An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 6 · Verse 4

An Exposition of Hosea 4-7 · Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 6 · Verse 4

p. 567VER. 4.

O Ephraim, what ſhall I do unto thee? O Judah, what ſhall I do unto thee? for your goodneſs is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

LUTHER upon this place,Luthers Expoſit. carries on theſe words as a further expreſſion of mercy to this people Iſrael, and not in any way of reproof to them; as if the Lord had ſaid to them thus: Oh Iſrael, my people, I have been very good and gracious to you in the Land of Egypt, and delivered you from that tyranny and oppreſſion which you were under, and I have been with you in the wilderneſs, and I have brought you into the Land of Canaan, but what are theſe? all but temporal mercies, I have greater mercies than theſe to beſtow upon you, the Goſpel it ſhall reveal other manner of things to you. He carries it all along as in a way of mercy, but if this be the meaning, then this objection will ariſe.

What ſhall we underſtand by the next words? your p. 568goodneſs is as the morning cloud? how can this be ſaid? Luther to this anſwers thus; Your goodneſs; that is, the goodneſs of God which is yours by Covenant and purchaſe prepared for you, this mercy of God ſhall refreſh your parched ſouls, as the morning cloud doth the earth after a long drought; thus he carries it.

declined.But the words, paſſing away, and their goodneſs being but as the morning cloud, taking theſe together, the ſenſe runs another way, viz. to a breaking off from the diſcourſe about the promiſe of mercy, to a convincement of the generality of Ephraims and Judahs formality in their greateſt purſute of reformation; they al paſſed away, as the morning cloud which vaniſheth away, and as the early dew that comes to nothing.

And Jeroms.Hierom thinks that it is Gods mercies towards them which doth thus paſs away; he would not leave them quite without hope, they ſhould have ſome mercy, but it ſhould not abide nor ſtay with them. But the genuine ſenſe of the words I conceive to be,The genuine meaning according to the Engliſh. the generality of their formality in their purſute of reformation, therefore, O Ephraim, what ſhall I do unto thee? As if the Lord ſhould ſay, you put me to a ſtand you even non plus me in this thing, what therefore ſhall I do unto thee?

Obſer.Here in the general, we may obſerve the change of the Prophets voice, in the beginning of the chapter it is all mercy, and their repentance ſweetly joyning with the mercy promiſed them; but now he falls to upbraid them for their hypocriſie, incorrigiblenels, and unconſtancy in the waies of God; a very good pattern for MiniſtersFor Miniſters who have to deal with varieties of people.

But now, to open the expreſſion of the words more particularly: Expoſ. 1 [What ſhall I do unto thee?] The manner of the expreſſion is, either in a way of compaſſion or expoſtulation; compaſſion, as if he ſhould ſay, Oh Ephraim, it is in my heart to do thee good, but nothing will work upon thee, therefore O Ephraim, what ſhall I do unto thee? Like that expreſſion in Iſa. 5.4. What could I have done more to my vinyard that I have p. 569not done? were there any other courſe further to be taken, any thing elſe to do I would do it? Now from this ſenſe thus taken of Gods compaſſionating of them we may note.

That God doth not willingly grieve the children of men; he is even Obſ. 1 forced to it, at that very time they are grieved by afflictions, at the ſame time is God troubled for their miſeries. Can any tell me, men of Angels, nay I appeal to your ſelves, can you tell me what I ſhould do more to you than I have done? If you can, I would do it, God expoſtulates with them, he comes not ſuddenly upon them, puniſhment is the laſt way God takes with his people.

And ſo it ſhould be with us, to thoſe that are under us,Uſe all means before correctiō. as to children or ſervants, all means muſt be tried to prevail with them before correction, exhort, adviſe, reprove, and pray for them, have you firſt taken this courſe? elſe you can have little comfort in correcting them: this is Gods way, though you perhaps ſee it not; God here meets with an objection which repining Iſrael might ſeem to make, we are ſuch as do beleeve, to whom the promiſe doth belong, why might not the Lord bring mercy to us without uſing ſuch means of ſmiting, wounding, killing, and parching of us? no ſaith God, I could not bring about mine own ends but by this way, Oh therefore let us check our ſelves at ſuch thoughts as theſe, God brings us low by afflictions, he could do it by mercies, but then his end which he aims at would not be ſo fully accompliſhed.

We ſhould not think much to loſe our pains in the uſe of means to others. Obſ. 2 God he hath taken pains and been at coſt with this people, and he hath loſt all, God ſeems to mourn for the loſs of his charges, I have uſed this admonition, the other counſel, yet ſtill hypocritical, Oh what ſhall I do unto thee? but yet Gods does not leave them or grow weary of his pains, he perſiſts ſtill in the means to do them good. In this ſhould the Saints imitate God! if this courſe will not prevail, uſe a ſecond; if not this uſe a third, perhaps that may, and if it does do good it will pay for all the pains. And thus much of the words by way of compaſſion.

p. 570Expoſ. 2 Now by way of expoſtulation and ſo they are to be taken, to humble them, or to convince them of their ſin. Hence obſerve;

Obſ. 3 That it's a ſpeci…l means to humble men for ſin, to put them to it, to conſider what means they have had uſed to do them good. Would we be ſeriouſly affected with ſin, and humbled for ſin? then go alone and call our ſouls into examination, whether means have not been uſed ſufficient to do us good? conſider what means they have been, judgments, national, domeſtick, and perſonal: Mercies, reproofs out of the word, admonitions from friends, terror… and checks of conſcience &c. when you have done thus, charge conſcience to ſpeak and tel thee the truth,Form of expoſtulatiō with a mans own foul. and when it doth tell truth, give it leave to upbraid thee thus; what, ſo unprofitable, ſo ſtout, and ſtubborn, ſo froward, and impatient, ſo unthankful, and ſo unbeleeving for all this? This would be a ſingular means to ſhew the ſoul a view of ſin in its colors. But alas moſt men put off and ſhun ſuch a courſe as this is, and the Devil he knows the prevalency and efficacy of ſuch a way as this, and he ſtrives what he can to put the ſoul off from ſuch a courſe, and puts men upon ſuch excuſes as theſe, Had I ſuch and ſuch means as others have, I ſhould be more fruitful, I was reprooved, but it was too open,And of mens excuſes. had it been in private and with more love, by ſuch a one and in ſuch a place, it would have done more good. Infinite are the reaſonings of a baſe heart, either to put it off with the want of means, or ſome defect in the means, and this is Satans ſubtilty in the ſoul; but when the Lord comes truly to humble the ſoul, that ſoul will charge it ſelf home throughly for its ſins, in all the circumſtances and aggravations of them.

Obſ. 4 Theſe words, What ſhall I do unto thee? notes unto us, that God was as it were in a ſtraight at this time about this people, the obſervation from them is, That ſuch is the perverſneſs of men hearts many times that God knows not almoſt what to do with them: God was here even at a ſtand, he was fain to conſult with himſelf about them; ſee in other Scriptures how God expreſſes this, Ezod. 33.5. Therefore now put off thy ornaments, p. 571that I may know what to do with thee: and Deut. 32.5. They have corrupted their waies, they are a perverſe and a coooked generation. foreign Contortiſſ. of foreign Luctori contorquer iThe words there ſignifies the way of wraſtlers, who wave up and down, that if the one thinks to have the other here, he is winded the other way: ſo did this people when God dealt with them this way, they put him off another way. Therefore, Acts, 2.40. we are cōmanded to ſave our ſelves from this untoward generation, ſuch a people that none can do good unto;foreign, a crooked piece. no marvail then Gods Miniſters are put to a ſtand with people many times, who are ſo crooked and gainſying, like thoſe in Chriſts time, who put him to a ſtand, they were ſo difficult and croſs, that neither John nor Chriſt himſelf could pleaſe; when John came they cryed out of him, that he was ridged and harſh, and when Chriſt came he was mild and gentle; and of him they ſaid, he was a winebibber and a friend of publicans and ſinners, John had that which Chriſt had not, and Chriſt had that which John had not, and yet neither of them could pleaſe theſe.

But it may be objected, God knew not what to do, Object. how is that? he could have put forth his almighty power and turned their hearts and that preſently; how then is it ſaid, God knew not what to do?

To this I anſwer, that God was not bound to do this, Anſw. for God had uſed all means to prevail with Ephraim and Judah, which the moſt loving and compaſſionate friend could have done. Suppoſe a man were in ſuch a condition that for his cure there were all the Doctors of Phyſick in the Country where he lived gathered together, and theſe ſhould conſult, adviſe, and p…pound things for his recovery, and nothing do it, you would wonder what the matter ſhould be, would not all this aggravate and ſet forth the danger of the diſeaſe and the difficulty of the cure? All this is in God and much more, and it is put forth for the good of ſouls; I have put forth more power, wiſdom, love, and mercy than man can do, now ſhall this be an aggravation in reſpect of the creature, and not of the Creator? all means to do you good have been put forth excepting my almighty power, and yet the work is not done.

p. 572Obſ. 5 The condition of that people is very ſad, when no means can do them good, then that fearful judgment may be pronounced upon them, Jer. 6.30. Reprobate ſilver ſhall men call them, becauſe the Lord hath rejected them. Ezek. 24.13. Becauſe I have purged thee and thou waſt not purged; thou ſhalt not be purged any more, until I have cauſed my fury to reſt upon thee.

Obſ. 6 It is a thing that goes very neer the heart of God, to ſee thoſe that are nigh unto him to be perverſe in their waies. What, for Judah to forſake me? It is ſad to find croſſes and untowardneſs in Ephraim, but to meet with them in Judah where my Ordinances are in a ſpecial manner, and they ſo neer unto mee, and I ſo tender of them: 'tis much to behold of what knotty crabid ſpirits Gods own people are? A piece of wood may be ſound yet full of knots and very tough. What goes neerer a man, than to find croſsneſs in his wife, his children, or friend? 'tis not ſo much from a ſtranger, as from one in relation. Even ſo God takes the unkindneſs of his people to heart more, than the wickedneſſes of the ungodly.

Obſ. 7 It is not enough to worſhip God better than others, if we be of perverſe ſpirits. This was the ſin of Judah, becauſe they had the Ordinances in a purer way, and worſhiped God better than Ephraim,Applicat. for Engl. they thought they might continue in this their ſin: Oh that this were not Englands ſin at this day: Let us be humbled for it that we may eſcape their judgment.

For your goodneſs is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

foreign Benegnit…s miſcricordia. Alſo Sanctitas pictas veſtrum vel eſt ri. Vide Kimchi of kercher.Your goodneſs] That is, your kindneſs, or your mercy, as the word ſignifies, in the Original it is [cheſed] the ſame word which we have in the ſixt verſe, your mercy, I will have mercy, that is, your piety, and godlineſs in the ſtrickt ſignification of it, but mercy in the large ſenſe: The Seventy Tranſlators render the words, your mercy, your goodneſs: but why your goodneſs? yours, becauſe either of Gods goodneſs towards them, or their goodneſs, their holineſs which was in them: Gods goodneſs towards them; which is called ours, p. 573ſomtimes Gods goodneſs, as in Rom. 11.31. That through your mercy they might obtain mercy; by that mercy which God beſtowed on you, you may encourage the gentile; to come in; 2. Their goodneſs: which is double, either to their brethren, or their piety & holineſs, both theſe were as the morning cloud, or as the early dew that goeth away. If the firſt ſignification of them be taken, then the ſenſe runs thus.

Gods goodneſs to them was as the morning cloud, that is, They by Expoſ. 2 their ſin had drove away Gods mercy and goodneſs from them, even as the wind carries the duſt before it: God was in the way of merciemercy to them in appearances, and they by their ſins put them all away from them. Bernard Bernardſaith, that the wind of their unthankfulneſs did drive away the flouds of mercy from them, much more the dews of mercy. Now God forbid that this ſhould be our condition, the clouds of mercy are over us, and the dews of mercy are upon us, now ſhould we by our ſins drive theſe away from us, what a woful caſe ſhould we be in? Therefore let us not only pray to have the dews of mercy, but alſo the clouds to ſhower down rivers of mercy.

Though I do not think this to be the principal ſcope and ſenſe of the words, ye: it may be noted and afford us uſeful Expoſ. 3 meditation; but the proper meaning of the words ſeems to ſignifie their own goodneſſe, which may betaken, 1. more ſtrictly for mercy and compaſſion towards one another; becauſe in the ſixt verſe God calls upon them ſo earneſtly for mercy; notwithſtanding all their ſhews and promiſes of reformation it was but in hypocriſie, like thoſe in Jer. 34.15, 16. of whom God ſaith, That they were turned, and had done right in his ſight in proclaiming liberty to their ſervants, but they had polluted his Name again, by cauſing thoſe ſervants formerly ſet at liberty to return, and bringing them into ſubjection; ſo that people which are for a time pitiful and very merciful, afterwards grow cruel and hardhearted.

Let us take heed of ſuch a diſpoſition which is ſo great an evil;App…i…, we when together ſometimes can joyn in love and unity, pittying each other, and bearing with each others infirmities, p. 574bearing Chriſtian admonition patiently, but theſe good words and fair ſhows are vaniſhed & come to nothing, where are thoſe refreſhing ſhowers of love & friendſhip which you were wont to water each other withal in your Chriſtian ſocieties? In the room of theſe there now grows nothing but the luſts of pride, paſſions, and ſad diſſentions among us, which parch and dry up all theſe good ſeeds of love and gentleneſſe.

I deſire to preſſe this the more, becauſe the Scripture is pleaſed to make uſe of this expreſſion of the dew, to ſet out the ſweetneſs of a Chriſtian ſpirit, Pſal. 133.3. Behold, how good and pleaſant a thing it is, for brethren to dwel together in unity: How pleaſant is it? It is like the dew of Hermon, and like the dew that deſcended upon the mountain of Zion; as that refreſhed the graſſe, ſo is this affection of mercy and love in the Saints: He compares it not to a dew that dried up preſently, but to a dew which deſcended down; and there the Lord commanded his bleſſing,Pſa. 133. expound. Church-fellowſhip.Ps 133 even life for evermore. There: Where? Even in the communion of his Saints: This is ſpoken particularly of Church fellowſhip, Oh then take heed that your mercy and bounty in releeving your brethren and perſecuted Saints, be not as the dew that paſſeth away; the Lord hath not made his merciemercy, no not his mercy in dewing the earth as a morning cloud that vaniſheth away and comes to nothing; Oh let not our mercy and love be only in ſhows and proffers withot any truth and reality; our mercies ſhould come like ſhowers upon thoſe who have been parched with the burning rage nnd malice of the adverſary:help thoſe that ſuffer for a good cauſe. Now the Lord expects more from us in this duty than at other times, we muſt not only pity them and give them good words, ſaying, Alas my Brother, and alas my Siſter, and no more, I would I could help you, the Lord pity you and help you; you muſt not only do thus, but in actions and reality you muſt releeve them with your money, and proviſions. Is it not with too to many of us as it was with thoſe in James, 2.15. who ſay to a brother, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled, but give them not wherewith to do it? what good doth this paſſing cloud do them? it is but an overture: p. 575but perhaps you will ſay, that you have not been as an overture, a cloud paſſing away, you have bedewed the Saints in their need, you have given ſomething; but perhaps tis but a poor pittance and that out of your abundance, know that this is not ſufficient, it muſt be a conſtant dew, and proceed on in degrees of mercy, we ſhould rejoyce that God gives us an opportunity to ſhew our love and mercy, and not think much at it, doing that you do forcedly or repiningly; therefore let not our mercy be as the dew that paſſeth away. Thus much of the words in this ſignification of merciemercy.

Now if we take the words in a large ſenſe, as in Scripture they are often taken, and in this place alſo, for their goodneſs and piety; and in this ſenſe there is much of the mind of God in the words, they are ſo full of marrow and ſweetneſs as can be deſired; Now in that God ſhould expreſs godlineſs and piety by ſuch a word as mercy; Note from thence.

The neceſſity of this grace of love and brotherly kindneſs, in regard Obſ. 1 godlineſs it ſelf receives its name from them; though by nature men are paſſionate and rugged, grace will mollifie them, of covetous men it will change them to liberal and make them free-hearted, for grace is part of the Divine Nature; Nothing is ſo communicative as God the higheſt good,The more excellent the nature the more cōmunicative. and according to the height of any creature is the communicativeneſs of it: as the Sun being ſublime and excellent is moſt communicative; ſo a gracious man, hath he parts? they are not for himſelf but for the Church; hath he an eſtate? he diſtributes and communicates of it to the Saints, and according as grace ariſeth in the ſoul, wil communicativeneſs ariſe; a true Chriſtian is not cloſe handed.

If grace hath its denomination from hence, Then ſurely this Obſ. 2 grace of mercy is moſt excellent, becauſe the whol frame of the new man is ſet out by it, and by this it is expreſſed. When we uſe to ſet out the whol of any thing by a part, we do not expreſs it by an inferior part, but in ſome thing which is eminent in it, as by prayer many times is expreſſed the whol worſhip of God, as be that cals upon the Name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſhall be ſaved.Rom. 10.Rom 10

p. 576Expoſ. 1 As the morning cloud: and as the early dew.] In theſe words God charges this people for three things in which their notorious hypocriſie was expreſſed.Clouds and dew paſſing, what they imploy. For their vacuity and emptineſs, their words were empty ſounds, they were clouds without water as Jude expreſſes it; Jude, 12. 'tis the high commendation of Chriſtians to be full of God, of Chriſt, and ful of grace and knowledg: of which Ephraim had a ſhew, but it was but a ſhew.

Expoſ. 2 For their falfneſs and deſembling, they had a heart and a heart towards God, they dealt treacherouſly with God, they were all in ſhows, but in the bottom nothing but vanity.

Expoſ. 3 For their unconſtancy and ſickleneſs; As rain in the clouds ſhews much, but is by the wind preſently blown over, the clouds now are all black and lowring, but in a ſhort time are blown over and there is a perfect cleer sky; even thus it was in their goodneſs, though they made glorious ſhows in their reformation, yet were they all empty, falſe, and unconſtant: Thus it was in the general, in the reformation of the Land, when things were reformed in the Kingdom it was but by halves, and in their particular turnings it was but as the morning cloud, many times there was great appearences of reformation, but they were like the early dew which preſently goeth away. The ten Tribes, and Judah did make ſuch beginnings in reformation and ſetting up the worſhip of God, that if God were truly worſhiped by any people in the world it would be by theſe, that they would ſet God up high in their thoughts, high in their practices, and this was very burdenſom to the Spirit of God; therefore he ſaith, What ſhall I do unto thee Ob Ephraim? What ſhall I do unto thee Oh Judah?

We find glorious ſhows of reformation to come to nothing, as appears in theſe many examples, 2 King 1, 9. and the 10. chapters, Jehu made great ſhows when Joram asked him, Is it peace Jehu? he anſwered him, What peace ſo long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are ſo many? And in the 10. chapter, what a ſlaughter doth he make upon the p. 577Prieſts of Baal? Well what came of this? reade but on in the chapter, verſes 29. and 31. it is ſaid, That Jehu departed not from the ſins of Jeroboam who made Iſrael to ſin. What a cloud of hopes was there in Ahahs time, 1 Kings, 18.39. all the people cryed, The Lord is God, the Lord he is the God, upon the miracle which was wrought by Elijahs prayer, when the fire came down and conſumed the ſacrifice; but this all vaniſhed in the people, and for Ahab himſelf the text ſaith, he did abominably in following of Idols ſo that there was none like unto him, who ſould himſelf to work wickedneſs, 1 Kings, 21.26, 27. When the Prophet comes to him, after he had killed Nabal and telleth him of his ſin, he fals down and humbleth himſelf, in ſo much that God himſelf takes notice of it, and upon it, pronounceth a tranſmiſſion of his puniſhment, That he would not bring the evil in his daies, but in his ſons; God bids the Prophet ſee how he humbled himſelf, & that not in a ſhow, as if his heart were not touched and affected, he did truly humble himſelf in his kind; but now, was there no reformation followed upon this? No, none at all,great men not eaſily reformed Theodoſ. 'Tis very hard to bring great men to reforming: where have we ſuch an example ſince Theodoſius the Emperor, who being a man guilty of raſh effuſion of blood, coming upon a Sabbath day to the place of publick worſhip and would have received the Sacrament, Ambroſe Ambroſeſeeing him a coming goes and meets him at the door, and ſpeaks thus to him; How dare thoſe bloody hands of yours lay hold of the body and blood of Chriſt, who have been the ſheders of ſo much innocent blood? Which ſpeech did ſo ſtartle him that he went away and was humbled for his ſin, and afterwards came and made his publick confeſſion and then was received in. Whence we may ſee, that Kings,An Emperor may be kept back frō the Sacrament. yea Emperors have been kept back from the Sacrament. But did this humiliation of Ahab come to nothing? If we look but into the 22. chap. we ſhall find him of a proud hauty ſpirit, reſolved upon his own will, contrary to the will of God, he would go up to Ram…th Gilead, and when Jehoſhaphat asked him if there were not a Prophet of the Lord more that they might enquire of him, and he ſaid, there is one, but I hate him; and p. 578this was in the time of his humiliation. And is it not thus with us?Applica many times when judgments are upon us, how penitent are we and then humbled preſently? but if the rod be off us we grow proud and ſtout again preſently. So in Judah, what beginnings did that young King Joaſh Joaſhmake? in the 2 Chron. 24.6., what care was there taken in reparing the Temple, gave commandement to the Prieſts and the Levites to gather mony for the building the Houſe of the Lord, and commanded it to be done ſpedily, he was a very young Prince, but very zealous, in ſo much that he blamed the high Prieſt for his want of zeal, and verſe 10. 'tis ſaid the Princes and all the people rejoyced and brought in, and caſt into the cheſt; now what did this produce? ſurely ſome glorious effect, mark in the 17. verſe, After the death of Jehojadah came the Princes of Judah and made obeiſance to him (and what then?) the King hearkened to them; they then began to get him on their ſide, by complying with him, for the text ſaith, that he hearkened to them, and then wrath came upon them; 'tis very likely they ſaid after this manner to him; Conſider who you are, a Prince, the head of a people, and you do all that the old man Jehojada commanded; he was a ſubject to you, and you be commanded by him,The Princes diſcourſe to Joaſh. and beſides he is now dead and gone, therefore ſhew your ſelf a man, like a Prince in your Kingdom, ſtand upon your own legs, be like unto the reſt of the Princes about you: Now ſuch words as theſe might pleaſe the King, and be hearkened to, and then they preſently forſook the Houſe of the Lord God of their fathers and ſerved groves and Idols, they forſook their Religion; while they kept the truth it preſerved them, and they followed the rule, but turning from the rule what outrages do they commit? verſe 21, 22. conſpire againſt Zaccariah and ſtoned him, the blood of a Prophets ſon is now nothing to them, they can down with it, and the King ſtood and ſaw him ſtoned; Oh what a height of ſin is this young zealous Prince come unto! How many ſad examples have we in theſe our daies which ſecond this of Joaſh? Young ones of our timeshow many young ones are there who in their youth give very good hopes but it proves to be p. 579but a morning cloud, their timely beginnings, end in apoſtacy. Another example we have in Amaziah in the 2 Chron. 25.2. Amaziah Amaziahin the 6. verſe had hired an hundred thouſand of Iſrael to go to the war with him, and for their hire he had given them an hundred talants of ſilver, now after he had hired them, and paid them all their monies, there comes a Prophet of God & tels him, that he muſt not uſe a man of them, why ſaith he what ſhall I do for my mony the hundred talents which I have paid the Army with? the man of God anſwered, the Lord is able to give thee much more than theſe; he had no ſecurity for it, but only G…s word for it and that from the mouth of a man; what now? Amaziah obeyed preſently and ſeparated the armies of Iſrael; But what became of this? Verſ. 14. after he returned from the ſlaughter of the Edomites he brought the gods of the children of Seir and ſet them up to be his gods, and bowed down to them; and the 15. verſe, God ſends him another Prophet, and now ſee how the ſpirit of the man is changed; In the former verſes the other Prophet coms to him and croſſes his deſign and turns his mind, & he hearkens preſently unto him, and obeys the command of God in that thing which was for his preſent and eminent loſſe; but this Prophet ſpeaks as mildly, with as much love as poſſibly could be, and he ſpeaks as much reaſon to him as a man can deſire: Why haſt thou relied and ſought after the gods of the people which could not deliver their own people out of thy hand? they could not reſcue or ſave their people from thee, and wilt thou ſerve them? yet in the 16. verſ. mark what he ſaith, Medle not with this matter, Art thou made of the Kings Councel? forbear, why ſhouldeſt thou be ſmitten? Doſt thou know what a plot and deſign there is in this thing? The Prophet forbears, but what follows? I know by this, the Lord hath determined to deſtroy thee, Becauſe thou haſt done this, Wilfulneſs after enlightening a note of d…ſtructiōand haſt not hearkened to my counſel. The truth is, when we ſee men unruly, ſtubborn, and wilful, rejecting counſel, and very unreaſonable in their way, eſpecially after ſome good workings and ſtirrings, it is a fearful ſign God hath a purpoſe to deſtroy them: So that wicked King at one time could call the prophet his father, yet how p. 580was he afterward inraged againſt him? Some may be friends to the Saints at one time, and bitter enemies to them at another.

And as the Scripture is full of ſuch examples as theſe, ſo alſo are Eccleſiaſtical hiſtories: 'Tis ſtoried of Domitian Domitiā.a moſt cruel perſecutor of the Chriſtians, who ſtudied and inven…ed cruel deaths for them, that when he came to the Crown could not endure blood to be ſhed, no not for ſacrifices. 'Tis alſo reported of Nero, Nero.that for five years he was ſo pitiful and full of mercy, that when they came to have his hand to the ſentence of execution of a …alefactor, He would wiſh that he could not have writ, Quam vellem literas non didiciſſe.that ſo he might not be uſed in any ſuch thing; and yet where had the Common-wealth of Rome, or the Church of God a more deſperat enemy or cruel perſecutor? Oh that God would grant this may never be our caſe: What had we at the firſt,Applic. to the Parl. of Engl. in the beginning of the Parliament, how did they ſhow themſelves and did great things? ſtood againſt Arbitrary government, impeached great ones, executed juſtice upon a Peer or two?and kingdom What a mighty ſpirit was raiſed in the countries to ſecond and ſtand by the Parliament! now where's the man that ever thought there would be ſuch a party of Lords and Commons found to joyn with a company of Papiſt, Atheiſts, Malignants, and Iriſh Rebels, againſt the Cauſe of God and the Goſpel, and every thing that is truly good? Oh moſt horrid apoſtaſie! that this morning cloud which in the beginning ſhined ſo gloriouſly ſhould thus vaniſh and come to nothing! And for others that are not in publick places, though perhaps not ſo bad as others,And privat men. yet how cold and flat ſpirited are they? ſlack in their moving for publick good, private intereſt, ſelf, and their own ends ruling in them, more than the proſperity of the publick; nay, ſo we can gain our own ends though with loſſe to the publick we care not: Oh what ſhall God do with us, who are ſuch an untoward people?Mutato nomine Change but the name and this Scripture is ours, O England, what ſhall I do unto thee? Your ſpirits for Reformation are down, you care not for a deliverance, but are willing to crouch under your burdens; but let me tell you, ſhould theſe p. 581beginnings of reformation end as, and prove to be as the morning cloud and early dew, we ſhould be the moſt miſerable people in the world, loſing the greateſt opportunity to do our ſelves good that ever any people had, & procure the greateſt curſe to our ſelves, and poſterity that ever was upon a people, the generations that are yet unborn may (if we loſe this opportunity) curſe the time that we lived before them, therefore be encouraged to venture in this work, and do you ſtill own the cauſe, for God will own it, and never leave it, that ſo the work may be finiſhed, and we may ſay with the Saints, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he hath heard us; Iſa.we ſhould conſider that it is a mercy the Lord hath made uſe of ſuch falſe ſpirited men in his work to do his people good by, and ſeeing the Lord is gone ſo far in the work, let us intreat him that he would follow it on, and not only bedew us, but even wet us to the root. It is Gods promiſe very remarkable in the 14. chap. of this Propheſie and the 5. verſe, I will be as the dew unto Iſrael, he ſhall grow as the lilie: they ſhall have the dew, and be like the lilly: but the lillie is a poor, weak, fading thing; but ſaith God, I will moiſten the roots of it like Lebanon, my mercy ſhall be perfected towards them: the Lord grant this promiſe may be made good to us. And thus much of their reformation in the general, as it concerned the publick State and Church

Now touching the particular reformation of themſelves and their hypocriſie in it: The note from thence is;2. Reformation in particular perſons. Obſer.

That for any man to make good beginnings and overtures in the waies of God, and let all fall again, and come to nothing, is a thing very grievous to God, and dangerous to himſelf. Pſal. 78.36, 37. Nevertheleſs, they did flater him with their mouth, and they lyed unto him with their tongues, for their heart was not right with him, neither were they ſteadfaſt in his Covenant: what then? ver. 58, 59. For they provoked him to anger with their Idols; God greatly abhorred Iſrael, they were as a deceitful bow, hypocritical in all their waies, which the Spirit of God cannot endure, for theſe reaſons.

p. 582Reaſ. of the firſt part.The Spirit of God is a holy Spirit; but this is a ſlight fickle, a very vain ſpirit, no ſoundneſs in it.

1The Spirit of God is unchangable, and conſtant in all its 2motions; but in this ſpirit there is nothing but changableneſs: 'tis ſaid of God, that there is no ſhadow of change in him; and in ſuch a heart as this is there is no ſhadow of conſtancy in it;

3Such men as theſe ſtifle the very conceptions of the Spirit of God in them; it is accounted murder in a woman to ſtifle the conception in her womb, or any waies to hinder it; now if this be ſuch a vile thing, is it not much more to ſtifle the conception and firſt breathings of the ſpirit in the ſoul? Oh take heed of ſuch a ſpirit as this is.

4There can be no truſt put in ſuch men as theſe, they are fit for no imployment, neither God nor man can truſt them, or uſe them in any ſervice, they are up and down fickle and wavering, we our ſelves cannot endure to have to deal with ſuch a man as is ſo.

5They manifeſt by this, that there is no fear of God before their eyes; for were the fear of the great God in them it would over-awe them ſo, that they durſt not do thus.

6This is a great pollution of the Name of God, Jer. 34.16. when they had let their ſervants go, and in an hypocritical manner, cald them home again, in this thing God ſaith, they polluted his great Name.

7This is an argument that the things of God and matters of Religion are looked upon by you as things indifferent, that there is no great matter in them, things of little conſequence, when thou haſt a mind to them thou canſt uſe them or thou canſt let them alone, is not this a mighty diſhonor to the Spirit of God?

8This ſhews that ſuch people never had any good beginnings or ſound Principles in them at the firſt; far from the life of Chriſt, which is ſaid to be a ſteadfaſt life, and the life of every Saint ſhould be like unto his; their hearts were not right with him, neither were they ſteadfaſt in his Covenant.

p. 583Now as it is grievous to God and to his Spirit,Reaſ. of the 2d ſo it is very dangerous to our ſelves. For,

We loſe many an opportunity, many a ſoul-ſtirring, which 1at our firſt awaking we have had. When the ſoul is firſt convinced, Oh the many ſtirrings and good motions which are put into it, any thing would then take impreſſion upon the heart; but when we give back there is a hard brawnineſs upon the heart.

You that are ſo unconſtant, ſhall never grow to any eminency 2of grace, and godlineſs, though there ſhould be truth at the bottom: It is ſaid of Ruben, Gen. 49.4. Ʋnſtable as water, thou ſhalt not excel. Men that do but very little yet go on in a conſtant way of godlineſs, though their parts be weak, and their performances mean, many imperfections in them, yet going on they come to ſomething; but thoſe who at the firſt do a great deal, run very faſt in their youth, and afterward grow cold again, are very bad; the cooling after heating is very dangerous, as to the body ſo more to the ſoul.

This hardens the heart very much; when the ſpirit is cooled 3after a heating, it's like water which being hot and cold again, is more cold than it was before, or like iron heat and quenched, is harder than formerly.

This aggravates all other ſinning; what, wilt thou ſin 4thus after God hath appeared thus?

This ſpoils the acceptation of all our other ſervices, be 5they never ſo ſpecious; as a man that hath a child lunatick in his fits and moods he is very ſenceleſs and ſottiſh, but in his Lucida intervalla he comes to himſelf and ſpeaks ſenſibly and well; now if a man ſhould ſee him at this time he would think he aild nothing: ſo there are many who ſeem to be eminent Chriſtians for the preſent, but let a temptation come, or luſt ſtir, and they are overcome.

There is nothing will more d…mp the heart when it comes before God in duty, than this unconſtancy of ſpirit Go… may ſay to thee, Oh ſoul, how dareſt thou come be…o… in ſuch a duty as this, when thou knoweſt thou a… … p. 584breach of promiſe and falſefying Covenant with me? this will be an eating corraſive upon thy ſpirit, God may ſay to thee, how canſt thou expect that I ſhould be conſtant in my mercies towards thee, when thou art ſo unconſtant in thy duty to me? this unconſtancy towards God, brings wavering in faith, and unſetledneſs in our confidence in God, the one makes way for the other; unconſtancy in duty, and wavering in beleeving; God ſhews himſelf to us, as we carry our ſelves to him, To the pure, be will ſhew himſelf pure, Tit. 1.15.

How ſhould this ſtir us up to look to our own hearts, ſeeing they are ſo fickle and deceitful? let us watch over and daily ſuſpect them; John 2.23, 24. 'tis ſaid of the people, that many beleeved in Chriſt, becauſe of the miracles which he wrought; yet Chriſt would not commit himſelf unto them: ſo Deut. 5.29. there is a people that made large promiſes to God, that they would walk in all the Statutes and Ordinances of their God; now ſaith God, this people ſay well, they are good words, but Oh that there were ſuch an heart in them! God regards no work you do, except he find it rooted in you, John, 8.31. Then are you my Diſciples indeed, if ye continue in my words; no true Diſciple of Chriſt without abiding in Chriſt; all fleſh is graſs; that is, whatſoever is done by fleſhly principles, every duty though never ſo well done to the outward appearance, if it come from a principle of fleſh, it is but as the graſs; and as the graſs withereth and dies away ſo will theſe ſpecious outſide duties vaniſh away; therefore look to your hearts, and above all keepings, keep it very diligently, for if the root be ſound the branches will be ſo too, and the fruit ſavory which comes of it.

Means to perſevere.'Tis a very dangerous thing to let beginnings to die; Therefore would you be preſerved from ſuch an evil as this is, of fickleneſs and unconſtancy? take my counſel in theſe particulars.

1Do not reſt in ſudden flaſhes and ſtirrings of ſpirit; perhaps at a Sermon ſome truth or other that neerly concerns thee is preſſed home upon thy conſcience and it begins to ſtir the heart and warm the affections, now do not think the work is now p. 585over, or that the hazard of miſcarrying to al eternity is over; no thou muſt riſe higher and go further than this, or elſe thou art undone for ever; this is that rock upon which many poor ſouls ſplit, and overthrow themſelves for ever: therefore look to your hearts in time.

Labor to get your hearts off from all earthly engagements; 'tis not 2like that man ſhould ever ſtand conſtant toward God who is intangled with the ſnares and cares of this world. That man whoſe heart is conſtantly fixed upon God, though he does but little in way of duty, in compariſon of many an hypocrite, yet he ſhall hold out, when the moſt glorious hypocrit in the world ſhall fall to the ground.

Take heed of ſecret ſinning: ſecret ſins will undo thee, if they 3are loved and maintained:ſimile one moth in a garment may ſpoil the garment; one leak in a ſhip may drown the ſhip; a pen-knife may ſtab and kill a man as well as a ſword: ſo one ſin may damn the ſoul, nay there is more danger of a ſecret ſin cauſing the miſcarrying of the ſoul than open prophaneſs, becauſe they are not ſo obvious to the reproofs of the Word; therefore take heed that ſecret ſinnings eats not out good beginnings.

Often take an account of your hearts how things ſtand with them; 4ſay, Oh my ſoul, how is it with thee? how ſtand tearms between God and thee? Come my ſoul, there was a time that there was ſuch good ſtirrings and good motions in thee, what is now become of them? at the firſt beginning thou wert very forward and active for God, ſuch a chamber, ſuch a cloſet can witneſs the intercourſe God and thou hadſt, thou didſt walk cloſe with God and his fear was in thee; this would be a ſpecial help were it obſerved to keep the heart upright: but I fear many a Miniſter may ſay of his people as Paul did to the Galatians, Where is now the bleſſednes which you ſpake of?

Never truſt your hearts after warmings with comfort and ſpiritual 5revivings: when thou in any Ordinances haſt met with Gods preſence, and he hath ſhined upon thee in love, if thou haſt got a ſmile from Jeſus Chriſt at that time, have a care of your p. 586hearts, and look for temptations and prepare for them; many when they have good deſires, and hopeful beginnings in them, think that the work is paſt, and the danger is over, and and then for the moſt part comes a temptation of Satan and incounters with them and they are baſely foyled, and loſe their peace again, great conſolations uſually precedes great temptations. Mat. 3.17. when God teſtifies that Jeſus Chriſt is his beloved ſon, This is my beloved ſon in whom I am well pleaſed, in the very next chapter, how was he led into temptations? what a combate had he with the Devil? As after the greateſt mercies many times follows the greateſt miſeries: See how Chriſt thinks of theſe temptations, all his glory and magnifficence could not put the thoughts of his ſufferings out of his mind: John 12.12. Chriſt comes riding in pomp to Jeruſalem, and the people they magnified him, crying out, Hoſanna to the ſon of David, yet ver. 27. he cries out, Father, ſave me from that hour.

6When you find any ſtirrings of good deſires to ariſe, any motion of the Spirit to affect you, work them downwards to humble your hearts, making you baſe and vile in your own eyes, that ſo you may grow downward in the root; 'tis very dangerous when beginnings run upwards preſently, but when they ſhew us our ſins and unworthineſs then they work kindly: If there be no moiſture at the root of the tree, though there be never ſo many bloſſoms they will die, vaniſh, and come to nothing; ſo if your joyes and ſecret raptures of ſoul are not moiſtened in the tears of ſorrow and humiliation they will blow off and be ſhaken down by the next temptation; but when the inward workings of joy in the heart, do as well operate to humiliation as conſolation, when they work both waies, then will not your goodneſs be as the early dew that goeth away, and as the morning cloud which ſoon vaniſheth? Pſal. 110.3.Pſ. 110.3Ps 110:3 opened.'tis propheſied that in the times of the Goſpel Chriſts people ſhall be a willing people in the day of his power, Chriſts power ſhall be put forth upon his people to ſubdue their wils to the will of God, ſo that if we find this effect of Chriſts power in us, then may we be ſure that our goodneſs ſhall not prove as the morning cloud.

p. 587Reſt not in ſtirrings and beginnings, except you find them to work 7you to union with Jeſus Chriſt: therefore aſſoon as your hearts begin to work, you ſhould ſtop a little and ask your hearts what of Jeſus Chriſt is there in thoſe beginnings; have I more of his righteouſneſs, wiſdom and love than I had before? only ſuch ſtirrings of heart as bring Chriſt into the ſoul will hold and ſtand faſt; that is very obſervable which we reade of concerning the Manna, Exod. 16.14.ſimile. that the dew which was upon the ground that paſſed away, but the Manna that ſtayed on ſtill; ſo the good affections and deſires which are in many are even like the dew, which aſſoon as the Sun is up is gone preſently; now if you would not have the efficacy of them gone, try what Manna there is left behind, what of Chriſt is ſtrengthened, is your faith propped, your love encreaſed, your humility acted? then it's ſomething; the Iſraelites could not feed upon the dew, but the Manna was their nouriſhment; ſo how is it with you when the heat of your deſires and ſtirrings are over? can you then feed upon Chriſt this ſpiritual Manna; look what word of promiſe is left in your hearts after your ſtirrings are over, and how your hearts are affected with it; ſuch as find the promiſe remaining when the dew is gone and that theſe promiſes are as ſweet now as they were at the firſt working of the affections, ſuch a ſoul will hold out, and his righteouſneſs ſhall not be as the morning cloud or early dew that paſſeth away.