An Exposition of Hosea 11-13, Exposition · Chapter 11 · Verse 7
VER. 7.
My people are bent to back-ſliding, &c.
IT may be ſometimes they begin to reform, but they are quickly off again, for there is a principle of Apoſtaſie Expoſ.in them, They are bent to back-ſliding; If they do any thing in the way of Reformation, it is upon ſome external motive; but their hearts are another way; They are like a bough of a Tree that is bent contrary to the Nature of it, by an external force, it may be for the preſent yeelds ſuch a way, but there's an inclination, a propenſion in the Bough to go another way, the way that its own nature carries it unto. Thus it was often with Iſrael, upon ſome extraordinary work of God they would do ſuch and ſuch things, but they were as a deceitf…l bow that ſoon ſtarts back.
My brethren, let us ſearch our hearts; there was a great forwardneſs of Reformation in the beginning of Application, 1. … England.the Parliament, then how did men ſtir? the Spirits of men did ſeem to be then of another way than now thy ſeem to be, It appears that in many of them it was ony a ſpirit againſt thoſe that had oppreſſed them, and a … umphing Why ſome were … ▪ w… at the begining of this Reformation.and rejoycing in having their wills upon them, and in the novelty of change of things, but their hearts remain as carnal, droſſie, & vain as ever, and therefore when mens wills were a little ſatisfied, and they ſaw that the godly people of the Land began to rejoyce, hoping Why they ſtarted off again.that now there ſhould be a greater freedom for, and countenance of the Religious party than ever, and finding that there were ſome difficulties in the work of Reformation, and that thereby their luſts ſhould be curbed, they ſhould not have that licentiouſneſs in their ſinful waies as before, upon this their hearts are bent to back-ſliding, that is, they fall off from the godly people of the Land, that they formerly cloſed with, and ſeem'd much to rejoyce in, now their hearts are againſt them as much as ever they were with them, yea, their hearts do vex, and fret at any Liberties they may poſſibly enjoy, or at any work of Reformation that is begun. Thus it is in the publick, mens hearts are bent to backſliding.
And privately for the particular, mens hearts are 2. Private & particular perſons.bent to backſliding from the waies of godlineſs that they began to profeſs, as thus, Many yong ones, and others, who have had workings on their hearts, and have made Why theſe ſtart back.great profeſſion of Religion, yet not having their hearts changed.
Firſt, Gods waies have been unſutable to them, and 1.therefore have been hard and tedious to them.
Secondly, Other things they have had a greater mind 2to, only they have been kept from them by the ſtrength of conviction and external motives.
But upon that they have grown wearie of the waies of 3God, that's a third degree, weary of them.
Yea, Fourthly, They have watched all advantages how they might get off from what they have made profeſſion 4of.
Yea, Fifthly, They have been ſorry that they have engaged 5themſelves ſo much as they did.
Yea, Sixthly, Any Objections againſt ſuch waies, they 6.greedily imbrace, and diligently improve.
Yea, Seventhly, They are very ready to take any offence.7
Yea, Eightly, They watch for offences.8.
And Ninthly, Any Opinion that will give them a liberty from that ſtraitneſs they made profeſſion of before, 9.they are willing to imbrace and entertain; if there be any practice that may give them any more liberty, they fall preſently to it, and ſo they come to backſlide. Now their actural backſlidings are but a fruit of the bent of their ſpirits, their ſpirits were bent to backſliding before, and what they do now is but a fruit of the inward bent of their ſpirits. Let ſuch know, that if they have no need of the waies of godlineſs, the waies of godlineſs Admonition to ſuch.have no need of them; the waies of godlineſs ſhall be juſtified and honored, when they ſhal periſh and be ſwept oft as filth and dung from the face of the earth. I'le leave only that Scripture with them, in Heb. 10. 38. If any man draw back, my Soul ſhall have no pleaſure in him.
But I find the reading of theſe words [bent to back-ſliding] foreign Suſpenſt ſunt. Calv. Par…us.very various, and indeed the Hebrew doth ſeem to countenance divers readings; and Calvin he doth reade it, and Pareus, and others of our later Writers, Suſpenſt ſunt, they are as men in ſuſpence, hanging as it were in ſuſpence; for ſo the word tranſlated [Bent] it is a word that ſignifies a propenſion to a thing; and they turn it, Men that are in ſuſpence; and ſo the Septuagints tranſlation, They are a people in ſuſpence: and it is very proper to foreign. 70.the Hebrew word here to tranſlate it thus, They are a people in ſuſpence. Now then, If the tranſlation of the word be thus, which is for ought I know as ſutable, or rather more than the other, why then there are theſe two things mainly in it.
Firſt, They are in ſuſpence; that is, They being in ſtraits know not what to do, I find in Deut. 28. 66. [Thy life ſhall hang in doubt before thee.] The ſame word that here is tranſlated [Bent] it is there [Hanging in doubt] and that makes me the rather think that this Interpretation may ſet out the mind of the holy Ghoſt in this Scripture; ſo then the meaning muſt be this.
They ſee themſelves in a ſad condition that they In ſuſpence here what.know not which way to turn themſelves, they ſee their plots take not, their deſigns proſper not, they ſee God is out againſt them, they would fain fal upon new plots, but they ſee as great an unlikelihood to proſper in their new plots, as in the former, what the Iſſue of them may be they know not, thus they are in ſuſpence, and in doubt not knowing which way to turn themſelves.
And bleſſed be God that hath put our adverſaries in Applicat. to England.ſuſpence, and doubt: This is a judgment of God upon men who cannot truſt God in his right and holy wayes, they muſt have waies of their own, they follow their own counſels. and theſe counſels of their own inſnares them, and brings them into moſt miſerable ſtraights that they know not how to extricate themſelves. God makes the waies of the righteous plain to them, But the counſels of mens hearts brings them into ſtraights. They thought to deal more wiſely for themſelves, but the truth is, their counſels in which their wiſdom was much applauded, brings them into moſt miſerable ſtraights and extremities, that they know not what to do.
And then Secondly, Luther hath a very good interpretation of this, he reads the words thus: My people doth Populus meus dubitat au velit redire ad me Luth.doubt whether they would turn to me or no; thus he reads it, and interperets it thus, They ſee they profit not in their way, their Conſciences miſgive them, they have ſome thoughts of returning to me, ſometimes they are perſwaded it's beſt for them to return, but the corruption of their own hearts ſtirs up Temptations, Temptations preſent themſelves to them, ſo they are off and on, they know not what to do, they give many onſets, but they came not off freely, my people do doubt and hang in ſuſpence and do not come off freely to my way.
And this is according to the *Populus me…s haeſitat ſe convertere ad Legemmeam. Chald. Paraphraſe.Chaldae Paraphraſe, They have plots, thus they do doubt to Convert themſelves to my Law. There are rowlings of their thoughts, this way, and that way, but they are in doubt and come not to a full reſolution.
Now my Brethren, This is a great evil, for men to ſtrive Obſ.with their conſciences. When their conſciences puts them upon the waies of God, they think, There is good in The conflict of conſcience & corruption.Gods waies, they think that God is not well pleaſed in the waies that they are in, they think it might be very well if they did reform their way; yea, but then on the other ſide, there comes in temptations, I but there are ſuch difficulties in the way, I ſhall diſcountenance ſuch and ſuch great ones, I ſhall have oppoſition by ſuch and ſuch, in that they will be diſpleaſed, I ſhall hazard my ſelf, and the like, I muſt deny my ſelf in many things, I muſt go againſt the hair in theſe and theſe things, I muſt croſs my heart in ſuch things that my heart is ſtrongly bent upon, why may I not do well enough in ſome other way without ſo much trouble to my ſelf? And thus their hearts reaſon within them, and yet again at other times they have ſerious thoughts begin to work, and their conſciences begin to ſtir again, but have not I to deal with a holy and glorious God? how if things ſhall prove otherwiſe than they are apprehended by me? what good will it do to me to cozen my own ſoul? were it not better for me to return? [Oh! that I could but tel how to ſpeak this day to ſuch as are perhaps yet in ſuſpence, it may be there are ſome here this day that are in ſuſpence in their own thoughts, they cannot be quiet in that way that now they are in, when they awake in the night ſeaſon their conſciences trouble them, and yet when they come abroad among company then that carries them away again, and thus their lives do as it were hang in ſuſpence, and are vext and troubled in their own thoughts, not knowing what to do; Oh! that I could (I ſay) ſpeak to theſe hearts this day, that I could but tell how to preſent ſome determining thoughts to ſuch as theſe that are in this ſuſpence: I'le but in a few words preſent four or five Meditations to ſuch that may help them to determine, to come to a determination; for the truth is, This is the cauſe almoſt of all the wickedneſs of ſuch as Suſpence a cauſ of much evil.live under the means, that have enlightned conſciences, They do not come to a full determination: If thou beeſt in ſuſpence, let me caſt into the ſcale theſe thoughts.
Firſt, Theſe ſtirrings that are now upon thee, that Conſiderations tending to ſettle the unreſolved about the waies of God.put thee thus to oppoſe the waies of ſin, and to bring thee ſo far as to be in ſuſpence, know, they are the work of the holy Ghoſt in thee, take heed of ſinning againſt the holy Ghoſt; I do not ſay, that all going againſt ſuch ſtirrings and workings is, The ſin, that unpardonable ſin; but this I ſay, the ſinning againſt thoſe ſtirrings and workings of thy conſcience is A ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, take heed of ſinning againſt the good Spirit of God; The holy Ghoſt hath begun to conceive in thee, take heed thou doeſt not deſtroy the child in the womb. We know it's murder to deſtroy a child in the womb, when it is but Simile.beginning to be conceived; And thou that art in this ſuſpence, thou haſt a conception of the holy Ghoſt in thee; take heed of murdering of it.
Secondly, If the Spirit of God leaves thee after this, thou wilt be more hardened than ever; let this be in thy thoughts; Thou haſt ſtirrings of conſcience, and ſome propenſion to the waies of God, but yet thy corruptions hang off, look to thy ſelf while theſe workings of God are upon thee, if they leave thee, they will leave thy heart harder than ever it was.
And then Thirdly, Take this Meditation, When thou art about matters of infinite conſequence (as now thou art) certainly, the ſafeſt way is the beſt way; 'tis not enough for thee to ſay, it is neceſſary, and why muſt I do thus and thus? and what need it? and may not I do wel enough without it? But when thou art reaſoning about matters that concern Eternitie, though thou canſt not fully ſatisfie thy ſelf in this, or the other way, yet to take the ſafeſt way is the beſt way, and that thou art upon the ſafeſt way, it's enough to countervail what ever trouble thou meeteſt withal; Though it ſhould not be abſolutely neceſſary that thou ſhouldeſt take ſuch a courſe in ſuch a particular, yet if thy conſcience doth but dictate to thee, that this way is ſafer than the other; it's the beſt way to go the ſafeſt way.
And the Fourth Meditation is this, That there is more evil in the leaſt ſin, than there can be good in whatſoever all the Creatures in the world can tender to thee Reſolve upon this: this is a certain principle that cannot be denied: There is more evil in the leaſt ſin, than there can be good in all that all the Creatures in the world can tender to thee.
And then Fifthly, That it is beſt for me to do that now, which I would wiſh I had done if I were now to die. Put that Meditation into the ſcale; Art thou in ſuſpence, hanging this way or that way, whether fully to come off of thoſe waies of ſin that thou art upon, or no? Put this Fifth thing into the ſcale, It is beſt for me now to do that that I would wiſh I had done if I were now to die: This wil be a mighty thing to weigh down abundance of temptations that may be put into the other ſcale; and ſo thou maieſt come to a determination. They are in ſuſpence.
The old Latin reads it, My People they hang in a kind of hope that I will return, and that all may be well with them at Populus meus pendebit ad reditum meum (i. e. pendulus ſperabit) vulg. Montanus.laſt; that though they do thus and thus, yet all may be well with them at laſt: God hath often delivered them out of great afflictions, and why may not he deliver them ſtill? And ſo they hang in expectation of Gods coming to them. So they make the word that is here tranſlated, [Backsliding] to be a returning, a returning of God, [They would have me to return firſt] And ſo I confeſs the word hath ſomething in it that ſignifies Returning: But thoſe that are skilful in the tongues ſay, It is not uſed in a good ſenſe, but in an evil; it's rather a going from, than a returning. But yet, as the old Latin hath it, The hope for Gods returning, and that things may be well, is the cauſe of the hardening of many hearts in the waies of ſin; they hang as it were in the Air, thinking that it may be well with them, and that things may not prove ſo bad as they hear: But curſed is that hope of comfort that hath nothing elſe to ground upon, but only, that it may be things are not ſo bad as they hear out of the Word. But it follows; Though they called them to the moſt High, yet none at all would exalt him.
Though they called them] That is, The Prophets and Expoſ.Meſſengers of God called them unto the moſt High, they wanted not means in the Miniſtry of the Word, they were called to the Moſt High, that is, to God. Now that God is The Moſt High, we have ſpoken to in Chap. 7. Verſ. 16. there he hath the title of THE MOST HIGH. You who are higheſt, look upon God as above you, know that God looks upon you, and all men that are lifted up in the pride of their own hearts, as infinitly below him.
God is the moſt high: Well, but, They called them out unto the moſt high; that is, They called them in the Miniſtry of the Word.
Firſt, That they might know him, that is, the moſt high, that they might know him to be the Infinit, Supream, High, Glorious, Majeſtie, that they might know the infinite diſtance that there is between God and the Creature, and that they might know him to be the Higheſt end of all things, ſo as to work after him as the moſt high.
Then Secondly, That they might acknowledge him, 2that they might thus fear him, that they might worſhip him, that they might love him, and truſt in him, as the moſt high God.
That they might ſubmit their wills to him whoſe will is ſupream above all, and eſpecially in matters of worſhip.3.
They called them to the moſt high, that they might come to have this high God to be theirs, to enjoy him to 4.be their portion; thus the Prophets call'd them to the moſt high. Whereas their hearts were d…oſſie, and low, and baſe, they minded only the ſatisfying of their fleſh, and having their wills one upon another, their hearts hung down to their deviſed worſhip, though the thing it was ſutable to their publick ends, and it was great wiſdom for them ſo to do, yet God would not own that, but did diſpiſe that worſhip of theirs that they thought to honor him withal, and the Prophets therefore called them from theſe baſe, droſſie things, called them to the moſt high God. The Note of Obſervation.
Firſt, Mens hearts they ſink down to low and mean things naturally; unworthy of their ſouls, unworthy of that Obſ. 1.excellent nature that they are indued withal: men indeed have ſwelling hearts in their baſe ſinful way, but this is their diſeaſe (this ſwelling) I ſay the heart of man wants a true elevating principle, the knowledg of the moſt high would raiſe them up higher than their pride Piety raiſes the heart more than pride.can do, the pride of man raiſes mans heart, yea, but that's their diſeaſe; but the knowledg of the moſt high would raiſe them up higher than their pride: but ſin whereſoever it is it doth debaſe mans nature.
Secondly, It's the end of the Miniſtry of the Word, to call Obſ. 2.men to the moſt high God, to call after men that have their hearts groveling after low and baſe things, that they might come up to the moſt high God, to know him, to fear him, to worſhip him, and to enjoy the moſt high God to be their portion. Have not you found this fruit of the Miniſtry of the Word in your hearts, calling you many a time to the moſt high God? Have not thoſe things ſounded in your ears, that have called you from vain things that your hearts were upon, telling you of the high God that you have to deal withal in all your waies, who will have to deal with you to all eternity? I make no queſtion but many of your conſciences have found this, have found a word darted into your hearts that hath called you from low baſe things to the high and bleſſed God.
And then Thirdly, It is a great and a ſore evil to ſtop our Obſ. 3.ears againſt the calls to the moſt high God, againſt the calls of the word that calls you to the moſt high God; I ſay, to ſtop our ears againſt this is a ſore and a dreadful evil. What, not anſwer to Gods call! Doth God call you, and you not anſwer to him? We ſay to a child, Your father calls you, or to a ſervant, your maſter calls you, will you not anſwer? Oh! to ſhut our ears againſt the call to the moſt high Simile.God is a dreadful thing, it will lie heavie upon thee one day, thoſe calls thou hadeſt in thine ears will prove to be terrors in thine heart; Certainly, though thou letteſt go the calls of the Word to the moſt high God, remember this one Note, The calls that thou hadeſt to the high God being neglected by thee, will prove terrors in thine heart; poor creature, what is it that thou liſtens to? what invitations doth take thy heart, that the calling to the moſt high cannot overcome thee?
And then Fourthly: Their hearts are in ſuſpence, though they called them to the moſt high. From the connexion of theſe two we have this Note.
That the calling to the moſt high God is a ſpecial means to cauſe Obſ. 4.thoſe that are in a ſuſpence, to come in to a full reſolution. In Pſal. 97. 9. Thou Lord art high above all the earth, thou art Pſa. 97. 9, 10. illuſtrated.exalted far above all Gods. What follows in the 10. verſe? Ye that love the Lord, hate evil. God is a high God above all Gods, hate evil then, ſet your ſelves againſt evil, be reſolved in the waies of God, for when you are called to the moſt high, by this you come to ſee how infinitely worthy God is of all glory from you, you may ſee by this what infinite good there is in this God, and that there is infinite power in this God to avenge himſelf of you, if you neglect his call, therefore there is a mighty deal of force to cauſe reſolution. In the 7. of Acts, we have a notable ſpeech of Stephen concerning Abraham. Abraham was called from his fathers houſe, and it cannot be imagined but that Abraham had many thoughts to keep his Abrahams example.heart in ſuſpence, when he was called from his kindred, and al the contentment and comfort he had there, it's impoſſible but fleſh and blood would ſuggeſt many thoughts to Abraham to keep his heart in ſuſpence: But what took Abrahams heart off from ſuſpence, to reſolve fully what to do in ſuch a caſe? the text ſaith, The God of Glory appeared Act. 7. 2. obſerved.to him; it was not only God, but the God of Glory. My Brethren, when God is calling you off from all Creature comforts, from all things that may quiet your hearts in the world, and you have ſtrong temptations to keep you in the waies of ſin, let but the God of Glory appear to you, and this will take up your hearts, this will bring your hearts to a full reſolution. Oh! bleſſed, bleſſed are thoſe ſouls though they have continued long in ſuſpence, yet at length the God of Glory appears to them, in the midſt of their doubts, and temptations, and hangings off.
And if there be ſuch a force in this, then learn to preſent Uſe.before thy ſoul that is in ſuch a ſuſpence, the Glorie of the great God, look up to this great God, 'tis the infinite high God that I am called to; Oh! thou ſuſpending, thou wavering ſoul, look up to this moſt high, and anſwer this call of God unto himſelf, anſwer it thus;
Oh Lord, Thou art an Infinite, Bleſſed, Glorious Being, the Supream Being of all; I am a poor, vile worm that A form of Anſwering to Gods call.lie under thy feet, it's merciemercy that thou wilt vouchſafe to look towards me; thou mighteſt have let me gone on in baſe waies, and periſhed to all eternity without giving me any call to thy ſelf; but now that thou ſhouldeſt give me a call to thy ſelf, the high and glorious bleſſed Lord, this is mercy; Lord, I come, and with fear and trembling fall down before thee ſaying, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Thoſe who have been wavering and afterwards ſetled they have found that this hath Note.been the thing that hath ſetled them, ſome dreadful authoritie of the high God that hath come to their hearts in ſome truth beyond what formerly he hath done, and this hath fully taken off their ſouls to him.
And then Fifthly; The true Worſhip of God is an elevating Obſ. 5.thing. Then are they called to the moſt high when they are called to the true Worſhip of God, for it raiſes the ſoul to the moſt high. Mens inventions are low things, are baſe and unworthy things, Oh conſider whether thou findeſt this in the Worſhip of God? doeſt thou find thy ſoul raiſed up to the moſt high in his Worſhip? thou doeſt never worſhip God aright, except thou findeſt in ſome meaſure thy ſoul raiſed up to the moſt high in his Worſhip; let no man look upon the Worſhip of God as a low mean thing; know, when thou art to come to worſhip God, thou haſt now to deal with the high God, whom Angels worſhip and adore; 'tis that God who is far above all Creatures in Heaven and Earth: thus thou art to look upon the Worſhip of God. Oh! how far are moſt men from this when they are worſhiping of God! very few there are that lift up their hearts to the moſt high; even in the duties of Worſhip. And ſo it follows in the words, None at all would exalt him.
Why, If God be the moſt high God, how can he be Queſt.exalted?
I anſwer: He is ſo high, as he cannot be more high Anſw.than Himſelf, God cannot be more excellent than he is in Himſelf, God cannot make Himſelf better than He is, nor more glorious in Himſelf than He is: Therefore no creature can make him more than he is: all that all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth can do for God, can ad nothing to him: In Nehem. 9. 5. He is exalted (ſaith the text) above all bleſſing and praiſe.
Yet then God accounts Himſelf to be exalted.
Firſt, When he is known and acknowledged for the When we exalt God.High, Supream, Firſt being of all things, when we fear Him as a God, when we humble our ſelves before him as before a God, when we are ſenſible of the infinite diſtance there is between him and us, when we are willing to lay down what we are, or have, or can do for the furtherance of his praiſe, when his Will is made the Rule of all our waies, and eſpecially of his Worſhip, when we make him the laſt end of all, when 'tis the great care of our ſouls, and work of our lives to do what poſſibly we can that he might be magnified & lifted up in the world, and when we account the leaſt ſin a greater evil than can be recompenced by all the good that Heaven and Earth can afford unto us; and now God accounts Himſelf exalted by us. And this is the Work that all of us have to do; to give up our ſelves to the exalting of the Name of this bleſſed Note.God; He is worthy, ſo worthy of honor from us creatures, that though ten thouſand millions of Men and Angels ſhould periſh eternally for the furtherance of the leaſt degree of his honor, he is worthy of it all, ſo high is this God, and therefore know it to be our work to endeavor in our places to exalt him, and bleſſed is that man or woman that when they are to die are able to ſay, Oh Lord, thou haſt been high in my heart, thy Wiſdom The comfort of a dying perſon.I have adored, and ſubmitted mine unto it, thy Will I have honored, and yeelded mine likewiſe to it, and it hath been the great care of my ſoul that I might do ſomthing in my place to lift up thy Name according as I have been able; I ſay, thou maieſt go out of the world in peace as having done in ſome meaſure that thou cameſt into the world for.
Oh! you whom God hath exalted, let it be your care An Exhortation; 1 To great men. 2 To the Saints. How God hath exalted the Saints: 1. 2 3 4 5 6. 7to exalt this God; and eſpecially the Saints of the Lord, know God hath exalted you on high, and expects that you ſhould lift up his Name; he hath lifted up you out of the depth of miſerie, from the nethermoſt Hell, he hath joyned you to his Son, he hath made you one with his Son, He hath loved you with the ſame love wherewith he loveth his Son, he hath made you Heirs, Co-heirs with his own Son, he hath given his Angels to be miniſtring Spirits to you, he hath made it his great deſign to honor himſelf in your eternal good, the greateſt work that God hath to do in the world it is the honoring himſelf in your Glory; he hath prepared a Crown of glory for you; Oh then, do you joyn together to exalt the Name of this God who hath lifted up you who were ſuch poor vile worms, let the high praiſes of this God be in your hearts and mouths for ever; in Pſal. 108. 4. Thy Pſa. 108. 4. 5. noted.mercy is great above the Heavens, and thy truth reacheth unto the Clouds; mark what follows in the 5. verſe, Be thou exalted, O God, above the Heavens, and thy Glory above all the Earth: Oh Lord, we ſee thy mercy is exalted above the Heavens, and thy truth to the Clouds: then Lord be thou exalted above the Heavens, that is in our hearts, and in our lives; Oh! that God may be exalted, in an anſwerable way above the Heavens in what we do for Him, as He hath been exalted above the Heavens in what he hath done for us; let's all exalt Gods Name: he will be exalted in ſpight of your hearts.
My brethren, God hath exalted Himſelf of late in our eyes, in a glorious manner, in Pſal. 21. 13. Be thou exalted, Alſo Pſa. 21. 13.O Lord, in thine own ſtrength; Oh the Lord hath exalted Himſelf in His own ſtrength: but mark what follows; So will we ſing and praiſe thy Power: Oh! let us ſing and praiſe the power of God, who hath exalted Himſelf in his own ſtrength, and for the good of his own people ſo of late. But none would exalt him (ſaith the text.)
God hath little honor in the world; men ſeek to exalt Obſ. God hath little honor in the world.themſelves, but none to exalt God; every man follows his own way, his own luſts, but the bleſſed and glorious God is exalted by few, or none. Men will appear to lift up Antichriſt, to exalt him; the Kings of the Earth they will give their power to the Beaſt, but none will exalt the Lord. Oh! let this grieve the hearts of the Saints, to ſee that the bleſſed God, ſo bleſſed in their eyes ſhould be exalted by ſo few.
And conſider, every one of you, how little he hath Uſe.been exalted by you in all your waies. And why ſhould you vex and fret that you have not honor and reſpect, when as the bleſſed God who is ſo infinitely worthy of honor and glory, yet none (almoſt) reſpects Him. Well, let this be the Meditation from it; The leſs glory I ſee God have from the children of men, the more let me labor to honor him.
None would exalt him] So the words are read in your Books, and I think that is the moſt proper ſenſe. Yet I find Luther hath another reading, and ſo others, and that Luthers reading of the Text. Nemo erigeret ſe. Alij: ne unus qui ſe erigeret. …. foreignmight likewiſe ſtand with the Original; for if you obſerve the words [him] is not there: But it may be (ſaith Luther) there is none that lifts up himſelf; he, and others turns it thus: That's thus, Men are in a ſleepy, ſullen mood, that when God calls them, they will not ſtir up themſelves to liſten to Gods Call; and ſo Luther makes uſe of this ſimilitude: As a ſtuborn ſervant, or child when the maſter cals him, he will not ſtir and lift up himſelf Simile.to his call; There's none will lift up themſelves; droſſie, baſe, drouſie ſpirits, that are ſleepy and ſink down to baſe, low things, they will not lift up themſelves when they are called to the moſt high God.
It's a great evil to give way to a dead, dull, and ſullen heart, Obſ. A drouſie ſpirit, a great evil to nouriſh it.not to lift up our ſelves when God calls. When you come to the Miniſtry of the Word, you come with hearts dead and ſinking down with diſcouragements: Now when God cals, you ſhould ſtir and lift up your hearts to cloſe with thoſe Truths of God that do concern you; and it's a great evil in many, when they hear excellent Truths that might do them good, yet they do not lift up their hearts to cloſe with thoſe Truths.
And now we come to the Eighth Verſe, which is a Verſe very full; and if in any, you will give me liberty a little to enlarge in that Verſe.