An Exposition of Hosea 1-3, Chapter 2 · Lecture 16
The Sixteenth Lecture.
HOSEA 2. 16. 17. 18.
And it ſhall be at that day, ſaith the Lord, that thou ſhalt call me us more Baali.
For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they ſhal be no more remembred by their name, &c.
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beaſts of the field, and with the fowles of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the ſword, and the battell out of the earth, and will make them to lye down ſafely.
TO adde a word or two more about that principall Obſervation in theſe words opened the laſt day; god would not have his people to worſhip him in that way that Idolaters worſhip him; It hath alwayes beene the care of the Churches of God,Tert. de coron. milit. Ignat. ep. 3. ad Philip. to diſtinguiſh themſelves in wayes of worſhip from Idolaters. The Manichees were wont to keepe their faſts upon the Lords day, and upon that the Churches did utterly prohibit the keeping of Faſts upon that day, becauſe they would not doe as the Man…chees did. Tertullian ſaith it is Nefas, a deteſtable wickedneſſe to faſt on the Lords day. And Ignatius ſaith; to faſt on the Lords day is to kill Chriſt. There is a notable and famous Tractate of Tertullians, concerning a Chriſtian ſouldier being in the Army of the Heathens, when they in honour of their Idol gods did weare upon their heads a coronet of bayes, he tooke his coronet, and inſtead of waring it upon his head, he held it in his hand, upon this there was a great mutiny in the Army, his fellowes ſtorming at this, that one ſouldier ſhould be in a different garbe from all the reſt, ſurely this was ſome nice conſcienced ſouldier, that (he forſooth) muſt not doe as others did, he muſt hold the coronet of bayes in his hand, whereas others wore it on their heads: The mutining of the ſouldiers came at length to the Officers of the Army, and upon that this Chriſtian ſouldier was called to queſtion, why he was in a different kinde of way from his fellowes; hee gives this anſwer, I am a Chriſtian, and therefore it doth not beſeeme me to doe as theſe doe, that we are the bayes upon their heads in honour of their Idol gods; upon that they were all in a mighty rage, againſt this ſouldier, and not only himſelf, but all the Chriſtians that were neere hand were in danger of a great perſecution;Lect. 16 Nay, there was a great mutining amongſt other Chriſtians, that this one man for ſuch a nicety ſhould indanger not only himſelf but other Chriſtians.Sanctior caeteris ſratribus qui duobus dominis ſervire ſe poſſe praſumun…. Tertul de corone militis. O militem in Deo glorioſum. Vbi ſcriptum eſt ne coronemur; at ubi ſcriptum eſt at coronemur; Tertul. ibid. Tertullian therefore writes a whole Tractate to defend this Souldier for this his practice, and he ſaith of him, that he was holier then his holy brethren, who thought and preſumed they might ſerve two Lords, that they might comply themſelves for the avoyding of perſecution with the Heathens in the obſervation of their ſuperſtitious way of worſhip; and he cryes out in an exclamation, in commendation of this Souldier; Oh moſt glorious ſouldier, who would thus venture himſelfe, and not comply with Idolaters! and whereas ſome would pleade againſt him, even Chriſtians, that would rather comply then indure the hazard, and ſay, where is it written in all the word of God that we ſhould not weare bayes upon our heads? Tertullian anſwereth againe, Where is it written that we may doe it? ſaith he, we muſt looke into the Scripture to ſee what we may doe, and not thinke it enough that the Scripture doth not directly forbid this or that very particular. By this we ſee that ſome to avoid trouble and perſecution, will as much as ever they can comply with the wayes of Idolatry, yet thoſe that are of a true Chriſtian heroick ſpirit indeed, will not comply with them, but will rather hazard the ſoreſt perſecution.
Thus it ſhould be with us, we muſt not retaine any thing that hath been abuſed to Idolatry, ſo as to keep the honourable memoriall of it; wee muſt not comply with Idolaters that way; and eſpecially in regard of that great Idol of the Croſſe (which we inſtanced in, the laſt day) not ſo far to retaine it as to bring it into the Ordinances of God, the very Sacrament, this puts a great honour upon it; yea and too too great an honour is put upon it in reſerving it in the eminenteſt place of the City, and to thinke it is an ornament unto it, whereas it is indeed a great diſgrace and diſhonor, and retaines the memory of your fore-fathers ſuperſtition, which is their and your ſhame. Auguſtine ſayes, it is better to dye with hunger then to eate that which is offered to Idols,Melius mori fame quam I do lothytis v ſci, Auguſt de bono conjug c. 18. ſo far were theſe ancients from ſuiting themſelves with Idolaters. Gabriel Biel ſaith the Church of Rome though meet to uſe leavened bread, leſt in unleavened they ſhould ſeeme to be like Ebion the Heretick: and Bellarmine would not have Paul called Divus Paulus, but Beatus, becauſe Divus and Diana were the words of the heathen for their gods and goddeſſes. This promiſe to take away the names of Baalim comes in upon Gods reconciliation to his people. From whence the next note is, when God is reconciled to his people, there will be a thorow Reformation both outward and inward. Idolatry is caſt out not onelyonly from the heart but from the mouth, the taking away the names from their mouthes is a ſynechdoche, and notheth the uttertaking away of all wayes of Idolatry in the outward practice as well as in the inward affection. The more reconciliation there is with God, the more enmity againſt Idols and ſuperſtitious worſhip. A fruitfull ſigne then it is that we in England were never thorowly reconciled unto God, becauſe we never yet have caſt off our Idols.
As ſome remaynders of ſuperſtition abiding amongſt us, did not long ſince break forth to moſt horrid and vile ways of falſe worſhip, ſo ſome remainders of Gods wrath that hath been amongſt us, this day breakes forth into a moſt dreadfull flame. When the people of the Iews ſhall be called again, and God ſhall be perfectly reconciled to his Churches, then Idolatry ſhall be perfectly rejected, and there ſhall never be ſo much as mention of their Idols any more, this Text aymes at thoſe times, and ſhall perfectly be fulfilled at that day, that is the day when God will do it.
They ſhall call me no more Baali, but Iſhi, my husband.
Thence the note is,
When a people is reconciled to God,Obſer. then they call God theirs, my huſband, Iſbi. Pſal. 16. 3, 4. David profeſſeth that he would not ſo much as take up their names into his lips, of which before. Now mark what followeth preſently upon that, ver. 5. The Lord (ſaith he) is my portion, when the Prophet is ſo taken off from Idols, as not to mention the names of Idols, then The Lord is my portion; Sin makes us loſe the boldneſſe of our claim in our intereſt in God.So here now Iſhi, the Lord is my husband, now can we claim a peculiar intereſt in God indeed. This is the evil of ſin, it hindereth a nation, a ſoule from clayming this intereſt in God. God is a bleſſed and glorious God, yea but what is that to this people, to this apoſtatizing people? what is that to this apoſtatizing ſoule? but when the ſoule comes into God, & comes off throughly to the work of Reformation, then this God is my God, Iſhi, my husband. Can any comfort, any profit that you have in ways of ſinne countervaile this great loſs? you gaine ſome contentment in the fleſh, ſome profit in your eſtate, but you loſe the comforts of your intereſt in God, what is your gaine now? thinke of this when any temptation comes, I may be yeelding to this temptation, get this contentment to the fleſh, but I ſhall loſe this bleſſed priviledg of clayming an intereſt in my God, I ſhall not be able to ſay, Iſhi, my husband.
Thirdly, Iſhi, The word compared with the former Baali, is a word of more love then the former. Baali is a word, though it ſignifies my husband too as well as Iſhi, but it is husband under the notion of dominion, under the notion of power that cauſeth feare; but Ishi is a husband under the notion of love and protection. Hence the note is,
God delights to have his people look upon him with love and delight.Obſer. God delights to have his people look upon him with love. It is Gods care, and it is his good pleaſure that his people ſhould not looke upon him ſo much as one that hath dominion over them, but that they ſhould look upon him with joy and love, and call him Ishi. The more reconcyled we are unto God, the more have we the uſe of the loving appellations of God. For a ſoule to be alwayes under the ſpirit of bondage, to looke unto God only as the Lord of all, this is not ſo pleaſing to God; but when you come to have the ſpirit of adoption, the ſpirit of grace, an Evangelicall ſpirit, that you can look upon him with love, and ſay Ishi, my husband, that title of love and goodneſſe, this pleaſes God at the heart. It is reported of Auguſtus that he would not have the title of Lord given to him, he refuſed it, and would rather have his people to looke upon him under the notion of love as a father, rather then to feare him. It were happy that all Princes were of this minde, to deſire that their people ſhould rather love them then feare them! It is a moſt villainous, wicked, and curſed principle that is in ſome, who infuſe into the ſpirit of Princes, let your people feare you, no great matter whether they love you or no. Suetonius relateth this paſſage of Auguſtus, when a poor man came to preſent a petition to him with his hands ſhaking and trembling out of feare, the Emperor was much diſpleaſed, and ſaid, It is not fit that any ſhould come with a petition to a King, as if a man were giving meat to an Elephant that is afraid to be deſtroyed by him. God doth not love the bread of mourners to be offered up in ſacrifice, hee loveth to have people come unto him with a holy boldneſſe, with a filiall, not with a ſervile and ſlaviſh ſpirit. Chriſt laid down his life to redeeme us that wee might ſerve the Lord without feare.
Fourthly,Obſer. They ſhall call me Iſhi, that is, My ſtrength. The Church ſhould looke upon Chriſt as the ſtrength of it; Thy maker is thy husband, and who is he? The Lord of Hoſts is his name, thy redeemer, the God of the whole earth ſhall he be called. When the people of God can look upon Chriſt their husband as the Lord of hoſts, and their Redeemer as the God of the whole earth, then they finde quiet and ſatisfaction in their ſpirits, Pſa. 89. 17. God is ſaid to be the glory of the ſtrength of his people; Though we be weake in regard of our outward helps, let us looke up to Chriſt our ſtrength, he hath been our ſtrength, he is the glory of it.
Fiftly,Obſer. I will take the names of Baalim out of their mouth, and they ſhal be no more remembred by their name. Repentance muſt be proportionable to mens ſins. How doth that ariſe? before ver. 13. God charged them that they had forgotten him, They went after their lovers and forgat me, ſaith the Lord. Now ſaith God, your Idols ſhall be forgotten, your hearts were ſo far ſet upon your idols as you forgat me, now in your repentance your hearts ſhall be ſo much upon me as you ſhall forget your Idols. Thoſe men who have beene ſo wicked and ungodly heretofore, that they have forgot God, God hath not been in all their thoughts. God expects now from them that their luſts ſhould not be in all their thoughts. It is not enough that you forbeare the act, but you muſt not roule the ſweet of them in your thoughts you muſt not ſo much as remember them, except it be with the deteſtation of them. If there be not a proportion between your repentance & your former ſins,Obſ. Pompous ſuperſtition will vaniſh & come to nothing. you may expect there will be a proportion between Gods wrath and your former ſins, Further, They ſhal not ſo much as be remembred by their name, they ſhal not thinke of them. The note from hence is, all ſuperſtitious vanities though they may ſeem for the preſent never ſo glorious, yet in time they will vaniſh and come to nothing, God hath a time to make them ſo to vaniſh, as they ſhall not ſo much as be thought off. Col. 2. 22. it is ſaid of the rudiments of the world, that are according to the Doctrine of men, they periſh in the uſe, in the preſent uſe, that is, they effect nothing that they ſeeme to be appointed for, there is no good cometh of them for the preſent, but in the very uſe they come to nothing; but time ſhall be that God will cauſe them all to periſh utterly, and the very remembrance of them ſhall be taken away. It is true for the preſent while mens hearts are ſet upon ſuperſtitious wayes, O how glorious are they in their eyes▪ but theſe glorious things will come to nothing, whereas thoſe Ordinances of God that ſeeme to be but meane things, wherein the ſimplicity of the Goſpel appeareth, they ſhall appeare full of beauty, though for the preſent they ſeeme to be darkened, they ſhall be glorious in the eyes of the Saints to the end of the world.
Not long ſince what a ſtirre was there about the more then decent, even ſuperſtitious adorning of Temples, and building of Altars, and brave Canopies, what ſumptuous things and fine knacks had they, and all to ſet out a pompous ſuperſtitious way of worſhip? this altogether prevailed; as for the purity and ſimplicity of Gods wayes and worſhip, how was it trampled under feet as an unworthy contemptible thing? but theſe things that for a while ſeemed ſo glorious, begin to vaniſh, and wee hope ere long will come to nothing, the very memory of them ſhall periſh, the purity of Gods worſhip, and the ſimplicity of the Goſpell in Gods Ordinances ſhall recover their beauty and glory when thoſe braveries ſhall be no more.
7.Obſer. A true penitent cannot remember former ſinnes without indignation, for ſo is the meaning of the phraſe, they ſhall not remember. Some of us may remember how we have beene intangled with wayes of falſe worſhip, and how we have fullyed and wrung our conſciences that way, we ſaid we would yeeld as far as we could, but indeed we yeelded further then wee could, for id poſſumus qnod jure poſſumus, we have cauſe to remember it with ſhame and confuſion of face. Ye old men may remember the ſins of your youth, but how can you remember them and ſpeake of them with joy and meryment? that is an evil, yea almoſt a deſperate ſigne, do you ſo remember the ſinnes of your youth as to tell tales of the pranckes of your younger dayes with joy? you are in a high degree left of God, and given up to hardneſſe, you ſhall remember them with ſhame and indignation, the ſweet morſells of former ſinnes coming up into remembrance ſhould be bitter and ſower unto you.
The laſt note is,Obſer. the taking off mens hearts from Idolatrous wayes, is a ſpeciall worke of God, I will do it ſaith God. I will take away the names of Baalim out of their mouthes. Certainly the people in theſe times hung much upon their falſe ways of worship, they had many arguments for their way, no queſtion but they had many diſtinctions to uphold it: but there shall come a day ſaith the Lord,Mens hearts will cleave to ſuperſt…tious vanities till God takes them off. when I will take away the names out of their mouths. I will ſtop your mouthes, I will take off your hearts from all thoſe Objections and reaſonings you have had to maintaine ſuch ways as thoſe were, I will ſilence all, & then you shal ſee evidently & convincingly to your shame that you have been gulled by ſuch vaine & falſe diſtinctions, I will take off all thoſe ingagements your hearts were bound in, thoſe being taken off I will ſoon take you off from all. What a deale of ſtir hath God (that we may ſpeake with holy reverence) to take mens hearts from wayes of falſe worship? What a company of diſtinctions and objections have men, their hearts clinging to them, being very unwilling to be taken off, now & then their conſciences are wrung, yet they hold faſt, and then conſcience hath another wring, and then they another objection, and another diſtinction, and yet perhaps true grace lyes at the bottome after all this.
But God having a love unto them, by ſome way or other takes off their hearts, if he doth it not by ſettling truths upon the heart by his Spirit, he will doe it by ſome notable works o… providence; we finde it by experience, ſo long as mens engagements hold, that they cannot enjoy their eſtates, liberties and comforts, without yeelding to ſuch wayes of ſuperſtition, they will not be taken off from them; they pleaſe themſelves in this (and perhaps they ſpeake what they thinke) that they doe nothing againſt the light of their conſciences; for why? their ingagements keepe off the ſtrength of truth, that it comes not to a full conviction of conſcience: But when God ſhall by any worke of his providence take off their hearts from ingagements, and then come and ſet before them the ſame truths that formerly he did, they come to ſee now a convincing evidence in thoſe truths, they ſtand admiring that they ſaw it not before, wonder what the matter was, they read ſuch bookes before that had the ſame arguments againſt their wayes, and for the truth, but they could not ſee the ſtrength of them before, now they ſee it apparently, and they are aſhamed of themſelves every time they goe into the preſence of God, they are confounded in their owne thoughts to thinke, that though truths were ſo clear before, they did not ſee them, now they ſee them with ſuch cleareneſs, as they thinke they could lay downe their lives for them, whatſoever they ſuffer for time to come, they can never yield to what they have yeilded to heretofore: What is the matter? God hath come in with power, God hath taken off their hearts. God attributeth this to himſelf, I will take the names of Baalim out of their mouthes; whatſoever they have to ſay for the keeping of ſuch names and reliques of Idolatry, yet I will come with power upon their hearts and take them out of their mouths.
Then indeed when God thus commeth the thing will be done. And let us take heed we doe not ſtand out too long, leſt God come to take off our hearts by ſome dreadfull way of judgement or other; It were better our mouths were ſtopped, our objections ſilenced, and ſo all the reliques and remainders of falſe worship were taken from us thorough the word and Spirit of God: If that will not doe, God will come in ſome other way, and take the name of Baalim out of our mouths; And if wee will keepe the memory of ſuperſtitious wayes, God may extirpate the memory of them by ſuch wayes as may prove fearfull unto us, and make our hearts to ake, and our eares to tingle. VVee have a notable paſſage for this, Ezekiel 6. 6. In all your dwelling places ſaith God, your Cities ſhall be laid waſte, and the high places ſhall be deſolate, (marke) that your Altars may be laid waſte, and made deſolate, and your Idols may be broken and ceaſe, and your Images may be cut down, and your works may be aboliſhed. Obſerve the Text, In all your dwelling places your Cities ſhall be laid waſte; to what end? That your Altars may be laid waſte; So that God will lay waſte their Cities for this very end, that hee may lay waſte their Altars; if they will not lay waſte their Altars, if they will not aboliſh their ſuperſtitions that are amongſt them, God will aboliſh their Cities, lay waſte their Cities that he may lay waſte their Altars. God hath begun to put it into the heart of our governors, the Parliament, to aboliſh many ſuperſtitious pictures and croſſes in divers places, there is yet one great one remaining, and we hope God upon the ſame grounds may put into their hearts the aboliſhing of that.God will deſtroy cities that he may deſtroy Altars It would be a dreadfull thing unto you, if God now calling upon us to caſt out the remainders of all Idolatry & ſuperſtition, to lay waſte all Idolatrous Pictures, Images and Croſſes, if we ſhould not come off, but that God ſhould lay waſte your Cities, to lay waſte your Altars, Croſſes, and reliques of Idolatry: You ſee God threatneth this here, as if God did not intend ſo much to lay waſte their Cities, hee would preſerve them, but becauſe he could not (that we may ſpeake according to the manner of men) aboliſh their Altars, but by laying waſte their Cities, ſaith God, rather then your Altars ſhall ſtand, your Cities ſhall downe. God hath wayes, and moſt terrible wayes too to take away the memory of ſuperſtitious vanities; Oh that vve had hearts to joyne with God before he cometh in ſuch a dreadfull manner to aboliſh the memory of ſuch things! Were our Prelates in their power, ſuch a ſpeech as this could not be borne, when Maſter Vdal a godly Preacher in Queene Elizabeths dayes, was charged with ſuch an expreſſion. If it come in, (that is, the true government of Chriſt as he meaneth,) by that means that will make all your hearts to ake, blame your ſelves; for theſe words eſpecially was he then condemned to be hanged; ſuch was the rage and potency of the Prelates in thoſe dayes: What I have ſaid may be againſt the ſpirits of ſuch as cleave to ſuperſtitious vanities, wee have no cauſe to feare the exaſperating of theſe, for ſurely they cannot be more exaſperated then they are for the preſent, and it were a fooliſh thing to exaſperate and provoke God, for feare of further exaſperation in thoſe who are for the preſent exaſperated even to the utmoſt againſt us. And if they were not, but the exaſperation would ariſe new, what is the exaſperation of vile men, to the abiding of the wrath of God upon us?
VERSE, 18. And in that day I will make a Covenant for them with the beaſts of the field, and with the fowles of Heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground; and I will break the bow, and the ſword, & the batteli out of the earth, and I will make them to lye downe ſafely.
In this verſe God promiſeth peace and ſecurity; peace, in regard of their deliverance from the beaſts of the field, and fowles of the heaven, & creeping things of the ground; Peace from the hoſtility of their adverſaries, he will break the bow & the ſword, & the battell out of the earth; And ſecurity, they ſhall lye down ſafely.
I will make a covenant for them with the beaſts of the field, &c.
Some allegorize upon theſe words, the beaſts of the field, they ſay are meant cruell wicked men; the fowles of the ayre, ambitious wicked men that are lofty in their thoughts & counſels; the creeping things of the ground, ſubtill adverſaries, God here promiſes, they ſay, to deliver them from all theſe. But I deſire not to fall upon Allegories, but when there is a neceſſity, therefore take the words literally, The beaſts of the field, fowles of the ayre, and creeping things of the earth. Object.But how may God be ſaid to make a covenant for his people, with the beaſts of the field, and the fowles of heaven, and the creeping things of the earth? For to ſpeake properly, no creature is capable of a Covenant with God, but onelyonly the rationall.
The meaning is,Anſ. there ſhall be ſuch an eſtabliſhment of Gods worke upon the beaſts and fowles, and creeping things for the good of his Church, as if God had bound them to doe them good by way of Covenant;How a Covenant with beaſts that way of God is called making of a Covenant with them; I will ſhew it you in another Scripture, Ier. 33. 20. If you can break my covenant of the day, & my covenant of the night, that there ſhould not be day and night in their ſeaſon, &c. How doth God make a Covenant with the day, and a Covenant with the night? Thus, there is an eſtabliſhment of Gods decree upon the day, and upon the night, that it ſhould be in ſuch and ſuch a way from the Creation unto the end of the world,Ita ordinabo inviolabiter. and that eſtabliſhment is called Gods Covenant; ſo Oceolampadius upon my Text, I will order inviolably and unalterably, there ſhall be an eſtabliſhing decree upon theſe creatures that they ſhall doe you no hurt but good.
From hence the notes are theſe.
Firſt,Obſer. Sin hath cauſed enmity between man and the creatures; that is implyed here, I will, ſaith God, make a Covenant (upon your reconciliation with me, and your reformation) with the creatures, now they ſhall be at peace with you, I will doe it, noting that by our ſin there is grown enmity betweene us and Gods creatures. VVe have loſt by ſin a great part of our dominion that God gave us over his creatures, that was the reſult from that Image of God that man was created in. Therefore when you ſee any creature to rebell againſt you, bee put in minde your rebellion againſt God. It is true, God hath kept a little of mans dominion over the creature ſtill, to the end that the world and humane ſociety may be preſerved. Sometimes you may ſee a little child driving before him a hundred Oxen or kine this way or that way as he pleaſeth, it ſheweth that God hath preſerved ſomewhat of mans dominion over the creatures. But a great part is loſt by our ſin. If we that are the ſervants of God rebell againſt him, it is juſt with God that the creatures that were made to be our ſervants ſhould rebell againſt us. And you who are Superiors, when any of your inferiours are ſtubborne againſt you, your ſervants, your children rebellious, raiſe your hearts up to this meditation, My ſervant is rebellious againſt me, how have I been rebellious againſt the Lord! my child is ſtout and ſtubborn againſt me, how hath my heart been ſtout & ſtubborn againſt the Lord my Father!
Againe, peace with God brings peace with the creatures. I will make a covenant with the beaſts of the field, Obſer.with the fowles of the ayre, &c. Job 5. 23. you have a ſtrange kind of promiſe, Thou ſhalt be in league with the ſtones of the field, and the beasts of the earth shall be at peace with thee. This goes ſomewhat deeper then that which is here promiſed, there ſhall be a league, not only with the beaſts, but with the ſtones of the field. How in league with the ſtones of the field? It is more eaſie to be underſtood, to be in league with the beaſts of the field, for they are many times hurtfull unto us. But how with the ſtones of the field? There are many interpretations given of that place. Only thus much for the preſent. It was wont to be the way (and ſo it is ſtill in many places) in ſetting the bounds of their fields,The ſtones of the field at league. they took ſtones which they ſet up for land-marks, and engraved upon their ſtones, to note to whom this or the other parcell of ground belonged. Now this is the promiſe, that the Lord would be ſo gracious to his people, that they ſhould enjoy the bounds of their own habitations ſecurely, they ſhould not be wronged, their land-marks ſhould not be taken away. The ſtones of the field shal be in league with thee, that is, the ſtones of the field that ſtand for your land-marks ſhall abide, and none ſhall take them away; I will preſerve your bounds, as if you were in league with the ſtones that are your land-marks, as if they had agreed with you, and were in covenant that they would undertake to ſtand, and to ſet out the bounds of your fields for ever: And the beaſts of the field alſo ſhall bee uſefull to you, and do you no hurt.
But you will ſay,Object, ſometimes the beaſts of the field doe hurt the Saints, how doth God make a covenant with them?
Many things might be anſwered to that,Anſw. verſ. 17. of that place of Job he ſpeaks of a time when God corrects and men deſpiſe not the chaſtning of the Almighty, now this in verſ. 23. hath reference unto that time: that is, when any do make uſe of Gods correction, doe not deſpiſe it but in a reverent way ſubmit unto Gods hand of correction, then God will make this league with the ſtones of the field, and with the beaſts of the earth. If God hath corrected you with any ſickneſſe, and you doe not profit by that ſickeneſſe, it is juſt with God that a beaſt of the field, that ſome or other creature ſhould meet you, and be more terrible unto you then ever your ſickneſſe was. And the promiſe here in Hoſea is to thoſe that are reconciled to God, who have caſt off their ſuperſtitious vanities: And becauſe wee are not here perfectly reconciled, therefore this promiſe is not perfectly fulfilled; But I make no queſtion but the holy Ghoſt here aymeth at the t…me of the call of the Jews, and then I believe that this promiſe ſhall be literally fulfilled, and thoſe other promiſes in Eſay and other places, where God ſayes he will make the Lion to eate ſtraw with the Oxe, and the like, and that no venomous creature shall doe them hurt; Time coming when the beaſts do no hurt.When the calling of the Jews ſhall be, the creatures ſhall be brought into ſuch a kind of excellency in a manner as they were in Adam in Paradiſe, they ſhall come to the primitive inſtitution, the Lion was not at the firſt creation wont to live upon prey: the creatures were not made to prey one upon another, therefore the promiſe is that the Lion ſhall live in that kind of quietneſſe as it was to do in Paradiſe, if man had not ſinned; And at the calling of the Jewes it is very like there ſhall be ſuch a reſtitution of all things (as it is called Acts 3. 21.) the creatures ſhall be reſtored to ſuch a knd of excellency as it had at the firſt in the Creation: And though in part this may be fulfilled to Gods people, ſo as the beaſts of the field ſhall do them no hurt, that is, if they prevail againſt them it ſhall be for ſome gracious ends that God aymsat, yet for the literall fulfilling of it it is reſerved for that day. Thirdly, VVhen God is reconciled to his people,Obſer. ſhall the beaſts of the field and the fowles of the ayre, and the creeping things of the earth be at peace with the Saints? what a wicked and ungodly thing is it then in men, that the more any are reconciled unto God, the greater enemies are they unto them? God promiſeth when his people be reconciled to him, the creature ſhal be reconciled unto them; yet thou a vile wretch when thou ſeeſt one grow up in the wayes of reconciliation with God,A wicked thing, the more God is reconciled to men the more to hate them. thy enmity increaſes towards him; what a horrible wickedneſs is this? it is more then bruitiſh by farre, it is deſperate wickedneſſe; as it was with thoſe Kings of Canaan, Ioſh. 10. 5. aſſoone as the Gibeonites had made peace with Ioſhua, and were in coveuant, the five Kings conſpired againſt them, they lived quietly enough before with them, but when they heard that they had made a covenant with Ioſhua, they preſently conſpired againſt them; Thus it is with many at this day, when you had your companions who would drink, ſwear, and break the Sabbath, and be unclean, and ſcorn with you, they were good fellowes then, how would you hug and embrace them, and delight in them? but ſo ſoone as God hath wrought upon their hearts, and they are brought from enemies to be reconciled unto God, now your hearts are oppoſite to them, now you look upon them as your enemies, now you hate them, now your ſpirits riſe againſt them: O horrible & deſperate wickedneſs! the Lord rebuke you this day, the Lord ſtrike upon ſuch a heart. Before Saul was converted hewas a man of repute, but aſſoone as he turned Chriſtian, he was a peſtilent, a ſeditious fellow, Away with ſuch a man from the earth, he is not worthy to live, the next newes wee heare, forty of them conſpired together, and bound themſelves with an oath, that they would neither eate nor drinke till they had killed him.
Fourthly, I will make a Covenant, ſaith God, you ſhall have this mercy, and have it by covenant.
Mercy that commeth by Covenant is excellent mercy indeed.Obſer. The ſame mercy that cometh in by a worke of generall providence is nothing ſo ſweet, nothing ſo firme as that mercy that cometh in by Covenant. When the Saints enjoy a mercy, though it be outward, they are not ſo taken with the mercy, for the outward part of it, becauſe they have ſome comfort and contentment to the outward man by it, but they are taken with it upon this ground, they ſee even this outward mercy cometh to them by vertue of Gods Covenant with them, that ſweetneſſe and makes firme the mercy; when they goe up and down the field and the beaſts come not upon them to deſtroy them,Mercy that comes in by covenant is ſweet. they can looke upon their preſent ſafety as enjoying it in the Covenant. You will ſay, the wicked can walke up and down in the fields, and the beaſts not deſtroy them.
Though they doe, yet a godly man hath more ſweetneſſe in this then he, in that he can ſee this his ſafety from the Covenant: when he rides a journey, his beaſt is not made an inſtrument of Gods wrath to daſh out his braines, perhaps it is ſo with his wicked neighbour that rides with him, but that from whence the preſervation is, is different, it is a mercy to the godly man form the Covenant that God hath made with him, to preſerve him in all his wayes, it is but generall providence to the other; wicked men may have the ſame mercies for the matter of them that the godly have, yet there is a kernell in the mercy which onelyonly the Saints enjoy.
There are two things obſervable in a mercy comming by Covenant.
1. It is more ſweet. 2. More firme. More ſweet, Pſal. 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to ſuch as keepe his covenant. This is a ſweet promiſe, a ſoule-ſatisfying promiſe, more worth then all the riches of your City, even that one promiſe; all the paſſages of Gods ordinary providence are mercy and truth to thoſe that keepe his Covenant. Marke, perhaps they are mercies to you, there is a generall bounty you have in your ordinary preſervation, but they are not Mercy and truth to you, there is the addition, they are Mercy and truth to the godly, that is, they are ſuch mercies as are bound to them by Covenant; Therein David rejoyceth, therefore ſaith he in the beginning of the Pſalme, I will lift up my heart unto God, as amongſt other reaſons ſo for this, that all the paths of God are not onelyonly mercy, but mercy and truth: You have beene preſerved, and have had many mercies from God, Well, they are Gods mercies unto you, but are they mercies and truth to you? that is, Doe they come to you in a way of promiſe? Looke to that, there is the ſweetneſſe of a mercy, and it is a good ſigne of a gracious heart to looke more to the Originall whence mercy commeth, then to the outward part of the mercy.
Secondly, They are more firme, Eſay 54. 10. The mountaines ſhal depart, & the hills be removed, but my kindneſſe ſhall not depart from thee: Why? For the Covenant of my peace ſhall not be removed. That mercy that you have, I give it in a way of Covenant, and the hills and mountaines ſhall depart rather then that kindneſſe of mine ſhall depart.
5.Obſer. Gods covenant with his people is the ſatisfaction of their hearts in their deep…ſt ſorrows Is it ſuch a bleſſed thing for God to make a Covenant with the beaſts for us? VVhat a mercy is it then for God to make a Covenant with our ſoules? the Covenant that God makes with his people is a Covenant in Chriſt, there is mercy. It is a very obſervable place we have, Gen. 17. concerning Abraham, you ſhal find there that in ten verſes of that Chap. God repeateth his Covenant which he made with Abraham, thirteen times, to note thus much, that that was the mercy indeed that muſt ſatisfie Abraham in all his troubles, ſorrowes, and afflictions: as if God ſhould ſay, be ſatisfied with this Abraham, that I have entred into Covenant with thee and thy ſeed, I am a God in Covenant with thee. And 2 Sam. 23. 5. there is a notable Text, Although (ſaith David) my houſe be not ſo with God (as I deſire, as I expect) yet the Lord hath made me an everlaſting Covenant, ordered in all things and ſure; for this is all my ſalvation, & all my deſire, although he make it not to growe. Take this Scripture Chriſtians, take it I ſay and make uſe of it in theſe times of trouble, though things doe not go as you deſire yet ſay as David did, yet the Lord hath made a Covenant with us ordered and ſure in all things, ands all our this iſalvation and all our deſire.
6.Obſer. Is this a mercy for God to make a Covenant with the beaſts for his people? what a mercy is it then for God to make a Covenant with his Son for his people? It is that we are to bleſſe god for, that he will make a Covenant with brute beaſts for our good, but that God will make a Covenant with his owne son for our good, for our eternall good. That God ſhould bring the ſecond perſon in Trinity; to be the head of the Covenant for us, what a mercy is this? Tit. 2. 1. the Apoſtle ſpeaks there of eternall life that was promiſed before the world began, Why, what promiſe was there ever made before the world began? to whom was this promiſe made? who was there before the world began for God to make any promiſe unto? It was onelyonly the Son of God, the ſecond perſon in Trinity, and there was a moſt bleſſed tranſaction between God the Father, and God the Son, for our everlaſting good before the world began, and upon that dependeth all our ſalvation and our hope. When we reade the promiſes of the Goſpel that the Lord hath given to us as branches of the Covenant of grace made with us, we are ready to think, we are poore weake creatures, we cannot keepe Covenant with God, we cannot performe the conditions of the Covenant: But Chriſtians know this, thy peace, the ſalvation of thy ſoul doth not depend ſo much upon a Covenant God hath made with thee as upon the Covenant he hath made with his Son, there is the firmeneſſe, the original, the foundation of all thy good & thy ſalvation; and though thou art a poore weake creature that doth not keepe Covenant with the Lord, yet the Son of God hath kept Covenant with the Father, and hath perfectly performed all conditions the Father required of him, the worke hath been perfected by the Son, and here is our comfort. Raiſe your drooping hearts by this meditation.
The ſecond part of this peace, and that is a promiſe of deliverance from hoftility, from the enemy, I will breake the bow, and the ſword, and the battell out of the earth.
Firſt,Obſer. Peace is a great blesſing, it is a great mercy to have the bow and the ſword broke. It is a part of the Covenant that God makes with his people, to take away the inſtruments of hoſtility. Eſay 2. 4. God promiſeth the breaking of ſwords into plough-ſhares and ſpears in pruning hooks.
You finde the contrary when God threatneth judgement to a people, Joel. 3. 10. he threatneth thus, to beate their plongh-ſhares into ſwords, and their pruning hooks into ſpears, then they are in a ſad condition. It is a great deale better that their ſwords ſhould be beaten into plow-ſhares,The excellency of peace. then that the plow-ſhares should be beaten into ſwords; that the ſpeares should be made pruning hooks, then that pruning books should be made ſpears.
This peace is a moſt amiable thing, and lovely in all our eyes, every man deſireth it, and God promiſeth it unto his people in many places as a moſt ſpeciall fruite of his love unto them. Eſay 33. 10. Jeruſalem ſhall be a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that ſhal not be taken down; And Num. 6. 25, 26. The Lord make his face ſhine upon thee and be gracious unto thee, the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace; the ſhining of Gods face appeareth in giving of peace to a Nation: therefore Jer, 16. 5. where God threatneth the taking away of peace, marke the expreſſion, I have taken away my peace from this people ſaith the the Lord, even loving kindneſſe and mercies. He doth not ſay I have taken away peace, but I have taken away My peace, and then, when My peace is taken away, I will even take away loving kindneſſe and mercies, how eaſie were it to let out ones ſelfe in large diſcourſes in the high commendations of peace? God teaches us in theſe days to ſet a high price upon it. We have had a peace a long time and the Lord knowes we have not priced that mercy; now we know what a ſad thing it is to have war in our Gates.The evil of civill war. And if this be a fruite of Gods Covenant to have peace, we have cauſe to bewayle the breach of our Covenant. Surely there is a great diſpleaſure of God out againſt us; this cup of blood that is prepared and powred forth and drunke in a great meaſure is a moſt dreadfull one, our brethren have drunke deepe of it, we have been afraid of it long ſince, we have heard of rumours of wars, and when the Cup was abroad we prayed that if it were poſſible it might paſſe from us, this Cup did paſſe and went to our brethren in Ireland, and now it is come unto us, the ſword hath had its circuite, and now it is come amongſt us, and that which is come is exceeding dreadfull, becauſe our wars are not with forreign enemies, but Civill wars the worſt of all. I have read in the Romane Chronicles, that in a battell between Sylla and Marius, there was a ſouldier by accident killed one, not knowing who it was, but after he was ſlaine he ſaw it was his brother, preſently in anguiſh of ſpirit he ran his ſword into his owne bowels. This we finde to be ordinary among us, even brother to be againſt brother, yea ſon againſt father of each ſide at this time. Certainly therefore it is time for us to fall upon our knees, and to be humbled before the Lord for the breach of our peace.
Peace is a ſweet mercy, therefore pitty it is that it ſhould not be improved, pitty is it that it ſhould be abuſed. Oh how have we abuſed our former peace! God gave us peace before, to what end? That we might be edifyed and ſo built up in the feare of God and comfort of the holy Ghoſt, as Acts 9. 31. it is ſaid, the Churches had reſt, & were edifyed, and did walk in the feare of God, and the comforts of the holy Ghoſt.
We have not made this uſe of the reſt God hath been pleaſed to afford us, but we have growne wanton with our peace, with this precious jewell, and juſt it is with God to take it from us.
And now we doe deſire peace, but to what end? Still ayming at this eſpecially at this that we might have more freedome to ſatisfie our luſts, and to make proviſion for the fleſh, that is the very ground of moſt mens deſire of peace: whereas if we did underſtand the true worth of peace indeed, we would thinke it a very low end to deſire peace onelyonly to attaine this.Peace rightly prized. Ezek. 37. 26. Marke the promiſe that is there, I will make a Covenant of peace with them, it ſhall be an everlaſting Covenant with them, and I will place them and multiply them, and will ſet my ſanctuary in the middeſt of them for evermore. Yea that is a comfortable peace, to be deſired indeed, when God by peace ſhall make way to ſet his ſanctuary amongſt us. If we did deſire peace upon theſe termes, we might have peace ſooner then we are like to have it.
Againe, Peace is ſweet, therefore pitty it is that it ſhould be falſifyed. Pſ. 28. 3. there are ſome that ſpeake peace to their neighbours, but miſchiefe is in their hearts. It is pitty that ſuch a precious thing as peace ſhould be ſerviceable to mens luſts, that it ſhould be pretended only to drive on a miſchievous deſigne, Peace is too good to be ſerviceable to mens baſe ends.
Yet further, Peace is a great bleſſing, therefore pitty it is that it ſhould not be endeavoured for to the uttermoſt.War that brings peace is better then peace that brings war. Yea curſed be that warre that hath not peace for the end of it, it is that which ought to be as the Embleme of every ſouldier, to have it written upon his ſword, Sic quaerimus Pacem, even thus doe we ſeek peace. It is a great deale better to have a war that aymes at, and works peace, then to have a peace that ayme… at, and works war. It is true, war produceth very dreadfull effects, but war that ſhall bring forth peace, is better then peace that produceth war; and the more we do commend peace, the more doe wee ſtill commend that war that tends to the bringing forth true peace, rather then to ſeeke for a falſe peace that will produce moſt dreadfull war afterwards.
Peace is a great bleſſing from God, but we muſt take heed we buy it not too deare; we may ſay of this as we uſe to ſay of Gold, we may buy gold toodear.
You will ſay how is it poſſible to buy peace at too deare a rate?
Yes, if you give theſe three things for it, you have but a deare bargain of it.
Firſt,Peace may be bought at too dear a rate. if you ſell truth for it, ſelling any truth for peace, you buy peace too deare, for the leaſt truth is better then all the kingdomes of the earth. It firſt coſt the blood of Chriſt, and ſince hath beene watered by the blood of thouſands of Martyrs.
Secondly, if you ſhall betray thoſe that have beene moſt active for the publique good, onelyonly that you may be way of complyance provide for your own particular peace, this peace coſts you too deare.
Thirdly, if you for love of peace ſhall ſubject your ſelves to tyranny or ſlavery. This is peace at too deare a rate, and the poſterity that comes after may curſe that baſeneſſe of ſpirit, and cowardlyneſſe of the generation that went before, that ſhould buy peace for themſelves ſo deare, as to bring not onelyonly themſelves but their poſterity under the bondage of miſerable tyranny and woefull ſlavery. It is true, it is a great deale eaſier for a man that is ſtriving and fighting with his enemy, to lie downe, then to ſpend his ſtrength with fighting and ſtriving; he ſhal not ſpend ſo many of his ſpirits in the act of lying down, why will he we ary himſelf? is it not better to lye down upon the ſoft graſſe then to tyre himſelfe in combating? but if this man lye down, he hath his throat cut by his enemy; hath this man thinke you done wiſely for himſelf? to prevent trouble, he hath loſt his life, If we ſhould be ſo weary of preſent troubles as to lye downe to have our throats cut by our adverſaries, ſhall the generation to come commend either our wiſdome or valor? It is true, when a ſtream runneth ſtrong, you cannot expect to ſtopp that ſtreame, but there will be ſome trouble in doing it; And the truth is, that war that is now o… foot with us, though it hath much trouble in it, and many of our brethren ſuffer many hard things by it, yet let us know it is but to ſtop a ſtreame of miſery that was comming upon us, and it is better to undergoe ſome difficulties in the ſtopping the ſtreame, then to be quiet, and ſo let it overflow us, till all be paſt recovery. Our adverſaries cry out that we are enemies to peace, and they all for peace, that is they would have us to be ſo quiet as to let them doe what they liſt, they would faine have us ſo to love peace as to give up our ſtrength to them, & to be irrecoverably under their power. Therefore let this generation be wiſe, for great things depend upon theſe preſent affaires of the kingdome, that concerne not only their own outward comfort, but the glory of God, and the good of their poſterity to many generations after.
I will breake the bow and the ſword, &c.
It is God that bringeth peace as he pleaſeth;Obſer. it is a great bleſſing, and it is Gods peculiar work to bring this bleſſing. We may treat and treat about peace, but untill God pleaſeth to give a commisſion for peace, it will not be. If God commeth in with exceptions, our treaties and our plots will never do the work. [I] will breake the bow, ſaith God, Jer. 47. 6. O thou ſword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thy ſelfe into thy ſcabbard, reſt and be ſtill. The ſword anſwers, How can I be quiet ſeeing the Lord hath given me a charge againſt Aſkelon, &c. Till God give a commisſion to the ſword it cannot reſt and be ſtill. Job. 34. 29. When he giveth quietneſſe, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be againſt a nation or a man onelyonly. If he cauſe trouble, who can make quietneſſe? Oh no, none can. It is God that is to be looked at in breaking of treaties, it is God that hardneth the hearts of men that they ſhall not make peace untill his time come. Ioſh. 11. 19. 20. a moſt remarkable text. There was not (ſaith the text) a City that made peace with the children of Iſrael ſave the inhabitants of Gibeon, for it was of the Lord to harden their hearts that they ſhould come againſt Iſrael in battell that they might utterly be deſtroyed. Of all the Cities in Canaan that Gods people came againſt, though Gods hand was very remarkable in going along with them, working many miracles for them, yet the Text obſerveth that there was none that would make peace with them only Gibeon, God is the Prince of peace, he is the diſpoſer of it as he pleaſeth.why? for was of the Lord to harden their hearts to come againſt Iſrael in bat tell that they might utterly be deſtroyed. God intended to deſtroy them, therefore God hardened them that they ſhould not make peace with his people. God is the Prince of peace, therefore he diſpoſeth of it as he will; Many devices may be in the hearts of men, they have many plots and contrivances, but the counſell of the Lord ſhall ſtand. Pſalm, 29. 11. The Lord ſitteth upon the floods, yea the Lord ſitteth King for ever. The Lord will give ſtrength to his people, the Lord will bleſſe his people with peace. That is not the peace for God to bleſſe his people with, for which they muſt lay open their throats to be cut, and betray his cauſe. God need give no ſtrength for this, but Gods way is to give ſtrength to his people, and then to bleſſe them with peace. We love peace, but let us look to have our peace thorow the ſtrength of God: put thoſe together, the Lord hath promiſed it, & do you pleade this promiſe; though we ſeem weak, yet the Lord will give his people ſtrength, and ſo he will bleſſe his people with peace. We muſt work our peace by improving Gods ſtrength, not thinke to get peace by a ſluggiſh complyance, & a baſe unworthy yeelding to our adverſaries, Jer. 14, 19. We looked for peace, it ſeemes they were in ſome treaties, and there is no good, for healing, and behold trouble, all their treaties came to nothing: But mark what follows, ver. 20. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickednes & the iniquity of our fathers; O Lord we dwell amongſt people that are ſet on fire, we ſpeake of peace, yea when they ſpeake of peace they have miſchiefe in their hearts, O Lord our wickedneſſe and the iniquity of our fathers is great, O Lord pardon our iniquity. This is the way to have peace, to make up our peace with God.
Thirdly,Obſer. Thorough Reformation is the way to bring peace, Mark how it riſeth, They ſhall call me no more Baali, then will I break the bow; when they ſhall break of throughly their Idolatry, then will I break the bow & the ſword; ſo long as they worſhip falſe gods, war ſhall be in their gates; but when they ſhall throughly reforme and ſet up my worſhip in that way that I wil have, then will I break the bow. That is the way if we could truſt God for it.Thorough Reformation brings peace. Here is our baſeneſs that we will not truſt God in this way of peace, we are ready think that reformation will bring diſturbance, O no, reformation is the way to a thorow peace. Let our wiſdomes be pure, and then certainly it will be peaceable. We have a moſt excellent Scripture for this, Iſa 33. 20. Jeruſalem is there promiſed to be a quiet habitation, what followeth? ver. 22. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our law-giver, the more we entertain him as judge, & our lawgiver, the more peace we ſhall have, Iſa. 9. 7. Of his government & peace there ſhal be no end. When the government of Chriſt commeth, then cometh peace. Zach. 6. 13. He ſhal rule upon his throne, & be a Prieſt upon his throne, & the counſel of peace ſhal be between them both, that is, advance Chriſt in his Kingly Office as well as in his prieſtly Office, & then there ſhal be a counſell of peace.
VVhat is the reaſon that the counſell of peace hath not prevayled to this day? We have cauſe to feare they have not beene ſet betweene both, betweene the Kingly Office and Prieſtly Office of Chriſt to advance them both. Eſay 32. 17. 18. The works of righteouſneſſe ſhal be peace, and the effect of righteouſneſſe quietneſſe, and aſſurance for ever, and my people ſhall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in ſure dwellings, and in quiet reſting places. See how the Holy Ghoſt addes one word to another, to ſhew that true peace is in the wayes of righteouſneſſe. When mens counſells for peace are crooked counſells, when they ſeek to company for their own ends, when the honour of God is not their chiefe ayme, it is juſt with God to daſh all their counſels. Eſay 59. 8. The way of peace they know not, ſaith God, there is no judgement in their goings, they have made them crooked paths, whoſoever goeth therein ſhall not know peace. Wee know the going of the ſerpent is a crooked going, it windeth up and downe; ſo many of our Counſellours of peace have gone like the ſerpent, winding up and down in their carnall policies, they have not ſtudied reformation, but have gone in crooked paths, and therefore they have not brought forth the true effects of peace. But one place more, Jer. 31, 22. 23, there the Lord ſpeaks concerning his people, when he was about to deliver them from captivity, How long wilt thou goe about? that is, you doe not goe on the right way, you compaſſe about, you have fetches becauſe you meet with difficulties in your way, you thinke by this and the other meanes to avoid troubles, but you ſhall goe on by a right line: what followeth? The Lord bleſſe thee O habitation of juſtice and mountaine of holyneſſe; Apply your counſels that way to be the habitation of juſtice and the mountaine of holineſſe, and the worke is done, execute juſtice upon Delinquents that are in your power, and ſet up the Ordinances of God in the right way of worſhip, this is the way of peace, but all this while you have gone about, Oh that the Lord would deliver our great Councellours from going about. They ſhall lye down ſafely.
Hence the note is, onelyonly Gods great peace bringeth ſafety, if we patch up a falſe peace upon baſe & unworthy terms, we muſt not thinke to lye downe ſafely; but when God promiſeth peace a fruit of the Covenant, then it followes, they ſhall lye downe ſafely, Only Gods peace brings ſafety.And I ſuppoſe none of you would have any other peace but ſuch a peace as you may lye down ſafely, and how is it poſſible do you think to lye downe ſafely, except the Lord deſtroy the evill beaſts out of the land? Levit. 16. 5. I will give peace in your land, and you ſhall lye down, & none ſhall make you afraid, and I will rid evil beaſts out of the land. What is the end of our war at preſent, but to rid the evill beaſts out of the land, that ſo we may lye downe ſafely? Can you thinke to dwell ſafely ſo long as ſo many evil beaſts are in the land, & ſo exaſperated in the higheſt of all their rage? Certainly, if a falſe & a patched up peace ſhould be made, we were in a moſticle & hazardous condition, eſpecially thoſe who have appeared for the Cauſe of God; thoſe who have ſhewed themſelves moſt faithfull, can they lye down ſafely in the confidence of ſuch a peace?
If you have the hearts of true Engliſh-men, you would never deſire any other peace, but ſuch as that you and your brethren, your Miniſters, & thoſe Worthies in Parliament, and all that have appeared for you, might lie down ſafely, Acts 27. 13. 14. we reade of a ſoft ſouth-wind, that did blow, but the Text ſaith, that not long after there aroſe a tempeſtuous wind called Euroclydon. So if we have a falſe peace,Tranquillitas iſta tempeſtas erit: Hieron. it may blow as that ſouth wind did, ſoftly and ſtill, but certainely the Euroclydon, the moſt terrible Eaſt-wind will follow after. 2 Chron. 20. 30. Jehoſaphat was quiet, for his God gave him reſt, Suppoſe we ſhould be quiet, and our owne baſe counſells and our own complyances ſhould give us reſt, our quiet would never be ſecurity to us, there will follow diſmall things afterward; but then is a people quiet ſafely, when we have the peace of God, together with the God of peace. Phil. 4. 7. The peace of God which paſſeth all underſtanding, keepe your hearts &c. Then preſently, ver. 9. The God of peace ſhall be with you. We would be loth to be without the God of peace, then let us be loth to have any peace but the peace of God. You all deſire Peace, and ſo the adverſary pretendeth; take heed you be not deluded with vaine words; that which is your end in your thoughts, is their means to drive on their deſignes; and what good will ſuch a peace doe you? you will be no more ſecure then you are, nay your danger will be far greater. Laſtly, It is Gods owne gift to his people to lie down ſafely, Obſer.this is a further bleſſing then to have the ſword and bow broken. We may be delivered from our enemies, but the Lord may afrighten our conſciences with viſions in the night, hee may terrifie us a thouſand wayes, and take away our ſecurity, therefore he addeth this, I will breake the bow & the ſword, and then I will make thee lye down ſafely. This is a precious mercy, it is recumbere faciam, in fiducia dormire faciam fiducialiter, I will make them lye down in truſt and confidence, that is, to go to bed without any feare of evill to befall us afore morning. We little thinke what a mercy this is, we have many nights lain down ſafely, and ſlept quietly, and have riſen up comfortably, you have little thought of the giving God the glory of this mercy. Many of our brethren in divers Countries would prize ſuch a mercy now, when they goe to bed they are afraid of every little noice, and can ſcarce have a nights ſleep, but are ſcared with Alarums.
What would ſome of our brethren give for one nights reſt in ſafety, that when they goe to bed they might ſay, Well, I hope this night I ſhall have quiet reſt, I ſhall not be troubled in my ſleep. In many places they are faine to ſleep in the day, and to watch in the night. It is true, here in the City you can go to bed & ſleep quietly,The blesſing of a quiet ſpirit in troubleſome times & riſe quietly, Oh think of thoſe that want this mercy, and give God the glory of it while you have it. It is a mercy of God, a great priviledge for the Lord to quiet our ſpirits in theſe dangerous times, in theſe trembling dayes, when every mans hands are upon his loyns. Many who are free from their adverſaries, yet through the timerouſneſs of their ſpirits they cannot have one nights quiet, they turmoyle themſelves without own thoughts, Oh what will become of us hereafter?
It may be the enemies will come, and we ſhall loſe our lives, and all will be rent-from us, and this makes them that they cannot lye downe ſafely, though danger be not yet neere them, but when God is pleaſed to quiet the heart in the moſt troubleſome times of all, that you can lye down ſecurely, this is a choyce mercy, it is a fruite of the Covenant.
This mercy the Lord promiſeth, Pro. 3. 23. Then ſhalt thou walke in thy way ſafely, thy foot ſhall not ſtumble. Mark the 24 ver. When thou lyeſt down thou ſhalt not be afraid, yea thou ſhalt lye down, and thy ſleepe ſhall be ſweet, be not afraid of ſudden feare, for the Lord ſhall be thy confidence &c. This made good to one in theſe dayes is a Text worth gold indeed. So Pſ. 107. 3. So doth the Lord give his beloved reſt; others they labour and toyle, and they eate the bread of carefulnes and are mightily perplexed, but ſo doth the Lord give his beloved reſt, that is, the Lord takes away care and thought from his beloved, and gives them reſt, ſo that they can lye downe quietly as it were in his boſome.
There is a falſe …eſt and ſecurity of the wicked when they make a covenant with death and with hell, as Eſay 28. 16. Ye have ſaid, we have made a covenant with death & with hel, when the overflowing ſcourge ſhal paſſe through, it ſhall not come unto us; for we have made lyes our refuge, and under falſhood have we hid our ſelves. This text is as proper a text to our adverſaries as any I know in the Scripture, they promiſe to themſelves all ſecurity and ſafety they make a Covenant with hell & death, but how? they make lyes their refuge, and under falſhood have they hid themſelves. Here is a ſecurity, and it is by a covenant, with hell & death; but this Text holds forth a lying down ſafely by vertue of another Covenant, even the Covenant of God, therefore it followes, ver. 16. Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation, a ſtone, a tryed ſtone, aprocious corner ſtone, a ſure foundation, he that believeth ſhall not make haſte. It is an Obſervable Text concerning our times, there is a ſecurity upon that ground, the overflowing ſcourge will breake down all, but ſaith God, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a ſtone, a tryed ſtone, a precious corner ſtone, a ſure foundation, he that believeth ſhal not make haſte, you may be ſecure, though your enemies doe vaunt themſelves and will boaſt in their own wayes, they have made a covenant with hell & death, yet for you I lay in Zion a ſtone, a ſure foundation, he that believeth ſhall not make haſte. Although God doth not come with his deliverance for the preſent, yet you who believe, quiet your ſelves, & lye downe ſafely, and do not make haſte. A horſe ſaith the Scripture, Pſal. 33. 17. is a vaine thing for ſafety, they truſt in the creature, ver. 18. but behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that feare him, they have a greater ſafety then if they had Troopes of horſes lye about them to defend them, and ver. 20. Our ſoule waiteth for the Lord, he is our help & our ſhield, ſo Pro. 21. 31. The horſe is prepared againſt the day of battel, but ſafety is of the Lord. Let us the reſore cry with the Pſalmiſt, Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance vponupon us, then will we lye down in peace & ſleep, for thou only makeſt us dwell in ſafety.
Would you have quiet ſleepe in theſe troubleſome times? make your peace with God, if there be peace within, then you may lye downe ſafely notwithſtanding all the rumors and tumults of war abroad, but if there be no peace in the heart, though you ſhould live to ſee outward peace, your ſins would dog you, they would purſue you, the terrours of the Almighty would be upon you, and you ſhould not have one nights reſt.
But Lord what is all this except we may have communion with thy ſelfe, except we may have communion with JESUS CHRIST? This is the voice of a gracious heart, therefore follows that bleſſed promiſe as a further fruite of the Covenant that God would make with his people, ſaith the Lord, I will betroth thee unto my ſelfe, I will be yours too, there ſhall be a moſt bleſſed union and conjugall communion between you and me, you ſhall enjoy me in all the ſweetneſſe and love that the wife enjoyeth the husband in, though you have moſt wretchedly departed from me, yet behold, I will betroth you unto me in righteouſneſſe and in judgement, & in loving kindneſſe, and iu mercies.