in the end their patient abiding shall be gladnesse as it is Pro. 10. 28. Pro. 10. 28. The second thing to be obserued is that the Lord will not presently be reconciled with his people and shew vnto God trieth our Repentance by afflictions before he restoreth vs to fauour them the wonted signes of his fauour till he hath taken tryall of their repentance by manifold afflictions and this he doth not so much to approue their vnfayned repentance to himselfe for hee searcheth the heart and raignes and therefore needeth not these outward signes but first that by these signes their owne faith may be assured that they are truely conuerted seeing they endure the tryall with patience because they haue sinned Secondly that he may shew his detestation of sinne in that he will not easily be reconciled euen with those whom hee dearely loueth when they haue grieuously offended Thirdly that by these corrections he may make them carefull for the time to come that they doe not againe by their sinnes prouoke his displeasure for hee that with a wounded conscience and broken spirit hath long sought and sued for mercie and hath spent many a bitter sigh and grieuous grone before hee could attaine vnto the assurance of gods fauour hauing obtained it will not easily be allured againe by his sinnes to hazard and loose it Fourthly that hereby he may glorifie his name by approuing his iustice and righteous iudgements euen to those that are with out when as they see that he will not winke at sinne no not in his dearest children who otherwise would take occasion vpon their sinne and impunitie to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12. 14. 2 Sam. 12. 14. Lastly that hee may hereby teach the wicked what they are to expect for if the Lord so correcteth those sinnes in his children which of infirmitie they haue committed how will hee punish the sinnes of wicked men which they commit with full consent of will If he be displeased with the faithfull and will not presently assure them of his fauour after they haue repented then what can they looke for that continue in their sinnes without repentance but that he will poure vpon them the full viols of his wrath If he so seuerely chastiseth sinne in his sonnes and friends how grieuously will he punish it in slaues and enimies examples hereof we haue in Adam Dauid Ezechias the people of Israell and Christ himselfe The vse hereof is that we carefully take heede that wee doe not wound our Consciences by committing against our knowledge grieuous sinnes seeing we are assured if wee belong vnto God that hee will sharply chastise vs for it and will not suffer the beames of his loue comfortably to shine vpon vs till wee haue approued our repentance by many tryals and haue indured much more griefe and sorrow through our crosses and the restraint of his loue then our pleasure and delight was in the committing of our sinnes and therefore let vs not to please the flesh wound the spirit nor purchase a dram of carnall delight with a pound of sorrow Secondly this may serue to comfort and refresh vs when as we are ready to sincke vnder the waight of sinne and heauie burthen of affliction and in regard hereof are readie to conclude that we are cast out of Gods fauour for then wee are to remember that the Lord oftentimes restrayneth the signes of his fauour and continueth the afflictions of those whom notwithstanding he dearely loueth for the causes aboue said c. Thirdly whereas the Lord saith that shee shall stay for God afflicteth vs for sin that we may learne to hate it him in her afflicted estate and shall not play the harlot c. hence we learne that the reason why the Lord continueth to restraine his fauour and to afflict his people is not because he hateth them but that hereby they may bee moued more seriously to repent and to flye from their sinnes with greater detestation when they see these miserable effects that follow them If our heauenly father when wee grieuously offend should cocker vs and shew no signe of his displeasure or being somewhat offended should presently be reconciled vs we finding no bitternesse neyther of Gods anger nor of affliction which might cause vs to distast the sweet pleasures of sin would neuer soundly and seriously repent of them but when we apprehend his heauie displeasure and cannot with much entreaty be assured of reconciliation when wee feele the smart of sharp afflictions and can by no meanes find ease then we call our sinnes to remembrance and are grieued at the heart that we haue committed them then we hate and detest them as being the fountaine from which doe flow these waters of bitternes and then we resolue with our selues that if our heauenly father will but this once forgiue and be reconciled vnto vs if he will but cause the wonted beames of his fauour to shine vpon vs and ease vs of the heauie burthen of our afflictions we will neuer againe be perswaded so by our sins to prouoke his displeasure though all the profit pleasures and preferment of the world were offred vnto vs. The vse which we are to make hereof is that when the Lord doth exercise vs with afflictions we exercise our selues in repentance and make the day of tribulation the day of humiliation for this is the maine end why the Lord afflicteth vs which when he hath attained hee will put an end to our afflictions and therefore the way to ease our selues of the burthen of punishment is to cast away the burthen of our transgressions the best meanes to lighten our soules with sauing comfort is to loade them with bitter sorrow for sinne if we would haue God well pleased with vs we must be displeased with our selues and if euer we meane to come vnto the pallace of ioy wee must trauaile vnto it by the path of mourning For blessed are they that mourne for they shall bee Mat. 5. 4. Luke 6. 21. comforted Blessed are they that weepe for they shall laugh Fourthly whereas the Lord saith Thou shalt not play the God onely restraineth vs frō running headlong into sinne Harlot not so much by way of prohibition teaching them what he would not haue them doe as by actuall restraint shewing what he would cause and inable them to refraine notwithstanding their pronenesse thereunto through their naturall corruption hence we learne what is the chiefe cause whereby we are with-held from running headlong into all manner of sinne namely Gods powerfull word which as it saith Thou shalt not sinne so it enableth vs through the secret operation of his spirit to yeeld obedience For in our owne naturall disposition we are ready to draw sinne vnto vs as with Cart-ropes and to drincke iniquitie like water Esay 5. 18. our thoughts are onely euill and that continually Gen. 6. 5 Gen. 6. 5. We are not able so much as to will that which is
for not entertaining him not for stripping the clothed but for not clothing the naked not for hurting and iniuring the sicke and prisoner but for not visiting and comforting them Verse 41. 42. c. The reason hereof is because we being the Lords seruants it is not sufficient Mat. 41. 42. that we doe not serue Gods enimies or that we spend our time in idlenesse and serue no body but wee must doe faithfull seruice to him our Lord and Maister for which end he hath created and redeemed vs and spend our liues not onely in abstayning from euill but also in doing of good Moreouer vertue and vice being extreames without meane hereof it followeth that the absence of the one in a subject capable of it argueth the presence of the other so that if we be destitute of vertue we are replenished with vice If our houses be cleane swept and empty of Gods graces they become forthwith fit habitations for vncleane spirits if we be Mat. 12. 44. not indued with knowledge we are blinded with ignorance if we be destitute of faith we are full fraught with infidelitie if we cease to doe good immediately we beginne to doe euill And therefore our sinnes of omission being alwayes accompanied with sinnes of commission are sufficient matter of inditement for our iust condemnation whensoeuer the Lord shall summon vs to appeare before him The vse hereof is that wee doe not with simple ideots That we must not blesse our selues in our harmlesnes blesse our selues because we are harmelesse and doe no man wrong and because we abstaine from such grosse impieties as we see others commit for the Lord requireth that we not onely refraine from euill but also that we doe good so that it is not sufficient that we doe not scorne Gods worship if we doe not also religiously serue him nor to abstaine from biaspheming Gods name if we doe not also glorifie it nor to forbeare doing wrong to our neighbour vnlesse also wee be ready to performe the duties of justice charitie and christianitie towards them Secondly out of the order which the Prophet vseth in The duties of Iustice the true Touchstone of the duties of Pietie reprehending the peoples sinnes vve may obserue that hee first conuinceth them of their sinnes against their neighbors and then of their sinnes commited against God and this methode is vsuall in the Scriptures which the holy Ghost obserueth first that he may beate downe the pride and vaine boasting of hypocrites who are ready to brag of their knowledge faith loue of God and other hidden graces though they be destitute of the loue of their brethren and barren of good workes And therefore he bringeth such as these who make a golden shew of spirituall and inward graces in respect of God to the true touchstone of outward obedience and the externall works of charitie and mercy towards their brethren to the end that if they will not abide this tryall it may appeare that though they make neuer so glittering a shew of spirituall and hidden graces yet they are nothing but drosse and Copper guilt And this is the Touchstone which Christ giueth vs to discerne a Hypocrite from a sound professor namely by their fruits Mat. 7. 16. By their fruites ye shall know them And the Apostle Iames. Chap. 2. 18. Shew me thy faith by thy works The Apostle Iohn likewise 1. Ioh. 4. 20. If any man say I loue God and hate his brother hee is a lyar c. And Chap. 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Verse 9. So our Prophet knowing how ready the hypocrites of his time were to brag of their Religion towards God doth conuince them of the want hereof by laying open their injuries and cruelties towards their neighbours Secondly this is done for the behoofe and benefit of Gods children who by reason of their naturall blindnesse and selfe loue cannot easily spye out their secret and hidden corruptions but contrariwise are ready to flatter themselues with an opinion of a great measure of their spirituall graces these also are to examine themselues by this touch-stone for their loue of God is not much if their loue of their neighbour be but a little their faith is not strong if their obedience be but weake their knowledge is not great if their practise be but small and their Religion is rootelesse if it bee but fruitlesse Thirdly whereas he includeth the breach of the first table The true know ledge of God the fountaine of all sound Obedience and all manner of impietie against God vnder this one particular that there was no knowledge of God in the land hence we gather that as true knowledge of God is the fountaine of all true obedience so contrariwise ignorance is the cause of all neglect of Religion of all impietie and wickednesse And this may further appeare both by reason and Ignorance the root of all sin also by manifold examples By reason for they that know neyther God nor his will they are ignoraunt of that which pleaseth him and displeaseth him and therefore though they had some good intention to serue God yet they must needs displease him through ignorance and errour Againe whosoeuer sinneth he also erreth according to that Prou. 14. 22. Prou. 14. 22. Doe they not erre that imagine euill and those that erre doe erre eyther through ignorance or wilfull maliciousnesse Thirdly for this cause sinners are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such as are ignorant and through ignorance are deceiued And sinnes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Ignorances Heb. 5. 2. and 9. 7. Heb 5. 2. 9. 7 So also this appeareth by examples For this was the cause of Adams transgression because hee knew not Gods truth both in his promises and threatnings Gen. 3. Of the sinne of Gen. 3. the Israelites for the Lord himselfe rendreth this reason why his people erred because they had not knowne his wayes Psal 95. 10. This made the Iewes to erre because they knew not Psal 95. 10. the Scriptures Mat. 22. 29. This caused them to crucifie the Lord of life Act. 3. 17. And to become proud iusticiaries testing Act. 3. 17. in their owne righteousnesse because they knew not the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 3. This was the cause of the Rom. 10. 3. Gentiles Idolatry Gal. 4. 8. But when yee knew not God yee Gal. 4. 8. did seruice to them which by nature were not Gods And of Pauls persecuting Gods Saints 1 Tim. 1. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 13. And as this Ignorance is the cause of all vice and sinne Ignorance turneth good inclinations into sinne so it maketh all our inclinations which are good and vertuous being guided with the light of knowledge to degenerate and become euill for example Religion joyned with ignorance bringeth forth Idolatry deuotion joyned with
ceremonies as Idolatrous worship the Lord condemneth it as a great sin not onely when men serue him with a false and Idolatrous worship but also when the manner Ceremonies and circumstances are repugnant vnto his word So the Israelites are here accused and condemned not onely for their wil-worship and superstition in the seruice of God it selfe but also because they failed in respect of the place for whereas God had straightly charged them that they should publikely worship him by sacrifices and oblations in his Tabernacle and Temple onely they contrariwise erected Alters and offred sacrifices vpon the hils and mountaines So Nadab and Abihu were presently Leu. 10. consumed with fire which came out from God because they offred strange fire though they worshipped the true God and that in other respects with such seruice as hee required Thus Saul was rejected and Vzziah was smitten with 2 Chro. 26. 18. 19. the Leprosie because they vsurped the Priests office The reason whereof is this because the Lord is author of that commandement which concerneth the circumstance as well as of that which concerneth the substance and is no lesse disobeyed in the one then in the other Neyther doth the Lord so much respect the matter or object of the transgression where about it is made as the minde of the transgressour and the neglect or contempt of his commaundement For example in the sinne of our first parents he did not respect the eating of the Apple but their disobedience to his precept their pride infidelitie and rebellion Hee did not regard the gathering of sticks on the Sabbath day but the contemptuous breach of his commandement which he had published immediately before In a word all the ceremonies of the law were in themselues matters of no such necessitie but forasmuch as the Lord had commaunded ceremoniall duties as well as morall and exercised the Churches obedience in them both therefore it was a great sin to contemne the ceremonies and cerimoniall worship because the commaundement of God was transgressed herein as well as in the neglect of morall duties And this is that which Samuell told Saul when he laboured to extenuate his sinne that disobedience was as the sin of witchcraft and to transgresse Gods expresse commandement wilfully though in a smal matter was as Idolatry in his sight 1 Sam. 15. 23. 1. Sam. 15. 23 The vse hereof serueth to teach vs that we submit our selues to be ruled by the prescript rule of Gods word as in all our actions so especially in performing the duties of his worship and seruice neither declining vnto the right hand nor to the left for to doe more then he requireth is superstition and to doe lesse profanenesse As therefore it was a sinne in the old Law to offer sacrifice in any other place but in the temple because God had restayned his publike seruice to that place alone so it is a sin of superstition in the time of the Gospell to put more holinesse in one Chruch then in another seeing now Christ hath abrogated the ceremonies of the Law and made all places alike requiring this alone of vs that in euery place we lift vp pure hands and worship God in spirit and truth as it is Iohn 4. 23. 24. Iohn 4. 23. 24. And as they superstitiously sinne which put difference in places dedicated to Gods publike worship and seruice seeing in his word he hath taken such differences away so they likewise offend who confound publike priuate worship together with the places allotted to either of them because god in the scriptures hath distinguished them For example when God requireth publike worship on his sabbaths in the assemblies and congregation it is a sinne for any man to neglect this though he offer vnto God his priuate seruice at home by reading and praying So whereas God in his publike seruice requireth vnanimitie and vniformitie it is a sinne for any in the assemblie to distract himselfe from the rest and to make a rent in these holy exercises as to reade priuately when the Minister with the congregation prayeth publikely or to pray when he preacheth For if it be an absurd kinde of vnmanerlinesse to speake to our better whilst he speaketh vnto vs because such confusion hindreth both our hearing and vnderstanding or whilst he conferreth with vs about important affaires to turne from him talke with another then is it no lesse absurditie to speake vnto God in prayer whilst he speaketh vnto vs in the Ministerie of the Word or when hee dealeth with vs about businesses of no lesse moment then the saluation of our soules to turne from him and giue our selues to priuate reading Secondly we are taught hereby not to extenuate our sins The maine euill in sinne is the transgression of Gods commaundement by alleadging that the things wherein we offend are but trifles and matters of small moment for the maine euill in sin is the transgression of Gods commandement the euill disposition of the sinner Now Gods commandement is broken in small matters as well as in great and a man may shew more malice and wickednes in committing a sinne but light in it owne nature when as it is committed vpon knowledge against the conscience presumptuously contemptuously against Gods majestie then another who falleth into a grieuous sinne which is not aggrauated by these circumstances What smaller matter in it selfe then to eate an apple yet here in our first parents did grieuously sinne because they transgressed Gods expresse commandement and shewed grose infidelitie and pride in this action What lesse matter then to gather a few stickes vpon the sabbath day yet Num. 15. 32. because it was an action of contempt against Gods majesty who in his law had newly forbidden it it was a more haynous sinne in Gods sight then Dauids murther adultery because the one proceeded from malice of hart and profane despite of God the other from the frailtie and infirmitie of the flesh The second thing to be obserued is the spreading leprosie The spreading leprosie of idolatrie of idolatrie which if it once haue infected vs though it seeme but a small specke or spot at the first it will in short time ouer spread the whole bodie At the first through Ieroboams instigation the Israelits erected Idols but in two places of the land namely Dan and Bethell but as we see it so increased in a small time that idols were erected and worshipped almost in euery hill and mountaine and vnder euery greene tree as appeareth in this place The like example we haue in the papists at this day in former times they onely erected images in Churches to put them in mind of Christ and of the Saints but when they had thus farre transgressed Gods commandement by their will-worship they did not stay here but haue also giuen vnto them diuine worship haue multiplyed their idols and images in number farre aboue any heathens and pagans the
this fearefull punishment till they haue often neglected and dispised his fatherly corrections wherby they should haue beene reclaymed So long as there is any hope of amendement the Lord vseth his rod of chastisement but when they vvill not bee reformed but desperately sinne against God the Lord casteth his rod aside thrusteth them from vnder his discipline and gouernement and suffereth them to runne on in their owne vvicked courses The vse of the particular doctrine is that vvee imbrace Gods pure worship and seruice and do not defile our selues with Idolatry superstition and our owne vvil-worship for if we dishonour the Lord by our spirituall whoredome hee will dishonour vs by suffering those of our familie to disgrace and discredit vs by their corporall whoredome If we vexe and grieue our gracious husbands by prostituting our soules and bodyes to commit spirituall vncleannes with Idols he wil vexe grieue vs by suffering our wiues daughters to become harlots and by turning our houses into common stewes Lastly we may here obserue that the Lord neuer wanteth The Lord neuer wanteth meanes to execute his iudgements meanes to execute his judgements for to say nothing of his owne absolute power whereby he is able to destroy the sinner with a word of his mouth he hath whole armies of his creatures readie to be the instruments of his wrath So that when men prouoke his anger hee cannot onely raise their enimies against them to bring them to destruction but euen their familiar acquaintance yea euen the children of their owne body and their wiues who lye in their bosome are ready to be the executioners of Gods vengeance when he appointeth them When he meant to bring a judgement vpon the house of Ahab he could make the tutors and gouerners 2. Kings 10. of his children to become their executioners When he purposed to cut off proud Senacharib he could vse his owne sonnes Adramelech and Sharezer to take away his 2. King 19. 37. life and though Dauid had had no other enimie which might haue beene Gods scourge to correct his sinne his owne sonne Absalon will not be wanting to chastise him so farre forth as God permitteth yea if the sinner had neither friend nor enimie to execute Gods vengeance he can make them to become their owne executioners as wee may see in the example of Saul Achitophel Iudas Nero and many others The vse hereof is that we doe not by our sinnes prouoke God vnto anger seeing wee are not stronger then hee as the Apostle speaketh for besides his owne strength whereby he 1. Cor. 10. 22. is able to destroy vs euerie minute he hath the helpe of all his creatures yea he can vse our owne strength for our vtter ouerthrow and make our best patrons and protecters to become our murtherers Secondly it serueth to shew the extreame follie of those who labour to please men more then God and to hazard the The folly of those who labour to please men more then God losse of his loue by committing of sin against their knowledge and conscience rather then they will hazard the losse of the loue of some carnall friends seeing if they had done that which is vpright in Gods sight they should hereby haue some assurance of Gods loue who hath the harts of men in his hand and can make their enimies to become their friends whereas on the other side when they prouoke Gods wrath by their sinnes hee can easilie make those whom by euill meanes and wicked policies they haue made their friends to become their mortall foes and the instruments of his anger to take just vengeance on them for their sinnes AND thus much concerning the first degree of their punishment the second followeth Verse 14. I will Verse 14 not visite your daughters when they are harlots nor your spouses when they are whores for they themselues are separated or doe separate themselues with harlots and sacrifice with whores therefore the people that doth not vnderstand shall fall In which wordes are contayned their punishment and the cause thereof their punishment is particularly expressed in the first wordes I will not visite your daughters c. and then vpon the inferring of the cause it is in more generall sort repeated and ratified in the last wordes therefore the people that doth not vnderstand shall fall The cause of this punishment is expressed in these words for they seperate themselues with harlots and sacrifice with whores And these are the parts the exposition followeth Some The Expositiō Iunius Polanus of great learning and judgement doe reade these vvordes by way of interrogation thus should not I punish your daughters because they play the harlots c. as though hee should say I will most certainely punish them and I appeale to your owne consciences whether it be not just that they should be punished for their vncleannesse The which interpretation they imbrace because they thinke that it could Heb. 13. 4. not stand with Gods justice to suffer their adulteries to goe vnpunished But howsoeuer this exposition be agreeable with the analogie of faith and is not contrary to the circumstances of the place yet I preferre before it our owne translation first because it better agreeth with all antiquitie secondly because it more fitly accordeth with that vvhich vvent before and that which followeth For before hee sayd that hee vvould punish the spirituall whoredome of the Husbands and Fathers with the corporall Adulteries of the Wiues and Daughters and now hee further sheweth the meanes whereby hee would inflict this punishment not by infusing this wickednes into them or by inclining or vrging them to commit these sinnes but by not onely with-holding his grace vvhich should stay them and so leauing them to their owne naturall corruption which in it selfe was most prone to this vncleannesse but also by denying to chastice and correct them for their sinnes whereby they might haue beene restrayned or reclaimed from them the vvhich impunitie would bee an occasion through their corruption to make them more securely to goe forward in their wickednesse And because it might seeme hard that the God of justice should when sinne abounded make a non-sizes and tollerate such wickednesse hee sheweth in the next words the cause hereof namely that hee suffered their Wiues and Daughters to liue in whoredome and vncleannes that hereby hee might punish vvith reproachfull infamy and shamefull disgrace their Husbands and Fathers because they committed both carnall and spirituall vvhoredome against him Yea but howsoeuer it was just vvith God to punish the sinnes of the husband and fathers with the sins of the wiues and daughters yet how can this stand with his justice not to punish their sinnes also I answere that we are not to vnderstand these words generally and absolutely as though he would inflict vpon them no kinde of punishment or at no time visite them for their sinnes For it is said that whoremongers and
sinne and Necessarie ignorance extenuateth faults not the euill of punishment alone as some haue imagined yet it doth excuse other faults and sinnes and also lesseneth the punishment It doth excuse wholie a fault before men when as it is committed through necessarie ignorance all meanes of knowledge being wanting but before God it doth not wholy excuse and acquite vs for the reasons aboue alledged but onely in part and as the schoolemen speake it freeth vs à tanto non à toto that is it lesseneth our sinne and punishment but doth not wholy take them away so our Sauiour saith that the seruant that knew not his maisters will and did commit things worthy of stripes should not altogether escape vnpunished but should bee beaten with fewer stripes Luke 12. 48. And that Tiâ—e Luke 12. 48. and Sidon who wanted those meanes of knowledge which Corazin and Bethsaida neglected should not altogether be acquitted in the day of judgement but more easilie punished Math. 11. 21. Mat. 11. 21. But yet this also is to be held with this caution and reseruation Ignorance as it is the punishment of sinne excuseth not that wee vnderstand it onely of primarie and simple ignoraunce and not of that necessarie ignoraunce which is a just punishment of sinne namely when as men being enlightned with the knowledge of God and his truth are for with-houlding of this truth in vnrighteousnesse and not louing nor imbracing it giuen vp of God to a reprobate sense to blindnesse of minde and to bee seduced and besotted with errours and stronge delusions Which was the case of many of the Israelites in this place of the Gentiles Rom. 1. 18. 28. and is the state of many Rom. 1. 18. 28. 2. Thes 2. 10. 11. in these dayes as it was foretould 2 Thes 2. 10. 11. For this ignorance is so farre from excusing other sinnes that in it selfe it is damnably desperate for howsoeuer in regard of the absence of meanes it is for the present necesarie yet if wee respect the first causes thereof it is wilfull and obstinate Now whereas it may be objected that the Apostle saith The meaning of Acts. 17. 30. vnto the Gentiles that the Lord did not regard the times of their ignorance Act. 17. 30. wee are to know first that it is not taken simply but comparatiuely that hee did not regard so much their sinnes committed in the time of ignorance as those which they should commit after the manifestation of his truth and secondly that the speach is not legall shewing what God would exact in the rigour of his justice but Euangelicall namely that hee would not impute those sinnes of ignorance vnto them but bury them in Christs death and obedience so that now they would imbrace him as their Sauiour by a liuely faith and bring forth the fruits hereof in vnfained repentance forsaking their former ignorance and the sinfull fruits thereof and labouring after knowledge and holy obedience The other kinde of ignorance which is affected and voluntary when as men continue ignorant because they neglect and contemne the meanes of knowledge offred vnto them is so farre from excusing other sinnes that it doth much aggrauate them as being it selfe in a desperate degree of sinne and also the cause of much other wickednesse for therefore they refuse to know their maisters will because Psal 36. 3. they are desperately resolued not to obey it and will not vnderstand because they will not bee hindered in their course of wickednesse Of such the Psalmist speaketh Psal 36. 3. Hee hath left off to vnderstand and to doe good or least hee should doe good And as this doth aggrauate mens sinnes so also it doth increase their punishment and augment the fearefull measure of their condemnation But of Verse 1. 6. of this Chapter this I haue already spoken and therefore I will here passe it ouer The vse hereof is that wee doe not labour to hide our sinnes vnder this broken vaile of Ignorance or extenuate our faults by pretending that if wee doe offend it is because wee are ignorant and know no better for our ignorance after that wee haue so long injoyed the light of the Gospell cannot bee necessarie but voluntary and wilfull because wee neglect or dispise the meanes of knowledge and therefore this ignorance will not excuse vs but rather aggrauate both our sinne and punishment Lastly wee here learne that when the Lord hath vsed God giueth ouer those who dispise the means of their conversion all meanes both by his word and works his benefites chastisements and more gentle punishments to bring a people to Knowledge Faith and Repentance and they neuerthelesse neglecting and contemning these meanes doe continue in wilfull Ignorance grose Infidelitie and secure Impenitencie then the Lord will giue them ouer to their owne wicked courses and suffer them to fall head-long both into the euils of sinne and the euils of punishment For Example hee will giue them ouer to the blindenesse of their mindes to runne on in Errours Heresies Superstition and Idolatry to the perversenesse of their wils to refuse the good and chuse the euill to their owne vile affections to commit such abhominable wickednesse as nature it selfe though much corrupted abhorreth and detesteth and euen to a reprobate sense that they may heape sinne vpon sinne and treasure vp against themselues wrath against the day of wrath And when hee hath often assayed fatherly corrections and light afflictions to amend them and they will not bee reformed hee will cause them to bee ouertaken by his fearefull plagues and heauie judgements and in the end plunge them into the gulfe of destruction and eternall condemnation An Example hereof wee haue in this place for when the Israelits would not vnderstand nor bee reformed neyther by Gods Word nor works his mercies nor iudgements the Lord caused them to fall and to be ouer-whelmed with most fearefull punishments When the Gentiles would not serue God according to that light of nature which hee had giuen vnto them hee gaue them vp to their owne vile affections and to a reprobate minde Rom. 1. When the Lord giueth vnto men Rom. 1. meanes of knowledge and they refuse instruction then hee will pronounce that fearefull sentence 1 Cor. 14. 38. If any 1 Cor. 14. 38. man bee ignorant let him bee ignorant If hee long affordeth the meanes of regeneration and yet men continue in their vnrighteousnesse and naturall corruptions hee will leaue them to themselues and passe vpon them that difinitiue sentence Apoc. 22. 11. Hee that is vniust let him be vniust Apoc. 22. 11. still and hee that is filthy let him bee filthy still If hee in his patience and long-suffering doe giue vnto sinners long time of repentance and also graciously affordeth vnto them the meanes of their conversion then is there nothing to bee expected but vtter destruction and desolation if by all these meanes they will not
in their apostasie superstition and idolatrie they should also participate with them in all these calamities and grieuous miseries And thus much for the meaning of the words The doctrines The Do ∣ ctrines which arise out of them are diuers First generally we may here obserue that as by nature we are inclinable to follow That we are hardly drawne from bad company when we are intangled with it bad companie so when wee are once intangled with it wee are hardly drawne from it with the best arguments and most effectuall disswasions An example hereof wee haue in this place for when the people of Iuda had found a wicked sweetnesse in the societie of the idolatrous Israelites they were hardly drawne from frequenting their companie and therefore the Lord thought it necessarie by his Prophet to vse so many forcible reasons some whereof are taken from the hainousnes of their sinnes and some from the grieuousnes of their punishments to disswade the men of Iuda from haunting the impions fellowship of the Israelites So how often and earnestly did the Lord charge the people of Israel when they entred into the land of promise not to make any couenant not to haue any societie with the inhabitants of the land as wee may see Exod. 23. 32. Deut. 7. 1 2 3 4. Exod. 23. 32. Deut. 7. 1. 2. 3. Notwithstanding all which warnings they kept them still amongst them and would not quite expel them out of their countrie as appeareth Iudg. 1. 28. 2. 1 2 3. The like may be Iud. 1. 28. 2. 1. 2 said of Lot and his wife who were so bewitched with the pleasures of Sodome that they would not leaue that wicked cōpanie though they had strong inducements so to doe both in respect that their sins were most outragious as also in that Gen. 14. they had alreadie tasted of their punishments being together with them spoyled of their goods and led captiue had not God stirred vp Abraham to rescue them Yea and when God had absolutely told them that hee would destroy Sodome and was now purposely come to execute his fierce wrath vpon them yet they made such slow haste to depart that the Angell of the Lord was faine to vse a kinde of forcible Gen. 19. 16. 26 violence and by strong hand to draw them out of the citie And after they were escaped the danger though they had a direct prohibition from God yet Lots wise looked backe as being loth to depart and longing to returne into this sincke of sinne So how miserably was good Iehosaphat insnared in that euill fellowship with Ahab and his familie in as much as neither their horrible idolatries and hainous wickednesse nor Gods fearefull iudgements threatned and inflicted vpon them could weane him from their companie 1. King 22. 4. 2. King 8. 18 2. Chron. 20. 35 36. nor restraine him from entring into the neerest contracts and alliances with them to the vtter corrupting and peruerting of his house Now the cause hereof is partly the corruption of our own The flesh and wicked worldlings are in neere alliāce flesh the greatest and worst part of our selues which whilest we continue here holdeth great correspondence and neere familiaritie with the world and wicked worldlings and partly because wicked men haue many worldly baits of pleasure and profit which like Circe her poysonous potions doe so bewitch vs that we haue no power at all to flee frō this wicked fellowship But as Sampson being spoyled of his strength was made an easie pray to the Philistims who put out his eyes made him like a slaue to grind in their prison house so these cursed Dalilaes vse all their bewitching charmes to rob vs of our spirituall strength and then we are easilie surprized of our spirituall enemies and haue the eyes of our vnderstanding so blinded that we cannot see either the hellishnesse of their behauiour or the fearefull plagues which hang ouer their heads nor haue any power or desire to make any euasion out of their pleasing thraldome vntill the Lord repaire our strength by his holy Spirit and worke in our hearts a true hatred of their wicked tyrannie The vse hereof is that we learne hereby to hate the companie We must shun the company of wicked mē of wicked men as well when they smile as when they frowne when they flatter and allure as when they threaten and offer violence seeing when they most fawne vpon vs they most defile vs they mortally stab vs whilest they kindly embrace vs and whilest they are entred into most friendly parlies of peace and loue they are vndermining our State and plotting treacherous treasons against both our soules and bodies especially let vs bee carefull to withstand their first allurements and turne away our eyes from their inticing baites and euen stoppe our eares against these Syrens songs before wee heare their charming notes for if this worldly birdiime of wicked company haue once taken hold of vs like sillie birds the more we striue the more we shall be inuegled and made vnfit to flie from them and if we do but giue them audience they will so allure vs with their bewitching tunes that we shall haue no power to withhold vs from their company though Syren-like they entice vs to come amongst them that they may deuour and prey vpon vs. The second thing to be heere obserued is that both the The sins and punishments of wicked mē should weane vs from their company sinnes and punishments of wicked men should be effectuall reasons to disswade the faithfull from frequenting their company for these are the arguments which the holy Ghost here vseth to disswade the men of Iuda from resorting vnto the Israelites because they were rebelliously stubborne in their sinnes and like vnrulie heifers had shaken off the yoke of gouernment and because by these sinnes they had made themselues liable to Gods fearefull punishments of captiuitie and manifold calamities which in short time should bee inflicted on them Concerning the former we are not to vnderstand it of all sinnes for then we should auoid all companie in the world for as much as all men are sinners but only of such sinnes as being wilfully committed are also obstinately defended For when men are come to this passe that they commit their sinnes against their knowledge and conscience presumptuously and with an high hand against God and that after they haue been often instructed admonished and rebuked both in priuate conference and in the publike ministrie of the Word when they become like vnrulie heifers stubbornely casting off the yoke of Gods gouernment and do in rebellious manner oppose against God himselfe defending their sinnes and glorying in their wickednes as the Israelites did in this place then are wee carefully to flee and auoid all manner of familiar friendship and fellowship with them For first whereas the maine end why we should resort into the companie of wicked men is to
the Prophets to their seueral peoples to whom they were sent And this duty is to be performed of all faithfull Ministers for they are Gods stewards and therefore they are not to suffer euery one to rush into the storehouse of Gods word and to take what pleaseth them but they must giue euery man his owne portion in season as it is Luke 12. 42. Luke 12. 42. They are the Churches Surgeons to cure their spirituall wounds and sores of sinne and therefore they must not onely make good plaisters but also they must apply them to their sores and wounds for otherwise many are so senselesse that they feele no paine and therefore desire no helpe many so wayward and impatient that they will rather let their spirituall wounds putrifie through securitie and presumption then abide the cure fearing the plaister more then the wound Secondly wee may obserue that the idolatry and other grieuous sinnes of the whole Church especially of the gouernours God punisheth the sins of gouernours in the people both ecclesiasticall and ciuill being not repented of do moue the Lord not onely to punish the whole body but also the particular members that is subiects and inferiours if not with spirituall as when they are not partakers with them in their sinnes yet at least with temporall punishments because being one body the sinne of superiours is not onely punished when the punishment is inflicted on themselues but also vpon the inferiours as being parts of them and members of the whole body But besides corporall afflictions they make them also obnoxious vnto Gods wrath and eternall punishments when as by their false doctrine authoritie and euill example they mooue and allure them to imbrace their idolatrie and other sinnes An example wherof we haue in the papacie where because the whole Church is idolatrous especially their Magistrates and Cleargie therefore priuate men being by their false doctrine authoritie and example nuzled and instructed in idolatrie are together with them diuorced from God and ouerwhelmed in the common destruction So that the first and more remote cause of this their punishment is in the whole Church and gouernours thereof the next and immediate cause is the idolatrie of euery particular man which himselfe committed being seduced by the false doctrine and euill example of their adulterous mother The consideration whereof should make superiours most carefull to acquaint themselues with Gods truth and to imbrace and professe his true religion to forsake and detest all manner of false worship and idolatrie and to auoid all other grieuous and open sinnes or if they haue fallen into them speedily to repent of them seeing hereby they do not only draw vpon themselues the heauiest measure of punishment for the mighty shal be mightily tormented but also by their sins not repented of do make their VVisd 6 7. subiects and inferiours which they should loue as their children and parts of their owne bodie guiltie of their sinnes and obnoxious to their punishments 2. Sam. 24. 17. 2. Sam 24. 17. That it is not sufficient to conforme our religion to the religion of superiours Thirdly subiects inferiors priuate men may here learne that in respect of their religion it is not sufficient to conforme themselues to the religion of their gouernours nor in respect of their faith to beleeue as the Church beleeueth nor in respect of their manners to liue according to the example of their superiours but euery one ought to informe himselfe of Gods true religion and to be assured out of Gods word that he worshippeth the true God after his reuealed will and to leade his life not according to the example of others but according to Gods precepts with which he is throughly to be acquainted for it will not excuse vs to say that we haue bin seduced by false teachers mislead by ill gouernours allured by the wicked example of superiours seeing euery man is to liue by their owne faith to bee directed by his owne knowledge and to be approoued or condemned by his owne life and actions And therfore the only priuiledge which he shall haue by the false religion idolatrie and wicked examples of his superiors is that hauing sinned with them for company they shall haue their company also in suffering punishment Lastly we may here obserue that the Lord will not reiect That former idolatrie repented of doth not cause God to reiect vs. vs because we haue bin the children of an adulterous mother in time past so that we hate and forsake her fornications and leauing her as an adulterous harlot do cleaue vnto our heauenly father for it is not said here that the Lord would exclude them from his mercie because they had been but also presently were the children of fornications that is not onelie borne of an adulterous harlot but also approouing and following her spirituall whoredomes The consideration whereof serueth for the comfort of those who hauing been borne and brought vp in poperie and idolatrie are conuerted vnto the truth for howsoeuer if they had continued with thir mother the great whore of Babylon and committed Apoc. 18. 4. with her spirituall whoredome they should haue been forsaken and so perished together with her yet being now come out from Babylon they shall not be partakers with her in her sinnes and punishments but being regenerate and borne anew vnto their heauenly father by the immortall seede of his word and Gospell they shall be exempted from her plagues admitted as legitimate and made capable of that heauenly inheritance which God rescrueth in store for all his children ANd so much concerning the diuorce between the Lord and the Church of Israel In the next place is the cause thereof expressed to wit the sinne of the people especiallie their idolatrie and vnthankfulnnsse and afterwards the punishments due vnto their sinnes are threatned The first is contained in these words Vers 5. For their mother hath Vers 5 plaied the harlot she that conceiued them hath done shamefully for she said I will goe after my louers that giue me my bread and my water my wooll and my flaxe mine oyle and my drinke In which words are contained first their idolatrie and spirituall Exposition whoredomes and secondly their ingratitude Their idolatrie is first plainely expressed and afterwards aggrauated It is expressed in these words For their mother hath plaied the harlot Where still he continueth the allegorie of marriage adulterie and diuorce shewing and proouing that there was iust cause why the mother was diuorced and the children reiected because the mother had plaied the harlot and so her children were an adulterous issue Neither had she only before or after committed whoredome but euen in the generation of these her children shee had conceiued them of the seede of fornication for otherwise howsoeuer shee was a harlot yet her children should haue been legitimate and therefore vnlawfully disinherited but they were not onelie borne of an harlot but also in
adulterie and therefore they were the children of fornication Now as they are rightly called bastards which are not begotten of the lawfull husband but of the seed of a stranger so the Lord in respect of the spirituall generation accounteth them bastards which hee hath not begotten by the immortall seede of his word made powerfull by the inward 1. Pet. 1. 23. opperation of his Spirit And therefore those who are begotten vnto the Church by false doctrines and lying spirits and according to their birth are so brought vp they are to be accounted the children of fornications But such was the birth and bringing vp of these children for their mother the Church of Israel vnder the reigne of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat committed spiritual whoredom when as forsaking the Lord shee worshipped the golden calues in Dan and Bethel whilest she plaied the harlot the posteritie which came of her were borne vnto the idols when as being brought vp in ignorance destitute of the knowledge of God and his religion they were instructed in false doctrine and idolatrie and so became as grosse idolaters as their predecessors And therefore being in adulterous issue of an adulterous mother both she and they were iustly reiected And this was the first and chiefe sinne for which the mother was diuorced and the children disinherited namely because she plaied the harlot and the children were begotten in her adultery Now this their sinne is aggrauated first by her shamelesse filthinesse therein shewed and secondly by her impudent and obstinate resolution to commit it The first is expressed in these words she that conceiued them hath done shamefully The Hebrew text hath it Shee that conceiued them is affected or confounded with shame whereby is not meant that she was shamefast or ashamed of her sinnes for this agreeth not to the disposition of an harlot especially to such a shamelesse harlot as this whose fornications were in her face and her adulteries betweene her breasts and who impudently professed that shee would goe after her louers but that she had committed such shamefull actions and had liued so filthily and infamously that shee had exposed her selfe to all shame and reproch The meaning therefore of these words is this that shee had not fallen into her sinnes of infirmity or after shee was fallen carried her selfe after any moderate manner but that she often committed these sins and defiled her selfe with so many kindes of idolatry and superstition that shee was growne infamous and iustly reproched of all who heard of or saw her abominable filthinesse Now this hee proueth and with all further aggrauateth the greatnesse of her sinne by giuing a particular instance of her wickednesse in these wordes for she said I will goe after my louers c. Whereas he saith that she thus said he implieth that shee did not follow her louers and forsake the Lord through infirmitie ignorance or as one ouertaken at vnawares but aduisedly wilfully vpon a deliberate and setled resolution shee determined to doe it and not onely so but in an impudent manner she professed that renouncing God her lawfull husband she would follow her louers Where by her louers we are to vnderstand her idols and false gods which are compared fitly vnto louers for as louers that is adulterers allure intice mens wiues to withdraw their hearts from their lawfull husbands and to fixe it vpon them to breake their coniugall faith and to commit whoredome by offering vnto them gifts and pleasures So the spouse of God is allured and inticed by idols to forsake the Lord and to set her heart vpon them and to violate her mariage saith by leauing his pure worship and seruice and prostituting her selfe to commit spirituall whoredome with them when as they seeme to offer vnto her as a reward some profit or delight And this also appeareth in the reason which she yeeldeth of her apostasie in the wordes following that giue mee my bread and my water my wooll and my flaxe mine oyle and my drinke In which words is also contained the exceeding great vnthankfulnesse of the people in ascribing all the benefits which they inioyed vnto their idols and false gods whereas the Lord alone was the author and fountaine of them The which their sinne was so much the more vnexcusable because in the Law the Lord had promised all these gifts vnto them to the end that they should expect them from him alone hauing receiued them they should ascribe the whole praise vnto him onely of his owne gifts Leuit. 26. 4 5. Deut. Leuit. 26. 4 5. Deut. 28. 2 3. 28. 2 3 4 5 c. Now vnder these particulars here named hee vnderstandeth all kind of benefits necessarie either for their sustenance and preseruation or for their pleasure and delight For by bread and water in the Scriptures is vsually signified all kind of meate and drinke food and sustenance as appeareth Exo. 34. 28. Deut. 23. 4. 1. King 13. 17. Esa 3. 1. By wooll and Exod. 34. 28. Deut. 23. 4. 1. King 13. 17. Esa 3. 1. flaxe is vnderstood all kind of clothing apparrell and furniture made of them By oyle and drinke is vnderstood all their pleasures and delicacies for oyle in those hot countries was vsed for pleasure ornament smell agilitie and strength and by drinke is meant not ordinarie drinke for that hee comprehendeth vnder the name of water but their drinkes which were most costly and delicate and further the word here vsed is of the plurall number and deriued from such a roote as signifieth to drinke abundantlie whereby is vnderstood their plentie of such delicacies And so much for the meaning of these words The instructions Sinne the cause of all punishment which hence arise are these First wee may obserue what was the cause of all those punishments before denounced both against the Church of Israel her children namelie their sinnes especially their idolatrie and vnthankfulnes For because the mother plaied the harlot and her children were begotten in her adulteries and not onely so but also liked and approoued imbraced and followed the whoredomes of their mother therefore ioyning in sin they were ioyned in punishment And indeede the sinne of man is the cause of al the miseries and euils which he suffereth for God who is the chiefe goodnesse taketh his delight in doing good and in multiplying his benefits vpon his creatures according to that Psalm 145. 9. The Lord is good to all and Psal 145. 9. his mercies are ouer all his workes and that of Micah Chap. 7. vers 18. He retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercie Mich 7. 18. pleaseth him Neither doth he punish but when mens sinnes vrge his iustice and draw vpon themselues his iudgements Whence we learne when we are punished not to murmure against God nor to looke to inferiour meanes but rather to examine our owne consciences and to search out our sins Psalm 51. 4. which are the cause
14. 15. 17. 14. 15. 17. And hence it is that this word is called the word of Faith Verse 8. And the dispensers thereof the ministers 8. by whom wee beleeue 1 Cor. 3. 5. Therefore without the 1. Cor. 3. 5. preaching of the word ordinarily there is no Faith and without Faith no Iustification The third meanes to saluation is our sanctification which is a necessarie effect of our justification for they that are in Christ are new creatures 2 Cor. 5. 17. But we are sanctified 2. Cor. 5. 17. and regenerate not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God 1 Pet. 1. 23. And hence it is that the Ministers of the 1. Peter 1. 23. Gospell who are the dispensers of this immortall seede are called the spirituall fathers of those whom they beget vnto God 1 Cor. 4. 15. Therefore take away the Ministerie 1. Cor. 4. 15. of the word and take away regeneration without which we cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3. 3. Iohn 3. 3. Lastly as the meanes of Saluation so saluation it selfe is ascribed to the Ministerie of the word preached for Paul exhorting Timothie to faithfull diligence in his Ministerie doth vse this as an effectuall reason because hereby Hee should saue not onely himselfe but also those that heard him 1 Tim. 4. 16. 1. Tim. 4. 16. Seeing therefore the preaching of the word is the ordinarie meanes of saluation hence it followeth that the neglect of this preaching is the ordinarie meanes which bringeth destruction and consequently such Ministers as take vppon them the charge of soules and doe not feede them with this bread of life are principall causes whereby those People are destroyed The vse of this doctrine serueth for the admonition of Sufficiencie of gifts necessarily required in Ministers diuers sorts of men and for their reproofe if they neglect this admonition First all intending the Ministerie or hauing taken the charge vpon them are to be admonished that they seriously examine themselues whether they are furnished with knowledge and other gifts necessarily required to this calling otherwise they are not to enter into it if already they haue not vndertaken it or not to continue in this calling if they be already entered for what will it profite them to get thereby worldly mainteynance or an easie and idle life if they through their ignorance and insufficiencie neglecting their dutie destroy not onely their owne soules but also the precious soules of the people committed to their charge Secondly Parents are here admonished that they doe not Parents must not offer the lame hault to God offer the lame hault and sicke vnto God that is that they do not preferre to the seruice of the sanctuarie such of their children as in respect of their insufficiencie of gifts are vnfit for any other vocation and therefore much more vnfit for this vnto which the best gifts are scarce sufficient for what are such children behoulding to their Parents for prouiding them maintenance by placing them in this calling seeing by prouiding for their bodies for a time they destroy both body and soule for euer and make them also the causes of the destruction of others in which respect they should deale better with them if they made them prentises to the basest trades wherein they might liue in the feare of God with a good conscience Thirdly it admonisheth Patrons and Church gouernours that the one present not the other admit not into pastorall No ignorant men ought to be preferred to the function of the Miniestrie charges such as through their ignorance must of necessitie starue their flocke for if they eyther through foolish pittie friendship or corruption commit the soules of men to bee nourished by such nurses as in their owne knowledge they they are assured haue dry breasts and cannot giue vnto them the sincere milke of the Word not onely these who are the next and immediate causes of their destruction shall perish with them but also they who being placed as Stewards in Gods familie haue shewed so little care in prouiding food for his children and seruants Lastly it serueth to admonish the people that they doe The people must not seate themselues vnder blind guides not rest contented to be still lead by such blinde guides nor to be vnder the charge of such ignorant and vnskilfull shepheards as haue no knowledge to feede them for what will it profit them if by liuing in such places they may haue plenty for their bodies if in the meane while their soules are starued what benefit will they haue by any worldly conueniencie in their place of abode the neighbour-hood of their friends the goodnesse of the ayre the pleasantnesse of the seate the fitnesse of liuing there for to gaine in their trade or calling yea what if in euery respect it be like the seate of Sodome which was pleasant and fruitfull as the Garden of Gen. 13. 10. God if for want of instruction it be a Sodome also in ignorance and sinne which with the inhabitants thereof must one day be destroyed There is no man so foolish that would be allured eyther by pleasure or profit to dwell in a place where there is no bread to preserue the life of his body but much more foolish are they who are incited by these baites to liue in such a place where there is no foode for the soule No man would dwell in a towne which is assaulted by enimies and hath no watch-man to giue warning of their approch though the place were both pleasant profitable for what would it aduantage him to haue wealth all delights if he be in a continuall feare that he shall be destroyed but we in this world haue not onely our spirituall enimies to assault vs but also whole armies of Gods judgements ready to invade vs if we liue in sinne and ignorance if therefore we want a watch man to giue vs warning of the approach of these enimies and judgements that by putting on the spirituall armour we may be inabled to repell the one and by returning vnto God our king whom by our sinnes we haue offended we may be preserued from the other what will the profits and pleasures of this life benefit vs seeing we are daylie in daunger to be destroyed For as our Sauiour saith Mar. 8. 36. What will it profit a man if he shall win the whole Mar. 8. 36. world if he shall loose his owne soule Rather therefore let vs follow Maryes example that is howsoeuer we think worldly things conuenient yet let vs iudge this one thing necessarie Luke 10. 42. And the practise of the wise Merchant approued Luk. 10. 42. by our Sauiour Christ that is let vs rather sell all vvee haue to purchase this precious pearle of Gods Word then content our selues to liue without it Mat. 13. 45. 46. Mat. 13. 45. 46 And thus haue I shewed that it is
them that he would refuse them so as they should be no Priests to him because they had refused knowledge and neglected the maine duetie in teaching the people From whence wee learne that though ignorant idle Ministers haue neuer so manifold allowance and approbation from men yet God rejecteth them as not being worth the hauing for all who are called of God to this function are furnished with sufficiencie of gifts where by they are able and with willingnes of minde whereby they are readie to instruct his people as for those who are not thus fitted it were a great disparagement both to Gods wisdome loue and prouidence eyther to chuse them or to owne them There is no wise Prince will chuse a dumbe ambassadour or one who will not eyther for feare or idlenesse do his message there is no housholder would haue in his seruice a steward who in respect of his follie cannot prouide for the familie there is no man will chuse such an one for his carpenter who hath no skill in building nor knoweth how to handle a toole there is no people so simple that will retain a shepheard if they know that eyther he is ignorant how to vse their sheepe or idle and carelesse and will not take paines eyther in feeding or defending them and shall wee thinke the Lord lesse wise or prouident then man that hee should send on his message dumbe ambassadours or commit his familie to be gouerned by foolish or malicious stewards or chuse for the building of his spirituall temple them that haue no knowledge or will not labour or set ouer his flocke such ignorant or idle shepheards who either want skill or will to feede his sheepe and to defend them from the Wolfe The vse hereof serueth first to teach vs whom wee Who are to be approued for faithfull Ministers are to approue as the faithfull Ministers of God namely not all who are allowed by men seeing many of these are ignorant and many idle the one wanting abilitie the other will to instruct the people but onely those who are furnished with sufficiencie of gifts whereby they can and with willingnesse and alacritie whereby they will with painefull diligence informe the people in the wayes of God Secondly it sheweth and condemneth the grieuous sinne of many amongst vs who runne and are not sent and presumptuously rush into the place of Gods ambassadours hauing neither calling nor approbation from him yea that after in his word he hath plainely protested that seeing they haue refused knowledge he hath rejected and deposed them from the Priest-hood It is counted an hainous fault amongst vs for one who is lawfully suspended and degraded to execute the function of the Ministerie but how much more intollerable is their contempt against Gods soueraigne Majestie who being for their ignorance depriued by him and rejected as being none of his Ministers dare yet audaciously take vpon them this office and function Much better therefore were it for such with those false Prophets of whom Zacharie speaketh to giue ouer the place of a Prophet as being Zach. 13. 4. 5. ashamed of their ignorance and insufficiencie and to lay aside their habite wherewith they haue deceiued and abused the people and plainely to confesse I am no Prophet I am an Husbandman or an heard-man or a trades-man then by retayning the place of Gods Ministers to inflame his wrath and pull downe his fearefull vengeance against them Ezech. 34. 10. Ier. 27. 15. Ezech. 34. 10. Ier. 27. 15. Knowledge not succession a true note of a lawfull Ministerie Thirdly it confuteth the doctrine of the Church of Rome who approue their Priest-hood not by their knowledge or painefulnesse in teaching the people both which were vtterly neglected in former ages till of latter yeares for pollicie sake they haue beene forced to take more paines or rather through necessitie being otherwise vnable to defend their declinining hirarchie but by the continuall succession of their Bishops the which also they make a note infallible of the true Church Notwithstanding in this they goe not before the apostate Church of Israell who had a continuall succession of their Priests and Leuites euen from Aarons time and yet now they ceased to be the true Church of God and are rejected from the Priest-hood It is not therfore the succession of the Ministerie but their knowledge and painefull diligence in teaching the people which approueth them to be the true Ministers of God and where these are they are an infallible note of Gods true Church but when the preaching of the Word is neglected eyther through Ignorance or Idlenesse there is no Ministerie approued of God and consequently no true Church And so much concerning the sinne of the Priests The second is forgetfulnesse of God and his Law in these words And seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God Vnto which is annexed a grieuous punishment in these words I will also forget thy children Their sinne was forgetfulnesse of Gods Law for howsoeuer The exposition they were the Lords Priests vnto whom Gods Oracles were committed in which by Gods Commaundement they were to meditate continually that so not onely knowing but also remembring them they might be the better fitted both to obserue them themselues and also to teach and instruct the people in the knowledge of Gods will in his Law reuealed yet such was their carelesnesse negligence and contempt of it that they neyther knew nor remembred it and much lesse obeyed it themselues or informed the people that they might know and keepe it From whence we may Our inclinablenesse vnto forgetfulnesse of God obserue how inclinable we are to this vice of forgetfulnesse seeing neyther respect of our place and duety nor any meanes that can be vsed will imprint Gods Law in the stony tables of our memories vnlesse it be engrauen with the finger of gods spirit howsoeuer they are like waxe ready to receiue the print of any worldly impression like brasse to keep it The causes of this our forgetfulnesse are first our naturall The causes of our forgetfulnesse corruption and the vncleannesse of our hearts and mindes being one of the cursed fruites of originall sinne whereof it is that they are forges of wicked thoughts fountaines from which nothing spring but carnall meditations and like wide siues which suffer all the flower of goodnes to passe through them and retaine nothing but the grose branne of worldlinesse and wickednesse This appeareth Gen. 6. 5. and. 8. 21. Gen. 6. 5. 8. 21. Mat 15. 19. Mat. 15. 19. The second cause is our want of loue and delight in heauenly and spirituall things and our too much loue of the world and worldly vanities for if our treasure were in the Arke of God our hearts would be there also if Gods Law were to vs as it was vnto Dauid sweeter then the hony the hony combe if with him we loued it better then all