CALVIN conjectures that this Prophesie of Hosea, as we now have it (as the rest of the Prophesies) was but the summary or brief heads of certain Sermons, which at several times and upon several occasions were preach't unto the people of Israel and Iudah, collected by himself, and registred for the use and benefit of the Church of God.

This Sermon he conceives begins at my Text, but the di­stinct time when it was preach't, neither himself nor any other Expositor do hint; That it was before the Babylonian Capti­vity, is clear from the date of the Prophesie, Chap. 1. Vers. 1.

Certain it is, and that may content us (saith he) that the Pro­phet doth here bitterly reprove the extream obstinacy and despe­rate security of the people, Calv. in lo­cuen. who by all the pains and unwearied labours of the Prophets could not be brought to repentance, although their rebellions and apostacy were so visible that all the world might take notice of it.

However their incorrigibleness must not cause the Prophet [Page 2]to desist his duty: therefore upon all occasions (when call'd to preach before them) he ceaseth not to reprove, to convince, to exhort, if by any means, he might happily awaken them to a timely discovery of their sin, and prevention of approaching ruine and destruction.

Peoples obstinacy must not silence the Prophets fidelity; Observ. passion and short-spiritedness, of all men in the world, doth ill become them: In meekness instructing those that op­pose themselves, if God peradventure wil give them re­pentance, &c. 2 Tim. 2.25.26. is the Apostles cannon to all the Ministers of the Gospel.

In the words therefore the Prophet doth call them to serious and seasonable humiliation and repentance; for though the words seem to speak only a bare prohibition of joy and rejoy­cing; yet,

1. That was to convince them of, & reprove them for their unseasonable mirth and jollity, that they should rejoyce when their God was so highly displeased with them for their manifold apostacies; and the repetition of the words rejoyce not for joy, or as the [...] Hebrew, rejoyce not to exultation, is for the greater Habet haec re­petitio empha­sin quandam, i. e. majorem increpationem intempestive laetitiae Ribera in lo­cum. aggravation of their sin and the Prophets reproof.

2. And again the words have a [...] in them, they mean and import more then they speak out (as it is usual in Scrip­ture Rhetorick); and so while they forbid joy, i. e. car­nal security and sensual rejoycing in creature-comforts, they enjoyn the contrary; sc. mourning and weeping, girding with sackcloth, and rolling themselves in dust and ashes; aversus es a deo, ergo tibi lugendum est Jugiter, non exultandum. Corn. a Lap. in locum. a constant and conscionable humiliation, and wal­king humbly before their God.

And this is prest from a double Consideration

• Sin.
• Wrath.

Their sin against God.

Gods wrath against them.

The one expressed: The other implyed.

Their sin expressed, thou hast gone a whoring. And Gods wrath implyed, if thou hast gone a whoring, God cannot choose but be highly displeased with your sin, and yet more displeased [Page 3]with them for their security then for their sin.

And both these are yet further aggravated from the Relation which Israel had to God, thy God; which relation is set forth

• 1. Positively.
• 2. Comparatively.

1. Positively, The relation of a spouse or wife; and that is implyed in the sin, which is called whoredom: Whoredom or adul­tery, you know, is properly the sin against the marriage-relation. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God wil judg. Heb. 13.4. Adultery is the defiling of the marriage-bed; and therefore some do etymon Adulterium, quasi ad alterum, the departure of the husband or wife into the bed and bosom of a stranger: Here, I say, is the conjugal relation into which God had taken Israel, implyed, to the aggravation of her apostacy; whereby her sin came to be Whoredom and Adultery against the Lord.

2. Comparatively, With other Nations; rejoyce not as other people: Why? Because though they have the relation of creatures unto God, and of men and women, yet they have not the relation of a spouse or wife: Ye only have I known of all the families of the earth, saith God to Israel: Amos 3.2. i. e. with a conjugal knowledg; other Nations may cal God Baali, but they cannot cal him Ishi; i.e. they may cal him my Lord and my Ma­ker, but not my Husband and my Redeemer; they are his by Creation and common providence, but not by Covenant and conjugal relation.

So that now here is the aggravation: Other Nations may sin against God, but they cannot commit adultery against God; other Nations may rebell against the Lord, but they cannot go a whoring from him: This was Israels sin and the aggrava­tion of it.

And as it was the aggravation of her sin, so it was the aggra­vation of Gods wrath too; that, as I say, is implyed; for if Is­raels sin be the sin of adultery, then Gods wrath must needs be the wrath of jealonsie; and jealousie as it is the rage of a man, Prov. 6.34, 35 so it is the rage of a God; anger red-hot, wrath ad octo, in the highest degree; Therefore he wil not spare in the day of vengeance; he wil not regard any ransom, neither wil he [Page 4]rest content though thou givest many gifts.

Jealousie is as cruel as the grave, the coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame, &c. Cant. 8.6. This therefore you see is the aggravation both of her sin and danger: By all which the Prophet calls Israel now to sence of sin, and humiliation for sin; to be affected with, and afflicted for her grievous departure from the Lord.

And now the words thus opened would afford many serious and seasonable observations. I shal resolve all into 4 Doctrines.

• 1. A Nation or Kingdom in external Covenant with God stands in a conjugal relation unto God.
• 2. A people thus related unto God may (possibly) go a whoring from him, commit adultery against him.
• 3. Sometimes it comes to pass that Gods Israel whilst she lieth under the guilt of whorish departure from her God, in stead of being affected with, and afflicted for her whoredom; in stead of mourning, and judging her self before the Lord, doth secure­ly and sinfully let out her heart to carnal comfort and rejoycing.
• 4. An Israel, under adulterous departures from God, hath least cause to rejoyce; and more cause to mourn and lament then any nation or people under heaven.

In these 4 Doctrinal Observations you have the sence and soul of this Scripture.

I begin with the first, intending but a brief transition through the 3 former, that I might sit down and enlarge my self upon the fourth and last. I begin with the first.

Thy God;] There you have the Covenant, so it runs, I wil establish my Covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, &c. To what end? To be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. Gen. 17, 7. And so again v. 8. I wil be their God.

Where ever the Scripture saies thy God, it implyes a Cove­nant. Fallen man having lost his God, can never come to say [my God] again, but it must be by vertue of a Covenant.

Thou hast gone a whoring] that implyes, as I have shewed [Page 5]you, the conjugal relation unto God. Wheredom being the sin of wedlock, the violation of the sacred bonds of marriage.

Into this neer relation doth God take a nation or people, when he brings them into the bond of the Covenant. Ezek. 20.37.

So run the words of the Covenant.

I wil betroth thee unto me for ever.

I wil betroth thee unto me in righteousness.

I wil betroth thee unto me in faithfulness. Desponsabo. Hos. 2 19, 20. They are, I say, the words of the Covenant, which God speaks not only to Rom. 9.26. old Is­rael, when the vail shal be taken away from their hearts, but to the Gospel-Israel also, even to whatsoever nation or people, God shal say, Hosea 2.23. Thou art my people, and they shal answer thou art my God Witness the Apostle S. Peter, who in his first Epistle. 2. Chap. 9.10, verses. applyes it to the Gentiles as wel as the Jews.

1 Pet. 2, 9, 10 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood, an ho­ly nation, a peculiar people, that ye should shew forth the praises of him, who hath called you out of darkness into his marveilous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Speaking to the Chap, 1, 1. strangers, i. e. strangers by nature, though not by grace; by generation, (not being of Abra­hams seed) though not strangers by regeneration, (being of Abrahams faith) for so it follows. Scattered through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bythinia.

I But there is no more national Churches, since Abrahams seed ceased to be a Church; Say some. Object.

There is not indeed a national Church, in that sence that Is­rael was a national Church. And truly if this were but wel ob­served, Answ. it would cut off a great deal of needless Controversie, whereof comes nothing but strife and contention. I say there is not a national Church, as Israel was a national Church; that is to say.

• 1. Quà, such a mans seed, they were a Church as com­ing out of Abrahams loynes; for if there were any Pro­solites among them, they were reckoned unto Abraham for a seed. So, we know no national Church in the times of the Gospel.
• [Page 6]2. Nor (which follows upon the former) quà such a nation, Israel was a Church quà Israel; England is not a Church quà England, nor Scotland quà Scotland &c.
• 3. Nor, thirdly, do we assert or know a national Church exclusive, as Israel was; Israel was a Church, so that there was none else in all the world besides. In Iudah was God Known,
  Psa. 76.1, 2.
  his name was great in Israel, In Sa­lem was his Tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Sion, i.e. So, as he had no dwelling place else, it is by way of ex­clusion to all the world besides.

Thus I say, and in this sence, we own no National Church under the Gospel.

But now take a Nation or people as in external Covenant with God. h.e.

1. As God offering to them his Covenant of life and gráce by Iesus Christ, revealed in the Doctrine of the Gospel, and ratified by the Seals thereof affixed.

2. And secondly, such a Nation or people as generally ac­cepting of, and closing with this Covenant thus revealed and Sealed, and professing faith in, and obedience to this Covenant thus offered. And this offer on Gods part, and acceptance on theirs, makes them a National Church in a Gospel-sence; yea, notwithstanding ye should suppose, all in that Nation do not profess it, and but very few do savingly embrace and beleeve it. For what if some do not beleeve, shal their unbeleife make the faith of God. i.e. Fidei nomen hic propria et omnibus scrip­toribus usitata significatione accipitur pro dictorum con­ventorumque constantia et veritate. Beza in loc. The Doctrine of faith, or of the Covenant without effect? It is the Apostles argument in a like dispute; it is general Reformation, not personal saving con­version which makes a National Church. Rom. 3.3.

If any man shal demand of me to shew a National Church in the N.T.

1. Though I might as wel demand of him, to shew me such a thing as a Nation in Adams family; (we cannot shew things til time bring them forth.)

2. Yet whosoever wil impartially consult these Scriptures, ( Psa, 22.27. All the ends of the world shal remember and turn unto the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations shal worship before thee. Is, 19, 24, 25 In that day shal Israel be the third with Aegypt and with [Page 7]Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land. Whom the Lord of hosts shal bless, saying, Blessed be Aegypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance. Isa. 52.15. So shal he sprinkle many nations, &c. Isa. 55,5. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee, shal run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God, and for the holy one of Israel, for he hath glorified thee. Rev. 11.15. And the seventh Angel sounded, and there were great voyces in heaven, saying, The kingdomes of this world are be­come the kingdomes of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shal raign for ever and ever,) and the like, may find such a thing as a national Church in the Prophesy. And if the history of the Gospel reach not far enough to shew the accomplishment, sure­ly the progress of the Gospel doth.

3. In the mean time, as it is no absurdity to say that Adams family was both a family, and a nation, and a world, and all ver­tually: so neither is there any false Doctrine in it, to say, that the first Gospel-Church, was both Congregational and na­tional, and Catholique or Ʋniversal.

4. Surely, a national Church (in our sence) hath bin a truth, about which there hath bin little dispute among the Reformed Churches; even among them that have opposed Episcopacy, there are many that have not so much as questioned a national Church. Mr. Cartwright not only dedicates part of his la­bours, against the Hierarchy, to the Church of England, but in his Catech. Ch. 3. Which treats of the Church, having spoken of the Ʋniversal Church, propounds this question. What is the Church of one nation? and answers it thus. It is that which is gathered under one politique or civil govern­ment.

Mr. He dedi­cates his whole book on the Rev. Sanctis, Reformatis, Britannicis, Germanicis, Gallicis Eccle­siis. Brightman in his exposition upon Revelations 3. in his application of the Church of Laodiàea to the State of our Church, speaks of it as one, Ecclesia nostra Anglicana.

But time wil not suffer me to engage further in this controver­sie, nor need I stand to make conjectures, why some of later times do so strenuously deny such a thing as a national Church, the reasons begin to discover themselves every day more ap­parently then other to all the world.

5. And lastly, This is plain enough to any that are not wilful­ly blind, that where the partes constituentes of a thing do meet, there you have the thing it self; where God holds forth his Cove­nant to a Nation or Kingdom and they generally embrace, and profess it: there is a Church in a Gospel-sence: and a Church thus covenanted, stands in conjugal relation unto God.

1. The greater is the honour which God doth put up­on such a Nation or People; Ʋse. He hath not done so with any Nation, Psa. 147, 20. sang David once of Israel, before Christ; he hath not done so with every Nation, may England sing, and what ever other Nation God hath, or shal cause to approach so neer unto himself, since Christ.

2. And secondly the more sacred and invincible obligation lieth upon such a people to maintain spouse-like affection, and to yeeld spouse-like obedience unto God; to stir up and provoke themselves to be faithful in Covenant with the Lord: to take heed lest there should be any root of bitterness springing up; an evil heart of unbelief in de­parting from the living God; Deut, 29. which was the sin here charged upon Israel: Heb, 3, 12. She went a whoring from the Lord: And brings me to the second Doctrine.

Witness the complaints of God concerning this people (thus in Covenant with him) in this Prophesie. Chap. 4.12. Chap. 5.3, 4. Chap. 7.4. with divers other, per totum.

Yea all the Prophets bring in their inditements against this people under this notion and metaphor of adultery and where­dom: There were no end of quotations.

Two things I would briefly speak to.

• 1. What this whoredom is, of which they stand indited.
• 2. How it comes to pass that a people so neerly related unto God, may become guilty of so great a wickedness.

For the first.

1. All manner of sin is a kind of spiritual adultery against God: What whor­dom against God in Scrip­ture-sense is. sin qua sin, hath the nature of whoredom in it: sin being nothing else (as the Schools define it) but a turning away from [Page 9]God, and a turning to the creature; Peccatum est everflo a deo et conversso ad creaturam. Gen, 1. ult. Rom, 6. ult. Heb, 3, 12. a taking of that love and affection which is due to God, and bestowing it upon the crea­ture, yea the Devils creature: for sin is none of Gods crea­ture: God made neither sin nor death; (all that he made was very good:) but the Devil brought in sin, and sin brought in death. Sin, I say, is a departing from God to the the creature, to a base lust: Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have you dealt treacherously with we, Ier, 3, 20 O house of Israel, saith the Lord. It is an inditement layd in, in refe­rence to their sin and apostacy in general. And thus corporal whoredom against the Covenant of marriage, is also spiritual whoredom against the Covenant of God; and pride is whore­dom, and drunkenness whoredom, (indeed they seldom are se­parated in the very letter) and Sabbath-breaking is whoredom, and all manner of prophaness is whoredom against the Lord.

So it runs in this peoples charge by this Prophet;

Hosea 4.11. Whoredom, and wine, and new wine take away the heart: The spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err in the very next verse.

Chap, 5, 5. The pride of Israel testifies to his face: that's branded with the infamy of whoredom too, vers. 4. Verse 4. The spirit of whore­doms is in the midst of them: All manner of prophaness are but streams that flow from the poysoned fountain of an whorish heart, an heart turned away from God, and refusing to turn unto him again. And therefore in reference to all these and more, it is demanded with astonishment; Isa, 1, 21, 23. How is the faithful City become an harlot? Wherein? It follows, it was full of judgment, righteousness lodged in it, but now murde­rers: Thy Princes are rebellious, and companions of theeves; every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards; they judg not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widdow come un­to them. See perverting of justice, rebellion, robbery, covetous­ness, bribery, mercilesness, all these are Whoredom.

But there are some special sins, Special sins called whore­dom in Scrip­ture which eminenter and above all other, are branded with this mark of whorish depar­ture from God.

First, 1 Idolatry. Ier 20, 20. Ezek, 16, per tetum. Idolatry is all over the Prophets stigmatized with the infamy of Wheredom and Adultery against the Lord; not on­ly [Page 10]because (for the most part) they go together, but especially as this is indeed a proper whoredom against the Lord, in as much as it is the taking in of another lover into the bosome; the setting up of a Rival God: those expressions have much of the metaphor in them; where the Lord, speaking of their Idols, lays this to their charge, Thou hast discovered thy self to ano­ther then me, Isa, 57.8. thou lovedst their bed; and thou hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, Ezek. 16, 25. and multiplyed thy whoredoms: i. e. Committed Idolatry with all the false gods of the heathen round about. Idolatry is the taking in of a strange god (as it were) into the bed of loves: therefore hath God set his name of jea­lousie upon that Command which forbids Idolatry, 2 Command. because it is the proper passion which is irritated by the adulterous depar­tures (or the suspition of it) of the yoke-fellow from the other party in conjugal Covenant and relation.

The second sin branded with whoredom in Scripture is, 2 Sin; Refusing and opposing of Reformation. Hosea 7.1. the refusing and opposing of Reformation: When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: i. e. In a time of reforma­tion they were worse then ever. What are they called for this? See vers. 4. They are all adulterers, &c. Idolatry is whore­dom, in as much as it is a turning away from God: and opposition to reformation is whoredom, because it is a refusing to return to God: They wil not frame their doings, or (as the Hebrew may be rendred) their doings wil not suffer them to return to their God: [...] Non sinent ope­ra corum ut re­vertantur. Hosea 5.4. i. e. Reformation was not consistent with the designs they drave, it was not compatible with their lusts and private interests: What follows? The spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them.

Opposition of Reformation is spiritual adultery.

So are false doctrines and heretical opinions taken up and maintained by a people or person; 2 Sin; False doctrine they are spiritual wickedness and whoredom against God: The false Prophers prophesied lyes in Jeremiah's time, Ier. 23.26, 31 32. they are censured as Adulterers for it, Vers. 14. I have seen also in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing, they commit adultery and walk in lyes: And so in this Prophesie. Hosea 7.3, 4. They make the King glad with their wic­kedness, and the Princes with their lyes: i. e. They found our [Page 11] false doctrine to palliate and justifie Jeroboams and his Princes false worship (of which you may read 1 King. 12.26.—) it follows vers. 4. They are all adulterers &c.

The truth is, indeed, false doctrine is the pander to all man­ner of prophaness; it is the cover-sin in the world: Antichrist himself had never been a man of so many errors and blasphemies, had he not been first the man of sin.

Vain man would fain sin by Authority, and therefore finds out falshoods and lyes, and then fathers them up­on the Word, that he may sin by Scripture.

And that would make Error to be whoredom if there were no more (in a people that have known and embraced the truth as it is in Jesus) in as much as it is the Cord to keep a peo­ple down in the bed of Whoredoms, of all manner of wicked­ness; for so it is added in the inditement of the false Prophets: They walk in lyes; they strengthen also the hands of evil doers, Ier, 23, 14. that none doth return from his wickedness: for this, they com­mit adultery.

But that is not all: It is not only whoredom by consequence, but perse, in its own nature: God is the God of Truth, and Scripture is the Truth of God: They therefore that depart from God and his Truth, to embrace and beleeve lyes, stand guilty of whoredom in words at length, and not in figures only.

Inordinat love of the world, 4 Sin. is specially pointed at by the finger of Gods spirit, as an Adultery. Iames 4.4. Ye Adulterers and A­dulteresses know ye not that the freindship of this world is en­mity against God &c. This is so apparent an whoredome, that the Spirit of God makes it matter of shame and astonishment, that any man should be ignorant of it: know ye not?

Therefore is the covetous man sayd to be an Idolater, be­cause he adores every Cross of his corn: i. e. Eph, 5, 5. He layeth out that love, and zeal, and confidence, and trust which is due to God, upon his Cash, he sayth to Iob 31, 24. Gold thou art my hope, and to his fine gold, thou art my confidence.

That is the last sin, (the last I shal name) which Scripture makes Adultery against God: 5 Sin. Gornal confidence, trusting in the Creature. It is the sin immediatly going before my text. Is­real buildeth Temples, so in Dan and Bathel, Hosea 8, [...]. for the worship [Page 12]of the Calves: And Calv, in loc. Non quod per se hoc coram deo sit damnabile sed quia vide­bat propheta tranferri in il­las urbes popu­li fiduciam, Ier, 17, 5. Iudah hath multiplyed fenced Cities; both for the securing of themselvs against danger: it is called a forget­ting God, Israel hath forgotten his maker in the beginning of the verse. When a people trust in man and make flesh their arm, their heart is departed from God, they are gone a whoring from him.

And thus you see what whoredom against God is. First all sin in general, lived in and allowed: but more especially; 1. Idolatry. 2. Opposing of Reformation. 3. Heresie. 4. Inordinate love of the world. 5. Carnal confidence, all these are whordome [...], Adultery of the first magnitude.

Breifly now, 2 Quest. How comes the faithful City to be an Harlot? how comes it to pass that a people so neerly related to God, may become guilty of so great a wickedness?

For is there indeed such a thing in Scripture as falling away from grace, and the Divines of England would never let us know of it?

Is there indeed such a thing as the dissolution of the marriage knot between God and his people?

Surely no.

But 1. Answ. we are speaking here but of a visible Church, a peo­ple or kingdom in external Communion with God, a mixt mul­titude of professors, the major part whereof for want of root in themselves, (with the stony ground) may make a total and final Apostacy from the worship, truths, and commands of the living God, to Idolatry, Heresie, and Prophaness; and go a whoring from God, so as never to return to him again.

Formal and ungrounded profession is the road to final defecti­on and Apostacy.

2. Yea secondly, even of them who are living members of the invisible Church, who are betrothed unto Iesus Christ in an everlasting Covenant, even among these may be some, who for want of a discerning eye, of Spirituall watchfulness, may for a time, and in some degree, be carried away with the error of the wicked, Ephes, 4.14, [...] and by the cunning craftiness, (the sleight of hand or cheatry) of them that lie in wait to deceive, be carried down the stream and torrent of error and the Aposta­cy [Page 13]of the times. Oh, Christians had need of good eyes, and critical inspection and circumspection, to discern the fallacies and frauds of seducers, for want whereof they may be I say greatly, not unsetled only and troubled, but even ensnared and misled into dangerous principles and ways; but there is a Spirit of truth and love that acts and animates them (at the bottom) which shal preserve them from total and final Apo­stacy, and recover them to the acknowledgment of the truth, and into the chast and spouse-like embraces and obedience of their first Husband. Hose 2.8.

Ʋse.However the Contemplation of both these may be.

• 1. A Startling and an awakening Consideration to all Christi­an Magistrates and governours, to look about them that they do not suffer Churches and states under their hand to turn A­postate, and go a whoring from their God, as much as in them lies.
• 2. A Caution to all, in the words of the Apostle,
  1 Cor, 10, 12.
  He that thinketh he standeth, let him take heed lest he fall.

But I shal have more ful occasion to speak to both these in the fourth Doct. And therefore I shall leave this, and hasten in a word to the third Doctrine.

It was the condition of Israel here which the Prophet doth severely reprove and condemn; and this was not the first time they did so, was it not the complaint of the Prophets, Isa, 22, 12, 13. Isaiah, and Amos 6, 3, 4, 5, 6. Amos?

And last of all, Luk, 17, 26, Reasons. the complaint of the Lord of the Prophets, Iesus Christ himself?

What might the Reason be?

1. Surely, first there is desperate security at the bottom of it, people in this case do wilfully shut their eyes against the dis­coveries, and convictions of sin and wrath. They lie in a deep [Page 14]sleep of security, and take no notice how the things of their peace are passing by them. Luke 19, 42.

2. There is a mixture likewise of desperate unbeleif. Behold I work a work in your days which you wil not beleeve, though it be told you: Hab, 1, 5. people do harden their hearts against all the predictions and intimations of approaching ruin.

3. People do flatter themselves extreamly, with their pre­sent prosperity and deliverances. It was the Lullabie of this people here, as Interpreters observe; because garners were ful, and wine-fatts ran over; because they had great peace, and rich plenty, therefore they thought all was wel, As long as people heare not from God in thundring and lightning, they reckon themselves safe enough. Wil ye steal, murder, and com­mit adultery, Ier, 7, 9, 10. and swear falsly, and burn incense to Baal, and walk after other Gods whom ye know not, and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name, and say, we are delivered to do all these abominations?

Behold, theft, and murder, and adultery, and perjury, and Idolatry, all put upon the score of deliverances. Thou hast found the life of thy hand, Isa, 57, 10. therefore thou wast not greived. As long as people can live of themselves, they wil lay neither sin nor wrath to heart. Carnal minds take Gods silence for Gods consent, his patience for his approbation. these things hast thou done, Psa, 50, 21. and I kept silence, thou thoughtest that I was al­together such a one as thy self.

4. A fourth ground or cause of it, may be, trusting to outward Church-priviledges; placing confidence in the very being in external Covenant with God. Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit; Ier, 7, 10, vers, 4. what were they? why, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Tem­ple of the Lord are these.

Foolish people content themselves to hang on the outside of the Ark, and think that shal save them from wrath both pre­sent and to come. There is a dreadful Catalogue of sins brought in by the Prophet Micah, against the Rulers and Teachers of this people. They build Zion with bloud, and Jerusalem with ini­quity. The heads thereof judg for reward, and the Priests thereof teach for here, Mic, 3, 10, 11, and the Prophets thereof divine [Page 15]for money: horrid Apostacy! And could they hold up their heads under all these abominations? yes, as high as ever, and overlook and scorn all the threatnings of the true Prophets, no evil can come upon us; they may tel us strange tales to make us afrayd if they could, but we are safe enough, evil wil not, evil cannot come upon us; why? they lean upon the Lord, and say is not the Lord among us? Mark I beseech you, because they had yet the presence of the ordinances of God, they concluded they had also the presence of the God of the ordinances, and thus they deceived and cousen'd themselves.

Ʋse.Is not here more soul-humbling work for us? Lord what is man left to himself? But of this also in the next Doctrine, which is the fourth and last Doctrine.

Rejoyce not O Israel for joy as other nations for &c.

There is a two-fold ground of it.

• 1. In reference to their sin,
• 2. In reference to their danger.

There is no people under heaven that can sin as Israel sins; no people under heaven that can smart so for sin as Israel may smart.

first for their sin.

Israels sin hath more aggravation upon it then the sin of all the world besides.

There is a two-fold aggravation upon Israels sin, of which the sin of other nations is not capable.

• 1. An aggravation of light.
• 2. An aggravation of love.

Gods Israel sins against more light, and Gods Israel sins a­gainst more love, then all the earth besides.

First, Israel sins against more light, they know more then all the world knows.

1. Of God. God reveals more of himself unto his Church, Israel knows more God. [Page 16]then he doth to all the nations upon the earth. In Iudah is God known &c. Psa, 76, 1, 2. His attributes. They know more of his names and attributes then the rest of the world do, his name is great in Israel: his holyness, his justice, his mercy, his faithfulness, his omni­potence, his omnipresence, his omniscience &c. These he makes known to and in his Church, more then to any of, or all the nations in the world. God mentions it as an high favour unto Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob; I appeared unto them, by the name of God Almighty: an higher favour, that he made himself known to his seed by the name Iehovah: Exod, 6, 3. God shines forth in his Church in the brightness and deerness of all his glorious attributes: and this is an high aggravation of Israels sin and Apostacy. Howbeit then when ye knew not God, ye did service to them which by nature are no Gods. Gal, 4, 9. But now after that ye have known God, how turn ye again? &c. This was a defection for which there could be no Apology made: for if the knowledg of God by the book of the creature, where Gods name is to be spel'd out but by dark and broken Characters, be sufficient to leave the Gentiles [...] without Apo­logy or excuse, Rom, 1, 20, how much more wil that knowledg of God held forth so distinctly and fully in the Church, leave Israel without a word to speak for it self in the day of her Apostacy and revolt­ings from the Lord her God?

2. Israel hath more knowledg of Gods wil: His wil, Rom, 12, 2, Israel knows or may know what that good and acceptable and perfect wil of God is; Israel is the servant that knows his masters wil, if he do it not, this aggravates deeply.

3. Israel knows more of the evil of sin, The evil of sin Rom, 3, 20. Rom, 7. by the law is the knowledg of sin: yea the law makes sin appear exceeding sinful; the Gentiles scarce know what sin is, but in some very obscure and confused notions; and yet sin is sin in them, surely where it appears exceeding sinful, there it must needs be exceeding sin.

4. Israel knows more of Gods hatred of sin, Gods hatred of sin. Ier, 44, 4. how much his soul loaths it: oh! do not this abominable thing (saith God to Israel) which I hate. And therefore if Idolatry be a sin in the Gentiles, who think it to be a worship which God loves, what is it in Israel to whom God hath expresly sayd, my soul hates [Page 17]it? If any man draw back, draw back from my truths, draw back from my worship, draw back from my Commands, &c. my soul shal have no pleasure in him. Heb. 10, 38.

Now Israel to the attaining of this knowledg of God hath a three-fold advantage. Israel hath the book of the Word Psal, 19, 1. Verse 7, Ps, 147, 19, 20 Psal, 19, 7, 8.

1. Whereas other nations have but what knowledg the book of * works can dictate to them, Israel hath the book of the * word; He sheweth his word unto Iacob, his statutes and judg­ments unto Israel. And the testimony of the Lord is sure, ma­king wise the simple, the Commandement of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes. The word doth not only give light, but gives eyes too. He hath not dealt so with any nation. And if God hath not dealt so with any nation as with his Israel, in dispensing light, then can no nation deal so with God as Israel in sining against it.

2. A second advantage that Israel hath above nations to know God, is his works, his works of special Providence. The book of special Pro­vidence. In Iudah is God known, &c. how? by what mediums? Why, there brake he the arrows of the how, the sheild, the sword and the battel. All the power, Psal, 76, 3. and artillery of the enemys that came against his Church, though upon mighty advantage. There is more of God manifested in the goings forth of his pow­er and wisdom, for the preservation of his Church, and the ruin and destruction of the enemys thereof, then in all the world besides. So that in reference to this, the Psalmist sings, Psal, 31, 19. oh how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee, before the sonnes of men! what goodness? why his preserving goodness to his Church and people, Verse 20. thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man, thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion &c. Oh the ways of God in preserving and hiding his Church from the pride and power of men, are secret mysterious ways, which the world cannot discover.

3. And then the third and last Advantage is. The Spirit as an Interpreter. Israel hath an Interpreter (greater then one of a thousand) to expound both these books unto her, even the Spirit of God which the world knows not. We have received, 1 Cor, 2, 12. not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is of God, that we may know the [Page 18]things that are freely given unto us of God. And again eye hath not seen &c. i.e. the natural eye, Verse 9, 10. the natural eare &c. But God hath revealed them to us by the Spirit.

Indeed, the word expounds the works; and the works of God do interpret the word: it is a fine skil to make works and word face one another, and answer over one to another; but this cannot be done without an Interpreter, that is a secretioribus dei, Gods privy-Counceller; and that is the Spirit which the world knoweth not, and receiveth not; and therefore is both the book of the word, some fragments whereof the Gentiles light upon sometimes) and the book of the works a sealed book, which they cannot open, or not read, if they could open.

Now therefore the Church and people of God, having this three-fold advantage to a more cleer and ful discovery of God, and his wil, of sin and his hatred thereof, then all the world be­sides; Israels sin hath hereby an aggravation upon it, of which theirs is uncapable, an aggravation of light. If ye were blind ye should have no sin, Iohn 9.41. no sin Comparative: but now ye say, we see: therefore your sin remaineth, i.e. it remaineth inexcu­sable, it remains aggravated. And this is the first aggravation.

The second aggravation that Israels sin is Capable of, is

An aggravation of love, a manifold love.

First, Israel sins against Gods distinguishing, his separating love. Members of the Ʋisible Church, they sin against that love of God, which distinguish'd them from the rest of the Deut. 32, 7, 8 world, members of the invisible Church, they sin against that love which distinguish'd them from the rest of the Church; his electing-love, his Adopting-love, his effectually-calling-love: Oh this must needs go deep in sin: You only have I known of all the families of the earth. Amos 3, 2. i. e. Known with a Con­jugal distinguishing knowledg: I have known you of all the families of the earth; to distinguish you from all the families of the earth: this makes their sin become exceeding sinful; it is the other branch of the Apostles argument, Gal, 4, 9. or rather are known of God: Know God, there is their light; known of God, there is Gods love; his distinguishing love; sins against distinguish­ing love, are distinguishing sins.

2. Israel sins against his correcting love, which is allways [Page 19]managed with the wisedom and moderation of a father; In measure &c. And for profit, Isa, 27, 8. Heb, 12, 10. that we might be partakers of his holyness. The thought of sinning against this love melts down holy Ezra to the very bottom. And after all this is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass; Ezra 9, 13, 14 seeing thou our God hast punish't us, less then our iniquities deserve, should we again break thy Commandements? &c. And so it should do with every ingenuous heart.

3. Israel sins against Gods repenting-love. Psa. 106.45. He remembred for them his Covenant, and repented &c. Amos 7.3, 6. The Lord repented for the plague of grashoppers: And the Lord repented for the fire: Yea, how often is it repea­ted Ezek. 20. I lifted up my hand; i. e. as if he were fetching his blow to smite them, and to smite but once; or as if he had sworn their destruction; (lifting up of the hand signifies both;) But I wrought for my name, Ver. 14. Mine eye spared them from destroying them, Vers. 17. I withdrew my hand, Vers. 22. &c. Now brethren to see a God repenting over a people, and to see a people not repenting before their God; to see God repenting of the evil of punishment, and a people not repenting of the evil of sin; Gods repentings are Israels revivings, Ezra 9.8, and when he revives comforts to their spirits, for them to revive grief to his spirit, oh who can take the demensions of this ag­gravation?

4. Israel sins against Gods pardoning love; Mich, 7,18. He pardons the mixt multitude in the Church with a passing-by-pardon, a par­don of forbearance: he pardons his own in Covenant of grace with a blotting-out-pardon, a pardon of forgetfulness, I wil be merciful to their sins, and remember their iniquities no more: Ier, 31, 34. Psa, 78, 38. But he being ful of mercy forgave their iniquity: Oh now to sin against this love; while God is ful of mercy, for Israel to be ful of sin; God pardons and they sin, they sin and God pardons, and again pardons, and they again sin: [...] Multiplicabit ad parcendum. Isa, 55, 7. For God to add to multiply pardons, and they to add to multiply sin; for this indeed, rejoyce not, Oh Israel with joy as other nations, They, sin not against Gods pardoning love.

5. Israel sins against Gods parental love: Ier, 31, 20. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? Therest of the world sin but [Page 20]in the capacity of bastards, slaves, creatures at best: Ephra­im sins in the capacity of a child, a son, a dear son, a pleasant child; the child hath more cause to mourn and lament then the stranger: this is an aggravation that heaven and earth must hear of: Esa, 1, 2, Hear, O heavens; and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken; I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

6. Yea Israel all this while sins against Gods conjugal love: Turn, Ier, 3, 14, O back-sliding children, for I am married to you, saith the Lord. Behold a Father married to his Children; behold God stands to his Church in relation of both Father and Hus­band, and yet she rebels; hath any Nation such cause to mourn?

I could tell you moreover of

7. Gods protecting love:

8. His providing love, he provides like a Father, like an Husband for his Church and people, &c.

Against all which Israel sins: But I must hasten.

Consult in the second place the Danger, The danger of Israels sin. and that also will tell you Israel hath more cause to mourn for her adulterous departures from God, then any nation upon the earth.

What Danger?

Why Brethren, Israel playing the Harlot is in danger of God: jealousie. 2 Command. I the Lord thy God am a jealous God: other nations sinning are in danger of Gods anger, but Israel of Gods jealousie: And jealousie is the rage of a man, &. vt supra. Is it nothing, my Brethren, to have a God angry, yea even to Jealousie? Consider I beseech you:

Gods Jealousie is,

1. A stripping-jealousie; Ezek, 16, 38, I wil, judg thee as women that break wedlock, (saith God to adulterous Israel) how is that? Vers. 37. I wil discover thy nakedness to thy lovers, and they shall strip thee of thy clothes, and take away all thy jewels; all her Church-ornaments, all her Bride-glory and bravery, not only her silver and gold, peace and plenty, but Word and Sacraments &c. Alas! the Nations have none of these to lose.

2. It is a withdrawing-jealousie; the husband withdraws [Page 21]from the wife when he is jealous of her; and wo unto thee, saith God, when I depart from thee. Hose, 9, 12,

3. It is a divorcing-jealousie; a discovenanting-jealousie: God said here to this whorish people, Lo-ammi and Loruhamah, Hosea 1, 6, 9, not my people, not having obtained mercy: they discovenanted God, and God discovenanted them: they cast off God, and God, and God discovenanted them: they cast off God, and God cast off them.

Many more particulars might be added, but these must suffice.

And now tell me, I beseech you, hath not Israel, think ye, under whorish departures, more cause to mourn and lament then any people under heaven? Do any of the Nations sin against so much light? Do any of the Nations sin against so much love? Hath any Nation under heaven so much to forfeit by their sin as Israel hath? They may feel his wrath, but they are not liable to his jealousie. The Nations may lose their flax and their wool, their silver and their gold, but they have no Or­dinances to lose, they have no Gospel to lose, no Word, no Sa­crament to forfeit. The Nations have no God to lose, at least no God-a-father, no God-an-husband to lose: they may be unpeopled, but they cannot be unchurched: They may know what sword and famine is, but they cannot know what it is to be divorced. Rejoyce not, O Israel, for joy, &c.

I but Gentiles are capable of hell, are they not, and is there any state worse then that? Object.

1. We speak of Israel especially in reference to her Church-state and condition of which she is capable in this life. Answ.

2. If we speak of hell, Israel, that is the generality of the visible Church are in as much danger of that as the Gentiles: yea more; tribulation and anguish, Rom, 2, 8, 9. indignation and wrath to the Iew first, and also to the Gentile. Yea certainly a deeper place in Tophet is reserved for apostate Israel, then for the poor pur-blind Gentiles: when the Gentiles shal but swim upon the surface of that burning lake, Israel shal be sunk into the midst of those devouring flames: It shal be easier for Sodom and Go­morrah in the day of Judgment, then for Capernaum.

3. And lastly, Even the very Elect of God, Israel according to the spirit and promise, if they be defiled with the pollutions [Page 22]and whoredoms of the rest, and carryed down the stream of apostacy, whether in Doctrine or Conversation, it may cost them dear; God may put such a cup into their hand to drink; a cup of trembling and spiritual desertion, which, for a time, may be worse then all the plagues of Aegypt, and as it were the very skimmings of the bottomless pit.

ƲSE.First, It may inform us what an horrid and hateful sin Adul­tery is before God, in as much as of all sins, the wisdom of God hath made choyce of that sin for a type and metaphor of the great sin of apostacy from God, the greatest of sins next the sin against the Holy Ghost; and is not only a degree to it, but a spice of it: In all the bed-roll of sins there is none found vile enough to make a shadow or representation of departing from God, but this sin of whoredom, the fittest emblem for that pur­pose, in as much as it is a base and treacherous apostacy from the marriage-bed and the Covenant of God: for so is the adul­teress described: Prov, 2, 17. She forsaketh the guide of her youth, and for­getteth the Covenant of God. Oh, that as God hath set such a brand of abomination in the forehead of this sin, this peccatum non nominandum, this sin that should not be so much as named among Christians ( i. e. with complacency or delight, Ephes, 5, 3, there should not be so much as word-obscenity among Christians:) I say, oh that as God hath set his brand upon it, so Authority would set their brand upon it too, and make it as odious and formidable in the punishment, as it is and should be to us in its own nature! When the government was immediately in Gods hands, he punish't it with death; and why it should not be so in our polity, I know not: I am confident that law, as it hath been often propounded, so it had been long since established in this Kingdom, had not guilt and love of that abominable filthiness stood in the way.

But 2. Hence we have to confute that lewd opinion, that the Saints (according to the new stile, which all new o­pinions do write) need not mourn for sin, need not be hum­bled for, nor troubled with any sin, (if at lest they can sin) which is improved to that height, that conferring of sin and mourning for sin, is the greatest sin a Saint can be guilty of. [Page 23]When alas, the Spirit of God tels us here, that no people in the world have so much cause to mourn and lament for sin, as they have; and you have seen the Doctrine made good by Scripture grounds and demonstrations.

As for those that can wipe off all this with the jeer and blas­phemy of an old Testament Spirit, I dare be bold to say, and fear not the breach of charity in it, let them be who they wil, whether Teachers or Taught, Doctors, or Disciples, they be of the number of the Apostles Separatists Iude 18. mockers, walking after their own lusts, sensual, having not the Spirit; they have not the Spirit, neither old-Testament-Spirit, nor new-Testament-Spirit; for it was but one and the same Spi­rit of God that dictated both Testaments to the pen-men there­of: all Scripture is [...] given by inspiration, 2 Tim, 3, 16, the breath­ing of God, even the old as wel as the new. For Prophesie came not of old time by the wil of man, but holy men of God spake as they were inspired by the holy Ghost. As for them that can wipe out an whole Testament of divine truth, 2 Pet, 1, 21, with a wet finger (without which the other may wel suffer a deleatur also) the punishment of their blasphemy, is Prophesied before hand (without repentance) God shal blot out their name out of the book of life. Rev, 22, 19,

I should talk more with these men, who thus boldly and blas­phemously deny humiliation for sin, but that it would keep us too long from the work it self, (which is the work of the day) and the

Third Ʋse.An use for humiliation. 3. Ʋse. Hunuliation,

Have not the Prophets of England as much cause to cry in the eares, not of this Congregation only, Englands Whoredoms. 1. All sin, and the im­provements thereof, whoredom, drunkenness, swearing, Sab­bath propha­nation. but of the whole na­tion: Rejoyce not oh England for joy as other people, for thou hast gon a whoring from thy God? Surely they have: witness first, not only the continuance but the monstrous improvement of all manner of sin among us; whoredom and drunkeness, and swearing, and Sabbath breaking, and all kinds of propha­ness is broken in upon us like another deluge; and a worse de­luge then that of water: for better it is a thousand times better to see a people lie drown'd in waters, then to see a people lie [Page 24]drown'd in sin; yea better to see a people lie weltring in their blood, then to behold them lie wallowing in their lusts.

Did the pride of Israel testifie to his face, and doth not the pride of England testifie to its face? Pride of Men Surely it testifies to the faces of men in that gallantry and bravery, sumptuousness and gaudiness of apparrel, that scurrility of hair, (I may truly call it) loftiness and wantonness of gesture, and that in these sad times of Jacob-troubles, that England never equall'd in her most peaceable and prosperous days: I say it testifies to the faces of men: Women. And it testifies in the faces of our women, the Gentry and Ladies of our times. I cannot say they are Black-Mores or Ethiopians, Ier, 13, 23. for they can change their skins, they can change their skins by painting; but I may justifiably cal them Leopards, for they wil not change their Spotts: Spotted beasts they are, and are not afrayd to come with their Spotts into the Congre­gations of God: yea to bring them to these days of solemn humi­liation, wherein they should rather come Sprinckled with ashes, and girded with Sackcloth; Surely as an ancient Divine was wont to say, they cannot expect that God should know them, they do so un-make themselves from what he made them: and if God shal say to them hereafter, depart from me I know ye not, (these are not the faces which I made) they are undone for ever; Interim, God may in a just judgment smite them with a Spot that cannot indeed be changed, or healed with all the art of the Physitian; and rend their faces and skins with an in­cureable scab, as they now rend their faces with painting. It is threatned by a God able to make his Word good, for this sin of pride, Isa. 3.17. Therefore the Lord wil smite with a scab, the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts. And what shal we say for other sins, doth not robbery and oppression, cruelty and injustice cry in the ears of the Lord of Sabbath! Iames 5, 4.

Surely there is such an increase of all manner of sin and pro­phaness as if the windows of hell were opened, and the flood­gates of the bottomless pit were pull'd up; hell it self broke loose. But alas! if we look upon those sins which more properly and peculiarly are branded in the shoulder with the mark of whore­dom: How may we take up the Prophet Isaiah's lamentation, [Page 25]and wonder, How is the faithful City, the faithful Kingdom, become an harlot? Isa. 1.21.

She that was accounted the chastest among the Churches, for fidelity to the worship and doctrine of the Lord Jesus, how is she degenerated into an Adulteress!

For 1. is there not Idolatry found among us? Ye have pul'd down Idols in the Churches, Idolatry. (and ye have done wel) but oh, Idols are multiplyed in the Land; every mans opinion is be­come his idol which he adores and worships with highest ve­neration: we have cause to be humbled for our old Popery, and our old Popish Ceremonies; (You our Honourable Senators told us so once in an Ordinance of Parliament, and ye did wel) but Popery was but one way of false worship: There be a ge­neration of men in the Land that stand up for all kinds of false worship; that every man may worship God after his own consci­ence; or if they wil not own it in words at length, they wil have it in figures: And if they may not, are ready, not only to cry, but to act persecution, and that to purpose: for while they cry persecution, gladio oris, they are ready to act persecu­tion, ore gladij: I pray God it may never be Eng­lish'd.

In the second place, Is there any thing refused and opposed so much as Reformation? Opposing of Reformation. Oh that Popery were so much op­pos'd as Reformation! Oh that Blasphemies were so much op­pos'd as Reformation! Oh that Antichristianism and Atheism were so much oppos'd as Reformation! Happy we then. Would ye know when all these abominations are broke out in England? Oh it is in a time of Reformation! In a time of the breaking out of Gospel-light and liberty; such as the world never saw since it was Christian. In a time when we had sworn our selves to God by Covenant to extirpate Popery, Prelacy, Superstition, Heresie, Schism, Prophaness, and whatsoever shal be found to be contrary to sound doctrine and the power of god­liness. Alas we run in such a contrary motion that a man might almost think there was a word in the Covenant mis-prin­ted, and the next errata should bid the Reader read establish in stead of extirpate. Oh! God may say of us, when I would have healed England, then the iniquity thereof was discovered! [Page 26]England was never so bad as in a time of a Reforma­tion.

Witness thirdly, Heresies. the numerous and numberless increase of errors and heterodox opinions even to blasphemy among us.

Heresies even [...]o blasphemie.The world once wondered to see it self turn'd Arrian: Eng­land may wonder to see it self turn'd Anabaptist, Antinomian, Arminian, Socinian, Arrian, Anti-trinitarian, Anti-scrip­turist, what not! Alas! what were Ceremonies to these things, but (as Calvin once call'd them tollerabiles ineptia, childrens sport in comparison, how much less an evil was it (think ye) to bow at the Name of Jesus, then to deny, to blas­pheme the Name of Jesus? 2 Pet. 2.1.

If any man shal demand a proof of these things, I shal say nothing else but this, that is to be feared that man himself is a proof, Hereticorum est omnia dubitare, Arnobius. It is the trick of Hereticks to beleeve nothing, no not that there is such a thing as Heresie. Oh England! Is this of thy whoredoms a smal thing! that thou should'st sell the pretious truths of Jesus Christ so cheap which our fathers and we our selves, yea the Lord Jesus Christ bought so dear, even at the price of blood!

As for covetousness and worldliness, Coveteous­ness. alas it is death to consi­der after a little suspension of trading and straitning of our e­states, a little blood-let in our superfluous abundance, whereby God would have taught us that lesson, that riches have wings and fly away; Prov. 23.5. and thereby would have weaned our hearts from the world, and have winged our affections for an higher flight, even the pursuit of more excellent treasures, the things above: I say it is death to see and consider on the contrary how people do with the Israelites (after they had fasted an whole day) fly upon the spoil, and eat with the very blood running about their lips, the blood of the widdow, the fatherless and oppressed! What feathering of nests, what heaping of preferments and places: What scraping for the world, as if the dust thereof would not serve every man for an handful! What enriching of menselves upon the poverty of the Kingdom? What build­ing (as of old) houses with blood, and raising of families with oppression?

And can all this go without creature-trust and carnal conf­idence? Carnal confi­dence. Wo unto us for surely we make flesh our arm, and our heart is departed from the living God; we have made any thing our God but God. Alas Fathers and Brethren, my spirit doth fail me in relating these things! Did I ever think I should have had occasion to have made such sad complaints in England of England? Who could have beleeved that England could so soon have made an Apostacy from her God! Who could have beleeved that England could have so soon forgotten her Bride­groom the Lord Jesus Christ? Especially having so lately re-espoused her self unto him by Solemn Covenant! Jer. 2.12, 13. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, Jer. 2.12, 13. and be ye horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord: For England, Gods people, the spouse of Iesus Christ, hath committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water. Vers 10. Vers. 10. Pass over the Isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing. So may I say, go over to Spain and France and Rome: Yea pass ye over to Constantinople and Aegypt, &c. Have any of these Nations changed their religion which was no religion; and forsaken their gods which were no gods? But England hath changed her glory for that which doth not profit. These are some of the whoredoms that are found in England, but what are the aggra­vations?

Aggravations of Englands Whordomes.Are Israels whoredoms ours, and are not Israels aggravations ours too? Yes, Israels aggravations are aggravated among us.

Did Israel sin against more light then the Nations? England sins against more light then Israel: Light excee­ding Israels light. Gospel-light doth as much exceed that of the Law as the light of the Sun doth the light of the Moon, as the light of seven days exceeds the light of one. They saw in types, and vails, and curtains; Isa 30.26. 2 Cor. 3.13. Heb. 10.1. 2 Cor. 3, 18. so that they could not see things for shadows: We see with open face the glory of the Lord. It is eminently observable, look with what expres­sions the Apostle doth commend and celebrate the vision of glory above the vision of the Gospel, 1 Cor. 13.12. In the very same language doth he commend the vision of the Gospel above the vision of the Law, in this 2 Cor. 3.18. Doth not this aggra­vate [Page 28]their aggravation of light? I am sure above all this we have one book which they had not, the Book of the Revelations, where­in specially the whoredoms and plagues of the Antichristian state are clearly discovered; that so Gods people might come out of her, Rev. 18.4. & the spirit of God, the Interpreter of al Gods works and Gods Word, Ioel 2, 28. poured out in greater abundance to expound his riddles. Again, did Israel sin against greater love then other Na­tions, and doth not England sin against greater love then Israel? Love exceeding Israels love.

Surely there be two kinds of love which Israel had not, at lest not in such a revelation of them as we have: And they are, 1. Gods- Christ-giving-love. 2. His- glory, his Heaven-giving-love.

Alas Christ and Heaven were but obscure notions, dark riddles among them, hardly understood of one of ten thousand among them, unless it were their Heroes, the Patriarchs and Prophets: and yet even of them, says our Lord Iesus, He that is least in the Kingdom of heaven, i. e. in the Gospel, Mat. 11, 11. is grea­ter then He that was greater then the greatest of them, then John the Baptist, sc. in regard of the full and cleer discovery of Christ and glory. Alas, an earthly Canaan and a temporal Messiah, one that should king it over them in terrene state and greatness, was the top of their ambition (witness the very Disciples themselves, Acts 1.6. even when Christ was ascending to take possession of his heavenly Kingdom): As for a saviour of souls and a Kingdom of eternal glory, these were things which few of them could hardly spell out; but clearly and with open face revealed to us in the Gospel. Life and im­mortality are brought to light in the Gospel. 2 Tim, 1, 10. Englands danger for her adulteries And to be guilty of all these treacherous departures from God and Christ under such a glorious revelation of Light and Love, what may we expect; But even that the jealousie of the Lord should break forth like a devouring fire (and I pray God it be not already kindled) which shal burn down to the very foundations of the Land: Even,

1. A stripping-jealousie that shal strip us not only of our corn and wine, but of Word and Sacraments, even of all our Gospel-ordinances, and turn our garden of Eden into a desolate wilderness.

2. His withdrawing-jealousie; that God shal say of Eng­land as once of Israel, Ier. 12.7. I have forsaken mine house: I have left mine heritage: I have given the dearly beloved of [Page 29]my soul into the hand of her enemies.

3. His divorcing-discovenanting-jealousie; that God should call England, as once he did Israel, Lo-ammi and Loru­hamah: and cast us out of his house and out of his presence for ever. 1 Thes, 2, 16. You see the wrath which he threatned upon Israel and Judah, he hath poured it out to the uttermost: What he spake with his mouth, he hath fulfilled it with his hand, as at this day.

But let me tel you this, when ever the Lord shal enter into con­troversie with England for her whoredoms, the furnace will be heated seven times hotter then it was for Israel: the judg­ment wil be much more intolerable on us then it was on them: By how much our light and our love hath been more transcen­dent then Israels, by so much wil our condemnation be greater. Oh for an England, a people that have been clothed with scarlet, and adorned with jewels to be strip'd naked as in the day wherein she was born! For a people that have known the joy­ful sound and have walked in the light of Gods countenance all the day along, that have sate (as it were) in the bosome and embraces of the Lord Iesus, for God now to be a stranger in their land, and as a way-faring man that turns in but for a night: For a people that have sat at the top of heaven in Gospel-vision, to be cast down to hell into a kind of utter darkness! For a people that have been in the bed of divine loves; feasted at Gods table, sate as a Queen in the Pallaces of Ivory, to come to be divorc'd, kickt out of doors, and a Cains mark (as it were) set upon them to wander up and down, to be a shame and a Curse and a Proverb among the Nations, as it is with Israel at this day: The tongue of man is not able to express, the heart of man is not able to conceive the misery and anguish of such a condition. Prognosticks of dicovenan­ting wrath. Gentiles and Pagans are not capable of such a judg­ment as this is.

Truly there be many sad fore-runners and Prognosticks of this approaching jealousie amongst us: scil. 1. Taking off of our wheels Exo, 14, 24, 25

1. God begins to trouble us; our wheels seem to be taken off; we drive heavily: In all our motions we drive heavily, and ye know when it was so with the Aegyptians, wrath was neer. 2. Contempt.

2. God hath poured out contempt upon us; the Lord make us sensible of it: unspeakable contempt upon the Parliament: [Page 30]Contempt upon the faithful Ministry of the Land: Contempt upon the City: Contempt upon the whole Kingdom: England once not only a terrour among the Nations, but the glory of all the Churches; now the shame of Christendom and the scorn of al the world: Ier, 2, 16. It was one of the fore runners of old Israels rejecti­on and divorce.

3. A Spirit of division and confusion let loose upon as, Councels divided, 3. Division. Divide & im­pera, An hous divi­ded cannot stand. and Ministers divided, City divided, and Kingdom divided: not one limb hardly hanging to another, the envious man hath done this; through the wrath of the Lord the Jesuit and the Divel have almost attained their design so that without infinit mercy we are like water spilt upon the ground that cannot be gathered up again, we are broken all to pieces.

4. All the four great plagues and judgments threaten us, 4. Gods four sore judg­ments. Ezek, 14, 21. sword, plague, famine, and euil beasts.

5. Yea that which is a thousand times worse, God seene to be departed from the ordinances: the conuerting presence of God is gon from the word, It was the sad emblem and symptom of Gods departure from Israel. 5 God departed from the ordi­nances. Ezek, 10, 4. Chap, 11, 23. Ezek. 10.4. The glory of God fil'd the house, but God was upon the threshold; And the next news we heare of him, he was upon the Moun­tains: It is sad and ominous when God begins to recede by de­grees from a people or person.

6. The power of godlines is departed from the generality of pro­fessors. 6. The power of godliness is gone. Alas that savour & sweetness, that life and activity, which was wont to be in the people of God and in their Christian mee­tings, wherein they did admonish, and comfort, and exhort, and strengthen one another in the Lord their God, comparing their evidences, and communicating their experiences, praying with, and praying for one another; alas where are these things to be found? is not this a sad fore-boding of Gods jealousy.

7. Spiritual plagues.7. And then in the last place: Spiritual plagues begin to succeed and overtake temporal judgments. Unbeleif hardness of heart, contempt of the word and ordinances, mocking of the messengers of God &c. When so it was in Israel, the text tels us, there was no remedy: a Spirit of delusions to beleeve lies; and that which is the perfection of all, 2 Chron, 36, 16 2 Thes, 2, 10, a Spirit of slumber, a deep sleep of security doth possess us: who is there that fears [Page 31]and trembles? who is there that takes notice of these things to lay them to heart: the whole nation is a sleep with the king­dom on sire about their eares. Wel Honorable, Is, 42, 1. and Beloved Christians, this is our estate; I may say to you as Iosiah did once to Isaiah: Enquire of the Lord for us, for great is the wrath of the Lord that is gon out against us. What is to be done?

1. Why rejoyce not O England i. e. Weep and mourn, it is the work we are about this day, O that we would do it to purpose. O that this day we could do as Israel did, 1 Sam, 7, 6. draw wa­ter and powre it out before the Lord. O that we could make the place where we are a Bachim: And oh that the Lord would powre out upon us a Spirit of grace and supplication, that we might look upon him whom we have pierced and mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only sonne, Zech, 12, 10, and be in bitter­ness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born. We have trflied with God in these days of publick Humilia­tion, so that we may fear he takes them us more with good wil at our hands. Mal, 2, 13, Truly we may fear lest our solemn humiliations be not become solemn provocations, and our very prayers turned into sin. Our fasts have not bin altogether so good as Israels bul­rush humiliations: Isa. 58.5. We are impatient of bowing down our heads for a day. O let us cry mightily to God, and with Ia­cob-like importunity, resolve not to let him go, til be bless us

2. Yea secondly, let us mourn in secret as Ieremiah did. I sate not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoyced; I sate a­lone because of thy hand, for thou hast filledme with indigna­tion. O that God would teach us to make good that Prophe­sy, surely it hath an eye to Gospel-times. Zech. 12.11, 12 13, 14. In that day shal there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shal mourn, every family apart, the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apars: The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart: All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. The fa­mily of the house of David: i. e. the royal family, the house of the Prince. The family of the house of Nathan: i. e. the [Page 32] Prophets families. The family of the house of Levi, i. e. the Preists families: the family of the house of Shimei, i. e. the families of private men in their several callings. O that God would indeed poure out from on high such a Spirit upon Eng­land; that the King and Queen, might humble themselves, sit down, Ier, 13, 18. and lie in the dust before the Lord; that the Princes and Nobles, Magistrates and Ministers, with the whole people of the land, from the highest to the lowest, would humble themselves greatly before the Lord, and cry mightily to him; every family apart, and their wives apart; who knows whether the Lord might not repent of the fiereness of his wrath, Ioel 2, 14. and return and leave a blessing behind him?

3. Labour to possess a mourning frame of Spirit, take heed of letting out your hearts to take your fill of creature-comforts: take heed how you give up your selves to carnal mirth and re­joycing: It was Israels sin here in the text, and a posture ill becoming a people that have gone a whoring from their God.

It is a sin at any time to feed our selves without fear, much more when God is angry. Jude 12. It was a seasonable and severe check God by the Prophet Ezekiel gave unto the unseasonable mirth of that besotted people. Ezek. 21.9, 10. Thus saith the Lord, say a sword, a sword is sharpned and also fourbished, it is sharp to make a sore slaughter, it is fourbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? And I could wish that (as Jerome sayd of his surgite mortui &c. so) this voyce might sound continually in our eares; to check and restrain our vain and unseasonable rejoycings in the creature, yea in our sins: for what doth the Lord require at our hands but to do just­ly and love mercy, Mich, 6, 8. and walk humbly with our God? Else wicked 1 King 21, 27. Ahab and heathen Ionah 3, 5, to the end. Nineveh shal rise up in judg­ment with this generation and shal condemn it. The Lord a­waken us, and teach us to behave our selves as a people whose God is angry, angry even to jealousy, & to know in this our day the things which belong to our peace before they be hid from our eyes.

2. Ʋse, Exhortation. Ʋse, Exhor­tation.There is a word of Exhortation behind, and I beseech you suffer it.

First. to you Honorable and Noble Patriots, 1. Branch. to the Honora­ble Parliament. who are cal­led to be the Reformers, and Healers of a poor broken king­dome, I would humbly move these 2. things.

First, that you would exert that power and authority which God hath given you, to the punishing and suppressing of the A­dulteries and whoredoms of the land, which do stare heaven and earth in the face, and do provoke the jealousy of God, even to give England a bil of divorce and put us away: arise I say, oh ye Rulers and Governors of England, Psa, 45, 4, gird your sword upon your thigh, and ride on prosperously because of truth and righte­ousness, and let your right hand teach you terrible things. You know what Phineas did in the case of Corporal whoredom, committed in the face of God and the Congregation. Psa, 106, 30, Then stood up Phineas and executed vengeance or judgment; and you remember how wel the Lord took it at his hands: The plague was stayed, and it was imputed to him for righteousness; 31, Oh that the Spirit of Phineas may come upon you; that you may sheath your sword in the bowels of these monstrous whoredoms of all sorts, Corporal and Spiritual, which are committed in the sight of all Israel, yea in the sight of all the Churches round about us: that the blessing of Phineas may come upon you, and the plague may be stayed.

Doth not indeed the punishing and suppressing of Spiritual whoredoms against God, Idolatry, Heresie, Blasphemie, and the rest: doth it not belong unto you, as welas the punishing of bodily whoredoms, theft, murder &c.? Doth it indeed belong to you only to look to the Civil peace, and to let Reli­gion, and truth, and the worship of God, stand or fall to their own master? fight God, fight Divel, fight Christ, fight An­tichrist; catch that catch can; you have nothing to do but to stand by, and look on! Say so then; speak out, publish it in your declarations to the world, and let the people of England know, that it is the right and liberty, to which the subjects of England are born, that every man hold what he please, and publish and preach what he holds: that it is the birth-right (as some would have it) of the free-born people of England, every man to worship God according to his own Conscience; and to be of what religion his own Conscience shal dictate: [Page 34]do so, and see (fathers and brethren) how long your Civil peace wil secure you, when religion is destroyed; how long it wil be ere your Civil peace, be turned into Civil war! for no doubt if this once be granted them, but they may in good time come to know also (there be them that are instructing them, even in these principles too) that it is their birth-right to be freed from the power of Parliaments, and from the power of Kings; and to take up arms against both, when they shal not vote and act according to their humours: Liberty of Consci­ence (falsly so called) may in good time, improve it self into liberty of estates, and liberty of houses, and liberty of wives, and in a word, liberty of perdition, of soules and bodies.

Right Honorable, and worthy Gentlemen: I cannot stand to dispute, this only would I know of you; are Idolaters and Heretiques, and Blasphemers and Seducers, are they evil doers? if so, then look to your Charge. Rom. 13.3, 4. Ru­lers must be a terror to evil doers, unless ye mean to bear the Sword in vain. verse 4. And if you wil, God wil not; and if God take the Sword into his own hand once (as he seems to be a do­ing of it) he wil smite to purpose; he wil execute vengeance throughly: both upon the evil doers, and upon you that have not bin a terror to them. Oh therefore up and be doing, that you may deliver the kingdom out of the hand of the Lord; for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb, 10, 31. O let not your patience (I hope it is no more all this while) be interpreted a Connivence, and your Connivence be taken for a tolleration, it may be the kingdoms ruin, but it wil be your sin.

2. As you should punish the whoredoms of the land, so I humbly call upon you in the name of the Lord this day, that you would awaken and stir up your selves, to prevent the further whorish departures of this our Israel from the Lord.

And that first, by setting up your government, do it, I be­seech you, and do it to purpose; do it, and do it so, as it may be able to answer the ends for which you set it up. That it may not be mock't out, by prophane persons on one hand, nor by Sectaries on the other, (as it is at this day) fill your govern­ment (if you are in good earnest) with a life and soul, power [Page 35]and strength: whereby it shal be able to act, as wel as to speak.

And Secondly, prevent the further departure of the land from God, by keeping out Seducers: those Seducing, Malig­nant, Popish, Prelatical Priests, whom you have cast out: who have bin one great cause of the Apostacy of England. The sins of the teachers, have bin the teachers of sin; they are the men who (with Hananiah and Zedekeah) have taught rebel­lion against the Lord.

Certainly, if ye did wel in putting of them out, ye wil do extreamly ill in taking of them in again. Hath the Kings ar­my bettered them? hath Oxford changed their principles? I call heaven and earth to witness this day, that if ye suffer them to recover their stations again, or who ever of you shal for fa­vor, reward, relation, or any other respects whatsoever, use your interest to re-invest them again into their places, Gal, 2, 18. you destroy what ye have builded, and wil be found transgressors: and translate the bloud of poor souls upon your own heads.

Wel, strengthen your hands (Honorable and much Honored Patriots) strengthen your hands in God, thus to suppress and prevent the Adulteries and whoredoms of the land.

If you shal not; give me leave to tel you ye wil bring a six-fold aggravation upon your neglect. Aggravations.

First, All the Sermons which have bin preacht before you, and by your command, have bin publisht to all the world, 1. Sermons. wil rise up in judgment against you: for they wil testify to the pre­sent and to after ages, to the coming of Christ, and in that day, that you have had Prophets among you, who have not seen false visions and causes of banishment: Lam, 2, 14. but have dealt faith­fully with you, Acts 20.27. in declaring unto you the whole Councell of God.

2. All the blessed and glorious opportunities lost: when the poor kingdom neer giving up the Ghost, 2. Opportunities shal groan out her last complaints thus; the harvest is past, Iet, 8, 10. the summer is ended, and we are not saved. What opportunities?

Why, 1. rare abilities and parts, both of learning, and grace among your selves. I dare say a riper harvest was never gathered into those walls.

2. Strange and excellent impressions many times upon your Spirits.

3. Ʋictorious armies subduing and conquering the kingdom before you.

4. A Ministry, neither ignorant, nor unfaithful, nor dri­ving their own interests, to serve you; to bring in the hearts of the people to you, which (till some taught them otherwise) they did, with such success, that;

5. Your interest in the affections of the Subjects was such, that you commanded their purses and their persons, their lively-hoods and their lives, with as much freedom as ye did the wives of your bosoms, or your hired ser­vants. Oh that is were with you as in the days of old!

6. The prayers of all the faithful at home, and of all the Churches abroad; which were round about you as an army of banners. Oh, to have all these come in against you, wil be an Aggravation indeed.

3. So wil (in the next place) the deep obligations which God hath laid upon you: 3. Obligations from God. your plenty, peace, preservations, even miraculous, both Publique and personal; I hope you have not forgot them. Admirable successes in your own king­dom: seasonable and honorable assistance from the neigh­bouring kingdom of Scotland, in a brotherly league and Co­venant with you. Your malignant neighbours abroad, God hath found them Work of their own, that they have not bin able to disturb you: nor hath he suffered the Plague at home in seven Summers together to scatter you. There hath not an hair of your heads fallen to the ground. Are these smal things in your eyes? 4. Self engage­ments. Surely they cannot.

4. What say ye to the Engagements which you have layd upon your own soules, by your enquiry at Gods oracles; De­clarations, Sacraments, vows, the Solemn league and Co­venant! Oh wilnot these speak lowd in Gods eares? I, and in your eares one day, in case of neglect.

5. Iustice exe­cuted on de­linquents.5. The judgment of God executed by you upon offenders, for their delinquencies against the state, against religion: I should be sorry, their bloud should ever cry against you. Yet I must tel you, Jehu carryed the matter so in destroying the [Page 37]house of Ahab, (though God commanded it) that while Jehu writes Justice, God writes down murder. I wil avenge the bloud of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu. Hosea 1, 4. Jeroboam rescues ten tribes and an half out of the Tyranny of Rehoboam, and then betrays them to Idolatry: he sins, and makes Israel to sin. Amaziah destroys the Edomites for their Idolatry, and then worships their Idols. 2 Chro, 25, 14. In all these you shal find, it was not love of justice, that did edg their sword, but self-interests: Refor­mation was not indeed their end, but the setting up of them­selves upon the ruin of an opposite party: so dangerous a thing is it to dally with God.

6. And lastly, What say ye to your prayers, 6. Prayers. and in special to your late day of Humiliation for the spreading of Heresies and Blasphemies, in Print now to all the world? Wil ye fast for Heresies and spare them when ye have done? Wil ye humble your selves for Blasphemies against God and Christ and the whole blessed Trinity, and suffer men to blaspheme on? What wil this be when it is interpreted? Surely though fear may make men mince it at home, the Churches abroad wil not be afraid to call it hypocrisie and mocking of God.

And be not deceived, saith the Apostle, God is not mocked: Not mocked? What is that? That is, 1. Not undiscovered: Gal, 6, 7. There is neither clouds nor darkness wherein treachery or pre­varication can hide it self from the piercing eye of God: There is no imposing upon the Almighty.

And 2. God is not mocked impune: No man shal mock God and scape scot-free: What a man sows that shal he reap; it is the Apostles own exposition of the place.

Fathers and Brethren, let me not be mistaken; I come not this day as your Accuser, but as your humble remembrancer: I am jealous over you with a godly jealousie; the Lord knows you are dearer to me then that blood which runs next my heart; and might it do Christ and you any service, I could (I hope) as freely sacrifice it, as eat my bread when I am hungry.

I know you have had many obstructions and hinderances; But now I beseech ye, gird up the loyns of your mind; set your selves, with all your counsel and strength, to the staying and stop­ing of the grievous apostacy and whorish departure from God in [Page 38]the Kingdom, and to reducing of it back again to the Commands, Worship, Truths and Government of the Lord Iesus: Conclude this with your selves, there is no work lies upon your hands of such concemment as this: And for your encouragement know, that though your troubles and distractions be great; yet you have a mighty God to stand by you, who hath promised that Jerusalem shal be built, and the wall shal be raised, Dan. 9 25. even in troublous times. It relates as wel to Gospel-Reformation, as to the full and final return of the Jews: and the Lord make it good to you, and by you.

2 Branch of Exbortation to Ministers.I would speak a word in the second place to the faith­ful Ministry of England.

Do you set your selves (with the Prophets of old) to the bringing back of this poor Kingdom so fearfully gone a who­ring from God: To that end,

1. Take heed of healing the hurt of the daughter of this peo­ple sleightly, by crying peace, peace, where there is no peace: Take heed of daubing with untempered morter: Take heed of false visions and causes of banishment: but be faithful in dis­covering the iniquities and whoredoms of the Land. If they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, Ior, 23, 22. then they should have turned my people from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Behold this is the way to save the Land, speak while ye may speak; and I pray God it be not ultimus singultus morientis libertatis.

2. Stand in the gap with Moses, plead with Elijah, pray and cry with Jeremy: God hath not yet said to us, pray not for this people, if he had; surely (with reverence be it spoken) we should not beleeve him: Jeremy would not; but even af­ter the Lord had enjoyned him silence, Ier, 14, 11. pray not for this people, he is at his intercessions again and again, in the 13.19, 20, 21, 22. Verses, and all over his Prophesie. Oh therefore, Ye that make mention of the Lord, ye that are the Lords remembran­cers (by special office and designement) give him no rest till he establish and make this our Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Thirdly and lastly, 3 Branch of Exhortat. to all Here is a word of Exhortation to all the people of the Land; and that in the language of the Apostle: [Page 39] Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, Heb, 3, 12, in departing from the living God.

In departing from the living God, in his

• Truths.
• Worship.
• Commands.
• Promises.

But in all these respects let us say with repenting, retur­ning Israel: I wil go and return to my first husband, for then it was better with me then it is now.

And for the encouragement of

• Parliament.
• Ministers.
• People.

let me remember you of that gracious invitation and promise: They say, if a man put away his wife, and she go from him, Ier, 3, 1. and become another mans, shal not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return unto me, saith the Lord. There is much treasure in the place, but the summa totalis is this; God wil accept of a returning people or person upon those terms that the dearest husband in the world wil not. It is very observable that when Christ was with­drawn from the spouse, Cant. 2.17. she cries but once to him, Turn my beloved; but when she was gone from him, he cries four times return to her, Chap. 6.13. Return, return, O Shu­lamite, return, return: Christ is four times as desirous and glad of our return to him, as we are or can be of his return to us: The Lord speak effectually to us, that we may know, and all the Churches may know that he is the Lord God, 2 Kings 18, 37 and that he hath turned our heart back again. Amen.