their sinnes without any check and controlement and to haue a prosperous course and wished successe in their wicked designes without any let or hinderance yet he dealeth not thus with those that belong vnto his election but if they through the corruption of the flesh either of ignorance or of infirmitie resolue to prosecute wicked courses though he may suffer them for a time yet in the end he will lay in their way the thornes of crosses and afflictions to hinder them from atchieuing their wicked ends that so being stayed they may returne backe againe vnto him by true repentance So he suffered the Gentiles to go forward without stop in their idolatries but when the Israelites forsooke him and followed idols he laid continually thornes of affliction in their way to cause them to desist in their course and to returne vnto him as appeareth in the historie of the Iudges and the Kings the like examples we haue in Ionas in Dauid 2. Sam. 11. 12. in reprobate Ieroboam 2. Sam. 11. 12. and elect Manasses in the Scribes and Pharisies and the Apostle Paul Act. 9. in the rich Glutton the prodigall Act. 9. Luk. 15. 16. sonne Luk. 15. 16. Whereby it appeareth that the Lord will not suffer those which belong vnto him to be so euill as they would be but when they resolue to go forward in sin he layeth in their way a hedge of thornie afflictions either trouble of mind or sicknes or losse in their state that so they may not go on in the pathes of sinne but returne againe by true repentance Whence wee may gather a notable signe whether we belong to Gods election or be in the number of the reprobate for if wee go forward in our wicked courses without stop or hinderance with ease and prosperitie it is a signe that wee belong not to God for then he would not suffer vs to go on in the way of perdition but if we no sooner resolue vpon some wicked designe but straight we are either crossed in it or afterward afflicted that we cannot proceed in it as we purposed surely it is a signe that the Lord hath a care of vs in that he holdeth vs backe from running headlong to euerlasting destruction Secondly because though the Lord lay these thornes in our way yet through our negligence and securitie though We do not acknowledge Gods hand in our afflictions we see the hedge and feele the prickes of affliction pearcing our soules and bodies we oftentimes neither consider who hath set this hedge in our way nor for what cause but are readie to ascribe our afflictions to chance and fortune to our owne want of prouidence to the malice of our enemies or some secondarie cause therefore the Lord willeth them to behold and to consider that he it was that set this hedge in their way and for this cause in that they had resolued to go forward in their sinnes that knowing the meritorious cause of their punishment to be their sinnes they might labour to take them away by true repentance and knowing the Lord to be the author of them they might humble themselues vnder his hand and implore mercie and forgiuenesse Thirdly we may here learne that it is impossible for Gods elect to perish for he will not suffer them to goe on in sin to their perdition yea though they will desire and resolue to liue in wickednesse the Lord will finde meanes to pull them out of it for his will is aboue their wils his eternall purpose and decree which is vnchangeable causeth a change in their wicked designes and vnlawfull purposes so that they shall not atchieue them according to their setled resolutions as we may see in the example of Ionas Dauid Paul and many others So that Gods elect may certainly be assured that seeing their sinnes are insufficient therefore nothing else is effectuall to separate them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 38. 39. Fourthly here we learne most carefully to take heed that We must not leape ouer the hedge of afflictions we doe not when the Lord setteth this hedge in our way to restraine vs from sinne leap ouer it for if the fence bee not strong enough hee will make it stronger and in stead of an hedge he will set a wall to restraine vs that is if lighter afflictions will not withhold and stay vs from going forward in the course of sinne he will inflict those which are heauier and more intolerable Lastly wee may here obserue the great benefit which our afflictions cause vnto vs for they serue for sharpe thornie Afflictions restrain vs from sinne hedges strong walles to containe vs in the waies of Gods commandements and to keep vs from leaping ouer into the pleasant pastures of sinne and wickednesse where we should but bee fatted to the slaughter the Lord laieth in our way these thornie afflictions not to kill vs but to prick vs and by pricking to restraine vs from going the broad way that leadeth to destruction for when we are thus iudged we are chastened of the Lord because wee should not be condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11. 31. He correcteth vs not because he hateth 1. Cor. 11. 31. vs but because hee entirely loueth vs euen as his owne children not for our hurt but for our profit that we might be partakers of hie holinesse Heb. 12. 7. 10. And though no chastening Heb. 12. 7. 10. 11. seemeth to be ioyous but grieuous for the present yet afterwards it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Heb. 12. 11. Though these afflictions be bitter and vnpleasant to the flesh yet are they profitable to the spirituall part for whilest the outward man perisheth the inward man is renued daily 2. Cor. 4. 16. Though these thornes 2. Cor. 4. 16. pricke vs yet they doe not mortally wound vs only they let out the winde of vainglorie and humble vs that wee be not exalted out of measure Though they seeme tedious and intolerable 2. Cor. 12. 7. and tending to our destruction yet in truth they are but light and momentanie and cause vnto vs a superexcellent and eternall waight of glorie 2. Cor. 4. 17. 2. Cor. 4. 17. But yet wee are not to imagine that affliction in it owne Afflictions not good in themselues but through Gods blessing nature worketh al these benefits but by the secret operation of Gods Spirit inwardly applying it vnto our hearts and teaching vs to make a holy vse of it for such is our obstinate stubbornnesse that wee will like vntamed and wilde beasts rush thorow this hedge of afflictions that we may still continue our course in sinne and such is our senselesnesse in our securitie that either we feele not the pricking of these thornes or at least are not by the smart moued to sorrow for sinne as being the cause thereof or to flee vnto God
in the end their patient abiding shall be gladnesse as it is Pro. 10. 28. Pro. 10. 28. The second thing to be obserued is that the Lord will not presently be reconciled with his people and shew vnto God trieth our Repentance by afflictions before he restoreth vs to fauour them the wonted signes of his fauour till he hath taken tryall of their repentance by manifold afflictions and this he doth not so much to approue their vnfayned repentance to himselfe for hee searcheth the heart and raignes and therefore needeth not these outward signes but first that by these signes their owne faith may be assured that they are truely conuerted seeing they endure the tryall with patience because they haue sinned Secondly that he may shew his detestation of sinne in that he will not easily be reconciled euen with those whom hee dearely loueth when they haue grieuously offended Thirdly that by these corrections he may make them carefull for the time to come that they doe not againe by their sinnes prouoke his displeasure for hee that with a wounded conscience and broken spirit hath long sought and sued for mercie and hath spent many a bitter sigh and grieuous grone before hee could attaine vnto the assurance of gods fauour hauing obtained it will not easily be allured againe by his sinnes to hazard and loose it Fourthly that hereby he may glorifie his name by approuing his iustice and righteous iudgements euen to those that are with out when as they see that he will not winke at sinne no not in his dearest children who otherwise would take occasion vpon their sinne and impunitie to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12. 14. 2 Sam. 12. 14. Lastly that hee may hereby teach the wicked what they are to expect for if the Lord so correcteth those sinnes in his children which of infirmitie they haue committed how will hee punish the sinnes of wicked men which they commit with full consent of will If he be displeased with the faithfull and will not presently assure them of his fauour after they haue repented then what can they looke for that continue in their sinnes without repentance but that he will poure vpon them the full viols of his wrath If he so seuerely chastiseth sinne in his sonnes and friends how grieuously will he punish it in slaues and enimies examples hereof we haue in Adam Dauid Ezechias the people of Israell and Christ himselfe The vse hereof is that we carefully take heede that wee doe not wound our Consciences by committing against our knowledge grieuous sinnes seeing we are assured if wee belong vnto God that hee will sharply chastise vs for it and will not suffer the beames of his loue comfortably to shine vpon vs till wee haue approued our repentance by many tryals and haue indured much more griefe and sorrow through our crosses and the restraint of his loue then our pleasure and delight was in the committing of our sinnes and therefore let vs not to please the flesh wound the spirit nor purchase a dram of carnall delight with a pound of sorrow Secondly this may serue to comfort and refresh vs when as we are ready to sincke vnder the waight of sinne and heauie burthen of affliction and in regard hereof are readie to conclude that we are cast out of Gods fauour for then wee are to remember that the Lord oftentimes restrayneth the signes of his fauour and continueth the afflictions of those whom notwithstanding he dearely loueth for the causes aboue said c. Thirdly whereas the Lord saith that shee shall stay for God afflicteth vs for sin that we may learne to hate it him in her afflicted estate and shall not play the harlot c. hence we learne that the reason why the Lord continueth to restraine his fauour and to afflict his people is not because he hateth them but that hereby they may bee moued more seriously to repent and to flye from their sinnes with greater detestation when they see these miserable effects that follow them If our heauenly father when wee grieuously offend should cocker vs and shew no signe of his displeasure or being somewhat offended should presently be reconciled vs we finding no bitternesse neyther of Gods anger nor of affliction which might cause vs to distast the sweet pleasures of sin would neuer soundly and seriously repent of them but when we apprehend his heauie displeasure and cannot with much entreaty be assured of reconciliation when wee feele the smart of sharp afflictions and can by no meanes find ease then we call our sinnes to remembrance and are grieued at the heart that we haue committed them then we hate and detest them as being the fountaine from which doe flow these waters of bitternes and then we resolue with our selues that if our heauenly father will but this once forgiue and be reconciled vnto vs if he will but cause the wonted beames of his fauour to shine vpon vs and ease vs of the heauie burthen of our afflictions we will neuer againe be perswaded so by our sins to prouoke his displeasure though all the profit pleasures and preferment of the world were offred vnto vs. The vse which we are to make hereof is that when the Lord doth exercise vs with afflictions we exercise our selues in repentance and make the day of tribulation the day of humiliation for this is the maine end why the Lord afflicteth vs which when he hath attained hee will put an end to our afflictions and therefore the way to ease our selues of the burthen of punishment is to cast away the burthen of our transgressions the best meanes to lighten our soules with sauing comfort is to loade them with bitter sorrow for sinne if we would haue God well pleased with vs we must be displeased with our selues and if euer we meane to come vnto the pallace of ioy wee must trauaile vnto it by the path of mourning For blessed are they that mourne for they shall bee Mat. 5. 4. Luke 6. 21. comforted Blessed are they that weepe for they shall laugh Fourthly whereas the Lord saith Thou shalt not play the God onely restraineth vs frō running headlong into sinne Harlot not so much by way of prohibition teaching them what he would not haue them doe as by actuall restraint shewing what he would cause and inable them to refraine notwithstanding their pronenesse thereunto through their naturall corruption hence we learne what is the chiefe cause whereby we are with-held from running headlong into all manner of sinne namely Gods powerfull word which as it saith Thou shalt not sinne so it enableth vs through the secret operation of his spirit to yeeld obedience For in our owne naturall disposition we are ready to draw sinne vnto vs as with Cart-ropes and to drincke iniquitie like water Esay 5. 18. our thoughts are onely euill and that continually Gen. 6. 5 Gen. 6. 5. We are not able so much as to will that which is
Ignorance begetteth superstition hope blinded with Ignorance becommeth presumption and feare hereby is turned into desperation c. Secondly we here obserue that as ignorance is the fountaine Ignorance the cause of punishment of all sinne so also it is the cause of all punishment for vvhen a land is destitute of the knowledge of God then doth the Lord proclaime that he hath a controuersie with that people and that he will after a reall manner plead against them till he hath destroyed them with his Iudgements And indeed many are the euils which in the Scriptures are threatned against men for this sinne of Ignorance as for example the Lord threatneth that he will laugh at their destruction stop his cares at their prayers who hate knowledge Prou. 1. 28. He punisheth it with Captiuitie Esay 5. 13. Pro. 1. 28. Therefore my people is gone into captiuitie because they had no Esay 5. 13. knowledge With desolation Esay 27. 10. The defensed citie shal become desolate c. 11. For it is a people of none vnderstanding Esay 27. 10. 11 therefore hee that made them shall haue no compassion of them It bringeth destruction and moueth the Lord to forsake vs. Hos 4. 6. It maketh men subject to the curse and wrath of God and therefore the Prophet bouldly prayeth Hos 4. 6. that the Lord would poure out his wrath vpon them that doe not know him Iere. 10. 10. Psal 79. 6. It maketh them strangers Iere. 10. 10. Psal 79. 6. Ephe. 4. 18. from the life of God Ephe. 4. 18. and also from lyfe euerlasting for as he that is ignorant of the way cannot come to the iourneyes end so they who are ignorant of the meanes of comming to eternall lyfe can neuer attaine vnto it In a word it maketh men subiect to gods vengeance at the day of judgement for the Apostle telleth vs. That the Lord will come in flaming fire to render vengeance to those that doe not know him 2. Thes 1. 8. 2. Thes 1. 8. The vse of this doctrine serueth first to refute the practise of the Papists who vse all meanes to extinguish the light of Popish patrones of ignorance reproued knowledge and to bring into those lands wherein they haue any authoritie more then Aegyptian darknesse and barbarous ignorance To which purpose they take away the preaching of the Gospell the onely ordinarie meanes of begetting faith yea they cannot indure that the people should injoy the sun-shine of the scriptures but interpose betweene it and their vnderstanding the dark cloude of an vnknowne tongue they cannot abide that they should behould this radient Pearle most precious diamond which would send forth his bright rayes in the darkest night of ignorance but keepe it close hidden and fast locked from them vnder the locke of an vnknowne language perswading the people that they may bee most deuout vvhen they are most ignorant and that being destitute of any true faith of their owne they are notwithstanding in good case if they haue onely an implicite faith vvhereby they beleeue as the Church beleeueth though they know not what But let all such know who haue wilfully suffered themselues to bee hudwinckt vvith this thick vaile of ignorance that these Romish shauelings doe notably abuse the people to their perdition seeing they take away knowledge the root and foundation of all grace vertue and obedience and bring in ignorance the fountaine of all errour sinne and wickednesse and consequently make whole nations countries lyable to Gods judgements because the knowledge of God and his true religion is banished from amongst them Secondly it serueth for the reproofe of those ignorant Ignorant ideots reproued ideots and secure worldlings who content themselues to liue still in ignorance being vtterly destitute of the knowledge of God and of his religion and imagine that they are religious inough if they haue a good meaning and that they are exempted from gods judgements and highly in his fauour if they bee of a ciuill conuersation and honest behauiour though in the mean-time they remaine wilfully blind shutting their eyes against the light and contemning or at least carelesly neglecting all meanes of knowledge But let such know that being destitute of knowledge they are also destitute of all sauing grace and that liuing in ignorance they liue also in their sinnes and consequently haue God their aduersarie vvho will contend vvith them and vnlesse they repent adjudge them to deserued punishments Lastly this serueth to stop the mouthes of those eyther Slaunderers of the Gospell refuted foolish or malicious slaunderers vvho accuse the preaching of the Gospell as the cause which hath impayred the state of the land both by making it more to abound with sinne also more liable to Gods judgements It was neuer good vvorld say they since this new religion came in and since there vvas so much preaching Neuer so much infidelitie hipocrisie dissimulation fraude oppression and cruelty Neuer such want and scarcitie plague and sicknesse and all sorts of miseries But let such know that not the preaching of the gospell is the cause of all this but the neglect and contempt of the Gospell preached and because vvhilest the light of Gods word shineth yet men loue darknesse more then light and therefore are iustly giuen ouer of God to a reprobate sence It is not our too much knowledge which is the cause of our sinnes and punishments but our great ignorance notwithstanding the Lord hath a long time graunted plentifull meanes of knowledge and as well may we say that the light of the Sunne causeth men to stumble and goe out of the way that the faithfull surgeon and good salue doe make the sore that the Iudge maketh the theefe or that the Law doth make transgressours as that the word of God or the knowledge thereof should be the cause eyther of our sinnes or of our punishments And so much for the doctrines which are to be obserued Application out of this first verse Now in the last place let vs apply that which hath been said to our owne times for our owne vse benefit And to this purpose let vs examine what similitude there is betweene the land of Israell as it was in the time of Hosea and our owne Country in these dayes and whether we are not guilty of the same sins whereof they are here conuicted to the end that if we proue cleare and innocent we may haue the comfort hereof in our owne consciences or if vve be found alike faulty that wee may humble our selues by vnfained repentance Otherwise let vs assure our selues that if there be between vs similitude of manners there shall also be similitude of punishment if we be guilty of the same sins the Lord will take the same course with vs that is he will summon and arraigne vs before his Iudgement seate where being conuicted vve shall be condemned to suffer the like or
Orchards gardens the fruitfull fields and vinyards should bee vtterly wasted and spoyled so that now the good mother earth should like Rachell spend her time in mourning for her children because they were not and like a desolate captiue spoyled of all her riches and percious ornaments lament her passed losse and present miserie The meaning therefore of these words is this that the earth shall become barraine and fruitlesse and and shall be stripped and spoyled of all her inhabitants and so become a vast and disolate wildernesse neither inhabited by men nor adorned with her beautifull fruits as it were with her prinely coate of diuerse coullours for as the earth which is inhabited by a flowrishing people and decked and adorned with her plenteous fruits is saide to reioyce laugh and sing Psal 96 12. Let the fielde bee ioyfull and all that is Psal 96. 12. in it let the trees of the wood then reioyce Vnto which the Prophet Esay alludeth Chap. 35. 1. 2. The wast ground shall Esay 35. 1. 2. bee glad and flourish as a Rose It shall flourish abundantly and shall greatly reioyce So it is said to mourne and weepe when it is dis-peopled and laid wast desolate like a wildernesse So Esay 33. 9. The earth mourneth and fainteth Libanon is ashamed and hewen downe Sharon is like a wildernesse c. Ier. Esay 33. 9. Ier. 4. 27. 28. 4. 27. 28. The whole land shall bee desolate therefore shall the earth mourne Ioel. 1. 10. The field is wasted the land mourneth Ioel. 1. 10. for the corne is destroyed c. And thus the land mourned first when as it was wasted by Tilgath-Pilneeser King of Assiria who led away two Tribes and a halfe captiue as appeareth 1. Chron. 5. 26. 1. Chro. 5. 26. but much more when as it was vtterly ouerthowne and destroyed by Salmaneser of which wee may read 2. Kings 17 2. King 17. Secondly it is saide that euerie one that dwelleth in the land shall bee cut off the word is shall languish or faint through weakenesse whereby hee signifieth that howsoeuer the people would not mourne for sinne yet the Lord would make them mourne vnder his punishments and that so greatly that they should euen languish and faint in their sorrow and heauines hauing no appearance of any comfort Now these judgements are further aggrauated and amplyfied whereas it is said that the vnreasonable creatures the inhabitants both of the ayre earth and water shall bee pertakers of the peoples miserie and bee ouerwhelmed in their ruine and this sheweth the greatnesse of their destruction For as when the Lord would magnifie his blessing vpon mankinde he saith that he would keepe his Couenant not onely with Noah and his sonnes but with all liuing creatures Gen. 9. 9. 10. Foules Cattle and Beasts because these creatures were giuen vnto man for his profit and honest delight so contrariwise when hee would amplifie his irefull judgements hee sayth that he would not onely destroy the people but also spoyle them of all benefits whereby they might receiue any profit and comfort And as to amplifie the greatnesse of their punishment and the grieuousnes of their sinne he commanded the Israelites to destroy not onely the people of Iericho but also their houses beasts and cattle siluer gold and all that belonged to them so here he threatneth that for the same causes he would take the same course with the Israelites themselues that is to shew his detestation of their horrible Treasons and Rebellions hee would not onely destroy them but also their Land and all that belonged vnto them Yea he saith his punishments should extend to the fishes of the sea and this doth exceedingly amplifie the greatnesse of his wrath for euen in the generall Deluge the fishes were exempted from punishment as if they had beene a nation of another world who hauing no societie with mankinde were not infected with the contagion of his sinne but now he shewed that his wrath was more inflamed in that hee threatneth to make the fishes pertakers of mans misery and punishments not that indeede the Lord was purposed to catch the sillie fish in the nets of his judgements but onely vsed these Rhetoricall and Hyperbolicall amplyfications that hereby hee might more feelingly affect the secure and hard hearted israelites both with the sence of their haynous sinnes and grieuous punishments And this is the meaning of the words The Doctrines The doctrines which arise out of them are diuers First whereas he saith The sinnes of the inhabitants cause a land to mourn Therefore that is because of their grieuous sinnes the Land shall mourne and become desolate hence we obserue that the chiefe cause which maketh a land sit mourning like a desolate widdow or a distressed mother robbed of her children and spoyled of all her comforts is the sin of the inhabitants Psa 107. 34. This brought an vniuersall deluge ouer Psal 107. 34. the whole world this brought downe fire and brimstone vpon Sodome and Gomorrah this caused the land of Canaan to spue out her inhabitants Leu. 18. 25. The like judgement Leu. 18. 25. 26 whereof the Lord threatned to inflict vpon the Children of Israel if they imitated them in their sinnes Verse 28. Deut. 28. 21. 22. 63. The which threatnings were accordingly Deut. 28. 21. 22. and 63. accomplished in their captiuitie and finall desolation The vse of this doctrine is that thereby wee bee made The vses carefull to auoyde sinne seeing it bringeth the judgements of God not onely vpon our owne heads but also vpon our country Secondly it teacheth vs to what cause wee are chiefly to impute all manner of punishments as warre dearth the pestilence namely to our sinnes as the chiefe and principall cause whatsoeuer be the inferiour causes meanes or instruments Thirdly it confuteth their practise who endeauour to vphold the flowrishing state of their Country by Machiuilian pollicies falshood treacherie wrongs and injuries offred to their neighbours by tollerating the sinnes which should be seuerely punished for feare of bringing daunger to the State by exasperating a multitude or great faction or by any other wicked and vnlawfull meanes whatsoeuer for how approueable so euer these courses may seeme in humaine Exo. 1. 10. Num. 24. 14. and 25. 2. and 31. 16. 17. 2. Sam. 16. 21. 1. King 12. 26. 27. pollicy yet the truth is they are so farre from preseruing a land that they make it liable to Gods judgements and bring downe vpon it his heauie punishments Exo. 1. 10 Num. 24. 14. and 25. 2. and 31. 16. 17. 2 Sam. 16. 21. 1 King 12. 26. 27. 28. The second obseruation may be this if a people hauing haynously sinned doth not seriously repent and mourne vnder They who will not grone vnder the burthen of sinne shall mourne vnder the burthen of punishment the burthen of their transgressions they shall faint and languish vnder the burthen of
Gods heauy Iudgements for as it is the onely meanes to preserue vs free from punishment not to fall into sinne so it is the onely way of remouing punishments inflicted for sin to take away the cause thereof by vnfained repentance 2 Chron. 7. 14. Ezech. 18. 21. and 2. Chro. 7. 14. Ezech. 18. 21. 33. 14. 16. 33. 14. 16. The vse hereof serueth to teach vs what course is best to be taken for the remouing those judgements which lye heauie Repentance the best means to remoue iudgements vpon our land or at least haue displayed their coulours being ready to march against vs namely the Pestilence Invndations Dearth and Famine Surely we must not chiefly trust in humaine pollicies and preuentions or in the help of our bordering friends for all this will be to little purpose if we do not in the first place seeke reconciliation with God by forsaking our sinnes and turning vnto him by vnfained repentance The second vse serueth for the comfort of those that God protects those that mourne mourne in Sion and daily bewaile both their owne sins and the sinnes of their people for such are to know that the Lord will giue them a speciall priuiledge and protection whereby they shall be protected from the common calamities which he inflicteth vpon their nation or if as members Ier. 39. 16. 17. of this great body pollitick by reason of their communion they necessarily pertake in their miseries and afflictions yet the Lord will so sanctifie these crosses vnto them and will giue vnto them such a measure of strength faith patience and comfort that when vnrepentant sinners who neuer sighed nor groned vnder the burthen of sin doe now grone and languish vnder the waight of punishment they contrariwise who vpon their vnfained repentance are assured of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes shall not onely be patient but also rejoyce in their tribulations and their afflictions shall be vnto them as a Serpent without a sting Lastly this serueth to refute the practise of those who when they are justly punished for their sinnes in stead of remouing the cause by repentance doe adde sinne vnto sinne by vsing wicked vnlawfull meanes for the remouing The follie of those who by sinne labour to remoue punishment of their punishments as for example going vnto Witches Wizards and Sorcerers vsing falshoode and deceipt iniurie and oppression that so they may remoue the burthen which God hath laid vpon them vnto the shoulder of their neighbour But such are to know that this is not the way to giue them ease or to release them of their afflictions nay rather they are to expect that as they adde sinne vnto sinne so God will adde punishment vnto punishment vntill they which refuse to mourne for their sinnes faint and sinke vnder his heauie iudgements The third thing to be obserued is the senslesse hardnes The obdurate hardnesse of mans hart of mans heart and the secure impenitencie of our corrupt nature whereby it commeth to passe that neither Gods mercies nor judgements will any whit affect vs if the Lord giue vs ouer to our owne obdurate stubbernesse for euen when the senslesse and brutish creatures are in their kinde affected both with Gods mercies and judgements only man remayneth without sense and feeling The heauens vaile their face shed forth their teares the earth groneth shaketh the waters roare swell the beasts foules fishes mourne and hang down their heads shewing their inward griefe by that diuers language which God hath giuen them when as the Lord is angry and layeth his heauie hand vpon them onely man the chiefe rebell of the world smileth when God frowneth and though he be somewhat touched with sense of paine yet hee sorroweth onely because hee is punished and not because by his sinnes hee hath deserued punishment And hence it is that the Lord sometimes turneth his speach from man because he hath no eares to heare nor hart to vnderstand nor sense to feele and apprehend his mercies or judgements vnto the senselesse and brutish creatures to note vnto vs that the senselesse creatures are more sensible then a senselesse man So Esay 1. 2. 3. Ier. 22. 29. Esay 1. 2. 3. Ier. 22. 29. So it is sayd in this place that the land it selfe mourned and that the beasts birds and fishes bore their part in this sorrowfull song but the Inhabitants of the Land are sayde onely to haue languished vnder the burthen of their miseries and nothing is said of any sorrow or mourning vnder the heauie burthen of their sinne The like example we haue Gen. 4. 13. Exod. 8. 8. 15 1 Kin. 13. 6. 33 Mat. 11. 16. 17 and 23. 37. in Cain Gen. 4. 13. In Pharaoh Exod. 8. 8. 15. In Saul Ieroboam 1 King 13. 6. 33. And in the people of the Iewes Mat. 11. 16. 17. and 23. 37. But I shall not need to looke farre for examples to illustrate this point seeing our owne experience doth too manifestly proue it for howsoeuer like Bul-rushes we haue hanged downe our heads whilest the storme of Gods judgements did make vs bend and stoope yet vvee are presently ready to walk vnder the burthen of our sinnes with stiffe and stretched out necks when we see that the storme of Gods fury is a little ouerblowne The vse of this doctrine serueth first to teach vs that seeing naturally wee are hard hearted and so senselesly secure in our sins that we earnestly labour for a broken hart and contrite spirit and continually beg at the hands of God that he will take away our stonie hearts and giue vs hearts of flesh which will grieue and mourne when hee sheweth any signes of his displeasure and euen like the hart of Iosias melt at the hearing of the threatnings of his Law grounding these our prayers vpon his owne gracious promises Iere. Iere. 32. 39. Ezech. 11. 19. and 36. 26. 32. 39. Ezech. 11. 19. and 36. 26. Secondly it serueth for the reproofe of carnall worldlings who securely goe on in their sinnes foolishly imagining that they may repent when they list and so receiue their pardon from God but such are to know that as it is a worke of greatest necessity so also of greatest difficultie for if the Lord leaue them to their owne hardnesse of hart as he justly may seeing they haue abused his grace to wantonnesse and his mercy and long suffering to impenitencie well may they languish vnder punishment yet they shall bee further off from true repentance and vnfayned mourning for their sinnes then the senselesse earth or brutish Creatures Thirdly we are to obserue that the sinne of man is not onely hurtfull and pernitious to himselfe but euen to the Sin is pernitious to all the Creatures whole earth and all the Creatures therein contained In the Creation the Lord blessed the earth and her Inhabitants but sinne turned this blessing into a curse Gen. 3. 17. Gods Gen.
3. 17. blessing made it fruitfull but mans sinne made it barren and in stead of Corne Wine and Oyle caused it to bring forth Thornes and Thistles if it bee not as it were watred with mans sweate Verse 18. 19. It brought a generall Deluge Verse 18. 19. wherein not onely man but all the Creatures perished It turned Sodome and Gomorrah which was like the garden of Eden into a salt Marsh and desolate wildernes It brought all those plagues of Aegipt not onely vpon man but vpon the beasts likewise In a word it is the cause of all the miseries which all the Creatures suffer vnder which they grone and trauaile in paine together with vs as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. 22. Rom. 8. 22. from which with feruent desire they waite to be deliuered when man is freed from his sinne as appeareth Verse 19. 20. 21. Ver. 19. 20. 21 Neyther is this vnjust with God that the creatures should be punished for the sinne of man seeing as man was not made for himselfe but for God so they were not made for themselues but for the vse of man and therefore as they were to joy in his rejoycing so to beare their part of griefe in his mourning and miserie like the seruants of Noble men who are quelled in their Lords ruines and though they are not guilty of their treasons committed against their soueraigne prince yet they are ouerthrowne in their estates pertakers in their punishments The vse of this doctrine is first to admonish vs that when wee see the miseries of any of the poore Creatures as the barrennesse of the earth the toyle sicknesse and manifold infirmities of the beasts c. we be thereby put in remembrance of our sinnes and be moued to bewayle them as being the cause not onely of our owne but also of all the creatures miserie Secondly it serueth to reproue those who abuse the poore creatures with tyrannical crueltie and are so far from pitying them in those miseries which our sinnes haue inflicted vpon them that they make seauen-fould greater the heauy burthen of their euils through their barbarous vsage of them like hard-harted and mercilesse Lords who seeing their seruant adjudged to death for their treasons in stead of pitying his punishment play themselues the executioner in causing him to dye by exquisite torments c. The last thing to bee obserued is that when the Lord exerciseth his judgements vpon the creatures when the That wee are not lightly to passe ouer gods judgements inflicted vpon the creatures Earth is smitten with barrennesse spoyled of her fruits and stripped of her goodly ornaments when the waters aboue eyther drop not at all or in such abundance that in stead of watring her they drowne and ouer flow her and when the beasts and cattle perish eyther by murraigne or famishment wee are not lightly to passe these things ouer but to esteeme them as signes of Gods displeasure conceiued for our sinnes and as so many summons whereby the Lord warneth vs to seeke reconciliation by true repentance lest we be ouertaken by his more fearefull judgements Leuit. 26. 14. 15. c. Leu. 26. 14. 15 Deut. 28. 15. 16. Deut. 28. 15. 16. c. The vse hereof serueth for the reproofe of those who are nothing affected with gods judgements vpon the creatures no further then themselues haue a sensible feeling of their euills so that if in the time of dearth and famine they feele no want they are neuer thereby put in minde eyther of Gods anger or of their owne sinnes nor touched with those miseries vnder which the brute creatures mourne nor with any compassion or fellow-feeling of their neighbours wants ANd so much concerning the first bill of Inditement whereby the Israelits are arraigned and conuicted the second is contayned Verse 4. And the sentence of condemnation Verse 4 is affixed Verse 5. The Inditement it selfe is comprised in these words Yet let none rebuke nor reproue another for thy people are as they that rebuke the Priest In which words The expositiō he aggrauateth their former sinnes by shewing that such was their desperate resolution of continuing in them that they would heare of no admonition or if they were admonished would vnjustly rebuke those of whom they were justly rebuked The sinne whereof they are accused is their impatiencie of rebuke for howsoeuer they abounded in all manner of sin yet they could not indure that eyther Gods Prophets or other his faithfull seruants should admonish or reprooue them for their wickednesse And this was a manifest signe that they were desperately resolued to continue in their sins and were now past all hope of recouerie in this sicknesse of their soules seeing they would not heare the Phisition nor regard his counsaile nor follow his directions nor vse any meanes for their recouery but cast the potions against the walls and pull of the plaisters applied for their curing and throw them in the Physitions face The like example wee haue Esay 30. 9. 10. 11. Where the Prophet complaineth that the Israelits were a rebellious people lying children who Esay 30. 9. 10. 11. would not heare the word of the Lord which say vnto the seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs Prophecie errours c. So Amos. 2. 12. 7. 12. Mich. 2. 6. Ier. 44. 15. 16. Amos. 2. 12. 7. 12. 13. 14 Mich. 2. 6. Ier. 44. 15. 16. Yea but it is not said here that the people forbid the Prophet to admonish and rebuke them but the Lord himselfe I answere the Lord in his word is so farre from forbidding these duties of admonition and reprehension that hee necessarily requires them vnlesse it be when as the sinner is so desperately resolued to continue in his wickednesse that he hateth admonition and is ready to reuenge it as though it were an injurie vpon him who doth admonish him Of such the Lord speaketh Ezech. 3. 26. I will make thy tongue Ezech. 3. 26. cleaue to the roofe of thy mouth that thou shalt be dumbe and shalt not be to them as a man that rebuketh for they are a rebellious house And our Sauiour Christ Mat. 7. 6. Giue ye not Mat. 7. 6. that which is holie to dogs c. And such were this people of whom the Lord saith Yet let none rebuke nor reprooue another As though hee should haue said although their sinnes are so many and haynous that they deserue continuall reproofe and reprehension yet let no man rebuke them seeing it is to no purpose they being so desperately giuen ouer to all wickednesse that they are become altogether impatient of any reproofe And this is plainely expressed in the words following For thy people are as they that rebuke the Priest that is they are such as indeed doe rebuke the Priest for so this word As is sometimes taken absolutely Hos 5. 10. The
remained in the wildernesse as a priuate man till the appointed time came that he should shew himselfe vnto Israel Luke 1. 8. Yea though our Sauiour Christ had the Spirit Luke 1. 8. of God and the gifts thereof without measure yet he executed not his publike ministery till the day which God had appointed came and til he was prepared thereunto by his fortie daies fast Matth. 4. None of the Pastors and Doctors Matth. 4. might take vpon them to discharge the works of those callings till they were allowed of the Church by the imposition of hands 1. Tim. 4. 14. 5. 22. Those therefore which are Gods true Prophets as they are furnished with gifts so they 1. Tim. 4. 15. and 5. 22. haue Gods speciall warrant and calling before they vndertake the execution of their office And contrariwise to speake before God sendeth is a note of a false Prophet as appeareth Ier. 23. 21. I haue not sent these Prophets saith the Lord yet they ranne I haue not spoken to them yet they prophecied Ier. 23. 21. 14. 13. 27. 15. 28. 8 9. Gods loue to his Prophets Ier. 14. 13 14. 27. 15. 28. 8 9. Thirdly we may obserue that before the Lord executed those punishments vpon the people which their sinnes deserued he first reuealeth his will vnto his Prophets Whence we learne Gods speciall loue towards them and their dignitie in that the Lord maketh choyce of them to be as it were his priuie counsellers without whose knowledge he will do no worke of great importance according to that Amos 3. 7. Amos 3. 7. The Lord will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secret to his seruants the Prophets The practise whereof wee may see towards Abraham Gen. 18. 17. Gen. 18. 17. Fourthly whereas the Lord vseth the ministerie of his The benefit of the ministerie to both Teachers and people Prophet for the manifestation of his will hereby he declareth his great mercy and goodnesse both to the Prophets and people to the Prophets in that he vouchsafeth them this dignitie to be his Ambassadours and Ministers of our reconciliation with God and eternall saluation which office belonged also to his most dearely beloued Sonne In which respect the Apostle saith that they were co-workers with Christ 2. Cor. 6. 1. To the people to whom he appointeth the ministerie 2 Cor. 6. 1. of man like vnto themselues because in respect of their sinne and corruption they could not indure the glorious voice of God vnlesse this glorious maiestie were as it were veiled and shadowed with the ministery of man as appeareth by their suit made vnto God Exod. 20. 19. The which is graciously granted Deu. 18. 16 17. And because we could Exod. 20. 19. Deu. 18. 16. 17 not conceiue and vnderstand his glorious and most wise speech he hath appointed his Ministers that they like nurses in their childish and broken language which is most fit for our capacitie might instruct vs in the knowledge of Gods will Fiftly whereas it is said that the Lord speaketh in the Prophets we learne with what feare reuerence and attention Reuerence required in hearing the word we are to heare and receiue the word of God in that the Lord himselfe speaketh vnto vs by them and vseth their mouth and tongue as his instrument and as it were the interpreter of his minde as it is Luke 1. 70. And in that they are Gods Ambassadours representing vnto vs his person Luke 1. 70. and in Christs stead bring vnto vs the glad tydings of the Gospell and of our reconciliation with God 2. Cor. 5. 20. 2. Cor. 5. 20. Whom if wee receiue wee receiue Christ himselfe whom if we contemne wee contemne not man but the euerliuing God as appeareth Luke 10. 16. Luke 10. 16. Lastly whereas he sendeth the Prophet with special commandements Gods mercy in denouncing punishments to the people to shew vnto them their sinne and to denounce such punishments as by them they had deserued We are to obserue a double mercy of God towards his Church For first before he will punish them hee giues them warning that by their repentance they might preuent his iudgements threatned And secondly if they went forward in their sinnes till the punishments were inflicted they might then call to minde who punished them to the end that then at the least they might forsake their sinnes and turne vnto the Lord by true repentance that so hee might haue mercy vpon them Where as otherwise such is our corruption they would neuer looke vnto the hand of God correcting them nor consider the cause of their punishment but ascribe all either to chance fortune or to some inferiour cause and so goe forward in their sinnes to their destruction And so much concerning the commander and the person Goe take vnto this a wife of fornications commanded Now wee are to speake of the commandement it selfe which is inioyned vnto the Prophet which is that he should goe and take vnto him a wife of fornications c. where first we are to cleare that question of great difficultie which hath troubled many namely whether the Whether Hosea was commanded actually to marrie an harlot or but in vision only Lord inioyned the Prophet indeede and truth to take to wise an infamous harlot or whether it were a vision onely and to be propounded by the Prophet by way of parable to the people Many thinke that it was inioyned by the Lord to be done indeede and that it was accordingly performed actually to which iudgement they are moued by the outward letter of the text And amongst these expositors are generally the Papists whose custome is to expound things done by allegories and allegories and parables as things done though innumerable absurdities follow thereupon But that this was onely shewed to the Prophet by vision and inioyned that by way of parable he should declare it to the people it appeareth plainely by these reasons First because God commandeth nothing which is contrarie Reasons prouing that the Prophets mariage was onely in vision to honestie the law of nature and good manners but that the Prophet of God should marrie with an infamous and common harlot is contrarie to all these and therefore God did not command it actually to be done but onely by way of parable But against this is obiected that God commanding it it becommeth honest and lawfull I answere that this is to beg that which is in question neither doth God command euill and vnlawfull things that so they may become good and honest but his will being the rule of goodnesse and iustice doth onely command things good and iust and therfore they are so to be esteemed because not onely they are good and iust in their owne nature but also because he willeth and commandeth them But it is further vrged that God commanded the Israelites to spoile the Egyptians of their gold siluer iewels
remedies Secondly God beginneth here with legall comminations The best method of preaching for the conuerting â—f a sinner before he comforteth them with any euangelicall consolations because this is the best and fittest course for the conuersion of a sinner For first their sores and festered wounds must be lanched searched and drawne with the rasour and corrosiue of the law before they be healed with the plaisters of Gods promises in the Gospell for otherwise the wound being not healed to the bottom will breake out againe and become worse then it was First we must be beaten downe before we can be raised vp we must first see our sinnes and seeing bewaile them before God will shew vnto vs his sauing mercie wee must bee nothing in our selues before we can be something in Gods sight we must labour and grone vnder the heauie burthen of our sinnes desiring nothing more then to be eased of this intollerable waight before we will come to Christ or he relieue vs we must see our owne nakednesse before hee will clothe vs with the robe of his righteousnesse our owne emptinesse before he will fill vs our owne beggerlinesse before hee will inrich vs and our owne sinnes before he will pardon vs. All which preparation is begun by the preaching of the law and therefore the Lord beginneth with it here as also hee tooke the same course with our first parents Gen. 3. and with his Church Gen. 3. and people from time to time so Iohn the Baptist and our Sauiour Christ himselfe whose example all his faithfull Ministers are to imitate c. The third thing which we are to obserue is that he deciphereth Why idolatry is called fornication the idolatrie of the people vnder the name of fornication whoredome and adulterie and that for diuers causes first in that there is betweene them great similitude and likenesse For as the man taketh the woman to wife coniugall faith being on both sides promised so the Lord hath married vnto him the Church and in Iesus Christ the second person in Trinity hath assumed mans nature into yâ— Hypostaticall vnion and so hath inseparablie ioyned vs vnto himselfe Iesus Christ also being knit vnto vs in that mystical vnion and so becomming our head and husband And likewise there is a mutuall contract passed betweene vs for the Lord promiseth his grace loue fauour protection and all the benefits of this life and the life to come and the Church for her part promiseth her loue to God coniugall faith and dutifull obedience And of this mariage mention is made Hosea 2. 19. 20. Ier. 3. 1. 8. 20. 2. Cor. 11. 2. Hos 2. 19. 20. Ier. 3. 1. 8. 2. Cor. 11. 2. As therfore the wife breaking her coniugal faith and promise and withdrawing her loue obedience and bodie from her husband that she may communicate them to some other man becommeth an adulteresse so those who breake their faith and couenant made with God and withdraw their loue obedience and outward seruice from him that they may communicate them vnto false gods and idols doe go a whoring after them and commit spirituall adulterie with them And this is the reason why in the Scriptures idolaters are vsually called harlots fornicators and adulterers and idolatrie whoredome and adulterie as appeareth Exod. 34. 15. Exod. 34. 15. Leuit. 20. 5. 6. Deut. 31. 16. Psalm 106. 39 16. Leuit. 20. 5. 6. Deut. 31. 16. Psalm 106. 39. Secondly as the adulterers are so blinded with their burning lust and blind furie that though they bee naturally wise yet they fall into sottish folly running headlong and as it were blindfold in their vncleane and filthie courses though thereby they impaire their health ruine their state lose their credit shorten their life and destroy their owne soules so Idolaters though neuer so wise through their blind superstition are so infatuated that they beleeue more palpable lies and fall into more sottish follies then little children could be brought vnto not regarding their health wealth life nor credit and hazarding the losse of their soules so that they may goe forward in their blind deuotion The second cause why idolatrie is called adulterie is to shew the greatnesse of this sinne and how odious it is in Gods sight for as it is a most horrible fault and to any louing husband most abominable if a wife should prostitute her selfe vnto others and that in her husbands sight and presence so is this sinne of idolatrie no lesse grieuous or odious because the Idolaters doe prostitue themselues to idols to commit spirituall whoredome with them and that in the sight and presence of God who seeth all things and is present euery where But it may be obiected that idolatrie is a farre greater sinne then adulterie and therefore when it is called by that name the sin is rather extenuated then aggrauated I answer first the grieuousnesse of this sinne is so much the greater by how much more excellent the person is who is iniured and offended and therefore when this adulterie is committed against Gods glorious Maiestie it is infinitely more outragious and hainous then when man is thus wronged Secondly though idolatrie is a farre greater sinne then adulterie yet when it is called by this name it is aggrauated not in it own nature but according to mens conceit and opinion who make light account of the sins of the first table as idolatrie blasphemie breaking the Sabbath but thinke the sinnes of the second table very hainous in respect of the other as murther adulterie theft and such like And therfore the Lord calleth them by the names of these sinnes which we can better iudge of to make them as they are odious and hainous in their owne nature so also to appeare vnto vs. As if a man hauing to deale with a louing child and intending to aggrauate the hainousnesse of this sinne of murthering the prince should compare it to parricide he should to his conceit make it appeare much more grieuous although it be a farre more hainous and pernitious sinne to murther the prince who is the father of the countrie then a mans owne naturall parent And these are the things which are to be obserued out of Idolatrie and superstition know no limits the name The fourth thing to be obserued is that hee saith they had committed great whoredoms and also continued in them wherein we may note the nature as of all other sins so of this sin of idolatrie For if once it bee entertained it knoweth no limits nor bounds but with the heate of blind furie ignorant superstition it carrieth meÌ„ as it were hoodwinckt into all grosse and abominable impietie so that there is no creature in heauen or earth so base and contemptible which the Idolater in his blind deuotion wil not worship in the place of God as appeareth Rom. 1. 23. And this Rom. 1. 23. befalleth them by the iust iudgement of God that they should be carried
weake and in want of all things but want of misery Secondly because he was a Prophet sent not to the Iewes but to the Israelites he doth not meddle with their sinnes which were many nor denounceth Gods iudgements against them but leauing that to their owne Prophets he applieth himselfe to his owne people by all meanes seeking to humble and bring them to true repentance and because this promise of saluation and mercy vnto the Iewes was effectuall to this purpose therefore he reciteth it that their hearts being wounded with griefe and emulation and their pride and insolency being beaten downe they might in some sort be prepared for true repentance And thus much for the vnderstanding of the first point The doctrines which from hence we learne are these First Doctrines That in common calamities God hath aspeciall care ouer the faithfull that when the Lord exerciseth his iudgements vpon the wicked he hath in the meane time a speciall care of the preseruation of those that feare and serue him to deliuer them out of the middest of common calamities as appeareth in this place for though he suffered the people of Israel to be ouerthrowne by their enemies yet he so curbeth them in with the strong raine of his prouidence that they could not enter into the next bordring countrie of Iuda whom they hated with equall malice albeit they were much fewer in number and weaker in power and in outward appearance altogether vnable to make any resistance And this is manifest by many such examples of like deliuerances out of common euils So was Noah preserued in the common deluge Lot in the destruction of Sodom the Israelites from the plagues of Egypt For the iust Iudge of heauen and earth will not destroy the iust with the wicked Gen. 18. 25. And the Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly out of tentation and to reserue the Gen. 18. 25. 2. Pet. 2. 9. vniust to be punished Secondly we here learne that though our sinnes be great Gods mercy to those that repent and our imperfections and corruptions manifold yet this will not withhold from vs the course of Gods mercies if we turne to God by repentance The Iewes were not much behinde the Israelites in rebellion idolatry and all wickednes and yet because they often forsooke their wicked waies either when they were admonished by Gods Prophets or exercised with afflictions and turned vnto God by true repentance therefore the Lord promiseth vnto them mercy and deliuerance whereas the Israelites who continued obstinately in their impenitency were giuen ouer of God to vtter destruction The like example we haue in Saul and Manasse Peter and Iudas and many others Thirdly we learne that it is a notable argument to moue the Lord to spare a people when as they maintaine amongst God spareth those who maintaine his pure worship though they be polluted with many corruptions them Gods pure and sincere worship and seruice notwithstanding they are polluted with many corruptions and imperfections but when as true religion is banished or despised when Gods sincere worship is neglected and idolatry and superstition erected this is a strong motiue to cause the Lord to powre downe his fearefull iudgements as appeareth in the example of the Israelites and the Iewes Whilest the wise continueth her loue and mariage fidelity towards her husband he is content to beare with many infirmities and to put vp many iniuries but if she violate her faith and place her loue vpon a stranger he is kindled with rage and iealousie and will neuer indure such intolerable wickednesse so whilest the Church which is Gods spouse continueth in her loue and obserueth her mariage promise that she will obey and respect him aboue all he is content to spare her though she be full of corruptions and imperfections but when she withdraweth her loue and setteth it vpon idols and disclaiming her promised obedience neglecteth his pure religiō sincere worship and seruice then will his iealousie burne like fire and his wrath wil suddenly breake forth and vtterly consume her being now no better then an adulterous harlot It is true indeed that where Gods true religion is established and his Gospell sincerely preached there if the people doe not liue according to their professiō bring forth the fruits thereof it will not priuiledge them from afflictions and punishments nay rather the Lord will first visit them because they are of his owne family as appeareth 1. Pet. 4. 17. Ier. 25. 29. Heb. 12. 6. Apoc. 3. 19. But these visitations are in 1. Pet. 4. 17. Ier. 25. 29. Heb 12 6. Apoc 3. 19. 1. Cor. 11. 32. mercy that by his fatherly chastisements he may reclaime them lest running on in their sinnes they should be condemned with the world as it is 1. Cor. 11. 32. But yet so long as they doe not withdraw their loue from God nor violate their faith by neglecting Gods true religion and his sincere worship and seruice and erecting idolatry and superstition the Lord will not vtterly forsake them nor altogether withdraw his mercy from them as we may see in the example of the Iewes and haue sufficiently learned by our owne experience Fourthly we here learne that no vice is more intolerable God abaseth the proud in Gods sight then when by our prosperity and Gods gratious and free benefits we be puffed so vp in pride and selfe-confidence that we despise oppresse and insolently insult auer those who are in affliction and misery For this was the cause which moued the Lord to withdraw his mercies and benefits from the Israelites when as they abused them to pride and to bestow them vpon the Iewes who were contemned and oppressed by them And thus much for the first point The second is the benefits promised to the house of Iuda first in generall that he Exposition will haue mercie vpon them secondly that he will in mercy saue and preserue them from their enemies In which benenefits promised there is a secret antithesis vnto the iudgement threatned against the house of Israel in the former verse they should bee lo-ruchamah such as should haue no mercie but the house of Iuda should bee ruchamah that is such as should obtaine mercie they should be vtterly taken away and neuer returne out of their captiuitie but these how they should also be led captiue yet they should continue but a while in their seruitude and at the end of 70. yeeres be againe restored into their owne countrie The which benefits promised were accordingly performed First in the daies of Ahaz when they were deliuered out of the hands of Rezin King of Aram and Pecah the sonne of Remaliah as it is Isai 7. 1. and also in the daies of Ezechias when as the Lord gaue vnto them a meruailous deliuerance by sending his Angell to destroy the host of Senacharib euen 185000. men as appeareth 2. King 18. and 2. King 18. 19. Esa 36. 37.
19. and Esa 36. and 37. And secondly when as being led captiue into Babylon he moued Cyrus and Darius to haue compassion on them and to returne them againe into their owne Country And this is that which is meant by these benefits promised Doctrines Now the things which hence are to be obserued are All Gods benefits included vnder his mercy these First that he includeth all his benefits promised vnder the name of his mercy to note vnto vs that they doe not come vnto any by merit and desert but of free grace and Gods vndeserued goodnes for mercy doth not presuppose merit but rather misery both in regard of sinne and the punishment due vnto it And further to assure vs that if we haue Gods mercy and be in his fauour we shall neede no benefit either for our maintenance or else our defence and preseruation whereas on the otherside without this mercy we can haue no assurance of either Secondly we may obserue that he knitteth these two together Mercy the cause of saluation mercy and saluation and setteth mercy in the first place because it is the cause of saluation and the fountaine from which this streame of our deliuerance floweth Whence we learne that when the Lord saueth and deliuereth vs out of the hands of our enemies we doe not ascribe our deliuerance to our goodnesse workes or worthinesse but to Gods free mercy and vndeserued grace The third thing to be considered is the meanes whereby Exposition the Lord would saue them which are described first affirmatiuely by the Lord their God and after negatiuely where the false and insufficient meanes are remoued And will not saue them by bow c. Concerning the first by the Lord their God we are to vnderstand the true Messias Iesus Christ the eternall Iehoua Gen. 19. 24. with his Father and holy Spirit who onely saueth and deliuereth his Church out of the hands of their enemies and procureth for them eternall saluation and happinesse first as the meritorious cause for his sake and merits we haue saluation and all other benefits deriued vnto vs from God the Father who if he should behold vs out of his Sonne in our sinnes and corruptions would in stead of benefits heape vpon vs plagues and punishments and in stead of saluation would plunge vs into euerlasting death and destruction And secondly as the efficient cause of our saluation for the Father saueth vs but by his Son who is his strong power whereby he not onely created vs but also hath redeemed and saued vs. Moreouer he saith that he would saue them by the Lord their God rather then that he would saue them by himselfe to the end that he might hereby signifie not onely that the house of Iuda did make choyce of him the true God whom they worshipped and serued but also that he was not the God of the Israelites seeing they had forsaken him and betaken themselues to the worship of idols But here it may be demanded how this can be true that he was not the God of the Israelites but of the Iewes onely seeing he professeth himselfe to be the God of all the seed of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and also seeing the Israelites at this time professed that they serued him in their idols I answere that God accounteth himselfe to be no God vnto them who had refused him and that they had in truth refused him whatsoeuer shew and profession they made to the contrary when as they did not worship him after the prescript forme of his word but in hypocrisie and in idols not in his temple vnto which place hee had limited and restrained his publike worshippe but in groues and high places And this was the true meanes whereby he would saue them In the next place hee expresseth and remooueth the false and insufficient meanes of their saluation And will not saue them by bow nor by sword nor by battell by horses nor by horsemen As though hee should say Although they bee so weake poore and impotent as that they may appeare vnto themselues and others to lie open for a pray to their enemies yet this shall bee no meanes to hinder their saluation and deliuerance seeing my purpose is not to saue them by any power riches or meanes of their owne but by mine owne might which without all humane helpe is in it selfe omnipotent and omnisufficient Whereas then he saith that hee will not saue them by bow nor by sword c. his meaning is that hee would not saue them by their owne power and strength or by any humane and worldly meanes but that their deliuerāce should whollie come from and by himselfe the which accordingly was effected first in the reigne of Ezekias when as being inuaded with the mightie host of Senacharib hee caused his Angell to slay 185000. of their enemies and so without their owne bow sword or battell deliuered them And after that they were led captiue into Babylon he gaue thē grace in the eies of Cyrus and Darius and when otherwise they were altogether vnable by force to relieue themselues he caused their enemies in pitie and compassion to free them out of captiuitie and to restore them againe into their owne countrie Now the reason why the Lord excludeth all their owne strength and meanes was first to beate downe the pride and insolencie of the Israelites who thought it impossible that the house of Iuda in regard of their weakenesse pouertie and small number should bee deliuered out of their hands especially hauing combined themselues with the Syrians to worke their ouerthrow and secondly to strengthen the Iewes in the assurance of their deliuerance notwithstanding they saw no possible meanes in regard of humane power which was exceeding needfull considering that through our naturally corruptions we are readie to doubt of our deliuerance when as we are abandoned of outward helpes And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines which The doctrines from hence arise are these First wee may obserue that the 1. That we haue all benefits from God in and for Iesus Christ saluation of Gods Church and elect children and all other benefits which they receiue either spiritual or temporal is in and for Iesus Christ alone and not from their owne meanes nor for their own merits And this appeareth in this place where the Lord promiseth to saue the Iewes out of the hands of the enemies but not by their own means but in the Lord their God the promised Messiah And as this is true concerning our temporall deliuerances so especially concerning our eternall saluation for there is not saluation in any other c. Act. 4. 12. And he is able perfectly to saue all those who Acts 4. 12. Heb. 7. 25. come vnto God by him Heb. 7. 25. The vse hereof is that wee doe not with the Papists looke for saluation elsewhere not in our owne merits nor in the merits and intercession of Saints nor ascribe the
they falsely call our mother they will not indure that her sinnes should be reprehended and affirme it to bee impudent saucinesse for the children to reprooue the parents faults But first we answere that she is not our mother but a common strumpet who long agoe was diuorced from God for her spirituall fornications And secondly though she were our mother yet she were to be reprooued for her faults that so she might be brought to a sight of her sinnes and turne vnto the Lord her husband whom she hath forsaken by her whoredomes Fiftly we may obserue the grieuousnesse of the sinne of Idolatrie a grieuous sin idolatrie which appeareth in the greatnesse of the punishment which is vtter reiection and separation from God other sinnes mooue the Lord to afflict his spouse but this causeth him to diuorce her other sinnes prouoke the Lord to correct his children but this mooueth him to disherit them Now what more fearefull punishment can bee imagined then to bee diuorced from God to bee excluded from his grace protection and preseruation al which idolaters incurre through their spirituall whoredomes The consideration whereof should make vs to flee this sinne that so wee may escape the punishment The last thing which we are to obserue is out of the order God reiecteth not the Church before she reiecteth him of the words namely that the Lord neuer reiecteth his Church from being his spouse before shee hath cast him off from being her husband he neuer withdraweth his grace mercie and protection and prouidence from watching ouer vs till wee alienate our minds from him denying vnto him our faith obedience and alleageance and therefore let vs cleaue vnto the Lord and he will most certainely cleaue vnto vs let vs keepe our faith and couenant with him and hee will neuer faile vs let vs euer acknowledge him for our husband and father and hee will acknowledge vs for his spouse and children And so much concerning the diuorce Now the end why the Lord would haue it denounced is twofold first that hereby they might be mooued to repent of their wickednes and secondly that repenting they might escape punishment verse 3. The first end is expressed in these words that she may take away her fornications out of her sight or from her face and her adulteries from betweene her breasts In which Exposition words the Lord sheweth the cause why hee would haue the diuorce betweene him and the Church of Israel proclaimed namely not for any hatred of her person but that being brought vnto a sight of their sinnes they might repent of them and so forsaking their spirituall whoredomes they might be receiued againe of the Lord as his spouse as it is in the latter part of the chapter But let vs come to the meaning of them Some vnderstand by fornication of the face externall idolatrie and by the adulterie of the breasts that idolatrie which is in secret committed But as I take it the Prophets purpose here is to shew that the people were growne impudent in their sinnes so that they made an outward profession of them not caring who beheld them For before he had shewed that the Lord had diuorced them and consequently that they had committed adulterie and plaied the harlots for in other cases diuorces are not by God approoued and now he intimateth that they had the conditions and qualities of an harlot for as harlots in continuance of time grow past shame so that they doe not only in secret commit adulterie but publikelie make profession of it as of their trade decking themselues with such gorgious and garish apparrell as beseemeth not honest matrons glauncing with wanton eyes at their louers painting their faces and laying out their naked breasts that they may not onely professe themselues wanton and lasciuious but also with these baites allure others to commit wickednes with them so the Church of Israel liuing in spiritual whoredome grew to that impudencie in sinne that shee was not content to commit it in secret but also to professe it yea to defend and boast of it and because she would be known to bee an harlot who had forsaken the Lord and giuen her selfe ouer to commit this spirituall vncleannesse therefore in euery corner they erected images and idols they adorned them with gold and pretious ornaments they in most impudent manner prostituted themselues vnto them to commit spirituall whoredome in the sight of all the world worshipping and seruing them in stead of the true God and like shamelesse harlots they did not onely themselues commit this wickednesse but also allured others to goe a whoring with them These words then are metaphoricall borrowed from the practise of harlots who that they may display the filthy vncleannesse of their mindes and allure others to vnlawfull lust doe seeke to intice them by wanton lookes painting of their faces and laying out their naked breasts and hence it is that the Prophet attributeth fornication to the face and eies and adultery to the breasts because vnto harlots these parts are the instruments of their vncleannesse whereby they testifie and as it were proclame that they are ready and willing to commit whoredome and also allure others to ioyne with them in their beastlinesse So the Apostle Peter saith of some that their eyes were full of adulterie 2. Pet. 2. 14. because by their eyes they discouered their adulterous 2. Pet. 2. 14. hearts Now in these wordes the Prophet aimeth at three things first hee closely intimateth what was the cause of their diuorce namely their idolatry which he calleth adultery and fornication which they committed with all audacious impudency openly and in the sight of all Secondly hee cleareth God of all imputation of fault in that he diuorced them not for any hatred to their persons nor for small transgressions but for their grosse idolatry and spirituall whoredomes and therefore there was no cause why they should contend with him but with their mother For if shee would leaue her sinnes and returne vnto him by vnfained repentance hee would receiue her to mercie and acknowledge her for his spouse as hee after sheweth Thirdly and principally he laboureth by earnest exhortation to moue her to leaue her spirituall whoredomes and her professed audaciousnesse and shamelesse impudency in prostituting her selfe vnto idols and forsaking him their Lord and husband not in a secret corner but in the view of all the world And this is the meaning of these words The instructions which from hence we gather are these First we may obserue The Do ∣ ctrines that though the Lord by his Prophet had sharpely reproued That the sinnes of the people are often to be reprehended the people for their spirituall whoredomes in the former chapter and denounced his fearefull iudgements against them yet because they did not repent but obstinately and impudently continued in their idolatry the Lord contenteth not himselfe with once reprouing of them but causeth his Prophet to beate
also alludeth to the state of the Israelites in the wildernesse who had no water but what the Lord brought out of a rocke in a miraculous manner Neither doth he onely aime at this bodilie thirst for want of water but also at the thirst of the soule for want of the water which floweth from the sanctuarie the word of God of which Amos speaketh Chap. 8. 11. 13. And of the Amos 8. 11. 13. water of life of which whosoeuer drinketh shall neuer more thirst euen the Spirit of God of which our Sauiour speaketh Ioh. 4. 14. 7. 38. 39. Ioh. 4. 14 7. 38. 39. The scope of the Prophet And so much for the meaning of the words wherein the Prophet aimeth at these foure things principally first hee setteth forth the admirable and infinite patience loue clemencie and bountie of God who when his spouse the Church of Israel had often and impudently plaied the harlot and for her whoredomes was diuorced from him yet he did not according to the iust custome of husbands in like cases take his gifts and rich benefits from her which he had bestowed on her but suffered her to inioy them still and this he implieth when as hee willeth her to repent lest he should spoile her noting thereby that as yet hee had not done it Secondly in these words he intimateth that if she would repent he was readie to forgiue her and to suffer her still to inioy his benefits for he had not as yet spoiled and stripped her as he iustly might and was loath to go about it and therfore he exhorteth her to turne from her sinnes that he might not be vrged to doe it in his iust displeasure Thirdly he laboureth to worke in her true repentance by forewarning her of an increase of punishment namelie that if that great punishment of diuorce and separation from God would not mooue them to turne from their sinnes hee was readie to inflict other punishments vpon them which though they were not so great as the former in their owne nature yet perhaps they were farre more grieuous in their opinion and apprehension For where hee willeth her to take away her sinnes lest hee spoiled her hee implieth that vnlesse she repented he would not content himselfe with that punishment of her diuorce but would most certainely spoile her of all the ornaments gifts and benefits which he had bestowed on her Fourthly because pride and true repentance will not stand together therefore he seeketh to humble her both by putting her in minde of her miserable and base estate wherein she was before hee aduanced her and by assuring her that if she did not humble herselfe forsake her sinnes and turne vnto him from her idols he would leaue her as hee found her depriue her of all his gifts and ourwhelme her with an vnsupportable load of woe and misery And these are the maine things at which the Prophet aimeth The Do ∣ ctrines in these words The doctrines which from hence are to be obserued are these First we may obserue what is the God denounceth his iudgments that we may repent cause why the Lord denounceth his iudgements against his people to wit that they may repent of their sinnes and that repenting they may escape punishment which his iustice vrgeth him to inflict vpon them continuing in their sins So he causeth the diuorce to be proclaimed that they may take away their adulteries and that repenting of them they might not be stripped of all the gifts and benefits which as yet they inioyed So that the end of Gods threatnings is that we may repent and of our repentance that wee may escape punishment and the end of one punishment is that making good vse of it we may escape an other Whence we may obserue that God euen in wrath remembreth mercy for hee threatneth that he may not punish and punisheth that he may not destroy he punisheth vnwillingly after a sort and therefore before hand he giueth warning that wee may escape it and hauing inflicted it he laboureth to apply it to our senselesse hearts that by our obstinacy wee doe not vrge his iustice to proceede in punishing And therefore let vs not by our stubburnnesse and impenitency make Gods end frustrate and turne mercy into iustice but when he threatneth let vs repent that we may escape punishment or at least let vs turne vnto him when he punisheth that we doe not moue him to deale more seuerely with vs. The second thing to be obserued is that after the Lord God doth not alwaies strip a people of al his benefits after he hath reiected them hath reiected a people hee doth not alwaies presently vpon the diuorce withdraw his gifts and benefits from them but leaueth them with them for a time to bee inioyed that this his loue patience and bounty may moue them to forsake their sinnes that so they may bee receiued into his former loue and fauour Whereby as wee haue occasion to admire and praise the indefatigable patience and infinite bountie of our gratious God so may we hereby be admonished not to iudge of Gods loue and fauour nor of our owne happinesse by outward benefits whether they be ciuill or spiritutuall as namely peace plenty a flourishing estate the word Sacraments c. seeing after the diuorce he vouchsafeth to the diuorced such benefits for a time as appeareth in this place The like example we haue in Caine who being banished Gods presence flourished in the world and in Saul who though hee were reiected yet the Lord suffered him a long time to inioy the Kingdome and in Ahab whose destruction was long determined before it was effected Thirdly we may obserue that because the Church of Israel did not repent vpon the hearing of the diuorce proclamed If one iudgement will not reclaime vs God will send another therefore the Lord threatneth an other punishment namely that he would strip and spoile them of all his gifts So that although in his loue and patience he doth not presently after he had diuorced them depriue them of his benefits but giueth them a time to make vse of his former punishment yet his iustice will not euer suffer him to winke at their sinnes but if his first iudgement will not reclaime them he will goe forward to a second which vsually is more grieuous then the first Notwithstanding in this he first denounceth the diuorce which is the greater punishment and after the withdrawing of his gifts which is the lesse for separation from God is infinitely a more heauy iudgement then to be depriued of all other happinesse And this hee doth because howsoeuer these things are in their owne nature yet to worldly men and prophane hypocrites the losse of God is more lightly esteemed then the losse of his gifts for so they may inioy their worldly glory riches and delights they can bee content to liue depriued of Gods fauour and to be diuorced from him And therefore the Lord
especially their magistrates superiors goueruours both ecclesiastical and ciuil so by the children we are to vnderstand the particular members of this Church especially subiects and inferiours For the Lord contenteth not himselfe with a generall denunciation of his heauy iudgements against the whole Church but he descendeth to particulars and specially applieth his threatnings to euery particular member of this body that so hee may bring the mother and the children the whole body and the seuerall parts superiours and inferiours vnto true repentance Superiours when as they consider that not onely they themselues shall haue the greatest measure of punishment inflicted on them because by their authority and example they haue bin the ringleaders vnto al wickednes but also that the poore people committed to their charge whom they ought as tenderly to loue as the kinde mother her deare children shal through their bad example and ill gouernment fall into the like sins so be made obnoxious to the like punishmēts So likewise inferiours may be drawne to repentance when as they consider that their following of the example of their superiours and obeying their authority in euil will not priuiledge them frō Gods iudgements but being partakers with thē in sin they shall also be partakers of their punishments And so much for the persons The punishment it selfe is that the Lord will haue no mercy or pittie vpon them not that the Lord will vtterly and absolutely exclude them from mercy but onely on this condition if they perseuered in their sinnes without repentance neither doth hee debarre them of all mercy in regard of their eternall saluation but in respect of their temporary reiection from being his people and children as may appeare by the latter part of the chapter The meaning therefore of these words is this that as he had denied to haue pitie vpon the mother and had diuorced her stripped her and made her like a wildernesse c. so neither would he haue any compassion of the children to to spare them but would bring vpon them the same punishments which he had denounced against their mother And this is the punishment here denounced The cause moouing the Lord to inflict it is expressed in these wordes For they bee the children of fornications In which words is contained a twofold cause of the childrens punishment the first because they are the children of fornications that is the issue of an adulterous mother or more plainely thus because they are members of an idolatrous Church who by their gouernours ciuill and ecclesiasticall are nuzled and nursed brought vp and instructed in idolatry and a false religion The first cause therefore why the Lord reiecteth the children is in the mother that is in the whole Church especially their gouernours and rulers both ecclesiasticall and ciuill because by the former they were taught not a true but a false and idolatrous religion and by the other were not restrained from idolatry and false worship and vrged to worship the true God after a true manner but rather by their example inticed and by their authority forced to forsake the true God and follow idols But here it may be demanded whether the sinne of the How God punisheth the sinnes of gouernours in the people gouernours is a iust cause to mooue the Lord to punish the subiects To which I answer that there are two sorts of punishments the first corporall and temporall the second spirituall and eternall In respect of temporall punishments it is iust with God to punish the sinnes of parents in children and of gouernours in the subiects because in respect of the whole body they are parts and members belonging vnto them as the chiefe and principall and therefore whilest the children and subiects suffer punishment the parents and gouernours are punished in them 2. Sam. 12. 14. 24. 12. 17. 2. Sam. 12. 14. 24. 12. 17. But in respect of spirituall and eternall punishments the Lord doth not inflict them vpon the children and subiects for the sinnes of the parents and gouernours positiuely vnlesse they likewise partake with them in their sinnes and follow their wicked example howsoeuer hee may iustly for Ezech. 18. their sins lay vpon them priuatiue punishments by withholding from them his grace and the gifts of his holy spirit which he is not bound to giue of which they being depriued runne into sinne and so make themselues obnoxious to positiue punishments Now these children of which the Prophet speaketh were not onely borne of an idolatrous mother but also they themselues liued and continued in that idolatry in which they were bred and instructed And this is the more principall cause why these children are punished because they liked and approued imbraced and liued in the idolatry of their mother for not simply to haue been the children and members of an idolatrous Church nor to haue been brought vp and instructed in her idolatries is a cause which moueth the Lord to reiect any if afterwards they hate and forsake the idolatry of their mother and loue and imbrace the pure and sincere worship of God The which was the state of many of Gods children in the common apostasie of the Israelites and is the state of many who haue come out of the spirituall Babylon being begotten vnto God by the immortall seede of his word But these of whom the Prophet speaketh had not onely in times past been but presently were the children of fornications they were not onely brought vp in idolatry but still they liked and liued in it and this he implieth when as he faith not that they had been but presently were the children of fornication And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines to be obserued out of them are these First wee may note that That particular application is necessary in the ministery of the word the Lord contenteth not himselfe with a generall denunciation of his iudgements against the whole Church of Israel but also applieth them specially to the particular members thereof The which example is to be imitated of Gods Ministers especially considering that such is the selfeloue pride hypocrisie and security of men that they will make no application of generall reprehensions and threatnings vnto themselues so long as they can shift them off and apply them vnto others An example hereof we haue in the secure Israelites Esa 28. 15. and in the Priests and Pharisies Matth. Esa 28. 15. Matth. 21. 41. 21. 41. yea Dauid himselfe made no vse of the generall parable for his humiliation till it was particularly applied 2. Sam. 12. 7. And therefore because that which is spoken to all is 2. Sam. 12. 7. spoken to none it hath been the custome of all Gods true Prophets and Ambassadours to make particular application of their general doctrines to the special vse of their own hearers so Nathan to Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 7. Peter to the Iewes 2. Sam. 12. 7. Acts 2. 23. Act. 2. 23. all
the Prophets to their seueral peoples to whom they were sent And this duty is to be performed of all faithfull Ministers for they are Gods stewards and therefore they are not to suffer euery one to rush into the storehouse of Gods word and to take what pleaseth them but they must giue euery man his owne portion in season as it is Luke 12. 42. Luke 12. 42. They are the Churches Surgeons to cure their spirituall wounds and sores of sinne and therefore they must not onely make good plaisters but also they must apply them to their sores and wounds for otherwise many are so senselesse that they feele no paine and therefore desire no helpe many so wayward and impatient that they will rather let their spirituall wounds putrifie through securitie and presumption then abide the cure fearing the plaister more then the wound Secondly wee may obserue that the idolatry and other grieuous sinnes of the whole Church especially of the gouernours God punisheth the sins of gouernours in the people both ecclesiasticall and ciuill being not repented of do moue the Lord not onely to punish the whole body but also the particular members that is subiects and inferiours if not with spirituall as when they are not partakers with them in their sinnes yet at least with temporall punishments because being one body the sinne of superiours is not onely punished when the punishment is inflicted on themselues but also vpon the inferiours as being parts of them and members of the whole body But besides corporall afflictions they make them also obnoxious vnto Gods wrath and eternall punishments when as by their false doctrine authoritie and euill example they mooue and allure them to imbrace their idolatrie and other sinnes An example wherof we haue in the papacie where because the whole Church is idolatrous especially their Magistrates and Cleargie therefore priuate men being by their false doctrine authoritie and example nuzled and instructed in idolatrie are together with them diuorced from God and ouerwhelmed in the common destruction So that the first and more remote cause of this their punishment is in the whole Church and gouernours thereof the next and immediate cause is the idolatrie of euery particular man which himselfe committed being seduced by the false doctrine and euill example of their adulterous mother The consideration whereof should make superiours most carefull to acquaint themselues with Gods truth and to imbrace and professe his true religion to forsake and detest all manner of false worship and idolatrie and to auoid all other grieuous and open sinnes or if they haue fallen into them speedily to repent of them seeing hereby they do not only draw vpon themselues the heauiest measure of punishment for the mighty shal be mightily tormented but also by their sins not repented of do make their VVisd 6 7. subiects and inferiours which they should loue as their children and parts of their owne bodie guiltie of their sinnes and obnoxious to their punishments 2. Sam. 24. 17. 2. Sam 24. 17. That it is not sufficient to conforme our religion to the religion of superiours Thirdly subiects inferiors priuate men may here learne that in respect of their religion it is not sufficient to conforme themselues to the religion of their gouernours nor in respect of their faith to beleeue as the Church beleeueth nor in respect of their manners to liue according to the example of their superiours but euery one ought to informe himselfe of Gods true religion and to be assured out of Gods word that he worshippeth the true God after his reuealed will and to leade his life not according to the example of others but according to Gods precepts with which he is throughly to be acquainted for it will not excuse vs to say that we haue bin seduced by false teachers mislead by ill gouernours allured by the wicked example of superiours seeing euery man is to liue by their owne faith to bee directed by his owne knowledge and to be approoued or condemned by his owne life and actions And therfore the only priuiledge which he shall haue by the false religion idolatrie and wicked examples of his superiors is that hauing sinned with them for company they shall haue their company also in suffering punishment Lastly we may here obserue that the Lord will not reiect That former idolatrie repented of doth not cause God to reiect vs. vs because we haue bin the children of an adulterous mother in time past so that we hate and forsake her fornications and leauing her as an adulterous harlot do cleaue vnto our heauenly father for it is not said here that the Lord would exclude them from his mercie because they had been but also presently were the children of fornications that is not onelie borne of an adulterous harlot but also approouing and following her spirituall whoredomes The consideration whereof serueth for the comfort of those who hauing been borne and brought vp in poperie and idolatrie are conuerted vnto the truth for howsoeuer if they had continued with thir mother the great whore of Babylon and committed Apoc. 18. 4. with her spirituall whoredome they should haue been forsaken and so perished together with her yet being now come out from Babylon they shall not be partakers with her in her sinnes and punishments but being regenerate and borne anew vnto their heauenly father by the immortall seede of his word and Gospell they shall be exempted from her plagues admitted as legitimate and made capable of that heauenly inheritance which God rescrueth in store for all his children ANd so much concerning the diuorce between the Lord and the Church of Israel In the next place is the cause thereof expressed to wit the sinne of the people especiallie their idolatrie and vnthankfulnnsse and afterwards the punishments due vnto their sinnes are threatned The first is contained in these words Vers 5. For their mother hath Vers 5 plaied the harlot she that conceiued them hath done shamefully for she said I will goe after my louers that giue me my bread and my water my wooll and my flaxe mine oyle and my drinke In which words are contained first their idolatrie and spirituall Exposition whoredomes and secondly their ingratitude Their idolatrie is first plainely expressed and afterwards aggrauated It is expressed in these words For their mother hath plaied the harlot Where still he continueth the allegorie of marriage adulterie and diuorce shewing and proouing that there was iust cause why the mother was diuorced and the children reiected because the mother had plaied the harlot and so her children were an adulterous issue Neither had she only before or after committed whoredome but euen in the generation of these her children shee had conceiued them of the seede of fornication for otherwise howsoeuer shee was a harlot yet her children should haue been legitimate and therefore vnlawfully disinherited but they were not onelie borne of an harlot but also in
adulterie and therefore they were the children of fornication Now as they are rightly called bastards which are not begotten of the lawfull husband but of the seed of a stranger so the Lord in respect of the spirituall generation accounteth them bastards which hee hath not begotten by the immortall seede of his word made powerfull by the inward 1. Pet. 1. 23. opperation of his Spirit And therefore those who are begotten vnto the Church by false doctrines and lying spirits and according to their birth are so brought vp they are to be accounted the children of fornications But such was the birth and bringing vp of these children for their mother the Church of Israel vnder the reigne of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat committed spiritual whoredom when as forsaking the Lord shee worshipped the golden calues in Dan and Bethel whilest she plaied the harlot the posteritie which came of her were borne vnto the idols when as being brought vp in ignorance destitute of the knowledge of God and his religion they were instructed in false doctrine and idolatrie and so became as grosse idolaters as their predecessors And therefore being in adulterous issue of an adulterous mother both she and they were iustly reiected And this was the first and chiefe sinne for which the mother was diuorced and the children disinherited namely because she plaied the harlot and the children were begotten in her adultery Now this their sinne is aggrauated first by her shamelesse filthinesse therein shewed and secondly by her impudent and obstinate resolution to commit it The first is expressed in these words she that conceiued them hath done shamefully The Hebrew text hath it Shee that conceiued them is affected or confounded with shame whereby is not meant that she was shamefast or ashamed of her sinnes for this agreeth not to the disposition of an harlot especially to such a shamelesse harlot as this whose fornications were in her face and her adulteries betweene her breasts and who impudently professed that shee would goe after her louers but that she had committed such shamefull actions and had liued so filthily and infamously that shee had exposed her selfe to all shame and reproch The meaning therefore of these words is this that shee had not fallen into her sinnes of infirmity or after shee was fallen carried her selfe after any moderate manner but that she often committed these sins and defiled her selfe with so many kindes of idolatry and superstition that shee was growne infamous and iustly reproched of all who heard of or saw her abominable filthinesse Now this hee proueth and with all further aggrauateth the greatnesse of her sinne by giuing a particular instance of her wickednesse in these wordes for she said I will goe after my louers c. Whereas he saith that she thus said he implieth that shee did not follow her louers and forsake the Lord through infirmitie ignorance or as one ouertaken at vnawares but aduisedly wilfully vpon a deliberate and setled resolution shee determined to doe it and not onely so but in an impudent manner she professed that renouncing God her lawfull husband she would follow her louers Where by her louers we are to vnderstand her idols and false gods which are compared fitly vnto louers for as louers that is adulterers allure intice mens wiues to withdraw their hearts from their lawfull husbands and to fixe it vpon them to breake their coniugall faith and to commit whoredome by offering vnto them gifts and pleasures So the spouse of God is allured and inticed by idols to forsake the Lord and to set her heart vpon them and to violate her mariage saith by leauing his pure worship and seruice and prostituting her selfe to commit spirituall whoredome with them when as they seeme to offer vnto her as a reward some profit or delight And this also appeareth in the reason which she yeeldeth of her apostasie in the wordes following that giue mee my bread and my water my wooll and my flaxe mine oyle and my drinke In which words is also contained the exceeding great vnthankfulnesse of the people in ascribing all the benefits which they inioyed vnto their idols and false gods whereas the Lord alone was the author and fountaine of them The which their sinne was so much the more vnexcusable because in the Law the Lord had promised all these gifts vnto them to the end that they should expect them from him alone hauing receiued them they should ascribe the whole praise vnto him onely of his owne gifts Leuit. 26. 4 5. Deut. Leuit. 26. 4 5. Deut. 28. 2 3. 28. 2 3 4 5 c. Now vnder these particulars here named hee vnderstandeth all kind of benefits necessarie either for their sustenance and preseruation or for their pleasure and delight For by bread and water in the Scriptures is vsually signified all kind of meate and drinke food and sustenance as appeareth Exo. 34. 28. Deut. 23. 4. 1. King 13. 17. Esa 3. 1. By wooll and Exod. 34. 28. Deut. 23. 4. 1. King 13. 17. Esa 3. 1. flaxe is vnderstood all kind of clothing apparrell and furniture made of them By oyle and drinke is vnderstood all their pleasures and delicacies for oyle in those hot countries was vsed for pleasure ornament smell agilitie and strength and by drinke is meant not ordinarie drinke for that hee comprehendeth vnder the name of water but their drinkes which were most costly and delicate and further the word here vsed is of the plurall number and deriued from such a roote as signifieth to drinke abundantlie whereby is vnderstood their plentie of such delicacies And so much for the meaning of these words The instructions Sinne the cause of all punishment which hence arise are these First wee may obserue what was the cause of all those punishments before denounced both against the Church of Israel her children namelie their sinnes especially their idolatrie and vnthankfulnes For because the mother plaied the harlot and her children were begotten in her adulteries and not onely so but also liked and approoued imbraced and followed the whoredomes of their mother therefore ioyning in sin they were ioyned in punishment And indeede the sinne of man is the cause of al the miseries and euils which he suffereth for God who is the chiefe goodnesse taketh his delight in doing good and in multiplying his benefits vpon his creatures according to that Psalm 145. 9. The Lord is good to all and Psal 145. 9. his mercies are ouer all his workes and that of Micah Chap. 7. vers 18. He retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercie Mich 7. 18. pleaseth him Neither doth he punish but when mens sinnes vrge his iustice and draw vpon themselues his iudgements Whence we learne when we are punished not to murmure against God nor to looke to inferiour meanes but rather to examine our owne consciences and to search out our sins Psalm 51. 4. which are the cause
thereof that so we may cleare God and accuse our selues And likewise if we would haue the punishment remoued we must not vse euill meanes for the euill of sinne will not remooue the euill of punishment nay rather it will redouble it as being the chiefe cause thereof but if we would haue our punishment taken away let vs first take away our sinnes by vnfained repentance for if the cause bee remoued the effect will cease Secondly we here learne that the Church doth onely so The Church remaineth the spouse of Christ onely so long as she keepeth her mariage faith long remaine the spouse of God as she keepeth her mariage faith louing and obeying worshipping and seruing him aloue but if she plaieth the harlot either by forsaking the true God and worshipping idols or by so worshipping the true God as she worshippeth idols that is after an idolatrous maner not after the prescript rule of his word this causeth the Lord to diuorce her from him and to strip her of al his benenefits So that it is not sufficient for a Church that she hath been the spouse of Christ that she hath plighted he faith vnto him and worshipped him according to his word vnlesse she perseuere in her faithfulnesse loue and sincere and pure obedience for this was the estate of the Israelites who were diuorced for their apostasie So that the Church of Rome doth in vaine pretend her long continuance and succession of Bishops to prooue her selfe to be the spouse of Christ seeing they haue made an apostasie breaking their faith forsaking Gods pure worship and imbracing their owne will-worshippes and inuentions worshipping in stead of the true God their breaden god Saints Angels crosses crucifixes and images And therefore hauing plaied the harlots the mother together with the children they were long agoe diuorced from God and stripped of his spirituall benefits Thirdly we may obserue that after men haue forsaken the No moderation in idolatrie and wil-worship Lord and his pure worship and giuen themselues ouer to commit idolatrie they can containe themselues in no moderatiō but behaue themselues most shamefully infinitly multiplying their superstitions and kindes of idolatrie according to the varietie of euery mans inuention An example wherof we haue in the old Egyptians in the Gentiles Rom. 1. In the Papists at this day whose idolatries are manifold and their superstitions innumerable for they do not only make Idols but they also worship them by kneeling and praying vnto them offering vnto them incense and oblations consecrating vnto them Churches going on pilgrimage ascribing vnto them power to doe miracles and forgiue sins The consideration whereof should make vs most carefully to auoid all wil-worship and to restraine our selues vnto that worship which God hath reuealed in his word Fourthly wee may obserue the impudencie of idolaters The impudencie of idolaters and their resolued obstinacie in their sinnes for they do not only fall of ignorance and infirmitie nor content themselues with their idolatries in secret committed but like shamelesse harlots they make a trade and open profession of their sins not sticking openly to say that they will follow their louers An example whereof we haue in this place as also in the Papists who not only in secret but also in their Churches market places and open processions beare about their Idols and make open profession of their idolatrie and apostasie Fiftly wee may here obserue the palpable ignorance and The ignorāce and vnthankfulnes of idolaters wilfull blindnesse the grosse ingratitude and carnall worldlinesse of idolaters their ignorant blindnesse in ascribing their prosperitie and plentie vnto their sinne of worshipping Idols which is the cause of their miserie pouertie and nakednesse their vnthankfulnesse in attributing the praise of all those benefits which they enioy through the free mercie and bountie of God vnto their louers that is their Idols and false gods which are no causes of their blessings but of their punishments their carnall worldlinesse in that they make choice of their religion not for the loue of God and of his truth but for worldly benefits pleasures and preferments So the idolaters heere in their ignorance and vnthankfulnesse ascribe their riches and pleasures to their louers professing that therefore they will follow them because they were benefited by them Thus they ascribed their deliuerance out of Egypt to the golden Calfe Exod. 32. 4. and to their Calues in Dan and Bethel 1. King 12. 28. Thus the men of Iudah impudently Exod. 32. 4. 1. King 12. 28. and stubbornely refused to heare the word of the Lord by the mouth of Ieremie and stifly affirmed that they would doe sacrifice to the Queene of Heauen because whilest they committed this idolatrie they had plentie of victuals and were well and felt none euill c. Iere. 44. 17. 18. Iere. 44. 17. 18. 19. And thus many in these daies through their grosse ignorance and vnthankfulnesse approue and iustifie like and liue in the idolatrous religion of the Papists because whilest they worshipped the Queene of Heauen the Virgin Mary and their Saints and Images they had plentie of victuals and all things good cheape But as the Apostle saith of such Their end is damnation whose god is their bellie and whose glorie is to Phil. 3. 19. their shame which minde earthly things Philip. 3. 19. Thus also doe they offend who ascribe the benefits which they enioy not to the free mercie and bountie of God but to their owne wits industrie and labour sacrificing to their owne nets and burning incense vnto their yearne because by them their portion is fat and their meate plenteous as the Prophet Habacuc speaketh Hab. 1. 16. But most grieuously of all in Hab. 1. 16. this respect doe the Papists offend who rob and spoile the Lord of the praise of his gifts by ascribing almost euery particular benefit which they enioy to some Saint or Idoll as the peculiar patrone author and preseruer thereof vnto whom they pray and goe on pilgrimage when they stand in need of any of these benefits and vnto whom they offer oblations and praises when they abound with them Lastly as it is the nature and disposition of idolaters out Idolaters approue their religion by their prosperitie of their religion to seeke their gaine and profit and accordingly to esteeme that religion best and truest whereby they may reape vnto themselues the greatest haruest of worldly benefit so if they be put to the proouing and iustifying of their religion the maine argument which they commonly vse for this purpose is their worldly prosperitie and abundance of pleasures riches and preferments thinking themselues most approoued of God and their religion most true when they most abound in these worldly things This wee see in this place in the example of the Iewes in the time of Ieremie Iere. 44. 17. 18. And in the Papists at this day who Iere. 44. 17. approue their religion
by the outward pompe and prosperitie of their Church especially of their Pope Cardinals and Bishops ANd so much concerning the peoples sinne of Idolatrie and the first branch of their vnthankfulnes in ascribing their benefits to their Idols In the next place he denounceth threatnings against them for their sinnes in these words Vers 6. Therefore behold I will stop thy way with thornes and Vers 6 7. make a hedge that she shall not finde her paths Or thus Therefore behold I will hedge thy way with thornes and will make a wall c. Vers 7. Though she follow after her louers yet shall she not come at them though she seeke them yet shall she not finde them Then shall she say I will go and returne to my first husband for at that time was I better then now Or thus And she shall follow her louers and shall not come at them and she shal seek them and shall not find them c. In which words are contained two things first a punishment The exposition denounced and secondly the effects of this punishment in the people In the first we are to consider the parties against whom it is denounced and the nature and qualitie thereof The parties are those amongst the idolatrous Israelites who though they were not yet called belonged to Gods election for though the Prophets speech be directed to all those idolatrous Israelites who said I will go after my louers yet it is to be vnderstood Synecdochically of those alone amongst them whom it was Gods purpose to conuert saue For not only the reprobate but also the elect fall into this sin of idolatrie sometimes of ignorance and sometimes of infirmity being either drawne with feare or allured by profit pleasure or prefermēt such were these vnto whō the Prophet speaketh who said that they would go after their louers telling them that the Lord would crosse them in their resolution and stay them in the middest of their course And that it is to be vnderstood of the elect onely it may appeare first because the Lord doth not lay thornes in the way of the reprobate to discourage and hinder them from their idolatrie and other wickednesse but leaueth them to their owne wils and lustes to run on without impediment in the broad way which leadeth to destruction but he crosseth those in their wicked designes who belong to his election and either first or last he hindereth thē in their wicked waies not suffering them to run on in their course of sin into which their corrupt flesh leadeth them Secondly it is said in the 7. vers that being thus crossed in their purposes they should hauing come to a sense and feeling of their miserie returne vnto the Lord by true repentance which cannot bee vnderstood of the reprobate idolaters but only of the elect And so much for the persons In the punishment it selfe is expressed first the cause thereof secondly the qualitie of the punishment thirdly the end why it is inflicted The cause in these words Therfore behold which haue relation to the former verse and point out the sin which was the cause of this punishment as though he should say Because you haue bin so obstinate impudent in your idolatries as that you haue not stucke to say openly that you would still go after your louers therefore you shall not haue your wils nor be able to performe your wicked purposes for I will lay thornes in your way and so hinder you that you shall not go forward in your course The qualitie of the punishment is expressed in these words I will hedge thy way with thornes and make a wall for so the originall text readeth Where he continueth the allegorie shewing that if they like harlots wander abroad and run after their louers he will keepe a more straite watch ouer them and restraine them will they nill they from gadding abroad or else which I rather think he alludeth to the custome of husbandmen who when their beasts will not keep in their owne pasture do make strong their fence and hedge them in and if this wil not containe them they make walles of mud or stone to make them sure for leaping ouer So the Lord threatneth that if they will not bee contained in his Church but wil leap ouer vnto their Idols and false gods he will prouide a hedge and a wall to keep them in Now this hedge of thornes and strong wall of which he speaketh are crosses and afflictions as the diseases of the bodie sorrow of mind warre famine pouertie and such like which are compared to thornes for as when thornes lie in our way they prick molest and grieue vs keeping vs from going forward vnlesse it be with great paine and difficultie so in the way of our pilgrimage these thornes of afflictions vex and trouble vs by tormenting the bodie and wounding the minde And in this sense is the word taken Ios 23. 13. where the Lord threatneth that the cursed nations whom Josh 23. 13. the Israelites had not cast out should be as whippes on their sides and thornes in their eyes that is causes of their great affliction and molestation So Ezech. 28. 24. The Lord promiseth Ezech. 28. 24. that the Zidonites should be no more a pricking thorne to the house of Israel Whereas therefore the Lord threatneth that he would stop their way with thornes and with a wall the meaning is that he would keepe them from following their Idols by afflictions and if lesser afflictions would not containe them he would inflict vpon them such grieuous calamities as like a strong wall should keep them in and hinder them from following their false gods By which as he vnderstandeth in generall all the afflictions and miseries which he sent amongst them so especially their siege and captiuitie by the Assyrians for when they were besieged by them and when being vanquished they were led away captiue then they were hedged in and compassed with a strong wall so as they could not as in former times go to worship their golden calues in Dan and Bethel The end why the Lord thus dealeth wirh them is expressed in these words That she should not find her pathes wherby is meant that the Lord would therefore hedge and wall them in with afflictions that they should not go forward in their ordinarie course of committing idolatrie the which is called her pathes because as by often going in the same way a path is made by the continuall treading of mens feet so shee so vsually and commonly frequented her Idols that her idolatries seemed as her path and common way wherin she daily and continually walked And this is the meaning of these words The instructions God stoppeth the elect in the course of their sin with the hedge of afflictions that we are to gather out of them are these First we may obserue that howsoeuer the Lord doth often suffer the wicked and reprobate to goe forward in
her first husband who indeed alone deserued the name of a husband seeing the other were but louers seducers and adulterers The reason mouing her to make this returne vnto her husband is expressed in these words For at that time was I better then now that is I will now at length forsake these Idols and returne vnto the Lord because I plainly see and sensiblie discerne that my state and condition was farre better and more happie when I cleaued vnto the Lord my only true husband with all my heart louing seruing and obeying him alone and performing vnto him that pure and sincere worship which is described in his word then it hath bin since I forsook him and prostituted my self to commit spirituall vncleannesse with Idols for by this my apostasie I haue moued my louing husband in his iust displeasure to reiect me to strip me of al those benefits which he had bestowed on me I haue depriued my self of al true comfort ioy and peace of conscience and am now filled with horror feare and anguish of mind and I haue plunged my selfe into a sea of miserie and innumerable afflictions out of which my louers in whom I trusted and whose helpe I haue implored cannot deliuer me And therefore what remaineth but that I forsake my louers and my sinnes with them committed seeing they are miserable comforters in my greatest need and distresse and returne and reconcile my selfe vnto my husband who is infinite in mercie and compassion And so much for the meaning of this verse The doctrines The Do ∣ ctrines which arise out of them are these First we may obserue the superstitious blindnes of idolaters who when the Lord punisheth Idolaters in their afflictions flie vnto their Idols and not vnto God them for their idolatries do not repent of their sins and returne vnto the Lord crauing mercie forgiuenes release of their punishmēts but rather haue their recourse vnto their Idols with more then ordinarie deuotion seruing them with their Pilgrimages Vowes Inuocations Oblations and other rites and ceremonies wherewith they imagine they may be best pleased supposing that their slacknes and remissenes in these superstitious deuotions hath bin the cause of all their afflictions whereas in truth their superstitions and idolatrie is the chiefe cause of all their miseries and therefore the multiplying of them doth not release them of their punishment but rather redoubleth it An example whereof we haue in this place in Micha Iudg. 17. 13. Ahaziah 2. King 1. 2. and in the Papists who when the Lord Judg. 17. 13. 2. King 1. 2. punisheth them for their idolatries seeke freedome and deliuerance from the euils they suffer by their vowes pilgrimages prayers and oblations to their Idols and Images as though they could drie themselues being wet by leaping into a riuer or ease themselues being burnt by leaping into the fire Esay 1. 28. 29. Esay 1. 28. 29. Our naturall pronenes to Idolatrie Secondly we may obserue our naturall pronenesse vnto idolatrie for not only we easilie fall into it but being fallen we are hardly recouered and recalled from this sinne no though the Lord to his word shewing his truth and the falshood and abominablenes of idolatrie do also adde his rods of afflictions that at least sense of paine may make vs wearie of our sinnes And therefore it is not to be wondered at that the most part of the world do forsake Gods pure worship and liue in idolatrie seeing mans nature is so inclined thereunto that though he smart for it he will not leaue it and how much more then will he embrace it when he is allured and drawne vnto that which of his owne nature he is prone vnto by pleasures profit and preferments for the Lord doth not hedge in all with afflictions which resolue to follow their louers but onely those whom it is his purpose to conuert as belonging to his eternall election Thirdly we may obserue that affliction in it selfe is not sufficient to make vs forsake our sins and to turne vnto the Affliction if it be not sanctified doth not turne vs vnto God Lord by true repentance vnlesse it bee sanctified and made effectuall for this purpose by the inward working of Gods Spirit For though the Lord had hedged his people in with afflictions that they might not goe forward in their idolatries yet it is said heere that notwithstanding all this they the more followed and sought after their louers So Pharaoh the more hee was punished the more hee was hardened the more the children of Israel were afflicted in the wildernesse the more they murmured the more they were smitten the more they fell away Esai 1. 5. But I shall not need to go far Esai 1. 5. for examples seeing wee haue a present example amongst our selues who haue made no vse of Gods late visitation c. And therefore when we are afflicted let vs earnestly desire the Lord to sanctifie our afflictions vnto vs and to ioyne with his outward corrections the inward working of his Spirit whereby we may be moued to lay them to heart and to humble our selues vnder the hand of God Fourthly wee may obserue the corrupt nature of sinfull Corrupt man seeketh all other meanes before he flieth vnto God man who when he is in trouble and affliction assayeth all other meanes for his deliuerance before he flieth vnto God for helpe so here the Israelites being hedged in with afflictions flee vnto their Idols So Saul went to the witch Asa to the Physitions the Papists to their Saints and Images And thus many make gods vnto themselues for their deliuerance of their friends riches or of their owne power and policie when as being in trouble and affliction they do not in the first place flee vnto the Lord for helpe but rest vpon these meanes vntill they be altogether depriued of them or haue experience of their insufficiency in yeelding vnto them any helpe Lastly we may obserue that the Lord taketh from those God frustrateth other meanes that we may rest vpon him which he purposeth to conuert and saue all these Idols in whom they trust and these outward meanes wherupon they rest or at least teacheth them by lamentable experience that they are altogether insufficient to deliuer them out of their afflictiōs So he threatneth here that his elect people following after their louers should not come at them and seeking them to the end they might be by their helpe deliuered out of their afflictions they should not find them that so being made frustrate of their wicked hopes and abandoned of all outward meanes wherein they trusted and despairing of all other helpe might hereby be driuen to flee vnto the Lord for mercie and deliuerance And therefore when being in affliction or any distresse we are disappointed of our hopes and depriued or forsaken of those meanes wherein we trusted for deliuerance let vs perswade our selues that the Lord hereby doth chastise our vaine
confidence and carnall affiance whereby we trust and rest vpon rather the creature then vpon him our Creator and withall doth beate vs from those worldly hopes that we might flee vnto him for succour and rest vpon his promises and prouidence for our deliuerance And these are the doctrines which arise out of the former God doth not suffer his to remaine alwaies in their sinne and idolatrie part of this verse containing the first effect of the peoples afflictions Now out of the latter part wherein is shewed the second effect namely their forsaking their Idols and turning vnto the Lord these instructiōs are further to be obserued First we learne that howsoeuer those that belong to Gods election may for a time leaue Gods pure worship and follow Idols yea and be so blinded in their superstitions that when they are afflicted for their sinne they doe with more earnestnes embrace idolatrie yet the Lord will not so leaue them but at length he will open their eyes that they shal see their sinnes and sensiblie discerne that they are the causes of their punishments though for a time in their ignorance and superstition they preferre idolatrie before his true worship yet at last he illuminateth their iudgemēts so as they may see how much better it is to follow him then to follow idols to embrace his true religion reuealed in his word then to follow their owne inuention Examples hereof we haue in Abraham in the Israelites comming out of Egypt and in the time of the Iudges and in many at this day who haue forsaken the idolatries of the whore of Babylon and haue embraced Gods true religion Secondly we may obserue that as soone as they spie their As soone as the faithfull see their errors and sins they reforme and forsake them errors they do not go on further in them but they returne into the way of truth as soone as they see their sins they forsake them as being the causes of their miserie when they see the vainenes of their idols then they returne vnto the Lord their true husband neitheir is it enough to see our sins if wee continue in them nay rather this will redouble our punishment it is not sufficient to know truth and error vnlesse we Luk. 12. 47. embrace the one and forsake the other it will not profit vs to see our former grossenesse in following idols vnlesse Matth. 11. 21. hereby we be moued not only to forsake them but also to returne vnto our husband the Lord our God worshipping him according to his will So that here we learne what is the practise of true repentance it consisteth not in the knowledge only or acknowledgment of our sins for thus far did Pharaoh and Saul proceed thus did Iudas and thus do many worldlings repent but we must so see our sinnes as that with the sight of them wee bee exceedingly displeased with our selues we must so acknowledge them as that withall we vnfainedly bewaile them we must when we behold them also hate and detest them and not only forsake our sins but also returne vnto the Lord with full purpose of heart resoluing and endeuouring to serue and please him in holinesse and newnes of life Thirdly we may obserue the profit of afflictions when as The profit of afflictions they are sanctified vnto vs by Gods Spirit for whereas prosperitie maketh vs blind through pride selfe-loue and securitie so as we can neither see our sinnes nor Gods approaching iudgements aduersitie openeth our eyes and rectifieth the iudgement so as then we not only see our sins but are readie also to condemne our selues iustly to haue deserued those euils which we suffer yea and far greater if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs for when as the light of nature our owne conscience and the written Word of God teach and conuict vs of this that God is the chiefe goodnes most gratious most mercifull and in his owne nature not apt and readie to hurt and punish any of his creatures but rather to extend his bountie multiply his benefits vpō all when we fall into miseries and calamities we must needs iustifie God in his iudgements and condemne our selues whō Lam. 3. 22. we know to be full of all corruption and wickednes An example whereof we haue in Iosephes brethren Gen. 42. 21. in Gen. 42. 21. the Israelites vnder the Iudges in Dauid Psal 51. 4. yea in Psal 51. 4. Exod. 10. 16. 17 Pharaoh himselfe Exod. 10. 16. 17. Where as prosperitie maketh vs dissolute and licentious in our waies affliction serueth in stead of a thornie hedge to stay vs from running on in the course of sinne to our perdition Whereas prosperitie maketh vs negligent in performing the duties of Gods worship and seruice miserie and affliction maketh men zealous forward and deuout according to that Esa 26. 16. O Lord in Esa 26. 16. trouble they haue visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them And because men at such times are most fit and readie to performe such duties therefore then the Lord especially requires them Psal 50. 15. Lastly whereas Psal 50. 15. prosperitie makes vs to forget God and to flee away from him affliction maketh vs to remember him and by true repentance to turne vnto him An example wee haue in this 2. Chron 33. 12. 13. place in the Israelites in the time of the Iudges in Manasses and the prodigall sonne Luke 15. Lastly wee may obserue the motiues perswading the The motiues which perswade the Church to turne vnto God Church to returne vnto God the first whereof is contained in the word husband for therein she gathereth vnto her selfe some assurance of his loue for although for her sinnes she was diuorced yet vpon her true repentance she might gather certaine hope that she should be pardoned and receiued into former grace seeing she had not to deale with an enemie or stranger and an ordinarie friend but with a most louing and gratious husband who was as readie to forgiue as she to aske forgiuenes Ierem. 3. 1. 12. 22. The second motiue Iere. 3 1. 12. 22 is the assurance of the bettering of her estate for she could speake by experience that her estate whilest she serued the Lord was much better then when she followed Idols and by the assurance of faith and hope she was assertained that repenting she should be receiued to grace and restored to her former state condition The like example we haue in the prodigall sonne who returned vnto God because hee knew him to be his gratious father and was assured that being reconciled vnto him hee should be deliuered out of his present miserie into a state of happinesse Where we may learne that true faith is the cause of vnfained repentance for vntill we haue some assurance of Gods loue and mercie in Christ wee flee from him as from a seuere Iudge but when
wee know that Christ our Mediatour hath satisfied for our sins and reconciled vs vnto his Father then doe we bewaile our sinnes because we haue by them dishonoured and displeased our gratious Father and hauing repented of them wee goe boldly vnto the throne of grace crauing mercie and forgiuenesse Heb. 4. 16. 10. 22. Heb. 4. 16. 10. 22. ANd thus much concerning the punishments which the Lord threatneth against the people for their idolatrie and the first kinde or degree of their vnthankfulnesse as also concerning the effects of these punishments Now followeth the second degree of their vnthankfulnesse together with the punishments denounced against them for it Their ingratitude is expressed Vers 8. And she did not know that I Vers 8 gaue her corne and wine and oyle and multiplied her siluer and gold which they bestowed vpon Baal In which words he accuseth The exposition her of double ingratitude first that she did not know or knowing did not acknowledge the Lord to be the author of all those benefits which she enioyed secondly in that she did not vse these benefits to the glorie of God but bestowed them vpon her Idols The first is expressed in these words And she did not know that I gaue her corne c. By this coniunction copulatiue he knitteth these words with the former and sheweth that God iustly punished them seeing to their other sinnes they added another kinde of grosse ingratitude as though he should say And moreouer besides the sinnes before spoken of she hath shewed her selfe grosly vngratefull both in not acknowledging God the author of the benefits which she enioyed and in abusing them to Gods dishonour in the seruice of her Idols and therefore it is iust with God to afflict her with the former and following punishments that she may learne to ascribe vnto God the praise of his owne gifts and may desist to abuse them by bestowing them vpon Baal And this is the coherence of this verse with the former Now let vs come to the words themselues in which is expressed the partie offending and the sinne committed the first in this word And she which hath an emphasis in it and serueth to aggrauate the sinne For though the Heathen nations should not haue knowne or acknowledged the Lord to haue been the giuer of the benefits which they enioyed it had been no such great wonder seeing they had onely the light of nature and the booke of the creatures to looke vpon but that the people of Israel should be ignorant hereof was more then blockish senselesnesse and blind ingratitude seeing they had the booke of God wherein it was reuealed vnto them that they had all the benefits which they enioyed from the meere blessing of God that the Lord gaue them this land flowing with milke and honey by his owne omnipotent power casting out their enemies before them that from him they had the first and latter raine whereby their land was made fruitfull and seeing that they were entred into possession of al these benefits whilest they serued the Lord alone before they worshipped their Idols so that they had no shew of reason to ascribe Gods gifts vnto them which they alreadie enioyed before they serued them and therefore the Lord might iustly take vp that complaint against them Esa 1. 2. 3. The first branch of their sinne was they did not know that Esa 1. 2. 3. God gaue vnto them their gifts which they had receiued whereby wee are not to imagine that the Israelites were so blinde and ignorant as to thinke that they had all these benefits from their Idols only and not from Iehouah the God of Israel for many of the Heathens though they worshipped Idols and pettie gods yet by the light of nature knew that there was a chiefe and superiour power who was the originall fountaine of all goodnesse and therefore the people of God could not be hereof ignorant but they are said not to know that God gaue them these gifts because they did not know and acknowledge him alone to be the author of them but ioyned Idols and pettie gods with him and so robbed him of part of his praise they did not know that they had receiued these gifts of Gods free grace and meere goodnesse but for their golden Calues and other Idols and for that new deuised worship which they offred vnto God in them which they thought was more acceptable vnto him then the seruice prescribed in his word So Iere. 44. 17. 18. the Iewes said Ier. â—â— 17. 18. they would worship the Queene of Heauen that is the Sun because hereby they had plentie not that they were so brutish as to thinke that they had these benefits from the Sunne only but because they ascribed this power and vertue vnto the Sunne in it selfe rather then vnto Gods blessing and prouidence and so offered sacrifices and diuine worship vnto the Sunne as being a ioynt cause with God of these benefits whereas it is only his instrument which doth nothing of it selfe but by his appointment The second branch of their sinne was that they bestowed and spent the gifts which they had receiued of the Lord vpon their Idols expressed in these words which they bestowed vpon Baal For the vnderstanding whereof wee are to know that this word Baal is in the Scriptures either taken generally for all Idoll gods in respect of the generall signification thereof which is as much as a Lord or Patrone and in regard that in the Punicke tongue from whence it is taken it signifieth a god or else specially for a particular Idoll of the Sidonians which was called by that name whose originall was after this manner Ninus who first reigned in Asia and built that famous citie which was called Nineue after his owne name was the sonne of one Belus whom in his pride according to the practise of Heathen Tyrants he deified and built a Temple vnto him wherein hee appointed that hee should be worshipped And this Idol amongst the Sidonians was called Baal and with the Babylonians Bel and was worshipped amongst them as their god Now this Heathen god did Ahab worship and built a Temple and erected an altar vnto him in Samaria to gratifie hereby Ithobal or Eth-Baal his father in law who was King of the Tyrians and Sidonians 1. King 16. 31. Lib. 9. antiq cap. 6. as Iosephus recordeth of which also wee may reade 1. King 16. 31. And although this Idoll god Baal was one and the same yet sometime the word is vsed in the plurall number Baalim or Baals either when it is taken in the generall signification for all Idols or in respect of the diuers statues or images erected in the honor of this Idoll aâ— Baal-peor Numb 23. 2. King 4. 2. or Baal-phigor Baal-zebub In this place as I take it wee are to vnderstand it in the generall signification for all their pettie patrones and Idoll gods because we reade that Baal the Idoll
to haue any partners of his praises which are due to himself and therefore hee will haue all or none for well the Lord knoweth that they who serue praise him to the halues wil in the end neither serue nor praise him at all Wherby it may appeare that the seruice of the Church of Rome which they performe vnto God is no better then abominable idolatrie and their praises odious in his sight as sauouring of grosse ingratitude for though they serue God indeed yet not in spirit and truth but in their Idols though they acknowledge and praise God as the author of his gifts yet not him alone for they ioyne with him the virgin Marie and innumerable Saints many whereof are of their owne making as pettie gods and patrones vnto whom they yeeld a chiefe part of their thankes and praise though they acknowledge God to haue giuen vnto them the benefits which they enioy yet not of his meere mercie and grace but for their owne merits and through the intercession of Saints But the Lord esteemeth these halfe praises to be dishonors and this partie and shared thankfulnes to bee no better then grosse ingratitude 2. King 17. 32. 33. 41. 2. King 17. 32. 33. The excessiue cost which idolaters do bestow vpon their idols Fiftly we may obserue what excessiue cost idolaters are readie to bestow vpon their idols and images for though they highly esteeme their gold siluer and iewels yet doe they willingly bestow them vpon Baal that is for the making and adorning of their idols and for the furthering of their superstitions though they will hardly part with the least trifle in obedience to Gods Commandement to the aduancement of his glorie and furthering of his pure worship and seruice yet they thinke their whole substance little enough to be bestowed vpon their owne wil-worship for the maintenance of their idolatrie An example whereof we haue in this place and in the Israelites Exod. 32. 3. Ezech. 16. 16. to 21. And in the Papists who care not what they Exod. 32. 3. Ezech. 16. 16. 21. bestow vpon the making and adorning of their images in maintaining their Clergie the Priests of Baal in building Monasteries and Nunneries in Copes vestiments oblations in procuring pardons and such like their superstitions The which their bountie in their wil-worship and idolatrie should make vs ashamed of our base niggardlinesse in furthering setting forth and maintaining Gods pure worship and seruice which is enioyned in his word for what a reproach is this to our Christian profession that they should so much exceed in their blind zeale and forwardnes vnto idolatrie and wee bee so cold in Gods true religion that they should bestow such excessiue cost in building Churches in honor of their Saints and we be so backward in repairing of God house that they should so liberally maintaine such swarmes of locusts and innumerable numbers of the Priests of Baal and we suffer Gods true Prophets which in comparison are but few in number to liue in want that idolaters should endow the Church with goods and lands and professors of Gods true religion should rob and spoile it of necessarie maintenance Surely their fruitfull ignorance shall condemne our barren knowledge their superstitious deuotion our coldnesse and slackenesse their liberalitie in euil our niggardlines in that which is good and their great loue vnto their idols and idolatrie shall rise in iudgement against our little loue to God and his truth Lastly we may obserue that it is a grieuous sinne to abuse That it is a great sinne to abuse Gods gifts to his dishonor the gifts which wee haue receiued from God to other or contrarie ends then those for which the Lord hath giuen them for this is heere condemned in the Israelites in that they bestowed their gold and siluer vpon their idols which they should haue imployed to the glorie of God and good of his Church Thus the Papists offend who bestow their wealth vpon their Images Copes Monasteries Thus carnall Gospellers offend who spend their riches vpon gorgeous attire vnfitting their calling vpon excessiue cheere and vaine pleasures which they haue receiued from God to this end that out of their superfluitie they should releeue the penury of their poore brethren Thus do they offend who vse their tongue to the blaspheming of Gods name which is giuen them to glorifie him And thus doe they offend who abuse their wits and learning for the nourishing of contentions and the maintenance and vpholding of iniurie oppression and iniustice which were giuen them to make peace right wrongs and further iustice as it is the vsuall fault of the Lawyers of our times c. All which being not only vnprofitable seruants in not vsing the Lords talents but also wicked and malicious enemies who abuse them to his dishonour shall if they perseuere in this sinne without repentance haue their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone ANd thus much concerning the sin of the people of Israel In the next place hee setteth downe their punishments for whereas he had vers 6. in generall threatned that he would hedge her in with afflictions now he proceedeth to specifie the particular kinds thereof First that he would depriue her of al those necessary benefits which appertained to the preseruation of their life vers 9. Secondly that hee would discouer her shame in the sight of her louers and expose her to reproch and contempt vers 10. Thirdly that he would cause to cease all her solemne festiuals and take away all cause of mirth and reioycing vers 11. Lastly that hee would destroy all her pleasant gardens and fruitfull vineyards and turne them into a vast wildernesse vers 12. After which comminations he repeateth againe their sins which were the causes of the punishments namely their vnthankfulnes in the latter part of the 12. verse and their idolatrie vers 13. and so hee concludeth the first part of this Chapter But let vs come to the particulars Vers 9. Therefore I wil Vers 9 returne and take away my corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recouer my wooll and my flaxe lent to couer her shame In which words hee threatneth that because The exposition the Israelites would not acknowledge the Lord to be the author and bestower of those manifold benefits which they enioyed but vngratefully ascribed the praise of them to their idols therefore he would strip them of all his blessings to the end that they who could not learne in the time of their plentie that the Lord had bestowed vpon them these his gifts might at least learne this lesson by the want of them I will returne and take away c. Some resolue these words thus I will receiue or resume my corne because the former verbe in the Hebrew phrase hath in it sometimes the nature of an aduerbe So Genes 26. 18. Isaak returning digged the Gen. 26. 18.
wisedome against their follie nor suffer their stubborne willes to crosse my will and eternall counsell but I will now begin to take care of them seeing they will take no care of themselues and because they haue nothing profited by all my threatnings and punishments I will mollifie their hard hearts and incline their stubborne and rebellious willes with my gratious promises and mercifull benefits So that the Lord behaueth himselfe like a tender hearted father and we demeane our selues like stubborne children though our stiffe harts relent not vnder his corrections yet his heart yearneth at our paine and he is sooner wearie of punishing then we of suffering punishment and when his chastisements will not ouercome our malitiousnesse hee laboureth to ouercome vs with his goodnesse and kindnesse and as the carefull and louing Physition is not moued by the desperate wilfulnesse of his impatient patient both refusing that which is good for him and eagerly seeking that which is hurtfull and pernicious to giue him ouer to himselfe but vseth the greater care and diligence by how much the lesse hee seeth that hee careth for himselfe and when he heareth for all his loue and labour nothing but distempered and railing speeches from his patient is rather thereby mooued to pitie then reuenge so dealeth the Lorde with vs who are sicke in sinne c. The vse which we are to make hereof is that we not onely praise the Lord for this his mercie and goodnesse but also that wee striue to follow his example not seeking reuenge when wee are iniured but striuing to ouercome euill with goodnes as the Apostle exhorteth Rom. 12. 19. 21. and so Rom. 12. 19. 21. shall wee indeed approue our selues to bee the children of our heauenly father as our Sauiour teacheth vs Matth. 5. Mat. 5. 44. 45. 44. 45. Thirdly we may heere learne that neither Gods terrible The Lord only leadeth to repentance threatnings nor sharpe afflictions are auaileable to worke in our hearts true repentance vnlesse the Lord allure and incline our harts with the inward operation of his holy Spirit for the more God punisheth the more naturally we repine and murmure and our steely hearts like the anuill with more blowes do waxe the harder and sooner will we breake then bow vnlesse the Lord incline vs as appeareth in the example of Pharaoh Saul the Israelites Esay 1. 5. and in our owne experience Esay 1. 5. Fourthly we here learne that the Lord is the principal and The Lord is the sole cause of our conuersion sole cause of our conuersion for vntill he incline and allure our hearts to leaue our sinnes and to returne vnto him neither his promises nor his threatnings neither his benefits nor his punishments will worke in our hearts vnfained repentance And as this is manifest in this place so also in diuers other places of Scripture Ieremie telleth vs that the Black-moore may as well change his skinne or the Leopard his spots as we can do good that are accustomed to euill Ier. 13. Jer. 13. 23. 23. And therefore the Lord when he would conuert his people saith that he will giue them a new spirit and taking the stoheart out of their bodies will giue them a heart of flesh Ezech. Ezech. 11. 19. 36. 26. 11. 19. so Ezech. 36. 26. And our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs that no man can come vnto him except the Father draw him Ioh. 6. 44. the Apostle likewise saith that before our conuersion Iohn 6. 44. we are not only sick but euen dead in our sins and therfore no more able to raise vp our selues from the death of sin to the life of righteousnes then a dead man to rise out of his graue Ephes 2. 1. Ephes 2. 1. But it may be demaunded that if this be so to what purpose serueth the ministerie of the Word and exhortations to repentance seeing he speaketh in vaine that perswadeth a dead man to rise to life I answere that the ministerie of the Word is the meanes of our conuersion which the Lord by the inward operation of his holy Spirit maketh effectuall for this purpose in the hearts of all his elect These exhortations therefore vnto repentance are not in vaine seeing the Lord worketh not vpon men as vpon stocks and stones but as vpon reasonable creatures whom he exhorteth to repentance and withall working vpon their hearts by his holy Spirit inclineth them to performe that vnto which hee exhorteth them and as he outwardly commandeth so inwardly he inclineth and enableth them to do that which he commandeth and hence it is that our Sauiour saith that the words which he spake were Spirit and life Ioh. 6. 63. because Ioh. 6. 63. they were not like the law which only commanded and did not enable to yeeld obedience but being made effectuall by the Spirit which gaue life vnto them they both enioyned and wrought in vs true obedience And this the Prophet implieth when as he saith that the Lord will allure or perswade them to turne vnto him so that his word is the instrument whereby he doth not only moue vs but throughly perswade vs to true repentance and this we may see verified Act. 13. 43. in the example of Lydia Act. 13. 43. 16. 14. 18. 4. 28. 23. chap. 16. 14. 18. 4. 28. 23. The vse which we are to make hereof is that we yeeld vnto him the whole praise of our conuersion and not with the Papists share with him ascribing part of the glorie vnto him and part to our selues Secondly seeing it is the work of God alone we must not rest in our owne power and strength for the effecting of this great worke but we must call vpon God for this grace saying with the Church Lament 5. 21. Conuert vs O Lord and Lament 5. 21. we shall be conuerted much lesse are we to deferre our conuersion from day to day as though it were a matter which we can easilie performe at our owne pleasure but considering it is the Lords free gift let vs receiue it when he offereth it and turne vnto him when he allureth and perswadeth vs to repentance And so likewise because it is the Lord alone who allureth and turneth the heart it behooueth al those who would conuert others not to rest too much in the force of their owne eloquence or the strength of their owne reasons but to ioyne with their earnest labour and endeauour humble and hartie prayers vnto almightie God desiring the assistance of his holy Spirit by which alone their perswasions are made effectuall to perswade Fifthly we here learne not to expect presently vpon our We must not expect secure peace after our conuersiō conuersion vnto God and adioyning to the Church secure peace and flourishing prosperitie for after the Lord hath allured and perswaded vs to turne vnto him he leadeth vs into the wildernesse of affliction before he bringeth vs to rest in our heauenly Canaan The
sauing those which the Lord miraculously bestowed and in this respect howsoeuer they were preserued by God yet had they stil the image of death before them and after they had been tried and humbled by many afflictions were in Gods appointed time brought into the confines of the land of Canaan the countrie of Iericho and the valley of Achor where they enioyed all these blessings with great comfort and contentation so that in respect of the great and sudden alteration they seemed newly transported from death to life So the Church in the time of the Gospell after she is reconciled vnto God and hath passed thorow a wildernesse of affliction for her triall and humiliation is not only sustained in the middest of all her troubles with the inward comfort of Gods Spirit but also is further assured of Gods loue by the outward testimonie of his manifold benefits wherewith she is replenished with such ioy and consolation that shee seemeth vnto her selfe restored from the death of sorrow and miserie to the life of comfort and happines But yet whilest she remaineth in the valley of Achor and but in the borders of the heauenly Canaan howsoeuer shee hath great cause of ioy and contentment in regard of the manifold benefits which God bestoweth vpon her yet is her ioy often intermixed with sorrow and trouble through that cursed Achan the flesh which eagerly coueting the pleasures of sinne and the golden baites of wickednes is thereby allured to sinne and to prouoke Gods wrath by seasing vpon vnlawfull pleasures and profits accursed by God by which inward rebell shee is betrayed vnto her outward enemies those cursed Cananites the world and the diuell so that for a time they preuaile against her But yet in the end she hath an happie issue out of all her afflictions for as when Achan was stoned Israel hauing hereby appeased Gods wrath obtained a famous victory against the men of Ai so when the flesh is mortified which betrayed vs we obtaine a glorious victorie ouer the world and the diuell and so enter into a full possession of the heauenly Canaan And thus appeareth the great similitude which is betweene the passage of the children of Israel out of Egypt into the land of promise and our passage out of the spirituall Egypt the kingdome of sinne and Satan into the heauenly Canaan the true countrie and inheritance of all the Saints which moued the Lord allegorically to allude vnto it in this place as also Esay 65. 10. Esay 65. 10. And this is the benefit here promised The second thing specified is the time when the Lord would bestow it in this phrase from thence which in the Scriptures is sometimes referred to the time and sometime to the place and accordingly here it is diuersly interpreted by some of the place referring it to the desert namely that as soone as they came out of the wildernesse of affliction they should enter into this valley of pleasure by others of the time vnderstanding it thus from thence forward or as soone as I haue brought her thorow the wildernesse and haue replenished her with the inward comfort of my Spirit I will giue her a reall assurance of my loue and not only speake comfortablie vnto her heart by my word and Spirit but also in effect and deed assure her further of my loue and fauour by multiplying vpon her my mercies and manifold benefits The which interpretation is not much different from the other but the rather to be embraced because it hath better dependancie with the former benefit for as soone as the Lord hath inwardly comforted his people by his word and Spirit then presently hee giueth them a true sense of his loue and fauour by bestowing vpon them innumerable benefits spirituall and temporall The third thing heere expressed is the end why God giueth and the Church receiueth these his gifts and graces not onely that shee may haue by them ioy and comfort in their present vse but that they may serue as pledges and earnest penies to confirme their hope and assurance of the possession of eternall happines the which is signified by this phrase For the doore of hope For that is said to be the doore of hope which giueth entrance vnto hope by offering some assurance that we shall obtaine the thing hoped for As therefore the Lord gaue to the people of Israel the valley of Achor that it should be vnto them a doore of hope because the possession of the borders was a pledge vnto them that they should enioy the whole land of promise so the manifold benefits which the Lord bestoweth vpon the faithfull whilest they be in the borders of Canaan the Church militant are vnto them a doore of hope being assured pledges that after we haue a while fought with our spirituall enemies wee shall haue full possession of the heauenly Canaan and the new Ierusalem And these are the benefits which are here allegorically promised Now the reason why the Lord speaking of the spirituall deliuerance and happines of his people alludeth to their temporall deliuerance out of Egypt and entrance into the land of Canaan was first that hereby he might strengthen their faith in the full assurance of his promises seeing they had alreadie experience of his truth power mercy and goodnes in their former deliuerance when as the grieuous sins and great vnworthines of their forefathers could not moue him to change his purpose nor frustrate his word because his couenant was grounded not vpon their deserts but vpon his owne vndeserued loue and meere good will And secondly in promising new benefits he doth by this allusion put them in minde of the old that by the remembrance of these and hope of the other they might be moued to true thankfulnes and obedience The second thing to bee considered in this verse is the Churches ioy and thankfulnesse in the present fruition of Gods gifts and future hope of greater benefits signified in these words And she shal sing there as in the daies of her youth and as in the day when as she came vp out of the land of Egypt In which words is expressed the Churches ioy and thankfulnes together with the place or time thereof their ioy and thankfulnes is signified by their singing of praises vnto God the author of all these benefits which continuing in the former allegorie and allusion he compareth to that reioycing and praising God which the Israelites vsed after their deliuerance out of Egypt when as they saw Pharaoh and his armie drowned in the red sea of which we may reade Exod. 15. vnder which speciall we are generally to vnderstand all Exod. 15. their reioycing and songs of praises for all Gods benefits especially when they were in the valley of Achor and had entred into the possession of the land of promise Whereas then he saith that she shall sing as in the daies of her youth and childhood we are hereby to vnderstand the time of her
sleepe so that the Angell that was sent to deliuer him was faine to smite him on the side that he might awaken him Act. 12. And Paul Act. 12. and Silas being in the like danger although they are not said to haue slept yet they rested quietly and peaceablie vpon Gods prouidence spending the night not in mourning and weake lamentation but in prayer reioycing and singing of Psalmes Act. 16. 25. Act. 16. 25. And this is the meaning of these words The instrustions The Do ∣ ctrines which arise out of them for our owne vse are these First we may obserue what is the cause which hath depriued vs of the Sin depriued vs of the dominion and vse of the creatures dominion vse and benefit which we had by creation ouer and by all the creatures namely our sins for this priuiledge was granted vnto man vpon the condition of his obedience vnto God which because he obserued not therefore he lost his rule and dominion right and interest he had vnto them so that what rule he hath ouer them and vse of them whilest he continueth in the state of disobedience he enioyeth it not by any lawfull right but by tyrannicall vsurpation vnder which thraldome the creatures grone earnestly desiring to be deliuered from it Rom. 8. 22. So that howsoeuer in the Rom. 8. 22. creation all the creatures were made for man subiected vnto his gouernment and appointed for his vse and man only was made for God and his seruice yet after man by his fall had disabled himself so as he neither could nor would serue his Creator the creatures were freed from the subiection and slauish vse of man and in stead of seruing and obeying him they are readie euery one in their place to be the executioners of Gods iust iudgements inflicted for his sinne and rebellion like seruants who set themselues against their master when he traiterously setteth himselfe against his Prince who is the chiefe Lord and Soueraigne ouer them all When as therefore we heare of losses and spoiles by fire or water of the hurt or death of men by the brute beasts and serpents of dearth and scarcitie caused by too much raine or drought cankers caterpillers and such like all and euery of these are so many remembrancers to put vs in mind of our sinnes and rebellion against God and so many monitors to warne vs that we forsake our wicked courses and turne to the Lord by vnfained repentance Secondly wee heere learne when man is restored to his When our dominion ouer the creatures is restored right of ruling and vsing the creatures without sin in respect of God and tyrannie in respect of them namely when he is reconciled vnto God in Christ being adopted for his son in him becommeth heire and lawfull owner of all the creatures for when the Lord hath renued his couenant with vs then doth he also renue the couenant betweene vs and the creatures which is set downe Gen. 1. 28 29. The consideration Gen. 1. 28. 29. whereof should moue vs earnestly to labour after the assurance of our reconciliation with God and our adoption for vntill then we haue no right vnto any of Gods creatures but theeuishly and tyrannically vsurpe vpon that which belongeth not vnto vs and for this cause the blood of the creatures which for our vse is spilled the clothes which which we put on the bread which we eat yea and the verie Habac. 2. 11. stones and timber of our buildings crie loude in Gods eares for vengeance and shall be sufficient matter though we had no other sinnes of inditements for our theft at the great assisses Againe vntill the Lord haue renued this couenant betweene the creatures and vs they are all our enemies which are euer readie when God suffereth them to reuenge the dishonor which by our sins we haue done to their Creator and the iniurie and oppression which we haue offered vnto them if we be at home the fire threatneth vs if abroad the beasts if God permit them are readie to assault vs the water is readie to drowne vs the earth to swallow vs the aire to infect vs yea as we walke in the streete the tyles vpon the houses are readie to braine vs in our gardens snakes and adders are readie to sting vs and at our tables euery crumbe of bread is readie to choake vs all which Gods creatures are readie to serue vs and to offer vnto vs a safe and comfortable vse of them when vpon our reconciliation with God they are also reconciled vnto vs. Thirdly wee may here learne what is the best meanes to The best meanes of obtaining a well grounded peace with men obtaine and enioy a sound and well grounded peace with men or at least entertaine a iust and safe warre namely by turning from our sinnes and seeking earnestly reconciliation with God in Christ for the cause of inward rebellions and outward inuasions is our sins which prouoke the Lord to iust displeasure and moue him to raise vp against vs enemies at home and broad to the end they may execute his iust iudgements against vs. The way therfore to settle peace and preuent warre is to take away this cause to wit our sins by true repentance and to labour that we may be at peace with God and then he will giue vs peace with men or at least a prosperous warre wherin he will assist and protect vs against our enemies Whereby it appeareth that that peace which is grounded vpon worldly policies and hath not this peace with God for the foundation thereof howsoeuer it may last for a time yet in the end it will proue rotten and vnsound For example some thinke it the best course to settle a peace by tolerating Poperie and idolatrie some by vtter forsaking Gods true religion and by conforming our selues to the world both in profession and life some by ioyning in neere leagues with neighbour Princes and by many such other deuices but seeing the Word plainly teacheth vs that the only sure foundation of our peace is our reconciliation with God and holy obedience to his Commandements how can wee hope to obtaine it by taking such courses as will cause the Lord to be our enemie and by transgressing his Commandements the breach whereof the Lord threatneth in so many places to punish with warre and those innumerable miseries which do accompanie it So Leuit. 26. 25. Deut. 28. Leuit. 26. 25. Deut. 28 49. 1. King 8. 33. Jer. 5. 15. 19. 49. 50. 1. King 8. 33. Ier. 5. 15. 19. The vse which we are to make hereof is that when wee heare of our enemies preparations we do in the first place consider that our sinnes is the cause of this warre intended against vs and therefore before we resolue vpon any other course for our defence let vs repent of our sinnes and labour to be at peace with God and so he will change their minds or vse their
howsoeuer she might fall through infirmitie yet she should neuer fall away though she may offend her husband by her corruptions and imperfections yet she should neuer forsake him nor desist in her faith and holy obedience So that neither her sins past nor her sins to come should be able to separate her from the Lord her husband not her sins past because they should be blotted out of remembrance and washed away by Christs blood nor her sinnes to come for as much as shee should be endued with such sinceritie and indignitie of heart that she should neuer sin with full consent of will nor euer leaue the Lord to commit spirituall adulterie with sinne and Satan Neither should want of righteousnes cause her to be reiected seeing shee should bee adorned with the glorious robe of Christs righteousnes imputed vnto her and also by vertue of Gods Spirit dwelling in her she should be enabled to walke before the Lord in the integritie and vprightnes of her heart indeauouring to performe all duties of holines and righteousnes vnto him Secondly whereas error and blindnesse of iudgement is a 2 The Church is married vnto Christ in iudgement cause of diuorce and separation seeing thereby the wife is moued to preferre an adulterer before her lawfull husband therfore that this may not be a cause of separation betweene him and his Church the Lord promiseth that he will endue her with a cleare and wise iudgement whereby she shall bee able to discerne betweene good and euill right and wrong and how much more profitable will it be for her to embrace the Lord as her only husband louing reuerencing and obeying him in all things than to forsake him and to follow after her adulterous louers that is idols the world Satan and the pleasures of sinne which last but for a season and in the end bring euerlasting destruction and how much better it is to embrace his pure worship reuealed in his word then to follow humane traditions and her owne inuentions Thirdly the wife is moued to breake her coniugall fidelitie 3. The Church is maried to Christ in mercie and beneficence and to leaue her husband and follow her louers when as she is brought into doubt of his loue and good will in respect of his illiberall cariage towards her and when as by his niggardly restraining her of necessaries she is brought into extremitie and want for then being hopelesse at home she rangeth abroad and seeketh help of strangers when her husband neglecteth her Whereas contrariwise when shee hath assured testimonie of his loue by his readines to supplie all her necessities to the vttermost of his power it is a notable meanes to work in her loue towards him and to preserue her faith inuiolable And thus it fareth in this spirituall mariage when we doubt of Gods loue and fauour and are brought into extreame exigents through our spirituall or corporall wants then our corrupt nature inclineth vs to leaue trusting and depending vpon the Lord and to follow Idols Saints Angels and Images looking for by them a supplie of that wherein we thinke that the Lord is defectiue And therefore he heere promiseth that he will also marrie her vnto himselfe in mercie or as the word may more fitly in this place signifie in benignitie and beneficence that is that he will so multiplie vpon her mercies and benefits as thereby shee shall haue full assurance of his loue and prouidence watching ouer her and shall by his bountie be so furnished with all necessaries that she shall not need to depend vpon any other The which promise is accomplished both in respect of corporal and spirituall benefits for if the first be wanting the Lord giueth the other in such plentie and abundance that in the middest of worldly wants she shal haue little cause to doubt of Gods loue and liberalitie seeing he doth bestow vpon her these rich treasures and gifts of greatest value And thus haue we this prophecie expounded Ier. 32. 40. I will make an euerlasting couenant with them that I will neuer turne away Jer. 32. 40. 41. from them to do them good c. 41. Yea I will delite in them to do them good c. Fourthly because when the husband is of an austere rigorous and impacable nature so as he will not beare with his 4. The Church is married to Christs compassion wiues infirmities but punisheth euery fault in all bitternesse and extremitie it is a notable meanes to worke in her alienation of minde and to moue her to affect others more then him and contrariwise compassion and readines to pardon faults and passe by infirmities is a singular meanes to nourish loue and fidelitie therefore the Lord promiseth in the next place that he wil marrie the Church in mercy and compassion so that though through frailtie she fall and by her sinnes offend him yet this shall bee no sufficient cause to moue her desperately to forsake and flee from him seeing he is so full of mercie and compassion that she can be no more readie to repent then he to forgiue nor to aske pardon then he to grant it And that not only for light and veniall sinnes nor for offences seldome committed but for all her sinnes most grieuous and innumerable and this is implied in that he here vseth the plurall number saying that he will marrie her in mercies to note the multitude of his mercies whereby he is readie to forgiue a multitude of sinnes The like place vnto this we haue Ier. 31. 34. For I will forgiue their iniquitie Jer 31. 34. Esay 54. 10. and remember their sinnes no more So Esay 54. 10. The mountaines shall remoue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee c. Fifthly because all loue and benefits cannot restraine an 5. The Lord marrieth his Church in faithfulnes inconstant woman who is naturally addicted to lust and vncleannesse but that vpon euery occasion she is apt to forsake her husband and follow her louers therefore in the next place the Lord saith that he will marrie his Church in faithfulnes wherby we are to vnderstand that not only the Lord himselfe will continue faithfull and constant in his loue to the Church but that also he will by his holy Spirit wherewith his Church and he are ioyned in marriage so rule her affections mortifie her naturall lightnesse and pronenesse to spirituall adulterie and confirme and strengthen her in constancie and fidelitie that shee shall euer keepe her mariage faith inuiolable and reserue her selfe for him alone pure and vndefiled Where we may further note that he doth the third time repeate these words I will marrie thee vnto me to this end that we might by this his redoubling of his speech bee the more vndoubtedly assured of the certaintie of this holy and heauenly contract of which we are easily moued to make some question in respect of Gods glorious Maiestie and incomprehensible
vnto which wee are preferred so behaue our selues as beseemeth our high place and calling A Prince will not seruilely drudge for day wages nor sell his honor for a small trifle nor set his minde vpon base obiects no more should we who by vertue of this royall mariage are called to higher honour then the whole world affoordeth spend our sweate and labour to obtaine vncertaine richer and filthie pleasures wee should not dimme our glorie and impeach our honour by behauing our selues like the slaues of sinne and Satan nor affect with the highest pitch of our desires worldly toyes and base trifles seeing things of farre greater excellencie are reserued for vs. Lastly as hereby wee may be put in minde of our honour We must performe coniugall duties vnto Christ and dignitie so also of our dutie namely that being married vnto Christ wee labour to performe vnto him all duties required of a good wife seeing he is wanting in nothing which belongeth vnto a most gratious and kinde husband that is let vs loue him aboue all the world and shew our loue by our readinesse to lay downe our liues for his sake who is our louing husband seeing he hath laid down his for vs euen whilest wee were his enemies Let vs yeeld vnto him voluntarie and absolute obedience and submit our selues to bee ruled and guided by his word and Spirit Let vs keepe our coniugall fidelitie reseruing our selues pure and vndefiled as from all other sinnes so especially from idolatrie and superstition Let vs who haue communion both in Christ and all his benefits not grudge to giue our selues and the best things we haue vnto him for the aduancement of his glorie and the furthering of his worship and seruice especially let vs giue vnto him our hearts which he so much desireth Let vs reuerence him as our heauenly husband fearing his displeasure as the greatest euill and mourning for no losse so much as for the losse of his fauour Let vs rest wholly relie on his prouidence for the supplie of all our wants and for protection from all dangers In a word let vs labour to performe all duties which belong to such a husband and to deck our selues with all graces which may make vs appeare amiable in his sight and so wee shall confirme our selues in this assurance that we are espoused vnto Christ and shal be made partakers not only of himselfe but also of all his benefits And these are the doctrines which are to be obserued out Nothing can frustrate the couenant betweene God and vs. of the contract it selfe Now follow those which arise out of the adiuncts and properties of this mariage and first out of the perpetuitie thereof Where first wee may obserue to our singular comfort that it is impossible for any thing whatsoeuer to breake off the couenant betweene God and vs or to make a separation after hee hath once contracted vs to himselfe in this holy mariage nor all our spirituall enemies Satan the world the flesh nor all the power of hell ioyned together no nor yet our owne sinnes past present or to come for the Lord hath here promised that he will espouse vs vnto himselfe for euer Who therefore would not labour with his whole endeuour to attaine vnto this most honourable estate accompanied with such inestimable benefits seeing they are infinitely more excellent in their owne nature then all the glorie and riches of the world and besides they are eternall and neuer to be taken from vs. He that is in honour to day may be in disgrace to morrow he that is now rich may within a while be brought to extreame pouertie but who so is aduanced to this spirituall honour of being espoused vnto God shall neuer be depriued of it neither in this life nor in the life to come Secondly seeing the vnion betweene Christ and vs is perpetuall seeing the bonds of this vnion is the Spirit of God and a true and liuely faith hence we learne that Gods Spirit and this faith after we are married vnto Christ shall neuer be taken from vs for then the mariage bonds being broken the mariage also should bee dissolued which is contrarie to the promise of God in this place And these are the things to be obserued out of the perpetuitie Whosoeuer are married vnto Christ are made righteous of this mariage Out of the properties and conditions thereof we may further note these instructions First whereas the Lord promiseth that hee will espouse the Church in righteousnes hence we learne that whosoeuer are maried vnto Christ they are also made righteous that is they are not only clothed with the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse imputed vnto them by which they are iustified in Gods sight but also are made righteous by the sanctification of his Spirit dwelling in them the which their righteousnes consisteth in the integritie and vprightnes of their hearts and in their earnest and sincere desire and endeauour to performe obedience vnto Gods Commandements the which their obedience is in this life mingled with manifold infirmities and imperfections but shal become perfect in the life to come Secondly we learne that though this righteousnesse bee Our righteousnesse constant and perpetuall weake and imperfect yet shall it be perpetuall euen as our mariage with Christ is perpetuall and eternall And therefore although wee must worke out our saluation with feare and trembling and labour earnestly to haue this our righteousnes more and more strengthned and increased yet when we feele our slow progresse in the pathes of righteousnes and finde it mingled with our great corruptions and imperfections like a few graines of corne in a heape of chaffe let vs not be vtterly discouraged as fearing lest this little sparke of righteousnes will be altogether quenched with the floud of our corruptions seeing the Lord hath promised that as this his couenant of mariage with vs shall bee perpetuall so also that it shall for euer continue in righteousnes c. Thirdly whereas the Lord promiseth that he will marrie Our righteousnesse is not the cause of our vnion with Christ his Church in righteousnes not by chusing her being righteous but by making her righteous being chosen hence we learne that our owne righteousnes is not the cause of this holy and happie vnion but that this vnion is the cause of our righteousnes for after we are vnited vnto Christ by the Spirit of God then this Spirit dwelling in vs doth applie vnto vs the vertue of Christs death which purgeth vs from not only the guilt and punishment of sin but also from the corruption power and dominion thereof and the vertue of his resurrection whereby wee also are raised from the death of sinne to holines and newnes of life And this notablie appeareth Ezech. 16. 8. 9. 10. 11. c. Ezech. 16. 8. 9. Secondly whereas the Lord saith that he will marrie his Church in iudgement hence we learne that whosoeuer
are Those who are married vnto Christ haue a sound iudgement espoused vnto God they are so inlightned and haue their iudgements so enformed by his word and Spirit that they can discerne betweene truth and error religion and superstition God and an idoll and far preferre the sincere worship of God reuealed in his Word before their owne wilworship and humane inuentions so that it is not possible that they should be seduced and withdrawne from God and his pure seruice to idols and idolatrous worship by all the slights and subtilties of Satan the world Antichrist and all his false Prophets as our Sauiour teacheth vs Matth. 24. 24. because the Lord Matth. 24. 24. hath married them vnto himselfe in iudgement wherby they are moued to prefer the excellencie of their husband Christ and his reuealed will before all their louers and all their alluring baites with which they endeauour to draw them from him Whence it appeareth that they who are drawne vnto idolatrie or wedded to that cōmon strumpet the world and the vanities therof are not indued with this soūd iudgement and consequently were neuer maried vnto Christ 1. Ioh. 2. 19. 1. Joh. 2. 19. Thirdly whereas he promiseth that hee will marrie his Christs benefits should cause vs to loue him Church for euer in benignitie wee learne hence what vse wee are to make of Gods manifold benefits which hee bestoweth vpon vs namely that they serue as helpes to eternize our mariage with Christ by knitting our hearts vnto him in true loue and entire affection For what wife would not dearely loue a husband so bountifull and gratious who neuer is wearie in bestowing vpon her benefits and in seeking by all meanes her good and happines especially considering that he requireth nothing else at her hands but her heart and louing affection But alas such is our corruption that wee cannot afford him thus much yea rather as some wiues by their husbands benefits do wax so wanton and insolent that they begin in the pride of their hearts to contemne him of whom they haue all their ornaments and aduancement so do many of vs deale with Christ c. Fourthly whereas he saith that he will marrie his Church Our sins must be no cause to alienate our minds from Christ in his mercies hence we learne that there is no cause why our sinnes should alienate our minds from Christ seeing so manifold are his mercies that he is alwaies readie vpon our repētance to forgiue vs. It is a Machiauellian principle put in practise by too too many in our daies that whom they haue offended those they will neuer forgiue because in their self-guiltie consciences they expect from him whom they haue iniured deserued reuenge and therefore to such one degree of wrong is an occasion vnto another This hellish policie so odious in the sight euen of a ciuill mā our corrupt nature is inclined to vse towards Christ for when we haue offended him in stead of flying to him and seeking reconciliation we are readie to flee from him and in guiltines of conscience to distrust of his fauour and to seeke for helpe of Idols Images Saints Angels Popish pardons and such like wicked meanes therein making amends for our former sinnes by adding others vnto them much more grieuous But little cause haue we to be thus Italianate towards Christ seing his mercies are infinite so that he is alwaies readie freely to forgiue and after reconciliation wil neuer beare a secret grudge nor watch for opportunitie of reuenge Fiftly whereas he saith that he will marrie vs vnto himselfe Our naturall vnfaithfulnes and faithfulnes through grace in faithfulnes hence we learne first that by our naturall disposition we are vnfaithfull and readie to breake the bond of marriage by forsaking the Lord and following idols till the Lord giue vnto vs this singular gift of fidelitie And secondly being indued herewith it is impossible there should be a diuorce and separation betweene vs seeing the Lord for his part is most faithfull in keeping his couenant with vs and seeing we also being indued with fidelitie shall keepe our couenant with him and shall neuer depart from him as it is Ier. 32. 40. Jerem. 32 40. We are naturally ignorant Luk. 1. 78. 79. Lastly whereas he promiseth that shee shall know him hence we learne that naturally we walke in the darke vale of ignorance till God illuminate our minds with knowledge and that wee are thus illightned by vertue of our spirituall vnion with Christ whose Spirit dwelling in vs doth with his bright beames dispell the darknes of our minds so as we are enabled in some measure to know God and his truth as appeareth 1. Ioh. 2. 20. 27. Ioh. 16. 13. 1. Joh. 2. 20. 27. Joh. 16. 13. Secondly we here learne that all those who are truly maried Those who are married vnto Christ are endued with sauing knowledge vnto Christ are endued with the knowledge of God seeing this is one of the conditions of this happie contract and that not only with a bare and idle speculatiue knowledge whereby they are able to discourse of the nature of God his persons attributes and workes seeing the diuels also can do this as well as they but with a true sauing and sanctifying knowledge whereby knowing we beleeue and beleeuing applie vnto our selues make profitable vse of those things which we know concerning God and his truth not onely for the rectifying of our iudgements but also for the sanctifying of our affections life and conuersation as when knowing Gods iustice and power we be made thereby afraide to offend him knowing his mercie wee are moued thereby to loue and obey him knowing his all-seeing and all-ruling prouidence we be moued hereby to trust and depend vpon him knowing his omnipresence wee alwaies walke before him so behaue our selues as in his presence c. So knowing that Christ is a Sauiour we also know that he is our Sauiour and wholly and onely rest vpon him for our saluation knowing that he hath suffered death satisfied Gods iustice vanquished Satan and all the power of hell c. we also beleeue that hee hath done all this for our sakes for as it helpeth not the Physitian being sicke that he hath skill to make soueraigne medicines not only for curing himselfe but also others affected with the like diseases vnlesse he make vse of his skill and applie his medicines to himselfe so it will little auaile vs though wee haue such a great measure of knowledge that we are able to informe our owne iudgements in the greatest difficulties and to instruct others also who are ignorant vnlesse we make vse of our knowledge for our own benefit it will little profit vs that wee haue skill enough to cure others of their diseases of sinne by the precious potion of Christs blood and the soueraigne baulme of his merits vnlesse we do apply them likewise vnto our owne soules and
of free grace rather iudgement condemnation the Lord had mercy vpon vs whē we were no people but aliants strangers yea enemies vnto God the Lord of his free grace made vs his people yea of his owne familie and this the Apostle plainly sheweth 2. Tim. 1. 9. As therfore no conceit of our own worthines should 2. Tim. 1. 9. make vs to derogate any from Gods free grace vndeserued loue so neither ought our vnworthines cause vs to doubt of thē seeing without respect of our deserts the Lord hath chosen vs. Sixtly we here learne that our saluation hath his beginning in Gods mercy for by reason of our sins we are in misery in the Gods mercie the beginning of our saluation state of condemnation the which our miserable condition is so much the more miserable in that of our selues we cannot possiblie come out of our miserie but God in mercy pardoning our sins for Christs merits freeth vs from our wretched estate and aduanceth vs to all glorie and happinesse Seuenthly this serueth notably for the consolation of euerie The faithfull are consident in Gods mercie true mēber of the Church in that they are assured that they haue obtained Gods mercy so that though they haue fallē through infirmity they need not with Adam to hide thēselues frō Gods presence but in cōfident assurāce of pardon forgiuenes go boldly vnto the throne of grace that they may receiue mercy find grace to helpe in the time of need as it is Hebr. 4. 16. 10. 22. Hebr. 4. 16. 10. 22. As God chuseth vs so we chuse him Lastly we here learne that as the Lord maketh choice of vs to be his people so we answerably must make choice of him to be our God as he sheweth his loue towards vs so we must be ready to expresse ours towards him by our holy obediēce zeale of his glory as he professeth that we are his people aboue before al other natiōs not called so we must not only inwardly know and beleeue that he is our God in our hearts performe seruice vnto him but we must say with the Church in this place O my God that is acknowledge cōfesse that he is our Lord Sauiour opēly and in the sight of mē publikely performe vnto him his pure worship seruice which he requireth in his word that not only whē by our professiō glorifying God we grace our selues but also when we incurre thereby shame reproch affliction and persecution In a word we must with the Church here in all our need and necessaries inuocate and call vpon Gods name and wholly depend vpon and expect from him all things necessarie for this life and the life to come FINIS LECTVRES VPON THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE PROPHECIE OF HOSEA IN this Chapter the Lord sheweth that The argument of the Chapter howsoeuer the Church of Israell had grieuously offended him by her Idolatry vnthankfulnesse and voluptuousnesse yet hee did not cease to loue her and in his loue to seeke her conuersion and saluation and therefore because fond and cockering loue would but cause her to continue in those her sinnes to her vtter destruction his purpose was to afflict and chastice her with a miserable and tedious captiuitie wherein shee should liue in a poore and contemptible estate vnder the tyranny of her enimies without her owne lawes magistracy or any forme of gouernement and without the publike meanes of worshipping eyther God or her Idols Howbeit least shee should desperately sincke vnder the waight of this tedious and grieuous affliction hee promiseth that in the end after that by his chastisements he hath humbled her hee will conuert and turne her vnto himselfe by true repentance and so receiue her into his former grace and fauour And this is the maine argument of this Chapter out of The generall parts which wee may obserue the parts thereof which are two The first is a testification of Gods loue towards the Church of Israell verse 1. The second is an approbation of this loue by a two-fold fruit thereof the first is by inflicting on her fatherly chastisements that so she might be restrained from running on in her sinnes to her perdition The second is the sanctifying of this affliction to her vse and benefit namely for her true Repentance and conuersion to God And these are the generall parts of this Chapter Now the maine drift and scope of all is that the Lord might containe The scope of the Prophecie the people in an euen course so as they should neyther presumptuously and securely goe on in their sinnes without repentance nor desperately sinck vnder the guilt and punishment of them For whereas their present prosperity might cause them securely to promise vnto themselues immunitie from punishment and Gods former promises of inriching and multiplying the Church of Israell might cause them to imagine that though the Lord suffered them to be led into captiuitie yet hee would in some short time deliuer them and speedely aduance them to all happinesse by multiplying vppon them the former benefits the Lord meeting with this their security and presumption assureth them that he would not so easily forget their grieuous sinnes whereby they had so long and often prouoked him but before he would be reconciled vnto them his purpose was seuerely to correct them with a miserable Captiuitie wherein they should bee grieuously afflicted with pinching pouerty and base contempt and that not for a short space but for a long time euen vntill the comming of the Messias And on the other side whereas when they were grieuously afflicted they might easily be moued to doubt of gods loue and to thincke their estate desperate both because misery and calamitie doth cause men more clearely to see and more sensibly to feele the haynousnesse of sinne and to apprehend the wrath of God due vnto them and also in that they found and felt the fruites of Gods anger loading them with afflictions and withall might doubt that they should neuer againe be reconciled vnto God or be made partakers of any of his gratious promises seeing they were so long deferred and their punishments so tediously continued therefore the Lord giueth them some comfort in the middest of trouble by assuring them that notwithstanding their manifold sinnes yet hee loued them that in loue hee did chastise and correct them for their conuersion and amendement and that howsoeuer their afflictions were grieuous and tedious yet they should not continue for euer for after hee had by them made them to forsake their Idolatry and other sinnes he would admit them to be his Church and people and continue them in his feare and pure worship ANd this is the maine scope and chiefe end of this Prophecie In the next place we are to speak of the special parts thereof And first of the testification of Gods loue towards the Church of Israell Ver. 1. And the
this place may be vnderstood but yet principally as I take it of the latter For whereas the people had long contemned Gods verball contentions by the Prophets and continued in their impenitency without any amendement the Lord now threatneth that he will contend with them after another manner namely by inflicting vpon them his reall Iudgements seeing words would not preuaile with them The like place to this we haue Gen. 6. 3. Therefore the Gen. 6. 3. Lord said my spirit shall not alwayes striue with man because he is but flesh and his dayes shall be an hundred and twenty yeers The meaning is that because the world was rooted in a desperate wickednesse and would not be reclaimed by his spirit preaching vnto them by righteous Noah therefore hee would no longer contend with them in verbal controuersies seeing they were wholy carnall and corrupt but would bring vpon them reall punishments and that within the space of an hundred and twenty yeeres vnlesse in the meane time they preuented his Iudgements by turning from their sinnes by true repentance So here the Prophet telleth them that because Gods word was of no force with them for their amendment the Lord would no longer thus striue with them and seeing his Prophets and their reprehensions were derided neglected and contemned therefore hee would take his owne cause into his owne hand and contend no longer verbally but really with them proceeding from words to blowes from threatnings to punishments The parties betweene whom this debate is are the Lord The parties betweene whom the controuersie is and the people of Israell which are here called the inhabitants of the land whereby he implyeth First that the Lord himselfe was now become their aduersarie seeing there is no controuersie or contention but betweene aduersaries as though hee should say the contention shall not be hereafter betweene you and the Prophets because ye contemne their persons as weake and base men and deride and neglect their admonitions reprehensions and threatnings as though they were false and rediculous but betweene the Lord himselfe and you who is most wise to finde out your sinnes and most just to punish them And this controuersie shall be begun in the Court of Conscience before the Tribunall Seate of Gods Iudgement where by the law which you haue transgressed you shall be conuicted and after shall be fully determined when as hee shall inflict vpon you such reall punishments as your sinnes haue deserued Secondly he hereby implyeth that the Israelites are guilty of enormious sinnes and grieuous transgressions when as he saith that the Lord hath a controuersie with them for such is Gods exact justice that he sueth none but such as are indebted vnto him neyther contendeth he with any but onely such as haue wronged and offended him Thirdly whereas he saith that the Lord had this controuersie with the Inhabitants of the Land hereby first he conuinceth them of their breach of Couenant which they had made with God for howsoeuer the Lord had made good his promise in driuing out the Canaanites and giuing vnto them the Land in possession yet they had broken their promise made to God violated their faith forsaken Gods true Religion and denied their obedience vnto his lawes Secondly he aggrauateth their sinnes and grose ingratitude in that after the Lord had cast out the Canaanites the auncient inhabitants of this country for their Idolatry and other sinnes and giuen this land to the people of Israell for their possession that therein they might make profession of his true religion and glorifie his name by worshipping and seruing him according to his will they neuerthelesse neither remembring gods judgements inflicted vpon the Canaanits nor his mercies multiplyed vpon themselues forsooke the couenant of their God broke his lawes committed idolatrie and all other outragious sinnes and so defiled the land with the same sinnes for the which the Canaanits were expelled in the which gods true religion holinesse of life and righteousnesse should haue raigned and flourished And this was the cause or matter of their inditement in all which the Prophet aymeth at this that he might bring the people to true repentance vpon some hope of their reconciliation for whereas he saith that the Lord had a controuersie with the people hee doth herein include a secret admonition that seeing the Lord was not only far mightier then they but also had the law equitie on his side therefore they should labour after reconciliation by turning vnto him by vnfayned repentance for other meanes there was none to escape his just judgements And this is indeed the maine end at which the Lord aymeth in all his threatnings namely that those his people whom hee threatneth hearing of his judgements might preuent and escape them by their repentance For as a louing father when he threatneth his child sheweth that he hath no desire to punish him seeing by threatning hee giueth him warning to desist from his faults that so he may escape so our gracious and heauenly father threatneth his judgements in the ministerie of the word that heareing them wee may auoyd them by forsaking our sinnes and humbling our selues before him and this end of the Lords contending with his people is plainly Esay 1. 18. Eze. 33. 10. 11. Ier. 18. 7. 8. expressed Esay 1. 18. Ezech. 33. 10. 11. Ier. 18. 7. 8. And so much concerning the cause why the Israelits are arraigned Now wee are to speake of the particular crimes The sinnes whereof the Israelits are accused and condemned whereof they are accused conuicted and condemned and these are of two sorts the first priuatiue or sinnes of omission verse 1. the second positiue or sinnes of commission verse 2. The sinnes of omission whereof they are accused either respect their neighbour or God himselfe those that respect their neighbour are reduced to two heads First sinnes of injustice vnder the word truth Secondly neglect of mercy The sinnes which respect God are all included vnder one namely that there was no knowledge of God in the land and consequently no religion no faith no obedience The first sinne whereof he accuseth them is that there The first sinne that there was no truth in the land was no truth in the land for the vnderstanding whereof we are to know that truth respecteth either the minde and hart and then it is called simplicity or integritie or else the outward carriage and behauiour and that either in our words or speaches which properly is called veritie or else in our workes and actions which is called justice or vpright dealing Whereas therefore he chargeth them that there was no truth in the land the meaning is that there was no simplicitie or integritie in their minds and harts no verity in their speaches nor justice in their actions and because vertues and vices are contraries without meane so that the denying of the one in a subiect capable of it is the affirming of the other therefore
whereas hee calleth this summons to Iudgement That the ministery of the word is Gods owne voyce the word of the Lord which notwithstanding was pronounced not by the Lord immediately but by the Prophet hence we learne that the voyce of Gods messengers in the Ministery of the word is to be esteemed as the voyce not of mortall men but as the voyce of the euerliuing God Luke 1. 70. Heb. 1. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 21. speaking by them So it is said Heb. 1. 1. that in old time God spake by his Prophets And our Sauiour Christ saith that they who heare his Disciples and Ministers doe heare him and they who contemne them contemne him Luke 10. 16. And Luk. 10. 16. thus haue the faithfull alwayes esteemed the Ministerie of the word euen as the voyce of God himselfe So the Church Esay 2. 3. Cornelius Acts. 10. 33. The Thessalonians 1. Thes Esa 2. 3. Acts. 10. 33. 1 Thes 2. 13. 2. 13. And so are we also to esteeme of it if euer we meane to finde it to be the strong power of God to saluation vnto vs. When therefore in the ministery of the word we heare sweet consolations offred to all that mourne we mourning are to be comforted hereby euen as if the Lord himselfe from heauen should speake comfortably vnto vs when we heare Gods Iudgements denounced against all vnrepentant sinners we liuing in our impenitencie should no lesse be terrified hereby then if the Lord euen with his owne thundring voyce should proclaime them against vs c. Fourthly whereas he saith that the Lord had a controuersie Gods mercies no just cause of securitie with the inhabitants of the Land vpon which he had bestowed so many benefits hence we learne that Gods former mercyes multiplyed vpon a people should be no motiue to perswade them securely and presumptuously to continue in their sinnes without repentance as though they were exempted from Gods Iudgements nay rather the experience of Gods goodnesse should work in them amendment otherwise they are to assure themselues that if they abuse gods grace vnto wantonnes impenitency and forgetfulnes of him the Lord will more speedely and fearefully punish them then any other If the Lord haue giuen vs pleasures and we abuse them the greater shall be our torments Apoc. 18. 7. If he Apoc. 18. 7. giue vs power and authoritie and we thereby become more insolent proud and rebellious our Iudgements shall be the more increased for the mighty shall bee mightely tormented Wisd 6. 7. If his Gospell and true Religion and we bring Wisd 6. 7. forth no fruits thereof neyther liue according to our holy profession it will not delay but hasten our punishments 1 Pet. 4. 17. Ier. 25. 29. 1 Pet. 4. 17. Iere. 25. 29. And secondly whereas the Lord denounceth his judgements against the inhabitants of the land generally here we learne that a generall defection shall bee punished with a general punishment for it is not with God as with men Vbi multitudo peccantium tollit poenae locum with whom the multitude of offenders doth cause impunitie but he inflicteth God punisheth nationall sinnes with national punishments vpon nationall sinnes nationall punishments for it as easie with him to punish a whole countrey as one priuate man And therefore let vs take heede that we doe not follow a whole multitude vnto euill nor suffer our selues to be caried away in the common streame of sinne least the Lord also sweepe vs away in the vniuersall deluge of his punishments Fiftly we may here obserue what is the cause of all controuersies That sinne is the matter of controuersie betweene God and vs. betweene the Lord and the inhabitants of any land namely their sinnes whereby his law is transgressed If therefore we would not haue the Lord to be our enimie and aduersary if wee would not haue him to summon and arraigne vs before his judgement seate and being conuicted to condemne vs to punishment let vs flye sinne or hauing sinned let vs sue for pardon and reconciliation by turning vnto the Lord and bewayling our sinnes by vnfayned repentance It is the wise mans counsaile that we striue not with a Eccles 6 10. Eccles 8. 1. mighty man least we fall into his hands And our Sauiour aduiseth vs to agree with our aduersarie quickly Math. 5. 25. Math. 5. 25. 1 Cor. 10. 22. What folly then is it in vs by our sinnes to make God our aduersary who is omnipotent and not our aduersarie onely to accuse vs but also our judge to condemne vs or if we haue caused a controuersie betweene vs by our sinnes what madnesse is it to deferre the seeking of our reconciliation with him by turning from our sinnes by vnfayned repentance For if it bee a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of a mightie man how terrible is it to fall into the hands of the euerliuing God As the Apostle speaketh Heb. 10. 31. If Heb. 10. 31. one man sinne against another the Iudge shall iudge it but if a man sinne against the Lord who will pleade for him as Ely speaketh 1 Sam. 2. 25. to his sonnes 1 Sam. 2. 25. And these are the doctrines to be obserued out of the The doctrinea arraignment of the children of Israell before Gods tribunall now let vs in the next place consider what instructions may be gathered out of their particular inditement and out of the speciall crimes laide to their charge which are either sinnes of omission in this verse or of commission in the next Where first we are to obserue that to neglect a duty commaunded To neglect a dutie is as well a sinne as to commit a vice forbidden is reputed in Gods sight a grieuous sinne as well as to commit a vice forbidden and that we make God our aduersarie when he findeth vs emptie of goodnesse as well as when wee are replenished with euill that though wee neuer actually committed any sin yet if we haue omitted those dueties which God requireth it will be sufficient matter for our condemnation Meroz was cursed not for fighing against gods people but because they did not assist them in the battaile against the mighty Iudg. 5. 23. Diues was tormented in hell not for taking away food from Lazarus but because seeing him in want he did not relieue him Luk. 16. The vnprofitable seruant was cast into vtter darknesse not for mispending Gods tallent but because he had not well vsed it to his maisters aduantage Mat. 25. 27. 30. The foolish Mat. 25. 27. 33 Virgins were shut out of the marriage chamber not because their Lamps were full of false light deceit rapine and cruelty but because they were emptye of the oyle of faith charitie and a good conscience Mat. 25. 3. And the reprobate are condemned at the day of Iudgement not for taking the meate from the hungrie but for not feeding them not for dislodging the stranger but
for not entertaining him not for stripping the clothed but for not clothing the naked not for hurting and iniuring the sicke and prisoner but for not visiting and comforting them Verse 41. 42. c. The reason hereof is because we being the Lords seruants it is not sufficient Mat. 41. 42. that we doe not serue Gods enimies or that we spend our time in idlenesse and serue no body but wee must doe faithfull seruice to him our Lord and Maister for which end he hath created and redeemed vs and spend our liues not onely in abstayning from euill but also in doing of good Moreouer vertue and vice being extreames without meane hereof it followeth that the absence of the one in a subject capable of it argueth the presence of the other so that if we be destitute of vertue we are replenished with vice If our houses be cleane swept and empty of Gods graces they become forthwith fit habitations for vncleane spirits if we be Mat. 12. 44. not indued with knowledge we are blinded with ignorance if we be destitute of faith we are full fraught with infidelitie if we cease to doe good immediately we beginne to doe euill And therefore our sinnes of omission being alwayes accompanied with sinnes of commission are sufficient matter of inditement for our iust condemnation whensoeuer the Lord shall summon vs to appeare before him The vse hereof is that wee doe not with simple ideots That we must not blesse our selues in our harmlesnes blesse our selues because we are harmelesse and doe no man wrong and because we abstaine from such grosse impieties as we see others commit for the Lord requireth that we not onely refraine from euill but also that we doe good so that it is not sufficient that we doe not scorne Gods worship if we doe not also religiously serue him nor to abstaine from biaspheming Gods name if we doe not also glorifie it nor to forbeare doing wrong to our neighbour vnlesse also wee be ready to performe the duties of justice charitie and christianitie towards them Secondly out of the order which the Prophet vseth in The duties of Iustice the true Touchstone of the duties of Pietie reprehending the peoples sinnes vve may obserue that hee first conuinceth them of their sinnes against their neighbors and then of their sinnes commited against God and this methode is vsuall in the Scriptures which the holy Ghost obserueth first that he may beate downe the pride and vaine boasting of hypocrites who are ready to brag of their knowledge faith loue of God and other hidden graces though they be destitute of the loue of their brethren and barren of good workes And therefore he bringeth such as these who make a golden shew of spirituall and inward graces in respect of God to the true touchstone of outward obedience and the externall works of charitie and mercy towards their brethren to the end that if they will not abide this tryall it may appeare that though they make neuer so glittering a shew of spirituall and hidden graces yet they are nothing but drosse and Copper guilt And this is the Touchstone which Christ giueth vs to discerne a Hypocrite from a sound professor namely by their fruits Mat. 7. 16. By their fruites ye shall know them And the Apostle Iames. Chap. 2. 18. Shew me thy faith by thy works The Apostle Iohn likewise 1. Ioh. 4. 20. If any man say I loue God and hate his brother hee is a lyar c. And Chap. 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Verse 9. So our Prophet knowing how ready the hypocrites of his time were to brag of their Religion towards God doth conuince them of the want hereof by laying open their injuries and cruelties towards their neighbours Secondly this is done for the behoofe and benefit of Gods children who by reason of their naturall blindnesse and selfe loue cannot easily spye out their secret and hidden corruptions but contrariwise are ready to flatter themselues with an opinion of a great measure of their spirituall graces these also are to examine themselues by this touch-stone for their loue of God is not much if their loue of their neighbour be but a little their faith is not strong if their obedience be but weake their knowledge is not great if their practise be but small and their Religion is rootelesse if it bee but fruitlesse Thirdly whereas he includeth the breach of the first table The true know ledge of God the fountaine of all sound Obedience and all manner of impietie against God vnder this one particular that there was no knowledge of God in the land hence we gather that as true knowledge of God is the fountaine of all true obedience so contrariwise ignorance is the cause of all neglect of Religion of all impietie and wickednesse And this may further appeare both by reason and Ignorance the root of all sin also by manifold examples By reason for they that know neyther God nor his will they are ignoraunt of that which pleaseth him and displeaseth him and therefore though they had some good intention to serue God yet they must needs displease him through ignorance and errour Againe whosoeuer sinneth he also erreth according to that Prou. 14. 22. Prou. 14. 22. Doe they not erre that imagine euill and those that erre doe erre eyther through ignorance or wilfull maliciousnesse Thirdly for this cause sinners are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such as are ignorant and through ignorance are deceiued And sinnes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Ignorances Heb. 5. 2. and 9. 7. Heb 5. 2. 9. 7 So also this appeareth by examples For this was the cause of Adams transgression because hee knew not Gods truth both in his promises and threatnings Gen. 3. Of the sinne of Gen. 3. the Israelites for the Lord himselfe rendreth this reason why his people erred because they had not knowne his wayes Psal 95. 10. This made the Iewes to erre because they knew not Psal 95. 10. the Scriptures Mat. 22. 29. This caused them to crucifie the Lord of life Act. 3. 17. And to become proud iusticiaries testing Act. 3. 17. in their owne righteousnesse because they knew not the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 3. This was the cause of the Rom. 10. 3. Gentiles Idolatry Gal. 4. 8. But when yee knew not God yee Gal. 4. 8. did seruice to them which by nature were not Gods And of Pauls persecuting Gods Saints 1 Tim. 1. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 13. And as this Ignorance is the cause of all vice and sinne Ignorance turneth good inclinations into sinne so it maketh all our inclinations which are good and vertuous being guided with the light of knowledge to degenerate and become euill for example Religion joyned with ignorance bringeth forth Idolatry deuotion joyned with
these are the sinnes whereof the Israelites were accused Exposition and conuicted the which are further aggrauated by two adjuncts the first in these words They brake out the which speach is Metaphoricall borrowed from the practise of vnruly beasts which will be held in no pasture but breake through all their fences and hedges and so wander abroad and somtimes it is applied vnto riuers running with violent swelling streames whose course being stopped causeth them to break downe their banks to ouerflow the whole country Whereby he implyeth that the people were desperately giuen ouer to work wickednesse so as they would not be contained within any bounds not restrained with any fence namely the law of God his feare shame nor punishment but violently rushed through all these hedges into the open pastures and broad wayes of all sinne and wickednesse yea the more they were stopped in these ill courses the more their swelling lusts ouerflowed spreading ouer the whole country with an vniuersall deluge of impietie and iniquitie The second adjunct whereby their sinnes are aggrauated is expressed in these words And bloud toucheth bloud For the vnderstanding whereof wee are to know that bloud in the Scriptures often signifieth grieuous sinnes together with the guilt and punishment which doth accompany them because he that sinneth maketh himselfe guilty of his bloud which as a just punishment hee deserueth to shead in lue of his transgression So Leu. 20. 9. He that curseth Father Leu. 20. 9. or Mother shall dye the death his bloud shall be vpon him Iosu 2. 19. Whosoeuer goeth out of the dores his blood shal be Iosu 2. 19. 2. Sam. 1 16 1. Kin. 2. 37 Psa 5. 6. Mat. 17. 25. vpon his head and we will be guiltlesse 2 Sam. 1. 16. 1. Kings 2. 37. Psal 5. 6. The Lord will abhorre the man of blood And in this sence the Iewes cryed Mat 27. 25. His blood be vpon vs and our children And thus the words are to bee vnderstood in this place namely that they had committed haynous transgressions and thereby had made themselues subject to guilt and punishment and in this phrase of speach their sins are further aggrauated in respect of their multitude implyed by the plurall number here vsed bloods touch bloods 2 in respect of their continuall practise of wickednesse signified by this word touching whereby he implyeth that their sinnes were continuall and as it were contiguous one with another so as they had no sooner committed one sinne but presently they were ready to commit another and as it were to heape wickednesse vpon wickednesse And this is the meaning of the words the doctrines which out of them may be gathered are diuers First whereas Doctrine the Israelits who were gods people and professed his religion did not onely fall into these sinnes but were growne into a habite of committing them hence wee learne what is the nature of sinne if wee yeeld neuer so little vnto it it will gaine vpon vs if wee entertaine it but once it will come againe without bidding and if wee bid it wel-come the second time it will grow so strong and impudent that it will not away but become a dayly guest yea and it will not come alone but bring with it his companions also The best way therefore to bee ridde of it is when it first offereth That we must reiect the first motions of sin to enter to shut the dores of our harts against it and to turne it backe with a frowning countenance for if wee doe not giue it a repulse it will continually haunt vs till at last with his pleasing allurements it haue perswaded vs to keepe open house for the free entertainment of all sinne and wickednesse But if wee haue already fallen into any sinne then our best course is quickly to expell it and to take heed that it doe not take possession of vs and so pleading custome grow to a habite and second nature For it is our mortall enimie and therefore as it is the best course for our safety to keepe it from entring into our coasts so it is next the best to giue it a sharpe encounter at the first entrance and to keepe it from fortifying and intrenching it selfe against vs. It is a poyson and therefore we hazard the life of our soules if we drinke of it but if wee haue already swallowed it downe our best course is presently to cast it vp againe before it haue dispersed it selfe into the vital parts for then our case will be desperate It is the Ague of the soule for the curing whereof the best methode in spiritual Physicke is to preuent it before it come and to take away the causes thereof or if through our ignorance and vnwarinesse we are fallen into it we are at the first to apply speedy meanes for our recouerie for if it once sease vpon vs wee shall not leaue sinne till sinne leaue vs. The vse hereof tendeth to meete with a deceiueble conceit A deceiueable conceit of corrupt nature discouered and refuted of our corrupt nature which being so terrified by gods Law and fearefull judgements that it cannot resolue to continue a constant course in sin will yet presumptuously borrow leaue of God for once or twise with a purpose then to giue it ouer So some thinke I will neglect the sanctification of the Sabbath and the hearing of the word this once and after I will become very diligent I will now sweare being in heat or standing vpon my credit but my purpose is hereafter to giue it ouer I will now for once breake my word seeing it is greatly for my aduantage but henceforward I will make conscience of my promise I will for a while continue my deceiptfull dealing but when my state is a little better grounded I will become just and honest I will play the good fellow now I am in this company but my purpose is to frequent better and to become more precise I will but this once commit adultery and then hauing but a tryall of it I will resolue to liue chastly but let such consider in what a fearefull case they are if the Lord should as he justly may take them away in his wrath whilest they are committing these presumptuous sinnes or before they haue repented of them for as the tree falleth so it shall lye Eccl. 11. 3 Eccl. 11. 3. and they shall receiue judgement not according to their vnconstant resolutions but according to their certaine actions And in the second place let them know that the more their dropsie soules swelling with presumption drinke of these waters of iniquitie the more they thirst the more they listen to these Syrens the more they are inueigled with them if they are vnable to resist the assaults of sinne when they are vnconquered in their ful strength without maime or wound and assisted by Gods spirit how much lesse will they bee able to stand in the incounter when they
are once spoyled weakned maymed vvounded especially Gods spirit which by their presumptuous sinnes they haue grieued being departed from them The second thing to be obserued is that he comprehendeth All impietie comprised vnder vnlavvfull swearing all impietie and the whole breach of the first table vnder this one sin of vnlawfull swearing and as in the former Verse he had comprised all the sinnes of omission vnder the want of knowledge as being the fountaine of all the rest and the internall root from which they spring so here he comprehendeth all sinnes of commission vnder this one of abusing Gods holy name which is an external sin of the tongue First because it is an vndoubted signe an inseperable companion of all manner of wickednesse for hee that maketh no conscience of blaspeming Gods holy name by eyther false or vaine and idle oathes he maketh conscience of no sinne but would if he might with as little disgrace and danger doe it commit all manner of impietie hee that will not be restrained by Gods feare loue mercy goodnesse and the manifold benefits which he hath receiued of him from vaine swearing whereby he receiueth no profit but losse euen the losse of Gods fauour the assurance of saluation of a good conscience and of reputation amongst those that feare God nor any pleasure vnlesse he take like the Diuell himselfe a hellish pleasure in acting sinne and despiting God nor hath thereby any credit but rather is branded with the black marke of a prophane person hee that will contemptuously trample vnder feete the precious body and bloud of Jesus Christ which he spared not to giue for our redemption and so irreligiously scorne the greatest benefit that euer the Lord bestowed vpon vs it is not to be doubted but that this man what shew soeuer hee maketh is a prophane person who when hee is allured by the baites of the world riches honours and pleasures will not stick to commit any manner of wickednesse seeing he is ready to commit this horrible sinne of blaspheming gods name being induced therunto without any respect of the least good Secondly he implyeth vnder this one sinne of swearing all the sinnes commited against the first table because all these sinnes are linked together and so inseperably ioyned one with the other that whosoeuer is held in bondage vnder one of them he is subiect to the rest according to that Iam. 2. 10. Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole law and yet faileth in Iam. 2. 10. 11. one point he is guiltie of all The reason is because hee that wilfully neglecteth any part of Gods Law he doth not performe any one dutie as he ought in obedience to gods commandement and for the aduancement of his glory but for sinister respects for if out of a good conscience and the true feare of God he performed any duety then the same causes would moue him to performe all seeing God injoyneth one commandement as well as another as the Apostle there reasoneth Verse 11. The vse hereof is that we make conscience not onely of one but of all Gods Commandements and that we carefully auoyde not onely this or that sin as Herod did but all kinds and degrees of sin especially false or vaine swearing for this alone includeth or necessarily inferreth all manner of impietie and therefore let blasphemous swearers make at some times what shew of religion they will yet vve may safely and surely conclude with the Apostle as in the generall so especially of this sinne of blaspheming Gods Name that if any amongest you seemeth Religious and refraineth not his Iames. 1. 26. Tongne from customable swearing and vaine Oathes hee but deceiueth his owne heart and his Religion is in vaine Iames. 1. 26. The third thing to bee obserned is that the Lord conuinceth Why God condemneth all sinnes vnder the names of those which are greatest in that kinde and condemneth the Israelits of all their transgressions vnder the names of the greatest sins of that kinde as cruelty and oppression vnder the name of murther all manner of deceipt vnder the name of theft all kinds of vncleannesse vnder the name of whoring and adulterie And this he doth Reason The First First to giue vs to vnderstand that howsoeuer wee make small accompt of these sinnes yet in his sight vnjust anger is no better then murther deceipt though neuer so cunningly cloaked no better then theft and vnlawfull lusts are reputed in his estimate adulterie as our Sauiour also expoundeth the law Mat. 5. Mat. 5. Reason The Second Secondly that hereby hee might moue vs to a hatred and detestation euen of all sinne whatsoeuer and to make conscience of committing the least transgression Naturally wee minse sinne and extenuate it with vaine excuses this is but a small sinne and I would no body did worse I am content to leaue all grosse sinnes and therefore in this small trifle I hope the Lord will be mercifull vnto mee wee cannot here be Saints and to bee too scrupulous is to bee more precisethen wise But vnto such as thus extenuate their sins the Lord aggrauats them plainely affirming that their couetousnesse is theft their rash anger murther their inward lusts and vnchast speaches adulterie in his sight Reason The third Thirdly as the Lord by this meanes restraineth vs from committing the smallest sinnes so if wee haue fallen into them hee doth hereby humble vs and bring vs to serious repentance when as wee consider that those sinnes which wee haue innumerable times committed making no reckoning of them are reputed haynous in the Lords sight who is to bee our iudge so that hereby wee may be moued to lay our hands vpon our mouthes to desire with the Prophet that the Lord would not enter into judgement with vs to disclaime our owne righteousnesse and to hunger after the righteousnes of Christ to cease boasting with the Pharisee I am no extorcioner murtherer adulterer c. and to change the Pharisees brag into the poore Publicans humble praier God be mercifull vnto mee a sinner Fourthly whereas he saith they breake out like vnruly beasts Sinne if it bee not quicklie suppressed growes violent who would be held in by no sence like swelling streames which breake downe their banks and ouer-flow the whole country here againe wee may obserue the nature of sinne which if it be not quickly suppressed wil grow so violent contagious that nothing will restraine nor containe it with in any bounds The violence thereof if once it hath taken full possession of vs is such that neither Gods loue mercie and manifold benefits nor yet his law fearefull curse feirce wrath nor terrible judgements will restraine vs from runing head-long into it yea rather sinne will take occasion by the commaundement to worke in vs all manner of concupisence as appeareth Rom. 7. 8. And such is the contagious infection thereof that it will not be contained in the Rom. 7. 8. persons who are
not lasciuiously looke vpon a woman that they purposely open them that they may take full view of obsceane objects and frequent those places where they may most glut their adulterous eyes with wanton spectacles How many openly professe their inward vncleannesse of heart by their immodest attire wanton esseminate apparell and by laying open to the common view their naked breasts as though it were a bill affixed to the doore post to signifie to the passers by that within that place dwelleth an vncleane hart that whosoeuer wil may there buy honestie chastitie at an easie rate Yea how many are there in this land who giue themselues ouer to all manner of vncleannes and adulterie in the highest degree spending both their strength and whole estates vpon filthie harlots euen till they rot with loathsome diseases and haue brought themselues to vtter beggerie The which adulterous filthines the more raigneth because the Magistrates doe if not altogether wincke at it yet so slightly punish it as though they jumped with the Papists in iudgement that it is but a veniall sinne which may be well tollerated or as though the multitude of offenders did priuiledge the sinne and take away all hope of reformation the guilty which should be punished exceeding the number of the innocent who should see them punished And thus haue I shewed that the people inhabitants of this land are in most haynous manner guilty of all these sins whereof the Israelits are here conuicted and condemned the which we haue also fearefully aggrauated by the same many other circumstances for they are not seldome committed in few places but they are come to a common custome vsuall fashion in euery corner of the Realme and especially in this Citie there is no modestie or moderation in committing of them but men breake out and like vnrulie beasts will bee contayned by no fence for neither Gods infinite goodnesse his meruailous mercie nor his innumerable benefits so bounteously bestowed vpon this country will restrain them from committing of these sinnes no nor yet the curse of his law the feareful denunciation of his heauy judgements so often sounding in our eares his fatherly admonitions and gentle chastizements where-with we haue diuers times ben exercised Yea so barbarously bould are men growne in their sinnes that the more diligently the Lord vseth all good meanes to stop them in their wicked courses the more their vnruly lusts swell violently breake downe the bankes of modestie pietie iustice and the feare of God and so with an vnresistable sloud of wickednes ouerflow the whole country the more carefully the Lord applyeth vnto them such soueraigne salues as might cure the wounds of sin the more desperate they are in plucking them off againe that they may rot in their corruptions the more meanes is vsed to stay the infection of this contagious plague the more it spreadeth it selfe ouer the whole country And as these sinnes abound in innumerable numbers so they are haynous and bloudy in respect of their qualitie being committed in the highest degree of their seuerall kindes so that Gods Ministers in our times may justly complaine of the inhabitants of our land that those sinnes of swearing lying killing c. are vsually committed amongst them that like beasts they violently breake out and bloud toucheth bloud Whereof it necessarily followeth that seeing we abound in these sinnes and will not be reclaymed from them seeing the Lord hath often allured vs by his innumerable benefits by his sweet promises by his fatherly admonitions and often terrified vs by his seuere threatnings fearefull judgements of famine and dearth sicknesse and pestilence and yet there is no amendment and reformation that we can expect no other but that the Lord will bring this land to vtter destruction and desolation vnlesse we labour to preuent these heauie punishments by turning vnto him by speedy and vnfayned repentance For the Lord taketh that course with vs which we take with our children and seruants first he contayneth vs in his feare and obedience by his gracious benefits then if wee notwithstanding liue in sinne hee admonisheth and threatneth vs and if this will not reclaime vs then he correcteth and punisheth vs but if these often inflicted are not auaileable but that with full resolution wee will desperately runue on in our wicked courses then he will reject and cast vs off thrust vs out of his familie withdraw from vs all signes of his fauour and giue vs ouer to bee vtterly destroyed with those plagues which duely attend vpon such desperate sins AND so much concerning the first bill of inditement whereby the people of Israell are accused conuicted now followeth the sentence of condemnation whereby they are adjudged to suffer deserued punishments Verse 3. Therefore shall the land mourne and euery one that dwelleth Verse 3 therein shal be cut off with the beasts of the field and with the foules of the heauen and also the fishes of the sea shal be taken away Where the Lord more plainely expresseth after what The exposition manner he would contend with the people to wit not by his word alone but by his judgements also The punishment it selfe here threatned is the vtter destruction and desolation of the land by warre and the vsuall companion thereof dearth and famine the which is most liuely and emphatically expressed in diuers metaphoricall and hyperbolicall speeches the which I will expound as they lye in order And first here is expressed the cause of their punishment then the punishment it selfe the cause of their punishment in this word Therefore that is because all manner of sinne both of omission and commission doth abound in the land and the people is desperately resolued to rush into all manner of wickednesse notwithstanding all those meanes which I haue vsed to reclaime them and euen are now growne to a custome and habite of sinning therefore I will forbeare them no longer seeing they giue no hope of their reformation but will presently execute my fearefull judgements amongst them till they be vtterly destroyed The punishment it selfe is first expressed and then amplified it is expressed in two borrowed speaches the first in these words the land shall mourne As though he should say because the people will not mourne for their sinnes euen the land it selfe shall mourne and as it were sigh groane vnder the heauy burthen of my punishments So that hereby hee implyeth their stubberne rebellion impenitencie and hardnesse of hart in that the brute and senseles earth would bee sooner affected and touched with the feeling of Gods judgements then the more senselesse inhabitants and also the greatnesse of the punishment which should be so sharpe that it would giue sense to the senseles creatures The judgement it selfe is destruction and desolation by warre famine whereby the inhabitants of the land should be destroyed and swept away and all the goodly ornaments of the earth as the pleasant
princes of Iudah are as they that remoue the Land-mark Ioh. 1. 14. And we saw the glory thereof as the glory of the onely begotten sonne Where he aggrauateth their sinne shewing that they were not onely impatient of reproofe but which was more they contended with their teachers and rebuked those by whom they were rebuked So that they were not onely impatient to heare any reprehension but also were growne so insolent and impudent in their sinnes that they durst defend them against their reprouers and were ready to challenge them that they more offended in censuring their faults then themselues in committing them And this is signified by this phrase of rebuking the priest where by Priest we are to vnderstand all whosoeuer haue a lawful calling from god to deliuer his word whether Priest Prophet or other Ministers but he maketh mention of the Priest because ordinarily to him was committed the office of teaching exhorting and comforting Gods people as also of rebuking accusing and condemning the obstinate and rebellious Now this did exceedingly aggrauate their sins in that they durst thus insolently presumptuously oppose themselues against Gods Priests returning reproofe for reproofe and inverting and peruerting Gods owne order and ordinance who appointed the Priests in the Ministerie of the Word to rebuke their sins and that freely without checke and controulement for their just reprehensions The which insolencie and presumption was to be punished by the law of God euen with death it selfe as appeareth Deut. 17. 11. 12. And Deut. 17. 11. 12. Num 1â— this the Lord himselfe inflicted vpon Corah his associates Numb 16. The reason is because this contempt is not offered onely against the Minister but against God himselfe and his ordinance as our Sauiour hath taught vs. Mat. 10. 14. Mat. 10. 14. 15. Luke 10. 16. 15. Luke 10. 16. Examples of this sin we haue not onely in this place but also in many others where the people haue not only contended with their teachers but euen persecuted them for their reprehensions So Iere. 18. 18. Come let vs imagine some deuise Ier. 18. 18. against Ieremie c. Let vs smite him with the tongue and let vs not giue heede to any of his words Amos. 7. 10. Amos. 7. 10. 11 12. 13. 11. 12. 13. And this is the meaning of the words The doctrines The doctrines which arise out of them are these first we may obserue that That it is a signe of Gods wrath when he stoppeth the mouthes of his Ministers it is a signe of Gods heauy displeasure and approaching vengeance and that his purpose is to giue ouer such vnto a reprobate sense to runne on in their sinnes without hope of amendment to eternall perdition when as hee stoppeth the mouthes of his faithfull seruants and will not suffer them to reproue and reprehend them for their sinnes so here when he was determined to punish the Israelites with Captiuitie he restraineth his Prophets from rebuking and reprehending them though they abounded in all sinne And Ezech. Ezech. 3. 26. 3. 26. because the people were desperately giuen ouer to worke wickednesse hee stoppeth the Prophets mouth and forbiddeth him to rebuke them When the Scribes and Pharisies shewed their malicious spite against Christ and his truth our Sauiour would not instruct them but in Parables and restraineth his Disciples from reprouing them for their malicious forwardnesse Mat. 15. 14. Let them alone they Mat. 15. 14. be the blinde leaders of the blinde c. The reason hereof is first because hee would not haue his seruants loose their labour in admonishing and reprouing those who are so resolute in their wickednesse that there is no hope of amendement And secondly because he is purposed to let them perish in their sinnes and therefore restraineth them of the meanes whereby they might escape his judgements or else so giueth them ouer to the hardnesse of their hearts that they doe not profit by them as we may see in the example of Pharaoh and Elies sonnes 1 Sam. 2. 25. And Amaziah 1 Sam. 2. 25. 2 Chron. 25. 16. 2 Chro. 25. 16. The vse hereof serueth first to perswade all that are themselues Christian rebukes necessary religious that they be ready to reproue and admonish all their brethren of their sinnes if they see any hope of reformation for hereby they shall performe a worke most charitable in stopping them in their course of sinne whereby they incurre Gods wrath and runne headlong to their owne perdition and this duetie is injoyned Leu. 19. 17. Leu. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke him and not suffer him to sinne Iam. 5. 19. 20. Iam. 5. 19. 20. Which who so performes shall be blessed Pro. 14. 25. Vnto Pro. 24. 25. him that rebuketh the sinner shall bee pleasure and vpon them shall come the blessing of goodnesse Secondly it teacheth all with patience to heare the word We must patiently heare the word of reprehension of admonion and reprehension when they offend and not onely patiently but also thankfully seeing it is a meanes to restraine from vs Gods wrath heauie judgements It is a potion which howsoeuer it is bitter yet it helpeth to purge away the grose humours of sinne and preserueth from eternall death It is a corrasiue indeed but yet profitable because it draweth out the core of our corruptions It may bee displeasant at first when we are awaked out of the sweet sleep of carnall securitie but wee shall haue little cause to be offended with him that hath rouzed vs vp seeing this sleepe endeth in death Thirdly it sheweth the extreame folly of those who rage The folly of such who rage against those who reproue them against Gods Ministers when they reproue and reprehend them for their sinnes thinking themselues neuer worse then when they are vnder the censure of the word and neuer better at ease then when they may sleepe securely in their sins without reproofe Such are sicke of the spirituall Lethargie they delight in this easie sleepe that bringeth death and cannot indure to be rouzed vp though it be the onely meanes to preserue life and recouer health And howsoeuer they seem so wise in their owne conceits that they need no admonition yet let them know that wisedome it selfe calleth them fooles Pro. 12. 1. Though they hould their owne course to be best Pro. 12 1. yet they are wanderers out of the way of life Prou. 10. 17. Pro. 10. 17. Though they thinke them selues secure and safe yet they are branded to destruction Pro. 29. 1. As appeareth in Pro. 29. 1. the example of Hophni and Phinehas 1 Sam. 2. 25. Who 1. Sam. 2. 25. are said not to haue harkened to their fathers admonition because God would slay them The second thing to bee obserued is that it is a matter of That it is extreamly
they liue in their sinnes without any hope to attaine vnto saluation or to escape destruction Those that want the meanes cannot be excused if they do not labour after them seeing Christ hath taught vs that this one thing is most necessary Iohn 6. 27. and more to be desired then our bodily food in the obtaining whereof whosoeuer imploy themselues they are preferred before such as giue worldly entertainement to Christ himselfe as appeareth Luk. 10. 39 40. 41. 42. That Luk. 10. 39. 40 it is of greater value then all worldly wealth and therefore if we want it we are rather to sell all wee haue to purchase this precious pearle then to bee without it Whereas these Mat. 13. 45. men esteeme this vnvaluable jewell of all other things least necessary and will not part with the least worldly benefit for the obtaining of it But much more doe those offend and accordingly shall more fearefully be punished who hauing the meanes of knowledge the preaching of the Gospell doe neglect and contemne it who walke in the darke wayes of ignorance because they wilfully shut their eyes when the brightlight of the Gospell shineth vnto them and continue destitute of knowledge because they stop their eares not vouchsafing to heare instruction and yet in the meane time these men haue a strong conceipt that they shall attaine vnto saluation as though the way to heauen were so direct and straight that they could easily finde it though they goe blinde-fold and not so much as desire a guide quite contrary to the whole course of Scripture wherein the Lord hath taught vs that his will is that those who shall be saued shall also come to the knowledge of his truth 1 Tim. 2. 4. 1 Tim. 2. 4. That it is the onely meanes to attaine vnto life eternall to know God and his sonne Iesus Christ Iohn 17. 3. That those Ioh. 17. 5. whose feete are to trauaile in the way of peace must first bee illightened with the knowledge of Saluation Luke 1. 77. 78. Luk. 1. 77. 78. 79. And contrariwise that they who sit in darknesse they also sit in the shadow of death as it is in the same place that they are strangers from the life of God Eph. 4. 18. That the Lord Eph. 4. 18. will render vengeance to those that doe not know him 2 Thes 2 Thes 1. 8. 1. 8. And that they shall be destroyed as it is in this place The second vse concerneth the ministers seruing for an The Ministers must teach the people effectuall argument to perswade them that they performe their duety in teaching and instructing the people least wanting instruction they also want knowledge and so be made subject to vtter destruction Whereby it will come to passe that those Ministers who through their negligence are the causes hereof shall being guilty of their sinnes be also destroyed with them Now if the waight of a mans owne sin be an intollerable burthen what vvill become of those who shall beare the waight not onely of their owne sinne but also of their vvhole congregation vnto vvhich through their idlenesse or insufficiency they haue beene accessarie Thirdly it serueth for the reproofe of the Papists vvho The papists labour to keepe the people in blindnesse by all meanes possible labour to keepe the people in blindnesse and ignorance by taking away from them the light of Gods vvord both read and preached that so keeping them blind-fold they may abuse them at pleasure and like carrion Crowes hauing picked out their eyes may make a pray of them But let all know that vvhat faire shewes soeuer they make and how curiously soeuer they paint ouer this rotten post with the colours of their deuotion whereby they vnderprop the ruinous building of their high raised Hirarchie yet in very truth by depriuing the people of knowledge they depriue them also of saluation and make them subject to vtter destruction and so consequently they make themselues guilty both of their sinne and ruine of both which they haue beene the principall causes The third thing to be obserued is that as the want of knowledge is a sin in all men so especially in the Minister That ignorāce is a grieuous sinne in the Ministers whether we vnderstand it of that sufficiencie of knowledge which he ought to haue in himselfe whereby he is inabled to teach the people or the fruitfull vse of this knowledge for the instruction of the people for of him is required not onely the facultie but also the function not onely that hee hath knowledge in the braine but also in his lips not onely that he hath light in himselfe but also that he giueth light to others not onely that he know the way to Gods kingdome but also that he informe those committed to his charge in this way Here therefore is first condemned the ignorance and insufficiencie of the Minister whereby hee is vtterly disabled for the performing of his dutie in teaching the people the which is a haynous sin in Gods sight as may appeare by these reasons first in that they thrust themselues into this great worke of the Ministery being altogether vnfurnished of those gifts which should fit them for this function for aboue all other things it is required in a Minister that he be fit to teach 1. Tim. 3. 2. and Tim. 2. 2 but these cannot teach others being themselues ignorant 1. Tim. 3. 2. 2. Tim. 2. 2. Mat. 5. 14. Gods true ministers are the Light of the world Math. 5. 14. appointed by God to illuminate those who sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Luk. 1. 77. 78. but these men wanting the light of knowledge in themselues cannot giue Luk. 1. 77. 78 light vnto others and so they sit both together in the shadow of death if then they who should be the light are darknesse how great is that darknes Mat. 6. 23. The minister in the Church is as the eye in the body and the knowledge Mat. 6. 23. of the Minister as the sight in the eye such Ministers then as want knowlege they are starke blinde as the Lord himselfe plainely concludeth Esay 56. 10. Their watchmen are blinde Esay 56. 10. they haue no knowledge and consequently when these are in stead of guides then the blinde doe lead the blinde and so they fall both into the pit as our Sauiour speaketh Mat. 15. 14. Mat. 15. 14. The Ministers are the mouth of God vnto the people and the mouth of the people vnto God but these men are dumbe and cannot speake they are the messengers of the Lord of hoasts Mal. 2. 7. Hag. 1. 13. by whose ambassage there is peace concluded and reconciliation made betweene God Mal. 2. 7. Hag. 1. 13. and man 2 Cor. 5. 18. 20. but these men are altogether vnfit for these offices seeing they cannot doe their message 2 Cor. 5. 18. 20 nor deliuer their ambassage
them that he would refuse them so as they should be no Priests to him because they had refused knowledge and neglected the maine duetie in teaching the people From whence wee learne that though ignorant idle Ministers haue neuer so manifold allowance and approbation from men yet God rejecteth them as not being worth the hauing for all who are called of God to this function are furnished with sufficiencie of gifts where by they are able and with willingnes of minde whereby they are readie to instruct his people as for those who are not thus fitted it were a great disparagement both to Gods wisdome loue and prouidence eyther to chuse them or to owne them There is no wise Prince will chuse a dumbe ambassadour or one who will not eyther for feare or idlenesse do his message there is no housholder would haue in his seruice a steward who in respect of his follie cannot prouide for the familie there is no man will chuse such an one for his carpenter who hath no skill in building nor knoweth how to handle a toole there is no people so simple that will retain a shepheard if they know that eyther he is ignorant how to vse their sheepe or idle and carelesse and will not take paines eyther in feeding or defending them and shall wee thinke the Lord lesse wise or prouident then man that hee should send on his message dumbe ambassadours or commit his familie to be gouerned by foolish or malicious stewards or chuse for the building of his spirituall temple them that haue no knowledge or will not labour or set ouer his flocke such ignorant or idle shepheards who either want skill or will to feede his sheepe and to defend them from the Wolfe The vse hereof serueth first to teach vs whom wee Who are to be approued for faithfull Ministers are to approue as the faithfull Ministers of God namely not all who are allowed by men seeing many of these are ignorant and many idle the one wanting abilitie the other will to instruct the people but onely those who are furnished with sufficiencie of gifts whereby they can and with willingnesse and alacritie whereby they will with painefull diligence informe the people in the wayes of God Secondly it sheweth and condemneth the grieuous sinne of many amongst vs who runne and are not sent and presumptuously rush into the place of Gods ambassadours hauing neither calling nor approbation from him yea that after in his word he hath plainely protested that seeing they haue refused knowledge he hath rejected and deposed them from the Priest-hood It is counted an hainous fault amongst vs for one who is lawfully suspended and degraded to execute the function of the Ministerie but how much more intollerable is their contempt against Gods soueraigne Majestie who being for their ignorance depriued by him and rejected as being none of his Ministers dare yet audaciously take vpon them this office and function Much better therefore were it for such with those false Prophets of whom Zacharie speaketh to giue ouer the place of a Prophet as being Zach. 13. 4. 5. ashamed of their ignorance and insufficiencie and to lay aside their habite wherewith they haue deceiued and abused the people and plainely to confesse I am no Prophet I am an Husbandman or an heard-man or a trades-man then by retayning the place of Gods Ministers to inflame his wrath and pull downe his fearefull vengeance against them Ezech. 34. 10. Ier. 27. 15. Ezech. 34. 10. Ier. 27. 15. Knowledge not succession a true note of a lawfull Ministerie Thirdly it confuteth the doctrine of the Church of Rome who approue their Priest-hood not by their knowledge or painefulnesse in teaching the people both which were vtterly neglected in former ages till of latter yeares for pollicie sake they haue beene forced to take more paines or rather through necessitie being otherwise vnable to defend their declinining hirarchie but by the continuall succession of their Bishops the which also they make a note infallible of the true Church Notwithstanding in this they goe not before the apostate Church of Israell who had a continuall succession of their Priests and Leuites euen from Aarons time and yet now they ceased to be the true Church of God and are rejected from the Priest-hood It is not therfore the succession of the Ministerie but their knowledge and painefull diligence in teaching the people which approueth them to be the true Ministers of God and where these are they are an infallible note of Gods true Church but when the preaching of the Word is neglected eyther through Ignorance or Idlenesse there is no Ministerie approued of God and consequently no true Church And so much concerning the sinne of the Priests The second is forgetfulnesse of God and his Law in these words And seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God Vnto which is annexed a grieuous punishment in these words I will also forget thy children Their sinne was forgetfulnesse of Gods Law for howsoeuer The exposition they were the Lords Priests vnto whom Gods Oracles were committed in which by Gods Commaundement they were to meditate continually that so not onely knowing but also remembring them they might be the better fitted both to obserue them themselues and also to teach and instruct the people in the knowledge of Gods will in his Law reuealed yet such was their carelesnesse negligence and contempt of it that they neyther knew nor remembred it and much lesse obeyed it themselues or informed the people that they might know and keepe it From whence we may Our inclinablenesse vnto forgetfulnesse of God obserue how inclinable we are to this vice of forgetfulnesse seeing neyther respect of our place and duety nor any meanes that can be vsed will imprint Gods Law in the stony tables of our memories vnlesse it be engrauen with the finger of gods spirit howsoeuer they are like waxe ready to receiue the print of any worldly impression like brasse to keep it The causes of this our forgetfulnesse are first our naturall The causes of our forgetfulnesse corruption and the vncleannesse of our hearts and mindes being one of the cursed fruites of originall sinne whereof it is that they are forges of wicked thoughts fountaines from which nothing spring but carnall meditations and like wide siues which suffer all the flower of goodnes to passe through them and retaine nothing but the grose branne of worldlinesse and wickednesse This appeareth Gen. 6. 5. and. 8. 21. Gen. 6. 5. 8. 21. Mat 15. 19. Mat. 15. 19. The second cause is our want of loue and delight in heauenly and spirituall things and our too much loue of the world and worldly vanities for if our treasure were in the Arke of God our hearts would be there also if Gods Law were to vs as it was vnto Dauid sweeter then the hony the hony combe if with him we loued it better then all
worldly riches then would we also neuer forget it but meditate therein day and night The third cause of the forgetfulnesse of Gods Law is Gods mercies make vs vnmindfull of him our pride of heart through the vnthankfull abuse of our prosperitie for such is our corruption that whereas Gods benefits should make vs mindfull of his Law that in lue of thankfulnesse we might obey it contrariwise the abundance of Gods mercies makes vs to forget not onely the Law but euen God himselfe so the Lord complaineth Hos 13. 6. Hos 13. 6. As in their pastures so were they filled they were filled and their heart was exalted therefore haue they forgotten me Hence it is that the Lord giueth the Israelites so oft warning that when they abounded in Gods blessings they should not suffer their hearts to be lift vp so to forget him the authour of all their good Deut. 8. 11. 12. A man would thinke that as tokens Deut. 8. 11. 12. sent serue to put vs in minde of an absent friend so the innumerable tokens of Gods loue which as it were from heauen he sendeth vnto vs should serue as so many remembrancers to put vs in minde of him who sendeth them vnto vs but though against all reason it falleth out otherwise for the tokens of Gods loue as riches pleasures and honours make vs forget the sender and therefore wise Hagur seeing this corruption in himselfe doth intreat the Lord to restraine his bountie and not to bestow too much vpon him least being full he should denie him say who is the Lord. Prou. 30. 8. 9. Pro. 30. 8. 9. Seeing therefore our corrupt nature is so inclinable to The greatnesse of this sinne of forgetfulnesse this vice of forgetfulnesse let vs labour not onely to see it but also to subdue and mortifie it which that we may the rather performe with the greater care and conscience let vs consider the grieuousnesse of the sinne and the greatnesse of the punishment which doth attend it The grieuousnesse of the sinne herein appeareth in that it is not onely in it selfe haynous but a cause also of innumerable other sinnes In it selfe it is a haynous sinne as appeareth by the Lords often and earnest forbidding of it So Deut. 4. 23. Take heed vnto Deut. 4. 23. and 8. 11. your selues least you forget the couenant of the Lord your God and 8. 11. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God not keeping his commaundements And when the people notwithstanding these admonitions did forget the Lord he grieuously complaineth of this neglect So Deu. 32. 18. thou hast forgotten Deut. 32. 18. Esay 57. 11. Ier. 2. 32. the mightie God that begat thee and formed thee Esa 57. 11. Ier. 2. 32. Can a maide forget her ornament or a bride her attire yet my people hath forgotten me daies with out number Secondly to forget God and his word is a kinde of Athisme seeing they haue not God nor his law in their principall parts namely their heart minde and soule for they who so haue them doe also remember them Thirdly this forgetfulnesse is ioyned with singular contempt of Gods word for they who regard it doe also remember it they that can say with Dauid that they delight in his statutes may also adde that which hee addeth that they will not forget his word Psal 119. 16. Psal 119. 16. Fourthly as this forgetfulnesse is in it selfe a sinne so it is the cause of almost all sinne Whereof it is that forgetfulnesse and the transgression of the law are often joyned together as the cause and effect Deut. 8. 11. Beware that thou Deut. 8. 11. forget not the Lord thy God not keeping his commaundements Ier. 3. 21. They haue peruerted their way and haue forgotten the Lord their God Prou. 2. 17. Which forsaketh the guide of Ier. 3. 21. Pro. 2. 17. Ezech. 22. 12 her youth forgetteth the couenant of her God Ezech. 22. 12. Iud. 3. 7. The children of Israell did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and forgat the Lord their God The reason is because Iud. 3. 7. they who doe not so much as remember the law of God can much lesse obserue it and those vvho neuer thinke neyther on gods promises nor threatnings are neither incouraged to that which is good nor discouraged from that which is euill But as this forgetfulnesse is to be auoyded in that it is a The punishment of the sinne of forgetfulnesse grieuous sinne so also because God inflicteth vpon it grieuous punishments As in this place he threatneth the Priests that because they had forgotten his Law he would not onely forget them but their children the which was a fearefull judgement whether we consider it in the generall or in this particular In the generall for if in God we liue and moue and haue our being Act. 17. 28. If when hee but hideth his face Act. 17. 28. we are troubled Psal 104. 29. If when he neglecteth vs we are straight depriued of all good and exposed vnto all euill Psal 104. 29. then what is Gods forgetfulnesse but our destruction so likewise in this particular where by Gods forgetting their children is meant his neglect of them the with-drawing of the signes of his loue the disinheriting of them of the honour of Priest-hood as if he would call backe his commission and suffer them no more to beare the name of his ambassadours turne them out of their stewardship and make them more base then common seruants make them of shepheards worse then the meanest of the flocke and of Captaines common souldiers which also with the rest should be casheerd out of his Campe the Church militant Besides this heauie judgement there are diuers others threatned against this sinne of forgetfulnesse in the booke of God and these both temporall and eternall Of the first sort is the punishment of barrennesse and dearth Esay 17. Esay 17. 10. 11 10. 11. Desolation and destruction of their cities Hos 8. Hos 8. 10. 10. Bondage and subjection vnder tyrannicall enimies 1. Sam. 12. 9. The Lord scattereth those that forget him and 1 Sam. 12. 9. his word as stubble before the winde Ier. 13. 24. 25. Hee Ier. 13. 24. Ier. 18. 17. ouerthroweth them in the day of battaile Chap. 18. 17. But the most grieuous punishment of all is that they shall beare their wickednesse which is a burthen intollerable and presseth all that are vnder it euen down to hell Ezec. 23. 35. Ezech. 23. 35. So likewise it is punished with eternall punishments for as it is Psal 9. 17. The wicked shall turne into hell and all the nations that forget God And therefore I conclude this point Psal 9. 17. and 50. 22. with the Psalmist Psal 50. 22. O consider this O ye that forget God least I teare you in peeces and their be none to deliuer you And these are
our browes Gen. 3. 19. Neither ought we to spend Gen. 3. 19. these gifts of God for the satisfying of our owne sinfull lusts seeing they are his Talents which he hath giuen vs to imploy for the aduancing of his owne glorie and the good of our fellow seruants The second thing to be obserued is that howsoeuer these Men respect their owne cause more then Gods Priests did easily remit Gods right so farre forth as it did not concerne their owne worldly profit and were so meale mouthed that they durst not speake against the peoples sinnes whereby his holy name was dishonoured yet they would loose none of their owne right in their sacrifices and oblations whence vve may discerne a notable corruption that is in vs which is our singular partiality in respecting our own cause more then the cause of God for when the matter concerneth him wee are verie remisse cold and easie to be intreated but when it concerneth our selues verie earnest hote and inexorable For example the Magistrate makes lawes for the maintenance of his owne right state and dignitie and being made doth most straightly execute them but either he maketh no lawes at all to represse those sins which immediately impeach Gods glory or if their be any made yet he is verie remisse in the execution many Ministers are very slacke and timerous in rebuking of sinne for feare of displeasing their parishioners but if any part of their owne right or duties be with-held from them they shew themselues bould and resolute for the recouerie of it though it be with the displeasure of the greatest many maisters suffer their seruants to vse swearing and blasphemie pretending they are so vnruly that they can beare no sway with them neither with their perswasions nor rebukes but if they offer vnto them any wrong or damage then they shew themselues men of absolute authoritie in inflicting vpon the offender sharp punishment so they can easilie dispence with their seruants for the breaking of the Sabbath and passe ouer the matter from themselues by pretending that they would willingly bring them to the Church and haue them to obserue a holy rest but they are so stubborne and wilfull that they cannot restraine them from their vaine and vnlawfull sports and yet these men who can beare no rule with their seruants on the Lord day haue authoritie and also vse it all the six dayes of the vveeke to keepe them from these vnlawfull pastimes and to make them to follow their worldly businesse and where is the cause of this great difference surely not in the seruant who might as easily be brought to sit in the Church on the Lords day as to work painefully in his trade all the vveeke but the fault lyeth vpon the maister who is so earnestly resolute for the dispatch of his owne businesse that he will admit of no deniall or excuse whereas contrariwise either he carelesly permitteth his seruants when the Lords day commeth to doe what they lift or dealeth so coldly and remisly on Gods behalfe as if though he doe speake he did not greatly care whether his speach be regarded or no so when men see Gods name dishonoured by any sin they are so bashfull and timerous that they are hardly moued to speak in Gods cause but if their owne name be traduced and their credit impeached in any company they shew themselues furiously violent in remouing the imputation The cause hereof is our coldnesse in the loue of God and our too much selfe loue which maketh men thinke all too much which they doe for Gods sake and all too little which they can doe for themselues for if there were not this exceeding partialitie in our affections wee would neuer shew our selues so partiall in our actions The vse hereof is that seeing our corruption we labour to reforme it and to this end we must continually endeauour to abate the inordinate loue of our selues and to increase in our harts that heauenly loue of God and so shall we grow more milde and moderate in our owne cause and more feruently zealous in the cause of God according to the example of Moses who in matters which concerned himselfe was Num. 12. 1. the meekest man vpon the earth and was easily inclined to put vp wrongs and to depart from his right but when he was to deale for God he tooke vpon him an holy obstinacy so as hee would not consent vnto Pharaoh that so much as a hoofe should remaine behinde them Exo. 10. 26. and shewed Exod. 10. 26. himselfe religiously cruell in slaying some of the Idolaters and causing others to drinke the ashes of the Idoll Exod. Exo. 32. 20. 27 32. 20. 27. The like mildnesse and patience shewed Samuel when his just gouernement was rejected by the inconstant people and the like feruent zeale and holy anger when hee was to deale in Gods cause against Agag the enimie of the Church and in reprouing Saul notwithstanding that he loued him for transgressing Gods commandement 1 Sam 15 1 Sam. 15. 23. 33. 23. 26. 28. 33. The third thing to be obserued is that the Prophet hauing Luxurious prodigâ—â—ity and greedy couetousnesse often goe together first accused them of liuing idlely in luxurious excesse vnder the phrase of eating the sinnes of the people doth in the next place condemne them of greedy couetousnesse and vnlawfull avarice whereby they desired to inrich themselues euen by the sinnes of the people that so they might maintaine their wastfull and profuse expences about their pleasures and belly-cheare And indeed fitly are these joyned together in the reproofe seeing they are seldome seuered in the offender for idlenesse and luxurious excesse is the mother which breedeth and bringeth forth vnlawfull couetousnesse and this wicked auarice is the nurse of this excesse and idlenesse When as men addict themselues vnto idlenes neglecting the duties of their callings and yet will maintaine their port aboue their pitch and wastfully spend in pride pleasure and belly-cheare aboue their meanes then must they of necessitie fall to plotting and deuising how they may haue extraordinary supply by wicked and vnlawful meanes when as those which are honest and approuable faile them then they begin to couet other mens goods and to plot meanes how they may compasse them then they fall to stealing purloyning bribing oppressing cousening deceiuing and what not that they may inrich themselues maintaine their excesse and pleasure Thus Magistrates consume their people with tributes and taxations that hereby they may maintaine their excesse and wastfull expences Thus Ministers heape liuing vpon liuing because they cannot be content to liue frugally within their compasse but must mainetaine a port and state aboue their lawfull meanes that by their profuse hospitality they may aduance their credit and so rush into forbidden pastures being not content to feed in the circuit of their own tether So Gentlemen that they may maintaine themselues their wiues and children in excessiue
that the Magistrates in the feare of the Lord execute righteous judgement without hauing respect of any mans person place or state not peruerting justice for feare fauour or reward knowing that there is a supreame Magistate aboue them before whom they must be also judged who cannot be corrupted or peruerted from judging righteously because there is no iniquitie with him nor respect of persons nor receiuing of rewards as Iehosaphat speaketh to his Iudges 2 Chron. 1 Chron. 19. 6. 7. 19. 6. 7. So likewise Maisters of families are so to behaue themselues towards their familie and seruants in loue peaceablenesse and justice as knowing that they also haue a maister in heauen and a judge of all their actions who will judge without all partialitie the person of the Maister and seruant being vnto him both alike and this vse the Apostle maketh of this doctrine Eph. 6. 9. Ephe. 6. 9. The second thing to bee considered is that howsoeuer God doth not continually punish our sins but deferreth his punishments to certaine dayes of visitation wicked men doe daily by their sinnes prouoke Gods wrath yet the Lord doth not continually inflict his punishments but as a just and mercifull Iudge deferreth them vnto certaine times of visitation and as it were vnto certaine dayes of Assises as appeareth in this place for howsoeuer the Priests were so wholy corrupted in their wayes that they deserued present punishment yet he doth not presently inflict it but deferreth it to the day of his visitation so when the whole world was wholy corrupted with sinne yet he deferred their punishment for the space of an hundred yeares Though Sodome and Gomorrah abounded in all wickednesse yet he put off the day of his visitation till the measure of their sinnes was full and though the Cananites were outragiously sinfull yet the Lord deferred to punish them for many yeares till their sinnes were come to full ripenesse The causes of which delayes are diuers the first and principall is Gods owne nature euen his patience and long-suffering which maketh him long in resoluing to punish and when he hath resolued slow in execution and this the Lord himselfe professeth in that discription whereby hee maketh himselfe knowne Exod. 34. 6. The Lord the Lord strong Exod. 34. 6. mercifull and gracious slow to anger So Dauid Psal 103. 8. Psal 103. 8. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse 9. He will not alway chide c. And this made Ionah lothe to denounce destruction against Nineueh because he knew that he was a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger repenting him of euill As it is Ion. 4. 2. The second cause is Ion. 4. 2. that men may haue time to turne from their sinnes by repentance and so escape his punishments For God taketh no delight in their destruction but in their conuersion and saluation as hee protesteth Ezech. 33. 11. And this end Ezech. 33. 11. the Lord plainely noteth Esa 30. 18. Yet therefore will the Esa 30. 18. Lord waite that he may haue mercy vpon you c. And the Apostle plainly expresseth it Rom. 2. 4. where he saith that Rom. 2. 4. Gods patience and long-suffering leadeth vs to repentance The Apostle Peter likewise whereas he saith that the Lord is patient towards vs because he would haue no man to perish but would haue all men to come to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Lastly that he 2 Pet. 3. 9. may leaue the wicked and impenitent without excuse for when as he hath shewed himselfe lothe to punish both by his delayes and by vsing all meanes to reclaime them and yet they stubbornly persist in their wickednesse then are the judgements of God inflicted vpon them approued by all men and euen by their owne guilty consciences Notwithstanding howsoeuer the Lord for these and diuers Gods delaying judgement maketh men secure other causes deferreth the execution of his just vengeance yet men abuse this his long-suffering vnto sin either imagining with the Atheist that he hath not thunderbolts inough to dart against euery sinner for euery fault or that there is no prouidence no justice no God that regardeth the sins of men or with the secure Worldling that they may go on in their sinnes without repentance because these punishments which are so long delayed will neuer be inflicted according to that Eccle. 8. 11. because sentence against an euill worke is Eccl. 8. 11. not executed speedely therefore the hart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill An example whereof we haue in the euill seruant Mat. 24. 48. who because his maister Mat. 24. 48. deferred his comming so behaued himselfe as though hee would neuer come and in those mockers who because the day of judgement is deferred therefore walk after their owne 2 Pet. 4. 3. lusts like herein vnto foolish theeues who imagine that because the Iudge doth not euery day sit vpon the judgement seat therefore they may securely steale because the Assises will neuer come But such are to know that as Gods mercy and patience will not suffer him to make hast in the punishing of sinne so his justice will not suffer him for euer to let it go vnpunished and howsoeuer hee doth not vse martiall law in executing justice as soone as the offence is committed yet let them assure themselues that vnlesse by repentance they plead their pardon he will surely visite them either at his quarter Sessions in this life or at his generall Assises in the life to come Though Saul were long repriued after he was condemned yet at last came the fearefull day of his execution Though Naboths bloud was long vnreuenged yet at last God visited this sinne both vpon Ahab Iesabell and all their posterity Though for a time Ieroboam flourished in his Idolatry yet at length it brought a fearefull destruction vpon his whole familie And though the Lord for a long while suffered the people of the Iewes with great patience and long-suffering yet at last he payed them home so that now they are a spectacle of his heauy wrath vnto all nations and a reproach and hissing to the whole world The vse of this doctrine is first for our instruction that we imitate the Lord in his patience and long long-suffering not letting the raines loose to fury and reuenge vpon euery occasion but rather striuing to ouercome euill with goodnesse Secondly for our admonition that we doe not abuse Gods patience to impenitencie and hardnesse of hart least whilst we thus heape vp the measure of our sinnes we doe also treasure vp for our selues wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God who will reward euery man according to his workes as it is Rom. 2. 5. 6. Rom. 2. 5. 6. The third thing to be obserued is that he saith he will visit their wayes vpon them thereby
The last thing to be obserued is that he saith he will reward God judgeth vs according to our outward actions them according to their deeds Whence we learne that in the execution of Gods punishments and judgements he doth not proceed according to mens thoughts and intentions nor yet according to their speaches and words but according to their workes and actions so that it will not auaile vs when God commeth to visite and judge vs to say that we haue had many godly resolutions religious intentions and a good meaning nor yet that we haue said Lord Lord and made a goodly profession of religion and godlinesse if we haue beene profane and vnjust in life and conuersation and haue not done the will of our father which is in heauen Mat. Mat. 7. 21. 7. 21. Seeing the Lord will reward vs not according to our thoughts and words but according to our deeds and works Not that the Lord will in judgement neglect the thoughts and words of the godly to reward them and of the wicked to punish them for the Lord seeth all things Iob. 42. 2. He Iob. 42. 2. searcheth the heart and reines Ier. 17. 10. And hee iudgeth Ier. 17. 10. euen the very secrets of men Rom. 2. 16. And it is also sayd Rom. 2. 16. that men shall giue an account of euery idle word at the day of judgement Mat. 12. 36. But this is vnderstood that the Mat. 12. 36. Lord will principally in giuing sentence in dispensing of his punishments and rewards respect our works and actions So it is said Rom. 2. 6. That God will regard euery man according Rom. 2. 6. to their works So Mat. 16. 27. it is said that the Sonne of man Mat. 16. 27. shall come in the glory of his father with his Angels and shall giue to euery man according to his deeds And the Apostle telleth vs that we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which he hath done in his body whether good or euill 2. Cor. 5. 10. So likewise 2. Cor. 5. 10. our Sauiour Christ setting down the forme of the last judgement sheweth that the sentence shal be pronoūced according to their workes Mat. 25. 35. 42. From whence we are not Mat. 25. 35. 42 to gather with the Papists that as wicked men are condemned for the demerit of their euill workes so the godly are saued for the merit of their good works seeing there is not the like reason in that they are absolutely euill but these not absolutely good and perfect and therefore cannot justifie nor saue vs before Gods judgement seate they being imperfect but onely a liuely faith which doth apply vnto vs Christs perfect righteousnesse But for as much as this faith is a spirituall grace and not outwardly seene therefore the Lord to take away the brags of hypocrites who would boast of that faith which indeede they haue not and to approue vnto all his righteous judgements in dispensing of his rewards and punishments doth not judge according to the roote of faith which is hidden but according to the fruits of good works which are open and manifest The vse of this doctrine is that we do not with ignorant We must not content our selues with our good meanings people content our selues with our good meanings nor with hypocrites rest in glorious speaches and in a goodly profession of Religion but that wee labour to approue both our good intentions and outward profession to be indeed sincere and vpright by our holy practise and actuall obedience For not euery one who saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of the father which is in heauen Mat. 7. 21. Not the hearers of the Law but the doers Mat. 7. 21. thereof shall be iustified Rom. 2. 14. Not they that are bare Rom. 2. 14. Luke 11. 28. hearers of the Word but they which heare it and keepe it are blessed as for those who are professors of pietie and workers of iniquitie they shall be separated from Christ and from his glory Mat. 7. 23. Mat. 7. 23. Secondly it serueth to shew the miserable estate of the The miserable estate of the wicked wicked in the day of Gods visitation who shall haue a proportion of punishment according to their sinnes for if euery sinne deserue euerlasting death seeing Gods infinite justice being offended cannot be satisfied but by an infinite punishment what a fearefull measure of condemnation is prepared for those who shall beare the punishment of their sins which are innumerable of which they haue made an vsual and common practise ANd so much concerning their punishment generally expressed In the next place it is particularly specified Verse 10. For they shall eat and not haue enough they shall Verse 10 commit Adulterie and shall not increase because they haue left off to take heede to the Lord. In which words he doth proportionate The expositiō a punishment to their sinne and withall adjoyneth another cause of all the euill which he brought vpon them The punishment proportionable to their sin is that whereas they bent their whole indeauour to pamper the belly and to passe their dayes in all voluptuous excesse the Lord threatneth that they should spend all their labour in vaine for eyther they should not attaine to that plenty which they so earnestly desired or though they had abundance yet he would with-draw his blessing and make all vnprofitable so as they should finde no contentment in any thing which they injoyed and whereas they exceedingly desired to haue store of children vnto whom they might leaue that abundant wealth which they had couetously scraped by the wicked abuse of their office and Priest-hood that so they might perpetuate their names and continue an euerlasting memory of themselues in their posteritie and because they could not haue so many children as they desired in lawfull marriage therefore gaue themselues to vnlawfull lusts and multiplyed their adulteries that so at least they might increase a bastardly broode who might succeed them the Lord threatneth that he would crosse them in this their wicked purpose also for howsoeuer they multipled their whoredomes for increase yet their posteritie should not hereby bee multiplyed but their name should perish notwithstanding all their wicked deuices to continue it and their wealth which they desired should be injoyed by their children should all come into the hands of strangers The meaning then of these words is this that because these Priests cared not what wicked meanes they vsed so they might accomplish their desires therefore the Lord threatneth to crosse and curse them in all their impious designes so as they should by no meanes attaine vnto their euill purposes More particularly because they were addicted vnto all manner of wicked auarice that being inriched they might spend their time in voluptuous pleasures he therefore
himselfe by vnlawfull means he got gods curse with his gaines euen the leprosie vpon himselfe and all his posteritie When Absolon would needs sit on the throne Ezek. 7. 10. before his time though hee purchased the crowne with his fathers head he was hanged in a tree When Haman would raise himselfe though it were with the ruine of all Gods Ester 7. 10. people he was raised indeed but it was vpon the Gallowes The vse hereof is that as wee are to desire nothing but We must waite on Gods blessing in the vse of lawfull meanes that which is good so wee are for the compassing of it to vse onely lawfull and good meanes wayting vpon Gods leasure and watching for his blessing vpon our honest indeauours and then we may vndoubtedly hope that if that which wee desire be good for vs to receiue the Lord will graunt it vnto vs according to his promises Psal 27. 14. Hope in the Lord be Psal 27. 14. strong and he shall comfort thine hart So Psal 37. 34. Waite on the Lord and keepe his way and he shal exalt thee that thou shalt Psal 37. 34. inherite the land Prou. 20. 22. Waite vpon the Lord and hee Pro. 20. 22. will saue thee But if we will preuent the Lord by our owne subtill meanes and take a speedier course for the compassing of our desires then hee hath prescribed vs namely by our crafty fetches and vnfaithfull and vnhonest dealing let vs rest assured that eyther the Lord will crosse all our deuises and frustrate all our wicked indeauours or if we obtaine by these meanes the things which we desire they are giuen vnto vs in Gods wrath and not in his loue and accordingly wee shall finde in the vse of them a curse and not a blessing ANd thus much concerning the sinnes and punishments both of the Priests and people Now whereas it might bee well wondred at that the people who professed themselues the people of God a chosen nation and more holy and religious then al others that these priests who boasted that they were the Priests of the Lord and had the Law and testimonies which they were dayly to reade study and publish vnto the people should be besotted with ignorance and corrupted with so many enormious crimes in the next words he rendreth the reason namely that they were become brutish in their sinnes because by wallowing themselues in brutish pleasures they were wholy infatuated and depriued of their vnderstandings This reason is expressed Verse 11. Verse 11 Whoredome and wine and new wine take away their heart As though hee should haue said it is no meruaile that these The expositiō Priests and people howsoeuer they make profession of religion are sottish in their sinnes and more like beasts then men seeing by addicting themselues wholy to brutish pleasures they haue lost the vse of common reason and haue no vnderstanding in any good thing But let vs more particularly set downe the meaning of the words By Whoredome and wine some vnderstand their Idolatry and delight in superstition but I rather take them in their literall sense First because they better so agree with the verse going before wherevpon they seeme to depend in the which they were condemned of voluptuousnes Secondly because howsoeuer Idolatry is vsually signified by whoredome yet delight in Superstition is not so fitly signified by wine Thirdly because I hold it alwayes best and safest to rest in the plaine and naturall meaning and not to runne to Allegories when such a sense agreeth with the Analogie of faith and with the circumstances of the place By Whoredome and Wine therefore wee are to vnderstand generally all voluptuous pleasures and more especially the sinne of vncleannesse and drunkennesse which aboue all other brutish pleasures rob men of their hearts and vnto which they were principally addicted as before hath beene shewed Neither are we so to take it as though Wine in it selfe were a stealer of harts seeing if it be moderately vsed it cheareth and refresheth the hart of man and maketh him more sit for Gods seruice to which end it was created but by Wine wee are here to vnderstand the excessiue abuse of Wine vnto drunkennesse which taketh away the hart and quite extinguisheth the light of reason Esay 28. 7. Esay 28. 7. It is further added vnto Wine New wine or sweete wine Pro. 23. 30. that by this repetion or rather addition he might amplyfie and more fully set forth their voluptuous excesse in drinking in that they mingled the new with the old or when they were glutted with the one vsed the other that so they might set an edge on their dulled appetites and wher their cloyed intemperance that thus they might gull it downe in greater abundance So that by this addition he chargeth them that not onely they were addicted to drunkennesse being ouertaken through the infirmitie of their nature but that they did voluntarily wallow in this sinne with delight and because they would vse it with greater pleasure they tryed new and wanton conclusions and did as it were set vp a schoole of riot and intemperance Where by the way he also tasketh their great ingratitude in that the better the Lord fed them the more they kicked against him the more liberally he multiplyed his benefits the more they abused them to wantonnesse voluptuousnesse and all beastly Epicurisme It is further said that Whoredome Wine and new Wine did take away their hart Where by hart wee are to vnderstand all the chiefe faculties of the soule as the vnderstanding and reason the will and affections so that through their voluptuousnesse their mindes were infatuated with blinde ignorance their wils with-drawne from all goodnesse and their affections become so brutish that they delighted in nothing but in beastly sensualitie And in this sense the hart is vsually taken in the scriptures for whereas man consisteth of two principall parts the body and the soule the body is vsually called the flesh the soule the hart So Psal 84. 2. My Psal 84. 2. hart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God 1 Pet. 3. 4. Let the 1. Pet. 3. 4. hid man of the hart be vncorrupt Psal 16. 9. Wherefore my hart Psal 16. 9. is glad my tongue reioyceth my flesh also doth rest in hope Gen. 6. 5. and 8. 12. Gen. 6. 5. and 8. 21. And this is the meaning of the words the doctrines are The doctrine these First we may obserue that prosperitie and abundance The abuse of prosperitie through our corruption are the causes why men wallow themselues in voluptuous pleasures not in their owne nature for being so considered they are Gods good blessings and benefits but as through our corruption they are abused vnto sinne And this sheweth the poysonous contagion of our natures which so infecteth Gods creatures that of wholesome drinkes they become deadly potions of good euill and of blessings curses The
like vnto brute beast the formall difference of reason being taken away The last thing to bee obserued is that they who addict There is no meane or moderation in vnlawfull pleasures themselues to pleasures are so wholy ouer-ruled by their lusts that they can obserue no meane or moderation but grow from delight to curious wantonnesse and when they haue satisfied their naturall lusts and euen dulled and cloyed their sensuall appetites they fall to deuice how by art they may renew sharpen them In which respect these voluptuous men are far worse then many other sinners whose state neuerthelesse is most damnable namely such as perseuere in their sinnes without repentance and will not leaue sinne till sinne leaue them but these after their sins haue forsaken them there being wanting naturall strength and meanes for Pro. 23. 30 the acting of them will not forsake their sinnes but vse all alluring meanes to intertaine them still and earnestly indeauour to renew their strength that they may renew their wickednesse Thus these drunkards when they were glutted with wine they added new wine the one hauing strength to inflame them the other delightfull sweetnesse to allure them that so by this varietie they might set an edge on their dulled appetite and make them as it were long-winded and vnwearied in this drunken exercise So the glutton when he hath cloyed his stomacke with surfetting and gormandize and satisfied yea oppressed nature with loathing sacietie he laboureth by art to repaire nature and to thrust it forward by invention vvhen as it is quite tyred not onely by varietie of dishes the more daintie and delicate following the grosser and more common faire but by innumerable sorts of sauces the vsuall harbingers of gluttony and excesse So that now cookery is become an ingenious profession and requireth as much time to make an exquisite proficient as some one of the liberall Sciences The like also may be said of Fornicatours and Adulterers vvho vvhen they haue tyred nature and consumed their strength labour to re-enable their disabled concupiscence by exquisite wantonnesse and when they are satisfied as being beasts they remaine insatiable as being men their reasonable or rather vnreasonable lust farre exceeding their sensuall concupiscence Hence it is that when their lust hath out-run their strength they labour to refresh it by obscoene speeches wanton Pictures vnhonest daliance inflaming drincks pampring meates Italian rootes and when all this will not suffice they hire the noble art of Physicke it selfe to become a baude to their vncleannesse as though they could not run fast enough vnto hell vnlesse they hastened their speede by laying all these Post-horses in the way The vse hereof is that we giue voluptuousnes her answere We must resist voluptuousnes at the first when she maketh her first motion and turne it away with a frowning countenance when it first knocketh at the doore of our harts For howsoeuer at the entrance it looketh bashfully for sinne knowing it owne vglinesse cannot but bee ashamed of it selfe yet when it hath once got intertainement it will grow bould and impudent not admitting any repulse First it will allure nature then delight it then satisfie it then glut it with loathsome satietie and when it is quite spent and tyred it will finde meanes to refresh it by curiositie and wantonnesse for a new conflict but so as it is sure to receiue the greater foyle AND so much concerning the third bill of inditement wherein the people of Israell especially the Priests are accused and conuicted of diuers haynous crimes Now least the people should thinke their faults extenuated and themselues acquitted either from the guilt or punishment of their sinnes because they were mislead by their blinde and wicked guides he teturneth againe vnto them and frameth against them a new bill of inditement wherein he accuseth them that they wilfully joyned with their false teachers in their Idolatry were well contented to be guided by them rather then by Gods true Prophets and therefore it was just with God that both the blinde leaders and blinde followers should fall together into the pit of destruction seeing they both wilfully did shut their eyes and loued the darknesse of ignorance far better then the shining light of Gods truth This inditement containeth two things First an accusation of sinne Secondly a denunciation of punishment Their sinne whereof he accuseth them was their Idolatrie the which is of two kindes first their consulting with their Idols secondly their worshipping of them by oblations and sacrifices Their consulting with their Idols is set downe in these words Verse 12. My people aske counsaile of their stocks and Verse 12 their staffe teacheth them for the spirit of fornications hath caused them to erre and they haue gone a whoring from vnder their God In which words is contayned two things first their sin The expositiō secondly the cause thereof Their sinne in these words My people aske counsaile of their stockes and their staffe teacheth them Where first is set downe the persons who committed this wickednesse and then the qualitie of their sinne is also expressed The persons are saide to be not Heathens and Pagans but the people of God My people aske counsaile c. by which high title it is not his purpose to grace them with any priuiledge of honour or to preferre them before the nations and infidels but rather he raiseth them vp that he may giue them the greater fall and sheweth their honourable condition wherevnto they were aduanced by Gods free and vndeserued grace that hereby hee may aggrauate the haynousnesse of their sinne As though he should haue saide if these outragious sinnes be not to be excused in the gentiles and infidells who haue onely the dimme light of Nature to be their guide and whom I haue vouchsafed but common fauours then how intollerable is this wickednes being committed by this people of Israell vnto whom aboue all the nations of the earth I haue vouchsafed this royall priuiledge and prerogatiue to be called my chosen and peculiar people vnto whom I haue giuen my lawes statutes and ordinances for their direction and my Sacraments as assured seales of my loue and fauour vpon whom I haue multiplyed innumerable benefits to incourage them in my seruice who haue abounded with Oracles of infallible truth as the euent hath proued and haue continually had my Prophets to satisfie them in their doubts and to guide them in all truth euen this vngratefull people after all these benefits receiued haue causlesly forsaken me and no necessitie vrging them haue consulted with their Idols Neither is this haynous fault committed by some few persons but as though they had made a common conspiracie the whole body of the people haue associated and combined themselues together as one man in this apostacie and Idolatrie The like place vnto this we haue Ier. 2. 10. 11. c. Where the Lord sendeth his people to the gentiles to see if
they the adjuncts as the vices the subject of the Soule And further this proannesse is called a spirit Metonimically to point out vnto vs the chiefe authour and fountaine from whence it is diriued euen Sathan the spirit of all wickednesse Moreouer it is called the spirit of fornications rather then the spirit of idolatrie not onely because he would persist in the former allegorie of marriage but also that hereby he might point out as it were in liuely colours the disposition of idolaters As though he would say it fareth with these filthy idolaters as with vncleane adulterers who are so blinded and inflamed with their lust and so besotted and hardned by their vice that without either shame or wit like brute beasts they runne headlong into their sinne and into all those mischeifes which doe accompany it as though they were vtterly depriued of all judgement and vnderstanding And for this cause also he vseth the plurall number fornications rather then the singular to note both their furious earnestnesse and their accustomed practise in committing this sinne Whereby he plainly sheweth that howsoeuer their Priests vtterly neglected their duty yet were not the people hereby excused of their sinnes both because they gaue themselues to voluptuous pleasures and thereby were depriued of their vnderstandings and became proane vnto all wickednes and also because they were not onely outwardly mislead by their false teachers but also had inwardly in themselues a spirit of fornications that is a vehement pronesse vnto idolatry wherwith they were wholy besotted Finally he addeth And they haue gone a Whoring from vnder their God that is they haue quite shaken off the marriage yoke and with-drawing themselues from vnder the gouernment and subjection of God their lawfull husband haue wholy giuen themselues ouer to spirituall vncleannes and to commit whordome with their impure Idols The which words may be vnderstood as a cause of the former that they therefore forsooke the Lord and gaue themselues ouer to be ruled by their Idols because they were possessed with a spirit of fornications which caused them to fall into these grosse and absurde errours or as an effect that therefore they were mislead by the spirit of fornications because hauing forsaken the Lord and his truth he had giuen them ouer to a reprobate sense suffred them to be deluded by a spirit of errour with strong delusions because they would not imbrace nor loue the truth For these are mutual and reciprocall causes to imbrace false worship idolatrie to forsake God for when the idolater beginneth to worship his idols hee renounceth the worship of God and when he will not loue nor delight himselfe in Gods true worship and seruice then the Lord giueth vp him to a reprobate sense and to be deluded with strong delusions as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 1. 23. 24. 2 Thes 2. 11. Rom. 1. 23. 24. 2. Thes 2. 11. And so much concerning the meaning of the words the The doctrines doctrines which arise out of them are diuers First we may obserue that it is no true honour to grace vs nor any sound The title of Gods people doth not grace or profit vs vnlesie we liue like the people of God benefit to profit and comfort vs that wee beare the title of Gods people and abound in his temporall gifts and blessings if our life be not conformable to our titles and priuiledges and if wee doe not thankfully imploy Gods benefits bestowed vpon vs to the aduancement of his glory the good of his Church and the furthering of our owne saluation yea contrariwise if wee vse them as incouragements to harten vs in our sinnes and vngratefully abuse them to Gods dishonour and the disgrace of our profession making them serue as vayles vnder which we may more cunningly hide our leprous sores of sinne and close acted wickednesse then are they so farre from gracing vs that they wholy tend to our discredit and so farre from being truely profitable that they serue as so many arguments to aggrauate our sinnes and to approue the justice of Gods righteous judgements when as hee taketh the most rigourous course in inflicting punishments It was an high priuiledge of honour to the people of Israell to be intitled the people of God but when they contemned his true worship forsooke the Lord and consulted with Idols all this tended to their vtter disgrace and to make their idolatrie much more abhominable then the idolatrie of the Gentils So it was a great dignitie to the wicked Angels that they were created the most excellent of the creatures and were made the immediate Ministers of God and as it were courtiars to the great King of heauen and earth but when as they most vngratfully sinned against such as gratious creator their excellencie did not benefit them but aggrauated their sinne and plunged them into the deepest bottome of just condemnation It was a great mercie of God vouchsafed to the Sodomites that they were placed in Gen. 13. 8. the garden of the world where they abounded in all Gods temporall blessings but when they abused Gods goodnesse and by his benefits became more rebellious they were not hereby priuiledged from punishment but inflamed Gods Gen. 19. more fearefull wrath against themselues which caused fire and brimstone to raine downe from heauen and consume them It was a great priuiledge to the Israelites to be the vineyard of the Lord which he had hedged in from the rest of the world for his owne vse and delight but when they answered not to Gods mercy in their obedience but in stead of the sweet grapes of righteousnes brought forth the sowre Esay 5. grapes of sinne the Lord did not onely forsake it but also pull downe the hedge and layde it open to the common spoyle It was a singular prerogatiue vnto them that they had amongst them the profession of Religion and the Temple of God the place of Gods worship but when they abused it as a visard of hypocrisie to countenance their sinne and as a shield to fence off all Gods threatnings of punishment God sendeth them to Shilo to see a patterne of his fearefull Ier. 7. 4. 12. vengeance which should also ouer-take them vnlesse they repented Finally it was a great dignitie and royall priuiledge to the people of the Iewes that they injoyed all earthly benefits in the land of Canaan that they were Gods peculiar people with whom he had made his couenant his chosen nation his royall Priest-hood the treasurers of his word the keepers of his seales and that they had the first offer of eternall saluation by Christ and of the joyfull tidings of the Gospell but when they abused this rich mercy by continuing in their rebellion by stopping their eares to Christs heauenly Sermons by crucifying the Lord of Life and by continuing in finall impenitencie after they were long called there vnto by the preaching of the Apostles all Gods patience long-suffering
this fearefull punishment till they haue often neglected and dispised his fatherly corrections wherby they should haue beene reclaymed So long as there is any hope of amendement the Lord vseth his rod of chastisement but when they vvill not bee reformed but desperately sinne against God the Lord casteth his rod aside thrusteth them from vnder his discipline and gouernement and suffereth them to runne on in their owne vvicked courses The vse of the particular doctrine is that vvee imbrace Gods pure worship and seruice and do not defile our selues with Idolatry superstition and our owne vvil-worship for if we dishonour the Lord by our spirituall whoredome hee will dishonour vs by suffering those of our familie to disgrace and discredit vs by their corporall whoredome If we vexe and grieue our gracious husbands by prostituting our soules and bodyes to commit spirituall vncleannes with Idols he wil vexe grieue vs by suffering our wiues daughters to become harlots and by turning our houses into common stewes Lastly we may here obserue that the Lord neuer wanteth The Lord neuer wanteth meanes to execute his iudgements meanes to execute his judgements for to say nothing of his owne absolute power whereby he is able to destroy the sinner with a word of his mouth he hath whole armies of his creatures readie to be the instruments of his wrath So that when men prouoke his anger hee cannot onely raise their enimies against them to bring them to destruction but euen their familiar acquaintance yea euen the children of their owne body and their wiues who lye in their bosome are ready to be the executioners of Gods vengeance when he appointeth them When he meant to bring a judgement vpon the house of Ahab he could make the tutors and gouerners 2. Kings 10. of his children to become their executioners When he purposed to cut off proud Senacharib he could vse his owne sonnes Adramelech and Sharezer to take away his 2. King 19. 37. life and though Dauid had had no other enimie which might haue beene Gods scourge to correct his sinne his owne sonne Absalon will not be wanting to chastise him so farre forth as God permitteth yea if the sinner had neither friend nor enimie to execute Gods vengeance he can make them to become their owne executioners as wee may see in the example of Saul Achitophel Iudas Nero and many others The vse hereof is that we doe not by our sinnes prouoke God vnto anger seeing wee are not stronger then hee as the Apostle speaketh for besides his owne strength whereby he 1. Cor. 10. 22. is able to destroy vs euerie minute he hath the helpe of all his creatures yea he can vse our owne strength for our vtter ouerthrow and make our best patrons and protecters to become our murtherers Secondly it serueth to shew the extreame follie of those who labour to please men more then God and to hazard the The folly of those who labour to please men more then God losse of his loue by committing of sin against their knowledge and conscience rather then they will hazard the losse of the loue of some carnall friends seeing if they had done that which is vpright in Gods sight they should hereby haue some assurance of Gods loue who hath the harts of men in his hand and can make their enimies to become their friends whereas on the other side when they prouoke Gods wrath by their sinnes hee can easilie make those whom by euill meanes and wicked policies they haue made their friends to become their mortall foes and the instruments of his anger to take just vengeance on them for their sinnes AND thus much concerning the first degree of their punishment the second followeth Verse 14. I will Verse 14 not visite your daughters when they are harlots nor your spouses when they are whores for they themselues are separated or doe separate themselues with harlots and sacrifice with whores therefore the people that doth not vnderstand shall fall In which wordes are contayned their punishment and the cause thereof their punishment is particularly expressed in the first wordes I will not visite your daughters c. and then vpon the inferring of the cause it is in more generall sort repeated and ratified in the last wordes therefore the people that doth not vnderstand shall fall The cause of this punishment is expressed in these words for they seperate themselues with harlots and sacrifice with whores And these are the parts the exposition followeth Some The Expositiō Iunius Polanus of great learning and judgement doe reade these vvordes by way of interrogation thus should not I punish your daughters because they play the harlots c. as though hee should say I will most certainely punish them and I appeale to your owne consciences whether it be not just that they should be punished for their vncleannesse The which interpretation they imbrace because they thinke that it could Heb. 13. 4. not stand with Gods justice to suffer their adulteries to goe vnpunished But howsoeuer this exposition be agreeable with the analogie of faith and is not contrary to the circumstances of the place yet I preferre before it our owne translation first because it better agreeth with all antiquitie secondly because it more fitly accordeth with that vvhich vvent before and that which followeth For before hee sayd that hee vvould punish the spirituall whoredome of the Husbands and Fathers with the corporall Adulteries of the Wiues and Daughters and now hee further sheweth the meanes whereby hee would inflict this punishment not by infusing this wickednes into them or by inclining or vrging them to commit these sinnes but by not onely with-holding his grace vvhich should stay them and so leauing them to their owne naturall corruption which in it selfe was most prone to this vncleannesse but also by denying to chastice and correct them for their sinnes whereby they might haue beene restrayned or reclaimed from them the vvhich impunitie would bee an occasion through their corruption to make them more securely to goe forward in their wickednesse And because it might seeme hard that the God of justice should when sinne abounded make a non-sizes and tollerate such wickednesse hee sheweth in the next words the cause hereof namely that hee suffered their Wiues and Daughters to liue in whoredome and vncleannes that hereby hee might punish vvith reproachfull infamy and shamefull disgrace their Husbands and Fathers because they committed both carnall and spirituall vvhoredome against him Yea but howsoeuer it was just vvith God to punish the sinnes of the husband and fathers with the sins of the wiues and daughters yet how can this stand with his justice not to punish their sinnes also I answere that we are not to vnderstand these words generally and absolutely as though he would inflict vpon them no kinde of punishment or at no time visite them for their sinnes For it is said that whoremongers and
bee reclaymed So when the people of Iuda grieuously sinned the Lord hauing compassion on his people sendeth his Prophets to call them to repentance But when as they mocked the Messengers of God and dispised his words and mis-vsed his Prophets then there being no remedy the wrath of the Lord was kindled against his people and hee deliuered them into Captiuitie and made their Land desolate as appeareth 2 Chron. 36. 15. 16. 17. And in the time of our Sauiour 2 Chro. 36. 15. 16. Christ when as they stopped their eares against his gracious call and would not vnderstand the great woorke of Redemption wrought by him which was so euidently declared both by his Word and workes hee pronounceth against them the fearefull sentence of desolation and destruction Luk. 13. 34. 35. Luk. 13. 34. 35 The reason hereof is because the Lord the most wise Physition of our soules will not loose his labour by ministring his Physicke to such Patients whose diseases are desperate and therefore when they wilfully refuse to bee cured rend in peeces his prescripts pull off his plaisters and reject those wholesome Potions which hee ministreth to purge them from their corruptions and to restore them to their spirituall health he giueth them ouer to themselues to dye and perish in the sicknesse of their soules Secondly as the Lord hateth all other sinne so his soule abhorreth the contempt of his Word which hee hath appointed to bee the meanes of the conversion and saluation of all sinners And therefore if his sword of the spirit will not make a separation betweene vs and our sinnes hee will make it a sword of vengeance and destruction to cut vs off in his fierce wrath For it is neuer drawne out but it accomplisheth eyther the work of his mercy or of his iudgement So the Lord saith Esay 45. 23. I haue sworne by my Esay 45. 23. and 55. 11. selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse it shall not returne c. And 55. 11. So shall my word bee that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me voyd but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it So the Apostle saith that Gods word is the sauour of life to them that are saued and the sauour of death to those that perish 2 Cor. 2. 15. 26. 2. Cor. 2. 15. 16. The vse hereof serueth to teach vs that with all carefull diligence wee make profitable vse of the meanes which the Lord hath giuen vs both for the inlightening of our vnderstandings and the reforming of our liues For if hauing the word of God purely and sincerely preached wee continue in wilfull ignorance and will not vnderstand if being allured by God mercies and inforced by his judgements wherwith diuersly at diuers times hee hath exercised vs wee notwithstanding continue in our impenitency and securitie what remayneth but that the Lord should giue vs ouer as a desperate cure and suffer vs to runne on in the course of sinne vntill at length wee fall into the pit of destruction in this life and into the bottomlesse gulfe of condemnation in the life to come AND thus much concerning the former part of this The second part of the Chapter Chapter in which I haue shewed are contayned diuers bils of Inditements against the rebellious and apostate Church of Israell now because they were desperately suncke in their wickednesse and past all hope of recouerie In the second part of the Chapter hee laboureth to perswade with the house of Iuda that they should not joyne with them in their sinnes nor be seduced by their euill example to make the like Apostasie least accompanying them in their defection and rebellion they were also made pertakers of their punishments And this is the Prophets maine drift and scope in the second part of this Chapter The parts thereof are two The first is an admonition to the house of Iuda to auoide the sinnes of the Israelits The second contayneth certaine reasons to enforce it taken both from the haynousnesse of their sinnes and the greatnesse of their punishments The admonition is expressed verse 15. Though thou Israell play Verse 15 the harlot yet let not Iudah sinne Come not yee into Gilgall neyther goe yee vp to Beth-auen nor sweare The Lord liueth In which admonition he doth first ingenerall disswade them The expositiō from imitating the Israelites in their sinne and especially from their Idolatrie and Apostasie and then hee dehorteth them from certaine speciall meanes whereby they might easily be brought to communicate with them in their impietie namely joyning with them in irreligious societie and intermingling Gods pure worship with their superstition and Idolatrie The generall disswasion is contayned in these words Though thou Israell play the harlot yet let not Iuda sinne as if hee had said although thou Israell being wholy possessed with a spirit of fornication art so desperately addicted to idolatrie and spirituall whoredome that there is no hope remayning that euer thou wilt be reclaymed yet let not the Lord be as it were robbed of both his sonnes in the same day O let not Iuda who is not as yet come to that desperate degree of sin be seduced by your bad neighbour-hood and euill example and deriue the same guilt of iniquitie vpon himselfe for so the word Assam vsually signifieth such a fault or guilt as is deriued from one to another the one being the motiue and impulsiue cause of the other sinne The ground of this disswasion was the dangerous estate of the people of Iuda first in regard of their neere neighbour-hoode with these idolatrous Israelites who were ready to seduce them both by their example and allurements the which is implyed in the first words Though thou Israell c. As though he should haue said seeing thou Israel which art so neere a neighbour and kinsman to Iuda art so defiled with idolatrie that there is great daunger least thou should poyson them with thy contagion yet let Iuda carefully take heede to auoide thy leprous infection Secondly this amplyfieth their daunger that they were already tainted with their superstition and idolatrie which through their naturall corruption and proanes vnto this sin was apt to spread further and further and therefore like a good Phisition he laboureth to cure their ague in the first fits and to stay them from falling any deeper into this sicknesse of sinne And to this purpose hee admonisheth them that they should not imitate the Israelites in their Idolatrie but purge away their dreggs of superstition wherewith they were alreadie corrupted and restore Gods pure worship in his Temple amongst them by the office and Ministerie of his true Priests and Leuites Now howsoeuer this admonition did principally concerne the people of Iuda yet the Prophet doth here publish it to the Israelites speaking of Iuda in the third person as being absent And this hee doth
because hee was a Prophet purposely sent to the house of Israell to call them to repentance and therefore hee admonisheth the people of Iuda in their hearing to take heed of their sinnes and to retaine amongst them Gods pure worship partly that hee might hereby make them ashamed of their sinnefull state which was a just cause why their brethren should shun their company and partly that by a certaine kinde of emulation hee might draw them likewise to repentance And this is the meaning of the generall disswasion whereby hee dehorteth them from imitating their sinnes In the next wordes hee disswadeth them from the meanes by the vse whereof they might be intangled in their sinnes and these are two the first was their frequenting of places dedicated to Idolatrie the other joyning with them in their superstitions and idolatrous seruice in which they intermingled the worship of God with the worship of idols and the commandements of God with their owne inuentions The first meanes is contayned in these words Come not yee into Gilgal neither goe yee vp to Beth-auen For the vnderstanding whereof wee are to know that this Gilgall vvas a towne scituate neere Ierricho on the east part thereof beyond Iordaine which was exceeding famous amongst the people of Israell and Iuda for there the Arke of God first rested after they were entred into the land of promise there Iosua erected an Alter in perpetuall remembraunce of that famous miracle whereby Iordan was diuided so that the Israelites passed through on drye ground there the Israelites were first circumcised after they came into the land of promise and the shame of vncircumcision was taken from them from whence also it had it name Gilgal or Galgal which signifieth to take away as appeareth Iosua 5. 9. There also they first kept Ios 5. 9. 15. the feast of the Passeouer there the Manna ceasing the people did first eate the bread and fruits of the land there the Angell appeared to Iosua commanding him to put off his shoes because the place was holy Iosu 5. 15. And here also Saul the first King of Israell was annointed By all which memorable accidents in this place it was much enobled amongst the people By the other place Beth-auen wee are here to vnderstand Bethel of which name there were two townes the one belonged to the tribe of Beniamin as appeareth Ios 18. Ios 18. 22. 22. the other to the tribe of Ephraim as is manifest Iud. 1. Iudg. 1. 22. 22. The which in former times was called Luz which name it had from the abundaunce of Almonds which there grew But when Iacob rested there and saw the vision of Angels ascending and discending vpon the Ladder hee changed the name and called it Beth-el that is the house of God as appeareth Gene. 28. 19. This Beth-el is Gen. 28. 19. here vnderstood and is called Beth-auen not that they were both one Citie for besides this Beth-el there was another towne neere adjoyning vnto it which was called Beth-auen Iosu 7. 2. and 18. 12. 13. But the Prophet doth here call Ios 7. 2. and 18 12. 13. Beth-el Beth-auen by way of reproach because of the idolatrie which was there committed for as it was first called Luz and then because of Iacobs vision Beth-el although there was another Citie of that name So contrariwise when it was abused to idolatrie the name was changed and called Beth-auen that is a house of vanitie and idolatrie for an idoll and vanitie or nothing are vsed the one for the other So Hos 6. 8. Gilead is a citie of them that worke So Hos 6. 8. Auen that is iniquitie vanitie or idolatrie So 1 Corint 8. An idoll is nothing or a vaine thing So that the meaning 1 Cor. 8. is as if hee had said it is vnworthie now the name of Beth-el the house of God because it is consecrated to idolatrie and therefore let it bee called Beth-auen rather that is a house of vanitie impietie and idolatrie Now the reason why Iuda is forbidden to ascend into these places was because they were consecrated to idolatrous worship For when Iereboam tooke vpon him the gouernment as on the one side hee saw that it was necessarie to haue a place for the publicke seruice of God because religion is the surest bond of all good societie and gouernment so on the other side consulting with no better a counsailour then humane wisedome hee thought it dangerous to his state that the people should goe vp to Ierusalem least hauing too much familiaritie and intercourse of friendship with the men of Iuda his people should bee drawne to make a defection from him to the kingdome of the house of Dauid And therefore hee resolued vpon this 1 King 12. 27. course as the safest to appoynt in his owne country some places for the publike exercises of Religion Now because there seemed to bee some difficultie to with-draw the people from the Temple which was expresly appoynted by God for this purpose vnto other places which were as expresly prohibited therefore in wicked pollicie hee made choise of such places as were most famous and vnto which the people were most devoted for some speciall priuiledges which they had had in former time that hereby he might blinde their judgement and allure their affection Now none seemed fitter for his purpose then these two seeing Gilgal was in speciall account with the people because of all those memorable things there done of which I haue already spoken and especially in respect of the appearing of the Angell who also sayed that it was holy ground though in truth this was spoken not in regard of the place it selfe but in regard of Gods glorious presence at that time And Bethell was esteemed not onely in respect of the name but also in that formerly Iacob had there erected an Aulter and Gen. 28. offered Sacrifices as appeareth Gen. 28. The which also was a strong motiue to perswade the people who are in themselues inclinable to imitate the example of their fore-fathers seeing they had such an holy Patriarch for their President Although in truth this was no good reason though it were plausible inough to moue them to this practise seeing that was but an extraordinary act of Iacob not to bee imitated especially seeing by the expresse Law of God his publike worship was restrained to Ierusalem and therefore they were not to looke what Iacob did but what the Lord commanded in his Law Neuerthelesse these colours serued to bleere the eyes of the people and to bring them vnto a superstitious conceipt of these places aboue other and therefore he made choyse of these places and erected groues and Temples and Aulters for the worship of God in Idols Concerning Beth-ell there is no question for it is plainely said that Ieroboam erected his Idols in Beth-ell and Dan. 1 King 12. 29. As 1 King 12. 29. also else where for Gilgall though there bee no
such direct Testimony yet it may clearely bee proued that it was a place famous or rather infamous for the impious Idolatry there committed as appeareth Hos 9. 15. and 12. 11. Hos 9. 15. and 12 11. Amos. 4. 4. Amos. 4. 4. The reason then why the Prophet doth so earnestly forbid the people of Iuda to come at Gilgall and Beth-auen was not onely because they were consecrated vnto idolatry and therefore in this respect daungerous in that by frequenting these Idolatrous places they might easily bee seduced to joyne with them in their false worship but also because there was more perill of these places then of others in regard of that reuerend estimation the people had of them for the reasons abouesaid And this also was the cause why hee specially maketh mention of these two places vnder which he comprehendeth all the rest of like qualitie because as they were more famous then eyther Dan or any other of the high places so also in respect of their credit with the people much more dangerous Now in the forme of the prohibition wee are further to obserue that hee doth not onely prohibite them to sacrifice in these places but not so much as to ascend or goe vnto them not that it was not lawfull for them to come into these places for their ciuill affaires and worldly businesses but by this strait prohibition hee implyeth that hee would as little as might be haue them to frequent the company of Idolaters but especially that it was altogether vnlawfull for them who professed Gods true Religion to bee present at their idolatrous sacrifices and other solemnities whereby in time they would bee seduced to immitate them in their superstitions And thus wee haue seene what was the first meanes of idolatrie the other is that they should not ioyne with them in their religion which consisted of true and false worship mingled together In these words nor sweare the Lord liueeth In which words hee doth not forbid the lawfull vse of an oath which being made in truth righteousnesse and judgement is a part of Gods worship which is expresly commaunded in his word as appeareth Deut. 6. 13. and Deut. 6. 13. 10. 20. Ier. 4. 2. But onely restrayneth them from imitating the practise of the Idolatrous Israelites who ioyned the worship of God prescribed in his word with their owne inventions and superstitions and though they serued idols yet swore not onely by them but also by the true Iehouah as appeareth plainely Amos. 8. 14. They sweare by the Amos. 8. 14. sinne of Samaria and say thy God O Dan liueth c. So Zeph. 1. 5. Zeph. 1. 5. the Lord threatneth his judgements against those in Iuda vvho did worship and sweare by the Lord and sweare by Malcham The sinne therefore which is here forbidden is their ioyning a true oath with false worship and the seruice of God with the seruice of idols So that these words haue reference to the former after this manner if yee goe to Gilgall and Beth-auen to communicate with idols in their idolatrie doe not presume to sweare by the Lord nor to make profession of his religion for he cannot abide that there should bee any mixture of his true worship with idolatrie nor that the same mouth should sweare by his name and call vpon idols Neither doth hee heere simply forbid them to sweare at all but that they should not vse this forme the Lord liueth As though hee should say if yee worship Idols sweare by them also if yee will but haue nothing to doe with my name in your oathes vnlesse you turne from your idolatrie And according to this sense the words may fitly be reade as a learned Hebritian Drusius hath obserued by a disiunction after this manner Come not at Gilgall or sweare not the Lord liueth Now vnder this one perticular part of Gods seruice by an Psal 63. 11. oath is comprehended his whole worship as also it is taken Psalm 63. 11. And so generally they are here forbidden to make any manner of mixture and composition betweene idolatrie and any part of Gods true worship So that the 1 King 18. Lord requireth of them the same thing which Elias required afore times of the Israelits 1 King 18. If Baal be God serue him but if Iehouah be God serue him that is you are Psal 50. 16. Math. 6. 4. Eze. 20. 39. 40. at your choyse whether yee will serue but the Lord will no longer indure that you should halt betweene both So Psal 50. 16. Math. 6. 4. Ezech. 20. 39. 40. The doctrines And thus much concerning the meaning of the words The Lord vseth the meanes of our conuersion vntill our estate is desperate The doctrines which doe hence arise are diuers First vve may here obserue that as the Lord giueth ouer those whose estate is desperate and incurable to runne on in the headlong course of sinne to their destruction So contrariwise where there remayneth the least shew of hope hee neuer forsaketh his people but vseth all meanes to bring them to Repentaunce that they may bee saued An example hereof wee haue in this place for when the people of Israell were past cure hee causeth his Prophet to labour with the men of Iuda for their reformation who were not so deepely sunke in rebellion So when neyther the heauenly Sermons nor wonderfull Miracles of Iesus Christ would draw the Iewes to repentance hee causeth the Apostles to preach the Gospell to the Gentiles that they at least might bee gathered to his Church and that hereby in an holy emulation the Iewes also might bee converted to the Faith So although the Land of Iuda vvas exceedingly defiled with sin so as from the crowne of the head vnto the sole of the foote there was nothing sound in this polliticke body yet doth hee when they professed open emnitie call them to a parley offering vnto them reasonable conditions of Peace namely that if they would turne vnto him by vnfained repentance hee would make their scarlet sinnes as white as snow Esay 1. 18. Esay 1. 18. Now the cause hereof is not in any desert of sinners who hauing already by their sinnes prouoked Gods fierce wrath rather merit his heauie punishments but in the Lord himselfe who is of such infinite mercy that he desireth not the destruction but the conversion of sinners would haue all men to bee saued and come to true knowledge and vnfayned repentance as appeareth Ezech. 33. 11. 1 Tim. 2. 4. Ezech. 33. 11. 1 Tim. 2. 4. And to this purpose hee sendeth his Prophets to call them and multiplyeth his benefits to allure them and also visiteth their sinnes with gentle chastisements that hee may reclayme them yea and after they haue long had these meanes of conversion the Lord in infinite patience is content to wayte their leasure as it is Esay 30. 18. and neuer Esay 30. 18. bringeth vtter destruction till there
people of Israel were to enter into the land of Canaan where they should be compassed about with idolatrous Gentiles how often and earnestly doth the Lord admonish them to beware of being seduced from his worship and seruice by their wicked example and alluring inticements And not without good cause are all good meanes carefully vsed in this case seeing on the one side sinne in it own nature is no lesse infectious then the plague or leprosie apt to spread from man to man familie to familie citie to citie and countrie to countrie and seeing on the other side we are full of the grosse humours of corruption whereby we are exceeding apt to receiue the infection and therfore if the wholesome preseruatiues of admonition instruction and reprehension be not often and carefully applied we are daily exposed to certaine danger of approching destruction The vse hereof serueth to teach vs that as at all times wee We must patiently heare our selues admonished and reprooued be ready with all meeknesse and patience to heare our selues admonished and our sinnes reproued so especially when we are exposed to these tentations and are in danger to be infected through the neighbourhood of wicked men seeing they are stiffe in euill we weak in good they earnest in drawing vs into sinne and wee weake in making resistance they apt to infect vs and we as apt to receiue infection And for as much as we liue in dangerous times wherein faith pietie and iustice exceedingly faile amongst men and contrariwise all manner of sinne and wickednesse aboundeth vpon the face of the earth let vs not only carefully watch ouer our owne hearts and waies that we may escape these dangers but also let vs be content to suffer the Lords watchmen to ouersee vs and whē they obseruing out declining from good things coldnesse in holy duties and pronenesse vnto the sinnes of these sinfull times doe out of Gods word admonish vs either publikely or priuately of our defection and corruption and exhort vs to amendment let vs patiently hearken to their admonitions and exhortations seeing wee shall finde all little enough to keep vs from being carried away with the streame of common corruptions and to preserue vs from being infected with the contagion of these sinfull times Yea and not only let vs hearken to the admonitions of Gods Ministers in the ministerie of the word but also let priuate men in the feare of God both performe the dutie of admonition when they see their neighbour readie to fall into sinne or alreadie fallen and also when themselues need be as readie to be admonished of their faults as being an excellent meanes sanctified by God both for the restraining of men from sinne before it is committed and to restore them by true repentance when they haue committed it And this mutuall dutie of admonition is commended vnto vs Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainly rebuke Leuit. 19. 17. thy neighbour and not suffer him to sinne Hebr. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily whilest it is called to day lest any of you be Heb. 3. 13. Matth. 18. 15. Prou. 27. 5. 6. 10. 17. 15 32. hardned through the deceitfulnes of sin So Mat. 18. 15. Pro. 27. 5. 6. And so for hearkening vnto admonition it is likewise commended vnto vs Pro. 10. 17. Hee that regardeth instruction is in the way of life c. And contrariwise He that refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule but hee that obeyeth correction getteth vnderstanding Pro. 15. 32. Fourthly whereas the Lord by his Prophet doth first admonish They who would auoid sin must also auoid the wicked companie of sinners the people of Iuda to auoide the sinnes of the Israelites and then in the next place doth dehort them from going to Gilgal that is from hauing any neere familiaritie or societie with the superstitious Israelites especially in their idolatrous seruice hence wee learne first in generall that whosoeuer will auoid sin must also auoid the meanes wherby he might be induced to fall into it and then more especially that he auoid the societie and neere familiaritie of sinners as being a singular inducement to draw men into communion of wickednes This Dauid knew well and therefore being resolued to obserue Gods law and seeing some kind of impossibilitie that he should so do if the wicked did frequent his companie in the first place hee banisheth them and then resolueth to go forward in his course Psal 119. 115. Away from me yee wicked for I will keep the Commandements Psal 119. 115. of my God Sinne is the canker of the soule and therefore as the canker hauing infected one part of the bodie goeth vnto the next till all be wholly corrupted so sin hauing infected one person of a family or one familie of a citie stayeth not here but infecteth the next and so spreadeth by degrees till it haue corrupted the whole body this the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 5. 6. where exhorting them to excommunicate 1. Cor. 5. 6. the iucestuous person he vseth this as his argument that A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe noting thereby the infectious nature of sin which through the corruption of one member tainteth the whole bodie as therefore men carefully auoid the companie of such as are infected with contagious diseases to preserue their bodies in health so should we much more carefully flee the societie of those who are grieuously infected with the diseases of sinne both because our soules are more apt to receiue this spirituall contagion then our bodies the other and also because this infection is much more dangerous and pernitious Yet more especially we here learne carefully to auoide the company of idolaters because such is our inclinablenes We must carefully auoid the company of idolaters thereunto that by their example and perswasions we may easily bee corrupted And this moued the Prophet heere to perswade the people of Iuda not to go to Gilgal and Bethauen lest intertaining neere familiaritie and friendship with the superstitious Israelites they should bee infected with their idolatrie So that here we learne that the companie of idolaters is to be auoided in two respects 1. that we are not to haue any neere familiaritie and friendship with them in ciuill societie Secondly that we must not ioyne with them in their idolatrous seruice In the former respect we are to obserue this generall rule not to haue any entercourse of dealing with them further then humane necessitie requireth as for example when we sell our or buy their commodities which onely then is lawfull or at least expedient when we cannot conueniently vse the like merchandize in such places where Gods truth is professed and maintained More especially here is condemned the neere contract of mariage betweene professors of true religion idolaters the which was the sinne of the faithful before the floud which brought that vniuersall deluge first of sin and
then of water vpon the whole earth Gen. 6. 2. this was Salomons sin whereby he was Genes 6. 2. 1. King 11. 4. drawne vnto idolatrie 1. King 11. 4. and the chiefe cause of Ahabs wickednes because he had lincked himselfe in mariage with idolatrous Iesabel as appeareth 1. King 16. 31. So 1. King 16. 31. this is rendred as a reason why Iehoram the sonne of good Iehosaphat forsooke his fathers steps and committed grosse idolatrie because he married Ahabs daughter 2. King 8. 18. 2. King 8. 18. and this was the cause of Iudahs transgression and Israels abomination because they maried the daughters of a strange god Malac. 2. 11. Hence it was that when the people repented Malach. 2. 11. of this sinne they did not only leaue off to marrie wiues of the Gentiles but also diuorced those whom they had alreadie married because they were notable instruments to encline them to idolatrie Ezra 10. 1. 2. 3. The second thing which we here learne is that we must Ezra 10. 1. 2. 3. We must not communicate with idolaters in their idolatrous seruice not by any meanes keepe companie or communicate with idolaters in their idolatrous seruice for whereas he doth disswade the men of Iuda from going vnto Gilgal and Bethauen he principally intendeth that they should not come into their temples which were consecrated to idolatrie nor bee present with them at their idoll seruice This argument the Apostle doth purposely intreate of 1. Cor. 8. where he disswadeth 1. Cor. 8. the Corinthians from communicating with idolaters in their temples at their idoll feasts because hereby they gaue a grieuous scandall to their weake brethren and in the tenth chapter he telleth them that they could not drink 1. Cor. 10. 21. of the cup of the Lord and the cup of diuels nor be partakers of the Lords table and the table of diuels vers 21. intimating thereby that as those who worthily communicate at the Lords table are vnited vnto Christ and made one with him so they that communicate with idols in their idolatrous sacrifices and Sacraments are thereby vnited vnto idols and made one with them consequently cease to be the members of Christ for we cannot haue communion with both there being no more agreement betweene them then betweene light and darknesse But heere some obiect that they may lawfully present their bodies at idolatrous seruice so that they reserue their An obiection of temporizers answered hearts for Gods pure worship To which I answere that if this assertion were true then were al Gods holy Martyrs but simple men who rather were content to endure exquisite torments then giue any outward approbation to idolatrie then were the three children far out of the way who rather chose to be cast into the fierie furnace then they would bow to Nebuchadnezers Idoll But indeed it is far otherwise for the Lord who hath created and redeemed as well the bodie as the soule hath wholly appropriated as well the one as the other for his worship and seruice So 1. Cor. 6. 20. Yee are 1. Cor. 6. 20. bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodie and in your spirits for they are Gods Rom. 12. 1. the Apostle exhorteth Rom. 12. 1. vs to offer our bodie a liuely sacrifice vnto God And 2. Cor. 6. 17. Come out from amongst them and separate your 2. Cor. 6. 17. selues saith the Lord and touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you So Esay 52. 11. And the Apostle Iohn doth exhort Esay 52. 11. vs to keep not our soules alone but our selues that is our whole person from idols 1. Ioh. 5. 21. So in the second Commandement 1. Ioh. 5. 21. the outward bowing to images is precisely forbidden And of this there is great reason for what husband hauing a wife would endure that she should prostitute her bodie to commit whoredome though she should neuer so deepely protest that shee reserued her heart for him how much lesse will the Lord admit such an excuse when those who professe themselues his spouse commit spiritual whoredom with idols in their bodies Again they who go thus far will not stay heere but in the end will worship idols as well with their soules as with their bodies This progresse of idolaters the Psalmist excellently expresseth Psalm 106. 35. Psalm 106. 35. where he saith that first they mingled themselues with idolaters and then they learned their workes and fell to worshipping their idols and in conclusion became so superstitiously deuout in their idolatrie that they did not sticke to offer their owne sonnes and daughters vnto diuels which turned to their vtter ruine As therfore Ioseph when heresolued not to commit adulterie with his mistresse did flee out of her company so if we would not commit spirituall whoredome with idols we must haue no societie with them Against this is obiected that the Prophet permitted Naamans example no president for temporizers Naaman to bow himselfe in the house of Rimmon I answere that this bowing was in Naamans intention a ciuill worship performed not to the idoll but to his master who did leane on him which notwithstanding his owne conscience condemned as a sinne in that being a conuert he vouchsafed the idoll his presence and bowed before him though not vnto him and therefore he prayeth the Lord to be mercifull vnto him in pardoning this sin nether doth the Prophet in saying Goe in peace approue this action but only dismisseth him with this ciuill salutation as not being willing to discourage him at his first entrance into the profession of Gods true religion by imposing vpon him this heauie taske to incurre his masters vtter displeasure for denying vnto him his seruice The vse hereof serueth First to reproue such as intertaine neere familiaritie with idolaters as for example those who 2. King 5. Those reproued who entertaine neere familiaritie with idolaters make choice of Papists to bee their intimate and inward friends who exceed in all kinds of grosse idolatrie Secondly such as trauell into Popish and idolatrous countries being moued hereunto either through meere curiositie to see fashions or for some needlesse commoditie which can in no sort counteruaile the manifold dangers whereunto they expose themselues by consorting with such as are still readie to allure them to commit idolatrie Thirdly such amongst vs who either for wealth or friends or some other worldly respects lincke themselues in marriage with Popish idolaters taking into their bosomes a serpent which is still readie to tempt and intice them to break Gods Commandements concerning his pure worship and to imbrace idolatrie and superstition 2. Cor. 6. 14. 2. Cor. 6. 14. Lastly their practise is here reproued who either vpon fantasticall curiositie or for commoditie or for feare of punishment are readie to present their bodies before the idoll of the Masse and to bow before an image imagining that they are