An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 4 · Verse 2

An Exposition of Hosea 4-7 · Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 4 · Verse 2

p. 40Verſe 2.

By ſwearing, and lying, and killing, and ſtealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

YOU ſee what a Catalogue of groſs ſins are here mentioned. And indeed when Idolatry doth prevail in any Country, there will be all manner of wickedneſs. We found it ſo here in England, that the more ſuperſtitious wai…s prevail'd amongſt us, the more abominable wickedneſs there was generally ſpread about the country.

Firſt, For Swearing. The word here tranſlated Swearing, it is of foreign and ſignifies Maledicere, Execrare; and likewiſe P…rjurare. It ſignifies theſe three things, to Curſe, and to be Perjured, and to Swear. Any of theſe three this word importeth. And likewiſe it ſignifies ſometimes to howl out, Ejulare, foreignJoel 1.8. Lament like a Virgin girded with ſackcloth &c. It is the ſame word, Lament, or howl out. So that the ſame word that ſignifies curſing and ſwearing and forſwearing, ſignifies to howl and cry, for God hath a time to make curſers and ſwearers and forſwearers to howl and cry out. An Oath is a ſacred thing, a part of Gods worſhip, and therefore the abuſing of this is a dreadful ſin; Eſpecially if it be abuſed to ſwear to that which is falſe.In Aegypto ſiquu juret per Caput Regn & non praeſtet, morte plectitur, nec permititur ut auto vel aliâ revitā redimat. Paulus Phagius in his Comment upon Geneſis, 42. ſaith it is reported of the Egyptians, that if any man did but ſwear by the life of the King and did not perform his Oath, that man was to die, and n… gold or any thing in the world could redeem hi… life, ſo did Heathens hate that ſin of per…urie. Yea we have found others that have not had much Religion in them, yet have extreamly hated the ſin of ordinary ſwearing. I have read of Lewis the 9. of France, that he puniſhed that ſin by ſearing the lips of ſwearers with an hot Iron which Law being executed upon a Citiz…n of Paris, ſome ſaid it was two cruel, which he hearing of, gave this anſwer, I would to God ſaith he, that with ſearing mine own lips with an hot Iron, I could baniſh out of my Realm all abuſe of Oaths. He could be willing to ſea… p. 41his own lips that he might baniſh the abuſe of ſwearing. Chryſoſtom in ſome 16. Homelies together if not more,foreign. Hom. 11. Ad pop. Antioch. whatſoever his text was he alwaies concluded againſt ſwearing, as being ſuch a vile and notorious ſin: And amongſt other things becauſe ſome pleaded cuſtom, he putteth them upon this, ſaith he, if you would but puniſh it thus, that if there were an oath ſworn in your houſe, he that ſwore ſhould but abſtain but from one meals meat; that that ſervant or that child that ſwore an oath ſhould not dine that day, that would do ſomewhat, yet ſaith he, the command of God will not do ſo much as that. Divers other expreſſions I might name, but I muſt haſten. That place Jer. 23.10. is remarkable for this and ſutable to this text, For becauſe of ſwearing the land mourneth, the pleaſant places of the wilderneſs are dried up, and their courſe is evil, and their force is not right.

It is a ſin that hath more malignancy in it againſt God by how much the leſs the temptation is unto it. I verily beleeve that if God had never made the third Commandement, there would never have been ſo many Oaths in the world, but it ſprings from a meer malignancy of ſpirit that is in men againſt God becauſe he hath forbidden it; For there is no profit that can come by it.

If men be guilty of thi… ſin meerly thorough a vain cuſtom, what high indignitie is this againſt God? what ſlighting and neglect of God is there? As if ſinning againſt God were an argument of no more weight but that the uſing of a thing without any reaſon, when nothing can be got by it, could down-weigh that argument. Cuſtom indeed is enough to prev…il in things that are of no moment, a now, ſome man that hath by cuſtom gotten ſuch a kind of poſture of his body, or taking hold of hi… beard and the like, ſuch a kind of geſture he hath gotten by cuſtom and he cannot leave it, why? becau…e the thing in its own nature hath no great conſequence in it, and ſo cuſtom prevaileth; But that cuſtom ſhould be enough to be ſet againſt the high diſpleaſure of the bleſſed God or be ſet …gainſt his ſolemn profeſſi…n that he will not hold that ſoul guiltleſs that takes his name in vain, this argueth p. 42a moſt inſufferable vilifying his ſacred Majeſtie.

Secondly, To ſwear that thereby the words of men may be graced, this is more horrid impiety; As if the polluting of the holy Name of the moſt holy God were the beſt ornament of thy ſpeech, as if the diſhonour put upon God were the beſt grace to thy language.

Thirdly, To ſwear out of a conceit that this argueth braveneſs of ſpirit, a braver ſpirit than other men have, a ſpirit of valor and courage, as if according to the fulneſs of mouthing of Oaths there were a braveneſs of ſpirit, this yet is more hideous wickedneſs; As if that were the courage and excellency of our ſpirits to fly in the very face of God. Whence it is that many men if any anger them, what do they do? they fall a curſing and ſwearing, that is, when others diſpleaſe them they will fly in Gods face, that is the language of it though you will not dare to ſay ſo, but that is the language of your practice, others diſpleaſe and anger me and I to revenge my ſelf will fly in the very face of God. A hiddeous wickedneſs there is in this that you do not think of. You that are paſſionate ſpirits when you come home and your wives and children or ſervants anger you, you fall to curſing and ſwearing, Know you do no other but this, this is the language of your practice, they diſpleaſe me and to revenge my ſelf I will fly in the very face of God; And whence it is that Gentlemen and Noble-men and thoſe that belong unto them are ſuch great ſwearers, becauſe they imagine that it is an argument of ſome braveneſs of ſpirit, and that thereby they expreſs a ſpirit of a higher ſtrain than other men. Oh hiddeous and abominable wickedneſs! This is all the valour that many men have that they da…e ſin againſt the glorious God and never be troubled at it; wherea a godly man is deſcribed in Scripture, Eccleſ. 9.2. To be a m… th…t feareth in Oath; but for theſe it is not for them to fear, it is for tim…rous melanch…lly poor ſpiri…s, but they are m…n of b…ave ſpirits, …nd they would have men know th…t they can ſwear and not be troubl…d at it, they have ſtronger ſpirits than o her m…n h…ve. Thu… is the bleſ… God di…honored by this ſin more than we are aware of.

p. 43There is a fourth ſort that are higher than theſe, and thoſe are they that ſwear that they may not be accounted Puritans or of the number of ſuch a faction; Becauſe where they go if they be but ſuſpected to be ſavorers of ſuch kind of men as were heretofore named by that nick-name and now are by another; (I ſay) if they go into company where they think they may be ſuſpected to be inclined to that partie, what do they? They do, to give evident demonſtration to the contrary, ſwear luſtily, and rap out Oaths one after another. Oh what horrible oppoſition unto God and unto the Spirit of Chriſt is this, Chriſt ſaith, That our light muſt ſo ſhine before men that they ſeeing o…r good works m…y glorifie our heavenly Father; Now they let their wickedneſs appear before men that they may be known what they are: And hereby they give teſtimony that they can be brought to yeild unto any thing, that is the very ground of it, they do (I ſay) by that give teſtimony to the other party, that they can be brought to yeild unto any thing and that they can ſerve their turns; and this is the reaſon why willingly they would entertain no other than ſuch as theſe, for if they hear a man ſwear luſtily then they think thus, ſuch a man ſurely either hath no conſcience at all and then he is fitteſt for our turn he will not be a ſcrupulous fool, or if he have a conſcience he hath broke his conſcience and now his conſcience cannot prevail over him, therefore now l…t us put upon him what we will if it may ſute with his own ends and with his own profit, this man will do it; but as for your Puritans that are ſo conſciencious we cannot have our own ends by them, therefore we will have none of them, that is the reaſon why they do ſo much hate them and others that they might be entertained by them and give full teſtimony that they are fit for their turns, therefore they will ſwear. Oh how black are mens mouths at this day by their curſed Oaths new execrations newly invented, that the world never before heard of! Wherefore then, though God might ma…e theſe men as ſcorpions for a while to ſcurge us, ye… if our ſpirits were up we need not fear them, for certainly they are the people of Gods curſe, thoſe that are ſo full of curſes in th…ir p. 44mouths. Thus much for the firſt.

I… follows, By ſwearing,

—And Lying.] Theſe two go together: There is no man that makes not conſcience of an Oath, that can make conſcience of a Lye; though the world would think to part them and ſay, Oh you will not ſwear but you will lye; but God ſaith otherwiſe. Swearing and Lying go together, thoſe that will ſwear, certainly will lye. But for Gods own people, God frees them from this ſin, from lying though the world would caſt it upon them, for there is no ſin more againſt godlineſs than lying. Iſa 63.8. ſaith God of his people, Surely they are my people, children that will not lye. God engageth himſelf for his people, theſe are the people that will not lye ſaith God. Are you in profeſſion any of Gods people? God doth engage himſelf for you in this, that certainly you will not lye. It is ſaid of the Devil, that he is a Lyar and the father of lyes. And women that carry falſe tales up and down and are ſlanderers, in Scripture they are called Devils, 1 Tim. 3.11. Women muſt he grave and ſober, not ſl…nderers; Diabolus, not Devils; A women that is a ſlanderer, that carries falſe tales up and down to the prejudice of her neighbor, the Scripture cals that woman by the name of a Devil; And the word that ſignifies Detractor in the Hebrew it is Rachil, foreignand ſome think our Engliſh word Rake-hel comes from that word, one that makes no conſcience to ſpeak falſly.

This ſin of Lying is the breaking of all ſociety, there can be no converſe between man and man where this i…. Auguſtine writing to his friend that ſent to him to have his Judgement concerning an Officious lye (that is, a ly that tends not to the hurt of any but of him that tels it) he writes back his anſwer, That a man muſt n…t tell a lye to ſave the whole world, If it were (ſaies he) to ſave thy father or thy mother out of Hell, if p…ſſibly it could …e, thou muſt n…t tell a lye; if it were to ſ…ve Kingdoms from deſtruction, th…u muſt not tell a lye. That is his opinion: And certainly there is a truth in it, for God will never be beholden to the Devil to do good through his means. Surely then thou muſt not tell a lye to gain a groat, or to gain a ſhilling, p. 45or to gain a good bargain, or to prevent the diſpleaſure of thy Maſter or Miſtris, but rather willingly open the truth than to think to cover the fault by a lye. The ground of that is Atheiſme that ſervants and children when they have done amiſs ſeek to cover it by a lye. God is exceedingly diſpleaſed with this ſin, and hath a controverſie againſt a Nation, and againſt a family, and againſt a particular perſon for this ſin of lying, and therefore Prov. 6.17. and ſo on, you ſhall find if you read divers verſes together, that the Lord ſaith, That ſix things he hateth, yea ſeven is an abomination unto him; now amongſt thoſe ſeven things you ſhall obſerve that he repeats lying twice, though under ſeveval terms;Prov. 6.17 Opened,Prov 6:17 And that place i… famous that we have in Revel. 21.8. that lyars ſhall have their portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimſtone; Take that home with you, you ſervants, and children, and tradeſmen that will tell lyes for gain; God doth rank and chain up lyars together with notorious ſinners that ſhall all have their portion in the lake of fire and brimſtone which is the ſecond death.

There are none in the world that make ſuch advantage of lying as the Antichriſtian party doth, either to draw a party to themſelves or diſcourage thoſe that are againſt them, inventing all manner of lyes that poſſibly can be. And becauſe they invent ſo many themſelves, wh…tſoever is ſaid againſt them, you preſently hear in m…lignants mouths, That's a lye; they think all men are lyars becauſe they are conſcious unto themſelves, that they themſelves are continually ſo. And no mervail that the Antichriſtian party are ſo full of lyes for the very Doctrine of Popery, take the lump of it. it is altogether call'd a lye, 2 Theſ. 2.7.2 Theſ. 2.7. Expounded.2 Thess 2:7 God gave men over that did not entertain the truth in the love of it to bele…ve a lye that they might be damned. Do you ask the queſtion why ſo many Learned men, Schollers, underſtanding men turn to the Popiſh party? Mark the reaſon here, becauſe they enter…in'd not the truth in love, God gave them over to beleeve a lye, A lye, what is that? that is the Doctrine of Popery; So the very quinteſſence of it, it is a lye. That being therefore the great lye in the p. 46world it muſt have a company of little lyes (as I may ſay) to underprop it, to uphold that great Lye of Popery, a company of leſſer lyes, Eſa. 28.15. they make lyes their refuge. It is a text as notable for our times as any I know, it ſhews the practice of our times, when they cannot get any thing by any fair way, then they invent lyes and make lyes their refuge. It is the Maxim of the Jeſuites, C…lumniare audacter, aliquid herebit, Calumminate and ly ſtoutly to purpoſe and ſomewat will ſtick, for every one that ſhall hear of the report ſhall not come to hear of the anſwer that can be given to it. And that is their policie, to ſpread abroad lyes as much as they can, and eſpecially to invent lyes of thoſe that are moſt eminent and active in publick affairs; and that is the reaſon of thoſe ſtrange inventions that are raiſed of ſuch as are moſt active in Parliament, and alſo in the City and in the Miniſtry, things ſo hideous, that if they were true would render men altogether unfit to be entertained in a Common-wealth. But you will ſay, what can they get by it when it proveth to be falſe? Yes, becauſe their lye… ſpread a great way further than the anſwer to them can ſpread: And thoſe in Jer. 20.10. do fully ſet out the condition of theſe men; I heard the defaming of many (ſaith the Prophet) how? Report ſay they, and we will report it. This was their plot againſt Jeremiah; the truth i… we muſt defame Jeremiah, we ſee he hath got a great deal of credit and prevails with the people, and we know not how to help our ſelves, only if we can but defame him, if we can but raiſe up ſomething that may take away his eſteem with the people, we may then have our end,Ier 20.10. Opened.Jer 20:10 therefore deviſe ſomewhat, report and we will report it, we will ſpread it abroad, we will put it into a frame and print it: As now, if a company of Malignants get into a Tavern, there they wil talk againſt this Miniſter and the other, againſt thi… Parliament man and the other, againſt this Citizen and the other, what ſhall we do ſay they? we ſee they prevail, let us deviſe ſomewhat that may defame them, report ſomewhat and we will ſpread it. This hath been the way to this day to maintain that Antichriſtian partie, that great Lye. Jer. 9.3. They bend their tongue like their p. 47bow for lyes, and ver. 5. They have taught their tongue to ſpeak lyes; They are now become artificial in it, and they do it the rather becauſe they know it will pleaſe ſome great ones. It was ſo in former times, Pro. 29.12. If a Ruler hea ken to lyes all his ſervants are wicked; If any Officer, or any that are about him ſee that it will humour him to raiſe ill reports againſt Gods ſervants, the ſervants of ſuch a Ruler will be wicked and raiſe lyes enow. And amongſt other places that is famous, Hoſ. 7.3.Hoſ. 7.3.Hos 7:3 the text ſaith there, They make the King glad with their wickedneſs, and the Princes with th…ir lyes. Opened.It is ſpoken of J…roboam and the other Kings that followed him, that ſet up falſe worſhip; How there were a great many in Iſrael whoſe conſciences would not give them leave to follow that way of falſe worſhip; upon that there were a company of Promoters and Apparitors and Baylifs, and ſome Courtiers, they would invent lyes againſt thoſe that would needs go up to Jeruſalem to worſhip and would not content themſelves with the Calves that the King ſet up; Now when they had invented lyes of ſome of the moſt zealous men amongſt the people, they brought theſe tales to the King, and ſaid thus, Did your Majeſtie hear ſuch a thing? There are ſuch men in your Majeſties dominions that dwell in ſuch To…ns, and they are forſooth ſo ſcrupulous, they will not be content with that Religion that the Law hath eſtabliſhed, but they muſt go up to Jeruſalem to worſhip, yea, and at ſ…ch a… m… they get into a corner and there they commit ſ…ch and ſuch wickedneſs, and they live in theſe and theſe wicked waie…; And thus they came and told the King t…les of them, and the text ſai…s, They mad… the King glad with their tales, the King was tickled with it and rejoyced at it, and he gave them his hand, gave them encouragement. Cert…inly amongſt u… there hath not been wanting men that have endeavoured this, that w…ld have accounted this their happineſs to get a t… i… …o tell of a Puritan or of a godly Mini…er, though it were never ſo falſe. Thus we have briefly pa… over this ſecond charge in this ſecond verſe, …wea…ng, and Lying.

The next follows. The Lord hath a contr… … with … p. 48of the land for Murder, for Killing. Murder, that is a provoking ſin, God ſeldom ſuffers it to go unrevenged in this world. Whence are all thoſe diſcoveries of Murders; ſcarce any one but can tell ſtrange ſtories of the diſcovery of murder. We have a vain diſtinction of murder & man-ſlaughter as 'tis call'd, that forſooth if a man be angry and in a paſſion kills another, thi… is man-ſlaughter and no murder: God will not own that diſtinction, for if you ſhall by your paſſion make your ſelf a beaſt, and ſo kill a man, God will require this at your hand, for Gen 9.5. God ſaith that he will r…quire the blood of man at the hand of every beaſt, much more at the hand of a man that by his paſſion makes himſelf a beaſt. The life of a man is precious to God and God will not ſuffer any creature to have abſolute power over it, he keeps the dominion of mens lives unto himſelf. Mr. Ainſworth upon Gen. 9.6. citeth the the Jewiſh Doctors, affirming that a Murderer though it were poſſible for him to give all the riches of the world, yet he muſt be put to death, becauſe the life of the murdered is the poſſeſſion of the moſt holy God; this is their argument. Certainly it is not in the power of any man upon earth to ſave a murderer be he what he will be. The greateſt man upon earth hath no liberty from God, no prerogative to ſave a Murderer, but he that ſheds blood by man muſt his blood be ſhed. God avengeth the blood that Manaſſeh ſhed a long while after his death, 2 King. 24.4. And for innocent blood that he ſhed which God would not pardon. Though Maneſſ…h did repent and ſo we have cauſe to hope wel in regard of his ſoul and his eternal eſtate,**Though Calvin ſeems to be of the contrary opinion. Deut. 28.Deut 28 yet the Lord came upon the Nation after his daies and would not pardon his ſhedding of innocent blood. What adoe do we find in the Law concerning the killing of a man? When a man was found dead in the field nigh unto a City the Elders of that City they muſt come to the dead body, waſh their hands over the heifer to be ſlain and …ake a ſolemn Oath that they had no hand in the murder and ſo clear the City from the guilt of it. This ſhews how precious the life of man is in Gods eſteem and that God hath a controverſ…e with a land for ſhedding of blood.

p. 49And if this be ſo, what a controverſie think you hath God againſt many in this Kingdom at this day? How fearful is Gods controverſie againſt ſome that muſt feel it for that blood that hath been ſhed in Ireland? There is upon record one hundred and forty thouſand that have been murdered there ſince the beginning of this rebellion, and every body wil ſay, it is plain murder. And they whoſoever they are that have had a hand in this, and abetted it, and ſtrengthened the hands of the Murderers, what will they be able to anſwer unto God? Shall the blood of one righteous Abel cry loud in the ears of God and never leave crying untill it hath had vengeance, and ſhall not the blood of one hundreth and forty thouſand innocents? (I mean innocents in this regard, in regard of the cauſe for which they were murdered:) We now in England begin to be ſomewhat ſenſible of the guilt of Murder what it is to have it lie upon a Nation. In the laſt Declaration of the affairs of Ireland, the Parliament giveth an intimation of ſome fear they have that poſſibly the guilt of the blood of King James may ſome way be upon US. God hath a controverſie for murder whereſoever it lies, if it be not puniſhed accordingly. And for all that blood that hath been ſhed here of late, where ever the cauſe lies, God will find it out one day. Oh the blood that will be upon the head of ſome! Jer. 51.35. The violence done to me and to my fleſh, be upon Babylon, ſhall the inhabitants of Zion ſay, and my blood upon the inhabitants of Caldea, ſhall Jeruſalem ſay. So let all Chriſtians (they may do it and they have warrant from God to do it) let all Godly people in this Kingdom that have had their Husbands kill'd, their Children kill'd, their Apprentices kill'd, their Friends kill'd in theſe unhappie wars, let them ſay, the violence done to my fleſh be upon the Babyloniſh party, the Popiſh partie, and the blood that hath been ſhed of our husbands, of our children, of our ſervants, of our friends be upon the inhabitants of Caldea, the inhabitants of the Popiſh partie that are riſen up and ſhed ſo much blood as they have done. Oh how vile and curſed are mens hearts even in this thing, that are ſo ſet upon their deſigns, that to attain them they will go thorough ſtreams of blood that lie in their way, and no matter for the liv…s of thouſands of men ſo their luſts may be ſatisfied! How are men vilified in this thing, that their lives and bodies muſt go to be ſervicable unto the luſts of a few other…! Certainly God never made ſuch a difference, he never put ſuch a diſtance between one man and another.

But now in the waies of execution of juſtice there we muſt not account the ſhedding of blood to be killing. God hath not a …ontroverſie with a land for bloodſhed in the execution of Juſtice; nay on the contrary the Lord hath a controverſie againſt a people when there is not ſhedding of blood that way Jer. 48.10. Curſed be the man that withholds his hand from blood. ſuch a caſe may be. And 1. King. 20.42. when Ahab let Benhadad go, the text ſaith that a Prophet came to him, in the name of the Lord ſaying, Becauſe thou h…ſt let go out of thy hand, a man whom I appointed to utter deſtruction, therefore thy life ſhall go for his life, and thy people for his people. So when we have men in our hands whom God hath appointed to deſtruction, who are guilty of death, who have ſought not the blood of ſome few but the maſſacring of a Citie, if for private ends of our own we let them go, God may require our lives for theirs. And this is the cauſe it may be amongſt others, that there is ſo much bloodſhed at this day amongſt us, becauſe there is no execution of Juſtice upon offenders, and God requires the blood of many for many. It is true, Papiſt… for their Religion are not to be put to death: that we acknowledg, but the Lord becauſe he intendeth the ruin of that partie, will leave them to thoſe waies that they ſhall be guilty of death by the Law of the Land, and by the Law of Arms, and then the putting them to death in that kind is the execution of Juſtice and not the breach of the ſixth Commandement.

Queſt. But will ſom ſay, Oh killing is a grievous thing, we never were acquainted with killing as we have been of l…te; were it not better we were all at peace than that ſtill ſo much blood ſhould be ſhed?

Anſw. God forbid any of us ſhould be bloody men or deſire the ſhedding of blood. No, let us all labour to have peace tha… p. 51there may be no more bloodſhed. Take this ſpeech barely conſidered and it is a good ſpeech, and we are all I hope of the ſame mind, Curſed be that man I ſay that ſhall not yeild to this. But certainly peace though upon hard terms, it were to be deſired, if that peace would ſave blood; though half our eſtates went for it; But what if it prove that that peace we talk of ſhould be a means of more bloodſhed? If you ſhould let in ſuch men into your City as bloody Papiſts, French, Walloons, and Iriſh Rebels, and that meerly upon their bare word that they would do you no hurt, do not you think if they were once in, that you would every night be in danger of maſſacring? and would there not be much more bloodſhed than yet hath been? Therefore let not men ſay that thoſe are bloody men that will not yeild up their throats to bloody men, that will ſtand up to defend their brethren from being maſſacred; but they ſtand up and take up Arms, not to ſhed blood but to prevent the ſhedding of blood: For certainly if the Citie and Country had in the beginning of theſe wars roſe up as one man and gone into the field, they might have ſaved abundance of blood that hath been ſhed. Many thouſands that have now loſt their lives might have been preſerved if you had took up Arms to more purpoſe ſooner than you did: But when every County looks to it ſelf, and the enemy goes to ſuch a County and there ſheds blood, and then to another and there ſheds blood, and you ſit ſtill and do nothing, God may require the blood of your brethren at your hands; and you cannot clear your ſelves from being guilty of the ſheding of the blood of your Brethren when you do not appear to the uttermoſt you are able to ſubdue the power of thoſe that ſhed their blood. We cannot ſee any way to keep the blood that i… now in our veins, but by ſubduing the Malignant and Antichriſtian partie that have already taſted ſo much of the blood of the Saints, that they are like the Country-mans dog—

And ſo thoſe Iriſh Rebels that in Ireland have taſted ſo much blood, and now are come over hither to joyn with Papiſts, you cannot in any way of ſenſe and reaſon imagin any ſafety but by ſubduing that partie. Is that a way to prevent the ſhedding p. 52of your blood to lay your necks upon the block, for that which commeth under ſuch a ſpecious name, may be in truth no other but a laying your necks upon the block, and giving up your wives and children to be a ſacrifice to their malice.

The Lord hath a controverſie for Blood. We know when we have to deal with Papiſts what they have been of old, and therefore we hope God hath a controverſie with that partie, that as they have drunk the blood of the Saints, ſo they ſhall at laſt ſwell and burſt themſelves in pieces. In France they had as good terms of Agreement as we can expect in the time of that Maſſacre, and yet Hiſtories tel us of more than ten thouſand Proteſtants that were murdered in one night in Paris, and that at that time when they were in as fair a way of peace as poſſibly could be, and there was a Marriage ſolemnized and a great deal of rejoycing for the Union of one partie with another, and yet (I ſay) in that night ſo many were ſlaine; and you may expect no other if the Malignant partie get power. You will ſay, They have not done ſo to other Cities which they have taken. No, they have not got the day yet, they are but in their deſign yet if once they get this Citie, then they have got the day, and having gotten the day, you may expect all manner of cruelty from them. And this Maſſacre in France went on to other Cities, for within a few daies after there were fourty thouſand more computed to be murdered. I remember that Hiſtorie of France tels us of that King Charls the 9^th by whoſe Commiſſion this was done, that afterward God ſtruck him with ſuch a diſeaſe, as that there iſſued out of his body at ſeveral places nothing but blood, ſo that in that ſickneſs he would ſometimes fall down and wal-himſelf in his own blood, Be men great or ſmall, yet being guilty of blood, at one time or other the Lord will manifeſt that he hath a controverſie againſt them. And ſo much for that third Charge.

The fourth follows, and that is, [Stealing.] God ſetteth bounds as to mens habitations, ſo to mens eſtates, and he will not have one break, in upon another; no not ſo much as to p. 53covet that which is anothers. In ſeeking therefore an encreaſe of our eſtates, to get in any ſinful way, in that we do as it were ſay Gods care is not over me to provide needful things for me, ſeeing I cannot have them from God I will ſee if I can have them from the Devil. This is the language of all kind of gain that we get by any unlawful way; you do not ſay ſo in words indeed, but this is the language of your actions. Saith a poor body, well, I ſee I am in want, I want bread for my family, and cloaths, and many outward comforts, money to pay my Rent &c. I ſee in Gods providence he doth not provide for me, well, I will go unto the Divil then, I will ſee whether the Devill will do more for me than God; I cannot have it by Gods allowance, for if I might have it by his allowance I might have it by lawful means, therefore ſaith he I will have it whether God will or no. This is the language of all kind of ſtealing; And the curſe of God is upon that that is got ſo unjuſtly, and all the repentance in the world is not ſufficient for ſuch a man as hath gotten his eſtate unjuſtly, unleſs he make reſtitution of it again to the uttermoſt of his power.

And this ſtealing is not only meant of your Pilferers or Robbers by the high way, or ſuch as cut purſes, but any wrongful gain that is gotten by way of trade. If I were preaching of this argument at large, much might be ſaid to thoſe that live by a way of trade. But for the preſent take that one Scripture, Ezek. 28.18. Thou haſt defiled thy ſanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick. Let Merchants and Tradeſmen that have gotten any thing unlawfully, take this text home with them, Thou haſt defiled thy ſanctuaries, by the iniquitie of thy traffick. It may be by trafficking unjuſtly you have gotten ſuch an eſtate, and you come to Gods ſanctuaries as if you were very holy, and no body ſhould ſuſpect you for your falſe books and gettings that way, God ſaith in this Text that you defile all the Ordinances by the iniquitie of your Traffick. Perhaps you think after you have gotten unjuſtly, to give ſomewhat to adorn ſuch a place as this 'tis well enough; but you do defile them.

p. 54So for all kind of oppreſſion, that is meant by ſtealing too. Latimer in one of his Sermons before King Edward, ſaith, that the greateſt man in the Kingdom cannot hurt an oppreſſing man, ſo as a poor widdow may; and with what arms I pray ſaith he? Can he bring the Judges skin over his ears? The arms are theſe, the tears of the poor run down from their cheeks and go up to Heaven and there cry for vengeance. So that the text here ſpeaks not of the meaneſt but of the greateſt theeves. Saith Calvin upon the place, thoſe that had the moſt power by their honor and riches and were oppreſſors of the people, they are the theeves here ſpoken of. And Iſa. 1.23. Your Princes are rebellious and companions of Theeves. And Iſa. 33.1. When you ſhall ceaſe to ſpoil you ſhall be ſpoiled: This is a text for our ſpoilers at this day, it may be God will let them go on till they have done their work, and then God cometh upon them, and then, not at the firſt when they begin to ſpoil, but when they have done ſpoiling they ſhall be ſpoiled. Oh this controverſie ſeems to be upon England that was threatned and was upon the people in that place we reade of, Iſa. 42.22. This is a people robbed and ſpoiled, they are all of them ſnared in holes. If they had come into the field, perhaps it had been better with them, but they crept into holes and they are ſnared and ſpoiled: They are a prey and none delivereth them, they are for a ſpoil and none ſay, reſtore; Who amongſt you will give ear to this? Mark what the text ſaith, Who amongſt you will hearken and hear for the time to come? Who gave Jacob to the ſpoil and Iſrael to the robbers? Did not the Lord, he againſt whom you have ſinned? for they would not walk in his waies, neither were they obedient unto his Law; therefore he hath powred upon them the fury of his anger, he hath ſet them on fire, and who hath laid it to heart? We are a people robbed and ſpoiled, and it is upon this, becauſe we have not walked in the waies of God nor been obedient to his law, and the Lord hath powred his fury upon England at this day, and his fire burneth, and who hath laid it to heart? No body ſtirs, becauſe the fire is not kindled in the City you lay it not to heart and you ſuffer your brethren one Country after another to be ſpoiled. Take heed, if you ſtir not more than you have done, p. 55as many of you may anſwer for the blood of your brethren, ſo for the ſpoiling of their goods, becauſe you do not lay to heart this heavy judgment that is upon the land at this day, The execution of this controverſie.

But yet in times of war you muſt know, that the taking away of all mens goods otherwiſe than meerly by the poſitive Law of the Land, is no ſtealing, nor no breach of the eighth Commandement, for it is againſt common ſenſe and reaſon that in times of war we ſhould be wholly tied to thoſe poſitive Laws of a State that are made for times of peace: But it is according to the Law of Nature, to the Law of God, to the Law of Arms that our enemies ſhould be deprived of what may ſtrengthen them againſt us. Therefore let none cry out of ſtealing and robbing in theſe times; Indeed it is not fit that any ſhould be ſuffered to be as robbers, but yet it is juſt that thoſe that will not be on one ſide ſhould be taken as enemies to the other; and (I ſay) it is agreeable to the Law of Nature, and to the Law of God, and to the Law of Arms, that in times of war, when the war is juſt (in which I hope you cannot but be fully ſatisfied) that what may ſtrengthen the enemy, may be taken away. Indeed they plead for Law who wholly break it themſelves, becauſe they would have all the priviledg they can to ſtrengthen themſelves by our goods and the goods of others; but certainly God giveth us allowance, being in a lawful war, to ſtrengthen our ſelves by the eſtates and goods of thoſe that appear enemies unto us, without breach of peace or the poſitive Law of the land, or his own Commandement. Thus much for the fourth charge.

The fifth is, [Committing Adultery.] The generation of a rational creature who muſt live unto all eternity, is a work that God challengeth a ſpecial hand in, to appoint it to all at his pleaſure, therefore the breach of Gods Order in this, and the caſting filth upon this to ſatisfie the brutiſh luſt of a man or woman, it is a moſt curſed evil, againſt which God hath a moſt dreadful controverſie. It is a breach of the bleſſed Covenant of God, and a ſin that is moſt oppoſite to Gods Nature. And take that text all you that are guilty of this; p. 56for perhaps many ſeem not to be guilty, that are profeſſors of Religion and live fairly amongſt their neighbors, & yet may be ſecretly guilty of it too; take that text home with you, Prov. 22.14. That the abhorred of the Lord ſhall fall into the pit of the whore. Go thy waies in that condition wherein thou art, thou canſt know no otherwiſe by thy ſelf but that thou art the man or the woman that art abhorred of God. Thou art beloved of thy Whore, but God abhorreth thee. And Tertullian ſpeaking upon that place Eph. 5.6. Let no man deceive you with vain words; Nunquā mac…o aut fornicatori ſecundam paenitentiā eſſe permiſſā. Dui maechiam concienatur eſſe remiſſibilem. He admitted but 1. repentance after baptiſme. See lib. de penitentiâ, & de pudicitiâ.he that expreſſion which I confeſs I would not dare to have; Theſe are (ſaith he) vain words, be that preacheth of repentance to adultery, eſpecially adultery in a forcible way, he deceiveth men with vain words. You may ſee how he apprehended the ſin; we dare not juſtifie what he ſaith in that, but only ſhew you how dreadful he apprehended the ſinne to be. And in another place, ſpeaking of the ſin that is unpardonable, in Heb. 6. he hath this expreſſion, We never read, (ſaith he) or ever knew a ſecond repentance promiſed to an adulterer or fornicator. Theſe were his thoughts of Adultery. The Athenians made a law, That if any man found his wife in the act of adultery, he might preſently kill her. And I have read of a people among the Heathens, that have puniſhed this ſin for the filthineſs of it, by putting the adulterers head into the panch of a beaſt where the filth of it lay, and ſo ſtifled him. If Heathens hated it ſo much, ſurely God muſt have a controverſie with thoſe that profeſs themſelves Chriſtians becauſe of this ſin. And the greater controverſie becauſe it is ſo little puniſhed by men. And though many great ones can get beyond puniſhment by man, yet they cannot get beyond this controverſie. I remember Mr. Cleaver reports of one that he knew that had committed the act of uncleanneſs, and in the horrour of conſcience he hung himſelf, but before when he was about to hang himſelf, he writes in a paper and left it in a place, to this effect, Indeed ſaith be, I acknowledg it to be utterly unlawful for a man to kill himſelf, but I am bound to act the Magiſtrates part, becauſe ſin puniſhment of this ſin it death. God would have that ſin puniſhed with death, but the Magiſtrate did not puniſh it p. 57accordingly, therefore he in horrour of conſcience laies violent hands upon himſelf. We juſtifie not his act, but it ſhews what a controverſie God hath with men that commit this ſin. Thou committeſt that abominable ſin, and thou haſt ſome pleaſure and delight in it, Go thy way, thou art a dead man in Gods eyes, look to thy ſelf, one way or other God may bring death upon thee, and though mans Law take not hold upon thee, God may thou knowſt not how ſoon. I have read of a King of Navarre that by adultery had weakned his body very much, and in regard of that, his Phyſitians cauſed his body to be wrapt about with a Cerecloath dipt in Aqua-vitae, and the party that ſowed the Cerecloath, having done, went to burn off the threed with a candle, which preſently took hold of the cloath and conſumed both it and the King.

And as God hath a controverſie for this ſin which is ſo little puniſhed by mans Law, which by Gods Law is death; ſo the rather hath God a controverſie for this ſin if it be committed by men of knowledg, by learned men, by men that are in publick places, by men that carry a ſhew of holineſs, by men that are in the Miniſtry, If they commit it God hath a dreadfull controverſie with them in a ſpecial manner. Jer. 29.23. The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the King of Babylon roſted in the fire, becauſe they committed villany in Iſrael, and have committed adultery with their neighbors wives. It was a proverb,Jer. 29.32. opened,Jer 29:32 The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and Ahab whom the King of Babylon roſted in the fire: This was not King Zedekiah and King Ahab, but two falſe Prophets that were called by that name, and they were unclean wretches, and though it were the King of Babylon, a Heathen, yet he ſo hated that ſin of adultery that he cauſed them to be roſted in the fire, for that was the puniſhment of that Nation for capital offences, to burn or roſt the offenders in the fire. Therefore thoſe who are Miniſters that are learned men, that have any ſhew of holineſs more than others, if they be guilty of this ſin God hath a moſt dreadful controverſie with them.

And ſee how we ſhould have a controverſie too ag…nſt this ſin of uncleanneſs, eſpecially when it is in a forced way. Judg. p. 5820.27. you ſhall reade there that there was four hundred thouſand men, all men of war that were raiſed up as one man, and they all ſaid (verſ. 8.) we will not any of us go to his t…nt, neither will we any of us …urn into his houſe: And upon what did all theſe men riſe? Chap. 19. the cauſe was only this, that there was a Levite that had a Concubine, which C…ncubine had plaid the harlot and had gone from the Levite, he going to fetch hi… Concubine whom the men of Gib…ah a City of Benjamin, came in a violent way and raviſhed his Concubine until ſhe died, upon thi…, the Levite took the dead body and divided it into twelve ſeveral pieces, and ſent them into all the coaſts of Iſrael, and wiſht them to conſider what i… don…. Upon this the hearts of all the men of Iſrael were raiſ…d a… one man, and covenanted among themſelves that they …ould none of them turn into their houſes untill they had brought thoſe Delinquents that had committed that horrible offence to condigne puniſhment. Mark now, that the hearts of people ſhould be ſo ſet upon it and think it cauſe enough to gather an Army of four hundred thouſand to bring to condigne puniſhment thoſe that had but raviſhed a whore (for ſhe was no other) and reſolved never to go home til thoſe Delinquents were puniſhed. Have not we heard of worſe than this amongſt us? Oh what adulteries, what rapes have there been whereſoever the Soldiers come! what horrible villanies are committed that way, taking not mens concubins and whores, but grave m…trons and on purpoſe thoſe whom they think to be moſt godly, and defile them before the eyes of their husbands, and then when they have done murder them! And yet we ſtir not for all this to fetch in theſe Delinquents. Now we have rapes and raviſhments of thouſands amongſt us, and yet our hearts ſtir not, though no queſtion the ſame thing is intended againſt us here that is done to our brethren in other Countries, for you can expect little elſe from ſuch as theſe, Judg. 5.20. it is the ſpeech of Siſeras Mother, Have they not divided the prey, to every man a damſel or two? They aim as much to ſatisfie their luſts upon you as upon your goods, you muſt not think your lives wil ſatisfie them, but their luſts muſt be p. 59firſt ſatisfied; Yet O Lord the deadneſs of mens hearts, that though there hath been ſuch horrible villany committed in Ireland, in England, which certanily if there were no more but that, God requireth the people of the land ſhould riſe up to avenge ſuch a thing as that is, that there ſhould not be ſuch horrible wickedneſs committed in Iſrael, but that the offenders ſhould be brought to condigne puniſhment. If you regard not your lives and eſtates and liberties, yet regard ſuch a horrible villany as this, as is committed in the open heavens. Theſe here reſolved not to go to their tents nor to turn into their houſes till this was done; Be content to ſhut up your ſhops for a while, and to leave your trades and to lie in the fields untill you have brought theſe Delinquents to their juſt puniſhment. Be not diſcouraged with a little ill ſucceſs; there were forty thouſand of the better ſide ſlayn here before Iſrael got the victory, until they had thoroughly humbled themſelves, and then they had the better of it. Though our adverſaries meet with ſucceſs in their waies, let us not be diſcouraged, they that …ood to defend this horrible wickedneſs of the Men of Gibeah, they got the firſt day and the ſecond day; yet they went on in their way till they had brought the offenders to condigne puniſhment; We ſhould reſolve never to follow our buſineſs, nor regard our houſes and private eſtates untill we have got this wickedneſs puniſhed in this land and wiped off the guilt from the Kingdom. So much for that fourth charge. A word of the laſt.

They break out and blood toucheth blood.

They break out.] Erumpunt; That is, like the erruption of waters; As waters break over the banks wh…n it hath been kept in a while, ſo they break out thus, they overflow all bounds. When ſin is not mortified, though it be reſtrained for a while, it will break out: As many young men that have lived in good families and have had good governours, then their ſin was reſtrained, but afterward when they come to live at their own hand then they break out, Erumpunt then; ſin groweth to that ſtrength that nothing can reſ…rain it, like that man that had an unclean ſpirit and lived among the p. 60graves (Mark, 5.) no man could bind him no not with chains.

Secondly, Breaking out is a great aggravation of a mans ſin. It argueth ſtrength in ſin, impudency in ſin, deſperatneſs in ſin. And this breaking out of ſin is not breaking out only as water in an overflowing time or tide or ſo, but like breaking out of the fire indeed rather, or if you will like water breaking out of ſome fountain; now you know if a water break out of a fountain, there is not the leſs water in the fountain, but rather an increaſe of it. And as the fire when it breaks out, the breaking out makes it not leſs but more, as when an houſe is on fire it will keep in a long while, but when it breaks out at the roof or ſo then it flames the more and increaſeth with more violence; So it is no diminution to ſin that it breaks out, as many fooliſh people are ready to ſay, that will ſpeak horrible wickedly in their paſſion, I will let it go, as good out as in; they fooliſhly think there is ſo much leſs corruption within, and that is a diminution of ſin, but it is an aggravation of ſin, and noteth impudence in ſin.

And blood toucheth blood.] That is, as ſome will have it, one groſs and abominable ſin, that is accounted a bloody ſin, follows another. But ſome take it thus, one murder follows another, one oppreſſion follows another; Blood toucheth blood, now thy wickedneſs is broken out there is no end of it, but one murder follows another. Pareus thinketh it hath reference to thoſe times in the 2 King 15. where you may reade what murders there were and how blood touched blood at that time, as if the Prophet here had ſaid, they being uſed to murder, there is now nothing but murders, you hear of murders in this place, and in that place, and in the other place. Thus we may ſoon have it amongſt us, if the Lord did not raiſe up means to keep in and ſubdue the rage of ungodly men, if it get head and overcome the oppoſition that it hath, blood will then touch blood, one meſſenger ſhall not have done his relation of one horrid and cruel murder, but another meſſenger will be at his heels to tell you of another more horrid and vile than that. So it is in ſome countries, there comes one p. 61and ſaith in ſuch a place ſuch a man and all his family were murdered, there comes preſently another and tels you in ſuch a Town ſuch a friend of yours was murdered: Thus the meſſegers come at the heels one of another and tell the relation of blood touching blood. So ſome carry it.

But I rather thus, they defile themſelves inceſtuouſly (So that this is ſomewhat more than bare adultery) not regarding the neerneſs of blood, but blood toucheth blood, they that were neereſt in blood one to another they mingled themſelves one with onother in filthy and abominable luſts. So the Septuagint they tranſlate it foreign they mingle; ſo Jerome Sanguis ſanguinē tetigit, they mingle and touch blood with blood, thoſe that are neer of kin yet they come neer one another in filthy luſts. Now this was a ſin that God caſt the Heathen out of Canaan, out of that good land for, and therefore well may God have a controverſie with the people of the land now; for God caſt out the Heathen even for this very ſin; As you may find it Levit. 18.6. None of you ſhall approach to any that is neer of kin to him to uncover their nakedneſs: And ſo in many verſes afterward he ſhews what degrees of conſanguinity we muſt not come neer, and then ver. 24. Defile not your ſelves in any of theſe things, for ſaith he in all theſe the Nations are defiled that I caſt out before you, and the land i… defiled, therefore I do viſit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land it ſelf vomiteth out the inhabitants of it. This the rather ſtil hath God a controverſie with a people for this ſin, becauſe there is ſo little puniſhing of it. I would but know at thi… day what puniſhment there i… for Inceſt, or for any uncleanneſs among us only the man muſt keep the child; And what ever puniſhment hath been it was that which did as little good a nothing at all, they were to come to the Court and that would enjoyn them a white ſheet which they could take off with a very little money. That was the moſt then, and little it is that is now, and in that regard we may fear that Gods controverſie is ſo much the more againſt us, and pray to God that ſpeedily the land may deliver it ſelf from this guilt by having ſevere Laws for the puniſhment of this horrible wickedneſs leſt God come and puniſh it himſelf, and then wo unto us.

p. 62Now it follows upon all this charge; Thus God hath declared: and then follows, the Land mourneth. Well may a land mourn when God hath ſuch a controverſie with it.