An Exposition of Hosea 11-13, Exposition · Chapter 11 · Verse 8
VER. 8.
How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? how ſhall I deliver thee, Iſrael? how ſhall I make thee as Admah? how ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.
HEre, according to Luther, ends the Eleventh Chapter, and the Twelfth begins at the next Verſe.
For the words themſelves, we have not a more full expreſſion of pathetical Affections of Mercy and Compaſſion in God, in all the Book of … than here;
How ſhall I give thee up?
I beſeech you obſerve; God was in the midſt of his threatnings of Judgment, & charging of them with their ſin: ſaith he, The Sword ſhall abide upon their Cities, and conſume their branches: becauſe of their own Counſels. And when they were called to the moſt high God, yet none would exalt him: How! not one would com in! What would follow? One would think, Now let wrath purſue them, let the curſe of the Almighty overtake them, one would wonder that it did not; but mark a greater wonder, that after the charging of them for this wickedneſs, and in the midſt of Gods threatnings of the moſt dreadful judgments to conſume them by the Sword, How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim, &c?
The Lord here takes upon Him (as it were) the perſon of a loving Father towards a ſtubborn and rebellious Expoſ. general.child, the child hath gone away from the Father, and hath continued in ſlout waies, It may be the Father ſends after it, it will not come, it will not return, but goes on ſtubornly, the Father hath many workings in his heart to caſt it off; he ſhall never be a peny the better for me, let him beg his bread from door to door, he is unnatural to me; yea, but when he is in the midſt of theſe reſolutions, and hath theſe ſad thoughts towards the child, yet there comes a turning of his bowels on a ſudden, Oh! but how ſhall I give it up? how ſhall I diſinherit it? how ſhall I do it? It is my child, though ſtuborn, why may it not return? why may not yet God work good upon it; It's very evil, but how ſhall I give it up? I know not how in the world to bring my heart to it. Thus the Lord breaks out here. Here we have in your books four [Hows] How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? How ſhall I deliver thee, Iſrael? How ſhall I make thee as Admah? How ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim? I confeſs in the Hebrew there are but two, but yet for the ſenſe of it the Interpreters put in the other, and they have the ſenſe of four, How? How? How? How ſhall I do it? there are four Interogations here, and four Anſwers. Four Pathetical Interogations that God asks as it were Himſelf.Analyſis of the Text.
Firſt, How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim?
Secondly, How ſhall I deliver thee, Iſrael?
Thirdly. How ſhall I make thee as Admah?
Fourthly, How ſhall I ſ…t thee as Zeboim?
God is here Interogating Himſelf in theſe four Interogatories that come from his own bowels.
And here are four Anſwers to theſe, As thus;
Firſt, Mine heart is turned within me.
Secondly, My repentings are kindled together.
Thirdly, I will not execute the fierceneſs of mine anger.
Fourthly, I will not return to deſtroy Ephraim. Theſe are the Four Anſwers; and the Laſt Anſwer hath Two Arguments.
Firſt, I am God, and not Man.
Secondly, The holy One in the midſt of thee.
Now what the force of the Arguments are, we ſhall ſee when we come to them. But firſt to give you the brief The Text paraphraſedopening of the words in a way of paraphraſe, and then the ſeveral Doctrinal Notes from them.
Firſt, How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? Or as ſome Expoſ. in partic. 1. foreign. Al. foreign. Simile.others reade it, What ſhall I do to thee?
I am as it were at a ſtand what to do; as the Father that hath the rod in his hand comes to correct, and lets the rod fall out of his hand, his affections work ſo ſtrongly;
What ſhall I do? As if God ſhould ſay, Oh! were there but any repentings, were they but ever ſo little, I would be glad of it, I would take any little repentings, could I but tell how to vindicate mine honor any other way, I would do it; Oh! what ſhall I do? It is your fooliſh, wilful ſtubornneſs, going on in ſuch a vile, finful way that puts God to ſuch a ſtand; What ſhall I do? God ſeems here to have his heart troubled in him, much like that in Exod. 33. 5. when God was offended with the people Exod. 33. 5. Notedthere, ſaith he, Put off thine ornaments, that I may know what to do with thee. It's a ſtrange expreſſion: as if he ſhould ſay, come and faſt, and pray, put off your ornaments, and humble your ſelves before me, that I may know what to do to you: Oh! why may there not be ſome hope? put off your ornaments, if there be but any repentings and turning to me.
Or if you take it as it is in your books, How ſhall I give thee up? Then the ſcope is thus: Thou art upon the very brink of deſtruction, wrath and miſerie it is prepared for thee, thou art in the very mouth of ruin, It's nothing but only a giving thee up and thou art undone, wrath and miſerie ſtand waiting only for my giving thee up, Oh! but how ſhall I do it? I ſee thee upon the very brink of ruin, thy very neck upon the block, and thou now waiteſt for my giving up, but I cannot tell how to find in my heart, How ſhall I do it? How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim?
Oh! here was a ſtrong argument that mov'd the bowels of God. Ephraim, if thou wert indeed the refuſe of Ephraim.the world; I would not ſo much care for many thouſand of them, but thou art Ephraim, Thou art my deer child, Ephraim, my deer ſon, you know what God ſaith in Jer. 31. about the 18. verſe. How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? How ſhall I deliver thee, Iſrael?
As if he ſhould ſay, Juſtice calls for thee, that I would deliver thee up to him, thou art call'd for to be delivered up to Juſtice, Juſtice plead, that thou art her due; but, How ſhall I do it? How ſhall I do it? How ſhall I deliver thee? It goes much againſt me to do it.
The Septuagint they turn the words,
How ſhall I protect thee? So the old Latin.foreign 68 70. Protegam. Vulg. a foreign tradidit foreign …lypeus foreign protexit foreign a
And the miſtake comes from a little difference in the Hebrew word, ſo that the ſame radical letters in the Hebrew word that is for [delivering] ſignifies a [Shield] likewiſe, To protect as with a ſhield. And therefore they tranſlate it ſo, How ſhall I protect thee? but that comes to the ſame, thus: How ſhall I protect ſuch a one as thou art? How ſhall it be for mine honor that thou ſhouldeſt be under my protection? Men indeed do abuſe their power they have, to give protection to others, you know there hath been a great abuſe ſince the Parliament begun by protections that have been given to others, but ſaith he, How ſhall I do it? that is, I who am a holy and infinite God, how ſhall I protect ſuch a one as thou art? How ſhall I protect thee, Iſrael?
Iſrael, here's another argument indeed; Iſrael, I remember Iſrael.thy Father, I remember that mighty Prince who wraſtled with me and prevail'd, and I account it my glory to be the glory of Iſrael, and his ſeed: What, art thou the poſterity of Iſrael, of ſuch a one ſo deer to me, and ſuch a Prince that heretofore prevail'd with me in prayer? What, art thou his poſterity? Oh! how ſhall I deliver thee up, Iſrael? Oh when God looks upon them he ſees them ſinful and wretched, but when he looks upon what they were in reference to their forefathers, How ſhall I give thee up, Iſrael?
How ſhall I make thee as Admah? How ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim?
Admah and Zeboim, they were the names of two Cities, that were two of the five Cities that were together with Sodom and Gomorah; now four of theſe five Cities were deſtroyed by fire from Heaven, for the wickedneſs of them, and one of them only was ſpar'd for Lot's ſake. But this Admah and Zeboim were two of the Cities that the judgments of God was moſt terrible upon; the Apoſtle Jude in his Epiſtle, the 7. verſe, ſaith, That they did ſuffer the vengance of eternal fire. Now ſaith God here, The truth is, you have provoked me as much as Admah and Zeboim have done, their ſins were not greater than yours, and there is as great wrath that belongs to you as to them, but oh! how ſhall I do it? how ſhall I make thee as Admah and Zeboim? how is it poſſible for me to find in my heart to yeeld to do it?
Hierom upon the place doth move this Queſtion. Why doth he mention Admah and Zeboim, and not Sodom and Ieroms Queſt. on the place.Gomorah?
The Anſwer that he gives is this, That Judab, thoſe His Anſwer.Tribes they are compared in their ſin to Sodom and Gomorah, in Iſa. 1. and Ezek 16: for Judah had more means Sodoma & Gomorah principes fuerunt in peccato, Adama & Zeboim earum exempla ſectala ſunt.than Iſrael had, Judah had the Temple with them, and therefore their ſin was the more aggravated. Sodom and Gomorah they were the chief ſinners; and Admah and Zeboim they did but as it were follow them, (ſo he) And by following their example they came to inwrap themſelves in the ſame Judgments, but yet altogether their ſin was not like Sodoms and Gomorahs, therefore Judah that had more means is compared to Sodom and Gomorah; and the ten Tribes, to Admah and Zeboim. My heart is turned within me.
Luther hath a Note upon this, according to his uſual way in expreſſing the Grace of God to the height, ſaith Luth. Expoſ. Cor inverſum, Cor concitatum ira propter peccata h…minum, non ſit verum Dei cor verum Dei cor quod afficitur malis noſtris quod ardet commiſerationehe, 'Tis as if it were, that the heart that's ſtir'd with anger for the ſins of men, were not the true heart of God, and therefore ſaith he, My heart is turned to me, mine own heart; now I have my own heart indeed when I have thoughts of peace; when I had thoughts of wrath that was not as it were mine own heart, ſutable to that expreſſion we have in Scripture, That God calls his execution of Jugment, his ſtrange work. So that's Gods own heart that is affected with our evil, and that doth even turn with merciemercy towards us; ſo mine heart is come to me ſaith God, as if it were gone before.
But, My heart is turned within me.
The meaning is this; As when a mans heart is much The Authorsaffected in love and compaſſion, there's the working of the Spirits and blood round about the heart, and mighty motions and ſtirrings in the heart. So ſaith God, Me thinks I find all the blood as it were, and my ſpirits ſo working and ſtir'd, that I find my heart even turning up and down within me when I come to the execution of wrath. And then, My repentings are kindled together.
It is a very notable phraſe, Here, by [Repentings] I take is meant thoſe thoughts of God by which he came to Expoſ.do ſuch things as men do in their repentings.
My repentings together] That is, All the thoughts that I could (as it were) poſſibly muſter up, that could be muſtered up together for to turn my heart from the waies of Truth to the waies of Mercy, they are all come up together to me (ſaith God) and being all joyned together, they make a fire, and have ſet my heart on fire; As a company of brands being laid together make a great flame; ſo all thoſe thoughts that poſſibly may be any means to work my heart to good to this people, they are all preſented together, and being come and joyned all together in one, they ſet my heart even of a flame, and mightily are ſtirring in my heart.
Oh! this is the goodneſs of God to his people, to have all things that any way may be a motive to do good to his people, to come up all together before God, all in one, and when they come in one there to make a fire in the very boſom of God, all the reaſonings as it were of my heart being joyned together for them have kindled a fire, ſo that I cannot hold, but I muſt needs vent my ſelf thus, How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim?
But you wil ſay, Why doth God expreſs himſelf thus? God might without any more ado pardon, and help, or deliver, why ſhould he expreſs himſelf in this manner?
It's the Anſwer of Mr. Calvin here, He doth accommodate Accommodat ſo ruditati noſtrae. Calv.himſelf (ſaith he) to our rudeneſs; God who diſdained not to take mans nature upon him, diſdained not to act in the perſon of a man, who being much wronged, is reaſoning in himſelf what to do, his heart is full of pity, his bowels yern, and he would fain find a way for mercy; and when provocation of execution comes in in his mind, it is as a dagger to his heart. Oh! how ſhal I do this?
As if you would imagin any merciful man in the world Simile.that were put to a ſtraight, would fain have a way for mercy to ſave a wretched ſinner: God takes upon him the perſon (as it were) of this man, and ſaith, How ſhall I do it? God doth (as it were) in this bring Mercy and Juſtice both together, to plead the Caſe, both againſt, and for Ephraim.
Juſtice comes in and pleads, Lord, their Sins are great and many, their Mercies have been great, their Means The plea of Juſtice.that they have had hath been exceeding much, thou haſt been exceeding much, thou haſt been patient a long time towards them, and this hath been abuſed, their hearts are ſtill hardened, thy Name is blaſphemed becauſe of them. Theſe Arguments come up againſt them. But now there comes up Arguments for them.
I, but than Mercy ſteps up and pleads, But Lord, art The plea of Mercy.not thou a God: thou art a God: Theſe actions indeed may overcome men, but ſhall they overcome thee?
[And this is Ephraim.] Are not they thy People? are they not in relation to thee? are they not in Covenant with thee? Spare them Lord for their for fathers ſake, for Abrahams ſake, for Iſraels ſake, who was ſo mighty with thee; remember Lord the kindneſs of their youth, the wonders that thou haſt done heretofore for them, when they were ſtuborn and rebellious; Lord, thou haſt many of thine Elect among them, and therefore wilt thou utterly conſume them. Oh! when the Lord hears theſe prayers of Mercy on the other hand, How ſhall I do it? I cannot do it. Thus you have ſeen the opening of the words, with the paraphraſe.
But now for the Notes. If any one of you ſhould have The Authors Apology.any thoughts that I do not briefly paſs over this Scriptur in an Expoſitory way, I may even anſwer you, How ſhal I do it? It were a very great burden upon one, to meddle with ſuch Scriptures as theſe are, in an Auditory that doth deſire to have ſomething ſpoken to their hearts, and meerly to paſs it over in a meer Expoſitory way; therefore for the Notes, the firſt Obſervation is this,
The greatneſs of mans ſin, hinders not the work of the bowels Obſ. 1.of God towards them.
There was none exalted him, but they followed their own Counſels and did what they liſt, yet, how ſhall I give thee up? (this from the Connexion.) I will give you an inſtance, and that's a very famous one as we have in all the book of God. What ſins were greater than the ſins of Jeruſalem againſt Chriſt when he lived? and yet Chriſt Jeruſalem's exſample noted.looks on Jeruſalem, and weeps over it; weeps over it, when he conſidered of the deſtruction of it. Yea, and mark, Though Jeruſalem were guilty of the Blood of Chriſt, took away the very Life of Chriſt; yet when Chriſt was riſen again, one of the firſt things that Chriſt doth in the 24. of Luke, 47. when he was going there to Emaus, Chriſt ſaith, That Repentance, and Remiſſion of ſins was to be preached in his Name among all Nations, begining at Jeruſalem. Repentance, and remiſſion of ſins preached to all Nations: Oh! but ſurely Jeruſalem muſt be left, Jeruſalem that did ſlay the Prophets, and was ſo injurious, yea, Jeruſalem that put Jeſus Chriſt to death: though all Nation ſhould have Repentance, and Remiſſion of ſins preached to them, yet one would think Jeruſalem now ſhould be excepted; No ſaith Chriſt, begining at Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem ſhall be the firſt place where I'le have preached Repentance and Remiſſion of ſins, even that Jeruſalem that took away my life, I'le have preached Repentance and Remiſſion of ſins there in the very firſt place of all, Oh! Gods mercies are beyond mans iniquities.
My brethren, If the bowels of Gods mercies ſhal work toward us, notwithſtanding our great ſins, why ſhould Uſe. 1.not the bowels of our compaſſions work towards our Brethren, notwithſtanding their infirmities? why ſhould we upon every little diſcontent caſt off all pity and love to our Brethren? What, ſuch great things in us, and yet moves not God to caſt us off, but ſtill, How ſhall I caſt thee off? Oh! when you look upon your Brethren that once your hearts did cloſe withal, and that were as your own ſouls, and if now you ſhould be any inſtruments of evil to them, you ſhould have ſuch reaſonings as this, How ſhall I do it? I ſee infirmities in them, I, but notwithſtanding my great ſins, God ſaith of me, How ſhall I give thee up?
And then Secondly, Why ſhould great afflictions for God hinder your hearts working to him, ſeeing great ſins againſt 2.God doth not hinder Gods heart yerning to you? Why ſhould any great afflictions for God hinder your hearts working twards him? Surely if God will he merciful to us notwithſtanding our ſins, we ſhould go on in the waies of obedience to him notwithſtanding any afflictions that we meet withal for our obedience.
Again, a Second Note is this: Sinners are at the very mouth of miſery, the brink of deſtruction when they think not of Obſ. 2.it, there's nothing but giving of them up.
And then Thirdly, It's nothing but Gods free mercy that Obſ. 3.keeps us from being deſtroyed; le's the Lords mercy that we are not conſumed.
In the Fourth place, Sin puts God to a ſtand; How ſhall Obſ. 4.I do it? It brings diſorder into the world; God muſt ſet his infinit wiſdom on work to bring thing about to his own glory, ſin hath brought diſorder and confuſion; Now ſaith God, I muſt ſet mind infinite wiſdom on work to bring glory out of this confuſion. If God hath any good intentions to thee, know, they ſin laies ſuch difficulties in Gods way to find out a way for thee, as puts him to a kind of ſtand, as thus, For God to find out a way that all the wrong that ſin hath done to him ſhould The incompoſſibility of ſatisfaction & ſalvation, puts God to the higheſt exerciſe of his wiſdom.be made up, and yet thy ſoul ſhould be ſav'd, 'tis the hardeſt thing in the world: Thou canſt commit ſin eaſily, but (I ſay) when the ſin is committed, for God then to find out a way that all that wrong that's done to him ſhould be made up (as it muſt be, for otherwiſe all the diſorder will not be brought into order) and yet thy ſoul ſav'd, it's the hardeſt thing in the world; and were not God, a God infinite in wiſdom, it would put him ſo to it, as he were never able to find out a way. God doth ſeem as it were to be at a ſtand, How ſhall I do to ſave theſe ſinners, and yet not to wrong my ſelf? Oh! this ſhould humble us for our ſins: As if a child ſhould do ſo much evil as to bring himſelf into ſuch bryars and Simile.troubles, as that his tender father being affected with his ſad condition would fain help him, but if he doth help him, he is put to abundance of difficulties for the helping of him, and he is fain to beat his brains, and ſtudy waies and means how he ſhall come to ſave this his child from utter undoing; now if the child hath any ingenuity in him, he will not only think, it's no great matter, ſo be it I be delivered, Oh! but this will break his heart, Oh! what troubles have I brought my father into? It is thus with us in reference to God, if we look upon God thus as perſonating a man.
And then in the Fifth place, The ſalvation of a ſinner Obſ. 5.it breaks through a great many reaſonings and workings of Gods heart.
How ſhall I do it, ſaith God? We little think what reaſonings there are between Mercy and Juſtice about our lives, about our ſouls many times, could we but hear what reaſonings there are in Heaven between Mercy and Juſtice about our lives, Oh! it would go to our hearts: The great ſalvation that comes by Chriſt, it was not determined without many reaſonings between Mercy and Juſtice, there was preſented to God whatſoever Juſtice could ſay, and what ever mercy could ſay; What (ſaith God) muſt my ſon be under my wrath for the ſatisfying of Juſtice, and be made a Curſe? yet this muſt be, Juſtice requires ſatisfaction, How can it be done without the Son of God being made a Curſe for mans ſin? theſe kind of reaſonings there are in the heart of God for ſaving of mans ſoul; in 1 Sam. 16. 8. we reade of Abiſhai, and 1 Sam. 16. 8.Davids reaſoning the caſe about Sauls life; ſaith Abiſhai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand Simile.this day: now therefore let me ſmite him, &c. No, ſaith David, do not ſmite him, do not deſtroy him, and thus they reaſoned one with another; Saul was in a very ill caſe when there was that reaſoning about his life; ſuch a caſe are we in many times, the Juſtice and Mercy of God doth reaſon about our lives, and ſouls, Oh! how do we depend upon God for our lives and ſouls? and if we be ſav'd, we are ſav'd through many reaſonings.
But the main Point of all is this, That according to the relation that a people, a ſinful people, or perſons have unto God, Obſ. 6.So God finds it a difficult thing to execute wrath upon them.
How ſhall I do it? The wrath of God is many times brought to the birth, and God cannot as it were (to ſpeak after the manner of men) know how to put ſtrength to it to bring it forth. This is the reaſon that in Scripture we have ſuch ſending after ſinners, and crying to them, to return, ſuch earneſt wiſhes, Oh! that they would return! and ſuch pleadings with them, They will not come in, and return; This is the reaſon why we reade of the Lord whetting his Sword, and bending his Bow, and preparing his Arrows.
Why, is not God ready at any time to execute judgment upon a ſinner?Queſt.
Oh no, he will be whetting, and bending, and preparing, Anſw.and all becauſe it is a work that he is loth to go through withal (as it were) and this is the reaſon why God will not ſtir up his wrath, or if it be ſtir'd up, he will call it back again. Lament. 3. 33. The Lord afflicts not willingly; neither doth he grieve the children of men; and all this is, becauſe Gods nature is to be merciful, mercy pleaſes The Reaſon.him, and the Lord doth perfectly foreſee, and hath perfectly in his view all the reaſons that might move him to mercy. As now thus: Theſe are the things that makes God to be at a ſtand when he comes to execute judgment upon a people, or perſons that have relation to him, where his Name is profeſſed, and where himſelf is Other Reaſons.worſhiped.
Firſt, This reaſon is preſented, The many prayers of the 1. Prayrs of the Saints.Saints withſtand againſt juſtice. Juſtice muſt break through all the prayers of all the Saints of God that are in ſuch places; and this is not an eaſie matter; we account it not an eaſie matter for to break through a mighty Army; God cannot come to a people that he is related to, and is worſhiped by, but that he muſt break through an Army, Simile.the Army of the prayers of his people; now ſaith God, How ſhall I do it? Oh! it is a mighty Army that is between me and them.
Yea, Secondly, The Lord looks upon ſuch a place 2. The little ones.with pity, Becauſe of the many children and little ones that there are in ſuch a place, yea, the children of his own people. You know when God was about deſtroying of Neniveh, he look'd upon the many thouſands that knew not the difference between the right hand or the left. But when God comes to deſtroy a Kingdom that doth worſhip him, he looks upon thoſe many infants, and the little ones, and ſees them many of the poſterity of his Servants; As they are but littles ones that moves his bowels, they have not been guilty of thoſe ſins that their parents have been guilty of, and they are the little ones of mine own precious Servants, many of them, How ſhall I deſtroy this place, even for their ſakes?
Thirdly, God conſiders that he hath but little worſhip in 3. Few worſhipers.the world, there are but few in the world that do worſhip him at all; and though it's true, there are ſuch mixtures in worſhip here, as in reſpect of that I cannot accept of what they have done, yet it is ſomewhat that I am worſhiped, there are very few in the world that own me to worſhip me at all.
Fourthly, If ever God hath been honored in ſuch a Kingdom 4 Former ſervice to God.by his Saints, either by their doing or ſuffering, the Lord regards all this when he is about to draw out the Sword of judgment. It's true thinks God, there are but few that honor me now, but there are many of my Servants that have done much, and ſuffered much, how many have I that have ſtood out to witneſs for me, and my truth? Certainly my Brethren, the Lord in ſaving any Kingdom when the Kingdom is in danger, if it be a place that he hath been honored in, and that his people have ſuffered much there for his Names ſake, then he remembers it; and there is not a louder argument next to the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, in the ears of God to ſave a place from ruin, than the blood of his people that have been ſhed for him; and therefore ſuch a place is beholding to all that have ſuffered for God.
Fifthly, He accounts what number of his Saints are there: 5 A remnant of Saints.There are yet ſome of them left; And would I have ſaved Sodom if there were but ten righteous perſons? Now I'le reckon how many I have, not ten, or an hundred, but (it may be) God ſhall find thouſands of righteous perſons; now the blood of my Son that pleads for them, and therefore how ſhall I give them up?
Sixthly, I foreſee the miſeries they would endure, Oh! 6. Groans of the afflicted.the very cries are in mine ears already, if I ſhould deliver them up into the hand of their enemies, Oh! the extremity they would endure, how would they be plundered of all they have, put into priſon, put to miſerable torments! Oh! what ſhreekings and cries would there be, even from my people that would worſhip me! And me thinks … ears are fill'd already with their cries beforehand. Many times when we ſpeak of the ſorrows and miſeries of people, before they come we are a little affected with them, but when we are eye-witneſſes of the miſeries of people; as if any of you have ſeen the woful miſeries of thoſe that have been under the power of the adverſaries, then your hearts would be affected indeed: but now all the miſeries that they ſhould endure are preſent before God, as if they were now in real being, and therefore, How ſhall I give them up? And that's the ſixt thing that puts God thus to a ſtand, that makes it hard for him to give up a people that are any way related to him.
Seventhly, The Lord ſees how the adverſaries would inſult; 7 Inſulting of the AdverſaryIf I ſhould deliver them, they will not honor me, they will blaſpheme, they will ſcorn at their prayers, and faſtings, and at all their truſting in God, and at their good cauſe, and what's become of your good cauſe, and of your pretending to God, ſo much as you have done? Now the Lord foreſees theſe blaſphemies and inſultings of the proud adverſaries, how they will triumph, and tread upon his Saints as dirt under their feet.
Eighthly, There are many of mine elect ones that are to 8 Elect in the loins of their parents.come out of their loyns, and therefore though I do not preſerve the Kingdom for their own ſakes, yet for thoſe elect ones that comes out of their loyns; If I ſhould deliver them up to the rage of the enemy, then the line of my election would even be cut aſunder, and therefore, How can I give them up? I ſhall wrong my ſelf in this thing, in cutting aſunder even the very thread of election in giving them up.
Ninthly, If my wrath and juſtice muſt be ſatisſied, let it 9 Other objects of wrath.run out upon others, who will ſet the bryars and thorns before me that I may go through them and burn them up together.
Tenthly, If my Saints be afflicted, it will be my affliction; 10. Gods own affliction.It's true, they will ſuffer very much, but in an their afflictions I muſt be afflicted too; I foreſee what afflictions it will be to mine own Soul.
Eleventhly, I am bound to fetch good out of all their evils. 11 God makes himſelf workSuppoſe I ſhould give them up, yea, but then I muſt work for mine own glory, and fetch out good from all their ſnfferings; And will it not be as eaſie for me to be patient towards them, as to work good from their ſufferings when they are given up? God reaſons in this manner.
Twelfthly, If I deſtroy them, what glory ſhall I have? I 12. Juſtice glorified by othersſhall have the glory of my Juſtice; I, but it will be but paſſively: And will that be much, to have the glory of Juſtice in a paſſive way? I have enough in Hell to glorifie my Juſtice in a paſſive way.
Yea, Laſtly, Why may not Mercy yet work upon their hearts? 13. Mercy may convert.Who knows but if ye I continue the Goſpel amongſt them, and deliver them from thoſe great ſtraights that now they are in, who knows but their hearts may be turned unto me?
Oh! my brethren, I make no queſtion, but at this day Application to England.all theſe reaſonings have been in the heart of God, concerning England. When we have been at the very pits brink, the Lord hath been often ſaying even concerning England, How ſhall I give thee up England? how ſhall I make thee as Admah? and ſet thee as Zeboim? mine heart it turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. At that time when Forces were raiſed (before the Parliament) Inſtances of the workings of Gods heart towards Engl.againſt our Brethren of Scotland, then ſaid the Lord, How ſhall I give thee up? And then at Edge-hill, and at Brainford, and at Newbery, and Marſton-more, and Nazeby-fight, we were at every one of them even at the delivering up to the rage of the Enemy; and then comes in theſe reaſonings of the heart of God, Oh! how ſhall I make them as other people, as Germany, and other people? beſides others in former times, as in 88. and the Pouder-Treaſon; I ſay, there have been the workings of the bowels of God towards us, a poor, wretched and ſinful people. And let us now learn to acknowledg whence our preſervation is; It is not from this man, and the other man, ſo much as from the reaſonings of the heart of God thus for good unto us.
Hence let us learn what to do when any temptation Obſ. 7. For the reſiſting of temptation to ſin, imitate God in the Text.comes to any ſin: What, is it thus with God? doth God ſay when we are in danger of being deſtroyed, how ſhall I do this? Then when any temptation comes to us to ſin againſt God, Oh let us ſay, How ſhall I do this, and ſin againſt God? As Joſeph (you know) it was his reaſoning, when he had as fit an opportunity to fin as almoſt a man could have had, with his Miſtris, yet preſently comes there this reaſoning in his heart, How ſhal I do this, and fin againſt God? Oh! there is reaſon it ſhould be ſo with us, when God hath fit opportunities to deſtroy us, there comes the reaſoning of Gods mercy into his heart; ſo when we have our temptations to ſin, there ſhould com theſe reaſonings into our hearts, Oh! how ſhall I do this, and ſin againſt the Lord our God? Let us preſent al theſe reaſonings to our ſouls. Men wil gather reaſonings for their ſin: and ſo we ſhould gather al the reaſons that poſſibly we can againſt our ſins. It were well my brethren, if men after they have ſinned would ſay, Oh, what have I done? But it's better if men before they have ſinned would ſay, How ſhall I do it? Oh! certainly our mind: are very barren that we have not upon every occaſion when a temptation comes, reaſonings to move us againſt it; Indeed after a ſin is committed, men then can think of this reaſoning, and the other reaſoning, Oh! if God ſhould thus deal with us, Firſt deliver us up and and deſtroy us, and then God ſhould think of this and God reaſons before, not after our evils are upon us.that what might have been to have preſerved us, it would have been ill for us; therfore God, juſt when the danger comes for our ruin, then he thinks of all that might keep off ruin from us: And ſo when the temptation to a ſin comes then ſhould we think of all things that might keep us from this ſin. How ſhall I give thee up Ephraim, &c.
The laſt Exerciſe we opened unto you this verſe, and made ſome Obſervations from it; to proceed now: The next Note is this,
It is not the Image of God in any man to be prone to wrath, to delight in wrath, to be ſudden in, the execution of anger; when Obſ. 8. Proneneſs to wrath, not Gods Image.God comes to execute anger he cannot do it, but he muſt have a how ſhall I do it? before he doth it, he muſt make a ſtop: proneneſs to anger, ſuddenneſs to let out wrath, it is not the Image of God in any man or woman.
When any of you are about to do any thing, eſpecially againſt your Brethren, againſt thoſe that you have Uſe.relation to, be not over paſſionate, reaſon the Caſe firſt in thine own heart, How ſhall I do this? True, I think ſuch and ſuch they are in the wrong, but what good will come of it if I do thus and thus? Are they not thoſe that I have had ſweet converſe with, and experience of their godlineſs? would it not be more for the honor of God if I did forbear? will any good come to the publick? ſhall not I rather ſerve the deſigns of the enemies with ſuch ſharpneſs and bitterneſs? will they not laugh and ſcorn at Religion? Oh! How ſhall I do this? Oh! when we have workings in our own thoughts as bitter as gall, if before we vent them, we would but put this to our ſelves, how ſhall I do this? with preſenting all the arguments that poſſibly we can to ſtop it, much good would come of it.
Yea, Miniſters when they are to preach, when they Miniſters ſhould be wary in uſing tartneſs.have prepared to deliver ſomething, yet if there will be any tartneſs in it, they ſhould think, how ſhould I do this? what may come of it? I may vent my ſelf, but what good may come of it? what glory to God? what good to the Church? We ſhould make many pauſes, and many ſtops to our anger. As ſomtimes when you are traveling abroad in the Country, you come upon ſome Simile.ſteep hill, you ſhall find that the Country men they lay here and there in ſeveral places ſomething to ſtop the Current of the water, for otherwiſe it would gore too much, if it ſhould run down ſwiftly, but when it hath ſome ſtop it doth not do ſo much hurt: Oh! how doth the anger of men gore deep; why? becauſe it runs headily, and violently down, and it hath nothing to ſtop it. Men in anger they are very full of thoughts, and reſolutions, and continually all the reaſonings of the hearts of men and women in their anger tend to nothing elſe but to heat their hearts more, all their thoughts work that way, till their hearts are made fiery hot, and ſo they burſt out and cannot ſtay, they muſe upon nothing elſe but that that may further their anger and diſpleaſure: And The effects of Anger.thoſe that are barren enough in their thoughts otherwiſe, yet are very quick in invention, and wittie for the letting out of anger and wrath. But this would be your wiſdom had you the Image of God prevailing in you, when you find anger ſtirring in your boſom, you would rather muſter up reaſons that may allay your anger, that may qualifie it, you would muſe upon thoſe things that may ſerve to be a ſtop to it for the preſent, as God doth here: Oh! did men but do ſo, ſay, How ſhall I do this? what peace and quiet might we have among us!
A Ninth Obſervation is this; you ſee when God, though he threatned very ſorely, and charges deeply, yet, How ſhall I do this? He reaſons in his own heart for waies of mercy towards his people. The Note from it is this;
Here we have encouragement, plentiful encouragement to come Obſ. 9. Encouragement to Prayer & Faith.to God in prayer in ſeeking mercy, notwithſtanding our wretchedneſs, and ſinfulneſs, yea, encouragement for beleeving, This Scripture may be a mighty help to faith in our prayers, ſeeking of our reſting upon God, as thus, What, doth God find it hard to him to execute wrath, doth God muſter up all arguments that may be to ſtop his anger, and how he may manifeſt goodneſs and mercy? why then if thou haſt any arguments to plead with God for mercy, thou mayeſt come up with boldneſs, and freedom to him, he is ready to receive it, for thou bringeſt unto him that which is exceedingly ſutable to him, ſutable to his very heart, thou bringeſt matter to him that is agreeable to what his heart is ſet upon; what, doeſt thou apprehend the diſpleaſure of God out againſt thee, or againſt the Land where God hath any relation? haſt thou any arguments at all in prayer to plead with God, For ſo God gives his Creature leave to plead with him as if he were a man; Oh! come (I ſay) with a free ſpirit, come cheerfully, come with encouragement, for thou comeſt now to do that which Gods heart is full of; If ſo be that a man could know the thoughts of other men, know what thoughts their ſpirits are moſt full of, and could come at that time and ſuggeſt thoughts unto them ſutable to what their thoughts are upon, what entertainment would they have, why ſurely, when poor ſinners (if they be penitent ſinners) ſhall come to God and ſuggeſt any arguments for mercy, I ſay thou doeſt ſuggeſt that which the heart of God was full of, and exceedingly ſutable to it, The ſame thing that thou pleadeſt, mercy is pleading already, and mercy carries on thoſe arguments with a great deal more ſtrength than thou art able to do, but it takes it well at thy hand to preſent any to it, Thou art loth to periſh, and God is as loth thou ſhouldeſt periſh, if God give thee a heart to come to him to ſtop wrath, thou comeſt to him to do a work exceeding acceptable to him, 'tis as acceptable to God, ſuch a work, as it can be acceptable unto thee: when thou apprehendeſt Judgment ready to be executed, look up to mercy, Advice when the blow is comingit may … the holy Ghoſt may raiſe an act of faith, and this act of faith will ſet bowels on work, the bowels of God are very ready to work; That which is very ready to work, a little thing will ſet it on work; I ſay, Gods bowels are very ready to work in the waies of grace and mercy towards ſinners, and the leaſt act of faith in that mercy, would certainly ſet bowels on work a main: Mercy calls thee to help, Mercy hath been pleading a great while, and Juſtice pleading; Mercy calls thee in to help, and aſſiſt her to plead for thee, and who knows but the caſting voice ſtaies for thy coming in, though The caſting voice, Prayer.there hath been pleadings in Gods heart, yet the diſpenſations of God may be ſuch as the caſting voice ſhall not come till thy pleadings be come in, and then the buſineſs may be determined as it was here.
The Tenth Obſervation is this, Oh conſider the different Obſ. 10.dealings of the Father with his Son; let our Meditations be raiſed from this, Doth the bowels of God thus work towards poor ſinners, pleading for them when wrath is ready to be executed, then we may here ſee the great difference between Gods dealings with his Saints, and with his Son. When God comes to deliver his people, theſe that he had relation to, where he had ſome of his Saints, and for their ſakes he ſpeaks this, he ſaith, How ſhall I deliver thee? We do not find that God ſaid ſo concerning his Son, God did deliver up his Son unto wrath without a How ſhall I do it, yea, the Heart of God was in it, there's no ſuch expreſſion of reluctancie about this work, but the Scripture ſaith that it pleaſed God to bruiſe him; It pleaſed him well, it was an act that pleaſed God to bruiſe his Son: Indeed it was for glorious ends that he had in it; why ſo? God might have ends enough for to bring forth his glory in our bruiſing; but yet notwithſtanding any ends that he might bring about, he ſaith, How ſhall I do it? God doth not delight to grieve the children of men, but God did grieve his Son, he bruiſed him, and it pleaſed him to bruiſe him. You ſhall find ſuch an expreſſion in Iſa. 53. and in Pſal. 40. In the volumn Iſa. 53.of the book it is written of me, that I ſhould do thy will: It was the will of God that Chriſt ſhould come and ſuffer what he did; when Ephraim was bemoaning himſelf, Góds bowels were troubled within him, he doth let the rod fall out of his hand, in Jer. 31. 19, 20. When Ephraim Jer. 31. 19, 20was bemoaning himſelf; mark how Gods bowels there works, but the Scripture ſaith That God did not ſpare his Son; God would ſpare Ephraim; Jeſus Chriſt did bemoan himſelf when he cried out, If it be poſſible, let this Cup paſs from me: and, Oh God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? Oh what a bemoaning of himſelf was this! and yet in Rom 8. 32. God ſpared not his own Son, he did not ſpare with Rom. 8. 32.him, notwithſtanding all the moans that he made unto him, but he delivered him up. Here we reade of the repentings of God that are kindled, and divers times in Scripture of Gods repenting of the execution of Juſtice upon ſinners, but when he ſpeaks of Chiſt, I have made him a Prieſt for ever, that is, ſo as he ſhould be a Sacrifice, both the Prieſt to offer, and the Sacrifice its ſelf, in Heb. 7. 21. The Lord ſware, and will not repent: Oh certainly it was from this work of God, the delivering up of his Son, that the Lord hath ſuch working of bowels towards ſinners when wrath comes to be executed, to ſay, How ſhall I give thee up?
Yet further, If the heart of God doth thus work towards ſinners when they are ready to be given up, yea towards thoſe that are very evil, for ſo theſe were, Their hearts bent to back-ſliding; Hence then we may learn.
That the State of the Saints that walk cloſe with God muſt needs be very ſecure; If the Lord deals thus with rebellious Obſ. 11.Sons, what will he do with a Son that ſerves him, that walks cloſe with him? though a Son very vile, very ſinful, yet there is a how ſhall I give thee up? Oh then, thou whoſe conſcience witneſſes of thy ſincere endeavor in walking cloſe with God continually, know that thy eſtate muſt needs be ſecure.
Yea further, if this be ſo, Surely whenſoever God delivers Obſ. 12.up his own people to any judgments, there's ſome great matter in it; ſome great matter in it, for never doth any affliction come unto them, but it breaks through many reaſonings of Gods heart, God intends ſome great matter; Doth judgment begin at the houſe of God? It is becauſe the Lord hath ſome great intents to bring forth, it is not becauſe the Lord takes pleaſure in the moans of his people, in the ſorrows and ſufferings of his Servants, but it is becauſe he intends ſome great things; for certainly theſe bowels of compaſſion would not let ſuch ſore and grievous evils paſs, if there were not ſome great ends and purpoſes of God to bring about.
And yet further, hence obſerve, The difference between Obſ. 13.the day of patience, and the times of wrath: for the ſakes of thoſe that were godly here, Gods patience ſpeaks thus towards the body of the People, and ſo was patient and long-ſuffering towards them. There is a time that God wile laugh at the deſtruction of ſinners, and he will mock when their fear cometh, when he will execute his wrath, and be comforted as the Scripture ſpeaks: There is a time indeed when God ſaith, How ſhall I give them up? but there is another time wherein God doth give forth the wine of his wrath, The Wine, it doth delight the Lord as Wine doth unto a man, when indignation ſhall Rev. 14. 10. illuſtrated.be as Wine to God, then mercy and patience ſhall hold their peace, for they have then their glory already, they will never ſpeak more, but turn over the ſinner unto Juſtice, yea, pleads unto Juſtice againſt the ſinner.
And then laſtly, Seeing that God comes off thus, when he Obſ. 14.is about the letting out of wrath, making ſuch ſtops as he doth, then ſurely we ſhould not haſten Judgment againſt our ſelves; but let us make uſe of theſe dealings of God for the breaking of our hearts, and cauſing them to return unto him; let not us aſſiſt Juſtice to our own deſtruction, ſeeing Mercy pleads (as it were) againſt the execution of it, let us take heed of new provocations, when God is about the letting out of his wrath, let not us pull it upon our own heads, ſeeing God keeps off, and forbears, let not us haſten it (I ſay) and pul it upon our own heads. If Sodom Note.had but known Gods reaſonings with Abraham in the behalf of it, one would have thought it might have broke the very hearts of Sodom. And let us conſider of the reaſonings of God in this, and lay them to our hearts for the breaking of our hearts, and think thus with our ſelves, Lord, why ſhould it be ſo hard with thee to deliver me up, when it is ſo eaſie with me to ſin againſt thee? there's no pleadings hath ſtop'd me in the courſe of my ſin, the Word hath pleaded, Conſcience hath often pleaded, but I have not been ſtop'd in the courſe of my ſin; Oh! why ſhould any pleadings ſtop thee in the courſe of thy wrath? The Lord cauſe ſuch kind of workings to be in our hearts for the breaking of them, Conſidering, that indeed it is through the pleadings of Mercy that any of us are alive, that we are out of the nethermoſt Hell. And thus much for thoſe words, How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? how ſhall I deliver thee Iſrael? It follows; How ſhall I make thee as Admah, and ſet thee as Zeboim?
I opened the words the laſt day, what is meant by Admah and Zeboim, the two Cities that were neer to Sodom and Gomorah, that were deſtroyed in the ſame deſtruction.
The Notes of Obſervation follow.
Firſt, That Gods people may be in danger of as ſore and great Obſ. 1evils as the vileſt and worſt of men, their ſin may have ſuch agravations upon them, as may make them liable for the preſent in this world to as ſore & great evils as the worſt of mankind. For indeed, the aggravations of the ſins of the Saints are ſuch as makes their ſins, if God ſhould deal with them according to a Covenant of Works, and not in a Covenant of Grace, their condition would be ſadder than the moſt wicked and vile: In Amos, 9. 7. ſaith God there, Are ye not as the children of the Ethiopians unto me? You have had (indeed) deliverances, and ſo have they, And are you not unto me as the children of the Ethiopians? What are you better than the children of the Ethiopians unto me, if I ſhould look upon you as in your ſelves; Therefore in Iſa. 1. 10. The Princes of Judah are called the Princes of Sodom; and the people, the people of Gomorah: And in Lament. 4. 6. The puniſhment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the puniſhment of the ſin of Sodom. Ezek. 16. 48. As I live, ſaith the Lord, Sodom thy ſiſter hath not done, ſhe, nor her daughters, as thou haſt done, thou, and thy daughters. [As I live] God ſwears to Note.it, that Sodom was not guilty of ſuch great ſins.
You will ſay, Yea, but we are delivered from ſuch evils, Object.by being under another Covenant.
Yea, but that ſhould not at al hinder the work of your Anſw.humiliation, but rather further it, conſidering what you are in your ſelves.
Secondly, When ſinners are at the worſt, and the neereſt Obſ. 2.Judgment, yet bowels of mercy are working towards them, when they do deſerve to be as Admah and Zeboim, even then. This Note riſes from hence: but we had it alſo from the dependance of the words.
Thirdly, Thoſe that have relation to God have a great priviledge Obſ. 3.that others have not: Thus: As if God ſhould ſay, Let Admah and Zeboim periſh if they will, let Fire and Brimſtone come from Heaven, and Eternal Fire purſue them, what care I for Admah and Zeboim: But how ſhall I make thee as Admah and Zeboim? Oh! I know not how to find in my heart to make thee ſo. Thoſe that have relation to God have a great priviledge that others duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page have not; God diſpoſes his Mercies as he pleaſes.
It may be ſome of you think that your ſins are not ſo Uſe of Admonition.great, or not greater than the ſins of others, and therefore you may eſcape as well as they. No, you may miſtake in that, God may ſave ſome that are guilty of greater ſins than you, and yet damn you, damn you for ſins leſs than the other. Gods mercy is his own; If God wil deſtroy Admah and Zeboim eternally; who can ſay againſt Gods dealings with them? But, how ſhall I make thee as Admah and Zeboim? God knows how to make a difference between man and man. Let no man preſume, and ſay, Becauſe others commit as great ſins as I, I may eſcape aſwel as they; No, thou reckoneſt in this without thine Hoſt; God may make a great difference between his dealingswith them, and with thee, and do thee no wrong neither; for the mercies of God are his own.
Fourthly, Seeing God is loth to make his people like to others, Obſ. 4.like to the wicked and reprobates in puniſhments, let not them make themſelves like to them in ſin. Doth God put a difference between Reprobates and his People in puniſhment? Oh! let the Saints then labor to put a difference between themſelves and ſuch as are of the world in matter of ſin, let that be no argument to them, Such and ſuch do thus, and why may not I do ſo …oo? that's no argument with God; I have deſtroyed ſuch and ſuch, and why may not I deſtroy thee? that argument wil not prevail with God. Thou committeſt ſuch a ſin, and I have ſome in Hell that I ſent thither for the ſame ſin: but this argument prevails not with God: Oh! let not ſuch an argument prevail with thee, that becauſe ſuch and ſuch ſin, therefore I will venture too.
A Fifth Note is, Though God be never ſo inclined to mercy, Obſ. 5.yet this doth not hide from his eyes the ſins of his own people, he ſtill ſees them, he ſees what they are in themſelves, and he ſees what would become of them if they were left to themſelves: Now I am in a way of mercy towards you, yet I look upon you now as ſuch as have deſerved to be as Admah and Zeboim, do not think that becauſe my mercy works towards you, that therefore your ſins are not before my eyes, I know your iniquities, and yet am gracious and merciful.
And is it ſo? Neither then ſhould the hope, or encouragement Uſe. Direction.of mercy from God hide our ſins from us: As the thoughts of Gods mercies to us do not hide our ſins from him, ſo our hope of mercy from God ſhould not hide our ſins from our own eyes, but at the ſame time when we think of the greateſt mercy, yet we ſhould look upon our ſelves as the moſt wretched, miſerable, forlorn Creatures in our ſelves. It follows. My heart is turned within me, my Repentings are kindled together.
The word here tranſlated [Turned] it ſignifies ſome great ſtirring, ſome change into another condition. And foreignthat expreſſion of God here, My heart is turned, it is not Expoſ. 1.only to note, (according as I ſee ſeveral Interpreters go) that God doth change the ſentence of his wrath, yet without any change in Gods Nature, for the ſame God working upon divers objects, works in a diverſe way without any change in himſelf, ſo that though there were thoſe things that might have produced wrath, and reaſoning for it, and (God ſpeaking after the manner of men as it were) inclinations to it, yet upon ſuch conſiderations it ſhould not be, and though this would be a change in man, yet God is infinitly above us, and we are not able to know his Nature, this is without any change in him.
But I think the words beſides that, it ſpecially hath another 2. The Authors.ſcope, and that is to note the ſtrong affections (as it were) in God, for ſo in all this we muſt ſpeak of him after the manner of men, to note the ſtrong affections that there were in the heart of God; as now, We know that ſtrong affections in us, whether they be affections of Love, or of Joy, or of Anger, They carry the heart along with them, and cauſe very ſtrong motions in the heart. I'le give you one Scripture that hath this very phraſe, that will ſhew you the meaning is not, Turned within me, that is, in a way of change ſo much; as to note ſtrong motions that there are in the heart of God towards ſinners: Lam. 1. 20. there the Church is lamenting for her ſin, and expreſſing the mighty workings of heart that ſhe did feel in her ſelf by reaſon of her ſin, and of her affliction, and you have there the ſame expreſſion that you have here: I am in diſtreſs, my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me. The meaning is not there, that I am changed in my heart, ſo as I am turned from my ſin; But, My heart is turned within me, that is, I find a mighty moving in my heart through the mighty workings of it, and the ſtrong affections of my heart, (as we ſay ſometimes) You make my heart to leap in my belly, or pant, or ach within me. Any kind of ſtrong affections makes ſtrong ſtirrings in the heart. So 'tis here, My heart is turned within me, I find mighty ſtrong motions and ſtirrings in my heart.
The Notes.
Firſt, When there are ſtrong movings of the heart of a penitent after God, ſuch an one may be very well encouraged to come Obſ. 1.to God, for there are ſtrong motions in Gods heart after him. My heart is turned, there are mighty ſtrong movings in my heart for mercy to you, do you find ſuch movings in your hearts as you never were acquainted withal before? before your hearts lay dead, and dull, and nothing would ſtir your hearts; and now you find your hearts mightily ſtirring and working; Doth your hearts work ſtrongly towards God? be encouraged in thoſe ſtirrings, there are as ſtrong ſtirrings in Gods heart towards ſinners.
And then ſecondly, Let arguments to obedience for God cauſe ſtirrings in our hearts; let them not lie dead and dull Obſ. 2.in us: As Arguments for mercy, Oh! how ſtirring are they in Gods heart! If any argument for mercy towards finners be propounded, the heart of God mightily ſtirs, Oh! what arguments do you meet withal coming from the Word many times, that one would think might work upon the heart of a Devil to draw to obedience, and yet your hearts lie dead, and dull under all thoſe powerful arguments, Oh! how unſutable are your hearts to God! Do you expect that Gods heart ſhould work ſtrongly towards you to do you good, and yet nothing ſtir in you?
And then Thirdly, My heart turned within me; we Obſ. 3.muſt not caſt out wholly the ſence that's given of it; Turned in reſpect of the revoking of the ſentence.
The Note is: When we have reſolutions, ſtrong reſolutions to that that's evil, let us not think it too much to have our hearts turned, to recall our thoughts, and our determinations, and our ſtrong inclinations: Many times men have ſtrong reſolutions to a thing, and they ſee arguments that might turn them, but only this, They have reſolved, and they are loth to change their thoughts and reſolutions: Oh! take heed of this, for God expreſſes himſelf after the manner of men, there have been many times ſtrong reſolutions to have deſtroyed thee eternally, but the Lord doth that which man would do when he changes his reſolutions, though there be no change in Gods Nature; and he would by expreſſing himſelf after this manner to us, hold forth this Note, That we ſhould take heed we ſtand not upon our reſolutions when there are arguments to the contrary, but be willing to have it known that now we are otherwiſe than before we were. My repentings are kindled together.
Surely God repents not as man doth. But you know the anſwer of Divines; viz. That his adminiſtrations are ſuch as if he did repent: But the word here tranſlated Repenting, comes from aforeign … Conſolat poenituit, &c. foreignroot that ſignifies as well Comfort, as Repentance, noting that Repentance and Comfort are very neer a kin one to another: as the Hebrews expreſs Sin, and Puniſhment with the ſame word; ſo they expreſs Repentance and Comfort with the ſame word.
My Repentings are kindled. My bowels yern within me; ſo that expreſſion you have in Gen. 43. 30. Joſephs bowels did yern within him. And 1 Kings, 9. 26. The mother of the child when ſhe ſaw it would be cut pieces, her bowels yerned; the word yerned there, is the ſame here with kindled, her bowels kindled within her, ſhe found a heat in her bowels. They are kindled [together.]
Whatſoever might cauſe any Repentings, they all come together, they lie glowing at the heart. The Notes Expoſ.are theſe Three,
Firſt, Here's mighty encouragement for prayer; when we Obſ. 1preſent arguments to God for mercy, to think, that thoſe arguments we preſent, and all other that poſſibly may be preſented they lie glowing at Gods heart, they lie glowing warm at the heart of God; they are not only before God, but there they lie as a company of ſticks that are gotten together and ſo glow and are ready to flame out; ſo all conſiderations that any way may ſerve to do good unto the Saints, they do lie glowing at the heart of God altogether. It may be ſometimes we come in prayer, alas we are ſtraightned in our own bowels, perhaps we cannot expreſs our ſelves, it may be but in one or two particulars we are able to expreſs, and that which comes out of our hearts comes very cold; but when we are ſtraigtned in our own bowels, and can expreſs but little for our ſelves, and if we ſee ſuch as belongs to Gods Covenant, we muſt know that all conſiderations that poſſibly men and Angels can expreſs, that may do thee good they are all with God, and are in a heat in Gods heart. I do not know ſuch a full expreſſion as this is of Repentings The Text remarkable.kindled; kindled together.
Then Secondly, Let us gather as many arguments as we Obſ. 2.can to cauſe repentance, and lay them together, and never leave working them upon our hearts till we find them kindled: Surely there's all the reaſon for it in the world; Doth the Lord gather all together that may be for our good, and lay them upon his heart, and there keep them to his heart till they kindle and work powerful workings upon his heart for good to us? then, when we would repent, (for there's reaſon that we ſhould repent as well as expect that God ſhould for us) we ſhould be gathering all arguments that poſſibly can be, and never leave till we find them kindled and warm at our hearts.
Oh! many of you, at ſome times you have one argument Note.that ſticks at your hearts, and at another time there's another; at ſuch a time there was ſome one truth darted in, and it took your hearts, and you would ſay as thoſe that went to Emaus, Did not we find our hearts burn within us? ſo you found Truths coming in at ſuch a Sermon, and at another, and another; yea, but now could you get but all thoſe arguments that ever God did dart into you to waies of repentance, could you but get them together, and work them upon your hearts, and never leave till they be kindled, and be crying to God as Eliſha did, till he got fire to come from Heaven to conſume the Sacrifice: Oh Lord, my heart hath a deal of waterie ſtuff in it that will not kindle, till the fire of the holy Ghoſt come to kindle theſe arguments and make them to burn; Oh! if it were with us, as David in Pſal. 39. 31. ſaith he, While I was muſing, my heart was hot within me, and the fire burned: ſo we ſhould go into our cloſets and be gathering all things together that we can to work upon our hearts, and continue mufing till we find the fire burning within us. Nay, our hearts heat ſo, as to break forth with our tongues, and even to ſay from our ſouls, Well, the Lord is God, it is he that is worthy for ever to be feared, and honored, and ſerv'd, I have lived like a baſe, and ſinful, wretched creature, without a God in the world, but it's the Lord that is God, that is worthy to be honored, from my Bodie, and Soul, and Eſtate, and Name, and Liberty, and Life, and whatſoever I am, or can do; now if it would break forth in ſuch a reſolution, how excellent would it be? Oh! let us be humbled I beſeech you for the coldneſs of our hearts, that nothing can kindle there; What a damp is there upon our ſpirits, that when any argument is laid it goes out preſently? We have Truths laid upon us when we come to Note.the Word, but our dampie hearts quenches them all, they do not kindle; many are wittie enough to gather arguments for ſin, and lay them upon their hearts, and ſo to kindle wickedneſs in their hearts, as in Pſal. 41. 6. Pſa. 41. 6. Openedyou have a notable Scripture there of wicked men that came to David, They gathered iniquity in their hearts; all things that might ſute with their wicked hearts, and for the furtherance of their ungodly waies they gathered them together for the encouraging, and ſtrengthening of them in their evil waies: But it ſhould be the care of the Saints to gather all things that might further repentance in them; That's the reaſon why wicked men are ſo hot in that that's evil, They gather arguments together; and hence it is that wicked men when they have been in wicked company they come from it ſo hot in their reſolutions Company heals whether evil,to ſin, Why? becauſe they have gathered a great deal together for the heating of their hearts in their ſin; and ſo ſhould the Saints when they are together in a holy communion and fellowſhip, they ſhould be gathering or good.one from another, every one come and afford ſomething to lay (as it were) to kindle the fire, But how? laying their light ends together, and not their dead ends together.
And then the Third Note is this, Our mercies to others Obſ. 3.ſhould not be cold, but burning: Let us be merciful, as our Heavenly Father is merciful: That is, Not only wiſhing good to others, but let there be kindled mercies in our bowels, that we may not be able to keep them in. I ſuppoſe many of you, eſpecially of eſtates, have had many thoughts, that you would do this and this for ſuch good uſes, and you ſee ſome reaſon why it ſhould be ſo; yea, but now, have theſe arguments burnt in your hearts, ſo as to cauſe you to break forth into reſolutions? Well, though I have had thoughts and inclinations to make uſe of my eſtate thus and thus, yet I have been kept off, but now they are kindled in my heart, and I am reſolved upon it. Thus it was with God; and let it be ſo with you. And thus much for the Eighth Verſe. The Ninth follows.