An Exposition of Hosea 1-3, Chapter 1 · Lecture 3

An Exposition of Hosea 1-3 · Chapter 1 · Lecture 3

p. 39The Third Lecture.

Hoſea. 1. 6. 7.

And ſhe conceived again and bare a daughter, Iune 6. 1641 and God ſaid unto him call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the houſe of Iſrael, but I will utterly take them away.

But I will have mercy upon the houſe of Judah, and will ſave them by the Lord their God, & will not ſave them by bow, nor by ſword, nor by ba… tell, by horſes, nor by horſemen.

COncerning Hoſea's firſt ſon, the laſt day. Shee conceived again. This conception ſets out alſo the eſtate of Iſrael in regard of her ſin and miſery: Sin it is fruitful, and what bringeth it forth? Parents bring forth a likeneſs to themſelves, and ſo doth ſin; and what is that? Nothing but ruine & miſery.

This ſecond child it is a daughter, it noteth the weaknes of the ſtate of the ten Tribes at this time, they were grown to be effeminate in regard of their luſt, and the baſenes of their ſpirits, and in regard of their ſtrength alſo they were like the female ſex. There are 3. eſtates of the people ſignified by the 3.Hoſeas 3. children ſhews the 3 eſtats of … children of Hoſea; the firſt was their ſcattered eſtate, and that was ſignified by Jezreel, the firſt ſon; of which the laſt day: And the ſtory of that you had in 2 K. 15. ver. 9. to the 19. where you may read their wofull ſedition; for Zach…riah reigned but 6. months, & then Shallum ſle… him, & reigned in his ſtead, and he reigned but one month, for Menah… came & ſmote Shallum & ſlew him, & reigned in his ſtead: So here was nothing but murthers and ſeditions amongſt them. A ſcattered people.

The 2. ſtate of the people of Iſrael was their weake condition that they were brought unto, ſignified by this daughter; and the hiſtory of that you have from v. 16. of that Ch. onwards, where when Pul the K. of Aſſyria came againſt Iſrael, Menahem preſently yeelded to him what hee would have, giveth him IOCO. talents of ſilver to go from him, & ſo layeth a taxation upon the people for it. Here they were brought to a very low & weak condition. And afterwards this K. of Aſſyria cometh again, and carryeth part of them into captivity. The 3. child was Loammi, and the hiſtory of the ſtate of the people ſignified by that you have in 2 K. 17. 6. where they were fully caryed away, & wholy rejected for ever: And becauſe they were a little before that time grown up to ſome ſtrength more then formerly, therefore this laſt was a ſon. We are now to ſpeak of the ſecond.

She conceived again and bare a daughter.

p. 40From that interpretation I have given of it, to note the weakneſſe and effeminacy of the ſtate of the people at this time, a little before their ruine; The obſervation from thence is this,

When the manlineſs,Obſerv. courage, and vigour of the ſpirits of people are taken away, then they are under a fearfull judgment, and neare to ru…ne.

Even when their men ſhall be as women, Baſe effeminatenes of ſpirit in a people yeelding to what shall be impoſed upon them, a ſigne of ruine.as Nah. 3. 13. when there ſhall be ſuch baſeneſſe of ſpirit in people, that for the enjoyments of their preſent eaſe and quiet they yeeld to any thing. So it was with theſe, and in thar their effeminateneſſe was ſhewed.

When the King of Aſſyria came to them, they yeeelded to any termes he would appoint, to give him any thing he would demand; and when the taxes were laid upon the people, they enquired not whether they were juſt or no, but meerly for their peace & ſafety they yeeld. We muſt take heed of bringing our ſelves into trouble, we were better pay this then venture the loſs of all, we muſt not diſpleaſe thoſe that are above us, we know not what hard things may follow; it is our wiſedome, though things are hard, and we complain the taxations are heavy, yet to ſuffer ſomething, they had rather have a little though with baſeneſſe, then venture any thing for further peace and liberty for themſelves and their poſterity.

2. The eff…mina…eneſſe of their ſp…rits were ſhewne in this, that they were willing to bow downe their necks to ſubmit to the government of moſt vile murtherers, without any enquiry after them, or taking any courſe or way at all to finde out their murthers and wickedneſſe. Zecharia was ſlain by Shallum, then commeth Menahem and hee killed Shallum, after Menahem, raigned Pekahiah, and againſt him conſpired Pekah the ſonne of Remaliah, and ſmote him in Samaria, and with him killed 50. men, and reigned in his roome, then cometh Hoſhea the ſonn of Elah, and he made a conſpiracy againſt Pekah, and ſlew him, and reigned in his ſtead. Here were murtherers upon murtherers, and yet the people all this while bow down their necks, and looke not after theſe things: They have gotten power in their hands, and we muſt take heed of looking ſo high, to enquire after things that are above us, and it is ill diſpleaſing of them, we were better a great deale be quiet and hold our peace, & ſay nothing, than to enquire after ſuch high matters as thoſe are; and ſo they let all goe, and bowed their necks to the yoke, and by no meanes ſuch horrible guil of murthers muſt be queſtioned, becauſe the murtherers had got power in their hands. Their cowardly timerous ſpirits were much like the temper of Iſſachar, we read of Gen. 49. 15. Iſachar is a ſtrong aſſe couching down between two burthens, Purity in the Church cannot ſtand long with ſlavery in the …eate.he ſaw that reſt was good, and the land that it was pleaſant, and he bowed his ſhoulders to bear, & became a ſervant unto tribu…e. And when mens ſpirits are effeminate in regard of the civill ſtate, they quickly grow ſo in regard of their conſciences and religion too. Purity of religion in the Church cannot ſtand long with ſlavery admitted in the State. We read Rev. 4. 7. of 4. Ages of the Church p. 41ſet out by four living-creatures: the 3. living-creature the Text ſaith, had the face of a man, and that was to note the ſtate of the Church in the time of reformation, they began then to be of manly ſpirits, & to caſt off that yoke of bondage that was before upon them, to enquire after what liberty God had granted to them. Not then like thoſe we read of, Iſa. 51. 23. that would bow down to ſuch as would ſay to their ſoules, Bow downe that we may goe over them.

This (my brethren) hath been the condition of many of us; there hath bin that effeminateneſs of ſpirit in us, that we have bowed down our necks, yea, our ſouls to thoſe that would go over us; yea, (as it is there in 51. Iſa.) they made themſelves the very ſtreet to them that went over them, their very conſciences were trampled upon by the foot of pride, and all for the enjoyment of a little outward accomodation in their eſtates, in their ſhops, and in their trading, Oh they muſt not venture theſe, rather yeeld to any thing in the world. And truly we were afraid not long ſince that God was calling us by the name of this daughter Loruhamah, in regard of our effeminateneſs of ſpirit, that the Lord was departing from our nation. But bleſſed be God that now here hath begun to be a riſing of ſpirit among us, eſpecially among our worthies in Parliament, and their warmth, vigour, & life, hath put warmth, vigour, ſpirit, and life, into the whole Kingdome. Now our Kingdom will never bow downe and ſubmit their Conſciences,Viri fort… eſt aut pul chrevivere aut fartiter mori. nor Eſtates, nor liberties to that bondage and oppreſſion that heretofore hath been. No, they had rather die honorably then live baſely. But why do I make ſuch a disjunction? dy honorably, or live baſely? Had we ſpirits we might free our ſelves and poſterity from living baſely, and we need not dye at all; for the malignant party hath neither ſpirit to act, nor power to prevail, if we keep up our ſpirits and be ſtrong in the Lord we are ſafe enough, yet we ſhall not have our name Loruhamah, but Ruhamah, the Lord will have mercy upon us. 1 King. 14. 15. God threatens to ſmite Iſrael, that they ſhall be as a reed ſhaken with the wind: After baſe yeelding to ſlavery follows ruine.and then mark what followeth, and then he would root them out of this good land which hee gave to their Fathers. If this judgement be upon England that our ſpirits be ſhaken as a reed with the winde, that wee bow and yeeld to any thing in a baſe way, the next may juſtly follow that the Lord may root us out of this good Land. As it was with Iſrael before their deſtruction, they grew effeminate, ſo it was with Judah too before theirs, Iſa. 3. 3. when God intended judgment againſt them, you may obſerve there that He took away the mighty man & the man of war, the prudent and the ancient, the Captain & the honourable man & the Counſeller. men of truly noble ſpirits were taken away, their Nobles became to be vile and ſordid, & to yeeld to any humors and luſts, then they were neer the ruine; and ver. 12. the Text ſaith women rule over them; for women that have many ſpirits to rule is no judgment at all; but for women of revengeful ſpirits to rule over a nation is a moſt fearful judgment. But ſo much of the firſt, that it is a daughter that is here born to Hoſea.

p. 42What is this daughters name? Call her name Loruhamah?

Non dilecta, ſo ſome, Non miſericordiam conſecuta, ſo others, both come to one, either not beloved, or one that hath not obtained mercy, for Gods mercy proceedeth from his love.

I will no more have mercy.

I will add no more mercy; Quae ſu…u, abjecturi in altum tolimus ut majori ruina decidant.Nothing that God had ſhewed abundance of mercy to Iſrael before; but now he ſaith, I will not adde any more, I will ſhew no further mercy to them.

But I will utterly take them away. Tollendo tollam; so turned by ſome, In taking them away I will take them away; Levaho levando, ſo others, I will lift them up, that I may caſt them down ſo much the more dreadfully. The old Latin hath it thus, Obliviſcendo obliviſcor, forgetting I will forget. And this was upon a miſtake of the Hebrew word, becauſe there is little difference in the Hebrew, foreign Oblitus fuit. foreign Ab…ulit. foreign.between the word that ſignifieth to to forget, and that which ſignifieth to take away. The 70. ſetting my ſelfe againſt them, I will ſet my ſelfe againſt them.

Well the name of the child muſt bear this upon it, that God will have no more mercy upon them. Hence then firſt.

Sometimes the very children of families, and in a kingdom do bear this impreſſion upon them, that God will have no mercy upon this family, upon this kingdome. One may (my brethren) read ſuch an impresſion upon the children of many great families in this Kingdome,Obſer. 1 when wee looke upon that horrible wickedneſs of the young ones that are coming up, how different from their former religious Anceſtors; we may ſee with trembling hearts) ſuch an impreſſion of wrath, as if God had ſaid, I have done with this family, I intend no further mercy to this family. As ſometimes when we ſee in a family gracious children, gracious young gentlemen, noble men, we may ſee the impreſſion of Gods mercy to that family, Ruhaniah, I intend mercy to it.

It was not long ſince that we might,Encouragement from gracious youth in England. and we thought indeed wee did ſee ſuch an impreſſion upon the young ones of this kingdome, the young ones in the City, the yong ones in the chief families in the Country; that we vvere afraid that Lornhamah to England was written upon them, for oh the rudenes and wickednes of the young ones! But bleſſed be God that we ſee it otherwiſe now; now in regard of that graciouſneſſe, that forwardneſſe of ſo many young ones amongſt us, we may ſee written upon them, Ruhamah to England, mercy to England, God hath taken away his Lo, and writeth only Ruhamah, mercy to you, this great change God hath made. For the great ground of the hope we have for mercy to England, is the impreſſion of God upon the young ones: When God hath tender plants growing up in his Orchard,Obſer. 2. certainly he will not break down the hedg or dig it up.

Secondly, Call her name Loruhamah, for I will no more have mercy upon the houſe of Iſrael.… 2. 1.

There is a time when God will not have mercy upon a kingdome or upon p. 43a particular people. Gather your ſeves together, oh nation not worthy to be beloved, before the decree come forth. There is a time for the decree to come forth againſt a kingdome, when God will not be intreated; a time when though Noah, Job, and Daniel ſhould ſtand before him, yet he will not be intreated, though they cry, cry …arly, cry aloud, cry with teares, cry with faſting, yet God will not be intreated. Gods mercy is precious, and he will not let it run out to waſte, he will not be prodigal of it, a time wherein God will ſay,The feares of the Saints that heretofore mercy was departed from us iuſtified. Now I have done, I have done with this people, mercy hath had her turn. It is true, except we had that immediate revelation that the Prophets had, we cannot now determine of the particular time; yet by examining Gods way toward his people in former times, the truth is, that thoſe that laboured moſt to ſearch Gods minde in his word, they were even afraid that this decree had been gone out upon us in England. It is true, God hath ſeemed for the preſent to tell us that hee hath a prerogative, and he will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy: But yet neither are thoſe altogether to be blamed, that even in their own hearts determined (as it were) that mercy was gone; except they did wholly limit God, and left nothing of prerogative at all to him, but becauſe it was Gods ordinary way; and except God had wrought with us in a way of prerogative otherwiſe than ever he did with any nation before, they did then conclude that the decree was gone forth; and ſo it might be true, and what God may do with us yet we do not know. But this we can ſay, if the decree be not gone forth, if there be mercy for us, God hath ſhewed his prerogative, that he will now goe on in ſuch a way otherwiſe than formerly he hath done in the world; and if God will do ſo, who can ſay againſt it?

A time there is likewiſe for God to ſay againſt particular perſons, he wil not have mercy upon them,Luk. 14. 14. Rev. 22. 1… Gen. 6. 3 God muſt not be dallyed withall in the offers of his grace.Luke 14:14Rev 22:1Gen 6:3 a time when God will ſay, thoſe men that were bidden ſhall not taſt of my Supper; he that will be filthy, let him be filthy ſtill, my ſpirit ſhall no longer ſtrive with them. God hath no need (my brethren) that we ſhould receive or entertain his mercy, we had need that God ſhould grant it. God many times is quick in the offer of his mercy. Goc and preach the Goſpel, he that believeth ſhall be ſaved, he that believeth not ſhall be damned. A quick worke God makes many times in the effects of mercy.

Yet 3.Obſer. 3 I will not have mercy: This is pronounced as the moſt dreadfull judgment. What, not have mercy upon them? then indeed is a State or a Kingdom in a dreadful condition, when God ſhall ſay of them that he will not hve mercy. Wo to you (ſaith the Lord) when I depart from you, wo then to you when my mercy is for ever gon, then all judgments & miſeries muſt needs flow in upon a nation, or a particular ſoul; when the Sea-bank is broken up, then the waves will all flow in. Iſa. 56. 9. All you beaſts of the field come to devour, yea, all you beaſts in the forreſt, why what is the matter? His watchmen are blind, &c. I argue thus from thence, if the prudence of the watch-men being taken away which ſhould ſtop miſery, then all evils come flowing in upon a Nation.

p. 44What then if the mercy of God that ſhould ſtop miſery be taken away? whither ſhould the poore creature goe if mercy be gone? to what creature ſhould it look for help? if it cryes to any creature, the creature ſaith, I can afford no comfort, becauſe God affordeth no mercy: what ſhall uphold the heart then when it hath no hope at all? It muſt needs ſink.

I will not add mercy (ſaith God) ſhewing, that what good they had received before it was from his mercy, though they would take no notice of it; well, ſaith God, you ſhall have no more, you have taken no notice that it was my mercy that helped you before, but when my mercy is gone, then you will know it,Obſer. 4. but then I will not add more. Men beſt know what the worth of mercy is, when mercy is taken away from them, when God addeth no more.

Again,Obſer. 5 I will not adde mercy. God doth not uſe to take away his mercy fully from a people or from a ſoul: but when mercy hath been ſhewed and abuſed, after much mercy hath been received, and that being abuſed, then God ſaith hee will not adde more. You have a parallel place to this, Iudg. 10. 16. I will deliver you no more, ſaith God, I have delivered you many times, my mercy hath been abuſed, I will deliver you no more. It is juſt with God when mercy is abuſed, that wee ſhould never know farther what mercy meaneth. Mercy as it is a precious thing, ſo it is a tender thing, and a dangerous thing to abuſe it. There is nothing that more quickly works the ruine of a people or of a ſoule, then abuſed mercy.

But further, I will utterly take them away. Before it was only that they ſhould be ſcattered, the name of the firſt child before was but Iezreel, that they ſhould be the ſcattered of the Lord; but the 2. is Loruhamah, that they ſhall have no more mercy from the Lord. Obſer. 6Gods 2. ſtrokes uſually are more dreadfull then the firſt:Leſse judgments forerunners of greater. God beginneth firſt with the houſe of Correction before he bringeth to the gallows. There is branding firſt before hanging: there are warning pieces before murthering peeces. God makes way for his wrath by leſſer afflictions, before hee cometh with deſtroying judgments. I remember Mr. Knox in his Hiſtory of Scotland hath this ſtory of one Sir Iames Hamilton, that having been murthered by the Ks. means there, he appeared to him in a viſion with a naked ſword drawn, and ſtrikes off both his arms, with theſe words, Take this before thou receive a finall payment for all thy impieties, and within 24. hours 2. of the Ks. ſons dyed. God cometh to nations & particular perſons with a ſword, cutteth off arms before he takes their lives, he commeth by degrees upon them. As the Lord when he cometh in a way of abundance of mercy, leſſer mercies make way for greater mercies. When Manna was rained down, the dew ever came before it: So, leſſer judgments to the wicked are forerunners of, and makers way for greater judgments; firſt they are parboild before they come to be roſted in the fire.

Further, I will not adde mercy to the houſe of Iſrael. He doth not ſay, I will not adde mercy to this or that particular man of Iſrael, but to the houſe of Iſrael.

p. 45A Multitude of ſinners, with God is no argument for their eſcape of judgment. It is a rule indeed with man, Multitudo peccantium, tollit peccatum, Multitude of offenders take away their offences;Obſer. 7 Men know not how to execute the offenders when they are in Multitudes, here and there ſome of the ring-leaders may be taken for example ſake. But it is no rule with God, though it be the whole houſe of Iſrael, God hath no mercy for the whole houſe of all the people of Iſrael. Let no man preſume to ſin againſt the Lord, becauſe there are Multitudes that do offend, & think that he ſhal eſcape with the Multitude. No, all the nations of the world with the Lord are but as the drop of a bucket, & as the ſmall duſt of the ballance, nothing, even leſſe then nothing.

And yet further, No mercy upon the houſe of Iſrael: Though it be the houſe of Iſrael, yet no mercy upon her. If it were the houſe of Pharaoh it were not ſo much,Obſer. 8 but what, no mercy to the houſe of Iſrael? The neareneſs of any to God exempts them not from the wrath of God. God hateth ſin,Amos 3. 2.Amos 3:2 and hateth ſin moſt when it is neareſt him: You have I knowne of all the families of the earth, therfore wil I puniſh you for your iniquities, ſaith the Lord. As we hate a Toad in our boſoms more then when it is at a further diſtance; ſo God hateth ſin in thoſe that are neareſt to him more than in thoſe that are further off; for God will be ſanctified in all thoſe that draw neer unto him. But wherefore is all this that God wil have no more mercy upon the houſe of Iſrael? what hath the houſe of Iſrael done, that God ſhould be ſo angry with it? It is worth our ſearching and enquiring after, why the Lord will at this time have no mercy upon the houſe of Iſrael. It concerns our ſelves neerly.

The firſt and main reaſon is, becauſe of their continuance in their falſe way of worſhip, notwithſtanding all the means that God had uſed to bring them off; not only by his Prophets, ſending them again and again to ſhew them the evill of their falſe worſhip in thoſe 2. Calves in Dan and Bethel, but by moſt remarkable works of his providence againſt them. As for example. The work of God againſt Jeroboam, when hee was but ſtretching out his hand againſt the Prophet that came to denounce judgement againſt that Altar upon which he was offering Sacrifice,1 Kings 13. 4.1 Kgs 13:4 his hand that he put forth againſt him dryed up, ſo that he could not pull it in again to him, and upon the prayer of the Prophet it was reſtored & became as was before. Again, the remarkable work of God in anointing Iehu to deſtroy the houſe of Ahab and his ſeed for their Idolatry. Yet notwithſtanding theſe Prophets, and theſe works of God, with many other, they ſtill perſiſted in their way of Idolatry. And this cauſed the Lord now not to have mercy upon the houſe of Iſrael.

Let us take heed of this, God hath uſed, and ſtill doth uſe means to bring us off fully from all wayes of falſe worſhip, not only by ſending his Miniſters from time to time to declaim againſt ſuch things, but by wonderful and remarkable works of his providence towards England, eſpecially at this p. 46day. Never had any Nation, never had England heretofore more remarkable works of God to draw them off from all wayes of falſe worſhip, to bring them to worſhip God in the right way according to his will. Now let us tremble at this ſentence; I will not add mercy, I will have no more mercy. God hath added mercy to us again and againe from time to time. And now me thinks in this work of Gods mercy, that he is about concerning us,Exod. 33. 5Exod 33:5 he ſpeaks to us as he did to the people, Come and put off thy ornaments, that I may know what to do with thee. Come now and humble your ſelves that I may know what to do; As if God ſhould ſay, Come & give in your laſt anſwer.A dangerous thing to reiect an offer of mercy after reiection of former offers. Certainly in that way that God is now in with us, he calleth England to give its laſt anſwer, as if he ſhould ſay, Now I am ſheing mercy once more, take heed of rejecting it, leſt you have a Loruhamah upon you, I will adde no more mercy, conſider not onelyonly what wee have done, but what we do, how we have abuſed mercy, and how wee doe now abuſe preſent mercy; how oppoſite the ſpirits of moſt are againſt the work of reformation now in hand, who even ſay to the Lord Chriſt depart from us, we deſire not the knowledg of thy ways. When the people of Iſrael were offered Canaan, and God bade them go in and poſſeſſe it, they were then neer unto it; but when they then refuſed Canaan, God ſware in in his wrath that they should not enter into his reſt. If ever a people were offered Canaan, were offered the Ordinances of God in his owne way, certainly wee are at this time, Let us tremble leſt God (if wee reject this mercy) ſhould ſwear in his wrath, I will have no more mercy upon you, and ſo we prove to be a Loruhamah indeed.

But a ſecond reaſon why this people could have no mercy, 2.might be, becauſe of their forſaking God even in the civill State. For you are to know that this people of Iſrael had not only left God in their Church, State, and defiled themſelves with falſe worſhip, but they had in their civill government wickedly departed from that that God had appointed over them: They had departed from the houſe of David, and rent themſelves from it. It is true, this was of Gods permiſſion, but yet it was the wickednes of their hearts, & no excuſe at all for them. Hence Chap. 8. 4. God chargeth them that they had ſet up Kings, but not by him. From whence this may bee obſervable.

That it is a moſt dangerous thing for a people to forſake that government to rebell againſt that civill government that God doth ſet over them.Obſer.

When the people in 1 Sam. 8. 7. had required a King, and would not be ruled by Judges any more, ſaith the Lord to Samuel, They have not rejected you, but rejected me, that I ſhould not reigne over them: A moſt dreadfull place, And I confeſſe freely to you, this one Text of Scripture was the firſt Scripture that took impreſſion upon my thoughts and heart about fearing to goe on in a way of Church-government that God had not appointed. For thus my thoughts reaſoned; What is God ſo provoked againſt a people that will reject but a Civill government, a government p. 47that hee hath appointed, that ſpecially concernes but the outward man? Then if it proves that God hath appointed any government in a Church,The ground of civill & Churh government different. that is Divine Inſtitution, that concerns the good of the ſoule, and is immediately to work upon that, ſurely God will be much more provoked there for rejecting it.

And going yet further upon ſearch, finding that though we have not a civill government appointed by God as the Jewes had, yet for the Church ſtate, wee have one appointed even by God himſelf. And reaſon there muſt be for it: for whatſoever hath a ſpeciall efficacy upon the heart, muſt have a ſpirituall rule for the warrant and direction. Indeed prudence and reaſon is enough for the ordering of things that concern the outward man, except God will come in with his owne inſtitution. But when it cometh to the ordering of the heart, and there is a ſpirituall efficacy expected (as in all Church ordinances there muſt be) and that authority by which they are executed giveth a great influence into them, now nothing can goe beyond its principle, therefore it muſt have a divine inſtitution to give it its efficacy.

It may here be demanded, whether hat not God appointed over us a particular civill government as he did over the Jews?

That our government and all lawfull government of other Nations is appointed by God,Anſw. we muſt conclude is a certain truth. But not ſo appointed by God as the government of the Jewes was. And the reaſon is this, becauſe the Church and Common-wealth of the Jewes was involved in one, and therefore the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the Church, hee ſaith they were Aliens, and ſtrangers from the Common-wealth of Iſrael; It was meant of the Church ſtate. There was ſuch a kind of Paedagogy under the Law, that the Church and State were involved in one, for Chriſt would be the head of the Church and Common-wealth too, and appoint them lawes; And ſo their government was imediately from heaven.

Now for us. That we ſhould have a government according to the rules of wiſdome and juſtice; that indeed is appointed by God.

God would have us have a government; But he leaveth the ordering of that government to generall rules of prudence and juſtice. So that now it is lawfull for any Kingdome or Country to agree together, and according to the rules of wiſdom and juſtice, to appoint what government they wil, as vvhether it ſhall be a Monarchy, or an Ariſtocracy, or a Democracy, and to limit this according to Covenant of agreement, as whether that the fundamentall povver ſhall be vvholly put out, or any part reſerved, hovv farre this or that Man,How farre mans authoritybindes. or ſociety of Men ſhall have the Managing of it, and the like; then ſo farre as it is agreed upon, vvee are bound in conſcience to obey either actively or paſſively, but no further are vvee bound to obey any Man though he be in authority, yet vvee are not bound to obey him, either actively or paſſively, conſcience is not tyed.

p. 48Though thoſe men be in authority, yet it is no reſiſting of authority at all, not to do what they would have. Yea though the thing be lawfull they would have, yet if it be not according to the law of the kingdom, to the firſt agreement, I may be bound by the rules of prudence to ſave my ſelfe; but it is not authority that binds me to obey out of conſcience: For we muſt of neceſſity diſtinguiſh between men in authority, and the authority of thoſe men. Wherefore ſo long as wee ſeeke but to keepe authority in the right channell, that it flows not over the banks, we cannot be charged for reſiſting the government God hath ſet over us, though we do not obey the wills of thoſe who are ſet over us, and therefore there is no cauſe that we ſhould fear, that God ſhould ſay to England upon this ground, Loruhamah, hee will have no mercy. To proceed.

But I will have mercy upon the houſe of Judah.

The people of Iſrael they might ſay, Hoſea thou art a Preacher indeed, what preach nothing but judgment, nothing but wrath, to be utterly taken away? Is there no mercy at all? Is not God a mercifull God? Yes ſaith the Prophet, though you be taken away, God knoweth how to glorifie his mercy; he hath others that he can make to be objects of his mercy though you be deſtroyed.

From whence firſt you ſee that though God utterly reject ſome,Obſer. 1 yet in the mean time he hath others to ſhew mercy unto. Therefore it is no plea for any ſinner to ſay thus, well, I have ſinned indeed, but God is mercifull. What if God be mercifull? ſo he may be, though thou be damned and periſh everlaſtingly. Yea, whole kingdoms & nations may periſh, yet God may be mercifull, God hath ſtil infinite ways to glorifie his mercy. Many people in deſperate moods, lay violent hands upon themſelves, & certainly there is a kind of ſpirit of revenge in it, as if they thought there would be ſome trouble about it, and ſo God ſhould loſe ſome honour. But if you will have your will in this, or in any thing elſe, though you be dead and rotten, and your ſouls perhaps in chains of darkneſs, God will have wayes to be glorious in his mercy, whatſoever come of you.

But 2.Obſer. 2 I will have mercy upon the houſe of Judah. God will alwayes have a Church, he will never deſtroy his Church at once, the Lord loveth publique worſhip in the world: Though he will utterly take away the houſe of Iſrael, yet he will have mercy upon the houſe of Judah.

Again, Iſrael might ſay, what will not God be mercifull to us? why I pray you what doth Judah get by her worſhipping of God in that which you ſay is the only right way? Judah indeed keepeth her ſelfe to Ieruſalem, keepeth her ſelfe to worſhip in the Temple, but what doth ſhe get by it? for ought we ſee Iudah is in as hard an eſtate, and in as low a condition as we (nay as we ſhall ſee afterward, Iudah was in a lower condition than Iſrael,) and certainly ſuch kind of expreſſions as theſe they would be ready to have againſt the Prophet.

Well, ſaith God, let Iudah be what ſhe will, I will have mercy upon her.

p. 49Though carnal hearts, when they look upon the low condition of the true worſhippers of God,Obſer. 3 think that there is no difference between thoſe that are in a good way, and themſelves that are in the ways of ſin, yet God will make a difference; I will have mercy upon Iudah, but not upon Iſrael. Many carnal men pleaſe themſelves with this; I ſee others that are ſtrict, that pray in their families, that run to Sermons, and wil not do thus and thus, as others do, yet they are as poor, in as mean a condition as any others, what do they get by their forwardneſs in religion? Are not we in as good a condition as they? Well friend, though thy carnal heart think there is no difference between him that ſerveth God, & him that ſerveth him not, God hath a time to manifeſt a difference; There ſhall a time come (ſaith God, Mal. 3. 18.) that you ſhall returne and diſcerne between the righteous, and the wicked, between him that feareth God and him that feareth him not. I will not have mercy upon Iſrael, but I will have mercy upon Iudah.

Fourthly, Judah had at this time many groſſe and fearful evils amongſt them, yea ſcarcely delivered from Sodomy; it will aske a great deale of time to ſhew you the ſtate of Judah in regard of the horrible wickedneſſe that was in it, yet God ſaith, I will have mercy upon the houſe of Iudah. What is the reaſon of this?

Becauſe though Iudah had many groſſe evils, yet Iudah kept to the right way of worſhipping God, kept to Ieruſalem, to the Temple; ſo farre they kept the worſhip of God pure. Hence we ſee,

God will favour a people exceeding much,Obſer. though there be many weakneſſes, yea many wickedneſſes among them, if they keep the worſhip of God pure. It is true, there are many ſpirits that are moſt bitter againſt thoſe that ſeek to worſhip God in the right way, if they can but get them tripping in any ſmall thing, they follow it againſt them with all their might, with all the bitterneſſe that they can poſſibly. This is not like unto God, God will favour thoſe that worſhip him in a right way, though for other reſpects hee may have many advantages againſt them.

But this (you will ſay) ſeemes to contradict what you ſaid before, for you ſaid, the nearer any are to God, the more he hates their ſinnes, and the ſins of thoſe that make a ſhew of worſhipping God in a pure manner, are worſe than the ſins of others.

It is true, But as their relation to God in the nearneſſe of his worſhip, is an aggravation of their ſins, ſo their relation to God is a foundation of their hope of mercy from God.

How is this?

It makes their ſin indeed worſe,Object. ſo as to provoke God to puniſh them ſooner, and perhaps bitterer, yet their relation to God keepeth this ground of faith, that God is their God ſtill, and will have mercy upon them at laſt. But the wicked though God ſpare them longer than his own people, yet when he cometh againſt them he rejecteth them utterly, ſo he did Iſrael: Iudah indeed was puniſhed, but yet Iudah had mercy at laſt, but (ſaith God) I will p. 50have no more mercy upon the houſe of Iſrael, but will utterly take them away.

Fiftly, 5.Iſrael had prevailed a little before againſt Iudah; for if you read in 2 King. 14. 12. you ſhall finde that Iudah was put to the worſt before Iſrael, the Text ſaith, They fled every man to their Tents, and Iehoaſh the King of Iſrael took amaziah King of Iudah, and came to Ieruſalem, and brake down the walls of Ieruſalem, from the gates of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundered cubits: And he took al the gold and ſilver, and all the veſsels that were in the houſe of the Lord, and in the treaſures of the Kings houſe, and hoſtages, and returned to Samariah. And this was but a little before this time, Iſrael had thus prevailed againſt Iudah, and brought Iudah under, yet now ſaith God, I will have mercy upon Iudah but not upon Iſrael. What ſhould we note from hence?Obſer.

God ſometimes ſheweth mercy to poor afflicted ones, and yet rejecteth thoſe that are greater & enjoy more proſperity in the world. Many that are poor people,Poor afflicted ones finde mercy when the rich are rejected. poor ſouls that are in a low afflicted condition, God looks upno them and ſheweth mercy unto them, when brave ones that carry it out, and thrive and live gallantly in the world, are many times rejected of God. Mark what God ſaith, Zeph, 3. 12. I will leave in the middeſt of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they ſhall truſt in the name of the Lord. God lookes not at the brave and gallant ones of the world, but at the poor and afflicted ones, and they ſhal truſt in the name of the Lord. We muſt not then judge at the happineſs of men according to their ſucceſſe in the world: For you may now be delivered, and others kept under affliction, yet afterwards you may be rejected, and the others received unto mercy.

Further,6. Hoſea was the Prophet of Iſrael, he was ſent to the ten Tribes, yet Hoſea tells them, whoſe Prophet eſpecially he was, and God would have no more mercy upon them. And he ſpeaks to Judah (he was not ſent to them) and he tells them that God would have mercy upon them.

Here we may learn how impartial the Miniſters of God ought to be in their work,Obſer. Miniſters muſt be Impartial. they muſt not goe according to their particular private engagements, though they are engaged more to ſuch a people in divers regards, yet if they be wicked, they muſt deale faithfully, and plainly, and denounce the judgements of God: And if others, though ſtrangers to them, be godly, they are to give to them that comfort that belongs unto them. My brethren, partiality in thoſe in publick places, eſpecially of the Miniſtery, is a great evil.

It was for this that God ſaid he had made the Prieſt and the Levite contemptible and baſe before all the people: Why? becauſe they were partial in the Law, Malac. 2. 9.

7.Obſer. 7, It is a great aggravation of the miſery of ſome, that God ſheweth mercy to others. For it is here ſet down as a part of the threatning againſt Iſrael, I wil have no more mercy upon Iſrael, but I wil ſhew mercy to Judah. To aggravate the miſery of Iſrael, God manifeſteth his mercy to Judah. Mark how God in Eſay. 65. 13. makes it a part of his threatning againſt the wicked, p. 51that he will ſhew mercy to his ſervants: Behold, my ſervants ſhall eate, but you shall be hungry; Mercy to the saints are aggravation of judgement to the wicked.my ſervants ſhall drink, but ye ſhall be thirſtie: Behold, my ſervants ſhall rejoyce, but ye shall be aſhamed; Behold, my ſervants ſhall ſing for joy of heart, but yee ſhal crie for ſorrow of heart, & howle for vexation of ſpirit. Theſe [Buts] are cutting ones to the heart of the wicked. And obſerve it, here is the word [Behold] three times uſed, in ſetting out the difference that God will make between his ſervants and the wicked, and how God will aggravate the miſery of the wicked by ſhewing mercy to people, becauſe it is a thing much to be conſidered. A like place you have, Mat. 8. 11. Many ſhal come from the Eaſt & Weſt, and shal ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, but the children of the Kingdom shal be caſt out into utter darkneſs there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Mark, they ſhall gnaſh their teeth when they ſhal ſee how they are rejected and others received, gnaſh their teeth for envie and vexation of ſpirit, for it is a great aggravation of mens miſery. And is it not fulfilled this day? How do many bite their nailes and gnaſh their very teeth to ſee the mercy that God ſheweth to his people in giving them liberty and encouragement in his ſervice, while he caſteth ſhame & contempt upon their faces, & bringeth them forth to anſwer for their wickedneſs, and to ſuffer condigne puniſhment. Wicked mens ſpirits vex at this, it is that which they cannot poſſibly beare, it is that which galleth and fretteth the very gaul of their heart to ſee the merciemercy of God to his people now in theſe dayes; to ſee ſuch an opportunity as this, to meet together with this liberty to exerciſe our ſelves in the word, when they are caged up. This they gnaſh and grind their teeth at.

It is obſerveable, that which you have in Acts 22. 21. Paul was ſpeaking there a great while to the Jews, & they heard him quietly till he came to that word Depart, for I wil ſend thee far hence unto the Gentiles; the Text ſaith, they gave him audience unto this word and then they lift up their voices, & ſaid, Away with ſuch a fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live. What to diſgrace us thus, and to think that the Gentiles ſhould come to have more merciemercy then we! Away with ſuch a fellow from the earth.

We have ſuch an expreſſion likewiſe in Luke 4. 26. Our Saviour Chriſt told the Jews of the Widow of Sarepta, that Elias the Prophet was ſent onelyonly to her, and that Naaman the Syrian of all the Lepers in Iſrael was cleanſed; They of the Synagogue when they heard theſe things, the Text ſaith, They were filled with wrath, and roſe up and thruſt him out of the Citie, and led him to the edge of the hill whereon their Citie was built, that they might caſt him down head-long. They were ſo vexed at Chriſts Sermon there, that they could have broke his neck as ſoon as hee had done preaching. It was at this word, There were many Widows in Iſrael in the time of Elias, but unto none of them was Elias ſent ſave unto the Widow of Sarepta; & many lepens were in Iſrael in the daies of Eliſha, and none of them were clenſed, ſaving Naaman the Syrian. The meaning is this, Chriſt intimated thus much, that though there were many of the people of Iſrael, yet the Lord would have p. 52mercy but upon a few of them; yea that God would chooſe rather other people to ſhew mercy to, then themſelves; at this they were inraged. And certainly this wil be the aggravation of the miſery of the damned in hell:Dives magis uritur gloria Lazari, quam suo incendio. When a damned ſoul in hell ſhall there come to know the mercy of God to others: It may be wicked parents ſhal ſee their children that came out of their loyns. or out of their wombes, at the right hand of Ieſus Chriſt in glory, and themſelves caſt down into eternal torment;Chryſologus. this will be a ſtinging aggravation of miſery, no mercy unto thee, but mercy unto thy gracious child, the child that thou ſnibbedſt and rebukedſt for being forward, he is now at the right hand of Chriſt & thou caſt into everlaſting miſery. So it may be a poor ſervant, a poor boy in a family, may ſtand at the right hand of Ieſus Chriſt hereafter and aſcend with him in glory; and his rich Maſter that was, that murmured at him, & would not ſuffer him to have the leaſt time for to do God ſervice in, but checked him in every thing, and caſt it upon his conſcience, oh this is your preciſeneſs: perhaps he ſees himſelf caſt down into eternal miſery, when that poor ſervant of his, that poor apprentiſe ſhall go up to eternal glory

But yet further, God ſaith, I will have mercy upon the houſe of Judah. Here is another note very obſervable, & much concerning our preſent condition too. God promiſeth to Judah mercy, after Iſraels rejection; yet if we ſearch the Scriptures we ſhal find that after this promiſe both before the rejection of Iſrael was executed, and after the execution thereof; I ſay, we ſhal finde that even Judah was under very ſore afflictions, and a ſad condition ſhe was put into after this promiſe was made. As if you will turn but to that Scripture (for we muſt look to one Scripture and compare it with another.After promiſe of mercy, yet great afflictions may follow, 2 Chron, 28. 6. you ſhall ſee there the Text ſaith, that Pekah the Son of Remaliah ſlew in Iudah an hundred and twenty thouſand in one day: We never heard of ſuch a battel, ſuch a ſlaughter, wee wonder when we hear of five or ten thouſand ſlain in the field, here we have 120000. ſlaine, and this was after this promiſe that this ſlaughter was made: yea & further, [ver. 8.] There were beſides carried captives 200000. women, ſons, and daughters. yea further, [ver. 17] The Edomites came and had ſmitten ſome of Iudah, and carried away captives. And [ver. 18.] The Philiſtims had invaded the Citties of the Low-country, and of the ſouth of Iudah, and they dwelt there: And ver. 19.] it is ſaid, the Lord brought Iudah low, And [ver. 20.] it is ſaid that Tilgath-Pilneſer King of Aſſyria, whom Ahas had ſent to help him, he came & diſtreſsed them, but ſtrengthened them not. Here was Pekah the ſon of Remaliah ſlayes 120000, and carries away captive 200000. then there comes the Philiſtims and they invaded the countrey, and then the Edomites they carried away Captives, and God bringeth them low, and then comes Tilgath-Pilneſer, and he inſtead of helping, diſtreſſed them. What a caſe were they in now? yet this was after this promiſe, for this promiſe was made to Judah in the beginning of Hoſea's Propheſie, for it is ver. 2. The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hoſea, and it was before the rejection of Iſrael, for it was in the reigne of Ahas that Judah was brought into this low p. 53condition, which was about 22. yeers before the execution of the ſentence againſt Iſrael, for that was fulfilled in the ſixth yeere of the reigne of Hezekiah, which (if you take it from the beginning of the reigne of Ahaz, who reigned 16. yeers) make 22. yeers. Now this promiſe to Iudah (as I told you in the beginning) was made in the dayes of Vzziah King of Iudah, and of Jeroboham King of Iſrael, which was at leaſt 76. yeeres before the rejection of Iſrael; and yet after the making of this promiſe, Judah you ſee cometh to be in this ſo ſad a condition.

Yea and wee ſhall finde beſides, that preſently after Iſraels rejection, though God had ſaid he would reject Iſrael, and be mercifull to Judah, ſo that a man would think now that Iudah ſhould come into a better condition than ever, yet ſee how Iudah was dealt with. And for that marke the 2. king. 18. 13. the Text ſaith that in the thirteenth yeer of Hezekiah, Senacherib king Aſſyria came up againſt Judah, No advantage in yeelding to wicked men.and this was after the caſting off of the ten Tribes, for that was in the ſixth yeer of Hezekiah, as ver. 10. and ſeven yeers after came Senacherib againſt Iudah, thinking to prevaile againſt them as they had done before againſt Iſrael; and then Hezekiah was faine to give him all the ſilver that was found in the houſe of the Lord, and in the treaſures of the Kings houſe; Yea the Text ſaith, ver. 16. that Hezekiah was faine to cut off all the gold from the doores of the Temple of the Lord, & from the pillars, and to give it to the King of Aſſyria. Now the Lord keepe our Kingdom, our Parliament from giving the gold of the Temple doores in any way of compliance with any malignant party; that have any evil eye at the beauty of our Sion.

Yea after Senacherib had gotten this, not content with it, he ſendeth Rabſhekah from Lachiſh, with a great hoſt againſt Ieruſalem. You may ſee, the adverſaries of the Church are never ſatisfied, yeeld to them, gratifie them, in what you will, this is the firſt temptation: what will you be ſo ſtrict, and rugged, and yeeld to them in nothing? but if they prevaile with you, to begin to yeeld, they will never have done, they will ſtill encroach upon you, Hezekiah yeelded to Senacherib, even to take away the gold of the Temple doores, yea a little while after he cometh againe with a great hoſt, ſo that Hezekiah ſaid, it was a day of trouble and rebuke, Chap. 19. Nothing will quiet them but the ruine of the Church, they muſt needs have that, Downe with it, downe with it, even to the ground, nothing elſe will ſatisfie them.

To this low eſtate and ſad condition was Iudah brought not long after Iſrael was taken away, and yet God promiſeth mercy to Iudah for all this.

VVhat ſhall we learne from this?

This profitable leſſon for our preſent condition,Obſer. God may intend much mercy, yea God may be in a way of mercy to a people, yet may bring that people into very great ſtraits & difficulties. The promiſes of Gods mercies are alwayes to be underſtood with condition of the croſſe. If we thinke that upon the promiſe of mercy we ſhall be delivered from all trouble & affliction, we lay more upon the promiſe, then the promiſe will or can beare.

p. 54It is a great evil that proceedeth from much weaknes of ſpirit and diſtemper of heart, for people, though God hath done great things for them, yet if there come any rub in the way, and difficulty, any trouble, Oh now we are gone, now vve are all loſt, now God hath left us, we hoped that there would have come mercy, we looked for light, and behold darkneſs, now the heart ſinketh, and all is preſently given for gone. Know my brethren this is an evil and an unbeleeving heart, an evil and an unthankful heart. God hath indeed done great things for us, yet how ready are wee though God be in ſuch a way, a glorious way of mercy, if we hear of any difficulty, of any little rub, any combining of the adverſaries together? we muſt expect nothing now but blood, and bid farwel, and adue to all our peace; we thought to have had happy dayes, but now the Lord is coming out againſt us, and all that is done muſt be undone againe.A great evill to be diſcouraged at ſome difficulties, when God is in a way of mercy. Why, why are you ſo full of unbeleefe? Surely this is unworthy of Chriſtians, that profeſſe an intereſt in God, & unworthy of all the good that God hath done for us. Peter though before he had walked upon the ſeas through the power of Chriſt, yet when the waves came, now Maſter ſave me, or elſe I perish. Hath not God made us walk upon the waves of the ſea all this while? wrought as great a Miracle for us in England as he did for Peter? Yet when a wave doth but riſe a little higher then before, we are ſo diſtreſſed in our ſpirits that we can ſcarcely cry, Oh Maſter ſave us; but we look one upon another and diſcourage one another hearts, and in ſtead of crying unto God, wee cry out one to another in a diſcouraging way, and ſo pine away in our iniquities: Certainly God is exceedingly angry at ſuch a demeanour as this, and yet this is ordinary, both in regard of nations, and particular perſons. Of nations: It was ſo high with Judah (for I deſire to keep as cloſe as I can to the work I am about) though God had made this promiſe to Judah here, yet if we look into the 7. Iſa. (Iſaiah was contemporary with Hoſea & it was not much after the making of this promiſe) wee ſhall ſee how they were troubled with fear; ſaith the Text, When it was told the houſe of David, ſaying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim, the heart of the King of Judah, and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the wood were moved with the winde, they were afraid and ſhook as the very leaves of the tree ſhake, both the king of Judah and all the people, Well, but God ſpeaks to the Prophet, in the 8. Chap, ver. 11. (and it was at this time when they were ſo troubled becauſe of the enemies coming againſt them) God I ſay in that Chapter ſpeaks to the Prophet, & (ſaith the text) he ſpeakes with a ſtrong hand, ſaying, ſay not ye, a Confederacy, a confederacy: Oh the King of Iſrael & the king of Syria are confederate together, what shal we do? we are undone, we are loſt for ever; ſay not ye, A confederacy, neither fear ye this fear, nor be afraid, but ſanctifie the Lord of hoſts himſelf, and let him be your fear. Thus God would have his Saints do, not when you hear of confederate enemies, or any ill tidings abroad; Oh the papiſts are linked together, & A confederacy, a confederacy: do not ſay a confederacy, fear not their fear, but ſanctifie the Lord of hoſts himſelf, & let him p. 55be your fear, and let him be your dread, & he ſhal be for a ſanctuary to you: and mark the reſolution of the Prophet afterward, ver. 17. I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the houſe of Jacob, and I will looke for him. Oh that this were the diſpoſition of our hearts! Take that note away wi…h you, amongſt many, though you cannot remember all, when you hear ſo many rumors of fears and troubles, as if all were gone, and there were now no more hope, Let this be your anſwer; I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his facè from the houſe of Jacob, for God is in a way of mercy, and mercy certainly we ſhall have, let us look for it.

And for particular perſons, how ordinary is it though God be in a wonderful gracious way of mercy towards them, yet if they do but feel their corruptions ſtirring never ſo little, all is gone preſently. I was indeed in a good way, but God is gone, Chriſt is gone, and MercieMercy is gone, & all is gone, ſurely God intendeth no thoughts of good to me. Oh be not unbeleeving, but beleeving; For this is the way of God, though he promiſeth great merciemercy, yet in the meane time he may bring into great afflictions.

I will not have mercy upon Iſrael, but I will have mercy upon Judah, and will ſave them.

For a people to be ſaved when others neare them are deſtroyed,The deſtruction of ſome, ſets forth Gods mercy to others. this is a great ſetting out of Gods goodnes to them: as to ſtand upon the ſhore ſafely, & ſee others ſuffer ſhipwrack before us, is a great augmentation of Gods mercy towards us. When the people of Iſrael could ſtand upon the banks, and ſee the Egyptians tumbling in the Red-ſea, and their dead bodies caſt upon the ſhoare, then, ſaith the Text, ſang Moſes and the children of Iſrael unto the Lord. Exo. 15. 1Exod 15:1And this kinde of merciemercy the Lord hath granted to us in England, for while our neighbouring nations have been in a combuſtion, and many of them ſpoiled, we have ſate under our own vines, & under our own fig-trees, and our greateſt afflictions have been only the hearing of what our brethren have ſuffered & yet do ſuffer: Whereas all about us is as the fiery furnace, and we walk in the middeſt of it like the three children, & our garments not touched, nor the ſmell of the fire paſſed on them: when as we ſee all Countreys as Gideons fleece, bewetted with the tempeſt of Gods wrath, yea with their own blood, behold we are dry, aud the ſun-ſhine of Gods merciemercy is upon us, the blackneſs of the miſery of our brethren is the brightneſſe of our merciemercy.

I will ſave them.

It is the Lord that will ſave them. This is an upbraiding of Iſrael. Oh Iſrael you think to be ſaved by your owne policy, you have got a fetch beyond God, you are afraid that the people ſhould go up to Jeruſalem to worſhip, therefore you have ſet up the two Calves to ſave your ſelves.Gods people need not ſeek to ſave themſelves by carnal policie. But Judah ſhall be ſaved, and ſaved after another way; Iudah need not go to ſuch carnall ſetches and policies to ſave themſelves, for the Lord ſhall ſave them.

Though carnal hearts thinke, and endeavour to ſave themſelves onelyonly by their own policie and carnall waies, yet let Gods people know, that they p. 56have a stronger means to ſave them then all the policie in the world. So long as the wiſdom, the power, the mercy, the faithfulneſſe of God is for them, they need no other ſtring to their bow but that.

I will ſave them by the Lord.

VVhat is the meaning of this?

This by Interpreters is carried concerning Chriſt: That God the Father promiſeth to ſave by Chriſt. As Dan. 9. 17. we have ſuch an expreſſion in prayer, Now O Lord hear the prayer of thy ſervant for the Lords ſake; that is, for Chriſts ſake: So here, God wil ſave by the Lord; that is, by Chriſt.

A ſweet leſſon we have from thence:Obs. Administ. ration of GODS grace is given into the hands of Chriſt. viz. That the administration of Gods grace to his people is given into the hands of JESUS CHRIST. It is Chriſt that doth ſave the people of God, and hath ſaved them in all former times, in all ages. It is true, in the merits of Chriſt all are ſaved; that every one will grant, as Zach. 9. 11. By the blood of thy Covenant I have ſent forth thy priſoners out of the pit. All the priſoners of Gods people ever ſince the world began, that have been ſent out of the pit, it hath been by the blood of the covenant, by the merits of Chriſt: and not onelyonly ſo, but Chriſt in the adminiſtration of all hath been the chiefe, he hath been the Angel of Gods preſence, that hath ſtood up for his people in all their neceſſities, he hath been the great Captain & deliverer, the Saviour of them all. Let Chriſt then have the honour of a Soveraigne to us in regard of our ſalvation in outward deliverances. Let us look up to him then for ſalvation in all our ſtraits. And if Chriſt was the Saviour of his people in all ages, and ſtill will be, then ſurely thoſe ages and places where Chriſt is moſt known and honoured may expect the greateſt ſalvation. And this is for our comfort, far above all the ages that ever was ſince the world began, Chriſt is most known and honoured in this age, and of all places in the world, here in England and amongſt our countrey men; and if Chriſt will be a Saviour of thoſe places where he is known and honoured, ſurely England may expect a ſalvation: England hath had it, and as England is peculiar in the way of the knowledg of Chriſt, ſo England ſhall be peculiar in a way of Gods grace to her.

I will ſave them by the Lord their God.

Not your God oh Iſrael, but their God. Thus he upbraydeth the people of Iſrael that they had forſaken their God; that Iudah had kept their God, but Iſrael had not.

It is a great upbrayding of a people when it can be ſaid of them that they have forſaken the Lord.Obs. It is a wofull thing not to have God to be our God at all,Dan 5. 23.Dan 5:23 that conſcience can charge this upon a man that Daniel did upon Belshazzar, That God in whoſe hand thy breath his, & whoſe are all thy ways, haſt thou not glorified; but that conſcience can charge this, That God that thou haſt choſen, that thou haſt entred into covenant withall, Oh thou apoſtatized ſoule, thou apoſtatized Nation, thou haſt forſaken him, he is not thy God. This is a ſore and heavy charge indeed.

Again, The Lord their God.

p. 57It ſeemes he is the God of Judah, though Judah had many evils,Lect. 4. but not the God of Iſrael.

Thoſe then that do not worſhip God in a right way,Obſerv. God will not acknowledge himſelf to be worſhipped by them at all.

The people in the wilderneſſe proclaimed a faſt to Jehovah, and yet the Apoſtle 1 Cor. 10. 7. calleth them Idolaters, and it is ſaid they ſacrificed to Idols, becauſe they worſhipped God by the Calfe, and not in Gods way. Though we may think we worſhip God, yet if wee doe not worſhip him in his own way, he doth not own himſelf to be worſhipped by us at all.

Again, The Lord their God.

This could not but ſting Iſrael, that Judah ſhould be thought to have more intereſt in God then Iſrael had.

It is a ſtinging thing to carnal hearts,Obſer. and much bitterneſſe of ſpirit it muſt needes be entertained withall, that any one ſhould but think of challenging any peculiarity of intereſt in God.Carnall hearts cannot endure that any one should think they have more intereſt in God then themſelves Thus they ſcorned at Chriſt, Oh he truſted in God, he thinketh he hath more intereſt in God then others, now let his God come and ſave him. I remember in the book of Martyrs we read that the Papiſts were much vexed againſt the proteſtants, becauſe they uſed to ſay, our God and our Lord, they were knowne by this ſpeech, and the Papiſts were inraged againſt them for this, becauſe they ſeemed to claime more intereſt in God then others. And indeed what is the cauſe of the quarrel in the World againſt Gods people, but becauſe they thinke they claime more peculiarity and intereſt in God than others? and this is the reaſon that ſoule-ſearching preaching cannot be endured, becauſe it makes a difference between the one and the other, and ſhewes that ſome have an intereſt in God more than others. Hence it is that in no places in the world mens ſpirits ſo fret againſt preaching as in England, why? becauſe there is not ſuch ſoul-examining, ſuch ſoule-diſtinguiſhing preaching in the World as in England. Yea that is the reaſon of the bitterneſſe of one profeſſor againſt another, becauſe one is a Proteſtant at large, and the other manifeſteth more power of godlineſſe, is more ſtrict in his courſe; and ſeemes to claime a greater ſhare in God than the former. Profesſion in England is a more diſtinguiſhing profesſion than in other places.

I will ſave them by the Lord their God.

God is the God of Judah ſtill,Obſerv. therefore God will ſave them.

So long as God is our God we need not fear our adverſaries. Yee have heard of that Palladium of the Heathens in Troy, they imagined that ſo long as that Idol was kept ſafe, they were unconquerable; all the ſtrength in Greece was not able to prevaile againſt it, wherefore the Greecians ſought by all means they could to get it from them.Ejus fimulacrum catenis conſtrinxerunt claviſ que Basi affixe. iunt. I have read of the men of Tyrus that they were afraid their god Apollo ſhould forſake them: they therfore chained and nailed that Idol to a poſt that they might be ſure of it, becauſe they thought their ſafety was in it. Let us faſten our ſelves to God in an everlaſting covenant, and certainly God will be faſt to us, & then we are ſafe enough.

p. 58I will ſave them: Lect. 3.but how? what ſhall Judah be ſaved by and not Iſrael? Judah a poor contemptible people, how ſaved?

I will not ſave them by bow, nor by ſword, nor by battel, by horſes nor by horſemen.

It ſhall not be by any outward meanes, but by the immediate hand of God. This promiſe that God would ſave them not by bow nor by ſword, &c. it was performed two ſeveral times, and there is a third time for the fulfilling of it which is yet to come.

It was done firſt when the Angel of the Lord went out and ſmote in one night in the Camp of the Aſſyrians an hundred fourſcore & five thouſand: Iudah ſaved, not by bow, norby ſword, two ſeveral wayes.1 kings 11. 35. and God tells them, that the King of Aſſyria should not ſhoote an arrow there, nor come before the Citie with a shield: ſo God ſaved them without bow, for they had no need to uſe the bow then, becauſe the Angel of the Lord deſtroyed them.

The ſecond time was when he ſaved Judah in their returne from captivity, then as it is Zach. 4. 6, he ſaved them not by might nor by power, but by my ſpirit, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. Marke the phraſe, as if God ſhould ſay, I have ſtrength, for I am the Lord of hoſts, I can command Armies, if I would, to ſave you; No, though I be the Lord of hoſts, yet I will not ſave you by might nor by power, but by my ſpirit. Therefore Iſa. 43. 7. their ſtrength is ſaid to be in ſitting ſtill, and ver. 15. in quietneſſe, and confidence shall be your ſtrength. Thus they were ſaved not by bow, nor by ſword.

Then the third time, which is yet to come, that is, in the wonderful work of God in calling the Jewes, when God ſhall raiſe up out of them, a glorious people to himſelfe, and ſave Judah once again, and it ſhall not be by ſword, nor by bow, but by the Lord their God; For as it is ſaid, Dan. 2. 34. the ſtone that ſmote the Image was cut out without hands, ſo there ſhall be a power that is not viſible from whence it comes, but Jeſus Chriſt ſhal come from heaven to do his great workes, As the lightning from the Eaſt to the Weſt, ſo shal the comming of the ſonne of man be.

What learne we from hence?

Firſt,Obſer. 1. God ties not himſelf to the uſe of outward means in procuring of good to his people. Though all outward means fail, yet there may be wayes of ſalvation for the Saints. Wicked mens hearts preſently ſinke, if outward means fail: And indeed ſo much as our hearts faile when outward meanes faile, it is a ſigne that we did before reſt upon the means, and if we had had the means, we ſhould have robbed God of his honour. We muſt uſe means, but not rely upon the means.Mediis utendam, non innitendum. I might ſhew you excellent Texts of Scripture for this, as Pſal. 33. 16. There is no King ſaved by the multitude of an hoſt, a mighty man is not delivered by much ſtrength, &c. And Pſal. 44. 5. 6. Through thee will we push downe our enemies, through thy name we will tread them under, that riſe up againſt us; for I will not truſt in my bowe, neither shal my ſword ſave me, &c.

But ſecondly, Not by bow, nor by ſword, &c.

p. 59Deliverance of a people without bow, and without ſword is a great mercy: For ſuch are the wofull miſeries that a people doe ſuffer when warre commeth, that uſually the victory will ſcarce pay the charges of the battel: though we be ſure to be ſaved at laſt, yet if we muſt be ſaved by bow, and by ſword, I ſay the miſery that we may ſuffer in our ſalvation, may be more then the ſalvation. It was the height of that mercy promiſed, Iſa. 9. 5. that it ſhould be without confuſed noiſe and garments rolled in blood. Such a mercy we have had; and had Chriſt come to have raigned amongſt us, though he had come with his garments rolled in blood, we ſhould willingly have entetrayned him; If he had come ryding upon his red horſe; But behold he comes ryding upon his white horſe, in peace and mercy all this while, and the mercies we have had, have been very cheap, they have not been by bow, nor by ſword. And if God ſhould come at length by the ſword, and bring perfect ſalvation to us by blood, which God forbid; but if he ſhould, we have had already more mercy without blood, than our bloods are worth; ſhould we now have our bloods ſhed, God hath paied us beforehand: who almoſt in this congregation, but two or three yeers agoe would have loſt his blood to procure ſo much mercy to England, as England hath had already?

Further.Obſer. Such is the love of God to his people, that he is pleaſed to worke for them beyond meanes. The other point was, that he can ſave his people without means; This, that he will do it beyond means: For the grace, and love of God to his people, is ſo high, & glorious, that it is beyond that which can be conveyed by means, therefore it muſt be done more imediatly. Exod. 15. 6. Thy right hand, O Lord is become glorious in power, in the greatneſſe of thine excellency thou haſt overthrowne them that roſe up againſt thee. Firſt, it is the hand of God, Secondly, it is the right hand of God, Thirdly, it is the right hand of God in power, Fourthly, this is glorious in power. Fiftly, there is excellency; and Sixthly, there is the greatneſſe of Excellency. It is an high expreſſion. Magnitudine excellentiae, or magnitudine elationis, in the greatneſſe of thy lifting up, foreignfor the ſame word ſignifieth pride, that is here tranſlated excellency; and if God he lifted up in any thing, it is when hee ſhewes himſelf for his people. Now take all theſe ſix expreſſions, Gods hand, Gods right hand, his right hand in power, a right hand that is become glorious in power, his excellency, the greatneſſe of his excellency, and all this for his Saints, ſurely this is more then can be conveyed by means, God must borne imediately and ſave them by himſelfe.

But laſtly,4. the more imediate the hand of God appeareth in his mercy to his people, the more ſweet and precious ought that mercy to be then (this were an excellent argument to follow to the full, and ſo neerly concerning us; you ſee the ſcriptures were made for other times, then for the times in which they were firſt revealed) a moſt excellent place of Scripture you have for this Pſal. 21. 13. Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own ſtrength, ſo will we ſing, and praiſe thy power. When God cometh in his own ſtrength, and not in the ſtrength of the creature, and by meanes, then do the Saints ſing p. 60and praiſe the power of God. Dulcious ex ipſo fonte, wee uſe to ſay, that which cometh imediately cometh exceeding ſweetly: Then the Saints may boaſt in God, when God cometh immediately with his ſalvation, ſo you have it, Pſal. 44. 7. 8. Thou haſt ſaved us from our enemies, and haſt put them to ſhame that hated us: What followeth? in God will we boaſt all the day long, and praiſe thy name for ever. So that the Saints of God then praiſe God, nay they may lawfully give up themſelves to boaſt, when God works imediately. When God works by means, then they muſt take heed of aſcribing to the means, but when God cometh imediately, then they may boaſt.

It is the bleſſedneſſe of Heaven, that Gods mercy cometh imediately: created mercies are the moſt perfect mercies. Suppoſe God had bin with them by bow, and by ſword, when Senacherib came againſt them, could they have been ſaved as they were? Gods hooke that he put in his noſe, and bridle that he put in his lipps (for ſo God ſaith he would doe with him, uſe him as a beaſt) were better then their ſword or bow.

Surely, if ever any nation knew what it was to have imediate mercies come down from heaven, England doth: If ever Nation ſaw God exalting himſelfe in his own power, England hath: we have lived (and bleſſed be God we have lived) to ſee the Lord exalting himſelfe in his own power: Oh let us cry out with the Pſalmiſt (and with that I ſhall end) Be thou exalted O Lord in thy own ſtrength amongſt us, ſo will we ſtill, and ſtill, and ſtill, ſing and praiſe thy power.