The Saints Humiliation, Sermon 3
HOSEA 4.1.2.
Heare the Word of the Lord, yee Children of Iſrael: for the Lord hath a Controverſie with the Inhabitants of the Land, becauſe there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the Land.
By ſwearing and lying, and killing and ſtealing, and committing adultery, they breake out, and bloud toucheth bloud.
WEE hauehave beene upon the Watch-Tower, and hauehave ſeene a Cloud from the Sea: The ſignes of a comming Evill hauehave eaſily beene diſcovered and obſerved. Wee finde the Lord is diſpleaſed, for he hath expreſt his anger; now a good Method and our owne wiſedome will both lead us, to find the cauſe of his diſpleaſure; for he is juſt, and will not be offended, unleſſe provoked. Here is a Parallel; God is at Controverſie with Iſrael, and the reaſon of that Controverſie.
The Sermon was preached at that time when bloud touched bloud, (if we may ſo interpret that phraſe in the ſecond verſe) when they did bandy for the Scepter, and the Kingdome was gamed for by the ſharpeſt weapon; that time, when they waded through the bloud of one another to the Throne: as the Tragicall Hiſtory of Zachariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, Hoſhea, is recorded, 2 King. 15.
'Tis a judiciall Act, the Prophet hath a faciall office, and is beſides a pleader, God ſits Iudge, and pronounceth ſentence. The forme of proceeding is like proceſſe eccleſiaſticall; 1. The Citation, verſe the firſt. 2. A threefold accuſation, in the foure firſt verſes. 3. The ſentence given, in the fift and the verſes following.
But I will not uncover more than I purpoſe to make uſe of, the two firſt verſes:
In them we hauehave;
1. The Preface. It is ſome great thing, Hoſea entends to deliver, that he uſhers it with ſuch a forme, Heare the word of the Lord yee Children of Iſrael. Some Caſuiſts moue the Queſtion, Whether a Preface may be uſed before a Sermon? And anſwere, that ordinarily it is not convenient, as being not valued by Orators more ſolid, as being the emptie brag of men rather glorious than full, as being if beſide the purpoſe, againſt judgement, if agreeing with it, againſt the Rule of Method. I conſent, and like not the childiſh flouriſh, when by ſelecting a Proverb, Apophthegme, or Story, men thinke they caſt a better dye and beautie upon the truth to be delivered. That common uſuall way of ſtopping the mouths of Cavillers, by a few ſet ſpeeches, and well compact phraſes, gathered out of witty Poets or applauſiue Orators, may haply betray wit, but will together betray a weakneſſe unfit for the Maieſtie of divine doctrine; Chiefly when a Preface is uſed, as a Trumpet before a Puppet-play, the expectation makes it worſe, ſo much the worſe as the Trumpet was lowder. Yet I would not deny briefe and occaſionall inſinuations, fit explications of Connexion and dependancie, and it cannot be unlawfull ſometimes Captare benevolentiam, to widen the entrance for the meſſage; So doth this Prophet endevour to make them attent, before he makes them acquainted with his Sermon. He had argued againſt their ſinne, he had fore-told them of their danger, they continued ſecure, now he Cites them to Gods barre, and while he calls them Children of Iſrael, he ſeaſonably renews the memory of the Covenant, that the Preface might render them, not onelyonly attent, but humble. There may be ſometimes a good uſe of Oratory and Preface; St. Paul beckens with his hand for ſilence, and the Liturgie of the primitiue Churches began with foreign, to moue the people to attend, and continue reverent.
2. The Meſſage. In that we conſider theſe particulars;
1. There is a Controverſie: Heare yee the word of the Lord, for the Lord hath a Controverſie. It is not I, but the Lord that expoſtulates with you; There is a ſuite of the Kings peace againſt you. God hath his action, or ſuite, or proceſſe, or plea, againſt us; all thoſe words are expreſſiue: and God himſelfe ſpeakes in ſuch a forme, My ſpirit ſhall not alwayes ſtriue with man. Gen. 6.3.
2. The partyes in the Controverſie; God with the Inhabitants of the Land. That giues at leaſt an oblique and tacite touch upon their ingratitude, and Gods goodneſſe, they were ſtill Inhabitants of that Land which they had forfeited.
3. The cauſe of the Controverſie: Becauſe there is no truth, nor mercy, &c. The forme is thus, in the Civilians inſtance; Titius and Maevius contract and agree, Maevius breakes the Articles contracted, Titius ſues him. God had covenanted with Iſrael, Iſrael ſtipulated; The Covenant on the part of God was performed, They were Inhabitants at preſent of the promiſed Land; on Iſraels part it held not; The breach is objected.
1. Their ſinnes.
2. The Aggravations.
1. Their ſinnes; of omiſſion and commiſſion
1. Of omiſſion;
1. No truth, that is, no civill Faith; for Emeth is not taken Metaphyſically here.
2. No mercy, that is, no inward pittifulneſſe, or outward relieving; for Cheſed ſignifies both mercifulneſſe and beneficence.
3. No knowledge of God, that is, neither feare nor reverence. So Thargum Ionathae renders it, Neque qui ambulent in timore domini; This ſummes up the other ſinnes, they breake the Law, as if there were no God; there is no truth, nor mercy; in a word, to giuegive the ground of all, there is no knowledge of God in the Land.
2. Of Commiſſion.
1. No truth, but,
1. Swearing.
2. Lying: Both to colour fraudulent and untrue dealings.
2. No mercy, but,
1. Quoad corpus, in reſpect of life and ſafetie; Killing.
2. Quoad bena, in reſpect of goods and eſtate, ſtealing.
3. Quoad famam, in reſpect of credit and reputation, Committing adultery.
2. Theſe were their ſinnes, ſecondly, wee hauehave propoſed the aggravations of their ſinnes;
1. Their boldneſſe in Sinning; They breake out, they doe Tranſire terminum, as the word notes, they goe over or beyond their bound. No hedges of Law or Diſcipline could keepe them in order or quiet obedience.
2. The multitude of their ſinnes; Bloud toucheth bloud; foreign, as in the tranſlation of the Seventie. Ionathas giues a double ſence; Generam filios ex uxoribus proximorum ſuorum, & aggregant peccata peccatis. Aben-Ezra would reſtrain it to the ſinne of frequent murders, the bloud of one ſlaine man touching the bloud of another ſlaine. But while the Thargum enterprets it of Inceſt, Aben-Ezra of Murther, they are both too ſtrained; but the minde of the Prophet ſeemes rather to denote their multitude, that ſinnes were chained together, heaped upon one another, which is to hauehave the hands full of bloud, according to the phraſe of another Prophet. Eſa. 1.15.
I hauehave kept you too long in the clearing of a Text not difficult, all that I entend to make uſe of in it, I ſhall reduce to one generall head;
That ſinne cauſeth Gods Controverſie with a Land.
The Scripture abounds in the proofe of this doctrine. Heare yee, O mountaines, the Lords Controverſie, and yee ſtrong foundations of the earth, for the Lord hath a controverſie with his people, and he will pleade with Iſrael. But wherefore is the ſuit? or how occaſioned? The Lord doth not quarrel, but their ingratefulneſſe and rebellion, forceth a Complaint: Oh my people, what hauehave I done unto thee! and wherein hauehave I wearied thee? teſtifie againſt me. Thus we finde Hoſea's Sermon in the mouth of Micah, Mic. 6.2.3. And before that, the ſame Hoſea had delivered the ſame meſſage: Plead with your mother, plead: for ſhe is not my wife, neither am I her husband; and the reaſon was, becauſe her adulteries were betweene her breaſts. Hoſ. 2.2. And though Ieremiah laments Gods ſtroake, he cannot challenge Gods Iuſtice, but every where cleares that: For the multitude of her tranſgreſſions, her children are gone into Captivitie. Lam. 1.5. The joy of our heart is ceaſed, our dance is turned into mourning: the Crowne is fallen from our head, woe unto us that wee hauehave ſinned. Lam. 5.15.16. David is expreſſe: Fooles, becauſe of their tranſgreſſion, are afflicted. Pſal. 107.17. …e not preſſe more teſtimonies, yet they are not unneedfull, to anſwere proud mans Queſtion. Rebellious man, ſometimes queſtions Gods dealings, and God anſwers, If thou ſay in thy heart, Wherefore come theſe things upon mee? For the greatneſſe of thine iniquitie, are thy skirts diſcovered, and thy heeles made bare. Ierem. 13.22. But we ſhall ſee it more confirmed, if we touch at the grounds of this Truth.
1. Sinne breakes Covenant, and therefore no wonder it procureth a ſuite. When God Covenants, he Articles with man; He ſets a Law, and Articles for obedience; ſinne is, foreign, a tranſgreſſion of Articles, a departure from the Set-Law; and God muſt needs be offended at ſuch a Breach.
2. Sinne breakes love-tyes, and when ſacred relations are ſlighted, it not barely occaſions but provokes unto a ſuit. For the bond of friendſhip, for the ſake of a knowne amitie, God would not hauehave ſinne entertained of his Leaguers: but when ſinne is welcom'd, it ſeparates God; Your iniquities hauehave ſeparated between you and your God; he was you God in an holy relation, but iniquitie hath put a diſtance, he becomes a ſtranger, that was wont to entertaine you friendly; he that was wont to afford a ſmiling face, now diſtaſts you, your ſinnes hauehave hid his face from you: Eſay 59.2. Gods dealings with man are expreſſed in his owne expreſſion, of his carriage toward Ephraim, Hoſ. 11.4. He drawes us with cords of a man, with bands of louelove, deales gently with us, not tyrannically; he is to us, as they that take off the yoke, he is wiſe and pittifull to eaſe us when over-wearied; and hee layes meate unto us, he is plentifull and provident for our neceſſities: theſe are tyes of louelove; and God ſo ſpeakes, as if he were not at quiet within himſelfe, as being juſt, yet loth to be ſevere; How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? how ſhall I deliver thee, Iſrael? How ſhall I make thee as Admah? Ephraim hath deſerved Sodoms deſtruction, but the Lords repentings are kindled together. What then Shall Ephraim? Shall Iſrael be ſecure? Nay, if wee are bent to back ſliding from him, He will hauehave a controverſie, as is plainly enough diſcovered in the ſecond verſe of the twelfth Chapter of the ſame Hoſea.
2. Sinne is offenſive unto God, and ſo it becomes an action of treſpaſſe. There are bonds of neighbourhood, and in reſpect of the keeping of theſe, we are ſaid to bee righteous unto one another, and an offence againſt theſe, is called an unrighteouſneſſe, as being a treſpaſſe againſt the rights of another; now the plea that ariſeth from this, is called an action of treſpaſſe. Sinne is not onelyonly an foreign, a tranſgroſſion againſt Covenant, but alſo an foreign, an unrighteouſneſſe, that which offends God. God is holy, ſinne makes us naſtie; God endures not ſuch, but hath his controverſie, his action of treſpaſſe againſt them.
4. Sinne diſhonours God, that as it were he loſes by it, and therefore hath an action of dammage. The dammage is that which the Iurors giuegive up in their verdict, as an expenſe recoverable. That word which is uſed among ſome parts of our Engliſh Nation, skath, ſeemes to come of the Germane word, Schad; and that of the Hebrew foreign, schadad, hee waſted. But thus properly it cannot be ſpoken concerning God, for as our goodnes extends not to him, ſo our ſinne can make no waſt upon him. We cannot make him leſſe excellent, or leſſe glorious; ſo that on the part of God, there cannot be expenſaelitis, as the Civilians ſpeake; God can be no looſer, yet unto our judgement of things, he complaines that he is diſhonoured, that he is wearied by our ſinnes. I hauehave not cauſed thee to ſerue with an offering, nor wearied thee with incenſe; but thou haſt made me to ſerue with thy ſinnes, thou haſt wearied me with thine iniquities, Eſay 43.23.24. In this ſenſe, God is dammaged, and hath his action. I haſten to the application in two uſes.
1. Ʋſe. If ſinne be the cauſe of Gods controverſie with a Land, we hauehave then found the reaſons of Gods ſtroake on ours. We cannot but ſee that God is offended, he hath oft cited us, ſometimes attached us with arreſts, & proceeded againſt us. A little obſervation will tell us, and we need no more knowledge then the Egyptian Magicians had to diſcerne and ſay, This is the finger of God. And we may fitly uſe that ſpeech of Moſes, Numb. 16.46. There is wrath gone out from the Lord, the plague is begun. There is much wrath gone out, many plagues: decay of trading in a time of peace: generall poverty in all parts of the Land: great houſes empty and decayed: diſtractions at the Holme: abſence from publicke employments: errors in obtruded tenents. I will not unbutton Marius before the Senate to ſhew more skars; to ſhew which, were in ſtead of oratorie, Quid opus est verbis ubi vulnera clamant? wounds ſpeake with a peircing Rhetoricke. OnelyOnly take notice of the peſtilence, 'tis much abroad, and now come neare to us in theſe more Northern parts. Is God unjuſt? or hauehave wee not merited what we feele? Nay; wee will cleare him, while we condemne our ſelues: For the tranſgreſſion of Iacob is all this, and for the ſinnes of the houſe of Iſrael, Mic. 1.5. Sinne and puniſhment are inſeparable; and to righteouſneſſe and ſinne doth Salomon reſolue the exaltation and ruine of a people; Pro. 14.34. Righteouſneſſe exalteth a Nation, but ſin is a Reproach to any people. I know that no time hath beene without Complaints, and every age hath ſtill beene thought the worſt, ſo that it hath beene the glory of every one that hath thought himſelfe eloquent and able to ſpeake, to ſpeake againſt the time. I louelove not peeviſh and unneceſſary aggravations, for it is eaſie to accuſe and make a Satyr. Yet it is not lawfull to cover our ſinnes, neither is it more unlawfull than unprofitable, for he that covereth his ſinnes ſhall not proſper; The rule is no leſſe true of nationall than of perſonall ſinnes; oh that wee could ſo take notice of ſinnes, as to grieue for them! ſo to diſcover them as to remoue them. Every age hath beene accounted worſt, ours is truely ſo. You will conſent unto it, if you turne over the leaues of Hiſtories, the Records of former times, and compare age with age, ſinnes with ſinnes; What care, what light, what meanes, hauehave wee ſinned againſt? Our Dunghill hath ſent forth a greater ſtench, a worſe ſavour, by how much the Sunne hath more and longer ſhone upon it; and we are therefore worſe, becauſe we might hauehave beene better. It were profitable to ſpend ſometime upon Hiſtory and Compariſon, but I cannot entend that worke, becauſe the method of the Text leades me to another; to the diſcovery of our ſinnes, by thoſe of Iſrael; and in that ſame order, firſt of our ſinnes, ſecondly, of the aggravations.
1. Our ſinnes of omiſſion, parallel, if not much exceed theirs.
1. There is no Truth; Terras Aſtraea reliquit, ſweet Truth together with righteous dealing hath well-nigh forſaken us. Where ſhall we ſeeke for Truth, with hope or incouragement to finde it? Not in the Court, there they tread upon one anothers breaſts to riſe; not in Cities, there they bargaine away their Conſciences; Not in the Country, there the plaine hauehave learned to deceiue, and more eaſily to deceiue becauſe more plaine; wee cannot finde Truth in fields, in ſhops, nay (which is the heavy miſery of Apoſtatizing times) ſcarce in our Pulpits. Ah! Beloved, how unanſwerable are wee to the Goſpell of Truth, to the way of Truth made knowne unto us? Our tongues hauehave little Truth in their ordinary expreſſion, 'tis the onelyonly age of Complement and formall proteſtations, when men ſell words at a cheape price, and thinke it enough to ſpeake well, as if man were made for nothing but a promiſe. There is as little in our hands, why elſe doe we handle the falſe meaſures and ballances of deceit? But the heart is the ſtore-houſe of unfaithfulneſſe, men are of double mindes, and therefore no wonder if of double dealings; rather Foxes than men, full of craftineſſe and deceit.
2. There is no Mercy. Mercy which is that ſweet bond of amitie, and faſtens man to man; That which hath the promiſe, To the mercifull thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe mercifull; That which our Saviour commended in the Parable as highly pleaſing unto God, Mercy is neglected. There is no mercy in our Cenſures, while we ſit Iudges over every mans actions, and taxe them, yea condemne them without hearing. It is commonly the diſeaſe of weake unbuſied people, who being not furniſhed with abilitie for other employment, nor with conſcience to be much in their owne watch, delight to be doing what is moſt eaſie, to cenſure others. Who ſhall liue free and untainted, if ſuch undiſcerning men hauehave the chaire, and giuegive the ſentence? There is no mercy in our Reports, we care not how we wound the reputations and teare the credits of men not offending. There is but little charitie, where there is an aptneſſe to entertaine all looſe and ſcandalous reports, and to ſcatter them as buſily, as wee greedily entertaind them. There is no mercy in our dealings, witneſſe the poore neglected, miſerably neglected by you that hauehave the charge and power in your hands to relieue them, notwithſtanding his Majeſties late Injunctions, and the extreame neceſſitie; that I name not other kindes of unmercifulneſſe, wherein men ſhew themſelues Tygers and Wolues, rather than men.
3. There is no knowledge of God in the Land. It is a knowing time, and men abound in Science; but who knowes God rightly? The prophane know him not, elſe they would not dare to prophane him in his Name, in his Ordinances, in the time of his worſhip. The mercileſſe know him not, they would elſe extend their bowells of mercy. The deceitfull know him not, they would elſe follow Truth. But briefly, our want of obedience argues our want of knowledge of him; and therefore the Apoſtle joynes them, and explicates the one by the other, 2 Theſ. 1.8. The Lord Ieſus ſhall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, that obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
2. Our ſinnes of Commiſſion are likewiſe in the parallel.
1. Againſt Truth:
1. There is ſwearing. Men vie oaths with words; and are then moſt wittie, when they can ſweare with the beſt invention. The godly mans Character is, that he feares an Oath, Eccleſ. 9.2. But your ordinary uſe witneſſeth, you doe but too much louelove them. Foule mouths! that dare with thoſe tongues blaſpheme God, which were given therewith to bleſſe him. Oaths, new, invented, high, raſh, ſolemne, againſt Conſcience, are every day heaped. May wee not feare the truth of that threat, Ierem. 23.10. Becauſe of ſwearing the Land ſhall mourne?
2. There is lying. Sure the Papiſts learned much doctrine from Plato, and more ſpecially in that, That a lye might be lawfull, to ſaue a Citizen, or deceiue an enemy. Nature eaſily ſubſcribes to this, and allowes of diſſimulation as a neceſſary vertue for a man of buſineſſe; ſo our dealing is more diſhoneſt than Machiavels rule, That fraud is deteſtable in other actions, but in Warre laudable. Vnjuſt men count it laudable in every action, and dare diſſemble, not with men onelyonly, but with their owne ſoules, with God; and thinke they never worke wiſely, but when, as it was the brag of Tiberius, they walke inviſibly. Diſſemblings are reall lyes; there is another diſtinction of them, Merry, officious, hurtfull; Some are patronized by ſome, but by ſtrict rule they are all unlawfull. But becauſe I know the diſeaſe of the place where I ſpeake, I will rather touch that, the wittie malicious lye of report. Men are like the Athenians ſtill deſirous of new matter, and are wittie onelyonly in inventing. There are a buſie gadding generation, that are the Incendiaries the fire-brands of Pariſhes and neighbour-hoods, what they heare at one houſe, they broach at another with mixture and additions of their owne, to the breach of charitie and that peace, which wee labour to build up, by the Goſpel of peace. This is the wicked man that walks with a froward mouth, frowardneſſe is in his heart, he deviſeth miſchiefe continually, he ſeweth diſcord. Prov. 6.12.14. But God will contend with ſuch, for he hates them: Of thoſe ſeven things which are an abomination to the Lord, fiue meet in this man; A lying tongue, An heart that deviſeth wicked imaginations, Feet that be ſwift in running to miſchiefe, A falſe witneſſe that ſpeaketh lyes, and he that ſoweth diſcord among brethren: So Salomon reckons and diſcovers them: Pro. 6.16.17.18.19.
2. Againſt Mercy:
1. There is killing. The Land reekes with bloud, many unſeene and unrevenged murthers lye upon us. Bloud hath a voice; The voice of thy brothers bloud cryeth unto me from the ground, Gen. 4.10. ſaid God to the guiltie bloud-ſtaind Cain. What ſhould I ſpeake of the murthers of the heart, unjuſt anger, hatred, envie? Of the outward murthers of the tongue, brawlings, revilings, curſings, ſlanderings? Of the hand, the murther of the body, the murther of the ſoules of others? neither time, nor I thinke the Text would admit of enlargement upon ſuch a method. It is the ſhedding of bloud is here indited.
2. There is ſtealing. Thefts are as various as mens buſineſſes, and inventions to pervert and abuſe buſineſſe. It were not unfit on a day when we are before the Barre, to arraigne the noted theife, the civill theife, the Church theife; but it were to be wittie rather than ſerious, and the majeſtie of a Sermon admits not of triflings. OnelyOnly I would ſuch whom it concernes would in the feare of God take notice, how both odious and dangerous, deceit in our Callings, and oppreſſion, are. A falſe ballance is an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 11.1. But more expreſſely in the Prophet Amos, Chap. 8.4.5.6.7. Heare this, O yee that ſwallow up the needy, even to make the poore of the Land to fayle; ſaying, When will the new Moone be gone, that we may ſell Corne? and the Sabbath that we may ſet forth Wheate, making the Ephah ſmall and the Shekel great, (ſelling a little meaſure for a great price) and falſifying the ballances by deceit? That we may buy the poore for ſilver, and the needie for a payre of ſhooes; yea and ſell the refuſe of the Wheat. But heare and tremble at the doome; The Lord hath ſworne by the excellencie of Iacob, ſurely I will never forget any of their workes: ſhall not the Land tremble for this? Let oppreſſors be warned, that are wont to grind the faces of the poore.
3. There is committing Adultery. The breach of Chaſtitie is by many wayes: uncleanneſſe is that filthy, yet generall ſinne that makes the Land yeeld a ſtench into the noſthrills of God, multitudes of families being polluted with a baſtard brood. It would offend you, to be led with Ezekiel into the Chambers; and it cannot but be irkſome to know, that in a Land where the pure Goſpel is taught, there ſhould be ſtewes, like the cloſe Cells of Tyberius in his filthy obſcure Capraea. Tis a ſinne too much neglected, by them that hauehave power to puniſh it, but however, ſuch ſhall not goe unpenanced; for God hath threatned, Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will judge. Iſrael joyned himſelfe unto Baal-peor, and the anger of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael. Num. 25.3. Baal-peor is thought by Origen, Ierom, Iſidore, and ſome others, to be that uncleane Priapus, and called by the Latines Idolum Tentiginis: I rather conſent to that opinion, (beſides the whole Story which is plaine to proue it,) becauſe of that word in the verſe, Iſrael joyned himſelfe: the word foreign ſignifies ſuch a joyning as in the yoke, and therefore the Apoſtle having reſpect to this word, renders it, foreign, be not unequally yoked, 2 Cor. 6.14. yet it is taken alſo to expreſſe filthineſſe: and therefore the Prophets in deteſtation of this Idol, uſe another word, and call it Shame; Hoſ. 9.10. They went to Baal-peor, and ſeparated themſelues unto that Boſheth, unto that ſhame. Which the Thargum Ionathae renders yet more plainely; And ſeparated themſelues Ad illud pudendum Idolum. So wee hauehave the word likewiſe Ierem. 11.13, Yee ſet up Altars to that ſhamefull thing, even unto Baal. And the Greeke Tranſlators reade that place, 1 King. 18.25. Elijah ſaid to the Prophets of ſhame. Thus it appeares, Iſraels ſinne beſides Idolatry was uncleanneſſe; But doth God ſuffer it? It is added; Iſrael joyned himſelfe unto Baal-peor, and the anger of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael. Tis that ſinne which he will revenge, and ſeverely. So the forenamed place, Hoſ. 9.10. may be read in this ſenſe, to ſignifie the puniſhment which God will inflict: They went to Baal-peor, and ſeparated themſelues foreign to ſhame, that is, to their owne ſhame. I the rather enlarged my ſelfe upon this, becauſe the ſinne hath ſome pleaders and patrons, as if it were veniall, and not ſo hainous as ſeverer Preachers ſeeme to make it. But as it was ſpoken in another caſe, Ah! Let Baal plead for himſelfe. To defend unchaſtitie in the leaſt meaſure, were to be a Baud to proſtitutes. They are looſe, ungovernd, wanton times; wee may feare God may ſend a ſweeping deſtruction, to make cleane a loathſome, naſtie, foul-ſpotted people.
2. Thus wee ſee in them the parallel of our ſinnes; ſecondly, let us now take notice of their, of our aggravations.
1. Our boldneſſe in ſinning. Wee breake out, no bonds, no Law, no diſcipline reſtraines us: But as we hauehave ſeene a mightie furious Torrent, when the proud waues grow ſtrong with the addition of new waters, it ſwells over the bankes, makes breaches, and ruſhes over what ever lyes to hinder the courſe; So, and much more are wee mad after ſinne, and neglect all Law made to oppoſe or curb our violence. I thinke that it is the Metaphor, the Prophet here uſeth, They breake out. Iob hath another, and a fit one, of the Horſe prepared to the Battell, it cares not for the noyſe of the Trumpets, for the clattering of weapons and armour, for the confuſed Cryes of men wounded, but ventures on without feare; So the bold ſinner ruſhes upon evill, and cares onelyonly to ſinne, without feare of an after-reckoning. Men are not now baſhfull to offend, but though wicked workes are called workes of darkenes, they are committed in the day, in the ſight of the Sunne. It aggravated the fault of Abſolom, that he lay with his Fathers Concubines before all the people; That Zimri and Cosbi worſhipped Peor before the face of Moſes in the ſight of all the Congregation. Heretofore men bluſhed when they ſinned; I hauehave heard men ſay, that the extortions of griping Officers were called Gratuities for expedition, but now thoſe Wormes dare ſpeake loud the language of Elyes ſonnes: If any ſay, Faile not to burne the fat preſently, and then take as much as thy ſoule deſireth: They are readie to anſwere, Nay but thou ſhalt giuegive it me now, and if not I will take it by force. 1 Sam. 2.16. The Apoſtle intimates, that ſhame attends ſinne, What fruit had yee then of thoſe things whereof yee are now aſhamed? Rom. 6.21. But where is that ingenuitie which Paul found among the Romans? Where that modeſtie? Men are not aſhamed of whoring, drinking, ſwearing, envying; but as the Apoſtle in ſomewhat another ſenſe, Gal. 5.19. Now the workes of the fleſh are manifeſt. Men ſinne with courage, with confidence, with violence; They breake out.
2. Our multitude of ſinnes, Bloud toucheth bloud, a generall profaneneſſe hath ſpread it ſelfe. The ſinnes of former times were but as drops, or as ſmall gliding brookes; ours as Torrents, broad deepe Chanells by the confluence of many waters. Some men that are not old, remember, when Drunkards were as Owles gazed on and hooted at by boyes, now every Alehouſe hath a full croud, and (which I would the Magiſtrates that are preſent would take notice of) the Benches there are thronged, when ſometimes the ſeates here are more emptie. Oaths were more rare, now they are vied with words, in a neglectiue manner men uſe them and forget that they uſe them. It were not an eaſie matter to name thoſe many ſinnes that with eaſe are committed: waſtfulneſſe, pride, wantonneſſe, worldlineſſe, contempt of the Word, ſlighting the Ordinances, and other the like, are beyond Arithmeticke. I cannot marſhall them into their rankes, becauſe of the throng; Bloud toucheth bloud.
3. Wee are of Iſrael; El is the name of God; The name of God is named upon us. It were not ſo much for enemies, for ſtrangers to offend; but as we are, to offend, is not onelyonly to diſpleaſe, but to reproach our God. Tis the relation, that makes the diſhonour redound to him. A fooliſh ſonne diſhonoureth his father, and is a ſhame to his mother: and therefore a ſhame, becauſe a ſonne. We all hauehave indignation at it, that we heare of ſome about us that liue diſordered, but it doth not more particularly touch us then others; but if the ſonne of any of us, ſhould lead the diſorder, this would touch with diſcredit, as well as indignation. It is our profeſſion, our religion, which we are unanſwerable unto, that diſhonours God and aggravates our ſinne. Here is the ſtrength of the aggravation, and motiue to repent; The name of Solomon is named upon the Shulamite; and therefore, Returne, returne O Shulamite, returne, returne. Cant. 6.13. God is named upon his people; Heare the word, O Iſrael.
4. We are Inhabitants; and what doth more aggravate ſinne, then to ſinne againſt ſtrong engagements; the Lord challenges ſuch unkindneſſe of unnaturalneſſe, and exclaimes againſt it to the witneſſe of inſenſible creatures; Heare O heavens, and giuegive eare O earth; I hauehave nouriſhed and brought up children, and they hauehave rebelled againſt me. Eſay 1.2. Bounty tyeth us to the obſervance of a benefactor: what Land, a Land made happy by the Goſpell, and a continued peace together with the Goſpell, yet we rebell. This is the laſt aggravation in the Text, The Lord hath a controverſie with the Inhabitants of the Land. I hauehave done with the firſt, and proceed to a ſecond application.
2. Ʋſe. As we hauehave found out, ſo let us endeavour to remoue the cauſe of wrath. Puniſhment is the ſhadow while ſinne ſtands unremoved; and if that be removed, this continues not. The controverſie is Gods, and it is not poſſible for us to reſiſt God, he hath many wayes to plead his owne cauſe; to accompliſh his fury, as himſelfe ſpeakes and uſeth that phraſe. Ezek. 6.12. He that is farre off ſhall die of the pestilence, and hee that is neere ſhall fall by the ſword; and he that remaines and is beſieged ſhall die by the famine; thus will I accompliſh my fury upon them. To prevent ſuch fury, men hauehave uſually recourſe unto their ſeveral ſtrengths, for all men frame unto themſelues ſome ſtrength where they may refuge themſelues from danger. The Idolaters ſtrength is his Idol, but that cannot deliver from God; and therefore it followes in the thirteenth verſe; Then ſhall ye know that I am the Lord, when their ſlaine men ſhall be among their Idols round about their altars, the place where they did offer ſweete ſavour to all their Idols. We cannot prevaile by ſtanding out; as God hath his action againſt us, ſo his proceſſes to fetch us in. There is a capias, or exigi facias, in cauſes of treaſon or felony, and God pleaſes to keepe a legall courſe in his writs; he begins with a venire facias, if we anſwer not, he ſends a capias pluries; but (not to triflle or play with the metaphor) I meane, we cannot be out of Gods reach. And when we appeare, there is no contending, for he is Iudge of the cauſe, and the Court is his; and ſhall wee contend with the Iudge in his owne Court? Wee are ſure to be caſt: yet he is not unjuſt to make a partiall deciſion; but we are therefore ſure to be caſt out, becauſe he is juſt. How then? or what courſe ſhall we take? Wee muſt firſt worke on his will (which I would hauehave entertained in the ſenſe I meane it, and ſhall explaine it,) and after upon his power. Wee cannot overcome the Lord, unleſſe the Lord bee pleaſed to ſhew which way he may be overcome: ſo Samſon dealt with Dalilah; (if it be not preſumption to compare this matter with ſuch a type,) Samſon was ſtrong beyond the Philiſtins power, till at length himſelfe told where his ſtrength lay, and how the otherwiſe weake might overcome him. God hath revealed the way to make vsus conquerors, wee muſt meet him by humiliation and repentance. This is our wiſedome to be ſubmiſſe; By ſubmiſſion, God winnes of us, and wee of God; God quarrells but for his glory; he ſtrikes us to make us humble, that wee acknowledge him our Soveraigne; when wee are ſubmiſſe, God hath tamed us, and wee giuegive God challenges, his honour in our ſubjection and obedience.
That which we ſtriue for, is our ſafetie, ſubmiſſion prevailes for that, for God leaues to ſtrike when wee leaue to be ſtubborne: By this meanes, both are Conquerors, and both Triumph. Let us ſet upon this remedie: Gather your ſelues together, before the decrees bring forth, before the day of the Lords anger come upon you, ſeeke yee the Lord all yee meeke upon the earth. Zeph. 2.1.2.3. The meeke or the broken, (for ſo the word ſounds like the Hebrew foreign Mach, attrivit or marcuit) muſt ſeeke the Lord, they ſhall be hid in the day of the Lords anger. Obſerue what God promiſeth to our incouragement, Levit. 26.40.41.42. If they ſhall confeſſe their iniquitie, that they hauehave walked contrary unto mee, if their uncircumciſed hearts ſhall be humbled, and they accept of the puniſhment of their iniquities, then I will remember my Covenant, and I will remember the Land. If our untamed hearts could bowe and relent before him, God would lay downe the ſuite. Will yee ſee what he will doe, in what he hath done? The inſtance is in the Prophet; Iere. 31.18.20. I hauehave ſurely heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelfe thus; Thou haſt chaſtiſed mee, and I was chaſtiſed as a Bullocke unaccuſtomed to the yoke, turne thou mee and I ſhall be turned, thou art the Lord my God. Is Ephraim my deare ſonne? Is he a pleaſant childe? For ſince I ſpake againſt him, I doe earneſtly remember him ſtill, therefore my bowells are troubled for him, I will ſurely hauehave mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord. Looke backe into the Scriptures, upon the triumphs of humble ſupplicants; ſee David remooving the peſtilence, Iehoſaphat the invaſion, the Ninivites their deſtruction; and then learne man-hood in the Combat. Oh that wee could be truely humble! that we were truely reformed, that Magiſtrates would cleanſe the Augaean ſtable, that Miniſters would be like the Baptiſt, burning and ſhining Lights, burning as well as ſhining, that all people would be anſwerable to the meanes they hauehave, to the Goſpell they profeſſe; that wee would try God in the due performance of a right Faſt, that wee might hope that in Haggai might be ſpoken to us, From this day I bleſſe you: Hag. 2.19. Let us meet the Lord, ſend forth to meet him, that he may be pacified. The Lord is marching on, and he driues like Iehu furiouſly, learne Iorams wiſedome; Ioram ſayd, Take an Horſeman and ſend to meet him, and let him ſay, Is it peace? 2 King. 9.17. Let us ſend out, while God is in the way, in the way of his judgements; let us enquire what he meanes by theſe viſitations, that he comes ſo neare us; let us enquire, Is it peace? Is it peace? And becauſe wee are ſure to receiue that anſwere, not ſo much harſh as righteous; What peace, ſo long as the whoredomes of Iezabel remaine? Therefore let us caſt out Iezabel, the ground of the quarrell; and not goe forth to reſiſt God, but goe forth to fall downe before him. It was a good policie in that ſervant, Mat. 18.27. When his Maiſter commanded payment ſhould be made, the ſervant unable to pay, and more unable to contend, fell downe and worſhipped him, ſaying, Lord hauehave patience with mee, and I will pay thee all. Wee onelyonly fayle in that, wee cannot promiſe we will pay him all; wee can onelyonly begge, Lord hauehave patience with us. When God maintaines his action and proceeds, let us propitiate him by lamentation, Lord we ſubmit, wee yeeld the cauſe; where proud rebells would be ſtubborne to plead for Rights, wee onelyonly are wife to beg for favour. This muſt be our way; let us lament; and as the phraſe in Amos is very expreſſiue, Let us call the skilfull in lamentation to lament; Amos 5.16. As in other things, there is a skill in the performance of holy duties; many Faſt and yet prevaile not, becauſe though they doe the worke, they finde not the right way to doe it; he laments skilfully that laments humbly; thus ſhall our Faſt be profitable, God appeaſed, and the Controverſie layd downe.