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
they the adjuncts as the vices the subject of the Soule And further this proannesse is called a spirit Metonimically to point out vnto vs the chiefe authour and fountaine from whence it is diriued euen Sathan the spirit of all wickednesse Moreouer it is called the spirit of fornications rather then the spirit of idolatrie not onely because he would persist in the former allegorie of marriage but also that hereby he might point out as it were in liuely colours the disposition of idolaters As though he would say it fareth with these filthy idolaters as with vncleane adulterers who are so blinded and inflamed with their lust and so besotted and hardned by their vice that without either shame or wit like brute beasts they runne headlong into their sinne and into all those mischeifes which doe accompany it as though they were vtterly depriued of all judgement and vnderstanding And for this cause also he vseth the plurall number fornications rather then the singular to note both their furious earnestnesse and their accustomed practise in committing this sinne Whereby he plainly sheweth that howsoeuer their Priests vtterly neglected their duty yet were not the people hereby excused of their sinnes both because they gaue themselues to voluptuous pleasures and thereby were depriued of their vnderstandings and became proane vnto all wickednes and also because they were not onely outwardly mislead by their false teachers but also had inwardly in themselues a spirit of fornications that is a vehement pronesse vnto idolatry wherwith they were wholy besotted Finally he addeth And they haue gone a Whoring from vnder their God that is they haue quite shaken off the marriage yoke and with-drawing themselues from vnder the gouernment and subjection of God their lawfull husband haue wholy giuen themselues ouer to spirituall vncleannes and to commit whordome with their impure Idols The which words may be vnderstood as a cause of the former that they therefore forsooke the Lord and gaue themselues ouer to be ruled by their Idols because they were possessed with a spirit of fornications which caused them to fall into these grosse and absurde errours or as an effect that therefore they were mislead by the spirit of fornications because hauing forsaken the Lord and his truth he had giuen them ouer to a reprobate sense suffred them to be deluded by a spirit of errour with strong delusions because they would not imbrace nor loue the truth For these are mutual and reciprocall causes to imbrace false worship idolatrie to forsake God for when the idolater beginneth to worship his idols hee renounceth the worship of God and when he will not loue nor delight himselfe in Gods true worship and seruice then the Lord giueth vp him to a reprobate sense and to be deluded with strong delusions as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 1. 23. 24. 2 Thes 2. 11. Rom. 1. 23. 24. 2. Thes 2. 11. And so much concerning the meaning of the words the The doctrines doctrines which arise out of them are diuers First we may obserue that it is no true honour to grace vs nor any sound The title of Gods people doth not grace or profit vs vnlesie we liue like the people of God benefit to profit and comfort vs that wee beare the title of Gods people and abound in his temporall gifts and blessings if our life be not conformable to our titles and priuiledges and if wee doe not thankfully imploy Gods benefits bestowed vpon vs to the aduancement of his glory the good of his Church and the furthering of our owne saluation yea contrariwise if wee vse them as incouragements to harten vs in our sinnes and vngratefully abuse them to Gods dishonour and the disgrace of our profession making them serue as vayles vnder which we may more cunningly hide our leprous sores of sinne and close acted wickednesse then are they so farre from gracing vs that they wholy tend to our discredit and so farre from being truely profitable that they serue as so many arguments to aggrauate our sinnes and to approue the justice of Gods righteous judgements when as hee taketh the most rigourous course in inflicting punishments It was an high priuiledge of honour to the people of Israell to be intitled the people of God but when they contemned his true worship forsooke the Lord and consulted with Idols all this tended to their vtter disgrace and to make their idolatrie much more abhominable then the idolatrie of the Gentils So it was a great dignitie to the wicked Angels that they were created the most excellent of the creatures and were made the immediate Ministers of God and as it were courtiars to the great King of heauen and earth but when as they most vngratfully sinned against such as gratious creator their excellencie did not benefit them but aggrauated their sinne and plunged them into the deepest bottome of just condemnation It was a great mercie of God vouchsafed to the Sodomites that they were placed in Gen. 13. 8. the garden of the world where they abounded in all Gods temporall blessings but when they abused Gods goodnesse and by his benefits became more rebellious they were not hereby priuiledged from punishment but inflamed Gods Gen. 19. more fearefull wrath against themselues which caused fire and brimstone to raine downe from heauen and consume them It was a great priuiledge to the Israelites to be the vineyard of the Lord which he had hedged in from the rest of the world for his owne vse and delight but when they answered not to Gods mercy in their obedience but in stead of the sweet grapes of righteousnes brought forth the sowre Esay 5. grapes of sinne the Lord did not onely forsake it but also pull downe the hedge and layde it open to the common spoyle It was a singular prerogatiue vnto them that they had amongst them the profession of Religion and the Temple of God the place of Gods worship but when they abused it as a visard of hypocrisie to countenance their sinne and as a shield to fence off all Gods threatnings of punishment God sendeth them to Shilo to see a patterne of his fearefull Ier. 7. 4. 12. vengeance which should also ouer-take them vnlesse they repented Finally it was a great dignitie and royall priuiledge to the people of the Iewes that they injoyed all earthly benefits in the land of Canaan that they were Gods peculiar people with whom he had made his couenant his chosen nation his royall Priest-hood the treasurers of his word the keepers of his seales and that they had the first offer of eternall saluation by Christ and of the joyfull tidings of the Gospell but when they abused this rich mercy by continuing in their rebellion by stopping their eares to Christs heauenly Sermons by crucifying the Lord of Life and by continuing in finall impenitencie after they were long called there vnto by the preaching of the Apostles all Gods patience long-suffering
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 will-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
to aspire vnto it God therefore did not chuse vs for his subiects because first we made choice of him to be our King and head but as the Apostle saith of his loue wee loued him because he loued vs first 1. Iohn 4. 19. so may we speake of the 1. Iohn 4. 19. fruits of his loue we come vnto him because first he called vs we chuse him for our King and head because first he chuseth vs for his subiects and members we submit our selues to his gouernment because first he ruleth and ouer-ruleth vs by his spirit with the inward working thereof inclining vs to holy obedience who naturally are stubburne and rebellious so that all our works and duties towards God are but the effects of his gratious working in vs and nothing but inferiour motions of that first mouer and as it were but reflections of those heauenly beames of Gods grace and goodnesse which shine vpon vs. The second thing which we are to obserue is that as That as soone as God hath chosen vs into his Church we chuse him soone as we are gathered into the Church and chosen by Christ to be his subiects and members then presently doe we chuse him to be our King and head submitting our selues to be ruled and gouerned by the scepter of his word and holy Spirit For God doth not worke vpon vs as vpon stockes and stones but as vpon reasonable creatures who being first set a worke by his holy Spirit doe worke together with him Whereby we may learne whether God hath chosen vs and effectually called vs to this high dignity of being the members of Christ not by entring into Gods secret counsels but by descending into our selues searching and examining our owne hearts whether we haue made choyce of Christ to be our head and gouernour for if we haue so done then assuredly he hath called and chosen vs seeing our chusing of him to be our head is but an effect of his chusing of vs to be his members Now further wee may know whether in deede and truth we haue chosen Christ to be our head by examining our owne hearts whether we haue submitted our selues to be guided and directed by his holy Spirit Which if we haue not done then certainely whatsoeuer we professe we haue not chosen Christ to be our head and consequently we can haue no assurance that we are chosen by Christ to be the members of his body Thirdly we are to obserue that the Church doth not onely after a generall manner set ouer them Christ to be their Euery true member of Christ applieth him vnto himselfe by his own faith head but euery member thereof doth particularly make choice of him to himselfe whereby we learne that neither the faith of the Church nor the faith of our parents is sufficient to make vs true members of Christs body vnlesse we particularly appropriate him vnto our selues by our owne faith for as no man is rich wife or learned by the riches wisedome or learning of another man but by his owne so is no man faithfull by anothers faith vnlesse himselfe beleeue The consideration whereof should make vs not to content our selues to be reckoned outward members of a faithfull congregation or to be the children of most faithfull and religious parents seeing euery man is vnited vnto Christ iustified and saued by his owne faith and not another mans and therefore euery one is earnestly to labour by all meanes to attaine vnto this gift of God that he may not only say generally with the Church we beleeue but particularly I beleeue as in the Creed also we professe Fourthly as euery one is to choose a head vnto himselfe so but one onely head Iesus Christ seeing a body with two or many heads is of all esteemed monstrous And therefore That the Pope is to be renounced wee are to renounce the Pope from being our head and to keepe vs to our onely head Iesus Christ submitting our selues wholly and onely to be guided and directed by his word and holy Spirit Lastly we are to obserue what kind of head our Sauiour Christ is our head in the highest degree of all perfection Christ is vnto vs not an idle head or in title onely but such a one as in deed and truth hath in him the nature and disposition of a head in the highest degree of all perfection For he is such a head as intirely loueth vs as being the members of his owne body he is an almighty and most powerfull head who is able to protect and defend vs from all dangers and malice of enemies he is a most vigilant and prouident head who obserueth all our wants and by his al-ruling prouidence prouideth for vs and finally he is a most wise head to gouerne and guide vs in all our waies not onely illuminating vs and giuing vs sight to discerne which is the best course but also deriuing vnto vs strength and motion whereby we are inabled to walke in it And therefore seeing wee haue a head so absolute and perfect in the highest degree of all excellency let vs take heede that we make not choice of any other nor of our selues to be our head but renouncing all other keepe vs wholly and onely vnto him And seing he is a most louing head let vs reioyce in his loue and returne loue vnto him againe and as the arme offereth it selfe to be cut off rather then the head should be wounded so let vs who are the members of Christs body be ready to indure blowes wounds yea death it selfe rather then any wound of dishonour should be inflicted on our head Christ And seeing he is an almighty head let vs trust wholy in his power resting and relying vpon him alone for deliuerance out of the middest of all dangers and from the raging violence of all enemies and seeing he is our carefull and most prouident head let vs not rest so much vpon our owne prouision industry and labour which will often faile vs as vpon his al-sufficient al-seeing and al-ruling prouidence who knoweth all our wants better then we our selues and neuer faileth either in will or power to supplie them And lastly seeing hee is such a head as is infinite in wisedome and all knowledge let vs submit our selues wholly and onely to be instructed gouerned and guided by him not following others directions and traditions nor our owne inuentions For hee is the light of the world and he that followeth him shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life Ioh. 8. 12. Which Iohn 8. 12. 12. 35. light being taken away there remaineth nothing but palpable darkenesse Ioh. 12. 35. He is his fathers dearely beloued son whom we must heare Mat. 17. 5. He is our onlie master and teacher of whom we must be instructed Matth. 23. 8. 10. In a word he is our only head and therefore as the members Math. 17. 5. 23. 8. 10. doe not
their sinnes without any check and controlement and to haue a prosperous course and wished successe in their wicked designes without any let or hinderance yet he dealeth not thus with those that belong vnto his election but if they through the corruption of the flesh either of ignorance or of infirmitie resolue to prosecute wicked courses though he may suffer them for a time yet in the end he will lay in their way the thornes of crosses and afflictions to hinder them from atchieuing their wicked ends that so being stayed they may returne backe againe vnto him by true repentance So he suffered the Gentiles to go forward without stop in their idolatries but when the Israelites forsooke him and followed idols he laid continually thornes of affliction in their way to cause them to desist in their course and to returne vnto him as appeareth in the historie of the Iudges and the Kings the like examples we haue in Ionas in Dauid 2. Sam. 11. 12. in reprobate Ieroboam 2. Sam. 11. 12. and elect Manasses in the Scribes and Pharisies and the Apostle Paul Act. 9. in the rich Glutton the prodigall Act. 9. Luk. 15. 16. sonne Luk. 15. 16. Whereby it appeareth that the Lord will not suffer those which belong vnto him to be so euill as they would be but when they resolue to go forward in sin he layeth in their way a hedge of thornie afflictions either trouble of mind or sicknes or losse in their state that so they may not go on in the pathes of sinne but returne againe by true repentance Whence wee may gather a notable signe whether we belong to Gods election or be in the number of the reprobate for if wee go forward in our wicked courses without stop or hinderance with ease and prosperitie it is a signe that wee belong not to God for then he would not suffer vs to go on in the way of perdition but if we no sooner resolue vpon some wicked designe but straight we are either crossed in it or afterward afflicted that we cannot proceed in it as we purposed surely it is a signe that the Lord hath a care of vs in that he holdeth vs backe from running headlong to euerlasting destruction Secondly because though the Lord lay these thornes in our way yet through our negligence and securitie though We do not acknowledge Gods hand in our afflictions we see the hedge and feele the prickes of affliction pearcing our soules and bodies we oftentimes neither consider who hath set this hedge in our way nor for what cause but are readie to ascribe our afflictions to chance and fortune to our owne want of prouidence to the malice of our enemies or some secondarie cause therefore the Lord willeth them to behold and to consider that he it was that set this hedge in their way and for this cause in that they had resolued to go forward in their sinnes that knowing the meritorious cause of their punishment to be their sinnes they might labour to take them away by true repentance and knowing the Lord to be the author of them they might humble themselues vnder his hand and implore mercie and forgiuenesse Thirdly we may here learne that it is impossible for Gods elect to perish for he will not suffer them to goe on in sin to their perdition yea though they will desire and resolue to liue in wickednesse the Lord will finde meanes to pull them out of it for his will is aboue their wils his eternall purpose and decree which is vnchangeable causeth a change in their wicked designes and vnlawfull purposes so that they shall not atchieue them according to their setled resolutions as we may see in the example of Ionas Dauid Paul and many others So that Gods elect may certainly be assured that seeing their sinnes are insufficient therefore nothing else is effectuall to separate them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 38. 39. Fourthly here we learne most carefully to take heed that We must not leape ouer the hedge of afflictions we doe not when the Lord setteth this hedge in our way to restraine vs from sinne leap ouer it for if the fence bee not strong enough hee will make it stronger and in stead of an hedge he will set a wall to restraine vs that is if lighter afflictions will not withhold and stay vs from going forward in the course of sinne he will inflict those which are heauier and more intolerable Lastly wee may here obserue the great benefit which our afflictions cause vnto vs for they serue for sharpe thornie Afflictions restrain vs from sinne hedges strong walles to containe vs in the waies of Gods commandements and to keep vs from leaping ouer into the pleasant pastures of sinne and wickednesse where we should but bee fatted to the slaughter the Lord laieth in our way these thornie afflictions not to kill vs but to prick vs and by pricking to restraine vs from going the broad way that leadeth to destruction for when we are thus iudged we are chastened of the Lord because wee should not be condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11. 31. He correcteth vs not because he hateth 1. Cor. 11. 31. vs but because hee entirely loueth vs euen as his owne children not for our hurt but for our profit that we might be partakers of hie holinesse Heb. 12. 7. 10. And though no chastening Heb. 12. 7. 10. 11. seemeth to be ioyous but grieuous for the present yet afterwards it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Heb. 12. 11. Though these afflictions be bitter and vnpleasant to the flesh yet are they profitable to the spirituall part for whilest the outward man perisheth the inward man is renued daily 2. Cor. 4. 16. Though these thornes 2. Cor. 4. 16. pricke vs yet they doe not mortally wound vs only they let out the winde of vainglorie and humble vs that wee be not exalted out of measure Though they seeme tedious and intolerable 2. Cor. 12. 7. and tending to our destruction yet in truth they are but light and momentanie and cause vnto vs a superexcellent and eternall waight of glorie 2. Cor. 4. 17. 2. Cor. 4. 17. But yet wee are not to imagine that affliction in it owne Afflictions not good in themselues but through Gods blessing nature worketh al these benefits but by the secret operation of Gods Spirit inwardly applying it vnto our hearts and teaching vs to make a holy vse of it for such is our obstinate stubbornnesse that wee will like vntamed and wilde beasts rush thorow this hedge of afflictions that we may still continue our course in sinne and such is our senselesnesse in our securitie that either we feele not the pricking of these thornes or at least are not by the smart moued to sorrow for sinne as being the cause thereof or to flee vnto God
wisedome against their follie nor suffer their stubborne willes to crosse my will and eternall counsell but I will now begin to take care of them seeing they will take no care of themselues and because they haue nothing profited by all my threatnings and punishments I will mollifie their hard hearts and incline their stubborne and rebellious willes with my gratious promises and mercifull benefits So that the Lord behaueth himselfe like a tender hearted father and we demeane our selues like stubborne children though our stiffe harts relent not vnder his corrections yet his heart yearneth at our paine and he is sooner wearie of punishing then we of suffering punishment and when his chastisements will not ouercome our malitiousnesse hee laboureth to ouercome vs with his goodnesse and kindnesse and as the carefull and louing Physition is not moued by the desperate wilfulnesse of his impatient patient both refusing that which is good for him and eagerly seeking that which is hurtfull and pernicious to giue him ouer to himselfe but vseth the greater care and diligence by how much the lesse hee seeth that hee careth for himselfe and when he heareth for all his loue and labour nothing but distempered and railing speeches from his patient is rather thereby mooued to pitie then reuenge so dealeth the Lorde with vs who are sicke in sinne c. The vse which we are to make hereof is that we not onely praise the Lord for this his mercie and goodnesse but also that wee striue to follow his example not seeking reuenge when wee are iniured but striuing to ouercome euill with goodnes as the Apostle exhorteth Rom. 12. 19. 21. and so Rom. 12. 19. 21. shall wee indeed approue our selues to bee the children of our heauenly father as our Sauiour teacheth vs Matth. 5. Mat. 5. 44. 45. 44. 45. Thirdly we may heere learne that neither Gods terrible The Lord only leadeth to repentance threatnings nor sharpe afflictions are auaileable to worke in our hearts true repentance vnlesse the Lord allure and incline our harts with the inward operation of his holy Spirit for the more God punisheth the more naturally we repine and murmure and our steely hearts like the anuill with more blowes do waxe the harder and sooner will we breake then bow vnlesse the Lord incline vs as appeareth in the example of Pharaoh Saul the Israelites Esay 1. 5. and in our owne experience Esay 1. 5. Fourthly we here learne that the Lord is the principal and The Lord is the sole cause of our conuersion sole cause of our conuersion for vntill he incline and allure our hearts to leaue our sinnes and to returne vnto him neither his promises nor his threatnings neither his benefits nor his punishments will worke in our hearts vnfained repentance And as this is manifest in this place so also in diuers other places of Scripture Ieremie telleth vs that the Black-moore may as well change his skinne or the Leopard his spots as we can do good that are accustomed to euill Ier. 13. Jer. 13. 23. 23. And therefore the Lord when he would conuert his people saith that he will giue them a new spirit and taking the stoheart out of their bodies will giue them a heart of flesh Ezech. Ezech. 11. 19. 36. 26. 11. 19. so Ezech. 36. 26. And our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs that no man can come vnto him except the Father draw him Ioh. 6. 44. the Apostle likewise saith that before our conuersion Iohn 6. 44. we are not only sick but euen dead in our sins and therfore no more able to raise vp our selues from the death of sin to the life of righteousnes then a dead man to rise out of his graue Ephes 2. 1. Ephes 2. 1. But it may be demaunded that if this be so to what purpose serueth the ministerie of the Word and exhortations to repentance seeing he speaketh in vaine that perswadeth a dead man to rise to life I answere that the ministerie of the Word is the meanes of our conuersion which the Lord by the inward operation of his holy Spirit maketh effectuall for this purpose in the hearts of all his elect These exhortations therefore vnto repentance are not in vaine seeing the Lord worketh not vpon men as vpon stocks and stones but as vpon reasonable creatures whom he exhorteth to repentance and withall working vpon their hearts by his holy Spirit inclineth them to performe that vnto which hee exhorteth them and as he outwardly commandeth so inwardly he inclineth and enableth them to do that which he commandeth and hence it is that our Sauiour saith that the words which he spake were Spirit and life Ioh. 6. 63. because Ioh. 6. 63. they were not like the law which only commanded and did not enable to yeeld obedience but being made effectuall by the Spirit which gaue life vnto them they both enioyned and wrought in vs true obedience And this the Prophet implieth when as he saith that the Lord will allure or perswade them to turne vnto him so that his word is the instrument whereby he doth not only moue vs but throughly perswade vs to true repentance and this we may see verified Act. 13. 43. in the example of Lydia Act. 13. 43. 16. 14. 18. 4. 28. 23. chap. 16. 14. 18. 4. 28. 23. The vse which we are to make hereof is that we yeeld vnto him the whole praise of our conuersion and not with the Papists share with him ascribing part of the glorie vnto him and part to our selues Secondly seeing it is the work of God alone we must not rest in our owne power and strength for the effecting of this great worke but we must call vpon God for this grace saying with the Church Lament 5. 21. Conuert vs O Lord and Lament 5. 21. we shall be conuerted much lesse are we to deferre our conuersion from day to day as though it were a matter which we can easilie performe at our owne pleasure but considering it is the Lords free gift let vs receiue it when he offereth it and turne vnto him when he allureth and perswadeth vs to repentance And so likewise because it is the Lord alone who allureth and turneth the heart it behooueth al those who would conuert others not to rest too much in the force of their owne eloquence or the strength of their owne reasons but to ioyne with their earnest labour and endeauour humble and hartie prayers vnto almightie God desiring the assistance of his holy Spirit by which alone their perswasions are made effectuall to perswade Fifthly we here learne not to expect presently vpon our We must not expect secure peace after our conuersiō conuersion vnto God and adioyning to the Church secure peace and flourishing prosperitie for after the Lord hath allured and perswaded vs to turne vnto him he leadeth vs into the wildernesse of affliction before he bringeth vs to rest in our heauenly Canaan The
thankfulnesse of the faithfull Yea in truth so much our ioy and thankfulnesse should exceed theirs as the greatnes of the benefit of our spirituall deliuerance out of the miserable captiuitie of sin and Satan exceedeth the deliuerance of the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt We must then reioyce and be as thankfull as those ought to bee who haue passed from death to life from the greatest miserie to the highest happines and are exalted from being the firebrands of hell to be the sonnes of God and heires of heauen ANd so much cōcerning the second benefit In the third place the Lord promiseth that he will giue grace to his Church and people that they shall embrace his pure worship and seruice and abolish all idolatrie and superstition in these words Vers 16. And at that day saith the Lord you Vers 16. 17. shall call me Ishi and shall call me no more Baali Vers 17. For I will take away the names of Baali out of her mouth and they shall no more be remembred by their names In which words the Lord The exposition promiseth two things first that hee will restore his sincere worship secondly that he will roote out all idolatrie The former in these words And at that day saith the Lord shall you call me Ishi Where is set downe first the time when the Church should performe this dutie and secondly the dutie it selfe The time in these words And at that day that is when the Lord hath effectually called her spoken comfortablie vnto her and multiplied his benefits vpon her then should she in loue and thankfulnes shew her selfe zealous in offering vnto God his pure worship and in abolishing all reliques of idolatrie The dutie which the Lord promiseth she shall performe is that she shall call him Ishi that is my husband where the Lord alludeth to the couenant which is made betweene him and his Church wherein the Lord promiseth that she shall be his spouse and she promiseth that she will acknowledge the Lord alone to be her husband and performe all duties of a wife vnto him As though he should say Howsoeuer in former times thou hast run after thy louers yet when I haue called and conuerted thee thou shalt remember the couenant of mariage betweene vs made and so forsaking thy idols thou shalt acknowledge and professe that I alone am thy husband Now whereas he saith that she shall call him Ishi we are first hereby to vnderstand that the Church mindfull of her couenant shall embrace him as her only husband not verbally alone or with an idle shew but in deed and truth behauing her selfe towards him as it becommeth the Lords spouse that is first in generall she shall worship and serue him purely and sincerely according to his will more specially that she shall obserue coniugall fidelitie loue him aboue all depend vpon him alone with a true affiance for all blessings and call vpon his name the which dutie is implied in the text for it is not said she shall call me husband but Ishi O my husband namely inuocating his name by prayer Secondly he sheweth here that the Church shall not only internally worship the Lord as her only husband in Spirit and truth but also that she shall outwardly make profession hereof which is implied in that he saith shee shall call him husband and not onely acknowledge him so to bee in her heart and mind And this is the first dutie which the Lord promiseth that the Church shall performe The other is that as she should be carefull to aduance his pure worship so she should shew the like zeale in abolishing all reliques of idolatrie signified in these words And thou shalt call me no more Baali or O my Baal that is As I would not haue thee to ioine idols with me in my worship so I would not haue thee to worship and call vpon me in an idol or after an idolatrous maner but in spirit and truth purely sincerely Where the Lord sheweth first that the Church shall not only worship him but also that she should worship him alone and renounce all her idols and false gods Secondly that she shall not worship him after an idolatrous manner in images and idols as it was the manner of the Israelites who worshipped God in the idoll Baal as appeareth in this place but shall come vnto him immediatly and not by a substitute or inferiour patron and call vpon him who is a Spirit spiritually and not in an image But the image of Baal being abolished why would not the Lord be called vpon by the name of Baal seeing it signifieth a god lord or patron and sometime also a husband as well as Ish I answere the Lord would be called Ish rather then Baal first because Baal being a name of empire and dominion brought with it some seruile feare the other name Ish signifying properly a husband offereth nothing to our consideration but loue fidelitie grace and protection and therefore the Lord refuseth the former name in the time of the Gospell as being too austere sauouring only of authoritie and Lordship and will be called by the amiable name of Ish or husband to shew that he hath renewed his couenant is reconciled to his Church and is now become most louing and gratious vnto her The second cause which I take to be the more principall is that he might hereby shew his detestation of idolatrie in that hee would not endure to bee called by the name of an idoll though otherwise good in it owne signification And this his detestation he further sheweth when as he saith that they should bee so farre from worshipping idols or him in them that they should not so much as name them Vers 17. For I will take away the names of Baali out of her mouth c. Vers 17. Where is set downe who it is that thus purgeth the Church from all the relikes of idolatrie namely the Lord himselfe I will take away Secondly the manner or degree how it must be purged to wit from all the relikes of idolatrie and superstition so that it shall not be lawfull for the people of God so much as to name an idoll vnlesse it bee as they name the diuell with hatred and detestation The like places vnto this we haue Exod. 23. 13. Ye shall make no mention of the name of Exod. 23. 13. Deut. 12. 2. 3. other gods neither shall it be heard out of thy mouth Deut. 12. 3. Ye shall vtterly destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possesse serued their gods vpon the high mountaines c. 3. Ye shall hew downe the grauen images of their gods and abolish their names out of that place An example whereof wee haue in Dauid Psal 16. 4. 5. Their offerings of blood will I not offer nor make mention of their names with my lips Psal 16. 4. 5. Thirdly hee expresseth the end why hee would not haue them so much
good Phil. Phil. 2. 13. 2. 13. And instead of being restrained by Gods Law from sinne it taketh occasion by the commaundement to worke in vs all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7. 8. But it is onely Rom. 7. 8. Gods Euangelicall and spirituall word whereby we are restrained from sin and enabled to performe obedience when as the spirit giueth life and power to the dead and weake letter by the secret operation thereof maketh it effectuall for the working of that grace in vs which it requireth and to the stirring of vs vp to performe that duty which it enjoyneth Iohn 6. 63. Iohn 6. 63. The vse which we are to make hereof is first that wee yeeld vnto the Lord the whole praise of our obedience and of restrayning vs from committing those sinnes into which we see others fâ—l for he alone maketh the difference between vs and them Secondly that we doe not presumptuously trust in our owne strength thinking that wee are able to stand when others fall but let vs worke out our saluation with feare and trembling and whilest we think we stand let vs take heede of a fall As the Apostle exhorteth Phil. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 10. 12. And wholy distrusting in our owne strength let vs solye rest vpon the Lord and the power of his might Eph. 6. 10. And Ephe. 6. 10. to this end let vs remember the example of Peter Mat. 26 Mat. 66. 33. 74. 33. 74. And thinke with our selues that if this rock were shaken with the tempest of tentation that we who in comparison are but reedes cannot stand steady in our owne strength Lastly considering that Gods powerfull word and spirit vpholdeth vs from falling into sinne we learne continually to craue the Lords assistance and to make that praier which Christ hath taught vs O Lord lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill and then shall we finde the Lord true of his promise 1. Cor. 10. 13. For he knoweth how 1 Cor. 10. 13. to deliuer the godly out of tentation c. 2. Pet. 2. 9. 2 Pet. 2. 9. Fiftly wee may obserue how the Lord mingleth Mercy with Iudgement and euen in his corrections sheweth his God mingleth Mercie with Iudgement fatherly loue and compassion he will not presently receiue them to mercy but yet he doth not exclude them from it for euer hee correcteth them for a time but least they should faint he promiseth an end to their afflictions hee restraines his fauour and as it were banisheth them his presence not that hee intendeth vtterly to reject them but that they may be moued hereby more soundly and seriously to repent hee diuorceth them from him but in the meane while he reserueth himselfe for them and waiteth for their repentance that hee may restore them into his former fauour How infinite therefore are Gods mercies seeing his judgements are so full of compassion how sweet and comfortable is his loue bountie and goodnesse seeing the actions of his anger and justice are not without the mixture of such comfortable sweetnesse and if he be so gracious when he punisheth how gracious will he appeare when he rewardeth Many examples hereof wee haue in the booke of God when hee cast Adam out of Paradise he giueth him hope to inherite heauen Gen. 3. and when he threatneth him with labour and sorrow he promiseth him a Sauiour in whom he should haue joy and eternall rest When he threatneth captiuitie to the posterity of Abraham he limiteth the time which being expired he Gen. 15. 13. 14 promiseth deliueraunce Hee denounceth against Dauid 2 Sam. 12. temporall punishments but first he pardoneth his sinne and releaseth him of those eternall torments which he deserued Hee layeth vpon Leui a curse that hee should be scattered amongst his people as though he were not a Tribe and had no portion amongst his brethren Gen. 49. 7. but in this Gen. 49. 7. curse was included a blessing for he therefore scattered them that he might gather them vnto himselfe and depriued them of other portions that hee himselfe might be their portion and reward Deut. 10. 8 9. He caused Manasses to be led Deut. 10. 8. 9. captiue and to be bound in chaines but his captiuity was to bee preferred before his libertie his dungeon before his stately pallaces and his chaines of iron were better vnto him then his chaines of gold and most rich ornaments for 2 Chro. 33. God vsed his Captiuitie as a meanes to free him out of the captiuitie of sinne and Sathan his chaines to preserue him from the chaines of darknesse and his dungeon to keepe him from running head-long into the dungeon of hell The vse hereof serueth to comfort vs in afflictions when as we consider that they not onely proceede from loue but also are so tempred with mercy and compassion that they cannot hurt vs they are bitter indeed and vnpleasant vnto the tast but yet they are not poysons to kill vs but wholesome potions which our heauenly Physition hath wisely tempered to cure vs of the diseases of sinne and to purge away our corruptions and howsoeuer they may make vs sicke whilest they are in operation yet this sicknesse tendeth to the recouery of continuall health and to the attaining of eternall life ANd so much concerning the Widdow-hood of the Church of Israell Typically propounded Now wee are to speake of it as it is plainely expounded Verse 4. For the children of Israell shall remaine many dayes without a Verse 4 King and without a Prince and without an Offering and without an Image and without an Ephod and without a Teraphim Where he sheweth first who shall remaine in this estate of a mournfull widdow namely the children of Israell by which we are to vnderstand the ten Tribes who in the land of their Captiuitie were without Priest or Magistrate and not the people of Iuda who had both neyther yet is it to be vnderstood of the whole body of the people but onely of the elect Israelites for they onely remayned for a time without Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall gouernement and without publike meanes of worshipping eyther the true God or Idols for these they would not worship nor communicate with the Gentiles in their Idolatries and God they could not worship after that publike manner prescribed in his word seeing they were exiled from the Temple vntill Christ came who was their King Priest and Prophet which tooke away the difference of places and restored vnto the conuerted Israelites the publike meanes of seruing God whereas the reprobate Israelites euer remained without the true worship of God and not onely vnto a certaine time and were not without Images and Idols seeing they communicated with the heathen in their Idolatryes Secondly he setteth downe the time wherein they should remaine in their widdowes estate namely for the space of many dayes that is euen to the comming of their Messias Iesus Christ which from the sixt
morral dutie of fearing God as our English translation seemeth to import but that they should fearefully hasten vnto the Lord and his goodnesse that is being affrighted with the sight and sence of their sinnes the curse of the law the anger of God death and damnation due vnto them they shall with all possible speede flye vnto the Lord to his goodnes and by a liuely faith lay hold vpon gods mercie offred vnto them in Christ and rest vvholy therevpon for their saluation So that this seemeth to be a Metaphor taken from Birds which being sodainely feared doe fearefully flye vnto their retiring places of greatest safety And thus this word is taken Chap. 11. 11. Hosea 11. 11. They shall feare as a sparrow out of Aegipt that is being affrighted they shall flye with great hast And in this sence the Latine vvord trepidare is vsed as Liuij annalium 23. Moxque in sua quisque ministeria discursu trepidat ad prima signa Virgil Aeneid 9. Ne trepidate meas Teucri defendere naues id est ne festinate Neuè armate manus c. And the rather doe I thus expound the vvords first because it is an vnproper manner of speach to expresse the morrall dutie of fearing God by this phrase of fearing vnto God Secondly vve are not said to feare Gods goodnesse but rather his justice and judgements True it is that God is feared for his goodnesse according to that Psal 130. 4. Psal 130. 4. namely as a gracious father whom for his goodnesse towards vs we are loath to displease but his goodnesse it selfe is not fearefull or terrible but sweet and comfortable Thirdly because the vvord is so taken in other places The meaning therefore of these vvords is briefely thus much that the people of Israell being terrified and affrighted with the sight and sense of their sinnes and the punishments due vnto them should flye speedily vnto the Lord as being their protector sure defence comforting themselues in the assured hope of his grace and goodnesse vvhereby they should bee assured that their sinnes shall bee forgiuen them and they freed from them both in respect of their guilt and punishment And these are the effects of their conuersion The time is expressed in these words in the latter or last dayes that is after that Iesus Christ the true Messias is exhibited in the flesh which vsually in the Scriptures is called the last dayes Deut. 4. 30. Esa 2. 2. Micha 4. 1. Heb. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 20. 1 Iohn 2. 28. The which time is specified First to shew their obstinacy in their sinnes and corruptions seeing these tough humours could no otherwise be purged away but by the long working potions of tedious and bitter afflictions Secondly that they might prepare themselues patiently to beare these miseries thus tediously continued when as they were forwarned of them for praemonitus praemunitus Thirdly that they might hereby bee refreshed with some comfort when as they were assured that howsoeuer their troubles were tedious yet at length they should haue a happie end seeing they should bring them vnto God by true repentance and a liuely faith And this is the meaning of the words the instructions God sanctifieth the afflictions of his Elect for their conuersion which from hence arise are many first wee here obserue how the Lord sanctifieth the afflictions of the Elect for their conuersion and true repentance for after that the people are grieuously afflicted at the length they are humbled in the sight of their sinnes and turne vnto the Lord. The like examples wee haue in Dauid the Israelites in the Iudges time Manasses the prodigall Sonne and many others and this is that which the Prophet speaketh Esay 26. 16. O Lord Esay 26. 16. in trouble they haue visited thee they haue poured forth a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them So that affliction humbleth them whom prosperitie puffeth vp with Pride it softneth those whom prosperitie hardened it conuerteth into the wayes of righteousnesse those whom prosperitie made to wander into the by-pathes of sinne But yet they worke not these good effects in all but onely in those vnto whose vse they are sanctified by Gods spirit as we may see in example of Pharaoh Saul Ieroboam c. who the more they were hammered and beaten vpon with afflictions the more hard and obdurate they waxed The vse hereof serueth to comfort all the faithfull in their greatest troubles and miseries seeing they may bee assured that the Lord vvill sanctifie their afflictions for their humiliation conuersion saluation For wel may we be contented to be beaten that wee may bee betred to bee put into the furnace of affliction that being purged from the drosse of our corruptions wee may like pure gold be treasured vp in the treasury of eternall happinesse to be pruned that wee may become more fruitfull to be hammered that our hard hearts may be made contrite and not onely with patience but also with joy and loue may we kisse that rod which maketh vs to run vnto God for mercy and forgiuenesse But forasmuch as the tree of affliction bringeth forth no such fruits vnlesse it be vvatered vvith the sweet dew of gods spirit therefore let vs also make this vse hereof that when we are afflicted we earnestly pray vnto God that hee will sanctifie our miseries to our vse and benefit and out of this poyson gather for our good this sweet hony of humiliation and obedience that is that our pouerty may turne to our spirituall inriching with the gifts of his spirit that our trouble may tend to eternall rest our shame to glory our sence of paine to the encrease of our sence of sinne and that our light and momentanie afflictions may cause vnto vs a superexcellent 2 Cor. 4. 17. and eternall waight of glory Secondly we learne that the Elect in their afflictions go directly vnto the Lord by his Sonne Iesus Christ that they may be reconciled vnto him and be receiued into grace and not vnto Saints and Angels as it is the custome of the Papists who when they are in any daunger or trouble make their prayers and vowes vnto the Virgin Mary Peter and other Saints Thirdly wheras he saith that they shall seeke Iehouah and Christ is true God coequall with his father Dauid their king that is Iesus Christ here we obserue that the same diuine worship is ascribed vnto Christ which also is attributed vnto God and consequently he is not meere man but God coequall with his father for vnto God alone belongeth diuine worship and this Christ chalengeth to himselfe Iohn 5. 22. 23. Where he sheweth that the father hath Iohn 5. 22. 23. committed all Iudgement vnto the Sonne that all men might honour the Sonne as they honour the Father Christ true man Secondly we hence gather that he is not God alone but man also for as this diuine vvorship yeelded vnto him prooueth him to be
vertue and make them weak impotent for any vse Yea so can he ouer-rule them that when he pleaseth he can accomplish by them contrary effects to their owne nature as for example if he with-draw his blessing and lay his curse vpon them bread and meate haue no more power to nourish vs then the earth or stones nay contrariwise they serue as the instruments of death to bring vs to our end and haue the same operation with deadly poyson causing vs to fall into desperate diseases Riches without Gods blessing doe not bring comfort and contentment but torment the possessour with care and work in him a greedy insatiablenesse Physick when God curseth it killeth in stead of curing and the very ayre it selfe which in it owne nature refresheth the vitall spirits and preserueth life when Gods curse lyeth on it in stead of refreshing poysoneth vs and by the infection thereof bringeth the plague and pestilence The vse hereof is that when the Lord hath giuen vnto We must rest on God in abundance as wel as in want vs plentie of meate drinke apparell riches and all manner of prouision that we doe not rest vpon and trust in our store as though being thus furnished we had no further neede of Gods helpe which was the sinne of the rich foole Luk. 12. 19 who said to his soule Soule thou hast much goods layed vp for many yeares liue at ease eate drinck and take thy pastime For if we thus make an Idoll of our owne prouision by trusting and relying on it more then on God himselfe the Lord in his just judgement will breake the staffe of bread and so we trusting to a broken staffe are sure to be most deceiued when wee most rest on it Let vs therefore learne not onely in the the time of want but also when wee abound in all plentie to beg at Gods hands our daily bread and to be as earnest in crauing his continuall blessing vpon that which hee hath already giuen vs as in imploring the supply of our wants before we haue receiued it The second vse serueth to comfort Gods poore seruants God maketh small prouision sufficient for seeing it is not in the vertue and much lesse the quantitie of the foode which wee receiue principally that we are nourished but in Gods blessing therefore though their store be small they may safely rest vpon Gods prouidence who as he can leaue little vertue in great store where he meaneth to curse so hee can adde double vertue to single prouision and make their small pittance as sufficient for the preseruing of their health and strength as the great abundance of the rich For as our Sauiour hath taught vs We liue not by bread Mat. 4. 4. onely but by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God Mat. 4. 4. If Elias haue but one meales meate yet God can adde such vertue to it that in the strength thereof hee shall bee able to trauaile fortie dayes if the poore widdow wil depend vpon gods prouidence though she haue no more but a handfull of meale and a cruse of Oyle yet it shall by Gods blessing be made sufficient to preserue her the whole time of dearth Though Daniell and his fellowes haue onely Dan. 1. 12. 15. water and pulse to feed vpon because they would not transgresse Gods commandement to haue better cheare they shal thereby be fairer and in better liking then they who eate the portion of the kings meate And who doth not see by daily experience that our poore country people who feed for the most part vpon hard cheese milke and roots through the blessing of God haue greater strength and better health and longer life then the richer sort who pamper themselues with all dainties The last vse is that seeing we are for our nourishment to We must make our prouision by lawfull meanes depend more vpon Gods blessing then vpon our owne prouision hence we learne to eate our bread in the sweat of our browes and to furnish our store by honest lawfull meanes that so we may with comfort expect Gods blessing vpon our foode otherwise if we make our prouision by wicked and vnlawfull meanes though we haue abundance in possession yet we shall haue little comfort in the vse seeing we can haue no assurance of Gods blessing For example if any get their goods by fraud deceipt how can they hope that the Lord will blesse them in their theft seeing he hath plainly tould them that they who eate the bread of deceipt their mouth shall be filled with grauell Prou. 20. 17. How can they expect the Pro. 20. 17. blessing of God vpon that food which is gotten by oppression and cruelty whereby they eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of the poore as the Prophet speaketh Mich. 3. 3. Mich. 3. 3. Seeing their meats swimming in blood call for vengeance and euen the stones in their walls and the timber of their houses cry vnto the Lord against them as it is Habac. 2. 11. Habac. 2. 11. The third thing to be obserued is the disposition of wicked men who care not what vnlawfull meanes they vse so they Wicked men vse all vnlawfull meanes for the compassing their desires may accomplish their desires So the wicked priests coueting to haue children who might inherit their wealth and by continuing their name might keepe them in perpetuall memorie and not hauing their desire satisfied by the ordinarie meanes of lawfull marriage in stead of fleeing vnto God who is the sole author of generation they take vnto them harlots and so imagined that by multiplying their adulteries they should also haue multiplyed their posteritie Thus when men desire to be rich in stead of crauing Gods blessing on their honest labours in whose hands the earth is all that therein is Psal 24. 1. they fall to vsing vngodly and Psal 24. 1. vnhonest meanes fraud and deceipt oppression extorsion and all manner of crueltie when they affect aduancement they doe not seeke Gods honour that he may honour them but rather vse Machiuilian pollicies to aduance themselues 1. Sam. 2. 31. not caring so they may rise though it be with the ruine of many others And the reason hereof is because men trust in themselues more then in God and depend more vpon their owne prouidence then on Gods promises imagining that they are able to finde out a readier way and a far more speedy course for the atchieuing of their desires then any is which God hath prescribed But oftentimes it commeth to passe that they make more hast then good speede the Lord frustrating their purposes and bringing their counsailes to nought Whilest Achan sought to bee presently rich and Ios 7. would not stay Gods appoynted time till he might injoy his portion in the Land of promise he brought Gods fearefull judgement vpon himselfe and all his familie When Gehezie 2 King 5. laboured to inrich
to be excused if they reserue their hearts for God But let such know that herein they rob God of his glorie in denying to make publike profession of his true religion they giue a grieuous offence to their weake brethren who see their outward practise and do not see their inward intention they spoile the Lord of his right in that they doe not worship him in the whole man but with a part onely they cast themselues into desperate danger of making a further apostasie from God and his true religion and of embracing idolatrie both in bodie and minde they depriue themselues of a good testimonie of their owne saluation in a word they Rom. 10. 10. deny Iesus Christ and his truth before men and therfore vnlesse they repent of this sinne he will also deny them before his Father in heauen as it is Matth. 10. 33. Matth. 10. 33. Fiftly we here learne that all places lose their dignitie and become infamous when as they are defiled with sinne All places lose their dignitie when they are defiled with sinne and consecrated to idolatrie and consecrated to idolatrie so famous Gilgal which was ennobled by many memorable accidents which there hapned became through the idolatrie there committed so infamous and of such bad note that the people of Iuda are forbidden to resort vnto it And Beth-el which in former times was the house of God by the like abuse became Beth-auen a house of vanitie So Shilo which was greatly renowned because God had set his name there and placed therein his Tabernacle and Arke the visible signes of his presence became afterwards as remarkeable for Gods heauie iudgements as before it had been for his great mercies through the grieuous sinnes therein committed so as the Prophet Ieremie doth propound it as a paterne and example of Gods fearefull wrath to keep the people of Iuda from glorying in the Temple Ier. 7. 12. Psal 78. 60. The like may be said of the Jerem. 7. 12. Psal 78. 60. Temple it selfe which in the first institution was the house of prayer consecrated to Gods publike worship and seruice but through the wicked abuse thereof it became by Christs owne testimonie a den of theeues Matth. 21. 13. So Ierusalem Matth. 21. 13. the holy citie is become an harlot and whereas heretofore it was the place of Gods presence it is now the prey of Gog and Magog And Rome also which was the spouse of Christ is become the whore of Babylon and whereas heretofore it was a famous Church professing and practising Gods true religion now it is become the habitation of diuels the hold of all foule spirits and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird as it was prophesied of her Apoc. 18. 2. Apoc. 18. 2. The vse hereof serueth first to admonish vs that we reade our lesson out of all these examples which were written for our learning namely that we do not vaunt of our land countrie as being a place wherin the Church is seated Gods true religion planted and his pure and sincere worship established and exercised for if we securely go on in sin sheltering our selues from the heate of Gods anger vnder the shade of these priuiledges we shall in the end finde that our countrie was neuer so famous in the fruition of Gods manifold mercies as it shall be infamous and reproched through the filthinesse of our sins and the fearefulnesse of Gods vengeance which he will execute amongst vs. Secondly it confuteth popish pilgrimages vnto Rome Popish pilgrimages confuted and the Holy land for though these places retained still their ancient diguity and maintained still Gods pure religion yet haue wee no reason to goe vnto them to worship God seeing in the time of the Gospell all difference of places is taken away Neither are we now restrained to mount Gerazim or Ierusalem or Rome or any other place but this only is required that as God is a spirit infinite and omnipresent so wee worship him in spirit and truth as it is Ioh. 4. 23. To this purpose Ioh. 4. 23. Hierome one saith Non Hierosolymam vidisse sed Hierosolymis bene vixisse laudandum est It is no commendation to haue seene Hierusalem but to haue liued well at Hierusalem that is praise worthie Another saith Non terrena sed coelestis Hierosolyma Bernard epist. 319. ad Lelbert Abbat requirēda est non pedibus proficiscendo sed affectibus proficiendo that is We must not seeke after the earthly but the heauenly Ierusalem not by pilgrimage on foote but by bettering our affections How much lesse then are wee now to trauaile vnto these places seeing these Beth-els are become Beth-auens and howsoeuer they were heretofore the places of Gods worship yet are they now vtterly degenerate being wholly deuoted to Turcisme Antichristianisme superstition and idolatrie and therefore hauing lost their ancient dignitie and now become infamous we are not to esteeme them as they were but as they are nor to go vnto them lest they taint vs also with their superstitions and idolatrie The Last thing which is heere to be obserued is that the All mixture betweene true and false religion condemned Lord condemneth all manner of mixture betweene true religion and false religion betweene his pure worship prescribed in his word and wil-worship superstition and idolatrie For he could not endure that those who went vp to Gilgal and Beth-auen and communicated with idolaters should sweare by his name and thereby make a kind of outward profession of his religion he could not abide the halting of the Israelites betweene him and Baal but putteth them to their choice either to worship him alone or Baal alone 1. King 18. The like place we haue Ezech. 20. 39. As 1. King 18. Ezech. 20. 39 Jer. 44. 26. for you O house of Israel thus saith the Lord God go you and serue euery one his idoll seeing that you will not obey me and pollute my holy name no more with your gifts and with your idols So Zeph. 1. 4. 5. he threatneth to cut off all those who worshipped Zeph. 1. 4. 5. the host of heauen and them that worship and sweare by the Lord and sweared also by Malchan And this was the sin of the Samaritanes who worshipped the true Iehouah because they would auoid his punishments but withall worshipped together with him the gods of their own countries as appeareth 2. King 17. 29. 30. 2. King 17. 29. 30. The reason why wil-worship is condemned 2. Cor. 6. 14. 15. The reason why this sin is so straitly forbidden and condemned is because first there can be no communion betweene God and idols betweene his true religion and wil-worship idolatrie and superstition according to that 2. Cor. 6. 14. 15. What fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath the beleener with the infidell and