An Exposition of Hosea 4-7

THey considered not in their hearts] In the original it is, They say not to their hearts. This phrase in other Scriptures is used for saying in their hearts: Jer. 5.24. Neither say they IN their hearts, Let us fear God which giveth rain. And in Eccles. 1.16. Considering, is, communing with our own hearts; I spoke or consulted with my heart. From this phrase of speaking thus to our hearts, we may observe:

It is a good thing to be often speaking to our own hearts, thus: Oh my soul, how is it with thee? what case art thou in? how stand things between God and thee? what terms standest thou in for eternity? canst thou look upon God's face with comfort and not be afraid? what guilt is there in thy conscience? canst thou behold eternity and rejoice in the thoughts of it? Such meditations and questionings as these would be very profitable for the soul; Many people can talk abroad in company of these things, but where is the man that sets apart time to question with his soul about these? Ps. 4.4. Stand in awe, and sin not, commune with your own hearts upon your bed, and be still: There are in the soul many times boisterous distempers, but then we should cause a silence and a calm in our hearts, bid them be still; there are great distemper • in that family where the husband and the wife go two or three days together and speak not one to another; so there is no less distemper in that soul which can go two or three days without questioning itself and examining its condition: But what is it they should speak? This,

That I remember their iniquities: the old Latin carries it thus, lest they should consider: do not you think that God remembers the sins of your forefathers only, that they were vile and wicked; no, but I also remember the sins that are present before me. But according to the reading of the words in your books is most agreeable to the Original; therefore Luther saith, that these words are a reproof of their security then which no evil being worse: the Princes they feel not the judgment yet the principal actors in the wickedness, the common people they suffer much, and yet though they suffer yet attribute their sufferings to anything rather than to their sins to be the causes of them: the observations.

That God doth remember the wickedness of people though long since [Obs. 1] committed, as we may see in Amalek, God remembers this their wickedness many hundred years after, 1 Sam. 15.2. I remember the prank which Amalek played to you when you came out of Egypt. Amos, 8.7. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, surely I will never forget any of their works: nay they are not only remembered, but recorded, the sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, & with the point of a diamond, Jer. 17.1. every oath, every lie, yea and every vain thought which thou hast committed, and continuest in under an impenitent condition, know, that thy sins are remembered; and that thou mayest be sure of it, see what the text saith, Job, 14.17. My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up my iniquity. They are sealed in a bag; as the Clark of Assizes seals up the indictments of men, and at the Assizes brings his bag and takes them out; even so will God; as God hath his time to seal up men's transgressions in his bag, so he will have his time to take them out to reckon with sinners for them, and then woe to them, Deut. 32.34. Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? It is sealed up to be remembered though perhaps committed forty or fifty years ago, and it is thy sin if thou dost not remember them, when and where they were committed, and if thou wilt not, know, that God hath his time to make thee know them.

Wicked men will not consider that God doth remember their sins. [Obs. 2] In Psal. 94.7. they commit horrible wickednesses, daring sins, yet they force themselves not to believe that God doth remember them, and take notice of them, yet they say, The Lord shall not see it, neither shall the God of Jacob remember it. The Jews tell us, that when Jeroboams hand was dried up, the false Prophets told him that this was but by chance, and so kept him from thinking of God that had smitten him. Did men consider that it is God that remembers them, it would work humiliation in them, and stop them in their sins; were the danger that sin brings men into, always in their eye, they would think it a great madness to sin against God, and folly too; [Use] Joshua thought it so, Is the iniquity of Peor a small thing in your eyes, that you should ad more to them? Didst thou know that God remembers the sins of thy youth and thy elder age, thou wouldst fear, that upon the next sin thou committest God might bring upon thee all the rest of the sins which thou hast committed; as a man that hath used his body to drink poison, at the first and second time he may do well, but at last he is overcome, and destroys himself: so the next sin which thou committest, though it be a less sin than formerly thou hast committed, this sin may set all the rest on working: as suppose there be many barrels of Gunpouder in a room, and there lies but a thimbleful by it, and a spark falls into that and so fires all the rest; so thy former sins are as the barrels of Gunpouder, the next sin thou committest, especially if a sin against knowledge, may be the thimbleful which sets all the rest on work to pull down judgment upon thee. There is no argument so powerful to keep men from their sins as the consideration that God sees them, and knows them all, and will remember them.

[Obs. 3] When God doth punish for sin, he manifests that he remembers sin: 1 King. 17.18. the woman of Zarephath falls out with the Prophet saying, What have I to do with thee, Oh thou man of God, art thou come unto me to call my sin into remembrance, and to slay my son? God's hand being upon her, brought her sin into remembrance. How doth the consciences of men dictate this unto them in their afflictions, this cross is for such a sin, this misery for such a base lust that thou wouldest have fulfilled at such a time, God now puts thee in mind of such an act of uncleanness, such a time thou were cruel and hardhearted; this is clear in Josephs brethren, whose sin was committed twenty two years before this trouble came upon them; you that have committed many sins a long time ago and think they are forgotten, 'tis no such matter, if the guilt of them be taken away by Christ, know that there will come a time in which thou shalt be put in mind of them; as a man that gets a surfeit in his youth and younger age, or gets many a bruise and rub which then he undergoes well enough and never complains of them, but when he grows old or hath an infirm body, then against every rain and change of weather it will appear and he will complain: but this is the Saints privilege, that God never so remembers their sins, as to condemn them for their sins. It follows.

Their wickedness.] Luther saith their studied wickedness, their contrived iniquities have beset them round about, or their doing have compassed them round: These words have reference to these similitudes; as Officers beset Malefactors, who shift up and down and play least in sight, but at the last are found and beset. Just thus their sins had beset them, that they could no way escape; or as Soldiers beleaguer a Town and will not let any in the Town get out; so men by their sins are besiged, and brought into such a condition that there is no way for comfort to come at them, or for them to avoid the judgments which are coming upon them; men's sins are like unto those six men in Ezek. 9.2. And behold six men came from the way of the higher Gate, to beset the Gates of the City. And know, Oh thou bold sinner, that God hath his time to beset thee with thy sins and his judgments, to awaken thy conscience by setting thy sin • in order before thee; and this is the great reason why men cry out in the horror of their consciences, because they are beset with their sins: what a sad condition were this City in if beleaguerd with an hundred thousand men? Every man's sins are worse and endanger a man more than millions of enemies can do; man shall need no other enemy than his own iniquity, thine own iniquity shall find thee out, it shall find thee as in a snare, Prov. 5.21. For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings: that is, I so remember their sins as if they were all present before me, committed at this very instant; so that thou art to consider that God doth not only remember thy sins, but they are before God's face, so that God never can look about him but they are present before his face: thou hast committed a sin and perhaps art troubled for it, but after a while thou forgettest it and the trouble is blown over; but God looks upon it as now presently committed: for as there is no beginning of eternity, so there is no succession of it. If thou wert to go to the Lord's table thou wouldest not go in a drunken fit, or immediately after an act of uncleanness; but God at that very instant looks upon thee as drunken, unclean, and filthy, though the act may be past many years before.

THey make the King glad.] That is,

[Expos. 1] By their willing yielding to his commands by the way of their false worship, the King and the Princes were glad to see their edicts yielded unto and obeyed: at the first when the commands came from Jeroboam to change the way of God's worship, they had cause to fear that it might not take with the people, there would be something to do, to make them change the way of God's worship, but when they saw it go on currently without contradiction they rejoiced.

[Expos. 2] By their flattering of him in his wicked ways; they did not only yield to his unlawful edicts, but commended them, and applauded him for his care and tender respect which he had to them, in shortening their journey, that they should not go so far as Jerusalem to worship, & they flattered him in this extremely, telling him that this was the way to establish his Kingdom.

He was glad, when he saw the people wicked in their ways [Expos. 3] and their lives loose and profane, at this the King was glad, and why? because he knew they were for his turn, his design was accomplished now, he had made them wicked in their lives by letting them have their will in evil, and now he never feared their scrupling or making question of the thing, he never once doubted of their unwillingness to worship at the Calves, to go to Dan and Bethel: Thus they made the King glad.

The Notes: First observe, That carnal and wicked people are [Obs. 1] easily led aside by the examples of those that are their Governors: Which way Superiors go, the multitude will go: if they do that which is good in the outward part of it for externals, they will do the same; if they do wickedly they will do so likewise, though they do not love their Prince, yet that they may have their Princes favor they will sin against God.

It is wickedness for any people to obey the unlawful commands of [Obs. 2] their Governors. This people might think this was no sin in them, What, must we not obey our Governors and be subject to authority? yet we see the holy Ghost calls it wickedness. So how many are there who for their worship have no other authority but their superiors, their Governors, this will never pass for currant in God's account.

It is a vile wickedness to flatter Princes. Yet how hath this [Obs. 3] been the constant course of Courts? It is reported of Dionysius, that when he spit, his flatterers would lick it up and say, it was sweeter than Honey. This is vileness in people to do, and more vile in Princes to love to be flattered. Cyril upon this text saith, That the fear and love of God, had it been in this people, it would have kept both them and their Princes, to have withstood such wicked commands, it would have balanced their spirits.

[Obs. 4] It is a most most wicked and vile thing, to make any glad with their wickedness, or to be made glad by wickedness. Yet how many are guilty of this sin? some are so hardened in their wickedness that they will make others drunk, and then laugh at them when they have done so; How far are these from David's temper? whose eyes ran down with tears, because men kept not the Law, and horror took hold on him; there is no greater sign of a desperate heart hardened in sin, than to laugh at sin in others, and make a sport of it in themselves; and the higher men are in place and dignity the greater is the aggravation of their s • ns; for Princes to be glad at wickeness and to be made merry by iniquity, who are set to be punishers of sin and a terror to evil doers, this is most horrible wickedness, Prov. 29.22. If the Prince hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

They make the King glad with their lies. Note:

[Obs. 5] The King is in a sad condition, when his ends and plots must be accomplished by the wickedness of the people. Such are the dispositions of these men, that they will do anything rather than suffer the least evil of punishment, for saith a Prince, these men they have no conscience left in them to check them; but these precise Puritans they will suffer and die rather than sin against God and wrong their consciences. Now these Priests and their officers (which the Prophet here speaks of,) they would reason thus: If I should cross the Kings mind I should lose my place, and be put out of my office, and suffer a great deal of trouble, and rather than they will run upon these straights they will run upon any design for the ruining of that which crosses them, yea, though it be the worship of God: Oecolampadius saith, that bad Princes are always enemies to to the strict ways of religion, and unto such as are the strictest in those ways, and walk most agreeable to the Word, and are tender in their conscience, fearful to sin against it, these are disregarded and discount •• anced; but those that are most wicked they are accounted the best subject • , and these they will trust. Therefore where there is no religion, slavery soon follows, that people may be brought to anything, who have lost their religion; but where profession is maintained it will teach men to stand for their liberties, and not to yield against the truth. But what, doth Religion teach men rebellion? doth it deny obedience to Governors? No, by no means, Religion teaches obedience to Governors, and the more religious any man is, the more obedient he will be to lawful Authority, the Gospel commands obedience to Governors, but not to Tyranny, to the wills and humors of men, God never made such difference between men, Religion never teaches disobedience to lawful authority, to such as rule in the Lord, yet this was the case of this people. It follows.

Luther carries this to the lie of their false worship, their Idolatry, which the Scripture calls a lie, Rom. 1.25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped the creature more than the Creator. But this is not the full meaning and scope of the words, but thus:

They put their false glosses upon their false worship, to [Expos. 2] make it to take with the people, and with the Princes; as thus: The Priests did not only submit and yield to them themselves but encouraged the people, telling them it was decent and comely in the worship of God▪

Or thus: By denying whats •• er may hinder them in their [Expos. 3] false worship. If the Prince should by any means hear that his Commands were not like to take with the people, and so he lose his ends, they would boldly come and affirm it to the contrary; or if they had an ill success, they would deny it, and say, they had none, it was but a slander which was put upon them by these factious Puritans; they would make • he Princes believe they had good succes when their designs were crossed and put back.

But principally they made the King glad with their lie • [Expos. 4] by raising slanders and il reports upon the names and pe •• 〈◊〉 of those which might stand in the way to cro •• e and 〈◊〉 them, they blasted such men as were in credit in the eyes o • 〈◊〉 people; and those in authority loved this at the heart, this was mighty pleasing in the eyes of the Princes; and this certainly was the plot of the Priests who at that time were enemies to the true worship of God.

The Notes are:

[Obs. 1] That all Idolatry and false worship is but a lie in God's esteem, He looks upon it as a deceitful thing.

[Obs. 2] The old way of false worshipers to further their false worship is, by lies and calumniations of all sorts, to tell them of their good success, when they had none; and when they had ill success, to say it was a fl • m, it was no such matter, their success was as good as heart could desire; but this in special was their trick to slander & disgrace those that stood in their way. The text saith in Jeremiah, That they waited for the Prophets halting, and they said, Report, and we will report, do you say the thing, and we will affirm it, we will spread it abroad, Report, and let us alone with it then, we will never stand examining the truth of it, we heard it reported, and that is sufficient; this hath been the course and practice of our times: and in the stories of later times against Luther, what calumnies & reproaches were by the Papists raised against him? men set on work on purpose to do it. You may perceive my straight at this time, how loath I am to rake in these filthy puddles, and yet led by this Scripture so fully to it, •• at I must either baulk the mind of God, or else touch upon ••• se jarring strings; but I shall for peace sake for the present wave it, and reserve it to its more convenient place, howbeit this will stick to some whose course it hath been; but how vile and wicked is this course? for what recompense is it posible that such can make for the wrong done.

For first, It cannot be expected that an answer should suddenly [ 1] come to clear such reproaches. And secondly, When [ 2] an Answer is come, it will be but ones yea, and another's nay. [ 3] And thirdly, If it should be satisfactory, all the mends that can be made is, a recantation, I am sorry, I was mis-informed, I [ 4] had Letters of it; and this is a poor requital. Then fourthly, 'It is a question whether ever the Answer shall come into all the hands that these Reproaches have.

It is a very evil thing, to make men glad with falsities. This was [Obs. 3] their sin here, they had made the Princes glad with their lies.

You had need look to your hearts when you hear reproaches and slanders against public instruments: [Use.] do you hug it love, and embrace it? if you do, it is a sign there is rottenness in your hearts; it is evil to sow reports & slanders, but worse to harrow them in: he that reports, is he that sows slanders, and he that carries the report and spreads it, is he that harrows the slander in.

THIS Verse needs but little opening, and the rather because the sixth verse hath much of it, to the same effect. They are all adulterers, either spiritual or corporal. Is the heat of either like to an oven? Therefore let everyone take heed of that which may kindle this fire, either of corporal or spiritual adultery: 1. an inward heat. 2. violent, that turns everything to the increase of it. 3. an heat abiding, collected and resting, not of a harth which scatters the heat, but as the heat in an oven.

Now if wicked sinful heat be so kept in and compacted; [Use] how much more should our hear be kept in and compacted for God, in the duties of his worship? when we come to Prayer, perhaps we have a little heat, but it is scattered and confused; if a man were to heat a pot upon the fire, he would take it ill if another should scatter the fire abroad; the Devil he comes and scatters our heat, and spoils us in our affections: now we should oppose the Devil in this. It follows.

Jerome and others have great light for the understanding of these words from a tradition of the Jews which was this. They say, the intent of Jeroboam for altering of Religion was very hot, but not knowing how it would take, they sent abroad spies to leaven the people to see how they stood affected, they thought if so be this their design were urged upon them of a sudden, it would not take, but if in this way by degrees it might gain upon men's spirits. Thus Jerome and Cyril. As the Baker ceaseth from kneading, he doth not presently put it into the Oven, but lets it lie that the leaven may run through it; so Jeroboam and his Princes were like this Baker, they were set upon their design, and it they would have, but they would have the people first leavened, and then they would put it into execution: and Cyril ads that, those which went to persuade the people, used this fetch and device upon the people, and told them it would be for their ease and profit not to go up to Jerusalem, but to petition the King that he out of his Princely love and wisdom would permit them to worship at Dan and Bethel. And here lay the top of the plot, that the Kings design so much desired by him and his Princes, yet this must be brought about by the people, they must petition to the King that he would grant this liberty to them to worship at Dan and Bethel, and that they might not go up to Jerusalem, when it was first of all the Kings and the Princes own design. By this you may see how wicked and wise Idolaters are for the accomplishment of their purposes, by this means Princes obtain their ends, and their plots kept in.

Behold the cunning plots of the Devil to delude poor souls in matters of worship, therefore we had need to look to our ways when we have to deal with cunning Princes and subtle pated men.

This means was of late used among ourselves, our bakers have been a doing their feats, but they had heated their Oven too hot, and so their cake proved over baked, and therefore proved abortive and came to nothing; and we have cause to bless God, who gave them up to this violence of rage. Those in Jeroboams time were wise enough to carry on their designs with moderation, policy, and secrecy, and so got the day, though our enemies were not.

And as wicked men do stay and are contented to wait, till the fittest time is for the accomplishment of their wicked plots, so the Devil is contented to wait, he first tempts the soul to sin, and when the temptation hath prevailed he stays a while and lets the sin work a while, therefore take heed of letting a temptation prevail, do not roll them up and down in your thoughts, saying: what if I should do such a thing, what if I should not; now know, that the Devil is a leavening your hearts, and when your hearts are thus leavened, the Devil will come in with such strength of temptation that you shall not be able to resist him; therefore as Christ bad his Disciples to beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees, so take heed of the leaven of Satan in this kind, and in this the Devil deals as God doth with a sinner in the Gospel, the Gospel is compared to leaven in Mat. 13.33. God he leavens the heart with some truth or other, and there lets it lie and soak a while in the soul, God casts into the soul some truth and doth not presently urge it with violence upon the soul, putting them presently upon difficult duties, which they are not capable to perform at the first, but lets these truths lie, soak, and spread in the heart, till such time as the disposition and savor of the heart be molded and changed into the truth, and then the Lord comes in with other truths, and works them upon the heart, which it was neither fit nor capable of before; and it were wisdom in the Ministers of the Gospel, to take this course, not violently to urge strict and hard duties upon new converts which they are not capable of, as to say this must be done, and the other must not be neglected, but press the Gospel to them and there let it lie and soak a while upon the spirit, and blessed is that soul which is thus leavened: The Lord will carry on this work to perfection, these beginnings the Lord in his time will finish.

THere is no preposition in, in the Hebrew, 'tis only, The day of our King. The people being leavened with Jeroboams Idolatry, they now make their acclamations in honor of their King, and rejoice in the way of their worship which they had from their King, which he & his Princes had set up, & would not regard the requests and petitions of some few who desired it, might not be established, and though they were bound in conscience to go up to Jerusalem, yet notwithstanding the King would send forth his Edicts, to tell the people there should be no more going up to Jerusalem, but to Dan and Bethel, now at this they rejoice and cry out, Oh the day of our good King which hath set his good people at liberty and eased us of our great journey to Jerusalem! (to the danger of the Kingdom) and is an enemy to those precise people.

This day of their King was either the day of his birth, or his coronation day, or the day in which he set up the Calves at Dan and Bethel. Now it cannot be imagined but that there was some murmurings amongst some of the people, they were not all of a mind, to give their consent to the setting up of the Calves, therefore they did it by a strategem, with all the mirth and triumphing in the day of their King, pleasing and pampering the flesh, drowned all the discontents by this way of pleasing the flesh, caused all things to be carried before them. Or thus: If the people were not thoroughly leavened, by this means, they would take this course; Come, we will go set up our King, and magnify our King, and this will prepare the people to receive anything he enjoins. Let the Citizens be in their gowns, and the Gentry in their bravery, and let the King be amongst them, and show himself courteous and loving to the people, and now let us cry out, Oh our good King! This is the day of our King.

Those who carry this day to the day of his birth, have this Note, That we never read in Scripture of any godly King that ever celebrated his birth-day, but of three wicked Kings, of Pharaoh, Gen. 40.20. and of Jeroboam, in this text; and of Herod in Mark. 6.21. not that it is altogether unlawful to celebrate or observe a birth-day, or a coronation day, if it be observed with two Cautions.

So that it be not made as a holy day, so there be not put a holiness in it; for God never gave that power to man, to set a day apart as holy for his use.

Then it may be here objected, [Object.] What, may not man set days apart for Humiliation, or Thanksgiving? Yea, he may. Then what is the difference between God's setting of days apart for holy uses, and man's setting of days apart for holy uses?

The difference lies in this: [Answ.] Time and things set apart by God for holy employments and services, besides that they make the duties more holy, and the Ordinances more solemn and spiritual, than they are upon a day which man doth appoint, (for man's appointment puts no holiness upon the duties which are done upon those days) there is a holiness in them when out of their use, as in Ministers &c. but there no more holiness in days and times set apart by man for God, than there is holiness put upon the paper which the Bible is printed upon; the Printer takes out so many reams of paper from his heap, and sets them apart to print the Bible; now will any man think this paper is more holy than the rest.

There may be a day kept, yet so, as God do not at that [ 2] time call for some other duty or service from us; man must not so tie himself by any institution of his own as to cross God's providence: as supose I have set a day apart for thanksgiving, at that very day providence may so fall out, that God may call for a day of humiliation; now if I should keep a thanksgiving day and so cross providence, being called to humiliation I should sin in the thing: These two things being observed, I know nothing to the contrary but that it may be lawful to observe a day, a man may remember his birth-day in this kind, to be humbled for not doing the work we are called unto; so men married may at the revolution of the year bless God for the mercies they have enjoyed in that Ordinance entered into on that day: but how many are there who have little cause to remember either that, or their birth day? nay may they not rather with Job, curse the day of their birth? Suppose you should hear a voice from heaven this day that you must die and not live, that this must be the last day you should live, tell me then, could you bless God for the day of your birth? would the thoughts of it be delightful to you? 'It is reported of Philip the third, King of Spain, who lived so strictly that he never committed any gross crime, never committed any known sin willingly, yet when he came to die, cries out, Oh that I had never reigned! that I had lived a private life in the wilderness; that I might not have the sin to answer, for not doing the good, or hindering the evil which I might have done. It is a sad thing when men come to die that they cannot look back with comfort to their lives spent, that they have not discharged their places: had Jeroboam kept his birth day in this manner, there had been no evil in it; but his keeping of it, was only to satisfy the flesh, till he himself was sick with wine: in such days Bachus, and Venus have the greatest portions.

[Obs. 1] Festeval days are usually made distempering days, days of provocation. It follows.

This wine is like that in Deut. 32.33. Their wine is the poison of Dragons, and the cruel venom of Asps: this wine of Asps it makes the spirits warm, and the body sick. Job knew the danger of feasting, therefore when his children were a feasting, he was in sacrificing. They made the king drunk with wine. This was the way which they took to gain the King. And is not this the course which is taken now in our days, to betray the young Gentry into base filthiness? This was the plot of these Priests, first to make the King drunk, and then they could do anything with him, could get any edict from him to serve their base ends and intentions, to suppress the precise people.

Drunkenness is an old Court sin. See how the Prophet, Isa. [Obs. 2,] 28.1. fills his mouth, with woes and threatenings against the drunkenness of Ephraim; Woe to the Crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim. The Court, the Crown of Ephraim was at Samaria. A miserable thing it is that those which have the most opportunity for God should spend their time in such beastly vanities, and do to their bodies and souls as Richard the third to his brother, drown them in a Butt of Sack.

Drunkards courses brings diseases. Be not amongst wine-bibbers, [Obs. 3] amongst riotous eaters of flesh, for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; how many are there which carry about with them the marks of their lusts, as Paul carried about him the marks of the Lord Jesus; men will venture much for their lusts, but if Christ call them to suffer anything for him, then they are tender and sickly, but let their estates, healths, and credits stand in the way to hinder them in the pursuance of their desires in sin, they will break through them all: now a shame is it for a Christian not to do more for God than these men will do for their lusts: Timothy is commanded to drink but a little wine, and that for his refreshment, to help nature; but when men drink & make sots of themselves by it, what diseases doth this bring men into? as the falling sickness disfiguring their countenances making them to look more lik swine, than men, &c. The Scripture tells us that the Saints bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost; do you think that such a body as this, is like to be a Temple? no but rather like matter for the very sink of hell where all filth shall be fuel for everlasting burning. How canst thou answer the weakening of thy strength by this lust, when God deserves all thy abilities? It may be thou wilt say, thou wert never dead drunk; but wert thou never so distemperd as to weaken thy abilities and make thee unfit for service? how sinful then is the practice of those that drink others healths till themselves are sick through excess.

Drunkenness is vile in any, but most of all vile in Governors, men of place and power, Prov. 31.4. It is not for Kings to drink wine, nor for Princes strong drink: It is not for them, and why? because they are above us, and how can any man endure to be under drunken beasts: they are gods, and how vile and abominable is it to have drunken gods? Therefore the Carthaginians made a Law, that none of their Magistrates in the time of their Magistracy should drink any wine.

[Obs. 4] It is much more vile to make others drunk, than to be drunk ourselves; Therefore in Esth. 1.8. the drinking was according to the Law, none did compel; for the King had appointed to all the Officers of the house that they should do according to every man's pleasure, none were compelled to drink more than they were willing; you may think they express a great deal of love to you, in drinking to you, and pressing you to drink, and when they have overcome you, then will they laugh at you, and make you a scorn, especially if they can get you who are professors of Religion to be overtaken. Therefore you had need above all men to take heed of this sin, for if you fall, Religion suffereth, and the Name of God is evil spoken of by your means; therefore Christ bids his Disciples themselves to take heed of surfeiting and drunkenness. Therefore you that are professors had the more need to take heed of this sin, and mind this exhortation of Christ.

[Obs. 5] That drunkenness is vile at any time, but especially when we pretend to praise God: When God shall show thee mercy, and thou pretendest to praise him for it, and then take liberty to be excessive in the creature, this is most abominable: we have had many days of thanksgiving to praise God for his mercies, if we have been excessive in the use of the creatures, be humbled, 'tis an ill requital of God for his mercy. It follows.

The Septuagent translate this word [Scorners] by divers words, as,

First, Pestilent people; so in Psal. 1.5. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the Congregation of the righteous; because every scorner is a plague to the family, place, and town where he lives. Prov. 22.10. Cast out the scorner and contention will go out, yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

Jerome translates these words, cast him out, that is, cast him out of your counsels, let him have no part of advice with you.

Again, The Septuagent translate it, one without understanding, because scorners are foolish and silly men, Prov. 21.11. When the scorner is punished, the simple are made wise.

Thirdly, they translate it pride, because scorners are proud men, Prov. 1.3, 4. God resisteth the proud, Prov. 21.24. Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

Fourthly, they turn it by, untamed, unpunished, Prov. 19.29. stripes are prepared for the backs of scorners: Because they go unpunished they grow scorners.

Luther translates the word mockers and flowters, and interprets false teachers that delude the people, and deprave the Scriptures, and this kind of scorning by perverting the Scripture is the worst kind of scorning of all others, it is most abominable, Job, 20.14. The meat in his bowels is turned to the gaul of Asps, the word in such men's spirits as these are, is turned into bitterness; these scorners, who were they? the Nobles and the Princes, the Officers in the Court, these were the men which scorned at the people for going up to Jerusalem to worship, what fools are these which will lose the Kings favor, their places at Court, their honors and preferments, and all for a mere circumstance, and a trifle as they thought; and this was at the time of their feasts and jovialities when they might both harden the hearts of the King and people; now he stretched forth his hand to them, that is, 1. He encouraged them, and gave them his hand to kiss; how unlike is this unto God of whom Job speaks that he will not give his hand to the wicked, to malignants. Again, 2. to stretch forth his hand is to put forward any work, or further designs on foot, as Herod furthered their wicked designs of the high Priests and Scribes in persecuting Christ, by countenancing them, he stretched out his hand to scorners. Scorners such as are the basest kind of people, as fidlers, common jerves &c. as if he were a common companion for them, he put off all Princely dignities and made himself an associate for the basest of men, that could but any ways further his designs.

[Obs. 1] The first Note from hence may be this, That such Courtiers which live sensually, are for the most part great scorners. Experience proves this.

[Obs. 2] Times of feasting are usually times of the greatest scorning, and contemning all Religion; then they think there is none live such brave lives as they do, when they are thoroughly heated with wine, then they have a flout and a scorn for everyone, then God himself is reproached by them, & his Saints had in disgrace, Psal. 35.16. With hypocritical mockers in feasts; they gnashed upon me with their teeth. There are many which carry things very fair in the eyes of the world, who seem to be Christians, yet when they come in place among scorners they have a scorn, a flout, and a private jeer; these are odious in God's sight. Where is there more scorning and scoffing than in Princes Courts, and great men's Tables? If a Court Chaplain had but heard anything of a Puritan, or of a private meeting, was it not their music? Thus they informed the King, that they were none but a company of precise fools, giddy headed people, and the King he received this news with joy, it made him merry, and he gave them thanks for their pains; Oh how far is this below a true Princely spirit!

[Obs. 3] That the right way of worship is by carnal hearts accounted a very slight thing: and God's people who stand for God's Ordinances in their purity are looked upon as people who stand for incities and trifles.

[Obs. 4] It hath been the old way of the Devil to hinder reformation by raising up men of pestilent wits to scorn at Religion: and this way the Devil prevails very much, when he cannot prevail by persecution, he gains much this way; men that are of any spirit cannot endure scorning, therefore we read of mocking to be a cruel persecution in Heb. 11.36. And others had trials of cruel mockings. And Ishmael's mocking is said to be persecution. In the primitive times they would set up an Asses Head, and a book by it, to show that they professed to learn, and yet were as simple as an Ass. I have heard of a Scholar in Queens College, who professed he had rather suffer the torments of Hell than endure the comtempt and scorn of the puritans. And this is the Devils old way; but men will not be jeered out of their inheritance, and God will scorn such scorners, Prov. 3.34. That place is famous in Lament. 3.62, 63. The lips of them that rose up against me! behold their rising up and their siting down, I was their music. What then? Render them a recompense according to their works, give them sorrow of heart thy curse unto them.

Kings while their hearts are against Religion, shall never want [Obs. 5] wits to further their designs in this.

It is a sad thing to that Kingdom when their Princes give their [Obs. 6] hands to scorners, and to deny it to the people of God; it was a happy and blessed time with that people in 2 Chron. 35.1, 2, 3. verses, when the Prophets of God were encouraged by the King himself. It follows.

THE meaning of these words is, to set out the strength of Jeroboam, and his Princes desires to set up false worship, and their subtlety in taking opportunity and lying in wait to leaven the people. The Notes are from the similitude.

The heat of their hearts was so violent, that it did devour all that [Obs. 1] opposed it: as fire devours all cumbustable things, so they devoured all kind of reason which was brought against them and their way, what was spoken to them to contradict them in their worship, it was like straw or wood in an oven, they were so strongly set upon it, they devoured all presently, they tell in all companies, such men have nothing to say for their way &c. Therefore at any time, when we come to men and see them willfully bent upon their way, it is to no purpose to speak to them, but let them alone, and let God but humble them upon their sick beds, and then they will hearken. No dealing with Bees in a hot day, but at night there is.

[Obs. 2] As men's spirits are as hot as an oven in sin, so God's judgments which are prepared for such, are as hot as an oven. Malachi, 4.1. God will make as little of them as they do of God's people? The day of the Lord cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up. It follows.

Though they are as hot as an oven, yet they do not run head-long imprudently, but they have will to wait their opportunity: And should nor this be our wisdom in the ways of God, [Use] not to carry things imprudendtly? Let not our desires be so eagerly set after anything but that we can be willing to be without it, or patiently to wait God's time for it. They are as hot as an oven, and yet not cooled because they have not their desires presently fulfilled: So must we take heed of having our hearts cooled when we have opportunities to further any design we have on foot for God and his Cause: though they had not opportunities to further their plots, yet they waited still and were not discouraged: How many times do people, when God sends but a little famine of the Word amongst them grow cold, and lose all the heat which they had?

'It is, as if men which have a common oven, they put fuel into it and let it burn till they go and call their customers together, and when this was done, then they might go and sleep. So the people were leavened. These people by their Bakers were prepared, they had heated their oven, and now they thought they might go to sleep, they might be quiet: and did not our Bakers do thus? they had heated their oven, but blessed be God that disappointed them in their way: when these bakers slept, their oven heated, notwithstanding.

Subtil adversaries, when we think them to be most secure, their designs are still driving on. Thus it was in Ireland; and here amongst us, even in their greatest shows of peace in their Treaties; the truth is, if ever we will have the fire quenched which now burns so violently, we must take away the incendiaries and stirrers up of these unnatural wars. Let us in good causes, though opportunities may cease for work, let not the fire go out, let the oven be hot still; at the first their oven did but begin to heat, now it is all in a flame; at the first they would use fair means with the people and persuade them with good words, and answer their arguments, but when their oven was hot, that they had brought their designs to maturity, and got power into their hands, then—, 'tis now no longer, will ye worship at Dan and Bethel? and 'tis your best course; but now Clup law, now no more satisfying of consciences, but, to prison with them, now such a prison for such, & the other strong goole for the rest: this hath been the way and course of those which would set up any false way of worship; when their morning is come and their oven hot, then— come the day is ours, no more persuading now; Will they not come in? force them to yield. Their way was at the first to leaven the people, to try how they stood affected; but now enough of that, seize their estates, and imprison their persons.

NOT only Jeroboam and his successors, but also Princes, and people at length grew hot in the pursuit of that great design of altering Religion, in so much, that no man might dare to show himself against them; many of the people at the first made scruple of yielding to their new way: but having overcome their consciences, now nothing troubles them, they not only yield themselves, but violently press the consciences of others which refused: but this similitude we met withal in the fourth verse of this Chapter, which we opened then, and therefore pass it over here. It follows.

Some of their Judges (it is like) could not, but have some light in them, to see that the altering of Religion could not but be against their Laws, yet seeing both the Princes and the people were set violently upon it, they also yielded, Jerome observes this.

This is the vile, base, and low spirits of men in honor, and this honor depending upon the favor of Kings, that rather than they will hazard their places, and lose their gains, will yield to anything, and for the pleasing the King will tell him the Law is for him, the bonds of the Kingdom do not forbid him. Mica. 3.11. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity; the Heads thereof judge for reward, and the Priests thereof teach for hire, and the Prophets thereof divine for money: the Princes and the Prophets ask for a reward. The Princes have a mind to such and such a thing of their subjects, but to cover the vileness of the action and his injustice, he would ask the Judges whether it were not Law or no; now the Judges for their own profit encouraged him, and told him it was lawful, he might do it. How have our Judges immitated these? Though men had some integrety at the first, yet the heat arising so high in the Princes and Nobles, yea and in many of the High Court of Judicature, that they could not endure it. Thus we see how one time answers to another in wickedness, The Princes designs go on with strength, when they have got the Judges to side with them, and to give sentence for them in their unjust designs.

[Expos. 2] Others carry it thus: They having mischieved and ruined their Judges that did oppose them, therefore Mercer that learned Interpretor, for the furtherance of this sense, brings a tradition of the Jews, That the Princes and Rulers had so wrought about with the people, that they should come to the King & bring a humble petition to him, in which they should desire & entreat the King to give them leave to set up an Idol, which they did; and when they came, the King put them off & told them it was late in the evening now, & bid them come in the morning: in the morning they came, and bid him, Arise, and set them up an I • ol. No (saith he) your Synedrium will not give consent to it, nor suffer it. No say they, we have taken a course with them, we have kill,d them; which is the old way and course which persecutors take with those which might seem to oppose them in their plots.

Or thus: They had devoured their Judges and their Princes [Expos. 3] by treachery: and this story hath reference to that in 2 Chron. 13. a Chapter of as much treachery as we read of: All their Kings are fallen: that is, into that false worship which Jeroboam was fallen into. And that is very observable, that all the Kings in the ten Tribes were wicked. From Jeroboam the first, to to the captivity, there were eighteen Kings, and all of them wicked and naught, and the reason of this was, that the way of false worship did so suit with their politick ends; so that the Observation may be from it,

That 'tis a hard thing to take men off from their strong engagements. It was a work so difficult, that all the Prophets could not do it, it is very hard, especially when their engagements are in great things; they were wise politick men, and therefore could not choose in all probability but see, how point blank their ways went against God's mind; even Jehu himself who was raised up so high by God on purpose to root out Idolatry, and did root out Idols and Baals Priests, and yet he followed the Calves as well as hi • predecessors.

Therefore never wonder to see men obstinate, [Use.] and who will not be convinced of their evil ways, this text shows it clearly, many are willing to deny themselves in small things, but when it comes to great things then they flinch and hang off; therefore we see wh • t snares places of honor are to most men, many Ministees see the evil of Ceremonies, and are convinced of it, that they sin if they should yield to them, and rather than sin they will leave their livings rather than yield to them; but when did you ever see a Bishop deny himself? when was it ever known that a Prelate so far submitted to lay down his great dignities and fat livings for his conscience? It follows.

They were presumptuous and confident in their way, and none of them would ask counsel of me, notwithstanding their Judges were devoured, they sought to other helps, or rested in their outward prosperity, or 2. They are sottish and stupid, and call not unto me, though all be in a confusion in the State, their Judges devoured &c.

[Obs. 1] When people are under God's hand, and Governors set up false worship, such times should quicken our prayers: Mic. 7.7. I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation, my God will hear me: so in Act. 4.29. And now Lord hear us. The Christians there got into a corner and made their complaints and moans to God, of the evil of the times and do but observe the rise and ground of their prayers, and now O God hear us. They do as men that would leap a great way, take their rise upon a hill to further them; so these people make the miseries of the times their encouragements, not their discouragements; it is a desperate sign to see men sink under their discouragements, and to murmur against God, Oh let us go to God and make our moan to him, and let us die calling upon his Name, let that be our resolution which was David's, Psal. 116.2. I will call on the Lord as long as I live. And this is a very good argument that the Cause of God will stand; if our spirits of prayer hold, the Cause of God will hold, but if that go down, fear the sinking of the Cause.

EPHRAIM hath mixed himself. ] There is a great evil charged upon Ephraim, and that is observable, he hath mingled himself among the people, the people did not so much seek to him, as he to them; some here understand by Ephraim the Court, because Jeroboam was of the Tribe of Ephraim; and Cyril hath this Note from thence, that it is a great dishonor for them that are in place of honor to suit themselves and their minds to those that are of base low spirits among their people; men of place and power should be men of honor and worth. But we take Ephraim here for the people of the ten Tribes, for so it is more often taken in Scripture, they were guilty of this sin, in mixing themselves with the people, that is, the Gentiles, in these five regards.

First, In their marriages. The seed of the Israelites was [ 1] too precious to mingle with the Gentiles, this was forbidden them in Deut. 7.3. and the good man Ezra in the 9. chapter, in the day of humiliation, confessed this sin unto God against them, and this was typified of the Christians under the Gospel that they should not mix themselves with the wicked and ungodly of the world; they must marry in the Lord, it is a sad affliction to be unequally yoked; it is reported of Maxentius a cruel tyrant whose custom it was to judge some Malefactors to death after this manner, viz. To have a dead man chained to the living man, till the living man was killed by the dead man. How many living men have dead wives, and living wives dead husbands? Oh how comely a thing it is to see the delight of our eyes, the delight of God's eyes!

They mingled God's worship with their superstitions and Idolatries: [ 2] they had not wholly defiled the worship of God, yet they had mixed themselves; Jeroboam had been in Egypt where he had seen their Idolatrous Heifer, and he was much taken with it, therefore he would imitate them in his Calves: 2 Kings, 17.33, 34. in one verse 'tis said, they feared the Lord, and in the next verse 'tis said they did not; They feared the Lord, and served their own gods; unto this day they do after their former manners, they fear not the Lord; never let us satisfy ourselves in mixtures of worship: though we have never so much true worship among us, God will never be put off with such excuses.

[ 3] They mixed themselves in their persons, and suffered others to join with them: neither must Christians suffer the wicked to join with thē in matters of worship; & surely if fornicators, adulterers & profane men are crept in; they must (when discerned) be cast out speedily. Now if such as these must be cast out when crept in unawares, then surely such must not be received in, when they are known beforehand to be such, and certainly a bare confession of faith is not sufficient or enough to admit a man to the Ordinances, for those that are vile and wicked in their lives, may make a verbal and outward confession, yet far from a true and cordial; men may confess with their mouths, and yet deny all in their lives; as if a man should confess his faith in English and deny it again in Latin; yet if any should creep into a Church in which thou art bodied, if thou dost thy duty in admonishing them, and if they will not be warned to profess against them, thou mayest certainly, yea and with good conscience partake of the Ordinance notwithstanding.

[ 4] In their leagues and covenants they mixed themselves, they made Covenants and leagues with other people, which was forbidden them in Exod. 34.12. Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a Covenant with the people of the Land, whither thou goest, lest it become a snare in the midst of thee. Deut. 7.2. And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them, thou shalt make no covenant with them nor show mercy unto them. Isa. 30.2. They went down to Egypt for help and have not asked at my mouth, to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and trust in the shadow of Egypt: therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame.

They were mixed in their societies with other people; Psal. 106.35. [ 5] they were mingled among the Heathens and learned their works, they served their Idols which were a snare unto them. It is a very dangerous thing to be mixed with a wicked society, And the mixed multitude which were amongst them (people that came out of Egypt) fell a lusting; The mixed multitude fell a murmuring; this is an affliction in any society, but especially in Church societies. But suppose providence cast me into a family where there are such as these? In such a family thou mayest be as oil in water unmixed, put never so much water amongst oil, the oil will be above it, swimming upon the top, Psal. 26.9. Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men; if you would not be gathered with them in the day of judgment, do not you gather to them now in communion in Ordinances, nor in intimate society. The Lacedemonians would not suffer a stranger to be with them above three days; and shall we associate ourselves with such ar are strangers to God? God had made a great difference betwixt Istael and other people, they were a people separated from all the people of the earth, Exod. 33.16. in the Original it is marvailously separated, or set apart for God, they were a people whom God did own in a more peculiar manner, and his eye was upon them for good, therefore it did not become them to mix with other people.

We read this expression and make little of it, but there is very much concerning us in it; mark well the expression, the repetition of the word Ephraim; Ephraim is a cake not turned, the Prophet here speaks in a condoling way and manner, Oh Ephraim, what my deer son and do thus. Ephraim was a cake not turned in these four respects.

In their plots and counsels, they did not turn their designs [ 1] and proceedings up and down, they thought of one way of false worship, but not of another, to wit, the time which might have carried on their plots, they did not weigh circumstances this way and that way.

[ 2] A cake not turned, or baked; that is, you could not tell what to make of him he was so indifferent, that it mattered not much to him whether God were God, or Baal. 1 Kings, 18.21. How many men are of this garb among us, both in their opinions and practices?

[ 3] As a cake not turned; in regard of their perverseness: although heavy afflictions were upon them that they lay as it were burning upon the coals, and took no means for their help and cure, they cried out and lay howling upon their beds, yet they turned not to the Lord, they could not devise a way to escape, they were good for nothing, as a cake not baked; like those in Jer. 3.5. Will he reserve his anger forever? will he keep it to the end? Behold thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest: Just thus it is with souls in their spiritual estates, in terrors of conscience and sorrow for sin, they lie pining away in their iniquities, and take no course to deliver and help themselves: when thou art in this condition thou shouldest be acting upon God, and looking after him, thou shouldest not lie scorching and burning upon the coals of thy transgressions, but should make out after the mercy of God in Jesus Christ.

[ 4] Luther and Vatablus make the sense of the words to note the greediness of Ephraim's adversaries, they were like a man pinched with hunger, and coming to food fall upon it presently, and eat the cake presently, and will not stay till it be baked; thus Ephraim's adversaries fell upon him; but this I conceive not to be the meaning of the words, but the second and the third. It follows.

STrangers have devoured his strength] By strength we must understand, Ephraim's rich and warlike power; and here we may see the poor shifts and strength of carnal hearts; the Almighty is the strength of the Saints, such a strength is God that all the Devils in hell nor men on earth cannot take away from them; strangers devoured the strength of Ephraim, wicked men such as were not in covenant with God, may rob the Saints of their outward supports and comforts, a good cause may miscarry when those which are the mannagers of it are rested upon, and too much confidence is placed in them, we see how just it is with God to cross and turn the designs of men against themselves when they forsake God, and this is a great curse to men, when wicked men are suffered to take away what we have and do enjoy in our estates and liberties; and metaphorically this may be applied to our spiritual strength, we should take special care that strong lusts do not devour our strength for God; and this is the reason of our flatness in duties; you many times complain of deadness in prayer; examine whether there be not some secret lust which takes away your strength: And is it a misery for strangers to devour the strength of our bodies and estates? much more of our spirits. It follows.

The Note from hence is this, That the hearts of wicked men do so strongly work after their lusts, that although they meet with never so many difficulties in their way, yet they know them not. But in good they know every little difficulty they meet withal, and have repenting thoughts in them that ever they were so engaged in a good Cause; but in their own ways, the ways of their lusts they are not troublesome to them. It follows.

That is, Such miseries as make them gray, there were at [ 1] this time many troubles upon the ten Tribes, often afflicted by the Assyrians plundering and spoiling of them: and it is no strange thing to see men gray with very grief and sorrow. Scaliger tells us, of a young man who through the extreme trouble of his spirit, was turned all gray in one one night. How much more should our spirits be affected with the miseries of our times.

[ 2] Gray hairs] That is, their miseries were so long upon them, that made them gray, they were lasting sorrows, they were old in sin, and God made them old in miseries and punishments for their sins. Thus Germany hath been gray-headed for many years together, in respect of the length of their miseries.

[ 3] Gray hairs: that is, They have been a long time and might have gained more knowledge of me, and got large experiences of the goodness of my ways, yet they know me not, nor my ways; the whiter men's heads are, the blacker are their sins many times; 'tis a most dreadful sight to see a white head and an old sinner. I have read of one Eleazar, which would not do anything which might seem to be evil, because he would not spot his white head. Gray hairs should be a strong argument to move men to walk blamelessly in their lives.

[ 4] Gray hairs: that is, They had many symtoms of their ruin and destruction upon them: As gray hairs show that men's ends are near, men that are gray, and would not be thought to be old, will pluck out their white hairs: but if there be gray hairs upon us, let us know, they are admonitions to us, and warnings of our ruin: Heb. 8. ult. There are many symtoms of a kingdoms gray hairs; I shall instance in some of them: As,

1. Oppression in Courts of Justice, is a gray hair.

2. Idolatry and superstition in God's Worship and Ordinances.

3. The secret curse of God upon men and their estates.

4. The taking away of the valiant and righteous men out of the kingdom, is a sad gray hair in that kingdom. Such a kingdom where these gray hairs are is in a dying condition, and happy were it for us if these gray hairs were not to be found amongst us; we have lain a long time at the graves mouth, and yet many gray hairs do continue still, and what God will do with us we know not; how covetous and self-seeking are men in these days, notwithstanding God's wrath burns so hot, threatening an utter desolation of all? Had we not need therefore to prepare for a dying kingdom. It follows.

Doth not this speak our condition likewise? Gray hairs are here and there and we know it not; how have the Mini-nisters of God forewarned us a long time since of these times? but we would not regard them, both they and their message was slighted: this people was so stupefied they knew not who it was that smote them, nor for what it was they were smitten.

IN the fifth Chapter we opened the same words with these, only the scope of the place is different; they would not take notice of God's hands, but braved it out in a proud way, and would not learn his meaning in the rod. Let us learn the contrary humility, to accept of the punishment of our iniquities, submitting, and acknowledging that our father hath smitten us and spit in our face, (and yet they return not to me) Whence observe:

God expects we should turn upon afflictions. Job, 33.16. Sealed [Obs. 1] their instruction. Chap. 36.10. Commands that they return, repentance forced by afflictions.

Afflictions, if not sanctified, will never turn the heart. [Obs. 2]

It is a great aggravation of men's sins, not to turn under afflictions. [Obs. 3]

Though when afflictions work repentance, yet repentance is seldom [Obs. 4] true, it will not oft times hold out the trying; yet people should try and see what it will do: repentance coming from afflictions hath a promise: Levite. 26.14. If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, if then even when my hand is upon them, they accept of the punishment of their iniquities: then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob, and I will remember the Land.

True repentance is rather a seeking of God's face, than our [Obs. 5] own ease from afflictions.

THE word translated silly signifies, easily seduced, persuaded to anything; we use to say, that children and fools are easily persuaded to anything; men that are hardly persuaded to believe in God, and what God saith? yet are easily persuaded to believe errors, these are silly Doves: yet they thought themselves very wise, in going to Egypt, but they have done very sillily, 2 King. 17.4. the leaving of God's ways and following our own is very silly: how many when it hath been too late have cried out of this their folly? From whence this Note may be observed.

That although men by others may be misled and seduced, yet are they not excused; this will not excuse them before God at the great day to say others did thus, and I followed them, thinking them to be in the right.

Without heart.] That is, without understanding, Prov. 6.32. But who so committeth adultery with a woman, lacketh understanding, Prov. 10.21. The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for want of understanding, or for lack of wisdom. Now of all creatures the Dove is the most silly: as appears.

[ 1] The Dove defends not her young ones as other creatures do, the Hen and other flying creatures will preserve their young ones, but the silly Dove lets them go quietly; so was Ephraim, in this respect like unto the Dove, they were destroyed and made a prey on by others, yet they never laid it to heart. The Lord in mercy look upon us, Is not this our case? we suffer our brethren to be destroyed and made a prey of, and never lay it to heart, because we for the present are quiet.

[ 2] The Dove will keep her nest all • hough you take away her nest. Yea Pliny reports of some Doves which will fly many miles to their lockers. Even in this is Ephraim like unto a silly Dove also, where he was • any years ago there he is still. And so it is with many men, they know and are convinced that such company hath done them mischief, which they have frequented, and yet they cannot leave them, here is a silly Dove, without understanding indeed.

Doves though they be swift in their flying, yet dull in preventing [ 3] of danger, it is easily caught with the net; so was Ephraim easily ensnared by his enemies at their pleasures and preyed upon by them.

The Dove is delighted in the beauty of her feathers, and [ 4] prides herself in the clapping of her wings, and cutting of the air as it were; Ephraim was priding herself in her ornaments, and fine excellent outside; we are very ready and prone to imitate the creatures in that which is evil, but not in that which is good; there are some good properties in the Dove which they would not follow, as in their innocence and simplicity, their unity and chastity, meekness, without gall, cleanliness and purity, it loves clear water, loves no carcass to feed on &c. Prudentia obs{que} bonitate malitia est, & simplicitas obs{que} ration stultitia est. From whence we may note, that godliness does not bear men out in ways of folly, when men will not go from the rule, but stick unto that to be guided in all cases of their lives, this is godly simplicity; it is matter of wonder to see how subtle men are to damn themselves, and it is, and should be the care of the Saints to be wise to save their souls, it is a scandal which is raised upon the Gospel, that it makes men fools. Those are only wise men who are truly godly, then men begin to be wise, when they begin to be godly; our simplicity may aggravate our misery, but it can never bear us out in it, nor excuse it; true godliness will undermine all sinful simplicity, therefore take heed of putting that upon the Spirit of God which is nothing but the simplicity of our own hearts, Therefore be ye, wise as Serpents, but innocent as Doves.

IN the former verses, the Lord by the Prophet charges Israel for their silliness as the Doves but as silly as they were they thought to provide for themselves well enough, by their going to Egypt; but it being out of God's way, it proved but silliness, for God was resolved to meet with them: when they go, I will spread my net over them, my providence shall so begirt and straighten them, that although they may seem to escape, yet they shall be ensnared. This place hath reference unto that story in 2 Kings, 17.4. the Assyrian was G • ds net to take them in, the emphasis of the word lies here.

My net; in the pronoun my. Men by their cunning and policy may bring men into great trouble and straights, but when God sets himself by his Attributes of wisdom, power, and justice to bring a people down to ruin, they shall be taken, they shall not escape. The Notes are:

[Obs. 1] Those which go out of God's way, it is just with God they should be ensnared. Job, 18.7. The steps of his strength shall be straightened, and his own counsel shall bring him down. Job, 22.10. Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee. How many men from experience can speak the truth of this? who going out of God's ways have met with snares? and it is God's curse upon the wicked, that their table shall become a snare to them, and God threatens it in Isa. 8.14. that he would be for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And therefore when we are in straights, it is good to think thus, Where am I? what am I a doing? am I in my way or no? have I not followed my own counsel and left God's? If we have, mark what God saith, I will bring you down as the fouls of Heaven: you think to escape by flying, no stay a while, when you think you are the most secure, then I will meet with you.

God may for a time let wicked men prosper in their ways, insomuch [Obs. 2] that they may think all danger is past with them; but when they are so high, then is God's time to pul them down, when they are at the highest God can reach them; yea even then it is God's delight to pul them down; a famous text we have for this purpose in 2 Sam. 22.28. But thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down. Thine eyes are upon them: That is, as a fowler sets his eyes upon a bird, which he would take in his snare or net, that sits on high; the proud and haughty spirits fly on high and think themselves very secure, and bless themselves in their way, but God's eyes are upon them, waiting for a fit time to pull them down. It was the answer of a Philosopher being asked what Jupiter did in the highest heaven; saith he, he pulls down the haughty, and exalts the humble. Obadia the 3, 4. verses, The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the Eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down saith the Lord. This is also true in that proud King of Babylon in Isa. 24.21. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones, which art on high, and the Kings of the earth upon the earth. This cannot be understood of the Devil, but of the King of Babylon, whom God threatens to pull down. It follows.

The word translated, I will chastise, signifies both, to bind, to chastise, and instruct.

First, I will bind them: sinners shall be bound with the cords of their lusts.

Secondly, I will chastise and instruct them; noting that chastisements should be with instructions: I will chastise them.

As they have heard] Moses and the Prophets have instructed them, but they disregarded them, but I will make it good what they said of them.

[Obs. 3] Sinners had need to regard what they hear out of the Word of God in the Congregation, for it will take hold on them some way or other, Zecharia, 1.6. But my Words, and my Statutes, which I commanded my servants the Prophets, Did they not take hold of your fathers, [Use] or overtake them? Oh thou impenitent sinner! take heed how thou goest on in thy wicked ways, for know, that all the power in God is engaged to make good his Word against thee. Therefore when Christ sends forth his Disciples to preach the Gospel, he engageth all his power to make good what they in his Name and according to his mind deliver, Mat. 28.18, 19, 20. All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth: Go ye therefore and teach all Nations; and lo I am with you always to the end of the world. Oh how should we from this consideration, be stirred up to hear the word with trembling!

[Obs. 4] When judgments come upon impenitent sinners, it is a humbling consideration unto them, to consider, that that word which they heard in the Congregation was true? How do multitudes on their sick beds prove this to be true? Now God makes them believe the truth of that word which before they had slight thoughts of; it is wonderful to consider how God brings Sermons into the minds of such upon their sick beds which they had forgotten before, it is the office of the Spirit of God to bring the Word into the minds of the Saints though by them it be forgotten, John 14.26. But the Comforter, which is the holy Ghost, whom the Father will send, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things into your remembrance, whatsoever I have taught you: But it is another manner of course that God useth to bring the word into wicked men's minds, even by his strokes, and that not for their comfort, but for their horror and destruction. It follows.

WO in Scripture sometimes signifies pity, and misery; here it is to be understood of misery, destruction to them.

They forsake me] The word here interpreted, forsake, signifies to wander; it is a woeful thing to depart from God, much more to wander from God: Woe be to you, when I depart from you, but if you depart from me, what will you do? In wandering from God, thou wanderest from the only Infinite good, and then, where wilt thou rest the sole of thy foot? what shall comfort thee in the time of thy distress? It is evil to wander from God, but much more to make hast from God. It is the Devils plot and custom, to hurry backsliding sinners from God, that they should not consider what they do, and whither they are going, he posteth them on in their evil ways as a bird to the snare, and knoweth it not that it is for his life, Prov. 7.23. Oh how much more should the Saints be put on for God? not to be kept off with impediments, but let our souls with David's, in Psal. 63.8. follow hard after God; and Psal. 119.63. I made hast and delayed not, to keep thy righteous judgments. It follows.

This is the end always of such as depart from God: and happy were it if thou couldst see it beforehand. Oh how many when they have come to see the end of their ways upon their death beds, have given a most dreadful shriek as seeing themselves past recovery.

They have not only sinned against me, but have broken covenant also, they have now dealt perfideously with the Lord. Before God said He would chastise them: but now He would destroy them, make an end of them: Utter ruin is the portion of those that break Covenant with me.

Some read it in the future: Though I would, and was ready to do it, yet they say that the way of worship I prescribed is not so successful, and no such blessing follows it; they say my Prophets threaten nothing but judgment and utter desolation: now saith God, All these are lies, it is no such matter, I was ready to do them good. But the future is often used for the pretertense in the Hebrew, and so here: the sense is, I have not only redeemed them out of Egypt, but very often since out of the hands of their enemies. And the story which this Scripture refers unto, is, in 2 Kings. 14.27. the Lord wonderfully prospered them in their wars, and the Lord said not, that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven? but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. It follows.

That is, They attributed their redemption unto those helps which they had, or to their Idols, saying in this manner: Other people that served not God were delivered as well as we, we see not so much of God's hand in our deliverance as you speak of. Or else, They fathered their errors upon me because I delivered. Now saith God, in this you lie against me: They made false interpretations of God's mercies; As that God was no such enemy to this way of worship, because he had redeemed them. The Notes are:

God's reedeeming mercies, are great aggravations of our sin. When [Obs. 1] God delivers, and we attribute it to anything in us, o • that we have done, is mighty provoking to God, because it takes away his glory in delivering.

When God delivers a people or person from danger, and they now [Obs. 2,] think to sin by this means more freely against him, is a lying against God. As they, in Jer. 7.10. said they were delivered for to do all these abominations. Or as that wicked King, being delivered in a storm, said it was to this end, That he might root out all the Lutherans. So, are there not many so vile who being delivered in a sickness, or from any great danger, think it is, that they might sin more freely: which is a most hurrible wickedness, and lying against the Lord.

For any man to urge any false doctrine or opinion upon another, is [Obs. 3] a lying against God. Therefore take heed how you bring Scriptures to prove any error which you hold, or is maintained by any, for God will look upon it but as a lying against him. It is a dangerous thing to counterfeit the Kings Stamp; and is it not much more to counterfeit the Truths of God, by errors seemingly maintained by Scripture?

But to apply this spiritually: [Use.] Many whom God hath redeemed from sin, hell, and wrath to come, the hazard of their miscarrying being over, yet dare not, will not say, that God hath shown mercy unto them, they are still complaining, Oh they are still in their sins, there is no work of God's Spirit upon them; or if they will grant there is some change, God hath done something upon me, that's true, but it is only to aggravate my condemnation, it is not in truth, God will leave me at the last, all this is but in hypocrisy, I may perish at last for ought I know. Now take heed of this kind of speaking, beware what you say in this case, lest you be found liars against God, speaking lies against the Truth of God in your hearts. Luther upon these words takes much notice of God's speaking so in his own person: They have departed from Me, they have transgressed against Me, done wickedly against Me, speak lies against me, call not upon Me &c. Here note,

That the great evil of sin lies in this, That it is against God. This [Obs. 1] consideration laid David very low, Against thee only have I sinned. And this is that which humbles a gracious heart, that it should sin so unkindly against God.

[Obs. 2] The more a man's sins are directly against God, the greater is the sin. For now God suffers more immediately in his glory, and this puts the aggravation upon the sin.

AND they have not cried unto me] The Seventy have it thus: Their hearts have not cried to me. Where we may see, that it is not enough to cry with with the mouth, except the heart cry as well as the mouth. We read of Moses, who though he spake not a word that is expressed in the text, yet it is said, he prayed: It is the working of the heart that is the heart of prayer. Therefore when Elijah prayed, 'tis said, he prayed in praying, Jam. 5.17. And by this we see the great difference there is in praying; Heart-prayer pleaseth God. A work-man which wants words to express himself, yet may be able to perform his business very well in God's account; so he that is able to express himself in fine language, eloquent sentences, and multitudes of words, may yet not pray at all: therefore when you pray look that your hearts go along with the duty, otherwise, your cries will be but as their prayers here in the text, which are called howlings, and that in these four respects.

[ 1] In regard of the hideousness of their crying unto God, as the Heathens used to their Idols, and so the Hebrew seems to carry it, and to express something remarkable, setting a letter more than ordinary to this word howling. And thus the Heathen Indians at this day howl to their gods. And in this manner were the cries of Israel looked at but as howlings.

[ 2] They were howlings in regard of their distempered and unquiet spirits; they were in their spirits very turbulent and unquiet in their lives, and froward in their carriage in prayer. Even thus it is with many in trouble of conscience, they are very boisterous and make troublesome noises, the shallowest waters makes the greatest noise, but the deepest rivers run the stillest; so those that have the deepest sense of sin, and are kindly troubled for it, are quiet, still and submissive under God's hand, and certainly such a boisterousness of spirit under the sense of sin, is not from the Spirit, although there may be some legal terrors, but when God hath subdued the heart to himself, the heart will seek earnestly for mercy, and yet in a quiet humble way.

They howled upon their beds in regard of their pain. [ 3] The brute beasts in their pain and trouble will cry out and roar: even thus did these men here, the extremity of the misery they were in forced howling from them. There are no men cry more out of judgments when they are executed, than those that were least sensible of them when they were threatened. Carnal hearts cry out altogether of the misery of the times, the judgment it is that troubles them, more than the sin the procurer of them. See this between Pharaoh and David, Saul and David: Saul cries, he cries to Samuel, saying, I have sinned, and done foolishly, yet honor me I pray thee, before the people. David he confesseth his sin and accepts of the punishment of his iniquity, Lord, 'tis I that have sinned, as for these sheep, what have they done? Pharaoh he cries to Moses that he would pray to God to deliver him from the plagues that were upon him. David he cries to God, Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant. If iniquity be done away, judgment will soon be removed, sin being the cause of all misery.

Howling; to note, that God regarded their cries no more [ 4] than the howlings of beasts: Amos, 8.3. The songs of the Temple shall be howlings in that day: as the prayers, so the sacrifices of such, how pleasing they are to God we find, Isa. 66.3. they are but as the cutting off a dogs neck; and their cries were but as the cries of that dog whose neck was cut off: They in their pride were wont to speak contemptibly of God, his ways, and servants, contemning them, and God, he contemns and scorns them, their prayers, and their sacrifices; therefore that in Prov. 1.26. is verified here, He will laugh at their destruction, and mock when their fear cometh. Oh how vile are wicked men in God eyes, when they are in trouble and misery. None so vile but we pity them, and relieve them; but for the infinite, merciful, pitiful God, who is full of goodness and hath bowels of tender love and compassion, for him to have them in derision and to jeer (as we may so speak) the cries of his creature, Oh the consideration of this is most sad; Oh vile is the sin which makes man thus odious.

And here we see what little use there is of wicked men's spirits, they are of no use, there is for them in the places where they live nothing that they can do, thou canst easily sin and bring down judgments by thy sins, but when they are come upon thee what wilt thou do? perhaps thou wilt pray and cry to God, God he abhors thy prayers, thy cries are abomination unto him; it is the Saints prayers that are so acceptable unto him, the prayer of the upright is his delight, Prov. 15.8. the least sigh, which come • from a godly heart is such a strong cry that it fills heaven and earth; so that (as I may speak with reverence) God can hear nothing else but that, because he both prepares their hearts to pray, and prepares his ear to hear; therefore we find in Scripture such expressions as these: Psal. 10.17. and Nehem. 1.7. the good man prays that God's ear would be attentive, and his eyes open that he might hear the prayers of his servant. Psal. 86.1. Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear, and help me for I am poor. 1 Pet. 3.12. His ears are open to their prayers. And Psal. 86.6. God gives his ear to their prayers and attends to the voice of their supplication; what doth all this hold forth unto us but this? that the prayers of Saints are very delightful to him, they are pleasant music in his ears, were there no other difference between the godly and the wicked than in their prayers, it were sufficient to make men out of love with the ways of sin, and join with the Saints in the ways of holiness, the Saints they send up sweet breathings, and God takes pleasure in them: the wicked they howl and cry out, and God rejects them.

Men in their prosperity go up and down uncontrowled in their wicked ways, but when God confines them to their chambers annd their sick beds, then they howl. It follows.

The old Latin: Ruminabant, not Comedebant, like beasts they feed: the Hebrew word that hath such a signification, differrs not much from that which signifies to assemble, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 congregare 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 setare, rumniare. The Seventy 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 they cut themselves as Baals Priests: But rather it signifies to assemble. They flock together, that they might get corn and wine, so they had it, they did not care what became of God and his Ordinances. 2. Assemble to feed themselves with the wheat, so they might be pampered, they looked at nothing else. 3. Or more probably, were assembled at their Temples to cry for wheat. The Notes are these.

That the vilest men in times of common calamity and public miseries [Obs. 1] will assemble themselves to pray to God. Now certainly, if they will pray to have trouble taken away, when upon them, 'tis our duty to pray to prevent danger a coming.

When ever Hypocrites assemble together, it is for themselves, not for [Obs. 2] God: for corn and wine, and outward mercies. Were it not that they wanted some outward good, God should seldom or never hear from them.

Hypocrites in their seeking of God seek him more for sensual things [Obs. 3] than for others. We assemble together in our fasts to seek God, but what is it for? if only or principally for outward things, it is but carnal and not spiritual seeking. It follows.

And they rebel against me. Prae frumento, when they are fed like unto the Ox when it is fed fat it kicks against tht Master. Or 2. they rebel after they have assembled themselves, when once the duty is over, they go to their old courses again, and undo all their prayers: as Jer. 5.3. Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. We should from hence learn, That duties should mightily engage us against sin. Hast thou in prayer, either confessed sin, or asked mercy of God to pardon thy sins? Know, there lies a great engagement upon our hearts now to be humbled for our sins, and to walk according to our prayers: Dost thou in prayer beg power against thy sins? and in thy life dost thou rebel against God? Are there not many who will be long in prayer, and very earnest, and judge themselves for their sins, yea and in words justify God if he should forever condemn them for their sins, and yet afterwards rebel anew against God? Oh! may it not be said, What is this the man that even now was in Heaven in prayer, and is now as it were in Hell in his conversation? Me thinks the very next time thou goest to pray to God, thy mouth should be stopped and not able to speak unto God: as we read Origins was, when he had apostatized, and coming to preach again, and reading that text in Psal. 50. What hast thou to do to take my Word into thy mouth, and hatest to be reformed? his mouth was presently stopped, and he was not able to speak a word more. So thou prayest to God, and after thou hast prayed, thou goest and sinnest freely again, Oh thou wretch, tremble at this, go and humble thy soul before God for thy sins, and tremble at coming into God's presence in this kind. I put this delemma to you; Either you pray against your sins, or you do not; if not, Oh consider how thou art departed from God; if thou dost pray against them, then how darest thou live in those sins which thou hast prayed against? Tertullian hath an excellent speech to this purpose: he saith, That prayer must always be with remembrance of God's precepts, lest we are as far from God's ear, as his precepts are from our hearts. It follows.

That is, When their own turns are served, and their own ends satisfied, then they rebel against me, as if now they had no more need of God, nor never should want help from him; Oh how many are there who upon their sick beds cry out to God, that he would spare their sins, and show them mercy, making large promises to God what they would do? God hath taken them at their words, and hath raised them up again and restored them to strength. And what have they done? nothing but rebelled against him more than formerly, and are like the wild asse that snuffeth up the wind.

GOD in this verse compares himself to a skillful Surgeon, who binds up broken arms and wounds; so God had often bound up their arms when broken by the enemies. 2 King. 14. there we find God bound up their broken arms; [Obs. 1]

2 It is a great aggravation of a man's sin, to be sinful after great [Obs. 2] mercies. God finds us as Surgeons do their patients, all out of joint, and crying out of their pains, Oh that I had ease! I would give my estate, that I might be cured; and when the Surgeon hath used his skill, and hath cured you of your pain, and hath given you some ease, if now you should stand hagling with him for a shilling matter, Would it not be an unworthy act? and would not the man think his time and skill ill bestowed? Oh how many people are there who deal thus with God? haggle and shuffle it with God in their distress: Oh if God will diliver them, what promises do they make? but when they have peace and quiet forget again.

It were an argument of an excellent spirit indeed, if when after our [Obs. 3] strength is restored and any mercy anew given into us, we wauld study how we might glorify God with the same. Have our arms been broken, & hath God bound them up for us? O let us now use them for God. But this people were far from this disposition, they imagined evil against God: As if a patient which is cured of some desperate wound, or disease, should seek to stab his Surgeon or Physician.

The word signifies, all kinds of evil, and to imagine mischief is in some regard worse than to practice it; it was not a weakness or sin of infirmity in the •• for it was an imagined mischief, it was a most vile provoking sin, for it did aim at the mischieving of God Himself: they who live in sin, live as if they were born for nothing but to do mischief to God.

[Quest.] What was this mischief they imagined against God?

[Answ.] Why thus, When the arm was broken, they were more remiss in urging and pressing their false worship; as if God should say, Now they are low and in trouble they want opportunities, and have not that power to set up and press forwards their designs, against my true worship, and servants, but now that their arms are bound up, and they have a little more ease and liberty, now they set their wits on work to invent mischief against my people, and worship, and it may be this is the cause why the Lord keeps our arms still broken that we might learn to submit, for when at any time God hath begun to bind up our arms, how have many improved all opportunities to set up themselves and their ways.

THEY return] They make shows, yea something they do. This verse hath reference to the story of Jehu who did very much; there were very great beginnings in his time to cast out Idolatry, but neither he, nor the people did come up to the full height that God required of them, but they would have some mixtures of their own. And thus it is in many people's reformation, they are very hot at it in the beginning; and even among us, how high did the hearts of people rise? but what a damp is there since that time? though blessed be God great things are don among us. But saith God, that is not yet done amongst them which I would have done, it is true, they honor me indeed, but it is as the Nations round about them honor their God's, they do not honor me as the Infinite Eternal First being of all things; I am not worshiped by them as the Infinite, High, Eternal God; people should so labor to reform themselves that they may hold forth the honor of God as he is Infinite, Glorious, Eternal, and having all power in his hands. The Notes of Observation from the words are these.

That God is the most high God, the supreme Majesty of Heaven [Obs. 1] and earth: he is so high that he humbles himself to behold things done in Heaven, 'tis a stooping in him that he takes notice of things in Heaven, surely then much more for things done on the earth: surely then he is a high God, and when ever we come before him in prayer we should come before him as unto such a God who is so glorious and high above all things betwixt whom and us there is an infinite distance.

A true repenting sinner should have the sight of this high God always [Obs. 2] in his eye; and great would be the efficacy of such a sight as this is upon the spirit, it would be very profitable for the soul. For,

This would make the soul to be very serious with God, not [ 1] daring to dally with him who is infinitely above it.

It would make the soul abhor itself in dust and ashes, Job, [ 2] 42.5. there is nothing humbles the soul more than this sight of God's Majesty.

It shows unto the soul the infinite evil which there is in sin [ 3] in that I should do nothing but cast dirt in the face of God.

That there is no standing out against this high God, that [ 4] I must crouch before him, for he will have the better of me.

That he is infinitely worthy of all that I am or have, and [ 5] all that I can do, and this very thing would answer all temptations against God.

[ 6] This fight of God would inform us that it is not every sorrow and slight mourning for sin which will serve the turn, but it must be such a sorrow as is becoming such a God.

[ 7] In this sight of God I behold that which hath power in it to raise my soul above all things here below, self, the world, and all creature comforts, all things must be looked upon as under our feet, else we cannot close with God.

[ 8] I see by this sight, enough in God to make me blessed, and that I may bless myself in him, in the loss of all the world; and that there is enough in him to make me amends for all the troubles I have met withal for him. These are the thoughts of a true penitent heart concerning God. Now the soul can say, the Lord is God, and there is no such God as the Lord, and by this you may put your repentance to the trial, whether it be of the right kind or no, by your thoughts of God. Have you sorrowed for sin, as before such a glorious high God as the Lord is, that those that see • ur humiliations may see glory and honor and praise written upon them to the Lord? The want of this, these people were charged for here: and this hath been our case many times, the Lord help our reformers to carry on the work of reformation begun, as before the high God. If we lose this opportunity, we lose such an opportunity as yet was scarce ever granted to any Nation upon the face of the earth. Now wicked proud men may lift themselves high in the world, and be thought to be somebody for it, but it is the low, broken, penitent soul which it the high man, because he returns to the high God. But secondly, They return, but it is not to the yoke, as some render the words, They will not come under obedience to God's commands, for there is but a little difference (namely in the pricks) between 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 jugum and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 alitissi, and if we understand the word thus, then it notes, that they promised much, and made many fair shows of doing much, but they would not come under the yoke; they will still be sons of Belial, without yoke. So many people, upon exhortation and entreaties will promise fair, they will return, and they will do much, but when it comes to see the yooke, Oh they flinch back and hold off, Oh it is too hard for them. It follows.

Thus did their progenitors they trode in the same steps, Psal. 78.57. They kept not his testimony, but turned back and dealt deceitfully as did their fathers, that were turned aside like a deceitful bow. Now a bow is deceitful two ways.

When it cause • the arrow to turn from them it was levelled [ 1] to hit, and recoils upon him that shoots it. These people were God's bow, Zachariah, 9.13. saith God, I have bent Israel as my bow to shoot at evil doers. How vile and wicked are those men, into whose hands God hath committed power to execute justice and judgment against evil doers, and they shall turn all their power against the Saints and those that do well.

A bow is deceitful when it carries the arrow the wrong [ 2] way though the Archer see the mark, and aim at it, yet it carries quite contrary. Just thus did these people, many of them had good aims and intentions, and purposes, but yet they carried the matter quite contrary; these words refer unto Jehu's time, he was a notorious deceitful bow; Come, see my zeal for the Lord, yet an hypocrite. Oh let us look to our hearts, there may be secret warpings in our hearts which may cause us to miscarry forever, if we take not heed; many who have good intentions, good purposes, aims and desires, and yet have some secret warping which they know not of, which may make them miscarry to all eternity. A man may with a deceitful bow aim at a beast, and yet kill a man; so many may think they strike at sin, and yet with that very goad may at the same time wound the Saints. It follows.

These were they who had the chief hand in the setting up of false worship, and in oppressing those that would not join with them: now God would reach these great ones. In times of battle Princes stand by secured at a distance, they have their Life guards, they put on others and think to be safe themselves, they will bring others into straights, and miseries and care not though thousands of them be slain at a fight, they shall do well enough, but saith God, they shall not so escape in battle, Their Princes shall fall by the sword, it shall not distinguish them from others.

They raged against God, his People, and Ordinances, and thought themselves too big to be contradicted; we may note here,

That when men grow very wicked they grow outrageous, like mad men, there is no ruling of them, there is such a world of wickedness in them they take a liberty to say what they please; we find many strong expressions about the tongue in Scripture.

As Job, 5.21. it is called a scourge; therefore the Saints are promised to be delivered from it.

2. Psal. 57.4. it is called a sharp sword. Prov. 12.18. there is that speaketh like the piercing of a sword, Prov. 25.18. a man that beareth false witness against his neighbor, is a Mole, and a Sword, and a sharp Arrow.

3. It is compared to fire, yea unto the fire of hell, James, 3.7, 8. To the coals of Juniper, Psal. 120.4. which are quickly kindled, but abide long; all these expressions with others we find about the tongue of the wicked. But now see what is said of the tongues of the Saints, Cant. 4.11. Thy lips Oh my Spouse, drop as the honey comb, honey and milk are under thy tongue. And Prov. 10.20. The tongue of the just is as choice silver: The heart of the wicked is little worth.

4. An outrageous tongue is such a poison as poisons itself, which no other poison doth, other poisons hurt no further than they are applied, they cannot poison at a distance, but this is such a strange working thing, that it will both hurt and so destroy men that they shall never recover themselves, and this it will do at a distance, and come not near, these men have such dispositions, that they will let none pass without a lash of their tongue. Now the Lord he will not let these go in this manner, he will scorn the scorners; when these men are in their rage none are spared, Magistrates, Misiers, Parents, Ordinances, no nor God Himself; But Christ will convince them of their hard words. Consider how in your families, or in some companies you have been guilty of the rage of the tongue in these kinds. It follows in the last words.

When they come to Egypt they think to find them their friends, that they will help them and stick unto them; no saith God, instead of helping them, they shall scorn them. One part of the rage of their tongue was in speaking basely of the worship of God, and of his people; and now the Egyptians shall speak basely to them; Why do you come to us for help? where is your God become, that you so boasted of? Therefore just is it with God, that those which forsake him and his help, and go to men for succor, that they by them should be made a scorn: O it is a most grievous judgment for God's people to be made a scorn by such, the Egyptians! And it should be our care and duty not to put our brethren into such straights, that the poor Saints of God should be forced to go to the wicked for help least, they should reproach them, saying, Why do you come to us? What, cannot your holy brethren relieve you? do you expect help from us? But in special this is their derision in the land of Egypt, the rage of their tongue, their fallings out one with another, they could not agree but wrangled and jangled among themselves, when the Egyptians shall see this, they shall deride them, and look upon them as the greatest objects of scorn that possibly can be.

The Lord deliver us from this judgment; when was there such divisions amongst us as at this day? Oh the rage of the tongue which abounds in every place! the Devil himself hath a chief stroke in this rage, and he laughs to see it prosper and increase as well as our adversaries, who laugh in their sleeves at us both; and what should move us more to agree one with another than this; The consideration of that woeful scorn and derision we should be to them if God should deliver us up into their hands. Now as this their rage was a symtom to them of their ruin, so the Lord grant that we

• Prophet in time of destress Page 87

All
• All pretend to seek God Page 408

Ambition
• The ambition of Priests Page 103

Anathema Maranatha
• Anathema Maranatha what it means Page 903

Apes
• An Apes tooth worshiped for a god Page 200

Apostates
• The hearts of Apostates are rooted in wickedness Page 357
• Apostates seldom turn Page 384

Apostasy
• What the beginning of Apostasy is Page 425

Art
• What the art of Preaching is, and wherein it consists Page 440

Avenged
• God will be avenged for breach of trust Page 29

Agravation
• Agravation of England's wickedness Page 642

Application
• Application to the Parliament Page 580
• Application to England in general ibid
• Application to private men ib.

Assemblies
• Church assemblies are not always safe Page 608

Arguments
• Arguments that mercy is coming Page 547
• Arguments of a carnal heart. Page 550

B

Baseness
• The baseness of people described, and whereon it consists Page 367

Beasts
• When the beasts are taken away our comforts are gone Page 65

Beda
• Beda his opinion of Austin the Monk Page 395

Best
• Best men not to be depended on Page 485

Beware
• Men ought to beware of secret sins Page 483

Blood
• Blood requires blood Page 48

Bribery
• Bribery in Magistrates is a curse of God upon a Nation Page 221

Beginnings
• It is grievous to God for men to let fall good beginnings, and the reasons why Page 582
  • see Dangerous

Body
• God is careful of the body Page 607

Bound
• God is not bound to do for man Page 571

C

Carnal men
• Carnal men shall be ashamed and why? Page 331

Carnalists
• Carnalists portion is outward Page 434

Christ
• see Humble

Christ
• see Duty

Children
• Wicked children are a dishonor to their parents Page 197

Cause
• A good Cause may be lost by too much depending on it Page 388

Comfort
• see beasts

Commands
• Commands to superstition usually find obedience Page 473

Communion
• How communion is defiled by the presence of wicked men. Page 373

Creature
• The good or evil of the creature depends upon man Page 67

Contend
• God contends not without cause Page 21
• God contends not for little things Page 22

Condition
• The condition of the person offending aggravates the sin Page 118
• The poor condition of such as are rich only in this world Page 434

Conscience
• How pride of conscience may be discerned Page 395

Contempt
• Contempt of the word, a constant companion to Idolatry Page 363

Controversy
• Controversies between them that are near are grievous controversies Page 2
• The controversy of God's with sinners is very grievous Page 5
• God's controversy against England. Page 8
• God's controversy with Covenant-breakers is dreadful. Page 26

Covetousness
• The covetousness of Priests Page 93

Counsels
• Perplexed counsels are a fearful judgment to a Nation Page 170

Court,
• see Evil

Curiosity,
• see Superstition

Carnal,
• see Agreements

Carthaginians
• The Carthaginians Law concerning Magistrates Page 660

Christ
• Christ became miserable for our consolation Page 548
• Christ's speech of neglect of parents expounded Page 604

Choice,
• see Spirits

Clouds
• Clouds and dew passing, what it implies Page 576

Communicative,
• see Nature

Consolation
• Consolation to those whose friends have perished in God's Cause Page 589

Comfort,
• see God

Consideration
• What considerations move men best to turn to God Page 536

Correction,
• see Means

Court,
• see Idolatry

Church,
• see Assemblies

Courage
• Motives to courage Page 535

Covenant
• The Covenant which God hath made with man, is three-fold Page 622
• The portion of Covenant -breakers Page 686

Cut-down
• How to know when a man is cut down Page 595

D

Danger
• The danger of forsaking the truth Page 386
• The danger of depending upon duties Page 403

Dangerous
• It is dangerous to venture upon the beginnings of false worship Page 354
• It is dangerous to be deeply rooted in superstition Page 355

Defiled
• Defiled worship defiles the soul Page 372

Defiled,
• see Nation

Defilement
• A twofold defilement Page 371

Deny
• We should deny ourselves to promote the true worship of God. Page 357

Disappointment
• Disappointment brings shame. Page 326

Distinction
• There ought to be a distinction made between the children of wicked, and of godly Ministers Page 130

Disrespect
• Disrespect breeds shame Page 325

Divination
• How the Heathens were wont to divine by staves Page 134

Dogs
• Wicked men are dogs Page 73

Duty
• What the duty of Ministers is. Page 141
• What the duty of Christians is. Page 474

Dying
• What a dying and terrified conscience is Page 500

Danger
• Danger, see Night

Daies,
• see Festival, Difference

Dangerous
• It is dangerous to men to let good beginnings fall. Page 583
  • See Hypocrisy
• Daniel's case in prayer opened. Page 611

Deliverance
• All deliverance comes from heaven Page 566

Destruction
• see willfulness

Difference
• Difference between God's setting days apart, and man's setting days apart Page 661

Discovery
• see Morning

Duties
• see Natural

Drunkenness
• Drunkenness brings diseases Page 663

E

Education
• The custom of the Romans concerning the education of their children Page 421

Emperor
• Emperors called and accounted the Popes Dogs Page 117

England
• England admonished Page 86
• A warning for England Page 375
  • see Controversy

End
• The end of duties is to find out God Page 411

Evil
• The reason why there was so much evil at Court Page 115
  • See Punishment

Example
• The example of wicked parents is not to be followed by their children Page 429

Excellency
• The excellency of grace makes sin the worse Page 179

Experience
• Experience of our late Prelates Page 358

Emperor
• An Emperor may be kept from the Sacrament Page 577

England
• The men of England of perverse spirits Page 572
• England's superstition reproved Page 589
• England guilty of blood, by calling murder manslaughter Page 627
• England's wickedness Page 641

Evil
• see Slander

Excuses
• Men's excuses Page 570

Exhortation
• Exhortations to mercy Page 615

Experience
• The Saints experience Page 564

Expostulation,
• see Form

Expressions
• Scripture expressions against formality Page 621

F

False worship
• The evils false worship doth in a Nation Page 138

Families
• The families of wicked Ministers are many times forgotten Page 97

Failings
• God looks not at the particular failings of a State Page 382

Flower
• The glory of the world is but as a flower Page 64

Formal
• God delights not in formal professors Page 412

Framing
• Notes of framing ones heart to the will of God Page 381

Faith
• Faith makes God real in the saddest condition Page 542
• An eminent prop of faith Page 548
  • See Unworthiness and Repentance

False Prophets
• False Ptophets are not to be followed Page 588

False Worship
• False Worship is to be trembled at Page 633

Festival days
• Festival days are usually distempering days Page 664

Form
• A form of expostulation with ones soul Page 570

G

Gilgal
• Wherein Gilgal was famous. Page 183

Given
• A dreadful thing to be given over of God, and why Page 207

Glory
• see Flower

God
• God is a God of truth Page 23
• God is no respecter of person Page 118
• We should seriously mind what God doth Page 338
• God's pleading with man is not to be neglected Page 345
• How God rebukes men Page 363
• God will deal with men according to their present ways. Page 370
• God is not engaged to any Page 402
• God delights most in his second right Page 405
• God will not always be found Page 411
• God never smites a people before he warns them Page 452
• God is a moth and rottenness, and how Page 477
  • See Real, Controversy, Contend, Punish, Wrath, Holiness.

Good works
• The good works of the Saints shall return unto them Page 121

Governors
• Governors of families should be careful of their families Page 154
• The Governors of the people are usually the causes of the evils of the people Page 198
  • See Rulers

Grace,
• see Excellency

God
• God will have glory from men Page 516
• God's usual way of comforting his people Page 520
• God works by contraries Page 540
• God doth not willingly grieve men Page 669
  • See Heart, Keep, Leave, Penitent, Mercies, Bound

Governors,
• see Wicked

Great-men
• Great men are not easily reformed Page 577

Grounded
• We must be well grounded in the cause we suffer for Page 540

H

Hard
• Hard truths are hardly born Page 2
• The signs of an hard heart Page 515

Heathens
• Why the Heathens sacrificed undrr trees Page 149
• A notable speech of an Heathen. Page 552

Heart
• The secrets of man's heart are known to God Page 367
• The heart of man is knotty Page 593
  • See Framing, Argument, Hard, Note

Herod
• Herod's mercy in time of famine Page 30

Holiness
• God putteth a stamp of holiness upon the places he chooseth. Page 143

Hope
• There is little hope of private means when public means fail Page 85

Humble
• An humble man knows much of the mind of Christ Page 396

Help
• We should help those that suffer for a good cause Page 574

Heal
• How God healeth Page 640

Hypocrites,
• see Terror

Hypocrisy
• Hypocrisy in Reformation is dangerous Page 581

Honor
• Places of honor are great snares. Page 670
• How we should honor God Page 695

Howling,
• see Prayer

I

Idolaters
• Idolaters seldom come in and return Page 125
• What poor ways of worship Idolaters have Page 136
• If parents be Idolaters their children are usually so too Page 161
• It is dangerous living near Idolaters, and why Page 172
• Idolaters are proud men Page 391
• Idolaters despise God's worship. Page 391

Idolatry
• The Idolatry of the Papists Page 133
• The nearer Idolatry comes to the Worship of God, the more dangerous it is Page 174
• Court- idolatry is most dangerous Page 633
• See Contempt

Idols
• Idols are bewitching things Page 199

Ignorance
• The cause of ignorance Page 35
• Ignorance is the deformity of the soul Page 90
• Ignorance is dangerous, and how Page 91
• Ignorance and pride are companions Page 390

Incest
• Incest an heinous sin Page 61

Influence
• There is a great influence between the Priests and the People Page 100

Impetuousness
• Impetuousness of spirit is to be suspected Page 136

Institutions
• Institutions are to be minded in point of worship Page 128

Inclinations
• Strong inclinations bind the mind Page 388

Justice
• Justice must be executed impartially Page 50
• Justice must not struck dumb with the appearance of angels Page 222

Judgment
• It is a great judgment for men to be unserviceable in times of service Page 565
• How judgment convinceth Page 597
• See Leave and Ministry

Irreligion
• Irreligion and slavery are companions Page 654

K

Kings
• Kings were accounted of as the Popes dogs Page 177
• Godly Kings observed not their birth-days Page 661
• See Respect

Knowledge
• Want of knowledge of God makes men cruel Page 32

Keep
• How to keep God with us Page 510

Know,
• see Saints

Knowledge,
• see Opportunity

Kingdom,
• see Officers

L

Lady
• The folly of a Lady in Paris Page 151

Land
• How a Land may be said to mourn Page 62

Living-God
• Living-God what it implies. Page 189

Lying
• Lying and swearing go together. Page 44

Leave
• It is a sad judgment for God to leave men Page 509
• God never leaves his Page 510

Live
• see Resurrection

M

Magistrates see Bribery Man slaughter
• Man-slaughter is but a vain distinction from murder Page 48

Men see Merciless Merciless
• A merciful God sets him against merciless men Page 29

Ministers
• Ministers must plead for God Page 3
• How faithful Ministers shall be dealt withal Page 77
• Striving against faithful Ministers is a great hastening of judgment Page 81
• Ill Ministers are besotted Page 88
• Ministers must rebuke sin. Page 361
• The duty of Ministers Page 438
• It is a comfort to Ministers to die preaching Page 590
• Ministers are hewers Page 593
• Ministers work is difficult. Page 594
  • See Truths, Superstition, Whoremongers, Duty.

Mind see Inclinations. Mixture
• How the mixture of wicked and godly men is hurtful Page 372
• How the mixture of wicked and godly men is to be distinguished Page 373

Murder
• Murder is not to be pardoned. Page 48

Man-slaughter
• see England

Men
• see Causes

Means
• Means to persevere Page 585

Mercies
• How to use mercies well Page 545
• Mercies are forfeited by unbelief before they be received ibid
• One mercy makes way for another Page 558
  • God's mercies are seasonable Page 564
• In what cases God will have mercy and not sacrifice Page 601

Means
• All means must be used before correction Page 569

Ministry
• The sharper the Ministry is the sharper shall the judgment be if it be neglected Page 598

Morning
• God's discovery is in the morning Page 560
  • See Presence

Murder
• see England

N

Nation
• A defiled Nation is near ruin Page 374
• While a Nation is purging there is hope Page 375
• How it may be known what shall become of a Nation Page 428

Natural
• What a Natural man may do towards conversion Page 377
• What natural duties are Page 601

Nature
• The more excellent the Nature is the more communicative it is Page 573

Neighbors
• Ill neighbors are an ill thing Page 445

Night
• Night times are times of danger Page 560

Note
• A note of a good heart Page 565

O

Oath
• What an Oath implies Page 189

Obedience
• Willing Obedience to sin brings guilt upon a Nation Page 473

Obedience
• see Command

Officers
• The Officers of the Kingdom seek their own interest Page 639

Opportunity
• No Opportunity to get knowledge must be neglected Page 609

P

Passion
• Passion makes a man a beast. Page 48

Papists
• The doctrine of the Papists is opposite to the Scripture Page 81

Papists,
• see Idolatry

Patience
• The patience of God described. Page 368
• We must be patient in prayer. Page 541

People
• The people of God suffer with others, if they sin with others. Page 401
• People must return to God Page 530
• When any people may apply the promise Page 537

Persons
• How particular persons are defiled by the wicked Page 373
• See Mixture

Plague
• A strange plague in London. Page 67

Pleading
• The more imediate God's pleading with men is, the more dreadful it is Page 4

Preaching
• Preaching is the way to remove superstition Page 146

Priest
• It is the work of the Priest to strive against the people for sin Page 75
• When priests strive against the people, they must lock to be striven with Page 76

Priests,
• see Covetousness Ambition, Influence

Prelates,
• see Experience

Presence
• The consideration of God's presence humbles the heart Page 368
• God's presence makes morning to the Saints Page 562

Pride
• Pride discovers much sin within Page 394
• Pride goes from God and against God Page 397
• The pride of men's spirits Page 514
  • See Ignorance, Conscience

Private,
• see Hope

Princes
• Princes have been preachers Page 146
• How Princes and Priests delude the people about God's worship. Page 348

Princes,
• see Subjects

Prophet,
• see Affliction

Prosperity
• Prosperity abused shall be punished Page 100
  • See Wicked

Profession,
• see Formal

Proud
• God will cast proud men down. Page 397
• Proud men fall low ibid

Public,
• see Hope

Punish
• When men will not punish sin, God will Page 61

Punishment
• They that are alike in sin shall be alike in punishment Page 116

Pains
• We must not think much to lose our pains Page 569

Parents,
• see Christ

Prayers
• When prayers are howlings Page 688

Penitent
• Penitent hearts retain good thoughts of God in affliction. Page 532
• Penitent hearts are not discouraged in afflictions Page 534

Perversness
• Perversness of spirit in those that are nigh to God is very grievous to God Page 572

Persevere,
• see Means

Place
• Where God's place is Page 511

Preaching
• It is an ill sign when men are the worse for preaching Page 644

Presumption
• What presumption is Page 536

Propriety
• The propriety of Believers Page 547

Prop,
• see Faith

Prophets,
• see False

R

Rebukes
• The rebukes of a brother are loving rebukes Page 73
• God's rebukes are furious ibid
  • See God

Real
• God's threatenings are real Page 452

Religion,
• see Staff

Reprobation
• What Reprobation is Page 210

Repentance
• What true Repentance is. Page 385
• Faith and Repentance mutually act on another Page 549
• The trial of Repentance Page 696

Respect
• Due respect is to be given to Kings Page 345

Riches
• How riches are fatal to Churchmen. Page 100

Rule
• The rule of our actions must be known and why Page 341

Rulers
• Rulers and Governors should be men of good mettle Page 229

Romans see Education Resurrection
• We live in Christ's Resurrection Page 543

Relations
• What relation God stands in to the Saints Page 547

Revealing
• We must take notice of God's revealing himself to us Page 557

Reformation
• see Hypocrisy

Religion,
• see Unconstancy

S

Saints
• see Good works

Sacrifices
• The sacrifices of the wicked are slaughters Page 3 ••
• What sacrifices should be rendered up to God Page 332

Satan
• Satan's way to get in false worship Page 469
  • See Temptation, Admonition.

Sensual
• see Ministers

Sensuality
• Sensuality is a besotting sin. Page 129

Self-love
• Self-love is sinful Page 409

Sermons
• Sermons must be preached to the life Page 439
• How to know when a Sermon works really Page 440
• Ministers in their Sermons must denounce war if peace be slighted Page 441

Secret sins,
• see Beware

Services
• Former services are not to be presumed on Page 402

Shame
• Causes of shame what they are Page 326

Sin
• Sin causeth a controversy between God and man Page 4
• Sin not mortified will break out again Page 59
• God punisheth sin with sin Page 152
• Sin after rebuke is very sinful Page 363
• Sin acts more on the will than on the power Page 376

Sin,
• see Controversy

Stealing
• What stealing is Page 52

Strife
• Strife against God is dreadful Page 7

Strive,
• see priest

Striving
• Striving against God is vain. Page 6

Scornfulness
• Scornfulness reproved Page 19

Scripture,
• see Papists

Society
• The Society of the Saints is to be improved Page 196

State
• A State is hard to be stood out against in matter of Religion Page 365

State,
• see Failing

Subjects
• Subjects suffer for Princes sins Page 490

Superstition
• Curiosity to see Superstition is dangerous Page 187
  • See Preaching, Command.

Superstitious
• How Superstitious men look upon God's Ordinances Page 325
• Superstitious people must be heeded when they come with greatest show of reason Page 358
• Superstitious people are abundant in services Page 406
• Superstitious people spare no cost in their services Page 407
  • See Admonition

Stubborn
• Stubborn people have base spirits Page 194

Swearing
• Whence swearing proceeds Page 41
• The evil of swearing Page 42
• Swearing in its self is lawful Page 189
  • See Lying

Salutation
• The ancient form of the Saints salutation Page 549

Saints
• What the Saints shall know. Page 553
  • See Experience

Sacrifice
• see Mercy

Scornful
• Evil men are scornful Page 665

Seasonableness
• Seasonableness commends duty Page 565

Service
• see Judgment

Sin
• Sin disturbs Heaven and Earth Page 511

Slanders
• The evils of slanders Page 659

Sluggish
• A Sluggish spirit in the men of our times Page 556
  • Soul, see Form
  • Suffer, see Help
  • Steward, see Virtue
  • Superstition, see England

Spirit
• God hath sent choice spirits to London Page 590

T

Take heeed
• How men ought to take heed to the Lord Page 126

Ten Tribes
• Why the ten Tribes had never a good King Page 469

Temptation
• Satan's Temptations are an aggravation to sin Page 386

Terrified,
• see Dying

Thought,
• Our Thoughts must be accounted for Page 120

Toys
• Men contend about toys Page 23

Threatenings,
• see Real

Treachery
• Treachery against God is dangerous Page 419
• Treachery is the greatest sin. Page 420

Trust,
• see Avenged

Truth
• Suffering truths go hardly down with Ministers Page 94
• A hint of Truth prevails much with a subdued heart Page 389
  • See Hard

Terror
• Terror to Hypocrites Page 551

Thoughts,
• see Penitent

Trial,
• see Repentance

Turning
• Joint turning to God is very honorable Page 531

U

Understanding
• What evil, want of understanding doth Page 167

Ugly
• The ugly face of sin Page 63

Unfaithfulness
• Unfaithfulness provokes God to cast men off Page 96

Universities
• Univers ties corrupted Page 628
• Why Universities are corrupted Page 116

Unlawful
• We can never expect unlawful undertakings to prosper Page 124

Virtues
• Virtues requisite in a steward Page 609

Unbelief
• Lay up for time to come against unbelief Page 546

Unconstancy
• Unconstancy in Religion provokes God Page 592

Unworthiness
• Faith sees worthiness in our unworthiness

W

Way
• When God is in a way of wrath he can reach the most remote creatures Page 68

Wicked
• The different spirits of wicked men in prosperity and adversity Page 64
• Many wicked Parents are loath their children' should be wicked Page 156
• Wicked men shall need God. Page 407
  • See Children, Dogs.

Wickedness
• Thoughtful wickedness is the worst wickedness Page 120
• God remembers wickedness a long time Page 649
• It is a wickedness to flatter Princes Page 653
• It is a wickedness to obey unlawful commands Page 653
  • See Apostates

Whoremongers
• Whoremongers and plausible Ministers are alike Page 124

Works,
• see Good

Wine
• How Wine takes away the heart Page 130

Worship
• In point of God's Worship we must not do as others do. Page 177
• By whom the Worship of God is disesteemed Page 325
  • See Institution

Will
• Will -worship is abominable to God Page 360
• The more will to sin the greater is the sin Page 472

Willing,
• see Obedience

Wrath
• No creature can help in time of God's wrath Page 68

Wicked men
• Wicked men are led aside by their Governors Page 653
• Wicked men are of no use. Page 690

Wilfulness
• Wilfulness after enlightening is a note of destruction Page 579

Worthiness,
• see Unworthiness

Word
• How the Word slays Page 590
• The Word slays either the sin or the soul Page 596

Worship,
• see False

Y

Young
• Young Converts and weak Christians are soon deceived. Page 409

Young ones
• Young ones are the hope of a Nation Page 429
• Young ones must not be corrupted Page 430
• Young ones are subject to m scarry Page 578