An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 5 · Verse 4
VER. 4.
They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God.
HERE lies the evil. Though we be defiled, if God be about to cleanſe us there is hope; but if the words that follow in this 4th verſe, be applied unto us, then we are a loſt people indeed. Iſrael i… d filed indeed, but Iſrael may be brought back again and reg…ned to the true worſhip of God; Oh no ſait… God, Iſrael is not only defiled, but he will not fram… his doings to turn unto his God.
foreignHe will not frame his d ings.] The word is very elegant, you have not ſuch an expreſſion (that I know of) in all the Scripture beſides. Some readeſt,aHierom & vulg. Non d…bunt cogitationes, he will not give himſelf to think of ſuch a thing, of turning unto the Lord. AndbMercer. others they turn it thus,*Non dabunt operā. Caſtell. Non dabunt operam, they will not do their endeavors to turn unto the Lord. And others,cTiemel. Non adhibent actiones, they do not apply any action or theirs any way to turn to the Lord. AnddD…uſius: non ſ…unt, n…n permittunt. Pagnin, Non permittent opera ſua. others, N…n permittunt opera, & facta ſua; their cuſtom in their waies of ſin wil not ſuffer them to turn to the Lord. AndeThe Septuag. Non dant ſtudium. Calv. Non adjicient ſtudia ſua. others thus. foreign, they give not their counſels, their ſtu…ies to turn to the Lord. Theſe ſeveral tranſlations I find of the word. And by all theſe together we may come to h…ve further light to know the meaning of the Spirit of God in th…ſe words; F…r the words are ſome what ſtrange, therefore we had need of ſeveral expreſſions to find out the ſenſe of them.
Expoſ. 1 They w…ll not fr…me their doings.] They will not give their mind to turn to …he Lord, they will not put forth themſelves into any po…ture that way.Though no ability to act but frō God, yet ſin lies in our wills, rather than in our power. It is true, we can do nothing without the Lord, but yet the ſin lies in our wills rather than in our power, therfore the will is charged by God. They cannot turn unto G…d of themſelves, but yet they may d… ſomwha…, they m… bend their thoughts up…n it, they may think of it, they may attend up…n …he me…ns. But ſaith the holy Ghoſt, they wil do nothing tending that way, they will not ſo much as ſet themſelves into any kind of poſture of turning unto me. This is to ſhew what little hope of good there wa… in them for time to to come. They are far enough from turning unto Me ſaith God, there is not ſo much as any inclination in them of turning unto Me, they are fully bent another way; though they cannot do it of themſelves, yet they will not ſo much as give their minds to think of what may be a means to do it. Iſrael will not frame his doings to turn unto his God.
As thus, Firſt,What a natural man may do toward converſion, by the light of nature, of the Scripture, of th… Miniſtry, and common works of the Spirit. 1. Conſider his waies. He will not ſo much as ſet his heart to think of any thing that will bring him unto God. Not ſo much as to think thus, Are my waies right or not right? What if it ſhould prove that my waies are not right, what ſhall become of me then? This were one degree of a peoples or a particular ſouls turning …nto God; if a man did but thus frame his doings to turn unto God; if he had but ſuch thoughts as theſe, Lord, what am I doing? What is my way? Am I right or no? what if it ſhould prove that my way were not right, what would become of me? This were ſomewhat. But ſaith God, they are far enough from any ſuch thoughts to make any ſtop in their ſinful courſe, they run on violently and he…dleſly, and will not ſo much as frame their thoughts and ſtudies to turn unto Me.
But Secondly, Though a man cannot turn unto God,2. Willing to bear. yet through the common works of Gods Spirit he … do this, he may be willing to hear what i… ſ…id for the … he may c…nſider whether there is ſ…rengt… in what is ſ…i… …: But ſaith he, they are carried on with pr…udice againſt the waies of God let what will be ſaid, they will … …me themſelves to hear any thing that is ſaid for …ods waies and againſt theirs.
Thirdly, They will not ſ…t themſelves b…fore God, 3. Wait in the uſe o… means.t… wait upon Him in the uſe of means for His Gr…e to turn unto Him. It i… … we are poor, weak, and ignorant creatur…s, but if we …ou… wait upon God to know His mind, if we would ſ… … …aces that way, it m…y be God will reveal further of hi… … …o u…. In Jer. 50.5. Whe… …od intendeth good unto … peo…le, it is promiſe…, that they …ll …sk the w…y to …i…n, wit… … thitherward. A true repenting people and a repe… … will be enquiring after the waies of God with his face ſtanding thitherward. But ſaith God, they will not do ſo much as do this, they will not ſet themſelves to enquire after the mind and wayes of God with their faces thitherward.
4. Apply …he rule.Fourthly, Thy will not apply the rule of the word unto their actions; but whatſoever they ſee will make for their own ends, that they will follow: but to take the rule and apply it unto their action… and waies, they reject that, they will not frame their doings ſo far.
5. Uſe the light and power they have in outward acts.Fiftly, What light they have they will not uſe that, ſo as to do the outward acts that that light doth direct to do, and what they have power to do; As, not to break off groſs offences, ſuch things as they cannot poſſibly but ſee to be evil. As a people though they cannot fully turn unto God preſently, yet there are ſome things that are ſo groſs that they cannot poſſibly but ſee they are evil: ſaith God, they will not ſo much as break off from that; though they have power to reform that which they are convinced to be evil, but ſaith he, they will not improve that light which they have, what ſhould they have more light for?
6. Joyn with the work or not oppoſe. But Rom. 8.7. it is ſaid, The carnal minde is not ſubject to the law of God, not indeed can be.Sixtly, They will not joyn with the work of God; When he is in his way toward them, when he himſelf is about to frame them, when he hath them in his hand they will oppoſe Gods work, they will not join with it to frame themſelves to turn unto God. Therefore in 2 Chron. 30.8. Hezekiah exhorteth the Prieſts and the people, that they ſhould not be ſtiffnecked, but yeild themſelves unto the Lord; mark, the yeilding of themſelves unto the Lord, is contrary to ſtiffneckedneſs. But now this people are ſtiffnecked, they will not yeild the…ſelves unto the Lord, though the Lord by his gracious works toward them be a framing of them to turn them unto himſelf, they oppoſe Gods work, they riggle and keep a ſtir and ſtand out againſt it:ſimile Juſt as when you have a child that you would fain frame to ſuch a geſture, and you take him and put him into ſuch a way; but now he is ſo far from doing of it, that he riggles up and down and will not ſuffer you to frame him; why faith God, I have been a framing of them my ſelf, I have not only ſhewn them what they ſhould do, but my works have been ſo toward them, that I have been framing them, but they are ſtiffnecked, they will not be framed, they will not joyn with my work in framing of them, they will break out in their wicked waie… even at that very time when I am framing of them to turn them unto my ſelf;Hoſ. 7.1. opened. According unto that expreſſion you have in Hoſ. 7.1. When I would have healed Iſrael, then the wick…dneſs of Samaria was diſcovered, that is, when I was about to turn them unto me, then, even at that time they break out in their violence and wickedneſs.
Seventhly,7. Not adhere to things received. Whatſoever means is uſed to turn them unto God, they will ſtick to their …ld cuſtoms, to their former waies, to what they have received from their forefathers, to what they have been brought up in, thoſe they will keep to; but to frame themſelves to turn unto the Lord, that they will not.
Laſtly, What advantage they can have againſt the waies of God, 8. Not take advantage againſt the waies of God.that they will take and improve to the uttermoſt. Thoſe people that are againſt framing of themſelves to turn unto the Lord when God is about to turn thē, they diſcover it in this thing, if at that time there be any diſadvantage that their corrupt hearts can poſſibly take againſt the waies of God, they will take that and improve it to the uttermoſt they can; juſt as a child that you would frame to ſuch a way, if it be an untoward child, he will take any advantage to give you the ſlip and to run from you:ſimile ſo it is with people that have no heart to turn unto the Lord, if they have any advantage in the world, they will take it, to harden their hearts againſt Gods waies. There is no preparation of their hearts, what then ſhall I do with them ſaith God? if their heart… …ere in any preparation it were ſomewhat, but they are n… We reade in 8 Chron. 20.2 Chron. 20.33. parallel'd that the high places were not tak…n away becauſe the people had not prepared their hearts to turn unto the Lord. It is all one with this expreſſion in the text the people were not in a frame, in a teachable,Applic. to England, in a convertible diſpoſition. The Lord grant that this Scripture may not be true of us at this day, that the reaſon why there remaineth ſo much evil in Gods worſhip, is, becauſe the people have not prepared their hearts, they do not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord, they do not ſeem to be in any poſture that way. It was a charge upon Rehoboam, in 2 Chron. 12.14. That he did evil, Queſt. we ought to prepare our hearts ſee Annſ. caſ. comc. lib. 2. c. 4.bec…uſe he prepared not his heart to ſeek the Lord: But you will ſay, what power had he to turn unto the Lord, he was a wicked man? Yea but this wicked man though he had no ſaving grace, yet he is charged for doing evil in that he did not prepare his heart to ſeek the Lord. God therefore expects that people, though they are not able to turn unto him thoroughly, yet they ſhould be in a poſture that way; And as a people in general, ſo every ſoul in particular.
Some that are not yet turned to the Lord, yet are in a way of turning, they are in a readineſs to receive what God ſhall reaveal. This is a happy condition. If God ſhall ſee a Nation (though it be not fully reformed) ready to receive what he ſhall reveal, Oh this is a happy thing. As the Scripture ſpeaks,Joh. 4.35. opened. that the regions were white unto the harveſt, that is, there was a preparation in the hearts of people to receive the Goſpel; if God ſhall ſee ſuch a frame of heart in a people; it is true this people are not fully reformed, but their hearts are prepared, they are ready to imbrace what the mind of God is when it ſhall be revealed unto them, Oh that this might be ſaid of thi… people, they are willing to entertain what God ſhall ſpeak, they are liſtning to it!
God is about to bring us from a way of ſuperſtition, both the Works and the Word of God tend that way; but there are multitudes of people that will not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord, their ſpirits are perverſe, they are full of prejudice, froward, and they hang off, and then we know they cannot be convinced. The Apoſtle Peter bids the Saints in Act. 2.40. ſave themſelves from that untoward generation. Oh let not this charge be upon us, that we are an untoward generation, that God i… framing of us for good, but we will not frame our doings to turn unto the Lord: As we ſee a workman when he hath a piece of timber that is knotty and will not work in his hand, he caſts it into the fire; or as clay ſimile 1 that is not well tempered it will not work in the hand of the workman, he many times caſteth it away in an anger, it will ſimile 2 not work in my hand, what ſhall I do with it? The Lord is hewing of us by his Prophets, and ſeeking to frame this Nation to his will, Oh let us work in Gods hand, let us joyn with the work of God, and yeild our ſelves to the work of God, that the Lord may not caſt us into the fire.
If we will not frame our doings to turn unto the Lord, he may break us, break that frame that we raiſe in our own imaginations: perhaps we are framing to our ſelves a ſtrange kind of Common-wealth,State-deſigns. to enjoy our eaſe and honors and proſperity, and ſo we build Caſtles in the air. Oh but let us rather frame our hearts to turn unto the Lord. If we will not frame God may put us into the fire again. A workman you know puts the Iron into the fire becauſe it might be framed to ſuch a work as he would have it,ſimile but ſtill the iron is hard and it will not frame to his hand, then he puts it into the fire again and then falleth a knocking again: So the Lord hath begun to put us into the fire that we may frame our doings to turn unto him, and if the fire we have been in will not bring our hearts to a framable diſpoſition, the Lord may put us into the fire again and again. And let not us complain of the heat of Gods fire, but rather let us complain of the unframableneſs of our own hearts, that we do not frame our doings ſo as to turn unto the Lord.
But yet through Gods mercy we cannot ſay but that there are many in Parliament, many in the Aſſembly,Parliam. Aſſembly City, Country. many in the City, and many in the Country that are framing themſelves to turn unto the Lord; and ſo far we are gone; Let us take notice of Gods goodneſs therefore. As.
Firſt, It is one argument of a people framing themſelves,Notes of Framing. 1. aboliſh what is ſinful. that they have aboliſhed what is ſinful. It was a great plea among us, firſt let us know what we ſhall have, and then we will caſt out this that we have. This was a ple… fomented by the Antichriſtian party; but certainly it was the way of God; and we have cauſe to bleſs God for it that put it into the heart of the Parliament and of the Kingdom, to be willing to put down and to caſt out (and that by a ſolemn Oath, by lifting up hands unto the moſt High God) whatſoever was naught.The Covenant.
And further, In that the Parliament hath called an AſſemblyAſſembly (ſuch as I beleeve never yet was in this Nation, nor ſcarce in any other Nation) men of more gravity,2. Take advice. and judgment, and holineſs, ſuch as they could poſſibly pick out and whom they thought might beſt direct them in the waies of God, ſuch they have choſen to help them to know what is the right way of God; and they do profeſs that whatſoever ſhall be revealed to be the way of God, they will walk in it. That is a good frame of heart.
And then, That the Aſſembly hath begun with a ſolemn day of humiliation,3. Humiliation. to humble themſelves before God that ſo the Lord might guide them in chuſing a right way to direct thoſe that had called them together for their aſſiſtance. There was never ſuch a work in England before that was begun with ſuch a day of humiliation. Did your ConvocationConvocation. ever keep ſuch a day unto God to beg of him directions in the work.
Peoples diſcontent.Let not people run away with thoughts of diſcontent, or lay any kind of ſlanders and clumnies upon them, becauſe of ſome failings in particulars: for you muſt know when God looks upon Kingdoms and States,God looks not at particular failings of a State, but at the publick work. he doth not ſo much look at particulars as at the publick work; Now that there is ſo much done in a publick way, that there is ſo much framableneſs, though there be much failing in particulars, yet we have cauſe to bleſs God. It is true, thoſe that would fain have a perfect Reformation they woul fain have men throughly frame themſelves preſently, and ſet up all preſently without any more ado,Short ſpirits. and baniſh all preſently. I ſuppoſe thi… cometh from a good intention, from love unto Chriſt and his Ordinances: but we muſt know it is not ſo eaſie to reform a whol Nation that hath been ſo corrupted and defiled; therefore though there be not ſo perfect a Reformation at preſent, yet let us bleſs God for what is done, that there is ſo much framing of the doings of the Nation to turn unto the Lord, and not murmur and repine becauſe all is not done that we deſire.
And though perhaps they may never bring the work thoroughly to the pitch we deſire,Though no perfection, yet a foundation for poſterity yet I make no queſtion but what the Parliament and Aſſembly hath done, will be enough to lay a foundation for another generation, if they bring it not to perfection themſelves. Oh that the Lord would yet further frame our hearts and doings to turn unto him!
Hath God at any time put into your heart a framable diſpoſition to turn unto the Lord?Applic. 2 to partic. perſons. 1. Our ſelves Hath God begun to make you think of your waies? Hath he begun to ſtir fear in your hearts concerning your eternal eſtate? Hath he wrought in you ſome deſires to know him, to attend upon him in the uſe of means? Make much of this framable diſpoſition, for it is very much pleaſing unto God; God complains where it is not, therefore he likes it where it is, and improve it: O happy had it been with many had they improved that framable diſpoſition that God hath wrought in them. Cannot you remember when ſometimes you came to the word what a melting frame of ſpirit had you? and in ſuch an affliction you were as iron put into the fire (and you know then it is in a framable diſpoſition to be brought into any faſhion) and hath it not been ſo with you?ſimile But what is become of this diſpoſition? Is it not worſe with you now than before? Have you not loſt it? The time was when the word wrought upon you, and you have had good deſires and diſpoſitions, and you have thought, Oh now I hope God will turn me unto himſelf; Now I hope I ſhall never be at ſuch a paſs again as I have been; and thou beganneſt to abandon ſuch and ſuch a corruption. This was a good frame, and now if you had gone alone and ſought God, and Oh that the Lord would perfect this work and put it on, and ſo improved this framable diſpoſition, it had been well with you; but you have fallen upon other buſineſs, and gone into company, and it may be upon the next temptation you have bin overcome & your hearts have been hardned,Ir…n is h…d…r afte… quenching. and iron you know, when it hath been once in the fire and is grown cold, is more unframable than before; ſo it is with many, after they have had ſome workings by the Word and after ſome melting by affliction, they have been more unframable than they were before.
And let us make much of it likewiſe in others. Is there any friend, or child, or kinſman, or acquaintance of yours brought into this framable diſpoſition? doth the Lord begin to melt them, to ſoften their hearts? Is the Lord by ſuch a Sermon or by ſuch an affliction beginning to work upon them?Satan Oh let me put it on as much as I can. The Devil doth ſo, when he ſee, us in a framable diſpoſition to ſin, he ſetteth tempters on work to improve it; and we know it was the way of Idolaters,Idolaters when they ſaw England in a framable diſpoſition to Idolatry, what abundance were ſent amongſt us to improve it. Oh the mercy of God toward England, that when we were framing our doings to return to Idolatry, the Lord cometh and putteth the frame of England more from thence than before it was! Oh let not us loſe this framableneſs; though it is not ſo much as we deſire, yet let not us loſe what it is. England would be in a lamentable condition if it ſhould loſe what it hath got from God already.
Yet further, They will not frame their doings.] The Note from hence is, That
Obſer.Apoſtates ſeldom have any inclination to turn unto God.
No meltings of ſpirit, no yeildings, but their hearts are hardned, and they depart further and further from God (for ſo he ſpeaks of Iſrael as an apoſtatizing people.) I dare almoſt challenge you all; when did you ever know a notorious Apoſtate turn unto God? very rarely: (I will not ſay it is impoſſible) but eſpecially for Apoſtates that are men of parts and have gone far from God, if they have but proceeded ſo far as to turn to be perſecutors of the truth, or contemners of it, (as theſe Iſraelites here were) when did you ever know any of them to turn unto God. They will not frame their doings.
To turn unto their God.] Their God: 1. By profeſſion. 2. Their God who hath ſhewed much mercy to them, and hath done them much good. 3. Their God who is yet willing to be their God. They will not return unto Him.
This is the aggravation of their ſin, that they will not turn to ſuch a God. What, not turn unto Him whom they profeſs to be theirs, whom they flatter with their mouthes, and they ſay that all their good and happineſs is in Him? Not to Him that hath done ſo much good as He hath done to them all their daies? Not to Him who is yet willing to be reconciled unto them? O this is a ſore and bitter evil indeed that they will not turn unto this God.
But yet there is a furth…r thing obſervable here, [Their God] that is this; That
True repentance, it is not only to leave evil and to do good,Obſerv. True repentance to turn to as our God. but to turn unto God as our God.
To turn unto God as a God in covenant with us; as a God in whom is our portion and happineſs; as a God willing to be reconciled. Here indeed is the very formality of repentance. A man may by the terors of the Law turn from the practice of a ſin, not to live wickedly ſo as he hath don heretofore; he may by the ſtrength of natural conſcience and ſelf ends, ſet upon good duties, but here is no true repentance. True repentance is this, When we look upon God as a God tendring Himſelf unto us in the way of a covenant in Chriſt, and ſo we turn unto Him. In Jer. 3.22.Jer. 3.22. explained Return ye back-ſliding Iſrael (ſaith the Lord) and I will heal your back-ſliding. Now mark the anſwer of true penitents; Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God. Here is true repentance. When God ſhall call upon a ſinner, O wretched vile ſinner, return, O return unto the Lord, for He is willing to be your God in an everlaſting covenant, He manifeſteth His grace toward you in His Son, and offereth mercy there, yea He is willing to heal all your backſlidings, He is willing to be your portion, He i… willing to be the happineſs of your ſouls: When a ſinner ſhall anſwer unto this cal of God, B…hold we come unto Thee, for Thou art the Lord our God; True indeed, we have ſought after vanity, but here is not our happineſs and our portion; Our good, our happineſs is in Thee; We come unto Thee the Lord our God. It follows.
For the ſpirit of whoredoms is in the midſt of her.
Here is the reaſon why they turn not unto the Lord, The ſpirit of whoredoms is in the midſt of her.
Expoſ. 1 Firſt, That evil unclean ſpirit that did poſſeſs them. So I find divers do take the words. And then the Note is, That Obſer. The danger of forſaking the truth.It is Gods juſt judgement to give men over to the Devil to be blinded and hard…ed, when they ſ…all forſake Him and His Truth.
Do not excuſe thy ſin by ſaying it is the Devil that tempts thee, for this may prove to be the agravation of thy ſin, that by the juſt judgment of God thou art now given up to be under the power of the Devil and to be acted by him. As in Eph. 2.2. the ſcripture ſpeaks of the miſerable eſtate that men are in by nature, Dead in ſin, the children of wrath, and amongſt other aggravations of their miſery this is not the leaſt, they walk according to the ſpirit that now work…th in the children of diſobedience. The word tranſlated working, there, foreign, ſignifies the greateſt activity that can be; the ſpirit, that is, the unclean ſpirit,Satans temptation may be an aggravation of our ſin. the prince of the power of the air that now worketh in thoſe children of diſobedience. This is an aggravation of their miſery and not any excuſe unto them for their ſin. Thou haſt rejected the good Spirit, the holy Spirit of God, and now the ſpirit of whoredome, an unclean vile ſpirit hath poſſeſt thee.
Expoſ. 2 But rather thus, The ſpirit of whoredoms: A violent inclination of ſpirit unto uncleanneſs, to ſpiritual and bodily uncleanneſs, that they have got by cuſtom. We have had this phraſe before, in Chap. 4.11. The ſpirit of fornication; that impetus of ſpirit, that violent inclination of ſpirit. So then, ſaith the Prophet, they will not turn unto the Lord, for there is a violent inclination of ſpirit, an impetus with which they are carried on in the waies of wickedneſs, but there is little hope of turning them unto God. The ſpirit of whoredoms, that is, that efficacy that there is in that wicked diſpoſition of their hearts that carries them on ſo violently. In 2 Theſ. 2.11.2 Theſſ. 2.11. the Scripture ſaith, that becauſe men love not the truth the Lord gives them up unto the efficacy of error; God (ſaith he) for this cauſe ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſions that they ſhould beleeve a lye; ſo it is in your tranſlations, but the words, foreign, ſignifie the greateſt active efficacy of errours, to carry on with the greateſt ſtrength unto error that poſſibly may be. We find ſometimes men that are carried on to erronious opinions, and come to ſpeak with them about them, and you ſhall perceive ſuch an impetus of ſpirit, ſuch an efficacy of the error in them,Note that it doth ſo hurry on their hearts, that they cannot with a, ny calmneſs, with any quietneſs of ſpirit hearken unto any thing that may take them off from their errour. That's a ſpirit of errour, God gives them up to the efficacy, the ſpirit, the activity, the power of error, to beleeve a lye.
Is in the …lſt of them] That is,Expoſit. Difference of obſſ…ſſion and poſſeſſion ay Satan in reſpect of ſin. it is come into them and ſitteth as a King and ruleth in their hearts. An evil ſpirit may beſet the godly, may compaſs them about, but it getteth not into the midſt o… them, they keep it out from the throne, it doth not come to reign over them. The coming into the midſt of them, noteth the ful poſſeſſion that this unclean ſpirit, that this Impetus and ſtrong inclination of ſpirit hath over them. And therefore, you find in Prov. 8.20.Pro. 8.20. opened, that it is ſaid of Wiſdom, I leade in the way of righteouſ…eſs, in the midſt of the paths of judgment. [In the midſt of the paths] that is, wiſdom doth not only bring men to the verge of Gods waies, to be a little taken with the outſide of them; but brings them into the midſt of the paths of judgment, that is, they come wholly into them, ſo as t…y are even poſſeſt of them. So here, the ſpirit of uncl …nneſs is in the midſt of her. So in the 1. Sam. 4.3. you have the ſame word, Let us fetch the Ark unto us (ſay they there) that when it cometh among w it may ſave us, foreignthe words in the Hebrew are, that …he Ark m…y come in the midſt of us, and there have the full opp…ation to d… us good and ſave us. They depended much upon the Ark, and yet it failed them. By the way then, we may depend too much upon a good cauſe, the cauſe may be good,A good cauſe may be loſt by too much depending on it. and yet depending upon the goodneſs of the cauſe and neglecting our own perſons in reforming our lives we may fail as they did here: (But that by the way.)
The ſpirit is come into the midſt of them. Many men receive an evil ſpirit quickly into the midſt of them, when God knows the good Spirit of the Lord ſtandeth knocking at the door of their hearts, and can have no entertainment ſo much as into the outward room. It follows.
Expoſit.And they have not known the Lord.] That is, they know not My greatneſs, My holineſs, they know not what a jealous God I am. Idolaters have low and mean apprehenſions of God. The right knowledg of God will put the heart upon ſeeking after the right manner of the worſhip of God: but when men know not God, ſee not God in his glory and greatneſs and excellency, they think to put off God with any kind of worſhip. Here is the reaſon that men do ſo ſtick to their own waies, to will worſhip, to their own fancies and conceits, becauſe they know not the Lord, neither do they underſtand the glory and holineſs of God, nor what a jealous God he is. When once the ſoul cometh to know what God is, ſuch a ſoul dares not tender up unto God any worſhip but His own.
Now from the connection of theſe words, The ſpirit of whoredom is in the midſt of her, and they have not known the Lord, the ſpecial Note is this, which indeed is very obſervable.
Obſer. ſtrong inclinations blind the mind.When men have an Impetus of ſpirit (that is, a ſtrong bent and inclination of ſpirit) in any evil way, it is that which blinds their minds.
The ſpirit of whoredoms is in her; and then follows, they have not known the Lord: Whatſoever is ſaid then againſt their way they cannot be convinced of it. And men do not conſider how they come to be blinded. We find it in ordinary experience, when men are ſtirred in paſſion, they have a ſpirit to ſuch and ſuch a thing that they have a mind to, their ſpirit is ſtrongly ſet, and they muſt have it, and I will, and I will, and I will have it; Come then and ſay any thing to them and they underſtand nothing, they are blinded: When their ſpirit is up, when there is an Impetus, a ſtrong inclination of ſpirit to any thing, ſay what you will they do not underſtand you. So it is true in other affections (of love) when the heart is ſet upon a thing, to love by an Impetus, a ſtrong bent of ſpirit, though the love be falſly placed, come and ſay what you will againſt their way, they do not underſtand it, their minds are blinded, they do not know any thing. So it is true of fear, of ſorrow, any affection, when it is ſet with a ſtrong bent and inclination to the object of it, it doth much blind the mind. Some have a ſpirit of ſluggiſhneſs and they love their eaſe; a ſpirit of covetouſneſs and they muſt have their eſtates; a ſpirit of ambition and they muſt have their honor and reſpect; a ſpirit of pride and ſelf-love & they muſt not yeild themſelves as ignorant and miſtaken by no means; therefore they cannot ſee the truths, the waies of God. But now let God humble theſe men that have ſuch a ſpirit of pride, ſelf love, covetouſneſs and the like, let the edg of their ſpirits be taken off,A little hint of Truth prevails with a ſubdued heart. let God come and but mortifie this their luſt in them, and then they come to ſee that which they could never ſee before, and that with far leſs ado; then a little hint of any truth prevaileth with their hearts; whereas before all the means of conviction could not do it.
Oh my brethren! Uſe. when we come to examin truths let us look to our ſpirits, Bleſſed is the man that feareth the Lord, him will the Lord teach in his way that he ſhould chuſe. When a man humbling his ſoule before the Lord, and being jealous of his own ſpirit, examineth a truth; and crieth unto God to ſubdue what is evil in him, and then cometh with a teachable heart to find out the truth; ſuppoſe that yet he cannot find it; let ſuch a man walk according to his light, whereunto he hath attained, and he may have comfort, God in due time will ſhew him more. But that is the thing that is evil in Gods eyes, and in the eyes of the Saints, when men are hindered from ſeeing a truth, by a ſpirit of oppoſition to it. There is no gracious heart can take it ill, if he ſee one that hath a ſpirit ſubject unto God, a ſpirit wherein the fear of God appeareth, ſo that he deſireth unfeignedly to know what the mind of God is; ſuppoſe this man for the preſent I cannot make him underſtand what I would, he is not of my mind; yet ſo long as his ſpirit is thus under God, I have no cauſe to be provoked againſt him, but in all love and meekneſs and gentleneſs to deal with ſuch an one, and expect that God in due time will reveal himſelf unto him. But now when any one cometh and will make profeſſion that they deſire to know the truths of God and what his mind is? but when it appeareth that there is a ſpirit of oppoſition, pride, a vain glorious a vain ſpirit; Oh this is it (I ſay) which is grievous, is tedious in the eyes of God and of his Saints. It follows.