of all and euery of them neither must we imagine that these two not my people and the sonnes of the liuing God are alike generall as though all and euery man amongst them of whom it might be said not my people of them it should be said that they were the sonnes of the liuing God but it is to be vnderstood of Gods elect onely who should be called from amongst them both and added to the Church For many were eternally reiected many who neuer heard of the Gospel and of Christ many outwardly called by the ministery of the word who were not called effectually and so neither iustified nor made Gods soones by adoption and grace The third thing which is signified in these words is the instrumentall cause or meanes whereby they should attaine vnto this dignity namely by the preaching of the Gospell the which is implied by the phrase of speech here vsed for he doth not say they shall begin to be or they shall be made or they shall be adopted the sonnes of God but it shall be said vnto them Yee are the sonnes of the liuing God to wit in the preaching of the Gospell which is the strong power of God to saluation vnto all that beleeue Rom. 1. 16. and the onely ordinary meanes of begetting faith Rom. 10. 17. by which Rom. 1. 16. 10. 17. Iohn 1. 12. 1. Cor. 4. 15. faith we attaine vnto this prerogatiue of being the sonnes of God Iohn 1. 12. And this the Apostle plainely sheweth 1. Cor. 4. 15. where affirming himselfe to be the Corinthians spirituall father who had begotten them vnto God he sheweth likewise whereby they were begotten and regenerate namely through the preaching of the Gospell Furthermore it is to be obserued that it is set down absolutely it shal be said vnto them without expressing by whom but we are to vnderstand it of God himselfe who had said ye are not my people for he onely after their reiection from being his people could make them his sonnes notwithstanding we are not to vnderstand it that this should be spoken by God himselfe immediately but as he said yee are not my people by the ministery of his Prophet so he saith yee are the sonnes of the liuing God by the ministery of his Apostles and Ministers in the preaching of the word The last thing to be considered is the dignity or prerogatiue it selfe expressed in these words Yee are the sonnes of the liuing God Where we are to note that he doth not obserue a perfect antithesis betweene these and the former words which should haue bin thus expressed In the place where it was said yee are not my people it shall be said vnto them ye are the people of God but in stead thereof he saith ye are the sonnes of the liuing God The reason whereof is this first because he would hereby signifie that through Christ in the couenant of grace we haue a far more excellent estate then vnder the law by the couenant of works for then they were but the people or subiects of God but now they are his sons adopted in Iesus Christ and being sonnes they are likewise Rom. 8. 17. heires and coheires with Christ as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. 17. Then they were the people of God on the condition of their perfect obedience to the Law which when they obserued not they lost this dignity and were reiected from being Gods people but now they are sonnes on the condition of faith and heires of an inheritance immortall vndefiled and that fadeth not away as the Apostle speaketh 1. Pet. 1. 4. because 1. Pet. 1. 4. they shall neuer fall from the couenant nor forsake or be forsaken of God seeing his seed remaineth in them 1. Iohn 3. 9. 1. Iohn 3. 9. Secondly by this phrase he excludeth in the worke of our saluation all kind of merit and sheweth that it is wholly to be ascribed to the free grace of God If he had said ye shall be called Gods people it had not so fully excluded all merit seeing there may be some desert in a people which mooueth the Prince to take them for his subiects but when he saith Ye shall be called sonnes it shutteth out all merit seeing no sonne can deserue of his father to be begotten of him before he hath his being Thirdly he vseth this phrase of speech because it containeth All the benefits of the Gospell comprised vnder this title The sons of God in it the summe of those benefits which are offered and bestowed in the Gospel is as it were a briefe abridgement of the whole worke of our saluation for those who are sons are likewise predestinate to eternall life seeing he hath therfore predestinate vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe as it is Eph. 1. 5. If we are sonnes then need we not Ephes 1. 5. to doubt of the loue of our heauenly father if we are sons then are we called to this high dignitie seeing before our calling we were strangers and enemies if sonnes then are we iustified in Gods sight freed from sinne and indued with righteousnesse and so fully reconciled vnto God seeing the Lord infinit in iustice would neuer admit any into such a high degree of fauour who were yet polluted in their sinnes and destitute of righteousnesse If we are sonnes then haue we receiued the spirit of adoption which leadeth and ruleth vs mortifieth our corruptions and quickneth vs in the inner man raising vs vp from the death of sin to holines and newnes of life Finally if we are sons then also we are heires and coheires with Christ of the kingdome of glorie Rom. 8. 17. Rom. 8. 17. Lastly as hereby he expresseth the inestimable benefits of The name of sonnes stirreth vs vp to all Euangelicall duties the Gospell so also doth he hereby stirre vs vp to all Euangelicall duties for sonnes more beleeue trust hope in loue their fathers then people their gouernours and with more alacritie and diligence performe obedience vnto their commandements and therefore if wee bee the sonnes of God wee must bee mindfull to performe these duties to our heauenly father The last thing to bee considered in this royall dignitie is that they shall be called the sonnes of the liuing God whereby the greatnesse of this benefit is amplified as though hee should say Ye shal be the sonnes of a God not like vnto the idols and Gods of the heathen which either neuer liued or but for a short time but of the eternall and euer liuing Iehouah who is and will be euer willing and able to defend and prouide for you who are his children And as hereby is signified the eternitie of our heauenlie father so there is implied also the eternitie of vs his children For as Christ saith God is not the God of the dead but of the Matth. 22. 32. liuing so may I say hee is not a father of the dead but of the liuing
are to liue like Gods subiects and doe seruice to their Lord and Sauiour who hath redeemed them to this purpose 1. Cor. 6. 20. and then to the kingdome of glorie where they shall receiue a rich reward for their seruice euen a crowne of glorie and euerlasting happinesse First then they must ascend out of the kingdome of darkenes Of our comming out of the power of darkenesse by vocation and iustification sinne and Satan into the kingdome of grace which is done first when as Iesus Christ hath effectually called them gathered them into his Church and vnited them vnto himselfe making them members of his owne body by vertue of his holy spirit and the fruit thereof a liuely faith By which vnion they haue right and propriety vnto the righteousnes death and merits of Christ their head whereby they are iustified in the sight of God for the iustice of God being fullie satisfied by the death and merits of Christ and the debt of our sinnes being discharged they are pardoned and done away and we being clothed with his righteousnesse and actuall obedience are accepted and reputed of God as iust and so reconciled vnto him and adopted for his sonnes in Christ And this is the first kind of our ascending out of the land and kingdome of darkenesse when as we are freed and deliuered out of the power of Satan and sinne in respect both of the guilt and punishment thereof so that now it cannot condemne vs nor any longer detaine vs as prisoners vnder the arrest of the law in the prison of death and vtter darkenesse And of this ascension the Apostle speaketh Ephes 2. 4. 5. 6. Secondly they ascend out of the kingdom of sin Satan Ephes 2. 4. 5 6. Our cumming out of the power of sinne by sanctification into the kingdom of Christ when as being vnited vnto him they haue part in his death and resurrection by the vertue and power whereof sinne is mortified in them and they raised from the death of sinne to holinesse and newnesse of life so that now their harts and affections their words and actions their life and conuersation is quite changed for whereas whilest they liued in the land of darkenesse vnder the kingdome of sinne and Satan they were wholly earthlie carnall and diabolicall now being ascended out of the land into the kingdome of Christ they are spirituall and heauenly their heart and affections which in former times did lie groueling on the earth minding nothing but worldlie and carnall things are now mounted aloft so that though their bodies be on the earth yet their conuersation is in heauen from whence they expect their Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ Phil. 3. 20. And being risen with Christ they doe not Phil. 3. 20. seeke those things which are on the earth but those things which are aboue as the Apostle speaketh Col. 3. 1. And as Col. 3. 1. they rise aloft in heart and affections so also in words and actions which are not as in former times carnall and earthly but spirituall and heauenly Of this ascension the Apostle speaketh Rom. 6. 4. 5. 6. And this is that first resurrection of Rom. 6. 4. 5. 6. which Iohn speaketh in which whosoeuer haue their part are blessed because on such the second death hath no power Apoc. 20. 6. Apoc. 20. 6. And thus the Church and people of God ascend out of the land of darkenesse and the kingdome of sinne and Satan first by their iustification whereby they are freed from the imputation guilt and punishment of sinne so that it cannot Rom. 8. 33. 34. accuse and condemne them and secondly by their sanctification when by vertue of Gods spirit dwelling in them and applying vnto them the death and resurrection of Christ they doe by little and little subdue and mortifie the power of sinne so that it doth no longer reigne and rule in them as Rom. 6. 12. in former times and hauing lessened and abated the corruption doe begin to rise from the death of sinne to newnesse of life yeelding voluntarie obedience to Gods commandements The second manner of the Churches going vp or ascending Of our ascending out of the land of darkenesse into the kingdome of glorie out of the land of darkenesse the kingdome of sinne and Satan is when they ascend into the kingdome of glorie whereof there are three degrees the first whereof is in this life which is onely in hope and in respect of the certaine assurance of their full and perfect deliuerance out of the kingdome of sinne and Satan and of their entrance into and possession of the kingdome of heauen The which their hope and assurance is grounded vpon their vnion with Christ for being assured that Christ their head clothed with their flesh is ascended into heauen they haue no lesse assurance that they his members shall also ascend thither seeing the vnion betweene them is inseparable And this is that ascension of which the Apostle speaketh Ephes 2. 4. 5. Of which in respect Ephes 2. 4. 5. of the certaintie of faith Gods people haue such full assurance that they are said not onely to hope for it but alreadie to haue entred into it and to haue taken possession of it Ioh. Ioh. 3. 36. 3. 36. He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life So 1. Ioh. 3. 14. We know that we are translated from death to life 1. Joh. 3. 14. because we loue the brethren The second degree of their ascension out of the kingdome of sinne and Satan into the kingdome of glorie is at the time of their dissolution when their bodies resting in the graue their soules haue entrance into a reall possession of the heauenly ioyes And of this the Wise man speaketh Eccles 12. 7. And dust returnes to the earth as it Eccles 12. 7. was and the spirit returnes to God that gaue it And the Apostle Paul thus desireth to bee dissolued that his soule might be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. Phil. 1. 23. The last degree is their full and perfect liberty which shall be at the day of the generall resurrection when as body and The last degree of our liberty soule shall be vnited together and being fully freed from the power of Satan sinne death and corruption shall for euer inherit the vnspeakeable ioyes of Gods Kingdome And this also they attaine vnto by vertue of that vnion which they haue with Christ whereby their bodies and soules being inseparably ioyned vnto him they by vertue of his spirit dwelling in them and applying vnto them the power of his resurrection are also raised and ascend into heauen that where he their head is there they his members may be also And of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. 11. But if the spirit of him Rom. 8. 11. that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies
because his spirit dwelleth in you And this is that full liberty and perfect redemption of which our Sauiour speaketh Luke 21. 28. When these things begin to come to passe then looke Luk. 21. 28. vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere And this is the meaning of these wordes The doctrines which from hence arise are these First we may obserue that The Do ∣ ctrines after Christ hath gathered his Church and they being gathered That as soone as we are vnited to Christ we ascend out of the kingdome of darknesse haue by a liuely faith chosen and imbraced him for their King and head then presently they ascend out of the land of darkenesse the Kingdome of sinne and Satan and that in respect both of their iustification whereby their sinnes being not imputed they are freed from guilt and punishment and are accepted as righteous being clothed with the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ and in respect of their sanctification whereby they are freed from the power and corruption of sinne when as the Spirit of God dwelling in them applieth vnto them the vertue of Christs death and resurrection whereby their sinnes are by little and little mortified and subdued and they raised from the death of sinne to holinesse and newnesse of life Whosoeuer therefore are gathered into the Church and haue chosen Christ for their head they may bee assured that they are iustified in Gods sight and so freed from the guilt and punishment of their sinnes and also that they are sanctified and in some measure freed from the power and iurisdiction of sinne so that it shall no longer raigne in their mortall bodies for these goe inseparably together so that hauing one we may be assured Rom. 6. 12. that we haue all the other and that wanting one we want all the rest Secondly we may obserue that the Church being set at liberty out of the land of darkenesse doth ascend into the The true members of the Church are not carnall but spirituall Kingdome of God first into the Kingdome of grace and then into the Kingdome of glory So that the Church of Christ and all the true members thereof are no longer earthly carnall and worldly but spirituall and heauenly they are no more citizens of the world but of the new Ierusalem which is aboue their hearts are not now groueling on the Phil. 3. 20. earth but they haue their conuersation in heauen minding not earthly but heauenly things For after that our Sauiour Christ our soueraigne Prince hauing ouercome our spirituall enemies in whose bondage we were inthralled hath pronounced the sentence of our liberty we then begin to shake off the bolts and chaines of our sinnes and corruptions and to come out of the prison and power of sinne and Satan neither will we then make a stay there but make all haste possible to get out of their kingdome and dominion lest againe wee should be ouertaken and inthralled in their bondage and because no other place can secure vs from this danger therefore we ascend into the kingdome of Christ desiring his aide and protection who alone is able to defend vs and forasmuch as whilest we continue in the suburbes of this kingdome the Church militant although we be neuer ouercome yet we are continually assaulted with our spirituall enemies therefore we continually desire and hope to enter within the walles of the heauenly Ierusalem the Church triumphant in heauen where not onely wee shall bee free from danger of being subdued but also from assault and molestation in the meane time setling our minds and hearts not vpon things present but vpon those future ioyes of which we are assured when we shall be admitted citizens of Gods kingdome of glory and attaine vnto our full redemption And these are the steps and degrees whereby we ascend out of the land of darkenesse into the kingdome of glory The degrees whereby we must ascend out of the land of darkenesse the highest whereof none can attaine vnto but they who begin at the lowest for first we must be subiects of the kingdome of grace before wee be subiects of the kingdome of glory we must first be members of the Church militant before we be members of the Church triumphant first wee must enter into the suburbes before we can come into the citie first we must haue assurance of our heauenly inheritance by faith and hope before we shall inioy the actuall possession and lastly we must haue our mindes hearts and affections transported into our heauenly country or else our bodies soules shall neuer ascend thither So that in this point also one of these steps and degrees being ascended it giueth vs assurance that we shall stil ascend till we come to the highest and on the other side if we begin not at the first we shall neuer ascend to the last namely the glorious ioyes of Gods kingdome The last thing to be considered is by what vertue and power we ascend out of the land of darknesse into the kingdome By what vertue and power we ascend out of the land of darkenesse of glory to wit not our owne but Iesus Christs for he alone is it who by his death and merits hath set vs free out of the land of darknesse and deliuered vs from the guilt and punishment of our sinnes and he onely it is who by vertue of his Spirit applying his death and resurrection vnto vs doth enable vs to ascend out of the power of sinne and to subdue and mortifie the corruptions thereof And none but he raiseth vp our mindes from the earth and earthly things and giuing vs entrance into his heauenly ioyes by faith and hope doth transport our hearts and affections thither whither our soules and bodies shall afterwards ascend In a word it is he alone who by vertue of the same spirit vniting vs vnto him as members of his body doth cause vs to ascend in soule at the houre of death and in body and soule ioyned together at the general resurrection and giueth them full and actuall possession of Gods kingdome And therefore let vs beware that we trust not to ascend vp into heauen by the broken ladder of the merits of Saints or our owne works and worthinesse for so shall we rob Christ of his glory and our selues of all comfort in this life and happinesse in the life to come seeing these rotten and broken steps will most faile vs when we most rest vpon them but let vs looke to ascend by Christ alone who is the onely sound and strong ladder vpon which the Angels descend to carry vs vp with them into Abrahams bosome Iohn 1. 51. and the true and straight John 1. 51. way whereby we may ascend out of this vale of misery into the Kingdome of euerlasting glory as himselfe speaketh Iohn 14. 6. Iohn 14. 6. And thus much concerning the description of the Churches happinesse vnder the gouernment of
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
Rom. 11. 29. farre foorth as they will stand with their spirituall good as Dauid did 1. Sam. 17. 37. But this is no sure ground whereupon 1. Sam. 17. 37. secure men may build their presumption For if Gods mercies will not moue vs to feare and serue him he will not alwaies continue to be mercifull towards vs but as he hath a time for mercie so he hath also a time for iudgement wherein he will vtterly take vs away in wrath and bring vs to destruction An example whereof wee haue in this place and before the flood Gen. 6. 3. c. Secondly whereas the Lord threatneth that they should Gen. 6. 3. Captiuitie is the fruit of rebellion for euer remaine in captiuitie vnder the rule and dominion of their enemies here we may obserue a notable fruite of rebellion For so long as the Israelites serued God whose seruice indeed is the only true libertie they were freed from all seruitude and bondage but when they refused to serue God as their Lord and master would not be ruled by his word and Spirit they were compelled to serue crueli tyrants in a miserable and perpetuall seruitude yea which was worse they were not onely the captiues of their enemies but the perpetuall bondslaues of their arch enemie the diuell as many as did not turne vnto God and againe betake themselues to his seruice Thirdly whereas the Lord pronounceth this definitiue Release from temporall afflictions doth not alwaies follow true repentance Hos 1. 10. 2. 20 sentence that he would neuer haue pitie on them to deliuer them out of their bondage and yet vpon the true repentance of many of them pardoned their sinne and receiued them to mercie as appeareth vers 10. chap. 2. 20. hence wee learne that vpon the forgiuenes of sinne and reconciliation with God there doth not alwaies follow release from temporall afflictions which for sinne are inflicted vpon the faithfull For the Lord after that he hath pardoned his children their sin doth oftentimes chastise them afterwards for them that hereby he may weane them for the time to come from their corruptions and with this bitternesse of affliction may moue them to hate those sinnes which otherwise would be sweete pleasant to their corrupt flesh An example hereof we haue in Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 13. 18. 16. 12. And in Moses 2. Sam. 12. 13. 18. 16. 12. Numb 20. 10. 12. Num. 20. 10. 12. The consideration whereof should make vs carefully flee sinne if not for feare of eternall torments from which all the faithfull are deliuered by Christ yet at least of temporarie afflictions which haue in them more bitternesse then sinne sweetenesse c. ANd so much concerning their secōd degree of punishment the which is amplified by a dissimilitude vers 7. Vers 7 Yet I will haue mercie vpon the house of Iuda and will saue them Exposition by the Lord their God and will not saue them by bow nor by sword nor by battell by horses nor by horsemen In which words is contained a gratious promise to the house of Iuda of that mercie which in the former verse hee refuseth to vouchsafe the house of Israel Wherein we are to consider the partie to whō this promise is made namely the house of Iuda and secondly the benefits which are promised the which are two fold first his mercy and secondly saluation which is an effect thereof vnto which are annexed the true meanes whereby he would saue them to wit by the Lord their God and after the false and insufficient meanes are remoued in which notwithstanding men vsually put their confidence and will not saue them by bowes This gratious promise of mercie and saluation is made to the Iewes not for any excellencie or worthines which was in them which deserued such grace and mercie for they also oftentimes had grieuouslie rebelled against the Lord and had prouoked his wrath against them with their manifold sins which reigned amongst them especially by their grosse idolatrie as may appeare both by the historie in the bookes of the Kings and Chronicles and in the writings of the Prophets which were sent vnto them to wit Esay Ieremie and the rest But this mercie is promised vnto them first because they did not goe forward in these sinnes with such obstinacie and impenitencie as the Israelites did but vnder the gouernement of their godly Kings Iehosaphat Ezechias Iosias and the rest oftentimes returned againe to the Lord by true repentance and forsaking their idolatry restored Gods pure worshippe and seruice and after they were led captiue they made profitable vse of their afflictions and harkened vnto the voice of God brought vnto them by his Prophets whereas the Israelites after their first defection vnder Ieroboam neuer wholly turned vnto the Lord but grew worse and worse in their rebellion and grosse idolatry Secondly God spared the Tribe of Iuda that he might performe his gratious promise which he had made to Dauid that there should not be wanting one to sit vpon his seate till the Messias came whose kingdome should be eternall the which could not be accomplished if this Tribe likewise had been vtterly destroyed or the kingdome altogether ceased Now the reasons why this our Prophet which was sent to the Israelites maketh this gracious promise in the name of the Lord of that mercy and saluation vnto the Iews which was denied vnto the Israelites was first that he might hereby awaken them out of their deepe sleepe of carnall security and beate downe their pride and selfe confidence into which their present prosperity had brought them For at this time the Kingdome of Israel exceedingly flourished both in multitude as containing in it ten Tribes and in strength and all warlicke prouision hauing obtained many great victories ouer their enemies and particularly against the Iewes whom they had ouerthrowne and brought into great extremity in wealth also which they had gotten by spoiling their enemies and namely the Iewes whose Temple they had robbed and carried away all their treasures and vessels of gold and siluer whereas the Iewes were but a few in number as being but one Tribe and a halfe many of which were miserably slaine by their enemies disfurnished of their warlicke munition and meanes of defence and lastly spoiled of their riches and treasures which are the sinewes of warre and so brought into miserable pouerty In all which respects the Israelites despised the Iewes and proudly insulted ouer them in their miseries yea and which was worst of al they combined themselues with the Syrians the enemies of God conspired how they might bring the poore afflicted Kingdome of Iuda to vtter ruine as appeareth Esay 7. 5 6. And therefore the Lord to beate down this Esa 7. 5 6. pride and cruell insolency sendeth his Prophet to foretell their destruction who were many strong and abounding in all riches and contrariwise the preseruation and saluation of the Iewes who were few
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
their calling to deliuer their embassage and seeing in resisting them they rebell against God himselfe neither is it possible that any should be obedient vnto God who maligne his messengers for his message sake And secondly when Gods iudgements are denounced out of his Word against them for their sinnes they are not to neglect them but to lay them to heart that therby they may be moued to vnfained repentance notwithstanding they see no appearance of danger or any likely meanes wherby such punishments may bee deriued vnto them seeing the Lord whose Word it is which we heare is able to effect it though to vs it seeme impossible ANd so much concerning the first part of this Chapter containing in it legall threatnings denounced against the people of Israel for their sinnes Now we are to speake of the second part containing in it Gods gratious promises of diuers excellent benefits which hee would bestow vpon his Church and people the true Israel of God in the time of the Gospell The first whereof is their effectuall calling and conuersion vnto God wherby they are freed out of the spirituall captiuitie of Satan chosen out of the world and made Gods Church and peculiar people The second is true consolation wrought in their hearts by the glad tidings of the Gospell made effectuall by the inward working of his holy Spirit Both which are contained Vers 14. in these words Vers 14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and speake friendly or confortablie vnto her Where the The exposition Lord sheweth that howsoeuer being prouoked vnto wrath by their sinnes he would execute vpon them all those punishments before threatned yet he would not retaine his anger for euer but in the end when he had laid vpon them such afflictions as were sufficient measuring their proportion by the rule of his fatherly loue and not according to the hainousnes of their sins he would turne all their chastisements to their good and gathering them into his Church multiplie his mercies vpon them But let vs come to the words themselues wherein we are to consider first the context and secondly the benefits promised the context in these words Therefore behold This may seeme a strange kind of consequence for in the former verse he had set downe their obstinacie in their grosse idolatrie and that they were so wholly deuoted to their Idols that they had quite forgotten the true God and now hee presently inferreth hereupon that therefore he would allure her and speake comfortablie vnto her But howsoeuer this may seeme but a bad inference if we regard their sinnes vpon the recitall whereof it should rather haue followed that therefore they should haue such punishments inflicted vpon them as their sinnes had deserued yet it hath good dependance if we respect Gods infinite mercie and his eternall purpose whereby he hath of his free grace and vndeserued goodnes ordained to call them who belong to his election out of their sinnes that being conuerted they may also bee saued As though he should haue said Seeing they follow their idols with delightfull obstinacie and haue altogether forgotten me and seeing their hearts are so blind and obdurate that all my punishments will not reclaime them and finally seeing it is not my purpose to giue them ouer to destruction and to suffer them to run headlong to condemnation therefore I will not let them go forward in their owne courses nor be ruled by their owne obstinate wils for then they would neuer returne vnto me but I wil work vpon their hard harts by my Word and Spirit alluring and perswading them to leaue their idols and false worship and to returne vnto me that they may worship me according to my reuealed will and submit themselues vnto me in all holy obedience And because this is a wonderfull mercie of God farre aboue all humane conceite and therfore not lightly and negligently to be passed ouer hence it is that the note of attention is added Therefore behold that we might more carefully obserue and obseruing praise and magnifie this vnspeakable goodnes of God who by our sinnes is moued rather to pitie then to punish vs. And so much for the context The first benefit here promised is their effectuall calling whereby working vpon their hearts with his Word and Spirit hee would allure and perswade them to forsake their idolatrie and to come out of the seruice of sin and Satan that they might become true members of his Church and liue in holy obedience vnto his will as his true subiects and seruants All which is contained in these words I wil allure her and bring her into the wildernesse where he alludeth to their first deliuerie out of the captiuitie and from the blind idolatrie of Egypt when as first he allured and perswaded them by his seruants Moses and Aaron to desire earnestly to come out of that bondage that they Exod. 4. 30. 31. might become his seruants and people and hauing so inclined their hearts hee brought them out with a strong arme and led them into the wildernesse where he made his couenant with them and afterwards brought them into the land of promise where he multiplied vpon them his manifold benefits as it followeth in the next verse So the Lord by his seruants and Ministers doth worke in the ignorant minds and stubborne hearts of those that belong to his election a desire to come out of the thraldome of the spirituall Pharaoh Satan and hauing thus inclined and allured them by his powerfull Spirit applying vnto them the benefits of Christs death and obedience hee deliuereth them out of this miserable bondage notwithstanding hee doth not presently bring them from Egypt to the heauenly Canaan but causeth thē to passe first thorow the wildernesse of this wicked world where howsoeuer hee prouideth for them and causeth their safetie by his almightie protection so that they are now in far better estate then whilest they liued in the spirituall captiuitie of sinne and Satan yet they are there afflicted with many miseries hunger thirst heate cold sicknesse and diseases with inward mutinies and sedition amongst themselues and with the outward malice and violence of the spirituall Cananites their worldly and wicked enemies with which hauing a while exercised and humbled them and withall wrought in their hearts an earnest desire to come into their heauenly countrey in the end he bringeth them into the spirituall and new Ierusalem The like allusion the Prophet Esay hath speaking of this spirituall deliuerance through Christ Esa 11. 15. 16. Esa 11. 15. 16. Whereas then hee saith I will allure her the meaning is that by his word and holy Spirit he will bring them to true repentance effectually perswading them to leaue the bondage of sinne and Satan and to adioyne themselues to his Church and familie and more specially that he will incline them and change their obstinate resolution in following their idols and make
them pliable to holy obedience that forsaking their false gods and idolatrous worship they may worship the only Iehouah in spirit and truth Where still hee continueth the allegorie of mariage as though hee would say Her louers that is her idols haue inticed her with many baits to commit spirituall whoredome with them but they shall no longer seduce and abuse her for I her louing husband offering vnto her innumerable benefits and eternall happinesse will allure and perswade her to forsake her louers and to returne vnto me And whereas hee saith that hee will bring her into the wildernesse the meaning is that they shall not passe presently out of their miserable seruitude of sinne and Satan into the heauenly Canaan but shal for a time make their abode in the wildernes of this world where they shall be tried with many calamities and afflictions wherewith being throughly humbled they shall enter into their heauenly countrie according to that Act. 14. 22. Wee must Act. 14. 22. thorow many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Others translate these words thus I will allure her after I haue led her into the wildernesse as though the time were herein implied when the Lord would perswade and conuert his people namely after he had first brought them into the wildernesse of affliction and thereby throughly humbled them But howsoeuer this exposition may be thought not repugnant to any thing in the text yet I rather embrace the other as being more plaine and simple without the changing of any word from his owne signification and also because it more fitly answereth to the deliuerance of the people of Israel vnto which it is manifest he here alludeth and lastly because it well agreeth with the like place Ezech. 20. 34. 35. 37. where the same allusion is vsed Ezeth 20. 34. 35. And this is the first benefit The second is expressed in these words and I will speake friendly or comfortably vnto her The originall hath it thus and I will speake vnto her heart by which is signified that he would speak vnto her such pleasant and acceptable words as should replenish her hart with true ioy and comfort though they were in the middest of the wildernesse of affliction And thus this phrase is vsed Esa 40. Esa 40. 1. 2. Gen. 34. 3. Iud. 19. 3. Ruth 2. 13. Ioh. 11. 19. 1. Thess 2. 11. 1. 2. Gen. 34. 3. Iud. 19. 3. Ruth 2. 13. And so in the new Testament whereas it is in the Greeke they comforted any the Syriacke hath it they spoke with their hearts So Ioh. 11. 19. 1. Thess 2. 11. The meaning therefore is that as when hee had brought his people into the wildernesse he spake vnto them deliuering his law vnto which were annexed manifold promises of his great benefits by which the people for the present were somewhat comforted in the middest of the afflictions which they suffered in the wildernesse so hee would in the time of the Gospell after hee had deliuered his people out of the thraldome of sin and Satan speake comfortably vnto them whilest they were vexed and molested with manifold afflictions in the wildernesse of the world that so being filled with consolation they might patiently and cheerefully through the middest of these miseries march towards their heauenly countrie Now this speech of comfort of which he here speaketh is nothing else but the glad tidings of the Gospell wherein we are assured of our deliuerance out of our spirituall thraldome vnto sinne and Satan of the free pardon and remission of all our sinnes of our peace and reconciliation with God and of euerlasting happinesse which Christ by his death and merits hath purchased for vs. The which speech of the Gospell is much more effectuall for our comfort and consolation then the speech of the Law For then the Lord spake to the eare but now hee speaketh to the heart that comfort was but for the present because being grounded vpon the condition of their obedience to the law that prouing impossible their comfort was changed into horror and despaire but this is eternall hauing his foundation not in our owne workes and worthinesse but vpon the free mercie of God and merits of Christ apprehended by a liuely faith And lastly because the Gospell offereth vnto vs farre greater benefits then we are promised in the Law and therfore filleth our hearts with greater comfort And of this consolation the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 1. 3. 4. 5. 7. 6. Act. 9. 31. 2. Cor. 1. 3. 4. 5. and 7. 6. Act. 9. 31. Luke 2. 25. Of which our Sauiour Christ is the principall cause and therfore he is called the consolation of Israel Luk. 2. 25. And so much for the meaning of the words The doctrines The Do ∣ ctrines which from hence arise are these First we may obserue that howsoeuer the Lord being prouoked to iust displeasure by The Lord doth not retaine his anger for euer the sinnes of the people doth not onely threaten his iudgements but also inflicteth deserued punishments yet he doth not retaine his anger for euer nor yet delighteth in the afflictions of his Church but hauing with his fatherly chastisements humbled them and brough them vnto vnfained repentance hee turneth his frownes into smiles his threatnings into promises his iudgements into mercie and withdrawing their afflictions and punishments hee multiplieth vpon them his gratious benefits For hee is slow to anger but abundant in goodnesse and truth Exod. 34. 6. 7. He will not alwaies Exod. 34. 6. 7. Psal 103. 8. 9. chide neither keepeth he his anger for euer Psal 103. 8. 9. And though he afflict vs yet he dealeth not with vs after our sinnes nor rewardeth vs according to our iniquities as it is verse 10. neither retaineth he his anger for euer because mercie pleaseth him as it is Mic. 7. 18. An example wherof we haue in this Micha 7. 18. place where after his sharpe threatnings he adioyneth gratious promises likewise in the Israelites in the time of the Iudges in the Iewes lead captiue into Babylon and afterwards restored but there needs but few examples to confirme that of which we our selues haue so manifold experience c. Secondly out of the connexion of this with the former The mercie of God infinitely exceedeth the mercie of mā verse wee may obserue how infinitly the mercie of God exceedeth the mercie of man for whereas man being offended maketh this conclusion because hee hath iniured me therefore I will reuenge my selfe vpon him the Lord contrariwise in this place concludeth that because the people had grieuously prouoked his anger by their obstinacie in their idolatrie and forgetfulnesse of him therefore hee would allure them to repentance by his benefits and speake comfortably vnto them as though he should say Though they be so peeuishly obstinate that they care not wilfully and desperately to go on in their sins to their vtter destructiō yet I wil not set my
they Ier. 2. 10. 11. could finde the like wickednesse committed by them against their Idols which they had committed against him the true and euerliuing God The sinne committed by this people is that they did aske councell at their stocks and their staffe did teach them In which words their sinnes are both expressed and also their folly in committing of them exceedingly aggrauated But let vs come to the meaning of the words Some expositers not to be neglected do vnderstand them allegorically as though by woode and staffe were meant their ignorant and false Prophets vpon whom they did rest relie for their direction in the right way as the blinde asketh counsaile and relyeth for his direction in his way vpon his staffe But Allegories are needlesse where the literall sense is more probable and agreeable with the Text and besides it seemeth to me a farre fetched and vnvsual Allegory to signifie false Prophets by wood and staues and therefore I rather thinke that as ingenerall he accuseth them of their Idolatry in that they did goe vnto Idols call vpon and worship them so more especially that they did consult with them and aske their counsaile and direction about future euents The particular sinne therefore whereof he accuseth them was their Idolatrous and superstitious diuinations whereof as there were many kindes according to the diuers instruments which they vsed as diuining by Oracles by Lots by fire and water by flying of Birds and looking into the intrailes of Beasts by their tripodes dead bodyes and the like so were there amongst them these two speciall kindes here mentioned namely when in their diuinations they vsed wodden Author libri 613. mandatorum Images the which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also when as for the same purpose they vsed certaine crooked wands or sticks which were fitted for their vse with certaine Ceremonies Pictures and Characters written on them The which kinde of Diuination was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which Liuie in his Romaine History and M. Cicero in his bookes of Diuination maketh mention So that their sin here condemned was that they forsooke the Lord and his true Prophets and refusing their direction did consult with their Idols and Images for the knowledge of future events vsing many heathenish superstitions and diuellish Ceremonies for this purpose An example of this sinne we Ezech. 21. 21. haue in the king of Babell Ezech. 21. 21. And the King of Babell stood in the parting of the way at the head of two wayes consulting by Diuination and made his kniues bright namely which he vsed in killing and cutting vp his sacrifices he consulted with Idols and looked into the Liuer All which kinds of abhominatiōs vvere in the Israelits much more abhominable seeing they had the law of God wherein they were expresly condemned as appeareth Leu. 20. 27. Deut. 8. 10. 11. 12. Leu 20. 27. Deut 18. 10. 11 Now this their sinne is further aggrauated by diuers arguments first by their shamelesse impudency in that notwithstanding they consulted with these Idols and vsed all these diuellish ceremonies yet they still boasted that they did not worship nor consult with the Images themselues but God in the Image And therfore it is not said that they did aske counsaile of their Images but in their Images for so the Text hath it that is vsed them as their instruments wherein they boasted that they consulted with the true God Secondly he doth not simply say that they consulted with an Image or staffe but they aske counsaile in their wood and their staffe teacheth them signifying hereby that they had learned no such thing out of Gods word where all such practises are condemned as most odious abhominations but that they were their owne will-worships humaine inventions and diuellish superstitions Lastly he aggrauateth their sinne by their sottish follie in that they had not onely refused the counsaile and direction of the most wise and all-seeing God but also had made choyse of base and blinde Idols made of wood and stone to be their guides and counsailours which were in other things though not in this far more senslesse then themselues and suffered themselues to bee aduised and directed by their staues which were not onely destitute of vnderstanding but also of sense and motion but as it pleased themselues to carrie moue turne and rule them herein like vnto blind men who refer themselues ouer to be guided by their staffe in their way which themselues carry Yea in truth herein farre more blinde and extreamely sottish in that the blinde mans staffe howsoeuer it doth sometimes deceiue yet most commonly it helpeth him to auoide dangers whereas these men suffering themselues to be guided by these staues of diuellish superstition are thereby misled into the deepe pit of eternall destruction This sottish folly of idolaters is most excellently deciphered by the Prophet Esay Chap. 44. 14. 15. 16. where he saith Esa 40. 20. 21. and 44. 14. 15. that the blinde Idolater taketh a tree out of the forrest and burneth the halfe thereof euen in the fire and vpon the halfe thereof he eateth flesh he rosteth the rost and is satisfied also he warmeth himselfe and saith Aha I am warme I haue beene at the fire Verse 17. And the residue thereof he maketh a God euen his Idoll he boweth vnto it and worshippeth and prayeth vnto it and saith deliuer me for thou art my God c. And this was the sinne of the people of Israell the cause whereby they became so deepely besotted in this wickednes is rendred in the next words For the spirit of Fornications hath caused them to erre and they haue gone a whoring from vnder their God Where the Prophet sheweth that it was no meruaile they so fouly erred out of the way of truth seeing they were wholy mislead by a spirit of Fornications which made them to goe a whoring from vnder their God Now by this spirit of Fornications we are to vnderstand not onely the vncleane spirit Sathan vvho leadeth men into all manner of spirituall and corporall filthinesse but more especially that vehement proannesse and feruent inclination vnto this spirituall whoredome and Idolatrie which vvas deepely rooted in the hearts of the people for vehement affections and earnest inclinations are with the Hebrewes called the spirit of such things as are so earnestly affected as the spirit of Ielousie Num. 5. 14. The spirit of Lying 1 King Num. 5. 14. 1. King 22. 13. Esay 19. 14. and 29. 10. Zach. 13. 2. 1 Iohn 4. 6. 22. 13. The spirit of Giddinesse Esay 19. 14. The spirit of Drousinesse Esay 29. 10. The spirit of Vncleannesse Zach 13. 2. The spirit of error 1 Ioh. 4. 6. In all which places is signified the exceeding proannes of mans corrupt nature vnto these euils as though the very soule it self were wholy set vpon them or as if the soule were not so much the subject of the vices and
1 Sam. 15. 11. and 1 King 11. 33 Because 1. Sam. 15. 11. 1. King 11. 33. they haue forsaken me c. and haue not walked in my wayes Againe the Lord is our true husband and the couenant of marriage on our part is that we will obserue marriage fidelitie and keepe our faith which we haue plighted vnto him inviolable which wee performe when as wee worship him alone in spirit and truth according to his reuealed will when as therefore we either goe a whoring after Idols or in stead of Gods true worship offer vnto him our owne will-worship and humane inventions wee violate our faith break the bond of marriage betweene vs and so renounce the Lord from being our husband The vse hereof is that we most carefully avoide all manner of Idolatry Superstition and will-worship and not flatter our selues with a conceipt that the Lord will be content with our devotion and good meaning though it dissent from his word that we may prostrate our bodie vnto an image and reserue our hearts for God and that his will our owne wils his Law and humane inventions may well stand together in his worship and seruice for God and Idols the Ark and Dagon light and darknesse righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse true religion and sottish superstition will neuer agree together but as soone as we receiue the one we doe ipso facto exclude and forsake the other and therefore wee are put to our choise whether wee will forsake the true Iehouah or the Idoll Baal Gods true religion or our owne Superstions HEtherto we haue spoken of their first kind of Idolatry that is to say their consulting with Idols The second followeth which is their worshipping of them by offring vnto them sacrifices and oblations Vnto which is annexed the punishment which is inflicted vpon them for both the one and the other Verse 13. They sacrifice vpon the tops of Verse 13 the mountaines and burne incense vpon the hils vnder the Oake and the Poplar tree and the Elme because the shadow thereof is good therefore your daughters shall be harlots and your spouses shall be Whores c. The which words containe two parts The expositiō the first is an accusation of sinne the second is a denunciation of punishment Their sinne was their Idolatrous worship which also was performed in places prohibited by Gods expresse commaundement They sacrifice vpon the tops of the mountaines Where hee more plainely sheweth what he meant by the spirit of fornications in the former Verse namely that they had forsaken the Lord and his true worship together with the place vnto which it was appropriated and committed spirituall whoredome with their idols which they erected to themselues vpon euery hill and mountaine So that here he accuseth and condemneth them of a double sinne the first was their Idolatrie wherby they worshipped God in Idols and Images of wood and stone contrary to the expresse Word of God both in the second commandement and else where the second was that they worshipped in prohibited places for the Lord had expresly charged them that they should offer their sacrifices in no place but in his Tabernacle and Temple and that they should erect no other Alters but the Alter for the burnt offrings and for the incense which himselfe had caused to be made and placed first in the Tabernacle and then in the Temple as appeareth Deut. 12. 11. 13. 14. 2 Chro. 7. 12. Exod. 20. 24. Deut. 12. 11. 2 Chro. 7. 12. Exod. 20. 24. Deut. 27. 5. 6. Ios 22. 10. 16. Deut. 27. 5. 6. 7. Ios 22. 10. 16. 19. Both that hee might hereby restraine them from will-worship and also that hee might typically teach them that as they had but one Temple to serue in so they had but one God to serue as they had but one Alter for their sacrifices and one for their incense so there was but one Mediator which sanctified all their oblations and perfumed all their prayers whereby they became like sweet odours in Gods nosthrils But they neglected the commaundements of God and erected altars and offred sacrifices vpon the hils and mountaines imitating therein the heathenish Gentiles who erected their Temples in woods and groues vpon the tops of hils according to that Lucus in vrbe fuit media laetissimus vmbra c. Vir. Aeneid lib. 1. Hic Templum Iunoni ingens Sidonia Dido Condebat Whereof also their Temples were called Phana because in respect of their high situation they were eminent and conspicuous to which they were moued by these considerations because being more stately majesticall they thought them more fit for diuine worship and also because they thought these places in regard of their eminencie nearer vnto heauen which is the place of Gods chiefe residence wherin they preferred heathenish wil-worship and their owne naturall reason before the expresse word of God And this was that idolatrous superstition which is so often condemned in the bookes of the Kings Chronicles namely that they did worship in the groues and high places yea kings otherwise godly religious are blemished with this note of disgrace that they suffred such kinde of worship and did not cut downe the groues and vtterly demolish these idolatrous places Thus Salomon sinned in erecting an high place for Chemosh the abhomination of Moab in the mountaine c. as appeareth 1 King 11. 7. And thus the Israelites 1. King 11. 7. Esay 57. 7. Ier. 2. 20. Ezech. 6. 13. daily prouoked Gods anger against them as we see both in this place in diuers others Esa 57. 7. Ier. 2. 20. Ezec. 6. 13. It is further added by way of more particular description that they burned incense vpon the hils vnder the Oakes the Poplar tree and the Elme and the reason mouing them therevnto is adjoyned because the shadow therof was good the meaning is that they sacrificed and burnt incense in their groues and made choyse for this purpose of such trees as were most pleasant and by reason of their broad and thick leaues most fit to cast a delightful shadow which would not onely shelter them from the schorching heat of the Sun but also stirre vp in them a kind of superstitious deuotion The which also was increased by a conceit which they had of the trees themselues for as they put more holynesse in the hils then in the vallies so also in one tree more then in another in respect of the diuers idols vnto which they were consecrated according to that Populus Alcidae gratissima vitis Iaccho formosae myrtus veneri sua laurea Phoebo Virg. eglog 7. That is the Poplar tree is most acceptable to Hercules the Vine to Bacchus the Myrrhe tree to Venus and the Bay tree to Apollo Whereby the Prophet sheweth that they were vtterly fallen away from the true religion to Paganisme and Heathenish superstition and idolatry for which sinnes they were much more vnexcusable both because for
did I approue it and when yee did eate and drinke did yee not eate and drincke for your selues should ye not heare the words which the Lord hath cryed by the ministery of the former Prophets c. The reason hereof is plaine for as the Lord hath appointed vs to trauaile so also he hath appointed our way out of vvhich whosoeuer turneth aside the faster hee goeth the further hee is from the end of his iourney and so spendeth his labour not onely in vaine but to losse This is the way walke in it If vve vvould offer our bodyes a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is our reasonable seruing of God vve must not follovv our ovvne inuentions nor humane traditions but labour to finde out what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect as it is Rom. 12. 1. 2. And if vve would doe good Rom. 12. 1. 2. vvorks indeed vve must not follovv our owne phantasie but Gods commandements for vve are created vnto good works in Christ Iesus which God hath ordayned that wee should walke in them as it is Eph. 2. 10. Lastly this may restraine vs from Wil-worship and Ephe. 2. 10. superstition in that whatsoeuer our good meaning deuotion Wil-worship is the seruice of sathan not of God is yet in truth whilst vve offer vnto God superstitious idolatrous seruice we doe not worship the Lord but sathan the vncleane spirit chiefe author of this spirituall whoredome So when the Israelites vvorshipped idols and offred sacrifices vnto then howsoeuer they pretended that they vvorshipped the true Iehouah in them yet the Lord plainely saith that they did not offer vnto God but vnto diuels Deut. 32. 17. So Psal 106. 37 They offred their sonnes and daughters vnto Diuels And the Lord plainely saith that Deut. 32. 17. Psal 106. 37. whilest they worshipped their images in the wildernesse they did not offer vnto him whatsoeuer they pretended as it is Amos. 5. 25. The reason hereof is plaine for whose will Amos. 5. 25. vve obserue them vve obey and their seruants vve are to whom we yeeld obedience as the Apostle sheweth Ro. 6. 16 Rom. 6. 16. But the vvill of God is that we should vvorship him in spirit and truth according to the prescript rule of his Word turning aside neither to the right hand nor to the left the vvill of Sathan is that either vve doe not vvorship God at all or that we worship him vvith our owne wil-vvorship superstitious deuotions and therefore they vvho leaue the sincere and pure vvorship of God and vvill not obey his reuealed vvill but serue him vvith their owne inuentions humaine traditions they may be truely said notwithstanding their good intentions to vvorship the diuell rather then the true God The fourth thing to be obserued is that the Lord doth God punisheth one sinne with another not onely punish sinne vvith punishments properly so called but also doth punish one sinne vvith another not by infusing vvickednesse or by tempting that is alluring or prouoking men vnto sin for God thus tempteth no man as it is Iam. 1. 13. Iames 1. 13. But by withdrawing his grace and giuing them ouer to bee misled by their owne corruption Thus hee punished Pharaoh with hardnes of hart not by making it hard but by denying the oyle of his grace whereby it should haue beene softened Thus hee tempted Dauid to number the people 2 Sam. 24. 1. because his wrath was kindled against Israell 2. Sam. 24. 1. for their sinnes Thus he punished the Gentiles Idolatry by giuing them vp to their own vile affections to a reprobate sense Rom. 1. And thus in these latter dayes because men Rom. 1. will not loue and imbrace his truth he sendeth amongest them strong delusions that they should beleeue lyes 2 Thes 2. 11. And 2. Thes 2. 11. this is the most grieuous punishment which can be inflicted in this life for other punishments through the blessing of God are vsuall meanes to bring vs vnto him by true repentance but when vve are punished by adding sinne vnto sin we doe more and more flye from him Other punishments are sharp eye salues to make vs see our misery that vvee may be moued to sue for Gods mercy and do make vs loath sin when as we feele the smart and see the cursed fruite vvhich it bringeth forth but by this punishment mens vnderstandings are darkned and their hearts hardened and their consciences seared and so multiply their sinnes and increase in fearfull manner the measure of their condemnation More particularly vve here learne that the Lord punisheth God punisheth spiritual whordome with corporall vncleannesse Num. 25. 1. 2. spirituall whoredome with corporall vncleanesse euen as contrariwise he punisheth carnall adultery vvith spirituall fornication Of the former vve haue an Example in this place and in the Israelites who joyned with the Moabites first in their Idolatry and then in filthy whoredome Yea and in our owne times the Lord punisheth the spirituall fornication of the Whore of Babilon the Church of Rome by giuing them vp to vile affections and to all kindes of abhominable filthinesse which maketh them infamous throughout the world Of the latter wee haue an example in Salomon who being vnmeasurably addicted to the sin of vncleanesse and therefore giuen ouer of God to his owne lusts was seduced by his strange wiues to commit also with them spirituall whoredome with their Idols The vse of the generall doctrine is that we carefully take That it is a most dangerous punishment when God punisheth one sinne with another heede least vvee securely lie vnder that heauie punishment whereby God punisheth one sinne with another otherwise we may easily deceiue our selues and think our state happy when it is most miserable When the Lord layeth vpon vs corporall punishments our very sense and feeling putteth vs in minde of our sinnes and with a kinde of vrgent necessitie forceth vs to sue for Gods fauour by vnfayned repentance but for the most part we are insensible of this heauy punishment through the pleasing sweetnesse of sinne and the blindnesse of our vnderstanding in spirituall things But the more difficulty there is in the matter the more circumspection let vs vse in watching ouer our selues and when Gods word teacheth vs that God is just in punishing of sin and our owne consciences tell vs that we haue grieuously offended if we haue no sensible punishments layed vpon vs for our sinnes in vvhich we lye vvithout repentance let vs obserue if the Lord doe not punish vs by this other way namely by giuing vs ouer to security and hardnes of hart and to commit sinne vpon sin without any remorse or touch of conscience Now the best meanes to prevent this iudgement is to make a holy vse of Gods more gentle chastisements to be moued thereby vnto true repentance for vsually the Lord doth not inflict vpon his Church
bee reclaymed So when the people of Iuda grieuously sinned the Lord hauing compassion on his people sendeth his Prophets to call them to repentance But when as they mocked the Messengers of God and dispised his words and mis-vsed his Prophets then there being no remedy the wrath of the Lord was kindled against his people and hee deliuered them into Captiuitie and made their Land desolate as appeareth 2 Chron. 36. 15. 16. 17. And in the time of our Sauiour 2 Chro. 36. 15. 16. Christ when as they stopped their eares against his gracious call and would not vnderstand the great woorke of Redemption wrought by him which was so euidently declared both by his Word and workes hee pronounceth against them the fearefull sentence of desolation and destruction Luk. 13. 34. 35. Luk. 13. 34. 35 The reason hereof is because the Lord the most wise Physition of our soules will not loose his labour by ministring his Physicke to such Patients whose diseases are desperate and therefore when they wilfully refuse to bee cured rend in peeces his prescripts pull off his plaisters and reject those wholesome Potions which hee ministreth to purge them from their corruptions and to restore them to their spirituall health he giueth them ouer to themselues to dye and perish in the sicknesse of their soules Secondly as the Lord hateth all other sinne so his soule abhorreth the contempt of his Word which hee hath appointed to bee the meanes of the conversion and saluation of all sinners And therefore if his sword of the spirit will not make a separation betweene vs and our sinnes hee will make it a sword of vengeance and destruction to cut vs off in his fierce wrath For it is neuer drawne out but it accomplisheth eyther the work of his mercy or of his iudgement So the Lord saith Esay 45. 23. I haue sworne by my Esay 45. 23. and 55. 11. selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse it shall not returne c. And 55. 11. So shall my word bee that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me voyd but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it So the Apostle saith that Gods word is the sauour of life to them that are saued and the sauour of death to those that perish 2 Cor. 2. 15. 26. 2. Cor. 2. 15. 16. The vse hereof serueth to teach vs that with all carefull diligence wee make profitable vse of the meanes which the Lord hath giuen vs both for the inlightening of our vnderstandings and the reforming of our liues For if hauing the word of God purely and sincerely preached wee continue in wilfull ignorance and will not vnderstand if being allured by God mercies and inforced by his judgements wherwith diuersly at diuers times hee hath exercised vs wee notwithstanding continue in our impenitency and securitie what remayneth but that the Lord should giue vs ouer as a desperate cure and suffer vs to runne on in the course of sinne vntill at length wee fall into the pit of destruction in this life and into the bottomlesse gulfe of condemnation in the life to come AND thus much concerning the former part of this The second part of the Chapter Chapter in which I haue shewed are contayned diuers bils of Inditements against the rebellious and apostate Church of Israell now because they were desperately suncke in their wickednesse and past all hope of recouerie In the second part of the Chapter hee laboureth to perswade with the house of Iuda that they should not joyne with them in their sinnes nor be seduced by their euill example to make the like Apostasie least accompanying them in their defection and rebellion they were also made pertakers of their punishments And this is the Prophets maine drift and scope in the second part of this Chapter The parts thereof are two The first is an admonition to the house of Iuda to auoide the sinnes of the Israelits The second contayneth certaine reasons to enforce it taken both from the haynousnesse of their sinnes and the greatnesse of their punishments The admonition is expressed verse 15. Though thou Israell play Verse 15 the harlot yet let not Iudah sinne Come not yee into Gilgall neyther goe yee vp to Beth-auen nor sweare The Lord liueth In which admonition he doth first ingenerall disswade them The expositiō from imitating the Israelites in their sinne and especially from their Idolatrie and Apostasie and then hee dehorteth them from certaine speciall meanes whereby they might easily be brought to communicate with them in their impietie namely joyning with them in irreligious societie and intermingling Gods pure worship with their superstition and Idolatrie The generall disswasion is contayned in these words Though thou Israell play the harlot yet let not Iuda sinne as if hee had said although thou Israell being wholy possessed with a spirit of fornication art so desperately addicted to idolatrie and spirituall whoredome that there is no hope remayning that euer thou wilt be reclaymed yet let not the Lord be as it were robbed of both his sonnes in the same day O let not Iuda who is not as yet come to that desperate degree of sin be seduced by your bad neighbour-hood and euill example and deriue the same guilt of iniquitie vpon himselfe for so the word Assam vsually signifieth such a fault or guilt as is deriued from one to another the one being the motiue and impulsiue cause of the other sinne The ground of this disswasion was the dangerous estate of the people of Iuda first in regard of their neere neighbour-hoode with these idolatrous Israelites who were ready to seduce them both by their example and allurements the which is implyed in the first words Though thou Israell c. As though he should haue said seeing thou Israel which art so neere a neighbour and kinsman to Iuda art so defiled with idolatrie that there is great daunger least thou should poyson them with thy contagion yet let Iuda carefully take heede to auoide thy leprous infection Secondly this amplyfieth their daunger that they were already tainted with their superstition and idolatrie which through their naturall corruption and proanes vnto this sin was apt to spread further and further and therefore like a good Phisition he laboureth to cure their ague in the first fits and to stay them from falling any deeper into this sicknesse of sinne And to this purpose hee admonisheth them that they should not imitate the Israelites in their Idolatrie but purge away their dreggs of superstition wherewith they were alreadie corrupted and restore Gods pure worship in his Temple amongst them by the office and Ministerie of his true Priests and Leuites Now howsoeuer this admonition did principally concerne the people of Iuda yet the Prophet doth here publish it to the Israelites speaking of Iuda in the third person as being absent And this hee doth