A Complete and Compendious Church History, Chapter 16

A Complete and Compendious Church History · Chapter 16

p. 165The Sixteenth Plot againſt the CHURCH, in Canaan: Defeated by GOD.

CHAP. XVI.

NOw when the Devil had divided ſo great a ſhare of Davids Kingdome to himſelf by Divine Permiſſion, (the Lord of the Soyl, Hoſ. 9. 3. Iſa. 8. 8. giving way for his own glory to ſuch ſad Incroachments) he falls upon ſowing the curſed ſeed of his Tares upon the Lords Land, among thoſe Tribes who diſdain'd to live any longer by the Lords Law. Oh wonderful! there was no viſible Church upon Earth at this time, but in the Land of Promiſe; and yet the only wiſe God gives up to Satan (when all the World lay in wickedneſs, 1 Joh. 5. 19. and ſo in the poſſeſſion of that wicked one) even the largeſt ſhare of his own Land alſo, though it was but a little ſpot of Land (no bigger than our Wales) in all. Thus the Lords Land, Levit. 25. 23. became the Devils Land too (in the greateſt part) with all the reſt of the p. 166Habitable World: Oh how unſearchable are the ways of the Lord, and his works paſt find-out, Rom. 11. 33, 34, 35. foreign, Oh the bottomleſs depth of Divine Wiſdome! the Devil, having got this leave againſt Iſrael (as once againſt Job) when Gods Hedge was gone, begins to lay waſte Gods Vineyard, Iſa. 5. 5, 6. He now falls to work for debauching Iſrael; he firſt makes them caſt off their true Soveraign, and chuſe a falſe one; Jeroboam the Son of Nebat muſt be the man, one that wanted neither Craft nor Courage to back this Horſe which had caſt his Rider: Next to Achitophel, the Devil had not a craftier Head to plot againſt the Church, than this Leader of the Faction and Fraction. As the ſubtil Serpent infuſed into him his ſubtilty for ſtealing a Scepter, ſo for ſecuring it to him when he had ſtoln it: His Plotting Head had this conſidering Cap upon it, ['twas but a pang of diſcontent that made me King, violent things are not permanent, ſudden Paroxyſmes, or Fits of paſſion, have as ſudden Relaxations and recoveries; the Revolters cannot return thrice a year to the Temple in Jeruſalem (as God commands them, Exod. 34. 23.) but 'twill make them revolt from me, and return to Rehoboam; I muſt either keep them off from God, or I ſhall never keep them off from Loyalty and Piety] Therefore to give them a pleaſant p. 167Diverſion (when he durſt not offer a direct Reſtraint and Prohibition) he changes and adulterates that Religion, which he dare neither inhibit nor aboliſh: Hereupon this new King plots to make Iſrael a new God, and (for their eaſe) nearer home too, that they might not be toiled with going ſo far as the Temple, pretending to be more merciful to the people than the moſt merciful God, yea and more prudent than he in his more compendious and plauſible way of worſhip, altogether accommodated to the eaſe and humour of the people: Aaron had humour'd Iſrael with one Golden Calf (ſuch as they had ſeen long in Egypt) Exod. 32. 4. Now Jeroboam (who had lately lived there, 1 Kin. 11. 40.) judges it proper (after Aarons example) to humour them with two, which he ſets up at Dan▪ and Bethel, at both the ends of the Land, North and South, 1 Kin. 12. 27, 28, 29. Thus took he crafty counſel of his curſed Courtiers, and, ſo he might ſecure his Realm and Region, he matter'd not though Religion were run down to ruine. And this thing became a ſin to Iſrael, v. 30. a moſt heinous ſin, though it was but a baſe thing, this Image was one of the baſeſt, Pſal. 106. 20. The Image of a Calf eating Hay. Oh what Brutiſh Creatures were Iſrael made by an Intoxicating Devil, Pſal. 115. 8. ſo as to fall down and worſhip ſuch a p. 168Brutiſh Creature as a Calf as ſoon as it was ſet up; yea, that ſervice (which was only due to God) was performed to Devils in this baſe thing, 2 Chron. 11. 15. all Idolatry is Devil-worſhip, all Devotion that is not done to God (nor by a Divine Warrant) is done to the Devil, there is no Medium or Mean betwixt them, 1 Cor. 10. 20, 21. Revel. 9. 20. Now the Devil (that foreign, or Idol-lover) had got his deſign in debauching Iſrael, when he had got a Divine Service ſet up (1.) In another place, 1 Kin. 12.29. (2.) At another time, v. 3…. (3.) After another manner, v. 28. (4.) And by other Prieſts, v. 31. than God had appointed: Proud Lucifer, the Devil, was well pleaſed with this Devil-worſhip. This ſin not only brought a black Brand upon its abominable Author to all ſucceeding Generations, that the phraſe frequently rings in our reading the Scripture [Jeroboam the Son of Nebat that made Iſrael to ſin] but alſo had ſuch an Indelible Character in it, as could never be removed, neither from his own Family, nor from any of his Succeſſors (though of other Families, when his was rooted out) all the Kings of Iſrael after him (by his example) grew worſe and worſe, (and Iſrael with them) until they were all carried away Captive out of their own Land, in the days of Hoſea, their laſt King, 2 Kin. 17. 1. to 6. Here the Devil p. 169plaid like a cunning Gameſter with notable ſeeming ſucceſs; yet God is not an idle Spectator all this time, and permits Satan to carry it on without any Counterbuffs: but now and then he is a ſwift witneſs againſt, and a ſevere rebuker of this Plot; (1.) Both at the beginning, (2.) Afterwards, and (3.) At the end. (….) At the beginning, Jeroboam muſt not manage his new Rebellion without a Teſtimony from Heaven, (againſt his new Religion.) And 1ſt. The Lord ſtirred up a ſelect number, both of Prieſts and people, that abhorred Jeroboams Idolatry, and fled from all the Coaſts of Iſrael (though Jeroboam way-laid them, Hoſ. 5. 1.) to cleave cloſe unto the true God in his worſhip at Jeruſalem, 2 Chron. 11. 13, 14, 16. The godly Prieſts gave a good example to the godly people of every Tribe in their ſelf-denial, and leaving their Livings rather than violate their Conſciences: Their voluntary Exilement, after their Ejection, (ab officio & beneficio) drew much good people after them, v. 16. whereby not only Rehoboam was much ſtrengthened, v. …7. but alſo the Church was preſerved in deſpight of Jeroboam, and his Segnirim, or Hairy Devils, v. 15. inſomuch that God had his ſeven thouſand in wicked Ahabs day, that bowed not the knee to Baal, nor thoſe to the Golden Calves; and God preſerved them in their ſlight to the holy City, though wicked p. 170Watchers laid Traps to catch them upon Mizpeh and Tabor in their paſſage thither, as the Papiſts in the Marian days watch'd all thoſe that be took themſelves to Baſil, Geneva, &c. yet the Lord marvellouſly preſerv'd them for his Church in a better day, as he did thoſe in a better place. 2. Gods Teſtimony was not for his ſervants Innocency only, but againſt Jeroboams Idolatry, when he ſtood at his new Altar at Bethel, with a Scepter in one hand, and with a Cenſer in the other, invading the High-Prieſthood, as well as uſurping the Kingdome, 1 King. 12. 33. and 13. 1. God ſends a Prophet out of Judah (poſſibly one of his baniſh'd ſervants) to Jeroboam in the midſt of his great Aſſembly and Solemnity at Bethel, to cry againſt the Altar, v. 2. that one Joſiah ſhould be raiſed up, to destroy it, and its Prieſts: And becauſe 'twas long too, (more than two hundred year) he gives them a preſent Sign of the certainty of his Prophecy, to wit, the rending of the Altar at preſent, to ſhew its downfall afterwards, which accordingly was accompliſhed, v. 3, 5. At this Jeroboam rageth, crys, Lay hold of him, and himſelf would have been the firſt man in doing it, had not God by another Miracle manacled him, by withering his hand; which though reſtor'd again, by a third Miracle, at the Prophets prayer, yet hands not its owner p. 171into repentance; and while the Altar (of Stone) rends, yet his Heart (being harder than any ſtone in the Altar) remains ſtill without any rending, or relenting. This God foreſaw, and therefore the Man of God was directed to direct his ſpeech to the Altar, and not to Jeroboam, ſeeing the former would receive impreſſion ſooner than the latter, who had forgot how Iſrael had ſtartled at an Altar of the Reubenites, which was only for a Monument and Memorial, Joſh. 22. when they were newly come out of affliction, now an Altar for Idolatry ſtartles neither him nor them, being ſetled upon the Lees of a long abuſed peace in Solomons day; and this ſame Bethel (where one of his Calves ſtood, and the rent Altar) being now become a Beth-Aven [the Houſe of God an houſe of wickedneſs, as the two Hebr. names ſignifie] was recovered again out of Jeroboams hands, 2 Chron. 13. 19. His Golden Calfiſh God could not protect its own Seat and City from its Enemy. This Divine Teſtimony from Heaven againſt Jeroboam was manifold: (1.) Againſt his Altar. (2.) Againſt his Arm, which he ſtretched out to apprehend the Lords Prophet (who had born witneſs againſt his Idolatry) contrary to Gods Special Command [Touch not mine Anointed ones, and do my Prophets no harm, Pſa. 105. 15. 'Tis ſafer to anger a Witch, than p. 172provoke a Prophet; for if any man will hurt ſuch, fire proceedeth out of their mouth to devour them, Revel. 11. 5. To touch theſe, is to touch the Apple of Gods Eye, Zech. 2. 8. Therefore doth God ſay to Kings (not of Kings) Touch not thoſe that have the Ʋnction of the Father; which when King Jeroboam offered to do, God ſhrank his ſinews, and makes him ſtand like an Antick Statue, pointing out the way to Travellers with an hand ſtretched out, but cannot pull it in, 1 Kin. 3. 4. So facile a thing it is with God to cool the courage, and reſtrain the rage of the proudeſt Prince, or Perſecutor, Pſa. 76. 10. This very Arm that had been burning Incenſe to his Idol (in his playing the Prieſt himſelf, to give ſome Grace to his ſordid Prieſts, made of the Dregs of the Vulgar) God dried up, as the arm of an Idol-Shepherd, Zech. 11. 17. and becauſe his Eye was darkned too (according to that threatning) ſo that he would ſee nothing of Gods Hand in withering his hand; Therefore Gods third Teſtimony was againſt his Heir; and as Gods Wrath was upon his firſt Son, ſo on his beſt Son, who was alſo his Right Hand indeed, for he was his Heir, and hopeful for good, 1 Kin. 14. 13. Now God ſtrikes at the Father for his ſin, upon the Back of the Child in his ſickneſs: Jeroboam ſeeks to Ahijah (the Lords Prophet) what would be the iſſue p. 173(not what was the cauſe) of his good Sons ſickneſs, which none of his wooden Prieſts could tell him, v. 3. He receives heavy tidings, and that by the hands of his own Wife, that this only gracious Son muſt die, but all his other graceleſs Sons muſt live; he muſt die to afflict them, they muſt live to afflict them; becauſe Jeroboam was bad, therefore was he unworthy of ſo good a Son; and becauſe the Son was good, therefore was he worthy to be removed from ſo bad a Father: This Son alone ſhall have both Tears, and a Tomb for his goodneſs, his other Sons ſhall have no ſorrow but for their lives, and at their deaths no Graves, but the Belleys of Dogs and Fowls, v. 6. 11, 12, 13. Iſrael had cauſe to mourn when they had loſt ſuch an hopeful Heir of the Kingdom. The fourth Divine Teſtimony againſt Jeroboams Idolatry was (as 1. Againſt his Altar. 2. Againſt his Arm. 3. Againſt his Heir; ſo 4.) Againſt his Army: Jeroboam in the eighteenth year of his Reign raiſes a vaſt Army (no leſs than eight hundred thouſand) to vanquiſh Abijah while young, and newly ſte…t into his Father (Rehoboams) Throne, which was then empty by his Fathers death; young Abijah raiſes an Army to reſiſt him, which was but half as big as Jeroboams, yet was it an huge Army too, conſidering that fifty thouſand is now counted a Royal Army, whereas his was p. 174four hundred thouſand, which is eight times as many as is fifty: Thoſe two great Armies (the 800000 of Jeroboams for Idolatry, and the 400000 of Abijahs againſt Idolatry) faces each other in the Field; Abijah by his Heralds ſounds a Parley, ſtands upon Mount Zemeraim (as Jotham likewiſe had done upon Mount Gerizim, Judg. 9. 6.) makes a pious, pithy, elegant and artificial Oration (not unlike Solomons Grand-child) to the Heads of Jeroboams Army, wherein he ſhews them the honour God had from Judah, and the diſhonour he had from Iſrael, and many mighty Motives he preſſes upon them to deſiſt their irrational and irreligious enterprize, whereof they could never render any good reaſon, nor ever hope for any good ſucceſs: While Abijah was thus Haranguing in his Religious as well as Rhetorical Diſſwaſives by a fair and friendly Treaty, Jeroboam baſely uſeth moſt foul and filthy treachery, in cauſing an Ambuſhment behind him, while his main Battalia was before him, to ſurprize him at unawares, 2 Chron. 13. 3, 4, 5, 13. Judah (eſpying his treachery, and their own danger) cryed unto the Lord, v. 14. having ſtrong fervency in praying to God for ſuccour in that dangerous caſe, prayers were their Souldiers ſureſt great Ordinance, and together with their holy prayers they joyn an honeſt policy, the whole Army together gave p. 175one great unanimous ſhout, v. 15. This loud Acclamation [They run, they run] affrights Iſrael, eſpecially God ſtriking them at the ſame time with a panick fear, and with frightful Furies in their own Conſciences, they all fly, and fall in a monſtrous and matchleſs ſlaughter, v. 16. 17. to wit, five hundred thouſand men of Iſrael were ſlain by the men of Judah, who were but four hundred thouſand, ſo that they ſlew more than every one his man; and this Slaughter is well called a Great Slaughter, it being the greateſt ſlaughter of men in any one Battel in all the World that we read of, either in Sacred or Civil Hiſtory: And had thoſe two Armies been united as Brethren againſt a Common Enemy, they had made up the greateſt Hoſt that ever we heard or read of, aſſembled together in the Field; yet Judah (the leſſer number) prevails againſt Iſrael (twice as many) becauſe they relied upon the Lord. v. 18. [Deo Confiſi, nunquam Confuſi: Judah confided in God, therefore were they not confounded by Iſrael: True truſting in God can never miſcarry; God is faithful, and never fails the Faith of his people: He that believes in him ſhall not be confounded, 1 Pet. 2. 6. The fifth and laſt Divine Teſtimony was againſt Jeroboam himſelf: God had let him blood (as it were) in the Arm to cure him of his Idolatry, and ſtruck the Vital Spirit out of p. 176it when 'twas dry'd up; but now God comes to ſtrike the Soul out of his Body, when neither Miniſtry, nor Miſery, nor Miracle, nor Mercy, could molliſie and heal his impenitent heart; neither the Wind, nor the Sun (to wit, neither the blaſts of Divine Judgments, nor the Beams of Divine Mercy) could make him caſt his cumberſome Coat of Idolatrous worſhip, but he will not (though his hand was both withered and healed, &c.) ſee Gods Hand againſt him, but will live and die in his Idolatry: Therefore the Lord ſmote Jeroboam, v. 15. and the Lord ſtruck him, v. 20. that he died. God gave him two deadly blows upon his Cheek-bone (as Pſal. 3. 7.) with his heavy hand; ſo that he died not an ordinary, but a ſudden and violent death, and that by a ſpecial hand of God: The Lord ſmote him, as with a Thunder-bolt, as he ſmote Nabal that he died, 1 Sam. 25. 38. Deadly Diſeaſes are Divine ſtroaks, as the Peſtilence is call'd foreign, Morbus Sacer, or the Divine Diſeaſe, though it is not expreſſed in Scripture of what Diſeaſe neither Nabal nor Jeroboam died; and had his Idolatry died with him, it had been better for Iſrael: This Jeroboam, the Son of Nebat, who made Iſrael to ſin, 2 Kin. 10. 31. &c. which is oft added as Jeroboams infamous ſtile, 1 Kin. 12. 30. and 13. 34. and 14. 16. &c. (ſo oft it ſounds in our p. 177ears) made all the Kings of Iſrael ſin his ſin of Idolatry after him, there being not one good Succeſſor in his Throne of Apoſtacy until the Captivity, though God raiſed up ſundry famous Prophets (as Elijah, Eliſha, &c.) to reclaim them, and though God did witneſs from Heaven againſt them in his moſt ſevere Judgments, yet the perdition of one was not any availing caution to another, for (2. (Nadab took no warning at Gods Judgments upon his Father Jeroboam, and he was rooted out, and all his houſe, 1 Kin. 15. 27. by Baaſha. (3.) And the ſame Judgments, in the ſame words, are threatned againſt Baaſha, which had been againſt Jeroboam, becauſe he perſiſted in the ſame ſin, 1 Kin. 16. 3, 4. And (4.) Ela Baaſha's Son was a Sot in his drunkenneſs, and was ſlain in his ſin by his ſervant Zimri, v. 9. who (5.) ſucceeded him, but God ſoon caſt that Rod into the fire, wherewith he had chaſtiſed the houſe of Baaſha, v. 10, 11, 12. for Omri (the 6.) forced him to burn himſelf with his Palace, v. 18, 19. This Omri made wicked Statutes, Mich. 6. 16. and made (undoubtedly) as wicked an end: Qualis vita, Finis ita; he lived wickedly, v. 25. (ſeeking to out-ſin all his predeceſſors) ſo died wretchedly, though not (that we read of) by any violent death: His Son Ahab (the ſeventh) that None-ſuch p. 178ſinner ſucceeded, whom (being an uxorious man) Jezabel (his Wife) ſtirred up, even to unparallel'd wickedneſs, v. 31, 32, 33. God ſets this black brand upon this Virago Jezabel, 1 Kin. 21. 25, 26. who held her Husband in ſuch ſlavery (by a miſchievous foreign, or Woman wearing the Britches) that for a quiet life with her, he did not dare to deny her any thing that ſhe would have done: Hereby he proves worſe than his Anceſtors, extorts Naboths Vineyard and life from him, where the Dogs licked his blood afterwards, yea, and the Dogs did eat up Jezabel alſo, 1 Kin. 21. 19, 22, 23. with Ch. 22. 38. and 2 Kin. 9. 35, 36, 37. So they who ſold themſelves to work evil, and might have been ſure they ſhould (in time) rue the bargain, at length as they had made a Match with miſchief, ſo God gave them both their Belly-fulls of it, and fill'd them with the evil of their own ways, Prov. 14. 14. Gods Arrow found out wicked Ahab under his diſguiſe (which he did to evade Micaiah's Prophecy of him) a certain man drew a Bow at a venture, and ſmote Ahab 'twixt the joynts of his Harneſs, 1 Kin. 22. 30, 34. This caſual and contingent ſhot was guided by God to hit the mark to an hairs-breadth, whereas the caſt of Sauls Javelin was three times guided by the ſame hand of God to miſs the mark of holy Davids body: Micaiah was impriſoned for foretelling this p. 179fate, v. 26, 28. Who would not rather be a Micaiah in the Goal, than an Ahab in the Chariot; God preſerved the one in the former, but wounded to death the other in the latter: Then was God even with him, for all his Idolatry and impieties in perſecuting the Prophets, murdering of Naboth, who doubtleſs had hope in his death as righteous, and ſo in a far better condition now than Ahab was, who had no hope, but was driven away in his wickedneſs, Prov. 14. 32. Wicked men may have ſome advantage of the way, but godly men have their advance at the end; as Ahab had ſold himſelf to ſin, ſo God ſold him to deſtruction, and Ahaziah (the eighth) ſucceeds him, who was a ſoft-pated Prince, and low-ſpirited, in loſing no mean part of his Kingdome, in the beginning of his Reign, by the Rebellion of Moab, 2 Kin. 1. 1. with Ch. 3. 4, 5. and 2 Chro. 20. 1. but above all, he was a wicked King, like Bird, like Egg, he had as black a Soul as his Father Ahab, to live in his white Ivory Palace that Ahab had built, 1 Kin. 22. 39, 52. His ſin finds him out, Num. 32. 23. as he was walking upon the Leads of this ſtately Palace, he falls through a Grate, and catches his death, which Baalzebub of Ekron could not prevent, or rather the Devil of Acheron (as Hell is call'd by the Poet Virgil, as above, Flectere ſi nequeo ſuperos, Acheronta Movebo. This Beelzebub, or p. 180Baalzebub, is call'd the God of Flies, or Jupiter Stercorarius, a Dunghill Deity, for out of the Dunghill have the Flies their Natural Generation: This Devil could not take off that ſickneſs which the God of Iſrael had laid on him, and whereby he was diſinabled to attempt any thing againſt rebelling Moab. This puſillanimous Prince Jehoram (the ninth) ſucceeded, who was more active than his Brother Ahaziah, and not all out ſo bad as his Parents Ahab and Jezabel, (for he deſtroyed Baal out of Samaria yet not very much better than they, for he continued Jeroboams Calves, 2 Kin. 3. 2, 3. God likes not that men ſhould make a ſtraight furrow here, and a balk there, partial Reformation diſcovers Hypocriſie, wherefore Gods Arrow finds him at Ramoth-Gilead, as it had done Ahab (his Father) at the ſame place, and coming to be healed of his wounds at Jezreel, is there ſlain by furious Jehu (the tenth) whom God raiſed up extraordinarily to deſtroy Ahabs Poſterity, 2 Kin. 9. 1, to 30. 37. and 10, to 15. He had a zeal (indeed) for the Lord (as Jehoram had) againſt Baal, v. 16, to 28. yet proves he but an half Reformer, putting down Baal, yet keeping up the Calves, v. 29. leſt it ſhould coſt him his Kingdome by Iſraels repairing to Temple-worſhip, notwithſtanding this his Diſpenſatory Conſcience, becauſe he had done well, p. 181for the matter, God gives him the favour of his fourth Generation, v. 30. (which was not granted to any other King of Iſrael after the Revolt) to wit, Jehoaaz the eleventh, who doth wickedly, and Joaſh (the twelfth) who rides in the ſame rode, 2 Kin. 13. 2, 6, 11. and Jeroboam (the thirteenth) who did [Patrizare] alſo, and walkt in his forefathers ſteps, Ch. 14. 24. for which cauſe Amos prophecied againſt him, and was baniſhed from Bethel for it, Amos 7. 10, 11, 12. fore-telling a dreadful Earthquake, Amos 1. 1. and Jeroboams death by the Sword, Ch. 7. 9. him ſucceeded Zecharias (the fourteenth) and the fourth from Jehu, to whom God would not be indebted for his good actings, but gave him this reward; yet this his laſt Branch being wicked, he was ſlain for his wickedneſs by Shallum, (the fifteenth) Ch. 15. 9, 10. who was paid home in his own Coyn by Menahem (the ſixteenth) whoſe cruelty ending with himſelf, Pekaiah (the ſeventeenth comes on the Throne; but he (not degenerating from his evil Anceſtors) was ſoon put off by Pekah (the eighteenth) who (being no better than the reſt) was trayterouſly ſlain by Hoſhea (the nineteenth) who (being wicked alſo) was carried Captive by Salmanezer of Aſſyria: 2 Kin. Ch. 15. and 16. and 17. Thus Iſrael provoked the Lord to anger; as if they had done all this for that very purpoſe of p. 182cauſing God to caſt them off, and to write Lo-Ammi upon them: by the forementioned Earthquake, the Lord did plainly foreſhew, that God would ſhake terribly the Heaven of that Church, and the Earth of that State: And as God forewarned them by his works (both ordinary and extraordinary) ſo all along by his Word in the mouths of all his (both the greater and leſſer) Prophets, ſaying to them, that if they would not live by Gods good Laws, they ſhould not live in Gods good Land, &c. Hoſ. 9. 3. This Hoſed who forewarns Iſrael, that their Land would ſpue them out, (as God had threatned, Levit. 18. 26, 28. was the firſt of the Race of thoſe Prophets (before Iſaiah) in the days of Jeroboam, Hoſ. 1. 1, 2. And thus, as under an Hoſea, Iſrael was poſſeſſed of Canaan, Numb. 13. 16. and under an Hoſea they were diſpoſſeſſed of it, 2 Kin. 17. 1, 6. ſo the Lord ſent an Hoſea to blame their unthankfulneſs for the former, and to declare the dreadfulneſs of the latter. No doubt but the Devil was much delighted with this ſad Cataſtrophe of Iſraels Ejection out of Canaan, he always makes mirth and merriment out of Iſraels mourning, he makes Comedies of their Tragedies; he had (indeed) ſo rooted and riveted Idolatry in Iſrael, that it could not be rooted out, but by rooting up the corrupted Stock: yet all along the Reign p. 183of thoſe twenty Kings of Iſrael (for ſo many, Tibni (Corrival to Omri) 1 Kin. 16. 21, 22. doth exactly make) and often ſeveral Stocks, yet all agreeing in Jeroboams ſin, God raiſed up a Race of Prophets to give warning, even from the Man of God (that cryed againſt Jeroboams Altar, 1 Kin. 13. and from Elijah and Eliſha, down to the laſt-of thoſe Kings (very few whereof died a dry or natural death) 2 Kin. 17. 13, 23. God wanted not his Witneſſes (though in Sackcloth) all that time; His Eye to Iſrael (even under great provocations) was good, while the Devils Eye was evil: Oh the admirable workings of Divine Compaſſion in 2 Kin. 14. 26, 27. [The Lord ſaw the affliction (as well as the tranſgreſſion) of Iſrael, that it was very bitter, when they had neither ſafety, nor a Saviour: Oh the yernings of Gods Bowels in that Word [The Lord ſaid not, that he would blot out the Name of Iſrael from under Heaven] God had not then ſaid it, yet though afterwards he both ſaid it, Hoſ. 1. 6, 9. and did it, 2 Kin. 17. 18. 'Twas a long time, and upon great provocation (as is related from v. 7, to the 18.) before he removed them out of his ſight, that is, out of the Land of Promiſe, upon which the eyes of the Lord were continually after an eſpecial manner: Notwithſtanding all this, the Devil got not all, nor did the Lord loſe all, he divided the p. 184ſpoil with the ſtrong Devil, Eſa. 53. 12. As God had his Witneſſes 1. At the beginning of the Apoſtacy; ſo 2. All along afterwards, he had both Witneſſes and people too, that had a bleſſed tenderneſs towards their two hundred thouſand Captives, at the powerful preaching of the Prophet Oded (whom God had as a Witneſs in the worſt of times) 2 Chron. 28. 9, to 16. ſo mightily did the Word of God work upon this armed Army, that they ſhewed a great work of mercy to their diſtreſſed Brethren, &c. though they had but one Prophet to preſs them to it in ſo great an Hoſt. And as God had his ſeven thouſand of people in Ahabs time, 1 Kin. 19. 18. ſo he had great multitudes in Hoſea's time (their laſt King) out of Ephraim, Manaſſeh, Iſſachar, Zebulon, and Aſher, who humbled themſelves under the ſight and ſenſe of their ſins, and came to Jeruſalem at Hezekiahs Proclamation to keep the Paſſover, according to the Word of the Lord, 2 Chron. 30. 1, 6, 11, 13, 18. though ſome jeered (ſhowing themſelves ready ripe for ruine in their laſt Kings time) yet many others feared, v. 10, 11. And though thoſe which came out of the ten Tribes (out of the fear of God) were ignorant of due preparation, (having been long without God, Law, and Teaching Prieſt, 2 Chro. 19. 3.) came rudely and irreverently to the Paſſover (and probably p. 185ſmarted for it, as 1 Cor. 11. 30. Matth. 22. 12, 13.) yet at Hezekiahs godly Prayer for them, God Healed them and accepted their Service, v. 18, 19, 20. Yea, and Gods Pitty was ſuch to his Covenanted people, that the Old Stile and Title [The Lord God of Iſrael] is kept up even by Abijam, 2 Chron. 13. 5. and ſuch was Gods Reſpect to Iſrael under the Revolt, that he ſent ſometimes Saviours to them, as 2 Kin. 13. 5. Obad. 21. Neh. 9. 27. All which doth plainly Demonſtrate Gods Care of his Church even in the worſt of times, let the Devil and his Imps do all they can: And though there hath been ſuch a Revolt from the Ture Chriſtian-Religion by the Papacy, as this of the Ten Tribes from the Temple-Worſhip, (the Foundation whereof was laid in Blood, to wit, the Blood of Adoram, 1 Kin. 12. 18. as that of the Romiſh-Revolt much more.) Yet the Lord ſecureth his own Intereſt, Rev. 12. 6, 14. Maugre the Malice of Men and Devils, both in Witneſſes and People, as I have ſhown at large in my Diſcovery of Antichriſt. Moreover (3ly.) at the End of this Revolting Kingdom, when God had caſt the Ten Tribes out of Canaan, becauſe they had caſt him off and his good Laws; yet God had reſpect (1) to the very Land out of which they were caſt; for when the King of Aſſyria had Conquered Samaria and the Cities of the Ten Tribes, which he carried Captive into p. 186his own Countrey, and had Planted his Colonies of mixt People in their place, The Lord ſent Lyons among them, which Slew ſome of them, 2 Kin. 17. 25. becauſe thoſe New-Planters (as themſelves ſay) knew not the manner of the God of the Land, v. 26. fooliſhly thinking, that each Land had its proper God: Indeed the Land of Iſrael had another God than the Gods (or Idols) of thoſe Lands from whence they came; it was a Land which Jehovah had Choſen as an Habitation for himſelf, and ſaith, The Land is mine, Levit. 25. 25. Hence it is called the Lords Land, Hoſ. 9. 3. and Immanuels Land, Iſa. 8. 8. and by their Seventh-Year Sabbath, they Acknowledged that their Land belonged to God, and that they were onelyonly Gods Tenants and Tythe-men: now ſeeing thoſe Aſſyrians that came into Canaan in Iſraels Room, made no ſuch Acknowledgment, nor Own'd him in a Land which the True God was pleaſed to Own, therefore he ſent this Judgement of the Lyons upon them, to let them know that the God of this Land had all Creatures (even the moſt Ravenous) at His Command wherewith to be Avenged for their not-Fearing him. Thus, it appears, God did not Hate the Ground (as ſome ſay) that Iſrael trode upon, though they were Revolters. 2ly. God had Reſpect to themſelves much more, (if ſo much to their Land,) ſo that they were (in a ſort) Ammi, while they were Lo-Ammi; and p. 187Ruhamah, while they were Lo-Ruhamah, Hoſ. 1. 6. Yea, when the name Iſrael was too good and too Honourable a name for them, but they muſt be called Jezreel, that is, a People devoted to Diſperſion, v. 4. and ſuch as God would ſcatter into the four Winds of Heaven, [Zerang,] as the Seeds-man ſcatters his Seed, ſo that the Ten Tribes never return'd out of Captivity; yet (ſure I am) neither the Devil got all, nor God loſt all, for God did not loſe Iſrael, but onelyonly laid them up in an Unknown Sepulchre with his own Hands, (as he had done their Mediator Moſes,) in ſure and certain Hope of a Reſurrection: God did not caſt off his People for ever, 1 Kin. 11. 39. Though the dry Bones of Iſrael lye in Babylon, &c. as in a Sepulchre, and were (as it were) Buryed Alive at their final Abdication, yet the Lord Promiſes, Theſe Graves ſhall be opened. This is ſpoken over and over again, Ezek. 37. 11, 12, 13, 14. to the whole Houſe of Iſrael, the Lord ſaith, Behold, Oh my People. God owneth them ſtill, though they little deſerv'd it. This is Alledged as an Allay to thoſe Dreadful Deſolations; ſo loath is the Sun of Righteouſneſs to ſett under a Cloud, that in the midſt of Judgement he remembers Mercy, Hab. 3. 2. Thus while the Lord wrote Jezreel, Lo-Ruhamah, and Lo-Ammi upon Iſrael: In the Invaſion made by Tiglath-Pilneſer upon the Tribes beyond Jordan, 2 Kin. 15. 29. 1 Chro. p. 1885. 6. and by Salmaneſer upon the reſt of the Ten Tribes on this ſide Jordan: Yet behold how graciouſly God comes off in that Direful Sentence; Yet the Number of the Children of Iſrael ſhall be as the Sand of the Sea that cannot be Numbred; and where it was ſaid, Ye are not my People, there it ſhall be ſaid, Ye are the Sons of the Living God, Hoſ. 1. 4, 6, 9, 10. to ſhew Gods great care of his Church, and of his Promiſe to Abraham, even when he ſeems to have Utterly Abandon'd them: The ſame Graciouſneſs that had ſent Prophets to them all along their Revolt, and a Promiſe of the Meſſiah at the ſame time their Rejection was foretold, Iſa. 7. 8. (within 65 Y. of its comming to paſs,) That the Lord would not quite caſt off the Houſe of David, till a Virgin have born a Son, and he to be God in our Nature, v. 14. and this Son to be Born in Bethelem, One that ſhould tread down all the Churches Enemies, and be her Peace, &c. Micah 5. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. yet would be War to the Aſſyrians in ſending Lyons among them, (as before,) all which doth ſhow, That this Antient People (of the Ten Tribes) are not altogether Abandon'd and Aboliſh'd, but God reſerves this Honour for them, to Vouchſafe them a Call to the Participation of Chriſt, (but more of that in New-Teſtament-times.) Ezek. 37. 16, 19. Jer. 3. 12, 13. &c. Iſa. 11. 12, 13. Obad. 20. Rom. 11. 15, 26.