An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth, & tenth chapters of the prophesy of Hosea being first delivered in several lectures at Michaels Cornhil, London / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being the seventh book published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]

They set up Kings,* 1.1 but not by me

Some think that this hath reference to the chusing of Kings at first, because that they did it without Gods War∣rant when they chose a King to themselves at first, and so they have set up Kings but not by me.* 1.2 But I rather think that this hath reference to Jeroboam and his successors, they set up Jeroboam and his successors, and not by God. This you will say, is very strange, for it is cleer in Scripture that it was from God that Jeroboam should be King, and that the ten Tribes should be rent from Solomons posterity for the punishment of Solomons sin, it was prophesied of by Ahijah the Shilonite, 1 King 11. 29, 30, 31. the Pro∣phet came to Jeroboam, and ren•• the Garment of Jeroboam in twelve pieces, and said to him, Take thee ten pie••es: for thus saith the Lord the God of Israel; Behold, I will rent the Kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten Tribes to thee. The Lord sent his Prophet to tell him expresly, that he would rent ten Tribes from the house of Solomon,

to give them to him; and yet here it is said, That they have set up Kings, but not by me. Again in the 10. chap. and 15. ver. Rehoboam hearkened not unto the people: for the Cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilomite unto Jeroboam the Son of Nebat. It was from the Lord that Rehoboam gave such a churlish answer, was from the Lord that he was left to such a Ty∣rannical, cruel spirit, that the Lord might fulfil the word that he had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite.

Abulensis thinks that the ten Tribes for the matter of the thing did no more than they might do, and he gives this reason,* 1.3 for saith he, the people, these Tribes were free Tribes, but Rehoboam would bring them into slavery, and he would reign over them as a Tyrant, therefore (saith he) they might lawfully depart from him and leave him, and make to themselves a new King; and then he puts the Cause, viz. for that a people or Common-wealth (saith he) they first gave the power to Kings and Princes, but they did it upon certain conditions at first, therefore as they first gave power unto them so saith he they may dimi∣nish it if they abuse it and Tyrannize over them, for (he hath this further expression) the people did not absolutely give themselves to him, when a people do chuse a chief Governor saith he they do not give themselves to them as a man gives to his friend a piece of money, or a horse, so as they give all out of their own possession, and that he might do with them what he will, but upon certain conditions thus and thus: this Abulensis hath.

Now though I do not altogether approve of what he hath said, because at least the case between People and

Princes now is different from what it was; then God cha∣lenged a peculiar Prerogative over them for tendering their Government, yet thus far in Divinity is true; There is more reason that people should now have more power to cast off Tyranny than there was, because now none comes * 1.4 to Government over others but by* 1.5 Agreement, therefore if the Agreement and Law of the Country be that they shall be elect and not haereditary, they are so: if that the males shall only inherit, he shall only inherit: and so if the Law of the Country were for delivering themselves from tyranny, so far certainly God allows it in His Word.

But now to answer the Case more cleerly,* 1.6 They set up Kings, but not by me; though GOD had foretold that the ten Tribes should be rent away from the house of David, and that Jeroboam should be set up, yet they did not do this thing in a lawful way as they ought, for they should have consulted with God about the time and man∣ner of it when God would have it done; it was not e∣nough that God did fortell it should be done, but when they did it they ought to have done it in a way of consul∣ting with God, and they ought to have been ordered by God for the way and manner of it, and they did not do it in way of fulfilling the Prophesie, for the people gene∣rally knew no such thing but meerly minding their own passions and lusts, they look'd at no further, though God did over-rule it to fulfil his own Counsels, yet they aimed at no such thing. Whence we have these useful Notes for our edification:

First,* 1.7 That we may do the thing that God would have done, and yet sin highly against God. God would have Jeroboam set up, but they only looking at the matter, and did not ob∣serve Gods way, God did reject them.

Secondly,* 1.8 To do that which God would have done, yet if we do not know that it is Gods mind, we sin against God: Though we do the thing that God would have done in

His secret will, yet we sin against God, if we know it not to be His revealed will. Now no action can be good, but that which is done; not only materially good, but formally also, that is which is done in obedience to God; And that shews the dangerous condition of ignorant peo∣ple, all their actions are sin because they know not Gods mind in them.* 1.9

Thirdly,* 1.10 To go about great businesses without consulting with God, it is sin. Even the Heathens were conscious of this, therefore Pullius Scipio would never go out about any great business but would go to the Capitol to pray to the gods.* 1.11

Fourthly,* 1.12 Alteration in Civil Government is a great busi∣ness. God had need be much consulted withal, especially if there be any Church-work mingled with it, there was never a time that England had the calling for such consul∣ting with God as it hath at this.* 1.13 Now England is about the greatest and weightiest business that ever it had since it was a Nation: The very alteration but of an Officer is a great matter and requires much consulting with God, and especially if it be in the Church: it is very observable of our Savior in Luke, 6. 12,* 1.14 and 13. verses, when as Christ was to send out his twelve Apostles as Officers for the Church, the text saith, That he was at prayer all night before, then in the morning he calls his Disciples and so sends forth twelve of them and gives them his Commission. But he makes a preparation all night long in praying to God. Surely those that are about chusing Church Officers,* 1.15 Ministers of God to be their Pastors and Teachers they had need spend daies and nights in prayer. Here they did not consult with God in setting Jeroboam o∣ver them, and therefore saith God, they have made them Kings, but not by me.

Lastly,* 1.16 When we are about great businesses, we must look at Gods ends; we must take heed of our passionate wills, and our own self ends, else we do it not by God. In Civil Af∣fairs,

a man that is a Magistrate perhaps doth that which is just, but he is carried on in his passion, but this is not by God; and so in Church affairs, the Church Elders, the party doth deserve it, yet if they be carried on in pas∣sion and self-ends, this is not done by God: They have set up Kings, but not by me.

And then further; As the people sin'd and God would not own what which they set up, so Jeroboam sin'd too. Why Jeroboam might say, Lord, didest not thou send thy Prophet to tell me that I should have the ten Tribes, and yet wilt thou not own me? No, God would not own him.

First,* 1.17 Because Jeroboam did not seek God.

And secondly, Jeroboam did not stay Gods time. As David, he was anointed by God, and though he had ma∣ny opportunities for to have taken away Sauls life, he would not, and to come to the Kingdom, but he did wait till he saw the time was come that he should be brought to the Kingdom. But Jeroboam would not do so.

Thirdly, Jeroboam had not right ends in taking the Kingdom.

Fourthly, Jeroboam did not administer the Kingdom for God, and therefore God would not own him, and so some reade the words; They have not administred the King∣dom by me; but administring the Kingdom by their own lusts therefore God would not own them. From whence you may have these Notes:

First,* 1.18 That when God promises a mercy, if we stay not Gods time we can have no comfort of the mercy.

Secondly,* 1.19 When we have a mercy promised we must be brought into it by God, by lawful means; he that beleeves makes not hast saith the Scripture: many they are so gree∣dy of places, and preferments, and other things they de∣sire, that they make so much hast as if they did fear that if they stay for the orderly coming into the place they de∣sire, they fear they should go without it: What blessing then can there be in that which we would seek to get without

God in making so much hast.

And again,* 1.20 When we have a mercy (that's the third note) when we have what we would have, yet if we do not improve it for God, we do thereby renounce our acknowledgment of it from God. God hath given thee an Estate, or Honors, or Pre∣ferment: What doest thou do? Doest thou now abuse this for thine own lusts? Thou doest hereby renounce thy ac∣knowledgement that thou hadst it from God. They have set up Kings, but not by me, I will not own that; Why? because in the way of their Administration they have in∣deed renounced any right I have to their Government:* 1.21 And so the Seventy translate the words, They have reigned to themselves.

Yea,* 1.22 but it may be said, How were the people that were living now, guilty of this? this was a long time ago when the people did thus set up Jeroboam and rend themselves from the house of David, how came they to be guilty of this?

The Answer is,* 1.23 That they continuing and retaining the Government of Jeroboam upon the same ground their progenitors first raised it, are guilty of their sins. Chil∣dren going on in the way of their parents,* 1.24 contract the guilt of their parents sin upon them.

And Mercer upon this place quotes an Hebrew,* 1.25 David Kimchi: That the people now when they saw what Jero∣boam and his successors did, that they would keep them from going to Jerusalem before the Lord, and when they saw that he made them Idols, and so forsook Gods true Worship, they (saith the Hebrew Doctor) should have driven him from the Kingdom, that was his opinion: but meerly for Religion it cannot be, except the Law of the Country will bear them out in it; any farther than the Law of a State, the Civil Law will bear men out in it: and therefore War, it is not meeely undertaken for maintai∣ning Religion immediately, but for maintaining those Laws by which Religion is established, the Civil Right

that men have to the practice of their Religion: And so Wars may be undertaken.* 1.26 If it were in a place indeed where the Law of the Kingdom were utterly against Reli∣gion, could not there be justified, except those that had po∣wer likewise for the altering those Laws, should alter them, and then take up Arms.

But now,* 1.27 Our taking up Arms is justified in this, To maintain the Civil Right that we have to the practice of our Religion; so that our Case is not the Case of the Christians among the Heathens:* 1.28 There is a Law of Nature (I con∣fess) beyond the Right of any Law, and the Right in that cannot be given away by any Predecessors. But because the mischief would be infinit great if it were left to every man to judge, when by this Law of Nature he might resist, and so to resist upon it,* 1.29 this would cause infinit mischief: ther∣fore there is a necessity that men should for their particular suffer, rather than so to resist; it is necessary for us to stay till we be helped by some orderly legal way. I say, the God of Order never leaves people to such miserable Incon∣veniences and Mischiefs, and therefore for particulars they are rather to suffer, though they should be tyrannized over against the Law of Nature.

But certainly,* 1.30 for the State or Country, they may judg when the Law of Nature is to be maintained, and Right of a Kingdom that the Law of Nature gives,* 1.31 besides that which is given by Positive Laws; the Right of the Law of Nature is never taken away by Positive Laws. It follows.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Expos. 1.
• * 1.2

  2. The Authors opinion.
• * 1.3

  Ipsae tri∣bus liberae erant, po∣pulus{que} li∣beri, Re∣hoboam autem vo∣lebat eas in servitutem redigere, easque re∣gere ut Ty∣rannus non ut Rex; poterunt ergo ab eo recedere, et novum re∣gem sibi creare; po∣pulus sui vel resp. principib. & regib. dedit impium in se, sed certis justisque condicionibus, inde & potest illud jisdem auferre vel imminuere, si ipsi eo abutantur & Tyranni evadant, non enim populus se absolute dedit Regi uti quis Aurum vel equum amico, ut omne suum jus in eum trans∣ferat, nec unquam illud revocare possit, sed certis pactis intervenientibus. Abulensis in 1 Reg. 12. Quaest. 8. T. 9.
• * 1.4

  viz. or∣derly and ordinarily.
• * 1.5

  Scil. for∣mal or ta∣cite.
• * 1.6

  A direct Exposit.
• * 1.7

  Obs. 1.
• * 1.8

  Obs. 2.
• * 1.9

  Misery of Ignoran••s.
• * 1.10

  Obs. 3.
• * 1.11

  Publius Scipio,
• * 1.12

  Obs. 4.
• * 1.13

  England.
• * 1.14

  Luke 6. 12, 13. opened.
• * 1.15

  Church-Officers with what religious care to be chosen.
• * 1.16

  Obs. 5.
• * 1.17

  Ieroboams sin.
• * 1.18

  Obs. 1.
• * 1.19

  Obs. 2.
• * 1.20

  Obs. 3.
• * 1.21

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.22

  Quest.
• * 1.23

  Object.
• * 1.24

  R. Kimc. ap Merc. in loe.
• * 1.25

  Quando quidem ridebant quod pro∣hiberet eos, ab Ascen∣dendo Hie∣rosolyman, in conspe∣ctum Do∣mini, & fecerat illis vitutos, il∣lorum erat eum Regno pellere.
• * 1.26

  When Arms may be taken for Reli∣gion.
• * 1.27

  Englands case in this particular.
• * 1.28

  Law of Nature.
• * 1.29

  Particular persons must sufer, not resist.
• * 1.30

  States not so.
• * 1.31

  Law de∣stroies not Nature.