An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 4 · Verse 4
Verſe 4.
Yet let no man ſtrive nor reprove another, for this people are as they th… …rive with the Prieſt.
Yet] The Hebrew word is, foreign, Vere, as if he ſhould ſay, truly it is in vain for any one to ſtand ſtriving or reproving his neighbor, or ſeek to convince or admoniſh him, it is in vain for one friend to meddle with another,Text opened. for they are ſo violent in their wicked waies, they are ſo far from hearkning to privat admonition, that they wil contend with the Prieſt, even with him that is ſet by God, and deſigned by ſpecial office to teach and reprove. Some carry it thus, They are ſo vile as no man is fit to reprove one another, being their wickedneſs is general no man is fit to reprove his brother of his ſin. But I rather take it the other way.
It doth firſt import thus much unto us in the general,Obſ. That ſin cannot be got from men without ſtriving. Such is the perverſneſs of mens hearts, that they take faſt hold of deceit Jer. 8.5. and you cannot get them away without ſtriving; like men in a frenzie, you cannot get them off from that which will miſchieve them without ſtrugling with them. When you admoniſh and reprove men for ſin, you muſt make account aforehand that they will ſtrive with you, ſtrugle with you, yet afterwards perhaps they will bleſſe God for you; If you come indeed at the firſt you ſhall have rugged uſage, What you come to judge u…, as they ſaid to Lot? Who made you a Ruler? So you have very ill language uſually from men at firſt when they are reproved, yet be not be diſcouraged, they will bleſs God for you afterwards, they wil ſay as David unto Abigail, Bleſſed be God, and bleſſed be thy adviſe, and bleſſed be thou for thy counſel.
Secondly (which is imployed in the former,) Even private Obſ. 2 men, ſo long as there is any hope, they ſhould ſtrive with their brethren by way of admonition and reprehenſion to bring them from their ſin. We muſt not ſay, Are we our brothers keepers? that is the language of a Cain. There is much ſtriving and contending one with another for our own ends; Oh that there were more ſtriving and contending for God and his glory! It is a ſign that the Glory of God and the Souls of our Brethren are not precious in our eyes when we can ſo ſtrive and contend to have our own wills, and though God loſeth his Glory, and our Brothers Soul is like to periſh, we cannot ſtrive and contend there, not even thoſe that are too too full of ſtrife otherwiſe.
Thirdly, It is a great aggravation of ſin and a forerunner of deſtruction to a people, not to regard the ſtrivings, admonitions, Obſ. 3 and reprehenſions of others. Let no man ſtrive; It is in vain to ſtrive now, (thats the meaning) Indeed ſo long as there was hope there might be ſt…iving, but now they are paſt ſtriving. This was their height of wickedneſs that they were grown unto, and the fore-runner of that wrath of God that was now ready to fal upon them, becauſe they were now paſt all reprehenſion and admonition. I will give you for that two or three notable texts of Scripture to fatten this upon your hearts, that it is a moſt fearful thing for people to ſtand out againſt admonition and reprehenſion. That place in 1. Sam. 2.25. is a notable one, the text ſaith of Eli's ſons, that they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, why? Becauſe the Lord intended to deſtroy them. Oh you children do you hearken to this Scripture, turn to it, reade it over, you … ſtout rebellious children, and your parents they are … …ving you for your ſins and admoniſhing you, but you will not hearken to them, and in the pride of your hearts and ſtoutneſs of your ſpirits you refuſe admonition; but if you read that Scripture and beleeve that it is the Word of God, Oh tremble at it, They hearkened not unto the voyce of their father, becauſe the Lord would ſlay them. Here is a ſtuborn child, regards not the voice of his father and mother reproving him, it is a fearful argument that God intends to deſtroy that child. Another text you have in 2 Chron. 25.16.2 Chron. 25.16. it is a ſpeech of the Prophet to Amaziah; when the Prophet came to rebuke him for worſhiping the gods of that people whom he had overcome in battel (Here is the infinite vanity and ſottiſhneſs of Idolators, Amaziah falls to worſhip thoſe very gods that could not deliver themſelves nor their people out of his hands;) when the Prophet (I ſay) came to reprove him for it, in what a rage was he? One would have thought that there was ſo much the more reaſon fo… … …rit to have yeelded to the Prophet's reproof, but ſaith the King,Opened Art thou made of the Kings Counſel? forbear; it may be he hath other fetches, other intentions, what have you you to do to meddle? The Prophet did forbear indeed, but mark what he ſaith, I know that God hath determined to deſtroy thee, becauſe thou haſt done this, and haſt not hearkened unto my counſel. Here was his collection, becauſe the King would not regard admonition and reproof, certainly God had a purpoſe to deſtroy this King; here is the forerunner of his deſtruction. And it is obſervable of this King, that he ſhould now ſtand out ſo: for in the Chapter before you ſhall find him ſeem to be of a yeildable ſpirit though he was a naughty man; when he had hired an hundred thouſand out of Iſrael to …oyn with him in battel, and had given them all pay, yet when God did but ſend to him by the Prophet to ſend them back and to looſe thoſe hundred talents that he had paid the Soldiers withal, upon the very word of the Prophet he ſends back a hundred thouſand of his Soldiers and looſeth all their pay; and yet this Amaziah that was ſo yeildable at that time how ſtubborn was he againſt the Prophet at another time! And therefore at that time when he did ſo yeild to Go… … proſpered him in the battel, and he overcame his enemies … had a glorious victory, and after that victory he falls a worſhiping the Idols he had overcome, and was ſtout againſt the Prophet, and ſo ſoon after he was deſtroyed accordingly. The laſt Scripture is that in Pro. 29.1. He that being often reproved hardneth his neck, ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed, and that without remedy. It is a dangerous thing to ſtand out againſt reproof and admonition.
Again, Let no man ſtrive with his brother.] You may ſee that this people were grown to a worſe paſs than they were before, for in the ſecond Chapter of this propheſie, Say to your brethren Ammi, and to your ſiſters Ru…hamah. There thoſe that were godly amongſt them were admoniſhed to ſpeak to their brethren and their ſiſters, though they were naught yet the godly that were diſperſt amongſt them muſt be admoniſhing thoſe they lived withal; but now it is come to ſuch a paſs that there muſt be no more ſtriving, no mo… … …moniſhing. Here we may take this note, That ſin doth increaſe in …aces where Obſ. 4 it is let alone. Thoſe that were capable of admonition one while, going on in ſin and hardning their hearts, grow quickly paſt all admonition.
Fiftly, There is a time when men may, you men ſhould Obſ. 5 leave their ſtriving and admoniſhing and reproving of others, when they ſhould let them alone. Eſpecially in theſe two caſes; when thoſe that they ſhould admoniſh ſcorn their admonition, when they grow ſcorners; when they trample their admonitions under their feet as ſwine, or turn again upon them and rend them as dogs. There are two ſorts not to be admoniſhed or reproved, Swine, and Dogs. When they grow to be ſwine and dogs then you may leave, yea you ought to leave admoniſhing them. For admonitions and reprehenſions are precious things, they are pearls, they muſt not be caſt to ſwine, Mat. 7.6.Mat. 7.6. Give not holy things to dogs, neither caſt pearls before ſwine; they are holy things and precious things; For I do not take that place to be meant of the Sacrament only, it may be by an argument a minori ad majus applied to it, but that place, Give not holy things to dogs, and caſt not pearls before ſwine, is meant of admonition and reprehenſion.Opened So that admonition is to be looked upon as a holy thing, as a pearl, you are to prize it and therefore not to be angry when we come to admoniſh you, but you are to look upon the holineſs of God in it & ſo reverence it, and look upon it as a mercy of God and bleſs God for it. There are many in Heaven now bleſſing God for the admonitions which they have received from others, as David bleſſed God for Abigail and her counſel. Many think it a great happineſs unto them that they can re…ect admonition and counſel, and when they are gone from ſuch as have admoniſhed them and are among their companions they can boaſt and ſay, Oh ſuch a one came and reprehended me, but I ſaid thus and thus to him, and ſo rejoyce how they have re…ected admonition. But if they knew all they have cauſe to mourn, it is a great m…ſery for them when as it comes to that, that God ſhall bid thoſe th…t have to deal with them to ſtrive no more with them; when as men have rejected the admoniti… of others, that they think they have ſtopped their mouths, I'le warrant you ſay they, ſuch a one wil neve… come to me more; Oh your miſery is the greater. F….
… …ſt, You have deprived your ſelves of a ſpecial Ordinance of G…. Admonition and reprehenſion, even brotherly admonition and reprehenſion is an Ordinance of God.
Secondly, T…oſe who ſtrive thus, who admoniſh and reprove you, they muſt give an account unto God what becometh of their admonition and reprehenſion. You muſt give an account to God one day, and ſo muſt they give an account unto God too; yea they ſhould do it for the preſent, thus, After they have done they muſt go to God and tel him how it hath ſped, for they have done it in his Name when they have done it right; And when they go unto God if their admonition and reproof have prevailed with you, they are to return to God with bleſſing, to bleſs God that he hath been pleaſed to bleſs their admonition to ſuch a one. And on the other ſide if you reject their admonition they are to tell that too when they go unto God, they are to tell a lamenting of your condition and to intreat God to look upon you, and to tel God, Lord I have been thus and thus admoniſhing ſuch a one; it hath been in thy Name, but Lord he contemns it, he rejects it: When you are laughing at it that you have rejected ſuch a friends admonition, then he that hath been faithful to you he is telling God of it, and do you not think there will come ſomewhat of this one day?
Laſtly, You are left to Gods ſtriving and rebuking, and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. It is better when God ſtriveth with you by men than that he ſhould come and ſtrive with you himſelf. As now, if a father ſend his ſervant to go and fetch in a child, to rebuke a chile, and he comes and tells the father, he cares not what I ſay; No ſaith the father, I will go my ſelf, and then it is worſe with the child, the child then ſmart… for it; So God ſends thy brother to rebuke thee, and to fetch thee in, thou careſt not for him, thou lookeſt upon him as thy fellow-creature, and ſo thy brother goes to God, Lord he doth not regard what I ſay, No ſaies God? I will rebuke him my ſelf, and Gods rebukes in this caſe will be furiou… rebukes; Ezek 5.15. When I ſhall …x… …te judgments in anger and in fury and in fur…us rebukes, Mark it. furious rebukes; The rebukes of a brother are loving reb…kes, but if thou reject them Gods rebukes may com…nd they wilt prove furious rebukes, The rebukes of a brother are out of …e but Am…s 7.4. The Lord calls to contend by …e. When … friends did ſtrive with him they could not pr…vail, but Job. 38.1. God calleth out of the whirlwind to anſwer to him, and who is this that darkneth words without counſel? The Lord out of the whirlwind calleth to contend with Job and ſo overcometh him. If thou regardeſt not friends contending with thee, the Lord himſelf out of the whirlwind may come and contend with thee. Take heed how thou rejecteſt the ſtrivings of a brother with thee, tor God may not only ſay he ſhall ſtrive no longer, but my ſpirit ſhall no longer ſtrive with thy ſoul.
This people are as one that ſtriveth with the Prieſt.] That is the reaſon why they muſt not ſtrive one with another. Here are only theſe two things by way of explication;
Queſt. 1 1. Why it is ſaid with the Prieſt rather than with the Prophet?
Queſt. 2 2. Why it is ſaid, For this people are [as] they that ſtrive with the Prieſt? did not they ſtrive with the Prieſt? why then is it not ſaid this people are a people that ſtrive with the Prieſt?
For the anſwer to theſe two briefly.
Anſw. 1 Firſt, It is ſaid that they ſtrive with the Prieſt rather than with the Prophet, though the Prophet did rebuke them and ſtrive with them, upon this reaſon, Becauſe the Prieſt was a ſtanding office in the Church of God; the Prophet that was an extraordinary office, and they could not be ſure of the Prophet whether he were a true Prophet or no but according to the event of the Propheſie; Quere but the Prieſt they acknowledged him to be an officer of God, and that is the reaſon that the Prieſt is here named rather than the Prophet.
Anſw. And then, As thoſe that ſtrive with the Prieſt. It may be the Prieſts were generally ſo bad that there was ſcarce any Prieſt that did ſtrive with them at all, thoſe Prieſts being Jeroboams Prieſts they did joyn with them in their wickedneſs, therefore he could not ſay they did ſtrive with the Prieſts, but yet thus their hearts were as vile, God ſaw this in their hearts that if there were Prieſts to ſtrive with them they would ſtrive with them.
Or ſecondly thus, As thoſe that ſtrive with the Prieſt; becauſe indeed thoſe Prieſts of Iſrael at this time they were not ſuch as were called of God, for in 1 King. 12.31. the text ſaith of Jeroboam, that he made Prieſts of the loweſt of the people which were not of the ſons of Levi, and chap. 13. ver. 33. Whoſoever would, he conſecrated him, and he became one of the Prieſts of the high places. But the people received them as Prieſts ſtill, for indeed they thought that the Kings authority was enough for all, becauſe the king would have them to be Prieſts they would receive them, as it the King had the abſolute power to make all Church Officers, if they were ſent by the Kings Authority they muſt be acknowledged to be Church Officers. So it was then, and that may ſeem to be the reaſon of that expreſſion, as thoſe.
Now from hence the Notes are theſe, for you muſt take it that this is imploied here, that ſuppoſe there were Prieſts faithful and godly that did ſtrive with them, yet their hearts were ſo hard that they would ſtrive againſt thoſe Prieſts, and this ſets out the groſsneſs of the hardneſs of their hearts. Take then the ſenſe thus and here we may have theſe Notes
Firſt,Obſerv. That it is the work of the Prieſt to contend againſt men for their ſin. That is the proper work of a Prieſt, to ſtrive with men againſt their ſin. They are the ſalt of the earth and ſo they ſhould have ſome acrimony in them. In 1 Tim. 3.3.1 Tim. 3.3 It is ſaid indeed of the Miniſter of God that he ſhould be foreign mo ſtriver. A Miniſter of God ſhould be one that is in office to look to the ſouls of people and he ſhould be no ſtriver; How will you ſay then that he ſhould ſtrive? That is,Opened he ſhould never ſtrive with men for his own ends, for his own waies, no brawler, no ſtriver, no adulterer but one of a quiet and gentle ſpirit, that ſhould paſs by wrongs done unto himſelf; but when he comes for God he ſhould be a ſtriver; All faithful Miniſters ſhould be ſtrivers when they come in Gods cauſe. Oecolamp.Oecolampadius writing to his fellow Miniſters, I remember he hath a notable expreſſion, Let not our zeal and anger (ſaith he) burn when we are ſcorned our ſelves and reproached our ſelves, but when the Truth is in danger, and the Name of God i… in danger, then let our heat ariſe, then let us ſtrive. This indeed is the Character of a true godly Miniſter, that he is in his own cauſe, gentle, yeildable, but when it comes to the cauſe of God, the heat riſeth in his face, and there he hath zeal and fervencie, there he will ſtrive and contend with men in the waies of their ſin.
Obſer.Secondly, When Miniſters do reprehend and ſtrive with people, they muſt expect to be ſtriven withal by people. Theſe are as a people that ſtrive with the Prieſt, they have ſuch vile hearts that had they never ſuch faithful and godly Officers that were ſet over them by God, they would ſtrive with them. And indeed all faithful Miniſters muſt expect that if they ſtrive with men for their ſins, men will ſtrive with them. If there had at any time any faithful ones been ſent amongſt them by God, they would have been ready to have cried out of them and have told them, You are the cauſe of our miſery, for you will not yeild to Jeroboam, you are ſo ſtrict and preciſe, and 'tis you that make this diſturbance, you threaten us that there will judgments come upon us but you are the cauſe of our miſery, were it not for you we ſhould have al the people yeild to what the King hath ſet up, but you ſtir up the people againſt it and ſo our diſturbance comes from you. Thus no queſtion but they would be ready to ſtrive with the Prieſt at that time. And thus they did with Amos, chap. 7. ver. 12. Go to Judah and propheſie there; they ſtrove with Amos that was contemporary with Hoſea, propheſying at this time unto this people, the land ſay they cannot bear Amos his words, let him go to Judah, he were beſt be gone, he tells us we are a ſuperſtious people, and that we do not worſhip God in the right manner and in the right place, let him go thither, we wiſh he were out of the Country; he and ſuch as he is raiſe a fire in the land. Thus when Miniſters diſcharge their conſciences ſhewing people their ſins and the mind of God, this is ordinarily the recompenſe that they have. Thus it was with Jeremiah, chap 15. ver. 10. We is me ſaith he, that my mother ever bear me, for I am (ſaith he) a man of ſtrife and of contention to the whol earth, and every one curſeth me. Jeremiah a grave and holy Prophet, yet a man of contention to the whol earth, and every man curſed him: A ſtrange thing that he ſhould meet with ſuch hard dealing, and yet he appealed to God in the matter of his ſincerity, he deſired not the evil day, and he prayed for the people ſo long til God bid him pray no more; when thy were railing upon bim he was praying for them. This was the ill condition he was in for that reſpect. And ſo it was with other Prophets beſides him. I might name other texts in Jeremiah, as chap. 20. ver. 7.8. I am in deriſion daily, every one mocketh me, for ſince I ſpake I cried out, I cried, violence and ſpoil, becauſe the Word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me and a deriſion daily; After I threatned that there ſhould come ſome judgment upon the Nation I cryed out of the violence and ſpoil that they for the preſent made in the Nation, and then they mocked and ſcorned me. The like we have in Eſa, he had the ſame dealings from the people. Eſa, 28.13, 14.Iſa. 28.13.14. But the Word of the Lord was to them precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little, that they might go and fall backward, and be broken, and ſnared and taken. You will ſay, how do they ſtrive againſt the Prophet in this? I take it this Scripture is often miſtaken, and the ſcope of theſe words are to ſhew how the people did jeer and mock the Prophet in his preaching. But the Word of God was to them precept upon precept, that is thus,Opened they ſcorned at Gods Word, What we have nothing but precept and precept, one precept after another, in a ſcorning language, the word of the Lord, and Commandement one after another, and one Propheſie after another, a line upon line, and now you would have a little more; it is ſpoken in a contemning way; And I rather take it to be thus, becauſe in the Hebrew the ſound of the words do carry it in a mocking, in a jeering way, as thus: trar letrar, kar lekar; foreignprecept to precept line to line. As mocking people will jeer in the noſe at men, ſo they did at this time with the Prophet, the very ſound of the words in the Hebrew is ſuch as noteth a mocking and jeering of the Prophet, and they pronounced the ſame words again and again, as mockers and jeerers uſe to do, nothing but precept and precept, and when will the fellow have d…ne? And I take this to be the meaning becauſe the threatning follows after, that they might fall backward and be br…ken a…d ſ… red and taken, wherefore (ſaith the text in the very next words) hear the word of the Lord ye ſcornful men; They manifeſted a ſcornful ſpirit in ſuch kind of expreſſions, retorting upon the Prophet in ſuch a manner; And Gods anger riſeth in his face Wher…fore …ear ye the word of the Lord ye ſcornful men. It is the uſ…al way of many ſcornful men that if they can get any thing that Miniſters ſpeak and get a ſound of it, they will by ſounding of it double expreſs their jeering and ſcorning; So did they with the Prophet who was one of the moſt admirable elegant, and eloquent Prophets that ever was, a man that ſpake in hi… time ſo as never man ſpake, for he ſpoke in a moſt high ſtile, he was himſelf of the Kingly race, a great man, a Noble man born and a moſt admirable eloquent man, yet when he came to propheſie to this people in the name of God, thus they jeered and ſcorned him. And Eſa. 30.10. Which ſay to the ſeers, ſee not, but preach ſmo…th things to us, tell not us of ſuch and ſuch things as theſe are. Thus they contemned him. Yea and in Chriſts time we find that when Chriſt himſelf preached, one time aſſoon as ever he had done his Sermon the people got him up to the brow of a hill that was upon the ſide of the Citie and would have thrown him down and broke his neck; that was the reward he ſhould have had. And Paul that was one of the excellenteſt preachers that ever was (It was one of Auſtins wiſhes that he could but ſee Paul in the pulpit) yet when he came to preach, What will this babler ſay? and, he is a peſtilent fellow, one that is of a furious ſpirit and an incendiary, and where ever he goes he turns the world upſ…de down. Such kind of entertainment had the Apoſtles. And Luther I remember hath ſuch an expreſſion, Quid eſt praedicare Evangelium? What is it to preach, unleſs it be this, to derive all the fury of people upon ones ſelf? if one would preach conſcienciouſly. And Mat. 5.12. there Chriſt tels his Diſciples what they were like to meet withal, how they were like to be reviled and perſecuted, for ſo ſaith he perſecuted they the Prophets which were before you. Acts, 7.53. Which of the Prophet h…ve not your f…thers pe…ſecuted? Thus thoſe that are in office thoſe that are ſent to ſpeak unto the people, they muſt expect if they would be faithful in their adminiſtrations to be ſtriven withal.
But though wicked men do ſtrive, yet as Samſon ſaid unto the men of Judah that came to binde him that they might deliver him into the hands of the Philiſtins, Do not ye fall upon me your ſelves. It were well if faithful Miniſters were not ſtriven withal many times by thoſe that are godly. It is not ſo much for a faithful Miniſter to have wicked and ungodly men to ſtrive with him. Though they bind them, Oh brethren do not do not you bind them: after that in conſcience of their duty and in love to your ſouls they have hazarded all the hatred and malice that may be of the adverſary, even to ſtand in the fore-front as the But to their mallice, yet in requital of all, even many that are godly, if they ſee them grow troubleſom, they are ready to ſtrive with them; becauſe wicked men are exaſperated by the Word of God preached, therefore they could wiſh that even ſuch Miniſters had never come amongſt them, and this even ſuch as make profeſſion of godlineſs do. Is here a requital of he hazard that faithful Miniſters undergo? I appeale unto you, Are there any people in the Kingdom that ſtand as a But againſt the malice of the Adverſary, ſo much as godly and faithful Miniſters do? Do not think that it is out of that precipitancy, that ra hneſs that we do not conſider what danger we ſtand in in doing what we do; yes, we conſider it beforehand, But out of conſcience of our duty and in faithfulneſs unto your ſoul… we hazard our lives, we hazard all the rage and malice of the Enemy. Now when we have done all this, we expect a far better r…quittal from many people than we find. When Moſes and Aaron came unto the people of Iſrael when they were in Egypt to deliver them, (for that was their meſſage) but becauſe for the preſent their bondage was increaſed and the wr…th of Pharaoh more incenſed, therefore they were weary of Moſes and Aaron, and they fall to ſtriving with them as if they were the cauſe of their miſery, Why 'twas better with us before than three you came, if you had never come amongſt us it would have been better with us. So it is now, becauſe thoſe that are faithful, out of conſcience, labor to declare to you the mind of God, and to draw you to thoſe duties that God calls for, (this indeed enrageth the adverſary, they are the more incenſed when you follow what your Miniſters teach,) and you are ready to think, they h…ve brought us into this way, they have kindled the fire, they have told us it is the Cauſe of God, they have exhorted us to come in with our Eſtates, and now the King is exaſpered againſt u…, and our adverſaries are enraged againſt us and we are like to be in ſome miſery; And ſo even all the ſtrivings of the better ſort are ready to devolve upon the Miniſters, and they ſtrive with them as the only incendiaries and troublers of the places where they come. Well, howſoever Miniſters may meet with hard dealing from ſome, even from profeſſors, yet their way is with the Lord, and their judgment is with the Almighty: As there is a moſt admirable promiſe to help thoſe that have been moſt forward to rebuke ſin & in a zealous way for God, though men are enraged againſt them. Iſa. 49.2.Iſa. 49.2. He hath made my mouth like a ſharp ſword, in the ſhaddow of his hand hath he bid me. This text is true of every faithful Miniſter: Mark it, He hath made made my mouth like a ſharp ſword; why if I did ſpeak ſmooth things I were not like to be in ſo much danger, but if ſpeak ſharp things do not I hazard my ſelfe much?Opened I ſhall incur the rage and anger of all kind of people; but mark, He hath made my mouth as a ſharp ſword, But in the ſhadow of his hand hath he hid me. Miniſters whoſe mouths are as ſharp ſwords they are in a great deal of danger, yea but let ſuch be comforted, here comes a promiſe preſently, in the ſhadow of his hand hath he hid me. So that thoſe Miniſters whoſe mouthes are ſharpeſt in the Name of God, and who ſpeak but the Truth of God, thoſe are under Gods protection more than any other Miniſters that have held their peace, they are in more ſafety, they are hid in Gods hand, in the ſhadow of his hand more than any other. So God comforted Jeremiah, Chap. 10. verſ. 15. after he had cryed out, wo is me, I am a man of ſtrife, wel ſaith God, Verily it ſhall be well with thy remnant, I will cauſe the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction. It may be many of you think it is a weaknes in Miniſters to appear ſo much as they do and diſcover themſelves, for they endanger themſelves, and cannot they be quiet as others are? there are many of more moderate ſpirits and deal wiſelyer for themſelves, they keep in and ſay nothing, and ſo they may ſcape of either ſide, looking which ſide will prevail; May not theſe ſcape? No, they are in more danger than the other, for the other are under a promiſe, theſe are not, they are ſo ſtudious for themſelves and for their owne ſafety that God will take no care of them. Our Savior Chriſt takes care to encourage his Diſciples againſt the ſt…ings of people with them; we have in Luk. 6. many bleſſings pronounced, bleſſed are the poor, bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs, bleſſed are they that mourn &c. But they that underſtand the Original ſhall find that the word [ye] is not in, only bleſſed are the poor, and bleſſed are they that mourn &c. But when he cometh to his Diſciples verſ. 22. there is an Eſte put more than in the other, Chriſt ſpeaks more particularly to his Diſciples: when as people ſhall ſpeak evil of them and caſt out their name as filth, then there is a bleſſed are ye, foreign.with an eſte, more than there was in all the other bleſſedneſſes; That ſhews God hath a ſpecial care of his Miniſters when men ſpeak evil of them and ſtrive with them. But on the other ſide,Luke, 6.22. Opened Wo to you when all men ſpeak well of you; It is meant moſt of Miniſters, it is true indeed of all Chriſtians, but I take it that the ſcope of Chriſt in that place is concerning Miniſters that were to go and preach, and wo to you when all men ſpeak well of you. The word that is tranſlated well, it is foreign, that ſpeak of you ſo as to commend you for a ſpruce curious neat Teacher; I there are ſuch and ſuch fiery men, but here's a Preacher, a quaint man, an Eloquent man, a dainty man, a man that hath brave language with him, and they will never perſecute ſuch as theſe. The other are pronounced bleſſed when they are reviled and caſt out as evil.
Theſe are they that will ſtrive with the Prieſt] The next Note is this, That though the Miniſters of God muſt expect ſtriving withal, Obſer.yet to ſtrive with thoſe that come in Gods Name to reprove, it is a great aggravation of ſin and a haſtning of judgment. God expects when he ſends his Miniſters that you ſhovld obey them in the Lord and not ſtrive with them. 2 Chron. 26.12. God took it ill that King Zedekiah did not humble himſelf before Jeremiah the Prophet; And in ver. 16. of the ſame chap. it is ſaid, They mocked the Prophets, and contemned them until the wrath of God aroſe againſt his people and there was no remedy; No remedy when once they ſtrove with thoſe that God ſent amongſt them. Thoſe that are ſent by God they are the ſpecial witneſſes of God: Revel. 11. It is ſaid of thoſe two witneſſes that if any do them hurt and contend with them, fire ſhal go out of their mouths and devour their enemies. Thoſe that are ſent by God and come in Gods Name they have the power of Jeſus Chriſt with them, Mat. 28.Matt. 28. All power is given to me &c. Go and teach &c. As if he ſhould ſay,Opened. know as I have all power given to me, it ſhall go along with you to do good to thoſe that obey your Doctrine and to execute revenge upon all thoſe that ſtrive with you. The Apoſtles were to ſhake off the duſt of their feet in contempt of thoſe that contemned their Doctrine.
Queſt. But you will ſay, May we not in any caſe ſtrive with the Miniſter?
Anſw. I confeſs in Popery they would ſo exalt their Prieſtly Office as that all people muſt be brought into a blind obedience unto them, and the people muſt receive whatſoever Doctrine they preach; The Prieſts lips only muſt preſerve knowledg, the people muſt not ſo much as examin it, they muſt obey and not contradict whatſoever is ſaid; It is one of the Popes Canons concerning him,nullus mortaliū praeſumat redarguere, quia cunelos ipſe judicaturus à neminè est judicundus Lex Canonic. that though he ſhould carry down with him by heaps ſouls to Hell, yet no mortal man muſt preſume ſo much as to rebuke him or find fault with him, for he being ſpiritual as they ſay (for ſo they abuſe that Scripture) he judgeth all men and no man judgeth him; and in a proportion all their Prieſts would fain have that power. And this certainly hath been the policie of our Prieſts of late to bring the people into ignorance that ſo they might not be able to contend with them let then) do what they will. They cry out there was never ſuch a time when every Taylor and every Shop keeper hath had ſo much knowledg that they can contradict their Miniſter as now, and try the Doctrine of their Miniſter. They vex at this that poor men have ſo much knowledg as to be able to trye their Doctrine they preach, they would fain ſo preach as that you muſt be led like a company of ſheep what way they would lead you and beleeve what ever they preach. Certainly ſo many groſs errors and doting conceits of Popery could never have prevailed except they had prevailed with people in their blind obedience. Therefore there may be ſome ſtriving with Miniſters and that according to God, though here their ſtriving is forbidden; As thus, Chriſt requires that his ſheep ſhould know the difference between his voice and the voice of a ſtranger: Yea we know that there is a charge that if any preach any other Doctrine he ſhould be accurſed; even people ſhould look upon thoſe that come to them to preach any other Doctrine as accurſed; Therefore they are required to know; And they are commanded to try every thing and not to beleeve every ſpirit, yea not to bid them good ſpeed that bring other Doctrins; And they are to ſay to Archeppus, Take heed to thy Miniſtry which thou haſt received that thou fulfil it; ſo far people have leave. Yet ſtill it muſt be done in waies of reſpect to them. If they look upon them as true Officers (whether they be or no yet if they look upon them as ſuch) the rule will take hold of them, Receive not an accuſation againſt an Elder without two or three witneſſes, You muſt not be ſo ready to ſtrive with thoſe that you look upon as officers. And rebuke not an Elder, but intreat him as a father; It muſt not be in a male pert way but with reſpect and reverence; And when you have done that, contended by witneſſes, and ſpoken to them with reverence as owning the place wherein he ſtandeth, you have liberty then if he bring ill Doctrine, or if his life be naught, to ſtrive with him and conteſt with him in the Name of the Lord, and not to ſuffer your ſelves to be under ſuch bondage as to beleeve what ever they would have you, and they never to be called to any account at all. There was wont robe crying out of people if they went from their pariſh Churches (as they called them) Oh it could not be ſuffered, and yet they themſelves would be away a whol yeer together, as if the relation were not mutual, and they bound as much to continue with their people as the people tyed to keep unto them; If the Miniſter may have leave to go away, certainly the people may have the ſame freedom; whereas indeed neither of both ought to go away, ſo long as the one is looked upon as an Officer and the other as under that Officer. But I ſpeak of that bondage that they would have brought you into whereby in time they would wholly have freed themſelves that you ſhould have had nothing to do with them in Church power. And then they would be t…e Clergie, whereas it is an abſurd thing that they ſhould be accounted the Clergie, for the Scripture ſpeaking of the people in diſtinction from the Miniſters, calls the people the Clergie,1 Pet. 5.3. foreign. which in the ſame verſe is called the ſ…ock. Let them not lord it over Gods Clergie, ſo the word is there. But they would be accounted the Church and the Clergie, as if the people were no part of the Church at all, all Church power muſt come into their hands. And then they endeavoured to free themſelves from all Civil power too, as the Papiſts you know do, ſo they aimed at it and were going many ſteps in it; therefore they would ſend forth things in their own names, and in time they would have wrought themſelves free from all Civil power and have had all Church power in their hands, and ſo indeed you could not ſtrive with them. Bleſs God for the deliverance he hath now given you.
Obſ.Yet further, If publick means prevail not there is little hope of private. Why ſhould one man ſtrive with another, theſe are they that ſtrive with the Prieſt? Though they had never ſo good publick means, they reſiſt that, ſurely then they wil reſiſt private. Therefore publick means is to be preferred before private; When a man can ſpeak as an officer to another, that is more to be regarded and will be more efficacious to thoſe God hath a love unto, than private means. If this be ſo, let parents take heed how they teach their children to deride publick means: When you have been at a Sermon, perhaps you will deſpiſe what you have heard; It is juſt with God they ſhould, deſpiſe your admonition and reproof, for you have taught them to deſpiſe publick means.
Again further, To reject thoſe that we look upon in Office, though their calling be not good, yet it is a wickedneſs that God will revenge, (I ſay) though their calling be not right, if you look upon them or think them to be true Officers, ſo long if you deſpiſe what they do that is according to Gods will, ſo long God will avenge it. If they come in Gods Name and you know nothing to the contrary but that they are true Officers, you muſt not oppoſe them, ſo long as you have any apprehenſions that they are true Officers, though perhaps if they were examined they have no true calling, yet if you cannot ſee but they have a true calling, you are to have ſuch reverence and reſpect unto them, that you are to be ſubject to them.