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An Exposition of Hosea 11-13 · Jeremiah Burroughs

An Exposition of Hosea 11-13, Exposition · Chapter 13 · Verse 11

VER. 11.

I gave them a King in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.

THEY were readie to ſay, Why do you thus blame us for our eager deſire? Did not God approve Cohaeranceof it? God himſelf was content we ſhould have one, God himſelf choſe our firſt King, Saul, and he appointed Samuel to anoint him. And if you underſtand it of the other King Jeroboam, for ſo Interpreters go, they might ſay, and Jeroboam alſo; Did not God foretel by the Prophet, that Jeroboam ſhould have ten Tribes? and did not the Man of God tell us that this was from the Lord? and therefore why ſhould you ſo much upbraid us about our Kings? it is the mind and will og God that we ſhould have them.

The anſwer of the Prophet is: It's true, God did give you a King, and God did appoint Samuel to anoint him, and God did foretel that Jeroboam ſhould be King over the ten Tribes: Yea, but it was in his anger, he gave you one indeed, but it was in his anger, you were ſo ſet upon it, that you would have one, if you will, take him ſaith God, and take him with all that ſhall follow after, ſo that it was (as one ſpeaks) rather from an angry God than from a God that was intreated by them in a Abirato, potius quàm ab exorato Deo.way of Prayer.

There are many exceeding uſeful Obſervations here, which time will not give leave to go through all, even from the firſt part. I gave them a King in mine Anger.

Saul and Jeroboam was given in anger, thoſe primarily, as a puniſhment of their ſin: Saul was given as a puniſhment of their ſin in rejecting Samuel, and in their diſobedience to Samuel, and the way of Government that they had then. And Jeroboam was given as a puniſhment of their ſin of Idolatry, that was committed in Solomon's time, [as alſo of their Rebellion and Apoſtacie] And yet it's ſaid, that God did it.

The Firſt Note may be this: That God may have a hand Obſ. 1.in things wherein men ſin exceedingly. They ſin'd in geting a King, they ſin'd exceedingly in ſetting up Jeroboam, and yet God hath ſuch a hand in it, as he ſaith he, gave them theſe things. I remember Mr Calvin hath an excellent Note upon this very Scripture. And I rather name it, becauſe the Adverſaries would caſt that aſperſion on him, That he held that God was the author of ſin. Saith he, *Ex hoc loco diſcimus Deum ſic exercere ſua judicia utquicquid mali eſt, debeat hominibus aſcribi: Deus videtur hoc totum dirigere ſua providentia, diſcamus admirars ſobriè, arcana Dei judicia, ne que imitemur impuros iſtos canes qui obga: niunt, quia non peſſuat agnoſcere quomodo Deus utatur etiam improbis hominibus, quia hoc non percipuint, concludunt, Dominum eſſe cauſa peccait. Cals. in loc.From this place we learn, That God doth ſo exerciſe his judgments, that whatſoever evil there is, it is to be aſcribed to men; whatſoever good, to himſelf: God ſeems to direct this work wholly to his own Providence: from hence let us learn ſoberly to admire the ſecret Judgments of God; neither let us imitate thoſe impure dogs; Impure dogs, what are they that do therefore grin and bark at God, becauſe they cannot underſtand how God doth uſe wicked men; Becauſe they underſtand not this, they conclude that God is the cauſe of ſin. He cals them the impure dogs, becauſe they underſtand not how God doth work in making uſe of wicked men, that God is the author and cauſe of ſin. His ſpirit was was much againſt this, and therefore it was an extream ſlander upon him, as if he ſhould hold ſuch an opinion. That's the firſt. God may have an hand in things wherein men ſin extreamly, and yet he remain holy.

Secondly, Things that are very evil, yet may …eſent Obſ. 2.ſucceſs. It was a very evil thing for them to deſire a King at this time, and likewiſe for the People to rend from the houſe of David, yet both of them had ſucceſs according to their own deſire.

Let us learn for ever not to judge of the goodneſs of a thing by Succeſs no note of a good cauſe.the ſucceſs of it. Say ſome, I'le warrant you we will have this; and if they get what they deſire, they think God approves of it: They may deſire a thing, and be ſet upon it, and though much be ſaid to the contrary, yet they may drive on their deſigns, and proſper in it: But this is no argument that God owns it as good, never judge of things by ſucceſs.

And then the Third point, and that wil require ſome time indeed to ſpeak to, and that is, That Gods gifts are Obſ. 3.not alwaies in love. I gave them a King ſaith he, but in mine anger. Gods gifts are not alwaies in love; no, they are in anger many times: Reade but the 11. of Numbers, 18. 20. you ſhall find there of God giving people their deſires. He lets them have them, but how? Say thou unto the People, Sanctifie your ſelves againſt to morrow, and ye ſhal eat fleſh, for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord, ſaying, Who ſhall give us fleſh to eat? Therefore the Lord will give you fleſh. You have wept and cried, ſaying, Who ſhal give us fleſh? The Lord wil give you fleſh, And, ye ſhall not eat one day, nor two daies, nor five daies, neither ten daies, nor twenty daies, but a whol month ſhal you eat it, til it comes out at your noſtrils; you ſhall have enough of it, even till it be loathſom to you: Why? Becauſe you have deſpiſed the Lord, which is among you: The Lord gave them their deſires, becauſe they had deſpiſed him. So you are ready to bleſs your ſelves in this: I have what I would have, and think that therefore God regards you, that God gives you what you would deſire, becauſe you have ſinned againſt him; Dando Iraſcitur, non dando miſeretur. Auguſt.whereas if he were not angry with you, he would not give it. Saith Auguſtin, God many times in giving is Angry, in denying is Merciful. It is becauſe he is angry that he gives you ſuch things as-you would have. There's the ſame in Pſal. 78. 29, 30. and ſo on, There it appears how God gave them fleſh according to their deſires, but while the meat was in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them. It is a moſt excellent point, if we had time a little to open it, Oh it might quiet our deſires: for that I had thought to have ſpoken to, how we might know when a Thing is given in Gods Anger, or in his Love, the ſeveral waies of Gods giving; you may come to know whether a thing be given in Love or in Anger, by ſeeing the waies of things, and comparing one thing with another, you may come to know much of God in it.

But only now let me leave this with you about it, Take heed of immoderate deſires for any worldly thing: To Take heed of immoderate deſires.ſay, I muſt, and I will, and I will have it; when ever you find your hearts ſtrongly riſing to a thing that you muſt needs have, then be afraid, be afraid of having it, as much as you were of having any thing in your lives; no man or woman can have any comfort in anie thing as coming from Gods Love until they can firſt quiet their hearts, and be willing to be at Gods diſpoſe, to be willing to be without it, that's one main ſign of giving in Gods Anger, or in Love: When as a man or woman finds an eager deſire after a thing, Oh it is verie ſutable to ſuch and ſuch a purpoſe; yea, but now if I can go alone and conſider that God is wiſer than I, and knows what's beſt for me; if I can labor to work my heart to this, Lord, if it be good for me, then I deſire it; but if thou ſeeſt it would not be good, then Lord, here I am, do with me what ſeems good in thine eyes, as David did: Surely nature could not but work ſtrongly, yet ſaith David, If the Lord hath any pleaſure in me, he will bring me again 2 Sam. 15. 25, 26.to this City &c. but if he ſhall ſay, I have no pleaſure in thee, lo, here I am, let him do what ſeemeth him good in his eyes. Yea, this was a thing indeed, and no queſtion this temper of Davids heart in his affliction was the thing that did ſo much help him in enlargement to praiſe God, when he returned to the Ark and Citie again: Had David kept a ſtir, and fretting, and vexing, and what, muſt I go from the Citie of Jeruſalem! and how doth God deal with me! and I am reſolved though it coſt me my life I will return to Jeruſalem and take poſſeſſion of the Citie, whatſoever comes of it; perhaps David might have gotten thither, but there would not have been ſo much love of God in it, as when he could give up himſelf to Gods diſpoſe. And ſo if this people could have ſaid thus, It's true Lord, thou art our King, but we are deſpiſed becauſe we are governed by men of ſuch Note.mean qualitie, and the truth is, God had promiſed them a King alſo, and therefore it was not ſuch an evil thing to deſire a King, but ſo eagerly, they would have him now, if they had been but quiet, and ſaid, Lord, thou telleſt us in thy Word of a King that we ſhall have, Lord, fulfil this thy Word, and for the preſent we are content to ſubmit to thee, as long as thou thinkeſt fit; now it may be God would have given them a King, or preſently after, and ſo they might have had a holy and gracious King; but they muſt have him now, and ſo they had him with the anger of God. You know the ſtorie of Rachel, Oh! give me children or elſe I die. So ſhe had a child and ſhe died; though it was not in Gods anger as an Enemie, yet it was a Fatherly anger. Oh! think but of this, you women that are ſo deſirous of children, or any outward bleſſing, you that are deſirous of altering your condition. How manie in altering their Eſtate, as in Marriage, they muſt needs alter it, and to this partie, and ſuch a one they muſt needs have, although they beg their bread all their daies, and although Parents againſt it, and though they cannot ſee evidences of grace. Now ſaith God, you ſhall have it, you ſhall joyn together, I, and you ſhall work your own miſerie by this eagerneſs of your ſpirit. Oh Brethren, let us learn to be moderate in our deſires, and commit our deſires and heart to God. I gave them a King in mine anger, and took him away Text.in my wrath.

The laſt Exerciſe, there was only theſe Two or Three Obſervations named.

Firſt, That God may have a hand in things wherein men do 1.ſin exceedingly.

Secondly, Things that are very evil may have ſucceſs according 2.to the hearts of men for a time.

The Third thing was this; That Gods Gifts are not alwaies 3.in Love.

Now becauſe it is a great Point, there are Two things that I ſhall deſire to do

Firſt, To ſhew to you, How a man may know that what God doth give him, it is in anger and not in love.

And then Secondly, Some CORRALARIES to be drawn from it; but very briefly in both.

For the Firſt then, How we may come to know a thing to be given by God in anger rather than in love. It is a verie It is hard to convince men when they have their deſires, that it is not in love.hard thing to convince men, if they have their deſires ſatisfied that it is rather from anger than love; Men are ſo well pleaſed with the ſatisfying of their deſires that they can verie hardlie be convinc'd but that God intends good to them in it, and therefore you ſhall find in 1 Sam. 12. 17. that God was fain to do a great and wonderful work of his to convince this people that, that which he gave them there (Saul) it was in anger rather than in love, Is it not Wheat Harveſt to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he ſhall ſend thunder, and rain, that you may perceive and ſee that your wickedneſs is great which ye have done in the ſight of the Lord, in asking you a King. Samuel had before in Chap. 8. told them of their ſin in asking a King, but they would not be convinced, ſtill they muſt have a King. Now ſaith Samuel, It is Wheat Harveſt, and whereas the people of the Jews were never wont to have rain in Harveſt time, it was a ſtrange and wonderful thing for them to have rain then: But though it be Harveſt-time, yet it ſhall rain and thunder, and all to the end that you may be convinced of yourgreat wickedneſs in asking you a King. They had not only had their deſires granted before this time, but as they thought had ſome confirmation Note.of their deſires; for Saul had proſpered after he had been a King: but yet for all that (ſaith he) I will give you an evident demonſtration that it is not in love that you have him, but it was your great wickedneſs in ſeeking you a King. And Samuel called upon the Lord (ſaith the text) and the Lord ſent thunder and rain that day. And then in verſ. 19. All the people ſaid to Samuel, Pray for thy ſervants unto the Lord thy God that we die not, for we have added unto all our ſins this evil, To ask us a King: Now we do acknowledg it to be a very great and ſore evil indeed, though our King hath proſpered a while, yet God ſhews us now that it is an evil. And by this you may ſee that it is hard for men to be convinced when they have according to their hearts deſires, that it is in Anger rather than in Love.

But to give you ſome Notes whereby you may be helped to come to ſee, whether what you have granted by Notes to know whether it be Love or hatred by all that is before us. 1.God according to your deſires be in anger or love.

As Firſt, When you deſire, a gift, rather than God in it; when your deſires are for the Gift rather than the Giver you can have no comfort that there's love in it. There's no man that hath to deal with another, if he knows that what he doth deſire from him, it is not out of love to him, but meerly from the love of the gift, certainly though he may give him for ſome other ends, yet he doth not give it out of love, Thoſe deſires that are not out of love, are not ſatisfied from love. Love ſatisfies no deſires that are not raiſed by love, love it acts alwaies upon love. Now God knows what the ground of our deſires are, if we deſire the Gift rather than the Giver, rather than God in it, (I ſay) we can have no comfort that it is from love what we do enjoy. A gracious heart whatſoever it would have from God, yet this is the main thing in its deſires, Oh! let me have God in it, ſuch is my condition here in this world, that God appoints that I ſhall not enjoy him immediately altogether, but I ſhall enjoy him through ſuch and ſuch mercies, Oh then that I might have theſe mercies that I might enjoy him in them. Certainly any thing that thou haſt in way of ſatisfaction to theſe deſires is out of love; but when thou lookeſt no further than the Creature, thou wouldeſt have the thing but lookeſt not at God in it, thou canſt not expect the love of God to be conveyed by it. That's the firſt thing.

Secondly, When our deſires are imoderate and violent, then 2.we have cauſe to ſuſpect, if God ſatisfies them, that they are not out of love, when we are in a hurry in our deſires. This was juſt the caſe of this People here; Nay, but let us have a King (ſay they,) we muſt needs have him, whatſoever comes of it, we will have him. When God doth uſe to ſatisfie the deſires of his People in his love, he doth firſt quiet their hearts, he brings their hearts into a ſweet and Note.bleſſed moderation; but when mens hearts are violent, that the thing they deſire they muſt have, God doth manie times ſay, You ſhall have it then, take it: but then he ſpeaks not in love, that's verie remarkable: The deſires of the People in the 11. of Numbers for Quails, it's a notable Scripture to confirm our Point here, That God doth not alwaies ſatisfie in love. Reade Pſal. 78. 30. and ſo on, there you have the ſame ſtory recorded of their deſiring of Quails, they were mightily violent in their deſires. But that's the thing I would obſerve there, That the Lord after he had ſhewed that he did not anſwer their deſires in love, but in wrath, then in verſ. 34. after the judgments of God had come upon them in the ſatisfying of their deſires, that many of them were ſlain by God; then ſaith the Text, he called the name of that place, Kibroth-Hattaavah, becauſe there they buried the people that luſted: that is, The Sepuleres of the luſts of the deſires that they had: God ſets a Brand upon that place, ſaith he, Here are the Graves of the deſirers; Oh! the deſirers, they muſt needs have fleſh, and they ſtood upon their deſires, their deſires muſt be ſatisfied; And here's the Graves of the deſirers ſaith God. Oh remember, you that luſt after evil things, remember when your deſires are immoderate and violent, it's juſt with God to ſet a brand by ſom remarkable hand of his againſt you, and ſay, Here's the Note.mark of theſe deſires that were ſo immoderate, and ſo violent. That's the Second Note.

Thirdly, When God grants unto men their deſires, but it is before the due time: They have what they would have, 3.Oh! but they have it not in Gods time. Children they long and deſire after green Fruit, but if they could ſtay but a few weeks or months, one Apple then would be worth an hundred when they are green; but they cannot Simile.ſtay, they muſt have the Fruit when it is green; They have it, but it breeds Worms in their bellies and doth them no good. So when we have our deſires ſatisfied before the due time, it's not in love then. Certainly a Mother intends little good to her Child, though her Child ſhould cry for green Apples from off the tree, to fill the belly of her Child with thoſe green Apples, No, it's not the due time; God had promiſed that Iſrael ſhould have a King in due time, that there ſhould come KIngs from the loins of Abraham: And in Deut. 17. 14. There's a propheſie of a King, that they ſhould have; yea, but they would not ſtay Gods time, and therefore it was not out of love: in Pſal. 106. 13. it is ſaid there, That thoſe that did ſo luſt, God gave them their luſts in his wrath, They did not wait for his Counſel. That's that which is noted Note.there Oh! we ſhould be willing to wait for Gods Counſel. We would have the thing preſently done: yea but Gods Counſel works one thing after another, and one thing depends upon another, and we ſhould be willing to wait for his Counſel; If we will not mind Gods Counſel, but muſt have our deſires ſatisfied, and that now; we cannot expect love in them, but it's rather wrath; He gives unto them in his Anger: and that's the Third Note.

Fourthly, When God grants us what we would have, but 4.there comes no bleſſing at all with what we enjoy; he doth grant the thing, but takes away the bleſſing of the thing, he takes away the comfort of it, the ſatisfaction in it, They ſhal eat, but they ſhall not be ſatisfied: So in Pſal. 106. 15. There he gave them their requeſt, but ſent leanneſs into their ſoul, the text ſaith, He filled them according to their deſires with fleſh, but ſent leanneſs into their ſoul; the meaning of the text is this, It is a ſimilitude transfer'd from the bodie to the ſoul, that as many times men may Pſa. 106. 15. Openedhave a dogs appetite (as the Phyſitiaus cals it) that is, a mightie greedie ſtomach, but they cannot digeſt what they eat, and ſo the body is lean; ſo here, they had a mightie deſire, but as in the bodie manie times there is ſuch a diſeaſe that the meat turns not to nouriſhment, ſo in their ſouls, they had even that their ſouls deſir'd, yea, but their ſouls could not be ſatisfied, there was that diſtemper in the ſoul as in the bodie, the bodie doth not thrive with what it eats when it hath ſuch a diſeaſe upon it; ſo though the ſoul hath what it did deſire for the matter of it, yet it had a diſtemper in it; thus it could not be ſatisfied, nor thrive, nor proſper with what it had, Oh he ſent leanneſs into their ſoul. How many times are men and women mightie greedie, and deſirous after ſuch and ſuch contents, and think thus, Oh how happy ſhould I be if I had this and the other thing! it may be God lets you have what you would here, but when he hath let you have it, he ſnatches away the comfort of it; you ſhall have a Well, but it ſhall have no bottom, you ſhall not be able to get out the good and comfort in what you have. And that's the Fourth thing. Surely God is not in it, for the bleſſing of God makes rich, and ads no ſorrow with it, no, he brings comfort.

Fifthly, When that which we deſire is meerly to ſatisfie our luſts, meerly that we might have our humors and luſts 5.ſatisfied, that's all; we do not deſire ſuch and ſuch comforts that by them we may be fitted for the Service of God in our places, not ſo much becauſe we have need of them to help us in our work, but becauſe we would have our luſts ſatisfied, there's all, we cannot give an account why theſe and theſe things ſhould help us in the work of the Lord, but that we may go on as well without them: But theſe and theſe things are ſutable to our luſts: Oh! if God doth give thee any thing to ſatisfie thy luſts, certainly he gives it in his wrath; as now, If a man that hath a diſeaſe in his bodie, if he hath an enemie comes to him and knows what will feed his diſeaſe, the Enemie will give it him that he might diſpatch him the ſooner; there's no faithful Phyſitian, nor no loving friend will give unto any that that will feed their diſeaſe, but will take it from them, and take it from them in love, becauſe it will feed theirdiſeaſe. Oh! the Lord ſees mens hearts ſet upon ſuch and ſuch luſts, and if they have ſuch and ſuch things granted them their luſts will be fed by them, they ſhall have them ſaith God: It's as dangerous a A dangerous ſign of Reprobation.ſign of Reprobation as any thing, to give them that, that ſhall be moſt ſutable to their luſts, that ſhall moſt harden them. And on the other ſide, The greateſt love when God ſhall take that from his children, that he knows will but feed their luſts, there's many diſeaſes are ſuch that the only way to cure them, is to keep the Patient in a ſhort dyet; though they crie for food, and be very hungry, yet they muſt be kept very ſparing, why? becauſe the nature of the diſeaſe is ſuch as will draw all nouriſhment to it ſelf to feed it: and ſo God is fain to do with his own people when he ſees them ſick of ſuch a diſeaſe, the Nature of which will draw all nouriſhment for the feeding of it.

Sixthly, When men deſire that they would have, and are eager upon it, but they take no great care, whether they do enjoy it 6.from a reconciled God, or a provoked God, it's all one to them, let me have it; but whether it comes from God reconciled, or God provoked, they do not much ſtand upon that: that's very remarkable here, in Numb. 11. there is this notable ſtory of Gods ſatisfying deſires in his wrath. If you turn to the beginning of the Chapter, you ſhall find that God was very much provoked with the people here: The people complain'd, it diſpleaſed the Lord, and the Lord heard it, and his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and conſum'd them, and the people cried to Moſes, and ſo the judgment was got off from them; but then preſently after they fell to murmuring before ever any thing was done to reconcile God and their ſouls together; you do not reade of any work of humiliation to ſeek reconciliation with God, between the time that God did manifeſt his ſore diſpleaſure againſt them, and the time that God ſatisfied them in their deſires; no, they look'd not upon that, God indeed was diſpleaſed, but it was off now, and for any matter of atonement, or making up their peace with God, that they look'd not at, but let them have their deſires, hence it came to be in wrath the ſatisfying of their deſires.

Doth thy conſcience tell thee that there hath been a Note.time wherein God hath been diſpleaſed with thee, the anger of God hath burſt out againſt thee? perhaps thou art in a better condition now than thou waſt before; Oh but tell me, haſt thou humbled thy ſoul before God to make up thp peace with him? hath there been a day of atonement between God and thy ſoul? hath Gods diſpleaſure been out againſt thee, and now doth he come and ſatisfie thee in what thou doeſt deſire before any thing hath been done in falling down before him and ſeeking his face, and making peace? thou canſt not have comfort in this ſatisfying of thy deſires, but it's rather in wrath than in mercy.

Seventhly, When God regards not our preparation for a mercy, he gives it whether we be fitted for it yea, or no: no 7.great matter. And carnal hearts take no great care themſelves of it, let me have it whether my heart be in a fit condition, that's not the thing. It's your ſin and wickedneſs not to regard the preparation of your hearts for what you have; and it's Gods Judgment to give it to you before you be prepared. A gracious heart when it would have a mercy, it is as careful to get the heart prepared for the mercy, as to obtain it; Oh! there's ſuch and ſuch things that indeed would be ſutable to me, but is my heart fit for ſuch a deliverance? is my heart fit for ſuch a mercy as this? when as it is thy care to prepare thy heart; and when thou art labouring for the mercy, thou art as well labouring to prepare thy heart for it, ſurely then when it comes, it muſt be ſweet indeed; but when there's no preparation before, thou canſt not know that it is in love. We little think that we have need of preparation for mercies. If indeed God ſhould threaten ſome Note.judgment, we would think that we had need be prepared; but certaialy there is as great need for preparation for mercies to be able to make good uſe of them, as for afflictions to be able to bear them. And this ſeventh Note I have likewiſe from Numb. 11. 18. And ſay thou unto this people, Sanctifie your ſelves againſt to morrow. There's a charge that they ſhould ſanctifie themſelves againſt to morrow, for God would give them fleſh. I do not find that they did do it, but when God promiſed to give them ſeſh…; he bid them ſanctifie themſelves; as if he ſhould ſay, If that your deſires come before you have ſanctified your ſelves, it wil be in wrath, not in mercy; Oh therefore when as you are earneſt to have your deſires ſatisfied, think thus, The Lord charges thee to ſanctifie thy ſelf, Oh! doeſt thou take care of this! doeſt thou make it to be thy endeavor to ſanctifie thy ſelf before the mercy comes? then thou maieſt have comfort in it, and not otherwiſe.

Eighthly, When we ſeek greedily to have our deſires ſatisfied, 8.but reſt in the means we uſe, and ſeek to be beholding to the creature only for it, we do not lay the great weight upon prayer: what ever it is, that we enjoy, and we do not get it by *[Before, or ſanctified by Prayer after; For thou preventeſt me (ſaith David) with thy bleſſing of goodneſs Pſ. 21, 3 God doth ſo ſomtimes to his Saints]prayer, we cannot know that it is in love. When God intends a mercy from love, he doth firſt fill the heart with the Spirit of Prayer; when a mercy comes after much prayer then it's a mercy from love. When the Saints have been praying, and then God hath come in with mercy, Oh then they have gathered arguments of Gods love to them; This I had becauſe I ſought thee; as Hannah did concerning Samuel, how did ſhe rejoyce in Samuel! Oh! this is the child that I prayed for ſaith Hannah unto Eli: Oh! this is the mercy that I prayed for; therefore ſhe called her childs name Samuel, one that was ſought of God. And ſo when we can call every gift we have, we can call it Samuel, that is, a gift ask'd of God, here's a gift that's got by prayer; Whatſoever Samuel.means was uſed, yet prayer was the chief ingredient, this is an argument of love. But otherwiſe we can have no aſſurance that it is from love: It's true, a King was not unlawful for them to deſire, becauſe they had ſuch hints in Scripture; Oh but they did not ſo much mind them; no, but they come to Samuel, and ſay, Come, Give us a King, we do not reade that they go to God for it. Such Notea great change of their State as that was, one would think ſhould have required divers daies in ſeeking of God. It was a mighty change from ſuch a Government as they had, unto a new kind of Government, and from a Government that was of Gods own appointment to another Government wherein now they would ſute themſelves according to the Nations. And yet we find no daies of prayer for this; and therefore it was in wrath that they had it. Therefore when you would have any thing, look not ſo much to come by it according to ſecond cauſes, but be much in Prayer, according to the excellency of the thing that you ſeek for.

Ninthly, When God gives our deſires, but doth not give a proportionable meaſure of Grace, that ſo we might make a ſanctified 9uſe of them: when God gives you the ſhell, but not the kernel, ſurely it is not in love. If your children ſhould ask a Nut of you, and you give them a Nut that hath no Kernel, they wil not think (if ſo be that you knew it) that it is in any great love. Truly, all the good things that wicked men have, they are but Shels without Kernels, they are not in love. The Kernel of every Bleſſing, it is a Note.proportionable meaſure of grace to uſe it for God. You have a great deſire that God ſhould change your condition, if he ſhould change it, and not give you a heart fit for that condition, you had better be without that thing; you have a deſire that God ſhould proſper you in ſuch a buſineſs, yea, but if he doth not teach you how to abound, you had been better never to have abounded: Now it's not in love for God to give any ſucceſs, except he gives a proportionable meaſure of Grace according to the ſucceſs: therefore that's that which you ſhould all examin, the Lord hath altered my condition, and many good things I have more than before; but what Graces have I more than before? what exerciſe of Grace? what work of Grace more than before? Certainly if it be in love it will be ſo.

Tenthly, Surely our deſires cannot be in love, when God 10.doth not only deny a proportionable meaſure of Grace … there goes a ſecret curſe with what we have. If ſo be that … man ſhould be very hungry, and hath a mighty deſire to ſatisfie himſelf, and he fals greedily upon his meat, and eats it, but aſſoon as he hath eaten it, his body ſwels Simile.more and more till it be as big as two bodies, ſurely he begins to think then that all is not well, Lord, have mercy upon me (ſaith he) he is afraid that he is poyſoned. So God gives you your deſire, and aſſoon as you have it, you begin to ſwell, you are bigger than you were before, your hearts are proud, and you can look ſcornfully upon others then, Oh you are poyſoned; this is an ill ſatisfying of your hunger, you are poyſoned ſurely in this. In Iſa. 10. 16. you have there a notable expreſſion to this purpoſe, Therefore ſhall the Lord, the Lord of hoſts, ſend among his fat ones, leanneſs; and under his Iſa. 10. 16. Explained.glory he ſhall kindle a burning, like the burning of a fire. Even ſuch things wherein there appears to be a great deal of glory, ſuch things perhaps as when your deſires are ſatisfied in you can glory in, Oh you glory in ſuch and ſuch a merciemercy; ſuch a good thing you have above others; but under this glory there is a burning kindled, there's a great deal of the wrath of God in it, a ſecret curſe that goes along with it.

Eleventhly, When we regard the ſatisfying of our deſires ſo 11.as we regard not what becoms of others ſobeit we have our deſires ſatisfied; and this is from their example here. Let's have a King: A King! What ſhall become of Samuel then? hath not he judged you, and been faithful with you? What, will you ſhew your ſelves ſo ingrateful to him for all the good he hath done to you, as to reject him, and his houſe, and family? Oh! they cared not for that; let us have a King, let become of Samuel what wil come, and of his houſe, what care they? And ſo when men are greedy in their deſires; Let us have ſuch and ſuch a thing, but care not what becomes of others. That's another N… of deſires not granted in love.

Twelfthly, When God ſatisfying of our deſires, makes way 12.for ſome judgment. Now indeed the thing is comfortable that we have, but ſtay a while and you ſhall ſee there is ſome judgment making way by that very thing that you have: and when the judgment is come, afterwards you will ſee how it made way for it: there are very great judgments many times upon men, that are made way for by the ſatisfying of their own deſires: God hath many waies to prepare a path for his anger, by giving you your deſires many times, there's nothing more ordinary in experience than this, and therefore we need not ſtand upon it; If you wil but examin the courſe of your lives, ſometimes you may ſee that if God had ſatisfied your deſires in ſuch and ſuch things, it would have made way for the greateſt miſery that ever you had in al your lives, and when God denies ſometimes to his People, they can confeſs, O Lord, I ſee that had I had my mind in ſuch a thing which I would have had, I had been undone. And on the other ſide, You wil find that thoſe things which you accompt the greateſt mercies to you, do make way for the greateſt evils, ſurely they were not given in love then.

Thirteenthly, When men are greedy of things, and never 1….conſider the inconvenients; when they would have their deſires ſatisfied in a fooliſh way, never minding what inconveniences may follow in this thing more than in the other thing, meerly looking upon that which is for the preſent ſutable to them, but never think what inconveniences may follow. Thus it was here; they would have a King; but Samuel came and told them all the inconveniences that would follow upon it, how that they Note.ſhould have this affliction and the other; You that are ſo deſirous of him, if he comes among you, he will bring you into ſlavetie, your Eſtates and your Children ſhall be under his power, you wil be in ſlaverie to everie Courtier. Nay but we will have a King for al this, they would needs change the way of Government, O that we might have a king! And they would be brought more under Law than before; for indeed in the time of the Judges, if you reade that ſtorie, you ſhal find that the People of Iſrael were in a great deal of Libertie then, and they obeyed the Judges in a great meaſure in a voluntary way; if you raade the ſtorie you ſhal find but Two Tribes that followed Barach and Deborah, and ſo of Jepihthah, and Sampſon, thoſe that were willing freely to offer themſelves they followed them; and thoſe of Ephraim they did chide with the other, and ask'd them, Why did you not call us to it? as noting that there was a great deal of freedom in the time of the Judges. Yea, but we will have a King, and we wil all then be tied to the ſame thing, and be under the ſame power, and ſo there will be a great deal of union that way: when this man ſhall not be in this way, and the other ſhal not be in another way, and men to have their freedom thus & thus, but al ſhal come in and joyn under the ſame Law, and ſo we ſhall go on in one: Certainly this was their reaſoning in their deſire of having a King. Now this kind of union (no queſtion) was verie good among the People; but to have it in this way, That whereas the People were governed in ſuch a way before as ſtood with a great deal of Libertie; It's true, they ſhall have a kind of union, but they do not conſider what inconveniences there will be in their being thus chain'd together. Priſoners that are chained at a Poſt, they are altogether all the day long: But would An apt▪you have ſuch a kind of union, to be united with ſuch chains? Conſider that with the union there may come a ſlavery upon you. But they did not conſider of any ſuch things, no matter ſay they, Come, let us be all joyn'd in one, and let the ſame Law be upon every one. But now, how this would bring them under bondage and ſlavery in thoſe things they would be loth to be brought under in, in that they conſidered not at all.

Fourteenthly, When men ſeek to have their deſires ſarisfied meerly becauſe they love change. We cannot have any comfort that God doth it out of love, when it is out of a fooliſh ſpirit that loves novelty. They, though they had bin long enough under that kind of Government, and in a meer kind of novelty, not knowing what might come of ſuch a change, but a change they would have. And ſo people though there be never ſo much good in a way, yet out of a novelty they would fain have a change: And if God grant them a change when they have no other ground but that for it, it is a ſign that there is wrath in it, and not love.

Further, When it is through impatiency, and want of heart to ſubmit to God in a former condition. It's ill when it is 15.through a meer novelty, but when it's through impatiency then it's like to be in wrath, and not in mercy, if your condition be changed, God hath put you in a lower and mean condition, it's true, it's lawful for you to deſire a change, yea, but if you deſire it becauſe you cannot ſubmit to Gods hand, then it's a ſign that it is in wrath, but when you have brought your hearts to this, Lord here I am, diſpoſe of me as thou pleaſeſt, I am content to lie under thy hand, but Lord, I look up to thee for mercy; Conſider I am a poor weak Creature, and it is fit that thou ſhouldeſt have thy will, and not I mine: then if God make a change, you may have comfort that it is in mercy: but if you have it through impatiencie, you can have no comfort at all in it. It was juſt ſo here, they could not bear the hand of God that was upon them, any preſent trouble that they had upon them, and ſo thought to help themſelves by having a King, and God gave them one, but it was in his anger.

Further, When our deſires of further mercies makes us forget the former mercies, and makes us unthankful for former 16mercies; they would have a King that might go before them, and fight for them. Fight for them! Did not God fight for them before? Oh wonderful and glorious Battels they had when they were under their Judges, when they had Samuel to direct them, they never had more glorious Victories afterwards than then: Nay, you ſhall find in the whol Story of the Judges, that they did alwaies prevail, and their Judges generally were good, and guided them in Gods waies; but the Kings did not ſo; For the Kings of Iſrael were none of them good, from the beginning of them to the end. Oh unthankful Note.wretches that they are, ſo eager to have another condition, never minding nor bleſſing God for what they had, forgetful of all the good that ever they had. Samuel could appeal to them, Whoſe Ox, or Aſs have I taken? he judged righteouſly in his judgment. But they forget all Gods goodneſs and mercy towards them, and muſt now be in another condition. Oh! conſider of this you that deſire new conditions, be not you unthankful for what you have had, if you be ſo eager to have more ſo as to forget what you have had, if God ſhould ſend you more your caſe is like to be worſe than now it is: If one ſhould go and take meat to eat befor he hath digeſted what he eat before, he hath fill'd his ſtomach, but there comes new diſhes to the Table that pleaſes his pallate, and he falls upon that and eats more and more, but that doth not nouriſh him, but turns to evil humors Simile.and ſo doth him hurt; but if he would ſtay till he hath digeſted what he hath eaten before, then he might eat and have good nouriſhment. And you that would fain have more and more, have you digeſted what you have had? are you thankful for what you have had? hath God had the glory of what you have had before? then if God gives you any thing you may have comfort to your ſouls that it comes out of love.

Further, When men deſire new things out of diſtruſt of 17.God, and make ſuch concluſions of unbeleef; Surely if God ſhould not grant ſuch and ſuch things unto them then they are loſt and undone, and there's no way in the world to help them, and their deſires are put on by diſtruſt: Whereas (my Brethren) Gracious deſires are put Note.on by faith, it's the prayer of Faith that doth …ood, it is Faith that doth inflame gracious deſires that are ſent up to God, they are ſent up by the ſtrength of Faith, and not the ſtrength of Ʋnbeleef: It is the ſtrength of Ʋnbeleef that makes the deſires of people ſo ſtrong as they are, as thus; Theſe people deſir'd a King? Why? becauſe they could not truſt God to have but only Judges as they had before. Samuel was an old man & his ſons were naught, and they ſee themſelves in a hard condition; yea, but now ſeeing God had nor ſpoken to them about a new Government, they ſhould have had it from God, if they had it at all, God ſhould chuſe them one; but they thought that they muſt have one to go before them in their Battels, or elſe their Battels would miſcarry, and they ſaw the Princes of the earth, they went before their Subjects in their Battels, and therefore they would be like unto them, and durſt not truſt God in that way that they were in before: and therefore it was in wrath that God gave them their deſires.

Yet further, If when God changes our condition, we bring the ſins of our old condition into our new, we can have no 18comfort then that it is out of love; our care ſhould be when our condition is changed, Oh but what were the fins of my former condition? what were the ſins of my afflicted, my low condition? let me take heed that I do not bring thoſe corruptions into my new condition.

And then laſtly, If we ſeek to attain our deſires by unlawful means, certainly that is curſ'd; If God doth let us proſper 19.in waies that are unlawful in themſelves, we cannot beleeve that what we enjoy comes out of love, but out of wrath.

I was the willinger to enlarge this Point becauſe of the great uſefulneſs of it.

Now then by way of Corallary, by all that hath Corallaries frō the former Notes.been ſaid.

Firſt, Learn we then from hence, To take-heed that we quiet 1.our ſelves in our deſires; be not too earneſt in your deſires; remember that Scripture, 1 Cor. 10. 6. Now theſe things were our enſamples, to the intent we ſhould not luſt after evil things, as they alſo luſted. It hath reference even to their luſting for their Quails, it was call'd luſting after evil things; though the things themſelves were good, yet becauſe of the way of their luſting, it made them evil to them: theſe are for our enſample, becauſe we ſhould not luſt ſo as they luſted. Oh! when you reade but that 11. of Numb. and the 78. Pſal. and there find how they luſted after evil things, and how the wrath of God came upon them when they had their deſires ſatisfied, let theſe be enſamples for us that we take heed of luſting ſo. And ſo when we reade of their deſires ſo after a King, and what they met withal when they had him, (I ſay) it ſhould teach us ſo far to moderate our deſires, as to labor to regulate them by the Word of God, and not be headie in them, but to order them according to the mind of God.

And then the Second is this, Let us by all that hath been 2.ſaid learn, to prepare our hearts for what we have, and to ſeek proportionable grace for any thing that we do deſire. Treaſure up this leſſon; when thou wouldeſt have a merciemercy from God, Oh ſeek proportionable grace, and prepare for the merciemercy.

Thirdly, learn this Leſſon, Be not too much exalted when 3.thou haſt thy deſires ſatisfied Me thinks this Point might be as a prick, to prick the bladders of the pride of mens hearts. Oh! take heed though you have proſpered according to your deſires; Saul proſpered a great while, and yet it was in wrath. Certainly there's no great matter to be expected from ſuch things as we may have in Gods wrath, and therefore no cauſe to be exalted.

Fourthly, Learn from hence, Never to draw any arguments 4.of Gods love, by ſatisfying your deſires in outward things. It is a vain conceit of people to think thus, God loves me, why? becauſe I have deſired ſuch and ſuch things, and God hath given them to me. If a man were to go and chuſe a Wife, if he knew her face were painted, would Similehe conclude, Surely here's one of an excellent complexion? No, he would rather ſuſpect it; truly the argument is as good, That this womans complexion and the conſtitution of her body is whole and good, as that argument, that my condition is good becauſe God ſatisfies me in my deſires.

Fifthly, draw this conſequence likewiſe, Learn never to envie at any men that have their luſts ſatisfied; there's little 5.cauſe that you ſhould envie them. If you ſhould ſee a man that loves Wine, and you knew it were poiſoned. Similies.And a man that hath a Sattin Sute, and you know it hath 1. 2.the Plague in it, there were no cauſe of envying ſuch a man; a Leather Sute were a great deal better. God ſatisfies men many times, but it is in wrath, and to prepare them for ſlaughter.

Sixthly, Learn from hence, To be content to wait, and 6.to be denied of your deſires. Oh! this is a point of verie great uſe, to teach us patience when God denies us; be patient and content when God denies you your deſires, for you do not know what God may aim at in it.

Seventhly, Learn from hence, Not to reſt in what you enjoy, 7but to ſeek to know the principle from whence it comes. And this I take to be as ſpecial a difference between a Carnal heart, and a Gracious heart as any I know. A Carnal A ſpecial difference between a Carnal & a Gracious heart.heart thinks this: If I have the thing, I care not for any more: but a Gracious heart looks at the principle from whence it comes, he loves to look at the root and principle of all. A Gardener that oweth the Flowers regards the root more than the flower a great deal: but a ſtranger Simile.is mo…e pleaſed with the Flower than with the Root. So Carnal hearts look only at Flowers; but gracious hearts look at the Root: I have ſuch and ſuch a thing, but have I an evidence of Gods love? Look how high the head of the Fountain is, ſo high the Water will go, and no higher; Water will aſcend as high as the place was from whence it did deſcend. And ſo everie merciemercy we have wil carry us as high as from whence it came: If Note.from common general bounty, it carries us to God but it came in a general way; but if it comes in a ſpecial love in Chriſt, it carries us to God in Chriſt.

Eighthly, Learn hence, To ſeek thoſe gifts that God never 8.grants to any but in love. There are ſome things that are of ſuch a noble and excellent nature, as God doth never grant to any but in love, they are precious things indeed; And this one Conſideration doth ſhew the difference An eſſential difference between Spiritual & Temporal bleſſings.between Spiritual bleſſings, and Temporal bleſſings as much as any one thing I know. Temporal bleſſings though they are in themſelves good, and have manie ſweet accomodations with them, yet they are of ſuch a low nature, as many times they come to men, and come out of Gods wrath, they may ſtand with wrath, yea, they may flow from wrath. But come to Spiritual bleſſings, the Graces of Gods Spirit, come to thoſe Spiritual bleſſings wherewith we are bleſt in Jeſus Chriſt, and theſe are of ſuch a nature as they can never com but from love, and out of love.

From this point you ſee, That a little Grace is more worth than the enjoyment of all the world: God may give a man Note.the Empire of all the world, and he may do it in wrath, and tend to the furtherance of wrath; but now, if you have but the leaſt drachm of Grace, if you have but any ſpiritual knowledge of God in Chriſt; This is eternal life, Joh. 17. 3.to know thee, and thy Son whom thou haſt ſent into the world: If thou, haſt any Faith, Oh! this is Precious Faith: If thou haſt any knowledg, Oh it's the Divine Nature, it comes from the infinite Ocean of eternal love and will carry thee to the infinite Ocian of love; Oh! prize Grace, and ſeek after Grace.

You whoſe hearts have been ſo eager and deſirous after The point urged.outward things, turn now the ſtream of your deſires; Oh I have been eager after ſuch and ſuch things; if I have them, yet I may have the wrath of God with them and what good will they do me then? Oh! but I hear that there are ſuch and ſuch things to be had that I can never have them but in love, they are the priviledges that come to the Saints in Jeſus Chriſt.

Ninthly, Oh bleſs God, you that know and find that what you have, it is in love. You are to bleſs God for what 9.you have; but in that he hath given you your deſires, and given them out of love too, here God bleſſes his bleſſings, and your bleſſings ſhould be double, trible, ſeven, an hundred fold: Oh that the Lord hath delivered me from ſuch an affliction, and I find it is in love; as Hezekiah could ſay, when he was delivered from his ſickneſs, In love to my ſoul haſt thou delivered me from the pit Iſa. 39.of corruption: So I make no queſtion but there's many of the people of God, even many of you that are before him this day, that are able to ſay, Well, upon theſe arguments that I have heard this day upon this point thus opened, I can ſay to the glory of God, Out of love to my ſoul hath he delivered me out of ſuch an affliction, from ſuch a ſickneſs; out of love to my ſoul hath he granted me ſuch a mercy: I had been praying and crying to him for ſuch and ſuch mercies, and out of love to my ſoul hath he granted them to me. Oh! you may go away Encouragement.with comfort in what you have, if it be but a very little that God hath given you; Oh the Lord hath given you a good portion, your lot is fallen into a good ground, you have a goodlie inheritance, Certainlie you have a childs portion, and go away and be ſatisfied in it.

And now my Brethren, though this part for the practical part of it is the chief: I confeſs I have not yet come upon that that is held forth in the verie words, and that is about giving of Governors in his wrath; I only have ſpoken to the Point hitherto, as it concerns the giving of our deſires whatſoever it be: But now for the particulars, as the ſpecification of their deſires, That God had given them a King in his wrath. That I confeſs is a point that I think there may be much of the mind of God known in it, and a point that will require ſome time in opening it. And it will be hard to ſpeak of ſuch a point as this is without very great deliberation, and to have full ſcope when at any time I ſpeak of it; and therefore I do not intend at this time to meddle with this point of Gods giving Kings in wrath, I ſhall rather defer it to the next day. Only one Note further, and that's this;

A hint of a meditation upon Gods giving our deſires in his wrath; when men by the violence and ſtrength of their ſpirits do get their deſires from God though in wrath, it hath hinted to me this Meditation which may be of very great uſe to you.

Many men they do get from their conſciences thoſe things they have a mind to have, as they get from God that they have a mind to have; many men are very violent in their deſires, and would fain have God grant them ſuch and ſuch things, at length, though it be a thing that is very diſpleaſing to God, ſaith God, let them have it. Juſt ſo it is in regard of conſcience, for conſcience is Gods Vice-gerent in the ſoul of man. Now there are many men that are verie deſirons of ſuch things as their conſciences at firſt are very much againſt: Oh! they would fain have ſuch and ſuch things: ſaith conſcience, you may not, you will ſin againſt God, you will would me, and bring ſorrow and affliction to your ſelves; this makes them at a ſtand, and they are very much griev'd at it that conſcience will not give them leave, and it may be they have ſo much enlightening in their conſciences as they dare not take it without the leave of conſcience, and although they may reſtrain for a while, yet ſtill their luſts are very violent, and they would fain have their conſciences to yeeld to them, they labor and ſtruggle what they can with conſcience, and they ſeek to find out ſome evaſions and diſtinctions whereby they may ſatisfie conſcience, either to lay conſcience aſleep, ſo that it may not trouble them, or at length to ſatisfie conſcience ſo far as conſcience may be content that they ſhould have their deſires ſatisfied, Now their luſts when they are grown hot ſend up ſuch ſtreams into their underſtandings as hinders the work of conſcience, that Note.conſcience begins to be more dull in the work of it, and is not ſo quick in the apprehenſions of it, nor in the exerciſe of it as before; and at length after much ado, when they have tir'd and wearied themſelves, and tired conſcience, they at length do obtain even of their very conſciences to do ſuch things as they have a mind to, ſo that now Note.their conſciences begins to ſay to them, Seeing you have ſuch a ſtrong and earneſt deſire, do it; Now upon this they eagerly fall upon it, and they bleſs themſelves in this, and think they have gotten a great Victorie that they have prevail'd over their conſciences, that their conſciences hath given them leave to do ſuch a thing; it may be theſe men will ſay, If I thought it were againſt conſcience, if conſcience did tell me that it ought not to be done, I would not do it for a world. Yea, but friend, how do you get leave of your conſcience to do it? There was a time that conſcience was againſt it; how came you to get leave of your conſcience? was it not through the violence of your ſpirits? You would needs have it, you were ſet upon it that you muſt have your liberty, and preterment, your eaſe, and content, and you muſt not ſuffer ſuch & ſuch things, and by this violence of your ſpirits you come to prevail with your conſciences: Now conſcience lets you go one but do not you think that conſcience will tear you for this another day: for all you have prevail'd with your conſcience ſo as it doth not acuſe you of ſuch and ſuch an evil way, but lets you go on; do not you think to hear of it another day? Oh yes, certainly conſcience being Gods Vice-gerent, will do as God will do in this caſe, When men get their deſires of God, why ſaith God, let them have them, but do not you think that God will call them to an account for it? So it is here; as men ſhall hereafter pay full dearly for thoſe things that God ſuffers them here to have; ſo many men and women will pay full dearly for thoſe things that conſcience gives them now libertie to enjoy: though you have libertie yet you have got it in a forced way from conſcience, and conſcience will have another reckoning with you hereafter: you know how it was with Balaam, he had a mind to go to curſe the people, it was becauſe of his preferment, and though God did deny him once, yet he would ask again, and he would not be ſatisfied till God ſaid at length, Go; Yea, but God met him in the way, and had like to have deſtroyed him for all that. Juſt ſo do many men with their conſciences, it may be they ſee ſome preferment that they may get ſuch a way, and their conſciences for the preſent have ſome tenderneſs, but they will ask their conſciences, and their conſciences ſaies no, but then they will ask again, and again, and, as I ſay, God ſaid to Balaam at length, Go, but he ſaid it to him in anger, and met him in the way and had like to have deſtroyed him; and ſo though conſcience may do ſo, yet conſcience will one day come out with a drawn Sword againſt thee, and it may be thy deſtruction.

Notes prepared by the Author for another Sermon on Hoſea 13. 11 which (being prevented by the Lords taking him to himſelf) he Preached not:

I gave them a King in my wrath, &c.

KIngs and Princes ſometimes are given to a people in anger. Text. Obſ. 4.Job. 34. 30. That the Hyyocrite reign not, leſt the people be enſnared. It is in anger if an Hypocrite reign. Pſal. 109. 6. Set thou a wicked man over him, and let Satan ſtand at his right hand. Dan. 8. 23. In the latter time when the tranſgreſſions are come to the full, a King of fierce countenance, and underſtanding dark ſentences ſhall ariſe; and his power ſhall be mighty, he ſhall deſtroy wonderfully, and ſhall proſper. So it was ſaid of the *Agrigentinis Phalaris, Marius Romanis. Cur Domine eū ficiſti Imperatorum?Agrigentines, That Phalaris was given to them as a plague, and Marius to the Romans. ‡Reſp. Quoniam non inveni peſorem.Anaſtaſius Nicenus, Queſt. 15. in ſcript. ſpeaketh of one in the time of Phocas, pleading with God and ſaying, Wherefore Lord haſt thou made Phocas Emperor? the Anſwer from Heaven was: Becauſe I could not find a worſe. He tells alſo of the Biſhop of Thebais, being proud becauſe advanced: Had theſe words ſpoken to him: Wherefore miſerable man art thou proud? Thou wert not made Biſhop becauſe thou waſt worthy, but becauſe the City deſerved ſuch a Biſhop.

But it may be demanded: When are Kings and Princes given in anger? I anſwer;Queſt.

1. When men are eager upon them, The men of Shechem Anſw. When Governors are given in Anger.were eager upon Abimelech, Judg. 9. 6. They had him, but in wrath; for verſ. 23. God ſent an evil ſpirit between the men of Shechem and Abimelech. And what the iſſue was we know.

2. When Kings and Princes are deſired out of an oppoſition to what God would have them to be under as here in the text: ſo Sam. 8. 10. 19.

3. When ſuch are given as was Saul and Jeroboam. For explication of this obſerve,

1. What Saul was.

Firſt, He was Tyrannical, 1 Sam. 8. 11. Pſal. 18. SAUL A diſcription of him.with the Title.

Secondly, A bold venturous man, to do things of his own head in Gods Worſhip, 1 Sam. 13. 9. he ſacrificed before Samuel came.

Thirdly, Hypocritical, 1 Sam. 15. 13. he bleſſed Samuel, and pretended he had performed the Commandement of the Lord; whereas he had rebelled againſt it, verſ. 22, 23.

Fourthly, A raſh ſpirit, 1 Sam. 14. 24. Curſed (ſaies he) be the man that eats any food till evening: when as firſt, it was an hindrance to the execution, as verſ. 29, 30. and again, all the people heard not, and namely his ſon Jonathan, upon whom he had like to have executed the curſe, if the people had not reſcued him.

Fifthly, Hardly convinced, 1 Sam. 15. 20. He ſtands in the defence of himſelf againſt Samuel the Prophet.

Sixthly, Greedie of gain, 1 Sam. 15. 19. Samuel charges him, with flying upon the ſpoil.

Seventhly, Regarding the people more than the Commandement of God, 1 Sam. 15. 24. I feared the people, ſaith he, and obeyed their voice.

Eighthly, Seeking his vain honor, 1 Sam. 15. 30. I have ſinned, yet honor me now I pray thee before the Elders of my people, and before Iſrael.

Ninthly, Gods Spirit leaves him, 1 Sam. 16. 14. The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil ſpirit from the Lord troubled him.

Tenthly, A poor low ſpirit to help himſelf when God was departed, 1 Sam 16. 17. when he was troubled with the evil ſpirit, he was fain to except of the poor help that Muſick could afford him.

Eleventhly, Subtil and crafty, Pſal. 57. 6. David ſaith (ſpeaking of Saul) That he had prepared a net for his feet, and digged a pit, ſo Pſal. 142. 3.

Twelfthly, Proud and haughty, Pſal. 59. 12. For the ſin of their mouth, and for the words of their lips, let them be taken in their pride. Viz Can the Son of Jeſſe give you fields and Vinyards, 1 Sam. 22. 7.

13ly Given to Curſing, Pſal. 53. 12. Curſing, and lying they ſpeak.

14ly Envious. 1 Sam. 18 8, 9. When they had ſung in the dance, Saul hath ſlain his thouſands, and David his ten thouſands: The Text ſaith, Saul was very wroth, and the thing diſpleaſed him; and Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

15ly Hating the Saints. 1 Sam. 18. 11. Saul caſt his Javeling at David, and ſaid, I will ſmite David to the wall. And verſ. 13. He removed him from him. And 1 Sam. 17. 1. Saul ſpake to all his ſervants, that they ſhould kill David. And verſ. 17. he calls him his Enemy, ſaying to Michel, Why haſt thou ſent away mine Enemy?

16ly Cruel. 1 Sam. 22. 18, 19. He cauſed to be ſlain 85 Prieſts; and ſmote the City of Nob (the City of the Prieſts) men, women and children, ſucklings, oxen, aſſes, ſheep, with the edge of the ſword. Pſal. 7. 2. David prayes for help, leſt he (Saul) tear my ſoul (ſaith he) like a Lyon, renting it in pieces &c. And Pſal. 57 4. He ſaith, My ſoul is among Lyons, men that are ſet on fire, whoſe teeth are ſpears and arrows, and their tongue a ſharp ſword.

17ly Treacherous: Pretends a Benefit, intends a miſchief: 1 Sam. 18. 17. And Saul ſaid to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merob, her will I give thee to wife, only be thou valiant for me, and fight the Lords battles: for Saul ſaid, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the band of the Philiſtims be upon him.

18ly. Falſe of his word: ver. 19. But it came to paſſe at the time when Merab Sauls daughter ſhould have been given to David, that ſhe was given to Adriel the Meholathite to wife. 1 Sam. 26. 21. Return my ſon David for I wil do thee no harm, yet chap. 27. 1. David was ſo purſued by him, that he fled to Achiſh King of Gath. Pſal. 59. 12. Lying they ſpeak.

19ly. He regards not oathes, 1. Sam. 19. 6. And Saul ſware: as the Lord liveth he ſhal not be ſlain: yet, ver. 10. 11. he would have ſmitten him to the wal with his Javalin, and miſſing that, he ſent meſſengers to murder him in his houſe.

20ly. Stout againſt his conſcience, and all means that God uſed to reclaim him. 1 Sam. 24. 17. 18. 19. 20. Thou art more righteous then I, &c I know wel that thou ſhalt ſurely be King and that the Kingdom of Iſrael ſhal be eſtabliſhed in thine hand, &c. Hence David Pſal. 59. praying againſt Saul, as appears in the title of the Pſalm, ver. 5. ſaith, Be not merciful to wicked tranſgreſſors.

21ly Preferring baſe men, and rejecting the good, Pſa. 59. 7. David was his enemy, but Doeg a mighty man with him.

22ly. Cares not for his own Laws to ſatisfy his humors, 1 Sam. 28. 9. where having ſuppreſſed wizards and witches, yet he ſeeks to them and promiſes immunity to them.

23ly. He is unwearied in his malice, never reſts, but follows David, as one hunts a partridge from place to place, if diſappointed one way, he tryes another: ſends to Davids houſe, then to Naioth, then to Keilah, then to Ziph, then to Engedi, to Hachilah, Saul ſought him every day 1 Sam. 23. 14. Pſal. 7. 14. Behold be travelleth with miſchief, &c.

24ly. One that could not be overcome by kindneſſe, love, faithfulneſs, not taking advantage, &c. 1. Sam. 24. 4. &c. chap. 26. 8. 9.

25ly. Vexed becauſe he could not have his mind, Pſa. 57. 14, 15. They return and grin like a dog, vexed to loſe his morſel.

26ly. Deſperate forſaking of God, and going to the Devil for counſel, 1 Sam. 28. 7. and afterward wilfully kils himſelf.

2. What Jeroboam was.

1. One that ſeemed to be much for the good of the people, Jeroboam: A diſcription of him.but when he had power in his own hands, then none more fierce then himſelf, 1 King. 11. 27. He cared not for the people. Hoſ. 13. 1.

2. One whoſe carriage was very taking, he was diligent induſtrious and valiant, a man fit for rule. 1 Kin. Omniam conſenſu capax Imperij niſi imperaſſes.11. 28. but when he had got power into his own hands, there was nothing but imperious domineering, Tacitus ſaith of Galba, That al men judged him fit for rule, til he did come to it.

3 Subjecting of Religion unto Policy, 1 King. 12. 26. And Jeroboam ſaid, Now ſhall the Kingdom return to the Houſe of David, if this people go up to do Sacrifice in the Houſe of the Lord at Jeruſalem: Whereupon the King took Counſel, and made two Calves of Gold, &c.

4. Falſe, pretending one thing, and meaning another, 1 King. 12. 28. He ſaid unto the people, It is too much for you to go up to Jeruſalem: behold thy Gods O Iſrael which brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt.

5. Idolatrous, ibid. and 1 King. 14. 9. But thou haſt done evil above all that were before thee for thou haſt gone and made thee other gods and molten Images &c.

6. He was a conſcience oppreſſor, He laid ſnares for thoſe that went up to Jeruſalem to worſhip, as was noted, Hoſ. 9. 8.

7. A ſcorner, Hoſ. 7. 5. He ſtretched out his hand with ſcorners.

8. Subtil, 1 King. 12. 31. He ordained ſuch a feaſt as was at Jeruſalem, made an houſe of high places, and Prieſts that all might be furniſhed like the worſhip at Jeruſalem.

9. Intemperate, Hoſ 7 5. In the day of our King, the Princes have made him ſick with bottles of Wine &c.

10 Deſpiſing the true Miniſters of God and loving a baſe Clergie, 1 King. 12. 31. Made Prieſts of the loweſt of the People.

11 Enraged againſt the Servants of God, and God himſelf when oppoſed, 1 King. 13. 4. And it came to paſs when King Jeroboam heard the ſaying of the man of God, which cried againſt the Altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the Altar ſaying, Lay hold on him.

12 Extream ſtout, notwithſtanding ſuch a hand of God upon him, verſ. 33. After this Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the people Prieſts for the high places.

13 Slighting God and his Worſhip, 1 King. 14. 9. Thou haſt caſt me behind thy back.

14 He did evil above all that were before him, 1 Kings, 14. 9.

15. He truſted to his many men and policie, not regarding what is ſaid to him about fighting againſt God, 1 Chron. 13. 8. 12, 13.

16. Though conquered before Gods Servants, who relied on the Lord, 1 Chron. 13. 18. ſo as he loſt five hundred thouſand men at one time, yet he continued in his evil.

17. For his own ends he would make uſe of Gods Prophets, 1 King. 14.

18. A man of a baſe ſpirit; God threatens he will take him away as man takes away dung, 1 King. 14. 10.

19. His familie was ſuch, as, except in one little child, there was no good at all found in it, 1 King. 14. 13.

20. He made Iſrael to ſin. The common Epethite the Scripture gives him.

21. He ruined the Kingdom by his ſin: 1 King. 14. 16. He ſhall give Iſrael up, becauſe of the ſins of Jeroboam.

Yet for al this he continued his reign two and twenty How long he reigned.years. 1 King. 14. 20.

Seing Governors are ſometimes given in wrath, let us pray that they be given to us in love: But it follows, Uſe.I took them away in my diſpleaſure.foreign

As if he ſhould ſay, though they were evil, yet I took Expoſ.them away, to make way for worſe.

Whence note, Oppreſſors are taken away, and greater Oppreſſors Obſ. 1.came in their room.

Cavlin, thus, I wil take away this Kingdom from you which Expoſ. Calvin.I ſee to be an occaſion of blindneſs to you: for if it remain, I ſhal be no body with you, nor wil my word be of any Authority.

Obſ. 2. What God gives in anger never proſpers.Obſ. 2. Uſe.

Expect not therefore help from thoſe men or things that God gives in wrath.

Sometimes God accepts of repentance when it is unfeigned, Caution.as in Davids taking Bathſhebah to wife of whom he had Solomon, &c. Viz. if the thing it ſelf be good.

What God gives in anger cannot hold long with us, [Caut. Obſ. 3.yet this Kingdom of Iſrael continued twentie yeers.]

Thoſe things that begin ill, proſper not uſually. (Initium Obſ. 4.maledictum finis maledictus, Calvin in loc.) The beginning is accurſed, and ſo is the end. Thus many buſineſſes beginning in anger end in wrath; this Kingdom of Iſrael is an example of this from the beginning to the end. [But yet here alſo that holds the Author noted above verſ 9. that no condition is ſo bad but there is help in God for it, and if ſo be that the continuance in it be not with ſin, or the thing a ſin in it ſelf.]

When men have enjoyed their deſires in wrath a while, God Obſ. 5.rends them in fury from them, this is terrible indeed, for as it was given in indignation: All the while it was enjoyed it was abuſed, Pſal. 78 30, 31. While the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came out againſt them.

But yet we muſt here Note the difference that Pareus Caution. Paenae piorum ira, impiorum furor, Pareus.obſerves, That theſe calamities upon what God gives in diſpleaſure, are indeed wrath to his own people, but in fury to his enemies.

When God takes away what he gave in wrath it is more Obſ. 6.wrath [ofti…]

But here are two Queſtions. 1. How we may know Queſt. 1.when God takes away and not in wrath?

Firſt: When the comfort or creature he takes from us, Anſw. When God takes away, and not in wrath.began to draw the heart from God, and now he ſeaſonably takes it away with a ſanctified uſe. 2. When we can bleſs God and be thankful. 3. When God makes it up in himſelf, and in the comforts of his Spirit.

When does God take away in wrath?Queſt. 2. Anſw. 1 When God takes away in wrath. 2. 3.

Firſt, When 'tis given in anger.

Secondly, When he takes them away by violence in ſome terrible manner. Pſal. 58. 9. Before your pots can feel the thorns he ſhall take them away as with a whirl wind, both living, and in his wrath. Pſal. 52. 5. God ſhall deſtroy thee for ever, he ſhall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the Land of the living. Lam. 2. 6. He hath violently taken away his Tabernacle. As a man that is angry ſnatches away what he had given.

Thirdly, When we have moſt need of the comfort of it, Zeph. 2. 4. I will drive out Aſhdod at noon day, [when [Tempus ſanè incommodiſſimum, iter aliquo facientibus in aeſtate & in locu calidioribus. Druſ. in l.they ſhould have taken the benefit of their houſes for ſhelter, and their meat for refreſhment.]

Fourthly, When we murmur and complain inordinately of our affliction.

Fifthly, When we ſhift and ſhark out for ſuccor.

Sixthly, When there is nothing but bitterneſs, and only evil in the removal.

Seventhly, When one evil makes way to another evil and none ſanctified. Pſal. 78. 50. He made way to his anger.

Eighthly, When it carries with it the marks of ſpecial Note.ſins. yea, when as the ſin it ſelf deprive us of a merciemercy; a when in emperance takes away health; ambition brings into diſgrace; glottonie takes away the ſtomach; greedineſs takes away …ches. Rom. 11. 27. This is my Covenant with them when I ſhall take away their ſins.

Ninthly, When it happens according to thoſe miſgiving Note.thoughts we have had, and yet would not take warning.

Tenthly, When it brings ſin into remembrance, Job, 13. 26. Thou makeſt me to poſſeſs the ſins of my youth. 1 King. 17. 18. Art thou come to call my ſin to remembrance, and to ſlay my ſon?

Wherefore ſeeing this is ſo fearful, let us pray with Uſe.David, Pſal 6. 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chaſten me in thy heavy diſpleaſure.

Again note, that our ſin may bring us to this: That Obſ. 7.whether we have our deſires, or whether they be taken away, yet ſtill all may be wrath.

Change of oppreſſing Government by forreign Power, is a ſign Obſ. 8.of wrath.

Gods hand in a buſineſs excuſes not mans ſin; he can make Obſ. 9.uſe of mans ſin to the furtherance of his ends, and yet be innocent.

Laſtly, We muſt not judg by ſucceſs; of which above.Obſ. 10.

Thus far the Authors Notes.