Which puts me in mind of a saying among the Jewes The doore that is not opened to the poore shall be opened to the Physicians Vnfruitfullnesse God punisheth men for it 1 With leaving them to the wide world What could I have done more to my vinyard that I have not done in it wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes and now goe to I will tell you what I will doe to my vinyard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and break downe the wall thereof and it shall be trodden downe Isa 5. 4 5. 2 Taking away the means of making them fruitfull It shall not be pruned nor digged but there shall come up briars and thornes I will also command the cloudes that they raine no raine upon it ib. v. 6. 3 Taking away the power and meanes of being fruitfull gifts and talents Take therefore the talent from him and give it unto him that hath ten talents Mat. 25. 28. So that for unfruitfullnesse the sinne they have unfruitfullnesse the punishment When he saw a fig-tree in the way he came to it and found nothing thereon but leaves only and said unto it let no fruit grow on thee hence forward for ever and presently the figtree withered away Mat. 21 19. 4 Cutting downe as trees that have left bearing It was John the Baptist's doctrine every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Mat. 3. 10. And it was our Saviours too in in the same wordes chap. 7. 19. Luk 13. 7. He that had hid his talent in the ground had his doome to be cast into outer darknesse Mat. 25. 30. Vnthankfull sinning I meane sinning against more then ordinary mercy For otherwise all sinning hath Vnthankefulnes in it It hath been threatned 1 With God's anger although the party were one that God loved exceeding well Hezekiah rendred not againe according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem 2 Chr 32. 25. 2 God 's not pardoning them or forbearing to punish them How shall I pardon thee for this Thy children have forâ—aken me sworne by them that are no Gods When I had fed them to the full they then committed adultery and assembled themselves by troupes in the harlots houses Jer 5. 7. 3 God's punishing them severely You only have I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Am. 3. 2. How tenderly does God take it to have hatred thus returned him for his good will even as a father does to be hated by his children whom he hath not onely begotten but bred up with a great deale of love and paines and care One may plainly see it in the manner of his expressions Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindfull and hast forgotten God that formed thee And when the Lord saw it he abhorred them because of the provoking of his sons of his daughters Deu 32. 18 19. Because of the provoking of his sons and his daughters If they had been strangers their Provoking had not been so odious nor their Sins so provoking Deu 32. 18 19. Heare O heavens and give eare O earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Isa 1. 2 3. Heare O Heavens As if creatures onely naturall would be sensible of such an unnaturall thing viz for children to forget him that nourished and fed them In that place of Deuteron last quoted where we translate formed the Sept. translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that nourished thee So in Hos 11. 3. in the Latine translation the words are I as Ephraim's nursing father bare them in my armes And indeed these expressions viz of nourishing and a nursing father doe aggravate ingratitude much more then making or begetting or being a father For many fathers doe hate their children and many cause them to be made away as soone as they are borne Being a father is not so much a matter of love At least there is no love in so being but only from unlesse it be by adoption so as God is a father in Jesus Christ For they to whom he is so may well say Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God 1 Joh 3. 1. He did not love us as fathers love their naturall children which is usually by force of nature so that they cannot help it But he bestowed his love upon us freely To have been indeed the sons of God had not been matter of love but being not the sons of God but the children if wrath yet to be called the sons of God here was love It may be seen likewise viz how tenderly God takes sinning against his love in another comparison which God often useth viz of a wife forsaking her husband Among other places I refer you especially to Ezek. 16. 32. For in that Chapt. the Prophet seems to have made it his businesse to set forth the greatnesse of the peoples ingratitude recounting first Gods mercies from vers 4. to 14. and after that their sins notwithstanding those mercies See the complaint concerning Ephraim Hos 7. 13. 15. and the threat pronounced against them vers 16 See also Ch. 11. 3. 4 Deniall of mercy under punishment which is a very sad thing When the Israelites cried ro the Lord for help being invaded by the Ammonites his answer was this Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites from the children of Ammon and from the Philistines The Zidonians also and the Amalekites and the Maonites did oppresse you and yee cryed unto mee and I delivered you out of their hand Yet yee have forsaken mee and served other Gods wherefore I will deliver you no more Judg 10 11 12 13. It hath been punished and threatned 1 With many sorts of judgements Such as the Jewes at severall times met with before theiâ— captivity The Levites in their confession at the time of the fast after the peoples returne to Jerusalem relating the manner of God's dealing with their ancestors by mercies and punishments and their behaviour towards him still made the cause of their punishments to be their sinnes after the receit of mercies as you may see in Nehemiah c. 9. Not once nor twice nor twenty times in the Old Testament when there is either an exhortation to the Jewes to remember or a reproofe for forgetting the Lord their God their deliverance out of the land of Egypt is presently mentioned in these words Which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt See 2 King 17. 6 7. Deut. 13. 5 10. c. The mention of this mercy alone God knew
shall eat Yee shall not eat one day nor two dayes nor five dayes neither ten dayes neither twenty dayes But even a whole month till it come out at your nostrils and it be loathsome unto you because that he have despised the Lord which is among you and have wept before him saying why came we forth out of Egypt Num 11 18. 19 20. Because yee have despised the Lord which is among you c. as if he had said because yee have so undervalued me and my being among you chusing even to goe back againe into Egypt so you may eat flesh rather then goe along with me into Canaan without it Impatience under the want of temporall blessings God takes as a dâ—spising or thinking slight of him as if he were not a sufficient portion without them So distrusting of Gods providence at such a time is a polluting of his name making it common and vile as if hee were no more to be trusted then a creature and therefore those that believe him are said to sanctify him in the eyes of others Num 20 12. The Chald par at those words above cited sayes because the word of the Lord was loathsome to you or because you were weary of it to intimate the neere resemblance of their punishment to their sinne as if because they had loathed or were weary of the word of God or rather the Manna which he sent theÌ„ v. 6. they should be brought to loath even that which they so earnestly desired as it is said and as the Chaldee also renders as if he thought it to be thus meant till it be loathsome to you 2. Death and that first by fire from God as in the Israelites for complaining as 't is thought of their toylesome travelling And when the people complained it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it and his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed in the uttermost parts of the Campe Num 11 1. Secondly by a fearefull judgement not specified for the murmuring formerly spoken of And while the flesh was yet in their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague vers 33. I know some * interpret this plague to be the fire spoken of vers 1. and the murmuring to have beene the same and the rather because of what is said Ps 78. 20. 21. But why then is it said The children of Israel wept againe v. 4. And why should the same place be called Taberah in the beginning of the chapter and Kibroth Hattaavah before you come to the end Mark how earnest hasty God was to punish this sinne He had promised they should eat flesh for a moneth v. 20. and therefore to be as good as his word would not doe it sooner but let them have a full moneth of daies as it is in the Hebrew v. 20. but as soone as ever the moneth was out he did it presently so that though they tooke the meat into their mouthes they had no time to chew it While the flesh was yet in their teeth the fire of the Lord was kindled c. Thirdly by fiery serpents for tempting God as the Apostle's expression is 1 Cor. 10 9. to send other bread and not being contented with but loathing the Manna which he provided for them And the people spake against God against Moses Wherefore have yee brought us up out of the land of Egypt to die in the wildernesse for there is no bread neither is there any water and our soule loatheth this light bread And the Lord sent fiery serpents and they bit the people and much people dyed Num. 21. 5 6. Lastly by Severall wayes for murmuring at the journey into Canaan upon the report of the cowardly spies who were themselves stricken with sudden death Num. 14. 37. For because of this sin their entrance into Canaan was prorogued for 40 yeares during that time they wandered up down in the wildernesse so long till all that were numbred at the time of the murmuring and were above 20. yeares old were dead according to the threat v. 29. 30 All that were numbred of you according to your whole number from 20 yeares old and upward which have murmured against mee Doubtlesse ye shall not come into the land concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein In the New Testament you shall find it threatened 1 With Not being owned by Christ Whosoever doth not beare his crosse come after mee cannot be my disciple Luk. 14. 27. 2 Not having a crowne or reward for not striving Lawfully And if a man strive for masteries he is not crowned except he strive lawfully 2 Tim. 2. 5. The Apostle had before exhorted Timothy to patience v. 3. Strive lawfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unlesse he fight a good fight 1 Tim. 6. 12. unlesse he strive justum legitimum certamen doing every thing as he should You may pati suffer yet you may not be patiens patient in persecution You must be sure that you suffer justly as well as suffer unjustly as you must suffer well and take it patiently or else your suffering for doing well will not be acceptable to God 1 Pet. 2. 20. In James we have impatience threaten'd with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemnation though it be but Impatience of what we suffer from men though it be never so wrongfully What is there then for impatience under what we suffer from God who alwayes punisheth us lesse then we deserve Grudge not one against another lest yee be condemned Jam. 5. 9. Not only if ye wrong first but if you returne wrong for wrong you may be condemned in the opinion of all good men who would else justifie you and commend you The law gives an action against him that strikes again as well as against him that struck first And here in this place even for grudging we have a Judge ready to punish Behold the Judge standeth at the doore The word in the Originall for grudge not is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that it is meant of impatience may be gathered by the verses immediately before and after Be yee also patient stablish your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth nigh vers 8. Take my brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience vers 10. Impenitence is threatened in generall termes 1 With Certaine punishment for God will whet his sword so that it shall be sure to cut If he turne not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready Ps 7. 12. 2 With Severe punishment where there hath been extraordinary meanes used to reclaime Then began he to upbraid the Cities wherein most of his mighty workes weere done because they repented not Woe unto
comes to them from themselves But yet in a more speciall manner doth God delight to make the devices and coâ—ncels of those that proudly presume confidently use their wisedome and strength against him his to prove destructive to themselves scattering them even by the imagination of their owne hearts Luk. 1. 51. Me thinkes I heare him speaking to such as he did once to the Assyrians Yee shall conceive chaffe yee shall bring forth stuble your own breath as fire shall devoure you Isa 33. 11. Prayer not heard For these causes among many other viz. 1 Not-hearing God He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abomination Prov. 28. 9. See ch 1. 24. vers 28. 2 Not-hearing the Poore Who so stoppeth his eares at the cry of the poore he also shall cry himselfe and shall not be heard Prov. 21. 13. 3 Apostacy from the true worship of God to Idolatry They are turned backe to the iniquities of their forefathers which refused to heare my words and they went after other Gods to serve them c. Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I will bring evill upon them which they shall not be able to escape and though they shall cry unto mee I will not hearken unto them Jer. 11. 10 11. See Ezek. 20. 31. ch 8. 17. 18. 4 Contempt of the worship of God and worshipping him negligeÌ„tly Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar and yee say wherein have we polluted thee In that yee say the table of the Lord is contemptible And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evill c. I have no pleasure in you saith the Lord of hoasts neither will I accept an offering at your hand Mal. 1. 7 8 10. 5 Blood guiltinesse and injustice in judgement When yee spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many prayers I will not heare your hands are full of blood Isay 1. 15. See c. 59. 2. 6 Oppression Who eat the flesh of my people c. Then shall they cry unto the Lord but he will not heare Mic 3. 3 4. 7 Hypocrisie Will hee heare his cry when trouble commeth upon him Job 27. 9. 8 Sinning with delight and without remorse They have loved to wander they have not refrained their feet therefore the Lord doth not accept them c. Jer 14. 10. It followes v 11. Then the Lord said unto me pray not for this people and vers 12. When they fast I will not heare their cry c. God heareth not sinners that sin in such a manner Joh 9 31. 9 Resolving to continue in sin when we pray If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare me Ps 66. 18. 10 Intending to make ill use of what wee pray for Yee aske and receive not because yee aske amisse that yee may consume it upon your lusts Jam 4. 3. 11 Having sinfully occasioned those evills from which we pray to be delivered And ye shall cry out in that day because of your King which you shall have chosen you and the Lord will not heare you in that day They are the words of Samuel to the Israelites when they desired a King 1 Sam 8. 18. You may see an experience of Gods refusing to heare prayer for this reason likewise in those Israelites who fighting with the Amorites against the command of God being overthrowne in the words of Moses returned wept before the Lord but the Lord would not hearken unto them Deut 1. 45. 12 Doubting in prayer But let him aske in faith nothing wavering for hee that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea driven with the wind and tossed For let not that man thinke that hee shall receive any thing of the Lord. Jam 1. 6 7. Praying amisse punished 1 With Not-obtaining the request Ye aske and have not because yee aske amisse that yee may consume it upon your lusts James 4. 3. which is a notable argument of the greatnesse of Gods love and that which wee have experience of oftner then we take notice It is more love to deny us a Scorpion when we aske for a Scorpion then not to give us a Scorpion when wee aske for a fish as it is a greater signe of love to doe good when there is greater excuse for doing hurt then where there is lesse 2 Obtaining with Anger God tells Israel I gave thee a King in mine anger and tooke him away in my wrath Hos 13. 11. 3 Obtaining with a vengeance as we say He gave them their request but sent leannesse into their soule Psalm 106. 15. the Septuagint translate for leannesse fulnesse or saciety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether they by fulnes meant fulnesse to loathing spoken of Num 11. 20. and so made it a cause of leannesse And so whether we by leannes be to be understood of an atrophy usually occasioned by too full feeding Againe whether they read the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insteed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or whether they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word that is in Numbers and whether this place and that in Numbers in ch 11. 20 be to be understood of a different punishment at a different time I cannot determine But only thus much I can determine from these words viz that the Israelites lusting sinfully after flesh when they should have been contented with what God had else provided for them had their desire in that indeed but were met with another way And perhaps all that the Prophet meant by calling it leannes was onely to allude to their fulnesse with flesh which they so eagerly desired and obtained and to shew that for a litle good they had a great deale of bad of what kinde soever the punishment were Not-Praying punished With Temptation For thus Jesus Christ told his Disciples when he found them asleep Arise or according to Marke Watch and pray lest you enter into tentation Luk. 22. 46. Lest So we translate the Greeke words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which yet may be rendered THAT yee may not enter As if because Christs enemies then were so eager in persecution he would have his Disciples to pray to God for his according as he had taught them to pray before Mat. 6. 9. that they might not be tented to forsake him through feare This is certaine for I have had experience of it to my great griefe not only if a man doe not forbear to pray now then but if he forbeare to pray often he will presently lye open to the assault of all manner of tentations Besides he will be in danger of utter falling away from goodnesse and not without abundance of difficulty bâ— brought to renew his wonted course of praying againe And here I had once concluded this Chapter but since I though good to adde two or three words in favour of the aforesaid interpretation to the end that
Delight in sinne See Sinne. Desertion Despising Discord Threats of Discord among all sorts Discord among the wicked as a punishment and for the good of the godly Threats to Discord or to those that cause and maintaine it Discouraging of men in holy exercises Distrust Divination Not Doing what we heare Doubting in prayer Drunkennesse Duties of Religion Such as performe them with resolution to retaine their sinnes E Enemies of God's children Envy Escape of Malefactours suffered Evill Calling it good Rendring it for good Extortion F False Prophets Threats to false Prophets Threats of false Prophets Threats or Prophecies of being seduced by false Prophets or false teachers Feare threatened and inflicted upon the wicked Feare of men and fearefullnesse out of distrust of God's goodnesse Flatterers with God with themselves with other men Forgiving one another Frowardnesse G Giving to the rich Glory given or taken to a man's selfe Gluttony God speaking ungodly for him Gospell opposed Governours Such as reject them Such as doe contrary to their sentence Such as did not serve them although heathen Such as perswade men to revolt from them Such as doe not endevour to preserve their lives Threatning punishing with unfit Governours With wicked Governours Threatening and punishing of wicked Governours Grace refused H Hardning of the Heart Hardnesse of heart Hastinesse See Rashnesse Hatred Hearing the word See Word Not helping the godly Helping the wicked Heresy See False teachers Hinderers of the good workes of others Hinderers of the conversion of others Hire detain'd Holynesse Not being humbled under judge ments I Idlenesse Idolatry Ignorance or Blindnesse threatened and inflicted Ignorance threatned punished Impatience and murmuring Impenitence Impudence threatened and punished Incorrigiblenesse under punishments I Incest Injurious dealing Injustice Insensiblenesse under punishments Instruments of punishing punished Intemperance Iudging of others Iudgement day putting it farre away K. Kings and governers threatned and punished L Law-Righteousnesse Leaving of men by God Libertinisme Love of life more then Christ Lovers of the World Lukewarmnesse Lying M Marriage with Idolatars Meanes of grace continued in Anger Means of grace not profited by Men pleasers Mercies Not bettered by See Unthankfulnesse Security and Prosperity Ministers their Duty Such as are scandalous such as teach false doctrin Such as are covetous daubers and menpleasers Such as are idle and neglect their duty Such as ordaine them Ministers their due Persecuters of them Such as Mock them Such as Despise or slight them Such as Believe them not Such as will not suffer them to reap their carnall things Such as doe not stand by them in persecution Ministery Such as intrude upon the worke thereof Bad Ministers threatned for a punishment Mirth i. e. worldly mirth Mockers of the godly Mockers at those that denounce Gods judgements Mockers at those that suffer them O Oaths not kept or taken falsely Old men their Duty Their Due Opportunities of grace neglected Oppressours of the poore of the fatherlesse widowes strangers and servants P Parents their Duty Their Due Such as curse them Such as mock them Such as slight them Such as are disobedient to them and incorrigible Such as doe not honour them Peace-breaking See Discord Persecution threatned and punished Pity not shewed Pledges kept Polititians see also VVisedome Prayer not heard Praying amisse Not-praying Preaching of the word threatned to be removed Such as hinder it Preparation neglected Presumptuous sinnes See in Sin Presumption of perseverance Pride see Proud men Professours in hypocrisie see also Hypocrites and Religion onely in shew Prosperity abused see also Vnthankfull sinning Punishments Such as are 〈◊〉 bettered by them see also Incorrigiblenesse R Rashnesse Reconciliation Regeneration Rejoycing at other mens miseries Relapsing see also Apostacy Religion and Religious Actions used for a cloak Religion only in shew Repenting late Reported well of by all Reproaching Reproof not given Not taken Revenging Riches wrongfully gotten Trusted in Loved too much Rich and wicked S. Sabbath breaking Sacriledge Scandalizing and Being Scandalized Scorning Scriptures not knowne VVrested Scrupling at Gnats and swallowing Camels Security as to Enemies as to Evill Seducers and Seduced Selfe conceited men Selfe-destruction â—elfe-Feare â—elling deceitfullly â—in in generall as sin threatned â—inning deliberatly and with delight With a high hand Against knowledge Enticing or causing others to sinne Gods leaving of men to sin Slanderers or False aecusers T Talebearers Talkativenesse Temple of God Tempting of God Thieves Thoughts of wickednesse Treacherous dealings Trusting in the arme of flesh Not-trusting in and distrusting of God V Unbeliefe as to promises As to the Gospell Uncharitablehesse to men in want Unfruitfulnesse Unthankfull sinning Voluptuousnesse W Warre VVatchfull VVeary in well doing VVhoremongers VVickednesse in Generall more notable texts against it VVill worship VVisedome neglected VVisedome i.e. carnall wisedome punished see also in Polititians VVord of God not obeyed Not believed Not heard VVords idly spoken Works of our own neglected VVorks of God not regarded VVorld loved VVorship of God neglected FINIS SEVERALL THREATS AND PUNISMENTS for severall Sinnes Adultery WHen the Punishments and Threats for this sinne are mentioned the Scriptures speake either in generall and then the punishment is aggravated first with certainty Whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent Prov. 6. 29. or rather unpunished according to the use of the Hebrew word Jer. 25. 29. and elsewhere for he is not innocent already secondly with severity for God telling the Jewes how severely he would deale with them sayes I will judge thee as women that breake wedlocke and shed blood are judged Ezek. 38. 16. Or else speaks in particular and then the punishments mentioned are first death both of the adulterer and of the adulteresse by the law of God This Law was expressed in generall termes against married women If a man be found lying by a woman married to an husband then they shall both of them die Deu. 22. 22. the Rabbines indeed say it is to be interpreted of strangling and so they say of every other law for putting the offender to death where no mention is made by what kind of death that it is to be meant of strangling which was the easiest kind of death in use among them because say they where the law for punishments doth not determine we ought to give the most favourable exposition which however is not so if the verse of Ezekiel but now quoted be to be interpreted by the next save one for then it might be as well stoning and running through with swords oâ— javelins which manner of punishment iâ— there expressed viz. vers 40. and with the latter whereof Zimri and Cozhi werâ— punished by Phineas Num. 25. 6. But againsâ— women who were but betrothd it was specified by stoning If a Damosell that is virgin be betrothed unto an husband and a man find her in the city and lie with her Then yee shall bring them both out unto the gate of the city and yee shall stone them with
stones that they die Deut. 22 23 24. and by burning with fire If she were a Priests daughter And the daughter of a Priest if shee profane herselfe by playing the whore shee profaneth her father she shall be burnt with fire Levit. 21 19. There is one who herein a Paraâ—phrast if in nothing else expoundeth it of hot Lead powred into her mouth which indeed was practis'd in after times In imitation of Gods manner of punishing by fire which they say was by burning the parts within and not hurting the outer part of the body as in that example of Nadab and Abihu and others The punishment of Adultery by death had been executed by God before this Law was made if the sin had been committed as it seemes by what he said he would doe to Abimelech If thou restore her not knowe that thou shalt surely die thou and all that are thine Gen. 20. 7. Speaking of Sarah And by what he did to Pharaoh whose house he punisht with great plagues for detaining her in his house though as it is probable he knew her not and though he knew not that she was Abraham's wife Gen. 12. 17. It seems those people hated Adultery more then Murder For it is said that Abraham gave out that Sarah was his sister lest otherwise they should have killed him that so they might have the better liberty to enjoy her without adultery It was executed upon the Shechemites when Simeon and Levi put all their male to the sword for Shechems lying with their sister Dinah Gen. 34. And it was executed upon the Benjamites of Gibeah for abusing the Levite's Concubine when he lodged there for the Israelites slew of the Benjamites five and twenty thousand and burnt the citty Judg. cap. 8. cap. 9. Judah being told that his daughter Tamar had plaid the harlot gave sentence to have her burnt before hee knew that it was with himselfe Gen. 38. 24. See the punishment of Zedekiah aud Ahab for this and other sins Jer. 29 22. 23. It has been executed upon the child begotten in adultery as upon the child begotten by David upon the wife of Vriah Because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die 2. Sam. 12. 14. Disgrace and Infamy is the least evill that befalls such children In Job cap. 31. 10. where he sayes Let my wife grind unto another man and let others bow downe upon her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Septuagint render the last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let my children be abased It hath beene observed that the posterity of Adulterers are usually short-lived see Wisd cap. 3. 16. If those that commit adultery escape death à thousand to one that they escape these ensuing punishments viz. 2. Retaliation or being done to as they have done to others thus David was punished Thus saith the Lord behold I will raise up evill against thee out of thine own house and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy neighbour And he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of the sun 2 Sam 12. 11. this threat was fulfilled by one that was his neighbour with a witnesse for his owne sonne Absolom lay with his concubines upon the top of the house in the sight of all Israel cap. 16. 22. Job even in the chapter of his justification acknowledges it had bin justice for him if he had been guilty of adultery to be thus dealt withall c. 31. 9 10. Let my wife grind c. 3. Continuall feare They know not the light for the morning is to them even as the shadow of death if one know them they are in the terrours of the shadow of death He is swift as the waters Their portion is cursed in the earth he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards Job 24. 17 18. He alwaies goes swiftly for fear of being overtaken and he never goes in usuall wayes for feare of being seen 4. Disgrace A wound and dishonour shall he get and his reproach shall not be wiped away Prov. 6. 33. 5. Wasting of the body It was Lemuels advise Give not thy strength to women nor thy wayes to that which destroyeth Kings Prov. 31. 3. In Job cap. 31. 12 that which we render a fire that burneth to destruction the Septuagint render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fire that burnes in all the members The women under the law found experience of this punishment if they had been guilty of the sinne and had drunke of the bitter water It was given for triall in case of jealousie at the drinking therof the priest pronounced this curse The Lord make thee a curse and an oath amongst thy people when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rott and thy belly to swell Num. 5. 31. Galvin sayes by the thigh in this place is meant the power of child-bearing because oâ— the contrary it is said if she were not guilty she should conceive seed vers 28. 50. Pareus upon Rev. cap. 19. 16. where it is said hee had on his thigh this name written King of Kings saies hereby is shewed that Christs name should be propagated by a long posterity Both cursing others unlawfully being cursed lawfully as by excoÌ„munication the Jews thought it had great effects upon mens bodies See the chapter of cursing the Cabbalists observe upon the word Cherem a curse that the letters therof being one way transposed make it Rachem mercy because if hee that is cursed do repent it proves a mercy to him but being plac'd another way they make the word Ramach a dart the letters of which word will stand for 248. which they say is the number of members in a mans body because say they if he doe not repent the dart or the curse pierced thorow all his members thorow all his members say they and I may adde especially thorow his Liver by consumptions c. for so the Jewes expound that place in the Proverbs c. 7. 23. he goes after her straightway till a dart strike thorow his liver saying that lust is chiefly lodged in the liver and that it is Gods usuall manner in punishing offenders to make them suffer most in those parts wherewith they have committed most sinne 6. Wasting of the estate It is a fire that consumeth to destruction and would roote out all mine encrease Job 31. 12. See Whoredome 7. Hell But he knoweth not that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depth of hell Prov. 9. 18. Be not deceived neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor adulterers c. shall enter into the kingdome of heaven â— Cor. 6. 9 10. See the threat against 〈◊〉 if it be not meant of spirituall adultery Rev. 2. 22. and Heb. 13 3. Tertullian in his booke de pudicitia sayes that those Churches which admitted into Communion those who had fallen after baptisme notwithstanding