An Exposition of Hosea 1-3, Chapter 2 · Lecture 3
The Third Lecture.
HOSEA part of the third verſe and verſe 4.
And make her as a wilderneſſe, and ſet her like a dry land, and ſlay her with thirſt.
And I will not have mercy upon her children, for they be the children of whoredomes.
IN the firſt part of this ſecond Chapter, wee have already ſhewed part of Gods threatning, even to ſtrip his people naked as in the day wherein they were borne, to bring them into as low and mean a condition as ever they were in.
Now that which was more generally expreſt the laſt day, we have in the latter end of this third Verſe more particularly ſet forth unto us. And make her as a wilderneſſe, and ſet as a dry land.
God would bring this people that dwelt in the land of Canaan flowing with milke and honey; that were in regard of the beauty that God had put upon them, excellent for beauty, now to be as a wilderneſſe.
In the former Chapter you heard that the ſtate of the Ten Tribes vvas ſet out by Hoſeas wife, her name was Gomer, ad this Gomer was the daughter of Diblaim. Gomer ſignifieth perfection, and what Diblaim ſignifieth I told you then.
But now there is another ſignification of this Diblaim, Lect. 3▪that we are to refer unto this expreſſion of the Lord in this place, that he will make her as a wilderneſſe, for you ſhall finde Ezek. 6. 14. that there is mention made of a deſolate countrey and a wilderneſſe that was towards Diblath, to which this that the Prophet ſpeaks of the mother of Gomer may ſeem to have reference.
Diblath then, it appeareth, was a place where there was a very deſolate, waſte wilderneſſe, and Gomer was the daughter of this Diblath, from whence Diblaim, that is, Though the ten Tribes were as Gomer in regard of their beauty, perfect, for ſo they were; yet ſhe was the doughter of Diblath, or Diblaim, that is, ſhe came forth out of a low and meane condition, and was even brought out of a wilderneſſe, now ſhee ſhall be brought again into the ſame eſtate wherein ſhee was, for I will ſet her as a wilderneſſe.
As a wilderneſſe.
The Church of God is in it ſelfe Gods garden, a garden incloſed, and ſo it is called Cant. 4. 12. As a garden incloſed is my ſiſter, my Spouſe. It is the place of Gods delight, not a place for beaſts to come into, but incloſed, they are to be kept out of it; a place where very precious fruits doe grow, that are very pleaſing to God,Pſal. 133. 3 a place that hath the dew, the ſhowers of Gods bleſſing, the dew of Hermon, the dew that deſcendeth upon the mountains of Zion, there God commandeth his bleſſing, even life for evermore. But now ſhe muſt come to be a wilderneſſe.
For firſt, the hedge, the pale, the wall of Gods protection ſhall be taken away from her, and ſhe ſhall be laid open, lyable for all wilde beaſts to come in and to devoure her. They loved liberty, and were loth to be incloſed, though it were in Gods garden, though it was with the pale & wall of Gods protection; Well, ſeeing you will have liverty, you ſhall have liberty, and this pale and wall of my garden ſhall be taken away, and your condition ſhall be like the condition of the beaſts in the wilderneſſe.Anima Idololatriae dedita, nullos profert fructus, eſt que inutilis prorſus ut deſertum in quo nihil noſcitur Vatab. foreign. Pſalm 1. 3.
Againe, you ſhall be as a wilderneſſe. There ſhall no good grow among you. There was no good grew amongſt you, that was your ſin; and there ſhall no good grow among you, that ſhall be your plague and puniſhment.
The bleſſing of God ſhall be taken away from you, you ſhall not have thoſe ſhowers of bleſſing as formerly you were wont to have, but you ſhall be as a wilderneſſe, Jer. 17. 5. 6. Curſed be that man that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arme, and departeth from the Lord: Why? For he ſhall be as the heath in the deſart, and ſhall not ſee when good commeth, and he ſhall inherite the parched places of the wilderneſſe in a ſalt land.
Vatablus interprets this judgement upon the hearts of Idolaters; they are dry, unſavory; they are deſtitute of all ſpirituall good.
And I will ſet her as a dry land.] So the Septuagint read it, I will order you ſo. Your ſinnes bring you out of order, but Gods plagues order that which ſin doth diſdorder. At a dry land. This is contrary to the bleſſing of a godly man, for he is ſaid to be as the tree planted by the river of water.
The graces and comforts of Gods Spirit are compared to waters in the Scripture, Pſal. 87. 7. All my ſprings are in thee, All my comforts, all the gifts that I have, all the graces that I have are in thee. But now God will ſet them as a dry land, he will take away his gifts, and take away their comforts from them, and ſo leave them waſt and deſolate.
The Obſervation then from hence is,Obſer. That ſinne is of a waſting nature: ſinne layeth waſt Countreyes and places that people live in. VVee have a moſt remarkable place of Scripture for that, Zach. 7. 14. They laid the pleaſant land deſolate, They, who are they? you ſhall finde it ver. 12. Thoſe that made their hearts as an Adamant ſtone, Sin layes waſt Countryes.leſt they ſhould heare the law, and the words which the Lord of Hoſts had ſent in his ſpirit by the former Prophets, They made the pleaſant land deſola…e.
VVe cry out of thoſe that make ſtripe and waſte, and there are actions commenced againſt them. O let not us lay waſte this pleaſant land, this good laud of ours, this garden of the Lord. It is indeed as an Eden, as a Paradiſe, our fore-fathers have left us this our land as Gods garden; let not us through our ſinnes leave it to our poſterities as a wilderneſſe and a dry land, Pſal. 107. 34. there is a threatning that God will make a fruitfull land barren for the wickedneſſe of them that dwell therein. Sinne hath heretofore laid waſt as pleaſant and fruitfull Countreys as ours. Thoſe that travell in Germanie, their hearts even bleed within them ſometime to ſee where famous Towns have ſtood, now the places are overgrowne with nettles, they are laid waſt as a wilderneſſe. Aud in this God threatneth after the manner of great Kings who when their Subjects obey them not, threaten to lay their Countreys waſt and to deſtroy their Cities, as Eccleſiaſticall Stories tell us of Theodoſius, that had layed great taxes upon the City of Antioch at which they were much grieved, and imagining it ſeemes that the Queen had a ſpeciall hand in it, they pulled down the brazen ſtatue of the Queene that was in the Citie in a kinde of anger upon this, Theodoſius threatneth to lay the Citie and Countrey waſt as a fruite of his diſpleaſure. It is a fruite of the anger of a Kings according to their power, to manifeſt it that way, not onelyonly upon particular men, bnt to lay whole Countreyes waſt.
God is the great King, and he threatneth this againſt his people for their ſinnes, that he will lay them waſt as a…wilderneſſe. God had rather that the wilde beaſts ſhould eate up the good of the land, then that wicked ſtubborn ſinners ſhould enjoy it: God had rather have a land under his curſe, to have nothing but thornes and bryars brought forth of it, then that wicked wretches ſhould partake of the ſweetneſs and fruit of it, for ſin doth not only pollute the ſinner, but the land, and putteth both the ſinner and the land under a curſe.
And ſ…ay them with thirſt.
In the 36. Pſal. ver. 8. VVe have a full expreſſion of the plentifull proviſion of Cods people that dwell in the houſe of the Lord. …he Text ſaith,
They ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied with the fulneſſe of thy houſe, and thou ſhalt make them to drinke of the river of thy pleaſures, O what a ſweet promiſe is here to thoſe that dwell in Gods houſe, and walke with God as beſeemeth thoſe that are in his houſe! they ſhall have fatneſſe, and drinke of the river of his pleaſures: but here is threatned ſlaying with thirſt, that God will not onelyonly take away thoſe rivers, but even drops of water, they ſhall not have a drop to coole their tongues, but ſhall be ſlaine with thirſt.
There was a time wherein God had ſuch pittie upon his people, that hee would cauſe water to guſh out of the rock, rather then their thirſt ſhould not he ſatisfied: But now God threatneth that hee will make the heavens as braſſe, and the earth as iron, and though a little water might ſave their lives, they ſhould not have it, He will ſlay them with thirſt. Oh what an alteration doth ſin make in Gods adminiſtrations of his wayes towards us!
It is a great judgement thus to be ſlayn with thirſt. I knew my ſelf a man once that lying in a burning feaver, profeſſed that if he had all the world at his diſpoſe, he would give it all for one draught of beer. At ſo low a rate is the world at ſuch a time as that is. If the want of a little beer or water to ſatisfie thirſt for a little while be ſo great a judgement, Oh what is it then for all good to be eternally with drawn from all the faculties!Cum in fu ga aquam turbidam & cadaveribus inquinatam bibiſſet, negavit unquam ſe, bibiſſe ju cundius, …unquam ſcilicet (ut Cicero lib. 1. Tuſo. aiit) ſitiens bibiſſet. I have read of Darius, that when he fled from his enemies, and being in great thirſt (though thoſe Kings had a delicate drinke that was peculiar to them which they called Coapſis, and others foreign) he met with a dirty puddle of water with carry on lying in it, and he ſucked in that and dranke very heartily of it, and profeſt, that it was the ſweeteſt draught that ever he dranke in his life.
This meditation may be very uſefull upon this evil of thirſt, that if a little puddle water can afford ſo much comfort when the faculties are in ſuch a diſpoſition as they are fit to draw out that comfort that is in this puddle water, Oh then what comfort and goodneſſe is there in an infinite God when he ſhall communicate to his creature all that good that is communicable, and when all the faculties of ſoul and body ſhall be in a full diſpoſition, to receive all the good that is communicated, and not put into a diſpoſion by reaſon of want, but by reaſon of the excellency of the faculty raiſed to ſuch a height, and inlarged to receive what good God himſelfe hath to communicate to his creature?
But further, it is obſervable. Though God did bring them into a wilderneſſe, and ſet them in a dry land, yet if they might have ſome drinke, though but water to refreſh them in this wilderneſſe, and in this dry land, it were not ſo much.Obſer. God brings wicked men into ſtraits, and there leavs them deſtitute of all ſuccour. Though they were in a ſcorching Countrey, in the wilderneſs, parched with heat, might they have but ſome refreſhment there, the judgement were not ſo great: but they ſhall be in a wilderneſſe, in a dry land, and there they ſhall be ſcorched with heat, and then God ſhall deny them all ſuccour, all helpe. He will ſlay them with thirſt.
God uſeth thus to deale with wicked men, to bring them into extremity, and there to leave them deſtitute of all ſuccour, of all helpe,
VVe have an excellent Scripture for this, Ezek. 22. 20. I will gather you in mi…e anger, and in my fury, and what then? I will leave you there and melt you, ſaith God. This may be a Comment upon this Text. I will bring into the widerneſſe and ſet them in a dry land and ſlay them with thirſt.
The Saints may be brought into great extremity, but God leaveth them not there. God makes their extremity his opportunity for mercy, he bringeth refreſhing to them then, they never have more ſweet refreſhings from God, then when they are in the greateſt extremities in regard of trouble and affliction. God promiſeth, Eſay, 4. 6. that he will be a ſhadow for them in the day time from the heat, and a covert from ſtorme and from raine.
This is Gods peculiar mercy to the Saints; perhaps they have no ſhelter now, but when the ſtorme commeth they have a ſhelter then, and they have a ſhadow when the heat commeth; in their extremity they have comfort.
But it is otherwiſe with the wicked, the wicked perhaps may have many ſhelters before the ſtorme commeth; but when the ſtorme commeth, then they are deſtitute, they may have many ſhady places before the heat cometh, but when the heat commeth, then they are left fuccourleſs, then they are ſlain with thirſt. When wicked men are in proſperity, then there may come one bleſſing after another (I meane that which is in it ſelf a bleſſing) heaped upon them, but when they come into adverſity, when they have moſt need of comfort, then they are left deſtitute.
This ſlaying with thirſt is applyed by ſome ſpiritually; I will bring a ſpirituall famine upon them. When they ſhall be in a wilderneſſe, in a dry land, when they ſhall have moſt need of comfort for their ſoules, they ſhall be deprived of it. Many men in the time of their health and proſperity have many ſweet promiſes of the Goſpel revealed unto them, many bleſſed manifeſtations of Gods free grace and goodneſſe in his Chriſt made known unto them, but they ſlight and diſregard them: But when God ſhall bring them into the wilderneſſe, when God ſhall cauſe them to be under the torment of a ſcorching conſcience, when conſcience ſhall be burning, and ſcalding, then perhaps they may long, Oh that I had one drop of water, one promiſe out of the Word to comfort me! Oh that I might have but never ſo little refreſhing! Oh that I might heare againe thoſe things I have heretofore heard and neglected! But then God may deny one drop of water to coole their ſcorching conſciences and ſtay them with thirſt, ſlay their ſoules with thirſt at that time: And thus many poore creatures are ſlain with thirſt, that did ſo little regard thoſe rivers of conſolation, that in the time of their proſperity they might have had.
Ver. 4. And I will not have mercy upon her children, for they be the children of whoredoms.
I confeſſe at the firſt view, looking upon this verſe I thought I might quickly paſſe it over, the rather becauſe we had ſome ſuch expreſſions in the former Chapter, where God threatned that he would have no more mercy upon them: But the Scripture is a vaſt depth, and there are many excellent treaſures in it, there is alwayes aliquid reviſentibus, ſomething for thoſe that come to ſee again and looke again, and this ſomething will appeare to be much, that we ſhall ſee out of theſe expreſſions further then before hath been obſerved.
And I will not have mercy] This Particle [And] hath much in it, it is a moſt terrible And. This conjunction many times in Scripture is as a pleonaſme, and doth not ſerve for much uſe, but here in this place it is of great uſe, and it is filled with terrour as full as it is poſſible for ſuch a little particle to hold.
I know there may be many curioſities ſometimes in obſervatious of particles, of conjunctions: but we ſhall not meddle with any curioſity, but ſpeake of that which is plain, and the intention of the Holy Ghoſt here. I ſay this And is a moſt dreadfull And; marke the conjunction, you had foure Ands before, ſaith God, I will ſtrip her naked, [And] ſet her as in the day wherein ſhe was borne, And] make her as a wilderneſſe, [And] ſet her as a dry Land, [And] ſlay her with thirſt. Is not here enough? Oh no, there cometh a fifth And, and that is more terrible then all the former foure [And] I will have uo more mercy upon her children.
This addeth terrour to all the reſt. Suppoſe that all the other foure had beene, and if this had not come, there had not beene ſuch a grievous threatning, If God had ſaid, I will ſtrip her naked & ſet her as in the day wherein ſhe was borne, and I will make her as a wilderneſſe, and ſet her as a dry land, and ſlay her with thirſt, yet if there might be mercy in all this, their condition had not beene ſo miſerable, but (ſaith God) I will doe all theſe, And I will have no more mercy upon them. Oh this hath that terrour in it, that it is impoſſible for the heart of a man that apprehends it to ſtand under it.
And for the opening of this I ſhall ſhew you how that all the former foure not only may ſtand with Gods mercy, but they have ſtood with Gods mercy; that God had heretofore ſhewed mercy to them when they were in ſuch a low condition in which they were borne, when they were in the wilderneſſe, when they were in a dry Land, yea when he did ſlay them, he ſhewed mercy unto them. But now he ſaith, he will do thus and thus, and ſhew no mercy unto them. So that then though this And be conjunctive in Grammar, yet here in Divnity it is a disjunctive, and a moſt dreadfull disjunctive to part them and mercy a ſunder, yea and to part many of them and merciemercy eternally aſunder.
To ſhew you therefore the ſoure former, that though they were in ſuch a condition heretofore, yet God did ſhew them merciemercy; now what a condition is that God will ſhew them no merciemercy. As
Firſt, In the day wherein they were borne, that (as you may remember) I ſhewed you out of the 16. Ezek. what a low and pittifull condition the people of Iſrael were in, they were caſt out in the field, & they were in their blood, and not waſhed, and the like: But mark in the 8. ver. I paſſed by thee and looked upon thee, behold the time was a time of love, and I ſpread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedneſſe, yea, I ſware unto thee, and entered into covenant with thee, and thou becameſt mine. Here are the higheſt and the fulleſt expreſſions of Gods grace that could be. Firſt, I looked upon her, and then the time was a time of love, and then, I ſpread my skirt over thee, and I entered into covenant with thee, and thou becamiſt mine: Here are all theſe expresſions of mercy, even at that time when they were caſt out as forlorne in the open field, and no eye pitt…ed them: but now they are threatned to be caſt out into the open field againe, and no eye to pittie them in heaven or in earth, no, nor the eye of God to pittie them: now God threatneth to caſt them off for ever, ſo as he will ſee them in their blood, but it ſhall be no more a time of love, but a time of wrath, and he will no more enter into covenant with them, neither ſhall they be his.
2. When God brought them into the wilderneſſe, God there ſhewed them mercy, for that you have a marvellousfull Text, Deut. 32. 10. Hee found them in a deſart land, and in the waſt howling wilderneſſe; but mark, he led them about, he inſtructed them, he kept them as the apple of his eye. Though they were in a waſt howling wilderneſſe, yet they were as deare to God as the apple of his eye. Yea further, ver. 11. As an eagie ſtirreeth up her noſt, fluttereth over her young, ſpreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings, ſo the Lord alone did lead them. It is the note of Paulus Fagius, citing for it Rabbi Solomon upon this, as the Eagle carries her young ones, not as other birds, for other birds it is obſerved carry their young ones in their claws, the Eagle bears hers upon her wings, and this is the reaſon that is obſerved, becauſe the Eagle is more tender of her young ones then other birds are, why? for other birds carrying their young ones in their claws, if any ſhoot at them, they hit the young ones, and kill them firſt, but may miſſe the old one; but the Eagle carries hers upon her back, upon her wings, that whoſoever ſhoots at her young ones, they muſt ſhoot through her firſt: So ſaith God, I carried you in the wilderneſſe as the Eagle carries her young ones upon her wings, that if any ſhoot at you to hurt you, they muſt ſhoote through me firſt before they can come at you. This was Gods mercy to them when they were in the waſt howling wilderneſſe, here is not ſuch an And, they were in a wilderneſſe, yet God had much mercy upon them.
Thirdly, milestone God brought them into a dry Land, in this wilderneſſe they wanted water, yet (though they were ready to murmure) he made them ſucke honey out of the rocke, and oile out of the flinty rocke, Deut. 32. 13. You will ſay, when did God make them ſuck honey out of the rock? wee read indeed that water guſhed out of the rocke in a dry land, but here the Scripture ſpeaks, that he made them ſuck honey & oile out of the flinty rock. It is a note of Chryſoſtome ſpeaking upon this very thing, of Gods making them ſucke honey and oile out of the rocke: Not, ſaith he, that there was indeed honey or oyle came out of the rock, but becauſe they being in the wilderneſſe, and in ſuch great want, the water that came out of the rock was to them as ſweet and delightfull, as if it had beene honey or oyle.
Thence he gathered that note, that want and neceſſity will make every thing very ſweet and comfortable, water will be as honey and oile to them that want. When you are at your full tables, This wine pleaſeth you not, and that beere pleaſeth you not; but if you were in neceſſitie, water would be as wine, it would be as honey and oile to you.
Yea but what ſay you to the fourth And, He will ſlay them with thirſt? Can you ſhew us any place wherein God did ſlay his people, yet ſhew merciemercy to them? Yes, I can. There is a place where it is ſaid, God ſlew his people, yet for all that at that very time he ſhewed abundance of merciemercy to his people; when God did come with his ſword in his hand, yet with abundance of compaſſion in his heart. The Scripture is in Pſal. 78. 34. Marke what the Text ſaith there, When he ſlew them, then they ſought him, and they returned and enquired early after God, and they remembred that God was their Rocke. Well, they ſought him, and they remembred this, that God was their Redeemer, but did God redeeme them at that time? Yes, verſe 38. He being full of compaſſion for gave their iniquity, and deſtroyed them not, yea many a time he turned his anger away, and did not ſtir up all his wrath, Or as the old Tranſlation hath it, He called backe his anger, which here he will not doe: He was full of compaſſion, and forgave their iniquity, and called back his anger, though he did ſlay them at that time.
He denieth to doe it here, he letteth out his anger here to the full, and will not call it back, I will have no mercy upon them: And it is obſervable in this Scripture that yet the Text ſaith before that, they did but flatter God with their mouth: though they did but flatter God with their mouth, yet ſuch was Gods merciemercy toward them, that he calleth back his anger.
My brethren, God hath a high eſteeme of his worſhip in a Nation; though it ſhould be but externall (but we muſt not reſt in that) yet many times externall humilliation and worſhipping of God in a Nation hath beene effectuall to deliver them from externall judgements.
Therefore we have much cauſe to be incouraged, in that God doth ſtirre up our Nation at this day, yea and thoſe particularly that are going in that expedition and ſervice for the Kingdome, that God doth ſtirre them up to goe forth worſhipping of him.
Our adverſaries come againſt them with Oathes and curſes, and they goe againſt them with faſting and prayer, not externally onelyonly, but we hope internally many of them, and thouſands that joine with them in our Nation. And if God will ſhew ſo much mercy to them when they did but flatter him with their mouth, ſurely then when as there are ſo many true worſhippers of him, yea thoſe that are the inſtruments of the work; we have much cauſe to think that God will ſhew mercy to us, and that if anger were come out againſt us, yet God will call it backe.
Thus then we ſee that ſo long as Gods people be Gods people, though they may be brought to great troubles (we cannot be ſecured from troubles) yet ſtill there is merciemercy for them; ſo long as they are his people, ſo long as the knot is between God and them, and they are in Covenant, there is merciemercy for them. But now when they are caſt off, now there commeth an and, I will doe thus and thus, bring them into theſe extremities, and I will ſhew no mercy to them, there ſhall be judgement without merciemercy. The obſervation then from hence is,Obſer. when God commeth upon the wicked with wrath, hee cometh with pure wrath. Wrath without mixture of merciemercy, and this is intolerable. We have a remarkable place for this Iſa. 7. 5. An evil (ſaith the Text) an onelyonly evil, Wrath upon the wi… ed is pure wrath with out mixture of merciemercy.behold it is comming. Marke, there may come an evil to the people of God, that which materially is evill, but it can never be ſaid of Gods people that an evill, an only evill is comming: If an evil come, there cometh a great good together with that evil: but now it is upon the wicked, an evil, & an onelyonly evil is coming. God threatneth Pſal. 75. 8. that he hath a cup in his hand, full of mixture, the mixture of that is an aggravation of the wrath that is in it: but here there is a cup in Gods hand without mixture, and the want of mixture is the aggravation of the evil of this cup.
VVhen wrath is pure, then it is grown beyond anger, and grown to hatred: ſo long as it is but meere anger, it admitteth of mixture of love, but when once it is (as we may ſpeak) grown to that height of ſowerneſs that all the mixture of love is gone, then it is turned to hatred. There was a time when Iſrael ſpake in a murmuring way that God brought them into the wilderneſſe becauſe he hated them. Deut. 1. 27. But now God threatneth to bring them into the wilderneſſe and to hate them indeed, according to that Hoſea 9. 15. All their wickedneſſe is in Gilgal, for there I hated them. David prayeth Pſal. 6. 1. that God would not rebuke him in his wrath, neither chaſten him in his hot diſpleaſure; but what then? Have mercy upon me O Lord: So long as God ſheweth merciemercy he doth not chaſten in his ſore diſpleaſure: but when God commeth with afflictions & denyeth merciemercy, then he commeth in ſore diſpleaſure indeed, it is hatred.
Secondly, When God commeth without merciemercy he commeth upon the wicked in the moſt unſeaſonable time for them that can be. That is the difference betwixt the evills that come upon the godly and the wicked.
There may be evills (that materially are ſo) upon the godly, but yet they ſhall come upon them when it ſhall be ſeaſonable for them: but when they come upon the wicked it ſhal be when they are moſt unſeaſonable for them: As a husband-man if he would cut his Tree ſo as onelyonly to lop it that it may grow and flouriſh again, he will be ſure to do it in due time, as in January or February, Iudgments upon the wicked at times moſt unſeaſonable for them.but if he would cut it that ſo it may dye, hee will lop it when it flouriſheth moſt, at Midſummer. God indeed letteth wicked men grow up and flouriſh to the height of their proſperity, and then he commeth and loppeth them becauſe then hee knowes they muſt die and periſh. It were better to be lopped in January, in winter time before you flouriſh, then you may live for your good; but if you ſtay till the ſummer, you die for it. You have an excellent Scripture, Zeph. 2. 4. They ſhall drive out Aſhdod at noon day. In thoſe Countries that were exceeding hot and ſcorching, ſhe pheards and others that had their buſineſſe abroad, uſed to keep their houſes at noon day, or get into ſome ſhady places and ſleepe. Now when God threatneth a judgement in wrath, and denyeth merciemercy, ſaith hee, they ſhall drive out Aſhdod at noone day, in the worſt time that poſſibly Aſhdod can be driven out, in the middeſt of ſcorching. Becauſe God intended to deſtroy them, he drives them out at noone day.
Again thirdly, When God commeth upon the wicked and denyeth merciemercy, he regardeth not the proportion of any affliction or any evill, whether it be enough or not enough for them, what is that to him? When hee cometh upon his own people he weigheth out his wrath. Never did any skilfull Phyſitian or Apothecary more carefully weigh out to every dram what the potion ſhould be that is to be given to a child,God proportions afflictions to his childdren, but not to the wicked. then God doth weigh out every affliction that he ſendeth upon his children. The difference is juſt as if you ſhould goe to the Apothecaries to take ratsbane to poyſon or kill vermine, you doe not weigh out how much you ſhould take, but give them it at adventure, and let them take as much as they will, and let them burſt: but if you take any thing for your child, if it have any ſtrong vertue in i…, or without compoſition, it may be poiſon, you will take heed, you will not take a dram, a graine too much, but will be ſure to weigh it out exactly.
Thus though when God commeth to his children hee weigheth out their afflictions, yet when he cometh with judgements upon the wicked, he cares not how much, how many or great they be, whether ſutable to their conditions or no, whether they can beare them or no, whether their backes breake or no, he cometh with judgements upon them to deſtroy them.
Fourthly,Hoſ. 7. 14. Ezek. 8. 18 When afflictions commeth without merciemercy upon the wicked, God ſtoppeth his ears at all their cryes. If they cry when God cometh with judgements againſt them, he calleth their cryings howling. Hee tells them though they cry aloud, yea cry with teares he will not heare them,
Fifthly, God commandeth all creatures that they ſhould deny help to them. They may ſtand and be amazed, but help them they cannot. They all ſay how can we help, ſeeing God helpes not.
Sixthly, There is the curſe of God mixed with every judgement to drive them further from God, and to harden them more in their ſinnes.
Laſtly, One judgement is but the making way for another, yea all judgments in this world are but the fore-runners, and makers-way for eternall judgements. This is the portion of the cup of the wicked when God ſaith he will ſhew them no merciemercy. The afflictions of the Saints may ſeeme to be more grievous outwardly, but thus God never afflicteth them, there is merciemercy alwayes for them.
VVherefore all yee Saints of God who are under any affliction at any time, be patient and quiet, be contented under it, for though your afflictions before and grievous,Lect. 3. yet God delivereth you from ſuch afflictions as theſe wherein he ſaith he will ſhew no merciemercy.
But further. I will not have mercy upon her children.
Her children.] The judgement of God in puniſhing the ſin of the fathers upon the children we ſpake ſomewhat of in the Chapter before, wee will wholly let that paſſe now: and onelyonly conſider children in another way then we did before, in a politicall conſideration, for certainly that is the meaning of the Text, I will not have mercy upon her children; that is, I will not have merciemercy upon the particular people that belong to Iezreel. Private and particular people are called the daughters of Jeruſalem, the daughters of ſuch a Country. So that the whole community together with the officers & Governours they are as the Mother, and the private and particular people they are as the children. So that when God ſaith he will have no mercy upon her children, hee doth not onelyonly threaten the State and the Church, the Governours and the whole Community thus, but he threatneth every particular perſon of them, though you that are in the multitude perhaps thinke you may eſcape in the crowde; No ſaith God, I will looke to every one of you of the multitude of the private and particular perſons of Iſrael, and my wrath ſhal… not onelyonly come out againſt thoſe that are in higher places, but it ſhall come out againſt you alſo, I will ſlay her children.
It is true indeed, the heads and governours of places are uſually moſt invelved in the guilt of the ſins of nations, and their judgements are uſually moſt dreadfull when God commeth with nationall judgements. As Num. 35. 3. 4. The Text ſaith there that Iſrael joyned themſelves to Baal▪ Peor, and the anger of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael, and the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the ſunne. The Lords anger was kindled againſt the people, but he bade Moſes eſpecially look to the heads, and take them and hang them up be…re the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord might be turned away from Iſrael.
Certainly execution of wrath upon great ones, upon ſuch as have beene heads in evill, is a Sacrifice exceeding well pleaſing to God. But though God ay…e at them eſpecially in nationall judgements, yet the multitude and private people muſt not thinke to eſcape, and that upon theſe grounds.
Firſt, Becauſe many times it is for their ſins that God ſuffereth their Governours to doe ſo much evill as they doe,Gods judgments againſt people, as well as againſt Governors, and why. As, Iſrael had ſinned, and God was wrath with Iſrael, therefore David did what he did in numbring the people. When you ſee your Governours doe that which is naught, lament for your own ſins; doe not ſpend your time onelyonly in crying out againſt them, but look to yourſelves, it is for your ſinnes that God hath left them to do as they have done.2 Sam. 24. 1.
Secondly, It may be the reaſon why Governours do not reforme, is, in the perverſeneſſe of people, that they are not in a preparation to receive that good which otherwiſe our Governours had in their hands & hearts to bring to paſſe. As 2 Chron. 20. 33. it is cleere there, Howbeit the high places were not taken away, why? For as yet the people had not prepared their hearts to ſeeke the God of their Fathers. Why? ſhould they have pulled down the high places? no, but they ſhould have beene in a preparation for the pulling of them downe. Certainly this is the great cauſe why our high places are not pulled downe, why Reformation hath gone on no better then it hath, and why we have ſo much evil remaining amongſt us, becauſe the people have not prepared their hearts, they are not in a diſpoſition to receive the merciemercy that our governours have hearts to bring unto us.
They have hearts to work for us, but when we ſpeake to them of what is fit to be done, their anſwer is, but is England in a fit diſpoſition to receive ſuch a thing as that is? ſo that the truth is, although you are ready to cry out of your Governours, you ſay, they have power in their hands, why doe they not reforme things? yet the guilt in great part devolves upon the people, they are not in a fit d…ſpoſition to receive ſuch reformation: therefore God threatneth the child…en, the peo…le here.
Again further, It may be it is from you that the Governours that are evil are ſo much incouraged and abetted in that which is evill: though you doe it not, yet you ſo much incourage them as the guilt redounds upon you.
Yea laſtly, If you do but obey them in any thing that is evill, in doing of that, the guilt devolveth upon you, for you ſhould not do it, but rather obey God then man.
Many thinke to make this their plea, they are commanded to doe thus and thus, and Governours would have them doe it, and it is Law and the like, and they thinke upon this plea they may do any thing in the world. This will not ſecure you, God may come with judgement without merciemercy upon the children as well as upon the Mother. And if Gods wrath ſhould come in nationall judgements againſt England, let the people know that they are like to ſmart moſt dreadfully, for never was their a time in our dayes, nor in our fore-fathers dayes, that ſo much depended upon the people as at this day; never were they called to that help as now they are called to at this day.
So that the people now may have reformation,Much depends now upon the people. they may have bleſſings, if it be not through their own default. As Cant. 7. 1. The Church is there deſcribed in her beauty, and it beginneth at her feete, How beautifull are thy feete? And Cant. 5. There Chriſt is deſcribed in his beauty, and it beginneth at the head, His head is as the moſt faire gold.
God ſometimes makes uſe of the people to be great meanes, and perhaps the beginning of means to bring beauty to the Church, though they cannot perfect it. Heretofore private perſons could doe little: Alas though they were under grievous oppreſſions, they knew not now to help themſelves.
Many men that had purſes, and ſtrength, and heads, and hearts and all, yet they knew not what to doe, but to make their moane one to another, and to heaven; but now it is otherwiſe, now you may do ſomewhat elſe beſides making your moane one to another, yea beſides making your moa…e to heaven: for you that have purſes now you may ſee waies to employ them for the publique good, for Religion, for liberty, you that have ſtrength of body may know what to doe, you that have head-pieces, I mean parts, you are called to help, you may joyne together for God and the good of your Country, you may do much more then heretofore could be done.
Wherefore now if you ſhould deſert the Cauſe of God, and deſert thoſe that you have truſted, you muſt expect the moſt dreadfull wrath of God, and that without merciemercy, even upon the people that ever was upon any nation ſince the beginning of the world, for never any nation that we know of, had more depending upon the people then there is at this day upon the people of England, O conſider of it, and oh that all the people of the land did but know what God would have them to do in ſuch a time as this?
Again,Obſer. I will not have mercy upon her children: upon particular private perſons in the ſociety. One note more upon that, It is a dangeraus thing for men in any ſocietie to do as the moſt doe: If they be in a civill ſocietie to give their votes and to do as the greater part doth; if you be in a Church ſocietie, to do as the greater part doth without any examination of it, this dangerous. For though the greater part, the communitie may doe that which is evil, you ſhall not be excuſed by that, for you to ſay, why what could I help it, wh…n the moſt doth it? God commeth upon private and particular men, upon the children, even every one of them: And why?
For they are the children of whoredomes.
That is either paſſively or actively, paſſively, becauſe they were begotten of whoredomes and brought up, their education hath been in whoredome, they have had it from their parents, Or elſe they are the children of whoredomes actively, they live in the ſame whoredomes their Mother did.
From hence,
Firſt,Obſer. There is little hope of children brought up in wicked education, who have wicked parents alſo. If the dye have beene in the wooll it is hard to get out of the cloth. If wickedneſs, if evill principles have beene dropped into children, there is little hope of them for good, eſpecially of thoſe children that have been brought up in wayes of ſuperſtition and Idolatry,little hope of children ill educated. their hearts being ſo ſoyled, and defiled, and hardned in ſuperſtitious and idolatrous wayes, they ſeldome come to any good. Therefore that which hath been mentioned is very good, namely of wayes to take the children of Papiſts to bring them up in the education and knowledge of the truth.
Yet Secondly,Obſer. This ſhall not excuſe children, though they be the children of whoredomes. It is no excuſe for them to ſay they had it from their Parents, and they did as their Parents have done, and as they bade them, and according as they brought them up. No it excuſeth not at all, for the wrath of God commeth upon them that are the children of whoredomes.
Then what a merciemercy is it for us to be brought up in the truth; to have Parents that doe profeſſe the truth, and for our education to bee in the way of truth? It is a mercy that we do not conſider of to give God the glory of it: How dangerous is it to have ſuperſtitious Idolatrous Parents, and to have ſuch kind of education! there is not one of ten thouſand that altereth his religion: If they have Turks, or Jewes, or Papiſts to their parents, and ſuch education, it is not one of tenne thouſand I ſay that altereth his religion. Therefore it is like our condition would have been the ſame if God had not caſt it that our parents ſhould be ſuch as profeſſe the truth, and our education according to the truth. Bleſſe God for this. And you that are parents doe you look to your children, and bring them up in the truth. Children who have gracious principles dropped into them, and thoſe watred by prayers and tears, there is hope of them▪ and not of them alone, but of the nation where they live.
Laſtly (which is the obſervation which mainely wee are to conſider of) When Gods judgements come abroad in the world,Obſer. let the children of whoredomes look to it, God threatneth he will have no mercy upon them, or they are the children of whoredomes. The children of whoredomes are the butt of Gods wrath when his judgements come abroad in the world.
Iſa. 27. 4 Furie is not in me, ſaith the Text, that is, it is not in mee toward my Saints;When judgements are abroad let the children of whoredoms, not the children of the Bride-chamber feare. though I come out in a kind of fury, yet it is not in me toward them, what then? Who would ſet the briers and thorns againſt mee in battle? I would goe thorough them, I would burn them together. When my wrath commeth againſt the briars and thornes, I will go through them, and burne them together; but for my children, fury is not in me toward them: When Gods wrath is abroad in the world, let not the children of the bride-chamber feare, but let the children of whoredomes feare and quake, let briars and thornes feare, but not the fruitfull trees in Gods garden: Godjudgements know how to make a difference between men, they are dis ſtinguiſhing things when they come abroad: God ſendeth not his judgements hand over head, but putteth into them a diſtinguiſhing quality. God hath a chamber of reſt and ſafety for his people, wherein he will hide them till his indignation be over-paſt; but for the children of whoredomes, ſuperſtitious, Idolatrous, wicked and ungodly people, they are the people of Gods indignation, they are like Idumea, the people of Gods curſe, as you have it, Iſa. 34. 5.
There are a people this day amongſt us who are certainely the people of Gods curſe, and let them look to it as well as they will. Rev. 14. 8. Babylon is fallen, is fallen (ſaith an Angell there) and mark what followeth. ver. 9. And another Angel followed, ſaying with a loud voyce, If any man worſhip the beaſt and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the ſame ſhal drinke of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred out without mixture into the cup of his indignation. It is according to that in the Text here, God will have no mercy, they ſhall drink of the wine of the wrath of God without mixture, without mixture of any mercy at all. And further, He ſhall be tormented with fire and brimſtone in the preſence of the holy Angels, & in the preſence of the Lambe, and the ſmoake of their torment aſcendeth up for ever and ever, And they have no reſt day nor night that worſhip the beaſt and his image.
Here is a dreadfull threat againſt the children of whoredomes, againſt ſuch as follow the wayes of the great whore of Babylon. Bleſſed are they that in theſe times have teſtimony in their own conſciences, that it hath been their care above all things to draw themſelves out from the guilt of all ſuperſtitious and Idolatrous vanities, and to keep themſelves (according to that light that God hath diſcovered to them) pure from the pollutions of that man of ſin. Bleſſed I ſay are theſe, they need not feare this day; but for thoſe that have involved themſelves in the guilt of thoſe pollutions, they have need to humble their ſouls before God, and to cry mightily, for wrath is going out againſt the children of whoredomes. This Text here ſpoken of, is not meant only of hell hereafter, but it is meant of judgement even in this world: And above all times that ever yet have been ſince Antichriſt began, it is a moſt deſperate thing to be a Papiſt in theſe dayes, becauſe now is the time for God to make theſe children of whoredomes the very Butt of his wrath and indignation.
We heare of wars, and rumors of wars, and a great deale of ſtir there is abroad: My brethren, keep your hearts chaſt to God, and fear not, for God hath another manner of people to deal withall then you; you ſhall be ſealed firſt, before the wrath come out. Though I cannot excuſe you altogether from ſuffering ſome afflictions, theſe children of whoredomes may bring ſome trouble upon the Saints for the preſent; yea perhaps ſome of you may have your blood ſpilt, but God hath mercy to beſtow upon you, but for them there is wrath, and wrath without mixture, God ſaith he will have no mercy upon the children of whoredoms.
Let ſuch as are going forth then in this Service, for Religion and Liberty, go forth with courage and undauntedneſſe of ſpirit, why? for they fight againſt none but thoſe that God fighteth againſt. Who are they but the children of whoredomes that they go to fight againſt, thoſe who have ſhewed themſelves to be open fighters againſt God and his truth, ſuch as are moſt abominable ſwearers, curſers, and blaſphemers, ſuch as make no other uſe of the light of the Goſpel that they have, but only to ſcorn and contemn it, ſuch as are open deſpiſers of God and his truth, and of his people? Certainly if there be a curſed generation upon the face of the earth, theſe are the people, whoſe mouths are full of curſes, and certainely Gods curſe is upon them who are ſo full of curſings themſelves. If there be any of you here that are now, or hereafter may go forth in this ſervice, your ſpirits ſhould even riſe with indignation againſt ſuch monſters upon earth, and goe againſt them as David againſt Goliah, What ſhall this uncircumciſed Philiſtine defie the hoaſt of the living God? Thus your hearts ſhould riſe if you have any love to God and his truth; Shall a company of curſed monſters that do nothing but blaſpheme, and curſe, and ſweare, and defie God and his ſervants, and his Tabernacle, and worſhip; ſhall theſe uncircumciſed Philiſtins go on thus defying God and his truth? If you have the hearts of men within you, eſpecially of Chriſtians, me thinks you ſhould not be able to beare it, but goe forth againſt them with fulneſſe of ſpirit and reſolution, certainely God will make them a prey to you, they are not only ſuch as not only have put off Chriſtianity, and are become Atheiſts, but they have put off all kind of humanity, and are rather turned monſtrous beaſts, or devils. Fear them not, though their hearts be full of pride and rage, and though they beaſt never ſo much what they are, or what they have done, or what they will doe; I ſay feare them not, for this is part of the curſe of God that is upon them that though God fighteth againſt them, they will not ſee it, they ſhall not ſee it, becauſe God intendeth to deſtroy them; though judgments are out againſt them,Revel. 9. 21. Chap. 16, 9. 11. yet they will not repent. You ſhall finde it divers times in the book of the Revelation, that thoſe that followed Antichriſt, though they were tormented, all the judgments of God were againſt them, yet they repented not. This I ſay is the curſe of God upon ſuch, God will not give them repentance unto life, for they are the children of whoredoms, whom God intendeth to have no mercy upon: therefore the higher their rage riſeth, the higher your hearts ſhould riſe againſt them.
But we muſt go on to the 5. verſe.
For their mother hath played the harlot.
Their mother, that is, the State and the Church, for they were both involved in one, hath played the harlot. This [For] hath reference two ways; either it may have reference to thoſe words, I will not have mercy upon them, for not only they are, but their mother is defiled with whoredomes, ſhe hath played the harlot: or ſecondly, it hath reference onelyonly to the latter part, they are the children of whoredomes, for their mother hath played the harlot: either it referreth to the reaſon why God will not have mercy upon them, becauſe their mother hath played the harlot: or ſecondly to the reaſon why they are the children of whoredomes, for their mother hath played the harlot. And from both theſe references we have very uſefull obſervations for us.
The firſt,Obſer. God cannot endure a ſucceſſion in wickedneſſe, I will not have mercy upon them, their mother hath played the harlot, they are children of whoredoms themſelves, and their mother hath plaid the harlot, there is a ſuccesſion of wickedneſſe among them, and that I cannot beare. The ground is, becauſe thoſe that keep up a ſuccesſion of wickedneſſe from the mother to the children, and ſo goe on downeward, they are guilty of all the wickedneſſes that went before them in that line; Elſe how can that be underſtood where Chriſt ſaith he will require all the blood from Abel to Zacharias upon that generation; succesſion for ſi…ne i… dreadfull.but becauſe they continuing in that way of ſin, kept up the ſuccesſion of that ſin, and ſo that generation was guilty of all the ſins of that kind that went before even unto Abel. So the father is a whore-maſter, and the child he proveth to be one too, and ſo goeth on, the child is not only guilty of that ſinne of his owne, but of his fathers, and of his grandfathers, and hee is guilty of all that kind of ſinne that is gone before, even up to the beginning of the world; why? becauſe hee keepeth up the ſucceſſion of that ſinne in the world. This is a moſt terrible thing to conſider of, enough to wound the ſtrongeſt heart in the world, eſpecially of thoſe that know they have had wicked Parents.
Again, For their mother hath plaid the harlot, conſider this word For, as having reference to the reaſon why they are children of whoredomes, for their mother hath plaid the harlot. The obſervation is,
Children uſually goe according to their parents, which way their parents goe, commonly the children goe. It is a uſuall thing where there are prophane parents to have prophane children, if the parents ſweare to have ſwearing children, if the parents be ſuperſtitious to have ſuperſtitious children; if parents be ſcorners of Religion, to have children ſcorners too: we find it true in experience, in that new nick-name that is brought up on the godly in roome of the former, it is as frequent in the mouths of children as in others, becauſe children go according to what their fathers formerly did: I will give you one notable Text of Scripture for this, it is 2 King. 2. 23. When Eliſha the Prophet was going up to Bethel, there came forth little children out of the City and ſaid unto him, Goe up thou bald-head, goe up thou bald-head. The thing that I note it for is this, that not only the children did it, and ſo were deſtroyed, (for two ſhe-beares came out of the wilderneſſe and tare 42. of them) but what children were they that did this? If you obſerve the Text, you ſhall finde that they were the children of Bethel; and what place was that? That was one of the places where the calves were ſet up, and it was a place of much ſuperſtition, and the children were as ſuperſtitious as their parents: A place that had the name, the houſe of God, but a place exceedingly abuſed, and no place did more degenerate from the name then it, it was a Bethaven, a houſe of vanity and wickedneſſe. It was the place that was moſt ſuperſtitious, and thoſe were the children that ſcorned at the Prophet: But we need no other proof but only experience, yet there is one notable Scripture further for it, Jer. 7. 18. The children (ſaith the Text) gather wood, their fathers kindle the fire, and their mothers kneaded the dough: the children joyned you ſee: Pelagius thought that there was no ſinne came into the world but only by imitation, children imitating their parents. Certainly imitation is of great power and force to prevaile with the hearts of children. You that are wicked parents, had need to looke to it what you doe before your children. He that ſinneth before a child, ſpecially a parent, ſinneth doubly,Qui peccat coram puero his peccat. for a child will be ready to imitate it. What, will you not only ſin againſt God, and be enemies unto him, but will you leave a ſucceſſion, that when you are dead and gone, ſome muſt out of your loynes, and from your bowels, blaſpheme God after you are rotten in your graves? Suppoſe you that are parents had a plague ſore upon you, would you goe among your children, and breath upon them? this cruelty is much worſe, will you goe into your families, and breath infection into your children, and ſo make them like you, and guilty of your ſins, and of the plagues of God together with you? oh cruell parents!
On the otherſide, as therefore children of whoredomes, becauſe their mother hath plaid the harlot, why then ſhould not children be gracious and godly, who have gracious and godly parents? Why ſhould it not be ſaid, This childe is a godly childe, for his mother was a gracious woman, and his father a godly man? You that have godly parents, let this be your Encomium, You are godly and gracious children, and you had godly and gracious parents, this will be your honour before the Saints. But how vile is it, when it may be ſaid, Here is a wicked wretch, yet he had a godly father, and a godly mother; here is an uncleane and filthy liver, yet hee had gracious parents? It is no wonder to ſay thus, This man is filthy, for his father was filthy, and his mother was a harlot; but to look upon one, and ſay, Here is a whoremaſter, yet his father was a godly gracious man; Here is a harlot, yet her mother was a holy woman; O how vile is that! I remember a ſpeech of that reverend Maſter Bolton, who died not long ſince; It is repo…ted, that upon his death-bed he had his children come to him, & he ſpeaks thus unto them, I doe believe, ſaith he, there is never a one of you will dare to meet me at the tribunall of Chriſt in an unregenerate condition. So let me ſay to you that are evill children of Godly parents, let me in their names ſpeak to you, How dare you, with what face doe you think you ſhall dare to meet with your godly father and gracious mother before the judgement ſeat of Jeſus Chriſt? at that day if your godly father ſtand at the right hand of Chriſt, how dare you appeare before that face in the guilt of thoſe horrible wickedneſſes that you now live in? Certainly the thought of this hath power to daunt your hearts.
She hath done ſhamefully.
The word in the Hebrew (it is in Hyphil, and ſo it may be tranſlated tranſitively) ſignifieth,pudef aciens. She hath made aſhamed, as well as done ſhamefully; and ſo I find it according to ſome thus rendered, Shee hath made aſhamed her husband, ſhe hath made aſhamed her children, ſhee hath made aſhamed her ſelf, and all theſe three may be meant. Yea I conceive the intent of the holy Ghoſt is to expreſſe them all.
Her husband firſt, the Church is the Spouſe of Jeſus Chriſt, Chriſt is the husband of the Church, and you know the Scripture ſaith that the woman is the glory of the man. I remember I gave the meaning of that heretofore; So the Church being the Spouſe of Chriſt, ſhould be the glory of Chriſt: the woman ſhould be the glory of the man, but yet being wicked and filthy, ſhe makes her husband many times aſhamed. The evil of the wife is a ſhame to the husband, ſo the evill of the Church is a ſhame to Ieſus Chriſt. The Church in Scripture is called the glory of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 8. 23. If our brethren be enquired after, they are the meſſengers of the Churches, and the glory of Chriſt. Iſa. 4. 5. VponUpon all the glory ſhall be a defence.
It ſhould be ſo, but when it commeth to be defiled, it ſhameth Chriſt, their wickedneſſe reflects upon Chriſt. Chriſt is ſaid to walke in the middeſt of the golden Candleſticks, Rev. 2. 1. Every Church is a Candle-ſtick, and it ſhould be a golden Candle-ſticke, but if it come to be a filthy ruſtie Candle-ſtick,The Saints muſt take heed they be not a ſhame to Chriſt. it is a diſhonour unto Chriſt who walketh amongſt them.
Wicked men doe not ſhame Chriſt, but godly doe. My brethren let us take heed of that, It is an evill thing to bring ſhame to our ſelves, and one to another, but to bring ſhame upon JESUS CHRIST is the greateſt evil. Many of you perhaps are aſhamed of Chriſt, take heed you be not a ſhame to Chriſt. They are aſhamed of Chriſt that are aſhamed to appeare in the cauſe of Chriſt; but as for you that are ſo, Chriſt hath more cauſe to be aſhamed of you, for you are a ſhame to him.
It is true, I cannot deny it but many Churches of God, and that of late have brought ſome ſhame to Jeſus Chriſt by their diſſentions and fractions, and they muſt take ſhame to themſelves, and they have taken ſhame to themſelves, they have acknowledged it to the glory of Chriſt, and in that regard in ſome meaſure have waſhed off that ſhame that they have brought to Chriſt.
Againe further, a ſhame they are to their children. Wicked Parents are a ſhame to their children; when a child appeareth forward, towardly, and hopefull, and it be ſaid, Would you not wonder to ſee him ſo forward? the father of him is a beaſtly dr…nkard, a filthy whore-monger, of a vile and malignant ſpirit;Wicked parents are a shame to their children. now the child is aſhamed to heare of the evil of his father, and of the evil of his mother. As fooliſh children are a ſhame to their Parents, ſo wicked Parents are a ſhame to their children. You that have gracious children take heed you be not a ſhame to them, and ſo a ſhame to your ſelves.
And then a ſhame to her ſelfe, ſhe hath plaid the harlot, ſhe hath done ſhamefully. Wherein had ſhe done ſhamefully? I will onelyonly mention one particular. Certainly that ſhame of hers was eſpecially in ſubjecting Religion to carnall policie. For what did ſhe doe? what was the great ſinne of the ten Tribes? It was this, becauſe they were afraid that if they did go up to Jeruſalem to worſhip, the people would then depart from the houſe of Jeroboam, to the houſe of David, therefore out of politicall regards they would have the worſhip ſet up at Dan and Bethel, there they would have Calves, they muſt not goe up to Jeruſalem the place which God had appointed to worſhip in, but at Dan and Bethel. This was a meere politique fetch, for they could not but acknowledg that God did require that they ſhould worſhip at Jeruſalem where the Temple was, and there was no other reaſon why they would worſhip at Dan and Bethel, but meerely out of State policie that they might prevent the people from going backe to the houſe of David, and indeed they did profeſſe ſo much themſelves. Here then they did ſhamfully.
The Obſervation then from hence is, that for governours or any to ſubject Religion to policie is a ſhamefull thing. It is ſhamefull to make Religion an underling, and to make policie the head. Perhaps they call this wiſedome, a prudentiall way, wee muſt be carefull and wiſe to foreſee inconveniences that may follow. But what if God give it another name? God may give it a name of baſe temporizing, a name of folly and wickedneſſe: to ſubject Religion to policie it is ſhamefull, becauſe it abaſeth that which is the great honour of any Country, it makes it an underling: what is the excellency of man but Religion? what is the excellency of a Country but Religion? and what hath England been glorious for more then for Religion? Now to put the excellency of a thing under any inferiour, this is ſhamefull, to put the Crown that is for the head under ones foot is a diſhonour to it: although a thing hath in it ſelf but little excellencie, if it be brought beneath it ſelfe under other things that have not ſo great an excellency in them, it makes it vile.
And ſhamefull alſo it is becauſe it holdeth forth this, that we dare not truſt God for our civill eſtate and for our peace, therefore Religion muſt come under.
Shamefull it is again becauſe it is groſſe folly, for there is no ſuch way to breede diſturbance in a politicke ſtate, no ſuch way to undoe a State, as to make Religion an underling to policie. Was it not ſo here? That very way that they tooke to uphold their policie was the way to deſtroy their State, & did deſtroy it at laſt, even their corrupting of Gods worſhip.
What cauſe had they then to be aſhamed of this, that God ſhould take that which they thought to helpe themſelves by, and make that the very thing that ſhould cauſe their ruine? And certainly it will be ſo, they that are of the deepeſt and politikeſt ferches and reaches, if they thinke to ſecure themſelves and preſerve their peace, out of that principle, ſo as Religion muſt come under, and muſt be ſerviceable, it will appeare at laſt they doe ſhamefully, God will make them aſhamed of it one way or other, it will be the onelyonly way to undoe themſelves and us. I confeſſe in matters of Religion there are ſome commands that are affirmitive precepts: Theſe though they doe ligare ſemper, yet not ad ſemper, there is not a neceſſity that at every time and inſtant they ſhould be urged, ſo that it may be that a people may be in ſuch a frame that men cannot but by degrees bring in a reformation to the height of it, and then it is not carnall policie to bring in ſuch wayes of God gradually, as are commanded by affirmitive precepts; but negative precepts binde ſemper and adſemper, and the State muſt looke to that, that they do nothing againſt Chriſt out of policie that they doe not hinder by any poſitive Law the way of Chriſt, for though Chriſt may be willing to forbeare ſome Ordinances for a time, and he doth it out of mercy to a people, he ſaith he will have mercy and not ſacrifice, but Chriſt will never beare that there ſhould be any thing done againſt him in that time. If they ſhould out of any State policie to preſerve peace, or to gratifie an evill party, ſacrifice any part of Religion, or any godly perſon, this will prove a ſhamefull thing, Chriſt accounts it ſo, and whoſoever doth ſo will be aſhamed of it at the laſt.
Now my brethren, why ſhould not God be truſted? let us looke at Religion in the firſt place, and ſo pray wee that thoſe who are our reformers who have power in their hands may never prove to be guilty of this ſhamefull way of putting Religion under policie. I will give you a notable example in Scripture about it. It is Joſh. 5. When Joſhua had brought the people of Iſrael over Jordan (that you know was the very beginning of their entrance into Canaan) now as ſoone as they were brought unto the borders of the Land, they were to encounter with all their enemies, and you may imagine that when Joſhua had paſſed the river the, people might thinke that all the Country would be about their eares, one would thinke then that policy would have taught them to lay aſide all thoughts of Religion, and to look to their enemies that were at hand, if ever they were outragious they would be then, and therefore now let us minde nothing but arming our ſelves againſt them: But mark now God goeth another way to worke, as ſoone as they were gone over Jordan, and were upon the borders of the Land of Canaan, they muſt goe and circumciſe themſelves, and you know when they were circumciſed they were ſore that they could not fight. Simeon and Levi deſtroyed a whole City when they were circumciſed, they were not then in a poſture of fighting or defending themſelves, but lay at the merciemercy of their enemies. But this was Gods wiſedome. Nay further, they muſt go and keepe the paſſeover too, they muſt mind and tend Religion: And mark you ſhall finde in the latter end of the Chapter, that after they had been circumciſed & kept the Paſſeover, then appeareth one to Ioſhua with a drawn ſword, and ſaith he, I am the Captain of the Lords Hoſts. Then the Captain of the Lords Hoſt appeareth to fight for them when they had once obeyed; whereas had they neglected Circumciſion and the Paſſeover, & thought of fighting onelyonly, they, might have miſſed of the Captaine of the Lords Hoſts to have fought for them, and what would have become of them then? So you ſee God would have us minde Religion in the moſt dangerous times, and though we thinke we muſt mind our peace and ſafety, and lay our hands upon our ſwords …or our defence, yet let us be carefull of our Religion, and then we ſhall have a Captain of the Lords hoſt come and fight for us.
Marke 8. 15. we are charged to take heed of two ſorts of leaven, The leaven of the Scribes and Phariſes, and the leaven of Herod. The leaven of the Scribes and Phariſes is corruption in Church affairs, the leaven of Herod is corruption in Religion too, but in order of the Common-wealth, in bringing under things of God to the affairs of the State, for in this Herod was like Jeroboam, he was affraid of his kingdome as Ieroboam was, hee had many wayes and plots to keepe himſelfe in that kingdom as Ieroboam had, and many did cleave to Herod in his plots, as Iſrael clave to Ieroboam in his, therefore ſaith Chriſt, take heed not onelyonly of the leaven of the Scribes and Phariſes but of the leaven of Herod. And it may be the Lord ſaw us to prone of ſinfull compliances, even ready to have ſacrificed much of his worſhip and many of his Saints for the obtaining peace in the State,Lect. 4. and ſo to have fallen off from that reformation that both God and his people expected, hence hee hath taken the worke into his owne hands, hee will bring about his owne worke, though it may coſt us deare, who knowes how much blood?