture that took impression upon my thoughts and heart about fearing to go on in a way of Church-government that God had not appointed. For thus my thoughts reasoned; What is God so provoked against a people that will reject but a Civil government, a government that he hath appointed, that specially concerns but the outward man? Then if it proves that God hath appointed any government in a Church, The ground of civil & Church government different. that is Divine Institution, that concerns the good of the soul, and is immediately to work upon that, surely God will be much more provoked there for rejecting it. And going yet further upon search, finding that though we have not a civil government appointed by God as the Jews had, yet for the Church state, we have one appointed even by God himself. And reason there must be for it: for whatsoever hath a special efficacy upon the heart, must have a spiritual rule for the warrant and direction. Indeed prudence and reason is enough for the ordering of things that concern the outward man, except God will come in with his own institution. But when it cometh to the ordering of the heart, and there is a spiritual efficacy expected (as in all Church ordinances there must be) and that authority by which they are executed giveth a great influence into them, now nothing can go beyond its principle, therefore it must have a divine institution to give it its efficacy. It may here be demanded, whether hat not God appointed over us a particular civil government as he did over the Jews? That our government and all lawful government of other Nations is appointed by God, Answ. we must conclude is a certain truth. But not so appointed by God as the government of the Jews was. And the reason is this, because the Church and Commonwealth of the Jews was involved in one, and therefore the Apostle speaking of the Church, he saith they were Aliens, and strangers from the Commonwealth of Israel; It was meant of the Church state. There was such a kind of Pedagogy under the Law, that the Church and State were involved in one, for Christ would be the head of the Church and Commonwealth too, and appoint them laws; And so their government was immediately from heaven. Now for us. That we should have a government according to the rules of wisdom and justice; that indeed is appointed by God. God would have us have a government; But he leaveth the ordering of that government to general rules of prudence and justice. So that now it is lawful for any Kingdom or Country to agree together, and according to the rules of wisdom and justice, to appoint what government they will, as whether it shall be a Monarchy, or an Aristocracy, or a Democracy, and to limit this according to Covenant of agreement, as whether that the fundamental power shall be wholly put out, or any part reserved, how far this or that Man, How far man's authoritybindes. or society of Men shall have the Managing of it, and the like; then so far as it is agreed upon, we are bound in conscience to obey either actively or passively, but no further are we bound to obey any Man though he be in authority, yet we are not bound to obey him, either actively or passively, conscience is not tied. Though those men be in authority, yet it is no resisting of authority at all, not to do what they would have. Yea though the thing be lawful they would have, yet if it be not according to the law of the kingdom, to the first agreement, I may be bound by the rules of prudence to save myself; but it is not authority that binds me to obey out of conscience: For we must of necessity distinguish between men in authority, and the authority of those men. Wherefore so long as we seek but to keep authority in the right channel, that it flows not over the banks, we cannot be charged for resisting the government God hath set over us, though we do not obey the wills of those who are set over us, and therefore there is no cause that we should fear, that God should say to England upon this ground, Loruhamah, he will have no mercy. To proceed. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah. The people of Israel they might say, Hosea thou art a Preacher indeed, what preach nothing but judgement, nothing but wrath, to be utterly taken away? Is there no mercy at all? Is not God a merciful God? Yes saith the Prophet, though you be taken away, God knoweth how to glorify his mercy; he hath others that he can make to be objects of his mercy though you be destroyed. From whence first you see that though God utterly reject some, Obser. 1 yet in the mean time he hath others to show mercy unto. Therefore it is no plea for any sinner to say thus, well, I have sinned indeed, but God is merciful. What if God be merciful? so he may be, though thou be damned and perish everlastingly. Yea, whole kingdoms & nations may perish, yet God may be merciful, God hath still infinite ways to glorify his mercy. Many people in desperate moods, lay violent hands upon themselves, & certainly there is a kind of spirit of revenge in it, as if they thought there would be some trouble about it, and so God should lose some honour. But if you will have your will in this, or in any thing else, though you be dead and rotten, and your souls perhaps in chains of darkness, God will have ways to be glorious in his mercy, whatsoever come of you. But 2. Obser. 2 I will have mercy upon the house of Judah. God will always have a Church, he will never destroy his Church at once, the Lord loveth public worship in the world: Though he will utterly take away the house of Israel, yet he will have mercy upon the house of Judah. Again, Israel might say, what will not God be merciful to us? why I pray you what doth Judah get by her worshipping of God in that which you say is the only right way? Judah indeed keepeth herself to jerusalem, keepeth herself to worship in the Temple, but what doth she get by it? for aught we see judah is in as hard an estate, and in as low a condition as we (nay as we shall see afterward, judah was in a lower condition than Israel,) and certainly such kind of expressions as these they would be ready to have against the Prophet. Well, saith God, let judah be what she will, I will have mercy upon her. Though carnal hearts, when they look upon the low condition of the true worshippers of God, Obser. 3 think that there is no difference between those that are in a good way, and themselves that are in the ways of sin, yet God will make a difference; I will have mercy upon judah, but not upon Israel. Many carnal men please themselves with this; I see others that are strict, that pray in their families, that run to Sermons, and will not do thus and thus, as others do, yet they are as poor, in as mean a condition as any others, what do they get by their forwardness in religion? Are not we in as good a condition as they? Well friend, though thy carnal heart think there is no difference between him that serveth God, & him that serveth him not, God hath a time to manifest a difference; There shall a time come (saith God, Mal. 3. 18.) that you shall return and discern between the righteous, and the wicked, between him that feareth God and him that feareth him not. I will not have mercy upon Israel, but I will have mercy upon judah. Fourthly, Judah had at this time many gross and fearful evils amongst them, yea scarcely delivered from Sodomy; it will ask a great deal of time to show you the state of Judah in regard of the horrible wickedness that was in it, yet God saith, I will have mercy upon the house of judah. What is the reason of this? Because though judah had many gross evils, yet judah kept to the right way of worshipping God, kept to jerusalem, to the Temple; so far they kept the worship of God pure. Hence we see, God will favour a people exceeding much, Obser. though there be many weaknesses, yea many wickednesses among them, if they keep the worship of God pure. It is true, there are many spirits that are most bitter against those that seek to worship God in the right way, if they can but get them tripping in any small thing, they follow it against them with all their might, with all the bitterness that they can possibly. This is not like unto God, God will favour those that worship him in a right way, though for other respects he may have many advantages against them. But this (you will say) seems to contradict what you said before, for you said, the nearer any are to God, the more he hates their sins, and the sins of those that make a show of worshipping God in a pure manner, are worse than the sins of others. It is true, But as their relation to God in the nearness of his worship, is an aggravation of their sins, so their relation to God is a foundation of their hope of mercy from God. How is this? It makes their sin indeed worse, Object. so as to provoke God to punish them sooner, and perhaps bitterer, yet their relation to God keepeth this ground of faith, that God is their God still, and will have mercy upon them at last. But the wicked though God spare them longer than his own people, yet when he cometh against them he rejecteth them utterly, so he did Israel: judah indeed was punished, but yet judah had mercy at last, but (saith God) I will have no more mercy upon the house of Israel, but will utterly take them away. Fiftly, 5. Israel had prevailed a little before against judah; for if you read in 2 King. 14. 12. you shall find that judah was put to the worst before Israel, the Text saith, They fled every man to their Tents, and jehoash the King of Israel took amaziah King of judah, and came to jerusalem, and broke down the walls of jerusalem, from the gates of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits: And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the King's house, and hostages, and returned to Samariah. And this was but a little before this time, Israel had thus prevailed against judah, and brought judah under, yet now saith God, I will have mercy upon judah but not upon Israel. What should we note from hence? Obser. God sometimes showeth mercy to poor afflicted ones, and yet rejecteth those that are greater & enjoy more prosperity in the world. Many that are poor people, Poor afflicted ones find mercy when the rich are rejected. poor souls that are in a low afflicted condition, God looks upno them and showeth mercy unto them, when brave ones that carry it out, and thrive and live gallantly in the world, are many times rejected of God. Mark what God saith, Zeph, 3. 12. I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. God looks not at the brave and gallant ones of the world, but at the poor and afflicted ones, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. We must not then judge at the happiness of men according to their success in the world: For you may now be delivered, and others kept under affliction, yet afterwards you may be rejected, and the others received unto mercy. Further, 6. Hosea was the Prophet of Israel, he was sent to the ten Tribes, yet Hosea tells them, whose Prophet especially he was, and God would have no more mercy upon them. And he speaks to Judah (he was not sent to them) and he tells them that God would have mercy upon them. Here we may learn how impartial the Ministers of God ought to be in their work, Obser. Ministers must be Impartial. they must not go according to their particular private engagements, though they are engaged more to such a people in divers regards, yet if they be wicked, they must deal faithfully, and plainly, and denounce the judgements of God: And if others, though strangers to them, be godly, they are to give to them that comfort that belongs unto them. My brethren, partiality in those in public places, especially of the Ministry, is a great evil. It was for this that God said he had made the Priest and the Levite contemptible and base before all the people: Why? because they were partial in the Law, Malac. 2. 9 7. Obser. 7, It is a great aggravation of the misery of some, that God showeth mercy to others. For it is here set down as a part of the threatening against Israel, I will have no more mercy upon Israel, but I will show mercy to Judah. To aggravate the misery of Israel, God manifesteth his mercy to Judah. Mark how God in Esay. 65. 13. makes it a part of his threatening against the wicked, that he will show mercy to his servants: Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; Mercy to the saints are aggravation of judgement to the wicked. my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: Behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed; Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, & howl for vexation of spirit. These [Butts] are cutting ones to the heart of the wicked. And observe it, here is the word [Behold] three times used, in setting out the difference that God will make between his servants and the wicked, and how God will aggravate the misery of the wicked by showing mercy to people, because it is a thing much to be considered. A like place you have, Mat. 8. 11. Many shall come from the East & West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Mark, they shall gnash their teeth when they shall see how they are rejected and others received, gnash their teeth for envy and vexation of spirit, for it is a great aggravation of men's misery. And is it not fulfilled this day? How do many bite their nails and gnash their very teeth to see the mercy that God showeth to his people in giving them liberty and encouragement in his service, while he casteth shame & contempt upon their faces, & bringeth them forth to answer for their wickedness, and to suffer condign punishment. Wicked men's spirits vex at this, it is that which they cannot possibly bear, it is that which galleth and fretteth the very gall of their heart to see the mercy of God to his people now in these days; to see such an opportunity as this, to meet together with this liberty to exercise ourselves in the word, when they are caged up. This they gnash and grind their teeth at. It is observable, that which you have in Acts 22. 21. Paul was speaking there a great while to the Jews, & they heard him quietly till he came to that word Depart, for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles; the Text saith, they gave him audience unto this word and then they lift up their voices, & said, Away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live. What to disgrace us thus, and to think that the Gentiles should come to have more mercy than we! Away with such a fellow from the earth. We have such an expression likewise in Luke 4. 26. Our Saviour Christ told the Jews of the Widow of Sarepta, that Elias the Prophet was sent only to her, and that Naaman the Syrian of all the Lepers in Israel was cleansed; They of the Synagogue when they heard these things, the Text saith, They were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust him out of the City, and led him to the edge of the hill whereon their City was built, that they might cast him down headlong. They were so vexed at Christ's Sermon there, that they could have broke his neck as soon as he had done preaching. It was at this word, There were many Widows in Israel in the time of Elias, but unto none of them was Elias sent save unto the Widow of Sarepta; & many lepens were in Israel in the days of Elisha, and none of them were cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. The meaning is this, Christ intimated thus much, that though there were many of the people of Israel, yet the Lord would have mercy but upon a few of them; yea that God would choose rather other people to show mercy to, than themselves; at this they were enraged. And certainly this will be the aggravation of the misery of the damned in hell: Dives magis uritur gloria Lazari, quam suo incendio. When a damned soul in hell shall there come to know the mercy of God to others: It may be wicked parents shall see their children that came out of their loins. or out of their wombs, at the right hand of jesus Christ in glory, and themselves cast down into eternal torment; Chrysologus. this will be a stinging aggravation of misery, no mercy unto thee, but mercy unto thy gracious child, the child that thou snibbedst and rebukedst for being forward, he is now at the right hand of Christ & thou cast into everlasting misery. So it may be a poor servant, a poor boy in a family, may stand at the right hand of jesus Christ hereafter and ascend with him in glory; and his rich Master that was, that murmured at him, & would not suffer him to have the least time for to do God service in, but checked him in every thing, and cast it upon his conscience, oh this is your preciseness: perhaps he sees himself cast down into eternal misery, when that poor servant of his, that poor apprentice shall go up to eternal glory But yet further, God saith, I will have mercy upon the house of Judah. Here is another note very observable, & much concerning our present condition too. God promiseth to Judah mercy, after Israel's rejection; yet if we search the Scriptures we shall find that after this promise both before the rejection of Israel was executed, and after the execution thereof; I say, we shall find that even Judah was under very sore afflictions, and a sad condition she was put into after this promise was made. As if you will turn but to that Scripture (for we must look to one Scripture and compare it with another. After promise of mercy, yet great afflictions may follow, 2 Chron, 28. 6. you shall see there the Text saith, that Pekah the Son of Remaliah slew in judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day: We never heard of such a battle, such a slaughter, we wonder when we hear of five or ten thousand slain in the field, here we have 120000. slain, and this was after this promise that this slaughter was made: yea & further, [ver. 8.] There were besides carried captives 200000. women, sons, and daughters. yea further, [ver. 17] The Edomites came and had smitten some of judah, and carried away captives. And [ver. 18.] The Philistims had invaded the Cities of the Low-countrieses, and of the south of judah, and they dwelled there: And ver. 19] it is said, the Lord brought judah low, And [ver. 20.] it is said that Tilgath-Pilneser King of Assyria, whom Ahas had sent to help him, he came & distressed them, but strengthened them not. Here was Pekah the son of Remaliah slays 120000, and carries away captive 200000. then there comes the Philistims and they invaded the country, and then the Edomites they carried away Captives, and God bringeth them low, and then comes Tilgath-Pilneser, and he instead of helping, distressed them. What a case were they in now? yet this was after this promise, for this promise was made to Judah in the beginning of Hosea's Prophecy, for it is ver. 2. The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea, and it was before the rejection of Israel, for it was in the reign of Ahas that Judah was brought into this low condition, which was about 22. years before the execution of the sentence against Israel, for that was fulfilled in the sixth year of the reign of Hezekiah, which (if you take it from the beginning of the reign of Ahaz, who reigned 16. years) make 22. years. Now this promise to judah (as I told you in the beginning) was made in the days of Vzziah King of judah, and of Jeroboham King of Israel, which was at least 76. years before the rejection of Israel; and yet after the making of this promise, Judah you see cometh to be in this so sad a condition. Yea and we shall find besides, that presently after Israel's rejection, though God had said he would reject Israel, and be merciful to Judah, so that a man would think now that judah should come into a better condition than ever, yet see how judah was dealt with. And for that mark the 2. king. 18. 13. the Text saith that in the thirteenth year of Hezekiah, Senacherib king Assyria came up against Judah, No advantage in yielding to wicked men. and this was after the casting off of the ten Tribes, for that was in the sixth year of Hezekiah, as ver. 10. and seven years after came Senacherib against judah, thinking to prevail against them as they had done before against Israel; and than Hezekiah was fain to give him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the King's house; Yea the Text saith, ver. 16. that Hezekiah was fain to cut off all the gold from the doors of the Temple of the Lord, & from the pillars, and to give it to the King of Assyria. Now the Lord keep our Kingdom, our Parliament from giving the gold of the Temple doors in any way of compliance with any malignant party; that have any evil eye at the beauty of our Zion. Yea after Senacherib had gotten this, not content with it, he sendeth Rabshekah from Lachish, with a great host against jerusalem. You may see, the adversaries of the Church are never satisfied, yield to them, gratify them, in what you will, this is the first temptation: what will you be so strict, and rugged, and yield to them in nothing? but if they prevail with you, to begin to yield, they will never have done, they will still encroach upon you, Hezekiah yielded to Senacherib, even to take away the gold of the Temple doors, yea a little while after he cometh again with a great host, so that Hezekiah said, it was a day of trouble and rebuke, Chap. 19 Nothing will quiet them but the ruin of the Church, they must needs have that, Down with it, down with it, even to the ground, nothing else will satisfy them. To this low estate and sad condition was judah brought not long after Israel was taken away, and yet God promiseth mercy to judah for all this. What shall we learn from this? This profitable lesson for our present condition, Obser. God may intend much mercy, yea God may be in a way of mercy to a people, yet may bring that people into very great straits & difficulties. The promises of God's mercies are always to be understood with condition of the cross. If we think that upon the promise of mercy we shall be delivered from all trouble & affliction, we lay more upon the promise, than the promise will or can bear. It is a great evil that proceedeth from much weakness of spirit and distemper of heart, for people, though God hath done great things for them, yet if there come any rub in the way, and difficulty, any trouble, Oh now we are gone, now we are all lost, now God hath left us, we hoped that there would have come mercy, we looked for light, and behold darkness, now the heart sinketh, and all is presently given for gone. Know my brethren this is an evil and an unbelieving heart, an evil and an unthankful heart. God hath indeed done great things for us, yet how ready are we though God be in such a way, a glorious way of mercy, if we hear of any difficulty, of any little rub, any combining of the adversaries together? we must expect nothing now but blood, and bid farewell, and adieu to all our peace; we thought to have had happy days, but now the Lord is coming out against us, and all that is done must be undone again. A great evil to be discouraged at some difficulties, when God is in a way of mercy. Why, why are you so full of unbelief? Surely this is unworthy of Christians, that profess an interest in God, & unworthy of all the good that God hath done for us. Peter though before he had walked upon the seas through the power of Christ, yet when the waves came, now Master save me, or else I perish. Hath not God made us walk upon the waves of the sea all this while? wrought as great a Miracle for us in England as he did for Peter? Yet when a wave doth but rise a little higher than before, we are so distressed in our spirits that we can scarcely cry, Oh Master save us; but we look one upon another and discourage one another hearts, and in stead of crying unto God, we cry out one to another in a discouraging way, and so pine away in our iniquities: Certainly God is exceedingly angry at such a demeanour as this, and yet this is ordinary, both in regard of nations, and particular persons. Of nations: It was so high with Judah (for I desire to keep as close as I can to the work I am about) though God had made this promise to Judah here, yet if we look into the 7. Isa. (Isaiah was contemporary with Hosea & it was not much after the making of this promise) we shall see how they were troubled with fear; saith the Text, When it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim, the heart of the King of Judah, and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the wood were moved with the wind, they were afraid and shaken as the very leaves of the tree shake, both the king of Judah and all the people, Well, but God speaks to the Prophet, in the 8. Chap, ver. 11. (and it was at this time when they were so troubled because of the enemies coming against them) God I say in that Chapter speaks to the Prophet, & (saith the text) he speaks with a strong hand, saying, say not ye, a Confederacy, a confederacy: Oh the King of Israel & the king of Syria are confederate together, what shall we do? we are undone, we are lost for ever; say not ye, A confederacy, neither fear ye this fear, nor be afraid, but sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your fear. Thus God would have his Saints do, not when you hear of confederate enemies, or any ill tidings abroad; Oh the papists are linked together, & A confederacy, a confederacy: do not say a confederacy, fear not their fear, but sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, & let him be your fear, and let him be your dread, & he shall be for a sanctuary to you: and mark the resolution of the Prophet afterward, ver. 17. I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. Oh that this were the disposition of our hearts! Take that note away wi●h you, amongst many, though you cannot remember all, when you hear so many rumours of fears and troubles, as if all were gone, and there were now no more hope, Let this be your answer; I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his facè from the house of Jacob, for God is in a way of mercy, and mercy certainly we shall have, let us look for it. And for particular persons, how ordinary is it though God be in a wonderful gracious way of mercy towards them, yet if they do but feel their corruptions stirring never so little, all is gone presently. I was indeed in a good way, but God is gone, Christ is gone, and Mercy is gone, & all is gone, surely God intendeth no thoughts of good to me. Oh be not unbelieving, but believing; For this is the way of God, though he promiseth great mercy, yet in the mean time he may bring into great afflictions. I will not have mercy upon Israel, but I will have mercy upon Judah, and will save them. For a people to be saved when others near them are destroyed, The destruction of some, sets forth God's mercy to others. this is a great setting out of God's goodness to them: as to stand upon the shore safely, & see others suffer shipwreck before us, is a great augmentation of God's mercy towards us. When the people of Israel could stand upon the banks, and see the Egyptians tumbling in the Red-sea, and their dead bodies cast upon the shore, then, saith the Text, sang Moses and the children of Israel unto the Lord. Exo. 15. 1 And this kind of mercy the Lord hath granted to us in England, for while our neighbouring nations have been in a combustion, and many of them spoiled, we have sat under our own vines, & under our own figtrees, and our greatest afflictions have been only the hearing of what our brethren have suffered & yet do suffer: Whereas all about us is as the fiery furnace, and we walk in the midst of it like the three children, & our garments not touched, nor the smell of the fire passed on them: when as we see all Countries as gideon's fleece, bewetted with the tempest of God's wrath, yea with their own blood, behold we are dry, and the sunshine of God's mercy is upon us, the blackness of the misery of our brethren is the brightness of our mercy. I will save them. It is the Lord that will save them. This is an upbraiding of Israel. Oh Israel you think to be saved by your own policy, you have got a fetch beyond God, you are afraid that the people should go up to Jerusalem to worship, therefore you have set up the two Calves to save yourselves. God's people need not seek to save themselves by carnal policy. But Judah shall be saved, and saved after another way; judah need not go to such carnal setches and policies to save themselves, for the Lord shall save them. Though carnal hearts think, and endeavour to save themselves only by their own policy and carnal ways, yet let God's people know, that they have a stronger means to save them then all the policy in the world. So long as the wisdom, the power, the mercy, the faithfulness of God is for them, they need no other string to their bow but that. I will save them by the Lord. What is the meaning of this? This by Interpreters is carried concerning Christ: That God the Father promiseth to save by Christ. As Dan. 9 17. we have such an expression in prayer, Now O Lord hear the prayer of thy servant for the Lords sake; that is, for Christ's sake: So here, God will save by the Lord; that is, by Christ. A sweet lesson we have from thence: Obs. Administ. ration of GOD'S grace is given into the hands of Christ. viz. That the administration of God's grace to his people is given into the hands of JESUS CHRIST. It is Christ that doth save the people of God, and hath saved them in all former times, in all ages. It is true, in the merits of Christ all are saved; that every one will grant, as Zach. 9 11. By the blood of thy Covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit. All the prisoners of God's people ever since the world began, that have been sent out of the pit, it hath been by the blood of the covenant, by the merits of Christ: and not only so, but Christ in the administration of all hath been the chief, he hath been the Angel of God's presence, that hath stood up for his people in all their necessities, he hath been the great Captain & deliverer, the Saviour of them all. Let Christ then have the honour of a Sovereign to us in regard of our salvation in outward deliverances. Let us look up to him then for salvation in all our straits. And if Christ was the Saviour of his people in all ages, and still will be, then surely those ages and places where Christ is most known and honoured may expect the greatest salvation. And this is for our comfort, far above all the ages that ever was since the world began, Christ is most known and honoured in this age, and of all places in the world, here in England and amongst our country men; and if Christ will be a Saviour of those places where he is known and honoured, surely England may expect a salvation: England hath had it, and as England is peculiar in the way of the knowledge of Christ, so England shall be peculiar in a way of God's grace to her. I will save them by the Lord their God. Not your God oh Israel, but their God. Thus he upbraideth the people of Israel that they had forsaken their God; that judah had kept their God, but Israel had not. It is a great upbraiding of a people when it can be said of them that they have forsaken the lord Obs. It is a woeful thing not to have God to be our God at all, Dan 5. 23. that conscience can charge this upon a man that Daniel did upon Belshazzar, That God in whose hand thy breath his, & whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified; but that conscience can charge this, That God that thou hast chosen, that thou hast entered into covenant withal, Oh thou apostatised soul, thou apostatised Nation, thou hast forsaken him, he is not thy God. This is a sore and heavy charge indeed. Again, The Lord their God. It seems he is the God of Judah, though Judah had many evils, Lect. 4. but not the God of Israel. Those than that do not worship God in a right way, Observe. God will not acknowledge himself to be worshipped by them at all. The people in the wilderness proclaimed a fast to Jehovah, and yet the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 7. calleth them Idolaters, and it is said they sacrificed to Idols, because they worshipped God by the Calf, and not in God's way. Though we may think we worship God, yet if we do not worship him in his own way, he doth not own himself to be worshipped by us at all. Again, The Lord their God. This could not but sting Israel, that Judah should be thought to have more interest in God then Israel had. It is a stinging thing to carnal hearts, Obser. and much bitterness of spirit it must needs be entertained withal, that any one should but think of challenging any peculiarity of interest in God. Carnal hearts cannot endure that any one should think they have more interest in God then themselves Thus they scorned at Christ, Oh he trusted in God, he thinketh he hath more interest in God than others, now let his God come and save him. I remember in the book of Martyrs we read that the Papists were much vexed against the protestants, because they used to say, our God and our Lord, they were known by this speech, and the Papists were enraged against them for this, because they seemed to claim more interest in God than others. And indeed what is the cause of the quarrel in the World against God's people, but because they think they claim more peculiarity and interest in God than others? and this is the reason that soul-searching preaching cannot be endured, because it makes a difference between the one and the other, and shows that some have an interest in God more than others. Hence it is that in no places in the world men's spirits so fret against preaching as in England, why? because there is not such soul-examining, such soule-distinguishing preaching in the World as in England. Yea that is the reason of the bitterness of one professor against another, because one is a Protestant at large, and the other manifesteth more power of godliness, is more strict in his course; and seems to claim a greater share in God than the former. Profession in England is a more distinguishing profession than in other places. I will save them by the Lord their God. God is the God of Judah still, Observe. therefore God will save them. So long as God is our God we need not fear our adversaries. Ye have heard of that Palladium of the Heathens in Troy, they imagined that so long as that Idol was kept safe, they were unconquerable; all the strength in Greece was not able to prevail against it, wherefore the Greecians sought by all means they could to get it from them. Ejus fimulacrum catenis constrinxerunt clavisque Basi affix. junt. I have read of the men of Tyrus that they were afraid their god Apollo should forsake them: they therefore chained and nailed that Idol to a post that they might be sure of it, because they thought their safety was in it. Let us fasten ourselves to God in an everlasting covenant, and certainly God will be fast to us, & then we are safe enough. I will save them: Lect. 3. but how? what shall Judah be saved by and not Israel? Judah a poor contemptible people, how saved? I will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses nor by horsemen. It shall not be by any outward means, but by the immediate hand of God. This promise that God would save them not by bow nor by sword, etc. it was performed two several times, and there is a third time for the fulfilling of it which is yet to come. It was done first when the Angel of the Lord went out and smote in one night in the Camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore & five thousand: judah saved, not by bow, norby sword, two several ways. 1 kings 11. 35. and God tells them, that the King of Assyria should not shoot an arrow there, nor come before the City with a shield: so God saved them without bow, for they had no need to use the bow then, because the Angel of the Lord destroyed them. The second time was when he saved Judah in their return from captivity, then as it is Zach. 4. 6, he saved them not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts. Mark the phrase, as if God should say, I have strength, for I am the Lord of hosts, I can command Armies, if I would, to save you; No, though I be the Lord of hosts, yet I will not save you by might nor by power, but by my spirit. Therefore Isa. 43. 7. their strength is said to be in sitting still, and ver. 15. in quietness, and confidence shall be your strength. Thus they were saved not by bow, nor by sword. Then the third time, which is yet to come, that is, in the wonderful work of God in calling the Jews, when God shall raise up out of them, a glorious people to himself, and save Judah once again, and it shall not be by sword, nor by bow, but by the Lord their God; For as it is said, Dan. 2. 34. the stone that smote the Image was cut out without hands, so there shall be a power that is not visible from whence it comes, but Jesus Christ shall come from heaven to do his great works, As the lightning from the East to the West, so shall the coming of the son of man be. What learn we from hence? First, Obser. 1. God ties not himself to the use of outward means in procuring of good to his people. Though all outward means fail, yet there may be ways of salvation for the Saints. Wicked men's hearts presently sink, if outward means fail: And indeed so much as our hearts fail when outward means fail, it is a sign that we did before rest upon the means, and if we had had the means, we should have robbed God of his honour. We must use means, but not rely upon the means. Mediis utendam, non innitendum. I might show you excellent Texts of Scripture for this, as Psal. 33. 16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an host, a mighty man is not delivered by much strength, etc. And Psal. 44. 5. 6. Through thee will we push down our enemies, through thy name we will tread them under, that rise up against us; for I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me, etc. But secondly, Not by bow, nor by sword, etc. Deliverance of a people without bow, and without sword is a great mercy: For such are the woeful miseries that a people do suffer when war cometh, that usually the victory will scarce pay the charges of the battle: though we be sure to be saved at last, yet if we must be saved by bow, and by sword, I say the misery that we may suffer in our salvation, may be more than the salvation. It was the height of that mercy promised, Isa. 9 5. that it should be without confused noise and garments rolled in blood. Such a mercy we have had; and had Christ come to have reigned amongst us, though he had come with his garments rolled in blood, we should willingly have entetrayned him; If he had come riding upon his red horse; But behold he comes riding upon his white horse, in peace and mercy all this while, and the mercies we have had, have been very cheap, they have not been by bow, nor by sword. And if God should come at length by the sword, and bring perfect salvation to us by blood, which God forbid; but if he should, we have had already more mercy without blood, than our bloods are worth; should we now have our bloods shed, God hath paid us beforehand: who almost in this congregation, but two or three years ago would have lost his blood to procure so much mercy to England, as England hath had already? Further. Obser. Such is the love of God to his people, that he is pleased to work for them beyond means. The other point was, that he can save his people without means; This, that he will do it beyond means: For the grace, and love of God to his people, is so high, & glorious, that it is beyond that which can be conveyed by means, therefore it must be done more immediately. Exod. 15. 6. Thy right hand, O Lord is become glorious in power, in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee. First, it is the hand of God, Secondly, it is the right hand of God, Thirdly, it is the right hand of God in power, Fourthly, this is glorious in power. Fiftly, there is excellency; and Sixthly, there is the greatness of Excellency. It is an high expression. Magnitudine excellentiae, or magnitudine elationis, in the greatness of thy lifting up, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the same word signifieth pride, that is here translated excellency; and if God he lifted up in any thing, it is when he shows himself for his people. Now take all these six expressions, God's hand, God's right hand, his right hand in power, a right hand that is become glorious in power, his excellency, the greatness of his excellency, and all this for his Saints, surely this is more than can be conveyed by means, God must borne immediately and save them by himself. But lastly, 4. the more immediate the hand of God appeareth in his mercy to his people, the more sweet and precious aught that mercy to be then (this were an excellent argument to follow to the full, and so nearly concerning us; you see the scriptures were made for other times, then for the times in which they were first revealed) a most excellent place of Scripture you have for this Psal. 21. 13. Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength, so will we sing, and praise thy power. When God cometh in his own strength, and not in the strength of the creature, and by means, then do the Saints sing and praise the power of God. Dulcious ex ipso fonte, we use to say, that which cometh immediately cometh exceeding sweetly: Then the Saints may boast in God, when God cometh immediately with his salvation, so you have it, Psal. 44. 7. 8. Thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us: What followeth? in God will we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. So that the Saints of God than praise God, nay they may lawfully give up themselves to boast, when God works immediately. When God works by means, than they must take heed of ascribing to the means, but when God cometh immediately, than they may boast. It is the blessedness of Heaven, that God's mercy cometh immediately: created mercies are the most perfect mercies. Suppose God had been with them by bow, and by sword, when Senacherib came against them, could they have been saved as they were? God's hook that he put in his nose, and bridle that he put in his lips (for so God saith he would do with him, use him as a beast) were better than their sword or bow. Surely, if ever any nation knew what it was to have immediate mercies come down from heaven, England doth: If ever Nation saw God exalting himself in his own power, England hath: we have lived (and blessed be God we have lived) to see the Lord exalting himself in his own power: Oh let us cry out with the Psalmist (and with that I shall end) Be thou exalted O Lord in thy own strength amongst us, so will we still, and still, and still, sing and praise thy power. The Fourth Lecture june 20. 1642. HOSEA 1. 8. etc. 8. Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. 9 Then said God, call his name Ly●ammi, for you are not my people, and I will not be your God. 10. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered, etc. THe last day was finished the signification of the name of the second child of Hosea, Loruhamah. We now come unto the weaning of it, and the begetting of the third, Lo-ammi. When she had weaned Loruhamah. We do not read of the first child Jezreel that it was weaned; but the second child Loruhamah that was weaned, before the third child Loammi was conceived. Lect. 4. What is the meaning of this? There is much of God's mind showed unto us even in this very thing that we ordinarily let slip and pass over. The reason is, because this second child Loruhamah was to signify unto the people of Israel their carrying out of their own Country into captivity into Assyria: It was to signify to them that they should be weaned from the comforts and delights that there were in their own Country; they should be taken away from their milk and honey that they had there; and be carried into Assyria, and be there fed with hard meat, even with the water of affliction and the bread of affliction. The first child did but signify their scattering, especially in regard of their seditions amongst themselves. But the second child signified the carrying away all of them wholly into captivity from their own Land, Vaticiantur hic dura ut desti. vantur verbo Dei prophetiis & gratiis. Vatab. in loc. Therefore the second child is weaned, Cibis sustent abitur immundis, So. Jerome hath it, They should be carried amongst the Gentiles, and be fed with unclean meat, they should be deprived of prophecy, and of the milk of the word, and of the ordinances that they enjoyed, So Vatablus. Ordinances are as the breasts of consolation, out of which the people of God suck soul-satisfying comforts. So you have it, Esay, 66. 11. That you may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations, that you may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. And Cant. 1. 4. We will remember thy loves more than wine: Memares uberum tuorum supervinum. The old latin hath it, We will remember thy dugs above wine; and so the words will bear. These people should be deprived of those dugs and breasts out of which they had sucked much sweetness before, even deprived of all comfort in God. God's people hang upon God, and suck comfort from him, even as the infant upon the mother's breast, and sucks sweetness, and comfort, and nourishment from thence. This expression then of weaning the child, implies these two things. First, Obser. That the enjoyment of the comforts of a sweet native soil, specially where there are any ordinances together with it, is a very great blessing of God; The sweetness of the comforts of a native soil. and the being deprived of it is a great affliction, yea to some it comes as a curse. The very sucking of the air of a sweet native soil (and especially such a comfortable soil as we have here in England) is certainly a great blessing from the Lord. Those that have been deprived of it, and banished away, have been more sensible of it than any of you who always have enjoyed it. Many have lain sucking at the sweetness of this our English air, and at the comforts that there have been in their accommodations, so long, till they have sucked in that which (if God's mercy had not prevented) would have proved to have been poison to them to have baned their souls. But I speak not of all, I make no question but there have been many of God's dear servants that have tarried in their native soil, and kept the uprightness of their hearts and consciences as clear as others that went away. It is true, the comforts of a native soil are sweet, but except we may enjoy them with the breasts of these consolations (or Ordinances of the Church) they are notable to satisfy the soul: yea, except we may suck out such milk of these breasts as is sincere milk, and not soiled nor soured by the inventions of men, better a great deal that we were weaned from all the sweetness and accommodation we have in our native soil by the mortifying of our affections to them, then that God should wean us from them, by sending of us into captivity, or by giving the adversary power over us, or by making the Land too hot for us. But that for the first. Again, 2. in that this child was weaned, and by the weaning was to signify their being carried away out of their own into a strange Country; this expression implies thus much. That it is an evil thing for a child to be taken from the mother's breast too soon, and sent away to be nursed by others. The expression doth fully imply this, for it is to tell us the evil condition of the people, that they should be taken from their own, and sent to another Country: This their affliction is set out by a child's being taken from its own mother's breast; it could not express what it intended, except it were to imitate thus much unto us, that it is an evil thing for a child to be taken from its own mother's bres●. It is unnatural then for mothers out of daintiness, and curiosity to deny the fruit of their wombs, Mother's must nurse their children. the comfort of their breasts. It is true, in time of weakness and danger, when it may be dangerous to themselves and the child, God permits it. But when it is merely (I say) out of daintiness, and curiosity, certainly it is an evil that is against nature itself. hannah's care of her son Samuel, is recorded by this, & it is mentioned by the holy Ghost, in her commendation, that she gave him suck. 1 Sam. 1. 23, The woman abode and gave her son suck until she weaned him, saith the Text. It is said of the Ostrich, job. 39 16. That she is hardened against her young ones as though they were not hers; and this Ostrich is reckoned among the fowls that are unclean: And Lam. 4. 3. Even the sea-monsters draw out their breasts, they give suck to their young ones, yet the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the Ostriches in the wilderness, more cruel than the very sea-monsters themselves, that draw out their breasts and give suck to their young ones. The instruction of the son belongeth to the father, the nursing of the son belongeth to the Mother. 〈◊〉 Nun e●●dire pa●ris est, ●n●rire matris. The Mother's milk is the most profitable and wholesome for any one, (saith Pliny) except it be in some extraordinary case. We read in 2 Tim. 3. 3. that in the latter day, when evil times should come, some should be without natural affection: that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is here spoken of, is the affection of the parents to the children, ●●●utilifimum evique maternum. Plin, l. 28. c. 9 as well as of the children to the parents. But enough of this; if not too much, to such that are so pleased with their curiosity and daintiness (the children of their own fancies) that they neglect the fruit of their wombs & nature's duty to the children of their bodies. But further observe here, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That the Lord stays for the weaning of the child, he stays till Loruhamah was weaned before Lo-ammi was conceived. And there is much to be known in this. Why doth God stay? This is to show the great patience of God toward his people: Quest. Ans. For God was now about to reject his people utterly, from being his people, God was about to come with the height of his wrath, to declare that they were no more his people; and here God makes a stop, stays till Lo●ruhamah was weaned, I have read of the Jews, that their manner was to be a long time, three years sometimes, before they weaned their children. God then it seems stayed long here, before he would have the third child, (that is Lo-ammi) born, before he would come with that dreadful sentence, you are not my people, and I will not be your God. First when Jezreel was born, than they are scattered up and down, yea but they are not all carried away captive yet: Then Loruhamah is born, and then they are gone, carried away captive, never to return again. But for all this, God may yet own them in their captivity; This is not so bad as for God to say I will have no more to do with you as my people; Lord though we be under affliction, under the power of our enemies, own us still, acknowledge us to be thine, though we be in the fiery furnace, yet let us have thee to be our God, No (saith God) you shall not only be scattered, but you shall be all carried away captive, and I will not own you neither, I will cast you off, you shall not be my people, neither will I be your God. Now before this God makes a stop. Hence observe first. That God stops in his anger for a while as long as he pleaseth. Obs. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is called, Nah. 1. 2. The Lord of anger, so are the words, though translated otherwise. We may apply it at least thus, God is the Lord of his own anger, he can let it out as far as he will, he canstop it when he will, he can command it to come in when he pleaseth. It is not so with us; our anger, our passions are Lords over us; if we once let our anger our passions arise, we cannot get them down again when we would, we cannot still them when we please; if we let our affections run, we cannot call them in when we will, but are sometimes slaves to our own passions, Power over passions. and they lord it over us. This is that frame of spirit that we should all labour for, to be like to God, though angry, yet sin not, so as we can stop when we will, and command our anger as we please. As it is said of God, that he says to the proud waves, Hitherto shalt thou go & no further: Oh that we were able to say to those proud waves of our passions, Hos. 11. 8. Hitherto are you gone, but you shall go no further! Again, Churches not too suddenly to be rejected. mark here, God stoppeth in his anger for a while. When this dreadful judgement was come to be executed, God is even ready to say (as he saith afterward in this Prophecy) How shall I give thee up? Oh Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, O Israel? Teaching us thus much, That those that have been once the people of God must not be suddenly rejected from being God's people: but when we are about any such thing, either to reject any particular man or woman (who have made profession of Religion) from being Gods, or to reject a Church from being Gods; we had need make a stop, we had need pause, we had need examine the matter very well; yea and when we have examined, and are ready to do it, to make a stop again, and to bethink ourselves what we do. We must not be too sudden in rejecting those that have been once the people of God. from being the people of God now: It is God's way you see here. Many men are too hasty in this point, in rejecting both particular servants of God, and particular Churches from belonging to God, assoon as they see some few things amiss in them, especially if there be any thing gross, presently they are no Churches at all, they are altogether Antichristian, they belong to the Beast; and so while they strike at the Beast, they wound the Lamb. Certainly there is to be acknowledged much of Christ, not only in particular Saints, but in regard of the Church Ordinances of many particular congregations in England: we must take heed therefore of too sudden rejection of them from belonging to God, to be his people in that way of Church fellowship. We come now to the conception of the third child. It was a son, and his name was Lo-ammi. The second child a daughter, but the third a Son: What is the meaning of this? I told you (the last day) that by the second child was noted the state of the people at that time, that it grew weaker and more effeminate: weaker in regard of their outward strength, and more effeminate in regard of their spirits: And that I made good to you out of the History of those times in the book of the Kings. Well, but now it is a son, what do they grow stronger than before, now they are come nearer to destruction then before? Yes, though nearer to ruin and destruction, and more heavy wrath than they were before, yet they get up a little strength before that time: Therefore the third child is a son. Concerning the strength that this people had got at this time, a little before this their utter rejection, upon which their spirits were raised, you shall find the History of it in 2 Kings 17. 4. where you have a declaration of the state of the ten Tribes then when Lo-ammi was borne; for the Text tells us, that they began to join in confederacy with the King of Egypt; and so whereas formerly they had done homage by presents to the King of Assyria, now being confederate with the King of Egypt, they refused to bring any more presents to him; they begin now to be a jolly people, and hoped to cast off that yoke of bondage under which they were in regard of the Assyrians. God sometimes letteth men, Observe. and Nations, and Churches to rise a little out of their affliction, before their utter ruin: he gives them a little reviving, they have a little lightning before their death. Many men think themselves in a very good condition, if having been in affliction, their afflictions do begin once to abate, and they begin to get a little up; now they think they are safe, and they are ready to say with Agag, Surely the bitterness of death is gone, 1 Sam. 15. 32. surely the worst is past. But you may sometimes be recovered, when God intendeth you should be suddenly rejected. Many may be preserved from some judgements, because they are reserved to greater judgements. The Lord hath begun indeed to give us in England a little reviving, a little strength to enable us to rise against the oppressions of our Adversaries, those cruel oppressions. But let us not be secure, notwithstanding this; for though we have some little reviving, if we follow not God on in the way of humiliation and reformation, this our little reviving may be but a lightning before our death. And yet further, it is very observable, when the condition of Israel was at this time when God was about to say, Lo-ammi, they are not my people; what it was not only in regard of their strength, but what it was in regard of their sins. For you shall find (if you examine the History) that the people of Israel were at this time somewhat better than they had been before: not only had gotten somewhat more strength, but they were somewhat better in regard of their sins than they had been; Imeane they had less sins than they had before: yet now God is saying to them, Lo-ammi, You are not my people. And for that observe, 2 Kings 17. 2. if you read that Chap●●, you shall find that the very time of the utter rejection of Israel was in the days of Hoshea, and the Text saith, He did evil in the sight of the Lord; the King in whose days they were so rejected, did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not as the Kings of Israel that were before him. He was not so bad as the former Kings of Israel, and yet in his days there comes utter destruction upon Israel. Yea and as the King was not so bad then as others before him; so it may seem the people were not so bad as in former time, for ver. 9 the Text saith, That the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right, against the Lord their God. Indeed they were sinful, but their sinfulness was secret, they did not sin with such an open impudent face, as it seemed, as heretofore. Yet in this King's time, and when these people were thus, cometh their utter ruin. What may we learn from hence? This, That sometimes when there are greater sins, patience stays judgement; Obser. and yet afterward when a people seem to be in a better condition, not only in regard of their outward strength, When sins seem to be less than be fore, yet then judgements may come. but then in regard of their sins too, yet than God cometh with his wrath upon that people. Let us not flatter ourselves, although we can say that some things here amongst us are not so bad as heretofore they have been. Suppose there be some partial reformation, this is not ground enough to secure us. We cannot reason thus, Why heretofore the Land was more sinful than now; and the Governors were more oppressing then now, there hath been (thanks be to God) much reformation. This is not enough, we may be nearer the forest misery at this time (if our reformation be not a through reformation) than we were before. And the reason is this because God when he comes against a Nation, he doth not only come against it for the present sins that they are actually guilty of at that time, but to reckon with them for their sins comited fore, though the judgement falls out to be inflicted just at that time. It may be a concourse of many passages of God's providence might so fall out as might su●e with God's ends, that the destruction of this nation should be at this time rather than before, yet the nation not more sinful than before, but to fulfil other passages of providence that God intends; and then he comes to reckon with them for sins that were along time ago committed, & for their present sins altogether. As he doth sometimes with particular persons: perhaps they have been drunkards, unclean, wicked, 20. years agone, God hath spared them, afterward upon some lesser sins, God may take advantage to come against them for all their other sins together. We use to say, It is not the last blow of the axe that fells the oak, Vltimus ictus non dejicit queteum. perhaps the last may be a weaker blow than any of the former, but the oak was a felling down all the while before, the other blows made way for the felling of it, and at length a little blow comes and doth it. So our former sins may be the things that make way for our ruin, and then at length some lesser sins may do it. You that have been guilty of gross sins, take heed of small sins; for though God hath pared you when you were guilty of great sins, do not say that he will spare you now you commit lesser sins; but at this time of committing lesser sins, you may be called to an account for grosser. Did you never know a house stand out against many strong and blustering winds, yet afterward some little puff of wind hath tumbled it down? So it is with Nations and people that sometimes stand out (through God's patience when their sins are gross and vile, & afterwards upon some lesser sins they are utterly undone. What is the name of his son? Quest. Ans. The name of this son is Lo-ammi, and the word signifieth (as it is interpreted here by God himself) You are not my people, and I will not be your God. The people to whom Hosea prophesied, they might have objected against him thus: What, Hosea do you say that God will not have any more mercy upon us? what will not God have mercy upon his own people? Is not God our God? What do you threaten such-things as these are? The Prophet answers, It is true, God hath been your God, and you have been his people, but there is an end of those days, God now degradeth you from those glorious privileges that formerly you had, he willownes you no more to be his, and you shall have no further right to own him to be yours. From whence First this, A people that have been once a people dear to God, may be so rejected as never to become a people of God more: Obs. For so these did not, though afterwards we shall bear of the promise for others in other Ages. God hath no need of men. God is able to raise up a people what ways he pleases, even from the very stones in the street, to raise up children unto Abraham. Though Rome may boast that they have been a glorious Church; True, there hath been heretofore a glorious Church in Rome, what then? Those that were his people are now no more his people. We shall meet further with this in the next Chapter. Only in this Note, observe but this thing, The great difference between the estate of a Christian in communion with Christ by grace, A Church state may be lost, but not the fouls communion with Christ and a Church estate. Men and women may lose their Church estate, and that for ever; but their estate in communion with Jesus Christ by grace, they can never lose that: And this is a great difference, and affordeth abundance of comfort. True, our Church state (I mean in regard of an instituted Church in Congregations) it is a great privilege, a great mercy; but our Communion with Jesus Christ is a higher privilege, and that privilege 'gan never be lost; we may be cut off from the one, but never cut off from the other. Secondly, Obser. yet it is a most heavy judgement for any to have been heretofore the people of God, now to be unpeopled, for God to be no more theirs, and for them to be no more the Lords. A heavy judgement for the Lord to say, Well, I will be no more a God to you whatsoever I am to others, no more yours in my goodness, in my mercy, in my power, or whatsoever I am in myself. The being cast off from God. First takes us off from that high honour that was before upon a people; for so in Esay, 4. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou host been honourable, The people of God gathered together in Church Communion, certainly are in an honourable condition; when they are dispeopled, they are cast off from this their privilege, from their honour. Secondly, 2. They have not the presence of God with them as before, not the care of God towards them, nor the protection of God over them, not the delight of God in them, nor the communication of God to them. What should I speak of all these particulars? The great argument to plead with God by, is our relation to him. But among other privileges they want this, namely that great privilege of pleading with God for mercy upon this relation, which was the usual way of the Prophets to plead with God, because they were the people of God. So Esay, 64. 9 Be not wroth very sore O Lord; neither remember iniquity for ever: upon what ground? Behold, see we beseech thee, we are all thy people. This is a good Argument Again, Jer. 14. 9 Why dost thou stand as a man astonished amongst us, as a mighty man that cannot save? Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name, leave us not. This Text is ours this day, and well may we say, O Lord why dost thou stand as a man astonished? Oh yet if we can but take up the second part, and say, We are called by thy name, we may make more comfortable use of the former, Why dost thou stand as a man astonished? How doth a man astonished stand? He stands still in a place, as if he knew not which way to go, he is in a kind of distraction. first he goes one way, and by and by he returns again. The Lord, we know, knoweth his purpose from eternity, but the Scriptures are pleased to express God's ways towards us in the similitude. Hath not God stood amongst us as a man astonished? God hath been in a way of mercy, and then stood still, and then gone forward a little, and afterward gone back again; and yet back and back still, and we have prayed and cried, and God hath stood as a man astonished, as if he were not yet resolved which way to go. Let us pray earnestly to God that he would not stand as a man astonished, but that the way of the Lords mercy may be made clear before him, and clear before us. But this I bring in to show that the relation that people have to God, is the ground of their encouragement to pray to God, and when a people is rejected they lose this privilege. Our relations to God are very sweet things, though ordinarily they are exceedingly abused; Relationes minimae ●n titatis, maximae efficaciae. yea they are glorious things. As it is said of other relations. Relations are of the least entity, but of the greatest efficacy; so it is here, Our relations to God are of very great efficacy, whatsoever the entity be: and therefore to lose our relations to God, especially this relation of Gods being ours, and we being his, is a sore and he avy curse. Again, You are not my people, and I will not be your God. Mark here, the first is, you are not my people, before the second cometh, I will not be your God. We first begin with God in our apostasy, Observe. before God begins with us in his rejection; I would not have withdrawn myself from being your God, if you had not first rejected me, and would not be my people. When God loveth, he begins first; we love not him, but he loveth us first: But when it comes to departing, it than begins on our side, we first depart before the Lord doth: and this is that which will be a dreadful aggravation to wicked men another day to think with themselves. This evil is come upon us, God is gone, mercy is gone, but who began this first? where is the root and principle? Thy perdition is of thyself: Perditio tua●e● te. I begin first, and therefore all the loss of that grace and mercy which is in God, I may thank this proud, this distempered, this base, passionate, wretched heart of mine own for it. Again, I will not be your God. He doth not say, you shall not have the fruit of my patience to be yours, you shall not have my creatures to be yours, you shall not have those fruits of my bounty to be yours: No, but I will not be yours, I myself will not be yours. This is the sorest threatening that posibly can be to a gracious heart. It is a greater misery to lose God himself, Observe. then to be deprived of whatsoever cometh from God. And this indeed is one special difference between an hypocrite, and a true gracious heart; an hypocrite is satisfied with what cometh from God, but a true gracious heart is satisfied with nothing but God himself: though God lets out never so many fruits of his bounty and goodness to him, yet he must have union with God himself, or else he is unsatisfied. Bona mea tibi non pla cent nisi me cum; nec bona tu● mi high non placent nisi te●um. It is a notable speech of Bernard, Lord, saith he, As the good things that come from me, please not thee without myself; so the good things that come from thee please not me without thyself. This is the expression of a gracious heart. Let us tender up to God never so much, never such duties, with never so great strength, except we tender up to God ourselves, they never please him: So let God bestow never so many favours upon us, except God give us himself, they should never pleaseus; I mean please us, so as to satisfy us, so as to quiet us, if for our portion. You know what God said to Abraham, Gen. 15. 2. Fear not, I am thy exceeding great reward: But Lord what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless? What is all this to me so long as I have not the promise fulfilled, that so I may come in Christ to enjoy thyself? Exo. 33. 15. And Moses would not be contented though God told him his Angel should go before them; No, saith he, Except thou go with us thyself, let us not depart hence. It is the difference between the Strumpet and the loving wife, the strumpet careth not so much for the person of her lover, as for his gists, for what she hath by him: but the true lover cannot be satisfied with lovetokens, but she must have the person himself. So it is with a gracious heart. It is very observable that of David in Psal. 51. 9 Turn away thy angry face from my sins. It seems God's face was angry; Cujus faciem timet, ipsius faciem invocat. Aug. and yet presently, ver. 11. Cast me not away, a fancy tua, from thy face. God's face was an angry face, yet David would not be cast away from this face of God: Oh no, rather let God be present with a gracious heart, though he be angry; though his anger continue, yet let me have his countenance. This is plainly gathered hence, in that God saith not, I will not give you these and these favours, but I will not be your God, that this is the sorest threatening that possibly can be to a gracious heart. 5. This is the judgement for sin, 5. Obser. Gods not being their God. It hence appears that sin carries along with it in itself its own punishment. How is that? Thus, By sin we refuse to have God to be our God; by it we depart from God, we do not trust God, nor love him, nor fear him. The very nature of sin hath this in it, that it causeth a sinner to depart from God, yea to reject God from being a God unto him, and this is the punishment, I will not be your God. And this is the sorest punishment to a sinner, that he shall not for ever have God to his God. Lastly, You are not my people, and I will not be your God. Hence learn this. When any forsake God from being their God, Those who will not 〈◊〉 Gods must not be ours we should do as God doth, reject them from being ours, if they will not be Gods, neither should they be ours: will not such a man have acquaintance with God, will he forsake him and his ways, than he shall not have our acquaintance, we will forsake him. How far we may withdraw from a Church that it shall not be ours, we shall fully meet with all in the second Chap. somewhat will be said about it there: Only now thus much, though it be true when a people forsake God, we are to forsake them, yet let them grow never so wicked, our natural and civil relations cannot be broken because of their wickedness; but the relations of husband and wife, father and child, master and servant must be acknowledged: servants must be dutiful to their masters though never so wicked; And the wife must be loving and dutiful to her husband, though he be never so wicked a man. But for any inward intimate familiarity with those, not thus joined in such Relations, ought not to be; if they reject God, if they will not be Gods, they should not be ours. It is said job. 8, 20. That God will not take the ungodly by the hand; It should be true of us all, we should not take the ungodly by the hand. Thus much for the name of this third child Lo-ammi, you are not my people, and I will not be your God. That which remaineth in the Chapter, it is a promise of mercy, both to Israel, ver. 10. and afterwards to Israel and Judah together, ver. 11. To Israel first, and that is, Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the Sea, which cannot be measured or numbered, etc. And so he goeth on with wonderful gracious promises of mercy to Israel in future generations, though for the present God had determined what to do with this Israel. Here than we have first a promise of mercy to Israel, in the midst of the sorest judgement that God threateneth, he comes in with promises of mercy even unto Israel. And Secondly, this mercy to be in future generations. And thirdly, to consist in the multitudes that should be gathered to Israel. These three things are observable in general. First, That there is such a gracious promise immediately after such a sore and dreadful threatening as this, as indeed it is one of the most dreadful threatenings we have in all the Book of God; yet here in the close of the Chapter, we have as gracious a promise again as is in the whole Book of God. From whence we may observe thus much. That the Lord in Judgement remembreth Mercy. Observe. It is a sore thing when God in mercy shall remember judgement, but it is as comfortable when God in judgement remembers mercy. When God threateneth most dreadfully yet he promiseth most graciously. We should therefore when we most fear the threats of God, yet look up to the promises of God, look up to see when wrath is denounced in the most hideous and dreadful way, whether we cannot spy a Promise, It is usual in prospe ●●it▪ to forget threats, and in adversity to forget promises. whether there be not yet a little cloud, though but as big as a man's hand, whether there be not yet a little crevice through which we may see whether God doth not break forth with a little light in a way of promise. It is a usual thing when we are in prosperity to forget all threatenings, and foe it is as usual when we are in adversity to forget all promises. When we hear of mercy to God's people, we are taken up and never think of God's wrath; and on the other side when we hear of his wrath on unbelieving hearts are taken up as well, and never think of his grace and mercy. We ought to sanctify the name of God in both: when God is in away of justice, look up to his grace; and when he is in a way of grace, look upon his justice, and sanctify that name of his likewise. And for that end, I shall give you two notable Texts of Scripture; there are many of this kind, but two I shall give you, that are as famous as any I know in the book of God: the one that declareth to you that when God expresseth the greatest mercy, yet than he doth express greatest wrath; and the other when God expresseth greatest wrath he than expresseth greatest mercy: And I shall show you the name of God oughto be sanctified in both. The first is in that 34. of Exod. 6. 7. The Lord there when he passed by before Moses proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, for giving iniquity, & transgression and sin. What abundance of mercy is here expressed? Now it follows. And that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children unto the third and fourth generation. Here is an expression of great wrath. And then for our sanctifying of God's name in this, it follows, ver. 8. And when Moses heard this, he made haste and bowed his head toward the earth and worshipped before the Lord. Thus we must bow and worship before God in our sanctifying his Name in both together, both his mercy and justice. On the other side, Nahum. 1. 2. and soon, God is jealous and the L●rd revengeth, the Lord revengeth and is furious, the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies, dreadful expressions, yet ver. 8. The Lord is slow to anger; there is a mitigation at first. Then he goeth on still in expressions of wrath, But he is great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: and ver. 5. The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burnt at his presence, yea the world and all that dwell therein: who can stand before his indignation, and who can abide the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the Rocks are thrown down by him. What more terrible expressions of wrath than these that come from God here? Now mark. ver. 7. The Lord is good and a strong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth those that trust in him. What a strong expression of grace is here? observe it my brethren, that in the midst of God's anger, yet God is good still; a gracious heart must acknowledge God, though he be provoked to anger, yet to be a good God still; and it is a good sign for the soul to fall down before God when he is in the way of his wrath; and to say, the Lord is good. As that good old man Eli did after the denunciation of that dreadful sentence against him and his house by Samuel, The word of the Lord is good, let him do what seems him best. All of you will say when God bestoweth avours upon you, God in the midst of his anger knows those that trust in him, Deus bonus est, etiam 〈◊〉 omnes homines perderet. Luther. The Lord is good, oh blessed be God he is a good God: but when God revealeth his greatest wrath, truly then the Lord is good. Luther saith he will acknowledge God to be a good God, though he should destroy all men in the world: much more than is he to be acknowledged in a day of trouble, when indeed he appears most graciously to his Saints. The Lord is good, and a strong hold in the day of trouble: Is God a strong hold now when such wrath is revealed? yea, and specially now, a strong hold to his Saints in the day of trouble, and he knoweth those that trust in him; for all his wrath is abroad in the world; he knoweth those that trust in him. Many men when they are angry they scarce know the difference between their foes and their friends: Many when they go abroad if any displease them, they come home and are angry with their wives, with their servants, with their children, with their friends, with every one about them, they know not then who is a friend and who is not when they are in their passion, their wives, and children, and servants wonder what the matter is with them. Sure some body or other hath displeased my master abroad to day he is so touchy, so angry upon every little thing. My brethren, It is a dishonour to you in the eyes of your servants, and it lays low your authority in your families, for them to see you come home in such a per that you know not how to be pleased, though they have done nothing to displease you. God doth not so, though he be never so angry, yet he knows those that trust in him. Let God's anger be never so public, and general abroad in the world, if there be but a poor soul in the world that lies in a poor cottage, in a hole, that is gracious, the Lord knows it, and taketh notice of it, and that soul shall know too that God doth know it. It is true, when the wrath of God is revealed abroad in the world, & seems as if it would swallow up all those of the Saints, whose spirits are weak and fearful, they are then afraid of God's wrath, that they shall be swallowed up in the common calamity: be of good comfort, God knows those that trust in him, even when his wrath is never so dreadful and general abroad in the world. It is in this case with God's children, as it is with a child in the mother's Arms; if the father violently lays hold upon his servant and beats him, and thrust, him out of doors for his demerits, there is such a terrible reflection from the father's anger against the servant upon the child, that the poor child falls a crying. So it is with the children of God, when they see God in a terrible way, ●aying hold upon wicked men, to execute wrath upon them, they cry out, they are afraid lest some evil should befall them too. Oh no, be of good comfort, The Lord is good, and a strong hold in the day of trouble, and knoweth them that trust in him, when his anger is never so great and general. So it is here; though this Israel be not my people, yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the Sea for all that, so you shall find it in the 15. ver. of that first of Nahum, Behold (saith the Text) upon the mountains, the feet of him that bringeth good tidings. What at this time though God's way be in the whirlwind and so terrible, yet now behold the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace. God abroad publisheth war, yet he hath a messenger to publish life and peace to some. Is it not so this day? It is true, the wrath of the Lord is kindled, the wrath of the Lord burneth as an oven, and it is hot, but it is against the ungody, but peace shall be upon Israel. And let us sanctify the name of God in this too, for so it follows in this very Chap. of Nah. ver. 15. Oh judah keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows, for the wicked shall no more pass through thee. And because God revealeth such rich grace in the midst of judgement, let this engage your hearts to the Lord for ever. Yea a little further (because it is an instraction of great use in these times, and may be yet of further use in times we may live to see (not only when God threateneth judgements, let us sanctify God's name in looking up to promises: but when judgements are actually upon us. Suppose we should live to have most fearful judgements of God upon us, yet even then we must look up to promises, It is good ● way●ing on God in the ways of his judgements. and exercise our faith, and have an eye to God in the way of his grace at that time, this is harder than in threatenings. You have an notable place for that in Esay, 26. 8. In the way of thy judgements, O Lord, have we waited for thee, the desire of our soul is to thy name. Oh blessed be God (my brethren) the Lord calleth us to wait upon him in the ways of mercy for the present. It is true, there was a time not long since, that the Lord was in a way of judgement toward England; and there were some of God's people, when he was in the ways of his judgements amongst us, yet would wait upon God and keep his ways; though there were many because God's judgements were abroad, and they saw that they were like to suffer, departed from God and declined his ways. Much cause of bitterness of spirit, and of dread of humiliation have they that did so: But others may have comfort to their souls, that in the very ways of God's judgements they waited for him, & they can now with more comfort wait upon God when he is in the ways of his mercy. But if God should ever come untous in the ways of his judgements, let us learn even then to wait upon God & keep his way. And yet another Text that may seem to be more notable than this for this purpose, and that is jere. 33. 24. Consider est thou not what this people have spoken, saying, the two families which the Lord hath chosen, he hath even cast them off; thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation. Mark the low condition the people were in at this time: Oh, God hath cast them off, they are despised & contemptible, not worthy to be accounted a nation. This condition was very low: but though they were brought low, & in a condition contemptible, yet now God confirms his Covenant with them at this time. For observe, ver. 25. Thus saith the Lord. If my Covenant be not with day & night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven & earth, then will I cast away the seed of jacob, and David my servant. As if God should say, let them know that whatsoever their condition is now, yet my love, my mercy, my faithfulness is toward them as sure as my covenant with day & night, and as the ordinances of heaven and earth. An admirable Text to help not only nations, but particular persons when they are cast under contempt by wicked & ungodly men; yet at that time the Lord is most ready to confirm his covenant with them, to be as sure as his covenant with day & night, and heaven & earth. This bringeth honour to God when at such times we can look up to God and exercise our faith. And indeed this is the glory, and dignity, and beauty of faith to exercise it then, when God's judgements are actually upon us. But what promises are these? They were not promises to any that then lived: the promise that is here made, was to be fulfilled in future Ages, yet it is brought in by the Prophet as a comfort to the people of God living then in that time. Hence this excellent note that nearly concerns us. Gracious hearts are comforted with the promises of God made to the Church, Obs. though not to be fulfilled in their days. If the Church may prosper and receive mercies from God, though I be dead and gone, and rotten in the grave, yet blessed be God. When Jacob was to die, saith he unto Joseph. Behold I die, Gen. 48. 21 but God shall be with you and bring you again unto the land of your fathers; he will fulfil his promises to you though I am dead. Our forefathers, that generation of the Saints that lived a while since, how comfortably would they have died if God before their death had revealed to them, that within 3. or 4. or 7. years so much mercy should come to England as we now have seen in these days! Yea how comfortably should any of us have died (I appeal to any gracious heart here) suppose God should have taken thee away but this time two years, and he should have said thus to thee, Go and be gathered to thy fathers in peace, within these two years such and such things shall be done for England, as we now live to see; would not we willingly have died? would it not have been comfort enough against the fear of death but to have had revealed to us what should have been done in after time to our posterity? what mercy then is it now, that it is not only revealed to us but enjoyed by us? That is the second Note. But thirdly, 3. What was this promise? This promise was that Israel should be a multitude, that the number of them shall be as the sand of the sea shore. We shall examine the excellency of the mercy of God in this promise by and by. Only for the present, inquire we a little why God would express himself in this, that his grace should be manifested, in this to multiply them as the sand of the sea shore. If we compare Scripture with Scripture, we shall find that God therefore promiseth this, because he would thereby show, that he did remember his old promise to Abraham, for that was the promise made to Abraham that God would multiply his seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and now God along time after cometh in with renewing this promise. Hence we are to observe this Note. That the Lord remembers his promises though made a long time since. Obser. God is ever mindful of his Covenant, as it is, Psal. 111. 5. When we have some new and fresh manifestations of God's mercy, our hearts rejoice in it, but the impression of it is soon gone. Many of you when you have been seeking God, have had many manifestations of his love, and God hath entered into Covenant with you, & for a while you have been comforted, but you lose all your comfort again within a short time: Oh remember, God is ever mindful of his Covenant, so we should be. God is ever mindful of his Covenant, though made 20. 40. years ago, he remains the same still, be you the same still; be you ever mindful of your Covenants. When men are brought into the bond of the Covenant, their consciences are awed with it, and they walk very strictly, and they clare not in the least thing go from the Covenant at first: But after a few months or weeks are over their heads, they forget their engagement, their Covenant they made with God, there is not such a strong bond upon their spirits as there was before. Oh my brethren, know that this is a great and sore evil in you; God is ever mindful of his Covenant, so you should be. And as of his Covenant, so of his threats too, by way of proportion: God remembreth his threats that were made many years ago; we are affected with God's threats for the present, but within a while, the impression is gone. But let us know, time altereth not God as it doth us. But yet we must inquire a little further, Why God pr●mised to Abraham to multiply his seed because it is often in Scripture that the children of Israel should be like the stars of the heaven and as the sand upon the Sea shore; Why did God express this covenant to Abraham? what was the matter? Thus, Observe. Nothing lost in being willing to lose for God. First, Abraham he left his father's house and all his kindred at God's command, and upon that first God made this covenant wi●h him that he would make his seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand of the Sea. As if God should have said to Abraham; Abraham be willing to leave your father's house, I will make a great house of you, a great family of yours. Secondly, you shall observe that afterwards God confirmed this covenant to Abraham, and that with an oath. It is very observable, when he came first out of his country, and left his father's house, God made this promise of the increasing of his seed, but not with an oath; but afterwards in Gen. 22 16. God renews this promise of multiplying his seed, and that by an Oath; for saith he, By myself have I sworn, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not witheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the Sea shore. Mark here, It was upon Abraham's being willing to offer up his son Isaac, his only son Isaac. Abraham was willing at Gods command to offer ● ship own son, and upon that God promiseth to multiply his seed as the states of heaven, and as the sand of the sea. Yea he comes in with an oath, By myself I swear, saith the Lord, that I will do it, because thou hast done this. We have two most excellent notes from hence. First, Observe there is nothing lost in being willing to lose for God. Abraham was willing to lose his father's house, the comfort of his family for God: I will make thee a glorious family as the stars of heaven, saith God. Again, Abraham was willing to lose one son, his only son for God. Art thou willing to lose one son for me▪ thou shalt have ten thousand sons for this one thou losest, yea though it be lost but in thy intention. Thou shalt have thy own son, and yet have ten thousand sons besides. Oh let us not be afraid to part with any thing for God: God's people they know how to make up in God what ever they lose for God: But God will not only make it up in himself, but will make it up even in the very thing itself, the creature itself thou losest for God. Art thou willing to lose a little of thy estate? Thou mayst with comfort expect (so far as if thou knewest all thou thyself wouldst desire) to have it made up in abundance, even in that very way. You know the promise, He that forsaketh father, or mother, or wife or children, or lands, or houses for my sake, shall have an hundred fold in this world, and in the world to come life everlasting. How hath God fulfilled this this day in many of our eyes, and too many of our experiences! how many have you known who have been willing to part with that they had, and to put it out (as it were) to the wide world; God hath made it up not only in himself, but in the very thing itself, and thereby taught them and all the world to be willing to venture for God, to part with any thing for him and his cause. Secondly, Observe. When we are willing to lose for God, then is the time when God will renew and confirm his Covenant with us. Then God confirmed his covenant with Abraham when he was willing to part with his son, to be deprived of all his seed. The way to be made sure of what we have is to be willing to part with it. You all desire to be sure of your estates, oh that we could in these times, wherein we see nothing sure make our estates sure! this is the desire of every one. Would you make sure of your estates? sure! illing to employ your estates for God & for a good cause: This is the way to have God to renew his covenant to you for an assurance of that way. Here is the best assurance office in the world. But how comes this in at this time, & to his people in Hosea his Prophecy? Thus it comes in now, because the Lord by the Prophet would answer an objection of the people. They might have said thus, What Hosea, do you thus threaten judgement, the destruction of Israel? why, you promise mercy to Judah, and Judah is but a handful to us, we are the ten Tribes, & with us are the chief, the greatest part, almost all the seed of Abraham, and yet you threaten our destruction, it can never possibly be: What will become of Gods promise then? Did not God promise Abraham, that his seed should be as the stars of heaven, & as the sand on the sea shore? you seem to go cross to God, God saith that he would multiply that seed, and you take a course to make men believe that the seed of Abraham should be brought into a narrow compass and be nothing. Thus doubtless they were ready to plead against the Prophet. The Prophet answereth thus. What do you say, what will become of Abraham's seed? Know that God can tell how to provide for his Church and fulfil his promise made to Abraham whatsoever becomes of you, for you are mistaken in thinking you alone are the seed of Abraham; for you shall know that Abraham hath not only a carnal but a spiritual seed; all those that shall come to join in the faith of Abraham, and subject themselves to the God of Abraham, they shall be the seed of Abraham, and so they shall be the children of Israel as well as you, and thus God will make good his word. And so the Apostle, Rom. 9 doth quote this Scripture about Gods casting off of the people of Israel threatened here by Hosea (ver. 25. As he saith also in Hosea, I will call them my people that were not my people: This is the very Text that the Apostle there quoteth, though all the words are not quoted, and it is a very good thing to acquaint yourselves with the Scripture, and to see how one Scripture looks towards another, and specially in the new Testament to see how the old Testament is quoted.) This I say the Apostle applieth to the Gentiles; and the holy Ghost (who is the best interpreter of Scriptures) there shows, that it is at least in part fulfilled in so many of the Gentiles coming in, and being converted to the faith of the true Messia. There are this and many other excellent Prophecies concerning the glory of Israel, that were made good in part in the first times of the Gospel; but that was but as the first fruits of the fulfilling of those promises & Prophecies; the accomplishment of them is yet certainly to come, when the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in, and the Jews be converted; than not only the spiritual seed, but the very carnal seed of Abraham shall have this promise made good, and shall be multiplied and come into the faith too. Rom. 11. 26. The Apostle speaks there of a general salvation of Israel, that was yet to come after the fullness of the Gentiles. So it appears plainly, that those Prophecies concerning the glory of Israel, though they were in part made good in the first times of the Gospel, yet there was a further accomplishment of them after, when there should be a fullness of the Gentiles come in, and then Israel should be saved too. I might spend a great deal of time in showing how many promises concerning the excellency of the Church were made good in part in the first times of the Gospel, and yet that but as the first fruits, and to be fully made good afterwards. And certainly this promise (as we shall afterward come to know) it is not yet throughly fulfilled: though it was in part made good at the calling of the Gentiles, there is a further degree of it to be accomplished another day, of which hereafter. From hence (the words being thus opened to you) take these observations as they do immediately spring from them. Obser. First, that all believers, though of the Gentiles, are of the seed of Abraham, they are of Israel, and therefore have the same privileges with Israel, the same in effect, yea (as we shall see afterward) better. They are all the heirs of Abraham, who in Rom. 4. is said to be the heir of the world, they have the dignity of Israel, to be the peculiar people of the Lord, to be the treasure, to be God's portion. Whatsoever you read of Israel, of excellent titles and appellations about Israel. they belong now to all believers, though they be the children of the Gentiles. A comfortable & sweet point to us of the Gentiles Secondly, God hath a time to bring in abundance of people to the profession of the faith, to bring in multitudes, even as the sand of the seashore. He will do it, and he hath ways enough to accomplish it. Though there is for the present this reproach upon the way and people of God, The reproach of the fewness of the godly will in time be taken away. that they are but a few, a company of poor mean kind of people, a handful, and what are they in comparison of the rest? This reproach (my brethren) will be wiped away, & we may yet expect that before the world be come to an end, that the greatest part shall come in & embrace the faith of Christ, and come to be godly too. full vision, in which he saw a man of Macedonia, appearing to him, and praying him to come over to Macedonia & help them; one would have thought that when Paul had gone to preach there, all should have come flocking in, and there should have been a glorious work done, that he should have brought in a great number to the faith: But when he came to Macedonia, he was fain to go into the fields by a river's side to preach, and only a few women came there to hear him (there was all the Auditory he had) and amongst them, there was but one poor woman wrought upon. God opened the heart of Lydia, Here was all the great do that was upon such a mighty call; and yet we know how gloriously God went on with Paul. This I note to confirm you in this, that though the beginnings be very small, yet we may expect a glorious increase afterward. As it was with the Church at the beginning, so it will be here: That which Bildad said of Job, Chap. 8. 7. may well be applied to the Church, Though the beginning of it be small, yet the latter end of it shall greatly increase. But thirdly, Obser. As God hath a time to multiply his Church, so it is a great blessing to the Church of God when it is multiplied. It is a fruit of God's great grace and mercy to make the Church to be a numerous people: As the multitude of Subjects is the glory of a Prince, Prov. 14. 28, so it is the glory of Jesus Christ, and therefore it was prophesied of him, that the Church should come in as the dew of the morning. Psal. 110. 3. Thus it began in the Primitive times in the Apostles days, and presently after multitudes came into the Church. I remember Jerome Writing to Cromatius, saith that there might be computed for every day in the year (except in the first of January) five thousand Martyrs: therefore the Church was grown to a numerous multitude. And Tertullian speaks in his time that they were become so numerous then, that in his Apologetiques he tells the Heathen that they had filled their Cities, and that if they would they had strength enough to make their party good against them, but they were patient and submitted themselves to their Tyranny. I know many make this of Tertullian an argument that men must lay down their necks, and suffer their throats to be cut, if those that are above them will it, and if they cannot obey actively, they must obey passively any thing that is according to the will of such as are over them. Why (say they) did not the Christians so in the Primitive times? Yes, the Christians did so, they though they were under Idolaters, and were commanded to deny Christ, which was utterly unlawful; yet though they could not obey actively, they obeyed passively, they did subject and submit themselves to all their rage; and though they had strength, yet they would not resist. Why should not Christians do so now? You are exceedingly gulled with this argument many times: true, we are bound to obey authority actively or passively, and yet this argument doth not serve the turn. There is a great deal of difference between authority abused, & men that are in authority commanding; here the difference lies not in authority abused, but in that which is no authority at all. For there is no authority that we are subject to now, but (as I have said heretofore) according to the Laws and constitutions of the Country where we live. Answer to the argument from the sufferings of the Primitive times against resisting tyranny. Not to the commands & mere wills of men till it be brought to a Law are we bound in conscience to submit, no way, neither actively nor passively; though it be a good thing that is commanded, Conscience doth not bind to it, earatione, to yield to it, because it is commanded, till it be brought to a Law. Now when things are brought into a Law, & be according to the agreements and covenants of the place and country wherein we live. And then suppose this authority be abused, & there be an ill Law made, than I confess (if that Law be of force) we must either quit ourselves of the Country or else submit or suffer, for then the power of God is in it, though it be abused, and we are to be subject to all powers. When then it comes once to be a power, to be a Law, it is authority, though abused, and we must yield obedience to it either actively or passively. But we must inquire whether it be a power; It is not because the man that is in authority commandeth it, except he command it by virtue of that authority, which is according to the nature and condition of the fundamental constitutions of the Country where he liveth. Now in the Primitive times they submitted themselves to suffer when they could not do the things that were commanded (as to deny Christ) because by the constitutions of that Country they had such a kind of power given to them, a legal power to proceed against them; so that they had a power in their way given them, and they had authority, but they abused it in that they did. And therefore the Christians were so willing rather to suffer any thing than to resist, and were ours the same case we should do so too, if once it come to pass that mischief be established by a Law, though it be mischief, yet if we cannot obey it actively we are bound to suffer or else to quit the Country, one of the two, if it be urged upon us: We may seek what we can to get it alleviated, but we must either do or suffer if once it be framed into a Law, otherwise we are not bound in conscience, bound we may be in regard of prudence, and in regard of preventing other disturbances, but conscience doth not bind to wills of men, but binds to Laws. Thus much still, for the satisfaction of Conscience in this case. But to come to what I brought this in for. The Christians were wonderfully increased at this time. Now we know this is the point; We are to rejoice when the Church is increased, and to esteem it as the great blessing of God when they are made as the sand upon the seashore. There is an admirable place for this in Psal. 72. where there is a large prophecy made of the Kingdom of Christ and of his Glory in this particular, ver. 8. He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the end of the earth, then ver. 11. All Kings shall fall down before him, and all Nations shall serve him: and ver. 17. His name shall endure for ever, and shall continue as long as the sun, and men shall be blessed in him, all Nations shall call him blessed. Now mark upon this, how the Saints rejoice and bless God, What shall all Nations come in and serve Christ? shall there come multitudes in and join with the Church? We should rejoice in multitudes joining to the Church Oh blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel who only doth wondrous things, and blessed be his glorious name for ever and ever, and let the whole earth be filled with his glory, Amen & Amen saith the Church of God then, let all the Saints send forth their echo. Amen, yea and Amen to this, that all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Christ, this is that they are affected with, this is that they desire much, as if they should say, this is a blessed thing indeed. My brethren this is a good and consely sight in a gracious eye to see multitudes come in & to flock to Christ and to his Ordinances. It is true indeed, the spirit of Antichrist that is in many makes them that they cannot look upon his but with a malevolent eye, and their hearts do vex, and rage, and fiet at this, as much as at any thing, they love scattering of them up and down, but to see people come flocking to Ordinances, to see multitudes come in and join themselves to Christ, this they cannot endure. The same malicious spirit that was against Christ, that we read of in the Acts of the Apostles, yea, and in the Gospel too, we find it still in such kind of men. Mark that Text, Act. 13. 44, 45. There it is said that almost the whole City came together to hear the word of God, to hear a Sermon. Now the pharisees when they saw the multitude they were filled with envy: Why what hurt was there done? They saw no hurt done, but merely saw the multitude, and they speak against those things that were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspeming: When they saw the multitude, they could have borne it otherwise. Mark again the vile spirits of the Pharisees that envied at the multitude that followed Christ himself: not only did they envy at the Apostles, for they might be factious and singular men in their esteem, but what say you to Christ himself? John. 12. 19 The Pharisees said, behold, perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world follows him. Certainly the same Pharisaical spirit hath been a prelatical spirit in our days. We know it hath been matter enough for a godly, painful, conscionable Minister to be outed of all he hath at an instant, and his mouth to be stopped, merely upon this, though they had nothing against him, no, not for their own Laws, but because he was a popular man, and multitudes followed him. What a dangerous thing hath it been of late times for men to be popular, that is, to be such as multitudes shall come and flock to the word preached by them. Certainly it is an evil spirit, for the promise of God to his Church is, that there shall come multitudes and join with the people of God in the way of his Ordinances. Yea but it may be they do not envy at all that multitudes should follow that that is good, Object. but it is the humour and pride of such men to have multitudes to follow after them. Ans. Take heed first of putting this off with such a plea. Consider whether it will hold at that great day. The Devil himself did never plead against Christ or any of his ways, but with some colour or other. And surely these men they judge thus by looking into their own hearts, because they know that if multitudes should come to them, it could not be but their hearts would be lifted up, and so they judge accordingly of others. But suppose it be so (for men are men) that they through corruption should have any such workings of pride, yet do they say anything that is not justifyable? do they preach any thing that is not according to Christ? If they do not, than thou shouldest encourage that which is good, and for that which is evil leave it to the coming of Christ, except thou canst by prayer and instruction help it, have it I say till then. It is worse to envy at multitudes now then it was for the Jews to envy Paul for multitudes following him, for they thought they could contradict him in what he said, and therefore for multitudes to follow such as should preach false doctrine (as they thought Paul did) they had some colour to contradiet it, & to envy at the multitudes following of him. But here it is nothing else in the World but merely because multitudes come to hear the world, for though men first preach in corners privately, where they have but a few auditors, they will cry out of that, well, if they preach publicly, and multitudes come to hear them, than they cry out of that too. Nothing at all will please them, nothing can please envious & malicious spirits. Malice of Satan envyina multitudes coming to the word. If we keep ourselves retired, that hath exceptions enough, and then if we come in a public way, they have exceptions at that too. Here the gross malice of Satan appeareth, because when the thing itself cannot be excepted against, he runs to the intention of the heart. and to men's inward aims, and bringeth an argument of that which he knows no man can confute him in: For who can say that that is either true or false that men have inward aims of pride, and vain glory, and self-seeking in multitudes, flocking after them? Here is the wisdom of the serpent too, because if they go upon other objections they may be answered by all the world that there is no such thing as they pretend, but put them from those, and you may be sure to have such objections as no man can answer: Oh but (say they) their hearts are lifted up and they have ill aims and ill intentions. Who can answer this objection? no body can confute this. Nay suppose we profess before the Lord & Christ as we desire to stand before him, and answer it at that day what our aims are, this will not serve the turn. Why then (my brethren) if men will choose such an argument as cannot possibly come to be answered before the coming of Christ, and so make a stumbling-block, there is no help but men must stumble and fall, and many do stumble and fall, and break their necks. How ever let wisdom be justified of her children; Let the Saints rejoice in this, that multitudes come in to the ministry of the word and to the Ordinances of Christ. Be careful and wise in this, and give no just occasion, and therefore give all due respect that possibly can be to those you have the most relation unto. This you see is the promise that there shall come in such multitudes to the Church. But mark then how the promise runs; As the sand of the sea. Rabbin Ezra makes an allusion from hence, as the sand (saith he) keeps the waves of the sea from breaking in, Quando, flanctus maris volant obruere, & submergere 〈◊〉, vident Isra elem & red●unt & frangantur in seipsis, & non possunt dominari munde and drowning the world: so Israel, so the Saints keep the world from being drowned by the waves of God's wrath. I do not say that this is the intention, but surely the intention of God is mainly this, to signify the multitudes that should come into the Church: Only this allusion we may make use of, as being a comfortable and pretty allusion, and it is a truth that Israel is as the sand of the sea, not only in respect of multitudes, but as the sand to keep in the waves of God's wrath from drowning the world: and indeed were it not for the Church of God, the waves of God's wrath that are abroad would overflow all the world, and the world would quickly be confounded. So saith he, When the waves of God's anger seem as if they would overflow all the world; they do but see Israel, and they return back presently, they retire and are not able then to overflow the world as they do desire. The fifth Lecture HOSEA. july. 4. 1642. I. the middle part of the 10. verse. and so on. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Yea are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, etc. ACcording to the division of the Chapter that Luther makes in his Comment upon this Prophet, we are already in the second Chapter; for he makes the second to begin at this tenth verse. From that to the end, we have the promise of mercy to Israel that was to come, and both to Israel and Judah together. Some part of God's promise of mercy to Israel we finished the last day; now we are to proceed. And it shall còme to pass in that place, etc. In that place.] This according to some hath reference to the very land of Canaan itself, that God will have a very glorious Church there, specially in Jerusalem before the end of the world come, and many Prophecies seem to incline that way, as Zach. 12. 6. Jerusalem shall be inhabited again, even in Jerusalem. This cannot be meant only of their return out of Captivity that was in Cyrus his time, for the Text saith, In that day thee feeble among them shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as the Angel of God, & God will pour upon them the spirit of grace & supplication, and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and the like. It shall be in that day when Jerusalem shall be inhabited, even in Jerusalem. The return of their Captivity at first was not so glorious, there was not such a glorious spirit put upon them then; for if you read the story of it, Lect. 5. you shall find that even all that while they were in a contemptible condition before the nations about them. But God speaks here and in other places of a glorious return of their captivity, & coming into their own Land. The Jews have a tradition, (Buxtorfius hath it in his Synagoga judaica) That there is a time that all the jews where ever they die, shall come through Meatus terrae, and rise again at Jerusalem; and therefore some of them when they think they have not long time to live, they will sell all their possesions, and go and live near Jerusalem, at least to prevent the trouble of coming through those Meatus terra that they speak of. Thus they are deluded in their conceits. But yet more generally, In that place. Whereas the place of my people was confined into a little and narrow room, hereafter it shall be enlarged, and even among the Gentiles that shall be made spiritual Israel, where I was not known, among the Heathen, even there shall I come to be known, and I shall have a people there, and not only people, but sons, the sons of the living God, and that so apparently, that it shall be said unto them. Ye are the sons of the living God. Thus Saint Peter seems to interpret this place, in the 1 Pet. 2. 10. speaking of the Gentiles whom God would have a people among them, saith the Apostle, Which in times past were not a people, but are now the people of God. Generally Interpreters do conclude that the Apostle had reference to this very place in Hosea: And so we may build then upon this interpretation howsoever, that it is the intention of the Spirit of God, that God would call home the Gentiles to himself, & so they that were no people should become his people, his sons: It should be said in that place where before it was said that they knew him not, that now they are his sons. Yea the Heathen shall be brought in, so as they shall be convinced of the vanity of their Idolatry. We worshipped dead stocks; our gods were dead stones & stocks that we were vassals unto; but now we see a people that is come in to the profession of this Christian Religion, they worship the living God, their God is the true God, certainly here are the sons of the living God. Obser. This is the scope of the holy Ghost. For observation. 1. It is a comfortable thing to consider that in those places where God hath not been known & worshipped, that afterward in those places, God should be known & worshipped. That such nations, such Countries and Towns that have lived in darkness & Idolatry, should now have the knowledge of the true God, that the true God should come to be worshipped amongst them, this is a blessed thing. England was once one of the most barbarous nations in the world, and in that place where it was said you are not my people, where there was nothing but a company of savage barbarous creatures that worshipped the Devil; how in this place, in England is it said, even by the nations round about us, surely they are the sons of the living God And so many times in dark corners in the Country where they never had the knowledge of Jesus Christ, but were nuzzled up in Popery and in all kind of supesticious vanity, God is pleased to send some faithful Minister to carry the light of the knowledge of Christ unto them, and efficaciously to work faith in their hearts, and now, oh what an alteration is there in that town! the like of a family. It may be said of many a house and family, A comfortable thing to have Religion set up in Towns & families, where once it was not. in which nothing but blasphemy, and atheism, and scorn of Religion, and uncleanness, and all manner of wickedness hath been, now it is a family filled with the servants and sons of the living God. As it is a grievous thing to think of a place wherein God hath been truly worshipped, that afterward the Devil should come to be served there, so it is a comfortable thing to think of other places wherein the Devil hath been served, that God is truly worshipped there. Some stories report that the Turks having possession of the Temple at Jerusalem, there where was the Ark, and the Cherubins, and the Seraphims, there now are Tigers, and Bears, and savage creatures; But on the other side to consider that in places where there have been none but Tigers, and Bears and savage creatures, they should now be filled with Cherubins, and Seraphims; this is a comfortable thing. Secondly. It shall be said they are the sons of the living God. It shall be said so. Obser. God hath a time to convince the world of the excellency of his Saints. They shall not only be the sons of the living God, but it shall come to pass that it shall be said they are the sons of the living God: all about them shall see such a lustre of the glory of God shining upon them, that they shall all say, Verily whatsoever other people have said heretofore, whatsoever the thoughts of men have been, these are not only the servants, but the sons of the living God. We have an excellent prophecy of this in Zachar. 12. 5. The governor's of judah shall say in their heart The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God. Not only the people shall be convinced of this, but the Governors of Judah, they shall say in their hearts, our strength is in the inhabitants of Jerusalem, in the Lord of Hosts their God. Howsoever they were heretofore scandalised, as seditious, and factious, and as enemies of the State, yet now the Governors of Judah shall acknowledge that their strength is in them, and in the Lord their God, that this Lord of Hosts is their God. That time will be a blessed time when the Governors of Judah shall come to be convinced of this; when God shall so manifest the excellencies of his Saints, as that both great and small shall confess them to be the sons of the living God. The world shall one day be convinced of the excellency of the Saints. It is promised to the Church of Philadelphia, Revel. 3. 9 that the Lord would make them that said they were Jews, and were not, & said they were the Church and were not, but were of the Synagogue of Satan, to come and how before their feet, and to know (saith he) that I have loved them. There is a time that ungodly men shall be forced to know that God doth love his people. And one thing amongst the rest that will much convince the men of the world of the excellency of the Saints, will be the beauty of God's ordinances that shall be set up amongst them, that shall even dazzle the eyes of the beholders. For this you have an excellent promise, Ezek. 37. 28. The heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel. How shall they know it? when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore, than they shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when the beauty of my ordinances shall appear in them, than they shall know it. And if God be not only satisfied in doing good to his people, but he will have the world know it, and be convinced of it; Let the people of God than not be satisfied only in having their hearts upon God, but let the world know that they love God too. You must do that that may make it appear to all the world, that you are the children of the living God. Let your light so shine before men, that they seeing your good works may glorify your Father which is in heaven. It is one thing to do a thing that may be seen, and another thing to do a thing that it may be seen. And yet God's people may do both, not do good only that may be seen, but (if they keep still the glory of God above in their eye, as the highest aim) they may desire and be willing too that it may be seen to the praise of God. But this I confess requireth some strength of grace to do it, and yet to keep the heart upright. The excellency of grace doth consist not in casting off the outward comforts of the world, but to know how to enjoy them, and to overrule them unto God: so the strength of grace doth consist, not in forbearing of such actions as are taken notice of by men, or not to dare to aim at the publishing of those things that have excellency in them; but the strength of grace consists in this, in having the heart enabled to do this, and yet to keep it under too, and to keep God above in his right place. Thirdly, It shall be said they are sons, etc. It is a great blessing unto God's children that they shall be accounted so before others. Obser. Not only that they shall be so; but that they shall be accounted so. Mat. 5. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God, This is a blessing not only to be God's children, but to be called Gods children. We must account it so, and therefore we must walk so as may convince all with whom we do converse that we are the children of God; and not think this sufficient, well, let me approve my heart to God; and then what need I care what all the World thinks of me. God doth promise it as a blessing to have his people called the children of God, than this must not be slighted. You shall find it often in the Gospel that Christ made a great business of this to make it manifest to the world that he was sent of God, he would have them to know that his Father sent him, and that he came from him: So the people of God should count it a blessing, and walk so as they may obtain such a blessing that the world may know that they are of God. Further. In the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. Mark, It is not said thus, that in the place where it was said they are not my people, it shall be said to them they are my people. No, but further, it shall be said they are sons, and sons of the living God: this goeth beyond being his people. Hence than the observation is, That The grace of God under the Gospel, it is moreful, and large, and glorious, than the grace of God under the Law. For this is spoke of the estate of the Church under the Gospel, They were God's people indeed under the Law, but the sons of the living God, this is reserved for the times under the Gospel. Sometime they under the Law are called by the name of sons; Sonship revealed by Christ. but it appeareth by this Text that in comparison of that glorious sonship that they shall have under the times of the Gospel, that they in former times were rather servants than sons. There is very little of our adoption in Christ revealed in the Old Testament, No, that was reserved for the Son of God to reveal, for him that came out of the bosom of the Father, and brought the treasures of his Father's council to the world, the revelation of these things were reserved to the time of his coming, both adoption and eternal life was very little made known in the time of the Law, therefore Saint Paul saith, that life and immortality were brought to light through the Gospel. 2 Tim. 1. 10. 2. Sons, 2. Because in the time of the Gospel, the spirits of the Saints are of sonlike dispositions, they are ingenuous, not mercenary. In the time of the Law God carried on his people in offering rewards, especially in outward things: but in the time of the Gospel we have no such rewards in outwards, but the Scripture speaks of afflictions most, there is not spoken so much of afflictions in the time of the Law, but much outward prosperity there was then: but in the time of the Gospel more affliction, because the dispositions of the hearts of people should not be so mercenary as they were before, they should be an ingenuous, a willing people in the day of Christ's power. 3. Sons, Because of the sonlike affection to be much for God their Father out of a natural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that they should have more than in the times of the Law. I suppose some of you have heard of the story of Croesus his son, though he was dumb all his days, when he perceived a soldier striking his father, his affection broke the bars of his speech, and he cried out to the Soldier to spare his rather. This is the affection of a son, and these affections doth God look for from his children, especially in the time of the Gospel, that they should hear no wrong done to him, but though they could never speak in their own cause, yet their should be sure to speak in their Father's cause. 4. Sons, Because they have not such a spirit of servility upon them as they had in the time of the Law. Christ is come to redeem us that we might serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness before him without fear all the days of our life, ●. ●●m. 1. 7. to take away the spirit of fear: Hence the Apostle saith, We have not received the spirit of fear but of love, and of a sound mind. Rom. 8 153 And Heb. 2. 15. Christ is come to redeem those who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage. The spirit of a son is not be spirit of fear, We have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again, but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father. It is unbeseeming the children of God, especially in the time of the Gospel, to be of such servile spirits as to fear every little danger, to be distracted with fear, and presently to be amazed. Hath not God revealed himself to us as a Father to his children that we must not fear? He would not have us fear himself, Sons must not fear. not with a servile sear as men do, and therefore surely not to fear men be they what they will be. We are sons. Again, Not only sons, for so we might find in Scripture, where the people of God under the Law, perhaps are sometimes called so, but elder sons, sons come to years. It is true, they were before us, and so in that respect we are not elder; but sons that are come to our inheritance, that is it I mean that we are such sons; Not children under tutorage, not under Schoolmasters and governor's, as they were in the time under the Law. You know what comparison the Scripture makes of the difference between the Church in the time of the Gospel, and that in the time of the Law. In the time of the Law it is true indeed they were children, but how? they were children that were under tuttors and Governors, they were not as yet come to years, they were but as young children that were put out to school. But now as the Apostle saith, Gal. 4. 15. Chrst hath redeemed us from being under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons: mark, that we might receive it, so that now the state of the Church is like unto a child that cometh to be of age, and so is freed from his Tutors and Governors, and cometh to his inheritance, sui juris, as it were, so is the state of the Church now. Therefore the Saints now are not to be dealt withal, as if still they were in their childish condition. Now how were the Jews dealt withal, becausethey were in their childish condition? Thus, they had outward external ethings to gain them to serve God, they worshipped God much in external things: As we deal with children, we give them apples and fine things to get them to do what we would have them do, so God dealt with them: And as children when they begin to learn, they must have a great many gayes in their book; so God taught the Jews with outward ceremonies, which afterward the Scripture calls but beggarly rudiments, poor things. Children you know are pleased much with gay things, and they that would bring in Jewish ceremonies, or ceremonies of their own invention in the Church, they make account the Church is in her childish condition still, as if gay things would please them, therefore they must have pictures, and Images, and such things to please people, this makes the people of God beneath themselves as if they were yet children, and were to be pleased with such things as these. No, now in the state of the Gospel they are come to the adoption of sons. And so children you know are pleased as with fsghts, so with hearing of music, and pipes, and such things, so men would bring such things still into the Church in the time of the Gospel. I remember Iust. Martyr in the 107. quest. ad orthodoxos, in answer to that about musical instruments, he saith that they are fit for children and fools, as Organs and the like, and therefore he says, they were not in use in the Church. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. One of the most ancient Writers we have after the Apostles time gives this for a commendation of them. And indeed for the childish state of the Church those things are fit, but now when they are come to the adoption of sons, other services that are more spiritual, are more suitable and honourable, as a man that is grown to be a man, would think himself wronged much to be taught as a child, to be put off with gay things; so should the people of God under the gospel think it a great wrong that hath been done to them, when men have sought to teach them with gayes and poor things, we are not still children, but so grown up to the adoption of sons as to receive our inheritance, and therefore are to have the privilege of such. Again. In that place where it was said, ye are not my people, it shall be said, etc. Israel that was cast off from God, now shall be brought in more fully than ever he was before. Thence the observation is, When God is pleased to be reconciled to a people, Observe. he is as fully theirs as ever, yea sometimes more fully. He comes rather with more full grace then ever formerly he did. People before, but sons now. O what an encouragement is this to all apostatising souls that have fallen off from God Come in, come in, and be reconciled to God, and thou shalt not only find God as good as ever thou didst, but thou shalt find him much better and much sweeter than ever thou didst in all thy life. It is seldom we are so. When men fall out one with another, though possibly they may be reconciled, yet it is seldom that they are so fully reconciled, so fully one as they were before; they are but as a broken vessel sodered together, that is very weak in the sodering place; or as garments that have been rend, and are mended, soon torn and quickly ready to fall in pieces in the place where they were mended; It is not so between God and a penitent soul. Again, sons, not only of God, but of the living God. There is much in this, that the people of God under the gospel should be called the sons of the living God: The life of God is the glory of God: he sweareth by his life: by this he is distinguished from the heathen gods, that he is the living God. Life is the most excellent thing in the world; Augustine therefore saith, that the life of a very fly is more excellent than the Sun in the Firmament: and certainly it is the glory of God, that he is the living God. And as God is the living God, so he is the object of our faith, and so he is the happiness of his people. Trust in the living God; my soul pants and thirsts after the living God, O when shall I come and appear before God. But why is God called the living God in reference to his Church here? Why God is call 〈◊〉 the living God in reference to his Church 〈…〉 thing we must inquire after. This is a treasure of comfort to his people that he is called the living God in reference to his Church. God would hereby declare to them that all that is in him shall be active for the good of his Church for ever, he will show himself not only to be a God, but a living God, he will show all his attributes to be living attributes for the good of his people. Did God show himself active for his people in former times? much more may his Church in the time of the gospel expect the Lord to manifest himself to be active amongst them. Therefore we make use o● what we read of God's activeness for the good of his Church in former times, to plead with God to show himself as much active now. You shall see how the Church made use of the former activeness of God, Isa. 51. 9 Awake, Awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord, awake as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art not thou it that hath out Rahab and wounded the Dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep? etc. Thou hast been active heretofore for thy people, oh be so sti●. If they might make use of former times, much more in our times of the gospel may we make use of former times, and plead with God, O Lord hast thou not shown thyself glorious in defence of thy people, in helping thy fervants in their great straits, and in destroying thine enemies? wilt not thou be so still? In the times of the gospel, we may expect more activeness of God then ever he manifested since the world begun. Therefore when God would set out the state of the Church of the gospel, mark how he takes that title to himself. Revel. 4. 9 The 4. living creatures (mentioned in the verses before, by which is meant the state of the Church under the gospel) they give glory, and honour, & thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever: and ver. 10. The 24. Elders fell down before Him that sat on the Throne, and worshipped Him that liveth for ever and ever, and Chap. 5. 14. both join together, The 4. living creatures and the 24. Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. And Chap. 10. 5, 6. The Angel which stood upon the sea, and upon the earth, lifted up his hand and swore by him that liveth for ever and ever. Thus the attribute of God's life is made use of for the state of the Church in the gospel, to show how active God will be for them. Thence Heb. 12. 22. the Church is called The Cities of the living God. Now than if we expect that God should be a living God unto us, it becomes not us to have dead hearts in his service. If God be active for our good, let us be active for his honour. A living and a lively Christian is beautiful in the eyes of God and man. Let us labour not only to be liviing, but to be lively for God and his cause. Abundance of service, and good, may living and lively Christians do in the places where they live, specially in these times. But oh what a few are there who are active and stirring, and are carried on by the spirit of wisdom and zeal, for God and his cause! Away now with out cold and dead wishes, and luskish desires, let us up, and be doing, Christian's must be living and lively. and the Lord will be with us. The adversaries are lively, so saith the Psalmift, mine tnemies are lively, and they are strong, Psal. 38. 19 We may well make use of that expression too, our enemies they are lively and strong; shall they be more lively and active for the Devil, and for their lusts, than we for the living God? As God is the object of our happiness as he is the living God, so we are the objects of God's delight as we are living too. God is not the God of the dead, but he is the God of the living. We should be lively and active, for we live upon the bread of life, and drink the water of life, we have lively Oracles, lively ordinances, therefore life and activity is required of us. Rom. 12. 11. Be fervent in spirit serving the Lord, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. be burning, boiling up in your spirits, for you are serving the Lord, the living God, be boiling up in your spirits; dead spirits become not the services of the living God. Grace is called the Divine nature, and God (we know) is a pure act, and it is called the very life of God. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Eph. 4. 18. It is impossible then but a Christian must needs be active, seeing his grace is the very life of God in him. By being lively and active, we shall prevent abundance of temptations, that otherwise will befallus: a dead luskish spirit is liable to a thousand temptations: as when the honey is scalding hot and boiling, the flies will not come to it; when it is set in the window and grows cold, than the flies come to it: so when the spirits of men are boiling hot for God, Belzebub the god of flies with his temptations, comes not then upon them, but when their spirits begin to cool, and grow dull and heavy, then comes Belzebub, then comes all manner of temptation upon the soul. The breath that comes from life, we know it is warm breath, but artificial breath that is cold; the breath that comes from the body of a man, that's hot, but the breath that cometh from a pair of Bellows, that is cold, because it is artificial breath: so when men are cold in the services of God, it is to be feared that their breath in praying and other duties, it is but artificial breath, it is not the breath of life, if it were living, it would be warm. That was the reason why God would not have an ass offered him in the Law in sacrifice, but his neck must be broken, because the ass is a dull creature, God loves not dull creatures in his service. I remember I have heard of a people that worshipped the sun for their god, they sacrificed to the sun a flying horse; the reason was this, because they would offer to the sun somewhat suitable to it; they honoured the sun for the swiftness of his motion, and a horse you know is a swift creature, and therefore somewhat suitable, especially having that emble me upon him, with wings. They that would honour the sun as a god for swiftness would not offer a snail, but a flying horse; so if we do honour God for a living God, an active God, let us not offer snails to him, dull, heavy, sluggish services, but quick and lively services. That which the Courtiers of Nabuchadnezzar flatteringly said to him, that in the name of God say I to you, Live for ever, Joh. 6. 57 saith Christ there, As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me even he shall live by me. Christ was active, exceeding active in his way, in the work he was sent about; Why? because the living Father sent him; so letus consider, that in all our services and employments, it is a living God that sets us about them, and we shall be active as Christ was. I am willing a little to enlarge this because of the necessity of it in regard of our present times, and give me leave to do it by telling you what this activeness is that I would put you upon in these three things. 3 Things wherein Christians must be lively. First, stay not for company in any good cause. An active spirit will not stay till he see others to accompany him, but if he must go, rather than the cause should fall he will go alone. Mark that saying, Isa. 51. 2. I called Abraham alone and blessed him: 1. Be not discouraged, if God give thee an active spirit and others will not appear, God calls thee alone, and he will blesset he. Secondly, when you have company do not lag behind, but he willing to be foremost rather then any cause of God should suffer by your lagging; 2. do not stay to have others go before you. Hence in Pro. 30. 31. amongst the comely goings of many things there, the going of the he-goat is said to be very comely, why? because the he-goat useth to go before the flock. Those that out of love to the cause of God are willing (if they be called to it) to go before the flock, they go comely in the eyes of God. Thirdly, do not forbear the work till all difficulties about it be first over. That is a sluggish spirit that will not set about the work till they can see how all the difficulties about the work are or may be removed. You must up and be doing, be doing presently, fall to the work, and then when you are working, wisely to prevent and avoid the difficulties that come in it; As those active spirits did that we read of in Nehem. 4. 17. when they were at work, with one of their hands they wrought, and with the other hand they held a weapon; they did not stay the building of the wall of Jerusalem till all their adversaries were quashed; but prefently they fell to it, and with one hand they wrought in the work, and with the other held a weapon. This is an active spirit. Further, we must not be active in a sudden mood, & upon a mere flash, and so gone, Active & yet solid. but in a constant solid way; Active, yet solid. Many indeed are stirring and active for the present, but as the flame of a wisp of straw that makes a noise, and a great stir for the present, but soon after there remains nothing but black dead ashes. But we must be considerately active; Therefore observe, the Scripture saith (speaking of the Saints specially in the time of the Gospel) that they are lively stones (you know the place of Peter) What a stone, and yet lively? A stone of all things is the most dead thing, 1 Pet. 2. 5. and so it is used to set out a dead spirit in that story of Nabal, when Abigail came to tell him of the business of David, the Text saith, that his heart died within him, and became as a stone. What is this but to show, that though we must be lively and active, 〈…〉 must be solid, firm, and substantial in our activeness; and again, that when we are solid, firm, and substantial, yet we must be active. There are many that know not how to be active solidly, and therefore grow slight and vain in their activity: and many others striving to be solid and substantial, they quickly grow dull: many through a kind of affected gravity, they would forsooth be accounted solid and wise, and so become at last dull, and heavy, and of very little use in the Church of God. Take heed of either, and labour to compose both together, that is acceptable to God, to be living stones before him. Ver. 11. Then shall the children of Judah, and the children of Israel be gathered together, etc. Here you have a promise both to Israel and Judah together. Great was the enmity between Judah and Israel heretofore. They worshipped the same God, but in divers manners. One worshipped God according to his own institution, Judah did. And Israel worshipped the same God, but after their own ways, according to their own inventions, so as might best suit with their politic ends. There was a great deal of bitterness and vexation between these two people, though worshipping the same God; and God here makes it a great matter to bring these two together, that they should be gathered together in one. For that here we have the promise: First, that there shall be an union: Secondly, that there shall be an union under one head. First, that there shall be an union. Hence than the first observation is this: The enmity of such as seem not much different in matters of Religion, and yet do differ, is sometime exceeding great and bitter. There shall be an union between Judah and Israel saith God. Here is a mercy, Obser. here is a wonderful work of the Lord. In that God doth I say make this so great a matter, this observation doth spring forth of the Text clearly, that many times between such as profess the same Religion, and seem not to differ much, and yet do differ, their oppositions are most bitter and ineconcileable, and requires a mighty work of God to bring them in and reconcile them. It appears it was so between Judah and Israel. I will give you but one Text for it, 2 Chr. 28. 9 The Prophet Obed tells the children of Israel, when he came to reprove them after the slaughter committed by them upon the children of Judah, saith he, Ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up to heaven. What a rage was this this? and yet thus the people of Israel were enraged against the people of judah, their opposition was very bitter, yea, more bitter were they many times one against another, than they were against the Heathen, the Philistims, and Assyrians, and Egyptians that were round about them, they were nothing so bitter against them, as they were one against another. Thus it hath been, and (until that blessed time come that here is spoken of in the Text) thus it will be. You know the Calvinists and Lut he rans, though they agree together against Papists in the main fundamental things, yet ●h the bitterness of their spirits one against another! A Lutheran is scarce so bitter against a Papist as he is against a Calvinist. Luther himself complaineth, Non solum hostes palam impij persequuntur nos, sed etiam hi qui fuirunt dulces amici nostri, qui anobis acceperunt doctrinam Evangelij, fiunt infencissimi hostes nostri persequentes nos acerime. Not only open wicked men are our enemies, but even our friends, and those that at first received the doctrine of the Gospel from us; even they persecute us most bitterly. And he complaineth in particular of Zuinglius; Zuing. (saith he) accuseth me of my wickedness, of any cruelty, so that the Papists do not tear me so much as these my friends. Nihil est scelerum aut crudelitatis, cujus me non reum agate, adeo ut nec papistae me sic lacerunt hostes mei, ut illi amici nostri. Ep. ad Mich. Stifelinum. Again, speaking of Corolost adius, Infensior mihi est quam ulli hactenus fuerint inimici. Luther. ep. ad Spalatinum. He is more deadly against me, more set against me then ever any of my enemies were. Even he that God did ufe together with Luther for great ends and purposes for the furtherance of the Gospel, yet such bitterness was between them. And hath it not been so amongst us? Those that are Protestants and such as are nicknamed Puritan, though they do agree in all the fundamental points against popery, yet because there is some difference in matter of discipline and ceremonies, Oh what bitterness of spirit is there? and it is so much the more sinful in those who say themselves that discipline and ceremonies are but in different things, they themselves are specially to be blamed for bitterneesse on their side, because the conscience of the other is bound up and cannot yield, yea, not only such as do contend against popish discipline, but such as do go a further degree in reformation of discipline itself, yet because they are differing in some few particulars, oh the bitterness of spirit that is many times even among them! These are times that call all the people of God to see what they can agree in, and in that to join against the common adversary, and not to tear one another by dissensions. God may justly give us over to our adversaries, if we agree not among ourselves, and they may chain us together: Perhaps a Prison may make us agree, as it was said of Ridley and Hooper; though Ridley stood much against Hooper in point of ceremonies, and they could not agree, yet when they came to Prison they did well enough there. A prison will make men to agree. The Lord deliver us from that medicine of our dissensions, that we be not made so to agree; Yea that we be not sodered together by our own blood. Secondly, 2. God hath a time to gather Judah and Israel both together, that is, to bring peace to his Church: God hath a time to gather all his Churches together in a way of peace, that there shall be an universal peace amongst his Churches. For thought it is true it be meant here of Judah and Israel literally, yet Israel and Judah is to set out to us all the Churches of God that shall be afterwards among the Gentiles: and as God will fulfil this Scripture literally, so he will fulfil it in the spiritual sense, to bring Judah and Israel, that is, all the Churches of God to be under one head. Isa. 11. 13. Ephraim shall not envy judah, and judah shall not envy Ephraim. Ephraim envied Judah, because Judah challenged to himself the true worship of God, and Judah on the other side envied Ephraim, because he was the greatest, there was vexing spirits one against another: this shall not always be, saith God, but the envy of Ephraim shall depart, I will take away this envious, this vexatious spirit. Those two staves the holy Ghost speaks of in Zach. 11. 10, 11. 14. the staff of beauty, and the staff of bands, they were both broken, but God hath a time to unite together again, and for that mark that excellent prophecy in Ezek. 37. 16, 17. 22. 24. There you shall find fully set out Gods bringing Judah and Israel together, and joining those sticks together again. Son of man (saith the Text there) take thee one stick and write upon it, for judah and for the children of Israel his companions, & then take another stick, & write upon it, for joseph the stick of Ephraim, & for all the house of Israel his companions; and join them one to another into one stick, & they shall become one in thy hand. And then ver. 19 this is interpreted of the union of them, Behold I will take the stick of joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim, & will put them with the stick of judah, & make them one stick, & they shall be one in mine hand: And vers. 22. I will make them one Nation in the land upon he mountains of Israel, & one King shall be King to them all: And in the 24. ver. that King is said to be David which we shall afterward show more fully, when we shall come to show this head that they shall be under. Now this God hath never yet fulfilled, that the ten Tribes, and Judah and Benjamine should come together, and be set in one stick, he hath never set together the staff of bonds that was broken, and yet this must be done, and it is the great blessing of God upon his Churches, the bringing about of this union one with another. Mark that Text for this purpose, jer. 33. God having promised having promised there in the 10. ver. that in the latter days he would bring Judah & Israel together, and build them up at first: then in the 14. verse. Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform the good thing which I have promised unto the children of Israel, & to the house of Judah. What is that good thing that God had promised to the houses of Israel and judah? That good thing (my brethren) is the building them up together as they were at first; that is the good thing. Behold how good & pleasant a thing it is for brethren to live together in unity: It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments, as the dew of Hermon, & as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even 〈…〉 the Churches of God where there is this 〈…〉 here is God commanding blessing, The 〈◊〉 of the Church's 〈◊〉. that 〈…〉 powerfully; cometh efficaciously, and blessing of life, and life for evermore. O who would not then love union and peace in the Churches! Zach. 14. 9 The Lord shall be King over all the earth, in that day shall there be one Lord, & his name one. The Churches now, they have one Lord, they all acknowledge God & Christ to be their Lord, yea but this Lord hath not one name, though they all pretend to Christ, & that they will honour Christ, and set up Christ, yet this one Lord hath many names. But here it is prophesied that there shall be but one Lord, and his name shall be but one neither. And Zeph. 3. 9 Then will I turn to a people of a pure languag that they may all call upon the name of the Lord & serve him with one consent. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word in the Original is, one shoulder; all the people of God shall have but one shoulder that they shall set to the service of God. O blessed time when they shall come so to be united as to have but one shoulder! And the greater will this blessing be of judah's and Israel's gathering together, if you consider these two things (I beseech you observe them) and I go no further than this very Scripture I am now opening to you. First, that they shall have this perfect union together even then when Israel shall be as the sand of the sea: 1. when there shall be such multitudes coming in and flocking to the Church, yet than they shall be united into one, and then there shall be peace in the Churches. It is not a hard matter when there are but very few of a Church, perhaps half a dozen or half a score, for them then to be of one mind, and to agree in one lovingly together, and to have no divisions nor dissensions among themselves; but when a Church grows to be a multitude, and a great many, then there lies the difficulty. When did ever any Church though never so well constituted at first, but increase in divisions and dissensions, as they increased in number and multitude? You see you find it very hard when you have any meeting in any society, when any business concerns a great many, you find it I say a very hard thing so to agree together as to be of one and the same mind. A hard thing to a agree wh● there are many. An instrument, as a watch or any thing that hath many wheels, is sooner out of frame then that which hath but a wheel or two. So when a great many come together about any business, it is mighty hard to bring them to be united in one. There are few families that have many persons in it, but quickly dissensions and brabblings grow among them: perhaps where there are two or three in a family they keep well enough together: but where there are many, where there are but seven in a family, they cannot so well agree, nor so long a time together as the seven Devils did in Mary Magdalen, they agreed better and longer than many a seven in a family: But God hath made this promise to the Church, that though it shall increase as the sand on the sea shore, and that multitudes shall come flocking to the Church, yet they shall be all gathered together into 〈◊〉 under one head, and they shall have peace, for certainly that is the●● 〈◊〉 of the holy Ghost here. Secondly, 2. They shall agree in one, not only when they are multitude, but when they shall come to enjoy their full privileges, and the full liberty that Christ hath purchased for them, even then there shall be a blessed agreement. For it is spoken here of those times when they shall come under one head, and Christ alone shall rule them, and not men's inventious; Christ will grant his Church those privileges that he hath purchased for them, & rule them according to those, and then there shall be a blessed agreement among them all. Men now think it impossible that the Church should have those liberties Christ hath purchased without dissensions, oh say they, grant them but such and such things, let them have but such liberty as they speak of, and we shall have nothing but brabbling and divisions; what shall every man be left to do what he list? why than we shall have nothing but breaches in the Church, and heartburning one against another. No, Christ hath never purchased so much liberty for every man to do what he list in things apparently unlawful against the common principles of Religion, In those there may be compulsion. But that liberty that Christ hath purchased, is the lawful use of the things of indifferency, and the lawful use of his ordinances. And though now men think that even in such things that are in themselves indifferent, if men be left at their liberty, there will be such heartburning, & such dissensions, and no peace at all in the Church; they are much mistaken in this, for the only way to have true peace in the Church, is to leave things as Christ hath left them, & to force nothing upon men's consciences that Christ would not have forced, this is the way of peace; and the special way of dissension (we have had experience of it) hath been and ever will be, the urging upon men's consciences those things Christ would not have urged, this is it that makes the greatest rent & division in the Church. Urging things indifferent the cause of divisions in the Church The urging of uniformity in all indifferent things as necessary to unity is a most false principle, you will find it so. It is a principle that many have been led by, but it is an extreme, false, and corrupt principle, and is and will be found to be the cause of the greatest distractions. When this time comes that is here prophesied of, there shall not be any such need of any Antichristian chain, to chain the servants of God together, but they shall be one without any such doings. It is true, Papists and Prelatical men, they cry out of others; there are such divisions among them say they, none of them can agree, there is more uniformity and unity with us than there is with them, every one there among them runs up and down and doth what he pleaseth. Mark these two Answers to that. First, They have little cause to brag of their unity if we consider all; for in the mean time though many thousands of Christians, and hundreds of faithful, painful, and conscionable Ministers of God that did more service to God and his Church then ever they wil●●o, though they be banished out of their country, and put 〈…〉 ●●remities, and endure sore afflictions for 〈…〉 ●●ch of unity with them at all, though 〈…〉 things they have caused many 〈◊〉 〈…〉. This is no breach of unity with them. But suppose by their power they could have brought all to an uniformity, in their own inventions and innovations as they desired. What then? they have little cause to brag of that unity neither. Certainly there the remedy would have been worse than the disease, and work a greater mischief. Their bragging then of unity would have been no other but thus, as if a couple of prisoners chained to a block, and kept close all day, should see others go abroad in the streets at a distance, and they should cry out to them, Why do you not take example by us? you keep at a distance one from another, do you not see that we keep close together from morning to night? pray take example by us, and do not go so distant one from another. Would not such an argument be most ridiculous? What is the reason of their union but their chine? Certainly there is the same argument in these men's pleading for that uniformity that they force men to by such a kind of Antichristian chain. What breach of unity is it if in a broad street one goes a little distant from another? and so what breach is it if in matters of indifferency one take one way and another another? It is the corrupt and perverse spirits of men that think they cannot have unity, and yet have things as Christ have left them. Christ needs no such things to cause unity in his Church, the spirit of his people that shall love truth & peace is enough to cause that unity he would have. And O that this time that this gathering together were come, of all Churches to be made one, & be under one head! for abundance of mischief is done now among the Churches, and in the world by the spirit of division and dissension. The Devil delights (especially that devil that is the spirit of division) to live in the region of the Church. There are some devils especially that are spirits of pride, (as the dumb devil) and some of dissension, and some of one kind and some of another; and I remember Cajetan hath a note upon that place of the Gospel, where our Saviour Christ cast the devils out of the possessed man, Mar. 5. 8. 9 they besought him that he would let them enter into the swine, & that he would not send them out of that Region, because (saith he) they have several Regions where they most haunt, and they that are in such a Region, they are loath to be put out of it, but would fain keep their place. Whether that be so or no we will not say, but this we say, that if their be any Religion in the world that the unclean spirit of division loveth to be in, and is loath to be cast out; it is the Region of the Church, for their he doth the greatest mischief. But Christ hath a time to cast this unelean spirit out of the Region of the Church, and that so, as he never shall return any more. This point in regard we meet with it so fitly, and is so fully agreeable to the necessity of our times, I cannot tell (though I go a little beyond the ordinary way of exposition) how to get off from it. This union of the Churches is that which will be the stability of it. You have an admirable place of this, Isa. 33. ●●. Thine eyes sball see Jerusalem a quietation habit. O that our eyes might 〈◊〉 blessed 〈◊〉 behold Jerusalem a quiet habitation, than we should be will 〈…〉 hold Simeon to say, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Mark then what follows, a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down, nor one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken, but there the glory of God will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams, wherein shall no galley with oar, neither shall gallant Ship pass thereby. The kingdoms of the world though they seem to be built upon mountains, yet God will toss them up and down, and they shall come to nothing: but the Church when it is made a quiet habitation (observe it) though it be but a tabernacle & set upon stakes, yet this tabernacle shall not be taken down, The blessedness of union. nor one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, though it be tied by lines, yet not a cord thereof shall be broken. Yea in this the glory of the Church doth consist, for so saith the Text there, when it is a quiet habitation, the glory of God shall be there, God shall dwell among them as a glorious God. No Church more honourable than the Church of Philadelphia, for that is the Church the Adversaries must come and bow before. Rev. 3. 9 and that Church carrieth Brotherly love in the very name of it, for so it signifies. Cant. 6. 9 My dove, my undefiled is but one, the only one of her mother. What followeth? The daughters saw her and blessed her, yea the Queens and the Concubines, and they praised her. When Christ's dove and undefiled comes once to be but one, the daughters shall see her and bless her. Esay, 11. 7. 8. etc. There you have a promise of Judah and of Ephraim's joining together. Mark what follows, Chap. 12. 1. In that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee. (Observe, In that day.) And again, ver. 4. In that day shall you say, Praise the Lord, proclaim his Name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted, Sing unto the Lord, for he hath done excellent things; cry out and shout thou inhabitant of Zion. Then indeed God doth excellent things, when he makes Ephraim and Judah come to be but one. Therefore saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 12. 31. Yet show I unto you a more excellent way, What is that way? In the Chapter following he falls upon the commendation of Love, where you have the highest commendation of it that is in all the book of God; that is the more excellent way. Cant. 3. 9 There the Church is compared to the Chariot of Solomon: The pillars of it (saith the Text) were all of silver, the bortome thereof gold, the covering of it of purple, and the midst thereof being paved with love. Then indeed doth the Church ride in triumph in her Chariot, when there is much love and peace in the midst of it. It is true (my brethren) considering the weakness and peevishness of men's spirits (yea of good men as well as evil) we may wonder how ever this shall come to pass; Is it possible that this shall ever be so? Indeed it must be a mighty work of God to do it. We must not think to effect it by struggling one with another, and to say 〈◊〉 will make them be at peace and unity, or they shall sma●● 〈…〉 pull them together by Law. This will not do it, 〈…〉 for the accomplishing of this great thing. jer. 33. 3. Thus 〈…〉, Call unto me and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. What are those great and mighty things that we must call to God for? Amongst others this is one principal one, ver. 7. I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them as at the first, and so make them bochone. And then ver. 9 It shall be to me a name of joy, a praise & an honour before all the Nations of the earth, when they shall hear of all the good that I do unto them. Mark, joy, praise, honour, yea a name of joy, praise, honour, follows upon this blessed union, and that before all the Nations of the earth. For the accomplishment of this. Come Lord Jesus, come quickly! Yet let us further observe the difference between the scattering of the wicked, and the scattering of the Saints. Judah & Israel they were scattered, but, now they shall be gathered together. There is a great deal of difference between the scattering of the Saints, Obser. and the scattering of the wicked: When God scatters the Saints, he scatters them that they may be gathered; when he scatters the wicked, he scatters them that he may destroy them, Psal. 68 1. Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered: How scattered? As smoke is driven away; so drive them away. Smoke you know is driven away and scattered, so as it comes to nothing. Psal. 144. 6. Cast forth lightning and scatter them, shoot out thine Arrows and destroy them. This is the scattering of the wicked: but as for the Saints, they may be scattered, but it is to spread abroad the gospel by them in the world. Acts 8. 4. The Text saith, They that were scattered abroad by reason of the persecution of Saul, went every where preaching the word: but within a while our God shall come and all his Saints with him, and he will gather together the outcasts of Israel, with abundance of mercy: so Micah. 46. In that day saith the Lord, I will gather her that is driven out & her that I have afflicted; and Esay, 54. 7. For a time, for a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies I will gather thee. God will gather his people with great mercies. God hath (my brethren) fulfilled this in a great part, in our eyes even this day. Many of those that were driven out of their places and Countries, those that were afflicted, and those the land could not bear, God hath gathered together these outcasts of Israel. Let every one take heed how he hinders this work of the Lord, and how he addeth affliction to those that have been afflicted. Again further. They shall be gathered together in that day, That is, in the time of the Gospel, when that shall prevail then Judah and Israel shall be gathered together. Then, The more the Gospel prevails, the more peace there shall be. Obser. The Gospel is not the cause of divisions The Gospel is not the cause of divisions then, of seditions, of factions; No, It is a gospel of peace; the Prince of it is a Prince of peace, the Ambassage of it is an Ambassage of peace. It is next unto blasphemy, if not blasphemy itself, to say that since the preaching and profession of the Gospel, we had no peace, but it causes act 〈…〉 and divisions among the people. It is true, people that are in the dark 〈…〉 and quiet together, as it is said of the Egyptians, when they were in the dark for those three days together, they stirred not from their stools, there was no noise among them; shall the light be blamed because afterward when it came, every one stirred, and went, one, one way and another, another? so when we were in gross darkness, we saw nothing, we knew nothing; Now light begins to break forth, and here one searcheth after one truth, and another after another, and yet we cannot attain to perfection; shall we accuse the light for this? Yea but we see too apparently that those that seem the strictest of all, that would worship God (as they say) in the purest manner in his Ordinances; yet there are woeful divisions and distractions even amongst them. How then is the Gospel a Gospel of peace? But a word in answer to this; To satisfy your consciences, that the Gospel may not be blamed, for indeed where the Gospel comes, there is promised peace. Consider this one reason that may be given for it. Because so long as we are here we are partly flesh and partly spirit. Yet those that have the Gospel prevail with their consciences, they come to be of this temper, that they cannot move any further than they can see light for, and their consciences will give them leave. But now other men they have more liberty, they indeed quarrel not one with another, why? because they have wide, chequer, lyther consciences, & having ends of their own they will yield to any thing for the attaining of those ends; The reason why godly men are not so yielding as others. so that here they have this advantage, that if they see that the contention will bring them more trouble than they conceive the thing is worth, they will condescend though it be against light of conscience. But other men upon whom the light of the Gospel hath prevailed have that bond upon conscience, that though all the world should differ from them, they must be content to lie down and suffer, they cannot yield, though you would give them all the world they cannot go against that light. But indeed they may search, and it may trouble them that their apprehensions of things should be different from the apprehensions of their brethren, and that they cannot yield to that which their brethren yield too. It is true, they should be humbled, and suspect their hearts, and look to themselves, and fall down before God and pray, and use all means for advice and counsel, and consider of things again and again. Well, but suppose they have done all this, and yet the Lord doth not reveal to them any further light, though it be a sad affliction to them yet they must lie down under it, for they cannot yield, one known truth is more than all the world, therefore unless others will bear with them in their infirmity, they must suffer whatsoever men will lay upon them. True indeed, the world calls this stoutness, and stiffness, and being wedded to their own opinion. But they know it is otherwise, they can appeal to God and say, Lord thou knowest what a sad affliction it is unto me that I cannot see what my brother sees, and that I cannot yield to what my brother yields to, thou hast hid it from me: I 〈◊〉 wait upon thee till thou shalt reveal it, & in the 〈…〉 and not make disturbances in the places where I come, but pray, 〈…〉 for light, and that thou wouldst incline the 〈◊〉 of my brethren unto me, 〈◊〉 they may not have hard thoughts of Do but thus, thou shalt have peace with God, and in thine own heart howsoever. But again mark, Judah and Israel they shall be gathered together. So soon as any are converted to the faith, Obser. they are of a gathering disposition. They desire to gather to the Saints presently. Every child of God that is converted is a gatherer, The Saints love to gather together. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Solomon is called Ecclesiastes, so in the Greek, but the Hebrew word is interpreted by some a soul gathered, because it is in the feminine genger. None in the world love good fellowship so much as the Saints of God. They fly as doves to their windows, & doves you know use to fly in great flocks, thousands together. The more spiritual any one is, of the more joining & uniting nature he is. Thousands of beams of the Sun will meet together in one better than the beams of a candle will do. The Saints of God in the Apostles times when they were converted, it is said, they were added to the Church, they gathered presently. So in Esay. 66. (it is an observable place) ver. 20. the Text saith, They shall bring their brethren as an offering to the Lord out of all Nations, upon horses, and in chariots, &. in litters. How comes this? There shall be many that dwell a great way off. they shall not make that their excuse for their not joining to the people of God, because they are afar off, It is a great journey; No, but there be horses to be got: But it may be some cannot ride? Then get Charets: But some perhaps are so weak that they can neither ride on horses nor in Chariots, than they will get litters, and litters you know are to carry weak & sick persons. This shows the intention of spirit that is in the people of God to be gathered to the Church, either to be carried on horses, or in Chariots, or in litters, one way or other they will come and join themselves to the people of God. For there is the presence of Christ, and the protection of Christ, and the comunication of Christ in their union and communion, and where the carcase is, there will the Eagles resort. O they love alive to be going towards Zion, gathering one to another, as in Psal. 84. 7. They walk from strength to strength, and at last they all appear before God in Zion. From strength to strength, that is thus: From one place of the Country perhaps there comes half a score, or twenty, to go toward Zion, and perhaps before they come to such a town or turning, they meet with half a score more, & so they grow stronger; when they are a mile or two further, perhaps they meet with another town coming, and they join presently & are stronger, and so they go from strength to strength comfortably together till they come before God in Zion They shall appoint themselves one Head. Although they be multitudes, & be as the sand of the sea, yet this is no great matter, unless they come under one Head, & a right Head too. It is not multitudes that is a sufficient argument of truth. A multitude coming under one Head, under Christ as one Head, they are the true Church. The Papists they give this Note of the Church, Universality, that there are so many Papists in the world. We must not regard people how 〈…〉 they are, but under what Head they are: They shall be gathered undermine Head, look to the Head they follow; for so S. Paul tells us that there shall be an Apostasy before the revelation of that man of sin, 2 Thes. 2. 3. And Rev. 1. 3. 3. All the world wandered after the beast: and ver. 2. The dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority: and Rev. 17. 1. The whore sitteth upon many waters; & ver. 15. these many waters are interpreted to be peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. The whore doth sit upon them, that is, doth use them vilely, and basely, sits upon the very consciences of them in a base manner, as if a whore should sit upon you and keep you under. And who doth she sit upon? upon people's and multitudes. It is not an argument then of a true Church though they are multitudes, though they be as the sand of the sea, though they be gathered together, for they must be gathered under one Head, under Christ. Secondly, Neither is Unity a sufficient argument of the verity of the Church. They shall be gathered together. they shall be joined together in one way, with one consent; yea but if it be not under one Head, it is like Simeon & Levi, brethren in iniquity. It is not enough that we be one, unless we be one in Christ; and that is a blessed union: For a great deal of unity there shall be under Antichrist, Revel. 17. 13. These have one mind (saith the Text) and they shall give their strength & power to the beast. And Chap. 18. 5. Her sins reach unto heaven. Their sins cleave together, and so get up to heaven. A union of persons, and a union of sins there is amongst them. The Turks have as little dissension in their Religion as any; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. they are allunited in one. But well may that garment have no seam, that hath no shape. And a notable place we have in Ps. 83. 3. 4. 5. etc. They have consulted together with one consent, they are confederate against thee. There are two or three things exceeding observable in this Scripture about the union of the wicked: First you have ten Country's join together against the Church; there is the Edomites, the Moabites. etc. And it was not by accident that they joined, but in a deliberate way, They consulted together, and not only consulted together, but consulted together with one consent, or heartily, for that which is translated there with one consent, the word in the Hebrew is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●micus ●●aro, sed ●agis amica Vetas. Potius quam aliquid regno Christi & gloriae ejus decadat, ruat non solum pax, sed 〈◊〉 & terrae. Luther. with heart together, their very heart was in the consultation; but mark, it was against thy hidden ones, so ver. 3. Let them consult together, let ten of them consult together, and consult with their hearts, yet the Saints are Gods hidden ones. Esay 54. 15. They shall surely gather together, but not my me; whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall forty sake. My brethren, Peace, though we should all desire it, yet so as not to have it too chargeable: Peace is then too chargeable when it costs us the loss of any truth. Take heed of any such costly Peace: There may hand join in hand together in wickedness, yet they shall not be unpunished, Pro. 16. 5. And Nah. 1. 10. While they are folded together as thorns, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry. Wicked men they are as thorns to prick the people of God, yea they are thorns ●●lded together, there is a peace amongst them: yet though th●● be folded together, they shall bedevoured, they shall be 〈…〉 division that comes by truth, is better than the union that comes by 〈…〉 a noble speech of Luther, Rather than any thing should fall of the Kingdom of Christ and his glory, let not only peace 〈◊〉, but let heaven and earth go too: so we should love peace, The Sixth Lecture July. 1642. HOSEA 1. the middle of the 11. verse. And appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land. FRom the tenth verse to the end, you have heard that God promiseth mercy to an Israel that he will in time raise up: although for that Israel to whom the Prophet spoke, they shall go into captivity and shall not return as Judah did. Secondly, Mercy to Israel and Judah both together, and that first, In the multitude that shall be gathered, secondly, In the excellency of the state of the Church at that time above that which was before; before they were People, but then they shall be Sons: Thirdly, In the unity of them, Israel and Judah shall be both gathered together under one head. Some time was spent in the last exercise about unity, and the excellency of the unity of the Churches; wherein we laboured to convince you that uniformity in judgement, and practice is not necessary for unity in the Churches, for unity of hearts. It is a false principle that runs in the world, that all men must needs be brought to believe and do the same thing or else there can be no peace. If we would have light let in to us, we must so prize it as to be willing that in the discussion of truths there should be some hazard of some differences in lesser things. If a man have a house closed on every side with a thick brickwall, and he is so desirous to keep his house safe and strong, that he will rather all his days sit in the dark, then be at the trouble to have a hole digged or a few bricks broken to let in any light, we would accuse that man of folly. It is true indeed, we must not be so desirous of light as to break so much of the wall as to endanger the house, we must keep that safe; but yet it is hard to let in light but there will be some bricks taken away, and there must be some trouble. A child when he sees the workman with his tools breaking the wall and making a deal of rubbish, he thinks he is pulling down the house, but a wise man knows it is but a little trouble for the present to let in light that shall be for the beauty of the house afterward. Unity in the Churches is lovely. But it must be under one head. They shall be gathered together and appoint themselves one head. Agreement in error is far worse than division for the sake of truth. Better to be divided from men that are erroneous, then to agree with them in the ways of their arrour. A company gathered without the covenant of peace, without the observance of God's law is a headless multitude, says Bernard, it hath much of Babylon, but little of Jerusalem. What is this Head? I find both the Jews and divers of the ●●cyents, Theodoret, Cyrill and others, that would make this head to be Zerubbabel, and only to have reference to the return of the people from their Babylonish captivity. But this certainly cannot be upon these two reasons, to name no more. First, Vbi sive saedere pacis, sive observantia legis, sive disciplina & regimine Acephala multitudo congregata fuerit, non est civitas sed confusis, Babylonem exe hibet, de Jerusalem nihil habet. Because both Israel and Judah are here to join together and to return out of the land: there it was Judah and not the ten Tribes that were delivered from their captivity. Secondly, Compare this Scripture with others that are but a Comment upon it, and we shall find that Zerubbabel cannot be meant, Ezeck. 34, and 37. (you may read the Chapters at your leisure) In those Chapters we have expressions such as plainly appears they are but Comments to this Text of Hosea (for Ezekiel prophesied after Hosea did:) and especially in the 37. Chap. we have a prophecy of the union of all the Tribes together, Judah and Israel, and ver. 24. David my servant shall be King over them, and ver. 25. My servant David shall be their Prince for ever. That one head that they shall have when they come together shall be David. And so in Chap. 34. ver. 23. I will set one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David: and ver. 24, I the Lord will be their God and my servant David, not Zerubbabel, Now by David we are to understand Christ clearly, for so in other palaces, as Esay, 55. 3. I will give unto you the sure mercies of David, they can only be meant of the sure mercies of Christ, and so it is interpreted by S. Paul, Acts 13. 34. Therefore than we conclude certainly this is meant of Christ; Bern. Sir 5. de ded c. Eccles. and they shall appoint Christ to be their Head. This is then the first great point that we have in this Text, a head-point of Divinity indeed, that JESUS CHRIST, is the head of the Church. And secondly, 1. 2. he shall be so appointed. We shall show you what the meaning of that is when we come unto it. JESUS CHRIST It is he that is the head for the Church, Christ the head of the Church. Obser. The honour of the Church is in Christ their Head. and shall appear so hereafter further than now he doth. The Church is not a headless multitude, it is a community of Saints that hath a glorious Head. That body cannot be contemptible that hath a Head so honourable. It is he that is the brightness of the glory of his Father, in whom all fullness dwelleth, yea, the fullness of the Godhead bodily. It is he by whom all things consists, that is the beginning of all things, he that is the head of Angels themselves, Col. 2. 10. You are complete in him which is the head of all principality & power. The Head of Angels, how? First, How Christ the Head of Angels. because the Angels are joined together with the Church, and are part of the Church triumphant, and so Christ is their Head. Secondly, 1. 2. Yea the Angels have influence from him. That Grace which they have from God, which is beyond naturals; it is from Christ, for Christ is canalis gratiae, the channel of grace from God. Their establishment in their condition it is from Christ, for it is not due to them in a natural way, yea the glor● they 〈…〉 with the Church, it is above that which is due to their naturals, and 〈…〉 from Christ. 2. H●● the head of all men, 1 Cor. 11. 3. The head of every man is Christ. The head of every man, how? What are all men in the world the body of Christ? if he be the head, than it seems they are all the members. No, though Christ be the head of Angels, 2. How Christ the Head of every man. yet Angels are not said to be members of him, yea in the same place of the Corinth's, God is said to be the Head of Christ, and yet Christ is not a member of God. So that he may be the head of every man, and yet every man not a member of Christ. The head of every man in regard of that superiority that Christ hath over every man, and some kind of influence even from Christ cometh to every man; he inlightneth every man that comes into the world. Thirdly, 3. How Christ the Head of all things. Yea, he that is the head of his people, of his Church, is the head of all things. Ephe. 1. 22. God hath given him to be head of all things to the Church. Mark it, it is a most admirable place, that Christ is the head of all things. But how? To the Church, for the sake of the Church, as aiming at the good of the Church especially. Sure it is the honour of the Church to have such a head, that is thus the brightness of his Father's glory, the head of Angels, 2, The strength of the Church in Christ their Head the head of every man, the head of all things for the good of his Church. And as their honour consisteth in it, so secondly it is their strength. Christ is the head of the Church in regard of the strength that the Church hath by him. An oppressed multitude cannot help itself if they have no head, but if God shall please to give them strength and a head, and that in a legal way, if they have hearts they may deliver themselves from oppression, this God hath done for us; if therefore God doth not vote us to misery and slavery, if we be not a people given up of God to ruin, we may have help. The Church is a communion of Saints oppressed here in the world, their strength is in heaven, it is in their Head, that hath received all power to exercise for them, in him is their strength, to him do they cleave, for him they bless God even the Father, because he is their strength. Thirdly, He is their head because the Saints do hold all upon Christ, all that they have they hold in Capite, 3. The Church holds all on Christ. as the best tenure of all, the Tenure upon which the Saints hold all their comfort all their good in this world, it is in another way then other men hold it: other men have what they have through the bounty and patience of God; but the Saints hold all in Capite, in their head, in Christ, in the right they have in him. Fourthly, 4. Safety in Christ. Lutherus apud illus Satan est, sed Christus regnat & vivat. Their head, because their safety is in him: though the Church, all the members be under water, yet all is safe when the head is above water, our head is in Heaven. It is a speech of Luther's; He saith he was even as a Devil to them they did so accuse him, but let Christ live and reign, Christ is above, the head is above water. Fifthly, Their head in regard of his compassion to his Church and people. The meanest member here below, if wronged, Christ is sensible of it. When but the toe is trodden upon, 5. Christ the Head hath compassion of the members. the head cries why do you hurt me? Christ the head cries, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And observe, the meaner and poorer the Members of Christ are here in the Church, the more is Christ sensible of their sorrows and afflictions, and the more will he appear for them, when he shall appear a head yet more gloriously than ever he hath done. For this that forenamed place Ezek. 34. from the 16. ver to the 26. is very notable. You shall find there Christ is said to be one shepherd to his people and a Prince to them; but mark what is promised, That he will bind up the broken, and bring back again that which was driven away, and strengthen that which was sick, but as for the fat of the flock and the strong he well destroy them, and feed them with judgement; and he will judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the hee-goats, he will judge between the fat and the lean cattle; he will judge those that thrust with side & with shoulder, and push at the diseased with their horns, until they have scattered the sheep abroad. When Christ shall appear, he will not show such respect to the jolly spirits of those that were in the Church, to your brave, stout, jolly hearts, that would carry all before them with force; No, he will look to the poor of the flock, and those that thrust with the side, and pushed with the horns, and scattered the poor, and the lean; they shall be judged. My brethren, have you not known times when stouthearted and cruel-hearted men have thrust with the side, and pushed with the horn, and scattered up and down in divers Countries thousands of the weak ones & tender conscioned Christians? Well, but here is a promise, that Christ our head will come, and he shall be one shepherd, and he shall show his tender affection toward the poor afflicted of the flock, he shall take away from the land the evil beasts, as you have it there in the 25. verse. He is the head in regard of his compassion. Sixthly, 6. Christ the Head in regard of Guidance. Christ is their head in regard of guidance and direction. The body is to be moved and guided by the head: so all truths, all doctrines of Religion must hold on Christ; they hold on Christ in Capite, Colos. 2. 19 The Apostle rebuking worshipping of Angels and other false opinions, he saith, that they did not hold of the head; All Doctrines in the Church therefore must hold of the head, and must not be obtruded upon the Church, but as they come from the head and hold there. Seventhly, 7. Christ the Head in regard of his Rule. And that principally, and which we must stick upon a while, which is intended here in the Text most of all. Christ is the head in regard of his rule, in regard of his government; and therefore he that is called one head here is called a Prince in those two forenamed Chapters, Ezek 34 and 37. It would spend time needlessly to show you in Scripture how Governors are called heads, that I suppose you are all acquainted with. This therefore is the main thing that we are now to open unto you, how Christ is the head of the Church in regard of his rule and government. There are many things of concernment in this point. 4. Things in church Government belonging to the Headship of Christ. I shall desire to decline what possibly I may, all things that are controversal, especially with our brethren, & only speak of what I think for the present you are fit to bear First then, There are four 〈…〉 especially of the government of Christ in his Church, for which he is to be accounted the head. First, All Offices and Officers in the Church hold upon Christ and are from him as from the head. 1. All offices hold on christ the Head As (you know) it is in a civil body, the Offices of a civil State holds of the King; holds upon him in a legal way, the power of the King being regular, it regulateth all power in all other Officers; that which is done, is done (you know) in the name of the King. So all the Officers & Offices in the Church, are in the name of Christ, they all hold on him. First, Three differences between civil Government and church Government. That there can be no officer nor offices in the Church, but such as Christ himself hath appointed, for they must hold of him, they must be by institution. I beseech you observe the difference between Officers in a Civil State, and Officers in a Church. A Civil State because it directly reacheth but to the outward man, hath liberty to appoint what officers it please according to the rules of prudence and justice; to appoint more or less according to the necessity of the Country & place. 1. But it is not so in the Church, there we have no liberty to go according to the rules of prudence merely, to erect any office, because we think it may make for the good and peace of the Church; I say, therefore to erect any new office that is not erected before in the Word, we have not that liberty, we cannot do it, we are too bold if we shall do it, for such an office will not hold of the Head. In the State none can erect new Offices; new Courts, but the supreme power, the supreme Legislative power; So in the Church, none can erect new Offices, but only from the Head. In the Civil State God leaveth a great deal of liberty; there may be change of Officers, those that are good now, perhaps they may seem not to be so fit afterwards, and those that are in one Country may not be so fit for another. But the Officers of the Church they must be all the same in all places, where they can be had, and no more but those that are appointed by Christ. Again, further, the difference between the Civil State and Church State in their Offices and Officers is this: 2. The Civil State may limit their officers as they think fit. They may choose one into an office, but he shall go but so far, he shall have power but in so many things, this shall be the object of his power, when he is come hither, there he shall stop, though he that was before him had more power, yet he that comes after him may not have that power, the Civil State may limit that, if they see it fit. But now in the Church State it cannot be so. And upon this ground, because they hold upon the Head. Indeed the men that bear any office in the Church, are designed unto it by the Church, but they do not hold of the Church, they hold of Christ the Head, therefore it is not in the power of the Church to limit them being in it, but they must go to the Word, for their office once taken upon them, (whether it be the office of Teachers or of Pastors) they cannot then be limited by any power, but what the Word saith is the office of a Teacher or of a Pastor, that they must do; they cannot have the rule so propounded to them, as, You shall go but thus far, and you shall do so much of the office of a Teacher and no more, but when they are once 〈◊〉 they are in without any limitation of the power of their office: it is only from Christ the Head. Yea further, In a civil State there may be alteration, raising the dignity of the office, 3. and making of it lower than before; but in the Church no such thing, the officers of the Church are always the same, no raising, no depressing, why? because they hold upon the Head. Others depend upon man's prudence, but these are institutions by Christ, and hold of the Head. 2. 2. All Ordinances hold to Christ the Head. Christ is the Head in regard of rule, because all Ordinances hold on Christ too, and all Laws. I will put both together, Ordinances and Laws, and Institutions do hold upon Christ the Head. It is not in the liberty of man to erect any new spiritual Ordinance in the Church, no nor to make Laws in the Church that are spiritual, that shall tend to the spirits of men, (according as I shall open it by and by.) No new Ordinance, no new Institution can be in the Church. In the civil State there may be thousands of new Institutions. What the nature of an Institution is. I call that an Institution that hath an efficacy in it for the attaining of such an end by virtue of the Institution, not by virtue of any naturalness that is in the thing. As for example to instance in Divine Institutions. The Sacrament is an Institution, and therefore is a virtue, a spiritual efficacy to be expected from that and by that, through the strength of the Institution more than it hath in it in any natural way. So in preaching the Word, and Ecclesiastical censures, there is more to be expected, more efficacy to work upon the soul, for the spiritual man, by virtue of the Institution, than there is in the natural things that are done there. So for Laws. Christ makes a law in the Church, it being an institution there is to be expected a spiritual efficacy and virtue to go along together, with that thing that Christ commandeth, beyond what it had before it was commanded. Now then in rhis way no man in the world can make any Church institution, no, nor Law for the Church, so as to appoint any thing, to have any spiritual efficacy by virtue of that institution beyond what it hath in a natural way. We must take heed of being so bold, that when Christ hath made an institution, an ordinance, and revealed it to us, for us to think we may imitate Christ and make another Ordinance, or another institution like that, because Christ hath done so, because we find such a thing in the Word therefore we may do so too; No, this is too bold, this is to set our post by God's post, for which the Lord did charge the people, Ezek. 43. 8. In Esay 33. 22. it is said, The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King in this thing. But yet you will say, how is that opened further? (for indeed it needeth opening) that there can be no new institution, nor no new Law made in this sense, but all must hold of Christ? For the opening of that I shall afterward come to speak more fully about the power of Governors and what their authority is, but thus much for the present. No man can make any new Institution in the Church. We are to consider that there are some things belonging to the Church (I beseech you observe) that are common with all other societies, 〈…〉 to them, that is natural and civil, and there 〈…〉 ●●wer of man may come in, there the 〈…〉 may order things. Those things I say that belong to the Church, that yet are not so proper, but belong to other societies too, there man's reason may come in. As for instance. First, A Church is a spiritual society and community, they must meet together, and if they do meet they must meet in some place: This is common to all societies in the world, if they will meet they must meet in a place. Yea Secondly, if they meet in a place; this place must be determined where it shall be. This also is common to all societies. Thirdly, This likewise is common to them with all other societies, that what they do in that place must be done decently & in order, all things ought to be managed in an orderly decent way. As if there be many things to be done, one thing must be before another, one thing must not exclude another; if they come together, they must come together as befitting men in a decent way. Therefore that rule of the Apostle, Let all things be done decently and in order, it is not properly an institution, it is nothing but the dictate of right reason, so that if we had never found such a sentence, such a maxim in Scripture, as let all things be done decently and in order, it had been a truth that we were bound in conscience to. Again, If men will come and meet together, it is natural and common to all societies, that they should be decent in their garments and otherwise. But than you will say, When cometh it to an Institution? I mean an Institution that is forbidden, that none must meddle withal, that is proper to Christ. What makes an institution so as if man presume to do it, it is unlawful. Thus, when any man shall by virtue of any Law, any imposition, put more into the thing than God, or then nature hath put into it, when they shall make their institution to put any efficacy into it for the worship of God more than God hath, this we call sinful. As for instance Suppose we should instance only in garments. That all that meets together in Christian Assemblies, should meet decently in decent garments, Ministers and others, 1. the light of nature tells us, and there may be law if men will be refractory to compel them unto it, to meet so as they may meet decently in regard of their garments. But now if it come thus far, that we leave natural decency, and such or such a garment shall be made decent for God's worship because it is appointed, whereas if it were not appointed it would not be decent at all. When I say all the decency doth not depend upon what God hath put into it, or what is natural to it, but depends merely upon the institution of man, for take away that institution it would not be decent; as in some kind of garments, put case men were left to their freedom, that there were no institution, I put it to your Consciences whether it would be decent to wear them: If it would not be decent, than it seems it is the institution that puts all upon it; and now here we must take heed. This then puts more upon that creature than nature or the God of nature hath put upon it, then in way of common prudence (I say were it not for an institution, that seems to go further, that seems to entrench upon an ordinance) would be done. 2. Further, There is more put upon 〈◊〉 then nature hath put into it, when there shall be expected by virtue of an institution, some kind of spiritual efficacy to work upon the soul, than it comes to be sinful. As thu when that creature by virtue of the institution, and appointment shall be made, and esteemed, or accounted of more effectual to stir up my mind, or to signify such a thing, as purity or holiness, than another creature that hath as much in it naturally to signify the same thing, and to stir up my mind; this is to imitate God's institution, which is too much boldness in any man. As, when God doth appoint a thing in his Church, a Ceremony or the like, he will take some thing that hath a resemblance to put men in mind of such a holy thing, that hath some kind of Metaphor or likeness in it. But when God hath taken this creature and separated it from others, this creature must be expected to have more efficacy to signify the thing to my soul, and to stiree up my soul to think of his holiness, than any creature in the world not so appointed, though other creatures have as much in them naturally to do it. This is God's institution. Now man's institution, that cometh near to Gods, where there is a setting our post by his post, is when man shall take one creature from thousands of others, and all those thousands have as much in them naturally, and put into them by God, to put me in mind of holiness, and to stir up my heart; now this creature shall be separated from the rest, and by virtue of an institution put upon it, there shall be expected more efficacy in this to stir up my mind, and to draw my heart nearer to God than other creatures that only do it in a natural way, here I say is entrenching upon that which belongeth to the government of Christ. Therefore I beseech you my brethren be not mistaken in this, because I know you are ordinarily led by that speech of the Apostle, let all thing be, done decently and in order. Understand it aright, It is true we must do so and it is a sin, not to do things decently and in order, in the worship of God: but this doth not at all countenance any institution of man's when it comes to be spiritual, to draw the heart nearer unto God, or God nearer unto the heart, by virtue of man's separation of it from common use. I might instance in other things, in places, That there should be a convenient place for God's worship, the light of nature will tell us: but when any man shall set one place aside separated from another, and shall make the worship of God to be better, and have more efficacy to draw men nearer unto God, or God nearer unto men, than another place that hath as much natural decency and fitness in it as that place hath; here it cometh to have the evil. 2. What comes from Christ the head, binds conscience in another manner than man's laws can do. By these few instances you may judge of all things, when they do come to be institutions in God's worship, and beyond the rule of the Apostle, Let all things be done decently and in order, This is the second thing of Christ's government, that all Ordinances, all Laws in the Church must hold on him the Head. The third thing in Christ's government in the Church is, that those Laws that he makes for the ordering and government of his Church, do not only hold on him 〈…〉 such a virtue and efficacy in them coming from the head, that they do bind the consciences of men, because they come from him that is the head of the Church, they do lay bonds upon consciences, and that primarily in another way, and more efficaciously than any law of any man in the world can. Yea they lay such a bond upon conscience, that though a thing be commanded that hath no other reason for the command but merely the will of Christ, and that we cannot see to what other good the thing doth tend, but merely because Christ will have it, yet we are bound to obey, yea and that in secret; Yea so far as the rule goeth, we are bound to do what is required by it, though we should suffer never so much prejudice to ourselves. Here is the binding power of Christ in binding conscience. But there is no law of man doth in this way bind conscience, perhaps these things, with some others that are to be delivered may at the first naming of them seem to be somewhat tickle points: yet I know there is a necessity, and a kind of absolute necessity to inform the consciences of men in them, especially in these times, and because they fall so full here in my way I could not out of conscience omit them: and yet still if you diligently observe, I hope we shall carry on all so as to speak modestly and yet safely and fully too. I say therefore, the laws of men are different from the Laws of Christ. It is a part of the head-ship of Christ to lay bonds upon the conscience. But what will you say then to that Text of Scripture (I suppose it is in every one of your thoughts, and would be ready in every one of your mouths if you were from the Assembly) Rom. 13. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers; for there is no power but of God. Whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation. Yea ver. 5. You must be subject not out of fear of wrath, but for conscience sake. Answer to that place. Rom. 13. brought to prove humane laws to bind conscience. This Text seems to imply that the laws of men do bind the conscience; And we find it by experience how this is urged by many upon every thing, there is no kind of institution of man whatsoever (except we can apparently show, it is contrary to the word of God) but they think by virtue of this Text the consciences of men are bound; and so they fly upon men, that they are not men of conscience, that they will not obey authority. In that they do not submit to authority, they sin against their consciences, etc. You shall have many men that will jeer at those that are so conscionable in God's commands that seem to be but little things (and in themselves are little things) oh they dare not disobey because they are bound in conscience, they will jeer at the scrupulosity of their consciences there. But when it comes to man's commands, than they must obey in the least thing whatever it be, though in its own nature it be never so indifferent; yet they must obey for conscience sake. I shall desire as fully and as clearly as I am able, to satisfy Consciences in this very thing. To open therefore that Scripture unto you. First, you must observe, that every one is bound to be subject to the higher powers: (Mark) It is not to the Man first, but it is to the Power: Let every soul be subject to the higher power, where ever this power lieth. It is not to the will of a man that hath power, but it is to the power of that man. Now the power, the authority is that, that man hath in a legal way. The first must be understood. Secondly, We must consider in what they must be subject: The laws of men are of three sorts. Some perhaps command that which is simply unlawful, that we all yield the Scripture doth not bind us to be subject, there we must obey God rather then man. But secondly, there are other things that are commanded, that are lawful, and they are of two sorts. Either such things as do tend by the rules of justice and prudence to the public good, to the good of the Community of which we are members: and there we are bound to obey for Conscience sake. But still this not according to that obedience we owe to Christ our Head, this is secondarily, not primarily, because commanded by man, but because the rules of Justice and Prudence doth require this for the public good, of which we are a community; and then because there cometh a Law of Christ to us to walk and live according to the rules of Justice and prudence: so we are bound for conscience in those things, but not primarily, and so they cannot be said to bind conscience, so as Christ's Laws do. There are other things that are commanded by man (and that especially concerns our question) and these are such things as indeed are neither here nor there for the common, for the public good, the good of the community doth not at all depend upon them, and there is nothing in them but merely the satisfaction of the wills of those that are in authority above us. Now here is the Question, How far those Laws bind men, and bind Conscience? Indeed many poor Christians that are conscientious have been extremely snared in these things. To that I answer: That though such things should be commanded to be done, yet it they be not done.) so be it they be not omitted out of contempt, nor so as may bring scandal upon the authority that doth enjoin them; and those that do omit them shall patiently and willingly submit to what punishment the Law of the Land shall require) in such things this man's conscience shall not, nor need not bind him over to answer before God, that he hath sinned against that rule, You will say, How do you prove that? How doth it appear? For that must needs be made out. I will make it appear from the Text, from the nature of subjection that is required in the Text, and from Reason. First, this Text here in Rome, 13. giveth this as the ground why we are to be subject, Because (saith the Text, ver. 4.) he is the minister of God for thy good. So that that which is the special ground of our subjection, is, because they that are in place are ministers for our good. But here is then an abuse of their power, if they will command what is not indeed tending to the good of the public, but merely the satisfaction of their own minds. But suppose it be an abuse, the Text saith we must be subject. 〈…〉 You must do the thing for conscience 〈…〉 be subject, we must not resist, but be subject: The words are, We must be subordinate for conscience sake, (so it may be translated) Here is all that is required, that I must be subordinate and not resist, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. that is, though there be a thing commanded by authority, though this authority should be abused, yet I may not resist, I must be subject. If then out of that reverend respect I have to authority, though I do not do the thing, 1. yet I do not forbear out of contempt: It is a thing exceedingly prejudicial unto me, and it is not for the common good, but yet I am so careful that authority shall not be despised that I will keep it secret. 2, 3. I will not refuse to do it, so as shall be ascandall upon authority. And yet further, if authority shall so far urge upon me as to inflict punishment because I do not do it, I will patiently bear it. Now when these three things are done, here is that subordination to authority that the Apostle in that Scripture requires. And the reason why this of necessity must be granted, is, because otherwise all the Christian liberty that the Scripture so much speaks of, may be utterly taken away in regard of the practice, that it is in the power of man wholly to deprive us of it. This Scripture cannot be so understood, that all that liberty we have in all things in their own nature indifferent should be so under the power of men, as that we for the practice, and for our conscience too must be tied that we cannot have liberty, no not in secret, certainly that is that which is against the judgement of all Orthodox Divines of the Reformed Churches. But it may be said, who shall be Judge whether things be tending to the public good yea or no? Every one must judge of his own act, but yet at a two fold peril. will you take upon you to judge yourself? To that the Answer is thus plainly, that indeed those that are appointed by Law have the power to judge legally, and authoritatively to judge so as to bind others. But every man hath liberty so far as concerns his own act to judge at his peril. And that a two-sold peril, First at his peril, 1. lest he judging himself should sin against God in this, that he should judge that not good for the public, which indeed is good; that he should perhaps judge that to be of an indifferent nature that justice and prudence requireth of him: Here he misjudgeth at his peril, he sinneth against the Lord, against the rules of justice and prudence, and indangereth his own soul if he go amiss in this. Secondly, 2. If he mis-judge it is at his peril that comes by the Laws of men, that he is in danger then to suffer what the Laws of men shall inflict upon him: And so submitting this way, his conscience may have some ease; and yet no gap open at all to liberty, or any disturbance to any lawful authority for all this. This is necessary for men to know that they may understand 3. aright how to answer that question about Laws binding of conscience. You hear it is the prerogative of Christ our Head, so to be our Lawgiver, so as to lay bonds upon conscience in such a manner as no man can do the like. That is the third. Fourthly, 4. Christ is the Head of the Church (in regard of some) even personally, so as to come and rule in the world in a glorious manner personally, and so they think this may be interpreted, that Christ shall be a head (how said to be appointed, we shall speak of when we come unto it) that he shall come personally, and rule and govern things even in this world. As Christ in his own person did exercise his Priestly and Prophetical offices, so they think in his own person he shall exercise his Kingly power & office. Which opinion, because the further discussion of it, I suppose generally you are not able to bear yet, therefore in modesty I will forbear, and though out of modesty I shall for the present forbear, yet out of conscience I dare not altogether deny it, but so we will leave it, to see what truth may be in this, we must expect to have light let in by degrees. In these four things than we have the rule of Christ, three determined of, the fourth only propounded, which Christ in time will show further light unto us in. Christ is then the Head. Now from all this there follows three consequences that are very useful. 1. Hence we learn that the seeking after the right government of Christ in his Church is not a light matter, it doth concern the Head-ship of Christ. 2. Not a light matter to seek after the right government of Christ. By what hath been said we shall come to be instructed to know what is properly Antichristian and what not. 3. We shall come to have light how far the King may be said to be head of the Church. These things you will find needful for conscience to be informed in, & I shall carry them on too I hope with modesty, fullness, & safety, First, Quae pericula ecclesiam exceptura sunt Christum caput agnos centem tempora nostra satis ostend unt, quia Christum totum praedicavius caput nostrum Ana themati & omnis generis suppliciit subsecicimur, I say it follows from hence that it is not a light matter to seek after the right government of Christ in his Church, it concerns a head-ship of Christ. The head-ship of Christ in a special manner consisteth in that there are some other things in which it doth consist, which perhaps may be spoken of hereafter, but here in this place especially that. Indeed in the primitive times there the greatest contention was about the Doctrines of Religion, what Doctrines should hold upon Christ and what not, and the people of God did there suffer most for contending about the doctrines that held upon Christ the Head, they would not receive a Doctrine but what held on Christ, and what was obrtuded upon them, not holding upon Christ the Head they did reject. And Luther upon this place hath this speech, he tells us how much the Church in after time did suffer for this very thing, and saith, What kind of dangers did environ the Church, and do environ it for acknowledging Christ to be the head, these our times do sufficiently testify. And further, because we preach Christ to be the whole head, therefore we are subject to Anathemas, and to all kind of punishment. And in these latter times it is like that the great contention will be, rather about the head-ship of Christ in the point of his government then in the other, the other being so clear unto us; and the sufferings of the people of God will be so much the more grievous, because that this is accounted such a little thing, such a poor business: And further, because this doth not seem to be altogether so clearly revealed in the Scripture, as other Doctrinal points that hold upon Christ the ●ead. And Christ the rather hath so disposed of things, that this shall not be so clearly revealed, because he intended to suffer Antichrist to rise to his height: and it cannot be imagined that if the Doctrine of Christ's government in his Church had been clearly and demonstratively laid down, so as there could have been no gainsaying of it, I say it cannot be imagined how it is possible for Antichrist to have risen to that height that he hath; Christ because he intended to bring about many passages of his providence, and many great works of his that way in suffering Antichrist to arise; therefore he hath left this point so in the word as is subject to many doubts, and may occasion many objections against it. But the nearer the time comes for Antichrist to fall, the more clearly this shall be revealed. Secondly, 2. By this that hath been said we may learn what to account Antichristianisme, and what not: for there are many amongst us that cry out against every thing that displeaseth them, that it is Antichristianisme, that it is Antichristianisme, and yet understand but very little what Antichristianisme is. But by this that hath been said, What is to be accounted Antichristianisme, what not. you must know that Antichristianisme is not every error: It is true in a large sense Antichrist is as much as against Christ, and so every sin, every error is against Christ, and in Antichristianisme, if you take it so. But you are to know the Scripture speaks of the Antichrist, and of Antichristianisme in a special acceptation. What is that? This my brethren is Antichristianisme, that which shall oppose Christ as a Head, and set up another head-ship; here is the propriety of Antichrist and Antichristianisme; as in all those four things named before. First, 1. Whosoever shall obtrude any Doctrine upon the Church to be believed, by their own authority, he is guilty of Antichristianisme, not whosoever shall preach or hold an error in the Church. But when any shall presume to obtrude upon the Church, any Doctrine that holds upon humane authority, to be urged upon the authority of those that do impose it, this I say is properly Antichristianisme, for it doth oppose Christ in his head-ship. Secondly, 2. The intrusion of such offices and officers in the Church as merely belonging to the spiritual man, such as are properly Church offices, that do not hold upon Christ the Head, but only hold upon them, this is Antichristianisme. Thirdly, The imposing of any Ordinance, any new institutions that are, as hath been opened, 3. upon the Church, belongeth to Antichristianisme. Fourthly, 4 The imposing of laws so to bind conscience as the Laws of Christ do, here is Antichristianisme. This is Antichristianisme, and that not only because these things are directly against the head-ship of Christ, but because these things do set up another head too; and so the word Antichrist may signify as well for one to be in stead of Christ (for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Greek signifieth, sometime as well, for, as against as of his fullness we receive grace for grace, it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the Greek, grace for grace) so Antichrist is one that shall set up h●mselfe as head of the Church in stead of Christ, one that shall claim unto himself that head-ship that is proper to Jesus Christ, and not to be communicated to any from Jesus Christ. This is Antichristianisme. Now the Apostle faith that there were many Antichrists in his time, and this mystery of ungodliness, of inquity did work then; but now it comes to grow to a height in that great Antichrist of Rome, (for you know) in these four are the special things wherein he is the Antichrist; Because he obtrudes Doctrines, Articles of Faith upon the Church by his own authority; He makes all Offices of the Church to hold on him; And appointeth Laws, Ordinances and Institutions likewise to hold on him; And claimeth the binding of Consciences, so as is proper to Jesus Christ. And all those that hold thus on Antichrist, and are thus abettors of him in these things, these are guilty of this greatsinne of Antichristianisme. That for your right information about the sin of Antichristianisme. The third consequence. 3 You say Christ is the Head, but you know the King is called the Head of the Church, in what sense are we to understand that? Or how may we come to understand aright that Oath that is given, of Supremacy. These things (my brethren) are necessary for information of Conscience, and the burden lies upon us to make out these things as clear to you as we can, that you may go along with the more freedom of spirit and conscience in your way, and yet give every one their right too. You are to know that the Oath of Supremacy came into England thus: In the time of Popery, the Pope claimed unto himself the Head-ship of the Church: He being excluded, then came in that Oath to acknowledge the King or Queen the Head of the Church. But now you must know, first, that this title, The Head of the Church, as it hath been attributed to the King, hath been much abused, and it hath given some advantage to our adversaries, for the King is not the Head of the Church, neither as Christ is, nor as the Pope claimed it: Not as Christ: Christ is the Head to govern unlimitedly. No limits or bounds are set to the Government of Christ, but only his own mind, his own will. It is not so with any Prince in the world, he is not so the Head to govern. But all Governors have a twofold limit; They are limited by Laws of God, they are limited by the Laws of man too. Neither is he the Head, as the Pope challengeth unto himself, How is that? you will say. In the forenamed four things, the Pope challengeth holding of doctrines, and holding of offices, and the like, upon him. Offices do not so hold upon any Governors, upon the King or others, as the Pope challengeth to hold upon him. How doth he challenge them to hold upon him? Thus, that all are in him virtually, and so to be derived from him to others. And indeed in a 〈◊〉 part do many of our Prelates say that 〈…〉: that is, that all the offices hold on 〈…〉, and ●o go from them unto others: and hence it is they account all other Ministers but their Curates, and they must not pray but as they will, and do nothing but what they will, Why? because they are but them substitutes, as if all offices were virtually in them, and so came from them unto others; whereas every office in the Church, even the meanest, holds upon Christ the Head. Now it is true, in the civil State in some sense it may he said that the officers of the Commonwealth are in a kind virtually in the King, he being the supreme, but you must not think that all are thus virtually in him in Church affairs, for if they were virtually in him, than he could himself dispense those things that others by virtue of their office, can but that he cannot, as to give the Sacrament and the like. But how is he the head then, or in what sense may we quiet our Consciences in acknowledging the King to be the head of the Church? Only thus he is said to be the head, because he is the supreme to govern in a civil way, not only the Civil State, but even affairs that belong to the Church too. We do not deny the power of Princes even in affairs that belong to the Church. And because he is the supreme in that civil power, to govern in a civil way by civil Laws, so as to see Christ not dishonoured, so as to keep out Idolatry, to protect the Church, to punish enormities that are there, to defend it from enemies. In that sense he is said to be the head, but that title of supreme Governor being understood in a civil way is more proper. That the King hath power in Church affairs, and how. To make that a little out unto you; that there is some supremacy in this, not only in the civil State but in Church affairs: For we must not exclude the King quite out of all Church affairs, as some would do, no we do not; but though we would inform your consciences aright, yet we would not by any means take away any lawful power God hath put into him. Now that he hath power even in Church affairs, there are many reasons that fully move me to be persuaded in it. The first that I shall name, I think it will least prevail (though it be the most ordinary) with them that make most doubt of it, therefore I will not stand upon it, only name it. We know that all along among the Jews in the time of the Old Testament, the Governors there, and Kings and Princes had power in affairs that belong to the Church as well as to the State. But this I say I do not think to be the greatest strength in this point, especially to persuade them that make any scruple of it, they will us that the power there was but tipical and the like, and sobindeth not now. There are therefore other reasons that persuade the same thing. The first is this, because I find that in the Prophets, 1. where we have a Prophecy of the state of the Church in the times of the Gospel. God doth promise that he will make Kings to be their nursing fathers, and Queens to be their nursing mothers. Now if they be to be nursing fathers of the Church, surely they must have some influence by their power into it. Secondly, 2. That place in Rom. 13. spealtes indifferently and faith, he is the Minister for thy good. It doth not say for thi●; good or that good, 〈◊〉 this civil good or Ecclesiastical good, but he is the Minister for thy good, for all good unto thee so far as his power can reach. It is a hard thing you know (if men will put us unto it) to show in the New Testament the power that Kings had, because there was then no King but Heathens, 3. yet saith he, they are Ministers for thy good, and speaks to Christians. But thirdly, and that which yet may seem to have more in it, I find this in the New Testament that Saint Paul when he was accused by his brethren in matters of Religion, he did appeal unto Caesar. Act. 25. 9 who was a Heathen Magistrate, his accusation was in matters of Religion, in questions about their Law, and about one JESUS that was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And yet in his answer to those things he appealeth unto Caesar, therefore there is somewhat that Caesar hath to do in overlooking of the affairs of the Church, that concerns the ways of Religion. But you will say, How can he be a competent Judge? Can Caesar a Heathen be a competent Judge in matters of Religion? Is it possible? Or suppose that a Governor be wicked, can he be a competent Judge in matters of Religion? I answer, the wickedness of a Governor, though he be a Heathen, yet loseth not his power, he hath still a true and a lawful power; yea he hath some oversight of things that concern Church affairs. How can that be? Quest. Christianity gives not the authority, Ans. but enables to execute that authority, a Heathen Magistrate hath authority, it is his duty to see that Christians be not wronged, and if he doth not it is his sin, but if he becomes a Christian, he is the better able to do what he ought, but this puts not the power into him. But if a man be wicked, Quest. and understands not the things of the Church, how can he be a judge? Thus, Ans. though the King be not a competent judge of the Principles upon which the Church goes, whether right or no, he hath not skill to do that being such a one: yet he may have ability to judge between man and man, whether one to the other doth wrong yea or no, and that in matters of Religion. As thus; though he doth not think the Principles upon which they go to be right, yet he can judge whether according to those Principle they do right one to another, whether according to their Principles, they do not wrong one the other. And this is a great matter to be able to judge and to punish with civil punishment when any of the Church wrongs his brother against the Principles that himself doth profess. As for example, though he be not a Physician, he doth not understand the difference between the poison and a wholesome Medicine, yet when things are brought before him, he may be a competent judge, by evidence so as to condemn a Physician that hath poisoned a man instead of giving of him wholesome Physic. And that objection against his competency in judging in the affairs of the Church hath no more power than if it should have been objected that he must not judge upon a Physician, whether he hath poisoned a man or no, because he himself is not a Physician. Thus we have done with these three consequents that follow upon the opening of the headship of Christ in point of his government. And now we see more clearly how Christ is head & none but Christ, & what glory we are to give to Christ as the head of the Church. There is one thing more belongs to the head-ship of Christ which must not be passed by, though it be not so fully aimed at in the text as what hath already been said, and that is the influence of spiritual life, that comes unto the Church by Christ the head, as the animal spirits come from the head to the members. And this is the very reason, first, why grace in the Saints is of such a beautiful and glorious nature as it is, because it comes from Christ the head. The excellency of grace in the Saints above what was in Ada●. Secondly, This is the reason of that power and efficacy that there is of grace in the Saints, because it comes from Christ the head. Thirdly, this is also the reason why grace in the Saints is of such an everlasting nature, and that beyond that of Adam. It hath more beauty than the grace Adam had, and it hath more power and efficacy than the grace Adam had, and it is of a more everlasting nature then that was, upon this ground, because the grace of the Saints holdeth upon Christ the head, & hath an influence from Christ, God-man in a special and peculiar way, such an influence as Adam had not. This is the excellency of grace in the Saints. And to conclude this point of the Head-ship of Christ. The rather hath God the Father thus advanced Christ to be the Head, because he was willing to stoop so low, to be as a worm under foot, for so he saith of himself, Psal. 22. 6. I am a worm, and no man. Christ was low in his own eyes, and submitted himself to such a condition, and now behold the Father hath advanced him, for so it is said, Ephes. 1. 22. God hath made him head over all things, hath made him head over principalities, and powers, and dominions, over Angels, and over all men and all things in the Church, hath advanced him to this high and glorious dignity, we see somewhat of it now, and we shall see more gloriously the head-ship of Christ hereafter. In this God the Father doth show that as he hath dealt with his Son, so he is willing to deal with the Members of his Son, in a proportion. His Son that was willing to be so low and under foot, is now advanced to such a high glory that all must stoop, and yield, and submit unto him. Let us be willing to lie low, and though it be under foot, to be trodden upon by the wicked and ungodly of the world; though we cannot expect to be advanced to be head, yet we may expect to be advanced to glory & dignity. You know what God said to Saul, 1 Sam. 15. When thou wert little in thine own eyes than I made thee King. The less any of us are in our own eyes, the more are we like to be advanced by God, for God will observe a proportion between his dealings with Christ the head, and his dealings with all his Members. The Seventh Lecture HOSEA 1. 11. the latter part of the verse And appoint themselves one Head, Lect. 7. and they shall come up out of the Land for great shall be the day of Jezreel. They shall [appoint] themselves one Head. EPhes. 1. 11. It is said, God gave Christ to be Head over all things to the Chnrch. How then it is said here that they shall [appoint] to themselves one Head? It is true, God the Father hath advanced his Son, and extolled him above all things, and hath given him to be Head over all: but yet when the Church, when the Saints shall choose this Christ to be their Head, when they shall come in freely, and willingly submit themselves unto Christ, lifting him up above all, honouring his ordinances, laws, institutions, depending upon him for light; They are said to appoint Christ to be their Head. As, though Gods eternal Decree hath made himself to be the God of his Saints, yet when the Saints do choose God to be their God, God doth account himself to be made their God by them: they make God to be their God in choosing of him. So though Christ by the Father be appointed to be the Head over all, yet the act of the Church in choosing Christ, and coming to him freely, and submitting unto him as to the Head, is accounted even an appointing of Christ to be Head. This is that happy work which the Saints have been doing, and which we are to do, and they will do to the end of the world, appointing Christ a Head. Though there be some special time that this Text hath reference unto (of which by and by) yet in all Ages of the Church, when the Saints do choose Christ to be their Head, they are said to appoint him. Let us join in this blessed work, an honourable work for creatures to appoint the Lord JESUS to be Head over them. Let us say as Hushai did in another case, 2 Sam. 19 18. Him whom the Lord, and this people, & all men of Israel choose for King, his will I be, and with him will I abide. So, He whom God the Father shall give to be Head over all things, him whom the Saints have in all times chosen for their Head, it is he that shall be our Head and our King, his will we be, and with him will we abide. Let us give Christ the pre-eminence above all, prising his government, his ordinances above all the comforts we have in this world, Psa. 137 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy, The words are in the O●●nal, If I make not Jerusa●●● 〈◊〉 ●end above the head of my joy; Whatsoever is high in our thoughts, as a head, let Christ be above it; Christ in his ordinances must be above the head of our joy. For otherwise he is not a Head unto us. If you invite a man of quality to your table, though you provide never such cheer for him, yet if you should set any people of mean quality above him, he would not regard all your courtesies. When you tender up any thing unto Christ, when you seem to entertain him with the greatest respect, yet if there be any thing you set above him, especially if a vile lust be set above him, he cares not for all your entertainment. We read in that Col. 2. 19 (the place we made use of in opening the former point) that there were some blamed for not holding of the Head; What is that? because they gave more honour to Angels then was due unto them. It is spoken about the worshipping of Angels, though never such glorious creatures, yet by overprizing they come, not to hold of the Head. What, is the giving undue honour to Angels enough to take us off from Christ the Head? Certainly then the prostrating ourselves before our vile and base lusts, doth much more take us off from holding Christ to be the Head. Let us look at all the offices and ordinances of Christ, as holding upon him the Head (as you heard before) that so we may have a more reverend esteem of them. Let us depend upon him for influence of life, and not depend upon means. Let us manifest in our conversation the spirit and life that we have received from such a Head as Christ is, that we may not be a dishonour to this our head. I remember chrysostom in his Comment upon that first of the Ephesians, We must not dishovour Head. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says, in this regard we must be better than Angels, yea greater than Archangels, and he hath three most excellent expressions about this, that Christians should take heed of dishonouring Christ their Head. First, saith he, suppose a man had a precious Diadem upon his head, or a crown of gold, that would be some argument unto him to make him take heed of doing things unworthy of that ornament that is upon his head: and we (saith he) have not a Diadem, we have not a crown of gold upon our heads, we have Christ himself to be our Head, therefore let us do nothing unworthy of this our head. Secondly, he hath this expression. O the honour (saith he) that God affordeth unto us in this! the thought of this were enough to terrify us from sin, more than the setting of hell itself before our eyes. And indeed so it is. The right understanding of Christ to be our Head, and we having so near an union with him, is of power to terrify us from sin more than the sight of hell, if it were before us. Thirdly, he goes on further. Saith he, What, is Christ your head? do you know next unto whom this your head doth sit in heaven? Is he not placed at the right hand of the Father above all principalities and powers? And shall the members of this head be trampled upon by the Devil? God forbid. And yet so honour the head as to give the honour likewise to all that are unto him, to those that he hath placed for the administration of any ordinance of his unto us. We must not under pretence of giving Christ all the honour, dishonour those that are set over us by Christ. We have a notable expression of the Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. 1. 12. where reproving the dissensions of the Church of Corinth: There are some (saith he) that say we are of Paul, and others we are of Apollo, and others said, we are of Cephas, & others we are of Christ. Why, are these all blamed? how could those that said that they held of Christ be blarned? It is apparent that the Apostle blames them all, as well those that said they did hold of Christ, as those that said they did hold of Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas. How is that? Thus. Among the Corinth's there were some that made divisions, some were for some officer, others for others; we are for Paul said some, we for Apollo said others, and we for Cephas, and for our parts (said others) we are for none of them all, we are neither for Paul, nor for Apollo, nor for Cephas, but we are for Christ, what are men? what are officers? what are Ordinances? what are all those to us? Christ is all in all unto us, he is our head, and we are complete in him, and we hold upon him, we are for neither of all the other. These are blamed as well as the other. We must so hold upon Christ, as yet to give all due honour to the Ordinances, to the Institutions, to the Officers and Offices of Christ. Yet I confess when any that are in Christ's stead to dispense his ordinances unto us, if they prove to be wicked, of all people in the world they are the most contemptible, and a just judgement of God ●t is upon them. Esay, 9 15. The ancient and honourable, he is the head, and the Prophet that teacher's lies, he is the tail, Mark, The Prophet there speaks against those that were in place and power, though they were naught, yet still they retained the name of ancient and honourable, but the Prophet that teacheth lies, a contemptiblename is put upon him, he is the tail, no generation in the world more contemptible than those when once they degenerate. But you will say, though they should be vile in their lives, yet the wickedness of them that are in office doth not hinder the virtue and efficacy of the Ordinances, it depends not upon them. True, the efficacy of no Ordinance depends upon men, and it is not either because the Minister is vile, or Communicants are vile that communicate with you that can hinder the virtue of an Ordinance. If the Church contract no guilt upon themselves by retaining such in place, and by not casting out such as do come into communion with them. Take but that for granted that there is no guilt contracted. It is not the wickedness then of the Minister or of the people that hinders the efficacy of any Ordinance at all. But if it prove that there be guilt contracted upon the Church through the negligence of their duty this way, than the case is the same with those of Corinth, 1 Cor. 5. 6. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, what is that whole lump but their Communion? But was not Christ the Head before because now it is said, Quest. They shall appoint themselves one Head? It is spoken of a glorious time when the Jews shall he called again, and 〈◊〉 and Judah shall join together. Now they shall appoint themselves one Head, Christ to be their Head. Christ was the head to the Fathers under the Law, how now is he appointed their head? Ans. Christ indeed was a head to the forefathers, but now in the times of the Gospel, especially at these times that are spoken of here, at the calling of the Jews, and that glorious time that shall be then, Christ will appear to be a Head in another manner, to govern in another way, far more gloriously than now he doth, and far more influence of grace & light will come from him unto his members then now. Though Christ hath always been a head to his Church, yet there is a time coming when the seventh Trumpet shall be sounded (spoken of Revel. 11. 15.) when that voice shall be heard that yet was never heard, The Kingdoms of the earth are the Lords, and his Christ's, and he shall reign for evermore. A time coming wherein Christ shall say unto his people; Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne. The Throne that Christ sits upon now, is his Father's Throne; he doth not call it his, and at the day of judgement the Scripture tells us that he shall give up the Kingdom unto his Father. There is a time therefore for the Throne of Christ to be here further than it hath been, Rev. 19 6. which Christ hath promised to those that do overcome. A time coming when there shall be heard the neise, not only of many waters, but as a mighty thunder, saying, Allelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. He shall be a head another way. Now if it be true that Christ himself is appointed by the Church to be head, than the officers and Ministers of the Church should not think much to be appointed in their places by the Church too. It is true, their offices hold on Christ the head, but the designation of persons it must be from some Church work or other. Who of the Church, should do it, we do not now list to enter into any such controversy, but that there must be more than a civil act to make any man that was not before in the place of a Pastor or teacher of a Church, now to be so, somewhat to make my conscience to yield and submit unto him as an officer that JESUS CHRIST hath placed over me, some Church-work certainly there must be in this: Christ himself would be appointed a head by his people, that they might submit to him the more cheerfully, and give glory to him with the more freedom of spirit. And as for all such as shall thrust themselves upon a people, no marvel though they complain of want of respect from them, or of their going away from them. Igna charitatis combucenrendi, s●at ha●etiti Luther. They never did any thing towards the appointing them officers over them. They sholl appoint themselves a head. Not force Christ upon others by fire and sword. Heretics are to be burnt with fire (saith Luther) but with what fire? the fire of charity. They shall appoint to themselves. Let others do what they will, let others choose what head they please, yet the Saints will appoint to themselves the Lord Christ to be their head, they will bless themselves in Christ, he shall be a head unto us, whatsoever he be unto others. Others it may be will choose unto themselves other heads, but the Saints say as they in Micah. 4. 5. All people will walk every one in th● name of his God, and we will walk in the name of our God for ever & ever Other people they will walk in their ways, and choose to themselves such as they may have most liberty under, they perhaps think the government of Christ to be too strike for them, but for us we will bless ourselves in our Christ, we will never prostitute our consciences so to men, to lusts and humours as we have done, it is Christ shall be our head and we will submit unto him, it is he that is our Lawgiver. Secret a mea mecum (it is an Hebrew proverb) my secret is with myself, what good we find in Christ it is to ourselves; Let Christ be a stumbling-block and a rock of offence to others, to us he is precious, Cant 5. last. he is one of ten thousand, he is altogether lovely. They shall appoint to themselves one Head. But one; The Church is not a Monster or divers heads, It hath but one head. There cannot be a ministerial head of the Church, Christ is always present, and hath left his laws with his people. If we consider the difference between Ecclesiastical power and Civil power, we shall see it clear that there cannot be a ministerial head of the Church (indeed there is a contradiction in the very mention of it: There can not be universal officer in the Church as in the State and why; a ministerial head? it is absurd to speak it) It is true in the civil power, it is not against any institution of Christ that there should be one head over all the world, nor against any law: But for to have one head over the Church, yea to have any general officers over all the Churches (to challenged a head-ship) it cannot be. The reason is, because there can be no delegation of power that belongs to the Church. There may be a delegation of a civil power, one man may be King over many Country's, and he may appoint substitutes under him, and delegate them that they shall officate under him. There is no such matter in the Church, there is no delegation of power from one to another. Grant but once delegation of the teaching power here you establish Nonresidency; grant but delegation of the ruling power and you presently establish a Papacy. There is no such thing therefore. Again, the civil power is by way of coaction, a Magistrate is not always bound to give a reason of his injunctions, he may by way of compulsion require obedience, But Church power is to deal with conscience; and therefore every one that hath any power must officiat himself, and deal with the consciences of men to persuade and to instruct. These two things being granted it is impossible that there can be a head over all the Churches, yea or over many. But one; We must join nothing with JESUS CHRIST, in the way of his head-ship. As Alexander said to Darius, when he sent unto him that he would be willing to divide the Kingdom; No, saith Alexander, there is but one Sun in the firmament, and there can be but one King in a Kingdom. So saith Christ, but one head He head alone or no head at all; nothing must be joined with him as head; Indeed the heathen gods 〈…〉 to divide their honours, and to. have but some, and other to have some other: and hence the Senate of Rome rejected Christ from taking in him to be a God, after they consulted about it, for said they, if Christ come to be acknowledged a God he will not share with the rest, he will have all himself, and so upon this reason they refused him, Thus do many reject Christ for a head, and for a God, because Christ will not share with others; he must be but one. And a special help is here to our faith in looking up to Christ for help and protection when all means fail (I beseech you observe it) What, doth Christ require of us that we should make him head alone and join nothing with him as head? Then we may well expect from him in all our wants, a protection, and that he alone should help us; or otherwise, the condition of a Christian were the worst condition in the world, were worse than the condition of a heathen: For the gods of a heathen would be content to have but part of the honour of the heart and life because they could help but in part. If a heathen god should require the whole soulto be lifted up above all, and he alone to be honoured and worshipped as a God, and yet when it comes to a matter of help and protection, he could do nothing without some other joined with him, a heathen might well reason the ease with him as doing him wrong, certainly Christ will never wrong his people, so as to challenge from them, that they should lift up him alone, and join no other with him, and yet when it comes to their help and succour that there should be need to call in others besides himself to their help. Therefore as Christ doth challenge it from us to make him our head alone, so we may challenge it from Christ to help us alone when there is no other help for us. Thus we have finished both the head-ship of Christ, and the Churches appointing him to be that head. Now follows the next mercy, the next blessing, and that but in a word, and then we come to the conclusion of this Chapter. They shall come up out of the land. Aterrenis affectibus, So Jerome, he makes it a coming up from their earthly senses, earthly affections. A vita miserabili, so Luther upon the place, makes it a coming up from their miserable life and condition. But rather thus, Come up out of the land, that is, out of their captivity. Judah and Israel they shall join together in coming to Jerusalem, and so join in the same kind of worship, as they were wont to come out of all parts of the country to worship at Jerusalem, and there were united in one kind of worship, so they shall now come from all parts of the world where they are scattered, and join in the same way of worship, yea and it is very probable in their own land. There was a time when the people of God did sing songs of praise in the wilderness, Exod, 15. But the time shall come when they shall do it in their own land; and this shall be a blessing of God upon them. Isa. 26. 1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah, We have a strong City, salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. It shall be sung in the land of Judah, Ezek. 20. 40. In the mountains of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land serve me, there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your oblations, with all your holy things. Ezekiel. 37. 21. I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen whether they begun, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land. This blessing hath God granted unto many of his servants this day; who never thought to have seen their own land, their own good land: but God hath been pleased to gather them up that they are come not only into their own land, but they find the arms and hearts of the Saints open to embrace them, and call them to public employments. It was not long since that the land could not bear them; we hope that the time may come ere long that the Lord Christ may so rule and that in our land, that it will as hardly bear wicked and ungodly men as it hath borne the Saints, though it were hard to say that there should be so much violence used even to keep them from some sins, as hath been used here against the Saints to keep them from their God, yet time may come ere long that wicked men may be glad to fly (though not forced unto it) out of their own choice, into another land, because they cannot have the enjoyment of their lusts so freely here: As the Saints have been forced to fly out of their land that they might serve the Lord and keep their consciences clear. But we let this pass, and come now to the close of the Chapter to the Epiphonema of it all. For great shall be the day of Jezreel. They shall appoint themselves one head, and come up out of the land, for great, Licet, so Tremelius turns it, although the day of Jezreel be great: & indeed the Hebrew particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth quamvis as well as quia, Observe. It may be translated [although] as well as [for] And he translating it so, although the day of jezreel be great, he takes it in this sense, that is, although the people of Israel shall be brought into great affliction, yet God will be so merciful then when his time comes, as they shall be gathered together again, and appoint themselves one head, and come up out of the land. And from such an interpretation of the words there might be an excellent meditation raised, and that is this. That the greatness of the misery of the Church is no hindrance to the course of the freeness and abundance of God's mercy to it. Although the day of jezreel, their day be never so calamitous, never so afflictive, never so grievous, yet they shall come up out of the land and appoint themselves one head. The greatness of the Church's misery is no hindrance unto the Church's delivery: Why? because their deliverance dependeth upon a God who doth delight not only to manifest some power, but the excellency, and the glory, and the choice of his power in their deliverance. For that take this Scripture, Isa. 62. 8. Where speaking of these very times that we shall hear of afterward, of Gods being merciful unto his people, he saith, The Lord hath sworn by his right hand: and we have not only mention thereof God's right hand and swearing by it, but the arm of God too; Mark that, The arm of God and the arm of his strength: There is God's hand, God's arm, Lect. 6. the arm of his strength, & God sweareth by it. The greatness of the Church's affliction is no hindrance to the deliverance of it. Surely when God delighteth to put forth such power for the deliverance of his Church, it is no great matter whether the afflicted estate be great or small. It makes no great matter for the hindrance of the Church's delivery, no more than if you should see two bubbles of water rise up, & one hath a little thicker skin than the other. Now there is as much difference in the difficulty that the thick skin bubble makes when a mighty Cannon or piece of Ordnance shall be shot off with a mighty Bullet to resist it, from the thinner skin bubble, as the greatest and forest affliction that the people of God were ever under in this world makes a difference in the difficulty of their deliverance (when they have to deal with an infinite God) from the least affliction that ever the Church was in. The difference is no more. If a child indeed should see the thicker skin bubble, he might think 'tis harder to be broke then the thinner skin, but if a Cannon should be shot off, nay if it be but a Fillip, it makes no difference. Now the afflictions of God's people they are to this right hand of God's power, and the arm of his strength, but as a bubble of water before a mighty Cannon. Yea if there be not help at all to deliver God's people in time of affliction yet God can create help, He will create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and their people a joy. Yea suppose their condition be such as yet never was the like since the beginning of the world, yet Isa, 64. 4. Since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the care, ●either hath the eye seen what God hath prepared for them that wait for him. And as the greatness of the Church's deliverance is no hindrance of God's power in delivering them, so it should be no hindrance to the work of our faith. Common prudence and reason will go a great way to uphold us under some affliction, but when the affliction comes to be sore, and grievous, and long; prudence & reason then sinketh under the burden; but then should faith lift up itself, and cast an eye upon this right hand of God's power, this arm of his strength that he hath sworn by, and exercise itself in the glorious acts of it. For certainly faith is appointed for such a time as this, when the Church is under grievous extremities. The ordinary afflictions of the Church do not call for such a work of faith, but when they come to extraordinary that requires such a power of God for their deliverance, than there is called for a work of faith proportionable, as Alexander when he was in great danger, Now (saith he) there is a danger fit for the spirit of Alexander to encounter withal. jam periculu● pa● animo Alexitiri. So when the Church comes to be in any great danger, all the members of it should say, here is a danger, here is a trouble fit for the spirit of Christians, fit for the spirits of those that are able to exercise the most noble and glorious acts of faith. This glorious exercise of faith, I may even say we are scarce yet for the present put to it, for reason and sense sees much help, they see that the cause of God at this day hath the better of the adversary; reason I say and prudence may see far this way. Let us not look upon every difficulty as a thing that calleth for such a mighty glorious work of faith, whereas men by reason and prudence, and may carry themselves under such difficulties much better than most of us do. But we do not know but the Lord may call us unto such difficulties and dangers as requires such a faith as hath such a kind of work as I have spoken of. Let us therefore lay up this Instruction for the time to come. Again, for great shall be the day of Jezreel, If the words be read thus (as they are in your Bibles) and yet have reference to the calamitous time, and grievous extremities of the day of Jezreel, then there will be these two excellent meditations from thence. The first is, That God's bowels of compassion do work toward his Church because of the greatness of their affliction. Obser. When their afflictions shall be very great, and the greater they are, the more do Gods bowels of compassion work toward them. We know the misery of God's people in Exo. 3. was a marvelous quickening argument to the compassion of God (as I may so speak) I have seen, I have seen (saith he) the affliction of my people, and their sorrows, and therefore am come down to deliver them. If the greatness of the affliction of the Church move the bowels of God's compassion, then let not the greatness of affliction hinder our faith. Let not the greatness of trouble reason down our faith, but rather let it reason up our faith, for so indeed it should; and so the Saints of God heretofore have done, by the greatness of the trouble we must reason up our faith as thus: It is ●●me for thee O Lord to work, for men have almost destroyed thy law; yea the high time is come for thee to have mercy upon Zion, Afflictions should raise our hearts. for thy people begin to favour the dust thereof. What, was this a good argument, Have mercy upon me, and pardon my sin for it is very great, to move God withal? Surely then this is a good argument, Deliver us in our afflictions, for they are very great: for sin makes a great deal more distance between God and us then afflictions: yet if the greatness of sin shall come to be put as an argument for God's mercy and compassion to work, much more the greatness of afflictions. Yet this is the grace of God in the second Covenant that even the sins that before made the creature the object of hatred, those sins come now to make it an object of compassion. So afflictions that before were part of the curse, they come now to be arguments for the moving of the bowels of Gods tender compassion toward his people. Another note (if you read it so, for great is their affliction) is this, the promise is the only support of the soul, Obser. and that which carrieth it thorough the greatest affliction. Afflictions are as lead to the net, the promise is as the cork, the promise keeps above water when the lead pulls down. But I leave these meditations, though I find many interpreters run this way. And I rather take it as a further expression of God's wonderful mercy unto his Church. For great shall be the day of Jezreel, That is, God hath a great day of mercy for Jezreel. That is the meaning, they shall appoint themselves one head, they shall be gathered together and be made one, they shall come up out of the land, why? for God hath yet to come a great day of mercy to his pepole, A gr●●● day of Jezreel. And herein therefore God makes use of the name of Jezreel in a good sense. They that carry it the other way would carry the signification of the name thus, for great is the day of scattering, of the scattered people, so jezreel signifieth (as you heard in the beginning of the Chapter) But Jezreel signifieth likewise the seed of God. Before God made use of their name in the worse sense, that he would scatter them according to their name; now he makes use of their name in the best sense, they are the seed of God, and there is great mercy from God for them. When God is reconciled unto a people, Obser. he takes all in the best sense and makes the best acception of every thing, as he doth here of the name Jezreel. We have only these two things to consider of in this expression. 1. That the Saints of God, and the Church, they are Gods Jezreel. That is, they are the seed of God. 2. That there is for this seed of God a great day. 1. They are the seed of God. The seed of the blessed, and there is a blessing in them. They are the precious seed that God preserves in the world, & hath done ever since the beginning of the world. They are that seed that preserveth the glory of God in the world. Were it not for a few gracious, holy people in the world, where would the glory of God be? What would become of it? Those that are godly, however contemptible in the world, they are the precious seed that God reserves in the world for great and glorious ends. They are the seed to preserve the continuation of the Doctrine of the Gospel, and the blessed truths of God; as Isa. 6. 13. The holy seed shall be the substance thereof. Though they shall be under great afflictions, yet there shall be a holy seed that shall be the substance thereof, and there shall be his blessing. The godly are precious seed. Filibatur nomen ejus. Psal. 72. 17. His name shall endure from generation to generation: the words are read by Montanus, His name shall be childed, that is, so continued as families are continued, one generation after another, one begetteth another: and so shall the name of Christ continue in the world, and so it hath done. And though seed be but a handful in comparison of the harvest, so the Saints of God then were, and yet are but as a handful in comparison of the glorious harvest that shall be, yet they are very precious before God, and God will make the world hereafter know that they are the precious ones of God, Isa. 61. 9 All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. Seed (you know) a man will be careful of that what ever becomes of his other corn. In the time of dearth the husbandman will rather pinch his own belly, then have his seed-corne to be spent. So in times of common calamity, of common dearth, yet God's care is over his seed; the Saints are (as I may say) God's seed-corne to preserve his name in the world, to other generations that are to come, he will not therefore have them destroyed. Seed is the most precious of the corn, which is most winnowed and made clean, and so are the Saints, the clean ones and the most precious ones. God perhaps doth winnow them and fan them more than he doth others by the fans and winnows of afflictions, why? because they are his seed. Perhaps other corn that hath dross in it, the husbandman will give the fowls and the cattle that, he bestoweth not much winnowing upon it, but the corn that is for seed he winnows that, he would not willingly have a dernell amongst it. It may be thou complainest thou art more winnowed, more fanned than other men, perhaps thou art more precious in God's eyes, thou art to be reserved as seed, as the seed of the blessed. The wicked indeed they are seed too, but a corrupt seed, a seed of evil deers, Esay, 1. the grandfather was an enemy unto God, yea the great grandfather, and the father, and the children after him continue enemies to God. And God in mercy unto his Church doth many times cut down the wicked before they do seed too much. As you that have gardens, if they have weeds in them, and you see the weeds come up and grow to seed, you think then that it is time to pull them up, you will not suffer them to seed. God looks upon many families and sees wretched and sinful men as a seed of evil doers, and sees they are ready to seed, and if they be not cut down suddenly there will be a wretched brood of wicked ones in such a family. The wicked are corrupt seed. This is the reason of God's sudden cutting down of many wicked families. But to come to the point that is chiefly intended, that is, That this seed of the Lord shall have a great day. Great shall be the day of Jezreel. The men of the world they have their day in which they ruffle it out, and they have all the doings. Saint Paul seems to speak of this in 1 Cor. 4. 3. he saith there that he did not pass for man's judgement, the word is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for man's day. Now men have the day, they have all the bravery in the world, well saith Saint Paul, I do not pass formans day, I expect another day, besides man's day. I know not how it cometh to pass to be otherwise translated, you translate it judgement in your books, but in the Original it is day, Man hath a day. As men have a day, so shall God's Saints have a day too. We use to say many times when we see the Malignant party jocund and merry, surely they hope to have a day. My brethren be joyful in the Lord, God hath a day for you, and a great day too, Great shall be the day of Jezreel. The beginning of God's mercy to his people is called a day of small things, Zach. 4. 10. and that must not be despised, Let no man despise the day of small things. It was the beginning of the reformation and deliverance of the people of Judah from their captivity. 1. But God hath a day of great things, and certainly that day shall be honourable. A day first in which the glory of God shall exceedingly appear, wherein God shall be (as I may so speak with holy reverence) as it were in his robes: As we know Princes upon great days put on their robes, so the King of glory shall have a day for his people, wherein even he himself will put on his robes, Ps. 102. 16. When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in his glory. It seemeth while the Church is in affliction, while the witnesses prophesy in sackcloth, God is as it were clothed in sackcloth, In all their afflictions he is afflicted, but because God hath a day, a great day to his Churches, he will reserve his robes till then, and when that day cometh he will put on his robes, for when he shall build up Zion (saith the Text) than the Lord shall appear in his glory. A great day it shall be for Jezreel, for the seed of the Lord. Secondly, 2, It shall be a great day, for this day shall be the riches of the world. Mark that place in Rom. 11. 12, speaking of the Jews, If their fall (saith he) be the riches of the world, and their diminishing the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness? It was a rich mercy to the Gentiles when they were brought out of darkness, and called into the knowledge of Jesus Christ, here was riches to the world of the Gentiles: But God hath a greater day than that, for it is spoken here of a day that is to come, that is, their fall was the riches of the Gentiles, much more their calling in again. So then there is such a day of calling home the people of God, as shall be the riches of the Gentiles, the riches of all the world. Yea Thirdly, 3. That place Dan. 12. 2. opened, not understood of the general resurrection at the last day and why. Great shall be this day, for it shall be as a day of resurrection from death to life: so Dan. 12. 2. Many of them that sleep in the dust shall awake, etc. It is not spoken of the great resurrection at the last day of judgement, for First, It is spoken but of some that shall arise: Secondly, The greatest glory that is here put upon the just, is but to shine as the stars in the firmament, but at the last day the Saints shall shine as the sun in the firmament, more and above the stars. Yea, Thirdly, This that is here revealed to Daniel must be sealed up as a great secret till the appointed time come; but for the Resurrection at the last day that is no great secret, that they knew well enough, it is not as a secret to be shut up and sealed from men till the time appointed come. But this Resurrection here spoken of, it is to be sealed up as a great secret that was not known in the world, nor should be much known till the appointed time should come. And then Lastly, It was promised to Daniel in the 13. ver. that he should stand up in his lot, as a peculiar and special favour that God should bestow upon him. Now it is not such a peculiar and special favour for a Saint to stand up at the great day, at the last day, this was a favour to Daniel as an eminent Saint, that he should stand up thus in his lot. Therefore this Resurrection is the same with this great day of Jezreel, wherein there shall be such a glorious work of God in calling Israel and Judah together & the fullness of the Gentiles, that it shall be as the Resurrection from death to life; so the Apostle calls it likewise in that Rom. 11. 15. What shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead? 4. Great shall be the day of jezreel, for this shall bring refreshing to all the Saints, this is the time of the refreshing, Act. 3. 19 There shall be such things then as will refresh and revive the spirits of all the Saints. Yea, 5. It shall be the day of restitution of all things. Acts 3. 21. Until the times of rest it 〈◊〉 of all things come, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his Prop●● since the world began. I know it is ordinary carried by many another way, concerning the last day; but that it cannot be so, it appears, because that then there shall not be the restitution of all things, but the annihilation of many things. Further, this speaks of a restitution of all things, that was spoken of by the mouth of all the holy Prophets. Now the holy Prophets spoke but very little concerning the day of Judgement, of another life to come, we read but little of it in the Prophets; and therefore the Apostle in 2 Tim. 1. 10. saith, that life and immortality was brought to light through the Gospel. Not but that it was known somewhat before, but it was very darkly known, there was very little spoken of life and immortality in the Prophets; But this speaks of a time that all the holy Prophets spoke of as an argument that was the general theme of them all. And indeed there is no argument whatsoever that is more general among the Prophets, than this great argument of this great day of Jezreel. Again, 6. A great day, for it shall be a new creation; a new heaven and a new earth shall be made when this great day of jezreel shall come. 6. Esay, 66. 17. Behold I create new heavens and a new earth: And in ver. 18. if you observe it, you shall see what this new heaven and this new earth is: But be glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create, for behold I create jerusalem are joycing, and her people a joy. Those are the new heavens & the new earth that are to be created: and this is meant of the Church plainly, for the Text, ver. 21. speaks of building houses, and inhabiting them, and of planting vineyards, and eating the fruit of them, upon these new heavens & this new earth's creation. And 2 Pet. 3. 13. Nevertheless according to this promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Now where is this promise? This is usually taken for the Kingdom of heaven hereafter. But where is this promise? We do not find it any where but in that place I named before, Esay, 65. Now it is apparent that promise doth speak of an estate of the Church here in this world; and there is spoken of a new earth, as well as of a new heaven; if it were only spoken of new heavens, it had been another matter, but it speaks of a new earth likewise, therefore meant of an estate in this world, a new creation of a new heaven and earth, that is, there shall be such glorious things done by God, as shall manifest a creating power, as if God did now make new heavens and a new earth. 7. 7. Great shall be the day of jezreel, for it shall be as another world, when this day cometh. Heb. 2. 5. 6. 7. 8. Unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, (this certain place is in Psa. 104.) saying: What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him? Thou hast made him little lower than the Angels, thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands, thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. This is clearly interpreted of Christ, (as vers. 9 and so on) that all things must be subjected to hi●● man, What is man that thou shouldst regard him? That is, that thou 〈◊〉 advance the nature of man so far as to unite it even to thy Son, and pi●● things in subjection under his feet. This the Apostle interpreteth of Christ. But saith he, we see not yet all things put under him, that time is yet to come, for, saith he, We speak of things that concern the world to come. Therefore (mark my brethren) there must be such a time wherein all things, all creatures must be put under subjection to Christ, and this is in the world to come. Not in that world to come where the Saints shall reign gloriously in heaven, it cannot be meant of that, for the heavens must depart as a scroll, and many things shall then rather be annihilated, and the Kingdom must then be given up by Christ to God the Father, so the Apostle saith, 1 Cor 15. that is, when the Saints shall reign gloriously with Christ in heaven. But here this place speaks of a time when all creatures must come under subjection to Christ, and it is called the world to come, why? because of the great change there shall be of things, it shall be (as it were) a new world. As we call this world from Noah's time a new world, and when we speak of the other world we call it the old world; so the Scripture calls it, 2 Pet. 2. 5. God spared not the old world: And Chap. 3. 6. The world that then was being overflowed with water, perished. So this world that we live in is as the old world, and there is this day of Jezreel, in which there shall be such a glorious change, all things being put in subjection under Christ, that it shall be as it were a new world, God hath made an excellent world in which there is much beauty and glory, and yet his enemies have the rule here; what then will that world be that God intends for his Saints? 8. Great shall be the day of Jezreel. 8. It shall be such a great day that all former things shall be even forgotten because of the lustre and glory of that great day. As Isa. 65. 17. The former heavens and the former earth shall not be remembered nor come into mind; And so Jer. 3. 16. In those days saith the Lord, they shall say no more the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, neither shall it come to mind, neither shall they remember it; at that time they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem, neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil hearts (mark my brethren) In those days the house of Judah shall walk together, ver. 18. It is apparent that it is spoken of this great day of jezreel; for now God saith he will gather judah and Israel together, and here he saith that they shall walk together, and that then former things shall be forgotten; they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord; heretofore even the Temple itself the glory of Jerusalem was but as the place of God's feet, and the Ark of God was but God's footstool. 1 Chron. 28. 2. It was in mine heart (saith David) to build a house of rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God; and Isa. 60. 13. I will make Zion the place of my feet glorious. But now in this great day, Jerusalem that was but God's foot stool, the place of his feet, shall be Gods Throve; a great day certainly this shall be when all things shall be thus forgotten. In the last place, a great day, because it shall be a day after which there shall be no night. And that you will say will be a great day indeed, after which the Saints shall be raised to such a state of prosperity and happiness that shall never fall again, that shall never come to be darkened any more. The Churches here many times have had some little release, they have had their days of peace for a while, but it hath soon grown to be night, and a dismal night of darkness. But when this great day shall come it shall be a day that shall never have night, for so God promiseth here to his Jezreel, to make it to be an eternal excellency, and to make Jerusalem an everlasting joy, and Dan. 2. 44. God shall in the days of those Kings set up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed, that is, the great day of Jezreel. The first thing that shall be done in this great day of jezreel, shall be the deliverance of the Churches from woeful affliction which they shall be found to be in a little before. For so the Scripture tells us, Dan. 12. 1. that before this day there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time, and at that time thy people shall be delivered. I might tell you much how some of the Ancients have spoken of this, that though it be a point that seems to be somewhat strange to us, Ego autem & qui sunt per omnia orthodoxae sententiae Christiani, etc. yet it was one of the most ordinariest things that was known in the primitive times. It was then so generally acknowledged, that I remember Just in Martyr (who was but 30. years after Saint John) hath such an expression as this, There is no man (saith he) that is of the Orthodox faith in all things, but he doth acknowledge it. And Lactantius in his 7. book, cap. 15. 24. 28. and divers other chapters he spends in showing the glory of this great day of jezreel, but withal he shows that a little before there shall be most grievous times that shall fall out, such times saith he, as that all right shall be confounded, Vt jam nostra haec tempora quibus iniquitas & malitia usque ad summum gradi●m crevit, so licia, & prope aurea possint judicari. Si tum forte su●rint boni, undeque practae sint scel●ratis, ac divexentur, soli autem mali opulenti sint, boni vero in omnibus contumeliis atqùe in egestate, confundetur omne jus & leges peribunt, nihiltunc quispiam habebit, vi omnia possialebunt. Lactant. l. 7. c. 15. the law shall perish, no body shall know what is his own, the wicked they shall have the pre-eminence, & the Saints they shall be persecuted, so that (saith he) though in this our time wickedness is grown to such a height, that a man would think it could increase no higher, yet in comparison of the time a little before that great day, these times may be called Golden ages. These expressions he hath, So that great times of affliction will be before that great day; and it is therefore called a great day, because God appearing so gloriously in the deliverance of his Church at that day. The Scripture speaks of wonderful thing that God will do, and show himself marvaylous as he did in the people of Israel's coming out of Eg●●t. Who knows but that God now sendeth abroad so much of the light of his Gospel, and is so working in the hearts of men, and giveth us such a time of reviving, and calleth home so many young ones as he doth purposely because this great day is at hand, and because before this day we may have a day of dismal darkness? and by this he will prepare people for those times, God will have a great seed that he intends to be in the world, therefore so many young people are converted and are so forward, because I say God means to prepare them by this light that we now have, for this seed, for this great day. And you that are young may expect to go thorough some difficulties & hardship before this great day comes, but be of good comfort, you may hope to live to see all the glory of this great day, and God gives you now time that you may lay up, and be fit seed for such a glorious day as this, that you may not when sufferings come, be found among the number of the fearful ones, spoken of in Rev. 21. 8. that shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire & brimstone; Those that through base cowardliness and compliance shall yield to base vile superstitious vanities shall be cast out amongst dogs when that great day comes. God now gives you a day that you may see the evil of superstitious vanities, that you may have truths revealed to you with more freedom then formerly, I say who knows but this may be to prepare you for that darkness that may come a little before this great day of Jezreel. Secondly, 2. a great day in subduing the adversaries of the Church. Though they shall come to have a great deal of power a little before; yet when that great day of jezreel shall come, they shall be certainly all subdued & brought under. Rev. 19 13. Christ when he shall come in this great day he shall have his garments dipped in blood, in destroying the wicked and ungodly, and Rev, 15. the Saints when they see the wicked destroyed as the Egyptians were in the sea, the Text saith that they sung the song of Moses. What was this song of Moses, but the praising of God for the destruction of their adversaries in the Sea? God hath another Sea to destroy the wicked, and God hath a day for his Saints to sing over the song of Moses again, and especially for the destruction of Popery. My brethren be not troubled to see Papists make a concourse and flock together, Romannm nomen horet animus dict re, sed dicamq●ia futurum est toll●tur de terra. Lactant. l. 7. c. 15 be not troubled at it, for when this day shall come, God will so order things that his adversaries shall come and flock together, but it shall be that they may be destroyed, for God hath a great feast and a great Sacrifice, and he will sacrifice them especially. And therefore Lactantius that I spoke of before, and is one that lived 1300. years since, saith he (speaking then of this day) I have a thing to say, but I even tremble to speak it, but I must speak it, and what was it? Romanum nomen (saith he) de terra tolletur; those are his words, the Roman name shall be taken off from the earth. He in those primitive times prophesied of the destruction of Rome. Perhaps though he did not see it so clearly, yet God might so order it, as though he understood it not, God might intend it for these times. God will destroy the enemies of his Churches then. Yea. Ezek. 28. 24. there is a promise to the Saints that there shall beno more a pricking briar, nor any grieving thorn of any that are round about them that despise them, & in another place God saith that he will take away the Canaanite out of the Land. Further, .3 the third thing that shall be done in this great day, is the glorious presence of Christ among the Saints, let it be personal or what it will, we determine not, but thus far we may confidently affirm that there shall be a more glorious presence of Jesus Christ among his people, Lect. 7, than ever yet was since the beginning of the world. Rev. 21. 22. The Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, shall be the Temple of it: and Chap. 22. 3. 4. The Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him, & they shall see his face, and Ezek. 48. the last words of the Chapter, The name of that place shall be Jehovah-shammah, that is, the Lord is there. Fourthly, the glory that shall be put upon the Saints at that day, shows it to be a great day. Glory shall be put upon them, first in regard of their admirable gifts & graces they shall be heightened and enlarged, the weak shall be as David, and they that are as David shall be as the Angel of God at that day. The bowing down of their adversaries before them, The high esteem that they shall have, even in the thoughts and judgements of many great ones of the world, they shall be called up to heaven, that is, those that are in highest place and dignity, shall call them up and honour them in that day, yea the Text saith, The Kings of the earth in that day shall came in, and bring their glory to the Church. Therefore it is apparent, that place Rev. 21. 24. cannot be understood of heaven, for it is said, the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory, they shall not bring their glory to the Church, when the Church shall be in heaven. And five, a great day it shall be in regard of the wonderful change of all creatures, Terra aperiet f●cunditat●m suam, & ub●rrimas fruges sua spont● generabit, rupes montium me●●e sudabunt, perrivos vina decurrent, f●umina lacte inundabunt, ominù natura Letabitur; erepta & liberata a dominio mali, & impietatis, & eroris; non hestia per hoc tempus sanguine alentur, non aves praeda sed quieta & placid a crunt omnia. Lactant. l. 7. c. 4. glorious, fruitful times, so I remember Lactantius speaks of that time, that the rocks themselves should issue forth honey and precious things; but that we cannot say, yet that there shall be a wonderful change of all things, and all creatures brought to a further happiness (even the sensitive creatures as well as others) than they had before, the Scriptures are clear evough in it. And literally we are to understand many Scriptures that tend this way concerning the fruitfulness of the earth, and the outward external glory that there shall be in the creatures. As upon a great marriage feast or Coronation day, all the servants of the Prince are in their best array; so when Christ his Bridegroom shall come and meet with his wife, with his Spouse, all creatures shall be put into a new cress, shall have further glory. And lastly, that which we have here in the Text, the multitudes of all nations and people that shall flock to the Church, Tun● qui erunt in corporibus vivi, non morientur, sed per mille annes infinitam multitudinem generabunt, & evit s●boles eorum sancta, & Deo charre. Lactant. ibid. that they shall be as the sand of the sea. But this I have spoken of before at large. Now put all these things together, and Great shall be the day of Jezreel. Yea, but shall these things be so? shall they be so? Though flesh and blood may reason against these things, yet I may apply that place, Zach. 2. 13. Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord, for he is raised up out of his holy ha●●●tion. Flesh may say, How can these things be? But let all flesh be silent, for God hath made known in his Word, the great things that he intends to bring to pass. And Zach. 8. 6. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, if it be marvaylous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvaylous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of Hosts. It may be applied to this as well as the other. These things may seem marvellous to your eyes, especially because we have been but little acquainted with them, but they are not marveilons in the eyes of God. Yea we find it out of the Word that these things were to be kept hidden till the appointed time should come, till we draw nearer to that great day; we are not to wonder why these things have not been opened unto us, for God tells us Dan. 12 that they were to be sealed up even to the time appointed, and Rev. 10. 11. God telleth john that he must prophe sie again before the Kings of the earth, that is, before the time of the fulfilling of all things, that book of the Revelation shall be made out as clear as if john were come to prophesy again before men. And we hope it is coming, because God beginneth to let in light that way, and the morning star seemeth to begin to arise. In Zach. 14. 6. you have mention of a day, that we may apply to the present day that we have now. And it shall come to pass (saith the Text there) that the light shall not be clear nor dark, but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day nor night, but it shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light. Mark what shall be in that day, ver. 8. And it shall be in that day that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; & ver. 9, In that day shall there be but one Lord, and his name one; and then ver. 20. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses holiness to the Lord; and ver. 21. In that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts. Certainly my brethren these Scriptures speaks of a glorious day that is a coming, but yet in the beginning of it is just like such a day as we have now for the present, wherein the light is neither clear nor dark: It is true, not long since it was dark, now this darkness beginneth to be a little dispelled, but it is not clear yet, many things for the present darken the light, and there is opposition and many damps upon the hearts of God's people, and things go not o●●s we desire; but blessed be God it is not night with us, though it be not 〈◊〉 day it is not dark as it was, though it be not as clear as we desire; therefore this is now a day which is neither clear nor dark, but even as it were twilight. Well but it shall be one day that is one special day, and indeed it is our day now, it is the greatest day that ever yet England had. It shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, a day wherein the Lord hath great thoughts and purposes to do great things, and certainly this our day is known to the Lord, great things God is about to do for his Churches, & laying a foundation of glorious things for the good of his people. And then mark, though it be neither day nor night, yet at the evening time it shall be light. What a strange expression is here? It shall be a dusky cloudy day all day, and then a man would think that at evening it should be quite dark, what to be cloudy at noon and to be darkish at three or four of the clock in the afternoon, what then will it be in the evening? surely than it must needs be more dark: No, though it be not clear now, though it be a cloudy day and part of it dark, In the evening time it shall be light. yet at the evening time it shall be light: When it shall be lest expected to have light, and when we shall most fear darkness, when we shall be ready to conclude, O our day is gone, once indeed God did bring a day to England, a comfortable day though it was a little dark, yet there was a glorious light in comparison of what we had before, but now it is grown towards evening, the evening begins to shut upon us, we looked for light but behold darkness. Perhaps many will be complaining, if they see things go on with any difficulty and opposition they will be ready to have their hearts sink within them, and to cry out, now our day is gone and the evening is coming, & we must look for darkness, yea and fear a dismal darkness. Now my brethren, be of good comfort, for at evening time it shall be light; when we think it shall be evening, when it is most unlikely to be light, then shall the light of the Lord break forth most gloriously: For whensoever this day of jezreel cometh, there must be such a glorious work of God as may magnify his name before the eyes of all men, and therefore at evening it shall be light. And in that day living waters shall go out from Jerusalem: We have had some drops of living waters in this our day, but there is a day a coming wherein living waters shall even flow out of Jerusalem. Now to wind up all. There is a day for the Saints, a rest for the people of God, a day wherein God will deliver them from all afflictions. I have met with one, that speaking of the Sabbath, that the Jews might kindle no fire upon their Sabbath, because that rest was to signify the rest of the Saints, he applieth it thus: That was (saith he) a type that there is such a time of rest for the Saints, that they shall be delivered from all fiery trials, all their afflictions shall be gone and taken away: Great shall be the day of jezreel. The consideration of this (me thinks) might be a strong argument to draw in all people to the ways, Exhor●at. to come in to embrace godliness, to joy●e with the Saints. to the love of godliness and Religion; to come and join with the Churches in appointing Christ head over them. All you wicked ones that hath forsaken the Lord hitherto, come in & join now, and submit unto Jesus Christ as your Head, for great shall be the day of jezreel. There is a great day for the Church of God, a day of glory, a day of abundance of wonderful mercy of God to the Churches. They shall have their day; come you in and embrace Religion, that you may partake of their glory. Certainly the Saints of God shall have the better of it: shall have the day of all the world, let the world strive against them what they can. Every man desires to follow the stronger party and to cleave to that: would you cleave to the stronger part? Cleave to the Saints of God, to the Church, for certainly it is the stronger part; It is a going up, it is rising, and will rise more and more till it be risen unto the height. Though there be some opposition, yet it is such as shall make the glory of the day so much the more. Those men that 〈◊〉 shall stand to plead for Antichrist, and to oppose the work that God is about, certainly they are men borne out of time, borne in an ill hour. Your Papists and superstitious people that heretofore stood for that way, they prospered in their way, because the day of God was not so near, but the day of his patience in permitting Antichrist to continue, was then. But dost thou come now? what superstitious now? what opposing the work of God now? when God is coming out to fight against Popery and superstition, when God is about to do such great things for his Churches as he certainly is, Thou fightest against God, and God will fight against thee, and thou shalt be thrown upon thy back, Thou art borne in the worst time that possibly could be, worse than all the adversaries of the truth in former times. And if there be such a day, let us be willing to suffer for a while, let us be willing to mourn for the Churches a while in that way of mourning that God calls us unto, for there is a recompense coming, glory enough coming even in this world. There is a time of triumphing, let us be content with our warfare here for a while. Thirdly, Let us study these things. These things are useful for people in these times to look into, to search into these truths of God, that so they may be the better prepared to meet Christ their Bridegroom when he cometh. Mark that place, Ezek. 40. 4. It is spoken of the glorious times of the Gospel, especially of these times I am speaking of; where God saith to the Prophet, Behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall show thee. And what did God show him? he showed him the measure of the Temple and all the glorious things that there should be in the Church in future times. So I say to you my brethren concerning that I have spoken of the great day of Jezreel; behold with your eyes, look into God's book and see what is said there (for I have named but little) and hear with your ears, and set your hearts upon what hath been set before you. So in Isa. 41. 20. You have a place somewhat like this, speaking of the mercies of God to his Church in latter times, saith the Text, That they may see, & know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it. Mark how one word is heaped upon another, that they may see, & know, and consider, & understand what God would do for his people. And when God came to reveal the glorious things he intended for his Churches in future times in the book of the Revelation (which is the special book that declareth this unto us.) Mark how the Lord beginneth; It is said that God gave this first to Christ; secondly Christ to the Angel, thirdly the Angel to john, and then there is pronounced a blessing to him that reads and hears the words of this prophecy and understands it. What a solemn way of blessing is here! There is not such an expression in all the book of God: where have you a blessing so solemnly proclaimed to the reading and hearing of any of the books of God as to that book? Therefore though they are things that seem to be above us, yet certainly God would have us to inquire into these things. It is the fruit of the purchase of the blood of Christ to open these seals. Rev. 5. 9 we read that there was no man in heaven nor in earth that was able to open the book and to lose the seals thereof, only the Lamb that was slain and that hath redeemed us unto God by his blood, he was only worthy to open the seals. It is a fruit I say of the slaughter of Christ & of his blood, and therefore cry to him for the opening these things to thee. And though thou be'st very weak in regard of parts, and thinkest with thyself, How can I understand such things as these? know that it is Christ that through his blood comes to open these seals, and seeing it is a fruit of his blood, it is no matter whether thou art weak or strong if he come to open them to thee: as jer. 13. 2. saith God to the Prophet. Call unto me and I will show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not; so I say to you, be a praying people, call upon God and he will cause you to understand great and excellent things that you have not known. And (my brethren) seeing these things shall be thus, O what manner of persons ought we to be? how heavenly? our hearts should rise up from the earth, seeing God intendeth to do such great things for his people. As it is Isa. 60. Arise, arise, shake off thy dust, for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee, So I may say to the Churches now, Arise arise shake of the dust of your earthly affections, for the light of God is now ready to arise upon you; Now sur sum corda, now lift up your hearts above the things of the world. We read in Rev. 4. of the four living creatures that appeared unto John, the first was like a Lion, and the second like an Ox, and the third had a face as a Man, and the fourth was like a flying Eagle. They are (according to the interpretation that reverend Brightman gives) to set out unto us the four states & conditions of the Church. The Primitive times were Lion-like for their valour: the second age like an Ox to bear the burdens of Antichrist, the third had a face as a man, that stood for their liberties and would not be under such slavery, and they are but times: and then the fourth as an Eagle that sored aloft: In the state of the Church hereafter they shall be like an Eagle, have heavenly hearts, no such drossy, base, earthly hearts as we have now. Labour we even now to be so that we may be fit for that day. And let us all prepare for the Bride groom against his coming. How shall we prepare? The clothing that then shall be, shall be white linen, which is the righteousness of the Saints. That great Doctrine of our justification by the righteousness of Christ shall be the great business of that day, in which the glory of the Saints shall much consist, and they shall be clothed with that, it shall be clearly understood of all men, they shall be ashamed to rest upon duties and ordinances as now they do. Let us study the Doctrine of the righteousness of Christ aforehand, for that is like to be our clothing at that day, that is the white linen of the Saints which shall be their glory. Let us prepare our Lamps and keep them all burning and shining, the oil not only of ju●●●cation, but sanctification, active, stirring in our hearts, that so we may 〈◊〉 to entertain the Bridegroom whensoever 〈◊〉 〈…〉. And all of you labour now to instruct your children in the knowledge of God and of Christ, bring them up in the fear of the Lord that they may be seed for that day. Acquaint them with these things, for though perhaps you may be dead and gone before this great day, yet they may live to see it; therefore catechise them, and instruct them, and drop into them those Principles that may fit them for the meeting of JESUS CHRIST their Bridegroom, To conclude all. Let us be all praying Christians. It is that which is charged upon us in Isa. 62. 6. All you that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence and give him no rest, till he establish, till he make Jerusalem apraise in the earth. God hath a day to set up Jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth, Oh be praying, praying Christians every one of you, and give God no rest till he effect this. And remember God of all his promises, search the Prophets, search the book of God, and urge God with his promises to the Church in this way. And you that are the weakest, be not discouraged in your prayers, and you may be a means to further and hasten this great day of Jezreel. Psal. 102. 17. The Psalmist had spoken before of Gods building up Zion, and certainly that Psalm is a Prophecy of the glorious times of the Church that shall be, mark what the Text saith, The Lord shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer; speaking of those that shall live in those times a little before this day of jezreel shall be, The Lord shall regard the prayer of the destitute: the word that is translated destitute, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth in the Hebrew, a poor shrub in the wilderness, a poor shrub that the foot of every beast is ready to tread down, and that poor shrub that perhaps is despicable in the eyes of the world, and despicable in his own eyes, yet saith the Text, the Lord shall regard the prayer of that poor shrub. Is there ever a poor shrub though never so destitute, so despicable in the eyes of the world or in thine own eyes? yet be thou a praying Christian, a praying soul, praying for those things, and God will regard thy prayer, he will not despise thy prayer. Perhaps thou art ready to despise thy prayers thyself, but God will not despise them, let all our hearts be lifted up, and let us all cry with the Church, Come Lord Jesus, Come quickly. O let this day come, for great shall be the day of Jezreel. HOSEA, CHAP. 2. The First Lecture. CHAP. 2. VER 1. 2. Say 〈◊〉 your brethren, Ammi, and to your sisters, Ruhamah. Pled with your mother, plead; for she is not my Wife, neither am I her husband, etc. SOme join the first verse of this Chapter to the end of the former: and (according to a sense that may be given of the words, agreeable to the scope of the latter part of the former Chapter) it may seem more fit to be made the end of that, than the beginning of this. In the latter end of the former, God was in a way of promising mercy to his people, that those that were not his people should be his people, and those that had not received mercy should receive mercy. Now he calleth upon all whose hearts were with God, to speak to one another of this great favour of God to his people, fo● their mutual encouragement, and for the praise of his Name. As if he should say, Well, you have been under dreadful threats of God, your sins have called for dreadful things; but my grace is free, and it is rich & powerful, therefore you that were not my people, and have deserved to be for ever cast off from being my people, you that had not obtained mercy shall obtain mercy; Say to your brethren, Ammi, and to your sisters, Ruhamah, that is, O you that are godly, speak one to another, and tel● one another, for the quickening of one another's hearts; of this great favour of God of his free grace, Oh say, Ammi, Ammi, the people of God, Ruhamah, God's mercy: We were not his people, but now Ammi again, God hath promised to make us to be his people; we were rejected from mercy, but mercy is come again, now Ruhamah, O the mercy of God, O that free grace of our God, that we that have been: so vile, so provoked the eyes of his glory, we that have so sinned against mercy itself, yet mercy should thus follow us, to make us his people, and to save us from his wrath! Obser. A good thing to speak of God's loving kindnesses. It is a good thing to speak of the loving kindness of our God. Psal. 92. 1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to be telling of the goodness of God in the morning, and his faithfulness every night. That Psalm is appointed for the Sabbath. It is a work of the Sabbath to be speaking one to another of the goodness of God: Especially in this case, when a people were afraid that they should have been for ever rejected, that now God should call them again, 1, 〈◊〉 ct Ammi, my people, and say now again that he will have mercy upon them. Psal. 145. 4. 5. One generation shall praiss thy name to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts; I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. Mark what the ways of God are toward his Church, when he cometh in the ways of mercy; they are wondrous works of God, they are the mighty acts of God, they are such wherein the honour of God appears, yea they are the honour of his Majesty, yea they are the glorious honour of his Majesty● There is Majesty, honour of Majesty, glorious honour of Majesty, mighty works of God, wonderful works of God. When these appear, these are to be declared indeed; And for them to be able to say to one another, Ammi and Ruhamah, it was to declare the wonderful works of God, and the glorious honour of his Majesty. Yea it followeth further in that Psalm, verse 6. Men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts, and I will declare thy greatness. And verse 7. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness. E●ucta●u●t, so Arias M●ntanus renders it, they shall not be able to keep it in, but break ●orth in the memory of thy goodness. Happy are those people that God g●ants such subjects of discourses unto, that they may say one to another, to their brethren and sisters, Ammi, and Ruhamah. It was not long since, that when we met with our brethren, we could not have such a subject of discourse as this is, but usually when Christians met together after their Salutations, their first question was; Oh! what shall we do? what shall we do? what course shall we take? All the News almost that was in the Kingdom, and the subject of discourses (specially among the Saints) was this, Such a Minister silenced in such a place, such a one banished in another place, such a one imprisoned in another place, such a one High-Commissioned in another place, such signs of the wrath of God upon us, we are afraid that God is going, if he be not quite gone already, we are afraid that he will not only reject us from being his people, but reject us from being a people upon the fac● of the earth. But blessed be God, he hath changed the subject of our discourses. Now God's ways have begun to be towards us as if he intended to make us again to be his people. Now we may when we meet together have plentiful subjects of discourses about God's grace & mercy, to say Ammi, Ruhamah, O the Lord manifesteth goodness to an unworthy Nation & we have hope that yet he will own us to be his people, we have hope that yet he will show mercy to us though never so unworthy. Who would have thought ever to have seen and heard of such things as we have seen & heard? who would have thought ever to have seen the hearts of the adversaries so daunted, So discourse of God's mercies, as our hearts may be sanctified by that discourse. their power so kerbed, their rage so quelled, the wicked in their own works so ensnared; their hopes so disappointed? who would ever have thought to have seen the Saints so rejoicing, their liberties so enlarged, their hearts and expectations so raised? This is the free grace of God: Ammi, Ruhamah, we have obtained mercy, God hath dealt with us in abundance of grace. This we must not discourse of when we mere, Chap. 2. as matter of news only, but we must speak of it to the praise of God, for the sanctifying of our hearts. Our brethren in Ireland have another subject of their discourses at this day. When a brother or a sister meet this is the subject of their discourse, Oh my Father, my mother taken such a day by the Rebels and cruelly masacred, such a kinsman, such a kinswoman taken such a day and fearfully murdered, such houses were fired, such Cities and Towns were taken, and with what gaftly visages do you think they look one upon another, when they are thus relating these sad things? Esa. 9 8 The word of God came out against England, but it hath lighted upon Ireland. O unworthy are we of these mercies we enjoy, if when we meet together our discourses be frothy and light, about vain and trivial things, when God hath given us such a subject of discourse as he hath done by such gracious, and wonderful, and glorious ways of his mercy towards us in this latter age. Say to your brethren Ammi, and to your sisters Ruhamah. The mercies of God are to be inculcated upon our spirits, Obser. we should not only tell them one to another, but again and again inculcate them upon our hearts. Indeed God's mercies at first they seem to take impression upon our spirits, but the impression is soon vanished. Say to your brethren. This is (according to some) Let Judah to whom God showed special mercy, say to Israel, to the ten Tribes that were more threatened than Judah, for Judah was not so threatened as Israel was, to be cast off from being the people of God. Let Judah rejoice in this, that their brethren are received again to mercy. A gracious heart should rejoice in God's mercies towards others. Obser. God's mercies are an infinite Ocean, there needs no envying there, no grieving for that which others have. Indeed when one man is richer than another, another is ready rather to envy him then to rejoice: A Courier is ready to envy the favour that another hath, why? because these are narrow things. But when we come to God's mercy there is room enough there, that soul that hath been made partaker of mercy, counts it a great happiness that any way the mercy of God may be magnified. Say to your brethren and sisters, etc. These whom God hath received unto mercy, Obser. we should receive into brotherly affection. Hath God showed mercy to such and such, well may we account them our brethren and sisters then. If God takes them to mercy we must be ready willingly to take them into brotherly society. But now if we take these words as the beginning of the second Chapter, than we shall see them carried in some different way. And taking of them so (as most do) I shall first show you the scope of the Chapter in the parts of it, and then show in what sense the words may be carried, as the beginning of this Chapter. The scope of thi●●●ond Chapter is much according to that of the first, viz. 〈◊〉 show unto 〈◊〉 their sin and their danger, and secondly to promise Gods abundant grace and mercy again. Le●ct. i The first is especially from the beginning to the 14. verse, and the second, from the 14. verse to the end of the Chapter. Yet this is not an exact division. neither can we give an exact division of this no more than we could give of the other. Why? Because things are so intermixed; for they are the pathetical expressions of a loving, and yet a provoked husband, and therefore when he is coming to ●●●●vince his spouse who hath dealt falsely with him, and to show her her sin and danger, whilst he is manifesting of his displeasure, the bowels of his compassion begin to yearn, and he must have some expression of love in the midst of all; then when he hath had some expressions of love, he falls again to rebuke her and to show her her sin again, and then his bowels yearn again, and he cometh to expressions of love again. We have found it so in the former Chapter, and shall find it so in this: For though the beginning of this Chapter to the 14. verse is specially spent in convincing of sin and threatening of Judgement, yet in the sixth and seventh verses there is promise of mercy and favour, and expressions of love, and then in the eighth verse he goes to threatening again, and in the 14. ver. begins to express mercy again. As God doth in this case, so should we. When we rebuke others that are under us, we should so rebuke them, as yet to manifest love to them, and when we manifest love, to do it so as yet to take notice what is amiss and to reprove them. Many parents know not how to rebuke their children, but they do it, so as that there is nothing but bitterness; and they know not how to manifest their love but they do it so as that there is nothing but cockering and immoderate indulgency. God mixeth both together. Say to your brethren, etc. Take it for the beginning of the first part of this second Chapter, for the showing of them their sin, and rebuking them, What then must be the sense and scope of the words, Say to your brethren, Amm●, etc. Then it is carried thus. Some thing must be supplied for the making up of the full sense. As if God should have said, Oh Ammi, you whom I have reserved to be my people, you to whom I have showed mercy, there is yet remaining a handful of you, while you remain to be may people, and others cast off, and you obtaining mercy, and others rejected, let it be your care to exhort, persuade, convince, use all the means you can to bring your brethren and sisters on to that grace of God you have received: Say to your brethren, say, it is not expressed what they should say, but by that which followeth we may understand what the meaning of God is, when he saith Plead with your mother, etc. that is, you that have received mercy and are my people, there is a remnant of you; do not you think that so long as you scape and are well enough yourselves, no great matter what becomes of others, oh no, but let your hearts be much toward your brethren and sisters, let your bowels yearn toward them, oh seek if it be possible to draw them unto God that they may receive mercy too, labour to convince them, say and speak to them that they may not yet stand out against God and be obstinate; say to your brethren Ammi, and to your sisters Ruhamah, you that are Ammi, and you that have received mercy do you speak to your brethren and sisters. And this affordeth unto us many excellent Observations. As First, That in the most corrupt times of all, God doth use to reserve a people, Obs. 1. to deliver some from the guilt of the general corruptions of the place where they live. Obs. 2. Reliqui mihi septem milliaonon ait relicta sunt vel reliquer●nt se, sed reliqui reliquiae per electionem gratiae. August, de bono perfev. l. 2. c. 18. For so this Ammi and Ruhamah, were a remainder, that God did deliver through his grace from the general corruptions of the place where they were; for otherwise they had not been fit to have said to their brethren or to have spoken to their sisters in this sense. Secondly, those whom God delivers from the guilt of general corruptions are to be acknowledged the people of God, such as have receiv●● mercy from God in a special manner; It is free grace that hath made this difference between you and others; Augustin in his second book concerning preservation, has a good note upon that Scripture, 1 King. 19 18. I have left me seven thousand in Israel, God says not, there are left 7000, or they have left themselves, but I have left; It is the special work of God to preserve any for himself in evil times. Thirdly, the Lord takes special notice of such who are thus by his grace preserved in evil times. Ammi, Ruhamah, There are a people amongst these that are Ammi, my people, that have obtained mercy from me, mine eyes are upon them, my heart is toward them; there are a number that have kept their garments undefiled even in Sardis, and I will remember this for ever for their good. Obs. 3. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generation, Gen. 6. 9 and what then? Chap. 7. 1. Come thou and all thy house into the Ark, for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Fourthly, Obs, 4. Such as keep themselves from the corruptions of the times wherein they live, they and only they are fit to exhort and reprove others. Those that are not guilty themselves as others are, are fit to speak to others, to say to their brethren and to their sisters. They are fit to exhort, who perform the duties themselves that they exhort unto. Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum. Obs. 5. We say it is a shameful thing for one to be teaching if he be guilty himself; he cannot with freedom of spirit, say to his brethren and sisters. Fifthly, It is the duty of those whom God hath delivered from the corruptions of the times, to seek to draw all others to God; to seek to convince others of their evil ways, and so bring them in to the truth. We ●eade Levit. 19 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, & not suffer sin to lie upon him. Surely those who have obtained mercy, have the impression of God's mercy upon their spirits, they are far from having hateful hearts; now it is hatred for any to suffer sin to lie upon his brother, and not to do what in him lieth to help him. It is desperate pride for men to triumph over others in their falls, and it is wicked cruelty to suffer others to lie down when they are fallen if they can raise them. 〈◊〉- faring men who are delivered themselves from shipwreck, and all is 〈◊〉 with them, if they see another ship ready to sink in the sea; and those on shipboard shoot out to have them come to help to save them, though they be never so far remote, yet if it should be known that they decline to go out to help them, all the seamen would cry out shame on such, and be ready to stone them for etting a Ship sink when they might have helped: Certainly the same case-it is with those to whom God hath shewed mercy, if others lie in their sins they do not what they can for their help. 6. Say to your brethren and to your sisters. Obs. 6. The nearer the relation of any is to us, the more should our compassion be towards them, in seeking to deliver them from their sins; There is more likelihood of prevailing with your brethren and sisters. Hath God converted you, and have you a brother or a sister not converted, or any of your kindred? go and say to them, tell them of the danger of their evil ways, tell them of the excellency of the ways of God, exhort them to come in, to make trial of the blessed ways of God. When a brother speaks to a brother, or a sister to a sister, it is the bringing a hammer of gold to work upon gold, Obs. 7. and of silver to work upon silver. Lastly, Say to your brethren and sisters. Exhortations unto and reprehensions of others should be with much love and meekness. Say to your brethren and sisters, yet look upon them as brethren and sisters, though they have not yet obtained the like mercy that you have. Saint Paul, 2 Thes. 3. 15. speaking of one that walketh inordinately, from whom we are to withdraw in respect of any private familiar society, yet saith he, admonish him as a brother. Those who reprove and admonish others with bitterness of spirit and evil speaking, are like a foolish fowler who seeks to get the fowl, but he goes on boisterously, and makes a noise; the way (if he would get it) is to go on quietly, softly, and gently; so the way to gain a brother, is not by boisterousness and violence, but sofness, and gentleness. It is observed by some of the Jews out of that 25. Exod. ver. 3. where the matter of the Tabernacle is said to be gold, and silver, and brass: you do not see nor hear of iron to be required for the building of it; No, iron, rigid, severe, hard dispositions are not fit either to be matter of the Tabernacle themselves, or to draw others to be the matter of it. Yea but if saying will not be enough to do the deed, than there follows pleading. That is the second. Say to them, admonish them, exhort them, but what if that will not do? do not leave presently, but Plead, yea and Plead with your mother too, not only with your brethren and with your sisters, but with your mother. Plead with your mother, plead, for she is not my wife, etc. Plead, Litigate, so some, Contendite, strive, the old Latin hath judicate, judge your mother. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It may seem to be a hard and harsh phrase at first, but we shall labour to acquaint you with the mind of God in it. Here is an exhortation even to the private members of the Church, to all, one o● other, to plead even with their mother, to plead even with the Church of which they are members, and so to plead as to deal plainly and to tell her that she is not the wife of God. Plead with her, First, here we see God's condescension, that he will have us plead the ease betwixt others and himself, Obs. 1. as Esay, 5. 3. judge between me and my Vineyard, faith God. This showeth the equity of God's dealing. Plead the case, perhaps some of you might think. I deal hardly with your mother in so rejecting of her, in bringing such judgements upon her. No, not so, but plead you the case, plead rather with her then complain of me for my dealing with her. Secondly, Obs. 2. Plead with her. When exhortations and admonitions will not do, we must strengthen ourselves and falla pleading. If there be any way more powerful than exhortation and admonition we should take that way, and not presently give over, for though it is not said here, Plead with your brothers and sisters, yet they are included in this when he saith, Plead with your mother. Thirdly, It is a hard thing to convince Idolaters of their sin, and of the Justice of God coming against them for their sin. Plead with your mother, plead, she will not acknowledge it, she will stand it out, and say she hath not done so ill, she is not worthy to be cast off, you had need plead and plead hard with her, she will stand out else: Idolaters have so many distinctions, so many evasions, so many shifts and pretences, that it is a thousand to one ever almost to prevail with them. When you deal with Papists about worshipping of Images they will have such distinctions of worship, Idolaters hardly convinced. pierce, and worship per accidens, of honouring the creature, Propter se, & propter aliud, Proprie, improprie, and a hundred of such kind of distinctions and evasions, till they distinguish out the truth, and scarce understand themselves what they mean by their distinctions. Hence Idolaters scorn at judgements threatened, they think only a company of foolish & timorous people fear such things, they cry out, say they, that we are Idolaters, Idolaters and grievous judgements of God are coming ●●on us, a company of foolish melancholy people they fear their own 〈◊〉. Was it not so heretofore when we were going on in the ways of Idolatry space? Was it not the jeer and scorn of all such spirits? If any did seem but to make a question about Idolatry, they would never be convinced of such a sin, nor never fear any judgements hanging over our heads, Though God hath prevented it through his grace, and hath showed his prero●ation in the ways of his mercy, yet certainly there was sign enough of dreadful wrath hanging over us, and what yet may be we know not. Fourthly, Obs, 4. Plead with your mother, plead. It is a 〈◊〉 of forensecall word, and carrieth with it such a kind of pleading, as must be a convincing, a powerful pleading. God loveth to have people dealt withal in a convincing way. The Lord doth not cry out to the Prophet or to these other good people that were free from that Idolatry that the people of Israel were generally corrupted withal, he doth not say, I say, bid them go and terrify them, and cry out of the● 〈◊〉 speak bitterly unto them; but 〈◊〉 and pleads the cause with them, seek to convince them, doc not go and 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 〈…〉 them. God loveth to have people dealt withal in a convincing way, Let not therefore any think it enough either Minister or other, that they can speak terribly to people, and cry out of the sins of the people, but let them labour to convince them, to deal with them as rational creatures, and to take away their secret objections and their secret shifts, and to make their sins plain before their consciences. A convincing Preacher and a convincing Christian is such a one as may be very useful, and do abundance of good to the Church of God. Fifthly, Plead with your mother. It is very fit that God should have some to plead for him, Obser. 5 to plead his cause as well as the devil hath to plead his. The devil never wants pleaders. When was there ever such an ill cause came to a Bench, or to any society in any public way, but found some that would plead for it? A shame that the worst cause in the world should have pleaders for it, and many times the cause of God suffers by men's being mute that should plead for it. God will take this very ill at their hands. It is true, God saith, he will plead his own cause, and we are bound to pray according to that of the Psalmist, that God would arise and plead his own cause. And indeed if God had not risen and pleaded his own cause better than we did, his cause would have been in the dirt before this. Though it is true, God is raising up his own cause, no thank to us; we have cause to lay our hands upon our mo●thes as guilty, in that we did so basely and cowardly let the cause of God suffer, and God appearing so immediately and gloriously, is the rebuking of us because we did not, we would not before stand up to pleads his cause. Sixthly, Obser. 6 When any have found mercy from God, the sweetness of that mercy so warmeth their hearts, that they cannot endure to see that blessed God be dishonoured. Plead you Ammi, Ruhamah; what, my people, those to whom I have showed mercy, what though it be your mother, what though it be any dear to you, what though they be great ones, though they be a multitude, yet plead, plead for me against them, this note is grounded upon the title that God giveth them who should plead Ammi, and Ruhamah, those that are God's people, those that have found mercy from God. God's mercy is so sweet, it doth so inflame them, that they must plead for God against any in the world. Seventhly, Obser. 7 Plead with your Mother. That is, with the Church, called a Mother, because as the Mother is as it were the root from whence children come, divideth herself into branches; so the community of a Commonwealth or a Church, any community, is called in Scripture a Mother, and the particulars they are as several branches that grow from that root, they are as children. Therefore you have such expressions in Scripture as the daughters of Jerusalem oftentimes, and there is no great difference between calling Jerusalem, that is, the State, Mother; or Jerusalem, that is, the Church, Mother, for indeed the Church and State were mixed both together. From this expression we learn that it is lawful for children to plead with their parents. Though it is true, this aimeth at a higher thing than what is between natural children and their parents, yet from the expression this is intimated and implied, That it is lawful for children to plead with their parents. If children see their parents in an ungodly way, they may lawfully plead with them, Children may plead with parents. and their parents are bound to hearken to their pleading Gods cause. It is a speech of Tertullias, the begetter is to be beloved, and we may add, he is to be honoured, but our Creator is to be preferred. Amandus' Generator, sed praeponendus Creator. Children must give due respect to their parents, yet so as preferring the Lord before them; and if the parents go against God, even their children must plead against them. As it is a great sin for parents to prefer their children before God, so it is a great sin for children to prefer their parents before God. Do not think I come to set children against their parents in this, be but content to hear to the end (though I will not be long in this observation) and you will be convinced I suppose of it, that it is fit for children to plead with their parents when they go from God. Thus we see it was with Jonathan, 1 Sam. 19 4. there you shall find that he pleaded with his father when he saw him so furious and in such a passionate mood as he was in, and in such a cruel way toward poor David, Let not (saith he) ●he King sin against his servant: Let not the King, he gives him very respectufll words, and showeth his due honour to his father, Let not the King sin against his servant, and then goeth on and tells his father of the good service David had done, and that David did not deserve such ill usage from him. Thus when children shall see their Fathers or Mothers to be in a f●●ous rage or passion, it is fit enough for them, if they come in an humble and submissive way, in a beseeching way, I beseech you father or mother, consider that by these distempered passions, in stead of helping yourself, you sin against God, you have known it by experience that you have often in such passion so broken out, that many sins have broken from you, and you have grieved for it afterwards, oh do not again that which your Conscience hath so often checked you for. If children should come thus in an humble and submissive way to plead with their parents, they do no more than their duty, and their parents are bound to hearken to them in it. I confess they should be very careful in keeping their due respect to their parents, and not speak mallapertly, but with all reverence and submission to them, and to speak privately too, if possibly it can be, not to divulge their parents weaknesses. You know Cham was cursed for discovering his father's nakedness, though he was drunk he did not show his due respect at that time to his father; but if he had sought to cover his father's nakedness, and after had come and pleaded the case with him, certainly he had not been cursed, but received a blessing. Yea and there is a great deal of reason that children should plead with heir parents, and that you should give them leave so to do, because you know, children are the worse for your sins, God thr●tneth to visit the sins of the parents upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation there are many threatenings against children for the sins of their parents, therefore it concerns your children that they should plead with you, and that you should suffer them. For you say, Sirrah what have you to do with me? What doth it concern you? Yes, the child if he doth it in modesty and humility may say, O father it doth concern me, I may far the worse for your sins, God may come upon me for them, therefore give me leave I beseech you to plead the cause of God with you. And if you will not give your children leave in this, they may rise up as witnesses against you another day. If children in an humble and submissive way plead with their parents, and they will not hearken unto them then, a very good pleading will be for them to burst out into tears before their parents, and it is a very suitable and powerful pleading, that when children cannot prevail in an humble and submissive way, then to burst out into tears before them. We read in the story of King Edward the sixth, when Cranmer and Ridley came to him, and were so earnest to let him give way to his sister the Lady Mary to have Mass, he stood out and pleaded the case with them, & told them it was a sin against God, they used many carnal arguments to persuade the King, but he withstood them a great while; at length when King Edward (who was but a child about 15 years of age) saw he could not prevail with pleading against those grave men, he burst out into tears, and that so prevailed with them, that they went away and concluded that the King had more Divinity in his little finger, than they had in all their bodies, and so yielded to him. Certainly in such plead the heart of a parent must needs be much hardened if he will not break and yield to his child. You that are parents, look upon your children's pleading with you, and consider with yourselves, what doth God send one out of my loins, out of my own womb to come and plead the cause of God with me, to draw me from the ways of sin, and to do good to my soul for ever, surely it is a mercy to have one out of my own bowels to stand for the cause of God; surely God is in it, I see this child in other things walks humbly and obediently unto me. As indeed you that are children, that plead with your parents, you need be careful so much the rather to be obedient to them and not take upon you in an unseemly manner to check and reprove them; and than it cannot but convince the heart of a parent. What a blessing will it be to your children if you that have received your natural life from your parents, should be a means of the spiritual and eternal life of them. Thus much for the expression. Plead with your Mother. Now for that which is chiefly aimed at, Plead with your mother, that is, the Church and State. Hence the Note is, Those that are Godly should not only sacrifice themselves to do good to themselves or friends in private, Obs. 9 but they are to labour to do good to the public too. Not only say to your sisters and to your brethren, but plead with your mother. There are many narrow spirited men, who if they can discharge as they think their consciences with their families, and can plead with their servants and children, or some of their own near acquaintance perhaps, they have done enough, though for the public they take no care at all. We must endeavour the good of the public. Hence it is apparently employed, that all those that are members of any Church, aught to be men of knowledge; why? because they are such as are called upon to plead with their Mother. It is not for an ignorant Sot to plead with a Church of God; and yet such should be all the members of every Church, Obs. 10. as in some cases they should plead with their mother. Lastly, which indeed is the main Observation of all, God giveth liberty to some private members of Churches, Obs. 11. yea it is their duty in some cases to plead with the whole Church. This we must speak unto a little more. God's ways and his Cause are so equal, that private Christians, though they be very weak, private members may in some cases plead with the whole Church. yet they may be able to plead it with a Church. It is true, there is a great deal of disadvantage that a poor, weak, private Christian hath, when he is to deal with a whole Church, where there are many godly and learned: but where as there is a disadvantage one way, so the advantage is as much the other way, in regard that the Cause of God is one the one side, and not on the other. The goodness of the Cause is as great an advantage as the abilities and number on the other side is a disadvantage. And sometimes particular members of a Church have no other way to free themselves from the guilt of the sins of the Church, but only by pleading with them; except they plead, they are many times enwrapped in the guilt, and therefore of necessity they must do it, though they be never so weak, Yea and sometimes God hath blessed the pleading of some few, and of weak ones too, with a multitude. Perhaps you may have heard of that notable Story we have in Ecclesiastical Histories of Paphnutius, who being in the Council of Nice where there were 318. Bishops, and the business was about the marriage of Ministers, and generally they cast against it, that those that were single should not marry: only Paphnutius, one man, cometh and plead against them all in that case, and God so wrought it that he carried the Cause, and he, one man, convinced all these 318. Bishops. Therefore this is no discouragement for one man to stand up and plead against a great many. One man may prevail against many. So Petrus Waldensis in the Story of Waldenses, though he was but one at first, yet he stood against many thousands, and God blessed that which he did for the conversion of thousands. And Luther you know he stood against all the world almost. Yea and though this one man may be but a private man, a weak man. God may bless that which he saith sometimes more than that which more learned men shall say. I remember I have read in the Centuries this Story: A company of Bishops being met together, there was a Philosopher that stood out against the Christian Religion, and so reasoned against them all, that be seemed to have the better of it: amongst them there was one, a very godly and holy man, but a very weak man; he seeing the Cause of God like 〈◊〉 suffer, desired leave to speak and encounter with this Philosopher; all the rest being troubled at it, thinking that God's Cause would suffer more by him, knowing he was a very weak man, but yet knowing withal that he was a very holy man, Hactonus verba audivi & verba rededi, sed cum divina virt●● accessit, ultra r●spondore non potui. none would oppose, but let him speak: So he beginneth with the Philosopher, reciting many Articles of the Faith, Tell me, saith he, do you believe these things are so? (and spoke with Majesty and authority) do not so reason the case about these Articles of our Faith, but do you believe? Presently the Philosopher acknowledged himself overcome: Hitherto (saith he) I have heard words, and returned words, but now I feel the Divine power, and I cannot further answer; and so yielded to be a Christian upon the pleading of this poor weak man, yet a very holy and godly man. God hath blessed the pleading of weak ones, though it be against those that are very strong, therefore they must not be contemned. I remember Oecolampadius hath such an expression as this, saith he, * Conte●● neretur eccl●siae Christi, sivel unum puellum ejus divino Spiritu lequentem non audiremus, etiamsi totus orbis illi reclamet. Christ should be contemned and dishoncured, if we should not hear, were it but a child speaking with his Spirit, though all the world should be against it. And in Esay. 11. 6. there is a promise that in the times of the Gospel, the spirits of men should be so brought down, that they should not stand upon their greatness and learning, but the Text saith, A child should lead them; that is, the humble temper that God would have under the Gospel. But it may be said, Will not this argue self-conceit? What, for one man, a private man to plead with so many, with a Church? it is a sign that such a one is very well opinionated of himself, that should think that what he apprehendeth should be sufficient to stand against the apprehension of so many learned and godly men as are in the Church. How can this be freed from arrogancy and proud conceitedness. I answer, Not so, it may be conscience, and not self-conceit, for the rule of conscience is not the abilities, Orcolam padius. nor the holiness, nor the multitude of others, but it is that light that God doth let in to convince according to his Word. Object. Ans. Nay further, I suppose I may convince you that this pleading for God, may proceed from much self-denial, and the not pleading may proceed from very vile, sinful self-respect. How will that appear? Quest. Ans. Thus. For a private man when he sees the truth of God to suffer, certainly if he be an humble and an ingengous' spirit, it cannot but be exceeding grievous unto him to think, that he must contest with such a multitude of able and Godly men, No pride but selfedenyal to plead against the sins of others. more able than himself, it cannot but be to him a very hard work that God putteth him upon. He would rather a hundred times, if he did look at his own quiet and ease, sit down: For, think he, if I come to speak, then by this I shall be endangered to be accounted self-conceited, I shall have the accusation of pride, I shall displease many of my friends, I shall make a great disturbance in myself, I am sure to my own peace, whatsoever I do to others, and how much bette● were it for me to sit still and be quiet. An humble spirit would reason thus; but only? Conscience puts him upon it; I shall contract guilt to myself, if I be not at least a witness for God's truth, therefore though I shall suffer so much in it, yet rather than the truth shall suffer, rather than conscience shall plead against me, I will plead though never so much to my disadvantage. Now if such an one carry it humbly and quietly, certainly he is rather to be accounted a self-denying man in it; for it is a very hard task. Whereas on the other side, self-love is more like to think thus; It is true, these things are right, I see they are not according to the truth of God. Conscience indeed would have me speak, but I shall trouble myself, and what will they think of me on the other side, where there are so many able and godly men? surely I shall be thought a conceited fool, and therefore I were as good hold my peace, and sleep in a whole skin, and be quiet. Thus because they have so much self-respect, and love their own quiet, and cannot endure to suffer any trouble, they will leave the truth to suffer, and their consciences to be pleading with in against themselves; rather than thus to plead for the cause of God. Certainly they that are charitable should rather take things in the better part than in the evil. It is true, it is possible that men may through pride of spirit be pleading with others (I shall speak a word of that by and by) but yet you may perceive it in the carriage of such a one, in the general course of his way. Now if in the general course of the way of a man, he doth carry himself humbly and submissively, that you see him yeeldable as much as ever he can in all lawful things, and then when he cometh to plead against an evil he is not sudden, he is not rash, and he pleads not against every light evil neither, but when he comes he comes with a great deal of trouble in his spirit, and carrieth it with all quietness and humility, It is your rigidness, and that spirit which doth not beseem a Christian, that is not the spirit of Christ in this thing, for to judge of this to be pride. For certainly under this false judge meant the cause of God hath suffered exceeding much. Obj. You will say, How can it be imagined, that one man should see more than many, more than others that are able? To that I answer. Ans. In a community where there are many, though they should be godly, yet many of them may have their spirits biased with prejudice, with selfe-ends, and so not come to see the truth though they be more able. Again perhaps though they may be moreable in most things, yet in some one God may leave them. The truth is not always seen best where there is greatest natural abilities, no nor always where there is most 〈◊〉. Yea, though they may be more able at other times, yet for some one time God may leave a man in a thing that he is very able in it another time. And perhaps a great many of them for the present may have so much distemper of spirit, as they may not speak according to what they think themselves. Therefore it may be useful for some one man to be pleading with many others. I beseech you consider of this, it is very useful. Men must not think that God doth dispense the knowledge of his truth always according to natural 〈…〉. For want of this consideration many are led into much evil. For thus they think with themselves, If a man have more abilities to understand natural things than others have, therefore he must needs have more abilities to understand spiritual things than others have. There is a mistake in this. A great learned man that hath great abilities, understands the rules of nature, yet a poor weak man may have the mind of Christ more than he hath. For the promise is to them that fear God. Psal. 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. It may be another man hath more abilities, but this spirit may be more soiled, may be more distempered than the poor weak man's. Mit. 11. 25 I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so Father, for it seemed good in thy sight. If multitudes had been an argument against the truth, then in the Primitive times, when Christian Religion began, certainly very few should have followed JESUS CHRIST. Yea, and there is not more disadvantage and disproportion between one or two private members of a Church and the whole Church, than there was at that time disadvantage and disproportion between the whole Church then and all the world. And if we mark Saint john, 1 john 5 16. We know (saith he) that we are of God, and that the whole world lieth in wickedness. We know. What a singular spirit was here? here was singularity indeed, if you talk of singularity; you are afraid you should be counted self-conceited, and singular in differing from others. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in wickedness. Thus we see the thing a little cleared, as this point had need be, but we have not done with it, we must not let it go so. There must be some rules given for this, or otherwise we should wrong the point in naming it. Christian's may plead, private members may plead with their Mother, yet they must observe these rules. First. 1. They must not plead with her for every light thing. For the Scripture giveth us this rule, That Love covereth a multitude of infirmity; We must not stand pleading for every infirmity with our brother, Rules to be observed by private Christians who plead with the Church. but rather pass by many and cover them, much less than with the Church. But if there be that which is notorious, or if I be called unto it, that I cannot have communion with them, but in my communication with them, I shall be wrapped up in the guilt except I testify the truth. Certainly then I am bound to plead, The second rule is, 2. it must be orderly done, that is, if possibly it may be, you must make the Officers of the Church to be your mouth in pleading, I say if it can be. If it come to such a way of rebuking or declaring the evil to the Church, it should rather (if it can be) be by him whom God hath appointed to be his mouth to the Church. For you do it in God's name, therefore the most orderly way to do it (if it may be done) is by him that is God's mouth. Thirdly, It must be so as you must manifest all due respect to that society you are of, 3. to that Church, showing in your carriage, that you are apprehensive and sensible even at this time of that distance that is between you and that whole society whereof you are a member. Fourthly, You must do it in a very peaceable way, so as to manifest that you desire peace, and not to be the least disturbance to the peace of the Church, but that the peace of it is dear & precious to you. Therefore when you have witnessed the truth and discharged your conscience in it, you must be then content to sit down quiet, for so the rule is, That the spirits of the Prophets must be subject to the Prophets, in that case: But if it should prove that the Church should continue, if the evil be notorious and great as requires departing, and the Church after all means used & all patience should continue in it, in such a case, you may desire to be dismissed from it and depart. But in as peaceable a way as possibly can be, yet continuing in due respect unto the Church for all that, though you should depart, only leaving your witness behind you. The Papists cry out against us for pleading against them, and say it is an ill bird that will defile its own nest, and they tell us the curse of Cham is upon us for discovering our parent's nakedness. They are to know this, that there is more liberty for a member of a Church to plead with a Church then for a child to plead with his parent. Though there be liberty for a child, yet there is more liberty for the member of a Church. For a parent though he should be never so evil, yet he doth not lose his right over his child. Though your parents should be very wicked, yet know, that their wickedness doth not discharge you of your duty; that all children should take notice of But a Church may so fall off from God, as the members of it may be free from their duty to it, and therefore may have more liberty to plead then a child with his parent. That but only in answer to them. And certainly so far have they fallen from God, as they have discharged those that plead against them. Well but if a member, a particular may plead with a Church, a whole Church, No Officer in a Church member be he never so great, but he may be pleaded against by a private member. with their mother; Certainly then, there is no one Member of a Church so high but he may be pleaded withal, even by private people in that Church. Colos. 4. 17. Say to Archippus, look to thy Ministry, It is an Exhortation to all the Church to say to Archippus and admonish him to look to his Ministry. For though the officer of a Church be nearer to Christ the head (of which you heard before) then other members are, as the Arm is nearer the head then the hand; yet if the arm shall send forth any thing to the hand that it hath not from the head (as in a flux of putrid humours that resteth in the arm) than it would be the strength of the hand to resist those ill humours that the arm sends forth. So if any Officer of the Church shall send forth that which he did not receive from the head, to any Member, but some putrid humour of his own, It is the virtue of that Member to resist the receiving of any such humour. Certainly it is the pride of many that think it scorn for any private people any way to have to do with them. It is I say a pride in men which through want of that right order that should be in all Churches is grown to that height, that those that take to themselves as proper the name of Clergy, they think it such a dishonour to them for any other that is not a Clergyman (as they speak) to speak to them or admonish them of any thing, or to reason with them about any thing, or when they have preached, to come to them for further satisfaction in somewhat that they have delivered, or if they be negligent in their duty, to tell them of it though never so submissively & meekly, their pride makes them rise so high. And for that observe, because they do it upon that ground that they are the Clergy, which signifies God's inheritance and God's lot, and so contemning others as inferior. You shall find in Scripture the people are called Clergy in distinction from the Ministers, and never the Ministers in the New Testament from the people, the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not attributed to them to my remembrance, but I am sure it is attributed to the Congregation, to the private members by way of distinction from them. That you shall see in 1 Pet. 5. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be not Lords over God's inheritance. Do not Lord it over God's Clergy, over God's Lot, so the words are, Now in that he saith do not Lord it, certainly that is spoken to the Officers of the Church, and they must not Lord it over God's inheritance, that is, over God's Clergy, for so I say the words are. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore, from whence Clergy cometh, is you see attributed to the people. And we shall find in Scripture, Acts 18. 25. that Apollos an Eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, and a man of a fervent spirit, yet the Text saith, that Aquila and Priscilla, that were private people, took him unto them and expounded to him the way of God more perfectly. Where have you an Apollo's now, an Eloquent man, a Scholar, a great Clergy man, but would scorn and contemn that a poor man and his wife should take him home & instruct him in the way of God more perfectly? Yet Apollo's an Eloquent man & mighty in the Scriptures took it well and was willing to receive further instruction from these people: And we find Cant. 5. that in the time of reformation of the Church, the Church went to the watchmen, the watchmen beat her, she had more relief from the daughters of Jerusalem then from them. But we must not leave this so neither. It is true, there may be a notorious abuse of both these, and it is exceeding hard for a people to understand their liberty without abusing of it, Private people must take heed they abuse not their liberty. either against the Church or against the Officers of a Church. This power may be abused in people very much in too much pride, arrogancy, mallapertness, a spirit of contention in some, taking a delight in contradiction. There are many people I say that are of such a humour that it is their very delight to be in a way of contradiction, & they think they are no body except they have somewhat to say against their officers or against what is delivered, and upon that very ground will go quarrelling, not out of mere conscience, but that it may appear to others that for their parts they have a further reach than other men; It is true, such things are delivered, generally they are received: yea, but men must know that they look into things further than others do: And if they be in a community, they conceive that every one would think them no body if they stand still and say nothing, therefore that they may appear to be somebody, they will speak, they will have somewhat to find fault withal, though they scarce understand what they say, or whereof they affirm, and show it they will in a virulent spirit, in a domineering way, and brave it to the faces of those that God hath set over them. Certainly this is a gross and abominable thing giving it may be reproachful terms to such: Whereas the Rule of Christ is, Rehuke not an Elder, (1 Tim. 5. 1.) but entreat him as a Father, do not you think presently that because you may plead with them, that God's cause may not suffer by your silence; that therefore you may rebuke them in an undecent and unseemly manner. You may indeed in an humble way go as acknowledging the distance betwixt you and him, he being an Officer, and so inEreat him as a Father. Do many of you so when you go and reason the case with a Minister, whom you yourselves will acknowledge to be Officers of Christ, yet it may be sometime through bitterness of spirit you will be casting them off from being Officers of Christ before you have sufficient warrant for it: and therefore the Apostle saith in the same Chapter ver. 19 Against an Elder receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses; Mark, you must not receive an accusation, much less a condemnation, for the credit and honour of the Ministers of Christ are very dear and precious unto him, therefore take heed how through a violent and turbulent spirit you cast any dishonour upon those that Christ hath set over you. Thus I have endeavoured to discover the truth unto you, and so limited as I hope it may be for edification, and not for hurt at all to any. Plead with your Mother. But what is this pleading? She is not my wife, neither am I her Husband. It hath much bitterness in it indeed if it be considered of, yet it is in as fair terms as can be set out. She is not my wife. He doth not bid them say to their mother she is a whore, Obj. but she is not my wife. You will say, why? what difference is there between her not being his wife and her being a whore? May we not call things as they are? It is true, Ans. the thing is the same, but hence the Spirit of God teacheth us an excellent note, that those who plead against others must not give ill terms, especially when those they plead against are superiors, you may declare your minds fully, but in as fair, modest, comely, the least provoking terms that can be. It is a foul evil in many if they see Ministers or Churches do things they ought not, presently to give reviling speeches, nothing is in their mouths but there is one of Baal's Priests, and Antichristian, they cry out of every thing they dislike as Antichristian, whereas you are to study with yourselves if there be any term more mollising then other to make use of that term, although the fault you plead against might bear a harsher term if rebuked by one in authority, yet you who are but private Christians should be very careful in the fairest, gen●●st terms that may be to erprove what you dislike. Again, ●●ee is not my wife. For that point, that a people that have been God's people, may prove not not to be God's people, that we have already met withal in the former Chapter. We shall not speak of it as then we did. Only now we have it more fully, that a Church may come to be un-churched. Here is a difficult case, that is, when a Church may come not to be a Church. It is through God's providence more than I did make account of when I began this Prophecy of Hosea, though I had spent some time in it before, yet little thought to have met with so many things so fully presented to me as I have found, that doth so nearly concern us and the times. I would not violently draw on any thing but what is so presented to us, as that I should be injurous to the Scripture and to you not to take notice of it: We have already met with as tickle points as can be almost, and this also is exceeding difficult. I desire in this to go as I have done, your own consciences witnessing with me as in the other, without the least spirit of contention and division, or meddling with controversies, but laying the truth in the principles of it plain before you. When may a Church come to this, that had God before to be her Husband, now not to have God to her Husband. I confess for the Church of the Jews I cannot find any thing to pitch upon certainly when they did cease to be a Church but only this; When a Church comes to be unchurched. e●●er when God did send them a bill of Divorce by some extraordinary men (as ever they had some amongst them, some Prophet) or that they did wholly leave off from being under the pedagogy that God put them under: For I find this that their Idolatry was not enough to cut them off from being a Church actually. It is true their Idolatry was that which did deserve it. They broke the marriage bond by their Idolatry, but God did not always take the advantage of that, he did not always send them a bill of Divorce when they did commit Idolatry. These ten Tribes had been Idolaters a long time before God had said to them they were not his wife. Therefore barely Idolatry did not cut off, no not the Jews. Neither do I think that all Idolatry (if it be through ignorance) cutteth of a Church now in the time of the Christians. The Lutherans certainly are guilty of Idolatry by consequence, and so other Churches may be through ignorance, and yet they not cease to be Churches. Therefore in the time of the Jews, I say I do not find any particular sin that did actually cut them off so long as they did keep under the pedagogy of the Law, unless God by some extraordinary messenger sent them a bill of Divorce, they yet remained the people of God, Isa. 15. 1. Where is your bill of Divorce, saith God? It is true you have deserved it, but where is it? I have not given you a bill of Divorce, therefore they were a Church. But for the time of the Gospel this I think may very safely be asserted, that so long as there is a Communion of Saints embodied, holding forth the profession of all fundamental truths, and joining in all Ordinances, so far as they are convinced, so long there is a Church. Any communion of Saints embodied, holding forth the profession of all fundamental truths, and are willing to set up ordinances so far as they know to be God's mind they should set them up, A Church may continue a true Church though with much mixture. this multitude though it should have abundance of corruptions, though many wicked be mingled amongst them, yet they are a Church of God, though they should not set up all Ordinances, though perhaps through ignorance they are not convinced that such an Ordinance is an Ordinance, yea though they be convinced that it is an Ordinance, and yet perhaps they are not convinced that it is God's mind they should set it up, though this should be their error, yet this communion of Saints embodied, remaine0th a true Church of Christ. But thus. Though it be a true Church of Christ, yet it may be such a Church, that perhaps you, nor I, nor another cannot have communion withal. You will say, A Church may remain a true Church, yet so corrupt as in some cases we cannot have communion with it. How is that possible for any Church to be a true Church of Christ, and yet we may not have communion with it? So far communion we may have as to acknowledge it to be a Church, and to have communion in some duties, but it may be a true Church of Christ, and I may acknowledge it so, & yet not have communion in all Ordinances. In what cases may that be? First, If this Church shall so mingle any Ordinance, any work of their public communion, as I for the present cannot join without contradicting guilt upon me, 3 Cases. as not seeing Gods will in it, I cannot have communion with them now in such Ordinances. Yea secondly, If a Church shall require me to yield in my judgement, and subscribe to such and such things that I cannot satisfy my conscience in, they put me off communion with them, it is not my fault, but they violently keep me off. That is a second case. Thirdly, When they shall not suffer me to do the duty that God requires of me, I cannot have communion with them there neither, because if I should join with them, not doing my duty which my conscience tells me I am bound to do, I thereby contract guilt. Nay further, A man may be of a Church, and perhaps they may not be so ill, but it may be lawful to have communion with them in many ordinances, and yet for those that are free, In a cases though I may have communion yet I may no●●oyne as a constant member. and are not by any special call of God tied to such a place, they are bound in consciences in some cases not to join with them as a member of them in a constant way. As thus. First, when I cannot enjoy all Ordinances with them, but God openeth a door to another place where I may have communion in all Ordinances, I may receive Sacraments with them upon occasion, and yet not be constantly with them as a member of that Church. It is true, if God did shut the door that I could not enjoy all Ordinances any where, than it were better to join with a Church that hath not all, though I do but en joy some. Secondly, when God offereth 〈◊〉 else where that I may enjoy the Ordinances with more power and pu●●, and with more freedom of spirit, and 〈…〉 (I suppose one to 〈◊〉 and not to be tied) then if there be nothing but outward accommodations that shall cast the balance on the one hand, and the purity and power of the Ordinances on the other, if I shall rather choose the one than the other, it will be apparent that I love my body better than my soul: In this case Conscience biddeth me to show more respect to my soul then my body. This can be no controversy, for it is generally acknowledged by all that if one will but remove his house from one parish to another, he may go and join with that parish. But that which I affirm is not so far as that, I do but suppose that a Man is free and not yet actually joined, he is then if he be free to regard more the purity and power of the Ordinances then outward accommodations. Obser. Let her therefore put away her whoredoms. The end of all pleading and exhortation, Pleading must not before contention but for reformation. is reformation, & not contention. Plead with her; to what end? Let her put away her whore domes. Plead with her that she may reform, ●oe not plead for contention's sake. There are many Men that will rebuke others, and plead with others, but what for? merely in a spirit of contention, merely that they may brave it over them, that they may upbraid them, shame them, and not out of love to reform them, they care not whether they reform or not; Quest. This may be known. if they have vented their gall and malice they have what they would have. But how will you know that? how can you know a Man's heart? Thus. You shall know that Men come not to plead for reformation but for contention, first, if they rather make it appear that they are glad of the sins of their brethren and do not grieve for them. You shall have many a Man come in a fury and rage to rebuke Men they have advantage against, 1 Cor. 54. but not with a spirit of sorrow and mourning; if you came to plead and rebuke them for reformation, you should have come with a mourning spirit, You should have mourned that such a one should be taken away from you, saith the Apostle to the Corinth's. You should mourn at your very heats that Church or the Member of it hath offended. Secondly, When Men are partial in their pleading, when they will rebuke others and that sharply too that are afar off, but such as are near to them they are careless of. Ezek. 18. 32. Turn ye, turn ye that ye may not die; (say your books there) turn yourselves and live. Now the word is Reverti facite, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so it is in Hiphil, Do you make to return, and so it may well be read. So Arias Montanus reads it, make others to return. You must plead so as to desire reformation, not that you may get the victory and have the better of it by your pleading, but with bowels of compassion to seek Reformation you must not cut as an enemy to conquer, but as a Chirurgeon to heal: Therefore before you go to rebuke and to plead you must go to prayer, that God would bless your rebuking, and your exhortation to your brethren, and when you have done pray again to God for a blessing upon it. And look after your reprehensions, and see what becometh of them; and if they do not prosper to Reformation, then mourn, and cry to God for your brethren; and if it do prosper, then bless God that you have converted a soul. Thus it was with the Tribes on this side Jordan, when they pleaded with the Tribes on the other side Jordan, you shall find in the story that when they heard the answer of their brethren they blessed God when they saw that their brethren were free from sin: joshus, 22. 33. so you should do, you should go and plead with your brethren, perhaps your brethren may have the better of it and may convince you that that which you apprehend to be a sin is not a sin, now many men perhaps are angry & will not be convinced that it is no sin, than I shall go a way with the shame, what dloe I rebuke him of a sin, and it is no sin? Many a man holds on in an argument what he hath begun, and is loath to yield that it is not a sin, whereas he should be glad to yield it. If a Minister plead or preach that men do any thing that he conceives is a sin, if another should come and convince him that it was no sin, it is a vile spirit in any Mnister not to bless God that he is mistaken, why? Because now the g●●ilt of his brother is removed in his heart. If I had not been mistaken, 'tis true, my credit had been somewhat, but I am mistaken, the sin is removed from my brother, Oh blessed be God that my brother is not guilty, though I am mistaken; if we plead against others with such a spirit as this, God will bless us. The Second Lecture. HOSEA The latter part of the second verse and verse 3. Let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts. Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day wherein she was borne, and make her as a wilderness, etc. Pled with your mother, and plead so as to tell her plainly that she is no more my wife, she hath her bill of Divorce, she is now none of mine. Well it seemeth then there is no hope, no help, God hath left us, forsaken us, he hath said we are no more his wife, we have our bill of divorce and we must be gone. Not so neither, but now it followeth, Let her put away from her sight her whoredoms, and her adulteries from between her hreasts. Herby insinuating at least, that her condition, yet notwithstanding the greatness of her sin and the fearfulness of the threat, is not altogether hopeless, but he would have those that plead with her, yet to exhort her and to bid her put away her whoredoms. It is true, when a man puts away his wife for whoredom, and giveth a bill of divorce, he will never take her again, upon no terms. Jer. 3. 1. Will a man when he putteth away his wife, return unto her again? As if he should say, no certainly, no man will do it; Yet return unto me saith the Lord, and I will receive you again. God's mercies are beyond man's. Obser. It is a most excellent and useful observation that we have from hence. There is no such dreadful threatening against any in the word of God for any of their sins (only we except that sin against the holy Ghost) but there is a door of hope left for those sinners. Lect. 2. Here seemeth to be the greatest sin, of Idolatry and forsaking of God as could be, the most dreadful threatening, she is not my wife, she is divorced from me. Yet here is insinuated a hope of mercy. I will give you one Text which is as notable for this as any I know in the book of God, Hope for mercy even when God seems most to reject. that is in Judges 10. 13. 14. compared with ver. 16, In the 13. and 14. verses, saith God, You have forsaken me, & served other gods. What then? I will deliver you no more. I am resolved against you now, I have delivered you often, but now I will deliver you no more; Go your ways, Cry unto the gods you have chosen, let them deliver you in the time, of your tribulation. One would think this people to be in an ill case, of whom God saith thus much; For observe these four things here. First, God chargeth them with the greatest sin that could be, they had forsaken God and turned themselves idols. Secondly, This great sin is aggravated with the most aggravating circumstance almost that could be, employed here, this they had done notwithstanding God was wonderful merciful to them, and had often delivered them, yet they had still forsaken him & served other Gods. Thirdly, Here is one of the most peremptory resolutions against showing mercy that we can imagine, saith God, I will deliver you no more, now I have delivered you so oft. Fourthly, Here is a most bitter Sarcasme, a biting, upbraiding, taunting speech for their serving other gods. As if he should say, what do you come now? Now do you cry & howl to me now you are in trouble, in your prosperity I was no God for you, you le●t me then for other gods, and now I will be no God to you, to other gods I leave you, go now and cry to those other gods, and see whether they will help you. Put these together and one would think this people were in a hopeless condition. Is there any help for this people yet? Are they not a lost people? Is not repentance too late for this people? No, for all this, repentance is not too late for such a people as this, for mark, the Text saith in the 15. ver. And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, we have sinned, do thou unto us what seemeth good unto thee, and ver. 16. They put away their strange gods from among them, and served the Lord. They do not now lie down sullenly in their sins and say, there is no help, therefore we were as good go on in our sinful ways, but they venture to put away their strange gods, and cry unto the Lord, and tell him that they had sinned. What then? the Text saith, The soul of the Lord was grieved for the misery of Israel. Though he had thus pronounced against them, yet his soul was grieved for them, they were not the same they were before. It is true, I will deliver you no more, you impenitent ones, I will deliver you no more, but God did not say he would not give them repentance; but when they had put away their strange gods, though they had grieved God's Spirit with their sins, yet God was grieved for their affliction now, and though God had thus threatened them, yet his bowels now do yearn towards them, and he comes in again with mercy; and subdues their enemies under them, the children of Ammon were conquered, and God gives them twenty of their Cities, as Chap. 11. 33. God never threateneth any people, but the condition of mercy upon repentance, it is either expressed, or employed. It is therefore the frowardness and the fullness of the hearts of sinners, to give over all upon the thought of the greatness of their sins, or the severity of Gods threatening against them, O no, you great sinners, that have been guilty of many horrible sins, come in and repent, I may say to you as Secaniah did to the people in another case, of a grievous sin, Ezra. 10. 2. There is hope in Israel concerning this thing. It is the cavil of many carnal hearts against many faithful and Zealons Ministers, that they do nothing but preach judgement, and they threaten damnation, and say people shall be damned, and go to hell, and the like. This they speak against them, not mentioning at all the conditions upon which damnation and hell is threatened. Certainly there can scarce a Minister in the world be found that threateneth damnation or hell absolutely, but upon those terms of impenitency. I will give you one Scripture to show you the most absurd perverse spirits of men in this kind, how they will take a piece of the words of the Prophets and separate the threatening from the condition, on purpose that they may cavil at the word, it is in Jer. 26. 4. saith God to the Prophet there, Thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord, If you will not hearken to me to walk in my Law which I have set before you, ●o harken to the words of my servants the Prophets whom I sent unto you; People's perverseness against Ministers threatening God's wrath against sin then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make their City a curse to all the nations of the earth. See how fairly the words of the Prophet go, If you will not hearken to me to walk in my laws, and the words of my Prophets whom I sent unto you, than I will do so and so. The Prophet delivers his message as fair as can be. But see now their perverseness in the 8. ver. It came to pass that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the Priests and the Prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die. What is the matter? Why hast thou Prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying. This house shall be like Shiloh? They leave out, [if,] whereas he said, If you will not return and hear the words of the Lord, this house shall be as Shiloh; They come and lay hold upon him with violence, Why hast thou said this house shall be like Shiloh? and leave out the other. This is the perverseness of the hearts of men. Well then, the conclusion of this Observation is this, that the worst pleading against any for their sins, it is not to sink the hearts in despair, but to turn their hearts towards God that they may receive mercy; Let her put away her whoredoms. Secondly, Let her put away her whoredoms. After such a kind of pleading that included a most dreadful threatening in it, She is not my wife, yet God exhorteth. Hence the Observation is this. While God is pleased to speak to a people and call upon them, and exhort them to turn unto him, Obser. the condition of that people is not desperate. Exhortations from God do argue that the condition of a people may be hopeful. So long as the King is but speaking to a Traitor, especially giving of him good counsel, While exhortation continues there is hope. there may be hope: If he turn his back upon him, and will speak no more, than he looks upon himself as a gone man. Many people are troubled that God doth so continue exhorting by his Ministers and others, and they cannot be at quiet. If thou hast such a quiet as God should leave exhorting and drawing thee from thy sins, woe to thee, thou art a lost creature. Make much of exhortations and threatenings. Come we now to the Exhortation itself, Let her put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts. It is in the plural number, her whoredoms, and her adulteries. They were many, she must put them away all. If a wife that hath been naught shall be contented to forsake divers of her lovers and retain but one there is no reconciliation, all her adulteries must be put away. But the words are not only in the plural number, but those that understand the Original, well know, that there is somewhat in the words to extend the signification beyond the plural number, and that is the duplication of the radical letter, in the first word the second radical letter which is [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] is double, Geminatio apud Hebraos auget. & in the second word the third radical Letter [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] that is double. It is the note of Tarnovius upon the place, saith he, the doubling of these radical Letters show the exceeding multitude of those whordomes and adulteries that Israel was guilty of at this time. And indeed when once there is giving way to superstitious vanities there is growing to notorious whordomes and adulteries without measure, without number, ubi sistendum. We never know where to stop, if once our worship be corrupted. Let her put away out of her sight. The eye is the receiver of much uncleanness into the heart, and by it the uncleanuess of the heart is much expressed. The Scripture speaks of eyes full of adultery, Let her put her adulteries out of her sight, let them be abominable now in her eyes, those things that before were delectable, let them now be detestable. Let them cast away their Idols as a filthy menstruous cloth, and with indignation say, get ye hence. Or from before her face, so it is in the Hebrew, noting her impudence in her idolatry, that it appeared in her very face. Though men at first may be a little wary, yet at length they grow to manifest outwardly their Idolatry in their very face. But what we shall meet with afterward. And because Israel did not according to the exhortation of those that pleaded with her, put thus her whordomes out of her sight, God did put Israel out of his sight, for so we have it, 2 King. 17. 22. 23. The children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did, they departed not from them. Promises could not draw them, threatenings could not derer them. Until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight. They might have prevented this; if they had put their whoredoms out of their sight, God would never have put them out of his sight. And from between her breasts. Whores use to discover their filthiness much in their breasts, either in the nakedness of their breasts, or in those ornaments they hung about their breasts, Ibive●ae & viae quibus ab utero ad mamillas accessio fit Ille (cultus scilicet vtl ornatus) in auro, & argento, & gemmis, & vestibus deputatur, iste, in curae eapilli & cutis, & earum par●ium corporis quae oculos trahunt, alteri ambitioni: crimen intendimus, alteri prostitutionis. Tertul. de hab. mul. c. 4. as they were wont to do in those Country's, for the int●sing of their lovers. Her breasts. Hypocrates says there are veins that go from the belly to the breasts, and that is the reason he gives of the temptation to lust that is in the breasts. The whoredoms of the breasts in the nakedness of them hath been condemned, not only in the Churches of God, but amongst the heathen. Terrulian in his book de habitu muliebri hath this expression: Women adorn themselves immoderately with gold, and silver, and precious apparel, this is, saith he, crimen ambitionis, the sin of ambition; but for them to seek to adorn themselves solicitously careful about their hair, and their skin, and those parts that draw the eyes, this is crimen prostitutionis, it is the sin of a prostituted whore so to do. Yea besides, Tertullian in another book of his, De velandis verginibus, brings the Heathen, rebuking Christian women in those times: The very women of Arabia, judicabunt vos Arabia soeminae Ethnica, qua non caput sed fac●em quoque ita totam tegunt, ut uno ocu●lo●liberato, contentae sint luce frui dimidia potius quam totam facien● prostituer●. Tertul. de. vel. virgin. cap. 17. saith he, shall judge you, for they do not only cover their faces, but even their heads, rather than they will have their nakedness appear, they will let the light but into one eye. Now if the Heathen did so, if they would not have their nakedness in any thing appear, much more should Christians cover those parts that are incitements to lusts. That which is the Bedlams madness, and the Beggar's misery, namely, Nakedness, that is the whore's pride, and the strumpet's glory. Let her put away her whordoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts. That which is intended especially here, is, that they should not be content merely with change of their hearts, to say, Well, we will acknowledge the Lord to be the true God, and our hearts shall wholly trust in him, but for these external things what great matter is there in them? Oh no, they must abstain from all appearance of evil; from the badges of Idolatry, there must not be so much as the garb and dress of a whore upon them, they must take away their adulteries from between their breasts. The breasts of the Church are the Ordinances that are there, for out of them do the Saints suck sweetness and spiritual nourishment. So they are called in Isa. 66. 11. That you may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation. Now certainly it is an evil thing for any thing that is whorish to be upon the breasts, to be in the Ordinances of the Church, to think to adorn them withal as whores do their breasts. No, the breasts are so near the heart that it is pity any thing should be upon them but Christ himself; it is most fit that he should lie there. Cant. 1. 13. A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me, he shall lie all night between my breasts, Myrrh we know is a bitter thing, but though Christ were as a bundle of myrrh, and brought many afflictions that add bitterness to the flesh, yet the Church would have Christ to lie between her breasts and she would rejoice in Christ, Christ was sweet to the Church though with afflictions, As a bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved. So many faithful Ministers of God have been contented, yea joyful to keep Christ between their breasts, and in the Ordinances, though as a bundle of myrrh, though he hath brought some afflictions to them, yet rather than they would endure any expression of that which is whorish upon the breasts of the Church, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. upon the Ordinances, the Word and Sacraments, Christ Jesus a bundle of myrrh between their breasts hath been delightful to them. I find another reading of the words in the Septuagint Translation. Whereas we read it, Let her take away her whoredoms from her sight, I find that they read it as a speech of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. Cyril in Hol. c. 2. I will take away her whoredoms from my face. And Ciryl reading the words according to the 70. he hath an excellent note from thence. God (saith he) threateneth that he will take away her whoredoms from his face; as when a member of a body is so putrified that it cannot be cured by salves and medicynes, it is cut off, and so the disease cometh to be cured: so God laboureth to cure the people of Israel by admonitions, by exhortations, by threatenings, by promises of mercy, and when all would not do, than he threateneth to cure them by another way, that is, by cutting them off by the Assyrians; I will send an enemy against them and he shall take them out of their own land, and carry them into a strange land, & then they shall be far enough from their calves, far enough from Dan and Bethel, so I will take their whoredoms from before my face. Thus many times doth God take away the sins of a people or of a particular person from before his face. As for instance, Thou drunkard, thou unclean person, thou hast had exhortations, threatenings, many merciful expressions from God toward thee from thy sins, to take away thy sins from thee; that will not do; God cometh with some noisome vile disease upon thy body that thou shalt not be able to act thy sin any more, and God takes away the act of thy sin at least that way in such a violent manner by his judgements: and so sometimes men and women that have estates, and will be proud, and vain, and make their estates the fuel of their lusts, when the Word cannot take away their sins and the expression of their wickedness, God by some violent judgement takes away their estates, that they shall not be able to commit those sins that they did before though they would never so fain. This is a dreadful taking away of sin. Yea when God shall come so to take away the sin of men and women as to take away their souls together with taking away their sin: for so it is threatened, Job. 27. 8. What is the hope of the hypocrite when God taketh away his soul? Thou that wouldst not suffer the word to take away thy sin, thou must expect that God will take it away another way, even by taking away thy soul. Ezek. 21. 29. It may be said of some sinners as there God threateneth, The time is come (saith the Text) when their iniquity shall have an end. God will suffer them to live no longer to sin against him: he will take away their sins, but so as to take away their souls, they shall not sin any more against God in this world. Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day wherein she was borne. There is much in these words, and because they are so exceeding suitable unto us (God still bringing points to hand suitable to our times) so long as this is, you must give me liberty to insist a while upon them, and not run over them so fast as otherwise I would do. I must not slightly pass over those truths that are so clearly presented, and so nearly concerning us. Lest I strip her naked, &c, It seems by this that Israel had once been in a very low condition when she was borne, a very pitiful estate. But God had put many ornaments upon her, and now he threateneth to bring her again into the same condition, and to strip her naked. In the day wherein she was borne. This I find Interpreters to refer to divers conditions of Israel, but most refer it to the time of their deliverance out of Egypt: that is called here by God, the day wherein she was borne. We must inquire first what was the condition of Israel in the day wherein she was borne. Secondly, what ornaments God had put upon her afterwards; and then we shall come to see the strength of the threat, that God would strip her naked, and set her as in the day wherein she was borne. For the first two we shall not need to go far, we have them fully and most elegantly set out unto us in Ezek. 16. That Chapter may be a Comment upon this, what Israel was in the day wherein she was borne, and what ornaments God had put upon her. In the third verse, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem, Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan, thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite, ver. 4. And as for thy nativity in the day thou wast borne, thy ●avill was not cut, &c, We must a little open the expression there, or else we cannot open this Text in Hosea. Thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite, When thou wert borne thou wert in this condition. What, their father an Amorite, and their mother an Hittite, Abraham was their father, and Sarah their mother; why here an Amorite, and an Hittite? Secondly, Because there were other nations besides Amorites & Hittites, the●● were the Jebusites & the Perizites; why rather an Amorite & Hittite then a Jebusite and Perizite? These two questions must be answered. First, Abraham was their father, yet because they were in such a disposition, so like to the Amorites and Hittites, In what sense Israel's father is an Amirite and mother an Hittite. so vile and so wicked, now they deserve not to have the honour of Abraham's being their father, but to be called the children of the Amorite and the Hittite. As John Baptist calleth the Pharisees the viperous, the serpentine brood, so those that are like the devil are called the Children of the Devil. Secondly, Why the Amorite and Hittite rather than others? For the first, the Amorite; because the Amorite was the chiefest of those nations in Canaan that were driven out. All the five were called by the name of Amorite: The sins of the Amorites are not yet full. Secondly the Hittite, because they seemed to be the vilest of the five, and for that, there is a Text of Scripture that seemeth to infer so much. Gen. 27. 46. I am weary of my life (saith Rebekah) because of the daughters of Heth. She only mentioneth the daughters of Heth, and those that were now called Hittites were of the daughters of Heth: And saith she, What good will my life do, if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth? Why, there were other daughters besides them, but those were the vilest, therefore she only mentioneth them. Yea, but what was Israel at this time when they were delivered out of Egypt (for that is the time wherein she was borne that is spoken of here) were they in so ill a condition, as that their father was an Amorite and their mother an Hittite at that time? There are two most useful Observations that flow from hence, before we proceed any further in the explication of the words. Israel though they had been 400. years in Egypt under grievous afflictions, yet they continued exceeding abominable and wicked. The fire of their affliction did seem to harden their hearts, as much as the fire of the furnace did harden the bricks: Their hearts were clay, foul, dirty hearts, and were hardened by their afflictions. And secondly, Obser. when God came to deliver Israel out of Egypt, God found them to be in a very wicked condition then; then their Father was an Amorite, and their mother an Hittite, than they were thus vile when God came to deliver them, in the day wherein they were borne, (for their deliverance is their birth.) Oh the freeness of God's grace! God often told them that his grace was free, Obser. and so indeed it was if he found them thus as he did, for so you shall find if you read the story of the people of Israel, that when God sent Moses unto them, they were a very wicked and stubborn people, even at that very time when God came with his deliverance. Let us then raise up our hearts and look up to the free grace of God even toward us. We are vile, we are wicked, mercies, christisements have hardened us; and yet all this hindereth not the free grace of God for the deliverance of a people. God hath begun in a way of deliverance to us; and when did he begin it? Lect. 1. Certainly England was never since it was borne, since it was delivered out of spiritual Egypt, out of the bondage of Popery, it was never in a worse condition than when God came in with his mercies of late to us: Then if ever it might be said of us that our father was an Amorite, and our mother an Hittite, we were then in the very high way towards Egypt again when God came with his free grace to deliver us. As he dealt with his own people, so he hath dealt with us, magnified be the free grace of God towards us an unworthy people. Further, Thy Navel was not cut. That is the expression how he was in the day wherein he was borne. First, Thy navel was not cut, what is the meaning of that. Thy Navel was not cut, The loathsomeness of their condition is set out by that. naturalists observe that the nourishment that the child hath from the mother, it is by the navel: as afterward the child sucks of the breasts and so is battned, but all the while it is in the womb, it is nourished by a string, in the navel that draws nourishment from the mother. Now Israel even when God did deliver them from Egypt, had not their navel cut, that is, they did even still seem, nay, not only seem but still they did draw their nourishment from Egypt; they did batten themselves & suck out the Egyptian manners, and customs, and superstitions; and in their growth up they did seem rather to have their nourishment from Egypt then from God, so God himself chargeth them, Ezek. 23. 8. Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt, saith the Text, her navel was not cut, she drew, she sucked still the Egyptian manners, customs, and superstitions. It is not thus in part with us? Let me a little speak of this by way of allusion at least. Is our navel cut to this very day? It is true, God hath delivered us from Popery, from Egypt, as he did Israel, but still do not we continue sucking, drawing nourishment from our old superstitious ways of Popery? we seem to live still upon them, and to have our hearts delighting in them. Oh how just were it with God to come in a violent way and cut our navel, even by the sword! it is mercy he cometh not thus to cut it, and so to take from us all those secret hankerings that we have after the old Egyptian customs. Yet again, seeing it is such a full allusion, we may apply it to those that seem to have a new birth to be borne again, those that seem now to make very fair profession of Religion, and to forsake many evil ways that formerly they have delighted in: but yet their navel is not cut neither; they do secretly suck sweetness and battning from their former lusts; the curse of the serpent is upon them, upon their bellies they do go and dust they do eat, their bellies do even cleave to the dust. Neither wast thou washed in water. This also sets forth the woeful condition of Israel when he was borne, he was not washed. The infant when it cometh first into the world, cometh from blood and filth in which it was wrapped, that (as Plutarch saith) it is rath●r 〈◊〉 a child killed, than a child born: so bloody and polluted it is, that were it not that there were a natural affection stirring in parents, they would even loathe the fruit of their wombs. It is true, parents may see that with their bodily eyes, but there is more pollution in their souls; they are wrapped up in original sin and filth, more than their bodies are wrapped up in blood and filth in the womb. Therefore infants are washed, but thou wast not washed, thou wast let go in thy filth. I have read of the Lacedæmonians, that when their children were borne, they used to throw them into the river, to consolidate their members and parts of their bodies, as they say, to make them strong, that was the custom of that barbarous people. Thou wast cast out in the open field. What is the meaning of this? We cannot understand it fully without examining what the custom of the people was in those times. We find in Histories that the custom of divers of the Heathen was, when their children were borne, to observe by their countenance, by the making of their members, whether they were like to be useful to the Commouwealth or not; and if not like they threw them away, and if they were like to be useful they nourished them up. They nourished up no other children but those that they judged by their countenance or making, would do good to the Commonwealth: We find it in divers Histories. Strabo tells us that the Indians and Brachmanes had certain Judges appointed for that very end; Strabo, l. 15. their Office was, that when any child was borne, to judge by the countenance and parts of the body of the child, whether it were like to do any good in the Commonwealth, AElian variar. Hist. li. 11. & so either to save it or cast it out. So likewise AElian in his Various Histories telleth us of the Thebans, that there was an express Law made among them in these words, That none of them should cast out their children, noting thereby that it was wont to be the custom a●●ngst them. Ne cui Thebano lic●at infontem expovere. Nunquam apud eos infans natus exponitur. So Clemens Romanus telleth us that indeed the Jews, as a thing peculiar to them, amongst them the children are not cast out. So that the holy Ghost alludeth to the way of the Gentiles and barbarous people, and telleth Israel that they were as a child cast out, such a one as the countenance and feature promised no good, Thou wert cast out in the open field, because they never hoped to have any good of thee, and indeed (as if God should say) if I had regarded what I saw in you, I might have passed this judgement upon you too, there was little hope of good from you. But what though the child be cast out in the field, yet there may come some by, accidentally (as Pharaohs daughter did) that may pity the child, and have compassion on it. No (saith God) thou wast not only cast out, but worse than so, thou wast cast out, and so cast out as no eye pitied thee. You have sometimes bastards & poor childred laid at your doors, and left there, some in baskets & otherways, yet when you open them & see a child, and a child weeping, there is some pity in you, and you will take care some way or other that it may be fed & brought up. But saith God to Israel, You were cast out in the open field, & no eye pitied you, that is, all the heathen were against you, and others in the land rose up against you, Lect. 2. the Egyptians they came out to destroy you, you had the sea before you, and them behind you, none had pity upon you. This was the condition wherein you were borne. Now see what ornaments God had put upon them. They were in a sorry condition you see when they were borne. But mark, that forenamed place of Ezek. ver. 8. I took the (saith God) and entered into covenant with thee, and then becamest mine. That is the way of a people's becoming Gods, his entering into covenant with them. The Lord hath begun to enter into Covenant with us, and we with him in former Protestations, and if any farther Covenant binding us more strictly to God be tendered to us, know that God in this deals with us as he did with his own people. We are as children cast out in the open field, and no eye pityeth us; but many plot against us, and seek our ruin. If God will be pleased now to enter into Covenant with us, and give all the people of the Land hearts to come close to the Covenant, to renew their Covenant with him, and that to more purpose than in former Covenants, the Lord yet will own us. The Covenant of God was the foundation of all the mercy the people of Israel had from God, and we are to look upon it as the foundation of our mercy; and therefore as in the presence of God willingly and cheerfully to renew it with him. After God's taking this people to himself as his own, it follows. ver. 11, 12. I decked thee also with ornaments, & I put bracelets upon thine hands, and a chain on thy neck; And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, & a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy raiment of fine linen, and silk & broidered work, and thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty. Thus God did with the people of Israel, he had added to what they had when they were born. Miserable they were when they were borne; but the mercies of God toward them are thus set out, And nowhee cometh to threaten that he will strip them naked and set them as in the day wherein they were born. Yet further for the opening of this, we must know that it was the custom among the Jews, when any married, what they brought to their husbands, and their dowry was written down in a table: and if afterward he should divorce his wife, except there could be proved some gross and vile thing against the woman, though she should go away, yet she was to go away with her Table, with her dowry and what she brought, she must not go away naked. But if there could be proved some notorious villainy that she had committed, than she was sent away Sine Tabulis, naked without those tables wherein her dowry and other things were written, and destitute of all things, as being unworthy of them, because she had played the harlot. Thus God threateneth this people. She is not my wife, but unless she put away her whoredoms from before her face, and her adultery from between her breasts, I will strip her naked as in the day wherein she was borne. She shall be se●●●ay without any tables, naked and wholly destitute. And thus you have th●●●pening of the words. The Observations follow. The first is, The beginnings of great excellencies are sometimes very low and mean. This plainly riseth up from the opposition of her condition when she was borne, and what she had gotten from God afterward, I will strip thee naked and set thee as in the day wherein thou wert borne. Therefore it is clear she was born in a very mean condition, & gotten up to a very excel lent condition, though now they be high & glorious, yet once they were very low & mean. God many times raises up golden pillars upon leaden Bases, & the most glorious works of God have had the lowest beginnings. This beautiful frame of heaven & earth was raised out of a Chaos of confusion & darkness. This is true, personally, or nationally, and that in regard of outward conditions or spiritual. How poor, and low, and mean, have many of your beginnings been even in the world? who could ever have thought that such low beginnings could have been raised unto such high things as some of you have been raised unto in the world? It was not long since when you came hither to this City (which may be said to be the day wherein you were borne for your civil estate, though not your natural) you were low enough, mean enough, you had but little to begin withal; you came hither with your staff, and now behold two bands. It is sometimes so likewise in regard of the spiritual estate. You may remember not long since, Oh what darkness and confusion was there in your minds and hearts; what poor, low, mean thoughts had you of God and the things of his Kingdom, what unsavoury spirits, when at first God was pleased to work upon you? Oh what a poor condition were you in then? though you had some light put into you, yet you were as a child new borne wrapped up in filth and blood, many noisome distempers and boisterous lusts there were in your hearts, as it is usual with new converts, like a fire newly kindled where there is a great deal of smother and smoke that afterwards weareth away. But now behold the shining of God's face upon your souls, Oh the abilities that God hath given you to know his mind and do his will! Oh the blessed communion that you have with God, & the sparkling of that divine nature! the glory and beauty of the divine nature is put upon you. So for Nations, we will not go further than our own. How low and mean were we at first? we were a most rude, barbarous, and savage people, almost as lived upon the earth. Britons had their name from hence, in the old Britain language, Birth signifies blue coloured, because those that lived here, instead of brave clothes, as you have, they with woade besmeared their bodies with blue, they were from thence called Britain's; for [tania] was added as it is usual in other Languages for the signification of such a Region or Country, as Mauritania, Lusitania, Aquitania, etc. so that Brittania is as much as to say, The Region of the blue coloured people, so called because they were thus painted: The best food that they were w●nt to eat (Historians tell us) was barks of trees and roots. Hollinshed in his Chronickle says there were old men that he knew who told of times in England, that if the good man in the house had a matterres or flock-bed, or a sack of chaff to rest his head on, he thought himself as well lodged as the Lord of the Town, for ordinarily they lay upon straw pellets covered with canvace, and a round log under their heads instead of a bolster, they said pillows were fit only for women in childbed, and in a good Farmer's house it was rare to find four pieces of pewter, and it was accounted a great matter that a Farmer could show five shillings or a noble in silver together. And Camden in his Britania tells of Ailesbury a Town in Buckinghamshire, that there was in it a Manor of the Kings, and the condition of holding certain lands there, was, that the possessor or holder of them should find straw for litter of the King's bed when he came there, And Latimer in a Sermon before King Edward tells of his father whom he says kept good hospitality for his poor neighbours, and found a horse for the King's service, brought him up at learning, and married his sisters with five pound or twenty nobles a piece for their portions. This was the poor and mean condition of these times. And Jerome contra jovinianum, and Diodorus Siculus tells us concerning the people in Ireland, our neighbours, that the best delicates they used to eat in former times, were the flesh of young children, and paps of women; and the ships they used to have were sallowes wreathed together, and bows twisted, and covered with the hides of beasts, Portenta diabolica p●nenumero. Egyptia●● vinc●ntia and the wives they had were common to all their brethren and parents. As for their Religion, they offered to the devil man's flesh, they worshipped Apollo, and Jupiter, and Diana. And Gildas one of the ancientest Historians that relates the conditions of these British people, he says the Idols they had were such horrible, devilish, monstrous things, that they did even overcome the Egyptian Idols in number; and no people had so many Idol-gods, and so monstrous as the Egyptians, and yet these went beyond them. So saith he. Afterward, no people in the world more rend & torn with Civil wars than England hath been. And in the times when Popery was here profeit and established, Oh the bondage we were under then! outward and spiritual bondage. Our bodies, our souls, our estates, our consciences were in miserable thraldom. It is the most sordid, miserable slavery that it is possible for a rational creature to be under, not only to be bound to practice, but to be bound to believe for truth the dictates and determinations of men, yea and that upon pain of eternal damnation, to believe what they say, as the Articles of Faith upon which Salvation or Damnation depends, for Conscience to be under them, so as I must not question or scruple any thing; if any man that is a rational creature should think there is any such distance between man and man, he debaseth himself beneath a man, and advanceth the other above a man. Better it is to be in slavery to another to scrape kennels, then to be in this slavery. And to have the Scriptures kept from us, the Epistle that God hath sent from heaven to us, that which enlightens the world, revealing the great counsels of God concerning eternal life; this is worse bond● then to be ch●●●ed up in dark holes all the days of our lives, to have no Ordinances but according to the lusts and humours of vile men, Lect. 1. how great a slavery is this? The manifestation of the least suspicion of the falseness of the vilest errors, dislike of the basest practices, was enough to confiscate estate, to imprison, yea to take away life. Was not this a low condition, a base slavery that England was in? could any bear it but such as were slaves to their own lusts? But now what ornaments hath God put upon us! No Nation under heaven more renowned than we have been, our renown hath gone through the earth, England, O Angliquasi Angeli, and Albion, from our happiness, we see now (by ourselves) that glorious excellencies have many times low beginnings. A second observation hence is, Obs. 2. when we have any excellency, and beauty upon us, it is God's mercy that is all our beauty. I will strip you naked and set you as in the day wherein you were born. If you have any excellency it is my mercy. God's mercy is a people's beauty and glory, We have nothing belonging to us but shame and confusion, but misery, if we have any ornaments, it is mercy, free mercy: therefore in the 14. ver. of that 16. Ezek. Thou wert perfect in beauty, How? through my comeliness which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord. Let God take away but his mercy, we are quickly left naked, and poor, and miserable; like the ragged walls in the Court when the King goeth away, and all the rich hangings are taken down, what a difference is there in their look from what was formerly? the beauty of the walls were the hangings when the King was there. So if we have any thing that makes us beautiful, they are the hangings that God hath put upon us; his mercies are those hangings of gold, and silver, and needlework, and when they are gone, we are poor, and ragged, and miserable. Thirdly, Obs. 3. Lest I strip her naked, etc. God had said before that she was not his wife, she was guilty of whoredoms, yet it seems she was not yet stripped naked; she was left with God's ornaments upon her, notwithstanding her whoredoms. Hence the third Observation is, Though sinners deserve great evils, to be stripped of all comforts, yet God in patience and clemency continueth them a long time. They may be under fearful threatenings, and yet retain many comforts; yea the truth is, it is possible for a people to be cast off from God, & yet to continue for a while in outward prosperity. The tree that is cut up by the roots, yet may have the leaves green for a while. Saul who was rejected of God, 1 Sam, 13. 14, yet after that (if you read the Story you shall find it) that God suffered Saul to prosper exceedingly in overcoming the Phylistims & the Amalekites Fourthly, Obs. 4. The mercies that God bestoweth upon a Nation, the ornaments that God putteth upon a people that are but common favours, not spiritual graces, they are such as a people may be stripped of. Great mercies that a people have, they may wholly lose. Here is the difference between true spiritual graces, whereby JESUS CHRIST doth adorn his spouse, when Christ, not only takes in an outward way a people to himself, but marries them to himself in a spiritual way, he decketh the soul with such ornaments, Lect. 2. bestoweth suchmercies upon them, as shall never be taken away. Such a soul hath no cause to fear that ever it can be stripped as in the day wherein it was born, you need not fear that you shall ever lose the jewels given you at that marriage day. It is true, common graces and gifts you may be stripped of and made naked; as it is usual in many professors that have not truth at heart, yet have excellent gifts, as of prayer and the like, but afterward they prove naught, God takes away their gifts from them, they have not that gift of prayer they were wont to have, though they have excellent words, yet a man may perceive a shuffling in them, and such an unsavoriness mixed with their gifts, that it breeds loathing in others to join with them. As when the King goeth away from his Palace, the hangings are taken down; so when God departeth from a soul (as from such he may) than their hangings, those excellent gifts are taken from them. But those gifts that are spiritual they are never stripped of them. We read in Ezek. 46. 17. when a King gave gifts to his servants, Gifts of hypocrites will vanish they were to return to him again at the year of Jubilee, but when he gave them to his sons, they were to be their inheritance. There are many that are outwardly in the Church God's servants, they have many gifts, but God will take them away and strip them naked of those gifts: but then there are his children, they shall have their gifts as an inheritance for ever. It is true, God may stay a while, as when the King is gone from Court, if there be any thought of his return again the hangings do continue, but if the message come, the King will not be here this twelve months, or a long time, or it may be never any more, than the hangings are taken down; so though these gifts of the Hypocrite may stay a while, Obs. 5. yet they will vanish at last. The fifth Observation.— Continuance in sin, and especially the sin of spiritual whoredom, is that which will strip a Nation from all their excellencies, from all their orments and beauty; the continuance in that sin especially; for so the words imply, Let her pnt away her adulteries from between her breasts, lest I strip her naked. etc. If she continue thus, certainly naked she shall be. This always brings nakedness meritoriously, but if continued in, effectually, it makes them naked. Exod. 32. 25. You may see there what made the people naked at that time, the Text saith, that Aaron had made the people naked, that is, Aaron by consenting to the people to make the Calf had made the people naked: naked, that is destitute now of God's gracious protection, deprived of those favours from God that formerly they had. And as the Priest had made them naked, so you may find it in 2 Chron. 28. 19 that the King made them naked too. The Lord brought Judah low, because of Ahaz King of Israel, for he made Judah naked and transgressed sore against the Lord. He made Judah naked, that is by countenancing Idolatry, by siding with those that were Idolaters, even he made Judah naked at that time. Here we may see who they are that are like to strip us, if ever God should come to strip us. We have many amongst us that see false burdens of all the miseries and troubles that come upon the nation; they cry out presently of the Puritans, and of others that they say are factious and seditious spirits, and turbulent, Who they are that bring evil upon the nation. and all must be laid upon them. Certainly whosoever hath eyes in his head may easily see who makes us thus naked as we are, and if we be made more naked, who will be the cause of all? Those that stand against the way of Reformation, those that will keep their whoredoms in their sight, and their adulteries between their breasts, those that will not be willing that the Church shall be purged from that filth and whorish attire that it hath; these are they that make us naked. We read in Lamen. 2. 14. Thy Prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee, and they have not discovered thine iniquity to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee the false burdens, and causes of banishment. Mark it, the Prophets have seen vain a●d foolish things, they have not discovered thine iniquity, they have not dealt 〈◊〉 inly with thy people, neither have they told them the reason of their captivity, but they have seen for them false burdens and causes of banishment, The Prophets say it is a company of these precise and strict ones, that will not be obedient to authority, and will not do what is commanded in such and such things, and (when there were ways of corruption in God's worship) they would not submit to such and such orders. The Prophets lay the blame upon them, but they see false burdens, saith the Text, and false causes of banishment. We have many such Prophets amongst us who see false burdens and causes of banishment, and they cry out of those that certainly are the causes of our peace and of the good of the kingdom. Tertullian tells us that in the Primitive times, if they had but any ill weather, or any trouble at all, they would cry out of the Christians as the cause of it, and presently the voice was, Adleons, let the Christians be dragged to the Lions, and devoured by the Lions; it hath been so amongst us. But may we not answer as Elijah answered Ahab, when Ahah told him that he was the man that troubled Israel, I have not troubled Israel, but it is thou and thy father's house. May we not well say to them as Jehu to jehoram when he asked him whether there was peace, What peace so long as the whoredoms of thy mother jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? Those have been popish, certainly they have endangered us of being stripped of all. Who were the causers of the first disturbances amongst us, even of all the persecution here of God's Saints, and of all the discontent among the people? Who were they that persuaded the bringing in of an Arbitrary way of government? Who were the cause of laying such things upon the people that they could not bear? Who were the causers of the troubles in Scotland, & sending of books thither full of superstitious vanities? was it not the Prelatical faction? Who are those that hinderthe Reformation at this day? Certainly, if it were as apparent that they that are called Puritan had been the cause of such charge to the Kingdom & disturbances to the State as the Prelatical faction hath been; it had been impossible for them to go in the streets but they would have been stoned to death. I speak not this as though we should do the like, Lect. 1. but I speak it to show what the virulency of their spirits would have been to them if it had been apparent that they had been such charge to the Kingdom, and such disturbers of the State. The truth is, we may charge our Papists, and charge others that are of that way) and we know who are next to them) we may well charge them as the cause of stripping of us naked as we have been. It is clear enough, those that put not away their whoredoms from them, but continue still superstitious and Idolaters, they are they that endauger a people to be stripped naked. A sixth Observation that presents itself fully and clearly without any the least straining, Obser. 6. is, That it is time for people then to plead, when there is danger of desolation. Plead with your mother, plead, why so? why should we not be quiet? Lest I strip her naked and set her as in the day wherein she was borne. What, you are in such a condition as you are in danger to be stripped naked and to be left desolate as a wilderness (as it followeth in the Text) Is it not time then to plead? Oh plead with God, and plead with those that are in authority, and plead one with another, and plead with all, stir up yourselves and do what you can; It is time for every one to appear in times of danger. let there be no sluggish spirit, no neutralizing spirit. It is not time for any to be newters now. It is time now for all to come and plead, not so much time now to dispute of things, but now time for every one to stand, and appear, & plead, not only verbally, but otherwise as God calls them to it. Luke 3. 9 When John saith, The axe is laid to the root of the tree, what then? then every one cometh and saith what shall we do? you (saith he to some) that have two coats impart to him that hath none: and to the soldiers when they say what shall we do? do you no violence to any man, and be content with your wages. Mark, when the Axe is laid to the root of the tree, every one comes in then and saith what shall we do? You that are women and inferior, do you pray, and cry, and further your husbands in all good, be not you backward, do not you draw them away when they would be liberal and forward, and adventure themselves, through your niceness and daintiness. And you that are men of estates, if you ask what you should do? It is apparent, He that hath two coats let him impart to him that hath none, be willing to part with much of your estates in such a cause as this. And so soldiers, if you ask what you should do, behave yourselves so as you may convince others, offer no violence, but according to an orderly way, and be content with your wages, perhaps it may not come in so fully afterwards, yet let it appear that it is the cause that strengtheneth you rather than your wages. Thus every one should be of an enquiring spirit when the Axe is laid to the root of the tree. When we are in danger to be stripped of all, it is not time then to stand about curiosities and niceties. Seventhly, Obs. 7. Lest I strip her naked, etc. I have sent my Prophets already before, and they have offered mercy and denounced threatenings: Well, I will now come another way, I will strip her naked, etc. The observation is, That those that will not be convinced by the word, Lect. 2 God hath other means to convince them, he hath other ways then the word; if the word will not convince them, pleading will not do it it seems, and convincing arguments will not do it, well then, stripping naked shall do it: As the expression is usual in Scripture, Than you shall know that I am the Lord, when I do thus and thus. GOD'S works will convince when his word will not. As you use to do with those that are of a sleepy disposition, if you call up a servant that is sluggish & sleepy, he answereth Anon, and then falls down and sleeps again, you call him again, and he answers & then sleeps again, at length you come up and pull the clothes of him & leave him naked, and that will awake him. So God, he calls upon them to leave their whoredoms and Idolatries, and to repent, he threateneth, and he offers mercy, and they seem a little to awake, but to it again. Well, saith God, I will come another way, and strip you naked, and that will do i●. Eighthly. Obs, 8. Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day wherein she was borne. Lest I do it. Whatsoever the means be of stripping a Nation naked, it is God that doth it. It is God that gives, and it is God that takes away. But let that pass. 9 It is a grievous Judgement for one that is advanced from a low degree to an high to be brought thither again. Obs. 9 Lest I strip her naked and set her as in the day wherein she was borne. Thus Job aggravateth his misery. You have it in the 29. and 30. Chapters of Job, The candle of God shineth upon my head, I washed my steps in butter, and the rock poured me out Rivers of oil, my glory was fre●h in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand, etc. But now (saith he) they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock. etc. Thus he aggravateth his judgement because he was brought into a low condition having once been in a high one. The like aggravation of misery have we Lameat. 4. 2. The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers? and vers. 5. They that did feed delic ately are desolate in the streets, they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills, Thus the Scripture is clear in it, and your experience is enough to confirm it. For a man that hath been a bondslave in the Galleys, and after he should be ransomed by the liberality of his friends here in England, if he should be taken and brought back again to the galleys, oh how tedious and grievous would it be! but if he had lived long here, and flourished and gotten preferment and lived bravely, and had grown a great Merchant, & then after this to be brought again to the galleys, how sad a thing would this be! it would be very terrible to him. If some of you that have been beggars heretofore, A sad condition for one advanced high, to be brought down low. if God by some way or other should bring you to the same poverty you were in before, oh how tedious would it be! you would rather venture the loss of your souls and God and all, then be brought into such a condition, and we see it that many men that have been raised from a low estate to an high, are so afraid of returning to a low estate again, that they will venture soul, and conscience, and God and all, rather than they will endanger themselves in the least degree in their estates. Hence it is very observable that the chief curse that God threateneth the people of Israel with, is that they should return to Egypt again, that the Lord would bring them back to the condition wherein once they were. You shall find that whole Chapter, Deut. 28. is spent in denouncing most dreadful curses upon the people; now for the conclusion of all, as the chief curse of all the rest, saith the Text, there ver. 68 The Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again, with ships, and there you shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you. Were it not a sad thing for us who have been acquainted with the glorious light of the Gospel, and with the blessed privileges that come in thereby, for us to be brought into Popish bondage and thraldom again? As Ezra. 9 8. we may use his words, Now for a little space grace hath been showed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, & to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage; And shall we (as in ver. 14.) again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with those abominations? As for ourselves who have had now of late a little taste of the sweetness of our outward privileges and our liberties, for us to be brought into the bondage that we not long since were in, it would be a very sad thing. Who could endure to be under that bondage that he was in three or four years agone, under every Parator, Promoter, Pursuivant, Commissary, Chancellor, and tyrannical Prelate as formetly? we could not have met together and enjoyed the liberty of such exercises as these; no, you could not have met in your families to pray, but one or other would have been upon you and endangered your estates. The bondage was intolerable, we may well complain it was a yoke that neither we nor our fathers could bear. The last Observation, Obser. and the way to prevent all is, When God hath delivered a people out of misery, and bestowed upon them great mercies, it is their duty often to think of the poor condition which once they were in, & to use all the means they can that they may not be brought thither again. God loveth this, that we should remember and seriously take to heart, what once we were, so it is here, Lest I strip her naked and set her as in the day wherein she was borne; as if he should say, I would have you consider what condition you were in when you were borne, what a low condition it was, and consider of the danger you are in to be brought thither again, and to look about you, and to seek to prevent it if you have the hearts of men in you. This we shall find in Deut. 26. 1. 2. When thou art come into the land which the Lord giveth thee for an inheritance and possessest it, thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, We must lay to heart our low condition we once were in. and thou shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose; and ver. 5. Thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and became there a nation, and the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us and laid upon us hard bondage. And Isa. 51. 1. Look to the rock whence you are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence you are digged. It is very useful for us to consider of our former low condition. It was a speech Master Deering in a Sermon that he preached before Queen Elizabeth, he hath this bold expression to her, If there were a time that you thought yourself Tanquam ovis, as a sheep ready to be slain, take heed that the words of the Prophet be not now true that you be not Tanquam indo mita juvencula, as an untamed heifer. You may note the difference between the spirits of men in former times in their plainness and boldness; and if there were an excess that way, how far the other way are our Court Sermons now? Qeen Elizabeth was once in a very low condition indeed, and she thought herself to be as a sheep appointed for the slaughter. It is usual for men raised up from a low condition to forget God and themselves, Asperius nihil est humilicum surgit in altum. and to grow proud & scornful. Nothing is more sharp than a low thing when it getteth up high; so there is none that have more proud and scornful spirits than those that are raised from the dunghill and gotten up high, they know not then where they are; As the Proverb is, Set a beggar on horse back, and he knows not how nor whether to ride. Thus it was with Saul, the way to humble Saul was for him to consider what he once was, and that is the way to humble us all who are subject to be proud of our prosperity that God hath raised us unto. When thou wast little in thine own sight, than thou wert made the head of the tribes of Israel. There was a time that he was little in his own eyes, and I beseech you observe the difference between the spirit of Saul when he was in a low condition, and his spirit when he was raised. When Saul was in a low condition his spirit was low, therefore 1 Sam. 10. 27. you shall find that though there were some children of Eelial that would not have Saul to reign over them; What? (say they) how shall this man save us? and they despised him and brought him no presents. But Saul (the Text saith) held his peace. And Chap. 11. 12. When Saul had gottensome credit and honour by his victories, some of the people said, where are they that said, shall Saul rhene over us? Bring the men that we may put them to death. No, saith Saul, There shall not a man be put to death this day. O how meek was Saul! what a quiet spirit had he before he got up high! But afterward when he got up and had many victories, than what a furious and outrageous spirit had Saul! You know the story of the four-score and five Priests that must be slain in the City of Nob, and the whole City, men, women, and children, sucklings, Ox's, Asses, and sheep must be put to the sword, Why? because one of them did but give a little refreshing unto David. What a strange spirit is here in Saul, different to that he had when he was low. Is it not so with many of you? when God hath brought you low, you seem to be humble, and meek, and quiet then, and then you are content with every thing, and prise every little mercy. Oh the tenth, the hundreth part of that will not serve your turn now, you would have been glad of then, and blessed God if you had had it; But now you know not yourselves, your hearts are raised up as: your estates are. Well it is good for you to look to the condition that once you were in, when you were low; As we read of Agath●cles, that King, that was a Potter's son, and after advanced to a kingdom, he would always be served at his table in earthen vessels, to put him in mind of that condition he was in before: certainly if in any place in England it be seasonable to speak of this, it is here in London, where many that have been Potter's children, and in a low degree, have been raised up high, and have gotten great estates. Let them remember in what condition once they were, that they may be humbled, and so may prevent that danger of being brought thither again. Many put others in mind of it in a taunting way, I know what you were not long ago, I know what your father was, etc. But do you put your own souls in mind of this in an humbling way? This is the way to continue mercies. But now apply we it a little to ourselves for the general and then we shall conclude all. Let us work this upon our hearts. Look we back to what we were lately, and let us check our hearts for any discontent in our present estate. Not long since would not many of us have been willing to have laid down our lives to have purchased that mercy we have had this year or two? God hath granted to us our former mercies, & raised us from our low condition of free cost hitherto. God hath been afore. hand with us; and what if those mercies that are to come will be at some what a dearer rate than those we have had already? Those mercies we have had already have been very precious and sweet; but surely they that are to come are more precious and sweet, and therefore we may be content though they cost us dear. Yet how vile are the spirits of men in forgetting the condition the sad condition they lately were in, forgetting the Taxes and Monopolies, and uncertainty of enjoying an thing that was your own; and now if there be but a little charge coming, you presently fall a murmuring and repining, Oh these are heavy burdens, the Parliament burdens the kingdom and the Cowtrey, and as good have ship-money and other taxes as these burdens. Oh unworthy, unworthy are you to live to see the goodness of the Lord in these days: unworthy to have thine eyes open to see what God hath done, and thus to murmur. Thou shouldest magnify God's mercies, and not murmur at his proceedings. We have a notable parallel to this Numb. 16. in the story of Corah, Dathan and Abiram, those murmurers, when they were but in a little strait, they come to Moses, and say, ver. 13. Why hast thou brought us up out of a land that floweth with milks and honey? What land was that, that Moses brought them up out of, that they said flowed with milk and honey? It was the land of Egypt, the land of their bondage● indeed they were promised a land of Canaan that should flow with milk and honey, and they put that upon the land of Egypt; though they had been in bondage and slavery in Egypt and were now going to Canaan, Lect. 1. yet when they did but endure some trouble in the way, and had but some opposition, and were put to some straits, than Egypt was the Land that flowed with milk and honey, and who would come out of Egypt? So though God be bringing us to Canaan, to a blessed Land that floweth with milk and honey, yet because there are some straits in the way, some difficulties, some oppositions, that may cost us somewhat; now how do men cry out we were better before, you talk of Reformation and such and such things, but for our parts would we might have but what we had before, and be as quiet as we were then, why will you bring us out of a Land that floweth with milk and honey? Oh base murmuring and discontented spirits that forget what once they were, and rather prise the bondage they were in before, then are thankful for Gods present mercies. For us not to look back to God's former mercies, it goeth to the very heart of God. God hath an expression that it frets him to the very heart: You have it in Ezek. 16. 43. Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things. It is a thing that frets God at his heart to see a people so unworthy of mercy, when God cometh in such ways of mercy to them as he doth. My brethren, God hath done great things for us whatsoever others say and think: Let them murmur, and repine, and say what they will, let us say God hath done great things for us: Let us lay to heart the condition we lately were in, that so we may be stirred up now to seek after God, that we may never be brought into that condition any more, if they would have it again, much good may it do them, but for us let it be our care to seek God, and to use all lawful means to prevent our bringing back to it again. For even the very straits we now are in are an aggravation of our former misery and present mercy, it should not therefore make our former misery or present mercy seem less, but greater. How is that you will say? Thus, If now we have so much help and power to hinder a malignant party that seek our ruin, yet they have so much strength and resolution, what would have become of us if this had been before, when we had no way nor no means to help us? If men complain now, what would they have done then? Therefore whereas we make use of our straits, to make us think that our former misery was less, and we are now in a sadder condition than before, rather let us make it an aggravation of God's mercy towards us, and if we be in such straits now when God hath raised up such means beyond all our thought to resist the flowing in of misery upon us, Lord whether were we a going? what would have become of us if the stream which hath been so long a swelling had broke in upon us when there was no means to have resisted it? We may well see now that if their intentions and resolutions be so strong for mischief as will not be hindered, notwithstanding the present strength God hath granted us to oppose them, surely they had most vile intentions, Lect. 2. and dreadful things were determined against us, which would have brought us low indeed, and have made us the most miserable people upon the earth, if God had not come in so mira culously for our help as he hath done at this day. Therefore as we read of Jeremiah, Chap. 37. 18. Let my supplication, saith he to the King, I pray thee be accept able before thee, that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the Scribe, lest I die there. So let us present our supplications to the King of heaven, that we may not be sent back to that condition we were once in, that God may not strip us and leave us naked. We have many blessings, Lord do not strip us, do not strip us of all the ornaments thou hast put upon us. And would you not have God strip you of your ornaments? be you willing to strip yourselves of your ornaments. Ezod. 33. 5. God calleth upon the people there. Put off your Ornaments from you that I may know what to do unto you. This is true and seasonable at this time in the literal sense, you are called now to strip you of your Ornaments. Strip from your fingers your gold-rings now when there is need of them, perhaps one gold-ring that you have upon your finger would serve to maintain a soldier a month or five weeks or more, and yet you may have the benefit of it again afterward. Strip your Cup-boards from that pompous show of plate that was wont to be upon them. It is much if you should not be willing to have your fingers stripped naked when we are in danger to have the State stripped naked of all our comforts and ornaments: Is it such a great matter to have your cupboard naked of plate now? what if a white cloth were upon it, and all that glistering show taken away, were that such a great matter now when God is about to strip us naked, and set us as in the day wherein we were borue? certainly all of you that shall keep your plate now for the pompous decking and adorning of your cup-boards you cannot but be ashamed of it in these times, surely you must rather keep it up in your trunks and hutches, it cannot but be both a sin and a shame to see such glistering pomp and glory in such times as these are. Strip yourselves of your ornaments that God strip you not; and not only outwardly, but strip yourselves of your ornaments by your humiliation, for that is the meaning of that place in Exodus; Oh come and humble yourselves, and come now with naked hearts before the Lord, open your hearts before God, bring them naked and sincere before him, lest he strip you and the Kingdom naked! Cry unto God for mercy, O Lord thou knowest what a vile heart I have had, a base time-serving heart, yet Lord I desire to take away all those cloaks now, and to rend and bring this heart naked before thee, though it be a filthy heart, yet open it, Lord thou knowest those vile things, those innovasions, those superstitions, those horrible wickednesses that were in danger to be let into the Church and Commonwealth, yet they were things that could go down very well with me, I could make shifts to swallow them, and I had distinctions to colour them, but Lord it was my base heart that I could not trust thee, but now here I open it naked before thee. O Lord for these Ordinances of thine in the purity and power of them that others spoke so much of, they have been things unsavoury to me, I had no skill in such things, Thou knowest I had a neutrelizing spirit, I looked which way the wind blew; how just were it for thee to give me upto be of a desperate malignant spirit! Now Lord I come as a naked wretched creature before thee, in the shame and guilt of my sin, and here I acknowledge thou mayest justly strip me naked of all the comforts of my estate, and leave me in the most miserable condition that ever poor creature was left in; And now my heart is open before thee, do but show me what I shall do, and if thou dost reserve any of my estate and comforts which I have forfeited, in testimony of my humiliation for my former sins I bring it before thee, and am willing to give it up for the public good, and to prevent that evil and mischief that I am sure my sins call for, for my sins cry for wrath against the Land, that thou shouldst strip it naked; and if all had been such base spirits as I have been, what would have become of the Land by this time? In testimony therefore of my humiliation for my sins, here I bring in this of my estate, though indeed if I had not been guilty of such sins, yet out of common prudence, and respect to my own security, I might bring some part in, but here is so much the more of my estate, because my conscience tells me of my former guilt. And Lord for the time to come I am resolved to do the uttermost I can for Thee and thy Cause. And those Worthies that carry their lives in their hands for me, God forbid that I should have the least hand in betraying them, in withdrawing my hand and assistance from them. Lord here I give up myself to thee, and my estate, I surrender it to thee in an everlasting Covenant. This is to come with a naked heart indeed before the Lord. Were it not better that we should be willing to strip ourselves naked, then that God should do it by violenee, that God should send Soldiers into our houses to strip us naked, as they have dealt with our brethren in Ireland? they took not away their estates only, but all their clothes, and sent them in droves as naked as ever they were borne. We know we have deserved the like. If you will not strip yourselves of your supper equity's, God may justly by them strip you naked as ever you were born; and not only bring you into the same condition you were in, but into a far worse, for so he threateneth in that 28. Deut. You shall not only be carried back again into Egypt, but there you shall be sold for bondsmen, and no man shall buy you; they should be in a worse condition the when they were first in Egypt. So if there be any of you that are willing to sell your consciences in hope of preferment; Oh the other side may get power and prevail, and so out of hope to be, preferred, to sell your consciences, you may be disappointed, not only be brought into as ill but into a far worse condition; & perhaps though you would have sold yourselves, yet no body will buy you; if the Papists corn to have the power of your bodies and estates, you may miss of that preferment that you think of. So saith Ezra, Chap. 9 14. after he had spoken of God's mercy in giving them liberty, and remitting their captivity, Shall we (saith he) yet continue in sin, & break the commandments of the Lord, would he not be angry with us till we were utterly destroyed? And certainly if God do not awaken the hearts of people now, if God do not give the people throughout the Kingdom a heart to stick to the Cause of the Truth, and to those whom they have entrusted with their estates, liberties and lives in every good way, it were the heaviest judgement of God that ever was upon a Nation since the beginning of the earth, it would never be paralleled, that ever a people should have such an opportunity put into their hands to help themselves, and to vindicate themselves from slavery and bondage, yet out of I know not what respects to betray all those that have ventured their lives for them, and to have their blood shed; I say it were such an example as were not to be paralleled since the beginning of the world. Therefore I beseech you my brethren let us lay this to heart, and the Lord make known to us all what is to be done in such a time as this, that we may not be stripped naked, and set as in the day wherein we were borne. The Third Lecture. HOSEA part of the third verse and verse 4. And make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. And I will not have mercy upon her children, for they be the children of whoredoms. IN the first part of this second Chapter, we have already showed part of Gods threatening, even to strip his people naked as in the day wherein they were borne, to bring them into as low and mean a condition as ever they were in. Now that which was more generally expressed the last day, we have in the latter end of this third Verse more particularly set forth unto us. And make her as a wilderness, and set as a dry land. God would bring this people that dwelled in the land of Canaan flowing with milk and honey; that were in regard of the beauty that God had put upon them, excellent for beauty, now to be as a wilderness. In the former Chapter you heard that the state of the Ten Tribes was set out by Hoseas' wife, her name was Gomer, ad this Gomer was the daughter of Diblaim. Gomer signifieth perfection, and what Diblaim signifieth I told you then. But now there is another signification of this Diblaim, Lect. 3▪ that we are to refer unto this expression of the Lord in this place, that he will make her as a wilderness, for you shall find Ezek. 6. 14. that there is mention made of a desolate country and a wilderness that was towards Diblath, to which this that the Prophet speaks of the mother of Gomer may seem to have reference. Diblath then, it appeareth, was a place where there was a very desolate, waste wilderness, and Gomer was the daughter of this Diblath, from whence Diblaim, that is, Though the ten Tribes were as Gomer in regard of their beauty, perfect, for so they were; yet she was the daughter of Diblath, or Diblaim, that is, she came forth out of a low and mean condition, and was even brought out of a wilderness, now she shall be brought again into the same estate wherein she was, for I will set her as a wilderness. As a wilderness. The Church of God is in itself God's garden, a garden enclosed, and so it is called Cant. 4. 12. As a garden enclosed is my sister, my Spouse. It is the place of God's delight, not a place for beasts to come into, but enclosed, they are to be kept out of it; a place where very precious fruits do grow, that are very pleasing to God, Psal. 133. 3 a place that hath the dew, the showers of God's blessing, the dew of Hermon, the dew that descendeth upon the mountains of Zion, there God commandeth his blessing, even life for evermore. But now she must come to be a wilderness. For first, the hedge, the pale, the wall of God's protection shall be taken away from her, and she shall be laid open, liable for all wild beasts to come in and to devour her. They loved liberty, and were loath to be enclosed, though it were in God's garden, though it was with the pale & wall of God's protection; Well, seeing you will have liverty, you shall have liberty, and this pale and wall of my garden shall be taken away, and your condition shall be like the condition of the beasts in the wilderness. Anima Idololatriae dedita, nullos profert fructus, est que inutilis prorsus ut desertum in quo nihil noscitur Vatab. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Psalm 1. 3. Again, you shall be as a wilderness. There shall no good grow among you. There was no good grew amongst you, that was your sin; and there shall no good grow among you, that shall be your plague and punishment. The blessing of God shall be taken away from you, you shall not have those showers of blessing as formerly you were wont to have, but you shall be as a wilderness, Jer. 17. 5. 6. Cursed be that man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and departeth from the Lord: Why? For he shall be as the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, and he shall inherit the parched places of the wilderness in a salt land. Vatablus interprets this judgement upon the hearts of Idolaters; they are dry, unsavoury; they are destitute of all spiritual good. And I will set her as a dry land.] So the Septuagint read it, I will order you so. Your sins bring you out of order, but God's plagues order that which sin doth disdorder. At a dry land. This is contrary to the blessing of a godly man, for he is said to be as the tree planted by the river of water. The graces and comforts of God's Spirit are compared to waters in the Scripture, Psal. 87. 7. All my springs are in thee, All my comforts, all the gifts that I have, all the graces that I have are in thee. But now God will set them as a dry land, he will take away his gifts, and take away their comforts from them, and so leave them waste and desolate. The Observation then from hence is, Obser. That sin is of a wasting nature: sin layeth waste Countries and places that people live in. We have a most remarkable place of Scripture for that, Zach. 7. 14. They laid the pleasant land desolate, They, who are they? you shall find it ver. 12. Those that made their hearts as an Adamant stone, Sin lays waste Countries. lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of Hosts had sent in his spirit by the former Prophets, They made the pleasant land desolate. We cry out of those that make stripe and waste, and there are actions commenced against them. O let not us lay waste this pleasant land, this good laud of ours, this garden of the Lord. It is indeed as an Eden, as a Paradise, our forefathers have left us this our land as God's garden; let not us through our sins leave it to our posterities as a wilderness and a dry land, Psal. 107. 34. there is a threatening that God will make a fruitful land barren for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. Sin hath heretofore laid waist as pleasant and fruitful Country's as ours. Those that travel in Germany, their hearts even bleed within them sometime to see where famous Towns have stood, now the places are overgrown with nettles, they are laid waist as a wilderness. And in this God threateneth after the manner of great Kings who when their Subjects obey them not, threaten to lay their Country's waist and to destroy their Cities, as Ecclesiastical Stories tell us of Theodosius, that had laid great taxes upon the City of Antioch at which they were much grieved, and imagining it seems that the Queen had a special hand in it, they pulled down the brazen statue of the Queen that was in the City in a kind of anger upon this, Theodosius threateneth to lay the City and Country waste as a fruit of his displeasure. It is a fruit of the anger of a Kings according to their power, to manifest it that way, not only upon particular men, but to lay whole Country's waist. God is the great King, and he threateneth this against his people for their sins, that he will lay them waste as a●wildernesse. God had rather that the wild beasts should eat up the good of the land, than that wicked stubborn sinners should enjoy it: God had rather have a land under his curse, to have nothing but thorns and briars brought forth of it, than that wicked wretches should partake of the sweetness and fruit of it, for sin doth not only pollute the sinner, but the land, and putteth both the sinner and the land under a curse. And s●ay them with thirst. In the 36. Psal. ver. 8. We have a full expression of the plentiful provision of Cod's people that dwell in the house of the Lord. ●he Text saith, They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fullness of thy house, and thou shalt make them to drink of the river of thy pleasures, O what a sweet promise is here to those that dwell in God's house, and walk with God as beseemeth those that are in his house! they shall have fatness, and drink of the river of his pleasures: but here is threatened slaying with thirst, that God will not only take away those rivers, but even drops of water, they shall not have a drop to cool their tongues, but shall be slain with thirst. There was a time wherein God had such pity upon his people, that he would cause water to gush out of the rock, rather than their thirst should not he satisfied: But now God threateneth that he will make the heavens as brass, and the earth as iron, and though a little water might save their lives, they should not have it, He will slay them with thirst. Oh what an alteration doth sin make in God's administrations of his ways towards us! It is a great judgement thus to be slain with thirst. I knew myself a man once that lying in a burning fever, professed that if he had all the world at his dispose, he would give it all for one draught of beer. At so low a rate is the world at such a time as that is. If the want of a little beer or water to satisfy thirst for a little while be so great a judgement, Oh what is it then for all good to be eternally with drawn from all the faculties! Cum in fuga aquam turbidam & cadaveribus inquinatam bibisset, negavit unquam se, bibisse ju cundius, ●unquam scilicet (ut Cicero lib. 1. Tuso. aiit) sitiens bibisset. I have read of Darius, that when he fled from his enemies, and being in great thirst (though those Kings had a delicate drink that was peculiar to them which they called Coapsis, and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) he met with a dirty puddle of water with carry on lying in it, and he sucked in that and drank very heartily of it, and professed, that it was the sweetest draught that ever he drank in his life. This meditation may be very useful upon this evil of thirst, that if a little puddle water can afford so much comfort when the faculties are in such a disposition as they are fit to draw out that comfort that is in this puddle water, Oh than what comfort and goodness is there in an infinite God when he shall communicate to his creature all that good that is communicable, and when all the faculties of soul and body shall be in a full disposition, to receive all the good that is communicated, and not put into a disposion by reason of want, but by reason of the excellency of the faculty raised to such a height, and enlarged to receive what good God himself hath to communicate to his creature? But further, it is observable. Though God did bring them into a wilderness, and set them in a dry land, yet if they might have some drink, though but water to refresh them in this wilderness, and in this dry land, it were not so much. Obser. God brings wicked men into straits, and there leavs them destitute of all succour. Though they were in a scorching Country, in the wilderness, parched with heat, might they have but some refreshment there, the judgement were not so great: but they shall be in a wilderness, in a dry land, and there they shall be scorched with heat, and then God shall deny them all succour, all help. He will slay them with thirst. God useth thus to deal with wicked men, to bring them into extremity, and there to leave them destitute of all succour, of all help, We have an excellent Scripture for this, Ezek. 22. 20. I will gather you in mi●e anger, and in my fury, and what then? I will leave you there and melt you, saith God. This may be a Comment upon this Text. I will bring into the widernesse and set them in a dry land and slay them with thirst. The Saints may be brought into great extremity, but God leaveth them not there. God makes their extremity his opportunity for mercy, he bringeth refreshing to them then, they never have more sweet refresh from God, then when they are in the greatest extremities in regard of trouble and affliction. God promiseth, Esay, 4. 6. that he will be a shadow for them in the day time from the heat, and a covert from storm and from rain. This is God's peculiar mercy to the Saints; perhaps they have no shelter now, but when the storm cometh they have a shelter then, and they have a shadow when the heat cometh; in their extremity they have comfort. But it is otherwise with the wicked, the wicked perhaps may have many shelters before the storm cometh; but when the storm cometh, than they are destitute, they may have many shady places before the heat cometh, but when the heat cometh, than they are left fuccourless, than they are slain with thirst. When wicked men are in prosperity, than there may come one blessing after another (I mean that which is in itself a blessing) heaped upon them, but when they come into adversity, when they have most need of comfort, than they are left destitute. This slaying with thirst is applied by some spiritually; I will bring a spiritual famine upon them. When they shall be in a wilderness, in a dry land, when they shall have most need of comfort for their souls, they shall be deprived of it. Many men in the time of their health and prosperity have many sweet promises of the Gospel revealed unto them, many blessed manifestations of Gods free grace and goodness in his Christ made known unto them, but they slight and disregard them: But when God shall bring them into the wilderness, when God shall cause them to be under the torment of a scorching conscience, when conscience shall be burning, and scalding, then perhaps they may long, Oh that I had one drop of water, one promise out of the Word to comfort me! Oh that I might have but never so little refreshing! Oh that I might hear again those things I have heretofore heard and neglected! But then God may deny one drop of water to cool their scorching consciences and stay them with thirst, slay their souls with thirst at that time: And thus many poor creatures are slain with thirst, that did so little regard those rivers of consolation, that in the time of their prosperity they might have had. Ver. 4. And I will not have mercy upon her children, for they be the children of whoredoms. I confess at the first view, looking upon this verse I thought I might quickly pass it over, the rather because we had some such expressions in the former Chapter, where God threatened that he would have no more mercy upon them: But the Scripture is a vast depth, and there are many excellent treasures in it, there is always aliquid revisentibus, something for those that come to see again and look again, and this something will appear to be much, that we shall see out of these expressions further than before hath been observed. And I will not have mercy] This Particle [And] hath much in it, it is a most terrible And. This conjunction many times in Scripture is as a pleonasme, and doth not serve for much use, but here in this place it is of great use, and it is filled with terror as full as it is possible for such a little particle to hold. I know there may be many curiosities sometimes in observatious of particles, of conjunctions: but we shall not meddle with any curiosity, but speak of that which is plain, and the intention of the Holy Ghost here. I say this And is a most dreadful And; mark the conjunction, you had four Ands before, saith God, I will strip her naked, [And] set her as in the day wherein she was borne, And] make her as a wilderness, [And] set her as a dry Land, [And] slay her with thirst. Is not here enough? Oh no, there cometh a fifth And, and that is more terrible than all the former four [And] I will have no more mercy upon her children. This addeth terror to all the rest. Suppose that all the other four had been, and if this had not come, there had not been such a grievous threatening, If God had said, I will strip her naked & set her as in the day wherein she was borne, and I will make her as a wilderness, and set her as a dry land, and slay her with thirst, yet if there might be mercy in all this, their condition had not been so miserable, but (saith God) I will do all these, And I will have no more mercy upon them. Oh this hath that terror in it, that it is impossible for the heart of a man that apprehends it to stand under it. And for the opening of this I shall show you how that all the former four not only may stand with God's mercy, but they have stood with God's mercy; that God had heretofore showed mercy to them when they were in such a low condition in which they were borne, when they were in the wilderness, when they were in a dry Land, yea when he did slay them, he showed mercy unto them. But now he saith, he will do thus and thus, and show no mercy unto them. So that then though this And be conjunctive in Grammar, yet here in Diunity it is a disjunctive, and a most dreadful disjunctive to part them and mercy a sunder, yea and to part many of them and mercy eternally asunder. To show you therefore the sour former, that though they were in such a condition heretofore, yet God did show them mercy; now what a condition is that God will show them no mercy. As First, In the day wherein they were borne, that (as you may remember) I showed you out of the 16. Ezek. what a low and pitiful condition the people of Israel were in, they were cast out in the field, & they were in their blood, and not washed, and the like: But mark in the 8. ver. I passed by thee and looked upon thee, behold the time was a time of love, and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness, yea, I swore unto thee, and entered into covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine. Here are the highest and the fullest expressions of God's grace that could be. First, I looked upon her, and then the time was a time of love, and then, I spread my skirt over thee, and I entered into covenant with thee, and thou becamist mine: Here are all these expressions of mercy, even at that time when they were cast out as forlorn in the open field, and no eye pitt●ed them: but now they are threatened to be cast out into the open field again, and no eye to pity them in heaven or in earth, no, nor the eye of God to pity them: now God threateneth to cast them off for ever, so as he will see them in their blood, but it shall be no more a time of love, but a time of wrath, and he will no more enter into covenant with them, neither shall they be his. 2. When God brought them into the wilderness, God there showed them mercy, for that you have a marvellousfull Text, Deut. 32. 10. He found them in a desert land, and in the waist howling wilderness; but mark, he led them about, he instructed them, he kept them as the apple of his eye. Though they were in a waist howling wilderness, yet they were as dear to God as the apple of his eye. Yea further, ver. 11. As an eagie stirreeth up her nost, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings, so the Lord alone did lead them. It is the note of Paulus Fagius, citing for it Rabbi Solomon upon this, as the Eagle carries her young ones, not as other birds, for other birds it is observed carry their young ones in their claws, the Eagle bears hers upon her wings, and this is the reason that is observed, because the Eagle is more tender of her young ones then other birds are, why? for other birds carrying their young ones in their claws, if any shoot at them, they hit the young ones, and kill them first, but may miss the old one; but the Eagle carries hers upon her back, upon her wings, that whosoever shoots at her young ones, they must shoot through her first: So saith God, I carried you in the wilderness as the Eagle carries her young ones upon her wings, that if any shoot at you to hurt you, they must shoot through me first before they can come at you. This was God's mercy to them when they were in the waist howling wilderness, here is not such an And, they were in a wilderness, yet God had much mercy upon them. Thirdly, milestone God brought them into a dry Land, in this wilderness they wanted water, yet (though they were ready to murmur) he made them suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock, Deut. 32. 13. You will say, when did God make them suck honey out of the rock? we read indeed that water gushed out of the rock in a dry land, but here the Scripture speaks, that he made them suck honey & oil out of the flinty rock. It is a note of chrysostom speaking upon this very thing, of Gods making them suck honey and oil out of the rock: Not, saith he, that there was indeed honey or oil came out of the rock, but because they being in the wilderness, and in such great want, the water that came out of the rock was to them as sweet and delightful, as if it had been honey or oil. Thence he gathered that note, that want and necessity will make every thing very sweet and comfortable, water will be as honey and oil to them that want. When you are at your full tables, This wine pleaseth you not, and that beer pleaseth you not; but if you were in necessity, water would be as wine, it would be as honey and oil to you. Yea but what say you to the fourth And, He will slay them with thirst? Can you show us any place wherein God did slay his people, yet show mercy to them? Yes, I can. There is a place where it is said, God slew his people, yet for all that at that very time he showed abundance of mercy to his people; when God did come with his sword in his hand, yet with abundance of compassion in his heart. The Scripture is in Psal. 78. 34. Mark what the Text saith there, When he slew them, than they sought him, and they returned and enquired early after God, and they remembered that God was their Rock. Well, they sought him, and they remembered this, that God was their Redeemer, but did God redeem them at that time? Yes, verse 38. He being full of compassion for gave their iniquity, and destroyed them not, yea many a time he turned his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath, Or as the old Translation hath it, He called back his anger, which here he will not do: He was full of compassion, and forgave their iniquity, and called back his anger, though he did slay them at that time. He denieth to do it here, he letteth out his anger here to the full, and will not call it back, I will have no mercy upon them: And it is observable in this Scripture that yet the Text saith before that, they did but flatter God with their mouth: though they did but flatter God with their mouth, yet such was God's mercy toward them, that he calleth back his anger. My brethren, God hath a high esteem of his worship in a Nation; though it should be but external (but we must not rest in that) yet many times external humiliation and worshipping of God in a Nation hath been effectual to deliver them from external judgements. Therefore we have much cause to be encouraged, in that God doth stir up our Nation at this day, yea and those particularly that are going in that expedition and service for the Kingdom, that God doth stir them up to go forth worshipping of him. Our adversaries come against them with Oaths and curses, and they go against them with fasting and prayer, not externally only, but we hope internally many of them, and thousands that join with them in our Nation. And if God will show so much mercy to them when they did but flatter him with their mouth, surely then when as there are so many true worshippers of him, yea those that are the instruments of the work; we have much cause to think that God will show mercy to us, and that if anger were come out against us, yet God will call it back. Thus than we see that so long as God's people be God's people, though they may be brought to great troubles (we cannot be secured from troubles) yet still there is mercy for them; so long as they are his people, so long as the knot is between God and them, and they are in Covenant, there is mercy for them. But now when they are cast off, now there cometh an and, I will do thus and thus, bring them into these extremities, and I will show no mercy to them, there shall be judgement without mercy. The observation then from hence is, Obser. when God cometh upon the wicked with wrath, he cometh with pure wrath. Wrath without mixture of mercy, and this is intolerable. We have a remarkable place for this Isa. 7. 5. An evil (saith the Text) an only evil, Wrath upon the wi●ed is pure wrath with out mixture of mercy. behold it is coming. Mark, there may come an evil to the people of God, that which materially is evil, but it can never be said of God's people that an evil, an only evil is coming: If an evil come, there cometh a great good together with that evil: but now it is upon the wicked, an evil, & an only evil is coming. God threateneth Psal. 75. 8. that he hath a cup in his hand, full of mixture, the mixture of that is an aggravation of the wrath that is in it: but here there is a cup in God's hand without mixture, and the want of mixture is the aggravation of the evil of this cup. When wrath is pure, than it is grown beyond anger, and grown to hatred: so long as it is but mere anger, it admitteth of mixture of love, but when once it is (as we may speak) grown to that height of sourness that all the mixture of love is gone, than it is turned to hatred. There was a time when Israel spoke in a murmuring way that God brought them into the wilderness because he hated them. Deut. 1. 27. But now God threateneth to bring them into the wilderness and to hate them indeed, according to that Hosea 9 15. All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them. David prayeth Psal. 6. 1. that God would not rebuke him in his wrath, neither chasten him in his hot displeasure; but what then? Have mercy upon me O Lord: So long as God showeth mercy he doth not chasten in his sore displeasure: but when God cometh with afflictions & denyeth mercy, than he cometh in sore displeasure indeed, it is hatred. Secondly, When God cometh without mercy he cometh upon the wicked in the most unseasonable time for them that can be. That is the difference betwixt the evils that come upon the godly and the wicked. There may be evils (that materially are so) upon the godly, but yet they shall come upon them when it shall be seasonable for them: but when they come upon the wicked it shall be when they are most unseasonable for them: As a husbandman if he would cut his Tree so as only to lop it that it may grow and flourish again, he will be sure to do it in due time, as in January or February, judgements upon the wicked at times most unseasonable for them. but if he would cut it that so it may die, he will lop it when it flourisheth most, at Midsummer. God indeed letteth wicked men grow up and flourish to the height of their prosperity, and then he cometh and loppeth them because then he knows they must die and perish. It were better to be lopped in January, in winter time before you flourish, than you may live for your good; but if you stay till the summer, you die for it. You have an excellent Scripture, Zeph. 2. 4. They shall drive out Ashdod at noon day. In those Countries that were exceeding hot and scorching, she pheards and others that had their business abroad, used to keep their houses at noon day, or get into some shady places and sleep. Now when God threateneth a judgement in wrath, and denyeth mercy, saith he, they shall drive out Ashdod at noon day, in the worst time that possibly Ashdod can be driven out, in the midst of scorching. Because God intended to destroy them, he drives them out at noon day. Again thirdly, When God cometh upon the wicked and denyeth mercy, he regardeth not the proportion of any affliction or any evil, whether it be enough or not enough for them, what is that to him? When he cometh upon his own people he weigheth out his wrath. Never did any skilful Physician or Apothecary more carefully weigh out to every dram what the potion should be that is to be given to a child, God proportions afflictions to his childdrens, but not to the wicked. than God doth weigh out every affliction that he sendeth upon his children. The difference is just as if you should go to the Apothecaries to take ratsbane to poison or kill vermin, you do not weigh out how much you should take, but give them it at adventure, and let them take as much as they will, and let them burst: but if you take any thing for your child, if it have any strong virtue in i●, or without composition, it may be poison, you will take heed, you will not take a dram, a grain too much, but will be sure to weigh it out exactly. Thus though when God cometh to his children he weigheth out their afflictions, yet when he cometh with judgements upon the wicked, he cares not how much, how many or great they be, whether suitable to their conditions or no, whether they can bear them or no, whether their backs break or no, he cometh with judgements upon them to destroy them. Fourthly, Hos. 7. 14. Ezek. 8. 18 When afflictions cometh without mercy upon the wicked, God stoppeth his ears at all their cries. If they cry when God cometh with judgements against them, he calleth their cry howling. He tells them though they cry aloud, yea cry with tears he will not hear them, Fifthly, God commandeth all creatures that they should deny help to them. They may stand and be amazed, but help them they cannot. They all say how can we help, seeing God helps not. Sixthly, There is the curse of God mixed with every judgement to drive them further from God, and to harden them more in their sins. Lastly, One judgement is but the making way for another, yea all judgements in this world are but the forerunners, and makers-way for eternal judgements. This is the portion of the cup of the wicked when God saith he will show them no mercy. The afflictions of the Saints may seem to be more grievous outwardly, but thus God never afflicteth them, there is mercy always for them. Wherhfore all ye Saints of God who are under any affliction at any time, be patient and quiet, be contented under it, for though your afflictions before and grievous, Lect. 3. yet God delivereth you from such afflictions as these wherein he saith he will show no mercy. But further. I will not have mercy upon her children. Her children.] The judgement of God in punishing the sin of the fathers upon the children we spoke somewhat of in the Chapter before, we will wholly let that pass now: and only consider children in another way than we did before, in a political consideration, for certainly that is the meaning of the Text, I will not have mercy upon her children; that is, I will not have mercy upon the particular people that belong to jezreel. Private and particular people are called the daughters of Jerusalem, the daughters of such a Country. So that the whole community together with the officers & Governors they are as the Mother, and the private and particular people they are as the children. So that when God saith he will have no mercy upon her children, he doth not only threaten the State and the Church, the Governors and the whole Community thus, but he threateneth every particular person of them, though you that are in the multitude perhaps think you may escape in the crowd; No saith God, I will look to every one of you of the multitude of the private and particular persons of Israel, and my wrath shal● not only come out against those that are in higher places, but it shall come out against you also, I will slay her children. It is true indeed, the heads and governor's of places are usually most invelved in the guilt of the sins of nations, and their judgements are usually most dreadful when God cometh with national judgements. As Num. 35. 3. 4. The Text saith there that Israel joined themselves to Baal▪ Peor, and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and the Lord said unto Moses, take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the sun. The Lord's anger was kindled against the people, but he bade Moses especially look to the heads, and take them and hang them up be●●re the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord might be turned away from Israel. Certainly execution of wrath upon great ones, upon such as have been heads in evil, is a Sacrifice exceeding well pleasing to God. But though God ay●●e at them especially in national judgements, yet the multitude and private people must not think to escape, and that upon these grounds. First, Because many times it is for their sins that God suffereth their Governors to do so much evil as they do, God's judgements against people, as well as against Governors, and why. As, Israel had sinned, and God was wrath with Israel, therefore David did what he did in numbering the people. When you see your Governors do that which is naught, lament for your own sins; do not spend your time only in crying out against them, but look to yourselves, it is for your sins that God hath left them to do as they have done. 2 Sam. 24. 1. Secondly, It may be the reason why Governors do not reform, is, in the perverseness of people, that they are not in a preparation to receive that good which otherwise our Governors had in their hands & hearts to bring to pass. As 2 Chron. 20. 33. it is clear there, Howbeit the high places were not taken away, why? For as yet the people had not prepared their hearts to seek the God of their Fathers. Why? should they have pulled down the high places? no, but they should have been in a preparation for the pulling of them down. Certainly this is the great cause why our high places are not pulled down, why Reformation hath gone on no better than it hath, and why we have so much evil remaining amongst us, because the people have not prepared their hearts, they are not in a disposition to receive the mercy that our governor's have hearts to bring unto us. They have hearts to work for us, but when we speak to them of what is fit to be done, their answer is, but is England in a fit disposition to receive such a thing as that is? so that the truth is, although you are ready to cry out of your Governors, you say, they have power in their hands, why do they not reform things? yet the guilt in great part devolves upon the people, they are not in a fit disposition to receive such reformation: therefore God threateneth the children, the people here. Again further, It may be it is from you that the Governors that are evil are so much encouraged and abetted in that which is evil: though you do it not, yet you so much encourage them as the guilt redounds upon you. Yea last, If you do but obey them in any thing that is evil, in doing of that, the guilt devolveth upon you, for you should not do it, but rather obey God then man. Many think to make this their plea, they are commanded to do thus and thus, and Governors would have them do it, and it is Law and the like, and they think upon this plea they may do any thing in the world. This will not secure you, God may come with judgement without mercy upon the children as well as upon the Mother. And if God's wrath should come in national judgements against England, let the people know that they are like to smart most dreadfully, for never was their a time in our days, nor in our forefather's days, that so much depended upon the people as at this day; never were they called to that help as now they are called to at this day. So that the people now may have reformation, Much depends now upon the people. they may have blessings, if it be not through their own default. As Cant. 7. 1. The Church is there described in her beauty, and it beginneth at her feet, How beautiful are thy feet? And Cant. 5. There Christ is described in his beauty, and it beginneth at the head, His head is as the most fair gold. God sometimes makes use of the people to be great means, and perhaps the beginning of means to bring beauty to the Church, though they cannot perfect it. Heretofore private persons could do little: Alas though they were under grievous oppressions, they knew not now to help themselves. Many men that had purses, and strength, and heads, and hearts and all, yet they knew not what to do, but to make their moan one to another, and to heaven; but now it is otherwise, now you may do somewhat else besides making your moan one to another, yea besides making your moa●e to heaven: for you that have purses now you may see ways to employ them for the public good, for Religion, for liberty, you that have strength of body may know what to do, you that have headpieces, I mean parts, you are called to help, you may join together for God and the good of your Country, you may do much more than heretofore could be done. Wherefore now if you should desert the Cause of God, and desert those that you have trusted, you must expect the most dreadful wrath of God, and that without mercy, even upon the people that ever was upon any nation since the beginning of the world, for never any nation that we know of, had more depending upon the people then there is at this day upon the people of England, O consider of it, and oh that all the people of the land did but know what God would have them to do in such a time as this? Again, Obser. I will not have mercy upon her children: upon particular private persons in the society. One note more upon that, It is a dangeraus thing for men in any society to do as the most do: If they be in a civil society to give their votes and to do as the greater part doth; if you be in a Church society, to do as the greater part doth without any examination of it, this dangerous. For though the greater part, the community may do that which is evil, you shall not be excused by that, for you to say, why what could I help it, wh●n the most doth it? God cometh upon private and particular men, upon the children, even every one of them: And why? For they are the children of whoredoms. That is either passively or actively, passively, because they were begotten of whoredoms and brought up, their education hath been in whoredom, they have had it from their parents, Or else they are the children of whoredoms actively, they live in the same whoredoms their Mother did. From hence, First, Obser. There is little hope of children brought up in wicked education, who have wicked parents also. If the dye have been in the wool it is hard to get out of the cloth. If wickedness, if evil principles have been dropped into children, there is little hope of them for good, especially of those children that have been brought up in ways of superstition and Idolatry, little hope of children ill educated. their hearts being so soiled, and defiled, and hardened in superstitious and idolatrous ways, they seldom come to any good. Therefore that which hath been mentioned is very good, namely of ways to take the children of Papists to bring them up in the education and knowledge of the truth. Yet Secondly, Obser. This shall not excuse children, though they be the children of whoredoms. It is no excuse for them to say they had it from their Parents, and they did as their Parents have done, and as they bade them, and according as they brought them up. No it excuseth not at all, for the wrath of God cometh upon them that are the children of whoredoms. Then what a mercy is it for us to be brought up in the truth; to have Parents that do profess the truth, and for our education to be in the way of truth? It is a mercy that we do not consider of to give God the glory of it: How dangerous is it to have superstitious Idolatrous Parents, and to have such kind of education! there is not one of ten thousand that altereth his religion: If they have Turks, or Jews, or Papists to their parents, and such education, it is not one of ten thousand I say that altereth his religion. Therefore it is like our condition would have been the same if God had not cast it that our parents should be such as profess the truth, and our education according to the truth. Bless God for this. And you that are parents do you look to your children, and bring them up in the truth. Children who have gracious principles dropped into them, and those watered by prayers and tears, there is hope of them▪ and not of them alone, but of the nation where they live. Lastly (which is the observation which mainly we are to consider of) When God's judgements come abroad in the world, Obser. let the children of whoredoms look to it, God threateneth he will have no mercy upon them, or they are the children of whoredoms. The children of whoredoms are the butt of God's wrath when his judgements come abroad in the world. Isa. 27. 4 Fury is not in me, saith the Text, that is, it is not in me toward my Saints; When judgements are abroad let the children of whoredoms, not the children of the Bride-chamber fear. though I come out in a kind of fury, yet it is not in me toward them, what then? Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. When my wrath cometh against the briers and thorns, I will go through them, and burn them together; but for my children, fury is not in me toward them: When God's wrath is abroad in the world, let not the children of the bride-chamber fear, but let the children of whoredoms fear and quake, let briers and thorns fear, but not the fruitful trees in God's garden: Godjudgements know how to make a difference between men, they are does stinguishing things when they come abroad: God sendeth not his judgements hand over head, but putteth into them a distinguishing quality. God hath a chamber of rest and safety for his people, wherein he will hide them till his indignation be overpast; but for the children of whoredoms, superstitious, Idolatrous, wicked and ungodly people, they are the people of God's indignation, they are like Idumea, the people of God's curse, as you have it, Isa. 34. 5. There are a people this day amongst us who are certainly the people of God's curse, and let them look to it as well as they will. Rev. 14. 8. Babylon is fallen, is fallen (saith an Angel there) and mark what followeth. ver. 9 And another Angel followed, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation. It is according to that in the Text here, God will have no mercy, they shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God without mixture, without mixture of any mercy at all. And further, He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels, & in the presence of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, And they have no rest day nor night that worship the beast and his image. Here is a dreadful threat against the children of whoredoms, against such as follow the ways of the great whore of Babylon. Blessed are they that in these times have testimony in their own consciences, that it hath been their care above all things to draw themselves out from the guilt of all superstitious and Idolatrous vanities, and to keep themselves (according to that light that God hath discovered to them) pure from the pollutions of that man of sin. Blessed I say are these, they need not fear this day; but for those that have involved themselves in the guilt of those pollutions, they have need to humble their souls before God, and to cry mightily, for wrath is going out against the children of whoredoms. This Text here spoken of, is not meant only of hell hereafter, but it is meant of judgement even in this world: And above all times that ever yet have been since Antichrist began, it is a most desperate thing to be a Papist in these days, because now is the time for God to make these children of whoredoms the very Butt of his wrath and indignation. We hear of wars, and rumours of wars, and a great deal of stir there is abroad: My brethren, keep your hearts chaste to God, and fear not, for God hath another manner of people to deal withal then you; you shall be sealed first, before the wrath come out. Though I cannot excuse you altogether from suffering some afflictions, these children of whoredoms may bring some trouble upon the Saints for the present; yea perhaps some of you may have your blood spilt, but God hath mercy to bestow upon you, but for them there is wrath, and wrath without mixture, God saith he will have no mercy upon the children of whoredoms. Let such as are going forth then in this Service, for Religion and Liberty, go forth with courage and undauntedness of spirit, why? for they fight against none but those that God fighteth against. Who are they but the children of whoredoms that they go to fight against, those who have showed themselves to be open fighters against God and his truth, such as are most abominable swearers, cursers, and blasphemers, such as make no other use of the light of the Gospel that they have, but only to scorn and contemn it, such as are open despisers of God and his truth, and of his people? Certainly if there be a cursed generation upon the face of the earth, these are the people, whose mouths are full of curses, and certainly God's curse is upon them who are so full of cursings themselves. If there be any of you here that are now, or hereafter may go forth in this service, your spirits should even rise with indignation against such monsters upon earth, and go against them as David against Goliath, What shall this uncircumcised Philistine defy the host of the living God? Thus your hearts should rise if you have any love to God and his truth; Shall a company of cursed monsters that do nothing but blaspheme, and curse, and swear, and defy God and his servants, and his Tabernacle, and worship; shall these uncircumcised Philistines go on thus defying God and his truth? If you have the hearts of men within you, especially of Christians, me thinks you should not be able to bear it, but go forth against them with fullness of spirit and resolution, certainly God will make them a prey to you, they are not only such as not only have put off Christianity, and are become Atheists, but they have put off all kind of humanity, and are rather turned monstrous beasts, or devils. Fear them not, though their hearts be full of pride and rage, and though they beast never so much what they are, or what they have done, or what they will do; I say fear them not, for this is part of the curse of God that is upon them that though God fighteth against them, they will not see it, they shall not see it, because God intendeth to destroy them; though judgements are out against them, Revel. 9 21. Chap. 16, 9 11. yet they will not repent. You shall find it divers times in the book of the Revelation, that those that followed Antichrist, though they were tormented, all the judgements of God were against them, yet they repented not. This I say is the curse of God upon such, God will not give them repentance unto life, for they are the children of whoredoms, whom God intendeth to have no mercy upon: therefore the higher their rage riseth, the higher your hearts should rise against them. But we must go on to the 5. verse. For their mother hath played the harlot. Their mother, that is, the State and the Church, for they were both involved in one, hath played the harlot. This [For] hath reference two ways; either it may have reference to those words, I will not have mercy upon them, for not only they are, but their mother is defiled with whoredoms, she hath played the harlot: or secondly, it hath reference only to the latter part, they are the children of whoredoms, for their mother hath played the harlot: either it referreth to the reason why God will not have mercy upon them, because their mother hath played the harlot: or secondly to the reason why they are the children of whoredoms, for their mother hath played the harlot. And from both these references we have very useful observations for us. The first, Obser. God cannot endure a succession in wickedness, I will not have mercy upon them, their mother hath played the harlot, they are children of whoredoms themselves, and their mother hath played the harlot, there is a succession of wickedness among them, and that I cannot bear. The ground is, because those that keep up a succession of wickedness from the mother to the children, and so go on downward, they are guilty of all the wickednesses that went before them in that line; Else how can that be understood where Christ saith he will require all the blood from Abel to Zacharias upon that generation; succession for si●ne i● dreadful. but because they continuing in that way of sin, kept up the succession of that sin, and so that generation was guilty of all the sins of that kind that went before even unto Abel. So the father is a whoremaster, and the child he proveth to be one too, and so goeth on, the child is not only guilty of that sin of his own, but of his fathers, and of his grandfathers, and he is guilty of all that kind of sin that is gone before, even up to the beginning of the world; why? because he keepeth up the succession of that sin in the world. This is a most terrible thing to consider of, enough to wound the strongest heart in the world, especially of those that know they have had wicked Parents. Again, For their mother hath played the harlot, consider this word For, as having reference to the reason why they are children of whoredoms, for their mother hath played the harlot. The observation is, Children usually go according to their parents, which way their parents go, commonly the children go. It is a usual thing where there are profane parents to have profane children, if the parents swear to have swearing children, if the parents be superstitious to have superstitious children; if parents be scorners of Religion, to have children scorners too: we find it true in experience, in that new nickname that is brought up on the godly in room of the former, it is as frequent in the mouths of children as in others, because children go according to what their fathers formerly did: I will give you one notable Text of Scripture for this, it is 2 King. 2. 23. When Elisha the Prophet was going up to Bethel, there came forth little children out of the City and said unto him, Go up thou bald-head, go up thou bald-head. The thing that I note it for is this, that not only the children did it, and so were destroyed, (for two she-beares came out of the wilderness and tore 42. of them) but what children were they that did this? If you observe the Text, you shall find that they were the children of Bethel; and what place was that? That was one of the places where the calves were set up, and it was a place of much superstition, and the children were as superstitious as their parents: A place that had the name, the house of God, but a place exceedingly abused, and no place did more degenerate from the name than it, it was a Bethaven, a house of vanity and wickedness. It was the place that was most superstitious, and those were the children that scorned at the Prophet: But we need no other proof but only experience, yet there is one notable Scripture further for it, Jer. 7. 18. The children (saith the Text) gather wood, their fathers kindle the fire, and their mother's kneaded the dough: the children joined you see: Pelagius thought that there was no sin came into the world but only by imitation, children imitating their parents. Certainly imitation is of great power and force to prevail with the hearts of children. You that are wicked parents, had need to look to it what you do before your children. He that sinneth before a child, specially a parent, sinneth doubly, Qui peccat coram puero his peccat. for a child will be ready to imitate it. What, will you not only sin against God, and be enemies unto him, but will you leave a succession, that when you are dead and gone, some must out of your loins, and from your bowels, blaspheme God after you are rotten in your graves? Suppose you that are parents had a plague sore upon you, would you go among your children, and breath upon them? this cruelty is much worse, will you go into your families, and breath infection into your children, and so make them like you, and guilty of your sins, and of the plagues of God together with you? oh cruel parents! On the otherside, as therefore children of whoredoms, because their mother hath played the harlot, why then should not children be gracious and godly, who have gracious and godly parents? Why should it not be said, This child is a godly child, for his mother was a gracious woman, and his father a godly man? You that have godly parents, let this be your Encomium, You are godly and gracious children, and you had godly and gracious parents, this will be your honour before the Saints. But how vile is it, when it may be said, Here is a wicked wretch, yet he had a godly father, and a godly mother; here is an unclean and filthy liver, yet he had gracious parents? It is no wonder to say thus, This man is filthy, for his father was filthy, and his mother was a harlot; but to look upon one, and say, Here is a whoremaster, yet his father was a godly gracious man; Here is a harlot, yet her mother was a holy woman; O how vile is that! I remember a speech of that reverend Master Bolton, who died not long since; It is reported, that upon his deathbed he had his children come to him, & he speaks thus unto them, I do believe, saith he, there is never a one of you will dare to meet me at the tribunal of Christ in an unregenerate condition. So let me say to you that are evil children of Godly parents, let me in their names speak to you, How dare you, with what face do you think you shall dare to meet with your godly father and gracious mother before the judgement seat of Jesus Christ? at that day if your godly father stand at the right hand of Christ, how dare you appear before that face in the guilt of those horrible wickednesses that you now live in? Certainly the thought of this hath power to daunt your hearts. She hath done shamefully. The word in the Hebrew (it is in Hyphil, and so it may be translated transitively) signifieth, pudef aciens. She hath made ashamed, as well as done shamefully; and so I find it according to some thus rendered, She hath made ashamed her husband, she hath made ashamed her children, she hath made ashamed herself, and all these three may be meant. Yea I conceive the intent of the holy Ghost is to express them all. Her husband first, the Church is the Spouse of Jesus Christ, Christ is the husband of the Church, and you know the Scripture saith that the woman is the glory of the man. I remember I gave the meaning of that heretofore; So the Church being the Spouse of Christ, should be the glory of Christ: the woman should be the glory of the man, but yet being wicked and filthy, she makes her husband many times ashamed. The evil of the wife is a shame to the husband, so the evil of the Church is a shame to jesus Christ. The Church in Scripture is called the glory of Christ, 2 Cor. 8. 23. If our brethren be enquired after, they are the messengers of the Churches, and the glory of Christ. Isa. 4. 5. Upon all the glory shall be a defence. It should be so, but when it cometh to be defiled, it shameth Christ, their wickedness reflects upon Christ. Christ is said to walk in the midst of the golden Candlesticks, Rev. 2. 1. Every Church is a Candlestiks, and it should be a golden Candlestick, but if it come to be a filthy rusty Candlestiks, The Saints must take heed they be not a shame to Christ. it is a dishonour unto Christ who walketh amongst them. Wicked men do not shame Christ, but godly do. My brethren let us take heed of that, It is an evil thing to bring shame to ourselves, and one to another, but to bring shame upon JESUS CHRIST is the greatest evil. Many of you perhaps are ashamed of Christ, take heed you be not a shame to Christ. They are ashamed of Christ that are ashamed to appear in the cause of Christ; but as for you that are so, Christ hath more cause to be ashamed of you, for you are a shame to him. It is true, I cannot deny it but many Churches of God, and that of late have brought some shame to Jesus Christ by their dissensions and fractions, and they must take shame to themselves, and they have taken shame to themselves, they have acknowledged it to the glory of Christ, and in that regard in some measure have washed off that shame that they have brought to Christ. Again further, a shame they are to their children. Wicked Parents are a shame to their children; when a child appeareth forward, towardly, and hopeful, and it be said, Would you not wonder to see him so forward? the father of him is a beastly dr●nkard, a filthy whoremonger, of a vile and malignant spirit; Wicked parents are a shame to their children. now the child is ashamed to hear of the evil of his father, and of the evil of his mother. As foolish children are a shame to their Parents, so wicked Parents are a shame to their children. You that have gracious children take heed you be not a shame to them, and so a shame to yourselves. And then a shame to herself, she hath played the harlot, she hath done shamefully. Wherein had she done shamefully? I will only mention one particular. Certainly that shame of hers was especially in subjecting Religion to carnal policy. For what did she do? what was the great sin of the ten Tribes? It was this, because they were afraid that if they did go up to Jerusalem to worship, the people would then depart from the house of Jeroboam, to the house of David, therefore out of political regards they would have the worship set up at Dan and Bethel, there they would have Calves, they must not go up to Jerusalem the place which God had appointed to worship in, but at Dan and Bethel. This was a mere politic fetch, for they could not but acknowledge that God did require that they should worship at Jerusalem where the Temple was, and there was no other reason why they would worship at Dan and Bethel, but merely out of State policy that they might prevent the people from going back to the house of David, and indeed they did profess so much themselves. Here than they did shamefully. The Observation then from hence is, that for governor's or any to subject Religion to policy is a shameful thing. It is shameful to make Religion an underling, and to make policy the head. Perhaps they call this wisdom, a prudential way, we must be careful and wise to foresee inconveniences that may follow. But what if God give it another name? God may give it a name of base temporising, a name of folly and wickedness: to subject Religion to policy it is shameful, because it abaseth that which is the great honour of any Country, it makes it an underling: what is the excellency of man but Religion? what is the excellency of a Country but Religion? and what hath England been glorious for more than for Religion? Now to put the excellency of a thing under any inferior, this is shameful, to put the Crown that is for the head under ones foot is a dishonour to it: although a thing hath in itself but little excellency, if it be brought beneath itself under other things that have not so great an excellency in them, it makes it vile. And shameful also it is because it holdeth forth this, that we dare not trust God for our civil estate and for our peace, therefore Religion must come under. Shameful it is again because it is gross folly, for there is no such way to breed disturbance in a politic state, no such way to undo a State, as to make Religion an underling to policy. Was it not so here? That very way that they took to uphold their policy was the way to destroy their State, & did destroy it at last, even their corrupting of God's worship. What cause had they then to be ashamed of this, that God should take that which they thought to help themselves by, and make that the very thing that should cause their ruin? And certainly it will be so, they that are of the deepest and politikest ferches and reaches, if they think to secure themselves and preserve their peace, out of that principle, so as Religion must come under, and must be serviceable, it will appear at last they do shamefully, God will make them ashamed of it one way or other, it will be the only way to undo themselves and us. I confess in matters of Religion there are some commands that are affirmitive precepts: These though they do ligare semper, yet not add semper, there is not a necessity that at every time and instant they should be urged, so that it may be that a people may be in such a frame that men cannot but by degrees bring in a reformation to the height of it, and then it is not carnal policy to bring in such ways of God gradually, as are commanded by affirmitive precepts; but negative precepts bind semper and adsemper, and the State must look to that, that they do nothing against Christ out of policy that they do not hinder by any positive Law the way of Christ, for though Christ may be willing to forbear some Ordinances for a time, and he doth it out of mercy to a people, he saith he will have mercy and not sacrifice, but Christ will never bear that there should be any thing done against him in that time. If they should out of any State policy to preserve peace, or to gratify an evil party, sacrifice any part of Religion, or any godly person, this will prove a shameful thing, Christ accounts it so, and whosoever doth so will be ashamed of it at the last. Now my brethren, why should not God be trusted? let us look at Religion in the first place, and so pray we that those who are our reformers who have power in their hands may never prove to be guilty of this shameful way of putting Religion under policy. I will give you a notable example in Scripture about it. It is Josh. 5. When Joshua had brought the people of Israel over Jordan (that you know was the very beginning of their entrance into Canaan) now as soon as they were brought unto the borders of the Land, they were to encounter with all their enemies, and you may imagine that when Joshua had passed the river the, people might think that all the Country would be about their ears, one would think then that policy would have taught them to lay aside all thoughts of Religion, and to look to their enemies that were at hand, if ever they were outrageous they would be then, and therefore now let us mind nothing but arming ourselves against them: But mark now God goeth another way to work, as soon as they were gone over Jordan, and were upon the borders of the Land of Canaan, they must go and circumcise themselves, and you know when they were circumcised they were sore that they could not fight. Simeon and Levi destroyed a whole City when they were circumcised, they were not then in a posture of fight or defending themselves, but lay at the mercy of their enemies. But this was God's wisdom. Nay further, they must go and keep the passover too, they must mind and tend Religion: And mark you shall find in the latter end of the Chapter, that after they had been circumcised & kept the Passeover, then appeareth one to joshua with a drawn sword, and saith he, I am the Captain of the Lords Hosts. Then the Captain of the Lords Host appeareth to fight for them when they had once obeyed; whereas had they neglected Circumcision and the Passeover, & thought of fight only, they, might have miss of the Captain of the Lords Hosts to have fought for them, and what would have become of them then? So you see God would have us mind Religion in the most dangerous times, and though we think we must mind our peace and safety, and lay our hands upon our swords ●or our defence, yet let us be careful of our Religion, and then we shall have a Captain of the Lords host come and fight for us. Mark 8. 15. we are charged to take heed of two sorts of leaven, The leaven of the Scribes and pharisees, and the leaven of Herod. The leaven of the Scribes and pharisees is corruption in Church affairs, the leaven of Herod is corruption in Religion too, but in order of the Commonwealth, in bringing under things of God to the affairs of the State, for in this Herod was like Jeroboam, he was afraid of his kingdom as jeroboam was, he had many ways and plots to keep himself in that kingdom as jeroboam had, and many did cleave to Herod in his plots, as Israel clavae to jeroboam in his, therefore saith Christ, take heed not only of the leaven of the Scribes and pharisees but of the leaven of Herod. And it may be the Lord saw us to prone of sinful compliances, even ready to have sacrificed much of his worship and many of his Saints for the obtaining peace in the State, Lect. 4. and so to have fallen off from that reformation that both God and his people expected, hence he hath taken the work into his own hands, he will bring about his own work, though it may cost us dear, who knows how much blood? The Fourth Lecture. HOSEA 2. 5. She that conceived them hath done shamefully; for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread, and my water, my wool, and my flax, mine oil and my drink. GOds threats against Israel to make her as a wilderness and as a dry land, to slay her with thirst, in the 3. verse, to show no mercy to her children, in the 4. ver. The reason because her mother had played the harlot, in the beginning of this 5. ver. we finished the last day. Only in a word to give you one note from that title of Mother here, that we observed not before. The Community of the Church and civil State is called Mother, in way of distinction from private people, and private people are as the children of that Mother, so we opened it in the second ver. The Observation is, The Community of a State and Church should be to particular persons as a Mother. Obs. They should have the affection of children to it, they should take much to heart those things that concern it, the sufferings of State or Church should be the sufferings of all particulars. There are children of Belial that are risen up among us, Every one should have such an affection towards th● Church and State as children towards the mother that are even taring the bowels of our Mother, a viperous generation that seek to eat out the bowels of her Mother, let our hearts break for this, as Psal. 35. 14. I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his Mother. Let not us lift up our heads and be jolly now, but for the present bow down heavily as those that are called (though in some respects to rejoice,) yet in many others to mourn this day for our Mother. Yea let our hearts rise against these vile monsters that join with a Malignant party to bring such woeful confusion and trouble even to our Mother. We may say to them justly as Saul said unto jonathan passionately, You children of the rebellious and perverse, why have you chosen to join with them for the confusion of your Mother's nakedness. Let us do what we can to help. Shall we see her bowels torn and not stir at all? She calleth now to us to come and help her, and let us know that if it go ill with her, it cannot go well with us. If the Mother's breast through some incurable disease must be cut off, the tender Father takes away the children and will not suffer them to behold the torture of their Mother; Who knows but that this hath been God's end in taking away his dear children in former times, because he would not have their tender hearts to see so much sorrow and evil as should befall their Mother? And what God hath reserved us to see in the sufferings of our Mother we do not know. Howsoever let not her suffer by us, let not her suffer for want of our help, let not her suffer without us, let not us be so unnatural as to be every one shifting for himself, for the private and particular, neglecting the public, the community, neglecting our Mother that should be as dear to us as the bowels out of which we came. She hath done shamefully. We should have the affections of children to her though she hath done shamefully. But further, Here you have the amplification of her whoredoms, she hath played the harlot, and so played as she hath done shamefully: The latter end of the verse is by way of probation of this amplification, for how doth it appear she hath done shamefully? for she hath said, I will go after my lovers, etc. For the first then, this amplification of her whoredom, her whoredom is such as is shameful, Hence first observe. That sin, Obser. but especially whoredom is a shameful thing. Pro. 13. 5. A wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame: Pro. 14. 34. Sin is a reproach to a nation, or to any people; Sin of its own nature let it be what it will be, it is shameful: Much more than whoredom, to play the harlot, for all sin doth drown a man, it brings him beneath the excellency of a man, it is contrary to the image of God in man, to that wherein true honour, beauty, glory doth consist. It makes men vile. I will give you but one Text for it, Dan, 11. 21. And there shall arise a vile person. Who was that? It was according to interpreters, Antiochus Epiphanes, the great King of Assyria, and yet a vile person. Josephus tells us that the Samaritans when they were in danger of suffering from him because he thought them to be Jews, they wrote to him in this manner. To Antiochus the mighty God; and his very Epithet, Epiphanes, is as much in our English as Illustrious, Antiochus the Illustrious, the famous, bright in his glory: He that was so illustrious and so great a Prince, that was written unto as the mighty God, yet in the Scripture language being wicked he is a vile person. It is a special note of one that is fit to dwell in God's Mountain, Sin causeth shame. of one that is a Saint, Psal. 15. 4. to be able to see the vileness of sin through all the glory of the world, in whose eyes a vile person is contemned. Sin is a shame because it deceiveth a man, The way of the wicked shall deceive him, What profit have you now of those things where of you are ashamed? It is a good sign of grace to be able to see into the deceits of sin, so as to be ashamed of it. But though all sin be shameful, yet whoredom especially, and that either bodily or spiritual. First bodily, the expression of shamefulness though especially it aimeth at their Idolatry, yet it hath its rise from bobily whoredom, if that were not shameful, the expression could not be full; that she had played the harlot, and done shamefully, Pro. 6. 32. Whoso committeth adultery with a woman, lacketh understanding, he that doth it destroyeth his own soul; a wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away. It makes one to be as one of the fools in Israel. And I (saith Tamer when Amnon defiled her) whether shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. 2 Sam. 13. 13. Amnon though a King's son, though a brave gallant, yet by his uncleanness he makes himself as one of the fools in Israel, Deut. 23. 18. Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, nor the price of a dog into the house of the Lord; they are joined both together, for Scripture language makes those to be dogs who are unclean and filthy. When Ishbosheth charged Abner with the sin of uncleanness, 2 Sam. 3. 8. Am I a dog's head, saith he, that thou chargest me with a fault concerning this woman? Many Adulterers go very fine and spruce, many young wantoness are bravely dressed, but in Gods esteem they are as dogs through their uncleanness. It is not a harsher title than the spirit of God gives them. I have read of a people amongst the heathen that condemned this sin with death, and with a shameful death according to the nature of the sin, the death was this, they would have the adulterers or adulteresses head to be put into the paunch of a beast, where lay all the filth and uncleanness of it, and there to be stifled to death, a punishment fit for so filthy a sin. And as this sin is ever shameful, so especially the more lovely any yoke fellow is that is forsaken, and the more vile and fowl the whore is, so much the more shameful is the sin: Athenaeus brings in Plato, bewailing himself in his own condition, that he was taken so much with a filthy whore. It is more shameful for Christians then for heathens, because they know that the covenant of marriage is the covenant of God, as Pro. 2. 17. But further, corruption in God's worship is most shameful, for that is aimed at especially here. The shamefulness of corrupting the worship of God is expressed in that most famous Text we have for this purpose. Exod. 32. 25. Aaron made the people naked unto their shame, how was that, but by false worship though it was of the true God? In false worship, there is shame because in that a man subjects his conscience to vile things. Conscience that is not to be subject to any creature, only unto God himself is here made subject to low and vile things. Indeed it is not shameful to subject our consciences to God in the use of creatures though never so mean appointed by himself, but those that do subject unto creatures in ways of false worship not appointed by God, subject not their consciences to God but unto those creatures, and that is shameful. In false worship though there may seem to be a great deal of humility, yet there is notorious pride and presumption, False worship 〈◊〉 shameful thing. and therefore much shame. For a creature to take upon him by his own fancy and conceit to raise up creatures higher than ever God hath raised them, to put higher respects upon creatures then ever God hath done, this is boldness and presumption, yea to presume so far as by his own fancy and conceit, to raise up the creature so high as that God himself according to the humours of men must come to be nearer men, and to be more present with these creatures then otherwise he would. Thus men presume to bring God to be under their fancies, and is not this shameful. Further it is extreme folly, for we contradict ourselves when we think to honour God and yet go against him, when we put high esteem upon such things as are abominable and detestable. Mark that excellent Scripture for this, jerem. 44. 4. I sent unto you all my servants the Prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, O do not this abominable thing that I hate. Mark, God cryeth out with a kind of shrieke, all my servants the Prophets I sent, saying, O do not this abominable thing; It is a delightful thing 〈◊〉 your eyes, but abominable in Gods. And Ezek. 22. 3. they are called by a word that signifieth the very excrements that come out of a man they glory in them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he saith, they defile themselves by them. When God opens their eyes they will see false worship a shameful thing, and when they do so, God will show them the Excellency of his own. You have an excellent Scripture for this, Ezek. 43. 10. 11. Son of man show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities, and if that they be ashamed of all that they have done, that is, of all their false worship, what then? Then show them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the Laws thereof, and all the Ordinances thereof, and write it in their sight that they may keep the whole for me thereof, and all the ordinances thereof and do them. Mark my brethren, you see how God standeth much upon forms, all the forms thereof, and the form thereof: Let not us slightly account of any thing in God's worship, of circumstances for God standeth much upon his own form in his own worship. Many who have no Religion but a form, yet neglect God's form. Men love to stand much upon their own forms, let them know God stands much upon his forms, and it is no hindrance but a furtherance to the power of Religion to keep close to God's form, and if we would come to know what are Gods Ordinances (we cry out, O that we could but know what is the right way) this is one way for you to know: First, be ashamed of what you have done, be ashamed of your former false worship, and then God will show you the Ordinances of his House, and the true beauty of his true worship: till than there are so many distinctions, and evasions, and objections that they never come to understand it: when God humbleth the heart, and makes ashamed of what hath been naught before, all the distinctions, and evasions, and objections vanish away as the mist before the sun. And the more excellent the Lord is, and those Ordinances are from which we do depart, the more shameful is that ●●lse worship that our hearts do decline unto. She hath done shamefully, why? she hath forsaken such a husband, she hath forsaken the Lord JESUS CHRIST who is so lovely, she hath forsaken the blessed Ordinances that God hath appointed, The more full of beauty God's Ordinances are, the more shameful it is to decline to waves of false worship. and turned herself to vanities of her own. Cant, 5. 16. Christ is there said to be altogether lovely, there is loulinesse enough in Christ to satisfy the soul for ever. And Ezek. 7. 20. As for the beauty of his ornament (speaking of God's Ordinances in his Temple) he set it in Majesty, but they made the images of their abominations, and of their detestable things therein. Oh how shameful was this! This showeth the shamefulness of it, because God set the beauty of his ornament in Majesty. The Ordinances of God that he appointed himself, they are God's ornament they are the beauty of his ornament, they are the beauty of his ornament set in Majesty; and shall these beautiful glorious things be forsaken, for vanities of our own inventions? This is shameful. She hath done shamefully for she hath said thus and thus; Here is employed, that the thing done was not only shameful, but that she was shameless in that she had done. She hath played the harlot, and done shamefully, for she hath said, etc. From hence the Observation is, Sin, Obser. especially whoredom either bodily or spiritual, being let alone to grow to a height, will grow to an impudency; those that continue in these, will grow not only to do shamefully, but to be shameless in their doings, jer. 6. 15. Were they ashamed they committed abomination? No, they were not all ashamed, neither could they blush. At first sin may seem to be a little shamefaced, but afterward it grows brazenfaced; modest a little at the first, but bold, and impudent, and daring afterward. True, indeed if men should be told beforehand what they would do afterward, they would be ready to say as Hazael to the Prophet, Am I a dead dog that I should do this? Their hearts would even shake at the thought of it: yet when sin hath hardened their hearts but a while, they will do it, and that with open face too. Whoredom you know at first, it is that that every man blusheth at, but within a while, unclean ones can make their boast of their filthiness, But especially spiritual whoredom, the corruption of God's worship at first may be a little modest, but see to what a height it grows if in time this be not prevented. I will give you a notable example of this, and that is of Solomon himself. At the first we shall find Solomon very modest in the matter of Idolatry. 2 Chron. 8. 11. the Text saith there, that he brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the City of David to the house he had built for her, for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David King of Israel, why? because the places are holy whereunto the Ark of the Lord hath come. Mark how careful Solomon was of any pollution, of any thing that had any seeming holiness in it; My wife shall not so much as dwell in the house of David, I have so much respect to the Ark of God, to the worship of God, to those places that are holy that my wife shall not so much as dwell there; But oh what did Solomon grow unto afterwards he suffered Idolatry most shamefully, as we shall find 1 King. 11. 5. there the Text saith, that he went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zid●nians, and after Mileom the abomination of the Amorites, and built a high place for Ch●mosh the abomination of Moa● in the hill that is before Jerusalem, just there he built it too, as if it had been in defiance to the Temple of God and his true worship, and that for Molech the abomination of the children of Amm●●; and thus he did saith the Text, ver. 8. for all his strange wives which burned incense, and sacrificed unto their gods. This shamefulness he was grown unto▪ And thus we see it in experience; how fair are men in their ways of superstition at first? At first it is only decency, that is all they plead for; well, afterward it riseth from decency to significancy, that is a little higher, to put them in mind. Thirdly, from significancy it riseth to efficacy, to stir up the dull mind of man: Fourthly, from efficacy, it riseth to necessity, that now it must be done, and the worship of God cannot be without it, and there shall be no ordinance, no administration at all without it. Decency, significancy, efficacy, and necessity, thus it riseth to be shameful at last. So amongst the Papists in their traditions, Omnes libros tam veteris tam novi testamenti nec non traditionis ipsas pari pietatis affect● ac reverentio suscipit ac veneratur Idem honor debetur imagini & exemplari. surely at first only they would come with this argument, What, will you not regard them as you would do other books and other Histories? they are the traditions of our forefathers; but at length they came to this, in the fourth Sexion of the Council of Trent, the Synod doth take & honour the books of the old and new Testament, and the traditions of the Fathers, with equals affection of piety and reverence as they do them. To this shamefulness they grew to at last. And so for worshipping of Images, why, it is it for the decency of Churches to have them, and they are but to put you in mind at the most; but at length they came to this, these are the very words, the same honour is due to the Image and to the Exemplar. Lastly, from this amplification that she hath done shamefully; When men do grow shameless, impudent in evil, there is little hope of them. I will have no mercy upon them, Why? For they have done thus, they are grown thus impudent. It is a good thing to keep the bridle of shame as long as we can upon our children and servants, and any of our inferiors▪ therefore take this one instruction with you, be not too ready to rebuke and chastise your servants, your children, in reproachful manner before others, left you bring them to that, that they shall see they have no honour to lose, and then there is little hope of them: Evermore keep such a hand over your children and servants as they may see they have some respect to lose, Governors and parents must take heed of putting their servants 〈◊〉 children to too much 〈◊〉. that they may not be so ashamed by you, as for them to think they cannot be worse, they cannot be more disgraced, there is no such way to bring them to grow desperate as that is. It is very great wisdom in Governors to keep the bridle of shame still, and not to let those reins go, and this is the reason that your Bridewell or Goale-birds seldom or never come to good, why? because they have no bridle to keep them in, they have lost all their honour and they can lose no more, and there is no rational creature but would have honour, there is not the meanest servant you have but hath a kind of respect to honour, and that will do more than blows except they be grown to be very beasts. But how doth he prove that it is shameful? Thus, For she hath said, I will go after my lovers that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flaze, mine oil and my drink. For she hath said: Hence first. Deliberate sins are most shameful sins. This is a proof of her shamefulness, because that which she hath done she hath done upon deliberation, Obser. she said she would do thus and thus, she considered before what she would do, and yet she would do it. Wickedness committed de industria, ex consilio, of purpose resolved upon, this is very shameful. Gal. 6. 1. It is said of Godly men that they may be overtaken with a fault: If a man be overtaken with a fault. It is one thing to be overtaken with a sin, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. and another thing to overtake a sin; a gracious heart may have sin overtake it, but it is a shameless heart that overtakes sin. Secondly, She hath said I will go. Whoredom either bodily or spiritual is usually very wilful: as if she had said, let all the Prophets say what they can, let them talk out their hearts, I will have my mind, I will follow my lovers still. Thus it is with bodily whoredom. Those who are guilty of this usually grow extreme wilful. Prov. 2. 19 None that go unto her return again; Obser. neither take they hold of the paths of life: It is a most dreadful Scripture against all adulerers & unclean ones, There is none, saith the Text, make it out how you will, there is none that go unto her return a-again; neither take they hold of the paths of life, those are the words of the Holy Ghost, I leave the words with you. So Pro. 23. 27. A whore is a deep ditch, and astrange woman is a narrow pit: they cannot easily get out, nor will they easily get out they are so▪ plunged in, 2 Pet. 2. 14. Eyes full of adultery that cannot cease to sin: why cannot they cease to sin? it is not because they have a heart but no power, but their wills is brought into that bondage and subjection that they cannot will otherwise: therefore Ezek. 47. 11. we find that though the waters of the Sanctuary were very healing, yet saith the Text, the miry places and the maershes were not healed, miry, filthy, unclean hearts are very seldom healed by the waters of the Sanctuary, Aelianus variar. history▪ I remember AElian reporteth that there was a whore that did boast that she could easily get scholars away from Socrates, but Socrates could get no scholar from her, none of her followers. It is true, that a whore is prevalent, and when she hath once gotten them it is almost impossible to get them away from her. Therefore that place Heb. 6. that speaks of that sin that is impossible to have repent anoe, Tertullian interprets it to be no other but the sin of uncleanness: The Author of this Epistle (saith he) knew no promise of second repentance to the adulterer and fornicator; that is his expression, showing how ordinarily those that are guilty of that sin and are given up to it, grow wilful in it: And therefore in Ephes. 4. 19, these two are put together, being past feeling, and having given themselves over to laciviousness and want oneness, wantoness usually grow past feeling. And for spiritual adultery, that usually is very wilful too, for those that are left by God to that way of false worship, Bodily and spiritual whoredom makes men very wilful in their uncleannesses. to Superstition and Idolatry, they seldom return again but grow exceeding wilful in that wickedness. You have a notable Text for that, Jer. 44. 16. 17. the people say there, The word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hear, but we well do whatsoever cometh out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven. We will go on in that way to burn Incense to the Queen of heaven talk as long as you will. And so you have it Jerem. 20. 10. Go (saith God) pass over the Isles of Chitrim, and see, and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see of there be such athing; Hath a nation changed their gods, which yet are no gods? Men are settled in the ways of Idolatry, and will never give over the worshipping of their gods; but you have forsaken me: therefore be astonished O ye heavens at this, and be ye horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the lord So Micah. 4. 5. All people will walk every one in the name of his god: Their hearts are set upon it, they will do it. Spiritual whoredom doth mightily besot the heart. I suppose you know the sixth, it is a very famous one, Esay 44. 19 20. None considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burnt part of i● in the fire, yea also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof, I have roasted flesh and eaten it, and shall I make the residue thereof an abominate? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? He feedeth on ashes, a seduced heart hath ●urned him aside that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand. And so Rev. 16. 11. where, those that were given up to Antichrist, though they were tormented, they blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains and their sores, and they repented not of their deeds. Thirdly, Obser. wilfulness in any sin, but especially in these sins, is a very great aggravation of it: I will have no mercy upon them, I will give them up, why? They have done shamefully, and they have said, I will go after my lovers. There are a great many who in their passion think it a brave spirit to say, I will, and I will, and I will, and I care not, say what you can, or whatsoever becometh of it I will do, or I will have this and this: Especially men in place and of estates are not able to endure the controlling of their will in any thing, and therefore when their wills are but crossed, they burst out into outrageous speeches, and fall a blaspheeming, and swearing, and saying they will have their wills, though it cost them their lives. Thus we find it in the people of Israel, 1 Sam. 8. 19, when Samuel from God came and told them in a long narration what hardship they should endure in having a King that was not them according to God's mind, they 〈◊〉 him all that he said, and they do not stand to answer any of samuel's arguments, but presently they break out into this resolution, Nay, but we will have a King. Those whom God leaveth to hardness of heart, and intendeth ruin to, he usually giveth them up to this wilfulness in their evil ways. The Scripture records Pharaoh for a famons example of one hardened and prepared for ruin. He was of a most wilful spirit. Exod. 15. 9 you shall find his wilfulness expressed four times there in that one verse, I will pursue, saith he; and then again, I will overtake, and thirdly, I will divide the spoil; and then fourthly, I will draw my sword: and there are two other expressions that come to the same effect, that are equivalent to the former even in the same verse, My lust shall be satisfied, my hand shall destroy them. Put all these six expressions that you have in that one verse, together, and where have you such an expression of a wilful creature as Pharaoh was? and what became of him you all know. Only one more example I find in Scripture paralleled to this, and that is the King of Babylon; Egypt and Babylon were two the most eminent for Idolatry and persecution of the Church that ever were in the world, and these are the two most famous examples for wilfulness that ever were, Esa. 14. 13, 14▪ you have in these two verses five times I will. 1. I will ascend into heaven. 2. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. 3. I will si● upon the mount. 4. I will ascend above the heights. 5. I will be like the most high. And what became of him afterwards you all know, yea the next wo●ds tell you, Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, etc. These two little words, [I] and [Will] do a great deal of misch●efe in the world. Luther I remember npon Psal. 127. saith, I am of that opinion, saith he, Ego in ea opinio●e sum, Monarchias long diutius dura●uras, s● Monarchae hoc unum pronomen Ego omisissens. Luther in Psal. 127. and verily persuaded, Monarchies would longer time by far endure, if those that are high Monarches and States would but omit this one Pronoun, I, this same Ego. It is true, in public ways they express themselves in the plural number, We, but private resolutions are in the singular number, I. This for that little word, I. The second is Will, I will, that is a little word too; But I may say of this little Will, this little word, as James saith concerning the Tongue, It is indeed a little member in the body, but it setteth the whole world on fire, and itself is set on fire of hell. So it is true that this same little Will it is but a little word, but it setteth whole Kingdoms on fire, it setteth whole Towns and Cities on fire, and it is itself s●ton fire of hell, Bernard hath an expression, Take away Will once, and there will be no hell. O the mischief that it doth in the world! I will only say these two things to those that keep such ado with these two little words, I, Will. First, That which thou dost so much pride thyself in, and thinkest thyself such a man that canst say, I will and I will, know, It may be as heavy a judgement of God upon thee as can befall thee in this world, for God to give thee up to thy will. Tolle voluntatem & non erit infernus▪ Bern. There is nothing wherein God doth more let out his wrath upon the children of men here in this world, then in this, in giving them up to their will. Therefore tremble at this when thou hast so many expressions, I will and I will do this. I will give you a Scripture or two for it, suitable to the business: showing the wilfulness of those that had their will in ways of false worship, perhaps some of you may be set upon this, that you will have this, and let men say what they can, you will have this used: The place is, Ezek. 20. 39 Go (saith God) serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not hearken unto me. Go, saith he, you will not hearken to me, you hear out of the word what should be the way of my worship in the purity of it, oh say you, that is novelty, a new thing, and you will not have it thus, It's a fearful judgement for a man to he given up to ones own will you answer not any arguments, but you cast it off, and say, you will not have it, well saith God, go and serve your idols, if you will not hear me, if you beset upon your will, go and serve your idols, and take your fill of your own ways. And Psal. 81. 11. My people would not hearken to my voice, Israel would have none of me, they were all upon their will, they would not, and they would not: Mark what followeth, so I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own counsels. You will have your own counsels, and your own will, and so God giveth you up to them, and then woe to you, you are undone. Secondly, you that are set upon your wills in that which is evil, know God is and will be as wilful toward you as you can be toward him. Mark that notable Text, Jer. 44. 25. that setteth out the notorious height of wickedness that was in the people of those times who were so wilful, You and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, & fulfilled with your hand that which is evil, you will not say only you will do it, but will do it indeed. Well saith God, you have done so, you have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hands, saying, We will surely perform the vows we have vowed, we have vowed it, and we will do it, we have vowed to burn incen use to the Queen of heaven, and to pour out drinke-offerings unto her; you will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows; you will go on in your false ways of worship; mark what followeth in vers. 26. Therefore hear ye the word of the Lord, I have sworn saith the Lord, you have vowed, and I have sworn, I have sworn by my great Name, that my Name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah, in all the land of Egypt: and vers. 27. Behold, saith God, I will watch over you for evil, and not for good, and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be confirmed by the sword and by the famine until there be an end of them. God will be as resolute as you for your hearts, as the stoutest sinner that liveth: you will, and God will, who shall have their will think you? Answer to this you stout hearted that are far from God, answer to this you stout children, and stout servants, and stout wives, you will and you will. A wilful man never wanteth woe. If you will be resolute in any thing, my brethren, be resolute in that which is good, be resolute in the work of repentance: say with David, Psal. 32. I will confess my sins, indeed I had many thoughts to come and shame myself, and open all unto God, but I could not get it off, at length I grew resolute, and said I will and I have sworn to keep thy righteous Precepts; and as they Mic. 4. we will walk in the name of the Lord our God; and as Joshua, I and my Louse will serve the Lord, do you what you will, we are resolute that we will serve the Lord. This is a blessed wilfulness indeed. Oh that 〈◊〉 ●outnesse and wilfulness of many people might be turned to this resolution for God and for his truth! especially carry this note home with you, you that have had such often expressions of your will, you will and you will, and turn it unto the willing of that which is good, I will follow my lovers, says the Apostate, from God; I will follow my Beloved, who is altogether lovely, let every gracious soul say. Fourthly, For she said: She professed what she would do. Professed sins are shameful sins. It is an evil for sin to lie lurking in any one's heart, but for sin to break out into open profession, this certainly is a great evil: This is to prove that she had done shamefully, Professed wickedness is shameful wickedness. because she said she would do so and so. There is a great deceit in the hearts of many men, they are ready to say, I were as good say so as think so, I say so, and perhaps others think so, it were as good for me to speak it as to keep it in my heart. My brethren there are two deceits in this kind of speaking. First you suppose that when you speak so, that therefore it is not in your heart, and you make this comparison of what is in other men's hearts, and in your mouths, as if the evil were in your mouths only, and in their hearts only, as if the comparison lay thus, they think and do not speak, and you speak and do not think. Here is the deceit, for if you speak you have it in your hearts too, you both speak and think, for so the Scripture telleth us, that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh; if you speak maliciously you have a malicious heart, if you speak uncleanly, you have an unclean heart, if oaths be in your mouths, you have a profane heart. Secondly, here lieth the deceit, as if you should have less in your heart because you vent it; as your passionate people will say, I were as good vent my mind and then I shall be quiet. Thou deceivest thyself; the venting of the corruption that lieth in thy heart will never lessen it but increase it. It is not with the corruption of our hearts, as it is with liquor in a vessel, that the more is let out the less is within it; but as it is with a fire in a house, that when it is kindled within and burstech out, there is not less within because it bursteth out, no, the more it bursteth out and flames, the more still b●rneth within: and as it is with water in a fountain, when it bursteth out of the fountain, there is never a whit the less water in the fountain, it may rather have the less by stopping, and fire may be lessened by smothering. Know therefore that professed wickedness it is aggravated wickedness. It is true, secret sins may be more dangerous in regard of the cure, but they are more abominable to God in regard of the open dishonour that is done to him by them. The aggravation of the blood that was shed by the people, that God speaks of, Ezek. 24. 7. it is set out thus, The blood that was shed, saith the text, it was not poured upon the ground to cover it with dust, that it might not cause fury to come up to take vengeance, you did not conceal the blood, you did not cover it, but set it upon the top of a rock; what then? Not being co vere●, but being professed and led open, this did cause fury to come up with vengea●●● against them, God's anger would have been against them if they had shed blood though they had covered it; but to shed blood & not to cover it, it causeth the fury of the Lord to come with vengeance. So you know he saith in that place of Isa. Chap. 3. 9 They declared their sin as Sodom, and hid it not: Woe unto her soul, saith he, woe unto them when they shall presume to declare their sin as Sodom. And as I said before, God will be as wilful in punishing a sinner, as a sinner is wilful insinning; so here God will be as professed in plaguing, as thou shalt be professed in sinning for thy heart. That you shall see in that forenamed place of Ezek. they did not cover the blood, well mark it, saith the Text, I have set her blood upon the top of the rock that it should not be covered; Woe therefore to the bloody City, I will even make the pile for fire great, etc. I will be as professed in my plagues and punishments as you are professed in your sins. My brethren, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. if we will be professed in any thing, let us be professed in that which is good, let us do that as openly as we can, 2 Cor. 9 13. the text saith there that God is glorified for their professed subjection to the Gospel, for their subjection of profession, so the words are. It is not enough for to subject to the Gospel, but there must be a professed subjection to it: therefore Rom. 10. 10. Confession with the mouth is there made as necessary to salvation as believing with the heart, they are put together. There may be times that confession may be called for as well as believing, and as necessary to salvation. I remember I have read of one Gordius a martyr, who when his friends came to him, and would have him keep his heart to himself, & only with his mouth to deny what in his heart he believed was true, Oh no saith he, Adaras jovis aut Veneris adorare ac sub A●tichristo fidem occul tore. Zuin. ep. 3. it is fit for my mouth that was made for God should speak for God: And Zwinglius is of the opinion that we may even as well worship the Altar of Jupiter or Venus as hide our faith and profession when we live vuder Antichrist, such a speech he hath. The way to honour Religion & bring it into credit, it is for those that are godly to profess what they do. I knew once one that was noble both in birth and grace, and having to do oftentimes with those of his rank, greatones, that would be scorning at Religion under the name of putirrnisme, he would usually take this course, when he was to come into such company he would begin himself & own himself to be one of those that they called a Puritan, and so he prevented them, and by that means prevented much sin in them, and much scorn of Religion by thus owning of it. It is certain, that the best way for the honouring of Religion it for every one to own it, though there be ignominous terms put upon it. If ever we were called to profession of what we do believe, we are now called to it in these days. Certainly God professeth for us, God doth not only respect us, but he doth professedly, he doth it openly, in the eyes before the faces of our adversaries. Let us not only have God in our hearts, but profess his name openly before the faces of our adversaries. It is time now to do it. It is not enough to have goodness at the heart, but we must profess it. It had beenewell if. you had professed heretofore when God's truth called for it. It may be many of you may be found to be guilty in betraying the truth of God for professing no sooner than you did, but however betray it not now for want of profession, be willing now to profess of what party you are, that as we read of Jonah Chapter 9 when he was in the storm, and the mariners awaking he saith unto them, I am an Hebrew that fear the God of heaven, which made the sea and the dry land, and so he goeth on in making an open profession of himself. My brethren, if we be not in a present storm, yet the clouds grow black, therefore awake you sluggards, you that are secure awake out of your security, and now profess what you are, I am an Hebrew that fear God, whatsoever they talk of such and such men under such ignominious terms and titles, I am one of them, and I am willing to appear so. Many times you will be like Nichodemus you will come to JESUS by night, you are afraid to be seen: You would give in money to the Parliament, and help to forward that work God hath in hand, but only you are afraid to be seen. I know there may be possibly some occasion to keep some men in from appearing, but not many, the cases are very rare; Ordinarily, certainly it is not enough to do it, but to do it professedly, let it be declared who you are, and what side you take, She said I will go after my lovers. If you say we live in wicked and evil times, it is dangerous to appear, I may not only keep my heart right, but I will do as much as another, but why should I appear? The worse the times are, Ans. 1. the more thou shouldest appear. Mark. 8. 38 Whosoever shall be ashamed of me in this adulterous generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with his holy Angels, If the generation were holy, it were nothing to appear, not to be ashamed or afraid; but we must not be either ashamed or afraid in the midst of an adulterous generation. 2. Why should wickedness have this advantage, that it dares appear, but godliness dares not? 3. If all should reason as you do, what would become of the Cause? why should others venture themselves more than you? What is your flesh, your estate, your liberty more than theirs? 4. You must appear for examples sake, to provoke others. This is a duty as well as any. 5. If the adversaries prevail, they will find you out, except you mean to give up your consciences to them, and then you will escape no more than others; to be sure you will not have so much peace as others who have most appeared. Fifthly, I will follow after my lovers, Who are they? Either first they who they were in association withal, as the Egyptians and the Assyrians, (and so I find some Interpreters carry it) or theft Idols, and that is especially aimed at, but the the other may bear an Observation, and perhaps both may be included. It is a dangerous thing, very sinful and vile for the people of God to join in aff●●ciation with Foreigners that are of a different Religion, Association with those of a different Religion is dangerous. to think to have help from them. The people of God, Jer. 42. were set upon this, to have their association with Egypt, and they could not be brought from it; and if you read that Story, it will appear to be very vile and dangerous; they seemed to yield unto God, that they would do what he would have them, and they would not go into Egypt if he forbade it; but in Chap. 43. when jeremiah had told them the mind of God, that they should continue in the land of judah, and not go down into Egypt, Then spoke Azariah, and Johanan, and all the proud men, saying unto seremiah, Thou speakest falsely, the Lord hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there. They are loath to break off their association with Egypt. I remember Gualther in his Comment upon Hosea, though not upon this Text, telleth a story of the Grecian Churches, that in the year 1438. because they were afraid of the Turks breaking in upon them, they sent to the Bishop of Rome, that they would be under his subjection, merely that they might have the help of the Latin Churches to keep them from the rage and tyranny of their adversaries; but within a few years they were destroyed, Constantinople and the Empire were subdued, so as Heathenism and Atheism prevailed, and this is the fruit saith he of seeking the association of others in a sinful way. But because this is not the chi●● thing that is aimed at we pass it by. She said she would go after her Lovers, Obser. that is, her Idols. What those were we shall see by and by. Idolaters use to keep good thoughts of their Idols. They call them their Lovers, they look upon their Idols as those that love them; and hence they used to call them Baalim, from Baal, a husband. So it should be the care of the Saints, evermore to keep good thoughts of God, to look upon God as their Lover, as one that tendereth their good. Idolaters do so to their Idols, shall not the Saints do so to the true God? My brethren, let us not be ready to entertain hard thoughts of God, it is a dangerous thing. God's great care is to manifest to us, and to all the world that he loveth us, and he hath done much to manifest to us here in England, We must keep good thoughts of God. and to our brethren of Scotland, that he loveth us and them. In Revel. 3. 9 the Text saith of the Church of Philadelphia, that God loved them. Forty years ago Master Brightman interpreted that Text of the Church of Scotland; Philadelphia signifieth as much as brotherly love: You know how they are joined in Covenant one with another, and we see that those that said they were jews, they were the Church, the Church, but proved themselves to be of the Synagogue of Satan, are forced to bow before them; and if they were not mad with malice, they must needs acknowledge that God hath loved that Church. And since God hath done great things for us, to manifest that he is the lover of England, let us then keep good thoughts of God. Seventhly, Idolaters highly prise the love of their Idols. They do not only maintain good thoughts of their Idols, or think that their Idols are their lovers, Obser. but they set a price upon them, they said I will follow my lovers, I must make account of their love, they must do me good for aught I know more than any thing you speak of. It is true both of bodily whoredom and spiritual whoredom, I will only make use of one Scripture to daunt the heart of whoremasters and unclean wretches that so much prise the love of their whores and whoremasters. You prise their love, but what get you by it? you get God's hatred by it. You rejoice that you have the love of your whores, and upon that God hateth and abhorreth you. Mark that good you will say. Thus, Pro. 22. 14. The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pi●, he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein. What get you by this? your whores embrace you, and God abhors you. If there be any whoremaster, any unclean wretch in this Congregation, either thou art an Atheist or this text must strike thee at thy heart. Art thou in that way and yet not repenting, thou art the man that this day God tells thee to thy face, that he abhors thee. But how then should we prise the love of JESUS CHRIST our husband? Cant. 1. 4. The remembrance of thy love is better than wine. The Church prizeth the love of JESUS CHRIST more than men in the world prise their delight in wine. If we prise Christ's love, he will prise ours. And my brethren do you prise Christ's love, and Christ will prise yours, and that is observable, according to the degree and way of your prising Christ's love, so Christ will prise your love. Cant. 4 18. you have there the same expression of Christ's love to his Church, answerable to what hers was before, Thy love is better than wine saith the Church to Christ, How much better is thy love then wine? saith Christ to the Church: Eightly, I will follow my lovers. In bodily and spiritual whoredom there is a following hard after those things they commit whoredom withal. Obser. I will follow them and not only say they are my lovers, but I will express it by following of them. The heart of whoremasters and Idolaters do follow hard after their uncleanness in bodily and spiritual filthiness. First for bodily filthiness, observe whoremasters how they follow their lovers, Josephus in his Antiquities tells us this strange story of one Decius Mundus, that offered to give so many hundred thousand Drachmies, that came to six thousand pound English money to satisfy his lust one night with a whore, yet could not obtain his desire neither. Will not you be content now who have been guilty of spending a great part of your estate, in a way of uncleanness, now to do as much for Religion, for God, and Christ, and his Kingdom, as ever you have done for your whores? If there should be any in this place that have been profuse for their uncleanness, and yet now are straight handed in these public affairs, such as these are fitter to be taken out of Christian congregations, and to be shut up in slies. For spiritual whoredom, I shall show you how superstitious and Idolatrous people as they prise their idols, so they follow hard after their lovers. You know that story of the children of Israel when the Calf was to be set up, upon proclamation all the men and women took off their earrings and their jewels, and brought them to Aaron to make the Calf. What a shame will it be to us if we should keep our earrings, and our jewels, and things perhaps that have not seen the sun a great while, that we should keep them now when God calleth for them! Let women do that for God & his truth, for your own liberties & posterities that they did for their Idols. Though you have care-rings, and jewels, and rings that you prise much, yet let them be given up to this public cause. And it were a shame that gold-rings should be kept merely to adorn the fingers when the Church and State is in such necessity as it is. Away with your niceties now and your fineness and bravery, and look to necessities, and to the preservation of the lives and liberties both of yourselves and your children, If you should see a malignant party come with their spheres and pikes, and your children sprawling upon the tops of them, and their blood gushing out, what would your gold-rings, what would all your niceties and braver do you good? I will give you for this (because it is a point of such concernment) four notable expressions in Scripture about Idolaters eagerness and earnestness of spirit in following after their Idols. The first is Isa, 57 5. The Text saith there, that they were inflamed after their Idols, they were on fire after them. The second is, Jer. 50. 38. They were mad upon their Idols. Thirdly, You have a text more suitable to that I am speaking of; It is Isa 46. 6. it is said there, that they did lavish gold out of the bagga. They did not only give their gold rings that were of no use, and part with that which they could well spare, but they did lavish gold that was in the bag: they would not only bring some of it, but they did lavish it, for so the word is; and they lavished not their silver but their gold, and that not a piece or two out of a paper, but out of the bag, they brought their bags of gold, and did lavish gold out of them, and this they did for their Idols, Oh what a shame is it then that any should be penurious, and not come off full in the public cause of the Church and Commonwealth? The fourth Text is Jerem. 8. 2. and there we have five expressions together of the pursuance of the heart of Idolaters after their Idols, the like we have not in all the book of God in one verse. Speaking of their Idols. First he saith, whom they have loved. Secondly, whom they have served. Thirdly, after whom they have walked. Fourthly, whom they have sought. And Fifthly, whom they have worshipped: and all this in this one verse, O how are the hearts of people set upon the ways of Idolatry! I remember Cambden reports of a King of England, Canutus, that spent as much upon one cross, a● the revenues of the Crown came unto in a whole year, he was so profuse in charges about his superstitious vanities. Master Calvin in a Sermon of his upon that Text seek ye my face, hath this expression. Foolish Idolaters when they endure much in their pilgrimages spend their money, waste their bodies, and abused in their travail, yet they go on, and think all sufficiently recompensed, if they may see and worship some Image of a Saint or holy relic: Shall the beholding, saith he, some dead carrion or apish Idol have more power to strengthen them then the face of God in his ordinances shall have to strengthen us? My lovers that gave me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. What were these Idols? The Idol that gave their bread was Ceres, she was the goddess that the Heathens did worship for corn. For their water, Luna, the Moon was the Idol they worshipped for their drink, and all moist things. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. For their wool and flax Ashtaroth was their god: And for their oil Fryapus. The seventy translate that which we say here wool, clothes; and that which we say flax, they linen; and they likewise for the fuller expression add a word or two more, and all other necessary things. So they, though their Idols gave them all, flax, and wool, and hemp and all things. Observe from hence. Idolaters have a great many idols to supply their several wants. Obser. My lovers, in the plural number. The idols of the Heathen do not supply all good, but one one thing, and another another thing. And that is the difference between the true God and Idols. The excellency of the true God is, that he is an universal good, we have all good, flax, and oil, and bread, and wine, and all in one, in our God, in our lover. And that is the reason that God challengeth the whole heart. Idols are content with a partial obedience, because they are but partial in bestowing of good things, but God justly requires the whole heart of his worshippers, because he is an universal good to them. My Lovers that gave me my bread, etc. Mark, The end that Idolaters ay me at in their worship is very low. They follow their lovers and are very earnest, for what I pray? for their wool, and their flax, and their bread, and their water, their oil and their drink. These are the things they aim at; they desire no more, they look no higher, may their flesh be satisfied, give them but-liberty to sport on the Lord's day, to have their feasts, their wakes, merry meetings and they care for no more. Their spirits are vile, and accordingly is their worship. Therefore their worship is external, it is bodily, because their aims are at external and bodily things. As a man's end is, so is a man, either base or honourable. There are many men that cry out as if they aimed at God and Religion in many things they do, they make a noise about Religion, and God, and Christ, and his Ordinances, and the public good, but the truth is, their aims are at gain and credit, and at their wool and their flax, and herein they show the baseness of their spirits, like the lapwings that make a loud cry, as if they were come near their nests, when their nests are somewhere else. The ennes of false worshippers are very low and mean. Whatever their cry be for God and the public good, but if you mark them, their nest is in their wool, in their flax, in their profit in their honour and preferment, in these outward things. But the end of the true worshippers of God is a great deal higher, they soar aloft, there is a spiritual height of soul whereby they are raised upwards by the grace of God. A godly man's feet are where a wicked man's head is, that which he accounteth his chief good, a godly man can trample under his feet. He looks at God himself, at his service, he worshippeth the high God: he is a child of Abraham, not Abraham but Abraham, what is the signification of that? Pater excelsus; A true child of Abraham hath a high spirit. a high Father, for he is the father of children of high spirits, not only of Children that are believers, but of those that have high & raised spirits, so Abraham signifieth a high father. Cleopatra told Marcus Antonius, that he was not to fish and angle for gudgeons and trout, but for Castles, & Forts, and Towns; so I may say of a Christian, he doth not fish & angle, especially in matters of Religion, for wool, and flax, and oil, he hath no such low and base ends, but at God, and Christ, and heaven, and glory, and imortality, he looks there; he serves God not for these things, he desires these things, that by them he may be fitted more to serve God. One that hath been acquainted with the free grace of God in Christ will serve God for himself without indenting with him, he will be willing to go into God's Vineyard, and not indent for a penny a day. You that will indent with God in his service and will have your penny, you who have such low and mean spirits, God may give you your penny and there's an end of you. But further mark, Obs. there is another observation flows from hence. There ends are ●ow, they look no higher than corn, and flax, and wool, and oil. Men love that Religion that brings them most corn and wine, etc. Hence it follows, that that way of Religion that men can get most bread, and wool, and flax, and oil by, that is the way that most people will follow, because the hearts of most people are low and base, and they aim at no higher things. That way of Religion that most estate is got by, that can please the sense, that is the Religion that pleases most people. It is the speech of one Pamchtius an Heathen, Make me a Bishop, saith he, and though I be now a Heathen yet I will be a Christian as well as any other: Fac me pontificem et Christi anus ●ro. He saw in what pomp the Bishops lived, and by that he thought it was a fine thing to be a Christian. By outward pomp and glory Antichrist draweth many followers, they go where they can have most wool and flax, they can get most preferment that way. I remember a story I have read of AEneas Silvius, he observed the reason why the Pope prevailed against the Council, though it was a general council, which he said was above the Pope, though afterwards when he came to be Pope himself his mind was changed, but how came it to pass that the Pope always prevailed? this is the reason, saith he, the Pope hath a great many places of preferment and honour to give, the general council hath none, the general Council can inquire after the truth, and present the word, and can tell what is God's mind, but it hath no honour, no promotion, no preferment to give, therefore alas the general Council prevails little; the Pope getteth all, and all because he hath Bishoprics, Novi homin●m non ex una canoni catu nebilem commonstrantem digito delicatiorem penem & vin. m quod, prestan. i●simum erat oppositum haec in quit sunt quae faciunt ut hoc vitae genus dejerere non libeat. Triobojare Beneficium. and Cardinal's places, and livings, and great honours to bestow. Luther in his Comment upon Hosea, and upon this Text tells a notoble story of one that he knew that lived like a Noole man by his many Ecclesiastical preferments, who when he was at his table, and bread and wine was brought to the table, that was excellent bread and wine, he (pointing to it with his finger) said these are the things tha● make me that I cannot leave this kind of life, and so after he came to be a Bishop, who had several Canon-ships before. So certainly these are the arguments that prevail most in the world, arguments taken from bread, and flax, and wool and oil, are stronger arguments than any taken from the Scripture, than any thing taken from the honour of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, When men can come with Saul's arguments, 1 Sam. 22. 7. Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all Captains of thousands, and Captains of hundreds? what will you follow him? can he prefer-you? O no, he can do little for you; so I say when men come with this argument, you go along in this way, I pray what will this bring you in? what preferment will you get this way? you may get preferment in the other way, this draws, this prevails. It was a speech, not many years ago, in a public Commencement at Cambridge, made by the Vice-Chancelour, speaking to the young Scholars, wishing them to take heed of being Puritans, what can you get in that way saith he? you shall live poorly, perhaps you may have some three halfpenny benefice in following that way; but in the other way come to be children of the Church, and then you may be sure to have good benefices, you may come to be prebend's, to be Deans, to be Bishops: Thus he persuaded the young scholars to take heed of Puritanisme. There is a mighty strength in this Argument upon the hearts of most. Magis soliciti de meroquam de vero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magis amantm●n di deliti●s quam Christi divitias. Hence the poverty of Christ is great scandal and offence to most people, when they see that Religion will not bring them flax, and wool, and oil, but that they must live poorly, they scandalise at this exceedingly. It is reported in the story of Charles the great, that he having war with an heathen King, Aygolandus King of Africa, because this King would make peace with Charles, he made some profession as if he would be a Christian, and Charles was very glad of this, and got him to his Court to parley with him; being in his Court he saw 30. poor people that Charles fed, who were halt, and may med, and blind, and in a very poor garb, Charles the great did it on purpose, because he would have poverty before his eyes continually, that he might not be too high in, and proud of his prosperity. Now when Aygolandus saw them, who are these saith he? These saith Charles are the servants of God: nay then replied he, if your God will keep his servants no better, I will be none of his; I thought to be a Christian, and to serve your God, but seeing those that serve him have no better food nor no better raiment than these, I will be none of those servants. Thus it is with many, thought their consciences are convinced which is the best way, yet because of the want of flax, and wool, and oil, they will not come off. Further observe, It is a shameful thing for men to make Religion to be in subjection to their wool, Obser and corn, & oil. They have done shamefully in this. Many will do this, It is a shameful thing to subject Religion to corn, wine, and flax, and wool. but this is very shameful. Before I showed that it is shameful to subject Religion to politic affairs, to the public State of a Kingdom, but now to subject Religion to our own base sensualities, to our own particular ends, for profit and preferment, oh this is very shameful. Gain gotten this way, it is filthy lucre, as the Scripture saith of it, yet hujusmodi lucri dulcis odor, the smell of this gain is very sweet unto many. What, is thy Religion serviceable to gain, to a trade, to sensual lusts? what is this but to stop the holes of a mud wall with diamonds and precious pearls? That were a folly you will say, that because you have a hole to be stopped in a mud wall, to put in diamonds and pearls to stop it, and to make such precious things serviceable to such base ends, thou dost as much, thou wouldst have that which shall be a content to thy flesh, and thou wilt make Religion subject to that, thou art as base and vile in this. Religion my brethren is the glory of a man, the glory of a nation, and shall we turn this glory into shame? It is a base thing in Magistrates to subject the acts of justice to their base ends, for gain and profit; for a Judge, or a Justice of peace, or a Prelate to show most favour where there is most flax, and wool, and oil, where Butts, or rundlers' of Sack, or the like are to be got, this is baseness in them: But to subject Religion to such base ends as these, this is the villainy of all baseness. A generous spirit is far from this. It is observed of the generous spirit of Luther, that when a Papist was vexed at him for his preaching and writing, faith a Bishop, there is such a stir with this Luther, why do you not stop his mouth with preferment? As it hath been the speech of a Bishop here in this land, that hearing that a Kinsman of his was a zealous Preacher; ●erm●ns illa bestia non cura● aurum. well fall he, let me alone, I will silence him; and indeed he did, How? He gave him two livings, and that silenced him presently. So here, why do you not stop this Luther's mouth with preferment? He presently answered, That German beast cares not for money, he is above money. He called him beast in his anger, whereas he might have called him an Angel, because his spirit was above these things, his mouth would not be stopped with them. Some men's lust of malice goes beyond their lust of covetousness, like those Cockatrices, Quasi vero deus nolit darelanem ecclesiae suae aut satius sit asathana pe●era. Jer. 8. 17. that will not be charmed, it is a shameful thing then that our zeal for God should not go beyond our lust for gain, to subject your Religion to flax, and wool, and oil, it cometh from a base diffidence in God, as if he would not provide for us such outward things, therefore Luther hath this expression in his Comment upon Hosea. They followed their idols for bread, and wool, and flax, and oil, as if God would not give bread to his Church, or as if it were more safe to go to the Devil for it, as if we could not have wool enough, and flax enough, and oil enough from God. Oh let us trust God for all, for our clothes, for our meat and drink, for our estates, for our children, God certainly will feed his Church. And yet those men that have hearts so base themselves, they think it impossible for any man but to be taken with such arguments: They may talk of Religion and conscience say they, but I will warrant you they may be taken off with money, and preferment, places of profit and honour. They think it impossible for men to stand against these arguments. It putteth me in mind of that speech that Balaak used to Balaam, Did not I earnestly send unto thee to call thee, wherefore camest thou not unto me? Am I not able to promote thee to honour? As if he should have said, Thou art a strange man indeed, did not I send thee word that I would promote thee to great honour, and give thee silver and gold, or whatsoever thou wouldst have? What will not preferment and money tempt you? I thought this would have tempted any man in the world. Thus many think that whatsoever men's Spirits are, they may be taken off with promotion and money: But let all such know that there are a generation of men in the world of true generous Spirits, that are above all these things, and take as much delight, and have as much sweetness in denying these places of honour and preferment, and gain, as those that offer them have in the enjoying of them. It was a notable speech Plynie had concerning Cato (It is in his Epistle Dedicatory to his natural History) speaking of what a notable spirit he was, Cato (saith he) took as much glory in those dignities and honours that he denied, as he did in those he did enjoy, Certainly it is so with the Saints, the true generous spirit of Christians take as much content in those places of preferment they deny for Christ, as in any gain they enjoy. There is no tempting of such men. Let us pray therefore for those that are entrusted by us, not only for civil things, but for matters of Religion, that temptations for bread, & corn, and wool, and flax, and wine, and oilemay never tempt them, that the preferment, and gain may never bias their spirits, may never sway them. These means have been assayed (certain it is) totempt some of them with, such ways have not been left untried by some, and have prevailed, but through God's mercy he hath preserved others, and he hath made the world to know that Christ hath a people to whom Religion and the public good is more dear than all the flax, and wool, and wine, and oil in the world, than all the estates, and high places, and great preferments that can be offered them. And now the Lord our God keep this in their and in our hearts for ever. The Fifth Lecture. HOSEA 2. 6. 7. Therefore behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and shall seek them, but shall not find them: them shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for than was it better with me then now. THe last day (you may remember) we spoke of that reason that God giveth in the former verse, why he would show Israel no mercy, because that she hath done shamefully, and said she would go after her lovers that gave her her bread and her water, her wool and her flax, her oil and her drink. There are yet one or two observations (that time would not give us leave to speak of the last day) in those words. I will only give you a hint of them, and pass suddenly to these two verses. The first is this, Obsre. Prosperity and success in an evil way is a great hardening of the hearts of men in their evil. I will follow after my lovers, for they give me bread, Prosperity in evil ways hardens. and water, and wool, and flax, and the like. I remember Eusebius reports that Maximilian the Emperor in an Edict of his against the Christian, crying out of Christian Religion as an execrable vanity, & seeking to confirm the Heathens in the worshipping of their idol gods. Behold saith he, how the earth bringeth forth fruit for the husbandman in abundance, how our meadows are adorned with flows and herbs, and moistened with the dews of heaven, what health we have, and what quiet and peaceable lives; and thus he goeth on in seeking to conform the hearts of Idolaters in their wicked ways. Prosperity in a wicked way is exceeding hardening. That story of Dyonisius is famously known, having committed sacrilege against their Idol-gods, robbing their Temples, yet his voyage being prospetous, after he had ended his journey, he boasted himself that though he did not worship the gods as others did, yet he prospered as much as they. In that year when those Innovasions in God's worship were principaly brought in amongst us, especially in that Diocese of Norwich, is proved to be a very fruitful year; and one Commissary among the rest in his Court, after the harvest was taken in, speaks to the Countrymen in this way, Do you not see how God prospereth us? What a plentiful harvest have we had this year? This is since you began to worship God with more decency than you we●● wont to do. Thus attributing all the goodness of God to that way. Let it be all our prayers, that God will never prosper us in asinfull way. Further, It is very observable how often this word My is iterated: Give me My bread, and My water, and My flax, and My oil, and My wool, nothing but My. We noted the last day, what hurt those little words, those particles [I] and [Will] do: Now we are to consider what evil there is in this particle [MY] Hence the observation is, Obs. That carnal heats look upon what they enjoy as their own, and think they may use it as their own; and especially such as are Idolaters. Though they will acknowledge that that they have cometh from the Idols, (as here they did, for they said their Lovers gave it them, yet when they had these things, they thought they might do with them what they would, than they were theirs, Mine, and mine, and all is mine. Thus it is usual for carnal spirits to acknowledge in the general that that they have cometh from God, but when they have it, than it is their own they think; they little think that God reserveth the propriety of what they have after he hath given it them. You mistake if you think that that is all the acknowledgement you owe to God for what you enjoy, that you had it from God; God reserveth propriety in all that he giveth, unto us. but you must acknowledge like wise that God reserveth his propriety after he hath given it you. God doth never give any thing in that way that one friend giveth to another; a friend may give you a gift, yet when you have it, it is your own, and you may use it as you please, your friend parteth with his own propriety. God never giveth any thing so, as to part with his own propriety; though he hath given it you, yet you cannot say it is Mine, in respect of God, it is still his. There is no such bond upon conscience as to use all the comforts we have for God as this, & see that all comes from him in the way of a covenant of grace. I say this it is that will lay a bond upon conscience, to make use of your estates, and of all you enjoy for God, and not think to employ them for your own ends: It is not the slight acknowledgement that Idolaters have, that all comes from God, will do it; Carnal men look upon that they have, coming from God through second causes, and no further; but a Christian looks upon that which he hath as coming from God in a covenant of grace, and this engageth the heart strongly to use all for God, from whom all is received in such a way. Verse 6. Therefore behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths, etc. These two verses are the workings of God's bowels of mercy towards his Elect amongst Israel, in the midst of the most dreadful threatenings against her. They are as it were a Parenthesis of grace (in the Chapter) to the Elect, though mingled with some severity. They are indeed the Epitome of the whole Chapter, for I told you in the division of the Chapter at the beginning, that those were the two parts, declaring Israel's sin, with threatening judgement, and yet promising mercy unto the Elect, unto some amongst them. The first part is from the beginning to the 14. verse, the second from the 14. verse to the end; Only this 6. and 7. ver. cometh in the midst, as it were a parenthesis, and containeth the sum of all the other; for he was in a threatening way altogether in the 4. and 5. verses, and you shall find him in the 8. vers. and so on, going in a threatening way again: Only in this 6. and 7, verses is abundance of grace, though mixed with some severity, as you shall see in the opening of them. For the explication of the words. Therefore. This must have reference to somewhat before, and answereth to a Wherefore, Therefore, Wherefore? Because I have dealt with you by the way of my Prophets; in convincing, in admonishing, in threatening, and all this will not do, therefore I will deal with you in another way. Therefore behold.] That way of mine that I now speak of, it is a singular way, you shall find much of the grace of God in this way, a wonderful way that I will deal with you in now, Behold. I will hedge up thy way.] There is a twofold hedge that God makes about his people; There is the hedge of protection to keep evil from them, and there is the hedge of affliction to keep them from evil. First, the hedge of protection, that you have in Isa. 5. 5. where God threateneth that he will take away the hedge from his vineyard, he will take away his protection; and so it is said of Job, that God had hedged him about; but that is not the hedge here meant, it is the hedge of affliction. I will hedge up thy way, that is, I will bring fore and heavy afflictions upon you, but yet in a way of mercy, these afflictions shall be but as a hedge to keep you from evil, they shall not do evil to you, or bring evil upon you. I will hedge ●p thy way with thorns.] That is, I see you will be going on in these ways of Idolatry and false worship, I will make them difficult to you, you shall go through thorns; if you will go to your Idols, you shall not get to your Idols, but you shall be pricked. It is a Metaphor taken from a husbandman, who when the cattle will break over pastures, makes thick hedges that they shall not get over, they shall be pricked, it shall be with much trouble if they do go over. So I will deal with you saith God. Or when a husbandman seeth passengers make a path in his ground too broad, and so spoil the grass or the corn, he layeth thorns in the way that they cannot go into his corn; or if they do, they shall go with some trouble: so saith God, I will hedge up your way with thorns. And make a wall.] Maceriabo Maceriam, I will wall a wall, so the words are. It may be they will get through the thorns, but though they do get through I have another way to deal with them, I will come with stronger afflictions and they shall be of more power to keep them from their same, they shall be as a wall, and though they get through the thorns, they shall not get over the wall. That she shall not find her paths.] Mark the change of the person, that is observable, I will ●●dge up thy way, first, and then I will make a wall, and she shall not find her paths; the person is changed, and so we have it often in Scripture, that is to signify some kind of perturbation of spirit, that manner of speech is usual amongst men when their spirits are troubled, they speak sometimes in one person, sometimes in another: And indeed the Lord here speaks after the manner of men, as if his Spirit were troubled at the perverseness of his people. Besides the change of the person here is to express some indignation of God against their perverseness, therefore he speaks as if he would turn from them, and rather speak to some body else, as if he should say, I speak to these, yet they are stubborn and stout, well I will speak to all that are about them, to all the beholders, take notice of their stubborness, and perverseness, and judge between them and me. And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not over take them; and she shall seek them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vadam. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persequa. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but she shall not find them. In the 5. ver. it was but I will go after my lovers, Vadam, but here it is, she will follow, from that root which signifieth persequor, to follow with eagerness, it is not only sectari, but insectari, the word is the very same that is used for persecutors, who eagerly pursue those that they do persecute. Psal. 7. 5. David speaking of his enemies following of him, the same word is used that is here, save me, saith he, Lest the enemy persecute my soul, It is the same, and so the Seventy turn it. Yea, and beside the form of the word, it being (in Piel) that signifieth to do a thing auxiously, and diligently, carefully, whereas (in Cal.) it signifieth only a bare doing of a thing: but when it cometh into form, as those that are skilful in the Hebrew tongue know that signifieth to do a thing with care, that solicitiousnesse, and diligence, so therefore it is turned by Polanus, anxie prosecutus est, She hath prosecuted or followed with a great deal of care. So that this is more than the other, for it seems that after she had some affliction she grew worse for a while, and was more eager upon her Idols than she was before. But she shall not over take them. Though she be never so much set upon that way of evil, yet I will take a course to keep her from it, she shall not overtake them. Yea She shall seek them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S●udiose qua●rens● but shall not find them. The word signifieth to seek with a great deal of endeavour, not only to seek in ones thought and mind, but to go on to walk up and down that we may find it, is by the Seventy turned by divers words that signify a seeking more than ordinary. Summae conatuam. bulatione & pedibu●● But shall not find them. Let them be never so set upon their ways of Idolatry, yet I will keep them from them. Then shall she say, I will go, etc. This shall be the effect of it. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. One would think all this were nothing but threatening, oh no, it is mercy, for it is for this end, that she might at length say, I will go and return to my first husband, etc. You may take them in the meaning of these versus, and the scope of them in this short paraphrase: As if God should say, Oh you Israelites, all you have grievously sinned against me in forsaking me, and following of your lovers, sore and heavy evils are ready to befall you, even you my elect ones, upon whom my heart is for good, you have involved yourselves in the common guilt of this wickedness, therefore even you must expect to be involved in the common calamity that shall come upon the nation, and when you are under those calamities, know that I know how to make a difference between sinner and sinner, though guilty of the same sin, though under the same affliction, that what shall be for the destruction of some, shall be in mercy to others, it shall be but to hedge up your ways, to keep you from further sinning, to make your ways of sin difficult, that so your souls might be saved: and although your hearts will be a long time perverse, and will not come in and submit to me, yet I will so order things in the way of my providence, that at length I will so work upon your hearts, that you shall come in and return unto me, you shall bethink yourselves and remember what sweetness once you had in my ways, and you shall take shame to yourselves, and acknowledge that it was then far better with you than it is now, and so I will remain to be your God, and you shall give up yourselves to worship and serve me for ever. This is the meaning and scope of the words. Now then having the words thus opened and paraphrased, take the several observations, for they are exceeding full, and very sweet and suitable. First, Obser. from the general the observation is, Though such as are in covenant with God may for their sins be involved in the same judgement with others, yet God will make difference between them and others that are not in covenant with him: God will have other ends in his afflictions towards his people than he hath towards others, though the difference be not in the things that they suffer, Isa. 27. 4 yet the difference is very broad and wide in the ends for which they suffer. When the briars and thorns are set before God, it is that they may be destroyed, the fire of God's anger passeth through them to destroy them; but when God cometh to his people, though some anger be stirred up for a while, yet all the fruit thereof it is to take away their sin. ver. 9 See what difference God makes between some and some even under the same affliction, in that 24. of Jer. ver. 5. I do not know a more remarkable place in the Scripture for this purpose, saith God there, speaking of the basket of good figs, I will acknowledge them that are carried captive of judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. The difference of God's aims in afflicting his Saints from his aims in afflicting the wicked. Though they be carried into the Land of the Chaldeans, I will acknowledge them there to be my people, and it shall be for their good. Well now there was likewise a basket that had very naughty figs, and they were carried away captive too, both went into captivity, what doth he say of them? I will deliver them (saith he, vers. 9) to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt. I will 〈◊〉 at their hurt when I deliver them into captivity. This should be a mighty support unto the Saints under all their afflictions, though the affliction be the same to sense and view with that of the wicked, yet you see the difference is broad. It is true, may the troubled heart say, there may be different ends of Gods afflicting some & others; he may afflict some for trial, and others for their sins; but what will you say if an affliction come upon us for our sins? Is there a difference here? Yes my brethren, though your afflictions come upon you from your sins, if you be in covenant with God, the difference still may hold, for so it is here, those afflictions that here are spoken of, God calleth the hedge and the wall, they were fore afflictions, and they were for their sins, for their perverseness, and yet God intendeth good and mercy to them in those afflictions: Here is the virtue of the Covenant of grace, it takes out the sting, and venom, and curse even of afflictions, that are not only for trial but for sin, they are to keep you from greater misery; if God bring some misery upon you (it so appeareth unto you) yet being in covenant with him, this is the blessing of God upon you, that those troubles are to keep you from greater misery that would befall you. That for the general. Now for the particulars, as the words lie, Therefore behold. This inference therefore I told you it was as if God should say, thou wilt still go on, notwithstanding all admonitions and means that I shall use by my Prophets, therefore behold I will do thus and thus, From hence we may observe, first, Obs. 1. There is even in the Saints such a slavish disposition remaining that they will stand out against God along time even against admonition's exhortations, convictions, and threatenings of his word. Not only the reprobate will do so, but such is the perverseness of the hearts of men, that even the elect of God will many times do so, this is a sore and grievous evil that it should be said so of them, for if there be ingenuity in the spirit of men, the very notice of the mind of God is enough to cause the heart to yield, and surely grace doth make the heart of a man ingenuous, and God expects that there should be melting of spirit at the very notice given of his displeasure, There remains much of slavish disposition in the godly. yet behold even in the hearts of the godly many times there remaineth so much slavishness, that they will not come in but upon God's dealing very hardly with them, they must have many afflictions, they must be whipped home before they will return home, God must send the dog many times to worry his sheep before they will come in. This God complains of Jer. 2. 14. Is Israel a servant? is he a homs-borne-slave? why is he spoiled? ver. 17. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself? So it may be said of many, even of the Saints when we see how the ways and dealings of God are toward them, yea even God himself speaks thus, What, is such a one a servant? is he a slave? is not such a one my child? how is it then that he must be dealt with like a slave, like a servant? Secondly, Therefore, because one means will not do it, namely my Prophets admonishing, and threatening, therefore I will do thus & thus, therefore I will consider of some other way to deal with you. The observation is. Obser When one means will not keep from sin either those that we have to deal with, or ourselves, we must not rest there, but set even our brains on work to look after other means. What will not this do it? Is there any things else that possibly may do it? That means then shall be used. Thus God (as we may speak with reverence) even studies his administrations towards his people when he is frustrated in one, and if that do not do it, he bethinks with himself, is there any thing else will do it? if there be any thing in the world can do it, God studies what may do his people good. it shall not be left unattempted. God doth not presently cast off his people, because they stand out against him in the use of one means. It is true, for others that are not in covenant with him, God is quick with them, and if they come not in presently, he cuts them off, and will have ●o more to do with them, but for his own people though they stand out long, yet God trieth one means after another, and after that another. This is the grace of God towards his own. It should be our care to imitate God in this, when you are to deal with others that are under you, with your children or servants, do not satisfy yourselves in this, I have admonished them, and threatened them, and persuaded them, What then? yet they will not come in: What will you have no more to do with them then? Will you cast them off presently? You should study what further course may be taken, study their dispositions, What do I think will work upon them if this do not? will fair means? will foul means? will any thing do it? if any thing will, you should labour to deal with them that way. So for your own hearts, when you are convinced of the evil of your own hearts, it is true your consciences will not be quiet unless you use some means against that sin that is in your heart, well, but I have used means, I have laid the word to my heart, the threatenings, the promises to my heart, and I have followed God's ordinances: will it not do? will not my heart come off? Is there no other means to be used? what do you say to the afflicting of your soul? Try that; you have laid the word to your heart, and you find it doth not work, try the afflicting of your souls in humilliations, fasting, and prayer, for the overcoming of your sins. Thus God doth, when admonitions and exhortations of the Prophets will not do, yet saith God, I will try another way, I will bethink me of some other course, I will hedge up their way with thorns, & I will see whether I can bring them in that way. These two from the inference Therefore. From the note of attention, Obs. Behold, we have an excellent useful observation that naturally springeth up. A mercy to have stumbling blocks laid in the way of sin. For God to make the way of sin to be difficult to sinners, is a most singular mercy. Howsoever always it doth not prove so, but take it at the worst, yet it is better for the way of sin to be hedged with thorns, & to be made difficult to us, then to have the smoothest way that possibly can be. As it is one of the greatest judgements of God upon wicked men to lay stumbling blocks before them in the way of righteousness; so it is one of the greatest mercies of God to his children to lay stumbling blocks ●●d difficulties before them in the way of sin. It is an 〈◊〉 way of God's dealing even with reprobates, with those he both no love unto, that in the ways of godliness, in the way to life, he in his just judgement layeth stumbling blocks before them, and they appear very difficult to them, the hedge of thorns compasses about the way of righteousness to the wicked, therefore you shall find it in Pro. 15. 19 that the way of the slothful man is said to be as an hedge of thorns; that is, a slothful man (who is a wicked man there) he looks upon any duty that he should perform as compassed about with an hedge of thorns, God in his just judgement suffereth difficulties at least to appear to him in the way of his duties, that makes him to have no mind to them. Now this is a grievous judgement of God to cause the way of his fear to appear so difficult, and so scare them from it, What should I meddling with such & such ways? I see I must suffer thus and thus, there are these and these stumbling blocks that I must go over, these and these troubles that I must meet withal, I were better sit still and be quiet, I shall never be able to go through. Such stumbling blocks God lays in the way of godliness before the wicked, and they stumble at them & fall, and break their necks. On the other side, God in abundance of mercy casteth stumbling blocks in the way of sin before his people that they cannot get over, if they stumble, it is but to break their shins and to save their souls. But when the wicked stumble, they break their necks, and damn their souls. But now the ways of God are plain to the righteous, Prov. 8. 9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to him that findeth knowledge. God's ways are very plain to the godly, and sins ways are very difficult; O in●aelices et miseros quando relinquit Deus homiones sibi ipsis nec resisti● eorum fureri et cupiditatibus: sed vae illis ad quorum peccata connive● Deus. Luther. but on the other side, to the wicked God's ways are very difficult, and the ways of sin are very plain. Oh unhappy men, says Luther, when God leaveth them to themselves, and doth not resist them in their lusts! woe, woe to them at whose sins God doth wink, when God lets the way to hell be a smooth and pleasant way. That is a heavy judgement, and a sign of God's indignation against men, a token of his rejection of them, that he doth not intend good unto them. You bless yourselves many times that in the way of sin you find no difficulty; if a whoremaster, or a malicious man, who would accomplish his own ends, find all things go on as he desires, so that he hath not any rub in his way, no not so much as a prick, he blesseth himself. Bless thyself? If thou knewest all, thou hast cause to howl, and wring thy hands, for the curse of God is upon thee, a dreadful curse to make the way of sin pleasant. On the other side, perhaps many of God's Saints when they find the ways of sin somewhat difficult to them, they are troubled at it, that they cannot have their will. Troubled? thou hast cause to bless God who hath thus crossed thee, for it is an argument of much love to thee. There is a Behold put to this, that God should be so merciful to them, to make their ways of idolatry and supersition difficult to them. From hence these three observations: Obser. I will hedge up her way with thorns. First, there is much bruitishness in the hearts of God's people. Not only slayishnesse that was before, but bruitishness too: That is thus, they must not only be dealt withal as slaves (hardly) and so be brought home, but as brute beasts, they must have some present evil upon them, or otherwise they will not return out of their evil way, except their sin be for the present grievous and troublesome to them. It is not enough (you know) to threaten brute beasts, but they must have some present evil upon them, if we would keep them from such a place we would not have them go unto. Much brutishness remains in the h●arts even of the godly. A man that hath some understanding, though he hath a slavish spirit, yet he may be kept for fear of future evils; but when a man comes to this, that nothing but present evils will keep him off, he is worse than a slave in this, he cannot be kept from sin by the exercise of his reason, God must also deal with him as a brute beast, God must come and let some present evil be upon him to prick him, or else he will go on in an evil way. This is brutishness, even in the hearts of the Saints. Secondly, Obser. 2. hence we may see the proneness of men's natures to Idolatry the way must be hedged up to keep men from it. It is not enough to forewarn men of it, but all means that can be used is little enough to keep off men. How wicked then is the way of many amongst us, who seek to make the way of Idolatry too smooth, and plain, and open as they can! yea in stead of stopping such as have inclinations to it, they lay before them the inciting and intifing occasions which add to their own propension such delectation as putteth them on forward with a swift facility. Thirdly, Obser. 3. Afflictions to the people of God, are God's hedges to keep them from sin. The command of God is one hedge, and affliction is another. Therefore sin is called by the name of Transgression, Transgression, what is that? That is, going beyond their bounds, going over the hedge; a man that sinneth goes over the hedge. And we find, Eccles. 10. 8. He that breaks the hedge a serpent shall bite him.; Afflictions are ●ods hedges. It is true, in regard of the hedge of God's command, he that will venture to break that hedge, must expect a serpent to bite him, must expect the biting of Conscience, the anguish and horror of that: But when that hedge is broke, God cometh with another hedge to keep his people from sin, so you have it expressed in Job 33. 17, 18. speaking of afflictions, By them, saith he, he withdraweth man from his purpose, and he keepeth back his soul from the pit. As suppose a beast be running to such a pasture, perhaps he doth not see the hedge, and it may be if he should run a little further, he would be plunged in a pit, and there destroyed, but now the husbandman setteth a hedge there, and when the beast cometh just to the hedge, to the thorns, than it is withdrawn from what it was about, and so the life of it preserved; so it may be with a man that is running to such a place, when he meeteth with something that hinders him, he is drawn from his purpose, and his soul is kept back from death. You use to deal thus with your children, if you live in the Country near ditches and pits of water, you will hedge about the pits, for fear your children should fall into them and so the hedge keepeth the Children a●ive. As afflictions keep the Saints from sin, as a hedge to them, so the difficulties in God's ways keeps the wicked from God. When difficulties therefore do fall out, it should teach us to consider what way we are in, why? for God useth to compass about sinful ways, with difficulties, on purpose to keep his people from them. Well, I am in a way going on in it, I am sure I am compassed about with difficulties, it may be these difficulties are but God's hedges to keep me from sin; how shall I know that? for sometimes difficulties are but trials of our graces, and they may be such as call for the stirring up of our graces to break through the hedge, so Pro. 8. 19 difficulties are said to be a hedge of thorns; they lie in the ways of God's people that are blessed ways, than the work of the Saints should be to stir up their graces, and to break through the hedge, though they be pricked, and their flesh torn, that is, their excellency, that they can break through those difficulties, faith will carry through all difficulties in God's ways. Therefore here is the trial, when I meet with difficulties, I must not forbear because there are difficulties, but I must examine, Is it the way of God or not? If it be the way of God, then lay aside the thought of difficulties, if I have a rule for it let the difficulties be never so many, and the hedge never so thick, yet I must break through, and God is so much the more honoured by it: but on the otherside, if upon examination I find the way I am in is not warrantable by God, than I must know that God's end in laying difficulties in the way, is to stop my going on in it, and it is desperateness in me to seek to break thorough, in seeking to break thorough I may break my neck, therefore I must look to it that I have warrant from God for those ways I am in. Oh that men would think of this when they meet with difficulties in their ways! I might show how the Saints have many times met with difficulties in their ways, and yet have gone on with strength; That of Jacob is one of the most famous examples we have in the Book of God, the difficulties he met withal, and that in the way that God himself bade him go in. God bade him return to his Father Isaac, and yet he met with six or seven prodigious difficulties, that one would have thought should have made him doubted whether he was in God's way or not, and have caused him to return back again. First, Laban pursueth him, and intends mischief 'gainst him; and Esau he in that journey comes to meet him with a purpose to destroy him, If our way be Gods we must break through all difficulties his wives nurse died, and Rachel herself died in that journey, he had his daughter Diana deflowered, his two sons committed that horrible wickedness, in murdering the Sechemites: All these fell out in jacob's journey; he might have said, Am I in the way that God would have me? Yes, Jacob was in his way, he had an express warrant from God to go that journey. Difficulties therefore must not discourage us, but we must break through them; especially in these times. It were a low and poor spirit, to be kept from a good way because of ●●ew thorns, because of some difficulties that we meet withal in the way. If we know it be God's way, go through it in the name of God, let the difficulties be what they will. But if they be not warrantable by God, let the difficulties we meet withal stop us, for God intendeth them to be a hedge to keep us from sin. Again, it should make us be content when any affliction befalls us; why, because it is more than we know that God intends abundance of good to us; It may be, if this affliction had not befallen thee, thou hadst undone thyself: If this affliction that thou dost sor riggle to get out of, and thinkest thyself so miserable under it, if it had not befallen thee, thou mightest have fallen into the pit and been lost, therefore be not troubled so much at the affliction, but examine whether it be not a hedge that God hath set, to keep thee from a further misery. But it seems that this will not serve, there must be a wall, as well as this hedge. Hence the observation is this, The perverseness of man's heart is such, Obser. that he will break through many difficulties to get unto sin. We read of Idolaters, who would cause their children to pass through the fire to their Idols, that was more than a hedge of thorns. We see it often that men's hearts are so strongly bend upon their sins, that though it were to pass through a great deal of trouble, though they prick and tore themselves, yet they will have their sin. Wicked men will suffer much for their lusts. As that notable story that Ambrose tells us of, of one Philotimus who brought his body to grievous diseases, by uncleanness and drunkenness, and the Physicians told him, that if he did not abstain he would certainly lose his eyes, there was no help for him; as soon as ever he heareth this, he answereth thus, Valeat lumen amicum. Farewell O pleasant light, rather than I will deny myself in this, I will never see light more; he would venture the loss of his eyes, rather than lose the satisfaction of his lusts. Thus it is with many, O what do they venture for their lusts! What an argument should that be to us to venture much for God, to endure hard things for the blessed God: though there be some hardship between us and our duty, break through all to get to that duty; wicked men will break through great difficulties to get to their sins. There need be a wall as well as a hedge. Well, if there be need of a wall, I will have a wall, saith God, I will wall up her way, though she may make a shift to break down the hedge, she shall not break down the wall, it is too strong, and too high. Hence the Observation is, God when he pleaseth will keep men from their sins in spite of their hearts, Obs. they shall not have their way, they shall not have their desire do what they can. When God sees Men set upon their wicked desires, if they be those that belong not to him, perhaps God may damn them for their wicked desires, and yet they shall not have them neither; they shall go to hell for them and never come to accomplish them. Saul, how desperately set was he to mischief● David? but God made a wall that he could not get to have his desire do 〈…〉, Many, especially great Men, how strongly are they set upon their desires! they must have it, and they will have it, and they must and must, nothing cometh from them but must and will; well, they may be deceived, God knoweth how to cross the most stubborn and stout hearts that live upon the earth, that they shall not have what they would have in this world. I will make a wall. God doth thus make a wall about men's sins, God keeps many from thit sins in a way of violence whether they will or no. by sending sore and heavy afflictions, as about the drunkard's way, when God brings some grievous disease upon his body, perhaps he is so stopped that he cannot drink, that is a wall about his sin, that he cannot go to it according to his desire: so the unclean person, God brings such a disease upon him, that he cannot have the pleasure of his lust, though he would never so fain: so when God brings poverty upon others, that they caunot follow their ambition and pride, doc what they can, these are as walls to them; but God doth not always do this in a way of mercy. Obser. I will make a wall. First, a hedge, and then a wall. Hence observe when lesser afflictions will not serve to keep men from their sins. God usually cometh with greater and sorer; I see some of them will break through the hedge, I will make a wall therefore, that is, I will come with stronger and greater afflictions, and so keep them off. Levit. 26. 18. If you will not for all this, saith God, turn unto me, I will punish you seven times more, and I will break the pride of your power; you think there is a power in your hand, and there is pride in your power, for power raiseth the heart up to pride; I will break it, I will never leave till I have broke your hearts in spite of you; and you shall find ein that Chapter four or five times mention of seven times more. This is after the hedge, than there cometh a wall. And they shall not find their paths. Hence, God is able to strike men with blindness that they shall not see their way. Obser. Though there be an evil way of mischief before them, yet God knows how to strike them with blindness, though there be nothing to hinder them in it, God can strike men with blindness one way or other, that they shall not be able to see their way before them. We have this, this day exceedingly fulfilled in our eyes, how doth God blind and befot our adversaries, that they cannot see their way? the truth of that Scripture, Job 5. 13. is this day before our eyes. He taketh the wise in their own craft inesse, and the counsel of the froward is carried head long. How hath God taken wise men in their own craftiness? & the counsel of froward men, their spirits are froward, because they are crossed, they are vexed, & their counsel is carried headlong; God takes away their understanding, and doth baffle them in their own counsels. A notable Text we have in Psal. 75. 6. The stouthearted are spoiled, God strikes wicked men with blindness. they have slept their sleep, and none of the men of might have found their hands. They are cast into a slumber, and know not what in the world to do, they know not how to make use of that power they have in their hands; It followeth further in that Psalm, At thy rebuke O God of jacob, both the chariot, and horse are cast into a dead sleep. A strange expression, that a Chariot should be cast into a deep sleep; the meaning is, they can no more tell how to make use of them, then if they all lay for dead, or asleep. Let us not be afraid of the power of adversaries; suppose they had power in their hand, God can strike them with blindness, & they shall grope to find the door, they shall be baffled in their own ways, they shall not tell how to make use of their own power. Isa. 29. 14. Behold (saith God) I will proceed to do a marvelous work, even a marvelous work and a wonder: What is it? The wisdom of their wise men shall perish, & the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid: This is a wonderful thing that God will do; yea, and he will mingle a perverse spirit in the midst of them, so you have it, Isa, 19 11. Surely the Princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pha●aoh is become bruiti●; and verse 12. Where are they? where are thy wise men? And again verse 13. The Princes of Zoan are become fools, the Princes of Noph are deceived; and verse 14. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit it in the midst thereof, they have caused Egypt to err in his work, as a drunken man that staggereth in his vomit. Here is the judgement of God upon Men, when he list he can blind them in their way that they shall err in their work, and they shall stagger in their own counsels and designs as a drunken man in his vor●it, they shall not find their paths, they shall not know in the world what to do. Well, Thus God dealeth with wicked men: But now let us consider this in reference to the Saints, to Gods own people, they shall not find their paths; then the Observation is, It is a good blindness for men not to see the way of sin: It is promised here in a way of mercy, that they shall not find their paths; this darkeness, it is not the shadow of death, but the way of life. It is rich mercy. I have read of one Maris, a Bishop of Chalcedon, a blind man, to whom Julius the Apostate giving some opproptious words, and calling him blind fool, because he had rebuked Julian for his Apostasy; the good man answered thus, I bless God that I have not my sight to see such an ungracious face as thine: So many may bless God for their bodily blindness, because, it may be it hath prevented abundance of sin that might have been let in at the casements of their eyes; But especially for blindness, not to see the way of sin, if we may call that blindness; It is a mercy that God doth not grant to all, it is a singular mercy to the Saints: For you shall find there are abundance of people exceedingly quicksighted in the way of sin that can find the path there, and yet are exceedingly blinded in the way of God, and cannot find the path there: On the other side, that Saints are blinded in the way of sin, but are quick-sighted in the ways of God. How many men are wise to do evil, as the Scripture saith, they are able to see into the depths of Satan, they are profound to damn themselves, they can find out such objections against the 〈…〉, & answer such things that are said against 〈…〉 devises & contrivances how to get to their sinful ways, but when they come to the ways of God, as blind as Moles, they cannot see such necessity of such strictness, they cannot understand, men of great parts, great Rabbis, of great understanding otherwise, they have no skill in the ways of God. I thank thee, O Father Lord of heaven and earth (saith Christ) that thou hast hid these things from the wise and learned, and hast revealed them unto babes: Whereas on the other side, you shall find that the Saints are able when they come to God's ways, to see far into the excellency and glory of them, they have understanding there, though they be but weak otherwise, they can see into the great mysteries of God, It is a good blindness not to find the paths of sin. into the beauty of his ways, so that it dazzleth all the glory of the world in their eyes, they are not easily catched with temptations, but can see into the subtleties of the devil that would draw them out of God's ways; but when they come to the ways of sin, there they want understanding, and it is God's mercy to them to do so; there they are but bunglers, they do but grope as blind men, they are not their craft's masters, they are not cunning artists in those ways, but as the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 1. 1●. We have not received the spirit of the world, we cannot shift for ourselves as the men of the world can, we cannot be so cunning to contrive such plots, & tricks, and devices for our own ends as the men of the world can, but we have received the Spirit of God, we can understand things there (through God's mercy) to eternal life. There are many men cunning for their own destruction, they can find every secret path of sin, though sin be a labyrinth, they can go up and down in it, find out ever by-path in that way. When the ways of God are propounded to wicked men, there is a mist before their eyes, they cannot see, & when the ways of sin are propunded to the Saints, God in mercy cafteth a mist before their eyes that they cannot see. Eccles. 10. 15. The fool knoweth not how to go to the City; wicked men they know not the path to the Church of God, to the Ordinances of God, they talk much about such and such Ordinances, and setting up of Christ in the way of his Ordinances, but they do not see the way of it, they know not what the true worship of God meaneth; No, a fool doth not understand the way to the City of God, he cannot find out that path. But the Saints, though they know not the ways of sin, yet they can find out the paths of God, they know the way to the City, Possidonius tells us a Austin, that when there was wait laid for his life, through God's providence he missed his way, and so his life was preserved, and his enemies disappointed. So many times when you are going on in such a way of sin, perhaps you little think what danger there is in it; God in mercy therefore casteth a mist before your eyes, and you miss that way and save your lives. Ver. 7. She shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them, etc. Obs. The Observation is, Until God subdues the hearto himself, men will grow worse and worse in their sins; yea, even God's Elect ones to whom he intendeth mercy at last, yet till God cometh with his grace to subdue their hearts, they may grow worse and worse: they would before go after their lovers, and now here cometh afflictions upon them, yet still they will follow their lovers, and that with more eagerness of affection, and with more violence than before. Afflictions in themselves are part of the curse of God, and there is no healing virtue in them, but an enraging quality to stir up sin, till God sanctify them by his grace, & God may suspend for a time the sanctifying work of his grace to those he intended good to at last. Isa, 51. 20. The Text speaks of some whose afflictions were not sanctified, That they lie as a wild bull in a net in the streets, and they were full of the fury of the Lord; They were full of the fury of the Lord, and yet lay like a wild Bull in a net, in a raging manner. This distemper of heart proceeds from two grounds. 1. When outward comforts are taken away by affliction, the sinner having no comfort in God, he knows not where to have comfort but in his sin, if conscience be not strong enough to keep from it, he runs madly upon it. 2. Because he thinks that others look upon him as one opposed by God for his sin, therefore that he may declare to all the world that he is not daunted at all, nor that he hath no misgiving thoughts, (though perhaps he hath nipping gripes within) yet he will put a good face upon it, and follow his ways more eagerly then formerly. A second observations; She shall follow, but she shall not overtake, A man may follow after the devises of his own heart, Obser and may be disappointed; he may not overtake them. There is a great deal of difference betwixt following Gods ways, and our own ways; there was never any in the world that was disappointed (if he knew all) in following Gods ways, but he got, either the very thing he would have, or something that was as good, if not better for him: but in the ways of sin, in our own ways we may meet with disappointment; why should we not then rather follow God then follow our own desires? The desires after sin, as they are Desideria futilia, so they are Desideria inutilia, as one speaks; as they are foolish, so they are fruitless desires, they do not attain what they would have. How hath God disappointed men in our dayes● they have not overtaken what they greedily sought after; Our adversaries blessed themselves in their designs, they thought to have their day, they propounded such an end, and thought to have it, but how hath God disappointed them! But whether God hath done this in mercy to them, (as it is spoken of here) that we know not, we hope God hath crossed some of them in a way of mercy, though perhaps he may deal in another way with other of them. But further, Disappointment in the way of sin is a great mercy. Obs. As satisfaction in sin is a judgement of God, and a fearful judgement, so disappointment in sin is a mercy and a great mercy, Prov. 14. 14. there you shall find, That the back-slyder in heart shall be filled with his own ways: A dreadful threatening to back-slyders and apostates; when God hath no intention of love and mercy for backsliders, God will give them their own devices, they shall have their fill in their own ways; you would have such a lust, you shall have it, you shall be satisfied to the full, and bless yourselves in your own ways. This is the judgement of God upon backsliders: but for the Saints, when they would have such a way of sin, God will disappoint them, they shall not have it. We account it ordinarily very grievous to be disappointed of any thing, and many times I have had this meditation upon it; What, doth it trouble the hearts of men to be disappointed almost in any thing? Oh what a dreadful vexation and horror will it be for a man to see himself disappointed of his half hopes! Remember when you are troubled at any disappointment, what will be the terror then and anguish of spirit if it should prove that any of you should be disappointed of your hopes for eternity! But those whom God doth often disappoint in the way of sin, they may have hope that God will deliver them from that great disappointment. And again yet further, She would have her Idols, but God will take them away, she shall not have them saith God, though she follow after them, and have a great mind to them, yet they shall not overtake them. God will remove them from their Idols, or their Idols from them, (that is the meaning) they should not come to their Dan or Bethel, they should either be removed far enough from their calves, or the calves from them. Thus it should be with Governors, Obs. they should take such a course as to take away Idols and superstitious vanities from those that will be worshipping of them, and sinning against God by them; Either take them away from those vanities, or their vanities from them, they should not so much as suffer those things to stand to be enticements and snares for the hearts of people, though they be very brave, and abundance of gold and excellent artificial work be about such things, yet Deut. 7. 25. Thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein, but thou shalt utterly destroy it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it, for it is a cursed thing. You shall not look upon the bravery of the work of their Idols, and upon the great cost that is bestowed upon them, and therefore spare them because of that, oh no, but take them away, that men may not be ensnared by them; So God will do. Further in the fifth place, Obser. They shall follow after their lovers, but shall not overtake them. Idolaters hearts are after their Idols when they cannot get them. When we cannot enjoy all ordinances, vet our hearts must be working after them. Though they cannot get them, yet they will be following of them. It is of an excellent use for us, so it should be with us in the pursuing after God's ordinances; though perhaps for the present we cannot enjoy the Ordinances of God, yet be sure to keep our hearts working after them. Many deceive themselves in this, they think, we would have all the Ordinances of God, but we see we cannot, and so upon that we sit still & mind no more seeking after them, neither do they labour to keep their hearts in a burning desire after them; and hence many times it is, that the opportunities of enjoying them are let slip. But now if thou canst not have the beauty of an ordinance, if thou keepest thy heart in a burning desire after it in the use of all means for the attaining it, know then, that the want of an ordinance is an ordinance to thee. You shall find in the English Chronicle of Edward the first, that he had a mighty desire to go to the holy land, and because he could not go thither, he gave charge to his son upon his deathbed that he should carry his heart thither, and he appointed 32000. pound to defray the charges of carrying his heart to the holy land, out of a superstitious respect he had to that place, though he could not attain it his heart should. Thus should our hearts work after Ordinances. And now we come to the close, and that is the blessed fruit of all this, she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them, and she shall seek them, but she shall not find them. What followeth after all this? Now cometh in the close of mercy, for saith the Text, Then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband, for than was it better with me then now. Now they shall return, at length they shall bethink themselves. Hence we have likewise many sweet and excellent Observations. As First, Obs. In times of affliction the only rest of the soul is to return to God. They keep a rigling, and a stir, and a shifting up and down to provide for themselves, yea but they could find no rest in what they did, but as a poor prisoner that is shackled keeps a stir with his chains, but instead of getting any freedom he galls his legs: but when the poor soul after all shift, and turnings, and vexings, comes to think of returning to the Lord, and of humbling and repenting itself before him, now it finds rest. Return to thy rest, O my so●le; so the words are. Remember after all your afflictions here is your rest in returning to the Lord. Secondly, Obs. Then they shall say, that is when they are so stopped in their way that they cannot tell in the world what to do, when they are hedged, and walled, and cannot overtake their lovers, than they shall return to the Lord. Hence the Observation is, so long as men can have any thing in their sinful way to satisfy themselves withal, they will not return to God: There is that perverseness of spirit in men: Only when men are stopped in the way o● sin, that they can have no satisfaction nor no hope, than they begin to think of returning to God. This is the vileness of the spirits of men, they never or very rarely will come off to God till then. As the Prodigal, what shift did he make? he goes to the farmer, to the swine, to the husks to fill his belly, and it is likely if he had had his belly full of them he would never have thought of going to his father, but when he came to the husks and could not tell how to fill his belly there, when he was in a desperate estate, than he beginneth to think of returning to his father. So you have it Isa, 57 10. Yet saidst thou not, where is no hope, thou hast found the life of thy hands, therefore thou wast not grieved; thou wast not brought to such a desperate stand as to say the is no hope, that noteth that till men be brought to such a stand that they can say, certainly there is no hope or help this way, they will seldom think of returning to God. Cum ne mi ni ob trudi po test, itur da me. Thus is God infinitely dishonoured by us, It is very strange how the hearts of men will hanker after their sin this way, and that way, till God take them quite off from hope of comfort by it, they will never have a thought to return unto God; God is fain to be the last refuge, we account ourselves much dishonoured when we are the last refuge, when no body will I must. It seems God is sane to yield to this, when no body will give satisfaction to the soul, Obs. than men come to God, and God must. But you will say, will ever God accept of such a one? Mark the next observation; returning to God, if it be in truth, though it be thus after we have sought out for all other helps, yet God is willing to accept of it. This is an observation full of comfort, the Lord grant it may not be abused, but it is the word of the Lord, and it is a certain truth, that returning after men have sought other means, and can find no help, though they are driven to it by afflictions, yet it may be accepted by God. It is true, man will not accept upon these terms, but the thoughts of God are as sarre above the thoughts of men as the heaven is above the earth. It is true indeed some time God will not, nay God threateneth Pro. 1. 28. though they call upon him he will not answer, though they see●e him early, yet shall not find him. God is not thus gracious to all, therefore you must not presume upon it: God some time at the very first affliction hardeneth his heart against men, that he will never regard them more, for his mercy is his own; but those that are in covenant with him, though they come to him upon such terms, yet they may be accepted of him; therefore take this truth for helping of you against this fore temptation, when you are in affliction, which will be apt to come in, Oh I cry to God now in my affliction, I should have done it before, surely God will not hear me now. This may be a temptation; I confess I cannot speak in this point without a trembling heart lest it be abused, but the Text presents it fairly to you, and you must have the mind of God made known unto you though others abuse it, God accepts of us when we come to him in our affliction. Psal. 88 9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction, Lord I have called daily upon thee: This is spoken of Heman, and God did accept of him as it is apparrent in the Psalm, yet he cried by reason of affliction; and Psal. 120. 1. In my distress I cried unto the Lord and he heard me; though it were in my distress, yet the Lord heard me. Only take this one note about it, It is true, Though our being stopped in all other ways may make us cry to God, and God may hear us, but when God doth hear us, he works more than crying out by reason of that affliction; though at first our affliction be the thing that carrieth ns unto God, yet before God hath done withus, and manifest and any acceptance of us, he works our hearts to higher aims than deliverance from our affliction. Again further, I will go and return. A heart effectually wrought upon by God is a resolute heart to return to God. As they were resolute in their way of Idolatry, I will follow after my lovers; so their hearts being converted, they shall be as resolute in God's ways, she shall say, I will return to my first husband. When God will work upon the heart to purpose, he causeth strong arguments to fasten upon the spirit, and nothing shall hinder it, no not father, nor mother, nor the dearest friend. Perhaps the Lord beginneth to work upon the child, and the father scorns him, and the mother perhaps saith, What shall we have of you now? a Puritan? This grieveth the spirit of the child, yet there are such strong arguments fastened by God upon his heart, that it carrieth him thorough, he is resolute in his way, he will return. Further, Those who have ever found the sweetness of Christ in their hearts, have yet something remaining, that though they should be apostates, will at length draw them to him. Christ hath such hold upon their hearts as at one time or other he will get them in again, there will be some sparks under those embers that will flame and draw the soul to return again to Christ. Therefore if any of you ever had any friends in whom you were verily persuaded there was a true work of grace, though they be exceedingly apostatised from Christ, do not give over your hope, for if ever there were any true taste of the sweetness that is in Christ, Christ hath such a hold upon their hearts, that he will bring them in again one time or other. Further, I will return to my first husband, for them was it better with me. There is nothing gotten by departing from Christ. Obser. You go from the better to the worse when ever you depart from him; What fruit have you in those things, Rom. 6. 21. whereof you are now ashamed? I the Lord (saith God, Isa, 48 17.) teach to profit; sin doth not teach to profit, you can never get good by that, but the Lord teacheth to profit. It may be you may think to gain something by departing from Christ, Nothing got by departing from Christ. but when you have cast up all the gain, you may put it into your eye, and it will do you no hurt. Job, 27. 8. It is a notable place. What is the hope of the hypocri●e, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Perhaps a hypocrite that is departed from God, a back-flider, that was forward before in the way of godliness, and now like Dema● he hath forsaken those ways and cleaved to the world, he thinks he hath gained, and perhaps is grown richer, and liveth braver than before, yet what hope hath this back-slyder, this hypocrite, when God taketh away his soul? then he will see that he hath gotten nothing. As it is said of the Idolater, Isay, 44. 20, A deceived heart hath turned him aside, he feeds upon ashes, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? What shall there be more in a lust then in the blessed God? then in JESUS CHRIST who is the glory of Heaven, the delight of Angels, the satisfaction of the Father himself? Can a lust put thee into a better condition than Christ, who hath all fullness to satisfy the soul of God himself? certainly it cannot be. Again, Obs. There must be a sight and an acknowledgement of our shameful folly, or else there can be no true returning unto God; I will go and return to my first husband, for than it was better with me then now. As if the Church should say, I confess I have played the fool, I have done shamefully, I have loft by departing from Christ, it was better far than it is now. jer. 3. 25. We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us, for we have sinned against the Lord our God, saith the Church there; so it should be with all that come in to return to Christ, they must lie down in their shame. This I note as very seasonable in these times, we have many now who not long since have been very vile apostates, they have gone with the times, they saw preferment went such a way, and their hearts went that way; Now they see they cannot have preferment in that way they went, and God of his mercy hath changed the times, they will be Converts: We have in England many parliamentary Converts, but such as we are not to confide in. Why should we not confide in them? Object. If they will repent and return, God accepteth them, and why should not we? It is true, such an one was before an enemy, and followed superstitious vanities, but now he is grown better, and preacheth against them, and why should not we receive him? To that I answer, Answ. It is true, if deep humiliation have gone before that reformation, if together with their being better they have been willing to shame themselves before God and his people, to acknowledge their folly in departing from God, and be willing to profess before all that knew them, and have been scandalised by them. Humiliation must go before reformation. It is true, God began with me, and showed me his ways when I was young, I began to love them, and to walk in them: but when I saw how the times went, and preferment went, the Lord knows I had a base time-serving heart, I went away from God, they were no arguments that satisfied my conscience, but merely livings and preferment, and now I do desire to take shame and confusion of face to myself: Woe unto me for the folly and falseness of my heart, it is the infinite mercy of God ever to regard such a wretch as I. If they do thus take shame to themselves, and acknowledge their folly, this were something. We read in the Primitive times of one Ecebolius, who when he had revolted from the Truth, he cometh to the congregation, and falling down upon the threshold, cryeth out, Calcate, Calcate insipidum salem, tread upon me unsavoury salt, I confess I have made myself unsavoury salt by departing from the Truth, let all tread upon me. This was a sign of true returning when this went before, we have done foolishly, it was better with us then now. Again, I will go and return, for it was better with me than it is now: Hence, Though acknowledgement must go before, Obs. yet returning must follow that. It is not enough to see and acknowledge, but there must be a returning: For as reformation without humiliation is not enough, so humiliation without reformation suffices not. Lect. 6. And I speak this the rather, because these are times wherein there is a great deal of seeming humiliation, and we hope true humiliation: but you shall have many in their fasting days will acknowledge how finfull, In vain to be humbled except we reform. how vile, how passionate they have been in their families, how worldly, what base selfe-ends they have had, and they will make such catalogues of their sins in those days of their humiliation, as causes admiration: the thing itself is good, but I speak to this end, to show the horrible wickedness of men's hearts, that after they have ripped up all their sins, with all aggravations, acknowledged all their folly of their evil ways against God, yet no returning, after all this as passionate in their family's, as froward, as peevish, as perverse as ever, as earthly as ever, as light and vain in their carriage as ever. They will acknowledge what they have done, but they will not return. Remember humiliation must go before reformation, but Reformation must follow after Humiliation. But the chief point of all is behind, Obs. that is, The sight of this, how much better it was when the heart did cleave to Christ, over it is now, since departure from Christ, it is an effectual means to cause the heart to return to him. This is the way that Christ himself prescribed, Rev. 2. 5. Remember whence thou art fall'n, and repent. Thou wert in a better condition once then now thou art, oh come in and return, and that thou mayst return, remember whence thou art fall'n. I will give but a little glimpse of what might be said in this point more largely. The reasonings of the heart in the sight of this may briefly be hinted thus: Heretofore I was able through God's mercy to look upon the face of God with joy. The reasonings of heart in a repenting Apostate. When my heart did cleave to him, when I did walk close with God, than the glory of God shined upon me, and caused my heart to spring within me every time I thought of him: But now, now, God knows, though the world takes little notice of it, the very thoughts of God are a terror to me, the most terrible object in the world is to behold the face of God. Oh it was better with me than it is now. Before this my apostasy I had free access to the Throne of God's grace, I could come with humble and holy boldness unto God, and pour out my soul before him, such a chamber, such a closet can witness it: But now I have no heart to pray, yea I must be haled to it, merely conscience pulleth me to it; yea every time I go by that very closet where I was wont to have that access to the throne of grace, it strikes a terror to my heart; I can never come into God's presence but it is out of slavish fear. Oh, it was better with me then, than it is now. Before, Oh the sweet communion my soul enjoyed with Jesus Christ! one day's communion with him, how much better was it then the enjoyment of all the world! But now Jesus Christ is a stranger to me, and I a stranger to him. Before, oh those sweet enlargements that my soul had in the ordinances of God when I came to the word, my soul was refreshed, was warmed, my heart was enlightened; when I came to the Sacrament, oh the sweetness that was there! and to prayer with the people of God, it was even a heaven upon earth unto me: but it is otherwise now, the Ordinances of God are dead and empty things to me. Oh it was better with me then, than it is now. Before, oh the gracious visitations of God's Spirit that I was wont to have! Yea, when I awaked in the night season, oh the glimpses of God's face that were upon my soul! what quickenings, and refresh, and inlivenings did I find in them! I would give a world for one night's comfort I sometimes have had by the visitations of God's Spirit, but now they are gone. Oh it was better then, than it is now. Before, oh what peace of conscience had I within! whatsoever the world said, though they railed and accused, yet my conscience spoke peace to me, and was a thousand witnesses for me: but now I have a grating conscience within me, oh the black bosom that is in me, it flieth in my face every day, after I come from such and such company; I could come before from the society of the Saints, and my conscience smiled upon me: Now I go to wicked company, and when I come home, and in the night, Oh the gnawings of that worm! it was better with me then, than it is now. Before, the graces of God's Spirit, how were they sparkling in me, active and lively! I could exercise faith, humility, patience, and the like: Now I am as one bereft of all, unfit for any thing, even as a dead log. Before God made use of me and employed me in honourable services, now I am unfit for any service at all. Oh, it was better with me then, than it is now. Before I could take hold upon promises, I could claim them as mine own, I could look up to all those blessed, sweet promises that God had made in his word, and look upon them as mine inheritance. But now alas the promises are very little to me: before I could look upon the face of all troubles, and the face of death, I could look upon them with joy, but now the thought of affliction and of death, God knows how terrible they are to me. It was better with me then, than it is now. Before in all creatures I could enjoy God, I tasted the sweetness and love of God, even in my meat and drink: I could sit with my wife and children, and see God in them, and look upon the mercies of God through them as a fruit of the Covenant of grace; Oh how sweet was it with me then! But now the creature is an empty thing unto me, whether it come in love or hatred I do not know. It was better with me before then now. Before I was under the protection of God where ever I went, but now I do not know what danger and miseries I am subject unto daily, what may befall me before night. God only knows. Before the Saints rejoiced with me in my company and communion, now every one is shy of me. Before I was going on in the ways of life, now these ways I am in, God knows, and my conscience tells me are ways of death. It was better with me then, than it is now. Now then put all these together, as I make no question these thoughts are the thoughts of many Apostates; if we knew all that were in their hearts, we should find such thoughts as these. As the Prodigal, when he was feeding upon the husks, he began to bethink himself; What, is not there food enough in my Father's house? every servant there hath food enough, and here I am ready to starve, I feed upon husks, when there is bread enough in my Father's house; So may many Apostates say, Alas! before I had sweetness enough, and was satisfied with those abundance of pleasures that were in the house of God, in his Word and Ordinances, now I feed upon husks, and amongst swine, Oh that it were with me as it was before! As Job speaks in another case concerning his afflictions, job 29. 3. Oh that it were with me as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me, when this candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness. Before I had some afflictions, but I could walk through all afflictions by that light which I had from God; Oh that it were with me now as it was then, as in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle, when the Almighty was yet with me! It may be said of many Apostates, as Lam. 4. 8. They were once as polished Saphires, but now they are become as black as a coal. But ●h that you had hearts to say, let me return, let me return, because it was otherwise with me heretofore then it is now! Oh that this day there might an Angel meet thee, as he met with Hagar when she fled from Sarah▪ the Angel sad to her, Hagar, Sarahs' maid, whence comest thou, & whether wilt thou go? So I say, oh Apostate, whence comest thou, and whither wilt thou go? Mark, Hagar, Sarahs' maid, whence comest thou? Dost thou come from Sarah? from Abraham's family where God is worshipped? where the Church of God is? and whither goest thou? canst thou be any where so well as there? So I say to thee, Thou who wert a forward professor before, Whence comest thou? Dost thou come from such Ordinances, from such communion with the Saints? Obser. What hast thou gotten by those base ways? Thou canst eat, and drink, and laugh a little, and have some esteem with such as are carnal; Oh whither wilt thou go? Oh that God would show you this day whither you go! There followeth yet another Observation, Seeing there is so much grief and shame in complaining of our apostatising when ever God awakeneth us, it should teach all that are not yet Apostates to take heed what they do, that they may never bring themselves into such a condition that they may not be forced to complain. Oh it was better before then it is now. It is a note of Caution to you who are through God's mercy in his way, you are now well, know when you are well, and keep you well. And you young ones who are beginning to give up your names to God, take heed you do not decline from what now you do, that you do not apostarize and fall off from God afterward, lest this be your condition that you shall be brought to at best, for this is at best, thus to lament the change of your condition, perhaps you shall go on, and God will never cause you to see your shame and folly, till you be eternally undone; but at best you must be brought to this shame and confusion of face, to acknowledge how much better it was with you before then now; how much better was it when I lived in such a family, under such a Master, in such a Town, Oh it was better than with me than it is now! Oh the precious days that once I had when I was a young one, those days are gone, and whether ever they will come again, God knows. Yet further, when the judgement passeth on God's side, that it was better before then now, than the soul is in a hopeful way. So long as the judgement holdeth for God and his ways, though thou be'st an Apostate, though perhaps thy heart be drawn aside from God, and thy affections be unruly, thou art not in a desperate condition, there is hope of thee. There are two sorts of Apostates. There are some Apostates, who though they are so through the unruliness of their affections, and the strength of temptation, yet they keep their judgements for God's ways, and acknowledge God's people to be best, and his Ordinances to be best, and themselves in the danger. But now there are some Apostates, who do so fall off from God and his ways, that they begin in their very judgements to think that those ways they professed before were but fancies, and that the people of God are but a company of humorous people, and bless themselves in their own ways, and think that they are better now than they were before: oh this is a hideous thing. If thy judgement be once taken, that thou thinkest the ways of sin to be better than those ways of God that before thou professedst, than Lord have mercy upon thee, thou art a gone man, we do not know that God will do with thee, but in the judgement of man thou art even a gone man. I remember Latimer in a Sermon before King Edward hath this passage. I have known (saith he) many Apostates, but I never knew any more than one that proved a scorner, and yet returned again. Take heed therefore, saith he, of apostasy. Though a man may fall off from God, and possibly return; but yet if he fall off, so that his judgement is taken that he is become a scorner, that is a woeful condition, such a one scarce ever returneth. Many such Apostates you have in England, & I would challenge you all to give me one example of any one that ever returned again that so fell. I know many scorners are converted, but they that have been forward in professing, and then fall off, and prove scorners, where have you any of them come in? You have a notable place for this, Levit. 13. 44. there you shall find when the Priest shall come and see a man that hath got the leprosy in his head, the Priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean, for the plague saith the Text, is in the head. You shall observe in all the Chapter, when the Priest found uncleanness in any other thing, he was to pronounce it unclean, but if the leprosy be in the head, he shall pronounce the party utterly unclean, for the plague is in the head, there is not that utter uncleanness any where as when the plague is in the head, So I may say here, when a man falleth off from the ways of God by some strong temptation or unruly affection, this man is unclean, verily he is unclean; but when it cometh to the head, that his judgement is against the ways of God, and so cometh to contemn them and those that follow them, and to think his own ways better, this man is utterly unclean, for the plague is in his head, The Lord deliver you from that plague. The Sixth Lecture. HOSEA 2. 7. 8. For than it was better with me than it is now. For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silve●, and gold, which they prepared for Baal, etc. THere remains only one Observation from the 7. ver. and the taking a hint of a meditation from thence concerning our present times, Obser. of which briefly. Upon return unto God, Apostates may have hope of attaining their former condition; to be as well as ever they were, I will return to my first husband, for than was it better with me then now, by returning, I hope to recover to be as I was then, that is the meaning. In this, God's goodness goeth beyond man's abundantly, jer. 3. 1. Will a man, when his wife hath committed adultery and he hath put her away, will he return to her again? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again to me saith the Lord: Hence ver. 22. the Holy Ghost exhorteth to return upon this very ground, Return ye back-sliding children, and I will heal your back-slidings. Is there any back-sliding soul before the Lord? God now offereth to heal thy back-slidings, thou knowest that it is not with thee now as heretofore it hath been, lo God tendereth his grace to thee that thou mayest be in as good a condition as ever; O that thou wouldst give the answer of the Church there, Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God; truly in vain is Salvation hoped for from the hills, or from the multitude of the mountain truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel. It is true, God might justly satisfy thee in those present ways of Apostasy wherein thou art, as sometimes he doth Apostates, Pro. 14. 14. The back-slider in heart shall be filled with his own ways, he shall have enough of them, and Pro. 1. 31. They shall eat the fruit of their own way, Lect. 6. and be filled with their own devicss. But behold wisdom itself calleth thee now to return again, and makes this fair promise, Pro. 1. 23. Turn ye at my reproof, behold I will pour out my spirit unto you. There is not only a possibility of being received into thy former condition, Apostates seeming mercy must observe three things. but Christ doth woo thee, and calleth after thee, he promiseth to pour forth his spirit unto thee, yea and there would be triumph in heaven upon thy returning. But let me say thus much to thee, though there be a possibility of coming again into as good a condition as thou wast in afore, yet first there had need be a mighty work of God's Spirit to raise thy heart to believe this. It is not an easy thing for one who hath that fearful sin of Apostasy settled upon him by God to believe that ever God should receive him and return in the ways of mercy and comfort as before. Yea second, Though there be a possibility to be recovered to mercy, yet you must be contented to be in a meaner condition if God shall please, you must come unto God with such a disposition as to be content to be in the lowest condition that can be, only that thou mayest have mercy at the last, as the Prodigal, Let me be (saith he) but as one of thy hired servants. And know lastly, that if you do not return upon his gracious offer, God may give thee up for ever, take thy fill and there is an end of thee; He that will be filthy, let him be filthy still. Yet further, this expression doth strongly present occasion to digress a little in the comparing our present times with former times, to examine whether we can say, it was better with us heretofore then it is now? In these days there is much comparing our present times with times past, and divers judgements there are about present times, some complaining and crying out of the hazards and dangers we are in, in these present times, much better was it heretofore say they than it is now. To such as these let me say, first as the holy Ghost saith, Eccles. 7. 10. Say not thou, what is the cause the former days were better than these? thou dost vot inquire wisely concerning this thing. Certainly, those people who make such grievous complaints of present times, comparing them with times past, do not wisely inquire after this thing. It is true, there are many sad things for the present amongst us, things that our hearts have cause to bleed for, such misunderstanding between King and Parliament, some blood shed already, and danger of shedding much more; yet perhaps if we inquire wisely concerning this thing, we shall find, that notwithstanding all this, we have little cause to complain that it is worse with us now, in comparison of what was before, Consider, first▪ that which men do most complain of, which makes the times hardest now, it is but the breaking out of those mischievous designs that lay hid long before, Examination whether times before were better than they are now. & would have done us a great deal more mischief if they had been kept in; Now they break forth, and break forth as the desperateness of the hopes of those who had such designs; because they could now go no longer underhand, but being brought into a desperate pass, they are fain to see what they can do in ways of violence, and this certainly is better than that mischief should work secretly under board. Secondly, by this we have a discovery of men which way they stand, what was and is in their hearts, and this is a great mercy. Thirdly, with the breaking forth of these things, God grants that help now to England, that it never yet had in the like way, so fully, and putteth such a fair price into the hands of the people of England, that never yet was put into their hands. Yea, and consider farther, that the more violent men are now, the more doth it tell us what a lamentable time was before; for if now when there is such means of resistance, and yet the adversaries prevail so much, what would they have been by this time, if this means of resistance had not been? What a case were we in then when they might do what they would, and we had no means to help ourselves, what a danger were we in then? Certainly things than lay at more hazard than now. Fifthly, though there be many sad things amongst us, yet God hath been beforehand with us, we have had already even of free-cost as much mercy as these troubles come to. Sixtly, these troubles that we are in are making way for glorious mercies to come; though there be some pangs, yet they are not the pangs of death, they are but the pangs of a travelling woman that is bringing forth a manchild: And certainly any Prince would think, that though his Queen should be put to some pain in travail, yet her condition is better than when she had nopaine, and was barren, or then that she should lie upon her sick bed, and her senses benumbed, and she ready to die: The pains of a travelling woman are better than a senseless dying. And yet further, if you think that you had better times heretofore then now, what times will you refer yourselves unto in making the comparison? I suppose you will instance in the time of the first Reformation, than things were in a good way, when those worthy Lights of the Church, and blessed Martyrs had such a hand in the Reformation. Many there are that do magnify the ●●nes of the beginning of Reformation, The weakness of the argument taken from the opinions and practices of learned & godly men. for their own ends, that they may thereby hinder Reformation now. This you know is the great argument that prevaileth with most; What, were not those Prayers composed by learned godly men, as Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, and others? and can we be wiser than they? did not they seal their profession with their blood? My brethren, we need go no further to show the weakness of this argument, but only to show how it was in the Church in those times, and you wil● find that you have cause to bless God that it is not so with you now as it was then, and if that will appear, than the argument you will see can no further prevail with rational men. Certainly those first Reformers were worthy Lights and blessed instruments for God, I would not darken their excellency, but weaken the argument that is abusively raised from their worth. It is reported of Mr. Greneham that famous practical Divine, who refusing subscription, in a Letter of his to the Bishop of Ely, giveth his reasons, and answers that Prelate's objection against him, namely, that Luther thought such Ceremonies might be retained in the Church; his Answer is this, I reverence more the revealed wisdom of God, in teaching Mr. Luther so many necessary things to salvation, than I search his secret judgements in keeping back from his knowledge other things of less importance: The same do I say of those worthy instruments of God's glory in the first Reformation, & that it may be clear to you that God kept back his mind from them in some things. Consider, whether you would be willing that should be done now that was then; As in the administration of baptism, we find that in the book of Lyturgy in King Edward's time, which was composed by those worthy men; first the child was to be croft in the forehead, and then on the breast, after a prayer used, than the Priest was to say over the child at the Font, I command thee thou unclean spirit, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, that thou comest out of this infant, thou cursed spirit remember thy sentence, remember thy judgement, remember the day is at hand wherein thou shalt be burnt with everlasting fire prepared for thee and thy Angels; & presume not hereafter to exercise any tyranny over this infant whom Christ hath bought with his precious blood. Then they dipped the child thrice in the water, the Godfathers and the Godmothers laid their hands upon the child, and the Priest putteth a white vestment over it, called a Crysome, saying, Take this white vesture for a token of thine innocency, which by God's grace in this holy Sacrament of baptism is given to thee, & for a sign whereby thou art admonished as long as thou livest to give thyself to innocency. Then the Priest must anoint the Infant upon the head, saying, Almighty God, etc. who hath regenerated thee by water & the holy Ghost, who hath given thee remission of all thy sins, vouchsafe to anoint thee with the unction of his holy Spirit. Would you now have your children baptised after this manner? yet these learned holy men thought that to be a good way. So at the burial of the dead, the Priest casting earth upon the corpse shall say, I commend thy soul to God the Father Almighty, and body to the ground: and in another prayer, Grant to this thy servant; that the sins he committed in this world be not imputed to him, but that he escaping the gates of hell, and pains of eternal darkness, may ever dwell in the region of light. You will say, things are otherwise now. True, therefore I say there is no strength in that argument, that those men that composed that liturgy were worthy lights in the Church; for they were but newly come out of Popery, and had the scent of Popery upon them, therefore it is too unreasonable to make that which they did the rule of our Reformation now, as if we were to go no further than they did. The like may be said of the Primitive times, which many plead for the justification of their superstitious vanities, for the Christians than came but newly out of heathenism, and lived amongst Heathens, and therefore could not so soon be delivered from their heathenish customs. I could relate to you sad things there were in Qu. Elizabeth's days, in K. James his days, but I must not take too much liberty in this digression, only let us hereby learn not so to cry out of evil times that we are fallen into, as to be unthankful for present mercies; let us bless God for what we have had, and look unto the rule for further reformation. For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal, etc. The Spirit of God returneth here again to convincing, upbraiding, accusing, threatening Israel. The sin of Israel went very near to the heart of God, and God speaks here as a man troubled in spirit for the unkindness, unfaithfulness, unreasonableness of the dealings of his Spouse with him, it runneth in his thoughts, Cre●o vera & purfecta fide quod Deus creator, gubernator, & susteu. ator sit omnium creaturarum quod idem ipse operatus si● omnia, operetur adhuc & inaeternam operaturus sit. Buxtorf. synag. judaic. c. 1. his heart is grieved at it, and he must vent himself, and when he hath told his grief and aggravated his wrong, he is upon it again & again, still convincing, upbraiding, charging Israel for dealing so unfaithfully and treacherously with him, all showing the trouble of his spirit. For she did not know, etc. These words depend upon the 5. ver. (for the 6. & 7. they are as a parenthesis) She hath done shamefully, for she said, I will go after my lovers that give me my bread, & my water, my wool, & my flae●●e, etc. For she did not know, etc. She did thus and thus, for she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, etc. What was Israel worse than the Ox or the Ass that knows his owner & his Master's crib? It is impossible but Israel (that was the only people of God in those times, where God was most, nay we may say only known in the world) should know that God was the cause of all the good they had, certainly they could not be ignorant of that, for in their Creed (as Buxtorfius and others make mention) they had 13. Articles, and this was the first Article, I believe with a true and perfect faith, that God is the creator, the governor, the sustainer of all creatures, Benedictus sis Domine Deus noster rex mundi quod fructum vitis condidisti Synag. jud. c. 7. that he wrought all things, still works all things, & shall for ever work all things. And at their feasts they had these expressions, Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the world that dost create the fruit of the vine. The Mr. of the feast himself came in (he did not set a boy to it) publicly to bless God for the fruit of the vine, and yet here the Text saith they did not know that God gave them wine. When they came to take bread they had this speech, Blessed be thou O God that art the King of the world, Benedictus esto Deus qui & dulcia & bene volentia crearis, etc. Buxtsynag. jud. cap. 7. that bringest forth bread out of the earth; And at the end of their feast this, Let us bless him who hath sent us of his own, of whose goodness we live. The question answered, and blessed be he of whose goodness we live, Yea they used to bless God solemnly for the sweet and fragrant smell of spices and herbs. This was their constant way, and yet God chargeth them that they did not know that he gave them bread, and wine, and ●●le, they did not lay it to heart. We shall see afterward of what great use this is unto us, to show what profession they made of acknowledging that God gave them all, and yet God charges them that they did not know it. That I gave them, what? Corn, wine, and oil, & multiplied her silver and her gold. Here God expresseth himself more largely than they did before in that they received from their Idols, they talked in the 5. vers. of receiving from their Idols bread, and water, and wool, and flax, etc. but here is wine, & oil, and silver, and gold, more than they had from their Idols. God setteth out his mercy to them, to upbraid them. And they prepared them for Baal. We must inquire here first what this Baal was. The name of him [Bagnal] it signifieth a Lord (and from thence signifieth a husband) because they attributed such dominion that their Idols had over them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acknowledging their Idols to be Lords, What Baal was. therefore they called them by the name Bagnall, their Lords: And because they chose them as their husband, therefore also they had this name, it is all one with Bel too, for the Chaldee put out that letter [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] and the pricks being altered it is all one Baal and Bel. Now this Baal either was some special Idol, or else a general name given to all Idols; sometimes it is a name given generally to all, in the plural number Baalim. Jer. 9 14. They have walked after the imaginations of their own heart, and after Baalim. But it likewise notes a special Idol, an Idol that was the same with that of the Zidonians, which they called jupiter Thalassius, or their sea jupiter, that idol was called Baal in a special manner, 1 King. 16. 31. you may see how the worship of Baal came into Israel at that time. It is true, the worship of Baal had been in Israel a long time before, in judg. 2. 11. you shall find there that they served Baal, yet the idolatry of Baal was often cast out by the people of God, but in that place of the Kings you shall find how it came in afresh, the Text saith, that Ahab took to wife jexebel the daughter of Eth-baal King of the Zidonians, & went and served Baal, and worshipped him; That was the occasion that Ahab matching with a Zidonian, to the end that he might ingratiate himself with his wife's kindred, he would worship his wives God. And this Baal hath divers additional names. Sometimes you shall find in Scripture called Baalzebub, or Belzebub (it is all one, for Baal and Bel is the same, only changing the points) and that signifieth their god of flies, & the reason why Baal had that name, was, because in those Countries they were extremely perplexed with flies, and they attributed the power of driving them away, and of helping them against the molestation they had by them to their god Baal, hence they called him Baalzebub; you may see how much they attributed to their god for deliverance from flies, we have other manner of deliverances by the goodness of our God then this, yet for this Baalzebub was one of their principal gods, therefore it is said of Christ, that he cast out devils by Belzebub the prince of devils, which is by the god of flies, Mat. 20. 25. He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Belzebul, which is as much as the dung, god, Zebel in theory ●iac signifying Stercus, dung. Then there was Baal-perazim, that addition was only from the place, the Mountain where he was worshipped. There was also Baal-berith, Obs. that signified only the covenant they entered into with that God. So that it seems the very Idolaters did bind themselves to worship their god by solemn covenant or very strong arguments, to teach us to be willing to bind ourselves in worshipping the true God by all the legal bonds we can, God provideth for the bodies of his people. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si opus est corni pa●e, si opus est aqua, si open est vin●, si opus est nummo, si opus est jumento, a Deo petere debet, nan a daemoniis & idolis: qui Deo sitiunt, undi que debent sitire, & anima & carne. Nunquid animam tuam Deus fecit, & carnem damonia fecerunt? qui fecit ambas res ipse pascet amlias. Aug. in 〈…〉. longeth for thee, 〈…〉 to make God to be the God of our Covenant, as their god here was. It is needless to name more who had this name. I shall afterward show how God himself had once the name of Baal, for the word signifying the name of husband or Lord was as due to God as to any other, and God himself took that name. But here we are to understand it of their Idols. They prepared them for Baal, they made them for Baal, so the word is. It importeth these two things. First it importeth that they did sacrifice these thing to their Baal, for so facere, to make, is as much many times as Sacrificare, to sacrifice; And Bella mine takes advantage from this word, when Christ saith, Hoc facite, do this, he draweth an argument that the Lords Supper is a sacrifice, for the word to do is used sometime to sacrifice. But secondly, they prepared them, that is, of their gold and silver they made Images of this their Idol god Baal, they would not spare their gold and silver, but laid aside and prepared it to make images of Baal, and they thought that gold and silver thus laid out as good as any in their purses. The Observations. First. It is God that supplieth all the outward good of his people. They did not know that I gave them, etc. I gave them all the corn, and wine, and oil they had, I did not only give them mine Ordinances, but I gave them corn, and wine, and oil, and gold, and silver. It is the Lord himself that supplieth all outward good to his people, he doth not only prise the souls of his people, but he takes care of their bodies too, and outward estates. Psalms, 34. 20. He keepeth all his bones. Yea, he takes care of the very hair of their heads. The bodies of the Saints are very precious in the eyes of God, the most precious of all corporal things in the world: The Son, and Moon, and Stars, are not so precious as the bodies of the Saints, how much more precious are their souls? We have an excellent note of Austin upon Psalm, 63. 1. where the Text saith, My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, etc. Upon this he hath this Note: If the flesh hath any need of bread, of wine, of money or cattle, seek this of God, for God giveth this too, for mark, Those who thirst for God must thirst for him every way; not only their soules ●●rst for him, but their flesh must thirst for him; for saith he, did God make the soul, and did the devils or any idols make the flesh? No, he that made both soul and flesh, he feedeth them both, therefore all Christians must say, My soul longeth after thee, and my flesh also. If then we can trust God for our souls, and our eternal estates that he will provide for them, we must trust him for our bodies also, for our flesh, for our temporal estates, that he will provide for them also. Secondly thus. All that we have, Obj. all our supply that we enjoy in this world, it is the free gift of God. They did not know that I gave them corn and wine, etc. All of us live upon the mere Alms of God, the greatest man in the world is bound to go to God's gate and beg his bread every day; though he were an Emperor over all the world, The greatest man in the world must beg his bread at God's gate every day. he must do it to show his dependence upon him, that he lives wholly upon alms: Men think it hard to live upon alms, and because they have maintenance, so much coming in by the year, such an estate in land, they think they are well provided for many years: But what ever estate thou hast, though by thy trading thou hast gotten so much by the year coming in, yet God requireth this of thee, to go to his gate, & beg thy bread of him every day; so Christ teacheth, Give us this day our daily bread; And certainly if we did but understand this our dependence upon God for all outward comforts in the world, we could not but fear him, and seek to make peace with him, and keep peace with him, and it would be a means that our hearts would be enlarged to give to others who need our alms, and seeing every man and woman of us is an Almsman, and an Almes-woman. Thirdly, It is our duty that we owe to God to know and take notice of God as the author of all our good. Obs. They know not, that implieth they ought to have known. This is a special duty of that worship we owe to God: it is the end of Gods communicating all good to us, that he may have active glory from his rational creature as well as passive glory, and there is no creature else in all the world that God hath made capable of knowing any thing of the first cause but only the rational creature, therefore it is the excellency of such that they do not only enjoy the good that they have, but they are able to rise up to the highest and first cause of all their good: There is a great deal of excellency in this. It is observed of Doves, that at every pick of corn they take in their bill they cast their eyes upward; and in the Canticles you shall find the eyes of the Church are called Doves eyes, because they look so much up to heaven upon every good they receive: They have not dogs eyes, the men of the world have dogs eyes, dogs you know look up to their Masters for a bone, and when they have it they presently look down to the ground; so the men of the world, they will pray to God when they want, but wh●n they enjoy what they would have, they look no more upward but all downward. This taking notice of God to be the Author of all our good, and to give him praise, is all the rent we pay to God for what we enjoy, therefore it is fit we should do that; and if we do any thing for God, be sure God takes notice of that to the uttermost, yea though it be himself that enableth us to do it, yea though it be but a little good mingled with a great deal of evil, God takes notice of it, and will reward it, surely than we should take notice of the good that he giveth out to us. This sweeteneth our comforts to see that they all come from God, and for that observe the difference between the expression of jacob's blessing, and Esau's blessing; The sweetness of a comfort is, that it comes from God. when Isaac came to bless Jacob, he expresseth himself thus, Gen. 27. 28. God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine, etc. Now when he cometh to bless Esau, mark his expression then verse 39 Thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above, but he never mentioneth God in that; It is not Esau's blessing. God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, though it is true Isaac meant so, but yet he doth not mention the name of God so in Esau's as in Jacob's blessing, Certainly my brethren, the seed of Jacob count their blessing to be a double, a treble blessing, that they can see God in it: carnal hearts do not much regard God, if they can have what they would have, if they can have their flesh satisfied in what they desire, from what hand it cometh that they do not much care; but a gracious heart, a child of Jacob, rejoiceth more in the hand from whence it cometh, then in any good he can possibly enjoy. Fourthly, They did not know. God doth a great deal of good in the world that is little taken notice of, Obs. or laid to heart. Many of God's dispensations are invisible, the Angels, Ezek. 1. are described with their hands under their wings. God doth great things sometime so invisibly, as he cannot be seen; And when he doth great things that we might see, yet through our neglect, stupidity, and drossiness of our hearts, we do not see them. The most observing eye that is in the world, that takes the exactest notice of God's mercy, and hath the greatest skill to set forth the riches of God's goodness to himself and others, yet alas it is but very little that he takes notice of, no not of that he might do. It is with the quickest sighted Christians as with a skilful Mathematician, a skilful Mathematician takes notice of and understands many parts of the world, and is able to set out the several parts distinctly to you in such a Climate, in such a Country, but yet when he hath done all, he leaveth a great space for a Terra incognita, for an unknown world, and that unknown world for aught we know may be five times bigger than the known world; So they that have the most observant eye of God's mercies, and take the most notice of them, that can best set out the mercies he bestoweth, Many and great are Gods unknown mercies. spiritual mercies, temporal mercies, preventing mercies, past mercies, present mercies, delivering mercies, etc. yet when they have done all, they must leave a great space for the Terra incognita, for the unknown mercies of God. The truth is, those mercies of God that are obvious to our knowledge every day, one would think they were enough to melt our hearts, to break them in pieces: but besides these mercies we take notice of, there are thousands and thousands of mercies that we know not of. As we daily commit many sins that we know not of, Scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire hoc sciat alter. so daily we receive many mercies that we know not of likewise; And as in our confession of sins, we should pray to God first to pardon our sins we know, and so to name them in particular; and when we have done, then, Lord forgive us our unknown, our secret sins; So in our thanksgiving, first bless God for the mercies before us, and when we have done. Lord blessed be thy name for all thy unknown mercies that I have little taken notice of. We soon grow cold and dead if we do good; and men take no notice of us, neither what we know, nor what we do is any thing to us except others know it too, but this is the vanity and pride of men's hearts, it is God's prerogative above his creatures, to do all for himself, for his own glory, and yet he doth much good in the world that none knows of; we are bound to deny ourselves in that we do, not to seek our own glory; The most excellent piece in the most excellent of our works is one selfe-denyal in it; why should we not then do all the good we can do cheerfully, though it be not known? we should do good out of love to goodness itself, and if we would do so we should be encouraged in doing good secretly. Fifthly, and which cometh yet more fully up to the words, They did not know, etc. In God's account men know no more than they lay to heart and make good use of. Obser. The Schools distinguish of want of knowledge, there is Nescientia, and Ignoratia; Nescience is of such things as we are not bound to know, We know no more than we lay to heart. it is not our sin not to know them; but Ignorance is of such things as we are bound to know, and that ignorance is twofold; there is an invincible ignorance, let us take what pains we can, we can never know all we are bound to know; and there is an affected ignorance, when we do not know, because out of carelessness we do not mind what is before us, and when we have minded it so far as to conceive it, yet if we lay it not to heart as we ought, still in God's account we know it not, if we digest not what we know into practice, God accepteth it not. As God is said not to know when he doth not approve, I know ye not, saith he, so when any man hath a truth in notion and it doth not get into the heart, when it is not embraced there, God accounts that that man knows it not; Therefore you have in Scripture such an expression as the Seer is blind; It is a strange expression, it seems to be a contradiction, such a thing as we call a Bull: philosophi sumus factis, no● verbis, nec magna loquimur, sed vivimus. Cypr. de patienti●. The Seer is blind: But it is not so here, because God accounts those that have never so much knowledge, yet if it do not sanctify the heart so as to give him the glory, they are blind, blind as a Beetle; The knowledge of the Saints is another kind of knowledge than other men have. We have, saith Cyprian no such notions as many of your Philosophers have, but we are Philosophers in our deeds, we do not speak great things, but we do great things in our lives. 1 Thes. 4. 9 You have an excellent expression for this, you are taught of God to love one another, what followeth? And indeed so you do, That is an evidence that you are taught of God when it prevayleth with your hearts, when it may be ●aid, indeed so you do: Who is there in the world but knows that we should love one another? but men are not taught of God to love one another until it may be said of them that indeed so they do. There is nothing more obvious to the understanding of a man then the notion of a Deity, that there is a God, we may as it were grope after him as the holy Ghost speaks; but yet 1 john 2. 4. He that saith he knows him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; Any man who ever he be, though the greatest Scholar in the world, if he saith he knows God and keeps not his commandments, he hath the lie told him to his teeth, he doth not know God at all, though this of God be the most obvious thing to be understood that possibly can be, and yet Christ saith no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and to whom the Son shall reveal him. Hence it is when a soul is converted, Mat. 11. 27. you shall hear these expressions, I never knew before, I never knew what an infinite Deity meant, I never understood the infinite sovereignty and Majesty of the great God, I never knew what sin meant before; yet if you had asked him afore, he would say, I know God is a Spirit, that he is infinite and eternal; I know that sin is the transgression of the law; I never knew that Christ was before, yet before he would have told you that Christ was the son of Mary, Hoc morbo didici quid sit peccatum & quanta majestas Dei. Gasper, Olevianus. Verb● sensus denotant affectus. and came into the world to die for sinners. I remember an expression of a German Divine, when he was upon his sick bed, In this disease saith he, I have learned what sin is, and how great the Majesty of God is; This man though a Preacher, and doubtless he could preach of sin and of the Majesty of God, yet he professeth he knew not these things until God came powerfully upon his heart to teach him what they were. The Hebrews say, words of sense carry with them the affections, or else they be to no purpose: when men have notional knowledge only that comes not down into the heart, they are like men that have weak stomaches and weak heads, when they drink wine all flieth up to the head & it makes them giddy, but if the wine went to the heart, it would cheer & warm it: so all this man's knowledge flieth up to his head & makes him giddy, whereas if it were digested & got to the heart, it would warm and refresh, yea 〈…〉 The Text saith of Elies' sons, 1 Sam. 2. 12. that they knew not the Lord; they were Priests of God, yet they were sons of Belial, and know not the Lord. Be not offended at great Scholars who have skill in the tongues, Arts and Sciences, do not you say these men that are great and knowing men, would they do thus and thus, if things were so as you speak; they are not knowing men, God saith that Elies sons did not know, the Lord, the things of God are hid from them. I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid thess things from the wise and prudent, etc. Sixthly, They did not know that I gave them, etc. Affected ignorance coming through distemper of heart is no excuse, Obs. but rather an aggravation. It is a high degree of ingratitude not to prise God's mercy, but not to take notice of God's mercies, Affected ignorance is no excuse. Oh what a high ingratitude is this! That which shall be part of God's charge against sinners can be no excuse of their sin, it is a part of God's charge that they did not know, therefore their ignorance cannot be their excuse. God threateneth to cut people off, to have no mercy upon them for want of knowing as well as for not doing, They are a people of no understanding, therefore he that made them will have no mercy upon them, and he that form them will show them no favour, Esay 27. 11. Graviter O homo peccas, si divitias dei longanimitatis contemnis gravissime si ignoras. Ambro● Obser Ambrose hath this expression, Thou dost sin greatly if thou dost contemn the riches of Gods long suffering, but thou sinnest most of all if thou dost not know it. From the word [for] as depending upon the 5. ver. (for so it doth,) The Observation is, The not taking notice and considering of God's mercies, and laying them to heart, is the cause of vile, and shameful evils in men's lives. Therefore they did shamefully, therefore they went after their lovers, because they did not know, the cause of almost all the evil in the world it is from hence, They that know thy name will trust in thee, those who know the Lord will fear him and his goodness. Esay 1. 4. Ah sinful nation, saith God: God fetcheth a sigh under the burden of it, his spirit is laden and troubled with it, Ah sinful people, &c, What was the matter? The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Ass his master's crib, but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider, they were more stupid than the brute creatures. Oh sinful soul, this is the cause of all thy inordinate walking, of all thy profaneness, of all the ungodliness in thy ways, because thou dost not know, thou dost not consider, thou dost not lay to heart the ways of God towards thee. jer. 2. 5. God chargeth his people that they were gone from him, and ver. 7. that they had made his heritage an abomination. What is the reason that is given of both these? It is in the 6. ver. They did not say, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt? etc. They did not take notice of what the Lord had done for them, therefore they were gone far from him, etc. If thou hadst but a heart to lay to heart what God hath done for thee, it is impossible that thou shouldst go so far off from God as thou dost. For these deductions are easy and obvious to any from such a principle. 1. Justice, common equity requires living to God, seeing we live by and upon God. 2. Common ingenuity calls for requiring good with good; the Publicans and Heathens will do good to those that do good to them. 3. If all be from God, than all still depends upon God. 4. How much good is there in God from whence all this good and mercy comes, when God shall show another day to men and Angels how he was the fountain of all good! it will confound those who have not laid it to heart. 8. She did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and her gold. God is more bountiful to his people then the Idols can be. Obs. The Idols by their own confession gave them but their bread, & water, and flax, and oil, etc. but God giveth them wine, & silver, & gold. God gives them better pay a great deal then the Devil doth; yet the Devil usually hath more servants to follow him then God hath, though his wages be less and worse. It is usual for men to get soldiers from adversaries, by giv●ng them more pay: This is the way God takes, he offereth a great deal better pay to those that will follow him, than they have that follow the Devil, yet God can get few to follow him. This shows the vileness of man's heart against God. 9 She did not know that I gave her, etc. which she prepared for Baal. When men get abundance, than they soon grow wanton. When I gave them corn, Obser. and wine, and oil, and multiplied their silver and their gold, than they followed Baal. This is the reason of so many solemn charges of God, Take heed when thou art full, that thou dost not forget the Lord. As they that are nearest the sun are the blackest, Prosperity makes men grow wanton. so those to whom God is nearest in regard of outward mercies, are many times blacker than others. It is observed, that the fatter men's bodies are, the less blood and the fewer spirits they have; so the fatter men's estates are, many times the less spirit they have to any thing that is good; God hath less spirit from them, sin hath much more. We read of the sun melting the Manna that fell down, but the same Manna was able to bear the fire; so many a man's heart is able to bear affliction, and the affliction doth good, prepareth for much good, as Manna was prepared to be eaten by fire, but prosperity melteth them, makes them useless. Many men when they were poor and in a low condition, were very useful; but when they grow high and rich, they are of very little use in the places where they dwell. Trajan the Emperor was wont to liken a man growing to a great estate, to the Spleen in the body; for as the Spleen grows big, the body grows less: so when men's estates grow bigger, they grow less useful. Euagrius noteth it as a special commendation of Mauritius the Emperor, but notwithstanding his prosperity he retained his ancient piety: it is a very rare thing to see men advanced to high places, do so. 10. I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and I multiplied her silver and gold which they sacrificed to Baal. Even those creatures that wicked men abuse to their lusts, God gives them. Though he doth not give them for that end, yet those creatures that they use for such an end are given of God. Obser. If thou be'st a drunkard, that wine or drink that thou dost sacrifice to that lust of thine, who giveth it thee? Is it not God? thou hast a good estate more than other men, and all the use thou makest of thy estate is merely that it might be but as fuel for thy lusts, who gave thee this thy estate? Is it not God? God giveth thee clothes and thou sacrificest them to thy pride, thou hast more money than others, and so canst vent thy malice more than others, from whence hast thou this? Thou hast more strength of body then others and thou ventest it in uncleanness, where hadst thou this? consider this, and let this meditation prevail with thine heart to stop thee in thy sinful way, let it be seconded with the next; viz: Obs. That is a most horrible wickedness and abominable ingratitude, for any man to take God's creatures and abuse them against God. What, An evil thing to fight against God with his own creatures. I gave them corn, and wine, and multiplied their silver, and their gold, and have they prepared these for Baal? God speaks of this as of a monstrous sin, as if God should say, let all my people lament my condition, that I should do so much for them, and they do nothing for me but all against me, sacrifice all to Baal: As perhaps many of you have been kind to some of your friends, and have raised them, and made them, as we use to say; they have wanted nothing, but you have been bountiful to them, if now these men should turn your enemies, and that estate they have got by you, they should use it to do you a mischief, would you not call in your neighbours and friends, to join with you in lamenting your condition? What, did you ever hear of such an example, that I should do so much for such, and they turn all against me? you tell it as a most lamentable story to your friends; God doth so here; he makes this his grievous complaint. This is as if a bird should be shot with an Arrow, whose feathers came out of her own body; we would even pity a bird in that case. Many men make no other use of their estates but to turn them against God; they are not as the slothful servant that hid his talon in the napkin, if it were but so it were not so much, but they take their talents & employ them against God. Would it not go to your heart if one should sue you in law, and bear the charges of the suit out of your own estate? We use to complain such a man sueth me, and it is my own money he goeth to law with; So thou goest against God, and he is fain as it were to bear all the charges: It is not against the light of Nature? the very heathens: the publicans and sinners will do good to those that do good to them: Thou art worse than a publican and sinner, wilt thou do hurt to God that doth thee good? When Julius Caesar saw Brutus come to give him a stab in the Senate house, he cried out, What thou my son, wilt thou do it? But suppose that julius Caesar had given him the dagger with which he stabbed him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. then O thou my son, what stab me with that dagger I gave thee? If when Jonathan gave David his sword and bow, David should have turned against Jonathan and killed him with his own sword and bow, would not the unkindness or rather the abominable wickedness have pierced deeper into his heart, than any swords or arrows possibly could? If you can find any creature that is not GOD'S to fight against him withal, you may do it, but if all you have is from him, it is horrible wickedness to take that and to sacrifice it to Baal. Certainly God giveth it for other ends, to go cross to God's ends is an evil thing: When God aimeth at such a thing, for us not to join with God in the same end he aimeth at is an evil, but for us to aim at a quite contrary end, that is horrible wickedness indeed. They sacrificed to Baal. When once superstition and Idolatry hath got into a place, though there be much done against it, yet it is not easy to get it out. It is from hence that God doth so often complain of Baal, Obs. yet you shall find in judge, 2. (I think that is the first place it is mentioned that they served Baal) but it appeareth that they fell off from Baal, yet they fell to him again, for in judg. 8. 33. After gideon's death it came to pass that the children of Israel turned again and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god; It speaks as if it were a new thing now that they should fall to worship Baal after they had left worshipping him; After his death. And 1 Sam. 7. 4. The children of Israel did put away Baalim; and yet if you read Chap▪ 10. 22. they fall a confessing that they had sinned, because they had forsaken the Lord and served Baalim; though they had put him away before, yet he had got up again; So in that place before named, 1 King. 16. there Ahah would serve Baal, it is brought in there as a new thing, as a novelty, because Baal had been so much suppressed, 2 King. 10. you find that jehu sought to destroy Baal & all his Priests, but yet Baal was not got out for all this, but he got in again, for in 2 Kin. 23. 4. the Text saith, that Josia who was long after that time, caused the vessels that were made for Baal to be taken away and burnt. This is a marvelous use, and seasonable for our times. If superstition be opposed, though it be cast out as we think in a great degree, yet if there be not a thorough Reformation, it will wind in one way or other again. If we think it enough to cut things short, and to take away their strength, and their enormities, we deceive ourselves; if there be nothing done but so, they will grow up again; it is but cutting the weeds a little; if branch and root be not taken away, they will up again; Baal will put up his head one way or other. I remember Cluverus a late Historian, yet much approved of, bringeth in one that gave this council concerning Rome, because it was much annoyed with Wolves; saith he, there is no way to save Rome from Wolves, but to cut down the woods wherein these Wolves breed and live, for otherwise they might kill and kill, but they would breed agaive. So sometimes when children's heads are overrun with vermin, the way to destroy the vermin is to shave the hair quite of off: So certainly, this is the way to destroy superstition from amongst us, to take away the places and revenues of those men that have been maintainers and upholders of superstitious ways of worship; Let us by cutting down the woods, and shaving off the hair destroy these Wolves, and if they will needs be Priests, let them be Shavelings. Which they sacrificed to Baal. Lastly, Idolaters are very liberal to their Idols, Obs. they are willing to sacrifice gold ' silver, corn, wine and oil, and all to Baal, but of that before. The Seventh Lecture. HOSEA 2. 9 10. Therefore will I return and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax, given to cover their nakedness. And now I will discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand. IN the former verse, Israel is accused for abusing her silver and gold, etc. in the service of Baal; now it follows, Therefore I will take away my corn in the time thereof, etc. if there be a therefore, we must inquire wherefore it was, because they did prepare their corn, etc. for Baal, Therefore I will return. 1. What is the meaning of returning. 2. What the meaning of the time and season thereof, I will take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof. 3. What that phrase imports, I will recover my wool. For the first therefore. I will return, that is, I will change the way of my administrations toward them, I will go out of my way of mercy, and turn into my way of judgement, I will go back again; I was in a way of judgement toward them, and they cried to me, and I turned into a way of mercy, but I will go back again into a way of judgement, I will return, Arias Montanus hath a good note upon the place, Whereas God hath heretofore bid them not to be afraid of all the tokens of the Soothsayers that is, Lect 7. when they say by Astrology some signs of death that might follow, they were afraid; be not afraid, saith the Lord, but know your corn, and wine, and oil depends on me, not on the second causes; though second causes make against, yet fear not, for I will give you come, and wine and oil; but now it is quite contrary, though second causes promise all kind of plenty whatsoever, that there shall be abundance of corn, and wine, and oil, yet I will take away your plenty, there shall be a dearth of all things amongst you. I will take away my corn in the time thereof: that is, first in the times of harvest just when their corn is to be taken in, and in the time of their vintage, I will then take it away, whereas I might take it away in the seed, I will let it grow till the harvest, and then take it away. 2. In the time when they have most need of it, when they are in the greatest straits, and know not what to do without these creatures, 3. In tempore suo, so some, In the time I have appointed, though I have let them go on and enjoy the creatures in abundance, yet my time is come that I will take away all. And will recover, the word signifieth, I will snatch it away, I will spoil you of it; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it hath reference to two things. First, I will recover it as out of the hands of usurpers, you have my corn, and wo●l, and flax as usurpers, but I will recover them out of your hands, as a man that hath his goods taken away from him usurped, he by some means or other recovers his goods again; so saith God, you have my corn, and wine, and as you have carried the matter, you are but usurpers, I will sue you for them, you shall not enjoy them long. Secondly, I will recover, it hath a reference to prisoners and bondslaves, when the enemy shall get any of ours into their power, and make them bondslaves, a greater power goes against the enemy, and recovers them out of his hands, and gets them again; As Abraham recovered Lot and his goods, Gen. 46. 14. Or as if mariners should get those galley-slaves the Turks have gotten: and recover them out of their hands, as if he should say, these creatures of corn and wine, etc. they are in bondage, and I will recover them out of your hands, you know the creatures groan under their bondage while they are in the possession of wicked men, 8. Rom. my creatures are in bondage to you, and they cry to me, and I will recover them out of your hands. There are many precious and choice truths to be presented to you out of the words. Obser. 1 First, Therefore I will, etc. Whence observe, Though God gives mercy out of free grace without cause in ourselves, yet he takes not away mercy without cause, there is a therefore for taking away mercy, but we have many mercies given without a therefore: When God takes away mercy we have cause to look into ourselves to find out a therefore, but you may find out thousands of mercies that God gives to us, and you shall find never a therefore for them. It is not so great a wonder that thousand thousands are in misery as that any one enjoys mercy, for misery hatha therefore in ourselves, for mercy there is reason only in the breast of God. Obs. 2. Secondly, I will return. Sin causeth God to change the way of his administrations towards his people. Though God be in ways of mercy, yet sin may put him out of those ways, and make him return and go in a way of judgement agnine: how much better were it for sinners to return, than that sin should cause God to return? Oh sinner, return out of thy evil ways, if God return, it will be a sad return. Not long since God was in ways of judgement against us, and lately he hath come into ways of mercy, and now he seems to return again to his former ways of judgement. jer. 14. 9 Why art thou as a man astonished? A man astonished stands still; or if he moves, it is up and down, as if he knew not which way to go, though we have suffered hard things, we cannot yet say God is returned, but he seems as a man astonished, and knows not which way to go. Thus God is pleased of himself after the manner of men, to speak; let us cry to him that he may not turn out of his way of mercy, into those sad ways of wrath that he seems to be looking towards. I will take away my corn, and my wine. Abuse of mercy causeth the removing of mercy, 11 Zach. 17. Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock, the sword shall be upon his arm, & upon his right eye, his arm shall be dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened. Hath God given any a right hand, any abilities? take heed God doth not strike that right hand, or right eye, any quickness of parts, let them take heed that through abuse it be not put out: Abuse of mercies causes God to take them away. how many shepherds when they were young had many excellent parts, great abilities, but having abused them to their lusts, God hath taken them away! So in children, there is no such way to lose your children, as to abuse them, if your hearts be inordinately set upon them, God takes them away. I will tell you of a special passage of providence concerning this, & I speak it the rather, because I was an eye and ear witness of it, living not far from the place, A godly man desiring his friends to meet to bless God for his blessings in a plentiful Harvest, after dinner was done comes in a little child, who was indeed a very lovely child, Oh saith the father, I am afraid I shall make a God of this child; by and by the child was missing, and presently they went to look him, and he was found sprawling drowned in a pond. Consider this ye parents who have your hearts inordinately set on your children. Again, I will take away my corn, and my wine, and my wool, and my flax. Mark, before they made them their own, in the former verse, they said they are theirs, now God challenges them for his, here we have, My, My, My, repeated on God's side, as frequent as before it was on theirs. Fourthly, Obser. 4 God keeps the propriety of all that we have; though God gives all, yet he keeps the propriety of all in his own hand: God hath another propriety in our estates, than any Prince in the world hath. Subjects have propriety in their estates, and enjoy them with as true a right as their Sovereigns, but no creature hath any propriety in what it hath in reference to God, this great Sovereign of all the world holds the propriety of all his hands, Gratiarum actio ipsa confessio donum est acceptum, quanto magis ipsa dona. Luther. postquam locuplitati sumus bane ●idesam particulam addimus, ego geci. Obs. 5. not only what we have, but what we do, and what we are is all Gods: yea says Luther, even our thanksgiving to God for gifts is a gift of God: It is therefore a very vile thing to attribute to ourselves what is Gods, when God hath enriched us we add this odious particle, says Luther, I have done it, yea, says he, men do so often say, Feci, Feci, I have done, I have done it, that Fiunt faeces, they are as dregs before the Lord; By this you may see they are not your goods that you abuse it is a great argument to be bountiful and free for good uses; because what we have is Gods. I will give you a notable Text for this, 1 Chron. 29. 14. For all things come of thee, and of thine own we have given thee. David thought not much of his bounty towards the Temple, because all was Gods. Therefore I will take away. This [Therefore] hath not only reference to the abuse of them, but to that in the 7. ver. and she shall follow after her l●vers, but shall not overtake them, etc. then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband, for than it was better than now. God makes this to be a means of working that frame of spirit in them of returning to their first husband. And from hence the note is. Fifthly, The taking away those good things we enjoy, is a means of making us return to God, it is a special means of conviction, to convince us of sin, when God comes with some special work of his against us, it works more upon us when we see some real expression of God's displeasure, when God takes his mercies from us then when we hear the threat, now we come to be sensible of our sins. You that are tradesmen and run into debt, and your Creditors tell you they will come upon you, yet you go on, till the bailiff comes into your shop and seizeth upon all, and goes into your house and takes away your bed from under you, and all your goods; when you see all go out, than you think of your negligence, and then the husband and wife wring their hands. So though God threaten you for the abuse of the creature that he will take it away, yet you are not sensible of it till God indeed takes away all, and then conscience begins to be awakened and fly in your faces. When David saw God taking away his people, than his heart smote him for numbering them; he was told of the evil of that way of his before by joab, but he goes on in it. When Samuel prayed for rain in wheat harvest, and there came thundering and lightning, than the people feared exceedingly, and acknowledged their sin in ask a King. Those who have abused their estates in these times, when the enemy comes, what gratings of conscience will they have? Then these thoughts will arise, Have I used my estate for God? have I done that I might do? have I not satisfied my lusts with those things God hath now taken from me? There is usually a grating of conscience for the abuse of any thing, when God takes it away. When God takes away a wife, if the husband hath a tenderness of conscience, his first thoughts are, Have I performed the duties of my relation to my wife as I ought? have I not neglected my duty towards her? and this causeth sad thoughts. When God takes away a mercy, than conscience troubles fo● the abuse of that mercy▪ Obser. 6 And when God taketh away a child. Have I done my duty towards this child? have I prayed for it, and instructed it as I ought? Again, I will take away your corn in the time thereof, and your wine in the season thereof. This presents this truth to you. That there is an uncertainty in all things in the world; Though they promise fair, yet they are ready to fail us, when they promise most. A husbandman that hath a good seed time, promiseth much to himself, it comes up and thrives, and yet at harvest it is all blasted. Habak. 3. 17. Though the labour of the olive fail, The phrase is, Though the Labour of the olive lie, that is, the olive promised fair, it grew up, and looked very fair, and ripened, but it did lie, that is, it did not perform what it seemed to promise, for in the time thereof it vanished and came to naught. I had certain information from a reverend Minister, of a strange work of God this way; The thing was, in his own Town there was a worldling who had a great crop of corn; a good honest neighbour of his walking by his corn, saith he, Neighbour you have a very fine crop of corn, if God bless it: Yea, saith he, I will have a good crop, speaking contemptuously and before he could come to get it into the barn, it was blasted, that the corn of the whole crop was not worth six pence. Here we see the uncertainty of the creature in the time thereof, when it seems to promise never so fair, when we are ready to take it into the barn, it depends on God, as well as when it is under the clods. Oh the blessedness of God's servants, who are sure of their good for time to come! We may promise ourselves certainty, even for the future in the things of Christ; but for outwards they are never sure, no not when men have them in their hands. Many things fall out between the cup and lip, as we have it in the proverb. I will take away my corn in the time thereof, and wine in the season thereof. Hence Observe. God lets out his displeasure many times to those that provoke him, Obs. 7. when they make account of the greatest mercy, when they are at the greatest height of prosperity, when afflictions seems to be the farthest off from them, than it comes heaviest upon them: When they think least of it, when they think all sure, than God comes upon them by his displeasure, when his displeasure shall be most bi●ter to them: for that is the strength of the point, he will not only take them away in the time thereof, but when the affliction shall be most grievous to them. That in the 20. of Job, ver. 22. is a most notable Scripture for this, In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits. A man may seem to have sufficiency of the creature, and may have his fullness of sufficiency, yet God saith he shall be in straits in the fullness of his sufficiency, I can give you another admirable work of providence in this very things wherein you may see God to come in sore affliction at such a time, when it is most bitter: it came from that worthy Divine Doctor Preston, it was in the Town where he was born; There was a man who of long time had no child, but when God gave him one, wrath from God when wiked men lest think of it. at the weaning of it he called his friends and neighbours to rejoice with him for this great mercy: and the Nurse going to dandle the child in her arm, and wearing a knife in her bosom, the point of the knife being upward, while she was dandling of the child, runs into the belly of the child, at that time when all his friends were about him to rejoice with him. When men think the bitterness of death to be past, (as Agag did) the curse of God comes on them. Ps. 78. 30. While the meat was in their mouths, the wrath of God fell upon them. I have read of Pope John the 22. that he said he knew by the position of the Stars he should live a long time, and boasted that he could cast his nativity, and the same night by the fall of a chamber he had newly built for his solace, he was s●ain. Another example in this kind I have heard credibly reported of a drunken fellow in an Inn was swearing most dreadfully, and one comes in and saith, Sir, what if you should die now? saith he, I shall never eye, and going down the stairs when he went out of his chamber, he presently feldown and broke his neck. There is likewise a history of one Bibulus a Roman, that riding in triumph in all his glory, a tile fell from a house in the street and knocked out his brains. As on the contrary, God's ways and dealings with the Saints are such, as what time their condition is most sad, God comes in with mercy to them, when they are in the most dark condition and gloomish, God's face shines on them; so when the wicked are in their prosperity, God smites them, When the irons entered into Joseph's soul, God delivered him. When the Apostle had received the sentence of death in himself, God comforred him 2 Cor. 1. 9 When Abraham was lifting up his hand to slay Isaac, the Angel of the Lord stayed his hand. As it is observed in nature, a little before day break it is darker than before, so a little before the happiness of God's people, Obs. 8. there are some great afflictions. Zech. 1. 7. At the evening time it shall be light. I will recover. From this phrase of [recovering] observe, First, when men abuse mercies, they forfeit their right in their mercies, they come then to be but usurpers; they are not usurpers of mercies, merely for the use of mercies, but for the abuse of them; they are not charged for their right to use them, but for their not right using them, there is great difference between these two. It hath been taught by many, how far wicked men have right to the creature. that all wicked men have no right at all to use any creature, but are to answer as usurpers before God. But certainly there is a mistake. It is certain man hath forfeited all, but God hath given a right to all that they do enjoy in a lawful way, a right by donation. They have not such a right as the Saints have, a right in Christ, once being in Christ we may challence of God all things that are good for us. Another man hath right, but how? as a malefactor is condemned to die by his offence, being condemned, he hath forfeited all his estate, and all the benefit of a subject; But if the King be pleased to allow him provision for a day or two, till the time of execution, he cannot be challenged as an usurper, for that he hath, he hath it by donation, and it is such a right that all wicked men have; all wicked men in the world are under the sentence of condemnation, & have forfeited their right, and all the good of the creature, only the Lord is pleased out of his bounty to give such and such enjoyments, they shall have such and such houses, and such and such lands for a time, till the day of execution comes. This might daunt the hearts of wicked men: you look upon yourselves as great men, you have your shops full, you have large estates, you are like some malefactors, who have a better supper before execution than others. But still your not right using may make you usurpers before God. You give your servant order to buy such and such commodities, suppose your servant run away with your money, or bestow it on his whores, etc. if he run away do you not follow him as a thief? you trust him with such a stock, to keep such markets, now he hath right to use your estate; but if he run away with your estate, and use it against you, if you meet with him again, you will say, what a thief are you to run away with your Master's estate, and abuse it against him? I will recover, etc. All the time the creature serves wicked men, Obs. 9 it is in bondage, and God looks upon it with a kind of pity. God hath made all things for his own praise, and he gives the children of men many mercies, but it is for his own glory; but when these creatures which were given for the glory of God, are abused to thy lust, Substanti● caro nostra incorporetur Sanctis nt in ●is ad gloriam resurgat, non peccatoribus, in illis enim resurg●t ad ●ehenam. the creature groans under thee. Thou drinkest wine, but the creature groans under thy abuse; never any galleyslave did groan more under the bondage of the Turks, than thy wine and thy dishes on thy table groan under thy abuse, Rom. 8. 22. As God hears the cry of the widow and fatherless, so he hears the groans of the creature. Cornelius a Lapide tells a story that he heard of a famous Preacher, showing this bondage of the creature, brings in the creatures complaining thus, Oh that we could serve such as are godly! Oh that our substance & our flesh might be incorporated into godly people, that so we might rise into glory! but if our flesh be incorporated into the flesh of sinners, we shall go to hell, and would any creature go to hell? The very creatures shall be in hell eternally, when wicked men consume them on their lusts, being incorporated into their bodies. Certainly, the creature one day will have a kind of revenge upon ungodly men, & divers think that hell will be a turning all creatures into a Chaos, into a confusion again as it was at the first, and the wicked put into that, and so tormented there, there shall not be an annihilation, but God shall take away the beauty, comfort & glory of the creature, and whatsoevershal be for the torment of ungodly men shall abide, and so they shall be tormented eternally by the creatures they do abuse. As in such a building as this is, there is lime and stone, and mortar, but now the art of man puts a beauty upon them; but suppose all the art of man were taken away from this building, at an instant, what would become of us then? it would bury us in the rubbish of it; now it is useful and delightful, but if the art were taken away, it would be our destruction. So the creatures of God have much of God's wisdom, power and goodness in them, which God suffers wicked men to enjoy; but God will take away all his wisdom, beauty and goodness, so that nothing but the confusion & rubbish of the creature shall be upon the wicked to all eternity. I will recover my wool and my flax given to cover their nakedness. Whence observe, God gives his blessings to us, not for luxury, but for necessity; I gave them to cover your nakedness. Obser. Therefore when our Saviour teacheth us to pray▪ it is for daily bread, or bread which is for our substance, so much bread as serves for our substance, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. and that but for a day neither. Most are abusive in their desires, after, and use of the creature, they look at bravery rather than necessity; As Cyprian hath an expression, It is not the heat of their clothes, nor calor, but colour, the colour is rather regarded by many. God looks now especially that we should cut of our superfluities, when our brothers want necessareiss. To cover your nakedness. It seems that our nakedness needs a cover. Sin hath made nakedness shameful. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Hence therefore our bodies are called vile bodies; those bodies that we study so much to pamper and adorn, they are bodies of vileness, as the Apostle speaks, Phil. 3. 21. yea, of that vileness with an article, or of the vilensse; to be proud of our clothes that cover our shame, that cover our nakedness is an unreasonable thing. Would you have your bodies adorned? labour for godliness, and then you shall have bodies like the glorious body of JESUS christ; you may have bodies that shall not need a covering. Lastly, Obs. when abundance is abused, it is just with God that we should want necessaries, I will take away their corn, etc. how many are there who have lavished out their estates, upon whom you may see God's judgement so grievous, that they want a piece of bread; now you often tell your lavish wasting servants, they will be glad of a crust before they die; It proves true often of Masters and Mistresses also, who out of pride and delicacy of spirit, will be so fine & brave above their ranks, that God doth blast them that they have not to cover their nakedness. Those in the third of Isa, who had that gorgeous and brave attire, are threatened with baldness, and grinding with sackcloth, ver. 24. and such as come to misery by their wasting superfluity have none to pity them. I have read of Alfonsus a King of Spain, who when a Knight falling into want and being arrested for debt, there was a petition to the King to succour him, I saith the King, if he had spent his estate in mine, or in the commonwealths service, it were reason he should be provided for, by me or the commonwealth, but seeing he hath spent all in riotousness, let him suffer. Consider this you who are so loath to part with your estates for the public, you murmur at every thing that is required of you for that, but you are profuse in expenses for your lust, God hath ways to bring you low enough in your estares. Ver. 10. And now I will discover her lewdness. And now, that is, when I recover my wool, and flax, I will discover her lewdness, I will take their covers from their own eyes, and from the eyes of others. Wicked men, and especially Idolaters have divers covers for their lewdness. There are especially three covers that these people had for their lewdness. The first was their outward prosperity: do you speak so bitterly against us, as if we were Idolaters, as if we had forsaken God, are we not in as good a condition as Judah, who you say hath not forsaken God? Secondly, Their external worship is that yet they kept something according to Gods own mind, they yet kept the Sabbath and some solemn days according to the law, this cover they rested in; as if they should say, What do you accuse us as if we did not worship the true God, have not we God's service with us, and our solemn assemblies? Thirdly, They had other services which were not Gods, yet they did cover them, with glorious pompous shows, they had pompous days of solemnity, pretended for God, but being of their own invention, they were hateful. Well saith God, I will take away your prosperity, and I will take away those things you think to put me off with, I will take away your solemnicies, and all the pomp in your services. I will discover their lewdness. The word lewdness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that comes of Nabal, that signifieth to fall, it signifies the falling of the spirit low, poor, vile, and unworthy things. Hence the Hebrews use that word for a fool, one that hath a vi●e spirit, set upon base contemptible things, is Nabal, a fool. Hence that speech of Abigail concerning her husband, as is his name, so is he, he is Nabal, and folly is with him. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Seventy turn this by another word, that signifieth uncleanness, the mixture of their spirits with vile things that make their spirits to be unclean. The English word Lewd comes from Loed an old Saxon word, which signifieth one that is of a servile disposition, of an under spirit; some are of servile spirits naturally, they are born to a kind of servility, & bondage, they are inclined to baseness, and vileness, by their natural genius: others are of more sublime spirits naturally, as if they were borne for great things; these people are lewd, they have vile spirits, forsaking the blessed God, & his glorious ways, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. turning to vanities that can do no good. So we say of many, they are lewd base fellows, that is, they are of such sordid dispositions, that they seek only after such things as have no worth in them, & satisfy themselves in things beneath the excellency of a man, unbeseeming a rational creature to take content in. Act. 18. 14. we find this word lewdness, the Greek word translated there lewdness doth elegantly set forth the disposition of a lewd man, namely, such a one as is easily drawn to any wicked way. I will discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers. In the sight; this is a great aggravation of their shame. God will cast filth on them, not before those that are strangers, but those before whom they would be honoured. It is a note of Calvin upon this, that seems to reach the meaning of the holy Ghost, alluding to the way of whores, who having great men for their lovers, favourites with Princes at the Court, they rest on their power, and confide in their greatness, they care not what their husbands can do against them, and so grow proud against their husbands, because their lovers have great power. There was a remarkable example of this here in England, that you may remember, it were but to ●ake in a filthy dunghill to mention it. I will take away their confidence, though their lovers be never so great, the Assyrians, and Egyptians, whosoever they be, they shall have no power to help you, but I will discover their lewdness before their face. From hence take these observations. First, all wickedness, and especially Idolatry, hath many covers for it; except we look very narrowly to those that are superstitious and idolatrous, we shall not see the evil of that sin. Some covers are subtly woven, but it may be said of them all as Isa. 28. 20. The bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it, and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. Secondly, Obser. Prosperity in a sinful way is a great cover; though it be a very vile and sinful way, yet prosperity is a cover to it: This glisters so in many men's eyes, that the filth of sin is hid, many a foul hand is under a fair perfumed glove, an ill complexion may have a painted face, and prosperity is no other to wicked men, Prosperity hides much filth. than a painted face to a foul woman. As a painted face is no argument of a fair complexion, so neither is prosperity of a good condition. Crooked diseased bodies, half rotten, may have fine clothes. Green leaves on a tree may hide the rifts, the mossiness, and blackness of the body which appears in winter. Many men are abominable false in all their ways, cruel, and bloody in their hearts against God and good men, their spirits are invenomed, and they have given up themselves to most horrible sins, yet so long as they have power about them all is covered, were all their prosperity taken from them, and all their glory and greatness, and nothing but their falsehood, and hatred of the ways of God appeared, what dreadful creatures would they be? There is many a man that is taken with a strumpet, when she hath painted herself bravely like jezebel, but if he should see this whore whipped up & down the streets, and full of botches, how odious would this strumpet be in his eyes? take away her bravery, and she is to him the joathsomest creature upon earth. Thirdly, Obser. Retaining some truths in the way of worship is a great cover to much falseness. When some of you are to pay a great sum, you can shuffle in a brass six pence or shilling, or a light piece of gold: so some, though they retain many errors, Lect. 6. yet because they keep some truths, they think to cover much superstition. False wares will be holpen off amongst good, and a man that useth to lie will sometimes tell some truths to put off a lie. Re●taining some good covers much evil. A man that is a base selfe-secker, will many times deny himself; many times you shall have the proudest spirits that are, to be as crouching and subject to those that are their superiors as any, and so by seeming humility, cover a great deal of pride. So the evil of ceremonies, and false discipline, pass without much contradiction, you must not trouble yourselves about these things, and why have not we as wholesome soule-saving doctrine as in any Church in the world? because of this the corruption of the other is covered, much hypocrisy is covered under excellent gifts, the gifts are gifts of God's Spirit, but they oftentimes cover much vileness. Further observe, Obser. Outward pompous devotion in God's worship is a great colour of notorious Idolatry, as gilded Crosses, painted Churches, pompous Ceremonies: how hath it covered the most desperate hatred to the power of godliness that ever was? I will discover thy lewdness. God hath a time to discover wickedness, Obser. it shall appear one day in its colours, vile and abominable wickedness shall not always go uncovered. God will not discover her infirmities, neither should we; we should do as God doth, Lewdness of men must be discovered but not their infirmities. discover the lewdness of men, but not their infirmities Love covers a multitude of faults, if they be but infirmities. And when you discover the lewdness of others, take heed you do not discover your own lewdness in the mean time. Many when they go about to discover the lewdness of other men, do it with such bitterness of spirit, and with rejoicing, that they have got any advantage against those that are religious, if they hear any reports against such, whether true or false they care not, they relate it confidently, something will stick. This is for men to discover their own lewdness, when they cry out against the lewdness of others. Those who are wise and understanding, are able easily to see it; but if we would not have God discover our lewdness, let us get such a cover as shall never be uncovered▪ You may have many shifts to cover your sins that are not large enough, but I will tell you of a cover that is large enough to cover all: What is that? The righteousness of Jesus Christ. Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is he whose transgresison is forgiven, whose sin is ●overed. There is a cover that covers from the eyes of God and man for ever. I will discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers. I will take such a way to manifest her vile lewdness before her lovers, that she shall neither prevail with them, nor be upheld by them. Whence observe, When God discovers men's lewdness, Obser. they shall do little hurt. 2 Tim. 3. 6. But they shall proceed no farther, for their folly shall be made manifest to all men. There are many who have secretly gained on the spirits of other men, by fair pretences, that they will do nothing but thus and thus, and they seek nothing but the public good, Lect. 7. and they desire the furtherance of the Gospel, but when opportunity shall serve, there shall be a ciscovering that their intentions go another way then their words seemed to import, and then they shall proceed no further, for they shall be vile and contemptible in the eyes of those with whom they prevailed before. Again, further, I will do it in the sight of their lovers. When God sets himself against his enemies, Obser. he will go through his work in the face of all those that seeks the contrary, do what they can. God needs no shifts, no tricks nor devices to carry on his work, but he can carry it on in the sight of his adversaries, he will carry on his work, and shame them in the sight of their lovers, God carrieth on his work in the face of his ●●●mies. and bring them down low, do what they can. God can make use of the wisdom and policy of men, and he can make as much use of their indiscretion, as he hath done of late. The great works of God amongst us of late have been carried on with a high hand in the sight of those that have been our adversaries; what discoveries have there been of the filth of men? how hath their nakedness been made naked? what charges in their conditions? what contempt hath God cast in the face of those that were the great champions for lewdness, and that in the very face of their lovers? Their lovers looked on them, and had as good a heart to them as ever, there was little or no change in the hearts of their lovers; and though their lovers were as eager for them as ever, yet their shame hath been discovered. This Scripture is as clearly made good this day, as any Scripture in the Book of God. Again, In the face of their lovers. Dishonour before those we expect honour from, Obser 2 Sam. 15. 30. is a sad, a great evil. Oh, saith Saul, Honour me before the people. Saul cared not much if he were dishonoured before strangers, but he would be honoured before the people. It is such a thing to be dishonoured before those that we would be honoured before, that the stronger a man's spirit is, the more intolerable the burden is; one of a mean and low spirit, doth not much care for dishonour any where, but a man that hath strength of spirit indeed, counts it the worst thing that can be to be dishonoured before those that love him. This we find among many Tradesmen that are civil at home, It is very grievous to be dishonoured before those we love. but if they get among strangers, oh how lewd are they in an Inn! those that love God and the Saints, are most afraid to have their evil discovered before God and the Saints, for a gracious heart desires honour from them most. One that is godly can bear disgrace, any contemptuous abuse from many of those that are profane, rather than from one that is godly. Wicked men care not for dishonour among the Saints, because they care not for their love. If dishonour before lovers be such a shame, what will dishonour before God at the great day be, and before the Saints and wicked men too who were your lovers? I will discover their lewdness in the sight of their lovers. When I take away their corn, and wine, and flax, and these things, their lovers will be ashamed of them. The way of carnal friends are to esteem of men when they are in prosperity, but when they are down in adversity, than they contemn them. Huntsmen when they would single out a Deer, they shoot her first, and as soon as the blood appears, all the rest go out of her company, and push her from them. It is so with carnal friends, if a man be in affliction, if they see their friend shot, they look aloof from him. We have had woeful experience of this of late, when many godly Ministers were persecuted, those who before had seemed to be their lovers, grew strange unto them. In a sunshine day, men that pass by look on a dial, but in a dark stormy day, a hundred may ride by it and never look to it. Carnal friends grow strangers in time of adversity. When we are in a Sunshine day of prosperity, men will look towards us; but if the gloomy day of adversity come, than they pass by without regard to us. I● a man of fashion come to a house, the dogs will be quiet, but when a beggar comes in rags, they fly upon him. It is apparent by this, that men in their prosperity are not regarded for any thing in themselves, but for their prosperities sake, for their money's sake, for their clothes sake. Suppose any of you have a servant goes up and down with you, and you know whither soever you go, the respect that is given, is not for your sake, but for your servants sake, you go to such a house, and they use you kindly, only for your servants sake, you take it very ill. This is all the respect that men have from false lovers, it is not for any good in them, it is for their prosperity, for their servants sake; O how vain is respect from the world! If you be gracious, God will not deal with you thus; if you have your estates taken from you, God will not despise you as carnal friends do. Psal. 22. 24. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted. When the Saints are afflicted, God doth not hide his face from them, but when they cry to him he hears them. Yet further we see here, carnal hearts have a great deal of confidence in many things they trust to, Obser. in time of danger they will not believe but they shall escape. Let us not be troubled at the confidence our enemies have, they doubt not but to prevail; this is from the curse of God upon them; their case is never so desperate, but they have something to shelter themselves in their own thoughts: Oh what a shame is it that any thing is rather trusted in, than God the husbandman casts seed-corn that costs dearer than any other corn into the ground: The Merchant trusts all his estate to the winds & waves of the sea, & if they sail, all is gone; you trust servants with business of weight. If you go to Westminster, you trust your lives in a boat half an inch thick, God is not trusted so much, that blessed God who is the only true object of soule-confidence. Lastly, when God sets himself against a generation of men, or any particular, all the means in the world shall not help. Ezek. 9 the Prophet had a vision of six men with weapons of war in their hands; there were six principal gates in Jerusalem, and God would set these six men with weapons in their hands at each gate, that if they run to this, or the other, or any gate, the man with the weapon in his hand should be sure to take them, they should not escape. Amos, 5. 8. Seek him that maketh the seven Stars and Orion; Why are these named seven stars and Orion; the one is the extreme of cold, and the other of heat; The Lord hath the power of both: if they escape the heat, the cold shall take them; if the cold, the heat shall take them: and I likewise, saith the Lord, can make both these helpful to you as I please. Hence there is such blasting of means, for the cursing of those whom God sets himself against; let us not be afraid of the great assistance that our adversaries have, though they have great assistance, they are in God's hand, and none can deliver out of God's hand; all their strength is but as tow and flax before the flame of fire. If God be in a way of mercy, none can take out of his hands, Isa. 43. 13. There is none can deliver out of my hand, I will work, and who shall let it? Wherefore it is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of God when he is in a way of wrath, and it is a blessed thing to be in his hand when he is in a way of mercy, for none can deliver out of either. Christ holds the stars, not only Ministers, but all his Elect in his hand, and none can take them out. I will give you a notable example in God's preservation in times of danger: In the time of the Massacre at Paris, there was a poor man, who for his deliverance crept into a hole, and when he was there, there comes a Spider and weaves a cobweb before the hole; when the murderers came to search for him, saith one, Certainly he is got into that hole: No saith another, he cannot be there, Job. 8. 14. for there is a cobweb over the place; and by this means the poor man was preserved. The hope of the wicked, Job saith, is as the Spider's Web; yet if God please he can make a cobweb to deliver his people. The least things shall deliver when he will, and the greatest means of deliverance shall not deliver when he pleases. The Eighth Lecture. HOSEA 2. 11. I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her New Moons, and her Sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts. THe Lord proceeds still in his threats against Israel, in this verse we have as sore a threat as any, for it is in part spiritual. Her mirth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so the Seventy read it, the word signifieth the right temper, the right posture of the mind, when the mind is in a right frame, than it may be merry; James 5. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Whosoever is merry (saith S. James) let him sing; there the word though not the same, yet signifying the same thing; who ever hath his mind in a right frame, let him sing. No man can be truly merry except his mind be in a right frame. I will cause [all] her mirth. Lect. 8. God many times takes away from his Saints much of the matter of their mirth, but never takes away all. This is a dreadful threat to cause all their mirth to cease. I will cause it to cease. I will turn it away, so the Seventy. I can soon have all their mirth down, they shall never be able to rejoice more if I please; it is gone all with the turn of a hand. It appears that Israel, though an apostatising people, though a people of God's wrath, designed to dreadful judgements, yet was a merry jocund people, they went on still in their mirth and joviallity. That which is here employed, is more fully expressed in Amos Chap. 6. 4. who was contemporary with Hosea, and he was the Prophet of the ten Tribes as Hosea was, now see there how Amos setteth forth the mirth of this people, They lie upon beds of Ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the Lambs out of the flock, and the Calves out of the midst of the stall, they chant to the sound of the Viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music like David, they drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointment. This was their condition when they were under such fearful guilt and in such dreadful danger. Sensual men, W●●kel men though under God● wrath yet w●ll be jocund and merry. while they prosper, they look upon themselves as above the word, and bless themselves in the satisfying of their own carnal desires, as if it were but a poor low and mean thing for them to be under the power of the word, to fear sin and threatenings, it is too low for such brave spirits as they have; But, come let us sing away all care, let us live merrily, let us take our pleasure for the present, and crown ourselves with rosebuds. This is the disposition of carnal hearts under all their guilt and danger; They swim delightfully in that River of Jordan, and suddenly fall into the Dead Sea; they spend their days in pleasure, and in a moment go down into hell. This is all the portion of their cup they receive from the Lord: They have a little joy here, this is all they are like to have, and therefore they will take their fill of what they have. But this will not hold. I will cause this mirth to cease. Sin and mirth can never hold long together; Obser. there must be a separation between them. The union that there is between sin and mirth at any time, it is a forced union; God never joins them together, and if you will join those things God never joined, your joining cannot hold: Sin is of such a canker-fretting nature, as it will soon fret out all the varnish of mirth and joy that is upon it. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If you will not take away sin from your mirth, God will take away mirth from your sin. It is indeed the happiness of the Saints that they shall have everlasting joy, the pleasures at Gods right hand are for evermore, but the pleasures of sin must cease. Thirdly, Obs. when afflictions come upon the wicked they are all Amort, their joy, their mirth is gone. We say of fire, it congregates things of the same kind, and separates things that are of divers kinds. So it is with the fire of affliction, it congregateth things of the same nature, as thus, sin and horror, trouble, anguish, sorrow, vexation, accusation of conscience, condemnation, these are of the same kind; sin and these are Homogenall; now when affliction cometh, it congregateth all these; Here is sin, yea but sorrow, and anguish, and horror of conscience seemeth now not to be together with your sin, but when the fire of affliction comes it joins all these together. On the other side, sin and joy, and prosperity, and peace, these are Heterogeneal, things of another kind, now when the fire of affliction comes, it separates these Heterogeneal things; then the hearts of the wicked sink as lead, they lie down in sorrow, the candle of the wicked is blown out, all their mirth and joy it is but the light of a candle, affliction makes all to be but as a stinking snuff. And indeed ungodly men when affliction comes are men of the poorest spirits of any men, they quickly die, they succumb, they fall down under the least weight of affliction; They seem to have brave spirits, to outbrave the word of God, but they have poor, mean, and low spirits when they come to bear God's hand upon them; Affliction takes away all their good, that they conceive and understand good. There is nothing within them to support them, there is nothing but darkness and blackness within, nothing but guilt and gnawings of the worm; And they look upon every suffering they endure but as the beginning of eternal suffering; And there is the venom and curse of God goes together with their affliction, which drinks up their spirits. Oh the happy advantage the Saints have in their afflictions over that the wicked have in theirs! They have spirits indeed that well may be called brave spirits, Difference between the spirits of the wicked and the godly in their affliction. that can stand under the greatest weight of affliction, and that with joy, in the midst of them; Paul can rejoice in tribulation, yea and glory in it too. They have comfort in the creature, but they are not beholding to the creature for comfort; they depend not upon the creature for comfort, their joy is a great deal higher; That is precious light indeed that no storm can blow out. See an example of a brave spirit that way, that in the midst of affliction can have the light of joy, Habak. 3. 17. Although the Figtree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; What then? Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation: All their joy shall not cease; perhaps in times of affliction, in sad dismal times, they may abate somewhat of their outward joy, but all their mirth shall not cease, there shall be joy within, though none without. Lastly, I will cause all the mirth to cease. All our mirth depends upon God, Obs. he can take it away when he pleaseth. God is called in Scripture, The God of all consolation; Joy is God's propriety, he gives it when he will, and takes it away when he will. Tou have an excellent Text for God's hand in taking away joy from the hearts of men when he pleaseth, it is Lamen. 3. 65. Give them sorrow of heart, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy curse upon them: Mark it; Now that word that is translated sorrow of heart (I especially take the note from thence) A word that comes from that that signifies a helmet, or a shield to fence of any thing, or to cover a thing as a thing is covered by a shield and helmet; And it doth note to us that disease which Physicians call Cardiaca passio, a kind of disease whereby the heart is so oppressed, and there is such a stopping, that it is as it were covered sicut scuto, as with a shield, there is a lid as it were put over the heart, a shield to keep out all things that should comfort, and to fence off all things that may be taken to be any refreshments to the spirits; let the most precious Cordials in the world be given to those that have that disease, they cannot be refreshed by any of them, and so the heart comes to be suffocated with sorrow. This is the meaning of the word here, Lord give them sorrow of heart; Put them into such a condition, as that their hearts may be so stopped and stifled with sorrow, that what ever means shall be used to bring any comfort to them, let it be kept off, that no creature in the world may be able to afford the least refreshment to them; They were wont to shield and fence off thy Word: when thy word was used to be delivered to them, wherein the treasures of thy mercies were, and they heard the sweet promises of the Gospel opened, yet they fenced off thy word as with a shield; Now when they are in affliction let their hearts be choked so, and let there be such a fence put upon their hearts, that though there be never so many promises brought to them, they may be fenced off by the secret curse. As, Do we not find many wretches who have lived under the Gospel, and fenced off the treasures of mercies opened to them, when they have been in affliction they have been in horrible desperation, and whensoever any thing out of the Gospel hath been spoken to them for their comfort, they have had strange kind of fences to put off such things; As those that read the story of Spira, may wonder what a cunning fencer he was to fence off all comfort that was brought to him. This was from the Lord, Lord give them sorrow of heart, that is, Lord put such a shield upon their hearts, as all comfort may be fenced of from them. We see (my brethren) how we depend upon God for comfort, we all cry out for comfort, let us know and take to heart our dependence upon God for it, God can fence our hearts from comfort when he pleaseth, let us take heed we do not fence of his word form our hearts. I will cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days. These two are put together, for the hearts of men when they enjoy a more liberal use of the cheature then ordinary, and are amongst cheerful company are warmed, raised and inflamed at such times, If the heart of a man be gracious, and he feasts in a gracious way, his heart is warmed, and cheered, and enlarged in things that are good; so the heart of the wicked when they are at their feasts, all their lusts are warmed, and their spirits are raised & strengthened in the things that are evil. You have a notable example of the cheering and raising of the hearts of men in good things in the time of feasts, 2 Chro. 30. 21. the feast that Hezekiah made for the people of Jerusalem in that great Passeover, the Text saith that they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness, and vers. 23. the whole Assembly took counsel to keep other seven days, & they kept other 7 days with gladness. Now mark how their hearts were raised, and mightily up upon this, Chap. 31. ver. 1. When all was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of judah, and broke the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw downs the high places and the Altars out of all judah and Benjamine, in Ephraim also and Manasseth, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Their hearts being up, and their feasts being in a gracious way, they were so inflamed, that now they took upon them a mighty courage in doing great things for God. It were well if it were always so with us when God calleth us to feasting, (as sometimes he doth, though not now) that our hearts were always up in our feasting, warmed and enlarged to do much good. It is that which hath been the honour of this City, that in their Companies feasting yearly, they were wont heretofore usually when they had rejoiced one with another, when their hearts were up, to consult together what good to do for their countries in which they were borne, and then to resolve to send the preaching of the Word to such a great Town where most of them were bred, and to such another Town. This was a gracious feasting, and for this they were much envied at: And though these feasts were prohibited upon other pretences, yet the hindering this good done at those times, lay in the bottom of that prohibition. Feasting also warms the lusts, The wickness of men at feasts. and desperately inflameth wicked resolutions of ungodly men. When a company of ungodly men met together in a Tavern, and there have drunk and eat liberally, how desperately are they set against the ways of godliness! then they scorn and jeer godly Ministers, and Parliament, and Christians; they are then as if they were above God, their tongues are their own, and who shall control them? and all when their lusts are heated with wine and good cheer. Mark that Scripture, Ps. 35. 16. With hypocritical mockers at feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth. Here is scorning and violence, gnashing upon the Psalmist with their teeth, and this at their feasts. Hos. 7. 5. In the day of our King, the Princes have made him sick with bottles of wine, he stretched out his hand with scorners. They brought bottles of wine, and when his lusts were heated with wine and good cheer, than he joined with them in scorning the ways and worship of GOD; they scorned at all those that would go up to Jerusalem to worship according to the institution, these must be so precise that they will not join with us, as if we had not the worship of GOD among us, they tell tales to Jeroboam and the other Princes of the godly who would not yield to their idolatrous ways of worship, they scorned at their preciseness; Now saith the Text, The King stretched out his hand with scorners, takes them by the hand, and encourageth them in that way, and tells them he will take a course with them, not one of them shall be suffered to live in his dominions. Their hearts were put all agog with their feasts, but God hath a time to take away feasting times from a people, a time when those who have delighted themselves so in the use of the creatures, shall have all those merry meetings and brave times cease, never feast more, never meet with such merry company more; Animula mea vagubla blandula, quo vadis, non amplius joco● dabis. As that Pope Adrian said when he was a dying, O my soul whither art thou going? thou shalt never be more merry. For Kingdom's also, though there be times for feasting, yet there is a time of mourning; and God seems this day to be coming to us to take away our feasts, to call upon us to spend our times in another way; It were good for us to do what we can to prevent God, by humbling ourselves in a voluntary way, to take away our own Feasts, and to change our Festivities into Humiliations. The times call for fasting now, rather than feasting; We must not then feast when God calls for mourning. and it is a most dreadful sin then for men to give liberty to themselves for feasting, when God calls for mourning and fasting. It is not at your liberty to feast when you will. Isa. 22. 12. is a most dreadful place, that might make the hearts of those who are guilty in this kind tremble. Vers. 12. And in that day did the Lord of hosts call to mourning, and to girding with sackcloth, and behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, killing sheep, drinking wine. Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you die, saith the Lord God of Hosts. While the bread is taken away from our brethren, and the land is so miserably spoilt, and when such a black cloud hangeth over our heads, here is no time for Festivities. Whatsoever your customs have been, at this time now coming (I mean that which you call your Christmas Festivity) you are certainly bound now to turn it into a time of mourning; For if we should grant it lawful for men to appoint holidays that way, for feasting, (of which more by and by) yet certainly it cannot be but a sinful thing, so to set those days apart, as whatsoever providence of God falls out, yet they will continue what they themselves have set. You will all grant this, that if it be lawful to keep this time of Festivity, yet this not that that God himself hath set apart and enjoined. We never have it required by Christ, or by his Apostles, that at such a time, just when the year cometh about, that we should have solemn days of Festivity. Well then, at the most, if we suppose it lawful, it is but the institution of man; if it be man's institution, then certainly it must give way to God's work, to providence. For man to put so much upon his institution, because he hath appointed such a day when the year cometh about to rejoice in, that whatsoever work of God falls out in the mean time, that calls for humiliation and fasting, yet he will hold to his own institution; what is this my brethren but to make the commandments of God to be of none effect through man's tradition? It is apparent breach of that Scripture. For this is certain now that it is the commandment of God that you should mourn and fast, if then because of man's institution you will put by the command of God, and now spend time in feasting and rejoicing, which ought not to be but in such times when God shines upon a Kingdom in ways of mercy, know this is sin unto you. If you can say that God shines upon us now in present extraordinary mercies than we may feast. I confess they are extraordinary mercies in regard of what we may hope to be the event and effect of them; but for the administrations of God towards us, they are such as if ever they called for fasting, they call for it at this day. Therefore here by God's works amongst us, we know we have Gods will revealed to us, namely to fast; the other at most is but man's institution and tradition. Now the traditions of man must yield to the commandments of God. With what conscience now can you take such a plentiful use of the creature, and suffer your brethren to want clothes and bread? If God have yet granted to you such a comfortable estate that you have so much to spare as to feast, know you are bound in conscience then to lay out that in relieving your brethren who have been so cruelly used, therefore God brings them to you to be objects of your compassion. It would be very acceptable to God if so much as any of you have usually spent in feast, or intended to spend in these twelve days, you would set it now apart for the relief of those who want bread, and set the time apart also for mourning in your families, that God would pardon the sin of these times formerly committed. And now not only feasts in private Families should cease, but the feasts of Companies in your public Halls likewise. What abundance of poor plundered people might be relieved, if all that were spent in one year in the feasts of your companies, were laid aside for their use! These are times for mercy, not for festivity; if we will not cease our feast, let us know, God hath thousands of ways to take away feasts from a kingdom, and to bring cleanness of teeth among us, I will take away their feasts, saith the Lord. The main thing in this verse to be opened to you, is, what these feasts of the Jews were. In the opening of all these we shall be put upon the opening of much Scripture, and therefore I shall not make haste out of this verse. The words here are Feasts and solmne Feasts; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are Feasts both in your English, but the words in the Hebr. differ much, the first comes from a word that signifies to rejoice and leap, the second from a word that signifies a stated, a settled time. Our English word Feast comes of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gods, as the heathen so called, that which the Latins call Vesta, the goddess both of earth and of fire. The Jews had their Civil feasts, and their Holy feasts. Amongst their Holy feasts, some were of God's appointment, and some of their own. Of God's appointment, some were more solemn, some less. Their Civil feasts were times wherein they took a more liberal use of the creature, in rejoicing one with another upon some specially occasion, this they called a Good day, not a Holy day, so you have it, Esth. 8. 17. The Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day, so they were wont to express the day of feasting, facere Bonum diem, to make a Good day to their brethren, it will appear by examining that Text of Esther, that that day thought it was set to be kept every year, yet it was but as a good day to them, and could not be said to be a holiday; we do not read of any religious solemn exercise that they had for the day: Such a day I take to be our fifth of November, a Good day, not a Holiday, wherein we have a more liberal use of the creature then at other times, and remember the mercies of God with thanksgiving: But we know the day is not set apart for this end, so as it is unlawful to be exercised in any other thing, and we shall show afterward, how that days cannot be set apart Annually, or be made holy by men. Their Religious feasts which they presumed themselves to make holy, were [their] feasts rather than Gods, and for that you have the example of Jeroboam, he appointed a feast even of his own head; it is in 1 King. 12. 32, 33. And Jeroboam (saith the Text) ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast which is in judah, so he offered upon the Altar which he had made in Bethel, We must not presume in way of imitation to God to devise things in his worship like to his former institutions. the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart, and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel. Mark here, jeroboam is rebuked for appointing a feast of his own heart, like the feast God had appointed; this is no excuse that he would be an imitator of God. This reason many think will justify their superstitious way, they do but imitate what God did, as thus, God had an Ephod for the Priests, therefore they will have a holy garment; God had a Temple consecrated, they will have one so too God had his feast days and holy-days, they will have theirs too in imitation of God. This very thing that jeroboam did, he is rebuked for, that he would set up a thing like unto Gods. Where God hath set his stamp upon any thing, we must take heed we presume not to set our own stamp. Suppose any one should take a piece of silver, & should set just the same stamp as near as he can that the King doth upon his coin, be it but a twopences, the silver is his own; well, but if he come to be examined, Why do you thus? What hurt saith he is there in it? I have done no more than the King, I have done but as he did; Why, may we not follow his example? will this answer think you serve his turn? It is as much as his life is worth: Just such a plea is this, they will do such and such things in God's worship, why? God hath done so before, and they do but imitate God; There is as much strength in the one as in the other. Therefore that word here [devised of his own heart] in the Hebrew comes from a word that signifies to lie, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mendat●s▪ jeroboam did lie, Isa 44. 25. He frustrateth the tokens of the liars, it is the same word: Jeroboam indeed in setting this day apart, he did it under a pretence to honour and worship God, but though it might seem to make God's honour and worship better than before, yet the Scripture puts the lie upon it, so the word is; I think this was the reason he set it apart in the eighth month, the Feast of Tabernacles was the fifteenth day of the seventh month; now he would not alter the day, but have it the same day that Gods was, but in the eighth month, for the Feast of Tabernacles was appointed for this end, to praise God for the in-gathering of the fruits of the earth, and it was as upon our September; Now because upon the fifteenth of September perhaps all the creatures were not gathered in, there might be some remaining abroad, therefore jeroboam might have this device, he would stay till every thing be gathered in, till they had it in their barns, and in their vessels; when they had it all fully in, and it was fit to eat and drink, then saith jeroboam, now it is the time to praise God, you praised God before when you were taking in of the fruits, but you have not taken them all in, you cannot come to use them, but now having them all in, and now being able to make use of them, now is the time to praise God. This was Jeroboams wisdom, and he thought to make a Feast to take the people rather than God's Feast. There are no superstitious men but will have some argument and plea for their ways, to take the hearts of people to embrace those ways rather than God's simple, plain and pure Ordinances. Well, but though Jeroboam did it under this pretence, yet he lies still; so those men that will take upon them to sanctify days, or places, or garments, or any gesture that God never did, though they say they do it for God's honour, to make God's worship more glorious and decent; yet it is a lie: Just as those who will make Images, brave golden Images of God, O say they, it is for the honour of God, but mark what the Text faith, Hab. 2. 18. What profiteth the graven Image that the maker thereof hath graven it, the m●lten Image and a teacher of lies? If Images be lay men's books, they are books that have abundance of err●aes in them, they are full of lies. Here now ariseth the Question about man's appointing Feasts, whether there may he holy Feasts (taken so in a proper sense) by man's appointment? jeroboam is accused for it plainly: and Gal. 4. 10. there is a charge upon the Galatians, and that very severely. You observe days, and months, & times, and years, I am afraid of you le●t I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. It appears by this that people's hearts are mightily set upon their Feasts, their days, and months, and years, they were loath to be taken off from them, so that the Apostle speaks with a deal of bitterness of spirit, I am afraid of you that I have lost my labour; and indeed when godly Ministers take pains amongst people whose hearts are set upon such things as these, for the most part they lose their labour, little good is done. Yea will some say, to observe the Jewish days after they were abolished by God, that was sinful and dangerous, but we do not keep Jewish days. But mark what these men say, God abolisheth his own, and yet they think he gives liberty to man to set up others. If this were so, that upon God's abolishing his own, men should have liberty to set up theirs, than the Christians are under a more heavy bondage and grievous pedagogy then ever the Jews were, for it is better to have a hundred days of Gods appointing, than one of man's, it is more honourable. Further, if God appoint, there needs no scruple, as there is if man appoint; yea, if God appoint, we may expect a special blessing, and efficacy, and presence of God, we cannot expect such things in man's appointment. Now if this were so, when God hath taken away Jewish Ceremonies, man might lawfully appoint others as he pleaseth, and when God hath taken away jewish days, man might appoint other days, we may pray to God with good reason to bring us under the pedagogy of the Law again, rather than to be thus under man's power. Thus far we grant, that upon any special work of God, the very revolution of the year hath a naturalness in it to put me in mind of such a thing, and so far as there is a naturalness in it, there is good in it, I may make use of it. Therefore I dare not say that is altogether unlawful at such times to have some outward rejoicing, when God doth not call for mourning some other way, (except the argument from the extraordinary abuse there hath been of it may be of force) Nay that there may be advantage taken of the people's leisure, to preach the word, and to hear Sermons upon such days we deny not. We know that Christ was in the Porch of the Temple at the feast of Dedication, which was one of the days of their own appointing, not that he was there to countenance or honour the Feast, but because he had been there before at another Feast of God's appointment. Now there being a multitude of people at that time also gathered together, he takes advantage of the concourse of the people to come to the out-porch to preach to them. So much therefore as we may grant, we will not deny. For the understanding of this point, the setting apart days, I suppose there are these two things will be questioned. First, Why may not governor's of the Church set apart days, as well as appoint times for preaching, or as well as others of themselves will appoint such times, as once a week so much time set apart for a Lecture? Secondly, We may appoint fast days, and days of thanksgiving, these are set apart by man, how cometh it to pass then that this can be clear that a man may appoint a time for preaching constantly once a week, and he may appoint times of fasting, and days of thanksgiving, and yet not have this liberty, to make a day that may be properly called a holiday? We must clear that point from this objection, or else we do nothing; and for the clearing this we must know there is a great deal of difference in these three things, the right understanding of which will clear all the matter. Between deputation, and dedication, and sanctification of a thing. I may depute a creature to be made use of to help me in holy things, and yet still this creature is not sanctified by its deputation, Why a day may not be made holy as well as time set apart for a Lecture. and so we do a time for a Lecture, such an hour in such a day deputed, but the time is not made holy by it the place is deputed, but is not made holy by it. Yea I will appoint such a garment that I have when I am in such a service such a day to wear, but yet the garment is not made holy by it. A creature is not made holy merely by being made use of at holy exercise or in a holy thing. As thus, suppose I go to read the holy Scripture, I make use of a candle to read it by, I do not make the candle holy by this, because I make use of it. If the making use of a creature in a holy duty did make the creature holy, than it would fall out generally in all creatures. I make use of the very light and the air when I am reading and speaking holy things in public assemblies, I do not make the light and air holy, because I make use of them in holy things; so I make use of this hour to preach in, though I make use of it in a holy duty, I make it no further holy than a man doth his spectacles that he useth to read the Scripture by. A deputation is this, when such a creature as I shall think most commodius for such a service shall be put a part for such a service, or when such a creature, as I have use of for such a service, will be a natural and useful help to me, to appoint it for that service upon that ground. The second is dedication, that is when I give a thing out of my own power, What it is to dedicate a thing. for a pious use, that I cannot make use of for any thing again. As when a man hath given so much of his estate to build a School or an Hospital, it may be said to be a kind of dedication, he hath devoted, given so much of his estate to that end, so that he cannot make use of it himself to another end. Now we do not so set apart the time of preaching, as that we cannot make use of this time for any other end, we may as we see cause alter it, where it is from 9 to 11, we make it from two to four, whereas if it were a thing that we had dedicated, that is given out of our own power than it cannot be changed by us. That is a second degree, this is not sanctifying yet. Now sanctification is beyond dedication, that is when any creature or time is so set apart for holy things as it must not be used in any thing but that that is holy; What it is to sanctify a thing. and though the same holy actions be done at another time, and with the use of another creature, they shall not be accounted so holy as at this time, and when this creature was made use of. This is the proper sanctification, and the setting apart of any day thus, that is, such a day God giveth to me to make use of for my occasions, if I shall thus set it a part, so devote it for such a business, as it may not without sin to me (whatsoever falleth out) be used to any other occasion. And secondly, when I have set it apart I shall put so much in it as if the same holy actions be performed to another time, they shall not be accounted so holy as at this time, although that time hath as much natural fitness in it, now I sanctify time to myself, but thus I cannot do without sin. You shall find that there are these two things in all holy feasts, and indeed in all things that are accounted holy. First, it was a sin for them to make use of that time for any other thing, or any other ways than God had appointed: Secondly, the actions that they did at that time were such as were more acceptable to God then if they had done the same thing at another time. Yea it was so in their very days of humiliation, that were once a year, a day of Expiation, this day must not be used for any thing else; and if they humbled themselves or fasted upon another day, that would not have been so acceptable to God as upon this day. So we shall see it in all superstitions of men when they set apart either days, or places, or things, they put these two upon them. As for places, They say we appoint a place for people to meet in a religious way; yes, but when comes it to be superstitious? Thus first when it comes so to be set apart, so as I shall make conscience of using it to any other use but this; Secondly, when I shall be persuaded in my conscience that God accepts of service done him in this place better than in any other though as decent as this. So for superstitious garments. You will say, may not Ministers be decent? I have heard a great Doctor give this argument for a surplice; sometime saith he I ride abroad to preach and my cloak is dirty, is it fit for me to come into a Pulpit with a dirty garment? and therefore there is always appointed somewhat to cover it; it is decent. Suppose it be so, but if it be so that this garment must be made use of for nothing but such a holy exercise, and secondly if I think the wearing of it doth honour the service, and that God accepts of the service performed in such a garment rather than in another, this is superstition; as in one place in Suffolk when that garment was lost, there was a strict injunction to the poor country men that there might not be any service or sermon till they had got another: for which they were appointed ten days, and this being upon a friday, there were two Sabbaths without any service, therefore it is apparent they put the acceptation of the duty upon it. So for days, for any man to set apart a day, so that it shall be a sin, that a man's conscience shall condemn him before God as sinning against him, if he do any thing upon that day but such holy duties. Secondly, That though the same holy duties be done upon another day, they shall not be accounted so acceptable to God as done upon that day, this is superstitious. Yer certainly of this nature have many of our days been, for if you opened your shops, what a deal of disturbance was there in the city! It was a profaning of the day, every Proctor and such fellows had power given them to molest you: 2. did not they account it a greater honour to God for to have service read that day then to have it read upon an ordinary teusday or thursday? yea preaching upon a Lecture day that was not one of their holy days, they accounted not so acceptable unto God as service upon that day. Here comes their institution, their institution puts upon it more than God puts upon it, so it cometh to be sinful. So if you should set apart this time you call Christmas, so as you should make conscience of doing any other service or work that day, and besides, you should think that to remember Christ and to bless God for Christ upon another day is not so acceptable to God as to do it upon that day, here comes in the evil of thus putting man's institution upon days. Well, but this is not cleare● except we answer another objection. But doth not the King and Parliament command days of fasting and days of thanksgiving, and are not they of the same nature? Will not you say it is sin for us to open shops upon these days. I answer, How it may be lawful to set apart fasting days and how not. our days for fasting and thanksgiving have not those two ingredients in them, for first, if God by his providence call any particular man to any particular business in his family, then (let this man take heed he do not appear in a way of contempt) he need not have his conscience condemn him though he spend all that day in that business. They may set apart a day to be spent publicly, yet with this limitation, not to enjoin every particular man, that whatsoever Gods providence calls him to in particular businesses, he must leave off all, & make as much conscience of doing this as upon the Lord's day. You will say, upon the Lord's day, if we have any extraordinary thing fall out, we may go a journey or do business, as a Physician may ride up and down, works of mercy may be done, therefore this makes no difference between God's day and these of man's appointment. I answer, Though a Physician do a work of mercy upon the Sabbath day, yet he is bound to do it with a Sabbath day's heart, as a work of mercy; whatsoever calls him off from those services that are Gods immediate worship, he must do that thing with a Sabbath days frame of heart, he is bound in conscience to do it so, and he sinneth against God if he rides up and down to Patients with such a heart as he may do it upon another day, he may follow it as a business of his calling upon another day, but not so now; but if he do it with a Sabbath days frame of heart as a work of mercy, he keeps the Sabbath in that. But if there were a necessity upon a Fast day to ride, a man's conscience need not to condemn him before God, if he went about that work as the work of his calling at that time. It is not therefore so dedicated but God's providence may take us off to do other civil actions, and that as the works of our calling. Secondly, Neither is it so sanctified as if the same works done at another day were not so acceptable to God as done upon this day. As our fast days set upon the last wednesday of the Month, to think that the work done upon another day were not so acceptable to God as done upon that day, this is a sanctification of the day, and such a sanctification is sin. The same answer may be given for days of thanksgiving. Besides, yet there is another thing considerable, that is in the stating of the time. Though men may thus depute and appoint days to worship God, yet they cannot state any such days, but only as God's providence calls them to it, according to the present occasion. Therefore it were certainly a sin if a state should appoint once every year to be a fasting day in a religious way, God did so, but men have no power to do so, the reason is this, because they do not know but God may call them to rejoicing upon that day, they have not the liberty of the time. All that we can do is this, when God calleth us to fasting, we must appoint days of fasting; when God calls us to rejoicing we must appoint days of rejoicing. Therefore to appoint the time of Lent as a religious fast is sinful, and the Statute itself threateneth a mulct upon that man that shall call it a religious fast; for civil ends it may be, but stated fasts which are not limited by providence, are certainly evil; and so for these monthly fasts that are now enjoined, if we should say we will have a fast once a month upon this day these twelve months, or these two years, I persuade myself the State should sin: but to have it as long as God's hand is upon us, as long as the occasion lasteth, and God's providence calls us to it, that is justifiable. Our Brethren in Scotland wholly deny both stated Fasts and all other days: Nay they will scarce agree to this monthly fasting we have, because they are so loath to yield to any stat a jeiunia. And I remember I have heard of a speech King James once made in Scotland, blessing God that he was borne at such a time, and was a member of such a Church; and the reason he giveth is this: For, saith he, the Church of Scotland exceeds in this all other Churches. England though it hath pure doctrine, hath not pure discipline; other Reformed Churches have pure doctrine and discipline, but they retain the observation of many holy days; but the Church of Scotland hath pure doctrine and discipline, and keeps no holy days, and therefore saith he, it is a purer Church than any in the world. Thus I have endeavoured to show you how far things may be set apart, & how far not, when it cometh to be a sin for any one to sanctify a day. By this we may see what a mercy it is to be delivered from those men who have robbed the Kingdom of so many days as they have, and put so many superstitious respects upon them, and so have involved us in much guilt, bless God for delivering us from them, and for those days that God giveth us liberty to exercise ourselves in his worship, let us know our liberty in them. Thus much for those Feasts that are called their Feasts, that were of their own appointment. Her new moons. The ordinance of God in the new moons is in Numb. 28. 11. In the beginning of your new moons you shall doc thus and thus, The feast of new moons opened. etc. It was God's ordinance that the Jews at the beginning of every month should have a holy day, when they had a new moon they should keep that day holy to God. That which the Latins call Calends, were their new moons. The holy solemnity of these days was in three things. First, the offerings that were there appointed by God particularly for that time, were many & chargeable, two young bullocks, & one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot, besides their flower & oil for their drink offerings, and one kid of the goats for a sin-offering. Secondly, At these times they were wont to repair to the Prophets for instruction, to know the mind of God. That you have 2 King. 4. 23. where the husband of the Shunamire said to his wife, wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon nor sabbath. Indeed if it were new moon or sabbath you may go, but while it is neither, why will you go? That implieth that this was a thing in use among the Jews to repair to the Prophets for instruction, and to hear God's word from them upon those days. Thirdly, yea it was unlawful to buy and sell upon those days, Amos. 8. 5. When will the new moon be gone that we may sell corn? they were weary of it, it seems, because they might not buy and sell in it. These three things we find in Scripture upon their new moons. Benedctus esto conditor t●us O l● na, benedictus aesto Dominus tuus. Now Euxtorphius who relates to us the Jewish way, he tells us of three other things they were wont to do in their new moons. First, Those that were most devout among them, used to set apart a day for fasting and prayer to entreat God to bless the new moon to them. 2. As soon as there was an appearance of the new moon, one steppeth up and cryeth, O thou Creator of the moon, be ever blessed, and so he goes on in the benediction of God for this creature. 3. They used to leap and to reach toward the moon so soon as they saw it, Ter subsiliunt s●elum ver sus quod quanto sublimius possunt, taute melius est, lunamque alloquentes. Quemadmodum inquiunt not ●e versus sub●ilientes attingere ●e non possumus, sic hostes nostri omnes nos ad malum attingere nobi●que●●eere non poterunt. Buxtorf. Synag. judaic. c. 17. speaking after this manner: We reaching to the moon, we cannot reach it; so all our enemies that reach at us, are as unable to reach us to our hurt, as we that. But why did God appoint this feast of the new moon? It was appointed for these 4. ends. 1. Because God would be acknowledged to have the government of all inferior things in the world, and especially of all the changes of times. As the Sabbath was for putting us in mind of Gods creating the world, so the new moons were appointed for them to bless God for the government of the world, for many nations have attributed much of the government of the things of the world to the moon; the tides you know ebb and flow according to the moon, the great work of God in the seas seem to be governed by God in the use of that creature, yea things seem to be governed more sensibly by this creature then by others, to the end therefore that they might not stick in the creature, but give God the glory: therefore he appointed the feasts of the new moon; jer. 44. 17. 18. 19 if they had any changes of times and seasons, God caused it, rather than this creature, and as the heathens, so they called the Moon the Queen of Heaven, and they would not be taken off from offering cakes to the Queen of heaven, they attributed all their prosperity to her, as we read in the Prophet. Now from this, God would take them off, therefore he appointed this solemn feast of the new moon, 2. God would hereby teach, that the bringing of any light unto us after darkness is merely from himself, and he must be acknowledged in it. The Moon is a glorious creature, and causeth much light, but soon after there is darkness, and after this darkness light springeth up again. Here is the work of God, we are taught a moral lesson from this Feast, that is, Hath God at any time brought darkness upon a Kingdom, or upon a Family, or upon a particular soul, doth he begin to bring light? He must be acknowledged and praised for it. 3. God would teach them this also, that the beginnings of all mercies are to be dedicated to him; when God reneweth a mercy, at the very first, before it comes to perfection, it is to be given up unto God; they were to celebrate this Feast upon the beginning of the light of the Moon. And lastly, which is more, this aimed at Christ, as all other Ceremonies of the Law did. It pointed out our condition in our depending upon Christ, for our light must be renewed by our conjunction with Jesus Christ who is the Sun of righteousness; as the light of the Moon is renewed by her conjunction with the Sun, that gives the great light to the world. And as the light of the Moon increaseth, as it takes it from the Sun, so doth our light increase as we take it from the Sun of Righteousness. Thus this feast was typical, and thus we see these feasts were of special use. But when they come to abuse these Feasts, saith God, I will take them away, you shall have no more; and therefore Isa. 1. God professeth a loathing of their feasts, and amongst others of their New Moons. Not but that they were holy in themselves, but when they came to abuse them, by adding their own superstitious vanities, or else had not the due end for which God appointed them, than God is offended. Now saith God, you acknowledge darkness to be from me, and light to be from me, and change of time to be from me, but what use do you make of your time? You seem to give up the mercies you receive unto me, but you do not honour me with them, nor for them. You seem to think of the Messias in these things, but your hearts are not with him, but all your ways are after your lusts. I loathe your feasts. Just as if a man comes to God, and prays devoutly, Lord lead me not into temptation, and assoon as he has done, he presently goes into wicked company, God loatheth you for going quite cross to your prayers; you pray, Lord give us this day our daily bread, as if you should say, Lord I depend upon thee every day for my bread, and for a blessing upon all my outward estate; and assoon as you have done, you cousin, and cheat, and go presently to the Devil for your bread: God loatheth these prayers of yours, as God loatheth their New Moons, because when he appointed such a worship for those and those ends, yet they went quite contrary. Yet there are two th●ngs exceeding observable about these New Moons. We often read of these things, but we pass them over and do but little mind them. First, God will have the glory of his creature, of the New Moon, and that solemnly, yet it must be at that time when the Moon is very little, scarce any at all, it must not be at the full, when the Moon is most glorious, God doth not call to be glorified in that creature when it is fullest of glory; but when that creature is (as we may say) in the meanest condition, when it hath but a little light beginning, scarce any at all, then God will be glorified. This is the instruction and moral lesson from hence, which is no strained one, but I think intended by God himself, in appointing this feast, in that God will have the glory due to him from this creature in the beginning of its light, rather than at any other time. We are taught in this, That there is a great deal of danger when we are giving God the glory of the creature, Obser. of sticking in the creature, and not passing through the creature speedily enough, and going from it to God. God is very jealous of his glory this way. God hath made many glorious creatures indeed, & he would have his glory from all his creatures, he would have us give due esteem to his creature; but when we esteem it for any excellency there is in it, God is jealous lest any of his glory should stick in the creature, therefore he calls for it at that time when the creature is most mean. That is the reason that God's Ordinances are so plain, we have but plain bread, and plain wine, and a plaintable, and no brave pompous attire, because God saw that when we are to deal with him spiritually, if we had pompous things we would stick there; and we see men that are taken so with pompous things, they give not God that glory that is due to him, but they stick much in the creature, and honour it rather then God. It seems that the Heathens making the Moon to be their goddess, especially looked at it when it was most light, as appears, job 31. therefore job to clear himself from that idolatry, saith, If I beheld the Sun when it shined, or the Moon walking in brightness: They used to worship the Moon thus when they saw it walk in brightness, because they could not reach the Moon, they kissed their hand, and so bowed to the Moon in acknowledgement of a Deity, therefore Job would free himself from that, If I beheld the Moon walking in brightness, or if my mouth have kissed my hand, that is, saith he, I have not worshipped this creature. This is it I note it for, that when the creature is most glorious, there is danger of giving God the less. It is thus with us many times, God hath many times more glory from us when our estates are little, then when they are very great; there is many a man, who when he hath been in full light of prosperity never minded God, bus when God hath brought him into darkness, than he hath given God glory, and then it hath been indeed most acceptable, because than he sees God's hand helping him without the creature. Further, God had most glory from the Moon when it had the least light, so God may have glory from us though our light be extinguished, it is no great matter. There is yet another thing that is remarkable concerning this Feast. You shall observe what difference there is between the Feasts of the new Moons by God's appointment under the Law, Lect. 9 and the Feasts of the new Moons as they are set forth to us in Ezek. I lay this for a ground, that those Chapters in Ezek. from the fourth & so on, though they seem to speak of the jews ceremonies, and Temple, and Feasts, yet the scope of those texts is to set out the glorious condition of the Church of God in the time of the Gospel; As in Isa. 66. 22. Then they shall worship me from Sabbath to Sabbath, and from Moon to Moon, that is, their constant worship shall be in comparison as a Sabbath, and they shall not only worship me at the beginning of the Moon, but all times, their worship shall be so full & so constant: Therefore though in that place of Ezek. there be speaking of new Moons & other Feasts, yet it is to set out the condition and blessed estate of the times of the Gospel under those shadows & types, the Prophet speaking according to the Jewish language in that way. This being granted, let us compare the institution of the Feast of the new Moon, In Num. 28. with what is laid in Ezek. 46. in Num. 28. they were to offer for a burned offering two Bulloks, one Ram, & seven Lambs, but in Ezek. 46. 6, In the days of the new Moon there should be but one bullock & six lambs. God himself had said, that in their new Moons they should offer two Bullocks & seven Lambs, yet when the Prophet would set out a more glorious condition of the church, he saith, they should not offer so much as they did before, they should offer but one Bullock and six Lambs. What are we taught from this? We are taught by this two excellent lessons, which are the reason of the difference. First, that there is such a blessed estate of the Gospel coming, that shall not be subject to such changes as hath been heretofore, but a more settled condition of peace and rest, so that they shall not have such occasion to bless God for his providence in the changes of times as before they had. Their solemnity of the new Moon, that is, of doing that spiritual thing that was done in a ceremonious way, that was to give God the glory for the change of times: now in the times of the Gospel they shall not have so many Sacrifices, to make it such a solemn business as it was then, Why? because the Church shall be in another condition of more rest & safety, and more constancy in their ways, not hurried up and down by men's humours, and lusts, and wills as before. Secondly, that the state of the Gospel shall not be so subject to danger neither as it was before, there shall not be that occasion to bless God for bringing of light presently after darkness, for that is one end of the Feast of the new Moon, that when they could not see the Moon a great while, and it was dark, as if that creature had been lost out of Heaven, now they see it again they were to bless God for it: But in the time of the Gospel that is coming, there shall be no such darkness, this time is not yet come, we yet had need to have our seven lambs and two bullocks for we have much darkness, those places in Ezek. aim at some special time more than other, there is a glorious time of the state of the Church, when there shall not be such occasion of blessing God for delivering us from darkness as there hath been. The Ninth Lecture. HOSEA 2. 11. I will cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts. OF the Jewish new moons the last day, God threatens likewise to take away her Sabbaths. Sabbaths.] Plutarch thought that the Sabbath of the Jews was from Sabbos, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jovialiter vivere. a name of Bacchus, that signifies to live jocundly, and bravely, and merrily. Indeed the Sabbaths that many keep have such a derivation, their Sabbaths are sabbaths of Bacchus, to be merry, and to eat, and drink, and play, is the end of all their Sabbaths. But the word hath a better root. God would have us upon the Sabbath rest from all other works, that we may be free to converse with him: therefore it is so much the more inexcusable if when we have nothing else to do we shall deny to converse with God as he requireth of us. If a friend should come to your house to converse with you, and he should know you have no business to take you up, yet you will scarce see him, or spend a little time with him, will he not take it ill? If indeed you could have such an excuse that your business is extraordinary, though your time be less you spend with him, it would not be so ill taken; but when he knows you have nothing to do, and yet you deny time to converse with him, will not this be taken for a slighting him? Thus you deal with God; Had you indeed great occasions and businesses to do upon that day, though you did not so converse with God in holy duties, it were another matter; God might accept of mercy rather than sacrifice. But when he shall appoint you a day to rest, wherein you have nothing to do but to converse with him, yet then to deny it, this is a slighting of the Majesty of God. Now the Jews had divers Sabbaths, amongst others these were principal ones. The Sabbaths of days, and the Sabbaths of years. The Sabbath of days, every seventh day they had a Sabbath, and it was kept unto the Lord. Now this Feast of theirs had so me what in it Memorative, somewhat Significative, and somewhat Figurative. It was a Memorial, a Sign, Why a Sabath was ordained. and a Figure. A Memorial of two things. 1. Of the works of God's Creation. After God had finished his works of Creation, than he rested, and sanctified the seventh day, and Psalm. 92. being appointed for the Sabbath, the Argument of it is the celebrating the Memorial of God's great works. 2. Of the deliverance out of Egypt, in remembrance of the rest that God did give them from their bondage. So you have it Deut, 5. 15. Remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand, and by a stretched-out arm: Therefore he commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day. Secondly, it was Significative, a Sign, Exod, 31. 17. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: And verse 13. It is a sign betweeve me & you, that I an the Lord that do sanctify you. God made it a sign, that as this day was by his command to be sanctified, set apart from other days, so God had set apart this nation of the Jews from other nations. Thirdly, It was Figurative, it did figure out or typific the rest that did remain for the people of God, Heb. 4. There remaineth a rest to the people of God, both here in the time of the Gospel, and in heaven eternally. Now we are to know there was some speciality in this day of rest, What special things in the seventh day Sabbath above other Sabbaths, in this sabbath of the Jews more than in any other sabbath. As, First, in the Antiquity of it. It was the most ancient of all the days, set apart for an holy use, being from the time of the Creation. Secondly, it was written with Gods own finger in the Tables. Thirdly, God reigned no Manna upon this day, and that even before the Law was given in Mount Sinai, for the honour of this day. 4. The whole week doth take denomination from the Sabbath. Luke 18. 12. I fast twice in the week, twice a Sabbath, so the words are in the Greek. So Mark 16. 2. The first day of the week, the first of Sabbaths, so the words. 5. This Sabbath is called an everlasting Covenant by way of eminency, as if nothing of God's Covenant were kept if this were not. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 31. 16. Ye shall keep the Sabbath for a perpetual Covenant. Yea 6. God puts a remembrance upon this day, and not upon any other sabbath. If a friend who would fain converse with you, send to you three or four days, Quartum pra●eeptum egregium prae septum, & ad omnem virtutem excitandam utile, p●etatem vero praecipue. D●esiderium dierum. Veni spon sa m●a. or a wecke beforehand, I pray think of that day, I will come to you then and converse with you, we will enjoy communion together; now if when he doth come he shall find you emplyed in unnecessary businesses, will he take it well? God doth so with you, saith God, I desire to converse with your souls, and I appoint you such a day, think of it, remember that day that you and I may be together, and converse sweetly one with another; if God find you then occupied in unnecessary businesses, he will not take it well. This Sabbath the Jews rejoiced much in, and blessed God for it, Nehem. 9 14. as a great mercy. And Philo judaeus speaking of the fourth Commandment saith, It is a famous precept, and profitable to excite all kind of virtue and piety. And the Hebrews say we must sanctify the Sabbath at the coming in and going out, and bless God that hath given us this Sabbath: Yea it is called by some of the Hebrews, the very desire of days; And Drusius telleth of a Jew, who when the Sabbath d●y approached, was wontto put on his best clothes, saying, Come my. Spouse, etc. as being glad of tharday, as a Bridegroom of his Spouse. It is not my work to handle the point of the Sabbath-day, or Lordsday now, but to open it as we have it here in the Text, to show what kind of Sabbath the Jews had; only observe this one thing about this Sabbath; If you compare Numb. 28. 9 with Ezek. 46. 4. you shall find that the offerings in the time of the Gospel prophesied of, were more than those were in the time of the Law. In Numb. you find but two Lambs, but in Ezekiel you find six Lambs and a Ram for the Sabbath: This by way of type shows, that in the settled times of the Gospel, God's worship upon the Christian Sabbath should be solemnised more fully than it was in the time of the Law. The next is the Sabbath of years, and they were of two sorts. There was one to be kept every seven years, and another every seven times seven, every fiftieth year. Every seventh year there was a rest of the land; as every seventh day there was a rest of the labour of their bodies, so every seventh year there was a rest of the land. Exod. 23, 10. Six years thou shalt sow thy land and gather in the fruits thereof, but in the seventh year thou shalt let it rest analye still, they must not prune their Vines, nor gather their vintage one year in seven. The meaning of the rest of the seventh year. The Sabbath of days signified that they themselves were the Lords, therefore they ceased from their own labours: But the Sabbath of years, the resting of the land signified that the land was the Lords, at God's dispose, and that they were to depend upon the providence of God for their food in the land; God would dispose of the land, when they should plow, and when they should sow, and gather in the fruits thereof as he pleased. We must acknowledge (that is the moral of it to ourselves) that all lands are the Lords, & the fruit that we enjoy from the land it is at his disposing. If any man should ask, what should we eat that seventh year, seeing they might not plow, nor sow, nor reap, neither have vintage, nor harvest? The Lord answers them, Levit. 25. 20. 21. I will command my blessing upon thee in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years. God you see will not have any to be losers by his service. Let us trust God then, though perhaps you have now one year in which you have no trading; People cry out, Oh this twelvemonth we have had no trading in the City, we can get no rent out of the Country neither. Do not murmur, trust God; It may be God hath been beforehand with many of you, you have had full trading formerly that may preserve you comfortably now: If not before, trust God for the next; the Jews were fain to trust God every seventh year, they had nothing coming in for one year in seven. If once in all your life time God take away your trading upon extraordinary occasion, do not murmur, do not give less to the poor now; I speak to those whom God hath blessed in former years, so as that they are not only able to subsist, but to give too; See for this Deut, 5. 9 Beware thou sayest not in thine heart the seventh year is at hand, and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him ●ought, and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. If now because you have not such a full Income as you were wont to have in your trading, if a company of poor distressed plundered people come among you and desire your help, if you deny to relieve them, if they cry unto God against you, it will be sin unto you. Now this rest of the land was to put them in mind that there was a time coming when God will free them from labour; Now they were fain to eat their bread in the sweat of their brows, but God would supply them once in seven years without the sweat of their brows in ●illing the land, showing that there was a time where in God would bring his people to such a rest that they should have full supply of all things without labour. But further, besides this there was a second thing, in this seventh year all debts that their brethren owed to them were to be released. Deut. 7. 15. it is called there, the Lords release, the Lord is merciful to those that are in debt. God knows what a grievous burden it is for his people to be in debt, it is indeed an inconceivable burden; rich men who are full-handed do not understand what a burden it is for men to hang upon every bush, to be in debt to every man they deal with, they cannot sleep quietly, they can have but a little joy and comfort in their lives, the burden is so grievous. Now God in mercy to his people that they might not all their days go under such a burden, and so have little joy of their lives, therefore he granted this favour to them, that once in seven years their debts were to be released: But it was the debt of an Hebrew, Deut. 15. 30. Foreigners debts they were not bound to release: By that we are to learn this instruction, that there should be more pity and commiseration shown to those that are our brethren in the flesh, or our brethren in regard of Religion and godliness, in regard of their debts than others. It is true, there is a complaint of many that are godly, that they have little care and conscience in paying their debts: the justness of that complaint I know not, but there may be a slothfulness in many, if not unfaithfulness, and if there be carelessness & unfaithfulness in some, it is enough to cast an aspersion upon all that are godly: but though those that are godly should be more careful of paying their debts than others, Mercy to the poor in regard of their debts. but if they cannot, you are bound to be more merciful unto them then to others, because they are godly, and not to seek to take advantage the rather upon them, because they are godly, this is a vile and a wicked heart, to take advantage so much the rather, if thou seest them godly & laborious in their calling, and it be merely a providence of God, and not any negligence of theirs, thou art bound to show much commiseration unto them. In that forenamed place, Deut. 15. 9 Beware there be not an evil heart in thee, to be less merciful to thy poor brother because of the seventh years rest of the ground, or because the debt was to be released that seventh year, but (verse 10.) thou shalt surely give it him, and thy heart shall not be grieved, because for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou put test thy hand unto. Notwithstanding there must be a cessation of ploughing, and sowing, and vintage in the seventh year, yea and notwithstanding thou wert bound to release thy debt in the seventh year, yet you must do this, and not do it grudgingly, you must not murmur and say, what doth God require of us that we must neither plow for sow, and that we must release our debts and give too, nay and give, and not have our hearts grieved too, that we must not complain of this? Oh my brethren, God loveth exceedingly cheerful givers, and hearts enlarged with bowels of compassion, he doth no: love hearts grumbling and objecting against giving. Many men have no quickness of understanding in any thing else but against works of mercy, how quick are they in their objections, and can find such subtle ways to save their purses that a man would wonder at it, against this there is a solemn charge, Deut. 15. 11. Thou shalt open thy hand wide unto thy brother, to the poor and needy in the land. The third thing to be done once in seven years was the release of servants too, they must go free, and they must not be sent away empty neither, as ver. 18. of that Deut. 15. It shall not seem hard to thee when thou sendest him away free from thee, you must give them liberty, as ver. 14. It is true, we are not bound to the letter of this, every seven years to do thus, but there is a moral equity in it, when servants have done you faithful service, you must not think that it is enough that you give them meat and drink, and cloth, but you must be careful of your servants how they should live after they are gone from you. jubilee opened. This was the first sabbath of years. But the second was most famous, and that was the rest that was every seven times seven years, the fiftieth year, which was called the year of jubilee, from that trumpet that they were wont to proclaim that year by, which as the Jews tell us was a Rams-horne. In this year there were divers of the same things done that was in the seventh year, as the release of debts, the release of servants. But there are some things observable that were done at this time beyond what was done every seventh year. As for servants, the release of them was not only of such servants as had then served seven years, yea if they had served any time, they were then to be released, but besides there was order taken by God for release of some servants that would not be released in the seventh year, for when the seventh year came, though all servants might then be released, yet there were some that would not be released, It is an observation of Jerome. when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written without vau, than it signifies the fiftieth year, but when it is with van, than it signifies eternity, but this Pagni●● rejects, for it will not hold. and there was an order taken by God for that, Exod. 21. 6. if there were a servant that loved his master and would not go free, than his Master should bring him to the post of the door, and with a nail bore his ear, and then the Text saith, he should serve him for ever: Now that [for ever] is by Interpreters interpreted but for a time of Jubilee, and then he should have rest. Here it is to be understood of the 50. year, the year of Jubilee. There are some kind of spirits that are so slavish that when they may have liberty they will not, they deserve to have their ears bored, to be slaves to the fiftieth year, if not for ever. Many amongst us this day have such spirits. God offereth us a release from bondage, how many of us love servitude still! It is just with God that we should have our ears bored, and that we should be slaves even for ever, but we hope there will be a jubilee come at length for our deliverance, God would have a jubilee even to deliver those that were of the most servile spirits, and might justly be left to serve for ever. It is true, when God began with us in the beginning of our Parliament, like the seventh year God offered to us a release, and we refused it then, and since we deserve that our ears should be bored; but God is infinitely merciful, though we be of servile spirits, and know not how to pity ourselves, we hope the Lord will pity us, and grant us out of free and rich grace a jubilee, even to deliver those who have a mind to be bondslaves; I am sure God doth so spiritually. If God should not deliver those that are minded to be slaves, he should deliver none. It was a great mercy so to provide for servants, that they might be delivered. The greater, because servants than were not as they are now, there was a great deal of hardship that servants endured then more than now, they were bought and sold, not only other nations, but the Hebrews were bought for servants also, so you shall find it, Exod. 21. 2. Besides, servants were in such bondage then, as if the Masters did beat them with a rod until they killed them, The hard condition of servants in former times. yet they must only be punished, they must not have blood go for their blood, yea though he died under his hand, yet he was but to be punished, and if the servant lived but 2. or 3. days after, the Master was not to be punished at all, so you have it, Exod. 21. 20, 21. If a man smite his servant with a rod, and he die under his hand, he shall be surely punished, notwithstanding if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished, for he is his money. Oh that servants would consider of this, and bless God for the liberty they have now more than servants had in former times! It was so likewise with the Romans, the word [servant] cometh à Servando, because the Romans used to have such for servants as were preserved in time of war, that should otherwise have been put to death, whether they were those or others, yet the condition of all was very servile both amongst jews and Romans, which may justly rebuke the pride of servants now, if they be but crossed in their minds in the least thing, they make such a complaint as if they were exceedingly wronged. Let servants rather bless God for their condition, then murmur at a little hardship they endure, for the hardship of servants in former times was another manner of hardship than any you can endure who have the hardest masters. Hence it is that in the day of jubilee the servants did so rejoice; jewish antiquities tell us that nine days before their release, the servants feasted and made merry, and wore garlands, because of their freedom approaching. The second thing extraordinary in the day of Jubilee, was, that not only debts, God win jewish antiq lib. 3. c. 10. but lands were released. Leu. 25. 22. The land shall not be sold for ever. And there were divers reasons for this, why the land must not be sold for ever, but must return to the first possessors in the year of Jubilee. One reason is in the Text, Reason's why land must return in the year of jubilee. Leu. 25. 23. For the land is mine, saith God, for ye were strangers and sojourners with me: God would hereby teach them that they must not account themselves absolute lords of the land, the land is mine; and you that are the greatest landlords of all are but as strangers and sojourners with God, the land is still Gods. And vers. 28. If a man be not able to redeem his land, nor his kinsman for him, it shall remain unto the year of jubilee, and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession. If he could redeem his land himself or a kinsman for him, he was to redeem it before; but if a man should be so poor as he could not give any thing to redeem it, yet in the year of jubilee it should return unto him. God would not have his people too greedy to bring the possession of the Country in to themselves, to have a perpetual inheritance to themselves and their posterity. This is the greediness of many covetous and ambitious men, oh that we could lay land to land, and house to house, to get a perpetual inheritance for ourselves and posterity! God would not have his people be of so greedy dispositions, for a few of them to get the whole Country into their own possession, therefore he would have no man that ever had any possession, but once in fifty years that possession must return to that family again. The land was to return to the first owner, that the distinction of Tribes might be continued, which was known much by the continuance of their possessions that belonged to every tribe & family. God had great care before Christ's time to keep the distinction of tribes, that so it might be clear out of which tribe Christ came. But further, this year of jubilee aimed at a higher thing, it was a type of Christ, to set out the blessed redemption that we have by Christ. The trumpet of the Gospel which the Minister's blow is a trumpet of jubilee. That place Isa. 61. 1, 2. seems to have reference to a jubilee, there the Text saith, that Christ was appointed to proclaim liberty to the captives, & the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord; now that acceptable year was the year of jubilee, there was the opening of the prison, and the releasing of them that were bound. Psal. 89. 15. saith the text, Blessed are the people that hear the joyful sound, that hear the Jubilee. Oh blessed are our ears who live to such a time as we do, to hear the trumpet of jubilee blowing in one congregation or other almost every day! now we have a release of our debts & bondage, this is the joyful sound. We are all by nature in debt (sins you know are called debts in the Lord's prayer) every soul is bound over to God's eternal justice to answer to the law, for not obeying the law; now cometh this jubilee and releaseth all debts. And we are all bondslaves, in bondage to sin, to the law, and to the devil, now cometh the Gospel, this jubilee, and releaseth our bondage, sets us at liberty. 3. We have forfeited our right to the crea ure, yea to heaven itself; now the Gospel comes and restores all, we have right now to the comforts of this world, and to heaven. Canaan was a type of heaven, and the loss of their inheritance, there was a type of the loss of heaven, and the bringing them again to the possession of it, a type of the restoring of right to heaven; Oh happy are they then who hear this joyful sound, not only with the ears of the body, but who have it sounding in their hearts, and that by the work of the spirit of God in them. In this year of jubilee there is one thing further very remarkable, and that is the time when this trumpet that was to proclaim this year was to blow, Leu. 25. 9 the trumpet was to blow upon the tenth day of the seventh month. What remarkable thing is there in this, that the trumpet must be blown the tenth day of the seventh month? yes, there is this remarkable in it, the tenth day of the seventh month was their day of expiation (the day of their atonement, their public fast) This day appointed every year for all Israel to afflict their souls before God, The trumpet of jubilee to blow on their fasting days and way. to humble themselves for their sins, and to seek for mercy from God (as we shall show you more largely when we come to open the solemnity of that day) I only mention it now to show that the trumpet of jubilee was to be sounded upon that day. It is a strange thing that upon that day wherein they were to afflict their souls before God, and to mourn for their sins, the trumpet of jubilee was to sound, that was to proclaim joy and mirth, things of a contrary nature to humbling and mourning. Yea but this affords us divers excellent instructions. As First, God would have his people so to mourn as to know their joy is coming. In the darkest day they had, wherein they were bound to afflict their souls most, yet they were so to mourn, as to know there was a jubilee at hand. We are not to mourn as those without hope: in our most grievous & sorest mournings we must have our hearts sink in desperation, we must so mourn as to expect a jubilee. Yea further, the Saints mourning is a preparation to a jubilee o● joy. joy then is near at hand when the Saints must mourn in a godly manner. Did not the Lord deal graciously with us the last fast day when we were mourning before him? There was amongst our brethren in other parts a kind of trumpet of jubilee blown; the Lord was then working for us; what great deliverance did God grant that very day at Chichester? God shows that the mourning of his people doth make way for joy. Yea further, then indeed is the sound of the trumpet of jubilee sweetest, when we are most afflicted for our sins. When we are most apprehensive and sensible of the evil of sin, than the joy of God, the comforts of the Gospel are sweetest to the soul. When the trumpet of jubilee is blown in congregations, if it meets not with hearts afflicted sensible of sin, they are not delighted with the sweet sound of this trumpet, it is not melody in their ears, it rejoyceth not their hearts: But let a poor soul be brought down and made sensible of the evil of sin, and God's wrath, then let but one promise of the Gospel be sounded forth, how sweet, how joyful is it! Again, pardon of sin is the only foundation of all Jubiles. For this tenth day of the seventh month, wherein the trumpet of Jubilee was to be sounded, was a day of Atonement. What is that? A day of covering (for so the word is) of pardon of sin to the people of God. Many men keep a continual Jubilee, live merrily and bravely, do nothing but eat, and drink, and play, and dance, and laugh, and cannot endure these fadde melancholy people. What is the foundation of this thy Jubilee? Art thou sure there is an Atonement made between God and thy soul? Art thou sure thy sin is pardoned? Is this the foundation of thy rejoicing? Know it will not last, it is not Gods, but the Devil's Jubilee, except there be an atonement made between God and thee as the foundation of it. Yet further, in that the sound of the Jubilee was at that time when the day of Atonement was. Note this, When God hath pardoned us, than our hearts are in a fit frame to pardon others. Now comes the Jubilee, and now you must release your lands, your debts, and forgive those that owe you any thing. This is the day wherein God testifieth his mercy in pardoning your sins, and they might well say, Now Lord command us what thou wilt in showing mercy to our brethren, we are ready to pardon, to release them, to extend the bowels of our compassion towards them, for thou hast pardoned our sins. The reason of the rigidness, of the cruelty, the hardness of the hearts of men, and straightness of their spirits to their brethren, is this, because God hath not witnessed to their souls the pardon of their own sins, an atonement between God and them. Their solemn feasts. Among their feasts, they had three that were especially very solemn feasts more than others: And they were The Feast of The Passeover. Pentecost. Tabernacles. These three were very solemn, especially in this one regard, wherein they are all three united in one thing, that is, upon these three Feasts all the Males were to ascend up to Jerusalem to worship, to the place which God did choose, and so you have it, Deut. 16. 16. Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God, What to be learned from that law, requiring the jews to go thrice a year to the place that God chose. in the place which he shall choose in the feast of unleavened bread, (that was the Passeover) and in the feast weeks, (that was Pentecost) and in the feast of Tabernacles. But how could the ten Tribes then keep these Feasts? for they went not to the Temple. You may as well say, how had they an Ephod? of which Chap. 3. Jeroboam was wise enough to keep the feasts, though not in that way God appointed, he could tell them the going to the Temple was but circumstance of place. From this connection of these three together in this solemnity, upon which these three were especially called their solemn feasts, there are divers things to be noted. First, we may see a reason why there were sometimes so many believers at jerusalem. An argument is brought by some from that place, Acts 21. 20. to prove that there may be in one Church more than can possibly assemble together in one Congregation, for the Text saith there, Thou seest how many thousands of jews there are which believe, how many millions it is in the Original; now say they, there could not be so many millions to join in one Congregation: The answer to this is clear, that the time of which this place speaketh, was when the people of the Jews were all assembled together at Jerusalem to keep the feast of Pentecost, for Chap. 20. vers. 16. the Text saith, that the Apostle hastened, if it were possible for him to be at jerusalem the day of Pentecost; now reading the story on, it plainly appears, that in that journey in which he did so hasten, he did get to jerusalem at the day of Pentecost, and being there at that time, no marvel that they said, Dost thou not see how many thousands of jews there are that believe? For all the males of the people of the jews were got together at jerusalem, according to the institution, so that they were there by reason of that Law that as yet they submitted to, they were not in a Church state at jerusalem, therefore there is no strength in that objection against congregational Churches. Secondly, where there is a national Church, there must be an uniting of them in some way of national worship. There is this national worship that the jews by institution from God were united in, three times in a year to go up to the Temple to worship: And except there should be some such kind of individual worship, not in the same species, that is, as others are praying, so are we, and as others are hearing, so are we, for so all the Churches in the world may be joined, but to join in one act of worship together, as that was of going up to the Temple, there must be such a thing. And that made the jews a national Church, because we have no such institution now, no Nation in the world can in a proper sense be said to be a national Church as theirs was; in some figurative sense we may so call it, but not in that proper sense as it was among the jews. Thirdly, there are some Ordinances that cannot be enjoyed but in the way of Church-fellowship. The jews could not enjoy these feasts as they ought (indeed it may be Israel, the ten Tribes would make a kind of patched up feast, but they could not feast so as they ought) unless they went to jerusalem in that way God appointed. As among the jews, there were some Ordinances they might enjoy in their Synagogues and private houses, but some which they could not enjoy but in the Temple; so there are some Ordinances we may enjoy in our families, but others we cannot enjoy but in Church-communion, which jerusalem is a type of. A fourth thing observable is, these three times wherein they were to go up to jerusalem, were all in the Summer time, not in the Winter. For the first, which was the Feast of the Passeover, was in the latter end of our March, and the beginning of April; the Feast of Pentecost was fifty days after, the Feast of Tabernacles was about the middle of our September. It was indeed a very laborious thing for them to go up to jerusalem to worship, but God did so commiserate and pity them, that they were not to go in the winter time. That is the reason of that phrase in Acts. 27. 9 Sailing was dangerous, because the Feast was already past, that is, the Feast of Tabernacles was past, which was about the fifteenth of September, and so it began to be winter. God would be so indulgent to his people that they should have the Summer time to go up to Jerusalem in. If it would be an affliction to go up to Jerusalem in the winter, and therefore God would favour his people in that; Oh what an affliction is it then to fly from Jerusalem before our enemies in the winter time? We had need pray the more hard now for those that are in danger of the enemy, that God would be merciful to them in this. A fifth note is when they did go up to these three Feasts, they must not come empty, but full-handed, so you have it, Deut. 16. 16. Ye shall not appear before the Lord empty; Noting thus much, That when ever we come to acknowledge God's mercy for any thing, we must come with full hands, and liberal hearts, with hearts ready to distribute, or otherwise we do but take Gods Name in vain. The last is, the wonderful providence of God toward them, though all the males in the whole Country were to come up to Jerusalem three times in the year, yet their Country should not be in danger of the enemies: For the Jews had not such walls of Seas about their Country as we have, but they lived in the very midst of their enemies, they were surrounded with them, on the East the An●onites and Moabites; the West, the Phylistims; the South, the Egyptians. Idumeans; the North, the Assyrians, to whom the Prophet seems to have reference, Zach. 1, 18. Now they might say, shall our males go up to Jerusalem three times a year, why then our enemies that lie close in our borders, (for they lay as near them as York, or any other shire is to us) may come upon us and destroy us; therefore God laid in a caveat and provision for the encouragement of them, Exod. 34. 24. he tells them there, None shall desire thy land when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in thee year; God took care that none should desire their land. Let us go on in God's service, and he will take care to deliver us from our enemies. Many times out of slavish fear of the danger of enemies, and what disturbance they are able to make amongst us, we are ready to betray the cause of God, and neglect his worship. Let us learn from hence to go on in God's ways, and not fear any hurt our enemies can do us, God saith that he will take care when they are all at Jerusalem in the exercises of his worship that none should desire their land. Now for the opening these several Feasts, in it you may be helped fruitfully to read much Scripture in the Old Testament, for much of it is spent in things concerning some of these. The first was the Passeover. The Feast of Passeoever. You have the history of it Numb. 28. 16. 17. and in divers other Scriptures: That Feast was in the beginning of the year. It is true, our Scripture was the beginning of their Annus Civilis their year for Civil affairs, but the Month Abib, which was the middle of March, and part of April, was Annus Ecclesiasticus, the Ecclesiastical year, and it was so appointed, upon their deliverance out of Egypt when God commanded them then to celebrate their Passe-over, he told them that that Month should be unto them the beginning of months, the first month of the year. Noting thus much, That deliverance from great evils are mercies that we are highly to prize; the Jews were to begin their year in memorial of the mercy they had upon that Month. For the name [Passeover] from God sending forth destroying Angels that yet passed over the houses of the Israelites that night; he went through the land and destroyed all the first borne of the Egyptians, but saved the Israelites, this Feast was also called the Feast of unleavened bread, Luc. 22. 1. because they were to go out of Egypt in haste, and could not have time to leaven their bread, but took only a little flower and water together, and so carried it upon their backs; Josephus tells us that they took only a little flower with water together that might serve them with a great deal of sparing but for thirty days, there was all they had for so many thousand thousands only for so many days, God put them to it, to depend upon him. We are ready to murmur if we see not enough to serve us many years, if our armies have not enough for so long time: they had but a little meal and water that might serve them for thirty days, and they knew not where to have more when that was spent; no marvel that it is said of Moses, Heb. 11. 27. by faith we went out of Egypt. This bread is called the bread of affliction, Deut. 16. 3. and it was unleavened bread, not only to typify that we must not have our hearts leavened with malice, but to put them in mind of that sore affliction they were in, not only when they were in Egypt, but when they went out of Egypt, that they had then but a little meal and water to serve them for thirty days. Now this Passeover was partly Memorative, and partly Figurative. Memorative, First to remember the deliverance of their first borne. Secondly, to remember their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. When others are smitten (that is the moral signification) and we pass over, Obs. 1. this is a great mercy. Again, Deliverance from bondage, and in that outward man and bondage in respect of Religion and conscience is a mercy for everto be celebrated. God is pleased now to offer us this mercy of deliverance from both these bondages, certainly we are a people devoted to misery if we shall not take Gods offer of mercy. We have been in bondage in our estates and liberties, God offereth us freedom, and freedom also from Antichristian bondage which is worse than Egyptian bondage. The Text saith when they were delivered from the bondage of Egypt Moses sang, Apoc. 15. 1 and in the Revelation when they were delivered from Antichristian bondage they sang the song of Moses. We were long since delivered from a great part of this bondage, now the Lord ostereth to deliver us altogether. Obs. 1. But to let that go. They were to eat this Passeover with their staves in their hands, When God offereth deliverance we should not be sluggish. this was to note their hasty going out of Egypt. We should not when God offereth us mercy of deliverance, go forth slowly. This is our misery at this day, the Lord offereth deliverance and we lie slugging on our beds, and are like that foolish child the Prophet speaks of that sticks in the birth: We have stuck these two years in the birth, whereas we might have been delivered long before this. It concerns us all to consider what the cause is, and to lament it before the Lord that we may make our peace with him. But further. Obser. In thanksgiving for a mercy we are ever to remember what we were before that mercy. They must eat unleavened bread at this Feast, the bread of affliction, they must remember the afflictions they were in before they had this mercy, whereof this Feast was a Memorial; when we bless God for a deliverance, we must really present before our souls the sad condition we were in before we were delivered. Further, The special thing that is aimed at in the Passeover, was that it should be a type of Christ, who was that paschal lamb that was to take away the sins of the world, he that was roasted in the fire of God's wrath for our sins, as that Lamb that was to be eaten in the Passe-over was roasted in the fire: And if ever the Angel of God's vengeance do pass over us, it is through the blood of that Lamb sprinkled upon our hearts, which was signified by the sprinkling the blood of the Lamb upon the posts of their houses. In the Lord's Supper we celebrate in effect the same Feast of the Passe-over they did: and by this we may learn this excellent note. There is little comfort in the remembrance of outward deliverances, Obser. except we can see them all in Christ. They were in this Feast to remember their deliverance out of Egypt, Deliverances looked upon in reference to Christ are sweet. but withal they were in it to have a figure and type of Christ, that sweetened their remembrance that made the Feast a joyful Feast, when they could see their deliverance out of Egypt as a fruit of Christ's sufferings, when this Lamb that was to put them in mind of it, did put them in mind likewise of Christ the paschal Lamb. In all deliverances from any kind of affliction, if you would have the remembrance of them sweet unto you, you must look upon them all in the blood of Christ, and so remember them, and then your hearts will be enlarged to bless God. The jewish additions to their Pass-over. This was the Ordinance of God in the Passe-over, but besides God's Ordinance, the Jews added divers other things. The first thing observable that they added, was earnest prayer to God for the building of the Temple; which many of them observe to this day. Those who writ of the customs of the Jews tell us, that because the Temple is destroyed where they were to go up thrice in the year to solemnize these Feasts, therefore they pray so earnestly and mightily for the Temple in this manner: They cry altogether to God, Lord, build thy temple shortly, very quickly, very quickly, most quickly in our days: Templum tuum brevi, valde cito, valde cito, in diebus nostris, citissime, nunc aedifica templum tuum brevi. Misericors Daus, Magne Deus, benign Deus, pulcher Deus, dulcis Deus, virtuose Deus, judaica Deus, nunc aedifica templum tuum brevi, valde cito, in diebus nostris, valde cito, valde cito, nunc aedifica, nunc edifica, nunc aedifica, nunc aedifica, nunc aedifica templum tuum cito, robuste Deus, fortis, vineus', potens Deus, etc. Buxtorf. de Synag. jud. c. 13. & then they go over it again, Merciful God, great God, kind God, high God, sweet God, with divers other epithets, Now build thy Temple quickly, very quickly, etc. Now, now, now, five times together, ●o Euxtorfius tells us. They teach us how much the Temple doth concern us. Here is only their mistake, they rested in the material Temple, they did not consider that This Temple was a type of Christ, therefore as earnestly as they prayed for the building of their material Temple, so we are to pray for the building up of the mystical body of Christ, now Lord, build quickly, do not defer it, even in our days do it. A second thing they added was the manner of casting out of unleavened bread, in this they observed three things, their inquisition, their extermination, their execration, first with a candle they would narrowly search every corner of the house, to see if they had the least crumb of leaven, if any were found they cast it out with solemnity, and then they used to wish a curse upon themselves if there were any left in their houses that was not cast out. This moral Observation we may be taught from it, it should be our care when we are to receive the Sacrament, to make narrow inquisition, to get the candle of the word, and to search every corner of our hearts, every faculty of the soul, to see if there be no leaven in it. 2. Whatsoever we see to cast it out of doors. And 3. to be so much set against sin, as to be willing to take a curse upon ourselves, if we should willingly let any known sin be in our hearts, and to acknowledge that God might justly curse us in his Ordinance, if we be false in this. Thirdly, they used to show forth all their brave rich things, if they had any bravery in clothes, in furniture, in any good thing, they would show all at this Feast. By their superstition we may learn this note, that in the time of our coming before God, it is fit for us to manifest his graces, to exercise all those beautiful graces that the Lord hath endowed us with by the work of his Spirit, for there is the riches of a Christian, there is his brave clothes, and his plate, all his excellencies are his graces. The fourth thing they did was, after the Passe-over was at an end, they would fast three days, to humble themselves for their failings in keeping that Feast. This was not God's Institution, but it was their custom, and we may learn this from it, (though not to bind ourselves to that they did) too look back to our receiving the Sacrament, and to bewail all our miscarriages; I believe if things were examined to the quick in our receiving the Sacrament, you would find matter enough to fast and pray for the humbling your souls from your miscarriages. Lastly, in the Passe-over they used to read the book of the Canticles, because that book treats especially of the conjunction of the soul with the Messiah, which is sealed up especially in the Passe-over. And that indeed is a special meditation for us when we come to the Lords Supper, to meditate of our conjunction with Christ. The next is the Feast of Pentecost. The Feast of Pantecost. This Feast is called also the Feast of Weeks, because there were seven weeks to be reckoned, and then at the end of them it was solemnly to be kept, you shall find it, Levit. 23. 15. There you have the Feast of the Passe-over, and in that the first day of seven, and the last day of seven was solemnly kept; now they were to count from the morrow after the first Sabbath, seven Sabbaths, that is, seven weeks complete; the first Sabbath of the Passe-over was the fifteenth day of the month Abib, and then the next day from that they were to count seven weeks, and at the end of seven weeks was the Feast of Pentecost to be kept. Now in this first day wherein they began to count their weeks (for the preparation to this Feast of Pentecost) you shall find that the first fruits were to be offered up to God, it was a kind of distinct Feast, called the East of the First-fruits, in which they were to bring a sheaf of the first fruits of their harvest unto the Priest to be offered to God; And the reason was, because new their harvest began: Assoon as ever the Passe-over was killed, and they had kept the first Sabbath of the Passe-over (for they were to keep it seven days) they began their harvest, they must not put a Sickle into the corn, nor reap any thing of their ground until they had kept the Passe-over; it affordeth auto us this instruction. We cannot enjoy any sweetness nor any blessing from any fruits of the earth, No blessing ●o be enjoyed from the earth but through Christ. but through the blood of Jesus Christ: After they had solemnised the memorial of the blood of Christ, than they might put a Sickle into the corn & reap it, and not before, & as soon as they had solemnised the remembrance of Christ in the Passe-over, they might go with comfort and take the fruits of the earth & rejoice in them, but not before. Now this was in the month of Abib, that is part of our March, & part of April, then began their harvest, & thence it hath its name, for Abib signifies an ear of corn. Now their harvest began so soon in the land of Canaan, not only because it was a hot Country, for it is observed that Africa was a hotter Country than theirs, and yet their harvest began not so soon; Hereditatom elegantiae. but because of the blessing of God upon that land, therefore jer. 3. 19 it is called a goodly heritage, because of the timely bringing forth the fruit; the words translated goodly heritage, signifies an heritage of comeliness; the same word that is here for goodly, signifies a Roebuck, to which this land was compared, and so it may be said to be a land of a Roebuck, because of the speedy and swift ripening of the corn. Obs. 1. The observation is, It is the blessing of the Church to have their fruit ripe betimes, Timely fruit is pleasing to God. not to stay too long before they be ripe, for Canaan was a type of the Church. You young ones consider of this; the Lord loveth to have the fruits of Canaan ripe betimes; if you grew in the wilderness, though you did not bring forth fruit in your young time, God did not so much regard it; but if you live in his Church, in Canaan, the Lord expects you should beg in betimes, in the very spring of your years you should bring forth fruit un to God. Men do much rejoice in timely fruits, they are lovely: Yea and God rejoiceth in them too, Micah. 7. 1. My soul desireth the first ripe fruits, this is true of God himself. Your parents and Godly friends may say, our soul desires that grace may spring up betimes in these young ones, so it may be said of God, the very soul of God desireth to see the first fruits; fruit in young ones is that which is pleasing to God's soul. We may further note, Obser when we have had communion with God in holy things, than we may have a holy and more comfortable use of the creatures. As before we noted when we have solemnised the blood of Christ, than we may enjoy sweetness from the comforts of the earth; so now, when we have enjoyed communion with God in his Ordinances, than it is a fit time to have a holy use of the creatures, yea then you must be careful of having a holy use of the creatures; as soon as ever they came from the Passe-over the first day they were to celebrate the first fruits unto God, From whence, Thirdly, Obs. After the blood of Christ is sprinkled upon the conscience, than men will be ready to dedicate things unto God. Then as Zacheus said, Half my goods I give to the poor; here are my goods, here is my estate, doth the Church, doth my brethren stand in need of help? Lo we are ready to offer them up unto God. Fourthly, Obs. The first of blessings are to be offered up unto God. God gives them a charge, that the first of the first of all the fruits of their land should be offered unto him, Exod. 13. 19 all that cometh afterward should be the more blessed. Learn this you young ones, dedicate the first of your years unto God, the very first of your first, the dawning of your years. Now assoon as they had dedicated their first fruits, Obser. when harvest was done, then comes the Feast of Pentecost: then they rejoiced in the consummation of harvest. If you dedicate your young days unto God, when the consummation of your years comes, how may you keep a Feast of Pentecost! The Jews first deditated the first fruits, fifty days before, and then at the fifty day's end they kept their joyful Feast of Pentecost, so might you if you dedicated your young years unto God, On the other side, what a sad thing will it be for old men that but now begin to think of God and Christ; it is well you do so; but you cannot do it comfortably as you might have done, if you had begun in your younger years. If the Jews when their harvest was done had brought two loaves unto God, might God say, why did you not bring the first fruits unto me? God might so upbraid you, but however come into God and he will not upbraid you, he upbraideth no man, but yet the comfort will not be so much because your consciences will upbraid you. Fiftly, Obser. note this, Happy is the man that when he comes to reap the fruit of his actions, shall have a feast of joy. Thus is was with the Jews, the very beginning of their harvest was with a Feast, and the conclusion with a Feast toe. All the actions of our lives are a sowing of seed, if you sow sparingly you shall reap sparingly, and happy those men when they come to reap, that both the beginning and conclusion of their reaping shall be a joyful feasting. Many sow merrily, but they reap horror and anguish; but when the Saints come to reap, they shall have a Feast of joy. At thy right hand are joys and pleasures for evermore. 6. Obser. At the fiftieth day than they were to solemnize the mercy of God in giving to them the fruits of the earth for their harvest. Hence this Note, Much praise is due to God for the Fruits of the earth, for outward comforts, How much praise than is due for JESUS CHRIST, and all spiritual mercies in him? Though we ought to bless God for the things of the earth, yet we should be so swallowed up in blessing God for his word & Ordinances, and spiritual mercies, as in comparison our hearts should be above the Fruits of the earth. Therefore it is observable, that in Ezekiel where there is a Prophecy of the state of the Church, set out by the Jewish way of Feasts, though there be mention of the Passeover, and new moons, and Sabbaths, and of the Feast of Tabernacles, yet there is no mention of the Feast of Pentecost, no mention of keeping a Feast for blessing God for these things. Not but that they should do so, but that their hearts should be so carried up with abundance of spiritual mercies, that then all for Christ, and for heaven, and for eternity, their hearts should be wholly set upon spiritual things. 7. Obs. It was a great engagement to them to use the creatures, when in the first beginning they had dedicated them unto God, and in the conclusion of harvest they had solemnised his mercy in giving them the creatures. For God did thereby teach them that they might be further engaged to use all creatures for his service. As it is a mighty engagement to any man if God give him a heart to dedicate the beginning of a mercy unto God, and when he hath got the mercy fulfilled, then in a solemn manner he blesseth God for it, to make use of this mercy for God's honour. Certainly the reason why many are so loose in their conversations, and do not employ the creatures of God to his glory, is, because they do not in a solemn manner bless God for that they enjoy. As in your trading, suppose you have some comfortable Incomes, perhaps you take these comforts, and thank God in a slight manner for them, how do you use them afterwards? only for yourselves and for the flesh. But when you hear of Incomes of riches flowing in upon you, if you can then presently take the first. Fruits and give some part to God's service as a testimony of thankfulness, and in your families and closerts in a solemn manner give God the glory for the good success you have had in your estate, this will be a mighty engagement to you to use your estates for his service. 8. Mark at the first, in their preparation, they were to bring but a sheaf, but afterward, Levit. 23. 17. they were to bring two loaves; in the first they were to offer one he-lambe without blemish, but afterward seven lambs, & a young bullock, and two Rams, etc. both burnt-offerings, and sinne-offerings, and peace-offerings when they had received the full harvest. Thence learn, Obs. though you be forward to give God glory when you are young, the first fruit of your years, yet when you come to be old, you should flourish in the Courts of God's house. First they offered but a little unto God, afterward abundance. Do you so? I appeal to all old men that are here this day, if God did give you any heart to give up your young years to him, bless God for it; but now when you are old, are you as forward as ever you were? You ought to be not only so, but much more abundant in the work of the Lord. Nay cannot others witness against you, that there was such a time wherein you were more forward, and that now you begin rather to temporize? The LORD forbid this should be spoke of any old men. God expects more afterward then at the first fruits; and though nature may decay, yet their is a promise that in their old age they shall flourish in the Courts of God's house, and shall manifest the graces of his Spirit much more. We are ready at the first Fruits to offer unto God some what, when his mercy cometh first; but when mercy comes afterward more fully, we should be more in our offerings. You will say, The difference of burnt offering, sin-offering, and peace-offering. what is the meaning of this, that there is a burnt offering, a sin-offering, and a peace-offering in the Feast of Pentecost? what is the difference of these three offerings? The difference is this; The burnt offering was in testimony of their high respect to God, they wholly had respect to God in the burnt offering; that is, they tendered up something to God as a testimony of the high & honoraable esteem they had of his Majesty, it was wholly to be given up to him. Now in the other they had respect to themselves, the sin-offering was not to offer a sacrifice merely to testify respect to God, but to be a typical signification of Christ's sacrifice for sins; they were to look through their sacrifice to Christ, and their sin-offering was to be an atonement for their sin. The Peace-offering was in thanksgiving for a mercy, or when they would petition to God for a further mercy. All this must be done in the day of Pentecost. But besides this end of Pentecost, to solemnize the mercies of God in their harvest, there is an other that is constantly affirmed by the Jews, and I find many Divines making no question of it; but I find it not so clearly laid down in the word. They say God in this feast did solemnize the giving of the law, Lect. 9 and this is their ground, because fifty days after their coming out of Egypt was the time of Gods giving the Law, and so they say Pentecost was appointed to bless God for giving the law. The jews say that God dealt with them, as a King should deal with a poor man in prison, first he releaseth him of his bondage, and withal tells him, that after such a time he will marry him to his daughter; now say they, will not this man count every day, & long until this time come? So when God did deliver us out of Egypt, he told us that after such a time he would give us his law, and marry us to his daughter, which is the law, and this is the reason why we count so disigently the very weeks, nay the days, as longing for that time when we are to be married to the law, when the Lord shall grant to us such a mercy. From whence we may note, Obser. that we are not only to keep God's law, but to rejoice in God's law; not only to look at what is commanded as a duty, but as a high privilege, and so bless God for the law. It is a higher thing to love God's law, and rejoice in it then to obey it; Great peace shall they have that love thy law; David professed that he loved the law of God more than silver and gold, that it was sweeter to him then the honey and the honey comb. The jews at this day do much rejoice when the law of God is read, and in their Synagogues when the law of God is brought out, they lift up their bodies in a kind of exlatation, rejoicing that God gave this law unto them. Further, the time of their Pentecost was the time of the descending of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles: as God at that time gave the law by Moses, so the Spirit at that time came by Christ, to show that we are in the Gospel to receive the Spirit of God, to enable us to fulfil the law. They had the letter of the law, but in comparison of what we have, they had not the Spirit, but now the holy Ghost is come in a full measure; as he then came upon the Disciples, so he comes now in the time of the Gospel in a fuller way then formerly, there is a continual Pentecost. But the works of God do not of themselves sanctify any time, except we take that note with us, we may run into a thousand absurdities; if we argue thus, because the jews had such a time we may have such a time, or because there were such blessings at that time, therefore we may sanctify that day. No, the works of God do not sanctify any time of themselves, it must be the Word, some institution or other, either the Word written, or some immediate dictate of the Spirit that must sanctify any day. Certainly the work of our redemption itself is not enough to change the Sabbath, if we had not s● me footing for a new institution. We usually give this ground for a change of the day, because of the greatness of the work; but though the works of God be great, though never so great, it is not for us to sanctify a day, it must be an institution of God, or else we sin in sanctifying any set and stated time for any such work, for Christ's resurrection, or sending of the Spirit, except there come an institution, though the work be as great as any thing God ever did for the jews, it will be but will-worship in us, and God will not be put off with this, What is not this as great a work as that the jews had, and may not we celebrate the memory of it as they did? but God will say, Who required these things at your hands? Thus far you may do, that is, bless God for those works all the days of your lives, but to sanctify any particular day for them, certainly that cannot be done without sin; we have our warrant for the Lords day as well as the greatness of the work, because of the practice of the Apostles who were inspired by the holy Ghost. The next is the feast of Trumpets, only one particular about it at this time, because providence makes it so seasonable. In the seventh month, (which was the first month of their Annus Civilis) there were three feasts. Festum Tubarum, Expiationis, Tabernaculorum. The first was the feast of Trumpets; now there was a threefold use of Trumpets among the jews. 1. For the calling of the congregation together, as we use to do with bells. The feast of trumpets. 2. The calling of them to war. 3. For the solemnising of their feasts. This feast of trumpets you have, Numb. 17. There are four ends given by Divines of the feast of Trumpets, Non licet iniquas observa●iones agere Kalendarum & ●ciis vacare gentilibus, neque lauro aut viriditate arborum cingere do●mus. Omnis enim haec observatio paganismi est. Canon. 74. some I confess are very improbable, but there are two very probable. The one is, this feast was to celebrate the New-yeer with them; as upon every new month, that was called the feast of the new Moon, to celebrate the beginning of the month, so in the beginning of the year they had a feast to celebrate the beginning of the year, that was this feast, for it was on the first day of their civil year; so that it is very probable that feast was appointed to bless God for the new year, as well as they had one to celebrate the new month. It was God's institution for that time to have the New-year consecrated by that feast, yet this can be no ground for us now to consecrate the beginning of every new year unto God: that was jewish, and it is ceased, if we will have any consecration of a new year, it must be by virtue of some institution or other, let (who can) show the institution: we must not think because it hath a show of wisdom, Cavendae potiusquam Kalendae. Statuit ●niversalis Ecclesia ieiunium publicum in isto die fieri. Al●huvinus de divinis d 〈◊〉. c. 4. and it seems to be reasonable to us, therefore it may be this is not enough in matter of worship, you must strictly tie yourselves to an institution in matters of worship, in consecrating of times. As it is jewish, so it is Heathenish, the Heathens consecrated their new year to the honour of their god janus, and we read in Concilium Antisiodorense, in France in the year 614. it was the judgement of that Council that it is not lawful to observe the festivities of the Gentiles, to keep their worship and observation of their Calends, (that is, the beginning of their months) to adorn houses with laurel & bays, for all these practices saith the Council) savour of paganism. And likewise an ancient writer saith, that the Kalends of january are rather to be taken heed of, then to be accounted Kalends, and so to be sanctified; And further, he saith, the Church hath appointed a solemn feast to be upon that very day, because o● the notorious abuses there were wont to be upon that day. And Polydore Virgil saith, that these solemnities of Laurel and Bays, and masks, and mumming, and such vanities, they all come from the Heathens Bachanalia, and Saturnalia, that were wont to be at that time of the year. However therefore we put them upon Christ, and think we honour him, and call it the Circumcision day of Christ, yet by those customs we dishonour him, for they are rather Heathenish than Christian, To do it, I say, because we think to consecrate ●ine; though there may be some natural reason of rejoicing, yet no ground for consecration. Let no man object and say, these solemnities have been a long time in the Church. It is true, these are ancient, but from whence comes the antiquity? It comes from hence, because Christians being newly converted out of Paganism, they would keep as much as possibly they might of the Pagan customs, only they would give them a turn, turn them to Christian solemnities, but the rise was from their Pagan customs: therefore all the argument of antiquity, either for these, or Ceremonies, or Prelatical government, it comes from this ground, because their pagan customs were so, and they lived among pagans, and having been lately pagans, they savored and smelled of Heathenism still. So now, many plead that such things were in the first Reformation: no marvel they retained them, for they were but newly come out of popery, and they savoured and smelled of popery. Indeed to plead the antiquity of these things, which men must show when they are put to it, is one of the greatest arguments against them. Thus was they Feast of All-Saints turned from the Feast Pantheon, and so the Feast of the Virgin Mary, which they call Candlemas, the Heathens had the festivity of their goddess Febru (who was the Mother of Mars) upon that day, from whence the name of our month February cometh, they did then celebrate that time with Candles, and such things, as papists do now. This antiquity have you for celebrating of Candlemas. The like may be said for the argument of antiquity for the Prelates. O say some, such a kind of government hath been ever since Christian Religion hath been in England. Grant that there hath been some kind of Bishops ever since, but from whence came they? We find in Histories, that when the Pagans were here in England, they had their Flamens, and their Archflamins, London was one, and York was another, and when they were converted to the Christian Religion, yet still keeping some of their Heathenish customs, instead of their Archflamins, they made Archbishops, and of their Flamens, Bishops, and that in their very places, as London and York, and some say Chester, they kept their Bishoprics still. This is the very ●●und of the antiquity of them; therefore my brethren, let not us be put off with such arguments as these, men delude you, they baffle you by these arguments. The Tenth Lecture. Lect. 10. HOSEA 2. 11. And all her solemn Feasts, etc. WE began the last day to speak something of the Feast of Trumpets, you shall find the institution of it in Leviticus 23. 24. You shall have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of Trumpets, Now there were divers ends of God's institution of this Feast, I have spoken of one; the second reason of that Feast, the Hebrews think, was a remembrance of Isaac's deliverance, when he should have been sacrificed, and the Ram caught by the horns to be sacrificed in his stead; they drew it from this argument, because that Feast is called A memorial, (say they) to remember the deliverance of Isaac, and it must be by the Trumpets of Rams horns, to call this to remembrance, the deliverance of Isaac, and a Ram sacrificed in his stead; this is the jews opinion of it, but it seems to be far from the meaning of the holy Ghost. A third reason of the Feast of Trumpets, some say, (Cajetan amongst others) was instituted for a memorial of Gods giving the lay by sound of the trumpet; that is not likely neither, because this Feast was not kept at the time of Gods giving the law, if there were any time for the celebration of giving the law, it must be at the Feast of Pentecost. A fourth, it was for a celebration of a memorial of God's goodness to them in the time of war, for all the mercies of God unto them in their wars, which was declared by the blowing of the trumpets. But I rather take another reason, to be a main and principal reason of God's institution of this Feast, to be a preparation to the Feast of atonement and expiation, and therefore (saith Calvin) it is called a memorial, Levit. 23, for this reason, to put them in mind to humble themselves before God, to afflict their hearts in the day of atonement; and secondly, a memorial before God, that God may remember them for mercy, so the jews observe from the seventh day of the first month, unto the tenth day, there was more than ordinary exercises in giving of alms, in praying, in going to their synagogues, they were very devout for those ten days in way of preparation for the day of Atonement, of Expiation. From whence note, It is of this use to us to prepare for the day of Fasting; Ministers should blow their trumpets to the people to prepare them for that day: God hath accepted of those poor kind of fasts that we have kept, abundance of mercies we have received on them; there is scarce any one Fast day that is kept, but we presently hear good news after it; if we had kept Fast days as we ought, if we had been prepared as we should, O what might we have obtained of God by this time! if God accepts such poor things as we do, (as God knows they are poor and mean) if we had every time a trumpet blown before us to prepare us for the day of atonement, what atonements might England have made with God before this time! The day of Atonement Festum expiationis: eight things especially observable in it. to read understandingly those things you read about the Feast of Trumpets. The next Feast was the feast of Expiation, in the tenth day; I thought not to have spoken of that, because the Feast of Expiation is a Fast rather than a Feast, but that is meant here as well as any of the other, for this reason, though it were a Fast, yet the Hebrew word here that is translated solemn Feasts, signifies only a settled, stated, solemn time. And Secondly, It was a great mercy to them to have such a day of Fast; though the day of atonement, be a day of afflicting themselves, yet it is the cause of rejoicing to a nation, that God grants them such a day of atonement; it is the special means to make way to the joy of a nation, and therefore this is included amongst the other: now the history of that, you have in these two famous Scriptures, Levit. 16. and Levit. 23. In this day of atonement, the tenth day of the seventh month, there are divers things very observable, and useful for these times. The first is, The solemn charge that God gave for the afflicting men's souls upon that day; you shall find in a few verses three several times a solemn charge to afflict their souls, to humble their souls, Levit. 23. 27. 29. 32. God appointed one day in the year for all the Jews to afflict their souls, to make an atonement between God and them, in a day of Fast, and they were charged to be sure to afflict their souls then, and that soul that did not, God threatened to cut it off. The second thing observable is, that the Priest was to go into the Holy of Holies, where he was to go but once a year; Levit. 16. the beginning and the latter end compared together; you shall find it. This may teach us thus much; Obser. If ever we are to look upon JESUS CHRIST in the presence of God, to go into the Holy of Holies, making intercession for us, it is in the day of atonement, in the day of public Fast of the Kingdom, then are we to exercise our Faith upon Christ, as entering before God into the Holy of Holies for us, after we have charged upon our souls our sins, and afflicted our souls, we must likewise cast up an eye of Faith, beholding Jesus Christ our high Priest at that day before the Father making intercession for us. The third thing observable is, at that day the Priest was to make an atonement for all the holy things; in Leu. 16. 20. When he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, the Tabernacle, and the altar, etc. the Priest was not only to seek to make reconciliation between God and the people, but to reconcile the holy places, even the Holy of Holies had a kind of pollution in it, and must be reconciled then, and the Tabernacle, and the Altar, all of them had a kind of pollution upon them: so infectious is the sin of man, Obs. and all these were to be 〈…〉 a day of atonement. 〈◊〉 teacheth us, That in a day of Atonement, of F●sting, we are then 〈…〉 special care to sc●●● mercy from God, to be reconciled to us in regard of all our holy things, our holy duties, and offerings; we are to seek then to get the best services that ever we performed in all our lives, to be cleansed, that God may be pacified in regard of the filth and uncleanness that hath cleaved even to them. You are not in the day of a Fast, only to confess your notorious sins to God, those that in their own nature are sinful, but you are then to examine all your holy duties, and to humble yourselves before God, and to seek to make peace with God, in regard of the uncleanness that hath been in them. This few think of, they 〈◊〉 the day of a Fast confess such sins as are vile in themselves, but to be made sensible of the uncleanness of holy duties, that is little thought of in the day of their Fasts. 4. In their day of Atonement, the Priest was to lay the sins of the congregation upon the escape goat. The story of the escape goat was this, The Priest must come and confess the sins of the congregation, laying his hand upon the head of the goat, and then he must send this goat into the wilderness. The meaning is of great use to us; Jesus Christ he is the escape goat, and we are in the days of our humiliations to come and lay our hands upon jesus Christ, and to confess all our sins over him, and look upon all our sins as laid upon him. Now the escape goat was to be sent into the wilderness: What is that? That is, sent into a land of forgetfulness, so as the jews should never come to see that goat again that their sins were laid upon, it signified to them, that their sins were now so forgiven them, that they should never hear of their sins again. Thus are our sins upon Christ, as we shall never come to see, nor hear more of them, In the day of our Fasts we should thus exercise our Faith upon Christ. A fifth thing that was to be done, was to sprinkle the blood of the slain goat upon the mercy-seat, and before it. It is the blood of Christ that is upon, and before God's mercy-seat, that procures mercy from thence for us. The sixth thing. In the 16, of Leviticus, ver. 12. the Priest must take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the Altar, and his hanfull of sweet incense beaten small. This he must do in the day of Atonement; to teach us, That in the day of our solemn Fasts, we must be sure to get our hearts full of burning coals from the Altar, full of affection and zeal, full of mighty workings of spirit to God, although you that are godly, and so are Priests to God, at other times come with few coals from the Altar, a little affection, your affections are scarce heated, but in a day of Atonement you must come with your hearts full of coals, and be sure it be fire from the Altar, do not satisfy yourselves in natural affections then, but be sure you be full of spiritual affections; and then full of incense. What was that? it typically represented our prayer, you must be sure to have your hearts full of prayer, to send up abundance of incense before God; the incense must be of spice● beatou small, what is that? the prayer● that we are to send up to God, in the day of Atonement, must come from much contrition of spirit, our hearts must be beaten small to powder, when the hearts of men are beaten to powder, than they are able to send forth such incense, as is a sweet favour in the nostrils of God. Many of you in the day of a fast seem to be full of prayer, but is this prayer a sweet incense to God or no? how shall I know that? by this, God hath appointed the incense, upon the day of atonement, to be that, that must come from spices beaten, if thy heart be beaten to powder, and thy prayers be but the savour, and the odour of thy graces that are as spices, and heated by the fire of God's spirit: then here is the incense that pleases God. First, graces, which are the spices, the contrition, that is the beating small, than the fire of God's Spirit to cause the incense to rise up in the nostrils of God as a sweet savour. Further, a seventh thing in the day of atonement was, the cloud of the incense must cover the Mercy seat, ver. 13. and then the blood both of the bullock, and the goat, must be sprinkled upon the Mercy seat, and that seven times, and ver. 15. the blood of the goat must be sprinkled not only ●pon the Mercy seat, but before the Mercy seat; what is the meaning of this? must our mercy seat be clouded in the day of atonement? we had need have it appear to us, and not be clouded; yes, in the day of atonement it must be clouded, but clouded with incense; the incense that was sent up, was a type of the sweet perfume of the merit of Jesus Christ; Now in the day of atonement we must look up to the mercy seat, as clouded with the merit of Christ, clouded, that is, the merit of Jesus Christ round about it, as a cloud, and covering the Mercy Seat, to teach us that no man must dare to look upon the Mercy Seat of God as it is in itself, but he must have the incense of the merit of Christ round about it, the reason was given why the Lord must have the incense as a cloud to cover the Mercy Seat, lest he die; if he had entered into the holy place, and there looked upon the Mercy Seat, and not clouded by the incense, he must have died for it; those men that think to come into God's presence, and look upon God out of Christ, and think to receive mercy from God out of Christ, they die for it, this is the damnation of men's souls, to look upon God as merciful out of Christ, mercy is an attribute of God, but if we dare (who are sinful creatures) to look upon this attribute of mercy, and not have the incense of Christ merit, it is the way to destroy our souls. O how many thousands are in hell for this! many who are afflicted for their sins, and cry to God to forgive their sins, and believe he is merciful, and think to exercise their faith upon God as merciful, and yet not looking upon the mercy seat as clouded with the merit of Christ, it proves the destruction of their souls. In a fast, when you come to look upon God, you must not look upon God as the Creator of heaven and earth, or as merciful in himself barely, Non solum periculosum sed horribile est de deo extra Christum 〈…〉 Ps. 128. but look upon God's mercy in his Son, and so exercise your faith, or else you can never make an atonement, but rather will procure God's wrath. It is not only dangerous, but horrible, once to think of God without Christ, says 〈◊〉. Again, the blood of the Bullock and the Goat must be sprinkled seven time 〈◊〉 the mercy seat, when we come to make our atonement with God, we must exercise our faith in the blood of Christ, and sprinkle it seven times, again and again upon the mercy seat; we looking upon God when we pray to him as a God of mercy, and we present ourselves in our humiliations before the mercy seat, but know this, that the mercy seat will do us no good, without the blood of Christ; faith must take this blood of Christ, and sprinkle it, tender it up to God his Father, for the atonement of our souls and procuring mercy to us; and not only so, the blood of the Bullock & the Goat must be sprinkled upon the Mercy seat, but before the Mercy seat; we must not only think there can be no mercy obtained from God, but by the blood of Christ, but we cannot so much as have access to God's Mercy seat without the blood of Christ, we must not dare to enter but by the blood of Christ, by him we have access to God; we must all know, that all sinners are banished from the presence of God, and must not have access to God's presence as they are in themselves. Lastly, this day divers times is called A Sabbath of rest, that is, A Sabbath of Sabbaths, so it is in the Original, as one of the principal Sabbaths that they had; I did not handle it amongst the Sabbaths, because it comes in now more fully amongst these solemn Feasts; there must be more rest in the days of atonement, then in other of their solemn days: There was that permitted in other solemn days, that was not permitted in that day; this may teach us, that in the days of fasting, above any days, we must get our souls now separated from the world, there must be a rest in our hearts, a rest from sin, a rest from the world, it must be a Sabbath of Sabbaths unto us. Now notwithstanding God had given this solemn charge for this day of atonement, yet Theodoret tells us, that in his time they did so degenerate, that they spent this day in sports, and made it a day of mirth, God grant that the ordinariness of our days of atonement do not grow to this abuse, as in some places it is amongst us; the most solemn things that ever God gave charge of yet in time degenerates, this is the wickedness of men's natures. One note more from this Feast of Expiation, it is very probable that the Grecians did use yearly in expiation of their Cities, in this manner from this we find amongst the stories of the Grecians, that yearly they were wont to have a kind of Expiation, in imitation of the ways of the Jews (the Devil is God's Ape) for their Cities, there was this custom amongst them, certain condemned persons were brought forth, with garlands in manner of Sacrifices, and these they were wont to tumble down from some steep place into the midst of the Sea, and so offer them up to Neptune the God of the Sea, Suida●. with these words, Be thou a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us; The like was used by them in the times of public infection, when they had a public plague in their Cities, they used such a custom to make an atonement between them and their gods, there were certain men brought to be sacrificed to their Gods, for an expiation for their whole City, and they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word was used to signify that that man that was to expiate for all the sins of their Cities to their gods, ing all their sins upon him, was as filth and 〈◊〉- scouring; and from these two words it is probable the Apostle in the first to the Corinthians 4. 13. hath that expression, by which we may come to understand the meaning of those two words there, We are (saith he) made the filth of the world, and offscouring of the people; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ in these alluding to the manner of the Grecians, We for our parts (saith he) are made as despicable and odious in the sight of the people, and are as much loaded with the curses of the people, as those condemned persons that had all the sins and curses of the people put upon them, and so were offered to their Gods for expiation. The Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles. The history of this Feast is Leviticus 23. 34. & soon; In this Feast the jews were to take boughs off the trees, and make booths of them; and those that write the history in their manners, they tell us, they used to carry boughs in their hands, because they could not make booths & Tabernacles for all the people, therefore some of them thought it sufficient to carry boughs in their hands, and those boughs they carried in their hands they used to call Hosanna; Do thou fold, or prepare the Hosanna, Necte Hosannam. so they used to speak, therefore when Christ came to jerusalem, they cried, Hosanna to the Son of David; the meaning was not a prayer, Save us O thou Son of David, as some would have it; but Hosanna to the Son of David, that is, we hold forth these boughs to the honour of the Messiah, the Son of David, the Feast of Tabernacles was to point at the Messiah; now for those boughs, ver. 40. there was a command of God, they should be goodly trees, palm trees, or willows of the brook, but why so? it noted that thereby they were to acknowledge God's goodness to them, that whereas they had lived forty years in the wilderness, in a dry place, they were now brought to a fruitful land, that had much water, which was a great matter in those hot countries, and therefore they were to bring the willows of the brook, and goodly trees, those that might most testify the goodness of God to them in delivering them from the wilderness, and in bringing them to a land, filled with sweet and pleasant brooks: Things observable in this Feast are, First. The end why God would have this Feast kept, he aims at these three things chiefly. First, God would have them to bless his name for his mercies to them in the wilderness, when they dwelled in booths; it was appointed by God, that they should once a year call to mind the great mercies of God, while they were in the wilderness, and there dwelled in booths, and had no houses, for so was the dispensation of God towards his people, for forty years they were to be in the wilderness, and not to have a house in all that time, but dwelled in Tabernacles; this was a mighty work of God, and manifested his exceeding protection over them, and provision for them, and his providence every way to provide necessaries for them, even as well as if they had had the strongest houses; that so many hundred thousands should live forty 〈◊〉, and never have a house built all that time, was a great work of God; God ●ould declare thereby, that the Church in this world is not to expect any certain habitation, any settled condition, but to be as men that dwell in tents, removing up and down, and so seek after a City that hath foundations, as it is said of Abraham. At this Feast the Jews were wont to read the Book of Ecclesiastes, principally because it speaks so much of the works of God's providence. All the while God's people dwelled in booths and Tabernacies, God himself would dwell in a Tabernacle; God would never have a house built unto him, God suits himself to o●r condition, we must suit ourselves to him. till he had brought his own people to be settled in houses of their own; and therefore when David began to think that he had a house of Cedar, and therefore surely God must have one too, God tells him, Did ever I speak of a house for me? as if he had said, As long as my people went up and down in booths and Tabernacles, I was content to have a Tabernacle, and a booth for my dwelling, thus God is willing to suit himself with the condition of his people; Is the condition of his people in a fleeting way, than I will be so too, saith God; If your conditions be afflicted, and unsettled, I will be so too; In all their afflictions, God was afflicted, in all their unsettledness, God seemed to be so too. Indeed afterwards when God's people came to be in a settled estate in jerusalem, than God would have a house built him; God would hereby teach us, That if himself be content to be in a condition like us, than we must be content to be in a condition like him, as thus; when we are afflicted will God be afflicted with us? when we are unsettled, will God be (as it were) unsettled with us? then let us not think it much, if afterwards God be in an afflicted way, his truth and his Gospel be in a suffering way; let us be willing to suffer with God; when God is magnified and praised, than our hearts should be enlarged too, and rejoice in his praise; we should consider the condition that God is in the world, & we must suit ourselves with that. Again, would God have them once a year to celebrate the remembrance of their dwelling in booths and Tabernacles, Obser and that after they came to jerusalem? From hence note. It is good to remember our low estates, to have a real remembrance of our low & mean conditions we had heretofore; doth God now bring us into a more settled condition then heretofore? Let us not forget in what an afflicted condition we were in, how unsettled, how ready we were to fleet up and down; If God should grant his people, that they should think themselves settled in their own kingdoms, yet let them never forget the time, when they were unsettled in this & other countries, there hath been a great part of the people of God, whose thoughts have been, what shall become of them, & whether shall they go, and perhaps to this day many have such thoughts, unless there be some special mercies of God prevent it, yet may be the condition of thousands in the land, before a year go about; If God should prevent you, ever remember your fleeting condition once you were in; It was Gods great care of the people of Israel, that they should never forget their dwelling in Tabernacles. Thirdly, Note the time of their Feast of Tabernacles, they were to dwell in booths, upon the fifteenth day of their month, it was but five days after their day of atonoment, so that being so presently after the day of public atonement; this lesson may be learned. After our humiliations for our sins, Obser. and making up our peace with God, it is good to keep our hearts low with the meditation of the uncertainty of all things in the world. You have been humbling yourselves, and making your peace with God, yet when your hearts are comforted with the hope of your alonement made, keep your hearts low, take heed of pride; the feast of Tabernacles must be kept, presently after the feast of Atonement; this is one special means to keep your hearts low, to have a real remembrance of the uncertainties of the comforts of this world. This lifteth up men's hearts to conceive some excellencies in things here; therefore go into your booths, and work your hearts down, keep your feast of Tabernacles. Fourthly, God would have their hearts kept low by the actual going into their booths and tabernacles, though they had fair and sumptuous houses in the City, yet they were to go out, and live in their booths a while; you might think, were it not enough for the Priest to tell them, and bid them remember their dwelling in Tabernacles, but they must go forth from their houses and abide in booths. It is a good way to keep those men humbled, Obser. that are raised from a low condition to a high, even actually to go into those houses that are low and mean, go into the houses of poor men, look into the cupboards, see what provision they have, this will be a means to humble your hearts, when you consider, This was once my condition. A second end of this feast was, A second end of the feast of Tabernacles. to bless God for all the fruits of the earth they had received, when they had received all in, their Vintage and all. As the feast of Pentecost was to bless God for their first fruits, and their harvest, but now all the fruits of the earth, Vintage and all were gathered in. Now they were to join all together, and to bless God for all the fruits of the Earth. That this is God's end, is clear in Deut. 16. 13, 14. Thou shalt observe the feast of Tabernacles, after thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine, and thou shalt rejoice, etc. because the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy increase, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice. From hence there is this lesson. It is useful to remember what a poor condition we were once in, and the uncertainty of all things that we have; even when we have got our riches into our houses, when all things are in our possession, it is not so much to think how uncertain they are, when they are growing in the field, but after the Vintage was gotten in, than they were to keep the feast of Tabernacles, to remember the uncertain condition of all things in the world, this we are very loath to do, it is unsuitable to our natures, and therefore this feast of Tabernacles was much neglected among the Jews until such time as they 〈◊〉 been in captivity, after God had carried them into Babylon, and the●● b●ought them back again into their own Country, than they kept the feast of Tabernacles, more solemnly than ever they had done, as we find Nehem. 8. 17. Since the day of joshua the son of Nun, they had not done so, they never kept the feast of Tabernacles so solemnly from their first coming into Canaan, as than they did, now being come out of prison they could remember the uncertainty of all things in the world; men forget the uncertainty of all things in the world, but if they be driven from house and home, and lose all, than they remember what they have heard and confessed; of the uncertainty of all worldly things: some of our brethren who are plundered and driven from their habitations, if God should ever restore them to their habitations again, than their hearts would be enlarged in blessing God, than they would be more sensible of the uncertainty of the comforts of the creature then ever before. Thirdly, The Feast of Tabernacles had an aim at Christ and the state of a Christian, it was to typify JESUS CHRIST to come into the world, and to pitch his tents amongst us, as John 1. 14. he dwelled amongst us; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. he came and pitched his Tabernacle amongst us, it is in the Greek, and the state of a Christian likewise, is an abiding Tabernacle, 2 Cor. 5. 1. If our earthly house of this Tabernacle be dissolved, till we go where JESUS CHRIST is gone before us, to prepare mansions for us, john 14. our dwelling is in Tabernacles. In the offerings that God appointed to offer in this their feast, Numb. 29. 12. there are some things very observable, but hard to find the meaning of, the feast was to be kept seven days, the first day was a great day, and the last day a great day, the first day there were 13. bullocks to be offered, and 14. lambs, the second day, there was but 12. bullocks, and the third day but 11. and the fourth day but 10. and so every day one decreased, (as you may see there) and the last day, there was but one offered, Now divers Expositors have sought to find out the meaning of this. I do not find any such thing in all the Scripture, as this is, but only in this place, Calvin confesses when he speaks of this, that for his part he doth not understand the meaning of it, and rather than to make guesses of it, & uncertainties, I will saith he be silent in it, & yet he ventures upon a conjecture a very unlikely one, therefore I shall not name it. That which is most likely seems to be in two things. The first is, they must offer every day less and less, that is (saith another interpreter) to show their increase in sanctification, that they should grow to more and more perfection, every day of their feast, and so have less need of Sacrifices than they had before, and so it will afford a good note to us, that when we come to keep days to God, every day we should grow more and more in sanctification, and have less and less sin to answer for, than we had before. Another interpretation that is given, is, that it was to show the cessation of the sacrifices of the Jews, that they were to decrease day by day, and this I take rather to be the meaning, because the last day is but one bullock that was offered, and yet the Text saith, that that was the great day of the Feast, when there was fewest sacrifices to be offered. joh. 3. 37. The last and the great day of the feast, Jesus cried, if any man thirst, let him come unto me; there is somewhat to be noted about Christ there, though it is true, it was the feast of dedication, which was their own Feast, from whence many would prove the lawfulness of holy days, yet the truth is, upon examination you shall find there is scarce strength enough, from that place to prove it, though it be lawful to take the advantage of such times, but it will appear there, that it was the Feast of Tabernacles, as in 2 Chro. 8. 9 Their Feast of the dedication of the Temple, was at that time that the Feast of Tabernacles was; one thing is to be observed from Christ's being there at the Feast, the last and the great day, Jesus cried, if any man thirst, let him come unto me; Why did Christ upon the great day of the Feast cry out thus, If any man thirst, let him come unto me to drink? one reason may be, because when men are most strongly possessed with the uncertainties of all outward things in the world, than they are fit to entertain the gospel, then fit to hear of JESUS CHRIST, when their hearts are taken off from the world, and they look upon all things here as unsettled, the conclusion of that feast is a special preparation to the Gospel. Esay, 40. 6. 7, etc. The preparation to the good tidings of the Gospel, is the Proclamation that All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field: yea the withering of the grass, and the fading of the flower must be proclaimed again and again. And then seasonably and acceptably it follows, ver. 6. O Zion, that bringest good tidings, behold your God. Tremelius thinks that the reason of the expression of CHRIST at this time was, from the custom of the jews at this Feast; at the feast of Tabernacles the jews were wont with great joy to bring store of water out of the River of Shiloh to the Temple, where being delivered to the Priest, he poured it out upon the Altar, together with wine, and all the people sung that of Isaiah, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation; though it were their own invention, Christ takes a hint upon it, they accustomed themselves to draw water, and pour it out, Christ saith, what do you stand upon this ceremony of yours, this your custom will die and perish in the use of it, but come to me and there you shall have water, I am the well of salvation, a spring of grace shall be continually in the heart of that man that believeth in me. One note more is observable in this Feast, we have a prophecy that in the times of the gospel, the feast of Tabernacles should be kept then, that is in the truth of it, not in the ceremony. In Zach. 14. 16. there is a Prophecy that when Christ cometh, the very truth of the feast of tabernacles, than all people shall worship the true God, and keep the feast of Tabernacles. Why is it there Prophesied that all people shall come and keep that feast? the reason may be this, this feast is named, because in the times of the gospel, men shall acknowledge their outward comforts to be from God, & 〈◊〉 certainty of all things here, and that they are strangers and pilgrim's 〈◊〉 in the times of the gospel, this shall be made more evident to the hearts of people, than ever before, the more JESUS CHRIST shall be known in the world▪ the more shall the hearts of men be taken up with the knowledge of God in every creature, and of the uncertainty of every creature, and have their hearts taken of from the comforts of the world, and never account any settled condition here, but account themselves pilgrims, and strangers; that is a sign that the Gospel hath prevailed with your spirits, if you have your hearts taken off from the creature, and you look upon yourselves, as strangers in the world, and look for an abiding City, then do you keep in an Evangelicall sense this feast of Tabernacles. Or secondly, if it be meant of the glorious settled condition God in the latter days shall bring his Saints unto, yet than they shall remember with thankfulness, what their poor unsettled condition once was. Thus you have had a view of the chief of the Jewish Feasts, which God threatens here shall cease. There are only these three Observations to be drawn from altogether. Obs. First, Even those things that are appointed by God himself, if once they be abused, God will not own them, but then they are accounted ours rather then Gods, her sabbaths, why not my sabbaths? why not Gods sabbaths? God did appoint them, but because they had abused them, God would not own them; her sabbaths, and her solemn Feasts. The Ordinances of God, though never so good in themselves, if you pollute them, God rejects them, they are your ordinances then and not Gods, look then that all ordinances be, Obser. as God would have them. Secondly, It is a grievous and lamentable affliction upon any people, for God to deprive them of his sabbaths and ordinances, his ordinances are included in their solemn Feasts, nay (saith God) you will go on in your wickedness, and would put me off with your sabbaths, and solemn meetings, and with those things that were once my ordinances, you will satisfy me with them, though you continue in your wickedness, no, you shall be deprived of them, you shall have no more sabbaths, no more solemn Feast days; it is a sad affliction for a people to have no more sabbaths. How many of you neglect solemn meetings of God's people? time may come when God will rend these privileges from you, and then your conscience will grate upon you, O the sabbaths that once we had! O the solemn meetings that once we enjoyed! but our hearts were vain and slight; we did not make use of them, and now they are gone, now perhaps thou art cast into a goal, or into a dungeon, and there thou keepest thy sabbaths & thinkest upon thy solemn meetings. O how unworthy is this land of sabbaths? how did we set ourselves to persecute those that kept sabbaths? there was never any such a thing in any Christian nation: other places though they are somewhat loose upon their sabbaths, yet they never persecute them that will keep sabbath: how justly might God have taken away our sabbaths? let us acknowledge Gods free grace; what reproach hath it been in England to assemble to hear Sermons? how justly might God have taken away these solemn Assembles from us long before this? let us pray that what ever judgement God sends upon us, he will not take away our Sabbaths, nor our solemn assemblies, but that we may still enjoy those we have, and enjoy them to better purpose than ever we have done. 3. Obser. God hath no need of our services; If God call upon us to worship him, it is for our good, not for any need he hath of what we do. What do I care, saith God, whether I have any Sabbaths kept or no? I can provide for my glory, what ever becomes of your duties; I need them not, I can be glorious without you. But these threats are but to take away things that are spiritual; carnal hearts think if they may live and prosper in the world, what care they for Sabbaths, and for solemn meetings? Tell them of taking away Ordinances, tell them of truth of God's worship, what is that to them? Let us have our peace, our trading, and our outward blessings, and truth will follow, O no, a gracious heart will rather reason thus, O Lord, let us have thy Ordinances, let us have thy Gospel, and then for our Vines and Figtrees, our trade, and our outward blessings, we will leave them to thy dispose; if thou will give us thy Sabbaths, and thy Ordinances, we will trust thee for our Vines, and for our Figtrees. But if the Lord be so angry to deny us his Ordinances, how can we ever think that he will be so merciful to us, to continue our peace, or our civil liberties? No sure, if Truth be gone, Vines and Figtrees will not stay long: The next words therefore are, I will destroy her Vines and her Figtrees. The Lord may suffer those places that never had Sabbaths and Ordinances to prosper in their Civil ●eace a long time, but where these have, and the wrath of God be so incensed as to take away these, it cannot be expected that outward peace and plenty can hold long there, First seek the kingdom of heaven, saith Christ, and all these things shall be added unto you: No, (say they) let us first seek the kingdom of earth, and the things of heaven will be added to us; which shows the sleightness of their account of heavenly things. As the paper and the thread in a shop, is given in to the commodity, it is added, if a man bargain for the paper and thread, and think the commodity will be given in, what a folly were it? Many men have their thoughts altogether upon the things of this life, and they think the Gospel will be given into the bargain, as if they have peace, they shall no question have truth, as if the Gospel were the paper and thread, and the things of the world were the commodities. It is your wisdom if you would enjoy outward peace, let your hearts be for Ordinances, cry to God for Ordinances, and then God will take care you shall sit under your Vines, and under your Figtrees peace. The Eleventh Lecture. Lect. 11. HOSEA 2. 12. 13. And I will destroy her Vines and her Figtrees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgot me, saith the Lord. GOD'S threatening Israel, in taking away spiritual mercies; their Sabbaths, and Ordinances, their solemn Feasts, you have in the former verse; but because they might not be much sensible of such a judgement, to be deprived of Sabbaths, and solemnities of worship, would not be so grievous to many, but the destroying of the fruit of the ground, the spoiling of their land, the loss of those things wherein their riches and outward comforts lay, would be more grievous, therefore God joins this threat with the former, And I will destroy her Vines and Figtrees; In these two, Vines, and Figtrees, there is a Synecdoche, by these are meant, all her outward prosperity; I will not lop their Vines, I will not cut down some branches of their Figtrees only, but destroy them. If God stays long before a judgement comes, Obser he comes fearfully indeed, he comes with destroying judgements, than he strikes at the very roo●e of all a people's prosperity, and leaves them hopeless of ever recoveriug themselves; It concerns us to humble ourselves under God's hand, when he doth but cut off some branches of our vines and figtrees, of our outward comforts, lest ere long there follows a destroying judgement, a cutting to the very root: Doth God come in your families, and cut off a branch or two, a child or two? Humble your souls before him, he may cut down the tree, stub up the root ere long, he may come to the Mother, or the Father, and so root out the family: So in a Nation, it is a very remarkable place that you have, Ezekiel, 21. 27. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, when was this spoken, and to whom? It was spoken unto Israel, and to Israel when they were in captivity, and yet God threatens them thus even there, I will overturn, overturn, overturn, Whereof she hath said, these are the rewards that my lovers have given me; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word that is translated reward, signifies Merces meretricia, it comes of the Hebrew word that signifies hired with wages, but such wages as are given to harlots, and yet she is so impudent as to make use of that very word, these are my rewards; the word she useth here might upbraid her, but so impudent doth Idolatry make men to be; If we be guilty of whoredom, we have our rewards of whoredom then, (say they:) Whoremasters use to give rewards unto their whores; whoredom is a costly sin to many a man; Many men secretly waste, and consume in their estates, and their neighbours wonder how they come to be so low; Uncleanness is as a Gangrene, as it will consume the body, so the purse, it beggar's many men, when the world little thinks of the cause. Secondly, Obser. These are my rewards, these that you call Idols, give me liberal rewards, I have what I served them for. God may suffer men in wickedness to prosper, to gain their hearts desire. Thirdly, Obser. It is a dangerous thing for sinners to look back to their sins committed, and then to bless themselves, as if they had gotten by them; Indeed, before a sin is committed, the sinner by temptation may be persuaded there is much gain to be had in that way; and in the very act of commission, the sinner may find some flashie false contentment and delight, but usually after the act is over, when the sinner looks back, he sees nothing but shame, guilt and horror; Sinners scarce dare look back to their sins after they are committed, except such as are most desperately hardened in their sins, they dare not think of what they have done: but here you see, they look at what they have done, and bless themselves, as if they had got a goodly reward by it: As the sight of the evil consequences of sin is a means to humble, so the apprehending of gaining by sin, is a special means to harden in sin. Judas thought it a brave thing to get the thirty pieces, yet when he saw the evil fruit that his sin produced, he looked with horror upon his sin, his soul sunk under the burden of it: If a Judas looking after sin, hath his spirit filled with horror, what hope is there then of such a one, as looking after it, blesseth himself as a gainer by it! If a man either prospers at that time he sins, or prospers more a little after he hath committed a sin, than he did before, or so prospers as that he conceives his sin to be some way instrumental to bring in that gain that was got: this hardens exceedingly. Fourthly, Obser. These are the rewards that my lovers have given me. It is a provoking sin to attribute the blessings of God to our own wicked sinful ways, and thereby to harden our hearts in those ways. It is too much to attribute any of God's blessings to second causes, to our lawful endeavours, to our industry, to our care, to any instruments, but to attribute them to our wickedness, It is a vile thing to attribute God's blessings to our ways of ●in. this is abominable, God expects glory in the acknowledgement of every mercy, and improvement of it unto him: where then there is not only a denial of this to him, but a giving it to his enemy, to wickedness, to the Devil, whom he hates, this goes exceeding near to the heart of God. It is a great part of our sanctifying of God's name in the use of all the creatures, to acknowledge him in all, that all depends upon him, and thereby to be quickened in his service: but to think all depends upon that which is contrary to God, and therefore if we want what we would have, to begin to think we have not served our lust enough, and to be put on to serve them more, this exceedingly provokes. I'll give you one notable example of this wretchedness of man's heart, and indeed it is a very dreadful one, I had very credible relation from a Minister, who being at Hamburgh, he was told this story. There was a consultation of many of the Ministers of Germany at that Town in the time of the sorest distresses and calamities that were in Germany, the Ministers were Lutherans, they consulted to find out what might be the cause why the hand of God was so heavy upon Germany, in those parts where they lived, that so they might reform what was amiss, and make their peace with God, the isse of their consultations came to this, that the reason of their calamities and troubles that were upon them, was because the Images of their Churches were not adorned enough: because there was not cost enough bestowed upon them, they were not decked as they thought they should have been: and therefore for the preventing of the continuance of those calamities in those parts of Germany, they unanimously consented to improve all the strength they had to beautify and adorn the Images in their Churches more: this was a sad thing for Ministers who professing against Popery, as the Lutherans do, they indeed keep Images in Churches: But could it be thought that they should be thus vain, yea wicked, as to attribute the want of their Vines and figtrees to the want of their superstitious vanities, and to bring up their consultations to this conclusion, that if they were more zealous of the one, they should the more prosper in the other? was not this a sore and grievous evil, going near to the heart of God? Many attribute the increase of their estates to their lying, to their overreaching, their swearing, and rejoice in this, this I have got by these ways; Zeph. 1. 9 God threatens to punish those that leap on the threshold, and fill their master's houses with violence and deceit: That is, the servants of great men, who by oppression and by fraud bring in gain to their Master's houses, and then they leap upon the threshold for joy, applauding themselves in the success they have had in their wicked ways: It is usual in whatsoever ways men are, if they meet with any prosperous success, to bless themselves, as if this success came in the rather because of those ways, let the ways be never so wicked: Of late have not some made the world believe they have had great success, & have made an argument that their ways have been good, and God hath blessed them, because they have done as they have, though we know their ways to be such as brings most fearful guilt upon themselves, and their families, and we have all cause to have our hearts tremble within us, to think of them; and if it be through seducement, and not through a worse principle, to pray to God, O Lord forgive them, for they know not what they do: and for the success they boast of, who would not if he might wish such success to his Enemy? But if Idolaters can encourage themselves in those ways they are in, Obser. from what good they suppose they have by them, for their rewards; how much more than should the Saints encourage themselves in the rewards that they have from their lover, from the Lord Christ? Psal. 129. 56. This I had (saith David) because I kept thy word; this is the reward I have had from my lover; I bless God, I have in some measure got my heart to break before the Lord, and to melt after him, and the Lord hath come in mercifully to me, though indeed there be no worthiness in what I have done, yet the Lord hath been gracious, he hath encouraged his poose servant in his way; these and these mercies the Lord hath given me as a fruit of seeking him; he hath not said to the seed of jacob, seek ye me in vain; I have sought for comfort, for peace, and at last it is come, I will call upon the name of the Lord, as long as I live; we should consider of God's mercies we have, and rejoice in them as the love-tokens that come from our beloved; These are the rewards, these are the love-tokens that come from our dearly beloved. Hereafter when the Saints shall come to heaven, how will they bless God, and bless themselves in their God, for those glorious things, those blessed rewards that they then shall receive from their beloved, and enjoy for ever with him! then they shall triumphingly say, the world said heretofore, What profit is there in serving of the Lord? But blessed be God, that I went on notwithstanding in the ways of God, and now I see there is profit to purpose; O these joys! O this glory! O this crown! this happiness! these are the rewards that I have from my beloved. Obs. A fifth, What soever is got by sin the curse of God is in it. what any man gets by sin, or looks upon as gotten by sin, or uses as a means to harden himself in sin, the curse of God is in it, and it will rend it from him, he shall not ever enjoy it; I will destroy their vines & their figtrees, whereof they have said, these are the rewards that my lovers have given me, 1 Kings 21. 16. you shall find that Ahab blessed himself in getting Naboths vineyard, by the device of jezebel, the text saith, He rose up to go to take possession, but verse 9 Thus saith the Lord, hast thou killed, and also taken possession? in the place where the dogs licked the blood of Nabeth, shall dogs lick thy blood, even thy blood; What, you have got an estate now, you have got the vineyard, you have got possession, how got you it? by wickedness, though you bless yourselves in it now, as a reward of your vile ways, certainly the Lord will either force you in the anguish and terror of your souls, to vomit up those sweet morsels again, you shall not hold them, or some fearful judgement of God up-you, will rend them from you; that which many have got by unjust and sinful ways, they have indeed rejoiced in for a while, but after a while that estate hath been in their consciences as drops of scalding lead in the very apple of a man's eye; so terrible hath it been unto them. For this I will only give you an example, a late one, that came to my own hands in restoring that that was wrongfully got many years ago, from one near myself, I shall the rather name it because the party desired that the thing might be made known to the glory of God, He sends that that he had wrongfully got; divers years after, with a letter with these expressions; Many a throb of conscience had I about it, many an ●king heart, and many promises have I made of restitution, and thousands of times have I wished unto you your silver again; An example of trouble of conscience for ill gotten goods. what shall I do? to keep it, it is to continue in sin; to give it to the poor, alas, it is not mine own; or at least the evil purchase of gain hourded up in the stuff of my iniquity; to send it home, the owner is dead, I would to God I had sent it before, that it might not have laid so hard upon me; but seeing that is past, and cannot be recalled, here I sent it you, I ask God forgiveness, and pray you fail not to pray for me; Sweet Jesus forgive me: It was kept divers years, but was biting all the while in the conscience of the poor man, and at length it must break forth in such expressions as these are. Consider of this, every one who hath got any thing by a sinful way, and have blest himself in it, this is the reward I have got by such a cunning device, and such an unjust and deceitful way, you got it cleverly, and have enjoyed it, and been merry with it, well, one day it may thus lie grating in your conscience, O then how rerrible will it be to you! this is the best way to be rid of the rewards of sin, when they begin to cause aching in your consciences, cast them out yourselves, all your praying to God for forgiveness will never ease you without this way; if you be able to restore, but if you will not do it this way, God may come by some hideous judgement, and force them from you in spite of your hearts, and then how terrible will it be to you, when you look upon them as going from you, as being rend by God from you! O now I must part with all that gain, and sweetness that such and such ways of sin have brought me in; the gain, the sweet is gone, but the guilt, the curse, the dregs, the filth, that remains upon my spirit, and for aught I know must stick by me to all eternity; God's judgements will be upon you one day, but as strainers to let out whatsoever is sweet, & delightful to you, and to keep in the filth and dregs; Remember this, you that have got rewards by sinful ways, your rewards of sin may now delight you, but there is a time you shall have rewards for your sins, that will not please you. I will make them as a forest. God threatens his people to make them as a forest, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seventy they read it otherwise, I will put those things as a witness; you will say here is a great difference; I will make her as a forest, and I will put those things as a witness; Those things, that is, those rewards; they rejoice in the rewards that they have had of their iniquity, but I will make them to be as a witness against them; Certainly there is a truth in this, Those things that you rejoice in as got by sin, the Lord will make them to rise up, and witness against you; be sure now you cast them out, they will be witnesses against you another day else; A man that is guilty, would be glad, when he knows one that would witness against him, were dead, or out of the way; have you got any thing by a sinful way? have you got any thing by a sinful course? put it out of the way, for otherwise it will be a witness against you, either upon your sickbed, or at the great day of Judgement; but how can thesee-two readings be reconciled, I will make them as a witness against you, Lect. 11 and I will make her as a forest? It is true, the words in the English seem to be very wide one from another, but there is an easy mistake that might cause the Seventy to read those words, so as to render them thus, I will put them as a witness, for [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] signifies a forest in the Hebrew, and [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] signifies to witness, so it is used, Zach. 3. 6. Montanus reads those words, Contestabatur Angelus; now those that are skilful in the Hebrew know that there being no more difference in the words then in those letters which are so like one another, one is [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] the other is [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] there might easily be a mistake in that regard; but we take it as it is here, I will make her as a forest. The Church is God's garden, hedged in with God's protection, but God here threatens to take away the hedge, and let in the wild beasts; Concerning the hedge of God about his Church we have spoken before: The wild Beasts are one of God's sore judgements often threatened: Those who will not be subject to the blessed holy God, they shall be subject to the ravening and rage of Beasts: And it is like the Seventy understood it, even literally of that judgement of noisome beasts to be let in upon them; for I find that they add to these words [the beasts shall eat them] the fowls of the Heaven, and the creeping things of the earth shall devour; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. but though I find that in the translation of the Seventy, yet I do not find it in the Hebrew Text, and therefore we must let it pass, and only speak of what we have here, of the beasts eating: Now therefore by that according to most Interpreters, I incline to think, and am persuaded, that it is the intention of the holy Ghost to express a judgement beyond the judgement of letting in of noisome beasts, namely the Assyrians, the adversaries of Israel, who should come upon them as ravening beasts to devour them; from whence the words being so opened, you have these three notes of great use concerning us. The first is, Obser. sin makes men like Beasts, the beasts of the earth, he means the Assyrians, great ones, and yet he calls them the beasts of the earth, to be like a beast, is worse than to be a beast; for to be a beast is but to be as God made the creature, it is no dishonour to it: but to be like a Beast, that is the corruption of a creature, Sin makes men beasts yea worse than beasts. and the deformity of it, the worst deformity that possibly can be: chrysostom shows it thus, Beasts (saith he) have but some particular evil, take the worst of all, as the Swine, sensuality, the Tiger, and the Bear, cruelty; the Fox subtlety, etc. But wicked men have all evils that all beasts in the world have in them. One wicked man hath the sensuality of a Swine, and cruelty of a Tiger, of a Bear, the subtlety of a Fox, and whatsoever is set out Emblematically by any Beast, a wicked man hath it all in his heart; yea and farther, wicked men are worse than beasts in this, that they do corrupt themselves in those things that they have common together with beasts, more than beasts do. As the Drunkard corrupts himself in his drink, which a beast will not do, a glutton corrupts himself in his mea●●ore then ordinarily a beast will do, and that I think is the 〈◊〉 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 jude, ver. 〈…〉 of that they know not, and what they know naturally as bruit beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. As for their intellectual parts, they will be speaking evil of what they know not, they will take upon them as if they knew much, but the truth is, they understand little, and yet they will speak evil of that they know not. It is a dreadful Text against such as will be crying out against men and their ways, when as in truth they know not what they are; but further, in that they know naturally as bruit beasts, in that they corrupt themselves, that is, in things they do know merely by sense, as bruit beasts do, they know by tasting, and by smelling, as bruit beasts do, in those very things they corrupt themselves more than bruit beasts, that is, by excess in meats and drinks. Would not any account it to be one of the greatest judgements that could befall him, Si nemo ist quin emari malit quam converti in aliquam figuram bestiae quam, vis hominis sit mentem habiturus quanto est miserius in hominis figura animo esse esserato, Lact. l. 5. c. 1. if God should turn him into the fashion of a Beast while he lives here in this world, though he should still retain the mind of a man in him? Suppose God should inflict this judgement upon a Drunkard, he should still have his intellectual parts as now he hath, but yet his body should be turned into the form of a Swine, or a railer into the form of a dog, as they say Hecuba Priamus his wife was for her railing; would not this be a fearful judgement? It is an expression of a heathen, Lactantius hath it from Cicero, (saith he) If it would be such a judgement as a man would be willing to endure any misery in the world, rather than to have his body turned into the fashion of a Beast, is it not as great a misery to keep the fashion of the body, and to have the mind to become like a beast, to keep a humane shape with the soul of a beast? surely it is worse than to have the shape of a beast with the soul of man. Secondly, Obser. God looks upon wicked great men with a contemptible eye. God looks upon wicked men who do great things in the world with a contemptible eye: the Beasts shall devour, that is, the great King of Assyria, and all his Courtiers about him, and Cavaliers with him, they shall come to devour them, they are but the beasts, God speaks in a contemptible manner, as he doth against Senacherib that King of Assyria, in Isa. 37. 29. God threatens to put a hook in his nostrils, and a bridle in his lips, because of his rage and of his tumult, that is, he would use him as a beast, to hook his nose, & to put a bridle into his jaws. Mark likewise how contemptible God speaks of the King of Babylon, and his whole army, joel 2. 20. His stink and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things; and so in Psal. 59 7. They belsh with their mouths (saith David) and they go up and down the City grinning like a dog: these are the expressions of David, and in that Psalm he means no other but those his adversaries, that were about Saul in his Court: and Ezek. 38. 3, 4. To the chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal, I will put hooks in thy jaws (saith God) and in Dan. 7. the four great Monarches, Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, Roman, are set out by four beasts, & the fourth Monarchy which by most Interpreters interpreted the Roman Empire, Dan. 7. 7. it is described to be dreadful and 〈…〉 and strong exceedingly, & it had great iron teeth, it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it, and it was divers from all things that was before it; Now this beast raged first in the heathen Empire, and after it gave its power to the beast Antichrist, as you may read in Rev. 13. and that beast was like a leopard spotted, full of uncleanness and filth, or as some translate it, a panther, who by the scent of it draws other beasts to him, but devours them, and his feet like a Bear, and his head like a Lyon. Thus you see how God describes the great ones of the world, to be as beasts looking with a contemptible eye upon them. Thirdly, Obser It is a sore and a heavy judgement for a people to be delivered up to the rage of cruel adversaries; the beasts shall devour them. I will give you up to them who will bring you under, you will not be obedient to me, but to them you shall, I will let out cruel wicked men upon you. Hence David prayed, Lord let me not fall into the hands of men, when God would put him to his choice, to choose what judgement he would have, he was quickly resolved what to refuse, he would be sure he would not have that judgement, to be given up to the hands of men, that he knew was dreadful; and Psal. 55. 6. he prays, O that I had the wings of a dove, that I might fly into the wilderness, and there abide. Into the wilderness! Why he should be among the wild beasts in the wilderness, and yet he cries, O that he had the wings of a dove, he would abide in the wilderness! Why what is the matter here? it was because of the cruelty of Saul, and his courtiers, David apprehended them so cruel, A fearful judgement to fall into the hands of men. that he had rather fall into the hands of Tigers, and wild beasts in the wilderness, then into theirs. I could give you notable examples of people that would rather endure any misery in the world, then be given up into the hands of their enemies. That story is most famous of Numantia in Spain, when Scipio came against it, and they were afraid it would be taken, all the young men first took all the old men in the City and killed them with as fair a death as they could; then they brought all the treasure and riches of the City to the market place, and set all on fire, and after that they all took poison and poisoned themselves, and thus in one day old and young, and all in the City, were quite destroyed, rather than they would fall into the hands of their enemies. Psa. 22. 20. Deliver my soul, saith David, from the sword, my darling from the power of the dog, the power of the dog, and the sword, is but one the interpretation of the other; and that text is observable, 1 Cor. 15. 32. That I have fought with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men; some interpret this literally, that he did indeed really fight with beasts, as being one way of torment they put the Christians to, to fight with beasts; but it is rather thought by most interpreters, that the meaning is with men that were beastly, with cruel men, and Esthius thinks those men to be no other, but those that are mentioned in Acts 19 9 of whom the text saith there, that divers were hardened, and spoke evil before the multitude, Paul then departed from them, and 〈◊〉 he disciples, Paul says that it was a most 〈…〉 to get the multitude to be gathered together, and there to speak against him and his doctrine, and against Christ, when all the multitude were got together, now their malice thought that a fit opportunity to vent all their venom against Paul and his doctrine, upon that the spirit of Paul was so provoked (saith the text) that he departed from them, and separated the disciples: he saw them desperately set upon it with malice that they would take such an advantage, so to speak against him and his doctrine before the multitude; it is thus with many, the more sedition is raised, the better are their designs furthered. Christ tells his Disciples, Mark 16. 18. that Serpents should do them no hurt, and drinking poison shall not hurt them; yea, in the 19 of Luke the beginning, he tells them they shall have power over devils; Serpents shall do them no hurt, poison shall do them no hurt, they shall have power over Devils: but Matthew. 10. 17. Beware of men; they might say, why blessed Master, what need we be afraid of men? Serpent's shall do us no hurt, we shall have power over Devils, and yet for all this, Christ bids them take heed of men; as if there were more danger of hurt from wicked men, then from Devils, or from Serpents, and therefore S, Paul in the 2. of the Thessalo. 3. 2. preys that they may be delivered from absurd men; so the words are, that those that had lost the very principle of reason, and were even as beasts. There are a generation risen up amongst us, who have sucked up the poison of the old Serpent, and are swelled with it, who are set on fire of hell, and the poison of Asps is under their lips, and in their hands, and as it was said of Romulus and Romus, the founders of Rome, they were suckled by woolves, so are these, who desire to build up Rome again; much like the first founders of that Rome, they seem to be men suckled by wolves, or as the Poets fain of Lycaon, turned into a wolf for his cruelty; or as it is said of their S. Dominick, that was the Father of the Dominicans, that when his Mother was with child of him, she dreamt that she brought forth a wolf, with a firebrand in his mouth; according to that representation she had in her dream of her child, she proved afterwards; and if we look to the cruelty, and the rage of these kind of men, we may even think, that their Mothers have brought forth wolves with firebrands in their mouths; in these Satan rages, and we hope therefore his time is but very short, because he rages so much; had they prevailed, and brought all under their power, no Chronicle of any Nation under Heaven would afford the like stories of horrid cruelties, as the Chronicles of these times would have done; where they have prevailed, in Ireland, there have been the beginnings of such barbarismes, as here would have risen to the perfection of all rage and horrible cruelties; they may be fair a little while, till they get more strength; but certainly had they their will, there would never be parallel examples of that horrible rage and cruelty as you would find among them, the Lord deliver us from being scourged with these Scorpions; let us humble our souls before God, that God may not humble us before such beasts, that we may not say that England shall be as a forest, and these beasts shall devour them; in the mean time let us not be offended at their prevailing in some places, for than we should be as beasts ourselves, Psal. 73. 22. So ignorant was I, I was as a beast before thee, (saith David) Genesis 9 5. God saith, He will require of the beasts the blood of his people, Certainly, God will require of these beasts, the blood that hath been shed, it is precious blood that they have drunk; had it been corrupt blood, God would not so much have cared for it, but it hath been the blood of his Saints; let us believe that God will turn the rage of man, the rage of beasts, to his praise, Psal. 76. 10. Surely the Lord cannot possibly behold without indignation such vile beasts to worry his Lambs, who are so dear to him, even such so precious in his eyes, to be torn and worried by such beasts as these are, the eyes of the Lord are purer than to behold such iniquity as this is, we may well cry out with the Prophet, Haback. 1. 2. 3. How long shall we cry out of violence and wrong? spoilings and violence are before me, wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously and holdest thy tongue, when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than himself? The higher the scum ariseth, the nearer we know it is to the fire. I have read of Philo, when the people of the jews made use of him to apologise for them unto Cajus the Emperor, Cajus used him very ruggedly, when he came out of his presence, the jews came round about him, well, (saith he, to encourage them) Surely Cajus will arm God against himself for us. But it may be said by some, surely these men are not beasts, for they are skilful warriors, they are not so brutish as you take them to be, but are skilful enough in their ways; mark that text of Ezekiel 21. 31. I will deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, skilful to destroy; they are skilful to destroy, and yet brutish men; we have a promise from God, and our prayers should hasten the fulfilling of it, in Ezek. 34. 25. He will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land, and ver. 28. the beasts of that land shall no more devour them; O that that time were come! O that the Lord would so work for us as to cause our beasts to cease out of our land, that they might no more devour! Isaiah 35. 9 No Lion shall be there, no ravenous beast shall be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there; there is such a time coming; let us be patient in the mean time, and comfort ourselves in these Scriptures, though our brethren endure hard things, by these cruel beasts, and though God may perhaps bring some of us under the rage of them, yet there is an estate of the Churches, that will be ere long that they shall be troubled no more with such unclean, such outrageous beasts. VERSE 13. And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgot me, (saith the lord) Here is the conclusion of the threatening part of the Chapter; Now God will come upon them for all their sins together, if a generation shall succeed 〈…〉 esse, God may justly come upon 〈…〉, for all the suns of the former generations; all the blood from Abel to Zechariah shall be required of this generation; I will visit all the days of Baalim, ever since they served Baal, One new sin may bring upon us wrath for many formerly committed let men take heed of continuing in the ways of sin, who can tell what sin may put a period to the time of Gods bringing his judgement upon a Nation, a family, or a particular person? though God hath spared heretofore, upon the next sin committed, there may be such a period put, as God now may come upon the family, not only for that sin, but for all the sins of the family, that ever have been committed since it was a family, and so upon a Nation, for all the sins of a nation, since it was a nation, and all thy sins, ever since thou wast a sinner. Men go on a while in the ways of sin prosperously, but when God cometh to visit, what will become of them? Isaiah 10. 3. What nill you do in the day of your visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far, to whom will ye flee for help? and where will you leave your glory? Now you are merry, and laugh, now you fear nothing, but what will you do in the day of visitation? what will become of you then? whether will you flee then? and where will you leave your glory? I will visit upon them the days of Baalim; in the plural number Baalim, by which some think and that not improbably, that it is meant of their under Gods that they had, which they called Baalims', for the Heathen had their chief Gods, and their Dii minores, their lesser Gods, that were unto them, as mediators to their chief Gods, and so our Papists have, they have their Diiminores, Papists like Heathen. lesser Gods, who are tutelar Gods, either over Nations, or over families, or over particular diseases, etc. As they say, for England, S. George, for Erance, S. Dennis, for Ireland, S. Patrick, for Wales, S. David, for Scotland, S. Andrew, etc. These Saints they are in imitation of the Heathens, Baal, or in the Caldee dialect Bel, was the King of Babylon after Nimrod, the first that was deified, and reputed as a God after death, whence those men that were deified after their death, and worshipped as Gods, as the Papists worship their Saints, they called Baalims', as from julius Caesar, the other that followed after, were called Caesar's: This interpretation gives unto us much light to understand that Scripture that you have in the first of the Corinthians, 8. 5. 6. Though there be that are called Lords whether in heaven or in earth, as there be Gods many, & Lords many, but to us there is but one God the Father, and one Lord jesus Christ; If the Apostle had spoke in Hebrew, it would have been thus, though there be many baalim's, there is to us but one God, and one Baal; for in Hebrew, Baal is Lood, there are many Gods, (say they) there were diverse greater Gods, and there were many Lords, many baalim's, that is, there are many amongst the Heathens that are mediators to their other chief Gods; But to us (saith he) there is but one God, and but one Lord, but one Baal, we have not baalim's, we have not many mediators, to mediate between us and God, but as we have but one God, so we have but one Lord, but one Mediator, who indeed in regard of his humane nature is inferior to the Father, but yet such a Lord by whom are all things, and we by him, we acknowledge not greater Gods, and less Gods: the Papists acknowledge but one God, but they have many Lords, many Mediators, many that must be between God and them, but this is a heathenish opinion. Again, Baalim in the plural number. Another reason given by some, and not improbably, is, that in regard of the several images they had of their Baal, in several places, even in their private houses; for Idolaters would not satisfy themselves in worshipping their Gods in public, but would worship them in their private houses also. Now though the Jews had only two Idols set up, one in Dan, another in Bethel; yet they had some representations of those images in their private houses, which may be grounded upon that text Hosea 10. 5. Because of the calves of Bethaven, We must worship God in our private houses. that is of Bethel, calves of Bethel. Why, how many calves were there? there was but one calf set up there, and yet here it is in the plural number: now the reason of that is given, because though there was but one calf set up for the public worship, yet they had in their private families, the picture of that calf, and so would bring the worship of their Baal into their families. A good lesson for Christians, not to satisfy themselves with public worship, but to bring as much of the worship of God as they can into their families. Wherein she burned incense to them. Incense was a typical signification of prayer, in two respects. First, in the sweet savour of it. And secondly, in the ascending of it by fire, so all our prayers should be as incense, sweet before the Lord, and ascend up with the fervency of zeal, and Faith; it is properto God alone to have incense burnt unto him in a religious way, the heathens burned incense to their Idols, imitating the worship of God. She decked herself with her earrings, and her jewels: they worshipped their Idols in sumptuous manner, adorning themselves with as costly apparel as they could, especially their foreparts: the word that is translated jewels, signifies the nose jewel, the same word that you have in Isay, 3, 21. nose jewels, they hanged upon their faces, jewels to make themselves beautiful before their Idols: whores use to adorn themselves more pompously then grave matrons, by this many simple people are drawn to the love of Idolatry, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is spiritual whoredom; outward braveries draw the senses; they thought God would accept of their service the rather, because of their costly jewels, that hung about their ears and nostrils. From hence this note. To think that God will accept our service the rather, We must not think that God will accept of our service, because of any thing of our own 〈◊〉 because of any apparel, or any thing of our own devising, is to deal with God as the heathens with their Idols; we must take heed of that: the Heathens instituted garments, that so they might be accepted. There was a Council in the 333. year of Christ, that hath this Canon in it, it anathematizes all those that shall judge one vesture, one garment more holy than another, & make more for piety then another doth. We are to learn from Idolaters thus much, to 〈◊〉 adorn our souls, when we come into the 〈◊〉 of God; did they deck their bodies, and hang jewels about ears and noses when they came before their Idols for acceptance? Cancilium gangrense anathematizat eos qui asiam vestem aliae sanctiorem aut plus facere ad pietatem iudicant. Let us beautify our souls every time we come before the living God; and would you know what fine clothes you should have, when you come into God's presence? I will tell you, and especially women who delight so much in fine clothes, 1 Pet. 5. 5. Be ye clothed with humility; so the word is to dress with a dress that Gentlewomen used to wear in those times, with ribbon; about their heads; well (saith the Apostle) would you have a fine dress ye women? be ye clothed with humility; the finest dress you can possibly have: and I will tell you another dress too, in 1 Pet. 3. 4. Adorned with a quiet and meek spirit, which is with God of great price; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. it is much set by of God, so translated in some of, your books. You love to be fine, if you come into God's presence with quiet and meek spirits, and clothed with humility, you will be as fine as can be in the very eyes of God; but withal remember, both men and women, the robes of Christ's righteousness, except you come clothed and decked with that garment also, certainly you can never find acceptance. They followed after their Idols, but forgot me (saith the Lord.) Their lovers were remembered, but I was forgotten, saith God; God speaks here in a lamenting way, as a man bemoaning his sad condition: as if he should have said, how am I slighted by my people? the Idols can be followed, they can be remembered, but I am neglected, I am forgotten, they have activity for their Idols, none for me, memory for them, but none for me. God takes it very ill, Obser. when men can find memory, strength, and activity enough for their sinful ways, but none for him; many complain of strength, they are weak, but who was ever so weak, but had strength enough to sin? though memories be weak, yet sinful ways can be thought on. Forgot me, that is, First, they have forgot what a God I am. Secondly, what I have done for them, the great works I have done before them. Thirdly, all their engagements to me; many follow wicked ways, yet so as sometimes they have checks of conscience, they have somewhat of God yet sticking upon their hearts, some remembrances of God, and so long there is hope; but when a sinner hath so far departed from God, and followed on his ungodly ways, as God is quite worn out of his thoughts, than he is in a sad case indeed. I appeal to you, is it not the case of some here? there was a time that you had mighty impressions of God upon your spirits, and then you could never go up and down in your shops, streets, fields, but the thoughts of God were in your mind, and when you awaked in the night season, the thought of God was in your hearts; but there was some haunt of wickedness that your hearts hankered after all that while, temptation came, and you have given way to it, and now (friend) you can go up and down, one day after another, and scarce think of God at all? what is the matter that you have no thoughts of God now, as you were wont to have? yet perhaps you are not gone so far, but that now and then there cometh in some darting thoughts of him, Lect. 12 but so as your conscience knows they are very terrible to you, you can never now have a thought of God, but it is as a clagger at your heart, and indeed it must needs be terrible to a guilty conscience that is departed from God. Well, take heed what thou dost O thou sinner, It is a dangerous condition when God is gotten on't of a m●ns thoughts. go not on so long in thy sinful ways, till thou wearest out all the thoughts of God, for some have done so, though they had checks of conscience, when they have been in wicked company, God hath come into their thoughts, and troubled them, but they have gone to wicked company again, and some thoughts of God have yet followed them, but they have gone again and again, and now they have forgot God, as if there were no God at all in heaven, as if God had nothing to do with them, and they nothing to do with God, O this is a sad condition indeed. If any of you be declining into such a condition as this is, the Lord stop you, this day the Lord awaken your consciences. Ordinarily the more prosperity men have, the more forgetful they are of the Lord; They forgot me, as Genesis 48. 20. Jacob set Ephraim before Manasses, first Ephraim, than Manasses; Ephraim signifies fruitfulness, and Mansses signifies forgetfulness; thus it is with men, Ephraim comes first, f●uit fullness, God is fruitful to you, and blesseth you in your estates, & then comes Manasses, forgetfulness; you are forgetful of his goodness to you: My brethren, if always we had such impressions of God, as we have sometimes, O how happy were it! It will terrify hereafter, when God shall again so present himself to you, and cause you to remember what impressions of his divine Majesty once you had; let us hold forth our continual remembrance of God, so as all that behold our conversaions, may say, surely the thoughts of God are mighty upon the spirits of these men; thus we should live before our brethren: I will give you this one rule for your lives; Live such lives as by them you may hold forth before your brethren such remembrances of God, as they may conclude by that they see in your conversations, Certainly there are deep thoughts of God upon the heart of this man, there was a time indeed he walked lightly; vainly, foolishly, but now he is serious in his way, he is considerate, he is heavenly, he walks with fear; Certainly there are great impressions of the divine Majesty upon his heart; if it be so with us, how joyful will it be to us hereafter, when God shall appear in his glory, then to have our consciences tell us, the impressions of the Majesty of this God, that now I see so high and great have been upon my soul, in the whole course of my life, I now see the glory of the great God shining, and blessed be his name, even this God that appears so gloriously, hath appeared often to my soul before, and I have kept the impressions of his glory upon my heart, and he was continually in my thoughts. It is a wonder that God should ever think of us, who are so forgetful of him as we are; Psalm 8. What is man that thou remember'st him? (saith the text) what is man? The word there that is translated man, some would bring forth the Hebrew root which signifies forgetfulness; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I find Eusebius taking it thus, What is man O Lord, that thou shouldst remember him? that is, what is forgetful man, that thou shouldest remember him? yet I confess the Hebrew word that is there translated man, comes from another root that signifies weakelinesse, sickliness; what is weak man, what is sick-man; yet if this word come not from that root that signifieth to forget, yet I am sure there is a word that cometh from that root that signifies to forget, that is used for women, because of their forgetfulness; we would be glad to have God remember us, in the day of our adversities, let us remember God now; all you young ones, remember God, remember your Creator in the days of your youth; you old people, whatsoever you forget, forget not the Lord; let us all remember the Lord, who hath remembered us all; who hath remembered England, in its low estate. for his mercies endure for ever. We have done with the threatening part, now it follows, Therefore, behold I will allure her, bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her; [Therefore] Beloved, it is a strange therefore; what, they followed after their Idols, they have said, that all their prosperity was a reward of their Idols, they have forgot the Lord, they have decked themselves with their jewels, to honour their Idols; (and mark) it comes presently, Therefore I will allure her, and I will speak comfortably to her; one would rather have thought it should have followed; Therefore I will yet plague her, therefore my judgements shall pursue her, and cut her off; but mark it follows, Therefore I will allure her, and speak comfort ably unto her; O the rich and free grace of God to his people! But of that the next day. The Twelfth Lecture. HOSEA 2. 14. Therefore behold I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her: and I will give her her Vineyards from thence, HEre begins the second part of this Chapter; the former was in conviction, threatening, pronouncing judgements: this from verse 14. unto the end, is the opening of the free and rich grace of God to Israel. It may be said of this Chapter, as Psalm 85. 10. Mercy and Peace are met together, Righteousness and Truth kiss each other, There is a blessed conjunction between threatening of judgement, and proffering mercy; but where is the copula of this conjunction? What is that knits these two together? Here is a conjunction, but it is very wonderful, it is in the first word, therefore; that is the copula, [therefore] I will allure her; Wherefore? This therefore hath a very strange and wonderful wherefore, if we consider of what went before; the words immediately before were, She went after her lovers, and forgot me, saith the Lord, [therefore] behold, I will allure her; there needs an Ecce be put to this [therefore] be hold; Behold, I will allure her. Lyra could not see how these things could be joined together, therefore he thinks that this verse hath not reference to that that immediately went before, but to the words in the beginning of the Chapter, Say to your brethren, Ammi, my people, and to your sisters, Ruhamah, she that hath obtained mercy, therefore: And Cornelius à Lapide not understanding the cause of such a connection, he would refer the beginning of this verse to the end of the seventh verse: She shall say, I will go to my first husband, for than it was better with me then now, therefore also I will allure her; these two, though learned men, yet are Papists, and therefore understand but little of the free rich grace of God, and hence are put to it, so much, to make a connection between that that went before, and this therefore; but we need not go so far, the right knowledge of the fullness, and the riches of the grace of the Covenant, will help us out of this difficulty, and tell us how these two, the greatness of man's sin, and the riches of God's grace may have a connection one to another, and that by an Illative therefore. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I confess the Hebrew word is sometimes conjunctio ordinis, rather than causalis, a conjunction that only sets out the order of a thing, one thing following another, rather than any way implying any cause, but the reading here by way of inference, I take to be according unto the scope of the Spirit of God, and it gives us this excellent note. Such is the grace of God unto those who are in Covenant with him, Obser. as to take occasion from the greatness of their sins, to show the greatness of his mercy, from the vileness of their sins, to declare the riches of his grace. And the Scripture hath divers such kind of expressions as these, as Gen. 8. 21. The grace of the Covenant makes inferences from our sins to mercy. The Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; Why? For the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth: A strange reasoning; I will not curse the ground for man's sake, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. One would have thought it should have been rather, I will therefore curse the ground for man's sake, because the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; but the grace of God knows how to make another manner of inference than we could have imagined: So likewise, Isa. 57 17, 18. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him, I hid me and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart; I have seen his ways (saith God) Now one would have thought that the next word should have been, I will therefore plague him, I will destroy him, I will curse him; but mark the words that follow, I will heal him, I will 〈◊〉 him also, and restore comforts unto him, and to his mourners; I will create the fruit of the lips, peace to him. This is a consequence at least, if not an inference. David understood this reasoning to be indeed the true reasoning of the Covenant of grace, and therefore he pleadeth thus with God, Psal. 25. 11. Pardon my iniquity, for it is great; Lord my iniquity is great, therefore pardon it. Harken you Saints, (harken I say) this is the great blessing of God unto you who are in Covenant with him, whereas otherwise your sins should have made you objects of God's hatred, your sins now render you objects of his pity and compassion, this is the glorious fruit of the covenant of grace. I would only the Saints heard me in this thing, but why do I say so? I will recall my word, let all sinners hear me, let the vilest, the worst sinners in the world hear of the riches of the grace of God in this his Covenant, that if they belong to God's election, they may see the fullness, the glory of God's grace, to be enamoured with it, their hearts ravished with it, that they may never be at rest till they get evidence to their souls, that God indeed hath actually received them into this his Covenant. If then God be pleased in the riches of free grace to make such an inference, therefore let us take heed that we make not a quite cross inference from the greatness of our sins, nor on the other side, from God's grace. As thus, You have followed your lovers, you have forgot me, therefore will I allure you. An unbelieving heart would make this inference: I have followed my lovers, I have followed after vanity and folly, and therefore God hath rejected me, therefore God will have no mercy upon me, therefore I am undone, therefore the gates of mercy are shut against me, unbelieving heart do not sin against the grace of God, he saith, you have forgotten me, therefore will I allure, and speak comfortably to you; do not you say, I have forgot the Lord, and therefore the Lord will for ever reject me; these discouraging, determining, despairing therefores are very grievous to the Spirit of God. Tota scriptura hoc agit ne dubitemus, sed sperea mus, confic damus, eredamus deum miscricordam esse benignum; patientest; Luther. God would have us have all good thoughts of him. It is a main thing that God intendeth through the whole Scripture that his people should have good thoughts of him, and that they should not think him a hard master. It is an excellent expression of Luther, (saith he) the whole Scripure doth principally aim at this thing that we should not doubt, but that we should hope, that we should trust, that we should believe, that God is a merciful, a bountiful, a gracious, and a patient God to his people. It is an excellent expression that I have read of Master Bradford, in one of his Epistles, (saith he, O Lord sometimes me thinks I feel it so with me, as if there were no difference between my heart and the wicked, a blind mind as they, a stout, stubborn, rebellion's spirit, a hard heart as they, and so he goes on; shall I therefore conclude thou art my Father? nay, I will rather reason otherwise; saith he, because I do believe thou art my Father, I will come unto thee, that thou mightest enlighten this blind mind of mine, that thou mightest soften this hard heart of mine, that thou mightest sanctify this unclean spirit of mine; I this is a good reasoning indeed, and is worthy of one that professes the gospel of Jesus Christ. Again, as the inference of this unbelieving heart is grievous to God's spirit, so the inference of a profane heart, an unbelieving heart makes his therefore from the greatness of sin against God's mercy, and the profane heart makes his therefore from the greatness of God's mercy, to the hardening of his heart in his sins; what, shall God make his therefore from our sin to his mercy, and shall we make our therefore from his mercy back again to our sins? where sin abounds, grace abounds, but where grace abounds, sin must not abound, because God is merciful to us who are very sinful; let not us be very sinful against him who is so merciful. God takes occasion from the greatness of our sins, to show the greatness of his mercy; let not us take occasion from the greatness of his mercy, to be emboldened in greatness of our sins. Therefore [behold.] Behold. Here is a wonder to take up the thoughts of men and Angels, to all eternity, even that that we have in this inference, behold, notwithstanding all this, yet you men and Angels behold the fullness, the riches of God's grace, I will allure her; what will not God cast us away notwithstanding the greatness of our sins? let not us reject God's ways, notwithstanding the greatness of any sufferings we meet with in them; there is a great deal of reason in this that I speak; you may as well bear with sufferings in God's ways, and yet embrace them, as God doth bear with sins in your hearts, and yet embrace you; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it follows, therefore I will allure; the Heb. word translated allure, signifies to entice, and is used many times in the ill part, blandiendo decipere, to deceive by subtle enticing: the Seventy in their translation, thus, Therefore also I will deceive them, and the old Latin lactabo, and others seducam, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. therefore also I will seduce them, so sometimes the word is: God makes use of this word to express a very gracious affection to them, the sweet and gracious ways that God intendeth to deal with them in. What God means by alluring of his people, when once he is reconciled unto them, may be expressed in these three things. First, I will open the beauty and excellency of the infiniteness of my grace and goodness, and I will set it before them to allure them. I will spread before their souls the beauty, the glory of the riches of my grace. Secondly, I will outbid all temptations of their lovers, whereas before they went a whoring from me, because their hearts were alured by their lovers, their lovers proffering unto them such and such contentments, The mercy of God out bids all temptations. and so did subtly draw their hearts from me, I will now deal with them in a more powerful way then their lovers possibly could, and I will outbid them all. Did their lovers proffer to them comfort? I will bid more than they; did their lovers proffer gain? I will bid more gain; did they proffer more honour and respect? I will outbid them in this too: I will bid more honour, and more respect, so as I will persuade their hearts that they shall come to enjoy more in me then possibly they could com●● enjoy in whatsoever their lovers could do for them. And indeed then hath the Gospel the true, full, gracious work upon the heart of a man or woman, when it yields to the proffers of the Gospel, as finding that all that the world can bid is now out-bidden; I have a better bargain here in Christ then the world proffers to me. You know when one comes to offer so much for a commodity, and another out-bids him, 2 Cor. 12. 16. The secret waves of God drawing the heart to himself. he carries it away: so when the world, and lust, and sin proffers to the soul such and such contents, then comes God, and out-bids all, and so the bargain is made up, God carries away the heart. Again, further, I will allure, that is, I will come upon them even unawares, and as it were steal away their hearts, by a holy guile; as S. Paul tells us, that he caught the Corinthians as it were by guile. I will secretly insinuate myself unto them, and I will draw their hearts in such a sweet way, in such a secret hidden way, that I will take them before they are aware. So it is with many a soul; God takes it before it is aware, though it is true, that afterward the soul comes to understand things more clearly about God's grace, but at the first, God hath taken the heart even almost before it thinks of him. Indeed the sinner sees himself, he is not where he was before, surely there hath been here something working upon my heart; I find it otherwise with me now then it hath been, but how this comes to pass, I scarce understand for the present, but shall understand more; like that expression we have in the 6. of Canticles, ver. 12. o'er ever I was aware, my soul made me as the chariot of Aminadib: That is, the chariots of a willing people, so the word Aminadib signifies. My heart was caught, and run amain to God, and this was before ever I was aware, there came such ways of God's grace into my heart more than I thought of, and caught my soul, that my soul run mighty freely, swiftly after the Lord, and this is a blessed deceit, when the heart is so deceived, so alured, so enticed; As sometimes it is with an Adulterer, he doth but give a glance of his adulterous eye, and catcheth the Adulteress before she is aware; it may be she never thought of any such thing; but there is a glance of an unclean eye that catcheth the heart secretly. Thus with Christ, he sometimes gives such a glance of his eye upon the heart of a sinner, as takes the sinner before he is aware; the sinner is brought in love with the ways of God, and with the truths of God, even before he thinks of it. We are to know that the grace of God hath a subtlety in it, as well as the Serpent; The Scripture, Pro. 1. 4. attributes a subtlety to God's grace; It is a blessed thing to be thus out-subtilled, (as I may so speak) for the grace of God to be too subtle for our sins; As I remember Luther, when he was charged for Apostasy, he acknowledged it, (saith he) I confess I am an Apostate, but how? an Apostate from the devil, falling off from the devil, & returning unto God, such an Apostate I am; So many a man's heart may be deceived, but if he can say, Blessed be God, I am deceived indeed, but so deceived that my sin is beguiled; I am seduced, but it is out of the ways of sin, into the ways of God. Many are easily alured by temptations, they are presently taken by the devil's allurements, but they are very subtle in objecting against all the allurements of God's grace, but he is subtle enough to put off the allurements of sin and of the devil. Therefore behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness. Here is some difficulty in this; how comes this in? Therefore I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her. How can this, idem cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring into the wilderness, be between alluring, and speaking comfortably? I told you, that this second part of the Chapter was altogether mercy: what can be meant then by bringing into the wilderness? Some for the showing that yet it is a way of grace that God intendeth in this phrase, I will bring them into the wilderness, translate the words, After I have brought them into the wilderness, Postquam per duxero eam, so T●emelius, he was a Jew, and therefore could well understand the Hebrew tongue, he tells us that Vau, that is translated and, is as much as postquam, after I have brought them into the wilderness, and then the meaning is thus. After I have humbled them throughly, as I did their forefathers in the wilderness, then will I speak comfortably unto them: God humbled their forefathers in Egypt, yet that was not enough, he humbled them afterwards in the wilderness, and then he brought them into Canaan; many times God brings one affliction after another upon his own people to break their hearts, to humble them throughly, and at last he speaks comfortably to them. It hath been so with us, the Lord not many years since brought us into bondage, it might have humbled us, & broke our hearts before him; but when we began to be delivered a little out of our bondage, the Lord brings us into the wilderness, and follows us with afflictions to this day, that he might throughly break us, and yet we hope all this while, it is but making way unto Canaan. But in the second place, take it as you have it here, I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness. Then we may take the scope of it to be not the afflicting part of the wilderness, but only the manifesting this unto Israel, that he would show unto them great & wonderful works of his power, & wisdom, and goodness, as he did unto their forefathers in the wilderness. What ever your conditions shall be into which you shall be brought, yet you shall have me working in a glorious way for your good and comfort, as ever I did for your forefathers when they were in the wilderness: and this exposition is rather strengthened from that we have ex Thargum jonathae, Operabor miracula, & grandia, facinora, qualia edidi in deserto. Thargum jonathae. I will work miracles, and great wonderful, famous things for them, such as I did work in the desert: hath God wrought gloriously for his people hitherto in the ways of his mercy? if reconciled to him, they may expect the fame wonderful works of God for their good even to the end of the world We may read the stories of Gods wonderful power in deliverances of his people in their straits in the wilderness, and make them to be our own, and plead with God, that he would show forth that old, that ancient power, and wisdom, and goodness of his, as he did unto his people formerly, God's former ways towards his people, great helps to our Faith. this is the ground of that excellent prayer, that we have Esay 51. 9 10. Awake, awake, put on strength O arm of the Lord, awake as in the ancient days, in the generations of old; Art thou not it that hast cut Rahab, and wounded the Dragon? Art thou not it that hath dried the sea, the waters of the great sea? Awake, awake, thou art he who hast done such great things formerly; it is a great help to our Faith to consider what God hath done for the Church of old. But further, Poreus saith this expression is taken from the condition of a poor man that is drawn aside out of his way by a thief, a thief comes and entices him out of his way, and carries him into some desolate place, & when he hath carried him thither, than the manbegins to bethink himself, where he is, and sees himself in a sad condition, and knows not what in the world to do, and yet at that time there comes in supply, comfort, and help for him; so (saith God) I will bring you into the wilderness, that is, I will put you into the same condition, that such a poor man is put into, I will allure you, as the thief allures, I will make proffer to you of abundance of good, and by that I will draw you into such and such ways, wherein you shall meet with very great straits, for a while, and you shall be put into an amazed condition, as not knowing what in the world to do, and when that is done, than I will come with the fullness of my grace, and speak comfortably to your hearts. Thus though God speaks of bringing into the wilderness, yet still it is with an intention of showing mercy there; and is not this just to a very hair for all the world our condition? have not the ways of God toward England for these two or three years been alluring ways? God hath made proffer unto us of a great deal of mercy, and raised the hopes of his people, and the Ministers of God have spoken encouraging words to his people, that surely the Lord intends great goodness to us, and because God's ways have been such towards us, as they have been, we have endeavoured (God knows) to follow him in those ways of his, to do that, that for the present those present ways of his called for: and yet we are even brought into the wilderness now, even into a kind of desolate condition, When God brings into trouble: there is comfort in that trouble. that for the present we even are at a stand, & we see afflictions to be round about us, & the very beasts to be ready to come & tear us, and pull us in pieces, and yet we can say to the comfort of our hearts, Lord, if we be deceived, thou hast deceived us, for (Lord) thou knowest that whatsoever we have done, it was our duty to do, and although we be brought into great straits, for the present, yet we repent not of what we have done, nor of what we have said, for thou hast alured us into this condition, thy gracious ways of mercy towards us in the beginning of the Parliament, and so on hath alured us, and hath brought us into what we have done. We will not therefore say, what is now become of all our hopes? but we expect God even in this wilderness, to speak comfortably unto us, let not men upbrayde us for what we have done, we would do as we have done, if it were to do again, for God hath brought us into these ways, and if he hath alured us into the wilderness, the next words shall be made good unto us, he will speak comfortably to us: if we be in no other than that wilderness he hath alured us into, than we may expect fully that he will speak comfortably to us. Here is the difference between men bringing themselves into trouble; or being brought by the Devils or world's allurements, and by Gods. In the one we cannot expect comfort, but in the other we may confidently. Further, There is yet another interpretation that I think is most genuine, and full; For the ground of that I shall say in this, we must know that from the beginning of this part of the Chapter to the end, God is expressing himself unto his people in a conjugal way; that is, whereas his people had gone a whoring from him, yet he would receive them again into a conjugal affection, and communion: all along God expresses himself thus, from the fourteenth verse to the end. Now this being laid for a ground; In this expression of Gods bringing into the wilderness, the Prophet alludes unto the custom of the Jews, that they had in their marriages. Their custom that I read of, was, that the Bridegroom used to take his Bride, and carry her out of the City, into the fields, and there they had their nup tiall songs, and delighted themselves in some place there, one with another, & afterward he brought her back again, leaning upon him, into the City, to his Father's house, and there they rejoiced together, and solemnised the further nuptials: now these fields are called the wilderness, either because they might be some champion dry fields that were about the City; or otherwise, let them be what they will be, yet because he would allude unto the mercy of God in bringing of his people out of Egypt, into Canaan, and would put them in mind of that mercy of his, therefore he gives these fields this title, calls them by this name, and this custom of the Jews seems to have warrant from Scripture itself, Canticles 8. 5. Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? That was the way of marriage, they came out of the fields, leaning upon their beloved, and so were brought unto the Bridgegroomes' Father's house: So Christ brings his Spouse through this world, which is as the wilderness, and Christ is here solemnising his espousals, and hath his nuptial songs in this world; and the Church leans upon Christ, all the while she is in the world, but Christ is carring her to his Father's house, and ere long we shall be with him there, solemnising the marriage of the Lamb in a more glorious way: This expression goes on clearly thus, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness; As the Bridegroom speaks sweet and comfortable words to his Bride, and carries her abroad into the fields, and there solemnizes the nuptials, and so comes back again, having his Spouse leaning upon him, and bringing her to his Father's house; so I will deal with you in the fullness of my grace. I will perform all the nuptial rites with you. I will be married again unto you, and look what the most solemnity in your City of Jerusalem, or any of your Cities, there is in any nuptials, I will make as great a solemnity in the nuptials between you and me: It is true, when a marriage is such as people are loath to make it known, then there is no such solemnity, but when it is a great marriage indeed, and such as marry together with their friends would glory in it, than there is the more full solemnity; so saith God, I will not be ashamed to take you again, but I will take you openly; I will have the solemnity of my marriage with you as publicly as may be, I will carry you abroad into the fields; and look what rights soever there are in the most solemn marriages amongst you, those rights I will perform unto you, that it may be a most glorious marriage solemnity between you and me again: thus I will bring into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto them. And speak comfortably to her. These words that are translated here, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak comfortably, in the Hebrew are, loquar super cor, or ad corejus, I will speak to her heart, I will speak to her, either so as to prevail with her heart, or speak to her so as to do her good at the very heart: Many Scriptures may be brought to show, that speaking kindly, friendly, or comfortably, the Hebrews express by speaking to the heart; I will give you two or three instances, Genesis 34. 3. Shechem spoke kindly to the damosel, the words are in the Hebrew, Shechem spoke to the heart of the damosel; So Ruth 2. 13. Thou hast comforted me, for that thou hast spoken friendly to thy handmaid; thou hast spoken to the very heart of thy handmaid; there are two more remarkable places for this, one is Esay 40. 2. Speak comfortably to Jerusalem, the words are, speak to the heart of Jerusalem; What should be spoke to the heart of Jerusalem? Cry unto her, her warefare is accomplished, her iniquity is pardoned; These are the comfortable words that God required should be spoke to the heart of Jerusalem: O that God would speak thus to England! this would do good at the very heart, if God would speak thus from heaven, Her iniquity is pardoned, and her warefare is accomplished. But yet a place that is more suitable unto this expression in the text, it is judges 19 3. There you have the story of a Levite, whose wife having played the harlot, yet he was willing to be reconciled to her, & the text saith, that he went & spoke friendly to her; Now the words are in the Hebrew, He went and spoke to her heart; And indeed it is a word to the heart of an adulterous spouse, if her heart be humbled, when she knows that her husband will be willing notwithstanding her playing the harlot to be reconciled to her, this was the condition of Israel, who had gone a whoring from God, yet when God promises a renewal of the marriage rites he saith he will speak to her heart; from whence we might observe this note. Obser That an Apostatising people, or an Apostate soul, had need have words of comfort spoke to their hearts, or else there can be little ease to their terrified consciences. We read of Spira that famous Apostate, he had words of comfort enough spoke to his ear, but they did him little good, God did not come in and speak to his heart, therefore his conscience could not be quieted, the throbs of it could not be eased: How many lie under the troubles of an accusing conscience, Nothing can ease a troubled conscience but Gods speaking to the heart. and have the throbs and bitings of a guilty spirit, because they have been backsliders from the truth; and though they come to Sermons, one after another, & hear the Covenant of grace opened to them in the fullness of it, & the riches of God's goodness set before them in the beauty of it, yet they go away without comfort, why the words come to the ear, God all this time speaks not to the heart; sometimes it pleases God to take but the hint of a truth, and dart it upon the heart of a troubled sinner, that he feeleth it at the heart, and says, Well, this day God hath spoken to my heart, so he goes away rejoicing, eased, comforted, pacified; when as perhaps such an one had heard a hundred Sermons before, wherein there were blessed and glorious truths presented to him, and it did no good until God's time; and when the time of God's love is come, some little hint of a piece of a truth God darteth to the hearts and that doth the thing. God shows hereby that it is not in the word of man to comfort an afflicted conscience. Hence an expression Luther hath in his Comment upon Genesis, Multo difficilius est conscientiam afflictam censolari quam martuos excitare. Luther. It is far harder to comfort an afflicted conscience, then to raise the dead; you think it is nothing to Apostatise from the Lord, you think it is easy to receive comfort, you will find it is not so easy, you will find it as easy to raise the dead as to comfort your afflicted consciences. But you told us before, how rich the grace of God was, that God took advantage from the greatness of our sins, to show the riches and greatness of his mercy: grant it, let the grace of God be never so rich, but till this grace be applied to the heart, till God be pleased to speak himself to the heart of a sinner, it will not do. I remember a story of one who had made profession of Religion, and afterwards Apostatised and made little of it, when his acquaintance told him that those things he now did he would smart for one day, he thought because he had some knowledge in the Gospel, that it was but to believe in Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ came to pardon sinners, etc. when he came upon his sick bed, he was in great torment of conscience, False applying comfort will not hold. and grievous vexation, and cried out bitterly of his Apostasy, there came some of his acquaintance to him, and spoke words of comfort, and tells him that Christ came to save sinners, and he must trust in God's mercy, etc. At length he begins to close with this, and to apply this to himself, and to have a little ease, upon which his companions began to be hardened in their ways, because they saw after so ill a life it was so easy a matter to have comfort; but not long before he died, he broke out roaring, in a most miserable anguish, O! (saith he) I have prepared a plaster, but it will not stick, it will not stick: we shall find though the grace of God be rich, and the salve be a sovereign unless God be pleased to make it stick by speaking to our hearts, nothing can be done. From hence further, learn this note. As when God speaks comfortably to his people, Obs. he speaks to their hearts: so God's Ministers, when they come to speak in God's name, should labour to speak so, as to do what they can to speak to hearts. It is true indeed, it is impossible that any man of himself can speak to the heart of another, but yet he may endeavour, and aim that way, there is a kind of speaking that God doth assist, so as to bring it to the heart of his people. What speaking is that? you will say. That that cometh from the heart, will most likely go to the heart, though I know God can take that which comes but from the lips, and carry it to the heart when he pleases, yet ordinarily that that comes from the heart, goes to the heart, therefore Ministers when they come to speak the great things of the Gospel, they should not seek so much for brave words, and enticing ways of man's wisdom, but let them get their own hearts warmed with that grace of the Gospel, and then they are most like to speak to the hearts of their Auditors. It is a good note that I have met with from Ribera, let Ministers remit (saith he) of their care of fine curious words, Remittant aliquid de cura nit●ris culiusque verborum venustatis & numerofit atis sententiarum, & verae humilitati & mortificationi, impendant ut charitatem habeant, sine qua si linquis hominum loquantur, & angelorum, facti sunt sicut as sonans vel symbalum tinniens. Ribera. of brave neat phrases, and cadencies of their sentences, but let them bend their studies to manifest humility, and mortification, and to show love to the souls of people; otherwise, though they speak with the tongues of men and Angels, they shall become but like the sounding brass, and the tinkling cymbal: this is an expression even of a Jesuit, it were then a great shame that God's Ministers should not labour to speak so, as that they may speak to the hearts of people: you must be desirous of such kind of preaching as you find speaks to your hearts, not that that comes merely to your ears: how many men love to have the word jingle in their ears, and in the mean time their hearts go away, and not one word spoke to them? but when you find a Ministry speak to your hearts, close with it, bless God for it, and count it a sad day when you go from a Sermon, and there is not one word spoke to your hearts in that Sermon. From the connection of these two, I will bring them into the wilderness, & speak unto their hearts: if we should take the wilderness for bringing into affliction (because there are so many interpreters that are very godly men, & learned men, go that way) I dare not wholly reject it, but that there may be some intention that way. Hence the first note is, Afflictions make way for God's word to the hearts of sinners; Obser. there are many obstructions at the hearts of men while they are in prosperity, but when afflictions come, God by them opens those obstructions, and so gets his word to their hearts; afflictions cannot convert the heart, but they can take away some obstructions that did hinder the word from coming to the heart. Many of you have heard thousands of Sermons, and scarce know of any one that hath come to your hearts, but when God casts you upon your sick beds, and you apprehend death, than you feel the same truths, that you were not sensible of before, they lie upon your hearts, the threatening word of God, that went but to the ear before, now it is got to the heart, now it terrifies, now you cry out of your sins, and relish the sweet promises of the Gospel that afflictions make way for. I remember an expression that I have read of Bernard, he had once to a brother of his, who was a Soldier, but riotous and profane, Bernard gives him many good instructions, wholesome admonitions, and counsels, his brother seemed to slight them, he made nothing of them, Bernard comes to him, and puts his hand to his side; one day (saith he) God will make way to this heart of yours, by some spear, or lance, he meant God would wound him in the Wars, and so he would open a way to his heart, and then his admonitions should get to his heart, and as he said, so it fell out; for going into the Wars, he was wounded, and then he remembers his brother's admonitions, they got to, and lay upon his heart to purpose. It God should let the enemy in upon us, their swords or bullets may make way to our hearts, that so God's word may come to have entrance there, the Lord rather pierce our hearts by his spirit, than that way to our hearts should be made thus. Secondly, Obser. Times of affliction Gods comforting times. when we are brought to great affliction, that is the time for God's mercies. This should make us not to be so afraid of afflictions, how afraid are we? how do we hang back when we see afflictions coming? why art thou so loath, O thou Christian, to come to affliction! the time of affliction is the time for God to speak to the heart of a sinner; many sinners may say that their condition hath been like jacob's, he never had a more sweet vision of God, then when he lay abroad in the fields, with no other pillow under his head then a stone, it may be God will take away all your outward comforts, and when they are all gone, then may be God's time to speak comfortably to your heart. Thirdly, the words of mercy, O how sweet are they, when they come to the heart after an affliction! Obser. Psam 141. 6. Thy Judges shall be overthrown in strong places, they shall he are my words, for they are sweet. If the words be taken, for bringing into the wilderness, that is, for God's wonderful workings for the good of his people, than the note is, When God works great and wonderful things amongst a people, Obser. than God speaks to the heart of that people: then surely God hath spoken to our hearts, for he hath done great and wonderful things amongst us; he did not more wonderful things amongst his people in the wilderness, than he hath done omongst us here in England. But from that meaning, of bringing into the wilderness, as the custom of marriage, of solemnising of nuptials, than the note is this, When God is reconciled once to a people, Obser. they may expect full manifestations of his love unto them, one manifestation after another, as alluring, and carrying abroad into fields, and nuptial songs, all kind of manifestations of God's love: A people, a soul that was never 〈◊〉 sinful before, and is new reconciled, may expect it. Let all back-fliders then, whom God is about to draw again to himself, listen and hear what God saith unto their hearts; if they come in and repent let them know that God is willing to manifest all expressions of love and goodness to them. Again, there is yet one note more from this expression of bringing into the wilderness, and speaking to the heart; yet because it is the most improbable, I will only but mention it to you, there may be yet some good use made of it, and therefore I will set it before you; I find divers going that way, it is this (say they) by bringing into the wilderness, God means that he would take them off from their engagements in their own Country, carrying them to a strange place, and so take them off from their houses. lands, shops, estates, friends, acquaintance, from the pomp, the glory, and all the clutter of the world, that they enjoyed, and were snared by in their own Country, and so he will carry them aside into desolate places, and there he will instruct them, when he hath got them as it were alone; That hath been God's way in making himself known unto his people, whom he hath had a love unto, to draw them aside from the clutter of the world, from their engagements, and there to speak to their hearts. We have a famous place for that, Mar. 8. 23. the poor blind man, whose eyes Christ intended to open, the Text saith, Christ took e him by the hand, and carried him out of the City, and there fell a working upon him, and opened his eyes; he carried him from the clutter of people, from his friends and acquaintance, and there opens his eyes. While we are in the midst of engagements here in our own land, while we have our estates, and all well about us, we are scarce fit to hearken what God hath to say to us: Many of God's people have found it by experience, that whereas there were many truths of God, that they had some incklings 〈◊〉 while they were here, and read books about them, and heard much of them, yet they could not be convinced of them, and their consciences tell them, while they were here they did not go against the light of their consciences, but how ever it came to pass, convinced they were not; but when God took them aside from their engagements, and from the pomp and glory of their land, and carried them into the wilderness, or into some remote places, where the glory of their own Country did not so glister before their eyes, they then could see into truths, that they never saw before; those things that could not get into their hearts before, now when God drew them aside got in; and it is not now their conceit, but they know certainly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they do understand much of God's mind, that they did not understand before; when God hath taken them aside, then God hath opened their eyes. Vers. 15. I will give her her vineyards from thence. Vinatores, so some translate the word, her vine-dressers, and indeed the Heb. word that is for vine-dressers, & vines, or vine yards, is the very same letters, only the puncta are different, but we will read it as it is here, from thence; illinc, ibi, either from that time that they are in the wilderness, or from that condition of their affliction in the wilderness, wherein I will speak comfortably to her, thence I will give her her vineyards; God threatened to destroy her vineyards, now God saith, he will give vineyards. Observe, God can as easily restore, as he can destroy: It is an easily thing for men to make havoc, to do mischief, but it is not so easy a thing for them to restore all again; they can easily spoil a Country, but they cannot so easily raise a Country again. Psal. 52. 1. Why beastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? There is no reason that a man should boast that he can do mischief; we have some who make their boasts in nothing but this, that they can go up and down the Country, and plunder, spoil, and make havoc, Cuidam philippum laudanti qued Olynthum subver●erat, Lacedaemonius respoudit, ●tal●m civitatem non possit condere. Plut. l. de Trac. Obser. but can they make all up again, that they undo? Plutarch tells us of one commending the power and valour of Philip, for that he had utterly destroyed Olynthus, a City of Tracia; a Lacedaemonian standing by answered, but he cannot build such a City. A fool may break a glass, and all the wise men in the Country are not able to make it up again. Men may do a great deal of hurt and mischief, but it is not their lives, nor the lives of a thousand such as they are, can make up again what hurt is done by them: But it is God's property, he can destroy vineyards, and he can restore them again; I will give them their vineyards again, when I am reconciled to them: Suppose there be the greatest Pacification that can be, yet all this while, who shall make up the hurt is done? if there be reconciliation with God, he will make up all our hurts again. Secondly, I will give her her vineyards. It is a note of Calvin, God saith not, I will give them their corn, that is for necessity, but I will give them their vineyards, that is for delight: the note is, When God is reconciled to a people, he will not only give them substance, but abundance, even for delight, as well as for necessity. Thirdly, When God is reconciled to a p●●ple, he comes with present real evidences of his love, Obser. he reserveth indeed abundance of mercy afterwards, but he is never reconciled, but he comes presently with some real evidences and demonstrations of love; God saith not only, I will speak comfortably to them, and there is an end, and they shall expect mercy along time after; No, but I will speak comfortably to her, & I will give her her vineyards again: I will give unto them real manifestations of my love; so it should be with us, when we come in to God, to be reconciled to him, we should come in with real expressions of our repentance, of our respects unto God. Here is a deceit, (I beseech you consider of it) many when they lie upon their sick beds, Together with ptomiks something must be done presently. will promise what they will do for God, if God restore them, but they do nothing for the present, and so they are deceived. When you therefore find your hearts wrought upon, broken, and melting, take heed of this deceit, do not satisfy yourselves in promising what you will do for God, if you be in such a condition, and such a condition, but do something presently, set upon the work presently, and so engage your hearts to God; if once you be engaged by doing something, the work will go on: Lect. 13 It is a great matter when we can engage the heart of a man to God in any business, suppose a man promise to do this or that, yet if all this while he have done nothing, he looks not upon himself so really engaged, as when something is done, he therefore sooner flies off again; but if together with his promise he be brought to do, he will not so readily fly off; God doth so with you, he together with his promise, gives some real evidences of his love. Again, Obser. After God speaks to the heart, and then restores vineyards, than they are blessings, than they are sweet indeed, for then God restores them as fruits of reconciliation with him; Many a poor afflicted soul know what belongs to this comfortable note: I thought my sinfulness forfeited all my comforts, all mercies, and God indeed took away this, and the other comfort from me, but it pleased God to come in graciously upon my heart, and to speak to my heart, and in some measure to break it, and to humble it before him, so that I hope peace is made up, and notwithstanding those great offences of mine, he hath now restored mercies; he took away a child, but he hath given another, a be●●e●; he hath took away one mercy, & he hath given a better; & this I can (though with holdness, yet with humility) say it is as a fruit of my reconciliation with my God; O how sweetly may such a one enjoy that mercy from God If after the melt of thy heart after God, Me ●cies are sweet w●en they come as fruits of our peace with G●d. he than comes in with mercies to thee, thou mayest take them, as tokens of love to thee; now thy house is a comfortable blessing to thee, & thy yoke-fellow, & thy children about thee; O how comfortable blessings are they! yea, the meat on thy table, is sweet with a double sweetness, when thou canst look upon all, as the fruit of God's reconciliation with thee; As the Christians Acts 2. 46. 47. when they once believed in Christ, they did eat their bread with gladness & singleness of heart, praising God. We may enjoy all our common mercies in another manner than other men can they will be blessings doubled, yea a hundred fold increased; I will speak to her heart, and then, I will give her her vineyards. Perhaps God hath given thee an estate in the world, more than thy neighbours, more than thy brother; But hath God spoke to thy heart? Are God's blessings upon thee as a fruit of Gods speaking to thy heart, in away of reconciliation with thee? otherwise it is but a flat dry comfort, to have an estate, and not to feel God speaking to our hearts. I will restore unto you your vineyards from thence: From whence? From the wilderness. There the Note is, God can bring vineyards out of wildernesses. Obser. Let us not be afraid, only let us make up our peace with God, and then though we be in a wilderness, God can from thence bring us vineyards. Our brethren have found vineyards in the wilderness, and many of God's people in the midst of their straits have found abundance of mercy. Further, Obser. From the wilderness; they shall have more love, mercy working more strongly for them now it seems, than they had before; They had vineyards before, Lect. 12 but they had none in the wilderness. Now God will draw mercies out of those things that were unlikely, he will bring forth good unto them, out of things that seemed to go quite contrary to them: the Lord hath done so for us, out of those things that seemed to go quite contrary to us, God hath brought much good to us, as if he had made vineyards to spring out of a wilderness. But the close of all is. Those mercies that come to us out of great difficulties, Obser and seem to be raised out of contraries, are the sweet mercies indeed, those we are to rejoice in; and therefore it follows, and they shall sing. Deut. 32. 13. God made them to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; When did God do so? where did you ever read, that God did cause his people to suck honey out of the rock, or oil out of the flinty rock; we read indeed, that the rock was smote, Mercies coming out of great difficulties are very sweet. and the water did gusb out of it, but when did we read that ever oil or honey came out of the rock? there was never any such thing that we read of; but the meaning thereof is, because they being in necessity, God brought forth water, yet being brought out of the rock by such a mighty hand of God, it was oil, it was honey to them, it was as good as if God had given them oil and honey; Why? because it came out of so much difficulty: So all the mercies that God gives to his people, when he brings them out of difficulties and straits, they are sweet and glorious mercies. Let us be patient a while, though we seem to be in the wilderness, and we see nothing to fetch out water from, but only rocks, stones, and difficulties, yet God at length will bring mercies out of those difficulties, and they will be honey mercies to us, than we shall sing and praise the name of our God with joyful hearts. The Thirteenth Lecture. HOSEA 2. 15. And the valley of Anchor for a door of hope, etc. THe words are an excellent expression of mercy to Israel; For the opening of which these three things are to be enquired into. 1. What this valley of Anchor was. 2. The reason of the name. 3. Why this is said to be a door of hope. For the first, Anchor was a very pleasant, delightful, fruitful rich valley, and lay near Jericho; The first place that Israel came into, in the entrance upon, and taking possession of the land of Canaan, Esay, 65. 10. And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Anchor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me. First it is joined with Sharon, Can. 2. 1. I am the rose of Sharon, that was a sweet pleasant place. Secondly, It is said to be a place for the herds to lie down in; a fat pasture that they shall even tumble in. And thirdly, It is promised as a bles●●● 〈…〉 the Lord. The reason of the name Anchor. Lect. 13 That history we have Iosh. 7. showeth Achan, who 1 Chron. 3. 7. is called Achar, having taken the accursed thing, Why called the valley of Achro God left the Camp, and Israel fell before the men of Ai, which was the first battle that ever they fought for the possession of Canaan, upon that their hearts were exceedingly troubled, as if the whole work had been at an end; so frail is man's nature, so soon discouraged when it meets with opposition, notwithstanding all the experiences of Gods mighty power going along with them, so lately bringing them over Jordan so wonderfully, and given them Jericho so miraculously, Lib. 5. c. 1. yet now at the loss of 36. men, their hearts begin even to fail, joshua falls with his face upon the earth; and Josephus in his history of the Jewish Antiquities, sets down joshuahs' prayer at large, these are some expressions, Beyond all expectation, having received an overthrow, being terrified by this accident, and suspicious of thy promises to Moses, we both abstain from war, and after so many enterprises, we cannot hope for any successful proceedings, by thy mercy relieve our present sorrow, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and take from us the thought of despair, wherein we are too far plunged. Turbavit. Now God comes to him and asks him, Why he lay upon his face, and bade him get him up, for Israel had sinned in the accursed thing; upon search made, Achan was found out, whereupon Joshua tells him, that he had troubled the Host of Israel, and God would trouble him; upon which they stoned him, and from thence it was called the valley of Anchor, vers. 26. that is, Va●●is tribulation is, the valley of trouble. The third thing is the principal, why this valley is called a door of hope. Herein two things, First, how it was a door of hope to Israel then, when they first came into Canaan. Secondly, how it is promised to be a door of hope to repenting Israel in aftertimes. For the first, It was a door of hope to them in two respects. First, Ho●● the valley of Anchor was a door of hope. because it was the first place wherein they took the possession of Canaan, when they began to have outward means of substance, to eat of the corn of the land, all the while they were in the wilderness although God provided wonderfully for them, by sending them Manna from Heaven, yet because they had no way of substance by ordinary means, they always feared lest they should want upon any straight they were brought into, their hearts began to sink. Now in this valley God gives them outward means, & this raises hope in them, that their danger was over, and that they should do well enough. This is our nature when ordinary means fail, our hearts fail, yea though in regard of God's extraordinary workings, we have never so many gracious encouragements, and when God grants means again, than we hope. Secondly, God made their great trouble there a means of much good unto them, for by that they were brought to purge their Camp, they learned to fear the Lord, and were prepared more than before, for so great a mercy as the further possession of that good land. The Septuagint instead of those words a door of hope, have these, to open their understanding for there indeed they learned the dreadfulness of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. who for one man's sin was so sorely displeased; there they understood to purpose, that the God that was amongst them, was a holy God, and that he would have them to be a holy people. But how should this valley of Anchor be a done of hope to Israel in after times? Quest. First, Answ. 1 the Jews think that Israel shall return into their own country again, yea and the same way, they shall come again into Canaan by that valley which shall be a door of hope to them. Secondly, 2. but rather by way of Analogy, as God turned this valley of trouble to much good unto them, so he would turn all the sore afflictions of Israel in after days to their great advantage, grievous afflictions should make way for glorious mercies. Thirdly, 3. But especially thus, in this expression, God follows the Allegory of marriage; now it was the custom of the Jews in their marriages, that the Husband gave his Spouse according to his quality, as a dowry, some piece of ground, rich as he was able, and this he gave as a pledge of his love to her, to assure her that whatsoever was his, she should have the benefit of it; so saith the Lord, although you have gone a whoring from me, and may justly expect that I should for ever reject you, yet I will marry you to myself, and I will fully perform all marriage rights for the expression of my love towards you to the uttermost, you shall know that you are married to a Husband who is rich, I will give you a rich and plentiful dowry, and this but as a token and pledge of further love, mercy, riches, that you shall enjoy by me, it shall be that valley of Anchor, that rich, delightful, fruitful valley. By this he means he would bestow some special choice mercy upon them, at his first taking them into his favour again, and that should be a pledge of, and making way to much more mercy, that he intended for them a door of hope to let in greater things, as the first fruits of all those glorious things that he had treasured up for them. Obser. From this valley of Anchor, Obser. 1. as it concerned Israel before. First, Sometimes when God gives men their hearts desires, when they think themselves happy, as if all trouble were passed, than he comes in upon them with great and sore afflictions. Secondly, Obser. 2. although God hath been humbling men's hearts with sore and long afflictions, yet just before he bestows great mercies, he afflicts again, to humble and break their hearts yet more. Thirdly, Obser. 3. sin will make the pleasantest place in the world, a place of trouble. Fourthly, Obser. 4. the afflictions of the Saints do not only go before mercies, but are doors of hope to let in to mercies, means to further the way for mercies. God commands light to shine not only after darkness, but out of darkness. joseph's prison, David's persecution, daniel's den, made way for glorious mercy God had in store for them; that which once The mistocles said to his children and friends, the Saints may much more say to theirs, I had been undone, Picrem nisi periissem. if I had not been undone; had it not been for such a grieyous affliction, I had never come to the enjoyment of such a mercy. Hence we must learn not only to be patient in tribulation, but joyful. But the especial thing intended in this expression is this: Obser. When God is reconciled to his people, then present mercies are doors of hope to let in future mercies; the Saints may look upon all mercies received as inlets to further mercies to be received. Every mercy a door to another mercy, and all mercies here put together, are a door to eternal mercy. When Rachel had a son she called his name Joseph, Gen. 30. 24. saying, The Lord shall add to me another son. Every mercy the Saints have may well be called joseph, it brings assurance of mercy to be added, this is the high privilege of the Saints: every mercy that a wicked man hath, he may look upon as his utmost, as his all, he may write a ne plus ultra upon it; one misery, one judgement upon a wicked man makes way toanother, but not one mercy: howsoever God in his bounty may lengthen out mercies to him, yet it is more than he can expect, he rather hath cause to wonder he hath so much, then expect more, but God ever draws out his loving kindness to his Saints. Psal. 36. 10. Draw out thy loving kindness unto them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. First, the good that others have from God is bounty, patience, but that which the Saints have is loving kindness. Secondly, that which others have is no ways tied to them by promise, but that which the Saints have they have by promise. it is righteousness, Ps. 23. Thou makest me lie down in green pasture, thou anointest my head with fresh oil, my cup runneth over. Here is a great deal, but is here all? no, ver. 6. surely mercy & goodness shall follow me all the days of my life. That we read of David, 2 Sam. 5. 12. is very observable, from Gods prospering him in his present way, he draws an argment to confirm him in the assurance for the future, that his Kingdom was established to him, why? did not Saul prosper at the beginning of his reign as well as David? & yet it was no evidence of his establishment; but David could see God's mercy coming to him after another manner than Saul could, all mercies the Saints have come from the covenant in which there is a rich treasure of mercies, a blessed connexion of the mercies. The covenant between David & jonathan was, 1 Sam. 20. 15. That loving kindness must not be cut off from the house of jonathan. The covenant between God and the Saints is, that loving kindness shall never be cut off from them, but the links of mercies shall be fastened one to another, so as they shall reach eternity. Mercies to the Saints come from love, & amor nescit nimium, love knows no such thing as excess. The Saints understanding this mystery in the way of God's grace towards them hence they follow God in seeking his face then, especially when he is most in the way of mercy; whereas the men of the world who know not this, seldom seek after mercy, but in times of affliction, when God is in a way of justice and wrath, this is their folly. Infinite reason there is; O ye Saints of the Lord, that one duty should for ever make way for another, seeing on mercy makes way for another: here lies a great difference between doing duties from the strength of common grace, and from sanctifying grace: in the one the spirit by doing some things is wearied and thinks now it may rest, but in the other, the very doing still increaseth strength, and puts the heart upon doing more. But may not security promise continuance of mercy? Quest. Yes, Ans. but if so, then when affliction comes, the heart will sink for fears of continuance in misery, as well as before it hoped for continuance of mercy. When then may we assure ourselves that our mercies are doors of hope to further mercies. Quest. First, Ans. 2, When they are created mercies wrought by a more immediate hand of God, generation may be imperfect, but creation never; omne creatum est perfectum, Esay, 26. 12. Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us, What is the argument? for thou hast wrought all our works in us. Secondly, 2. When they are spiritual mercies, Ezek. 39 29. Neither will I hide my face any more from them, What is the argument? For I have poured forth my spirit upon the house of Israel; but is not this your private opinion that this argument will hold? No, the words following are, Thus saith the Lord God. Thirdly, 3. When mercies carry us to the God of mercy, and are turned duties, as if we can turn our duties into mercies, that is, account every duty a mercy, that is a good argument that we shall hold out in duty, when we can turn mercies into duties, that is, make every mercy an engagement to duty, that is a good argument that mercy will hold out. But are there not interruptions many times in the ways of God's mercy to his own people? Object, Ans. We sometimes think there is an interruption, when if we knew all we should see a blessed concatenation, but it must be granted that there may sometimes be some kind of enterruption in such a particular. After Israel's return from captivity and beginning to build the temple, there were such enterruptions as it was seventy years before it was finished: but though there may be enterruptions for a time, yet not a quite breaking off, there is yet a strength in the grace of the covenant that carries the work on and perfects it at last; by ceasing in one way of mercy, God prepares for another; the very ceasing in such a way may be a mercy; we ourselves at this day are a sad spectacle of the interruption of the ways of God's mercies towards a nation. Mercy that ere while shined in her beauty upon us, hath now seemed in a great measure to have withdrawn the beams of her glory; our door of hope that we thought to be so wide open, seems almost shut against us. I dare not say that it is shut, lest I should wrong the present grace of God yet continuing to us. But First, Sin, yea our many and fearful sins, lies at this our door, Gen. 4. 7. Secondly, And now a crowd of difficulties seem even to stop up the door, they come thronging still to it, as if they would certainly stop it up against us. 3. Thirdly, As the Prophet Ezek. 11. 1. 2. saw at the door of the gate five and twenty men, amongst whom there were some chief ones, who devised mischief and gave wicked council in the city, so may we at this day, see many even of the chief ones, devising mischief, and giving wicked counsel, by which they labour to shut, yea to lock, and bolt up this our door of hope. Fourthly, 4. We hoped that this our door of hope would have been like the doors that entered into the oracle, of which we read 1 Kings 6. 31. made of the olive tree, yea the side-posts and lintels were of olive tree, & carvings of palm trees & cherubims, all overlaid with gold, but now our door seems to be of Iron, the way to our help and mercy must be through the Iron gate, we must get to it by suftering hard things. 5. 5. Our door that was wide, whereat mercy began to come flowing in apace freely, now it seems to be straitened, it is now the straight gate, we must be content to strip ourselves of a great part of our estates, of many of our outward comforts, yea we must venture them all, and well if possibly at length we may crowd in. 6. 6. Yea, our door-posts are like the Israelites in Egypt, besprinkled with blood, the keeping up of our means of mercy hath cost much blood, and may cost more. 7. 7. Now when we knock, when we would step in the dog's bark at us, and are ready to fly upon us, yea it may be the servants, yea some of our brethren are discontented at us, frown upon us, speak against us. 8. 8. Alas we have rejected the right key that should have opened this our door, Quest. no marvel then though we stand blundring at it, and it opens not unto us. Answ. What is that right key that would have opened it before this time, had we made use of it? That key of David that we read of, Apoc. 3. 7. That openeth and no man shutteth. This key the Church of Philadelphia had, therefore it follows, ver. 8. I have set before thee an open door, that no man can shut. Quest. Answ. But what is this key of David? It is the ruling power of Jesus Christ in his Church; David in his government was a special type of Christ, the first godly King over his people that ever was: Government is emblematically set forth by a key, Esay, 22. 22, God promised Eliakim to commit the government to him by that expression, The key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder, Esay, 9 6, 7. The government is said to be upon Christ's shoulder, and he sits upon the throne of David; that is observable that to Eliakim there was promised, but the key of the house of David; but to Christ the key of David himself; the one was to govern but as a steward, the government of the other was to be Princely. If we had been the Church of Philadelphia, united in brotherly love, and had had this key of David amongst us, we might before this time had had a door set open amongst us, that no man could have shut against us; but woe unto us, how many amongst us say of Christ, We will not have this man to rule over us? Mr. Brightman more than thirty years since paralelld this Church of Philadelphia with the Church of Scotland, he made it in a typical way to set forth the ways of God towards that Church in after times; and indeed they have been very like one another divers ways, and God ways towards the one hath been the same with his ways towards the other in many things. 1. They are both Philadelphians, united so in a brotherly covenant, as no Churches in any kingdom more. 2. It was said of Philadelphia, it had but a little strength, and yet it kept God's word. What Churches in any Nation have been more contemptible, than those in Scotland? They have been accounted a poor beggarly people, despised of all, and yet God hath enabled them to do great things. 3. God hath caused their enemies to come and bow before them, and to know that he hath loved them, even those who said they were Iews and were not, that they were the only Church, when indeed they were the Synagogue of Satan; & they have rejected false government, and have received much of the government of Christ, the key of David is more received among them then in any kingdom in the world; no marvel then though their door be so opened that none could shut it, thorough God's mercy; our Houses of Parliament have cast away the false key, (The Lord deliver them and us) for ever meddling with it any more whatsoever come of us. They have further professed their desires to inquire after the true key. This door of hope we hope will open to us in due time, so as none shall shut it. 9 We have lost many opportunities for the opening this door, never had a people fairer opportunities for mercy than we have had, we cannot look back upon them without trembling hearts, we may see cause to lament the loss of them with tears of blood, even this hath cost much, and is yet like to cost more blood. 10. Yea woe unto us, out father comes forth and seems to be angry with us, and bids shut the door against us, yea he shuts us out himself; is not that complaint of the Churches, Psal. 80, 4. truly ours, O Lord of Hosts how long wilt thou be angry with the prayer of thy people? If God be angry with out knocking, what shall we do? 11. And well may God bid shut the door against us, for we have shut it upon ourselves: This our door of hope hath a spring lock, it is easily shut too, but it cannot so easily be opened again: we have stood wrangling and struggling one with another, and have clapped to the door upon ourselves before we were aware. That Scripture Hos. 7. 1, is as truly ours, as ever it was Israel's, When I would have healed Israel, than the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samariah. When the Lord would have healed England, than the iniquity thereof hath been discovered more than ever. There is the vilest spirit of malignity, against godliness, against the Saints, against the way of Christ in his Ordinances, that ever was upon the face of the earth. Now men care not though they ruin themselves, though they bring themselves and posterity to be bondslaves, so they may but have their wills upon those that are godly to suppress them. The controversy now is almost grown to that height, that the kingdom divides itself into those who have some show of Religion, and the haters of it. Those times complained of in Micah are even ours, Chap. 7. 5. Trust ye not in a friend, put no confidence in a guide, keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom; Yea, it is almost come to that in the fourth verse, The best of them is a briar, the most upright is sharper than a thorny hedge. There is much frowardness, much perverseness even in the best, many contentions and grievous breaches even amongst them; they cannot endure you should be jealous of them, and they give cause of jealousy daily. This generation for a great part of it, show themselves to have such sullied, such puttid spirits, so defiled with superstitious vanities, so embittered with a spirit of malignity, that we may fear God hath no pleasure in the generality of it: yea Moses and Aaron have sinned, the best have so sullied themselves with Antichristian pollutions, that just it were with God that this whole generation should be first taken away, and that the young generation that is coming on, who have not so defiled themselves, should have this door that lets into Canaan opened to them, that they only should go into, and possess that good land, but our carcases should fall in the wilderness. You who are godly young ones, whose hearts began betimes to yearn after Jesus Christ, know the heart of Jesus Christ yernes after you: and although some of you may fall in fight for your brethren, & so be received to heaven, yet you are of that generation God will open this door of mercy unto, you shall go in & possess Canaan, all this valley of Anchor is but a door of hope to you; continue you on in your sincerity, God will reveal himself more fully to you then he hath done to us, if we be cut off before those treasures of mercy that God has ready for his people be opened, we must accept of the punishment of our iniquity, and even bear this indignation of the Lord because we have sinned against him. 12. Yea the Lord hath struck us with blindness at the door, we grope up and down and we cannot find it, as Gen, 19 11. Never were a people at a greater loss, in a greater confusion than now we are; every man runs his own way, we know not what to do, nay the truth is, we know not what we do. 13. Yea many because they have found some difficulties at the right door, they have gone away from it, and have sought back doors to help themselves by, even base, false, shifting, treacherous ways, seeking to comply for their own private ends, as if their skins must needs be saved, whatsoever becomes of the public. 14. This is yet a further misery, that we are groping up and down at the door, and night is come upon us, storms, tempests are rising, dangers are approaching, and yet God opens not to us. 15. Above all our misery this is yet the greatest, that even our hearts are shut up too, there lies a stone rolled at the door of our hearts, and such a stone, as is beyond the power of an Angel to roll away, were it that after all our hearts were but open, our condition yet had comfort in it. Oh now what shall we do●▪ 1. Let us resolve to wait at this door, ●●aite upon God in those ways of help that yet in mercy he affords unto us; Certainly we are at the right door, let us say with Shecaniah, Ezra. 10. 2. We have sinned against the Lord, yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. Let us resolve whatsoever becomes of us not to go from our father's door, if we perish, we will perish at his gates. 2. Let us worship the Lord at this our door, though we be not entered in; yet let our hearts bow before the Lord in the acknowledgement of his greatness, power, dominion that he hath over us; to do with us what he pleaseth: as Ezek. 46. 2. it is said, The Prince shall worship at the threshold of the gate, and the people of the land shall worship at the door, 3. Let us look in at the keyhole, or at any crevise that we can, to see something of the riches of mercy that this door opens into. Within on the other side o● the door we may see what liberty of conscience, what enjoyment of Ordinances, the blessing of God's worship in his own way, we may see the ways of God and his Saints would be made honourable in this kingdom, yea in a higher degree than any where upon the face of the earth; yea we may see many sweet outward liberties, the free enjoyment of our estates, peace, plenty, prosperity in abundance, all these, and more than we can think of, if this door were but once opened to us; howsoever it is good 〈◊〉 look in, to quicken our hearts, and set on our desires and endeavours the more strongly in the mean time. Oh how happy were we if we had these mercies! 4. Let us yet knock louder, and cry louder at our Father's door. But did not you tell us our Father seemed to be angry at our knocking? Mark what we have in that very Scripture, where the Church complains that God is angry with her prayer, Psal. 80. 4. How long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? Yet ver. 7. Turn us again, O God of Hosts, and cause thy face to shine▪ And ver. 14, Return we beseech thee, O God of H●sts, look down from heaven, behold & visit this vine: ver. 19 Turn us again O Lord God of Hosts, cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. 5. Let every one take away his sins that lie at this door, let every one sweep his own door, Zech. 8. 15. 16. Again have I thought in these ●●●yes to do well unto Jerusalem, and to the house of judah, fear not. But yet mark what follows, These are the things that ye shall do, Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour: execute the judgement of truth and peace in your gates. Let none of you imagine evil in his heart against his neighbour. Both private men, and men in public place must reform, How far are we from this? Never more plottings, more heart-burnings one against another, & those in public place neglect the execution of judgement; they would have their policies beyond God's wisdom. God puts these two together, and commends one as a means to the other, the execution of judgement and peace; but they have a further reach they will not exe cur●●●dgement for fear of a breach of peace. It is just with God that we should never have peace, till we can trust God for it in his own way. 6. Let us seek to God again, and call to him for the right key. Lord reveal the way of thy worship, and thy government to us, and we will yield ourselves unto it. 7. Stir we up ourselves against all difficulties. Things are not yet so bad, but we may help ourselves, if we have hearts. Our Father hears us, he can command many Angels to come to help to roll away the stone; yea he hath opened divers doors to us already. We are indeed come to the ●ron gate, the Lord can make that at length fly open of its own accord, as Acts 20. 10. The Church was praying, and after the pr●●on doo●es were opened to Peter, and he had passed the first and second gate, he came unto the iron gate that led into the City, and there he found as easy passage as any where else. In the mount will the Lord be scene. 8. Let us exercise Faith in the blood of Christ, let us as it were besprinkle this our door with the blood of the Lamb; yea look we up to Christ as the true door to let into all mercy; let Faith act as well as Prayer. 9 Let us now especially watch all opportunities of mercy, and take heed we neglect no more as we have done many very foully, lest hereafter we knock, and cry, Lord open to us, and it proves too late. 10. Let us open to God who knocks at our doors; it we would have him open to us, Psal. 24. 6. 7. God knocks at the door of every one of our hearts, open we to him fully, set all wide open for him, Openye gates, stand open ye everlasting doors, let the King of glory come in. These who do thus are the true generation of those that seek the Lord; let England open, for God yet stands at the door and knocks, and if we will yet open to him, he will yet come in and sup withus, and we shall sup with him. It is true God rebukes and chastens severely, so he did Laodicea at that time when he stood at her door and knocked, Apoc. 3. 19 20. if any Church be or ever was like to that of Laodicea, we have been; lukewarm as that was; a mixture of God's worship hath been amongst us, more than in any reformed Church; we have been a proud people, we have thought ourselves rich, & wanting nothing, whereas we knew not that we were indeed wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked: and those who would be Angels of this Church, how hath God spund them out of his mouth! they are cast out as filthy, they have lain upon the stomach of God and his Saints a long time; they with all that belonged to their Courts, have made themselves a most loathsome generation of men; and now God is at our door & knocks, calls to us to let him in, that he may come and rule us, that he may bring peace & salvation unto us; But howsoever whether Christ be admitted by the State yea or no, yet let the Saints who are willing that Christ should rule over them, hold on to the end, the promise is even to those in Laodicea, to him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his Throne. 11. ●et us encourage what we are able; all our faithful doorkeepers, those who are the public instruments of God for our good, upon whom so much of the great affairs of the kingdom, under God depends. And for the quickening of our hearts that we may do all we can, that this our door of hope be not shut against us, Consider further, First, This door was opened to us when we began to think, yea almost to conclude that all doors of hope had been shut against England, when we were ready to give up all for lost. Secondly, It was opened to us after much knocking by prayer. If ever there were a Parliament of prayer since the world began, this was, and is, How dreadful then would it be to have this door shut against us! Thirdly, It was opened by a mighty hand of God. Josephus tells us of a door of the Temple that used to have thirty men to open it, and yet as a prognostication of some great thing to fallout, it opened of its own accord: This our door was more hard to be opened, thousands of men could not have opened this, it was the mighty work of God to do it. Fourthly, It is a door that opens to the greatest mercies that ever England had: how happy would England be in the happy success of this Parliament! 5. It is a door that our adversaries have laboured all they can to shut by policy, and by force, and thorough God's mercy, yet they cannot. 6. How sweet have the manifestations of God been to us, in the beginnings of his goodness, and our endeavours! Can●. 5 4. 5. My beloved put his hand at the door, & my bowels were moved, my hands dropped myrrh, and my fingers sweet smelling myrrh upon the handles of the lock, the beginning of reformation: but the hand upon the door is sweet, what would the work completed be? 7. If this door should be wholly shut against us, what a miserable people should we be? if these men have their wills, than never expect Parliaments more, or never good from Parliaments, They will be the most contemptible and servile things that can be, if any, they will be doors to let in all misery, to frame mischief by a law; then what are we and our posterity but slaves? the Popish party must, yea will be gratified, their design will be effected; what contempt of the Saints, of Religion? what hatred? what persecution will then follow? what horrid blasphemies? how will they be hardened in all manner of wickedness? our estates, our liberties, our Religion are then gone, yea it is like our lives, and if not so, so miserable would our lives be, as we had better have the grave open her mouth upon us, and we be shut in it, then to live to see, hear and feel such things as we and our friends, are like to hear, see, and feel. It would be the most horrid judgement that ever was against a nation, it may be told to all the nations of the world, God gave England a fair opportunity to help itself, to be a most happy nation, but they had no hearts, they were blinded, their hearts were taken from them, those worthies they chose, who ventured themselves for them, they basely deserted, and betrayed, they have also vilely betrayed themselves, their liberties, their Religion, their posterity, and now are become the most miserable nation, the most fearful spectacle of God's wrath upon the face of the earth. Wherefore beloved in the Lord, let us make sure of Christ, who is our hope, and who says of himself that he is the door, as indeed he is to let in all mercies of God into us, that whatever disappointment we have of our hopes here, yet we may not be disappointed of our last hopes, though it should prove that here looking for light, behold darkness, yet we looking for the light of God's face eternally, we may not be driven out to everlasting darkness. But shall I end thus? nay the close of all shall rather be the close of the 31 Psal. Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord hope yet that God will make the valley of Anchor adoor of hope unto us. The next words in this Scripture are words of joy, She shall sing as in the days of her youth. Was there ever a time wherein she had cause to sing praise to God? there are times coming that shall be as joyful as ever yet times have been, God hath mercy for his people, he hath singing times for them. The Foureteenth Lecture. HOSEA 2. 15. — And she shall sing there as in the days of her youth, & as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. YOu have heard formerly of the valley of Anchor, that God gave to his people to be a door of hope. This day you shall hear of God's people standing singing at this door of hope. Though it be but a door of hope, yet at that day they shall there sing, as in the days of her youth, when they came up out of the land of Egypt. There are six things needful to be opened for the meaning of God's mind here in this their singing at the door of hope. First, the reading of the words are to be cleared. 2. The scope is to be showed. 3. What the days of youth that are here spoken of are, is to be opened. 4. What was the song that they did then sing in the days of their youth, is to be declared. 5. What cause they had to sing in this the day of their youth, is to be enquired after. Lastly, how this is appliable to repenting Israel, and what time this prophecy aimeth at, likewise is to be manifested. For the first, Lect. 14 the reading of the words, you have it in your books [they shall sing as in the days of their youth] There are only two words that have need of opening. First, the word translated [singing.] Secondly, that which is translated coming up out of the land of Egypt. For the word [singing] the Septuagint have it thus, She shall be ●●mbled; A strange translation you will say; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much different is it from this in our books, She shall sing! I find divers translate the word so [she shall be humbled) Cyril, Theodoret, and he carrieth it thus, that she shall be humbled by the Assyrians, as she was before humbled by the Egyptians. But certainly the words cannot be carried so, for it is spoken of ascending, of coming up out of the land of Egypt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉, humiliavit, in Nip●a● humiliatus a●pitus 〈…〉 But they might easily mistake in translating the words, because the Hebrew word signifieth both humiliavit, and it signifieth likewise ce●init and contavit, both to be humble, and to sing. The Hebrews divers times by the same word set forth contrary things; As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both to bless and to curse, many there might be named in the same kind. This word likewise that is translated singing, signifieth, (and so it is translated by some) Respondebit, she shall answer, and I find a very excellent note from it in Cyril, and some others: She shall answer as in the days of her youth: What answer did she make? Thus, God in the days of her youth, when she came out of Egypt, did bring her to his Covenant, and gave his land to her, as Exod. 19 5, 6. Now therefore (saith God) if you 〈◊〉 obey my voice indeed, and keep my Covenant, than ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; (A sweet promise to all in Covenant with God, that they shall be a peculiar treasure unto him above all people.) Now vers. 8. All the people answered to gether and said, all that the Lord hath spoken we will do. Thus they answered him in the days of their youth, so some would carry it, they should answer as in the days of their youth, when they came up out of the land of Egypt, as if the meaning should be thus; whereas God in the days of their youth did tell them, that if they woul● keep his Covenant, they should be a peculiar treasure unto him above all people of the earth, they all with one consent answered, All that the Lord hath spoken that will we do. So saith God, when I shall again convert them to myself, I will renew my Covenant with them, and upon the declaration of my Covenant to them, they shall freely, readily, and willingly answer, Lord we accept of thy Covenant. Thus it is carried by some, and the exposition is very sweet. But we shall join both the significations of this word together, both ●●ing, and to answer; And that I take indeed to be the meaning of the Spirit of God, they shall sing by way of answering: Thus, they were wont to sing, ●lternis choris, they were wont in their joyful songs to answer one another, his praecinentibus aliis succinentibus, some singing before, and some answering. So that it was not a bare singing, but a singing of a Canticum dramaticum, or such a kind of song, as they did answer one another in their singing. And thus (saith God) shall be the melody of my people, when I am again reconciled to them upon their repentance, there shall be mutual singing, one singing to another, and the others answering in a joyful way. The other word to be opened, is that which is translated, coming up out of the land of Egypt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word you have in your books [came up] it is ascended, as in the day when they ascended up out of the land of Egypt. And we are to take notice of the manner of the expression, because it will afford to us a profitable note anon. They ascended out of the land of Egypt, partly because Egypt was a Country that lay very low, and in that respect they may be said to ascend. But that is not the chief, they were in a low condition, they were in a state of bondage, and in that regard they were said to ascend. The second thing to be showed is the scope, what the Spirit of God aimeth at, They shall sing as in the days of their youth, when they ascended out of the land of Egypt. Read it so, and It is a further expression of the nuptial solemnity that there should be between God and his people, in the time of their reconciliation (for so I have told you formerly, that God goeth along in this second part of the Chapter, in that continued Allegory, to show his bringing of his people to him in a way of marriage, in a betrothing way, which afterward is expressed more fully; and all the way God expresseth it, is in the manner of Nuptial solemnities:) As if he should say, Marriage is an ordinance I have appointed for mutual joy and delight that the man and wife should have one in the other, so I will bring you and marry you to myself, and there shall be a great deal of joy that I will have in you, and you shall have in me; there shall be the singing of the Epithilamium, the Nuptial long between us; there shall be a time of abundance of rejoicing between us, when I shall take you again to myself. Do you think with yourselves, when was the greatest time of joy that ever you had in your lives; Know I will bring you to as much joy as ever yet you had. Look what mercy you had when you came out of the land of Egypt, and rejoiced in it, you shall hereafter have mercies as great as that. Did I then appear in a miraculous way to you? I will do so again. Had you mercies that were promised long before, and rejoiced in them? you shall have the like again. Had you mercies that you a long time prayed for before? you shall have the like again. Did Moses and Miriam go before you in singing, and you followed after? there shall be the like time again, when both Governors and people shall join together in singing and praising the name of the Lord. This is the scope. The third thing is, what is meant by the days of their youth? The days of their youth is the same that after wards is expressed, and the day when they came up out of the land of Egypt, that is, the time when they were delivered out of bondage, after they had passed through the Red-sea, and had seen the great works of God in their deliverance, than was the day of their youth. Jer. 2. 2. I will remember the kindness of thy youth when thou followedst me in the wilderness. The time that this people were delivered from Pharaoh, and saw the great works of God in the wilderness, is the time of their youth, in the time of their bondage; they did not outwardly appear to be the Lords; but when God manifested himself so gloriously in their deliverance, than God did as it were take them again to be his people, and they did seem as it were then to be born again, and the time of their being in the wilderness was Gods training them up as it were in their youth. For a people that are under bondage can scarce be said to be born, they are but as the Enbryo at least in the womb in that prison. They cannot be said to be a people when they are under bondage, at least they are not a living people. Hence Chap. 13. of this Prophecy, when they were in bondage under Jeroboams wicked commands, the Text saith, vers. 1. that they died. When Ephraim spoke, trembling, in Israel he exalted himself; but when he offended in Baal, he died. A people under bondage are as a dead people; before they have their liberty, they are to be accounted as not born; and if they lose their liberty, they are to be esteemed as if they lost their lives. But here a question ariseth. How can God have reference to this time, and tell them they shall sing as then, whereas in the beginning of the Chapter we find that when God threateneth them, he telleth them he will set them as in the day wherein they were born? so that to be brought to the same condition they were in, is a threatening; How then is it here a promise? The answer to that is, it is true, the time when they came up out of Egypt was indeed a time of much mercy, but they were in great straits in regard of external helps, as a succourless, helpless, and shiftless people, when therefore God threateneth to set them as in the day wherein they were born, he only aimeth at that, that is, to bring them into a succourless, helpless, and shiftless condition in regard of creature-helps as formerly they were. But when God promises mercy, and telleth them he will bring them into that condition they were in their youth, he doth not consider of their succourless & shiftless condition, but rather looks at all the mercy they had in their deliverance out of Egypt. As it is a great affliction for a people to be brought into the same condition that once they were in, that is, to have all the sour & bitter without any of the sweet, so it is a great privilege for a people to be brought into a former condition, when they shall have all the sweet without the sour, when God shall take away all the bran, & give them only the flower, strain out all that is evil, & give them all that is good, that is a comfortable condition; but when God shall strain out what is good, and give them what is evil, that is a sad condition, and that is the threatening before, and this is the promise now. The fourth thing for explication is, what the song was that they did then sing in the days of their youth when they came up out of the land of Egypt. the excellency of Moses his song. That song of theirs you shall find, Exod. 15. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, etc. And afterwards you shall read that Miriam and all the women sang likewise. In this song of theirs, there are these five things Observable. First, this song oh Moses, Exod. 15. was the most ancient, the first song that ever was in the world that we know of. Orpheus, Musaeus and Linus, the most ancient of the Poets were 500, years after this time. Secondly, It was a triumphing song; Then sang Moses and the children of Israel, the Lord hath triumphed gloriously, etc. When they saw God's judgements upon the adversaries, than they sang in a triumphing way. But you will say, how could they sing thus when they saw such a dreadful spectacle before their eyes? What, sing at such a lamentable object, when the Egyptians were so miserably destroyed, when they were sprawling up and down in the water, and it is like they heard their shriekings, their doleful cries, and saw their bodies how they were cast upon the shore; And then shall Moses and the people of Israel sing? O cruel hearted people that should sing at such a lamentable object as this! What, to triumph over their adversaries thus fearfully perishing? How may we rejoice at the destruction of the wicked To that we answer. We must not be more pitiful than God is, Psa. 58. 10. The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance, he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. But you will say, this is austerity, they are cruel hearted people that shall do so. Not so neither. Moses was the meekest man that ever lived upon the face of the earth, the lovingest man except Christ that ever was; yet Moses sang thus when he saw the Egyptians destroyed; so that to rejoice in God's judgements against the ungodly, may stand with meekness & quietness of spirit, with a loving and sweet disposition as Moses had. It is true, we ought not to insult over wicked men in way of revenge, in respect of ourselves, but when we consider the righteous judgements of God upon his adversaries, we may be swallowed up in the consideration of God's justice, and rejoice in it; But so, as not altogether to be without some pity and commiseration of the persons perishing: As Titus' Vespation is said to weep, when he saw the destruction of Jerusalem, though his enemies. But there is a time coming when all the Saints shall be so swallowed up with God, so as they shall rejoice in the destruction, yea in the eternal damnation of the wicked, without the least pity & commiseration of them; they shall wholly mind God and his glory without pitying of them, yea though they were the fruit of their own bodies, and came out of their own loins. But for the present, though we are to rejoice and triumph in the works of God and his judgements upon the wicked, yet with some mixture of pity and compassion towards their persons. And mark by the way some difference between God's affection toward his people, and toward wicked men. It is very observable, that when God's people come to be in an afflicted condition, if there shall be any that dare to be so wicked as to rejoice in that, God will avenge himself on them; yea if they do but look upon his servants that are in affliction with any kind of contentment, the Lord will be avenged on them for it. But when the wicked are destroyed, God doth not only give us leave to look at them, but to rejoice and sing praises to God for their destruction. I will give you a Text for this, Obad, verse 12. Thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother, neither shouldest thou haeve rejoiced over the children of judah in the day of their destruction. Mark, God hath a quarrel against them that did but look upon the day of their brother's distress, and rejoice. But when destruction cometh upon the enemies of God, than the people of God may look, and rejoice, and triumph. Thirdly, It is a song most excellent, in regard of the elegancy of the expressions, and variety of the matter. For verse 1. He hath triumphed gloriously, or thus, He is become gloriously glorious, or, in magnifying himself, he hath magnified himself. What an elegant expression is here, He is magnifyed above the magnificent, so some. All Gods works are glorious, but some are gloriously glorious; and so is this work of God towards his people. Rivet hath a good note upon this: The greatest glory of God, wherein he is most glorious, it is in doing good to his own people; so (saith he) great men should account it their glory not in spoising others, especially those that are their own, but in doing good, that was the great glory of God wherein he was gloriously glorious, in delivering of his people, not in spoiling them. In Esay, 14. 20. there is threatened a dishonourable burial to the King of Babylon, upon this ground, saith the Text, Thou hast destroyed the land, and slain thy people: Yea he threateneth his seed, The seed of evil doers shall never be renowned, because he had destroyed his land, and spoiled and slain his people, his own people. Again, the elegancy of this song is in those expressions that are in the abstract; He is Fortitudo mea, and Laus mea, and Salus mea: He is my strength, and my praise, and my salvation, all in the abstract. So in that elegant Epiphonema, or pathetical eruption of spirit, which though it should have been in the close as comprehending all the rest, yet he breaks forth in the midst of the song, verse 11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord? glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders. In many other particulars, we might show abundance of elegancy in this song. Fourthly, it is not only narrative of what was, but prophetical of what is to come. A Prophetical song, The Dukes of Edom shall be amazed, the mighty men of Moab trembling, etc. ver. 15. Fiftly, it is typical, that is, a song that doth typify out the rejoicing of God's people in after time, when the Saints shall overcome Antichrist, than the song of Moses shall be sung over again: That is a very observable place, Rev. 15. 2. 3. of those that overcome the beast, the Text saith, They sung the song of Moses, that is, they sung that song, which this of Moses was but a type of. Sixtly, according to some, this song was a miraculous song, so Augustine hath it in his Tractate, De mirabilibus Scripturae, a miracle worthy of admiration without measure. Wherein did he think the Miracle of this song to be? In this, Enormi admiratione dignum miraculum. August. Ans., 1. that he imagined that both Moses and all the people, were at one instant inspired by God to sing this song: this is that which hath been thought by some. But we are not able to make out that there was such a miracle at this time, but rather God inspired Moses only, and the other people followed Moses as he sung this song. I note it the rather for this, because here by we may see that singing is an Ordinance in the Church of God, not only in the time of the Law, but in the time of the Gospel, for this place, She shall sing as in the days of her youth, is spoken of the time of the Gospel, Therefore not only when one man hath an extraordinary gift, (as the Scripture speaks, if any one hath a Psalm, an extraordinary gift in the Congregation of making a Psalm) that he should sing, but it is an Ordinance to join with others who have the gift of making a Psalm; so were the people to do here. The fifth thing to be enquired after is, the reason of their singing, what cause they had thus to sing in the days of their youth. The reason was because of their great deliverance they had from Egypt, and therein indeed are many things considerable, that will afford unto us many excellent observations. First, than they sang because of their freedom from outward bondage. Bondage hath three things in it. 1. When any one is under the power of another, under any Law without his consent given, either explicit or implicit. 2. When he serveth another without any respect to his own good; only aiming at the satisfying of the will of him whom he doth serve. 3. When he is forced to do what he doth with rigour. Here you may see the difference between a free subject, The differences between a slave and a free subject. and a slave; no free subject is bound to any laws of men, as men's laws, but such as some way or other he giveth his own consent unto; thus it is with us in England, that is the difference between us and the Turks, who are slaves, they are bound merely to the will of those above them; but in England, every freeholder, some way or other gives consent to whatsoever law he is bound unto, therefore there is none can challenge any further power over him by any Law, but what he hath either explicitly or implicitly given his own consent unto. Secondly, he is a slave that is forced to obey, without any respect of good to himself, but only to satisfy the will of him whom he doth obey. There is no such distance between one man and another, that one should serve another, without respect to his own good. Indeed there is such a distance between God and us, that the more we are swallowed up in aiming at God, and the less we aim at ourselves, it is the better service; but there is not such a distance between men and men, we are not bound to serve men, but in some aim and respect to our own good, so far as it concerns men, Therefore in England when any thing is granted to the King, it is usulaly so, as to send up some other Bill, that may be for the good of the subject, as giving him somewhat, but withal expect some good and benefit from him to them. Indeed in our service to men, we are to aim at God, and in the condition God hath put us, to seek to glorify him, more than to provide for ourselves; but so far as our service hath regard to man only, and looks no further than him, we are not bound to serve him, further than with respect to ourselves and the good of others. Wherefore subjects may know that they are not made merely for the will of those that are above them, they indeed serve them, but they serve them for the good they expect from them. The third is to serve out of love, and not to have only rigorous Laws to force them to such service. Now the people of Israel were under bondage in all these three respects. First, they were forced to serve without any consent at all. Secondly, they that did govern them, did not at all aim at their good; It is no matter for them, let them perish as dogs, we will have our work done, and well done too. When men shall govern so as they care not what become of thousands of others, so they have their wills satisfied, this is to make free subjects bondslaves. And thirdly, all was done out of rigour, they forced from the people what they did, as for their love they cared not for that. Wherefore when they were freed from these three things, they sung, and they had cause so to do. Secondly they sung when they came out of the land of Egypt, because they were not only in bondage in Egypt, but in bondage under such a King as they were. For, consider who it was they were in bondage unto, and then to be delivered from such a one, you will see a great deal of cause of singing. First, They were bondslaves to a King of another Nation. Sometimes Country and kindred sake moves compassion, but being they are another people, to whom I have no relation, but only to serve my own turn of them, it is no matter what becomes of them; let become of them what will, I will have my will satisfied. Secondly, They were bondslaves to a King that ruled by an arbitrary government, there was but only his will for the Law, he would impose what work and tasks he pleased, how many bricks they should make, and when he pleased take away their straw, and yet tie them to the making of so many. He governed them not by Law, but by Will. Thirdly, They were in bondage under a cruel King, for the King of Egypt in the Scripture is called a Dragon, for his cruelty, Ezek. 23. 3. I am against thee Pharaoh, King of Egypt, the great Dragon. Fourthly, They were in bondage to a King that was an unnatural King; unnatural in this, that whereas the predecessors of the Israelites had saved Egypt from perishing, saved the King and his family from destruction; yet now, without any regard to what was done in former times by their predecessors, having this power over them, he oppresses them in such an unnatural way, so as not to care what becomes of them. Fiftly, they were in bondage under a King that extremely hated them, & that is a sad thing. The text saith, Gen, 43. 32. The Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is abomination to to the Egyptians. Sixtly, They were in bondage under a wilful King, under one who was extremely set upon his will; we scarce read of any one that ever was so set upon his will as this King was, therefore they express this in their song which they sung when they came out of Egypt. Exod. 15. 9 blessing God that they were delivered from such a wilful Prince as he was. In the 9 ver. four times he saith [I will] I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, I will draw my sword, and the 5. time, my lust shall be satisfied upon them, but of this before, to be slaves to such a one, so wilful, was a very hard condition, the like wilfulness hath been already noted of the King of Babylon, and none the like to these two; the Text speaks from their deliverance in part from under the King of Babylon also, as if he should say, you did sing when you came up out of Egypt merrily, and joyfully, because you were delivered from such a cruel wilful King, you shall sing so again, for you shall be delivered again from as cruel and wilful a King as he was; for though not all the ten Tribes came back, yet it was in part fulfilled by many of them. Lastly, They were in bondage under a suspicious and jealous King, lest they should grow to a head, and so rise against him, one that thought he could not confide in them. It is a sad thing when there are such suspicions between King and people, or people and King, that they cannot tell how to confide and trust one in another. Well might they sing therefore in the days of their youth, when they came up out of the land of Egypt. Thirdly, They sang when they came up out of the land of Egypt, because they were freed from what hindered them in the exercise of Religion. Hence Moses told Pharaoh, that they must go three day's journey in the wilderness to sacrifice unto the Lord their God; they could not sacrifice in Egypt, therefore when they got freedom to sacrifice to God, this being a great mercy they sang praises. Fourthly, They sang, because their deliverance out of Egypt was wrought with a mighty hand. The Lord hath triumphed gloriously, hath been gloriously glorious; so the words are. And ver. 6. & 7. mark what the Text saith, Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power. The hand of God is God, strength, but the hand of God in power is a greater expression. Thirdly, God's right hand in power. Fourthly, the right hand of God is glorious in power, this is a mighty expression, surely great was the work of God in their deliverance. Yea and further, ver. 16. it is said, by the greatness of his arm, not only God's hand, but his arm, and the greatres of his arm was in this work. And ver. 7. In the greatness of thine excellency, Mulititudine celsitudinis excellentiae, superbiae elationis, in the greatness of thine excellency, in the multitude of thy height, of thy elation of the lifting up of thyself in a kind of pride, (for the word that is translated excellency there signifies pride too.) Now God did this in the multitude of his excellency, that is, he did such a work toward his people, as had a multitude of glorious works in it, which if you could analyse, anatomize, you should find a multitude of glorious excellencies in it. Well might they sing, when God did manifest himself thus. All these will afford us excellent and sweet observations by and by. Further, they sang when they came up out of the land of Egypt, because this mercy was the fulfilling of a promise made long before. Therefore the Scripture telleth us, That at the end of 430. years, even the self same day, the hosts of the Lord went out of the land of Egypt; which hath reference to a promise, and showeth us that God kept his word to a very day. Hence in vers. 2. of that 15. of Exod. He is my God, I will prepare him an habitation, my father's God, and I will exalt him; As if he should have said, O Lord thou didst make promises to our forefathers, now thou hast fulfilled those promises, thou art our God, and our Fathers God. This made them sing so merrily. 6. It was a mercy that was got by much prayer, for Exo. 3. 7. it is said, they cried unto God by reason of their afflictions, there were many cries sent up to God before their deliverance, and now being delivered, this made them sing. 7. It was a mercy that came after a sore and long bondage. Lastly, It was a mercy that they had in order to that great mercy of leading them into Canaan, therefore this they mention as the especial cause of the joy of their hearts in the 13. verse. Thou hast guided thy people in thy strength to thy holy habitation, and ver. 17. thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance. The holy Ghost speaks here as if the thing were done already, as if he should say thus, O Lord thou hast indeed granted unto us a great mercy in delivering us out of Egypt, but herein we prise thy mercy that it is in order to the bringing us to thy habitation, and it will bring us at length to the mountain of thy holiness; it is not so much that were are delivered from bondage, as that we expect to be brought to thy holy habitation. Now saith the Lord, you shall sing as you did then, look what causes you had then to sing, you shall have the same causes to sing again, when I am reconciled to you. The last thing for the explication is, when this was fulfilled, or to what time this is to be referred. There are four times that this prophecy aims at, and refers unto. First, It began in some degree to be fulfilled at their return out of their captivity from Babylon, though it is true few of the ten tribes returned, yet it is clear in Scripture that many of them did then return, and had the beginning of this mercy, and there was joy and singing. Isa. 12. the whole chap. is a song blessing God for their return from the captivity, Jehovah is my strength, and my song, he also is become my salvation, etc. 2. This prophecy aims at spiritual Israel; so in Rom. 9 it is applied to the calling of Jew & Gentile together; when the Gospel was first preached, Jews and Gentiles being called home, became the spiritual Israel of God, than there was singing, Rom. 15. 20. Again he saith, rejoice ye Gentiles with his people. The third time that it refers unto, is the delivery of God's people from under the tyranny of Antichrist, typified by the tiranay of the Egyptians: for that, the former place is very full, Rev. 15. 2. there you shall observe, Those that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stood upon a sea of glass mingled with fire, having the harps of God in their hands, and they sang the song of Moses, & the song of the Lamb, saying, Great & marvellous are thy works Lord God almighty, just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints, etc. In this song, which I make no question but this Scripture hath reference unto, there are divers things observable. To take them up briefly by the way. 1. That they that sung were those that had gotten victory over the beast, over his image, and over his mark; that is a full victory, not only abominating Antichrist himself, but any image, any character of him, any thing whereby they might seem to allow of him, to be owned by him. 2. They stood upon a sea of glass mingled with fire. The sea of glass, I find interpreted, Christian doctrine, so called, for the clearness of it, though not so clear as afterward it should be, for there is some darkness even in glass, but clear in comparison of what it was before; for 2 K. 25. 13. The sea was of brass, which is far thicker and darker. But there was fire mingled with this sea of glass, that is, though they had a clearer doctrine than before, yet there were many contentions in the Church through many different opinions, and much division there was even amongst the godly. It was a sad condition indeed, yet it is ordinary, especially when Doctrines come to be first cleared, to have great contentions grow in the Church among godly men. It is no wonder though good men should be of different opinions, yea and have some heat of spirit one against another, when the light first breaks forth. When men are in the dark they sit together, and walk not at such a distance; but when light comes, it cannot be expected but there will be differences. But yet mark, the godly then, they did not reject the doctrine, because there was fire mingled with it, because there was heat of contention, but the Text saith, they were there with their harps in their hands, they were professing this doctrine and rejoicing that ever they lived to that time, to have the Gospel so clearly revealed unto them. And they sang the song of Moses, and not only of Moses, but the song of the Lamb too. What was that? First, great and marvellous are thy works, in that we see we are delivered from Antichristian bondage, as the people of Israel were delivered from Egyptian bondage with a mighty hand of thine; Oh it is a marvellous work of God that we are thus at liberty. Therefore know this, that whensoever the Church shall be delivered from Antichristian bondage, it shall be a marvellous work of God, therefore we may not be discouraged, because we meet with some difficulties by the way, for we shall never be delivered, but so as it shall appear to be a wonder; if we should be delivered without difficulties, we should not see the marvellousness of the work. Further, Just and true are thy ways. God in that deliverance will show the fulfilling of all his promises, and he will fully satisfy the hearts of his people, who have been a long time seeking him, and suffering for him. Whereas the adversaries, because God did forbear a while in his patience and let them prosper, thought there was no God in heaven that looked upon them, they scorned at the fastings, and prayers, and faith of the Saints; But though the hearts of the Saints were ready to fail, yet at last they shall say, Just & true are thy ways, Lord we now see all thy good word fulfilled, all thy promises made good; now we see it is not in vain to seek thee, it is not in vain to wait upon thee, for just and true are thy ways. O thou King of Saints. God will appear then to be a King of Saints. He is indeed the King of the world now, and the King of his Saints, but he doth not appear so clearly, the kingdom of Jesus Christ as King of Saints hath been much darkened in the world; We have some what indeed of the Priestly and Prophetical office of Christ made known to us, but very little of his kingly office; but when God shall fully deliver his people, than they shall magnify Jesus Christ as the king of Saints in an especial manner. Lastly, they shall say, Who will not fear thee thou King of Nations? As if they should say, we see now it is good to fear God, we see now God hath made a difference between him that feareth him, and him that feareth him not. The Angel that John saw, Apoc. 14. 6, 7. Flying in heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach, cries with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; The fear of God will be mighty upon the hearts of the Saints in those times. This shall be the song of Moses that this Scripture aimeth at, they shall thus sing as they did in the days of their youth, when they came up out of the land of Egypt, yea and the truth is, their song shall be much more glorious. The last time this prophecy aimeth at, Isa. 51. 11. is the great calling of the Jews, than the Scripture saith, Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, they shall obtain gladness and joy, and all sorrow and mourning shall flee away. They shall so sing, as never mourn more in this world, in regard of any malice and rage of their adversaries. This was not fulfilled at their return out of the Babylonish captivity, therefore there is yet a time for the fulfilling of it, and the Scripture is clear about the fulfilling it, even in this world; that place Rev. 21. 4. is a repetition of that prophecy, he saith there, God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more sorrow nor crying. When Jews and Gentiles shall join together, than they shall siug indeed to purpose, as they did in the days of their youth, when they came up out of the land of Egypt. First, it is a great mercy for people to be delivered from outward bondage. Obser. It will be found a great mercy when the world shall be delivered from their outward bondage, when men shall see they were born freemen, and not slaves, though Subjects, yet not slaves, when men shall see that the world was not made for twenty or thirty to do what they list, and they to account all the rest as beasts, yea dogs; as if it were not so much for the lives of thousands of them to go, as for their humours and lusts not to be satisfied; but when men shall know, that they are men and not beasts, and so shall live like men, Obs. and not like beasts, to be at the will of others, this will be a great mercy. But to be delivered from Antichristian bondage, is a greater mercy, than it was for the children of Israel to be delivered from their Egyptian bondage. For, First, Antichristian bondage worse than Egyptian. when they were in the Egyptian bondage, we read not that their consciences were forced, that they were forced at all to any false worship. Pharaoh did not this, but Antichrist forced to Idolatry. Secondly, Though Pharaoh laid heavy tasks and burdens upon them, yet he did not kill them, indeed at length they killed their first borne, but the people of Israel themselves might have their lives still, though with hardship. But Antichrist thirsts for blood; Papists are bloody men. Thirdly, It was the affliction of God's people to be in bondage in Egypt, but it was not their sin: But to be in bondage under Antichrist, is not only an affliction, but it is sin, and that of a high nature too. 4. Though they were under Egyptian bondage, yet they were delivered from Egyptian plagues; but those that are under Antichristian bondage, shall come under Antichristian plagues. Come out of her my people, lest you be partaker of her plagues. You must not think to escape so as they escaped out of Egypt; if you stay in that bondage, you will be involved in their plagues. With what an eye therefore should we look upon those who would bring us into this bondage again, when God hath begun to give us a little reviving? Jer. 37. 20. O my Lord the King (saith Jeremy) let my supplication, I pray thee be accepted before thee, that thou cause me not to return to the house of jonathan the Scribe, lest I die there. So let us ery to the King of heaven and earth, O Lord our King, let our supplication be accepted before thee, since we are begun to be delivered from that bondage, do not cause us to return to that house again. Obser. The second is, A reconciled condition is a singing condition. When there is a harmony between heaven and the soul, between God and a sinner, there is a sweet melody indeed, there may well be singing, Esay, 35. 10. The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads. And Esay 44. 23. Sing Oye heavens, for the Lord hath d●ne it; s●out ye lower parts of the earth, break forth into singing ye mountains, We being justified by faith having peace with God, saith the Apostle, we not only rejoice in hope of glory, but we even rejoice and boast in tribulation: Having peace with God, though war withal the world, we rejoice. Thirdly, Obser. It is a great mercy, when Magistrates and people shall generally join together in praising God, when they shall sing as they did in the days of their youth, (for that is the promise.) How is that? Moses beginneth, and Miriam followeth, the leaders of Israel, and then all the people join together, and answer one another in their singing. When that day shall come that God shall stir up the hearts of Magistrates and great ones, that there shall be singing Hallelujahs to him that sitteth upon the throne, and the Lamb for evermore; and when God shall generally move the hearts of the people, that they shall answer one another in their singing, and so join in a sweet melody; this will be a blessed time indeed. Now perhaps in one place there is singing, and blessing God for what is done, in another place there is cursing, and cursing those that do sing. Some men's hearts are rejoicing in the great things God doth, other men's hearts fret and rage when they hear of the great works of the Lord, this makes no melody in heaven. Perhaps now in the family the Husband singeth, and the wife frets; perhaps the wife singeth, and the malignant husband is enraged; the servant rejoiceth, and the master chafeth; the children sing, and the parents vex; this is harsh music. This is our condition at this day; there are better times coming, when Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, and all the people shall join in singing praise to our God. 4. Thankfulness to God, Obser. for mercy cannot be without joyfulness. A grumbling, pensive, sad, dumpish disposition, cannot be a true thankful heart as it ought. God will not accept in this sense of the bread of mourners. It is grievous to the Spirit of God, that we should be pensive and sad in the midst of abundance of mercies. 5. They shall sing there. There, where? at the door of hope in the valley of Anchor. You may remember in the opening of that valley of Anchor, I gave you what might be understood by it according to the most, that is, that God would make the greatest trouble and affliction of his Church to be a door of hope, to bring mercy to them: And if you take it in that sense, here rises an excellent observation. When God brings into straits, Obser. yet if he shall sanctify our straits, making them means of good to us, we have cause to rejoice. You have an excellent Text, Isa. 35. 6, 7. For in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert, and the pa●ched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. Those things that seem to go most contrary to you, I will work good unto you out of them, saith God. Well, what is the fruit of this? This is set as the reason of the words immediately before, Then shall the lame man leap as an Hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing. Because the Lord shall make the parched ground become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water, this shall make the lame to leap as an Hart, & the tongue of the dumb to sing. Though our tongues be dumb, yet it should make us sing when we see God working good out of contraries, when we see things that of themselves tend to our ruin, and would bring us to misery, that are as the valley of Anchor, yet God working good out of them; if we have the hearts of men in us, much more the hearts of Christians, though we were dumb before, this should make us sing. Yea all this is brought in as an argument to strengthen the weak hands, and the feeble knees, and as a reason why those that have weak hearts should not fear, because God works good out of that which seemeth the greatest evil; vers. 4. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not, and then followeth this in the 6. verse. Are we in the valley of Anchor, The Saints should sing in the midst of their straits● a place of trouble and straits? we have cause to sing even in this valley of Anchor, for we have not yet been brought into any straits, but God hath brought good out of them; he hath turned the parched ground into a pool, and the thirsty land into springs of water. It is our great sin, that when God calleth us to singing, we are yet concluding of rejecting; we are ready to think if we be brought into the valley of Anchor, we are presently cast off: Oh no, God calleth you to singing, notwithstanding you meet with difficulties. Isa. 49. 13. Sing O heavens (saith the Text there) he joyful O earth, break forth into singing O mountains, for God hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted; But mark now the next words, But Zion said, the Lord hath forsaken me, & my God hath forgotten me. At that very time, when the Lord was calling for singing, even than they were concluding of rejecting. Take we heed this be not our condition. But take the words as than I told you as I conceived them to be the meaning of the spirit of God, that this valley of Anchor was some special mercy that God gave at first as a door of hope to further mercies he would give afterward, and there they shall sing. Then the observation is, When the Lord is beginning with his Saints in the ways of mercy, Obser. though they have not all that they would have, yet it is a singing condition. Though you be but yet brought into the valley of Anchor, and be but at the door of hope, and not entered into the door, though you have not yet got the possession of all the mercy God intendeth for you, yet God expects you should sing. You must not stand grumbling, We must rejoice at the beginnings of mercy though we have not all we desire. whining, complaining, and murmuring at the door, because you have not what you would have; though God makes you wait at the door, you must stand singing there. It may be said of God's mercy as of his word in Psal. 119. 130. The entrance into thy word giveth light, so the entrance of God's works of mercy giveth light. Psal. 138. 5. Yea they shall sing in the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. In the ways of the Lord they shall sing, though God be but in the ways of his mercy, and they have not what they would have, yet they shall sing. This is certainly one great reason why our door of hope is not yet opened to us as we desire, or at least that we have not that entrance that we would have at that door, because we stand murmuring; yea we stand quarrelling one with another at the door, whereas God expects that we should stand singing and praising his name there. Though we have not what we desire, yet let us bless God that ever we lived to this day, to see so much of God as we have done, though we should never see more, though the mercy we look for should be reserved for the generation that shall follow, yet we have cause to bless God while we live, that we have seen and do see so much of God as we have done & daily do. Lect. 15 Let us stand at our Father's door singing, and if we must sing at the foot of Zion, what song shall we sing when we come to the height? jer. 31. 12. They shall come and sing in the height of Zion they shall flow to the bountifulness of the Lord. If there be any one with whom God is dealing in a way of mercy, though you can see but a little light through the keyhole, yet you should sing there. There are many poor souls, with whom God is beginning in very gracious ways, yet because they have not their minds enlightened, their hearts humbled as they desire, power over corruptions, abilities to perform duties as they expect, they are presently ready to conclude against themselves, surely the Lord will not have mercy, we are rejected. They think they have nothing, because they have not what they would. O unthankful heart! This is the very thing that keepeth thee under bondage, because when the Lord is setting open a door of hope unto thee, thou wilt not take notice of it, but art presently murmuring and repining, because thou hast not all that thou wouldst. wouldst thou enter in at this door, and have God perfect the mercy he hath begun? take notice of the beginnings, and bless God for what thou hast. This would be an observation of marveylous use to many a drooping soul, if they would learn by this days coming hither, to sing hereafter at the door of hope. Yet further, Obs. They shall sing there as in the days of their youth. It is the condition of Gods own people many times, when first they enjoy liberty, then to be in a singing condition, Obser. but afterward to lose their joy. At first indeed when God's mercies were fresh to them, in the days of their youth, O how their hearts were taken! how than they sung merrily and cheerfully, Moses and all the people! Fresh mercies affect much: but in process of time it appeareth they had not kept up this singing, this harmonious, this melodious heart of theirs, therefore God promiseth they should sing as in the days of their youth. We find it so in people, when they first come to enjoy liberty out of bondage, Church liberties, Oh how they rejoice in them! how do they bless God for them! O how sweet are these mercies at their very hearts! they rejoice that ever they lived to this time; but within a while the flower of their youth is gone, and they soon have the teats of their virginity bruised. At first indeed, O the sweetness! but stay a while and you shall find contention or scandoll arising amongst them, or deadness of heart befalling them. Oh the blessed condition that God hath brought us to, to have these liberties and ordinances according to his own way! but within a while we may say as the Apostle to the Galatians, Gal. 4. 15. Where is the blessedness you spoke of? They would have pulled out their eyes for Paul, What is become of all now? All their beauty & glory is quite damped, let us take heed that when our hearts seem to be raised and mightily affected with mercies, we do not soon lose our vigour & heat. It hath been so with England, when they have had fresh mercies at first, they rejoiced in them exceedingly. I have read of the City of Berne, when they were first delivered from Antichrist, they wrote the day of their deliverance upon pillars with letters of gold. Was it not so with us here in England? I will only instance in that deliverance upon the fifth of November, Lect. 14. how mightily was both King and Parliament affected with it! their hearts were exceedingly up, then there was blessing God, for their deliverance from Papists, then there were prayers and thanksgivings set forth, and in them, this expression against Popery, Whose faith is faction, whose Religion is rebellion, whose practice is murdering of souls and bodies; When the mercy was fresh, how did their spirits work? then they professed against all kind of Popery. Read but the Proclamation about the solemnity of that time, and the expressions of the prayers than set forth, and one would have thought verily then that Popery should never have prevailed in England again; who would ever have thought it possible that a Popish Army should ever have had any countenance in England more? Certainly, if a Popish Army had been raised at that time when men's hearts were so up, all the people of the land (if it had been but with clubs) would have risen and beaten them to pieces. It is so with many young people, when God first beginneth to work upon their hearts, O how are they for God then their spirits are mightily up for Christ, Psal, 90. 14. O satisfy us early with thy mercies, and then we shall be glad and rejoice all the days of our lives; It is a sweet thing when the latter part of that prayer followeth, when God satisfieth young people with his mercy, and that satisfaction abideth, so as they rejoice all the days of their lives afterward. The Lord doth many times satisfy young ones with his mercy, but they quickly grow dead and cold, and their hearts are soon hardened and polluted, Obser. and they do not rejoice all the days of their lives. Another Observation, that restored and recovered mercies, are very sweet and precious mercies. They shall sing as in the days of their youth; They were once in a blessed sweet singing condition, they had lost it, but now God promiseth to recover them. job 29. 2. O that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me, when his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I warlked through darkness; as I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle. job desireth this earnestly, that he might have restored, recovered mercies; What a happy condition should I be in then, saith he, if it were now with me as in the days of my youth! May not many in this place say so? God hath been gracious to them in former days, he hath given many sweet manifestations of his love, many soul-ravishing communications of himself unto them! but how have they lost them! They may well say, O that it were with us as in the days of our youth! Oh that God would restore to us what mercy we once had! what a blessed condition should we be in then! But God here giveth a gracious promise, that he will restore them, that he will give them that which is the petition of David, Psa. 51. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation; Lord I have lost it, O that I might have it again! How happy should I be! So Ps. 132. 1. By the Rivers of Babylon there we sat down, yea we wept there when we remembered Zion, we hanged our harps upon the willows. They were in this sad condition, but if one should have come to them and have said, what will you say if you shall be restored again and go to Zion, to Jerusalem again, and have songs there, as much and as delightful as before? their hearts could not have held in them. This mercy would be like that wine mentioned, Cant. 7. 9 that is so sweet, that it causeth the lips of those that are asleep to speak; If there be any life left, such a mercy will raise and actuate it. Psal. 126. 1. 2. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, our mouths were filled with laughter, and our tongues with singing, when God granted them a recovered mercy. As a poor prodigal, that hath left his father's house, and afterward is come to beggary and misery, and is under bondage, & is almost starved; he sitteth down under a hedge, wring his hands, falleth a lamenting the loss of his Father's house, and considering what comfort he had in his Father's presence, cryeth out of his folly and madness; but if one should come and say to him, what will you say if your Father should be reconciled to you, and send for you home, and promise to put you in as comfortable a condition as ever? O how would this cause singing in his heart! Thus God promiseth to his people, that he would restore them to that singing condition they had lost. They shall sing as in the days of their youth. That which made this mercy so sweet, was because it was a promised mercy. Hence this Note. Promised mercies are sweet mercies. Obser. Promised mercies are sweet. Luke 16. 61. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a home of salvation to us, in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of all his Prophets. And ver. 77. To perform the mercy promised; there is the cause of singing, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that hath performed the mercy promised. Giving out of a promise is sweet to a gracious heart, it can sing then; much more sweet is the promise when it cometh to be fulfilled. 2 Chron. 20. 17. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, there is the promise. Mark now how Jehosaphat and the people were affected with the promise: And Jehosaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all judah and the Inhabitants of jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipped the Lord. And the Levites, and the child en of the Koathites, & the children of the Korhites shall stand up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high. And ver. 21. He appointed singers unto the Lord that should praise the beauty of holiness, and to say, Praise the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever. Jehos●phat had not got the promise fulfilled, it was only made; they had not got the victory over their enemies, but only a promise that God would be with them, & presently Jehosaphat & all the people fell a singing. A gracious heart seeth cause enough to sing, if he have got but a promise, but much more when he hath got the performance. If the promise of a mercy hath such sweetness in it, what sweetness then hath the mercy of the promise? But the promise was not only barely fulfilled, but fulfilled with a high hand, and that made them sing. This may be another Observation: When God appeareth remarkably, with a high hand in delivering his people, than the mercy is to be accounted a precious mercy indeed, and all the people of the Lord should sing and praise him. Esay 43. 19 20. mark there, when God had told of an extraordinary hand of his in a way of mercy, saith he, I will plant them in the wilderness, and so goeth on: Then (saith he) shall this be, that they may see, and know, & understand, & consider, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it. When Gods immediate hand doth a thing, when it helps a people in an extraordinary way, he expects that they should see, and know, and consider, and understand together: All these expressions are heaped one upon another. And if any people be called to this, we are at this day; God hath appeared extraordinarily to us. Oh that we had eyes to see! Oh that we had hearts to consider and understand, that we might give God the glory that is due to him! The Fifteenth Lecture. HOSEA 2. 15. 16. — And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. SOme few Observations are to be added to the 15. verse. Mercies that have been much sought for, that have had many cries sent up to God to obtain, when once they are granted, should cause singing forth the praises of God. The people of Israel cried much, before God granted them deliverance from Egypt, Exodus 3. 7. I have heard their cries, saith God: And God says here, They shall sing as they did when they came out of Egypt. Psal. 22. 26. They shall praise the Lord that seek him. The more we seek God for any mercy, the more we shall praise God when we have obtained that mercy. Psal. 28. 6. 7. Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplication; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped. Mercies got by prayers are sweet. What followeth? Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise him. Because God had heard the voice of his supplication, therefore with his song he would praise him. Those mercies that we get by crying unto God, those are singing mercies indeed. Such mercies as come to us only through a general providence, without seeking to God, they are not such sweet mercies; as Hannah said to Eli concerning her son whom she had got by prayer, (and therefore named him [Samuel,] Sought of God) As thy soul liveth, this is the son, this is the child that I was here praying for, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him. This she spoke, Lect. 15 triumphing in God's goodness. Mercies got by prayer may be triumphed in. When you want a mercy, pray much for it; the more you pray for it, the more you will sing when you have it, and the less prayer went before, the less singing will follow after. Further; Obser. Mercies that make way for the enjoyment of Ordinances are very sweet mercies, singing mercies, They shall sing as they did when they came up out of the land of Egypt. Why did they sing when they came up out of the land of Egypt? Mercies that make way for ordinances are sweet. Because that mercy, that deliverance from Egypt made way to that rich mercy of the enjoyment of God's worship in his Ordinances. How doth that appear? Thus, Exod. 15. where they sung when they came out of Egypt, ver. 2. I will build him an habitation saith Moses, together with the people; they rejoiced in that, that now they were going on in the way to build God an habitation; but more, ver. 13. Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation: as if Moses and the Israelites should say, this indeed is a great deliverance that we are delivered out of bondage, but what is this but in order to a higher mercy that we look at yet further, that is, guiding of thy people in thy strength to thy habitation? we look upon this present mercy of our deliverance, for which we do now sing and give thee praise, but in order to the guiding of thy people to thy habitation, and that in thy strength: as if Moses should say, Lord there will be a great many difficulties between this and our coming to enjoy thy habitation, but thou wilt guide us in thy strength, thy strength shall carry thy people along till it bring them to thy habitation; this was that which made them sing so cheerfully as they did. And again, v. 17. Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. This was that that made them so sing. So David, Psa. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, & to inquire in his Temple; That is a choice mercy, therefore all mercies that make way for that mercy, are indeed sweet mercies. So we should look upon all our deliverances, from outward troubles, and whatsoever peace God giveth us to enjoy, as sweet and comfortable, in order to this mercy of enjoying God's mountain, of living in God● habitation, that we may dwell there all the days of our life. A third Observation is, New mercies should renew the memory of old. They shall sing as in the day when they came up out of the land of Egypt, that is, I will grant to them yet further mercies, New mercies should renew the memory of old mercies. and that mercy that I shall grant, shall renew the memory of all the former mercies they have enjoyed from me. As new guilt renews the memory of former guilt, so new mercies the memory of former. Hath God delivered you from any danger now? were you never delivered before? if but when you were a child, those deliverances you now have should bring into your memory what then were. So in a nation, doth God grant to a nation any new mercy? this new mercy should bring into the memory of that nation all the former mercies that ever that nation hath received. Psal. 68 26. Bless ye God in the congregatations, even the Lord from the fountain of Israel. Not only you who are true Israelites, but in your blessing God now, let present mercies be to you but as streams to bring you to the fountain. Consider of all the mercies along till you come to the fountain, even that Covenant that God hath made with Israel. A fourth is, Obser. All former mercies to God's people should help Faith in believing future mercies. That is raised from hence. Why doth the Prophet tell them or coming out of the land of Egypt? He speaks of some mercy that was to come to Israel; Former mercies must strengthen our faith in future. now he names this coming out of the land of Egypt, that he might help and strengthen their Faith in the believing of what mercy was to come: As if he should say, That God that hath wrought so wonderfully for you, in delivering you out of the land of Egypt, is able, and willing to make good his word in granting to you deliverance for time to come. We have excellent Scriptures for this, as Psal. 66. 6. He turned the sea into dry land, they went through the flood on foot, there did we rejoice in him. Mark, they went through the flood, and there did we rejoice in him: How did we rejoice in him? it was many hundred years after that we came to rejoice: But upon the manifestation of God's great goodness to his people in former days, our faith cometh to be strengthened in God's mercies for our times, and there did we rejoice in him, we did rejoice in the work of God when they went through the Red-sea upon dry land, for it is an argument of God's mercy to us of the power, goodness, and faithfulness of God to us. Another temarkable Text is, Hos. 12. 4. He had power over the Angel, Obs. he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us: Mark, he had power over the Angel, he found him in Bethel; Who was that? It was Jacob, who many years before, but there he spoke with us, he did not speak with Jacob only, but there he spoke with us, that is, whatsoever goodness the Lord did show to Jacob in Bethel, it concerned us for the strengthening of our faith, Mat. 22. 31. 32. Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of jacob? This was spoken to Moses many hundred years before; but that expression of God's grace then, was a strengthening the faith of the godly, when Christ spoke, and is the same to us now. Obser. A fifth is, where there is a proportion of mercies, there ought to be a proportion of thankfulness. They shall sing as they did in the day when they came out of Egypt. I will grant unto you as great mercies as they had, and I expect as great thankfulness from you as I had from them; as they sung to my praise, so must you sing too. God showeth as much mercy to you now, as he hath done heretofore, I appeal now to you, nay God appeals to your consciences, Is there a proportion of thankfulness as of mercies? There hath been a time when you have sung to the praise of God, when your hearts have been enlarged to give God praise, why should it not be so now? A sixth observation is, deliverance out of Egypt is an ascending condition, That ariseth from the words as they are in the Original, They shall ascend out of the land of Egypt, so I told you the words were in the Hebrew; as then God would never rest till he brought them up to Mount Zion, so when God beginneth to deliver his people from Antichristian bondage, they should never rest in their spirits, until they be got to the height of Reformation, to the height of their deliverance, that is, to come to enjoy God's Ordinances in his own ways, in the purity and the power of them. This is our misery and our baseness, that upon some little deliverance we presently are ready to rest, whereas we should rise yet higher and higher, and expect that God should go on still with us, and raise us in the ways of mercy, until he hath brought us even to the top of Mount Zion. Seventhly, From the connection of these words with what follows, They shall sing as in the day when they came up out of the land of Egypt, and they shall call me Ishi, and shall call me no more Baali, for I will take even the very names of Baalim out of their mouths, and they shall remember them no more, that is, there shall be a most glorious reformation, & they shall be delivered from all the remainders of their Idolatrous worship, they shall not so much as remember their very names, the Reformation shall be so perfect; From thence the Observation is, When God raiseth the spirits of people to rejoice in his mercy, then is the time for them if ever, to set up a through Reformation; then when their hearts are warmed, inflamed, and enlarged with the goodness of God unto them, than is the time to cast out all the remainders of all superstition, of all kind of false worship. I will give you two excellent Scriptures for this, the one is, Esay 30. 19 Thou shalt weep no more (saith he) he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; The Lord promiseth abundance of mercy, he tells them that they shall weep no more, he will be very gracious; now mark what followeth in the 22. verse, Ye shall defile the covering of thy graven Images of silver, the ornaments of thy molten Images of gold, thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth, thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence; The other Scripture is, 2 Chron. 30. 26. there you find that there was great joy in Jerusalem, such joy as the text saith, was not since the days of Solomon, it was upon the celebration of their Passe-over, there had not been the like; Mark then in the beginning of the next Chapter, saith the text, when all this was finished, that is, when they had celebrated a Passeover so full, and had such abundance of joy, such a joy as had not been in Jerusalem since the time of Solomon; Now all Israel went out to the Cities of judah, and broke the Images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places, and the Altars out of all judah & Benjamin. Their hearts were inflamed with the joy they had, & they went with resolution and broke down 〈◊〉 ●●ages, etc. And mark it, the Text saith, it was 〈…〉 that did this; 〈◊〉 went out into the Cities of judah, and broke the the Images in pieces, and threw down the high places, & the Altars out of all judah: What had Israel to do with judah? judah and Israel were divided; But now their hearts were so inflamed for God, that they were not able to abide any false worship amongst their brethren, though it belonged to Judah, yet they would go help their brethren to cast down all their Images, and to cut down their Groves and Altars, this was when their hearts were warmed with joy in blessing the name of God. When God once warmeth the hearts of people, it is much what they will do for God then: They will not stand examining every nicety, but they will fall upon the work directly; the joy of the Lord was the strength of their hearts at this time: as it is with the lusts of wicked men, when they get into company, at feasts, in Taverns, and there they are drinking, while their lusts are warmed, then what desperate resolutions have they to do wickedness! So when God's Saints are exercised in God's Ordinances, and are refreshed with the sweet love of God, when that lies glowing at their hearts, what strong resolutions have they for God than they can do any thing for God. Now the very name of Baalim must be taken away. VERSE 16. And it shall be in that day, saith the Lord, that thou call me Ishi, and shalt call me no more Baali. 17. For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, & they shall be no more remembered by their name. Here we have as full a Prophecy and promise of as through reformation of the Church, as any I know we have in Scripture, God hath a time to reform his Church thoroughly, the very names of their Idols, the very remembrance of them shall be taken away. This reformation is ●ods work, I will do it saith God, I will take away the names of Baalim They shall call me Ishi, and no more Baali.] Why? what great difference is there between these two names Ishi and Baali, that God will have one but not the other? The truth is, both of them signify even almost the same thing; Both of them are names very fit for a wife to call her husband by, Ishi is my husband, and Baali is my husband too. But the word Ishi cometh from a word that signifieth strength, the woman being the weaker vessel, therefore she calls her husband Ishi, my strength; for the husband should be strength to the wife, he should live with her as a man of knowledge, he should be a protection to her, he should help her in all her weaknesses, & afflictions. Baali signifieth my Lord, as well as my husband; it is a word that moteth rule and authority, Ishi is a word that hath more love and familiarity in it; Baali is a word that noteth the inferiority of the wife to the husband. Now God saith he will be called Ishi, but not Baali; why? there is no hurt in the word Baali itself; the word Baali is a very good word, and hath a good signification, & it is proper to God, as any word that can be given to him by the Church (but that God did forbid it here) for it is no more when the church calls God Baali, then if the Church should say, O God that art my Lord, my husband, who art to rule & govern me; Yea and we find that God gives to himself this name, Isa. 54. 5. Thy Maker is thy [husband,] so it is in your books, but the word in the Hebrew is the same that we have here, Thy Maker is thy [Baali,] so that husband and Baal is the very same. But now because they had abused this word Baal, and given into their Idols, therefore God would have no more of it; though it was a good word, a significant word, and as proper to God as any was. As the word Tyrannus was a name once for a King, Kings were called Tyrants, without any such ill signification as now it carries with it; but because they had gotten the sole power into their hands, they did so oppress, abuse their power, therefore oppressors were called Tyrants. So the Latin word fur, which is for a thief, it was once the ordinary word for a servant, Fures, and Servi were wont to be the same, and without any ill signification; but because afterward many servants grew to be false, to steal from their Masters, therefore fures was altogether taken in the worst part, only for thiefs. So Sophista, a Sophister, was one that studied wisdom, but because they did so much degenerate, many under the colour of the study of wisdom, deceived others, therefore the name Sophister was used in the worst part. I might instance in many other. For further opening this. May not the name Baal be mentioned? God tells them that he would take away the name of Baalim out of their mouths. Why may not we use this word Baali in our mouths? To this I answer, Yes, it is not unlawful for us to mention the word, notwithstanding this, for the holy Ghost a long time after this mentions the word in an historical way: Rom. 11. 4. he speaks there of those that had not bowed their knees to Baal, the word you see is mentioned & remembered by the spirit of God, therefore it was not a sin; nay not only the word Baal, b●r it is not unlawful to mention the names of any Idols of the heathen, for the holy Ghost doth so likewise, Acts 18. 11. speaking of the ship that they sailed in, he saith there, whose sign was Castor and Pollux, the names of two heathen Idols. And you may observe that here in the text the remembering is as much forbidden as the mentioning. Now if it were a fin merely to mention the names of the heathen gods, it were a sin to remember them. Therefore God means the mentioning of them Honoris gratia, any way for their honour, or without detestation of them. The words being thus opened, you have many excellent observations out of them very useful and seasonable for our times. First, Obser. There is a great deal of danger in words and names. You shall call me Ishi, I will not have you call me Baali, I will not have that word used; the Devil hath got much by words and names, heretofore by the word Puritan, though 〈◊〉 knew not what it meant; now by this new name that he hath of late invented; The danger of superstitious & Idolatrous names. the devil hath always some words, some names for distinction of men, in which he sees advantage is to be had. The speaki●●●f the ways of 〈…〉 the language of superstition doth much hurt. 〈…〉 a notabl● 〈◊〉 petition from the Papists themselves concerning that, it is in the Rhemists' Testament in their notes upon that place, 1 Tim. 6. 20. Keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane, and vain babble, so we translate it, they translate it, profane novelties, this is their note upon it; Let us (say they) keep our forefather's words, and we shall easily keep our old faith; you shall see that we had not long since the very spirit of these men breathing in many amongst us. The Heretics call repentance amendment, but let us say they keep the old word Penance, they say the Lords Supper, but we will keep the old word Mass; they say Communion Table, but let us keep the old word Altar; Was it not just thus with us? the call Elders and Ministers, let us say Priests; they say superintendents, but let us keep the word Bishop; (it is a Scripture word indeed, but not in that sense they call it, for in the Scripture sense every Presbyter is a Bishop) they say Sacrament, let us keep the word Sacrifice and Host; they say Congregation, let us keep the word Church; they morning, evening prayer, let us keep the words Matins, evensong; and so Oblation & Lent, and Palmsunday, and Christmas day, etc. This was the policy of Papists, and it hath been the policy of many of us to bring in popery by. Let us take heed of this, for the Devil is subtle in this; for though these words have some kind of good sense in the Original, yet there is danger in the use of them. Melior in ore christianc ritus loquend● Eeclesiasticus, Aug. in praef. enar. in Ps. 93. ep. 200 non debemus consuetudinem serntonis humani in epta loquasitate confundare. Augustine in his preface to his narration upon the Psalms hath this expression. It is a better thing in the mouths of Christians to speak according to the manner of the Church, so we may well say, it had been better that in the mouths of Protestants, there had been the ordinary language of Protestants, not the language of Papists. Certainly if God had not been very merciful unto us, the very language of Papists that began to be amongst us would have done abundance of mischief, take heed as long as you live of the language of Papists, whatsoever pretence they may have for their words. In that place of the Rhemists' Testament quoted, they say, Let us take heed of the words of heretics, they there confess that heretics (as they call us) use many words that have no great hurt in them, but because they are the words of heretics, let us not (say they) use them; They are wise enough, they will not use our words, though they confess the words themselves have no harm in them, yet because they are our proper language (as they make them) distinct from themselves, therefore no Catholics should use them, why should not we be as wise as they? The second Observation, Idolatry is a most loathsome and abominable thing; Obs. Why? Surely that is most loath some that we may not so much as mention, that we may not so much as remember. We must seek to abolish the very name, the very remembrance of Idolatry as much as possibly we can. First, one that we hate, we do not love his presence, we do like his company. Secondly, if we hate him very much, we do not love so much as to see him; The loathsomeness of Idolatry. and if perhaps we do see him afar off, out hearts rise, that is a second degree. But thirdly, if our hatred be so great thee we cannot endur●●● name him, that is a greater degree of hatred. But fourthly, if we cannot endure to remember him, that is more than to name him. Yet thus should it be in our manifestation of our hatred to Idolatry: we should not admit it into our company, much less than to join in the Ordinances of God. We should not admit, no not the very sight of it, no not the name of it, no not the memory of it without a great deal of indignation. Jer. 44. 4. Oh do not this abominable thing, saith the Lord there; The Lord cries out with a shriek as it were, Oh! do not this abominable thing, as if any of you should see one ready to murder your child, or to cut the throat of your father, you would shrick out, Oh! what mean you to do? do not such a horrible villainy as this; so God cries out as it were with a shriek, do not this abominable thing. It is observable in the second commandment, that God saith he will visit the sin upon the third generation of them that hate him: none seem to love God more than wil-worshippers; they will not only worship God as he hath appointed, but will devise ways of their own, and yet God charges the breakers of no commandment with hatred of him but only these. As if God should say, you pretend love to me, in that you will find out new ways to worship me by, you pretend decency and reverence, but I account it hating me, you can provoke me in nothing more. Tertullian in his book De Idololatria, Principale crimen generis, humani, summusseculi reaatus tota causa judicii, Idolatria. Tertul. lib. de Idololat. Little hath this expression; Idolatry is the principal hey nous crime of mankind, it is the chief guilt of the world, and the only cause of judgement in the world. It were good therefore, seeing God hates it, and loathes it so much, that we should hate and loathe it, and therefore even cast out the name and the memory of it; it were a happy thing if this could be obtained, that now the names as of Popish, so of heathenish Idols could be got out from the Church; But I know not how it comes to pass that we Christians do still retain the use of their names, the very days of the week am●●g us are called by the names of Planets, or Heathen Gods: Not that I think it a sin, when it is the ordinary language of the world, so to speak as may be understood; for the Apostle (as I said afore) mentioneth the name of Castor and Pollux: but if there could be an alteration by a general consent, it were a thing desirable (as our brethren in New-England do) and it were very desirable likewise, that our children might not be educated in the use of heathen Poems, where the names of heathen Idols are kept up fresh amongst us; The Papists themselves acknowledge so much in their notes upon the Rhemists' Testament, Rev. 1. 10. where they say, the name Sunday is Heathenish, as all other of the week days, some imposed after the name of Planets by the Romans, some by the name of certain Idols that the Saxons worshipped, to which they dedicated their days before they were Christians; which names the Church used not, but hath appointed to call the first day Dominike, (the Lords) the other by the name of Feries, until the last day of the week, which she calleth by 〈…〉 name Sabbath, because that was of God, and 〈…〉 imposition of 〈◊〉 heathen. And in their Annotations upon Luke, 24. 1. The first day of the Sabbath, that is, first after the Sabbath, which is our Lord's day. And the Apostle (1 Cor. 16. 2.) commanded a collection to be made on the first of the Sabbath; whereby we learn (say they) both the keeping that day, & the Churches count of days, 2, 3, 4. of the Sabbath: that is, the second day, the third day of the week, and so on, to be Apostolical, which S. Sylvister afterward named 2. 3. 4. Feriam. Thus you have the Papists acknowledging the Lords day to be Apostolical, and the calling the days of the week, the 2. the 3. the 4. etc. to be likewise Apostolical. The Heathenish Roman names of the days were from the seven Planets, 1. Sol, from thence Dies solis, Sunday, dedicated to the Sun. 2. Luna, Monday, dedicated to the Moon. 3. Mars, Tuesday, dedicated to Mars. Our English Tuesday is a Saxon name, from Tuisco, who they say was chief leader and ruler of the Germane Nation from the Tower of Babel, who in honour of him called this day Tuisday, Tuisco his day. 4. Mercurius, to whom Wednesday is dedicated. Our English is from the Saxons, Woden, who was a great Prince amongst them: after his death they adored his Image. The 5. Jupiter, to whom Thursday is dedicated: Our English is from the Saxon Thor, the name of an Idol which they anciently worshipped. The 6. Venus, to whom Friday is dedicated: Our English is from Friga, an Idol of the Germans. This Idol represented both sexes, as well man as woman, an Hermaphrodite. She was reputed the giver of plenty, and the causer of amity, it is like it was the same which the Romans called Venus. The 7. Saturnus, dedicated to Saturn, from whence our Saturday hath the name: or as others think, from Seater, an Idol of the Germans. Exod. 23. 13. we have this charge, In all things that I have said unto you, be circumspect, & make no mention of the names of other Gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. Psal. 16. 4. David professeth he will not take the names of Idols into his lips. A third note is, that little things in point of God's worship, any way tending to Idolatry are to be taken heed of. Obser. The very word Baali, merely to mention it, one would think to be one of the smallest things that could be, but yet we see God would have his people take heed of that. There is no Commandment wherein God speaks of himself as a jealous God, but in the second: now jealousy you know doth not only cause one to be offended at some gross thing, but at any thing that doth but tend that way, things in matters of Religion must not be slighted. as if a Husband be a jealous Husband, he is not only offended if he should meet with his wife committing the very act of adultery with another man, but the least glance of a wanton look will displease him, the least thing that is any way tending that way will offend him. So saith God in this commandment. I am a jealous God, to note that though we should not agree to gross Idolatry, to worship Images in a gross way, yet if we do any thing that doth but tend that way, that hath but any likeness to superstition, the Lord is jealous of that, even such a thing would displease him, in matters of Gods worship little things are not to be contemned (if in any things in the world) we are to make conscience of little things then in point of worship, when we come to deal with God, we had need to look to the smallest things. No question but the pharisees when they washed their hands, and Christ would not was his, would be ready to accuse him of too much preciseness, what is there any hurt in the washing of a man's hands? yet Christ would not wash his hands. Though this might seem to be but a little matter before others, yet because it had some kind of tendency to show some respect to their superstitious way, Christ would not agree to them therein. There is a story in the Primitive times of that noble servant of God and Minister of the Church Marcus Arethusius, who in the time of Constantine had been the cause of overthrowing an Idol Temple, afterward when Julian came to be Emperor, he would force the people of that place to build it up again, they were ready to do it but he refused it, whereupon those that were his own people, over whom he had been Bishop, took him and stripped him of all his clothes, and abused his naked body, and gave it up the children to launce it with their pen-knives, and then caused him to be put in a basket and anointed his naked body with honey, and set him in the sun to be stung with wasps, and all this cruelty they showed because he would not do any thing toward the building up of this Idol Temple; Nay they came to this, that if he would do but the least thing towards it, if he would give but a halfpenny to it they would save him; but he refused all, though the giving but of one halfpenny towards the re-edification of that Idol Temple might have saved his life, he would not do it, for a little thing in that which concerns the worship of God in Religion, is of more concernment than your or my life. I have read in Theodoret of Valentinian, who was afterwards Emperor, going before Julian into the Temple of the goddess Fortune (which by the way, because we are speaking of the names of Idols, take this note; The word Fortune, as it is commonly used, such a man hath a good forture, should be forborn: The Heathen had a goddess that they called Fortune, and we should not continue those names) when they went up into that Temple, the Priest there had his holy-water, (just as the Papists who imitate the Heathens) as he sprinkled it upon Julian, by accident there came but one drop of water upon Valentinian, he thereupon presently struck the Priest, and withal took his garment and cut that part of it in pieces upon which the water was sprinkled. Some would say, alas what was that? It was but a little water that dropped upon him, & that by accident; yet in detestation of that Idolatry, he cut in pieces that part of his garment. We cannot show our hatred against Idolatry fully, except we show it in little things, as well as in things that are very gross and vile. Theodoret lib. 4. cap. 15. tells of the zeal of children of Samosaten, who because a Tennis-ball with which they played, had but touched the foot of the Ass whereon L●●ius their heretical Bishop road, they cried out it was defiled, and burned it in the Marketplace presently; hatred is much shown in little things. Fourthly, It is the 〈◊〉 of all God's people, to keep themselves as free from Idolatry and superstition as can be, from the very verges of it: Why? Here they must not so much as mention the very names of their Idols, We must take heed of coming too near Idolatry. certainly therefore they must keep themselves at a great distance from it: We must not think it enough to say, Can any man convince us that this is Idolatry? Though it be not, yet if it but borders upon it, it is your duty to keep yourselves from it. Ps. 81. 9 You shall not have any strange God with you, or by you. It is not only sorbidden that you shall not worship a false God, but you shall not so much as have a false God by you; as Deut. 25. 13. when God would forbid the sin of injustice, of selling wares by false weights, mark what the expression is, Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights▪ a great & a small one, it was sin to have a great and a small weight in a man's bag; Why? if you should find a great and a small weight in ones bag, perhaps you would say, but can you prove that ever I sold wares by the small weight, or took wares in by this great weight? Yea, but saith God, to the end you may be far off from the sin of injustice, I require you that you shall not have them in your bag; God would have us keep off from the very verge of that sin, much more from Idolatry, which is the worst of all other sins; Esay 65. 4. God chargeth upon them, not only that gross sin of eating swine's flesh, but the having the broth of abominable things in their vessels; They might say, we will not eat the flesh, but the broth; no you must not have the broth of abominable things in your vessels, you must keep far off from that defilement; As the Lord speaks concerning corporal whoredom, Prov. 5. 8. Remove thy way far from her, come not ●igh the door of her house; If one should say, we will not commit uncleanness, but saith God, you must remove your way far from her, and you must not come nigh her, no not nigh the door of her house. We must not come nigh Popery, we must abstain from the appearance of that evil. Certainly, it hath been a great distemper in many of your hearts, that you went so nigh to Popery as you did, especially at such a time when the Tide was coming in upon you; for a man to stand just at the edge of the water when the Sea is coming in, especially if you were in some places, as in the Washeses in Lincolnshire, is a dangerous thing, to stand at the edge when the tide is going away, is not so dangerous: Many of you when the tide of Popery and superstition was coming in, you stood upon the very edge of the water; Obser. this is a sin you ought to repent off. Fifthly, The Church of God must not worship God after the manner that Idolaters do: They must not so much as make mention of the names that they did, certainly than not worship God in the way they do, in those orders and ceremonies they do. Mark that place; Deut. 12. 30. Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, and that thou inquire not after their Gods, saying, How did these Nations serve their Gods? even so will I do likewise; thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God; then verse 32. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it, thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it. Thou shalt not so much as inquire how others serve their gods, what their rites and ordinances, and manners of serving their gods are, thou shalt not worship me so; How then Lord? as if they should say, Whatsoever thing I command you, observe to do it, thou shall not add thereto, nor diminish from it, you must keep to that, and not think to worship me, as others worship their Idols. The Lord stands much upon this, though the thing in itself may be a lawfulthing, yet because it is the way idolaters have taken up, therefore it must be rejected, Ezek. 44. 20. there is a commandment to the Priests of the Lord, that they shall not shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long, but they shall round their heads, so the words are rendered in the old Translation, Tondendo aeque, aeque atondebunt. and Arius Montarus translates them thus, They shall clip equally their hair all of a length, that is the meaning of the words as they are in the Hebrew; the old Translation, They shall round their heads, is according to the Hebrew; the reason is this, because the idolatrous Priests, according to the several ways of worshipping their Idols, some did shave their heads, others wore long hair as women, some kind of Idols being worshipped one way, some another, all in excessive ways: Now saith God to his Priests, they shall do neither; so that it is the injunction of God to his Ministers there to be Roundheads. Certainly the Devil forgot that place of Scripture when he raised up such a name to reproach men by, which we have the express word in Scripture for the enjoining it: And on the other side, when the Scripture would describe the enemies of God, it describeth them by the contrary, the hairy scalp. Ps. 68 21. I remember I have read of the Lacedæmonians, when they would reform excess in apparel, which was much amongst them, at length their consultation came to this result, that there should be a law made, that none but harlots should wear pompous and rich clothes, and by this means they thought to get all women that regarded their credits, or chastity, to go in mean or plain clothing, by this they attained their end: If by the light of nature once a thing come to be in fashion with harlots, grave and sober Matrons will never meddle with it, than what Idolaters take up in worship, the Church should abstain from; if there must not be a conformity between Matrons and harlots, there must not be a conformity between the Church of God and Idolaters. Arius Montanus in a Treatise he hath De Templi fabrica, Tredecim mensas lapidias in Airiis exterioribus fuisse, quibus adstantes homines orarent fuere vero illae partem ad meridiem ad occasum, ad septem trionem sitae ad orientem nulla. Montan. de fabrica Templi. l. 96. saith, that the Jews report of 13. tables of stone that were in the outward court of the Temple, at which men were wont to pray, & all of them were made, saith he, so as some looked to the North, We must not imitate Idolaters in worship some to the South, and some to the West, but not one toward the East: And so God built his Temple that the Holy of holiest was not to look toward the East, but toward the West: Hence Ezek. 8. 16. it is said that ●●●se that worship 〈◊〉 the Sun, with their faces toward the East, they had their backs upon the Temple, so that it appeareth plainly, that the Temple stood westward, and upon this ground, because there were so many among whom the Jews lived, that were worshippers of the Sun, and in their worship they would ever look Eastward, & upon that very reason the Lord would not have the Holy of holiest built Eastward; Now all your Chancels in England are built Eastward, and it was wont to be the order and way of your superstitious worshippers evermore when they came into such a place to look Eastward, and bow solemnly themselves, not only to the Altar, but Eastward. I have seen myself a Bishop, who when the Communion table was set down in another place, he neglected that, and goes to the East end of the Chancel, and boweth himself, though his back was upon the table. And you shall observe it in all your burials, the corpse are laid East and West, for this end by some, that when Christ comes to Judgement, they may be ready to look him in the face, it being a trodition that he shall come from the east. You must not think, that those who do not follow the old customs of superstition, do it out of crossness of disposition; it is the same way that God brought his people up in, when they saw Idolaters worship one way, they should worship another way; we must take heed of borrowing from the Egyptians, if you borrow from them you may think it riches, but you may get their botches and boils: we have enough in the word of God, we need no imitation of Idolaters and Papists in the way of worship. Yet further, Obser. that which lies more fully in the Text is, such things that in themselves considered have no hurt in them, yet when they come to be abused to Idolatry, they must be cast away; I will take the name of Baali out of your mouths, the name was good, but being abused, was to be taken away; yea not only such things as are in the original of them from Idolaters, but even such things as in the beginning were of Gods own institution, if they do not yet continue his institutions, if God do not require the continuance of them still, they must be taken away, not only corrected, but removed, and wholly rejected from God's worship. I will give you an instance for both these together, Exod. 34. 13. Ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, cut down their groves. Many will easily grant, those things that came from Idolaters at first, should be rejected by us: but they say those ceremonies we have, Things abused to Idolatry must be rejected. we have them from the ancient Fathers in the primitive times before Popery was. For a full answer to that which may for ever stop the mouth of that objection, you have an express command here, that those groves were to be cut down whose original was not from Idolaters, for Gen. 21. 33. the text saith that Abraham built an Altar, and planted a grove, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God; groves and altars had a good original from Abraham, but afterwards being abused by Idolaters, God requires of them now to cut down the groves. And that example 2 K. 18. 4. of the Brazen Serpent, it had a good beginning, and was an ordinance of God for a time, only it did not continue as an ordinance afterward, but they might think and so plead that it was kep● as a religious monument: But H●zekiah according to the command of God by Moses, beat down the Braz●n Serpent, and called it Nehustan in a way of contempt, a piece of brass, though it had been a notable instrument of good to the people of Israel in former times, yet now it was but Nehustan, but a piece of brass. And further, to the abolishing those things that have been abused to Idolatry there is added a gracious promise, Esay 27. 9 By this shall the iniquity of jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his si●ne, when he maketh all the stones of the Altar as chalke-stones that are beaten in sunder; Then indeed hath jacob's correction the true fruit npon him to purge away his sin, when he makes all the stones of the Altar as chalke-stones; And Josiah is commended 2 King. 23. for destroying the high places, the groves and altars and the charets for the sun, etc. And repenting Manasses, 2 Chron. 33. 18. is commended that he did take away the strange gods, and the Idols out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars; and Daniel, chap. 1. would not eat of the King's meat, because it had been abused and consecrated to his Idols. But for the opening of this there will be something required by way of answer to an objection. Object, You will say, are not those prohibitions there particular, concerning the Jews and not so fully concerning us? they sometimes are forbidden to take of the gold and silver of the Idols, do such prohibitious concern us in every thing that hath been abused to Idolatry? For answer, Answ. I confess I think we are not bound in every particular circumstance according to those commandments that God required of them: neither do I think that they had been bound if they had not had some express commandment in some things that they did, if they had made use of the silver, or gold of an image, for some civil use, before the express prohibition came to them, it had been no sin unto them, those things being required of them by some positive Law, and not required in the second Commandment further than there is a moral equity in them. But how far do they bind us? Quest. Ans. All those rules God gave to the Jews to destroy all things abused to Idolatry, bind us in these three cases. First, we must retain nothing whereby any false worship may retain any honour. If Mordecai would not bow to a living monument of that nation, whose name God had ordained to be blotted out from under heaven, much less should we reverence dumb monuments of those Idols which God hath devoted to destruction; we must not show respect to any thing that Idolaters have abused, when our reserving of them, or respect to them may any way keep up any honour of them. Therefore certainly thi● is a truth, that to take a ceremony from Papists, to bring it into the most solemn Ordinances of CHRIST, yea so into them to that end that it may add to the honour of that Ordinance, Rules to know how far things abused to Idolatry are to be rejected. can never be justified. There never was any ceremony more abominably abused then that of the Cross; Now though it be not a sin to make a cross, yet to bring it into one of the most 〈◊〉 Ordinances of Christ in his Church, and to make it there to conduce to the honour of such an Ordinance, it is impossible but men must shut their eyes if they do not see it a great evil. So for vestments, suppose there might be some use of them some other way, yet to bring them to make the worship of God to be decent, to think that those vestments that have been ●o notoriously abused, should add to the honour of divine worship must needs be sinful, surely all those scriptures that required the Jews to abolish those things that have been abused by Idolaters, if they have any morality in them, they will cast out these. Secondly, When any thing that hath been abused to Idolatry, shall in the use of it imply any communicating with Idolaters, than it must be rejected: that is clear out o● Rev. 2. 20. there the Church of ●hyatira is charged that they did eat things sacrificed to Idols; Why? the meat sacrificed to Idols was good meat, a good creature of God, and we have that rule, that every creature of God is good, if it be sanctified by the word and prayer, yet they are charged for it as a sinning against Christ in it; You will say what is that to them if it were offered to Idols? they might eat it as God's creature: But it was a sin because the eating of that did argue communion with them, that is plain in that 1 Cor. 10. 18. 19 20. where you have the argument of the Apostle against eating things offered to Idols, thus he reasoneth, When you eat the same bread in the Sacrament it is a note of your communion one with another, so when you eat of the things sacrificed to idols, that is a note of your communion with them: that is the argument of the Apostle in that place, and upon that ground it is made a sin, You cannot (saith he) partake of the Table of the Lord, and the table of devils, if you eat of their meat, you communicate with them & so it is sin to you. Thirdly, Quid enim illae c●remonia aliud, fuerint quam totidem lenocinia quae miseras animas ad malumperducerent. To make use of any thing abused by Idolaters when it cometh to be a scandoll to our brethren, a snare to those that are weak, than it is a sin against God, 1 Cor. 10. 28. eating meat offered to Idols, is forbidden in the former place upon a ground of communicating, but in this 28. ver. it is forbidden upon the ground of scandoll, that is enough: Calvin in his Epistle to the Lord Protector in King Edward's days, hath these words; What other things were those ceremonies maintained by in England but so many pleasing allurements that ensnare poor miserable souls, & bring them into evil? certainly these that we have retained have brought abundance of evil this way, they have been the ensnaring of many souls. In these three things the rules that concern the Jews have a morality concerning us. But yet these rules must be observed with some cautions, or else we may go away and not understand the rules aright. They must be understood first in things that are not Ordinances continued by God; for certainly if it be an Ordinance that God hath appointed, though Idolaters abuse it never so much, we must go on in it. It is true, the brazen serpent was an Ordinance of God, but it was an Ordinance but for a time, it was not a continued Ordinance, and therefore being abused to Idolatry it was to be destroyed; but when a thing is an Ordinance appointed by God to be continued in the Church, we must go on in the use of it, though it be abused. As in Baptism, the ordinance is water, though they abuse water, we must continue the use of it; in the ordinance in the Lord's supper is the use of bread and wine, though they abuse those elements, we must continue them, why? because no abuse is an argument to refuse that which is a duty; the subject of scandal is a thing indifferent, but if it be an ordinance, we must continue our obedience, whether men be offended or not offended. Secondly, Neither can any of these rules hold in any thing that is of necessary use for the worship of God, so as we cannot enjoy the worship of God without them. As for places, suppose Idolaters have abused a place of meeting for God's worship, when we have no other place to meet in, this is (for the present at least) of necessary use to God's worship, there is a natural necessity of a place, and if no other for the present may be had, we are bound to worship in that place, the abuse of men must not hinder God's worship, God hath never put his worship under the power of wicked men, so as they should keep his people off from it when they please. Thirdly, If it be any ceremony that of its own nature (not by virtue of any institution from man) hath that decency in it as that the want of it would be an undecency, then though it be never so much abused, we are to go on in it; for it is the duty of God's people to worship God in a decent way; It is the rule of the Apostle, Let all things be done decently, but there is a mistake in that use that many make of that Scripture, this rule is, that which the light of nature teaches, though we had never found it in Scripture, it is not meant of such a decency as the institution of man puts upon a thing, but such a decency as God in the nature of the thing puts upon it, so that if it were wanting, the work would be undecently performed: But if the things be merely man's inventions and institutions, having their supposed decency, not from what is indeed in the things themselves, but from that which man's institution puts upon them, than they come not under that rule of the Apostle, but the abuse of them is argument enough for their rejection. But it may be objected, Object. If we can instruct people what the abuse is, and what right use they may make of such things, will not that serve for the retaining them? No certainly, Answ. it had not been enough for the Jews to use the name Baali, though their Prophets had taught them what the abuse of it was. This is as if a man should keep a company of rags, that have lain a great while upon plague sores, and say it is enough, I will wash them clean, and lay them out to air them; will any wise man keep such rags in his house upon this precence? Those things that have had poison in them, none will be so unwise to keep them by them, upon pretence of washing them clean; if they be broken vessels of which there is no use, they are cast upon the dunghill with less trouble and more safety. All things that are of man's invention, yea those things that have been God's Ordinances, but now are out of date, & are not for the present Gods Ordinances the Scripture calls them beggarly rudiments; you cannot compare men's inventions to clothes, or any thing worth the airing or keeping, but the truth is, all such things that have been abused to Idolatry, are no other but as such dirty rags, and plasters laid upon plague-sores. But further you will say, Object. If that use we receive them for be not the same use they were in, if we retain them for another use that is good, why may we not do it? The text answers that, Answ. though the Jews should call God Baali in a right sense, it was not enough, they must wholly reject the very mentioning of the name. But further, suppose a harlot should be brought out of a most notorious stews in Rome or Paris, and brought to Dover into an honest man's chamber, is she not a harlot still? and is there not a provocation in her to uncleanness, though she become now to lie not in the stews, but in the chamber of an honest man? So in all those things that have been abused to Idolatry, though you should think you make use of them in a better way, it is no other than to bring a harlot out of the stews, into a place not so vile, and to company with the harlot there. Besides, if a man's wife whom her husband had not without just cause suspected for uncleanness with another man, should get something from that man, and keep it in her bosom, or lay it next her heart, and should tell her husband, true, she keeps such a thing, but she intends no hurt in it, it is a good thing, only she had it from him, will this think you satisfy any jealous husband? The Church is the wife of Christ, he is jealous, and he hath cause to be jealous, for he knows while we are in the flesh, we are prone to spiritual filthiness; and if we take any ceremony from Popish Idolatry, and join with his own Ordinances, and think to put off Christ thus, we intent to make no ill use of it, this will not satisfy Christ. If any say, Object. Answ. why should we not retain our liberty if the things be good? But why shouldst not thou manifest thy hatred to all Idolatry? And why shouldst not thou tender thy brethren so, as to prevent all scandal that may come by the use of such things? But you will say, Object. the idolatry of Papists, and the idolatry of Heathen is not the same, there is a great deal of difference between the Heathens in worshipping their Idols, and the Papists worshipping of God, though in a false way? Indeed the difference seems to be much, Answ. but yet the Idolatry is even the same in both; for you are mistaken, if you think that many of the Heathens worshipped a false God, otherwise then the Papists do; though they made stocks and stones their Idols, yet they worshipped the God that was Primum Ens, Non lapidem colimus, sed virtutes Deï magni. the first Being, in and through those Idols: Therefore Austin upon Ps. 96. brings in one answering thus, We do not worship a stone, but the virtues, the strength, and the powers of the great God we worship: And another, one Maximus Madaurensis that Austin speaks of in his 43. Epistle, Who is so mad, or so void of sense that will doubt whether there be more Gods then one? we invocate the virtues of this one God under many names, diffused through the frame of the whole world. What more fair answer can Papists give for their Idolatry than they did? Therefore the thing continueth still clear, that (with those rules and cautions that have been named) such things as have been abused to Idolatry, must wholly be cast away; we must not retain them, and think to put off God with such distinctions. To what end do we retain them? Is there not sufficient in the worship of God itself to make it acceptable to him? The Sixteenth Lecture. HOSEA 2. 16. 17. 18. And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me us more Baali. For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall be no more remembered by their name, etc. And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword, and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. TO add a word or two more about that principal Observation in these words opened the last day; god would not have his people to worship him in that way that Idolaters worship him; It hath always been the care of the Churches of God, Tert. de coron. milit. Ignat. ep. 3. ad Philip. to distinguish themselves in ways of worship from Idolaters. The Manichees were wont to keep their fasts upon the Lord's day, and upon that the Churches did utterly prohibit the keeping of Fasts upon that day, because they would not do as the Manichees did. Tertullian saith it is Nefas, a detestable wickedness to fast on the Lord's day. And Ignatius saith; to fast on the Lord's day is to kill Christ. There is a notable and famous Tractate of Tertullias, concerning a Christian soldier being in the Army of the Heathens, when they in honour of their Idol gods did wear upon their heads a coronet of bays, he took his coronet, and instead of waring it upon his head, he held it in his hand, upon this there was a great mutiny in the Army, his fellows storming at this, that one soldier should be in a different garb from all the rest, surely this was some nice conscienced soldier, that (he forsooth) must not do as others did, he must hold the coronet of bays in his hand, whereas others wore it on their heads: The mutining of the soldiers came at length to the Officers of the Army, and upon that this Christian soldier was called to question, why he was in a different kind of way from his fellows; he gives this answer, I am a Christian, and therefore it doth not beseem me to do as these do, that we are the bays upon their heads in honour of their Idol gods; upon that they were all in a mighty rage, against this soldier, and not only himself, but all the Christians that were near hand were in danger of a great persecution; Lect. 16 Nay, there was a great mutining amongst other Christians, that this one man for such a nicety should endanger not only himself but other Christians. Sanctior caeteris sratribus qui duobus dominis servire se posse prasumun●. Tertul de corone militis. O militem in Deo gloriosum. Vbi scriptum est ne coronemur; at ubi scriptum est at coronemur; Tertul. ibid. Tertullian therefore writes a whole Tractate to defend this Soldier for this his practice, and he saith of him, that he was holier than his holy brethren, who thought and presumed they might serve two Lords, that they might comply themselves for the avoiding of persecution with the Heathens in the observation of their superstitious way of worship; and he cries out in an exclamation, in commendation of this Soldier; Oh most glorious soldier, who would thus venture himself, and not comply with Idolaters! and whereas some would plead against him, even Christians, that would rather comply than endure the hazard, and say, where is it written in all the word of God that we should not wear bays upon our heads? Tertullian answereth again, Where is it written that we may do it? saith he, we must look into the Scripture to see what we may do, and not think it enough that the Scripture doth not directly forbid this or that very particular. By this we see that some to avoid trouble and persecution, will as much as ever they can comply with the ways of Idolatry, yet those that are of a true Christian heroic spirit indeed, will not comply with them, but will rather hazard the sorest persecution. Thus it should be with us, we must not retain any thing that hath been abused to Idolatry, so as to keep the honourable memorial of it; we must not comply with Idolaters that way; and especially in regard of that great Idol of the Cross (which we instanced in, the last day) not so far to retain it as to bring it into the Ordinances of God, the very Sacrament, this puts a great honour upon it; yea and too too great an honour is put upon it in reserving it in the eminentest place of the City, and to think it is an ornament unto it, whereas it is indeed a great disgrace and dishonour, and retains the memory of your forefather's superstition, which is their and your shame. Augustine says, it is better to die with hunger then to eat that which is offered to Idols, Melius mori fame quam I do lothytis v sci, August de bono conjug c. 18. so far were these ancients from suiting themselves with Idolaters. Gabriel Biel saith the Church of Rome though meet to use leavened bread, lest in unleavened they should seem to be like Ebion the Heretic: and Bellarmine would not have Paul called Divus Paulus, but Beatus, because Divus and Diana were the words of the heathen for their gods and goddesses. This promise to take away the names of Baalim comes in upon God's reconciliation to his people. From whence the next note is, when God is reconciled to his people, there will be a thorough Reformation both outward and inward. Idolatry is cast out not only from the heart but from the mouth, the taking away the names from their mouths is a synecdoche, and notheth the uttertaking away of all ways of Idolatry in the outward practice as well as in the inward affection. The more reconciliation there is with God, the more enmity against Idols and superstitious worship. A fruitful sign than it is that we in England were never thoroughly reconciled unto God, because we never yet have cast off our Idols. As some remaynders of superstition abiding amongst us, did not long since break forth to most horrid and vile ways of false worship, so some remainders of God's wrath that hath been amongst us, this day breaks forth into a most dreadful flame. When the people of the jews shall be called again, and God shall be perfectly reconciled to his Churches, than Idolatry shall be perfectly rejected, and there shall never be so much as mention of their Idols any more, this Text aims at those times, and shall perfectly be fulfilled at that day, that is the day when God will do it. They shall call me no more Baali, but Ishi, my husband. Thence the note is, When a people is reconciled to God, Obser. than they call God theirs, my husband, Isbi. Psal. 16. 3, 4. David professeth that he would not so much as take up their names into his lips, of which before. Now mark what followeth presently upon that, ver. 5. The Lord (saith he) is my portion, when the Prophet is so taken off from Idols, as not to mention the names of Idols, than The Lord is my portion; Sin makes us lose the boldness of our claim in our interest in God. So here now Ishi, the Lord is my husband, now can we claim a peculiar interest in God indeed. This is the evil of sin, it hindereth a nation, a soul from claiming this interest in God. God is a blessed and glorious God, yea but what is that to this people, to this apostatising people? what is that to this apostatising soul? but when the soul comes into God, & comes off throughly to the work of Reformation, than this God is my God, Ishi, my husband. Can any comfort, any profit that you have in ways of sin countervail this great loss? you gain some contentment in the flesh, some profit in your estate, but you lose the comforts of your interest in God, what is your gain now? think of this when any temptation comes, I may be yielding to this temptation, get this contentment to the flesh, but I shall lose this blessed privilege of claiming an interest in my God, I shall not be able to say, Ishi, my husband. Thirdly, Ishi, The word compared with the former Baali, is a word of more love than the former. Baali is a word, though it signifies my husband too as well as Ishi, but it is husband under the notion of dominion, under the notion of power that causeth fear; but Ishi is a husband under the notion of love and protection. Hence the note is, God delights to have his people look upon him with love and delight. Obser. God delights to have his people look upon him with love. It is God's care, and it is his good pleasure that his people should not look upon him so much as one that hath dominion over them, but that they should look upon him with joy and love, and call him Ishi. The more reconciled we are unto God, the more have we the use of the loving appellations of God. For a soul to be always under the spirit of bondage, to look unto God only as the Lord of all, this is not so pleasing to God; but when you come to have the spirit of adoption, the spirit of grace, an Evangelicall spirit, that you can look upon him with love, and say Ishi, my husband, that title of love and goodness, this pleases God at the heart. It is reported of Augustus that he would not have the title of Lord given to him, he refused it, and would rather have his people to look upon him under the notion of love as a father, rather than to fear him. It were happy that all Princes were of this mind, to desire that their people should rather love them then fear them! It is a most villainous, wicked, and cursed principle that is in some, who infuse into the spirit of Princes, let your people fear you, no great matter whether they love you or no. Suetonius relateth this passage of Augustus, when a poor man came to present a petition to him with his hands shaking and trembling out of fear, the Emperor was much displeased, and said, It is not fit that any should come with a petition to a King, as if a man were giving meat to an Elephant that is afraid to be destroyed by him. God doth not love the bread of mourners to be offered up in sacrifice, he loveth to have people come unto him with a holy boldness, with a filial, not with a servile and slavish spirit. Christ laid down his life to redeem us that we might serve the Lord without fear. Fourthly, Obser. They shall call me Ishi, that is, My strength. The Church should look upon Christ as the strength of it; Thy maker is thy husband, and who is he? The Lord of Hosts is his name, thy redeemer, the God of the whole earth shall he be called. When the people of God can look upon Christ their husband as the Lord of hosts, and their Redeemer as the God of the whole earth, than they find quiet and satisfaction in their spirits, Psa. 89. 17. God is said to be the glory of the strength of his people; Though we be weak in regard of our outward helps, let us look up to Christ our strength, he hath been our strength, he is the glory of it. Fiftly, Obser. I will take the names of Baalim out of their mouth, and they shall be no more remembered by their name. Repentance must be proportionable to men's sins. How doth that arise? before ver. 13. God charged them that they had forgotten him, They went after their lovers and forgot me, saith the Lord. Now saith God, your Idols shall be forgotten, your hearts were so far set upon your idols as you forgot me, now in your repentance your hearts shall be so much upon me as you shall forget your Idols. Those men who have been so wicked and ungodly heretofore, that they have forgot God, God hath not been in all their thoughts. God expects now from them that their lusts should not be in all their thoughts. It is not enough that you forbear the act, but you must not roll the sweet of them in your thoughts you must not so much as remember them, except it be with the detestation of them. If there be not a proportion between your repentance & your former sins, Obs. Pompous superstition will vanish & come to nothing. you may expect there will be a proportion between God's wrath and your former sins, Further, They shall not so much as be remembered by their name, they shall not think of them. The note from hence is, all superstitious vanities though they may seem for the present never so glorious, yet in time they will vanish and come to nothing, God hath a time to make them so to vanish, as they shall not so much as be thought off. Col. 2. 22. it is said of the rudiments of the world, that are according to the Doctrine of men, they perish in the use, in the present use, that is, they effect nothing that they seem to be appointed for, there is no good cometh of them for the present, but in the very use they come to nothing; but time shall be that God will cause them all to perish utterly, and the very remembrance of them shall be taken away. It is true for the present while men's hearts are set upon superstitious ways, O how glorious are they in their eyes▪ but these glorious things will come to nothing, whereas those Ordinances of God that seem to be but mean things, wherein the simplicity of the Gospel appeareth, they shall appear full of beauty, though for the present they seem to be darkened, they shall be glorious in the eyes of the Saints to the end of the world. Not long since what a stir was there about the more than decent, even superstitious adorning of Temples, and building of Altars, and brave Canopies, what sumptuous things and fine knacks had they, and all to set out a pompous superstitious way of worship? this altogether prevailed; as for the purity and simplicity of God's ways and worship, how was it trampled under feet as an unworthy contemptible thing? but these things that for a while seemed so glorious, begin to vanish, and we hope ere long will come to nothing, the very memory of them shall perish, the purity of God's worship, and the simplicity of the Gospel in God's Ordinances shall recover their beauty and glory when those braveries shall be no more. 7. Obser. A true penitent cannot remember former sins without indignation, for so is the meaning of the phrase, they shall not remember. Some of us may remember how we have been entangled with ways of false worship, and how we have sullyed and wrung our consciences that way, we said we would yield as far as we could, but indeed we yielded further than we could, for id possumus qnod jure possumus, we have cause to remember it with shame and confusion of face. Ye old men may remember the sins of your youth, but how can you remember them and speak of them with joy and merriment? that is an evil, yea almost a desperate sign, do you so remember the sins of your youth as to tell tales of the pranks of your younger days with joy? you are in a high degree left of God, and given up to hardness, you shall remember them with shame and indignation, the sweet morsels of former sins coming up into remembrance should be bitter and sour unto you. The last note is, Obser. the taking off men's hearts from Idolatrous ways, is a special work of God, I will do it saith God. I will take away the names of Baalim out of their mouths. Certainly the people in these times hung much upon their false ways of worship, they had many arguments for their way, no question but they had many distinctions to uphold it: but there shall come a day saith the Lord, men's hearts will cleave to superstitious vanities till God takes them off. when I will take away the names out of their mouths. I will stop your mouths, I will take off your hearts from all those Objections and reasonings you have had to maintain such ways as those were, I will silence all, & then you shall see evidently & convincingly to your shame that you have been gulled by such vain & false distinctions, I will take off all those engagements your hearts were bound in, those being taken off I will soon take you off from all. What a deal of stir hath God (that we may speak with holy reverence) to take men's hearts from ways of false worship? What a company of distinctions and objections have men, their hearts clinging to them, being very unwilling to be taken off, now & then their consciences are wrung, yet they hold fast, and then conscience hath another wring, and then they another objection, and another distinction, and yet perhaps true grace lies at the bottom after all this. But God having a love unto them, by some way or other takes off their hearts, if he doth it not by settling truths upon the heart by his Spirit, he will do it by some notable works o● providence; we find it by experience, so long as men's engagements hold, that they cannot enjoy their estates, liberties and comforts, without yielding to such ways of superstition, they will not be taken off from them; they please themselves in this (and perhaps they speak what they think) that they do nothing against the light of their consciences; for why? their engagements keep off the strength of truth, that it comes not to a full conviction of conscience: But when God shall by any work of his providence take off their hearts from engagements, and then come and set before them the same truths that formerly he did, they come to see now a convincing evidence in those truths, they stand admiring that they saw it not before, wonder what the matter was, they read such books before that had the same arguments against their ways, and for the truth, but they could not see the strength of them before, now they see it apparently, and they are ashamed of themselves every time they go into the presence of God, they are confounded in their own thoughts to think, that though truths were so clear before, they did not see them, now they see them with such cleareness, as they think they could lay down their lives for them, whatsoever they suffer for time to come, they can never yield to what they have yielded to heretofore: What is the matter? God hath come in with power, God hath taken off their hearts. God attributeth this to himself, I will take the names of Baalim out of their mouths; whatsoever they have to say for the keeping of such names and relics of Idolatry, yet I will come with power upon their hearts and take them out of their mouths. Then indeed when God thus cometh the thing will be done. And let us take heed we do not stand out too long, lest God come to take off our hearts by some dreadful way of judgement or other; It were better our mouths were stopped, our objections silenced, and so all the relics and remainders of false worship were taken from us through the word and Spirit of God: If that will not do, God will come in some other way, and take the name of Baalim out of our mouths; And if we will keep the memory of superstitious ways, God may extirpate the memory of them by such ways as may prove fearful unto us, and make our hearts to ache, and our ears to tingle. We have a notable passage for this, Ezekiel 6. 6. In all your dwelling places saith God, your Cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate, (mark) that your Altars may be laid waste, and made desolate, and your Idols may be broken and cease, and your Images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished. Observe the Text, In all your dwelling places your Cities shall be laid waste; to what end? That your Altars may be laid waste; So that God will lay waste their Cities for this very end, that he may lay waste their Altars; if they will not lay waste their Altars, if they will not abolish their superstitions that are amongst them, God will abolish their Cities, lay waste their Cities that he may lay waste their Altars. God hath begun to put it into the heart of our governors, the Parliament, to abolish many superstitious pictures and crosses in divers places, there is yet one great one remaining, and we hope God upon the same grounds may put into their hearts the abolishing of that. God will destroy cities that he may destroy Altars It would be a dreadful thing unto you, if God now calling upon us to cast out the remainders of all Idolatry & superstition, to lay waste all Idolatrous Pictures, Images and Crosses, if we should not come off, but that God should lay waste your Cities, to lay waste your Altars, Crosses, and relics of Idolatry: You see God threateneth this here, as if God did not intend so much to lay waste their Cities, he would preserve them, but because he could not (that we may speak according to the manner of men) abolish their Altars, but by laying waste their Cities, saith God, rather than your Altars shall stand, your Cities shall down. God hath ways, and most terrible ways too to take away the memory of superstitious vanities; Oh that we had hearts to join with God before he cometh in such a dreadful manner to abolish the memory of such things! Were our Prelates in their power, such a speech as this could not be borne, when Master Vdal a godly Preacher in Queen Elizabeth's days, was charged with such an expression. If it come in, (that is, the true government of Christ as he meaneth,) by that means that will make all your hearts to ache, blame yourselves; for these words especially was he then condemned to be hanged; such was the rage and potency of the Prelates in those days: What I have said may be against the spirits of such as cleave to superstitious vanities, we have no cause to fear the exasperating of these, for surely they cannot be more exasperated than they are for the present, and it were a foolish thing to exasperate and provoke God, for fear of further exasperation in those who are for the present exasperated even to the utmost against us. And if they were not, but the exasperation would arise new, what is the exasperation of vile men, to the abiding of the wrath of God upon us? VERSE, 18. And in that day I will make a Covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of Heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground; and I will break the bow, and the sword, & the batteli out of the earth, and I will make them to lie down safely. In this verse God promiseth peace and security; peace, in regard of their deliverance from the beasts of the field, and fowls of the heaven, & creeping things of the ground; Peace from the hostility of their adversaries, he will break the bow & the sword, & the battle out of the earth; And security, they shall lie down safely. I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, etc. Some allegorise upon these words, the beasts of the field, they say are meant cruel wicked men; the fowls of the air, ambitious wicked men that are lofty in their thoughts & counsels; the creeping things of the ground, subtle adversaries, God here promises, they say, to deliver them from all these. But I desire not to fall upon Allegories, but when there is a necessity, therefore take the words literally, The beasts of the field, fowls of the air, and creeping things of the earth. Object. But how may God be said to make a covenant for his people, with the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and the creeping things of the earth? For to speak properly, no creature is capable of a Covenant with God, but only the rational. The meaning is, Ans. there shall be such an establishment of God's work upon the beasts and fowls, and creeping things for the good of his Church, as if God had bound them to do them good by way of Covenant; How a Covenant with beasts that way of God is called making of a Covenant with them; I will show it you in another Scripture, jer. 33. 20. If you can break my covenant of the day, & my covenant of the night, that there should not be day and night in their season, etc. How doth God make a Covenant with the day, and a Covenant with the night? Thus, there is an establishment of God's decree upon the day, and upon the night, that it should be in such and such a way from the Creation unto the end of the world, Ita ordinabo inviolabiter. and that establishment is called God's Covenant; so Oceolampadius upon my Text, I will order inviolably and unalterably, there shall be an establishing decree upon these creatures that they shall do you no hurt but good. From hence the notes are these. First, Obser. Sin hath caused enmity between man and the creatures; that is employed here, I will, saith God, make a Covenant (upon your reconciliation with me, and your reformation) with the creatures, now they shall be at peace with you, I will do it, noting that by our sin there is grown enmity between us and God's creatures. We have lost by sin a great part of our dominion that God gave us over his creatures, that was the result from that Image of God that man was created in. Therefore when you see any creature to rebel against you, be put in mind your rebellion against God. It is true, God hath kept a little of man's dominion over the creature still, to the end that the world and humane society may be preserved. Sometimes you may see a little child driving before him a hundred Oxen or kine this way or that way as he pleaseth, it showeth that God hath preserved somewhat of man's dominion over the creatures. But a great part is lost by our sin. If we that are the servants of God rebel against him, it is just with God that the creatures that were made to be our servants should rebel against us. And you who are Superiors, when any of your inferiors are stubborn against you, your servants, your children rebellious, raise your hearts up to this meditation, My servant is rebellious against me, how have I been rebellious against the Lord! my child is stout and stubborn against me, how hath my heart been stout & stubborn against the Lord my Father! Again, peace with God brings peace with the creatures. I will make a covenant with the beasts of the field, Obser. with the fowls of the air, etc. Job 5. 23. you have a strange kind of promise, Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the earth shall be at peace with thee. This goes somewhat deeper than that which is here promised, there shall be a league, not only with the beasts, but with the stones of the field. How in league with the stones of the field? It is more easy to be understood, to be in league with the beasts of the field, for they are many times hurtful unto us. But how with the stones of the field? There are many interpretations given of that place. Only thus much for the present. It was wont to be the way (and so it is still in many places) in setting the bounds of their fields, The stones of the field at league. they took stones which they set up for landmarks, and engraved upon their stones, to note to whom this or the other parcel of ground belonged. Now this is the promise, that the Lord would be so gracious to his people, that they should enjoy the bounds of their own habitations securely, they should not be wronged, their landmarks should not be taken away. The stones of the field shall be in league with thee, that is, the stones of the field that stand for your landmarks shall abide, and none shall take them away; I will preserve your bounds, as if you were in league with the stones that are your landmarks, as if they had agreed with you, and were in covenant that they would undertake to stand, and to set out the bounds of your fields for ever: And the beasts of the field also shall be useful to you, and do you no hurt. But you will say, Object, sometimes the beasts of the field do hurt the Saints, how doth God make a covenant with them? Many things might be answered to that, Answ. vers. 17. of that place of Job he speaks of a time when God corrects and men despise not the chastning of the Almighty, now this in vers. 23. hath reference unto that time: that is, when any do make use of God's correction, do not despise it but in a reverend way submit unto God's hand of correction, than God will make this league with the stones of the field, and with the beasts of the earth. If God hath corrected you with any sickness, and you do not profit by that sickness, it is just with God that a beast of the field, that some or other creature should meet you, and be more terrible unto you then ever your sickness was. And the promise here in Hosea is to those that are reconciled to God, who have cast off their superstitious vanities: And because we are not here perfectly reconciled, therefore this promise is not perfectly fulfilled; But I make no question but the holy Ghost here aimeth at the t●me of the call of the Jews, and then I believe that this promise shall be literally fulfilled, and those other promises in Esay and other places, where God says he will make the Lion to eat straw with the Ox, and the like, and that no venomous creature shall do them hurt; Time coming when the beasts do no hurt. When the calling of the Jews shall be, the creatures shall be brought into such a kind of excellency in a manner as they were in Adam in Paradise, they shall come to the primitive institution, the Lion was not at the first creation wont to live upon prey: the creatures were not made to pray one upon another, therefore the promise is that the Lion shall live in that kind of quietness as it was to do in Paradise, if man had not sinned; And at the calling of the Jews it is very like there shall be such a restitution of all things (as it is called Acts 3. 21.) the creatures shall be restored to such a knd of excellency as it had at the first in the Creation: And though in part this may be fulfilled to God's people, so as the beasts of the field shall do them no hurt, that is, if they prevail against them it shall be for some gracious ends that God aymsat, yet for the literal fulfilling of it it is reserved for that day. Thirdly, When God is reconciled to his people, Obser. shall the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and the creeping things of the earth be at peace with the Saints? what a wicked and ungodly thing is it then in men, that the more any are reconciled unto God, the greater enemies are they unto them? God promiseth when his people be reconciled to him, the creature shall be reconciled unto them; yet thou a vile wretch when thou seest one grow up in the ways of reconciliation with God, A wicked thing, the more God is reconciled to men the more to hate them. thy enmity increases towards him; what a horrible wickedness is this? it is more than brutish by far, it is desperate wickedness; as it was with those Kings of Canaan, Iosh. 10. 5. assoon as the Gibeonites had made peace with joshua, and were in covevant, the five Kings conspired against them, they lived quietly enough before with them, but when they heard that they had made a covenant with joshua, they presently conspired against them; Thus it is with many at this day, when you had your companions who would drink, swear, and break the Sabbath, and be unclean, and scorn with you, they were good fellows then, how would you hug and embrace them, and delight in them? but so soon as God hath wrought upon their hearts, and they are brought from enemies to be reconciled unto God, now your hearts are opposite to them, now you look upon them as your enemies, now you hate them, now your spirits rise against them: O horrible & desperate wickedness! the Lord rebuke you this day, the Lord strike upon such a heart. Before Saul was converted hewas a man of repute, but assoon as he turned Christian, he was a pestilent, a seditious fellow, Away with such a man from the earth, he is not worthy to live, the next news we hear, forty of them conspired together, and bound themselves with an oath, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed him. Fourthly, I will make a Covenant, saith God, you shall have this mercy, and have it by covenant. Mercy that cometh by Covenant is excellent mercy indeed. Obser. The same mercy that cometh in by a work of general providence is nothing so sweet, nothing so firm as that mercy that cometh in by Covenant. When the Saints enjoy a mercy, though it be outward, they are not so taken with the mercy, for the outward part of it, because they have some comfort and contentment to the outward man by it, but they are taken with it upon this ground, they see even this outward mercy cometh to them by virtue of God's Covenant with them, that sweetness and makes firm the mercy; when they go up and down the field and the beasts come not upon them to destroy them, Mercy that comes in by covenant is sweet. they can look upon their present safety as enjoying it in the Covenant. You will say, the wicked can walk up and down in the fields, and the beasts not destroy them. Though they do, yet a godly man hath more sweetness in this then he, in that he can see this his safety from the Covenant: when he rides a journey, his beast is not made an instrument of God's wrath to dash out his brains, perhaps it is so with his wicked neighbour that rides with him, but that from whence the preservation is, is different, it is a mercy to the godly man form the Covenant that God hath made with him, to preserve him in all his ways, it is but general providence to the other; wicked men may have the same mercies for the matter of them that the godly have, yet there is a kernel in the mercy which only the Saints enjoy. There are two things observable in a mercy coming by Covenant. 1. It is more sweet. 2. More firm. More sweet, Psal. 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep his covenant. This is a sweet promise, a soule-satisfying promise, more worth than all the riches of your City, even that one promise; all the passages of Gods ordinary providence are mercy and truth to those that keep his Covenant. Mark, perhaps they are mercies to you, there is a general bounty you have in your ordinary preservation, but they are not Mercy and truth to you, there is the addition, they are Mercy and truth to the godly, that is, they are such mercies as are bound to them by Covenant; Therein David rejoiceth, therefore saith he in the beginning of the Psalm, I will lift up my heart unto God, as amongst other reasons so for this, that all the paths of God are not only mercy, but mercy and truth: You have been preserved, and have had many mercies from God, Well, they are Gods mercies unto you, but are they mercies and truth to you? that is, Do they come to you in a way of promise? Look to that, there is the sweetness of a mercy, and it is a good sign of a gracious heart to look more to the Original whence mercy cometh, then to the outward part of the mercy. Secondly, They are more firm, Esay 54. 10. The mountains shall depart, & the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee: Why? For the Covenant of my peace shall not be removed. That mercy that you have, I give it in a way of Covenant, and the hills and mountains shall depart rather than that kindness of mine shall depart. 5. Obser. God's covenant with his people is the satisfaction of their hearts in their deep●st sorrows Is it such a blessed thing for God to make a Covenant with the beasts for us? What a mercy is it then for God to make a Covenant with our souls? the Covenant that God makes with his people is a Covenant in Christ, there is mercy. It is a very observable place we have, Gen. 17. concerning Abraham, you shall find there that in ten verses of that Chap. God repeateth his Covenant which he made with Abraham, thirteen times, to note thus much, that that was the mercy indeed that must satisfy Abraham in all his troubles, sorrows, and afflictions: as if God should say, be satisfied with this Abraham, that I have entered into Covenant with thee and thy seed, I am a God in Covenant with thee. And 2 Sam. 23. 5. there is a notable Text, Although (saith David) my house be not so with God (as I desire, as I expect) yet the Lord hath made me an everlasting Covenant, ordered in all things and sure; for this is all my salvation, & all my desire, although he make it not to grow. Take this Scripture Christians, take it I say and make use of it in these times of trouble, though things do not go as you desire yet say as David did, yet the Lord hath made a Covenant with us ordered and sure in all things, and's all our this isalvation and all our desire. 6. Obser. Is this a mercy for God to make a Covenant with the beasts for his people? what a mercy is it then for God to make a Covenant with his Son for his people? It is that we are to bless god for, that he will make a Covenant with brute beasts for our good, but that God will make a Covenant with his own son for our good, for our eternal good. That God should bring the second person in Trinity; to be the head of the Covenant for us, what a mercy is this? Tit. 2. 1. the Apostle speaks there of eternal life that was promised before the world began, Why, what promise was there ever made before the world began? to whom was this promise made? who was there before the world began for God to make any promise unto? It was only the Son of God, the second person in Trinity, and there was a most blessed transaction between God the Father, and God the Son, for our everlasting good before the world began, and upon that dependeth all our salvation and our hope. When we read the promises of the Gospel that the Lord hath given to us as branches of the Covenant of grace made with us, we are ready to think, we are poor weak creatures, we cannot keep Covenant with God, we cannot perform the conditions of the Covenant: But Christians know this, thy peace, the salvation of thy soul doth not depend so much upon a Covenant God hath made with thee as upon the Covenant he hath made with his Son, there is the firmness, the original, the foundation of all thy good & thy salvation; and though thou art a poor weak creature that doth not keep Covenant with the Lord, yet the Son of God hath kept Covenant with the Father, and hath perfectly performed all conditions the Father required of him, the work hath been perfected by the Son, and here is our comfort. Raise your drooping hearts by this meditation. The second part of this peace, and that is a promise of deliverance from hoftility, from the enemy, I will break the bow, and the sword, and the battle out of the earth. First, Obser. Peace is a great blessing, it is a great mercy to have the bow and the sword broke. It is a part of the Covenant that God makes with his people, to take away the instruments of hostility. Esay 2. 4. God promiseth the breaking of swords into ploughshares and spears in pruning hooks. You find the contrary when God threateneth judgement to a people, Joel. 3. 10. he threateneth thus, to beat their plongh-shares into swords, and their pruning hooks into spears, than they are in a sad condition. It is a great deal better that their swords should be beaten into ploughshares, The excellency of peace. then that the ploughshares should be beaten into swords; that the spears should be made pruning hooks, than that pruning books should be made spears. This peace is a most amiable thing, and lovely in all our eyes, every man desireth it, and God promiseth it unto his people in many places as a most special fruit of his love unto them. Esay 33. 10. Jerusalem shall be a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; And Num. 6. 25, 26. The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee, the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace; the shining of God's face appeareth in giving of peace to a Nation: therefore Jer, 16. 5. where God threateneth the taking away of peace, mark the expression, I have taken away my peace from this people saith the the Lord, even loving kindness and mercies. He doth not say I have taken away peace, but I have taken away My peace, and then, when My peace is taken away, I will even take away loving kindness and mercies, how easy were it to let out ones self in large discourses in the high commendations of peace? God teaches us in these days to set a high price upon it. We have had a peace a long time and the Lord knows we have not priced that mercy; now we know what a sad thing it is to have war in our Gates. The evil of civil war. And if this be a fruit of God's Covenant to have peace, we have cause to bewail the breach of our Covenant. Surely there is a great displeasure of God out against us; this cup of blood that is prepared and poured forth and drunk in a great measure is a most dreadful one, our brethren have drunk deep of it, we have been afraid of it long since, we have heard of rumours of wars, and when the Cup was abroad we prayed that if it were possible it might pass from us, this Cup did pass and went to our brethren in Ireland, and now it is come unto us, the sword hath had its circuit, and now it is come amongst us, and that which is come is exceeding dreadful, because our wars are not with foreign enemies, but Civil wars the worst of all. I have read in the Roman Chronicles, that in a battle between Sylla and Marius, there was a soldier by accident killed one, not knowing who it was, but after he was slain he saw it was his brother, presently in anguish of spirit he ran his sword into his own bowels. This we find to be ordinary among us, even brother to be against brother, yea son against father of each side at this time. Certainly therefore it is time for us to fall upon our knees, and to be humbled before the Lord for the breach of our peace. Peace is a sweet mercy, therefore pity it is that it should not be improved, pity is it that it should be abused. Oh how have we abused our former peace! God gave us peace before, to what end? That we might be edified and so built up in the fear of God and comfort of the holy Ghost, as Acts 9 31. it is said, the Churches had rest, & were edified, and did walk in the fear of God, and the comforts of the holy Ghost. We have not made this use of the rest God hath been pleased to afford us, but we have grown wanton with our peace, with this precious jewel, and just it is with God to take it from us. And now we do desire peace, but to what end? Still aiming at this especially at this that we might have more freedom to satisfy our lusts, and to make provision for the flesh, that is the very ground of most men's desire of peace: whereas if we did understand the true worth of peace indeed, we would think it a very low end to desire peace only to attain this. Peace rightly prized. Ezek. 37. 26. Mark the promise that is there, I will make a Covenant of peace with them, it shall be an everlasting Covenant with them, and I will place them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. Yea that is a comfortable peace, to be desired indeed, when God by peace shall make way to set his sanctuary amongst us. If we did desire peace upon these terms, we might have peace sooner than we are like to have it. Again, Peace is sweet, therefore pity it is that it should be falsifyed. Ps. 28. 3. there are some that speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. It is pity that such a precious thing as peace should be serviceable to men's lusts, that it should be pretended only to drive on a mischievous design, Peace is too good to be serviceable to men's base ends. Yet further, Peace is a great blessing, therefore pity it is that it should not be endeavoured for to the uttermost. War that brings peace is better than peace that brings war. Yea cursed be that war that hath not peace for the end of it, it is that which ought to be as the Emblem of every soldier, to have it written upon his sword, Sic quaerimus Pacem, even thus do we seek peace. It is a great deal better to have a war that aims at, and works peace, then to have a peace that aymer at, and works war. It is true, war produceth very dreadful effects, but war that shall bring forth peace, is better than peace that produceth war; and the more we do commend peace, the more do we still commend that war that tends to the bringing forth true peace, rather than to seek for a false peace that will produce most dreadful war afterwards. Peace is a great blessing from God, but we must take heed we buy it not too dear; we may say of this as we use to say of Gold, we may buy gold toodear. You will say how is it possible to buy peace at too dear a rate? Yes, if you give these three things for it, you have but a dear bargain of it. First, Peace may be bought at too dear a rate. if you sell truth for it, selling any truth for peace, you buy peace too dear, for the least truth is better than all the kingdoms of the earth. It first cost the blood of Christ, and since hath been watered by the blood of thousands of Martyrs. Secondly, if you shall betray those that have been most active for the public good, only that you may be way of compliance provide for your own particular peace, this peace costs you too dear. Thirdly, if you for love of peace shall subject yourselves to tyranny or slavery. This is peace at too dear a rate, and the posterity that comes after may curse that baseness of spirit, and cowardliness of the generation that went before, that should buy peace for themselves so dear, as to bring not only themselves but their posterity under the bondage of miserable tyranny and woeful slavery. It is true, it is a great deal easier for a man that is striving and fight with his enemy, to lie down, then to spend his strength with fight and striving; he shall not spend so many of his spirits in the act of lying down, why will he weary himself? is it not better to lie down upon the soft grass then to tire himself in combating? but if this man lie down, he hath his throat cut by his enemy; hath this man think you done wisely for himself? to prevent trouble, he hath lost his life, If we should be so weary of present troubles as to lie down to have our throats cut by our adversaries, shall the generation to come commend either our wisdom or valour? It is true, when a stream runneth strong, you cannot expect to stop that stream, but there will be some trouble in doing it; And the truth is, that war that is now o● foot with us, though it hath much trouble in it, and many of our brethren suffer many hard things by it, yet let us know it is but to stop a stream of misery that was coming upon us, and it is better to undergo some difficulties in the stopping the stream, then to be quiet, and so let it overflow us, till all be past recovery. Our adversaries cry out that we are enemies to peace, and they all for peace, that is they would have us to be so quiet as to let them do what they list, they would fain have us so to love peace as to give up our strength to them, & to be irrecoverably under their power. Therefore let this generation be wise, for great things depend upon these present affairs of the kingdom, that concern not only their own outward comfort, but the glory of God, and the good of their posterity to many generations after. I will break the bow and the sword, etc. It is God that bringeth peace as he pleaseth; Obser. it is a great blessing, and it is Gods peculiar work to bring this blessing. We may treat and treat about peace, but until God pleaseth to give a commission for peace, it will not be. If God cometh in with exceptions, our treaties and our plots will never do the work. [I] will break the bow, saith God, Jer. 47. 6. O thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest and be still. The sword answers, How can I be quiet seeing the Lord hath given me a charge against Askelon, etc. Till God give a commission to the sword it cannot rest and be still. Job. 34. 29. When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be against a nation or a man only. If he cause trouble, who can make quietness? Oh no, none can. It is God that is to be looked at in breaking of treaties, it is God that hardeneth the hearts of men that they shall not make peace until his time come. Iosh. 11. 19 20. a most remarkable text. There was not (saith the text) a City that made peace with the children of Israel save the inhabitants of Gibeon, for it was of the Lord to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle that they might utterly be destroyed. Of all the Cities in Canaan that God's people came against, though God's hand was very remarkable in going along with them, working many miracles for them, yet the Text observeth that there was none that would make peace with them only Gibeon, God is the Prince of peace, he is the disposer of it as he pleaseth. why? for was of the Lord to harden their hearts to come against Israel in bat tell that they might utterly be destroyed. God intended to destroy them, therefore God hardened them that they should not make peace with his people. God is the Prince of peace, therefore he disposeth of it as he will; Many devices may be in the hearts of men, they have many plots and contrivances, but the counsel of the Lord shall stand. Psalms, 29. 11. The Lord sitteth upon the floods, yea the Lord sitteth King for ever. The Lord will give strength to his people, the Lord will bless his people with peace. That is not the peace for God to bless his people with, for which they must lay open their throats to be cut, and betray his cause. God need give no strength for this, but God's way is to give strength to his people, and then to bless them with peace. We love peace, but let us look to have our peace thorough the strength of God: put those together, the Lord hath promised it, & do you plead this promise; though we seem weak, yet the Lord will give his people strength, and so he will bless his people with peace. We must work our peace by improving Gods strength, not think to get peace by a sluggish compliance, & a base unworthy yielding to our adversaries, Jer. 14, 19 We looked for peace, it seems they were in some treaties, and there is no good, for healing, and behold trouble, all their treaties came to nothing: But mark what follows, ver. 20. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness & the iniquity of our fathers; O Lord we dwell amongst people that are set on fire, we speak of peace, yea when they speak of peace they have mischief in their hearts, O Lord our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers is great, O Lord pardon our iniquity. This is the way to have peace, to make up our peace with God. Thirdly, Obser. Through Reformation is the way to bring peace, Mark how it riseth, They shall call me no more Baali, then will I break the bow; when they shall break of throughly their Idolatry, then will I break the bow & the sword; so long as they worship false gods, war shall be in their gates; but when they shall throughly reform and set up my worship in that way that I will have, then will I break the bow. That is the way if we could trust God for it. Through Reformation brings peace. Here is our baseness that we will not trust God in this way of peace, we are ready think that reformation will bring disturbance, O no, reformation is the way to a thorough peace. Let our wisdoms be pure, and then certainly it will be peaceable. We have a most excellent Scripture for this, Isa 33. 20. Jerusalem is there promised to be a quiet habitation, what followeth? ver. 22. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the more we entertain him as judge, & our lawgiver, the more peace we shall have, Isa. 9 7. Of his government & peace there shall be no end. When the government of Christ cometh, then cometh peace. Zach. 6. 13. He shall rule upon his throne, & be a Priest upon his throne, & the counsel of peace shall be between them both, that is, advance Christ in his Kingly Office as well as in his priestly Office, & then there shall be a counsel of peace. What is the reason that the counsel of peace hath not prevailed to this day? We have cause to fear they have not been set between both, between the Kingly Office and Priestly Office of Christ to advance them both. Esay 32. 17. 18. The works of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness, and assurance for ever, and my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. See how the Holy Ghost adds one word to another, to show that true peace is in the ways of righteousness. When men's counsels for peace are crooked counsels, when they seek to company for their own ends, when the honour of God is not their chief aim, it is just with God to dash all their counsels. Esay 59 8. The way of peace they know not, saith God, there is no judgement in their goings, they have made them crooked paths, whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. We know the going of the serpent is a crooked going, it windeth up and down; so many of our Counselors of peace have gone like the serpent, winding up and down in their carnal policies, they have not studied reformation, but have gone in crooked paths, and therefore they have not brought forth the true effects of peace. But one place more, Jer. 31, 22. 23, there the Lord speaks concerning his people, when he was about to deliver them from captivity, How long wilt thou go about? that is, you do not go on the right way, you compass about, you have fetches because you meet with difficulties in your way, you think by this and the other means to avoid troubles, but you shall go on by a right line: what followeth? The Lord bless thee O habitation of justice and mountain of holiness; Apply your counsels that way to be the habitation of justice and the mountain of holiness, and the work is done, execute justice upon Delinquents that are in your power, and set up the Ordinances of God in the right way of worship, this is the way of peace, but all this while you have gone about, Oh that the Lord would deliver our great Counsellors from going about. They shall lie down safely. Hence the note is, only Gods great peace bringeth safety, if we patch up a false peace upon base & unworthy terms, we must not think to lie down safely; but when God promiseth peace a fruit of the Covenant, than it follows, they shall lie down safely, Only God's peace brings safety. And I suppose none of you would have any other peace but such a peace as you may lie down safely, and how is it possible do you think to lie down safely, except the Lord destroy the evil beasts out of the land? Levit. 16. 5. I will give peace in your land, and you shall lie down, & none shall make you afraid, and I will rid evil beasts out of the land. What is the end of our war at present, but to rid the evil beasts out of the land, that so we may lie down safely? Can you think to dwell safely so long as so many evil beasts are in the land, & so exasperated in the highest of all their rage? Certainly, if a false & a patched up peace should be made, we were in a mosticle & hazardous condition, especially those who have appeared for the Cause of God; those who have showed themselves most faithful, can they lie down safely in the confidence of such a peace? If you have the hearts of true Englishmen, you would never desire any other peace, but such as that you and your brethren, your Ministers, & those Worthies in Parliament, and all that have appeared for you, might lie down safely, Acts 27. 13. 14. we read of a soft southwind, that did blow, but the Text saith, that not long after there arose a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon. So if we have a false peace, Tranquillitas ista tempestas erit: Hieron. it may blow as that south wind did, softly and still, but certainly the Euroclydon, the most terrible East-wind will follow after. 2 Chron. 20. 30. Jehosaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest, Suppose we should be quiet, and our own base counsels and our own compliances should give us rest, our quiet would never be security to us, there will follow dismal things afterward; but then is a people quiet safely, when we have the peace of God, together with the God of peace. Phil. 4. 7. The peace of God which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts etc. Then presently, ver. 9 The God of peace shall be with you. We would be loath to be without the God of peace, then let us be loath to have any peace but the peace of God. You all desire Peace, and so the adversary pretendeth; take heed you be not deluded with vain words; that which is your end in your thoughts, is their means to drive on their designs; and what good will such a peace do you? you will be no more secure than you are, nay your danger will be far greater. Lastly, It is Gods own gift to his people to lie down safely, Obser. this is a further blessing than to have the sword and bow broken. We may be delivered from our enemies, but the Lord may afrighten our consciences with visions in the night, he may terrify us a thousand ways, and take away our security, therefore he addeth this, I will break the bow & the sword, and then I will make thee lie down safely. This is a precious mercy, it is recumbere faciam, in fiducia dormire faciam fiducialiter, I will make them lie down in trust and confidence, that is, to go to bed without any fear of evil to befall us afore morning. We little think what a mercy this is, we have many nights lain down safely, and slept quietly, and have risen up comfortably, you have little thought of the giving God the glory of this mercy. Many of our brethren in divers Countries would prise such a mercy now, when they go to bed they are afraid of every little noise, and can scarce have a night's sleep, but are scared with Alarms. What would some of our brethren give for one nights rest in safety, that when they go to bed they might say, Well, I hope this night I shall have quiet rest, I shall not be troubled in my sleep. In many places they are fain to sleep in the day, and to watch in the night. It is true, here in the City you can go to bed & sleep quietly, The blessing of a quiet spirit in troublesome times & rise quietly, Oh think of those that want this mercy, and give God the glory of it while you have it. It is a mercy of God, a great privilege for the Lord to quiet our spirits in these dangerous times, in these trembling days, when every man's hands are upon his loins. Many who are free from their adversaries, yet through the timerousness of their spirits they cannot have one nights quiet, they turmoil themselves without own thoughts, Oh what will become of us hereafter? It may be the enemies will come, and we shall lose our lives, and all will be rent-from us, and this makes them that they cannot lie down safely, though danger be not yet near them, but when God is pleased to quiet the heart in the most troublesome times of all, that you can lie down securely, this is a choice mercy, it is a fruit of the Covenant. This mercy the Lord promiseth, Pro. 3. 23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, thy foot shall not stumble. Mark the 24 ver. When thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid, yea thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet, be not afraid of sudden fear, for the Lord shall be thy confidence etc. This made good to one in these days is a Text worth gold indeed. So Ps. 107. 3. So doth the Lord give his beloved rest; others they labour and toil, and they eat the bread of carefulness and are mightily perplexed, but so doth the Lord give his beloved rest, that is, the Lord takes away care and thought from his beloved, and gives them rest, so that they can lie down quietly as it were in his bosom. There is a false ●est and security of the wicked when they make a covenant with death and with hell, as Esay 28. 16. Ye have said, we have made a covenant with death & with hell, when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves. This text is as proper a text to our adversaries as any I know in the Scripture, they promise to themselves all security and safety they make a Covenant with hell & death, but how? they make lies their refuge, and under falsehood have they hid themselves. Here is a security, and it is by a covenant, with hell & death; but this Text holds forth a lying down safely by virtue of another Covenant, even the Covenant of God, therefore it follows, ver. 16. Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, aprocious corner stone, a sure foundation, he that believeth shall not make haste. It is an Observable Text concerning our times, there is a security upon that ground, the overflowing scourge will break down all, but saith God, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation, he that believeth shall not make haste, you may be secure, though your enemies do vaunt themselves and will boast in their own ways, they have made a covenant with hell & death, yet for you I lay in Zion a stone, a sure foundation, he that believeth shall not make haste. Although God doth not come with his deliverance for the present, yet you who believe, quiet yourselves, & lie down safely, and do not make haste. A horse saith the Scripture, Psal. 33. 17. is a vain thing for safety, they trust in the creature, ver. 18. but behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, they have a greater safety then if they had Troops of horses lie about them to defend them, and ver. 20. Our soul waiteth for the Lord, he is our help & our shield, so Pro. 21. 31. The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord. Let us the resore cry with the Psalmist, Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, then will we lie down in peace & sleep, for thou only makest us dwell in safety. Would you have quiet sleep in these troublesome times? make your peace with God, if there be peace within, than you may lie down safely notwithstanding all the rumours and tumults of war abroad, but if there be no peace in the heart, though you should live to see outward peace, your sins would dog you, they would pursue you, the terrors of the Almighty would be upon you, and you should not have one nights rest. But Lord what is all this except we may have communion with thyself, except we may have communion with JESUS CHRIST? This is the voice of a gracious heart, therefore follows that blessed promise as a further fruit of the Covenant that God would make with his people, saith the Lord, I will betrothe thee unto myself, I will be yours too, there shall be a most blessed union and conjugal communion between you and me, you shall enjoy me in all the sweetness and love that the wife enjoyeth the husband in, though you have most wretchedly departed from me, yet behold, I will betrothe you unto me in righteousness and in judgement, & in loving kindness, and in mercies. The Seventeenth Lecture. HOSEA 2. 19 20. And I will betrothe thee unto me for ever, yea, I will betrothe thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgement, & in loving kindness, & in mercies. I will even betrothe thee unto me in faithfulness, & thou shalt know the Lord. BUt how betrothe? (this phrase seems to be very strange) she had been the wife of God before, and was gone a whoring from him; though God should be reconciled to her, one would have thought it should rather have been, I will receive you again, No, but I will betrothe you. The reason of the phrase is, to note that God would receive her with that love as if she had been a pure virgin, and he would never upbraid her former departing from him: you have been an adulteress, bear your shame, but for my own Names sake I will be content to receive you again, No, but I will betrothe you unto me, you shall be as now taken to me, and your sins shall be no more remembered, they shall be as if they had never been committed. Obser. When God pardoneth sin he will remember it no more, the Lord will never charge upon sinners their former sins. And if God will not remember the sins of his people, of his repenting people, to charge them upon them, we should not remember them, to up brayed them for them; what ever they have been before, if now converted, it is too much boldness in any of us to upbraid them for any of their former sins. I remember Beza tells of himself, that the Papists upbraided him much for the sins of his youth, for his lascivious Poems he made before his conversion; but Beza answers them thus, Hi homines invident mihi graciam divinam, these men envy me the grace of God. I will betrothe thee unto me, Lect. 17 yea I will betrothe thee unto me, I will even betrothe thee unto me. The repenting Church might say, How is it possible that such an adulteress who hath been so vile, who hath been so impudent in her ways of forsaking the blessed God, her glorious husband, who hath so long continued in filthy whordoms, should yet expect to receive mercy? What, this mercy, to be betrothed to God, to be taken as if she were a chaste Spouse before him? Yes saith God, I will do it, and therefore it is repeated three times for the assurance of the humbled repenting Church that God will again betrothe himself unto her, and that with some Emphasis, I will betrothe, yea I will betrothe, even I will betrothe: there is betrething, and betrothing, and betrothing, and I, and I, and I, showing how much the heart of God is in this thing. As if God should have said, Though you think such a thing can never be, you see nothing but cause of doubting and discouragement in yourselves, but I will do it, yea I will do it, and it is thus repeated to note also the excellency of the mercy that is in it. It is an excellent mercy indeed that the Lord will take a people into so near a communion with himself, from this mercy floweth most glorious mercies, I will do this saith God, I need say no more, here is mercy enough to satisfy any soul living, I will do it, I will do it, I will do it. But will this mercy hold? will it hold? I have already apostatised from the Lord, I have still an apostatising heart, & am like to fall off from God again, and so may condition is like to be worse than ever yet it was; no saith God, I will betrothe you unto myself for ever, my heart shall be for ever towards you, and your heart shall be for ever towards me, there shall never be any breach of conjugal love and communion between you and I any more. But the Lord is a righteous God, he is a God of infinite justice, and I have most fearfully sinned against him, oh the hideous sins that I stand guilty of before him! how shall that infinite justice of God be satisfied for my sins? this is the care of a repenting heart, not only to obtain mercy for pardon, but how shall that justice of God be satisfied? Yes saith God, I will have a way for that too, though you have been very sinful, yet when I receive you to mercy, it shall be in such a way as I will be righteous, as well as gracious, I will do it in righteousness, it shall be no dishonour at all to my righteousness, that I take you again to myself. And I will put such a righteous frame into your hearts, that it shall be no scandal unto me before the Nations that I have betrothed such a one as you unto myself. But what reason can there possible be that God should do thus? how can it be imagined that ever the Lord should do such a thing as this? God hath ten thousand ways to honour himself, though we perish for ever, no people have ever provoked him as we have done saith this repenting Israel. Well saith GOD, though you know no reason why it should be done, yea indeed though there be no reason at all in yourselves, yet that which I will do, I will do it in judgement too, I know a reason why I will do it, it is not a rash thing that I shall do, I will do it in judgement, it is no other thing that now I promise you, but that I have exercised my wisdom about from all eternity, it is not only a work of my grace and mercy toward you, but it is a work of my wisdom too, and there will one day appear a glorious shine of wisdom in this my work of taking you unto myself again, I know what I do in it, yea and on your part though hitherto you have seen no such excellency in my wayesto cleave to them, but you have departed from them, and followed other lovers, yet I shall when I come in ways of mercy to you, convince you so of the vanity of all other things your hearts run after, and of that fullness of good there is in me to satisfy your souls for ever, that you shall see infinite reason to join yourselves unto me in an everlasting covenant. You though there were some more specious shows in ways of false worship, but when you shall be reconciled, you shall see there is infinite reason in those ways of worship your souls have heretofore rejected, you shall not only have your affections a little stirred, and have some heat for the present, but that change that shall be in you shall be out of judgement, I will betrothe you unto me in judgement, in judgement on my part. I will have reason for what I do, and in judgement on your part, you shall see reason for what you do, you shall see so much reason in coming in to me, that you shall admire at the former folly of your hearts, when you departed from me, and sought your comforts elsewhere. The workings of my heart shall be in judgement toward you, and the workings of your hearts shall be in judgement toward me. But take it at best that my heart doth indeed come in to God, yet I shall remain a poor, sinful, weak creature, there will hang upon me many infirmities that will be grievous to the Spirit of the holy and just God. Well saith God, I will betrothe you unto me in loving kindness. I will deal gently and favourably with you, I will not take advantage of your failings and infirmities, I will remember you are but flesh, I will have a tender respect to you. But it may be there will not only be some ordinary infirmities which may be grievous enough to the Spirit of God, but I may perhaps fall into grievous offences that will provoke the Spirit of God bitterly against me, and so I shall fall into as woeful, yea worse condition than before: No saith God, I will betrothe you unto me in mercy as well as in loving kindness, my bowels of mercy shall yearn toward you, not only to pass over lesser infirmities, but to swallow up greater iniquities. And accordingly I will work in you gracious dispositions of loving kindness towards me, you shall have a most sweet and ingenuous disposition of spirit, you shall do what you do for me out of principles of love, out of abundance of sweetness in all your ways, that perverse, surly, crooked, sour spirit of yours towards me shall be changed into a sweet, gentle, gracious frame. And this sweetness and loving kindness shall be in you toward one another, you shall have your hearts changed that were so rugged, and so harsh, and peevish toward one another afore, when I am once reconciled unto you, you shall be reconciled one to another. And you shall have bowels of mercy, as my bowels shall yearn towards you, so your bowels shall yern toward me, as it shall pity my soul to see you in misery, so it shall pity your soul to see me dishonoured, and you shall have bowels likewise one toward another, pitying one another, and helping, and relieving one another in the greatest straits, I will betrothe you unto me in loving kindness and in mercy. But there are many glorious promises that we find God made to his people, surely according to what we read in his word there are great things to be done for them, shall ever these promises be made good unto us? If we may have mercy, though we be never so low, if God's loving kindness be manifested unto ●s in a way of reconciliation, though we be but hired servants; if we may be Spouses, though we be kept hardly, it will be well with us: But saith God, there are glorious promises made to the Church, and I will fulfil them all unto you; though you have departed from me, and provoked me against you, yet upon your returning you shall be so received, as to have interest in all the precious, gracious, glorious promises I have made to the Church, I will make them all good to you, for I will betrothe myself unto you in faithfulness, as well as in mercy; look what ever I have said concerning my Church, that is yours to be made good to the uttermost, and there is nothing that can be for your good, that concerns me as a loving husband to do, but you shall be sure to have it: And as for you, howsoever your hearts have been hitherto unfaithful towards me in departing from me, yet now you shall have put into you a faithful spirit, there shall be faithfulfulnesse on your part as well as on mine, so as my heart shall confide in you, you shall not deal falsely with me as before; your hearts shall confide in me, that I will deal faithfully with you, and my heart shall confide in you, that you will deal faithfully with me, so that whatsoever befalls you, yet you shall be faithful to me, and faithful one to another, so as your hearts shall trust one in another. I will betrothe you unto me in faithfulness. And whereas it is but little that yet you have known of me, and this indeed hath been the cause of all your vile departings from me, because you have not known me the Lord, therefore you shall know the Lord; know him in another manner then ever yet you knew him; I will show my glory to you, I will open my very heart to you, the secret of the Lord shall be with you, you shall all know me, though your parts be but weak and mean, yet you shall be taught of God; perhaps you may be ignorant of other things, but you shall know the Lord. And as for outward blessings, you shall have your fill of them too, all the creatures shall be moved towards you to comfort you, to succour you; Let jezreelory to the corn, the corn shall cry to the earth, and the earth shall hear the corn, the earth shall cry to the heavens, the heavens shall hear the earth, and the heavens shall cry to me, and I will hear the heavens; There shall be in them, 1 a readiness to help, 2 a greediness to relieve you; yea 3 a concatenation of them all, 4 and I will join them for the good of jezreel. But yet we are a people scattered about the world, and most of us are consumed: but, I will sow her unto me in the earth; you were scattered, this is a judgement, but now it is turned to a mercy, your scattering is as seed, you shall fructify, & increase abundantly, & so be a blessing to the whole earth. But we have lain underthe curse of God a great while, and have seemed to be rejected; but saith God, I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy. Lastly, we are a proverb unto all the world (as you know the Jews are) we are a byword, a scorn, a reproach amongst all people, they say, God had rejected us, and so trample upon us: No saith God, I will not only betrothe you to myself, but it shall appear to all the world you are my people, I will say to you which were not my people, you are my people; though you be a people scorned and vilified in the world, yet I will own you, and it shall appear so, your low and miserable condition shall not hinder me from saying, you are my people: and as for you, whatsoever you shall meet withal in my ways, whatsoever you suffer for my worship, though it be scorned and despised in the world, yet you shall own it before the world, and you shall say, Thou art my God. Thus you have a short paraphrase upon this gracious expression of God to his reconciled people. You have here but a flash of this mercy of the Lord to his Saints. But when was all this fulfilled you will say? or is it to be fulfilled? to what times does this prophecy refer? Quest. There is in part the making good this prophecy, when ever a soul is brought into the embracing the Gospel; but the height of this shall be at the calling of the Jews, Answ. than not only the spiritual estate of particular converted souls shall be thus happy, but the Church state shall be thus, the visible Church shall be betrothed unto the Lord for ever. We cannot say so of any visible Church here, there is no visible Church but may fall off from the visibility of it, but when God shall bring in the jews, they shall never fall off from the visibility of their Church-communion. Revel. 21. 2. seemeth to have reference to this prophecy. And I John saw the holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband: And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. This hath almost the same words that we have here in this prophecy that is to be fulfilled in that glorious Church-estate, that shall be when God calls home to himself his own people: Mark there, God himself shall be with them; God is always with his people; but God himself, that is, a more especial, and immediate, and full presence of God shall be with them. But the words must have yet a more full search into them I will betrothe thee.] The Scripture makes much mention of Espousals and of marriage, to express the great mystery of the grace of God to his people. The holy Ghost seems to delight much in this Allegory: there is none more frequent in Scripture than it, which is a very great honour to a married condition: And such aught to be the lives of those that are in a married condition, as much as may be to resemble the blessedness of the condition of a people reconciled unto God, for in all similitudes there must be something in the thing to resemble that which it is brought for. Married people should so live, as all that behold the sweetness, the happiness of their lives, may be put in mind thereby of that sweetness & happiness there is in the Church's comunion with Jesus Christ. I appeal to you, are your lives thus? Now in a married condition there are these four things most remarkable. First, There is the nearest unino that can be, They two shall be made oneflesh; this is the power of God in an Ordinance, consider it, two that not perhaps a month before were strangers one to another, never saw the faces one of another, did not know that there were such in the world, if they come under this ordinance, though it be but a civil ordinance, The strong union in marriage. these two shall now be nearer one to another then the child that came out of the father's loins, or out of the bowels of the mother, the fruit of the womb shall not be so near now to thee, nor must it love thee so much as this party, that not long since it was a mere stranger unto. Whence cometh this but merely from the power of an Ordinance? One would think that the affection of a mother to the fruit of her own bowels should be more than it were possible for her to have to a stranger she had never seen before in her life; but it is not so, when a woman cometh under this Ordinance, she now cometh to have (according to that which is her duty) more affection to one that was ere while a stranger, then to the child that came forth of her own bowels, so a man then to one that came out of his own loins. Here is the power of God's Ordinance, though but civil. Now than if an Ordinance of God, though but civil, hath such an efficacy in it, what efficacy have divine Ordinances then? Certainly they have mighty efficacy upon the soul when they are administered in the way of God. So it is here, I will betrothe thee; as if God should say, thou wast not long since as a stranger unto me, one cast off, yea thou wast as an enemy unto me, but now all the creatures in heaven and in earth, the very Angels themselves shall not be more dear unto me, in a nearer communion than you. This is true of a wretched sinful creature that hath not only been as a stranger unto God, but an enemy unto him, he cometh now upon conversion and union with Christ, to be in a nearer conjunction and further communion with God than the very Angels in heaven are in some regard, for they are never said to be the Spouse of the Son of God so as the Saints are. This is the mighty power and love of God in uniting his Saints to his Son. Secondly, Conjugal communion the full. least There is in nothing in the world that full communication of one creature to another, as there is in that condition of marriage; so in our spiritual marriage with Christ, there is an inconceiveable communion of one to another ●●ally, God hath two ways of communication of himself, one is infinite, that is to his Son in that inconceivable mystery of the generation of the Son; he hath other ways of communication of himself after a finite manner; but of all the finite ways this is the greatest, his comunication of himself to his Saints in Christ; God hath no such comunication of himself to all the creatures, as he hath to his Saints in his Son. God in comparison communicateth little or nothing of himself to the frame of heaven & earth, so as he doth to any one of his Saints. So far as there wants communion in a married estate, so far there wants the blessing of it, it should be full: The communion of God to his Church is a full communion, his wisdom, power, riches are made over to the Saints, the merits, the righteousness of Christ are made all over to them. This is mutual, there is no such communication of any creature to another, as there is of the hearts of the Saints to God; one converted to God, le's out his heart into God in a fuller way than any creature can let out itself to another creature. Suppose all the creatures in the world should have their beauty and excellency put together in one, and present itself wholly unto thee to be an object of thy delight, yet it were not possible that thou shouldst communicate thyself so fully to it, as thy soul will communicate itself to God upon thy conversion. The soul gives up itself to God, as into an infinite ocean of goodness, so as it would not retain any thing of its own, as a drop of water into a tun of wine, it retains not its savour or colour that it had before, but it is as it were turned into wine. And hereby you may know whether your conversion be right yea or no, As that which is Christ's cometh to be thine, so that which is thine cometh again to be Christ's. My beloved is mine, and I am his, saith the Church. Hence it is that the honour that Christ the Husband hath, reflects upon the Saints; they shine with the brightness of his beams. Esay 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou becamest honourable. It was wont to be the custom among the Romans in their marriages, when the wife was brought home, she had this speech, The Saints partake of Christ's honour, and they are an honour unto Christ. Where you are Ca●us, I am Caja. How mean soever the woman was before, yet being married, she partakes of the honour of her husband. So the Saints, whatsoever they were before, they are now looked upon as honourable in the eyes of the Father, in the eyes of Christ, in the eyes of the holy Ghost, and in the eyes of the Angels and the rest of the Saints, who are able to discern their excellency. And so on the other side, (for still it is mutual) as the Church hath honour from the lustre of the beams of Christ's glory, so even the Church is a glory unto Christ. As the Scripture saith, The wife is the glory of the man. (which place heretofore you have had opened unto you) so the truth is, the Church is the glory of Christ. How is that? you will say: It is true, Christ is the glory of the Church, but that the Church who is a company of poor creatures should be the glory of Christ, how can that be? yes, it is so, Christ accounteth himself glorified before the Father, that he hath such a Spouse. Mark that place, 2 Cor. 8. 23. Whether you inquire of Titus, he is my partner, or of our brethren, the messengers of the Churches, the glory of Christ, Titus and the brethren are there called the glory of Christ. And Ephes. 1. 23. the Church is said to be the fullness of him that filleth all in all. Howsoever we are to be low in our own eyes, yet this is certain, that it is the glory of Christ before the Father and the blessed Angels, that he hath such a Spouse as he hath. Hence Rev. 21. 9 Come, Behold the Bride, the Lamb's wife: The very Angels rejoice in this, O come, behold the Bride, the Lamb's wife. Certainly had it not been for the glory of Christ, the Angels would not in such a triumphing way have called all to behold the Bride the Lamb's wife. They call to behold the glory of Christ in his Bride, Psalm, 45. the Church is described to be brought in to the King all glorious and beautiful, with ara●ment of needlework, etc. Christ rejoiceth, and his very heart even springs again to present his Church unto his Father, Father here behold my Spouse that I have married unto myself. It is true, a child may sometimes marry against his father's consent, such a one as he may be ashamed to think of bringing to his father's house, because she will be a disgrace to his father and his friends: But how mean and sinful soever we are in ourselves, when once we are betrothed unto Christ, he will not think it any dishonour, no not before his Father, that he hath such a Spouse, but he will account it his glory before him and the blessed Angels, that he hath betrothed her unto himself. Afflictions are mutual between Christ and his Church And again, this communion makes the Afflictions of Christ the Church's afflictions, and the afflictions of the Church the afflictions of Christ. There is a communion in evil things as well as in good. The very sins of the Church come to be charged upon Christ; as a woman that was in debt before marriage and so subject to arrests, if she be once married she is no more troubled with the Sergeants, none can arrest her, but all the debts are charged upon the man: so though we be in debt, owing a debt of punishment because we have not paid the debt of obedience, and while we are out of Christ, before this blessed marriage, we may fear every moment to have some sergeant of the Lord upon us to arrest us, to hale us to prison, there to lie until we have paid the uttermost farthing; but when the soul is married unto Christ, all debts, all sins are all transacted upon Christ, all charged upon him, if the law come now and require satisfaction, if justice comes you may send them unto your husband to answer all, and he will not take it ill. A husband perhaps may take it ill, and think he hath brought himself to misery, when arrests come upon him for his wife's debts, it may take off his heart from her, but Christ will never love you the worse for all your debts when they are charged upon him, he will willingly satisfy them, and he will rejoice in the satisfaction of them before his Father. And if there be any affliction befall you, Christ is afflicted with you. Esay 63. 9 In all their afflictions be was afflicted. So on the other side, all the afflictions of Christ are the afflictions of the Church; doth Christ suffer? you take it unto heart as if it were your own suffering. Christ takes your sufferings unto heart, as if 〈…〉 his own; 〈◊〉 And you take the sufferings of Christ unto heart as if they were your own. Thirdly, In a married condition there is a mutual entire love. That is, First, Entire love in a married condition in three things. loving the person more than what cometh from him. True conjugal love is pitched upon the persons mutually, rather than upon the estates, or any thing they enjoy by the person. So on Christ's part, his love is pitched upon the persons of the Saints, Christ loves your persons more than all your actions. It is true, all these gracious actions you do are lovely before Christ, for they ate the fruits of his spirit, but know, the pitch of Christ's love is upon your persons chiefly. So the pitch of your love, if it be a right conjugal love, is upon the person of Christ rather than upon any thing that comes from him; thou seest him altogether lovely in himself, besides those riches of pardon of sin and precious promises that thou enjoyest by him, his person is that which satisfies thy soul. Secondly, In prising the love each of other, true love can be satisfied witht nothing else but love, love vilifies every thing that is tendered, except it comes as a fruit of love, and if there be love, a little is highly prized, if it be but a cup of cold water, it is more than a kingdom without it, the giving the body to be burned is nothing without it. I will give you two Scriptures, one wherein the Saints prise God's love, the other wherein God prizes the Saints love, Psal. 36. 7. How excellent is thy loving kindness O God. Psal. 91. 14. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deli●er him, I will set him on high. Thirdly, This entire love is a love in all conditions. Christ loves his Church in their afflictions as entirely as he doth out of their afflictions. Deut. 32. 10. He found him in a desert land, and in the waist howling wilderness, he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. Mark, they were in the wilderness, in the waist howling wilderness, yet even there they were dear unto Christ, they were kept as the apple of his eye. The Church on the other side looks upon Christ in his afflictions as lovely still as ever, Cant. 1. 12. A bundle of myrrh is my well beloved unto me, he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts. Myrrh is a bitter thing, yet the Church professeth that Christ though bitter in his afflictions, should lie as lovely between her breasts as a bundle of myrrh. I remember Herodotus reports of one Artemesia, Queen of Halicarnaffus (and Pliny speaks something of her too) when her husband was dead, she took his ashes & drank it in wine out of respect to him though dead. The Church loveth a crucified Christ as well as a glorified Christ. A most notable example of the love of a Spouse to her husband we have in our English Chronicle, Elinor the wife of Edward the first, the King having got a wound by a poisoned dagger, she to show the entire love she bore to her husband, because she thought if the poison did stay a while in the wound there would be no cure, therefore with her own mouth she sucked out the poison that was in the wound, & so ventured the loss of her own life to preserve her husbands. Here was love in a Spouse to her husband. There is the like love of the Church unto Christ, if Christ be wounded with the poisonous tongues of ungodly men in reproaches and blasphemies, utinam dominus avertat adversarios ab ecclesia & in me omnia sua tela convertant, meo sanquine sitim suam expleant. Ambr. let him be never so persecuted in the world, they that are truly gracious are willing to suck in that very poison to themselves, so they may take it from him. Let the reproaches of Christ fall upon me, O let me suffer rather than Christ. It was Ambrose his wish, Oh that God would turn all the adversaries of the Church upon me, that they might turn all their weapons upon me, and satisfy their thirst with my blood, this is the disposition of a true spouse of Christ. The fourth is unspeakable delight; communion hath delight: the greatest communion, the greatest delight: the greatest delight that God hath is to communicate himself, to his Son firstly, and next in letting out himself to his Saints. If there be delight in God in letting out himself to the Saints, in reason one would think there must needs be delight in the Saints, in letting themselves out into God, in flowing into God. God takes such delight in letting out his mercy to his Saints, as that he was well pleased with the death of his own Son as a means conducing thereunto. One would think that the death of Christ should be the most abhorring to the heart of God of any thing in the world, Mutual delight between Christ and the Saints. yet the Scripture saith God was well pleased with it, Esay, 53. 10. Why was God pleased with it? Because the Lord saw this was the way for him to communicate himself in the fullness of his grace unto his Church, and therefore though it cost him so dear as the death of his own Son, yet he was well pleased with it. And as for Christ, he takes delight in letting out himself to his people, after he had suffered, the Text saith, he was satisfied when he saw of the travel of his soul. As if Christ had said, O let me have a Church to communicate myself unto, though I see it hath cost me my blood, it hath cost me all these fearful sufferings, yet I am satisfied, I think all is well bestowed, so I may have a people to partake of my love and mercy for ever. Cant. 4. 9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes. Then for the Saints, the delight they have in communicating themselves unto Christ is unutterable. Stay me with flaeggons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love, saith the Church, Cantic, 2. 5. Psal. 63. 5. My soul shall be satisfied with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips, when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate of thee in the night watches. Take this note, the more fully you lay out yourselves for Christ, the more comfort you shall have in your lives. Here is the great difference between hypocrites and others in the comfort of their lives. It is impossible that any hypocrite can have that comfort in his life as a gracious heart can have, upon this ground, because a hypocrite reserveth somewhat of himself for something else, there is not a full comunication of himself unto Christ, he always keeps somewhat back and thereby loseth his comfort: But a gracious heart fully letting out himself into Christ, from thence cometh the comfort, & sweetness that he hath in the ways of Christ above all hypocrites in the world. Perhaps you think that the only comfort you can have is by receiving some benefit, some mercy from God, you are much mistaken, the comfort of letting your hearts out to God, is a greater comfort than any comfort you have in receiving any thing from God. And now, Oh how happy are they unto whom Christ is thus espoused! How comfortably may you live being made sure to Christ? and how comfortably may you die? It is our work to seek to draw souls to Christ, to allure souls to be in love with him. Gen. 24. 35. You may see what course Abraham's servant took in drawing the love of Rebekah and her friends to his Master's son, he begins wi●h telling them that he is the servant of Abraham, and that the Lord had blessed his Master greatly, so that he was become great, and that the Lord had given him flocks, and herds, and silver, & gold, and that he had an only soon that was to be heir of all this. This is the work of Ministers, to tell people what riches of mercy there are in God, and that all the treasures of those infinite riches of the infinite God are in JESUS CHRIST and to be let out in him, this gains the heart. Yea it is not only the work of Ministers, but it should be work of every gracious heart thus to seek to draw souls to Christ, as Rev. 22. 17. not only the Angels there say Come, but the Bride saith Come, and let him that heareth say Come, and let him that is a thirst come, and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely. Were I not in such a way of explication as I am, surely we could not get off such a point as this; but that which I shall say for the present is only this. Know that it is not want of any worth in you that can hinder communion with Jesus Christ, do not reason in that manner. I am a poor wretched sinful creature, will ever Christ be married unto me? It is not thy sinfulness, it is not thy base condition that can hinder thee; Christ never joins himself to any because they are worthy, but he joins himself to them that they may be worthy, he makes them to be worthy in joining himself unto them. The woman is not married unto the King, because she is a Queen, but the King marrieth her, to make her a Queen. And further know, if your hearts be not taken with Christ to join with him in his holy marriage, if he be not your husband to enjoy conjugal communion with you, he will be your judge to condemn you. But besides this betrothing between Christ & a soul, there is a betrothing between Christ & a visible Church, especially the Church of the Jews when they shall be called. God shall appear in his glory when this marriage shall be between Christ and the Jewish Church, the King will then be in his Robes, if a man of estate have a son to marry, Christmar rying himself to the Church of the jews. and intends to solemnize the marriage according to his estate, if he have any better clothes than other, he puts them on that day; so at the calling of the Jews, the King of heaven will be in his robes; God will appear in a most glorious manner to the world than ehe did since the creation. Yea and you know the Bridegroom too will be very fine upon the marriage day; so Jesus Christ will then appear, (whether personally or otherwise we say not) but certainly he will gloriously appear at that day. Tit. 2. 15. We look for the glorious appearance of the great God, and our Saviour jes●s Christ. And 2 Thes. 1. 10. Christ shall come so as to be admired in all them that believe; the Church likewise shall then be arrayed in her fine clothes, she shall be then clothed in white clean, and fine linen, as it is Rev. 19 8. all in the righteousness of Christ, the great doctrine of justification by Christ shall be made out full and clear. Yea and the creatures, her servants, shall put on the best raiment, as in a great marriage the servants in the house have new clothes, at that day there will be a change in all the creatures, and another kind of face in the world then now there is. Then will be the marriage supper, and happy shall those be that shall then be found worthy to enter into the bedchamber; let us now love Christ, let us now cleave to him, let us now suffer for him; we may perhaps be some of those, who beside our eternal enjoyment of christ in heaven, may enjoy him in this marriage upon the earth. But we must leave this argument, we spoke something of it in the end of the first chapter. And I will betrothe thee unto me for ever. [For ever.] This adds to the mercy to make it glorious, this [for ever] makes a misery though never so little, an infinite misery, and a mercy, an infinite mercy. This betrothing for ever, shall be fulfilled in a visible church communion to the Jews, and in the spiritual communion of Christ with the soul for the present. Of the visible form first. Isa. 60. 15. I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. I think this is not only meant concerning the spiritual happiness of the Saints, but that God hath a time to make his visible church to be an eternal excellency, and a joy of many generations, an excellency that shall never have an end. And this their perpetual condition, their enduring happiness shall arise from three grounds. First, from the precious foundation that shall be laid upon that Church when it shall be. The grounds of the enduring happiness of the Church. Isa. 54. 8. With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord; but mark the ground, vers. 11. Behold I lay the foundation with Saphires; all the rubbish shall be taken away, it shall not be raised upon a rubbish foundation. God will lay the foundations of it with Saphires, and then with everlasting mercy he will embrace that Church. Secondly, that Church shall be in a peaceable condition, no rent, no division there, therefore in a perpetual condition. Esay 33. 20. A Tabernacle that shall not be taken down, not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed: Why? the very words before show the reason, Jerusalem shall be a quiet habitation. Thirdly, this Church shall look wholly at Christ as their Judge, and their Lawgiver, and their King. Isa. 33. 22. The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King. Churches are ready to change, while they mix other things with the worship of Christ, and the laws of men with his laws; but when they can look to him, I mean in that which is spiritual, as their Lawgiver, as their Judge, and as their King, than the happiness of it shall be perpetual never to cease in this world, the Lord Christ will betrothe this Church unto him for ever. Though I verily think the holy Ghost aimeth at this in great part, yet we are to understand this betrothing for ever, further of the spiritual communion the soul hath with Christ. When Christ betrothes himself unto a soul, it is for ever; the conjugal love of Christ with a gracious soul shall never be broken: At the first, man's condition was such, as man laid hold upon God, and let go his hold; but now God lays hold upon man, and he will never let go his. The bond of union in a believer runs through Jesus Christ, it is fastened upon God, and the spirit of God holds the other end of it, and so it can never be broken; This union is in the Father who hath laid a sure foundation, 2 Tim. 2. 19 Rom. 9 11. In the Son who loves his to the end, john 13. 1. In the Spirit, who abides in the elect for ever, John 14. 16, 17. Esay 54. 10. The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. My loving kindness shall be more stable with thee, and endure longer than the mountains themselves. It is as sure as the ordinances of heaven. Jer. 31. 35, 36. Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the Sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the Moon and of the Stars for a light by night, if those ordinances dopart from before me, than the seed of Israel shall cease, etc. And Jer. 33. 20, 21. Thus saith the Lord, if you can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, that there should not be day and night in their season, then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant. You have these three expressions of the abiding of God's love to his people. 1. The continuance of the mountains. 2. The continuance of the ordinances of heaven and earth. 3. God's covenant with night and day. Here is the bottom of consolation to the Saints, They shall be kept by the power of God, 1 Pet. 1. 5. As if God should say, the special power that I mean to put forth in this world, shall be to uphold the spirits of my Saints, to bring them to salvation, certainly it is so. The special work that God hath in this world to exercise his power about, is to keep Christ and the Saints together. Though it be through God's power that the heavens and the earth be kept up, yet if God must withdraw his power from one, he would rather withdraw it from upholding heaven and earth, then from upholding one gracious soul that hath union with his Son. The union that is between Christ and his people, it is too near an union ever to be broken. Sicut impossibile est fermentom mixum a pasta separari, quia immutabit pastae naturam, it a impossibile Christianus rapi aChristo, quia est in eyes Christus fermentum, it a incorporatus, ut unum sit corpus, una massa. Luth. I remember Luther hath a notable expression about this: As it is impossible for the leaven that is in the dough to be separated from the dough, after it is once mixed, for it turneth the nature of the dough into itself; so it is impossible, saith he, for the Saints ever to be separated from Christ: For Christ is in the Saints as nearly as the leaven in the very dough, so incorporated as that Christ and they are as it were one lump. Christ who came to save that which was lost, will never lose that which he hath saved. Heb. 7. 16. it is said that Christ was made a Priest not after the law of a carnal commandment: That is, he was not made a Priest as the Priests in the law, after a ceremonial way, but after the power of a indissoluble life: Coeli virture, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a celestial virtue, so Calvin upon the place. The argument why Christ's life is indissoluble, rather than the Priests in the law, is because they were made by the power of a carnal commandment, not by a Celestial power. So those who profess godliness according to a carnal commandment in a ceremonial way, may fail, vanish, and come to nothing in their way of worship as many have done; but such as are professors of Religion by the virtue of God's Spirit in them, they have the power of a life indissoluble. There are two soul-staying and soul-satisfying grounds to assure of Christ's betrothing himself for ever. First, when any soul is taken in to Christ, it hath not only all the sins that it hath committed heretofore pardoned, Two soul-staying and soul-satisfying grounds for perseverance. but there is a pardon laid in for all sin that is to come. There is forgiveness with thee, Psal. 130. 4. There lies pardon with God before hand for all that is to come, as well as for that which is past. There is no condemnation unto them which are in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8. 1. That is, there is no instant of time after they are once in Christ Jesus wherein it can be said they are under the sentence of condemnation. Now were it not that there were a pardon laid beforehand for all sin that is to come, there might upon commission of a new sin be said at that time, that now they are under condemnation; for if the least sin be not pardoned, there is condemnation: but this cannot be. I do not say the sin is pardoned before it is commited, for that is a harsh & improper speech: for when we speak of pardoning sin, we speak of a work applied to the creature, not of that which is in God: a pardon is laid up to be applied by God when ever the sin is committed, so that there shall be no instant of time wherein the sinner is unpardoned, & so under condemnation. Then surely he can never fall off from Christ; for what doth endanger the falling off from Christ, but commission of sin? Christ hath as well merited at the hand of God pardon for any sin that is to come, as he hath merited pardon for sin past; do not say this opens a gap to licentiousness, than we need not care; No, the grace of Christ hath no such malignity in it, in saying thus thou speakest against thy life. The second soul-staying argument for perseverance is, that perseverance is a spiritual mercy purchased by Christ as well as any grace, Ephes. 1. 3. Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Jesus Christ. Now you will say, Faith is a blessing, and Humility is a blessing, and Joy is a blessing we have in Christ, why is not Perseverance a blessing, a spiritual blessing too? Christ hath as truly and as really laid down his blood to purchase the perseverance, as to purchase thy pardon, as to purchase any thing he hath purchased for thee. That which Christ hath laid down his blood to purchase, surely must be had, the purchase of Christ's blood shall not be frustrate. Is there any thing thou hast by virtue that purchase? Thou mayest be as sure of perseverance, for Chrst hath laid down his blood to purchase that also. Christian then satisfy thy soul in this, God gives the comforts in this world, but he gives them not for ever, but when he betrotheth thee unto his Son he betrotheth thee for ever. Perhaps the Lord in mercy hath made thy life here in this thy pilgrimage very comfortable in giving thee a comfortable meet yoke-fellow, in this thy betrothing thou art happy, but this happiness is not for ever, thou canst look upon thy yoke-fellow as a mercy of God unto thee, that makes thy pilgrimage sweet, but there must be a dissolution between thee and her; but thy union with thy Husband Christ is for ever, there shall never be dissolution of that. Perhaps some of you have lost comfortable yoke-fellowes, death hath come and snapped asunder the union between you, and you complain never woman lost such a husband, never man lost such a wife as I have, if you be godly you have a husband that you shall never lose, it is he that will fill up relations, he saith, Thy maker is thy husband, Esay, 54. 5. And further, this is mutual, I will betrothe thee unto me for ever, & I will give thee a heart that thou shalt cleave unto me for ever. This will afford unto us another useful meditation, viz. When the Lord chooseth any soul to himself, as he setteth his own heart for ever upon that soul, so he gives unto that soul a principle of grace to cleave unto him for ever too; to give up himself unto him in an everlasting covenant, Psal. 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes always; Is not that enough? No, he must have another word to express the thing, always, even to the end. David's heart was much taken with the statutes of God, O Lord through thy mercy my heart is inclined to keep thy statutes, yea and it is so always, yea and it shall be unto the end. It is a kind of pleonasme, or rather the expression of the fullness of his heart, in his resolutions never to depart from God. But what are those riches Christ bestoweth upon his people whom he betrotheth to himself? the bracelets, and ornaments he putteth upon their necks and upon their hands are these. I will betrothe thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgement, & in loving kindness, and in mercies, I will ever betrothe thee unto me in faithfulness, and thou shalt know the Lord. There is much of the Gospel in this. In righteousness.] This according to some is understood, as opposed to dissimulation, Sine fuco, without any dissembling, in this he assures his people that they shall find his dealings with them altogether right and equal, and so I expect from you, and will cause it in you, that in your dealings towards me, you be right and equal, there shall be nothing feigned betwixt us, all shall be plain, right, and just. You know there is often a great deal of dissimulation in marriages, great proffers, and promises, and overtures of what one should enjoy in the other, and when they meet not with what they expect, it causes great dissension between them, and makes their lives exceeding uncomfortable; But now saith God, there shall be no dissimulation betwixt you and me, I will deal with you in the plainness of my heart, and you shall deal with me in the plainness of your hearts. So the word [righteousness] is taken in Scripture, Isa. 48. 1. They make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth nor in righteousness, one expounds the other, I will receive you again though you have departed from me, in the very integrity of my soul, do not fear me, do not suspect me, do not think though he make a show of love unto me, and of great favour, yet he intendeth to cast me off at last: These are the jealous thoughts of many troubled consciences. Indeed I hear of mercy, and God is working toward me as if he intended mercy to me, but I am afraid he will cast me off in the conclusion; No saith God, do not fear, do not suspect me, this mercy I offer is bona fide, it is in the very truth of my heart, therefore let there not be such suspicious thoughts betwixt you and me, you may be sure that what is fit and right for you to have from such a husband as I am, that doth belong to such a Spouse as I profess to take you to be, you shall certainly have it, you need not be afraid, for you shall have plain and upright dealing with me. This I take to be one part though not all of the meaning of the holy Ghost here, I will betrothe thee unto me in righteousness, that love I profess to you I do not do it to mock you saith God, but I do it in truth. From whence the notes which are very useful may be, First, Obser. guilty hearts are full of suspicions of Gods real meaning in all his expressions of love and mercy. They judge God by themselves. As they first slight sin, because they judge of God by themselves, they see not such a dreadful evil in sin, they think God sees it not: so after they have sinned, they judge of God's mercy by their own, they think thus; if any had offended us so as we have offended God, though we might say we would be reconciled to him, yet we could not bring our hearts fully to come off to it, something would remain in our hearts, they therefore think so of God, they suspect God that he doth not mean really in his expressions of love and mercy to them. But take heed of this, do not judge of God by yourselves, though you have a base and cruel heart, and cannot be reconciled to those that provoke you; it is not therefore so with God. There are these two evils in sin, first in the nature of it there is a departing from God; secondly, it causeth jealousies and suspicions of God, and so hinders the soul from coming unto God again. Secondly, Obser. God is very careful to prevent all these suspicions in the hearts of his people. God desires that you should have good thoughts of him, and this is that we plead with you for, and do often open the riches of God's grace to this end that you may have good thoughts of God, and to take off your jealousies and suspicions of him, as if there were no real intention in all the proffers of mercy he makes to you; do not think that all those riches of God's grace are mere words, they are certain intentions of God's heart towards you. I will betrothe thee unto me in righteousness. And for your parts, I will give you a heart, you shall return to me bona fide, you shall do it in the plainness of your hearts. There was a time indeed, as Psal. 78. 34, 35, 36. God complained of his people that they sought him and returned unto him, nevertheless they did flatter with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongues, there was no reality in their returning unto him, they made great promises, that whatsoever God should say unto them they would do it, but there was no reality in it, yea but saith God, there shall come a time that you shall have righteous hearts, and that which you promise to me you shall promise really, there shall not be that falseness in your hearts, those shows and overtures that were heretofore, but you shall return to me with all your hearts in righteousness. God hath made ado at first with us to make us believe that he is in good earnest with us in his proffers o● mercy; Obser. and much ado there is before our hearts can be gotten to work towards God in good earnest. Further note, this is one reason why God doth betrothe for ever, because he doth it in the plainness of his heart; and this is also a good reason why the Saints continue for ever, because what they do to God is in the plainness of their hearts. Those who return to God in an hypocritical way, will fall off, but they that return in uprightenesse will hold constant with him, Prov. 8. 18. it is said of Wisdom, that with her are durable riches and righteousness, they are put together; where there is true righteousness in the heart, there is durable riches. But yet there is another thing in this betrothing in righteousness, and that I think hath more in it then the former. God will be so reconciled to his Church, as yet he will manifest himself to be a righteous God. In the works of the riches of his grace he will manifest the glory of his justice too; I will do it in righteousness, though indeed the Lord intendeth to glorify rich grace, yet so as he will declare his righteousness to men and Angels, that in this very work of his he shall be acknowledged by them unto all eternity to be a righteous God; GOD will make such a way for this his love and goodness as that he will have satisfaction to his justice in it. That place, Rom. 3. 25, 26. is remarkable for our purpose; Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood; How? To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins. Mark it, it is not that he had set forth Christ to be a propitiation, to declare his mercy in the forgiveness of sins; you will say, What is there in the forgiveness of sins but only the mercy of God? Yes, there is somewhat else, there is righteousness too, and the Lord doth declare his righteousness in the forgiveness of sins, and therefore it is that he hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation, that he might declare his righteousness. If the Lord should have said but thus, Well, you are great and grievous sinners, I will be content freely to forgive you all your sins, this would have declared God's mercy, but not his righteousness: but now when the Lord hath set forth Christ as a propitiation, and forgiveth sins through the blood of his Son, in this God declareth as much righteousness as grace. This text Luther had a great deal of do to understand, and he prayed much before he could get the right meaning of it; yea it is repeated again, To declare, I say, his righteousness, that he might be just, & the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus; not that he might be merciful in justifying him that believeth in Jesus, but that he might be just in justifying him that believeth in Jesus. And this is the great mystery of the Gospel, this is that which the Angels pry into, the Saints and Angels shall admire & bless God to all eternity, for the reconciling riches of mercy, and infinite justice both in one. This was that which set the infinite wisdom of God on work from all eternity, how to find a way to save sinners, and to be infinitely righteous notwithstanding. If all the Angels in heaven, and all the men in the world had been put to it, to find out a way to answer this question, How shall sin be pardoned, the sinner reconciled unto God, and God glorify his justice? they could never have done it, but God in his infinite wisdom hath found out a way to do it. This cost God dear, it cost him the heart blood of his own Son, and that was a sign that God's heart was much in it, and indeed we are not Christians until in some measure we see, and have our hearts taken with the glory of God in this mystery. We must look at righteousness in our reconciliation, as well as to loving kindness and mercy. When God is reconciled unto a sinner, there is not only his mercy glorified, but in that way that God hath found out to save a sinner, he hath the glory of his justice as much, yea more than if the sinner were eternally damned in hell. How is that you will say? I make that good three ways. First, when God appointed a surety, his Son, and charged his debt upon him, to satisfy his justice, in that God would not spare this Son of his the least farthing token, I mean, not the least degree of punishment, he would not remit any thing to his Son, the Lord did hereby show a stronger intense love unto justice, then if he had damned ten thousand thousand creatures Suppose a malefactor comes before a Judge, the Judge will not spare the malefactor, but requireth satisfaction to the law, this shows that the Judge loves justice: but if the judges own son be a delinquent, and it appears before all the Country that the judge will not spare him, but he must satisfy the law to the uttermost, you will say the judge doth honour unto justice more in this, then in condemning many other malefactors. So when the Lord shall cast many thousands into hell, there to be tormented for ever, this showeth that God loveth justice; but when his own Son shall take our sins upon him, but by imputation, & God will not spare him (that is the very word of the Scripture, He spared not his own Sonn, saith the Text) this declareth God's love to righteousness, more than if all the world had been damned. Secondly, suppose the sinner that is reconciled had been damned, than the justice of God had been but in satisfying, and never had fully been satisfied; but in that way that God hath found out to save a sinner, his justice is not only satisfying, but it comes to be fully satisfied, to have enough. Now it is a greater honour to justice to be fully satisfied, then to be in satisfying. As for instance, suppose a man be a Creditor to one who owes him five thousand pounds, this man is poor, and the utmost he can pay is but six pence, or twelve pence a week; suppose the Creditor should lay him in the Jail until he had paid all, this man would be paying, but would never be paid so long as the Debtor liveth; but if another rich man should come and lay down five thousand pound at once, the man is presently satisfied. Here is the difference between Gods satisfying his justice upon sinners, and upon Jesus Christ; God cometh upon the sinner, he requireth the debt of punishment, because he did not pay the debt of obedience, God cast him into prison, the uttermost he can pay is but twelve pence a week as it were, that is but a little, and thereforefore he must be still paying and paying eternally, which is the very ground of their eternal punishment in hell, because they cannot pay enough in any finite time: Now cometh Christ, and he fully pays the debt, so that justice saith it hath enough, it is satisfied, this is the greater glory to the justice of God. Thirdly, If the sinner had been sent down to hell, God had had the glory of his justice passively upon him, he should be for ever under the power and stroke of justice, but in the mean time the sinner would have hated God for his justice, and hated justice; but when justice is honoured actively, the sinner falleth down and acknowledgeth himself guilty, putteth himself under the stroke of God's justice, and accepteth of the punishment of his iniquity; now God is delighted more abundantly in this active way of glorifying his justice, then if the sinner should have been eternally in hell to have satisfied. And now Devils and all wicked men must needs have their mouths st●pped for ever, they cannot cry out of God becanse he will marry himself to such sinners, this is mercy, but where is his righteousness? where is the glory of his justice? here is an answer to them all, though the Lord setteth his love upon vile sinners, yet so as he doth it in righteousness. And this is a great encouragement to come in and believe, as thus, if the sinner be terrified with the apprehension of his sin, I see by them the wrath of God is incensed, and infinite justice comes upon me, and I hear that crying for satisfaction; this bids the sinner know likewise, that God hath a way to satisfy infinite justice, and yet to save thy soul, he will marry thee unto himself, and yet he will do it in righteousness. And this is a mighty help unto a sinner against all failings afterward, a mighty establishment against a thousand objections the sinner may make against himself. Thus we must seek to God when we seek for reconciliation, to be received again when we have departed from him, whatsoever GOD doth for us, he must do it in the way of righteousness as well as in the way of mercy. Take this with you sinners, if ever you have a pardon sealed unto you, it must be sealed in the Court of justice as well as in the Court of mercy; therefore thou needest not appeal from the Court of justice to the Mercy-seat, for in that way of the mystery of godliness that there is in God reconciling himself unto a sinner, there may be as much comfort in standing before the bar of justice as at the Mercy-seat, that is, by standing there, in and through Christ, for he hath made justice propitious to us, and now it pleadeth to mercy for us. And indeed this is the very work of Faith, to go unto God this way, when by Faith the sinner shall tender up unto God the Father the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST for an atonement and satisfaction for sins; It brings the comfort of justification this way. When you come to God in any other way but this, it is but in a natural way, not in a true evangelical way; A man by nature may know thus much, that when he hath sinned he must seek unto God for mercy, to pardon his sin, or else he is miserable; but to seek unto God for pardon with a price in our hand, to tender up the merits of Christ for a satisfaction to Divine justice, here is the mystery of faith; faith is not only to rely upon God's mercy for pardon, but this, I see riches of grace in Christ, and Christ my surety hath made an atonement, hath laid down a price, now by faith I tender up this unto God the Father, and by this way I believe my soul shall be accepted in him. What a mighty engagement is this for us to be righteous with God? the Lord betrotheth us unto himself in righteousness, & we should give up ourselves to him in righteousness too. O my brethren, take this away with you, what ever you forget; If the Lord hath thus engaged himself unto us in a way of righteousness, and if it hath cost him so dear to show himself righteous unto us; what an infinite engagement is this unto us to be righteous before him, ●lasphemiam inge it religioni quam colit, qui quod confitetur no● ante omnes impleverit. Cyper. de sing. Cler. to glorify God's righteousness in our conversations: I will do it in righteousness, and you shall have such a righteous heart, as you shall never be a dishonour unto me before the people, neither devils nor wicked men shall ever be able to upbraid me, that I set my love upon such creatures as you, because whatsoever you were, you shall be now righteous. When ever we express ourselves to be the Spouse of Christ, and be unrighteous in our conversations, we upbraid Jesus Christ, we are a dishonour unto him before Men and Angels; what you the Spouse of Christ, where is this ornament, this bracelet of righteousness then? whosoever Christ marrieth, he putteth upon them this Jewel of righteousness. He blasphems Religion which he seems to honour, says Cyprian; who makes not good in his life what he professes. The Eighteenth Lecture. Lect. 18 HOSEA 2. 19 — And in judgement, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. IN Judgement] Some Interpreters we find make this and righteousness to be all one, according to that Psal. 33. 6. He loveth righteousness and judgement, and so pass it over, but we must not do so, for we shall find much of God's mind in this. Others take judgement, as divers times it is taken in Scripture for sanctification, so they would make this promise suitable to that of Christ, John 16. 10. 11. I will send the Comforter, and he shall convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement; that righteousness there, is the same with that here; judgement there by many Interpreters is understood of sanctification; because the Prince of this world is judged, the power of Satan is already broken, he is already cast out of your hearts. And they think to strengthen that by that place in Mat. 12. 20. He will not quench the smoking flax, nor break the bruised reed, till he send forth judgement unto victory, that is, until he perfect the work of sanctification, that it shall overcome corruption. This text in Matthew is quoted out of Esay, 42. 3. but there we have the words somewhat different, there it is, He shall bring forth judgement unto truth. Now if that should be the meaning, that by judgement is meant sanctification, than we may learn an excellent note from the comparing these two Texts together; that it is all one to bring judgement, sanctification unto truth, and to bring it unto victory, when it is in truth it will certainly be in victory. But we shall a little more examine this interpretation of Judgement presently; for my part I do not think that it is meant either in this Text, or in any of the Texts named. Thirdly, I find others make this [in judgement] to be God's judgement against the adversaries of the Church. I will betrothe thee unto me in righteousness; I will deal with you in a way of righteousness, and for your adversaries, I will deal with them in a way of judgement, you shall have judgement against them. Secunda gemma marital is annuli. Luther. Vt judicium excerceat in hosts verbi jam multes annos ho agit Satan ut per impi●s magistratus ecclesia opprimatur & doctrina per prophanos doctores depravetur, sed videt Germania Deum indicentem Luth. in loc. So I find Luther carries it, and he saith that judgement here is the second pearl of the Husband's ring he gives to his Spouse, God promiseth to exercise judgement & vengeance against the adversaries of the Church, and so he applieth it unto those times wherein he lived in Germany; saith he, for these many years wicked Magistrates have oppressed the Church, and profane Doctors have corrupted the doctrine of it, but Germany hath seen God judging his adversaries. And if we should understand it in this sense, we have a suitable place, Esay 54. 5. where God telleth his Church, that He that is her maker is her husband, even the Lord of hosts, and her Redeemer the God of the whole earth; the word there is Vindex, the avenger, he that will avenge thee of thine enemies, is the God of the whole earth, he is thy husband. This might afford a sweet meditation, that the Lord will defend his Church from the rage of adversaries, as the husband will defend his Spouse being betrothed unto her; the Lord certainly will take a valuable consideration at the hands of the adversaries who wrong his Church. But this I think not to be the scope of the place, Another is [In Judgement] Though things be now out of order, all things seem to be in confusion, yet the time is coming when all things shall be ordered in the Church according to equity and right. These two I think are meant in the former Texts, I will convince the world of judgement, that is, the world shall be convinced that Christ hath all judgement committed unto him, and he shows it in this, that the Prince of this world is judged; so that place before in Matthew, I will cause judgement to return unto victory, that is, though the adversaries of the Church be many, yet he will cause them all to be vanquished, judgement shall conquer over them all; though there be much opposition and confusion in the Church, yet I will bring all things in the Church to be ordered & composed in a right way according unto equity. That place likewise Esay 4. 4. where the Lord saith, he will purge his Church by the spirit of judgement and by the spirit of burning. I know some carry it as if it were meant of the spirit of sanctification, that is as fire to consume lusts, but rather thus, whereas there were such as did oppress the Church by false judgement, the Lord would cleanse the Church from wrong and oppression by giving a spirit of judgement unto those that should be the Officers of it, and consuming the adversaries. But yet I think we have not the full scope of this place. I rather would pitch upon this as that which is more principally intended, though the other may be in some degree included, viz. I will betrothe thee unto me in judgement, that is, there shall be a good reason for what I do, that which I will now do in betrothing thee unto myself shall not be out of rashness, it shall not be done unadvisedly, but with understanding, with good deliberation, I know what I do in it, and I know what glory I shall have by it, I will do it in judgement. So I find the word judgement taken in scripture, Jer. 4. 2. Thou shalt swear in truth, in judgement, and in righteousness. In judgement, that is, when you swear, know it is a worship of God, and you must do it in judgement, you must not only swear in truth, that is; swear to that which is true, and in righteousness, that is, not to the wrong or prejudice of your neighbour, for you may sin in swearing though you swear in truth if you have an intent to wrong any; but thirdly you must swear in judgement too, you must understand what you do, that is, when you take an oath you must know that it is not as the Ex Officio was, to swear to answer to every thing that shall be asked you, but you must understand beforehand what you are to swear to, and so swear out of judgement; So saith God, I will betrothe thee unto me in judgement, that is, I have considered what I am to do in this thing, and I do it out of judgement. And for your parts when you shall come and close with me, in this blessed conjugal union and communion you shall do it out of jndgement too; I will betrothe you in judgement so as to make it appear before the world that I had good reason so to do, and you shall likewise close with me as you shall be able to justify it before men and Angels, that you had reason for what you did, that it was out of judgement. There is nothing wherein there is more need of judgement then in marriages & contracts; therefore the heathens were wont to set Mercury, there god of wisdom, by Venus, their goddess of marriage, to note that there was need of judgement there, yet there is nothing usually in the world undertaken with less judgement, with more rashness and inconsideratness than contracts and maryages, which is the reason of the trouble of their lives ever after. The match between Christ and his Spouse is in rash things, it is out of judgement. But though there be many contracts between men and women that are not out of judgement, yet saith God I will betrothe you out of judgement. Christ's match with his Church is a match of judgement, Christ considereth of our meanness before he marryeth with us, he knoweth us fully what we are, he knows our sinfulness, our wretchedness, he knows, we are in debt before he marrieth us, and whatsoever else we can think might be any hindrance, he knows as perfectly as ever he shall know it, & yet he goes on. Yea the match between Christ and his Church is that which hath been plotting in Heaven from all eternity, it is not a sudden, rash match, it hath been plotting between the Father and the Son from everlasting. God the Father giveth consent to this match, God the Holy Ghost is sent to draw the hearts of his people to come in and consent to this match, it is a match out of the deepest judgement that ever thing was done. Though it be true that God can see no reason in us why we should be thus united to his Son, yet he can see abundance of reason in himself; therefore the conversion and salvation of a soul, is not only out of God's mercy, but it is from God's wisdom too, Hence the Scripture attributes our predestination and our calling, unto his wisdom as well as unto the freeness of his grace, as Ephe. 1. 11. Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Mark, it is not only because God will. I will have mercy because I will have mercy, I will choose such, and I will refuse such, I will do it; no, but it is after the Cou●sell of his will. We indeed are set upon our wills many times to do a thing & there is no reason for it, there is no counsel of our will; but God even in this thing that we can see no reason for at all, he works according to the counsel of his will; and Ephe. 3. 10. the Apostle having said before, verse, 8. that he was to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, he saith, he was to preach it to the intent that now might be made known the manifold wisdom of God. In all things in the Gospel there is a great deal of wisdom; Vocation is one of the mysteries of the Gospel, and 1 Cor. 1. 24. the Gospel is said to be the power of God and the wisdom of God; the Apostle there instances in one thing, which one would think hath as little reason in it as any thing in the Gospel, that is, the leaving of the rich, wise and noble, the great ones of the world, and calling the poor; but herein is not only the power, but the wisdom of God, God doth even this in judgement. And although we can now understand little or nothing of any reason that there can be of Gods choosing us unto himself; yet this will be made known at the great day of judgement. It will be a great part of the glory of that day for the Lord to make known the counsel of his will; we now know his will, but we shall then know the counsel of his will, and praise him to all eternity for it; this shall be the glory of the Saints, that they shall see into the counsel● of God's will in choosing and calling them, and letting others go. God's betrothing himself thus to his people in judgement, is an especial reason of the perpetuity of this betrothing. I will betrothe thee unto me for ever; Why? First, it is in righteousness, therefore it will hold. Secondly, it is in judgement, therefore it will hold too. Things that are done rashly will seldom hold, but though we are set upon them for the present, we quickly undo them afterward, but that which is done in judgement holds; the calling of a sinner, and uniting him unto Christ, is done in judgement, therefore it will hold, that is the ground of the perseverance of a sinner; If a man before marriage knoweth perfectly all the faults his wife hath, or ever shall have, and knows perfectly her estate & all the encumbrances he shall have with her, The Saints choose Christ out of judgement. yet loveth her out of judgement, surely this love will hold: It is so between Christ and his Church; Christ before he betrotheth his Church, perfectly knows all the faults the Church hath, or shall have, all the sins that ever she shall commit, and all the encumbrances & dishonour she shall have, yet out of judgement he betrothes her to himself, therefore surely this will hold. Comfort yourselves with this Christians, though there be many failings after your coming to Christ, Christ knew them all before you were united to him, yet out of judgement he betrothed himself unto you. There must also be judgement on our parts; I will put into you a judicious heart, to choose me out of judgement. The Saints who choose Christ, know what they do. They shall be all taught of God; every one therefore that hath heard, and learned of the Father, cometh unto me; None cometh unto me, Christas' est novitas semper renovanda. but such as are taught of God, who hear & learn of the Father, they come to me out of judgement; I know whom I have loved, saith Paul, and so may every Christian say. They do not come to embrace Christ and his ways out of novelty, because they are new things, ●o not any truth of Christ, out of mere novelty as many do, and so vanish to nothing; though it is true, there is always some new excellency in Christ, I mean newly revealed; Christ hath always something that is further revealed more than we knew before, and delightful I he is in that regard, if we love novelty: It is not a sufficient plea against any truth, because it is now revealed, and was not known before; 2 Pet. 1. 12. Be established in the present truth: though truths be from the beginning yet there are present truths in regard of manifestation: But the Saints must not therefore receive them, merely because they are new to them, neither must any reject them, because they are but now cleared, whereas before they lay in the dark; but all out of judgement, we must examine them, when any truth is presented, though it seems new, because you heard not of it before, reject it not upon that, neither embrace it upon that, but try it, and when you are convinced, then out of judgement embrace it. Neither must the Saints follow God, or any way of truth, merely from the example of others, but out of their own judgements. Perhaps you see such and such, of whom you have a reverend esteem, and that justly do thus and thus; I confess, that is enough to put you upon examining, to bethink yourselves, surely there is something in it, or else it is not like they would do it, but that must not be the only reason, but if upon examination you find it to be good, then embrace it out of judgement, never rest until you come to that that the men of Samaria said to the woman, Now we believe that this is the Messiah, not because of thy sayings, because you told us so, but we have heard him ourselves, and we know that he is indeed the Saviour of the world. At the first they came to Christ upon her relation, but they did not believe in Christ, but upon seeing and hearing Christ themselves. You may come to examine the ways, the truths of God upon the relation and example of others, but you must not engage your hearts in them until you see the reality of them yourselves. Thirdly, you must embrace Christ and his ways out of judgement, not out of sudden flashes of affection; suddeu flashes go out as soon as they come. You have a notable example for this, Luke 14. 15. Happy are they that may eat bread in the Kingdom of God: O this is blessed doctrine indeed. But by that which follows we may find that they were such as presently went to their Farms and to their Oxen, and prized them before Christ, & refused to come to the supper. Sudden flashes there were in thsoe that cried Hosanna, Hosanna, but presently they cried, Crucify him, crucify him. Josh. 24. 19 the people seemed to be moved with sudden affections, they would serve the Lord, yea that they would, but they considered not what they said, You cannot serve the Lord, saith Joshua to them. So Deut. Sudden flashes of affections soon vanish. 5. 27. All that the Lord our God hath said unto us, that will we do, but presently, saith God, Oh that there were such a heart in this people to do it! The truth is, they know not what they say, they have sudden affections, but they will quickly vanish. We must choose Christ out of judgement. Again, Not choose him out of mistakes, we must understand who he is. we must sit down and cast with ourselves aforehand what we are like to suffer in his ways. Compare for this Cant. 5. 9 with the beginning of Chap. 6. What is the●● loved, say they, more than another beloved? Let us know what thy beloved is: Then the Church falls a commending her beloved, and in the beginning of Chap. 6. Whither is thy beloved gone? whither is thy beloved turned a side? that we may seek him with thee, that he may be our beloved too. Nor out of byends, but out of a right knowledge of the excellencies of Christ, having our judgements overcome that way. We must not choose any truth or ways of God, because the times favour that way; we have now a company of Parliament converts, who were formerly Prelatical and ceremonial; they see how the times sway, this is not out of judgement. Every Christian should be a judicious Christian. Those adorn Religion, they are an honour to Christ. As the more deliberation and judgement there is in sin, the worse it is; so the more deliberation, the more judgement there is in godliness, the better it is. When a soul chooseth Christ and his ways upon this, Oh I see a beauty in the Lord Jesus that I never see afore, I see him to be the character, and the engraven form of the image of the Father, in him dwells all treasures, the very Godhead dwells in him bodily, he is the most precious among ten thousand, the ways of God are holy and righteous. Here is the rule of eternal life, here lies the happiness of the rational creature, these are the ways that my soul closeth with, and shall cleave to for ever, whatsoever I suffer in them, for I see the excellency, the beauty, the equity, the glory of them, the Lord is worthy of all honour from all his creatures. This is a choice will hold. The world thinks the Saints are giddy headed people, why? because they cannot see any reason for what they do; they cannot see bottom enough in reason of such forwardness, and strictness, and zeal as there is in them; they think they do in calescere in re frigida, that they are very hot about a very poor, sorry, cold business, and therefore they count their ways folly; that any man will do, when he seeth another do a thing that he understands not the reason of, he will either suspect his own judgement, or otherwise think the man foolish; now wicked men are too proud to suspect their own judgements, to think their own reason folly, therefore they count the ways of God foolishness. They look upon God's ways at a distance, therefore they think there is no reason for them. It is reported of that notable Convert Marcus Galeasius, that he was converted by a sermon of Peter Martyrs, coming to hear him he expressed the excellencies of God's ways, and the mistakes of the world in this similitude, the men of the world (saith he) mistake God's ways, as if a man see a company of Musicians that were playing and dancing according to the most exactest rules of art, if he see them at a distance, he sees them skippiug and leaping up and down as a company of mad men, and wonders what they mean; but when he comes nearer and hears the melodious sound, and observes how all their motions are directed according to rules of art, than he begins to change his thoughts; so the men of the world look upon the ways of God, and upon the Saints at a distance, and 〈◊〉 think the motions of God's people and their ways are madness, but when they come nearer, and observe the exactness of the rule they walk by, and the wisdom of God that appears in them, they change their judgements, and begin then to think, surely there is something in them more than they thought. This similitude God blessed, so as it was the means to convert that Noble man, and made him leave all his possessions in Italy, and come to Geneva, where he became such a pattern of self-deny all, as scarce any age ever had the like, God working by such a thing upon his heart. When you come near God's ways and see them indeed, you will see infinite reason in them, and charge yourselves o● infinite folly that you should have such low thoughts of them as you have had. This is the reason why the Saints hold on in their ways. This judgement is as the ballast of the ship; many hurry on in a kind of profession of Religion, and the truth is, they know not what they do, nor what they profess, if there be any new opinion, I mean not only in regard of new manifestation, but in regard of the thing itself, presently they follow it that they may be counted some body, and seem to go beyond other men, they are as a ship that moveth a mighty pace, all the sails are up, and winds blow fairly, but there is no ballast, so the ship topples up and down, but never comes to the end of the voyage. Lu. 8. 6. when the seed was sown in the stony ground, it sprung up presently, but because there wanted moisture at the root, it withered away. This judgement is as moisture at the root, that is the reason that Mat. 13. 21. we read of the stony ground, that notwithstanding it received the word with joy, yet when persecution arose because of the word, by and by they were offended, they were mightily taken with the ways of God, with the great things of the Gospel at first, but not having judgement as soon as suffering came, by and by they were offended. If times should change again, & the adversaries should prevail (which God forbid) we shall soon have experience enough of abundance of professors who have chosen the ways of God not out of judgement by and by they will be offended. Thirdly, I will betrothe thee unto me in loving kindness. Though Christ takes us to himself, and will not cast us off, yet he may see such failings and frailties in us, as we may be grievous and burdensome unto his spirit, we shall enjoy but little sweetness in our comunion together through the wretchedness of our hearts. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No saith Christ, I will betrothe you unto me in loving kindness, my heart and ways toward you shall be full of gentleness and sweetness, and I will put such a frame likewise into your hearts both toward me and toward one another, you shall have hearts full of sweetness and gentleness. The Scripture speaks much of the loving kindness of God to his people in Christ, Eph. 2. 7. The exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. Tit. 3. 4. After the kindness & love of God our Saviour toward man appeared. You have these Epithets given unto God's kindness; great kindness. Neh. 9 17. Marvellous kindness. Psal. 31. 21. Merciful kindness, 〈◊〉 19 2. Everlasting kindness, Isa. 54. 8. Excellent ●ving kindness, Ps. 〈…〉 Multitude of loving kindness, Isa. 63. 7. Thus full is is the Scripture of the loving kindness of God towards us in Christ. To open it a little, The kindness of God unto us in Christ, consisteth. First, In the freeness of God's goodness: kindness in a friend is seen much in this, Wherein God's kindness to us in Christ appears. when he doth a thing merely out of his good nature freely, when he doth a kindness so as he doth not burden it, he doth not upbraid his friend with what he hath done; as he expects little before, he will not be mercenary, so when he hath done he doth not upbraid him with it, he expects not such great matters in lieu and recompense of what he hath done, as shall make his kindness worth nothing, but leaves it to his friend to answer him in a way of kindness again as he thinks fit. Thus it is in all Gods dealings with us, he looks not for much at our hands before, but that he doth is out of his free grace, he doth not upbraid us, he giveth liberally and upbraideth no man, jam. 1. 5 he doth not burden his kindness towards us. But doth not God burden his kindness? he requireth that we should give up ourselves unto him, and serve him, and suffer for him, for his kindness; I answer, there is nothing God requireth in lieu of all his kindness to us, but it is another kindness in God to enable us to do it, and a further kindness in him to accept it at our hands when we have done it, therefore his kindness is free. The Heathens were wont to paint their Gratiae, their goddesses of kindness naked, upon this ground, because all works of kindness should be free, not clogged, not burdened, The blessing of the Lord maketh rich, Pro. 10. 22. and he addeth no sorrow with it. The kindnesses of this world are ordinarily clogged, scarce worth the having; the kindness of God not so, it is free. Again, kindness consists much in this, in our tenderness over those we show kindness to. The kindness of God in Christ is much this way, in tendering our weakness and dealing with us in all his ways accordingly, Esay, 57 16. I will not contend for ever, why? lest the spirit which I have made should fail before me. He considereth our weakness. Psal. 103. 13. The Lord knoweth our frame, and heremembreth we are but dust, Isa. 40. 11. Christ gathers the Lambs with his arm, and carrieth them in his bosom, and gently leadeth those that are with young. Esay, 63. 9 In his clememcie (so the word is) he redeemed them, and he bore them, and carried them always, continually. Kindness makes one long-suffering, he bore them always and continually. It is kindness for the Man to consider all the weaknesses of the wife, and to deal with her in a loving way accordingly, tendering her good; this is the kindness of Christ to his Church, Thirdly, kindness is passing by all infirmities, not taking advantages against his people because of them. Christ takes notice of all the good that is in his people though it be never so little, but that which is a weakness he will pass it by; The Lord is not strict to mark what we do amiss, but the Lord is strict to mark what we do well, if there be never so little good in an action that hath an hundred weaknesses in it, Christ will mark what good there is in it, and pass by all the weaknesses. 〈◊〉 commended by Pecer for calling her husband Lord, in that speech of hers there was nothing but sin saving that word, and the holy Ghost takes notice of that one word and le's go all the other. If thou aymest at serving Christ, and canst appeal to him that thy heart istowards him, to honour him as he requireth, I say though there be an hundred weaknessesin an action, if there be but one thing good, all thy weaknesses are passed by, that one good thing is taken notice of. Again, kindness is in a loving, sweet, amiable carriage toward one another in our converse one with another. Oh the sweet, amiable carriage that is in Christ toward his people! and that Christ expects likewise from them to him again. If you read the book of the Canticles you shall find what sweet, amiable expressions there are between Christ and his Church, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what rebounding as it were there is of love and kindness one to another, Thy love is better than wine, saith the Church unto Christ; and, thy love is better than wine, saith Christ unto his Church, This aught to be between man & wife, this is kindness, 1 Cor. 13. 4. Love is there said to be kind, there is no morosity in love, but all a sweetness. Fiftly, kindness is in easiness to be entreated, Jam. 3. 17. Peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated. Thus in Christ, he is easy to be entreated by his Church, and the Church should easily be entreated, and indeed is: when the hearts of the Saints are right, there is an ingenuity in them, they are soon moved to any service Christ calleth for. Lastly, kindness is compassionate, sensible of all sufferings, so Christ and his Saints mutually. Such loving kindness as this should be in all maryage-communion; where there is this loving kindness there is a sweet conjugal communion indeed, and so far as any of this is wanting, so far the blessing of a marriage estate is wanting; one reason amongst others, why God makes so much use of this Allegory of marriage, to express so great a mystery of godliness, as the union between Christ and his Church, is to teach those that are married to live so together, as they may express all that excellency of communion that is between Christ and his Saints. Now I put it to you who are in a married condition, is there this loving-kindnes in you, as may hold forth the loving kindness that is between Christ and his Spouse? so far as you want in your endeavours after this, so far there is an evil; when you go home take this lesson with you, labour to walk so in that way of loving kindness one to another, as that you may express how the loving kindness of Christ is unto your souls. Kindness between man and wife. There are many frailties in the man, in the wife, but not so many frailties as there are in you in reference to Christ, Christ beareth with more frailties in you then you can bear with in your wife; Christ is not morose to you, he is not a bitter husband to you. I have read of Monicha, Augustine's Mother, who lived near a Heathen, and she had a very ill husband, of a very cross and perverse disposition; this Heathen comes to her one time, and asked her, how cometh it to pass that you and your husband live so well together as you do? We know your husband is of a very cross and perverse disposition, yet we see nothing but there is a great deal of sweetness and love between you; it is not so with us, we cannot do so for our lives: Monicha gives her this answer, It may be, saith she, when your husband is untoward & perverse, you are perverse again, and you give cross answers; but Christian Religion teacheth me otherwise, when my husband cometh home and is in passion, Christian Religion teacheth me to be as loving, and dutiful, & amiable to him as I can, and so I have gained the heart of my husband. It were a happy thing if all women would take this home with them, and learn this of Monicha Augustine's Mother, And so on the other side, the man in reference to his wife, this loving kindness is between Christ & his Spouse, let it appear between man & wise who profess their interest in Christ. And this loving kindness of Christ, Oh how should it draw our hearts unto him! What more prevalent means to draw then loving kindness? Mark that Scripture to show the power of loving kidndnes, 2 Chron. 10. 7. If thou be kind unto this people, they will be thy servants for ever, say those ancient Counsellors of Rehoboam, who gave him wise counsel. If this be the way to draw the heart, surely Christ must need have our hearts, he is not a bloody husband, but a kind husband to us, let us then be his servants for ever. It were a good lesson for all Governors to consider of, that it is kindness that draws the hearts of people, they rule not over beasts, but men, therefore if they would rule over them with comfort and safety to themselves, they should rule with kindness. Hence Cant. 4. 10. it is said, that the Chariot of Solomon was paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem, it is an expression of Solomon's gentleness toward the people of Jerusalem. I have read of Alexander Severus, when his Mother and his wife would put him upon harsh ways, & objected to him his mildness & yeildablenesse to his subjects, saying, you have made your power more contemptible by your kindness & yielding so much to your people; his answer was, At securiorem, but more secure and lasting. Certainly, it would be so if Magistrates had not the evil council of young Gallants; if they would follow the counsel of the ancient Counsellors, to be kind to the people, they would be their servants for ever, their peace and safety would be more than now it is. Christ expects loving kindness from you unto himself, & loloving kindness likewise one unto another. First. Christ expects you should be full of loving kindness unto him. O blessed Redeemer, what is that we should do, that we should be kind to the! The very phrase seems to be too low for Christ, that Christ should look for our kindness. Yes, Christ looks for our kindness, and he prizeth it dear, nothing in the world is prized by Christ more than your kindness; as a kind husband prizeth nothing in the world more in his wife then kindness. But how kind to Christ? Thus, kindness to 〈◊〉 you are kind to him first, when you cleave to him, when he standeth in most need of you, 2 Sam. 16. 17. saith 〈…〉 Hoshi, is this thy kindness to thy friend? that is, what is thy friend in danger, and hath now need of thee, and dost thou now come from him? Is this thy kindness to thy friend? thou shouldst now be with thy friend in time of his danger and need, and that is kindness. So I say, there are some times wherein Christ standeth in more need of us then at other, in suffering times, in times wherein his cause hath many enemies, and our help is called for, if we should now forsake him in times of suffering, may not Christ, nay may not the holy Angels and Saints say, Is this your kindness to your friend? To come to Christ when you have need of him is not so much kindness, but to come to him when he hath need of you, this is kindness. Secondly, It is kindness when we serve Christ in the midst of difficulties. You have a notable place for this, Jer. 2. 2. I remember the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou goest after me in the wilderness. To be willing to follow Christ in the wilderness, that is kindness. Christ doth not account it kindness for us to serve him when we may prosper in his service, when serving of Christ may stand with our own ends, when we may keep our shops, our lands and possessions, when there is no difficulty at all in his service, what great kindness is this? but when for love to the Ordinances, & the truths of Christ, you are willing to follow Christ even in the wilderness, this is kindness & Christ will account it so; however some men have thought that they have shown great kindness unto Christ, in that they have stayed & born the brunt; but how have they born it? by yielding to superstitious vanities, & being ceremonial and Prelatical; it will be found that those who have been willing to follow Christ in the wilderness, our of love to him, his truth and ordinances, that Christ will remember that for kindness. Thirdly, For young people to give up their young years to Christ, that is kindness, by way of allusion at least we may make use of that Scripture, I remember the kindness of thy youth; when thy bones are full of marrow, and when the world seeks to draw thy heart after the vanities of it, when thou mayest have thy delights and pleasures in the flesh to the full; if then thou be'st willing to deny all, and to give up thyself to Christ, this is loving kindness; one that is old may possibly come to heaven upon repentance, but what kindness is that for him, who hath nigh worn out all his days and strength in ways of sin, in the pleasures of the flesh, and now when he is going out of the world, and can have no more pleasure in his sin, he comes to Christ for mercy; what kindness is here? here is self-love indeed, but little kindness. Secondly, The loving kindness of the Saints one toward another. loving kindness one to another, I will bet roth thee unto me in loving kindness; I will put such a spirit into you of loving kindness unto your brethren, as I have towards you; The word that is here used for loving kindness, you shall find it often in Scripture used for Saints; those who are called godly, and Saints in your books, in the Hebrew are called kind ones, it may be as well translated kind ones; as thus, Psal. 4. 3. Know ye that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: It is a most admirable text, as if he should say, there are multitudes in the world, and all the world is mine, but I look upon all the world, as refuse in comparison of some few, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only here is a godly man, a godly woman, I set them, apart, they are for myself; but the note I observe is, That that word which in your books is godly, in the Hebrew is the kind one, the Lord hath set apart those that are kind, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are of sweet, gentle, kind dispositions. And Psal. 16, 10. Not suffer thy holy one to see corruption, the Hebrew is, not suffer thy kind one to see corruption, it comes from the same root with that that here is translated loving kindness. So Psal. 149. 1. Sing his praise in the congregation of the Saints, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the kind ones; and the same word again is verse 5. Let the Saints be so full in glory; the Saints, that is, the kind ones; noting what an ingredient loving kindness is to Saint-ship, unto godliness; therefore it is not enough for Christians to be godly, but they must be kind one unto another too. 2 Pet. 1. 3. And to godliness add brotherly kindness: You think you are godly, but you are of a rugged rough-hewen disposition, surly, cruel, rigid, severe, froward, perverse, know here is the exhortation unto you this day from God, if you will approve yourselves to be godly, Add to your godliness brotherly kindness, except you add that, you can have little comfort in your godliness. It is impossible indeed for one that hath the power of godliness, and hath the true comfort and sweetness of it, to be of a rugged and rigid disposition; the reason is, because there is that infinite satisfaction as I may so say, that such a heart hath in God, that there is nothing that can come from without that can make such a heart bitter, there is so much sweetness in that satisfaction that it hath in God, as the Scripture saith, A good man is satisfied from himself; that it is not all the bitterness from without that can sour such a heart. It is true indeed if you have a vessel of honey, a little gall will make all that bitter, but if you have a vessel of gall, a little honey will not make that sweet: But in grace it is thus, though there be a great deal of bitterness in a man or woman's nature, though they be of rugged natures, yet a drop of true saving grace will sweeten all that gall; and if they be once gracious, a great deal of gall & bitterness that cometh from without will not embitter that sweetness. I beseech you take notice of this one note, when God hath left men they grow more passionate and froward than they were before; And I verily believe this is one ground of the frowardness, and passionateness that is in professors, they have made breaches between God and their souls, their peace between God and them is broken, and nothing then can give them content. As usually it is when a man hath been abroad and others have angered him, when his inward comfort and joy is gone, than every thing angreth him, he is pleased with nothing, his countenance is lowering, and he is unto ward to every one, and why? because he hath lost the sweetness of his own spirit, and now nothing from without can content him, all seems bitter unto him; but let this man go abroad and things fall out well, it may be he gets a good bargain, hears of excellent good news; that his goods are come home safely, he can now bear a hundred times as much as before, and you can scarce anger him, why? because his heart is filled with sweetness. So it is here, let a Christian walk close with God, keep his peace with him, he will have so much sweetness in his heart that it is not easy to put him into any passion of forwardness, why? he hath enough within, perhaps his friend, his wife, his neighbour is cross, but his Christ is loving; though there be little comfort in my marriage with one who is so peevish & perverse, yet in my marriage with Christ there is satisfaction enough. But when the heart hath made breaches between Christ and itself, when it hath lost the sweetness in that marriage communion, no marvel if there be no sweetness in the other marriage communion. I will give you a notable example of this, a man who before his breach with God was of a sweet disposition, was very mild and loving, but after he was of a perverse, and cruel, & froward disposition. The example is Saul; When he was first chosen King, how humble was he? he acknowledges himself to be of the least of the tribes of Israel, and the least in his father's house, and when some raised npon him and said, shall this man reign over us? the text saith, he held his peace; and when others would have had them killed, no, by no means they must not be slain, because God had shown him mercy in a late victory given him. But after Saul had fallen from God, O the rugged, perverse, cruel disposition of his spirit then, even to Jonathan his son, a gracious, loving, sweet natured son, than Thou son of the perverse, rebellious woman, he cast a jave lin at him to kill him, than the fourscore & five Priests in the City of Nob must be all slain in his anger; What was the bottom of all this? It was the breach between God and his own spirit. Oh take heed of breaches between God and you, for they will put you into a perverse and froward disposition. What doth a man get by the want of this kindness and loving disposition. He troubleth himself, Pro. 11. 17. He that is cruel, of a sharsh disposition, troubleth his own flesh. I appeal to you, do you not lose much of the sweetness of your lives, you that are in a married condition? What comfort have you in your lives when there is nothing but snarling at, and crossing one another? you trouble your own house, and your own flesh; whereas if there were loving kindness betwixt you, it would sweeten all your comforts, yea all your crosses. The loving kindness of a man or a woman is the beauty of a man or woman. Pro 19 2. The kindness of a man, is the desire of a man, saith the text there; And of a woman, Pro. 31. 29. among other high commendations of a virtuous woman who had done excellently, this is one, The law of kindness is in her tongue, kindness giveth a law to her mouth, many women have no law given to their mouths, their tongues are lawless when they are angered, but a woman that is commended of God, the Text saith, the law of kindness is in her tongue, the kindness of her heart doth give a law to her mouth, & that is the honour of a woman. To be of a sweet, kind disposition is an exceeding beauty, it adds a glorious lustre to any man living. Isa. 40. 6. All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field, the word is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word that is here, that word which signifieth kindness is translated there goodliness, noting that kindness is the goodliness of the spirit of a man or woman; what the beauty of a flower is to a flower, that is kindness to a man or woman, it is goodliness. Just in Martyr in his Apology for the Christians faith, that their adversaries did hate only the name of a Christian, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Iust. mar. they had nothing against the Christians, and what is there saith he in the name? Nothing but that which is good and lovely enough, now saith he, it is not just to hate that which is profitable & gentle, for so the word signifieth, they are Christians, what if you call them Christiani, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mild, profitable? for to they are indeed, they are profitable, gentle, sweet natured people, and why should you hate those people? 2 Cor. 6. 6. Being filled with the holy Ghost, and kindness, are put together, there is much of the holy Ghost where there is much kindness. The spirit of Christ is a spirit of kindness and gentleness, and though you may think that your rigidness and roughness may argue braveness of spirit in you (for it is ordinary for froward and passionate people to think they have more brave spirits than others) but know that your spirits are more base and vile than the spirits of others. I will give you only one Text for that, Psal. 45. 4. it is said of Christ, In thy majesty ride prosperously, because of truth and meekness; now the same word that is here translated meekness, 2 Sam. 22. 26. is gentleness; thy gentleness hath made me great; Mark, gentleness, magnificence or majesty may stand together, yea Christ is magnificent and full of majesty in the gentleness, and quietness of his spirit, ride on in thy majesty prosperously because of thy meekness, because of thy gentleness. Would you have a brave spirit like unto the spirit of Christ in his glory? let your spirits be gentle, sweet, and loving spirits. I will betrothe thee unto me in mercies. Loving kindness and mercies may seem in the reading as if they were the same, but there is a great deal of difference in them. And in mercies.] Viscera, Non fructus tantum, sed radicem, non aquam sed fontem. so the word is, I will betrothe thee unto myself in bowels. Not the fruit only, but the root; not the water only, but the fountain; thou shalt have the fountain of all good, my very bowels, from whence flows all mercies. Wherefore Christians you need not fear the want of the supply of mercies, why? because you have the fountain of mercies from whence they spring. God may grant to wicked men many fruits of his bounty and goodness; yea but they have not his bowels, they have not the fountain, the root from whence all springs. Here is the happiness of a Christian, not only to have much good from God, The reason why the Saints can so easily give up any comfort they have. but to have those very bowels from whence that good cometh. Here lies the dignity, the glory of a Christian, the vastness of his riches. Christians, you shall not therefore need fear to give up any mercy God calls for at your hands, for you have got the bowels of mercy to be yours, you have got the springhead of all mercy to be yours, whence you may fetch all seasonable, all suitable mercies when you will. Here is the reason why many who are carnal, when they have got a mercy from God, they keep it so sure, they are afraid to lose it, they are loath to part with it, though God calleth for it again. Why? because they are not acquainted with the true privilege of a Christian, they do not know what it is to possess the bowels of God, they know not where to go for more, therefore they are loath to part with what they have. Now the Saints can part with any thing for God, let him take what he will have, let him strip me as naked as he pleaseth, I have the bowels of God, I have the springhead to go to for all mercies again. It is true, if there were want of water, and you had only water in a cistern, if your neighbour came to borrow of you, you would be loath to lend any; but if you have a wellspring, and a fountain that never was dry, and never will be drawn dry, is it a great matter for you to lend water then? So, it is true, the men of the world are needy creatures, they have something indeed, but it is as water in a cistern, when that is gone, they think that all is gone, therefore they will not lend it, no not unto God himself when he calls for it. But the Saints have the bowels of mercy, the springhead of all mercy, therefore whatsoever God calls for, they presently say, Lord here take all, I know where to have it again, and much more than that. This makes godly men so ingenuous for God, and so free hearted to him and to his servants. I will berroth thee unto me in mercies. The bowels of God's mercies searched into. A little to search into these mercies: It is an argument that hath much depth in it. First, they are a depth swallowing up the greatest evil of sin or affliction. If you should pour a pail of water upon the planchers in your chamber, it seems a great deal of water, like a little sea; but take a pail of water, and pour it into the deep Ocean, and it is there swallowed up, and appears nothing. Our afflictions that are upon us, and our sins, in themselves appear great, but when they come to be swallowed up in these bowels, in these depths of God's mercies, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. in which he betrotheth himself unto us, they are as nothing in comparison. Therefore the Scripture hath such strange expressions of the wonderfulness of God's mercies to his people in Christ. The Scripture hath three notable words to express the fullness of God's mercies in Christ. The first is Ephes. 2. 7. the abundant riches of his grace, the riches that are cast in, over and above. The second word is in Rom. 5. 20. The grace of God hath been more than exceeding, there is a second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And a third is, 1 Tim. 1. 14. The grace of God was exceeding abundant, it had a pleonasme asore, yea but here is a super-pleonasme. Here are three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put upon God's mercy, to note the riches of the glory, and depth of the mercy of God in Christ. Secondly, consider these mercies in the effects. They set on work all that is in God for the good of his people. If there be any thing that God's wisdom, or power, that all that blessedness that is in GOD can do, for the bowels of mercy yearn toward thee, and they will set all on work for thy good if thou be'st in Christ. Yea further, know that it is such mercy as it is the great design, yea the greatest design that ever God had from all eternity to honour this his mercy, to set out the infinite glory and the riches of this his mercy in Christ. Certainly God had great designs in doing such great things as he hath done, but above all the designs that ever God had in all his works, that is the chief, to glorify the riches of his mercy in Christ. They are indeed bowels of mercy, when they are such as in the glory of which God attaineth his great design in making the world, he would never have made the world, had it not been for that. Fourthly, They are the heartblood mercies of JESUS CHRIST, they are such mercies as are worth all the blood of Christ, and his blood was certainly most precious blood, when Christ sees any converted and brought home to him, to be made a subject of God's mercy, he thinks his blood well bestowed. The text saith, he shall see his seed, and his soul shall be satisfied. I have enough for all the blood I shed. Indeed I came from my Father, and was made a servant, a curse, I suffered the wrath of my Father, my blood was shed, but if this be the fruit of it, that such and such a soul shall have this mercy, I have enough for all my blood, I am glad that ever I shed it. Yea God the Father is well pleased with it, he thinks the blood of Christ but a valuable price to purchase such mercies as these. Purcicum imperium quantum quantum est mica est quam pater families canibus p●eciicit. Luther. As for all the glory of the world God can give that unto men that he hates, to reprobates, as Luther saith of the whole Turkish Empire, it is but a crumb of bread that the Master of the house throws to his dogs; but when it cometh to his mercies in Christ, they are such as are worth the blood of his Son, that must go to be the price for the purchasing of them. 6. They are such mercies as God bestows on purpose that he may declare to all eternity before Angels and all his Saints, what God is able to do for a creature, to what a height of excellency and glory these infinite mercies are able to raise a poor creature unto. These must needs be great. Yea they are such as must be the object for Angels and Saints to admire at, 7. adore and magnify the name of God for, everlastingly. What shall I say more in naming any fruits of these mercies? Such mercies as whereas before sin made thee to be the object of God's hatred, it makes thee now to be an object of his pity, God takes the rise from thy sin to show his mercy. Take heed of abusing it, it is children's bread, that which I now speak, let us not sin that grace may abound, God forbid; seeing thy sin cannot overcome God's goodness, let God's goodness overcome thy sin; Only let us learn to admire at these riches of mercy in Christ, and let us exercise much faith about them. Certainly we should thrive in godliness much more if we did exercise faith in the bowels of God in Christ. Those kind of fruits, as your Apricocks and your May-cherries, that grow up by a wall in the open sunshine, and have the hot reflection of the sun, come to be sooner ripe & have more sweetness than those that grow in shady places; your grass you know that is shaded by the trees, in Orchards, is sour; So that fruit that Christians bring forth under discouragements and despairing thoughts, is very sour; some things they do conscience hales them to duties, but alas it is sour fruit; though it be better to do what conscience requires then not, for we must not go against conscience, but to do it merely because conscience hales to it, it is but sour grass. But when a Christian can by Faith set himself before the Sunshine of these mercies of God in Christ, and continually live in the midst of the lustre of the grace of God in Christ, he groweth ripe sooner, and his fruit is sweeter. You may know whether it be the Sun of righteousness or no that you are set in, Doth your fruit grow ripe? and is it sweet fruit? Those who talk of mercy and of Christ, who have the name of Christ in their mouths, but is their fruit sour, does nothing come from them but crabbed fruit? these men are not in the Sun, they are blind, they cannot see the Sun, they are but in a light of their own fancy, and in a heat of their own making. Ephes. 3. 18. 19 The Apostle prays for the Ephesians, that they may be able to comprehend, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, & height of the riches of God in Christ: Mark, the Philosophers tells us but of three dimensions, but here are four; but what is the fruit of this? And that you may know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God; Here is the effect of it, when we come to know the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of God's love, and have that knowledge by the Spirit of God that passeth all natural knowledge, than we come to be filled with all the fullness of God. Here now is a glorious Christian, a Christian filled with all the fullness of God. Would you be so? Learn then to exercise faith much about the infinite riches of the mercy of God in Christ, this will fill you with all the fullness of God, you complain of barrenness and emptiness in your hearts and lives, it is because you exercise so little Faith in these mercies of God in Christ. God betrotheth his Church unto himself in mercies, in bowels. Let us learn to plead these mercies before the Lord, to plead them when we are in any straight, to plead with God for bowels, Esay, 63. 15. Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holi esse and thy glory, where is thy zeal, and thy strength, the sounding of the bowels, and of thy mercies towards us? are they restrained? Lord, hast thou not said that thou wilt betrothe thy Church unto thyself in bowels? Where is the sounding of thy bowels? Lord let us have these bowels of thine in which thou hast betrothed us through Christ. Oh what confusion will there be one day unto those that shall miss of all these mercies of God, in which the Lord hath betrothed himself unto his Church! What, will you content yourselves now with crumbs that God casteth to dogs, with the fruits of Gods general bounty and patience, when you hear of such glorious mercies as are in Jesus Christ? These things should so raise our hearts, that we should protest as Luther did, I protest saith he, God shall not put me off with these things of the world, with my portion here. Valde protestatus sum me nolle sic satiari ab eo. Luther. Oh no, the Lord hath showed me greater riches, though I be unworthy of any, yet I know his mercy is free, why then should not I have my portion in these glorious things? Come in then▪ come in oh sinful soul, be in love with Jesus Christ, & the ways of godliness, know that all these mercies are tendered unto thy soul this day, to break thy heart, even that hard heart of thine, and they are as free for thee as for any. There is nothing more pleasing unto God then for thee to be taken with the glory of the riches of his mercy. Thou canst perform no duty so acceptable unto God as this, to have thy heart break upon the codsideration of his bowels, to have thy bowels yern again, and to come in and close with this infinite, rich, and glorious grace of his. Which if thou dost, know that the first moment thou art united to Christ, thou dost launch into the infinite Ocean of mercy, now thou breathest in the element of mercy, now thou livest upon nothing but mercy. Is it so? Then know God expects a merciful disposition from thee too. God betrotheth thee in righteousness, and putteth righteousness into thee; in judgement, and gives thee judgement too; in loving kindness, and makes thee loving and kind likewise; in mercies, and putteth mercies into thee, bowels into thee also. First, Our bowels must yearn towards God. toward himself. Why? can we be merciful unto God? what good can we do to God? God expects you should have bowels toward him; How? Thus, Dost thou see the name of this blessed God thy husband to be dishonoured in the world? Oh thy bowels should yern, thou shouldst have bowels working now. What, doth God look upon thee in thy blood, in thy misery, and doth his bowels yern toward thee? Canst thou look upon God in his dishonour, and his cause trampled under foot, and do not thy bowels yern toward him? It should pity thy soul to see this blessed God to be so much dishonoured in the world as he is, to see that there are so few in the world that love and fear this God, who is thy God, and hath done thee so much good. What, is there any good cause up wherein the name of God should be honoured? Thy bowels should work presently toward it. Cant. 5. 4. My beloved put his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. When Christ did but begin to open a door, put but in his hand, when there was any good but beginning to be done; Oh my bowels were moved, saith the Church, and I could never be at quiet until I had enquired after, yea and found my beloved. Is there any beginning to let in Christ into the Kingdom in his government amongst us? Dow feel him putting in his hand at the door? (certainly if we be skilled in the way of Christ, we may seel him putting his hand in at the door) Oh that our bowels would yern, and cause our hearts to flow to the bo●ntisulnesse of the Lord, and join with Christ in that blessed work of his that he is about. Our bowels must also be toward the Saints. It is extremely against the spirit of Christ for a Christian to be hard-hearted toward his brethren, Christ expects bowels; And as you would account it ●grievous misery to have your bowels rotten, to have diseases in your bowels, know it is as great an evil to have your hearts unmerciful, that is, to have a disease in your bowels, so the Scripture phrase is, Amos 1. 11. He cast off all pity, & his anger did tear perpetually, so it is in your books; but the words in the Original are, And corrupted his bowels; their bowels were corrupted when they were not pitiful toward their brethren in misery. It was a grievous condition that jehoram was in, 2 Chron. 21. 15. when his bowels came forth by reason of his disease. An unmerciful heart is a worse disease than this. What are we, and who are we that God's mercies should be shown towards us? why not our mercies toward our brethren then? The Scripture calleth exceedingly for mercy in the Saints toward one another. Col. 3. 17. Put on as the Elect of God bowels of mercy and kindness. Would you have an argument unto yourselves that you are God's Elect? put on bowels then. Never was there time since you lived, or your forefathers lived, wherein God called for bowels more than now. Do you hear of the miseries of your brethren, their goods spoiled, houses burnt, wives, children ravished, themselves imprisoned, their bodies wounded, and yet no bowels all this while; what, you hard-hearted in the mean time? Are you the elect of God? why I pray you, what is your flesh more than the flesh of others? what are your comforts more than the comforts of others? why should you lie soft and safe more than others? Is there any such difference betwixt you and your brethren, that they should be in misery, and you must be pampered, and scarce feel the very wind to blow on you, and yet in the mean time your hearts hardened towards them? It is true, God it is that hath made the difference you will say; and God may make a difference where he pleaseth. I grant it, and it would not grieve God to make such a difference between you and them, if he saw your bowels yern towards them. But if God lays such afflictions upon your brethren who are better than you, and have done more for him then ever you have done, and yet you are hard-hearted, this will grieve God at the heart. 1 joh. 3. 17. He that seeth his brother hath need, and shuiteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? If thou hast bowels, and shutest them up from thy brother, surely thou never knewest what the love of God meant. Mark that place▪ 2 Cor. 9 8. what encouraging expressions we have unto bounty and liberality toward our brethren, for the opening our bowels toward them. God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that ye always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. There is no such text in all the book of God to encourage to the opening our bowels to the administering to the necessities of the Saints, for that Scripture is brought to that end, that part of the Chapter is spent about that argument, if you believe any thing in the Scripture, if you have any experience of God's bowels towards you, read over this, and see if it will not open your bowels. God is able to make all grace abound; Lect. 19 Grace abound, that is something; all grace, that is more; but all kind of grace, that is more than that, & that from God's almighty power too; but that is not enough, Mark, that you always having all sufficiency in all things. It were enough one would think God should say, you shall have all things needful, no you shall have all things, If he had said thus, you shall have sufficiency in that you have, that is something, no but you shall have all things, and sufficiency in all things, and all sufficiency in all things. Yea but I may want before I die? No, you shall have always all sufficiency in all thiugs. Well, this may make us do something, you may think if I do this good work, and another, and another, I hope I do my part, no but you must abound, you must do every good work and abound in every good work. But I shall draw myself dry if I be so abundant in every good work; No, God is able to make all grace in you to abound towards you, that you always having all sufficiency in all things may abound; You shall never be drawn dry, for you have the bowels of God's mercy. Alexander giving large gifts, some asked him, what will you keep for yourself? Spes, saith he, I will keep Hope for myself, I will make account that still there are greater things coming for me; what he had he gave away, because he had a spirit that looked after and hoped for great things to come; certainly Christians have that left, always they have hope, they may expect great things, why? because they have the bowels of God's mercies to be theirs. One thing more (to knit all together) all righteousness, all judgement, all loving kindness, all mercies comes from God through our union with Christ. Though God be an infinite ocean of goodness, yet we can expect nothing from God but through our union with Christ, Man hath forfeited the title he had to all the goodness of God, and now the title upon which he is to hold all his good, it is the union he hath with this husband, with JESUS CHRIST by virtue of this marriage. Whensoever Faith goes to heaven for any good from God, it goeth to heaven by virtue of this right, and obtaineth all the good it gets from God by virtue of that conjugal union the soul hath with JESUS CHRIST. How blessed then was the time when Christ was first revealed to the Church! Cant. 3. 11. Behold King Solomon with the Crown where with his mother crowned in the day of his espousals, in the day of the gladness of his heart, These things opened in our espousals with Christ, must needs make that day the day of the gladness of our hearts. O how dear should this Christ thy husband be unto thee! how happy, when thou shalt have full communion with him! when Jsaac met Rebekka, he carried her into his mother's tent: when the Lord Christ shall meet his spouse, he will carry her into his Father's pillace. Behold the riches, the glory of my Father whom I told you of, these are all yours in my right eternally. The Nineteenth Lecture. HOSEA 2. 20. 21. 22. 23, I will even betrothe thee unto me in faithfulness, and thou shalt know the Lord. And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth. And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and they shall hear jezreel. And I will sow her unto me in the earth, and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy, and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people, and they shall say, Thou art my God. I will even betrothe thee unto me in faithfulness. Here is a third betrothing, I will betrothe, I will betrothe, I will betrothe, Jerome hath a note upon that and saith, that it is thrice repeated to note three several times of Gods betrothing himself unto his people. 1. When he called Abraham. 2. After they went out of Egypt and were in the wilderness at Mount Sinai. 3. In the time of the Gospel. And of this Exposition Calvin saith, Argutum sed srivolum. it may be accounted witty, but it is frivolous. He giveth a better reason (which I think to be the mind of the holy Ghost) why it is thrice tepeated; Because apostatising Israel could hardly believe that ever God would do such a thing as this, what after the Lord had cast Israel away? yea cast her to the beasts (for so he threateneth in the former part of the chapter) yet now betrothe her to himself, this was unlikely. I will [even] betrothe thee, so you have it in your books; now the truth is, the word in the Original is Vaughan, the same that is translated and before, but because the third time it is said [and] the Translators thought there was an emphasis in the third And, and therefore to express that emphasis they put in the word [even.] Infaithfulnesse] In steadiness, so the word signifieth, I will betrothe thee unto me in a steady way, Infide, in constantia, in stabilitate. my goodness toward thee shall be stable and sirme. So the word is often used in Scripture, Exod. 17. 12. His hands were steady, the same word that we have here for faithfulness, So Deut. 28. 59 I will make thy plagues of long continuanoe, thy plagues stable and constant, the same that is here for faithfulness. And 1 Sam. 2. 35. I will raise me up a faithful Priest, and I will build him a sure house, there the word is of the same root, a sure house, a firm, steady house. Faithfulness here imports, God's stability & steadiness in his Covenant with his people. It notes not so much the perpetuity, for that was before, I will betrothe thee unto me for ever: But firmeness & constancy, as opposite to fickleness & uncertainty. There is much unconstancy & fickleness in our love one to another, but the love of God to his people is stable, settled, firm & constant love. That is the meaning in the first place, though not all. Esay 62. 5. As the Eridegroome rejoiceth over the Bride, so shall thy God rejoice ●ver thee, that is, the love of Christ after thousands of years is still but as the love of a bridegroom upon the wedding day, then ordnarily love is hot & appears much; not the love only of the husband, Christ's love is steady, and why. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. but as the Bridegroom. There is no moment of time, but Christ rejoiceth not only as a husband, but as a Bridegroom over every gracious soul. Christ's love is steady, because it is pure, without mixture; it is a holy love. Observe the comparing of two Texts, Esay 55. 3. The sure mercies of David are promised there. In Acts 13. 34. that Scripture is quoted, and there it is The holy things of David; As noting, because the love of God is holy, therefore it is sure and steadfast. Christ's love unto his people is in righteousness, as before, and in judgement, and in loving kindness, and mercies: It is from the sweetness of his nature, and therefore it is steady & firm. With him there is no shadow of change. It is grounded upon a sure covenant, therefore firm. Though indeed the love of Christ may be to us as the shining of the Sun, not always in the fruits of it, shining out so gloriously, but the Sun keeps his course in a steady way, though sometimes it is clouded, and we have it not so gloriously as at other times. The Saints should fasten upon the love of Christ in the Covenant; and though other things be never so uncertain, yet they should quiet their hearts in this, that their happiness in the Covenant of grace is certain. Perhaps the love of our friend is uncertain, very fickle and inconstant; those who will glavor upon you, and seem as if their hearts were with you, but what sullen moods and fits will there be at times! and when you have most need of them, you know not where to find them. But the love of Christ is certain and stable, 2 Sam. 23. 5. Mark how David comforted himself in the stableness of the love of God in the covenant. Though he doth not cause my house to grow, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure, and this is all my desire & all my hope, that is, that the Covenant is sure and steadfast. And (as we have opened it in all the former) so here it must be mutual. The Saints love to Christ steady. I will betrothe thee in faithfulness, and make thee faithful too; that is, thou shalt have a steady, firm, stable spirit in thy love to me, though not in that degree that Christ's is, yet there is a stability in the hearts of the Saints unto Christ, they are not carried up and down with every wind of doctrine, with every puff of temptation as other men are. The righteous is an everlasting foundation, Pro. 10. 25. The upright holdeth on his way, job. 17. 9 It must needs be so, because the affections of the Saints unto Christ are holy affections too, though not perfect, they have indeed some mixture, therefore some instability; but they have holiness, therefore stability. And they choose Christ in righteousness and in judgement. And they have the Divine Nature in them; and as that hath no shadow of change, so they come to have something like to the immutability of the Divine Nature, some shadow of it. Esay 26. 3. A godly man is described thus, Whose mind is stayed upon God: he hath a stable spirit, not a wand'ring, fickle, roving spirit, he hath fixed himself upon God, he can say, My heart is fixed. The men of the world, because they have not that which can satisfy, run up and down, first, after one contentment, then after another, they have no where to fix: but the Saints find all-sufficiency in God, when they are there, their hearts are satisfied, and there they fix. As a Bee lighting upon a flower, The evil of a fickle unconstant spirit. finding but a little honey, gets away to another, and to another, and to another; but when it comes to a flower, where it may suck honey enough it fixeth, it stayeth there. The hearts of the Saints find a fullness of good, in God, and there they fix. A fickle, wavering, unstable spirit is exceeding unbeseeming a Christian. As it is in the body, some who have flushings of heat, have a very good colour for a while, but when we know this good colour is but a flush, it is rather an argument of a disease, then of a good complexion. An end of a candle that burns in the socket gives some flashes of light now and then, but a candle that is set upon a table gives a steady and constant light. Mad people you know have their judicia intervalla, some times wherein they do acts of reason, but you may perceive they are not in their wits, because there is not constancy, and evenness in their actions. This stableness, this evenes in a Christian way is the beauty and glory of it. Though you be never so forward sometimes in that which is good, yet if at other times your hearts be off, there is no beauty in your conversation. But give me a Christian whose ways are even, that you may find a constancy in him in all his ways. Those who have such fickle, uncertain, inconstant hearts, are never like to excel; if they have any truth in them, yet they will never be eminent Christians, Gen. 49. 4. it is said of Reuben, Reuben unstable as water, but he shall not excel; so it may be said of a Christian unstable; here is one of good affections, at sometimes very forward, but unstable as water, he shall not excel. Constancy in love is exceeding comely and beautiful between man and wife, from thence is the expression of the holy Ghost here; it adds much unto the lustre and comfort of their lives. For men to seem sometimes to be mighty fond, & other times to be bitter and sour, like Nabals; or the wife to be very fond sometimes, and to be grievous & irksome at other times, this takes away the beauty, the comfort of their lives. But there is more in this faithfulness than stability and firmeness, I will betrothe thee in faithfulness; I will certainly perform all the good you can expect from me, which is befitting a husband, yea such a husband as I am, to do to my Spouse; Providen tiam creaturis non negamus, curam sibi sponsa vendicat. Bern. you may confide in me, I will be faithful to you, not only my love, but my faithfulness shall bind me to you: My loving kindness, my merciful disposition is a great bond, but my faithfulness shall bind me also, I will be content to engage myself to you, that you may certainly confide in me, so as you may not only expect it from my love, but challenge it from my faithfulness. We deny not God's providence to other creatures, but the Spouse challengeth God's care, saith Bernard, which is beyond providence, such as is out of faithfulness, as well as out of love. Christ here condescends to his Spouse, as a man is willing to give satisfaction to his wife & her friends, though the truth is he would do any thing in the world out of love to his wife, yet in regard of her weakness, and to satisfy some friends he is content to enter into bond, to do any thing that is fitting; it is good to make all things sure beforehand, say her friends, he presently yields, for it is no other but what he is willing to do without bonds, only to satisfy her and their minds. Thus it is between Christ and his Spouse: The truth is, the love of Christ is enough to make a supply of any of our wants, but we are weak, and would fain have things made sure, therefore saith Christ to help our weakeness, I will even enter into bond, and you may be sure I will be faithful then, I will bind my faithfulness to you for all the good you would have. And this faithfulness of Christ is either in regard of the great Marriage-Covenant, there he will be sure to be faithful to his Spouse; Or in regard of all particular promises, that are under things as it were. There is the great marriage-covenant, about reconciling God, and paying all debts that are owing and satisfying God's justice, and bringing to eternal life; but there are many under-promises, and Christ will be faithful in them all. Ps. 25. 10. you have a promise worth a kingdom, All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, not only mercy, but mercy and truth, mercy engaged. Wicked men may have mercy from God, from the general bounty and goodness, and merciful disposition of God, but what the Saints have is from ●ruth, as well as from mercy, it is bound to them. God stands much upon this that the hearts of his Saints should confide in him. Christ stands much upon this, that the hearts of his Saints should confide in him. He accounts not himself honoured except we confide in him: therefore mark how Christ suiteth himself unto our weakness, that we may confide in his faithfulness. What is it (saith he) that you poor creatures do one to another when you would make things sure between you? We answer thus, Lord we engage ourselves by promise one to another. I will do so saith Christ, you shall have my promise, my faithful promise. Acts 2. 39 Peter invites to Baptism upon this ground, because the promise is made to you and to your children, and to as many as the Lord our God shall call: The first he speaks to the Jews, the other to the Gentiles; As if he should say, Come in and receive Baptism, for to you and to your children the promise is made, to you that are Jews and to your children, and to the Gentiles, they have the promise that you have, they come under the same Covenant for the main, the promise is to them and to their children too. And this promise that Christ hat●ing aged himself in, is no other than a draught of that which was before the world began, from all eternity, and therefore it is so much the more sure. Tit. 1. 2. the Gospel is called a promise before the world began. All promises in the Scripture are but a draught of that grand promise that God the Father made to his Son before the world began; As if Christ should say, Will you have engagement by promise? This is passed long ago, my Father hath engaged himself to me from all eternity, & if you have any promise it is but a draught of that first copy of that great promise my Father hath made me from all eternity. What do you do more when you would make things sure one to another? We answer, we do not only make a verbal promise, by word of mouth, but we write it. God hath therefore given us his Scripture, and the chief thing in Scripture is the promise, God hath set to his hand to his promise in Scripture. Hence Luther hath a notable expression, The whole Scripture doth especially aim at this, that we should not doubt, but believe, confide, hope that God is merciful, kind, patient. What do you more? Here you have my promise and my hand, is there any thing else you use to do, to make things sure? We answer, Lord we take witnesses. I will do so too, saith God. When we would make things sure indeed, we take not only two, but three, or four, but half a dozen witnesses sometimes. You shall have witnesses; saith God as many as you will, witnesses of all sorts, witnesses in heaven, witnesses in earth; In heaven, I john 5. 7. The Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost, witnesses authentical, of credit enough, the three Persons in the Trinity, upon earth, the spirit, the water, and the blood. What do you more to make a thing sure? Lord, we set to our seals too; you shall have that too saith God, you shall have seals of all sorts, you shall have the broad seal of Heaven, the Sacraments, the seals of the Covenant; and you shall have my privy seal, I will take my Ring off my finger, I will give you even the seal of the spirit, and do but show this seal, it is authentical enough. Is there any thing more? Yes we answer, there is one thing more, we take an oath, I will do that too, saith God, that you may be sure, and confide in my faithfulness. Heb. 6. 17. God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his council, confirmed it by his oath. As if he should say, there is no such need of an oath, but I will be abundant to you, because I would have you trust me, And mark this is for the sake of the heirs of promise, God would never have done this for other men, it is for your sakes only who are the heirs of promise, in regard of your weakness he conrfims all with an oath. And if we would have things sure, we will not have the oath of such as are of no great credit. Mark, therefore it is that God sweareth, and that by the greatest oath, ver. 13. Because he could swear by no greater, saith the text, he swore by himself. Is there any thing more saith God that you use to do among yourselves to make things sure? Yes Lord, we use to take a pawn too. You shall have that too saith he, I will give you a pawn, and such a pawn as if you never had any thing more you would be happy. what is that? 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath sealed us, and given us the earnest of his spirit in our hearts. I will send my spirit to be an earnest of all the good that I intent to do for you everlastingly. Is there any thing else you would require of me that you may confide in me? Yes, if God would do some great & notable work as a beginning & as an engagement of that which is to come after, this is yet more than a pawn, when there is some special thing done in way to that which we make account of, that we are not only promised it, and have it under hand and seal, and have an oath and a pawn, but it is in a great degree begun, and so begun as the difficulty is over. Those who live under the Gospel see the greatest part of our salvation already done for us. God made a promise of sending his Son into the world; Now in Gods performing that promise that God-man should come into the world to be made a curse for sin, this is the greatest work of all that is to be done to all eternity, and if God would have failed in any thing it would have been in that. It is not so much for God to deliver us in this world, it is not so much for him to bring us to heaven, as it is to send his Son into the world to be made a curse for us. Now when God hath done so great a work and hath been faithful in that great promise, he hath taught us for ever to trust in him, to believe his faithfulness in making good other promises. If a man who owes five thousand pound, and pays you four thousand nine hundred of it, you think surely he will never break for one hundred, I may trust him for the rest, seeing he hath dealt so faithfully with me in the great sum. God hath paid the four thousand nine hundred and much more, in comparison of what God hath done for us, take all the glory of heaven, we have not one hundred of the five thousand left behince, therefore we may well confide in him for the payment of the rest. God a sure object for our faith. But is God able? It is true, God is faithful: This is seldom an objection, at least an explicit objection in the mouths of people, but surely an implicit one it is in the hearts of many; that appears by those cautions, God gives to take away that objection, 1 Pet. 4. 19 Commit the keeping of your souls unto him as unto a faithful Creator, as if he had not said enough in saying he is faithful, he adds faithful Creator, as if he should say, f there be no means to help you I will create means, I will put forth my Almighty power to create help for you, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but you shall have help, Dan. 9 27. The Lord will confirm the Covenant; the word is used for a mighty man, a Giant in Scripture. Gen. 19 8. He began to be a mighty one in the land, as a Giant in the earth, the word here is of the same root, God will come forth as a Giant, as a mighty man to make sure the Covenant he hath made with his people, if there be any thing in the world wherein God will stir up his infinite power, the excellency of his power, the glory of his right hand, it will be in confirming his Covenant to his Saints, Esay 26. 4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, Esay. 54. 5. Thy Maker is thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name, the God of the whole earth shall he be called. Seeing God is so faithful, let not us be faithless. But things go very cross, Our faith must raise us above difficulties. and how shall we believe, our faith shakes? the true genuine love of the Saints is such as will love God without gifts, for himself, so the genuine art of faith, is to believe in God without experience, yea though things seem to go contrary. That love is but a lame love that loveth God only for that which we receive from him for the present, and that is but a lame faith that believeth only in ●od for that which we see for the present. Do things go cross? they are corrections, and those may come from faithfulness as well as any thing the Church enjoys, Psal. 119. 75. I know O Lord that thy judgements are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me; As God comes down to you and suits himself to you as his poor creatures, so you should labour to raise your hearts to him, to believe in him as a great God. ●od deals with you as having to deal with weak creatures, you should deal with him as having to do with an infinite God. You must give God leave to do his work his own way. The object of our confidence in God, it is, the thing will be done, it is not how it will be done, or when it will be done, but that God will carry his work through. Shall our weakness be so much regarded, as that things must not work so as to show God's power? Certainly it is too too much for us to think our weakness must be so far condescended to. One would think that it is enough, that God condescendeth so much as to express himself so to you as you may believe; would you have God condescend to express himself so to you, as he should not have the glory of his work, nor you the glory of your faith? this is too low. Though we be bound to deny ourselves much, because of the weakness of our brethren; Must God deny his glory because of our weakness? We burden God too much with our weakness. It is for God's glory that things go as they do; Lazarus was dead, and dead so long, that the work of God might appear. But I find not things go so as I expected, I think I have believed, at such a time in prayer I thought my heart did close with the promises of God, but yet things go not so as I expect. Though things be otherwise then thou expectest, yet it may be God calls for new acts of thy believing, and it is because there is no renewing of thy faith in his faithfulness. You must know, the continual actings of Faith draw out the continual actings of the power of God. Renowned acts of faith draws forth God power to work foe the Saints I will give you for that one famous Text, perhaps you may read it often and hear it, but not perceive the strength there is in it. Psal. 31. 19 O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee! but mark what followeth, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee. Great is the goodness thou hast laid up. God's goodness is great to admiration for them that fear him, but how? It is laid up for them, but now mark, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee. All the goodness that is in God, is for them that fear him, but it is not fearing God that will bring it to work, it is laid up in a treasury indeed; do you fear God? God hath laid up abundance of goodness in a treasury for you, but you must not expect this will work for you, unless you trust in him; your Faith must bring it forth into work, and that before the sons of men; thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of men. Would you be hid in the secret of God's presence from the pride of men? you must not only fear God, but trust in his faithfulness. Mat. 13. 58. Christ did no mighty works there because of their unbelief: And Ma●k. 6, 5. He could not do no works because of their unbelief. One says he did not, and the other says he could not, When we have a promise, let us put on to get the goodness of God to work, which is by believing. For that I will give you as notable an example as any I know you have in the book of God, of a believing heart, catching hold upon a promise upon God's faithfulness to work it out, 1 Chron. 17. 23. and so on. In the former part of the Chapter you shall find God had promised David to establish his house, to build him a sure house; Well, as soon as David had got the word, mark how he improves it, how he works upon God's word; As if he had said, Seeing I have got his word, I will hold to it, he shall not go from it, saith he, Therefore, O Lord, let the things thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house, be established for ever, and do as thou hast said. Thou hast spoken, do as thou hast said. Ver. 24. Faith will hold God to his word. Let it even be established, I expect it, seeing thou hast been pleased in such a gracious way to promise me thus, I will rely upon it, let it be even established, that thy name may be magnifyed for ever. I will plead thy name in it, if there be any thing to be pleaded more than other, I will plead it before thee; but is not this enough? Vers. 25. Thou O Lord God hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house, therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee. He had said before, that God had spoken it; here he goes over it again, as making much of God's word, thou hast told me, and I pray for nothing but what thou hast told me. Nay yet still David encroacheth more upon God, Ver. 26. Now O Lord thou art God, & thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant. I have not to deal with a man that will be fickle and inconstant, wavering and unfaithful, but thou art God, and I will trust in thee as a God, thou art God, and thou hast promised this goodness, it is thine own goodness, now therefore do it. See how he followeth God upon his promise. And mark what admirable effects followed upon this, Chap. 18. ver. 1. After this, saith the Text, he prospered, when his enemies came against him, he took a thousand charets, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen from Hadarezer, and when the Syrians came to help that Hadarezer, he slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. After this, mark the connexion of that Chapter and this, after David had improved the promise, he might have what he would; thus the loving kindness of God was laid up in a promise, but wrought out by David's faith. This is our evil that we do not improve this faithfulness of God, we lose abundance by it. It is an argument that we have base spirits. It is a great evil between man and wife, when they cannot confide one in another, but are jealous, how can such live comfortably together? So we are jealous of God, we lose our comfort in him; Jealousy comes oftentimes from much baseness of spirit, and self-guiltiness, because we are of such base hearts ourselves, that is the reason we are so jealous of God. Where there is much love between man and wife, there cannot be much jealousy, and if there were entire love in the Spouse of Christ, there would not be jealousy. You have an excellent passage for that, John 5. 40. You will not come unto me that you might have life, you will not believe in me, that is the meaning: then ver. 42. I know you have not the love of God in you. Is there any thing in the world more tedious to a Husband, then that the Wife should be jealous of him? Evidences that we do not trust in God's faith fullness. think of it, the same tediousness it is unto the Spirit of Jesus Christ, that thou shouldst be jealous of him, and not confide in his faithfulness. Surely if we did trust in God's faithfulness, we would not think to compound with him so as we do, but we would improve his promise to the utter most. As you that are Merchants, and have much owing you, all the while you confide in your debtors, you will not compound with them for less than your debt; if you should come to one that owes you money, and say, I pray Sir pay in my money, and I shall be content to take ten, or fifteen in the hundred; the party would think himself disgraced; what, do you distrust me? Do you think I will break? No, I will pay you every penny, he stands upon his credit. The truth is, we poor wretches, because we have not Gods promises presently fulfilled, we would compound with God, that is, if God would give us any little comfort for the present, we would be satisfied rather than wait for that which is to come, though it be infinitely more; this is a great dishonour to God, and an argument of our unfaithfulness. It is an argument of little faith, if thou canst be satisued, should God give thee ten thousand worlds for the present, if God should say, what will yond have? would you have your enemies destroyed? would you have your peace and your trading in the world, your ease and quietness? Is this all? This is to compound with God for twelve pence in the pound as it were. No saith a gracious heart, Lord thou hast promised mercy, & I expect it to the full, I will not abate the least farthing of it. God loveth we should stand with him for his promise unto the uttermost farthing. No, but I hope God give me Heaven at last, yet I doubt he will leave me here in the world. This is to compound with God another way; there are some who perhaps will pay eighteen, or fifteen shillings in the pound, but it is a dishonour to God to abate one shilling in the pound, therefore we must not only believe in God for heaven, but for earth, and for safety and comfort, and that in times of greatest trouble. God is well pleased with such kind of holy impudence, as we may say, that is, to follow him for the uttermost, and to urge him upon his word again and again, to pay what he is engaged for. Again, had we faith in God we would set upon great things though we see but little means. Many of you who have but little stocks, yet if you have rich friends that have given you encouragement, and that you know will be faithful to you, you will trade for great things with your little stock, because you know you have those friends will stand by you. So though we have but little strength, We must be faithful to god, so as God may confide in us. if God call us, we should be willing to set upon great things, because God hath stock enough, and he hath engaged himself to stand by us. I will bearoth thee unto me in faithfulness. As I will be faithful to you, and you shall conside in my faithfulness, so you shall be faithful to me, that I may confide in your faithfulness, as I fulfil all my promises, & covenant with you, so you shall be faithful to make good all the promises and covenant with me. The Spouse of Christ is such a one as the Spirit of Christ can confide in. It is said of the virtuous woman, Pro. 31. 11. Her husband trusteth in her. Let him be abroad or at home, in what company soever, yet his heart trusteth in her, he can leave all his business, his writing, or any thing that concerns him with such a wife: Where there is want of this trusting of the heart of the husband in the wife, there is want of comfort in their lives; thus God saith of his people, Esay 63. 8. They are children that will not lie; I can confide in them, I can turn them unto any business as I will, for they are children who will not lie. They are faithful to God first in the great Covenant, in the surrendering themselves to God, as they do at their first closing with Christ. In the first act of believing▪ every gracious soul enters into solemn covenant with God, & it will be faithful in that covenant. And they will be faithful likewise in all their under promises & vows that they make to God, in days of fasting, and thanksgiving, and at other times. As God's promises are Gods gifts unto us, so should our promises be as gifts unto God. 2 Tim. 1. 9 According to his purpose and grace, which was given unto us in Christ jesus before the world began; not only promised, but given unto us in Christ Jesus. God's eternal purpose is called God's gift, so our purposes and our promises ought to be as sure as gifts unto God. So in thy conversation thou must be faithful to Christ, not prostitute thyself unto another, but keep thyself for Christ. Indeed the spouse of Christ may be ravished by open violence, but she will not prostitute herself to any other, she keeps herself only for Christ. Thus the Saints are described, Ephe. 1. 1. faithful in Christ Jesus. There is a kind of natural faithfulness as I may so speak, as in that place Esay 8. 2. I took unto me faithful witnesses, Calvin saith it is meant of Vrijah, that base temporising Vrijah, who made the Altar according to the pattern that Ahaz sent from Damascus, he is said to be faithful, that is, he was a fair, honest dealing man, his word was as good as his bond; so many civil men will be faithful of their words; But mark here in the Ephesians it is faithful in Christ Jesus, it is nnt only faithfulness between man and man, for many Heathens were so, they would rather die then cozen and cheat one another, but this is a higher degree of faithfulness; it is a faithfulness in Christ Jesus, so the Saints must be faithful, faithful to Christ Jesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus. They who are thus faithful, are fit for the service of Christ, Christ hath a great deal of work to do, they are only fit for it, Rev. 17. 14. The Lamb shall overcome, why? for they that are with him, are chosen, and called, and faithful, not called faithful, but called and faithful, and therefore the Lamb shall overcome. It were happy that all that are in this public service in the kingdom that are with the Lamb, with Christ in this cause, were called and faithful, the work would soon be at an end; It is faithfulness we shall be hereafter re●●rded for, Well done good & faithful servant; not well done good and rich servant, or servant who had great employment in public works, but well done good and faithful servant. Every one of us cannot be eminent, every one cannot be employed in public services, but you may every one be faithful; you that are poor servants you may be faithful as well as a Magistrate, as well as a Minister; you that are poor labouring men, porters and watermens the meanest, you may be faithful as well as the Nobles of a kingdom; God regardeth faithfulness rather than service, he hath no need of the services of men, We must be faithful one toward another. great or small, it is all one unto him, but he looks upon the faithfulness of their hearts. And as you must be faithful unto God and his cause, so you must be faithful one to another. You who are servants, if you be godly, be sure you be faithful to your Masters, that there may be no occasion of any such scandoll as often there is concerning those who are professors, such a servant is forward, he must go to sermons, and he is set against ceremonies, etc. But I never had any so unfaithful, if mine eye be but off him, he is from his business presently. God forbid there should be such scandols given. So Wives who profess godliness, be you sure you be faithful to your husbands and tradesmen who profess more than ordinary strictness in Religion, be you faithful in your dealings. Hath Christ married himself unto thee in faithfulness? he expects that his faithfulness to thee should have that reflection upon thy heart as to make thee faithful to others. There is one note that is to be taken from all together. As if God should say, O Israel, you have dealt unrighteously with me, you have broken your covenant, you have gone a whoring from me, but I will betrothe you to me in righteousness. You have done foolishly in departing from me, but I will betrothe you unto me in judgement. You have been unkind to me, but I will betrothe you unto me in loving kindness. It hath not pitied your souls to see me dishonoured, but I will betrothe myself in bowels of mercy to you. You have been unfaithful to me, but I will even betrothe you unto me in faithfulness. The note from thence is this. God dealeth not with those in Covenant with him as they deal with him. Obser. It is a note of admirable use and comfort. Mark the difference between Gods dealing with others and those that are in covenant with him. Let others deal with God in a froward and perverse way, God will deal with them so too, Psal. 18. 26. With the froward thou wilt show thyself froward. Will you be froward with God? God will show himself froward with you. Will you be proud with God? In the thing you are proud God will be above you. Will you be subtle and contriving mischief against God and his truth? God will meet with the wicked, and ensnare them in the work of their own hands. Are you resolute in wickedness? God will be as resolute as you for your hearts, as Jer. 44, 25. 26. But when God comes to deal with his Saints in covenant, though they deal frowardly with him, he will deal gently with them: though they deal proudly with him, he dealeth in a way of condescension with them; though they be unfaithful to him, yet he will be faithful to them. Oh my brethren this point hath abundance of sweetness in it, take heed of abusing it; Thy sins cannot overcome God's goodness, Quia ego dominus. let God's goodness overcome thy wickedness. And they shall know the Lord, They shall know that I am the Lord, so the Septuagint hath it; so the old Latin, thou shalt know because I am the Lord; but we rather read it as it is in your books; They shall know the Lord. But how comes this in, In faithfulness, and they shall know the Lord. Thus, upon these two reasons. First, because this shall be the means to keep the Church the Spouse of Christ in faithfulness for ever, they shall know Christ to be the Lord. As if Christ should say, The reason of all your vile departings from me all this while, what is it? you do not know me, you do not see into the bounty and glory, into the excellency of my worship, and what I am, that is the reason you are gone from me and have been unfaithful to me, but when I betrothe you myself again, you shall know me, you shall see so much beauty and excellency in me & mine Ordinances that you shall never depart from me. Low thoughts of God are the cause of superstitious vanities. Had men high and honourable thoughts of God they would never think to put him off with such bauble-worship as they do. Acts 9 7. it is said the God of glory appeared to Abraham, Obser. that is given as a ground why Abraham would forsake his Country his father's house and his kindred, if we once knew the Lord, and that the God of glory had appeared to us, we would be ready to forsake all for him and give up ourselves unto him in an everlasting covenant. Secondly, And they shall know me] This is as a fruit of my betrothing myself unto them, The right knowing God is a fruit of the covenant. as a fruit of the Covenant, Jer. 31. 34. They shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord, for they shall know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity, etc. It is a fruit of the conjugal union betwixt Christ and the soul. As it is betwixt man and wife, when they are but only suitors, well willers, they do not communicate their secrets one to another, but when they once come to be married together, than they open all their hearts, there is no secret but they will disclose one to another. So saith God, when I am once married to you, I will open my whole heart to you, the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. Those that have but natural knowledge, understands something of the ways of Religion, of the mind of Christ; As a man that is in the dark may know where he is, by feeling he may know what length and thickness many things in the house are of, but when the light of the day comes, than he knows what the ●●is in the room after another manner than he did in the dark: this is the difference between knowledge of God in a natural man, and the knowledge of one espoused to Christ, by his natural knowledge he may understand the history of the Gospel, he may have some general notions of God and of Christ, but when the Sun of righteousness ariseth, then be sees the excellency and glory of God, than he sees God shining in all his attributes, he sees that in Christ which draws his heart unto him in an everlasting Covenant. As we read Cant. 7. 5. Christ is held in the galleries, that is, Christ assoon as he is married to the foul, takes it as it were by the hand, and walks into the Galleries, and there openeth his heart unto her. There is many a sweet turn that a gracious heart hath with Christ in his ordinances, wherein Christ openeth even his whole soul unto it, Joh. 15. 15. All things, saith Christ, that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. An admirable Text, surely you cannot but know the Lord then. Here is the fruit of our union with Christ. Oh that our hearts were inflamed with desire after further conjugal communion with him! according to the capacity of the soul, so Christ makes known to it what he hath heard of the Father. Certainly Christ hath heard great things of the Father; he is the wisdom of the Father, he hath been with the Father from all eternity, and the Father loves him, he will tell him all the glorious things he hath in his heart, and Christ will hide none of those things from his Saints. This is the privilege of a Saint; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who would not be godly, by which he shall come to know the mind of the Father, according to what Christ knows of it? Yea and Christ makes God known to the Saints in another way than others know him. 2 Sam. 7. 27. Thou O Lord God of Hosts hast revealed unto thy servant, so you read it in your books, but it is in the Hebrew, Lord thou hast revealed this to the ear of thy servant. I wonder how that word to the ear comes to be left out in your books, in which indeed the emphasis lie, I am sure it is so in the Text. When God makes known himself to his people he revealeth things to their Ear, as we to a friend who is intimate with us, we speak a thing to his ear. There is many a secret which JESUS CHRIST speaks in the eart of his Saints, which others never come to be made acquainted with, 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. It would ask time for the full opening the gradations of this Scripture, here is knowledge, & the knowledge of the glory of God, & the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, and shining, and shining into our hearts, and into our hearts in the face of Jesus Christ. Surely then they shall know the Lord, and they shall know him in a very spiritual way. The light of the Saints is a light three story high; First, The light of the Saints is three stories high. they have the light of nature, which other men have, the light of reason. Secondly, they have the light of common gifts, which other men have too, and that is a story higher than the other; Thirdly, they have the light of a sanctifying spirit, that is a third loft, and they shall come to a fourth story, and that is the light of glory. The light that other men have is but as the light you have in a lower room, in warehouses, which in some you know is so little that you are fain to use a candle at noon day, so some natural men have only the light of reason, which indeed is rather like your cellars that have but a little light coming in at a grate; others have somewhat more light, they have common gifts, which is like the light in the next story, somewhat more clear, but the light of the Saints is higher than all these, they know God as their God, great is the excellency of his knowledge, the soul hath blessed satisfaction in it, let us see the Father and it sufficeth us, the fullness of glory that is let out into the soul, the sanctification of the heart by the presence of the beams of the glory of God, being transformed into the same Image, it is the very beginning of eternal life. Take only this note about our knowledge of God by Christ, what a different way have we to know God by, from that which Heathens had. If you read the Histories of the Romans, you shall find the poor & mean ways of those wise men had to know God, as thus, they would look into the entrails of beasts thereby to find out the mind of their gods, they would observe how the beasts came to the slaughter, whether willingly or not willingly, whether haled or not haled, they guessed somewhat at the mind of their Gods by that, than they would look into the colour of the bowels of the beasts, then observe whether the entrails were sound or not, than they would observe the fire of their sacrifices, whether the flame ascended right or not, thus they came to know the mind of their Gods; What poor ways are these? we have JESUS CHRIST God blessed for ever, the eternal Son of the Father, who is come from the bosom of the Father, Ephes. 4, 11. to make all known to us, the mind of God, his and our Father: We know the truth as it is in Jesus, not only as it is in the works of nature; some know much of God in the works of creation and providence, we may know much of God in those great things the Lord hath of late done amongst us; but to know the truth as it is in Jesus, to know God in Christ, this is another manner of knowledge then to know God in the way of his works, here we see the truth really indeed when we see it in CHRIST JESUS. Certainly than none united unto Christ in a conjugal union can be an ignorant sot, for Christ engageth himself in his faithfulness, upon this marriage of a soul with himself, to reveal himself and the Father unto it, Joh, 8. 54. Of whom ye say he is your God, but mark the next words, yet ye have not known him. A likely matter that he should be your God and you not know him, a likely matter that Christ should be your Saviour and you not know him, seeing he hath engaged himself in his faithfulness, that if you be married to him you shall know him and his Father. Ver. 21. And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, etc. Now come in temporal promises, after the assurance of mercy in the Covenant, then come promises for corn, and wine, and oil; God would teach us this lesson by it, that all our outward things (at the least the sweetness and comfort of them) depend upon the covenant in Christ. I will hear, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is Respondebo, I will answer, so it may be rendered as well, God will so hear as that he will answer. Many times a poor man cries to the rich, & he hears him but he will not answer, but saith God, I will hear so as I will answer. This is a most elegant expression, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oil, and they shall hear jezreel. Miraorationis sublimit as, a wonderful sublimity of speech, saith one Expositor of it; hyperbolica metaphora, a hyperbolica metaphor, saith another; pulcherrima prosopopoeia, a most beautiful and delightful prosopopoeia, saith another; these creatures being put as it were in the person of a man as if they understood what they did. As if the Lord should say thus. My people, you indeed through your sins have been brought into great straits, you have wanted corn, and wine, and oil, you have been scattered in your banishment, but when I shall betrothe myself unto you and enter into a covenant with you, then, when you shall cry, O that we might have these outward comforts, presently the corn, and the wine, and the oil, as if they heard your complaints, shall say, Oh Lord we would help, Jezreel and satisfy these thy servants; the corn shall cry to the earth, O earth let me come into your bowels, I will rot there that so I may bring forth fruit for this people, the vines and the olive shall desire the earth to receive them, to give juice and nourishment to them, that they may refresh these reconciled ones to God; the earth shall say, O that I could entertain the corn, and wine, and oil that I may be fruitful in my kind, but O heavens I can do nothing except I have your influences and the shine of the sun to warm me to make me fructify, therefore O heavens come in and assist me that I may fructify for Jezreel; and the heavens they shall cry, Lord, we would fain help the earth, that the earth may help the corn, and wine, and oil, that they may supply Jezreel, but we can do nothing without thine hand, therefore do thou hear us, do thou give us leave to rain upon the earth that it may be fruitful. Obser. Thus the creatures are brought in crying to help Jezreel. Take these Observations. First, See our condition in this world, though reconciled to God yet while we are here we must be beholden to the corn, and wine, to the earth, and heavens, Obser. we know not how to do without them. Secondly, When we are reconciled to God, than the creatures will be serviceable to us, yea they will be greedy to do us good, they will cry for it. Let us take heed of provoking God, the creatures than will be against us. I have read of Cordius a martyr, giving this answer to those who would have had him deny the truth, if deny it saith he, the Sun, Moon, & stars will deny me light. If we serve God, the creatures will account it their happiness to serve us. Thirdly, God useth to work good for his people by second causes. He doth not send these things immediately from heaven, Obs. but the heavens hear the earth, and the earth hears the corn and the wine. We must look to second causes, but take heed of resting upon second causes. It hath been God's work amongst us of late in finding out treacheries & giving successes to manifest himself very strangely when the means have been very poor; Nay indeed God hath made as much use of men's weakness, as of their strength; but let not us therefore be slack in the use of means, let us do the best we can, though God sometimes work beyond means, and contrary to means, yet ordinarily he makes use of second causes, not only to work, ad praesent iam, as Biel the Schoolman and others say, that is, only together with the creature; but there is say they no efficacy at all of them issuing into the effect; but the truth is, God doth make use of second causes otherwise, so that there is some virtue and efficacy in them to work the thing that God intends. Fourthly, Obser. there is a concatenation of second causes, not only an use of them, but every one in their order supplies the other, the heavens hear the earth, and the earth hears the corn, one after another. If we could see the comely order of the creatures, we should see them all hang together in a golden chain; as it is in the joints of the body, one bone supplieth another, one place is hollow to take in another, so one cause in nature supplieth, and cometh in to the other. As in our salvation there is a golden chain which we have Rom. 8. So in the creatures there is a golden chain of comely order and mutual supplyance. Fiftly, Obser. God is at the higher end of the chain, and nothing can be done by any link of the chain of second causes, but by Gods being at the uppermost link. Jezreel must cry to the corn, and wine, and oil, and they must cry to the earth, and the earth must cry to the heavens, he must be the highest cause. Sixtly, Obser. It is most comely, and a great blessing, when the right order and chain of second causes hold; As it is in Nature, so in any Society, in a Commonwealth, in a City, when all keep their due subordination, as when the Tradesman works in his way, the Magistrate in his way, the Minister in his way, and every Officer in his place, every one keeping his order. But when it is otherwise, when they are out of order, it is a great misery upon a City or Kingdom. As it was once among the Athenians, Themistocles saith of his son, a bol● youth, This boy can do more than any man in all Greece, Why? For saith he, the Athenians command the Grecians, and I command the Athenians, and my wife commands me, and my son commands my wife; here was the concatenation of that government. God deliver all societies from such a concatenation, that the beginning of any public work, I mean the lower link of the chain should be perhaps in a whoremaster, & he should command one, and that one another, and so one after another. This is a fearful judgement where soever it is. 7. God is the giver of all plenty, Obser. he accounts it his glory to give rain. jer. 5. 24. God there wonders that men will not fear him because of that, Neither (saith he) do they say in their hearts, Let us fear God that giveth rain. As if he should say, It is a strange impudence in men, what, will they not say in their hearts, Let us fear God, seeing he gives us rain? Thus God glorieth in this great work, when he heareth the heavens, and the heavens hear the earth, the heavens will be as brass over us, and the earth as iron, unless GOD hear them, and send rain. Therefore let God be acknowledged in that rain we have had of late; the creatures wanted grass, and the grass cried to the heavens, and the heavens cried unto God, and God hath heard the heavens, and sent down rain, and so we see the earth hath been refreshed, abundance of good hath come to us by those showers. Give God the glory of this. 8. All plenty is given for the sake of the Saints. Obser. How? God hears the heavens, and the heavens hear the earth, and the earth hears the corn, and the wine and the oil, and they hear Jezreel. It is for Jezreels sake that the earth hears the corn, and the heavens hear the earth, and God hears the heavens. Were it not for the Saints, the earth wauld soon come to a confusion. They are the blessing of the earth, Isa. 18. 24. 9 If the creatures work so graciously for us, how should we then work for God, and one for another. What, shall the creatures cry one to another, and hear one another for our good, and shall God cry to us, and we not hear God? The senseless corn cries to the earth. O earth help me that I may help jezreel, and the earth cries to the heavens, O heavens send down your influences, and the heavens say, We will hear, and the earth saith, I will hear; Shall the earth hear, and the heavens hear for our good, and shall not we hear when God cries for help? God cries to you many times to help in his cause, and wilt not thou hear to work for him? O vile creature, how unreasonable are thy ways before the Lord! Again, how should we hear the cries of the poor? When we are in want, the corn cries to the earth, and the earth cries to the heavens, and the heavens cry to God for us. When the poor, I mean God's poor, whom God's hand hath made poor, cry, will not you hear? Will you be more hard-hearted than the earth and the heavens are? seeing they hear you, do you hear the cry of your poor brethren. Further, if God will hear the creatures when they cry for us, how much more will he hear Jesus Christ when he cries for us? It is our happiness in part, that we have all the creatures cry to God for our good, but the top of our happiness is this, that we have jesus Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant, making intercession at the right hand of God continually for us. Lastly, God's mercies go through when they work for the Saints, the corn beginneth to cry to the earth, that stays not here, but the earth goes on, and cries to the heavens, the heavens go on and cry to God. God's mercies to his Saints never leave till the thing be done. And I will sow her unto me in the earth. What great mercy is this for God to grant plenty, if he destroy his people? Our Country is plentiful, but if God should consume us out of the land what good wou●d our plenty do us? Therefore saith God, I will sow her unto me in the earth. Indeed she is now a poor contemptible people, & there are but few of them remaining upon the earth, but I will make them a seed, and a seed that the Lord hath blessed. I will sow her. Here the Lord alludeth to the name jezreel, which signifies the seed of the Lord, the sown of the Lord. It was used in the first Chapter in an opprobtious way, Lect. 19 and in the latter end of that Chapter in a way of mercy. I speak of it there, therefore I shall not need say much now, only this, God makes use of the word here, to put her in mind of what she deserved; as if he should say, though thou be'st a Jezreel, and deservest to be scattered, yet I will be merciful to thee out of free grace, I will sow thee, there shall come a blessing upon thee, and though thou be'st scattered up and down in the earth, yet in all places thou shalt be as seed from whence my Church shall spring. Hence the notes are: Obser, First, that God's people are the seed of the earth: But of that before in the latter end of the first Chapter, only I will add a note of Ribera about it: The seed, saith he, lies under the clods, and at length fructifies; so should the Saints be content to lie under the clods, and though they may seem in regard of their afflicted condition to be dead, to be rotten, yet they shall be glorious and fructify afterward. Before the time of the Church's glory, times of great calamity and distress come, which this rotting of the seed before the fructifying sets out unto us. Secondly, Obser. every godly man should so live, as either in life or death he should be as a seed from whence many may spring; he should be a means that many should be begotten to God. It is reported of Cicilia, in the history of the Church, a poor Virgin, that by her gracious behaviour in her mattyrdome, she was the means of converting four hundred to Christ: As in the Indies, one corn bringeth forth divers hundreds, so we should labour to convert as many as we can, that some that live after may continue to bear up the name of Christ, and the profession of his truth. Especially be careful of your children, leave them as seed to hold up the name of God in thy family when thou art dead and gone. And further, Obser. I will sow her to myself. The Saints are sown unto Christ they are seed for Christ, therefore all their fruit must be given up unto Christ, Christ must have all the fruit we bear: who should have the fruit but he that soweth it? Therefore Cant. 7. 13. All manner of pleasant fruits new & old which I have laid up for thee O my beloved. Are we able to bear any fruit? Let us lay it up all for Jesus Christ, for it is he that soweth us unto himself, we must not sow to ourselves, not to the flesh, for than we shall reap corruption, but all for Christ. And I will show mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy. Divers things about Gods showing mercy after rejection were spoken of in the first Chap. Only these notes for the present. There are none so rejected, Obser. as that they can conclude that they shall never have mercy (those that have committed the sin against the holy Ghost excepted) though Israel had not obtained mercy, though they were cast out, yea cast out to the beasts to be devoured, yea saith God, I will show mercy upon her. 2. Obser. Children of wicked parents may at length obtain mercy from God. Though Israel be cast off, yet her children shall have mercy. A comfort to us in regard of the Idolatry of our fore fathers, yea a comfort in the regard of the children that are to come. Our fore fathers have broken the Covenant, why may not we obtain mercy? But suppose we should be the generation of God's wrath, and not obtain mercy, yet we may have hope that the posterity following shall have mercy. Thirdly, Mercy after it is thought to be passed; Obs. if then it come, Oh it is sweet mercy indeed! when she seemed to be utterly rejected, then to have mercy showed, this is sweet. Fourthly, Obser. Mercy is the cause of all the good the Saints have. One Scripture for it, Psal. 57 3. Send from heaven saith David. David was in the Cave, in a poor condition, hunted for his life, persecuted by Saul; I see little hope from earth, saith he, therefore O Lord send from heaven; What, shall God send Angels from heaven to deliver thee David? No, but mark what followeth, God shall send forth his mercy & his truth; as if he should say, Lord though I have no help in earth, though I see no Angels from heaven to help me, yet let me have thy mercy and truth, and that is enough. This satisfies a gracous heart, if he may have God's mercy and his truth, that is God's mercy revealed in a promise. Obser. Lastly, God hath a special day of mercy for his people, for his Churches; I will have mercy upon her that hath not obtained mercy. Let us cry to God for the hastening of this day, let us open the miseries of our own Kingdom, and of Ireland; Oh when shall this day come that thou, wilt show mercy to thy own people which thou hast told us of! Oh that that day may hasten! Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. And I will say to them which were not my people. This is that we had in the first Chapter only with some differences, there it is, In the place where it was said ye are not my people. And I showed you when I opened that place, both out of the Romans, and out of Peter, how the Apostle makes use, both of that in the first Chapter, and this here in the second, only take a hint of the truths in it. Obser. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. First, God hath a special interest in his people; they are his people, they are called his peculiar people, Tit. 2. 14. The word hath this emphasis in it, God looks upon all other things as accidents in comparison, and his substance is his people, they are his very portion, as Deut. 33. 19 and Exod. 19 5. they are his peculiar treasure above all people in the world; and Esay 19 25. Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance. I have made all people, but Israel is mine inheritance, This is the happiness of the Saints, therefore they are not as other people are. Num. 23. 9 This people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the Nations, this is a great ground of prayer, Lord leave us not, we are thy people, called by thy name, we have an interest in thee. Again, Obser. This is an argument to walk so as God may not be dishonoured by us, for we are his people. If those in a man's family walk disorderly, it is a dishonour to the Master of the family; it is no dishonour to him for a stranger, or one who hath little reference to him, to walk disorderly; It is not so much dishonour to God for the wicked to walk disorderly, as for the Saints, in regard of their nearness to God: And besides, their light is (as I told you) three story high, and if they sin, they sin against a greater light than others do, their sin is greater than the sin of the wicked in that regard. Further, Obser. I will say to them which were not my people, thou art my people, I will own them before all the world. It is a great mercy for God to make it known to the world, that his people are his people. The world will not believe it, they think they are a poor contemptible people, but there shall come a day that I will make it known they are mine; And amongst other things by which God will make all the world to know that his people are his, this is one, in s●tting up the beauty of his Ordinances amongst them, Ezek. 37. 27. My Tabernacle also shall be with them, yea I will be their God, and they shall be my people, and the Heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them. Thus they shall know, saith God, that they are my people, and that I am their God, when I have set my Sanctuary in the midst of them for ever. Were it that the Ordinances of God might be set up in their purity amongst us in England, were Reformation perfected, and the Saints walked humbly & peaceably as they should, the whole world will be convinced, that these are indeed the people of the Lord, and that God is amongst them. And they shall say, thou art my God. God must begin withus, Obser. we cannot begin and say, Lord, thou art my God, but God must begin with us first, and say, You are my people. There are a great many who say, God is their God, but God never said, they are his people, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1. 12. it is said of those who believed in Christ, that God gave them [power] to be the Sons of God, the word signifies authority, that they might with authority acknowledge themselves to be the sons of God, and call God Father, they had the broad Seal for it. Will you call▪ God Father? where is your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, your authority? if God call you children, if he say you are my people, you may give the Ecchoto God's mercy and say, thou art our God. Obser. Secondly, When God speaks mercy to us, we must answer according to it. Doth God say, you are my people? we must answer, Lord, thou art our God. This is a great fault amongst Christians, God manifests himself to many a gracious heart in abundance of love and mercy, & they give an answer to God in a way of dispaiting and discouragement. God's ways toward thee speak thus, and say, thou art one of my people, but thy heart works as if God were none of thy God, Hath not God done much for thee? thou thinkest it is all in hypocrisy that thou dost, whereas the truth is, it is the fruit of his love and kindness to thee. He speaks aloud in what he hath done for thee, that thou art one of his people, and yet thy heart thinks that he is thy enemy, that he ha●●s thee, and will cast thee off at last. The ways of God are full of mercy to thee, and he hath set his stamp upon thee, & by his ways of love he tells thee, that thou belongest unto him. O unbelieving soul, answer Lord thou art my God & lay aside these discouraging & sinking thoughts of thine; O that thou wouldst go away with such an answer in thy mouth! Do not answer God's loving kindness, and his gracious dealings towards thee with discouragement and sinking of heart, this is dishonourable to him, and tedious to his Spirit. Obser. Thirdly, God works an answerable disposition in the hearts of his people unto him. This is thy duty, but God will work it in time if thou belongest to him. As thus, doth God choose us to be his people? then the hearts of the Saints choose him to be their God; Doth God say, you are my people? the Saints say, Lord thou art our God; Doth God say, I will dwell with them? they answer Lord, thou art our habitation. Doth God say, I delight in them? they say, Lord our delight is in thee. Doth God say, I will rest in them for ever? the Church saith, O my soul return unto thy rest. Here is a sweet answer, a rebound of all Gods loving kindness. Obser. Lastly, the Saints must profess God to be theirs. It is not enough to believe with the heart, but thou must confess with the mouth; profess it outwardly: of this before. Further, Obser. This is the highest happiness of the Saints, that God is their God, when they can say this, they have enough. If we could say, this house is mine, this street, this Lordship, this City, this Kingdom, this World is mine; What is all this? A Christian comes at length, and saith, this God that made all is mine. As it is reported of the French Ambassador, and the Spanish meeting together, saith the Spanish Ambassador, my Master is King of Spain; my Master (replied the French) is King of France; my Master said the Spaniard again is King of Naples: and my Master said the French is King of France; my Master is King of Portugal, and my Master is King of France; still he answered with that my Master is King of France, as being enough to answer all the several Kingdoms of the Spaniard. So one saith, I have this house, this land, this stock, this estate, this trade, yea but saith a Christian, I have God, God is mine; Surely having him thou hast enough. And if God be thy God, he will be a God to thee. 1 Chron. 17. 24. The Lord of hosts is God of Israel, even a God to Israel. So it must be with thee, if thou be'st a Saint of God, be a Saint to God; Are we a people of God, than we must be a people to God. Blessed are the people that are in such a case, yea happy are the people whose God is the Lord. Thus we had opened the gracious manifestation of God to his Church, in part fulfilled spiritually, to spiritual Israel here, but more sensibly to be made good at the great day of Jezreel, Quae omnia judei post Antichristum in fine mundi prestolantur. Hieronym. in locum. that is, when the Jews shall be called, than the Spouse of Christ in a visible way shall be thus married unto him, and the Lord will be their God. Jerome saith upon the Text, All these things that are here promised to the Church, the Jews expect it at the end of the world, after the time of Antichrist. And I make no question though in a spiritual sense this Scripture is made good for the present unto the Saints, yet in a more visible and sensible way, all this Scripture will be made good to the people of the Jews, & the Gentiles then joining with them even literally, the glory of the Church shall be visible and apparent. More whereof in the next Chapter. HOSEA, CHAP. 3. The First Lecture. CHAP. 3. VER. 1. 2. 3. Then said the Lord unto me, go yet, love a woman (beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress) according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love flagons of wine. So I bought her ●o me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley. And I said unto her, thou shalt abide for me many days, thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man, so will I also be for thee. THe close of the former Chapter had much mercy in it, and this Chapter contains the expression of much love also to Israel, but yet withal, God tells them of that mean and low estate they are like to be in before that time comes, for the fulfilling of all that good that God intends to them. God purposes great mercy for them, his heart is much set upon them, but they must for a long time bear their iniquity, they must be brought into a vile and desolate condition in their captivity, even until a second appearing of Christ. But in all this time the heart of God would be toward them, his intentions would be strong for good to that people above all the people upon the face of the earth: though they might seem to be utterly rejected of the Lord, and that for many years, yet he would look toward them as a people that he intended yet to marry unto himself, & in time mercy should break forth gloriously upon them, and his name should be magnified in their returning unto him, so as their hearts should melt toward his goodness, they should not abuse it any more as formerly they had done, but they should return and seek the Lord their God and David their King, and fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days. This is the scope of the Chapter. In which you have three things. 1. Gods love continued unto an adulteress, Israel. 2. The low and mean condition of this adulteress for a long time. 3. The return of God in infinite mercy toward them at the latter day, together with their return unto him. And the Lord said unto me, go yet, love a woman (beloved of her friend, yet an adulter esse.) We have here a new injunction to the Prophet, and that somewhat harder than his former. In the first Chapter God commanded him to go and take awife of whoredoms, but here God commanded him to love an adulteress, which is somewhat more than to take her unto himself, What that was of taking a wife of whoredoms hath been opened in the former Chapter, Lect. 1. and may spare some labour in this. It is here a vision as it was there; As if God should say unto Hosea, Hosea it is just with me as it would be with thee, if thou shouldst go and have a wife an Adulteress, notwithstanding all the love she hath found, yet still an Adulteress, & thine heart should be upon her, so as thou couldst not take thy heart from her, but thou must needs love this Adulteress still. This people whom I have loved, for whom I have done so much good, yet they have gone a whoring from me, they are an Adulteress, yet for all that my heart cannot be taken off from them, but is still toward them, yet I love them. This is through the strength of the Covenant that God's love is so permanent. Others who are not in covenant with him, God casts out for lesser sins for any sins; but as for his people who are in Covenant with him, no not their adulteries, their idolatries takes not the heart of God wholly from them. Surely then, if thou canst appeal to God. O Lord, thou knowest all things, knowest that there is nothing of thy mind revealed to me but my heart is ready to do it, and if I fail in any thing thou knowest it is the greatest burden of my soul; O that I knew more of thy mind! and that I had power to do more! surely God will love thee, you hear he loves his people though an adulteress, as before, so now take this lesson, thy sins cannot over come God's goodness, let God's goodness overcome thy sinfulness. An adulteress beloved of her friend. This is (as some carry it, Calvin, Vatablus, and many others) beloved of her husband, as if God should say, had they any such excuse for their departings from me, that I have been a bitter husband to them, that I have used them hardly, and rigidly, then indeed they might have some plea; but I have loved them dearly, I have done much for them, they were beloved of me, & I have carried myself to them in the most friendly way that possibly could be, yet they are gone a whoring from me. The wife that follows other lovers, thinks if she have but this to say, her husband is hard to her, he cares not for her, he loves her not, it excuses in part her adulteries; and so the husband, a company keeper, an adulterer, if he can say, what will you have me to do, I never come home but my wife is always brawling and she loves other men, he thinks this is plea enough for him. But Israel could not have this excuse for herself, for she was an Adulteress, yet beloved of the Lord. If we take the words thus, the notes briefly would be these. First, Obs. The husband should be a friend to his wife. There should be nothing but friendly carriage between man and wife; Yea the love of the husband to the wife should far surmount the love of any friend in the world, but a friend at least to comfort her, to cherish her in time of sorrows, to bear the burden of affliction with her, and so the wife towards the husband. Secondly, Obser. A base heart will be base against all bonds of love; beloved of her friend, yet an adultoresse; if you should ask, who is he or where is he that is so base? Lay thy hand upon thine own heart and consider what the love of God hath been towards thee all the days of thy life, and how thou hast carried thyself toward him, what love thou hast had from God that might break the heart of a devil, yet when any temptation comes to draw thee from God, Obser. thy base heart listens to it. Thirdly, It is a great aggravation of sin to sin against much love. We ought to do our duties to those that we stand in relation unto, though they do not their duty to us; if a wife hath a froward husband, a bitter, churlish rugged, wicked, ungodly husband, yet she is bound to do her duty to him, she is bound to love him, to obey him, to be observant of him in what may give him all lawful content. So if servants have froward, Love must not be abused. churlish, cruel Masters or Mastresses, yet they are bound to be obedient to them. 1 Pet. 2. 18. Be subject to your masters not only to those that raes good and gentle, but to the froward. It is no sufficient excuse for the wife to say, My husband is froward and unquiet, and therefore what shall I do? Nor for the servant to say, My Master or Mistress are unreasonable, they are cruel, what can I do? You must do your duty to them, though they do not theirs to you, But if you have a loving husband, tender over you, than love is required much more. Love above all things should draw the heart; the knowledge that it is duty may force obedience, but it is love that draws the heart most kindly. So if a servant have a godly Master and Mistress, who respects and tenders his good, if he should sin against them, this aggravateth the sin exceedingly. To wrong love is a very great sin, Delicata res est amor, love is a most delicate thing, and it must not be wronged, it is tender, a precious thing. A man who is of an ingenuous spirit, had rather a great deal be wronged in his estate, then in his love; he cannot bear the injury that is done unto his love; when his love is abused, that goes to his very heart. So it goes to the heart of God for his people to sin against his love; therefore it is said of the Saints when they sin, that they grieve the Spirit of God; he never saith so of wicked men; they anger God, but the Saints grieve him, because they sin so much against God's love. Charge this aggravation of your sin upon your hearts, and be humbled; collect together all the expressions of God's love to you, and let them lie glowing at your hearts, and melt them. But in that God bids him take an Adulteress beloved of her friend, and calls not this friend Husband, I think those who go another way express the mind of the Holy Ghost in this more fully, thus: This friend is not meant of one who is fully married, but rather one in a way of marriage. Amongst the Jews it was usual for all women to be under the protection of some men or other. Esay 4. 1. Seven women came and took hold of one man, and said, Let us be named by your name, we will eat our own bread, and wear our own clothes, only let us be named by your name, let us be under your protection. Even whores were wont, though they had many lovers, yet to have some one special man, under whose protection and care they would be, who was to see them not to have wrong, and to make provision for them, and such a one they were wont to call their friend; And many times these friends would so provide for them, that if they would be reclaimed, forsaking all their other lovers, they would give them good hopes of marrying with them at length. Arias Montanus refers us to one Propertius, in his first Book and second Elegy, to read about the charge and care of such a friend. The Grecians had that custom likewise: they called him under whose protection they put themselves, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the whore was called from it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. It is said of Plato that he had a whore, one Archenassa, who was called Plato's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Here the Lord would have the Prophet take an Adulteress beloved of her friend, that is, one that was a common Adulteress, and yet under the protection of some special friend, so as if he might come in place of that friend, and gain the love and affection of this Adulteress to himself, and in time getting her to be reclaimed, he might marry her unto himself. This is according to the love of God to his people, that is, as if God should say, This people is a going a whoring, but I will be content to take them unto myself, I will be as their friend, and so love them as a friend to protect them, to have care over them, until such a time that there may be some experience of their being reclaimed, and then I will marry this Adulteress fully unto myself, for God is not now fully married unto the Jews, neither will that marriage be until that glorious time of their calling comes; but yet God is as a friend to them to this day, that is, God takes this people yet under his protection, though they seem to be in a rejected condition, and so, as he gives hope, yea makes many promises that upon their return unto him he will marry them unto himself; yea there shall be a more glorious marriage between the Jews & the Lord Christ, then ever yet there was between him and any people upon the face of the earth. This I think to be the very scope and meaning of the words, Beloved of her friend. Somewhat suitable is that we have Deut. 21. 12. 13. when one of the Jews took a captive woman, he might not marry her presently to himself, but if he had a love to her, she was to continue a certain time, and to be so and so purified, and then he was to take her. The Jews are for the present as that captive woman, they are in bondage, yet God hath a love to them unto this day; but so, as they must abide a while until God be married to them; they are beloved of God, but yet with the love of a friend. The Seventy read these words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beloved of her friend, One that loveth evil things, upon the mistake of the Hebrew word, for indeed a friend and evil are the same letters, only differing in the points; so there might easily be a mistake. Who look to other gods. Their eyes are upon other gods. Where the heart is, there the eyes is. Timor figit oculum, so Amor: Fear fastens the eyes, and so doth Love. The workings of the soul appears as much in the eye, as in any member; the workings of love, of trust and confidence appear much in the eye. They look to other gods, that is, they have confidence in other gods. Looking up to a thing in Scripture phrase, is to have some confidence in it. Psal. 121. 1. I lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help: That is, I look for help, I have confidence and expect help. But how here to the hills then? What doth David's help come from the hills? Some think this to be the place where afterward the Temple was built, and was then the place of the Sanctuary; but for that it is said that usually in Scripture is but in the singular number, the hill of God; not the hills; therefore I find Calvin, Mollerus, and others, think that David here speaks of confidence in the creature, because he presently retracts himself in the second verse, My help is in Jehovah. As if he should say, I lift up mine eyes unto the creature for help, this is the frailty of my nature, and of the nature of man, to look for auxiliary Forces from Jerusalem, (which was a hilly place) I look for Forces to come from Jerusalem, but they do not come, well, I will not rest any longer upon them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Jehovah is my help, so they carry it. But now I would rather (if it may be) free the Prophet from vain confidence in the creature, and so the words being rightly understood, may free him if you read them thus, do I lift up mine eyes unto the hills? do I expect help from the creature? God forbid I should do it, for my help is in God. Further, sometimes the Hebrew [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] is used for [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] and so it would be translated above the hills, other men look to the hills, I look above the hills. But rather thus, I lift up mine eyes to the hills, that is, I look to God, why? because the place where the Temple was to be built, it was not only upon one hill, but upon hills, and so this expression hath reference to those two hills it was built upon; the hill of Moriah and the hill of Zion (which were rather but two ridges of the same) as 2 Chron. 3. 1. Solomon began to build the house of the Lord upon mount Moriah; and Psal. 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion: I look saith David unto God, my Faith hath reference to that place that God hath chosen for himself; Ezek. 23. 27. that this is the meaning will appear if we compare this with Psal. 87. 1. His foundation is in the holy hills, not hill, but hills. The respect Idolaters had to their Idols, being manifested by lifting up their eyes to them, therefore God commanded them, that they must not so much as lift up their eyes to their idols; And indeed we had need take heed in what we do in this, so much as to lift up our eyes to look upon the enticements of the flesh; many will not commit their former sins, but they love to be looking that way. I have read of a Lady, a loving wife, who being at the marriage of Cyrus, she was asked how she liked the Bridgeroom? how, saith she? I know not, I saw no body but my Husband. Love and respect draws the eye either to God or to the creature. According as our hearts are, so our eyes will be. And love flagons of wine. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word comes from a word that signifies fundavit. The old Latin turns it vivacia uvarum, the leaves, skins, and stones of the grape that remains after pressing, that sink down into the bottom of the vessel. Noting thereby how sapless, and savourlesse, and unworthy Idolatrous worship is in comparison of the true worship of God. True worship of God is sweet, and savoury, lovely, and excellent, but man's institutions, how sapless are they! The spirits of such men as plead for and delight in superstitious vanities, the devises of men, how sapless and unsavoury do they quickly grow! though heretofore they have had some quickness and liveliness in their ways, yet if once they delight themselves in the inventions of men, in God's worship, their spirits grow very unsavoury to those with whom they converse. But take the traslation as it is in your books, flagons of wine, called by this name in the Hebrew, because that vessel, the flagon is broad in the bottom: That is, (as some carry it) thus, They are as drunkards that call for one flagon after another. Superstitious and idolatrous people, when they have one way of superstition, they call for another; and when they have got that, they will have another, and are still greedy of more, they are never satisfied, as drunkards are greedy of their flagons. Or rather, to note the sensuality of the ways of their Idolatrous worship, their flagons of wine are joined to their gods. The Seventy translate the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Bellaria, fine Cates and junkets, delicate things made with wine and grapes together by all the art they can devise for the pleasing the appetite. Obser. From thence the note is clear. Spiritual adultery and carnal sensuality go together. They used flagons of wine in their idolatrous solemnities, that made them love their Idols so much the rather. In the true worship of God there is abundance of sweetness to satisfy the hearts of the Saints, they need not have sensual pleasures to make up their delight, but in superstitious worship there is no such sweetness to satisfy the spirits, therefore they are sane to call for flagons of wine, and other sensual things to make up a full delight to themselves. Superstitious and idolatrous Rites bring with them pleasure to the flesh, hence how are they loved and followed by people? they can hardly ever be taken off from them. Idolatry and sensuality go together. In their Idolatrous solemnities they were wont to have Feasts to pamper the flesh. Judg. 9 27. They went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod the grapes, and were merry, & went into the house of their God, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. So Amos. 2. 8. They drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their God. What is that? By oppression and violence they would rend the estates of men from them, and when they had gotten them, than they made merry, yea they would come into the house of their gods, and drink bowls of wine that they had gotten from the estates of such men whom they had wrongfully condemned, Let Idolaters have their lusts satisfied, and they care not what God they serve. 2 Cor. 8. 10. If any see them sit at meat in the Idols temple; at meat, they had their flesh satisfied in the Idols temple. Thus God complains of his people here. As if he had said, Let all bemoan my condition, for though I have loved Israel dearly, she hath gone a whoring from me, and she loveth flagons of wine, because she hath more pleasure to the flesh in serving Idols, she will serve them. What an abominable thing it is to forsake the blessed God merely for the love of wine? How many are there in the world who forsake all that good that is in God, in Christ, in heaven, in eternity, merely for flagons of wine? Calvin hath a note from the word that carries somewhat more with it, flagons of grapes, so the words are in the Hebrew, not flagons of wine, and of grapes rather than wine saith he, because there were artificial ways used by them to make their superstitious ways to be more pleasant to them; As when drunkards have drunk even ad nauseam, that they begin to loathe what they delighted in, than they will use some artificial way or other of mixture of grapes or some other thing with the wine to make it have a new taste, that they may have still delight in drinking; So (saith he) because their old superstitions have nothing in them to satisfy the heart, therefore they are fain to invent new kinds of artificial ways to please themselves withal, although (saith he) they brag of their antiquity, yet the truth is, they are fain to invent new things every day, to give a new lustre and pomp to their worship, they are always devising some new ceremony or other, or else it would grow loathsome to themselves. This we have seen in our own experience, the wantonness of men's hearts in superstitious ways is very great, they invent new ways to uphold their old moth-eaten vanities. So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver. The Prophet obeyeth God in this other hard command. God many times sends his Prophets upon very hard businesses, yet they must be willing to serve the Lord in the hardest work; and bought her to himself for fifteen pieces of silver. The word that is here translated bought, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to dig, it is taken (as some think) from the piercing or boring into the servants ear, which was to be a slave until the year of Jubilee, to note the slavish condition of this people they should be in for a long time. But sometime the word signifies not only boring, but any kind of getting by buying or bargaining, taken from the manner of the Jews, it seems to be a hard expression, Cognatum cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pagn. how distant do those two seem to be, to dig and to buy? it signifies also to cut, saith Pagnine, (excidit) he hath cut a sunder, because in their bargainings they were wont to cut a beast in sunder, & so to go between the two pieces; Contrabentes dextras invicem datas ut rem ratam ess● significarent percutiendo discinderent, sicut & in faederibus bestiae disse cabantur. Pagn. or because in their bargains they joined their right hands together, and then another came and put his hand between theirs, as a spade is put into the earth, and so did as it were cut them asunder, and from thence, though the word seem harsh, yet those who understand the manner of their bargainings know the meaning of it. I bought her to myself. This buying was in order to marrying, that she might be under his care for a while, and then come to be his wife. It was the custom of men in those days to buy their wives. jacob served twice seven years for Rachel, and so bought her. David bought his wife for a hundred foreskins of the Philistims; and Christ purchased his Church to himself at a dear rate, even by his own blood: But I bought her (saith he) for fifteen Pieces of silver. There is a necessity for the opening these words, not only that you may see the scope of the holy Ghost here, but likewise may the better understand some other Scriptures. Fifteen pieces of silver; How much is that? It is fifteen shekels, for that is a rule among the Hebrews, when a piece of silver is named, and not the sum; then a shekel is always understood, and when a shekel is set down, and the mettle not expressed, the silver is understood, not gold or any other mettle. Now the common shekel was according to the account of some of the weight of 160. grains of barley. Josephus saith it was about four Drachmas (and so I find most carry it) about 18. or 20. pence of our money; though a great deal of difference there be among Interpreters about the sum of that shekel; Jerome upon the fourth of Ezekiel, makes it half an ounce, but there is much difference you know about ounces. This was to signify the vile and base condition that Israel had brought herself into, for thirty shekels of silver was to be given for the price of a maid-servant, Exod. 21. 32. If an ox have pushed a manservant, or a woman-servant, he shall give to his Master thirty shekels. Thirty shekels must be given for recompense of loss of a servant who was but a slave; yet the Prophet must buy this adulteress for half as much, fifteen shekels. Israel, all the ten Tribes, yea the whole people of the Jews are signified by this adulteress beloved of her friend: So that now the people of Israel, who heretofore the dear lie beloved of God's soul, his only people upon the face of the earth, the peculiar treasure of God, his portion, his inheritance, had now by their sin brought themselves into a meaner condition than any poor bondwoman in Israel, that they were worth but half as much now as a poor woman-slave. This thirty pieces of silver was the goodly price Christ was valued at by the Jews, Zech. 11. 12. Mat. 27. 9 This showed how Christ was humbled, that he must be sold for no more than was the price of a slave. But the price of Israel was but 15. pieces, half as much. Israel was proud in the day of her prosperity, but now she hath brought herself by her sin into a meaner condition than a slave. And for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley. What that homer of barley was, and what the scope of the holy Ghost is in mentioning of it must be enquired. First, an homer contained ten Ephaes. But by that (you will say) we know no more than we did. An Ephah then is near upon as much as our bushel, so that this homer is near upon ten of our bushels. Ruth 2. 17. it is said of Ruth that when shegleaned in the field after the Reapers, she beat out that she had gleaned, and it was an Ephah of barley. And by that you may know the meaning of that text, Esay 5. 10. The seed of an homer shall yield an Ephah; why a homer was ten bushels, how then should the seed of near ten bushels yield but one bushel? It was a threatening of a famine, that though they did sow much, they should reap but little, they should sow a matter of ten bushels, and reap but one. Or thus, some interpret an homer to be about the burden that an Ass was able to bear, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew signifies an Ass, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the burden of that creature was called an homer; but Ezek, 45. 11. the Text telleth us plainly, that an Ephah is the tenth part of an homer. There is a great deal of difficulty to understand this, if we compare it with another Scripture, Exod. 16. 16, where the Text saith they were to gather of the Manna every man according to his eating, an homer for every man; and ver. 36. an homer is the tenth part of an Ephah. This seems quite contrary, here it is that an ephah is the tenth part of an homer, and there it is that an homer is the tenth part of an ephah. But for the salving of this, those who are skilful in the Hebrew tongue know that these words are written with different letters, though in our English the pronounciation is the same, for that in Exodus is written with [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] and the other [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] one thus Gnomer, the other Chomer, so it should be read. Now this homer of Manna that God gave for every man for one day, was almost the tenth part of a bushel, it was four or five times as much as the Romans were wont to allow their men, their Dimensum which they called a Chaenix, which was their allowance for their servants, was but the fourth part of this, and scarce that; noting thereby, tha● God is exceeding liberal unto his people. But why an homer of barley; Because it was a mean food, and in those times rather the food of beasts then of men; God promised to feed his people with the finest flower of wheat. Therefore Revel. 6. 5. A measure of ●heate for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny. But what doth this tend to, that there must be a homer of barley and half a homer of barley given for this Adulteress that the Prophet was to take unto himself? The scope of all is, to signify the mean condition, that the ten Tribes, and afterward all the Jews should be in, till Christ came to marry them to himself. First they should be in a contemptible condition, they should be valued but at half the price of a slave. Secondly, they should be fed but meanly and basely, even as slaves, or rather as beasts, this homer and half of barley should be for their sustenance, in which they should be used very hardly for along time. And that you may see how this hath been fulfilled, (for it did not only refer to the time of their Captivity before Christ, but to all the Captivity they have been in ever since Christ's time to this day, and shall be in until their calling) the mean condition they were in before, in the time of their first Captivity, you may see Lament. 4. 5. Those that were clothed in scarlet, embraced the dunghill; they either lay in filthy places that had dung in them, like beasts, or else they were employed in carrying dung up and down. And to this day, Histories tell us, that generally the Jews have a most stinking savour, and we know that they are the vilest people in the esteem of others that are upon the face of the earth. An Historian tells us of an Emperor travelling into Egypt, there meeting with some Jews, he was so annoyed with the stink of them, that he cries out, O Marco-mani, O Quadi, etc. At length, saith he, I have met with worse, with viler men than such and such, reckoning up divers of the basest people that were upon the face of the earth. O Mar●emani, O Quadi, O Sarmatae, tandem alios vobis deteriores inveni. Ammian. lib. 2. And to this day the Turks will admit of no Jew to turn to the Mahometan Religion, unless he first turn Christian; they have much more honourable esteem of the Christians, they think that Jesus Christ though he was not God, yet he was a great Prophet; but for the Jews, they have such vile thoughts of them, that they think it a dishonour to the Turkish Religion that any of them should turn Turk, unless be first turned Christian. And we read of the Romans, that when they conquered other Nations, they would permit them to call themselves Romans, after they had conquered them, but they would never permit the Jews to call themselves Romans, though the Jews would comply never so much with them and be their servants, (Augustine hath it upon Psalm 58.) lest there should be some blot stick to the glory of the Romans by that odious people. Alios Romanos appellari permitterent, non judaeos, ne quid labis ad haertscenit nomini ab odioso ac sordido genere. August. in Psal. 58. ad illud ne occidas. Suetonius in Domitian●. c. 12. Obser. Thus we see what shame hath God cast upon that nation even unto this day, that they are counted as the very offscouring of all nations. Suetonius tells us that in the exactions that the Romans require of people, they put upon the Jews more than upon all people. This that we read of in histories, & that which we find by experience of the base condition these people are in, is the fulfilling this Scripture, that I am now opening unto you, she shall be bought for fifteen pieces of silver, and fed with barley, she shall be in a very low, base and mean condition until Christ shall come and marry her to himself. Notes from hence are. First, A people who have been high in outward glory, when they depart from God, make themselves vile and contemptible, God casts contempt upon wicked men, especially upon wicked men who corrupt his worship. Do we not see it at this day? Mal. 2. 9 It is threatened that the Priests who departed from the law, & corrupted their ways should be base and contemptible before the people. Hath not the Lord done thus at this day? even those that not long since gave themselves the title of the triumphant Clergy and the triumphant Church, and went up and down jetting as if they would outface heaven itself; They feared all men with the High Commission Court. But what shame hath God cast upon this generation? the people loathe them, and we hope in time the Lord will sweep away the proud and haughty of them, as the refuse of the earth. Yea our whole nation hath been a proud nation; Sin puts into a vile condition. what vaunting hath there been of what a glorious Church we had? never such a one upon the earth, we sat as a Queen amongst the nations; we have been a haughty people, and God may justly cast contempt upon us. The Jews were so (the Temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord) but God hath now made them the vilest nation upon the earth. And the truth is, God hath begun to cast much shame upon this nation. The time was when the Kingdom of England was a terror to other people, of late they have been the scorn and contempt of other nations. When Ephraius spoke there was trembling; he exalted himself in Israel, but sinning it Baal he died, he became as a dead, poor, vile, contemptible people. Hos. 13. 1. The Lord loveth to name the pride of men. How many have you known who have been proud and lofty, and the Lord hath cast shame and contempt in their saces? even before those whom they looked upon heretofore with contempt, they have now been made objects of contempt. Secondly, Obs. Though a people be under contempt, yet God's heart may be towards them to do them good at the latter end. There is the love of God's election still to this people, God remembers them, and intends good unto them for all this. Who knows what contempt God may cast upon us? Perhaps he may let our proud adversaries trample us under their feet, but we hope he will not, because he sees their hearts so proud as they are. But if he should, we should not despair, we must not conclude God hath quite cast off England, though he should bring all his people under contempt, so as to betrampled under the foot of pride. And if there be any of you whom God hath so humbled as he hath made you contemptible; do you humble yourselves before God, but do not despair, the Lord may yet have a love to you, though you are now under shame and contempt, who knows but that this was the only way that God had to humble your hearts? God putteth his own people under contempt, and yet it is all out of love unto them, and withan intent to do them good at last. Thirdly, (which is the most especial note hence) After many promises of God's mercy and of a glorious condition, Obser. which he intendeth his people, he may yet hold a very hard hand over them a great while, God having promised so much mercy in the former Chapter, Israel might quickly grow wanton, and say it is no great matter, though we be vile and wicked, yet God will marry us to himself, and we shall be a glorious people, and what need we take care? Nay saith God stay here, though my heart be toward you, Those to whom God intends great mercy, may for a long time be in a sad condition. yet this generation shall suffer, and the next generation, & the next generation after that shall suffer hard things, you shall be brought into the most vile condition that ever any people was brought into, yet my promise shall be fulfilled at the last. Here we see what care God taketh that people should not grow wanton with his mercy, and think, Oh we are in covenant with God, and God hath pardoned our sins, what need we care? take heed of growing want on, thou mayst suffer fearful things in this world. Though God may save your souls, yet you may be brought into as woeful a condition in your own apprehensions as ever any creature was upon the earth. And for England, though it is true, we have as many arguments of the love of God to 〈◊〉 as ever any nation had, but yet who knows what this generation may suffer that hath so sullied itself with superstitious vanities? We may be brought into wefullslavery, and then God may raise up unto himself another generation, upon whom he will be stow the mercy intended. Fourthly, Obser. Those who will take their fill of delight to the flesh in a sensual use of the creature, it is just with God they should be cut short, & be made to live meanly and basely, to be made to feed with course fare, with barley. The Jews had their delicates before, they fared deliciously, now they must be said worse than their servants, and ear that which was meat for beasts. How many hath God thus dealt withal, who not long since had their tables furnished with the choicest sare, with variety of dishes, & now perhaps are glad of a harley loaf for themselves and their children? Again, Obser. If God will not utterly destroy a people as he might, but reserve mercy for them at last, though they have never such a mean subsistence for the present, yet they have cause to bless God. Though this here be a threatening, yet there is a promise in it. The people of Israel (if they knew all) had no cause to murmur at God's dealing, but to admire at his mercy, though they had but a little barley to sustain them. And suppose God should bring us in England into a low condition, so as we may be glad of a barley loaf (we know famine commonly follows war) (it was wont to be a phrase; brown bread and the gospel is good fare) and God may bring that upon us in another way then ever yet we or our forefathers were acquainted with, but yet if the Lord do not cast us off utterly from being his people, though he feed us with brown bread, though we have never so mean a subsistence for the present, we shall have cause to bless his name. Lastly, Obser. It is the way of God to humble those he intendeth good unto, to prepare them for mercy, by cutting them short of these outward comforts. If the Lord hath dealt so with any of you, you have lived full-handed, perhaps wives have brought good portions to their husbands, and now they are broke, and all is lost, perhaps you had good friends in the Country, & many of them are plundered in their estates, & now you are fain to far meanly, and if you have bread for your children you think it well; but consider this, Is not God now humbling me, and thereby preparing my heart for himself? Oh blessed be God for this my condition, this bread is sweeter to me then all the dishes I have had in my life. When you sit in your houses with your wives and children, and have nothing but barley bread to feed upon, have these thoughts, I hope God doth this in love & mercy he is making this my condition the best condition I was ever in, the greatest blessing to me Verse 3. And I said unto her, thou halt abide for me many days, thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man, so will I also be for thee. You shall not only be in such a low condition as a slave, and worse than a maid servant, and be said with barley, but you shall abide thus, & abide thus many days. Thus they have abode these sixteen hundred years since Christ's time, besides their former captivity. The Lord would have a full experience of Israel that their hearts were throroughly humbled, before he would take them to mercy again. There was never any people dealt more falsely with God in their humiliations then they had done before. How often when they were in misery did they come with their seeming humiliation & cried for mercy, and God ●●●wed them mercy, and assoon as they were delivered, they fell off again and went after their Idols, and then being in misery again, they cried to God and he delivered them, and then presently to their Idols again; Well, saith God, I will not deal so with you hereafter, I will not trust you so as I have done, you have been in misery, and I have delivered you when you cried to me, and then you have fallen to your sins again, but now you shall be humbled to purpose, you sh●l be ●ow many years in this low and mean condition, and then your hearts ●●ll be thoroughly broken, so that when you shall return to me again, you shall never fall from me. God hath dealt so with many of you, you have been in affliction, God hath delivered you, you have gone to your sins again, you have been in affliction again, and he hath delivered you, & you have fell to your sins again, and thus you have dallied with the great God: God may bring a fore & long affliction upon you, that you shall be so thoroughly humbled, that you shall never go back again to your sins as you have done. This is the meaning, abide many days, When we would scour & purge a filthy garment thoroughly, we do not only wash it, but we lay it a soaking a great while, and a frosting many nights; the Jews have line a soaking & frostning many hundred years, this is the hardness of man's heart, afflictions will not work presently; though many wedges be put into, & many blows struck upon knotty wood, it stirs not: some metals are long in melting, yea though the fire be very hot. Again, Obs. Here we see it is Gods ordinary way when he promiseth mercy, to seem to go quite contrary to a people, to seem as if he would quite destroy them. I will marry myself unto them in loving kindness and in mercies, but yet I will let this people be above sixteen hundred years in this forlorn condition. And so it hath been in all God's administrations since the beginning of the world. When God comes to humble sinners, they must be content to be humbled Gods own time, they must not out of a sudden furious humour say, Lord how long? I have been thus long in a sad condition, I have prayed thus long. Is your sadness & affliction eternal? Oh no, a year or two perhaps, but you have deserved eternity of misery. Thou shalt abide for me many days, thou shalt not play the harlot, & thou shalt not be for another man, so will I also be for thee. That is, in all this time you must have a care of yourself that you do not seek after other lovers, let me have experience that you will now worship the only true God, and I will promise you to stay for you as you do abide for me. For the phrase, Thou shalt not be for another man. The Hebrew phrase to be to or for another man is to marry, thou shalt not marry another, Ezek. 16. 8. I entered into a covenant with thee and thou becamest mine, fuisti 〈◊〉, thou wert to me, that is, thou wert married to me, Levit. 21. 3. A virgi●●hich hath no hath and, quae non suit viro, a virgin that w●●n to another 〈◊〉. A useful note may be had from ●●nce, That husbands must be to their wives, and wives must be to their husbands, that is, live to them; whatsoever thou hast, any knowledge, any parts, any grace, it must be to thy wife, for the benefit of thy wife, & what the wife hath must be to the husband. You shall abide for me many days, and take heed in all this time you do not depart from me & worship another God: Hence we may observe. In the time of the sorest affliction and trouble we must then take heed we forsake not God. Obser. Though I use you hardly for a long time, yet you may not think to go and shift for yourselves any other way. In time of affliction we must take heed of using shifting ways, we must not seek to help ourselves by false comforts, though trouble continue long. We have an excellent place for that, Psal. 44. 11. Thou hast scattered us amongst the Heathens; and ver. 12, Thou sellest thy people for nanght; and ver. 13. Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, & a derision to them that are round about us; & ver. 17. And all this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant; and ver. 19 Thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death, if we have stretched out our hands to a strange God; as if he should say, God forbid such a thing as this is, though we be in the place of dragons, though we be under reproach, under great affliction; (you may find in that Psalm the most woeful afflicted estate of God's people described, as in any part of the Book of God,) yet we have not lifted up our hands to another God. We must not say as King Jehoram, 2 King 6. 30. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer? He seemed to be humbled, and put on sackcloth, but he would not be contented to wait for the Lord any longer, but shift for himself. It is that which is in the spirits of men under affliction to think, why should I wait for God any longer? I will now seek to help myself in my own way, to shift for myself, The Lord forbid that such thoughts should be in any of our hearts. Sedebis mihi, thou shalt be quiet, though thou dost abide in this sad condition a long while. Esay, 30. 7. their strength is to sit still, and ver. 17. In rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be your strength. Alas, thou art now afflicted, where wilt thou mend thyself poor soul? wilt thou go to false gods, to thy former sinful lusts? that is not the way to help thee, thou must abide until God's time come that he will show mercy to thee, The heart of man is strongly set upon good, and cannot be content to stay God's time, but if God fubdue thy heart so far as that it is content to abide though never, so long for God, & will not go out to help itself in any unlawful way, this is a good sign that there is much love in the bottom. It is a sign of a strong affection in a woman, when there fall out things that hinder the match between her lover and herself. Well saith she, though there be this and that in the way, though you object never so many things, yet I will have him, I will never marry as long as I live except I have him: This argueth heat & power of affection. So here, I will marry you unto myself, saith God, but I will have you stay for me my time, many things are to be done before that day, and then after you have stayed, I will come to you in a glorious manner. As God dealeth with the Jews, so often it is in marrying himself to a particular people. Thou shalt do it. God doth not only command them to do it, but it is a promise and a prophecy that they shall do it. But you will say, how have the people of the ●ews abode for God? Thus, they have never to this day chosen any other God, though they have not been convinced of the Messiah, yet ever since the captivity they have hated Idolatry, & that was the thing GOD specially meant in this, thou shalt not have any more Idols, thou shalt choose no other God, no other husband, though thou hast been very wicked and sinful this way heretofore (the Jews formerly chose all manner of gods, the gods of the Amorites, and Moabites, and of all the Heathens about them) yet now thou shalt choose no other gods but me; thus far this is fulfilled, to this day the Jews since the captivity have never chose any other God, but have acknowledged the Jehovah to be the only true God, they cannot abide Images. There is a notable history for this in Eusebius, in the 18. Chapter of his Antiquities. Caius Caligula sent one Petronius to set up an Image in the Temple of Jerusalem; divers of the Jews came to Petronius to plead with him, and said, Sir, what is it that you do? we beseech you do not do it, deprive us of our lives first, for say they, it is impossible so long as our souls are in our bodies to abide it, we will all die first; But saith Petronius, it is the command of the Emperor, and there is no contradicting it, it must be done. They answered, seeing you will not transgress Caesar's command, neither will we violate the command of our God, nor are we so faint-hearted, or have we such a vain desire of the continuance of our lives, as to enjoy them upon such terms to lose the reward of eternal life, that is proposed for the keeping Gods commands. This was their spirit then, and to this day they will not endure Idols; one main thing that hinders the conversion of the jews is, they being scattered here and there among Papists, and seeing so much Idolatry among them, they are thereby stumbled at Christian Religion, and if God would once pull down Popery, certainly the Jew's would quickly come in, God is now about that. Therefore all of us should assist in what we can to take down all monuments of Idolatry, to make the worship of God more pure, this will be a means to bring about their conversion, and in this regard they have abode for God all this while; this I conceive to be the meaning of the Text. And I also will abide for thee. What is the meaning of that? First, in their captivity, saith God, though you shall be long in captivity, and in a low condition, be content, do not take any other god to be married unto as your husband; I will be content, I will stay, I will have no other people upon the earth but you all the while you are in captivity. But how doth God abide for Israel now? God hath chosen the Gentiles how the● doth he stay for them? Yes certainly, God stays for Israel to this day, thus. First, all the Gentiles that are called, they come into God, as being joined to the people of the Jews; God honoured the Jews so far, as that all the Gentiles that do come in, are to be made the Israel of God. But rather further thus, God abides for the people of the jews to this day, in this sense, God never hath taken, nor never will take to himself any Nation upon the earth to be a national Church, as the Jews were, and as it is probable the Jews shall be at their calling again, though God takes the Gentiles that are converted, and several Congregations to be Churches, but to marry himself to a whole Nation, in that way as the jews were, that is, if a man be born of that Nation, it shall be sufficient to make him a member of the Church, this God did never do since the jews rejection, and never will do it till the jews be called again; though God takes Kingdoms, and so in some figurative sense a Nation perhaps may be called a Church, but to speak properly and strictly, to be a Church so as the jews were, there is no such national Church, nor never will be till the calling in of the jews again; then God will be married to that Nation in a more glorious manner then ever, & God abideth to this day for that glory which he intendeth for jesus Christ, until they come in. And this I take to be a great reason why God for the present suffers his Churches to be persecuted so much as they are, herein God suffers himself as well as they; the Church ever since Christ's time hath been in a low and persecuted condition, the wicked have prevailed; What is the reason? God abideth for this people of the jews, and he is pleased himself to undergo many sufferings, in the mean time do you abide for me, I will be content to suffer much dishonour myself, many shall come in to Christ, but yet they shall be a poor contemptible people, the wicked of the world shall prevail against them, shall scorn them, shall contemn them, so that I shall not appear to the world to be their Husband, until you be called again, I shall be as it were without a wife; but when the time shall come that you shall return to me, than I wi● manifest myself indeed, you shall be a most glorious Church, and then there shall be such a full marriage between us, that all the world shall acknowledge it, than they shall all come and say, Come, behold the Bride, the Lamb's wife, This is the scope of this Scripture; from whence these Observations. First, Obser. Husbands should not require of their wives any thing but what they will answerably do for them. God doth so here, Abide for me, saith he, and I will abide for you, there shall be parpari, like for like. Many husbands will require hard things from their wives, but will do little themselves; and on the other side wives expect great things from their husbands, but do little themselves. There must be a proportion between what the wife expects from the husband, and what she doth to or for her husband, and so mutually. 2. In our sad condition God suffereth as well as we. This may help us in our sufferings we should think, though we suffer much, God suffereth as much as we, Lect. 1. why then ●●ould we think much? the people of the jews if they had hearts might see it now, God stays for his honour till they come in. So in all the persecutions of the Church, doth not Christ suffer, in that the great work of Reformation doth not go on? It is true, we are grieved, 〈◊〉 Spirit of God is grieved as well as we, and suffereth as much as we, God ●oth as it were abide for us, and stays for his glory. We desire (it is true) ●hat God would come in and manifest himself, than we shall be happy and rejoice; but so long as God stays our happiness, he stays his own glory. What abundance of glory doth God lose in those praises he should have, if the Reformation were presently perfected? but God hath other ends, God is content to stay for his praises, let us be content to stay for what we desire to have, it concerns God to hasten the work as much, yea far more than it concerns us to desire it, we suffer something for want of it, but God suffers more. 3. That people, Obser. or that soul that endureth hardship a long time for God, and resolveth to reserve itself for him, so as if it cannot have comfort in God it will have none elsewhere, may assure itself that God reserveth himself for it. Certainly nothing shall take off the heart of God, but there will be a blessed marriage between that soul, that people, and him. Is there ever a poor creature here is in a sad condition, & God seemeth to deal hardly with it, yet he findeth in himself this frame of spirit, well though God seem to leave me, and I am thus desolate, yet if I can have no comfort here, I will have none elsewhere; I will be content to stay and wait, no creature shall have my heart. It is true, I am not able to guide myself, but I am resolved the Devil shall never guide me; I am not able to do the will of God, but I will never do the will of the Devil; and if God should leave me never so long, nay leave me eternally, I will never have any other husband, I will rather die a widow, I will never let out myself to any; if he do not come in and marry himself to me, I will be without comfort as long as I live. Is thy heart in this frame? Peace be unto thee, certainly God intends thoughts of mercy to thy soul, there will certainly be a marriage between God and thy soul. And this frame of heart where it is, oh how will it help against temptation! when a poor soul is in distress, and it may be God seemeth to go off further & further, I have prayed long and long, and yet God seems not to hear, afflictions, they prevail; why do you pray any more? why do you come and hear any more? you were as good leave off at first, God will never come, you were as good take your pleasure for a while, you can but perish at the last: This temptation many times comes very sorely upon poor distressed souls; But now when the heart can answer, it is true, the Lord indeed seemeth to be gone, and I have cause to fear lest he should reject me, but become of me what will, yet I will never have any other husband, never any other comfort but God comfort, no other peace but the peace of God, and I am resolved that if I 〈◊〉 I will perish crying for it; if thou be'st in this frame waiting for GOD, GOD is waiting for thee in way●● of his mercy, and at 〈…〉 bowels of GOD'S mercy will yearn towards that, as the bowels of Joseph yerned towards his brethren so that he could hold no longer. You know Joseph for a long time used his brethren hardly, but his brethren yet behaved themselves humbly and submissively toward him, and at length he could not refrain; so it may be God useth thee some what hardly for a while, yet do thou keep in an humble and submissive frame of spirit unto him, do that which beseemeth a creature to do, whatsoever God doth to thee, it is fit God should exercise his absolute power over me, and that I should do my duty to him, do this and be sure thou art a soul that God will marry himself unto in the end. Fourthly, Obser. So far as we are willing to be for God, God is willing to be for us. God requires that you should seek him with your whole heart, Jer. 29. 13. Mark how God answereth, I will rejoice over them to do them good, jer. 31. 21. yea I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul; Will you seek God with your whole heart? I will do you good saith God with my whole heart. God is as willing to do for you as you are to do for him, if all the faculties of your souls work toward God, We may know what is done in heaven by by the beat of our own hearts. all the attributes in God shall work for your good. If thy estate be wholly given up for God, God's riches shall be wholly for thee. Wouldst thou know how God's heart works toward thee? do but lay thine hand upon thy own heart, according to the beat of thine heart towards God, so are the workings of the heart of God toward thee; thou mayest determine it thus; thou canst not go up to heaven to know it, but go into thine own heart and there thou mayest know. As a man may know by the working of an engine within, how the workings are abroad. That is the reason that the Saints, when they have had their hearts enlarged in prayer, they have come to be resolved what God will do for them or for his Church; as it is said of Luther, when he was in prayer one time more than ordinarily earnest with God, he comes down to his friends and saith, well it shall go well with Germany all my days, look ye to it afterward: he knew what was done in heaven, by what was done in his own heart. We may know in a great measure what God meaneth to do with his Churches according to the inward beat of our own hearts. Obser. Further, See here the happy advantage of the Saints, beyond the men of the world thus: Be you for me saith God, & I will be for you. The men of the world can say, I am for the world, & the world is for me, I am for my honour, and my honour is for me, I am for my whore, and my whore is for me, this is all their happiness, but now a Saint can say, I am for God, and God is for me. Oh the goodness of God toward us, that he is willing to be for us as we are for him! for him, alas what can we be for him? we are poor worms, vile creatures in ourselves, what can we do? he hath no need of us, we are bound to do all that we do. It is all one as if a king should come to a poor beggar, & say thus, poor man thou hast but little, yet do what you can for me, I will do what I can for you; this were a mighty disproportion: Alas what can the beggar do for the King? If you will but use your staff or what you have for me, I will use my riches, & glory, and all for your good; saith the King to the beggar. So saith God to a poor creature, Be you for me, and I will be for you; stand for me, and I will stand for you; use any thing you have form, and I will use what I have for you. Oh the blessed condition of the Saints! who would not be for God? Do not now say, alas! I am a poor vile and unworthy creature, so were the Jews, do not say I am gone a whoring from God, and dealt falsely with him, the Jews did so, yet saith God, whensoever you will be for me, I will be for you, It is now the great question amongst us, who are you for? I will put the question to you all, who are you for? Are your hearts wholly given up to God, or are you for your lusts for the creature? certainly the creature will deceive you ere long, you will have no good from the creature that now you are so much for; if you be not for God now, he will send you to the creature in the time of your distress. There is a time coming that every one of us shall see the need we have that God be for us; let us be for God now, that God may be for us then, when we come to cry to him, and say, Oh Lord, let thy mercy and goodness be for us, he will say, who were you for? you were for your lusts, now go to your lusts, you would have none of me before, I will have none of you now. Pro. 1. 26. 27. You would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh. Mark, They would have none of God's reproof, he doth not say, they would have none of my mercy, they would have none of my grace, therefore I will laugh at their destruction; but they would have none of my reproof; why? the reproofs of God are the bitterest, the harshest things of all, yet because they would have none of God's reproofs, he laughs at their destruction. What shall become of them then, who will have none of the riches of God's grace offered to them in Christ, The Second Lecture. HOSEA 3. 4. 5. For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a King, and without a Prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an Ephod, and without a Teraphim. Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God. HEre is much privation, six withouts, 1. without a King, 2. without a Prince, 3. without a sacrifice, 4. without an image, 5. without an Ephod. 6. without a Teraphim, but the last verse makes all up, They shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their King. These withouts show the woeful confused estate that Israel was to be in for many days, many years, both in regard of their Civil, and of their Church state. The Civil State, without a King, without a Prince. Their Church, in the four that follow after. Though once they were the happiest people upon the face of the earth both in regard of their Civil and Church estate, yet now they shall be most miserable. This they had brought upon themselves, they had set up their Idols in Dan and Bethel, Dan is the place of judgement, Bethel the house of God, so the words signify; there was abundance of corruption both in places of judgement, and in the house of God, and now there comes upon them abundance of confusion both in their Civil and in their Church state. They received their order for both from God himself, from heaven, and their Laws as well for Cvill as for Church Government, which no other people yet ever did in the state manner; but they leave Gods instituions, and so they are brought into all confusion. They shall be without a King. How without a King? When they were in captivity, yet they were under a King, the King of Babylon and the Assyrian, and now they are scattered under the Government of Kings and Princes still where ever they are. They have Kings over them, Answ. but they have none of their own Nation to be their King, and that is the judgement; Neither are they governed by their own (or rather) by God's Laws, and for them to be in slavery under Kings, was to them as ill (yea worse) then to have no King at all. It is a sad condition for a people to be so without a King, to protect them, without a King to maintain their Laws, their Privileges and Liberties. When men reject God from ruling over them, it is just with God to put them under the rule of Tyrants, of Oppressors, of public enemies unto their state, of destroyers. The blessing of government is very great, if it be right, and therefore the Persians were wont after their Governor died to let all the people for five days be without any governor at all, that seeing the inconvenience and mischief of being without it, they might the more willingly yield themselves under Government, and be obedient to it when they came under it. It is a question among Polititions, whether Tyranny or Anarchy be the better, Tyrannical Government, or no Government at all. Though Tyranny (except it come to a great extremity) may be better than Anarchy, yet certainly it is not better than to bring power to be regulated, though it be with some trouble, That power that at first raiseth power, that designs such persons and families to have the power, that limiteth that power, surely cannot want power to regulate that power that it should not be to its own destruction. But here it is not only to be without a King, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but without a Prince too. The word that is here translated Prince, signifieth a Ruler, Judge, or Governor, and so I find it often used in Scripture. 1 Chron. 27. 31. All these were rulers of the substance, Princes, the same word that is here used; and Nehem. 3. 9 The ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, the Prince. So that by Prince here is meant Judges or any kind of Rulers, they shall be without Prince, without any Judges or Rulers. Though they had no Kings, Lect. 2. yet if the government had been in the hand of eminent men, of Judges over them, their condition had not been so sad. Time was (not long before) that their happiness did not consist in being under the government of Kings, they were in a happy condition before ever these were over them, and the first time that ever they came under their government, it was upon their own choice: and so as God professeth they had rejected him, and God sent them their first King in his wrath. Therefore their misery certainly did not depend wholly upon being without a King. If God restrain not Kings, they often desire to encroach upon the Liberties that the Laws of the Land, the light of Nature, and God himself gives Subjects. Plutarch tells us a story of Pyrrhus, who coming to Athens, the Athenians to show their respect, and to give honour to King Pyrrhus, let him come into their Castle, to sacrifice there, to Minerva, which was a place they were not wont to let strangers into. When he came out of the Castle, he told them that he was much engaged to them for that great favour; in requital of which, Plutarch in the life of Pyrrhus. he told them he would give them this good counsel, Take heed, saith he, that you never let King come more into this place; Imitating how easily they may be persuaded to internch upon the liberties of those who come under their power. And this should abide for many days. It did abide for 700. years and upward before Christ's time in regard of the ten Tribes, for from the sixth of Hezekiab to Christ it was so long, the ten Tribes never came under any Governor of their own in all that time: And since Christ's time neither Judah nor Israel have had either King or Prince of their own. Oh what a blindness is there upon this people! how dreadful is that darkness they are now in! That notwithstanding the Prophecy was so clear, that the sceptre should not depart from Judah until Shiloh came; and yet now they have been without Prince these 1600. years, and yet they will not believe that Shiloh is come. Thus when God giveth over to blindness and hardness, things that are never so clear will not be believed. But their confusion in their Church state is more grievous than the other, They shall be without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an Ephod, and without a Teraphim. Two of these four, express their being deprived of Gods own Ordinances, and the other two their being deprived of their false worship. They made a mixture in worship, they would have their sacrifice & their Ephod, but together with them their image and their Teraphim. Obser. This is man's perverseness to make mixtures in God's worship, they will keep something of that which is Gods, but they will bring in something of their own too, and that spoils all. I have read of an Emperor of Rome, that in one Temple he would have Christ and Orpheus worshipped both together. And those who were sent into Samaria by the King of Babylon, of whom we read, 2 Kings 17. 33. They feared the Lord, and served their own gods: but verse 34. it is said, they feared not God, that is, though they would acknowledge the true God, yet they would mix the worship of Idols with the true God, and so God rejected all, they did not fear 〈◊〉 God at all; It is no fear of God except we fear him only; it is no worship of God that is accepted, unless we worship him only. It is true, the Heathens are content with mixture in their worship; you may worship one God, and have the worship of another God mixed with it, because there is not any one of them who challengeth to himself to be the universal good, but God being the universal good, he must be worshipped alone without mixture. There are two things wherein we must take heed of mingling; 2. Things in which we must take heed of mixture. The one is in Divine worship, the other is in that great point of Justification. It is as much as our lives are worth to mingle in either of these, we must keep to the Rule very close and strict in these two, rather than in any thing. These people had both, and God threatens they should be without both; seeing they would not keep themselves fully to his institutions, they should have none at all, they should have neither Gods institutions nor their own. We are this day much like to Israel. In regard of our Civil state, much confusion there is in that, though not altogether so much as was in theirs. And in our Church state we are very like them; we have neither the right way of worship, nor the false, in regard of the Government of the Church; The false is cast away and professed against, yet we have not the true; Only here is the mercy of God that we are enquiring after the true, & seeking the Lord, and David our King. The Lord give us hearts to inquire to purpose. Those who understand the Septuagint, shall find that they translate these four here, Some coples'. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Sacrifice, Image, Ephod, and Teraphim, by words that only signify the true worship, and therefore for Image they put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Altar, and for the Teraphim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Priesthood, and for the Ephod, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifestation; a word used for the Vrim and Thummim. But the Hebrew is other ways, Sacrifice, Image, Ephod, and Teraphim, as in your books. First then to inquire after that which was right, the true worship, Sacrifice and Ephod, what that was, and then the other, Image and Teraphim. Sacrifice. They should have no sacrifice at all, for since their Temple was destroyed they could never have any. That is the reason that they pray with that mighty fervency of spirit that God would build the Temple again, (as I remember I formerly showed you out of Buxtorfius.) Aedifica, aedifica, aedifica; cito, cito, cito, Lord build, build, build thy Temple, in our days, etc. Because they knew they could have no sacrifice so long as their Temple was down; And this was a sad condition they were in; this is their lamentable estate to this day, they have not the legal sacrifices, nor that which was typed out by them. There were these three things in their sacrifices. 1. Their tendering up of themselves to God, the showing their respect to him in that way he required, that was in their Burnt-Offering. 2. Seeking the expiation of sin, that was in their Sinne-Offering. 3. Seeking for mercy and thanksgiving, that was in their Peace-offering. Now to have no sacrifice in either of these three kinds, that is, to have nothing to tender up to the high and blessed God to show our respect to him; to have no means to expiate our sins when we have offended him; to have no way to seek to God for mercy when we need, nor to return praise, this must needs be a sad thing. This the Jews have not for the present, we have Christ who is to us all these, the tendering up of him. to God, is the tendering the greatest respect to God that possibly can be, the tendering of him is the expiation for our sins, it is the seeking of whatsoever mercy we would have, and it is our Eucharistical sacrifice too for all our mercies. The evil condition of those who are out of Christ. But those who are without Christ, are to this day without sacrifice, they have nothing to tender up to God. If thou wilt tender up thy estate, thy body, or thy liberty, or thy name, this is no sacrifice acceptable unto God, except thou hast Christ to tender up to him, and canst tender up all in him and through him, than indeed God accepts of these. When thou hast sinned what sacrifice wilt thou offer to God to explate thy sin? all thy prayers, thy tears are nothing, except they come with this sacrifice, Jesus Christ; in him indeed a contrite heart is a sacrifice very acceptable to God. But so long as thou art without Christ, the judgement of the jews is upon thee, thou art without a sacrifice. And without an Ephod.] By this he meaneth, first, that they should be without the Priesthood. They should not have any Church Officers, And secondly, they should have no means to know the mind of God. That is the scope, which appears thus. First, That by the Ephod is meant the Priests, is clear by that expression 1 Sam. 22. 18. where it is said that Doeg slew four-score & five persons that did we are a limans Ephod, that is, four-score and five Priests. Secondly, Without the means of knowing God's mind, for the Vrim and the Thummim, was upon the pectoral, upon the breastplate that was fastened upon the Ephod; So that when they were without the Ephod, they must needs be without their breastplate, for the breastplate was annexed to the Ephod, and could not be used for the knowing the mind of God but only by applying it to the Ephod, 1 Sam. 30. 7. David said to the Priest, Bring me hither the Ephod, and David inquired at the Lord, saying, shall I pursue after this troop? It was by the presence of the Ephod, that he did inquire what the mind of God was what he should do in this business that he was now about, whether he should follow the troop, yea or no. And the Text is very observable in the sixth verse, you may see at what time it was that David was so careful to make use of the Ephod, to know the mind of God what he should do, he was in an exceeding distressed condition, for Ziglag his own City that he had the charge of was burnt, and the men of the City were all in a fretting mood, and talked of stoning him, because the Amalekites had come in his absence & taken away their goods, their wives and children, and burned the Town. This is the condition of men in public places, if any thing fall out unsuccessfully, the people are ready in rage to fall upon them; this makes men in public places to be in a hard condition, very dangerous and troublesome. We had need pray much for them, we are ready to envy those that are above us, & employed in public services; but considering what danger they are in, & how every thing that falleth out amiss, otherwise than we desire, the blame is presently laid upon them, their condition is not so happy as we imagine. This was David's condition, nay the Text saith, that being in this condition, he and the men that were with him wept, so as they had no more power to weep their hearts were so broken, yet in this sad and grievous condition, he encourageth himself in the Lord his God, God is sought in straits. and he calleth for the Ephod to inquire, and know the mind of God what he should do in it. You shall observe that this is the first time we read that David in his Wars and Battles called for the Ephod, when he went to Achish, than he did not inquire, when he invaded the Geshurites, and Amalekites before, he did not inquire, but now when he was brought into straits, when his heart was broken, when he was in a weeping condition, now he calleth for the Ephod: When God brings men into straits, and humbles them, than they will inquire of God to purpose. We are now about to inquire of God, to know his mind but we are not humbled enough, our straits have not broken our hearts, and perhaps we shall not so readily know God's mind, God may yet humble us more, and then when we come to inquire God's mind, it may be to further purpose. But to open this garment a little. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word Ephod is that Hebrew word, which signifies to close in, and to compass about, to gird about, because of the fitting garment to the Priests, and the girding of it about them. There were divers sorts of these Ephods, one peculiar to the high Priest, that you have Exod. 28. 6. Others that the ordinary Priests had, that you have in the former places I named about the fourscore and five Priests slain by Doeg; What the Ephod was. A third was common for the ordinary Levites, thus Samuel, 1 Sam. 2. 18. ministered before the Lord girded with a linen Ephod. And there was a fourth that other people did we are in their holy actions, especially before Kings, David danced before the Lord, girded with a linen Ephod, 2 Sam. 6. 14. And to this day the Jews have a kind of linen garment, but not of the fashion of our Ephod, but some little kind of resemblance to it, they wear it upon their heads, and so downward. When Alexander came to Jerusalem, I addus the high Priest came with all his Priestly garments to meet him, which caused him to fall down, prostrating himself before him, out of reverence to him; josephus tells us in that story, that the people came with white garments, garments that had some kind of resemblance to this Ephod: josephus saith that this Ephod was a garment but of a cubite long, only covering the shoulders and the breast, open above and on either side, and girt about the breasts; others make it a longrobe, reaching down to the very feet, But there was a robe beside the Ephod, the Ephod was over another robe so Christ appeared unto John, Rev. 1. 13. Clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle, like the Priests, for so they were wont to be arrayed; And Revel. 15. 6. the Ministers of the Churches called by the name of Angels, are described, clothed in white linen, having their breasts girded with golden girdles; not girt about their loins, but about their breasts, near their hearts. That which makes Ministers of the Gospel ready prepared for the work, is the girdle of truth, and this must be about their hearts; if their own plottings and self-ends shall gird them, that is, put them on to a readiness to do what may serve for those ends; this girdle is not the golden girdle, but like that rotten girdle of Jeremiahs', Chap. 31. 7. that was profitable for nothing. This garment of the Ephod was a holy garment then, and others must take heed of meddling with such garments, or of seeking to imitate to make the like garments. We read of Gideon, Judges 8. when God had given him a great victory over the Midianites, he would imitate this Ephod, of the spoil he had gotten of the Midianites, he made a rich and glorious Ephod, but the Text observeth that thing proved to be the destruction of gideon's house, for the people went a whoring after it; he made it with a good intention to testify his thankfulness to God for his victory, not thinking that ever it should be worshipped. It is a dangerous thing for governor's to imitate God's ordinances in garments or the like, and to preserve them amongst people, though it be with never so good an intention, their good intention will not excuse them; gideon's presumption in making an Ephod, in imitation of the Ephod appointed by God proved to be the destruction of his house, yet this was Gideon who a little before had destroyed the altar of Baal, though he was so much against Idolatry before, yet now he doth that which furthereth Idolatry: so many Governors, if they take not heed, they may pull down one kind of false worship, and set up another. The jews have many mysteries about this garment, it would weary you to hear them. I shall only observe that which is most useful for you, we must not read the books of the old Testament, as if they concerned us not. First, upon the shoulders of the Ephod there were set ranks of precious stones, upon them were in graven the names of the twelve Tribes according to their generations: What to be observed from the precious stones upon the Ephod. Obser. And in the middle of the Ephod upon the breastplate, which was to be foursquare, there were four rows of precious stones, upon those likewise were engraven all the names of the Tribes of Israel, & he bore them upon his heart. There is much to be observed in this. First, Let the Tribes be what they will be in themselves, though never so mean, yet upon the Ephod they were precious stones. The Priest wearing the Ephod was a type of Christ; let those who are godly, be never so mean in themselves, yet in Christ God looks upon them as precious stones. Secondly, Obser. These precious stones that were upon the shoulders of the Ephod are called a memorial, Exod. 28. 12. that was to signify Christ, bearing the names of all the Saints before his Father for a memorial, those 12, tribes presenting all the Churches that should be unto the end of the world. When God remembers his Church, it is thorough Christ; God never remembers his Church, but it is by Christ carrying it before him, that is the comfort of the Saints; therefore he can never remember them to revenge himself upon them, for he never thinketh of them but only as Christ presenteth them unto him. And further, A memorial (say the Jews) not only because the Priests were to bear the names of the twelve Tribes engraven in those stones for a memorial before the Lord, but to signify that the Priests themselves were to remember to pray for the Tribes. And thirdly, A memorial to signify that both the Priests and all the people were to remember their godly Ancestors and Predecessors, and to follow their virtues, and not to be any dishonour unto them. But the first is the chief, these precious stones with the names of the tribes were first upon the shoulder, and then upon the heart: upon the shoulder, this notes that Christ carries his Church upon his shoulder, he bears the burden of his Church, all their weight, all their afflictions upon his shoulder, the shoulder of Christ standeth under the Churcher, certainly therefore they shall never sink. But may they not be so burdensome to Christ as that he may shake off his burden? No, therefore he hath them upon his breastplate too as well as upon his shoulder, there was upon the breastplate in the midst of the Ephod the names of the twelve Tribes, Christ carries the memorial of his Churches at his heart as well as upon his shoulders, & that makes Christ put his shoulders to the good of the Churches because they are so near his heart. An infinite comfort it is in the spiritual meaning of this Ephod that belongs to all the godly, Christ night and day hath thee upon his shoulder, and upon his heart as a precious stone before God the Father. This one thing further is observable about it, you shall find if you read that place in Exodus, that the names of the twelve Tribes were to be engraven upon these stones in order according to their birth, now in Revel. 21. the twelve Apostles who in regard of their Doctrine are made the twelve precious stones of the foundation of the new Jerusalem, you shall read that they are all the very same precious stones by name excepting four, and those four I find that Interpreters think to be the same that the other were, only with different names, for precious stones either in regard of the places where they are found, or in regard of their quality or colour carry divers names, so that it is very probable that those precious stones in Rev. were the same with these in Exo. but there we do not find that they are set according unto any dignity of one Apostle before another, as they were in the setting of the names of the Tribes, for the first precious stone that was to be set of the foundation of the new jerusalem, of the glorious Church that should be, it is the stone of Benjamin who was the youngest; And if there might be any mystery in it, we may think it signifies thus much, at least we may make use of it by way of allusion, that the Lord will use of the young ones of this generation, who shall make way for the new Jerusalem before any of the other tribes; God will cull out them to the first stone of the foundation of that glorious Church. In that we find there was not such order set of the Apostles as was of the Tribes, we are taught that Christ would not have us look upon the Apostles as one above another; therefore you shall find the Apostles are never named in one and the same order; in one Evangelist they are set down in one order, and in another, in another, as Mat. 10. Mar. 3. Luc. 9 so Act. 1. In all these they are named in a different order, noting thereby that there is no superiority nor inferiority in the Ministers of the Gospel. Upon the Ephod there was likewise the Vrim and Thummim. It is very hard to tell you what this Vrim and Thummim was, it costs a great deal of time to find out what men think it was, and if I should tell you the variety of the guesses of men about this, it would be tiresome unto you and me. Austin in his 117. question upon Exod. In venire quid sint deficile, what this Vrim and Thummim was, it is hard to find, and Cajetan saith, none ever yet explained what it was, and they tell us that even the Rabbins themselves say, the Jews were very ignorant of this. Faetentur Rabbini sum mam esse apud Hebraeos harum rerum ignorantiam. But most probable one of these two, especially the latter. Some think that they were some stones set in the breastplate, which by their brightness or darkness did give an answer to what they demanded of God, that is thus; when the high Priest went to demand of God what was to be done in any great and public affairs, he presented this breastplate with these stones before the Lord, and if God would give an affirmative answer, the stones gave a more than ordinary brightness and lustre; but if he would give a negative answer, than the stones were darker than they were before; but we are not certain of this, we may rather conclude upon the other, viz. that the Vrim and Thummim, (though we know not what matter they were made of, no more than we know what Manna was made of) it was somewhat that God gave Moses to put into the breastplate, which by him was appointed as an ordinance which was to be presented before the Lord by the Priest when they would know the mind of God, & when this was presented before the Lord, God did then usually give an answer to the Priest, either by an audible voice, or by secret inspiration, yet not always tying himself to give it thus; for we find in Scripture, sometimes God did not give an answer when he was sought by Vrim and Thummim, as when Saul enquired of God by Vrim & Thumim there was no answer from God; and it is like Josiah would not have sent only to Huldah the prophetess if he could have had answer by Vrim and Thumim; but when God pleased he would give an answer this way. The word Vrim & Thummim signifies light and perfection, some would make it to signify the knowledge and integrity of life that is to be in Ministers, but I rather think the meaning is, that they were bright precious stones which were of a great perfection, and fit to do that which God did appoint them for. The Septuagint calls this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Oracle. Hence 1 Pet. 4. 11 Let 〈◊〉 speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the Oracles of God. Now this must be upon the breastplate of the Priest, which the Priest making use of, thereby the people came to know the mind of God. This was to signify that we must look for the mind of God by Christ. we must know God's mind by Christ. It is Christ who is come from the Father to reveal his counsels to us; if we look to have the mind of God any other way but through him, we are mistaken. And further, this Vrim and Thummim, this breastplate of judgement, was to be upon the heart of the high Priest, and that when he went in before the Lord, as Exod. 28, 30. There are two notable moral observations to be observed from thence. First, Obs. The answer that any Minister of God in the name of Christ should give his people, should be such an answer as should lie at his very heart, he must speak nothing but his very heart unto them; when he would answer any case of conscience, or make known any thing of the mind of God, his answer must lie at his heart. Secondly, Obser. It must be as in the presence of the Lord, it must be as before God, he must consider in whose place he standeth to answer as from God, from the great Prophet of the Church. It is a great judgement threatened to be without Vrim and Thummim, seeing it was of so great use to them. And this should be for many days. Josephus saith, that they were without this two hundred years before he wrote his Antiquities, that was an hundred and five years before Christ; but it appears that they had no Vrim and Thummim long before that time, for at their return from captivity, Ezra 2. 63. the Tirshatha, that is, the Ruler, said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things till there stood up a Priest with Vrim and Thummim, therefore they had not then a Priest with Urim and Thummim, they expected to have one, but whether ever they had one after it is not know. This was the reason of that complaint of Asaph, Psa. 74. 9 We see not our signs, there is no more any Prophet, neither is there any among us that knoweth how long; that is a grievous complaint. Now it is like that Psalm was made about the very time of their return from captivity; for Ezra 2. 41. Asaph is named among those that came to Jerusalem from the captivity, The singers, the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight. But let it be then or after, by this Psalm we may find that it was a very lamentable complaint to be without Urim and Thummim. The result of all is, Obser. that it is a grievous thing to the Saints, that in the time of their strait they donor know God's mind. At any time when God brings his people into straits, yet if they can know the mind of their God, they are refreshed and encouraged; but when they shall seek to know God's mind, and the Lord resuseth to discover it to them, this is a sad condition indeed. I find one note more of Jeroms about their being without an Ephod. We may observe, saith he, the hardness of the hearts of the Jews, that they should be so many hundred years without sacrifice and without Ephod, without the true worship of God among them, and ways to know God's mind, and yet they are not guilty of any greater sin than the sin of Idolatry, except it be of the kill of JESUS CHRIST, that they should not reason thus, Quae sit causa tam grandis offensa ut tanto tempore relicti sunt? maxim cum idolae non colant praeter interfectionem salvatoris, aliam non valent invenire. Hieron. in loc. what sin is it that thus provokes God against us more than ever he was provoked? Surely there is some greater sin than ever yet we have committed; but saith he, they can never find any other offence, beside the kill of Christ, to be a greater offence than Idolatry, and yet they have a greater judgement upon them then ever they had, though they are not guilty of that sin as they were formerly; surely were they not extremely hardened, they would be convinced that all this is because of our rejecting & crucifying Christ the Son of God. As they had the Ordinances of God, so they had ways of false worship of their own, Images and Teraphim. I must show you what those were, and then how it is a threatening that they should be without those. Image, What Teraphim was. That seemeth to refer to the two calves they had set up in Dan & Bethel, which they so much gloryed and rejoiced in, they should be taken away. Teraephim, that likewise should be taken away. Now if you ask what this Teraphim was? in the general, Taraph is a divining image; Quem admodum per Ephod Deo consecratum quid agendum esset consule● illbus significabatur, ita per Teraphim Idolorum praedictiones declarabantur. Procop. in Sam. 15. 23. as the Ephod was God's Ordinance to know the mind of God by, so the Teraphim was a way of the Devil, an idolatrous way to know things that were to come. It was an Image made after this fashion, so I find those that write of it tell us, The Teraphim was the image of the head of a man wrung off his body, salted and bespiced with precious spices, Mactabant hominem, cujus caput terquendo prescin debant, quod postea ●ale & aromatibus condiebant, scribebantque super laminam auream nome●● spirit●● immundi, qua sopposita capiti ejus, ponchant illud in parict● intendentibus coram eo candelas, & adorantes coram eo, supponebant nomen spiritus immundi sub lingua ipsius, & ille alloquebatur eos, Sic. R. Eliez. and then upon this head there was a plate of gold with the name of that spirit they would divine by, (or, as some) the name of the unclean spirit was to be put un der the tongue of this head, and this being set upon a wall, there were burning candles and incense offered to it, and that under the constellation of some star, and so enquiring to know something that was to come, by it the devil was used to answer, and to tell them of such things as were to come; it was an oracle of the devil that told them what success they should have in this or the other business; sometimes it hit right. See the superstition of the Jews; they desired much to know the mind of God, now because they were afraid they should not know all by the Ephod, which was the ordinance of God, they would join with the Ephod, the Teraphim. From hence there is this profitable note. It is a very great and fearful evil for men in searching to know any thing of God's mind, not to keep themselves to God's ways of knowledge, to Gods own Ordinances. It concerneth us much now at this day. We are about enquiring the mind of God, that we may know it about matters concerning the Commonwealth, but more especially about Religion, I suppose there is none of us but will acknowledge that way that God hath appointed for the revealing of his will in the Scripture; that we must look into the Scripture, and seek to know God's mind there; that is good, but let us not join Teraphim with it; then do we join Teraphim, when we rest not upon Scripture alone, but search after rules of man's devising, and what will stand with our own carnal ends. The Lord may justly meet with us in wrath, if we presume to join our Teraphim with his Ephod. Pray that at this day where there is so much searching after God's mind, that those who are employed in it, may keep themselves to the Ephod, to the Scriptures, to that which is God's Ordinance for the revealing his mind, that they may not join the Teraphim, their own fancies and inventions of men with the Scriptures; so long as we keep to that rule, we may hope to do well enough; but if the Teraphim be joined with the Ephod, if any thing be joined with the Scriptures, though it may seem to be never so rational, we have cause to fear God will leave us. We find this word Teraphim used sometime in Scripture for the image of any man: as 1 Sam. 19 13. when Michael took an image, and laid it in the bed instead of David, the word in the Hebrew is Teraphim: so when Rachel stole away her father's images, the word is, she stole away her father's Teraphim, and some think they were her father's Divining Images, & that she did rather steal those then any others, because she would not have her father Divine which way they were gone. Zachar. 10. 2. it is said the Idols have spoken vanity; the word is the Teraphim. By which we may see they were wont to ask of their Idols about their successes. And sometime we find in Scripture that Idolatry is called by this name, as 1. Sam. 15. 23. stubbornness is as Idolatry, the word is, is as Teraphim. But here comes in the question, How the taking away the Image and the Teraphim is a threatening. God threateneth to take away the Sacrifice and the Ephod, that plainly is a threatening, but how is this a part of the threatening to take away the Image & the Teraphim? You may understand it as a threatening by this similitude; It is as if God would threaten to bring Israel into such a desolate condition as a strumpet is brought into, not only when all her friends leave her which were her kindred, her true friends, but when all her lovers leave her too, even those who were filthy with her, those who pretended the most love to her, in whom she took abundance of comfort, and from whom she expected protection; yet now she is brought into such a condition, as she sitteth desolate, for lost and helpless: So shall ye be, saith God, your Sacrifice and your Ephod, yea and Teraphim shall leave you. Or rather thus, Howsoever it is a mercy for God to take away false worship from a people, Images and Teraphim, yet in this regard it comes in a way of threatening, because it would cross and vex them to be deprived of these Images and Teraphim, it would be a Judgement in their apprehension: As for instance, what a deal of stir have we with people, when they conceive that any false worship shall be taken away from them, they think they are undone in it; when the inventions of men in God's worship are but questioned, what a do is there! men think their gods are taken away; as Judges 18. when the children of Dan came to the house of Micah, and took away his Ephod and his Teraphim, he cried out after them, Ye have taken away the gods that I have made, and what have I more? what worse thing could you have done more? I had rather you should have taken away all I had, and yet you say unto me, What aileth thee? Is it not so at this day? What is it that now breedeth such disturbance in England at this time, but that people think their Teraphim shall be taken from them? whereas they have heretofore worshipped God in a false way, after the inventions of men, and now God is pleased to discover light, and thereiss an enquiring after the government of the Church in the right way, and the true manner of worshipping God, they are even mad upon this, and would rather lose their lives and their estates, than their Teraphim should be taken away; let that be taken away, and how shall they be able to pray? what, will you take away their Religion? How violently men's hearts are set upon superstitious ways. This is the language of men in many ignorant places in this Kingdom, yea, the very language of many even amongst us here, they are verily persuaded that the Parliament are intended to take away all Religion in the Kingdom, and such principles the adversaries go about to infuse into men, that the Parliament are a company of Brownists, merely because they go about to inquire after the true way of worshipping God, and would have the Land purged of all superstitious vanities; Thus people cry out for their Teraphim, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. You may read the like in the history of the life of king Edward the sixth, when he had but banished the Mass, there was an Army rose in Devonshire, and they sent several Articles unto the King about their grievances, as causes of their rising; First, they said that their children were denied to be baptised, as now they cry out that none but a company of Anabaptists do all this; the Popish Priests did then infuse into the people that were in those remote Countries, that they were to have no more children baptised, thinking this would exasperate the people then against King and Parliament: And then they complained that their Service was taken from them (meaning the Mass) King Edward was fain to write to them, to tell them that they were exceedingly abused, that they should still enjoy what was according to the word of God, that their children should be baptised; and for the Mass, saith he, the Common-prayer Book is that Mass the same that it was before, only whereas it was in Latin before, now it is turned into English, and so he quieted the people of that Country. Thus it comes to be a threatening, that God will take away their Image and Teraphim, because the hearts of people are so vexed when their superstitious ways are taken away. Now upon this confusion, when they are without King, Prince, Sacrifice, Ephod, Image and Teraphim, when all is come to this confusion, then comes the time that they shall return and seek though Lord their God, and David their King. When God's time is come to raise the most glorious Church that ever was in the world, Obser. a little before that there is like to be the greatest confusion that ever was in the world: Lactantius (I have made use of before in speaking of the first Chap. Great shall be the day of Jezreel) tells us, that just before the glorious Church (he speaks of it at large, in lib. 7. c. 15. 24. & 28.) all right shall be confounded, Laws shall perish, men shall possess all things by force, good men shall be scorned & contemned: and though these times, saith he, wherein we live be naught, so that one would think that wickedness were grown up to the height, yet in comparison of those evil days that shall be a little before this glorious time, these days may be called the golden age. God will bring all into a Chaos first, as he did in the first Creation, & then bring a glorious building out of that Chaos. We know the raising of that glorious Church that is so much prophesied of, is called a creation, a creating a new heaven and a new earth; and it is probable enough, that as the heavens and the earth were first made out of a Chaos, so those new heavens and new earth that God is about to make, will be raised out of a Chaos, out of that which seemeth to us to be but confusion. What do people cry out of at this day but of confusion? all things they say are brought into confusion: It is true, confusion is an evil thing, and we are to grieve for it, and to seek to prevent it, yet let us not be too much troubled, for you see when the greatest confusion comes upon the people of the Jews, then follows the greatest mercy, than they shall return and seek the Lord their God, never return before that time. Indeed till men be taken off from all, they will not return to God, if they have any thing to go unto, they will never return to God. When Saul had but a witch to go to, he would rather go to her, then seek the face of God in way of repentance. Let not this be our way, because God seems to leave us for the present, and letteth us be in a confusion, and we know not what to do, let not our hearts fiet and vex, let us not go to unlawful means; For mark, it was just a little before Sanl was to be destroyed that he was grown to that height of evil. There was a time that Saul did inquire after God's mind, and God refused to answer him, but yet he would not take such an unlawful course then, but he searched to see whatsin was amongst the people that caused God to refuse to give him an answer, so you have it in the case of Jonathan, 1 Sam. 14. 33. when he took the honey, he enquired of God, and God answered not, and Saul said, draw near and see wherein this sin hath been this day. But afterward he grew to a greate● height of evil, when he was in a straight, and God answered him not, presently he goeth to the witch, but it was when he was near destruction. The note from thence is, Obser. Wicked men near destruction (as Saul was) finding things in a confusion, and God not showing them what is to be done, presently are in a rage against God, than they frer, and seek after unlawful means to help them. The Lord forbid that this should b● our condition. Let not us say, things are now in such a confusion that we know not how to find out the mind of God, we consult with Ministers and they know not what to say, they have cast out such a government, and they know not what to bring in, and therefore it were better we were as before. If this should be our teasoning, it is a sign we are like Saul nigh to destruction. Let us be content to wait, they shall be many days without a King, etc. and then they shall return; this shall be the fruit of being without a King, and Prince▪ & Ephod, and Sacrifice, not vexing and raging, but returning to God and repenting. It things be worse, & we be brought into greater straits than ever we thought of, let us not murmur, but let us repent. Every one is complaining, but who is repenting? If there were as much repenting as there is murmuring, than we should soon know the mind of God. Then they shall return. Here is the use of sanctified affliction, it is to cause returning to God. Jerome expresses the life of an impenitent sinner by a line stretched out, Obser. he goes saith he from the centre in a right line, and so goes in infinitum from it, but a penitent sinner is like a line bend, and turning back to the centre, though by sin he goes from it, yet by repentance he turns to it again, they are gone from me a great way saith God, but I will give them a turn, they shall bend back again and return to me. They shall return. Repentance is set out by this word, Obser. to note the folly of sin. In sin thou goest out of the way, and the truth is though you think you choose a good way for yourself, yet you must either come back again or perish. It is just like a man travelling in a road, and he sees a dirty lane before him, which he is told is the way, he must go there, but on the other side of the hedge he seeth a green and pleasant way, and he gets over into that way, and so perhaps rides on a mile or two, at length he is compassed about with ditches and rivers so that he must either return back or else lie there & starve, he returns back, with shame, and if any one that before told him of the other way see him, he tells him now of his folly, I told you that the other was the way, and that if you went over the hedge you must come back again: So it is with sinners, there are ways of God that go directly to heaven, but because those ways are rugged, and they meet with trouble and persecution in them, & they see byways that lead to hell that are more plain & smooth, they get over, they will transgress, (for that is the word for sin) they are got over, now they are merry & sriske up and down for a while in this fine way; but friend you must come back again, and if ever you mean to be saved, you must go in the way that you have refused. Obser. Further, they shall return and seek the Lord their God. Here is an encouragement for old sinners. The Jews have been above 1600. years in this woeful condition, forsaking God, but in their latter days they shall return and seek the Lord, and God shall be merciful to them. Hast thou been forty, fifty, sixty years going from God? there is hope for thy soul, Oh return, return you old sinners, But further, Obser. 〈◊〉 shall return to Jehovah, and seek him, Jer. 4. 1. If thou wilt return O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto me. They shall not return from one false way of worship to another, but from the false way to the true, they shall return to God. It is that we had now need look unto. We must not think it enough to cast one false way of government out of the Church, and turn to another, though not so ill yet not Gods, if out of any politic pretence we reject the way of God it will prove a sore evil unto us, it is one thing not to be able to bring in the way of Christ, and another to reject it, They shall seek Jehovah, not their Idols, but God himself. The word signifies conatu ac studio quaerere, to seek with endeavouring, with study rather then merely to ask and inquire, they shall be studious in ask after God. They shall seek the Lord, that is, First, They shall seek his face and favour for the pardon of all their evil ways, they shall come and acknowledge their false ways and their doings which have not been good, and seek mercy for pardon. Secondly, They shall seek the Lord, that is, they shall seek the true worship of the Lord. Calvin in a Sermon upon that place Seek ye my face, interprets it to be seeking the Ordinances of God, the true worship of God, so Psal. 105. 4. Seek the Lord & his strength, what is meant by the strength of God there? It is the Ark, for that Psalm was made at the bringing in of the Ark into the place that David had prepared, as you may see by comparing that Psalm with the 1 Chron, 16. the Ark of God is called the strength of God, Psal. 78. 61. He gave his strength into captivity. Surely if the true worship of God be the strength of God, it is our strength too, a people are then strong when they entertain the Ark of God, the true worship of God, and then indeed we seek God aright when we seek to know the way of his worship. Lastly, Obser. They shall seek the Lord, that is, they shall seek to know his will in all their ways, and to do it. It is not enough for them to be content to do just that which shall be put upon them, but they shall seek to know what his mind & his worship is. Some yield thus far to God, if any come to them and convince them that this is to be done, than they will do it, they dare not then but yield to it; but when the heart is in a true repenting frame, it is then in a seeking frame, it is laborious and industrious to know the mind of God. Whereas the heart of a sinner heretofore lay dead & dull, never stirred after God, now it is in a stirting, in an enquiring, in a seeking way, this is a sign of much good: though thou hast not what thou seekest for, yet be comforted in this that thou art in a seeking way, Their hearts shall rejoice that seek the Lord. If thou be'st seeking God in his ways, though thou complainest, I have been seeking a long time, but I know not the mind of God, I cannot apprehend the love of God, the pardon of my sins, yea, but the hearts of those shall rejoice that seek the Lord, if thou be'st in a seeking way thou art in a saving way, there is cause thou shouldst rejoice in this, that God hath brought thee into such a way. They shall seek the Lord, and that not saintly but to purpose, auxiously, Jer. 50. 4. 5. They (the children of Israel, and the children of Judah, when they shall be both together) shall go weeping, and seek the Lord their God, and they shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward. Many of you come to ask questions, but your hearts are not right, your faces & the strength of your spirits are not set to yield to the will of God when it is revealed to you. And mark how it appears that their faces are thitherward, Come (say they) let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten. This is to seek God, it is not merely to go to a Minister and ask him a question, but it is to go with our faces, with the strength of our spirits set to know the mind of God above any thing in the world, and so to resolve to obey what shall be revealed to be God's mind, as to be willing to enter into a perpetual Covenant, to bind ourselves to yield to whatsoever God shall reveal. When you come to a Sermon, you must not come to get a little notional knowledge, but come with your faces towards Christ and his truth, before you come you should get alone (if you be a true seeker) and enter into Covenant with God, that whatsoever God revealeth to be his mind you will yield to it & obey it, though you have heretofore gone against many truths revealed to be the mind of God, but Lord no more now, here I am ready and willing to enter into an everlasting covenant to be under the command of every truth. Here is the right seeking of God. They shall seek the Lord their God; [their God] this hath two references, either to what is past, or to what is to come. To what is past, their God, that is, the God who was once the God of the Jews, the God of their forefathers, the God of Abraham. of Isaac, and of Jacob. And secondly, their God, that is, that God that is yet ready and willing to be reconciled to them, not withstanding all their sins. Thus they shall seek the Lord their God. These two references afford two excellent Observations. First, Obser. This prevails much with the heart of an Apostate, when he can but think what God was once unto him before he did Apostatise, and what he was unto his godly parents and predecessors. There was a time that I enjoyed God sweetly, when I went to prayer I had blessed communion with him, it is otherwise with me now, I have apostatised. Let this consideration catch h●ld upon thy heart and turn it this day; Oh turn, turn thou apostate soul. God who was once thy God in a gracious manner is that God that thou hast vilely forsaken, yea thy father's God also. Thou hast a godly father, a godly grandfather, remember what a blessed God he was unto them, and return. Secondly, Obser. Their God, that God that yet they may have hope to enjoy, notwithstanding all their departings from him. Hence the note is this, The apprehension o● a possibilty to obtain mercy from the Lord, is a strong means to draw the heart to return to him; when they look upon God as a God in covenant with them yet, and there is nothing to the contrary but he may be their God. Let this be an argument to catch hold upon the spirits of all sinners who are departed from God, thou hast departed from God in a soul and vile manner, but Men and Angels know nothing to the contrary but that he may be thy God for all this. Let me speak to the vilest sinner that is in this place before the Lord this day, thou hast indeed most desperately and wickedly sinned against God, the Jews have done so; Hast thou crucified Christ? they have done so; hast thou denied the truth and followed false ways? they have done so; Notwithstanding all thy wicked and evil ways, seeing thou art yet alive, I do this day yet once more pronounce thee in the name of the great God, that there is nothing to the contrary that either Angels or Men can possibly know, but that God may be thy God, and that this day God may enter into covenant with thee, & thou with him, this night he may come in and sup with thee, and thou with him, there may be a blessed reconciliation between God and thee, return, return thou sinful soul. The Third Lecture. HOSEA 3. 5. — And David their King, I●daos in Christum nostrum credituros celeberrimum est in sermonibus cordibusque fidelium. August. 1. Nihil ista propheta manifestius quam David Regis nomine significatus intel●igitur Christus. August. de civet. lib. 18. c. 28. and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days. THat the Jews shall return and believe in Christ, is most ordinary and famous both in the words and hearts of those that are faithful, says Augustine. In this their return and seeking God, they shall seek David their King. For the opening this, there are these five things to be inquired into. 1. Who this David was. 2. Why David is rather named then any other. 3. Why he is mentioned in this place. 4. Why joined with seeking Jehovah, 5. Why this Epithet is added to David here. David their King. For the first, David clearly is meant JESUS CHRIST, Nothing is more manifest than that Christ is meant by the name of David, says Augustine. The Scripture is clear in this, it is usual in the Gospel to call Christ by the name of David. Compare Esay 55. 3. with Acts 13. 34. Esay 55. I will give you the sure mercies of David; what are those? Act. 13. that place in Isaiah is quoted, and there the word is Sancta Davidis, the holy things of David; the holy Ghost there going according to the Translation of the Septuagint, as it is usual in the New Testament. And that Psalm 16. 9 10. where David seems to speak in his own person, Thou wilt not leave my soul in grave, Lect. 3. nor suffer thy holy One to see corruption: this is interpreted of Christ, Act. 13. 36. 37. Act. 15. 16. In the Assembly the Church of Jerusalem, together with messengers of the Church of Antioch, James makes a speech to the Assembly, & tells them of a prophecy that God would raise the tabernacle of David, that is, convert the Gentiles to the profession of Christ. But you will say how is this quoted right, for that was James his intention in the Assembly (and it concerns those who are of such a grave Assembly as that was, to speak what they speak to purpose) But how doth James here speak to the purpose? for the point he was to speak to, was that the Gentiles were to be called, and he proveth it by that Scripture where it is said that God would raise the Tabernacle of David, how doth that prove that God would call the Gentiles? You may see if you look into the prophecy whence this was quoted, that this text was right to the purpose▪ The Prophecy is Amos 9 11. 12. there it goeth thus, after he had said that he would raise the tabernacle of David, it followeth, that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen which are called by my Name: So that the Tabernacle of David indeed is the Tabernacle of Christ, and it shall be raised to this end that he may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles that were to be called by the name of God. David is Christ because he was his type, and Christ was the seed of David. The second Question, but why is David rather named then any other, rather than Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob? others were types of Christ as well as he and Christ was, their seed as well as david's, The reason is, because David typified Christ especially in his Kingly power over his own people, Answ. David was the first godly King that ever was over Gods own people; Melchisedech was a King, King of Salem, but over the people of God David was the first type of Christ. Thirdly, Why doth the holy Ghost add this to seeking the Lord, that they shall seek David? Why was it not as full if the holy Ghost had said, When Israel, these ten Tribes (for he speaks of them especially) when they shall return they shall seek the Lord, and the Messiah, but that they shall seek the Lord and David? The reason is, the expression is brought to this end, to put these Tribes in mind of that great sin of theirs, in their defection from the house of David, there was an intimation in this expression of that defection they had from David, when they shall repent this will lie near their hearts, they will mourn for this their sin, when they choose Christ to be their King, they shall do it under the name of David; As if they should say, we indeed have cast off the house of David sinfully, but we now come and choose the Son of David to be our King. Thereby putting us in mind of this note of instruction. True penitents in mourning for their sin and returning to God, Obser. will go to the root of their sin as much as they can, to their first defection & mourn for that, and labour what lies in them to reform in that very thing wherein the root and beginning of their sin lay. The fourth is, why seeking the Messiah (under what name soever) is here joined to seeking the Lord, the very marrow of all the Gospel is in these words, they shall seek Jehovah, and David their King. It is added for this end, to show us, that none can seek God rightly but through Christ, they must seek God in Christ; This is eternal life to know thee and thy Son, to know God alone is not eternal life, but to know God and his Son; so to seek God alone is not eternal life, not will it ever bring to eternal life, except there be a seeking of God in Christ, seeking Jehovah and David, putting them together. Grace from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ, those must go together, no grace from God the Father, but from him through Christ; Non solum periculosum, sed horrtbile est de Deo extra Christum cogitare. Luther. so no seeking of God the Father, Jehovah, but it must be with seeking of David likewise: it is not only dangerous, but it is a horrible thing to think of God without Christ; the very thought of God not through Christ is a most dreadful thing to the heart of any who knows God. Indeed there are a company who have bold presumptuous hearts, who will go into God's presence though reeking in the very guilt of their sin lately committed, and seek to God for mercy, and never think of Christ the Mediator; they understand not the necessity of seeking God in Christ, because indeed they know not with what a God it is they have to deal; but that soul that knows what God is, Ego sape & lib●nter hoc inculco ut extra Christum oculos & aures claudates, & dica●● nullum vos scire Deum nisi qui fuit in graemio Mariae & suxit ●bera ejus. Luther. dares not think of God, much less come into his presence & seek him but only through Christ. It was wont to be the way (as Plutarch in the life of Themystocles reports) of some of the Heathens, the Molossians, when they would seek the favour of the Prince, they took up the King's Son in their arms, and so went and kneeled before his Altar in his Chapel; so Themystocles did when he sought the favour of King Admetus. It should be the way of Christians in seeking the face of God the great King, to take up his Son in the arms of Faith. A notable speech Luther hath in Psal. 130. Often and willingly, saith he, do I inculcate this, that you should shut your eyes & your ears, and say you know no God out of Christ, none but he that was in the lap of Mary, and sucked her breasts; he means none out of him. We must not, we should not dare to look upon ●od but through Christ, and seek him together with David. This is the Evangel●call way of seeking God; when we have sinned, if there be any way of help, it must be by seeking this merciful God; thus far nature goes, and most people go no further, yea most Christians, though they have the name of Christ in their mouths, yet the work of their hearts is no further then natural principles carry them on. But the seeking God in Christ, is the true supernatural way, the Evangelicall way, that is the mystery of godliness, to tender up a Mediator to God every time we come into his presence. I fear that many of our prayers are lost for want of this. There is much Fasting and Prayer through God's mercy amongst us, and I would to God there were no abating that way; but though we think, will God leave his people when there is such a spirit of Prayer? If it be not a seeking of God in his Son, know it is our own spirits rather than the Spirit of God. We may be earnest in prayer, and cry mightily to God, yet if we take not up his Son in the arms of faith, and tender him to the Father, thousands of prayers and fasting days may be all lost for want of this. The truth is, we must not depend so much upon our prayers, though we are to rejoice and to bless God that there is so much prayer; but God's ways towards us seem as if he would take us off from means, and make us look up to free grace, not take us off from the practice of any, but from relying upon any, only to rely upon free grace in Christ. As this is the supernatural seeking God, so it is the most powerful way of seeking him. It is not enough to seek God by virtue of a promise, except we seek him by virtue of Christ, who is the foundation of all the promises. We seek him because he is merciful, that is one way; yea we seek him because he hath promised mercy, this is a higher degree; but we must go higher yet, we must look to his Son, in whom all the promises are Yea & Amen; otherwise, though we seek him never so earnestly, though we challenge his promises, and cry to him to remember his promises, yet if we do not act our faith upon his Son, we may miss in all, And herein we sanctify that great name of God in that which is the great work of his, his masterpiece as we may say, or the great design he hath to honour himself in the world here, and everlastingly hereafter. Certainly, though God hath made the creature for his own glory, & expects we should honour him in beholding him in the creature, yet the great design God hath to honour himself in and by, is in that glory of his that is manifested in his Son, to have the children of men behold this his glory, and reflect it upon his own face; except you give God his glory in this, he cares not much for what soever glory you can give him otherwise. You must not therefore expect when you seek God, that you must have good things from him merely because he is merciful, you must not think that the mercy of God serveth to eike out our righteousness. Perhaps some will say, it is true, we are poor sinful creatures, and what can we expect from God being fin full? but we hope that God will pardon our sin, and so will accept of the poor services that we perform; This is the way that most go, they do as it were employ God's mercy in such a work that God never intended it for, that is, they would make the mercy of God to eike out their own righteousness, and so both put together, they think they will serve to be a means of atonement: No, you mistake God's mercy; the work of God's mercy is not this, but it is to show us our unrighteousness, our misery, our uncleanness, to show us Jesus Christ, to draw our hearts to him, to empty us of ourselves, that we may wholly rely upon that righteousness that is by faith in him, and tender up that to the Father for sanctification and atonement, that is the work of God's mercy; when it hath this work, than it hath the true genuine work indeed. The fifth is, why here added King. True, we must seek the Lord and Christ, but why Christ the King? The reason is, because Christ in the latter days shall be fully honoured in his Kingly power: they shall look upon him not only as Prophet and Priest, but as King. Hitherto Christ hath been much honoured in his Prophetical and Priestly office, but not so much in his Kingly; but in the latter days when God shall call home his people (the Jews) then Christ shall be fully honoured in his Kingly office. The Tabernacle of Christ was raised in the Primitive times, according to that speech of St. James we had before, Acts 15. 16. God shall raise the tabernacle of David, he puts it as fulfilled then; but there is a time when God shall not only raife the tabernacle of David, but the throne of David; Christ the King shall appear in glory. Ezek. 37, 24, 25. And David my servant shall be King over them. It was spoken upon the union that there should be between Judah and Israel, than David my servant shall be King over them. David was dead a great while before, there is a time that David must again be King, that is, Christ, upon the union of all the Tribes together; And again, David shall be Prince for ever, when they are brought again into their own land, David shall be Prince over them for ever, saith the Text: surely this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled. And Luke 1. 32. The Lord shall give him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. I know we usually think that this is meant only of his spiritual reign, but there is a mistake in it, certainly there is to be a fulfilling of this prophecy in a reign that shall outwardly appear before the children of men, which will appea more in comparing this with other Scriptures. Revel. 11. 15. The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of the Lord & his Christ, and so he shall reign for ever and ever. Why in a spiritual sense the kingdoms of this world are always the kingdoms of the Lord and of Christ, but there is spoken of some famous notable time when the kingdoms of this world shall appear to be the Lord, and his Christ's, and then he shall reign for ever and ever, after another manner then now he doth. Revel. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. Mark this Text, as one of the most notable of any we have. That kingly rule that Christ hath for the present is upon his Father's throne; he is not yet upon his own in comparison of what he shall be, the kingdom that Christ hath now is the joint reign of him with the Father, but there is a time for Christ to have a Throne himself. Now that Throne of Christ it may be you will think it is in heaven at the day of judgement; but we find 1 Cor. 15. 24. that at that day he comes to refigne the kingdom, the words do not seem to import as if he came to take it, but that then he doth give up the kingdom unto God the Father, therefore there is a time for Christ himself to have a Throne, with whom the Saints shall reign. Matth. 21. 9 The children cried out Hosanna to the son of David, because they looked upon the son of David as one who was to reign. In these latter days CHRIST shall break the Kings of the earth who stand against him, as indeed many, yea most of the Kings of the earth have ever stood out to hinder this kingdom of his. There will be a mighty shaking of the kingdoms of the earth when this shall be, Heb. 12. 26. Whose voice then shook the earth, but now he hath promised, saying, yet once more I shake not the earth only but also the heaven; quoted out of Hag. 2. 6. 7. God in giving the law shook the earth, but he will shake the earth and the heaven, which some Interpreters expounds thus, not only the meaner power of people, but the powers of Kings and Emperors the highest powers in the world, whatsoever is lofty in the world shall be shaken when Christ comes to take the kingdom to himself, the Father will set him King upon his holy hill; Though the Kings of the earth set themselves, and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord & against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us; he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision, then shall he speak to them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure, Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion, yet have I done it, though the kings of the earth and great ones of the world fret, vex, and rage, and gather power together, though they blaspheme and say he shall not reign, the Lord sitteth in heaven and laugheth at them, let them do what they can, and gather what strength they can, & oppose to the uttermost they can, Yet will I set my King upon my holy hill. This is acceptable news, it is the joyful voice of the Gospel to tell you of Christ's coming to reign in the world, Esay, 52. 7. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings? What are those good tidings? this tidings, that saith unto Zion, Thy Godraigneth, This is the triumph of the Church, Esay 33. 22. The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our King, for than shall the Churches be delivered from the oppression of all Tyrants in the world. David and Christ paralleled in their exercise of kingly power. And this Kingdom of Christ's shall indeed be like David's kingdom, Christ shall be David the King. I might show you the parallels in many things, but I will only parallel the kingdom of Christ and of David in these two particulars. First, David of all the Princes that ever were was one of the most gentle, he was exceeding loves and sweet unto his subjects; that you shall find 1 Chron. 28. 2. Then David the King stood up upon his feet, & said, he are me my brethren, and my people. Mark how a King speaks speaking to his people, he stood upon his feet, and said, hear me my brethren, and my people. Thus the kingdom of Christ is set out to us, Psal. 45. 4. In thy Majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness. Christ shall be a most meek King, he shall not be a bloody King to his people, he shall not be a King ●●●ing in viòlence and harshness, so as not to care for the love of his people, his singer shall not be heavier than the loins of others, but he shall rule his people with all gentleness. Therefore the government of Christ is set out 〈◊〉 a she●he 〈…〉 leading those that are with young; & 〈◊〉 ●his, David David and CHRIST are parallel, Psal. 78. 70. 71. He chose David his servant, & took him from the sheepfolds, from following the ewes great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. So the Kingdom of Christ, Esay 40. having spoken ver. 9 of the glad tidings of the Kingdom, it followeth, He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. When Christ shall reign he shall have great respect to the good and comfort of his people over whom heraigneth, he shall not reign over them without regard to their liberties, and what may be for the comfort of their lives, the good of his people, and his own glory shall be put both in one. Secondly, David their King, in regard of faithfulness. David was exceeding faithful to his people, and therefore the mercies of God in Christ are called the sure mercies of David, because David was found faithful before the Lord. Psal. 45. 4. is the Prophecy of Christ's Kingdom, the Text saith, In thy majesty ride prosperously, because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness; there shall be righteousness in the Kingdom of Christ. This is a blessed thing when we may confide and fully venture our estates, liberties and our lives upon the promises of those who are above us. We know how many there are about great personages to take them off from those things that they have promised, though never so seriously, and with never such solemn protestations to perform them. I will give you a story or two remarkable for this, to show what danger people have been in when they have confided upon the promises of Princes, when there have been those about them that endeavoured to take of their hearts from performing what they had engaged themselves to. You shall find in the life of Edward the sixth this story; The King sends his Letters to London in the behalf of the Duke of Somerset the then Protector; there were divers of the Lords rose up against him, thinking he did oppress the people, and they sent the same time their Letters to London for their aid and assistance; hereupon there was a Common Counsel called in the City, and amongst them there was one that the story saith was a wise and an honest man, one George Stadlowe, and he speaks thus to the Counsel, I remember, saith he, a story written in Fabians Chronicle, of the wars between Henry the third and his Barons, at which time the Baronsdemanded aid of the City of London, as our Lords do now, and that in a rightful cause, for the good of the Commonwealth, for the execution of divers good laws against the King, who would not suffer those laws to be put in execution, and the City did aid them, and it came unto an open bartell, and the Lords prevailed against the King and took the King and his son prisoners, and upon certain conditions the Lords restored the King & his son again to their liberties, amongst other conditions this was one, that the King should not only grant his pardon to the Lords, but also to the Citizens of London, which was granted, and the condition of their accommodation of peace were ratified by act of Parliament; but saith the story, what followed of it? was it forgotten? no surely, nor forgiven neither, during the Kingslife, the libeties of the Cities were taken away, strangers were appointed to be our head & governor's, the Citizens, their bodies and goods were given away, and so from one persecution to another they were most miserably afflicted. Again, in the history of Queen Mary's time we find, that Queen Mary, because there was some dispute about her coming to the Crown, at that time she went down into Suffolk, to the place where the Duke that then rose up for another was most hated, and she being at Framingham Castle the Suffolk men came to her, and promised their ●ide, upon condition that she would not attemp the alteration of Religion, which her brother King Edward before had established; she promised them there should be no innovation of Religion, no God forbid, yea she so promised that the story saith, no man would or could misdoubt of the performance: But afterward when she came to get the power in her hand, the Suffolk men came to make supplication to her, that she would be pleased to perform the promise she made them, she answered them thus, Forasmuch as you being but members desire to rule your head, you shall one day well perceive that members must obey their head, and not look to bear rule over the same; And not only so, but to cause the more terror, a Gentleman one Master Dobson that lived about Windsor, who did but in an humble request advertise her of her promise made to the Suffolk men, he was three times set on the Pillory, and others for the same cause were sent to prison. We may see what hold hath been heretofore in the promises of those who had power to break them, you know what temptations they have to withdraw their hearts from what they have engaged themselves unto. But when this our Prince comes, David our King we shall find the sure mercies of David, we shall find nothing but faithfulness in all his dealings. And they shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days. They shall fear the Lord. Obser. The words are, they shall fear to the Lord, pavebunt ad dominum. The fear of God is strong in a repenting 〈◊〉. The fear of God is much upon the heart of a sinner in his return to God. Such a sinner hath high and honourable thoughts of God, They shall return and fear the Lord. The slightness, the vanity of his spirit, the boldness of his heart, it is taken off, and the fear of God ruleth in it. The Majesty, the power, the authority of the great God is strong upon him, when he comes to worship him, the fear of God makes him to worship God as a God, and in all his conversation he walks in the fear of God, even all the day long, you may see written upon his life the fear of the great God, And this not a servile slavish fear, but a holy, reverenticall, fil●●● fear, Jsaac had such a fear of God that God hath his dominion from Isaac● fear, He is called the fear of Isaac. This is a most precious fear, others fear poverty, fear imprisonment, fear disgrace, fear men, but saith a true repenting heart, I fear the Lord; this fear is the wellspring of life to him, it is the very treasure of his soul, Esay 33. 6. I shall speak of the fear of God here only as it concerns this place, the intent of bringing it in here, that is to show that in the time when this glorious Church shall be, when God shall call home his own people the Jews, and bring in the fullness of the Gentiles, then shall the fear of God mightily prevail upon the hearts of people more than ever, and the greater Gods goodness shall be, the more shall the fear of God be upon their hearts, this we shall find almost in all the Prophecies of the glorious condition of the Church (which is very remarkable) there is ever speaking of the fear of God that should be upon the hearts of people. One would rather think there should be speaking of the joy that they should have, that there should be nothing but mirth and triumph in those times; but the Scripture speaks exceeding much of fear that shall be then, and more then, then at any other time. Thus Revel. 11. 18. a most famous Prophecy of Christ's coming, and taking the kingdoms of the earth, The fear of God will be most strong when the Church shall be most glorious. and bringing his reward with him, he shall come and give a reward to those that fear him. And Revel. 14. 7. I saw an Angel flee in the midst of heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, saying with a loud voyee, fear God and give glory to him. Mark, an Angel when he comes to preach the verlasting Gospel, how doth he preach it? what, now cast away fear and rejoice in this everlasting Gospel? No, preaching this everlasting Gospel, saith with a loud voice, fear God and give glory to him. So Rev. 15. 3. 4. There is the song of the Saints when they are delivered from the power of Antichrist, what is it, be jocund and jovial? No, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints, who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy, for all Nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgements are made manifest. And again Rev, 19 5. And a voice came out of the Throne, saying, Praise our God all ye his servants, and ye that fear him both small and great. But fear the Lord now in these times, Four grounds of the fear of God in the times of he Church's deliverance why so? Upon these four grounds, First, Fear the Lord now, because of the glory of Christ their King, they shall behold their King in that glory that shall cause fear, Rev, 19 12. Christ is described with his eyes as flames of fire, and on his head many Crowns, clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, at wo-edged sword out of his month, and on his vesture and on his thigh written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Thus they shall behold Christ, and therefore they shall fear. Secondly, in those times the fear of God will much prevail in the hearts of people, because of the great works of God that shall be then, the heavens shall depart like a scroll, and the elements melt with fervent heat. This is meant of the time when there shall be new heavens & a new earth, which referreth to the Prophecy of Esay, and it is apparently) and so generally Interpreters carry it) meant of the estate of the Church, than the heavens shall depart like a scroll. Heb. 13. 26. quoted out of Hag. 2. 6. The Lord did shake the earth once, but he hath promised, saying, Yet once more, I sha● not the earth only, but also heaven. There shall be wonderful works of God in the earth when those days come, therefore there shall be much of the fear of God. Thirdly, Much of the fear of God then, because of the holiness of the worship of God and of his Ordinances, the purity of them shall cause fear: Did we see the Ordinances in the true and native purity and holiness of them, it would strike much fear in us. Some have but seen the execution of that one Ordinance of Excommunication in a solemn gracious way, and it hath daunted their hearts, it hath struck fear in a most proud, profane, stubborn, wicked heart, the beholding then of all the Ordinances, and all duties of worship in their true native purity, holiness and glory, cannot but cause much fear, Psal. 68 35. O God thou art terrible out of thy holy places; God will be terrible out of his holy places and out of all his holy Ordinances. Fourthly, Much fear there will be at that day, because of the holiness of the Saints, there shall be so much holiness that shall appear bright in the very faces and conversations of the Saints that shall strike great fear. Holy & reverend is thy n●me; you know it is said of God, and so it shall be said of the Saints in that day, their graces shall be much raised, they shall sparkle with abundance of the graces of God's Spirit in them; their wisdom & holiness shall make their faces shine, holy and reverend shall be their names, Psal. 89. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints, those Saints of his who walk close with him, have a daunting power in their appearance. I appeal to guilty consciences, to apostates, to professors who have secret haunts of wickedness, sometime when you come but into the presence of one who is a truly gracious godly man or woman, whom your conscience tells you walks close with God, doth not even the very sight of such a one terrify you? the very lustre of that holiness you see in such a one strikes upon your conscience, than you think such an one walks close with God indeed, but I have basely forsaken the Lord, and have had such a haunt of wickedness, I have brought dreadful guilt upon my soul since I saw him last. Ecclesiastical stories tell us of Basil, when the officers came to apprehend him, he being then exercised in holy duties, that there was such a majesty & lustre came from his countenance, that the officers fell down backward (as they did who came to apprehend Christ) they were not able to lay hold of him. Surely when the Saints shall be raised in their holiness, when every one of them shall have their hearts filled with holiness, it will cause abundance of fear even in all the hearts of those that converse with them. But wicked ones shall fear too as well as the Saints. Luke 21. 26. men's hearts shall fail them for fear, it shall be true in these days as it was in the destruction of Jerusalem. The Saints shall fear the Lord and his goodness; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words in the original are they shall fear, ad Dominum to the Lord, & ad bonum, to his good. It is all one in effect, that good that God shall manifest shall cause this fear to be in their hearts. You will say, what goodness? what shall that goodness of God be that shall move the hearts of this people with so much fear? I will tell you briefly, I need not spend much time in it, for I have spent a whole Sermon about it when I spoke of the last words of the first Chapter of this Prophesy, great shall be the day of Jezreel; I shall now add to what I had then. This shall be the goodness of God in that day that they shall fear. First, What is that goodness they shall fear. The goodness of God that ever he should regard such a wretched people as we are, and pardon all our sins! What Israel, the ten Tribes, who had most wretchedly forsaken God, who had crucified Jesus Christ, crucified David their King, yet that blood they have shed is applied to them for the pardon of their sin; Oh the goodness of God they shall fear this goodness in being merciful to such a hard-hearted, such a stubborn, such a stiffnecked people as they have been, this goodness of God will break their hearts. Secondly, than God shall make the difference between him that feareth God, and him that feareth him not. Then shall God take away all the reproach of his Saints. What bitter reproach hath been upon the Saints since the beginning of the world, especially since the times of the Gospels' Reproach, first because they are mean people, of the lower sort. 2. Reproach, because they suffer much, and God lets his adversaries prevail over them. 3 Reproach, because they wait upon God, and God seems not to come, God will take away the reproach of his Saints. the adversaries say, where is your God? No marvel you pray and Fast, what is become of all? Here will be the goodness of God at that day to wipe off all this reproach. They shall have so much mercy, so much honour from God, that it shall appear before all the world that it was good to wait upon him, so much as shall countervail abundantly all their sufferings, they shall bless God that ever it was put into their hearts to suffer for him, to wait upon him. And because God forseeth this, what goodness he hath laid up for his people, that they shall enjoy ere long, (and we know a thousand years with him are as one day) that is the reason why he suffereth his people to be so under for the present, he knows he hath that goodness for them hereafter, yea in this world, that all the world shall say that God hath dealt well with them, that he was not a hard Master to them to make them wait so long, and to let them suffer so much as they do. I will give you for this one excellent Scripture, perhaps you have not considered of the emphasis of the argument that is in it. It is Heb, 11. 16. They desired a better Country. that is, an heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a City. The poor persecuted Saints wandered up & down, they were content to leave their own Country, their estates here, and sought another Country, an heavenly, but they had it not, their enemies prevailed over them, as if God had forsaken them; but God is not ashamed to be called their God, what is the argument? For he hath prepared for them a City; Mark the force of the argument, for he hath prepared for them 〈◊〉 City: This City is this text I am now speaking of; sometimes it is described as a Tabernacle, The Tabernacle of God shall come down from Heaven; sometime a City, sometime a Country, sometime a Kingdom, sometime an Inheritance. Here God hath prepared for them a City: that is, there is a glorious time for God's people, when they shall have the new Jerusalem come down from heaven unto them. Now then, saith God, though my people be in a suffering condition, I am not ashamed to be called their God. I am not ashamed to own this people, for I have glory enough for them, as if God should be ashamed that he should ever profess such an interest in his people, and this people profess such an interest in him, if there were nothing to come for them, if there were not a time to recompense all their suffering. As if a Master should own a servant, or a Prince a subject, if this servant or subject suffer extremely, and hath no help, but still when he expects help, there comes none, and when he thinketh, surely now it will come, still it fails him; yet if you know that at such a day you shall recompense all this, you shall advance him and bring him to such honour that he will bless God that ever he was in your service; you will not be ashamed to own this servant: But if this servant shall suffer in your cause, and you have no time, nor no ability to recompense him, but he must suffer and suffer for ever, it would be a shame to you to own him. So God is pleased to speak here, because I have prepared for them such a City, though they be in present persecution, I am not ashamed to own them for my people, and I do not account it any dishonour to me, for there is a time coming that will answer all objections whatsoever. This is the goodness of God. They shall fear his goodness. Fear it, how? In these several regards. How the goodness of God is to be feared. First, They shall admire at his goodness, and in their admirations even stand amazed at it, the fear of amazement. 2 Thes. 1. 10. When Christ shall come, he shall come to be admired of his Saints; Luke 5. 26. The text saith they were all amazed, and glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day. When this goodness of God shall come, all the Saints shall stand admiring it with amazement, & say one unto another, we did heretofore hear of Prophecies and promises, and we thought when they were opened to us, our hearts did burn within us, O they were blessed things! but now here is goodness we never thought of, this is higher and more glorious than ever we imagined. Thus they shall fear the Lord & his goodness. You have such a place Jer. 23. 9 It shall be to me a name of joy, apraise, and an honour before all the Nations of the earth, & When people shall hear of all the good that I do unto them, they shall fear & tremble for all the goodness, & for all the prosperity that I procure unto it. Secondly, Fear this goodness; they shall upon this fall down and worship this God with fear: Oh how shall their hearts adore this God; because of this his goodness! As we read of Moses, Exod. 34. 8. God had told him that he would make all his goodness pass before him; now when God came and passed by before him, and proclaimed his goodness, The Lord, the Lord God; merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin; The Text saith, When Moses heard this, he made haste, and bowed his head and worshipped before the Lord. There is nothing will cause a gracious heart to make more haste to worship God then the beholding the glory and lustre of God's grace and goodness: then the heart will not stand dallying and trifling any longer, but will make haste to worship before the Lord. Many times God shows his greatness unto you, and that convinceth your consciences a little, and you think you must leave your sinful ways, than temptation prevails over you again; but when God comes and makes known his goodness, than the heart stands out against the Lord no more, but it gives up itself to the Lord in an everlasting covenant. Thirdly, They shall fear his goodness, they shall fear to offend this goodness of God. It shall be a mighty engagement upon their hearts to walk close with God because of his goodness. This is a sweet disposition indeed. Then it is a sweet disposition when the heart hath been likewise humbled before God and his justice, and now fears God and his goodness, Mark a note in this by the way: Whereas many will say, O the goodness of God will break our hearts; if Ministers did preach only his goodness; but when they preach the Law, when we hear of terror, that hardeneth our hearts. Take heed of this, there is more evil in this than you are aware. A heart that is truly gracious will fall down before the Lord any way, and it is not a good sign to be wrought upon only by the goodness of God, it may come through much stubbornness of heart for one to be of such a disposition, to be only wrought upon by kindness. Did you never know a stour servant or a stout child, that so long as you are dispeased with him, he would stand out against you still, but perhaps if you yield to him a little, he would yield to you? Is this a good disposition? is not this stoutness and pride in a child, or in a servant, or in a neighbour, that will never yield to you till you yield to him? This is just for all the world the disposition of many people, so long as they hear of God's greatness, and terrors of the Law, and God's justice, they are hardened; what is that? that is, they stand it out stoutly against God, notwithstanding his wrath is revealed from heaven: But say they, when God's goodness is preached, than they yield, that is as much as to say except God yield to them they will not yield to God. But when I can yield both ways, fear his goodness & his justice, than it is as a sign of a gracious disposion indeed. They shall fear his goodness, so as they shall be no longer wanton upon the goodness of God, they shall not slight God's goodness, they shall not do evil because God is good, but they shall fear his goodness. We have a generation of men who do extremely abuse the goodness of God at this day, even God's goodness in the Gospel, in those blessed things revealed to us in JESUS CHRIST. As thus, We find this revealed in the Gospel, Wantoness who abuse God's goodness. that it is God that must work the will and the deed, the Covenant of grace is such, as that God doth not only require but work all for us; how is this goodness misinterpreted and abused! Therefore say they, what need we do any thing? Why do Ministers urge people to duties? Your principle is good, the truth is good, that it is God that works all in the Covenant of grace, but this distinction is very absurd and vile, and an abuse of God's goodness, and therefore you must not work together with the Lord as rational creatures. Again, The Gospel reveals to us the righteousness of God in Christ, that we must not stand before God in our own righteousness, but it must be in the righteousness of Christ; this principle is good; O but what abuse of this goodness is there 〈◊〉 false doctrines, and absurd consequences drawn from it; therefore to make conscience of duties, what is it but legal? they are but duty whore-mongers; such kind of bold and absurd expressions come from them. Oh wanton, wanton spirits who do not fear God and his goodness, but abuse God & his goodness! Agaiu, The Scripture tells us in the Gospel that all sins unto believers are pardoned in Christ, all sins both great and small, there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ, no not one moment of an hour after they are once justified; this is God's goodness, and thou shouldest fear it, here is the principle right, but the deductions & consequences are vile, therefore to preach that we must be humbled for sin, this is legal preaching, neither will these men ever confess their sins because of this goodness of God. This is to be wanton, not to fear the goodness of God. The goodness of God in the gospel telleth us that the grace of God is strong, that the Saints shall persevere, that those that are once in Christ shall never fall away; therefore let us take liberty to ourselves, what need we be careful of our ways, seeing the grace of God will carry us through? Oh to abuse this goodness of God thus is wicked, the heavens may blush to behold it, and the earth tremble under it. But we have not so learned Christ, the more of the goodness of God in Christ is made known to us, the more should we fear him. The goodness of God in the Gospel is so rich that the truth is because the hearts of men are so vile, and so ready to abuse it, we are almost afraid to preach it. Oh is this the fruit of the preaching of the Gospel? Never was the Gospel so clear as in England, and in no Age so as in this Age, and is this the fruit of all, that men should draw such absurd consequences from this goodness of God, that men should go away harder from that which is the softening word? When we come to preach the Gospel, the goodness of it, we come I say with fear; with what fear? trembling lest it should cost the damnation of some soul. The preaching the goodness of God in the Gospel, doth certainly cause, ex accident, the damnation of many a soul. Therefore in the mean time you who are Gods Saints, know how dearly God tendereth you, God will have the goodness of the Gospel's preache● to you though it cost the damnation of 〈◊〉 a soul; you had need it therefore, & make a good use of it. Let this meditation cause you to improve to the uttermost what you hear of all the goodness of the Lord. That which I hear is costly to some, it costs the perishing of many a soul that I may have it, though God sees that many souls will be hardened by it, well, saith God, let them be hardened, these my servants shall not want it, though they perish for ever. When a man hath a thing in his house, and he hears that it cost dear, even the lives of many men, he hath other thoughts of it then before. David had a reverend respect to the water of the well of Bethlem, because it cost the hazard of the men's lives, learn then to fear God and his goodness. 4. Fearing God and his goodness is this, in all rejoicing in, and praising God for his goodness, there shall be a mixture of fear. They shall be well skilled in this mystery of godliness, when they enjoy so much of God's goodness, and are called upon to sing and rejoice, they shall sing with a mixture of fear. Their hearts shall be very serious and spiritual in all their joy. It is very hard for us to rejoice in God's goodness, and not to have our hearts grow slight and vain, it is a hard thing to keep a day of thanksgiving with a serious spirit, joy commonly causeth vanity in the hearts of men. But now the goodness of God shall be so strong in their hearts, that though they shall seek God's goodness, and rejoice abundantly in it, yet with a mixture of abundance of fear, their hearts shall be kept very serious, holy, and spiritual in the service of God. I will give you a text or two for this. Exod. 15. 11. when Moses was blessing God for that goodness in delivering his people out of Egypt (which was a typical song as appeareth in the Revelation, that bondage typifying Antichristian bondage) mark the expression, Who is like unto thee O Lord among the gods, who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises? God is to be praised, but so praised as his name must be fearful in praises. Consider this in all your joyful celebrating the memorial of God's goodness, you must so rejoice and bless God, as you must hold forth this before all you converse with, that the name of God is fearful in these praises you tender to him: this a slight heart cannot do. So Psal. 52. 6. The righteous also shall see and fear, and shall langh at him. Mark what a mixture here is, the righteous shall see, and fear, and laugh, he shall rejoice, but with trembling, Psalm 2. 11. God much delights to have the glory of his goodness thus. We have much goodness of God at this day, and God calleth us to fear him and his goodness; if we give him not his glory in this, God may soon call us to fear him and his greatness; to fear him and his justice, to fear him and his wrath. This is the argument now, there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared. But how soon may God justly turn this argument, there is wrath with thee, vengeance with thee, there is sword, fire, blood, storm, an horrible tempest with thee, therefore shalt thou be feared? Our consciences are ready to misgive us when we have any evil tidings, for we have much guilt upon our spirits, we 〈◊〉 had much goodness indeed from God, (who ever thought to have lived to see that goodness you have seen) but because you have not feared God and his goodness, Differen ces between legal fear & evangelical. here is the reason of those misgiving thoughts, when you hear of any ill news, oh now God is coming against us with his wrath, that he may be feared. Something might be said to open a little the difference between fearing God and his goodness, and fearing God and his wrath and justice in a legal way. Only thus in a word. The fearing God and his goodness is such a fear as enlargeth the heart. Other fear contracts the heart. We have an excellent text for this, Isa. 60. 1. compared with ver. 5. Arise, shine, for thy light is come, the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee, and so he goeth on describing God's goodness, that referreth to these times that we are speaking of; then (vers. 5.) Thou shalt see and flow together, and thy heart shall fear upon that, and be enlarged. When the heart so feareth, as it is enlarged unto God, this is the fearing God and his goodness aright. Again, It is such a fear as yet the heart clings to God for ever; It drives not from God, but makes the heart cleave closer to him, that is the phrase in the Text in the Hebrew, They shall fear to God and to his goodness, I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me. This keeps the heart to God. Further, This fearing God and his goodness works the heart to a high degree of sanctification. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Seeing we have such precious promises, let us perfect holiness in the fear of God: And Heb. 12. 28. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverend and godly fear. Lastly, It is a fear that is joined with love, whereas the other fear makes the heart to have hard thoughts of God; take heed for ever of that fear of God that makes you to have hard thoughts of him. In times of danger many begin to fear, then presently they wish they had never engaged themselves so much in these ways that have such ill success, they now cry out of others, you would needs do thus, you see what is become of it. But fear of God and his goodness is joined with blessing God, that ever you knew his wa●es, and were engaged in them. This shall be in the latter days. God is content to stay for his glory until the latter days, that which is indeed his chief glory; for though in these former days God hath had glory, yet he hath had but very little. God is content to stay for that which is his chief glory until the latter days. Let this be an argument for our patience, though we have sufferings now, let us wait as God waiteth. But the latter days, when are these? The times of the Gospel are generally called the latter days; but this, though it referreth indeed to the whole time of the Gospel, yet especially unto the latter times of those latter days. If you would know what these latter days are, though I will not take upon me to give you the day, or 〈…〉 I will show you that it is like these latter days are at hand. For giving light unto this, that is a good help to us that we have in Daniel, concerning the four Kingdoms, there we have a prophetical Chronologie from the Captivity of the Jews unto the time when the counsel of God shall be fulfilled. You have a description there of four several Monarchies, the Babylonian, Assyrian, Grecian, and Roman: Now in the last of these Daniel saith, Chap. 2. 44. The God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed, but it shall break in pieces, and consume all the other Kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. In this latter (namely the Roman) hath the Kingdom of Christ begun to appear already, but God telleth Daniel, chap. 12. 13. Thou shalt stand in thy lot at the end of the days. Now observe, the chief Prophecies we have about the time of these latter days, when they shall be set out in that expression of time, and times, and half a time, 1260. days, or 42. months, all comes to the same three years and a half, reckoning every day in those years for a year, compare these prophecies, Dan. 7. 25. And they shall be given into his hand, until a time and times, and dividing of time. Rev. 11. 2. The holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two months. Vers. 3. The witnesses shall prophesy 1260. days; Now 1260. days are the days of three years and a half, so the days of 42. months. Then the woman in the wilderness, Rev. 12. 6. She shall be fed there 1260. days, still the same number; the witnesses shall prophesy 1260. days; the holy City that shall be trodden under foot 42. months; and the woman in the wilderness shall be there 1260. days And again, Dan. 12. 11. From the time of the abomination that making desolate, there shall be 1290. days, there are a few days more, not many, but about this time you see the Scripture prophesieth of some great things to be done, at the end of this time are these latter days. But all the difficulty is to know the beginning when the three years and a half, or 42. months, or 1260. days begun, than we may know when these latter days shall be. Brightman makes the beginning of the 1290. days from Julian's time, when he would have set up the abomination, that is, set up the Jewish worship again, by re-edifying the Temple, that is, says he, the abomination of desolation, reckoning 1290. days, for 1290. years, hi● time by computation will come out about the year 1650. The other we have in the Revelation (and that in Daniel likewise refers to the same) notes the time that the Churches shall be under the persecution of Antichrist, for a thousand two hundred and sixty years, so long the Beast shall prevail, and the witnesses shall so long prophesy in sackcloth, and the woman shall be in the wilderness for so long a time. But when did Antichrist begin to reign? For that take this rule, It must be at that time when the Roman Emperor was broken, and when the Dragon giveth up his power to the Beast; when the power of the Dragon that persecuted the Christians under the Roman Empire is given to Antichrist, so that now they come to be persecuted under him; here is the beginning of the 1260. days. That the Roman Empire must be given up first, appear, 2 Thes. 2. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work, only he who now letteth, will let, until he be taken out of the way; that is, as generally Expositors carry it, the power of the Roman Empire, when that is taken out of the way, then shall that wicked one be revealed; the●e were many Antichrists before, but then that wicked one that shall exalt himself above all that is called God, shall have power to persecute the Church. Hence it is observable, that the custom of the Church was to pray for the continuing the Roman Empire upon this ground, because they knew when that was broken Antichrist would come. Now the breaking of the Roman Empire was at the raising up of those ten several sorts of governmens' called in the Revel. ten Kings, and the raising up of those Kings was 400. years and something more after Christ, as Chronologers tell us, between the 400. and 500 years. It is hard to reckon to a year, there is so much difference in Chronologers computations; after that time there must be 1260. days, that is 1260. years. Make this computation, and compare all these Scriptures one with another, it cannot be long, but in this century that is now currant, these latter days are here meant, when the people of God and the Jews shall return to Jehovah, and David● heir King, and fear the Lord & his goodness. The nearer the time comes, the more will these things be cleared. Dan. 12. 9 Go thy way Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. Take but one note and we have done, why the Scripture sets ●●is out rather by many days, then by so many years? The reason is, because God would have his people think that time until his goodness should be revealed, but a short time, if he had said they should be 1260. years under Antichrists persecution, this found'st harder; No, saith he, it shall be but so many days, (though flesh and blood may think this time long) yet look upon it as days, it is but a short time to me, it will be but a short time to you, within 1260. days you shall be delivered from his tyranny, and then you shall have this voice from heaven, The kingdoms of the earth are become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever, and then shall ye together with the Jews seek the Lord, and David your King, and fear the Lord and his goodness. Now through God's goodness we have gone through these three Chapters. Tertullian hath this expression of the fullness of the Scriptures; Ador● plenitu d●nem Scripturarum, I adore the fullness of the Scriptures; By searching thus into the Scriptures, we may come to see rich treasures in them, and so adore the fullness of them; how do we read over texts, as if there were nothing in them? but certainly God hath revealed much more of his mind in Scripture than we are aware of, let us all be in love with the study of the Scriptures.