Hosea 2:14–23
Ver. 14. Therefore, behold, I uiil allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.
The former part of this chapter was spent in conviction, threatening, and pronouncing of judgment; but fi’om ver. 14 to the end, contains the opening up of the free and rich grace of God to Israel. It may be said of this chapter, and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other,” Psal. lxxxv. 10. There is a blessed connexion between threatening of judgment and profiering of mercy; but where is the copula of this conjunction? what is it that knits these two together? Here is a bond of union, but it is a very wonderful one, it is in the iu’st word, “therefore;” “Therefore I will allm-e her:” wherefore? This “therefore “has a very strange and wonderful wherefore, if wejdweU on what precedes:” She went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the Lord. Therefore, behold, I will allm-e her:” there needs indeed a behold to be put to this therefore. “Therefore, behold, I will allure her.” LjTa could not see how these things could bo joined together, therefore he thinks that this verse has not reference to the one immediately preceding, but to the words in the beginning of the” chapter; “Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi,” my people, “and to your sisters, Ruhamah,” she that hath obtained mercy; ‘” therefore, behold, I will allure her.” And Cornelius; Lapide, not understanding the cause of such a connexion, would refer the beginnmg of this verse to the end of the seventh: “She shall say, I will go and return to my fu-st husband; for then was it better with me than now: therefore, behold, I will allure her.” Both of these, though learned men, are papists, and therefore understand but little of the ft-ee, rich grace of God, and hence ai-e so much at a loss to connect what goes before with this “therefore;” but the right knowledge of the fulness and the riches of the grace of the covenant, will help us out of this difficulty, and tell us how these two, the greatness of man’s sin and the riches of God’s grace, may have a connexion one with another, and that by an illative “therefore.” I con-,
fess, the Hebrew word is sometimes conjunct io ordinis, rather than causalis; a conjunction intimating the order, rather than at all implying the cause of a thing; but the reading here by way of inference, I conceive to be according to the scojie of the Spuit of God, and it gives us this excellent note.
Obs. Such is the grace of God to those who are in covenant with him, that it takes occasion from the greatness of their sins, to show the greatness of his mercy; from the vUeness of then’ transgressions, to declare the riches of his grace. And the ScriptiU’e often adopts this form of expression; as in Gen. viii. 21, “The Lord said in his heart, I will not again cm’se the ground any more for man’s sake;” why? “for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” Strange reasoning: “I will not curse the ground any more for man’s sake,/b)- the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” One would have thought it should have been rather, I wiD therefore ciu’se the groimd for man’s sake, because the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; but the grace of God knows how to make another manner of inference than we could have imagined. So likewise, Isa. lvii. 17, 18, “For the iniquity of his covetousness was I ■nToth, and smote him: I hid me, and was WTOth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways,” saith God: now one would have thought that the next word should have been, I will therefore plague him, I will destroy him, I will em’se him; but mark the words that follow, “and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his moimiers.” This is a consequent at least, if not an inference. David understood this reasoning to be agreeable to the covenant of grace, and therefore pleads thus with God, Psal. xxv. 11, “Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great:” Lord, my iniquity is great, therefore pardon it. Hearken, ye saints, hearken, I say, this is the gi’eat blessing of God to you, this is the glorious fruit of the covenant of grace; whereas otherwise your- sins shoidd have made you objects of God’s hatred, they now render you objects of his pity and compassion.
I would saints alone heard me in this thing; but W’hy do I say so? I will recall my word; let all sinners hear me, let the vilest, the worst sinners in the world, hear of the riches of the grace of God in this his covenant, that, if they belong to God’s election, they may, seeing the fidness and the glory of God’s grace, be enamom-ed and have their hearts i-avished with it, and never be at rest till they get evidence to then- souls, that God indeed has actually received them into this his covenant. If, then, God be pleased in the riches of free grace to make such an inference, let us take heed that we cross not the mind of the Spirit, by dwelling on the greatness of ovu’ sins, instead of the infiniteness of God’s grace. God reasons thus: You have followed your lovers, you have forgotten me, therefore will I ahure you. An unbelieving heart would make this inference: I have followed my lovers, I have followed after vanity and folly, and therefoi-e God has rejected me, God will have no mercy upon me, I am undone, the gates of mercy are shut against me. O unbelieving heart, do not sin against the grace of God: he saith. You have forgotten me, therefore wUl I allure and speak comfortably to you; do not you say, I have forgotten the Lord, anil therefore the Lord will for ever reject me: these discouraging, despairing therefores are verygrievous to the Sph’it of God, which would have us all entertain good thoughts of God, and not to regard Mm
Ch.vp. II.
Tola Script ,.r» hoc 3* haxd. master. It is an excellent say-Sj’.immi!?on-’ i”? °f Luther, That the -whole Scripture
Bdimnu, cred’araut, principally aims at this; that ne should
dcm esse benimum, not doubt, but that We should hope, and
paiieniem. Luther, ^yy j ^eiig.g yat God is a merciful,
bountiful, gracious, and patient God to his people. Master Bradford, in one of his epistles, thus expresses himself: OLord! sometimes, methinks, I feel as if there were no difference between mj’ heart and the wicked, a blind mind as they have, a stout, stubborn, rebellions spii’it, a hard heart as they have; shall I therefore conclude thou art not my Father? nay, I will rather reason otherwise; because I do believe thou art my Father, I will come to thee that thou mightest enlighten this blind mind, that thou mightest soften this hard heart, and sanctify this unclean spu-it. This is good reasoning indeed, and worthy of one who professes the gospel of Jesus Christ. Again, as the inference of the unbeUeving heart is grievous to God’s Spirit, as it draws its therefore from the greatness of sm against God’s mercy; so the profane heart taking its therefore from the greatness of God’s mercy, to the hardening of itself in sin, “treasures up for itself wrath against the day of wrath.” What! shall God make his therefore fi’om oiusin to his mercy, and shall we make our therefore from his mercy back again to our sins? Where sin abounds, grace abounds; but where gi-ace abounds, sin must not abound. Because God takes occasion from the greatness of our sins to display the greatness of his mercy, let not us take occasion from the greatness of his mercy to be imboldened in the greatness of oui- sins.
“Behold.” Here is a wonder in this inference to occupy the thoughts of men and angels to all eternity; behold, notwithstanding all this, yet you, men and angels, behold the fulness, the riches of God’s grace. “I will allui-e her.” Wiat! will not God cast us away notwithstanding the greatness of our sms? let not us then reject God’s ways, notwithstantling the greatness of any sufferings we meet with in them: this surely is most reasonable: you should bear with sufl’crings in God’s ways, and yet embrace them, as God bears with sins in your hearts, and yet embraces you. But there follows, “I will allure.” The Hebrew” ’ word translated “allure,” signifies to entice, and is often used in a bad acceptation, blaiidiendo decipere, to deceive by subtle enticing: the Seventy, in their translation, render it by irXavu, “I will deceive them;” the Vulgate, by lactabo; and others, by seducam, “I will seduce them:” God made use of the word to express the sweet and gracious ways in which he intends to deal with them from his gracious affection towards them.
What God means by alluring his people, when once he is reconciled to them, may be expressed in these three things.
Fii’st, I will unfold the beauty and excellency of the infiniteness of my goodness and lo%-ing-kindness, and set in array before their souls the exceeding glorj’ of the riches of my grace.
Secondly, AAHiereas before they went a whoring fr-om me, because theii- hearts were allured by their lovers, proffering unto them various contentments, and so subtlely beguiling their minds; I will now deal with them in a more powerful manner than then’ lovers possibly could, and outbid them all. Did their lovers proffer to them comfort? I will bid more than they. Did their lovers proffer gain? I will bid more gain. Did they proffer more honour and respect? I will outbid them in this too: so that I will persuade their hearts that they shall enjoy more in me, than they possibly could in all that their lovers could do for them. And indeed, then the gospel has the true, full, and gracious work upon the heart of a sinner, -when it yields to its proffers, as finding that all that the world can bid is now outbidden, and
that there is more gain in Ctuist than in all else besides. You know, when one comes to offer so much for a commodity, and another outbids him, he carries it away: so when the world and sin proffer to the soul such and such contents, if God come and outbid all, the bargain is made u]), and God can’ies away the heart.
Thirdly, I will come ujjon them even unawares, and, as it were, steal away theii- hearts by a holy guile; as St. Paul tells us, that he caught the Corinthians with guUe, 2 Cor. sii. 16. I will secretly insinuate myself, and cfraw their hearts in such a sweet and hidden way, that I -will take them before they are aware. God deals thus with many a soul, taking it ^^efoi-e it is aware, and the soul aftenvard comes to imderstand some of the dealings of his gi-ace. Indeed the sinner himself sees he is not where he was before: Sm’ely there has been something working on my heart; I find it is otherwise vdth me now than it has been; but how this comes to pass I imderstand not at present, but shall understand hereafter. “Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Ammi-nadib,” Cant. vi. 12; that is, the chariots of “a willing people,” so the word Ammi-nadib signifies. My heart was caught, and run amain to God, before ever I was aware; God’s grace came in such a manner into my heart, and so ra■ished my soul, that it ran freely and swiftly after the Lord. And this is a blessed deceit when the heart is so deceived and so allured. Thus Cluist sometimes sends such a glance of his eye into the heart of a shiner, as surprises the soul, and brings it involuntarily into love with the ways and with the tiiiths of God. His grace has a subtlety in it, as well as the serpent, Prov. i. 4. It is a blessed thing to be thus outwitted, as I may so speak, for the grace of God to be too subtle for our sins. As I remember, Luther, when he was charged with apostacy, acknowledged it, saying, “I confess I am an apostate; but how? an apostate from the devil, falling off from the de’il, and returning unto God; such an apostate I am.” And happy that man who can say, Blessed be God, I am deceived indeed; but so deceived that my sin is beguiled: I am seduced, but it is out of the ways of sin, into the paths of God and of peace.
“And bring her into the wilderness.”
There is some difficulty here; how comes this in between allui’ing, and speaking comfortably? I told you, that this second part of the chajiter was altogether mercy; what can be meant then by bringing into the wilderness? Some, in order to show that it is yet a way of gi-ace that God intends by this phi-ase, “and bring her into the wilderness,” ti’anslate the words, after I have brought her into the wilderness, poslquam perduxero earn. So Tremelius, who was a.
Jew, and therefore could well under- — stand the Hebrew, renders them; telling us that 1 which we translate and, is eqmvalent to nns poslquam, after, and then the meaning would be, after I have humbled them thoroughly, as I did their forefathers in the wilderness, then will I speak comfortably unto them. God humbled their forefathers in Egypt, yet that did not suffice; he humbled them afterwards in the wilderness, and then brought them into Canaan. Many times God sends successive afflictions upon his own people, tobrcak thefrheai-ts, to humble them thoroughly, and at last “speaks comfortably unto them.” It has been so with us; the Lord, not many years since, brought us into bondage, it might have humbled us and broken our hcaits before him; but when we began to be delivered, the Lord brought us into the wilderness, and follows us with afflictions to this day, that he may thoroughly subdue us; and yet oui’ trust is, that these trials are working together for oui’ good, making straight the paths, and prepaiing the way for us into Canaan.
But, secondly, if you take it as it is here translated,
“I will allm-e her, and bring her into the wilderness;” then the scope of it may be not the afflicting part of the wilderness, but only a declaration to Israel, that he would show to them the great and wonderful works of his power, and wisdom, and goodness, as he did to theii- forefathers in the wilderness. Whatever the condition may be into which you shall be brought, yet you shall have me working in” as a glorious way for your good and comfort, as ever I did for yoiu- forefathers when they were in the wilderness; and this exposition is rather sh-engthened by that wOiich we have ex „,, Tharvum Jonalhw, “I will work miract grandia facinora, cles, great, wonderful, ana lamous things ?e“Sf Th»gum for them, such as I wrought in the desert.” jonatte, jjjjg Q,^^ wrought gloriously for his people
hitherto in the ways of his mercy? if reconciled to him, they may expect the same wonderful manifestations for their good, even to the end of the world. We may read the stories of God’s wonderful power displayed in delivering his people out of their straits in the wilderness, and make them om- own; and plead with God, that he would show forth that old, that ancient power, and wisdom, and goodness of his, as he did unto his people formerly. This is the gi-ound of that excellent prayer, Isa. h. 9, 10, “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord, awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Ai’t thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and woimded the di-agon? Art thou not it that hath dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep?” Awake, awake, thou art he who hast done such gi-eat things formerly. It is a great help to our faith to consider what God has done for the church of old.
But, thu’dly, Pareus saith, this expression is taken born. the condition of a poor man di’awn aside out of ills way by a thief, who, having allui-ed him fi-om his path, carries him into some desolate place. Then the man begms to bethink himself where he is, and seeing himself in a sad condition, knows not what to do; and yet at that very time there may come in supply, comfort, and help. So, saith God, I -will bring you into the wilderness, that is, I will allui-e you, as the thief aUm’es, and put you into a condition similar to that in which such a poor man is placed. I will, by specious proffers of abundance of good, draw you into situations wherein you shall meet with very gi’eat straits for a while, and be confounded, and sore amazed, as not knowing what to do; and then, in the midst of all your distresses, will I come with the fulness of my grace, and “speak comfortably” to your hearts. Thus, though God speaks of bringing into the wilderness, yet still it is with an intention of showing mercy there. And does not this just agree with oiu- condition? have not the ways of God towards England for these two or tlu’ee years been ways of aUiu-ement? God has proffered to us a great deal of mercy, and raised the hopes of his people; and the ministers of God have spoken encouraging words, that surely the Lord intends great goodness towards us, and God knows that we have endeavoured to follow the leadings of his providence, and to render instant obedience to its commands; and yet we are now brought even into the wilderness, into a kind of desolate condition, that for the present we are at a stand, and see afflictions round about us, and the veiy beasts ready to come and tear us, and pull us in pieces: and yet we can say, to the comfort of our hearts. Lord, if we be deceived, thou hast deceived us; for. Lord, thou knowest that whatsoever we have done, it was omduty to do; and although we are brought into gi-eat straits for the present, yet we repent not of having thus followed thee, and the gracious intimations of thy mercy towards us in the beginning of the parliament. We will not therefore saw, Tiat is now become of all om- hopes? but we expect God, even
in this wilderness, to “speak comfortably” unto us. Let not men then upbraid us for what we have done: we repent not, for God has brought us into this situation: and if we are in no other wilderness than that into which he has allured us, we may fully expect deliverance. In this lies the difference between men bringing themselves into trouble, or being brought into it by the allmements of the de’il or Uie world, or by the dealings of God’s providence. In the one we cannot, but in the other w-e may confidently, expect that God will speak comfortably unto us.
Further, there is yet another interpretation, which I think the fullest and most genuine. That you may understand what I shall advance, you must know, that fi-om the beginning of this part of the chapter to the end, God is expressing himself to his people conjugally; that is, whereas his people had gone a whoring from him, yet he would receive them again into conjugal affection and commimion. By this expression, then, of God’s “bringing into the wilderness,” the prophet appears to me to allude to a custom observed by the Jews in their marriages. The “bridegroom used to conduct Ids bride out of the city into the fields, and there they sang their nuptial songs, and delighted themselves one with another; and afterwards he brought her back again, leaning upon him, into the citj-, to his fathers house, where they rejoiced together, and solemnized the nuptials. Now, these fields are called the wilderness, either because they might be some champaign, di-y fields surroimding the citj-; or, because he would allude to the mercy of God iii bringing Ms people up out of Egj-pt mto Canaan, and by giving these fields this title, would remind them of it. Allusion seems to be made to this custom of the Jews in Cant. viii. 5, “Who is this that Cometh up fi-om the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” Such was the ceremony of marriage, they came out of the fields, leaning upon then- beloved, and so were brought into the house of the bridegroom’s father. So Chi’ist brings his spouse tlu’ough this world, which is as the wilderness, and here has his nuptial songs, and takes “his delights among the children of men;” and the church, leaning upon her Beloved, is carried onward to his Father’s house, where, ere long, she shall be with him for ever, solemnizing her marriage with the Lamb in a more glorious manner. Thus then we may see the meaning of this expression, “I will allm-e her, and bring her into the wUdemess.” As “the bridegi-oom rejoiceth over his bride,” so, God saith, I will deal with” you in the fulness of my grace, I will perform all the nuptial rites with you, and be man-ied again to you; and look, whatsoever solemnities are publicly regarded as most sacred and most glorious in yomcity of Jei-usalem, or hi any other of yom- cities, with these will I betroth thee unto me for ever. Let all backsUders, then, amongst us learn fi-om hence, that if they retm-n and repent, God is willing to manifest all expressions of love and goodness to them. ‘• Tm-n, O backsliding childi-cn, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion,” J’er. iii. 14.
“And speak comfortably unto her.”
The words translated, “And I will speak comfortably,” mean, And I will speak to nr’w ‘mm her heart; ‘I will speak to her, either so as to prevail with her heart, or speak to her so as to do her good at the veiy heart. Many scriptm-es may be brought to show, that speakuig Idndly, fi-iendly, or comfortably, the Hebrews express by “speaking to the heart:” thus. Gen. xxxiv. 3, “Shechem spake kindly unto the damsel,” the Hebrew is, Shechem spake to the heart of the damsel: so, Ruth ii. 13, “Thou hast spoken ft-iendly unto thine handmaid;” that is, Thou hast spoken to the vei-y heart of thy handmaid: and in Isa. xl. 2, “Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem;” that
is, Speak ye to the heart of Jerusalem. ‘ATiat should be spoken to the heart of Jerusalem? “Cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned.” These are the comfortable words which God required should be s])okcn to the heart of Jerusalem. Oh that God would speak thus to England! it would do her good at the very licart, if God would en,- from heaven, Thine iniquity is pardoned, and thy warfare is accompUshed. But a ])lace still more in accordance with the expression in the text, is Judg. xix. 3; there you have the stoi-y of a Levite, who was willing to be reconciled to his wife after .she had played the harlot, and the text saith, that he “went after her, to s])eak friendly unto her;” now the words are in the Hebrew, he went after her to speak to her heart; and indeed it is a word that must reach the heart of an adulterous spouse, if that heart be humbled, when she knows that her husband will be willing, notwithstanding all her transgressions against him, to be reconciled to her. This was the condition of Israel, they had gone a whoring from God, and when God promises a renewal of the mamage rites, he saith he will speak to her heart; from whence we might
Obs. 1. That an apostatizing people, or an apostate soul, require words of comfort spoken to their hearts, or else their terrified consciences can find Uttle ease. AV’e read that Spira, that famous apostate, had words of comfort enough spoken to his ear; but God did not come in and speak to his heart, therefore his conscience could not be quieted, the tumult of it could not be allayed. How many lie under the troubles of an accusing conscience, and have to endui’e the coiTodings of a guilty spirit, because they have been backsliders from the truth; and though they come to semions one after another, and hear the covenant of grace opened to them in all its fulness, and the riches of God’s goodness set before them in all its beauty, yet go away without comfort, because the words come to the ear first, God all this time speaks not to the heart! Sometimes, however, it ])leases God, when the time of his love is come, to take but the hint of a truth, and dart it upon the heart of a troubled sinner, to work eft’ectually in him, so that he is constrained to say. Well, this “day God has spoken to my heart; and he then goes away rejoicing, cased, comforted, and pacified. God shows hereby that it is not in the word of man to comfort an afflicted conscience.
Hence au expression Luther has in his comment Muiiodimciiiux-it up“” Genesis, It is far harder to comfort <onxiciiii«iii afflic an afflicted conscience than to raise the inortu’os’cxcVuur.“‘” dead. You think it is nothing to aposta- ‘’°’’’”’ tize from the Lord, you think it is easy
to receive comfort; you will find it no such light matter. But you told us before, how, in the riches of his grace, God takes advantage from the greatness of our sins, to show the greatness of his mercy. Grant it, let the grace of God be never so rich, but till this grace be applied, till God be ))leascd to speak hiraseli’ to the heart of a sinner, it will avail nothing. One who had made profession of religion, afterwards apostatized and scofl’ed at it. His acquaintance told him that he now did what he would smart for one day; but he thought that he understood something of the gospel, and that it was merely to believe in Jesus Christ, that he came to pardon sinners. On his sick-bed, however, being in great horror of conscience, and bitterly lamenting his a])OStacy, there came some of his acquaintance to him, and spake words of comfort, and told him that Christ came to save sinners, and that he must trust in God’s mercy, &c. At length he began to close with this, and to get a little ease by applying it to himself; upon which
* Rf’miltant aliqiiid de ciira nitoris cuUusqiic verbonim venuslali< ct numrnisilatis sentcnliariim, ct lcrx bumilitati ct mui’tillcutiuni, impaidant ut chariliitcm liabcaut, sine qua si
his companions began to be hardened in their ways, because they saw, after a life so ill spent, it was so easy a matter to gain comfort; but not long before he died, in a most miserable anguish he exclaimed, Oh I I have prepared a plaster, but it will not stick, it will not stick. We shall find, though the grace of God be rich, and the salve a sovereign one, unless God be pleased to apply it by speaking to our hearts, human efforts are unavaihng.
Obs. 2. That as, when God speaks comfortably to his people, he speaks to their hearts; so God’s ministers, when they come to speak in his name, should labour to speak to the hearts of his people. It is true, indeed, it is im])ossible for man of himself to reach the heart, but God both assists and blesses the earnest endeavours of his servants; and though I know God can take that which comes but from the lips, and render it effectual, yet, ortlinarily, that which comes from the heart goes to the heart. Ministers, therefore, when they come to declare the gi-eat tilings of the gospel, should not seek so much for eloquent tcnns and enticing words of man’s wisdom; but try to get theii- own hearts warmed with the grace of the gospel, and then they are most likely to speak to the hearts of their hearers. Kibera saith,* Let ministers remit somewhat of their care for fine, curious words, brave, neat plu’ases, and cadences in their sentences; but let them bend their studies to manifest humility and mortification, and to show love to the souls of people; otherwise, though they speak with the tongues of men and angels, they shall become but “as sounding brass, or a tinkling eTnbal.” A Jesuit thus expresses himself, and it were surely then a great shame for God’s ministers not to labour to speak so, that they may speak to the hearts of the people. You must be desu’ous of such kind of ])reaching as you find speaks to your hearts, not that which comes merely to your ears. Many men love to sit, like Israel of old, listening to the words of tlic preacher as to “a pleasant song;” but when you find a ministry which speaks to your hearts, close with it, bless God for it, and eoimt it a sad day when you go from a sermon unaffected.
But because many godly and learned men understand by “the wilderness” a continued series of afiiictions, wherein God would comfort his people, I dare not wholly reject that interpretation: and we may on this
Obs. 1. That there are many obstructions in the hearts of men whilst in prosperity; but when afflictions come, though they camiot of themselves convert the heart, yet by them God often o])ens a way for his word to reach theh hearts. Many of you have heard thousands of sermons, and scarce know of one that has come to vour hearts; but when God casts you upon your sickbecls, and you apprehend death, then you feel the same truths that you were not sensible of before: the tlu’catcning word of God that went but to the ear before, now reaches the heart, now it terrifies, now you lament vour sins, and relish the sweet promises of the gospel that afflictions make way for. To his brother, who was a riotous and profane solilier, Bernard gave manv good instructions, wholesome admonitions and counsels; but his brother seemed to .slight them. Beniard came to him, and putting his hand on his side, said, God will one day make way to this heart of yours by some spear or lance; meaning God would wound him in battle, and so open a way to his heart, and then his admonitions would get to his heart: and as he said, so it happened, for going into war, lie was wounded, and then he remembered his brother’s athnonitions, they lay upon his heart to purpose. If God should let the enemy in upon us, their swords or bullets may make way to oiu- hearts, that God’s word may come to have entrance
linguis hominum loquantur ct aniclorum, facli sunt sicut a;s soiiaus vcl cvmbalum tiunicus. lUbera
there: the Lord rather pierce our hearts by his Spirit, than gain that way to our hearts.
064’. 2. Great afflictions are the time for God’s mercies. This should make us not be so much afraid of afflictions. How alarmed are we! how do we shrink back when we see them coming! Why art thou so cast down, O Chi-istian? the time of affliction is the time for God to speak to the heart of a sinner: many a one may eay that their condition has been Uke Jacob’s, who never had a more sweet vision of God than when he lay abroad in the fields, with no other pillow under his head than a stone. It may be God will take away all your outward comforts, and when they are all gone, then inay be God’s time to speak comfortably to your heart.
Obs. 3. The words of mercy, oh how sweet arc they when they come to the heart after an affliction! “AVhen their judges are overthi-owm in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet,” Psal. cxli. 0.
Again, There is yet one more interpretation put on this expression, of “bringing into the wilderness, and speaking to the heart; but as it is not very probable, I will only brietiy mention it for the sake of the improvement to be drawn from it; it is this: that, by bringing into the wilderness, God means that he would take them off from their engagements, from their houses, lands, shops, estates, friends, and acquaintance, from all the pomp and glory of the world which they enjoyed, and were snared by in their ovm country; and so carry them aside into desolate places, and there, when he has got them, as it were, alone, instruct them. God often works thus toward those upon whom he has set his love. There is an illustration of it in Mark viii. 23, where it is said of the poor blind man, whose eyes Christ intended to open, that Christ took him by the hand, and can-ied him out of the city, and there, apart from the tumult of the people, wrought the mii-acle upon him: so many of God’s people have found by experience, that, whereas there were many truths of his word which they had read and heard much of here, and in some slight measure understood, yet would not be persuaded of them, and still their consciences bore them witness that they were not walking against its light; but when God took them aside from their engagements, and from the pomp and glory of thcii’ own land, and carried them into remote places, where the glory of their o-W7i counti-y did not so glitter before their eyes, they then coidd clearly discern truths which they saw but imperfectly before, and their hearts were opened to receive them in the •’ full assurance of faith.” “VVTien God had taken them aside, then God opened their eyes.
Ver. 15. And I will give her her vineijards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of
Egypt.
Some translate the word ott’B her vine-dressers, and indeed the Hebrew words for vine-dressers, vines, and vineyards, differ only in the vowel points; but we will read it as it is here. “From thence;” either from the time they are in the wilderness, or from that condition of their affliction in it, wherein I will speak comfortably to her, thence I will give her’her vineyards: God threatened to destroy her vineyards, now God saith, he will give vineyards.
Obs. God can as easily restore, as he can destroy. It is an easy tiling for men to make havoc, and do mischief, but not so easy for them to restore; it is easy to ravage a country, but not so easy to heal the breaches thereof. Psal. lii. 1, ““ATiy boastest thou thyself in mischief, 0 mighty man?” There is no reason for this vain-glorying. Plutarch tells us of one commending the power and valour of
Philip, for having utterly destroyed OI)-nthus, a city of Thrace: a Lacedemonian standing by, answered, But he cannot build such a city. And some amongst us make it then- boast, that they can roam about the country, plundering, spoiling, and making havoc; but it is not in their power, nor in the power of thousands such as they, when peace comes, to remedy the unhappy consequences of their actions. This is God’s property alone, who, when reconciled to a nation, can restore her her vineyards, and “bless her latter end more than, the beginning.”
But, moreover, on this passage Calvin remarks, that God saith not, I will give them theii- corn, that is, supply then- necessities, but, I will give them their vineyards, that is, minister to their delights. AVHicn God is reconciled to a people, he will not only give them subsistence, but abundance; even for delight, as well as for necessity.
Obs. i. AVlien God is reconciled to a people, although he reserves an abundance of mercy for the future, yet he always comes immediately with some real evidences and demonsti-ations of love. He saith not only, I will speak comfortably to Israel, and they may expect mercies hereafter; no, but “I will speak comi’ortably to her, and I will give her her vineyards “again; I will give them present manifestations of my love: so it should be with us, when we come in to be reconciled to God, we should approach him with real expressions of unfeigned repentance. Many, when they lie upon their sick-beds, will promise what they will do for God, if he restore them; but they cannot resolve on an immediate surrender of themselves to his service, and so the opportunity passes away unimproved. ‘When, therefore, you find your hearts “wrought upon, broken, and melting, do not content yourselves with fair promises, but set upon the w-ork presently, and so engage your hearts to God; and if once you be engaged by doing something, the work will go on. This is of the greatest consequence, for a man has even a natural reluctance to turn back, after having put his hand to the plough.
Obs. 2. “^^Tien God restores vineyards, after speaking to the heart, then the are blessings sweet indeed, for they are the fruits of reconciliation with him. !Many a poor afflicted soul knows the comfort I allude to: I thought my sinfulness had forfeited all my mercies, and God indeed took away many comforts from me; but it pleased him to come in graciously upon my heart, and in some measure to break and humble it before him; so that I hope peace is made. Notwithstanding those great ofi’ences of mine, he has now restored mercies; he took away a child, but he has given another, a better; he has taken away one mercy, and he has given a greater: and this I do confidently, yet humbly regard as a fruit of my reconciliation with God. Oh how sweetly may such a one enjoy that mercy from God! If after the meltings of thy heart after God, he then comes in with mercies to thee, thou mayst take them as tokens of love; now thy house is a comfortable blessing to thee, and thy yoke-fellow, and thy childi-en about “thee; yea, the meat on thy table is sweet with a double sw”eetncss, when thou canst look upon all as the fruit of God’s reconciliation with thee: as the Christians, when they once believed on Christ, “did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God,” Acts li. 46, 47. AVe may enjoy all oiucommon mercies, in another manner than other men, they will be blessings doubled, yea, a hundi’ed-fold increased: I will speak to her heart, and then, “I will give her her vineyards.” Perhaps God has given thee an estate in the world, more than thy neighbours, or brother; but has God spoken to thy heart? Are God’s blessings upon thee as a fruit of God’s speaking to thy heart, through reconciliation? Otherwise it is but a flat
comfort, to have an estate, and not to feel God speaking to our hearts.
I v-ill restore unto you your vineyards from thence. From whence? From the -wilderness.
06*. 1. God can bring ‘ineyards out of wildernesses. Let us not be afraid, only let lis make up our peace with God, and then, though we be in a wilderness, God can from thence bring us vineyards. Our brethren have foimd vineyards in the wilderness, and many of God’s people in the midst of their straits have found abundance of mercy.
Obs. 2. “From the wilderness:” they shall have more love, mercy working more strongly for them now, it seems, than it did before. They had ^■ineyards before, but they had none in the wUderness. God lnl diaw now mercies out of those things that were unlikely; he will bring forth good to them, from what seemed to be for evil: the Lord has done so for us, out of those things which seemed against us; God has brought much good, as if he had made %-ineyard3 to spring out of a wilderness. But the close of all is,
Obs. 3. Those mercies that come to us out of great difficulties, and seem to be raised out of contraries, are sweet mercies indeed, and what we are to rejoice in; and therefore it follows, “and she shall sing.” Deut. xsxii. 13, “He made him to suck honev out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock.” AVlien did God so? when did God cause his people to “suck honey out of the rock,” or, “oil out of the flint)- rock?” we read, indeed, that the rock was smitten, and water gushed out; but where is it said that oil or honey came out of the rock? No where; and the meaning therefore is, that God brought forth water out of the rock by a mighty hand, and it was as oil and honey to them, being given in an hour of greatest need. So all the mercies which God gives his people when he brings them out of difficulties and straits, are sweet and glorious mercies. Let us be patient awhile; though we seem to be in the wilderness, and see nothing to fetch out water fi’om, but only rocks, stones, and difficulties, God at length will bring mercies out of those difficulties; and they will be honey mercies unto us, mercies for which we shall sing and praise the name of our God with joj-ful hearts.
“And the valley of Achor for a door of hope.” The words are an excellent expression of mercy to Israel. To open which, these tlii’ce things are to be inquired into.
I. What this “valley of Achor” was.
II. The reason of the name.
m. “WTiy said to be “a door of hope.”
I. Achor was a verj- pleasant and fi-uitful valley, near Jericho; the first place that Israel came to when entering upon and taking possession of the land of Canaan. “And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in. for my people that have sought me,” Isa. lxv. 10. First, It is joined with Sharon, Cant. iii. 1, “I am the rose of Sharon,” which was a sweet, pleasant place. Secondly, It is said to be “a place for the herds to lie down in;” a fat pasture that they shall even tumble in. And, thirdly. It is promised as a blessing to them that “have sought the Lord-”
II. The reason of the name Achor. Josh. vii. shows that Achan, who, in 1 Chi-on. ii. 7, is also calle<l Achar, having taken the accursed tiling; God left the camp, and Israel fell before the men of Ai, which was the first battle they fought for the possession of Canaan. Upon this their minds were exceedingly troubled: notwithstandi:ig all the experiences of God’s mighty power going along with them, so lately bringing them over Jordan in such a wonderful manner, and so miraculously giving them Jericho; vet at the loss of thirty-six men their hearts begin to fall, and Joshua falls with his
face upon the earth. Josephus, in his Jewish Antiquities, gives us his prayer at large, and in it occur these expressions: “Beyond all expectation, having received an overthrow, being tenified by this accident, and suspicious of thy promises to Moses, we both abstam from war, and after so many enterprises, we cannot hope for any successful proceedings; by thy mercy relieve our present sorrow, and take from us the thought of despair, wherein we are too far plunged.”
God then asks him why he lay upon his face, and bade him get him up, for Israel had sinned in the accursed thing. Upon search being made, Achan is detected; whereupon Joshua tells him, that he had troubled the host of Israel, and God would trouble him; upon which they stoned him, and from hence the vallev was called nwy scy the valley -o?
of Achor, that is, the valley of trouble. ■^““‘•’”•
III. AVTiy tills valley is called “a door of hope.” And here we shall inquire, first. How it was “a door of hope” to Israel then, when they first came into Canaan; secondly. How it is promised to be “a door of hope” to repenting Israel in al’ter-times.
1. It was “a door of hope” for them in two respects. Fu-st, Because it was the first place of which they
took possession in Canaan, and began to have outward means of subsistence, and to eat of the corn of the land. WhUe they were in the wilderness, although God provided wonderfully for them, by sending them manna from heaven; yet because they had no way of subsistence by ordinary means, they always feared lest they should want upon any strait into which they were brought. Now in this valley God gave them outward means, and this raised their hopes that their danger was over, and that they should do well enough. This is our natm-e, when ordinary means fail, our hearts fail; yea, though, in regard of God’s extraordinary workings, we have never so many gracious encomagements; and when God gi-ants means again, then we hope.
Secondly, God made then- great trouble there a means of much good to them, for by that they were brought to purge their camp; they learned to feai- the Lord, and were prepared, more than before, for so great a mercy as the fui-ther possession of the promised land. The Septuagint, instead of “a door of hope,” render the clause, fidvoiiai avviatv avrtit, “to open their undei-standing;” for there indeed they learned the dreadfulness of God, who, for one man’s sin, was so sorely displeased, and began clearly to see that the God that was amongst them was a holy God, and that he would have them to be a holy people.
2. How this “valley of Achor” was to be “a door of hope” to Israel in after-times.
First, The Jews thuik that Israel shall retmn into their own countiy again by the same way to Canaan, by that valley, which shall thus be a door of hope to them.
Secondly, .ls God tm-ned this valley of trouble to much good to them; so he would tm-n all the sore afflictions of Israel in after-days to theii’ great advantage, grievous afflictions should make way for glorious mercies.
Thirdly, and chiefly. In this expression God follows the allegon” of man-iage: now it was the custom amongst the Jews for the husband to give his spouse, as a dowry, some piece of ground, more or less, according to his means; and this, as a pledge of love, to a.ssure her thai whatever was his, she should have the benefit of: so saith the Lord, Although you have gone a whoring from me, and may justly expect that I should for ever reject you, yet I will betroth you to myself, and fully perform all marriage rites, to show my love towards you to the uttermost; and that you may know that you are married to a wealthy husband, I will give you a rich and plentiful dowry, that valley of Achor; and this but as a token and pledge of further love, mercy, and riches,
that you shall receive at my hand as the first-fruits of all those glorious things that I have ti’easured up for you.
From this “valley of Achor,” as it concerned Israel of old, we may
Obs. 1. Sometimes when God gives men their hearts’ desii-es, and they think themselves happy, as if all trouble were past, then he visits them witti great and sore afflictions.
Obs. 2. Although God has been humbling men’s hearts with long and sore aiHictions, yet, just before he bestows great mercies, he aflliicts again, to humble and break their hearts still more.
Obs. 3. SLn will make the pleasantest place in the world a place of ti’ouble.
Obs. 4. The afflictions of the saints are not only harbingers of mercies, but doors of hope to let in- mercies, means to advance their progress. God commands light to shine, not only after darkness, but out of darliness. Joseph’s prison, David’s persecution, Daniel’s den, made way for the glorious mercies God had iii store for them. That which once Themistocles said to his children and fiiends, the saints have much more reason to say to theirs; I had been midone, if I had not been midone; had it not been for such a grievous affliction, I had never come to the enjoj-ment of such a mercy. Hence we must learn not only to be patient in tribulation, but joyful.
But the especial thing intended in this expression is this. “When God is reconciled to his people, then present mercies are doors of hope to let ui futui’e mercies. Every mercy a door to another mercy, and all mercies here put together, are a door to eternal mercy. “VVTien Rachel had a son she called his name Joseph, saying, “The Lord shall add to me another son,” Gen. sxx. 24. Every mercy the saints have may well be called Joseph, it brings assm-anoe of mercy to be added; such is the high privilege of the saints: every mercy that a wicked man has, he may look upon as his utmost, his all, he may write a tie plus ultra upon it. One misery, one judgment upon a wicked man makes way to another, but not one mercy: however God in the riches of his forbearance may extend mercies to him, yet it is more than he should expect, and he has rather cause to wonder that he has received so much, than reason to look for more. But God ever ch-aws out his loving-kindness to his saints. “Continue thy loving-kindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart,” Psal. xxxvi. 10. Fii’st, The good which others receive fi’om God is bount)’, patience; but that which the saints have is loving-kindness. Secondly, That which others have is in no way tied to them by promise, but that which the saints have they have by promise, it is righteousness. Psal. xxiii., Thou makest me lie down in green pastures, thou anointest my head with fresh oU, my cup rxmneth over. Here is much; but is this all? no, ver. 6, “Sm-ely mercy and goodness shall follow me all the days of my life.” “What we read of David in 2 Sam. v. 12, is very observable; from God’s prospering him in his present way, he draws an argument to assure himself for the future, that his kingdom was established to hun: why? did not Saul prosper at the begiiming of his reign, as well as David? and yet it was no elddence of his establishment: but David could see God’s mercy coming to him after another maimer than Said could. AU mercies the saints have, come fi-om the covenant in which there is a most rich treasm-e of mercies, a blessed connexion of mercies. The covenant between David and Jonathan was, 1 Sam. XX. 15, That loving-kindness must not be cut off from the house of Jonathan. The covenant between God and the saints is. That loling-kindness shall never be cut off fi-om them, but the links of mercies shall be fastened one to another, so as to be coeval with etcrnitv.
Mercies to the saints proceed from love, and mnov nescit yiimium, love Itnows no such thing as excess. The saints, understanding this mystery in the deaUngs of God’s grace toward them, follow on to seeking his face then, especially, when he is most in the way of mercy; whereas the men of the world, who know not this, seldom seek after mercy, but in times of affliction, when God is in a way of justice and wi’ath: this is their folly.
Infinite reason there is, O ye saints of the Lord, that one duty should be but an inlet to another, seeing mercy ever succeeds mercy. Here lies the great difference between performing duties from the strength of common grace, and from the power of sanctifjing grace; in the one, the spirit after a few efforts is wearied, and thinks it may now rest; but in the other, the veiy doing still increases strength, and incites the heart to greater activit)’. But may not security promise continuance of mercy? Yes, but if so, then when affliction comes, the heart will sink from an apprehension of ’ continuance in miseiy, as before it hoped for continuance of mercy.
“WTien then may we assure om-selves that oiu- mercies are doors of hope to further mercies?
Fii-st, “hen they are created mercies, wrought by the more immediate hand of God. Generation may be imperfect, but creation never: on me creatum est perfeclum. “Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us;” what is the argiunent? “for thou also hast WTOught all oiu- works in us,” Isa. xxvi. 12.
Secondly, “N^Hren they are spii-itual mercies. Ezek. .xxxix. 29, “Neither will I hide my face any more from them;” what is the ai’gument? “for I have poiu’ed out my spuit upon the house of Israel.” But is not this yom- private opinion that this argument will hold? No, the words following are, “Thus saith the Lord God.”
Thirdly, when mercies carry us to the God of mercy, and are tm-ned into duties. As if we can tui’n our duties into mercies, that is, accoimt every duty a mercy, it is a good argument that we shall persevere in duty; so when we can tui’n mercies into duties, that is, make every mercy an engagement to duty, it is a good argument that mercy will continue to aboimd.
But are there not inteniiptions many times in the coiu’se of God’s mercy to his own people?
It must be granted, that an interruption may sometimes occiu”, as after Israel’s retiu’n from eaptivitv’ and beginning to biuld the temple, fi’om vaiious hinderances seventy years elapsed before it was finished; but though there may be a temporary interruption, yet the work ceases not entirely; there is still strength in the grace of the covenant sufficient to carry it on, and perfect it at last. By ceasing in one way of mercy, God prepares for another; the very ceasing in such a way may be a mercy. “We om”selves at this day are a sad spectacle of the inteiTuption of the course of God’s mercies towards a nation. Mercy, that fonnerly shone in her beauty upon us, now seems in a great measure to have withdrawn the beams of her glory; om’ door of hope, wliicli we thought so wide open, appears almost shut against us. I dai-e not say that it is shut, lest I should wrong the present grace of God yet continued to us. But,
1. Sm, yea, om’ many and fearful sins, lie at this our door. Gen. iv. 7.
2. A crowd of difficulties seem even to stop up the door, they come thi-onging still to it, as if they would certainly shut it against us.
3. As the prophet, Ezek. xi. 1, 2, saw “at the door of the gate five and twenty men;” among whom there were some “princes of the people who devised mischief, and gave wicked counsel in the cit)-:” so may we at this day see many, even of the chief ones, devising mischief, and giving wicked counsel, by which they
labour to shut, yea, to lock and bolt up this our door of hope.
4. Ve hoped that this our door of hope would have been like the doors that entered into the oracle, of which we read, 1 Kings vi. 31, 32, made of the olive tree, yea, the side posts and lintels of olive tree, and carvings of palm trees and cherubims, all overlaid with gold; but now our door seems to be of uon, and the way to our help and mercy must be through the iron gate, we must get to it by suffering hard things.
5. Our door that was wide, at which mercy began to flow in freely, now seems to be straitened, and we must be content to strij) ourselves of a gi-cat part of our estates, of many of our outward comforts; yea, we must venture them all, and judge ourselves happy “if by any means at length” we may crowd in.
6. Yea, our door-posts are like the Israelites’ in Eg>-pt, besprinkled with blood; the keeping up our means of mercy has cost us much blood, and may cost more.
7. Now when we knock, and would step in, the dogs bark at us, and are ready to fly upon us; yea, the servants, yea, some of our brethren, are discontented with us, fro-rni upon us, and speak against us.
8. Alas, we have rejected the right key that should have opened this our door; no marvel, then, though we stand blundering before it and it open not to us. What is that right key which would have opened it before this time, had we made use of it? That “key of David” that we read of, Kcv. iii. 7, which “o])eneth and no man shutteth.” This key the church of Philadelphia had, therefore it follows, vcr. 8, “I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.”
But what is this key of David?
It is the ruling power of Jesus Christ in his chui’ch. David in his government was a special tj-pe of Christ, the first godly king over the people. Government is emblematically set forth by a key: thus, Isa. xxii. 22, God promises to commit the government to Eliakim by this expression, “The key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder.” And in Isa. ix. 6, 7, the government is said to be upon Christ’s shoulder, and he sits upon the throne of David. It is worthy of remark, that to Eliakim there was promised only the key of the house of David; but to Christ, the key of David himself: the one was to govern but as a steward, the government of the other was to be princely. If we had been like the church of Philadel])hia, united in brotherly love, and had this key of David amongst us, we might before this time have had set before us an open door that no man could have shut; but woe unto us! how many amongst us say of Christ, “We will not have this man to njle over us!” Mr. Brightman, more than thirty years ago, compared this church of Philadelphia with the church of Scotland, apjilying it typically to set forth the dealings of God toward that chvirch in after-times; and, indeed, in many things they have been similar. 1. They are both Philadelphians, united in a brotherly covenant, no churchrs in any kingdom more. 2. It was said of Philadelphia, it had but a little strength, and yet it kepi God’s word. AVhat churches in any nation have been more eonlcmptiblc than those in Scotland? They have been accounted a poor, beggarly jieople, despised of all, and yet God has enabled them to do great things. 3. God has caused their enemies to come and bow before them, and to know that tie has loved them; even those who said “they were Jews and were not,” that they were the only church, when indeed they were “the sjTiagogue of Satan;” and they have rejected false government, and received much of the government of Christ; the key of David is more amongst them than in any kingdom in the world: no wonder, then, that their door be so opened through God’s mercy, that none can shut it. Oui- houses of
parliament have cast away the false key, the Lord deliver them and us from ever meddling with it any more, whatever befall us. They have, moreover, professed their desire to inquire alter the true key. This door of hope, we trust, will open to us in due time, so that none shall prevail to shut it.
9. AVe have lost many fair o]iportunities for the opening this door, and we cannot look back upon them without trembling heai’ts; we may see cause to lament their loss with tears of blood. Even ah’eady it lias cost us much, and is likely to cost much more blood.
10. Yea, woe unto us! our Father comes forth and seems to be angry with us, and commands the door to be shut against us, yea, he shuts us out himself. Is not that complaint of the church’s truly ours, “O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angrv with the prayer of thy people?” Psal. lxxx. 4. If God be angry with our knocking, what shall we do?
1 1. And well may God command the door to be shut upon us, for we have shut it upon ourselves. This our door of hope has a spring lock, and is easily closed, but cannot so easily be opened again: we have stood wrangling and struggling one with another, and shut the door upon ourselves before we were aware. Hos. vii. 1, belongs as truly to us, as ever it did to Israel; “When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria.” When the Lord would have healed England, then its iniquity has been more fully developed. The vilest spirit of malignity against godliness, against the saints, against the way of Christ in his ordinances, now rages. Men care not though they ruin themselves, bring themselves and posterity to be bond-slaves, so they may but gratify themselves in the sujiprcssion of the godly. The controversy now is almost ^rown to such a height, that the kingdom divides itself into those who have some show of religion, and the haters of it. The times comjilaincd of in Micah vii. 5, are even oiurs; “Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the door of thy mouth from her that lietlj in thy bosom:” yea, we are almost come to the pass s])oken of in the 4th verse, “The best of them is a brier: the most ujjright is sharper than a thorn hedge.” There is much frowardness and perverseness even in the best, many contentions and grievous breaches amongst them; they cannot endure you should be jealous of them, and they give you cause of jealousy daily. The greater part of this generation show themselves to have spirits so defiled with superstitious vanities, and so imbittered by a sjiirit of malignity, that we may fear God has no pleasure in the generality of it: yea, Closes and Aaron have sinned, the best have so sullied themselves with antichristian pollutions, that it were just with God that this whole generation should be first taken away, and that the young, who have not so defiled themselves, should have this door into Canaan opened to them, that they only might go into and possess that good land, but our carcasses fall in the wilderness.
Ye godly youths, whose hearts began betimes to yearn after Christ, know that his heart yearns after you: and although some of you may fall fighting for your brethren, and so be received into heaven; yet you arc of that generation to which God will ojien this door of mercy, you shall go in and possess Canaan, all this valley of .lehor is but a door of nope to you. Continue then in your sincerity, and God will reveal himself more fully to you than he has done to us. If wo be cut off before those treasures of mercy that God lias ready for his ])cople be opened, we must accept of the punishment of our iniquity, and even bear tins indignation of the Lord, because we have sinned against him.
12. Yea, the Lord has struck us with blindness at the door, we gro])e up and down and cannot find it. Gen. xix. 11. Never were a peojde at a greater loss, or in
greater confusion, than we now are; every man runs his own way, and we know not what to do, nay, the truth is, we know not what we do.
13. Many, because they have found some difficulties at the right door, have gone away from it, and sought back doors to help themselves by, even base, false, shifting, treacherous ways, seeking to comply for their o^•n private en-ds, as if themselves must needs be saved, whatsoever becomes of the public.
14. This enhances our misery, that we are gi’oping up and down at the door, and night is coming upon us, storms and tempests are rising, dangers are approaching, and yet God opens not to us.
15. Above all our misery, this is yet the greatest, that even our hearts ai’e shut up too: were they open, our condition had still comfort in it; but there lies a stone rolled at their door, and such a stone, as is beyond the power of an angel to remove.
AVhat then shall we do?
1. Let us yet resolve to wait at this door, wait upon God in those ways of help which in mercy he still affords us: certainly we are at the right door; let us then say with Shecaniah, “AVe have trespassed against our God: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing,” Ezra x. 2. Let us resolve, whatever becomes of us, not to go from our Father’s door; if we perish, let us perish at his gates.
2. It is said, Ezek. xlvi. 2, 3, “The prince shall worship at the threshold of the gate,” and “the people of the land shall worship at the door:” so let us worship the Lord at this our door, though we be not entered in; let our hearts bow before om” God in acknowledgment of his greatness, power, dominion over us, to do with us what he pleases.
3. Let us look in at the key-hole, or at any crevice that we can, to see somethmg of the riches of mercy into which this door opens. AVe may discern within, liberty of conscience, enjoyment of ordinances, the blessing of God’s true worship, and the ways of God and his saints made honourable in this kingdom, in a higher degree than any where upon the face of the whole earth; we may see too many sweet outward liberties, the free enjoyment of our estates, peace, plenty, and prosperity in abundance: all these, and more than we can think of, would appear, if this door were but once opened to us: however, it is good to look in, to quicken our hearts meanwhile, and to excite more strongly our desires and cndcavoiu’s. Oh how happy were we if we possessed these mercies!
4. Let us knock louder still, and cry still louder at our Father’s door. But did not you tell us our Father seemed to be angi’y at om- knocking? Yes, but mark what we have in that very scripture, where the church complains that God is angry with her prayer; Psal. lxxx. 4, “How long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? “Yet, ver. 14,” Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine: and, ver. 19, “Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.”
5. Let every one sweep his own door, and take away the sins that contribute to stop up this avenue of hope. “Again have I thought in these davs to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Juclah: fear ye not.” But mark what follows; “These are the things” that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbom-; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neiglibom-,” Zech. viii. 15 — 17. Both private men and men in public place must reform. How far are we from this! Never more plottings, more heart-burnings one against another, and those’^ in public station neglect the execution of judgment; they would stretch their policy beyond God’s wisdom. God
joins these two together, the execution of judgment and peace, and commends one as a means to the other; but they aim at something more, they will not execute judgment for fear of the breach of peace. It is just with God that we should never have peace till we can trust God for it in his o’wn way.
6. Let us seek to God again, and call to him for the right key. Lord, reveal the way of thy worship and thy government to us, and we will yield ourselves luito it.
7. Let us stir up ourselves against all difficulties. Things are not yet so bad, but we may help ourselves if we took courage. Our Father hears us, he can command many angels to come to help to roll away the stone; yea, he has opened divers doors to us already. AA’’e are indeed come to the iron gate, yet the Lord can make that at length fly open of its own accord; as, in Acts xii. 10, the church was praying, and after the prison doors were opened to Peter, and he had passed the iii’st and second ward, lie o*me to the ii-on gate that led unto the city, and there he found as easy passage as any where else. “In the mount will the Lord be seen.”
8. Let faith act as well as prayer; let us exercise faith in the blood of Christ; let us, as it were, besprinkle this our door with the blood of the Lamb; yea, look up to Christ as the true door to all mercy.
9. Let us now especially watch all opportunities of mercy, and take heed we no more neglect, as we have many times most inexcusably, lest hereafter we knock and cry, “Lord, open to us,” and it px-oves too late.
10. Let us open to God who knocks at our doors, if we would have him open to us. God knocks at the door of every one of our hearts, let us set all wide open for him. “Lift up your- heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in,” Psal. xxiv. 6, 7. Those who do thus are the true generation that seek the Lord. Let England open, for God yet stands at the door and knocks, and if we will jet open to him, he will yet come in and sup with us, and we shall sup with him. It is true, God rebukes and chastens us severely; so he did Laodicea at the time when he stood at her door and knocked. Rev. iii. 19, 20. If any church was like to that of Laodicea, it is ours; we have been lukewarm as she was; a mixtm’e in God’s worship has been amongst us, more than in any other reformed church; we have been a proud people, thought ourselves rich, and wanting notlring, whereas we knew not that we were indeed ■OTetched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; and those who would be the angels of this church, how has God spued them out of his mouth, and cast them forth as an, abominable thing! AVith all that belonged to their courts, they have made themselves loathsome. He is now at our door and knocks, calling to us to let him in, that he may come and rule us, and bring peace and salvaiion unto us; but, however, whether Christ be admitted by the state or no, yet let the saints who are willing that Christ should rule over them, hold on to the end; the promise is, even to those in Laodicea, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
11. Let us encourage, as far as we are able, all our faithful dom — keepers, those who are the public instruments of God for om- good, and upon whom, under God, so much of the great affairs of the kingdom depends.
And for the quickening of our licarts that we may do all we can, that this our door of hope be not shut against us, consider further,
First, This door was opened to us when we began to think, yea, almost to conclude, that all doors of hope had Ijeen shut against England, and were ready to give up all for lost.
Secondly, It was opened to us after much knocking by prayer. If ever there was a parliament of ])rayer since the world began, this was, and is. How dreadful then would it be to have this door shut against us! Thirdly, It was opened by a mighty hand of God. Josephus tells us of a door of the temple that used to have thirty men to open it, and yet, as a prognostication of some great occunencc, it opened of its own accord. This our door was more hard to be opened; thousands of men could not have prevailed, it was work for the mighty hand of God to effect.
Fourthly, It is a door which opens to the greatest mercies that ever England had: how happy would England be in the happy success of this parliament!
Fifthly, It is a door which our adversaries have laboured all they can to shut, by policy and by force; but hitherto, through God’s mercy, they have laboured in vain.
Sixthly, How sweet have the manifestations of God been to us, in the beginnings of his goodness, and in the infancy of our endeavours! “My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock,” Cant. v. 4, 5. The hand upon the door is sweet; what then would the work completed be!
Seventhly, If this door should be wholly shut against us, what a miserable people would we be! If these men have their wills, then never expect parliaments more, nor any good from parliaments; they will be the most contemptible and servile things imaginable, doors to let in all miserj-, agents to legalize mischief. Then what would we and our posterity be, but slaves? The popish party must, yea, would, be gratified, and their designs efiiected: what contempt of the saints and of religion would ensue! what hatred! what persecution! what hoi-rid blasphemies! how will they be hardened in all manner of wickedness! oiu: estates, our liberties, our religion sacrificed; yea, perhaps our very lives, and if not, so miserable would our existence be, that it were better to have the grave open her mouth upon us and shut us in, than to live to see, and hear, and feel such things as we and our friends are like to hear, and see, and feel.
It would be the most horrid judgment that ever befell a nation, a thing to be told to all the kingdoms of the world: God gave England a fair opportunity to help itself, to be a most happy nation, but they had no hearts, they were besotted, blinded, their heai-ts taken from them; the worthies whom they chose, and who ventured themselves for them, they basely deserted and betoayed: moreover, they vilely betrayed themselves, their liberties, their religion, their posterity, and are now become the most miserable nation, tfie most fearful spectacle of God’s WTath, upon the face of the whole earth. Wherefore, beloved in the Lord, let us at all risks make sure of Christ, who is our hope, and who saith of himself that he is “the door; “as mdeed he is, to let in upon us all the mercies of God, that however oiU’ bones here be fi-ustrated, yet we may not be disai)- pointeu of our last hopes; and that though it should prove that here, looking for light, behold darkness, yet when looking for the light of God’s face eternally, “we may not be driven out into the blackness of darkness for ever. But shall I end thus? nay, the close of all shall rather be the close of the 31st Psalm, “Be of good coiu-age, and he .shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord;” hope yet that God will make our valley of Achor a door of hope unto us. The next words in the ])ro])hecy before us are words of joy, “She shall sing as in the days of her youth.” ‘NN’as there ever a time wherein England had cause to sing praise unto God? there are times coming that shall be
as joj-ful as ever yet times have been; God hath mercy in store for his people, he hath singing times for them. “And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egj-pt.”
You heard of the valley of Achor, which God gave to his people to be a door of hope. This day you shall hear oi God’s people standing singing at tJiis door of hope. Though it be but a door of hope, yet at that day she “shjill sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egy-pt.”
There are six things needful to be opened, for the meaning of God’s mind here, in their singing at the door of hope.
First, The reading of the words ai’e to be cleared. Secondly, The sco])e is to be showed. Thirdly, ‘What the days of youth here spoken of are. Fourthly, What was the song of the aays of their youth.
Fifthly, ‘lrTiat cause they had to sing in this, the day of their youth.
Lastly. How this is applicable to repenting Israel, and what time this prophecy aims at, aie likewise to be manifested.
I. The reading of the words. There are only two words that require explanation.
First, the word ti’anslated singing. Secondly, that which is ti’anslated, coming out ot the land of Egypt.
The word for singing the Sept. translate, She shall be humbled; a sense very ‘“”“‘”“•laerai. difierent from what is in our books; but I find several translate the words so; amongst others, CjtII and Theodoret, who explain it, that she shall be humbled by the Assj-rians as she was before humbled by the Egy-ptians. But certainly this is not the meaning of the words, for it is spoken of ascending or coming up out of the land of Egypt. But they might easily mistake in rendering the words, because the Hebrew signifies both to be humble, and i„ uj. huSuirii, to sing; as it is usual with that language, I^J^f iSurtiJl”f“Ml, by the same word to express contrai-y i’’«i- cc«mit, c»authings; thus “ina signifies both to bless and to curse, and many similar might be named.
The word translated singing, signifies also “she shall answer,” and it is so rendered by some, as CjTil and others observe on this. “She shall answer as in the days of her youth.” A1iat answer did she make? Thus, God in the days of her youth, when she came out of Egj-pt, declared to her his covenant; “Now therefore,” saith God, “if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me abo%-e all people:” a sweet promise to all in covenant with God, that they “shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people,” Exod. six. 5. Now, ver. 8, “All the people answered together, and .said, AM that the Lord hath spoken we will do.” And some would explain the pa.ssage before us by referring to this; as if the meanmg were, “WTiereas God in the days of their youth told them, that “if they would keej) his covgnant,” they should be “a peculiar treasure unto him above all people,” and they all with one consent answered, “-AH that tlic Lord hath spoken we will do;” so, saith God, when I shall again convert them to myself, I will renew my covenant with them, and u])on my setting it before them they shall finely and willingly answer, Lord, we accept of this thy covenant. Thus some interpret the passage; and the exposition is very sweet.
But we shall join both these significations of the original together, which I take indeed to be the meaning of the Sjjirit of God: they shall sing by way of answering; thus, tlicy were wont to sing alUrnis charts, in theii’ joyful songs to answer one another, his prirci-THE PROPHECY OF HOSEA.
nentibus, aliis succinentibus, some singing before, and some answering, a canticum dramaticum, or a kind of song admitting of alternate responses. And thus, saith God, shall be the melody of my people, when I am again reconciled to them upon their repentance, there shall be mutual singing; one singing to another, and the others answering in a joyful way.
The other word requiring explanation is, nniSy “when she came,” that is, ascended “up out of the land of Egj-pt.’’ They may be said to have ascended out of the land of Egjqjt, partly because Egj-pt was a country that lay very low; but chiefly because they were in a low condition, their lives being made “bitter with hard bondage.”
II. The second tiling to be showed, is the intent of the Spirit-of God: they shall sing as in the days of their youth, when they ascended out of the land of Egj’pt. Read it so, and
It is a ftu-ther expression of the nuptial solemnity that there should take place between God and his people, ia the time of then- reconciliation, as if he should say, Man’iage is an ordinance I have appointed for the mutual joy and delight of the man and his wife; so I wUl bring you and betroth j’ou to myself, and there shall be the singing of the Epithalamium, the nuptial song, between us, and I will rejoice over you. Think with yourselves the greatest joy that ever you experienced in your lives, and I v’ill realize it all to you. AMiatever mercies you received when you came out of the land of Egy5t, and rejoiced in, you shall hereafter enjoy again. Did I then appear in a miraculous way to you? I will do so again. “Were mercies long promised fulfilled, blessings long prayed for bestowed? you shall receive the like again. Did Moses and Mu’iam go before you singing, and you follow after, making melody in yom’ hear-ts unto the Lord? the like time shall come again, when both governors and people shall join together in singing and praising the name of the Lord.
ni. “What is meant by “the days of her youth?” This is the same that is afterward expressed by “the day when she came up out of the land of Egj-pt,” that is, the time when they were delivered out of bondage, after they had passed thi’ough the Red Sea, and seen the great works of God m their deliverance. “I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown,” Jer. ii. 2. When this people were delivered from Pharaoh, and saw the great works of God in the wilderness, that is the season of then- youth. Li the time of thehf bondage they did not outwardly appear to be the Lord’s; but when God manifested himself so gloriously m their deliverance, then he took them, as it were, again to be his people, and they seemed to be born again, and the years they passed in the wilderness were God’s training time. For a people under bondage can scarce be said to be born, they are at least in that prison but as the embryo in the womb, they cannot be said to be a people, a livmg people. Hence, chap. xiii. of this prophecy, when they were in bondage under Jeroboam’s wicked commands, it is said, ver. 1, that they died; ““V^Tien Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.”
But here a question arises: How can God refer to this time, and tell them they shall sing as then, whereas in the beginning of the chapter we find, that when God thi-eatens them, lie tells them he wUl set them as in the day wherein they were born? so that there to be brought again into the same condition, would apjjear to imply a threatening; how can it here be a promise?
Vt’e may answer. It is very ti’ue, when they came up out of Egj’pt was indeed a time of much merev, but still they were in great straits with regard to outward
means, a succourless and helpless people. Allien therefore God thi-eatens to set them as in the day wherein they were boni, he only refers to their former destitute condition with regard to creatui-e-helps; but when he promises mercy, and tells them he will bruig them into the state they were in in their youth, he rather looks at all the loving-kindness shown them in their deliverance out of Egj-pt. As it is a great affliction for a people to be brought into the same condition they once were in, that is, to have all the sour and bitter without any of the sweet; so it is a great privilege for a people to be brought into a former condition, when they shall have all the blessmgs without the ciu’sings; when God shall take away all the bran, and give them only the piu-e grain, strain out all that is evil, and give them all that is good. Such mercy the promise before us holds forth.
IV. AMiat the song was that they then sang m the days of then- youth, when they came out of the land of Egj-pt. That song you find, Exod. xv. 1, “Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord,” &c.; and afterwards you read that “Mu’iam and all the women” sang likewise. In this song of theh-s there are these five things observable.
Fii-st, This song of iloses, Exod. xv., was the most ancient that we know of. Orpheus, Musteus, and Linus, the earliest of the poets, were five hundred years after this time.
Secondly, It was a song of triumph; “Then sang Moses and the chikken of Israel, The Lord hath triumphed gloriously,” &c. Mien they saw God’s judgments upon the adversaries, then they sang in a ti’iumphant manner. But you wUl say. How coidd they sing thus when they saw such a di’eadful spectacle before then- eyes, the Egj’ptians so miserably destroyed; when they heard their shrieks and doleful cries, and beheld tlieu- bodies cast upon the sea shore? shall Moses and the people of Israel sing then, and ti-iumph over then- adversaries thus fearfully perishing? To that we answer, We must not be more pitiful than God is; “The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,” Psal. lviii. 10.
But you wdl say. This is austerity, they are cruel-hearted people who could do so.
Not so. Closes was the meekest man that ever lived upon the face of the earth, the most full of tender compassion; yet Moses sang thus when he saw the Egyptians destroyed: so that to rejoice in God’s judgments against the ungodly, may consist with meekness and quietness of sphit, -mith a loving and sweet disposition as Jloses had. It is true, we ought not to insult over wicked men in way of revenge on our ovra account; but when we consider the righteous judgments of God on his adversaries, we may be swallowed up in the consideration of his justice, and rejoice in it; but so, as not altogether to be without some pity and commiseration of the persons perishing; as Titus Vespasian is said to have wept when he saw the desti-uction of Jerusalem, though a hostile city. But there is a time coming, when afl the sauits shall be so swallowed up mth God, that they shall rejoice in the desteuction, yea, in the eternal damnation, of the wicked, without the lease mixture of pity or commiseration; they shall wholly have a regard to’God and his glory without consideration of them; yea, though they were the fruit of then- o-mi bodies, and came out of then- oati loins. But for the present, though we are to rejoice and tiiumph in the works of God and his judgments upon the wicked, yet our joy is not to be unmixed -srith feelings of pity and compassion towards the persons of the sufierers.
And mark by the way, the difierence with which God regards his own people and the wicked. “hen God’s people come to be in a distressed condition, if there be any that dare to rejoice over them, God will avenge
himself on them; yea, if they do but look upon his afflicted servants with any kind of satisfaction, the Lord will be avenL’cd on them’ for it. But when the wicked are destroyed, God not only gives us leave to look at them, but to rejoice and sing praises to God for theii’ destruction. Thus, Obad. 12, “Thou shouklcst not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction.” Mark, God has a quarrel agamst them who only looked upon the day of their brother’s distress and rejoiced. But when destruction comes upon the enemies of God, then the people of God may look, and rejoice, and triumph.
Thirdly, It is a song most excellent, in regard of the elegance of the expressions, and variety of the matter. There is great force and beauty in the expression, ver. 1, “He hath triumphed gloriously,” or, He is become gloriously glorious, or. In magnifying himself he hath magnified nimself j or, as some render it. He is magnified above the magnificent. All God’s works are glorious, but some are gloriously glorious; and so is the work of God toward his ])eo])le. Rivet observes on this. The greatest glory of God, in which he is most glorious, is in do in” good to his own people: so, adds he, great men should account theii- true gloiy to consist, not in spoiling others, especially those that are their own, but in doing good. In Isa. xiv. 20, a dishonourable burial to the king of Babylon is threatened, “because,” saith the scripture, “thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people:” yea, the threatening is continued to his seed, “the seed of evil-doers shall never be renowned.”
Again, the abstract tcnns employed are verj- elegant, thus, “The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation.”
So, beside many other instances, that elegant cpiphonema, with which he breaks forth in the midst of the song, though it would more properly have been introduced at the close as a summarj’ of all the rest; “AMio is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”
Fourthly, A prophetical song, not only nan-ating the past, but prophesymg of what is to come: “The dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling, shall take hold upon them,” &c., ver. 15.
Fifthly, A tj-jiical song, that is, a song pre-signifying the rejoicing of God’s people in after-times, when the saints shall overcome antichrist, and the song of Moses shall be sung over again. Of those that overcome the beast. Rev. xv. 2, li, saith they sung “the song of Moses,” that is, they sung that song of which this of Moses was but a type.
Sixthly, A miraculous song, according to some; so Augustine, l)e Miral)ilibus Scripturic, tionc digrium min- calls it, a mlraclc worthy of unlimited ad- ‘““”“■ *”«“”• miration.
MTierein did he think the miracle of this song to consist?
In this; he imagined that both Moses and all the people were at once inspired by God to sing this song: which idea has been received by some; but as we have no authority for this from Scripture, we rather think that God nispired Moses only, and the rest of the people followed him as he sung.
I note it the rather, because hereby we may see that singing is an ordinance in the church of God, not only in the time of the law, but in the time of the gospel; for this place, “she shall sing as in the days of her youth,” refers to gos])el times. Therefore, not only when one jnan has an extraordinary gift (as the Scripture speaks, if any one hath a ])salni, an extraordinai-y gift n the congregation of making a psalm) he should sing; but
others are enjoined to unite with those who have the gift of making a psalm; so were the people to do here.
V. The reason of their singing thus in the days of their youth. It was briefly this, they sang on account of the great deliverance they had experienced out of Egv-pt. Observe,
First, They then sang because of their freedom from outward bondage. Bondage imjilies three tilings.
1. That a man is under the power of another, under some law, without his consent given, either explicitly or implicitly.
Here you may see the difference between a free subject and a slave; the former, as in England, is not bound to any laws of men, as men’s laws, hut such as some way or other he gives his own consent to; whereas the lter, like the Tiuks, are subject to the mere will of their rulers.
2. That a man serves another, aiming to satisfy his wUl alone, without any reference to his own benefit. A slave is forced to obey thus, although there is naturally no such distance between man, that one should serve another, without respect to his own good. Such a distance indeed exists between God and us, and the more we are swallowed up in aiming at God, and the less at ourselves, it is the better and more reasonable service; but as regards our fellow creatures, it is far otherwise. In England, therefore, when any thing is gi-anted to the king, it is usual to send up some other bill for the good of the subject, thus giving the ruler somewhat, but withal expecting some benefit from him in return. Indeed in our very service to men we arc to aim at God, and in the condition God has put us, to seek to glorify him, more than to provide for ourselves; but as regards man only, we are not bound to serve him, further than with respect to ourselves, and the good of others. AN’herefore subjects may know that they are not made merely for the will of those above them; they indeed render them obedience, but do it for the good they expect from them.
3. That a slave is forced to serve with rigour; his service is not one of love.
Now the people of Israel were under bondage in all these three respects. Fii-st, they were forced to serve without any consent at all. Secondly, they who governed them, cUd not at all aim at their good; it concerned not them; Let them perish as dogs, we will have our work done, and well done too. AVhen men govern so as to care not what becomes of thousands of others, provided they may have their own wills satisfied, this is to make free subjects bond-slaves. And thirdly, all was done with rigour; the Egvptians “made their lives bitter with hard bondage,” ut cared not for Israel’s love. Wherefore when freed from these three things, they sang, and they had cause to do so.
Secondly, They sang when they came out of the land of Egypt, because they were not only in bondage in Egjlit, out in bondage under such a ing. For, consider this, and surely to be delivered from such a one afforded abinidant matter for rejoicing.
1. They were bond-slaves to a king of another nation. Sometinjcs regard for country and kindred moves compassion; but of Israel, being strangers, he desired merely to get his own turn served, and cared little what eventually became of them.
2. They were bond-slaves to a king whose rule was arbitrary, and his will the law, who imposed what tasks he pleased, the numlx-r of bricks they should make, and when he jilcased took away their straw, and yet tied tlieni to making the number. He govemed them not by law, but by will.
3. They were in bondage under a cruel king, who in the Scripture is called a dragon, on account of his cruelty; “I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egjpt, the great dragon,” Ezck. xxix. 3.
4. They were in bondage to an unnatural king. A progenitor of the Israelites had saved Egyit from perishing, and the king and his family from destruction; yet now, without any regard to former services, the new king who “arose up over Egypt” “made their lives bitter with hard bondage.”
5. They were in bondage under a king, in whose eyes they were impui-e and unclean. “The Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination imto the Egyptians,” Gen. xliii. 32.
6. They were in bondage under a wilful king. We scarcely read of any one so set upon his wUl as this king was. Judgments were denounced and executed in vain, his language stQl was, “I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will di’aw the sword, my hand shall desti’oy them,” Exod. xv. 9. Something similar has been remarked of the king of Babylon, but of none else; and the text refers partly to then- deliverance fi’om under the king of Babylon also; as if he shoidd say, You sang jo)fidly when you came up out of Egj-pt, because you were delivered from such a cruel, wilfuJ king; you shall sing so once more, for you shall hereafter be delivered from a like bondage: for though all the ten tribes came not back, yet it was in part fulfilled to many of them.
7. They were in bondage under a lung suspicious and jealous, lest they should “multiply” and rise up against him, Exod. i. 10. It is a sad thing when there are such suspicions betwixt a king and his people, that they cannot confide in and trust each other. Well might they sing therefore in the days of then- youth, when they came up out of the land of Egjit.
Thii’dly, They sang when they came up out of the land of Egypt, because they were then freed from hinderances in the exercise of religion; as !Moses told Pharaoh that they could not sacrifice in Egi-jjt, but must go three days’ journey into the wilderness to sacrifice unto the Lord their God, Exod. viii. 25 — 27.
Fourthly, They sang, because theii’ deliverance out of Egj-jjt was wrought with a might)- hand: “The Lord hath triumphed gloriously,” hath been gloriously glorious, Exod. XV. 1; and, ver. 6, “Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power.” The “hand of God” is God’s strength, the “hand of God in power” implies something more, and still more “God’s right hand in power;” but, “the right hand of God is glorious in power,” is a most forcible expression, denoting the greatness of the work -nTOught by God in their deliverance: and to enhance it stdl more, it is said, ver. 16, “by the greatness of thine arm;” not only God’s hand, but his ann, and “the greatness of his arm,” were engaged on their behalf. In ver. 7, there is a phrase more expressive still, “in the greatness of thine excellency,” in the multitude of thine elation, or proud lifting up of thyself (for the word translated excellency there signifies pride also); and God indeed in this wrought for his people in the multitude of his excellency, that is, in a manner which combined in it a multitude of glorious works, which if you could analyze, you would find each replete with a multitude of glorious excellences. AVell might they sing, when God did manifest himself thus.
Fifthly, They sang when they came up out of the land of Eg-])t, because this mercy was the fulfilling of a ])romise made long before. “At the end of four hunch-ed and thirty years, even the self-same day, the hosts of the Lord went out of the land of Eg-pt;” which refers to a promise, and shows us that “God kept his word to a very day. Hence, Exod. xv. 2,” He is my God, I wUl prepare him an habitation; my fathci-’s God, and I will exalt him.” As if he would say, O Lord, thou didst make promises to our forefathers”, and now thou hast fidfiUed them to us, thou art our God and our fathers’ God.
Sixthly, It was a mercy got by much prayer. They cried unto God by reason of their afflictions, Exod. iii. 7; and then’ prayers being now answered, their hearts rejoiced.
Seventhly, It was a mercy succeeding a sore and long bondage.
Eighthly, It was a mercy precursive to an entrance into Canaan; therefore this they mention as the especial cause of the joy of theu- hearts, in ver. lo, “Thou hast guided thy people in thy strength to thy holy habitation;” and, ver. 17, “Thou shalt bring them in, and ])lant them in the mountain of thine inheritance.” The Holy Ghost speaks here as if the thing were done already; O Lord, thou hast indeed granted unto us a great mercy in delivering us out of Egvpt, but herein we especially prize it, as bringing us to thy holy habitation, and planting us at length in the momitain of thine inheritance.
Now, saith the Lord, you shall sing as you did then; look, whatever causes you had then for rejoicing, you shall have the same when I am reconciled to you.
VI. The time referred to when this was fulfilled, is the last thing requiring explanation; and this pr-)phecy seems to relate to fom’ periods.
First, It began in some degree to be fulfilled at their return out of captivity from Babylon. Though it is true, few of the ten tribes retm-ned; yet it is clear from Scripture, that many of them did then rejoice in the first-fruits of this mercy. The whole of Isa. xii. is a song, blessing God for their return; “Jehovah is my strength and my song, he also is become my salvation.”
Secondly, In reference to spiritual Israel, it is applied, as in Ilom. ix., to the calling of the Jews and Gentiles together, when the gospel was fii-st preached. Jews and Gentiles being then called home, became the spiritual Israel of God, and there was singing: “And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people,” Rom. XV. 10.
The third period referred to, is the delivery of God’s people from under the tjTanny of antichrist, t)i)ified by that of the Egyptians: “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled -with fu-e: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the niunber of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying. Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of samts. Who shall not fear thee, 0 Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest,” Rev. xv. 2 — 4. In this song, which I make no question but the scripture before us refers to, there are divers things observable.
Fii-st, The singers were those “that had gotten the victoiy over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark;” that is, a full victory, not only abominatmg antichrist himself, but the very image or character of him, any tiling whereby they might seem to allow of him, to be o’mied by him.
Secondly, They stood upon “a sea of glass mingled with fii-e.” The sea of glass I find interpreted, Christiau doctrine; so called for its clearness; though not so clear as afterward it should be, for there is some darkness even in glass, but clear in compai-ison of what it was before, for, 2 Kings xxv. 13, the sea was of brass, which is far thicker and more opaque. But there was fire mingled with this sea of glass; that is, though they had a clearer doctrine than before, yet there were many contentions in the chm-ch through diversity of opinions, and much division even amongst the godly. It is a sad condition indeed, yet not unusual, especially when doctrines are first cleared, to
have great contentions arise in the church among godly men. It is no wonder that they should differ in opinion, yea, and contend with some heat of spirit, when the light first breaks forth. AVhen men arc in the dark they sit together, and walk not at such a tUstance from each other; but when light comes, it cannot be expected but there will be differences. But yet, raai-k, the godly then did not reject the doctrine, because there was fire, heat of contention, mingled with it; but, “stood on the sea with their harps in their hands,” professing the doctrine, and rejoicing that ever they lived to have the gospel so clearly revealed to them.
“And they sing the song of Moses,” and not only of Moses, but “the song of the Lamb” too. Tiat was that? First, “Great and marvellous are thy works;” in that we see we are delivered from antichi’istian bondage, as the people of Israel from Egyptian, with a mighty hand of thine: oh it is a marvellous work of God that we are thus freed. Therefore know tlxis, that whensoever the church shall be delivered from antichristian bondage, it shall be by an extraordinary manifestation of God’s power; and let us not be discouraged, because we meet with some trials by the way, for oxir deUverance would appear as nothing marvellous, except our difficu’.ties were many and great
Further, “Just and true are thy ways.” God, in that deliverance, will show the fulfilling of all his promises, and will fully satisfy the hearts of his people who have been a long time seeking him, and suffering for him. Whereas the adversaries, who, because of the forbear.-i,”.;;, and long-suffering manifested towards them, thought there was no God in heaven that regarded them, but scoffed at the fastings, and prayers, and faith of the saints, will find that God avengetli his own elect; and the hearts of the saints, ready to faU, at last shall say, “Just and true are thy ways;” Lord, we now sec all thy good word fulfilled, all thy promises performed; now we see it is not in vain to seek thee, and to wait upon thee, for “just and ti’ue are thy ways.”
“Thou King of saints.” God is indeed the King of the world now, and the King of his saints; but the glory of Christ’s kingdom, being now obscured by the surrounding shades of this world’s sin and guilt, its manifestations do not shine forth so brightly as they will then a])pear. We have somewhat indeed of his priestly and prophetical office discovered to us, but very tittie of hLs kingly; but when God shall fully deliver his people, then shall they magnify Jesus Christ as in very deed the King of saints.
Lastly, “Wlw will not fear thee, thou King of nations, “for thy judgments are made manifest:” as if they should say, AVe see now it is good to fear God, he has now made a difference “between him that feareth God, and him that feareth him not.” The angel, John saw fljnng “in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to j)reach,” cries, “with a loud voice. Fear God, and give glory to him,” Rev. xiv. 6, 7. The fear of God will powerfully constrain the hearts of the saints in those times. This is the song of Moses to which this scripture refers; and they shall thus sing, as Israel did in the daj’s of her youth, when she came up out of the land of Egyt; yea, and their song shall be much the more glorious one.
The last period this prophecy refers to, is the great calling in of the Jews. Then the Scripture saith, “liverlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall oljtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and moiuTiing shall flee away,” Isa. li. 11. They shall sing as those who will mourn no more in this world, on account of the malice and rage of adversaries. This was not fulfilled at their return from the Babylonish captivity, but the Scripture is explicit about its accomplishment even in this world: Rev. xxi. 4, is almost a repetition of the words of the prophet;” God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.” The foi-mer things shall be passed away for ever, and they shall sing, as they did in the days of their youth, when they came up out of the land of Egypt
From these remarks many important observations will flow.
Obs. 1. It is a great mercy for ])eople to be delivered from outward bondage. It will be found a gieat mercy, when the world shall be delivered from their outward bondage, and men shall see that they were born freemen, and not slaves; and that the world was not made for twenty or thirty to do what they pleased in, and to account all the rest as beasts, yea, dogs; as if the lives of thousands might be recklessly squandered for the gratification of their humours and lusts. When men shall become sensible that they are subjects and not slaves, men and not beasts, and so shall not suffer themselves, like beasts, to be driven at the will of others, this will be a great mercy.
But to be delivered from antichristian bondage, is a greater mercy than it was for the children of Israel to be delivered from their Egyjtian bondage. For,
First, AVe read not of any attempt in Egypt to bring their consciences under the thraldom of any false worship. Pharaoh did not thLs, but antichrist forces to idolatry.
Secondly, Though Pharaoh imposed heavy tasks and burdens, yet he did not kill them; at length indeed he commanded their fii-st-boni to be slain; but the people of Israel themselves continue to exist, though with their lives made bitter by hard bondage. But antichrist thii’sts for blood; papists are men of blood.
Thh-dly, It was the affliction of God’s people to be in bondage in Egypt, but not their sin; but to be in bondage under antichrist, is not only an affliction, but it is sin, and that of a high nature.
Fourthly, Though under Egyptian bondage, yet they were delivered fi-om Egyjitian jwagues; but those who are under antichristian bondage, shall come under antichristian plagues. “Come out of her, my people, that ye receive not of her plagues,” Rev. xviii. 4. You must’ not think to escape as they did out of Egypt; if you stay in that bondage, you will be involved in their plagues. How, therefore, should we regai’d those who would bring us into this bondage again, when God has begun to revive us a little! “O my lord the king,” (saith Jeremiah,) “let my supplication, I ])ray thee, be accc])ted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there,” dial). xxxvii. 20. So let us cry to the King of heaven and earth, O Lord, our King, let our su])plication be accepted before thee; since we are begun to be delivered from that bondage, cause us not to return to that house again.
Obs. 2. A reconciled condition is a singing condition. Mien there is a harmony between heaven and the soul, between God and a smner, there is sweet melody indeed, there may well be singing. “The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon Uieir heads,” Isa. xxxv. 10. And chap. xliv. 23, “Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains.” “We being justified by faith have peace with God,” saith the apostie, and not only rejoice in hope of the glory, but we even “glor>- in tribulation also.” Having peace with God, though war wiUi all the world, we rejoice.
Obn. 3. It is a great mercy when magistrates and
{leoplc join together in praising God; when Moses icgins, and Miriam and the leaders of Israel follow, and then all the people join in, and answer one another in their singing. AAlien that day shall come that God shall stir up the hearts of the magistrates and the groat
ones amongst us, to sing hallelujahs to him that sitteth upon the thi’one, and to the Lamb for evennore; and when he shall so move the hearts of the people, that they shall answer one another in their singing, and join, with one accord, in this sweet melody; this will be a blessed time indeed. Now, perhaps, in one place there is singing and blessing of God for what is done; in another, cm”sing and blaspheming against those engaged in praise. Some men’s hearts are rejoicing, whilst others fret and rage when they hear of the great things God is doing; and this discourse has rent asimder, not only the political, but the social relations of life. Such is oiu’ condition at this day, but there ai-e better times coming, when oiu’ Moseses, our Aarons, and Miriams, and all our people, shall join together in singing praises to our God.
Obs. 4. Thankfulness to God for mercy implies joyfulness. A sad, gi-umbling, discontented spu-it consists not with true thankftdness of heart. God wUl not accept, in this sense, of the bread of mourners. It is grievous to his Spirit, that we should hang uji our harps and be sad in the midst of abundance of mercies.
Obs. 5. T^^lcn God brings into sti’aits, yet if he sanctify them and make them means of good to us, wo have cause to rejoice. “She shall sing there.” Where? At the “door of hope “in “the valley of Achor;” that is, that God would make the greatest troubles and afflictions of his chmx’h to be a door of hope, an inlet to mercy. “Li the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert; and the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirstj’ land springs of water.” AMiat seemed most conti’ary to you, I will make to work for yom- good, saith God; and “then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing,” Isa. XXXV. 6, 7. Though our tongues be dumb, yet it should make us sing when we sec God bruiging good out of eil; and things that of themselves tend to our ruin, and would reduce us to miseiT, that are as the valley of Achor, yet rendered by his mercy a door of blessed hope. If men, we ougHt; if Clu’istians, though dumb before, we must sing and teU of all his lovdng-kindness.
Yea, this overruling prowdence is introduced as an argument to sti’cngthen the weak hands and the feeble knees, and as a reason why those who are faint-hearted should not fear; but stay themselves upon God, who biings sweet out of bitter, good out of evQ. “Say to them that are of a fearful heart. Be strong, fear not, behold yom- God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence: he will come and save you.”
Are we in “the valley of Achor,” a place of trouble and straits? we have cause to sing even there, for we have not yet been brought into any difficulties which God has not overnded for oui’ good; he has tiu’ned “the parched ground into a pool, and the thirsty land into springs of water.” And it is om’ great sin, that when God calls us to smging, we are dejected and cast down, and ready to conclude that “all these things are against us.” Oh no, God calls you to suiging, notwithstanding all yom- difficulties. ““Sing, O heavens; be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.” But mark now what follows: “But Zion said, the Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.” At the very time when the Lord was calling them to singuig, even then they were concluding of rejecting. Let us take heed that this be not our condition.
Obs. 6. “WTien the Lord is beginning with liLs saints in the ways of his mercy, though they have not all they desire, yet is theii-s a smging condition. That is, that valley of Achor was some special mercy, which God gave at ffl-st as a door of hope to further mercies which he had in store, and there they should sing. Though you be but brought into the valley of Achor, and only at
the door of hope, and not yet entered in, nor gotten possession of all the mercy God intends for you, yet he expects you should sing. You must not stand complaining and murmm-ing because you have not all that you desu-e; though God makes you wait at the door, you must wait there singing. It may be said of his mercy as of his word; “The entrance of thy word giveth light,” Psal. cxix. 130; so the entrance of God“s works of mercy gives light. And Psal. cxxxviii. 5, “Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.” In the ways of the Lord they shall sing, though their day be but still the day of small tilings.
Because we stand at the door miu-muring and quarrelling one with another, whereas God expects that we should wait there singing and praising his name, is certainly one great reason why our door of hope is not yet fully opened, or, at least, that we have not that abundant entrance into it which we desu-e. Yet, though the mercy we look for should be reserved for the generation that shall follow, we have cause to bless God that ever we lived to this day, to see so much of God as we have done. Let us then stand singing at om- Father’s door; and if we must sing at the foot of Zion, what song shall we sing when we come to the height! “They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord,” Jer. xxxi. 12.
If God is dealing with any of you in a way of mercy, though you can see but a little light through the keyhole, yet you should sing there. There are many poor souls, with whom God is beginning in very gracious ways, )-et because they have not then- minds enlightened, their hearts humbled, as they desn-e, complete power over coiTuptions, and ability to perform duties; are presently ready to conclude against themselves, Surely the Lord will not have mercy, we are rejected. They think they have nothing, because they have not all they desu-e. O unthankful heart! this is the very thuig which keeps thee under bondage; because, when the Lord is setting open a door of hope to thee, thou wilt not take notice of it, but art presently mm-mui-mg and repining, because all thy desu-es are not fulfilled. Wouldst thou enter in at this door, and have God perfect the mercy he has begun? be observant of the beginnings, and bless God for what thou hast. ‘This woidd be of marvellous use to many a ch-ooping soul, if it taught them, by this day’s coming hither, to sing- hereafter at the door of hope.
Obs. 7. It is often the condition of God’s ovm people, when &-st made free, to be in a singing condition, but afterwards to lose then- joy. “She shall sing there, as ill the days of her youth.” Alien God’s mercies were new to them, in the days of their youth, oh how then’ hearts were affected! how then with joy and gladness sang Moses and all the people! but in process of time it appears they kept not up this singing, this making melody in then- hearts; therefore God promises they should sing as in the days of theii- youth.
We find it so when people first come out of a state of bondage to enjoy chiu-ch hberties. How they rejoice in them! how they bless God for them! how sweet are these mercies to then- very hearts! they rejoice that ever they lived to this time; but soon the flower of then- youth is gone, and the “teats of then- vu-ginity bruised.” At fn-st, indeed, oh the sweetness, the blessed condition that God has brought us to, to have these liberties and ordinances according to his own way! But stay a while, and you shall find contention or scandal ai-ising among them, or deadness of heart befalUng them; and we may say, as the apostle to the Galatians, “Where is then the blessedness you spake of? “Gal. iv. 15. They” would have plucked out their eyes “for Paul. “Tiat is become of all now? All then- beauty and glory is quite faded. Let us take heed that, when our hearts seem raised and strongly affected by mer-AX EXPOSITION OF
eics, -n-e do not soon lose the vigour and -warmth of our zeal.
Wien the city of Berne -was first delivered from antichrist, they ^Tote the day of their deliverance upon pillars, with letters of gold. AVas it not so with us in England? ‘WTicn mercies were fresh we rejoiced in them exceedingly. I will only instance that deliverance U])on the fifth of November; how mightily were both king and parliament affected with it! their hearts elated, and blessmg God for having saved them from papists. Then there were prayers and thanksgivings set forth, and in them this expression against poperj-, “Whose faith is faction, whose religion is rebellion, whose praCi tice is murdering of souls and bodies.” ATien the mercy was new, how did their spirits work! then they jirotested against all kinds of po]ieiT. From the proclamation about the solemnity of that time, and the expressions in the prayers then set forth, one would verily think that popery could never more have prevailed in England; who would have deemed it jjossible for a popish army ever to be countenanced in England again? Certainly, if it had been raised then, when men’s feelings were so excited, all the people of the land would have risen and beaten them to pieces, if it had been but with clubs.
It is so with many young persons, when God first begins to work upon their hearts; oh how zealous are they for the Lord! then their spirits are mightily up for Christ. “O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all the days of our lives,”’ Psal. xc. 14. It is a sweet thing when the latter part of that prayer foOows, when God satisfies young people with his mercy, and that satisfaction abides, so that they rejoice all the after-days of then- lives in him. The Lord many times satisfies young ones with his mercy, but they quickly grow dead and cold; their hearts soon become hardened and polluted, and they cease to rejoice.
Obs. 8. Restored and recovered mercies ai-e veiT sweet and precious. “She shall sing as in the days of her youth.” They were once in a sweet singing condition, but had lost it; and now God promises to recover them. ‘• Oh that I were as in months hast, as in the days when God preserved me; when his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; as I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle!” Job xxix. 2 — 4. The patriarch desired this earnestly, that he might have restored, recovered mercies. ATiat a happv condition should I be in, saith he, if it were now wth mc as in the days of my youth! May not many in this ))lace say so? God has been gracious to them in former days, given them many sweet manifestations of his love, many soul-ravishing communications of himself; but oh, how have they lost them! They may well say. Oh that it were with us as in flie days of our youth! Oh that God would restore to us the mercy we once had! how blessed then would be our condition!
But God here gives a gi’acious ])romise that he will restore them, that he will grant them the i)Ctition of David, ‘-Kcstore to me the joy of thy salvation,” I’sal. li. 12: Lord, I have lost it; oh that I might have it again! how happv should I be! So Psal. cxxxvii. 1,2, “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we V ept, when we remembered Zion. AVe hanged our hai-ps upon the willows.” If one had come to them and said, AVhat will you say if you be restored and go to Zion iigain, and have songs there, as many and as delightful as before? Then’ hearts could not but have leaped for joy. This mercy would be like the wine mentioned Cant. vii. 9, so sweet that it “causes the lips of those that ai’e asleep to speak:” if there be any life left, such a mercy would raise and animate it.” When the Lord liuTied again the captivity of Zion, we were like them
that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing,” Psal. cxx«. 1; 2. As a poor prodigal, who, ha-vmg left his father’s house and become reduced to want, misery, and bondage, sits down beneath a hedge, wringing his hands, lamenting the loss of his father’s house, and, considering what comfort he had in that father’s presence, exclaims at his own folly and madness: if one should then come and say to him. Your father is reconciled to you, and sends for you home, and promises to put you into as comfortable a condition as ever; what heart-music would this cause! Thus God promises to his people, that he will restore them to their former singing condition.
Obs. 9. Promised mercies are sweet mercies. “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets,” Luke i. 68 — 70: and ver. 72, “To perform the mercy promised;” there is the cause of singing. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that hath performed the mercy promised.
The declaration of a promise is sweet to a gracious heart, it can sing then; much more sweet is the promise fulfilled. 2 Cluon. xx. 17, “Stand ye stUl, and see the salvation of the Lord;” there is the promise. Mark now how Jehosha])hat and the people were affected with it: ver. 18, 19, “And .Tehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the groimd: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshii)i)ing the Lord. And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the childien of the Korhites, stood up to ])raise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.” And ver. 21, “He a])pointed singers unto the Lord, that should praise the beauty of holiness, and say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.” Jehoshaphat had not the promise fulfilled, it was only made; they had not obtained the victory over their enemies; but only a promise that God would be with them, and presently Jehoshaphat and all the people began singing. A gracious heart sees cause enough to sing if it receive but a promise, but much more when it is enjoying the fulfilment. If the promise of a mercy has such sweetness in it, what sweetness then has the mercy of the promise!
Obs. 10. AVhen God appears remarkably, with a high hand in delivering his people, then the mercy is to be accounted precious indeed, and all the people of the Lord should sing and praise him; as in Isaiah, when God had told of an extraordinary manifestation of mercy, I will plant them in the wilderness, and so on: then, saith lie, shall this be, that they may “see, and know, and understand, and consider, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.” ATicn a thing is effected by God’s hand immediately, which helps a ]ico])le much, he expects that they should see, and know, and consider, and understand together: all these expressions are heaped one upon another. And if any |)eople be called to this, we arc at this day; God has appeared extraordinarily to us. Oh that we had eyes to see! oh that we had hearts to consider and understand, that we might give God the glory due to him!
Obs. 11. Mercies which have been much sought for, and to obtain which many cries have been sent up to God, when once granted, should cause us to sing his praises. The peo])le of Israel cried much before God granted them deliverance from Egj’jjt. “I have heard their cry,” saith God, Exod. iii. 7. And here, They shall sing as in the day w hen they came up out of the land of Egypt. “Tha, shall praise the Lord that seek him,’’ Psal. xxii. 20. Tlic more we seek to God for any mercy, the more we shall praise him when we have obtained it.” Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the
voice of my supplications; my heart ti-usted in him, and I am helped.” “WTiat follows? “Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise him,” Psal. xxviii. 6, 7. Because God had heard the voice of his supplication, therefore with his song he would praise him. The mercies we get by crying unto God are singing mercies indeed; such as come to us only through a general providence, without seeking to God, are not so sweet: as Hannah said to Eli concerning her son, whom she obtained by prayer, (and therefore named Samuel, that is, “Asked of God,”) “As thy soul liveth — for this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him.” This she spake, triumphing in God’s goodness. Mercies gotten by prayer may be triumphed in. ‘WTien you want a mercy, pray much for it; the more you pray for it, the more you will sing when you receive it; and the less prayer that went before, the less praise will follow after.
Obs. 12. Mercies which make way for the enjoj-ment of ordinances are truly sweet, singing mercies. They shall sing as they did when they came up out of the land of Eg)-])t. ‘Tiy did they sing then? Because the deliverance from Eg’pt made way for that richer mercy, the enjojTnent of God’s worship in his ordinances, as appears from Exod. xv. 2: “I will prepare him an habitation,” saith Moses, rejoicing that Israel was now going on in the way to build God a habitation; and ver. 13, “Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation:” as if he should say, It is indeed a great thing to be delivered out of bondage, but it is only a foretaste of a higher mercy that we look for, that is, the guiding of thy people “in thy strength unto thy holy habitation;” we look upon this present mercy of our deliverance, for which we now sing, and give thee praise, in this light; and although. Lord, there are many difficulties between this and our coming to enjoy thy habitation, thou wilt guide us in thy strength, and cany thy people all the way through to the house of thy holiness: this made them sing so cheerfully. And again, ver. 17, “Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.” So David, Psal. xxvii. 4, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.” This is a choice mercy, therefore all mercies that make way for it are indeed sweet. So we should look upon all our deliverances from outward troubles, and whatsoever peace God gives us, as sweet and comfortable preludes to this mercy of enjoying God’s mountain, of living in God’s habitation, that we mav dwell there all the days of our life.
Obs. 13. New mercies should recall the memory of old. They shall sing as in the day when they came up out of the land of Egj-pt; that is, I will grant to them yet further mercies, and these shall renew the memory of all the fonner ones they have enjoyed from me. As new guilt summons up the recollection of former transgressions, so new mercies recall the memoiT of former ones. Has God rescued you from any danger now? were you never delivered before? if even when a child, the present deliverances should remind you of what you then received. So in a nation; does God grant it any new mercy? this should bring to then- remembrance all the mercies they ever have received. “Bless ye God in the congi-egations, even the Lord from the fountain of Israel,” Psal. lxviii. 26. You who are ti-ue Israehtes, bless God now; but in your praises, let present mercies be to you as streams to lead you to the fountain. Consider in order the whole series
of them till you come to the source, even that covenant which God has made with Israel.
Obs. 14. All former mercies to God’s people should strengthen our faith in future ones. Why does the prophet remind them of coming out of the land of Egj-pt? that he might help and strengthen their faith in believing the mercy which was to come. As if he should say, That God who has ‘OTOught so wonderfully for you, in delivering you out of the land of Egypt, is able and willing to make good his word in granting you deliverance hereafter. Many scriptures confu-m this, as Psal. lxvi. 6, “He turned the sea into diy land, they went through the flood on foot: there ihd we rejoice in him.” Mark, “they went through the flood,” and “there did we rejoice in him.”’ How did we rejoice in him? it was many hunda-ed years after, that we rejoiced. But by the manifestation of God’s great goodness to his people in former days, our faith is strengthened in his mercies for our times; and “there did we rejoice in”’ his leading of Israel tlu-ough the Red Sea upon dry land, as an argument to us of the power, goodness, and faithfulness of God. Again, Hos. xii. 4, “He had power over the angel: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us.” Mark, “He had power over the angel: he found him in Bethel.” Who “found him?” Jacob, who lived many years before. But “there he spake with us;” not with Jacob only, but with us,- that is, whatsoever goodness the Lord showed to Jacob in Bethel, it concerned us for the sti-engthening of our faith. So, Matt. xx. 31, 32, “Have j-e not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?” This was spoken to Moses many hundred years before; but that expression of God’s grace then, was a sti’engthening of the faith of the godly when Christ spake, and now confii-ms ours.
Obs. 15. Mercies ought to be met with proportionate thankfulness. They shall sing as they did in the davs when they came out of EgT,-pt. I will grant you as great mercies as they had, and I expect as much” gratitude: as they sung to my praise, so must you sing also.. God shows as much mercy to you now, as heretofore, and I appeal to you, nay, God appeals to yom- consciences, Is there proportionate thankfulness? There has been a time when your hearts have been enlarged to ascribe praise to God, why should it not be so now?
Obs. 16. Deliverance out of Eg’jjt is an ascending condition, as in the original, “They shall ascend out of the land of Egyjit:” as then God would never rest tiU he brought them up to Mount Zion; so when he begins to deliver his people from anticlu-istian bondage, they should never rest in their minds until they reach the height of their deliverance, that is, come to enjoy God’s ordinances in his own ways, in the pui’ity and power of them. Our misery and baseness lead us upon some little deliverance presently to rest, whereas we should aim yet higher and higher, and expect that God would go on still with us, and exalt us in the ways of mercy, until he has brought us even to the top of Moimt Zion.
Obs. 17. When God raises the spirits of people to rejoice in his mercy, and their hearts are warmed, inflamed, and enlarged with his goodness; then is the time, if ever, to set upon a thorough reformation, to cast out all the remainders of superstition, and every species of false worship. This observation is derived from the connexion of these words with what follows, “And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali; for I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered; “that is. there shall lie a most glorious reformation, and so complete, that they shall be delivered from all the remainders of their idol worship, and not so much as remember the very names of then- false gods.” Thou
shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious vinto thee at the voice of thy crj-,” Isa. xxx. 19: the Lord promises abundance of mercy, tells them that they shall weep no more, and that he will be very gracious; now, mark w hat follows in ver. 22, ‘■ Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it. Get thee hence.” And 2 C’liion. xxx. 26, you find “there was great joy in Jerusalem” on the celebration of then’ passover, such joy as was not “since the time of Solomon.” JMark then the beginning of the next chapter; “Now when all this was finished,” that is, when they had celebrated a passover so full, and had such abundance of joy as had not been in Jerusalem since the time of Solomon, “all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin.” Their hearts were inflamed with the joy. and they went with fiiU pmijose of mind, and brake down the images, &c. And mark, it was Israel that did this; “Israel went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and threw down the high iilaces, and the altars out of all Judah.” ^Miathad Israel to do with Judah? Judah and Israel were divided; but now their hearts were so inflamed for God, that they were not able to sufler any false worship among their brethren. Though it belonged to Judah, yet they would help their brethren to cast down all their images, and to cut do^Yn their groves and altars, when their hearts were warmed with joy in blessing the name of God. In such a case, men will do much for God; they will not stand examining eveiT point, but commence work directly; the joy of the Lord will be the strength of their hearts. As when wicked men get together drinking, at feasts and in taverns, and their lusts become inflamed, what desperate resolutions to do evil are they filled with! so when God’s saints are exercised in his ordinances, and refreshed with the sweetness of his love, when that lies glowing at their hearts, how resolved are they for God! they can then do any thing for him. Now the verj- names of Baalim must be taken away.
Ver. IG, 17. nd it shall be at thai day, sailh the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shall call me no more Baati. For I will take aicay the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.
Here we have a prophecy and promise of a thorough reformation of the church,” as full as any I know of in Scripture. God has a time to refonn his chm-ch thoroughly, the very names of their idols and the remembrance of them shall be taken away. This reformation is God’s work, I will do it, saith God, “I will take away the names of Baalim.”
“Thou shalt call me Ishi, and shalt call me no more Baali.”
ATiy? what great difference is there between these two names, Ishi and Baali, that God will have one, but not the other?
Both of them signify almost the same thing; names very fit for a wife to apply to her huslpand. But Ishi comes from a word signifying strength, and the woman being the weaker vessel! therefore calls her husband shi, my strength; for the husband should be strength o the wife, he should live with her as a man of knowedge, be a protection to her, and help her in all her weaknesses and afflictions. Baali signifies my lord, as well as my husband; it is a word denoting rule and authority, and marking the inferiority of the wife; but Ishi has more love and familiarity in it: now God saith he w ill be called Ishi, but uot”Baali. Vilix? the
word Baali is a very good word, and has a good sigmfication, and is as proper to God as any name that can be given to him by the church (except that God forbade it here): for when the chmch calls God Baali, it only means, O God, that art my Lord, my Husband, who art to rule and govern me: yea, and we find that God applies to himself this name,“lsa. hv. 5, “Thy Maker is thme husband;” in the Hebrew, Thy ^laker is thy Baal; so that husband and Baal are the very same. But now, because they had abused this word Baal, and given it to then’ idols, therefore God would have it no more. As the word tyrannus was a name once for a king, kings were called tjTants, without any such bad meaning as now; but because when kings had gotten the sole power into their own hands, they so often abused it to oppression, therefore oppressors were called tyrants. So/«r, a thief, was once the ordinary term for a servant, /i<re« and «en;!’impl)-ing the same; but because many servants were false and dishonest, therefore /«re* began to be altogether understood in the worst sense, and at length applied only to thieves. So sophista, a sophist, was one who studied wisdom; but because they so much degenerated, and many, under pretence of the study of wisdom, deceived others, therefore the name sophist became equivalent to deceiver. I might instance many others.
But fm-ther, God saith that he would “take away the names of BaaHm out of her mouth.” May not we use then this word Baali?
Yes, it is not imlawful for us to use it, notwithstanding this, for the Holy Ghost long afterwards saith, “I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal,” Rom. xi. 4. Thus it is mentioned and remembered even by the Spirit of God, therefore it is not a sin. Nay, not only the word Baal, but it is not unlawful to mention the names of any idols of the heathen; for the Holy Ghost, Acts xxviii. 11, speaking of the ship Paul sailed in, saith, “whose sign was Castor and Pollux,” the names of two heathen idols. And you may observe, that in our text the remembering is as much forbidden as the mentioning. Now if it were a sin merelv to mention the names of the heathen gods, it were a sm to remember them; therefore God means the mentioning of them honoris gratia, by way of honour, or without maiked detestation of them.
From the words thus opened, there arise many obsenations vei-j’ useful and seasonable for our times.
Obs. 1. There is much danger m words and names. You shall call me Ishi, I will not have you call me llaaU, I will not have that word used. The devU has obtained much by words and names, formerly by the word puritan, though men luiew not what it meant, and now by this new name that he has lately invented; the devil has always some words, some names, in which he sees advantage to distinguish men. Speaking of the ways of religion in the lan<niage of superstition does much injur)-. Concerning this, we have a notable observation from the papists themselves in the Rhemist Testament, in then- notes on 1 Tim. vi. 20, “Keep that which is committed to thy tiust, avoiduig profane and vain babblings;” so we translate it: they render it, profane novelties, and obsene on it, “Let us keep our forefathers’ words, and we shall easily keep our old faith. The heretics call repentance amendment, but let us” (say they) “keep the old word penance; they call it the Lord’s supi)er, but we will keep the old word mass; tluy say communion table, but let us retain the word altar; they use the terms elders and ministers, let us say priests; they say superintendents, but let us retain the word bishop;” (it is a Scripture word indeed, but not in the sense they use it, for in the Scri])ture sense everj- prcsbj-tcr is a bishop:)” they say sacrammit, let us keej) t lie words sacrifice and host; they say congregation,
let us keep the word church; they, morning and evening prayer, let us keep the words matins and evening song; and so oblation, and Lent, and Palm Smiday, and Christmas day,” &c. This was the policy of papists, and it has been the means many of us have used to bring in poper)”. Let us take heed of this, for the devil is subtle in it, and though these words have some kind of good sense in the original, yet there is danger in the use of them. Augustine, in the preface to his Commentary Meiior in ore ciiris- °° Psalms, has this expression, “It tiano ritus loqucndi is a better thing for Christians to speak August, in Praf. according to the manner of the chttrch.”
that in the mouths of protestants there had been the ordinary language of protestants, and not the language of papists. Certainly, if God had not been very merciful to us, the very language of papists that began to be used amongst us would have done abundance of mischief: and you should avoid it, and take heed, whatever pretence they may- have for then’ words. In that place of the Ehemist Testament quoted, they say, “Let us take heed of the words of heretics;” they there confess that heretics (as they call us) use many words which have no gi-eat danger in them; but because they are the words of heretics, let us not (say they) use them: they are wise m thek generation, they will not use our words; though they confess the words themselves contain no harm, yet because they consider them as om- proper language, distinct from themselves, therefore no catholics should use them. VThy shovJd not we be as wise as they?
Obs. 2. Idolatry is a most loathsome and abominable thing. “OTiy? Surely that is most loathsome that we may not so much as mention, nor even remember. We must seek to abolish the very name, the very remembrance, of idolatry as much as possible. We do not love the presence of one whom we hate; if we hate him veiT much we do not love so much as to see him; and if, perhaps, we see him afar off, om- hearts rise against him; but if we cannot endure to name him, that is a greater degree of hatred; and if not even to remember him, it evidences still more our hatred. Yet thus should it be in om- manifestation of om- hatred to idolati-y; we should not admit it into our company, much less then into the ordinances of God. We should not admit the sight, the name, no, not even the memoi-y of it. without much indignation. “Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate,” saith the Lord, Jer. xliv. 4; exclaiming emphatically, as, if any of you should see one ready to mm-der yom- child or yom- father, you woidd shi’iek out, Oh, what mean you to do! do not such a horrible villany as this. So God as it were cries out, “Do not this abommable thing.” It is observable in the second commandment, that God saith. He wOl -(isit the sin upon the thii-d generation of them that hate him: none seem to love God more than will-worshippers; they not only worship God as he has appointed, but devise ways of their o-^-n; and yet God charges the breakers of no other commandment with hatred of him but these. As if God should say, Y’ou pretend love to me, in finding out new ways to worship me by you pretend decency and reverence, but I account it hating me, you principaic eiimen ‘^’“^ ‘^^ nothing provoke me more. Tertullian remarks, Idolatn- is the most heinous crime of mankind, it is the chief guilt of the world, and the only cause of — ““”■ judgment in the world.
It were good therefore, seeing God hates and loathes it so much, that we should hate and loathe it also, and therefore cast out even the name and memory of it; it were a hap])y thing if the names .of popish, “as well as heathenish, idols coidd be banished from the chm-ch; but I know not how it happens that we Clii-istians stdlretam the use of them; the verv davs of the week among us are
Tertul. lib. de
called by the names of planets, or heathen gods: not that I think it a sin, when it is the ordinai-y language of the world, to speak so as may be understood, for the apostle mentions the name of Castor and PoUux; but if there could be an alteration by general consent, (as our brethren m New England have,) it were desirable; and still more so, that om- children might not be educated in the use of heathen poems, whereby the names of heathen idols are kept up fresh amongst us: the papists themselves acknowledge so much in the Rhcmist Testament, in then- notes on Rev. i. 10: “The name Sunday is heathenish, as all other of the week-days, some imposed by the Romans after the name of jjlanets, some from certam idols which the Saxons worshipped, and to which they dedicated then- days before they were Chi-istians. These names the chm-ch rejecting, has appomted to call the fii’st day Dominic, (the Lord’s,) the others by the name of Feries, successively to the last day of the week, which she calls by the old name sabbath, because that was of God, and not by imposition of the heathen.” And in their Annotations upon Luke xxiv. 1, “The fii-st day of the sabbath; that is, the fii-st after the sabbath, which is om- Lord’s day. And fi’om the apostle, 1 Cor. xvi. 2, commanding a collection to be made on the fii-st day of the sabbath, we learn,” (say they,) “both the keeping that day as the sabbath, and the church’s naming the days of the week the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of the sabbath, and so on, to be apostolical, which St. Sylvester afterward named the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Feriam.” Thus you have the papists acknowledging the Lord’s day to be apostolical, and the calling of the days of the week the second, the third, the fourth, iS;c., to be likewise apostolical. The heathenish Roman names of the days were taken from the seven planets: 1. Sol, thence Dies solis, Sunday, dedicated to the sun. 2. Luna, Monday, dedicated to the moon. 3. Mars, Tuesday, dedicated to ISIars. Our Tuesday is a Saxon name, from Tuisco, who they say was, since the tower of Babel, chief leader and rider of the German nation, who, in honour of him, called this day Tuesday, Tuisco’s day. 4. Mercurius, to whom Wechiesday is dedicated, and we call it so, is from the Saxons’ Woden, who was a great prince among them, and whose image they adored after his death. 5. Jupiler, to whom Thursday is dedTcated; so called by us from the Saxon Thor, the name of an idol which they anciently wor- .shipped. 6. J’^enus, to whom om- Friday, which name is given it ft-om Friga, an idol of the Germans. This idol was an hermaphrochte, and reputed to be the giver of plenty, and the causer of amity; the same perhaps which the Romans called Venus. 1. Saturnus, dedicated to Saturn, whence om- Saturday; or, as others think, ft-om Seater, an idol of the Germans. Exod. xxiii. 13, we have this charge, “Li all tilings that I have said unto you, be cii-cumspect: and make no mention of the names of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.” And Psal. xvi. 4, David professes he ^lill not take the names of idols into his lips.
Obs. 3. In God’s worship, even trivial things, any way tending to idolatn-, are to be avoided. The mere mention of the word Baali one would think to be one of the smallest things imaginable; but yet we see God would have his people avoid even that.
There is no commandment in which God speaks of himself as a jealous God, but in the second. Now jealousy, you luiow, not only causes one to be offended at some gross action, but with any thmg tending to it; as a husband, if jealous, watches suspiciously the very looks of his wife. So saith God m this commandment, “I am a jealous God;” to note, that though we should not agree to gross idolatry, yet if we do any thing that even tends that way, that faintly approaches superstition, the Lord is jealous of that, and displeased even by such a thing. In his worship little thhigs are not to be
AS EXrOSITIOX OF
Ciur. 11.
contemned, when we come to deal with him we should conscientiously perform even the smallest. The Pharisees, doubtless, when they washed their hands, and Christ would not wash his, would he ready to accuse him of bein”; too scrupulous; ‘What! is there any hai-m in the washing of a man’s hands? yet Christ would not wash his. Though this might appear a little matter before others, yet because it tended in some measure to show some respect to their superstitious observances, Christ would not consent.
That noble servant of God and minister of the church, Marcus, bishop of Arcthusa, in the time of Constantine, caused the overthrow of an idol’s temple. AVlien Julian came to be emperor, and forced the people of that place to rebuild it, they were ready to do it, but he refused; whereupon the people over whom he had been bishoji, took him and stripped him of all his clothes, abused his body, and gave it up to the children to lance with their pen-knives, and then caused him to be put in a basket, and having anointed his naked body with honey, set him in the sun to be stung with wasps. All this cruelty they showed because he would not do any thing toward the building up of this idol temple; nay, they were content to spare him, if he would do even the least thing towards it, or give the merest trifle: but though the aiding in the smallest degree the re-edification of that idol temple might have saved his life, he would not do it; for a little thing in that which concerns the worship of God in religion, is of more concernment than your life or mine.
Theodoret recounts that Valentinian, who was afterwards emperor, going before Julian into the temple of the goddess Fortune, the priest had his holy water, (just as the papists, who imitate the heathen,) and as he sprinkled it upon Julian, there came by accident a di-op on Valentinian, who ]n’esciitly sh’uck the priest, and taking his garment, cut that part of it in pieces upon which the water had fallen. Some would say, Alas, why that? It was but a little water that dropped on him, and that by accident; yet, in detestation of idolatry, he cut in pieces that part of his garment. A’e cannot show our hatred against idolatry fully, except we show it in little, as well as in things vei-y gross and vile.
Theodoret, lib. 4. cap. 15, tells of the zeal of children of Samosaten, who because a tennis ball with which they played had but touched the foot of the ass whereon Lucius, their heretical bishop, rode, they cried out it was defiled, and burnt it in the market-place. Hatred is much shown in little things.
Obs. 4. It is the duty of all God’s people, to keep themselves as free as ])ossiblc from all appearance of idolatry and superstition. Here they are forbidden so much as to mention the names of their idols, certainly therefore they must scrupulously avoid idolatry. AVe must not think it enough to say. Can any man convince us that this is idolatry? Though it be not, yet if it borders on it, it is our duty to abstain. “There shall be no strange god in you,” or “by” you, Psal. lxxxi. 9. It is not only forbidden you to worship a false god. but you shall not even have a false god by you: as Deut. XXV. 13, when God would forbid the sin of injustice, of selling wares by false weights, mark the expression, “Thou shalt not have in thy bag {livers weights, a great and a small;”’ it was a sin to have a great and a small weight in a man’s bag. Why? Because, on detection, a man might saw. But can you prove that ever I sold wares by the small, or took wares in by this great weight? Yea, but, saith God, that you may lie far off from the sin of injustice, I require of you that you shall not have them in your bag: God would have us keep from the ven’ verge of that sin, much more from idolatry, which is ilie worst of all sins. Isa. lxv. 4, God charges upon them, not only that gross sin of “eating swine’s flesh,”
but having the “broth of abominable things in their vessels.” Thev might say, A’e use not the flesh but the broth. No, you must not have the broth of abominable things in your vessels; you must keep far off from that defilement: as the Lord speaks concerning “the strange woman,” “Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house,” Prov. v. 8. If one should say, AVe will not commit uncleanness; But, saith God, you must remove your way far from her, and not come nigh her, no, not nigh the door of her house. AVe must not come nigh popery, but abstain from the appearance of that evil. Certainly, it has been a great distemper in many of your hearts, that you went so nigh to popery, especially when the tide was coming in upon you. lo stand at the edge of the water when the sea is coming in, especially in some places, as in the AA’ashes in Lincolnshire, is dangerous; but when the tide is going away, is less dangerous. Many of you, when the tide of popery and superstition was flowing, stood upon the very edge of the water: this is a sin of which you ought to repent.
Obs. 5. The church of God must not worship God after the manner of idolaters. They must not even make mention of the names they did; certainly, then, not worship God in a manner conformably to their customs. Deut. xii. 30, 31, “Take heed to thyself, that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying. How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God;’’ and ver. 32, “AATiat thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.” Thou shalt not so much as inquire how others serve their gods, what their rites and ordinances and manner of serving their gods are, thou shalt not worship me so. As if he should say, “AA’hatsoever thing I command you, observe to do it, thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it;” you must keep to that, and not think to worship me as others worship their idols. The Lord insists much on this, though the thing in itself be lawful, yet because adopted by idolaters, it must therefore be rejected. In pzek. xliv. ’20, there is a commandment to the priests of the Lord, that they shall not “shave their heads,” nor suflcr their “locks to p-ow long;” but “they shall only poll their heads.” Arias Montanus ti-anslates the words, “They shall clip equally ^T.’rj’Su’iS”’ their hair all of a length;” and the old translation. “They shall round their heads,’’ both which are agreeable to the Hebrew, and refer to the practices of the idolatrous priests, and their several ways of worshipping their idols; some of them shaving their heads, others wearing long hair as women, and both carrying it to an extreme. Now, saith God to his priests, you shall do neither, but “only poll “or “round your heads.” Certainly, the devil forgot this scripture, when he raised up such a name as Kound-heads, to reproach men by; seeing the word of God is thus express on the point. And on the other side, when the Scripture would describe the enemies of God, it notices, on the contraiy, their “hairy scalp,” Psal. lxviii. 21.
AA’hen the Lacedemonians wished to reform excess in a])parel, which prevailed amongst them, they at length resolved, that there should be a law forbidding any but harlots to wear rich and showy clothes; thinking by this means to induce all women who regarded their rejjutation, to adopt mean or i)lain clothing, and they succeeded. If by the light of nature, when a thing became fashionable with harlots, grave and sober matrons disused it; then what idolaters adopt in worship, the church should abstain from: if there must not be a conformity between matrons and harlots, there must not surely be a conformity between the church of God and idolaters.
Ver. 16, IT.
-Tredecim msnsu Arias Moiitanus ssith, that the Jews upideu in Atnis report of thirteen tables of stone that ■^uibus adsuntes ’ wei“e in the outwai’d court of the temjjle, fue™v??o°iSp!,rtim at which men were wont to pray, all of ‘«slfra?ld sepiein”^ them Were made, so that some looked to wSt™ nuia’’ ^^’^ north, some to the south, and some Montan. de fabric! to ths WBst, but Hot One towoi’d the east. Tempu, L 96. j q built his temple so that the
holy of holies should not look toward the east, but toward the west. Hence, Ezek. viii. 16, it is said that those who worshipped the sun with “their faces toward the east,” had “theii- backs toward the temple;” so that it appears plainly that the temple stood westward. As there were so many among whom the Jews Uved that were worshippers of the sun, and In their adorations would ever look eastward, for that very reason the Lord would not have the holy of holies built eastward. Now all your chancels in England are built eastward; and it used to be the custom of your superstitious worshippers, when they came into such a place, to look eastwai-d, and bow solemnly themselves not only to the altar, but toward the east. I have myself seen a bishop, when the communion table was set in another place, neglect that, and go to the east end of the chancel and bow himself, though his back was toward the table. And you may observe, that in all your burials the corpses are laid east and west, in order (say some) that when Christ comes to judgment they may be ready to look him m the face; it being a tradition that he shall come from the east. You must not think that those who do not follow the old customs of superstition are influenced by perverseness of disposition; God thus enjoined his people, when they saw idolaters worship one way, that they should worship another. AVe must refrain from borrowing of the Eg-pfians, lest with the imaginary riches we contract their botches and boils. “We have sufficient in the word of God, and need not to imitate idolaters and papists in then- forms of worship.
Obs. 6. Things that, in themselves considered, are hamiless, yet, if abused to the service of idolatry, must be cast away. On this the text is most explicit: “I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth.” The name was good, but being abused, was to be taken away; yea, not only such things as originate with idolaters, but even such as at first were of God’s own institution; if they cease to be so, if he require not the continuance of them, they must be not only refomied, but wholly rejected li-om God’s worship. Many will easily grant that the inventions of idolaters should be rejected by us; but they say that the present ceremonies originated with the ancient fathers in the primitive times, before popery appeared. For a full answer to this objection you have an express command, Exod. xxxiv. 13, “Ye shall desti-oy their altars, break then- images, and cut down their groves.” Here the groves were to be cut down, and they originated not with idolaters, for Gen. xxi. 33 saith,“that” Abraham planted a grove, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God:” groves had a good original in Abraham, but afterwards being abused by idolaters, God requires them to be cut down. And 2 Kings xviii. 4, the “brazen serpent” spoken of originated with God himself, as a temporary ordinance, and they might think and plead that it was kept as a religious monument; but Hezekiah, according to the command of God, beat down the brazen serpent, and called it, by way of contempt, Xehushtan, a piece of brass. It had once been a notable instrument of good to the people of Israel, but now it was but Nchushtan, a piece of brass. And further, to the abolishing things that have been abused to idolatry, there is added a gracious promise, Isa. xxvii. 9,” By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be pm-ged; and this is all the ft-uit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalk-stones that
are beaten in sunder.” Then indeed has Jacob’s correction produced the desired efl’ect on him to purge away his sin, “when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalk-stones.” And Josiah is commended, 2 Kings xxiii., for destroying the high places, the groves and altars, and the chariots for the sun. And repenting Manasseh, 2 Chron. xxxiii. 15, is commended for taking away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars. And Daniel, chap, i., would not eat of the king’s meat, because it had been abused and consecrated to his idols.
But to explain this matter fully it will be necessary to meet an objection. You will say, Do not those prohibitions particularly concern the Jews, and not so fully apply to us? they sometimes are forbidden to take off the gold and silver off the idols; do such prohibitions concern us in every thing abused to idolatry?
For answer, I confess, I thiidc we are not bound in every particular to follow the commandments that God gave them; neither do I think that if they had not been prohibited by some express commandment, their using the silver or gold of an image for some civil purpose, had been no sin in them; these things being required of them by a positive law, and not contained in the second commandment, fui’ther than by moral implication.
But how far do these commands bind us?
In a three-fold manner.
Fu-st, “Ye must retain nothing that conduces to honour any false worship. If Mordecai would not bow to a living monument of that nation whose name God had ordained to be blotted out from under heaven, much less should we reverence dumb monuments of those idols which God has devoted to destruction. We must not show respect to any thing that idolaters have abused, when our reserving or respecting them may in any way maintain their honom-. Therefore, certainly, this is true, that to take a ceremony from papists, and introduce it into the most solemn ordinance of Christ, yea, to incorporate it with it, that it may add to the honour of that ordinance, can never be justified. There ne•er was any ceremony more abominably abused than that of the cross: now though it be not a sin to make a cross, yet to bring it into one of the most solemn ordinances of Christ’s church, and to make it there conduce to the honour of that ordinance, is plainly a great evil, if men will but open their eyes to the extent of it. So for vestments; suppose there might be some use in them, yet to bring them to add decency to the worship of God, to thiidi that those vestments that have been so notoriously abused should do honom- to Divine worship, must needs be sinful: surely all those scriptures that required the Jews to abolish things abused by idolaters, if they carry any moral obligation in them, prohibit these.
Secondly, When any thing once abused to idolatiT, implies in the use of it any communion with idolaters, then it must be rejected. ‘This is clear from Rev. ii. 20, where the church of Thyatu-a is charged that they did “eat things sacrificed unto idols.” Why? the meat sacrificed to idols was good meat, a good creatm-e of God, for we know that “every creature of God is good, if it be sanctified by the word and prayer,” yet they are charged as sinning against Christ in the use of it. You will say, AATiat is it to them if it were offered to idols? they might eat it as God’s creature. But it was a sin, because the eating argued communion with the idolaters: this is plain in 1 Cor. x. IS — 21, where you have the argument of the apostle against eating things offered to idols, and he reasons thus; When you eat the same bread in the sacrament, it is a mark of your communion one with another; so your eating of the things sacrificed to idols, is an acknowledgment of your communion with them. Such is the argument of the apostle
in that place, and upon that gi’ouncl it is made a sin; “You cannot” (saith lie) ‘• be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils; ‘’ in eating of their meat you communicate with them, and so sin.
Thii’dly, It is a sin against God to make use of any thing abused by idolaters when it becomes a scandal to our bretluen, a snai’C to the weak, 1 Cor. x. 28. Eating meat offered to idols is forbidden in the place before referred to, on the gi-ound of communicating; but in this place it is forbidden upon the ground of scandal. Cahin, in his Epistle to the Lord Protector in King Edward’s days, saith, AVhat were the ceremoniiliia fucmft monies maintained in England, but so ca.vlTJn many pleasing allurements, that insnare P^ISuctren™’’’“‘” P°™” miserable souls, and bring them into evil? Certainly, what we have retained have brought in abundance of evil, and been the means of insnaring many souls. In these three things the rules that concern the Jews have a bearing on us.
But yet they must be observed with some cautions, and miderstood to regard,
Fu’st, Things that are not ordinances continued by God; for certainly if it be an ordinance that God has appointed, though idolaters abuse it never so much, v.e must maintain it. It is true, the brazen serpent was an ordinance of God, but only to serve a temporary occasion, and therefore, being abused to idolatry, was to be destroyed; but when a thing is an ordinance appointed by God to be continued in the church, we must persevere in the use of it, though it be abused. As in baptism, the ordinance is water; though they abuse water we must continue its use: in the Lord’s supper, the elements are bread and wine; and though they are abused we must continue them. ATiy? Because no abuse is an argument to refuse that which is a duty: the subject causing scandal may in itself bo a thing indifferent; but if it be an ordinance, we must continue oiu: obedience, whether men be offended or not.
Secondly, Neither do any of these rules affect any thing indispensably necessary for the worship of God. Suppose idolaters have abused a place of meeting for God’s wor.ship; when we have no other place to assemble, this is, for the present at least, necessary for God’s worship; a place is required, and if no other can at the time be had, we are bound to worship in that place: the abuse of men must not hinder the service of God. God has never put his worship under the power of wicked men, that they should deprive his people of it at theu- pleasure.
Thirdly, Any ceremony that naturally, and not merely by virtue of man’s appointment, has such decency in it, that its absence would be improper, then, though never so much abused, we are to ])reserve y for it .is the duty of God’s people to worship him in a decent way; it is the rule of the apostle, “Let all things be done decently,” that is, conformably to what the light of nature teaches, though not exi)ressly revealed in the Scriptures. Such a decency as a thing derives from the institution of man is not here referred to; but such as God in the nature of the thing puts upon it, so that if it were wanting there would be a dehcicncy. But if the things be merely man’s inventions and institutions, having theii” su])posed decency, not from what is indeed in the things themselves, but from that which man’s institution puts on them, then they come not under that rule of the apostle; but the abuse of them is a sufficient argument for their rejection.
But it may be objected. If we can in.struct people what the abuse is, and what right use they may make of such things, will not that excuse the retaining of ■^licm?
No, certainly; it was not allowed the Jews to use the name Baali. though their prophets might teach them in what the abuse of it consisteu. Things that have had
poison in them, none will be so unwise as to keel) by them, under pretence of washing them clean; if they be broken vessels of which there is no use, they are cast upon the dunghill with less trouble and more safety.
-AH things that are of man’s invention, yea, those things that have been God’s ordinances, but now are out of date, the Scriptm-e calls “beggarly elements:” you cannot com])arc men’s iaiventions to clothes, or any thing worth the airing or keeping; but the truth is, all such things as have been abused to idolatry, are but as dirty rags and plasters laid upon plague-sores.
But, further, you will say, K the use we retain them for be not the same they were employed in, why may we not do so?
The text answers that, though the Jews should call God Baali in a right sense, it was not enough, they must wholly reject the very mentioning of the name. The church is the wife of Christ, he is jealous, and has cause to be so, for he knows, while we are in the flesh, that we are prone to spiritual adultery; and if we take any ceremony fiom popish idolatry, and join it with his ordinances, and think to plead that we intend to make no ill use of it, this will not satisfy Christ.
If any say, Why should we not retain oiu- liberty if the things be good?
But why shouldst thou not manifest thy hatred to all idolatn’? And why shouldst thou not tender thy brethren so, as to prevent all scandal that may come by the use of such things?
But, you will say, the idolatiy of papists and the idolatry of heathens is not the same, there is a great deal of difference between the heathens in their worship of their idols, and the papists worshipping of God, though in a false way.
Indeed the difference seems great, but yet the idolatry is the same in both; for you are mistaken, if you think that many of the heathens worshipped a false god, otherwise than the papists do; though they made stocks and stones their idols, yet they worshipjied the God that was Primiim Ens, the First Being, in and through those idols. Therefore, Austin upon Psal. xcvi. introduces one answering thus, Wc do .., .,
,. 1,. 1 -^’^” Upidem collnot worship a stone, but the virtues, the mu», wd rirtuto strength, and the powers of the great ’ ‘”’^’• God. And one Maximus Madaurensis, whom Austin speaks of in his 43rd Epistle, saith, Wio is so mad, or so void of sense, as to doubt whether there be more gods than one? we invocate the virtues of this one God, under many names, diffused through the frame of the whole world. What more fair answer can papists give for their idolatrj-? Therefore the thing continues .«till clear, that (with the rules and cautions before-mentioned) such things as have been abused to idolatry must be wholly cast away; we must not retain them and think to excuse ourselves to God with such distinctions. To what end do we retain them? Is there not sufficient in the worship of God itself to make it accci)table to him?
To add a word or two more upon this subject; it has alwavs been the care of the chm-ehes of God, to distinguish then- worship from that of idolaters. The Manicliccs were wont to keep their fasts on the Lord’s day, on account of which the churches utterl)- prohibited the keeping of fasts on that day, because they would not do as the Manichees. Tertullian saith, it Tcrt. dc coron. jiiis lie fas, a detestable wickedness, to fast r’^^j’,“”“- ‘’’’’■ “* on the Lord’s day. And Ignatius saith, to fast on the Lord’s day is to kill Christ. Tertullian states, that a Christian soldier in the army of the heathen, who, when they, in honour of their idol gods, wore on then’ heads coronets of bays, instead of wearing his on his head, held it in his hand; upon which there arose a great mutiny in the ai-my, his fellows being indignant that one soldier should be in a different garb
from all the rest: Surely this is some nice-eonsciencetl soldier, that, forsooth, cannot do as others, he must hold the coronet of bays in his hand, whereas others wear it on their heads.” The murmurs of the soldiers reached at length the officers of the ai-my, and the Christian being asked why he differed from his fellows, gave this answer, I am a Cluistian, and therefore it does not beseem me to do as these do, who wear the ,bays on their heads in honom- of their idol gods: at this they were all greatly incensed, and not only he himself, but all the Christians near at hand, were in danger of great persecution. Nay, there was much murmuring amongst other Christians, that this one man, by such over-scrupulousness, should endanger not only
himself, but others. Tertullian therefratabusui’duoijus fore, in his defence of this soldier, saith, PMM’prasumunt. that he was hoher than his brethi’en, who Miuti’’’’^““”’’ thought and presumed they might serve
two lords, that, in order to avoid persecution, they might comply with the heathens in theirsuperstitious observances; and exclaims, in commend- 0 miuiem in Deo aticu of this action, O most glorious .solgioriosum! ubi djev. who would thus venture himself, corolimu?’ “t’ubi and rcfuso to comply with idolaters! And ™OT“mii?fTe’tui. whereas some, even Clu-istians, who *”’■ would rather comply than endanger
themselves, would plead agamst him, and say, Where is it written m all the word” of God, that we should not wear bays upon oiu- heads? Tertullian replies, WTiere is it wi-itten that we may do it? We must look into the Scriptures to see what we may do, and not think it enough that the Scripture does not directly forbid this or that particular act. By this we see, that some, to avoid trouble and persecution, will, as far as possible, comply with the ways of idolatry; yet those who are truly of a Christian spii-it, will courageously refuse, and rather hazard the sorest persecution.
Thus it should be with us, we must not retain, with the view of doing it honom-, any thing that has been abused to idolatry; we must not so comply with idolaters, and especially in regard of that great idol, the cross, as to retain it, and bring it into the ordinances of God, into the very sacrament, which is siu-ely doing it a gi’eat honour; yea, and too gi’eat an honour is put upon it, by placing it in the highest part of the city, and thinking it is an ornament to it, whereas it is indeed a great disgi-ace and dishonour, and retains the memory of your forefathers’ superstition and shame.
Augustine saith. It is better to die with quam^ShJ^is hunger than to eat things offered to idols: Bono c«njug!’c.’’f8. SO far Were these ancients from confomiing with idolaters. Gabriel Biel saith, The church of Rome thought fit to use leavened bread, lest in unleavened they should seem to resemble Ebion the heretic; and Bellarmine would not have Paul called diims Paulus, but beatus, because divus and diva were terms applied by the heathen to their gods and goddesses.
Obs. 7. When God is reconciled to his people, there will be a thorough reformation both outward and inward. This promise to take away the names of Baalim, is introduced upon God’s reconciliation to this people. Idolatry is cast out not only &om the heart, but fi’om the mouth; the taking away the names from their mouths is a synecdoche, and denotes the utter abolishing of all ways of idolatry in the outward practice, as well as in the inward affection. The more perfect the reconciliation with God is, the more enmity against idols and superstitious worship. A fearful proof then it is, that we in England were never thoroughly reconciled to God, because we never yet have cast off our idols. As some remnants of superstition, still abiding amongst us, not long since broke forth in the most horrid and vile forms of false worship: so some remainders of God’s WTath amongst us this day break forth into a most di-eadful flame. AVlicn the Jews shall be called again, and God shall be i)erfectly reconciled to his churches, then idolatry shall be wholly rejected, and their idols shall not even be mentioned any more; and to these times this text refers, and shall then be perfectly fulfilled.
Obs. 8. When a people is reconciled to Ctod, then they call God theirs. My husband, ■’ Ishi.” Psal. xvi. 3, 4, David professes that he would not so much as take up the names of idols mto his lips; and mark what follows, ver. 5, The Lord is my portion; when the prophet is so taken off from idols, as not to mention thennames, then “the Lord is the jjortion of his inheritance:” so here, now, “Ishi,” the Lord is my husband; now can we claim a peculiar interest in God. This is the evil of sin, it hinders a nation, it prevents a soul, from claiming this interest in God. God is a blessed and glorious God; yea, but what is that to this apostatizing people? what is that to this apostatizmg soul? but “when the sold comes to God, and begins thoroughly the work of reformation, then, This God ig my God, Ishi, my husband. Can any comfort, any profit, that 5’0ii have in ways of sin counterbalance this great loss? you gain some contentment to the flesh, some profit in your estate; but you lose the comforts of your interest in God, and “what profiteth” it you? Think of this when temptation comes; I may by pelcUng to it gratifyso far- the flesh, but I shall lose the blessed privilege of claiming an interest in my God, I shall not be able to say, Ishi, my husband.
06*. 9. God delights to have his people look upon him with love and delight. It is his cai-e and good pleasure that his people shoidd not look upon him so much as one that has dominion over them, but regard him with joy and love, and call him Ishi, and not Baali. But the more reconciled we are to God, the more may we use loving appellations. For a sold to be always under the spirit of bondage, to look unto God merely as file Lord of all, is not so pleasing to him; but when you come to have the spii’it of adoption, the spirit of grace, an evangelical spii-it, so that you can regard him with affection, and use that title of love and goodness, Ishi, my husband, this is well-pleasing to Ciod. It is reported of Augustus, that he refused the title of lord, and would rather have his people look upon him under the notion of love as a father, than fear him as a lord. It were happy if all princes were of this mind, to desire that then- people should rather love than fear theni! It is a most wicked and cursed principle, that which some infuse into the mmd of princes, Let yoiu’ people fear you, no great matter whether they love you or no. Suetonius relates of Augustus, that when a poor man came to present him a petition, with hands shaking and trembling from fear, the emperor was much displeased, and said. It is not lit that any should come with a petition to a king, as if a man were giving meat to an elephant, fearing every moment to be desti-oyed by him. God loves not “the bread of mom-ners to be offered up in sacrifice; but to have his people come before him with a holy boldness, with a filial, not with a servile and slavish” spirit. Christ laid down his life to redeem us, that we might serve the Lord without fear.
Obs. 10. The church should look upon Chi-ist as the strength of it. “They shall call me Ishi,” that is. My sti-ength. “Thy IMaker’is thine husband;” and who is he? “The’Lord of hosts is his name: thy Redeemer: The God of the whole earth shall he be called.” AMien the people of God can look upon Christ then- husband as the Lord of hosts, and their Redeemer as the God of the whole earth, then they find quiet and satisfaction in their minds. Psal. lxxxix. 17, God is said to be the glory of the strength of his people: though we be weak in regard of outward aid, let us look up to Christ our
strength, he has been our strength, and is “the glory of it.”
06*. 11. Repentance must be proportionable to men’s sins. How do -ne infer that? Ver. 13, God charged them that they had forgotten him, “She went after licr lovers and forgat nie, saith the Lord.” Now, saith God, your idols .shall be forgotten: your hearts were so set upon your idols that you forgat me; now in your repentance your hearts shall be so fixed on me, that you shall forget your idols. Men who have been heretofore so wicked and ungodly that they have forgotten God, God has not been “in all their thoughts,” he now expects from them that their lusts should be “no more remembered.” It is not enough that you forbear the act, but you must not roll the sweets of them in your thoughts; you must not so much as remember them, except with detestation. If there be not a proportion between your repentance and your former sins, you may expect there will be a proportion between God’s vTath and your former sins.
Obs. 12. “And they shall no more be remembered by their name.” All superstitious vanities, though they may seem for the present verj’ glorious, yet in time will vanish and come to nothing; God has a time to make them vanish, so that they shall not even be thought of. In Col. ii. 22, it is said of the rudiments of the world which are according to the doctrine of men, that they “all are to perish with the using;” that is, they effect nothing that they seem to be appointed for, no present good arises from them, but in the very use they come to nothing; and God in his time will cause them all to perish utterly, and the verv’ remembrance of them shall be taken away. It is true, that for the present, while men’s hearts are set upon their superstitions, they are glorious in then- eyes; but these glorious things will come to nothing; whereas those ordinances of God which seem to be but mean, and in which only the simplicity of the gospel appears, shall be manifested to “be full of beauty; and though at present they be obscured, yet shall they be glorious in the eyes of the saints to the end of the world. Not long since, what a stir was there about the more than decent, nay, even superstitious, embellishing of temples, and building of altars, and splendid canopies! what sumptuous and fine trappings had they, and all to adorn a pompous, superstitious mode of worship, which altogether prevailed! As for the i)uritv and simplicity of God’s ways and worship, how were they trampled under feet as unworthy and contemjitible! But those things which for a while seemed so glorious, begin to vanish, and we hope ere long will come to nothing; the very memon,’ of them shall ])erish. The purity of God’s worship, and the simplicity of the gospel in God’s ordinances, shall recover their pristine beauty and glory, when those braveries shall be no more.
Obs. 13. A true ])enitent cannot remember former sins without indignation, for so the phrase “they shall not remember” signifies. Some of us may remember how we have been entangled in vvavs of false worship, and how we have defiled our consciences therein. We said we would yield a.s far as we could, but we yielded farther than we could, for id posmmus quod jure posiumus, kc, and have cause to remember it with shame and confusion of face. Ye old men may remember the sins of your youth; but how can you remember them and speak of thcra with joy and memment? That is a desperate sign, that you are in a high degree left of God, and given up to hardness, when you so remember the sins of your youth, as to tell tales of the ])ranks of your younger days with joy? You should remember them with shame and indignation, the sweet morsels of former sins coming up into remembrance should l)e bitter and sour unto you.
Obs. H. The taking off men’s hearts from idolatrous
ways, is a special work of God. “I will,” saith God, “take away the names of Baalim out of their mouths.” The people in these times cleaved to their false ways of worship, and had many arguments to uphold them; but there shall come a day, saith the Lord, when I will take away the names out of their mouths; I will stop your mouths, I will take off’ your hearts from all those reasonings by which you maintain those ways, I will silence all; and then you shall see convincingly to your shame, that you have been gulled by such vain and false distinctions. AMiat numerous means God uses to take off men’s hearts from ways of false worship! AVhat a number of distinctions and objections have men, their hearts cling to them, unwilling to be loosed from them! Now and then their consciences are wrung, yet they hold fast; and then conscience has another wring, and then they have another objection, and another distinction; and yet perhaps true grace exists notwithstanding this.
But God having love to them, by some way or other takes off their hearts, either by settUng truths upon their souls by his Spirit, or by some notable works of jirovidence. As long as men cannot enjoy their estates, liberties, and comforts, without yielding to the ways of superstition, they will not be taken off from them; they please themselves (and perhaps speak what they think) that they do nothing against the light of their consciences; for why? their engagements keep off the strength of truth, that it comes not with a full conviction to the conscience. But when God by any work of his providence takes off their hearts from engagements, and sets before them the same truths as formerly, they see now a convincing evidence in those truths, and wonder that they discerned it not before. They read books before that had the same arguments against their ways, and for the truth, but they could not see their full strength; now they see it a|)])arently, and are ashamed of themselves every time they go into the presence of God. Now they see them with such clearness, that they think they could lay down their lives for them; whatever they suffer for time to come, they can never yield to what they have yielded before. AMiy? God has come with power! God has taken off their hearts! ^V^len God thus comes, the thing will easily be done.
Let us take heed we do not stand out too long, lest God take off our hearts by some dreadful judgment. It were better our mouths were stopped, our objections silenced, and all the relics and remainders of false worship taken from us through the word and Spirit of God. If that will not do, God will come in some other way, and take the name of Baalim out of our mouths. If we will keep the memory of superstitious ways, God may extirpate the memoiT of them by such ways as may prove fearful to us, and make our hearts ache, and our cars tingle. “In all your dwelling-places,” saith God, “the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished,” Ezek. li. 6. Observe, “In all your dwelling-places the cities shall be laid waste;” to what end? “that your altars may be laid waste.” So that God will lay waste their cities for this very end, that he may lay waste their altars; if they will not lay waste their altars, if they will not abolish their superstitions, God will abolish their cities. God has begun to put it into the heart of our governors to abolish many su])erstitious pictures and crosses in divers places; there is yet one great one remaining, and we hope God, u])on the same grounds, may i)ut into their hearts to abolish that. It would be a dreadful thing if we .should not obey God, now calling upon us to cast out the remainders of idolatry and supersti-THE PROPHECY OF HOSEA.
tion, to lay waste all idolatrous pictures, images, and crosses; and he should lay waste your cities, to lay waste your altars, crosses, and relics of idolatry. You see, God threatens this here, as if God did not really desire to lay waste their cities, he would preserve them; but because he could not (we speak according tr. the manner of men) abolish their altars, but by laying waste their cities, saith God, Rather than your altars shall stand, your cities shall ftiU. God has ways, and most ten-ible ways too, to take away the memoiy of superstitious vanities. Oh that we had hearts to join with God before he comes in so di-eadful a manner, to abolish the memory of such things! ‘^’cre our prelates in their power, such a speech as this could not be borne. When Master Udal, a godly preacher in Queen Elizabeth’s days, was charged with this expression, “If it come in (that is, the true government of Christ, as he means) by that means which will make all your hearts ache, blame yourselves;” for these words especially was he then condemned to be hanged: such was the rage and potency of the prelates in those days. ATiat I have said may be against the spirits of such as cleave to superstitious vanities; but we have no cause to fear exasperating such, for surely they cannot be more angi-y than they are, and it would be a foolish thing to provoke God, for fear of further exasperating those who are ah-eady exasperated so much against us. WTiat is the exasperation of vile men, to the abiding of the wrath of God upon us!
Ver. 18. And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fouls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I trill break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and wilt make them to lie down safely.
In this verse God promises peace and security; peace, in regard of their deliverance fi-om the beasts of the field, and fowls of the heaven, and creejjing things of the ground; peace from the hostility of their adversaries, he “wUl break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth:” and security, “I will make them lie Aawn safely.”
I. The first part of the promise is peace with the creatures: “And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground.”
Some allegorize these words, “the beasts of the field,” and say they mean cruel men; the fowls of the air, ambitious, who are lofty in their thoughts and counsels; “the creeping things of the gi-ound,” subtle adversaries: God here promises, they say, to deliver them from all these. But I desire not to allegorize, unless there is a necessity, and therefore understand the words literally. But how may God be said to “make a covenant for” his people “with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping tilings of the ground?” for, to speak properly, none but rational creatures are capable of a covenant with God.
The meaning is, there shall be such an establishment of God’s work on the beasts, and fowls, and creeping things for the good of his chui’ch, as if God had bound them to serve it by way of covenant; that dealing of God is called “making a covenant with them,” here and elsewhere; as in Jer. xxxiii. 20, “If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, that there should not be day and night in their season.” How does God covenant with the day, and with the night? Thus, there is an establishment of God’s decree on the day, and on the night, that it should be in such a way from the creation to the end of the world; and that estabHshnient is called God’s covenant: so
CEcolampadius renders my text, I will order inviolably and unalterably, there ‘“vI’jSu”,’”’ shall be an establishing decree upon these creatui-es, that they shall do you no hm’t, but good.
Obs. 1. Sin has caused enmity between man and the creatures; this is implied here, I will, saith God, upon your reconciliation with me, and your reformation, make a covenant with the creatures, now they shall be at peace with you; denoting, that by our sin there is grown enmity between us and God’s creatures. We have lost by sin a great part of the dominion which God gave us over his creatures, and which resulted from the image of God wherein man was created. Therefore when you see any creatm-e rebel against you, call to mind your rebellion against God. It is true, ijod maintains, in some measui’e, man’s dominion over the creatures still, that the world, and human society, may be preserved. Sometimes you may see a little child dri-ing before him a hundred oxen, this way or that, as he pleases, showing that God has continued somewhat of man’s dominion over them. But a great part is lost by our sin. If we, who are the servants of God, rebel against him, it is just with God that the creatm’es, which were subjected to us, should rebel against us. And you who are superiors, when any of your inferiors are stubborn agamst you, your servants or your children rebellious, raise your hearts up to this meditation. My servant is rebellious against me, how have I been rebellious against the Lord! my child stubborn against me, how has my heart been stubborn against the Lord my Father!
Obs. 2. Peace with God biings peace with the creatures. “I will make a covenant with the beasts of the field,” with the fowls of the ah-, &c. In Job v. 23, you have a strange promise, “Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.” This goes somewhat deeper than that which is here promised; There shall be a league, not only with the beasts, but with the stones of the field. How in league with the stones of the field? It is more easy to be understood to be in league with the beasts of the field, for they are many times hurtful unto us; but how with the stones of the field? It was customary (and so it is still in many places) in fixing the bounds of then- fields, to set up stones for landmarks, and engrave them, to denote to whom this or the other parcel of ground belonged. Now the Lord promises that he would be so gracious to his people, that they should enjoy the bounds of their own habitations secui’ely, they should not be wronged, nor their landmarks taken away. “Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field;” that is, the stones of the field that stand for your landmarks shall abide, and none shall take them away; I will preserve your bounds, as if you were in league with the stones that are your landmarks, as if they had agreed with you, and covenanted that they would stand, and set out the bounds of your fields for ever.
But you will say, Sometimes the beasts of the field do injure the saints, how then does God make a covenant with them?
Many answers might be given. In ver. 17, of the chapter of Job referred to, he speaks of a time when “God correcteth,” and men “despise not the chastening of the Almighty:” now the expression in ver. 23, relates to that time; that is, when any make use of God’s correction, do not despise it, but reverently submit to his hand, then God will make this “league with the stones of the field,” and “with the beasts of the earth.” If God has coiTCCted you with any sickness, and you do not profit by it, it is just with God that some or other of his creatui’cs should meet you, and be more terrible to you than ever your sickness was. And the promise here in Hosea is to those who are
reconciled to God, and have east off their superstitious vanities; and because we are not perfectly reconciled, therefore this promise is not perfectly fulfilled. But I make no question hut the Holy Ghost here refers to the time of the calling of the Jews; and then I verily believe that this promise, and those in Isaiah and other places, where God says he will make “the lion to eat straw with the ox, and that” no venomous creature shall do them hiul,’’ shall be literally- fulfilled. When the Cidling of the Jews shall take place, the creatures shall be restored to a state of excellence, resembling their condition with Adam in Paradise. The lion was not at its creation made to live upon prey, nor the creatures formed to devour one another, therefore the promise is, that the lion shall return to its state previous to the fall. And at the calling of the Jews it is very probable there will be such “a restitution of all things,” Acts iii. 21, that the creature will be restored to its original excellency. And though this may be partly fulfilled to God’s people, that the beasts of the field shall do them no hurt, that is, if they prevail against them it shall be for some gracious ends which God has in view; yet the hteral accomplishment of the promise is reserved for that day.
Obs. 3. When God is reconciled to his people, shall the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the air, and the creeping things of the earth be at ])eace with the saints? what a wicked and ungodly thing is it then in men, that the more any are reconciled to God, tlic greater enemies are they to them! God promises, when his people arc reconciled to him, the creatures shall be reconciled to them; yet, thou vile wretch, when thou seest one grow up in the ways of reconciliation with God, thy enmity increases towards him: what horrible wickedness is this! it is far more than brutish, it is desperate wickedness. As with those five kings of Canaan, spoken of Josh. x. 5, who, as soon as the Gibeonites had made peace and a league with Joshua, conspired against them. They lived quietly enough before with them, but when they heard that they had made a covenant with Joshua, they immediately made war upon them. Thus it is with many at this day, when your companions would drink, swear, and break the sabbath, and be unclean, and scorn with you, they were good fellows, then you embraced them, and delighted in them; but as soon as God WTOught upon their hearts, and they were brought from enmity into a state of reconciliation, your minds rise against them, and you regard them with hatred and abhorrence. Oh horrible and desperate wickedness! the Lord rebuke you this day, the Lord strike xi])on such hearts. Before Saul’s conversion he was in much repute, but as soon as he became a Christian, he was a “pestilent and seditious fellow:’’ “Away with such a man from the earth, he is not worthy to live;” and forty of them conspired together and bound themselves with an oath, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed him.
06.». 4. Covenant mercy is excellent mercy indeed. “I will make a covenant,” saith God, you shall have this mercy, and have it by covenant. The same mercy coming in the course of general providence is nothing so sweet, nothing so firm, a-s that which arises from the covenant. WTien the saints receive a mercy, though it be in external circumstances, they rejoice not in it, merely because they have some comfort and contentment to the outward man by it; but because they see that even this outward mercy comes to them by virtue of God’s covenant, which sweetens and confirms every gift; when they go up and down the field, and the beasts come not upon tnem to destroy them, they can look upon their ])resent safety as enjojnng it in the covenant.
You will say, the wicked can walk up and down in
the fields, and the beasts not destroy them. Though they can, yet a godly man has more enjo)-ment as he can see that this his safety arises from the covenant: when he goes on a journey, his beast is not made an instnmient of God’s wrath to dash out his brains; perhaps it is so with his wicked neighbour who accompanies him i but the preservation of the godly man is a mercy from the covenant which God has made with him, “to ])reserve him in all his ways,” whereas to the other it Ls but general providence. Wicked men may have the same mercies for the matter of them that the godly have, yet there is a kernel in the mercy which only the saints enjov.
There are two tlungs obser»’able in mercies coming by covenant. First, ‘They are more sweet. “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth imto such as keep his covenant,” Psal. xxv. 10. This is a sweet promise, a soul-satisfying promise, more worth than all the riches of your city: all the dealings of God’s ordinary providence “are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant.” Mark, perhaps they are mercies to you, there is a general bounty in your ordinary preservation, but they are not “mercy and truth” to you; there lies the empliasU; they are “mercy and truth” to the godly, that is, they ai-e such mercies as are bound to them by covenant; therein David rejoices, and therefore saith in the beginning of the Psalm, “Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul,” as amongst other reasons, so for this, that all the paths of God are not only mercy, but “niei’cy and tnith.” You have been preserved, and have had many mercies from God; well, they are God’s mercies to you, but are they mercies and truth to you? that is, do they come to you in a way of promise? Look to that, the sweetness of a mercy consists in it, and it is a good sign of a gracious heart to look more to the source whence mercy comes, than to the outward advantage it conveys.
Secondly, They are more firm. Isa. liv. 10, •’ The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee;” why? for “the covenant of my i)eace shall not be removed.” The mercy which you nave, I give in a way of covenant, and the hills and mountains shall be removed rather than that kindness of mine .shall depart from thee.
06.V. 5. Is it such a blessed thing for God to make a covenant with the beasts for us? what a mercy is it then for God to make a covenant with our souls! The covenant which God makes with his peo])le is a covenant in Christ, and abounds in mercy. In Gen. xvii. you find that, in ten veises, God repeats his covenant which he made with Abraham thirteen times, to impress this, that that was the mercy indeed which must satisfy Abraham in all his troubles, sorrows, and afflictions: as if God should say, Ue satisfied with this, Abraham, that I have entered into covenant with thee and thy seed, that I am your covenant God. .lnd 2 Sam. xxiii. 5, David saith, “Although my house be not so with God, (as I desire, as I expect,) yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.” Take this .scripture, Christians, take it, I saw, and make use of it in these times of trouble; though things do not go as you desire, yet say as Da•id did, “yet the Lord hath made a covenant with us, onlered in all things and sure, and this is all our salvation and all our desire.”
Obs. 6. Is it a mercy for God to make a covenant with the beasts for his people? what a mercy is it then for him to make a covenant with his Son for Iiis people! If we are to bless God, that he will make a covenant with brute beasts for om’ gowl, how should we extol and magnify his name, in that he has m.idc a covenant with his oTn Son for our eternal good, and
brought the second person in Trinity, to be the head of this covenant for us. The apostle speaks, Tit. i. 2, of “eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” Whj’, what promise was there ever made before the world began? to whom was it given? who was there before the world began for God to make any promise unto? The Son of God alone, the second person in the Trinity; and there was a most blessed transaction between God the Father ani God the Son, for our everlasting good, before the world began, and upon that depends all our salvation and all our hope. WTien we read the promises of the gospel which the Lord has given to us as branches of the covenant of grace, we are ready to think we are poor, weak creatures; we cannot keep covenant with God, we cannot perform its conditions: but, Chi-istian, know this, thy peace, the salvation of thy soul, does not depend so much upon a covenant God has made with thee, as upon the covenant he has made with his Son; there is the fu-mness, the original, the foundation of all thy good, and all thy salvation; and though thou art a poor, weak creatm-e, not keeping covenant with the Lord, yet the Son of God has perfectly performed all the conditions the Father required of him; by him the work has been perfected, and herein is our comfort. Raise up then your drooping hearts by this meditation.
II. The second part of this peace, is a promise of deliverance from the hostility of their adversaries :^” I will break the bow and the sword and the battle“”out of the earth.’’
Obs. 1. Peace is a great blessing, it is a gi’eat mercy to have the bow and the sword broken. It is a part of the covenant that God makes with his people, to take away the instruments of hostility. Isa. ii. 4, God promises the beating of swords “into ploughshares, and spears into priming-hooks.” You find, on the contrary, when God denounces judgments on a people, Joel iii. 10, that he threatens to beat their ploughshai’es into swords, and then- pruning-hooks into spears. It is a great deal better that the swords should be beaten into ploughshares, than that the ploughshares shoidd be beaten into swords; that the spears should be made pruning-hooks, than that the pruning-hooks should be made spears.
0/is. 2. Peace is a most amiable thing, and lovely in all our eyes, every man desu’es it, and God promises it to his people in many places as a most special fruit of his love. Isa. xxxiii. 20, “Jerusalem shall be a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down.” And Numb. vi. 25, 26, “The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious imto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” The shining of God’s face appears in the giving of peace to a nation: therefore, Jer. xld. 5, where God threatens to take away peace, mark the expression, “I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the Lord, even loving-kindness and mercies.” He does not say, I have taken away peace, but I have taken away ‘• my peace;” and then, when “my peace” is taken away, I will take away “even loving-kintbiess and mercies.” ‘How easy were it to discourse lai”gely in commendations of peace! God teaches us in these days to set a high price upon it. We have had peace a long time, and the Lord knows we have not prized the mercy; now we know what a sad thing it is to have war in our gates. And if peace be a fruit of God’s covenant, we have cause to bewail the breach of it with us. Surely there is great displeasure of God out against us; this cup of blood which is prepared, poiu-ed forth, and in a great meastue drunk, is a most cb-eadful one. Our brethren have drunk deep of it, and we have long feai-ed it, having heard of riunours of wars; and when the cup was abroad, we prayed that, if it were possible, it might pass from us, and it did pass to oirr brethren in Ireland; but now is
it come to us; the sword has had its chcuit and is now in our midst, and that which aggi’avates the evil is, that our wars are not with foreign enemies, but civil. I have read in the Roman chronicles, that in a battle between Sylla and Marius, a soldier by accident killed one, not knowing who it was; but after he was slain, seeing it was his brother, presently, in anguish of spirit, he ran his sword into his own bowels. This we find occurring ordinai’ily among us, even brother to be against brother, yea, son against father. Certainly, therefore, it is time for us to fall on our kujees, and to be humbled before the Lord for the breach of our peace.
Obs. 3. Peace is a sweet mercy, therefore it is a pity that it should be abused and not improved. Oh how have we abused om’ former peace! God gave us peace before j to what end? That we might be edified, and so built up in the fear of God and comfort of the Holy Ghost; as. Acts ix. 31, it is said, ‘• The churches had rest, and were edified; walking in the fear of the Lord God, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.” AVe have not made this use of the rest which God has been pleased to aflbrd us, but have grown wanton with that precious jewel peace, and just it is with God to talce it from us. And now we desu’e peace; but to what end? to have more fi’eedom to satisfy om- lusts and make pro^sion for the flesh, is the very gi’ound of most men’s desire of peace; whereas if we understood the ti’ue worth of peace, we would think it were a very low end to desire it only for the attainment of this. Mark the promise in Ezek. xxxvii. 26, “I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.” Yea, that is a comfortable peace, dcsiraljle indeed, when God by peace shall make way to set his sanctuary in our midst. If we truly desired peace upon these terms, we might soon expect an answer from the God of all peace.
Obs. 4. Peace is sweet, therefore not to be falsified. Psal. xxviii. 3, there are some that “speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.” It is pity that such a precious thing as peace should be made serviceable to men’s lusts, that it should be pretended only to compass mischievous designs; peace is too good to serve men’s base ends.
06s. 5. Peace is a great blessing, therefore it is a pity not to endeavovu- by every means to attain it. Yea, cm-sed be that war which has not peace for its end. Sic qiKsrimus pacem, Even thus do we seek peace, ought to be as the emblem written on the sword of every soldier. It is a great deal better to have a war that aims at and effects peace, than to have a peace which aims at and creates wai It is true, war produces very dreadful efi’ects; but war that shall bring forth peace, is better than peace that produces war; and the more we commend peace, the more do we still commend the war that tends to bring forth true peace, rather than to seek for a false peace, which will produce afterwards most di’eadful war.
Ob.i. 6. Peace is a great blessing from God, but we must take heed we buy it not too dear: we may say of this as we are wont to say of gold, We may buy gold too dear.
You will say. How is it possible to buy peace at too dear a rate? If you give these thi-ee things for it.
Fkst, If you sell truth for it; selling any truth for peace, is bujing peace too deal’, for the least truth of God is better than all the kingdoms of the earth. It fii-st cost the blood of Christ, and since has been watered by the blood of thousands of martyrs.
Secondly. If you betoay those who have been most active for the public good, only that, by way of compliance, you may provide for yom- own particidar peace.
Thii-dlv, If, through desire of peace, you subject
yourselves to tjTanny or slavery. This is peace at too dear a rate, and the posterity that comes after, may curse that baseness of spirit and cowardice of their forefathers, who purchased peace at so dear a rate as to bring not only themselves, but their posterity, under the bondage of miserable tyranny and woeful slaver)-. It is true, it is a great deal easier for a man who is striving and fighting with his enemy, to lie down, than to spend his strength in the combat: why will he weary himself? is it not better to lie down upon the soft grass, than to tire oneself in the conflict? but if by lying down he has his throat cut by his enemy, has he, think you, done wisely for himself? to spare exertion he has lost his life. If we should be so wearjof ])resent troubles as to lie down and be destroyed by our adversaries, shall the generation to come commend either our wisdom or valour? ‘When a stream runs strong you cannot expect to stop it without some trouble; and the war now on foot amongst us, though it has much trouble in it, and many of our brethren suffer grievously, yet, let us consider it is a means to stop a stream of miserj’ which was coming upon us, and that it is better to undergo some difficulties in damming it up, than tamely suffer it to flow in till all be past recovery. Our adversaries exclaim that we are enemies to peace, and they are all for peace, that is, they would have us to be so quiet as to let them do their pleasure; they would fain have us so to love peace as to give uj) our strength to them, and to be irrecoverably under their power. Therefore let this generation be wise, for great things depend upon the present affairs of the kingdom, which concern not only their own outward comfort, but the glory of God, and the good of their posterity, to many succeeding generations. Ohs. 7. Peace is God’s peculiar work. We may treat about peace, but until God is pleased to permit it, it Tiill not ensue. If God comes in with exce])tions, our treaties and our plots will never succeed. “1 will break the bow,“saith God. Jer. xlvii. 6, 7,” O thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.” The answer is, “How can it be quiet, seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Asiikelon?” TiU God give a commission to the sword, it cannot “rest, and be still.” Job xxxiv. 29, “AVTien he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only.” If he cause trouble, who can make quietness? O no, none can! It is God that is to be regarded in the breaking of treaties, it is he who hardens the hearts of men thai they shall not make ])cace till his time come. In Josh. xi. 19, 21), it is said, “There was not a citv that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Ilivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly.” Of all the cities in Canaan which God’s ])coi)le “came against,” though his hand was very remarkal)le in going along with them, working many miracles for them, yet the text observes that there was none that would make peace with them, save Gibeon only. AVhy? “For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly.” God intended to destroy them, and therefore hardened them that they should not make peace with his people. God is the Prince of peace, ana therefore disposes of it as he will: many devices may be in the hearts of men, manv plots and contrivances, but the counsel of the Lord shall stand.” The Lord sitteth ujion the
flood; vea, the Lord siltetli King for ever. The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace,” Psal. xxix. 10, 11. That is not the peace for God to bless his people with, for which
they must expose themselves to everj- danger, and betray his cause, God uped give no strength for that; but his way is to “givf strength unto his people,” and then “to bless them with peace.” We love peace, but let us take care to gain it through the strength of God: join these promises together, and plead them j and though we seem weak, yet “the Lord will give strength unto his people,” and so “bless his people with jieace.” A’e must procure our peace by working in God’s strength, and not think to obtain it by a sluggish comi)liance, and base, unworthy yielding to our adversaries, fer. xiv. 19, ‘• We looked for peace,” it seems they were forming some treaties, ‘■ and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble! “all their treaties came to nothing: but mark w hat follows, vcr. 20, “W’e acknowledge, O Lord, our wickeilness, and the iniquity of our fathers.” O Lord, we dwell amongst people that are set on fire, and when we speak of peace, yea, when they speak of peace, they have mischief in their hearts: “O Lord, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers,” is great. O Lord, pardon our iniquity. To make our jieacc with God is the way to obtain ])eace.
Obs. 8. Thorough reformation is the way to procure peace. Mark the gradation, “They shall tall me no more Baali,” then “will I break the bow;” when they shall break off thoroughly from their idolatry, then will I break the bow and the sword: so long as they worslii]) false gods, war shall be in their gates; but when they shall thoroughly reform, and set up mv worship in the way that I choose, then will I break the bow. So should we act if we had sufficient reliance on God. Our baseness is, that we will not trust God in this way of peace; but arc ready to think that reformation will introduce disturbance, whereas rcfomiatioii is the way to a thorough peace. Let our wisdom be Jiure, and then certainly it will be peaceable. In Isa. xxxiii. 20, Jerusalem is promised to be “a quiet habitation.” ATiat follows? ver. 22, “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver:” the more we regard him as our judge and lawgiver, the more peace we shall have. Isa. ix. 7, “Of the increase of his government and jieace there shall be no end.” When the government of Christ is felt, then comes peace. Zech. vi. 13, “He shall sit and rule upon his throne; and be a priest u])on his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both;” that is, when Christ shall be advanced in his kingly as well as in his priestly office, then there shall be a counsel of peace. AMiat is the reason that the counsel of peace has not prevailed to this day? We have cause to fear it has not been set between the kingly and priestly office of Chri.st to advance them. Isa. xxxii. 17, 18, “The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my peo])le shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting-jilaces.” Sec how the Holy Ghost adds one word to another to show that true peace is in the ways of righteousness. A’hen men strive for peace by unfair means, and seek to serve their own ends, disregarding the honour of God, it is just with him to dash all their counsels. “The way of peace they know not,” saith God, “and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever gocth therein shall not know peace,” Isa. lix. 8. We know the path of the seq)ent is crooked, it winds up and down; so many of our counsellors of peace have gone, like the serpent, winding up and down in their carnal policies; have not studied reformation, but pursued crooked paths, and therefore have not effected true iieace. Jlut further, in Jer. xxxi. 22, 23, when the Lord was about to deliver his people from captivity, he asks, “How long wilt thou go about?” that is, you do not go steadily on, but comjiass about, and ho|K’, by time-serving com|)liaiices, to escape the difficulties in your path, and by various means to avoid
1J7
troubles. “^Tiat follows? “The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.” Endeavour to make your way to be the “habitation of justice, and the mountain of holiness,” and the work is done; execute justice upon delinquents, and set up the ordinances of God in the right way of worship, and this will lead to assured peace. Oh that the Lord would deliver our great counsellors from unworthy compliances.
III. The effects of this peace. “I wUl make them to lie down safely.”
Obs. 1. God’s peace alone brings safety. If we patch up a false peace on base and unworthy terms, we must not think “to lie down safely; “but when God promises peace as a fruit of the covenant, then follows,” I will make them to he down safely.” And I suppose none of you would like any other peace, but such as would enable you to lie down safely; and how is it possible, do you think, to do so, except the Lord destroy the evil beasts out of the land? “I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land,” Lev. xxvi. 6. What is the end of our present war, but to “rid the evil beasts out of the land,” that so we may “He down safely? “Can you think to dwell safely among them, exasperated, as their fui-y is, to the highest degree? Certainly, if a false and patched-up peace were made, we should be in a condition full of hazard. Could those amongst us who have openly espoused the cause of God, and showed themselves most faithful, lie down safely, confiding in such a peace? If you have the hearts of true Englishmen, you would never desire any peace, but such as would enable you and your brethren, your ministers, and those worthies in parliament, and all that have stood forth in your behalf,” to lie down safely.” Acts xxvii. 13, 14, we read of a “south wind that blew softly; “but the text adds, that not long after there arose” a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon.” So if we have a false peace, it may blow as that south wind, “softly;” but certainly Eui’oclydon, that most ten-ible east wind, will succeed. ym£“t,s ent’. 2 Chrou. XX. 30, “The realm of Jehosha- ‘”“”■ phat was quiet: for his God gave him rest
round about.” Suppose we should be quiet, and our own base counsels and compliances should procure us rest, our peace would never be certain, but dismal things would follow; for a people dwell safely only when they have the peace of God together with the God of peace. “The peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts,” Phil. iv. 7. Then follows, ver. 9, “The God of peace shall be with you.” AVe would be loth to be without the God of peace, let us then refuse to have any but the peace of God. You all desire peace, and so the adversary pretends: take heed you be not deluded with vain words; that which your thoughts regard as the end, is with them a means to further theu- designs; and what good will such a peace do you? you will be no more secure than you ai”e now, nay, your danger will be far greater.
Obs. 2. “To lie down safely,” is God’s own gift to his people. It is an additional blessing to having the sword and bow broken. We may be delivered from our enemies, but the Lord may affi-ight our consciences with visions in the night, he may terrify us a thousand ways and take away our security; therefore, when he saith, ‘’ I will break the bow and the sword,” he adds, •’ I will make thee to lie down safely.” This is a precious mercy, it is recumbere faciam, inf’ducia dormire fociam Jiduciatiler, I will make them to lie down in trust and confidence, that is, without any fear of evil befalling them before morning. We little think what a mercy it is, to have many nights lain down safeh-, and slept quietly, and risen up comfortably; and little do we think of praising God on this account. Many of our brethren in various countries would prize such a mercy now, they are afraid of evciy stir, and can scarce obtain a night’s sleep unbroken by alarms. What would some of them give for one night’s calm repose, that when they go to bed they might say, AVell, I hope this night I shall enjoy quiet rest, tranqud and uninterrupted sleep! In many places they sleep in the day, and watch during the night. Here in the city, indeed, you can go to bed and sleep quietly, and rise quietly; but oh, think of those who are deprived of this mercy, and while you enjoy it, give God the glory. It is a great blessing for the Lord to calm our minds in these dangerous times, in these days of trembling, when every man’s hands are upon his loins. Many who are free from their adversaries, yet, through the timorousness of their spirits, cannot enjoy one night’s quiet, but agitate themselves with their own thoughts, Oh, what will become of us hereafter! It maybe the enemies will come, and we shall lose our lives, and all will be torn from us; and this makes them that they cannot lie down safely, though danger be not yet near them: but when God is pleased so to stay the heart on him, that in the most troublesome times you can lie do^Ti securely, this is a choice mercy, a ft’uit of the covenant.
This mercy the Lord promises, Prov. iii. 23, “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.” And mark the 24th verse, “When thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear: for the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.” This made good to one in these days were a text worth gold indeed-So Psah cvii. 3, “He giveth his beloved sleep;” others labour and toil, and “eat the bread of sorrow,” and are mightily perj)lexed, but “He giveth his beloved sleep;” that is, takes away care and thought fi’om his beloved, and gives them rest, so that they can repose quietly as in his bosom.
There is a folse rest and security of the wicked when they make a covenant with death and with hell, as Isa.. xxviii. 15, “Ye have said. We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the ovei-flowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid om-selves.” This text is as appUcable to our adversaries as any one I know of in the Scriptures; they all promise to themselves security and safety, they make a covenant with hell and death; but how? they make lies their refuge, and under falsehood have they hidden themselves. Here is a security, and that by a covenant with hell and death; but this text points to “a lying down safely “by virtue of another covenant, even the covenant of God; therefore there follows, ver. 16,” Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” This text wonderfully suits oiatimes; we have a security on that ground, that though the overflowing scourge break down all, yet, saith God, “I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone,” &c.; you may rest seem-e, though your enemies vaunt themselves, and boast in their own ways, that they “have made a covenant with death, and with hell are at agreement;” but, for you “I lay in Zion a corner-stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” Although God come not with present deliverance, yet, believers, quiet yourselves, and “He down safely,” and do “not make haste.” “A horse,” saith the Scripture, Psal. xxxiii. 17, “is a vain thing for safety,” vain is all creature-dependence; but, “behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him,” ver. 18; they are more secure than if troops of horses lay round about to defend them. So ver. 20, “Our soul waiteth for the Lord; he is our help and our shield:” and Prov. xxi. 31, “The horse
is prepared a;;ainst the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.” Let us therefore cit willi the psalmist, “Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us; then we will he down in peace, and sleep, for thou only makcst us dwell in safety.” AVould you have quiet sleep in these troublesome times? make your peace lrith God. If there be ))eace within, then you may he down safely notwithstanding all the rumours and tumults of war abroad; but if your heart be luireconciled, though you should live to see outward i)eace, your sins would pursue you, the terrors of the Almighty would be upon you.
But, Lord, what is all this e.Kcept we may have communion with thyself, except we may have communion with Jesus Chnst? is the voice of a gracious heart: therefore follows that blessed promise, as a further fruit of the covenant which God woidd make with his people, I will betroth thee unto m)-self; I will be yours, and there shall be a most blessed uiuon and conjugal communion between us; you shall enjoy me in all the sweetness and love in which the wife enjoys the husband, though you have most wretchedly departed from me.
Ver. 19, 20. And J uill betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I uill betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, ayid in mercies. I uill even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shall know the Lord.
But how betroth? This phrase seems to be very strange; she had been the wife of God before, and departed from him; though God were reconciled to her, one would have thought it should rather have been, I will receive you again: no, but “I will betroth thee;” to note, that God woiUd receive her with the same love as if she had been a pure wgin, and never upbraid her with her former departure from him: You have been an adulteress, bear your sliamc; but for my own name’s sake I will be content to receive you again: nay, “I will betroth thee unto me,” you shall be as a bride, and your sins shall be no more remembered, but passed over as if they had never been committed.
Obs. ATien God pardons sin he will remember it no more, the Lord will never charge upon sumers their former transfression. .lnd if God will not remember the sins of his repenting jjcople, to charge them upon them, we should not remember them, to upbraid them for them; whatever they have been before, if now converted, it is too much boldness in any of us to upbraid them for any of their former sins. I remember that Beza relates, that the jjapists reproached him much with the sins of his youth, the lasci^ous poems he made before hLs conversion; but he answered them thus, Ni homines invident mihi gratiam din’nam, These men envy me the grace of God.
The repenting church might say, 1. How is it possible that so vile an adulteress, one who has so shamelessly foreakcn the blessed God, her glorious Husband, and continued so long in filthy whoredoms, should yet expect to receive mercy? What! such a mercy as to be betrothed to God, to be taken by him as if she were a chaste spouse? Yes, saith God, I will do it; and therefore, to assure the humbled, repenting chiu-ch that he will fulfil his promise, there is repeated three times emphatically, “1 will betroth,” “yea, I will betroth,” ‘• even I will betroth;” to show how much the Iieart of God is set upon it. As if God should have said, Though you may think such a thing can never be, and see nothing l)ut cause for doubt and discouragement in yourselves, yet I will do it, yea, I will do it. This rel)etition marks also the excellency of the mercy; an excellent one indeed, that the Lord should take a people into BO near a communion with himself; and from it How other most glorious mercies.
But will this mercy hold? is it sure? I have already apostatized from the Lord, and have still an apostatizing heart, and am Uke to fall off from God again, and so my condition to be worse than ever. No, saith God, “I will betroth you unto myself for ever,” mv heart shall be for ever towards you, and your heart shall be for ever towards me, there shall never more be any breach of conjugal love and communion between us.
2. But the Lord is a righteous God, a God of infinite justice, and I have most fearfully transgressed against him: oh the hideous sins that I st.ind guilty of before him! how shall that infinite justice of God be satisfied? This is the care of a repenting heart, not only to obtain mercy for pardon, but satisfaction for the justice of God. Yes, saith God, I will have a way for that too; though you have been verj- sinful, yet when I receive you to mercy, I will do it so that I shall be righteous, as well as gracious, I will do it “in righteousness;” my taking you agaui to myself shall cast no stain on my righteousness. And I will put such a righteous frame into your hearts, that the nations shall not blaspheme my name, that I have betrothed such a one as you to myself.
3. But what reason can there possibly be that God should act thus? God has ten thousand ways to honour himsell’, though we perish for ever, and no people have ever provoked him as we have done, saith this repenting Israel AVell, saith God, though you know no reason why it should be done, yea, mdeed, though there exist none at all in yourselves, yet what I shall do I will do in judgment. AXHiat I now promise you, I have exercised my wisdom about from all eternity; it is not only a work of my grace and mercy toward you, but of my wisdom also, which shall one day appear and be justified gloriously in this my work of taking you unto myself again. I know what I do in it, yea, and on your part, though hitherto you have seen no such excellency in my ways to cleave to them, but have departed from them and followed other lovers; yet when I come with mercy to you, I shall so convince you of the vanity of all other objects Oi” desire, and of the fulness of good which there is in me to satisfy your souls for ever, that you shall see infinite reason to join yourselves unto me in an everlasting covenant. You thought the ways of false worship wore a more specious appearance, but when you shall be reconciled, you shall see there is infinite reason in the serlice your souls have heretofore rejected; you shall not only have yoiu’ affections a Uttle roused and warmed for the ])resent, but the change which shall take place in you shall be in judgment, “I will betroth thee unto me in judgment;” in judgment on my part, I will have reason for what I do; and in judgment on your part, you shall see reason for what )ou do; so much reason for coming to me, that you shall wonder at the former folly of your hearts, when you departed from me, and sought your comforts elsewhere. The workings of my heart shall be in judgment toward you, and the workings of yoiu* hearts shall be in judgment toward me.
4. But suppose that my heart does indeed come in to God, yet I sludl remain a poor, sinful, weak creature, there wdl hang upon me many infirmities that will be grievous to the Spirit of the holy and just God. Well, saith God, “I wilt betroth thee unto me in loving-kindness:” I will deal gently and favourably with you; I will not take advantage of your failings and infirmities; I will remember you are but flesh, and have a tender regard to you.
5. But, perhaps, there will not only be some ordinary infirmities which may grieve, but I may even fall into offences that will provoke the Spirit of God bitterly against me, and so my condition become worse than before. No, saith God, “I will betroth thee imto me in mercies” as well as “in loving-kindness;” my bowels
of mercy shall yearn towards you, not only to pass over the lesser infirmities, but to swallow up the greater transgressions. And accordingly, I will work in you gracious dispositions of loving-kindness toward me, and create a most sweet and ingenuous spirit, and cause your- services to flow from principles of love; that perverse, distrustful spu-it of yours toward me shall be changed into a sweet, gentle, dependent frame. And when I am once reconciled to you, you shall be reconciled one to another; and the hearts that were so ragged, so harsh, and unldnd towards one another before, shall be joined together in the bonds of love. And as my bowels yearn towards you, so youf bowels shall yearn towards me; as it shall pity my soul to see you in miseri|-, so it shall pity your soids to see me dishonom-ed; and you shall likewise be compassionate one toward another, pitying, helping, and relieving one another in the greatest straits.
6. But there are many glorious promises which we find God made to his people, and great things to be done for them; shall ever those promises be made good to us? If we may have mercy, though in never so low a condition; if God’s loving-kindness be manifested to us in a way of reconciliation, though we be but as hii’cd servants; if we may be spouses, though kept hardly, it will be well with us. But, saith God, there are glorious promises made to the chiu’ch, and I will fulfil them all to you; though you have” departed from me and provoked me against you, yet, upon your returning, you shall become interested in them. I will fulfil them all to you, for “I will betroth you imto me m faithfulness,” as well as “in mercy.” Look, whatever I have said concerning my church, is yours to be made good to the uttermost: and there is nothing that concerns me as a loving husband to do, but you shall assuredly receive: and as for you, however yom- hearts have been hitherto unfaithful toward me in departing from me, yet now you shall have put into you a faithful spirit; your hearts shall confide in me, that I will deal faitlifuUy with you, and my heart shall confide m you, that you will deal faithfully with me; so that whatever befalls you, you shall stUl be faithful to me, and to each other. “I will betroth you unto me in faithfulness.”
7. And whereas it is but little that you yet have known of me, and this ignorance has been the cause of all your unworthy wanderings; therefore “you shall know the Lord;” know him in a manner far different to youi’ former experience; I will show my glory to you, I will open my very heart to you, the secret of the Lord shall be with you, though your conceptions be but weak and mean, yet you shall all be taught of God; perhaps you may be ignorant of other things, but “you shall know the Lord.”
8. And as for outward blessings, you shall receive them also in abundance; all the creatures shall be moved towards you to comfort and to succour you: “And it shall come to pass Ln that day, I wUl hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.” There shall be in them a readiness to help, an eagerness to relieve you; yea a combination of them all, established by me for the good of Jezreel.
9. But yet we are a people scattered about the world, and most of us consumed: But, “I will sow her unto me in the earth:” you were scattered in judgment, but now it is turned to a mercy; yom- scattering is as seed, whereby you shall fructify and mcrease abundantly, and so be a blessing to the whole earth.
10. But we have been under the cm-se of God a great while, and have seemed to be rejected: But, saith God, “I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy.”
11. Lastly, we are a proverb in all the world, a by-word, a scora, and a reproach amongst all people; God, say they, has rejected us, and so they trample upon us. No, saith God, I will not oidy betroth you to myself, but make it manifest to all the world that you are my people; “I will say to them which were not my people. Thou art my people;” though you be a people scorned and «lified in the world, yet I will acknowledge you openly; your low and miserable condition shall not hinder me fi-om sajdng, “Thou art my people:” and as for you, whatever you shall meet with in my ways, whatever you suffer for my worship, though it be scorned and despised of men, yet )ou shall confess it before the world, and say, ‘■ Thou art my God.”
Thus you have a short paraphi-ase upon this and the succeeding gracious expressions of God to his reconciled people, a slight view of the mercy of the Lord to his saints.
But when was all this fulfilled? you wOl say; or to what times does this prophecy refer?
This prophecy is partly fulfilled when a soul is brought to embrace the gospel; but the full accompbshment shall be at the calling in of the Jews; then not only the spu-itual estate of particular converted souls shall be thus happy, but the whole visible church shall be betrothed unto the Lord for ever. We cannot say so of any visible chiu’ch at present, none of them but may fall ok; but when God shall bring in the Jews, they shall never lose the visibility of then church communion. Rev. xxi. 2, 3, seems to Iiave reference to this prophecy: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down fi’om God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be bis people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” This contams almost the same words which we have here in this prophecy to be fvdfilled in that glorious church estate, when God calls home to himself his own people. Mark there, “God himself shall be with them:” God is always with his people; but “God himself,” that is, a more especial, and immediate, and full presence of God, shall be with them.
But the words must yet be more fully examined.
“I will beti-oth thee.” The Scriptui-e often mentions espousals and marriage, to express the gi-eat mystery of the grace of God to his people. The Holy Ghost seems to delight much in this allegory: there is none more frequent in Scriptm’e, and it sheds very great honour on the marriage state; and the lives of those united in marriage ought to resemble the blessedness, as fiu’ as possible, of the condition of a people reconciled to God, for in all comparisons a simiHtude should exist. Maxried people should so live, that all who behold the sweetness, the happiness of their lives, may be reminded thereby of the sweetness and happiness which is in the chm-ch’s communion with Jesus Chi’ist. I appeal to you, are yom- lives thus?
Now in a man-led condition there are these fourtilings most remai-kable.
First, There is the nearest possible miion. “They two shall be one flesh.” Consider this power of God m an ordinance; two that perhaps not a month before were mutually strangers, never saw each other’s faces, and knew not that there were such in the world, when they enter into this, though but a civil ordinance, these two sliaU be nearer one to another than the child that came out of the mother’s womb. “Whence arises this, but merely fi-om the power of an ordinance? Onewould thuik that the aflection of a mother to the fruit of her ovn body should be more than it were possible for her to have to a stranger she had never seen before ui her life; but it is not so; when a woman comes under the obKgation of this ordinance, she should entertain more affection to one who was ere while a stranger, than to her own child. Such is the power of God’s
:eo
ordinance, though but a civU one. Now then, -what efficacy must Divine ordinances have! Certainly, most powerful on the soul, when they are administered in the way of God’s appointment. So here, “I will betroth thee:” as if God should say. Thou wast not long since as a stranger to me, as one cast off, yea, as an enemy; but now all the creatures in heaven and in earth, the very angels themselves, shall not be more dear to me, nor in closer communion, than you. This is true of a WTetched, sinful creature, who has not only been as a stranger, but as an enemy to God; on conversion and union with Chi-ist he is admitted into a nearer connexion and more intimate communion with God, in some respects, than the very angels in heaven, for they are never said to be the spouse of the Son of God, as the saints are. Such is the mighty power and love of God in uniting his Baints to his Son.
Secondly, In nothing in the world is there so full a - communication of one creature to another as in marriage: so in our spu’itual man-iage with Christ there is a most intimate communion. God has two ways of communicating himself: one is infinite, that is, to his Son in that inconceivable mystery of Divine generation; the other modes are of a finite kind, and of these, the greatest is his communication of himself to his saints in Christ. God does not so communicate himself to the creatures generally indeed: in comparison he communicates little or nothing of himself to the whole frame of heaven and earth. As far as communion is wanting in marriage, so far is the blessing of it from being complete. The communion of God to his church is a full communion; his wisdom, power, riches, are made over to the saints; the merits, the righteousness of Christ, are all theirs.
This communication is mutual: one converted to God, lets out his heart into God in a fuller manner than any creature can do to another. Suppose all the beauty and excellency in the woi-ld were combined together and presented to thee, to be an object of thy delight, yet it were not possible that thou shouldst communicate thyself so fully to it, as thy soul will to God upon thy conversion. The soul jields itself to God, as into an infinite ocean of goodness, so that it would retain nothing of its own; but, as a di-op of water in a vessel of wine, assume the flavour and colour of that with which it is united. And hereby you may know whether your conversion be real or not, if as that which is Christ’s comes to be thine, so that which is thine comes again to be Christ’s. “My Beloved is mine, and I am his,” saith the church. Hence it is that the honour which Christ the husband has, is reflected on the saints; they shine with the brightness of his beams. “Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable,” Isa. xliii. 4. Among the Romans, when the newly man-ied wife was brought home, she was wont to say, Where you are Caius, I am Caia. How mean soever the woman may be before, yet, when married, she partakes of the honour of her husband. So the saints, whatever they were before, are now looked upon as honourable in the eyes of the triune God; and in those of the angels and of the rest of the saints, who are able to discern their excellency. And on the other side, (for it is ever mutual,) as the chiu’ch derives honour from the lustre of the beams of Christ’s glory, so also is the chui’ch a glory unto Christ. As the Scripture saith, “The wife is the glory of the man j” so, in tnith, the church is the glory of Chi-ist.
How is that? you will say. True, Clu-ist is the glory of the church; but that the church, which is a company of poor creatures, should be the glory of Christ, how can that be?
Yes, it is so, Christ accounts himself glorified before the Father in having such a spouse. Thus, 2 Cor. viii. 23,” Whether any do inquire of Titus, lie is my partner and fellow helper: or our brelliren be inquired of, they are
the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.” Titus and the brethren are there called “the glorv of Christ.” And Eph. i. 23, the church is said to be “the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” However low we should be in our own ees, yet this is certain, that it is the glory of Christ before the Father and the blessed angels that he has such a spouse. Hence, Rev. xxi. 9, one of them saith, “Come hither, and I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife:” the very angels rejoice in this; Come, behold the bride, the Lamb’s wife! Certainly they would not, in such triumph, have called all to behold the bride, had it not been for the glorv’ of Christ in her. Psal. xlv. 14, the church is described as brought in to the King all glorious and beautiful, “in raiment of needlework.” Christ rejoices, and his very heart even springs forth, to present his church to his Father; Father, he saith, here behold my spouse that I have married unto myself. It is ti-ue, a child may sometimes marry against his father’s consent, one whom he may be ashamed to brin*; to his father’s house, because she will disgrace it; but how mean and sinful soever we are in om’selves, when once we are betrothed to Christ, he will not think it any dishonom- to acknowledge us even before his Father, but account it his glorj-, before him and the blessed angels, that he has such a spouse.
But further, this communion makes the afflictions between Christ and his church mutual. There is a communion in tilings evil as well as good. The verv sins of the church are to be charged on Christ. As a woman who had contracted debts before marriage, and so was liable to arrest, when married is no more troubled with the officers of justice, but all claims are to be made on the husband: so, though we be in debt, owing a debt of punishment because we have not paid the debt of obedience, and whilst out of Christ may fear every moment to have some sergeant of the Lord to arrest us, and to hale us to prison, there to lie until we have paid the uttermost farthing; but when the soul is man-ied to Christ, all debts, all sins, are all transferred upon and charged to him; and if the law now require satisfaction, if justice pleads against you, you may send it to your husband Christ, and he wLU jo)-fully answer all demands. An earthly husband perhaps may take it ill, and think he has brought himself to misery, when arrested for his wife’s debts, and his heart may be alienated from her; but Christ will never love you the worse for all the debts charged against him on your account, but will willingly discharge them, and rejoice in it before his Father. And if any affliction befall you, Christ sympathizes with you: “In all then- affliction he was afflicted,” Isa. lxiii. 9. So, on the other side, all the afflictions of Christ are the afflictions of the church. Doth Christ suffer? you are affected as if you sufl”ered yourselves. Christ feels for your suflerings as if they were his ovm, and you sj-rapathize in those of Christ in return.
Thirdly, In a maiTied condition there is a mutual, entire love. That is,
1. Loving the person more than the benefits received from him. True conjugal love is fixed on the persons, rather than on the estates, or any thing they enjoy by them. So, on Christ’s part, his love is fixed on the persons of the saints, more than on their actions. It is true, all the gracious actions you do are lovely before Christ, for they are the fraits of his Spirit; but’ Christ’s greatest love is toward your persons. So your chiefest love, if it be a true conjugal affection, settles on the person of Christ ratlitr than on any thing derived from him. Notwithstanding those riches of pardon of sin and precious promises which thou enjoyest through him, his person is that which ralislies thy soul.
2. True love can be satisfied with nothing else but love. Love vilifies every thing tendered, except it comes
THE PROPHECY OF HOSR.
as a fruit of love; and where love exists, even a little cup of cold water is more highly prized than a kingdom without it: the giving the body to be burned, without love, is nothing. I will give you two scriptures, one wherein the saints prize God’s love, the other wherein God prizes the love of the saints. Psal. xxxvi. 7, “How excellent is thy lonng-kindness, O God!” Psal. xci. 14, “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore I will deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath knolni my name.”
3. This entire love is a love in all conditions. Chi-ist loves his church in their alBictions as entirely as after then- deliverances. “He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye,’’ Deut. xxxii. 10. !Mark, they were in the wilderness,” in the waste howling wilderness,” yet even there they were dear to Christ, and were “kept as the apple of his eye.” The church in return regards Christ in his afflictions as lovely still as ever: “A bundle of mjTrh is my weD-beloved unto me, he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts,” Cant. i. 13. Alp’rh is a bitter thing, yet the church professes that Cliiist, though bitter in his afflictions, should stUl be most dear to her. Herodotus and Pliny report of Ai’temesia, queen of Halicamassus, that after her husband’s death, she took his ashes and drank them in wine, from excess of love to him though dead. The church loves a crucified Christ, as well as a glorified Christ. A most remarkable example of the love of a spouse to her husband we have in om- English History. King Edward the Fu-st, having been wounded by a poisoned dagger, his wife Eleanor, to show the entu’e love she bare him, and because she thought if the venom was suffered to remain there would be no possibility of a cure, herself sucked the poisoned wound, and so ventm’ed the loss of her own liife to preserve her husband’s. Here was love in a spouse to her husband. The church bears a like love to Chi’ist. If he be wounded with the poisonous tongues of ungodly men in reproaches and blasphemies, and persecuted in the world, the truly gi’acious are wilKng to suck in that vei-y poison to themselves, so they may take it fi’om him. Let the reproaches of Chi’ist fall upon me: oh let me suffer rather ciiiura Dominus than Christ. It was Ambrose’s wish. Oh abc’teh cTiQme ^°^’ would tiu’n all the adversaries omnia suiiiia Ml), of the church upon me, that they might g”i ‘e’sitSVuam dii’ect against me all theii’ weapons, and
such is the disposition of a h’ue spouse of Chi-ist.
4. In it there is unspeakable delight. Communion has delight; the gi-eatest communion, the greatest delight: the greatest delight that God has is to communicate himself, fu-st to his Son, and then to his saints. If God delights in communicating out of his fulness to the saints, one would think the saints must needs delight in flowing out into God. God delights in imparting mercy to his saints, because he was well pleased with the death of his own Son as a means conducing thereto. One would think that the death of Chris’t should be most abhorrent to the heart of God, yet the Scripture saith God was well pleased with it, Isa. Uii. 10. AVhy so? Because he saw this opened the way for him to communicate himself in the fulness of his grace to his church, and, therefore, though it cost him so dear as the death of his own Son, yet was he well pleased. And as for Chi-ist, he takes delight in communicating himself to his people; after his suffering he was satisfied, saith the prophet, when he saw of the travaU of his soul. As if Christ had said. Oh let me have a chm-ch to communicate myself to, and though I see it has cost me my blood, and’ all these fearful sufferings, yet am I satisfied, and think all well bestowed, so I may have a people to partake of my love and mercy for ever.” Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, mv
spouse, thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes,” Cant. iv. 9. Then for the saints, the deUght they have in intimate communion with Clu-ist is unutterable. “Stay me with flagons, ‘comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love,” saith the church. Cant. ii. 5.” My soul shall be satisfied as ‘n-ith marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with jo-ftd lips: when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches,’’ Psal. Lxiii. 5, 6.
Observe, The more fully you lay out yourselves for Christ, the more comfort you shall have in your lives. Here is the great difference between the hypocrites and the sincere. It is impossible that a hv-[iocrite can have the same comfort in his h’fe as a gracious heart has, and for this reason, because a hj-jiocrite makes reservations, and gives not himself wholly to Clu-ist, but always keeps somewhat back, and thereby loses his comfort; but a gi-acious heart, fully giving itself up to Christ, derives comfort and sweetness in the ser’v-ice of its blaster, far above all the joy of the hi|-]iocrite. Perhaps you thinli that the only comfort you can have is by receiving some benefit, some mercy from God: you are much mistaken; the letting yoiu- hearts out to God is a greater comfort than any you can derive fi-om his gifts.
And now, how happy are they to whom Christ is thus espoused! How comfortably may you live, being affianced to Christ! and how comfortably may you die! It is our work to seek to tb-aw souls to Christ, to allure them to be in love with him. In Gen. xxiv. 35, you see the course which Abraham’s servant took to excite the lo“e of Rebekah and her friends to his master’s son; he begins with telling them, that he is the servant of Abraham, and that the Lord had blessed his master greatly, so that he was become great; and that the Lord had given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold; and that he had an only son who was to inherit all. This is the work of ministers, to tell people what riches of mercy there are in God, and that all the treasures of those mfinite riches of the infinite God are in Jesus Clu-ist, and to be communicated through him. Yea, it is not only the work of ministers, but it should be the work of every gi-acious heart, thus to seek to di-aw souls to Christ: as Rev. xxii. IT, not only the angels say, Come, but “the bride saith. Come. And let him that hearcth say. Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
“Were I not thus expounding, we sm-elj- could not leave such a point as this; but for the present I .shall only add. Know that it is not want of any worth in you than can hinder communion with Jesus Clu-ist; and do not reason thus, I am a poor, wretched, sinful creatui-e, ■n-ill ever Christ be married to me? It is not thy sinfulness, nor thy base condition, that can hinder it: Christ never joins himself to any because they ore worthv, but that they tiiaij be worthy; and he makes them so by the very act of union. The woman is not man-ied to the king because she is a queen, but the king marries her to make her a queen.
And further, remember, if your hearts be not taken with Chi-ist, to join with him in this holy marriage, if he be not your husband to enjoy conjugal communion with you, he will be your judge to condemn you.
But besides this betrothing between Christ and a soul, there is a betrothing between Christ and a visible church, es])ecially the church of the Jews when called in.
God shall appear in his glory when this marriage shall take place between Chi-ist and the Jewish church. If a wealthy man has a son to marry, and intend to solemnize the nuptials accorcUng to his means, he arrays himself in his best attii-e: so, at the calling of the Jews, the King of heaven wUl put on the robes of his majesty, and appear in a more glorious manner to the world than lie ever did since the creation. Yea, and as the bridegroom on the marriage day decks himself sump-AN EXPOSITION OF
tuously, so Jesus Christ will then appear; whether persoually or otherwise, we say not, but certainly he will then appear resplendent with glory. So Tit. ii. 13, We look “for the glorious appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Clirifit.” And 2 Thess. i. 10, Christ shall come so as “to be admired in all them that believe:” the church likewise shall then be clothed with beauty, “arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints,” Rev. xix. 8; and in that day the great doctrine of justification by Christ shall be made out full and clear. Yea, and as in a great marriage the servants in the house receive new clothes; so at that day the creatures, her servants, shall put on new raiment, and the face of the world shall be changed. Then will follow the marriage supper, and happy shall those be that shall then be found worthy to enter the bridal chamber. Let us now love Christ, cleave to him, and sufler for him; we may, perhaps, be of those, who, beside their eternal enjoyment of Christ in heaven, may enjoy him in this marriage upon the earth. But we must pa.«s on, as we spake something of this in the end of the first chapter.
“And I will betroth thee unto me for ever.” “For ever;” this addition to the mercy makes it glorious, this ‘’ for ever” renders a miscn,’, though never so slight, an infinite niiserj-; and a mercy, an infinite mercy. Tins betrothing for ever shall be fulfilled in a visible church communion to the Jews, and in the spiritual communion of Christ with the soul at present. Of the visible form first.
“I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations,” Isa. L. 15. I think this not only regards the spiritual hajipincss of the saints, but that God has a time to make his visible church to be “an eternal excellency, and a joy of many generations;” an excellency that shalj never have an end. And this their perpetual condition, their enduring happiness, shall arise from these three grounds.
First, from the precious foundation that shall be laid of that church when it shall appear: Isa. liv. 8, ‘• With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord;” but mark the ground, ver! 11, “Behold, I will lay thv stones with fair colours, and lay thy ftumdations with sapphires;” all the i-ubbish shall be removed, it shall not be raised on such a foundation. God will lay “t];e foundations of that church with sapphires;” and then with everlasting mercy lie will embrace it
Secondly, That church shall be in a peaceable condition, no rent, no division there, therefore in a peri)etual condition: “A tabernacle that shall not ‘)e taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed,” Isa. xxxiii. 20. ^’]ly? The very words before show the reason; “Jerusalem shall be a quiet habitation.”
Thirdly, This church shall look wholly at Christ as their Juige, their Lawgiver, and their King: “The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King,” Isa. xxxiii. 22. Churches are ready to change while they mix other things with tlic worship of Christ, and the laws of men with his laws; but when they can look to him, I mean in that w hich is spiritual, as their Lawjjiver, as their Judge, and as their King; then their happiness shall be perpetual even in this world, the Lord Christ will betroth them unto him for ever.
Though I verily think the Holy Ghost refers chiefly to this, yet we are ftirther to understand this “betrothing for ever,” of the suiritual communion the soul has with Christ. ‘When Cnrist betroths himself to a soul, it is “for ever:” the conjugal love of Christ with a gracious soul shall never be broken. At first, man’s condition was such, that man laid hold upon God, and
let go his hold; but now God lays hold upon man, and he will never let go his. The bond of union in a believer runs through Jesus Christ, is fastened upon God, and his Spirit holds the other end of it, so that it can never be broken. This union is in the Father, who has laid “a sure foundation,” 2 Tim. ii. 19; Kom. ix. IL In the Son, who loves his to the end, John xiii. 1. In the Spirit, who abides in the elect for ever, John xiv. 16, 17. “The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee,” Isa. hv. 10. My loving-kindness shall be more stable with thee, and endure longer, than the mountains themselves. It is as sure as the ordinances of heaven. “Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever,” Jer. xxxi. 35, 36. And chap, xxxiii. 20, 21, “Thus saith the Lord; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant: ‘f the night, and that there should not be day and night ‘.n their season; then may also my covenant be broken with David my 6erlant.” You have these three expressions of the abiding of God’s love with hispcople; 1. The continuance of the mountains. 2. The continuance of the ordinances of heaven and earth..’!. God’s covenant with night and day. Here is tl-.e ground of consolation to the saints, they shall be “kept by the power of God,” 1 Pet. i. 5. As if God should say. The special power I mean to exert in this world, shall be to uphold the spirits of my saints, and to bring them to salvation; and certainly, the special work in which God has in this world to exercise his power, is to keep Christ and the saints together. Though it be through God’s power that the heavens and the earth are sustained, yet if God must withdraw his power from one, he would rather’ withdraw it from u])holding heaven and earth, than from sustaining one gracious soul that has union with his Son.
The union between Christ and his people is too near a union ever to be broken. Luther has a remarkable expression about this:* As it is impossible for the leaven in the dough to be separated from it, after it is once mixed, for it turns the nature of tlic dough into its own: so it is impossible, saith he, for the saints ever to be separated from Cluist, for Christ is in the saints as the leaven in the dough, so incoi-porated, that Christ and they are, as it were, one lump. Christ, who came to save that which was lost, will never lose that which he has saved. Heb. vii. 16, it is said that Christ wa.s made a priest “not after the law of a carnal commandment;” that is, he was not made a priest as the priests in the law, after a ceremonial way, “but after the power of an indissoluble life;”, ‘i’V’ *»»<“• cotlesti virlule, by a celestial energy, as Calvin on the place saith. The argument why Christ’s life is indissoluble, rather than the i)riests in the law, is because they were made “after the law of a carnal commandment,” not by a celestial power. So those who profess godliness, in a ceremonial way, “according to a carnal commandment,” mav fail, vanish, and come to nothing in their way of worship, as manv have done; but such as are professors of religion Sy the virtue of God’s Spirit in them, have the power of a life indissoluble.
There are two soid-staying and soid-satisiynng grounds to assure of Christ’s betrothing himself for ever.
First, when a soul is taken in to Christ, it receives not only pardon for all the sijis previously committed, but there is forgiveness in store for all future transgresrapi n (*hri9to, qtiia est in cis Christus fcrmpntum, ita incorporotiii, III untiin tit corpus, uoa moua. Luth.
Vf.k. 19, 20.
J 63
sions. “There is forgiveness with thee,” Psal. cxxx. 4. There lie pardons with God beforehand for all that is to come, as well as for that which is past. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them wMcli are in Christ Jesus,” Rom. viii. 1; that is, there is no instant of time after they are once in Christ Jesns, wherein it can be said that they are under the sentence of condemnation. Now, were it not that there was a pardon laid in beforehand for all futiu-e sins, they might upon commission of some new transgression be brought under condemnation; for if the least sin remain unpardoned, there is condemnation; but this cannot be. I do not say the sin is pardoned before it is committed, for it were harsh and improper to say so; for when we speak of pardoning sin, we speak of a work applied to the creatm’e, not of that which is in God: a pardon is laid up to be applied by God whenever the sin is committed, so that there shall no time elapse wherein the sinner is unpardoned, and so under condemnation. Then surely he can never fall from Clu’ist; for what endangers his safety, but the commission of sin? Clnist has as well merited at the hand of God pardon for any future sin, as he has pardon for sin past. Do not say that this opens a gap to licentiousness, and that then we need not care; no, the grace of Christ has no such malignity in it; in saying thus, thou speakest against thine own life.
The second soul-stajing argument for perseverance is, that it is a spiritual mercy purchased by Christ, as well as any other grace. “Blessed be the God and Father of oiu- Lord Jesus Clu’ist, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ,” Eph. i. 3. Now you ■mil say, faith, and humility, and joy, are all blessings, and we have them in Christ; is not perseverance then a blessing, a spiritual blessing also? Chi-ist has as tridy and as really laid dowm his life to pui’chase thy perseverance, as to piu’chase thy pardon, or any other thing he has procured for thee. That which Christ has shed his blood to purchase, surely must be obtained, he cannot have died in vain. Have you any thing by vii’tue of that purchase? Thou mayst be as sux’e of perseverance, for Christ has laid down his life to purchase that also.
Christian, then, satisfy thy soxU, God gives thee comforts in this world, but he gives them not for ever; but when he betroths thee unto his Son, he betroths thee for ever. Perhaps the Lord, in mercy, has made thy life here in this thy pilgrimage very comfortable, by giving thee a meet yoke-fellow; in this thy betrothing thou art happy, but this happiness continues not: thou canst look on thy companion as a mercy of God, making thy pilgrimage sweet, yet there must be a dissolution between thee and her; but thy union with thy husband Cluist is for ever, it shall never be dissolved. Perhaps some of you have lost comfortable yoke-fellows, death has come and snapped asunder the union between you, and you complain, Never woman lost such a husband, never husband such a wife; if you be godly, you have a Husband that you shall never lose, one who will M up all relations, who saith, “Thy Maker is thine husband,” Isa. liv. 5.
And further, this is mutual; “I will betroth thee unto me for ever,” and give thee a heart that thou shalt cleave unto me for ever. This will afford us another useful meditation, viz. “When the Lord chooses any soid to himself, as he sets his own heart for ever on that soul, so he imparts to it a principle of grace to cleave unto him; and to j-ield itself to him in an everlasting covenant. Paal. cxix. 112, “I have mclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway;” is not that enough? no, he must have another word to express the “alway,” “even unto the end.” David’s heart was much taken with the statutes of God; O Lord, through thy mercy mv heart is inclined to keep thy statutes, yea.
and it is so ahvays, and it shaD be “even unto the end.” Tills is a kind of pleonasm, or rather the expression of the fulness of his heart, in his resolutions never to depart from God.
But what are those riches which Christ bestows on his people whom he betroths to himself? The bracelets and ornaments he puts on their necks and on thenhands are these:
“I will betroth thee unto nie in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faitlrfidness: and thou shalt know the Lord.”
There is much of the gospel in this.
“In righteousness.” This, according to some, is imderstood as opposed to dissimulation, and that by this he assures his people that they shall find his dealings with them altogether just and’ equal; and so I expect from you, and will effect it ui you, that in your dealings towards me, you shall be the same, there shall be nothing feigned betwixt us, all shall be plain, right, and just. There is often much dissimulation in marriages,^ great promises, and overtures of what one should enjoy in the other, and when they meet not with what they expect, it causes great dissension between the parties, and makes their li■es very uncomfortable. But now, saith God, there shall be no dissimulation between us, I will deal with you in the plainness of my heart, and you shall do so likewise. So the word “” righteousness” is taken in Scripture. Isa. xlviii. 1, “They make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor m righteousness;” the one explains the other: Though you have departed from me, I will receive you again in the very integritj- c-f my soul; do not feari do not suspect me, do not think though I make a show of love and of great favoiu- to you, yet that I intend to cast you off at last: these are the jealous thoughts of many troubled consciences. Indeed, I heai- of mercy, and God is working as if he intended mercy to me; but I am afraid he will finally reject me. No, saith God, do not fear; this mercy I oifer in the very sincerity of my heart, therefore let not such suspicious thoughts arise between us; you may be sure that what is fit and right for you to have from such a husband as I am, you shall certainly receive. This I conceive a part, though not all, of the meaning of the Holy Ghost here, “I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness;” that love I profess to you, I do it not to mock you, saith God, but I do it in truth. From whence veiy usefid observations may be di’awn.
Obs. 1. Guilty hearts are full of suspicions of God’s real meaning in all his expressions of love and mercy. They judge God by themselves. As they fh-st slight sin, and see not such a dreadful evil in it, they thiiJc God sees it not: so after they have sinned, they measure God’s mercy by then- own, and thmk thus. If any had offended us as we have offended God, though we might say we would be reconciled to him, yet we coiUd not bring our hearts wholly to it, some grudge would remain: they therefore think the like of God, and suspect that he is not really sincere in his expressions of love and mercy to them. But beware of this, do not judge of God by yourselves; though you have a base and cruel heart, and cannot be reconciled to those who provoke you, it is not therefore so with God. There arc these two evils in sin: fii’st, in the nature of it, there is a departing fi’om God; secondly, it causes jealousies and suspicions of God, and so hinders the sold fi-oni returning to him again.
Obs. 2. God is very careful to prevent all these suspicions in the hearts of his people. He desires you to entertain good thoughts of him, and we plead with you, and so often open the riches of God’s grace, for this very end, and to remove your jealousies and suspicions of him. as if there were no real intention in all the proffers
of mercy he makes you; do not think that all those riches of God’s grace are mere -nords, they are certain intentions of God’s heart towards you. “I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness.”
And for yom- part I will give you a heart, and you shall return to me in sincerity and truth. There was a time, indeed, when God complained of his people, that they sought him and returned unto hizn, ‘■ nevertheless they did flatter him with theh’ mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues,” Psal. lxxviii. 34 — 36; there was no reality in their retiuiiing to him, nor in theu- professions of obedience: But, saith God, there shall come a time that you shall have righteous hearts, and that which you promise to me you shall truly perfonn; you shall no longer make a show of love, but shall return to mo with all ycui’ hearts “in righteousness.”
God has much difficulty at fu-st to make us beUeve that he is sincere in his proffers of mercy; and long is it before our hearts can be prevailed on to turn to him in good earnest.
06s. 3. One reason why God betroths “for ever,” is, because he does it in the sincerity of his heart; and this is also a good reason why the saints continue for ever, because what they do to God is in the sincerity of their hearts. Those who return to God hypocritically will fall off, but they that return in uprightness will contmue constant. Prov. viii. 18, it is said of wisdom, that with her “are dm-able riches and righteousness;” they are conjoined: where there is true righteousness in the heart, there are durable riches.
But there is yet another thing in this betrothing in righteousness, and that I think of even more importance than the former. God will be reconciled to his chm’ch so as yet to manifest himself to be a righteous God. In the works of the riches of his gi-ace he will manifest the glory of his justice too: I -nill do it “in righteousness:” though indeed the Lord intends to glorify rich grace, yet so as to declare his righteousness to men and angels, that in tlus very work of his he may lie acknowledged by them, to all eternity, to be a righteous God. That place, Rom. iii. 2o, 26, confirms this; “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation tlu’ough faith in his blood.” How? “To declare his righteous- 7iess for the remission of sins.” Mark it! it is not that lie had set forth Christ to be a projiitiation, to declare Ills mercy in the forgiveness of sins; you will say, “‘hat is there in the forgiveness of sins, but only the mercy of God? Yes, there is somewhat else, there is righteousness too; and the Lord declares his righteousness in the forgiveness of sins, and therefore it is that he has set forth Christ to be a propitiation. If the Lord had said but thus, Well, you are great and grievous sinners, I will be content freely to forgive you all your transgressions; this would have declared God’s mercy, but not his righteousness: but now, when the Lord has set forth Christ as a propitiation, and forgives sins through the blood of his Son, in this God declares as much righteousness as grace. This text Luther had great difhculty in understanchng, and prayed much before he could discern the right meaning of it. Yea, it is repeated again, “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might bo just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus;” not that he might be merciful in justifying him that believeth in Jesus, but that he might be just.
And this is the great mystery of the gospel, this it is which the angels desire to look into; and the saints and angels shall admire and bless God to all eternity, for reconciUng the riches of mercy and infinite justice; this it was that engaged the infinite wisdom of God from all eternity how to find a way to sa e sinners, and to be infinitely righteous notwithstanding. If all the angels in heaven, and all the men in the world, had been asked this question, How shall sin be pardoned.
the sinner reconciled unto God, and yet God glorify- his justice? they could never have answered it; but God in his infinite wisdom has found out a way. This cost God dear, even the life of his own Son, and that was a sign that God’s heart was much in it; and indeed we are not Christians until in some measure we see, and have our souls taken with, the glorj- of God in this mystery. AVe must look at righteousness in our reconciliation, as well as at loving-kindness and mercy.
When God is reconciled to a sinner, not only his mercy is glorified, but, in the plan for a sinner’s salvation, the glory of his justice is magnified as much, yea, more than if the sinner were eternally damned in hell.
IIow is that? you wUl say.
I prove this three ways.
First, Allien God appointed his Son as a surety-, and charged the debt of his justice upon him, in that God would not spare this Son of his the least degree of punishment, would not remit any thing, he hereby showed a stronger and more intense love to justice, than if he had damned ten thousand thousand creatures. Sujipose a malefactor comes before a judge, and the judge refuses to spare him without satisfaction to the law, this shows that the judge loves justice; but if the judge’s own son bo a delinquent, and it is made manifest before all that the judge will not spare him, unless the penalty of the law is paid to the uttermost, you will say the judge honoui“S justice more in this than in condemning many other malefactors. So when the Lord shall cast many thousands into hell, there to be tormented for ever, this will show that God loves justice; but when his own Son takes our sins upon him, but by imputation, and God will not spare him, (for such ai-e the very words of Scripture, “He that spared not his own Son,” Rom. viii. 32,) this declares God’s love to righteousness more than if all the world had been damned.
Secondly, Suppose the reconciled sinner had been damned, then the justice of God had been but in satisfying, and never had been fully satisfied; but in the way that God has found out to save a sinner, his justice is not only satisfying, but it is fully satisfied at once and for ever. Now it is a greater honour to justice to be fully satisfied than to be in satisfj-ing. As for instance, suppose a creditor has one who owes him five thousand pounds, and the man is poor, and the utmost he can pay is but sixpence or twelvepence a week; suppose the creditor should put him in jail until he had paid all, this man would be receiving something, but would never be paid as long as the debtor lived; but if another rich man should come and lay down five thousand pounds at once, the man is satisfied forthwith. Such is the difl’crence between God’s satisfying his justice on sinners and upon Jesus Clu’ist: God comes on the sinner and requhes the debt of punishment, because he did not pay the debt of obedience; casts him mto prison; the uttermost he can pay is but little, and therefore he must be still paying and jiaying eternally, which is the very ground of their eternal punishment in hell, because they cannot pay enough in any finite time: now Christ inteqioses and fully jjays the debt, so that justice saith it has enough, it is satisfied, and the greater glory accrues to the justice of God.
Thirdly, If the sinner had been sent down to hell, God had had the glor)- of his justice passively upon him, lie should be for ever under its power and stroke j but in the mean time the sinner would have hated God for his justice, and abhorred justice itself: but when justice is honoured activelv, the sinner falls down and acknowledges himself guilty, puts himself under the stroke, and accepts of the punishment of his iniquity: now God is delighted more abundantly in this active wav of glorifying his justice than if the sinner had been satisfying it eternally in hell.
And now devils and all wicked men must needs have
their mouths stopped for ever, they cannot ciy out against God because he wiD maiTy himself to such sinners; This is mercy, but where is his righteousness? where is the gloiy of his justice? Here is an answer to them all. Though the Lord sets his love upon vile sinners, yet he does it in righteousness. And this is a great encouragement to come in and believe, for if the sinner be terrified with the apprehension of his sins, and sees that by them the wrath of God is incensed, and that infinite justice demands satisfaction; this bids the sinner know likewise that God has a way to satisfy infinite justice, and yet to save his soul; he will man-y him unto himself, and yet he will do it in righteousness.
And this is a great help to a sinner against all failings afterwards, a mighty establishment against a thousand objections the sinner may make against himself Thus we must seek to God when we seek to be received again when we have departed from him; whatever God does for us, he must do it in the way of righteousness as well as in the way of mercy. Take this with you, sinners, if ever you have a pardon sealed to you. it must be sealed in the court of justice as well as in the court of mercy; therefore, ye need not appeal from the court of justice to the mercy-seat, for in the mystery of God’s reconciling himself to a sinner, there may bo as much comfort in standing before the bar of justice as at the mercy-seat; that is, by standing there, in and through Christ, for he has made justice propitious to us, and now it pleads to mercy for us.
And indeed this is the very work of faith, thus to go to God, when by faith the sinner shall present to God the Father the righteousness of Jesus Christ for an atonement and satisfaction for sins: this brings the comfort of justification. When you come to God in any other way than this, it is but in a natm-al, and not in a ti’ue evangelical way; a man by nature may know thus much, that when he has sinned he must seek unto God for mercy, to pardon his sin, or else become miserable; but to seek to God for pardon with a price in our hand, to tender the merits of Christ as a satisfaction to Divine justice, here is the mystery of faith; faith is not only to rely upon God’s mercy for pardon, but speaks thus, I see riches of grace in Clu’ist, that he, as my sm-ety, has made an atonement, has laid down a price, and now I tender up this to God the Father, and I thus believe my soul shall be accepted through him.
Wha.t a mighty engagement is this for us to be righteous before God! the Lord betroths us unto himself in righteousness, and we should give up ourselves to him in righteousness also. O my brethren, lake this away with you, whatever you forget: if the Lord has thus engaged himself to us in a way of righteousness, and if it has cost him so dear to show himself righteous imto us; what an infinite engagement lies upon us to be righteous before him, to glorify God’s righteousness in oiu- conversation! I will do it in righteousness, and you shall have such a righteous heart, as you shall never be a dishonom- to me before the people; neither devils nor wicked men shall ever be able to upbraid me, that I set my love upon such creatures as you, because, whatever you were, you shall be now righteous. When we profess ourselves to be the spouse of Christ, and be um-ighteous in our conversation, we upbraid Jesus Christ, and are a dishonour to him before men and angels; What you, the spouse of Christ! where is this ornament, this bracelet of righteousness, then? Whomsoever Chi-ist marries, he puts on them this jew-el of righteousness. He blasphemes
.,.^ religion which he seems to honom-, says
pTdfitoTa’er Cn)rian, who makes not good in his life what he professes.
Secimda gemma maritalis annuli. Luther.
t Jam mult OS aunos hoc agit Sathan ut per impios magistra-Blasphemiam colit, qui quod
“And in judgment.” Some interpreters understand this and righteousness to be the same, according to Psal. xxxiii. 6, “He loveth righteousness and judgment,” and so pass it over; but we must not do so, for we shall find much of God’s mind in this.
Others take judgment, as frequently it is understood in Scripture, for sanctification; so they would make this promise correspond with that of Chiist, John xvi. 7, 8, I will send the Comfortei’, and he shall “convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.” Righteousness there is of the same sense as here: judgment there, by many interpreters, is understood of sanctification; because the prince of this world is judged, the power of Satan is aheady broken, he is aheady cast out of your hearts. And they think to sh-engtheii that by latt. xii. 20, He will not quench the smoking flax, nor break the bruised reed, “till he send forth judgment unto victory;” that is, until he perfect the work of sanctification, that it shall overcome corruption. The text in Matthew is quoted from Isa. xlii. 5, but there we have the words somewhat difi’erent, “He shall bring( forth judgment unto truth.” Now, if that should be the meaning, that by judgment is meant sanctification, then we may learn an excellent note from the comparing these two texts together; that it is all one to bring judgment, sanctification, unto h-uth, and to bring it unto victory, when it is in ti-uth it will certainly be in victory. But we shall a little more examine this intei-pretation of judgment presently; for my part, I do not think that that is meant either in this text, or in any of the texts named.
I find others understand “in judgment,” to be God’s judgment against the adversaries of the church. “I. will betroth thee unto me in righteousness;” I will deal with you in a way of righteousness; and I will deal vnth your adversaries in a way of judgment, you shall have judgment against them. So Luther interprets it, and he says, that judgment here is the second pearl of the husband’s ring * which he gives to his spouse, God promises to exercise judgment and vengeance against the adversaries of the church, and so applies it to his times in Germany: “For these many years, wicked magistrates have oppressed the chiu-ch, and profane doctors have con-upted its doctrine, but Germany has seen God judging his adversaries.”! If we imderstand it in this sense, Isa. liv. 5 confii-ms it, where God tells his church, that he that is her Maker Is her husband, even the Lord of hosts, and her Redeemer, the God of the whole earth; the word there is KiWea?, the Avenger; he that will avenge thee of thine enemies, is the God of the whole earth, is thy husband. This might afford a sweet meditation, that the Lord will defend his church from the rage of adversaries, as the husband will defend his spouse because he is betrothed to her. The Lord certainly will take a valuable consideration at the hands of the adversaries who ■mong his church. But this I think not to be the scope of the phrase.
“In judgment;” that is, say others, though things be now out of order, and seem to be in confusion, yet the time is coming when all things shall be ordered in the church according to equity and right.
The two preceding interpretations are applicable to the former texts: “He will convince the world of judgment.” that is, the world shall be convinced that Christ has all judgment committed to him, and he shows it in this, that the ])rince of this world is judged: so that passage, “I will cause judgment to retm-n unto victoiT;” that is, though the adversaries of the chmxh be many, yet he will cause them all to be vanquished, judgment shall conquer them all; though there be much op])osition and confusion in the chm-ch, yet I will order
tus ecclesia opprimatur ct doctrina per prophanos doctores depravetur, sedvidet GermaniaDeum judicantcm. Luther iij loc.
and compose all things in the chuich according to equitj’.
In Isa. iv. 4, the Lord saith, he will purge his church “by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.” I know some intei-pret it as if it were meant of the spirit of sanctification, that is as fixe to consume lusts: hut rather as there were those who oppressed the church l)y false judgment, the Lord would cleanse her from Tong and oppression, by giving a spirit of judgment to its officers, and by consuming its adversaries.
But I think we have not yet the full scope of this place, and would rather settle on this, as principally intended, though the other may be in some degree included: viz. “I will betroth thee imto me in judgment;” that is. there shall be good reason for what I do; that which I will now do in beti-othing thee to myself, shall not be done rashly, nor unadnsedly, but TOth understandirr;^ and good deliberation: I know what I do in il. ani I know what glory I shall have by it; I will do it ‘• in judgment.” So I find the word judgment taken in Scripture, Jer. iv. 2, “Thou shalt swear, The Lordliveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness.” “In judgment.” that is, when you swear, know it is worshipping God, and you must do it in judgment: you must not only swear “in tnith,” that is, swear to that which is true; and “in righteousness,” that is, not to the wrong or prejudice of yom- neighboui”, for you may sin in swearing, (though you swear in truth,) if you have an intent to wrong any; but, thii’dly, you must swear ‘• in judgment “too; you must understand what you do, that is, when you take an oath, you must know that it is not as the oath ex officio was, to swear to answer to. eveiT thing that shall be asked you; but you must imderstand before-hand what you are to swear to, and so swear “in judgment.” So saith God, “I will betroth thee unto me in judgment,” that is, I have considered what I am to do in this thing, and I do it from judgment. And for your parts, when you shall close with me, in this blessed conjugal union and communion, you shall do it from judgment also. “I will betroth you in judgment,” so as to make it appear before the world that I had good reason so to do; and you shall likewise so close with me, that you shall be able to justify it before men and angels, that you had good reason for what you did, that it was done “in judgment.”
In nothing is there more need of judgment than in marriages and contracts; therefore the heathens were wont to set Mercury, their god of wisdom, by Venus, their goddess of marriage, to note that there was need of judgment there; yet there is nothing, usually, m the world undertaken with more rashness and inconsiderateness, which is the reason of so much subsequent unhappiness. But though there be many conti-acts between men and women that are not out of judgment, yet, saith God, “I will beti’oth you in judgment.” Christ’s union with his chui’ch is an union out of judgment. Christ considers of our meanness before he marries us; knows fully what we are, oiu- sinfulness, our ■WTetchedness; knows we are in debt, and whatever else we can think might be a liinderancc, he knows as perlcctly as ever lie shall know it, and yet he goes on. Yea, the marriage between Christ and his chiu-ch is that which has been planning in heaven from all etemitj’; it is not a sudden, rash engagement, but arranged in the “counsel of peace,” between the Father and the Son, from everlastmg. God the Father gives consent to this union; God the Holy Ghost is sent to draw the hearts of his people to come in and consent to it likewise, as a union out of the deepest judgment.
Though it be tnic that God can see no reason in us why we should lie thus united to his Son, yet he can see abundance of reason in himself; therefore the conversion and salvation of a soul is-not only out of God’s mercy, but it is also from God’s wisdom. Hence the
Scripture attributes oiu: predestination and our calling to his wisdom, as well as to the frceness of his grace; as Eph. i. 11, “Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will.” Mark, it is not only because God will, I will have mercy because I will have mercy;” I will choose such, and I will refuse .such; I will do it: no, but it is “after the counsel of his will.” Our wills are often bent on doing a thing when there is no reason for it, there is no counsel of our will; but God, even in this thing that we can see no reason for at all, works according to “the counsel of his wUl:” and, Eph. iii. 10, the apostle, having said before, ver. 8, that he was “to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ,” adds, he was to preach to the intent that now might be “known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.’’ In all things in the gospel there is much wisdom. Vocation is one of the mysteries of the gospel; and, 1 Cor. i. 24, the gospel is said to be “the power of God, and the wisdom of God:” the apostle there instances what one would think has as little reason in it as any thing in the gospel, that is, the leaving of the rich, wise, and noble, the great ones of the world, and calling the poor; but herein is not only the power, but the wisdom of God; God does even this in judgment. And although we can now understand little or nothing of any reason that there can be of God’s choosing us to himself; yet this will be made known at the great day of judgment. It will be a great part of the glory of that day for the Lord to make known “the counsel of his wUl:” we now know his will, but we shall then know “the counsel” of it, and praise him to all eternit)’ for it: this shall be the glory of the saints, that they shall see into the counsel of God’s will in choosing and calling them, and suffering others to perish.
God’s betrothing himself thus to his people in judgment, is an especial reason of the perpetuity of this betrothing. “I will beti-oth thee unto me for ever.” Why? First, It is “in righteousness,” therci’ore it will continue. Secondly, It is “in judgment,” therefore also it will continue. Things done rashly seldom hold, and though eager for them at present, we quickly undo them afterwards; but that which is done in judgment abides: the calling of a sinner, and uniting him to Christ, is done in judgment, therefore it will hold; that is the ground of his perseverance. K a man. before mai-riage, understands thoroughly all the faults his wife has, or ever shall have, and knows perfectly her estate, and all the encumbrances he shall have with her, yet loves her out of judgment, .sm-ely this love will continue. It is so between Christ and his church; Christ, before he betroths his church, perfectly knows all the faults the chui’ch has, or shall have, all the sins that she shall ever commit, and all the encumbrances and dishonour he shall have; yet out of judgment he beti-oths her to himself, and therefore surely this will remain stedfast. Comfort yourselves with this. Christians, though there may be many failings after your coming to Christ, Christ knew them all before you were united to him, yet out of judgment he betrothed you to himself.
There must also be judgment on our parts: I will put into you a judicious heart, to choose me out of judgment. ‘The saints who choose Oirist know what they do. “They shall be all taught of God; even* one therefore that hath heard, and learned of the Father, Cometh unto me.” None comctli unto me, but such as are taught of God; they who hear and learn of the Father, come to me out of judgment. “I know whom I have believed,’’ saith Pau’l; and so may every Christian say. They do not emlsrace Christ and Ins ways because they are new things, as manv do, and so vanish to nothing; though it is true there is always some new excellency in Christ, S^’jiJ’.S’oI’anJi” something revealed more than we knew
THE PROPHECY OF HOSEAbefore, and delightful he is in that respect, if we love novelty. It is not a sufficient plea against any truth, that it is only now revealed, and was not known before. 2 Pet. i. 12, “Be established in the present ti’uth.” Though ti’Uths be fi’om the beginning, yet they are present truths in regard of manifestation; but the saints must not therefore receive them, merely because they are new to them, neither must any reject them, because they ai’e now revealed, whereas before they lay hid; but all must proceed with judgment, and when any truth is presented, reject it not because you have not heard of it before, neither adopt it for that reason; but trj’ it, and when you are convinced, then from judgment embrace it. Neither must the saints follow God, or any way of ti’uth, merely from the example of others, but from their own judgments. Perhaps you see some of whom 5’ou have a reverent esteem, and that justly, doing thus and thus; I confess, that is enough to put you on examining, to make you bethink yourselves, Sm’ely there is something in it, or else it is not probable they woidd do it; but that must not be the only reason; but if on examination you find it to be good, then embrace it out of judgment; never rest tiU you come to that which the men of Samaria said to the woman, “Now we believe” that this is the Messiah, “not because of thy saying,” not because you told us so, “for we have heard him omselves, and know that this is indeed the Chi-ist, the Saviour of the world.” At fii’st, they came to Christ upon her relation, but they did not believe in Christ until they had seen and heard him for themselves. You may come to examine the ways, the truths of God upon the relation and example of others, but you must not engage your hearts in them till you see the reality of them yom’selves.
You must embrace Christ and his ways out of judgment, not out of sudden flashes of affection, which pass away as quickly as they come. You have a remarkable example of this, Luke xiv. 15: “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God,” they exclaim; this is blessed doctiine indeed. But by that which follows, we may infer that they were such as presently went to their farms and to their oxen, and prized them before Christ, and refused to come to the supper. Sudden flashes there were in those that shouted Hosanna, Hosanna, but presently then- cry was, “Crucify him, crucift’ him.” In Josh. xxiv. 19, the people seemed to be moved with sudden afiections, they uould “serve the Lord,” yea, that they would; but they considered not what they said; “Ye caimot serve the Lord,” said Joshua to them. So Deut. v. 27, “All that the Lord cm- God shall speak unto thee, we will hear it, and do it;” but presently saith God, Oh that there were such a heart in this people to do it! The truth is, they know not what they say, they have sudden afiections, but they w-iH quickly vanish. We must choose Christ out of judgment.
You must not choose him from mistake; we must understand who he is, we must sit down and count with ourselves beforehand what we are like to suffer in his ways. Compare Cant. v. 9, with the beginning of chap, vi.: “What is thy beloved,” say they, “more than another beloved?” Let us know what thy beloved is. Then the chm-ch begins commending her beloved; and in the beginning of chap, vi., “ATiither is thy beloved gone? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee;” that he may be our beloved too.
Nor out of by-ends, but from a right knowledge of the excellences of Chiist, having om- judgments overcome by them. We must not choose any truth or ways of God, because the times favom- them: we have now a number of parliament converts, who were formerly prelatical and ceremonial, they see how the times sway; but this is not from judgment. Ever)’ Christian should
be a judicious Christian: such adorn religion, and are an honour to Christ. As the more deliberation and judgment there are in sin, the worse it is; so the more dehberation and judgment there are m godliness, tha better it is. When a soul chooses Christ and his ways on this ground, I see a beauty in the Lord Jesus that I never saw before, I see him to be the character and the engraved form of the image of the Father; in him dwell all ti-easm-es, the very Godhead dwells in him bodily; he is the most precious among ten thousand, and the ways of God are holy and righteous! here is the rule of eternal life, here lies the happiness of the rational creatm-e, these are the ways that my soul closes with, and shall cleave to for ever, whatever I sufler in them, for I see the excellency, the beauty, the equity, and the glory of them, and that the Lord is worthy of all honom’ from all his creatures: this is a choice which will hold. The world thinks the saints are fools; why? because they cannot see any reason for what they do; they cannot see ground enough m reason for such activity, strictness, and zeal; they think they do incalescere in re frigida, that they are very hot about a very poor, sorry, cold business, and therefore they count their ways folly: so any man, when he sees another do a thing that he imderstands not the reason of, will either suspect his own judgment, or think the man foolish; now wicked men are tod proud to suspect their own judgments, to think theii’ own reason folly, therefore they count the ways of God foolishness. They look on his ways from a distance, and therefore think there is no reason for them.
It is reported of the famous Marcus Galeasius, that he was converted by a sermon of Peter Martyr’s, in which he expressed the excellencies of God’s ways, and the mistakes of the world, by this simUitude; The men of the world (said he) mistake God’s ways: as, if a man were to see a company of musicians playing and dancing according to the exactest rides of art; regarding them from a distance, he sees them skipping and leaping up and down as a company of mad men, and wonders what they mean; but when he comes nearer, and hears the melodious sormd, and observes how all their motions are directed agi-eeably to rules of art, then he begins to change his thoughts: so the men of the world look on the ways of God and on the saints from a distance, and think their motions and ways are madness; but when they come nearer, and observe the exactness of the rule they walk by, and the wisdom of God that appears in them, they change their judgments, and begin to think, surely there is something in them more than they conceived. This similitude God blessed, so that it was the means of converting that nobleman, and made him leave all his possessions in Italy, and come to Geneva, where he became a pattern of self-denial, such as scarce any age has ever produced. When you come near God’s ways, and see them indeed, you will discern infinite reason in them, and charge yom-selves with infinite folly that you shotdd have had such low thoughts of them heretofore.
This is the reason why the saints hold on in their ways. This judgment is as the ballast of the ship. Many hiu-ry on in a profession of religion, and the truth is, they know not what they do nor what they profess; if there be any new opinion, I mean, not only in regard of new manifestation, but in regard of the thing itself, presently they follow it, that they may be counted sometlmig, and seem to go beyond other men: they ai’e as a ship that moves at a mighty rate, all the sails are up, and winds blow fau’ly, but there is no ballast; so it is tossed up and down, but never comes to the end of the voyage. A^Tien the seed was sown in the stony ground, it sprung up presently; but because there wanted moistme at the root, it “withered away,” Luke viii. 6. This judgment is as moistui-e at the root. We
read, that notwithstanding the stony ground “received the word with joy,” yet when “persecution arose because of the word, by and by they were oftended;’’ they were mightily taken with the w’ays of God, with the gi-eat tilings of the gospel, at first; but not having judgment, as soon as suffering came, “by and by they were offended.” If times should change again, and the adversary should prevail, (which God forbid,) we shall soon have experience enough of abundance of professors, who, having chosen the ways of God not out of judgment, •wiU by anci by be offended.
“I will beti-oth thee unto me in loving-kindness.” Though Christ takes us to himself, and will not cast us off, yet he may see such failings and frailties in us as may render us so grievous and burdensome to his spirit, that we shall enjoy but little sweetness in our communion together, through the WTetchedncss of our hearts. No, saith Clu-ist, “I will betroth ’ you unto me in loving-kindness;” my
heart and ways toward you shall be full of gentleness and sweetness, and I will jiut such a frame likewise into your hearts, both toward me and toward one another, that you shall have hearts full of sweetness and gentleness.
The Scripture speaks much of the loving-kindness of God to his ])eoplc in Christ. Eph. ii. 7, “The exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Tit. iii. 4, “After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man a])peared.” You have these epithets given unto God’s kindness: “Great kindness,” Neh. ix. 17. “Marvellous kindness,” Psal. xxxi. 21. “Merciful kindness,” Psal. cxix. 76. “Everlasting kindness,” Isa. liv. 8. “Excellent loving-kindness,” Psal. xxxvi. V. “Multitude of loving-kindnesses,” Isa. lxiii. 7. Thus full is the Scriptui-e of the loving-kindness of God towards us in Christ.
To open it a little. The kindness of God to us in Christ consists,
First, In the freeness of God’s goochiess. Kindness in a friend is seen much in this, when he does a thing freely, with good nature; when he docs a kindness so as not to burden it, nor upbraid his friend with what he has done; nor in a mercenaiy spirit, as if he expected great matters in lieu and rceompence, but leaves it to his friend to answer him in a way of kindness again as he thinks fit. Thus, in all God’s dcaUngs with us, he looks not for much at our hands before, but what he docs is out of his free grace, and not burdened with conditions; he “giveth liberally and upbraideth not,” James i. 5. But does not God biu-den his kindness, requiring that we should give up ourselves to him, and serve him, and sufl’er for him in return? I answer, God requires nothing in lieu of all his kindness to us; but it is an additional kuulncss in God to enable us to do, and a further kindness in him to accept at our hands when we have done it, and therefore is his kindness free. The heathens were wont to paint their Gratup, their goddesses of kindness, naked; for thi.s rea.son, because all actions of kindness shoidd be free, unclogged and unburdened. “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no soitow with it,” Prov. x. 22. The kindnesses of this world are ordinarily clogged, scarce worth the having; the kincbiess of God not so, it is free.
Secondly, Kindness consist-s much in our tenderness over those to whom we show kindness. The kindness of God in Christ is much in compassionating our weakness, and dealing with us in all his ways accordingly. Isa. lvii. 16, “I will not contend for ever, neither w ill I be always wroth;” why? “for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.” He considers our weakness: I’sal. ciii. 14, “For he knowcth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” Isa. xl. 11, Christ” shall gather the lambs with his arm, and cany
them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” Isa. lxiii. 9, “In his clemency” (so the word is) “he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” Kindness makes one long-sufl’ering, he bare them always and continually. It is kindness for the man to consider all the weaknesses of the wife, and to deal with her in a loving way accordingly, intending her good: this is the kindness of Christ to his church.
Thirdly, Kindness in passing by all infirmities, not taking advantages of his people because of ticm. Christ notices all the good that is in his people, though it be never so little; but that which is a weakness he will pass by. The Lord is not “strict to mark iniquity,” but the Lord is strict to mark what we do well; if there be never so little good in an action that has a hunched weaknesses in it, Chiist will mark the good and ])ass by all the weaknesses. Sarah is commended by Peter for calling her husband lord: in that speech of hers there was nothing but sin, saving that expression, and yet the Holy Ghost takes notice of that one word and passes over all the rest. If thou aimest at serving Christ, and canst ajipeal to him that thy heart is toward him to honour him as he requires, I say. though there be a huncked weaknesses in an action, if there be but one thing good, all thy weaknesses are passed by, and that one good thing is taken notice of.
Fourthly, Kindness is in a loving, sweet, amiable carriage toward one another in our converse one with another. Oh the sweet, amiable carriage that Christ exhibits toward his people! and that Christ expects likewise from them to him again. In the Canticles you find what sweet, amiable expressions there are between Christ and his church; what rebounding, as it were, there is of love and kindness one to another; “Thy love is better than wine,” saith the church to Christ; and, “Thy love is better than wine,” saith Christ to his chui-ch. In 1 Cor. xiii. 4, love is said to be “kind,” no moroscncss, but all sweetness in it, and »“‘“‘^”’“‘”’’ such should exist between husband and wife.
I’ifthly. Kindness consists in easiness to be entreated; “peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated,” Jam. iii. 17. Thus, in Christ, he is easy to be entreated by his church, and the church should easily be entreated, and indeed is: when the hearts of the saints are right, there is an ingenuousness in them, and they are soon moved to any service Christ requires.
Lastly, Kindness is compassionate, sensible of all sufferings; so Christ and his saints mutually are.
Such loving-kindness as this should be in all marriage communion; where this does exist there is a sweet conjugal communion indeed, and so far as this is wanting, so far the blessing of a marriage estate is from being complete. One reason, amongst others, why God makes so much use of this allegory of marriage, to express so great a mystery of godliness as the union between Christ and his church, is, to teach those who are married, to live so together as to show forth all that excellency of communion which exists between Clu-ist and his saint.s. Now I ])ut it to you who arc married, is there such loving-kindness in you as may shadow forth the loving-kindness which exists between Christ and his spouse? So far as you come short of this, so far there is an evil. ‘When you go home take this lesson with you, labour to show such mutual loving-kindness as may express the loving-kindness of Christ to your souls. There arc many frailties in each, but not so many as there are in you in reference to Christ; he bears with more infirmities in you than you can bear with in your wife, and yet is not morose, nor a bitter husband to you. I have read of Monicha, Austin’s mother, that she had a husband of a very cross and perverse disjiosition; and that a heathen, who lived near her, came to her once, and asked, IIow is it that you
find your husband live so well together? We know Tour husband is of a very cross and perverse disposition, yet we see nothing but a great deal of sweetness and love between you; it is not so with us, we cannot do so for om- lives. Monicha gave her this answer, It may be, when your husband is untoward and perverse, you are perverse and answer unkindly in return; but the Christian religion teaches me, when my husband comes home and is in a passion, to be as loving, and dutiful, and amiable to him as I can, and so I have won his heart. It were a happy thing if all women would take this home with them, and learn of ^lonicha, Austin’s mother. And likewise, on the other hand, the man should so act in reference to his wife: this loving-kindness exists between Christ and his spouse, let it then appear between husband and wife, who profess an interest in Chi-ist.
And this loving-kindness of Christ, oh how should it draw om- hearts to him! “What more powerful means to attract than loving-kincbiess? Mark that passage in proof of its power, 2 Chron. x. 7,” If thou be kind to this people, they will be thy servants for ever,“’ say those ancient counsellors of Rehoboam, who counselled him wisely. If this be the way to di’aw the heart, surely Christ must needs have ours; he is not” a bloody husband,” but a kind one to us; let us then be his “servants for ever.’’ It were a good tiling for all governors to consider that it is kindness that wins the hearts of people: and as they rule not over beasts, but men, if they would rule with comfort and safety to themselves, they should temper their authority with kinchiess. Hence, Cant. iii. 10, it is said that the chariot of Solomon was “paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem;” thus expressing Solomon’s gentleness toward its people. AVhen the mother and wife of Alexander Severus would incite him to severitj-. and objected to him his mildness and readiness to yield to his subjects, saying, You have made your power more contemptible by your kindness and compliant spirit; his answer was. At securiorem, But more secure and lasting. Certainly, if magistrates would follow the advice of the ancient counsellors, to be kind to the people, they woidd be their servants for ever, and their own peace and safety be better secm’ed.
Chi’ist expects loving-kindness from you to himself, and loving-kindness likewise one to another.
First, Christ expects you should be full of loving-kindness to him. O blessed Redeemer, what is it that we should do, that we should be kind to thee? The very phi-ase seems to be too low for Christ, that he shoidd look for om- kindness. Yes, Christ looks for it, and prizes it dearly, nothing in the world is valued by him more than it; as a fond husband prizes nothing more than kindness in his -nife. But how kind to Chi-ist?
1. When you cleave to him when he stands most in need of you. 2 Sam. x. 17, Absalom saith to Hushai, “Is this thy kindness to thy friend?” that is. Is thy fi-iend in danger, and requii-ing thy present aid, and dost thou now forsake him? thou shouldst now be with him in the time of Ws need, and thus prove thy kindness. So, I say, there are times in which Christ stands in more need of us than at other, in suffering times, in times wherein his cause has many enemies, and omhelp is called for; if we should forsake him then, may not Christ, nay, may not the holy angels and saints say, “Is this your kindness to yom- friend?” To come to Christ when you have need of him is not so much kindness, but to come to him when he has need of you, this is kindness.
2. It is kindness when we serve Christ in the midst of diiBculties. You have this strongly marked in Jer. ii. 2,” I remember the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousal?, when thou wentest after me in the
wilderness.” To be willing to follow Christ in the wilderness, that is kindness. Chi-ist does not account it kindness for us to serve him when we may prosper in his service; when it may suit our own ends, when we may keep our shops, our lands and possessions, when no difficulty at all presents itself, what great kindness is this? But when, from love to the ordinances and the truths of Clu-ist, you are willing to follow him even in the wilderness, this is kindness, and Clu’ist will accoimt it such: however, some have thought that they have shown great kindness to Christ, because they have staid and borne the brunt; but how have they borne it? by yielding to superstitious vanities, and being ceremonial and prelatical. It will be found that those who have been willing to follow Christ in the wilderness, from love to him, his truth and ordinances, that Christ will remember such service as kindness.
3. It is a kindness for young people to dedicate their prime to Christ. By way of allusion, at least, we may make use of that Scripture, “I remember the kindness of thy youth:” when thy bones are full of marrow,, and the world seeks to draw thy heart after its vanities, when thou niayst have thy delights and pleasures in the flesh to the full; if then thou art willing to deny all, and to give up thyself to Christ, this is loving-kindness. One that is old may possibly reach heaven on repentance; but what kindness is it for him, who has nigh worn out all his days and strength in the ways of sin, and the delights of the flesh, when he is leaving the world, and can have no more pleasm-e in his sins, to come to Chi’ist for mercy; what kindness is here? here is self-love indeed, but little kindness.
Secondly, Lovmg-kindness one to another. “I wUl betroth you unto me in loving-kindness:” I will put such a spii-it into you of loving-kindness unto your brethren, as I have towards you. The word Ton Iier& rendered lovmg-kindness, often in Scripture is used for saints. Those who are called godly, and saints, in the English Bible, in the Hebrew are called kind ones t thus, Psal. iv. 3, “Know ye that the Lord hath set apart iStdpi him that is godly,” or, the kind one, “for himself;” the Lord hath set apart for himself those that are kind, those who are of sweet, gentle dispositions.. And Psal. xvi. 10, Not “suffer thine Holy One to see. corruption,” the Hebrew is, “^’”I’Dn thy kind one. So Psal. c.x.lix. 1, “Sing his praise in the congregation of the saints,” D’TDn of the kind ones; and the same word again, ver. o, “Let the saints be jojful in gloiy;” that is, the kind ones. All come from the same root with that which here is translated “loving-kindness,” denoting what an ingrecbent lovmg-kincbiess is to saintship and to godliness; therefore it is not enough for Chi-istians to be godly, but they must be kind one to another also. 2 Pet. i. 3, “And to godliness add brotherly kindness.” You think you are godly; but are you of a rugged, rough-lie’n disposition, sm-ly, severe, and perverse? here is the exhortation to you this day from God, if you will approve yom-selves to be godly, “Add to j’om- godliness brotherly kindness;” except you add that, you can have little comfort in yom- god-Imess. It is impossible indeed for one who has the power of godliness, and its true comfort and sweetness, to be of a liaish and unkindly disposition; such a heart has in God such infuiite satisfaction, that there is nothing that can come from without that can make it bitter; there is so much sweetness in the satisfaction it enjoys in God, that not all the bitterness from without can som- such a heart; as the scriptm-e saith, “A good man is satisfied from himself.”
If you have a vessel of honey, a little gall will make it all bitter, yet a little honey will not make sweet a vessel of gall. But in grace, though there be niuclv bitterness in men or women, though they be naturally harsh, yet a di-op of true saving grace will sweeten all
that gall; and if they be once gracious, a great deal of gall and bitterness from without will not imbitter that sweetness. I beseech you to
Oba. 1. When God’ has left men they grow more pa.ssionate and froward than they were before. And I verily believe one ground of the frowardness and passionatcness in professors is, that they have made breaches between God and their souls, and their peace being broken, nothing: then can give them content. As when a man has been abroad and others have angered him, and his inward comfort and joy are gone, then everything annoys him, he is pleased with nothing, his countenance is loui-ing, and he is unkind to all; and why? because he has lost the sweetness of his own spirit, and now all seems bitter, nothing from without can content him: but let this man go abi’oad and things succeed with him, let him make a good bargain, hear excellent news, that his goods are come home safely, he can now beai- a hundred times more than before, and you can scarce anger him; why? because his heart is filled with sweetness. So, let a Chi-istian walk close with God, maintain his peace with him, and he will have so much sweetness in his heart that it will not be easy to incense him. AMiy? He has enough within. Perhaps Ms friend, his wife, his neighbour is unkind, but his Chi-ist is loving: Though there be little comfort in my man-iage with one who is so peevish and pen’erse, yet in my man-iage with Christ there is satisfaction enough. But when the heart has made breaches between Christ and itself, when it has lost the sweetness of that man-iage communion, no marvel if there be no sweetness in the other.
A remarkable example of this is Saul, who, before his breach with God, was of a sweet, mild. Mid loving disposition, but afterwards perverse, cruel, and fi-oward. M’heu fiist chosen king, how humble was he! he acknowledges himself to be of “the least of the tribes of Israel,” and “the least in his father’s house;” and when some contemptuously exclaimed, “Shall this man reign over us?” the text saith, “he held his peace;” and when others would have had them killed, No, by no means, they must not be slain, because God had shown him mercy in a late victory. But after Saul had fallen from God, how rugged, perverse, and cruel his disposition then! even to Jonathan his son, a gracious, loving youth, he saith, “Thou son of the perverse, rebellious woman,” and casts a javelin at him to kill him; then the fourscore and five prieits in the city of Nob must be all slain in his anger. What was the reason of all this? The breach between God and his own soul. Oh take heed of those breaches, for what does a man get by the want of this kindness and loving disposition! he troubles himseK; Prov. xi. 17, “He that is cruel,” of a harsh disposition, “troubleth his own flesh.” I appeal to you who are married, do you not lose much of the sweetness of your lives? what comfort have you in them when there is nothing but snarling at and crossing one another? you trouble yolu- own house, and your own flesh; whereas, if there were lovuig-kindness between you, it would sweeten all your comforts, yea, all vour crosses.
Obs. 2. The loving-kindness of a man or a woman is their beauty. “The desire of a man is his kindness,” Prov. xix. 22; and of a “virtuous woman” w-ho had “done excellently,” among other high commendations, this is one, “In her tongue is the law of kindness,” Prov. xxxi. 26; kindness gives a law to her mouth: many women arc under no restraint, and their tongues are lawless when they ai-e provoked; but of a woman commended by God, the text saith, “The law of kindness is in Iier tongue,” the kindness of her heart guides her lips, and that is the honour of a woman.
To be of a sweet, kind disposition, is an exceeding beauty, adding a glorious lustre to any man. Isa. xl.
6, “All flesh is as grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field;” the word for goodliness is “ion the same word that is used here, and translated “kindness,” denoting that kindness is “the goodliness” of the spirit of a man or woman; as the flower impai-ts beauty to the field. Justin Martyr, in his Apology for the Christians, saith, That their adversa-. ries hated only the name of a Christian, M°<7eJ<^iTJf4.- but had nothing against the Christians; “”°’- ■’“^’- ““^- and what is there, saith he, in the name? Nothing but that which is good and lovely enough: now, it is not just to hate what is profitable and gentle, yet so the word may signiiy-, if you call them Chrintiani, from XP>/<Tr6f, mild, profitable; and so they are indeed, profitable, gentle, and kind ])eople, and why should you hate such? 2 Cor. vi. 6,” By kindness, by the Holy Ghost,” are put together, and there is much of the Holy Ghost where there is much kindness. The spirit of Clu-ist is a .spirit of kindness and gentleness, and though you may think that your harshness and severity argue com-age of mind, (for it is usual for froward and passionate people to think they have more courageous spirits than others,) know that they only prove you more base and degraded. I will cite, m proof only, Psal. xlv. 4, where it is said of Christ, “In thy majestjride prosperously because of truth and meekness; now the word for meekness is, in 2 Sam. xsii. 26, translated “gentleness;” “thy gentleness hath made nie great:” mark, gentleness and majesty may consist together, yea, Christ is magnificent and full of majesty in the gentleness and quietness of his spirit; Ride on in thy majesty prosperously, because of thy meekness, because of thy gentleness. Would you have a brave spirit, like to the spiiit of Christ in his glory? let your spirits be gentle, sweet, and loving.
“I >^-ill betroth thee unto me in mercies.”
Loving-kindness and mercies mw seem, at first view, sjTionjinous, but there is much difierence in them.
“And in mercies;” viscera, so the word is; “I will betroth thee vmto myself in bowels.” Not the fruit only, but the root; not the water only, but the fomitain; thou shalt have the fountain of all good, my very bowels, from whence flow all mercies. MTierefore, Chi-istians, you need not fear the want of the supply of mercies; why? because you have the Fountain fi-om whence mercies spring. Ood may grant to wicked men many fi-uits of his bounty and goodness; but they have not his bowels, they have not the fountain, the root from whence all mercies issue.
Here is the happiness of a Christian, not only to have much good from God, but to have those very bowels ft-om whence that good comes. Herein hes the dignity, the glor)’ of a Christian, the vastness of his riches.
Christians, you need not therefore fear to resign any mercy God requires at your hands, for the bowels of mercy are yours; the spring-head of all mercy, whence you may fetch all seasonable and all suitable supplies at pleasiu-e, is yours. Here is the reason why many carnal persons, when they have received a mercy from God, cling to it. so closely, and are so unwilling to part with it, though God requires it again: why? because they are not acquainted with the true privilege of a Christian, know not what it is to possess the bowels of God, nor where to go for more, and therefore ai-e loth to part with what they have. Now the .saints can part with any thing for God; Let him take what he will, let him strip me as naked as he pleases, I have the bowels of God, the spring-head, to resort to for new- mercies If tlicre were a scarcity of water, and you had only some in a cistern, and your neighbour came to borrow of you, you woidd be unwilling to lend any; but if you have a well-spring, a fountain, that never was and never will be drawn dry, is it a great matter for you to lend water then? So, the men of the world are needy
ViiK. 19, 20.
creatures, they have something indeed, but it is as water in a cistern, when that is gone they think that all is gone; therefore they -wUl not lend it, no, not unto God himself when he requii-es it of them. But the saints have the bowels of mercy, the sprmg-head of all grace, therefore whatever God calls for, they presently say, Lord, here take all, I know where to have it again, and much more than that. This makes godly men so ingenuous for God, and so free-hearted to him, and to his servants.
But let us search a little into these mercies: it is an argument that has much depth in it.
1. They are a depth swallowing up the greatest evils of sin or affliction. K you pour a pail of water on the boards of your chamber, it seems like a little sea; but take the same and pom- it into the deep ocean, it is there swallowed up, and appears nothing. Our afflictions and oiu- sins in themselves seem gi-eat, but when they are swallowed up m these bowels, in these depths of God’s mercies in which he betroths himself to us. they are as nothing in comparison. Therefore the Scripture uses such strong expressions for the wonderfulness of God’s mercies to his people in Christ.
There are three chiefly remarkable words to express the fubiess of God’s mercies in Christ. The fu-st in ,, „... Eph. ii. 7,” The exeeeduig riches of Ms TO 9tAo5to»’ TSt grace, the riches that ai’e cast m over
The second in Rom. v. 20, “The grace ‘vjrepejrep.Vtrei;- gf God did much more abound;” there IS a second vntp.
And the third m 1 Tim. i. 14, “The ‘^”■■f v’ipfi’!“”’“’ grace of oui’ Lord was exceeding abundant.” There was a pleonasm before, but here is a super-pleonasm. Here ia-tp is thi-ee times repeated, to mark the riches of the glory, and the depth of the mercy, of God in C’lmst.
2. Consider these mercies in the effects. They set on work all the fulness of God for the good of his people. If there be any thing that God’s wisdom, or power, or all that blessedness which is in God, can effect, they -naU engage all to work for thy good, for the bowels of mercy yearn towards thee, if thou art in Clu’ist.
3. It is the great design, yea, the greatest design, that ever God had from all eternity, to honom- his mercy, and to set out the infinite glory and riches of it in Christ. Certainly God had great designs in doing such mighty things as he has done, but, above all the designs that ever God had in all his works, to glorify the riches of his mercy in Chiust is the chiefest. They are indeed bowels of mercy when they are such, as that in the glory of them God attams his great design in making the world, for he would never have created it had it not been for that.
4. They are the heart-blood mercies of Jesus Christ, such mercies as cost the blood of Christ; and his was certainly most precious blood. When Christ sees any converted and brought home to him, to be made a subject of God’s mercy, he thinks his blood well bestowed. The Scriptm’e saith, “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” I have enough for all the blood I shed. I came indeed fi-om my Father, and was made a servant, a curse; yea, I suffered the wra.tb of my Father, and my blood was shed; but if this be the fruit of it, that such a soul shall obtain this mercy, I have recompence sufficient.
5. Yea, God the Father is well pleased with it, he thinks the blood of Christ but a valuable price to pm — chase such mercies as these. As for all the glory of the world, God can give it to men whom he hates, to re-Tiiicicumimpmum, probatcs: as Luther saith of the whole?“(” m™ S“”.!™ ‘Tiu-kish empire, It is but a crumb of pt’erfamiiias cani- bread that the master of the house thi-ows
us ptojici •” -to his dogs: but when his mercies in
Christ are concerned, they are such as are worth the blood of his Son, which alone could purchase them.
6. They are such mercies as God designedly bestows, that he may declare to all eternity, before angels and all his saints, to what a height of excellency and gloi-y these infinite mercies are able to raise a poor creature. These must needs be great.
7. Yea, they must be an object for angels and saints to wonder at, and adore and magnify the name of God everlastingly.
WTiat shall I say more in naming the fruits of these mercies? Such mercies as, whereas before sm made thee the object of God’s hati-ed, it now makes thee an object of his pity; God takes occasion from thy sin to chsplay his mercy. Take heed of abusing it, it is children’s bread; let us not sin that grace may abound, but rather, seeing thy sin cannot overcome God’s goodness, let God’s goodness overcome thy sin. Let us learn also to wonder at these riches of mercy in Christ, and to exercise much faith about them. Certainly we would tluive in godliness much more if we exercised faith in the bowels of God in Christ. Those fruits, like your apricots and May cherries, that grow up by a wall and enjoy the warm beams of the sun, are sooner ripe, and have more sweetness, than those which grow in shady places; yom’ grass that is shaded by the trees in orchards, is sour: so the fruit which Christians bring forth under discouragements and despairing thoughts, is very som’; some tilings they do, for conscience compels them to duties, but, alas, it is sour fruit; though it be better to do what conscience requires than not, yet to do it merely because conscience compels, is but as sour grass. But when a Christian can by faith set himself before the sunshine of these mercies of God in Christ, and continually live in the midst of the beams of that grace, he grows ripe sooner, and his fi’uit is sweeter.
You may easily know whether the Sun of righteousness shines on you. Does your fruit gi’ow lipe? and is it sweet? Those who talk of mercy, and of Christ, and have his name in their mouths, but bring forth som’ and crabbed fi’idt, are not m the Sun; they are blind, and cannot discern it; and are but in a light of then- own fancy, and in a heat of their own making.
Li Eph. iii. 18, 19, the apostle prays that the Ephesians “may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” of the riches of God in Christ. Mark, the philosophers tell us of only three dimensions, but here are four; and what is the fruit of this? “To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fidness of God.” Here is the effect of it; when we know the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of God’s love, and have that knowledge by the Spirit of God, that passeth all natm-al knowledge, then we are filled with all the fulness of God. Here now is a glorious Christian; a Chiistian filled with all the fulness of God. Would you be so? Learn then to exercise faith much about the infinite riches of the mercy of God in Christ, this will ffll you with all the fubiess of God. You complain of barrenness and emptiness in yom- hearts and lives, it is because you give such Uttle heed to this.
God betroths his church to himself in mercies, in bowels. Let us learn, when we are in any strait, to plead with God for bowels of mercy. Isa. lxiii. 15, “Look do-wn from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy gloiT: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?” Lord, hast thou not said that thou wilt betroth thy church unto thyself in bowels? “Where is “the sounding of thy bowels?” Lord, let us have these bowels of thine in which thou hast betrothed us tlu’Ough Christ.
Oh what confusion will there be one dav to those who
shall miss these mercies of God, in which the Lord has betrothed himself unto his church! “What! will you content yourselves now with crumbs which God casts to dogs, with the fruits of his general bounty and patience, when you hear of such glorious mercies in Jesus Christ? These things should raise oiu- hearts, so that we should protest as Luther did: I protest, saith he, «um ‘nKoiu^Mc God shall not put me off with these things utmi .b «>. Luih. pi. jyg ^-orld, with my portion here. 0 no, the Lord has showed me greater riches, and though I be unworthy of any, yet, as I know his mercy is free, why then should not I have my portion in these glorious things?
Come in, then, come in, O sinful soul, be in love with Jesus Chi’ist and the ways of godliness; know that all these mercies are tendered to thy sold this day, to break thy heart, even that hard heart of thine; and they arc as free for thee as for any. There is nothing moi’e pleasing to God, than for thee to be taken with the glory of the riches of his mercy. Thou canst perform no duty so acceptable to God as this, to have thy heart broken on the consideration of his bowels, to have thy bowels yearn again, and to come in and close with this infinitely rich and glorious grace. Which if thou dost, know that, the first moment thou art united to Christ, thou dost launch into the infinite ocean of mercy, dost breathe in the element of mercy, and live on nothing but mercy.
Is it so? Then know God expects a merciful disposition from thee too. God betroths thee in righteousness, and puts righteousness into thee; in judgment, and gives thee judgment too; Ln loving-kindness, and makes thee loving and kind likewise; and in mercies, and puts mercies into thee.
First, toward himself. Can we be merciful to God? AVhat good can we do to God? God expects you should have bowels toward him. How? Thus. Dost thou see the name of this blessed God thy husband dishonoured in the world? Oh, thy bowels should yearn. AVhat! does God look upon thee in thy blood, in thy misery, and do his bowels yearn toward thee? Canst thou look on God in his dishonour, and his cause trampled under foot, and do not thy bowels yearn toward him? It should move thy soul to see this blessed God so much dishonoured in the world as he is, to see that there arc so few that love and fear him, who is thy God and has done thee so much good. Is there any good cause hi which the name of God may be honoured? Thy bowels should forthwith work toward it. “My beloved put his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him,” Cant. v. 4. A^^lcn Christ but l)Cgan to open the door, but put in his hand, my bowels were moved, saith the church, and I could never be at rest till I had inquired after, yea, and found my beloved. Is there any beginning amongst us to let Christ in his government into the kingdom? Do we feel him putting his hand in at the door? certaurly, if skilled in his way, we may feel him. Oh that our bowels then would yearn, and cause our hearts to flow out to the bountifulness of the Lord, and join with Clu’ist in this blessed work which he is commencing.
Our bowels must be toward the saints also. It is extremely against the Spirit of Chi-ist, for a Christian to be hard-hearted toward his brethren. Christ expects bowels; and as you would account it a grievous miserv to have your bowels tliseased, know it is a greater evd to have your hearts unmerciful, than to have a disease in your bowels: as the Scripture phrase is, .;Vmos i. 11, “He cast off all pity, and his anger did tear peiiictually,” 80 it is in your ICnglisii Bibles; but the words in the original are, “and corrupted his bowels;” their bowels were corrujited when they were not pitiful toward their brethren in miserv. The condition of Jehoram was grievous, when his bowels came forth by reason of his disease, 2 Chron. xxi. 15. An unmerciful heart is a worse cUsease.
“N^’hat are we, and who are we, that Gods mercies should be shown to us? and why not oiu’ mercies toward our brethren? The Scri])ture expressly requu’es mercy in the saints towards one another. “Put on, as the elect of God, bowels of mercy, and kindness,” Col. iii. 12. AVould you have an argument to yourselves that you are God’s elect? put on bowels then. Never was there a period in your own life, or that of your forefathers, in which God called for bowels of mercy, more than now. Do you hear of the miseries of yoiu- brethren, their goods spoiled, houses burnt, wives and children ravished, themselves imprisoned, their bodies wounded, and yet have no bowels all this while? what! do you remain hard-hearted? Are you the elect of God? ATiy, I pray you, what is your flesh more than the flesh of others? AMiat are your comforts more than the comforts of others? A^’hy should you lie soft and safe more than others? Is there any such difference between you and your brethren, that they should be in misery, and you pampered, and scarce feel the very wind blow on you? You will say. It is God that has made the difference. I grant it, and it would not grieve God to make such a difference between you and them, if he saw your bowels yearn towards them. But if God lay such afflictions on yom- brethi’en who are better than you, and have done more for him than ever you have, and yet you continue haid-hearted, this will grieve God at the heart. “M’hoso hath this worUfs good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwellcth the love of God in him?” 1 John iii. 17. If thou hast bowels and shuttest them up from thy brother, surely thou never knewest what the love of God meant
Mark what encouraging expressions we have to bounty and liberality towards om- brethi-en, in 2 Cor. ix. 8, “God is able to make all grace abolmd toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” There is no such text in all the book of God to encourage the o])ening our bowels to the administering to the necessities of the saints, for that scripture expressly bears on the point; and if you believe any thing in the word of God, if you have any experience of God’s bowels towards you, read over this, and see if it will not open your bowels. “God is able to make all grace abound:” “grace abound,” that is something; “all grace,” something more; but all kind of grace, that is still more, and that from God’s almighty power too; but even that is not enough, mark, “that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things.” It were enough, one would think, for God to say. You shall have things needful, nay. you shall have sufficiency in that you have; but no, he saith, Y*ou shall have “all things,” and “sufficiency in all things,” and “all sufficiency in all things.” Y’ea, but I may want before I die? No, you shall have “always all sufficiency in all things.” Well, this may make us do something, and you may think, If I do this or that good work, it were enough: no, but you must abound, you must do every good work, and abound in eveiT good work. But I shall exhaust myself if I be so abundant in every good work: no, God is able to make all grace in yovi to abound towards you, “that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound.” You shall never be drawn dry, for you have the bowels of God’s mercv. Some asked Alexander, when giving large gifts, M hat will you keej) for yourself? -S/Ja, replied he; I will keep hope for myself; I believe that there are still greater things in store for me: what he had he gave away, because he had a sjiirit that looked after and hoped for great things to come. Certainly, Cln-istians have hope left always; why? be-THE PROPHECY OF HOSEA.
cause they can have recourse to the bowels of God’s mercies.
One thing more, to knit all together; all righteousness, all judgment, all lo-ing-kindness, all mercies, come from God through our union with Christ.
Though God be an mfinite ocean of goodness, yet we can expect nothing from God, but through om- union with Christ. Man has forfeited the title he had to all the goodness of God, and now the title upon which he is to hold all Iiis good, is the imion he has with this husband, with Jesus Clrrist, by wtue of this marriage. ^^^lenever faith goes to heaven for any good from God, it goes by vu’tue of this right, and obtains all the blessings it gets fi’om God, by vii-tue of that conjugal union which the soul has with Jesus Christ.
How blessed then was the time when Christ was first revealed to the church! “Behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart,” Cant. iii. 11. The things explamed regarding our espousals with Christ, must needs make that day the day of the gladness of our hearts: oh how dear should this Christ thy husband be to thee! how happy, when thou shalt have full communion with him! AVhen Isaac met Rebekah, he carried her into his mother’s tent: when the Lord Christ shall meet his spouse, he will carry her into his Father’s palace. Behold the riches, the glory of my Father whom I told you of, these are all yoiu:s in my right eternally.
“I will even beti’oth thee imto mc in faithfulness.”
Here is a third betrothing, “I will betroth, I will betroth, I will beti’oth.” Jerome remarks that it is thrice repeated, to note the three several times of God’s betrothing himself to his people: 1. ‘Mien he called Abraham. 2. After they went out of Egypt and were in the wilderness at Mount Smai. 3. In the time of the gospel. And of this exposition, Calvin saith, it may be accounted wdtty, but frivolous; and gives himself a better reason for the repetition, which I think agreeable to the mind of the Holy Ghost; Because apostatizing Israel could hardly believe that God would do such a thing as this. What! after the Lord had cast her away, yea, cast her to the beasts, (for so he tlu’eatens in the former part of the chapter,) yet now betroth her to himself? this was unlikely.
‘• I will even betroth thee;” so it is in your Bibles: the particle here rendered “even” is the same that is before tianslated “and;” but because it is repeated the thii-d time the translators thought there was an emphasis in if, and therefore, to express that, employed the word “even.”
“In faithfulness,” or steadiness: I will betroth thee unto me in a steady way; my goodness toward thee shall be stable and fii’m: so the word is often used in Scripture: ‘-His hands were steady,” Exod. xni. 12; and Deut. xxviii. 59, I “will make thy plagues of long continuance;” thy plagues stable and constant: in both which places the same word is used that is here translated “faithfulness.” Thus 1 Sam. ii. 3.5, “I will raise me up a faitlrful priest; and I will build him a sure house:” there the word is of the same root; “a sure house,” a firm, steady house. Faithfulness here imports God’s stability and steaduiess in his covenant with his people. It denotes not so much the perpetuity, for that was before, “I will betroth thee imto me for ever;” but fu-mness and constancy, as opposed to fickleness and uncertainty.
There is much inconstancy and fickleness in our love one to another; but the love of God to his people is a stable, settled, th-m, and constant love. That is the meaning in the fii’st place, though not all. “As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee,” Isa. lxii. 5; that is, the love of Christ, after thousands of years, is still but as the love of a
bridegroom on the wedding day; then, ordinarily, love is ardent, and shows itself much. There is no moment of time in which Christ does not rejoice, not only as a husband, but as a bridegroom, over every faithful soul.
Christ’s love is steady, because it is pure, without mixture; it is a holy love. Compare Isa. Iv. 3, where “the sure mercies of David” are promised, with Acts xiii. 34, where that scripture is quoted, and there it is, the holj- things of Daxid. ““‘”’’ ^’’” ‘Thus noting, because the love of God is holy, therefore it is sm-e and stedfast.
Cluist’s love to his people is from the sweetness of his natm-e, and therefore it is steady and firm: “with him there is no shadow of change.” It is grounded on a sm-e covenant, and therefore firm. Though indeed the love of Chi-ist may be to us as the sun, not always in the fruits of it, shining out with equal glory; yet still like the sun, steadily pursuing its coui’se, though sometimes obscm”ed by clouds.
The saints should fasten on the love of Christ in the covenant; and though other things be very uncertain, yet they should quiet their hearts in this, that their happiness in the covenant of grace is sure. Perhaps the love of our friends is very fickle and inconstant; they may speak smooth things, and seem as if their hearts were with us; but what sullen moods and fits, at times, come over them! and when you have most need of them, you know not where they are to be found: but the love of Christ is certain and stable. !Mark how David comforted himself in the stability of God’s covenant love: Though he causes not my house to grow, “yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desii-e,” 2 Sam. xxiii. 5; that is, that the covenant is sure and stedfast.
And this faitlifidness must be mutual. “I will betroth thee in faithfulness,” and make thee faithfid too; that is, thou shalt have a firm and stable s])irit in thy love to me: though not to be compared with Christ’s love to them, yet there is a reciprocal stability in the hearts of the saints, they are not carried up and down, as other men, with every wind of doctrine, with every breath of temptation. ‘• The righteous is an everlasting foundation,” Prov. x. 25. “The righteous shall hold on his way,” Job xvii. 9. It must needs be so, because the afi’ections of the saints to Christ are holy affections also; and though they have some mixture, and therefore some instabOity; yet they are holy, and therefore stable.
And they choose Chi’ist in righteousness and in judgment. The)’ have the Diine nature in them; and as that has no shadow of change, they attain to some shadow of its immutability. Isa. xxvi. 3, a godly man is described as one ‘’ whose mind is stayed upon God:” he has a stable, not a wandering, fickle spirit, and has fixed himself on God, and can say, “My heart is fixed.” The men of the world, because they have not that which can satisfy, run up and down, fii’st after one contentment, then after another, and can settle no where; but the saints find an all-sufficiency in God; there their hearts are satisfied, and there they fix: as a bee, lighting on a flower, and finding but little houey, tries many in succession; but when it comes to one laden with sweets, it settles there. The hearts of the saints find a fulness of good in God, and there stay themselves.
A fickle, wavering, unstable spirit, is exceedingly unbecoming a Clu-istian. As in the body, some, who have flushings of heat, have a very good colour for a while; but when we know that this is but a flush, it is rather a proof of disease, than of a good complexion. A candle burning down m the socket gives some flashes of light now and then; but a candle set up upon a table yields a steady and constant light. Mad people, you know, have then- lucid mtervals; but you may perceive
they are insane, because there is not constancy and evenness in their actions. This stableness, this evenness in a Christian way, is its beauty and glory. Though you be forward sometimes in that which is good: yet, if at other times your hearts be off, there is no beauty in your conversation. Give nie a Christian whose ways are even, in whom you find a constancy.
Those who have such fickle, uncertain, inconstant hearts, are never likely to excel; if they have any truth in them, yet they will never be eminent Christians. Gen. xlix. 4, it is said of Reuben, “Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel:” so it mav be said of an unstable Christian, He is one of good auctions; at some times veiT zealous, but being unstable as water he shall not excel.
Constancy in love is exceedingly comely and beautiful between mamed persons, it adds much to the lustre and comfort of their lives; and to this allusion is here made. For men to seem sometimes leiry fond, and at other times to be bitter and unkind, like Nabals; or the wife to show much love occasionally, and to be grievous at other times; this takes away the beauty, the comfort of their lives.
But there is more in this faithfulness than stability and firmness: “I will betroth thee in faithfuhiess;” 1 wlU certainly perform all the good which is befitting a husband, yea, such a husband as I am, to do to my spouse; you may confide in me, I will be faithful to you; not only my love, but my faithfulness, shall bind me to you. My loving-kindness, my merciful disposition, is a great bond, but my faithfulness shall bind me also; I will be content to engage myself to you, to engage all that I am and all that I have to you, that you may certainly confide in me; so as not only to expect it from my love, but to challenge it from my faithfidness. We deny not God’s providence to other erearii’Si’non’’n5amM, ttiTes; but the spouse has a claim on God’s J”di’?at.’’°Rjn.’’’’ care, saith Bernard, which is beyond his providence, grounded on his faithfulness as well as his love. Christ here condescends to his spouse, as a man is willing to give satisfaction to his wife and her friends; and though indeed he would do any thing in the world from love to his wife, yet in regard of her weakness, and to satisfj- some fi-iends, he is content to enter into bond, to do whatsoever is fitting. It is good to make all things sure beforehand, say her friends: he presently yields, in order to satisfy their minds, for it is only what he is willing to do without bonds. Thus it is between Christ and his spouse: the love of Christ is enough, sufficient to insure a supply for all wonts; but we are weak, and would fain have tilings made sure; therefore, saith Cluist, in condescension to our infirmity, I will even enter into bond, and you may llien rest assured I will be faithful: I will bind ray faithfulness to you for all the good you desire.
And this faithfulness of Christ respects either the great mamage covenant, there he will be sure to be faithful to his spouse, or all particular promises contained in it. There is the great marriage covenant, about reconciling God, and paving all debt-’s, and satisfying God’s justice, and bringing to eternal life; but there are many under-promises, and Christ will be faithful in them all. In Psal. xxv. 10, you have a promise worth a kingdom, ‘• All the paths of the Lord are mercy and tjoith;” not only mercy, but mercy and truth, mercy engaged. Wicked men may have mercy from God, from the general bounty and goochiess and merciful disposition of God; but what the saints have is from truth, as well as from mercy, it is theirs by covenant.
God urges much that the hearts of his saints should confide in him. He accounts not himself honoured without it: therefore mark how Christ suits himself to our weakness, that we may confide in his faithfulness.
‘Tiat is it (saith he) that you poor creatures do one to another, when you would make things sm’e between you? We answer thus. Lord, we engage ourselves by promise. I will do so, saith Christ, you shall have my faithful promise. Acts ii. 39, Peter invites to baptism on this groimd, because “the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” In the first clause he adtfresses the Jews, in the other the Gentiles. As if he should say, Come in and receive baptism, for to you and to your chikfren the promise is made; to you that aie Jews and to yom- children, and to the Gentiles and their children likewise, they have the same promise as you, and come under the same covenant for the main. And this promise in which Christ has engaged himself, is no other than a draught of that which was from all etcmity, and therefore is so much the more sure. Tit. i. 2, the gospel is called a promise before the world began. All promises in Scripture are but a draught of that grand promise which God the Father made before time to his Son. As if Christ should say, Will you have an engagement by promise? This is
East long ago, my Father has engaged himself to me om all eternity, and if you have any promise now, it is but a draught of the first copy of that great promise which my Father has made me from all eternity.
AVhat do you more when you would make things sure one to another? We answer. We not only make a verbal, but a written promise. God has therefore given us his Scriptui’e, and the chief thing in it is the promise, God has set to it his hand. Hence, Luther saith. The whole Scripture especially aims at this, that we should not doubt, but believe, confide, and hope that God is merciful, lund, and patient.
Here you have my promise and my hand, is there any thing else you are wont to do, to make things sure? We answer, Lord, we take witnesses. I will do so too, saith God. When we would make tilings siu’e indeed, we sometimes take not only two, but three, or four, or more witnesses. You shall have witnesses, saith God, as many as you will, witnesses of all kinds, witnesses in heaven, and witnesses in earth. In heaven, “the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost,” witnesses authentieal, of credit sufficient, the three persons in the Trinity. On earth, “the spirit, the water, and the blood,” 1 John V. 7, 8.
AVhat do you more? Lord, we set to our seals likewise. You shall have that too, saith God, you shall have seals of all kinds; you shall have the broad seal of heaven, the sacraments, the seals of the covenant; and you shall have my pri-7 seal, I will take my ring oflT my finger, I will give you even the seal the Spirit; showbut this seal, it willcarry with it sufficient authority.
Is there any thuig remaining ‘r Yes, we answer, there is one thing more, we take an oath. I will do that too, saith God, that you may confide in my faithfulness. “God, wiUiiig more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, conftimed it by an oath,” Heb. vi. 17. As if he should say, There is no need of an oath, but I will abound toward you, because I would have you trust me. and confide in me thoroughly. And mai-k, this is for the sake of the heu-s of promise, God would never have done this for other men; it is for your .sakes only, because of yom- weakness he confirms all with an oath. And if we would liavc tilings sure, we will not have the oath of such as are of no great credit. Mark, therefore it is God that swears, and that by the greatest oath;” because he could swear by no greater, he swaro by himself,’’ Heb. vi. 13.
Is there any thing more, saith God, that you are wont to do amongst yourselves, to make things siu’e? Yes, Lord, we are accustomed to take a pledge. You shall have that too, .saith he, I will give you a pledge, and such a one that if you never had any thing more you
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would be happy. What is that? 2 Cor. i. 22, “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spii’it in our hearts.” I will send my Spu-it to be an earnest in your hearts of all the good that I intend to do for you everlastingly.
Is there any thing else you -woidd require of me to confide in me? Yes, if God would do some great and notable work, as a beginning and engagement of that which is to come after, this is yet more than an earnest. When some special thing is done as an opening to omexpectations, then we have not merely a promise under hand and seal, an oath and a pledge: but the matter is actually begun, and so begim, that the diihcidty is over. Those who live mtder the gospel see the greatest part of oiu- salvation aheady accomplished. God made a promise of sending his Son into the world; now the perfonmng of that promise, that God-man should come into the world to be made a curse for sin, is the greatest work of all eternity, and if God coidd have failed in any thing, it would have been in that. It is not so much for God to deliver us in this world, nor to bring us to heaven, as it is to send his Son into the world to be made a cm-se for us. Now when God has done so great a work, and been faithful in that great promise, he has taught us for ever to ti’ust in liini, to believe his faithfulness in accomplishing the rest. If a man who owes five thousand poimds, pays you fourthousand nine hundi-ed of it, you think siu-ely he will never break for one hundi’ed, I may trust him for the rest, seeing he has dealt so faithfully with me in the great sum. God has paid the four thousand nine hundi’ed, and much more; in comparison of what God has done for us, take all the gloiy of heaven, and we have not one hundi-ed of the five thousand left behind, therefore sui-ely we may well confide in Mm for the paj-ment of the rest.
It is true, God is faithful; but is God able P This is seldom an objection, at least an explicit objection in the mouths of people, but surely an implicit one in the hearts of many; that appears by the cautions God gives to remove it. “Commit the keeping of yom’ souls to him in well-doing, as tmto a faithfid Creator,” 1 Pet. iv. 19; as if he had not said enough in declaring he is faithful, he adds, “faithfid Creator;” as if he slioidd say. If there be no means to help you, I will create means, I will put forth my almighty powei- to aid you, and you shall have help. “He shall confii’m the covenant,” Dan. is. 27; the word translated “confirm,” is of the same root with that for “mighty one,” in Gen. s. 8. God will come forth as a giant, as a mighty man, to perfomi the covenant he has made with Ills people: if there be any thing in the world wherein God mU stu’ up his infinite power, the excellency of Ills might, and the glory of his right hand, it will be in confii-niing his covenant to his saints. “Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting sti-ength.” “Thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; The God of the whole earth shall he be called,” Isa. xxvi. i; liv. 5.
Seeing God is so faithful, let not us be faitUess. But tilings go very cross, and how shall we believe, oui’ faith wavers? The true, geniune love of the samts is such as will love God for himself alone, without gifts; so genuine faith is to beUeve in God without experiences, yea, though things seem against us. That is but a poor love that loves God oidy for that which we receive from him for the present; and that but a weak faith which trusts God only for things that are seen. Do things go cross? they are corrections, and may come from faithfulness, as well as any thing the chm-ch enjoys: Psal. cxix. 75, “I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou hi faithfulness hast afiiicted me.” As God comes do-rni and suits himself to you as his poor creatures; so you should laboui- to raise
your hearts to him, and to believe in him as a great God. God deals with you as with weak creatui-es, you should deal with him as with an infinite God. You must give God leave to do his work in his own way. The object of our confidence in God is, that the thing tcill be done: not hou; or vlien, but that God will eventually complete his work. Shall our weakness be so much regarded as that things must not work so as to evince God’s power? Certainly, it is too much for us to expect such consideration for om- weakness. One would think it enough for God to express himself so to you that you 7>mi, believe; would you have God condescend to reveal himself, so that he shoidd not have the glory of his work, nor you the glory of your faith? this were too much. Though we be bound to deny om’selves much because of the weakness of our brethi-en, must God deny his glory because of om- weakness? We burden God too much with om’ mfirmities. It is for God’s glory things happen as they do: Lazarus was dead, and dead so long, that the work of God might appear.
But I find not things turn out as I had hoped; I think I have believed, and sometimes m prayer I have thought my heart closed with the promises of God, but yet things have not answered my expectations.
It may be God calls for new acts of thy believing, and a renewing of thy faith in his faithfulness. Y’ou must know, the continual actings of faith di’aw out the continual actings of the power of God. I will give you, in proof, one remarkable text; perhaps you may have read and heard it often, but not perceived its force; “Oh how great is thy goodness, wliicli thou hast laid up for them that fear thee!” but mark what follows, “which thou hast wrought for them that trust m thee,” Psal. xxxi. 19. “Great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up.” God’s goodness is wonderfully great for them that fear him; but how? it is “laid up” for them; but now mark, “for them that trust in thee.”
AU the goodness that is in God, is for them that fear him; but it is not fearuig God thatVUl bring it to work. Do you fear God? God has laid up abundance of goodness in a treasury for you, but you must not expect this tlt11 work for you, unless j’ou trust in him; your faith must bring it forth into action, and that “before the sons of men. Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence fi’om the pride of man.” Would you be hid in the secret of God’s presence &om the pride of men? you must not only fear God, but trust m his faithfidness. Matt. xiii. 58, Chiist “did not many mighty works there because of theh unbelief.” And Mark vi. 5, “He could there do no mighty work.” One says he did not, and the other says he could not. ‘When we have a promise, let us put forth faith, to get the goodness of God to work. A remarkable example of a believing heart lajing hold on a promise for God’s faitlifuhiess to work out, occiu’s in 1 Chron. xvii. In the former part of the chapter God promised David to estabhsh his house, to buDd him a sm-e house. Well, as soon as David had received this, mark how he works on God’s word; as if he had said. Seeing I have got his word, I will hold him to it, he shall not go from it. “Therefore now. Lord, let the thmg thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be estabhshecl for ever, and do as thou hast said,” ver. 23: thou hast spoken it, do as thou hast said. And ver. 24, “Let it be even established;” I expect and rely on it, seeing thou hast been pleased in such a gracious way to promise it to me; “let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever.” I will plead thy name m it, if there be one thing more than another to be pleaded, I vrill plead it before thee. But is not this enough? Ver. 25, “For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thv servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee.”
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He had said before that God yiad spoken it; here he goes over it again, as magnifying God’s woi-d; Thou hast told me, and I pray for nothing but what thou hast told me. Nay, David encroaches yet still more upon God: ver. 26, “Now, Lord, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant.” I have not to deal with a man that will be fickle and inconstant, wavering and unfaithful; but thou art God, and I will trust in thee as God; thou art God, and thou hast promised this goodness; it is thine own gootbicss, now therefore do it. See how he urges God’s promise; and mark what admirable effects followed, chap, xviii. After this he prospered: when Hadarezer came against him, he took “a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen. And when the Syrians came to help Hadarezer, he slew of them two and twenty thousand men.” “After this:” mark the connexion of the chapters; “Now after this,” after David had improved the ])romisc, he might have what he would; thus the loving-kindness of God was laid uji in a promise, but wrought out by David’s faith. It is our misfortune that we do not plead this faithfulness of God J we lose abundance by it, and prove that we have “base spirits. It is a gi’eat evil between husband and wife, when they cannot confide one in another, but are jealous; how can such live comfortably together? So we are jealous of God, and lose our comfort in him. Jealousy comes often from meanness of spirit and self- ^iltiness; because we are of such base hearts om-selves, we are jealous of God. A^^lere much love exists between husband and wife, tlicre cannot be much jealousy; and if there were entire love in the spouse of Christ, there woidd not be jealousy. You have a suitable passage in John v. 40, “Ye will not come to me that ye might have life;” you will not believe in me, that is the meaning: then ver. 42, “I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.” Is there any thing in the world more grievous to a husband than that the wife should be jealous of him? think of it; the same grief it is to the Spirit of Jesus Christ, that thou shouldst bo jealous of him, and not confide in his faithfulness.
Siu-ely, if we did trust in God’s faithfulness we should not compound with him as we do, but improve his promise to the uttcraiost. As long as you merchants confide in your debtors, you will not compound with them for less than your debt; if you should go to one that owes you money, and say, I prav, sir, pay your debt to me, and I shall be content to take ten or fifteen In the hundred, the party would think himself disgraced: A’hat I do you distrust me? do you think I will break? No, I will pay you every penny. The truth is, we, poor wretches, because we have not God’s promises immediately fulfilled, would fain compound with God; that is, if he would give us any little present comfort we would be satisfied, rather than wait for that which is to come, though it be infinitely more: this is a great dishonour to God, and an argument of our unfaithfulness. It were an argument of little faith if thou couldst be satisfied, should God give thee ten thousand worlds for the present. Were lie to say, What will you have? AVould you have your enemies destroyed? ‘’ould you have your peace, and your trading in the world, your ease and quietness, a.ssurcd? Is this all? This is to compound with God for twelve])cnce in the ])ound, as it were. No, saith a gracious heart; Lord, thou hast promised me mercy, and I expect it to the full, I will not abate the least farthing. God loves we should stand with him for his promise to the uttermost. No, but I hope God will give me heaven at last, yet I doubt he will forsake me here. This is to conijiound with God in another way. There arc some who, ])erha]is. will
Say eighteen or fifteen shillings in the ])ound; but it is ishonouring God to abate one shilling: therefore we must not only believe in God for heaven, but for earth,
and for safety and comfort, and that in times of greatest trouble. God is well pleased with such kind of holy impudence, as we may say; that is, with our following him for the uttermost, and urging him on his word again and again, to pay what he is engaged for.
Again, had we faith in God we should attempt gi-eat things, though we see but little means. Many of you who have but small stocks, yet, if you have rich friends that have given you encouragement, and that you know will be faithful to you, you will trade for great things with your little, because you know you have friends who will stand by you: so, though we have but little strength, if God call us, we should be willing to undertake great things, because God has stock enough, and has engaged himself to stand by us.
“I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulness.” As I will be faithful to you, and you shall confide in my faithfulness, so you shall be faithful to me, that I may confide in your faithfulness; as I fulfil all my promises and covenant with you, so you shall make good all your promises and covenant with me. The spouse of Christ is one that the Spirit of Christ can confide in. It is said of the virtuous woman, Prov. xxxi. 11, “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her.” Let him be abroad or at home, in what company soever, yet his heart trusts in her, he can leave all his business, his writing, or any thing that concerns him with such a wife. Where this trust is wanted in the heart of the husband toward the wife, there is want of comfort in their lives: thus God saith of his people, Isa. lxiii. 8, “They are chikh’en that will not lie;” I can confide in them, I can employ them on any business that I will, for “they are children that will not lie.”
They are faithful to God fii’st in the great covenant, in siu’rendering themselves to God, as they do at their first closing with Christ. Then every gracious soul enters into solemn covenant with God, and it will be faithful in that covenant. And they will be faithful likewise in all their inferior promises and vows which they make to God, in days of fasting, and thanksgiving, and at other times. As God’s promises are God’s gifts to us, so should our promises be as gifts to God. “According to his own purjjose and gi-ace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began,’’ 2 Tim. i. 9; not only jn-omised, but given unto us in Christ Jesus.
So in thy conversation thou must be faithful to Christ, not prostitute thyself unto another, but keep thyself for Christ. Indeed, the spouse of Cluist may be ravished by open violence, but she will not prostitute herself to any other, she keeps herself only for Christ. Thus the saints are described, Eph. i. 1, “Faithful in Clu-ist Jesus.” There is a kind of natural faithfulness, as I may so speak; as in Isa. viii. 2, “I took unto me faithful witnesses:” Calvin saith it is meant of Urijah, that base, temporizing man, who made the altar according to the pattern that Ahaz sent from Damascus; he is said to be faithful, that is, he was a fair, honest dealing man, his word was as good as his bond: so, many civil men will be faithful to their word. But mark here, it is “faithful in Christ Jesus;” not only faithfulness between man and man, for many heathens were so, they would rather die than cheat one another; but this is a higher degree of faithfulness. The saints must be faithful, faithful fo Christ Jesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus. T’hey who are thus faithful, are fit for the service of Christ; Christ has much w ork to do, they only are fit for it. Kev. xvii. 14, “The Lamb shall overcome;” why? “for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him, are called, and chosen, and faithful;” not called faithful, but called and faithful; and therefore the Lamb shall overcome. If all who are in the public service of the kingdom, and profess to be with Christ in his cause, were called and faithful, the work would soon be at an end. It is for faithfulness
Vek. iv, 20.
we shall be hereafter rewarded: “Well done, good and faithful servant;” not, Well done, good and rich servant, or servant who had great emplojinent in public works, but, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Every one of us cannot be eminent, every one cannot be employed in public services, but you may every one be faithful: you that are poor servants may be faithful, as well as a magistrate or as a minister: you that are poor labouring men, porters and watermen, the meanest of you may be faithful, as well as the nobles of a kingdom. God regards faithfulness rather than service; he has no need of the ser’ices of men, great or small, but he looks upon the faithfulness of their hearts.
And as you must be faithful to God and his cause, so you must be faithfid one to another. You who are godly servants, be siu’e you be faithful to your masters, that there may be no occasion of such scandal as is often used concerning professors; Such a servant must go to sermons, and he is set against ceremonies, &c.; I never had any so faithful, that, if mine eye were off him, he did not cease to work presently. God forbid there should be such scandals given of you. Wives who profess godliness, be sure you be faithful to your husbands; and tradesmen who profess more than ordinary strictness in reUgion, be you faithful in your dealings. Has Christ man-led himself unto thee in faithfulness? he expects that his faithfulness to thee should have that reflection upon thy heart as to make thee faithfid to others.
I add one note, taken from all together. As if God should say, O Israel, you have dealt unrighteously with me, you have broken your covenant, but I will betroth you to me in righteousness. You have done foolishly in departing from me, but I will betroth you unto me in judgment. You have been unkind to me, but I will betroth you unto me in loving-kindness. It has not pitied yom- souls to see me dishonom-ed, but I will betroth myself in bowels of mercy to you. You have been unfaithful to me, but I will even beti’oth you unto me in faithfulness. The note from thence is this,
Obs. God deals not with those in covenant with him as they deal with him. This remark is of admirable use and comfort. Mark the difierence between God’s dealuig with others and those that are in covenant with him. Let others deal with God in a perverse way, God will deal with them so too. Psal. xviii. 26, “With the froward thou wilt show thyself froward.” Will you be froward with God? God wUl show himself froward with you. AYill you be proud with God? In the thing you are proud God will be above you. Will you be subtle, and contriving mischief against God and his ti’uth? God wUl meet w’ith the wicked, and msnare them in the work of their own hands. Are you resolute in wickedness? God will be as resolute as you, Jer. xliv. 25, 26. But when God deals with his saints in covenant, though they deal fi’owardly with him, he will deal gently with them: though they deal proudly with him, he deals in a way of condescension with them; though they be unfaithful to him, yet he will be faithful to them. O my brethren, this point has abundance of sweetness in it, take heed of abusing it. Thy sins cannot overcome God’s goocbiess, let God’s goodness then overcome thy wickedness.
“And thou shalt know the Lord.”
But why does this follow, “In faithfulness; and thou shalt know the Lord.”
Thus, upon these two reasons:
First, llie church shall know Christ to be the Lord, and this shall be the means to keep his spouse in faithfulness for ever. As if Christ should say. The reason of all your vile departings from me is, you do not know me, you do not see my bounty and gloiy, or discern the excellency of my worship. Hence you are gone fi-om me, and have been unfaithful to me; but when I beti-oth you to myself again, you shall know mo, you shall see so much beauty and excellency in me and my ordinances that you shall never depart from me.
Obs. Low thoughts of God are the cause of superstitious vanities. Had men high and honourable thoughts of God, they would never think to put him oft’ with such poor bauble-worship as they do. Acts vii. 2, it is said, “The God of glory appeared to Abraham;” that is given as a gi-ound why Abraham forsook his counti-y, his father’s house, and his kincked. K we once knew the Lord, and that the God of glory had appeared to us, we should be ready to forsake all for him, and give up ourselves unto him in an everlasting covenant.
Secondly, This is as a fruit of my betrothing myself unto them, a fruit of the covenant. “They shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying. Know the Lord: for they shall know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive theu- iniquity,” &c., Jer. xxxi. 34. It is a fruit of the conjugal union betwixt Christ and the soul. Allien a man and his wife are but suitors, or well-^’illcrs, they do not communicate their secrets one to another; but when they are married, they open all then- hearts, there is no secret but they will disclose one to another. So saith God, When I am once married to you, I will even open my whole heart to you: “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him.” Those who have but natm-al knowledge, imderstand something of the waj’s of reUgion. A man in the dark may know where he is; by feeling, he may discover the length and tliickness of many things in the house; but w’hen the light of the day comes, he luiows what there is in the room after another manner than he did in the dark: this is the difference between knowledge of God in a natural man, and the knowledge of one espoused to Christ. By his natural knowledge he mayunderstand the history of the gospel, and have some general notions of God and of Christ; but -when the Smi of righteousness arises, he sees the excellency and glory of God shining in all his attributes, he sees that in Christ which chaws his heart unto him in an everlasting covenant. As we read, Cant. vii. 5, Christ “is held in the galleries;” that is, Chi-ist, as soon as he is married to the soul, takes her, as it were, by the hand, and walks in the galleries, and there opens his heart unto her. There is many a sweet tm-n that a gracious heart has w-ith Christ in his ordinances, wherein Christ opens his whole soul unto it. “All things,” saith Clu-ist, “that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you,” ,fohn xv. 15. An admirable text; sm-ely you cannot but know the Lord then. Here is the fi-uit of our union with Christ. Oh that our hearts were inflamed with desu-e after further conjugal communion with him! According to the capacity of the soul, so Christ makes known to it -n-liat he has heard of the Father. Certainly Christ has heard great things of the Father; he is the w-isdom of the Father; he has been with the Father from all eternity; and the Father loves him, he -will tell him all the glorious things he has in his heart, and Christ -n-ill hide none of those things from his saints! This is the privilege of a saint. Who woidd not be godly, by which he shall come to know the mind of the Father, according to what Christ knows of it?
Yea, and Christ makes God known to the saints in another way than others know him. pij<-p[^ 7,,-|.V;i 2 Sam. vii. 27, “Thou, O Lord of hosts, i ’ “‘God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant:” the Hebrew reads. Lord, thou hast revealed this to the ear of thy servant. I wonder how the words “to the ear” come to be left out in yom- books, in which the emphasis lies. Allien God makes known himself to his people he reveals things to their ear, as we to a fi-iend who is intimate with us. Many a secret Jesus Christ speaks
in the ears of his saints, with which others are never made acquainted. 2 Cor. iv. 6, “God, who commanded the h’ght to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the gloiy of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” It would require time for fully opening the gi-adations of this scripture; here is “knowledge,” and “the knowledge of the glory of God,” and “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God; and” shining,” and “shining into our hearts,” and “into our hearts in the face of Jesus Chi-ist.” Surely, then, they shall know the Lord, and they shall know him in a very spiritual way. The light of the saints is a light three stories high. First, They have the light of reason, which other men have. Secondly, They have the light of common gifts, which other men have too, and that is a storj- higher than the other. Thirdly, They have the light of a sanctifying Spu-it, that is a third loft; and they shall come to a fourth stop,-, and that is the light of glory. The light that other men have, is but as the light which you have in a lower room, in warehouses, which in some is so little that you use a candle at noon-day; others have somewhat more light, they have common gifts, which is like the light in the next storj-, somewhat more clear; but the light of the saints is higher than all these, they know God as their God. Great is the excellency of this knowledge; the soul has blessed satisfaction in it: “Show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.” The sanctification of the heart by the presence of the beams of the glory of God, transformuig it into the same image, is the very beginning of eternal life. “What superior means have we to know God than the heathens had! The Roman histories describe the poor and mean ways those wise men took to know God; as thus, they woidd look into the entrails of beasts, thereby to find out the minds of their gods; they would observe how the beasts came to the slaughter, whether willingly or unwillingly; they woidd observe the fire of then- sacrifices, whether the flame ascended right or not: thus they attempted to ascertain the mind of their gods, lat poor ways are these! Vi’e have Jesus Christ, God blessed for ever, the eternal Son of the Father, who is come from the bosom of the Father, to make known to us the mind of God, his and oiu- Father. We know the truth as it is in Jesus, Eph. iv. 21, not onlv as it is in the works of nature. Some know much of God in the works of creation and providence, and we may learn much of God in those gi-eat things which the Lord has lately done amongst us; but to know the truth as it is in Jesus, to know God in Chi-ist, is another kind of knowledge than to know God in the way of his works. Here we see the truth really, when we see it in Christ Jesus. Certainly, then, no one united to Clvrist in a conjugal union can be an ignorant sot, for Christ engages himself in his faithfulness, upon this marriage of a soul with himself, to reveal himself and the Father unto it. John viii. 54, “Of whom ye say he is your God;” but mark the next words, “yet ye have not known him.” A likely matter, that he should be your God, and you not know him! a likely matter, that Christ should be your Saviour, and you not know him, seeing he has engaged himself in his faithfulness, that if you be married to him you shall know him and his Father!
Ver. 21 — 23. Atut it shall come to pass in that day, I uill hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavetis, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and the trine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezyeel. And I will soic her unto me m the earth; and I uill have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.
Now, after the assurance of mercy in the covenant, come temporal promises, promises of com, and wine, and oil: God would hereby teach us thb lesson, that all our outward things (at least the sweetness and comfort of them) depend on the covenant in Christ.
“I will hear:” the word may be rendered, I will answer; God will so hear that he will answer. Many times a poor man cries to the rich, and he lieai’s him, but he will not answer; but, saith God, I will hear so that I wUl answer. This is a most elegant expression: “I wUl hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jczreel.” Mira orationis sublimitas, A wonderfid sublimity of speech, saith one expositor; Hyperbolica metaphora, A hj’perbolical metaphor, saith another; Puhherrima prosopopoeia, A most beautiful and delightful prosopopoeia, saith another; these creatures beuig addressed as if they understood what they did. As if the Lord should say thus. My people, you have indeed, through your sins, been brought into great straits, you have wanted com, and wine, and oil, and have been scattered in your banishment; but when I shall betroth myself to you, and enter into a covenant with jou, then, when you crj-, Oh that we might have these outward comforts! immediately the com, and the wine, and the oil, as if theyjieard your complaints, shall say, 0 Lord, we would help Jezreel, and satisfy these thy servants: the corn shall cr)’ to the earth, 0 earth, let me come into your bowels, I will rot there that so I may bring forth fruit for this people: the vines and the olive shall desire the earth to receive them, to impart juice and nourishment to them, that they may rcfresli these reconciled ones to God: the earth sliail say. Oh that I might receive the com, and %vine, and oil, that I may be fruitful in my kind; but, ye heavens, I can do nothing except I have your influences and the warm beams of the sun to make me fructify; come, tlierefoie, and assist me, that I may beai- fruit for Jezreel: and the heavens shall cry, Lord, we would fain help the earth, that the earth may help the com, and wine, and oil, that they may supply Jezreel; but we can do nothing without thy hand; therefore, heai- us, and sufler us to rain upon the earth, that it may become fruitful. Thus the creatures are introduced, pleading that they might help Jezreel. Hence
Obs. 1. Our condition in this world is such, that although reconciled to God, yet, while here, we must be beholden to the com and wine, to the earth and heavens, and cannot do without them.
Obs. 2. When we are reconciled to God, then the creatures will be serviceable to us, yea, they will be desirous to do us good, they will cry for it. Let us take heed of provoking God, the creatures then will be against us. Gordius, a martjT, gave this answer to those who urged him to deny the truth. If I deny it, the sun, and moon, and stars will deny me light. If we sen-e God, the creatures will account it then- happiness to serve us.
064”. 3. God is wont to work good for his people by second causes. He sends not thmgs immediately from heaven, but the heavens liear the earth, and the earth hears the com and the wine. We must look to second causes, but take heed of resting on them. It has been God’s work amongst us of late, by detecting plots and giving successes, to manifest himself very strangely, when the means have been very weak; nay, indeeti, God has made as much use of men’s weakness, as of their strength; but let not us therefore be slack in the use of means, but do the best we can. Though God sometimes works beyond means, ;.nd even conlrarj ta them, yet, ordinarily, he uses second causes, not only to work ad pr<esentiam, as Biel the schoolman, and others say, that is, conjointly with the creature; for
they assert that there is no efficacy at all in them to produce results; but the truth is, God does make use of second causes, so that they are efficient to accomplish that which he purposes.
Obs. 4. There is a concatenation in second causes, and not merely a use; eveiy one in theu- order ministers to the other; the heavens hear the earth, and the earth hears the corn. If we could discern the comely order of the creatm-es, we should see them all Knked together by a golden chain: as in the joints of the body, one bone supplies another, one part is hollow to receive another; so in nature, one thing supplies and aids another. As in om- salvation there is a golden chain, Rom. viii., so in the creatui’es there is a golden cham of beauteous order and mutual suppliance.
Obs. 5. Nothing can be done by any Knk of the chain of second causes, but by God’s being at the uppermost link. Jezreel must cry to the corn, and wine, and oil, and they must cry to the earth, and the earth must crj’ to the heavens, he must be the highest cause.
Obs. 6. It is most comely, and a great blessing, when the right order and chain of second causes hold; as in nature, so in any societj-, when all presers’e their due subordination; as when the tradesman works in his way, the magistrate in his, the minister in his, every one in his place. But when they are out of order, it is 0 great misery to a city or kingdom. As once among the Athenians, Themistocles said of his son, a bold youth. This boy can do more than any man in all Greece. Why? Because, the Athenians command the Grecians, I command the Athenians, my wife commands me, and my son commands my wife: here was the concatenation of that government. God deliver all societies from such a concatenation, that the beginning of any public work, I mean the lower link of the chain, should be in an ungodly man, and he should command one, and that one another, and so on in succession. Wheresoever this occurs, it is a fearful judgment.
Obs. 7. God, the giver of all plenty, accounts it his glory to give rain. In Jer. v. 24, God wonders that men will not fear him because of that; “Neither say they in their heai-t. Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain.” As if he should say. It is strange in men; what! will not they say in their hearts, Let us fear God, seeing he gives us rain? Thus God glories in this great work of hearing the heavens, and the heavens the earth. The heavens will be as brass over us, and the earth as iron, unless God hear them, and send rain. Therefore let God be aclmowledged in that rain which we have, had of late: the creatui’es wanted gi’ass, and the grass cried to the heavens, and the heavens cried unto God, and God has heard the heavens, and sent down rain; and so we see the earth has been refreshed, and abundance of good has come to us by these showers. Give God the glon’ of this.
Obs. S. All plenty is given for the sake of the saints. How? God hears the heavens, and the heavens hear the earth, and the earth hears the com, and the wine, and the oil, and they hear Jezreel. It is all for Jezreel’s sake. Were it not for the saints, the earth would soon come to confusion; they are “a blessing in the midst of the land,” Isa. xix. 24.
Obs. 9. If the creatures work so graciously for us, how should we then work for God, and for one another! lat! shall the creatm-es cry one to another, and hear one another for our good, and shall God cry to us, and we not hear God? The senseless corn cries to the earth, O earth, help me, that I may help Jezreel; and the earth cries to the heavens, O heavens, send do-mi your influences; and the heavens say, We will hear, and the earth saith, I will hear; shall the earth hear, and the heavens hear- for our good, and shall not we hear when God cries for help? God often cries to you to
help in his cause, and wilt not thou hear, to work for him? O vile creature, how unreasonable are thy ways before the Lord!
Obs. 10. How should we hear the cries of the poor! “^Tien we are in want, the corn cries to the earth, and the earth cries to the heavens, and the heavens cry to God for us. AVhen the poor, I mean God’s poor, whom God’s hand has made poor, cry, will you not hear? Will you be more hard-hearted than the earth and the heavens are? seeing they hear you, do you hear the cry of your poor brethren.
06s. 11. If God wlU hear the creatures when they ciy for us, how much more will he hear Jesus Chi-ist when he cries for us! It is a part of om- happmess, that we have all the creatm’es crying to God for our good; but the summit of our bliss is this, that we have Jesus Christ, the Mediator of the new covenant, making intercession at the right hand of God continually for us.
064’. 12. God’s mercies go on to perfection, when they work for the saints; the corn begins to cry to the earth, that stays not there, but the earth goes on and cries to the heavens, and the heavens to God. God’s mercies to lus saints never cease till the thing is perfected.
“And I will sow her unto me in the earth.”
What great mercy is this for God to gi-ant plenty, if he destroy his people? Our oountiy is plentiful, but if God should consume us out of the land, what good would our plenty do us? Therefore saith God, “I Mill sow her unto me in the earth.” Indeed, she is now a poor, contemptible people, and there are but few of them remaining on the earth; but I will make them a seed, and a seed that the Lord has blessed.
“I win sow her.” Here the Lord alludes to the name Jezi’eel, which signifies the seed of the Lord. It was used in the first chapter as a reproach; and in the latter end of the same in a way of mercy. I spoke of it there, therefore I shall now say only this, God uses the word here, to remind her of what she deserved; as if he should say. Though thou art a Jezreel, and deservest to be scattered, yet, out of free gi’ace, I will be merciful to thee, I will sow thee; there shall come a blessing upon thee, and though scattered in the earth, yet in all places thou shalt be as seed from whence my chm-ch shall spring. Hence we may
Obs. 1. God’s people are the seed of the earth. But of that I have spoken before, in the latter end of the fii-st chapter, and shall now only add an observation of Eibera. The seed, saith he, lies imder the clods, and at length fructifies: so should the saints be content to lie imder the clods, and though, because of their afflicted condition, they may seem as dead, yea, rotten, yet shall they afterwai’ds fructify- and be glorious. Before the time of the church’s glon’, times of great calamity and distress came, which this rotting of the seed before fructification shadows forth.
Obs. 2. Every godly man shotdd so live, as, either in life or death, to be as a seed from whence many may spring; he should be a means that many should be begotten to God. In the history of the church, it is recorded of Cecilia, a poor vngin, that by her gracious behaviom- in her martpdom, she was the means of converting four hundi-ed to Christ. As in the Indies, one grain jields many hundi’eds; so we should labour to convert as many as we can, that some that live after may continue to bear up the name of Chiist, and the profession of his tnith. Especially be careful of your childi-en, leave them as seed to hold up the name of God in yom- family when you are dead and gone.
Obs. 3. The saints are sown unto Christ, they are seed for Clu-ist, therefore all then- fruit must be consecrated to Christ. “I will sow her unto me.” Christ must have all the fruit we bear: who should have the fruit, but he that sows it? Therefore it is said. Cant.
lii. 13, “At our gates are all maimer of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.” Are we able to bear any fruit? AVe must not sow to ourselves, not to the flesh, for then we shall reap corruption; but lay it all up for Clu-ist Jesus, for it is he that soweth us unto himself.
“And I will show mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy.”
Many things about God’s showing mercy after rejection have been spoken of in the fii’st chapter; and I shall at present only
Obs. 1. There are none so rejected that they can conclude that they shall never have mercy, those that have committed the sin against the Holy Ghost excepted. Though Israel “had not obtained mercy,” though they were cast out, yea, cast out to the beasts to be devoured, yet, saith God, I will show mercy upon her.
Obs. 2. Children of wicked parents may at length obtain mercy from God. Though Israel be cast ofl’, yet her children shall have mercy: a comfort to us in regard of the idolatry of our forefathers, yea, a comfort in regard of the children to come. Our forefathers have broken the covenant, why may not we obtain mercy? But suppose we should be the generation of God’s WTath, and not obtain mercy, yet we may hope that our posterity shall.
04^. 3. Mercy after it is thought to be past, if then it come, oh it is sweet mercy indeed! when she seemed to be utterly rejected, then to have mercy shown, this was sweet.
Obs. -i. Mercy is the cause of all the good the saints receive. Psal. lvii. 3, “He shall send from heaven.” saith David. David was in the cave, in a ])oor condition, hunted for his life, persecuted by Saul; I see little help from earth, therefore, saith he, “He shall send from heaven.” What! shall God send angels from heaven to deliver thee, David? No, but mark what follows, “God shall send forth his mercy and his truth:” as if he should say,’ Lord, though I have no help in earth, though I see no angels from heaven to aid me, yet let me have thy mercy and trath, and that suffices. It satisfies a gracious heart if he may have God’s mercy and his truth, that is, God’s mercy revealed in a promise.
Obs. 5. God has a special day of mercy for lus jjeoijle, for his churches. “I will have mercy u])on her that had not obtained mercy.” Let us cry to God to hasten this day; let us open i)efore liira the miseries of our own kingdom, and of Ireland: Oh when shall this day come, that thou wilt show to thy people the mercy of which thou hast told us! Oh that that day may hasten! Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.
“And I will say to them which were not my people. Thou art my people.”
This is what we had in the first chapter, with only some slight difference; there it is, “In the place where it was said, Ye are not my people.” And when I explained that ])lace, I showed you, both out of the Komans and out of I’eter, how the ajiostles make use, both of the expression in the first chapter and this in the second, and shall here only
Obs. 1. God takes a special interest in his people; they are his pcojile, they are called his “peculiar people,” Tit. ii. 14. The word has this “”“”I“”“‘”“‘- emphasis in it, God looks upon all other things as accidents in compai-ison, and his substance is his people; they are his very portion, as Deut xxxiii. 29; Exod. xix. 5; they are his peculiar treasure above all people in the world; and Isa. xix. 25,” AssjTia the woi-k of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance:’’ I have made all ])co])le, but Israel is mine inheritance. This is the liajjpiiiess of the saints, therefore they arc not as other ])eople arc; Numb, xxiii. 9, “This people (ihall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.” This is a great ground of prayer, Lord, leave
us not, we are thy people, cafled by thy name, we have an interest in thee.
Obs. 2. Our being God’s people is an argument so to walk that he may not be (lishonoured by us. If thoiie in a man’s family walk disorderly, it is a dishonour to the master. It is no dishonour to him for a stranger, or one who has but little connexion with him, to do so; and it is not so much dishonour to God for the wicked to walk disorderly, as for the saints, because of their nearness to him: and, besides, their light is (as I told you) three stories high, and if they sin, they sin against a greater light than others, their sin is greater than the sin of the wicked in that respect.
06s. 3. It is a great mercy for God to make it known to tJie world, that his people are his peo])le. “I will say to them which were not my people. Thou art my people.” The world will not believe it, they think they are a poor, contemi)tible ))eople; but there shall come a day in which I will make it known that they are mine: and amongst other things by which God will make all the world to know that his ])eople are his, fhLs is one, by setting up the beauty of his ordinances amongst them. Ezek. xxxvii. 27, “My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my peojile; and the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of thein for evermore.” Thus they shall know, saith God, that they are my people, and that I am their God, when I have set my sanetuarj’ in the midst of them for ever. Were the ordinances of God set up in their piu-ity amongst us in England, were refonnation perfected, and did the saints walk humbly and peaceably as they should, the whole world would be convinced that these are indeed the people of the Lord, and that God is amongst them.
“And they shall say. Thou art my God.”
Obs. 1. God must begin with us; we cannot begin and say, “Lord, thou art my God;” but God must fii-st say, “You are my people.” There are a great many who say God is their God; but God never said they were his people. John i. 12, it is said of those who believed in Christ, that God “gave them” itovaiav, “power to become the sons of God;” the word signifies authority, that they might with authority acknowledge themselves to be the sons of God. and call God Father; they had the broad seal for it. ‘Will you call God, Father? where is your iovaia, your authority? If God eaU you chikhen, if he say, Y’ou are my people; you may give the echo to God’s mercy, and say. Thou art our Father, thou art our God.
Obs. 2. AMien God speaks mercy to us, we must answer accordingly. Does God say. You are my people? we must answer, Lord, thou art our God. This is a great fault amongst Christians; God manifests himself to many a gracious heart in abundance of love and mercy, and they return an answer to God of despondency and discouragement. God’s ways toward thee .speak thus, “Thou art one of my people;” but thy heart works as if God were none of thy God. Has not God done much for thee? thou thinkest all that thou dost is h)-])ocritical, whereas the truth is, it is the fruit of his love and kindness to thee. He speaks aloud in what he has done for thee, that thou art one of his people; and yet thy heart thinks that he is thine enemy, that he hates thee, and will cast thee off at last. The ways of God are full of mercy to thee, and he has set his stamp on thee, and, by fiis dealings of love, tells thee that thou bclongest unto him. O unbeheving soul, answer. Lord, thou art my God! and lay aside these discouraging and dcsjiairing thoughts of thine! Oh that thou wouldst go away with such an answer in thy mouth! Do not answer God’s loving-kindness, and his gracious dealings toward thee, with a distrustful heart; it is dishonourable to him, and grievous to his Spirit.
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Obs. 3. God works an answerable disposition in the hearts of his people to him. This is thj’ duty, but God will work it in time if thou belongest to him. As thus: does God choose us to be his people? then the hearts of the saints choose him to be theii’ God. Does God say, You are my people? the saints say, Lord, thou art oui- God. Does God say, I will dwell with them? they answer, Lord, thou art our habitation. Does God say, I delight in them? they say, Lord, oiu- delight is in thee. Does God say, I will rest in them for ever? the church saith, O my soul, return unto thy rest. Here is a sweet answer, a rebound of all God’s loving-kindness.
Obs. 4. The saints must profess God to be theirs. It is not enough to believe with the heart, but thou must confess with the mouth.
Obs. o. It is the highest happiness of the saints, that God is theii- God; then they can say, they have enough. If we could say, This house is mine, this street, this lordship, tlris city, kingdom, or world is mine; what is all this? A Christian can say. The God that made all is mine. As it is reported of the French and Spanish ambassadors meeting together: My master is king of Spain, said the former. !My master (replied the French) is king of France. My master, said the Spaniard again, is king of Naples. And my master, returned the other, is king of France. My master is king of Portugal. And, My master is king of France: still he answered with, My master is king of France, as being equivalent to all the different kingdoms of the Spaniard. So one saith, I have this house, this stock, this estate, this trade; Yea, but, saith a Clii’istian, I have God, God is mine. Surely, having him, thou hast enough. And if God be thy God, he will be a God to thee. 1 Chron. xvii. 24, “The Lord of hosts is God of Israel, even a God to Israel.” So it must be with thee, if thou ai’t a saint of God, be a saint to God: are we a people of God? then we must be a people to God. Blessed are the people, that are in such a case; yea, happy are the people, whose God is the Lord.
Thus have we opened the gracious manifestations of God to his chm-ch, in part realized spiritually, to spiritual Israel here; but to be more sensibly fulfilled at the great day of Jezreel, that is. when the Jews shall be called, then the spouse of Cluist shall visibly be thus married to him, and the Lord will be their God. Qus omnia jiidei Jerome saith on the text, All the things fost antichrisium here promised to the chm-ch, the Jews stoiantur. Hiero- cxpcct at the end of the world, after the nym.m locum. y ^|. ajyipjiiist: and I question not, that though in a spmtual sense this scriptm-e is fulfilled now to the saints, yet in a more visible and sensible manner it will be all made good to the people of the Jens; and the Gentiles then joining with them even literally, the gloi-y of the chm-ch shall be visible and apparent.