Hosea 12
Ver. 1. Ephraim feedeth on wind, and folhu-eth after the east wind: he dailij increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.
“EpHEAm feedeth on wind.” We read, in chap, viii. 7 of this prophecy, that they had “sown the wind,” and should “reap the whMwind;” and now they feed according to what they sowed, and of what they reaped. They did sow the wind, and here they feed on wind.
Feeding on wind, is a proverbial speech, to note,
1. The following after vain, unprofitable things. When men please themselves in their own conceits and in their own counsels, and walk in ways that are, and will certainly be, improfitablc to them, they are said to feed on wind. AVhen men think to please God with their own inventions, to escape danger by their own shifts, to prevail against the saints by their deep counsels and fetches, they feed upon wind; when men promise to themselves great matters by ways of their own, that are not God’s, they feed upon wind: and for all this the prophet rebukes the ten tribes.
2. The swelling pride and elation of heart. You know, according to the food so will the body be; those that feed on wind must needs have hearts puffed up with conceitedness of themselves, and contempt of others that are not in the same way as themselves: they lie sucking imaginary content and sweetness in their own ways; they are full of themselves; wheresoever they come they must needs vent themselves, they are so full of their wind; they feed on wind, yet one prick of disappointment will quickly let out all the wind from such bladders, they are quickly amort and dead in the nest if they be disappointed.
3. Dependence on carnal, creature comfort. Evil men that Uve upon carnal, creature comforts, upon the applause of men, upon honours, they likewise feed on wind, and are puffed up for a while; but any prick of God’s appealing against them lets out the windy stuff, and quickly they are dead. Any member of the body that is puffed up with wind seems to be greater than any other part, but it is not stronger; no, it is consequently the weaker: and so it is with the hearts of men, that are puffed up with windy conceits and with creature contentments, they have no strength by this inflation; though they seem stronger, yet when they are called either to do or to suffer for God, they then appear to be very weak, and therefore will change as the wind changes. Pliny, citing as his authority Democrates, who has written a whole book on the chameleon, observes of that animal, which is said to feed upon wind. That there is no creatm-e in the world more fearful than the chameleon, and the reason that it is so changeable (for it will change into every kind of colour, according to that to which it is joined) is this very timidity of its nature engendered by its food. And truly, it is a very good description of men that feed upon wind; they seem big when they have no opposition, what will they not then do; they will do such and such great matters: but the truth is, none are of more fearful hearts than those who are puffed up with the wind of their own conceits; when God comes to cross them, or they are called to suffer in their ways, they will quickly turn to any colour, this or that; because they do but feed on wind, therefore is their might weakness, and they have no strength at all in them.
4. The turbulent, unquiel disposition of such. We know that the wind raises tempests and storms; and so men that are puffed up with the wind of their own conceits, are the men that raise such tempests and storms in the places where they live. My brethren, the saints have better food to feed u]ion, food that makes them more solid and more staid. While the men of the world feed on the wind of applause, on their own conceits, on their own vain counsels and plots, and upon the creatm-e, and think to satisfy their cravings thereby; the saints feed on the mercy and all-sufficiency of God; they feed upon his word and promises, and upon the covenant of grace; they feed upon Jesus Christ, whose “flesh is meat indeed,” and whose “blood is drink indeed,” and so they come to have strength in them, for their food is food indeed. Others, feeding on the wind, are filled with their own devices, and hence it is that they cannot savour nor relish heavenly things; the breathings of the Spirit of God are not entertained by them, because they are filled with their own wind: but the saints are willing to empty themselves, and to receive into their souls the Holy Ghost, and the blessed things which the Holy Ghost brings; Christ comes in to sup with them, and they to sup with him. Rev. iii. 20; and thus are they nourished to eternal life, and fitted for any service or any suffering to which the Lord is pleased to call them: their food is different ii-om the food of other men.
“And followeth after the east wind.” This east wind, especially in those countries, is noted as a wind exceedingly hurtful to man and beast. We also have a proverb of the east wind; The east wind blows good neither to man nor beast; but more especially in that country. So we find in Gen. xli. 6, “And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.” And in Ezek. xvii. 10, “Shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it?” And in Job xv. 2, “Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?” When you see men talk and utter vain things, they do but seek to fill their bellies with the east wind. The east wind was so hurtful because attended with a heat of the sun that made it dry and scorching in those countries: therefore the Septuagint translates this kovauva, the scorching wind; and the Vulgate renders it, astics, heat.
Now you will say, What does the Holy Ghost mean here? It is to hold out a very excellent truth to us:
06s. 1. Creature comforts will prove but wind. Those who seek to satisfy themselves with such, and
to stay themselves on their own counsels and their own inventions, not only deceive themselves, and will be disappointed at last in their expectations, but they will find these their ways to be very pestilential, hurtful, and dangerous, they will find that they will undo them, and bring them to utter misery. Oh how many have undone themselves with their own counsels! ^’ere men but merely disappointed of their vain hopes, there were a great evil m that; but if disappointment T,-ere the only consequent evil, it were not so much. But you must not escape so; you that tcill feed upon the wind, and bless yourselves in your own ways, you must expect to meet with wrath and misery; these ways whereby you may think to shift from danger will bring you into danger. Oh! how many on their sick-beds, and death-beds, have cried out in the bitterness and trouble of their souls, for following of their own conceits and counsels, and the ways of other men! they see now that they are undone, undone by those ways: Oh! ne have fed upon the wind, and we find evil ways that pleased us then torment us now, we find them to bring anguish, sorrow, and trouble upon us.
Obs. 2. It is a grievous thing, when troubles come, to have nothing within us to bear us out but the wind. Suppose men meet with the rough east wind, or storms and tempests befall them, yet if they have had solid food, whereby they come to get good blood, and marrow, and spirits, they may be able to bear it; but when the body is empty and meets with tempests, oh, this is very grievous to the poor frame. So it is with many ■nhcn they meet with afflictions; but the saints have such solidity within them as bears them out; but other men that are empty, that have fed upon the wind all their days, have nothing to bear them out in great afflictions’, but their hearts sink down in horror and despair.
“He daily increaseth lies.” Ephraim, the ten tribes, all the day long increaseth lies, that is, he has new plots, and new devices, and new shifts for himself; he increaseth lies, new opinions and new reports; so we are to understand the word in its latitude. “He daily increaseth lies,” and that.
First, In matters of doctrine; there “he daily increaseth lies,” having once forsaken the truth. If the truth be once forsaken, men know not whither they shall go: Grant but one en-or, we are wont to say, and a thousand will follow, and they will multiply abundsntlv, especially some errors; there are some such breeding lies, that, if they be granted, there must be a great many others to maintain them. Never was there such an increase of false doctrine, of lies in that sense, as at this day. In Kcv. xii. 15, when the dragon could not prevail against the woman, that is, the church, by bloody persecutions, then, saith the text, the di-agon ‘• cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried awav of the flood; “this was the i)olicy of the devil, first” labouring by violence to prevail against the church, but when he could not do that, then he “cast water out of his mouth like a flood;” that is, as interpreters observe, he laboured to undo the church by a deluge of error »nd heresies, when he could not ruin it by open violence. Truly this scripture is even fulfilled concerning us this veiy day: the Lord has been pleased to curb the dragon, and those that were his instruments in open and violent persecution, so that they cannot persecute the truths as they were wont to do; and now then this is the way of the devil, this dragon sends out of his mouth a flood of errors and heresies after the truth, after the church, labouring to swallow up all by this fiood. And certainly we are in a great deal of danger at this day in this respect; there is a flood and deluge of all sorts almost of old errors, and many of them extremely dangerous, and men are serviceable to the
dragon in this thing more than they are aware of Oh that we could but see the subtlety of Satan in this continual increasing of lies! for these four or five years there has been an increase such as could never “have been thought of; certainly if some of our forefathers that were holy and gracious should rise out of their graves, and see and hear such things as may be seen and heard in our days, they would stand amazed, and wonder how it were possible that ever England should be filled with such hon-ible opinions and customs as have prevailed in these latter times: so that now there lies the ho])e of the devil, by increase of such lies to eat out godliness and religion. This indeed seems to be the most hopeful design conceived by the devil in these latter times: men’s hearts are carnal, loose, and sensual, and therefore they are prepared to receive these lies; and hence they multiply apace. But yet let none multiply them more than they are, by putting among them some truths, by shutting in truths in the midst of them, to make Ihem appear likewise to be lies, and to be taken as honest men are when by any accident they are gotten in the company of lewd people, they are apprehended upon suspicion, merely because they are in their company. This is one of the devil’s choicest devices, to shuffle in some truths among them, and because he could not have them suspected otherwise, they must be taken upon suspicion because they are there among them. Let not men gather these lies together to the end that they may oppose some truths thereby, but, as the prophet speaks. “^Vhat is the chaff to the wheat?” if men wUl speak of lies let them inveigh against them, and only against them, and make it appear that that is the work of their spirits, merely to oppose them, and not under such a pretence to make other things, which yet they cannot jjrove to be false, appear to be odious and monstrous, merely by shuffling them together among such horrible and damnable lies.
Secondly, Lies against the pro])hets, against the saints, and against the ways of God. And certainly there was never the like multiplying as there is at this day in this sense too; men carry their multiplying glasses along with them up and down, A lie at first is like a stone cast into the water: you know a stone when cast in makes a little circle, and then that another, and that another, every succeeding circle greater than the fonner; and so it is with many lies, at first they appear not so great, but they gain strength as they go, acquirunt vires eundo. There are many ways of multiplying and increasing lies,
1. By carrying about reports, and so making one lie generate many.
2. By misreporting of reports; that is, by putting reports into another dress, according to what men themselves apprehend; and that which is a truth when it comes to be examined nakedly, yet will, being put into another dress or arrangement, seem to be very false.
3. By adding to reports. Every man, according to his spirit, cbaws consequences, and when he has drawn them, he connects them with the report, as if they were part of the original, whereas they are but the comment.
4. By inventing new ones they come to increase and multiply; because such and such falsehoods will not do the feat, more shall then be added to them.
5. By maintaining lies by lies, as if men, being once engaged in a business, must defend themselves. If once they have misreported a thing, there is no help for it, but now it must be defended one way or other, somewhat must be done to establish it: as many times is the case with your servants; a servant has done a thing amiss; well, this servant seeks to cover it by a lie, and when once he has told one, he must tell a great many more to defend that one: and thus it is with men.
And truly, my brethren, seeing that this scripture does so by providence come in our way, let me speak
EE. 1.
thus much to you from it. It is one of the strangest things that ever occurred in the world, that there should be such strange reports of things that are matters of fact, yea, that one godly man, or company of men, should say one thing, and others, whom we think godlv, should say quite contrary, and both in matters of fact: I say, the consideration of this might indeed well make men stand amazed; for there is no sin that is more against the ingenuousness of a gracious heart, than a deliberate lie; to speak against a man’s knowledge, and against a man’s conscience, is one of the greatest sins against the ingenuousness of a gracious heart; and yet, even such as we think to be godly and gracious, issuing reports so contradictory to each other, and that about matters of fact, what shall we say to this?
To a friend who wrote to Austin about the allowability of telling an official lie, he answered, He must not tell a lie, no, not to save the whole world. Now what a difference is there in the hearts of men in these days! Truly, I do not know a gi-eater temptation to atheism at this day than this is; for what will men think? There certain religious men speak thus, and others whom we account as religious speak quite contrary. Is there any religion in the world? We see so much contradicting one against another, surely one side much be false. It is this, I am verily persuaded, that is the cause of much atheism amongst us, and if God be not pleased to prevent one way or other, it will open a wide door to atheism in the nation. Some rejoice at these things, and nothing is more pleasing to them when they meet together; whereas they should be matter for our humiliation, we should mourn for them, to see how God is thus dishonoured, and what abundance of hurt is thereby like to come to souls. But now therefore, a little to quiet our hearts, that we may not be in danger of turning atheists by it, let us consider from whence comes it, that so many lies should be increased and multiplied.
1. Both sides may be right. They report according to their own apprehensions of things; and apprehending them in a different way, and on different principles, both of them may think they are in the truth, and yet one may contradict the other. For it is very much according to the principles of men’s spii’its in any thing, especially if a business has many tilings depending on it, and there are many circumstances to be laid together, to connect them as best suit their own apprehensions and principles. In such cases both parties may think they are in the truth, and contradict one another, and yet neither of them speak against their consciences: this (I say) may possibly occiu- even among good men.
2. Xlen do not always speak from their own knowledge, but are ready to take up the reports of those in whom they place confidence. ‘WTien men see those whom the)” love of their side and way, they are very confident in their reports, and speak, not from being eye-witnesses themselves; and so they may come to contradict one another, and yet not do violence to their consciences: this is indeed the evil of giving too easy credit to reports. But though it be an evil, yet it comes not from a wilful violation of their consciences.
3. Sometimes when men report, they do not report all. Reports are cross one to another; yea, but did you hear all, or do you report all? It is a bad thing when a man will take one part of a thing and report it; another man may come and report the quite contrary; whereas if all were brought together and the whole series of things laid before them, there might appear such agreement in essentials as would unite both parties. Bring things to the original, and then
* See the Apology of the Dissenting Brethren; and the Assembly’s Answer to it.
you see how they agree: as now, sometimes in Scripture there are divers renderings; yea, but by bringing them all to the original, we come to see wherein their differences harmonize. And so with reports, bring them to the original, and you may help yourselves and others to see, when partial statements are rejected, a foundation for entire agreement.
4. Reports are contradictory, but that may arise rather from men’s memories, than from any thing in the things themselves; I say, the contradiction may exist merely in the memory.
Let us learn then, my brethren,
Fu-st, To take heed of spreading reports to the dishonour of religion.
Secondly, To search into rather than report a matter; if you hear any thing which you think must surely be a lie, to go to the party, or get some that are acquainted with them to go to them, to see whether they can satisfy you in the thing. !Many men stand and wonder at a report, whereas if they, or any friend for them, would but inquire into the matter, they might have such a plain history of the things related to them as would fully satisfy them.
Thirdly, To take heed of being inventive. Men still follow after new vanities; if they find not satisfaction in one, they are not moved thereby to seek the true God that they may have satisfaction, but seek for it in other things. Oh let us consider thus; I find no satisfaction in this; yea, but is it not because I forsake the Lord God, in whom there is all satisfaction? let me repair to God, and in him I shall find all fulness. No, but they take another course; I have not satisfaction in this thing, then I will seek for it in something else: and so they go from one false way to another, and in this sense increase lies. I will have new devices to shift off truth. The consciences of men will not be put oft’ with old shifts; they have satisfied their conscience a while with one device; yea, but it will be put off no longer with that, they must have another; and when conscience comes to apprehend the weakness of that, then another. Oh, take heed of being inventive for the satisfying of conscience. Thine inventions may prove judgments in the hand of God.
“And desolation.”
TMien men embrace their own vain conceits, and hopes, and false ways, they think they have gotten a great catch; but the truth is, they embrace their own ruin; mark how they are joined together, “He daily increaseth lies and desolation,” “desolation” is the fruit of “lies;” and moreover, desolation is increased by lies; the more sin the more desolation, you will perish the more di-eadfuUy. “A false witness” (saith Prov. xix. 9,) “shall not’ be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.” But he that walks uprightly walks surely. Prov. xii. 12, “The lip of truth shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment:” it may bluster a while and deceive many; yea, but it is “but for a moment.”
“And they do make a covenant with the Assyrians.”
That is, that they might have power to crush their brethren of Judah, they seek to make a covenant with the Assyrians, thinking to strengthen themselves thereby. You have found this charged upon them many times in this prophecy, in chap. x. particularly; their making a covenant with wicked men is repeated again and again, to show the heinousness of their sin, in forsaking God to join with the ungodly, and to teach us this lesson:
06s. 3. len people are guilty of a sin, the prophets of God should beat upon it again and again. I shall not need to speak any further of this.
“And oil is carried into Egypt;” that is, they carry oil for gifts, and merchandise. The land of Canaan abounded much in oil, while there was little or none
in the land of Egypt, and therefore it was a great merchandise to cany oil from the land of Canaan into Eg)pt. So in Rzek. xxvii. 17, “Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy merchants: they traded in thy market wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm.” But oil was (as it were) the staple commodity.
Now, my hretliren, Egj’pt you know is a type of antichrist, and Canaan a t)-pe of the church. Eg)-pt has no oil. no oil grows there; no, there are gall and wormwood, but there is no oil; but oil is in the land of Canaan. My brethren, what are we but almost like Egypt this day? We would be loth to return into Egypt to our former bondage, but we even turn ourselves to be as Egypt, we have little oil among us. M’liat! is God bringing us to Canaan? how comes it to pass there is no more oil then? Oh! the oil that is among us (if there be any) is rather the oil of scorpions than any thing else; men’s spirits, and men’s pens and tongues, are even full of this oil, as if the ink made in these days was made of the oil of scorpions. Israel (the ten tribes) would send oil to Egii’])t, to gain the favour of Egypt: that they might have their wills over their brethren, they would be at a great deal of cost, and part with their oil. O my brethren, shall it be so with us in a spiritual sense: that we may have our wills over our brethren, shall we part with our oil? Why do not we say as the fig tree, “Shall we leave our sweetness to come and reign over you?” So, shall we leave our oil, that is, the suppleness, the gentleness, the tenderness of our spirits, shall we jdeld these, that we may prevail over our brethren? Oh how many were of supple, tender spirits, and loving one towards another! yet, out of a desire to prevail against their brethren, have parted with their oil, even with the tenderness and .suppleness of then’ spirits. Remember, Egjpt has no oil, oil is the produce of Canaan.
Ver. 2. The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.
This verse I shall presently pass over. But the first part is very observable.
“The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah.”
Calvin saith of this. It is a wonderful
SiTA*’- thing. Did not God say, that” .Tudah
yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with
the saints;” and now saith,” The Lord hath also a
controversy with Judah?”
I find some therefore would reconcile it by rendering it thus, •’ The Lord hath also a controversy /or Judah i” but this seems a little strained: but if we read it as rendered in our version, “The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah,” four reasons may be given why, after God had said that “Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints,“” he adds, He “hath also a controversy with Judah.”
1. To show that God does not so look at the good of his ])cople, but that he sees their evil too. You know those jjiissages in Rev. ii., where, when God commends certain churches for doing thus and thus, he adds, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee,” I do not so observe your good, as that your evil should escape me. My brethren, some there are, that if there be any evil in men, can see no good in them; this is wicked. But there are others, that if there be any good in them, can sec no evil; this is too much indidgence, they err in both extremes.
2. Men are very aj)t to excuse their evil by their good. 1 mean thus, that such as embrace the true worship of God, are right there, they nill have pure ordinances, and the worship of God conformable to the word; but because of that, though there be some looseness and negligence in their ways otherwise, they attempt to silence conscience; and think they are the true worshippers of God, and have the oidinances of God in their purity and jjower, and so think to swallow down all, much looseness, much carnality, much pride, much sensuality, much hypocrisy: because they retain the true worship of God, they seek to satisfy conscience. Oh! take heed of this: Judah retained the true worship of God, yet “the Lord hath also a controversy with Judah,” and the Lord Jehovah may have a controversy against you also.
3. That Israel might neither think God or the prophet partial. The ten tribes might say. Does God threaten us? Is not Judah as bad as we? are there not evils among Judah as well as amongst us? are we only the sinful people? No, (saith the prophet,) I acknowledge there is much evil in Judah, and therefore “the Lord hath also a controversy with Judah,” and Judah is not like to escape: delude not yourselves with the vain hope, that because others are bad, therefore you may escape; no, they are bad, and therefore God has a controversy against them. This may be a useful note to us; men are very ready to put off the evils which they are guilty of with this, I am not worse than others, I do such a thing amiss, and others do the same as well as I; and so they think to escape that way. O thou weak, vain man, why wilt thou deceive thy soul with this? Dost thou think that another man’s evil will excuse thy sin? Thou art a vain man, and knowest not the way of God.
4. To show the ten tribes how much more must they expect the displeasure of God. If with Judah. who retains the true worship of God, yet, for some other evils, God has a controversy, then what will become of Israel, who has those same evils, and rejects the true worship of God too? As if the prophet should say, Your condition is far worse, therefore doth the Lord say, “The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah,” that he might aggravate the evils of Israel: like that of Peter, “If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” K so be that with the church which has the pure ordinances God is yet displeased for their sin, how much more will he be displeased with them who are corrupt in his worship! Therefore men should not bless themselves with such discourse as this. Why, others have evils as well as we. Yea, but if God will punish them for their evils who have fewer, and a great deal more good, than thou, how much more will he punish thee! Oh! if those that are the dear saints of God, that worship him in truth and sincerity, shall not escape scot-free for the evils among them; O, then, what will become of thee who art a wicked and vile wretch, and ha.st no good at all? If a Moses, that had done God so much service, yet for one sin of passion, in that he once spake unadvisedly with his lips, was shut out of the land of Canaan by the Lord, and commanded to speak no more to him of that matter; what will become of thee, who hast a passionate, froward spirit, of thee, who never hast nor wilt do God such service, what will become of thee? Oh, how mayst thou look to be shut out! This use you must make of the sins of others, and God’s dealings with them. And saith he,
“And will punish Jacob according to his ways.”
There are two questions necessary for the opening of this.
First, Why the fen tribes are called by the name of Jacob? we never read that they are called by the name of Isaac, and of Abrahain.
Now the answer to this is very satisfactory, thus: The ))eoplc of God are called in Scripture by the name of Jacob, and of Israel, Jacob’s other name, rather than by the name of Abraham and Isaac, because they, tliougli they were godly, and wei’e the father and
grandfather, yet in Abraham’s family there was a wicked son as well as a good one; likewise from Isaac’s loins there came Esau as well as Jacob; but from Jacob’s loins there came none but were of God’s church. Jacob’s sons were the twelve patriarchs, and therefore the posterity is called by the name of Jacob, rather than that of Abraham or Isaac; “I said not to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain.”
Secondly, Why is Jacob mentioned in this place?
Because the prophet intends presently, in the words that follow, to bring the example of Jacob to them before he was Israel, to aggravate their sin in order to their humiliation; and therefore here he names Jacob, to take away that vain plea of their hearts. Whereas they would say, Ai’e not we the ])osterity of Jacob, have not we Jacob for our father? AVell, (saith he,) I will punish Jacob; and I will show you presently, that you have no such cause to boast yourselves that you have Jacob to be your father. So, with most interpreters, I understand this.
‘• According to his doings will he recompense him.” Of this part of the te.lt I shall speak nothing, because in chap. iv. ver. 9, we had the very same words.
Ver. 3, 4. He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had poicer with God: yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication imto him: he found him in Beth-el, and there he spake with us.
This prophet inveighing against the sins of these ten tribes, and threatening judgments, in these words takes away the plea which he saw was in their hearts against what he had said; We are the children of Jacob, and why do you thus charge us, and threaten us in the name of God? was not Jacob our father? as in Christ’s time they pleaded that Abraham was their father.
Now in these words the prophet takes away this plea: You may bless yourselves in that Jacob was your father, but it will do you little good, for you are a degenerate offspring. True, God was very gracious to Jacob, and Jacob was very dear to God; it is otherwise with you, Jacob worshipped God after another manner than you do. The prophet therefore sets before this people here, in the words read, God’s mercy to Jacob, and Jacob’s graciousness in his behaviour toward God, that he might upbraid those children of Jacob who walked so unworthy of such a gracious father as Jacob was.
Now how this is set forth we shall speak to presently, only from the general scope of the passage we notice this one instruction:
Obs. It is a great reproach to wicked childi-en, to hear of the graciousness of their parents. It should be a matter of much humiliation to them to hear of the relation that their parents had to God, and how zealously they worshipped him; childi’en that have had gracious parents, should look upon it as a shame to them when at any time the graciousness of their parents is but mentioned before them. A king of Poland was wont to carry the picture of his fathej’, of whom he had honourable esteem, in a plate of gold about his neck; and when he was about to do any matter of great importance, he would take this picture and kiss it, and use these words, God grant that I may now do nothing i-emissly, nothing unworthy of my father. O, you that have had gracious ancestors, think often of them, and when you are tempted to sin, reflect. Is not this unworthy of my ancestors? would they have done thus? Children should so walk as the virtues of their fathers should not die in them, but they should hold them forth. As Ambrose, in an oration on the commendations of Theodosius, saith, Though Theodosius be gone, yet surely, so long as his son lives, Theodosius will live among us. He meant thus, that the virtues of
that excellent emperor would certainly live in his son, who was so hopeful. Oh! it is an excellent thing when the vii’tues of gracious parents live in their children; and it is a very evil thing when the parents are dead, yea, and their virtues are dead in respect of their children, nothing of them appears in them: they love to inherit theu- lands and estates, but it were far better to inherit then- virtues and their godliness. But the people of Israel did not inherit the godUness of Jacob, and did not lay to heart the goodness of God towards their father Jacob, so that the prophet here now lays it all open before them, and to that end makes use, in the two verses which I have read to you, of three remai’kable circumstances narrated of Jacob. They are recorded in Genesis, and there is in them much of the mind of God.
I. His taking his brother by the heel in the womb, Gen. XXV. 26.
II. His wresthng with the angel. Gen. xxxii. 24 — 32. DI. His interviews with God at Beth-el, Gen. xxviii.
10 — 22; XXXV. 9 — 15.
I. His taking his brother in the womb. “He took his brother by the heel in the womb.” You must refer to Gen. XXV. 26, to know the mind of God in this; there you find that in the womb of Rebekah there was a stri-ing between Jacob and Esau before they were born, and at their birth Jacob jnits his hand out and takes his brother by the heel, from whence he had his name Jacob, which signifies a heel, and from thence a supplanter. And Esau JlppilitiS^ obtained his name because he was hairy ^VH’-WS
,,,,, J operatus est.
when born, because he was as it were a man already, a man made in the womb. Saith Luther, AYhen Esau was born, and they saw him so hairy, they thought he was the man Sc.™d°°Kf“inevir that would do very great and famous fa“‘il’t”“^L”th’°™’ things in the world, and from thence he had his name Esau: now Jacob in his birth takes by the heel this very Esau, of whom such high expectations were entertained. A most wonderful history, saith Luther on the place, this of Jacob’s thus taking his brother by the heel.
But what is the meaning of this? (you will say;) why does the prophet instance this? What is this to the ten tribes, that Jacob took his brother by the heel? what good would this do the people to whom Hosea was prophesying? and what did he aim at? Was this story to be a means to humble the people for theu- sins? how could it do it? Therefore we must know that the scope and meaning of this great work of God, in Jacob’s taking “his brother by the heel in the womb,” was to show,
1. The free election of God. Esau was the fii’st-born, and so in an orderly course the birthright should have descended on him and on his posterity, for such was the custom, the blessing was wont to go along with the first-born, and with their posterity; (in which the fu’st-born was a type of Christ, who is called, “The first-begotten of ail creatures; “and the blessing upon the first-born was a type of the blessing that we have by Christ;) now, though this in an orderly way belonged to Esau, as being the fh-st-born, yet Jacob’s taking of him by the heel was a certain token from God that Jacob should supplant him, and that he should get from him the bii-thright, and so the blessing; and in that Jacob should thus get the blessing, though he were the younger, and this sign was given of it when he was in the womb, this showed the free election of God, that it was through God’s mere free grace that Jacob had the blessing rather than Esau, and that consequently the posterity of Jacob were in a better condition than the posterity of Esau. It was only the free grace of God, not from any excellency in Jacob, any worthiness in him more than in Esau, for God thus presignified the good which he intended to Jacob,” the
children being not yet born, neither having done anjfood or evil,” Rom. ix. 11.
Though Esau was the elder and stronger, a haiiy, active, stout man, and Jacob a plain man, yet Jacob is chosen, Esau is rejected: and God pre-signifies this by his taking his brother by the heel. Now in this sense it concerneth the people very much.
As if he should say, ■Miat! you are the posterity of Jacob, and not of Esau, and you glory in this; well, how comes it to pass so great privileges are attached to the posterity of Jacob rather than to the posterity of Esau; how comes this? Is it not from the free grace of God in choosing one rather than the other, and that in the very womb? As in Mai. i. 2, 3, “I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou ioved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau.” In this I manifested my free love, even unto this people, that though Esau was Jacob’s brother, and eldest brother, vet I loved Jacob and hated Esau. So in Rom. ix. 11 — 13, “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; it was said unto her. The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Now that this took place in the womb was to show God’s free grace.
If any should say, But God foresaw that Jacob would be a better man than Esau;
I answer. If it were of foreseen works, there were no ai-gument in this to prove God’s free election: but the apostle makes it to be an argument to ])rove God’s free election of Jacob rather than Esau, because he diose them in the womb.
Luther, on Gen. xxv., has an excellent discourse on this subject, concerning God’s rejecting the pride, pomp, and vanity of the world, and choosing the things that are mean and contemptible in the ejes of the world; and it was an emblem of it, in that God would rather choose Jacob the “plain man,” than Esau the hunter, and the hairy man; I say, this shadowed forth that the Lord intends to reject the brave things of the world, its gallantr)-, glory, and pomp, and will rather choose the mean and contemptible things of the world. AVho can ])ersuade (saith Luther on the place) the pope, and Charles the Fifth, the French king, and the like, that they, being great in the world, yet are contemptible in the eyes of God, and God has rather chosen despised and contemptible things than them? And that was the scope of the prophet, that they should consider of the free gi-ace of God towards Jacob, and so be humbled. And we shoidd hence,
Ohs. 1. AVe are to acknowledge God’s election of our forefathers, and all the good we enjoy by such a choice, to be a fruit of free grace. Others were before God as well as our forefathers; as now, when God brought the gospel first to England, other nations were before God as well as it, it was mere free grace that ])itchcd upon them rather than others, and we enjoy the blessing of it to this day; let us not sin against this free grace of God showed to our ancestors.
O’is. 2. Those who enjoy great blessings, either temporal or spiritual, from God’s mercy to their ancestors, are to consider and devoutly acknowledge the free grace of God. As now, such of you as are rich and great in the world, whence is it that your ancestors were more rich than others, and were not beggars as w-ell as others? was it not free grace, the free, undeserved goodness of God? The ancestors of others were befoi-e God in” the same lump,’’ Uom. ix. 21, and that God should pitch upon your ancestors to be honourable in the earth and rich, and you enjoy the benefit of it in this world, ascribe to his discriminating mercv. It may be, too, some elder brother, though honourable
and rich, is rejected, and families rise from the younger brother rather than the elder; it was so here, Jacob that was the younger afterwards came to have the blessing, and Esau was rejected. Sometimes the posterity of the elder brother proves wicked; it was so here, religion flourished in the family of Jacob, and not in the family of Esau. *
Look back to this, and see what cause you have to bless God, and how you are engaged to his free gi’ace towards you in regard of your ancestors; as here, the prophet would have this people look back to the free gi’ace of God to their father Jacob.
2. How eagerly Jacob desired the blessing. “He took his brother by the heel in the womb.” That is, as if he should say. Your father Jacob was greedy of the blessing, greedy of the birthright; there was a secret instinct of God on the spirit of Jacob when he was in the very womb, which rendered him so desirous of the blessing of the birthright, that he would do what he could to get it from his brother. As if the prophet should say. Oh, but you that are his posterity are carnal, you do not regard the privilege of the birthright, nor the attendant blessing; being carnal, you care not which way the blessing goes, so that you may but live and have your ease and contentment to the flesh; oh, you are not like your father Jacob, who eagerly desired this blessing.
AVe are to make use of this for the humbling of our souls, thus: Some of you that have had your parents in your youth gracious and godly, and greedy after the tilings of God, how negligent have you been! Oh how negligent have I been! how careless is my spirit, and slight and vain! yea, though come to years, yet do I little regard that which my parents were eagerly desirous of when very young.
3. The prevailingof the people of God against the wicked at last. “He took his brother by the heel in the womb.” God made Jacob a famous and notable type in this work, that certainly the saints, though they may seem to be low and mean for the present, yet shall they get advantage, ultimately, over the men of the world. The men of the world are set out by Esau: they rufile abroad in the world, and are of fiery hot spirits, as Esau was, and they have great things in the world for a time, and the saints are under them, as Jacob was under Esau; but certainly the saints shall prevail against all the Edomites, all the Esaus, if I may so speak; there is a time coming in which they shall supplant them, and get the power over them, in which the godly shall prevail at length against all the wicked and ungodly in the world. You should consider it as if the prophet said to them. You are seeking to provide for yourselves in your sinful ways. Oh! if you did but consider, that the faithful, though they be persecuted for a time, and in a low condition, yet they shall get the power over all the great ones in the world, it would be otherwise with you than it is now. So the Scriptures tell us, that at length they shall have the dominion: Dan. vii. 18, “The saints of the most High shall take the kingdom;” and in ver. 21, “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them.’’ But how long? A’cr. 22, “Until the .lncient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” And ver. 27, “The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High:” there is a tune that it shall be given to them. And Psal. xli.^. 1-4, “The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.” This was typified in this notable work of God in Jacob’s taking Esau by the heel to supplant him.
4. The providence of God, how it extends towards infants, even in the very womb. The verv- striving of children in the womb is not without provioence; there
was a mighty providence of God in this, to pre-signif)’ the greatest things of God that are revealed in the Scripture. Now, though there be no such exti-aordinary and great things set forth by the ordinary stirrings of infants in the womb, yet certainly there is no stirring of the child in the womb, but it is with some providence of God, and God has his eye upon, and his hand in, the working even of the very child in the womb.
5. The secret ways of God in working upon infants. Though they have not the use of reason, yet, saith Luther here, there may be mighty workings of God even upon their spirits, in a secret way that we are not able to understand. And thereupon he exclaims against such as deny baptism to them, because they deem them not capable of any work of God upon them. The den’lmg of baptism upon that ground, he oj.o un t impi .m f.glg j ygj.y odious and impious opinion; f ’ til, saith he, as it is with children, they
.|.’. li ive their nourishment in the womb in
gant’ qui ci.m’ e.s auotliBr manner than when they are born; ;«“”’“’ ^”“^ ‘” so the work of God upon their spirits may be such as when they are in the womb, and when they are little ones, before they come to the use of reason, that may be far different to what the work of God is upon them when they come afterwards to have the use of reason.
C. That men who prove remarkable in their lives, have many times, in their very birth, notable presages of their future exploits. So Jacob here; “He took his brother by the heel in the womb.” So ISIoses, by what occurred at his birth, by his strange and wonderful deliverance afterwards, and by his being brought into Pharaoh’s court, gave a presage of what he would be; and so John Baptist gave early intimations of his important mission; and so other accounts tell us, that of men who have been famous for good or evil, there have been presages at their birth. Of Nero, who did such monstrous things, it is said that he was born with his heels forward. And of Dominicus, that great persecutor of the saints, that when his mother was with child, she dreamed that she had in her womb a wolf, with a firebrand in his mouth; and he even proved to be so, for he was one of the first that stirred up persecution against the saints by fire. Your papists turn it quite otherwise; I remember one of them interpreting this providence of God, in sending the mother of Dominicus (who was the father of the Dominicans) such a dream, saith it was to signify, that by the splendour of his holiness and doctrine he should inflame the whole world: experience, however, taught far otherwise. Now I note this only to show the vanity of men’s spirits in interpreting ways of ]n-ovidence merely according to their own humours. And thus much for that remarkable circumstance recorded of Jacob, that ‘■ he took his brother by the heel in the womb.” Now follows the next, and that is,
n. His wrestling with the angel. “And by his
strength he had power with God.”
This story refers to Gen. xxxii. In the preceding chapter you find that God, having bid Jacob return into the land of his fathers, and to his kindred, promised him that he would be with him in his journey; yet mark, though God had made him go this journey, and had promised that he would be with him in it, yet Jacob, for all that, meets with as hard things in the way as almost we can read, or hear, that any one ever experienced. He had an express command of God to go, and a promise that he would be with him in the journey; yet it would ask some time to show the many hard things which Jacob met withal in it; but, amongst others, this was a very sad one, that being to go by the land of Seir, the country of Edom, w’here his brother Esau lived, he sent messengers before him, not being 2 L
altogether without some fear that the old grudge still remained in the heart of his brother, and that now, having an opportunity to satisfy his desire upon him, he might take advantage of it. As he feared, so he found it, for having sent messengers to his brother, they return again to him, and bring him word that his brother was coming against him with four huncked men; so manifesting, by the manner of his coming, that he did intend mischief against Jacob. And now, upon this, the heart of Jacob was much distressed; so the text saith. Gen. xxxii. T, “Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed;” vehemently afraid, and great straits were upon his spirit. Now, being in such great straits, Jacob seeks to provide for himself; he did not presently conclude and say. We are utterly undone, but he would see what could be done; so, though lie knew the fury of his brother, yet, if it were possible but to save some part of his company, he would do it, and so he prudently divides them in the way that he conceived best for their safety. But though he dealt thus prudently, yet, that he trusted not to, but seeks unto the Lord; he would go to prayer in the great strait and extremity he was in. So in ver. 24, “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day;” which cannot be interpreted otherwise than that he was waiting upon God to know his mind, and to seek God. xlnd when he was alone, there comes out one in the form of a man, wrestling against him as though he likewise intended to destroy him; and this was no other than God himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. That it was Christ appearing in human shape, and not an angel, is clear from ver. 5, where he is called Jehovah, God of hosts; and you find, in Gen. xxxii. 30, that “Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; for,” saith he, ‘• I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” God comes and appears against him as an enemy, even at that time in which this holy man Jacob was in such great straits; and yet Jacob, though God did thus appear against him, cbd not sink in his heart, but stirred up all the strength that he had, and wrestles even with God himself, thus appearing like an enemy, and “had power” at length, “and prevailed.” One would have thought that there had been enough to have sunk Jacob’s spirit, the distress that he was in at that time, his brother coming with four hundred men ready to destroy him, he left alone, one coming out and wrestling with him; yet, “by his strength he had power with God, and prevailed.” This is as remarkable a relation as any we have in the Old Testament.
“■ He had power with the angel,” that is, with God, when he came and wrestled with him in a time of so great extremity. I beseech you here to
04*. 3. It is God’s way sometimes with his best and dearest saints, in their greatest dangers, and in their greatest afflictions and troubles, to seem to come forth as their enemy. When Clod came and wrestled with Jacob, and seemed to be as an enemy to him, was the time of the greatest extremity that one would think it possible for a man to be in, you cannot apprehend greater distresses, or greater cause for distress, than Jacob had at this time; a poor man with a few women and children and cattle, and his brother who owed him a grudge, and had sought his death, coming with four hundred men in an hostile manner, and he “left alone,” yet at this time God appears like an enemy to him; this was sad, a very heavy condition indeed. As God did with Jacob, so with Christ himself; God never so appeared outwardly against Christ, as when his disciples left him. just in the night when he was to be betrayed, then he was in an agony, and sweat drops of water and blood; yea, and when he was in the hands of his enemies, and lift up to the cross, and made a derision of to all the world, yet then he cries, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Forsaken at that
time in so great distress! Jacob in this was even a type of God’s forsaking Christ in times of such great distress. And so we find in Job, when he was in his great distresses, yet “the terrors of the Almighty” were upon hhn: and Heman, with divers others whom we might name. This is a point of very great concernment to us. O, be not discouraged, ye peo])le of God, if at any time ye be brought into a condition like Jacob’s. His story is of very great concernment to you; God’s ways towards hiin shadowing forth what they are like to be to other sa’.its afterwards, even to the end of the world, namely this; That the most eminent and most precious saints of God must not think to be excused even from this condition, that when they are brought into the greatest outward afflictions that possibly can be imagined, God may not even at that time appear against them like an enemy. Oil! this is the saddest condition conceivable, to one who has any acquaintance with God. Many poor servants of God in affliction will say. As for these afflictions, they are heav-j’ indeed upon me, my estate gone, or husband gone, or wife gone, and my friends leave me in this condition; yea, and it may be the hand of God is upon me in sickness, and so one trouble after another: but though the.se things are heavy, had 1 but the light of the face of God upon me it would be nothing to me; had I but those comforts which once I enjoyed in the assurance of God’s love, all would not be much to me; but now, when all these outward comforts are gone, I see God appearing like an enemy to me so as he never did before. Does God deal thus with any of his people? am I not a reprobate? For God is wont, when his people are in affliction, to appear with the light of his face to comfort and encourage them; but he has not done so to me: even at this time I find God more terrible to my soul than I have ever yet found him, and therefore surely I am but a cast-away. I make no question but some of you may know the meaning of such temptations as these in the time of your afflictions, or if you have not known the meaning of them hitherto, you may hereafter; and you that have known, or hereafter shall be brought to know, what these things mean, O, treasure up this scripture, it will be worth a world to you; for the devil will mightily strengthen himself with this, What, are not you a cast-away? Surely God has rejected you, else he would never appear against you in your afflictions if he had any love to you.
Answer, I say, the temptation thus:
I have read m the book of God, and heard that even thus God dealt with my father Jacob, who was so precious to him.
Yea, but was not he in some way of sin?
No, he was in the way in which God bade him go, and yet even then, in his so great distress, God wrestled with him, never wrestled more with him than then, and seemed even then, at such a time as that was, to come against him like an enemy. Oh! treasure up this, that your hearts may not sink in despair, when the greatest afflictions and spiritual desertions meet together.
“By his strength he had power with God.”
It appears that when God came thus against him to wrestle with him, God intended no hurt to him, it was but to stir up his strength, and to prepare him for great deliverance, and for choice mercies; God at this very time did intend to Jacob as great a mercy as ever he gave to any of the children of men in this world, and that was this. That he should have strength to prevail with God, that he should have his name changed and be called Israel, a prince prevailing with God, and so be honourable to the end of the world, and be set up as a type to strengthen the faith and to comfort the desponding hearts of all future saints; I say, it was as great a mercy as ever any mere child of man had in this
world, and that at the verj- time when Jacob was in almost the greatest conceivable depth of affliction. Therefore here,
Obs. 4. God sometimes brings the deepest affliction when he intends the greatest mercy. Do not therefore conclude. Never any was so afflicted as I have been: why, Jacob might have said so, and yet God had never greater thoughts of mercy towards him than he had then. Therefore remember this again, when tempted to think. Never any was so afflicted as I have been: grant it, yet it maybe there is mercy intended for you at this time, such as never yet was granted to any of the children of men before; it is possible it may be so, it was so with Jacob, and therefore let not your faith flag.
“By his strength he had power with God.” In this his great distress he does not lie down as a man discouraged, but he stirs up what strength he had, and falls a wrestling with this man, even with God, thus appearing against him as an enemy. Oh! thus should the seed of Jacob do, you that are the seed of Jacob, for so specially prapng Christians in time of distress are called. “I said not to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain,” Isa. xlv. 19. They are not called the seed of Abraham, but of Jacob; because Jacob was so eminent in praying in such great extremity, you that are the seed of Jacob should do so. Every little opposition that comes upon a sluggish heart, upon one of low and mean principles, presently damps his spirit, makes him )-ield and bows him down, and he is ready to say, All is gone. Oh! art thou of the seed of Jacob? The seed of Jacob should never think their condition to be so sad, but there may be recoverj-. Is it a great affliction that is upon me? am I in great distress? let me so much the more stir up my strength. AMien Alexander was in a gi-eat danger he exclaimed, Now there is a danger fit for the mind of Alexander. So, does God bring into great straits? now there is a strait fit for a gracious heart, for one that is partaker of the Divine nature to encounter: stir up therefore what strength thou hast; do not say, I shall never be able to overcome this difficulty; do not say so, for you are not in greater straits than Jacob was at this time, and yet mark, Jacob had power, and stirs up his power. It may be you have such strength as will do more than you are aware of; the grace of God is mightv in ths hearts of his saints. Have you never been cna)led to do more than ever you thought you should have been? Jacob stirs up his strength, lie does not lie down sullen and discouraged, as is usual for Christians to do; if God docs but afflict them, and especially if he draws but the light of his face a little from them, presently they lie down discouraged, and will not be comforted. Oh! thou dost not show thyself to be of “the seed of Jacob,” thou hast not the spirit of thy father Jacob in thee.
“By his strength he had power with God.”
“Strength:” what strength? you will say.
He had very great bodily strength, he «Testled partly with bodily strength; as in Gen. xxix. 8, 10, you find that Jacob was a very strong man of his body, for the stone of the well which the shepherds were fain to meet together to roll away, Jacob took and rolled away presently: but certainly he had strength beyond his ordinary bodily strength at this time; God raised a bodily strength beyond whatever he had, and likely beyond whatever man had before. God increased Samson’s bodily strength to a great pitch; and the power of God was seen in that, and may be seen much m the elevating of nature in a creature; as the Scripture saith, the body that “is sown in weakness, is raised in power,” 1 Cor. XV. 43. Luther saith. That men’s bodies shall be raised to such strength, that they shall be able to toss mountains as a man tosses a ball. And Ansclm has an expression of like import. That the saints shaa be so strong in the world to come, that if they will they
can shake the earth at their pleasure. Surely much bodily strength was here to wrestle with an angel. You know the power of an angel; one in one night could slay above fourscore thousand men; and yet here Jacob himself wi’estles with an angel; that is, with the Messenger, the Angel of the new covenant, the Son of God, the Second Person in the Trinity. But especially Jacob’s spiritual strength, his soid-wi”estling, was great; the wrestling of faith within him was at that time very great, it was the irresistible might of man’s weakness, when made strong ry kvepyn(f tov Qtov, by the inworking of God.
Obs. 1. When God strives against his servants, he gives them coiTespondent strength. Here Jacob was in great exti’emity, and God comes and wrestles against him, but God gives him strength proportionable to his ^Testling, O, take this for thy comfort and encouragement. Many times thou art ready to reason thus, Alas, I am not able to endure a little affliction, what shall I do if I meet with a greater affliction? certainly then I should sink. 0, be not discouraged with such unbelieving thoughts, for though thou art weak, and it is as much as ever thou canst do to stand under thy present burden; know assuredly, if greater burdens come, there will come greater strength too: there was answerable strength put into Jacob to wrestle with those difficulties to which he was called. God will not suffer us to be tempted beyond our strength.
“By A(‘i strength.” What! Jacob’s strength? Mark, the strength that God puts into us, though it be God’s own, yet when we have it, and work by it, God accounts it as ours; it is called Jacob’s strength, though the truth is it was God’s strength; God himself wrestling with him gives him strength, and yet he will account it Jacob’s own strength. Hence, further,
Obs. 0. It is a great honour to manifest much strength in wrestling with God in prayer. In this was the honour of Jacob, with his strength he prevailed with God. We should not come with weak and empty prayers, but we should put forth strength; if a Christian has any strength in the world for any thing, he should have it in prayer. According to the strength of the fire, the bullet ascends; so according to what strength we put forth in prayer, so is our prevalence. This strength of Jacob was a type of the spiritual strength which God gives his saints when they have to deal with him: and we find in the New Testament mention of veiy great strength that the saints have by the grace of God. In Eph. iii. 16, “That he would gi’ant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spiiit in the inner man.” Mark what expressions are here. That they might “be sti-engthened,” be strengthened “with might,” and “with might by his Spirit,” the Spirit of God, and “in the inner man;” and all this “according to the riches of his glory.” Such strength a Christian may attain to; I say, a Christian may here in this world attain to such strength; there is might added to strength, and the Spirit of God to enable him to that might, and that in the inner man, and that according to the riches of God’s gloiy. Surely the sh’ength is great that is by the Spirit of God, but such strength as shall manifest the glory of the Spirit of God, yea, such strength as shall manifest the riches of the glory of the Spirit of God, this is the strength attainable for Christians, even here in this world: this is the strength which the apostle prays for the Ephesians. O, let us be ashamed of our weaknesses, seeing such strength is to be had. Jesus Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, he has strength, and of his fulness we may come to receive gi’ace for grace. O, let us not be satisfied with faint desires and wishes, when Jesus Christ is tendered to us a.s the fountain of strength.
Now I appeal to you Christians, Do you walk so
that yom- strength manifests that such riches of the glory of God dwell in you? There is another scripture, “Strengthened,” saith Col. i. 11, “with all might, according to his glorious power.” Mark, “with all might, according to his glorious power.” Thus Christians should seek to be strengthened with all might, according to the glorious power of God. To Mhat? “Unto all patience and long-sufi’ering with joyfulness.” “Unto all patience.” It may be, you have strength to bear some afflictions, and have some patience; but are you strengthened with “all might?” and are you strengthened according to the glorious power of God, unto “all patience? “.’Vnd it may be, for a time you seem to have some patience; but hath ])atience had her perfect work in you? and is it to all “long-suffering?” Though the affliction continue a great while, will you patiently hold out to “long-suffering,” and that “with joyfulness?” This is the glory of Christians, to have strength with God, the glorious power of God strengthening them “with all might,” “unto all patience and long-sufi’ering,” and that “with joyfulness.” “By his strength he had power with God, and prevailed;” he was as a prince with God: as in Gen. xxxii. 28, “For as a prince hast thou power with Ciod:” so here, whereas it is said in your books, “he had power with God,” the words D’nSs — ns mr may be as well translated, he was a prince with God; and then it is repeated, “yea, he had power over the angel,” Ss*! -iNSn-Si* ncl he was a prince against the angel, and so prevailed.
06s. 6. The way to prevail with men is, to prevail with God. Esau came against Jacob to destroy him, and he was afraid, but God gave him a certain evidence that he should prevail; Thou hast prevailed with me, saith he, and there is no fear of prevailing with all the men of the world, now thou hast prevailed with God. This indeed, and especially in these times, were a veiy useful topic to enlarge upon; that the way to prevail with men is, to prevail with God. What are all the powers of men? they are all at the disposal of God: the work is done when thou hast but prevailed with God. Thou hearest of great dangers that there are abroad in the world, but do thou get alone in thy closet, and fall a wrestling with God, and continue wrestling tUl thou dost feel thy faith wrestling with God, then thou mayst come down and conclude the work is done: none shall ever prevail against those who have so much interest with God; these may live joyfully in the world, never need fear the power and the rage of wicked men, they have that within them that helps them to prevail with God, and certainly man cannot prevail against them. Oui’ rough brethren have come out against us, as here Esau, this rough brother of Jacob, came out against him, and yet Jacob, prevailing with God, prevailed against Esau. And blessed be God, that when our rough brethren have come enraged against us, there have been some amongst us who have prevailed with God, and by prevailing with God have prevailed over them, and against them. But though we are delivered from these rough brethren, yet we have rough ones of another kind still, that are against us. Oh, but let us cany ourselves blamelessly and inoffensively towards them, who yet behave themselves roughly and furiously against us, and so seek to prevail with them by a constant carnage of innocence and blamelessness of life before them, and thereby convince them, if it be possible, of all then- mistakes. But above all, let us seek to prevail with God, and then God may turn their hearts, yea, the hearts of our roughest and most furious brethren, whose mouths are so opened, and whose pens are so plied against us; let us, I say, prevail with God, that so at length they may come and fall upon our necks as Esau did, and give us the right hand of fellowship: such tilings are not im-AX EXPOSITIOX OF
ClIAP. XII.
possible. Let us not be troubletl more than God would have us, but seek God, and wrestle with him: it is in vain to stand wrestling with them, giving ill word for ill word, and pen for i)en, that is not the way; but wrestle with God, and walk convincingly before them, and so you may turn the hearts of your rough brethren, and that in a’ little time. Surely it is not more impossible to soder the spirits of brethren that seem not to be at so great a distance and so imbittered one against another as were Esau and Jacob, it is not more impossible for God now to soder them, than it was for God to soder the spirits of those brethren, that their meeting should be one of peace.
In this prevailing of Jacob against Esau we have a tvpe of the church’s prevailing against all the ungodly: though the enemies may be strong and furious, certainly the people of God shall prevail. As before in Jacob’s taking Ksau by the heel, there was a type that the pcoijle of God shall supplant all the wicked; so Jacob’s prevailing at this time, presignitics that certainly the churches shall prevail; let men do what they will, “and be as bitter as they will, the Jacobs shall prevail at length.
‘• Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed.” If you look into the story you shall find that he did prevail, but it was after he had wrestled a great while. Constancy in wrestling with God will overcome at length, though we do not prevail at first, as Jacob did not, but was wrestling all night, and day broke, and then he prevailed. (), be not discouraged though you ]n-evail not at fii-st. Oh! I have been seeking “God thus long, and have not ])revailed. But go on still, you know not but that may be done in one hour that has not been done a long time before.
IIark further, Jacob after he was lame pi’evailed. Jacob had been wrestling all night, and got nothing; then the hollow of his thigh was touched and he became lame; now surely he will be overcome. Shall he prevail now? he that could not prevail in the midst of vigour and strength is not like to prevail now. But then Jacob “had power over the angel, and prevailed.” Oh, this is verj- useful and seasonable for us.
Obs. 7. The’ time for the church to i)revail is when she is most weak: when most imlikely to prevail, when she is lame, then is the time for her to prevail. We are ready to think, Oh, if we could not effect it when we had so much strength, is it like to be done now when our strength is so impaired? Now by this Jacob came to be more humbled when his thigh was touched, 80 that he was lame. God uses to damp means, and to bring even the sentence of death as an introduction to the greatest mercies.
]’’urther. Though Jacob had a strong adversary against him, and he wrestled long with him, and he had become lame, yet, continuing wrestling, he grew more resolute towards the latter end; for you never read of Jacob being so peremptory before, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” The hollow of Jacob’.s thigh having been touched is one thing very demonstrative of the sad condition he was in; but this likewise should have been noticed, that the angel would have been gone, God would have been gone and have left him in that affliction, but then Jacob’s s]nrit grew up more with a greater resolution than he had before, “hwill not let thee go, except thou bless me.” It seems that Jacob now more clearly than before discerned that he was God. This should be our way in our dealings with God, that when God brings ns into the lowest condition, and seems as if he would leave us, we should stir up our spirits then, and be more resolute and strong than before. Oh! it is time now for the heart to bestir itself, when God is ready to go away. Do not say, God will be gone, and therefore sink down sullenly; it is time for thee then to stir up
all that thou hast, and to act faith more then: as if Jacob should say, I will try yet one fall more, I will not yield the cause yet, certainly I must not perish: true, all things seem against me, as if I should be destroyed, but it must not be; faith begins to stir; has not God bid me come here? have I not his word? did not God say, he would do me good in this journey? and though it is true, the providence of God seems to work against me, yet the word of God works for me, and I will try whether shall prevail, God’s word, or God’s providence. Thus Jacob wrestles: “I will not let thee go;” as if he should say, I have the word for what I do, and God has bound himself by covenant, and so, though heaven and earth meet together, although I see my brother coming against me, and God departing from me, and all threatening ruin, yet I will believe still that there is mercy for me. This was Jacob’s last turn, (as I may so say,) the trying as it were the last fall in this his wrestling, in opposing the word that he had with the work of God towards him. And here we would especially,
Obs. 8. It is’ our duty in every situation not to lay so much weight upon any work of God as upon the word of God. Let us build upon the word rather than fear the works, for it has been the usual way of God when he has given out a word, that his works have seemed to go quite cross, as not only in our father Jacob, but even in our father Abraham. ANHiat was the word of God to Abraham? There were two ]n-omises made by God to Abraham: 1. That he would bring him into a land that flowed with milk and honey. And, 2. That he would make his seed as the stars in the firmament. A’ell, here was God’s word, but how was God’s work? The very next thing that you hear of Abraham was, that after he had left all his friends, and had come into Canaan, he was ready to starve presently: now the word is, Thou shalt be brought into a land flowing with miik and honey; and as soon as ever he comes into that land he was ready to starve. Here is a land indeed!
2. That his seed should be as the stars of heaven. Abraham was twenty-five years after this before he had a child. He grew old, and also his wife. Well, at length he had one, and God commands him to sacrifice that one. What a work is here! how quite contrary to the word! AVell, Isaac was saved; fort)- years elapse before he married; here are sixty-five years gone from the promise, and there is but one of his seed that must be as the stars of heaven. At length Isaac married, and he was twenty years without a child; here are eighty-five years and but only one birth from him; yea, and after that it appears that Jacob was above fourscore years before he married and had any children; thus there are between eight and nine score years gone, and but only Isaac and Jacob. How does the work of God here’scem to contradict his word! It is the way of God, and therefore let us never trouble ourselves about God’s works; he came indeed afterwards with his works and fulfilled his word to the uttermost, but for the present they seemed to be against it. O, lay up this as a lesson, you will have use for it many and many a time. It follows,
Obs. o! Prevailing at last will recompense all our strivings. “And prevailed.” Jacob was fully recompensed; he speaks of it as a recompence of Jacob after his striving; it was a hard wrestling, but he prevailed at length. And so it will be with all the jicople of God; let them go on and wrestle, and though things be hard for the luesent, when mercy comes it will pay for all. Thou wilt hereafter see no cause of rencnting that thou continucdst wrestling with God; O, thou wdt see cause to bless God. Blessed be God that kept up my heart all this while: God knows that many times it was ready to sink, but if I had left off, what had be-ViiE. 3. 4.
come of me? I had lost the mercy that I now find; but I continued through God’s mercy, and now he is come at length. Prevailing recompenses all our labour and trouble in seeking.
AVell, he prevailed; but what is this to this people of Israel? Thus; this was to show their base degeneracy, as if he should say, Oh, of what a brave spirit was your father Jacob! but you are a base people, you subject yourselves to heathens, to idols: your father would not have subjected himself to any creature in the world, yea, he would wrestle with God himself when he had his word for it; but Jacob’s posterity can crouch to the humours of men in the worship of God, and do any thing to save their skin; you are unworthy to be counted his posterity. Jacob’s posterity indeed should be prevailers above the world’s temptations. What! shall we yield to a base lust, when Jacob would not yield to the Almighty, but prevailed with him? are we of the seed of Jacob now? Oh, we are of low, mean spirits, led aside of every vanity, and overcome with every difficulty. But how did he jn’evail? in what way did he put forth this his strength? It follows;” He wept, and made supplication unto him.’’ This weeping of Jacob is not recorded in the history of Genesis, nor, except here, in all the book of God. His sup])lication is recorded, but not his weeping; therefore his weeping was conveyed by tradition, or otherwise by revelation. There are many ridiculous conceits of the Jews and some old writers about this; they say it was the angel that wept, and prayed Jacob to let him alone. But to take it generally, as our divines do, that Jacob wept, and made supplication, and so prevailed with God; Jacob’s heart was so pressed with his condition, that it caused tears to gush forth fi’om him; and no marvel though tears came from him, for his heart could not but be full, when he came to think thus with himself: AVhat! after I have served such a hard service under Laban my uncle, and God bade me come away from him, which I took to be such a great and merciful deliverance from God, j-et how soon was I in danger of my life, even my uncle Laban pursuing me, but God delivered me there; and must I now fall into the hand of my brother? is the day come for him now to have his rage upon me? I see Uttle other likelihood; his strength is great, and God himself appears against me, and I have been wrestling a great while, and I can get nothing from God, but that it is likely here I must die and perish; yea, and that God should leave me thus as he does, that God should appear a greater enemy to me than my brother Esau, and lame me! oh, now, is not this a sign that God intends to destroy me? yea, God would be gone too when I am in such a strait. All this makes him weep. As when a poor child is in straits and is crying to the mother, she beats it, and leaves it in its difficulties; can you then blame the child though it cry? So it was here; Jacob was in straits, and was seeking God, and God beats and afflicts him, and w-ould be gone; oh, this does press tears out of the eyes of Jacob; What will become of me now? As if Jacob should have said, Vi’eve I to perish alone it were not so much, but my wives perish, and how can mine eyes endure to see their destruction? yea, it may be they will be ravished before mine eyes by these rude soldiers. These kind of workings in Jacob spirit you cannot but conceive must draw tears; he wept before the angel, considering this his sore distressed condition.
And on the other side, the reasonings of his faith would make him weep too, when he considered, Yea, but surely I am in the way of God, though I be in a great deal of danger; I have the promise and covenant of God with me; I have to deal with the holy, blessed and gracious God in all my ways; who knows but that my extremity may be God’s opportunity? The heart of
my brother is certainly in the hand of God, and all creatures are in God’s hands too. Now the actings of faith, as well as those of fear and trouble, would make one weep; and it were well if we could weep on both sides. Sometimes you roll in your thoughts all the aggravations of your afflictions, and they make you weep: now, can you roll in your thoughts the aggravations of God’s goodness and mercy, and can they make you weep? The end why God brought Jacob into this condition, to fall a weeping before the angel, was, that he might humble him, and break his heart, before he gave him deliverance; for it was one of the greatest honours (as we intimated before) that God conferred on Jacob, or ever on any man; therefore God would bring him very low before he would raise him so high, and make him fall a weeping, as well as praying, before he should have the mercy. Oh, this is God’s way; he will bring men very low, to humble them before they shall have mercy; therefore when men’s hearts are high and lofty, stout and hard, they are not in a way of mercy from God; but when men’s hearts begin to break, thaw, and melt, and are tender, then they are on the threshold of mercy, as here. So we find it often in Scripture, that God, intending mercy, first breaks the heart and melts it by mourning and sorrowing: as Josiah, you know that was his condition, his heart melted when he heai’d the law, and God sends presently a promise of mercy to him. And in Jeremiah, the Lord promises his people, that he will bring them with weeping, and with supplications; that shall be their way to Ziou.
Obs. 10. Heart-breaking, with tears before God, become.s the most generous and magnanimous spirit. It is an excellent thing to see a man of a brave spirit, strong and full of courage in service loc God, yet melting, tender, and soft in his dealings icilli God. If you .should see now a great captain or general, brave and magnanimous when abroad in the field about any difficult work, but when before God in prayer, weeping like a child, mourning and lamenting, and his heart breaking as soon as a child’s; the manly, undaunted coiu’age, and the broken-hearted, child-like simplicity, would extort respect. Spirits of such a mould are excellent, spirits that can turn according to what God calls them to, this way or that, can be stout and hardy in a work that demands stoutness, and can be soft, tender, and yielding where such qualities are required. Thus was our father Jacob. Oh, to have tender-hearted captains and generals, to have courageous, yet broken-hearted, spirits, to mix the work of grace thus, is most excellent, and it becomes the most brave and prudent spirit in the world, not only to fall down to prayer, but to weep before the Lord. Some men think it too low a thing to fall a weeping in prayer, as if it were womanish and childish; oh, it is an argument that thy heart is carnal and base, to think that it arises from want of understanding; I say, the thought is evil, and originates in the much corruption of thy heart. No man ever shed more tears in the presence of God than David, that brave and prudent captain. But to go far higher, I will set before you the example of Jesus Christ; Heb. v. 1, saith, “AA’ho in the days of Ills fleh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications,” how? ‘’with .strong crying and tears.” Even Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God blessed for ever, he that was equal with the Father, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, he that had all strength and power, and had all the treasures of wisdom hid in him, and in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily, yet when he had to deal with the Father, he offers up “prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears.” Does it become the Captain of our salvation in his seeking of God to weep? know then, it is not unbecoming any man or woman. Are you of the seed of Jacob? then, when you would prevail with God, labour to work your
hearts even so as to express your affections, outwardly labour to do it in prayer, it Mill help to break thy heart. As a broken heart will cause outward e.- pressions, so outward exi)ressions will be a further cause to break the heart. And work thy heart by all arguments thou canst to come to that tenderness and softness, that thou mayst be like the Captain of thy salvation. When thou art crying to God, err elen w itli tears before him; and when thy heart is so broken with tears, then exercise thy faith upon the prayer of Jesus Christ. Now it is through the Spirit of Jesus Christ that my heart thus breaks, but I do not rest upon these; God forbid that I should rest upon my enlargements, upon my breakings of heart; no, but I will rest upon the breakings of Jesus Clrrist, who in the days of his flesh did send up mighty cries with tears unto 6od, and prevailed.
06«. 11. Prayer is the great prevailing ordinance with God. “He made supplication.” It has been the great engine that has carried things on in the world. When, in Rev. viii. 4, 5, “the prayers of the saints” were offered up, “there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.” Prayers of the saints can move heaven and earth; they can jjrevail with the God of heaven and earth. The praying legion was called the thundering legion. And Luther saith „ ^,, of prayers, Thev are our guns, our cannons; our prayers can prevau more that cannons. The saints have always i)ut their gi-eat strength in prayer. Psal. cix. 4, is a very observable Scripture, “For my love they are my adversaries.” But what then? But I pray. In your books it is, “but I give myself unto prayer.” The words “give myself” you may observe printed in another distinct character, (which is to note that they are not in the original, but added by the translators, and in that they dealt faithfully,) but if you read it as in the Hebrew, “For my love they are my adversaries:” but I pray: as if he should say, That is my refuge, I account prayer my great help; they are my adversaries, and rail upon me, but I will not rail upon them again; when they oppose me I will not oppose them again. But I pray; I will pray to my God, and I believe that 1 have help enough there to resist all mine enemies. Jacob prevailed over the angel by supplication. It is a good sign of a gracious heart to lay the weight of business upon prayer. But I will not enter into this commonplace of the excellency, or power, of prayer and supplication, but only this. It is not every prayer that will prevail so with God.
Wiat prayer will then?
Such a prayer as Jacob’s was, in Gen. xxxii. 9 — 12. In it there are many excellent ingredients.
1. Faith in the covenant of God.” And Jacob said,
0 God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac.” Upon this faith in the covenant the strength of any prayer most dejjends. Indeed to have strong expreisions and affections in prayer is good; but strength of faith in the covenant of God is the greatest strength of i)rayer, and it was with this strength that .Tacnl) prevailed. “O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac;” as if he should say, O thou God, that hast entered into covenant with my father Abraham and Isaac, remember thy covenant, O God,
1 rest upon it, upon the covenant of grace which thou hast made with them; for so certainly that with Abraham and Isaac was the same, for it is .said, that “the sin of circumcision was a seal of the righteousness of faith,” Rom. iv. 11. “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed,” Gen. xxii. 18. There was the covenant of grace. Now, O Lord God, it is the covenant of grace that I rest upnn in these my straits. Wien you arc in any strait, and go to God in prayer, if you can have recourse to the covenant of grace, and
act youi- faith upon God’s covenant with you, oh I that will be a strong prayer. When there are but words in prayer, they vanish as the wind, but when there i.s much faith in prayer, that makes it to prevail: “the prayer of faith,” that is prevalent, saith the apostle James, chap, v. 15.
2. His appeal to God, that he was in the way in which he had set him. He could appeal thus to God; “Thou which saidst unto me. Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred.” ^^^ly, Lord, am I out of my way? Am I not in the way which thou hast set me? I met with difficulties in my way, but. Lord, thou saidst to me, “Return unto thy country;” thou biddest me return. That is an excellent ingredient in prayer, and adds much strength, when the soul in prayer can come to God and say, O Lord, this and that difficulty has befallen me, but. Lord, I am in the way thou hast set me, I am doing thy work, I am not out of my way. For any to be out of the way which God has set them in will mightily damp their hearts in prayer. And it is a mighty encouragement to prayer, and carries it on with mighty strength, when the soul can appeal to God, Lord, whatsoever straits I meet withal, yet I am in thy way.
3. The pleading of a particular promise: “And I will deal well with thee.” God made a promise to Jacob in particular, that he would deal well with him in his journey that he went. And though it is true, the great strength is in the great promise, the covenant of gi-ace; yet it adds much strength likewise to use particular promises that concern the very business we are about; and it is a very good thing, when we go about a business that has difficulty in it, to search the word, and to see what promises there are that more particularly concern the business we go about.
4. A deep sense of his own un worthiness. Ver. 10, “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant.” The soul prevails when it comes with humility before God in prayer, and is truly sensible of its unworthiness of any mercy. Lord, 1 am not worthy of the least crumb of bread, but rather worthy to l)c cast out from thy presence for ever: it is an easy matter for persons to have such words in their- mouths, but to have this indeed in their hearts in prayer, adds very much strength to prayer.
5. The acknowledgment of the mercy that he had received, and of the truth of God in fulfilling promises. Both add much strength to prayer, to take notice of what God has done for us, to observe how he has, in groat measure, fulfilled his word for us. When we are jjraying, we many times are sensible only of what we would have, but not of what we receive; and the vehemency of our desires after what we would have, takes away our a])prehensions, and hinders our acknowledgment of the mercies we have had already. But when thou comest to prayer, whatsoever thy state be, though in never such gi-eat straits, yet acknowledge what thou hast already, be willing to praise God in thy lowest condition.
6. Remembrance of former meanness. “For with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands:” that is a further expression of his humility, and God’s further mercy.
7. A thorough conviction of the importance of what he prays for. “Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest lie will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.” Lord, I do not utter words without feeling, for. Lord, as I am crying to thee for help against my brother, I do apjirehend my great extremity; Lord, I fear him, lest he come and smite me, with the mother and the children.
When we come to prayer, we must not have words,
fine and puffed u;-., but with little in them, but there must be as much sense of the thing that we pray for, as the words that we speak do seem to import and carry with them: many times we have great words and little sense, and that makes our prayers so empty.
8. Strong arguments. Though it is true, that what we can say to God cannot move God, yet it may move our own hearts; and God would have us to use strong arguments in prayer. “And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude,” ver. 1 2. As if he should say, Lord, how- will thy promise be fulfilled? Didst thou not say that my seed should be as the sand of the sea? Now if the mother and childi-en be cut ofi’, what will become of thy promise?
God is so indulgent as to suffer us to plead our cause with him. And these pleading prayers are strong prayers; he wept, and made supplication, so he prevailed with God. Now, labour you (if you be of the seed of Jacob) to pray as your father Jacob did. But so much shall suffice for that second history, about Jacob’s prevailing with the angel.
III. His interviews with God at Bethel. “He found him in Beth-el, and there he spake with us.”
The words in the original are, -laT bri IJNXC SN-n’3 licy He u-M find us in Beth-el, and there he spake with us. As if it were an encouraging word of the angel to Jacob, that God would find him in Beth-el; and indeed the words would bear such an interpretation, but, as the learned know, the future is often used for the preter tense in the Hebrew, and it is more agreeable to the context to read them as you have them in your Bibles, “He found him in Beth-el, and there he spake with us;” that is, he found Jacob in Beth-el, and spake to Jacob, and in speaking to Jacob he spake to us all.
Now for the opening of this history, and showing how it suits with the scope of the prophet in this place. We read in Scripture of two meetings which God and Jacob had at Beth-el, and this text in Hosea seems to refer to them both.
1. When for fear of danger he fled from his brother-, when his brother had mischievous thoughts against him, after he got the blessing from him. Gen. xxviii. 10.
2. When God appeared to him after he came out
of Padan-aram, Gen. xxxv. 9 — 15.
1. He finds him in Beth-el, Gen. xxviii. 10; yea, indeed, for as Jacob lay asleep with a stone under his head, he saw a vision of angels ascending and descending from heaven, and God speaking excellent things unto him. Hence,
Obs. 12. God finds his people many times when they little think of him. He comes to his people in ways of mercy when they scarce dream of it: Jacob was but in a dream at this time, and yet God came in very wonderful ways of mercy towards him.
Oh how often has God found us in this way! how often may many of you say, that the Lord has come unexpectedly to you in ways of mercy, which you could never have expected. Oh, when unexpected mercies come, we should consider that God has found us; our sins might have found us, whereas the mercies of God have found us out.
2. The other time that God found Jacob was. Gen. xxxv. 9 — 15, when he was in great distress, after his daughter Dinah had been defiled, and his sons Simeon and Levi had committed that great outrage against the Shechemites. so great as to fall on the city, and slay all the males. Upon that Jacob and all his family wei-e in great danger of being destroyed, for the act was so foul, that it could not but make all the people (as Jacob thought) to abhor him, and “to gather themselves together against him, and to slay him,” Gea. xxxiv. 30. The distress of Jacob was doubtless very great; his
daughter defiled by one uncircumcised, his two sons committing such an outrage, and himself and his house in danger of being destroyed utterly by them; for who would have thought but that all the inhabitants of the land should have risen against him, and have cut him off? Now the next thing that we hear of, God meets with him at Beth-el, and speaks very gracious things to him there; and he did not only speak to him, but there “he spake with us.”
That is. God meeting with Jacob in Beth-el, that which he spake to him there concerned us as well as it concerned Jacob. An expi-ession to the same junpose we have in Psal. lxvi. 6, “He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him:” for indeed the mercy of God towards the Israelites, which at that time did rejoice them, was a matter of rejoicing for us. Whatsoever is written, is written for our learning, it is as if God spake to us. That which God spake to Abraham, I am God all-sufficient; walk before me, and be upright; he spake that to us, he spake that to thee and me. That which God spake to Joshua, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,” Josh. i. 5, that the apostle, to the Hebrews, applies to the Christians at that time, Heb. xiii. 5; that he spake to us, he spake it to thee and me, if we be believers. That which God spake to the distressed and afflicted ones in Psal. cii. 17, “He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer;” that he spake to us, for in ver. 18 it is said, “This shall be written for the generation to come.” And that which God spake to Jacob at these two several times in Bethel, is written for the generations to come, is written for us. AVell then, what was it? what was the s])ecial thing which God spake to Jacob when he found him at Beth-el? and what was that to us? I will show you many things; there are nine or ten notable things to be observed by us, which God spake to us at Beth-el.
Obs. 13. The foundation of the comfort of the saints is in the covenant of God. “There he spake with us.” When he appeared to Jacob, what said he to him? “I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac,” Gen. xxviii. 13. Jacob was flying for his life then, and this was to comfort him in his danger, “I am the Loi-d God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac:” then he spake this to us, that the foundation of the saints’ comforts in the times of their distresses, is the covenant of gi’ace which God has made with them, and their fathers before them.
Obs. 14. The seed of Jacob are the inheritors of the land of Canaan; for so he told him, “The land whereon thou liest, to thee wQl I give it, and to thy seed.” Now this concerns us, that the seed of Jacob shall inherit the land of Canaan, that was typified by it. There are some who think that yet there shall be an inheritance of the land of Canaan by the faithful seed of Jacob, but, however, this certainly “he spake to us,” that all the seed of Jacob are the inheritors of the land of Canaan one way or other in the literal, or in the typical sense.
06s. 15. ^lercies promised should be believed, even when there is great unlikelihood of then- fulfilment. So he spake to us there. He tells Jacob there, when poor and solitary with his staff, and no provision but a stone for his pillow, he tells him then that his promise shall be made good, and his seed become so great as to inherit the land of Canaan. How unlikely was all this at such a time! but God would have him to exercise his faith upon the promise even then, when there was such a great unlikelihood of its accomplishment.
Obs. 16. The multiplying of the church is a great blessing; for, saith he, thy seed shall be thus and thus, as the sand of the sea shore; I will increase my church abundantly from thy loins.
Obs. 17. Saints, even the strongest, have need of renewing of promises. God renews the same promise to
him that was made before to Abraham, that his seed should be great; but the truth is, that the promise, though as certain as before, yet had been a long time. Obx. 18. The blessing which comes to the world, comes by the ])romised Seed. He tells him, that in his Seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed: the
freat blessing of the world is by the promised Seed, by esus Christ.
Obs. 19. It was in God’s heart, thousands of years ago, to do good to us Gentiles: though at that time we were as dogs, yet it was in God’s heart to bless us. Oh, this is a eomlortable speech to us, it concerns us Gentiles in a more special manner than it did them to whom Ilosea at this time prophesied.
The presence and ])rotcction of God are the only encouragement of the saints in their ways. So in ver. 15, saith God, “Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest;” this he spake to us, this the saints should make high account of.
Obs. 20. God is still working towards the fulfilling of jiromises; for so he telLs him, “I will not leave thee until I have done all that which I have spoken to thee of;” though you cannot see how my administrations towards you do any way work for the fulfilling of my promise, yet know 1 will not leave you till I have fulfiJled all my promises.
06s. 21. The mercy and faithfulness of God are constant. However things may go with us here for a while, yet the mercy of God continues, the line of Cod’s mercy is not cut asunder, but his faithfulness carries it on till all the good that he has promised, or that faith can believe, is granted to us; for so he tells Jacob there, “I will not leave thee, until I have done all that which I have spoken to thee of.” All this God “spake with us,” the first time of his meeting with Jacob in Beth-el.
Now the second time that ho met with Jacob in Beth-el, is spoken of. Gen. xxxv. 10, and there see what God “spake with us.” God changes Jacob’s name to Israel, confirms his promise and covenant to him again as before, remembers his wrestling, and his prevailing with him: and in that God tells us he remembers our fervent prayers; after they are gone, his heart is yet upon them. A general view of all he spoke to us there, would lead us to observe,
06s. 22. The saints have need of the confirmation of mercies, especially of the covenant.
Obs. 23. God’s presenting himself to the soul as God Almighty, is a great help to faith. AVe find in Scrij)- ture that God very seldom, when he speaks of his almighty power, speaks of his willingness to do good; for that God would have his people take for granted, it is implied in the covenant which he made with them at first. “I am God Almighty,” saith he here: thou hast had experience of my almighty power in tiu’ning the heart of thy brother: and now thou art in a great danger; because thou art few in number, thou art afraid of the peo])le of the land; but “I am God Almightv;” there is li’Uc power in thee, but in me power dwells. Th” ^msideration of God’s almighty power, is that fvhicli should help the saints in the midst of all their straits and afflictions.
A’hen Jacob was afraid of being cut off because be was few in number, now God presents himself as God Almighty, and blesses him now with fruitfulness, and tells him he will multiply him to “a nation and acomi)any of nations,” ‘• and kings shall come out of thy loins.” In all this we have an excellent lesson that God speaks to its.
06.«. 24. God delights to revive his people in their fears with suitable mercies. Jacob was never in greater fears than on those two occasions; yet now the Lord comes at this time of his gi-eat straits, and tells him of multiplying him to many nations, and that kings should
come out of his loins; at that time when he was afraid that the nations should come and destroy all that belonged to him, God tells him that kings should come out of his loins. Oh, the Lord delights to revive his people in their fears, and that with suitable mercies!
Oh, it should teach us to be tender-hearted towards the saints that are in fears and troubles, and to labour to comfort our brethren with seasonable and suitable mercies! And especially after great conflicts that is obscn’able; for Jacob had been wrestling with God not long before, and after these great conflicts God comes with the manifestation of great mercies. This God spake to us there, that we should not be discouraged, though God In-ing us into gi-eat conflicts; because after those times are the seasons for God to speak to us things the most comfortable, and the most encouraging. There God “spake wi.h us.” Thus you see the third story opened to you, and its useful import, I know scarce a scripture fuller than these two verses.
And the reason why the prophet brings this third story to upbraid this people is, as if he should say thus:
First, Your father Jacob worshipped the true God in Beth-cl; you worship the calf in Beth-el (for you know that in Dan and Beth-el the calves were set up). Are you the children of Jacob? did Jacob worship an idol in Reth-el? No, God found him in Beth-el, and God spake with him there; but you worship a calf in Bethel.
Secondly, God made gracious promises to your father Jacob in Beth-el; you slight them, you regard them not, you go to shifting courses for yourselves, and dare not rely upon promises as your father Jacob did.
Thii’dly, You pollute the place which God had made his house, that place where there were such gracious manifestations of God you pollute. It is an aggravation of sin, to sin in those places where God has showed much mercy.
And then, lastly, You are gone from the covenant which your father Jacob made with God at Beth-el. Your father Jacob (as God renewed his covenant) entered into covenant himself with God at Beth-el, and saith, that the Lord should be his God; but have not you forsaken that covenant? You do not stand to the covenant which your father Jacob made at Beth-el.
Ver. 5. Even the Lord God of liosls; the Lord fs his memorial.
He that appeared to your father Jacob was no other than the Lord of hosts, Jehovah, and Jehovah is his memoriak
Your father Jacob conversed with God, he had great ])Owcr with the great God, the Lord of hosts, Jehovah. You forsake this God, you see no such excellency in him, you rather turn to idols.
“The Lord God of hosts.” But how does the ]irophet make use of this title of God, “The Lord God of hosts?”
It is in reference to those hosts of God that ap])rared to Jacob a little before he met with his brother Ksau, when, after having wrestled with (iod, and having his name changed, the text saith, “The angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said. This is God’s host,” Gen. xxxii. 1, 2. This refers to that place. The hosts of God appeared to Jacob just upon this time of his wrestling, and the text saith there, “rhc called the name of that place Mahanaim,’’ that is, two hosts, or two camps. Saith Hosca, The Lord of hosts is his name; as if he should say, It is the same Lord that was the Lord of hosts that appeared to Jacob your father a little before his wrestling; it is the .same (Jod, he remains the same God still, and yoin- sin is against that God, even against the Lord God of hosts.
Now for this title, “The Lord God of hosts,” That which you see this morning, may remind you a little of it, yet I shall not speak much of it now, because you that have been auditors here, and others too, may know, that even in this place I have preached on that glorious name of God, the Lord of hosts, and likewise some years since published my exposition on it,” because God did then appear to England in that title, the Lord of hosts, more fully than in former times. Therefore I endeavoured to open it as I was able unto you, to show what glory of God was in that name, that we in this land might especially learn to sanctify it; and since that time the Lord has given us more occasion to sanctify that name of his than formerly; indeed this title, Lord of hosts, as well as Jehovah, is the memorial of God, and should be to the posterity that remains; we should tell the posterity after how the Lord has manifested himself as the Lord of hosts amongst lis. If ever God appeared in the glory of this title in any country or nation, he has done it here; it is from the Lord of hosts that oiu- armies have so prevailed; one that has but half an eye (as we are wont to say) can see it. Had God wrought our victory by a company of old, brave, gallant soldiers, and by mighty armies, then the glory of God as the Lord of hosts had been eclipsed in some measure; but whereas such great things have been done, as scarce any history can tell us of, since Joshua’s time, here, in this very kingdom, within these twelve months, and that by the weakest, the feeblest instruments, how null the Lord of hosts be in “his memorial,” if these transactions be set out to the life, lustre, and verity of them! children yet unborn will learn to magnify God by this name of his. That such things shoidd be done by an army so contemptible in the eye of flesh and blood as this our army was, none other surely than the Lord of hosts appeared for us.
And in that God has manifested himself for his own people so much, I will give you one scripture which I do not remember I made use of then, to show you what the hosts of God are besides the sun, moon, and stars, and the works of creation in general. Besides all these, God has two special armies, the saints and the angels; these I may call ilahanaim, the two hosts of God. Respecting the angels, I shall not need to give you Scripture: but with regard to the people of God, that they are called “the hosts of the Lord” in way of distinction from all other of the hosts of God, is manifest from Exod. xii. 41, where the people of Israel going forth from Egypt, the text saith, “And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.” What were they but God’s people? the church is called there “the hosts of the Lord.” God’s own people God glories in as his hosts in way of distinction from all other pco])le. And so in Cant. vi. 4, the church of God is said to be “terrible as an army with banners.” And through God’s mercy the Lord has manifested what great things he can do by such an host, by an army that has had so many of his chosen ones among them; they have been the hosts that God, the Lord of hosts, has taken so much delight to be the Captain of, and to go forth withal. But thus much for that name, “the Lord of hosts;” what use the prophet makes of that name we shall speak to presently, how it is a doctrinal point that he builds his exhortation upon, “Therefore return unto the Lord.”
‘•The Lord is his memorial:” Jehovah is his memorial.
This name Jehovah is a name in which God gloricg
* The glorious Name of the Lonl of Hosts: the tide of a book of the author’s, being one of the first in defence of the wars on the parliament’s siJe.
much, for indeed it is the name of God’s being, which expresses that more fully than any other name of God; this, and that name of God, “I am that I am,” which comes from the same root, and is in effect the same with this name Jehovah; I say, God glories in this above all his names: and therefore in Deut. xxviii. 58, “That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name,” Jehovah, thy God; in your books it is, “The Lord thy God,” but in the original, Jehovah, thy God. God looks upon this name as his glorious and his fearful name, and would have people to take heed that they look to this, that they “fear this glorious and fearful name, Jehovah thy God.” This name the Jews keep a mighty stir about, and think they And great mysteries in it; they have such superstitious reverence for it, that they will not so much as pronounce it; they call it the ineffable name; and if it be written, they think it is a very wicked thing to tread upon the paper which contains it. But it is very observable here how cross the superstition of men is to God; they in reverence to God will not so much as mention this name, because, they say, it is a name in which God so much glories: and yet mark here, ray text saith, this name is God“s “memorial,” God would have this name mentioned above any of his names, it is the name by which he would be remembered to all generations. So in Exod. iii. 15, you find, that God speaking of this his name, Jehovah, Jehovah Elohira, Jehovah in covenant, saith, that he would be known by it to all generations: “This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” It might indeed well be wished that the very word Jehovah had been retained in your English version (Lord printed in capitals always indicates its presence in the original). There is much then in this name:
First, It sets forth the glory of God more than any name, because above all names it shows that God has a being from himself, in which much of the glory of God consists; this is proper to God: and indeed from this one principle, that God is from himself, we come to understand almost all things that can be known of God by any light of nature, by any natural understanding, unaided by Divine revelation. The knowledge of God in Christ is above both, being matter of pure revelation; but the knowledge of God as Adam at first knew him, and as the creature can know him by any natural light, derives its greatest strength from this principle, That God has his being from himself: and from this follows,
1. That he is the First Being of all things.
2. That he is the Supreme Being, he is above all.
3. That he is an Eternal Being, he can have no beginning, because it is from himself.
4. That he is an Infinite Being, that there are no bounds at all to his being: for whatever is bounded, is bounded by something without it; but God being from himself, and having no cause, can have nothing to limit and bound his being.
5. That there is all being in God; whatever has any being, it must be either that that is the first, or from the first: he is an Absolute Being of himself, having it from himself, and therefore all being is eminently contained in God himself
6. That whatsoever is in God, is God himself; from this name Jehovah, he is an Absolute Being, nothing but himself: this is the difference between God and any creature. Whatsoever is in the creature, is not the being of the creature. A man has wisdom; now the wisdom of a man is one, and the essence of the man is another, thing; but it is not so with God, whatsoever you can say of God, is God; the wisdom of God, is God; the mercy of God, is God; the justice of God, is God himself; and so all the attributes. We often conceive of the attributes as if they were distinct from the being; when we say, God is wise, as if God were one
thing, and wisdom were another; but certainly if we would apprehend God as in himself, we cannot apprehend him SO; as if his wisdom were one thing, and God another; or his mercy one thing, and God another: so that the truth is, nothing can properly be predicated of God, because when a tiling is predicated there is a difference between the subject and the predicate, but there is no such distinction with resiject to God; but whatsoever can be said of God, is God himself; and much of the glory of God ap])ears in this one thing, in this, I say, that all that is in God is God himself. The underptaiiding God thus, helps us to see God in his glor)- as much as any way whatsoever; few people however a])prehcnd this, but look upon God as a creature, and so think God is some excellent thing that has so many excellencies in him: but to understand it aright, we should know that all that Is said of God is God himself, and therefore all but one being in God; wisdom, mercy, justice, power, life, holiness, and faithfulness appear many diverse things to us, but in God all are but one excellency. As now, the beams of the sun appear diverse to us, they shine through a blue glass, and there is a blue reflection, and a gieen glass, and then it is green, and a red glass, and then it is red, but yet all constitute but one beam. So the infinite, first, absolute Being of all, ajipearing in his several workings and in his several administrations, seems to be several; but they all form but one being that is in himself: such is the signification of the name Jehovah.
7. All the being of the creature depends upon God, is from God originally, and so depends upon God every moment. Every time you hear the name Jehovah you should be put in mind of this, that as all creatures hail what they had from God at first, so they do absolutely depend upon God every moment for their being, and for their every good.
8. God being thus Jehovah, will give a being to all his promises, and to all his threatenings. And therefore when he appeared to Moses, to tell him that he would fulfil the i)romise made to his people, to bring them out of Eg)“pt, he tells him that though he Iiad a|)- peared to Abraham by the name El-shaddai, God-all-suflicient, yet he had not appeared to him by the name Jehovah; which is as much as if he should say. Yea, indeed, when I spake to Abraham, I made a promise to him, that I would give him such a land, and thus and thus, but I did not give a being to the promises; but now 1 come to make way for the fulfilling of this promise, now I appear to be Jehovah: thus Jehovah is God’s “memorial,” that is, every time you read the name Jehovah, or hear that name Jehovah, then you should meditate on these things, and contemplate God as Jehovah in all these diflerent aspects. And thus for the opening of these two names. The observations from them are,
Ubs. 1. Though God be never so strong and terrible in himself, never so great and glorious, vet faith has strength to wrestle with him. Jacob had power with God. God! what God? The Lord of hosts, Jehovah, the great and glorious God. And yet Jacob wrestles with this Lord of hosts, God-Jehovah, and prevails with him.
So that hence Christians should learn to raise up their spirits when they have to deal with Clod. If God ha.s given them faith, they should be daunted neither by God’s terror nor his greatness. Thou dost sometimes look upon God as the great Creator of heaven and earth, the great Lord of hosts, the infinite Jehovah, and the lustre of his glory seems to amaze thee; be not afraid. O thou believing soul, if thou art a seed of Jacob, notwithstanding all the terribleness, and all the glor)’, that there is in God, and the infinite distance that there is between him and us, which his name Jehovah sets out unto us, yet thou mayst WTCstle with
this God, even with this God, and prevaih Many poor Christians are much daunted and discouraged with the sight of the greatness of God; but this text is a vei-y great hell) to silence the apprehension of such. Indeed it is for ungodly men, to whom God is an enemy, to be daunted with the apprehension of the greatness of God; but to the seed of Jacob, even when Jacob prevailed it was with this God, that is, the Lord of hosts, whose memorial is Jehovah.
Obs. 2. The greatness and glory of God in these his names is a great aggravation of sin. Oh, the Lord is infinitely terrible, he is the Lord of hosts, Jehovah, and yet you wretched creatures have departed from, and sinned against, this God. Oh, it is a fearful aggravation of men’s sin, that their sin is against such a God. the Lord of hosts, whose name is Jehovah; nothing can humble the soul of a sinner more effectually than the sight of the Lord in his glorious attributes, ^^’hen thou comest to know with what a God thou hast to deal, this will make thee see the greatness of thy sin. Therefore the prophet sets God in his glor)’ before this people, that they should come to see their great sin, and that there should be a stop given to the course of their hearts, which were running on in the ways of unrighteousness.
06s. 3. God is the same to us as he was to our forefathers, if we forsake him not. He was thus to your father Jacob, the Lord of hosts, Jehovah; and his memorial is still the Lord of hosts, and Jehovah, and therefore you might have this God to ajipear the Lord of hosts for your good as well as he did to your forefathers, and you might have God appear to be Jehovah for you as well as he did to Jacob, if you forsake him not. O wretches! that you should forsake this God, whom you might have to be the Lord of hosts and Jehovah to you.
O, let us learn this, when we read in Scripture, ov hear from our forefathers, how God has ap])eared heretofore for his saints, for our forefathers, to reilect, God is the same God still, and we may come to have as much good from this God as ever any had since the world began; there is no shortening of his power, and no darkening of his glory, but with whatsoever power God has wrought, in whatsoever glory he has appeared, in former times, he may manifest the same for us now. It is a mighty argument for people to keep close to God and be faithful with him even because of this.
Obs. 4. There is no need of images to keep God’s remembrance. The glorious titles of God and his attributes, and the manifestation of himself in his works, is the best memorial of God; that is our way, the way of man to make to himsell’ memorials. God has made himself “a memorial.” A’hen you read in the word this glorious title of God, Jehovah, it is a better memorial of God than all the images in the world are, and we may better sanctify God’s name, and have our hearts better wrought upon, by such titles of God, than by all kind of images whatsoever.
06.4. 5. God manifests his glory, that he may be remembered from generation to generation. “The Lord God of hosts; Jehovah is his memorial;” as if he should say, God then manifested himself as Jehovah, and he would be remembered in other ages to be so; what God does to his people in one age, he not only expects to have his name sanctified for that iircsent, but he would have it laid up from age to age, and would be honoured in all generations from those great manifestations of himself in some one age.
My brethren, oh that we had hearts to do this! Oh that we could make this God his memorial! that we could lay up what God has manifested of himself in this age,’ for the benefit of another age! I hope God will one way or other provide means for the recording of the famous things that God has done in this age.
that it may be a memorial to the posterity afterwards; for certainly our age cannot give God the glory that is due unto his name for what he has done; ive had need labour to continue it to posterity, that the ages to come may remember what God has done to give gloiy to him; it is his memorial.
06s. 6. This name of Jehovah, the memorial of God, aflfords matter for a very useful meditation. You that say you cannot meditate, your* meditations are barren; would you help yourselves in meditation to have a holy memorial of God, think much of the name Jehovah, remember what has been hinted to you from that name, and what is contained in it.
Ver. 6. Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God co?itmtcally.
“Therefore.” Here comes the application now; the two preceding verses contain the doctrine, this is the use, “Therefore turn thou to thy God;” so that this “therefore” has reference to all that the prophet had said concerning Jacob, and to these titles of God; as if he shoidd say thus:
I. You had such a gracious father that did thus prevail with God, to whom God did so appear, “therefore turn thou to thy God.”
II. God is “the Lord of hosts,” therefore turn to him.
III. “Jehovah is his memorial,” therefore tm-n to him.
I. The reference it has to their father Jacob affords us this note:
Obs. 1. The consideration of our godly forefathers is a great argument to turn us to God. O you ehildi’en who have had parents that were wrestlers with God, are you wicked now? Consider what parents you had, and turn you therefore to God. In 2 Tim. i. 3, •’ I thank God,” saith St. Paul, “whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience.” Oh! it is a great comfort to a man or woman if they can say thus, “I thank God, whom I serve fi’om my forefathers with pure conscience:” my forefathers served God, my grandfather, or grandmother, or father, or mother, was godly; and I thank God even from them that I serve God: God is “my God,” and” my father’s God,’ Exod. XV. 2.
II. The consideration of God as “the Lord of hosts,” is a mighty motive to cause us to turn to God. Wilt thou go on in ways of enmity against the Lord of hosts, the Lord of hosts, who has angels and all creatures to fight for him? Wilt thou, a poor worm, stand out against this God? Thou that goest on in a w’ay of wickedness, know thou lightest against the great Lord of hosts. What were it for a drunken fellow to come and think to oppose but such an army as goes out of the city at this time? but for a poor wretched worm to think to stand against the infinite God, the Lord of hosts! oh! it were infinite boldness and presumption, and desperate madness; therefore turn to the Lord. All the while thou art going on in ways of wickedness, thou art fighting against the Lord of”hosts.
And, on the other side, if thou hadst but a heart to turn to the Lord, oh how joj-ful would this title be to thee, that that God which is thy God, is the Lord of hosts, is the Lord of all the hosts in the world! We are not afraid now to see soldiers, and to hear the beating of drums, and shooting of guns, when we know that all are our friends; but if we should have heard the beating- of drums, and neighing of horses, and the guns of our enemies, that would have struck fear. So one that hath turned to God, need not fear any army, any creatures; why? all is commanded by God then’ Father. Oh the joy, peace, and security that a heart mav have which is tmned to God! In Acts xxvii. 23,
24, Paul saith, “There stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul.” Mark, There stood before me the angel of God. Did not that terrify him? “The angel,” that is but one of the members of the hosts of God; any one angel has a great deal of terror in him sometimes, for there is much of the gloiy of God in angels, and we know that their appearing has struck terror into many men. But now, saith Paul, the angel said, “Fear not;” if it be the angel of God, ‘■ whose I am, and whom I serve,” then I need not fear; yea, let God muster up all his hosts, and appear to one that has turned to him, if he can say thus, “Whose I am, and whom I serve,” these hosts will say, “Fear not.” Therefore tm’n to the Lord, because he is the Lord of hosts.
in. God is Jehovah, therefore should we tiu’n to him. There is a great deal of force in this name to cause sinners to turn to him, for this name Jehovah has as much terror in it to a guUty, ungodly soul, as any thing we read of in all the book of God. I say, put all together that we read in the book of God, yet if we did but thoroughly understand the name Jehovah, we should see as much terror in it to a guilty conscience, and a sinful soul that goes on in the ways of wickedness, as almost all that is mentioned of God that might be terrible. As thus,
Jehovah. If he be Jehovah, he has power over every thing that has a being to torment thee with it, for he has all being in himself, all being is from him, and he disposes of all: therefore whatsoever thing has any being in it, this God has the power over it, to make use of it to torment thee withal. Do but consider what power some little creature, if it be in some part of a man’s body, has to produce torment; a little gravel in the kidneys, or stone in the bladder, poor and weak in itself, but being in that place, what torture does it bring! Now if they have such power to torment thee, then what power have all things in the earth, and the infinite God that has all essence, and all being, and can dispose of all things as he pleases, to bring pain, misery, and torment to a sinner! It is a very humbling consideration to a sinner.
And, on the other side, if there be any power in any thing that has a being to bring any comfort, it is all in God, for God has all in him eminently. As now, one creature has power to torment in one way, another in another way; and so one creature has pow-er to comfort us one way, another another; but all this is eminently in God. The gravel torments one way, the gouty humour in the veins torments another way, and fire and the sword torment after another manner, and burning fever, fire without and fire within, and the stinging of serpents, all torment after diflerent manners: now all power of all things is in God eminentlj’, in him is the quintessence of all things, and therefore the power of God is able to bring all sorts of torments at one time in one thing. As now, suppose several herbs of several vii-tues, if these herbs wei-e all distilled into one water, then a drop of that has the vu-tue and efficacy, it may be, of forty several herbs; so now, (if I may so compare,) God has aD kind of power in himself, and is able to put forth in one instant all the power and efficacy that there is in all creatures in heaven and earth, either to torment or to comfort us. If one herb has one sweetness, and a second another, and the third another, how sweet will be the distillation of them all together. Now all sweetnesses being in God eminently, oh what comfort is there in God to the soul! Thus, either way, the name Jehovah affords full matter for meditation, either to humble us for sin by the ch-eadfulness of his wrath, or to comfort and encourage us by the reflection that there is all being in God eminently, and that all depend ab-AX EXPOSITION OF
solutely upon him; therefore turn to God, because he is Jehovah.
Obs. 1. The excellency of the saints is an argument to turn us to God. AVhc’n both together, the excellency of Jacob and the excellency of God, this is set as an argument to turn to the Lord. Turn to me.
But they might say, Do not we turn to God? we do serve God. Thence further,
Obs. 2. We depart from God in the midst of our services when we perform them not in God’s way. They did worship God after a fashion, but God did not account that worshipping of him, but departing from him; therefore turn to God.
“Turn thou.”
That is, every one of you; do not stand objecting and cavilling agauist what I say, hut turn to God elev one of you. “Turn thou to thy God.” Thou art Israel, thou art the jiosterity of that great prevailer with God, therefore turn Ihoii to God. The note of observation from hence, which, if you lay it to heart, you will find it of very great use, is this:
06s. 3. Kvery one should consider what peculiar arguments there are that concern him in particular to turn to God. “Therefore turn thou to thy God.” There is a great deal more reason why thou shouldst turn to God than others.
Oh that every one of us here in this place would but in our meditations labour to recall all those particular arguments that concern ourselves, that might turn us to God! Do not take it in the general, Turn to God because he is your Creator, turn to God that you may be saved: this concerns all. But consider what special reasons thou hast, as thus: Consider what special manifestations of God have been vouchsafed to thee; what special offers of grace have been made to thee; what special workings of the Holy Ghost there have been upon thy heart; what special illuminations of God“s Spirit there have been within thee; consider what special dangers thou hast been in; what special vows and covenants thou hast made to God, and yet hast departed from him afterwards: consider what special engagements thou hast had: these are but hints to lead you to lay to heart all the arguments that may concern you especially to turn to thy God. “Therefore turn thou to thy God.” Do not thou look upon others, and think thus, I do as others do: yea, but thou hast more reason to turn to God than others, there are more arguments to persuade thy heart than others, “Therefore turn thou to thy God.” And this is a great mercy of God towards any, when he darts powerfully those special considerations and argimients that concern their souls to turn to God: we come to hear the word, and to hear the nature of repentance, and the motives to repentance, but that generally concerns all, and does not much move our heart; ’ but at another time it pleases God to suggest something out of the word that concerns us in particular, and this affects our hearts more powerfully than all the rest. As if a man be asleep, though there be a great noise, perhaps it does not awaken him, but let one call him by his name, and speak particularly to him, and that will awaken him when a greater noise will not do it: so, though there be general rea.sons for turning to God, they do not so much prevail with people, as when God speaks to us by name, and saith. Turn thou to God. There are these sjjccial arguments why thou shouldst turn to God rather than others. Many times you will say, If ever any were bound to God, then I am: then turn thou to God because thou art more engaged than others.
“To thy God.”
That is, though you have departed from him, vet he lias not so wholly cast you off, but he may yet be thtj God. From whence,
Obs. 4. The sight of any relation to God, or hope of mercy from him, is a special means to draw the heart to turn to him. He may yet be thi, God. God has not left thee; O thou wretched, sinful soul, who knows but that he may be thy God, and thy God to all eternity? Thou mightest have been past hearing of any ])ossibilily of God’s being thy God, and therefore turn to God, turn to thi, God.
“Keep mercy and judgment.”
“Want of mercy, in the ‘1th chapter of this prophecy, was charged upon this people, that there was no mercy in the land. And so in divers other places, want of justice. Now, “turn thou to thy God; keep mercy and judgment.” From the context,
Obs. 0. In our turnings to God, we must reform ouv special sins. It is not enough for any to turn to God, and leave some gross sins; but is there any sin more special than another, that you have lived in before your turning to God? reform in that sin above all. None can ever have any sure argument that their repentance is true, though they have left many sins, if they have not left their special sins. There is some special sin that thou hast lived in, what sayest thou to that?
Obs. 6. It is nothing for people to reform in God’s worship, except they reform also in the duties of the second table. The duties of the second table, mercy and judgment; “Turn thou to thy God; keep mercy and judgment.” Many seem to be forward in duties of instituted worship, which is very good; we are to honour God, God is jealous in that business: but now, together with that, if we be not conscientious in the duties of the second table, of mercy and judgment too, it is nothing: all will vanish and come to nothing except thou llvcst righteously and mercifully with men also, as well as worship Cod aright; do not think to put off thy conscience with the duties of worship, except thou dost “keep mercy and judgment.” This we would observe generally; but more particularly,
Obs. 7. A heart truly turning to God, must needs be very merciful to men. God expects that from all who turn to him, that upon thy turning to God, thy bowels should yearn towards thy brethren, and turn to them in love, and in mercy, and meekness, and gentleness, and forgiveness. For when thou tumest to God, is it not the mercy of God that draws thy heart? If it be not that, thy turning is not right; never any turned to God rightly but their hearts were taken with God’s mercy; and can thy heart be taken with God’s mercy, and thou not merciful to thy brethren? Many professors of religion think little of this, but I find the Scripture makes as much of this as of any thing but faith itself, faith in the covenant of grace. These three things the Scripture holds forth, and urges veiy much upon men, faith, mercy, and unity. The two latter are thought to be of little or no moment with men, but certainly the I,ord Christ lays much upon mercy towards men, that all that are his members should lie of merciful and of uniting dispositions one towards another. Oh, it is mercy in which the Scripture makes religion to consist: James i. 27, “Pure religion and undcfiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.” And in James ii. 1.3. “Mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” This will help us in the time of straits, and in the season of danger, that we have been merciful towards our brethren, for so I understand the words, “Mercy rejoiceth against,” or over, “judgment:” not that 6od’s mercy is more than his judgment, and (hat, though a sinner has deserved judgment, yet God’s mercy will prevail, and triumph over it; but I take the text to refer to mercy in man, and not mercy in God, that is, thus; AV’hcn man has had a merciful heart towards others, towards his brethren, that then if he .should live to meet with affliction, live to a time of judgment,
V£it. 6.
THE PROPHIX’Y OF HOSEA.
times of common calamity, common dangers, that mercy which he has exercised towards his brelliren in the time of his prosperity will cause his soul to triumph in. the midst of all dangers. In the time of afiiiction mercy rejoices over judgment: Let judgment come, let afflictions come in the world, let there be never such hard times among the nations, yet I have a testimony to my conscience, the Lord has given me a merciful heart towards my brethren that are in misery, and I that am but a poor creature, who have but a th”op of mercy to that God whose mercy is infinite as the ocean of mercy, will not that God be merciful to me much more? Keep mercy therefore, you that turn to God, be of merciful dispositions towards your bretlu’en. Oh! this is wanting among many professors of religion, they are of cruel and harsh dispositions, rigid, sour, and severe towards others, they care not what becomes of them. O, be merciful to your brethren; you that are turned to God, show it in this, that you keep mercy.
“And judgment.”
That is, righteous judgment among men. Thou canst not turn to God from thy unrighteousness, and to a righteous God, and yet still not be righteous towards men. INIany texts of Scripture I might have shown you, that commend this grace of righteousness; and it is made the great promise to the church in its glorious state, that righteousness shall prevail there, that her people shall be a righteous people.
But further, “and judgment.” Not only judgment in doing no man any WTong, and righteousness in dealing; but a manifestation of thy hatred against sin, by the execution of judgment,
Obs. 8. Where there is a true turning to God, there must be righteousness among men. Certainly, if turned from thy unrighteousness towards a righteous God, then thou wilt be turned likewise from thy unrighteousness towards thy fellow men.
Obs. 9. Those who are in authority must manifest their hatred against sin, by the execution of judgment. Though in thine own cause thou mayst forbear, yea, thou shouldst be merciful; but when public manifestation of hati’ed against sin requires justice, then there is no place for sparing; when God calls thee, in any public place, to manifest hatred against sin, then I say) thou mayst not think of sparing.
But you will say. Oh, I must pity, and show mercv.
AVell, if you would be merciful, be merciful in your own cause. jNIany will plead for indulgence to malefactors, yet in their own business they have no indulgence to those who offend them. It beseems a judge to be very pitiful when he is wronged himself, but it beseems him to be very righteous and just when the public calls him.
Obs. 10. Mercy is fu-st, and judgment afterwards. “Keep mercy and judgment.” The Scripture makes a difference between our respect to mercy and judgment: thus, Micah vi. 8, “What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” A pre-eminence must be given to mercy, mercy must not only be shown, but loved; justice must be done.
Obs. IL The mixture of mercy and judgment is very comely. “Keep mercy and judgment.” The Scripture joins them very often: “I will sing of mercy and judgment,” Psal. ci. 1. “He that followeth after righteousness and mercy flndeth life, righteousness, and honour,” Prov. xxi. 21. “Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous,” Psal. cxii. 4. And in Jer. ix. 24, the Lord seems to gloiy in this his righteousness as well as in his mercy; saith the Lord, Let no man glory in the flesh; “but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth:” let him glory in this, that he knows that I am such a God; this is my glory, that I am both righteous and merciful.
Now for the several rules: First, When mercy should be shown. Secondly, AVhen judgment should be executed. How men should be directed to mix both these together.
First, JNIercy should be shown,
1. AVhen men ofl’end by infirmity, tln’ough weakness, and not through wilfulness.
Oh that we would consider of this! Our brethren that sometimes differ from us in judgment and in practice, consider. Do they appear, in any of their ways, to be wilful in their way? can you take it upon your consciences, that it is through obstinacy or any wicked principles that they walk otherwise than you? does it not appear in all their other ways that they walk humbly and conscionably, that if they be in the wrong, yet it is through mere weakness thai; they cannot discern the truth, which thou thinkest thou dost see? Now thou shouldst be merciful towards them, and carry not thyself in a rigid, severe, bitter, and harsh way towards them, but in a merciful way; mercy when the offence arises from infirmity.
2. When the ottender is ah-cady sensible of his offence.
3. When there may be as much good done by a fair, gentle, and merciful carriage, as by a harsh and rigid demeanour.
4. Especially when any begin to feel passion arise in their hearts, and a spirit of revenge to stir in them, above all times, then is the time for mercy. Examine thy heart, thou hast to deal with thy brother; now see whether there do not begin to arise passion and revenge in thy spirit towards him, now is the time for mercy; it is not the fit time for judgment, it is not a fit time to give judgment, nor for thee to execute judgment, but now is the time for mercy.
Secondly, Judgment should be “kept,” especially,
1. ‘When called to manifest hatred against sin.
2. “Vhen the public good requires it; when you cannot bo merciful to one, but you must be cruel to another. As in many things wherein men would be merciful, the truth is, the mercy they show to some is cruelty to others: and when thou hast the least interest in a business, then there is the most like to be the time for judgment.
“Keep mercy.”
“Keep;” not only do some acts of mercy, but
“keep mercy.”
!Many men, in some good moods, oh how pitiful are they! how merciful! but come to them at another time, and how rigid, how sovu’ arc they then! how bitter, how cruel, how harsh are they! We have found it so by experience. You can say of such a man. Oh! what sweet converse had we together, and what a sweet-tempered man he was! how loving, how meek, how gentle, how pitiful! But come to him now, how harsh and rugged! yea, extremely bitter in his expressions, mightily tiu-ned, as if he were not the same man. “Keep mercy,” keep it. Docs God at any time melt thy heart, and make thee ap])rehensive of thy need of mercy? does thy heart begin to bleed towards thy brethren? O, keep it, keep this temper; the Lord keep this in the thoughts and purposes of thy heart for ever. It should be the care of Christians, not only to do that which is good, but to keep their hearts in such a constant frame. Oh that some of you would but call to mind the days of old! Was there not a time in which your hearts did melt towards your brethren, and you had sweet converse and communion with them; what is become of those spii-its now? O, turn to that gracious, sweet temper again; and if ever God reduce you to that temper, keep it. Consider what is it that
ClIAP. XII.
has changed my heart, what has brought me to it. Now if God does discover how thou hast lost that sweetness of thy heart, oh! labour to repent and turn to God, and resolve, If ever God bring me to that temper again, (as sometimes, through his mercy, I have felt,) I hope, through his grace, that I shall keep myself in that temper. Oh! how hapjiy were it with us, if, when God brings our hearts into a good temper, we had but hearts to keep them in the same! “Keep mercy.”
“And judgment.” “Keep judgment” too. In some acts you find men very just, while in others they will be false enough. But now it should be our care to be as is sa’d of God in Jer. 1. 7, “the habitation of justice:” so also it should be in the courts of justice, they should be indeed “the habitation of justice.” Perhaps sometimes, in some one cause, a man may have justice in a court; yea, but if it be not so in all causes, and at all times, justice is not “kept.” Justice should be always ’ at home; a court should be always the habitation of judgment. And so it should be in families, and in individuals. It may be thou wert some time just in thy ways; yea, but then thou hadst not a temptation to unjust dealing. Some men, by a temptation, are brought to such unjust dealing, that if a man had said some years ago that thou wouldst have done such things, you would have been ready to exclaim, ‘• What, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?” 2 Kings viii. 13. When a man is once engaged in any unjust way, he will go on; therefore keep judgment.
“And wait on thy God continually.” That is, do not satisfy yourselves in’ duties of mercy and judgment only, but worship God: for by waiting on God is meant the exercise of spu’itual graces, wherein the worship of God consists, wherein we come to make God to be our God. As it is not enough for men to think they worship God, and yet make no conscience of the second table; so neither is it enough for men to make conscience of the second table, and not to worship God. It may be some of you are very just; yea, but what worship of God is there in your families, and in your own hearts? Do your souls worship God, and sanctify the name of God in all your ways? Therefore to the words, “Turn thou to thy God, keep mercy and judgment,” is added, “and wait on thy God continually.”
“Wait on thy God.” Let us consider how we are to wait on God.
1. In faith. The basis or foundation of waiting, is faith; to believe there is good in God, help, supply in him, and in him alone, however contrary things seem to be. I believe there is help in God alone, and not in those base ways into which my cwrupt heart before led me.
2. In the use of the means which God has appointed for the attaining of my desires.
3. In an earnest looking out for mercy. I believe here is mercy, and no where else; I attend on God for it in the use of these means, and I look out for mercy.
4. In quiet submi-ssion in the mean lime, though God stays long. That is true waiting, not to be discontented, not to have my heart sink, though God stays long.
5. In seeking God all the while. That soul that does this, may be said to wait on God.
Ob.i. 12. A turning heart is a waiting heart. The heart that turns truly to God is taken off from all creature contentments, so as to rest in them, and looks up to God for all help, and for all supply. And this waiting is of vei-y great use to those that are turning to God. Consider of it; is any of you about the work of turning to God? has God begun to make a turn in any of your hearts? Know, that when you are turning to God, you are very like to meet with a great many tilings that may discourage you, many suggestions of the devil and your own hearts: Why should not I go
back again? What good have I gotten by reading and praying I get nothing by it, all will come to nothing at ia-st, Tem|)tations are like to come thick and threefold upon the heart of a sinner turning to God. I am confident 1 am speaking in this to the hearts of all that know what it is to turn to God; there was a time that thou wert departing from God, and then thou wentest on quietly, but ever since God has begun to turn thy heart, oh the thick and threefold temjjtations of the devil that have come to thee! Now this is a very seasonable exhortation; Turn to God and wait upon him, be not discouraged; notwithstanding all difficulties, fears, temptations, and discouragements, from men, and devils, and thine own heart, yet wait upon God and keep in his way.
Oh! it had been happy had this exhortation been set home upon the spirit.s of many to whose hearts the Lord was beginning to give a tmn. Not long since the Lord was beginning to turn thy heart to himself, and thou didst meet with some things that discouraged thee, which has turned thee quite off again. Oh! had but this exhortation come seasonably then, “Turn thou to thy God, and wait upon him;” oh! it had been happy for thee. The Lord make it seasonable now to thee! Oh! remember this text, •’ Turn thou to thy God,” and “wait upon him continually.”
“Wait.” Oh! there is reason that thou shouldst wait upon God. Thou sayest. If I had comfort, and if I were sure I should be saved at last, though I have discouragements from men, yet, if I had but comfort from God, then I could be content: yea, but wait, wait for comfort, wait for peace, wait for assurance; God is a great God, and is worthy to be waited on. There are some reasons why we should wait upon God.
1. Men that are above others will take state upon them, and they will be waited on. God is great, and therefore wait upon him.
2. We are vile creatures and unworthy, and therefore let us wait. If a beggar should rap and rap, and you come and see it to be a beggar, your heart rises upon him; if he beg, he must wait if you be busy. We are beggars, and therefore it is fit we should wait.
o. God has waited on us a long time. How long did God wait u])on thee? It may be thou wert twenty years old before thou didst begin to turn to God, perhaps thou wert thirty or forty years old, and God was waiting upon thee to be gracious all that time; God was waiting for opportunity to do thee good, therefore wait thou now upon God.
4. What we wait for is worth our waiting. If a man believed there were nothing but scraps to be had at last, then he wovdd not wait so long; but if he hoped some great thing was to be gotten, then he would wait. When beggars come to a mean house, they knock at the door and stay a little, and if they give them nothing, away they will go; but if they come to great houses, or coaches, they will wait, though it be long, and run a great way after them. That which we wait for is worth thousands of worlds f we wait for the pardon of sin, we wait for the assurance of God’s love, we wait for the shedding abroad of the Holy Ghost in our hearts; we wait for rich treasure, and know that there is enough to be had in God: your waiting will pay for all.
5. It is a great part of God’s worship to wait upon him. It is not the wor.ship of God, only to pray, and hear the word, and receive sacraments; but when you are waiting you ai-e worshipping of God.
6. God is all this while preparing mercy for you. Sui)pose a .scrivener write something for you; well, the thing is not yet done; yea, but he is writing as fast as he can. Know, O thou soul who art turning to God, all the while thou art waiting God is working; God is .setting all bis attributes on work for thy good while thou art waiting, and therefore wait on thy God.
7. God is infinitely -wise, and he knows when it is best for us to have the mercy, he knows the times and seasons; wait then still upon God, for “the Lord is a God of judgment.” Alas! we are hasty, we cannot judge when the time is fittest, but God is “a God of judgment,” and therefore wait upon him: should we have a mercy just when we would, our mercy would undo us, and therefore let us wait.
O my brethren, we have as much encouragement here in this land to wait upon God as ever any people had. We would fain have had the wars ended, and we began to murmur and repine because it was not done, Oh, but we will not wait; therefore we will not turn; and those that turn to God least will wait least upon him, and those that turn to God most will wait most upon him. I)o not you see that God has wrought abundance of good for us by deferring what we would have? Suppose we had had no opposition at the beginning of the parliament, but that the king had agreed, and said. You shall have your desires. Our desires then were limited to some few things, as the abolition of ship money, tonnage and poundage of monopolies, &c., and the granting of triennial parliaments, and the like. Now what abundance has God wrought by deferring what we would have had! Oh, it is good for people to wait upon God. Let us look back to our murmurings and repinings all this while; true, we have suffered something; yea, but has not God wrought good out of our sufferings? And suppose there should be fears of new storms arising, oh, let us not say we will wait no longer. Take heed of foolish resolutions of yoiu’ own. God is wisest, leave God to do his own work; keep the way of God and go on in your duty, and then let God work his own ends, either by war or peace, as he pleases, only “wait thou upon thy God.”
“Continually.” It is fit for us to wait. Yea, but we have waited a long time. Well, but yet know that you are at the right door. Suppose a man be knocking at a door, and he has knocked a great while and nobody comes, he begins to think it is not the right door, but somebody tells him that it is, and thereon he stays: so we may assure our hearts thus much, we are at the right door certainly, and let us not think to go away, we shall find somebody within, God will appear at length. What! shall we lose all for want of waiting a little while longer? Thus it is with many wretched apostates, that have taken a great deal of pains in seeking after God a great while, and for want of waiting a little longer they have lost all. Oh, let there be this resolution in your hearts. If I die and perish, yet I will die and perish waiting upon God. Certainly the soul which has this resolution will never come to despau-; yea, there is no such way for the hastening of mercy, as for a soul to lie flat at the feet of God: Let God do what he will with me; if I perish, I will perish waiting upon him; though he kills me, I will trust in him, and stay upon him. You have waited; how long, I pray P Oh, you have been waiting and seeking God it may be this half year, or twelve months. What is that, I pray? O thou wretched soul! thou hast deserved eternal flames, .and- wilt thou grudge waiting on God a few years? If God would keep thee waiting all thy days, (as he has done many,) and at the last manifest himself unto thee, thou hast cause to bless God for ever; and therefore do not grudge though thou hast been waiting a wlide, and it may be, though thy time is come, yet God’s time is not come. The time which you call long, God calls not so; one day with God is as a thousand years; it is no time with God, and therefore do not complain of the length of thy time. But for waiting, and that “continually,” there are further reasons.
1. Your betters have waited longer. Read but Psal. lxxxviii., and there you will find one better than you
who waited all his time. The Lord was pieased to work grace upon him when he was young, his heart was turned to God then; and you may find in the text, that fi-om his youth up, the terrors of God were upon him. “Wait thou upon thy God continually.”
2. You cannot better yourself. Whither wilt thou go, poor soul? now you are seeking God, you have not wh?t you would have, whither will you go? Can you mend yourself any way? if you cannot, then wait upon God “continually.”
3. It may be before God began to turn thy heart, thou didst think mercy was easy to be obtained, that it was nothing to believe; thou didst wonder that people spake so much of the hardness of believing, in thine eyes it was easy. Well, the Lord is now working upon thy heart, and would humble thee for those slight thoughts which thou hadst of faith; the Lord will have thee to know, that believing in his grace requires a mighty work of God, even the same power which raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Be humbled for thy slight thoughts about the work of faith, and know, that this (it may be) is the thing which God intends in so long keeping thee so low, that thou mayst come to see that faith requires the mighty power of God to work it; that so thou mayst give glory to God whenever thy heart shall be raised by the work of faith to believe in him, and to be enabled to triumph in him, and say, “Lo, this is our God, we have waited on him,” and this is the God of my salvation. And therefore, you that are turning to God, wait upon your God continually.
Ver. 7. He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he toveth to oppress.
This scripture, though it seem somewhat harsh, and hai’d to read, yet it may be a good providence of God that has brought it before us at this time.
The scope of the prophet and connexion here is. We may exhort, but so long as their hearts are covetous, and set upon their way of getting gain, they will never regard what we say; they will not turn to God, they will not hear of it, but will rather turn a deaf ear to all entreaties. This indeed is the guise of men who have great dealings in the world, and whose hearts are set upon their riches, let the most glorious truths possible be set before them, yet they are as nothing to them. We read in Luke xvi. of Christ himself preaching before a company of men, and some of them being very covetous; mark what the text saith, ver. 14, “Aud the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him,” they blew their noses at him, so the word signifies, they scorned him. Christ spake of excellent and •““”“”’P’f“”’- divine mysteries, some of his auditors had dealings in the world, and great estates, and they scofied at his words: Tell us of such things as these! tell us of ways of gain, how we may come to enrich ourselves. Similar seems to have been the disposition of some of the auditors of Hosea at this time, therefore saith he,
“He is a merchant.” The word |y:3 here translated “amerchant,” signifies a Canaanite, and may be rendered according to the very letter. He is a Canaanite, for in Hebrew the word for Canaanite and merchant is the same. Thus Job xli. 6, “Shall they part him among the merchants?” among the Canaanites: and Prov. xxxi. 24, She “delivereth girdles unto the merchants;” the Hebrew is, to the Canaanites. Now the reason why a merchant and a Canaanite are synonymous in Scripture is, because the country of Canaan was much given to merchandise, and indeed much to deceit. As astrologers were called Chaldeans, because Chaldea was famous for mathematicians; and robbers and thieves were called Arabians, because the inhabitants of Arabia
Cn.vr. XII.
■ncre addicted to theft; so because Canaan had so many merchants, tlierefbre a Canaanite and a merchant were designated by the same term.
But hero the Holy Ghost calls them not Israelites, mark, he saith not, You are an Israelite, but a Canaanite; and that by way of upbraiding them, as if because they had degenerated so much from Israel, spoken of before, he would not call them Israelites, but Canaanites.
06.5. 1. Men by their sin may lose the honour of their progenitors.
06s. 2. Though the calling of a merchant is not only a lawful, but a very honourable employment, yet the abuse of it may make it very contemptible. If it be abused and corrupted it may become very contemptible; for so here the Holy Ghost does cast such a word upon them, to show how, through their corruption, they had rendered contemptible a calling that was Iionourable, and brought ignominy upon themselves; for though merchants that are subtle may, in the pride of their hearts, rejoice in their craft and cimning, and think that they can circumvent others by their deceit, and get money by over-reaching them, they may glory in this, as if it were a great excellencj- in them, but the Holy Ghost casts contempt upon those; “He is a merchant,” a Canaanite, and “the balances of deceit are in his hand.”
“The balances of deceit are in his hand.” The Lord abhorred their “balances of deceit,” yea, and professed that they are an abomination to him, if you read Lev. xix. 35, 36, “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the Lord,” I am Jehovah. If you will acknowledge me to be the Lord, to be Jehovah, be just in your dealing, have no unjust balances, let there be no injustice in your trading. And in Deut. xxv. 13 — 16, “Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously,” (mark.) “are an abomination to the Lord thy God.” ^luch stress is laid upon it. You think you may take liberty in such things. No, saith the text, all that do such things are “an abomination to the Lord thy God;” deceit in trading is not only a thing that God forbids, but a thing that God abominates. Dost thou profess anj- interest in God? hast thou any hope that God should be merciful to thy soul, to do thee any good? dost thou think that God is thy God? know, this is an abomination then to thy God, to that God in Mhom thou professcst to have some interest. I’rov. xi. 1 confirms this, “A false balance is abomination to the Lord; but a just weight is his delight,” God takes jilcasuro in that.
“The balances of deceit.” Vi’c are to regard this as a synecdoche for all kinds of deceit in trading, though only balances are here mentioned; not only deceitful balances, but measures, and talc, and lights, and mixtures, when they shall mix water and other things with any commodity to make it heavier, or mix bad with good ware, or, by some of their many arts, put a deceitful gloss and appearance on things; or use deceitful words, and make many protestations, yea, even swear deceitful oaths, with regard to the original cost and quality; and deceitful books, and deceitful reckonings; all such things are here condemned, and he who practises them is termed “a Canaanite.” Yet those have their due honour that are righteous in their dealing; but such as make profession of merchandise, and are not righteous in their dealings, cannot think much that the Scripture should call them, by way of upbraiding. ‘■ a Canaanite.”
Even a joining with others in deceit is included in this: as if a man, who knows the way they take is to cozen others, yet to get gain he will be content to join with them to partake a part of their gain: these things, and perhaps your own consciences would tell you of abundant more that you know of, of the mysteries of inicpiity that there are in trading. As we read of those in the Kevelation, that were under the ])ower of antichrist, they might not buy nor sell, except they had the mark of the beast upon them. And the truth is, among a great part, if not most, of our buyers and sellers, there is the mark of the beast upon them, deceitfulness and falseness among them; and because this is thought to bo so light a matter, therefore the Scripture lays the more weight upon it. And so much as the time will give me leave, I .shall labour to lay some weight upon this, of deceitfulness in ways of trading.
“The balances of deceit are in his hand.” Hereby (saith a learned interpreter on the place) is intimated a continual and perpetual S“p“‘rpe’iuum’”t’u“-’” study and endeavour to deceive, he has j’™™- ^“•’■- ‘” it at hand, it is in his hand continually. In the forecited ])lace, Deut. xxv., men are forbidden to have a false weight in then’ bag; you must not keep a felse weight in your house, much less in your hand.
Or, it may be, he alludes to those that have a sleight of hand to make the balances turn one way or the other, so that their customers shall not perceive it.
“He loveth to oppress.” “^Miat oppression is there in trading? If I buy a commodity and sell it again, what oppression can there be? There may be oppression in trading, as thus:
1. In monopolizing commodities. “WTien a few men get a trade into their own hand, and make such use of it for themselles that poor men who have been brought up to it, and lale no other means of livelihood, are not able to live by it, this is oppression. Certainly this monopolizing in trading is a great oppression: the Lord has in great measure delivered us from it, but yet not wholly, there is a great cry against it in many parts of the land still.
2. ^^’^hen men take the advantages of the weaknesses of those with whom they deal in their trading; but especially when they take advantage of men’s necessities, that is, if such a man must sell his commodity, now for men to take advantage of his necessity, and therefore beat it down, so as even almost to undo a man in the very things he is necessitated to sell. I verily believe you know the meaning of such tilings as these are.
Or now, those who work upon the like necessity in buying, as sometimes when men must at a certain season bring over certain commodities, you will let them lie to the last, that so you may have them at any rate; and so when you come to know that men nnist needs have a commodity of you, then to raise the jjrice so as they cannot live upon it, this is even to drink their- very blood, this is oppression.
3. In wronging the poor of their rightful wages. There are many poor men, that are servants to you who are merchants and tradesmen, they live upon their labour, and they must come and fetch commodities of you, that they may live; now you, knowing their necessity, that they must have your work, therefore beat down their wages, and give not unto them so that they may maintain their families. Y’ou will say, I do not wrong them, if they do not, others will. It may be, but it does not excuse you.
4. In the oppression of debtors. AVhen tradesmen have gotten poor men into their debts, then they will make them that they shall buy of them, and of none other, and so will put oft’ on them their braided ware, and that at a dear rate. You will say. We sell it them. Yea, but you force them to buy of you; for if they
should go from you, then you fall upon theni, and put them into prison, or evil entreat them some other way. This is to love to oppress, to take the advantage of men’s necessities when they are gromi poor. Certainly these things are grievous to the Spirit, and abominable in the eyes of God. These are rebuked here; and that you may see that there is a gi-eat deal of evil in these balances of deceit,” and oppression in trading, do but consider these particulars:
1. Observe how this is introduced in my text, as oppo.<ite to turning to God. “Turn thou to thy God;” then presently, “He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his” hand; he loveth to oppress.” Those who endeavour to get gain to themselves by any deceit or oppression, these are men that yet have not turned to God. Thou hast not turned to Jehovah, thy heart is not turned to him, thy heart is turned to the earth, the earth is thy portion, and the tilings of the earth thine inheritance; it is not God that thou hast chosen, thou hast not turned unto him.
2. Thou dost certainly not know the nature of sin, who darest venture the least sin for the greatest gain; had God ever enlightened and awakened thy conscience to see the true nature of sin, thou wouldst rather lose all thy estate, and be clothed with rags all thy days, than willingly commit the least sin to get the greatest estate. It was a saying of Austin, That there must not be so much as an officious lie; that is, a lie when a man intends no hurt, but good; yet this must not be told, saith he, no, not to save the souls of all the world. Surely then a lie must not be told to get twelve pence in a bargain, or five shillings, or fifty shillings, or five pounds; it must not be told to save the souls of all in the world. Now to tell a lie to deceive others as well as thyself, surely God has not yet laid the weight of sin upon your souls; the day is yet to come, that you shall know (perhaps to all eternity) what the weight and burden of sin mean.
3. Certainly you do not trust in God; you may speak of trusting in God, but it is apparent by this, that you have jealous thoughts of God, that you do not believe that God takes care of you. And here is not only sin, but an evidence of your misery; you are in such a condition, that your own consciences condemn you, and tell you that God takes no care of you, for did you believe that God cared for you, had a care over your body, estate, and soul, then wouldst thou leave all to God; I will cast my care upon God, I will go on in God’s way, and leave all other things to him. But now, when a man is low in the world, and would fain rise higher, or would provide a certain portion for his children, and he falls to deceiving, and thinks to obtain it that way, the plain explicit English of it is, For my part, I dare not trust God to take care for me, and that which I think God does for me is not enough; if I trust to God’s blessing, I may be a poor man, my children may be poor: I dare not then trust to promises, nor protections, nor providences, but I must take my own way. The truth is, the language practically amounts to this, I cannot get an estate by God, and therefore I will see what I can do by the devil.
4. All duties of religion that thou performest are rejected by God. You who are conscious to yourselves of falseness in your ti’ading, and, it may be, have gone on many days and years in your ways, I say, all the duties of religion that you perform are rejected by God; you u-iU deceive, and yet come to hear, and deceive again, and yet hear, and so make the duties of religion subserve as a colour to your deceit, ‘lnio would suspect that a man so forward in matters of religion should be so deceitful? Oh! cursed is that wickedness above all wickedness; it is aggravated by this, when thou makest religion to be a colour of deceit, know that God casts all thy profession and duties
2 M
as filth and dung back again in your face. ‘■ Thou hast,” saith Ezek. xxviii. 18, “defiled thy sanctuaries;” how? “by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic.” By the iniquity of thy irojjic thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries. You go abroad, and there you traffic, and deceive, and put off’ false commodities, and have false reckonings, and the like: now you come into the sanctuary; oh, but you defile the sanctuary by the multitude of your iniquity; and among other iniquities, the iniquity of your traffic is that which especially defiles the ordinances of God to you. In Micah vi. S, when those hypocrites had said, What shall we do? shall we come with “thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil.’” saith the prophet, “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly,” &c.? As if he shoitld say, Though you come with all these things, it is all to no purpose, whatsoever offerings you offer to God, it is all nothing, except you “do justly.”
5. There is a curse mingled with every thing which thou dost enjoy. Though, it may be, some things are gotten honestly, yet (I say) there is a curse mingled in all things thou docst, it venoms and poisons every thing thou doest. In Zech. v. 2, 3, there was a flying roll of twenty cubits, and the breadth of it ten cubits: “then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth;” for whom? “for every one that stealeth shall be cut off,” &c. Every bit of meat which thou dost eat at thy table, thou mayst look upon as dipped in the curse of God: I have gotten this by deceit. Thou wouldst be loth to have every bit of meat rolled up in dut and so put into thy mouth; but know, O fraudulent man! thine every bit of meat is rolled up in the curse of God.
6. Surely thou, who art guilty of this deceit in the way of trading, canst not pray if thou comest to prayer; sui’ely thy conscience is very blind, for when thou art conscious to thyself of deceit, how canst thou come into the presence of a righteous God? Canst thou say, O righteous Father? darest thou come into the presence of such a holy and righteous God, who professes to abominate thy ways? Surely thy conscience must be very blind, if thou dost not understand the evil of thy sin. It may be, at first, in thy trading, thy conscience did trouble thee for a little time, thou hadst misgiving thoughts; but thou hast worn them out, and so art ready to bless thyself that thou hast gotten over such a difficulty as that is: thy condition is far worse. Or if not, if thy conscience be not seared with a hot iron, then thou wilt be terrified. I verilj- think that those who have any light left in them dare not go to prayers. Oh! dost thou so prize a little gain, as to take away the freedom of thy spirit, and the holy boldness of thy heart in prayer? Oh how shouldst thou say to gain. Get thee hence as a menstruous cloth!
7. Know, that if thou shouldst come to make use of thy estate in any good work, God rejects it. Isa. lxi. S, “For I the Lord love judgment, 1 hate robbery for burnt-offering.” What! will you get by deceit an estate, and come and offer it to me? I abhor it. saith God. Chrj’sostom saith, A^^ly dost thou despise and dishonour God thus, in bringing unclean tilings to him? it is a reproach to God: a man who has gotten an estate by deceit, if he brings his estate to any service of God, he thereby reproaches God.
8. Know that God will avenge such things. It may be the poor man whom thou oppressest in thy trading cannot right himself upon thee, because a bargain is a bargain, you will say. Yea, but God will come over with the bargain again; it may be you have done with him in your bargain, but God has not done with you.
You will say to him. You saw what it was, and you bought the thing of me as it was, and I have nothing
to say to you; but God has much to say to you on this point. Mark those two scriptures: first, in Micah vi., the Lord having shown what he did require, lliat men should be just in their ways, adds, in vcr. 1 1 — 13, ‘• Shall I count them jnire with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? for the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee.” O, when God comes to smite thee, he will make thee sick to i)urpose; sickness to such men as have defiled consciences in their trading is dreadful sickness indeed: as if God should say. You shall have no great content in what you have; 1 will be avenged on you for what you do; either you or your heirs shall not enjoy it. But the second text is one which concerns Christians very much, a place that cannot possibly have escaped the notice of those of you that are exercised in Scripture, 1 Thcss. iv. 6, “That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter.” You must not go beyond your brother. Y’our brother is weak; you will say, Let the weaker look to it as well as he can. No, you must not take advantage of his weakness, he is your brother; you must not defraud him, no, not “in any matter:” why? “because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.”
And know, this day the Lord forewarns you once more, and by the ministry of his word does testify’ against you in this respect; and if you wilt go on in any way of deceit, you go on against the very strength of the word and strength of conscience this day, and this word preached this day to you shall certainly testify against you another day.
9. IIow terrible will death be to such men, when they shall leave the sweet of all their estates, and carry nothing but the guilt of all with them! In Job xxvii. 8, “What is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?” Sometimes men seek to deceive, and they are discovered, and so rendered base and contemptible to all the world; yea, but sometimes they may carrj’ it so cunningly, that they shall never be discovered perhaps in this world, but they shall gain, and say with Ephraim here, “I am become rich, I have found me out substance;” but “what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained?” what profit shall it be, though thou hast gained’ the whole world and thou shalt lose thy own soul?
10. Thou must restore, if thou hast any estate now, or if thou dost ever get one; restoration must be made, or thou canst not expect to find mercy from God, all thy sorrow, cries, and jjrayers arc vain; without restitution, there cannot be expectation of pardon and forgiveness. The ancient s])eech that all divines in all ages of the church have closed withal was, There must be restitution of that which is falsely gotten; if it be in thy power to do it, thou must restore it, or else thou canst not have any hope of mercy; those sweet morsels which you have swallowed must be vomited up again. And therefore, you that are apprentices, take heed of being deceitful to ])lease your masters, for if ’ you have a hand in it you must restore. I will give you Scripture and reason, why it is impossible that any kind of repentance can be accepted of God without restitution.
1. Because, if I have power to restore, all the while I do not restore I continue in the sin; I do not only wrong the man-just the very hovir I have deceived him, but all the while 1 keep that which is his in my hand: this is the reason why that repentance can never be accepted of God, which consists with a wilful continuance in the sin that a man seems to repent of. Do I repent of my sin, and yet wilfully continue in the sin? I say, wilful, for I have it in my hand to restore, f’,
but I shall undo myself. Yea, but that is wilful still; is it better for thee to keep an estate or to keep a sin? Now, certainly any man that has any light must needs acknowledge thus much. That if I truly repent me of my sin, I must, as far as I possibly can, undo my sin; can I say, I am heartily sorry for a sin, when’ I do not what I can to undo that sin?
2. There are divers scriptures commanding restitution; I will give you two or three. Ezek. xxxiii. 14, 15, “Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.” He does not “walk in the statutes of life,” except he “give again that he had robbed.” So in Numb. v. 6, 7, you have the law about restitution; “XMien a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the Lord, and that person be guilty; then they shall confess their sin which they have done.” Is this all? No; mark: “and he shall reconi])ense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth ])art thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath ti-espassed.” He must confess his sin; yea, but that is not enough, he must recompense the paity. This is a most excellent scripture. Mark, it is said here, “If a man shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the Lord;” it is not only against man, but “against the Lord,” against the rule of justice which the Lord has set for the maintaining of order and human society in the world. And then observe further: “If a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass.” You will say, I do no other than all tradesmen do. Mark the text, “If a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit;” as if the Holy Ghost should say, I confess it is a common sin, but though it be ordinarily committed by men, though there should be confession of that sin, yet if there be not restitution, it will do you little good. I remember Latimer, in one of the sermons that he preached before King Edward, speaking of this very point of restitution, saith, that the first day that he preached about it there came one and gave him twenty pounds to restore; the next time he preached another brought him thirty pounds; and on another occasion there came another and gave him two hundred pounds ten shillings. He uses this homely expression, “Restore what you have gotten, else you will cough in hell, and the devUs will laugh at you.” Certainly it is that which will lie heavy upon conscience; gravel in the kidneys will not grate so upon you as a little guilt on your consciences. I myself knew one man who had wronged another but of five shillings, and it seems he did not much regard it, the sum being so small; yet God awakening his conscience fifty years after, he could not rest till he had restored that five shillings. And therefore know, that though it be many years since you have gotten any thing by deceit and wrong, yet ijod will (if he has a love to you) constrain you to restore it. Oh what foolish lusts are the lusts of covetousness! As the apostle saith. Those that will be rich fall into many foolish lusts: this sin of covetousness and deceitfuiness brings men into foolish lusts, and makes men pierce themselves through with many sorrows. And on that God would pierce them with some sorrow this day, that they might never have one night’s quiet rest, till they at least resolve in their hearts that they will commence the work of restitution.
And even those of you that hav- made false agreements with your creditors, if God awakens your consciences, I see not how you can quiet tlicm till you satisfy your creditors: these things will not be peace another day.
Now the Lord convince those that, hearing the word of God, are guilty, and know that God will call for an account of this thing, and of this test that through prondeiice has been preached to them this day.
Ver. 8. And Ephraim said. Vet I am become rich, I have found me out aubstance: in all mii labours they xhalljind none iniquity in me that were sin.
In the verse l)efore Ephraim is charged for being a ‘• merchant,” for having “the balances of deceit in his hand,” and loving to oppress. But “Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich.”
‘■ Y’et.” The particle ■!!» signifies, here, nevertheless; as if they should say. Let the prophet say what he will, let him inveigh against me as he pleases, I know not what he means by his deceit and oppression, I am sure I gain well by it. “Yet I am become rich;”’ I am sure I prosper in this way, and that is enough for me.
‘•I have found me out substance.” The word ^1^? here translated •’ substance,” signifies sometimes iniquity, labour, violence, rapine, affliction, riches, an idol; all these things this word signifies: indeed most of them, if not all. are usually acconipaniments of riches in the hands of the wicked.
The Greeks call riches avatfjvxpiv, rest, refi’eshing to the soul. They account the great refreshing and rest to their souls to be in their riches, however acquuod.
“Substance.” Those things which the prophet tells us of are but notions, imaginations; but in what I have found there is “substance;” to have an estate, and riches, and incomings, in them is substance. “I have found me out substance.” Hence,
Obs. 1. Wicked men will have something to say for themselves, though their ways be never so foul. The prophet brings heavy charges against them, “the balances of deceit,” and loving to oppress, and other sins before named; yet Ephraim saith; he hath somewhat to say. It is a very hard thing to stop the mouths of wicked men, and especially of the rich wicked; wicked men that prosper in then’ wickedness, say what you will, you cannot stop their mouths. The work of conversion is not so much as begun till the mouths of sinners be stopped, till they be so convinced of thenevil ways that they have nothing to say for themselves.
06*’. 2. Wicked men may prosper for a while in their evil coui’ses. “Ephr-aim said. Yet I am become rich.” It is true, sometimes God meets with wicked men, and curses them in their way, so that they have not their desire satisfied; but often they have, they do become rich, they get then- hearts’ desires: Job xxi.; Psal. lxxiii., and many other places.
04s. 3. Wicked men attribute to themselves their prosperity and riches. “I am become rich, I have found substance.” They do not look up to God, indeed they dare not; those whose gains are sinful, dare not acknowledge God in them. This is the evil of getting any thing in a way of sin, that a man cannot come to God and say. Lord, I bless thee that thou hast given me this. No, his conscience would fly in his face. Wicked men attribute all to themselves: this is a very wicked and vile thing. Dent. vi. 12, “Then” (speaking of their having houses and lands in Canaan) “beware lest thou forget the Lord,” and only look at thyself, and atti-ibute all to thyself The “great and goodly cities,” “and houses full of all good things,” are given to thee by the Lord thy God, “which sware unto thy fathers.”
Obs. 4. Carnal heai-ts account riches the only substantial things. “I have found me out substance.” They think there is no substance in other things. Y’^ou speak of spiritual things, of communion with God, of faith in Jesus Christ, and of the promises, they are but poor dry things, that have no substance in them; but
tell me of gain, and incomings, there is some savour there, m them there is substance. Indeed nothing gives substance to spiritual things but faith: in Ileb. xi. 1, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith gives a substance to things spu-itual, a believer looks upon them as substantial, and regards these outward things as imaginary. Carnal hearts think spiritual things imaginary, and an outward estate substantial: the word of God is quite contrary to these. Thus in Prov. viii. 21, wisdom saith, “That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance;” that is, as if nothing had a substance but only that which comes in by wisdom, by grace. We call rich men substantial men; Such a man, we say, is a substantial man; for indeed all the substance that the world looks after is riches, they account them substance.
Obs. 5. Carnal hearts much gloi-y in their possessions. “I am become rich, I have found me out substance.” They make their boast in what they have got, they bless themselves in their way. In Zeph. i. 9, it is spoken of the very servants of rich, covetous men, who seek to get an estate but to their masters, in a way either of violence or of deceit, they “leap on the threshold.” They triumph, and leap in theii- rejoicings, that they have cLixumvented others, that they have got such and such things to their masters; much more then will the masters themselves leap and rejoice in the having their hearts’ desires filled: they glory in it.
Obs. 6. Carnal hearts, that have gotten estates by sinful means, seek to relieve their guilty consciences with the consideration of the outward comforts they enjoy. The prophet charges them with their sin, charges the guilt of their sin upon them. But we are rich, say they, and we inherit substance. Wicked men will seek to relieve then’ consciences, then- guilt)’ consciences, by rejoicing in their riches, and in their estates, and in what they have got. In Isa. lvii. 10, you have a scri])- ture somewhat suitable to this; “Thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.” It may be, if a man goes on in an evil way, and does not prosper in it, God crossing him, then he begins to bethink himself. Is not this a smful way? does not God oppose me in it? and then he begins to be grieved. But if he can find the life of his hand go on, and he prosper and have what he desires, then he will not be grieved, then his heart is hardened. Wicked men will set their riches and estates against all their guiltines.=, and think they will countervail it. I beseech you, weigh this matter well, consider that there is no more full and sure sign of a worldly man than this, that he can think to relieve his conscience in the guilt of the least sin, by the enjoyment of the things of the world; that he can set the good things of the world against the guilt of sin, that he can put any thing in the world in the balance to down-weigh the least guilt of any sin. Herein is evidenced a worldly, wretched heart: thou dost bless thyself in thy great estate, but hast thou contracted no guilt at all in its acquisition? Thou canst not say but some guiltiness has been contracted; yea, but this contents thee, so much gain has been the result. Oh! thou art a wretched man, that canst set the gain in the world against the least guilt that thou hast contracted. Oh! it has been an ill bargain, riches got by guilt; thou hast made (I say) an ill bargain for thyself. Thou knowost not God, knowest not with whom thou hast to deal, that canst set any gain by sin for to countervail the evil of that guilt’ that thou hast committed for the getting of that gain of thine.
Obs. 1. Wicked men labour to persuade themselves that God is not altogether so displeased with them as many would persuade them. Surely, if my condition were so dangerous as you would persuade me to, I should not prosper so much in my way as I do, I should not get riches so as I do. Upon this they begin to think
that God is of their mind, as in Psal. 1. 21, “Thou fhoughtest that I was ahogether such an one as thyself.’’ “We find by experience that when men are under aflliction, wlicii Gods hand is upon them, they- hcgin to think that he does not like their ways; but ■wlicn llicy go on and prosper they are ready to think that God’ap])roves. There is a notable story concerning tho mother of Lombard, Gratian, and C’oinestor, (the first, the Master of the Sentences; the second, the comjiiler of a great part of the pope’s law, the Decretal Epistles; the third, the author of the Scholastical History, the best man and book of the three,) ail famous men, and all three bastards; now when their mother came to make her confession to the priest, she could not acknowledge much evil in her whoredoms, nor find her heart much grieved or troubled on account of them; and when the priest ui’ged her to repent and do penance, she replied that the thing might be evil which she did, yet that the pros- ])erity and eminent usefulness of three such sons might well cover her transgressions. Thus it is ordinarily; men think the magnitude of the sin lessened by the greatness of the success. The people they may laugh ropuiusme.ibii.it, at me, (saith a covetous man,) but I at mihi piaudo ip.e applaud mvself at homo, as I contemdomi »imul Hc num- i i *.,,
mos contempior in plate the money m the chest; so long as I see comings-in, let men talk what they will, I cannot believe that things are so bad as they report, that God is so much against me, my prosperity surely is an indication of his favour. These are the reasonings of a carnal heart. Of Diovi,ieiis (mam i)ona nysius it is related, that when he had di’iJ’frcriftSi’tShu- committed sacrilege, and had a good aiuj vaj. Minimus, vovage after it, he said. You tell me of ■”’’■ sacrilege, but see what a good voyage
the gods themselves have granted me. Oh, these are heathenish reasonings, and yet I fear they are not altogether rooted out of such as profess themselves Christians. “Ye who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters,” it may be if you meet with an ill voyage, then you begin to recollect yourself. What sin have I been guilty of? but now, if your voyage be jirosperous, though you have contracted much guilt upon your spirits while you were at land, vet prospering in your voyage, you never think but all is well. Oh no, a good voyage “is no sign of the absence of guilt; as sometimes 1 “have told you, that a painted face is no sign of a good complexion: it may be it is the curse of God upon thee that does let thee so to prosper; and if God had any love to thee, he would not let thee to prosper so, he would cross thee in thy ways, that so thou mightest bethink thyself. Another, perhaps, has been as wicked as tho’u, and yet the Lord had a love to him, and he crossed him in his ways, so that he has begun to bethink himself, and cannot rest till he gets the guilt of his sin done away; but for thee, God’s heart it seems is not yet towards thee, he has no love to thee; and if he lets” thee go on and still prosper in a course of sin, this is the fruit of reprobation: and certainly there can scarcely be a greater note of reprobation than prosperity in sin. This is what we should all pray to God to deliver us from; Lord, let us never prosper in sin; if thou seest our way to be naught, that we thereby conti-act guilt upon our .spirits. Lord, let us not thrive and prosper; if we do, a thousand to one but we are undone for ever.
“And Rpliraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found nu’ out substance.”
I’lphraim thus put otf all that the prophet spake. So when Christ was preaching to the Pharisees, the text saith. Those that were rich derided him. Rich, covetous men .slight any thing that is said against them, for they liavc wherewithal, they think, to relieve their consciences against all their guilt. Well, though thou
mayst think to relieve thy conscience for the present, it will not always be so; there is a time that conscience ?n’U speak, and will not be put off with those idle conceits. Obs. 8. The saints believe the word against sense, and carnal hearts believe sense against the word. Herein lies the difference between a godly man and a wicked; I say, one that is godly and has faith, believes the word against sense; Let me go on in a way which I know is God’s way, though I do not prosper, yet I have peace in it, I do not repent me of it: but a wicked man will believe sense against the word; Let the word say my way is never so dangerous, yet if by sense I find that I prosper in it, that shall suffice me. “Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance.”
“In all my labours.” That is, in all that I get by my labours.
“They shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.” That is, let them search, they shall not find in me that which is sin. As if they should say. No, I abhor what you say; to oppress, cheat, and cozen, who can prove it? let any prove if they can that I cheat, or get any thing in a false way; I dai-e any to come and say it; is there any law that can take hold of me? “They shall find no iniquity in me;” though there be some little matter, yet there is nothing for which the law of the land can take hold of me; and if my way be such as no man can take advantage against me by the law, why should I be thus condemned? That is the meaning of these words. Hence,
Obs. 9. Evil things often have good names. “In all my labours.” The truth is, that which is meant here, is that which they had got by op]iression and deceit, and they call it by the name of their labours. So covetousness is called by the name of good husbandry, and following their callings, and the art and mystery of their callings. JIany think to silence their consciences by such shuffling of names.
06s. 10. It is very hard to convince covetous men of their iniquity. Rich, covetous men are much conceited in themselves. “The rich man is wise in his ovm conceit,” Prov. xxviii. 11. You shall sometimes see a man that gets riches; and as we say of some when we look upon their wit, we wonder at their wealth: and others when we look upon their wealth, we wonder at their wit to get an estate: they have wit only to get money, but for any thing else they are ignorant, poor, weak men, especially in matters of religion; as weak as children are they, and yet wise in their own conceits, for they have got that which they see all the world runs after. It is very hard to convince covetous men of their falseness, that they get any thing in a sinful way.
Again, There is no sin more hard to convince a man of than covetousness; and yet the apostle saith, 1 Cor. v. 11, that it is a sin for which a man is to be cast out of the church. AVhen almost did you ever hear of ;i covetous man convinced? what example can you almost ever bring of one that has licen covetous and rich, and got his estate in a false way, that shall come and give glory to God, and acknowledge his sin, and cast up his sweet morsels again? Covetousness is a besotting, a blinding sin: Who shall find any iniquity in me? what do I but that which I may do?
Obs. 1 1. As it is hard to convince, so it is difficult to charge, covetous men with their sin. For so according to some it is, AATio dares charge me? It is a very dangerous thing to charge a rich man of any evil, for he has his purse by his side, and can tell how to revenge himself on you.
06s. 12. Men may in words profess what they themselves are guilty of to be an abominable thing. “They shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.” If I should be false, that were a very horrible and vile tiling. Go to all tradesmen one after another, and
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tell them of cheating, and cozening, and deceiving; they •nill scorn your words, It were a wicked thing, one were unworthy to live. How often, when tradesmen have a mind to cheat, will they profess, that if they should cozen and cheat, they were unworthy to trade any more! Oh what cauterized consciences have many men, that give up themselves to gain, and make Mammon their god! Luther renders it, God di’scStrafESt’“” forbid that I should be found wicked in n-.fU^faciis. Luth. yy actions. Many deep in guilt will clap their hands on their breasts, and when you charge them with having cheated and cozened you, Oh, God forbid that I should do so! they exclaim; and although their consciences will tell them that they have done so, they will be ready to take their oaths, and swear, and use such curses that they never did such a thing, or never had such a thing; and when their books are false, they will swear that they are true.
Obs. 13. Wicked men care not, so others cannot accuse them. If they can carry it so closely that men shall not see it, then they bless themselves; all is well and fail’, if they have cunningly contrived their wickedness, that men cannot charge them with it. A’ho shall find iniquity in me that were sin? Well, though you think yourselves well enough because men cannot find out your sm, yet God can find it out, “be sure your sin will find you out;” God has his time to find out iniquity that will be sin to you, and there is much between God and your consciences, though men cannot charge you. Oh, but if so be that God would but discover to the world what he is able to charge you with, how loathsome would many of you appear to your neighbours! how unfit would you be to trade with men! or who woidd meddle with you? Now certainly your condition is not the better because it is kept so secretly that men cannot charge you; perhaps it would be better if they could, for it might bring you sooner to be humbled for it. You think now, because you have only to deal with God, you can do well enough with him. Do you think it such a matter to deal with the infinite, holy, and glorious God? Servants would be troubled if their masters knew their deceit and cozening; but if a little child knew it they care not for that; so men think it is no matter if God know it, but they are loth that men should know it, that will bring shame and disgrace to them. O carnal, wicked, atheistical heart, that cannot be satisfied if men know the evil, but can rest content though God is conscious to it!
Ohs. 14. A carnal heart extenuates its guilt. Indeed the words may be interpreted, VTho shall find iniquity in me? if they could find it, I would acknowledge it to be a great sin. But I rather take it thus. Who shall find any great iniquity in me? It is but a little overreaching, a little craft and cunning, the matter is not great. Well, that which thou dost account little, the Lord will one day account great; the overreaching and defrauding thy brother, though it be but a sleight of hand, God will find one day to be a great matter.
06s. 15. A soul which God is humbling for good, rather aggravates his sin. That is the way of a true convert, he labours rather to aggravate his sin, to bring all the circumstances he can to make his sin heavy upon his soul. Oh! I find I cannot get my heart to break for my sin, I cannot apprehend the evil of my sin as I would in the greatness of it, and therefore, oh that God would help me to see its magnitude! He studies all the attendant circumstances to make his sin great in his own eyes. But now, a heart that is not wrought upon to a work of repentance, all that he labours for is to lessen his sin, and to have all the reasonings that he can in a way of diminution of his sin. Oh, this is an ill sign!
It is a very ill sign, first, when a man resists conviction as long as he can. Secondly, when, after he can
stand out no longer, then he begins to extenuate his guilt: It is no more than others do; and how should I maintain my family? and I hope men may make the best of what they have. Oh! if the Lord once show thee the evil of sin, all these reasonings will vanish before thee, and thou wilt fall down and humble thyself before God, as one worthy for ever to be cast out from the presence of the Lord; for in this, that thou darest not trust in him. thou seekest to hell to provide for thyself and family, rather than thou wilt de])end upon God.
Obs. 16. If wicked men can but escape the danger of law, that is all they care for. “They shall find none iniquity in me that were sin:” that is, by the law. Oh how many are there whom you may easily convince of having been very false! Y’ou speak to their consciences. Y’ea, but what is that? can you take your advantage? Take your advantage if you can, say they. IS’ow if it were not for atheism in men’s hearts, it would be the greatest advantage of all, that a man is able to charge his conscience. What witness have you for such a thing? I have your conscience. Oh, they are glad of that: if they hear that you have no other witness, they think they can do well enough. Now that is an argument of atheism in men’s hearts, that they think they are well enough, whatsoever they do. when law cannot take hold on them. Well, there is a court of conscience to sue thee in, and justice will sue thee in that court, and cast thee one day, though man’s law cannot.
Ver. 9. And I that am the Lord thij God from the land of Egypt uill yet make thee to dice’U in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feasts.
The connexion is this: Y’ou say j-ou are grown rich by those sinful ways of yours; “I am become rich, I have found me out substance.” Y’ou think now you have no need of me, you have found substance other ways, and I am forgotten py you; but you should remember that ‘• I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egvpt:” there was a time when you had need of me, a time when you knew not what to do without my help, and were in great affliction; then I delivered you with a mighty hand; you should remember those old mercies of mine. Oh, but you are ungrateful, you do not think what I have done for you in bringing you out of the land of Egypt. If I be the same God still, why might not you live upon me, and receive as much good from me, as others? Y’ou will go and seek to shift for yourselves by false ways, and forsake me. Am not I the Lord? that ‘• God which brought you out of the land of Egypt?” have not I, by what I have done for you, shown plainly to you that you might as well provide for jourselvea by me as by any other god, by my ways as well as by any other ways that you take? Can any god work for you so as I have done? Is there that good to be got in those ways of sin which there is in mine? “I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt;” not only at that time delivering you, but ever since providing for you, and graciously preserving you, and doing you good many ways, from the time that I have been a God to you; and yet you do thus wi-etchedly forsake me. In all yom- straits I have helped you, in all your necessities 1 have supplied you, in all your difficulties I have relieved you, in all your distresses I have delivered you, in all your Ijurdens I have eased you; the whole course of my providence has been gracious to you; from the very time of your coming out of the land of Egvpt, how did I provide for you in the wilderness, afterwards by judges, and then I raised you up kings! “I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt.”
Obs. 1. AVhen men prosper in sin, they forget what God has done for them in former times. As if he should saw, You do not remember that I am” the
Lord thy God from the land of Eg>’pt.” Now you are ••waxen fat” and have your hearts’ desires; but renumber there was a time when you were low enough, and cried and made your moan to me in your affliction; remember those days. Oh how ordinary is it for us in our prosperity to forget God’s mercies in delivering us from affliction! Not long since we were low enough, but the Lord has in great measure delivered us from our Egvpt,and presently, as soon as”God lias delivered us. every man begins to think of enriching himself and to intrigue for estates; presently (I say) we have forgotten our sad condition, the time of our mourning, of our praying. Oh how contrary is the disposition of our hearts now to what it seemed to be a little while ago, hen under sore and sad afflictions!
(Jhs. 2. God takes notice of men’s unthankfulness. God looks upon a people that walk so -vilely: What! are these the people that I have done such things for? AA’liat God has done for us is (to speak after the manner of men) fresh in his memory.
And if we could have what God has done for us afresh in our minds upon the commission of new sins, it would be a mighty means to humble us.
Obs. 3. Old mercies are great engagements to duty, and great aggravations of our neglect of it. But we have had occasion to speak of these things before.
•’ Will yet make thee to dwell in tabei-nacles, a.s in the days of the solemn feasts.”
Some read it by way of interrogation, thus, AVhat! shall I, the Lord that brought thee out of the land of Egypt, yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles? Shall I yet continue my wonted love to you as to make you to keep your feast of tabernacles still with joy, as you were wont to do yearly? shall I do thus? saith God.
Calvin gives a peculiar interpretation, different from all; as if God should say thus. It is a wonderful thing that you should be so forgetful of my great mercy in bringing of you out of Egypt, it is so out of your minds that I had need work over that deliverance again: what! shall I cast you out of yoiu- houses, and bring you into captivity again, and then deliver you, and bring you into the wilderness to dwell in tabernacles again? shall I again go over my work? It is so much gone out of your minds and hearts, tluit such a repetition seems needful to quicken your spirits. Thus Calvin interprets this passage, and he is generally as just as any. This interpretation may be well applied to us, thus:
Let us consider ourselves, that if all God’s merciful dealings towards us were to begin again, if we were to go through all those straits, and fears, and sorrows that we have passed through, our hearts would shake within us: as a mariner that has ])assed through dangerous seas, thinks. If I were to pass over these again, it would be hard and “rievous. Now let us consider, if God shotdd but reduce us to the same condition that we were in seven years ago, and say, You shall pass th-ough all those straits, and return into the condition you have been in; it would be very sad to us to think of, the bare apprehension would make our hearts quake. I Tcrily believe scarce any of you who have been at all observant of the providence of God top ards you, but would be very loth to venture all again, would be loth that God should go over with you m all those ])rovidcnces. And yet God is the same God still, and may do it; yea, but flesh and blood would shake at it Now do not show yourselves so unworthy of God’s gracious dealings with you, as to put him to it to bring you into straits again, to renew what he has done unto you. Thus we apply Calvin’s interpretation.
Many remrd the wonls as a mere threat, and no otherwise: I did indeed bring you from the land of EgV]it, but I will bring you into tabernacles again. As if God should say, 1 will cast you out of your brave.
stately palaces, your city and country houses, and you shall come into the wilderness again, and dwell in tents and tabernacles. Thus the many interpret it.
But I rather think the words contain a consolatory promise, whereby the Holy Ghost invites them to repentance; as if God should say thus. Though you have indeed deserved to be cast out of your dwellings, and to be brought into tents and tabernacles in the wilderness again, yet I remember my ancient goodness towards you, and my covenant with your father Abraham; lam the same God that brought you out of the land of Egypt, therefore return and repent, and I will be with you in as much mercy as ever I was; whatever the breaches have been for time past, I will now be as gracious to you as I have ever been; as you have celebrated the feast of tabernacles with abundance of rejoicing, so I will continue this your prosperous estate, you shall from year to year have cause to rejoice in this your solemn feast. All their feasts were feasts of rejoicing; “They have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as in the day of a solemn feast,” Lam. ii. 7; but now this feast of tabernacles was especially a feast of rejoicing, and that you have in Lev. xxiii. 40, where they are commanded to rejoice in this feast, for it was after the ingathering of then- com and wine. In Ueut, xvi., where this feast is further spoken of, it is said at the end of ver. 15, “Thou shalt surely rejoice;” it is not only you may, but a command, look to it that you do rejoice in this feast of tabernacles; so that the feast of tabernacles was a very joyful feast. Now saith God, “I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Eg-pt,” I will yet make thee rejoice, as in the feast of tabemacles. From hence we have these notes:
Obs. 4. God loves to give hopes of mercy to sinners upon their repentance. God loves to draw the hearts of wretched, vile sinners, by giving them hopes of mercy upon their repentance. So in 1 Sam. xii. 19, 20, they confessed their sin, their special sin, in asking a king, above all; but saith Samuel, Though “ye have done all this wickedness, yet turn not aside from following the Lord.” So Ezra x. 2, “Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.” God sees that if there be not hope, men will grow desperate in their wickedness. “There is no hope: no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go,” Jer. ii. 25. Oh! it is good for sinners to see there may be still hope.
And God’s ministers, when they have to deal with sinners, though very wicked, yet should give them some line of hope to catch at; though they be even drowned in their covetousness in the world, and in their guiltiness, yet should we east to them a line of hope; there is nothing revealed to exclude the possibility of thy soul yet at length being saved. Oh let men take heed of despairing, determining conclusions against themselves.
06s. 5. It is not the greatness of any sin that can be ground enough for a desperate determining conclusion. To any who say, God will never show mercy; I reply. No magnitude of sin, no accumulation of aggravated circumstances, can be ground enough for thee to say, God will never show mercy; it is a proud, sullen, d- perate spirit of thine to make such conclusions: thou raayst indeed, and thou oughtest to saw. It were just with God not to show mercy, the Lori might justly ca-st me out of his sight; but to say that he iri/l not show mercy, is more tnan thou, or any angel in heaven, can say; and therefore, O wretched, sinful, guilty consciences, and especially you that have been ajiostates, that have forsaken God and his truths, yet return, return. O return, thou Shulamite, thou mayst possibly find God as merciful to thee as ever he was; there is hope of mercy for thee still, and if thou dost perish ctenially, it will rather be for some future, than for any past, transgression; if God let thee live, if he let thee
live to-night, I say, taou wilt rather perish for the sins committed this moment, than for all the sins committed in all thy life-time before.
But now thy continuance in impenitency is a new sin; thy continuing to reject the grace of God, and abiding still in thy unbelief, this indeed may cause God to bring over again all thv former sins, and reckon for them. Oh! this consideration might draw the heart of the most wretchedly wicked sinner to God.
Is it so, that it is not for any of my past sins that I am like to perish, but if I perish I shall perish rather for continuing in evil, than for what evil I have committed? Oh! the Lord forbid then that I should continue, let me this day stop. The Lord would have hopes of mercy cast to the vilest and most wicked.
And let us be merciful, as our heavenly Father is merciful; that is, let servants and children, that have offended 5’ou, see that upon their returning they shall find as much favour from you as ever they did. Sometimes governors, when provoked, behave themselves so rigidly towards their inferiors, that it makes them even desperate: God deals not so with you; be ye then merciful, for God is merciful.
And as God shows himself unchangeable towards his people in goodness, so it beseems us to be. If we have shown respect any way to other, either in speeches or otherwise, if they appear to be what they v,-ere, it beseems us to be towards them as then; let them but appear to be what they were when such respect were shown to them, and, according to the example of God, it beseems us to show ourselves to them again and again, to what we then did. “I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egj-pt, will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles.”
Ohs. 6. The consideration of what God has done, should help our faith in belieling what he will do. May not he who has delivered us thus far, deliver us )’et, further? I am the Lord that has delivered you from Egypt. O, let us make use of what God has done for us, to help our faith to confide in him for further grace. The truth is, God has done so much for England, that not more remains to be done than has been done; and if there be but as much of the power, goodness, and mercy of God manifested towards us for the next five or six years, as for these last six, certainly it will be as glorious a nation as ever was upon the face of the earth: it will be the beginning of the new Jerusalem, if God should continue so as he has done. And why may not the Lord, that has brought us out of Egj-pt, bring us to rejoice as in the feast of tabernacles?
And so spiritually; God, who at first did enlighten thy mind, and brought thee from Egv-ptian darkness, is certainly able to do as great things for thee still, and to finish the work he has begun for thee. How many are there who, though they have found God’s mighty hand upon them in giving a turn to their hearts, and bringing them out of “the gall of bitterness” and “the bond of iniquitv’,” yet, when they feel but their corruptions a little stirring, are ready to think that they shall perish one day by the hand of those same corruptions? When we were enemies, were we not reconciled to him? God has given the deadly wound to thy sin, he has mortified thee, and the truth is, there is not more to be done to bring thee to heaven who hast the least degree of grace than God has already done; by giving thee the least measure of grace, he has made a greater alteration in thy estate fi-om one that is in an estate of nature, than the alteration will be from thy conversion to the height of glory; that alteration will not be so much, neither will it require such a great power of God to make thee a glorious saint in heaven, as it requu’ed to make thee of a child of WTath, a child of God: thou hast the better half, the
most eminent power of God is put forth already; for our change from grace to glory will be but gradual, but our change from nature to grace is total; and therefore, let thy faith be helped from what God has done, to believe what he will do.
“I will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles.”
Albcrtus and others regard this, ‘■ I will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles,” as a promise of their return from captivity, that they must agam, in the land of Jewry, keep the feast of tabernacles.
I confess, were this a promise to Judah, I should think this to be the meaning of it; but because it is to Israel, who never returned, I shall follow those who think it refers to the times of the gospel, and to all the true Israel of God that should be converted to the faith; and I think it has reference to that, because we find so often, in this prophecy of Hosea, things apparently far ofi’ applied to the times of the gospel.
“I will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles.” In the spiritual sense thus. The Lord has his time, though he seemed to cast ofi’ these ten tribes, yet to bring the Jews, and all the Israel of God, into his church, and to build for them in it several tabernacles. And there in several churches, as in so many several tabernacles, they shall have the feast of sweet things, of “fat things,” of “wine on the lees well refined,” Isa. xxv. There shall they keep a feast, and there shall their hearts rejoice, and be “satisfied as with marrow and fatness.”
My brethren, the Lord has delivered us in great measure from Egypt: all the difficulty now is about the building of tabernacles; for the present there is very little matter to make tabernacles of amongst us. I remember Mr. Ainsworth, on Exod. xxv. 2, citing R. Menahen, tells of a tradition of the Jews, which observed there was no iron stuft” for the building of the tabernacle. (Truly our hearts are mostly iron, and hard one towards another, and therefore not fit matter for tabernacles.) In 1 Kings vi. 7. there was no iron tool, either, heard in the building of the temple. O my brethren, ii-ou tools will not do the work for the building of God’s tabernacle, we must have tools of another kind. There are no tabernacles almost yet, wherein the saints, either of one judgment or of another, have much rejoicing; the gloi of God has not yet filled the tabernacles which we have built. What God intends towards this generation, whether ever to bring them into those tabernacles that he here promises, I know not; but surely that God which has brought us out of Egjiit, will bring either us, or the posterity after us, a generation of his own people, to keep the feast of tabernacleswith rejoicing.
Ver. 10. / have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
This is a further declaration of God’s goodness to this people, and an upbraiding of them for their wickedness, when they have had so many means; as if God should say, They have not wanted the revelation of my will, I have spoken by my prophets, and multiplied visions. Heb. i. 1, seems to have reference to this, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets;” TToXv/ifpwc Koi TToXurpoTrwc, in several sorts of ways God revealed himself in former times.
“I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions.”
There is not much difliculty in the words. The notes briefly are these:
Obs. 1. It is God that speaks by his prophets. Though the prophets and the messengers of God are mean, yet so long as they speak to you in his name,
the authority of what they say Is above any. They may be under their auditors many ways, but the message they bring is above them; though they are weak, yet the power of God goes ak)ng with what they speak, to make it good; and tliercfore you shall find when Christ sent his disciples to preach, saying, “Go and tcacli all nations,” he fu-st said, “All power is given to me in heaven and in earth,” and then followed, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations;” as if he should say. All the power that is given to me shall go along with your teaching. It is the Lord that speaks, the Lord Christ that speaks in his word by his messengers; ‘• He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me.”
The word docs little good till men come to apprehend this, that it is God that speaks by his messengers. 1 Thess. ii. 13, the apostle saith, that they received the word, “not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God.” That is observable of Samuel; God called to Samuel, and Samuel thought it had been Eli that spake, and all that time God would not reveal his mind to him, till at length Samuel returned this answer, “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth,” 1 Sam. iii. 9. Mark, God would reveal his mind to Samuel then, and not before. So it is here; you come to the word, and you come to hear the gifts of such men, such a man has excellent gifts, and abilities, and delivery, and such kind of things; God reveals nothing to you, you have licard a sound, and that is all, and no more is revealed to you than if you heard an oration in a school: but when God shall be pleased to dart this thought into youi’ minds, I am now going to hear that which is the word of God himself, the word of that God that is my judge, and that must be my judge at the great day: now see whether God will not make himself known to you, that so you shall say, jNIethinks I never hoard sermon before in all my life; I have come and heard a man preach, but I never heard God preach before; it was not as the word of God, but as the word of such a man. God expects that men should “tremble at his word,” and therefore look upon it as his word.
Obs. 2. It is a great mercy to a people for God to reveal his mind to them by his prophets. AMiat would all the world be but as a dlingeon of darkness, were it not for the prophets and ministers of God? they arc as “the light of the world.” and “the salt of the earth,” Matt. v. l.’i, 11, the world would rot and be unsavoury were it not for the ministrv of the word in the world. And so we find, that when (iod would make a sjjecial promise to his people, he promises them, that they shall have their tcashers; “And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of afhiction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers,” Isa. xxx. 20. Oh! here is a promise to a gracious heart. But to another it is nothing. What! shall the minisli’y of the word countervail the loss of my estate? God does not say, I will take away from you your afflictions; oh no, but “thine eves shall see thy teachers; “perhaps your eyes shall never see your money and estates again, but your eves shall see your teachers. Kings on their coronation days are “wont to give great gifts to show their magnificence; then the conduits will sometimes run wine: now, when Christ ascended up to be crowned on high, what were the great gifts that he gave to the world? “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and .some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers,” Eph. iv. 8, 10. These are the great gifts of Jesus Christ upon his ascension into heaven and taking the crown of glory; as if Christ should say, Shall I give a magnificent gift to the world like a prince, like the King of heaven? I will give gifts unto men, I will give them apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers: that is the great, magnificent gift that Jesus Christ has given to
the world, oh that we could learn to prize it I I remember 1 have read, in Chi”ysostom’s time, that the godly men, when lie was silenced, were so afl’eetcd with it, that they had rather the sun did withdraw his beams and not shine in the world, than that the mouth of C’hrysostom should be stopped; they so jjrized the word of God by his mouth. Oh that men could learn to prize it more, at a higher rate! And you that are citizens, show you esteem it highly in this one thing: many of you here have your city and your country houses, but what little care have we to seat ourselves in places where we shall have faithful ministers of God to reveal the mind of God to us! If you come to seat yourselves any where, you scarce take it into consideration to give a penny the more because of a faithful minister, or a penny the less if it has none; oh! this shows the extreme neglect of God, and of Iiis ordinances. How few eountrv’ villages about the city are supplied with faithful preachers! Faithful prophets are a great blessing of God.
Obs. 3. God will take account of what becomes of the word, labour, and pains of his prophets. So he here u])braids Ephraim with them. God will take account of all the spirits that his ministers spend, of every drop of their sweat, and of all their watchings in the night; I sent my projihets, rising early, and going to bed late; God will take account of all, and you shall know that there has been a prophet among you; the ministers shall be brought out to say and testify. Lord, I was in such a place, and I revealed thy mind thus unto them; they could not but be convinced, and yet still they continued in their wickedness.
Obs. 4. It is a great mercy for God to declare his mind again and again. “I have multiplied visions,” saith God. It were a mercy for God but once to tell us of his mind, and if we will not come in at first, for ever to cast us ofi’; but “I have multiplied visions.” In Jcr. xviii. 7, God saith, “At what instant I shall speak,” &c.; and God may justly expect, that “at what instant” Christ is preached, that people should come in, for indeed their commission seems to run very quick; “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned,” Mark xvi. 15, 16; as if Christ should say, There shall be quick work made with men. But yet the Lord is gi’acious to men, to multiply visions one after another, to reveal his mind at sundry times and in divers manners: the Lord is long-sutfering; though our hearts be not moved at one time, yet still he would try, and he would have his ministers do so too. “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth,” 2 Tim. ii. 25. It was a great aggravation of Solomon’s sin, that he departed from God after the Lord had appeared to him twice; “And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,” 1 Kings xi. 9.
Oh how may God upbraid us with this, that not twice, but twenty, yea, a hundred times he has appeared to us! May not your consciences tell you, that at such and such “a time you have had the visions of the Almighty, and yet you have stood out against them, yea, against them again and again? O my brethren, the multiplying of visions gi-eatly aggravates the sin of our resistance. It was the comfort of Paul at his conversion, that he “was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision,” Acts xxvi. 19. Oh how ha))py were it for you if upon the first vision your hearts would come in! bh that you could but say. Though it is true, I lived at such a time and place in ignorance and darkness, I knew little of God, yet the first time I came to hear the word, wherein the mysteries of the gospel were re-THE PKOPHECY OF HOSEA.
Tealed, I bless God my heart yielded: so the apostle blesses God for the effect that the word had upon the Thessalonians from the first day, even until that time.
“And used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.”
This is a very strange expression, occurring no where
else that I know of in the book of God. I will not
trouble you with divers readings or interpretations, to
... me it seems to show the aggravations of
I. spor.it Deus in,.,, i i i,
TerbosiniiWiiKHnem nicu s suis, that they hearkened not to voi’un’ScmJ’ual’ the word, though it was brought down to Luiii. in loc. ^.|jg jg.g]^ q£ (.jjg. umiei-standings by similitudes.
06s. 5. The Lord takes account of the manner of men’s preaching, as well as the things they preach. Men may have their sins aggravated, not only for standing out against the word, but against the word so and so delivered. The main necessary truths of God are made known to you all; yea, but some of you have them made known to you in a more sweet and winning way, in a more convincing manner, than others have, and God takes account, not only of the message you hear, but of the manner of its deliveiT.
Obs. 6. The revealing the word by similitudes is very useful and profitable; for it conduces much to make truth go to a man’s heart before he is aware, and to impress it upon the memory; many remember the simile, and so the truth which it conveyed. It is reported of the Marquis Galeacias, a nobleman of great estates, and near of kin to the pope, that once coming Peiw MariTT on ‘’“’ ^° heax Pctcr MartT preach, by a L°t” r Gai” ““” niGre simile that he used, God smote his heart, and made it the means of his conversion. The simile was thus: Peter Jlartyr in his discourse had occasion to say, Men may think very hardly of God and his people, but this is because they do not know him; as suppose a man a great way off sees a company of excellent dancers, the musicians are playing, and there is exact art in all that they do; at the distance he regards them as a company of mad-men, but (added he) as he draws nearer and nearer to them, and hears the melodious sound, and observes the art that they use, then he is much taken and affected: and so it is with you; you are a great way off. and look from a great distance u))on the ways of God, and so you think his peo])le mad; but could you but come to observe what excellency is in them, it would take captive your hearts. God blessed such a similitude as this to that great man’s heart, so that though his wife and children lay imploring at his feet, yet he came to Geneva, and there continued a godly man all his days. But we should take some heed here.
1. Similes should be brought from things known.
2. “V e must not urge similes too far, we must take heed of a luxiuiant, wanton wit.
3. And they must be veiy natural, plain, and proper, or else man will appear in them rather than God.
Obs. 3. Slight not the word when it comes by a simile. “And used similitudes.” You will say. This is but a simile. But though it be, yet God is speaking to thy heart in it.
Obs. 4. Take heed that you do not rest in the pleasantness of the simile. Many come to the word to have their fancies touched and pleased, more than any thing else: do not play with similes; look rather at what you can see of God in them, than how far they savour of the wit of man.
Ver. 11. Is there miquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are us heaps in the furrows of the fields.
^Tiat Gilead was you have heard before in chap. vi. ver. 8, “Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity.”
It was a city of the priests beyond Jordan, where the priests that were beyond the river lived. Sometimes it is taken for the Mount Gilead, where Jacob and Laban met and made a covenant one with another. Here neither is excluded; but most, I find, refer it to the city of the priests. And what Gilgal was you had opened to you in chap. ix. ver. 15, “All their wickedness is in Gilgal.” Now Gilgal was the place where they were circumcised on this side Jordan, and belonged to Judah. Gilead belonged to Israel, Gilgal to Judah.
‘■ Is there iniquity in Gilead? sm-ely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal.”
The latter part of this passage the Septuagint render, a/9a i/zfuat; riaav iv Talaa5 dplovTiQ BvaidZovTtg, surely the princes sacrificing in Gilead are vanity. And indeed the word n’lW translated “bullocks” is much akin to anitt- which signifies princes, the difference mainly consisting in a tittle on the right hand or on the left, and so there might easily be a mistake. But to read it as it is here, “They sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal,” great sacrifices; and they think to put off God with their great sacrifices, sacrificing bullocks, but all in vain.
The places having been spoken of before, we may proceed at once to see what the scope of the Holy Ghost is here. “Is there iniquity in Gilead?”
“Is there?” an interrogation; it is as if he should say, ‘^’ho dare say there is iniquity in Gilead? Gilead! what! the city of the priests, iniquity there! who will charge Gilead, where the priests are, with inicjuity? What! are you wiser than all our priests? Just like to the plea which some heretofore have had, ATiat! do not our ministers do thus? Is not this their opinion? shall we not regard what om- ministers do? “Is there iniquity in Gilead?” is there iniquity among them? do they not join in this way? This seems plainly to be the scope of this charge, “Is there iniquity in Gilead?” It is the city of the priests! is there iniquity there? what! in a place where they use to meet, where they dwell?
“Surely they are vanity,” saith the prophet. Even these priests of Gilead, on whom you rest so much, are but vanity; you may give up your consciences and your ways to them, because they come and persuade you that such a thing! is to be done, and you must do it, and so by giving up your consciences and ways to them you may be led into much evil.
“Surely they are vanity.” Though they be your priests, though they be learned men, and should understand the way of God, yet they have their own interests too, they drive their own designs; they keep not the truth of God, but they follow their own” minds. “Surely they are vanity.” Those ways to which they persuade you, God allows not of, they will prove vanity. Let the learned note, even wise, learned, understanding men, priests who seemed to be much for God, may yet be vanity.
Obs. 1. “VTiatsoever is presented in the worship of God, if not by God’s appointment, is mere vanity. “Surely they are vanity,” even Gilead.
Again, This Gilead being on the other side of Jordan, was taken by the Assyrians, and its inhabitants were first carried away captive, as appears, if you read 2 Kings xv. 29. Those that were on the other side Jordan were carried captive first, and Gilead among the rest; so that it is probable that this prophecy was delivered after the capture of Gilead by the enemy, before the rest of the tribes were taken: and then the force of his ai-gument is this:
There is iniquity in Gilead; yea, and Gilead has smarted for her iniquity; though they promised themselves peace, yet all proved but vanity: yea, they smarted very di’eadfully, for in Amos i. 3 it is said, that Gilead was “threshed with threshing instruments of iron.” Now Amos was contemporary with Ilosea, and
speaks of the wonderful miseries that had befallen the city of Gilead. As if the prophet should say, lpo not you know there is iniquity in Gilead? has not God declared it by his severe wrath u])on Gilead? have not they proved vanity? What then can Gilgal expect? They yet sacrifice bullocks, they are guilty of the same sin of false worship as Gilead was. God had appointed but one place to worship in, but they had abundance of sacrifices, and had their altars as common as the very heaps of stones in the fields.
Obs, 3. When God’s judgments have been against any for sin, all guilty of the same sins have cause to fear, and not promise safety to themselves though they be spared a while.
But further, and chiefly, Gilead had smarted thus and thus, and the prophet now speaks to Gilgal, which belonged to Judah: Look to yourselves; if Gilead has smarted thus, you are like to suffer as much or even more; for Gilead did not own the temple; the ten bribes (you know) had forsaken the temple, and were further removed from God in their very profession; but Gilgal belonged to Judah, and so nearer to God in outward relation, they professed a greater care of his worship: now, saith he, ATiat! shall God be thus avenged of Gilead for false worship? how then shall Gilgal escape, that profess a gi-eater nearness to God in his worship, and yet for all that corrupt God’s worship, and “sacrifice bullocks;” “yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields?” Hence,
Obs. 4. Those whose principles and professions are nearer to God than others, if they be superstitious, God will be sorely avenged upon them: those (I say) whose princi])Ies and profession come most near in the matters of worship.
We may look at this point as nearly concerning ourselves; thus, if a superstitious, prelatical ministry and people had the wrath of God pursuing them, as it has been heavy upon them, then those who shall profess to come near in the point of reformation, whosoever they be, this side or the other, who profess to come nearest, if they mingle their own inventions in worship, God will be more sorely displeased with them: the more piety and holiness, the more we profess to come close to the word of God, and yet withal mingle our own inventions, the more is God displeased; Gilgal offends more than Gilead.*
“Their altars are as heaps in the fuiTOWs of the fields.” As husbandmen use to gather their stones that kept the corn from growing, and every furrow almost some of them were laid in a heap; so, saith he, theii’ altars were as common as those heaps of stones.
Or it may have reference to some of their superstitious or idolatrous customs. In the furrows of the fields thcv had many altars built to sacrifice, that they might seek God for the fructifying of then’ land; such a kind of worship of God as afterwards the heathens rendered to their dii lerminalen, for a blessing on their lands; and, following their example, the papists. And heretofore in England you know it was customary in procession-weeks for the men, when they went up and down their perambulation, in the bounds of their fields to set up crosses and crucifixes, and to have prayers read, and psalms sung, which were intended not merely to show the bounds of their ]iarish, but to invocale God for his blessing upon their fruits. By making and setting up crosses in the bounds of their fields, they thought there so came a blessing upon their corn, and therefore, at certain times of the year especially, they would go to their crosses, and offer their prayers there, that they might have their corn and ])astures more blessed. Thus we see superstition and idolatry are ever the same, among the Gentiles, among the papists, and lately among ourselves; they all had their altars “as heaps in the furrows of the fields.”
Or in a way of threat, as some interpret it. Their altars shall be broken down, and they shall be “as heaps” of stones “in the furrows of the fields:” so in Jcr. xxvi. 18, “Zion shall be ploughed like a field, and Jerusalem .shall become heaps;” as God threatened them, so their altars are here threatened to be broken down, and to be as heaps in the field; God will regard their fine and costly altars no more than rubbish and heaps of stones in the fields.
Ver. 12. And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept fheep.
God by the prophet here again introduces Jacob. He had spoken before of his wrestling with God and [)revailing, and yet again the prophet recurs to his histoiy, because he saw that the people of Israel, when charged with their sins, and threatened with the anger of God, still had recourse to Jacob their father, and thought because they were the seed of Jacob, tlicrefore God would not deal so severely with them; therefore still the prophet seeks to lead them off from such a mode of reasoning.
“And Jacob fled into the country of Syria.” As if he should say thus. You pride yourselves in your father Jacob; yea, but consider in what a mean condition Jacob was, and if any privilege comes to you as being his seed, it results from the mere free grace of God,, and not from any excellency there was in your father Jacob. He would take oft’ the conceit of excellency in their father Jacob, for whose worthiness they thought that God surely would not forsake his jiosterity, though very wicked: as if he should say, Consider what a poor condition your father Jacob was in:
First, He was a poor exile, fain to flee for his life, even from his father’s house. And then when he did flee, he fled to his uncle; and what was he there? a poor servant; he lived in two hard apprenticeships (as it were) with his uncle Laban; he found him to be a very hard master to him for seven years, and for seven yeare after that he behaved himself roughly and rigidly towards him, ofttimcs changing his wages. Saith he. Do not forget the meanness of Jacob: he fled thus; and when in Syria he would mai-ry, he had no dowry, but was fain to serve for a wife, his condition was so low and mean. That is the first reason why the prophet brings in Jacob here again, to take them off from too high a conceit of Jacob their father, that they should not rest themselves in him, nor pride themselves in his excellency.
Secondly, That he might show what their father Jacob was, how unlike to him were his posterity, for he was patient and humble under long and hard attlictions; as if he should say. He was content to serve, and to be in a low and mean condition; but you are proud and haughty, you can bear nothing, you must be high and brave, and must confonn yourselves to other nations. Your father Jacob was content to serve a long time for a wife, seven years, and seven years again, and went on in a humble and patient way, and kept close to God all that while: it is not so with you who are his posterity.
Thirdly, He brings in the example of Jacob, to show how wonderful the providence of God was towards him. in carrying him to his uncle’s house, and providing there for him; in protecting him against his uncle Laban; in raising his estate, for he went over with his staff in his hand, but the Lord raised him to be two bands: the providence of God was such towards youv father Jacob. As if the prophet should say, You speuk of your father Jacob, oh that you would but so consider him as to be what he was, to be patient aii’l humble under God’s hand, and to wait upon God’^
providence to work good for you: no, but you v.’iU be providing- and shiftinji; for yourselves, and tou dare not trust to Uod as your father Jacob did. Thus, in these three respects, you .see something of the intention of the prophet in introducing again Jacob.
But this TV-ill not suffice for the exposition of this notable scripture; -ne must refer to the story of Jacob, as narrated Gen. xxviii. and xxix.
This verse refers to both,
I. His flight from the house of his father Isaac to Syria, to Laban, Gen. xx-viii.
II. His serving Laban for his -wives those twice seven years, Gen. xxix.
I. Jacob’s flight into Syria. From this you may derive much instruction. It was ordered for two ends:
1. To save his life. Esau threatened the life of Jiicob, and by the counsel of his mother he fled to his uncle Laban’s, until the wrath of Esau should be apjjeased.
2. God purposed good out of his evil; he designed him advant.iges from his flight. Many times God is pleased to turn the flights of his people to their abundant good: they may flee because of their enemies, and think that if they can but have their lives for a prey they will do well; yea, but God may have a, further end, and intend abundance of good to them, even that they shall flnd more mercy in that place where they flee but to get a shelter for then’ lives, than ever they had in all their lives before. Many that have fled from persecution of ungodly men, though they have fled from their father’s house, and from their own country, yet in their flight have found greater mercies there than ever they did in all their lives before; they can tell great stories of the mercies of God to them in the places of their exile. So it was here with Jacob: one purpose of God in his flight was, that he might provide a wife for himself out of his mother’s kindred, for so he was charged by his father, to get a wife of the daughters of Laban, Gen. xxviii. And further observe, as Isaac foresaw that Jacob was like to endure a great deal of trouble and affliction in this his flight, he renews the blessing upon him. And thus God is wont to do when he sees his people in a way wherein they are like to suffer sore and hard afflictions; he prepares them by renewing his blessing upon them, by a fresh manifestation of himself to them. His father’s blessing did help much to carry Jacob through all his afflictions, and the renewing of God’s blessing suffices to caiTy the believing soul through many and deep waters.
n. Jacob’s serving for his wives those two seven years. When Isaac sent Jacob away, he sent him in a very mean condition, without any such provision as Abraham’s servant had when he went to seek a wife for Isaac; in Gen. xxiv. 10, we read Abraham sent with his servant a great deal of provision, and ten camels, and earrings, and bracelets, and the like; but Jacob is sent away to seek for a wife with only a staff in his hand.
If it be said, that the reason why he was sent so meanly was, that he might not be discovered on account of the rage of Esau.
Though that might be a reason of his first going away in so mean a condition, yet that could not be the reason why Isaac should not afterwards send after him; but we never read that Isaac sent any servant after him, but sent him away with his staff in his hand, having only the blessing of God upon him. Therefore it is more probable, that God thereby did mean to train up Jacob in a low condition, in an estate of affliction, to patience, and humility, and dependence upon God.
Well then, he flees to Syria to his uncle Laban; when he comes there he serves him, yea, he was a servant to him for even twenty years together in a low
condition. Gen. xxxi. 38; and during all this time he found Laban, though his kinsman, very rough to him; as many times young people, coming to their kindred, find them at first very rough and harsh towards them. Laban was very churUsh, yea, even very false, to him, yet Jacob goes on, and endui-es “in the day the drought,” and “the frost by night.” Isaac his father was alive at this time, and yet we never read that during it he sent to him, a thing much to be wondered at; we read of no intercourse between them all this while, but Jacob lives apart from his father, though a rich man and a great man, and goes on in a humble, patient, and quiet way, depending upon God to make an issue out of all his sufferings; and God did at length make a very glorious issue out of all, though Laban used him hardly. Now, being Isaac’s son and having the blessing, one would have thought that Laban should have been willing to have bestowed a daughter upon him; nay, but he is obliged to serve for a wife, and when he has served, is deceived with a Leah, which was a vei-y great injury to Jacob, but Laban urged her upon him. It is very’ great cruelty in guardians, or parents, or any that have the government of others, to force wives upon them for their own private advantage; those matches seldom come to good; though God turned this to good, yet I say these forced matches seldom come to good, they are the undoing of many. Jacob desired to have the wife that he had served for. Nay, saith Laban, Gen. xxix. 27, “Fulfil her week,” the week of the festivity of her marriage, that is, confirm the marriage with Leah first; for Laban knew that except he had willingly afterwards gone in to her, he had not been bound to her as a husband: Laban wonM have him own her for his wife, and then, said he, we will agree together, you shall serve seven years more for Rachel, and you shall have her also. But now we must not understand this as if Laban kept Rachel from Jacob till he had served “yet seven other years,” that is, completed fom-teen years; no, he did but fulfil the week of Leah, and then Laban gave Rachel to him, yet upon condition that he should afterwards serve seven years for her also: this is plainly what was i-equired of him. And as an evident demonstration that Rachel was given to Jacob before her seven years were completed, it appears from the story that Leah had no children until Rachel was man-ied to Jacob, and yet all the twelve patriarchs were born to him within the compass of the twenty years that he was with Laban. Now if the fii’st had not been born till after the fourteen years’ service, it could not possibly be, that all of the rest should be born within the six remaining years; for we find in the story that Leah had four children one after another, and then left ofl’ bearing, and then she gave Zilpah to Jacob, who bare two sons, and after that Leah had another son and a daughter, and all this before Rachel had any children: so that it must needs be vmderstood that Rachel was given to Jacob at the end of the fii-st seven years, yet that he served two seven years for these two wives.
Now the Lord was pleased to turn this to a great deal of good, though it was hard service and bondage; these two wives that Jacob served so long for, were made the two gi-eatest instruments of good that ever have been in the church before or since, excepting only the virgin that brought forth Christ: for by these two was the house of Israel built up, twelve tribes came of them and of those that they gave to Jacob, but the Holy Ghost reckons the building up by these two; and from them the blessing that was wont to be upon a married condition was proverbially taken; in Ruth iv. 11, the elders said to Boaz, “The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel:” this was the common blessing on a married condition,
A^■ EXi’05;iTiox of
The Lord make this woman like llaclicl and like Leah, that built the house of Israel.
“Why like these two, rather than Sarah?
Because they built up the house of Israel, and all that came from them were of the church. Oh it is a great blessing in a married condition to build up the house of God. Though thou shouldst serve hardly for a wife, yet if God makes thy marriage so blessed to thee, as to enable thee thereby to build up the church of God, that is a blessed marriage: those that are married, and their friends, in their i)rayers, should pray to God for such a blessing; Oh that the Lord would make this woman to be a builder up of the house of Israel!
But from the prophet’s introducing here the flight and servitude of Jacob, we may
Obs. 1. Such as pride themselves in their ancestors, should look back to their mean condition. Some are very high in their conceits because they have such and such ancestors; it may be two or three degrees ofl’ they were gieat, but look but a little further, and they were but mean ti’adesmen, or yeomen in the countiT: here the prophet would take these off from priding in their ancestors. It is a great vanity for any to jnide themselves in their ancestors. Plato said, all kings came from ploughmen, and all ploughmen from kings. Because some are great and rich by some providence or other, they think themselves above the common sort of mankind, they look upon others with contempt: “Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn,” saith the prophet, Isa. li. 1, ‘• and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.”
Obs. 2. Patience, and humility, and dependence upon God in times of long-continued afflictions, much commend the grace of God in any. I say, when any shall be patient, and humble, and depend upon God in times of long affliction, this much commends the grace of God in them.
O let me urge this, 1. Upon any of you that are in hard services. If I weie to speak to a congregation of appi’entices, that had hard services, and rough masters, and cruel mistresses, I would charge them not to fret and vex, not desperately to fling off and say, “Why should I bear such services? Do not in a desperate mood determine to go and seek your fortunes, as they arc wont to say. Many young men have undone themselves through the roughness of their masters and mistresses to them in their ajjprcnticeships, and though the evil will be upon themselves, yet God will require this at their masters’ and mistresses’ hand. This is a sign that there is no fear of God, that because they are in hard services, therefore they should resort to desperate courses. It may be your brother or sister has an excellent service, more liberty, better wages, and better provision, than you have; yet, seeing God in his providence has disposed of you to such a hard service, look uj) to God, and wait upon him continually to work good through it; God may intend good to you in such a service more than you are aware of.
2. As for any of you that are come out of hard services, look back to them, and consider how you behaved yourselves in them. Are you the seed of Jacob? If you be, though your service lias been hard, yet have you gone on patiently, and humbly, and in dependence upon God, as Jacob did; and God will remember this for good to you afterwards. Yea, but now, did not you behave yourselves proudly and stubbornly, and so make your service so much the more hard, by ])rovoking your governors? O, look back to these things, and consider how far you are from being of the disposition of Jacob, that you profess to be your father. Many aj)- prentices in their hard services have done that which they have cause to repent of afterwards.
Obs. 3. Love will carry through long service. “Israel serL’d for a wife.” Love is ashamed to comjilain of difficulties. Oh, so it would bo if we loved God; we would not then complain of his service as difficult.
Obs. 4. A good wife is a great blessing of God, though she has no portion. Though a man serve for her, yet is she a great blessing from God; there is a more sj)ccial mercy of God there, than there is in giving men an estate. He served long, and long, even for a wife.
Luther, on the place, speaks much i>-„„,„„io„g„!,m. about the blessing in marriage of a good pmwmvii J„ob wife. Certainly, saith he, Jacob did not .,»%”,« q.ii perserve so long that he might have a com- Kmqu.im’S’.Sim panion of his life with whom there ^rSn?“m’c” should be nothing but railing, scolding, piiif insT^m c»l
, ,, ‘=’,, 11 1 Luui. HI loc.
and wrangling; no, but he looked upon
marriage as the school of all virtue, for so should a
married estate indeed be.
Obs. 5. Children should not marry without or against their parents’ consent. If you profess yourselves to be of the seed of Jacob, (for so the godly are called in Scripture,) be like to your father Jacob in this. in bein obedient to your parents in your matches. Jacob had a charge from his father to take a wife in Laban’s family, and therefore he would rather serve seven years, and seven years afterwards, than seek a wife any w here else. There is no greater cbsobedience in the world, than that of cbilcben, in the case of maniage. Hinging off the yoke of subjection to their parents. Luther urges this point exceeding much. Civil laws requue the consent of parents in all lawful marriages; and so the authority of sacred Scripture declares to us, that those marriages have been ever happy that have been with the consent of their parents. And again, (saith he.) experience testifies that those marriages have been for the most part unhappy, that have been without the consent of parents; certainly the blessing of God is not upon them; you may think to please yourselves in the gratification of your “lusts for a week or two, but it is just with God that you should live miserably all your davs who make no more conscience of disobedience to your parents in your matches. And if anv of you here jiresent be guilty in this respect, know that the Lord rebukes you this day, commands you to go alone and humble yourselves, and to bewail that sin of yours, which is certainly verj’ great: you had need, both husband and wife together, to fast and pray to God to remove the guilt of that sin, that so you may have a blessing upon your married estate, and upon your posterity.
Ver. 13. ylttd by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet teas he preserved.
Still the prophet goes on to show their meanness in their ancestors. Your father Jacob was thus a poor exile, and fain to serve for his wife. It is true, Josei)h w as a while in prosperity; but when Joseph was dead, all your ancestors then were in Egypt as miserable bonil-slavos; they were there as bond-slaves, and howshould they get out? there was no apjiarent way, Pharaoh, a mighty king, opposed to them, they without friends or armies to help them. God indeed sent them a prophet, Moses; and what was he? one that had been a poor shepherd for forty yeai-s together in the w ilderness: and when this ])rophe’t was to go into Egj-pt to deliver them, was it likely that he should ever succeed? He went into Egypt in a mean and low condition; “He took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt,” Exod. iv. 20; and when he came there the children of Israel would not own him, and Pharaoh would not let Israel go: how should this one Moses deliver them? nav, their bondage increased when Moses came to
them. Yet “by a prophet’’ (the text saith) “the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.” This was a mighty work of God, to bring Israel out of Egypt by a prophet, and to preserve them in the wilderness. And by the way, you read in Exod. xxxviii. 26, there were numbered of males “from twenty years old and upward, six hundred thousand and three thousand and five huncbed and fifty;” and in Numb. i. 46, in the second year after they went out from Egjit, you find that there was just the same number, besides Levi, whom God had taken for himself to be his portion: thereby God would show that none should lose any thing that they did for him. How often, when men have been willing to give any thing to God, has God made it up in one year!
But to return, I introduce this to show the great work of God, that by a prophet he brings such a number out of Egj’jjt, and preserves them in the wilderness, using no means for their preservation or guidance but a mean prophet: by him he provides water, and meat, and clothes for them; defends them against their enemies, that they should not come and destroy them; when they were in any danger, helps them; when stung by the serpents, shows them what they should do to be healed; and by him, a mean prophet, composes all their difi’erences. Such was the mighty work of God towards them.
He does not say, “the Lord brought Israel out of Egj’pt,” but “by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.” This was to show.
First, Their very low and mean condition, that they had no succour nor help in the sight of human reason; human reason could no way help them, they had none but a poor prophet.
Secondly, That God in their deliverance would appear himself, and would work such a glorious work by his own hand.
Thirdly, To upbraid this people to whom Hosea then preached, for the abuse of his prophets. There was a time (saith he) a prophet stood you in stead: now you care not for the prophets, they may speak what they will, but you care not for them; but there was a time that a prophet stood you in stead, however stout and proud you are now. I find divers interpreters observe this, and among the ancients Cyril of Alexandria especially, showing how instrumental a prophet had been for good to them. Had not God blessed the endeavours of a prophet for good to your forefathers, where had you been at this day?
Obs. 1. The consideration of the shiftless estate of om- ancestors should humble us much. And if the consideration of our ancestors’ estate should luunble us thus, how much more when we consider our own! Oh, lately, how shiftless were we! And the truth is, though there were armies raised, yet God would not so much as look at them, but rather looked at his prophets, and his servants; the prating people were the main and principal means that helped us in that condition: and this should humble us: we should take heed of growing haughty and proud when we are delivered, considering how shiftless we were but a little while ago; and therefore, if now we .have gotten peace, and prosperity seems to be following in, let us guard against pride; look back to that shiftless, poor condition that you were in a little while ago.
Obs. 2. When God works great things for Ins church, his way is to work it by very small means. Little means God uses when he intends the greatest mercies to his church. God’s deliverance of his people from Egypt, was a type of the deliverance of his churches to the end of the world from their bondage and afflictions. And God sends them a prophet, and he must deliver them:” By a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of
Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.” Though God did it, yet God speaks of the prophet as the great instrumental means for their help. God takes delight in this, when he does good to his people, not to make use of such great means, as when he works his own ends towards other people: when God intends good towards other people, he will do it in a more natural way, by natural means: but when he comes to work good for his own, he will do it in a more supernatural way; for mercies are so much the sweeter by how much the more God is in them; the more we see the finger of God in a mercy, the sweeter it is. And above all things, the Lord accounts himself glorified in his people’s depending upon him in the want of all means; the Lord accoimts this his glory, that he may be an object of the rest of the souls of his people, that when they are in any straits, in anj’ aftiictions, yet they can look upon God as an object for their rest, and can say, “Retm’n unto thy rest, O my soul,”
O consider this, ye servants of God, when in straits and difficulties; remember, that God accounts it to be that in which he rejoices, as the special glory of his name, that his servants shall make him in their straits the rest of theu- souls: and this is the reason why he is wont to work so much good for his people by such poor and weak means.
Obs. 3. It is a great aggravation of men’s sins, if they grow naught and wicked after God has in a more than ordinary manner appeared for their good. If then they grow naught and wicked, when God has appeared from heaven for then’ good, and wrought beyond all natural means, and set them upon their legs again, and delivered them, it much aggravates their sins.
Obs. 4. Unkindness to, and abuse of, such as are related, though but by succession, to those whom God has used to be instruments of our deliverance, is a very great evil. This I think the Holy Ghost especially intends here. By a prophet the Lord brought them out of Egypt, and by a prophet he preserved them; and what! do you now ti’eat unkindly and abuse prophets? Divers good things God had done for his people by prophets, as by !Moses here, so afterwards by .Samuel, and Elijah, and Elisha; great things in the matters of state God had done for this people by prophets, and therefore he takes it very ill that they should so abuse and slight the prophets.
This shows,. A base levity of spirit. 2. An abominable ingratitude of spirit and vile injustice: and God will avenge these things. AVe have a remarkable illustration in Judg. viii., ix. In the former, ver. 33 — 35, it is said, “And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god. And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel.” Gideon had been such a famous instrument of good to Israel, that they received forty years’ prosperity by him; but as soon as he was gone, the people went a whoring from God, and then they were unkind towards Iris posterity. So in chap. ix. 6, “And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king.” And Jotham one of Gideon’s sons, expostulates with them, and tells them the ])arable of the trees that desired a king; and, in ver. 19, 20, saith,” If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo: and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and de-Chap. XII.
vour Abimelech.” As if lie should have f aid, God will avenge this. “What! did God make my father an instrument of so great good to you, and do you so ill requite all his kindness and sen-ice? The Lord judge, and if it be so indeed, as now I charge you, let this be a manifestation of God’s displeasure, that “fire come out from Abiraelech,” &c. As if he should say. Do not think that you can have peace and quiet in your present courses;” you think you have provided well for yourselves in setting up Abimelech, and you now bless yourselves therein; We shall have peace, say you: oh no, the dis])lcasure of God will go on and pursue you, and there will beaflre among yourselves; and it is just with God that it should be so, for this ingratitude of yours towards those who have been so instrumental for your good. The Scripture holds out this, that this is one way for God to avenge himself upon a people that shall be ungrateful to such as have been insti-umental for good to them, that they shall have a perverse spirit mingled among themselves, that when they think to provide for their own ease and peace, they shall have a fire kindled among them, so as in the conclusion to devour each other. These people, in Judg. viii. 22. were very zealous for Gideon, when God had delivered them by his means; “Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, llule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also:” they made great promises then, they were then mightily affected. We were in a dangerous condition, say they, and were like to have been in perpetual bondage under our enemies, but God has stirreif up thee, and blessed thee, and therefore thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son shall rule over us. They were mightily affected with this mercy of God when it was fresh, but presently after you shall find they “remembered nbt the Lord their God, who had delivered them,” nor Gideon, the instrument of God’s mercy to them; but requited the posterity of Gideon as ill as if he had been one of their greatest enemies.
O my brethren, this is a sore and grievous evil, the Lord cannot endure ingratitude.
Ver. 14. Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.
“Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly.” It is true, (saith God by the prophet,) that I loved your father Jacob, and 1 have magnified myself towards his posterity, in the great and wonderful things which I have done for them; but you have been a wretched peo])le. and provoked me most bitterly: as if he should say. Gentleness, sweetness, and love, dwell in God, if he be not ])rovoked; if there be any anger, it is from men’s provoking him.
You have provoked mc bitterly, in bitterness: you have provoked, you have imbittered my Spirit agamst you, by your bitter sins; you make my Spirit, that is so sweet of itself, to be bitter against you.
The word Dniicn signifies sometimes to exalt and make high; and accordingly Tremelius, Vatablus, Calvin, and others, translate it, high places, You have provoked me with the high places. Indeed that was a special sin, the sin of idolatry, which provoked God most bitterly against them.
But it is more full to translate it according to the more strict signification of the word, You have provoked me in bitternesses, you have been very bitter against my saints that would go from Samaria to worship at Jerusalem. I have shown in this prophet how bitter the ten tribes were against any that would separate from them and go to worship at the temple. You have provoked me in that bitter sin of abusing my prophets, m that ingratitude of yours towards those whom I have made instrumental for your good; you have provoked
me in sinning against such great mercies; you have forsaken the living God, the fountain of all good, and have turned yourselves to vanity; you have provoked me to anger most bitterly. From whence,
06*. 1. God is not angry but when he is provoked. Neither should we be; let us be as our heavenly Father is: saith God, “Ephraim provoked him to anger.”
Obs. 2. Sin provokes God, puts God to stir up his anger, puts it to the trial whether there be any anger in God or no. So Heb. iii. 9, “Your fathers proved me,” iiouiiiacav, they tested me, they would ])ut it to trial whether there was such anger in me. Wicked men indeed do so: they hear much of the anger of God against sin, and they put it to ti-ial, they will see whether it be so or no; they dare not say so in words, but their actions do so. Oh, it is a dreadful evil to provoke God. 1 Cor. x. 22, “Do we nrovoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?” Can you stand it out with God? Is it not folly to provoke a man that is a superior, that has power over you, and can crush you? O wretched, bold heart, that darest stand it out to provoke the eyes of his glorv, to provoke the Holy One of Israel! WTiat, to provoke him that can stamp you into hell presently! to provoke him that has the point of the sword of justice at your hearts! but yet this is the boldness of ungodly men; a man that dares not provoke his landlord, yet will dare to provoke God.
06s. 3. It is a great evil to provoke one another to wrath, but a greater evil to provoke to wrath God. In Eph. vi. 4, parents are charged not so much as to provoke then’ children to wrath; and wilt thou then provoke God? If we will provoke one another, let us “provoke unto love and to good works;” to a kind of acrimony of love, Heb. x. 24. So in Gal. v. 26, it is said, “Let us not be desirous of vain-glon,-, provoking one another;” jrpoicalov/«»’oi, calling forth one another’s corruptions, that is the meaning of it; Let there not be a desire of vain-glory, provoking one another, calling forth one another’s corruptions. Oh! it is an evil thing that we do call forth the corruptions of one another so. Was there ever times like the present? men provoking one another, and stirring up one another to envy, wrath, and malice; O, take heed of this, wonderful mischiefs have resulted fiom it. What mischief do you think will come then of provoking God to anger? Consider this, especially you that are of passionate spirits; if a wife, a servant, or a child, do any thing amiss, you are presently all on file; oh that you would reflect. What! shall I, a poor worm, be so soon provoked with a fellow creature if he displease me? O Lord, what a wretch am I then, that dare provoke the infinite God! What, can I think my anger to be so terrible to a child, a neighbour, a servant? oh, how terrible is the anger and wrath of an infinite God against a ereatui-e when he is provoked! I cannot bear it, whoever provokes me; why should I think that the infinite God should bear with me when I provoke him? Oh that the passionate would consider! But further:
“Bitterly.”
“Most bitterly.” Gualter has a ver)- good expression about tills; and especially in speaking of idolatry as provoking God: Just as if a wife that had broken her covenant, and used many unlawful dalliances, should attempt in like manner to manifest regard to her own husband, and he aware of her falseness. Oh what a bitter provocation would this be! a husband would not bear it. Just so did this people do in their idolatries; in idolatiy they go a whoring to idols, and will tender up to God himself that kind of worship which they give to their idols: oh this is a bitter provocation.
Obs. 4. Though sin of its own nature docs provoke God, yet there are some sins which provoke him mo; than others.” Ephraim provoked nim to anger nn’
bitterly-” So Heb. iii. 8, “Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation,” iv r<f irapaTTiKpaaif, in the time of bitterness. Oh, some things, as hardness of heart and false worship, inibitter God’s Spirit; yea, many times even those thinsrs wherein we think we do God a great deal of service imliitter his Holy Spirit. Oh, there are many men who think they serve God in doing that which provokes him bitterly. AVe know what the Scripture saith, that when they shall deal thus and thus with the saints they shall think that they do God good service: they may have a good intention in what they do, and yet provoke God bitterly. Oil let us not rest in good intentions; I question not but this people pleaded their intentions to the prophet. Well, whatsoever their intentions were, yet by their actions they bitterly provoked God.
And as there are some sins that are as bitter clusters, “theii’ grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter,” as the Holy Ghost saith, Deut. xxxii. 32; so God will be as bitter against those that provoke him bitterly, “Xhey shall be devoured with bitter destruction.” Deut. xxxii. 24. Oh, for the creature to forsake God is “an evil thing and bitter,” Jer. ii. 19; and it will be bitterness in the end, as Abner said to Joab, 2 Sam. ii. 26, “Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end?” Oh, those dalliances of thine will be bitterness in the end; those sins of thine that are the most pleasing to thee, as they are bitter to God, so God will make them bitter to thee one day. “Her end is bitter as wormwood,” Prov. v. 4: though the beginning is .sweet as “an honeycomb” to you, yet the Holy Ghost saith, that “her end is bitter as wormwood.” So Jer. iv. 18, “Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee: this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter.” My brethren, we are charged in Scripture to take heed of being bitter one against another; the husband is charged not to be bitter against his wife, Col. iii. 19. It is an evil thing when in a family there is bitterness. Oh, but when the Spirit of the eternal God is bitter against a people! You mvcs who have such a bondage upon you, who find it evil to have such bitterness from your husbands, oh but then look up to God, is God’s Spirit .sweet to you? it is a blessing to have the Spirit of God sweet. There is a generation of men that have God’s Spirit bitter towards them, by their being bitter one against another. In Eph. iv. 31, it is said, “Let all bitteiTiess, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:” this is the charge of God; as we would obey him in any thing, we are charged to put away “all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking.” Oh what a spirit of bitterness prevails among us! how bitter are our words and speeches! In Psal. lxiv. 3, wicked men are said to “whet then” tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words.” If ever bitter words did fly like aiTows about our ears, they do at this day; I verily believe that England never understood, as lately, what bitter words meant. In Rev. viii. 1 1, it is said, “the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.” My brethren, sometimes the thud part of sermons are wormwood, are bitter: oh. I would to God that we could not sometimes say the same of prayer; bitterness in prayer, in writing, in sjieaking, in conferring one with another, do not you think that this much provokes God? Yea, even those men that were wont to draw down sweetness on one another’s spirits in prayer, what do they now? they cannot meet together but with bitter spirits, one imbittering the other, as if there were nothing but gall and wormwood among us. Let me apply that scripture in James iii. 11, “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” What! those
that were of such sweet natures and dispositions, and by grace much more sweet, docs there now nothing but bitterness come out of such fountains P one would wonder to see men’s natures so changed besides the work of grace. Oh, shall out of the same fountain come forth “sweet water and bitter?”
“Therefore shall he leave his blood upon him.” That is, he shall bring his sin upon his own head: Those that will be wilful in sin, their blood be upon their own heads; that is the meaning. Never stand excusing any more: you have warning enough; if you will go on in your way, the blood be upon your own head, you will undo yourselves and there is no help. Mark the phrase, “Therefore shall he leave his blood upon him.”
Obs. 5. When God bi-ings the guilt and the punishment of sin on a man’s own head, and there leaves it, that is sad indeed. In 2 Sam. xii. 13, it is said, that when Nathan came and rebuked David for his sin, on David’s confessing his sin Nathan said to him, “The Lord also hath put away thy sin:” T2jpn nin’-DJ ■jnNtfln which is translated by some thus. The Lord hath made thy sin to pass away: oh, that is a happiness indeed, when it may be said of God, he has made the sin and the guilt to pass away fi’om the sinner. But on the other side, when God leaves the sin, with its attendant guilt, upon the sinner, as if God should say, Here is the guilt of sin upon the head of such a man, and let it abide and lie, I shall leave his blood upon him; as in Ezek. xxii. 20, the Lord saith, “So will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there.” The Lord many times brings his saints into the fire of afflictions, but he will not leave them there; but when he brings the wicked into the fire, there he leaves them.
“And his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.” That is, they do what lies in them to bring a reproach upon me the living God, as if there were not an all-sufficiency in me, but I will make the reproach to turn upon their own heads; yea, they reproach my saints too, but I will make this to return upon their otlti heads. O take heed of doing any thing to bring a reproach upon God.
Yon win say, Can the creatui-e bring a reproach upon God?
I might show you divers ways; I will instance but one.
Apostatizing from God. AYlien professors of religion, that have been very forward and seemed to rejoice in the ways of God and to rely upon him, forsake God to follow after their vain lusts, I say, these do bring a reproach upon God himself. In Heb. x. 29, they are said to do” despite to the Spirit of,
grace,” they wrong and bring a reproach ^’“pi’^’^’”- upon the Spirit of grace. And Heb. vi. 6, it is written, they put the Son of God “to an open shame;” they make him a reproach “”’f^^^’J“‘”’’ before all. As when you cart peo])le up and down the city you hold them out as a scorn; so they put the Son of God to open shame; they do (as it were) hold forth the Son of God to open shame. There is more good to be had in a whore than in Jesus Christ, and Ciod, and the blessed Spirit; that is the language of a whoremonger, and all a])Ostates, however diversified, their sins are like-minded.
Well, ye apostates, from whence is it that the people of God are reproached, but because of you? Do you then bring a reproach upon God, upon his name, upon profession, upon his saints? the Lord has ways to turn the reproach upon yourselves; and usually such men as these, before they die, God puts to open shame, he leaves them to such vile courses as they come to be a shame, a by-word, a scorn, and cast out as dung and filth, not only to the churches, but from such as have
Cn.vp. XIII.
any kind of civility or morality at all. O, take heed of bringing a reproach upon God, and so upon his saints. O, let the saints go on in a constant -way of holiness and faithfulness; God will wipe away their reproach, the Lord will return the reproach upon the heads of such as seek to rci)roach them. But when there comes a reproach u])on the wicked, it shall be another manner of reproach than upon the saints, it is called “a perpetual rei)roach;” the reproach of the saints is not a perpetual reproaeli, but when it is upon the ungodly it shall be a perpetual reproach; and in Jer. xlii. 18, those two things are joined together, “a curse, and a reproach.” So Neh. iv. 4, ‘■ Hear, O God, for we are despised; and turn their reproach upon their own heads.” Sanballat and Tobiah did reproach the servants of God, who sought in the uprightness of their hearts to honour God; but, Lord, “turn their reproach upon their own heads,” saith Nehemiah.
And truly this is the best way, when the servants of God are reproached; though they may by lawful means seek to vindicate their names, yet theu- chief resource is to pray. Lord, turn the reproach upon the heads, or into the bosoms, of our adversaries.
Obs. 6. God will be Lord, let the wicked do what they can. “And his reproach shall his Lord return unto hini.” “His Lord;” what! is God the Lord of this people? “His Lord;” as if the prophet should say. You reject God and will not be in subjection to him, you will not own him to be your Lord; but he will be your Lord in spite of your hearts. Christ has purchased to be Lord over the’ world, and he will be Lord over all, over all apostates, hypocrites, wicked men; let them do what they can, Jesus Christ will be Lord over them in s])ite of their hearts.
Oh it is a blessed thing to give up ourselves willingly to the subjection of Jesus Christ. If we say, “We will not have this man to rule over us,” Christ will say, But I will rule over you; “I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return. That unto rae every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear,” Isa. xlv. 23. “Be still, and know that I am God,” Psal. xlvi. 10. So I say to the most troublesome and tumultuous spirit, that would cast off the yoke of God; Be still, thou wretched, thou proud spirit, and know that God is the Lord, he will prevail against you. God made Julian u ai.05 a c ij„o,y ^^^[^^ when struck by a dart he cast his heart blood into the air, with an O thou Galilean, thou hast overcome me! And so all wicked men shall be forced to say one day, Well, though I would cast off the commands of God behind my back, and break his cords, yet the Lord has overcome me; and though I perish to all eternity, yet God will be Crod blessed for ever, and Lord of the whole earth.