An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eleventh, twelfth, & thirteenth chapters of…

And then a Fifth is this, (which is a principal thing to be observed here, a Note from the change of the condition of Ephraim, when Ephraim spake, trembling, but after he sinned, he died.) That men which heretofore have ¹been of very high repute, and of reverend respect, so as they had much power to prevail with people that they had to do with, yet by their sin they fall off from their dignity: Sin will bring mens honours down; though there was a time that every one reverenced him, had high esteem of him, and did much regard what they spake, yet they falling to sin and wickedness, it's just with God to bring their honour and esteem down, to bring it into the dust, and to make them vile and contemptible in the eyes of those that ere while did reverence them, we find this threatened both to those in the place of Magistracy, and in the place of ²Ministry. For Magistracy in Job, 12 21. He poureth contempt upon Princes, God powers contempt, though they had very great honour and esteem, yet through their sin contempt is thrown upon them. And then for those in the Ministry, in Mal. 2. 9. Therefore also have I made you ³contemptible, and base before all the people. The Priests lips should preserve knowledge, and they were very honourable those that were faithful, but when they come to be partial in the Law, that is, when they come to turn the Word of God to their own ends; it's a remarkable Scripture, that the Lord made them vile in the eyes of ⁴the people. It was, that they were partial in the Law, that was a main thing, that is, they would handle the Word of God partially, what they could get to drive on their own ways by, they would improve that to the uttermost, and turn the Word which way they pleased; upon this, though they thought to prevail that way, and ⟨p. 420⟩to get esteem of the people by this means, ye• this was the thing that God threatens, to make them to be vile and contemptible in the eyes of the people because of this. When people come to discover this, that men do indeed drive on their own designs, and their own ends in the ways of God, there's nothing will take away their repute and their honour more, Oh the great change that there is, in the honours and esteem of men, God for their sin casts them out, and their names as vile men and women who have out-lived their honours, even in the very hearts of the Saints: