An Exposition of Hosea 8-10, Exposition · Chapter · Verse 12

An Exposition of Hosea 8-10 · Exposition · Chapter · Verse 12

p. 84VER. 12.

I have written to him the great things of my Law, but they were counted as a ſtrange thing.

THIS Verſe in the reading of it appears a greatneſs in the very ſound of it, and there is as much in it as the ſound doth import,This Verſe eſpecially to be conſidered. and therefore though we paſs over other things more briefly, yet becauſe there is very much of Gods mind in this, and we ſhould wrong the Scripture if we ſhould paſs over this too ſlightly.

I have written to him the great things of my Law.

This is made an aggravation of their ſin, they multiply Altars to ſin,Expicat. and yet ſaith God, I have written to them the great things of my Law: they find no ſuch things in my Law written to them, this was againſt the very written Word of God, and what that written Word of God againſt thoſe many Altars was, that you had the laſt day, but in that from this connexion that theſe are made ſins becauſe they p. 85were againſt the written Word of God: from thence the Note is,

That whatſoever is urged to us, Obſ.or practiſed by us in matters of Worſhip, it muſt have Warrant out of the written Word of God. It was ſin, Why? becauſe I have written to them (ſaith he) the great things of my Law, and they counted it a ſtrong thing; though that which they did had a great deal of ſeeming devotion in it, yet it was otherwiſe than that they found written in my Law.

This Queſtion ſhould be put to any that tender to us any way of Worſhip,Uſe. or Doctrine of Religion under any ſpecious ſhew whatſoever; Where is it written? To the Law, and to the Teſtimonie, (Iſaiah. 8. 20.) If they ſpeak not according to this Word, it is, becauſe they have no light in them; Oh they ſeem to be very judicious and wiſe, but if they ſpeak not according to this Word they have no light in them, not only to the Law and Teſtimonies, but to the written Law and Teſtimonies, this muſt be the Standard at which all Doctrines and waies of Worſhip muſt be tried: Many may put fair colours upon their waies, that it is for Common Peace, and a great deal of good may be done by it,1. Policy. and the like; But is it written? Did I ever command it ſaith God?2. Reaſon. Policy may ſay it's fit, Reaſon may ſay it's comely,3. Experience may be one way; and yet, and Experience may ſay it's uſeful, But doth the written Law ſay it ſhould be? Nay, it's not enough to ſay, That we cannot ſay it is forbidden, But where is it written?4. Religion and the written Word another. In matters of Worſhip this is a certain rule. Saith Tertullian about the Crowning of the Soldier with Baies; If it be ſaid, It is lawful, becauſe the Scripture doth not forbid it; it may equally be retorted, It is therefore not lawful, becauſe the Scripture doth not command it. No matter what the thing be (ſaith Luther) in matters of Religion,Luther▪ but who it is that bids it, who it is that commands it, we muſt look to that; Never argue thus in any point of Religion (I beſeech you conſider, it is a point that hath been, is, and may yet further prove to be of great uſe to us) p. 86never argue thus, Why, what hurt is there in it? is it not very comely? I cannot think but it may do a great deal of good, theſe arguments are weak arguments in matters of Worſhip: but to all theſe Arguments we muſt anſwer, Is it written? As Chriſt anſwered the Devil and his temptations, it was enough to ſay, it was written thus and thus: So if you can but bring a word written againſt it, and if you can put them unto it to ſhew what they would have you to do,Exod. 39. 43. explained.Exod 39:43 let them ſhew it where it is written; in Exod. 39. we find in that chapter at leaſt ten times it is ſaid, they did according to what the Lord had commanded Moſes, and in the concluſion of the chapter Moſes bleſſed the people; the people are bleſſed when in the matters of Worſhip they keep unto what is commanded.

And again, As we muſt not make what we think the rule for worſhip, ſo neither the**Opinions of the Learned, nor Cuſtom nor Antiquity the Rule of Worſ…ip, but the written Word only Opinions of Learned men, nor Cuſtom, nor Ant…quity, muſt be the rule of our Worſhip, but what's written? I have written to them the great things of my Law, they muſt keep to that; whatſoever uſe we may make now of the Opinions of Antients and the like, yet if the Antients themſelves were alive they would abhor the uſe that many make of their quotations; Cyprian in one of his Epiſtles ſaith, We muſt not look what this man, or that man that were before us (he ſpeaks of his predeceſſors)▪ what he did, or what he taught, but what he that was before all, namely Chriſt, who alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And ſo††Nobis nō liceat ſaluâ honori… cent…a quae illis debitur, aliquid in eorum Scriptis reprobare atque reſpuere? talis ego ſum in ſcriptis aliorum tabeſ que volo eſſe intellectores meorum. Auguſt. Auguſtin hath another Speech to the ſame effect, ſpeaking of the Antients, of learned men, ſaving all due reſpect that is due to them, yet for us to think that we may not caſt out, even reject from their writings ſome things, becauſe they were learned men, this muſt not be admitted, for (ſaith he) ſuch a one I'le be in reſpect of the writings of other men, and ſuch a one would I have thoſe that underſtand my writings to be to me, I will not think of the writings of any other men before, that there ſhould be nothing caſt out nor mended, neither would I p. 87have any body think ſo of my writings.Ambroſe And ſo Ambroſe, Where the Scripture is ſilent we muſt not ſpeak. Thus we ſee that thoſe men for the maintaining of that which is evil they will make uſe of Quotation… and Antiquities, yet we ſee the Antients did abhor this, Chriſt and his Apoſtles they quoted none of the Learned men before them, but Moſes and the Prophets.

But you will ſay, Object.Though we muſt not take that which other men write to be the Rule, yet that which other men write may help us to underſtand the Scripture.

Now I remember Luther hath ſuch a Speech,Anſw. That Scripture ſhould rather help us to underſtand mens writings,Luther. than mens writings to underſtand the Scripture; Many men they will make mens writings to be as a judg, and to be the rule of underſtanding Scriptures, not the Judg of Truth, but the rule of underſtanding Scripture, whereas (ſaith he) the Scripture ſhould rather be the rule of underſtanding them.

And ſo Hilary, (ſaith he) for the ſenſe of Scripture and underſtanding them, He is the beſt Interpreter, that rather takes the ſenſe from out of Scripture, and by comparing one Scripture with another, than bring any new ſenſe; therefore the underſtanding of Scripture is more by Scripture than by the Writings of any man living. And yet ſtill no queſtion we may make uſe of the gifts of God in others, but ſo as to keep us cloſe to the written Word for the Rule, yea, and for the meaning of the Rule; they may help us to ſee whether the Scripture will juſtifie this Truth, or this ſenſe, for there lies the miſtake; Moſt people in the world will think this indeed, That whatſoever any man writes, if it be contrary to the Word,The Scripture is both 1 the Rule, 2 the expoſi or to ſhew the meaning of the Rule. we may not receive it, but we muſt underſtand the Word in what ſenſe they take it; now we muſt not go ſo far; For the Scripture written, is not only that we might know what the Rule is, but it is written, that we might underſtand the meaning of the Rule, and we muſt fetch out the meaning of Scriptures by p. 88Scripture: Now ſo far as the Writings of men wil help us to fetch out the meaning of Scripture by Scripture, ſo far we may make uſe of them; but we cannot ſay, this is the meaning, becauſe it is the judgment of ſuch and ſuch Learned men;How mens writings may help us to underſtand Scripture. but ſuch and ſuch Learned men will give you Reaſons, and compare one Scripture with another, to ſhew why it is the meaning of it, and they will ſhew you the Hiſtory of the time, and ſhew you how to compare old and new Teſtament one with another; and this is the uſe of Writers for underſtanding the Scriptures. Then you wil ſay, Why do we make uſe of Writers ſo much? Why thus, they ſhew how one Scripture looks towards another, and to compare one Scripture with another, and ſhew the coherence of things.

The ſenſe of things is to be reſolved in the Scripture its ſelf, and therefore we muſt keep our ſelves very cloſe to what is written.

Written: It was not ſo at firſt, it was delivered but from hand to hand,The written Word a ſingular bleſſing. but afterwards when the Church began to multiply, then the Word was written. And this is a mighty bleſſing of God, that we may have the mind of God written, ſo as we may look into it, and ſearch to know the mind of God, by reading it over and over again, and taking it into our hands, when we are lying upon our beds, if we light a Candle in the night, we may be reading and looking into the mind of God; If we ſhould only hear of ſuch a Book that were in the world, that were in China in the uttermoſt parts of the habitable world, if we ſhould hear that there were ſuch a Book, that God had written, or that God had uſed men to write by an inſpiration of His own Spirit, a Book that was certainly indited by the holy Ghoſt every word of it, wherein the Lord had revealed the great Counſels of his Will concerning Mans eternal eſtate, if we ſhould hear that there came ſuch a Book down even from Heaven, and this was in the uttermoſt parts of the earth, Oh! what a longing deſire ſhould we have to p. 89ſee that Book? What man or woman but would give their whol eſtate to have a week, or a fortnights time to ſee and reade in ſuch a Book as that is; if one could, he would be willing to travel to the end of the world to have the uſe of ſuch a Book as that is. No man need ſay, Shall I go to the u…rmoſt parts of the earth? for it is in your hands, it is in your houſes, there is the Book wherein the great God hath written his mind, hath written all things unto you which concerns you Eternal Salvation, hath written there whatſoever he would have you to know and beleeve to Eternal Life; this it is that you have in your hands: however we prize it now, heretofore it hath been prized at an high rate; How many of the Martyrs would venture their lives to keep but a few Leaves of Scripture in their houſes? But how vile is it then for us to neglect the reading of this written Word?Theodores. Phyſitian. I have read of one Theodorus a Phyſitian at Conſtantinople, that he ſent to Gregory the great, a great ſum of money for the redeeming of Captives, and Gregory he commends his Liberality; but though he was ſo liberal and bountiful to redeem Captives, yet he writ back again to him in way of reprehending him for not reading Scripture, and uſes this expreſſion to him, The Emperor of Heaven, the Lord of the Angels and Men, hath ſent to you, that which concerns your life, and will you neglect to reade them with a fervent, with a zealous ſpirit? He would not but blame him even at that time when he ſent ſuch gifts to him, it did grieve him to think that ſuch a one ſo bountiful to the poor ſhould ſo neglect the reading of Scripture. Many men and women that have excellent parts and yet for all that they find but little ſavor in the Scripture. There's no books that are written that ſhould take us off from this written Word; although we have cauſe to bleſs God abundantly for what is written, for thoſe excellent helps which we have written, yet we muſt take heed that there be no written book in the world take us off from this written Word of God.Luther Luther therefore hath ſuch a ſpeech, I even p. 90hate mine own Books, and I often times even wiſh that they were burnt, that they might periſh, Why? becauſe I fear leſt they ſhould be any way of hinderance to men, or withdraw them from reading the Scriptures: and ſo he fals a comending the Scriptures: It is the only fountain of all wiſdom; and further ſaith he▪ I am even terrified, I tremble at the example of the former age, upon this, Becauſe (ſaith he) many Divines ſpent ſo much time in reading of Ariſtotle and Averres and other Writers and ſpent ſo little time in reading Scripture. And the truth is it was that which brought ſo much ignorance into the world in the time of the School-men which was a time of great learning and yet the time of the greateſt ignorance in the Myſteries,Schoolmen. of godlines, becauſe they minded Scripture very little, but only turn'd things into Queſtions, and Diſputes that tended not according to Scripture; though we may make uſe of the labors and gifts of other men, yet look we eſpecially to the written Word, and let not other writings take us off from them, hence we ſay, the Scripture in way of excellency we muſt keep our ſelves to the written Word, and therefore take heed of being led aſide by any traditions of men; that's a moſt deteſtable derrogation from the written Word: but we find in the Counſel of Trent, ſpeaking of the Scriptures, ſaith one of the Cannons of the Counſel of Trent, We (ſaith he) do receive Scripture, Synodus pari pietatis affectu & reverentia recipit ac reveratur.and reverence Scripture, but (ſaith he) moreover we receive and reverence traditions with the ſame affection of piety and reverence as we do the Scripture. Thoſe are the very words that all Papiſts are bound to hold, and for them to deny any counſel there were death unto them; It argues men to be in the dark,Concil. Trid. ſeſſ. 4. decret prim. to mind Traditions ſo: As the Jews, that's the reaſon that they vaniſh ſo in their thoughts, and underſtand the Scripture ſo little, becauſe they mind traditions as much as Scripture, and more; for ſo they ſay, that divide a mans life into three parts, one part mnſt be ſpent in reading Scripture, and two parts more in the two ſeveral parts of their Talmond, which p. 91is their traditions; and ſome of them ſay that this is one tradition among them, that Moſes did ſtudy the Scripture in the day time, and thoſe Talmoduical traditions that they have they were ſtudied in the night; and indeed it is night-work, and it is a ſign that the world is ſo much in darkneſs becauſe they look ſo much at Traditions; the written Word of God which we muſt look at more than if one came from the dead, or if an Angel from Heaven came and preached to us:

But you will ſay, Queſt.That we muſt not look to it more than if God ſhould reveal any thing to us, ſuppoſe it were a voice of God from Heaven.

We have warrant to have regard to the written Word of God more than the voice of God from Heaven,Anſw. 2 Peter, 1. 19. there it's ſpoken of the voice that came down upon the transfiguration at the Mountain,2 Pet. 1. 19. illuſtrated.2 Pet 1:19 but ſaith the Apoſtle there, We have a more ſure word of Propheſie, more, more even than that was;foreign ▪ more ſure than revelation. that is, it is more ſure to us, and there is not ſo eaſie a way to be deceived by reſting upon the written Word, as if we look for Revelations from God, we have a more ſure word of Propheſie, therefore it is not ſo much after Revelations that we are to look (eſpecially in ſuch times as theſe are) but to the written Word of God. There is a Generation of men riſing now, if not riſen, that begin to have vile thoughts of the written Word of God, and think to underſtand the mind of God otherwiſe, they finding the written Word of God to keep their hearts too cloſe and lay too ſtrong bonds upon them, but becauſe they would fain be looſe they would feign and imagin to themſelves other waies of Gods mind,The danger of revelations beſide the Word▪ but when they are rotten, and it may be when their ſouls are periſhed eternally in Hell, the written Word of God ſhall ſtand and be honorable in the eyes of his Saints.

p. 92I have written.

The Prophet doth not ſay, he hath written; but he brings in God, ſaying I have written. And that firſt upon theſe two reaſons.

Firſt, To put the greater emphaſis upon it, for it is more for God himſelf to come and ſay, I have written; as if a Father or Maſter ſay to his Child or Servant, I command you to do ſuch a thing, it is more than if a Brother or fellow-Servant ſhould ſay, my Father hath bidden, or my Maſter hath bidden you to do ſuch a thing.

Secondly, Whoſoever were the Pen-men of the Word, it is I that write it, I take it upon my ſelf. The Word is ſo much his that God claims not only the truths that are in the Word, but the very ordering for the words; and in 2 Pet. 1. 21. it is ſaid of holy men, they ſpake as they were moved by the holy Ghoſt: they were carried on with a kind of violence as the word ſignifies,foreign. and not only moved, but carried on with a kind of violence to write what they did, both in their ſpeaking and in their writing, I have written.

And I have written to him the great things of my Law.

From this manner of Phraſe, firſt we are to note this,

That we ſhould look upon the Scripture as concerning our ſelves. Obſ. 1.Here's a letter written to you, and you, and you, every man and woman, therefore it is in the ſingular number, every man & woman muſt look upon the Scripture as written to him, or her particularly; God writes to thee, he hath written a letter to thee that thou ſhouldeſt not commit Adultry, nor ſwear, nor ſteal, and that thou ſhouldeſt keep the Sabbath, and that thou ſhouldeſt not lye, and that thou ſhouldeſt reverence him, and love him, and fear him, and all ſuch kind of rules that God from Heaven hath written to thee, and it is a mervailous help to obedience p. 93and to awaken mens conſciences when they apprehend them written to them. Pſal. 119. 105. Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet, Pſal. 119. 105. illuſtrated.Ps 119:105and a light unto my paths. It is not a light that I ſee at a diſtanc a great way off, but as a light that is held to my feet that I make uſe of for the ordering of mine own ſteps.

Many there are that ſeem to rejoyce in the Word of God as a light to reveal Truths unto them for matter of diſcourſe,Uſe. but they make it not as a light to their feet, and a lanthorn to their ſteps, as applying it to themſelves, and it follows,And Verſ. 106. I have ſworn and will perform it, That I will keep thy righteous judgments: I have look'd upon thy Word as a Lanthorn to my feet, as a thing meerly concerning me; and then I have ſworn and I will perform, I have ſworn that I will keep thy righteous judgments. It's a mighty means to ſtir up a mans ſpirit, and quicken him up to obedience, to look upon the Word as written to himſelf: As thus, when you come to hear out of Gods Word and God directs the Miniſter ſo that you apprehend it as ſpoken to you, it will ſtir and awaken you, Oh me thought this day every word the Miniſter ſpake it was to me. And ſo every word in the Scripture that concerns thee, God writes to thee and conceive it ſo and it will be a mighty means to ſtir thee up to obedience. As if a man be aſleep a great noiſe will not waken him ſo ſoon, as if you call him by his name,An apt ſimile. John, Thomas &c. So when the Word of God comes as to our ſelves in particular it's a mighty means to ſtir the heart.

Again, I have written to him.

To thoſe that were the People of God,Exp…ſ. though the Word concerns all men, yet it is written to the Church in a more eſpecial manner. As you find in the Revelations all the Epiſtles were written to the Churches, and indeed all the Word of God is in a more peculiar manner written p. 94to the Church, there are ſome things concerning all mankind, but that which God Aims at in a more eſpecial manner it is to the Church, firſt to the Church of the Jews, they had that great priviledg that the Orracles of God were committed to them in Rom. 3. 2. when the Apoſtle had taken them off from reſting in many of their outward priviledges, he brings an Objection: But then may ſome ſay, What advantage hath the Jew? He anſwers, much every way, chiefly, becauſe to them were committed the Oracles of God: in this thing they had much advantage of all people in the world, that to them were committed the Oracles of God, God gave Jacob his Law, it was the Inheritance of his people; it is written to them, to them is committed the Oracles of God: and this is a great honor which God puts upon his Saints, God makes his Church to be the Keeper of his Records, the Court of Rolls as it were, the Church is as it were the Court of Rolls, and the great Records of Heaven, God commits to his Church, and therfore they ſhould look to it that it be kept faithfully, that there be no corrupting it, for then they do falſifie their truſt, Shee hath the keeping of Scripture but gives no Authority to Scripture; in John, 5. 47. ſaith Chriſt there, If ye beleeve not Moſes writings, how can ye beleeve my words? Mark, Chriſt would have the Authority of his words much to be ſtrengthened by the writings that were before in Scripture, If ye beleeve not his writings, how can ye beleeve my words? But now the Papiſts will ſay, If ye beleeve not our words, how can ye beleeve their writings? quite the other way, they will take upon them more than Chriſt; Chriſt ſaith, If ye beleeve not his writings, how can ye beleeve my words? Say they, If ye beleeve not our words, how can ye beleeve their writings? For they take the Authority of the writing of Scripture to depend upon their words; It is written to the Church, and committed to the Church, but the Authority comes not from the Church. It follows.

p. 95I have written the great things of my Law.

By Law here we are to underſtand …he whol Word of God, Law, what 1. the whol word, of foreign docuit.and not in way of diſtinction of Law and Goſpel, but the whol Word of God, and ſo the word ſignifies, it comes from one ſignifying teaching; the Law is a Doctrine that is taught, and ſo though ſometimes it may be diſtinguiſhed from ſome other parts of Scripture, yet now we are to underſtand the whol mind of God in his Word; when you reade in Pſal. 119. how David loved Gods Law, it is not the ten Commandements, but the mind of God revealed in his Word.

The great things of my Law] The Old Latin hath it the many Laws, Multiplices Leges.and the words in the Hebrew ſeems a little to favor,Scribitur foreign the multiplicity of my Laws. And then it ſhould argue theſe two things.

Firſt,Legitur. foreign That the Word is full and perfect; that we have rules for every thing that concerns the ordination of our lives to God in his Word, there's a multiplicity of Laws and Rules for all our waies.

Secondly, That there are manifold excellencies in Gods Law; as the manifold wiſdom of God is in Chriſt, ſo the manifold excellencies of God are kept up together in the Word of God.foreign. 70. The Seventy tranſlates the word, the Fulneſs, or Multitude, and according to that Tertullian hath an expreſſion, I adore the fulneſs of the Scripture; Adoro plenitudinem ſcripturarū Tertul.Oh the multitude of excellent things there are there! and the fulneſs that there is there! I find divers turn this word by many words that have excellent ſignifications in them, and indeed the Hebrew word wil bear many expreſſions of it. Some the Precious thing, the Magnificent thing; the Excellent thing; the Honorable things of my Law; foreign.as in Acts, 2. 11. they ſpake the wonderful things of God, it is more than the great things, the magnificent great things of God. Now the things of the Word they are glorious and honorable and very great, p. 96they are to be look'd upon as great things, the things of Gods Word; That's the firſt.

And then eſpecially, The things that concern Gods Worſhip are to be look'd upon as great things, for ſo it hath reference to them, but the expreſſion aims at that which is more general, the great things of my Law, the honorable, magnificent, and glorious things. Now the things of the Law are great things.

Firſt, Becauſe they are from the great God, and they have the ſtamp of the Authority of the great God upon them, there is a dreadful Authority in every Truth, in every thing that is written in Gods Law, (I ſay) there is a dreadful Authority of the great God, that binds Kings and Princes in chains, that laies bonds upon the conſcience that no created power can, yet this doth; when we come to hear the Word, we come either as to a Soveraign to receive Laws from, or as to a Judg to receive the ſentence of death, it hath the dreadful Authority of the great God in it, and therefore every thing that is in the Word is to be look'd upon as a great thing;ſimile a piece of Parchment and a little Wax, and a few Lines in it what are they? but having the Authority of the great Seal of England, ſuch a piece is to be look'd upon as a great thing: The things of Gods Law are great things, for they have great Authority which goes along with them.

2And Secondly, They are great things becauſe of the luſtre of the great God that ſhines in them. Take all the Creatures that ever God made in Heaven and Earth, and (I ſay) there is not ſo much glory of God in Sun, Moon, Stars, Sea, and Plants, and al things in the world, as there is in ſome few ſentences of holy Scripture, therfore they are great things: Pſal. 138. 2. Pſ. 138. 2 illuſtrated.Ps 138:2Thou haſt magnified thy Word above all thy Name. The Name of God appears in his great work of Creation, and of Providence. We are to look upon Gods Name as very great; yet thou haſt magnified thy Word above all thy Name; it's more than al Gods Names beſides: It may p. 97be when there are ſome extraordinary works of God in the world, Thundring, and Lightning &c. we are ready to be affraid, and oh! the great God that doth appear in theſe great works! Were our hearts … they ought to be when we reade the WORD, we would tremble at that more than at any manifeſtation of God ſince the world began in all his Works; and if ſo be thou doſt not ſee more glory of God in his Word than in his Works, it is becauſe thou haſt little light in thee; and therfore let the world think of the things of Gods Law that are written, as they wil, yet they are the great things of his Law.

Thirdly, They are the great Myſteries of Gods Will, the great 3Counſels of God about the Souls of men, about his way to honor Himſelf, and to bring Mankind to Himſelf, to Eternal life; the great Counſels, great Myſteries that are contained in the Word of God, ſuch as the Angels themſelves do deſire to pry into; as in Prov. 8. 6. it is ſaid of Wiſdom, Hear, and I will ſpeak of excellent things. The Word of God ſpeaks of excellent things, right excellent things, ſuch great Myſteries of Gods Wiſdom as ſhould take up our thoughts, yea, and doth take up the Angels, and ſhall take up the Angels and Saints to all Eternity, to be prying into the great things which are revealed in Gods Word: Pſal. 119. 27. Pſal. 119. 27. opened▪Ps 119:27Make me to underſtand the way of thy precepts, ſo ſhall I talk of thy wondrous Works. Mark how theſe are joyned together: Make me to underſtand the way of thy precepts, ſo ſhall I talk of thy wonderous works: Why David, couldeſt not thou ſee the wonderous works of God in the book of the creature, in Heaven and Earth? Oh no, Make me to underſtand the way of thy precepts, and then ſhall I talk of thy wonderous Works. We many times talk about vain and ſlight things, becauſe we have nothing elſe to talk of; but did we underſtand the way of Gods precepts, we ſhould be furniſhed with diſcourſe of the wondrous works of God.

And then, It's a great WORD, becauſe that they are of p. 984great concernment; The things of Gods Law are of great concernment for all our preſent good or evil depends upon the things of Gods Law, Prov. 3. 22. They are life unto thy ſoul, and grace unt… … neck. So ſaith Moſes in Deut. 32. 46. Set your hearts unto all the words which I teſtifie unto you this day, for it is not a vain thing, it is your life, they are of great concernment there's a curſe annexed to the breach of every thing in Gods Law, Curſed be every one that abideth not in every thing that is written in the book of the Law: Is it not a great matter then? Certainly there is nothing in the Law that is to be look'd upon as a little matter, becauſe the Curſe of God is annexed to the breath of every thing that is written in Gods Law, and there we have the caſting of our ſouls for eternity, and is not that a great matter? Did we come to hear the Word, or did we reade the Word as the Word by which we muſt be caſt for our eternal eſtates, we would look upon it as a great Word.

5Again, The things are great things in Gods Law, in regard of the great power and efficacy that they have upon the hearts and conſciences of men; when God ſets home the things of his Law they will bring down the proudeſt heart and the ſtouteſt ſtomach that is, they will enlighten the blindeſt mind, and convert the hardeſt heart that is in the world, the Law hath a mighty power upon the ſoul, and therefore it is great.

6Further, They are great things, becauſe they make all thoſe great that do receive them; they make them great even becauſe they have but the keeping of them▪ much more than if they receive them; in Deut. 4. 8. What Nation is there ſo great, that hath Statutes and Judgments ſo righteous as all this Law that I ſet before you this day? Deut. 4. 8. applyed.Deut 4:8What Nation ſo great as you are? why, wherein are we greater than other people? Wherein? In this: What Nation is ſo great that hath Statutes and Judgments ſo righteous as all this Law which I ſet before you this day? This was that which made the People of Iſrael a great Nation beyond all the Nations in the world; they p. 99were not great in multitude, but in that they had the Law of God, and the great things of his Law revealed to them, in this they became a great Nation. The Lord honors a Nation highly but to reveal the things, of His Law to them; But how great then doth a ſoul come to be, that doth imbrace thoſe things, that hath all thoſe great and good things reveal'd in the Law made to it as its own priviledg? Surely that ſoul is in an high and honorable condition indeed.

Further, The things of Gods Law are great in Gods eſteem; 7they are great becauſe the great God thinks them ſo: That is to be accounted great that the moſt judicious and wiſe men in the world judg ſo to be; indeed that which a child thinks to be a great thing is no great thing, a child may think a bauble to be a great thing; ſo we may think things great indeed, we think the things of the world are great; for a man to have an eſtate, it's a great matter; to have riches, and honors, and to be ſome-body in the world, we think theſe to be great things; But what are theſe in Gods eyes? God deſpiſes all theſe things: But that which the great God will think to be a great thing, certainly that's great indeed. Now mark what a high eſteem God hath of his Word in that place where Chriſt ſaith,Mat. 5. 18 explained.Matt 5:18 Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs away, but not one jot or tittle of my Word ſhall paſs away. As if Chriſt ſhould ſay, The Lord will rather withdraw his power from the upholding of Heaven and Earth, than from making good any one jot or tittle of his Law; you may think it a little matter to break Gods Law, but God thinks it a great matter, and God would have us to make a great matter of every thing that is written in Gods Law. I am the willinger to enlarge my ſelf in this, becauſe I know it is the ground of all the wickedneſs in mens hearts and lives, becauſe they look upon the Law as a little matter, well though they dare ſin againſt Gods Law for the getting of a groat or ſix pence, but God ſaith I will rather loſe Heaven and Earth than one jot or tittle of p. 100my Law ſhall fall, and he will make it appear one day that the things of his Law are great things,Iſa. 42. 21 noted.Isa 42:21 in Iſa. 42. 21. He will magnifie the Law and make it honorable. You may vilifie it; a company of wanton ſpirits we have that conſider not what they ſay, or what they do, running away with the very word of the Law, they think to vilifie it, What have we to do with the Law?Contemners of the Law Antinomians and under that word (not underſtanding what they mean) they think to caſt a vile eſteem upon the Law; let them do what they will, yet God will magnifie his Law; and as it is great in the thoughts of God, ſo it is and ſhall be for ever great in the thoughts of the Saints, the Lord will have his people to the end of the world have high thoughts of his Law; the Saints they look upon the Law of God ſo great, as they had rather ſuffer all the miſeries and torments that any man in the world,Saints prize the Law. any Tyrant can deviſe, than willingly to break the Law in any one thing; ſurely they account it a great matter, when a man ſhal be willing rather to loſe his eſtate, and liberty, yea, and life, to ſuffer tortures and torments, and all becauſe he will not offend the Law of God in any one thing, though he might eſcape all if he would; nay, ſaith a gracious heart, Let all go rather than I will venture to break the Law of God in any one thing, ſurely he looks upon the Law of God as very great. Men of the world think them to be fools, and why will you be content to ſuffer ſo much, loſe all your friends? what, venture to loſe your eſtates which have ſuch a fair way of living as you have? what venture a priſon, and venture your life? the world thinks they are but little things and trifles, and men are more preciſe than wiſe, and they need not trouble themſelves ſo much. If God would but ſhew to you how great a thing his Law is, and all the threatnings which are revealed therein, you would account your eſtates, and lives and all your comforts as little and poor in compariſon of that Law; hence in Revel. 6. 9. I ſaw under the Altar the ſouls of them that were ſlain for the Word of God, Apoc. 6. 9.Rev 6:9and p. 101for the teſtimony which they held. Wherefore were they ſlain? Surely it was for ſome great matter that they would venture their lives, it was for the Word of God, and for the Teſtimony which they held. And thus the Saints of God have ever accounted the Law of God a great thing. I have written unto them the great things of my Law.

Hence from what hath been ſaid we may have theſe Notes for Obſervation.

Here are Objects in the Word for men of the greateſt ſpirits to exerciſe themſelves about. Obſ. 1.Many mens ſpirits are raiſed up and cannot endure to ſpend their thoughts and time about ſmall matters; and you ſhall have ſome mens ſpirits are ſo low that they think it happineſs enough if they can be imployed in a gutter and get ſix pence or twelve pence a day to find them bread at night; but others have great ſpirits: Oh! let all thoſe who have aſpiring ſpirits, and great ſpirits, let them exerciſe themſelves much in the Law of God, here are objects fit for great ſpirits, that will greaten our ſpirits: And indeed there are no men in the world have great ſpirits, but the Saints they have great ſpirits, for they exerciſe themſelves in the great counſels of God. We account thoſe men to be men of the greateſt ſpirits that are imployed in State-affairs: now the Saints they are lifted up above all things in the world, and they look at all theſe things as little and mean, and they are exerciſed in the great affairs of the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt;Deut. 17. 18. 19. illuſtrated.Deut 17:18Deut 17:19 hence it is that the Lord would have Kings to have the book of the Law written, and the Judges; and it is reported of Alphonſus King of Arragon that in the midſt of all his great affairs of his Kingdom,Alphonſus King of Aragon. he read over the Scriptures fourteen times with Commentaries upon them. How many have we, men of great eſtates, and ſeem to be of great ſpirits that ſcarce mind the Law of God, they look upon the Law of God as under them; it may be if they can have a book of Hiſtory and Wars, they will be reading over that, but for the Scripture it is a thing that hath little in it.

p. 102Another Note,Obſ. 2. It is a ſpecial means of obedience to have high thoughts of Gods Law, to convince and humble them for their diſobedience: for that's the reaſon why the Prophet here ſpeaks thus: I have written to him the great things of my Law, but they were accounted as a ſtrange thing. As if he ſhould ſay, If they had had the things of my Law to have been high in their thoughts, they would never have done as they have done,Pſa. 119. 129. illuſtrated.Ps 119:129 Pſal. 119. 129. Thy Teſtimonies are wonderful, therefore doth my ſoul keep them: I have high thoughts of thy Teſtimonies, I look upon them as glorious things, I ſee much of thy ſelf in thy Teſtimonies, and therefore doth my ſoul keep them. He doth not ſay, therefore do I keep them; but therefore doth my ſoul keep them, Oh my very ſoul is in this, in keeping thy Teſtimonies, for I look upon them as wonderful things. It's a good ſign of the Spirit of the great God in a man when it doth raiſe him above other things, to look upon the things of his Word as the only great things that are in the world.Iſa. 40. 6. illuſtrated.Isa 40:6 All fleſh is graſs (ſaith the Scripture) but the Word of God endures for ever; there is a vanity in all things of the world, but in that which the Word reveals, Oh! there is an eternity there; we ſhould therefore admire at nothing ſo as at the Word, and we ſhould greatly delight in Gods Commandements, an ordinary admiration is not ſufficient for the Commands of God, for the Law of God, nor an ordinary delight is not ſufficient, but great admiration, and great dedelight there ſhould be in the Law of God: And all things that are taken from Gods Law ſhould be great arguments to prevail with you: It may be there comes ſuch and ſuch temptations to draw you to ſuch and ſuch evils, and you ſay, they are ſtrong temptations▪ But that which is in the Law, that ſhould be a greater argument, there is that which is greater in Gods Law than there can be in any temptation whatſoever; Therefore know, it is a dangerous thing for men and women to look at any thing in Gods Law as a little thing, ſo as to deſpiſe it, and to think it is no great p. 103matter though we do ſuch and ſuch things, though we ſhould go from the rule of the Word a little, what great matter is it?Prov. 13. 13 enlightened.Prov 13:13 are we not all ſinners? Prov. 13. 13. Who ſo deſpiſeth the Word, ſhall be deſtroyed. That is: looks upon any thing in Gods Word as a light thing. It was a ſpeech of one that ſhould ſay when he was convinc'd of a thing that was evil, That he muſt make bold with God Almighty ſometimes. Do not you make bold with Gods Word and ſecretly jeer at thoſe that are ſo nice they cannot venture a little? remember this text in Prov. 13. 13. Who ſo deſpiſeth the Word ſhall be deſtroyed; take the leaſt thing that you think ſo deſpicable in Gods Law, and you will veture upon it, but God will make it a great matter, for when you have broke the Law in the leaſt thing all the Angels in Heaven and Men in the World cannot ſatisfie God for that wrong; if they ſhould come and ſay, Lord, here's a poor creature that hath broken thy Law but in this one thing that he thought to be a little matter, we are content to be ten thouſand yeers in torments to ſatisfie for thy Law. Nay ſaith God, this will not do it. Therefore take heed of deſpiſing Gods Law, or deſpiſing any thing that is reveal'd by him, for certainly it will prove a great matter, and when the Law hath been broken let us not think it is a little matter, that it is but a Lord have mercy upon me at the laſt.

Again, The Prophet is convincing them of falſe worſhip, and upon this ground, Becauſe they would venture to make Altars to worſhip God in another way than God revealed in his Law: from thence note,

That the Worſhip of God is a great matter; Obſ. 3.every thing in Gods Worſhip is to be look'd at as a great matter: They may think it a matter of indifferency whether they do it or no, at leaſt in ſome things; My Brethren, let us learn to know that every thing in the Worſhip of God is a great matter, God looks much upon it, God doth not ſay, that he is jealous for any thing, but for his Worſhip. Ʋzzah p. 104he thought it a little matter for him to go and catch the Ark,Uzza a Levite. and eſpecially having a good intention: It's true, the Law of God is, that it ſhould be carried upon mens ſhoulders, but may it not as well be carried in a cart? he thought it but a little matter, but it proved a great matter. So, that which we think little in Gods Worſhip is a great matter.Uzziah a King. So Ʋzziah in 2 Chron 26. No queſtion he thought it no great matter to go into the Temple and offer ſacrifice, Is it not as good that a King offer it as a Prieſt? it was in the Temple, and the true Worſhip, and Ʋzziah becauſe he was a great man he thought he might venture, for there you find that he had an Army of three hundred thouſand and ſeven thouſand and five hundred Soldiers; A great Captain.Nadab & Abihu. And Nadab and Abihu no queſtion they thought it no great matter to go and offer ſtrange fire, and it hath not been forbidden in Gods Word, this fire; but it was a great matter before God, for God came with fire from Heaven to deſtroy them. Hence it is that God in his Word would ſet out the glory of his Worſhip, to that end that he might take off mens hearts from all falſe worſhip, he would have them to think the matters of his Worſhip great things that ſo they might not have their hearts taken with any falſe worſhip,Ezek 7. 20. enlightened.Ezek 7:20 Ezek. 7. 20. The beauty of his Ornament he ſet in Majeſtie, (and hereby God aggravates their ſin of Idolatry, Oh my Worſhip and Service I made it as beautiful and glorious as could be) but they worſhiped their Images, their deteſtable things. So in Jer. 17. 12. A glorious high Throne from the beginning of our Sanctuary. Ier. 17. 12 illuſtrated.Jer 17:12Mark what follows, All that forſake thee, ſhall be aſhamed, and they that depart from thee ſhall be written in the Earth: becauſe they have forſaken the Lord, the Fountain of living Waters. As if God ſhould ſay, Oh vile hearts of men when there is ſuch a glorious Worſhip of mine that I preſent unto them, yet they turn even to their own vile Inventions, and not regard that glorious Worſhip of mine. I beſeech you Brethren labor to look upon Gods Worſhip as a glorious p. 105thing.The Reprehenſion. But now the Reprehenſion that follows.

But they were accounted as a ſtrange thing.

Here's the wickedneſs of people, that though God ſhews forth his Glory in his Word, yet they look upon it as a ſtrange thing, as a thing that they ſhall get little good by if they do obey, or little hurt by if they do diſobey. We ſhould now have ſhewed wherein this people did account Gods Worſhip a ſtrange thing, and what particulars of Gods Law they accounted ſtrange things: But eſpecially this one among the reſt they did count ſtrange, viz. That God ſhould ſo ſtand upon it, that He muſt needs be worſhiped Jeruſalem at the Temple, and at no other Altar whatſoever came of it. Now becauſe they thought that if the people went to Jeruſalem to worſhip it would be very prejudicial to the State, this was a ſtrange thing, & that which we can ſee no reaſon for. So, people are ready to think, if any thing be propounded for the Worſhip of God out of the Word, Yea, but how can it be with peace? it wil cauſe contention now to ſtand upon ſuch things that they conceive may breed ſome trouble, they account it a ſtrange thing that God ſhould require ſuch things as may produce ſuch troubles: firſt men will frame troubles in their own thoughts, and put them upon Gods Worſhip, whereas indeed they do not bring ſuch trouble, but if they be examined they may ſtand well enough with the peace of States. I make no queſtion but this is one eſpecial thing aim'd at by the holy Ghoſt here, That they accounted Gods Law, that very Law of God that reduired them to worſhip at Jeruſalem as a ſtrang thing, that they could not ſee ſuch reaſon for why they might not venture, and eſpecially when it was for the peace of the Civil State.

Now they accounted this (and the other particular of Gods Law) as a ſtrange thing in Four regards.The Word accounted ſtrange.

Firſt,1. As not concerning us. As a thing that had little or no reference to them, as a thing that did not much concern them: They took not to heart p. 106the breaches of Gods Law, neither did they much regard the keeping of it, it was no great matter to them, they made account that it was [ad libitum] what they did that way, much did not depend upon it, either good or evil: As a ſtranger accounts it not to concern him what the Maſter commands: or as we account it no great matter what ſtrangers do, what cloaths they wear, or what courſe they take, we let them paſs by and not mind them.

Secondly,2. Strange in their apprehenſions They accounted them as a ſtrange thing; that is: They were ſtrange things in their apprehenſion, they could ſee no reaſon: as we ſay of a thing that we do not underſtand that we ſee no reaſon of it, it is ſtrange (we ſay:) ſo they in the text, that God ſhould ſay thus and thus when we cannot ſee that any account can be given for it, they are ſtrange things. Strange things that they did not apprehend the reaſon of, and eſpecially among other things of Gods Law (as was ſaid before) the way of Gods Worſhip was a very ſtrange thing to them, that God ſhould ſtand ſo much upon it that he muſt be worſhiped no where in the way of publick worſhip but at Jeruſalem, at the Temple, no ſacrifices muſt be offered but there, yea, that whatſover come of it though people dwelt a great way off, though as they thought it would bring a great deal of diſturbance unto the Kingdom of Iſrael for to go to Jeruſalem to worſhip, yet that God ſhould ſtand ſo upon it that they muſt go, and that the Prophets ſhould urge it with that fervencie as they did, that they muſt go to Jeruſalem come of it what will, they muſt venture their peace; they accounted this a ſtrange thing. And indeed it is very ſtrange unto people to think, that we muſt look to the exact way of Gods Worſhip whatſoever comes of it, whatſoever trouble or diſturbance comes of it, we muſt not go a hair againſt the way that God hath ſet for his right Worſhip: this is a ſtrange thing to carnal hearts.Luther And Luther upon the place ſeems to interpret it thus, as if this Text had eſpecial reference to this Note that I am now ſpeaking of, ſaith p. 107he, They did condemn, and contemn the Prophets Sermons, as a Doctrine that did hurt the Common-wealth, the Sermons that the Prophets taught had in them much anxiety, ſpecially this Doctrine, againſt going up to Jeruſalem to worſhip, and they thought it was hurtful to the Common-wealth, and upon that they contemn'd it and damn'd it. What ſtrange thoughts have carnal hearts of many parts of Gods Law? they think them fooliſhneſs, even thoſe very things wherein the Wiſdom of God is revealed to the children of men, thoſe things wherein the deep Connſels of God concerning mans eternal eſtate is revealed, even thoſe are the things which they acount fooliſhneſs.

Thirdly,3. No ſutableneſs between their hearts and the doctrine. They accounted them a ſtrange thing; that is, There was no ſutableneſs between their hearts and the things that the Law did reveal unto them; they did not make the Law of God familiar to them as that which had a ſutableneſs to their ſpirits. As if a man that goes into ſtrange company, company which are altogether unſutable to him,ſimile yea, perhaps they ſpeak another language, and have altogether other cuſtoms, and diet than we have, we are weary of them, and we turn from them and are tired in the ſociety, for they are ſtrange things unto us that our hearts are not ſutable unto: So when the Law of God is look'd upon as unſutable to the diſpoſitions of our hearts, to our ends, to our waies, our hearts turn from thoſe things as from ſtrange things, whereas indeed our hearts ſhould be familiar with the Word of God, Gods Word and the things therein ſhould not be as ſtrrnge things to our ſouls, but as the holy Ghoſt ſaith, it ſhould be as our Kinſwoman, and as our Delight continually, Prov. 6. 21. appliedProv 6:21Prov. 6. 21. Bind them continually about thy heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goeſt it ſhall lead thee, when thou ſleepeſt it ſhall keep thee, and when thou awakeſt it ſhall talk with thee; there ſhould be a familiarity between our hearts and the Commandements of God, to talk with us when we awake, and when we are in p. 108our journy, we ſhould take the Law of God as our companion in our journies, we ſhould awake with it in the night time, and meditate on it day and night; therefore God would have his people in the Law when they roſe, to talk of thoſe things; when they go to bed, when they roſe up, when they walked in the way, they ſhould be conferring about the things of Gods Law to make them familiar to them, that they might not be eſtranged from them; God ſees that mens hearts would quickly grow ſtrange from his Law, therefore Commanded that by all ſnch means and waies they ſhould endeavor to make the Law to be familiar to them.

Fourthly,4. Vſe the Word as a ſtranger, i.e. for our own ends only. They uſe the Law as a ſtranger, that is, they uſe the Law ſlightly, only for their own turns: As uſually men when ſtrangers comes into their Country, (thoſe that have been ſtrangers in other Countries know it) that the Natives of the Country they uſe them ſlightly, but if they do ſeem to ſhew any reſpect unto them it is meerly for their own turns: As they may have any advantage by them ſo far they ſhew reſpect to them and no further. So they accounted the Law a ſtrange thing, that is, they made uſe of the Law but meerly to ſerve their own turns; ſo far as obedience to the Law ſutes to their own ends, ſo far they yeelded to it, and no further. Now it's very obſervable, that thoſe who are ſo forward in their falſe worſhip, that the text ſaith, they did multiply Altars, and had ſpecial regard to their Altars; yet for the Law they accounted that as a ſtrange thing.

From whence the Note is:Obſ. 1. That ſuperſtitious people who are forward and zealous in their own way of Worſhip, yet they are very ſlight and negligent in Gods way of Worſhip, little regard that. Indeed their own Altars they were accounted great things, that way which they appointed themſelves, they did not care what coſt they were at in that way; but as for Gods way, that was as a ſtrange thing unto them. We have ſeen it very evident, and do ſee it in great part to this p. 109day, how thoſe that are very zealous in ſuperſtitious worſhip, are the moſt negligent in Gods way of Worſhip; to inſtance:Confirmed from the late times in England you know in late times, what a deal of ſtir did men make with their own forms of Worſhip, with their own Ceremonies and Waies of Worſhip which they appointed? how zealous were they in them, and devout were they in them? when they came in publick Congregations to bow and cring, and for other Ceremonies that they ſaid were only for the decency of Gods Worſhip, how ſtiff were they in them, that the mouths of the moſt Godly Miniſters muſt be ſtop'd if they would not conform to them? But even theſe men would ſcorn and jeer at ſtrictneſs in Gods Waies, and ſlight any man that would be conſciencious in the Waies of God, and they were Rebels that ſhould not yeild to a Ceremony, becauſe it was diſobedience to Magiſtracy. For men to be conſciencious for little things (as they thought) in Gods Law, ſeemed ſtrange, when as they would urge men to obey to the uttermoſt in little things in their own. & ſo in another point that fals out as full and reaſonable for the time, as in the point of their own Feaſtivals and Holy daies, thoſe that would perſecute to the uttermoſt men that ſhould work but to get bread for their families on a Holy-day, Holy-daiesyet they could publiſh Books of Sports for the prophanation of the Lords Day: Sabbaths.And thus the great things of Gods Law they were ſtrange things, but their own things (Holy-daies) were great matters: Surely if it were ſuch a great matter to keep the Feſtival of Chriſts Nativity we ſhould have ſome hint of it from the beginning of Matthew to the end of the Revelations, Chriſtmaſsbut when God gives not the leaſt hint of any ſuch time. And mark it, thoſe people that ſtand moſt upon ſuch Feſtivals, they ſtand leaſt upon Gods Sabbaths; and indeed you ſhall have many people which think it a ſtrange thing for men not to have regard to ſuch Feſtivals, Why may not we keep the birth of our Savior! Now that you might not think it a ſtrange thing do but conſider of this, that when God p. 110hath ſet apart any thing for a holy uſe it is no ſtrange thing,God not to be imitated in his worſhip. but it ſhould be ſtrange in man to venture to imitate God in the things of his Worſhip, to do that in Gods worſhip which God himſelf hath done before; thus God hath ſet apart a holy time, viz. the Sabbath; it is ſet apart for to ſolemnize all the work of Redemption,The Sabbath is for commemoration of al the particulars of our redemption. both the Nativity of Chriſt, and his Life, and Death, and Reſurrection, and Aſcention, and the coming of the Holy Ghoſt, all the things about mans Redemption, (I ſay) God hath ſet the Sabbath apart to that end that we might have a Holy day to keep the remembrance of them. Now when God hath ſet one day apart, for man to dare to venture to ſet another apart, this is preſumption. So becauſe Chriſt hath ſet outward Elements and Sacraments to be a remembrance for his body and blood; for man to ſay, Chriſt hath ſet apart, a piece of Bread and Wine, why may not I ſet ſome other thing apart? This you would all ſay were a great preſumption. Certainly the preſumption is the ſame in the former.

Again it is obſervable in this expreſſion,Obj. 2. [They counted it as a ſtrange thing.] It is a dangerous thing for men to have their hearts eſtranged from Gods Law, and from the other Spiritual Truths that are in Gods Word, from the knowledg of that Law which we have been educated in, and that heretofore we have made profeſſion of; for thus it was with this people, they had been educated in Gods Law, and made profeſſion of it, and whatſoever God ſhould reveal, they would obey; but now their hearts were eſtranged from what they were educated in and made profeſſion of. Oh! let men take heed of this for ever.

You that have had good education,Uſ. of Admonition. you have been brought up in the knowledg of Gods Law, you have had gracious principles of Gods Law dropt into you in your youth, you have made fair profeſſion of Gods Law, of obedience to it, take heed now of being eſtranged from thoſe p. 111truths that heretofore have been familiar to you, that you have made profeſſion of, and therefore take heed of the ſeveral degrees of the eſtrangement of the heart from the Law of God.The degrees of the hearts eſtrangment from God. I will but only name them, to ſhew how the hearts of men do grow ſtrangers from Gods Law.

Firſt, It fares with his heart, as it doth with a man that grows to be a ſtranger from his friends, A man that hath a familiar friend he doth not eſtrange himſelf ſuddenly,1. Leſs frequent. but by degrees, it may be viſit one another leſs than they were wont to do, and yet there is no contention between them, but by degrees they grow to be ſtrange, and then at length they grow to be very enemies. And thus it is with mens hearts, when men grow ſtrange from the Word, that he was acquainted withal before, firſt he begins to call things in queſtion whether things be ſo or no, and eſpecially thoſe things which moſt concern the mortifying of ſin, and the ſtrictneſs of holineſs.

Secondly,2. His delight abats which is alſo the firſt degree He begins upon this, (or rather I think that's the firſt) he begins to abate his delight in the truths of God, he was wont to take abundance of delight to meditate in the Word, Oh how ſweet it was when he awaked in the night ſeaſon, he was wont to take a great deal of delight about conferring in Gods Word, and when he came into any company▪ but now it is abated, that's the firſt: Secondly, he calls thoſe things into queſtion that he was very confident in before whether they be ſo or no.

Thirdly,3. Takes up hard thoughts of ſpiritual truths. He begins to have ſome hard thoughts of Gods Word: Many men that heretofore did prize the Word, and thoſe Truths that were the joy of their hearts, yet now they begin to have hard thoughts of them.

Yea fourthly,4. Wiſheth the things in the word were other…wiſe. He begins to wiſh that thoſe things which are in the Word were otherwiſe than they are, he cannot ſee enough to perſwade him that the things are true, but his heart coming to be eſtranged from the Word he doth deſire they were not true; as a man that comes to be eſtranged from another,ſimile. he could wiſh he were further off from him.

p. 112Fifthly,5. Harkens to contrary doctrine. He begins to liſten to thoſe things which are againſt the Word; there was a time that he would never regard any things that were ſaid againſt the ſtricteſt way of holineſs;ſimile. but now he can be ready to liſten to Objections: As a man when he was intimate with his friend, he could not endure to hear any thing that was ſaid againſt him, but now being eſtranged from him, he can drink in any thing which is ſaid againſt him.

Sixthly,6. Will not ſearch throughly into truths When the heart is eſtranged from the Word it wil put off thoughts, and through examination of truths, it will not ſearch into things as it was wont to do, but is willing to put off and ſhut his eyes, and will rather ſearch into any thing that may make againſt the Truth than that which will work for it. (I beſeech you obſerve theſe workings of your hearts)

Seventhly,7. An Engagement in ſom unlawful practice. There will be an engagement in ſome practice not allowed by the Word. Then a man grows further eſtranged from his Friend, when he doth not only refrain coming into his company, but he will engage himſelf into ſome others that are againſt him.

Eighthly,8. Former weighty arguments now weak. It comes to have a ſlight eſteem of what before they thought had great weight in it; there was a time when ſuch & ſuch things were thought to have very great weight in them, but now they are nothing, they are of another judgment:ſimile. Juſt as when a man is eſtranged from his friend; he thought before he had a great deal of excellency in him, but now he eſteems him not; and this is the argument of the eſtrangement of his heart from him.

Laſtly,9. Become open enemies. If men take not heed when they are by theſe degrees grown to be eſtranged from the Truth, they will at length violently reject the Truths of the Word, they will grow to be open enemies to the Truth: Men that have bin familiar with Gods Word, and Truth, and made profeſſion of them, and ſeem'd to love them moſt, by ſeveral degrees they have grown to be ſtrangers from them, and at length to be enemies to them. Apoſtates have proved to be p. 113the moſt deſperate enemies to the truths of God of any in the world; take heed therefore of the ſtrangeneſs of your hearts from the Truths of God leſt you afterwards prove to be an enemy to God; it's an evil thing to account the Law of God a ſtrange thing, but much more to account it an enemy to us,Iſa. 5. 24.Isa 5:24 and our hearts to be an enemy to it. Iſa. 5. 24. Therefore as the fire devoureth the ſtubble, and the flame conſumeth the chaff, ſo their root ſhall be rottenneſs, and their bloſſom ſhall go up as duſt? why? becauſe they have caſt away the Law of the Lord of Hoſts, and deſpiſed the Word of the holy One of Iſrael. Oh! let us for ever take heed of this, and therefore let our prayer be that of the Prophet David in Pſal. 119. 18, 19. Pſal. 119. 18, 19.Ps 119:18Ps 119:19Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law. And then it follows, I am a ſtranger in the earth, hide not thy Commandements from me. Lord I account my ſelf a ſtranger here in the world, Oh! let not thy Word be a ſtranger to me. I beſeech you obſerve this; Thoſe men and women that account themſelves ſtrangers in the world, will never account the Law of God a ſtrang thing to them; but ſuch men as account themſelves to be the inhabitants of the world, they will have Gods Law to be a ſtranger to them. Obſerve it, and you ſhall find this to be a Note: When your hearts begin to cloſe with the things of the world you do not meditate in Gods Word ſo much as you did before, nor delight to reade it; but now, if you can keep your heart from the things of the world, to uſe them as if you uſed them not, then this will be your prayer, Lord, hide not thy Commandements from me; Oh thy Word is ſweet unto me as honey and the honey comb.

One Note more about this;Obſ. 3. They accounted this as a ſtrange thing; Men they have a ſtrange way now a daies to eſtrange the Law from them and themſelves from the Law; That which their corrupt hearts will not cloſe withal, as for a rule of holineſs, that they will put upon Chriſt as if Chriſt had delivered them from it. This is a ſtrange way indeed of p. 114eſtranging themſelves from Gods Law,VſUs. againſt Antinomians. many men will eeſtrange themſelves from the Law of God by too much familiarity in the world, but for people to have this way by their familiarity with Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe they come now to know Chriſt more therefore they ſhould be greater ſtrangers from the Law than they were before, this is a ſtrange way of eſtranging mens hearts from Gods Law; The holy Ghoſt foreſeeing ſuch a generation which would be in the times of the Goſpel,The Spirit of God forſaw this generation. that would boldly aſſert, that whoſoever the people of God were bound to under the old Teſtament, yet in the new Teſtament they have nothing to do with the Law of Moſes, (it is very obſervable) In Malac. 4. 2. 4. the very cloſe of the old Teſtament, even then when there is a Propheſie of Chriſt to annex the old Teſtament and the new together,Mal. 4. 24. enterpretedMal 4:24 ſaith the text there, Ʋnto you that fear my Name ſhall the Sun of righteouſneſs ariſe with healing in his wings; to you that fear my Name ſhall Chriſt ariſe, (what then?) then you ſhall have nothing to with the Law when Chriſt ariſes. Mark then in the 4^th verſ. Remember ye the Law of Moſes; almoſt the laſt words in the old Teſtament, and the Concluſion; as if the holy Ghoſt ſhould ſay, now I have done revealing all my mind about the old Teſtament, and you muſt never expect any more Prophets nor any further Revelations of my mind till the time of the new Teſtament, but inſtead of the Prophets you ſhall have the Sun of righteouſneſs ariſe.

Well then,Object. I hope they ſhall never have any thing to do with the Law of Moſes more:

Nay but ſaith the holy Ghoſt) Remember ye the Law of Moſes my ſervant &c.Anſw.