But they were accounted as a strange thing

But they were accounted as a strange thing.

Here's the wickedness of people, that though God shows forth his glory in his Word, yet they look upon it as a strange thing, as a thing that they shall get little good by if they do obey, or little hurt by if they do disobey. We should now have showed wherein this people did account God's worship a strange thing, and what particulars of God's law they accounted strange things: but especially this one among the rest they did count strange, namely, that God should so stand upon it, that he must needs be worshiped at Jerusalem at the Temple, and at no other altar whatever came of it. Now because they thought that if the people went to Jerusalem to worship it would be very prejudicial to the State, this was a strange thing, and that which we can see no reason for. So, people are ready to think, if any thing be propounded for the worship of God out of the Word, Yes, but how can it be with peace? It will cause contention now to stand upon such things that they conceive may breed some trouble, they account it a strange thing that God should require such things as may produce such troubles: first men will frame troubles in their own thoughts, and put them upon God's worship, whereas indeed they do not bring such trouble, but if they be examined they may stand well enough with the peace of States. I make no question but this is one especial thing aimed at by the Holy Ghost here, that they accounted God's law, that very law of God that required them to worship at Jerusalem as a strange thing, that they could not see such reason for why they might not venture, and especially when it was for the peace of the civil State.

Now they accounted this (and the other particular of God's law) as a strange thing in four regards.

First, as a thing that had little or no reference to them, as a thing that did not much concern them: they took not to heart the breaches of God's law, neither did they much regard the keeping of it, it was no great matter to them, they made account that it was [ad libitum] what they did that way, much did not depend upon it, either good or evil: as a stranger accounts it not to concern him what the master commands: or as we account it no great matter what strangers do, what clothes they wear, or what course they take, we let them pass by and not mind them.

Secondly, they accounted them as a strange thing; that is: they were strange things in their apprehension, they could see no reason: as we say of a thing that we do not understand that we see no reason of it, it is strange (we say:) so they in the text, that God should say thus and thus when we cannot see that any account can be given for it, they are strange things. Strange things that they did not apprehend the reason of, and especially among other things of God's law (as was said before) the way of God's worship was a very strange thing to them, that God should stand so much upon it that he must be worshiped nowhere in the way of public worship but at Jerusalem, at the Temple, no sacrifices must be offered but there, yes, that whatever came of it though people dwelt a great way off, though as they thought it would bring a great deal of disturbance to the Kingdom of Israel for to go to Jerusalem to worship, yet that God should stand so upon it that they must go, and that the Prophets should urge it with that fervency as they did, that they must go to Jerusalem come of it what will, they must venture their peace; they accounted this a strange thing. And indeed it is very strange to people to think, that we must look to the exact way of God's worship whatever comes of it, whatever trouble or disturbance comes of it, we must not go a hair against the way that God has set for his right worship: this is a strange thing to carnal hearts. And Luther upon the place seems to interpret it thus, as if this text had especial reference to this note that I am now speaking of, says he, they did condemn, and contemn the Prophets' sermons, as a doctrine that did hurt the commonwealth, the sermons that the Prophets taught had in them much anxiety, specially this doctrine, against going up to Jerusalem to worship, and they thought it was hurtful to the commonwealth, and upon that they contemned it and damned it. What strange thoughts have carnal hearts of many parts of God's law? They think them foolishness, even those very things wherein the wisdom of God is revealed to the children of men, those things wherein the deep counsels of God concerning man's eternal estate is revealed, even those are the things which they account foolishness.

Thirdly, they accounted them a strange thing; that is, there was no suitableness between their hearts and the things that the Law did reveal to them; they did not make the Law of God familiar to them as that which had a suitableness to their spirits. As if a man that goes into strange company, company which are altogether unsuitable to him, yes, perhaps they speak another language, and have altogether other customs, and diet than we have, we are weary of them, and we turn from them and are tired in the society, for they are strange things to us that our hearts are not suitable to: so when the Law of God is looked upon as unsuitable to the dispositions of our hearts, to our ends, to our ways, our hearts turn from those things as from strange things, whereas indeed our hearts should be familiar with the Word of God. God's Word and the things therein should not be as strange things to our souls, but as the holy Ghost says, it should be as our kinswoman, and as our delight continually (Proverbs 6:21). Bind them continually about your heart, and tie them about your neck. When you go it shall lead you, when you sleep it shall keep you, and when you awake it shall talk with you; there should be a familiarity between our hearts and the commandments of God, to talk with us when we awake, and when we are in our journey, we should take the Law of God as our companion in our journeys, we should awake with it in the night time, and meditate on it day and night. Therefore God would have his people in the Law when they rose, to talk of those things; when they go to bed, when they rose up, when they walked in the way, they should be conferring about the things of God's Law to make them familiar to them, that they might not be estranged from them. God sees that men's hearts would quickly grow strange from his Law, therefore commanded that by all such means and ways they should endeavor to make the Law to be familiar to them.

Fourthly, they use the Law as a stranger, that is, they use the Law slightly, only for their own turns: as usually men when strangers come into their country, (those that have been strangers in other countries know it) that the natives of the country use them slightly, but if they do seem to show any respect to them it is merely for their own turns. As they may have any advantage by them so far they show respect to them and no further. So they accounted the Law a strange thing, that is, they made use of the Law but merely to serve their own turns; so far as obedience to the Law suits to their own ends, so far they yielded to it, and no further. Now it is very observable, that those who are so forward in their false worship, that the text says, they did multiply altars, and had special regard to their altars; yet for the Law they accounted that as a strange thing.

From where the note is: That superstitious people who are forward and zealous in their own way of worship, yet they are very slight and negligent in God's way of worship, little regard that. Indeed their own altars they were accounted great things, that way which they appointed themselves, they did not care what cost they were at in that way; but as for God's way, that was as a strange thing to them. We have seen it very evident, and do see it in great part to this day, how those that are very zealous in superstitious worship, are the most negligent in God's way of worship; to instance: you know in late times, what a deal of stir did men make with their own forms of worship, with their own ceremonies and ways of worship which they appointed? How zealous were they in them, and devout were they in them? When they came in public congregations to bow and cringe, and for other ceremonies that they said were only for the decency of God's worship, how stiff were they in them, that the mouths of the most godly ministers must be stopped if they would not conform to them? But even these men would scorn and jeer at strictness in God's ways, and slight any man that would be conscientious in the ways of God, and they were rebels that should not yield to a ceremony, because it was disobedience to magistracy. For men to be conscientious for little things (as they thought) in God's law, seemed strange, when as they would urge men to obey to the uttermost in little things in their own. And so in another point that falls out as full and reasonable for the time, as in the point of their own festivals and holy days, those that would persecute to the uttermost men that should work but to get bread for their families on a holy day, yet they could publish books of sports for the profanation of the Lord's Day. And thus the great things of God's law they were strange things, but their own things (holy days) were great matters. Surely if it were such a great matter to keep the festival of Christ's nativity we should have some hint of it from the beginning of Matthew to the end of Revelation, but when God gives not the least hint of any such time. And mark it, those people that stand most upon such festivals, they stand least upon God's Sabbaths; and indeed you shall have many people which think it a strange thing for men not to have regard to such festivals. Why may not we keep the birth of our Savior! Now that you might not think it a strange thing do but consider of this, that when God has set apart any thing for a holy use it is no strange thing, but it should be strange in man to venture to imitate God in the things of his worship, to do that in God's worship which God himself has done before. Thus God has set apart a holy time, namely the Sabbath; it is set apart for to solemnize all the work of redemption, both the nativity of Christ, and his life, and death, and resurrection, and ascension, and the coming of the Holy Ghost, all the things about man's redemption, (I say) God has set the Sabbath apart to that end that we might have a holy day to keep the remembrance of them. Now when God has set one day apart, for man to dare to venture to set another apart, this is presumption. So because Christ has set outward elements and sacraments to be a remembrance for his body and blood; for man to say, Christ has set apart a piece of bread and wine, why may not I set some other thing apart? This you would all say were a great presumption. Certainly the presumption is the same in the former.

Again it is observable in this expression, [They counted it as a strange thing.] It is a dangerous thing for men to have their hearts estranged from God's law, and from the other spiritual truths that are in God's Word, from the knowledge of that law which we have been educated in, and that heretofore we have made profession of; for thus it was with this people, they had been educated in God's law, and made profession of it, and whatever God should reveal, they would obey; but now their hearts were estranged from what they were educated in and made profession of. Oh! let men take heed of this for ever.

You that have had good education, you have been brought up in the knowledge of God's law, you have had gracious principles of God's law dropped into you in your youth, you have made fair profession of God's law, of obedience to it, take heed now of being estranged from those truths that heretofore have been familiar to you, that you have made profession of, and therefore take heed of the several degrees of the estrangement of the heart from the law of God. I will but only name them, to show how the hearts of men do grow strangers from God's law.

First, it fares with his heart, as it does with a man that grows to be a stranger from his friends. A man that has a familiar friend does not estrange himself suddenly, but by degrees, it may be visit one another less than they were wont to do, and yet there is no contention between them, but by degrees they grow to be strange, and then at length they grow to be very enemies. And thus it is with men's hearts, when men grow strange from the Word, that he was acquainted withal before, first he begins to call things in question whether things be so or no, and especially those things which most concern the mortifying of sin, and the strictness of holiness.

Secondly, he begins upon this, (or rather I think that's the first) he begins to abate his delight in the truths of God, he was wont to take abundance of delight to meditate in the Word, oh how sweet it was when he awaked in the night season, he was wont to take a great deal of delight about conferring in God's Word, and when he came into any company — but now it is abated, that's the first. Secondly, he calls those things into question that he was very confident in before whether they be so or no.

Thirdly, he begins to have some hard thoughts of God's Word. Many men that heretofore did prize the Word, and those truths that were the joy of their hearts, yet now they begin to have hard thoughts of them.

Yes fourthly, He begins to wish that those things which are in the Word were otherwise than they are, he cannot see enough to persuade him that the things are true, but his heart coming to be estranged from the Word he does desire they were not true; as a man that comes to be estranged from another, he could wish he were further off from him.

Fifthly, He begins to listen to those things which are against the Word; there was a time that he would never regard any things that were said against the strictest way of holiness; but now he can be ready to listen to objections: As a man when he was intimate with his friend, he could not endure to hear any thing that was said against him, but now being estranged from him, he can drink in any thing which is said against him.

Sixthly, When the heart is estranged from the Word it will put off thoughts, and through examination of truths, it will not search into things as it was wont to do, but is willing to put off and shut his eyes, and will rather search into any thing that may make against the truth than that which will work for it. (I beseech you observe these workings of your hearts)

Seventhly, There will be an engagement in some practice not allowed by the Word. Then a man grows further estranged from his friend, when he does not only refrain coming into his company, but he will engage himself into some others that are against him.

Eighthly, It comes to have a slight esteem of what before they thought had great weight in it; there was a time when such & such things were thought to have very great weight in them, but now they are nothing, they are of another judgment: Just as when a man is estranged from his friend; he thought before he had a great deal of excellency in him, but now he esteems him not; and this is the argument of the estrangement of his heart from him.

Lastly, If men take not heed when they are by these degrees grown to be estranged from the truth, they will at length violently reject the truths of the Word, they will grow to be open enemies to the truth. Men that have been familiar with God's Word, and truth, and made profession of them, and seemed to love them most, by several degrees they have grown to be strangers from them, and at length to be enemies to them. Apostates have proved to be the most desperate enemies to the truths of God of any in the world; take heed therefore of the strangeness of your hearts from the truths of God lest you afterwards prove to be an enemy to God; it's an evil thing to account the Law of God a strange thing, but much more to account it an enemy to us, and our hearts to be an enemy to it. "Therefore as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root shall be rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust? why? because they have cast away the Law of the Lord of Hosts, and despised the Word of the holy One of Israel" (Isaiah 5:24). Oh! let us for ever take heed of this, and therefore let our prayer be that of the Prophet David in (Psalm 119:18, 19): "Open you mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your Law. And then it follows, I am a stranger in the earth, hide not your commandments from me." Lord I account myself a stranger here in the world, Oh! let not your Word be a stranger to me. I beseech you observe this; Those men and women that account themselves strangers in the world, will never account the Law of God a strange thing to them; but such men as account themselves to be the inhabitants of the world, they will have God's Law to be a stranger to them. Observe it, and you shall find this to be a note: When your hearts begin to close with the things of the world you do not meditate in God's Word so much as you did before, nor delight to read it; but now, if you can keep your heart from the things of the world, to use them as if you used them not, then this will be your prayer, Lord, hide not your commandments from me; Oh your Word is sweet to me as honey and the honey comb.

One note more about this; They accounted this as a strange thing; Men they have a strange way now a days to estrange the Law from them and themselves from the Law; That which their corrupt hearts will not close withal, as for a rule of holiness, that they will put upon Christ as if Christ had delivered them from it. This is a strange way indeed of estranging themselves from God's Law, many men will estrange themselves from the Law of God by too much familiarity in the world, but for people to have this way by their familiarity with Jesus Christ, because they come now to know Christ more therefore they should be greater strangers from the Law than they were before, this is a strange way of estranging men's hearts from God's Law. The Holy Ghost foreseeing such a generation which would be in the times of the Gospel, that would boldly assert, that whatever the people of God were bound to under the old Testament, yet in the new Testament they have nothing to do with the Law of Moses, (it is very observable) in (Malachi 4:2, 4) the very close of the old Testament, even then when there is a prophecy of Christ to annex the old Testament and the new together, says the text there, "To you that fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings"; to you that fear my Name shall Christ arise, (what then?) then you shall have nothing to do with the Law when Christ arises. Mark then in the 4th verse, "Remember you the Law of Moses"; almost the last words in the old Testament, and the conclusion; as if the Holy Ghost should say, now I have done revealing all my mind about the old Testament, and you must never expect any more Prophets nor any further revelations of my mind till the time of the new Testament, but instead of the Prophets you shall have the Sun of righteousness arise.

Well then, I hope they shall never have any thing to do with the Law of Moses more:

No but says the Holy Ghost "Remember you the Law of Moses my servant" &c.