An Exposition of Hosea 1-3
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 dear children in former times, because he would not have their tender hearts to see so much sorrow and evil as should befall their Mother? And what God hath reserved us to see in the sufferings of our Mother we do not know. Howsoever let not her suffer by us, let not her suffer for want of our help, let not her suffer without us, let not us be so unnatural as to be everyone shifting for himself, for the private and particular, neglecting the public, the community, neglecting our Mother that should be as dear to us as the bowels out of which we came.
She hath done shamefully. We should have the affections of children to her though she hath done shamefully. [ 1]
But further, Here you have the amplification of her whoredoms, she hath plaid the harlot, and so plaid as she hath done shamefully: The latter end of the verse is by way of probation of this amplification, for how doth it appear she hath done shamefully? for she hath said, I will go after my lovers, &c. For the first then, this amplification of her whoredom, her whoredom is such as is shameful, Hence first observe.
That sin, but especially whoredom is a shameful thing. Pro. 13. 5. A wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame: Pro. 14. 34. Sin is a reproach to a nation, or to any people; Sin of its own nature let it be what it will be, it is shameful: Much more then whoredom, to play the harlot, for all sin doth drown a man, it brings him beneath the excellency of a man, it is contrary to the image of God in man, to that wherein true honor, beauty, glory doth consist. It makes men vile. I will give you but one Text for it, Dan, 11. 21. And there shall arise a vile person. Who was that? It was according to interpreters, Antiochus Epiphanes, the great King of Assyria, and yet a vile person. Josephus tells us that the Samaritans when they were in danger of suffering from him because he thought them to be Jews, they wrote to him in this manner. To Antiochus the mighty God; and his very Epithet, Epiphanes, is as much in our English as Illustrious, Antiochus the Illustrious, the famous, bright in his glory: He that was so illustrious and so great a Prince, that was written unto as the mighty God, yet in the Scripture language being wicked he is a vile person.
It is a special note of one that is fit to dwell in God's Mountain, of one that is a Saint, Psal. 15. 4. to be able to see the vileness of sin thorough all the glory of the world, in whose eyes a vile person is contemned. Sin is a shame because it deceiveth a man, The way of the wicked shall deceive him, What profit have you now of those things where of you are ashamed? It is a good sign of grace to be able to see into the deceits of sin, so as to be ashamed of it. But though all sin be shameful, yet whoredom especially, and that either bodily or spiritual.
First bodily, the expression of shamefulness though especially it aimeth at their Idolatry, yet it hath its rise from bobily whoredom, if that were not shameful, the expression could not be full; that she had played the harlot, and done shamefully, Pro. 6. 32. Whoso committeth adultery with a woman, lacketh understanding, he that doth it destroyeth his own soul; a wound and dishonor shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away. It makes one to be as one of the fools in Israel. And I (saith Tamer when Amnon defiled her) whether shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. 2 Sam. 13. 13. Amnon though a Kings son, though a brave gallant, yet by his uncleanness he makes himself as one of the fools in Israel, Deut. 23. 18. Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, nor the price of a dog into the house of the Lord; they are joined both together, for Scripture language makes those to be dogs who are unclean and filthy. When Ishbosheth charged Abner with the sin of uncleanness, 2 Sam. 3. 8. Am I a dogs head, saith he, that thou chargest me with a fault concerning this woman? Many Adulterers go very fine and spruce, many young wantons are bravely dressed, but in God's esteem they are as dogs thorough their uncleanness. It is not a harsher title then the spirit of God gives them. I have read of a people amongst the heathen that condemned this sin with death, and with a shameful death according to the nature of the sin, the death was this, they would have the adulterers or adulteresses head to be put into the paunch of a beast, where lay all the filth and uncleanness of it, and there to be stifled to death, a punishment fit for so filthy a sin. And as this sin is ever shameful, so especially the more lovely any yoke fellow is that is forsaken, and the more vile and fowl the whore is, so much the more shameful is the sin: Athenaeus brings in Plato, bewailing himself in his own condition, that he was taken so much with a filthy whore. It is more shameful for Christians then for heathens, because they know that the covenant of marriage is the covenant of God, as Pro. 2. 17.
But further, corruption in God's worship is most shameful, for that is aimed at especially here. The shamefulness of corrupting the worship of God is expressed in that most famous Text we have for this purpose. Exod. 32. 25. Aaron made the people naked unto their shame, how was that, but by false worship though it was of the true God? In false worship, there is shame because in that a man subjects his conscience to vile things.
Conscience that is not to be subject to any creature, only unto God himself is here made subject to low and vile things. Indeed it is not shameful to subject our consciences to God in the use of creatures though never so mean appointed by himself, but those that do subject unto creatures in ways of false worship not appointed by God, subject not their consciences to God but unto those creatures, and that is shameful.
In false worship though there may seem to be a great deal of humility, yet there is notorious pride and presumption, and therefore much shame.
For a creature to take upon him by his own fancy and conceit to raise up creatures higher then ever God hath raised them, to put higher respects upon creatures then ever God hath done, this is boldness and presumption, yea to presume so far as by his own fancy and conceit, to raise up the creature so high as that God himself according to the humors of men must come to be nearer men, and to be more present with these creatures then otherwise he would. Thus men presume to bring God to be under their fancies, and is not this shameful.
Further it is extreme folly, for we contradict ourselves when we think to honor God and yet go against him, when we put high esteem upon such things as are abominable and detestable. Mark that excellent Scripture for this, Ierem. 44. 4. I sent unto you all my servants the Prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, O do not this abominable thing that I hate. Mark, God crieth out with a kind of shrieke, all my servants the Prophets I sent, saying, O do not this abominable thing; It is a delightful thing 〈◊〉 your eyes, but abominable in God's. And Ezek. 22. 3. they are called by a word that signifieth the very excrements that come out of a man they glory in them, but he saith, they defile themselves by them.
When God opens their eyes they will see false worship a shameful thing, and when they do so, God will show them the Excellency of his own.
You have an excellent Scripture for this, Ezek. 43. 10. 11. Son of man show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities, and if that they be ashamed of all that they have done, that is, of all their false worship, what then? Then show them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the Laws thereof, and all the Ordinances thereof, and write it in their sight that they may keep the whole for me thereof, and all the ordinances thereof and do them.
Mark my brethren, you see how God standeth much upon forms, all the forms thereof, and the form thereof: Let not us slightly account of any thing in God's worship, of circumstances for God standeth much upon his own form in his own worship. Many who have no Religion but a form, yet neglect God's form. Men love to stand much upon their own forms, let them know God stands much upon his forms, and it is no hindrance but a furtherance to the power of Religion to keep close to God's form, and if we would come to know what are God's Ordinances (we cry out, O that we could but know what is the right way) this is one way for you to know: First, be ashamed of what you have done, be ashamed of your former false worship, and then God will show you the Ordinances of his House, and the true beauty of his true worship: till then there are so many distinctions, and evasions, and objections that they never come to understand it: when God humbleth the heart, and makes ashamed of what hath been naught before, all the distinctions, and evasions, and objections vanish away as the mist before the sun.
And the more excellent the Lord is, and those Ordinances are from which we do depart, the more shameful is that •• lse worship that our hearts do decline unto.
She hath done shamefully, why? she hath forsaken such a husband, she hath forsaken the Lord JESUS CHRIST who is so lovely, she hath forsaken the blessed Ordinances that God hath appointed, and turned her self to vanities of her own. Cant, 5. 16. Christ is there said to be altogether lovely, there is lovlinesse enough in Christ to satisfy the soul forever. And Ezek. 7. 20. As for the beauty of his ornament (speaking of God's Ordinances in his Temple) he set it in Majesty, but they made the images of their abominations, and of their detestable things therein.
Oh how shameful was this! This showeth the shamefulness of it, because God set the beauty of his ornament in Majesty. The Ordinances of God that he appointed himself, they are God's ornament they are the beauty of his ornament, they are the beauty of his ornament set in Majesty; and shall these beautiful glorious things be forsaken, for vanities of our own inventions? This is shameful.
She hath done shamefully for she hath said thus and thus; Here is implied, that the thing done was not only shameful, but that she was shameless in that she had done. She hath played the harlot, and done shamefully, for she hath said, &c.
From hence the Observation is,
Sin, especially whoredom either bodily or spiritual, being let alone to grow to a height, will grow to an impudency; those that continue in these, will grow not only to do shamefully, but to be shameless in their doings, Ier. 6. 15. Were they ashamed they committed abomination? No, they were not all ashamed, neither could they blush. At first sin may seem to be a little shame-faced, but afterward it grows brazen-faced; modest a little at the first, but bold, and impudent, and daring afterward. True, indeed if men should be told beforehand what they would do afterward, they would be ready to say as Hazael to the Prophet, Am I a dead dog that I should do this? Their hearts would even shake at the thought of it: yet when sin hath hardened their hearts but a while, they will do it, and that with open face too. Whoredom you know at first, it is that that every man blusheth at, but within a while, unclean ones can make their boast of their filthiness, But especially spiritual whoredom, the corruption of God's worship at first may be a little modest, but see to what a height it grows if in time this be not prevented. I will give you a notable example of this, and that is of Solomon himself. At the first we shall find Solomon very modest in the matter of Idolatry. 2 Chron. 8. 11. the Text saith there, that he brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the City of David to the house he had built for her, for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David King of Israel, why? because the places are holy whereunto the Ark of the Lord hath come. Mark how careful Solomon was of any pollution, of anything that had any seeming holiness in it; My wife shall not so much as dwell in the house of David, I have so much respect to the Ark of God, to the worship of God, to those places that are holy that my wife shall not so much as dwell there; But oh what did Solomon grow unto afterward • he suffered Idolatry most shamefully, as we shall find 1 King. 11. 5. there the Text saith, that he went after Ash • oreth the goddess of the Zid • nians, and after Mileom the abomination of the Amorites, and built a high place for Ch • mosh the abomination of Moa • in the hill that is before Jerusalem, just there he built it too, as if it had been in defiance to the Temple of God and his true worship, and that for Molech the abomination of the children of Amm •• ; and thus he did saith the Text, ver. 8. for all his strange wives which burnt incense, and sacrificed unto their gods.
This shamefulness he was grown unto▪ And thus we see it in experience; how fair are men in their ways of superstition at first? At first it is only decency, that is all they plead for; well, afterward it riseth from decency to significancy, that is a little higher, to put them in mind. Thirdly, from significancy it riseth to efficacy, to stir up the dull mind of man: Fourthly, from efficacy, it riseth to necessity, that now it must be done, and the worship of God cannot be without it, and there shall be no ordinance, no administration at all without it. Decency, significancy, efficacy, and necessity, thus it riseth to be shameful at last. So amongst the Papists in their traditions, surely at first only they would come with this argument, What, will you not regard them as you would do other books and other Histories? they are the traditions of our forefathers; but at length they came to this, in the fourth Sexion of the Council of Trent, the Synod doth take & honor the books of the old and New Testament, and the traditions of the Fathers, with equal • affection of piety and reverence as they do them. To this shamefulness they grew to at last. And so for worshipping of Images, why, it is it for the decency of Churches to have them, and they are but to put you in mind at the most; but at length they came to this, these are the very words, the same honor is due to the Image and to the Exemplar.
Lastly, from this amplification that she hath done shamefully; When men do grow shameless, impudent in evil, there is little hope of them.
I will have no mercy upon them, Why? For they have done thus, they are grown thus impudent. It is a good thing to keep the bridle of shame as long as we can upon our children and servants, and any of our inferiors▪ therefore take this one instruction with you, be not too ready to rebuke and chastise your servants, your children, in reproachful manner before others, left you bring them to that, that they shall see they have no honor to lose, and then there is little hope of them: Evermore keep such a hand over your children and servants as they may see they have some respect to lose, that they may not be so ashamed by you, as for them to think they cannot be worse, they cannot be more disgraced, there is no such way to bring them to grow desperate as that is. It is very great wisdom in Governors to keep the bridle of shame still, and not to let those rains go, and this is the reason that your Bride-well or Goale-birds seldom or never come to good, why? because they have no bridle to keep them in, they have lost all their honor and they can lose no more, and there is no rational creature but would have honor, there is not the meanest servant you have but hath a kind of respect to honor, and that will do more then blows except they be grown to be very beasts.
But how doth he prove that it is shameful? Thus, For she hath said, I will go after my lovers that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flaze, mine oil and my drink.
For she hath said: Hence first. Deliberate sins are most shameful sins.
This is a proof of her shamefulness, because that which she hath done she hath done upon deliberation, she said she would do thus and thus, she considered before what she would do, and yet she would do it. Wickedness committed de industria, ex consilio, of purpose resolved upon, this is very shameful. Gal. 6. 1. It is said of Godly men that they may be overtaken with a fault: If a man be overtaken with a fault. It is one thing to be overtaken with a sin, and another thing to overtake a sin; a gracious heart may have sin overtake it, but it is a shameless heart that overtakes sin.
Secondly, She hath said I will go. Whoredom either bodily or spiritual is usually very willful: as if she had said, let all the Prophets say what they can, let them talk out their hearts, I will have my mind, I will follow my lovers still. Thus it is with bodily whoredom. Those who are guilty of this usually grow extreme willful. Prov. 2. 19. None that go unto her return again; neither take they hold of the paths of life: It is a most dreadful Scripture against all adulerers & unclean ones, There is none, saith the Text, make it out how you will, there is none that go unto her return again; neither take they hold of the paths of life, those are the words of the Holy Ghost, I leave the words with you. So Pro. 23. 27. A whore is a deep ditch, and astrange woman is a narrow pit: they cannot easily get out, nor will they easily get out they are so▪ plunged in, 2 Pet. 2. 14. Eyes full of adultery that cannot cease to sin: why cannot they cease to sin? it is not because they have a heart but no power, but their wills is brought into that bondage and subjection that they cannot will otherwise: therefore Ezek. 47. 11. we find that though the waters of the Sanctuary were very healing, yet saith the Text, the miry places and the maershes were not healed, miry, filthy, unclean hearts are very seldom healed by the waters of the Sanctuary, I remember AElian reporteth that there was a whore that did boast that she could easily get scholars away from Socrates, but Socrates could get no scholar from her, none of her followers. It is true, that a whore is prevalent, and when she hath once gotten them it is almost impossible to get them away from her. Therefore that place Heb. 6. that speaks of that sin that is impossible to have repent anoe, Tertullian interprets it to be no other but the sin of uncleanness: The Author of this Epistle (saith he) knew no promise of second repentance to the adulterer and fornicator; that is his expression, showing how ordinarily those that are guilty of that sin and are given up to it, grow willful in it: And therefore in Ephes. 4. 19, these two are put together, being past feeling, and having given themselves over to laciviousness and want onness, wantons usually grow past feeling.
And for spiritual adultery, that usually is very willful too, for those that are left by God to that way of false worship, to Superstition and Idolatry, they seldom return again but grow exceeding willful in that wickedness.
You have a notable Text for that, Jer. 44. 16. 17. the people say there, The word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hear, but we well do whatsoever cometh out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven. We will go on in that way to burn Incense to the Queen of heaven talk as long as you will.
And so you have it Jerem. 20. 10. Go ( saith God ) pass over the Isles of Chitrim, and see, and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see of there be such athing; Hath a nation changed their gods, which yet are no gods? Men are settled in the ways of Idolatry, and will never give over the worshipping of their gods; but you have forsaken me: therefore be astonished O ye heavens at this, and be ye horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord. So Micah. 4. 5. All people will walk everyone in the name of his god: Their hearts are set upon it, they will do it.
Spiritual whoredom doth mightily besot the heart. I suppose you know the sext, it is a very famous one, Isaiah 44. 19. 20. None considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burnt part of i • in the fire, yea also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof, I have roasted flesh and eaten it, and shall I make the residue thereof an abomina •• ? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? He feedeth on ashes, a seduced heart hath • urned him aside that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand. And so Rev. 16. 11. where, those that were given up to Antichrist, though they were tormented, they blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains and their sores, and they repented not of their deeds.
Thirdly, willfulness in any sin, but especially in these sins, is a very great aggravation of it: I will have no mercy upon them, I will give them up, why? They have done shamefully, and they have said, I will go after my lovers. There are a great many who in their passion think it a brave spirit to say, I will, and I will, and I will, and I care not, say what you can, or whatsoever becometh of it I will do, or I will have this and this: Especially men in place and of estates are not able to endure the controlling of their will in anything, and therefore when their wills are but crossed, they burst out into outrageous speeches, and fall a blaspheeming, and swearing, and saying they will have their wills, though it cost them their lives.
Thus we find it in the people of Israel, 1 Sam. 8. 19, when Samuel from God came and told them in a long narration what hardship they should endure in having a King that was not them according to God's mind, they 〈◊〉 him all that he said, and they do not stand to answer any of Samuel's arguments, but presently they break out into this resolution, Nay, but we will have a King.
Those whom God leaveth to hardness of heart, and intendeth ruin to, he usually giveth them up to this willfulness in their evil ways.
The Scripture records Pharaoh for a famons example of one hardened and prepared for ruin. He was of a most willful spirit. Exod. 15. 9. you shall find his willfulness expressed four times there in that one verse, I will pursue, saith he; and then again, I will overtake, and thirdly, I will divide the spoil; and then fourthly, I will draw my sword: and there are two other expressions that come to the same effect, that are equivalent to the former even in the same verse, My lust shall be satisfied, my hand shall destroy them. Put all these six expressions that you have in that one verse, together, and where have you such an expression of a willful creature as Pharaoh was? and what became of him you all know.
Only one more example I find in Scripture paralleled to this, and that is the King of Babylon; Egypt and Babylon were two the most eminent for Idolatry and persecution of the Church that ever were in the world, and these are the two most famous examples for willfulness that ever were, Esa. 14. 13, 14▪ you have in these two verses five times I will. 1. I will ascend into heaven. 2. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. 3. I will si • upon the mount. 4. I will ascend above the heights. 5. I will be like the most high. And what became of him afterwards you all know, yea the next woe • ds tell you, Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, &c.
These two little words, [ I ] and [ Will ] do a great deal of misch • efe in the world. Luther I remember npon Psal. 127. saith, I am of that opinion, saith he, and verily persuaded, Monarchies would longer time by far endure, if those that are high Monarchs and States would but omit this one Pronoun, I, this same Ego. It is true, in public ways they express themselves in the plural number, We, but private resolutions are in the singular number, I. This for that little word, I.
The second is Will, I will, that is a little word too; But I may say of this little Will, this little word, as James saith concerning the Tongue, It is indeed a little member in the body, but it setteth the whole world on fire, and it self is set on fire of hell. So it is true that this same little Will it is but a little word, but it setteth whole Kingdoms on fire, it setteth whole Towns and Cities on fire, and it is it self s • ton fire of hell, Bernard hath an expression, Take away Will once, and there will be no hell. O the mischief that it doth in the world! I will only say these two things to those that keep such ado with these two little words, I, Will.
First, That which thou dost so much pride thyself in, and thinkest thy self such a man that canst say, I will and I will, know, It may be as heavy a judgment of God upon thee as can befall thee in this world, for God to give thee up to thy will.
There is nothing wherein God doth more let out his wrath upon the children of men here in this world, then in this, in giving them up to their will. Therefore tremble at this when thou hast so many expressions, I will and I will do this. I will give you a Scripture or two for it, suitable to the business: showing the willfulness of those that had their will in ways of false worship, perhaps some of you may be set upon this, that you will have this, and let men say what they can, you will have this used: The place is, Ezek. 20. 39. Go (saith God) serve ye everyone his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not hearken unto me. Go, saith he, you will not hearken to me, you hear out of the word what should be the way of my worship in the purity of it, oh say you, that is novelty, a new thing, and you will not have it thus, you answer not any arguments, but you cast it off, and say, you will not have it, well saith God, go and serve your idols, if you will not hear me, if you beset upon your will, go and serve your idols, and take your fill of your own ways. And Psal. 81. 11. My people would not hearken to my voice, Israel would have none of me, they were all upon their will, they would not, and they would not: Mark what followeth, so I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own counsels. You will have your own counsels, and your own will, and so God giveth you up to them, and then woe to you, you are undone.
Secondly, you that are set upon your wills in that which is evil, know God is and will be as willful toward you as you can be toward him. Mark that notable Text, Jer. 44. 25. that setteth out the notorious height of wickedness that was in the people of those times who were so willful, You and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, & fulfilled with your hand that which is evil, you will not say only you will do it, but will do it indeed. Well saith God, you have done so, you have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hands, saying, We will surely perform the vows we have vowed, we have vowed it, and we will do it, we have vowed to burn incen use to the Queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto her; you will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows; you will go on in your false ways of worship; mark what followeth in verse. 26. Therefore hear ye the word of the Lord, I have sworn saith the Lord, you have vowed, and I have sworn, I have sworn by my great Name, that my Name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah, in all the land of Egypt: and verse. 27. Behold, saith God, I will watch over you for evil, and not for good, and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be confirmed by the sword and by the famine until there be an end of them. God will be as resolute as you for your hearts, as the stoutest sinner that liveth: you will, and God will, who shall have their will think you? Answer to this you stout hearted that are far from God, answer to this you stout children, and stout servants, and stout wives, you will and you will. A willful man never wanteth woe. If you will be resolute in anything, my brethren, be resolute in that which is good, be resolute in the work of repentance: say with David, Psal. 32. I will confess my sins, indeed I had many thoughts to come and shame myself, and open all unto God, but I could not get it off, at length I grew resolute, and said I will and I have sworn to keep thy righteous Precepts; and as they Mic. 4. we will walk in the name of the Lord our God; and as Joshua, I and my Louse will serve the Lord, do you what you will, we are resolute that we will serve the Lord. This is a blessed willfulness indeed. Oh that 〈◊〉 • outnesse and willfulness of many people might be turned to this resolution for God and for his truth! especially carry this note home with you, you that have had such often expressions of your will, you will and you will, and turn it unto the willing of that which is good, I will follow my lovers, says the Apostate, from God; I will follow my Beloved, who is altogether lovely, let every gracious soul say.
Fourthly, For she said: She professed what she would do. Profest sins are shameful sins. It is an evil for sin to lie lurking in any ones heart, but for sin to break out into open profession, this certainly is a great evil: This is to prove that she had done shamefully, because she said she would do so and so. There is a great deceit in the hearts of many men, they are ready to say, I were as good say so as think so, I say so, and perhaps others think so, it were as good for me to speak it as to keep it in my heart. My bre thren there are two deceits in this kind of speaking.
First you suppose that when you speak so, that therefore it is not in your heart, and you make this comparison of what is in other men's hearts, and in your mouths, as if the evil were in your mouths only, and in their hearts only, as if the comparison lay thus, they think and do not speak, and you speak and do not think. Here is the deceit, for if you speak you have it in your hearts too, you both speak and think, for so the Scripture telleth us, that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh; if you speak maliciously you have a malicious heart, if you speak uncleanly, you have an unclean heart, if oaths be in your mouths, you have a profane heart.
Secondly, here lieth the deceit, as if you should have less in your heart because you vent it; as your passionate people will say, I were as good vent my mind and then I shall be quiet. Thou deceivest thyself; the venting of the corruption that lieth in thy heart will never lessen it but increase it.
It is not with the corruption of our hearts, as it is with liquor in a vessel, that the more is let out the less is within it; but as it is with a fire in a house, that when it is kindled within and burstech out, there is not less within because it bursteth out, no, the more it bursteth out and flames, the more still b • rneth within: and as it is with water in a fountain, when it bursteth out of the fountain, there is never a whit the less water in the fountain, it may rather have the less by stopping, and fire may be lessened by smothering. Know therefore that professed wickedness it is aggravated wickedness. It is true, secret sins may be more dangerous in regard of the cure, but they are more abominable to God in regard of the open dishonor that is done to him by them. The aggravation of the blood that was shed by the people, that God speaks of, Ezek. 24. 7. it is set out thus, The blood that was shed, saith the text, it was not poured upon the ground to cover it with dust, that it might not cause fury to come up to take vengeance, you did not conceal the blood, you did not cover it, but set it upon the top of a rock; what then? Not being co vere • , but being professed and lad open, this did cause fury to come up with vengea ••• against them, God's anger would have been against them if they had shed blood though they had covered it; but to shed blood & not to cover it, it causeth the fury of the Lord to come with vengeance. So you know he saith in that place of Isa. Chap. 3. 9. They declared their sin as Sodom, and hid it not: Woe unto her soul, saith he, woe unto them when they shall presume to declare their sin as Sodom. And as I said before, God will be as willful in punishing a sinner, as a sinner is willful insinning; so here God will be as professed in plauging, as thou shalt be professed in sinning for thy heart. That you shall see in that forenamed place of Ezek. they did not cover the blood, well mark it, saith the Text, I have set her blood upon the top of the rock that it should not be covered; Woe therefore to the bloody City, I will even make the pile for fire great, &c. I will be as professed in my plagues and punishments as you are professed in your sins.
My brethren, if we will be professed in anything, let us be professed in that which is good, let us do that as openly as we can, 2 Cor. 9. 13. the text saith there that God is glorified for their professed subjection to the Gospel, for their subjection of profession, so the words are. It is not enough for to subject to the Gospel, but there must be a professed subjection to it: therefore Rom. 10. 10. Confession with the mouth is there made as necessary to salvation as believing with the heart, they are put together. There may be times that confession may be called for as well as believing, and as necessary to salvation. I remember I have read of one Gordius a martyr, who when his friends came to him, and would have him keep his heart to himself, & only with his mouth to deny what in his heart he believed was true, Oh no saith he, it is fit for my mouth that was made for God should speak for God: And Zwinglius is of the opinion that we may even as well worship the Altar of Jupiter or Venus as hide our faith and profession when we live uuder Antichrist, such a speech he hath. The way to honor Religion & bring it into credit, it is for those that are godly to profess what they do.
I knew once one that was noble both in birth and grace, and having to do oftentimes with those of his rank, greatones, that would be scorning at Religion under the name of putirrnisme, he would usually take this course, when he was to come into such company he would begin himself & own himself to be one of those that they called a Puritan, and so he prevented them, and by that means prevented much sin in them, and much scorn of Religion by thus owning of it. It is certain, that the best way for the honoring of Religion it for everyone to own it, though there be ignominous terms put upon it. If ever we were called to profession of what we do believe, we are now called to it in these days. Certainly God professeth for us, God doth not only respect us, but he doth professedly, he doth it openly, in the eyes before the faces of our adversaries. Let us not only have God in our hearts, but profess his name openly before the faces of our adversaries. It is time now to do it. It had beenewell if. you had professed heretofore when God's truth called for it. It may be many of you may be found to be guilty in betraying the truth of God for professing no sooner then you did, but however betray it not now for want of profession, be willing now to profess of what party you are, that as we read of Jonah Chapter 9. when he was in the storm, and the mariners awaking he saith unto them, I am an Hebrew that fear the God of heaven, which made the sea and the dry land, and so he goeth on in making an open profession of himself.
My brethren, if we be not in a present storm, yet the clouds grow black, therefore awake you sluggards, you that are secure awake out of your security, and now profess what you are, I am an Hebrew that fear God, whatsoever they talk of such and such men under such ignominious terms and titles, I am one of them, and I am willing to appear so.
Many times you will be like Nicodemus you will come to JESUS by night, you are afraid to be seen: You would give in money to the Parliment, and help to forward that work God hath in hand, but only you are afraid to be seen. I know there may be possibly some occasion to keep some men in from appearing, but not many, the cases are very rare; Ordinarily, certainly it is not enough to do it, but to do it professedly, let it be declared who you are, and what side you take,
She said I will go after my lovers.
If you say we live in wicked and evil times, it is dangerous to appear, I may not only keep my heart right, but I will do as much as another, but why should I appear?
The worse the times are, the more thou shouldest appear. Mark. 8. 38 Whosoever shall be ashamed of me in this adulterous generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with his holy Angels, If the generation were holy, it were nothing to appear, not to be ashamed or afraid; but we must not be either ashamed or afraid in the midst of an adulterous generation. 2. Why should wickedness have this advantage, that it dares appear, but godliness dares not?
3. If all should reason as you do, what would become of the Cause? why should others venture themselves more then you? What is your flesh, your estate, your liberty more then theirs?
4. You must appear for examples sake, to provoke others. This is a duty as well as any. 5. If the adversaries prevail, they will find you out, except you mean to give up your consciences to them, and then you will escape no more then others; to be sure you will not have so much peace as others who have most appeared. Fifthly, I will follow after my lovers,
Who are they? Either first they who they were in association withal, as the Egyptians and the Assyrians, (and so I find some Interpreters carry it) or thef • Idols, and that is especially aimed at, but the the other may bear an Observation, and perhaps both may be included.
It is a dangerous thing, very sinful and vile for the people of God to join in aff •• ciation with Foreigners that are of a different Religion, to think to have help from them. The people of God, Jer. 42. were set upon this, to have their association with Egypt, and they could not be brought from it; and if you read that Story, it will appear to be very vile and dangerous; they seemed to yield unto God, that they would do what he would have them, and they would not go into Egypt if he forbade it; but in Chap. 43. when Jeremiah had told them the mind of God, that they should continue in the land of Judah, and not go down into Egypt, Then spake Azariah, and Joha • an, and all the proud men, saying unto seremiah, Thou speakest falsely, the Lord hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there. They are loath to break off their association with Egypt. I remember Gwalter in his Comment upon Hosea, though not upon this Text, telleth a story of the Grecian Churches, that in the year 1438. because they were afraid of the Turks breaking in upon them, they sent to the Bishop of Rome, that they would be under his subjection, merely that they might have the help of the Latin Churches to keep them from the rage and tyranny of their adversaries; but within a few years they were destroyed, Constantinople and the Empire were subdued, so as Heathenism and Atheism prevailed, and this is the fruit saith he of seeking the association of others in a sinful way. But because this is not the chi •• thing that is aimed at we pass it by.
She said she would go after her Lovers, that is, her Idols. What those were we shall see by and by.
Idolaters use to keep good thoughts of their Idols. They call them their Lovers, they look upon their Idols as those that love them; and hence they used to call them Baalim, from Baal, a husband. So it should be the care of the Saints, evermore to keep good thoughts of God, to look upon God as their Lover, as one that tendereth their good. Idolaters do so to their Idols, shall not the Saints do so to the true God? My brethren, let us not be ready to entertain hard thoughts of God, it is a dangerous thing. God's great care is to manifest to us, and to all the world that he loveth us, and he hath done much to manifest to us here in England, and to our brethren of Scotland, that he loveth us and them. In Revel. 3. 9. the Text saith of the Church of Philadelphia, that God loved them. Forty years ago Master Brightman interpreted that Text of the Church of Scotland; Philadelphia signifieth as much as brotherly love: You know how they are joined in Covenant one with another, and we see that those that said they were Jews, they were the Church, the Church, but proved themselves to be of the Synagogue of Satan, are forced to bow before them; and if they were not mad with malice, they must needs acknowledge that God hath loved that Church. And since God hath done great things for us, to manifest that he is the lover of England, let us then keep good thoughts of God.
Seventhly, Idolaters highly prize the love of their Idols. They do not only maintain good thoughts of their Idols, or think that their Idols are their lovers, but they set a price upon them, they said I will follow my lovers, I must make account of their love, they must do me good for ought I know more then anything you speak of.
It is true both of bodily whoredom and spiritual whoredom, I will only make use of one Scripture to daunt the heart of whore-masters and unclean wretches that so much prize the love of their whores and whore-masters. You prize their love, but what get you by it? you get God's hatred by it. You rejoice that you have the love of your whores, and upon that God hateth and abhorreth you. Mark that good you will say. Thus, Pro. 22. 14. The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pi • , he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein. What get you by this? your whores embrace you, and God abhors you. If there be any whore-master, any unclean wretch in this Congregation, either thou art an A • heist or this text must strike thee at thy heart. Art thou in that way and yet not repenting, thou art the man that this day God tells thee to thy face, that he abhors thee.
But how then should we prize the love of JESUS CHRIST our husband? Cant. 1. 4. The remembrance of thy love is better then wine.
The Church prizeth the love of JESUS CHRIST more then men in the world prize their delight in wine. And my brethren do you prize Christ's love, and Christ will prize yours, and that is observable, according to the degree and way of your prizing Christ's love, so Christ will prize your love. Cant. 4 18. you have there the same expression of Christ's love to his Church, answerable to what hers was before, Thy love is better then wine saith the Church to Christ, How much better is thy love then wine? saith Christ to the Church:
Eighthly, I will follow my lovers. In bodily and spiritual whoredom there is a following hard after those things they commit whoredom withal. I will follow them and not only say they are my lovers, but I will express it by following of them. The heart of whore-masters and Idolaters do follow hard after their uncleanness in bodily and spiritual filthiness.
First for bodily filthiness, observe whore-masters how they follow their lovers, Josephus in his Antiquities tells us this strange story of one Decius Mundus, that offered to give so many hundred thousand Drachmies, that came to six thousand pound English money to satisfy his lust one night with a whore, yet could not obtain his desire neither. Will not you be content now who have been guilty of spending a great part of your estate, in a way of uncleanness, now to do as much for Religion, for God, and Christ, and his Kingdom, as ever you have done for your whores? If there should be any in this place that have been profuse for their uncleanness, and yet now are strait handed in these public affairs, such as these are fitter to be taken out of Christian congregations, and to be shut up in slies.
For spiritual whoredom, I shall show you how superstitious and Idolatrous people as they prize their idols, so they follow hard after their lovers.
You know that story of the children of Israel when the Calf was to be set up, upon proclamation all the men and women took off their ear-rings and their jewels, and brought them to Aaron to make the Calf. What a shame will it be to us if we should keep our ear-rings, and our jewels, and things perhaps that have not seen the sun a great while, that we should keep them now when God calleth for them! Let women do that for God & his truth, for your own liberties & posterities that they did for their Idols.
Though you have care-rings, and jewels, and rings that you prize much, yet let them be given up to this public cause. And it were a shame that gold-rings should be kept merely to adorn the fingers when the Church and State is in such necessity as it is. Away with your niceties now and your fineness and bravery, and look to necessities, and to the preservation of the lives and liberties both of yourselves and your children, If you should see a malignant party come with their spheres and pikes, and your children sprawling upon the tops of them, and their blood gushing out, what would your gold-rings, what would all your niceties and braver do you good?
I will give you for this (because it is a point of such concernment) four notable expressions in Scripture about Idolaters eagerness and earnestness of spirit in following after their Idols.
The first is Isa, 57. 5. The Text saith there, that they were inflamed after their Idols, they were on fire after them.
The second is, Jer. 50. 38. They were mad upon their Idols.
Thirdly, You have a text more suitable to that I am speaking of; It is Isa 46. 6. it is said there, that they did lavi • h gold out of the bagga. They did not only give their gold rings that were of no use, and part with that which they could well spare, but they did lavish gold that was in the bag: they would not only bring some of it, but they did lavish it, for so the word is; and they lavished not their silver but their gold, and that not a piece or two out of a paper, but out of the bag, they brought their bags of gold, and did lavish gold out of them, and this they did for their Idols, Oh what a shame is it then that any should be penurious, and not come off full in the public cause of the Church and Common-wealth?
The fourth Text is Jerem. 8. 2. and there we have five expressions together of the pursuance of the heart of Idolaters after their Idols, the like we have not in all the book of God in one verse. Speaking of their Idols. First he saith, whom they have loved. Secondly, whom they have served. Thirdly, after whom they have walked. Fourthly, whom they have sought. And Fifthly, whom they have worshipped: and all this in this one verse, O how are the hearts of people set upon the ways of Idolatry! I remember Cambden reports of a King of England, Canutus, that spent as much upon one cross, a • the revenues of the Crown came unto in a whole year, he was so profuse in charges about his superstitious vanities.
Master Calvin in a Sermon of his upon that Text seek ye my face, hath this expression. Foolish Idolaters when they endure much in their pilgrimages spend their money, waste their bodies, and abused in their travail, yet they go on, and think all sufficiently recompensed, if they may see and worship some Image of a Saint or holy relicke: Shall the beholding, saith he, some dead carrion or apish Idol have more power to strengthen them then the face of God in his ordinances shall have to strengthen us?
My lovers that gave me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.
What were these Idols? The Idol that gave their bread was Caeres, she was the goddess that the Heathens did worship for corn. For their water, Luna, the Moon was the Idol they worshipped for their drink, and all moist things. For their wool and flax Ashtaroth was their god: And for their oil Fryapus. The seventy translate that which we say here wool, clothes; and that which we say flax, they linen; and they likewise for the fuller expression add a word or two more, and all other necessary things.
So they, though their Idols gave them all, flax, and wool, and hempe and all things. Observe from hence.
Idolaters have a great many idols to supply their several wants. My lovers, in the plural number. The idols of the Heathen do not supply all good, but one one thing, and another another thing. And that is the difference between the true God and Idols. The excellency of the true God is, that he is an universal good, we have all good, flax, and oil, and bread, and wine, and all in one, in our God, in our lover. And that is the reason that God challengeth the whole heart. Idols are content with a partial obedience, because they are but partial in bestowing of good things, but God justly requires the whole heart of his worshippers, because he is an universal good to them.
My Lovers that gave me my bread, &c.
Mark, The end that Idolaters ay me at in their worship is very low.
They follow their lovers and are very earnest, for what I pray? for their wool, and their flax, and their bread, and their water, their oil and their drink. These are the things they aim at; they desire no more, they look no higher, may their flesh be satisfied, give them but-liberty to sport on the Lord's day, to have their feasts, their wakes, merry meetings and they care for no more. Their spirits are vile, and accordingly is their worship. Therefore their worship is external, it is bodily, because their aims are at external and bodily things. As a man's end is, so is a man, either base or honorable. There are many men that cry out as if they aimed at God and Religion in many things they do, they make a noise about Religion, and God, and Christ, and his Ordinances, and the public good, but the truth is, their aims are at gain and credit, and at their wool and their flax, and herein they show the baseness of their spirits, like the lapwings that make a loud cry, as if they were come near their nests, when their neasts are somewhere else. Whatever their cry be for God and the public good, but if you mark them, their nest is in their wool, in their flax, in their profit in their honor and preferment, in these outward things. But the end of the true worshippers of God is a great deal higher, they soar aloft, there is a spiritual heighth of soul whereby they are raised upwards by the grace of God. A godly man's feet are where a wicked man's head is, that which he accounteth his chief good, a godly man can trample under his feet. He looks at God himself, at his service, he worshippeth the high God: he is a child of Abraham, not Abraham but Abraham, what is the signification of that? Pater excelsus; a high Father, for he is the father of children of high spirits, not only of Children that are believers, but of those that have high & raised spirits, so Abraham signifieth a high father. Cleopatria told Marcus Antonius, that he was not to fish and angle for gudgeons and trouts, but for Castles, & Forts, and Towns; so I may say of a Christian, he doth not fish & angle, especially in matters of Religion, for wool, and flax, and oil, he hath no such low and base ends, but at God, and Christ, and heaven, and glory, and imortality, he looks there; he serves God not for these things, he desires these things, that by them he may be fitted more to serve God. One that hath been acquainted with the free grace of God in Christ will serve God for himself without indenting with him, he will be willing to go into God's Vineyard, and not indent for a penny a day. You that will indent with God in his service and will have your penny, you who have such low and mean spirits, God may give you your penny and theres an end of you.
But further mark, there is another observation flows from hence.
There ends are • ow, they look no higher then corn, and flax, and wool, and oil. Hence it follows, that that way of Religion that men can get most bread, and wool, and flax, and oil by, that is the way that most people will follow, because the hearts of most people are low and base, and they aim at no higher things. That way of Religion that most estate is got by, that can please the sense, that is the Religion that pleases most people. It is the speech of one Pamchtius an Heathen, Make me a Bishop, saith he, and though I be now a Heathen yet I will be a Christian as well as any other: He saw in what pomp the Bishops lived, and by that he thought it was a fine thing to be a Christian. By outward pomp and glory Antichrist draweth many followers, they go where they can have most wool and flax, they can get most preferment that way. I remember a story I have read of AEneas Silvius, he observed the reason why the Pope prevailed against the Council, though it was a general council, which he said was above the Pope, though afterwards when he came to be Pope himself his mind was changed, but how came it to pass that the Pope always prevailed? this is the reason, saith he, the Pope hath a great many places of preferment and honor to give, the general council hath none, the general Council can inquire after the truth, and present the word, and can tell what is God's mind, but it hath no honor, no promotion, no preferment to give, therefore alas the general Council prevails little; the Pope getteth all, and all because he hath Bishoprics, and Cardinals places, and livings, and great honors to bestow. Luther in his Comment upon Hosea, and upon this Text tells a notoble story of one that he knew that lived like a Noole man by his many Ecclesiastical preferments, who when he was at his table, and bread and wine was brought to the table, that was excellent bread and wine, he (pointing to it with his finger) said these are the things tha • make me that I cannot leave this kind of life, and so after he came to be a Bishop, who had several Canon-ships before. So certainly these are the arguments that prevail most in the world, arguments taken from bread, and flax, and wool and oil, are stronger arguments then any taken from the Scripture, then any thing taken from the honor of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, When men can come with Saul's arguments, 1 Sam. 22. 7. Will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards, and make you all Captains of thousands, and Captains of hundreds? what will you follow him? can he prefer-you? O no, he can do little for you; so I say when men come with this argument, you go along in this way, I pray what will this bring you in? what preferment will you get this way? you may get preserment in the other way, this draws, this prevails. It was a speech, not many years ago, in a public Commencement at Cambridge, made by the Vice-Chancellor, speaking to the young Scholars, wishing them to take heed of being Puritans, what can you get in that way saith he? you shall live poorly, perhaps you may have some three half-penny ben • fice in following that way; but in the other way come to be children of the Church, and then you may be sure to have good benefices, you may come to be Prebends, to be Deans, to be Bishops: Thus he persuaded the young scholars to take heed of Puritanism. There is a mighty strength in this Argument upon the hearts of most.
Hence the poverty of Christ is great scandal and offense to most people, when they see that Religion will not bring them flax, and wool, and oil, but that they must live poorly, they scandalize at this exceedingly.
It is reported in the story of Charles the great, that he having war with an heathen King, Aygolandus King of Africa, because this King would make peace with Charles, he made some profession as if he would be a Christian, and Charles was very glad of this, and got him to his Court to parley with him; being in his Court he saw 30. poor people that Charles fed, who were halt, and may med, and blind, and in a very poor garb, Charles the great did it on purpose, because he would have poverty before his eyes continually, that he might not be too high in, and proud of his prosperity. Now when Aygolandus saw them, who are these saith he? These saith Charles are the servants of God: nay then replied he, if your God will keep his servants no better, I will be none of his; I thought to be a Christian, and to serve your God, but seeing those that serve him have no better food nor no better raiment then these, I will be none of those servants. Thus it is with many, thought their consciences are convinced which is the best way, yet because of the want of flax, and wool, and oil, they will not come off.
Further observe,
It is a shameful thing for men to make Religion to be in subjection to their wool, and corn, & oil. They have done shamefully in this. Many will do this, but this is very shameful. Before I shown that it is shameful to subject Religion to politique affairs, to the public State of a Kingdom, but now to subject Religion to our own base sensualities, to our own particular ends, for profit and preferment, oh this is very shameful. Gain gotten this way, it is filthy lucre, as the Scripture saith of it, yet hujusmodi lucri dulcis odor, the smell of this gain is very sweet unto many. What, is thy Religion serviceable to gain, to a trade, to sensual lusts? what is this but to stop the holes of a mudd wall with diamonds and precious pearls? That were a folly you will say, that because you have a hole to be stopped in a mud wall, to put in diamonds and pearls to stop it, and to make such precious things serviceable to such base ends, thou dost as much, thou wouldst have that which shall be a content to thy flesh, and thou wilt make Religion subject to that, thou art as base and vile in this. Religion my brethren is the glory of a man, the glory of a nation, and shall we turn this glory into shame? It is a base thing in Magistrates to subject the acts of justice to their base ends, for gain and profit; for a Judge, or a Justice of peace, or a Prelate to show most favor where there is most flax, and wool, and oil, where Butts, or rundlers of Sack, or the like are to be got, this is baseness in them: But to subject Religion to such base ends as these, this is the villainy of all baseness. A generous spirit is far from this. It is observed of the generous spirit of Luther, that when a Papist was vexed at him for his preaching and writing, faith a Bishop, there is such a stir with this Luther, why do you not stop his mouth with preferment? As it hath been the speech of a Bishop here in this land, that hearing that a Kinsman of his was a zealous Preacher; well falth he, let me alone, I will silence him; and indeed he did, How? He gave him two livings, and that silenced him presently. So here, why do you not stop this Luther's mouth with preferment? He presently answered, That Germane beast cares not for money, he is above money. He called him beast in his anger, whereas he might have called him an Angel, because his spirit was above these things, his mouth would not be stopped with them. Some men's lust of malice goes beyond their lust of covetousness, like those Cockatrices, Jer. 8. 17. that will not be charmed, it is a shameful thing then that our zeal for God should not go beyond our lust for gain, to subject your Religion to flax, and wool, and oil, it cometh from a base diffidence in God, as if he would not provide for us such outward things, therefore Luther hath this expression in his Comment upon Hosea. They followed their idols for bread, and wool, and flax, and oil, as if God would not give bread to his Church, or as if it were more safe to go to the Devil for it, as if we could not have wool enough, and flax enough, and oil enough from God. Oh let us trust God for all, for our clothes, for our meat and drink, for our estates, for our children, God certainly will feed his Church. And yet those men that have hearts so base themselves, they think it impossible for any man but to be taken with such arguments: They may talk of Religion and conscience say they, but I will warrant you they may be taken off with money, and preferment, places of profit and honor. They think it impossible for men to stand against these arguments. It putteth me in mind of that speech that Balak used to Balaam, Did not I earnestly send unto thee to call thee, wherefore camest thou not unto me? Am I not able to promote thee to honor? As if he should have said, Thou art a strange man indeed, did not I send thee word that I would promote thee to great honor, and give thee silver and gold, or whatsoever thou wouldst have? What will not preferment and money tempt you? I thought this would have tempted any man in the world. Thus many think that whatsoever men's Spirits are, they may be taken off with promotion and money: But let all such know that there are a generation of men in the world of true generous Spirits, that are above all these things, and take as much delight, and have as much sweetness in denying these places of honor and preferment, and gain, as those that offer them have in the enjoying of them. It was a notable speech Plynie had concerning Cato (It is in his Epistle Dedicatory to his natural History) speaking of what a notable spirit he was, Cato (saith he) took as much glory in those dignities and honors that he denied, as he did in those he did enjoy, Certainly it is so with the Saints, the true generous spirit of Christians take as much content in those places of preferment they deny for Christ, as in any gain they enjoy. There is no tempting of such men.
Let us pray therefore for those that are entrusted by us, not only for civil things, but for matters of Religion, that temptations for bread, & corn, and wool, and flax, and wine, and oilemay never tempt them, that the preferment, and gain may never bias their spirits, may never sway them.
These means have been assayed (certain it is) totempt some of them with, such ways have not been left untryed by some, and have prevailed, but thorough God's mercy he hath preserved others, and he hath made the world to know that Christ hath a people to whom Religion and the public good is more dear then all the flax, and wool, and wine, and oil in the world, then all the estates, and high places, and great preferments that can be offered them. And now the Lord our God keep this in their and in our hearts forever.
The Fifth Lecture.
HOSEA 2. 6. 7.
Therefore behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.
And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and shall seek them, but shall not find them: them shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me then now.
T He last day (you may remember) we spake of that reason that God giveth in the former verse, why he would show Israel no mercy, because that she hath done shamefully, and said she would go after her lovers that gave her her bread and her water, her wool and her flax, her oil and her drink.
There are yet one or two observations (that time would not give us leave to speak of the last day) in those words. I will only give you a hint of them, and pass suddenly to these two verses.
The first is this, Prosperity and success in an evil way is a great hardening of the hearts of men in their evil. I will follow after my lovers, for they give me bread, and water, and wool, and flax, and the like. I remember Eusebius reports that Maximilian the Emperor in an Edict of his against the Christian, crying out of Christian Religion as an excrable vanity, & seeking to confirm the Heathens in the worshipping of their idol gods. Behold saith he, how the earth bringeth forth fruit for the husbandman in abundance, how our medows are adorned with flows and h • rbs, and moistened with the dews of heaven, what health we have, and what quiet and peaceable lives; and thus he goeth on in seeking to conform the hearts of Idolaters in their wicked ways. Prosperity in a wicked way is exceeding hardening. That story of Dyonisius is famously known, having committed sacr • ledge against their Idol-gods, robbing their Temples, yet his voyage being prospetous, after he had ended his journey, he boasted himself that though he did not worship the gods as others did, yet he prospered as much as they. In that year when those Innovasions in God's worship were principally brought in amongst us, especially in that Diocese of Norwich, is proved to be a very fruitful year; and one Commissary among the rest in his Court, after the harvest was taken in, speaks to the Country-men in this way, Do you not see how God prospereth us? What a plentiful harvest have we had this year? This is since you began to worship God with more decency then you we •• wont to do. Thus attributing all the goodness of God to that way. Let it be all our prayers, that God will never prosper us in asinfull way.
Further, It is very observable how often this word My is iterated: Give me My bread, and My water, and My flax, and My oil, and My wool, nothing but My. We noted the last day, what hurt those little words, those particles [ I ] and [ Will ] do: Now we are to consider what evil there is in this particle [ MY ]
Hence the observation is, That carnal heatts look upon what they enjoy as their own, and think they may use it as their own; and especially such as are Idolaters. Though they will acknowledge that that they have cometh from the Idols, (as here they did, for they said their Lovers gave it them, yet when they had these things, they thought they might do with them what they would, then they were theirs, Mine, and mine, and all is mine.
Thus it is usual for carnal spirits to acknowledge in the general that that they have cometh from God, but when they have it, then it is their own they think; they little think that God reserveth the propriety of what they have after he hath given it them. You mistake if you think that that is all the acknowledgement you owe to God for what you enjoy, that you had it from God; but you must acknowledge like wise that God reserveth his propriety after he hath given it you. God doth never give anything in that way that one friend giveth to another; a friend may give you a gift, yet when you have it, it is your own, and you may use it as you please, your friend parteth with his own propriety. God never giveth anything so, as to part with his own propriety; though he hath given it you, yet you cannot say it is Mine, in respect of God, it is still his. There is no such bond upon conscience as to use all the comforts we have for God as this, & see that all comes from him in the way of a covenant of grace. I say this it is that will lay a bond upon conscience, to make use of your estates, and of all you enjoy for God, and not think to employ them for your own ends: It is not the slight acknowledgement that Idolaters have, that all comes from God, will do it; Carnal men look upon that they have, coming from God through second causes, and no further; but a Christian looks upon that which he hath as coming from God in a covenant of grace, and this engageth the heart strongly to use all for God, from whom all is received in such a way.
Verse 6. Therefore behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths, &c.
These two verses are the workings of God's bowels of mercy towards his Elect amongst Israel, in the midst of the most dreadful threatenings against her. They are as it were a Parenthesis of grace (in the Chapter) to the Elect, though mingled with some severity.
They are indeed the Epitome of the whole Chapter, for I told you in the division of the Chapter at the beginning, that those were the two parts, declaring Israel's sin, with threatening judgment, and yet promising mercy unto the Elect, unto some amongst them. The first part is from the beginning to the 14. verse, the second from the 14. verse to the end; Only this 6. and 7. ver. cometh in the midst, as it were a parenthesis, and containeth the sum of all the other; for he was in a threatening way altogether in the 4. and 5. verses, and you shall find him in the 8. verse. and so on, going in a threatening way again: Only in this 6. and 7, verses is abu • dance of grace, though mixed with some severity, as you shall see in the opening of them.
For the explication of the words.
Therefore. This must have reference to some-what before, and answereth to a Wherefore, Therefore, Wherefore? Because I have dealt with you by the way of my Prophets; in convincing, in admonishing, in threatening, and all this will not do, therefore I will deal with you in another way.
Therefore behold. ] That way of mine that I now speak of, it is a singular way, you shall find much of the grace of God in this way, a wonderful way that I will deal with you in now, Behold.
I will hedge up thy way. ] There is a twofold hedge that God makes about his people; There is the hedge of protection to keep evil from them, and there is the hedge of affliction to keep them from evil.
First, the hedge of protection, that you have in Isa. 5. 5. where God threateneth that he will take away the hedge from his vineyard, he will take away his protection; and so it is said of Job, that God had hedged him about; but that is not the hedge here meant, it is the hedge of affliction. I will hedge up thy way, that is, I will bring fore and heavy afflictions upon you, but yet in a way of mercy, these afflictions shall be but as a hedge to keep you from evil, they shall not do evil to you, or bring evil upon you.
I will hedge • p thy way with thorns. ] That is, I see you will be going on in these ways of Idolatry and false worship, I will make them difficult to you, you shall go through thorns; if you will go to your Idols, you shall not get to your Idols, but you shall be pricked. It is a Metaphor taken from a husband-man, who when the cattle will break over pastures, makes thick hedges that they shall not get over, they shall be pricked, it shall be with much trouble if they do go over. So I will deal with you saith God. Or when a husband-man seeth passengers make a path in his ground too broad, and so spoil the grass or the corn, he layeth thorns in the way that they cannot go into his corn; or if they do, they shall go with some trouble: so saith God, I will hedge up your way with thorns.
And make a wall. ] Maceriabo Maceriam, I will wall a wall, so the words are. It may be they will get through the thorns, but though they do get through I have another way to deal with them, I will come with stronger afflictions and they shall be of more power to keep them from their same, they shall be as a wall, and though they get through the thorns, they shall not get over the wall.
That she shall not find her paths. ] Mark the change of the person, that is observable, I will •• dge up thy way, first, and then I will make a wall, and she shall not find her paths; the person is changed, and so we have it often in Scripture, that is to signify some kind of perturbation of spirit, that manner of speech is usual amongst men when their spirits are troubled, they speak sometimes in one person, sometimes in another: And indeed the Lord here speaks after the manner of men, as if his Spirit were troubled at the perverseness of his people. Besides the change of the person here is to express some indignation of God against their perverseness, therefore he speaks as if he would turn from them, and rather speak to somebody else, as if he should say, I speak to these, yet they are stubborn and stout, well I will speak to all that are about them, to all the beholders, take notice of their stubborness, and perverseness, and judge between them and me.
And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not over take them; and she shall seek them, but she shall not find them. In the 5. ver. it was but I will go after my lovers, Vadam, but here it is, she will follow, from that root which signifieth persequor, to follow with eagerness, it is not only sectari, but insectari, the word is the very same that is used for persecutors, who eagerly pursue those that they do persecute. Psal. 7. 5. David speaking of his enemies following of him, the same word is used that is here, save me, saith he, Lest the enemy persecute my soul, It is the same, and so the Seventy turn it.
Yea, and beside the form of the word, it being (in Piel ) that signifieth to do a thing auxiously, and diligently, carefully, whereas (in Cal. ) it signifieth only a bare doing of a thing: but when it cometh into form, as those that are skillful in the Hebrew tongue know that fignifieth to do a thing with care, that solicitiousnesse, and diligence, so therefore it is turned by Polanus, anxie prosecutus est, She hath prosecuted or followed with a great deal of care. So that this is more then the other, for it seems that after she had some affliction she grew worse for a while, and was more eager upon her Idols then she was before.
But she shall not over take them. Though she be never so much set upon that way of evil, yet I will take a course to keep her from it, she shall not overtake them. Yea
She shall seek them, but shall not find them. The word signifieth to seek with a great deal of endeavor, not only to seek in ones thought and mind, but to go on to walk up and down that we may find it, is by the Seventy turned by divers words that signify a seeking more then ordinary.
But shall not find them. Let them be never so set upon their ways of Idolatry, yet I will keep them from them.
Then shall she say, I will go, &c. This shall be the effect of it. One would think all this were nothing but threatening, oh no, it is mercy, for it is for this end, that she might at length say, I will go and return to my first husband, &c.
You may take them in the meaning of these versus, and the scope of them in this short paraphrase: As if God should say, Oh you Israelites, all you have grievously sinned against me in forsaking me, and following of your lovers, sore and heavy evils are ready to befall you, even you my elect ones, upon whom my heart is for good, you have involved yourselves in the common guilt of this wickedness, therefore even you must expect to be involved in the common calamity that shall come upon the nation, and when you are under those calamities, know that I know how to make a difference between sinner and sinner, though guilty of the same sin, though under the same affliction, that what shall be for the destruction of some, shall be in mercy to others, it shall be but to hedge up your ways, to keep you from further sinning, to make your ways of sin difficult, that so your souls might be saved: and although your hearts will be a long time perverse, and will not come in and submit to me, yet I will so order things in the way of my providence, that at length I will so work upon your hearts, that you shall come in and return unto me, you shall bethink yourselves and remember what sweetness once you had in my ways, and you shall take shame to yourselves, and acknowledge that it was then far better with you then it is now, and so I will remain to be your God, and you shall give up your selves to worship and serve me forever. This is the meaning and scope of the words.
Now then having the words thus opened and paraphrased, take the several observations, for they are exceeding full, and very sweet and suitable.
First, from the general the observation is,
Though such as are in covenant with God may for their sins be involved in the same judgment with others, yet God will make difference between them and others that are not in covenant with him: God will have other ends in his afflictions towards his people then he hath towards others, though the difference be not in the things that they suffer, yet the difference is very broad and wide in the ends for which they suffer. When the briars and thorns are set before God, it is that they may be destroyed, the fire of God's anger passeth through them to destroy them; but when God cometh to his people, though some anger be stirred up for a while, yet all the fruit thereof it is to take away their sin. See what difference God makes between some and some even under the same affliction, in that 24. of Jer. ver. 5. I do not know a more remarkable place in the Scripture for this purpose, saith God there, speaking of the basket of good figs, I will acknowledge them that are carried captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. Though they be carried into the Land of the Chaldeans, I will acknowledge them there to be my people, and it shall be for their good. Well now there was likewise a basket that had very naughty figs, and they were carried away captive too, both went into captivity, what doth he say of them? I will deliver them (saith he, verse. 9.) to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt. I will 〈◊〉 at their hurt when I deliver them into captivity.
This should be a mighty support unto the Saints under all their afflictions, though the affliction be the same to sense and view with that of the wicked, yet you see the difference is broad. It is true, may the troubled heart say, there may be different ends of God's afflicting some & others; he may afflict some for trial, and others for their sins; but what will you say if an affliction come upon us for our sins? Is there a difference here? Yes my brethren, though your afflictions come upon you from your sins, if you be in covenant with God, the difference still may hold, for so it is here, those afflictions that here are spoken of, God calleth the hedge and the wall, they were fore afflictions, and they were for their sins, for their perverseness, and yet God intendeth good and mercy to them in those afflictions: Here is the virtue of the Covenant of grace, it takes out the sting, and venom, and curse even of afflictions, that are not only for trial but for sin, they are to keep you from greater misery; if God bring some misery upon you (it so appeareth unto you) yet being in covenant with him, this is the blessing of God upon you, that those troubles are to keep you from greater misery that would befall you. That for the general.
Now for the particulars, as the words lie, Therefore behold. This inference therefore I told you it was as if God should say, thou wilt still go on, notwithstanding all admonitions and means that I shall use by my Prophets, therefore behold I will do thus and thus, From hence we may observe, first, There is even in the Saints such a slavish disposition remaining that they will stand out against God along time even against admonitions exhortations, convictions, and threatenings of his word. Not only the reprobate will do so, but such is the perverseness of the hearts of men, that even the elect of God will many times do so, this is a sore and grievous evil that it should be said so of them, for if there be ingenuity in the spirit of men, the very notice of the mind of God is enough to cause the heart to yield, and surely grace doth make the heart of a man ingenuous, and God expects that there should be melting of spirit at the very notice given of his displeasure, yet behold even in the hearts of the godly many times there remaineth so much slavishness, that they will not come in but upon God's dealing very hardly with them, they must have many afflictions, they must be whipped home before they will return home, God must send the dog many times to worry his sheep before they will come in. This God complains of Jer. 2. 14. Is Israel a servant? is he a homs-borne-slave? why is he spoiled? ver. 17. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself? So it may be said of many, even of the Saints when we see how the ways and dealings of God are toward them, yea even God himself speaks thus, What, is such a one a servant? is he a slave? is not such a one my child? how is it then that he must be dealt with like a slave, like a servant?
Secondly, Therefore, because one means will not do it, namely my Prophets admonishing, and threatening, therefore I will do thus & thus, therefore I will consider of some other way to deal with you. The observation is.
When one means will not keep from sin either those that we have to deal with, or ourselves, we must not rest there, but set even our brains on work to look after other means. What will not this do it? Is there any things else that possibly may do it? That means then shall be used. Thus God (as we may speak with reverence) even studies his administrations towards his people when he is frustrated in one, and if that do not do it, he bethinks with himself, is there anything else will do it? if there be anything in the world can do it, it shall not be left unattempted. God doth not presently cast off his people, because they stand out against him in the use of one means. It is true, for others that are not in covenant with him, God is quick with them, and if they come not in presently, he cuts them off, and will have • o more to do with them, but for his own people though they stand out long, yet God trieth one means after another, and after that another.
This is the grace of God towards his own.
It should be our care to imitate God in this, when you are to deal with others that are under you, with your children or servants, do not satisfy your selves in this, I have admonished them, and threatened them, and persuaded them, What then? yet they will not come in: What will you have no more to do with them then? Will you cast them off presently? You should study what further course may be taken, study their dispositions, What do I think will work upon them if this do not? will fair means? will foul means? will anything do it? if anything will, you should labor to deal with them that way. So for your own hearts, when you are convinced of the evil of your own hearts, it is true your consciences will not be quiet unless you use some means against that sin that is in your heart, well, but I have used means, I have laid the word to my heart, the threatenings, the promises to my heart, and I have followed God's ordinances: will it not do? will not my heart come off? Is there no other means to be used? what do you say to the afflicting of your soul? Try that; you have laid the word to your heart, and you find it doth not work, try the afflicting of your souls in humilliations, fasting, and prayer, for the overcoming of your sins.
Thus God doth, when admonitions and exhortations of the Prophets will not do, yet saith God, I will try another way, I will bethink me of some other course, I will hedge up their way with thorns, & I will see whether I can bring them in that way. These two from the inference Therefore.
From the note of attention, Behold, we have an excellent useful observation that naturally springeth up. For God to make the way of sin to be difficult to sinners, is a most singular mercy. Howsoever always it doth not prove so, but take it at the worst, yet it is better for the way of sin to be hedged with thorns, & to be made difficult to us, then to have the smoothest way that possibly can be. As it is one of the greatest judgments of God upon wicked men to lay stumbling blocks before them in the way of righteousness; so it is one of the greatest mercies of God to his children to lay stumbling blocks •• d difficulties before them in the way of sin.
It is an 〈◊〉 way of God's dealing even with reprobates, with those he hath no love unto, that in the ways of godliness, in the way to life, he in his just judgment layeth stumbling blocks before them, and they appear very difficult to them, the hedge of thorns compasses about the way of righteousness to the wicked, therefore you shall find it in Pro. 15. 19. that the way of the slothful man is said to be as an hedge of thorns; that is, a slothful man (who is a wicked man there) he looks upon any duty that he should perform as compassed about with an hedge of thorns, God in his just judgment suffereth difficulties at least to appear to him in the way of his duties, that makes him to have no mind to them. Now this is a grievous judgment of God to cause the way of his fear to appear so difficult, and so scare them from it, What should I meddling with such & such ways? I see I must suffer thus and thus, there are these and these stumbling blocks that I must go over, these and these troubles that I must meet withal, I were better sit still and be quiet, I shall never be able to go through. Such stumbling blocks God lays in the way of godliness before the wicked, and they stumble at them & fall, and break their necks. On the other side, God in abundance of mercy casteth stumbling blocks in the way of sin before his people that they cannot get over, if they stumble, it is but to break their shins and to save their souls. But when the wicked stumble, they break their necks, and damn their souls. But now the ways of God are plain to the righteous, Prov. 8. 9. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to him that findeth knowledge. God's ways are very plain to the godly, and sins ways are very difficult; but on the other side, to the wicked God's ways are very difficult, and the ways of sin are very plain. Oh unhappy men, says Luther, when God leaveth them to themselves, and doth not resist them in their lusts! woe, woe to them at whose sins God doth wink, when God lets the way to hell be a smooth and pleasant way. That is a heavy judgment, and a sign of God's indignation against men, a token of his rejection of them, that he doth not intend good unto them. You bless yourselves many times that in the way of sin you find no difficulty; if a whore-master, or a malicious man, who would accomplish his own ends, find all things go on as he desires, so that he hath not any rub in his way, no not so much as a prick, he blesseth himself. Bless thyself? If thou knewest all, thou hast cause to howl, and wring thy hands, for the curse of God is upon thee, a dreadful curse to make the way of sin pleasant. On the other side, perhaps many of God's Saints when they find the ways of sin somewhat difficult to them, they are troubled at it, that they cannot have their will. Troubled? thou hast cause to bless God who hath thus crossed thee, for it is an argument of much love to thee. There is a Behold put to this, that God should be so merciful to them, to make their ways of idolatry and supersition difficult to them.
From hence these three observations: I will hedge up her way with thorns.
First, there is much bruitishness in the hearts of God's people. Not only slayishnesse that was before, but bruitishness too: That is thus, they must not only be dealt withal as slaves (hardly) and so be brought home, but as brute beasts, they must have some present evil upon them, or otherwise they will not return out of their evil way, except their sin be for the present grievous and troublesome to them. It is not enough (you know) to threaten brute beasts, but they must have some present evil upon them, if we would keep them from such a place we would not have them go unto. A man that hath some understanding, though he hath a slavish spirit, yet he may be kept for fear of future evils; but when a man comes to this, that nothing but present evils will keep him off, he is worse then a slave in this, he cannot be kept from sin by the exercise of his reason, God must also deal with him as a brute beast, God must come and let some present evil be upon him to prick him, or else he will go on in an evil way. This is brutishness, even in the hearts of the Saints.
Secondly, hence we may see the proneness of men's natures to Idolatry the way must be hedged up to keep men from it. It is not enough to forewarn men of it, but all means that can be used is little enough to keep off men. How wicked then is the way of many amongst us, who seek to make the way of Idolatry too smooth, and plain, and open as they can! yea instead of stopping such as have inclinations to it, they lay before them the inciting and intifing occasions which add to their own propension such delectation as putteth them on forward with a swift facility.
Thirdly, Afflictions to the people of God, are God's hedges to keep them from sin. The command of God is one hedge, and affliction is another. Therefore sin is called by the name of Transgression, Transgression, what is that? That is, going beyond their bounds, going over the hedge; a man that sinneth goes over the hedge. And we find, Eccles. 10. 8. He that breaks the hedge a serpent shall bite him.; It is true, in regard of the hedge of God's command, he that will venture to break that hedge, must expect a serpent to bite him, must expect the biting of Conscience, the anguish and horror of that: But when that hedge is broke, God cometh with another hedge to keep his people from sin, so you have it expressed in Job 33. 17, 18. speaking of afflictions, By them, saith he, he withdraweth man from his purpose, and he keepeth back his soul from the pit. As suppose a beast be running to such a pasture, perhaps he doth not see the hedge, and it may be if he should run a little further, he would be plunged in a pit, and there destroyed, but now the husbandman setteth a hedge there, and when the beast cometh just to the hedge, to the thorns, then it is withdrawn from what it was about, and so the life of it preserved; so it may be with a man that is running to such a place, when he meeteth with something that hinders him, he is drawn from his purpose, and his soul is kept back from death.
You use to deal thus with your children, if you live in the Country near ditches and pits of water, you will hedge about the pits, for fear your children should fall into them and so the hedge keepeth the Children a • ive.
As afflictions keep the Saints from sin, as a hedge to them, so the difficulties in God's ways keeps the wicked from God. When difficulties therefore do fall out, it should teach us to consider what way we are in, why? for God useth to compass about sinful ways, with difficulties, on purpose to keep his people from them. Well, I am in a way going on in it, I am sure I am compassed about with difficulties, it may be these difficulties are but God's hedges to keep me from sin; how shall I know that? for sometimes difficulties are but trials of our graces, and they may be such as call for the stirring up of our graces to break through the hedge, so Pro. 8. 19. difficulties are said to be a hedge of thorns; they lie in the ways of God's people that are blessed ways, then the work of the Saints should be to stir up their graces, and to break thorough the hedge, though they be pricked, and their flesh torn, that is, their excellency, that they can break thorough those difficulties, faith will carry through all difficulties in God's ways.
Therefore here is the trial, when I meet with difficulties, I must not forbear because there are difficulties, but I must examine, Is it the way of God or not? If it be the way of God, then lay aside the thought of difficulties, if I have a rule for it let the difficulties be never so many, and the hedge never so thick, yet I must break through, and God is so much the more honored by it: but on the other side, if upon examination I find the way I am in is not warrantable by God, then I must know that God's end in laying difficulties in the way, is to stop my going on in it, and it is desperateness in me to seek to break thorough, in seeking to break thorough I may break my neck, therefore I must look to it that I have warrant from God for those ways I am in.
Oh that men would think of this when they meet with difficulties in their ways! I might show how the Saints have many times met with difficulties in their ways, and yet have gone on with strength; That of Jacob is one of the most famous examples we have in the Book of God, the difficulties he met withal, and that in the way that God himself bad him go in. God bade him return to his Father Isaac, and yet he met with six or seven prodigious difficulties, that one would have thought should have made him doubted whether he was in God's way or not, and have caused him to return back again. First, Laban pursueth him, and intends mischief gainst him; and Esau he in that journey comes to meet him with a purpose to destroy him, his wives nurse died, and Rachel her self died in that journey, he had his daughter Diana deflowered, his two sons committed that horrible wickedness, in murthering the Shechemites: All these fell out in Jacob's journey; he might have said, Am I in the way that God would have me? Yes, Jacob was in his way, he had an express warrant from God to go that journey. Difficulties therefore must not discourage us, but we must break through them; especially in these times. It were a low and poor spirit, to be kept from a good way because of •• ew thorns, because of some difficulties that we meet withal in the way.
If we know it be God's way, go through it in the name of God, let the difficulties be what they will. But if they be not warrantable by God, let the difficulties we meet withal stop us, for God intendeth them to be a hedge to keep us from sin.
Again, it should make us be content when any affliction befalls us; why, because it is more then we know that God intends abundance of good to us; It may be, if this affliction had not befallen thee, thou hadst undone thyself: If this affliction that thou doest sor riggle to get out of, and thinkest thyself so miserable under it, if it had not befallen thee, thou mightest have fallen into the pit and been lost, therefore be not troubled so much at the affliction, but examine whether it be not a hedge that God hath set, to keep thee from a further misery. But it seems that this will not serve, there must be a wall, as well as this hedge. Hence the observation is this,
The perverseness of man's heart is such, that he will break through many difficulties to get unto sin.
We read of Idolaters, who would cause their children to pass through the fire to their Idols, that was more then a hedge of thorns. We see it often that men's hearts are so strongly bent upon their sins, that though it were to pass through a great deal of trouble, though they prick and tare themselves, yet they will have their sin. As that notable story that Ambrose tells us of, of one Philotimus who brought his body to grievous diseases, by uncleanness and drunkenness, and the Physicians told him, that if he did not abstain he would certainly lose his eyes, there was no help for him; as soon as ever he heareth this, he answereth thus, Valeat lumen amicum. Farewell O pleasant light, rather then I will deny myself in this, I will never see light more; he would venture the loss of his eyes, rather then lose the satisfaction of his lusts. Thus it is with many, O what do they venture for their lusts! What an argument should that be to us to venture much for God, to endure hard things for the blessed God: though there be some hardship between us and our duty, break through all to get to that duty; wicked men will break through great difficulties to get to their sins. There need be a wall as well as a hedge. Well, if there be need of a wall, I will have a wall, saith God, I will wall up her way, though she may make a shift to break down the hedge, she shall not break down the wall, it is too strong, and too high.
Hence the Observation is,
God when he pleaseth will keep men from their sins in spite of their hearts, they shall not have their way, they shall not have their desire do what they can. When God sees Men set upon their wicked desires, if they be those that belong not to him, perhaps God may damn them for their wicked desires, and yet they shall not have them neither; they shall go to hell for them and never come to accomplish them. Saul, how desperately set was he to mischief • David? but God made a wall that he could not get to have his desire do 〈…〉 , Many, especially great Men, how strongly are they set upon their desires! they must have it, and they will have it, and they must and must, nothing cometh from them but must and will; well, they may be deceived, God knoweth how to cross the most stubborn and stout hearts that live upon the earth, that they shall not have what they would have in this world. I will make a wall. God doth thus make a wall about men's sins, by sending sore and heavy afflictions, as about the drunkards way, when God brings some grievous disease upon his body, perhaps he is so stopped that he cannot drink, that is a wall about his sin, that he cannot go to it according to his desire: so the unclean person, God brings such a disease upon him, that he cannot have the pleasure of his lust, though he would never so fain: so when God brings poverty upon others, that they caunot follow their ambition and pride, doc what they can, these are as walls to them; but God doth not always do this in a way of mercy.
I will make a wall. First, a hedge, and then a wall. Hence observe when lesser afflictions will not serve to keep men from their sins. God usually cometh with greater and sorer; I see some of them will break through the hedge, I will make a wall therefore, that is, I will come with stronger and greater afflictions, and so keep them off. Levite. 26. 18. If you will not for all this, saith God, turn unto me, I will punish you seven times more, and I will break the pride of your power; you think there is a power in your hand, and there is pride in your power, for power raiseth the heart up to pride; I will break it, I will never leave till I have broke your hearts in spite of you; and you shall find ein that Chapter four or five times mention of seven times more. This is after the hedge, then there cometh a wall.
And they shall not find their paths.
Hence,
God is able to strike men with blindness that they shall not see their way. Though there be an evil way of mischief before them, yet God knows how to strike them with blindness, though there be nothing to hinder them in it, God can strike men with blindness one way or other, that they shall not be able to see their way before them. We have this, this day exceedingly fulfilled in our eyes, how doth God blind and befot our adversaries, that they cannot see their way? the truth of that Scripture, Job 5. 13. is this day before our eyes. He taketh the wise in their own craft inesse, and the counsel of the froward is carried head long. How hath God taken wise men in their own craftiness? & the counsel of froward men, their spirits are froward, because they are crossed, they are vexed, & their counsel is carried headlong; God takes away their understanding, and doth baffle them in their own counsels. A notable Text we have in Psal. 75. 6. The stout-hearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep, and none of the men of might have found their hands. They are cast into a slumber, and know not what in the world to do, they know not how to make use of that power they have in their hands; It followeth further in that Psalm, At thy rebuke O God of Jacob, both the charet, and horse are cast into a dead sleep.
A strange expression, that a Charet should be cast into a deep sleep; the meaning is, they can no more tell how to make use of them, then if they all lay for dead, or asleep. Let us not be afraid of the power of adversaries; suppose they had power in their hand, God can strike them with blindness, & they shall grope to find the door, they shall be baffled in their own ways, they shall not tell how to make use of their own power. Isa. 29. 14. Behold (saith God) I will proceed to do a marvelous work, even a marvelous work and a wonder: What is it? The wisdom of their wise men shall perish, & the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid: This is a wonderful thing that God will do; yea, and he will mingle a perverse spirit in the midst of them, so you have it, Isa, 19. 11. Surely the Princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counselors of Pha • aoh is become bruiti • ; and verse 12. Where are they? where are thy wise men? And again verse 13. The Princes of Zoan are become fools, the Princes of Noph are deceived; and verse 14. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit it in the midst thereof, they have caused Egypt to err in his work, as a drunken man that staggereth in his vomit. Here is the judgment of God upon Men, when he list he can blind them in their way that they shall err in their work, and they shall stagger in their own counsels and designs as a drunken man in his vor • it, they shall not find their paths, they shall not know in the world what to do.
Well, Thus God dealeth with wicked men: But now let us consider this in reference to the Saints, to God's own people, they shall not find their paths; then the Observation is,
It is a good blindness for men not to see the way of sin: It is promised here in a way of mercy, that they shall not find their paths; this darkness, it is not the shadow of death, but the way of life. It is rich mercy. I have read of one Maris, a Bishop of Calcedon, a blind man, to whom Julius the Apostate giving some opproptious words, and calling him blind fool, because he had rebuked Julian for his Apostasy; the good man answered thus, I bless God that I have not my sight to see such an ungracious face as thine: So many may bless God for their bodily blindness, because, it may be it hath prevented abundance of sin that might have been let in at the casements of their eyes; But especially for blindness, not to see the way of sin, if we may call that blindness; It is a mercy that God doth not grant to all, it is a singular mercy to the Saints: For you shall find there are abundance of people exceedingly quick-sighted in the way of sin that can find the path there, and yet are exceedingly blinded in the way of God, and cannot find the path there: On the other side, that Saints are blinded in the way of sin, but are quick-sighted in the ways of God. How many men are wise to do evil, as the Scripture saith, they are able to see into the depths of Satan, they are profound to damn themselves, they can find out such objections against the 〈…〉 , & answer such things that are said against 〈…〉 devises & contrivances how to get to their sinful ways, but when they come to the ways of God, as blind as Moles, they cannot see such necessity of such strictness, they cannot understand, men of great parts, great Rabbies, of great understanding otherwise, they have no skill in the ways of God. I thank thee, O Father Lord of heaven and earth (saith Christ) that thou hast hid these things from the wise and learned, and hast revealed them unto babes: Whereas on the other side, you shall find that the Saints are able when they come to God's ways, to see far into the excellency and glory of them, they have understanding there, though they be but weak otherwise, they can see into the great mysteries of God, into the beauty of his ways, so that it dazzleth all the glory of the world in their eyes, they are not easily catched with temptations, but can see into the subtleties of the devil that would draw them out of God's ways; but when they come to the ways of sin, there they want understanding, and it is God's mercy to them to do so; there they are but bunglers, they do but grope as blind men, they are not their crafts masters, they are not cunning artists in those ways, but as the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 1. 1 • . We have not received the spirit af the world, we cannot shift for ourselves as the men of the world can, we cannot be so cunning to contrive such plots, & tricks, and devices for our own ends as the men of the world can, but we have received the Spirit of God, we can understand things there (through God's mercy) to eternal life. There are many men cunning for their own destruction, they can find every secret path of sin, though sin be a labyrinth, they can go up and down in it, find out ever by-path in that way. When the ways of God are propounded to wicked men, there is a mist before their eyes, they cannot see, & when the ways of sin are propunded to the Saints, God in mercy cafteth a mist before their eyes that they cannot see. Eccles. 10. 15. The fool knoweth not how to go to the City; wicked men they know not the path to the Church of God, to the Ordinances of God, they talk much about such and such Ordinances, and setting up of Christ in the way of his Ordinances, but they do not see the way of it, they know not what the true worship of God meaneth; No, a fool doth not understand the way to the City of God, he cannot find out that path.
But the Saints, though they know not the ways of sin, yet they can find out the paths of God, they know the way to the City, Possidonius tells us a Austin, that when there was wait laid for his life, thorough God's providence he mist his way, and so his life was preserved, and his enemies disappointed. So many times when you are going on in such a way of sin, perhaps you little think what danger there is in it; God in mercy therefore casteth a mist before your eyes, and you miss that way and save your lives.
Ver. 7. She shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them, &c. The Observation is,
Untill God subdues the hearto himself, men will grow worse and worse in their sins; yea, even God's Elect ones to whom he intendeth mercy at last, yet till God cometh with his grace to subdue their hearts, they may grow worse and worse: they would before go after their lovers, and now here cometh afflictions upon them, yet still they will follow their lovers, and that with more eagerness of affection, and with more violence then before. Afflictions in themselves are part of the curse of God, and there is no healing virtue in them, but an inraging quality to stir up sin, till God sanctify them by his grace, & God may suspend for a time the sanctifying work of his grace to those he intended good to at last. Isa, 51. 20. The Text speaks of some whose afflictions were not sanctified, That they lie as a wild bull in a net in the streets, and they were full of the fury of the Lord; They were full of the fury of the Lord, and yet lay like a wild Bull in a net, in a raging manner. This distemper of heart proceeds from two grounds.
1. When outward comforts are taken away by affliction, the sinner having no comfort in God, he knows not where to have comfort but in his sin, if conscience be not strong enough to keep from it, he runs madly upon it.
2. Because he thinks that others look upon him as one opposed by God for his sin, therefore that he may declare to all the world that he is not daunted at all, nor that he hath no misgiving thoughts, (though perhaps he hath nipping gripes within) yet he will put a good face upon it, and follow his ways more eagerly then formerly.
A second observations; She shall follow, but she shall not overtake,
A man may follow after the devises of his own heart, and may be disappointed; he may not overtake them. There is a great deal of difference betwixt following God's ways, and our own ways; there was never any in the world that was disappointed (if he knew all) in following God's ways, but he got, either the very thing he would have, or something that was as good, if not better for him: but in the ways of sin, in our own ways we may meet with disappointment; why should we not then rather follow God then follow our own desires? The desires after sin, as they are Desideria futilia, so they are Desideria inutilia, as one speaks; as they are foolish, so they are fruitless desires, they do not attain what they would have. How hath God disappointed men in our days • they have not overtaken what they greedily sought after; Our adversaries blessed themselves in their designs, they thought to have their day, they propounded such an end, and thought to have it, but how hath God disappointed them! But whether God hath done this in mercy to them, (as it is spoken of here) that we know not, we hope God hath crossed some of them in a way of mercy, though perhaps he may deal in another way with other of them.
But further,
Disappointment in the way of sin is a great mercy.
As satisfaction in sin is a judgment of God, and a fearful judgment, so disappointment in sin is a mercy and a great mercy, Prov. 14. 14. there you shall find, That the back-slyder in heart shall be filled with his own ways: A dreadful threatening to back-slyders and apostates; when God hath no intention of love and mercy for backsliders, God will give them their own devices, they shall have their fill in their own ways; you would have such a lust, you shall have it, you shall be satisfied to the full, and bless your selves in your own ways. This is the judgment of God upon backsliders: but for the Saints, when they would have such a way of sin, God will disappoint them, they shall not have it. We account it ordinarily very grievous to be disappointed of anything, and many times I have had this meditation upon it; What, doth it trouble the hearts of men to be disappointed almost in anything? Oh what a dreadful vexation and horror will it be for a man to see himself disappointed of his half hopes! Remember when you are troubled at any disappointment, what will be the terror then and anguish of spirit if it should prove that any of you should be disappointed of your hopes for eternity! But those whom God doth often disappoint in the way of sin, they may have hope that God will deliver them from that great disappointment.
And again yet further, She would have her Idols, but God will take them away, she shall not have them saith God, though she follow after them, and have a great mind to them, yet they shall not overtake them. God will remove them from their Idols, or their Idols from them, (that is the meaning) they should not come to their Dan or Bethel, they should either be removed far enough from their calves, or the calves from them.
Thus it should be with Governors, they should take such a course as to take away Idols and superstitious vanities from those that will be worshipping of them, and sinning against God by them; Either take them away from those vanities, or their vanities from them, they should not so much as suffer those things to stand to be enticements and snares for the hearts of people, though they be very brave, and abundance of gold and excellent artificial work be about such things, yet Deut. 7. 25. Thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein, but thou shalt utterly destroy it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it, for it is a cursed thing. You shall not look upon the bravery of the work of their Idols, and upon the great cost that is bestowed upon them, and therefore spare them because of that, oh no, but take them away, that men may not be ensnared by them; So God will do.
Further in the fifth place, They shall follow after their lovers, but shall not overtake them. Idolaters hearts are after their Idols when they cannot get them. Though they cannot get them, yet they will be following of them. It is of an excellent use for us, so it should be with us in the pursuing after God's ordinances; though perhaps for the present we cannot enjoy the Ordinances of God, yet be sure to keep our hearts working after them. Many deceive themselves in this, they think, we would have all the Ordinances of God, but we see we cannot, and so upon that we sit still & mind no more seeking after them, neither do they labor to keep their hearts in a burning desire after them; and hence many times it is, that the opportunities of enjoying them are let slip.
But now if thou canst not have the beauty of an ordinance, if thou keepest thy heart in a burning desire after it in the use of all means for the attaining it, know then, that the want of an ordinance is an ordinance to thee.
You shall find in the English Chronicle of Edward the first, that he had a mighty desire to go to the holy land, and because he could not go thither, he gave charge to his son upon his death-bed that he should carry his heart thither, and he appointed 32000. pound to defray the charges of carrying his heart to the holy land, out of a superstitious respect he had to that place, though he could not attain it his heart should. Thus should our hearts work after Ordinances.
And now we come to the close, and that is the blessed fruit of all this, she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them, and she shall seek them, but she shall not find them.
What followeth after all this? Now cometh in the close of mercy, for saith the Text, Then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then was it better with me then now. Now they shall return, at length they shall bethink themselves.
Hence we have likewise many sweet and excellent Observations.
As First, In times of affliction the only rest of the soul is to return to God.
They keep a rigling, and a stir, and a shifting up and down to provide for themselves, yea but they could find no rest in what they did, but as a poor prisoner that is shakled keeps a stir with his chains, but instead of getting any freedom he galls his legs: but when the poor soul after all shiftings, and turnings, and vexings, comes to think of returning to the Lord, and of humbling and repenting it self before him, now it finds rest. Return to thy rest, O my so • le; so the words are. Remember after all your afflictions here is your rest in returning to the Lord.
Secondly, Then they shall say, that is when they are so stopped in their way that they cannot tell in the world what to do, when they are hedged, and walled, and cannot overtake their lovers, then they shall return to the Lord.
Hence the Observation is, so long as men can have anything in their sinful way to satisfy themselves withal, they will not return to God: There is that perverseness of spirit in men: Only when men are stopped in the way o • sin, that they can have no satisfaction nor no hope, then they begin to think of returning to God.
This is the vileness of the spirits of men, they never or very rarely will come off to God till then. As the Prodigal, what shift did he make? he goes to the farmer, to the swine, to the husks to fill his belly, and it is likely if he had had his belly full of them he would never have thought of going to his father, but when he came to the husks and could not tell how to fill his belly there, when he was in a desperate estate, then he beginneth to think of returning to his father. So you have it Isa, 57. 10. Yet saidest thou not, where is no hope, thou hast found the life of thy hands, therefore thou wast not grieved; thou wast not brought to such a desperate stand as to say the is no hope, that noteth that till men be brought to such a stand that they can say, certainly there is no hope or help this way, they will seldom think of returning to God. Thus is God infinitely dishonored by us, It is very strange how the hearts of men will hanker after their sin this way, and that way, till God take them quite off from hope of comfort by it, they will never have a thought to return unto God; God is fain to be the last refuge, we account ourselves much dishonored when we are the last refuge, when nobody will I must. It seems God is saine to yield to this, when nobody will give satisfaction to the soul, then men come to God, and God must.
But you will say, will ever God accept of such a one? Mark the next observation; returning to God, if it be in truth, though it be thus after we have sought out for all other helps, yet God is willing to accept of it.
This is an observation full of comfort, the Lord grant it may not be abused, but it is the word of the Lord, and it is a certain truth, that returning after men have sought other means, and can find no help, though they are driven to it by afflictions, yet it may be accepted by God. It is true, man will not accept upon these terms, but the thoughts of God are as far above the thoughts of men as the heaven is above the earth. It is true indeed some time God will not, nay God threateneth Pro. 1. 28. though they call upon him he will not answer, though they see • e him early, yet shall not find him. God is not thus gracious to all, therefore you must not presume upon it: God some time at the very first affliction hardeneth his heart against men, that he will never regard them more, for his mercy is his own; but those that are in covenant with him, though they come to him upon such terms, yet they may be accepted of him; therefore take this truth for helping of you against this fore temptation, when you are in affliction, which will be apt to come in, Oh I cry to God now in my affliction, I should have done it before, surely God will not hear me now.
This may be a temptation; I confess I cannot speak in this point without a trembling heart lest it be abused, but the Text presents it fairly to you, and you must have the mind of God made known unto you though others abuse it, Psal. 88. 9. Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction, Lord I have called daily upon thee: This is spoken of Heman, and God did accept of him as it is apparrent in the Psalm, yet he cried by reason of affliction; and Psal. 120. 1. In my distress I cried unto the Lord and he heard me; though it were in my distress, yet the Lord heard me.
Only take this one note about it,
It is true, Though our being stopped in all other ways may make us cry to God, and God may hear us, but when God doth hear us, he works more then crying out by reason of that affliction; though at first our affliction be the thing that carrieth ns unto God, yet before God hath done withus, and manifest and any acceptance of us, he works our hearts to higher aims then deliverance from our affliction.
Again further, I will go and return.
A heart effectually wrought upon by God is a resolute heart to return to God. As they were resolute in their way of Idolatry, I will follow after my lovers; so their hearts being converted, they shall be as resolute in God's ways, she shall say, I will return to my first husband.
When God will work upon the heart to purpose, he causeth strong arguments to fasten upon the spirit, and nothing shall hinder it, no not father, nor mother, nor the dearest friend. Perhaps the Lord beginneth to work upon the child, and the father scorns him, and the mother perhaps saith, What shall we have of you now? a Puritan? This grieveth the spirit of the child, yet there are such strong arguments fastened by God upon his heart, that it carrieth him thorough, he is resolute in his way, he will return.
Further, Those who have ever found the sweetness of Christ in their hearts, have yet something remaining, that though they should be apostates, will at length draw them to him. Christ hath such hold upon their hearts as at one time or other he will get them in again, there will be some sparks under those embers that will flame and draw the soul to return again to Christ. Therefore if any of you ever had any friends in whom you were verily persuaded there was a true work of grace, though they be exceedingly apostatized from Christ, do not give over your hope, for if ever there were any true taste of the sweetness that is in Christ, Christ hath such a hold upon their hearts, that he will bring them in again one time or other.
Further, I will return to my first husband, for them was it better with me.
There is nothing gotten by departing from Christ. You go from the better to the worse when ever you depart from him; What fruit have you in those things, whereof you are now ashamed? I the Lord (saith God, Isa, 48 17.) teach to profit; sin doth not teach to profit, you can never get good by that, but the Lord teacheth to profit. It may be you may think to gain something by departing from Christ, but when you have cast up all the gain, you may put it into your eye, and it will do you no hurt. Job, 27. 8. It is a notable place. What is the hope of the hypocri • e, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Perhaps a hypocrite that is departed from God, a back-flider, that was forward before in the way of godliness, and now like Dema • he hath forsaken those ways and cleaved to the world, he thinks he hath gained, and perhaps is grown richer, and liveth braver then before, yet what hope hath this back-slyder, this hypocrite, when God taketh away his soul? then he will see that he hath gotten nothing. As it is said of the Idolater, Isaiah, 44. 20, A deceived heart hath turned him aside, he feeds upon ashes, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? What shall there be more in a lust then in the blessed God? then in JESUS CHRIST who is the glory of Heaven, the delight of Angels, the satisfaction of the Father himself? Can a lust put thee into a better condition then Christ, who hath all fullness to satisfy the soul of God himself? certainly it cannot be.
Again, There must be a sight and an acknowledgement of our shameful folly, or else there can be no true returning unto God; I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better with me then now. As if the Church should say, I confess I have plaid the fool, I have done shamefully, I have loft by departing from Christ, it was better far then it is now. Ier. 3. 25. We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us, for we have sinned against the Lord our God, saith the Church there; so it should be with all that come in to return to Christ, they must lie down in their shame.
This I note as very seasonable in these times, we have many now who not long since have been very vile apostates, they have gone with the times, they saw preferment went such a way, and their hearts went that way; Now they see they cannot have preferment in that way they went, and God of his mercy hath changed the times, they will be Converts: We have in England many parliamentary Converts, but such as we are not to confide in.
Why should we not confide in them? If they will repent and return, God accepteth them, and why should not we? It is true, such an one was before an enemy, and followed superstitious vanities, but now he is grown better, and preacheth against them, and why should not we receive him?
To that I answer, It is true, if deep humiliation have gone before that reformation, if together with their being better they have been willing to shame themselves before God and his people, to acknowledge their folly in departing from God, and be willing to profess before all that knew them, and have been scandalized by them. It is true, God began with me, and shown me his ways when I was young, I began to love them, and to walk in them: but when I saw how the times went, and preferment went, the Lord knows I had a base time-serving heart, I went away from God, they were no arguments that satisfied my conscience, but merely livings and preferment, and now I do desire to take shame and confusion of face to my self: Woe unto me for the folly and falseness of my heart, it is the infinite mercy of God ever to regard such a wretch as I. If they do thus take shame to themselves, and acknowledge their folly, this were something. We read in the Primitive times of one Ecebolius, who when he had revolted from the Truth, he cometh to the congregation, and falling down upon the threshold, crieth out, Calcate, Calcate insipidum salem, tread upon me unsavory salt, I confess I have made myself unsavory salt by departing from the Truth, let all tread upon me. This was a sign of true returning when this went before, we have done foolishly, it was better with us then now.
Again, I will go and return, for it was better with me then it is now:
Hence,
Though acknowledgement must go before, yet returning must follow that. It is not enough to see and acknowledge, but there must be a returning: For as reformation without humiliation is not enough, so humiliation without reformation suffices not. And I speak this the rather, because these are times wherein there is a great deal of seeming humiliation, and we hope true humiliation: but you shall have many in their fasting days will acknowledge how sinful, how vile, how passionate they have been in their families, how worldly, what base self-ends they have had, and they will make such catalogues of their sins in those days of their humiliation, as causes admiration: the thing itself is good, but I speak to this end, to show the horrible wickedness of men's hearts, that after they have ripped up all their sins, with all aggravations, acknowledged all their folly of their evil ways against God, yet no returning, after all this as passionate in their fam • lies, as froward, as peevish, as perverse as ever, as earthly as ever, as light and vain in their carriage as ever. They will acknowledge what they have done, but they will not return. Remember humiliation must go before reformation, but Reformation must follow after Humiliation.
But the chief point of all is behind, that is, The sight of this, how much better it was when the heart did cleave to Christ, over it is now, since departure from Christ, it is an effectual means to cause the heart to return to him. This is the way that Christ himself prescribed, Rev. 2. 5. Remember whence thou art fallen, and repent. Thou wert in a better condition once then now thou art, oh come in and return, and that thou mayest return, remember whence thou art fallen.
I will give but a little glimpse of what might be said in this point more largely.
The reasonings of the heart in the sight of this may briefly be hinted thus:
Heretofore I was able through God's mercy to look upon the face of God with joy. When my heart did cleave to him, when I did walk close with God, then the glory of God shined upon me, and caused my heart to spring within me every time I thought of him: But now, now, God knows, though the world takes little notice of it, the very thoughts of God are a terror to me, the most terrible object in the world is to behold the face of God. Oh it was better with me then it is now.
Before this my apostasy I had free access to the Throne of God's grace, I could come with humble and holy boldness unto God, and pour out my soul before him, such a chamber, such a closet can witness it: But now I have no heart to pray, yea I must be hailed to it, merely conscience pulleth me to it; yea every time I go by that very closet where I was wont to have that access to the throne of grace, it strikes a terror to my heart; I can never come into God's presence but it is out of slavish fear. Oh, it was better with me then, then it is now.
Before, Oh the sweet communion my soul enjoyed with Jesus Christ! one days communion with him, how much better was it then the enjoyment of all the world! But now Jesus Christ is a stranger to me, and I a stranger to him.
Before, oh those sweet enlargements that my soul had in the ordinances of God! when I came to the word, my soul was refreshed, was warmed, my heart was enlightened; when I came to the Sacrament, oh the sweetness that was there! and to prayer with the people of God, it was even a heaven upon earth unto me: but it is otherwise now, the Ordinances of God are dead and empty things to me. Oh it was better with me then, then it is now.
Before, oh the gracious visitations of God's Spirit that I was wont to have! Yea, when I awaked in the night season, oh the glimpses of God's face that were upon my soul! what quickenings, and refreshings, and inlivenings did I find in them! I would give a world for one nights comfort I sometimes have had by the visitations of God's Spirit, but now they are gone. Oh it was better then, then it is now.
Before, oh what peace of conscience had I within! whatsoever the world said, though they railed and accused, yet my conscience spake peace to me, and was a thousand witnesses for me: but now I have a grating conscience within me, oh the black bosom that is in me, it flieth in my face every day, after I come from such and such company; I could come before from the society of the Saints, and my conscience smiled upon me: Now I go to wicked company, and when I come home, and in the night, Oh the gnawings of that worm! it was better with me then, then it is now.
Before, the graces of God's Spirit, how were they sparkling in me, active and lively! I could exercise faith, humility, patience, and the like: Now I am as one bereft of all, unfit for anything, even as a dead logg. Before God made use of me and employed me in honorable services, now I am unfit for any service at all. Oh, it was better with me then, then it is now.
Before I could take hold upon promises, I could claim them as mine own, I could look up to all those blessed, sweet promises that God had made in his word, and look upon them as mine inheritance. But now alas the promises are very little to me: before I could look upon the face of all troubles, and the face of death, I could look upon them with joy, but now the thought of affliction and of death, God knows how terrible they are to me. It was better with me then, then it is now.
Before in all creatures I could enjoy God, I tasted the sweetness and love of God, even in my meat and drink: I could sit with my wife and children, and see God in them, and look upon the mercies of God through them as a fruit of the Covenant of grace; Oh how sweet was it with me then! But now the creature is an empty thing unto me, whether it come in love or hatred I do not know. It was better with me before then now.
Before I was under the protection of God where ever I went, but now I do not know what danger and miseries I am subject unto daily, what may befall me before night. God only knows.
Before the Saints rejoiced with me in my company and communion, now everyone is shy of me.
Before I was going on in the ways of life, now these ways I am in, God knows, and my conscience tells me are ways of death. It was better with me then, then it is now.
Now then put all these together, as I make no question these thoughts are the thoughts of many Apostates; if we knew all that were in their hearts, we should find such thoughts as these. As the Prodigal, when he was feeding upon the husks, he began to bethink himself; What, is not there food enough in my Fathers house? every servant there hath food enough, and here I am ready to starve, I feed upon husks, when there is bread enough in my Fathers house; So may many Apostates say, Alas! before I had s • eetnesse enough, and was satisfied with those abundance of pleasures that were in the house of God, in his Word and Ordinances, now I feed upon husks, and amongst swine, Oh that it were with me as it was before! As Job speaks in another case concerning his afflictions, Job 29. 3. Oh that it were with me as in mo • eths past, as in the days when God preserved me, when this candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness. Before I had some afflictions, but I could walk through all afflictions by that light which I had from God; Oh that it were with me now as it was then, as in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle, when the Almighty was yet with me! It may be said of many Apostates, as Lam. 4. 8. They were once as polished Sap • irs, but now they are become as black as a coal.
But • h that you had hearts to say, let me return, let me return, because it was otherwise with me heretofore then it is now! Oh that this day there might an Angel meet thee, as he met with Hagar when she fled from Sarah▪ the Angel sad to her, Hagar, Sarah's maid, whence comest thou, & whether wilt thou go? So I say, oh Apostate, whence comest thou, and whither wilt thou go? Mark, Hagar, Sarah's maid, whence comest thou? Dost thou come from Sarah? from Abraham's family where God is worshipped? where the Church of God is? and whither goest thou? canst thou be anywhere so well as there? So I say to thee, Thou who wert a forward professor before, Whence comest thou? Dost thou come from such Ordinances, from such communion with the Saints? What hast thou gotten by those base ways? Thou canst eat, and drink, and laugh a little, and have some esteem with such as are carnal; Oh whither wilt thou go? Oh that God would show you this day whither you go!
There followeth yet another Observation,
Seeing there is so much grief and shame in complaining of our apostatizing when ever God awakeneth us, it should teach all that are not yet Apostates to take heed what they do, that they may never bring themselves into such a condition that they may not be forced to complain. Oh it was better before then it is now. It is a note of Caution to you who are through God's mercy in his way, you are now well, know when you are well, and keep you well. And you young ones who are beginning to give up your names to God, take heed you do not decline from what now you do, that you do not apostarize and fall off from God afterward, lest this be your condition that you shall be brought to at best, for this is at best, thus to lament the change of your condition, perhaps you shall go on, and God will never cause you to see your shame and folly, till you be eternally undone; but at best you must be brought to this shame and confusion of face, to acknowledge how much better it was with you before then now; how much better was it when I lived in such a family, under such a Master, in such a Town, Oh it was better then with me then it is now! Oh the precious days that once I had when I was a young one, those days are gone, and wheth • r ever they will come again, God knows.
Yet further, when the judgment passeth on God's side, that it was better before then now, then the soul is in a hopeful way. So long as the judgment holdeth for God and his ways, though thou beest an Apostate, though perhaps thy heart be drawn aside from God, and thy affections be unruly, thou art not in a desperate condition, there is hope of thee. There are two sorts of Apostates. There are some Apostates, who though they are so through the unruliness of their affections, and the strength of temptation, yet they keep their judgments for God's ways, and acknowledge God's people to be best, and his Ordinances to be best, and themselves in the danger. But now there are some Apostates, who do so fall off from God and his ways, that they begin in their very judgments to think that those ways they professed before were but fancies, and that the people of God are but a company of humerous people, and bless themselves in their own ways, and think that they are better now then they were before: oh this is a hideous thing. If thy judgment be once taken, that thou thinkest the ways of sin to be better then those ways of God that before thou professedst, then Lord have mercy upon thee, thou art a gone man, we do not know that God will do with thee, but in the judgment of man thou art even a gone man.
I remember Latimer in a Sermon before King Edward hath this passage. I have known (saith he) many Apostates, but I never knew anymore then one that proved a scorner, and yet returned again. Take heed therefore, saith he, of apostasy. Though a man may fall off from God, and possibly return; but yet if he fall off, so that his judgment is taken that he is become a scorner, that is a woeful condition, such a one scarce ever returneth. Many such Apostates you have in England, & I would challenge you all to give me one example of any one that ever returned again that so fell. I know many scorners are converted, but they that have been forward in professing, and then fall off, and prove scorners, where have you any of them come in?
You have a notable place for this, Levite. 13. 44. there you shall find when the Priest shall come and see a man that hath got the leprosy in his head, the Priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean, for the plague saith the Text, is in the head. You shall observe in all the Chapter, when the Priest found uncleanness in any other thing, he was to pronounce it unclean, but if the leprosy be in the head, he shall pronounce the party utterly unclean, for the plague is in the head, there is not that utter uncleanness anywhere as when the plague is in the head, So I may say here, when a man falleth off from the ways of God by some strong temptation or unruly affection, this man is unclean, verily he is unclean; but when it cometh to the head, that his judgment is against the ways of God, and so cometh to contemn them and those that follow them, and to think his own ways better, this man is utterly unclean, for the plague is in his head, The Lord deliver you from that plague.
The Sixth Lecture.
HOSEA 2. 7. 8.
For then it was better with me then it is now.
For she did not k • ow that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silve • , and gold, which they prepared for Baal, &c.
T Here remains only one Observation from the 7. ver. and the taking a hint of a meditation from thence concerning our present times, of which briefly.
Upon return unto God, Apostates may have hope of attaining their former condition; to be as well as ever they were, I will return to my first husband, for then was it better with me then now, by returning, I hope to recover to be as I was then, that is the meaning.
In this, God's goodness goeth beyond man's abundantly, Ier. 3. 1. Will a man, when his wife hath committed adultery and he hath put her away, will he return to her again? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again to me saith the Lord: Hence ver. 22. the Holy Ghost exhorteth to return upon this very ground, Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Is there any backsliding soul before the Lord? God now offereth to heal thy backslidings, thou knowest that it is not with thee now as heretofore it hath been, loe God tendereth his grace to thee that thou mayest be in as good a condition as ever; O that thou wouldest give the answer of the Church there, Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God; truly in vain is Salvation hoped for from the hills, or from the multitude of the mountain truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel. It is true, God might justly satisfy thee in those present ways of Apostasy wherein thou art, as sometimes he doth Apostates, The back-slider in heart shall be filled with his own ways, he shall have enough of them, and Pro. 1. 31. They shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devicss. But behold wisdom it self calleth thee now to return again, and makes this fair promise, Pro. 1. 23. Turn ye at my reproof, behold I will pour out my spirit unto you. There is not only a possibility of being received into thy former condition, but Christ doth woo thee, and calleth after thee, he promiseth to pour forth his spirit unto thee, yea and there would be triumph in heaven upon thy returning.
But let me say thus much to thee, though there be a possibility of coming again into as good a condition as thou wast in afore, yet first there had [ 1] need be a mighty work of God's Spirit to raise thy heart to believe this.
It is not an easy thing for one who hath that fearful sin of Apostasy settled upon him by God to believe that ever God should receive him and return in the ways of mercy and comfort as before.
Yea second, Though there be a possibility to be recovered to mercy, yet [ 2] you must be contented to be in a meaner condition if God shall please, you must come unto God with such a disposition as to be content to be in the lowest condition that can be, only that thou mayest have mercy at the last, as the Prodigal, Let me be (saith he) but as one of thy hired servants.
And know lastly, that if you do not return upon his gracious offer, God may give thee up forever, take thy fill and there is an end of thee; He that will be filthy, let him be filthy still. Yet further, this expression doth strongly present occasion to digress a little in the comparing our present times with former times, to examine whether we can say, it was better with us heretofore then it is now? In these days there is much comparing our present times with times past, and divers judgments there are about present times, some complaing and crying out of the hazards and dangers we are in, in these present times, much better was it heretofore say they then it is now. To such as these let me say, first as the holy Ghost saith, Eccles. 7. 10. Say not thou, what is the cause the former days were better then these? thou dost uot inquire wisely concerning this thing. Certainly, those people who make such grievous complaints of present times, comparing them with times past, do not wisely inquire after this thing. It is true, there are many sad things for the present amongst us, things that our hearts have cause to bleed for, such mis-understanding between King and Parliament, some blood shed already, and danger of shedding much more; yet perhaps if we inquire wisely concerning this thing, we shall find, that notwithstanding all this, we have little cause to complain that it is worse with us now, in comparison of what was before, Consider, first▪ that which men do most complain of, which makes the times hardest now, it is but the breaking out of those mischievous designs that lay hid long before, & would have done us a great deal more mischief if they had been kept in; Now they break forth, and break forth as the desperateness of the hopes of those who had such designs; because they could now go no longer underhand, but being brought into a desperate pass, they are fain to see what they can do in ways of violence, and this certainly is better then that mischief should work secretly under board.
[ 2] Secondly, by this we have a discovery of men which way they stand, what was and is in their hearts, and this is a great mercy.
[ 3] Thirdly, with the breaking forth of these things, God grants that help now to England, that it never yet had in the like way, so fully, and putteth such a fair price into the hands of the people of England, that never yet was put into their hands.
[ 4] Yea, and consider farther, that the more violent men are now, the more doth it tell us what a lamentable time was before; for if now when there is such means of resistance, and yet the adversaries prevail so much, what would they have been by this time, if this means of resistance had not been? What a case were we in then when they might do what they would, and we had no means to help ourselves, what a danger were we in then? Certainly things then lay at more hazard then now.
[ 5] Fifthly, though there be many sad things amongst us, yet God hath been beforehand with us, we have had already even of free-cost as much mercy as these troubles come to.
[ 6] Sixthly, these troubles that we are in are making way for glorious mercies to come; though there be some pangs, yet they are not the pangs of death, they are but the pangs of a travelling woman that is bringing forth a manchild: And certainly any Prince would think, that though his Queen should be put to some pain in travail, yet her condition is better then when she had nopaine, and was barren, or then that she should lie upon her sick bed, and her senses benumbed, and she ready to die: The pains of a travelling woman are better then a senseless dying.
[ 7] And yet further, if you think that you had better times heretofore then now, what times will you refer yourselves unto in making the comparison? I suppose you will instance in the time of the first Reformation, then things were in a good way, when those worthy Lights of the Church, and blessed Martyrs had such a hand in the Reformation. Many there are that do magnify the •• nes of the beginning of Reformation, for their own ends, that they may thereby hinder Reformation now. This you know is the great argument that prevaileth with most; What, were not those Prayers composed by learned godly men, as Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, and others? and can we be wiser then they? did not they seal their profession with their blood?
My brethren, we need go no further to show the weakness of this argument, but only to show how it was in the Church in those times, and you will • find that you have cause to bless God that it is not so with you now as it was then, and if that will appear, then the argument you will see can no further prevail with rational men.
Certainly those first Reformers were worthy Lights and blessed instruments for God, I would not darken their excellency, but weaken the argument that is abusively raised from their worth. It is reported of Mr. Greneham that famous practical Divine, who refusing subscription, in a Letter of his to the Bishop of Eli, gives his reasons, and answers that Prelates objection against him, namely, that Luther thought such Ceremonies might be retained in the Church; his Answer is this, I reverence more the revealed wisdom of God, in teaching Mr. Luther so many necessary things to salvation, then I search his seeret judgments in keeping back from his knowledge other things of less importance: The same do I say of those worthy instruments of God's glory in the first Reformation, & that it may be clear to you that God kept back his mind from them in some things. Consider, whether you would be willing that should be done now that was then; As in the administration of baptism, we find that in the book of Liturgy in King Edwards time, which was composed by those worthy men; first the child was to be croft in the fore-head, and then on the breast, after a prayer used, then the Priest was to say over the child at the Font, I command thee thou unclean spirit, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, that thou comest out of this infant, thou cursed spirit remember thy sentence, remember thy judgment, remember the day is at hand wherein thou shalt be burnt with everlasting fire prepared for thee and thy Angels; & presume not hereafter to exercise any tyranny over this infant whom Christ hath bought with his precious blood. Then they dipped the child thrice in the water, the Godfathers and the Godmothers laid their hands upon the child, and the Priest putteth a white vestment over it, called a Crysome, saying, Take this white vesture for a token of thine innocence, which by God's grace in this holy Sacrament of baptism is given to thee, & for a sign whereby thou art admonished as long as thou livest to give thyself to innocence. Then the Priest must anoint the Infant upon the head, saying, Almighty God, &c. who hath regenerated thee by water & the holy Ghost, who hath given thee remission of all thy sins, vouchsafe to anoint thee with the unction of his holy Spirit. Would you now have your children baptized after this manner? yet these learned holy men thought that to be a good way. So at the burial of the dead, the Priest casting earth upon the corps shall say, I commend thy soul to God the Father Almighty, and body to the ground: and in another prayer, Grant to this thy servant; that the sins he committed in this world be not imputed to him, but that he escaping the gates of hell, and pains of eternal darkness, may ever dwell in the region of light.
You will say, things are otherwise now. True, therefore I say there is no strength in that argument, that those men that composed that liturgy were worthy lights in the Church; for they were but newly come out of Popery, and had the scent of Popery upon them, therefore it is too unreasonable to make that which they did the rule of our Reformation now, as if we were to go no further then they did.
The like may be said of the Primitive times, which many plead for the justification of their superstitious vanities, for the Christians then came but newly out of heathenism, and lived amongst Heathens, and therefore could not so soon be delivered from their heathenish customs. I could relate to you sad things there were in Qu. Elizabeth's days, in K. James his days, but I must not take too much liberty in this digression, only let us hereby learn not so to cry out of evil times that we are fallen into, as to be unthankful for present mercies; let us bless God for what we have had, and look unto the rule for further reformation.
For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal, &c.
The Spirit of God returneth here again to convincing, upbraiding, accusing, threatening Israel. The sin of Israel went very near to the heart of God, and God speaks here as a man troubled in spirit for the unkindness, unfaithfulness, unreasonableness of the dealings of his Spouse with him, it runneth in his thoughts, his heart is grieved at it, and he must vent himself, and when he hath told his grief and aggravated his wrong, he is upon it again & again, still convincing, upbraiding, charging Israel for dealing so unfaithfully and treacherously with him, all showing the trouble of his spirit.
For she did not know, &c. These words depend upon the 5. ver. (for the 6. & 7. they are as a parenthesis) She hath done shamefully, for she said, I will go after my lovers that give me my bread, & my water, my wool, & my flae •• e, &c. For she did not know, &c. She did thus and thus, for she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, &c. What was Israel worse then the Ox or the Ass that knows his owner & his Masters crib? It is impossible but Israel (that was the only people of God in those times, where God was most, nay we may say only known in the world) should know that God was the cause of all the good they had, certainly they could not be ignorant of that, for in their Creed (as Buxtorfius and others make mention) they had 13. Articles, and this was the first Article, I believe with a true and perfect faith, that God is the creator, the governor, the sustainer of all creatures, that he wrought all things, still works all things, & shall forever work all things. And at their feasts they had these expressions, Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the world that dost create the fruit of the vine. The Mr. of the feast himself came in (he did not set a boy to it) publicly to bless God for the fruit of the vine, and yet here the Text saith they did not know that God gave them wine. When they came to take bread they had this speech, Blessed be thou O God that art the King of the world, that bringest forth bread out of the earth; And at the end of their feast this, Let us bless him who hath sent us of his own, of whose goodness we live. The question answered, and blessed be he of whose goodness we live, Yea they used to bless God solemnly for the sweet and fragrant smell of spices and herbs. This was their constant way, and yet God chargeth them that they did not know that he gave them bread, and wine, and •• le, they did not lay it to heart.
We shall see afterward of what great use this is unto us, to show what profession they made of acknowledging that God gave them all, and yet God charges them that they did not know it.
That I gave them, what? Corn, wine, and oil, & multiplied her silver and her gold.
Here God expresseth himself more largely then they did before in that they received from their Idols, they talked in the 5. verse. of receiving from their Idols bread, and water, and wool, and flax, &c. but here is wine, & oil, and silver, and gold, more then they had from their Idols. God setteth out his mercy to them, to upbraid them.
And they prepared them for Baal.
We must inquire here first what this Baal was. The name of him [ Bagnal ] it signifieth a Lord (and from thence signifieth a husband ) because they attributed such dominion that their Idols had over them, acknowledging their Idols to be Lord's, therefore they called them by the name Bagnall, their Lord's: And because they chose them as their husband, therefore also they had this name, it is all one with Bel too, for the Chaldee put out that letter [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] and the pricks being altered it is all one Baal and Bel.
Now this Baal either was some special Idol, or else a general name given to all Idols; sometimes it is a name given generally to all, in the plural number Baalim. Jer. 9. 14. They have walked after the imaginations of their own heart, and after Baalim. But it likewise notes a special Idol, an Idol that was the same with that of the Zidonians, which they called Jupiter Thalassius, or their sea Jupiter, that idol was called Baal in a special manner,
1 King. 16. 31. you may see how the worship of Baal came into Israel at that time. It is true, the worship of Baal had been in Israel a long time before, in Judge. 2. 11. you shall find there that they served Baal, yet the idolatry of Baal was often cast out by the people of God, but in that place of the Kings you shall find how it came in afresh, the Text saith, that Ahab took to wife Iexebel the daughter of Eth-baal King of the Zidonians, & went and served Baal, and worshipped him; That was the occasion that Ahab matching with a Zidonian, to the end that he might ingratiate himself with his wives kindred, he would worship his wives God.
And this Baal hath divers additional names. Sometimes you shall find in Scripture called Baal-zebub, or Belzebub (it is all one, for Baal and Bel is the same, only changing the points) and that signifieth their god of flies, & the reason why Baal had that name, was, because in those Countries they were extremely perplexed with flies, and they attributed the power of driving them away, and of helping them against the molestation they had by them to their god Baal, hence they called him Baalzebub; you may see how much they attributed to their god for deliverance from flies, we have other manner of deliverances by the goodness of our God then this, yet for this Baalzebub was one of their principal gods, therefore it is said of Christ, that he cast out devils by Belzebub the prince of devils, which is by the god of flies, Mat. 20. 25.
He is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Belzebul, which is as much as the dung, god, Zebel in the •• y • iac signifying Stercus, dung.
Then there was Baal-perazim, that addition was only from the place, the Mountain where he was worshipped.
There was also Baal-berith, that signified only the covenant they entered into with that God. So that it seems the very Idolaters did bind themselves to worship their god by solemn covenant or very strong arguments, to teach us to be willing to bind ourselves in worshipping the true God by all the legal bonds we can, to make God to be the God of our Covenant, as their god here was. It is needless to name more who had this name.
I shall afterward show how God himself had once the name of Baal, for the word signifying the name of husband or Lord was as due to God as to any other, and God himself took that name. But here we are to understand it of their Idols.
They prepared them for Baal, they made them for Baal, so the word is. It importeth these two things.
First it importeth that they did sacrifice these thing to their Baal, for so facere, to make, is as much many times as Sacrificare, to sacrifice; And Bella mine takes advantage from this word, when Christ saith, Hoc facite, do this, he draweth an argument that the Lord's Supper is a sacrifice, for the word to do is used sometime to sacrifice.
But secondly, they prepared them, that is, of their gold and silver they made Images of this their Idol god Baal, they would not spare their gold and silver, but laid aside and prepared it to make images of Baal, and they thought that gold and silver thus laid out as good as any in their purses.
The Observations.
First.
It is God that supplieth all the outward good of his people.
They did not know that I gave them, &c. I gave them all the corn, and wine, and oil they had, I did not only give them mine Ordinances, but I gave them corn, and wine, and oil, and gold, and silver.
It is the Lord himself that supplieth all outward good to his people, he doth not only prize the souls of his people, but he takes care of their bodies too, and outward estates. Psalm, 34. 20. He keepeth all his bones.
Yea, he takes care of the very hair of their heads. The bodies of the Saints are very precious in the eyes of God, the most precious of all corporal things in the world: The Son, and Moon, and Stars, are not so precious as the bodies of the Saints, how much more precious are their souls?
We have an excellent note of Austin upon Psalm, 63. 1. where the Text saith, My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, &c.
Upon this he hath this Note: If the flesh hath any need of bread, of wine, of money or cattle, seek this of God, for God giveth this too, for mark,
Those who thirst for God must thirst for him every way; not only their souls •• rst for him, but their flesh must thirst for him; for saith he, did God make the soul, and did the devils or any idols make the flesh? No, he that made both soul and flesh, he feedeth them both, therefore all Christians must say, My soul longeth after thee, and my flesh also. If then we can trust God for our souls, and our eternal estates that he will provide for them, we must trust him for our bodies also, for our flesh, for our temporal estates, that he will provide for them also.
Secondly thus. All that we have, all our supply that we enjoy in this world, it is the free gift of God.
They did not know that I gave them corn and wine, &c. All of us live upon the mere Alms of God, the greatest man in the world is bound to go to God's gate and beg his bread every day; though he were an Emperor over all the world, he must do it to show his dependence upon him, that he lives wholly upon alms: Men think it hard to live upon alms, and because they have maintenance, so much coming in by the year, such an estate in land, they think they are well provided for many years: But what ever estate thou hast, though by thy trading thou hast gotten so much by the year coming in, yet God requireth this of thee, to go to his gate, & beg thy bread of him every day; so Christ teacheth, Give us this day our daily bread; And certainly if we did but understand this our dependence upon God for all outward comforts in the world, we could not but fear him, and seek to make peace with him, and keep peace with him, and it would be a means that our hearts would be enlarged to give to others who need our alms, and seeing every man and woman of us is an Alms-man, and an Alms-woman.
Thirdly, It is our duty that we owe to God to know and take notice of God as the author of all our good.
They know not, that implieth they ought to have known.
This is a special duty of that worship we owe to God: it is the end of God's communicating all good to us, that he may have active glory from his rational creature as well as passive glory, and there is no creature else in all the world that God hath made capable of knowing anything of the first cause but only the rational creature, therefore it is the excellency of such that they do not only enjoy the good that they have, but they are able to rise up to the highest and first cause of all their good: There is a great deal of excellency in this. It is observed of Doves, that at every pick of corn they take in their bill they cast their eyes upward; and in the Canticles you shall find the eyes of the Church are called Doves eyes, because they look so much up to heaven upon every good they receive: They have not dogs eyes, the men of the world have dogs eyes, dogs you know look up to their Masters for a bone, and when they have it they presently look down to the ground; so the men of the world, they will pray to God when they want, but wh • n they enjoy what they would have, they look no more upward but all downward.
This taking notice of God to be the Author of all our good, and to give him praise, is all the rent we pay to God for what we enjoy, therefore it is fit we should do that; and if we do anything for God, be sure God takes notice of that to the uttermost, yea though it be himself that enableth us to do it, yea though it be but a little good mingled with a great deal of evil, God takes notice of it, and will reward it, surely then we should take notice of the good that he giveth out to us.
This sweeteneth our comforts to see that they all come from God, and for that observe the difference between the expression of Jacob's blessing, and Esau's blessing; when Isaac came to bless Jacob, he expresseth himself thus, Gen. 27. 28. God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine, &c. Now when he cometh to bless Esau, mark his expression then verse 39. Thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above, but he never mentioneth God in that; It is not Esau's blessing. God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, though it is true Isaac meant so, but yet he doth not mention the name of God so in Esau's as in Jacob's blessing, Certainly my brethren, the seed of Jacob count their blessing to be a double, a treble blessing, that they can see God in it: carnal hearts do not much regard God, if they can have what they would have, if they can have their flesh satisfied in what they desire, from what hand it cometh that they do not much care; but a gracious heart, a child of Jacob, rejoiceth more in the hand from whence it cometh, then in any good he can possibly enjoy. Fourthly, They did not know.
God doth a great deal of good in the world that is little taken notice of, or laid to heart.
Many of God's dispensations are invisible, the Angels, Ezek. 1. are described with their hands under their wings. God doth great things sometime so invisibly, as he cannot be seen; And when he doth great things that we might see, yet through onr neglect, stupidity, and drossinesse of our hearts, we do not see them.
The most observing eye that is in the world, that takes the exactest notice of God's mercy, and hath the greatest skill to set forth the riches of God's goodness to himself and others, yet alas it is but very little that he takes notice of, no not of that he might do. It is with the quickest sighted Christians as with a skillful Mathematician, a skillful Mathematician takes notice of and understands many parts of the world, and is able to set out the several parts distinctly to you in such a Climate, in such a Country, but yet when he hath done all, he leaveth a great space for a Terra incognita, for an unknown world, and that unknown world for ought we know may be five times bigger then the known world; So they that have the most observant eye of God's mercies, and take the most notice of them, that can best set out the mercies he bestoweth, spiritual mercies, temporal mercies, preventing mercies, past mercies, present mercies, delivering mercies, &c. yet when they have done all, they must leave a great space for the Terra incognita, for the unknown mercies of God.
The truth is, those mercies of God that are obvious to our knowledge every day, one would think they were enough to melt our hearts, to break them in pieces: but besides these mercies we take notice of, there are thousands and thousands of mercies that we know not of. As we daily commit many sins that we know not of, so daily we receive many mercies that we know not of likewise; And as in our confession of sins, we should pray to God first to pardon our sins we know, and so to name them in particular; and when we have done, then, Lord forgive us our unknown, our secret sins; So in our thanksgiving, first bless God for the mercies before us, and when we have done. Lord blessed be thy name for all thy unknown mercies that I have little taken notice of.
We soon grow cold and dead if we do good; and men take no notice of us, neither what we know, nor what we do is anything to us except others know it too, but this is the vanity and pride of men's hearts, it is God's prerogative above his creatures, to do all for himself, for his own glory, and yet he doth much good in the world that none knows of; we are bound to deny ourselves in that we do, not to seek our own glory; The most excellent piece in the most excellent of our works is our self-denial in it; why should we not then do all the good we can do cheerfully, though it be not known? we should do good out of love to goodness it self, and if we would do so we should be encouraged in doing good secretly.
Fifthly, and which cometh yet more fully up to the words, They did not know, &c.
In God's account men know no more then they lay to heart and make good use of.
The Schools distinguish of want of knowledge, there is Nescientia, and Ignoratia; Nescience is of such things as we are not bound to know, it is not our sin not to know them; but Ignorance is of such things as we are bound to know, and that ignorance is twofold; there is an invincible ignorance, let us take what pains we can, we can never know all we are bound to know; and there is an affected ignorance, when we do not know, because out of carelessness we do not mind what is before us, and when we have minded it so far as to conceive it, yet if we lay it not to heart as we ought, still in God's account we know it not, if we digest not what we know into practice, God accepteth it not. As God is said not to know when he doth not approve, I know ye not, saith he, so when any man hath a truth in notion and it doth not get into the heart, when it is not embraced there, God accounts that that man knows it not; Therefore you have in Scripture such an expression as the Seer is blind; It is a strange expression, it seems to be a contradiction, such a thing as we call a Bull: The Seer is blind: But it is not so here, because God accounts those that have never so much knowledge, yet if it do not sanctify the heart so as to give him the glory, they are blind, blind as a Beetle; The knowledge of the Saints is another kind of knowledge then other men have.
We have, saith Cyprian no such notions as many of your Philosophers have, but we are Philosophers in our deeds, we do not speak great things, but we do great things in our lives.
1 Thes. 4. 9. You have an excellent expression for this, you are taught of God to love one another, what followeth? And indeed so you do, That is an evidence that you are taught of God when it p • evay leth with your hearts, when it may be • aid, indeed so you do: Who is there in the world but knows that we should love one another? but men are not taught of God to love one another until it may be said of them that indeed so they do.
There is nothing more obvious to the understanding of a man then the notion of a Deity, that there is a God, we may as it were grope after him as the holy Ghost speaks; but yet 1 John 2. 4. He that saith he knows him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; Any man whoever he be, though the greatest Scholar in the world, if he saith he knows God and keeps not his commandments, he hath the lie told him to his teeth, he doth not know God at all, though this of God be the most obvious thing to be understood that possibly can be, and yet Christ saith no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and to whom the Son shall reveal him.
Hence it is when a soul is converted, you shall hear these expressions, I never knew before, I never knew what an infinite Deity meant, I never understood the infinite sovereignty and Majesty of the great God, I never knew what sin meant before; yet if you had asked him afore, he would say, I know God is a Spirit, that he is infinite and eternal; I know that sin is the transgression of the law; I never knew that Christ was before, yet before he would have told you that Christ was the son of Mary, and came into the world to die for sinners. I remember an expression of a Germane Divine, when he was upon his sick bed, In this disease saith he, I have learned what sin is, and how great the Majesty of God is; This man though a Preacher, and doubtless he could preach of sin and of the Majesty of God, yet he professeth he knew not these things until God came powerfully upon his heart to teach him what they were.
The Hebrews say, words of sense carry with them the affections, or else they be to no purpose: when men have notional knowledge only that comes not down into the heart, they are like men that have weak stomachs and weak heads, when they drink wine all flieth up to the head & it makes them giddy, but if the wine went to the heart, it would cheare & warm it: so all this man's knowledge flieth up to his head & makes him giddy, whereas if it were digested & got to the heart, it would warm and refresh, yea 〈…〉
The Text saith of Eli's sons, 1 Sam. 2. 12. that they knew not the Lord; they were Priests of God, yet they were sons of Belial, and know not the Lord. Be not offended at great Scholars who have skill in the tongues, Arts and Sciences, do not you say these men that are great and knowing men, would they do thus and thus, if things were so as you speak; they are not knowing men, God saith that Eli's sons did not know, the Lord, the things of God are hid from them. I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid thess things from the wise and prudent, &c.
Sixthly, They did not know that I gave them, &c.
Affected ignorance coming thorough distemper of heart is no excuse, but rather an aggravation.
It is a high degree of ingratitude not to prize God's mercy, but not to take notice of God's mercies, Oh what a high ingratitude is this! That which shall be part of God's charge against sinners can be no excuse of their sin, it is a part of God's charge that they did not know, therefore their ignorance cannot be their excuse. God threateneth to cut people off, to have no mercy upon them for want of knowing as well as for not doing, They are a people of no understanding, therefore he that made them will have no mercy upon them, and he that formed them will show them no favor, Isaiah 27. 11. Ambrose hath this expression, Thou doest sin greatly if thou doest contemn the riches of God's long suffering, but thou sinnest most of all if thou doest not know it.
From the word [ for ] as depending upon the 5. ver. (for so it doth,) The Observation is,
The not taking notice and considering of God's mercies, and laying them to heart, is the cause of vile, and shameful evils in men's lives.
Therefore they did shamefully, therefore they went after their lovers, because they did not know, the cause of almost all the evil in the world it is from hence, They that know thy name will trust in thee, those who know the Lord will fear him and his goodness.
Isaiah 1. 4. Ah sinful nation, saith God: God fetcheth a sigh under the burden of it, his spirit is laden and troubled with it, Ah sinful people, &c,
What was the matter? The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Ass his masters crib, but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider, they were more stupid then the brute creatures. Oh sinful soul, this is the cause of all thy inordinate walking, of all thy profaneness, of all the ungodliness in thy ways, because thou dost not know, thou dost not consider, thou dost not lay to heart the ways of God towards thee.
Ier. 2. 5. God chargeth his people that they were gone from him, and ver. 7. that they had made his heritage an abomination. What is the reason that is given of both these? It is in the 6. ver. They did not say, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt? &c. They did not take notice of what the Lord had done for them, therefore they were gone far from him, &c.
If thou hadst but a heart to lay to heart what God hath done for thee, it is impossible that thou shouldst go so far off from God as thou dost. For these deductions are easy and obvious to any from such a principle.
1. Justice, common equity requires living to God, seeing we live by and upon God.
2. Common ingenuity calls for requiring good with good; the Publicans and Heathens will do good to those that do good to them.
3. If all be from God, then all still depends upon God.
4. How much good is there in God from whence all this good and mercy comes, when God shall show another day to men and Angels how he was the fountain of all good! it will confound those who have not laid it to heart.
8. She did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and her gold.
God is more bountiful to his people then the Idols can be.
The Idols by their own confession gave them but their bread, & water, and flax, and oil, &c. but God giveth them wine, & silver, & gold. God gives them better pay a great deal then the Devil doth; yet the Devil usually hath more servants to follow him then God hath, though his wages be less and worse. It is usual for men to get soldiers from adversaries, by give • ng them more pay: This is the way God takes, he offereth a great deal better pay to those that will follow him, then they have that follow the Devil, yet God can get few to follow him. This shows the vileness of man's heart against God.
9. She did not know that I gave her, &c. which she prepared for Baal.
When men get abundance, then they soon grow wanton. When I gave them corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied their silver and their gold, then they followed Baal. This is the reason of so many solemn charges of God, Take heed when thou art full, that thou dost not forget the Lord. As they that are nearest the sun are the blackest, so those to whom God is nearest in regard of outward mercies, are many times blacker then others. It is observed, that the fatter men's bodies are, the less blood and the fewer spirits they have; so the fatter men's estates are, many times the less spirit they have to anything that is good; God hath less spirit from them, sin hath much more.
We read of the sun melting the Manna that fell down, but the same Manna was able to bear the fire; so many a man's heart is able to bear affliction, and the affliction doth good, prepareth for much good, as Manna was prepared to be eaten by fire, but prosperity melteth them, makes them useless. Many men when they were poor and in a low condition, were very useful; but when they grow high and rich, they are of very little use in the places where they dwell.
Trajan the Emperor was wont to liken a man growing to a great estate, to the Spleene in the body; for as the S • leene grows big, the body grows less: so when men's estates grow bigger, they grow less useful. Euagrius noteth it as a special commendation of Maurice the Emperor, but notwithstanding his prosperity he retained his ancyent piety: it is a very rare thing to see men advanced to high places, do so.
10. I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and I multiplied her silver and gold which they sacrificed to Baal.
Even those creatures that wicked men abuse to their lusts, God gives them.
Though he doth not give them for that end, yet those creatures that they use for such an end are given of God. If thou beest a drunkard, that wine or drink that thou dost sacrifice to that lust of thine, who giveth it thee? Is it not God? thou hast a good estate more then other men, and all the use thou makest of thy estate is merely that it might be but as fuel for thy lusts, who gave thee this thy estate? Is it not God? God giveth thee clothes and thou sacrificest them to thy pride, thou hast more money then others, and so canst vent thy malice more then others, from whence hast thou this? Thou hast more strength of body then others and thou ventest it in uncleanness, where hadst thou this? consider this, and let this meditation prevail with thine heart to stop thee in thy sinful way, let it be seconded with the next; viz: That is a most horrible wickedness and abominable ingratitude, for any man to take God's creatures and abuse them against God.
What, I gave them corn, and wine, and multiplied their silver, and their gold, and have they prepared these for Baal? God speaks of this as of a monstrous sin, as if God should say, let all my people lament my condition, that I should do so much for them, and they do nothing for me but all against me, sacrifice all to Baal: As perhaps many of you have been kind to some of your friends, and have raised them, and made them, as we use to say; they have wanted nothing, but you have been bountiful to them, if now these men should turn your enemies, and that estate they have got by you, they should use it to do you a mischief, would you not call in your neighbors and friends, to join with you in lamenting your condition? What, did you ever hear of such an example, that I should do so much for such, and they turn all against me? you tell it as a most lamentable story to your friends; God doth so here; he makes this his grievous complaint.
This is as if a bird should be shot with an Arrow, whose feathers came out of her own body; we would even pity a bird in that case. Many men make no other use of their estates but to turn them against God; they are not as the slothful servant that hid his talent in the napkin, if it were but so it were not so much, but they take their talents & employ them against God. Would it not go to your heart if one should sue you in law, and bear the charges of the suit out of your own estate? We use to complain such a man sueth me, and it is my own money he goeth to law with; So thou goest against God, and he is fain as it were to bear all the charges:
It is not against the light of Nature? the very heathens: the publicanes and sinners will do good to those that do good to them: Thou art worse then a publicane and sinner, wilt thou do hurt to God that doth thee good? When Julius Caesar saw Brutus come to give him a stab in the Senate house, he cried out, What thou my son, wilt thou do it? But suppose that Julius Caesar had given him the dagger with which he stabbed him, then O thou my son, what stab me with that dagger I gave thee? If when Jonathan gave David his sword and bow, David should have turned against Jonathan and killed him with his own sword and bow, would not the unkindness or rather the abominable wickedness have pierced deeper into his heart, then any swords or arrows possibly could? If you can find any creature that is not GOD'S to fight against him withal, you may do it, but if all you have is from him, it is horrible wickedness to take that and to sacrifice it to Baal. Certainly God giveth it for other ends, to go cross to God's ends is an evil thing: When God aimeth at such a thing, for us not to join with God in the same end he aimeth at is an evil, but for us to aim at a quite contrary end, that is horrible wickedness indeed.
They sacrificed to Baal.
When once superstition and Idolatry hath got into a place, though there be much done against it, yet it is not easy to get it out.
It is from hence that God doth so often complain of Baal, yet you shall find in Judge, 2. (I think that is the first place it is mentioned that they served Baal ) but it appeareth that they fell off from Baal, yet they fell to him again, for in Judge. 8. 33. After Gideon's death it came to pass that the children of Israel turned again and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god; It speaks as if it were a new thing now that they should fall to worship Baal after they had left worshipping him; After his death. And 1 Sam. 7. 4. The children of Israel did put away Baalim; and yet if you read Chap▪ 10. 22. they fall a confessing that they had sinned, because they had forsaken the Lord and served Baalim; though they had put him away before, yet he had got up again; So in that place before named, 1 King. 16. there Ahah would serve Baal, it is brought in there as a new thing, as a novelty, because Baal had been so much suppressed, 2 King. 10. you find that Jehu sought to destroy Baal & all his Priests, but yet Baal was not got out for all this, but he got in again, for in 2 Kin. 23. 4. the Text saith, that Josia who was long after that time, caused the vessels that were made for Baal to be taken away and burnt.
This is a marvelous use, and seasonable for our times. If superstition be opposed, though it be cast out as we think in a great degree, yet if there be not a thorough Reformation, it will wind in one way or other again.
If we think it enough to cut things short, and to take away their strength, and their enormities, we deceive ourselves; if there be nothing done but so, they will grow up again; it is but cutting the weeds a little; if branch and root be not taken away, they will up again; Baal will put up his head one way or other.
I remember Cluverus a late Historian, yet much approved of, bringeth in one that gave this council concerning Rome, because it was much annoyed with Wolves; saith he, there is no way to save Rome from Wolves, but to cut down the woods wherein these Wolves breed and live, for otherwise they might kill and kill, but they would breed agaiue. So sometimes when children's heads are overrunne with vermin, the way to destroy the vermin is to shave the hair quite of off: So certainly, this is the way to destroy superstition from amongst us, to take away the places and revenues of those men that have been maintainers and upholders of superstitious ways of worship; Let us by cutting down the woods, and shaving off the hair destroy these Wolves, and if they will needs be Priests, let them be Shavelings.
Which they sacrificed to Baal.
Lastly, Idolaters are very liberal to their Idols, they are willing to sacrifice gold' silver, corn, wine and oil, and all to Baal, but of that before.
The Seventh Lecture.
HOSEA 2. 9. 10.
Therefore will I return and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax, given to cover their nakedness.
And now I will discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.
I N the former verse, Israel is accused for abusing her silver and gold, &c. in the service of Baal; now it follows, Therefore I will take away my corn in the time thereof, &c. if there be a therefore, we must inquire wherefore it was, because they did prepare their corn, &c. for Baal, Therefore I will return.
1. What is the meaning of returning.
2. What the meaning of the time and season thereof, I will take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof.
3. What that phrase imports, I will recover my wool.
For the first therefore. I will return, that is, I will change the way of my administrations toward them, I will go out of my way of mercy, and turn into my way of judgment, I will go back again; I was in a way of judgment toward them, and they cried to me, and I turned into a way of mercy, but I will go back again into a way of judgment, I will return, Arias Montanus hath a good note upon the place, Whereas God hath heretofore bid them not to be afraid of all the tokens of the Soothsayers that is, when they say by Astrology some signs of death that might follow, they were afraid; be not afraid, saith the Lord, but know your corn, and wine, and oil depends on me, not on the second causes; though second causes make against, yet fear not, for I will give you come, and wine and oil; but now it is quite contrary, though second causes promise all kind of ple • ty whatsoever, that there shall be abundance of corn, and wine, and oil, yet I will take away your plenty, there shall be a dearth of all things amongst you.
I will take away my corn in the time thereof: that is, first in the times of harvest just when their corn is to be taken in, and in the time of their vintage, I will then take it away, whereas I might take it away in the seed, I will let it grow till the harvest, and then take it away.
2. In the time when they have most need of it, when they are in the greatest straits, and know not what to do without these creatures,
3. In tempore suo, so some, In the time I have appointed, though I have let them go on and enjoy the creatures in abundance, yet my time is come that I will take away all.
And will recover, the word signifieth, I will snatch it away, I will spoil you of it; and it hath reference to two things.
First, I will recover it as out of the hands of usurpers, you have my corn, and woe • l, and flax as usurpers, but I will recover them out of your hands, as a man that hath his goods taken away from him usurped, he by some means or other recovers his goods again; so saith God, you have my corn, and wine, and as you have carried the matter, you are but usurpers, I will sue you for them, you shall not enjoy them long.
Secondly, I will recover, it hath a reference to prisoners and bondslaves, when the enemy shall get any of ours into their power, and make them bond-slaves, a greater power goes against the enemy, and recovers them out of his hands, and gets them again; As Abraham recovered Lot and his goods, Gen. 46. 14. Or as if mariners should get those gally-slaves the Turks have gotten: and recover them out of their hands, as if he should say, these creatures of corn and wine, &c. they are in bondage, and I will recover them out of your hands, you know the creatures groan under their bondage while they are in the possession of wicked men, 8. Rom. my creatures are in bondage to you, and they cry to me, and I will recover them out of your hands. There are many precious and choice truths to be presented to you out of the words. First, Therefore I will, &c. Whence observe,
Though God gives mercy out of free grace without cause in ourselves, yet he takes not away mercy without cause, there is a therefore for taking away mercy, but we have many mercies given without a therefore: When God takes away mercy we have cause to look into ourselves to find out a therefore, but you may find out thousands of mercies that God gives to us, and you shall find never a therefore for them. It is not so great a wonder that thousand thousands are in misery as that any one enjoys mercy, for misery hatha therefore in ourselves, for mercy there is reason only in the breast of God. Secondly, I will return. Sin causeth God to change the way of his administrations towards his people. Though God be in ways of mercy, yet sin may put him out of those ways, and make him return and go in a way of judgment agnine: how much better were it for sinners to return, then that sinnne should cause God to return? Oh sinner, return out of thy evil ways, if God return, it will be a sad return. Not long since God was in ways of judgment against us, and lately he hath come into ways of mercy, and now he seems to return again to his former ways of judgment. Ier. 14. 9. Why art thou as a man astonished? A man astonished stands still; or if he moves, it is up and down, as if he knew not which way to go, though we have suffered hard things, we cannot yet say God is returned, but he seems as a man astonished, and knows not which way to go. Thus God is pleased of himself after the manner of men, to speak; let us cry to him that he may not turn out of his way of mercy, into those sad ways of wrath that he seems to be looking towards.
I will take away my corn, and my wine.
Abuse of mercy causeth the removing of mercy, 11 Zach. 17. Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock, the sword shall be upon his arm, & upon his right eye, his arm shall be dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened. Hath God given any a right hand, any abilities? take heed God doth not strike that right hand, or right eye, any quickness of parts, let them take heed that thorough abuse it be not put out: how many shepherds when they were young had many excellent parts, great abilities, but having abused them to their lusts, God hath taken them away! So in children, there is no such way to lose your children, as to abuse them, if your hearts be inordinately set upon them, God takes them away. I will tell you of a special passage of providence concerning this, & I speak it the rather, because I was an eye and ear witness of it, living not far from the place, A godly man desiring his friends to meet to bless God for his blessings in a plentiful Harvest, after dinner was done comes in a little child, who was indeed a very lovely child, Oh saith the father, I am afraid I shall make a God of this child; by and by the child was missing, and presently they went to look him, and he was found sprawling drowned in a pond. Consider this ye parents who have your hearts inordinately set on your children.
Again, I will take away my corn, and my wine, and my wool, and my flax. Mark, before they made them their own, in the former verse, they said they are theirs, now God challenges them for his, here we have, My, My, My, repeated on God's side, as frequent as before it was on theirs.
Fourthly, God keeps the propriety of all that we have; though God gives all, yet he keeps the propriety of all in his own hand: God hath another propriety in our estates, then any Prince in the world hath.
Subjects have propriety in their estates, and enjoy them with as true a right as their Sovereigns, but no creature hath any propriety in what it hath in reference to God, this great Sovereign of all the world holds the propriety of all his hands, not only what we have, but what we do, and what we are is all God's: yea says Luther, even our thanksgiving to God for gifts is a gift of God: It is therefore a very vile thing to attribute to our selves what is God's, when God hath enriched us we add this odious particle, says Luther, I have done it, yea, says he, men do so often say, Feci, Feci, I have done, I have done it, that Fiunt faeces, they are as dregs before the Lord; By this you may see they are not your goods that you abuse it is a great argument to be bountiful and free for good uses; because what we have is God's. I will give you a notable Text for this, 1 Chron. 29. 14. For all things come of thee, and of thine own we have given thee. David thought not much of his bounty towards the Temple, because all was God's.
Therefore I will take away. This [Therefore] hath not only reference to the abuse of them, but to that in the 7. ver. and she shall follow after her l • verse, but shall not overtake them, &c. then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better then now. God makes this to be a means of working that frame of spirit in them of returning to their first husband. And from hence the note is.
Fifthly, The taking away those good things we enjoy, is a means of making us return to God, it is a special means of conviction, to convince us of sin, when God comes with some special work of his against us, it works more upon us when we see some real expression of God's displeasure, when God takes his mercies from us then when we hear the threat, now we come to be sensible of our sins. You that are tradesmen and run into debt, and your Creditors tell you they will come upon you, yet you go on, till the Bailife comes into your shop and seizeth upon all, and goes into your house and takes away your bed from under you, and all your goods; when you see all go out, then you think of your negligence, and then the husband and wife wring their hands. So though God threaten you for the abuse of the creature that he will take it away, yet you are not sensible of it till God indeed takes away all, and then conscience begins to be awakened and fly in your faces.
When David saw God taking away his people, then his heart smote him for numbering them; he was told of the evil of that way of his before by Joab, but he goes on in it. When Samuel prayed for rain in wheat harvest, and there came thundering and lightning, then the people feared exceedingly, and acknowledged their sin in asking a King. Those who have abused their estates in these times, when the enemy comes, what gratings of conscience will they have? Then these thoughts will arise, Have I used my estate for God? have I done that I might do? have I not satisfied my lusts with those things God hath now taken from me? There is usually a grating of conscience for the abuse of anything, when God takes it away.
When God takes away a wife, if the husband hath a tenderness of conscience, his first thoughts are, Have I performed the duties of my relation to my wife as I ought? have I not neglected my duty towards her? and this causeth sad thoughts.
And when God taketh away a child. Have I done my duty towards this child? have I prayed for it, and instructed it as I ought?
Again, I will take away your corn in the time thereof, and your wine in the season thereof. This presents this truth to you.
That there is an uncertainty in all things in the world; Though they promise fair, yet they are ready to fail us, when they promise most. A husbandman that hath a good seed time, promiseth much to himself, it comes up and thrives, and yet at harvest it is all blasted. Habak. 3. 17. Though the labor of the olive fail, The phrase is, Though the Labor of the olive lie, that is, the olive promised fair, it grew up, and looked very fair, and ripened, but it did lie, that is, it did not perform what it seemed to promise, for in the time thereof it vanished and came to naught. I had certain information from a reverend Minister, of a strange work of God this way; The thing was, in his own Town there was a worldling who had a great crop of corn; a good honest neighbor of his walking by his corn, saith he, Neighbor you have a very fine crop of corn, if God bless it: Yea, saith he, I will have a good crop, speaking contemptuously and before he could come to get it into the barn, it was blasted, that the corn of the whole crop was not worth six pence. Here we see the uncertainty of the creature in the time thereof, when it seems to promise never so fair, when we are ready to take it into the barn, it depends on God, as well as when it is under the clods. Oh the blessedness of God's servants, who are sure of their good for time to come! We may promise ourselves certainty, even for the future in the things of Christ; but for outwards they are never sure, no not when men have them in their hands. Many things fall out between the cup and lip, as we have it in the proverb.
I will take away my corn in the time thereof, and wine in the season thereof. Hence Observe.
God lets out his displeasure many times to those that provoke him, when they make account of the greatest mercy, when they are at the greatest height of prosperity, when afflictions seems to be the farthest off from them, then it comes heaviest upon them: When they think least of it, when they think all sure, then God comes upon them by his displeasure, when his displeasure shall be most bi • ter to them: for that is the strength of the point, he will not only take them away in the time thereof, but when the affliction shall be most grievous to them.
That in the 20. of Job, ver. 22. is a most notable Scripture for this, In the fullness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits. A man may seem to have sufficiency of the creature, and may have his fullness of sufficiency, yet God saith he shall be in straits in the fullness of his sufficiency, I can give you another admirable work of providence in this very things wherein you may see God to come in sore affliction at such a time, when it is most bitter: it came from that worthy Divine Doctor Preston, it was in the Town where he was born; There was a man who of long time had no child, but when God gave him one, at the weaning of it he called his friends and neighbors to rejoice with him for this great mercy: and the Nurse going to dandle the child in her arm, and wearing a knife in her bosom, the point of the knife being upward, while she was dandling of the child, runs into the belly of the child, at that time when all his friends were about him to rejoice with him. When men think the bitterness of death to be past, (as Agag did) the curse of God comes on them. Ps. 78. 30. While the meat was in their mouths, the wrath of God fell upon them.
I have read of Pope John the 22. that he said he knew by the position of the Stars he should live a long time, and boasted that he could cast his nativity, and the same night by the fall of a chamber he had newly built for his solace, he was s • ain. Another example in this kind I have heard credibly reported of a drunken fellow in an Inn was swearing most dreadfully, and one comes in and saith, Sir, what if you should die now? saith he, I shall never eye, and going down the stairs when he went out of his chamber, he presently feldown and broke his neck.
There is likewise a history of one Bibulus a Roman, that riding in triumph in all his glory, a tyle fell from a house in the street and knocked out his brains. As on the contrary, God's ways and dealings with the Saints are such, as what time their condition is most sad, God comes in with mercy to them, when they are in the most dark condition and gloomish, God's face shines on them; so when the wicked are in their prosperity, God smites them, When the irons entered into Joseph's soul, God delivered him. When the Apostle had received the sentence of death in himself, God comforred him 2 Cor. 1. 9. When Abraham was lifting up his hand to slay Isaac, the Angel of the Lord stayed his hand.
As it is observed in nature, a little before day break it is darker then before, so a little before the happiness of God's people, there are some great afflictions. Zech. 1. 7. At the evening time it shall be light.
I will recover. From this phrase of [recovering] observe, First, when men abuse mercies, they forfeit their right in their mercies, they come then to be but usurpers; they are not usurpers of mercies, merely for the use of mercies, but for the abuse of them; they are not charged for their right to use them, but for their not right using them, there is great difference between these two.
It hath been taught by many, that all wicked men have no right at all to use any creature, but are to answer as usurpers before God. But certainly there is a mistake. It is certain man hath forfeited all, but God hath given a right to all that they do enjoy in a lawful way, a right by donation. They have not such a right as the Saints have, a right in Christ, once being in Christ we may challence of God all things that are good for us. Another man hath right, but how? as a malefactor is condemned to die by his offense, being condemned, he hath forfeited all his estate, and all the benefit of a subject; But if the King be pleased to allow him provision for a day or two, till the time of execution, he cannot be challenged as an usurper, for that he hath, he hath it by donation, and it is such a right that all wicked men have; all wicked men in the world are under the sentence of condemnation, & have forfeited their right, and all the good of the creature, only the Lord is pleased out of his bounty to give such and such enjoyments, they shall have such and such houses, and such and such lands for a time, till the day of execution comes.
This might daunt the hearts of wicked men: you look upon yourselves as great men, you have your shops full, you have large estates, you are like some malefactors, who have a better supper before execution then others. But still your not right using may make you usurpers before God. You give your servant order to buy such and such commodities, suppose your servant run away with your money, or bestow it on his whores, &c. if he run away do you not follow him as a thief? you trust him with such a stock, to keep such markets, now he hath right to use your estate; but if he run away with your estate, and use it against you, if you meet with him again, you will say, what a thief are you to run away with your Masters estate, and abuse it against him? I will recover, &c.
All the time the creature serves wicked men, it is in bondage, and God looks upon it with a kind of pity. God hath made all things for his own praise, and he gives the children of men many mercies, but it is for his own glory; but when these creatures which were given for the glory of God, are abused to thy lust, the creature groans under thee. Thou drinkest wine, but the creature groans under thy abuse; never any gally-slave did groan more under the bondage of the Turks, then thy wine and thy dishes on thy table groan under thy abuse, Rom. 8. 22.
As God hears the cry of the widow and fatherless, so he hears the groans of the creature.
Cornelius a Lapide tells a story that he heard of a famous Preacher, showing this bondage of the creature, brings in the creatures complaining thus, Oh that we could serve such as are godly! Oh that our substance & our flesh might be incorporated into godly people, that so we might rise into glory! but if our flesh be incorporated into the flesh of sinners, we shall go to hell, and would any creature go to hell? The very creatures shall be in hell eternally, when wicked men consume them on their lusts, being incorporated into their bodies. Certainly, the creature one day will have a kind of revenge upon ungodly men, & divers think that hell will be a turning all creatures into a Chaos, into a confusion again as it was at the first, and the wicked put into that, and so tormented there, there shall not be an annihilation, but God shall take away the beauty, comfort & glory of the creature, and whatsoevershal be for the torment of ungodly men shall abide, and so they shall be tormented eternally by the creatures they do abuse.
As in such a building as this is, there is lime and stone, and mortar, but now the art of man puts a beauty upon them; but suppose all the art of man were taken away from this building, at an instant, what would become of us then? it would bury us in the rubbish of it; now it is useful and delightful, but if the art were taken away, it would be our destruction. So the creatures of God have much of God's wisdom, power and goodness in them, which God suffers wicked men to enjoy; but God will take away all his wisdom, beauty and goodness, so that nothing but the confusion & rubbish of the creature shall be upon the wicked to all eternity.
I will recover my wool and my flax given to cover their nakedness.
Whence observe,
God gives his blessings to us, not for luxury, but for necessity; I gave them to cover your nakedness. Therefore when our Savior teacheth us to pray▪ it is for daily bread, or bread which is for our substance, so much bread as serves for our substance, and that but for a day neither. Most are abusive in their desires, after, and use of the creature, they look at bravery rather then necessity; As Cyprian hath an expression, It is not the heat of their clothes, nor calor, but color, the color is rather regarded by many. God looks now especially that we should cut of our superfluities, when our br • thren want necessareis.
To cover your nakedness. It seems that our nakedness needs a cover. Sin hath made nakedness shameful. Hence therefore our bodies are called vile bodies; those bodies that we study so much to pamper and adorn, they are bodies of vileness, as the Apostle speaks, Phil. 3. 21. yea, of that vileness with an article, or of the vilensse; to be proud of our clothes that cover our shame, that cover our nakedness is an unreasonable thing.
Would you have your bodies adorned? labor for godliness, and then you shall have bodies like the glorious body of JESUS CHRST; you may have bodies that shall not need a covering.
Lastly, when abundance is abused, it is just with God that we should want necessaries, I will take away their corn, &c. how many are there who have lavished out their estates, upon whom you may see God's judgment so grievous, that they want a piece of bread; now you often tell your lavish wasting servants, they will be glad of a crust before they die; It proves true often of Masters and Mistresses also, who out of pride and delicacy of spirit, will be so fine & brave above their ranks, that God doth blast them that they have not to cover their nakedness. Those in the third of Isa, who had that gorgeous and brave attire, are threatened with baldness, and grinding with sackcloth, ver. 24. and such as come to misery by their wasting superfluity have none to pity them. I have read of Alfonsus a King of Spain, who when a Knight falling into want and being arrested for debt, there was a petition to the King to succor him, I saith the King, if he had spent his estate in mine, or in the common-wealths service, it were reason he should be provided for, by me or the common-wealth, but seeing he hath spent all in rio • ousness, let him suffer.
Consider this you who are so loath to part with your estates for the public, you murmur at everything that is required of you for that, but you are profuse in expenses for your lust, God hath ways to bring you low enough in your estares.
Ver. 10. And now I will discover her lewdness.
And now, that is, when I recover my wool, and flax, I will discover her lewdness, I will take their covers from their own eyes, and from the eyes of others. Wicked men, and especially Idolaters have divers covers for their lewdness. There are especially three covers that these people had for their lewdness. The first was their outward prosperity: do you speak so bitterly against us, as if we were Idolaters, as if we had forsaken God, are we not in as good a condition as Judah, who you say hath not forsaken God?
Secondly, Their external worship is that yet they kept something according [ 2] to God's own mind, they yet kept the Sabbath and some solemn days according to the law, this cover they rested in; as if they should say, What do you accuse us as if we did not worship the true God, have not we God's service with us, and our solemn assemblies?
Thirdly, They had other services which were not God's, yet they did cover [ 3] them, with glorious pompous shows, they had pompous days of solemnity, pretended for God, but being of their own invention, they were hateful. Well saith God, I will take away your prosperity, and I will take away those things you think to put me off with, I will take away your solemnicies, and all the pomp in your services.
I will discover their lewdness.
The word lewdness, that comes of Nabal, that signifieth to fall, it signifies the falling of the spirit low, poor, vile, and unworthy things. Hence the Hebrews use that word for a fool, one that hath a vi • e spirit, set upon base contemptible things, is Nabal, a fool. Hence that speech of Abigail concerning her husband, as is his name, so is he, he is Nabal, and folly is with him. The Seventy turn this by another word, that signifieth uncleanness, the mixture of their spirits with vile things that make their spirits to be unclean. The English word Lewd comes from Loed an old Saxon word, which signifieth one that is of a servile disposition, of an under spirit; some are of servile spirits naturally, they are born to a kind of servility, & bondage, they are inclined to baseness, and vileness, by their natural genius: others are of more sublime spirits naturally, as if they were borne for great things; these people are lewd, they have vile spirits, forsaking the blessed God, & his glorious ways, turning to vanities that can do no good. So we say of many, they are lewd base fellows, that is, they are of such sordid dispositions, that they seek only after such things as have no worth in them, & satisfy themselves in things beneath the excellency of a man, unbeseeming a rational creature to take content in. Act. 18. 14. we find this word lewdness, the Greek word translated there lewdness doth elegantly set forth the disposition of a lewd man, namely, such a one as is easily drawn to any wicked way.
I will discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers. In the sight; this is a great aggravation of their shame. God will cast filth on them, not before those that are strangers, but those before whom they would be honored. It is a note of Calvin upon this, that seems to reach the meaning of the holy Ghost, alluding to the way of whores, who having great men for their lovers, favorites with Princes at the Court, they rest on their power, and confide in their greatness, they care not what their husbands can do against them, and so grow proud against their husbands, because their lovers have great power. There was a remarkable example of this here in England, that you may remember, it were but to • ache in a filthy dunghill to mention it.
I will take away their confidence, though their lovers be never so great, the Assyrians, and Egyptians, whosoever they be, they shall have no power to help you, but I will discover their lewdness before their face. From hence take these observations.
First, all wickedness, and especially Idolatry, hath many covers for it; except we look very narrowly to those that are superstitious and idolatrous, we shall not see the evil of that sin. Some covers are subtly woven, but it may be said of them all as Isa. 28. 20. The bed is shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it, and the covering narrower then that he can wrap himself in it.
Secondly, Prosperity in a sinful way is a great cover; though it be a very vile and sinful way, yet prosperity is a cover to it: This glisters so in many men's eyes, that the filth of sin is hid, many a foul hand is under a fair perfumed glove, an ill complexion may have a painted face, and prosperity is no other to wicked men,