vnto their iniquitie that is they not onely curiously obserue what sinnes are committed by the people but also earnestly desire that they may offend that out of their falls they may raise their owne gaine and aduantage So that in this place to lift vp their mindes vnto their iniquitie is to expect and as it were to gape after their sinnes as after a pray which they earnestly couet to seaze vpon And thus this phrase is vsed in other places as Deut. 24. 15. Where it is said that Deut. 24. 15. they should not delay to pay the workmans hire because he is poore and lifteth vp his minde vnto it for so the words are that is earnestly expecteth and wholy dependeth vpon it because by it his life is sustained So Ier. 22. 27. But vnto Ier. 22. 27. the land where vnto they lift vp their mindes that they may returne they shall not returne The sinne therefore of the Priests which is here condemned is that they desired the people should commit many sinnes that so they might receiue the benefit of many sacrifices and being thus inriched might spend their time in idlenesse and luxuriousnesse the which was an abhominable wickednesse against God for their allowance vvas graunted vnto them that they should restraine the people from sinne by their instructions admonitions and reproofes and therefore they were to receiue their carnall things that they might communicate vnto them spirituall things and howsoeuer they gayned by the sacrifices offred for sinne yet they should not haue delighted in their sinnes nay they should haue mourned for them and euen haue groned vnder their burthen to which end the sinne offering was allowed them as appeareth Leu. 10. 17. for so he saith that Leu. 10. 17. the sinne Offring was giuen the Priests that they should beare the iniquitie of the Congregation and make an attonement for them before the Lord. But these wicked Priests were so farre from restrayning the people from sinne that they incouraged them vnto wickednesse by extenuating their offences and offering vnto them a speedy and easier remedy namely that if hauing sinned they would come and offer their sacrifices for sinne God would rest satisfied and receiue them into former fauor and so far were they from grieuing for their transgressions that they desired earnestly that they might trangresse and expected their falls as wholy depending vpon them for their gaine and aduantage To conclude all in a short summe the sinnes whereof the Priests are here accused are that they gaue themselues to idlenesse and belly-cheare and turned the Sacrifices into a pray wherewith they pampred themselues and to the end that they might receiue these oblations in more abundance they wincked at the peoples sinnes neuer admonishing nor rebuking them for them but rather desired they should sin that they might offer the more Sacrifices possessing them with this conceipt that God required no more but that hauing sinned they should by their oblations make satisfaction Wherby they incouraged them vnto wickednesse seeing hauing satisfied their lusts by committing sin there was no more to be done for expiation but to bring new sacrifices so they might againe renew their sins as oft as they pleased so they would also renew their sacrifices and oblations And this is the meaning of the words the doctrines to The doctrines be obserued out of them are these First wee may note that That it is a great sinne to receiue the profits of our calling and neglect the duties the Lord condemneth it as a great sinne when a man seazeth vpon the profits which belong vnto his calling spendeth them in luxuriousnesse and belly-cheare in the meane time vtterly neglecting the duties of his calling for this was the sinne of the Priests in this place The reason hereof is First because where the reward and profit of the calling is giuen vpon condition of the performance of the dueties of the calling there if the dueties be neglected and the profits receiued it is esteemed no better then theft in Gods sight because they are vsurped without any right seeing they are not granted absolutely but vpon condition of the duty which is neglected as if the souldier receiuing pay from his prince doe spend it vpon his lusts and is neuer ready to fight against his enimies and the seruant wages from his maister and neuer performe any seruice vnto him Secondly because the end of our callings and the profits of them is not that we should pamper our selues in ease and satisfie our lusts but that we should by the performance of our duties glorifie God and further the good of the Church and common wealth which who so neglects they are like vnprofitable Drones who gather no hony but liue at ease and feed themselues with others labours Examples of this sinne we haue in Esau who spent all his time in hunting which should haue beene imployed in the duties of his calling In the Sodomits who spent their wealth in pride and pleasures eating and drinking idlenes and luxvriousnesse and wholy neglected the reliefe of the poore Ezech. 16. 49. In the Idoll shepheards who sleeced their Ezech. 19. 49. and 34. 2. sheepe and fed vpon the milke but did not feed the flocke Ezech. 34. 2. And in the euill seruant who seazed vpon the reward due to the steward and spent it in eating and drinking but neglected the duties which he owed both to his maister and the family Mat. 24. 49. 50. Mat. 24. 49. The vse of this doctrine serueth to condemne the practise of the Popish Monkes who being abundantly prouided for out of the Churches stocke doe cloyster vp themselues in their Monasteries and spend their time in idlenesse and luxuriousnesse performing no dutie neither to Church nor common wealth so also it serueth for the just reproofe of many amongst our selues as of Magistrats who being liberally maintayned at the charge of the common wealth do neglect the duties of gouernment and executing justice and spend their time in pleasures and idlenesse So also of Ministers who seaze vpon the preferments of the Church but doe not labour in the worke of the Ministerie And lastly of vnprofitable gentlemen who injoying the fat of the land doe spend it in pride excesse and voluptuous liuing but performe no good dutie either to Church or common wealth All which haue a fearefull accompt to make at the day of judgement seeing they take the Lords liberall wages performing no seruice for it but wastfully mispend it about the satisfying of their owne sinfull lusts let not therefore such men flatter themselues with a conceipt that what they injoy is their owne and that they may doe with their owne what they list for it is not their owne absolutely but onelie on this condition that they performe the duties of their callings of which it is the reward and it is then onely lawfull for vs to eate our bread when as we haue earned it with the sweate of
innumerable benefits serued but as so many arguments to aggrauate their sinnes to bring vpon them more fearefull punishments and to make their condemnation more horrible and grieuous as may plainely appeare by these places Math. 11. 21. Luke 13. 34. 35. Mat. 11. 21. Luk. 13. 34. Rom. 2. 4. 5. Rom. 2. 4. 5. By all which it appeareth that Gods benefits are not blessings Gods blessings abused doe aggrauate our sinnes vnto vs if we doe abuse them as motiues vnto sinne but rather they make our sinnes out of measure sinfull and our punishments more intollerable And of this the reason is most apparant for as it excuseth the neglect of dutie when the partie to whom it is to be performed is but a meere stranger and extenuateth the fault when as it is committed against an enimie so it doth much aggrauate it if he be a familiar acquaintance or neere friend vnto whom we are deepely indebted for many benefits if the wife do misdemeane her selfe towards a crabbed and perverse husband though it doth not altogether excuse her yet it extenuateth her fault but if she thus behaue her selfe towards a husband who is most kinde and louing and omitteth no good duty which can be required of him the world is ready to crie shame against such misbehauior If the seruant neglecteth his duty to such a maister as performeth no duty vnto him but defraudeth him of his wages and daily oppresseth him with new injuries although it will not justifie his doings yet it will lessen his faults but if this neglect be towards such a one as is louing and liberall it deserueth justly a sharper censure and more seuere punishment So if the Lord were vnto vs as a stranger or enimie a bitter husband or cruell maister we might haue som-what to say for the neglect of our duty but seeing he is most bountifull and benigne requiting euery dramme of loue with a pound of kindnesse and rewarding euery penny-worth of seruice with a talent of wages yea seeing he preuenteth vs with his free grace and beginneth and continueth and multiplyeth his benefits without any manner of our deserts if after all this we neglect our duties to such a God so gracious and infinite in mercy yea and contrariwise abuse his owne gifts to his dishonour and take occasion by his benefits the more to prouoke his wrath by our sinnes what judgements are too heauy what punishments too grieuous for such vnthankfull wretches The vse hereof serueth to teach vs not to content ous selues We must not content our selues with the priuiledges of Christians vnlesse we liue their liues with the priuileges of Christians vnlesse we liue the liues of Christians not to rest in Gods temporall benefits as being sufficient arguments of his loue or vndoubted pledges of our saluation vnlesse we haue also the grace giuen vs to imploy them to the aduancement of Gods glorie and to vse them to those good and holy ends for which God hath bestowed them For it will nothing avayle vs that we are chosen out of the rest of the world to be Gods peculiar people vnlesse as it becommeth the inheritance of God we be purged from our iniquities and be zealous of good workes it will Tit. 2. 14. not profit vs to be intertayned into Gods owne familie if we doe not behaue our selues as it becommeth his children and seruants nor to haue the couenant and the seales thereof the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ and the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper vnlesse this couenant be as well written in our harts as in our bookes and be as fruitfully practized as it is faithfully deliuered In a word wee shall be neuer the better for the abundance of temporall benefits as peace plenty health libertie and the rest vnlesse as wee surpasse others in these priuiledges and pledges of Gods loue so also we doe excell them in loue towards God zeale thankfulnesse and holy obedience yea contrariwise if God haue sowen amongst vs the seeds of his mercies with a liberall hand expecting a fruitfull haruest of holynesse righteousnesse and we in stead hereof returne vnto him the taâ—es and cockle of sinne and wickednesse we shall bee but the nearer vnto a curse and his great bounty and innumerable benefits shall serue as so many arguments to aggrauate our sinnes and multiply our punishments That the Papists in vaine boast of the priuiledges of their Church Secondly it serueth to beate downe the glorious braggs of the Papists and sinagogue of Rome who boast themselues as being the peculiar people and Church of God vpon whom the Lord hath multiplyed manifold benefits spiritual temporal and in whose custody still remaine the treasure of Gods word and his seales the Sacraments but though it should be graunted vnto them that their Church in former times hath had these priuiledges and that yet there remaine some steps and prints of them this doth not any whit commend them or make their state the better yea rather it serueth to aggrauate their fearfull Apostasie their haynous rebellion and abhominable idolatrie in which they liue and perseuere notwithstanding the Lord hath formerly dealt so gratiously with them and presently doth not take that just vengeance of their sinnes which they long agoe deserued For howsoeuer the Lord hath caused the light of the Gospell to shine vnto them whereby he hath discouered the sottish grosenes of their idolatrie and superstitions yet they will not forsake their idols and turne to the liuing God Acts. 14. 15. who hath made heauen and earth but like vnto the Israelites here spoken of they worship their images of wood stone and daily commit more then heathenish idolatrie they consult with their idols in all their difficulties and dangers going on pilgrimage vnto them for their counsaile and direction they make vowes vnto them offer them oblations in euery high place that is in the innumerable temples which they haue erected for this purpose and they are so wholy seduced by the spirit of fornications that if any man gaine say them in these their wicked courses they are ready to pursue and persecute him with sword fire and fagot In a word they haue wholy corrupted Gods worship and seruice and are become more sottish in their superstitions and idolatrie then either the Turkes or Pagans So that if they will needes vaunt themselues of their titles that they are Gods people and Church and in their priuiledges which they haue aboue others they doe but glory in their shame seeing they are so many arguments to aggrauate their sinnes and vngratefull wickednesse in that they are worse then the Turkes and infidels in her idolatrie and superstition especially in this resspect that they haue had many singular meanes graunted them by God for their conversion and reformation which the other haue wanted and yet notwithstanding all Gods mercies persist in their apostacie and rebellion The second thing to be obserued is that
hearing their sinnes reprehended Fourthly we are to obserue that this our Prophet was sent as Gods ambassadour when he was but young and continued No age exempted from Gods seruice it vntill his old age Whence we learne that no age is exempted from Gods seruice nor any time so vnfit but that if it please the Lord to grant the assistance of his Spirit a man may in it aduance the glory of God and benefit the Church And therefore we may not excuse our selues by our youth as though it were not time for vs to begin to serue God nor by our age as though that should exempt vs from Gods seruice as being too painefull and laborious but as we are to beginne betimes so we are to hold out to the end seeing nothing is more honourable then a gray head in the waies of righteousnesse Pro. 16. 30. Prou. 16. 30. More especially the people may here learne not lesse to The youth of Gods Ministers not to be despised esteeme Gods ambassage by reason of the youth of the ambassadour seeing the Lord hath called both young and old and fitted the one as well as the other for this seruice to the end that we should not rest and depend vpon the person of the Minister but vpon his owne ordinance the ministerie of his word and on the blessing of his holy Spirit whereby onely it is made effectuall for our saluation Ieremy was but a childe that is young in yeares when he was called to be a Prophet Ier. 1. 6. but yet he must not be afraid to speake to Jer. 1. 6. 8. the ancient and mighty because God was with him to deliuer him vers 8. Timothy was called to be an Euangelist whilest he was yong but yet no man might despise his youth 1. Tim. 4. 12. 1. Tim. 4 12. Hosea prophecied in his young daies but they were not excused hereby who would not heare him nor exempted from feeling Gods iudgements Fiftly we may here obserue that he did prophecie the ruine The ruine of Israel foretold when it most flourished of the kingdome of Israel not in the declining state thereof but in the raigne of Ieroboam vnder whom it most flourished when there was no appearance of such future calamities as were foretold by the Prophet for Iehoash his father had gotten the vpper hand of Amaziah King of Iudah and had carried away the treasures of the Temple and the Kings house and Ieroboam himselfe hauing obtained many notable victories against his enemies inlarged the borders of the kingdome to her ancient limits So that now the idolatry of those times might be defended in that it had more prosperous successe then the pure worshippe of God in the kingdome of Iuda but in these times God sendeth his Prophet being young of yeares to reproue King and people for their idolatrie and to denounce and foretell the vtter subuersion of the kingdome Where first we may obserue the vndoubted truth of this prophecie seeing he could by no other meanes but by the inspiration of Gods Spirit attaine to the knowledge of the ruine of the Kingdome when in respect of the present flourishing estate thereof there was nothing lesse feared or expected Secondly whereas it is said that the Prophet prophesied The Prophets courage in the time of Ieroboam and in that flourishing estate of the kingdome foretold the ruine thereof hence we obserue that notable boldnes and couragious fortitude of this Prophet who durst vndertake and go through a matter of such great difficultie and danger For seeing the victorious King and people were made drunke with prosperitie exceedingly lifted vp in pride in their good successe and long hardned with their customable liuing in all maner of wickednes it may easily be guessed with what scoffes and taunts they entertained the Prophet and vnto how many dangers hee exposed himselfe where he prophecied of their destruction which they not so much as feared The which serueth to teach Gods Ministers in these times boldly and couragiously to deliuer Gods embassage euen before Kings and great Potentates when they are called hereunto and not to be daunted with the face of man when they speake in the place of God nor to be discouraged with scoffes taunts and reproches difficulties and dangers which they vndergo in performing their dutie for hee that hath set them on worke will giue them their wages so that they shal not suffer the lest thing for his sake which he wil not recompence an hundred fould Thirdly wee obserue Gods maruelous and miraculous preseruation of this his Prophet in the middest of all these Gods power in preseruing his Prophet dangers for the space of many yeeres together so that though he was compassed about with wicked men and was vnder the gouernment of Idolatrous Kings against whose idolatrie he inueighed yet God deliuered him in the middest of all these perils and brought him in peace in his very old age vnto his graue as Epiphanius writeth The consideration whereof should encourage Gods Ministers to goe on in the performance of their dutie euen through the middest of dangers seeing the speciall prouidence of God watcheth ouer them and will preserue them in their waies though it seeme neuer so impossible so farre forth as God thereby may be glorified and their saluation furthered Examples of this marueilous preseruation wee haue in Noah Lot Moses Elias Iohn the Euangelist Martin Luther and many others Fourthly in the example of this Prophet Gods Ministers Vices are to be reproued when they most prosper may learne to set vpon and inueigh against vices not onely when they are discountenanced with Gods iudgements and vnder foote but then most especially when they are intertained with most prosperous successe and do seeme to be approued by God in regard of that peace and prosperitie which doth attend vpon them Lastly heere we learne that we are not to iudge of Gods loue and fauour nor of the vertues and religious godlinesse Prospertie no true signe of Gods loue of a State by their good successe and prosperous affaires for vnder the gouernment of this King Ieroboam such was the estate of this kingdome and people and yet the Lord sendeth his Prophet to shew them that they were out of his fauour and that he would diuorce them from him for their manifold adulteries that their religion which was accompanied with prosperitie and all worldly felicite was false idolatrous and superstitious and that they abounded in all sin and wickednesse ANd thus much concerning the inscription now it followeth that we speake of the legall comminations where first is set downe their sin and secondly their punishment Their maine and capitall sinne was idolatrie which is signified vnder the typicall mariage of the Prophet with a wife of fornications the which is enioyned by the Lord vers 2. and vndertaken by the Prophet vers 3. Vers 2. At the beginning the Lord spake by Hosea and the
duty doth appertaine namely to all those who are made members of the That all the faithfull must labor to gaine others to the Church church whether they be publike or priuate persons for there is none which are in respect of their meannesse of gifts exempted seeing there is not any who hath receiued such a small talent but that if he will profitably imploy it he may thereby gaine some glory to his Lord and maister and in some respect or other bring some benefit to his brethren either by instruction consolation exhortatiō or holy example of life But howsoeuer this duty belongeth to all yet especially to Gods Ministers who are appointed of God both to be the spirituall fathers by whom men are begotten vnto God and conuerted to the faith and also to be the nurses who by the milke of the word are to nourish and bring vp in their spirituall growth those who are regenerate and added to the Church And therefore they are with all care and diligence to preach the word in season and out of season instructing the ignorant exhorting those that are backward perswading the obstinate confirming the weake and comforting and incouraging those which are ready to faint and by all meanes labouring that those who are not conuerted may be gained vnto Christ and likewise that those who are already added to the Church may bee more and more strengthened and confirmed in their spirituall vnion with Christ and communion with the Saints Fourthly we are to obserue to whom this duty is to be performed namely to our brothers and sisters that is those who are already and those that may be hereafter our brethren and sisters and in y◠we do not know who these are because Gods That we must labour to informe all in Gods trueth secret counsaile decree of election is known only to himselfe therfore we are to exhort instruct and perswade all to become members of the Church so far as in regard of our state and calling we possiblie can for the Spirit bloweth where it listeth and can easilie cause Lions Tigers and Cockatrices to become the sheepe of Christ hee can make idolatrous Abraham the fether of the faithfull bloodie and barbarous Manasses an humble conuert a persecuting Saul a preaching Paul and a leaud cheefe a holy confessor and therfore say not in thy heart I will spare my labour because this or that man is too wicked too worldlie too couetous too proud to make a Christian seeing the Lord is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham to humble the most proud and obstinate and to sanctifie the most prophane neither is hee onely able to doe it but also often doth it to shew the infinite riches of his wisedome power mercie and goodnesse and that our saluation is not for our owne works or worthinesse but of his owne free grace and vndeserued loue that so he may be all in all and haue the whole glorie of his owne worke Fiftly we are to obserue the maine arguments which the The arguments which we must vse for the conuersion of others faithfull are to vse that they may perswade others to ascend with them out of the land of darkenesse into the kingdome and Church of Christ namely because they were the people of God and therefore they are to ascend into the kingdome of their Lord and redeemer And lest their sinnes and Gods iustice and wrath should discourage them it is further said that they haue obtained mercie and remission of their sinnes and are now reconciled vnto God in Christ Whence we learne what is the strongest inducement and most forcible argument to mooue any to leaue the kingdome of darkenesse and to adioyne themselues vnto the Church of God namely when they heare and hearing beleeue that they who were aliants and strangers are now in Christ become Gods subiects and seruants that they whom the law for their grieuous sinnes excluded from all mercie and made obnoxious to Gods wrath are now in Christ made partakers of Gods mercie whereby they haue the remission of their sinnes and are so reconciled to their Lord and Soueraigne So long as a malefactor who hath deserued death knoweth that his Prince is iustly displeased with him and intendeth to prosecute the law against him hee fleeth his kingdome and liueth in voluntarie exile but if hee heare that the princes sonne fauoureth him and hath obtained his fathers pardon and reconciled him vnto him this is a strong motiue to perswade him to leaue the strange countrie where he liueth and to returne againe into the kingdome of his Soueraigne So we who are grieuous malefactours which by transgressing Gods law haue made our selues subiect to to his wrath and obnoxious to the punishment of the law eternall death whilest wee remaine in this case flee from Gods presence and as much as in vs lieth though it neuer lieth in vs we banish our selues out of his kingdome and iurisdiction but when we heare that Christ his dearely beloued sonne hath obtained our pardon and reconciled vs to his father then and not before we approach his presence and adioyne our selues to his kingdome It is then the preaching of the Gospell which gathereth vs into Christs kingdome For it is Gods strong power vnto saluation to al that beleeue whereby he perswadeth vs to come out of Satans kingdome and to adioyne our selues vnto his Church And therefore those who seeke the conuersion of others they must not onely denounce legall threatnings against sinne for this will make men rather flee from God then come vnto him but hauing by the law brought them to a sight of their miserie in regard of the curse thereof the anger of God death and condemnation which they haue deserued then they are to preach the glad tidings of the Gospell whereby they may be assured of the remission of their sins and reconciliation with God and so be mooued to come vnto Christ and to adioyne themselues to his Church Examples hereof we haue Act. 2. 38. 39. 2. Cor. 5. 18. 19. 20. Act. 2. 38. 2. Cor. 5. 18. Gal. 3 26. That we must continuallie labour to conuert others to the faith Gal. 3. 26. 27. 28. Now we are further to obserue that we are not to deliuer this glad tidings of the Gospell for the conuersion of those who are not yet called once or twice or diuers times but continually till they be conuerted we must teach them perswade and exhort them to ascend out of the land of darkenesse into the kingdome of Christ for hee doth not define and determine a certaine number but indefinitely and absolutely commandeth vs that we should speake vnto them For God calleth not all at the same houre but some at one time and some at another neither doth he make the word effectuall for the conuersion of all sinners at the first hearing but in some he lets it often outwardly sound in their eares before by the inward working of
appeareth Ezech. 45. 11. and the Epha was almost a pottle lesse then our bushell whereby is signified first the slauish condition of the people in their captiuity for Barley was eaten onely of slaues and captiues and not of free women secondly their pouerty which is noted by the small quantitie of this course fare alotted vnto them as their onely sustenance for a long time so that their fare was both course and sparing thirdly here is imployed the Lords loue in that he gaue them some maintenance for the preseruation of life and but a sparing measure of course foode that hereby hee might humble and reclaime them The meaning then of this part of the vision is as the Prophet bought the adultresse so shall the people be bought and sould and liue like slaues and seruants as he bought her at a low base rate euen for halfe the price of a seruant so they shal be basely esteemed and meanly valued more like vassels and slaues then the spouse of God as he doth not giue vnto her Wheate but Barley and that in small quantitie so the Lord will afflict them with course dyet whereof they shall not eate vnto saciety but sparingly by measure as if the Lord should haue said seeing you haue abused your liberty vnto licentiousnes and when the reigne was laied on your owne necks haue runne away from me like vnrulie colts therefore I will bridle and curbe you in with captiuitie and make you to returne vnto mee seeing euery base trifle hath moued you to sell your selues to be slaues to sinne I will also cause you like slaues to be bought and sould at vile rates seeing you haue abused your honourable estate vnto which I called you namely to be my Church and people and haue thereby bene puffed vp in pride I will humble you with your enimies contemptible disdainefull vsage of you seeing your plentie and prosperitie hath made you to forget and neglect me I will rub your memorie with pouerty and want but yet I will not leaue you comfortlesse for I will not vtterly forsake you and suffer you to perish in your penurie but will allow vnto you some poore maintenance and by my hard vsage I will not destroy you but buy you that is reclaime and reduce you againe vnder my gouernment And this is the meaning of the words The instructions hence to be gathered are these First wee may obserue that the Lord approueth his loue to the people of Israell by Afflictions a signe of Gods loue those afflictions which hee layeth on them to the end that he may reclaime them from their sinnes For as there is no greater signe of Gods hatred and our rejection then when the Lord giueth vs ouer vnto our selues to doe what we list to prosper in our sinnes and without any checke to run forward in the wayes of wickednesse to our destruction so can there not be a more euident signe of his loue then when like a carefull father he correcteth vs that he may not disinherite vs and maketh the pleasures of sinne loathsome vnto vs by mingling them with the Wormewood of afflictions And hence it is that the Apostle sayth that whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth Heb. 12. 6. Apoc. 3. 19. Heb. 12. 6. So Apoc. 3. 19. For the Lord aymeth not at our hurt and punishment but at our good and profit that we might be pertakers of his holinesse Heb. 12. 10. And Heb. 12. 10. when wee are iudged we are chastened of the Lord because wee should not be condemned of the world as it is 1. Cor. 11. 32. 1. Cor. 11. 32. The Lord bridleth vs with afflictions that we may not run headlong in the course of sinne and like a good scholemaister he correcteth vs that he may teach vs in his wayes and make vs more diligently apply our lessons And this Dauid well knew by his owne experience and therefore he sayth Psal 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but Psa 119. 67. 71 now haue I kept thy word And verse 71. It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes When our heauenly Physition dyeteth vs from the pleasures of sinne which we loue better then out meate and drincke giueth vs the bitter pils and loathsome potions of afflictions it is a signe that he intendeth the cure and that there is some hope of our recouery but when he letteth vs haue whasoeuer we lust after and letteth our appetite bee the onely rule of our diet it is a shrewde token that he hath giuen vs ouer as being a desperate cure when our father suffereth vs to goe on in all wicked and licentious courses it is a signe he neglecteth vs and meaneth to disinherite vs when our Lord and maister lets vs neglect all dueties without controlement and suffers vs to goe on in our stubbornenesse and disobedience without any reproofe or correction hee makes it manifest that his purpose is to turne vs out of his seruice and when he lets vs feed at will in the pleasant pastures of sinne it is more then probable that hee hath destinated vs to the slaughter The vse which we are to make hereof is first that wee The vses faint not in our afflictions imagining that they are signes of Gods hatred and our rejection but beare them with patience considering the Lord hereby sheweth his loue and care ouer vs especially let vs be not onely patient but also ioyfull and thankfull when the Lord crosseth vs in our sins and restraineth vs from going forward in any course of wickednesse for such afflictions are blessed which preserue vs from Gods eternall curse and that is a sweet chastisement which keepes vs from being condemned with the world Secondly seeing the Lord in loue correcteth vs that hee may reclaime vs from our sinnes let vs when we suffer any affliction labour to finde out our sinnes bewayle them and turne from them vnto the Lord by true repentance and then the same loue which moued the Lord to correct vs will also moue him when we are reformed to ease vs of our affliction neyther will he cause vs any longer to drink these bitter potions when hee hath already recouered vs of our health Thirdly wee learne to iudge charitably of those whom the Lord exerciseth with afflictions and not to imagine that because any are extraordinarily afflicted therefore they are more then ordinary sinners as the Iewes did Luke 13. 1. 2 Luk. 13. 1. 2. And the Barbarians Act. 28. 4. For then we shall condemne Act. 28. 4. the generation of Gods children Psal 73. 15. Yea euen the Son Psal 73. 15. of God himselfe as it is Esa 53. 3. 4. Esa 53. 3. 4. Secondly wee may here obserue what fearefull punishments The punnishment of Idolatrie the Lord inflicteth vpon those Idolaters whom hee purposeth to conuert and saue first
reasoneth 2 Cor. 3. 6. 7. 8. 9. 2. Cor. 3. 6 7. The vse of this doctrine respecteth both Ministers and people the Ministers first for instruction that seeing the Lord hath aduanced them to such Honour and Dignitie they walke worthy this high calling thinking no paines too much which they shall take for the aduancement of Gods glory who hath so exceedingly honoured them Secondly for their consolation encouragement against all Consolation for Gods Ministers against contempt the miserie pouertie reproch contempt which they suffer in this life For though outwardly they are poore and destitute of all worldly pompe yet they are like the Kings daughter all glorious within though they are despised of men yet they are highly esteemed before God though the world esteemeth them as the very ofscouring of all things yet the Lord hath chosen them to be his chiefe Officers his Ambassadours his Stewards his Keepers of the inestimable Treasure of his Word and of his great seales the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper The vse which concerneth the people is that they honour The people ought to reuerence Gods Ministers them whom God thus honoureth and that they behaue themselues towards their Ministers as it becommeth the rest of the familie to behaue themselues towards the steward or Treasurer the people towards the Ambassadour yea the children towards their fathers For looke what honor is done vnto them as being Gods Ambassadours that the Lord accounterh as done vnto himselfe whose person they sustain looke what disgrace and reproach is offred against them as being his Ministers the Lord esteemeth it as offred against himselfe and therefore will neuer let it goe vnpunished eyther in this life or in the life to come for if Dauid could not endure those insolent abuses which were by Hanun offered 2. Sam. 10. against his Ambassadours whom in loue and kindnesse he sent vnto him but reuenged them with the death and destruction of a great part of the people of Ammon how much lesse can the Lord endure that reproach injuries outrages should be offred against his Ambassadors and not reuenge these indignities which are not so much offred against men as in them against himselfe Fearefull examples hereof wee haue in the Scriptures as in the conspiracy of Corah and his associates whom the earth swallowed quick Numb 16. In Numb 6. 16. Ieroboam whose hand was withered vp for the contempt and violence which he offred against the Lords Prophet 1 Kin. 1. King 13. 13. In the two Captaines their fifties who were destroyed with fire from heauen because they came not to the Lords Prophet with that submissiue reuerence which beseemed them 2 King 1. 9. 10. 11. 12. In the fiftie two children 2. King 1. 9. 10 who were destroyed by Bears for scoffing at Elisha 2 Kin. 2 2. King 2. And the in people of Israell who because they mocked the messengers of God and despised their wordes and misvsed the Prophets therefore they were subjected to Gods heauie 2. Chro. 36. 16. 17. wrath and in the end vtterly destroyed 2 Chro. 36. 16. 17. The second thing to be obserued is the gorse ingratitude Our vngratefull abuse of Gods benefits of our corrupt natures whereby it commeth to passe that the more God multiplyeth his mercies the more ready we are to rebell against him and to prouoke his wrath by our sinnes for whereas Gods manifould benefits multiplyed vpon vs should make vs to humble our selues before him in that he hath made vs so deepely indebted to his infinite goodnesse we contrariwise abusing them make them serue as so many steps whereby we may ascend into the seate of pride whereas they should serue as so many common places to put vs in minde of Gods gracious goodnes towards vs we abusing them are made hereby more forgetfull of God as though now being throughly furnisht vve had no further neede of his helpe vvhereas they should serue as so many motiues to stirre vs vp to holy obedience that thereby vvee may glorifie God the author of all our good vve hereby grow more vndutifull like cockred children towards their Parents or pampred horses towards their maisters and are more ready to fall into the sinnes of pride voluptuousnesse loue of the world profanenesse and vtter neglect of religion and all religious dueties whereas the abundance of Gods blessings vvhich vve injoy should make vs to pittie and take compassion on those who want them they abused through our corruption doe make vs to disdaine contemne them furious and cruell in reuenge and insolent in offring wrongs and injuries And hence it is that the Lord doth so carefully vvarne the Israelites that when they did injoy all the blessings of Canaan they should not forget and rebell against him Deut. 6. 10. 11. 12. Into vvhich sinne they shamefully Deut. 6. 10. 11. Psal 62. 10. 1. Tim. 6. 17. fell notwithstanding they were thus admonished So Psal 62. 10. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Examples of this vngratefull abuse of Gods blessing we haue in Saul Ieroboam Naball Nebuchadnezzar Hos 10. 1. and 13. 6. the people of Israell but neuer vvas age more fruitfull of these examples neuer land more plentifull in these vngratefull presidents then this of ours wherein the more the blessings of God abound the more pride forgetfulnesse of God contempt of Religion and the vtter neglect of all holy duties abound likewise so that hard it is to finde a man bettered by Gods benefits or more zealous of Gods glory the more blessings they receiue from him but contrariwise the more they abound in honors riches peace health and all kind of prosperity the more they shew their profanenes irreligion worldlines and vtter neglect of all holy duties The vse of this doctrine is first that seeing through our corruption we are so apt to abuse Gods blessings we be made hereby more watchfull ouer our owne hearts when wee are in prosperitie that we be not ouertaken with this vnthankfulnesse and that wee bee no more earnest in begging these temporary benefits then in praying also for an holy vse of them that they may serue as helps and furtherances vnto vs in all holy and Christian dueties for if the more we abound in them the more we abound in sinne against God then doe they cease to bee blessings and benefits and become snares to intangle vs and thornes to choak in vs all vertue and godlinesse Secondly that we arme our selues with patience when as wee are not so much increased in these temporall benefits seeing the Lord herein respecteth the good of his children and with-holdeth worldly blessings from them because hee knoweth they would abuse them vnto sinne Thirdly that we be not vexed out of measure with impatiencie when as those of whom we haue best deserued doe shew themselues vngratefull to vs considering that wee continually shew our selues much more vnthankfull against God vnto whom we are