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
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
did I approue it and when yee did eate and drinke did yee not eate and drincke for your selues should ye not heare the words which the Lord hath cryed by the ministery of the former Prophets c. The reason hereof is plaine for as the Lord hath appointed vs to trauaile so also he hath appointed our way out of vvhich whosoeuer turneth aside the faster hee goeth the further hee is from the end of his iourney and so spendeth his labour not onely in vaine but to losse This is the way walke in it If vve vvould offer our bodyes a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is our reasonable seruing of God vve must not follovv our ovvne inuentions nor humane traditions but labour to finde out what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect as it is Rom. 12. 1. 2. And if vve would doe good Rom. 12. 1. 2. vvorks indeed vve must not follovv our owne phantasie but Gods commandements for vve are created vnto good works in Christ Iesus which God hath ordayned that wee should walke in them as it is Eph. 2. 10. Lastly this may restraine vs from Wil-worship and Ephe. 2. 10. superstition in that whatsoeuer our good meaning deuotion Wil-worship is the seruice of sathan not of God is yet in truth whilst vve offer vnto God superstitious idolatrous seruice we doe not worship the Lord but sathan the vncleane spirit chiefe author of this spirituall whoredome So when the Israelites vvorshipped idols and offred sacrifices vnto then howsoeuer they pretended that they vvorshipped the true Iehouah in them yet the Lord plainely saith that they did not offer vnto God but vnto diuels Deut. 32. 17. So Psal 106. 37 They offred their sonnes and daughters vnto Diuels And the Lord plainely saith that Deut. 32. 17. Psal 106. 37. whilest they worshipped their images in the wildernesse they did not offer vnto him whatsoeuer they pretended as it is Amos. 5. 25. The reason hereof is plaine for whose will Amos. 5. 25. vve obserue them vve obey and their seruants vve are to whom we yeeld obedience as the Apostle sheweth Ro. 6. 16 Rom. 6. 16. But the vvill of God is that we should vvorship him in spirit and truth according to the prescript rule of his Word turning aside neither to the right hand nor to the left the vvill of Sathan is that either vve doe not vvorship God at all or that we worship him vvith our owne wil-vvorship superstitious deuotions and therefore they vvho leaue the sincere and pure vvorship of God and vvill not obey his reuealed vvill but serue him vvith their owne inuentions humaine traditions they may be truely said notwithstanding their good intentions to vvorship the diuell rather then the true God The fourth thing to be obserued is that the Lord doth God punisheth one sinne with another not onely punish sinne vvith punishments properly so called but also doth punish one sinne vvith another not by infusing vvickednesse or by tempting that is alluring or prouoking men vnto sin for God thus tempteth no man as it is Iam. 1. 13. Iames 1. 13. But by withdrawing his grace and giuing them ouer to bee misled by their owne corruption Thus hee punished Pharaoh with hardnes of hart not by making it hard but by denying the oyle of his grace whereby it should haue beene softened Thus hee tempted Dauid to number the people 2 Sam. 24. 1. because his wrath was kindled against Israell 2. Sam. 24. 1. for their sinnes Thus he punished the Gentiles Idolatry by giuing them vp to their own vile affections to a reprobate sense Rom. 1. And thus in these latter dayes because men Rom. 1. will not loue and imbrace his truth he sendeth amongest them strong delusions that they should beleeue lyes 2 Thes 2. 11. And 2. Thes 2. 11. this is the most grieuous punishment which can be inflicted in this life for other punishments through the blessing of God are vsuall meanes to bring vs vnto him by true repentance but when vve are punished by adding sinne vnto sin we doe more and more flye from him Other punishments are sharp eye salues to make vs see our misery that vvee may be moued to sue for Gods mercy and do make vs loath sin when as we feele the smart and see the cursed fruite vvhich it bringeth forth but by this punishment mens vnderstandings are darkned and their hearts hardened and their consciences seared and so multiply their sinnes and increase in fearfull manner the measure of their condemnation More particularly vve here learne that the Lord punisheth God punisheth spiritual whordome with corporall vncleannesse Num. 25. 1. 2. spirituall whoredome with corporall vncleanesse euen as contrariwise he punisheth carnall adultery vvith spirituall fornication Of the former vve haue an Example in this place and in the Israelites who joyned with the Moabites first in their Idolatry and then in filthy whoredome Yea and in our owne times the Lord punisheth the spirituall fornication of the Whore of Babilon the Church of Rome by giuing them vp to vile affections and to all kindes of abhominable filthinesse which maketh them infamous throughout the world Of the latter wee haue an example in Salomon who being vnmeasurably addicted to the sin of vncleanesse and therefore giuen ouer of God to his owne lusts was seduced by his strange wiues to commit also with them spirituall whoredome with their Idols The vse of the generall doctrine is that we carefully take That it is a most dangerous punishment when God punisheth one sinne with another heede least vvee securely lie vnder that heauie punishment whereby God punisheth one sinne with another otherwise we may easily deceiue our selues and think our state happy when it is most miserable When the Lord layeth vpon vs corporall punishments our very sense and feeling putteth vs in minde of our sinnes and with a kinde of vrgent necessitie forceth vs to sue for Gods fauour by vnfayned repentance but for the most part we are insensible of this heauy punishment through the pleasing sweetnesse of sinne and the blindnesse of our vnderstanding in spirituall things But the more difficulty there is in the matter the more circumspection let vs vse in watching ouer our selues and when Gods word teacheth vs that God is just in punishing of sin and our owne consciences tell vs that we haue grieuously offended if we haue no sensible punishments layed vpon vs for our sinnes in vvhich we lye vvithout repentance let vs obserue if the Lord doe not punish vs by this other way namely by giuing vs ouer to security and hardnes of hart and to commit sinne vpon sin without any remorse or touch of conscience Now the best meanes to prevent this iudgement is to make a holy vse of Gods more gentle chastisements to be moued thereby vnto true repentance for vsually the Lord doth not inflict vpon his Church
So Matth. 2. 15. Out of Egypt haue I called my Sonne spoken by Hosea chap. 11. 1. Matth. Matth. 2. 15. Hos 11. 1. Matth. 9. 13. Hos 6. 6. Rom. 9. 25. Hos 2. 23. 1. Cor. 15. 55. Hos 13. 14. 9. 13. I will haue mercy and not sacrifice spoken by Hosea chap. 6. 6. Rom. 9. 25. As hee saith also in Hosea I will call them my people which were not my people c. Hose 2. 23. 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death I will be thy death O graue where is thy victory Hos 13. 14. Secondly the authority of this prophecy is sufficiently approued by the certainty of the euent which is a certaine signe that it was inspired by God and an infallible note to distinguish true prophecies from those which are false Deut. 18. 21 22. Deut. 18. 21 22 The second thing to be considered is the time in which he prophecied but of this I shall haue occasion to speake in the first verse of this prophecie Lastly we are to set downe the summe of this prophecie which consisteth in these points First he seuerely reprehendeth The summe of this prophecie the sinnes of the Israelites especially their sinne of Idolatry for whereas the Lord had restrained his publicke worship and seruice to be performed in the Temple at Ierusalem these ten Tribes by the instigation of Ieroboam made choice of two other places Dan and Bethel for this purpose where they erected golden calues and other Idols and built strange altars that they might as the Papists doe in their images worshippe God in these Idols whereas in trueth in stead of God they worshipped the diuell This sinne of Idolatrie the Prophet sharpely reprehendeth shewing the heynousnesse thereof how odious it is in Gods sight the miserable effects which it produced and the fearefull plagues and punishments wherewith the Lord would punish it Secondly hee exhorteth and vseth diuers arguments to perswade them to repentance that so they might escape these plagues and heauie iudgements shewing also how they should repent and turne vnto God Lastly he prophecieth of Christ and of his kingdome for the comforting of all those who did expect him and did rest vpon him for their saluation All which points are set downe partly vnder shadowes and types and partly euidently simply and clearely And so much in generall of this prophecie now I will proceede The order in this booke obserued to the more speciall handling thereof Wherein I will obserue this order first I will briefly set downe the summe or maine argument of euery chapter secondly I will diuide it into his generall parts thirdly I will expound and explane the particular verses and lastly gather out of them such doctrines and vses as shall offer themselues to our consideration and shall be most fit for our instruction and edification Let vs therefore come to speake of the first chapter the The argumēt of the first chapter maine argument whereof is this After that he hath prefixed the inscription wherein is contained the Author of this prophecie his calling from God and the time of his prophecying to the end that hee might make the hearers and readers more attenttiue hee accuseth the people of Israel of their sinnes and namely of their grieuous Idolatry vnder the type of an infamous harlot and her adulterous issue setting downe withall comminations of heauy iudgements which the Lord would shortly execute vpon them for their sinnes To which hee adioyneth a singular consolation to the faithfull that notwithstanding the sinnes and punishments of the rebellious people the Lord would shew himselfe constant in his promises which hee made to their forefathers and would multiply their spirituall seede in great numbers making them not onely his people but also his sonnes and children And this is the argument of this chapter out of which we The parts of this chapter may gather the seuerall parts thereof which are two First the inscription of the prophecie verse 1. And secondly the prophecie it selfe in the rest of the chapter the which may be diuided into two parts first legall comminations secondly Euangelicall consolations In the comminations is set downe first the sinne vers 2 3. and secondly the punishment vers 4 5 6 8 9. The consolations are first proper to the house of Iudah vers 7. and secondly common to Iudah and Israel vers 10 11. THe inscription is set downe verse 1. The word of the Verse 1 Lord which came to Hosea the sonne of Beeri in the dayes of Vzzia Iothan Ahaz and Hezechia Kings of Iudah and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash King of Israel This inscription is prefixed for these ends First to make the hearer or reader attentiue in that it is not the word of Hosea himselfe or of mortall man but of the euerliuing God Secondly to gaine authority vnto and to shew the vndoubted truth and certaintie of this prophecie in that it is the word of the Lord not the deuice of man vttered after the things contained therein were come to passe but reueiled to Hosea and by him to all the people long before the things were accomplished not in an vncertaine time but in the raigne of these Kings here named Thirdly that hereby wee might be helped and furthered in the vnderstanding of the whole prophecie for knowing in what time and in whose raigne these prophecies were deliuered we may in the bookes of the Kings and Chronicles reade the story of those times and so come to the knowledge of the state of the Church and Common-wealth vnder the gouernment of these Kings which will giue no small light for the vnderstanding of the prophecie And these are the maine ends of this and the like inscriptions Now let vs come to the words themselues wherein are contained foure things First the principall efficient cause of this prophecie namely Iehouah Secondly the matter or maine argument thereof that is Gods word Thirdly the instrumentall cause by whom this word was deliuered to wit Hosea the Prophet Lastly the time of the publishing of this prophecie that is in the raigne of these Kings Concerning the first the principall author of this prophecie The Author of this Prophecie is Iehouah who hath his essence and being of himselfe and giueth being to all creatures The consideration whereof should make vs attentiuely to heare and dutifully to performe obedience to the wordes of this prophecie both in fleeing the vices therein condemned and practising and performing the duties therein commended and commanded vnto vs. For it is Iehouah who speaketh vnto vs who is infinite in wisedome and therefore his words are to be imbraced and obeyed as being most fit to guide and rule vs. Achitophels 2. Sam. 16. 23. words were receiued as Oracles because he was wise though his wisedome was mingled with sinne and corruption that is with foolishnesse how much more then are we to hearken to God himselfe speaking vnto vs whose
19. and Esa 36. and 37. And secondly when as being led captiue into Babylon he moued Cyrus and Darius to haue compassion on them and to returne them againe into their owne Country And this is that which is meant by these benefits promised Doctrines Now the things which hence are to be obserued are All Gods benefits included vnder his mercy these First that he includeth all his benefits promised vnder the name of his mercy to note vnto vs that they doe not come vnto any by merit and desert but of free grace and Gods vndeserued goodnes for mercy doth not presuppose merit but rather misery both in regard of sinne and the punishment due vnto it And further to assure vs that if we haue Gods mercy and be in his fauour we shall neede no benefit either for our maintenance or else our defence and preseruation whereas on the otherside without this mercy we can haue no assurance of either Secondly we may obserue that he knitteth these two together Mercy the cause of saluation mercy and saluation and setteth mercy in the first place because it is the cause of saluation and the fountaine from which this streame of our deliuerance floweth Whence we learne that when the Lord saueth and deliuereth vs out of the hands of our enemies we doe not ascribe our deliuerance to our goodnesse workes or worthinesse but to Gods free mercy and vndeserued grace The third thing to be considered is the meanes whereby Exposition the Lord would saue them which are described first affirmatiuely by the Lord their God and after negatiuely where the false and insufficient meanes are remoued And will not saue them by bow c. Concerning the first by the Lord their God we are to vnderstand the true Messias Iesus Christ the eternall Iehoua Gen. 19. 24. with his Father and holy Spirit who onely saueth and deliuereth his Church out of the hands of their enemies and procureth for them eternall saluation and happinesse first as the meritorious cause for his sake and merits we haue saluation and all other benefits deriued vnto vs from God the Father who if he should behold vs out of his Sonne in our sinnes and corruptions would in stead of benefits heape vpon vs plagues and punishments and in stead of saluation would plunge vs into euerlasting death and destruction And secondly as the efficient cause of our saluation for the Father saueth vs but by his Son who is his strong power whereby he not onely created vs but also hath redeemed and saued vs. Moreouer he saith that he would saue them by the Lord their God rather then that he would saue them by himselfe to the end that he might hereby signifie not onely that the house of Iuda did make choyce of him the true God whom they worshipped and serued but also that he was not the God of the Israelites seeing they had forsaken him and betaken themselues to the worship of idols But here it may be demanded how this can be true that he was not the God of the Israelites but of the Iewes onely seeing he professeth himselfe to be the God of all the seed of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and also seeing the Israelites at this time professed that they serued him in their idols I answere that God accounteth himselfe to be no God vnto them who had refused him and that they had in truth refused him whatsoeuer shew and profession they made to the contrary when as they did not worship him after the prescript forme of his word but in hypocrisie and in idols not in his temple vnto which place hee had limited and restrained his publike worshippe but in groues and high places And this was the true meanes whereby he would saue them In the next place hee expresseth and remooueth the false and insufficient meanes of their saluation And will not saue them by bow nor by sword nor by battell by horses nor by horsemen As though hee should say Although they bee so weake poore and impotent as that they may appeare vnto themselues and others to lie open for a pray to their enemies yet this shall bee no meanes to hinder their saluation and deliuerance seeing my purpose is not to saue them by any power riches or meanes of their owne but by mine owne might which without all humane helpe is in it selfe omnipotent and omnisufficient Whereas then he saith that hee will not saue them by bow nor by sword c. his meaning is that hee would not saue them by their owne power and strength or by any humane and worldly meanes but that their deliuerāce should whollie come from and by himselfe the which accordingly was effected first in the reigne of Ezekias when as being inuaded with the mightie host of Senacharib hee caused his Angell to slay 185000. of their enemies and so without their owne bow sword or battell deliuered them And after that they were led captiue into Babylon he gaue thē grace in the eies of Cyrus and Darius and when otherwise they were altogether vnable by force to relieue themselues he caused their enemies in pitie and compassion to free them out of captiuitie and to restore them againe into their owne countrie Now the reason why the Lord excludeth all their owne strength and meanes was first to beate downe the pride and insolencie of the Israelites who thought it impossible that the house of Iuda in regard of their weakenesse pouertie and small number should bee deliuered out of their hands especially hauing combined themselues with the Syrians to worke their ouerthrow and secondly to strengthen the Iewes in the assurance of their deliuerance notwithstanding they saw no possible meanes in regard of humane power which was exceeding needfull considering that through our naturally corruptions we are readie to doubt of our deliuerance when as we are abandoned of outward helpes And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines which The doctrines from hence arise are these First wee may obserue that the 1. That we haue all benefits from God in and for Iesus Christ saluation of Gods Church and elect children and all other benefits which they receiue either spiritual or temporal is in and for Iesus Christ alone and not from their owne meanes nor for their own merits And this appeareth in this place where the Lord promiseth to saue the Iewes out of the hands of the enemies but not by their own means but in the Lord their God the promised Messiah And as this is true concerning our temporall deliuerances so especially concerning our eternall saluation for there is not saluation in any other c. Act. 4. 12. And he is able perfectly to saue all those who Acts 4. 12. Heb. 7. 25. come vnto God by him Heb. 7. 25. The vse hereof is that wee doe not with the Papists looke for saluation elsewhere not in our owne merits nor in the merits and intercession of Saints nor ascribe the
glorie hereof in part or whole to any other sauing our onely Sauiour Christ c. The second thing which we obserue is that the onely true 2. Iehouah wil be their God alone who worship him according to his word Iehouah is the God of those alone who worship and serue him after his will reuealed in his word as for those that in stead of Gods reuealed truth imbrace their owne wil-worships though they make neuer so glorious a profession of their seruice to the true Ged yet he esteemeth it not as done vnto him neither will he acknowledge them his seruants nor himselfe their God who in stead of his wil do their own wills and in stead of his pure seruice offer vnto him their owne inuentions Whereas contrariwise hee vouchsafeth to bee called the God of them who worship him after his reuealed will though otherwise their obedience be mingled with many corruptions and imperfections as appeareth in the example of the Israelites and the Iewes in this place Thirdly we here learne whence we are to expect deliuerance 3. Saluation is onely from the Lord. and saluation out of the hands of our enemies not from our own strength munitiō number riches friends seeing our saluation commeth not from our selues or from our own meanes but from the Lord alone And therfore when we abound in these things we must not trust in them and so grow proud in our owne strength but in Gods helpe and promised assistance and when these things are wanting let vs not despaire of deliuerance seeing the Lord without aboue or contrarie to these meanes can saue and preserue vs by his owne omnipotent power as appeareth in the example of the Israelites deliuered out of the captiuitie of Egypt out of the hands of the Madianites by Gedeon and his 300. men Iudg. 7. from the power of Sanacherib by his Judg. 7. 2. King 19. owne Angell and in the example of the slaughter of the Philistims by Ionathan his Armourbearer 1. Sam. 14. 6. And so 1. Sam. 14 6. in our greatest weakenes and want of meanes we may comfort our selues in the Lords assistance which is al-sufficient and say with Ionathan It is not hard to the Lord to saue with many or with few 1. Sam. 14. 6. and with Asa 2. Chron. 1. Sam. 14. 6. 2. Chron. 14. 11. 14. 11. O Lord it is nothing vnto thee to helpe with many or with no power Whereas on the other side all worldly helpes are insufficient to deliuer without Gods assistance for though the horse be prepared against the day of battaile yet our saluation commeth of the Lord Prou. 21. 31. And if the Lord doe not Prou. 21. 31. blesse this meanes A horse is but a vaine helpe and shall not deliuer any by his great strength Psalm 33. 17. And therefore Psalm 33. 17. when we abound in these meanes although wee may lawfully vse them and thanke God for them yet let vs put no affiance in them but say with Dauid Psalm 44. 6. I doe Psalm 44. 6. not trust in my bow neither can my sword saue me c. ANd so much concerning the second degree of the Israelites punishment The third followeth which is their vtter and finall reiection vers 8. Now when shee had weaned Vers 8. 9. Lo-ruchamah she conceiued and bare a sonne Vers 9. Then God said Cal his name Lo-ammi for ye are not my people therefore I will not be yours In which words the third punishment is first typically shadowed vnder the childs name and afterwards plainely expressed in the reason rendred thereof But before this third punishment is denounced there is a certaine space interposed betweene it and the former which is signified vers 8. Now whē she had weaned Loru-chamah c. By the weaning of Loru-chamah the Prophet typically sheweth that because the people were not reclaimed with the former punishments the Lord would be so far from repealing his sentence of those iudgements before denounced that he would now ratifie and confirme it yea and because their diseases were growne so desperate that they were past all cure and seeing neither mercies nor iudgements would reclaime them he would now inflict vpon thē a third iudgement more heauie then all the rest namely he would reiect them frō being his people But yet he would not do this sodenly but as the child is first weaned before it be taken from his nurse so they should be weaned and restrained from their nurses the Prophets and frō the food of their soules the milk 1. Pet. 2. 2. of Gods word of which the Apostle speaketh 1. Pet. 2. 2. and consequently should bee depriued of al the graces of Gods spirit which are both begotten by this spiritual seed of Gods word and nourished and increased with this heauenly food But howsoeuer the Lord goeth forward in the denunciation of iudgements yet it is not altogether without mercy for before he vtterly reiecteth them he interposeth a conuenient distance of time between this and the former iudgement that in the meane while they might repent and so escape this last punishment And this also is signified by the weaning of Loru-chamah before Lo-ammi is conceiued For though he had condemned them to perpetual captiuitie yet he doth not presently exclude them out of that couenant which he had made with their fathers wherby they became his people but for a time hee patiently waited for their conuersion that so they might still retaine the name of Gods people and attaine vnto the saluation of their soules though their bodies were inthralled in a perpetuall seruitude But when as they made no vse neither of Gods former iudgements nor yet of his patience long suffering but obstinately and desperately went on in their sins they increasing in wickednesse the Lord increaseth his punishments and finally casts them off from being his people The which finall reiection is signified and shadowed vnder the name Lo-ammi the signification wherof is Not my people as it is expounded by God himselfe in this place and after it is plainely expressed in the reason for ye are not my people therefore I will not be yours The Lord had in former times made choice of the children of Israel amongst all the nations of the world to be his Church and people according to that Deut. 32. 9. For the Deut. 32. 9. Lords portion is his people Iacob is the lot of his inheritance with them hee made his couenant and vpon them as being his owne peculiar people and proper familie he multiplied his benefits with a more liberall hand then vpon any other nation But when Israel obserued not the condition of the couenant but renounced the seruice of God went a whoring after idols and when neither Gods mercies would moue them to loue him nor his iudgements to feare him nor both ioyned together could reclaime them from their wicked waies and bring them to repentance the Lord casteth them
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
greater punishments The first sinne whereof he accuseth them is that there Truth greatly faileth amongst men was no truth in the land in which respect if vvee examine the state of men in these dayes wee shall finde that there is but too great similitude betweene vs and them For may we not in our times and in our land take vp the complaint of the Prophet that there is no truth may we not justly say of these times as the Prophet Esay of his namely that truth is fallen in the streete and that it so faileth that he who refraineth from euill maketh himselfe a pray Esa 59. 14. 15. For that we Esay 59. 14. 15 may come to particulars where are those simple hearted Nathaniels in whom ther is no guile how smal is the number Simplicitie of heart esteemed folly Psal 15. 2. of those faithfull men who speake the truth from their harts where almost shall a man finde that integritie simplicitie and vprightnesse of heart which is in so many places of the Scriptures commended vnto vs both by precept and by example Nay rather is not this simplicitie so much hated that euen the name it selfe is had in reproch for a simple man and a foole are commonly vsed in the same signification and contrariwse he is reputed most wise who is most deceitfull double hearted and voide of truth Is not euery where the serpentine subtilty in great request in the meane while the simplicitie of the Doue not onely contemned but also derided as if it were sottish folly is it not a chiefe point of pollicy in our dayes to pretend one thing and intend another to dissemble hatred with lying lips and Iudas-like to betray vnder coulour of kissing and imbracing by all which it clearly appeareth that there is no truth that is no simplicitie nor sinceritie in the hearts of men But as truth is banished from the hart and reines so also Truth of speech much decayed from the tongue and speach for as men are double hearted so also they are double tongued and well may wee in our times complaine with Dauid Psal 12. 1. 2. The faithfull are Psal 12. 1. 2 failed from among the children of men They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour flattering with their lips and speake with a double heart The wise man perswadeth vs that we be ready to buy the truth and not to sell it at any rate Prou. 23. 23 Prou. 23. 23. But now truth is so basely esteemed that it is not thought worth the purchasing and contrariwise all sorts of men are willing to sel it at the lowest prises as though it were nothing worth Some part with it for nothing speaking vntruely vppon no cause but meerely their owne vanitie some sell it for the least penny of profit or the lightest dram of vaine pleasure Haue they committed any fault presently truth is sould to buy a couer of a false excuse wherewith they may hide it from those whom they are more loath to displease then God himselfe Doe they hunt after the fauour of great parsonages then truth must needes be sould through base flattery to purchase it Would they spightfully reuenge them selues vpon their neighbour and yet he shall neuer know who hurt him they part with truth through backbiting and slandering for which if at any time they are called in question they make vntruth their best salue to cure that wound which they haue made with their lying tongues In a word the least cause is thought sufficient to make men part with truth through false speaking and though it ought â—o bee vnto vs most precious yet almost euery one is willing to forgoe it at any rate Lastly as there is no place left for truth in mens hearts No truth to be found in mens actions and tongues so neither can it easily bee found in their actions and behauiour for as this age is double hearted and double tongued so also it is full of double dealing and as the Prophet speaketh Iustice standeth a farre off Esay 59. 14. For in this faithlesse age there is no respect of keeping promise Esay 59. 14. though it hath beene backed with many protestations when as it may bee broken with some small aduantage neither is there any cable so strong which can bind men to obserue couenants concluded when their fidelitie is attended with the least losse or inconuenience In ancient times when men esteemed their credit more then wealth their word was sufficient in any contract but when truth beganne to faile the law prouided for better securitie that couenants should bee expressed and recorded in writing and iniustice yet preuailing seales vnto these writings were annexed But in this truthles age all this is little worth vnlesse men be bound in a double forfeyture of wealth from forfeyting of their honesty and credit yea so boundlesse is mens falshood in these times that bonds are not sufficient to bind men to iust and honest dealing vnlesse they be also chained in statutes and recognisances The like want of truth may be obserued in all states and in all dealings betweene man and man wherein truth is not Want of truth obserued amongst all sorts of men bought as being precious according to the wisemans counsayle but sould at vile prises It is sould by states men for treacherous pollicies of Magistrates for rewards friendship or respect of persons of Lawyers for fees it is commonly sould of shop-keepers that by the sale of truth they may make their wares more saleable of Artificers who supply all defects eyther of their labour or bad stuffe by vntruth and falshood And as this is the state of Court and Citie so also of the Country where a man shall finde that the simplest haue wit enough to betray the truth and the poorer that the people bee the more ready are they to sell truth at the basest rate And I would to God this want of truth were wanting in the Chruch and that in the banishment of truth out of the common wealth yet the Church might be a sanctuary and place of refuge where it might retire it selfe and besafe guarded from violence but alas in these dayes it is farre otherwise for many in stead of Gods truth preach their owne fantasies froathy conceits of wit raking in the puddle of Popists postils that they may stuffe their Sermons with such dotages of wit as better beseeme the Stage then the Pulpit leauing in the meane time the pure fountaine of Gods word as though these waters of life were not worth the drawing and loathing to bring any sound exposition of their Text because they imagine such vulgar simplicitie to be a great disparagement to the acutenes of their wit and therfore they choose rather to wrest and wring the scriptures vnto such senses as shall serue to be fit foundations whereupon they may ground their idle quirkes and wittie fooleries then to deliuer any sound interpretation whereout
like vnto brute beast the formall difference of reason being taken away The last thing to bee obserued is that they who addict There is no meane or moderation in vnlawfull pleasures themselues to pleasures are so wholy ouer-ruled by their lusts that they can obserue no meane or moderation but grow from delight to curious wantonnesse and when they haue satisfied their naturall lusts and euen dulled and cloyed their sensuall appetites they fall to deuice how by art they may renew sharpen them In which respect these voluptuous men are far worse then many other sinners whose state neuerthelesse is most damnable namely such as perseuere in their sinnes without repentance and will not leaue sinne till sinne leaue them but these after their sins haue forsaken them there being wanting naturall strength and meanes for Pro. 23. 30 the acting of them will not forsake their sinnes but vse all alluring meanes to intertaine them still and earnestly indeauour to renew their strength that they may renew their wickednesse Thus these drunkards when they were glutted with wine they added new wine the one hauing strength to inflame them the other delightfull sweetnesse to allure them that so by this varietie they might set an edge on their dulled appetite and make them as it were long-winded and vnwearied in this drunken exercise So the glutton when he hath cloyed his stomacke with surfetting and gormandize and satisfied yea oppressed nature with loathing sacietie he laboureth by art to repaire nature and to thrust it forward by invention vvhen as it is quite tyred not onely by varietie of dishes the more daintie and delicate following the grosser and more common faire but by innumerable sorts of sauces the vsuall harbingers of gluttony and excesse So that now cookery is become an ingenious profession and requireth as much time to make an exquisite proficient as some one of the liberall Sciences The like also may be said of Fornicatours and Adulterers vvho vvhen they haue tyred nature and consumed their strength labour to re-enable their disabled concupiscence by exquisite wantonnesse and when they are satisfied as being beasts they remaine insatiable as being men their reasonable or rather vnreasonable lust farre exceeding their sensuall concupiscence Hence it is that when their lust hath out-run their strength they labour to refresh it by obscoene speeches wanton Pictures vnhonest daliance inflaming drincks pampring meates Italian rootes and when all this will not suffice they hire the noble art of Physicke it selfe to become a baude to their vncleannesse as though they could not run fast enough vnto hell vnlesse they hastened their speede by laying all these Post-horses in the way The vse hereof is that we giue voluptuousnes her answere We must resist voluptuousnes at the first when she maketh her first motion and turne it away with a frowning countenance when it first knocketh at the doore of our harts For howsoeuer at the entrance it looketh bashfully for sinne knowing it owne vglinesse cannot but bee ashamed of it selfe yet when it hath once got intertainement it will grow bould and impudent not admitting any repulse First it will allure nature then delight it then satisfie it then glut it with loathsome satietie and when it is quite spent and tyred it will finde meanes to refresh it by curiositie and wantonnesse for a new conflict but so as it is sure to receiue the greater foyle AND so much concerning the third bill of inditement wherein the people of Israell especially the Priests are accused and conuicted of diuers haynous crimes Now least the people should thinke their faults extenuated and themselues acquitted either from the guilt or punishment of their sinnes because they were mislead by their blinde and wicked guides he teturneth againe vnto them and frameth against them a new bill of inditement wherein he accuseth them that they wilfully joyned with their false teachers in their Idolatry were well contented to be guided by them rather then by Gods true Prophets and therefore it was just with God that both the blinde leaders and blinde followers should fall together into the pit of destruction seeing they both wilfully did shut their eyes and loued the darknesse of ignorance far better then the shining light of Gods truth This inditement containeth two things First an accusation of sinne Secondly a denunciation of punishment Their sinne whereof he accuseth them was their Idolatrie the which is of two kindes first their consulting with their Idols secondly their worshipping of them by oblations and sacrifices Their consulting with their Idols is set downe in these words Verse 12. My people aske counsaile of their stocks and Verse 12 their staffe teacheth them for the spirit of fornications hath caused them to erre and they haue gone a whoring from vnder their God In which words is contayned two things first their sin The expositiō secondly the cause thereof Their sinne in these words My people aske counsaile of their stockes and their staffe teacheth them Where first is set downe the persons who committed this wickednesse and then the qualitie of their sinne is also expressed The persons are saide to be not Heathens and Pagans but the people of God My people aske counsaile c. by which high title it is not his purpose to grace them with any priuiledge of honour or to preferre them before the nations and infidels but rather he raiseth them vp that he may giue them the greater fall and sheweth their honourable condition wherevnto they were aduanced by Gods free and vndeserued grace that hereby hee may aggrauate the haynousnesse of their sinne As though he should haue saide if these outragious sinnes be not to be excused in the gentiles and infidells who haue onely the dimme light of Nature to be their guide and whom I haue vouchsafed but common fauours then how intollerable is this wickednes being committed by this people of Israell vnto whom aboue all the nations of the earth I haue vouchsafed this royall priuiledge and prerogatiue to be called my chosen and peculiar people vnto whom I haue giuen my lawes statutes and ordinances for their direction and my Sacraments as assured seales of my loue and fauour vpon whom I haue multiplyed innumerable benefits to incourage them in my seruice who haue abounded with Oracles of infallible truth as the euent hath proued and haue continually had my Prophets to satisfie them in their doubts and to guide them in all truth euen this vngratefull people after all these benefits receiued haue causlesly forsaken me and no necessitie vrging them haue consulted with their Idols Neither is this haynous fault committed by some few persons but as though they had made a common conspiracie the whole body of the people haue associated and combined themselues together as one man in this apostacie and Idolatrie The like place vnto this we haue Ier. 2. 10. 11. c. Where the Lord sendeth his people to the gentiles to see if
they the adjuncts as the vices the subject of the Soule And further this proannesse is called a spirit Metonimically to point out vnto vs the chiefe authour and fountaine from whence it is diriued euen Sathan the spirit of all wickednesse Moreouer it is called the spirit of fornications rather then the spirit of idolatrie not onely because he would persist in the former allegorie of marriage but also that hereby he might point out as it were in liuely colours the disposition of idolaters As though he would say it fareth with these filthy idolaters as with vncleane adulterers who are so blinded and inflamed with their lust and so besotted and hardned by their vice that without either shame or wit like brute beasts they runne headlong into their sinne and into all those mischeifes which doe accompany it as though they were vtterly depriued of all judgement and vnderstanding And for this cause also he vseth the plurall number fornications rather then the singular to note both their furious earnestnesse and their accustomed practise in committing this sinne Whereby he plainly sheweth that howsoeuer their Priests vtterly neglected their duty yet were not the people hereby excused of their sinnes both because they gaue themselues to voluptuous pleasures and thereby were depriued of their vnderstandings and became proane vnto all wickednes and also because they were not onely outwardly mislead by their false teachers but also had inwardly in themselues a spirit of fornications that is a vehement pronesse vnto idolatry wherwith they were wholy besotted Finally he addeth And they haue gone a Whoring from vnder their God that is they haue quite shaken off the marriage yoke and with-drawing themselues from vnder the gouernment and subjection of God their lawfull husband haue wholy giuen themselues ouer to spirituall vncleannes and to commit whordome with their impure Idols The which words may be vnderstood as a cause of the former that they therefore forsooke the Lord and gaue themselues ouer to be ruled by their Idols because they were possessed with a spirit of fornications which caused them to fall into these grosse and absurde errours or as an effect that therefore they were mislead by the spirit of fornications because hauing forsaken the Lord and his truth he had giuen them ouer to a reprobate sense suffred them to be deluded by a spirit of errour with strong delusions because they would not imbrace nor loue the truth For these are mutual and reciprocall causes to imbrace false worship idolatrie to forsake God for when the idolater beginneth to worship his idols hee renounceth the worship of God and when he will not loue nor delight himselfe in Gods true worship and seruice then the Lord giueth vp him to a reprobate sense and to be deluded with strong delusions as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 1. 23. 24. 2 Thes 2. 11. Rom. 1. 23. 24. 2. Thes 2. 11. And so much concerning the meaning of the words the The doctrines doctrines which arise out of them are diuers First we may obserue that it is no true honour to grace vs nor any sound The title of Gods people doth not grace or profit vs vnlesie we liue like the people of God benefit to profit and comfort vs that wee beare the title of Gods people and abound in his temporall gifts and blessings if our life be not conformable to our titles and priuiledges and if wee doe not thankfully imploy Gods benefits bestowed vpon vs to the aduancement of his glory the good of his Church and the furthering of our owne saluation yea contrariwise if wee vse them as incouragements to harten vs in our sinnes and vngratefully abuse them to Gods dishonour and the disgrace of our profession making them serue as vayles vnder which we may more cunningly hide our leprous sores of sinne and close acted wickednesse then are they so farre from gracing vs that they wholy tend to our discredit and so farre from being truely profitable that they serue as so many arguments to aggrauate our sinnes and to approue the justice of Gods righteous judgements when as hee taketh the most rigourous course in inflicting punishments It was an high priuiledge of honour to the people of Israell to be intitled the people of God but when they contemned his true worship forsooke the Lord and consulted with Idols all this tended to their vtter disgrace and to make their idolatrie much more abhominable then the idolatrie of the Gentils So it was a great dignitie to the wicked Angels that they were created the most excellent of the creatures and were made the immediate Ministers of God and as it were courtiars to the great King of heauen and earth but when as they most vngratfully sinned against such as gratious creator their excellencie did not benefit them but aggrauated their sinne and plunged them into the deepest bottome of just condemnation It was a great mercie of God vouchsafed to the Sodomites that they were placed in Gen. 13. 8. the garden of the world where they abounded in all Gods temporall blessings but when they abused Gods goodnesse and by his benefits became more rebellious they were not hereby priuiledged from punishment but inflamed Gods Gen. 19. more fearefull wrath against themselues which caused fire and brimstone to raine downe from heauen and consume them It was a great priuiledge to the Israelites to be the vineyard of the Lord which he had hedged in from the rest of the world for his owne vse and delight but when they answered not to Gods mercy in their obedience but in stead of the sweet grapes of righteousnes brought forth the sowre Esay 5. grapes of sinne the Lord did not onely forsake it but also pull downe the hedge and layde it open to the common spoyle It was a singular prerogatiue vnto them that they had amongst them the profession of Religion and the Temple of God the place of Gods worship but when they abused it as a visard of hypocrisie to countenance their sinne and as a shield to fence off all Gods threatnings of punishment God sendeth them to Shilo to see a patterne of his fearefull Ier. 7. 4. 12. vengeance which should also ouer-take them vnlesse they repented Finally it was a great dignitie and royall priuiledge to the people of the Iewes that they injoyed all earthly benefits in the land of Canaan that they were Gods peculiar people with whom he had made his couenant his chosen nation his royall Priest-hood the treasurers of his word the keepers of his seales and that they had the first offer of eternall saluation by Christ and of the joyfull tidings of the Gospell but when they abused this rich mercy by continuing in their rebellion by stopping their eares to Christs heauenly Sermons by crucifying the Lord of Life and by continuing in finall impenitencie after they were long called there vnto by the preaching of the Apostles all Gods patience long-suffering
contemne the word of the Lord and desperately resolue to continue in their idolatrie Iere. 44. 16. 17. 21. 22. The like may be said of Ieroboam Iere. 44. 16. 17. 21 22. Ahab and the rest of the idolatrous Kings who after they had ioyned themselues with idols could by no meanes be euer parted from them neither by Gods word nor by his miracles by his benefits nor by his punishments And euen in our owne daies doe wee not see that the idolatrous Papists hauing wedded themselues to their superstitions will by no meanes admit of any diuorce and separation but shutting their eyes against the light of Gods truth and hardening their hearts against all those holy precepts whereby idolatrie and superstition is forbidden and condemned impudently persist in their euill courses chusing rather to rase out that which was written by Gods owne finger and to mangle and maime the commandements of almighty God which prohibite the making and worshipping of images then to suffer their idolatrous superstitions to bee rooted out of their hearts or to admit of any diuision or separation betweene them and their idols The vse of this doctrine is that when any are suiters vnto We must preuent the beginnings of idolatrie vs in the behalfe of idols for our loue we giue them a speedie answere and forbid the banes when they are first published alleaging for our selues that wee are alreadie married to our husband Christ and therefore cannot entertaine their loue vnlesse wee would become notorious strumpets that we haue alreadie receiued Christ into our hearts and therefore there is no place there for idols seeing there can bee no communion betweene them that we are the temples of the holy Ghost which hath no agreement with idols as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 6. 16. Yea let vs not onely abhorre 2 Cor. 6. 16. this spirituall whoredom in the grossest kinds but also withstand all meanes and occasions thereof making with Iob in another kinde a couenant with our eyes that wee will not looke vpon these alluring harlots and stopping our eares against all those bewitching pandors who solicite for them and wooe our harts from God and his pure worship Otherwise such is the inclinablenesse of our hearts to idolatrie and superstition and in so neere a bond of loue is corrupted nature and our fleshly part vnited with idols that if wee giue way to the first motions and suffer our hearts and affections to be ioyned with them the knot betweene vs will prooue inseparable and no perswasions will withdraw vs from them Thirdly wee here learne from the name which the holie Idolatrie and superstition bringeth no true comfort but horror and anxietie Ghost giueth vnto idols that they doe not giue vnto those who are deuoted to their seruice any true comfort or sound ioy or peace of conscience but contrariwise horrour and scare disquietnes of minde and iust cause of griefe and sorrow in respect of the manifold miseries calamities which they bring to both soule bodie and state in this life and the life to come For whereas those who serue the Lord the Prince of peace and God of all consolation may certainly expect from him peace of conscience in the middest of all wordly garboyles and true comfort when they are compassed about with all calamities contrariwise they who worship idols serue Satan the prince of terror and feare who continually tormenteth his vassals with perplexed mindes and troubled consciences and draweth them to their deuotions by dreadfull apparitions and affrighting terrors hauing no ground to giue vnto them whereupon they may build any sound cōfort Wheras those who truly serue God according to his reuealed will may securely expect helpe in the time of trouble and protection and deliuerance in the time of danger because hee is omniscient and knoweth our estates omnipotent and can relieue vs most kind and gratious and will not withdraw his helping hand when we stand in need contrariwise these idols are blind and cannot see vs impotent and cannot helpe vs without any loue yea without reason sense and life and therefore regard vs not when we most implore their aide Of the former we haue an example in Elias who worshipping the true God in a true maner was heard of God magnified in the sight of the people by an admirable miracle and protected and deliuered in the middest of all dangers of the others in Baals Priests 1. King 18. who by worshipping their idoll got nothing but wounds to their bodies anguish and perplexitie to their minds and soules and vtter destruction to them both The like reward had Ieroboam Ahab and the rest of the idolatrous Kings for their zealous deuotions and painfull seruice which they performed to their idols The vse of this doctrine is that which the Apostle Iohn teacheth vs 1. Ioh. 5. 21. that we keepe our selues from idols 1. John 5. 21. and preserue our bodies and soules pure and vndefiled from the filthie spots of this spirituall vncleannesse And this wee shall do if we resist and withstand the first beginnings and degrees of idolatrie and in Gods worship and seruice submit our selues to be guided by the straight line of his holy word neither declining on the right hand nor on the left or if wee haue been alreadie seduced and ioyned with idols I meane in the worshipping of Saints Angels and Images vnto which kind of idolatrie the Papists allure vs both by their doctrine and example then let vs betimes breake off this fellowship whilest yet there remaineth some hope of separation For if when in our heart and affections we are first ioyned and glewed vnto them we pull our selues asunder with an holy violence we shall finde the separation almost as easily atchieued as attempted the vnion being greene and weake but if we be hardened and strengthened in this coniunction by long time and custome we shall find that the whole wood will as easilie breake in sunder as the ioynt and as soone will the bodie part with his members and the soule admit of a willing diuorce from the bodie as we being thus ioyned may be seuered from idols vnlesse we be plentifully watered with the dew of Gods word and be throughly warmed with the fire of his holy Spirit and so being suppled be made pliable to Gods will Lastly wee heere learne that when men haue long withstood We must giue ouer those who are past cure and not intermeddle with them the meanes of their saluation and are hardned in their sins so as there is no hope of doing them good by our holy admonitions instructions exhortations and reprehensions then are we to let them alone and not to intermeddle with them first because we shall expose Gods holy ordinances to pollution and subiect them to the proude contempt of rebellious and malicious men contrarie to the admonition of our Sauiour Matth. 7. 6. Giue yee not that which Matth. 7. 6. is holy to dogs
their owne inuentions and in the hypocrisie of their hearts And therefore though the Lord should reiect them yet this should bee no impeachment to his truth in his promises nor bring any damage to the Church for as much as he would in their stead who were hypocrites rotten members and the sonnes of Abraham only according to the flesh make choice of sincere professours true beleeuers and the sonnes of Abraham according to the spirit vnto whom hee would make good his couenant and promise and multiplie them in innumerable numbers The like obiection at this day is made by the Papists in The Papists like the idolatrous Israelites 1. Tim. 3. 15. their pride and securitie against those who charge them with their errours and apostasie For say they the Church of Christ cannot erre seeing it is the pillar of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. nor fall away in life or doctrine seeing Christ hath promised to leade it in all truth and to continue with it ruling and guiding it by his word and spirit vnto the end of Math. 23. 20. the world but we say they are the Church of Christ as may appeare by our vnitie vniuersalitie antiquitie and succession of Bishops and therefore if we fall away the Church falles away and consequently Christ cannot bee true of his promise But vnto them we may answere as the Prophet to the Israelites that they are the Church onely in name and not in deede seeing they haue forsaken the pure worship of God described in his word and in stead thereof haue imbraced their owne wil-worship superstition and idolatrie and therefore they are not now the spouse of Christ but adulterous harlots which are for their whoredomes diuorced from him they are not the true Church of God notwithstanding those outward titles and notes thy bragge of seeing they want the chiefe and onely vnfallible notes of the true Church Gods word sincerely preached and his Sacraments purely administred And though they bee reiected yet this will not infringe the truth of Gods promises made to his Church neither will God want a Church though they be cast off seeing in their places hee hath and will multiplie his faithfull children the true posteritie of Abraham as the sands by the sea shore vnto whom he will accomplish his promises of his presence protection and direction in all truth The like obiection also is made by carnall gospellers and secure hypocrites who professing religion doe in their liues denie the power thereof and drawing neere vnto God with their lips whilest with their hearts they goe farre from him and therefore we may fit vnto them the like answere c. The second thing which wee are to obserue is that the The execution of Gods iudgements no hinderance to the performance of his promises execution of Gods threatnings is at no time any hinderance to the performance of his promises nay rather he vseth the one as an occasion of the accomplishing of the other as in this place the reiectiō of the idolatrous Israelites for the fulfilling of his gratious promise concerning the multiplying of his Church the true posteritie of Abraham according to the spirit And therefore when Gods faithfull children heare his fearefull denunciation of iudgements denounced against the wicked let not them doubt that this will be an impediment to stay the performance of the gracious promises which are made vnto them for although they bee not accomplished in that maner and by those meanes which they expected yet the Lord will not faile to performe them so as in his infinite wisedome hee knoweth most fit for his owne The multitude of Gods people in the time of the Gospell glorie and their saluation The third thing to be obserued is the great multitude of Gods people and children vnder the kingdome of Iesus Christ in the time of the Gospel for it is here said that God would multiplie them as the sands and starres The Israelites supposed that if they should be reiected God would want a Church and people to worship and serue him but they were wholly deceiued for vpon the occasion of their reiection who were but hypocrites he multiplied the number of his faithfull seruants And as the riuer when the course thereof is stopped in his owne channell breaketh ouer the bankes and ouerfloweth the whole countrie making it fruitfull which in it selfe was drie and baren So the streames of Gods sauing mercies which in former times plentifully flowed in the land of Canaan as in their proper current being stopped and as it were dammed vp with the huge heape of their grieuous sinnes and traiterous rebellions ran ouer the bankes and borders of Iurie and ouerflowed the whole earth making the Gentiles who formerly had been barren in all goodnes fruitefull in his sanctifying graces and holy obedience And this our Sauiour signified in the parable of the great Supper to which the Iewes who were the inuited guests refusing to come vpon the occasion of their refusall the seruants are sent into the streets hedges highwaies to inuite the poore maimed halt and blind Gentiles that they might supplie their roomes as appeareth Luk. 14. Luk. 14. The pride of hypocrits reprooued and beaten down The consideration whereof may serue to beate downe the pride of hypocrites who thinke God beholding to them for their profession and seruice imagining that he will neuer reiect them for his owne honours sake seeing if they were cast off he should want seruants to worship and glorifie him But let such know that God who is in himselfe absolute and infinit in all perfections standeth in neede of no man and though it were supposed that he did yet not of them who by their seruing him doe dishonour him for he is able of stones to raise vp children to Abraham Matth. 3. 9. He can destroy Matth. 3. 9. Iob. 34. 24. the mightie and set vp others in their stead as it is Iob 34. 24. When the Iewes forsake him he can make the Gentiles seruiceable when the ancient by their praises doe not glorifie him hee can giue strength to babes and sucklings to performe this dutie which they neglect Psalm 8. 2. and though Psalm 8. 2. they likewise should say nothing yet the heauens with their dumbe eloquence would declare the glory of God Psal 19. 1. Psalm 19. 1. Yea and if all these should hold their peace yet the stones themselues would become the heraulds of Gods praises Luk. 19. 40. And therefore let not hypocrites securely goe Luk. 19. 40. on in their sinnes thinking that for their outward seruice and professions sake God will not reiect them for as the Lord spake of Coniah the sonne of Iehoiakim Ier. 22. 24 Ier. 22. 24. though they were the signet of his right hand yet he wil plucke them off Secondly whereas it is said that the Church of Christ The dotage of the Brownists confuted should be multiplied like the sands by the sea side