Rejoyce not as other people

Rejoyce not as other people.

Not as a people, for the word other is not in the Hebrew: do not you rejoyce as if you were to continue a people still, for you are to be carried captive and not to continue as a people, do not you therefore rejoyce as if you were in a settled condition; you have brought your selves into such a condition as you are not to look upon your selves as a people, do not rejoyce, no not as a people. It's a miserable spectacle to see those who are ready to be destroyed to be jolly and merry as if there were no such matter. It is said of the Dolphin, that it sports most when a storm comes: so, when the storm of God's wrath is arising upon a people then they are most jolly and merry.

Again. Rejoyce not in that manner as others do: others rejoyce and scorn at the threats of God: so Ephraim had mixed himself among the nations, and so did scorn at what was said by the Prophet. Do not rejoyce profanely, do not rejoyce slightly, vainly, do not rejoyce presumptuously, promising to your selves continuance in your prosperity.

But that which I think is especially aimed at, is this: Rejoyce not as other people, for, you have not such cause to rejoyce as other people. Why? Israel! Though you be Israel, yet there is not so much cause for you to rejoyce as other nations have. Israel (the ten Tribes) prides themselves in their privileges above other people, they despised all people in comparison of themselves. But now God tells them, that their sins had brought them into a worse condition than other people were in, and they must not rejoyce so much as they. And from there this profitable note may be raised.

Many who look upon others as mean and low, with scorn and contempt in comparison of themselves, yet even these may be in a worse estate than those are whom they look upon so much beneath them. For instance: it may be you may be a man of parts and of esteem, and a man employed in high employments for Church and Commonwealth: another is in a mean low condition, is of little use, a weak-parted man, and yet that guilt may be upon you, that you have not such cause to rejoyce as this poor man has which you so contemn as one laid by and not worth any thing. It may be you have excellent gifts in Prayer, and are an eminent professor; another man or woman is no body in your eyes, they are no professors at all; I, but if all were known, you have not cause to rejoyce as they have that you contemn.