Divine Drops Distilled from the Fountain of Holy Scripture, Part 8
Expoſitions and Obſervations on DEUTER. 4.
Now therefore hearken, O Iſrael, unto the ſtatutes and judgements, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in, and poſſeſſe the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you.
Ye ſhall not add unto the word which I command you, neither ſhall you diminiſh ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
Your eyes have ſeen what the Lord did becauſe of Baal-peor: for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord thy God hath deſtroyed them from among you.
But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God, are alive every one of you this day, &c.
I Shall not go about to expound this whole Chapter unto you, you ſee it is very long, and therefore I will not abridge my ſelf or you of time for that which is to follow: but onelyonly briefly take notice of a few things in this Chapter which I ſhall touch upon: for they are ſweet, and very ſerious words that Moſes ſpeaks to the people of Iſrael. One thing is in the fourth verſe, ſaith Moſes, Your eyes have ſeen what the Lord did becauſe of Baal-peor: for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord thy God hath deſtroyed them from among you.
But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God, are alive every one of you to this day.
You ſhall read in Num. 25. 4. and in Num. 30. 15. that by the counſell of Balaam the people of Iſrael were brought to commit Idolatry at Baal-peor, Iſrael joyned himſelf to Baal-peor; and the anger of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael. They were brought firſt to whordom, and then to Idolatry, as we may ſee in that Chapter, for which God cut off men and women about ſome twenty four thouſand. And yet in this great temptation, ſome of them did cleave to the Lord, and thoſe the Lord kept alive and deſtroyed them not: ye that did cleave to the Lord your God, are alive every one of you this day.
So that,
It is a bleſſed and happy thing when people ſhall Obſervationcleave to the Lord.
The word is taken ſometimes to ſtick, my belly cleaves or ſticks to the duſt. And ſo truly the word ſhould ſtick a little upon our thoughts. Cleaving, it implies or ſignifies two things.
It ſignifies, firſt to glew, to unite two things together into one, and ſo you ſhall have it, Gen. 2. 24. They Cleaving to, implies two things. 1. A neer conjunction.two ſhall be joyned, and made one fleſh, they ſhall be glewed (as it were) together. So you have it in Epheſ. 5. And there is in that word, as that reverend Doctor Preſton, I remember, obſerves, it ſignifies a greater union th… any other in the world. Indeed, there is a great union between two boards glewed together: for I have heard Joyners ſay, it is ſometimes ſtronger then the board it ſelf, as a broken bone is ſtronger when it is knit, then before ever it was broken. It is an union more then marriage, more then between man and wife, yet that is the greateſt in the whole creation. Beloved, ſuch a union ſhould be between our ſouls and Ieſus Chriſt; we ſhould not hang looſe upon Ieſus Chriſt, we ſhould be united to him as a man to his wife, yea ſomething more then that: And therefore ſaith David when he found a looſnes in his heart, O knit my heart to thee, that I may fear thy name. Knit my heart; as Ionathans heart was knit to David. Will you learn this now? For our work is as Moſes ſaid in another kind, I have laid before you this day life and death, and (ſaith he) at another time, I have laid before you judgements and ſtatutes: ſo our work is to lay before you the will of the Lord; now this is one part of it, that there ſhould be ſuch a union between our ſouls, and Ieſus Chriſt. And therefore learn this, when thou goeſt home, if thou finde a looſneſſe between thee and Chriſt, remember this word, thou ſhouldeſt learn to cleave to the Lord, and pray the Lord to knit thy heart to him. When there is a looſneſſe, that is, when many times, other things run between thy heart and God, ſometimes thy husband, ſometimes thy wife, ſometimes thy money, thy wealth, thy caſh hath thy heart: O pray the Lord to knit thy heart more and more to him.
But cleaving alſo is taken more uſually, for ſitting 2. A relative permanency withor abiding in the Lord, when others do leave him. It is a relative kinde of word, it is not ſimply …iting to God, or knitting to him: but when other things are in competition with God, when (it may be) others follow other things, and when both are laid before mine eyes, that I may follow the one or the other, then when I abide with God, this is called cleaving to the Lord. As I could give you diverſe inſtances. Gen. 2. 24. A woman is to forſake her father and mother, and to cleave to her husband: that is, a woman when ſhe is married, ſhe hath two ſweet objects before her eyes, her fathers houſe, her father and mother, and ſiſters and brothers, on the one ſide, and her husband on the other ſide, and his friends and relations: now when a woman leaves the one, and ſticks to the other, this is properly called cleaving. You ſhall read alſo in 2 Sam. 20. 2. the people of Iſrael, every man of Iſrael, went up from after David. The people of Iſrael there, in a peeviſh humor, left David their King, and followed Sheba the ſon of Bichri, but the men of Iudah did cleave to their King from Iordan to Ieruſalem. There the people were divided, Iſrael followed Sheba, but Iudah clave to David. In ſtead of many I will give you but one more, that is in the book of Ruth, you ſhall have there a good woman that had two daughters in law, her ſons were both dead, and ſo ſhe was going to return to her country, ſhe was in a ſtrange country with them, and ſhe takes her leave of her two daughters, Chap. 2. 8. Naomi ſaid to her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mothers houſe, the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me; that is, they had been kind to her ſons and to her, for they lived in a ſtrange country, now Farwell, The Lord grant that you may finde reſt, each of you in the houſe of her husband: Then ſhe kiſſed them, &c. And they ſaid, ſurely we will return with thee to thy people, we will go along, we will not leave thee, No, daughters (ſaith ſhe) do not ſo, for I cannot bear other children for you to marry, as the law was then. If I ſhould lie to night with an husband, and have children, you would not ſtay ſo long, therefore I pray abide, and go not. And it is ſaid, Orpah kiſſed her mother in law, and lift up her voice, and wept, and left her, but Ruth clave unto her. Orpah was perſwaded, and wept, and took her leave, but Ruth clave to her, and ſaid, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whether thou goeſt I will go, and where thou lodgeſt I will lodge, thy people ſhall be my people, and thy God my God, Where thou dyeſt will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do ſo to me and more alſo, if ought but death part thee and me. So I ſay you ſee here, that when there was a competition, a kind of parting, then Ruth abiding with Naomi, that is called cleaving.
It is a glorious thing, that when the ſeeming ſervants The honour of cleaving to Chriſt.of Ieſus Chriſt ſhall depart from him, when there is a diviſion among profeſſors, then to be able to cleave to Ieſus Chriſt. That you may underſtand it, conceive that in the wayes of Ieſus Chriſt, many times there are ſuch times that abundance of hypocrites as well as Saints abide with him, they are ſometimes ſtill, like the waters of Shilo, there is no perſecution or trouble in them, it may be there is a great deal of honour, and wealth, and riches with them, and many times a great party of the world ſticks to him; but there is a little tripp, and ſtep in the ways of godlines, when there is a parting, when hypocrites like Orpah, ſhall weep, and repent, and ſo ſhall go with Chriſt no longer: if they do, one ſhall looſe his friends, another his trade, another his wife, and ſhall lift up their voices and weep, and take their leaves; then is the beautie of Chriſtianity and the bleſſedneſſe of a Chriſtian, to be able to cleave to the Lord in ſuch a time as this is. This was the exhortation of the good man Barnabas, that he gave to the people, as you ſhall read Acts 11. 22, 23. When he was come, and had ſeen the grace of God, he was glad, and exhorted them all that with purpoſe of heart, they ſhould cleave to the Lord. I have oft marvailed with my ſelf, why Barnabas, that is ſaid to be a good man, and full of the Holy Ghoſt, coming as a ſtranger to a congregation of good people, where he ſaw the grace of God among them; why he ſhould chooſe this and no more, but onelyonly pitch upon this exhortation, that ſeeing they were godly, and had received the grace of God, he ſhould ſay; I have no more to ſay but this one word, underſtand it well, that is, that with full purpoſe of heart you cleave to the Lord.
Indeed the reaſon was (as I conceive) if you compare it with Chap. 14. 22. Barnabas was a man to whom God had diſcovered much of the doctrine of Tribulation, and perſecution that belonged to the Goſpell. For take notice of it by the bye, I look on the people of God, li…e the ſervants of God that did go to build the Temple, ſome were appointed to hew ſtone, ſome to digge them up, and ſome to carry them home, ſome to build them up, ſome to caſt accounts and to keep reckoning. So the Lord Ieſus in his Kingdom (no man knows the reaſon why) he cuts out diſtinct parcells of work to his people, and thereupon ſupplies them with his ſpirit, and reveales truthes to his people, ſome to manage ſuch a thing, no man knows the reaſon. God faſtens the doctrine of juſtification upon ſome, that they cannot reſt night nor day, and one that may be unwilling to die for another point, but not for that: Another about Church-government, Another upon ſanctification, none knowes why; but God fits them for their work by his Spirit, according to his bleſſed will.
Therefore we ſhould not cenſure or ſleight godly men becauſe our maſter doth not imploy them about ſuch a work, as he doth us. It may be my thoughts are upon ſanctification, anothers upon juſtification. So God cuts out the work as it pleaſeth him. Now this Barnabas it ſeemes did not ſpeak much as we read of, but he had a mighty apprehenſion of perſecutions and tribulations that the Saints ſhould ſuffer in this world. Therefore in Acts 14. 22. he and Paul confirm the ſouls of the Diſciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we muſt through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God. In every Sermon (as we may ſay) Barnabas had ſomething to ſtrengthen the ſouls of the people to go thorow tribulation, and affliction, It may be another Apoſtle had his Spirit upon another work. It may be in reference to this he gave them this exhortation, deſiring them with full purpoſe of heart to cleave to the Lord, As if he had ſaid, Now you are in proſperity (for ſo they were) and are all ready to hear the Goſpell, and receive it. O (ſaith he) but there is a time a coming, to trie you, and you muſt not think to run to heaven between two feather-beds: but as all the Saints before had their ſhare, ſo every one that will live in Chriſt Ieſus muſt ſuffer perſecution. As there is a Statute in heaven for all men once to die; ſo if you be Saints, you muſt live in tribulation, and perſecution, and that is the way; as Chriſt was made perfect by ſufferings, ſo you muſt come to ſalvation. Therefore when thoſe things come, I have not much to ſay to you, but O then remember to cleave to the Lord: for then you ſhall ſee hypocrites in droves going away from Ieſus Chriſt, and leaving him, one ſtumbling at this, another at that; one is offended at the Croſſe, that it takes away his credit, another for his profit, another his liberty, another his trading: but brethren, I beſeech you with full purpoſe of heart to cleave to the Lord. See how a company in Iohn 6. with one word ſpeaking went all away from Chriſt, If they had been called to fire from Chriſt, it had been ſomething; but he ſaith no more, but you muſt eat my fleſh and drink my blood, and they all went away. Yet the Diſciples (there was twelve then) ſaith Chriſt, Will ye go away alſo? Lord, whether ſhall we go? ſaith Peter, thou haſt the words of eternall life: ſo they abode with him, and clave to him.
Saith Barnabas, with full purpoſe of heart, that is, you muſt not cleave as Iudas: for Iudas did then cleave to Chriſt, when all but the Apoſtles left him, that we read of, but with full purpoſe of heart, the Greek word ſignifies with full decree of heart, ſuch as the Medes and Perſians had, when they decreed to caſt Daniel into priſon, though the King were otherwiſe minded, and had ſeen his errour, yet they told him a decree of the Medes and Perſians cannot be broken, it muſt be kept; the Apoſtle alludes to that, there muſt be ſuch a decree in the ſoul, of ſticking to Chriſt, and cleaving to God, notwithſtanding all tribulations, and perſecutions, and ſhame, and reproach, and trouble whatſoever that befalls, that you may as ſoon break the lawes of the Medes and Perſians, as bring the ſoul from that decree, As one ſaid of old, they might as ſoon ſtop the Sun in the firmament, as hinder that godly man in his courſe of holineſſe, So let me intreat, and exhort you in the exhortation of Barnabas that you would cleave to the Lord with full purpoſe of heart.
There are two great times in generall when people 2. Speciall times of cleaving to God. 1. In a generall deluge of ſin.leave God, and then you muſt be ſure to cleave to him, that is,
Firſt, when a generall time of ſin comes up among you, as this of Baal peor, there were twenty four thouſand ſlaine, for their ſin at Baal-peor; ſin when it comes up once, is like a ſtreame; truly the courſe of the world is but the ſtreame of ſin in the world, and worldly men. Therefore you ſhall ſee that ſins in Nations, though they begin from little, ſee how men are carried away with them when once they are grown ſtrong! when once people begin to be proud and high, and ſet themſelves up, every one ſhall be ſo. I ſhall be laughed at if I do not ſpend my money in vaine things to maintaine my ſervants, my coate, my garb, and Coach, and the like. This pride is grown to a ſtreame in the world: and ſo for ſwearing, and ſo for drunkenneſse, and every other ſin. Now I ſay, when ſin doth in this manner break out, and thou ſeeſt others carried with it more and more, then take heed, then be ſure thou cleave to God. Nay, there are more ſpirituall ſins then theſe, as it is ſaid, Barnabas was carried away with the diſsimulation. When thou ſeeſt generall diſsimulation in a Kingdom, to call darkneſſe light, and light darkneſſe, and good evil, and evil good, to call good men treacherous, and treacherous men good, to call blinde, baſe, ſuperſtitious men Orthodox, and Orthodox men ſuperſtitious, take heed then that thou cleave to the Lord.
Then ſecondly, when perſecutions, and ſufferings 2. In times of perſecution.come, few men make account of it, we cannot make people ſenſible of it, what they muſt ſuffer, they have falſe hopes; they think that though people ſuffered in Queen Maryes time, and others may after, yet they ſhall go in peace. We muſt ſuffer: talk of Reformation, and what you will; all honeſt hearts inevitably ſhall have tribulation. Therefore let this word abide with you, that it be your ſtudy, and earneſt prayer to the Lord, when you ſee others run into ſin and are carried away for fear of this trouble, and that croſſe, and the other ſhame, that then you abide with the Lord as Iudah, Though Iſrael play the harlot, yet let Iudah be faithfull with his God. Though ſuch a man diſſemble, yet why ſhould I do ſo? though ſuch a one go againſt his own light, and conſcience, yet why ſhould not I cleave to Chriſt? That is one exhortation, that you would cleave to the Lord.