An Exposition of Hosea 1-3

The First Lecture.

S Ome 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, then 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 favor 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 forever 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 tell • one another, for the quickening of one another's hearts; of this great favor 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! 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 forever rejected, that now God should call them again, 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 honor 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 honor of God appears, yea they are the honor of his Ma • esty, yea they are the glorious honor of his Majesty • There is Majesty, honor of Majesty, glorious honor 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 honor 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 decla • e 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 d • scourses. 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, their power so curbed, 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, 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? 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.

The mercies of God are to be inculcated upon our spirits, 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 shown special mercy, say to Israel, to the ten Tribes that were more threatened then 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. 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 then another, another is ready rather to envy him then to rejoice: A Courier is ready to envy the favor 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.

These whom God hath received unto mercy, we should receive into brotherly affection. Hath God shown 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, then 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 God's abundant grace and mercy again. 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 Judgment, yet in the sixth and seventh verses there is promise of mercy and favor, 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.

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 • , &c.

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 shown 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, &c. 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, labor 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, to deliver some from the guilt of the general corruptions of the place where they live. For so this Ammi and Ruhamah, were a remainder, that God did deliver thorough 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 receive •• mercy from God in a special manner; It is free grace that hath made this difference between you and others; Augustine 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. Noah was a just man, prefect 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, 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. 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 Levite. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, & 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 ship-board 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 sea-men 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 show ed 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. 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, 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 boisterousnesse 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, then 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, &c.

Pleade, Litigate, so some, Contendite, strive, the old Latin hath Iudicate, Judge your mother. It may seem to be a hard and harsh phrase at first, but we shall labor 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. Pleade with her,

First, here we see God's condescension, that he will have us plead the ease betwixt others and himself, as Isaiah, 5. 3. Judge between me and my Vineyard, faith God. This showeth the equity of God's dealing. Pleade the case, perhaps some of you might think. I deal hardly with your mother in so rejecting of her, in bringing such judgments upon her. No, not so, but plead you the case, plead rather with her then complain of me for my dealing with her.

Secondly, Plead with her. When exhortations and admonitions will not do, we must strengthen ourselves and falla pleading. If there be any way more powerful then exhortation and admonition we should take that way, and not presently give over, for though it is not said here, Pleade 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, perse, and worship per accidens, of honoring 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 judgments 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 judgments 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 judgments hanging over our heads, Though God hath prevented it through his grace, and hath shown 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, 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 plead • 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 labor 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, Pleade with your mother. It is very fit that God should have some to plead for him, 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 then 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 plead • his cause.

Sixthly, 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 dishonored. Pleade you Ammi, Ruhamah; what, my people, those to whom I have shown 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, Pleade 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 her self 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 then 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, and their parents are bound to hearken to their pleading God's cause. It is a speech of Tertullian's, the begetter is to be beloved, and we may add, he is to be honored, but our Creator is to be preferred. 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 honor 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 subm • ssive way, in a beseeching way, I be seech you father or mother, consider that by these distempered passions, instead 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 then 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 fathers 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 fathers 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 fare 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, then they had in all their bodies, and so yielded to him. Certainly in such pleadings 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 forever, 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 then 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, but they are to labor 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. Hence it is apparently implied, that all those that are members of any Church, ought 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, 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, 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, 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 inwrapped 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, comes 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. 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 then 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, 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, 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 Isaiah. 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, nor the holiness, nor the multitude of others, but it is that light that God doth let in to convince according to his Word. 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?

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, more able then 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 then the truth shall suffer, rather then 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 then thus to plead for the cause of God.

Certainly they that are charitable should rather take things in the better part then 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. You will say, How can it be imagined, that one man should see more then many, more then others that are able?

To that I answer. In a community where there are many, though they should be godly, yet many of them may have their spirits biased with prejudice, with self-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. Yea, though they may be more able at other times, yet for someone 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 someone man to be pleading with many others.

I beseech you consider of this, it is very useful. Men must not think that God doth dispence 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 then others have, therefore he must needs have more abilities to understand spiritual things then 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 then 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 soild, may be more distempered then the poor weak man's. 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, then there was at that time disadvantage and disproportion between the whole Church then and all the world. And if we mark Saint John, 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.

Christians may plead, private members may plead with their Mother, yet they must observe these rules.

First. They must not plead with her for every light thing. For the Scripture giveth us this rule, That Love covereth a multitude of infirmi • ies; We must not stand pleading for every infirmity with our brother, but rather pass by many and cover them, much less then 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, 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, 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.

[ 4] 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 parents 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, 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 anything to the hand that it hath not from the head (as in a flux of putrid humors that resteth in the arm) then it would be the strength of the hand to resist those ill humors 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 humor of his own, It is the virtue of that Member to resist the receiving of any such humor.

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 thorough 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 dishonor to them for any other that is not a Clergy-man (as they speak) to speak to them or admonish them of anything, or to reason with them about anything, 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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 Lord's 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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 Apollos 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 Apollos 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 watch-men, the watch-men 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, 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 humor that it is their very delight to be in a way of contradiction, & they think they are nobody 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 then others do: And if they be in a community, they conceive that everyone would think them nobody if they stand still and say nothing, therefore that they may appear to be some-body, 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 honor 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 dishonor upon those that Christ hath set over you. Thus I have endeavored 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.

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, 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, 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 Baals Priests, and Antichristian, they cry out of every thing they dislike as Antichristian, whereas you are to study with your selves 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 then I did make account of when I began this Prophesy 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 anything 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 anything to pitch upon certainly when they did cease to be a Church but only this; 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 imbodied, 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 imbodyed, 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, 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 imbodyed, 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, 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, as not seeing God's will in it, I cannot have communion [ 1] with them now in such Ordinances.

[ 2] Yea secondly, If a Church shall require me to yield in my judgment, 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.

[ 3] 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, 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.

[ 1] It is true, if God did shut the door that I could not enjoy all Ordinances anywhere, then it were better to join with a Church that hath not all, though I do but en joy some.

[ 2] 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 then the other, it will be apparent that I love my body better then 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. Let her therefore put away her whoredoms.

The end of all pleading and exhortation, 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 contentions 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; 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 Mans heart? [ 1]

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, 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, [ 2] saith the Apostle to the Corinthians. You should mourn at your very heatts 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 Chirurgian 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: 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, then 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 anything 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.

P Lead 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 betweeen 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. 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.

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, 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, implied 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 God's. 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, upbrayding, 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 implied. 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 God's 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 judgment, 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 hearken to the words of my servants the Prophets whom I sent unto you; 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, then 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 Prophecyed 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, 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, there may be hope: If he turn his back upon him, and will speak no more, then 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 it self, 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 [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] is double, & in the second word the third radical Letter [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] 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 whoredoms 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 whoredoms and adulteries without measure, without number, ubi sistendum. We never know where to stop, if once our worship be corrupted.

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 clothe, and with indignation say, get ye hence.

Or from before her face, so it is in the Hebrew, noting her impudency 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 whoredoms 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.

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, as they were wont to do in those Countries, 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 sinnne 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, saith he, shall judge you, for they do not only cover their faces, but even their heads, rather then 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 anything appear, much more should Christians cover those parts that are incitements to lusts. That which is the Bedlams madness, and the Beggars misery, namely, Nakedness, that is the whores pride, and the strumpets glory.

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 anything 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 anything 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 then 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, 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 putrefied that it cannot be cured by salves and medicynes, it is cut off, and so the disease cometh to be cured: so God laboreth to cure the people of Israel by admonitions, by exhortations, by threatenings, by promises of mercy, and when all would not do, then 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 anymore, and God takes away the act of thy sin at least that way in such a violent manner by his judgments: 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 judgment 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 wouldest 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 anymore 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.

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, so vile and so wicked, now they deserve not to have the honor of Abraham's being their father, but to be called the children of the Amorite and the Hittite. As John the 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 then 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, 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, then 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, 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? 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 then 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 Navill was not cut. That is the expression how he was in the day wherein he was borne.

First, Thy Navill was not cut, The loathsomeness of their condition is set out by that. Naturallists 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, then 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 loath the fruit of their wombs. It is true, parents may see that with their bodily eyes, but there is more polution in their souls; they are wrapped up in original sin and filth, more then 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 Lacedemonians, 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 Common-wealth: We find it in divers Histories. Strabo tells us that the Indians and Brachmanes had certain Judges appointed for that very end; 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 Common-wealth, & so either to save it or cast it out. So likewise AElian in his Various Histories telleth us of the Thebanes, 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. 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 past this judgment 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 then 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, 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 fore-named 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 God's, 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 pitieth 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 then 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 fore-head, 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 & broidred 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, then 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 whore doms 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 unsavory 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 then 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. Brittons had their name from hence, in the old Britain language, Birth signifies blew coloured, because those that lived here, instead of brave clothes, as you have, they with woade besmeared their bodies with blew, they were from thence called Britons; for [ tania ] was added as it is usual in other Languages for the signification of such a Region or Country, as Mauritania, Lusitania, Aquitania, &c. so that Brittania is as much as to say, The Region of the blew 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 child-bed, and in a good Farmers 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 Kings 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 neighbors, and found a horse for the Kings 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 Iovinianum, and Diodorus Siculus tells us concerning the people in Ireland, our neighbors, 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, and the wives they had were common to all their brethren and parents. As for their Religion, they offered to the dev • ll 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 rent & torn with Civil wars then 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 thralldom.

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 anything; 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 humors of vile men, how great a slavery is this? The manifestation of the least suspicion of the falsnes 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 then we have been, our renown hath gone thorough 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, 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 comliness 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 needle-work, and when they are gone, we are poor, and ragged, and miserable.

Thirdly, Lest I strip her naked, &c. 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, The mercies that God bestoweth upon a Nation, the ornaments that God putteth upon a people that are but common favors, not spiritual graces, they are such as a people may be stripped of. Great mercies that a people have, they may wholly loose. 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, 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) then 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, 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 forever. 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 anymore, then the hangings are taken down; so though these gifts of the Hypocrite may stay a while, 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. &c. 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 favors 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 syding 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, 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 canses 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 fathers 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 Puritans 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, but I speak it to show what the virulencie 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 it self fully and clearly without any the least straining, 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; let there be no sluggish spirit, no neutralizing spirit. It is not time for any to be neuters now. It is time now for all to come and plead, not so much time now to dispute of things, but now time for everyone 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 everyone 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, everyone 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, thorough 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 then your wages.

Thus everyone should be of an inquiring 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, Lest I strip her naked, &c. 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, &c. The observation is,

That those that will not be convinced by the word, 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, Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I do thus and thus. 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. 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 Judgment for one that is advanced from a low degree to an high to be brought thither again. 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 free • h in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand, &c. But now (saith he) they that are younger then I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock. &c. Thus he aggravateth his judgment 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 verse. 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 Gallies, 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 gallies, 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 gallies, how sad a thing would this be! it would be very terrible to him. If some of you that have been beggars heretofore, 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 then 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 bond-men and bond-women, 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 thralldom again? As Ezra. 9. 8. we may use his words, Now for a little space grace hath been shown 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 our selves 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 agon, 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, 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, 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 Iuvencula, 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 her self 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, and to grow proud & scornful.

Nothing is more sharp then a low thing when it getteth up high; so there is none that have more proud and scornful spirits then 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, then 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 honor by his victories, some of the people said, where are they that said, shall Saul rein 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, then 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, Oxes, 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 prize every little mercy. Oh the tenth, the hundredth 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 Potters 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 Potters 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, &c. 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 then 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 Couutrey, 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 flowe 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, yet when they did but endure some trouble in the way, and had but some opposition, and were put to some straits, then 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 prize the bondage they were in before, then are thankful for God's 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 fret • ed 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 anymore, 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 then 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, 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 goldrings 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 cup-board naked of plate now? what if a white clothe 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 trunkes 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 your selves, 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! Crie 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 clokes 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 Comman-wealth, yet they were things that could go down very well with me, I could make shifts to swallow them, and I had distinctions to color them, but Lord it was my base heart that I could not trust thee, but now here I open it naked before those.

O Lord for these Ordinances of thine in the purity and power of them that others spake so much of, they have been things unsavory 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 doest 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 super •• uities, 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 bond • men, 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 nobody 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 judgment 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 vindica • e 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.

I N the first part of this second Chapter, we have already shown part of God's 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 dwelt 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 Hosea's 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, 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.

The Church of God is in it self 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, 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.

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 judgment upon the hearts of Idolaters; they are dry, unsavory; 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 wast and desolate.

The Observation then from hence is, That sin is of a wasting nature: sin layeth wast 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, 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 desola • e.

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 wast as pleasant and fruitful Countries 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 wast as a wilderness. Aud in this God threateneth after the manner of great Kings who when their Subjects obey them not, threaten to lay their Countries wast 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 wast 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, bnt to lay whole Countries wast.

God is the great King, and he threateneth this against his people for their sins, that he will lay them wast as a • wilderness. God had rather that the wild beasts should eat up the good of the land, then 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, then 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.

In the 36. Psal. ver. 8. We have a full expression of the plentiful provision of Cods 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 then 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 judgment 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 judgment, Oh what is it then for all good to be eternally with drawn from all the faculties! 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) 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 then 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. Though they were in a scorching Country, in the wilderness, parched with heat, might they have but some refreshment there, the judgment 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 succor, 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 succor, 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 refreshings from God, then when they are in the greatest extremities in regard of trouble and affliction. God promiseth, Isaiah, 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, then they are destitute, they may have many shady places before the heat cometh, but when the heat cometh, then they are left fuccourless, then they are slain with thirst. When wicked men are in prosperity, then 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, then 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 God's 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 then 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 then all the former four [And] I will have uo 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 shown 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 shown 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 Divnity 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 shown 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 sware 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 pit • 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 forever, 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 shown them mercy, for that you have a marvellousfull Text, Deut. 32. 10. He found them in a desert land, and in the wast 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 wast 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 wast howling wilderness, here is not such an And, they were in a wilderness, yet God had much mercy upon them.

[ 3] 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 God's 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? [ 4] 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 shown 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, then they sought him, and they returned and inquired 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 humilliation and worshipping of God in a Nation hath been effectual to deliver them from external judgments.

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 then 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 judgment without mercy. The observation then from hence is, 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, 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, then it is grown beyond anger, and grown to hatred: [ 1] 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 sowerness that all the mixture of love is gone, then it is turned to hatred. There was a time when Israel spake 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 & denieth mercy, then he cometh in sore displeasure indeed, it is hatred.

[ 2] 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 husband-man 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, 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, then 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 judgment in wrath, and denieth 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 denieth 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 skillful Physician or Apothecary more carefully weigh out to every dram what the potion should be that is to be given to a child, then 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 anything 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 judgments 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 judgments upon them to destroy them.

Fourthly, When afflictions cometh without mercy upon the wicked, [ 4] God stoppeth his ears at all their cries. If they cry when God cometh with judgments against them, he calleth their cryings 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 [ 5] 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 judgment to drive [ 6] them further from God, and to harden them more in their sins.

Lastly, One judgment is but the making way for another, yea all judgments [ 7] in this world are but the fore-runners, and makers-way for eternal judgments. 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.

Wherefore 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, 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 judgment of God in punishing the sin of the fathers upon the children we spake somewhat of in the Chapter before, we will wholly let that pass now: and only consider children in another way then 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 everyone of you of the multitude of the private and particular persons of Israel, and my wrath shall • 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 governors of places are usually most invelved in the guilt of the sins of nations, and their judgments are usually most dreadful when God cometh with national judgments. 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 judgments, 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, 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 [ 1] them to do as they have done.

[ 2] 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 then 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 governors 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 d • sposition to receive such reformation: therefore God threateneth the child • en, the peo • le 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 lastly, If you do but obey them in anything 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 anything in the world. This will not secure you, God may come with judgment without mercy upon the children as well as upon the Mother. And if God's wrath should come in national judgments 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 forefathers 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, 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 head-pieces, 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 then 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, 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 everyone 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, There is little hope of children brought up in wicked education, who have wicked parents also. If the die 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, their hearts being so soyled, 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, 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 judgments come abroad in the world, 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 judgments come abroad in the world.

Isa. 27. 4 Furie is not in me, saith the Text, that is, it is not in me toward my Saints; 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 thorough them, I would burn them together. When my wrath cometh against the briars 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 briars and thorns fear, but not the fruitful trees in God's garden: Godjudgements know how to make a difference between men, they are dis stinguishing things when they come abroad: God sendeth not his judgments 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 over-past; 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 forever 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 judgment 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 rumors 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 spilled, 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 undauntednesse 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 shown 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 judgments are out against them, 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 judgments 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, 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 plaid 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; 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 whore-master, 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 plaid the harlot, consider this word For, as having reference to the reason why they are children of whoredoms, for their mother hath plaid 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 nick-name 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-bears came out of the wilderness and tare 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 then 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 mothers 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, 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 other side, as therefore children of whoredoms, because their mother hath plaid 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 honor 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 repo • ted, that upon his death-bed 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 judgment 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.

The word in the Hebrew (it is in Hyphil, and so it may be translated transitively) signifieth, 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 inquired after, they are the messengers of the Churches, and the glory of Christ. Isa. 4. 5. Upon all the glory shall be a defense.

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 Candle-stick, and it should be a golden Candle-stick, but if it come to be a filthy rusty Candle-stick, it is a dishonor 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 whore-monger, of a vile and malignant spirit; 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 her self, she hath plaid 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 politique 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 then they did shamfully.

The Observation then from hence is, that for governors 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 temporizing, a name of folly and wickedness: to subject Religion to policy it is shameful, because it abaseth that which is the great honor 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 then 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 dishonor to it: although a thing hath in itself but little excellency, if it be brought beneath it self 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 [ 1] God for our civil estate and for our peace, therefore Religion must come under.

Shamefull it is again because it is gross folly, for there is no such way to [ 2] breed disturbance in a political 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 ad 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 anything 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 fighting 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 Passover, then appeareth one to Joshua with a drawn sword, and saith he, I am the Captain of the Lord's Hosts. Then the Captain of the Lord's Host appeareth to fight for them when they had once obeyed; whereas had they neglected Circumcision and the Passover, & thought of fighting only, they, might have missed of the Captain of the Lord's 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 defense, yet let us be careful of our Religion, and then we shall have a Captain of the Lord's 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 Common-wealth, 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 clave 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, 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.

G Ods 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. 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, 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 passionatly, You children of the rebellious and perverse, why have you chosen to join with them for the confusion of your Mothers 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 Mothers breast thorough 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