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
those who are of better iudgement for the aduancement of Gods glorie and good of his Church which my desire is should be the maine end of all my labors Which that I may the better performe I intreate that as I endeuour to benefit thee with my paines and studies so thou wilt assist mee with thy feruent prayers for the helpe and direction of Gods holie Spirit in these my endeuours who only can enable vs to expound that which was first preached and written by his diuine inspiration Thine in the Lord I. D. Faults escaped Pag. 18. lin 35. reade fore-names pag. 31. in marg r. take vnto thee p. 32. l. 33. r. who was to be p. 33. l. 2. r. Gods seuere Ibid. l. 15. such an holie and high calling p. 35. l. 14. r. eate a roll p. 40. l. 36. r. turne vnto him p. 97. in 2. Alph. l. 13. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. l. 14. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LECTVRES VPON THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE PROPHECIE OF HOSEA The Preface or Introduction BEfore I come to expound this our Prophet I will prefixe somewhat Why the 12. Prophets are called the lesser the other foure the greater both concerning the twelue Prophets of which this our Prophet is one and also concerning the Prophet himselfe in generall Concerning the former we will consider in the first place why they are called the smaller or lesser Prophets the other foure the greater Not because the other were before them in time for this our Prophet in this respect had the precedence of them all as afterwards shall appeare nor yet because they excelled them in dignity and authoritie for in these respects also this our Prophet giueth place to none of the greatest but because the bookes containing the prophecies of the other foure are much more large then these which containe the prophecies of these twelue And therefore because the dignity and authoritie of the bookes of holy Scriptures is not deriued from their length and greatnesse but from God who is the Author of them and from the truth which they containe wee are not to make lesse account of the shortest then of the longest nor of the smallest Prophet then of the greatest In the second place let vs consider why all these twelue Why these were ioyned in one vollume were originally ioyned in one booke or volume not because they liued prophecied and wrote in the same time and so ioyned their workes together for some of them were the first some the last of all the Prophets whose writings are extant some before some in and some after the captiuity but by Gods all-ruling prouidence it came to passe that their prophecies which were written in diuers ages and scattered in diuers bookes should afterwards bee collected into one volume to this end that they might be the better preserued from losing and perishing to which danger they would haue beene more exposed if they had beene seuered and scattered Where by the way we may obserue Gods vigilant care in preseruing all the writings of his Prophets Apostles and holy men inspired by his Spirit which were necessary for the instruction and saluation of his whole Church and euery member thereof So that the Church of Rome hath but a slender argument for their traditions when as they alledge that they are inuented to supply the defect of those bookes of holy Scripture which are lost and perished The third thing to be considered of is the seuerall people vnto which these Prophets prophecied for some prophecied Vnto what people the seuerall Prophets prophecied to the Israelites namely Hosea Ioel Amos Micheas some to the Iewes as Zophonias Haggeus Zacharias Malachias some to the Gentiles as Ionas and Nahum to the Niniuites Habacuc to the Babylonians Abdias to the Edomites the which consideration is very profitable as bringing great light to the vnderstanding of their prophecies The last thing which I will consider is the generall subiect The subiect of these prophecies or matter which the Prophets handle the which is partly legall and partly Euangelicall For that which was briefly and somewhat darkely set downe by Moses in the Law is inlarged and expounded by the Prophets First therefore they containe holy precepts prescribed by God for the guiding and directing of men in the waies of godlinesse and righteousnesse To which are annexed gracious promises of both outward temporall and also spirituall and eternall benefites to those that yeelde obedience to Gods Commandements for neither would the Lord haue men to serue him for nought nor yet bestowe his benefites vpon such as will not vouchsafe him their seruice and therefore as on his part he promiseth his graces and benefites so he requireth that those vpon whom he bestoweth them should liue in holinesse and righteousnesse as it becommeth the people of God Secondly they containe reprehensions and seuere threatnings of grieuous punishments against the transgressours of these holy precepts and that both temporall and eternall Thirdly there are intermixed with these threatnings of common calamities speciall consolations for those who continue in their integrity and are not carried away with the vniuersall deluge of wickednesse which ouerfloweth the land Lastly they foretell the comming of the Messias who should be the Sauiour of the world for this was the maine end both of the Law the Prophets to bring men to Christ in whom notwithstanding their imperfections and wants in their legall obedience they were to be iustified reconciled vnto God and eternally saued And these are the maine subiect matter and scope of both Moses and the Prophets The differences which are betwixt The difference betweene the bookes of Moses and the Prophets them are these Moses expoundeth these things briefly and darkely these more largely and plainely as being expositions of him Moses setteth downe both the threatnings the promises generally and indefinitely without limitation of punishment person time or place the Prophets specially determine these circumstances setting downe the particular punishments which shall be inflicted the persons against whom the time when and the place where Moses generally and obscurely promiseth that the Messias should come saying that a Prophet should bee raised by God from among the people like vnto himselfe c. Deut. 18. 18. The Prophets particularly describe him what kinde of Messias hee should be namely that he should be of the Tribe of Iuda of the seede of Dauid borne of a virgin in Bethlem of Iurie how hee should liue and how hee should die for the people c. And so much in generall of these twelue Prophets now wee will adde something of this our Prophet Hosea And That Hoseahs prophecie is authentical first concerning the authoritie of this prophecie It is manifest that it was indited by Gods Spirit and by his commandement deliuered to the Church First because it is cited and alledged by Christ and his Apostles and so by them approued for canonicall Scripture
and were diuorced and cast off for their spirituall whoredoms it could not be fitly said of them that the Lord would espouse or contract them to himselfe seeing they only are properly said to be espoused who neuer before were taken to wife but rather he should haue said of them that he would againe be reconciled to her and receiue her to grace So that hereby wee are not to vnderstand that the Lord The properties of our spiritual mariage 1. it is not tēporarie but perpetuall would renue or confirme the old couenant of workes betweene himselfe and the Church of Israel for that was made frustrate by their spirituall whoredomes and rebellion for which they were diuorced and reiected but that hee would make a new couenant betweene himselfe and all the faithfull in the time of the Gospell receiuing them into this neere bond of mariage as pure and vndefiled virgins the which is inuiolably to continue for euer and euer Thirdly the parties contracted are Christ and his Church signified in these words I will marrie thee vnto me Where by thee wee are not to vnderstand the people of Israel according to the flesh but according to the spirit that is all the faithfull both Iewes and Gentiles and by me wee are to vnderstand Iesus Christ who in this spirituall mariage is vnited to his spouse the Church essentially and substantially bodie with bodie and spirit with spirit as before I haue shewed And so much for the contract it selfe The adiuncts hereof are first the perpetuall continuance of this mariage and secondly the conditions thereof which are as it were the mariage bands wherewith it is held inuiolable The perpetuall continuance is noted in these words for euer where the Lord maketh a secret opposition between the couenant of works made betweene him and the Israelites and the couenant of grace made betweene him and all the faithfull for that former mariage was not perpetual but temporarie and of short continuance because the Church of Israel perfidiously violated her mariage faith and persisted not in her loue and obedience towards the Lord her husband but forsaking him prostituted her selfe to commit spirituall whoredome with false gods and therefore was iustly diuorced from him as before we haue shewed but the new couenant of this spirituall mariage betweene Christ and the faithfull shall be perpetuall and inuiolable because he will write the lawes and conditions thereof not in tables of stone but in the fleshie tables of their hearts and will so rule and ouerrule them by his gratious Spirit dwelling in them that they shall neuer breake their couenant nor depart from the Lord their husband The like places of Scripture which may serue for an exposition of this wee haue Esa 54. 8. With euerlasting mercie haue I had Esa 54. 8. 9. 10 compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer vers 9. For this is vnto me as the waters of Noah for as I haue sworne c. vers 10. For the mountaines shall remoue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shall the couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee Ierem. 31. 31. Behold the daies come saith the Jere. 31. 31. 32 Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iacob 32. Not according to the couenant I made with their fathers when I took them hand by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt the which couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them saith the Lord. 33. But this shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those daies saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people c. So chap. 33. 20. 21. 22. 25. 26. Iere. 33. 20. 21. Ezech. 16. 59. Iere. 32. 38. 39. Ezech. 16. 59. I will confirme vnto thee an euerlasting couenant Ierem. 32. 38. 39. 40. By all which places it is cleere and manifest that the couenant betweene the Lord and the faithfull is permanent and perpetuall and that both in respect of God and of the faithfull and not only on Gods part as the Papists would haue it who affirme that we may haue certaine assurance of the continuance of this couenant in respect of God because hee for his part will most certainly performe the conditions thereof Iere. 31. 32. howbeit there is cause of doubting that it will be violated and made frustrate by the faithfull because they may lose their faith and all other graces and so forsake the Lord but according to this doctrine there should be no difference betweene the old couenant of works and the new couenant of grace in respect of the perpetuitie thereof for that also on Gods part was most firme and permanent seeing there was not one tittle of his promises which was not accomplished neuerthelesse on the part of the Israelites it was made voide and frustrate because they performed not the condition of faith and obedience Whereas the Lord promiseth that his couenant with the faithfull should be perpetuall and euerlasting not onely on his part but also on the faithfuls because hee would by the finger of his Spirit write his lawes in their hearts Iere. 31. 33. and because hee would also put his feare Iere. 31. 33. 32. 40. into their hearts so as they should not depart from him as it is Iere. 32. 40. And so much for the perpetuitie of this spirituall mariage The meanes whereby the couenant of our spirituall mariage is made perpetuall In the next place he setteth downe the manner how and the meanes whereby hee would make his couenant perpetuall and euerlasting namely by remouing all causes and meanes whereby it might be violated and by tying the faithfull vnto himselfe by such inuiolable bands as it should not bee possible for any thing whatsoeuer to cause a diuorce and separation All which is signified in these words I will marrie 1. The church is maried in righteousnes thee vnto me in righteousnesse and in iudgement c. Where the Lord sheweth first that whereas sinne and vnrighteousnesse might be a sufficient cause to make a diuorce and breake off the perpetuitie of the Churches mariage with him for what communion hath light with darknesse righteousnesse with 2. Cor. 6. 14. vnrighteousnesse he would therefore marrie the Church vnto him in righteousnes that is he would make her righteous first by washing away her sinnes with his own most pretious blood and imputing vnto her his righteousnesse full satisfaction and perfect obedience Of which the Apostle speaketh Esa 54. 14. Rom. 5. 17. 19. And secondly by working in her inherent righteousnesse that is sanctification integritie sinceritie and Rom. 5. 17. 19. vprightnes of heart whereby it should come to passe that
mercy we injoy in that we are the Church of God and haue his word and Sacraments amongst vs. For if we securely rest in these titles and priuiledges and thinke it sufficient that we haue the kingdome of God amongst vs but bring forth no fruits of it nor liue like his subjects but the vassals of Sathan this kingdome shall likewise be taken from vs and giuen to a nation which will bring forth the fruits thereof If we continue in our sinnes loose our first loue and will not repent and amend our Candlestick shall be remoued if wee remaine stubbornely rebellious and will not endure admonition and rebuke the Lord will destroy our mother as here he threatneth the Israelites and make vs like the Churches of the Iewes and Asia Secondly it serueth for the confutation of the Papists The Church of Rome no true Church of God who invest their mother the Church of Rome in the royall ornaments of her ancesters grace her with their titles and priuiledges and aduance her aboue others in the glorious chaire of antiquitie But seeing she hath fallen from her first loue and repenteth not seeing she hath voluntarily excluded her selfe out of Christs kingdome and will not indure to be gouerned by the scepter of his word but hath seruilely submitted her selfe to Antichrist and is content to take his marke and beare his yoke seeing she hath banished out of her Gods pure worship the ministerie of his word and hath wholy corrupted and depraued his Sacraments and now worshippeth Idols Saints Angels their breadden God of the Aulter and if they worship the true God at all yet not according to his word but after their owne wils in humaine inuentions and traditions and seeing they are so desperately resolued to continue in these their sinnes that they will here of no admonition but rebuke their reprouers yea persecute vnto the death all that labour to reclaime them it is hereby manifest that long agoe they are ceased to be the spouse of Christ and are now become an infamous harlot euen the whoore of Babilon they are no more the Church of God but the Sinagogue of Sathan and slaues of Antichrist For if the Church of Israell who had Gods law couenant promises and all royall prerogatiues ceased to bee the Church when as they did wholy degenerate and abandoned Gods pure worship and if those famous Churches mentioned in the new testament planted by the Apostles themselues making the like apostacy were subiect to the same punishment then what can priuiledge the apostate Church of Rome which is wholy degenerate from her ancestours both in puritie of doctrine and holynesse of manners and conuersation from the like fearefull judgement seeing she hath matched them yea and exceeded them all in desperate and audatious wickednesse ANd so much concerning the second bill of inditement and the sentence thereto annexed Now followeth the third bill and sentence which from the 6. verse to the 11. verse are intermixed one with the other wherein hee inditeth accuseth and condemneth the whole body of the Church and common wealth both priests and people and this he doth first joyntly and after more particularly he setteth downe both the sinnes and punishments of the Priests and people But I will speake of them as they lie in order Verse 6. My people are destroyed for want of knowledge Verse 6 Because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt bee no Priest to mee and seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children In which Exposition words he doth more particularly exaggerate that sinne of omission whereof he accuseth them verse 1. namely that there was no knowledge of God in the land by shewing that not onely the people but also the priests who should instruct them were vtterly destitute of this knowledge and withall specifieth Gods reall controuersie and particular punishments which he was purposed to inflict vpon them In handling whereof we will first consider of their sinne and then of their punishment Their sinne and punishment are joyntly expressed in these words My people are destroyed for want of knowledge Their sinne was want of knowledge or ignorance of God and his true Religion the which sinne did lye heauie both vpon the Priests and people vpon the Priests not onely in that they were culpable of the same ignorance of which he speaketh afterwards but also as they were causes of the peoples ignorance and consequently accessary to their destruction For whereas they were bound by Gods law and ordinance to instruct the people in the knowlegde of God and his true religion for which they had great honour and large maintenance allowed them they seazing vpon the reward and wages vtterly neglected the duty either through their owne ignorance because they could not or through their idlenesse or maliciousnesse whereby they would not informe them in the knowledge of Gods truth but suffered them to run headlong to their destruction So likewise this sinne of Ignorance did lye heauy vpon the people for howsoeuer the Priests vtterly neglected their duety in teaching and instructing them yet the people were not hereby excused First because they willingly suffered themselues to bee hud-winckt by their Priests and were contented to be nuzled in ignorance by these blinde guides chusing rather to goe on securely in their sinnes without admonition or reproofe then to be troubled by any meanes in their euil courses Secondly because though the Priests neglected their duetie yet they had Gods Prophets sent vnto them to informe them in the knowledge of gods truth whom they despised and refused to heare as hath beene shewed Thirdly in that they had the word and Law of God written deliuered vnto them out of which through painfull reading and meditation they might haue attained vnto some knowledge So that their case was vnlike the case of the Gentiles who had onely the light of nature and so remained in ignorance because they wanted the meanes of sauing knowledge whereas they had the law and oracles of God committed vnto them the which were faithfully expounded vnto them by Gods Prophets but they neglected the reading of the Law and contemned the admonitions and instructions of the Prophets and so were ignorant because they would be ignorant and loued the darknesse of errour better then the light of Gods truth And this is Emphatically implyed whereas the Lord doth say not the people but my people that is this my people with whom I haue made my Couenant and vnto whom I haue giuen my Law and sent my Prophets to instruct them in my truth euen they are destroyed for want of knowledge The punishment inflicted both vpon Priests and people is destruction whereby we are to vnderstand not onely that temporarie destruction of their body state and country by their enimies but also their spirituall and euerlasting destruction both of body and soule for as it is eternall life to Iohn 17.
more God inlargeth our prosperitie and multiplyeth his benefits the better wee should remember and loue him the more thankfull we should be vnto him the more zealous of his glory the more dutifull obedient diligent in his seruice seeing like a bountifull maister he doth so richly reward our labors And the more we abound in gods blessings the more sobrietie and temperance we should shew in the vse of them for we need not to be rauenously greedy at a full table and the greatnesse of the cheare should rather abate then whet our appetites But such is the hatefull corruption of our natures that we make a quite contrary vse of Gods benefits for when men are inriched with them they forget God they set their harts on the world they neuer returne praise to the author of all their good they wax key cold in their deuotions vndutifull negligent idle and wholy addict themselues to voluptuous pleasures wastfully misspending Gods blessings in excesse riot wantonnesse and belly-cheare whereby they are made altogether vnsit to performe any seruice vnto God and most fit to serue sathan sinne the world and the lusts of their owne flesh An example whereof wee haue in this place for when the Priests and people flourished in prosperity and abounded in wealth they gaue themselues to all voluptuousnes to Whoredome and drunkennes whereby they were wholy infatuated and became ignorant and forgetfull of Gods Law negligent in their callings and vnfit for any good duties Many other examples might bee brought to illustrate this point The Sodomites inhabiting a Gen. 13. 8. place which was so inriched with Gods benefits that it was like another Paradize in pleasant store abused these gifts of God to pride gluttony drunkennesse and all manner of vnlawfull Ezech. 16. 49. lusts The Israelites for a little while abounding in a place of want in stead of praising God for his benefits sate Exod. 32. downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play The rich glutton Luke 16. hauing store of wealth spent it all in purple fine linnen and delicate faire but had not of all his prouision one meals meate to giue vnto Lazarus And the other rich man surnamed the foole when he had filled his barnes and furnished himselfe with store in stead of resoluing to praise God for Luk. 12. 19. his benefits and to imploy them so as he might bee glorified in the vse of his owne gifts resolueth to liue at ease to eate drinck and take his pastime The vse of this doctrine is first to admonish those who flourish in prosperitie and abound in Gods blessings that they be carefull in imploying them to Gods glory and so to vse them that they may serue as helps to further them in all holy and religious duties for such is our naturall corruption that if wee doe not preuent it with watchfull diligence we shall abuse Gods bounty and imploy our abundance for the pampering of the flesh in all voluptuousnesse The second vse serueth for the reproofe of many in these dayes who being inriched with all abundant store think vppon no better vse of Gods blessings but to consume them in pride excesse gormandize and drunkennesse neuer remembring that where the Lord giueth greatest wages there he requireth most diligent seruice nor that hee bestoweth vpon them abundance that they may supply others wants and out of their superfluitie relieue the poores necessitie If it be to maintaine Hawks and Hounds and Harlots excessiue brauery gluttony drinking and good fellowship they care not to spend many hundreds but they can scarce afford a penny to the reliefe of Christs poore members when as they are ready to pine with hunger The second thing to bee obserued is that as voluptuous Voluptuous pleasures transforme men into beasts especially whordome drunkennes pleasures doe take away the vnderstanding and transforme men into beasts so especially whoredome and drunkennes for first for Whoredome it maketh wise men fooles and so infatuateth and besotteth the vnderstanding that there is no place left not onely for spirituall wisedome but not so much as for reason and common sense For they who are addicted to this vice care not so they may satisfie their carnall lusts though they runne headlong and blinde-fold into all mischiefes they expose their name to infamie and reproach they wast their substance in maintaining Harlots and bring themselues to extreame pouertie they are so blinded that they cannot see the odious behauiour the shamelesse impudence and vglie filthinesse of their Harlots but are ready to judge their vices vertues and to esteeme them of greater excellence then any other they cast off all care of wife and children as though they were meere strangers they lay aside all shame and thinke nothing so filthy which they may not speake nothing so vnciuill which they may not doe in any presence they consume their strength infect their bodyes with loathsome diseases shorten their liues and damne their owne soules And all these mischiefes they runne into to satisfie their filthy lusts and to injoy a short and brutish pleasure Hence it is that the Heathen called Venus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stealer of hearts and made Cupid blinde because they who are possessed with lust loose the light of their vnderstanding and the vse of reason And hereof it is that the sin of vncleannesse by a certaine kinde of eminence is in the Sciptures called folly and the Adulterers fooles So Sichem when hee deflowred Dina is said to haue committed folly in Israell Gen. 34. 7. So Thamar diswading Ammon from Gen. 34. 7. 2 Sam. 13. 12. vncleannesse willeth him not to commit that folly So the wise man teacheth vs that hee who committeth Adulterie with a woman is destitute of vnderstanding and destroyeth Prou. 6. 32. and 7. 7. his owne soule Prou. 6. 32. and Chap. 7. ver 7. he marshals him in the ranke of fooles I saw saith he among the fooles a young man destitute of vnderstanding And least the similitude of follie should be too good to expresse his madnesse he compareth him Verse 22. To an oxe led to the slaughter Pro. 7. 22. to shew that he was not onely a foole but also brutish in his follie The like may also be said of the sinne of drunkennesse as I purpose els where to shew at large The vse hereof is that euery one abstaine from fornication and possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour as the Apostle exhorteth 1 Thes 4. 3. And that like pilgrimes we abstaine 1. Thes 4. 3. from these fleshly lusts because they fight against our soules as it is 1 Pet. 2. 11. For if we wallow in this sinck of 1. Pet. 2. 11. filthy pleasures they will take away the heart infatuate our vnderstanding and depriue vs of the vse of reason and so we shall bee left not onely destitute of pietie religion and honestie but also of common ciuilitie and humanitie and become
be sicke or when they haue lost their goods by theeues or other casualties or when they curiously desire to know what shall befall them in the time to come are ready to vse these wicked and Diabolicall meanes for the satisfying of their desires wherein they bewray notable diffidence impietie folly diffidence in that if the Lord defer his helpe a little while they will not waite his leasure nor trust in his promises but rather relye vpon the diuell and vpon the direction of his wicked instruments Their impietie is hereby manifested in that they seeke to free themselues from those afflictions which God hath laid vpon them by Sathans helpe as it were whether God will or no for if it were his will they should be released he would graunt them lawfull meanes Lastly they shew their folly not onely in that they inquire of them who haue a spirit of diuination and of the Southsayers who murmure and whisper and leaue the Lord most wise and most mighty and goe from the liuing to the dead contrary to the admonition of the Prophet Esay 8. 19. but also in that they imagine they Esa 8. 19. can preuaile against God by Sathans assistance who is but his slaue and so fast tyed in chaynes that he is not able to stir without his permission Fourthly we here learne what is the cause why Idolaters The cause why the wisest Idolaters liue in sottish superstitions who otherwise are exceeding wise doe liue in most sottish superstition and are blinded with such childish follies as may moue in any just cause of admiration namely because they are seduced with a spirit of fornications that is not onely abandoned of Gods spirit who leadeth vs into all truth but also wholy lead with the vncleane spirit Sathan the chiefe author of spirituall whoredome who begetteth in these children of disobedience a spirit of Idolatry that is a vehement and earnest desire to liue in this sinne with which they are so wholy transported that they goe forward in their grosse and absurd courses not onely against religion and the reuealed will of God but against reason nature and common sense An example hereof wee haue in the Israelites who howsoeuer they had so manifold experience of Gods mercy and power in multiplying his benefits vpon them and in their miraculous deliuerances preseruation from their enimies and of his seuere justice in punishing their Idolatries yet were so seduced with this spirit of fornications that neither Gods mercyes nor judgements could restraine them from forsaking his true worship and seruing the Idols of the Heathens in as grose manner as those who neuer heard of God and his word The like experience we haue in the Papists at this day who howsoeuer they are worldly wise in the things of this life yet being bewitched and carried headlong with this spirit of fornications they suffer themselues wittingly and willingly to be abused by their false teachers as if they were the most ignorant ideots in the world they beleeue the carnall presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the aulter contrarie not onely to religion but also to reason nature and their owne sense and adore their breaden God with diuine worship they are content with great summes of money to purchase pardon of their sinnes of the Pope who is a sinfull man like themselues yea the man of sinne they whip and torment themselues before their idolls like Baalls Priests they creepe to the Crosse and goe on pilgrimage to images of wood and stone and by praying vowing and offering vnto them they acknowledge them as their Gods seeing they giue vnto them all parts of diuine worship whereas they are creatures more base and impotent then themselues and whence proceedeth all this but that they are giuen ouer of God to strong delusions and to beleeue lyes bewitched of the euill spirit sathan and wholy transported and mislead with the spirit of fornications The vse hereof is that howsoeuer we are sometime led We must take heed we be not transported with the spirit of sinne captiue of sinne and through infirmitie be ouertaken with the corruption of the flesh yet that we carefully take heede we be not transported wholy with the spirit of sinne desiring to breake Gods commandements delighting in our transgression Let vs watch ouer our harts that they may do faithfull seruice vnto God though the other members bee sometime inthralled in the bondage of sin though in the spirituall conflict we receiue some wounds of sathan the world and the flesh yet let vs be sure to keepe fast buckled vnto vs the brest-plate of righteousnes sinceritie and integritie so as we may truely say with the Apostle Paul that we delight in Rom. 7. 22. the law of God concerning the inner man howsoeuer wee find another law in our members rebelling against the law of our minds leading vs captiue vnto the law of sinne Let vs wholy resigne our selues ouer to bee guided by the spirit of God that so we may be assured that we are his sonnes and children for if Gods spirit be not our guide to leade vs into all truth Rom. â— 14. we shall be seduced by the spirit of sin and carried headlong into all manner of sottish and outragious wickednesse Fiftly we here learne that as soone as men addict themselues They that addict themselues to idolatrie shake of Gods yoke to wil-worship superstition and idolatrie they shake off Gods yoke and withdraw themselues from vnder his gouernment as the Israelits in this place who when they went a whoring after their idols are saide to haue departed from vnder their God So Deu. 31. 16. They will goe a whoring Deut. 31. 16. after Gods of a strange land and will forsake me and breake my couenant And so themselues confesse that they did forsake the Lord when they serued Baalim Iudg. 10. 10. though Iudg. 10. 10. they professed that in Baal they serued the true God as appeareth Hos 2. 16. Thus the Lord saith that as soone as the people burnt incense vnto their Gods and worshipped the Hos 2. 16. worke of their owne hands they forsooke him Ier. 1. 16. Ier. 1. 16. The reason is manifest for they who refuse to be gouerned by the kings law and either make their owne will a law or submit themselues to be ruled by the law of a strange Prince they doe not onely reject the law but also refuse to haue that Prince for their gouernour but the word of God is his law and the scepter of his kingdome whereby he ruleth all his subjects and therefore they who will not be ruled by this law but by their owne will and humaine inuentions and traditions in refusing Gods law they refuse and forsake God himselfe and will not admit him for their gouernour And hence it is that the Lord joyned these together where he saith that Saul had forsaken him had not performed his commandements
worldly riches then would we also neuer forget it but meditate therein day and night The third cause of the forgetfulnesse of Gods Law is Gods mercies make vs vnmindfull of him our pride of heart through the vnthankfull abuse of our prosperitie for such is our corruption that whereas Gods benefits should make vs mindfull of his Law that in lue of thankfulnesse we might obey it contrariwise the abundance of Gods mercies makes vs to forget not onely the Law but euen God himselfe so the Lord complaineth Hos 13. 6. Hos 13. 6. As in their pastures so were they filled they were filled and their heart was exalted therefore haue they forgotten me Hence it is that the Lord giueth the Israelites so oft warning that when they abounded in Gods blessings they should not suffer their hearts to be lift vp so to forget him the authour of all their good Deut. 8. 11. 12. A man would thinke that as tokens Deut. 8. 11. 12. sent serue to put vs in minde of an absent friend so the innumerable tokens of Gods loue which as it were from heauen he sendeth vnto vs should serue as so many remembrancers to put vs in minde of him who sendeth them vnto vs but though against all reason it falleth out otherwise for the tokens of Gods loue as riches pleasures and honours make vs forget the sender and therefore wise Hagur seeing this corruption in himselfe doth intreat the Lord to restraine his bountie and not to bestow too much vpon him least being full he should denie him say who is the Lord. Prou. 30. 8. 9. Pro. 30. 8. 9. Seeing therefore our corrupt nature is so inclinable to The greatnesse of this sinne of forgetfulnesse this vice of forgetfulnesse let vs labour not onely to see it but also to subdue and mortifie it which that we may the rather performe with the greater care and conscience let vs consider the grieuousnesse of the sinne and the greatnesse of the punishment which doth attend it The grieuousnesse of the sinne herein appeareth in that it is not onely in it selfe haynous but a cause also of innumerable other sinnes In it selfe it is a haynous sinne as appeareth by the Lords often and earnest forbidding of it So Deut. 4. 23. Take heed vnto Deut. 4. 23. and 8. 11. your selues least you forget the couenant of the Lord your God and 8. 11. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God not keeping his commaundements And when the people notwithstanding these admonitions did forget the Lord he grieuously complaineth of this neglect So Deu. 32. 18. thou hast forgotten Deut. 32. 18. Esay 57. 11. Ier. 2. 32. the mightie God that begat thee and formed thee Esa 57. 11. Ier. 2. 32. Can a maide forget her ornament or a bride her attire yet my people hath forgotten me daies with out number Secondly to forget God and his word is a kinde of Athisme seeing they haue not God nor his law in their principall parts namely their heart minde and soule for they who so haue them doe also remember them Thirdly this forgetfulnesse is ioyned with singular contempt of Gods word for they who regard it doe also remember it they that can say with Dauid that they delight in his statutes may also adde that which hee addeth that they will not forget his word Psal 119. 16. Psal 119. 16. Fourthly as this forgetfulnesse is in it selfe a sinne so it is the cause of almost all sinne Whereof it is that forgetfulnesse and the transgression of the law are often joyned together as the cause and effect Deut. 8. 11. Beware that thou Deut. 8. 11. forget not the Lord thy God not keeping his commaundements Ier. 3. 21. They haue peruerted their way and haue forgotten the Lord their God Prou. 2. 17. Which forsaketh the guide of Ier. 3. 21. Pro. 2. 17. Ezech. 22. 12 her youth forgetteth the couenant of her God Ezech. 22. 12. Iud. 3. 7. The children of Israell did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and forgat the Lord their God The reason is because Iud. 3. 7. they who doe not so much as remember the law of God can much lesse obserue it and those vvho neuer thinke neyther on gods promises nor threatnings are neither incouraged to that which is good nor discouraged from that which is euill But as this forgetfulnesse is to be auoyded in that it is a The punishment of the sinne of forgetfulnesse grieuous sinne so also because God inflicteth vpon it grieuous punishments As in this place he threatneth the Priests that because they had forgotten his Law he would not onely forget them but their children the which was a fearefull judgement whether we consider it in the generall or in this particular In the generall for if in God we liue and moue and haue our being Act. 17. 28. If when hee but hideth his face Act. 17. 28. we are troubled Psal 104. 29. If when he neglecteth vs we are straight depriued of all good and exposed vnto all euill Psal 104. 29. then what is Gods forgetfulnesse but our destruction so likewise in this particular where by Gods forgetting their children is meant his neglect of them the with-drawing of the signes of his loue the disinheriting of them of the honour of Priest-hood as if he would call backe his commission and suffer them no more to beare the name of his ambassadours turne them out of their stewardship and make them more base then common seruants make them of shepheards worse then the meanest of the flocke and of Captaines common souldiers which also with the rest should be casheerd out of his Campe the Church militant Besides this heauie judgement there are diuers others threatned against this sinne of forgetfulnesse in the booke of God and these both temporall and eternall Of the first sort is the punishment of barrennesse and dearth Esay 17. Esay 17. 10. 11 10. 11. Desolation and destruction of their cities Hos 8. Hos 8. 10. 10. Bondage and subjection vnder tyrannicall enimies 1. Sam. 12. 9. The Lord scattereth those that forget him and 1 Sam. 12. 9. his word as stubble before the winde Ier. 13. 24. 25. Hee Ier. 13. 24. Ier. 18. 17. ouerthroweth them in the day of battaile Chap. 18. 17. But the most grieuous punishment of all is that they shall beare their wickednesse which is a burthen intollerable and presseth all that are vnder it euen down to hell Ezec. 23. 35. Ezech. 23. 35. So likewise it is punished with eternall punishments for as it is Psal 9. 17. The wicked shall turne into hell and all the nations that forget God And therefore I conclude this point Psal 9. 17. and 50. 22. with the Psalmist Psal 50. 22. O consider this O ye that forget God least I teare you in peeces and their be none to deliuer you And these are