heare her when as he giueth vnto her vertue to gather cloudes and vapours and open her windowes floodgates so as she may distill her sweete drops to water the earth The last thing here expressed is the persons vpon whom the Lord will bestow these benefits namely all his elect and faithfull ones whom hee hath espoused vnto himselfe and these are comprehended vnder the name Iizreel the signification of which word is here changed neither is it here taken in the euill part as it was Ch. 1. 4. to wit for the seed of God whom he would scatter and cast away but in the better sense for the seed of God whom he would gather into his Church and store vp in his garner of euerlasting happinesse By which change of the signification the Lord would shew that his wrath was changed into mercie and his iudgements into benefits in the time of the Gospell And that this name is so to be taken it appeareth by the verse following where the Lord following the allegorie saith that he will sow her that is this Iizreel his holy seed as also in that he changeth both the other names Lo-ruchamah into ruchamah Lo-ammi into ammi No mercie into Mercie and Not my people into Thou art my people And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines The Do ∣ ctrines which arise out of them are these First wee may here learne who is the author of all our blessings and benefits temporall The Lord is the author of all blessings and spirituall namely the Lord himselfe for he it is that giueth vs our corne wine and oyle he it is who causeth plentie and maketh dearth and out of the garners of his al-sufficient prouidence wee haue all our prouision and sustenance The eyes of all waite vpon him and he giueth them their meate in due season and if he shut his hand they all hunger and pine for want if he open it all things liuing are filled with plentie as it is Psal 145. 15. 16. Psalm 145. 15. 16. The consideration whereof should moue vs rather to depend vpon the Lord for our plentie and prouision then vpon the heauens the earth or the seasons of the yeere seeing he is the principall cause and these but his instruments and inferiour meanes which he vseth for our good Secondly if wee abound in these blessings let vs praise the Lord in the fruitiō of them and be readie out of our abundance to relieue the want and penurie of our poore brethren as the Lord hath inioyned vs for all these temporall benefits though good in themselues are not good vnto vs vnlesse they be receiued with thanksgiuing and sanctified to our vse by the word and prayer as it is 1. Tim. 4. 5. And if abounding with them we do 1. Tim. 4. 5. not communicate them with the poore we commit the sinne of the Sodomites as appeareth Ezech. 16. 49. and consequently Ezech. 16. 49. make our selues obnoxious to their punishments Secondly we may here obserue the time when the Lord The new Couenant is the fountaine of all our good bestoweth these benefits vpon his Church expressed in these words And in that day that is in the day of her espousals when she is married vnto Christ in righteousnes iudgement c. and by Christ reconciled vnto God for before this day we are not onely strangers but also enemies and so remaining subiect to Gods wrath we haue all the creatures opposed against vs but when wee are married vnto Christ and in him reconciled vnto God then all things work together for our good and nothing is wanting vnto vs which is profitable Rom. 8. 28. for vs to receiue From whence we learne that this new couenant of grace betweene God and vs and this spirituall marriage with Christ is the fountaine from which all blessings and benefits spring and flow vnto vs. And therefore if we would haue no good thing wanting which we can desire thē let vs in the first place seek to be espoused vnto Christ in righteousnesse iudgement benignitie and compassion and then the Lord will supplie all our wants and giue vs plentie of corne wine and oyle and all other his benefits And let vs auoid the practise of worldly men who in the first place seeke for glorie riches houses lands and pleasures and in the meane time neuer seeke to be espoused vnto Christ or in him to be reconciled vnto God deferring this as a matter of least importance to old age or the end of life but rather let vs In the first place seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Matth. 6. 33. and then all other things shall be cast vpon vs as our Sauiour hath promised Matth. 6. 33. Let vs first labour to be receiued into the couenant of grace and to be espoused vnto Christ Iesus and then he will inrich vs with the dowrie of all his temporall and spirituall benefits Thirdly we here learne that whatsoeuer vertue strēgth The creatures haue all their vertue from God whereby they benefit vs. is in any of the creatures to benefit sustaine and nourish vs they haue it wholly from the Lord as appeareth by this notable gradation for we cannot ordinarily liue without corne and food we cannot haue these vnlesse the earth bring them foorth for our vse the earth is barren and vnfruitfull vnlesse it be watered with the dew of heauen the heauens haue no power to distill their fruitfull and pleasant shewers vpon the earth vnlesse the Lord giue this vertue vnto them So that he is the principall cause and first mouer who setteth all inferiour meanes on worke and giueth them motion and strength to deriue his blessings and benefits vpon man neither can a drop of raine fall vpon the earth nor the earth bring foorth one graine of corne but by Gods prouidence and appointment and therfore we may conclude with the Apostle that In him we liue moue and haue our being Act. 17. 28. Is then Act. 27. 28. the earth fruitfull let vs ascribe the whole glorie vnto God haue we a fertill soyle let vs not rest vpon it but vpon Gods prouidence for he that hath giuen it this power and vertue can take it away make it barren Is there a dearth and scarcitie Psal 107. 34. in the land let vs not looke so much to the heauens clouds and weather as vnto God the ruler and disposer of them all expecting and begging plentie at his hands and so hee will heare the heauens and the heauens the earth the earth the fruits and the fruits will heare vs c. Fourthly we here learne that howsoeuer the Lord is the God bestoweth his blessings by inferiour meanes principall cause and chiefe author of all the benefits which we receiue yet we are not to expect them from his hand immediatly but mediatly by inferiour causes and instruments as appeareth by the gradation here vsed and therefore wee
And if we his children should not liue together with him though he is a God yet he should not be a father sauing of his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ seeing there is a mutuall relation betweene a father and children And thus much for the meaning of the words The doctrines The doctrines which arise out of them are diuers First we may obserue The largenes of Gods Church the amplitude and largenes of Gods Church in the time of the Gospell seeing it is not now confined within the borders of Canaan but extendeth it selfe ouer the whole earth to all nations and countries without any restraint or exception For in euery nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him as it is Act. 10. 35. Act. 10. 35. Secondly we are to obserue that there first goeth an exclusion Our adoption and saluation is of Gods free grace from being Gods people before an admission to the being his sonnes by which order the Lord would signifie that our adoption and saluation commeth of his free grace and goodnesse and not of any worthinesse and merit in vs the Israelites were so wicked that they were thrust out of Gods seruice and the Gentiles so prophane and sinfull that they were altogether vnworthie to be admitted into it and therfore both farre from meriting any thing but death and condemnation and yet such was Gods infinit mercie that when they were in this case vnworthy of the least glimpse of his fauour he caused the bright beames of his loue with full raies to shine on both by the death of his sonne reconciling them vnto himselfe who before were strangers and enemies And this the Apostle notablie sheweth Rom. 3. 23. There is saith he Rom. 3 23. 24. no difference namely betweene Iew and Gentile for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God 24. And are iustified freely by his grace through the redemptiō that is in Christ Iesus If the Israelites had still been retained in the couenant of workes they would haue ascribed their saluation to their workes and worthinesse God therefore when they had many times broken this couenant excluded them out of it that so they might be receiued into the couenant of grace and learne to attribute their saluation not to their legall obedience but to the free mercie and vndeserued grace of God Thirdly we learne what is the instrument and means wherby The ministery of the word the instrument of our adoption we become the sons of God not by our own works or any thing which we could do but by the ministery of the word and preaching of the Gospel which being made effectual by the inward operation of Gods spirit begetteth true faith whereby we lay hold vpon Christ and are ingrafted into his mystical body and so in him who is the naturall son of God we become the sons of God by adoption grace The consideration wherof should moue vs highly to esteem this pretious pearle and with all care and conscience to receiue and lay it vp in our hearts seeing it is the only ordinarie meanes whereby we become the adopted sons of God and heires of euerlasting life If therfore we highly value the means of our worldly aduancement to some momentany patrimony how should we esteeme of the preaching of the Gospell which intitleth vs to this dignitie of being the sonnes of the euerliuing God and heires of his glorious kingdome And if this estimate were made by all then would neither the people for small occasions refraine from hearing the word preached neither would the Ministers of the Gospell for their worldly ease and pleasure liue idly and vnprofitable in their Ministerie nor for any inconueniences sinne onely excepted leaue their callings and desist from preaching Christ crucified seeing it is the onely ordinarie meanes of the saluation of soules and of adopting men to be the children of God Fourthly we may obserue vnto what dignitie and high degree of excellencie we are exalted in the new couenant vnder the kingdome of Iesus Christ when as we are admitted not only the people and seruants but the sonnes and heires of the glorious King of heauen and earth The which prerogatiue is not now appropriated to the Iewes but common vnto al nations and all sorts of men who receiue Christ by a liuely faith Ioh. 1. 12. As many as receiued him to them John 1. 12. 2. Cor. 6. 18. he gaue right to be the sonnes of God 2. Cor. 6. 18. I will bee a father vnto you and yee shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord almightie Gal. 3. 26. Ye are all the sonnes of God by Gal. 3. 26. 4. 6. faith in Christ Iesus Chap. 4. 6. Where we may note the infinite mercie of God who taketh God taketh occasion of mens sinnes to shew his goodnesse occasion euen of mens sinnes and his owne punishments to shew and extend vnto them his bountie and goodnesse for he reiected the people of Israel out of the couenant of workes that he might receiue them into his couenant of grace hee casteth them off from being his people that he might entertaine them to be his sons and not them alone but together with them the Gentiles also And for this purpose he scattereth them amongst the Gentiles that by occasion of calling them vnto the kingdome of Christ by whom the lost sheep of the house of Israel were to be gathered together he might with them call the Gentiles likewise for the Israelites by a certaine right in regard of Gods promises made to their forefathers were to haue the first ofter of Gods mercies and in the first place to bee called into the couenant of grace and therefore God in his infinite wisedome and mercie scattereth them amongst all nations that vpon the occasion of their calling hee might call the Gentiles together with them Whereby the infinitnesse of Gods bountie and his vnsearchable Gods mercy in iudgement wisedome appeareth hee executeth his punishments that he may inlarge his mercies hee abaseth his people that he may exalt thē to higher dignitie he diminisheth the number of his Church that hee may the more increase their multitude and like the good husbandman he scattereth his seed the naturall sons of Iacob ouer the face of the whole earth that they may multiplie and returne vnto him with great increase the Gentiles being added vnto them He shutteth them out of the couenant of works that he may receiue them into the couenant of grace and denieth them to be his people and seruants that he may make them his sons and heires In a word he shutteth all both Iewes and Gentiles in vnbeleefe and in the state of condemnation that hee may haue mercie on all and deriue vnto them eternall saluation Rom. 11. 32. And therefore we haue iust occasion to Rom. 11. 32. 33 exclaime with the Apostle vers 33. O the deepenes of the riches both of the
and sincere worshippe and seruice namely the Lord himselfe I will take away So that it is not in the will and purpose nor in the power and policie of man to worke this great alteration and reformation first and principally for man in his owne nature is prone to idolatrie and superstition and when he is once entred into it in stead of returning out of this puddle he is readie being ouer the shooes to plunge himselfe ouer head and eares but it is the Lord himselfe who illuminateth our eyes with the knowledge of his truth and inableth vs to discerne the sottishnes of superstition and the filthines of our spirituall whoredomes and moueth our harts to loath and detest them to embrace his true religion and sincere worship And therfore when as we would haue the house of God clearely purged from all reliques of superstitiō we must not only euery man in his place and calling further as much as in vs lieth this good worke but principally wee are all in generall to ioyne together in prayer vnto God desiring his assistance for the effecting of it for he is the chiefe cause thereof and the greatest Potentates of the earth are in this worke but his instruments and deputies whom he can easilie incline to effect it when so it pleaseth him Prou. 21. 1. Prou. 21. 1. Secondly we may obserue that there cannot too great There cannot too great diligence be vsed in purging the Church from idolatrie precisenesse care and diligence bee vsed in purging the Church from all reliques of idolatrie and superstition and in restoring the puritie of religion and Gods true worship according to the prescript rule of his Word as appeareth in this place where the Lord refuseth to be called by the name of Baal though good in it owne signification because it had been abused to idolatrie and enioyneth his people not so much as to mention the name of an idoll The like places are those before quoted Exod. 23. 13. Deut. 12. 2. 3. Psal 16. 4. 5. to which we may adde Zach. 13. 2. I wil cut off the names Zach. 13. 2. of the Idols out of the land and they shall no more be remembred and Esay 30. 22. Yee shall pollute the couering of the images of Esay 30. 22. siluer and the rich ornament of the images of gold and cast them away as a menstruous cloth and you shall say vnto it get thee hence This rule then is to be obserued of all who reforme the Idolatrie must be rooted out both head and taile Church that they root out idolatrie and superstition both head and taile in substance and ceremonie and not suffer an idolatrous or superstitious name to remaine yea they are not only to remoue things out of the Church which are idolatrous and superstitious in their owne nature but also such indifferent things as being lawfull in themselues are abused to idolatrie because through the corruption of our nature all meanes and occasions to put vs in mind of idolatrie are so many traps to catch vs and so many baites to allure vs to fall into this sin againe So heere the Lord will not haue his people to name Baalims because he would not haue them so much as remembred But lest it might be obiected that these idolatrous names are originally euill wee shall also finde Ier. 23. 36. that the Lord forbiddeth to call his Word Jerem. 23. 36. the burthen of the Lord notwithstanding that it was his owne phrase by the mouth of his Prophets because it was now growne amongst the people into obloquie and contempt And Ezechias is commended for breaking the brasen serpent which was made by Gods appointment because the people abused it to idolatrie 2. King 18. 4. Yea but 2. King 18. 4. Princes and supreme Magistrates must reforme the Church who hath this authoritie to purge the Church from all reliques of idolatrie I answere chiefe Gouernours Princes and supreme Magistrates who are appointed by God to be the nursing fathers of the Church neither may priuate men intermeddle with publike reformation but only the Gouernours of the Church as we may see it confirmed by innumerable presidents in Gods word And they as I said are to root out idolatrie and all reliques thereof for this is a singular dutie belonging vnto them which is so much commended in those godly Magistrates and Kings Moses Dauid Ezechias Iosias and the rest the neglect whereof wee shall find condemned in other Kings though vertuous and religious who restoring Gods true religion yet suffered the groues and high places to remaine But if this dutie be neglected by Magistrates how are priuate Priuate men must not intermeddle with publike reformation men to behaue themselues I answere they must containe their courses within the compasse of their calling and in the first place they must seeke to reforme themselues and those vnder their priuate charge purging preseruing them as from all other sinnes so especially from all manner of idolatrie and superstition and for the publike reformation they are to further it as priuate men by petition the helpe of their friends and best meanes especially they are to commend Gods cause into his owne hands by feruent and continuall praier who is able to bring it to passe by iust and lawfull courses But may they ioyne themselues to such Churches as are Ceremoniall imperfections of the Church must not cause a separation spotted with imperfections I answere there are some corruptions which are substantiall and vndermine the foundation of religion and these may iustly cause a separation but there are others in ceremonies and circumstances onely the substance and parts of religion and Gods worship remaining sound and vnshaken and these are not causes sufficient to make a rent from the Church seeing there was neuer any Church without her wants and imperfections and seeing where the foundation remaineth sure as it doth where the Word is purely and sincerely taught and the Sacraments administred according to Christs institution there we may bee built vp in Christ and attaine vnto eternall saluation And as the people are not for these wants and imperfections to leaue the publike seruice of God so neither as I take it are Gods Ministers to forsake their ministrie without the helpe whereof the people cannot publikely worship God nor be built vp in Christ and edified in their holy faith rather then they will vndergoe some rites and ceremonies though very inconuenient if it cannot be proued that they are in their vse simplie euill and vnlawfull Neither do I thinke any inconuenience so great as the neglect of preaching Christ crucified c. 1. Cor. 9. 16. 1. Cor. 9. 16. The prophane practise of Poets condemned Thirdly whereas God saith that his people shall not so much as name idols vnlesse it be with hatred and detestation here is condemned the prophane practise of our Poets who thinke their poems are not artificiall
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
cause hereof is the corruption of mans nature which is exceedingly addicted to this idolatrie and superstition partly through grosenesse of vnderstanding affecting a palpable deitie and diuine worship which is subject to the senses and partly through pride preferring his owne inuentions and wil-worship before the will of God reuealed in his word The vse hereof is that we doe not onely flee from idolatrie We must flye the first beginnings of idolatrie in the grosest kinde but also that wee shunne the first beginnings thereof for if in the least degree we giue way vnto it we shall from one degree ascend vnto another till we come to the highest partly because we are naturally possessed with a spirit of fornications which carrieth vs headlong into this sin and partly because the Lord will giue vs vp to a reprobate sense and to be deluded with strong delusions if wee doe not imbrace and loue his truth but incline to wil-worship and Idolatry The third thing to be obserued is that our good intentions Good intentions hauing no sound ground no better then wil-worship in Gods seruice which haue no ground in his word are nothing else but wil-worship and superstition The Israelites made choyse to worship in the groues and vnder the greene trees because the shadow thereof was good that is because they thought these pleasant places and delightfull shade in the sweet and open ayre were most fit and conuenient for religious worship but because this their good intention was contrary to Gods word which restrayned publike seruice sacrifices vnto the Temple at Ierusalem their good meaning could not priuiledge them from the just censure of Idolatrie and Superstition So Aaron in a good intention made Exod. 32. 1. 5. a golden calfe Exod. 32. 1. 5. But it was condemned and punished as grose Idolatry Gedeon in a good intention made Iudg. 8. 27. an Ephod of the Midianitish pray but it was an occasion of Idolatry and the ruine of his house and Micahs mother in a good intention made a moulten Image Iudg. 17. 3. and Iudg. 17. 3. Micah himselfe consecrated one of his sonnes to be a priest vnto it Verse 5. and entertained a Leuite for the same purpose with the like good meaning and yet neuerthelesse all this was but grose superstition and Idolatry in Gods sight The vse hereof is that we be not deluded with this conceipt that the Lord will accept of any manner of seruice so it proceed from a good meaning intention for if it haue no warrant out of Gods Word but bee repugnant therevnto vvhatsoeuer our meaning and intention bee it is but vvil-worship superstition and Idolatry in Gods sight And therefore we must not examine what we intend but what God requireth not what we like as most fit and couenient but what is pleasing vnto God And this examination is to be made not according to our owne phantasies and carnall wisdome which as the Apostle saith is emnitie against God but Rom. 8. 7. according to the canon and rule of Gods word which that we may the rather doe let these reasons perswade vs first because the Lord hath straightly forbidden and condemned all manner of vvil-worship and in his seruice hath precisely restrayned vs to his word for our direction Deu. 5. 32. Take Deut. 5. 32. and 12. 8. 32. heed that you doe as the Lord your God hath commanded turne not aside to the right hand nor to the left And 12. 8. Yee shall not doe after all these things that we doe here this day that is euery man what seemeth him good in his owne eyes And Vers 32. Whatsoeuer I command you take heede you doe it thou shalt Num. 15. 39. Prou. 39. 5. 6. Ezech. 20. 18. Col. 2. 20. The causes why the Lord forbiddeth all wil-worship put nothing thereto nor take ought there from So Numb 15. 39 Pro. 30. 5. 6. Ezech. 20. 18. Col. 2. 20. Now the causes why the Lord doth so earnestly forbid all manner of vvil-worship are principally two first it doth exceedingly derogate from his wisedome when as men doe not think his lawes sufficient for their gouernment direction but labour to perfect them by their owne inventions as though they were wiser then God himselfe Now if it be an odious thing to an earthly prince that his subjects should take vpon them to alter or adde or detract from his Lawes or in stead of submitting themselues to be gouerned thereby should make their owne vvill a law though they should make neuer so faire a shew of their good meaning intentions then how odious and abhorninable a thing is it for vs thus to demeane our selues towards God who is infinite in wisedome and the supreame king of heauen and earth Secondly because where wil-worship and humane inventions Wil-worship banisheth the true seruice of God are intertayned there soone after the true worship of God is expelled and banished for such is the aversenesse of mans corrupt nature towards the true worship of God and proannesse vnto humane inventions and superstitions that when they are both together he nourisheth and maketh high esteeme of wil-worship as being the birth of his owne brain and vtterly neglecteth Gods pure and sincere seruice which in his word he hath prescribed as though it were the child of a stranger And this is a notable fruit of pride and selfe loue when as men preferre the wisedome of the flesh before the wisedome of God and their owne inventious before his commandements The which was the sinne of the Scribes and Pharisies who as our Sauiour charged them made the commandements of God of no authority whilest they established their owne traditions Mat. 15. 16. And vvhilest they vvere Mat. 15. 16. and 23. 23. ouer busie in tithing Mint Annis and Commin they were vvholy negligent in the vvaightie matters of Gods Law as Iudgement Mercy and Fidelitie as it is Mat. 23. 23. Secondly it behoueth vs to imbrace Gods pure and sincere Wil-worship is vaine and vnprofitable vvorship prescribed in his vvord and to auoide vvil-vvorship our owne superstitious deuotions because when vve haue spent our time and euen tyred our selues in these things all our labour will bee spent in vaine So the Lord himselfe saith Mat. 15. 9. In vaine they worship mee teaching Mat 15. 9. for doctrines mens precepts And the Apostle saith that humain inventions and traditions as touch not taste not handle not doe perish in the vsing Col. 2. 22. For if we would haue Col. 2. 22. any wages for our labour vve must doe the Lords vvorke vvhich himselfe hath commaunded otherwise hee vvill demaund of vs as hee did of the Israelits Esay 1 12. Who hath Esay 1. 12. required these things at your hands And vvill say vnto vs as he did to the Priests and people of Israell Zach. 7. 5. When yee Zach. 7. 5. fasted and mourned did ye fast vnto me