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
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 will-Wil-worship and Ephe. 2. 10. superstition in that whatsoeuer our good meaning deuotion will-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
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
of their natiuitie or of some dutie which by them was to be performed And so this name was giuen to the Prophet by his parents partly to signifie their desire and hope that he should helpe forward the saluation of the people and partly to put him in minde of the performance of this dutie And thus haue I shewed the signification of his name and the causes why it was giuen him The doctrines which hence we are to learne are these First whereas this name by Gods all-ruling prouidence is giuen to his Prophet hence wee learne how we are to esteeme of Gods true Prophets Apostles and Ministers namely as petty or instrumentall Sauiours because God vseth them as his instruments and means for the conuersion and saluation of his people and this the Apostle plainly setteth downe 1. Tim. 4. 16. 1. Tim. 4. 16 But how farre men are from this conceit of Gods Ministers appeareth by their vtter neglect of them neither yeelding vnto them the honour of reuerence nor the honour of maintenance c. 1. Tim. 5. 17. The Elders especially which labour in the word and doctrine are worthy of double honour 1. Tim. 5. 17. And good reason for if our carnall fathers are iustly to be honoured which beget vs in the flesh how much more our spirituall fathers who beget vs vnto God Furthermore if Gods Ministers saue vs by the ministerie of the word and by this liuely seede regenerate vs without which regeneration there is no saluation Iohn 3. 3. Hence John 3. 3. we learne highly to prize the Ministerie of Gods word and with all reuerence to giue heede vnto it seeing it is the onely ordinarie meanes of our regeneration and saluation Secondly we learne to giue vnto our children such names as may signifie our faith hope and earnest desire that they Fit names to be giuen vnto children may be gracious and vertuous and also put them in minde of some good dutie which when they come to age they are to performe according to the example of the godly in former times and not suffer them to bee called by heathenish and prophane names whom we desire should be godly and religious no though such names be contained in the Scriptures as Apollos Fortunatus Hermes Tychicus Syluanus and such like for although such names being giuen may lawfully be vsed because the chiefe end of a name is to distinguish one from another yet it is vnlawfull or at least very inconuenient to impose them But here it may be demanded whether it be not lawfull to name our children by our ordinary names which haue no signification I answer that although those significant names afore spoken of be the best and fittest yet I thinke these not vnlawfull or inconuenient in some cases as namely when as they put vs in minde of some of our neere and deere friends called by such names who haue beene or are vertuous and religious for as the other names signifie in themselues some good grace or duty to be performed so these put vs in minde of the like in the persons of our honest and godly friends whose example we are to propound vnto our selues for our imitation And so much for the Prophets name he is further described by his parent that he was the sonne of Beeri What this Beeri was there is no mention in the Scriptures For whereas The sonne of Beeri as the Hebrewes affirme that hee was that Beera mentioned 1. Chro. 5. 6. It is without warrant neither hath it any great 1. Chro. 5. 6. probability seeing their names are diuersly written There is mention also of one Beera 1. Chro. 7. 37. of the Tribe of Asher but neither can this be he if ancient writers truly affirme 1. Chro. 7. 37. him to haue beene of the Tribe of Issachar Leauing therefore to search in the darke for that which if wee found were not Hieron in gl ord Isidor greatly material let vs further consider why mention is made heere of one Beeri Some of the Hebrewes affirme because he was also a Prophet the which reason is grounded vpon a common obseruation amongst them that where the father of the Prophet is named we are to conceiue that he also was a Prophet Where the grandfather is also mentioned it is to signifie the dignitie and honour of his stocke The like rule they haue vnto this namely that where no mention is made of his countrey we are to conceiue that hee was a Citizen of Ierusalem But these obseruations being pressed vpon vs without any reason may without reason also bee denied especially seeing it is their vsuall custome stifly to affirme that which they weakely or not at all proue Others affirme that mention is made of his father because he was of famous and honourable parentage that hereby his 1. Cor. 1. 26 27 28. prophecie might receiue more authoritie and credit But this likewise hath no ground nay contrariwise we know that it is not the manner of Gods Spirit to seeke authority vnto his writings from the nobility of his penmen but rather sheweth his wisedome in mans foolishnesse and his glory in mans basenesse that God may be all in all Leauing therefore others opinions who leaue the light of Gods word and grope for the trueth in the darkenesse of their owne inuentions the likeliest cause why the Prophets father is here named is that hee might bee distinguished from others of his name for foure names being common to many surnames were added to put a difference betweene one and another which amongst the Hebrewes were vsually taken from their fathers and grandfathers as the manner among the Welchmen is at this day So Simon was called Peter Matth. 10. 24. to distinguish him from Simon the Cananite Iames the sonne of Zebedeus to distinguish him from Iames the sonne Verse 2 3. of Alpheus Whereby also it appeareth that this was vsuall not onely when they were of noble but also of meane and poore parentage And so much concerning the instrumentall cause of this The time wherein Hosea prophecied prophecie In the last place wee are to obserue the time wherein and how long hee prophecied expressed in these words In the daies of Vzziah c. That is in the raigne of these Kings of Iuda and Israel or in the yeares wherein they In the daies of Vzziah c. raigned which by a figuratiue speech common with the Hebrewes is called daies because raignes times and yeares consist of daies The Kings of Iudah in whose time Hosea prophecied are foure Vzziah Iotham Ahaz Hezechias of the Kings of Israel one onely is mentioned namely Ieroboam who is said to be the sonne of Ioash to distinguish him from Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat who first vsurped the Kingdome of Israel Not that hee raigned onely all this time for Hosea prophecied in the time of fiue other Kings of Israel if they may be all called Kings seeing some of them
this is signified when as it is said that his children should be called in Isaac who was not borne vnto Abraham according to the course of nature for Abraham was almost an hundred yeares old and Sara was likewise stricken in yeares and barren Rom. 4. 19 20. but his birth was rather to be ascribed to the free promise of God apprehended by the faith of Abraham and not to naturall strength and ordinary generation And hence it is that he is called the child of the promise and not the child of the flesh as Ismael was who was borne according to the ordinary course of nature and likewise according to his example those are reputed the true childrē of Abraham who are the children of the promise begotten not according to nature but Gods free grace indued with the faith of Abraham and not like Ismael his children onely according to the flesh And this may further appeare by plaine testimonies of Scripture Rom. 4. 11 12. the Apostle saith that Abraham Rom. 4. 11 12. was the father not onely of the circumcised but also of the vncircumcised who beleeue and walke in the steps of his faith The which argument he more fully handleth verse 13 14 15 16 Gal. 3. 7. 17 18. Gal. 3. 7. They which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham Lastly the Apostle Paul who was indued with the same spirit of God that our Prophet was and therefore most fit to interpret his meaning expoundeth this prophecy of all the faithfull both Israelites and Gentiles as appeareth Rom. 9. 24 25 26. so Pet. 1. Epist 2. 10. Rom. 9. 24 25. And thus it appeareth whom we are to vnderstand by the children of Israel In the next place we are to consider the number of the Church which is expressed comparatiuely as the sand in the sea which cannot be numbred nor told In which words he alludeth vnto the promise of God made to Abraham Gen. 22. 17. Therefore I will surely blesse thee and Gen. 22. 17. will greatly multiply thy seede as the starres of the heauen and as the sand which is by the sea shore c. so Gen. 15. 5. and withall Gen. 15. 5. expoundeth that promise shewing of whom it was meant namely of the whole Church of God Israelites and Gentiles who being indued with the faith of Abraham were alone to be esteemed his seed as the Apostle likewise interpreteth it Rom. 4. 18. The like place vnto this we haue Ier. 33. 22. Rom. 4. 18. Jer. 33. 2. By all which is signified that the Church of God after the comming of Christ gathered together by the preaching of the Gospell should be in numbers numberlesse euen like vnto the sands by the sea side which howsoeuer God infinit in knowledge can number yet vnto man they are innumerable And not onely so but that also it should not as in former times be contained within the narrow limits of Canaan but extend it selfe very spatiously ouer the face of the earth For here he vseth two words the first is referred to a continued quantity of place which cannot be measured the other to a discrete quantity that is to the number or multitude which cannot be told By both which ioyned together he sheweth that the Church of God and Kingdome of Christ should be so spatious that it should be contained in no limits and so many in multitude that it should be defined with no number But here it may be demanded how this can stand with the saying of our Sauiour Christ who calleth his Church a little flocke I answer that Christ speaketh of it being compared with infidels worldlings which are not of the church in respect of whose huge multitude the true church of Christ is but a little flock but yet being considered in it selfe the number thereof is great euen like the starres of heauen and sands by the sea shore which cannot be measured nor told And thus much for the number of the Church In the next place is set downe the time in which this increase of Gods people should be not in the time present but in the time to come euen after the comming of Christ when by the preaching of the Gospell the Gentiles should be called and ioyned to the Church of the Iewes So that first the children of Israel who were the children of Abraham according to the flesh onely must be cast off before his children according to the spirit should be receiued into the couenant first the naturall branches of the Oliue must be broken off because they were vnfruitfull and then the wilde branches must be grafted in and therefore their reiection should be so farre from bringing Gods Church to ruine that God after their casting off would exceedingly multiply and inlarge it And thus haue I shewed the meaning of the first point The Do ∣ ctrines The doctrines which from hence arise are these First we may learne what is the disposition and behauiour of hypocrites The disposition of hypocrites to boast themselues in outward titles who boast themselues of their outward titles shewes and ceremonies whereas they are destitute of al correspondency in substance sincerity and truth and together how we may beate downe their pride and answer their vaine brags The Israelites resting in the outward titles of the posteritie of Abraham the Church and people of God and in performing some externall worship consisting rather in ceremonies then in substance in vaine shewes and shadowes and not in spirit and truth were hereby so puffed vp in pride and lulled asleepe in such deepe security that they imagined God could not be true of his word vnlesse they were preserued and that there was no way but the Church must needes vtterly perish if they were ouerthrowne and reiected and therefore against all the threatnings of the true Prophets they opposed these titles and shadowes that they were the posterity of Abraham the Church of God his chosen people who were in the couenant and such as had the Temple Arke and Law amongst them and with these bucklers they fenced and bore off all threatnings of their ruine and destruction and kept them from wounding their consciences with vnfained sorrow for their sinnes and withall were moued hereby to condemne the Prophets to be liars who spake not frō the Lord but according to their own melancholie phantasies and discontented conceits To these our Prophet by a Prolepsis answereth that though they were the posteritie of Abraham and Iacob yet they were not true Israelites but degenerated Iizreelites such as had onely outward titles shewes ceremonies and external prerogatiues but that they were not the children of Abraham according to the spirit not in the couenant of grace which they had often broken not the true Church and people of God seeing they had forsaken him and in stead of his true worship which ought to be performed in spirit and truth they offered vnto him a false worship according to
hauing found vs carried vs on his shoulders into his sheepfold of grace and happinesse Thirdly we are to obserue the meanes whereby Christ Christs bloodshed the meanes of our gathering into the church gathered vs into his Church namely by shedding his blood for sinne which excluded vs out of it and scattered vs abroad could not be done away but by Christs death whereby Gods iustice was to be satisfied and his wrath appeased The consideration whereof as it should make vs most thankfull to our good shepheard Christ who hath not spared to giue his life for his sheepe so it should make vs most carefull to walke in the waies of Gods Commandements and to auoid the by-paths of errour and sinne lest after we are gathered together and brought into Christs fold we wander againe and goe astray and so fall into the iawes of the spirituall wolfe who daily seeketh to deuoure vs. For if we neglect the paines and labour yea the losse of the pretious blood of our good shepheard which he spilt in seeking vs that he might free vs from danger and bring vs safe to his sheepfold and suffer our selues to be allured with euery vaine triffle to leaue his flocke and to wander in the deserts of the wicked world till we are againe lost and subiect to the former dangers from which he freed vs let vs take heede lest he also basely account of vs as being vnworthie of a second labour in seeking of vs. Fourthly we are to obserue that the meanes whereby hee The ministrie of the word the meanes of applying Christs benefits vnto vs. Iohn 10. 27. applieth the former benefit vnto vs making it effectual for our gathering into his Church is the ministerie of his word his holy spirit and a liuely faith and therefore wee are carefully and conscionablie to heare Gods word which is the voyce of our shepheard whereby hee gathereth vs into his sheepefold And forasmuch as wee are dull of hearing and slow in comming both in respect of the stiffenesse of our limmes and stubbornnesse of our willes therefore let vs continually implore our good shepheard not onely to call vs with his voice but also to send his holy spirit to assist vs for he alone openeth our deafe eares suppleth our stiffe ioynts and mollifieth and inclineth our stubborne willes making vs both able and willing to come vnto him when he in the ministerie of the word calleth vs. And seeing wee also before we can come vnto Christ must be indued with a liuely faith therefore let vs vse all good meanes ordained of God to attaine vnto it and not cease begging of it at the hands of our heauenly father seeing it is not of our selues but wee haue it onely by his free gift as appeareth Eph. 2. 8. Ephes 2. 8. Gods spirit the bond of our vnion with Christ and one with another Lastly we are to obserue that this collection of Gods people is spirituall because the spirit of God is the bond of this communion which is amongst the saints and therefore it cannot be hindred by distance of place because the spirit of God filleth all places in heauen and earth The which serueth notablie for our comfort in that we haue by vertue of this spiritual and inseparable vnion part with al the saints in al their fastings prayers al good exercises and holy duties of Gods worship and seruice though we should bee exiled into the vttermost parts of the world because we are vnited vnto them by the same spirit But besides this spirituall communion there is also a local That there ought to be a locall gathering together of the Church and corporal gathering together in the same visible Church and congregation which as much as in them lieth is to bee desired and attained vnto of all the faithfull for they are the sheepe of Iesus Christ and therfore they are not wild beasts to be scattered and singled euery one from another in his owne denne but to flocke together in their owne sheepfold that they may ioyntly performe seruice to the great shepheard in hearing his word receiuing his Sacraments praying for those things they want and praysing him for those good things which they haue receiued that also by this outward collection of their bodies they may testifie the the inward coniunction of their minds and soules and not only testifie but also confirme and increase it by performing all mutuall duties one to another as instructing the ignorant helping the distressed relieuing the poore comforting those that mourne defending the weake and exhorting one another to all holy actions of pietie and righteousnesse Neither must they consort themselues with wolues goates beares and such wild beasts that is with worldly and wicked men who either will seduce or else destroy them seeing it is the nature of the true sheepe of Christ to flocke together and to sequester themselues from all other companie as much as they can in this worldlie wildernesse wherein oftentimes necessitie and not choice intermingleth those which should be seuered And thus much for the vnitie of the faithfull The second The vnanimitie of the faithfull thing expressed is their vnanimitie which appeareth in their ioynt consent and generall agreement in the choice of their head and gouernour For after they are called by God and gathered together into the Church and kingdome of Christ then being thus chosen to bee Christs people and subiects they likewise make choice of him to be their king and head And this is signified in these words And shall appoint or as the decorum of the matter requireth the words may well beare choose or set ouer themselues one head that is one king and supreme gouernour namely the Lord Iesus Christ For he alone is the great King of his people the great shepheard of his flocke the head of his members which is his Church as appeareth in many places of the Scripture So Ezech. 34. 23. 24. 37. 22. 23. 24. Ioh. 10. 16. 1. Cor. 11. 3. Ephes 1. 22. 5. 23. But here it may be demanded how this here is ascribed 〈…〉 Christ is â—et ouer his Church as head by God and how chosen by the faithfull Ephes 34. 23. Ephes 1. 22. to the Church to set ouer them a king and head seeing in other places this is attributed vnto God himselfe as Ezech. 34. 23. Ephes 1. 22. To which I answere that God the father first and principally doth appoint Christ head and king ouer the Church and the people of God do set Christ ouer themselues when as they giue their mutuall assent to Gods appointment and by a liuely faith receiue Iesus Christ for their king and head promising vnto him their alleageance and obedience Thus Saul was appointed and annointed King ouer Israel by God 1. Sam 10. 1. And the people also 1. Sam. 10. 1. 1. Sam. 11. 15. are said to haue made him king ouer them in Gilgal 1. Sam. 11. 15. So that it
riches wherin they trusted cannot yeeld vnto them any comfort c. Thirdly we may obserue that howsoeuer our sins in mans Sinne maketh vs vgly in Gods sight carnall iudgement do exceedingly grace and adorne vs as beautifull ornaments yet in truth they defile both our bodies and soules and make them filthie and vgly in Gods sight yea and in our owne too when as we come to a true view and sensible feeling of them As for example ruffinlie oathes scurrilous iests which are but the scumme and excrements of the wit pride gorgeous attire vnfitting our callings painting the face and discouering the breasts luxurious nicenesse and excesse in diet furious thirsting after reuenge vpon the least shew of a disgrace offered and such like sinnes which are vsed of worldlings as ornaments to commend them but in Gods sight they make them to appeare deformed filthie and abominable Fourthly we may obserue how prone we are to trust in Our pronenes to trust in worldly meanes worldly meanes and in regard of our vaine confidence how apt we are to shrowde our selues vnder these vaine shields imaging that by them we shall be secured from Gods iudgements threatned against vs so the Israelites here trusted for deliuerance from all euils which were denounced against them by the helpe of their Idols And therefore the Lord to beate them from this vaine confidence telleth them that he will inflict his iudgements vpon them though their louers looked on neither should they be able to deliuer them out of his hands Thus the Israelites trusted to the outward presence of the visible Arke 1. Sam. 4. 3. 4. to the helpe of the Egyptians 1. Sam. 4. 3. 4. Esay 31. 1. 3. Hos 10. 13. Ierem. 49. 16. Esai 31. 1. 3. to the visible Temple Ier. 7. 5. to their multitude of strong men Hos 10. 13. Thus the Idomeans trusted to the strength of their seat Ier. 49. 16. And thus in our times men in dearth trust to their owne prouision in warre to their strength in sicknesse to their flight preseruations and medicines and when the thundering threatnings of Gods iudgements sound in their eares they hide themselues from them vnder the shadow of those outward titles the Gospell the Church and profession of Gods true religion But the Lord will inflict his iudgements euen in the sight of our louers and those things wherein wee trusted shall not be able to deliuer vs in the day of his visitation ANd so much concerning the second punishment The Vers 11 third followeth Vers 11. And I will also cause all her mirth to cease her feast daies her new moones and her Sabbaths and all her solemne feasts Although the people of Israel worshipped The exposition God not according to his word but according to their owne inuentions not in spirit and truth but after an idolatrous manner in their idols not in the place which hee had appointed to wit his Temple but in Dan and Bethel yet they exceedingly pleased themselues in their outward worship and externall shew of their new deuised religion as though they had done vnto God that seruice which he required imagining it could not go ill with them so long as they obserued some outward ceremonies of the law notwithstāding they declined in substance frō Gods true religion reuealed in his word And therfore the Lord here threatneth that he would plucke away from thē the visard of their outward profession stop the current of their superstitious deuotions by taking from them their corrupted ceremoniall worship wherein now they so much delighted and gloried that so they might the better see their miserable estate when as there remained vnto them not so much as an outward shew of religion nor an externall manner of worshipping God and hauing nothing to rest vpon might at length bee moued to forsake all their superstitions and to worship the Lord according to his reuealed will But let vs come to the words themselues And I will also cause all her mirth to cease Where the Lord threatneth that he would take away all ioy and recioycing which they took in their ceremoniall worship and the outward pompe of their religion especially in their feasts and solemne assemblies Yea but this mirth reioycing in their solemne feasts was commanded by God Deut. 16. 14. Thou shalt reioyce in thy feast c. And therefore the day of their feasting was called Deut. 16. 14. Num. 10. 10. a day of gladnesse Numb 10. 10. why therefore doth the Lord threaten to take this mirth from them which himselfe enioyned I answere because they did not reioyce in him but in their Idols neither did they reioyce with a spirituall ioy with thankfull hearts lauding and praising God which the Lord vnder the type of their externall mirth especially required and therefore their outward worship which was also idolatrous being seuered from the inward worship of the Spirit was odious in Gods sight as appeareth by the like places Esa 1. 13. 14. Amos 5. 23. 8. 10. Her feast daies As Esa 1. 13. 14. Amos 5. 23. 8. 10. the feast of blowing Trumpets which was celebrated in the first day of the seuenth moneth as appeareth Leuit. 23. 24. The feast of Expiation in the 10. day of the seuenth moneth as we may see Numb 29. 7. Leuit. 16. 30. Her new Moones Leuit. 23. 24. Numb 29. 7. Leuit. 16. 30. Numb 28. 11. Leuit. 23. 24. 25. 4. Which were in the first day of euery moneth Numb 28. 11. Leuit. 23. 24. Her Sabbaths Which were either the seuenth day from the creation or euery seuenth yeere Leuit. 25. 4. And all her solemne feasts Which were principally three 1. The feast of the Passeouer or of vnleauened bread Leuit. 23. 5. The feast of Pentecost or of weekes Leuit. 23. 15. 16. Leuit. 23. 5. 34. 35. The feast of Tabernacles of which reade verse 34 35. c. Now by these particulars he vnderstandeth all their ceremoniall worship and externall seruice in which they gloried and reioyced of all which together with the ioy which they tooke thérein the Lord depriued them when as hee caused them to be led captiue by the Assyrians And so much for the meaning of the words Out of which Hypocrites may reioyce in the outward seruice of God we may obserue that men not truly religious may in the hypocrisie of their hearts or the ignorance of their mindes reioyce and delight themselues in some external seruice which they performe vnto God seuered from his pure worship in spirit and truth as appeareth in the example of the Israelites in this place who reioyced with great mirth in their Sabbaths new Moones and solemne feasts appointed by God as also in the parable of the seede falling into the stonie ground Luk. 8. 13. In the Papists who exceedingly delight Luke 8. 13. in their outward and pompous religion in their sweete musicke odoriferous perfumes and masking showes and
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
as name idols to wit that they may no more be remembred by their names that is that hauing nothing to doe with idols neither in deede nor word the memorie of them may perish and men may be freed from all danger of falling into idolatrie which being preserued there remaineth a continuall baite to intice vs which in regard of our corruption and pronenesse to idolatrie we are apt to swallow to our perdition And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines The Do ∣ ctrines which arise out of them are these First out of the 16. verse we may obserue that as soone as we are conuerted and assured Assurance of Gods loue makes vs zealous in his seruice of Gods loue by the inward testimonie of his Spirit confirmed by innumerable his gratious benefits which are so many earnest penies and pledges of his fauour and our reconciliation then doth the Lord also giue vs this grace to shew our selues forward in the duties of his worship and seruice and in rooting out all superstition and idolatrie If therfore wee be truly conuerted and indued with Gods Spirit and with the graces thereof then will we also be zealous and deuout in performing seruice vnto God in hearing his word calling vpon his name receiuing the Sacraments c. as also in purging our selues from idolatrie and superstition and in remouing all false meanes of his worship but if this care and zeale be wanting it is manifest that as yet wee are not conuerted nor haue tasted of the comfort of Gods Spirit and the graces thereof for when God hath bestowed these then at that day also he stirreth vs vp to loue and serue him as our Lord and husband forsaking all idols and idoll worship as appeareth in this place Secondly we may obserue that those who are truly conuerted Those who are truly conuerted openly professe their conuersion and indued with Gods Spirit they doe not onely inwardly serue the Lord as their onely husband but also outwardly make a confession hereof to the glorie of God and edification of others for it is not said here that the Church and members thereof should onely in heart acknowledge but also by voice professe that God was her husband and forsake and disclaime with the like open plainnesse idols and idolatrous worship And surely this is a singular fruite of our saith and vnfained repentance when as we doe not only serue the Lord and embrace his true religion in our hearts and soules but also make an outward profession hereof to all the world though thereby wee expose our selues to the scoffes and contempt obloquie and slander malice and violence Matth. 5. 16. 1. Pet. 2. 12. and 3. 13. Rom. 10. 10. Psal 22. 22. Ioh. 9. Act. 5. of prophane and wicked men Which holy dutie is commended to Gods seruants in many places Matth. 5. 16. 1. Pet. 2. 12. 3. 15. Rom. 10. 10. An example whereof we haue in Dauid Psal 22. 22. in the blind man Ioh. 9. in the Apostles Act. 5. in Paul Act. 24. 14. With which holy profession whosoeuer Act. 24. 14. glorifieth God the Lord will giue glorie vnto him by professing and acknowledging him for his sonne and heire of heauen Matth. 10. 32. Matth. 10. 32. Thirdly wee may obserue that the Prophet speaking of Our spirituall mariage compriseth al coniugall duties those duties which the Church being conuerted and reconciled vnto God should performe vnto him comprehendeth them all vnder this one that she should call him husband because indeede it containeth all the rest as being the fountaine from which they spring For if wee embrace the Lord as our husband then haue we giuen him both our heart and hand then haue we plighted vnto him our faith and then do we also loue him aboue all feare his displeasure depend vpon his prouidence and shew our selues zealous in performing all good duties vnto him Of which inward graces and outward obedience whosoeuer are destitute they are not espoused vnto God c. Fourthly wee heere learne that it is not only vnlawfull to It is vnlawfull to worship God in Idols worship idols but also to worship the true God in them Neither did the Israelites worship the image of Baal or the false god Baal thereby represented but in the idoll they worshipped the true Iehoua for hee doth not heere forbid them to worshippe Baal the god of the Sidonians but that they should call him any more Baal that is call vpon and worship him in the image So that the Papists excuse vnder which they maske their idolatrie is vaine and friuolous for they say that they worshippe not the images before which they fall but God in them and likewise when they worship Saints departed they affirme that they worship God in and by them The which their assertion is false as appeareth by their falling downe before them their making of vowes offering oblations and their going on pilgrimage vnto them and though it were true that they did not worship them but God in them yet hereby they are not cleered seeing they commit the same idolatrie which God here condemneth in the Israelites Lastly wee here obserue that the Lord is now no more to be esteemed of the Church a seuere Lord or fearefull Iudge The Lord is a gratious husband of the Church but as a gratious and louing husband The consideration whereof serueth first to replenish our hearts with all ioy and comfort in that we who were enemies and strangers are admitted into so neere league of friendship and into so inuiolable a bond of loue and amitie with God as is betweene a most louing husband and his beloued spouse Secondly it serueth notably for the confirming our saith and affiance in God in the middest of all wants dangers and extremities in that we haue a husband who is most able and readie to protect and prouide for vs. Thirdly it serueth to confute the doctrine and practise of the Papists who dare not goe directly vnto God by prayer but by the mediation of Saints for if Christ be espoused vnto vs to whom may wee preferre our suites with greater boldnesse and confidence then vnto our gratious husband or who is more neere vnto vs then Christ or more deare vnto Christ then we his beloued spouse that we should make choice of to be out Mediatour betweene vs and him And lastly here we learne how we should performe our obedience vnto God not seruilely for feare as vnto a terrible and straight master but with loue and reuerence as vnto a gratious husband whose will wee performe rather to auoid thereby his displeasure then for any hope of gaine or feare of punishment And these are the doctrines to be obserued out of the 16. The Lord purgeth his Church from all idolatrie and superstition verse Out of the 17. verse wee may further obserue who it is that purgeth the Church from all idolatrie and superstition and restoreth Gods true
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
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
ceremonies as Idolatrous worship the Lord condemneth it as a great sin not onely when men serue him with a false and Idolatrous worship but also when the manner Ceremonies and circumstances are repugnant vnto his word So the Israelites are here accused and condemned not onely for their wil-worship and superstition in the seruice of God it selfe but also because they failed in respect of the place for whereas God had straightly charged them that they should publikely worship him by sacrifices and oblations in his Tabernacle and Temple onely they contrariwise erected Alters and offred sacrifices vpon the hils and mountaines So Nadab and Abihu were presently Leu. 10. consumed with fire which came out from God because they offred strange fire though they worshipped the true God and that in other respects with such seruice as hee required Thus Saul was rejected and Vzziah was smitten with 2 Chro. 26. 18. 19. the Leprosie because they vsurped the Priests office The reason whereof is this because the Lord is author of that commandement which concerneth the circumstance as well as of that which concerneth the substance and is no lesse disobeyed in the one then in the other Neyther doth the Lord so much respect the matter or object of the transgression where about it is made as the minde of the transgressour and the neglect or contempt of his commaundement For example in the sinne of our first parents he did not respect the eating of the Apple but their disobedience to his precept their pride infidelitie and rebellion Hee did not regard the gathering of sticks on the Sabbath day but the contemptuous breach of his commandement which he had published immediately before In a word all the ceremonies of the law were in themselues matters of no such necessitie but forasmuch as the Lord had commaunded ceremoniall duties as well as morall and exercised the Churches obedience in them both therefore it was a great sin to contemne the ceremonies and cerimoniall worship because the commaundement of God was transgressed herein as well as in the neglect of morall duties And this is that which Samuell told Saul when he laboured to extenuate his sinne that disobedience was as the sin of witchcraft and to transgresse Gods expresse commandement wilfully though in a smal matter was as Idolatry in his sight 1 Sam. 15. 23. 1. Sam. 15. 23 The vse hereof serueth to teach vs that we submit our selues to be ruled by the prescript rule of Gods word as in all our actions so especially in performing the duties of his worship and seruice neither declining vnto the right hand nor to the left for to doe more then he requireth is superstition and to doe lesse profanenesse As therefore it was a sinne in the old Law to offer sacrifice in any other place but in the temple because God had restayned his publike seruice to that place alone so it is a sin of superstition in the time of the Gospell to put more holinesse in one Chruch then in another seeing now Christ hath abrogated the ceremonies of the Law and made all places alike requiring this alone of vs that in euery place we lift vp pure hands and worship God in spirit and truth as it is Iohn 4. 23. 24. Iohn 4. 23. 24. And as they superstitiously sinne which put difference in places dedicated to Gods publike worship and seruice seeing in his word he hath taken such differences away so they likewise offend who confound publike priuate worship together with the places allotted to either of them because god in the scriptures hath distinguished them For example when God requireth publike worship on his sabbaths in the assemblies and congregation it is a sinne for any man to neglect this though he offer vnto God his priuate seruice at home by reading and praying So whereas God in his publike seruice requireth vnanimitie and vniformitie it is a sinne for any in the assemblie to distract himselfe from the rest and to make a rent in these holy exercises as to reade priuately when the Minister with the congregation prayeth publikely or to pray when he preacheth For if it be an absurd kinde of vnmanerlinesse to speake to our better whilst he speaketh vnto vs because such confusion hindreth both our hearing and vnderstanding or whilst he conferreth with vs about important affaires to turne from him talke with another then is it no lesse absurditie to speake vnto God in prayer whilst he speaketh vnto vs in the Ministerie of the Word or when hee dealeth with vs about businesses of no lesse moment then the saluation of our soules to turne from him and giue our selues to priuate reading Secondly we are taught hereby not to extenuate our sins The maine euill in sinne is the transgression of Gods commaundement by alleadging that the things wherein we offend are but trifles and matters of small moment for the maine euill in sin is the transgression of Gods commandement the euill disposition of the sinner Now Gods commandement is broken in small matters as well as in great and a man may shew more malice and wickednes in committing a sinne but light in it owne nature when as it is committed vpon knowledge against the conscience presumptuously contemptuously against Gods majestie then another who falleth into a grieuous sinne which is not aggrauated by these circumstances What smaller matter in it selfe then to eate an apple yet here in our first parents did grieuously sinne because they transgressed Gods expresse commandement and shewed grose infidelitie and pride in this action What lesse matter then to gather a few stickes vpon the sabbath day yet Num. 15. 32. because it was an action of contempt against Gods majesty who in his law had newly forbidden it it was a more haynous sinne in Gods sight then Dauids murther adultery because the one proceeded from malice of hart and profane despite of God the other from the frailtie and infirmitie of the flesh The second thing to be obserued is the spreading leprosie The spreading leprosie of idolatrie of idolatrie which if it once haue infected vs though it seeme but a small specke or spot at the first it will in short time ouer spread the whole bodie At the first through Ieroboams instigation the Israelits erected Idols but in two places of the land namely Dan and Bethell but as we see it so increased in a small time that idols were erected and worshipped almost in euery hill and mountaine and vnder euery greene tree as appeareth in this place The like example we haue in the papists at this day in former times they onely erected images in Churches to put them in mind of Christ and of the Saints but when they had thus farre transgressed Gods commandement by their will-worship they did not stay here but haue also giuen vnto them diuine worship haue multiplyed their idols and images in number farre aboue any heathens and pagans the
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
then of water vpon the whole earth Gen. 6. 2. this was Salomons sin whereby he was Genes 6. 2. 1. King 11. 4. drawne vnto idolatrie 1. King 11. 4. and the chiefe cause of Ahabs wickednes because he had lincked himselfe in mariage with idolatrous Iesabel as appeareth 1. King 16. 31. So 1. King 16. 31. this is rendred as a reason why Iehoram the sonne of good Iehosaphat forsooke his fathers steps and committed grosse idolatrie because he married Ahabs daughter 2. King 8. 18. 2. King 8. 18. and this was the cause of Iudahs transgression and Israels abomination because they maried the daughters of a strange god Malac. 2. 11. Hence it was that when the people repented Malach. 2. 11. of this sinne they did not only leaue off to marrie wiues of the Gentiles but also diuorced those whom they had alreadie married because they were notable instruments to encline them to idolatrie Ezra 10. 1. 2. 3. The second thing which we here learne is that we must Ezra 10. 1. 2. 3. We must not communicate with idolaters in their idolatrous seruice not by any meanes keepe companie or communicate with idolaters in their idolatrous seruice for whereas he doth disswade the men of Iuda from going vnto Gilgal and Bethauen he principally intendeth that they should not come into their temples which were consecrated to idolatrie nor bee present with them at their idoll seruice This argument the Apostle doth purposely intreate of 1. Cor. 8. where he disswadeth 1. Cor. 8. the Corinthians from communicating with idolaters in their temples at their idoll feasts because hereby they gaue a grieuous scandall to their weake brethren and in the tenth chapter he telleth them that they could not drink 1. Cor. 10. 21. of the cup of the Lord and the cup of diuels nor be partakers of the Lords table and the table of diuels vers 21. intimating thereby that as those who worthily communicate at the Lords table are vnited vnto Christ and made one with him so they that communicate with idols in their idolatrous sacrifices and Sacraments are thereby vnited vnto idols and made one with them consequently cease to be the members of Christ for we cannot haue communion with both there being no more agreement betweene them then betweene light and darknesse But heere some obiect that they may lawfully present their bodies at idolatrous seruice so that they reserue their An obiection of temporizers answered hearts for Gods pure worship To which I answere that if this assertion were true then were al Gods holy Martyrs but simple men who rather were content to endure exquisite torments then giue any outward approbation to idolatrie then were the three children far out of the way who rather chose to be cast into the fierie furnace then they would bow to Nebuchadnezers Idoll But indeed it is far otherwise for the Lord who hath created and redeemed as well the bodie as the soule hath wholly appropriated as well the one as the other for his worship and seruice So 1. Cor. 6. 20. Yee are 1. Cor. 6. 20. bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodie and in your spirits for they are Gods Rom. 12. 1. the Apostle exhorteth Rom. 12. 1. vs to offer our bodie a liuely sacrifice vnto God And 2. Cor. 6. 17. Come out from amongst them and separate your 2. Cor. 6. 17. selues saith the Lord and touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you So Esay 52. 11. And the Apostle Iohn doth exhort Esay 52. 11. vs to keep not our soules alone but our selues that is our whole person from idols 1. Ioh. 5. 21. So in the second Commandement 1. Ioh. 5. 21. the outward bowing to images is precisely forbidden And of this there is great reason for what husband hauing a wife would endure that she should prostitute her bodie to commit whoredome though she should neuer so deepely protest that shee reserued her heart for him how much lesse will the Lord admit such an excuse when those who professe themselues his spouse commit spiritual whoredom with idols in their bodies Again they who go thus far will not stay heere but in the end will worship idols as well with their soules as with their bodies This progresse of idolaters the Psalmist excellently expresseth Psalm 106. 35. Psalm 106. 35. where he saith that first they mingled themselues with idolaters and then they learned their workes and fell to worshipping their idols and in conclusion became so superstitiously deuout in their idolatrie that they did not sticke to offer their owne sonnes and daughters vnto diuels which turned to their vtter ruine As therfore Ioseph when heresolued not to commit adulterie with his mistresse did flee out of her company so if we would not commit spirituall whoredome with idols we must haue no societie with them Against this is obiected that the Prophet permitted Naamans example no president for temporizers Naaman to bow himselfe in the house of Rimmon I answere that this bowing was in Naamans intention a ciuill worship performed not to the idoll but to his master who did leane on him which notwithstanding his owne conscience condemned as a sinne in that being a conuert he vouchsafed the idoll his presence and bowed before him though not vnto him and therefore he prayeth the Lord to be mercifull vnto him in pardoning this sin nether doth the Prophet in saying Goe in peace approue this action but only dismisseth him with this ciuill salutation as not being willing to discourage him at his first entrance into the profession of Gods true religion by imposing vpon him this heauie taske to incurre his masters vtter displeasure for denying vnto him his seruice The vse hereof serueth First to reproue such as intertaine neere familiaritie with idolaters as for example those who 2. King 5. Those reproued who entertaine neere familiaritie with idolaters make choice of Papists to bee their intimate and inward friends who exceed in all kinds of grosse idolatrie Secondly such as trauell into Popish and idolatrous countries being moued hereunto either through meere curiositie to see fashions or for some needlesse commoditie which can in no sort counteruaile the manifold dangers whereunto they expose themselues by consorting with such as are still readie to allure them to commit idolatrie Thirdly such amongst vs who either for wealth or friends or some other worldly respects lincke themselues in marriage with Popish idolaters taking into their bosomes a serpent which is still readie to tempt and intice them to break Gods Commandements concerning his pure worship and to imbrace idolatrie and superstition 2. Cor. 6. 14. 2. Cor. 6. 14. Lastly their practise is here reproued who either vpon fantasticall curiositie or for commoditie or for feare of punishment are readie to present their bodies before the idoll of the Masse and to bow before an image imagining that they are