But then, The Prophet is a snare, a snare of a Fower

But then, The Prophet is a snare, a snare of a Fower.

That is, he catches poor simple deluded souls as a Fowler catches the bird with casting baits that are pleasing to the bird, hiding from the bird the snare that presently comes upon it: so says he, the Watchmen of Ephraim do thus, First they come to the people with very fair and specious things, and labor to drop in those principles, and do not discover what inferences they intend to make of them afterwards, they do not discover what designs they have, and what their scope is, for the present they come to them, and desire them to yield to such things that seem to be as fair as any thing in the world, and with much pretence that it is only for their good, and they intend nothing but good, now when they have brought them to yield to such things, they know that there are some inferences to be brought from those things that will make them to yield to other things, which had they been presented to them at first, they would never have yielded to, but the inferences lay at a distance as the snare does, and they not seeing what would follow they are brought to yield to such things, that afterwards they cannot tell how in the world to avoid, but they must yield to further things: thus the Watchman is as a snare of a Fowler, that lays things that seem to be very plausible at first, but intend afterwards to bring the people to yield to other things that would be abhorred if at first they were presented to them.

Good people, as long as you live take heed of the snares of Watch-men in this kind. God would not have you submit to any thing, nor do any thing but out of faith.

You must understand the ground from Scripture, and especially in the matters of God's Worship before you yield and submit to any thing, for otherwise though things may seem to be very fair at first, yet they may prove to be but snares before you are aware. Again

And hatred in the house of God.

First, This Watch-man is an object of God's hatred, in God's House; wicked Officers in the Church bringing in their superstition, and importuning and urging the delusions of their own hearts, seeking to comply with the times to preserve themselves in credit and esteem, and enjoyment of their livings, they are an object of God's hatred, these were the Watch-men that did comply with the times and sought their own ends, they were the object of the hatred of God; no people in the world whom God does hate more than such kind of Watch-men in his House. And at this day we see how God has cast shame and loathsomeness in the faces of such. They are hatred by way of exclamation: ô rem odiosam it abominandam domo Dei. Oh hideous and abominable thing that such Watch-men should be pertaining to the Sanctuary.

Or otherwise by way of efficiency, Watchmen are hatred, that is, they cause hatred, they cause my people to hate the true Prophets, and the Servants of God that would worship God in his own way; and indeed, there are no men in the world that are such causes of the hatred of the faithful Ministers of God, the Saints of God, as wicked Watchmen are, Who are the men that do stir up hatred and persecution against the Saints and People of God in former times, but evil and wicked Ministers?