wisedome is infinite and most perfect It is Iehouah that speaketh who hath his being from himselfe and therefore is eternall so that he euerliueth to reward the obedient aad punish the rebellious It is Iehouah who is immutable and therefore the same faults which he disliked amongst the people in the time of Hosea he misliketh also now the same duties he required of them he requireth of vs and as then he multiplied his mercies vpon them who heard and obeyed him and his iudgements vpon those who were rebellious and obstinate in their sinnes so hath he now also the like mercies and iudgements in store for them who either heare and obey his word or wilfully neglect and contemne it It is Iehouah who is omnipresent and omniscient and therefore is an eyewitnesse and beholder of all our actions yea of our secret thoughts and intentions so that he taketh a special view both of our obedience to reward it and of our disobedience to punish it If a iust Iudge should alwaies look vpon the actions of a malefactor it would restraine him from his wickednes because hee that seeth him hath power in his hand to punish him If a Prince should alwaies behold the seruice of his subiect he would performe his duty with great diligence and chearefulnes in hope of reward But our powerful Iudge looketh on vs and therfore let vs not offend him for feare of punishmēt our gratious King beholdeth our seruice and therfore let vs obey his word with chearefull diligence assuring our selues y◠he will not send vs away empty handed It is Iehouah that speaketh who is omnipotent and omnisufficient and therefore he is able to punish vs if we neglect his word be we neuer so mightie and sufficient to reward vs and to protect vs from all enemies and other daungers if we hearken vnto it and obey it It is Iehouah who is not onely in himselfe infinite in all perfection and the chiefe goodnesse but also doth communicate this his goodnes vnto his creatures for in him we liue and moue and haue our beeing Act. 1728. He hath created vs of nothing and redeemed vs when we were worse then Acts 17. 28. nothing he hath giuen vs our beeing and doth preserue vs that we may continue to bee multiplying vpon vs all those benefits which are necessarie for our health strength and welfare and when notwithstanding we made the end of our being to be in endlesse miserie he hath procured and prouided for vs by the price of the precious blood of his best beloued an eternall being in ioy and happines Seeing therefore Iehouah is our Lord by a treble right both because he hath created and giuen vnto vs our being and hath redeemed vs that we might euer be in happinesse and prouideth all things for vs needfull at his proper charges protecting vs from all enemies and deliuering vs out of all daungers therefore let vs attentiuely hearken to the voice of our Lord and diligently practise those duties which he inioyneth vs. Lastly it is Iehouah that speaketh vnto vs in this prophecie who as he hath his being of himselfe and giueth being Exod. 6. 3. to all his creatures so especially to his word and that both to his promises and also to his threatnings And therefore if we will performe obedience vnto the words of this prophecie then shall we be made partakers of all the gracious promises therin contained But if we wil not hearken vnto them nor submit our selues in holy obedience to walke in thē but cast them behind our back and wilfully go forward in those vices which in this book are forbidden and condemned then shall all those plagues and punishments which are therein threatned fall vpon vs for the Lord is most true of his word and immutable in the administration of his mercies iudgements vnto al men in al times and ages And so much concerning the principall cause chiefe author of this prophecie The second thing to be considered is the matter of this The matter of this prophecie the word of the Lord. prophecie which he saith is the word of the Lord that is the Lords speech or prophecie reuealed to the Prophet Hosea And this matter or argument is common to all the Prophets yea to all the Penmen of holy Scriptures and therefore it is vsually prefixed and often repeated in their writings but in diuers phrases as The word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord The vision of Isaiah The burthen which Habacuc did see c. which all signifie the same word of God sauing that the word respecteth the speaker vision the hearer and burthen signifieth the denunciation of some heauie punishment Now the reason why the Prophets prefix these phrases is that they may gaine authoritie to their speeches and moue their hearers and readers to reuerence attention and vnto holy obedience to those things which they deliuer because they come not in their owne names but are sent of God and haue his ambassage put into their mouthes they speake not according to their owne conceits and inuentions but the pure and sincere word of God And to the same end doe the Apostles likewise shew their calling from God that they speake not their own words but the words of God So Rom. 1. 1. Paul a seruant of Iesus Rom. 1. 1. Christ called to be an Apostle put apart to preach the Gospell of God Gal. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle not of men neither by man but Gal. 1. 1. by Iesus Christ and God the father And verse 11. he affirmeth that the Gospell which he preached was not of man nor receiued nor taught of man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ So the Apostle Iohn 1. Epist 1. 1. That which was from 1. Iohn 1. 1. the beginning which we haue heard c. that declare we vnto you And Apoc. 1. 1. The reuelation of Iesus Christ c. Apoc 1. 1. The doctrines which herehence we learne are diuers first Gods mercy in seeking the conuersion of sinners we may obserue the endlesse and boundlesse mercy of God to his Church and people who being iustly prouoked to wrath against them for their sinnes doth not suddainely powre forth his iudgements vpon them but giueth long time of repentance and because he would not haue them ouertaken of his plagues sendeth his Prophets to allure them to obedience by gratious promises and to terrifie them from sininng by denouncing heauie iudgements And thus did he deale with the Israelites in this place c. And the like mercy hath he a long time shewed vnto vs c. Out of which we may further gather that so long as hee sendeth his Prophets and vouchsafeth his word vnto a people he hath not vtterly reiected them nor shut vp the dore of his mercy against them For to this end he calleth them by his promises and threatnings because he would not the death of a sinner but that hee should
wickednesse with the heauy burthen of our corruptions And therefore Let vs cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on and let vs runne with patience the race which is set before vs as the Apostle exhorteth Heb. 12. 1. and according to Heb. 12. 1. his example Let vs forget that which is behind and indeuour our selues to that which is before and follow hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus as it is Phil. 3. 13. 14. The vertues of our parents are not hereditarie Phil. 3. 13. but their vices and their godlinesse will not priuiledge vs from falling into all wickednesse vnlesse we striue and labour non solùm ad Ruborem sed sudorem with all paines and diligence to follow after them in their steppes for through our owne corruption we easily degenerate and if at any time we cease to become better we then beginne to become worse Thirdly we may obserue that as it little auailed the people Outward titles nought auaile vs without inward vertues of Israel to be the sonnes of Iacob according to the flesh when they nothing resembled him in the spirit nor to be intituled with his name wheÌ„ as they disclaimed his graces and vertues seeing notwithstanding all this God now threatneth and soone after inflicteth vpon them most feareful punishments so it will little profit vs to be entitled Christians if we liue as prophanely as infidels to be called the Church of God if in our conuersatioÌ„ we resemble the synagogue of Satan to be counted professors of religion and the children of God when in our liues we denie the power thereof and spend our times like the sonnes of Belial to be the children and posterity of the godly if we degenerate from their Christian profession holy practise For God is not pleased with shadowes but with substance not with outward titles but with truth in the inward parts neither wil our pareÌ„ts vertues exempt vs from feeling Gods heauie iudgements if we like a degenerating ofspring be euill and vitious And this appeareth Ezech. 18. 10. 13. and in the examples of Cham Ezecb. 18. 10. 13 Esau Absolon Adoniah Iehoahaz and many others ANd thus much concerning the name wherein the punishment of the people is typically signified Now we are to speake of the reason hereof wherein this punishment is plainely denounced For yet a little and I will visite the blood of Iisreel vpon the house of Iehu and will cause to cease the kingdome of the house of Israel Vers 5. And at that day Verse 4. 5. I will also breake the bow of Israel in the valley of Izreel In which words are contained first the time of the punishment The exposition when it must bee inflicted yet a little 2. the punishment it selfe I will visit 3. the sinne for which the punishment is inflicted The blood of Izreel 4. the obiect or subiect of this punishmeÌ„t which is threefold 1. Iehu and his posteritie 2. the state of the kingdome of Israel 3. the whole power and strength of the Commonwealth Lastly the place appointed for execution in the vallie of Izreel The time is signified in these words yet a little whereby he intimateth two things first that the Lord would not presently inflict these iudgements threatned but that he would yet giue them some time of repentance and for a while deferre his punishments which long agoe they had deserued 2. That though hee spared them for a while yet the time should not be long vnlesse they preuented his iudgements by forsaking their sinnes and turning vnto him For in all threatnings though neuer so speedie this condition is to be obserued the which the Israelites neglecting the punishment was accordingly inflicted For at the most the Prophet prophesied but 14. yeeres before the end of Ieroboams raigne and after that his sonne Zacharias had reigned but sixe moneths he was killed by Shallum and so the kingdom 2. King 15. 8. 10. ceased in the house of Iehu at which time God begun to visit the people the which his visitation not onely of the sins of Iehu but of the house of Israel hee accomplished in the reigne of Hosea when as the King and people were led into captiuitie by Shalmaneser King of Babylon So that the sense of these words is thus much as if hee should haue said Although your rebellions bee great and the measure of your sinnes full yet such is your hardnesse of heart and carnall securitie that you promise vnto your selues immunitie from punishment putting the euill day farre from you as though you should euer escape but doe not thus flatter your selues for assuredly the Lord will very shortly visit you for your iniquities and pay you home for all It is true indeede that although your outragious wickednesse doth crie out for present vengeance yet the Lord to shew his patience and long suffering and to leaue you quite without excuse will a little deferre his punishments and expect your repentance but let not Gods delaies and mercifull patience cause you to deferre your conuersion for vndoubtedly if you obstinately persist in your impenitencie the Lord will very quickly execute on you these iudgements which he hath caused mee to denounce against you And this is the meaning of these words yet a little The The doctrines doctrines which hence we gather are these First we may obserue 1. Gods patience and long suffering Gods infinite mercy patience long suffering in sparing of this rebellious people long after their sins cried for vengeance in the meane time sending his Prophets vnto them to inuite theÌ„ to repentance that so they might escape his iust punishments He is long before he threatneth and rather striueth to master mens stubburnnes to incline them to obedience by his mercies and benefits and after he threatneth he is long before he is drawne to punish and after that his iustice vrgeth him to resolue vpon this and that the hainous sinnes of his people crie out in his cares that it is more then time that deserued punishment were inflicted yet hee spareth a little and like a louing father after he that hath taken his rod into his hand and hath lifted it vp to fetch his stroke he yet pauseth and staieth his hand expecting our submission and repentance that so hee may spare vs. And thus hee dealt with the old world as appeareth Gen. 6. 5. 12. 13. with Gen. 6. 5. 12 13. the Amorits who though they were most wicked idolaters yet he deferred their punishment 400. yeeres Gen. 15. 16. Gen. 15. 16. And thus also hath the Lord dealt with vs. So that the Lord is content to attend our leasure being more loath to punish then we to suffer punishment and therefore when the time is more then past wherein iustice bâ—ggeth for vengeance mercie intreateth yet a little that iudgement may be deferred yea and after
sentence is pronounced that execution may be delaied and we reprieued till the next assises that in the meane time by true repentance we may procure our pardon and so escape deserued punishment And this is notablie set downe Esa 30. 18. Yet therefore will the Lord waite Esa 30. 18. that he may haue mercie vpon you c. Secondly we may obserue Gods infallible truth in performing 2 Gods infallible truth in performing his promises his promises notwithstanding mans vnworthines of the least of them After that Iehu had executed Gods iudgements vpon the house of Ahab the Lord promised him that he would confirme the kingdome vnto him and his posterity vnto the fourth generation Now after this promise made by God Iehu who had shewed his hatred to Achabs person and posterity shewed notwithstanding his loue to his sinnes forsaking the Lord and betaking himselfe to the worship of idols And in his steps did his progenie walke adding one outragious wickednesse to another but yet neuer the lesse the Lord made good his promises to him and his posteritie The consideration whereof may comfort those that are cast downe in the sight of their vnworthinesse thinking that because they deserue not Gods mercie therefore they shall not be partakers of it seeing we haue his gratious promises of grace and mercie the which though there be no cause in vs why he should performe yet there is cause enough in God himselfe who is infinite in mercy and infallible in his truth Rom. 3. 3 4. Rom. 3. 3. 4. Thirdly we may obserue that this people at this time 3. Pride goeth before a fall when as the Prophet threatneth Gods neere approaching iudgements were in the top of their pride presumptuous and secure fearing nothing lesse then such dangers and yet at this time destruction hasted and vengeance watched at the doore to seise vpon them Whereby it appeareth that when the wicked is most proud presumptuous and secure he is neerest to destruction when he thinketh himselfe out Psalm 37. 35. 36. of the gunshot of all danger then is hee most ready to be ouertaken of it as appeareth by the examples of Nebuchadnezzer Haman Herod and many others Lastly we may obserue that though the Lord spareth for 4. Punishmēts deferred are in the end inflicted a time yet he will not for euer deferre punishment for as sinne increaseth iudgement approcheth and though the Lord long delay to visit mens wickednesse yet the time runneth on and expireth and that which remaineth in the end will be very short and little before vengeance be inflicted And therefore let not Gods patience and long suffering harden vs in sinne and cause vs to deferre but rather hasten our repentance let vs lay hold of the acceptable time and day of saluation whilest it lasteth otherwise if we delay our conuersion the Lord within a little while when we least looke for it will cause his iudgements suddainly to surprise vs. And thus much concerning the time the punishment it selfe is expressed in these words I will visit The which word The Exposition is of ambiguous signification for it is sometime taken in the best part when as the Lord visiteth in mercy to bestow a benefite which hath been promised but somewhile deferred So he is said to haue visited Sara Gen. 21. 1. And so he promiseth to visit the children of Israel Exod. 13. 19. And Luk. Gen. 21. 1. Exod. 13. 19. Luke 1. 68. 1. 68. God is said to haue visited and redeemed his people Sometimes it is taken in the worst part and signifieth to reuenge and punish as in the second Commandement So Exo. 32. 34. In the day of my vengeance I will visit their sin vpon Exod. 32. 34. Psalm 89. 32. thē Psal 89. 32. I wil visit their transgression with the rod. And in this latter signification it is to be vnderstood in this place The doctrines which from hence we learne are these First The Do ∣ ctrines we may obserue the mercifull iustice of God who doth not rashly punish but first visiteth and then finding the fault inflicteth 1. Gods mercifull iustice who examineth before he punish Gen. 18. 20 21. Esa 26. 14. the punishment in which respect his punishments are called visitations And thus the Lord visited the Sdomites Gen. 18. 20 21. And so he is said first to haue visited and then to haue scattered and destroyed the wicked Esa 26. 14. Whence we are not to gather that the Lord needeth any such visitation to finde out mans wickednesse or that before he can spy out our sinnes he must make a quest of inquirie or priuy search for he is omnipresent and omniscient so that all things though neuer so much cloaked and disguised lye open before him and appeare naked in his sight as it is Heb. 4. 13. But by such borrowed phrases God setteth forth his orderly proceedings and approueth vnto men his iust Heb. 4. 13. iudgements in that they are not rashly executed but with good aduice and deliberation teaching them also in his own example to follow the like practise Here therefore Princes Magistrates Masters of families and all superiours are to learne their lesson namely that Superiours must visit before they punish they visit before they punish and by due examination finde out the fault before they giue sentence or proceede to execution for if God thus behaue himselfe in iudgement before whose eyes all things lie open how much more should men who are oft mistaken and easily deceiued vnlesse they vse great deliberation in their iudiciall proceedings Let therefore all such consider that where there is the most power there should be the least passion that rashnesse is a fault in all dangerous but in superiours pernicious that reasonable men should first iudge before they punish because punishment deferred may be inflicted but being inflicted cānot be recalled that they sustain the honorable place of a Iudge whilest they examine causes but the place of an executioner when without iudgement aduice they inflict punishmēt that they are Gods deputies represent his person therfore are according to his example first to visit and then to punish lest for want of due examination they punish the innocent in stead of offenders The second thing which hence we learne is that though God doth not rashly punish yet he will not suffer the wicked altogether to escape for though the Lord doth not punish euery day yet in the day of his visitation he will not spare And therefore let vs keepe our selues vndefiled from sinne or if we haue stained our consciences with sinne and haue as it were in these bookes registred vp our faults let vs by a liuely faith apply vnto vs the blood of Christ whereby these spots and writings may be washed away for if they remaine vntill the day of Gods visitation they will giue in such witnesse and euidence against vs as will conuict and condemne vs. In
when hee seeth his child after hee hath often corrected him for his faults grow thereby more stubburne and disobedient iudgeth him past all grace and without hope of amendment and therefore giueth him ouer and thrusteth him out of his house So doth God deale with vs all Thirdly we may here learne that if hauing one affliction or punishment laid vpon vs we do not make good vse therof If Gods former chastisements doe not amend vs he will inflict greater punishments of for our amendment but casting Gods iudgements behind our backs become more and more stubburne and rebellious the Lord will surely increase our punishment if we increase in sinne vntill he haue brought vs to vtter destruction for the pit of his vengeance can neuer be drawne drie neither will he euer want thunderbolts of his wrath of all sizes to dart against sinners sinne they neuer so often but after a plague he can send a famine after famine the sword after priuate euils publike mischiefes after corporall spirituall and after temporarie eternall punishments And this appeareth Leuit. 26. Deu. 28. by the former examples of Pharaoh the Israelites in the time of the Iudges and in this place and this wee likewise shall find true by our owne experience if we do not in this time of respite make vse of Gods former iudgements For the Lord hath pulled backe his hand to spare vs if we repent but if we securely go on in our sinnes he is in this time and space but lifting vp his hand the he may strike the greater stroke The last thing which we will here obserue is that if wee decline in our vertues graces and manners we shall also decline So much we decline in courage and strength as we decay in vertue in our strength and manlinesse if we waxe cold in the zeale of Gods glorie he will also coole our courage and if with effeminate inconstancie wee turne from him hee will also effeminate our minds and take away our valor strength and fortitude and so becomming weake impotent and dastardly cowards we shall bee made a fit pray for our weakest enemies And those who heretofore trēbled at our names whilest seruing God he filled our hearts with courage and our hands with strength shall after our defection when our hearts are changed and made effeminate giue vs shamefull foiles and obtaine an easie victorie And this appeareth in Jos 7. the example of the Israelites Iosua 7. in the time of the Iudges in the reigne of Saul and Dauid and the rest of the Deut. 28. 7. 25. Leuit. 26. 7. 8. 17. Kings according to the word of the Lord Deut. 28. 7. 25. 32. 30. Ios 23 10. Leuit. 26. 7. 8. 17. And so much for the second punishment as it is shadowed vnder the name of the Prophets child Now wee are to consider of it as it is plainely expressed in the reason giuen why this name is imposed For I will no more haue pitie vpon the house of Israel but I will vtterly take them away The words in the originall are For I will not adde go forward or continue Exposition to haue mercy By which he signifieth that howsoeuer heretofore he had multiplied his mercies vpon them and after that he had cast them off for their rebellions had often receiued them againe into his former loue and fauour yet now seeing they had abused his mercie and patience he would not proceed any longer to shew mercie but the acceptable time of grace being past he would inflict his iudgements vpon thē which long agoe they had deserued For I will no more haue pitie The word here vsed signifieth generally to haue mercie but is fitly here translated pity for whereas there are two kinds of mercie the one spirituall the which especially sheweth it selfe in the forgiuenesse of sinnes the other temporall whereby the Lord seeing the misery of men pitieth them and in his tender compassion deliuereth them out of temporarie affliction the former kind of mercie God denieth not to the Israelites seeing none are excluded from this mercie who repent and beleeue but the latter namely freedome and deliuerance out of their miserable captiuitie Whereas therefore the Lord saith that hee will no more haue mercie vpon them his meaning is that he will not anie more in pitie and compassion deliuer them out of their enemies hands as he had done in former times as in the daies of Ioash 2. King 13. 23. 25. from the Aramites and in the daies 2. King 13. 23. 2. King 14. 26. of Ieroboam 2. King 14. 26. 27. besides those manifold deliuerances in the time of the Iudges Saul and Dauid but that now their enemies should for euer haue the dominion ouer them It followeth But I will vtterly take them away The which words are diuersly translated The Vulgar readeth it I will vtterly forget them as though this should be the sense I will be so farre from pitying them that I will not so much as remember them But this translation the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not admit vnlesse wee would change the third radicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Others reade it I will vtterly take them away namely out of the land of promise into captiuitie by their enemies which will well stand with the words sense and the euent Iunius readeth it thus I will not proceede anie more to haue mercie one the house of Israel that I should by any meanes pardon them The which translation also well agreeth with the text and with al circumstances for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 followeth it commonly signifieth to pardon and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes Gen. 38 15. Iudg. 8. 6. Jer. 13. 14. Amos 7 8. signifieth that as Gen. 38. 15. Iudg. 8. 6. And in this sense we haue the like threatning Ier. 13. 14. Amos. 7. 8. And so much for the meaning of the words The doctrines which from hence we gather are these First whereas he saith Doctrine that he will no longer proceede to haue pity on them hence Gods former mercies abused doe not exempt vs from future iudgements we learne that it is a false inference which carnall and secure men make namely that because the Lord hath multiplied his mercies vpon them in former times therefore they are sure that he will do so still notwithstanding that they continually abuse his mercie and take occasion thereby to go on in their sinnes without repentance For this was the case of the Israelites in this place against whom he threatneth that he would turne his mercies into iudgements It is true indeede that Gods faithfull children may make such conclusions from their former experience of Gods mercies in his spirituall gifts and graces for in them hee is vnchangeable Rom. 11 29. And also concerning temporall benefits so
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
themselues and hide their nakednesse they abused them for the decking and adorning of their Idols As it may plainly appeare if we cōpare this verse with the former and with Ezech. 16. 16. 17. 18. So that these words are added to shew the lawfull vse of these benefits for which God gaue Ezech. 16. 16. 17. them that their grosse abuse of them might the better appeare And this is the meaning of these words Out of which we The Do ∣ ctrines may obserue first that howsoeuer the Lord in his patience and long-suffering doth deferre our iustly deserued punishments Impenitencie moueth the Lord to turne mercie into iudgement and in stead of them giues vnto vs the fruition of manifold benefits yet if this his mercie will not mooue vs to feare him and to repent of our sinnes he will not for euer spare vs but he will returne and alter his course stripping vs of all his benefits and turning mercie into iudgement An example whereof wee haue in the Israelites in this place in the time of our Sauiour Christ as also in the primitiue Churches of Rome Corinth Galatin c. Secondly we learne that our vnthankfulnesse in not ascribing Our vnthankfulnes moueth the Lord to strip vs of his gifts of Gods benefits vnto him or in ascribing them to other causes besides him or ioyntly with him doth moue the Lord to take his gifts away from vs that so if wee cannot know and acknowledge him the Lord and owner of them when they abound we may learne this dutie by the want of them For such is our corruption and ignorant vnthankfulnesse that wee are more readie to acknowledge the Lord the author of all the good things which we enioy when hee taketh them away then when he bestoweth them he is better knowne and acknowledged to be the feeder of his creatures in the time of dearth then in the time of plentie to bee the author of health in the time of sicknes then when wee are whole and sound to be the giuer of riches in the time of pouertie then in abundance to be our preseruer rather in the middest of dangers then when wee are most secure So that Gods gifts make vs forget the giuer and with forgetfulnesse is ioyned his vsuall companion vnthankfulnesse And this is one speciall cause why the Lord taketh them from vs because his iudgements doe better teach vs then his mercies And therfore if we would not be stripped of Gods benefits let vs learne to acknowledge him the fountain of them whilest we enioy them and yeeld vnto him the whole praise of his owne gifts And to this end let vs remember the example of Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Herod c. Thirdly we here learne that the Lord is the true and absolute The Lord is the absolute owner of all the good things which we enioy Psal 24. 1. owner of all the benefits which wee possesse for so hee calleth them here my corne my wine c. so that we are not absolute Lords of those things which we vsually call our own but only the Lords bailiefs and stewards and therefore shall one day be called to a reckoning how we haue vsed and imployed them The consideration whereof should moue vs to vse the Lords goods to the glorie of the owner and the good of our fellow seruants as he hath commanded vs neither must we imagine that we haue absolute authoritie ouer the things we possesse to doe with them what we list seeing the Lord hath chiefe interest in them And if this were well thought of men would not be so close handed to their poore brethren for what steward can answere it to his Lord if he suffer his fellow-seruant to pine for want withholding from him his portion which his master hath allotted him neither would they be so open handed to mispend Gods gifts to his dishonour by gaming gluttonie and excesse brauerie in apparell and such like abuses For this will be but a bad reckoning in the day of our generall accounts when we shall say so much laid out on vnlawfull pleasures so much spent in gorgeous attire so much consumed in law to haue my will vpon my neighbour c. For this will be thought far worse then with the vnprofitable seruant to haue hid our talent in a napkin c. Fourthly we learne that there is no certaintie nor sufficient That there is no certaintie in the possession of temporarie benefits cause of securitie in these worldly and temporarie benefits seeing God oftentimes depriues vs of them when wee thinke our selues most assured to enioy them Innumerable be the vnlooked for accidents which may spoile the fruits of the earth both in seed time winter spring and summer as too much raine too much drought wormes cankers caterpillers blastings mildewes and such like But though they escape all these yet can they promise vnto vs no certaintie of enioying them seeing the Lord for our sinnes can take away our corne in the time of haruest and our wine in the vintage either by vnseasonable weather or the inuasion of our enemies He can sincke the ship in the hauen as well as in the middest of the ocean and he can pluck back his benefits from vs euen when we are readie to stretch out the hand to receiue them The consideration wherof should make vs neuer to promise vnto our selues securitie and certaintie of these benefits so long as liuing in our sinnes without repentance we iustly prouoke the Lord to strip vs of them And secondly we may hereby be moued not to put our trust and confidence in these worldly things for our preseruation seeing they are most vncertaine but to place our whole affiance in the Lord who will neuer faile them in time of need who rest and relie themselues vpon his prouidence Fiftly we may heere obserue that all those who doe not Those are vsurpers of hold the benefits which they enioy as from the Lord but ascribe them to their friends their owne wit labour and industrie Gods gifts who do not acknowledge that they hold them frō him they are vniustly possessed of them because they hold them by an vnlawfull tenure and therefore may at the will of the grand-Lord of heauen and earth be iustly euery minute dispossessed of them And though he suffer them for a time to hold them in their custodie yet they are not to be esteemed true owners but vsurpers and intruders into that which belongeth not vnto them and therefore in the great day of assises they shall answere for it c. ANd so much concerning the first punishment here denounced Vers 10 The second followeth vers 10. And now will I discouer her leaudnes in the sight of her louers and no man shall deliuer her out of mine hand In which words the Lord The exposition meeteth with a corrupt conceit and wicked hope of the Israelites namely that though the Lord should oppose against them yet they
vngarnished without all care or conscience zeale or deuotion But such are to know that the Lord will not be pleased with the worship of an Idoll for little regardeth he the outward habite if the heart and soule bee defiled beggarly and naked Fourthly we may out of the order which the Prophet here The idolaters progresse obserueth in setting down their idolatrie note the progresse which idolaters make in their sinne ascending from one degree to another till they come to the highest First hee saith that through the naturall inclination which is in euery man they are drawne to worship and serue their Idols Secondly more and more doting in their fond loue toward them they decke and adorne both their statues and images and themselues being to performe worship vnto them with gold siluer iewels and pretious ornaments that hereby they may themselues performe seruice vnto them with greater pleasure and also allure others to ioyne with them in their idolatrie Thirdly hauing thus bewitched themselues with their owne sorceries they goe forward in their idolatrie with great pertinacie and wilfull obstinacie And lastly they so inebriate themselues with drinking in this golden cup of fornications and are so wholly intent and deuoted vnto their blinde superstitions that they quite forget the Lord and his true worship All which are noted in this place in the idolatrous Israelites by the Prophet and may be obserued in the practise of the Papists in our owne daies The consideration whereof should moue vs to flee the first allurements vnto idolatrie and the beginnings and first degrees of this sinne for one steppe will bring vs to another till we come to the highest namely forgetfulnesse of God and vtter neglect and contempt of his pure religion Fiftly we may obserue that the worship of the true God The worship of God and idols will not stād together and the seruice of Idols will not possibly stand together for assoone as we begin to offer incense vnto Baal we forget Iehouah when we loue Idols we cease to loue the Lord when we depend vpon them we distrust God and this is that our Sauiour teacheth vs Matth. 6. 24. No man can serue two masters c. and the Apostle telleth vs that we cannot drinke of Matth. 6. 24. the cup of the Lord and the cup of diuels c. 1. Cor. 10. 21. That 1. Cor. 10. 21. there is no concord betweene Christ and Belial and no agreement betweene the temple of God and idols 2. Cor. 6. 15. 16. The 2. Cor. 6. 15. 16. 1. Sam. 5. 2. ark of God Dagon cannot stand together 1. Sa. 5. 2. There is no halting betweene God and Baal but if God be God serue him if Baal be god serue him 1. King 18. 21. And therefore 1. King 18. 21. let vs not hearken vnto those who would reconcile together Christ and Antichrist Michael the Archangell and the Dragon the whore of Babylon and the spouse of Christ Gods true religion and popish superstition and so make a hotch potch of religion like vnto the religion of the Samaritanes condemned by God 2. King 17. 33. 41. Let vs take heed that 2. King 17. 33. 41. we doe not to make peace on earth proclaime warre against heauen and ioyne in league with men to fight against God and his truth assuring our selues that light and darknesse righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse God and Belial may as well be reconciled together as Christs true religion with the superstitious idolatries of the Romish Babylon Sixtly wee here learne that not to remember the Lord to They forget the Lord who doe not remember him according to his word be such an one as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word is altogether to forget him as appeareth in the example of the Israelites of whom the Lord complaineth that they had forgotten him notwithstanding they still outwardly professed that hee was their God and they his people because they remembred and worshipped him in their Idols So they who forget any of Gods attributes whereby in his word he hath made himselfe knowne vnto vs forget God himselfe for his attributes are his essence as the wisedome of God is the wise God the infinitenes of God is the infinite God the loue of God is the louing God c. And therefore that God which they remember is not the true Iehouah but an idoll of their owne making If then we only remember that God is mercifull and doe not remember that hee is also iust as it is the custome of carnall secure men wee make an idoll vnto our selues but forget the true God and so in like manner wee forget the Lord if with desperate sinners wee remember his iustice and forget his mercie And the like may be said of his omnipotence omnipresence al-sufficiencie prouidence and the rest of his attributes Lastly we may here obserue that the Prophet concludeth The authority of Gods word countenāceth his Ministers in their embassage all his reprehensions of their sins and threatning of punishment by telling them that whatsoeuer he had deliuered was not his owne but the word of the Lord whereby he confirmeth his former denunciations of iudgements and certainly assureth them that how vnlikely soeuer they thought them yet they should most vndoubtedly come to passe seeing it was the word which truth it self had spoken and therfore if they would escape them there was no dallying nor delaying of the time but speedily they must preuent them by turning vnto God by true repentance And secondly hereby hee auerteth all their malice and displeasure from himselfe seeing these heauie tidings were not the deuices of his owne braine but the word of the Lord of which onely he was the Embassadour and therefore if they would without taking any exceptions patiently heare an Embassadour sent from an earthly King denouncing warre against them because iniury or violence offered to an Embassadour is condemned by the law of nations how much more should they heare him without all malice or preiudice seeing he only deliuered the embassage which the Lord of hosts had put into his mouth From which example Gods Ministers may learne to deliuer nothing to the people but the pure word of the Lord which they are boldly to vtter though it seeme neuer so improbable to flesh and blood for as much as hee who hath spoken it will most surely accomplish it otherwise they shall commit the sinne of Ionas who when the word of the Lord was put into his mouth durst not deliuer it but being sent to Niniue fled to Tarshish and in this respect make lesse conscience of their calling then Balaam as appeareth Numb 24. 13. Numb 24. 13. And so likewise the people may here learne with patience to heare Gods Ministers though they denounce Gods heauie iudgements against their sinnes if they deliuer nothing but that which they haue warrant for out of Gods written word seeing they are bound in conscience of
heare her when as he giueth vnto her vertue to gather cloudes and vapours and open her windowes floodgates so as she may distill her sweete drops to water the earth The last thing here expressed is the persons vpon whom the Lord will bestow these benefits namely all his elect and faithfull ones whom hee hath espoused vnto himselfe and these are comprehended vnder the name Iizreel the signification of which word is here changed neither is it here taken in the euill part as it was Ch. 1. 4. to wit for the seed of God whom he would scatter and cast away but in the better sense for the seed of God whom he would gather into his Church and store vp in his garner of euerlasting happinesse By which change of the signification the Lord would shew that his wrath was changed into mercie and his iudgements into benefits in the time of the Gospell And that this name is so to be taken it appeareth by the verse following where the Lord following the allegorie saith that he will sow her that is this Iizreel his holy seed as also in that he changeth both the other names Lo-ruchamah into ruchamah Lo-ammi into ammi No mercie into Mercie and Not my people into Thou art my people And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines The Do ∣ ctrines which arise out of them are these First wee may here learne who is the author of all our blessings and benefits temporall The Lord is the author of all blessings and spirituall namely the Lord himselfe for he it is that giueth vs our corne wine and oyle he it is who causeth plentie and maketh dearth and out of the garners of his al-sufficient prouidence wee haue all our prouision and sustenance The eyes of all waite vpon him and he giueth them their meate in due season and if he shut his hand they all hunger and pine for want if he open it all things liuing are filled with plentie as it is Psal 145. 15. 16. Psalm 145. 15. 16. The consideration whereof should moue vs rather to depend vpon the Lord for our plentie and prouision then vpon the heauens the earth or the seasons of the yeere seeing he is the principall cause and these but his instruments and inferiour meanes which he vseth for our good Secondly if wee abound in these blessings let vs praise the Lord in the fruitiō of them and be readie out of our abundance to relieue the want and penurie of our poore brethren as the Lord hath inioyned vs for all these temporall benefits though good in themselues are not good vnto vs vnlesse they be receiued with thanksgiuing and sanctified to our vse by the word and prayer as it is 1. Tim. 4. 5. And if abounding with them we do 1. Tim. 4. 5. not communicate them with the poore we commit the sinne of the Sodomites as appeareth Ezech. 16. 49. and consequently Ezech. 16. 49. make our selues obnoxious to their punishments Secondly we may here obserue the time when the Lord The new Couenant is the fountaine of all our good bestoweth these benefits vpon his Church expressed in these words And in that day that is in the day of her espousals when she is married vnto Christ in righteousnes iudgement c. and by Christ reconciled vnto God for before this day we are not onely strangers but also enemies and so remaining subiect to Gods wrath we haue all the creatures opposed against vs but when wee are married vnto Christ and in him reconciled vnto God then all things work together for our good and nothing is wanting vnto vs which is profitable Rom. 8. 28. for vs to receiue From whence we learne that this new couenant of grace betweene God and vs and this spirituall marriage with Christ is the fountaine from which all blessings and benefits spring and flow vnto vs. And therefore if we would haue no good thing wanting which we can desire thē let vs in the first place seek to be espoused vnto Christ in righteousnesse iudgement benignitie and compassion and then the Lord will supplie all our wants and giue vs plentie of corne wine and oyle and all other his benefits And let vs auoid the practise of worldly men who in the first place seeke for glorie riches houses lands and pleasures and in the meane time neuer seeke to be espoused vnto Christ or in him to be reconciled vnto God deferring this as a matter of least importance to old age or the end of life but rather let vs In the first place seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Matth. 6. 33. and then all other things shall be cast vpon vs as our Sauiour hath promised Matth. 6. 33. Let vs first labour to be receiued into the couenant of grace and to be espoused vnto Christ Iesus and then he will inrich vs with the dowrie of all his temporall and spirituall benefits Thirdly we here learne that whatsoeuer vertue strēgth The creatures haue all their vertue from God whereby they benefit vs. is in any of the creatures to benefit sustaine and nourish vs they haue it wholly from the Lord as appeareth by this notable gradation for we cannot ordinarily liue without corne and food we cannot haue these vnlesse the earth bring them foorth for our vse the earth is barren and vnfruitfull vnlesse it be watered with the dew of heauen the heauens haue no power to distill their fruitfull and pleasant shewers vpon the earth vnlesse the Lord giue this vertue vnto them So that he is the principall cause and first mouer who setteth all inferiour meanes on worke and giueth them motion and strength to deriue his blessings and benefits vpon man neither can a drop of raine fall vpon the earth nor the earth bring foorth one graine of corne but by Gods prouidence and appointment and therfore we may conclude with the Apostle that In him we liue moue and haue our being Act. 17. 28. Is then Act. 27. 28. the earth fruitfull let vs ascribe the whole glorie vnto God haue we a fertill soyle let vs not rest vpon it but vpon Gods prouidence for he that hath giuen it this power and vertue can take it away make it barren Is there a dearth and scarcitie Psal 107. 34. in the land let vs not looke so much to the heauens clouds and weather as vnto God the ruler and disposer of them all expecting and begging plentie at his hands and so hee will heare the heauens and the heauens the earth the earth the fruits and the fruits will heare vs c. Fourthly we here learne that howsoeuer the Lord is the God bestoweth his blessings by inferiour meanes principall cause and chiefe author of all the benefits which we receiue yet we are not to expect them from his hand immediatly but mediatly by inferiour causes and instruments as appeareth by the gradation here vsed and therefore wee
sinne and Necessarie ignorance extenuateth faults not the euill of punishment alone as some haue imagined yet it doth excuse other faults and sinnes and also lesseneth the punishment It doth excuse wholie a fault before men when as it is committed through necessarie ignorance all meanes of knowledge being wanting but before God it doth not wholy excuse and acquite vs for the reasons aboue alledged but onely in part and as the schoolemen speake it freeth vs à tanto non à toto that is it lesseneth our sinne and punishment but doth not wholy take them away so our Sauiour saith that the seruant that knew not his maisters will and did commit things worthy of stripes should not altogether escape vnpunished but should bee beaten with fewer stripes Luke 12. 48. And that Tiâ—e Luke 12. 48. and Sidon who wanted those meanes of knowledge which Corazin and Bethsaida neglected should not altogether be acquitted in the day of judgement but more easilie punished Math. 11. 21. Mat. 11. 21. But yet this also is to be held with this caution and reseruation Ignorance as it is the punishment of sinne excuseth not that wee vnderstand it onely of primarie and simple ignoraunce and not of that necessarie ignoraunce which is a just punishment of sinne namely when as men being enlightned with the knowledge of God and his truth are for with-houlding of this truth in vnrighteousnesse and not louing nor imbracing it giuen vp of God to a reprobate sense to blindnesse of minde and to bee seduced and besotted with errours and stronge delusions Which was the case of many of the Israelites in this place of the Gentiles Rom. 1. 18. 28. and is the state of many Rom. 1. 18. 28. 2. Thes 2. 10. 11. in these dayes as it was foretould 2 Thes 2. 10. 11. For this ignorance is so farre from excusing other sinnes that in it selfe it is damnably desperate for howsoeuer in regard of the absence of meanes it is for the present necesarie yet if wee respect the first causes thereof it is wilfull and obstinate Now whereas it may be objected that the Apostle saith The meaning of Acts. 17. 30. vnto the Gentiles that the Lord did not regard the times of their ignorance Act. 17. 30. wee are to know first that it is not taken simply but comparatiuely that hee did not regard so much their sinnes committed in the time of ignorance as those which they should commit after the manifestation of his truth and secondly that the speach is not legall shewing what God would exact in the rigour of his justice but Euangelicall namely that hee would not impute those sinnes of ignorance vnto them but bury them in Christs death and obedience so that now they would imbrace him as their Sauiour by a liuely faith and bring forth the fruits hereof in vnfained repentance forsaking their former ignorance and the sinfull fruits thereof and labouring after knowledge and holy obedience The other kinde of ignorance which is affected and voluntary when as men continue ignorant because they neglect and contemne the meanes of knowledge offred vnto them is so farre from excusing other sinnes that it doth much aggrauate them as being it selfe in a desperate degree of sinne and also the cause of much other wickednesse for therefore they refuse to know their maisters will because Psal 36. 3. they are desperately resolued not to obey it and will not vnderstand because they will not bee hindered in their course of wickednesse Of such the Psalmist speaketh Psal 36. 3. Hee hath left off to vnderstand and to doe good or least hee should doe good And as this doth aggrauate mens sinnes so also it doth increase their punishment and augment the fearefull measure of their condemnation But of Verse 1. 6. of this Chapter this I haue already spoken and therefore I will here passe it ouer The vse hereof is that wee doe not labour to hide our sinnes vnder this broken vaile of Ignorance or extenuate our faults by pretending that if wee doe offend it is because wee are ignorant and know no better for our ignorance after that wee haue so long injoyed the light of the Gospell cannot bee necessarie but voluntary and wilfull because wee neglect or dispise the meanes of knowledge and therefore this ignorance will not excuse vs but rather aggrauate both our sinne and punishment Lastly wee here learne that when the Lord hath vsed God giueth ouer those who dispise the means of their conversion all meanes both by his word and works his benefites chastisements and more gentle punishments to bring a people to Knowledge Faith and Repentance and they neuerthelesse neglecting and contemning these meanes doe continue in wilfull Ignorance grose Infidelitie and secure Impenitencie then the Lord will giue them ouer to their owne wicked courses and suffer them to fall head-long both into the euils of sinne and the euils of punishment For Example hee will giue them ouer to the blindenesse of their mindes to runne on in Errours Heresies Superstition and Idolatry to the perversenesse of their wils to refuse the good and chuse the euill to their owne vile affections to commit such abhominable wickednesse as nature it selfe though much corrupted abhorreth and detesteth and euen to a reprobate sense that they may heape sinne vpon sinne and treasure vp against themselues wrath against the day of wrath And when hee hath often assayed fatherly corrections and light afflictions to amend them and they will not bee reformed hee will cause them to bee ouertaken by his fearefull plagues and heauie judgements and in the end plunge them into the gulfe of destruction and eternall condemnation An Example hereof wee haue in this place for when the Israelits would not vnderstand nor bee reformed neyther by Gods Word nor works his mercies nor iudgements the Lord caused them to fall and to be ouer-whelmed with most fearefull punishments When the Gentiles would not serue God according to that light of nature which hee had giuen vnto them hee gaue them vp to their owne vile affections and to a reprobate minde Rom. 1. When the Lord giueth vnto men Rom. 1. meanes of knowledge and they refuse instruction then hee will pronounce that fearefull sentence 1 Cor. 14. 38. If any 1 Cor. 14. 38. man bee ignorant let him bee ignorant If hee long affordeth the meanes of regeneration and yet men continue in their vnrighteousnesse and naturall corruptions hee will leaue them to themselues and passe vpon them that difinitiue sentence Apoc. 22. 11. Hee that is vniust let him be vniust Apoc. 22. 11. still and hee that is filthy let him bee filthy still If hee in his patience and long-suffering doe giue vnto sinners long time of repentance and also graciously affordeth vnto them the meanes of their conversion then is there nothing to bee expected but vtter destruction and desolation if by all these meanes they will not
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
not our long peace and prosperitie brought an vniuersall sleepe of securitie vpon the land Haue not our people greeuously abused their great plenty and the manifold blessings wherewith God hath inriched them by mis-spending them in voluptuous pleasures and in all manner of luxurious wantonnesse and intemperance Was euer the land so defiled with surfetting and drunkennesse whordome and all manner of vncleannesse Was there euer the like greedy couetousnesse oppression bribing extortion and all manner deceitfull cruell dealing Were euer the hearts and hands of our Nation so effeminated as in these times wherein there is scarce any difference betweene men and women in nicenesse wantonnesse and soft luxuriousnesse both in respect of diet and attire Is not the manly courage and able valour of this our Nation much decaied and doth not foxe-like wilinesse take the place of true fortitude Finally were euer men more insolent in offering iniuries or more impotent in repelling deserued reuenge What therefore can remaine but a miserable conclusion of all these premises what can we expect but that as we haue matched and surpassed those who haue gone before vs in voluptuousnes intemperance and couetousnesse wee should also be like vnto them in punishment confusion and destruction vnlesse wee speedily preuent Gods iudgements by vnfained repentance and auert these punishments by turning from our sinnes Secondly we may here obserue that howsoeuer the Lord The Lords patience endeth in wrath towards the impenitent in his infinite patience and long suffering deferreth the iust punishment of wicked men and sinfull nations to the end that hereby they may be drawne to repentance so escape his plagues yet when notwithstanding all this mercie and patience of God they continue in their hainous transgressions the Lord bringeth his iudgements like a whirle-winde and taketh them away in a tempest of his wrath as appeareth in the example of the Israelites in this place More paticularly Punishment commeth vpon the wicked suddenly the punishments of the wicked which haue been long deferred shall at length come vpon them suddenly and when they least expect any danger euen as the storme doth suddenly follow the calme To this purpose it is said that Though the excellencie of the wicked mount vp to heauen and his head reach vnto the clouds yet shall he perish for euer like his dung and they which haue seene him shall say Where is he He shall flee away as a dreame and they shall not finde him and shall passe away as a vision in the night Iob 20. 6 7 8. And Job 20. 6 7 8. 21. 13. Psal 73. 19. Chap. 21. 13. They spend their daies in wealth and suddenly they goe downe to the graue So Psal 73. 19. How suddenly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed as a dreame when one awaketh And the Prophet Esay compareth the destruction of the wicked to the ruines of a wall which though it standeth a long time yet it suddenly falleth and in a moment Esa 30. 13. Therefore this iniquity shall be vnto you as a breach Esa 30. 13. that falleth or as a swelling in an high wall whose breaking commeth suddenly and in a moment Examples whereof we haue in the old world and in Sodome and Gomorrah who whilest they securely inioyed their voluptuous pleasures without feare of any danger were suddenly surprized with Gods iudgements euen with the generall deluge with fire and brimstone descending downe from heauen So when Nebuchadnezzer gloried in his power and maiestie it is said that whilest the word was yet in his mouth the message of Gods anger was deliuered vnto him Secondly as the winde is so swift that it is impossible to Gods iudgements are swift and vnauoidable flee away from it though we runne vpon our greatest speed so the iudgements of God pursue the wicked with such posting hast that it is impossible for them to escape though they be as swift as the Hinde in the forrest or the Swallow in the aire To this purpose it is said Matth. 3. 5. I will come Mal. 3. 5. neere to you to iudgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the soothsaiers c. And 2. Pet. 2. 1. the Apostle saith that 2. Pet. 2. 1. the lying Prophets by their false teaching brought vpon themselues swift damnation So when the Lord would bring vpon the men of Iuda destruction and desolation he saith that their enemies should come vp against them as the cloudes his chariots as tempests and that his Horses should be lighter than the Eagles Iere. 4. 13. And therefore though Ier. 4. 13. 46. 6. they were neuer so swift yet they should not be able to flee away as he also speaketh Chap. 46. 6. for either the flight should perish from the swift as it is Amos 2. 14. or if they Amos 2. 14. continued in their swiftnesse their persecuters should bee swifter as the Lord threatneth Esa 30. 16. Esa 30. 16. Thirdly as the winde or tempest carrieth away the dust Wicked men cannot resist when God punisheth and chaffe with such vnresistable furie that it is altogether impossible for it by any waight or strength it hath to remaine together vndispersed so the iudgements of God doe surprize the wicked with such force and violence that it is not possible for them with their greatest power to make any resistance but their destruction shall be vnto them altogether vnrecouerable In which respect the Prophet compareth Esa 30. 13 14. the iudgements of God falling vpon wicked men to the ruines of a wall for as before it falleth it may easilie be vnderpropped and repaired but when it is in falling it cannot be staied by any force of man so howsoeuer it is no hard thing to preuent the iudgements of God from lighting vpon vs before they attach vs if we forsake our sinnes by true repentance yt if the sentence bee past and the punishments haue alreadie begunne to seaze vpon vs then is our case desperate and vnrecouerable seeing we are not able to make any resistance hor to withstand them with our greatest power And hence also it is that in the same place hee compareth the wicked to a Potters pot which is so brittle that it is broken with the least violence and being broken cannot be amended nor serue for any vse Esa 30. 13 14. to the same purpose it is said Prou. 6. 15. That the wicked man Prou. 6. 15. shall be destroyed suddainely and without recouerie and that as the swift should not scape by flight so neither the strong man by his strength Ierem. 46. 6. So Amos 2. 14. Iere. 46. 6. Amos 2. 14. The flight shall perish from the swift and the strong shall not strengthen his force neither shall the mightie saue his life And in this respect the wrath of God in this place is compared to a strong winde and the wicked to chaffe which is scattered by it So Iob.
repent and liue And Ezech. 18. 23. Ezech. 33. 10 11. therefore when the Israelites tooke occasion vpon the threatnings of Gods iudgements denounced against them desperately to goe on in their sinnes because they thought it now too late to repent because the iudgements of God who is immutable were alreadie threatned and therefore should certainely bee inflicted notwithstanding their repentance the Lord sendeth his Prophet vnto them to tell them that his threatnings were not absolute but conditionall and that when he threatned he aimed not at their destruction but at their conuersion and saluation And therfore exhorteth them to repentance that so they might escape his punishments But when the Lord stoppeth the mouthes of his Prophets and bringeth a famine of his word neither alluring his people to holy obedience by gratious promises nor restraining them from running on in the course of their sinnes by seuere threatnings then are Gods iudgements euen at the dore and such a people though neuer so strong and secure is nigh vnto destruction Of this iudgement the Lord speaketh Amos 8. Amos 8. 11. Ezech. 3. 26. 11. Ezech. 3. 26. And I will make thy tongue cleaue to the roofe of thy mouth that thou shalt be dumme and shalt not bee to them as a man that rebuketh for they are a rebellious house And chap. 7. 26. Calamitie shall come vpon calamitie and rumour Ezech. 7. 26 27 vpon rumour then shall they seeke a vision of the Prophet but the law shall perish from the Priest and counsaile from the ancient 27. The King shall mourne and the Princes shall be clothed with desolation and the hands of the people of the land shal be troubled and I will do vnto them according to their waies and according to their iudgements will I iudge them and they shall know that I am the Lord. The accomplishment of which Prophecie we may see Psal 74. 7. They haue cast thy Sanctuarie Psal 74. 7 8 9. into the fire and raced it vnto the ground and haue defiled the dwelling place of thy name 8. They said in their hearts let vs destroy them altogether they haue burnt all the Synagogues of God in the land 9. We see not our signes there is not one Prophet more nor any with vs that knoweth how long The vse which wee are to make hereof is that whilest the Lord graunteth vnto vs the ministerie of his word we praise his name for this benefite and perswading our selues that the Lord hath not yet forsaken vs let vs bee moued thereby to turne vnto him by vnfained repentance But if the Lord cause the Prophets tongue to cleaue to the roofe of his mouth and take away from vs the ministery of his word then let vs certainely expect some fearefull iudgement c. Secondly whereas he saith that the prophecies of Hosea The authoritie of this prophecie are the word of the Lord hence wee obserue that they are of great authority and aboue all exceptions that they are true certaine and most vndoubtedly to be beleeued seeing they haue God for their author We are not therefore to esteeme these Prophecies as the conceits of men but as the word of the most true God inspired into his Prophets by his holy Spirit For we are to know this that no Prophecie in the Scripture is of priuate motion For the Prophecie came not in olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. 20 21. So it is said Luke 1. 70. That 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. Luke 1. 70. Acts 3. 18. 2. Tim. 3. 16. God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which were since the world beganne And the Apostle 2. Tim. 3. 16. saith that the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God c. And as we are thus to esteeme the words of the Prophets so likewise the words of Gods true Ministers truely expounding and giuing the sense and meaning of the Prophets and gathering out of them either essentially or by necessary consequence sound doctrines for our instruction and edification are no lesse to bee esteemed the word of God And hence it is that our Sauiour Christ saith to his Apostles and in them to all his true Ministers Matth. 10. 20. It is not you Matth. 10. 20. that speak but the Spirit of your father which speaketh within you And Luke 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me and hee that Luke 10. 16. despiseth you despiseth me c. Thirdly whereas he saith that these prophecies are the word of God we hence gather that they neede not the confirmation and approbation of men or of the Church seeing they are confirmed vnto vs by a greater authority euen of God himselfe As therefore Christ said of himselfe Iohn 5. John 5. 34. 34. I receiue not the record of man so may wee say of his word c. Fourthly we hence learne that there cannot be a better interpreter of the word of God then God himselfe who is the Author of it and therefore wee are not wholly to depend vpon the interpretation of the Church or Councels much lesse of the Pope but to expound one Scripture by another for euery author is the best expositour of his owne worke euerie lawgiuer of his owne law and therefore let vs not derogate from God that prerogatiue which wee giue vnto men c. Fiftly seeing the Scriptures are the word of God wee hence gather that they are the best rule of our life and manners and the surest foundation whereupon we may build our faith so that we are not to pinne our faith vpon the Churches sleeue because wee haue a most sure word of the Prophets to which we must take heede as vnto a light which shineth in a darke place c. as it is 2. Pet. 1. 19. And are built not on the foundation of the Church but of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus 2. Pet. 1. 19. Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone as it is Eph. 2. 20. Eph. 2. 20. And these are the doctrines which concerne all men in generall More specially the Ministers of Gods word may here That Gods word is the alone subiect of true preaching learne to deliuer nothing to the people but the pure word and what is grounded on it and warranted thereby so as they may say with the Prophets The word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord c. And with the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 11. 23. I haue receiued from the Lord that which I also haue deliuered 1. Cor. 11. 23. vnto you And this the Apostle Peter requireth 1. Pet. 4. 11. If any man speake let him speake as the words of God They must 1. Pet. 4 11. not therefore deliuer vnto the people in stead of Gods word their owne inuentions their owne frothy conceits of wit which onely delight and tickle the eare but neither informe the iudgement
ouertaken with their punishments but they neglecting this example which the very sight and name of the place should haue continually called to their remembrance and going forward in their blinde superstition and idolatry the Lord in the verie same place brought vpon them the very like destruction The vse which we are to make hereof is this that we take warning by the example of others and make profitable vse of Gods iudgements which like a gracious Iudge he inflicteth on some that others being hereby admonished may escape which gracious warnings if we neglect he will likewise make vs examples of his iustice ANd so much concerning the first degree of the Israelites punishment signified by the birth of the Prophets first childe Now followeth the second degree the withholding of Gods mercy from them The which is first typically shadowed vnder the name of the second childe and after manifestly expressed first simply in the reason why this name was imposed verse 6. and afterwards amplified by way of comparison or dissimilitude verse 7. The second degree of their punishmēt is simply set down verse 6. Shee conceiued yet againe and bare a daughter And Verse 6 God said vnto him Call her name Lo-ruchamah for I will no more haue pity vpon the house of Israel but I will vtterly take them away Whereas the Prophet saith that his wife conceiued yet againe he sheweth that there was a certaine space or distance Exposition of time betweene the birth of the two children by which he signifieth that the Lord after that he had for their sinnes inflicted vpon them the first punishment would not presently bring vpon them his second and more grieuous iudgement but would giue them some respite and time of repentance that so turning vnto him hee might spare them and receiue them to mercy For if they had after they were ouerthrowne and led captiues vnfainedly repented of their sinnes the Lord would haue had compassion on them and receiued them into his loue and fauour But when they obstinately continued in their impenitency the Lord refuseth to shew mercy vnto them And this he signifieth by the birth of the second child Secondly by this second birth the Lord sheweth that they made no good vse of his former iudgements but grew from bad to worse and therefore his iustice required that he should lay vpon them a second punishment much more grieuous then the former And these things are to be gathered out of her second conceptiō It is further said that her secōd child was a daughter by which he intimateth their declining both in respect of their maners and state the former whereof was the cause of the latter First he sheweth their declination in manners for as the woman sexe is more weake and inconstant then the man so they were declined from that strength of faith vertue and constancy that was in Iacob and the rest of their godly ancestors and were become weake and inconstant in all good things Secondly he sheweth their declination in respect of the state of their Common-wealth For whereas their ancestors had valiantly defended and inlarged the Kingdome against all their enemies they were so weakened partly through their effeminatenesse the daughter of peace and plenty and partly through seditions and ciuill warres that they had made themselues a fit pray for their enemies being no more able to defend themselues then if they had been a Common-wealth of women And this weakenesse and infirmity is signified vnder the sexe of women in the Scriptures So when God would signifie that the Babylonians should not be able to stand in the hand of their enemies he saith that they should be like women that is weake and impotent Ier. 50. 37. Now this weakenesse in their state proceeded Ier. 50. 37. from their weakenesse in grace vertue faith and constancy for when they declined from holy obedience and after a weake and inconstant manner suffered themselues to bee withdrawne from God and were inticed to serue idols God tooke away from them their valour strength and manly courage and depriuing them of their hearts of men gaue them womens hearts which caused them to be so effeminate timerous and cowardly that they durst not indure the least incounter of their enemies And these are the things signified by the sexe The next thing to be considered is the name Call her name lo-ruchamah The signification whereof is without mercy or not obtaining mercy or as the Apostle Paul expoundeth it Rom. 9. 25. Not through Gods mercy beloued The which name is Rom. 9. 25. giuen to signifie that the people of Israel after they were led captiue by the Assyrians should neuer obtaine either presently or for the time to come Gods mercy to be restored againe into their Country And this is the meaning of these words concerning the Doctrine imposition of the name The doctrines which arise from Gods mercy euen in his punishments hence are diuers First me may obserue Gods gratious goodnesse in his manner of punishing men for their sinnes after he hath smitten them once he doth not presently strike againe but he pauseth and giueth time and respite that they may make profitable vse of his former visitation and amend their faults for which they were punished that so he may not be moued to redouble their punishment as it appeareth in his dealing with the Israelites in this place Whereby it is manifest that he taketh no pleasure in our paine and torment but in punishing aimeth at our amendment that so we may be eternally saued and therefore as he is hardly drawne to punish so when he hath begun he is loth to go forward but hauing like a gratious father giuen vs a few stripes he laieth the rod aside expecting our amendment that so he may no more punish vs. And thus he dealt with the Israelites in the time of the Iudges in the captiuity of Babylon and with vs likewise as at many other times so especially in the daies of Queene Mary and in our late visitation Secondly we may obserue in the example of the Israelites That we quickly forget Gods iudgements how soone we forget Gods iudgements when they are once past making no good vse of them nor amending those faults for which we were punished but when the affliction is once past we securely go forward in sinne and become worse then we were before as though now God had emptied his quiuer and had not one arrow of wrath and vengeance more to shoote at vs. A notable example hereof we haue in Pharaoh yea and in our owne times for how few is the number of those who haue made any profitable vse of Gods late visitation Nay how many are there who as though hauing escaped that they were priuileged from all others are growne worse and worse This is a miserable euill of which the Lord complaineth Esa 1. 5. and the forerunner Esa 1. 5. of vtter destruction For as the father
his Spirit he openeth them and inclineth their hearts to beleeue and imbrace it lest wee should ascribe the whole praise of our conuersion vnto the ministery of man which is principally due to his holy spirit who is the chiefe cause thereof As therefore the poole of Bethesda did not at all times cure diseases but onely when the Angell descended and infused vertue into the water and yet neuerthelesse the people at all times watched that they might be readie to put in their friends when the opportune time came so these riuers and streames of the Gospell which runne from the sanctuarie haue not alwaies vertue and power in them to heale our diseases and sores of sinne but then onely when the spirit of God descendeth and by his secret working infuseth vertue thereunto and therefore wee are continuallie to watch for this time in the meane while vsing the meanes continually appointed by God to this purpose Neither doth he determine the presence before whom or the place where this dutie must bee performed but indefinitely and absolutely hee inioyneth vs to speake vnto our brethren and sisters Whence we learne that there is no presence or place exempted from this dutie but wee are to exhort all in all places to come vnto Christ and to leaue the kingdome of darkenesse publickly in the ministerie of the word and in priuat conferences at home and abroad in the congregation and in our chambers as occasion shall be offered for gaining our brethrē vnto Christs kingdom For as the spirit of God is restrained to no time so neither to any place but he conuerteth both when he will and also where he will The sixth thing to be obserued is the change of the names Great difference betweene the effects of the law and the Gospell Lo-ammi into Ammi and Lo-ruchamah into Ruchamah wherby is signified that there is a great change in the time of the Gospell from the state of things vnder the law for those whom the law scattered the Gospell gathereth those whom the law made strangers and enemies the Gospell maketh subiects and friends those whom the law debarred of mercy are by the Gospel receiued to mercy those whō the law condemned the Gospel iustifieth and saueth so that now enmity is turned into frendship iudgement into mercy death and condemnation into life and eternal saluation in by Christ our Sauiour The consideration whereof as it should fill our harts with sound comfort so also with true thankfulnes and our mouthes also with Gods praises who hath caused this happy change turned our griefe and sorrow into ioy gladnes Lastly whereas God inioyneth vs to inuite others vnto Mans miserie the lawes impotencie and Christs sufficiencie Christ by calling them Ruchamah that is such as haue obtained mercie he herein includeth their miserie the lawes impotencie in freeing them from it that through Gods mercie and Christs merits alone we haue saluation For the first it is include in the word mercie for mercie doth presuppose miserie both in respect of our sinnes and also the punishment which for them was due vnto vs and the lawes impotencie for if we could haue obtained saluation by the law then should wee not haue needed mercie because wee should haue been saued by our owne merits and lastlie that we haue not saluation of or by our selues but in Christ and for his merits for when God was displeased there must be some meanes to pacifie him when wee had excluded our selues from Gods mercie there must be some other way to recouer it which could not be any meanes of our owne for wee in stead of pacifying God for our old sinnes were continually readie to anger him with new and in stead of mercie wee by our new transgressions heaped vpon our selues new punishments and therefore in Christ alone Gods mercie is obtained who hath satisfied his iustice and appeased his wrath by discharging our debt bearing our sins and suffering that punishment which wee by them had most iustly deserued ANd so much for the consequent dutie to bee performed of the faithfull after themselues are made partakers of the Euangelicall benefits In the next place the Prophet returneth to the legall threatnings in these words Vers 2. Pleade or contend with your mother pleade with her Vers 2 for she is not my wife or as the word is sometimes taken that shee is not my wife neither am I her husband but let her take away or that shee may take away her fornications out of her sight and her adulteries from betweene her breasts Where the Lord commandeth that a diuorce should be proclaimed betweene him and the Israelites and withall sheweth the cause or end of this denunciation namely that they might repent and turne from their spirituall whoredomes But let vs come to the exposition of the words and after Exposition obserue the doctrines which arise out of them Plead with your mother These wordes may seeeme to contradict the former for there the Lord promiseth that he would gather his Church and vnite them vnto Christ that he might be her head she his members he her husband and she his spouse and now presently he threatneth that he wil giue her a bil of diuorce and break off the mariage between them But we are to know that the former words were an Euangelical promise which was not presently to be performed but in the time of the Gospel after the cōming of Christ but in the meane time because the Israelites were not terrified with the former threatnings nor allured to repētance by Gods gracious promises therfore hauing by y◠former consolations comforted Gods children amongst them who were truely humbled now hee beginneth againe to thunder out Gods threatnings against the obdurate and impenitent shewing that notwithstanding God would extend such mercie to the faithfull in the time of the Gospell yet this should bee no priuiledge to exempt them who liued in impenitencie from Gods iudgements but hee would for their sinnes certainely reiect them vnlesse they speedelie repented of them And this is vsuall with the Prophets to intermixe mercie with iudgements consolations with threatnings that neither the humbled may despaire nor the obdurate and impenitent presume as also to mingle their prophecies which concerned the present time with those which concerned the kingdome of the Messias in the time of Gospell for as their maine end was to point at Christ that at his comming their prophecies being fulfilled in him he might be receiued so they were not to neglect their present auditorie but by shewing their sinnes and Gods iudgements to bring them to God by true repentance And if this bee obserued it will giue great light to the vnderstanding of them whereas contrariwise the not obseruing hereof causeth great confusion and obscuritie But let vs come to the words themselues Plead with your mother c. Where we are to consider who they are whom the Lord commandeth to plead as children secondly who this
confidence and carnall affiance whereby we trust and rest vpon rather the creature then vpon him our Creator and withall doth beate vs from those worldly hopes that we might flee vnto him for succour and rest vpon his promises and prouidence for our deliuerance And these are the doctrines which arise out of the former God doth not suffer his to remaine alwaies in their sinne and idolatrie part of this verse containing the first effect of the peoples afflictions Now out of the latter part wherein is shewed the second effect namely their forsaking their Idols and turning vnto the Lord these instructiōs are further to be obserued First we learne that howsoeuer those that belong to Gods election may for a time leaue Gods pure worship and follow Idols yea and be so blinded in their superstitions that when they are afflicted for their sinne they doe with more earnestnes embrace idolatrie yet the Lord will not so leaue them but at length he will open their eyes that they shal see their sinnes and sensiblie discerne that they are the causes of their punishments though for a time in their ignorance and superstition they preferre idolatrie before his true worship yet at last he illuminateth their iudgemēts so as they may see how much better it is to follow him then to follow idols to embrace his true religion reuealed in his word then to follow their owne inuention Examples hereof we haue in Abraham in the Israelites comming out of Egypt and in the time of the Iudges and in many at this day who haue forsaken the idolatries of the whore of Babylon and haue embraced Gods true religion Secondly we may obserue that as soone as they spie their As soone as the faithfull see their errors and sins they reforme and forsake them errors they do not go on further in them but they returne into the way of truth as soone as they see their sins they forsake them as being the causes of their miserie when they see the vainenes of their idols then they returne vnto the Lord their true husband neitheir is it enough to see our sins if wee continue in them nay rather this will redouble our punishment it is not sufficient to know truth and error vnlesse we Luk. 12. 47. embrace the one and forsake the other it will not profit vs to see our former grossenesse in following idols vnlesse Matth. 11. 21. hereby we be moued not only to forsake them but also to returne vnto our husband the Lord our God worshipping him according to his will So that here we learne what is the practise of true repentance it consisteth not in the knowledge only or acknowledgment of our sins for thus far did Pharaoh and Saul proceed thus did Iudas and thus do many worldlings repent but we must so see our sinnes as that with the sight of them wee bee exceedingly displeased with our selues we must so acknowledge them as that withall we vnfainedly bewaile them we must when we behold them also hate and detest them and not only forsake our sins but also returne vnto the Lord with full purpose of heart resoluing and endeuouring to serue and please him in holinesse and newnes of life Thirdly we may obserue the profit of afflictions when as The profit of afflictions they are sanctified vnto vs by Gods Spirit for whereas prosperitie maketh vs blind through pride selfe-loue and securitie so as we can neither see our sinnes nor Gods approaching iudgements aduersitie openeth our eyes and rectifieth the iudgement so as then we not only see our sins but are readie also to condemne our selues iustly to haue deserued those euils which we suffer yea and far greater if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs for when as the light of nature our owne conscience and the written Word of God teach and conuict vs of this that God is the chiefe goodnes most gratious most mercifull and in his owne nature not apt and readie to hurt and punish any of his creatures but rather to extend his bountie multiply his benefits vpō all when we fall into miseries and calamities we must needs iustifie God in his iudgements and condemne our selues whō Lam. 3. 22. we know to be full of all corruption and wickednes An example whereof we haue in Iosephes brethren Gen. 42. 21. in Gen. 42. 21. the Israelites vnder the Iudges in Dauid Psal 51. 4. yea in Psal 51. 4. Exod. 10. 16. 17 Pharaoh himselfe Exod. 10. 16. 17. Where as prosperitie maketh vs dissolute and licentious in our waies affliction serueth in stead of a thornie hedge to stay vs from running on in the course of sinne to our perdition Whereas prosperitie maketh vs negligent in performing the duties of Gods worship and seruice miserie and affliction maketh men zealous forward and deuout according to that Esa 26. 16. O Lord in Esa 26. 16. trouble they haue visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them And because men at such times are most fit and readie to performe such duties therefore then the Lord especially requires them Psal 50. 15. Lastly whereas Psal 50. 15. prosperitie makes vs to forget God and to flee away from him affliction maketh vs to remember him and by true repentance to turne vnto him An example wee haue in this 2. Chron 33. 12. 13. place in the Israelites in the time of the Iudges in Manasses and the prodigall sonne Luke 15. Lastly wee may obserue the motiues perswading the The motiues which perswade the Church to turne vnto God Church to returne vnto God the first whereof is contained in the word husband for therein she gathereth vnto her selfe some assurance of his loue for although for her sinnes she was diuorced yet vpon her true repentance she might gather certaine hope that she should be pardoned and receiued into former grace seeing she had not to deale with an enemie or stranger and an ordinarie friend but with a most louing and gratious husband who was as readie to forgiue as she to aske forgiuenes Ierem. 3. 1. 12. 22. The second motiue Iere. 3 1. 12. 22 is the assurance of the bettering of her estate for she could speake by experience that her estate whilest she serued the Lord was much better then when she followed Idols and by the assurance of faith and hope she was assertained that repenting she should be receiued to grace and restored to her former state condition The like example we haue in the prodigall sonne who returned vnto God because hee knew him to be his gratious father and was assured that being reconciled vnto him hee should be deliuered out of his present miserie into a state of happinesse Where we may learne that true faith is the cause of vnfained repentance for vntill we haue some assurance of Gods loue and mercie in Christ wee flee from him as from a seuere Iudge but when
not some few times for he threatneth often but seldome punisheth he denounceth many kindes of iudgements before he inflicteth any one of them whereby it manifestly appeareth that in his threatnings he aimeth at our conuersion and not at our subuersion and destruction and that he is not willing to punish in his owne nature vnlesse we force him thereunto by our stubborne impenitencie Secondly wee here learne not to trust in the fruitfulnesse We must not trust in the fruitfulnesse of our countrie for our sustenance of our countrie for our prouision and sustenance notwithstanding wee continually prouoke the Lord vnto anger by our sinnes for though it abound with vines and figge trees with corne and wine with pleasant orchards and fruitfull fields yet the Lord can easily finde meanes either by laying his curse vpon the land or by giuing vs ouer to the spoyle of our enemies to make the most fruitfull places a desert wildernesse And therefore let vs so liue as his children and seruants performing obedience vnto his will and then we may rest boldly and securely vpon his neuer failing prouidence otherwise our best meanes will not preserue vs when with our sins and wickednes we prouoke his anger and moue him in his iust displeasure to strip vs of all his benefits as appeareth in this place in the example of Sodom and Gomorrah so Ioel. 2. 3. And this is that which the Psalmist speaketh Joel 2. 3. Psal 107 34. Psal 107. 34. A fruitful land he maketh barren for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Thirdly we may obserue that howsoeuer these idolaters Idolaters vsually pleade their merits do ascribe vnto their idols all the benefits which they enioyed yet not as their free and vndeserued gifts but as rewards and hire which they had bestowed vpon them for that idolatrous worship seruice which they had done vnto them and this is the disposition of all idolaters and superstitious persons to share with their idols in the praise of the benefits which they enioy imagining indeed that they haue bestowed them vpon them but for their deserts and merits And as the Heathen idolaters dealt with their idols so after the same manner at this day deale the Papists with God himselfe sharing with him in his glorie by ascribing part of the praise vnto him and part vnto their owne workes and merits Lastly we may heere obserue that howsoeuer the Lord Affliction endeth in destruction without repentance threatneth before he punisheth and when he beginneth to correct proceedeth by degrees from lighter to heauier punishments that his mercy goodnes and long-suffering may appeare in his so long sparing vs yet is neither his threatnings nor more easie corrections will reclaime vs nor mollifie our stonie hearts with true contrition his iudgements will end in our vtter destruction and desolation When his vineyard is fruitlesse first he vseth the pruning knife of affliction he diggeth and dungeth it and then expecteth fruit but if still it be barren and vnprofitable he taketh away the hedge and breaketh downe the wall and layeth it waste and desolate as it is Esay 5. 5. 6. If the knife will do no good to Esai 5. 5. 6. make the tree fruitfull by pruning the branches he will lay the axe to the root and cut it downe Mat. 3. 10. Luk. 13. 6. 9. Matth. 3. 10. Luk. 13. 6. 9. If his husbandmen with their much labouring in the vineyard cannot make it to yeeld her grapes the Lord will let the wilde boore out of the wood destroy it and the wilde beasts of the field to eat it vp as it is Psal 80. 13. So in this Psal 80. 13. place c. And this appeareth in the example of Pharaoh and the Egyptians and of the Iewes Matth. 23. 38. Luk. 19. Matth. 23. 38. Luk. 19. 43. 44. 43. 44. ANd so much concerning the punishments which particularly are threatned against the Israelites In the last place he concludeth the former part of the chapter with a repetition of their sinne of idolatrie the punishment which he would inflict vpon them for it Vers 13. And I will visite Vers 13 vpon her the daies of Baalim wherein she burnt incense to them and she decked her selfe with her earings and her iewels and she followed her louers and forgate mee saith the Lood In which words he repeateth their sinne and punishment that hereby The exposition he might the more aggrauate their sinnes and confirme the certaintie of their punishments that by hearing the often repetition of both they might be the rather moued to serious repentance The denunciation of their punishment is expressed in these words I will visite Where the Lord sheweth that he would no longer defere his punishments nor seeme to wincke at their sins but now he would begin to inflict his iudgements on them which their wickednes deserued yet not rashly but aduisedly and vpon mature deliberation as hee noteth by the word visite of which I haue more largely spoken when I handled the fourth verse of the first chapter Their sinne is first generally signified in these words The daies of Baalim By which we are to vnderstand the daies of their idolatrie or all the time wherein they had worshipped idols since the Lord had made his couenant with them and had maried them vnto himselfe which was soone after their comming out of Egypt So that heere he threatneth to visite vpon them not only the idolatrie which in their owne time was committed but the idolatrie of their fore-fathers of which we may reade Exod. 32. 1. vers 34. Numb 25. 1. 3. Exod. 32. 1. 34. Numb 25. 1. 3. Jud. 10. 6. Iud. 10. 6. c. because they did not forsake their sinnes but approued liked and liued in them According to that in the second Commandement For I am the Lord thy God a iealous God visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children c. Secondly he setteth downe their progresse in the particular kinds of their idolatrie first that they burnt incense that is performed vnto them idolatrous seruice in offering vnto them sacrifices and oblations secondly that they were so bewitched with that pleasure and delight which they tooke in their idolatrie that they thought no pompe cost decking with precious ornaments sufficient to set forth their idolatrie in these words And shee decked her selfe with her earings and her iewels where he still alludeth to the manner of harlots for as they being to come into the companie of their louers do vse all their art and skill in setting themselues foorth by putting on their richest ornaments that by these baits they may more forciblie allure them to commit vncleannesse with them so these idolaters when as they were to celebrate their solemne festiuals in the seruice of their idols placed a great part of their superstitious deuotion in decking and adorning both themselues and their idol gods that so they might take greater
are Those who are married vnto Christ haue a sound iudgement espoused vnto God they are so inlightned and haue their iudgements so enformed by his word and Spirit that they can discerne betweene truth and error religion and superstition God and an idoll and far preferre the sincere worship of God reuealed in his Word before their owne wilworship and humane inuentions so that it is not possible that they should be seduced and withdrawne from God and his pure seruice to idols and idolatrous worship by all the slights and subtilties of Satan the world Antichrist and all his false Prophets as our Sauiour teacheth vs Matth. 24. 24. because the Lord Matth. 24. 24. hath married them vnto himselfe in iudgement wherby they are moued to prefer the excellencie of their husband Christ and his reuealed will before all their louers and all their alluring baites with which they endeauour to draw them from him Whence it appeareth that they who are drawne vnto idolatrie or wedded to that cōmon strumpet the world and the vanities therof are not indued with this soūd iudgement and consequently were neuer maried vnto Christ 1. Ioh. 2. 19. 1. Joh. 2. 19. Thirdly whereas he promiseth that hee will marrie his Christs benefits should cause vs to loue him Church for euer in benignitie wee learne hence what vse wee are to make of Gods manifold benefits which hee bestoweth vpon vs namely that they serue as helpes to eternize our mariage with Christ by knitting our hearts vnto him in true loue and entire affection For what wife would not dearely loue a husband so bountifull and gratious who neuer is wearie in bestowing vpon her benefits and in seeking by all meanes her good and happines especially considering that he requireth nothing else at her hands but her heart and louing affection But alas such is our corruption that wee cannot afford him thus much yea rather as some wiues by their husbands benefits do wax so wanton and insolent that they begin in the pride of their hearts to contemne him of whom they haue all their ornaments and aduancement so do many of vs deale with Christ c. Fourthly whereas he saith that he will marrie his Church Our sins must be no cause to alienate our minds from Christ in his mercies hence we learne that there is no cause why our sinnes should alienate our minds from Christ seeing so manifold are his mercies that he is alwaies readie vpon our repētance to forgiue vs. It is a Machiauellian principle put in practise by too too many in our daies that whom they haue offended those they will neuer forgiue because in their self-guiltie consciences they expect from him whom they haue iniured deserued reuenge and therefore to such one degree of wrong is an occasion vnto another This hellish policie so odious in the sight euen of a ciuill mā our corrupt nature is inclined to vse towards Christ for when we haue offended him in stead of flying to him and seeking reconciliation we are readie to flee from him and in guiltines of conscience to distrust of his fauour and to seeke for helpe of Idols Images Saints Angels Popish pardons and such like wicked meanes therein making amends for our former sinnes by adding others vnto them much more grieuous But little cause haue we to be thus Italianate towards Christ seing his mercies are infinite so that he is alwaies readie freely to forgiue and after reconciliation wil neuer beare a secret grudge nor watch for opportunitie of reuenge Fiftly whereas he saith that he will marrie vs vnto himselfe Our naturall vnfaithfulnes and faithfulnes through grace in faithfulnes hence we learne first that by our naturall disposition we are vnfaithfull and readie to breake the bond of marriage by forsaking the Lord and following idols till the Lord giue vnto vs this singular gift of fidelitie And secondly being indued herewith it is impossible there should be a diuorce and separation betweene vs seeing the Lord for his part is most faithfull in keeping his couenant with vs and seeing we also being indued with fidelitie shall keepe our couenant with him and shall neuer depart from him as it is Ier. 32. 40. Jerem. 32 40. We are naturally ignorant Luk. 1. 78. 79. Lastly whereas he promiseth that shee shall know him hence we learne that naturally we walke in the darke vale of ignorance till God illuminate our minds with knowledge and that wee are thus illightned by vertue of our spirituall vnion with Christ whose Spirit dwelling in vs doth with his bright beames dispell the darknes of our minds so as we are enabled in some measure to know God and his truth as appeareth 1. Ioh. 2. 20. 27. Ioh. 16. 13. 1. Joh. 2. 20. 27. Joh. 16. 13. Secondly we here learne that all those who are truly maried Those who are married vnto Christ are endued with sauing knowledge vnto Christ are endued with the knowledge of God seeing this is one of the conditions of this happie contract and that not only with a bare and idle speculatiue knowledge whereby they are able to discourse of the nature of God his persons attributes and workes seeing the diuels also can do this as well as they but with a true sauing and sanctifying knowledge whereby knowing we beleeue and beleeuing applie vnto our selues make profitable vse of those things which we know concerning God and his truth not onely for the rectifying of our iudgements but also for the sanctifying of our affections life and conuersation as when knowing Gods iustice and power we be made thereby afraide to offend him knowing his mercie wee are moued thereby to loue and obey him knowing his all-seeing and all-ruling prouidence we be moued hereby to trust and depend vpon him knowing his omnipresence wee alwaies walke before him so behaue our selues as in his presence c. So knowing that Christ is a Sauiour we also know that he is our Sauiour and wholly and onely rest vpon him for our saluation knowing that he hath suffered death satisfied Gods iustice vanquished Satan and all the power of hell c. we also beleeue that hee hath done all this for our sakes for as it helpeth not the Physitian being sicke that he hath skill to make soueraigne medicines not only for curing himselfe but also others affected with the like diseases vnlesse he make vse of his skill and applie his medicines to himselfe so it will little auaile vs though wee haue such a great measure of knowledge that we are able to informe our owne iudgements in the greatest difficulties and to instruct others also who are ignorant vnlesse we make vse of our knowledge for our own benefit it will little profit vs that wee haue skill enough to cure others of their diseases of sinne by the precious potion of Christs blood and the soueraigne baulme of his merits vnlesse we do apply them likewise vnto our owne soules and
the earth and I will haue mercie vpon her that was not pitied and I will say vnto them which were not my people thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God In which words is set downe first the multiplication of the Church and secondly The exposition the meanes whereby it should bee multiplied The first in these words And I will sow her vnto me in the earth The which speech is allegoricall borrowed from the practise of husbandmen who desiring increase of their corne doe sow it in the ground so the Lord promiseth that hee will sow his Church that is he will multiplie and exceedingly increase it as the seed is multiplied which is sowne in the earth so that it shall no longer be contained within the narrow borders of the land of Canaan but be propagated farre and wide ouer the whole face of the earth Where he alludeth to the name Izreel signifying the seed of God of which hee had spoken in the former verse although the word her being of the feminine gender hath relation vnto the spouse for whereas his meaning was that hee would sow Izreel his seed he saith he will sow her because all this while he had spoken of his Church and faithfull people vnder the name and title of a wife But besides the multiplying of the Church here is also as I take it promised the continuall stabilitie therof for so this word sowing or planting signifieth as appeareth Ier. 24. 6. I will plant them and not roote them out Psal 92. 13. 14. Ier. 31. 27. 28. 42. 10. Iere. 24. 6. Psal 92. 13. 14. Iere. 31. 27. 42. 10. Further he saith that he will sow her vnto himselfe where he noteth the end why he would multiplie his Church and people namely that they being chosen and called might glorifie his name by seruing and obeying him and this is the maine end not onely of our calling but also of our creation and redemption 2. Cor. 6. 20. Ephes 1. 4. Tit. 2. 14. 2 Cor. 6. 20. Ephes 1. 4. Tit. 2. 14. Againe whereas hee saith that hee will sow her in the earth without any special restraint vnto any particular place the meaning is that hee would sow her thorowout the whole earth and no longer confine her within the limits of Canaan the which promise was accordingly accomplished when Christ gaue commandement to his Apostles and Disciples that they should goe teach all nations Matth. 28. 20. the which they also performed as appeareth in the Acts of the Apostles Matth. 28. 20. And this is the promise concerning the multiplying of the Church Now the meanes whereby hee would increase it to so great a number is expressed whereas he saith that hee will haue mercie vpon Lo-ruchamah and will call Lo-ammi his people wherby he vnderstandeth the calling not only of the ten tribes but also by occasion of them the Gentiles amongst whom they were scattered as the Apostle plainly expoundeth this prophecie Rom. 9. 24. 1. Pet. 2. 10. for of whom it might be said Rom. 9. 24. 25. 1. Pet. 2. 10. that they were without mercie and not Gods people of thē he promiseth that he would haue mercie and chuse them for his people but this might be said not of the Israelites alone but also of the Gentiles as the Apostles testifie and therefore of them also this prophecie is to be vnderstood And these are the meanes whereby the seed of the faithfull is multiplied In the last place he setteth downe the disposition affection and dutie of the Church being called in these words And they shall say thou art my God Where there is implied the entire loue of the Church towards God in that she vseth here the vocatiue case as the originall hath it and by a certaine kind of hearty acclamation crieth out O my God which briefe maner of speech doth most pathetically expresse the otherwise vnexpressable affection passion of the heart So Thomas rauished with Christs assured presence crieth out My Lord and my God Ioh. 20. Ioh. 20. 28. 28. and Mary v. 16. Rabboni Master Rom. 8. 15. Secondly that Rom. 8. 15. she shall not only beleeue that the Lord is her God but also acknowledge and make profession hereof for she shall not only thinke it but also say it Thirdly that she shall inuocate and call vpon his name as is signified in this phrase of speech O my God And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines which The do ∣ ctrines arise out of thē are these First whereas the Lord saith that he will sow his Church hence we learne that the Lord is the sole cause of The Lord is the principall cause of multiplying the Church Ephes 2. 5. the multiplying of his Church by his word and Spirit and not our owne inclination and free will for we are as seed in the hand of the sower vnlesse hee husband vs wee will euer remaine vnfruitfull Eph. 2. 5. And this the Apostle affirmeth namely that the faithfull are not borne of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1. 13. Iohn 1. 13. God multiplieth his church for his owne glorie 1. Pet. 2. 10. 11. 12. Secondly we learne here that the Lord doth sow or multiplie the Church vnto himself that is for his own glory worship and seruice that the Church being chosen to be a royall Priesthood and holy nation may abstaine frō fleshly lusts haue their cōuersation honest that so God may be glorified euen of those that are without And therfore seeing the Lord hath made choice of vs for this purpose let vs labour to attaine vnto our end otherwise we can haue no assurance that we are in the nūber of Gods people seeing it is impossible that he shuld be frustrate of his end Thirdly by this chāge of names no mercy into mercy no Gods anger turned into loue people into a people we learne that in the time of the Gospel Gods anger is turned into loue iudgement into mercy punishment into reward cōdemnation into life saluation by vertue of Christs merits mediation The which serueth notablie for the consolation of al those that mourne in Sion whē as being beaten downe by the apprehēsion of Gods anger the sight of sinne and the curse of the law they consider that Christ hath freed them from them all reconciled them vnto God and procured for them remission of their sinnes Fourthly we here learne that the wall of separation is broken The Iewes and Gentiles gathered into one Church downe both Iewes and Gentiles admitted into one and the same Church so that as our Sauiour speaketh there is now but one sheepfold one shepheard Ioh. 10. 16. See p. 125. 133. 135. Fiftly we here learne that our vocation was altogether free and vndeserued for when as we were without mercy deseruing Our vocatiō is
himselfe in marriage Now because this tedious captiuitie and confused anarchie should not be without comfort therefore the Lord giueth them some testimonie of his loue by assuring them that hee would as well waite for their true conuersion as they for his mercy and that in the meane time he would not reject them and make choyse of some other people to be his Church but would stay his choyse till vpon their true repentance hee might receiue them into his former loue and fauour And this is emphatically signified in these words And I wil be so vnto thee wher the Lord not doth explicate his meaning at large but like those whose mindes are exceedingly perturbed with griefe indignation or some singular commiseration he vseth this abrupt and broken speach as though it so much grieued him to deferre reconciliation and to withhould the outward testimonies of his loue from his people that he was not able to pronounce this his definitiue sentence at large but in these abrupt and broken speeches So that here is Iudgement mixed with Mercie Iudgement in that he with-houldeth from them the signes of his loue for a time Mercie in that he with-houldeth them not for euer Iudgement in that he would not as yet admit them to be his people Mercy in that for their sakes he wil make choyce of no other but expecteth their repentance that thereupon hee might be reconciled vnto them But against this there may be made two obiections first An answere to a two-fold obiection that this testimonie of Gods loue and hope of their future reconciliation will not stand with Gods former threatnings namely that hee would no more haue mercy vpon them Chap. 1. Ver. 6. That they should not be his people nor he their God Ver. 9. That hee had vtterly diuorced and rejected them Chap. 2. Ver. 2. And secondly that it will not stand with the euent seeing the Lord did neuer after espouse this whole people nor yet them alone Both which obiections are taken away with one answere namely that this Prophecie is not to be vnderstood of the whole body of the people but of the faithfull amongst them which belonged to Gods Election of which it is truely verified so as it may well stand with the former Prophecie and the future euent For though he rejected the whole body of this people yet he reserued a remnant according to the Election of grace Rom. 11. 5. whom after their repentance and conuersion he did espouse to him and for these hee reserued his grace so as he would not after the people were excluded from the outward couenant admit of any other neyther before the comming of Christ nor after he was come till he had called and reconciled them and so vpon occasion of their calling and conuersion hee called also and conuerted the elect Gentiles amongest whom they were scattered and to them both who only were the true Israelites according to the spirit he made good his promises of mercy and grace and this appeareth Math. 10. 5. 6. 15. 24. 26. Act. 13. 46. Mat. 10. 5 6. 15. 24 26. Act. 13. 46. And so much for the exposition of the words the doctrines which from hence arise are these First whereas the Lord saith that he will not presently be reconciled vnto the Length of affliction no signe of our rejection Church of Israell but she shall waite his pleasure and bee content to liue in an afflicted estate vntill hee saw fit time of giuing vnto her assurance of his loue and fauour hence we learne to arme our selues with patience when our afflictions are tediously continued and not desperately to cast aside all hope as though the length of our afflictions were a signe of our vtter rejection for as it appeareth in this place the Lord causeth the afflictions euen of those that belong to his Election to endure for a long time together and maketh them to wayte and expect till hee seeth the fit time for their deliuerance Examples hereof we haue in the captiuitie of Aegypt and Babilon in Dauid Iob and many others The vse hereof is that though our afflictions be of long We must waite vpon God for deliuerance frō our afflictions continuance we waite the Lords leasure and possesse our soules with patience and so in the end wee shal be assured of deliuerance An example hereof we haue in Dauid Psal 40. 1. I wated patiently for the Lord c. In the faithfull grieuously Psal 40. 1. and 123. 2. Esay 8. 17. afflicted Psal 123. 2. Esay 8. 17. in Iacob Gen. 49. 18. Which duety that we likewise may performe let vs consider first that the Lord inioyneth and requireth it at our hands Psal 37. 34. Wayte thou on the Lord and keepe his Psal 37. 34. way Secondly that the Lord wayteth vpon vs that hee may finde vs fit to receiue his mercy that is humbled in the sence and feeling of our owne misery and want and earnestly hungring after his grace Esa 30. 18. Yet therefore will the Lord Esay 30. 18. wait that he may haue mercy vpon you Seeing then the Lord wayteth on vs to shew mercy great reason haue we to wait that we may receiue mercy for waiting and attending better becommeth suiters then benefactors Thirdly let vs waite vpon the Lord because the holy Ghost commendeth it vnto vs as a good thing Lamen 3. 26 Lamen 3. 26. It is good to trust and to waite for the saluation of the Lord. Fourthly if being afflicted we doe not onely watch but also wayte in prayer it is a good argument to confirme our faith in this assurance that our prayers shall be heard and our petitions graunted and therefore the Church vseth this reason for the strengthening of her faith Esay 33. 2. O Lord Esa 33. 2 haue mercy vpon vs we haue wayted for thee And Mich 7. 7. Mich. 7. 7. she joyneth these two together I will wait for God my sauiour my God will heare Of this Dauid had experience Psa 40. 1. Psal 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord and hee inclined vnto mee and heard my cry Fiftly because our waiting and patient abiding the Lords leasure shall assuredly haue a good issue for he will not suffer those that wait vpon him to goe away ashamed Esay 49. 23. And howsoeuer the hope of the afflicted may bee Esa 49 23. deferred yet it shall not perish for euer Psal 9. 18. But those Psa 9. 18. that attend the Lords leasure in the end shall be exalted haue the land in possession Psal 37. 34. They shall be saued and deliuered Psal 37. 34. from all euill Pro. 20. 22. Yea they shall be eternally Pro. 20. 22 blessed Esay 30. 18. The Lord is the God of iudgement blessed Esa 30. 18. are all they that wait for him Howsoeuer therefore the hope of the afflicted being deferred is for the present bitter and irkesome yet
good Phil. Phil. 2. 13. 2. 13. And instead of being restrained by Gods Law from sinne it taketh occasion by the commaundement to worke in vs all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7. 8. But it is onely Rom. 7. 8. Gods Euangelicall and spirituall word whereby we are restrained from sin and enabled to performe obedience when as the spirit giueth life and power to the dead and weake letter by the secret operation thereof maketh it effectuall for the working of that grace in vs which it requireth and to the stirring of vs vp to performe that duty which it enjoyneth Iohn 6. 63. Iohn 6. 63. The vse which we are to make hereof is first that wee yeeld vnto the Lord the whole praise of our obedience and of restrayning vs from committing those sinnes into which we see others fâ—l for he alone maketh the difference between vs and them Secondly that we doe not presumptuously trust in our owne strength thinking that wee are able to stand when others fall but let vs worke out our saluation with feare and trembling and whilest we think we stand let vs take heede of a fall As the Apostle exhorteth Phil. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 10. 12. And wholy distrusting in our owne strength let vs solye rest vpon the Lord and the power of his might Eph. 6. 10. And Ephe. 6. 10. to this end let vs remember the example of Peter Mat. 26 Mat. 66. 33. 74. 33. 74. And thinke with our selues that if this rock were shaken with the tempest of tentation that we who in comparison are but reedes cannot stand steady in our owne strength Lastly considering that Gods powerfull word and spirit vpholdeth vs from falling into sinne we learne continually to craue the Lords assistance and to make that praier which Christ hath taught vs O Lord lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill and then shall we finde the Lord true of his promise 1. Cor. 10. 13. For he knoweth how 1 Cor. 10. 13. to deliuer the godly out of tentation c. 2. Pet. 2. 9. 2 Pet. 2. 9. Fiftly wee may obserue how the Lord mingleth Mercy with Iudgement and euen in his corrections sheweth his God mingleth Mercie with Iudgement fatherly loue and compassion he will not presently receiue them to mercy but yet he doth not exclude them from it for euer hee correcteth them for a time but least they should faint he promiseth an end to their afflictions hee restraines his fauour and as it were banisheth them his presence not that hee intendeth vtterly to reject them but that they may be moued hereby more soundly and seriously to repent hee diuorceth them from him but in the meane while he reserueth himselfe for them and waiteth for their repentance that hee may restore them into his former fauour How infinite therefore are Gods mercies seeing his judgements are so full of compassion how sweet and comfortable is his loue bountie and goodnesse seeing the actions of his anger and justice are not without the mixture of such comfortable sweetnesse and if he be so gracious when he punisheth how gracious will he appeare when he rewardeth Many examples hereof wee haue in the booke of God when hee cast Adam out of Paradise he giueth him hope to inherite heauen Gen. 3. and when he threatneth him with labour and sorrow he promiseth him a Sauiour in whom he should haue joy and eternall rest When he threatneth captiuitie to the posterity of Abraham he limiteth the time which being expired he Gen. 15. 13. 14 promiseth deliueraunce Hee denounceth against Dauid 2 Sam. 12. temporall punishments but first he pardoneth his sinne and releaseth him of those eternall torments which he deserued Hee layeth vpon Leui a curse that hee should be scattered amongst his people as though he were not a Tribe and had no portion amongst his brethren Gen. 49. 7. but in this Gen. 49. 7. curse was included a blessing for he therefore scattered them that he might gather them vnto himselfe and depriued them of other portions that hee himselfe might be their portion and reward Deut. 10. 8 9. He caused Manasses to be led Deut. 10. 8. 9. captiue and to be bound in chaines but his captiuity was to bee preferred before his libertie his dungeon before his stately pallaces and his chaines of iron were better vnto him then his chaines of gold and most rich ornaments for 2 Chro. 33. God vsed his Captiuitie as a meanes to free him out of the captiuitie of sinne and Sathan his chaines to preserue him from the chaines of darknesse and his dungeon to keepe him from running head-long into the dungeon of hell The vse hereof serueth to comfort vs in afflictions when as we consider that they not onely proceede from loue but also are so tempred with mercy and compassion that they cannot hurt vs they are bitter indeed and vnpleasant vnto the tast but yet they are not poysons to kill vs but wholesome potions which our heauenly Physition hath wisely tempered to cure vs of the diseases of sinne and to purge away our corruptions and howsoeuer they may make vs sicke whilest they are in operation yet this sicknesse tendeth to the recouery of continuall health and to the attaining of eternall life ANd so much concerning the Widdow-hood of the Church of Israell Typically propounded Now wee are to speake of it as it is plainely expounded Verse 4. For the children of Israell shall remaine many dayes without a Verse 4 King and without a Prince and without an Offering and without an Image and without an Ephod and without a Teraphim Where he sheweth first who shall remaine in this estate of a mournfull widdow namely the children of Israell by which we are to vnderstand the ten Tribes who in the land of their Captiuitie were without Priest or Magistrate and not the people of Iuda who had both neyther yet is it to be vnderstood of the whole body of the people but onely of the elect Israelites for they onely remayned for a time without Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall gouernement and without publike meanes of worshipping eyther the true God or Idols for these they would not worship nor communicate with the Gentiles in their Idolatries and God they could not worship after that publike manner prescribed in his word seeing they were exiled from the Temple vntill Christ came who was their King Priest and Prophet which tooke away the difference of places and restored vnto the conuerted Israelites the publike meanes of seruing God whereas the reprobate Israelites euer remained without the true worship of God and not onely vnto a certaine time and were not without Images and Idols seeing they communicated with the heathen in their Idolatryes Secondly he setteth downe the time wherein they should remaine in their widdowes estate namely for the space of many dayes that is euen to the comming of their Messias Iesus Christ which from the sixt
refuge to flee vnto when our sinnes terrifie vs namely Gods free and vndeserued goodnesse for the shade of Gods mercy is our best shelter when as wee are scorched with the heat of his wrath and our best course when we are pursued by his Iustice is to flye to the throne of his grace and goodnes for pardon and forgiuenesse When therefore our consciences accuse vs for sinne let vs not flye vnto our owne righteousnes merits satisfactions for whatsoeuer wee haue done it was but our Luke 17. 10. duety and no man dischargeth one debt by paying another nor yet to the merits of Saints for they could merit nothing for themselues much lesse for others neyther haue we any proprietie vnto them nor they sufficiency to make satisfaction for the least sinne but we must flye vnto Gods goodnes and expect pardon onely through his free and vndeserued mercy and Christs all sufficient merits An Example hereof we haue in Dauid who hauing sinned doth not seeke for pardon by pleading that he had beene in former times a man according to Gods owne heart or by promising to make satisfaction by his future obedience but disclayming all opinion of desert he onely relyeth himselfe vpon Gods mercy Psal 51. 1. Psal 51. 1. Eightly out of the time of the accomplishing this promise concerning the conuersion and deliuerance of the afflicted Long afflictiōs often necessary for our humiliation Israelits namely that it should be after that they had a long time beene tryed with afflictions and in the last dayes hence we obserue first that such is the obstinacie and hardnes of hart euen sometimes of those that belong to Gods election that they had neede for their humiliation and conuersion to be afflicted not onely with grieuous but also long lasting miseries And therefore it is not alwayes expedient for vs to haue quicke deliuerance out of our afflictions vnlesse they haue wrought that good worke in vs for which they were inflicted that is humiliation and vnfayned repentance for it will little auaile vs to haue our soules wounded with sinne once or twise dressed if they bee so left before they bee perfectly cured because they will againe ranckle and become as dangerous as they were before it will nothing profit vs to haue ben cast into the fierie furnace of affliction if presently wee be taken out before wee be purged and purified from the drosse of our corruptions Secondly wee may obserue that howsoeuer the afflictions The Lord deliuereth out of tedious afflictions of gods elect being tediously continued doe seeme to threaten their vtter distruction yet in the end the Lord will graunt deliuerance cause them to further their conuersion and saluation it may be whilest we deferre our repentance the Lord will delay his helpe as though hee had vtterly forsaken vs but wee may assure our selues that though he bee long in comming to our ayde yet at length hee will come and graunt vnto vs a good issue out of all our trialls Examples hereof wee haue in the Israelits in the Aegyptian captiuitie in Babilon and Assiria in the three Children Daniell in the Lyons den and many others LECTVRES VPON THE FOVRTH CHAPTER OF THE PROPHECIE OF HOSEA THe Prophet hauing in the former Chapter The argument testified and approued the loue of God towards the people of Israell to the end that those who were long to continue in a grieuous Captiuitie might in the middest of their miseries be supported with some comfort doth now againe direct his speach to the Israelites of his owne times accusing and conuincing all states and conditions of diuers grieuous and enormious sinnes which raigned and ruled in the whole land and withall intermixeth such just and well deserued punishments as the Lord was purposed to inflict vpon them vnlesse they preuented them by their vnfained repentance And least the people of Iuda by following their practise should make themselues subiect to the like miseries he admonisheth them not to communicate with them in their sinnes that they might not be pertakers of their punishments And this is the maine argument of this Chapter the parts The generall Analysis of the Chapter thereof are two The first is an accusation or sharp reprehension of the people of Israell for their manifold haynous sinnes from the first Verse to the fifteenth The second is an admonition to the people of Iuda to auoid their sinnes that they may escape their punishments from the fifteenth Verse to the end of the Chapter The first part is expressed in a judiciall forme of proceeding wherein the people of Israel are summoned to appeare and arraigned before the Tribunall of Gods Iudgement to answere such things as should bee laid to their charge namely that they had by their capitall crimes and enormious sinnes offended against their soueraigne Lord the king of heauen and earth and so breaking his Lawes had made themselues guiltie and obnoxious to those punishments which were therin threatned All which their offences were comprized in foure seuerall bils of inditement of which being conuicted there is annexed to euery bill a forme of condemnation to suffer such punishments as they had justly deserued The first bill of inditement is contained Verse 1. and 2. the sentence of condemnation is affixed Verse 3. The second bill Verse 4. the sentence in the 5. The third bill and third sentence are intermixed Verse 6. 7. vnto the 11. The last bill Ver. 12. 13. the sentence of Iudgement in the latter part of the 13. Ver. and in the 14. And these are the speciall branches of this first generall The maine scope of this Prophecie part Now the generall scope of the Lord in all this is that the people who liued so securely in their sinnes that they little or nothing regarded eyther the person of the Prophets or their threatnings might at least be awakened out of their spirituall Lethargie when as they heard themselues summoned before Gods Iudgement Seate and perceiued that the Lord would no longer suffer his word to be contemned in the mouth of his seruants but would plead in his owne cause and examine and try the transgressours of his lawes before his owne Tribunall Seate of Iudgement and so proceed to the condemnation and execution of those whom he found guiltie BVt let vs come to speake of these speciall parts more particularly the first whereof is contayned in the three first verses wherein the people of Israell are by law conuicted and then by Gods just sentence condemned They are conuicted in these words verse 1. Heare the word of the Lord Verse 1 yee children of Israell for the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land verse 2. By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they brake out and bloud toucheth bloud Where is set downe first the summons and araignement of the people Heare the
word of the Lord ye Children of Israell Secondly the cause hereof which is a controuersie betweene the Lord of heauen and earth who is the party offended and both the plaintiffe and the judge and the Israelites who are the delinquents and parties offending For the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the Land Thirdly the crimes whereof they are accused and conuicted which are the causes mouing the Lord to pursue them with his justice because there is no truth c. In the handling of which points I will obserue this order First I will expound the wordes Secondly obserue out of The order obserued in handling these verses them such instructions as they naturally offer vnto vs. Thirdly I will apply them to our owne times Concerning the First we are first to note the context and so come to shew the meaning of the words themselues In The context the former chapter the Lord vnder certaine types and Parables comforted those Israelits which were to be afflicted in a grieuous and tedious captiuitie by assuring them of his loue and that their miseries were but the chastisements of a louing father for their good and conuersion and not the punishments of an enemie for their hurt and destruction Now lest the secure Israelits of his owne times should take encouragement vnto them by the former doctrine of consolation to be moued thereby to continue in their impaenitencie hee sheweth that howsoeuer the Lord was purposed to be gracious vnto his elect Israelits in after ages yet he would in the meane time punish seuerely those haynous enormious sinnes as raigned amongst them vnlesse they preuented his judgements by their vnfained repentance And this is the context now let vs come to the meaning The peoples summons of the words Heare the word of the Lord ye children of Israell Wherein the Prophet summoneth the people to appeare before the Lord to answere vnto such things as should bee The exposition objected and laid to their charge For as judges before they suffer any to be accused or condemned doe cause their clarke or cryer to summon and call forth the partie to see what hee can answere for himselfe so doth the Lord take the same iudiciall course with sinners for the approouing of his righteous judgements that is hee citeth them before he accuseth them and accuseth them before hee condemneth them The which summons hee pronounceth sometimes immediately by himselfe as when he cited Adam to appeare before him Gen. 3. 9. in Paradise Gen. 3. 9. And thus hee summoneth men when as he speaketh vnto their harts consciences by his judgements and punishments And sometimes by his Ministers and that either men or Angels by men as by his Prophets ambassadors an example whereof we haue in this place the like whereof we haue Esa 1. 18. Ier. 2. 4. 5. Mich. 1. 2. Esay 1. 18. Iere. 2. 4. 5. Mich. 1. 2. and 6. 1. 2. 3. and 6. 1. 2. 3. c. By Angels either in this life when he maketh them his instruments and ministers of his afflictions judgements and punishments or at the end of the world when as the arch-Angell with the sound of his trumpet shall summon all men to appeare before the tribunall seate of Gods iudgement of which we may read Math. 24. 31. Mat. 24. 31. 1. Cor. 15 52. 1. Thes 4. 16. The drift of the summons 1 Cor. 15. 52. 1 Thes 4. 16. Now the maine drift of these summons is to moue the people to heare with greater reuerence care and conscience the reprehensions and comminations which after follow for howsoeuer they might haue some reason to neglect and contemne them if they regarded the Prophets person and the meanesse of his qualitie condition yet there was great cause why they should heare them not onely with reuerence but also with feare and trembling if they considered that he was but a cryer who summoned them in the name and at the appointment of the supreame judge of heauen earth and but a meane ambassador who deliuered vnto them not his owne words but the ambassage of his glorious and most mighty king from whom he is sent But let vs more specially consider of those arguments The arguments here vsed to moue attention which are contained in these summons proclaimed by the Lords Cryer whereby he moueth them to receiue his message with attention feare and reuerence The first is taken from the manner of his speach which is vsed when matters of great waight and importance follow and therefore is not to be hearkened vnto negligently or lightly to be regarded The second is taken from the person of him from whom this message is deliuered namely because it is Iehouah that speaketh vnto them who created them and continually preserued them who is al-sufficient to reward those who harken vnto him and almighty to punish those who neglect his word who had giuen vnto them many testimonies of his loue and multiplyed vpon them all his benefits aboue all other nations of the earth who did not reprehend and punish them for mallice to their persons or other sinister respects but that he might preserue them from vtter destruction if they would repent and forsake their sinnes or glorifie his justice in their punishments if by no meanes they would be reclaimed but obstinately persist in their sins after they had so often warning The third reason to moue them to heare and obey the voyce of the Lord summoning them by his Prophet is taken from their owne persons to whom the message is deliuered in that they were the people of Isel descended of the holy Patriarkes chosen amongst all other nations to be Gods peculiar Church and people with whom God had made a couenant and had on his part most absolutely performed it preseruing them from their enimies and multiplying vpon them all his benefits And this is the peoples summons where by they who had The controuersie between the Lord and the people of Israell a long time neglected the word of the Lord in the mouth of his Prophets were now cited to answere their contempt before the Tribunall seat of Gods Iudgement Now followeth the cause of this summons which is for the tryall of a controuersie betweene the Lord and the people of Israell For the Lord hath a Controuersie with the Inhabitants of the Land Where first we are to consider the nature of this controuersie and secondly the parties betweene whom it is controuerted Gods controuersies with a people are eyther verball or reall Verball when as by his word eyther immediately pronounced by himselfe as we may see in the example of Cain or by his Ministers he reproueth conuinceth and condemneth a people for their sinnes and threatneth his Iudgements due vnto them Reall when as a people notwithstanding Gods reprehensions and threatnings continuing in their impenitencie haue deserued punishments inflicted vpon them Of both which kindes of controuersies
this place may be vnderstood but yet principally as I take it of the latter For whereas the people had long contemned Gods verball contentions by the Prophets and continued in their impenitency without any amendement the Lord now threatneth that he will contend with them after another manner namely by inflicting vpon them his reall Iudgements seeing words would not preuaile with them The like place to this we haue Gen. 6. 3. Therefore the Gen. 6. 3. Lord said my spirit shall not alwayes striue with man because he is but flesh and his dayes shall be an hundred and twenty yeers The meaning is that because the world was rooted in a desperate wickednesse and would not be reclaimed by his spirit preaching vnto them by righteous Noah therefore hee would no longer contend with them in verbal controuersies seeing they were wholy carnall and corrupt but would bring vpon them reall punishments and that within the space of an hundred and twenty yeeres vnlesse in the meane time they preuented his Iudgements by turning from their sinnes by true repentance So here the Prophet telleth them that because Gods word was of no force with them for their amendment the Lord would no longer thus striue with them and seeing his Prophets and their reprehensions were derided neglected and contemned therefore hee would take his owne cause into his owne hand and contend no longer verbally but really with them proceeding from words to blowes from threatnings to punishments The parties betweene whom this debate is are the Lord The parties betweene whom the controuersie is and the people of Israell which are here called the inhabitants of the land whereby he implyeth First that the Lord himselfe was now become their aduersarie seeing there is no controuersie or contention but betweene aduersaries as though hee should say the contention shall not be hereafter betweene you and the Prophets because ye contemne their persons as weake and base men and deride and neglect their admonitions reprehensions and threatnings as though they were false and rediculous but betweene the Lord himselfe and you who is most wise to finde out your sinnes and most just to punish them And this controuersie shall be begun in the Court of Conscience before the Tribunall Seate of Gods Iudgement where by the law which you haue transgressed you shall be conuicted and after shall be fully determined when as hee shall inflict vpon you such reall punishments as your sinnes haue deserued Secondly he hereby implyeth that the Israelites are guilty of enormious sinnes and grieuous transgressions when as he saith that the Lord hath a controuersie with them for such is Gods exact justice that he sueth none but such as are indebted vnto him neyther contendeth he with any but onely such as haue wronged and offended him Thirdly whereas he saith that the Lord had this controuersie with the Inhabitants of the Land hereby first he conuinceth them of their breach of Couenant which they had made with God for howsoeuer the Lord had made good his promise in driuing out the Canaanites and giuing vnto them the Land in possession yet they had broken their promise made to God violated their faith forsaken Gods true Religion and denied their obedience vnto his lawes Secondly he aggrauateth their sinnes and grose ingratitude in that after the Lord had cast out the Canaanites the auncient inhabitants of this country for their Idolatry and other sinnes and giuen this land to the people of Israell for their possession that therein they might make profession of his true religion and glorifie his name by worshipping and seruing him according to his will they neuerthelesse neither remembring gods judgements inflicted vpon the Canaanits nor his mercies multiplyed vpon themselues forsooke the couenant of their God broke his lawes committed idolatrie and all other outragious sinnes and so defiled the land with the same sinnes for the which the Canaanits were expelled in the which gods true religion holinesse of life and righteousnesse should haue raigned and flourished And this was the cause or matter of their inditement in all which the Prophet aymeth at this that he might bring the people to true repentance vpon some hope of their reconciliation for whereas he saith that the Lord had a controuersie with the people hee doth herein include a secret admonition that seeing the Lord was not only far mightier then they but also had the law equitie on his side therefore they should labour after reconciliation by turning vnto him by vnfayned repentance for other meanes there was none to escape his just judgements And this is indeed the maine end at which the Lord aymeth in all his threatnings namely that those his people whom hee threatneth hearing of his judgements might preuent and escape them by their repentance For as a louing father when he threatneth his child sheweth that he hath no desire to punish him seeing by threatning hee giueth him warning to desist from his faults that so he may escape so our gracious and heauenly father threatneth his judgements in the ministerie of the word that heareing them wee may auoyd them by forsaking our sinnes and humbling our selues before him and this end of the Lords contending with his people is plainly Esay 1. 18. Eze. 33. 10. 11. Ier. 18. 7. 8. expressed Esay 1. 18. Ezech. 33. 10. 11. Ier. 18. 7. 8. And so much concerning the cause why the Israelits are arraigned Now wee are to speake of the particular crimes The sinnes whereof the Israelits are accused and condemned whereof they are accused conuicted and condemned and these are of two sorts the first priuatiue or sinnes of omission verse 1. the second positiue or sinnes of commission verse 2. The sinnes of omission whereof they are accused either respect their neighbour or God himselfe those that respect their neighbour are reduced to two heads First sinnes of injustice vnder the word truth Secondly neglect of mercy The sinnes which respect God are all included vnder one namely that there was no knowledge of God in the land and consequently no religion no faith no obedience The first sinne whereof he accuseth them is that there The first sinne that there was no truth in the land was no truth in the land for the vnderstanding whereof we are to know that truth respecteth either the minde and hart and then it is called simplicity or integritie or else the outward carriage and behauiour and that either in our words or speaches which properly is called veritie or else in our workes and actions which is called justice or vpright dealing Whereas therefore he chargeth them that there was no truth in the land the meaning is that there was no simplicitie or integritie in their minds and harts no verity in their speaches nor justice in their actions and because vertues and vices are contraries without meane so that the denying of the one in a subiect capable of it is the affirming of the other therefore
hereby hee implyeth when he saith there was no simplicitie in the land that it was full of hipocrisie and dissimulation and when he affirmeth that there was no veritie he implyeth that there was lying and when he accuseth them to be without truth or justice in their actions he intimateth also that they were full of all manner of fraud and deceit The second sinne whereof he accuseth them is that they The second sinne that they wanted mercy were without mercie the word signifieth either benignitie or beneficence and in the former signification it is referred to the minde and hart and so is called mercy and compassion and in the latter to the words and works and then it is called beneficence and comprehendeth in it all workes of charitie and christianitie as when in our words we are ready to help and benefit our brethren by exhortation counsaile consolation admonition and reprehension and in our workes by defending them with all our power and relieuing them with our riches Whereas therefore he chargeth them to be without mercy his meaning is that they were destitute of all these vertues and neglected all these christian duties and contrariwise he implyeth that their minds were full of malice and cruelty their words rotten and vnsauorie their workes replenished with oppression violence and barbarous inhumanitie And these were the sinnes which respected their neighbours and the breach of the second table their sinnes which immediately respected God are all comprehended in this that there was no knowledge of God in the land vnder The third sin no knowledge of God which particular he compriseth the neglect of all the duties injoyned in the first table and of all religion piety for as from the true sauing knowledge of God as from the root of all graces there springeth Faith affiance hope loue the feare of God obedience and all true worship of God so contrariwise ignorance is the roote of all impietie infidelity diffidence presumption despaire hatred of God contempt disobedience superstition idolatrie And therefore whereas he chargeth them that they were without the knowledge of God he necessarily implyeth that they were vtterly destitute of all grace piety and all true religion and guilty of the breach of all the commandements of the first table for where the roote is dead there the braunches must needes perish Now these their sinnes are aggrauated in that hee saith that there was no veritie mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land First in that it was a Land which God in great mercy had bestowed vpon them to the end that therin they should worship and serue him a land wherein he had protected and preserued them a land wherein he had plentifully afforded vnto them the meanes of attaining these graces of truth mercy and knowledge namely his Word and Sacraments Secondly in that this impietie and neglect of Religion did not onely lurke in some few corners but ouerspread the whole land neyther were there onely some few men tainted with these vices and corruptions but generally the whole body of the people So that they did not onely hide these sinnes as being ashamed of them but being come to bee as it were a common fashion they impudently professed and defended them And so much for the meaning of this first Verse the That the Lord himselfe will contend with those who contemne the ministerie of his Prophets doctrines which are to be obserued are these First we here learne that if Gods Prophets haue long contended vvith a people in Gods cause as his aduocates and doe not preuaile with them by causing them to humble themselues before him by true repentance then the Lord will take his cause into his owne hands and ceasing to contend with them any longer by his word and spirit will prosecute his controuersie with them by afflictions and punishments and if hauing often sent his Ambassadours with reasonable conditions of peace men neglect them and refuse to hearken vnto their ambassage then will this powerfull king march against them with an armie of his judgements and neuer cease encountring them with his plagues till he hath eyther humbled or destroyed them And this appeareth in this place as also Gen. 6. 3. In the example of the Iewes led captiue into Babilon Gen. 6. 3. and afterwards destroyed by the Romaines So that God first dealeth with men by his word and then if this will not preuaile by his chastisements and lastly if these will not reforme them by his destroying plagues and punishments Would we therefore escape his corrections then let vs suffer our selues to be reformed by his word would we not be destroyed by his fearefull punishments then let vs labour to profit by his gentle chastisements The vse hereof serueth for the comfort of Gods faithfull A comfort for Gods ministers Ministers when their persons are disgraced and contemned and their Ministerie neglected and dirided by wicked men then they are to remember that they being the Lords aduocates to pleade his cause against an impenitent people are sure to be strongly backed by the Lords own power wherby those shall be brought vnder who would not submit them selues to be ruled by the scepter of the word Secondly it serueth for the terrour of all those scoffers A terror for contemners of Gods word and desperate wicked men who contemne and deride those threatnings which they heare denounced in the ministerie of the word against them for their sinnes for let such know that if they will not be reclaimed from their wicked courses by the ministery of Gods Prophets the Lord himselfe will follow his owne cause and ceasing any longer to contend with them with his word and spirit he will prosecute them by his judgements and punishments The second thing to be obserued is Gods judiciall course The just administration of Gods iudgements of proceeding in the execution of his Iudgements although being infinite in wisedome power and justice he might sodainely inflict his punishments vpon sinners as soone as they haue offended yet first to approue the justnes of his judgements hee doth in the Ministery of his word summon them before his seate of Iustice arraigne and conuince them that so they may be moued to sue for a pardon by turning vnto God by true repentance hereby preuent deserued punishments So he sent Noah to the old world before he brought the Deluge Lot to Sodome before he destroyed it with fire and brimstone Moyses to Pharaoh before he drowned him in the red sea The Prophets to the Iewes and Israelites before he brought them into Captiuitie and our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples before their vtter destruction and desolation All which as it serueth to commend Gods mercifull justice so also to condemne the hardnes of mens harts and to leaue them without excuse who will not after so manifold warnings turne from their sinnes by vnfained repentance that so they might escape these fearefull punishments Thirdly
whereas hee calleth this summons to Iudgement That the ministery of the word is Gods owne voyce the word of the Lord which notwithstanding was pronounced not by the Lord immediately but by the Prophet hence we learne that the voyce of Gods messengers in the Ministery of the word is to be esteemed as the voyce not of mortall men but as the voyce of the euerliuing God Luke 1. 70. Heb. 1. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 21. speaking by them So it is said Heb. 1. 1. that in old time God spake by his Prophets And our Sauiour Christ saith that they who heare his Disciples and Ministers doe heare him and they who contemne them contemne him Luke 10. 16. And Luk. 10. 16. thus haue the faithfull alwayes esteemed the Ministerie of the word euen as the voyce of God himselfe So the Church Esay 2. 3. Cornelius Acts. 10. 33. The Thessalonians 1. Thes Esa 2. 3. Acts. 10. 33. 1 Thes 2. 13. 2. 13. And so are we also to esteeme of it if euer we meane to finde it to be the strong power of God to saluation vnto vs. When therefore in the ministery of the word we heare sweet consolations offred to all that mourne we mourning are to be comforted hereby euen as if the Lord himselfe from heauen should speake comfortably vnto vs when we heare Gods Iudgements denounced against all vnrepentant sinners we liuing in our impenitencie should no lesse be terrified hereby then if the Lord euen with his owne thundring voyce should proclaime them against vs c. Fourthly whereas he saith that the Lord had a controuersie Gods mercies no just cause of securitie with the inhabitants of the Land vpon which he had bestowed so many benefits hence we learne that Gods former mercyes multiplyed vpon a people should be no motiue to perswade them securely and presumptuously to continue in their sinnes without repentance as though they were exempted from Gods Iudgements nay rather the experience of Gods goodnesse should work in them amendment otherwise they are to assure themselues that if they abuse gods grace vnto wantonnes impenitency and forgetfulnes of him the Lord will more speedely and fearefully punish them then any other If the Lord haue giuen vs pleasures and we abuse them the greater shall be our torments Apoc. 18. 7. If he Apoc. 18. 7. giue vs power and authoritie and we thereby become more insolent proud and rebellious our Iudgements shall be the more increased for the mighty shall bee mightely tormented Wisd 6. 7. If his Gospell and true Religion and we bring Wisd 6. 7. forth no fruits thereof neyther liue according to our holy profession it will not delay but hasten our punishments 1 Pet. 4. 17. Ier. 25. 29. 1 Pet. 4. 17. Iere. 25. 29. And secondly whereas the Lord denounceth his judgements against the inhabitants of the land generally here we learne that a generall defection shall bee punished with a general punishment for it is not with God as with men Vbi multitudo peccantium tollit poenae locum with whom the multitude of offenders doth cause impunitie but he inflicteth God punisheth nationall sinnes with national punishments vpon nationall sinnes nationall punishments for it as easie with him to punish a whole countrey as one priuate man And therefore let vs take heede that we doe not follow a whole multitude vnto euill nor suffer our selues to be caried away in the common streame of sinne least the Lord also sweepe vs away in the vniuersall deluge of his punishments Fiftly we may here obserue what is the cause of all controuersies That sinne is the matter of controuersie betweene God and vs. betweene the Lord and the inhabitants of any land namely their sinnes whereby his law is transgressed If therefore we would not haue the Lord to be our enimie and aduersary if wee would not haue him to summon and arraigne vs before his judgement seate and being conuicted to condemne vs to punishment let vs flye sinne or hauing sinned let vs sue for pardon and reconciliation by turning vnto the Lord and bewayling our sinnes by vnfayned repentance It is the wise mans counsaile that we striue not with a Eccles 6 10. Eccles 8. 1. mighty man least we fall into his hands And our Sauiour aduiseth vs to agree with our aduersarie quickly Math. 5. 25. Math. 5. 25. 1 Cor. 10. 22. What folly then is it in vs by our sinnes to make God our aduersary who is omnipotent and not our aduersarie onely to accuse vs but also our judge to condemne vs or if we haue caused a controuersie betweene vs by our sinnes what madnesse is it to deferre the seeking of our reconciliation with him by turning from our sinnes by vnfayned repentance For if it bee a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of a mightie man how terrible is it to fall into the hands of the euerliuing God As the Apostle speaketh Heb. 10. 31. If Heb. 10. 31. one man sinne against another the Iudge shall iudge it but if a man sinne against the Lord who will pleade for him as Ely speaketh 1 Sam. 2. 25. to his sonnes 1 Sam. 2. 25. And these are the doctrines to be obserued out of the The doctrinea arraignment of the children of Israell before Gods tribunall now let vs in the next place consider what instructions may be gathered out of their particular inditement and out of the speciall crimes laide to their charge which are either sinnes of omission in this verse or of commission in the next Where first we are to obserue that to neglect a duty commaunded To neglect a dutie is as well a sinne as to commit a vice forbidden is reputed in Gods sight a grieuous sinne as well as to commit a vice forbidden and that we make God our aduersarie when he findeth vs emptie of goodnesse as well as when wee are replenished with euill that though wee neuer actually committed any sin yet if we haue omitted those dueties which God requireth it will be sufficient matter for our condemnation Meroz was cursed not for fighing against gods people but because they did not assist them in the battaile against the mighty Iudg. 5. 23. Diues was tormented in hell not for taking away food from Lazarus but because seeing him in want he did not relieue him Luk. 16. The vnprofitable seruant was cast into vtter darknesse not for mispending Gods tallent but because he had not well vsed it to his maisters aduantage Mat. 25. 27. 30. The foolish Mat. 25. 27. 33 Virgins were shut out of the marriage chamber not because their Lamps were full of false light deceit rapine and cruelty but because they were emptye of the oyle of faith charitie and a good conscience Mat. 25. 3. And the reprobate are condemned at the day of Iudgement not for taking the meate from the hungrie but for not feeding them not for dislodging the stranger but
faith and hope in any reasonable sort after so many yeares of instruction yea how many are there who if wee set aside the outward Ceremonies which are subiect to the sences can put no difference between the religion of Christ and Antichrist and howsoeuer in words they professe themselues such forward Protestants that they could be content to burne for their Religion yet in truth are not able to put a difference betweene the doctrine of our Church and refined Popery and as many amongst vs spit at the Diuels name and defie him in word and yet in their liues and conuersation remaine his vassals being at his beck to do him seruice so many shew an outward detestation of the Pope and poperie but yet their hatred extendeth no further then the name for eyther they exclayming against the Beast retaine his marke being not yet purged from the dregs of Poperie and Superstition or else remaine ignoraunt of Gods true Religion and so lye open as an easie pray to all Seducers And thus you see how small the number of those is who haue the knowledge of God in comparison of those innumerable numbers of ignorant persons which liue amongst vs. Now further if we make a diligent search among those who haue some knowledge and consider how many of this number haue onely an historical and speculatiue knowledge swimming in the braine whereby they are able to discourse of Religion and in the meane time make no vse of it for the sanctification of their hearts and affections or for the reformation of their liues and conuersation all which may truely be said to be without the true knowledge of God his religion for vvee are truely said to know so much onely in Christianitie as vvee make a fruitfull and profitable vse of for the purifying of our inward affections and for the bettring of our outward actions And if hauing set all these aside vvee then take a view of those that remaine who know God and his Trueth and liue according to their knowledge in holinesse and newnesse of Life wee shall finde the number so small that the Lord may iustly also in this respect contend vvith vs because there is no knowledge of God in the land And thus you see that if the Lord should summon vs to appeare before him should arraigne vs before the tribunall seate of judgement to answere for our selues in respect of these sinnes here laid to the Israelits charge wee also must needs plead guilty and put our selues wholy vpon the plea of mercy All which our sins are much aggrauated hereby Our sinnes are much aggrauated by gods mercies in that they are commited by the inhabitants of this land vpon which the Lord hath bestowed many more and farre greater benefits both temporall and spirituall then euer he bestowed vpon the people of Israell Secondly in that he hath by his omnipotent power and watchfull prouidence preserued vs in this land from the open violence and secret treasons of our malicious enimies especially from that more then barbarous conspiracie wherby the enimies of gods truth had plotted by one blast of gun-powder to blow vp the whole state ruine the Church and ouerturne the whole common-wealth which deliuerance is cause sufficient in it selfe alone to moue vs daily with incessant prayses to magnifie gods mercie and to shew our thankfulnesse by performing vnto him all holy duties Thirdly in that wee hauing bound our selues by couenant to our God that we would imbrace truth mercy and increase in his sauing knowledge yet neuerthelesse haue broken our couenant by vtter neglect of these holy duties Fourthly in that the Lord hauing giuen vnto vs singular meanes of attaining vnto these rich ornamentes of the soule namely his word printed read and preached amongst vs and the vse of his Sacraments yet we haue made no fruitfull vse of them but still remaine in our spirituall nakednesse Lastly in that these are not the sinnes of some few persons but generally of the inhabitants of the land which doe not hide themselues in some secret corners but walke boldly in the open streetes being priuiledged from both shame and punishment in respect of the multitude of offenders Seeing therefore we are guilty of the Israelits sinnes yea and haue aggrauated them by many circumstances what can we say for our selues why we should not bee subject to their punishments Seing there is no truth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the land what can wee expect but that the Lord will contend with vs and that not in verball controuersies by the mouth of his ministers for though wee haue often heard them yet wee haue little regarded them but haue contemned their persons and dispised their threatnings neyther can we hope that he will any longer vse his his fatherly corrections and gentle chasticements for these hee hath often vsed in vaine as for example he hath diuers times summoned vs by famine sicknesse plague and pestilence daunger of enimies yea and of late laid the head of our whole state as it were vpon the block and lifted vp The gun-powder treason the fearefull axe of his feirce iudgement being ready to giue the mortall stroke and yet are we hereby nothing reclaimed from our sins nothing moued to the performance of any holy duties And therefore seeing neyther words nor chasticements are auaileable for our amendment and seeing after that the Lord hath repriued vs as it were from the blocke yet we remaine vnreformed what can wee further expect but that he should in his feirce wrath sweep vs away in an vniuersall deluge of his judgements vnles we seeke reconciliation and appease gods anger by speedy humiliation and vnfayned repentance ANd so much concerning the sinnes of omission whereof the people of Israell are here accused and conuicted now follow the sinnes of commission whereby they had positiuely and actually broken Gods commaundements vers 2. By swearing and lying killing stealing whoring Verse 2 they breake out and blood toucheth blood In the originall text these sins are expressed in the Infinitiue moode to note their The exposition continued act of sinning To sweare and lye kil steale whore is their vsuall custome or common fashion so that they do not onely sometimes fall into these sinnes through infirmitie but wilfully continue in them and make them as it were their ordinarie exercise and common practise The sinnes whereof they are here conuicted and condemned eyther immediately respect God and the breach of the first table or their neighbour and the breach of the second Table both which are first propounded and then intended and aggrauated The sinnes which respect God and the breach of the first Table are all comprised vnder this one particular of swearing the word here vsed may eyther signifie swearing or cursing and so is diuersly translated by diuers but seeing it was the purpose of the Lord in this place to set downe a briefe Epitome of the peoples
these are the sinnes whereof the Israelites were accused Exposition and conuicted the which are further aggrauated by two adjuncts the first in these words They brake out the which speach is Metaphoricall borrowed from the practise of vnruly beasts which will be held in no pasture but breake through all their fences and hedges and so wander abroad and somtimes it is applied vnto riuers running with violent swelling streames whose course being stopped causeth them to break downe their banks to ouerflow the whole country Whereby he implyeth that the people were desperately giuen ouer to work wickednesse so as they would not be contained within any bounds not restrained with any fence namely the law of God his feare shame nor punishment but violently rushed through all these hedges into the open pastures and broad wayes of all sinne and wickednesse yea the more they were stopped in these ill courses the more their swelling lusts ouerflowed spreading ouer the whole country with an vniuersall deluge of impietie and iniquitie The second adjunct whereby their sinnes are aggrauated is expressed in these words And bloud toucheth bloud For the vnderstanding whereof wee are to know that bloud in the Scriptures often signifieth grieuous sinnes together with the guilt and punishment which doth accompany them because he that sinneth maketh himselfe guilty of his bloud which as a just punishment hee deserueth to shead in lue of his transgression So Leu. 20. 9. He that curseth Father Leu. 20. 9. or Mother shall dye the death his bloud shall be vpon him Iosu 2. 19. Whosoeuer goeth out of the dores his blood shal be Iosu 2. 19. 2. Sam. 1 16 1. Kin. 2. 37 Psa 5. 6. Mat. 17. 25. vpon his head and we will be guiltlesse 2 Sam. 1. 16. 1. Kings 2. 37. Psal 5. 6. The Lord will abhorre the man of blood And in this sence the Iewes cryed Mat 27. 25. His blood be vpon vs and our children And thus the words are to bee vnderstood in this place namely that they had committed haynous transgressions and thereby had made themselues subject to guilt and punishment and in this phrase of speach their sins are further aggrauated in respect of their multitude implyed by the plurall number here vsed bloods touch bloods 2 in respect of their continuall practise of wickednesse signified by this word touching whereby he implyeth that their sinnes were continuall and as it were contiguous one with another so as they had no sooner committed one sinne but presently they were ready to commit another and as it were to heape wickednesse vpon wickednesse And this is the meaning of the words the doctrines which out of them may be gathered are diuers First whereas Doctrine the Israelits who were gods people and professed his religion did not onely fall into these sinnes but were growne into a habite of committing them hence wee learne what is the nature of sinne if wee yeeld neuer so little vnto it it will gaine vpon vs if wee entertaine it but once it will come againe without bidding and if wee bid it wel-come the second time it will grow so strong and impudent that it will not away but become a dayly guest yea and it will not come alone but bring with it his companions also The best way therefore to bee ridde of it is when it first offereth That we must reiect the first motions of sin to enter to shut the dores of our harts against it and to turne it backe with a frowning countenance for if wee doe not giue it a repulse it will continually haunt vs till at last with his pleasing allurements it haue perswaded vs to keepe open house for the free entertainment of all sinne and wickednesse But if wee haue already fallen into any sinne then our best course is quickly to expell it and to take heed that it doe not take possession of vs and so pleading custome grow to a habite and second nature For it is our mortall enimie and therefore as it is the best course for our safety to keepe it from entring into our coasts so it is next the best to giue it a sharpe encounter at the first entrance and to keepe it from fortifying and intrenching it selfe against vs. It is a poyson and therefore we hazard the life of our soules if we drinke of it but if wee haue already swallowed it downe our best course is presently to cast it vp againe before it haue dispersed it selfe into the vital parts for then our case will be desperate It is the Ague of the soule for the curing whereof the best methode in spiritual Physicke is to preuent it before it come and to take away the causes thereof or if through our ignorance and vnwarinesse we are fallen into it we are at the first to apply speedy meanes for our recouerie for if it once sease vpon vs wee shall not leaue sinne till sinne leaue vs. The vse hereof tendeth to meete with a deceiueble conceit A deceiueable conceit of corrupt nature discouered and refuted of our corrupt nature which being so terrified by gods Law and fearefull judgements that it cannot resolue to continue a constant course in sin will yet presumptuously borrow leaue of God for once or twise with a purpose then to giue it ouer So some thinke I will neglect the sanctification of the Sabbath and the hearing of the word this once and after I will become very diligent I will now sweare being in heat or standing vpon my credit but my purpose is hereafter to giue it ouer I will now for once breake my word seeing it is greatly for my aduantage but henceforward I will make conscience of my promise I will for a while continue my deceiptfull dealing but when my state is a little better grounded I will become just and honest I will play the good fellow now I am in this company but my purpose is to frequent better and to become more precise I will but this once commit adultery and then hauing but a tryall of it I will resolue to liue chastly but let such consider in what a fearefull case they are if the Lord should as he justly may take them away in his wrath whilest they are committing these presumptuous sinnes or before they haue repented of them for as the tree falleth so it shall lye Eccl. 11. 3 Eccl. 11. 3. and they shall receiue judgement not according to their vnconstant resolutions but according to their certaine actions And in the second place let them know that the more their dropsie soules swelling with presumption drinke of these waters of iniquitie the more they thirst the more they listen to these Syrens the more they are inueigled with them if they are vnable to resist the assaults of sinne when they are vnconquered in their ful strength without maime or wound and assisted by Gods spirit how much lesse will they bee able to stand in the incounter when they
not lasciuiously looke vpon a woman that they purposely open them that they may take full view of obsceane objects and frequent those places where they may most glut their adulterous eyes with wanton spectacles How many openly professe their inward vncleannesse of heart by their immodest attire wanton esseminate apparell and by laying open to the common view their naked breasts as though it were a bill affixed to the doore post to signifie to the passers by that within that place dwelleth an vncleane hart that whosoeuer wil may there buy honestie chastitie at an easie rate Yea how many are there in this land who giue themselues ouer to all manner of vncleannes and adulterie in the highest degree spending both their strength and whole estates vpon filthie harlots euen till they rot with loathsome diseases and haue brought themselues to vtter beggerie The which adulterous filthines the more raigneth because the Magistrates doe if not altogether wincke at it yet so slightly punish it as though they jumped with the Papists in iudgement that it is but a veniall sinne which may be well tollerated or as though the multitude of offenders did priuiledge the sinne and take away all hope of reformation the guilty which should be punished exceeding the number of the innocent who should see them punished And thus haue I shewed that the people inhabitants of this land are in most haynous manner guilty of all these sins whereof the Israelits are here conuicted and condemned the which we haue also fearefully aggrauated by the same many other circumstances for they are not seldome committed in few places but they are come to a common custome vsuall fashion in euery corner of the Realme and especially in this Citie there is no modestie or moderation in committing of them but men breake out and like vnrulie beasts will bee contayned by no fence for neither Gods infinite goodnesse his meruailous mercie nor his innumerable benefits so bounteously bestowed vpon this country will restrain them from committing of these sinnes no nor yet the curse of his law the feareful denunciation of his heauy judgements so often sounding in our eares his fatherly admonitions and gentle chastizements where-with we haue diuers times ben exercised Yea so barbarously bould are men growne in their sinnes that the more diligently the Lord vseth all good meanes to stop them in their wicked courses the more their vnruly lusts swell violently breake downe the bankes of modestie pietie iustice and the feare of God and so with an vnresistable sloud of wickednes ouerflow the whole country the more carefully the Lord applyeth vnto them such soueraigne salues as might cure the wounds of sin the more desperate they are in plucking them off againe that they may rot in their corruptions the more meanes is vsed to stay the infection of this contagious plague the more it spreadeth it selfe ouer the whole country And as these sinnes abound in innumerable numbers so they are haynous and bloudy in respect of their qualitie being committed in the highest degree of their seuerall kindes so that Gods Ministers in our times may justly complaine of the inhabitants of our land that those sinnes of swearing lying killing c. are vsually committed amongst them that like beasts they violently breake out and bloud toucheth bloud Whereof it necessarily followeth that seeing we abound in these sinnes and will not be reclaymed from them seeing the Lord hath often allured vs by his innumerable benefits by his sweet promises by his fatherly admonitions and often terrified vs by his seuere threatnings fearefull judgements of famine and dearth sicknesse and pestilence and yet there is no amendment and reformation that we can expect no other but that the Lord will bring this land to vtter destruction and desolation vnlesse we labour to preuent these heauie punishments by turning vnto him by speedy and vnfayned repentance For the Lord taketh that course with vs which we take with our children and seruants first he contayneth vs in his feare and obedience by his gracious benefits then if wee notwithstanding liue in sinne hee admonisheth and threatneth vs and if this will not reclaime vs then he correcteth and punisheth vs but if these often inflicted are not auaileable but that with full resolution wee will desperately runue on in our wicked courses then he will reject and cast vs off thrust vs out of his familie withdraw from vs all signes of his fauour and giue vs ouer to bee vtterly destroyed with those plagues which duely attend vpon such desperate sins AND so much concerning the first bill of inditement whereby the people of Israell are accused conuicted now followeth the sentence of condemnation whereby they are adjudged to suffer deserued punishments Verse 3. Therefore shall the land mourne and euery one that dwelleth Verse 3 therein shal be cut off with the beasts of the field and with the foules of the heauen and also the fishes of the sea shal be taken away Where the Lord more plainely expresseth after what The exposition manner he would contend with the people to wit not by his word alone but by his judgements also The punishment it selfe here threatned is the vtter destruction and desolation of the land by warre and the vsuall companion thereof dearth and famine the which is most liuely and emphatically expressed in diuers metaphoricall and hyperbolicall speeches the which I will expound as they lye in order And first here is expressed the cause of their punishment then the punishment it selfe the cause of their punishment in this word Therefore that is because all manner of sinne both of omission and commission doth abound in the land and the people is desperately resolued to rush into all manner of wickednesse notwithstanding all those meanes which I haue vsed to reclaime them and euen are now growne to a custome and habite of sinning therefore I will forbeare them no longer seeing they giue no hope of their reformation but will presently execute my fearefull judgements amongst them till they be vtterly destroyed The punishment it selfe is first expressed and then amplified it is expressed in two borrowed speaches the first in these words the land shall mourne As though he should say because the people will not mourne for their sinnes euen the land it selfe shall mourne and as it were sigh groane vnder the heauy burthen of my punishments So that hereby hee implyeth their stubberne rebellion impenitencie and hardnesse of hart in that the brute and senseles earth would bee sooner affected and touched with the feeling of Gods judgements then the more senselesse inhabitants and also the greatnesse of the punishment which should be so sharpe that it would giue sense to the senseles creatures The judgement it selfe is destruction and desolation by warre famine whereby the inhabitants of the land should be destroyed and swept away and all the goodly ornaments of the earth as the pleasant
Orchards gardens the fruitfull fields and vinyards should bee vtterly wasted and spoyled so that now the good mother earth should like Rachell spend her time in mourning for her children because they were not and like a desolate captiue spoyled of all her riches and percious ornaments lament her passed losse and present miserie The meaning therefore of these words is this that the earth shall become barraine and fruitlesse and and shall be stripped and spoyled of all her inhabitants and so become a vast and disolate wildernesse neither inhabited by men nor adorned with her beautifull fruits as it were with her prinely coate of diuerse coullours for as the earth which is inhabited by a flowrishing people and decked and adorned with her plenteous fruits is saide to reioyce laugh and sing Psal 96 12. Let the fielde bee ioyfull and all that is Psal 96. 12. in it let the trees of the wood then reioyce Vnto which the Prophet Esay alludeth Chap. 35. 1. 2. The wast ground shall Esay 35. 1. 2. bee glad and flourish as a Rose It shall flourish abundantly and shall greatly reioyce So it is said to mourne and weepe when it is dis-peopled and laid wast desolate like a wildernesse So Esay 33. 9. The earth mourneth and fainteth Libanon is ashamed and hewen downe Sharon is like a wildernesse c. Ier. Esay 33. 9. Ier. 4. 27. 28. 4. 27. 28. The whole land shall bee desolate therefore shall the earth mourne Ioel. 1. 10. The field is wasted the land mourneth Ioel. 1. 10. for the corne is destroyed c. And thus the land mourned first when as it was wasted by Tilgath-Pilneeser King of Assiria who led away two Tribes and a halfe captiue as appeareth 1. Chron. 5. 26. 1. Chro. 5. 26. but much more when as it was vtterly ouerthowne and destroyed by Salmaneser of which wee may read 2. Kings 17 2. King 17. Secondly it is saide that euerie one that dwelleth in the land shall bee cut off the word is shall languish or faint through weakenesse whereby hee signifieth that howsoeuer the people would not mourne for sinne yet the Lord would make them mourne vnder his punishments and that so greatly that they should euen languish and faint in their sorrow and heauines hauing no appearance of any comfort Now these judgements are further aggrauated and amplyfied whereas it is said that the vnreasonable creatures the inhabitants both of the ayre earth and water shall bee pertakers of the peoples miserie and bee ouerwhelmed in their ruine and this sheweth the greatnesse of their destruction For as when the Lord would magnifie his blessing vpon mankinde he saith that he would keepe his Couenant not onely with Noah and his sonnes but with all liuing creatures Gen. 9. 9. 10. Foules Cattle and Beasts because these creatures were giuen vnto man for his profit and honest delight so contrariwise when hee would amplifie his irefull judgements hee sayth that he would not onely destroy the people but also spoyle them of all benefits whereby they might receiue any profit and comfort And as to amplifie the greatnesse of their punishment and the grieuousnes of their sinne he commanded the Israelites to destroy not onely the people of Iericho but also their houses beasts and cattle siluer gold and all that belonged to them so here he threatneth that for the same causes he would take the same course with the Israelites themselues that is to shew his detestation of their horrible Treasons and Rebellions hee would not onely destroy them but also their Land and all that belonged vnto them Yea he saith his punishments should extend to the fishes of the sea and this doth exceedingly amplifie the greatnesse of his wrath for euen in the generall Deluge the fishes were exempted from punishment as if they had beene a nation of another world who hauing no societie with mankinde were not infected with the contagion of his sinne but now he shewed that his wrath was more inflamed in that hee threatneth to make the fishes pertakers of mans misery and punishments not that indeede the Lord was purposed to catch the sillie fish in the nets of his judgements but onely vsed these Rhetoricall and Hyperbolicall amplyfications that hereby hee might more feelingly affect the secure and hard hearted israelites both with the sence of their haynous sinnes and grieuous punishments And this is the meaning of the words The Doctrines The doctrines which arise out of them are diuers First whereas he saith The sinnes of the inhabitants cause a land to mourn Therefore that is because of their grieuous sinnes the Land shall mourne and become desolate hence we obserue that the chiefe cause which maketh a land sit mourning like a desolate widdow or a distressed mother robbed of her children and spoyled of all her comforts is the sin of the inhabitants Psa 107. 34. This brought an vniuersall deluge ouer Psal 107. 34. the whole world this brought downe fire and brimstone vpon Sodome and Gomorrah this caused the land of Canaan to spue out her inhabitants Leu. 18. 25. The like judgement Leu. 18. 25. 26 whereof the Lord threatned to inflict vpon the Children of Israel if they imitated them in their sinnes Verse 28. Deut. 28. 21. 22. 63. The which threatnings were accordingly Deut. 28. 21. 22. and 63. accomplished in their captiuitie and finall desolation The vse of this doctrine is that thereby wee bee made The vses carefull to auoyde sinne seeing it bringeth the judgements of God not onely vpon our owne heads but also vpon our country Secondly it teacheth vs to what cause wee are chiefly to impute all manner of punishments as warre dearth the pestilence namely to our sinnes as the chiefe and principall cause whatsoeuer be the inferiour causes meanes or instruments Thirdly it confuteth their practise who endeauour to vphold the flowrishing state of their Country by Machiuilian pollicies falshood treacherie wrongs and injuries offred to their neighbours by tollerating the sinnes which should be seuerely punished for feare of bringing daunger to the State by exasperating a multitude or great faction or by any other wicked and vnlawfull meanes whatsoeuer for how approueable so euer these courses may seeme in humaine Exo. 1. 10. Num. 24. 14. and 25. 2. and 31. 16. 17. 2. Sam. 16. 21. 1. King 12. 26. 27. pollicy yet the truth is they are so farre from preseruing a land that they make it liable to Gods judgements and bring downe vpon it his heauie punishments Exo. 1. 10 Num. 24. 14. and 25. 2. and 31. 16. 17. 2 Sam. 16. 21. 1 King 12. 26. 27. 28. The second obseruation may be this if a people hauing haynously sinned doth not seriously repent and mourne vnder They who will not grone vnder the burthen of sinne shall mourne vnder the burthen of punishment the burthen of their transgressions they shall faint and languish vnder the burthen of
Gods heauy Iudgements for as it is the onely meanes to preserue vs free from punishment not to fall into sinne so it is the onely way of remouing punishments inflicted for sin to take away the cause thereof by vnfained repentance 2 Chron. 7. 14. Ezech. 18. 21. and 2. Chro. 7. 14. Ezech. 18. 21. 33. 14. 16. 33. 14. 16. The vse hereof serueth to teach vs what course is best to be taken for the remouing those judgements which lye heauie Repentance the best means to remoue iudgements vpon our land or at least haue displayed their coulours being ready to march against vs namely the Pestilence Invndations Dearth and Famine Surely we must not chiefly trust in humaine pollicies and preuentions or in the help of our bordering friends for all this will be to little purpose if we do not in the first place seeke reconciliation with God by forsaking our sinnes and turning vnto him by vnfained repentance The second vse serueth for the comfort of those that God protects those that mourne mourne in Sion and daily bewaile both their owne sins and the sinnes of their people for such are to know that the Lord will giue them a speciall priuiledge and protection whereby they shall be protected from the common calamities which he inflicteth vpon their nation or if as members Ier. 39. 16. 17. of this great body pollitick by reason of their communion they necessarily pertake in their miseries and afflictions yet the Lord will so sanctifie these crosses vnto them and will giue vnto them such a measure of strength faith patience and comfort that when vnrepentant sinners who neuer sighed nor groned vnder the burthen of sin doe now grone and languish vnder the waight of punishment they contrariwise who vpon their vnfained repentance are assured of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes shall not onely be patient but also rejoyce in their tribulations and their afflictions shall be vnto them as a Serpent without a sting Lastly this serueth to refute the practise of those who when they are justly punished for their sinnes in stead of remouing the cause by repentance doe adde sinne vnto sinne by vsing wicked vnlawfull meanes for the remouing The follie of those who by sinne labour to remoue punishment of their punishments as for example going vnto Witches Wizards and Sorcerers vsing falshoode and deceipt iniurie and oppression that so they may remoue the burthen which God hath laid vpon them vnto the shoulder of their neighbour But such are to know that this is not the way to giue them ease or to release them of their afflictions nay rather they are to expect that as they adde sinne vnto sinne so God will adde punishment vnto punishment vntill they which refuse to mourne for their sinnes faint and sinke vnder his heauie iudgements The third thing to be obserued is the senslesse hardnes The obdurate hardnesse of mans hart of mans heart and the secure impenitencie of our corrupt nature whereby it commeth to passe that neither Gods mercies nor judgements will any whit affect vs if the Lord giue vs ouer to our owne obdurate stubbernesse for euen when the senslesse and brutish creatures are in their kinde affected both with Gods mercies and judgements only man remayneth without sense and feeling The heauens vaile their face shed forth their teares the earth groneth shaketh the waters roare swell the beasts foules fishes mourne and hang down their heads shewing their inward griefe by that diuers language which God hath giuen them when as the Lord is angry and layeth his heauie hand vpon them onely man the chiefe rebell of the world smileth when God frowneth and though he be somewhat touched with sense of paine yet hee sorroweth onely because hee is punished and not because by his sinnes hee hath deserued punishment And hence it is that the Lord sometimes turneth his speach from man because he hath no eares to heare nor hart to vnderstand nor sense to feele and apprehend his mercies or judgements vnto the senselesse and brutish creatures to note vnto vs that the senselesse creatures are more sensible then a senselesse man So Esay 1. 2. 3. Ier. 22. 29. Esay 1. 2. 3. Ier. 22. 29. So it is sayd in this place that the land it selfe mourned and that the beasts birds and fishes bore their part in this sorrowfull song but the Inhabitants of the Land are sayde onely to haue languished vnder the burthen of their miseries and nothing is said of any sorrow or mourning vnder the heauie burthen of their sinne The like example we haue Gen. 4. 13. Exod. 8. 8. 15 1 Kin. 13. 6. 33 Mat. 11. 16. 17 and 23. 37. in Cain Gen. 4. 13. In Pharaoh Exod. 8. 8. 15. In Saul Ieroboam 1 King 13. 6. 33. And in the people of the Iewes Mat. 11. 16. 17. and 23. 37. But I shall not need to looke farre for examples to illustrate this point seeing our owne experience doth too manifestly proue it for howsoeuer like Bul-rushes we haue hanged downe our heads whilest the storme of Gods judgements did make vs bend and stoope yet vvee are presently ready to walk vnder the burthen of our sinnes with stiffe and stretched out necks when we see that the storme of Gods fury is a little ouerblowne The vse of this doctrine serueth first to teach vs that seeing naturally wee are hard hearted and so senselesly secure in our sins that we earnestly labour for a broken hart and contrite spirit and continually beg at the hands of God that he will take away our stonie hearts and giue vs hearts of flesh which will grieue and mourne when hee sheweth any signes of his displeasure and euen like the hart of Iosias melt at the hearing of the threatnings of his Law grounding these our prayers vpon his owne gracious promises Iere. Iere. 32. 39. Ezech. 11. 19. and 36. 26. 32. 39. Ezech. 11. 19. and 36. 26. Secondly it serueth for the reproofe of carnall worldlings who securely goe on in their sinnes foolishly imagining that they may repent when they list and so receiue their pardon from God but such are to know that as it is a worke of greatest necessity so also of greatest difficultie for if the Lord leaue them to their owne hardnesse of hart as he justly may seeing they haue abused his grace to wantonnesse and his mercy and long suffering to impenitencie well may they languish vnder punishment yet they shall bee further off from true repentance and vnfayned mourning for their sinnes then the senselesse earth or brutish Creatures Thirdly we are to obserue that the sinne of man is not onely hurtfull and pernitious to himselfe but euen to the Sin is pernitious to all the Creatures whole earth and all the Creatures therein contained In the Creation the Lord blessed the earth and her Inhabitants but sinne turned this blessing into a curse Gen. 3. 17. Gods Gen.
men with patience to suffer themselues to be directed by these spirituall guides to be admonished by these spirituall fathers without expostulations to be cured of these spirituall Physitions without murmuring or repining c. least by crossing Gods holy ordinance they moue the Lord to take away from them these meanes of their conuersion and giue them vp to a reprobate sense Secondly it serueth for the just reproofe of the people Those rebuked who reproue their teachers of this land and especially of this Citie who are growne vnto that height of pride and insolencie that they will take vppon them to teach their teachers and bring all that is spoken to the rule and censure of their shallow conceipt as also those who when they heare their sinnes reproued out of gods word in stead of amending their wicked wayes are ready to expostulate with their teachers to reproue them for their rebukes and to cast in their teeth their faults imperfections As if the vngracious Scholer because he is corrected should lash his Schoolmaister with the same rod or as if the frantick patient should pull off his plaister and cast it into the Physitions face ANd so much concerning the second bill of inditement the Verse 5 sentence of condemnation is affixed Verse 5. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day and the Prophet shall fall with thee in the night I will destroy thy mother In which words we are Exposition to consider first the punishment denounced secondly the cause thereof thirdly the persons against whom it is threatned fourthly the time when it is inflicted The punishment is expressed in these words thou shalt fall the which is a metaphor borrowed from such as being eyther blind or walking in the darke are ready to fall into the ditches and pits Whereby is signified that because they loued darknesse better then light and erring in their owne wicked wayes would not indure to be directed and guided by the light of Gods word but hated their guides and dispised their admonitions therefore they should fall into the pit of Gods fearefull iudgements and perish therein both people and Prophets Now these iudgements into which the Prophet saith the people shall fall are as I take it properly to bee vnderstood of those temporary punishments into which soone after they did fall namely the sword captiuitie and desolation howsoeuer it may well bee that vnder these as types may bee vnderstood their fall into gods spirituall judgements death and eternall condemnation when as the light of the Gospell appearing and the sunne of righteousnesse clearely shyning they would not receiue the promised Messias but as though they had beene still in the darke or starke blind they stumbled at him as at a stone of offence and so fell into the pit of eternall perdition according to the Prophecies Esay 8. Esay 8. 14. Luke 2. 34. Rom. 9. 32. 1 Cor. 1. 23. 14. Luk. 2. 34. Which wee see accomplished Rom. 9. 32. 1. Cor. 1. 23. Secondly the cause why they fell into the pit of Gods judgements is implyed in this word Therefore as it is fitly here translated whereby is signified that because they refused the light of Gods word and would not harken to his faithfull Prophets nor suffer themselues to bee guided by them but contemned their admonitions yea and insolently rebuked their reprouers chusing rather to harken vnto false Prophets who seduced them and flattered them in their sins therefore running on in the wayes of darknesse like blinde people after blinde guided they should both fall into the pit of Gods judgements the deepe pit of temporary punishments and the bottomlesse pit of eternall destruction Thirdly the persons against whom these punishments are threatned are first more distinctly specified and after comprised in one generall summe They are specified whereas he saith that both people and Prophets should thus fall The people are expressed in this word Thou where he maketh an Apostrophe and conuersion of his speach to the people and hauing spoken of them in the former Verse in the third person hee now vseth the second for the greater emphasis that hee might point them out who were marked by God vnto punishment and the singular number as though hee would cull them out man by man And this was just with God that this people who wilfully shut their eyes against the light of Gods truth and despised his faithfull seruants admonishing them should be giuen vp of God to a reprobate sense to follow the delusions of false Prophets and to walke in their owne wicked wayes vntill they fell into the pit of destruction It is further said that their Prophets should fall with them by which wee are not to vnderstand their true Prophets who admonished them of their sinnes and so becomming guiltlesse of their transgressions saued their owne soules and were not pertakers with them in their punishments but their false and flattering Prophets who soothed them in their sins and sowed cushions vnder their elbowes that they might more securely goe on in their wickednesse And here also he vseth the singular number indefinitely for the greater emphasis as though hee should say howsoeuer diuers may thinke that they shal be exempted in the common punishment by their wit learning pollicie authoritie or fauour with the people yet not one of them shall escape And this was just with God that the false Prophets who had seduced the people should being accessarie to their sins bee pertakers in their punishments Secondly hee saith that hee will destroy their mother whereby we are to vnderstand the whole Common-wealth Sinagogue and Church of the Iewes which the Lord threatneth so to ouer-turne and ruinate that there should not remaine so much as an outward face of a kingdome nor the glorious title of the Church wherein they so much boasted as though hee should say my purpose is to destroy all and some particular persons and the whole state both of church and common-wealth so as I will not leaue so much as your goodly shewes and glorious titles vnder which you shelter your selues from the storme of Gods judgements and so securely liue in your sinnes without repentance Where the Lord vseth the name of Mother to comprehend the whole Synagogue of the Israelites both to shew the grieuousnesse of the judgement in that the Lord killed the damme together with her young and also that hee might more sensibly affect their stonie and secure hearts with compassionate griefe seeing by their sinnes they had not onely destroyed themselues but also their mother who in respect of this neere alliance ought aboue all things in the world to be most deere vnto them Now this fearefull judgement the Lord accordingly inflicted vpon them when as first he destroyed innumerable numbers of the Israelits both by their ciuill dissentions and forraine invasions and afterwards when as the remnant which remained were carryed Captiue into Assiria and the Assirians planted their Colonies in the Land of
Israell whereby all hope of restitution was vtterly cut off The last thing expressed is the time of these calamities in these words in the day and in the night The words are originally to day and to night whereby he signifieth first that their punishments should be very sodaine and speedy and secondly that they should be continuall one following in the neck of another as the day doth immediately follow the night As though he should say I will speedely destroy the people in their sinnes and although I do not presently attach with my judgements the false Prophets because the people must beare the first brunt of the war yet hauing done with the one I will immediately begin with the other vntill I haue made an end of all because all haue joyned together in this rebellion And this is the meaning of the words The Doctrines The doctrines which arise out of them are these First we may obserue that They who wil not be admonished shall be destroyed those who cannot indure to be admonished of their faults nor reproued for their sinnes by Gods true Prophets but rather desire to bee soothed and flattered in their wicked wayes by false and lying seducers shall fall into the pit of Gods fearefull judgements So it is said Prou. 29. 1. A man Prou. 29. 1. that hardeneth his necke when he is rebuked shall sodainely bee destroyed and cannot be cured Examples hereof we haue in 1 King 22. 26. 2 Chron. 25. 15. 16. 23. 27. Esay 30. 10. 13 2 Thes 2. 11. Ahab 1 King 22. 26. 27. 34. In Amaziah 2 Chron. 25. 15. 16. 23. 27. In the people of Israell Esay 30. 10. 13. And in the limmes of Antichrist 2 Thes 2. 11. The reason hereof is manifest for admonition and reprehension are the meanes to bring the sinner to repentance repentance is the principall meanes to preuent Gods judgements those therefore who refuse the meanes of amendement continue obstinately in their sinnes and so remaine continually liable to deserued punishments Gods Ministers are the spirituall Physitions who cure those who are diseased with sinne by ministring vnto them the wholesome preseruatiues of admonition and the bitter potions of reprehension rebuke If therefore these medicines be applyed there is hope of recouerie but if the patient contemne the Physitions counsell and refuseth to take these wholesome medicines but rather hearkeneth to some vnskilfull Empericke who promiseth cure without any trouble to the patient such a one is neere death and destruction because he cannot be cured as the wise man sheweth Prou. 29. 1. Prou. 29. 1. The vse hereof serueth first to moue all men willingly to hearken vnto admonitions and patiently to beare reproofes seeing it is a notable meanes sanctified by God for our amendement that so we may escape Gods heauy judgements An example hereof wee haue in Dauid Psal 141. 4. 5. Who would not eate the delicates of the wicked but desireth Psal 141. 4. 5. that the righteous should smite and reproue him because their rebukes were as a precious Balsamum to cure his spirituall wounds of sinne Secondly it serueth to perswade all Christians with chearfulnesse to performe this duetie of admonition and reprehension seeing it preserueth their brother from death and destruction for if we are bound when we see the beast of our enimie endaungered to relieue him by keeping him from running into the ditch or by helping him out being fallen how much more are we bound in conscience to helpe the person not of our enimie but of our neighbour yea of our brother and to preserue him by our Godly admonition from falling in the pit of vtter destruction This duety God requireth Leu. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine Leu. 19. 17. heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer him to sinne And is commended as a singular work of charitie Iam. 5. 19. 20. Which who so performeth howsoeuer Iam. 5. 19. 20. for a time he may be suspected as an enimie or taken for a rigorous troublesome friend yet in the end he shall bee preferred before the most pleasing flatterers as appeareth Prou. 28. 23. Hee that rebuketh a man shall finde more Pro. 28. 23. fauour at the length then he that flattereth with his Tongue Lastly it serueth to shew the miserable condition of this The impatiencie of men in these daies to heare reproofe land and state which abounding in sinne is notwithstanding impatient of reproofe and is so desperately setled in wickednesse that it is now more daunger for a godly man to reproue sinne then for offenders to commit it Neyther are priuate men alone discouraged from performing of this dutie with the taunts and violence of the wicked ones but euen Gods faithfull Ministers are so hampred if they freely and plainely reprehend the iniquities of the times that except the word of God be as fire in their bowels which cannot be smothered they take little pleasure in censuring sinne or in being the Lords heraulds to denounce his heauy judgements Yea so vnmeasurably are Gods ambassadours restrayned from deliuering the word of reproofe that euen Stageplayers may more freely and safely scoffe at the vices of great offenders then Gods Ministers may sincerely reprehend them out of Gods word Seeing therefore wee are growne desperate in sinne and impatient of reproofe what remaineth but that with the Israelites we fall into the pit of Gods fearefull judgements The second thing to be obserued is that not onely the The Prophets who seduce the people shall perish with them people who liue in wickednesse but also the Prophets who seduce them or boulster them vp in their sinnes shall fall into the pit of Gods judgements in the day of his visitation So the Prophet Ieremie threatneth Pashur the sonne of Imner the Priest that because hee had preached lies he and Ier. 20. 6. and 23. 31. all that belonged to him should dye in captiuitie Ier. 20. 6. So the Lord threatneth that in his wrath hee will come against the Prophets which haue sweete tongues seducing the people with pleasing Lyes Chap. 23. 31. So when the false Prophets bore the people in hand that they should not serue the king of Babell for this their sinne in seducing the people and the sinne of the people in giuing credit rather to them then to the true Prophets the Lord denounceth destruction both against the Prophets and people Chap. 27. Ier. 27. 15. and 14. 14. 15. 16. 15. See Chap. 14. 14. 15. 16. The Prophet Ezechiell likewise threatneth the false Prophets that because they proclaymed peace where the Lord denounced warre played the dawbers in couering the faults and sinnes of the people with vntempered morter that they and their worke should both perish Ezech. 10. 14. And in generall the Lord deliuered Ezech. 13. 10. 14. this denunciation by the same Prophet that if the watchman seeing the sword comming did
not giue the people warning nor admonish them of their wicked wayes the wicked should dye in their sinnes but their bloud should be required of the watchmans hands The reason hereof is manifest Ezech. 33. 8. for if those whom he hath appointed to be his ambassadors vnto the people liuing in their rebellion that they may tell them of their sinnes and denounce his judgements doe conspire with the people against God sooth them in their sinnes and become the heraulds to proclaime Gods mercies not caring to displease God so they may please the people the Lord in his justice can doe no lesse but punish the rebellions of the people and the treacherous treason of such ambassadours The vse of this doctrine serueth first to stirre vp Gods Ministers Sinceritie required in the Ministers in Preaching Col. 1. 10. with all care and conscience to deliuer that ambassage which they haue receiued from God purely and sincerely not as men pleasers but as the seruants of Iesus Christ Least in seeking popular applause by not reprouing of sinne they cause both themselues and the people to fall into the pit of Gods judgements in the day of his visitation 1. Kin. 22. 14. 1. Kin. 22. 14. Secondly it teacheth the people with all patience and reuerence to receiue the word of admonition and rebuke as Patience and reuerence required in the people in hearing being the meanes sanctifyed by God to bring them to a sight of their sinnes and vnfayned repentance that so both they and their ministers may escape Gods justly deserued wrath and vengeance If one walking in a pleasant way should be admonished by a friend that if hee went forward he were in danger to fall into an hidden pit or into an ambushment of enimies though his walke were delightfull who would not turne backe and shew himselfe thankefull to him from whom he had receiued such a friendly admonition but this is our case we walke in the pleasant wayes of sinne which lead vs into the pit of destruction and cause vs to fall if wee goe forward in them into the ambushment of our spirituall enimies sathan hell and condemnation who therefore being admonished to desist in this daungerous though pleasing course would not willingly turne backe and render thanks vnto him by whose admonition he was preserued from such imminent daunger Lastly this serueth for the iust terrour of all time-seruers Terrour for time-seruers who sooth men in their sinnes and men pleasers who will not or dare not deliuer Gods ambassage nor admonish or reproue great personages for their sinnes for feare of incurring their displeasure or loosing those rewards which they hope to receiue by soothing them in all their wicked wayes in this respect worse then Balaam himselfe who howsoeuer hee loued the reward of iniquitie yet protested that he would not speake any other thing then that which God put in his mouth for to gaine thereby all the wealth of Balaac whereas they for a farre lesse matter speake the cleane contrarie commending where God condemneth blessing where he curseth and cursing where he blesseth proclayming peace where he denounceth warre and giuing a Quietus est and generall acquittance to those whom the Lord for their great grieuous debts is ready to arrest and attach such although for a time they get the fauour of great personages and flowrish in the world yet they are in a most miserable condition seeing the time will come when as the Lord will cause his judgements to apprehend them as being traitours to his Majestie in deliuering a quite contrary ambassage to that which they receyued from him Traytours vnto their Prince and Country in that they haue not admonished them of imminent daungers but soothing them in the pleasing wayes of sinne haue encouraged them to goe forward in them till they fall into the pit of punishment and traytours to their owne soules in that as they accompany them in their sinnes so also they shall accompany them in their punishments Thirdly we are to obserue that God will inflict punishments God seuerely punisheth those who contemne admonition speedely continually and one in the neck of another vpon that people who despise admonitions and are impatient to heare rebukes for when his soueraigne salues of instruction will not heale them nor his sharpe corasiues of rebuke keepe them from putrifaction and rottennesse what remaineth but that with the sword of vengeance hee should cut them off And thus the Lord punisheth contemners of his word by suffering them to fall into errours and heresies and by giuing them vp to strong delusions and to beleeue 2. Thes 2. 11. lyes by giuing them ouer to a reprobate sense to runne on in their wicked wayes without check or stop and lastly by bringing vpon them calamitie vpon calamitie and punishment vpon punishment till they bee vtterly destroyed and cut off An example whereof wee haue in the Churches of Israell and Iuda in Ieroboam in Ahab and many others The vse is that if we would escape these manifold and A perticular Church may cease to be a true Church continuall calamities we submit our selues to be ruled by the scepter of the word and bee as well contented to heare our selues admonished of our faults and reproued for out sinnes as to heare of comfort when we doe well and of the gracious promises of the Gospll when we haue turned from our sinnes by vnfayned repentance Lastly we may obserue that howsoeuer the Catholike and invisible Church of Christ cannot faile and cease to be his Church yet a particular and visible Church may as we see in the example of the Church of Israell in this place For when Idolatry Will-worship and humaine traditions thrust out Gods pure and sincere worship when the ministery of the word ceaseth and in stead thereof lyes are published and imbraced when the Sacraments are neglected or wholy corrupted and depraued such assemblies whether particular or nationall cease to be the Church of Christ and begin to be the Synagogue of Sathan This heauy judgement Christ also threatneth against the Church of the Iewes Mat. 21. 43. The kingdome of God Mat. 21. 43. shall be taken from you c. And against the Church of Ephesus Apoc. 2. 5. I will come against thee shortly and will remoue Apoc. 2. 5. thy Candlestick out of his place except thou amend that is I will translate my Church from thee to some other nation The fearefull execution of all which threatnings we see at this day for all those famous Churches mentioned in the Scriptures are vtterly perished and become both in their soules and bodyes the Vassals of Gog and Magog the Turke Mahomet and the seauen headed beast the Antichrist of Rome The vse which we are to make hereof is first to admonish Wee must not rest in outward priuiledges vs that we doe not flatter our selues in those glorious titles and goodly priuiledges which yet through Gods
of all euill of couetousnes which if we once intertaine into our hearts it wil lay them open vnto al wickednes for as the Apostle saith they who resolue vpon this that they will be rich they fall into tentations and snares and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction for the desire of money is the roote of all euill c. 1 Tim. 6. 9. 10. Yea it maketh Tim. 6. 9. 10. men not onely themselues to run into all manner of sin not caring what wicked meanes they vse for the increasing of their wealth but also to take delight in the sinnes of other men if they be aduantageable vnto them not caring for a little gaine to sell and betray the soules of those to vtter destruction for the redeeming whereof Christ did shed his most precious blood ANd thus much for their sinne in the next place he setteth downe their punishment the which is first generally expressed and then partticularly specified It is generally expressed Verse 9. And there shall bee like people like Verse 9 Priest for I will visit their wayes vpon them and reward them their deedes or thus therefore like as the people be so shall the Priest bee also c. In which words their punishment is described The expositiō in a two-fold proportion of quantitie first that the people and Priests should without any difference beare the like punishments Secondly that this retribution of punishment should be proportionated to their wayes and works Concerning the first the Lord threatneth that because there was no difference to be found betweene the people the Priests but that both had vttterly neglected their duty the Priests by liuing in ignorance idlenesse luxuriousnes neglecting the preaching of the word whereby they should haue instructed the people and misleading them by their false doctrine into errors for their owne game aduantage the people in that they willingly desired to liue in ignorance rather chose to be vnder the leading of those blind guides because they would securely goe on in their sinnes then vnder Gods true Prophets who would gaule their consciences by their reproofes therefore without difference or respect of persons he would inflict vpon them like punishments that is hee would depriue both of all signes of his loue and fauour cause both to be led into captiuitie subject both to many miseries and calamities and make both alike contemptible and inglorious The which punishment as it did lye heauie vpon all the people in that they should bee stripped of all the benefits which they injoyed and subjected vnto want and miserie be made of free-men bond-slaues and of the children of God the seruants of their enimies so most heauily did it lye vppon the Priests in that they fell as it were from the highest staire of honour riches and dignitie vnto as low a bottome of penurie comtempt and ignominie as the meanest of the people Where as there is any respect of persons in punishing of them though the offence be one and the same yet are the punishments diuers and different for those who are noble and in high place more faire and easie punishments for those of meane and base estate those which are more cruell and ignominious but the Lord telleth the Priests here that he would haue no regard of their place but without all respect of person or calling would cause their punishment to be as sharpe and shamefull as the basest of the people The like place vnto this we haue Esay 24. 2. And there shall bee Esay 24. 2. like people like Priest and like Seruant like Maister like maide like Mistresse c. 3. Tbe earth shall be cleane emptied and vtterly spoyled c. The reason why the Lord thus dealeth with them is because they were not Gods true Priests but shadowes onely which were in the place but performed no substantiall duty of that calling and bore the title but vtterly neglected the maine part of their office the teaching of the people Now their function honours and titles did not lessen but rather aggrauated their sinnes in that they vnthankfully abused Gods extraordinarie benefites and made their sinnes more exemplarie and scandalous in which respects it is truely sayde Omne animi vitium tantò conspectius in se Crimen habet quantò maior qui peccat habetur Euery vice is aggrauated by the dignitie of the person who doth commit it And this was the first proportion of punishment the other is that he would proportionate their punishments according to the haynousnes of their offences For I will visite their wayes vpon them and reward them their deeds In which words is set downe both the administration of Gods judgements and the execution the administration in these words I will visit their waies vpon them For the vnderstanding wherof we are to know that the word visit is metaphoricall borrowed from the practise of just Magistrates who going about to punish offenders doe first visite and examine the faults and then proceede to punishment so the Lord to approue his righteous judgements doth shew that hee will not inflict his punishments rashly but vpon mature deliberation and examination of the delinquents the which the Lord is able to doe in an instant both in respect of his owne infinite knowledge and wisedome and also in regard that he can alwayes readily produce our witnesses against vs euen our owne consciences The things which the Lord threatneth to visit and examine are their wayes the which also is metaphoricall and signifieth a mans course of life conuersation in the which he walketh as in his constant way and if at any time hee chance to digresse out of it yet he returneth into it againe And thus it is taken Gen. 6 12. For all flesh had corrupted his Gen. 6. 12. way vpon the earth Psal 1. 1. Nor stood in the way of sinners Psal 1. 2. So that he will not examine and punish them according to their extraordinarie actions which are as it were slips out of the way by-pathes and digerssions but according to their vsuall wayes that is the constant and continued course of their life and conuersation The execution of Gods just judgements after due triall and examination is expressed in these words and reward them their deeds Where the Lord threatneth that hee will deale with them as a just judge neither rigorously intending the punishment aboue the fault nor partially sparing them for fauour or friendship but that he will equally proportionate the punishments according to their demerits Where we may note that he doth not say he will reward them according to their thoughts and intentions nor according to their words and speeches because the one of these is hidden from men and the other may be hipocritically coloured and dissembled but that hee may approue his righteous judgements both to the offender and to all others hee saith hee will reward them according to their
The last thing to be obserued is that he saith he will reward God judgeth vs according to our outward actions them according to their deeds Whence we learne that in the execution of Gods punishments and judgements he doth not proceed according to mens thoughts and intentions nor yet according to their speaches and words but according to their workes and actions so that it will not auaile vs when God commeth to visite and judge vs to say that we haue had many godly resolutions religious intentions and a good meaning nor yet that we haue said Lord Lord and made a goodly profession of religion and godlinesse if we haue beene profane and vnjust in life and conuersation and haue not done the will of our father which is in heauen Mat. Mat. 7. 21. 7. 21. Seeing the Lord will reward vs not according to our thoughts and words but according to our deeds and works Not that the Lord will in judgement neglect the thoughts and words of the godly to reward them and of the wicked to punish them for the Lord seeth all things Iob. 42. 2. He Iob. 42. 2. searcheth the heart and reines Ier. 17. 10. And hee iudgeth Ier. 17. 10. euen the very secrets of men Rom. 2. 16. And it is also sayd Rom. 2. 16. that men shall giue an account of euery idle word at the day of judgement Mat. 12. 36. But this is vnderstood that the Mat. 12. 36. Lord will principally in giuing sentence in dispensing of his punishments and rewards respect our works and actions So it is said Rom. 2. 6. That God will regard euery man according Rom. 2. 6. to their works So Mat. 16. 27. it is said that the Sonne of man Mat. 16. 27. shall come in the glory of his father with his Angels and shall giue to euery man according to his deeds And the Apostle telleth vs that we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which he hath done in his body whether good or euill 2. Cor. 5. 10. So likewise 2. Cor. 5. 10. our Sauiour Christ setting down the forme of the last judgement sheweth that the sentence shal be pronoūced according to their workes Mat. 25. 35. 42. From whence we are not Mat. 25. 35. 42 to gather with the Papists that as wicked men are condemned for the demerit of their euill workes so the godly are saued for the merit of their good works seeing there is not the like reason in that they are absolutely euill but these not absolutely good and perfect and therefore cannot justifie nor saue vs before Gods judgement seate they being imperfect but onely a liuely faith which doth apply vnto vs Christs perfect righteousnesse But for as much as this faith is a spirituall grace and not outwardly seene therefore the Lord to take away the brags of hypocrites who would boast of that faith which indeede they haue not and to approue vnto all his righteous judgements in dispensing of his rewards and punishments doth not judge according to the roote of faith which is hidden but according to the fruits of good works which are open and manifest The vse of this doctrine is that we do not with ignorant We must not content our selues with our good meanings people content our selues with our good meanings nor with hypocrites rest in glorious speaches and in a goodly profession of Religion but that wee labour to approue both our good intentions and outward profession to be indeed sincere and vpright by our holy practise and actuall obedience For not euery one who saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of the father which is in heauen Mat. 7. 21. Not the hearers of the Law but the doers Mat. 7. 21. thereof shall be iustified Rom. 2. 14. Not they that are bare Rom. 2. 14. Luke 11. 28. hearers of the Word but they which heare it and keepe it are blessed as for those who are professors of pietie and workers of iniquitie they shall be separated from Christ and from his glory Mat. 7. 23. Mat. 7. 23. Secondly it serueth to shew the miserable estate of the The miserable estate of the wicked wicked in the day of Gods visitation who shall haue a proportion of punishment according to their sinnes for if euery sinne deserue euerlasting death seeing Gods infinite justice being offended cannot be satisfied but by an infinite punishment what a fearefull measure of condemnation is prepared for those who shall beare the punishment of their sins which are innumerable of which they haue made an vsual and common practise ANd so much concerning their punishment generally expressed In the next place it is particularly specified Verse 10. For they shall eat and not haue enough they shall Verse 10 commit Adulterie and shall not increase because they haue left off to take heede to the Lord. In which words he doth proportionate The expositiō a punishment to their sinne and withall adjoyneth another cause of all the euill which he brought vpon them The punishment proportionable to their sin is that whereas they bent their whole indeauour to pamper the belly and to passe their dayes in all voluptuous excesse the Lord threatneth that they should spend all their labour in vaine for eyther they should not attaine to that plenty which they so earnestly desired or though they had abundance yet he would with-draw his blessing and make all vnprofitable so as they should finde no contentment in any thing which they injoyed and whereas they exceedingly desired to haue store of children vnto whom they might leaue that abundant wealth which they had couetously scraped by the wicked abuse of their office and Priest-hood that so they might perpetuate their names and continue an euerlasting memory of themselues in their posteritie and because they could not haue so many children as they desired in lawfull marriage therefore gaue themselues to vnlawfull lusts and multiplyed their adulteries that so at least they might increase a bastardly broode who might succeed them the Lord threatneth that he would crosse them in this their wicked purpose also for howsoeuer they multipled their whoredomes for increase yet their posteritie should not hereby bee multiplyed but their name should perish notwithstanding all their wicked deuices to continue it and their wealth which they desired should be injoyed by their children should all come into the hands of strangers The meaning then of these words is this that because these Priests cared not what wicked meanes they vsed so they might accomplish their desires therefore the Lord threatneth to crosse and curse them in all their impious designes so as they should by no meanes attaine vnto their euill purposes More particularly because they were addicted vnto all manner of wicked auarice that being inriched they might spend their time in voluptuous pleasures he therefore
cause hereof is the corruption of mans nature which is exceedingly addicted to this idolatrie and superstition partly through grosenesse of vnderstanding affecting a palpable deitie and diuine worship which is subject to the senses and partly through pride preferring his owne inuentions and wil-worship before the will of God reuealed in his word The vse hereof is that we doe not onely flee from idolatrie We must flye the first beginnings of idolatrie in the grosest kinde but also that wee shunne the first beginnings thereof for if in the least degree we giue way vnto it we shall from one degree ascend vnto another till we come to the highest partly because we are naturally possessed with a spirit of fornications which carrieth vs headlong into this sin and partly because the Lord will giue vs vp to a reprobate sense and to be deluded with strong delusions if wee doe not imbrace and loue his truth but incline to wil-worship and Idolatry The third thing to be obserued is that our good intentions Good intentions hauing no sound ground no better then wil-worship in Gods seruice which haue no ground in his word are nothing else but wil-worship and superstition The Israelites made choyse to worship in the groues and vnder the greene trees because the shadow thereof was good that is because they thought these pleasant places and delightfull shade in the sweet and open ayre were most fit and conuenient for religious worship but because this their good intention was contrary to Gods word which restrayned publike seruice sacrifices vnto the Temple at Ierusalem their good meaning could not priuiledge them from the just censure of Idolatrie and Superstition So Aaron in a good intention made Exod. 32. 1. 5. a golden calfe Exod. 32. 1. 5. But it was condemned and punished as grose Idolatry Gedeon in a good intention made Iudg. 8. 27. an Ephod of the Midianitish pray but it was an occasion of Idolatry and the ruine of his house and Micahs mother in a good intention made a moulten Image Iudg. 17. 3. and Iudg. 17. 3. Micah himselfe consecrated one of his sonnes to be a priest vnto it Verse 5. and entertained a Leuite for the same purpose with the like good meaning and yet neuerthelesse all this was but grose superstition and Idolatry in Gods sight The vse hereof is that we be not deluded with this conceipt that the Lord will accept of any manner of seruice so it proceed from a good meaning intention for if it haue no warrant out of Gods Word but bee repugnant therevnto vvhatsoeuer our meaning and intention bee it is but vvil-worship superstition and Idolatry in Gods sight And therefore we must not examine what we intend but what God requireth not what we like as most fit and couenient but what is pleasing vnto God And this examination is to be made not according to our owne phantasies and carnall wisdome which as the Apostle saith is emnitie against God but Rom. 8. 7. according to the canon and rule of Gods word which that we may the rather doe let these reasons perswade vs first because the Lord hath straightly forbidden and condemned all manner of vvil-worship and in his seruice hath precisely restrayned vs to his word for our direction Deu. 5. 32. Take Deut. 5. 32. and 12. 8. 32. heed that you doe as the Lord your God hath commanded turne not aside to the right hand nor to the left And 12. 8. Yee shall not doe after all these things that we doe here this day that is euery man what seemeth him good in his owne eyes And Vers 32. Whatsoeuer I command you take heede you doe it thou shalt Num. 15. 39. Prou. 39. 5. 6. Ezech. 20. 18. Col. 2. 20. The causes why the Lord forbiddeth all wil-worship put nothing thereto nor take ought there from So Numb 15. 39 Pro. 30. 5. 6. Ezech. 20. 18. Col. 2. 20. Now the causes why the Lord doth so earnestly forbid all manner of vvil-worship are principally two first it doth exceedingly derogate from his wisedome when as men doe not think his lawes sufficient for their gouernment direction but labour to perfect them by their owne inventions as though they were wiser then God himselfe Now if it be an odious thing to an earthly prince that his subjects should take vpon them to alter or adde or detract from his Lawes or in stead of submitting themselues to be gouerned thereby should make their owne vvill a law though they should make neuer so faire a shew of their good meaning intentions then how odious and abhorninable a thing is it for vs thus to demeane our selues towards God who is infinite in wisedome and the supreame king of heauen and earth Secondly because where wil-worship and humane inventions Wil-worship banisheth the true seruice of God are intertayned there soone after the true worship of God is expelled and banished for such is the aversenesse of mans corrupt nature towards the true worship of God and proannesse vnto humane inventions and superstitions that when they are both together he nourisheth and maketh high esteeme of wil-worship as being the birth of his owne brain and vtterly neglecteth Gods pure and sincere seruice which in his word he hath prescribed as though it were the child of a stranger And this is a notable fruit of pride and selfe loue when as men preferre the wisedome of the flesh before the wisedome of God and their owne inventious before his commandements The which was the sinne of the Scribes and Pharisies who as our Sauiour charged them made the commandements of God of no authority whilest they established their owne traditions Mat. 15. 16. And vvhilest they vvere Mat. 15. 16. and 23. 23. ouer busie in tithing Mint Annis and Commin they were vvholy negligent in the vvaightie matters of Gods Law as Iudgement Mercy and Fidelitie as it is Mat. 23. 23. Secondly it behoueth vs to imbrace Gods pure and sincere Wil-worship is vaine and vnprofitable vvorship prescribed in his vvord and to auoide vvil-vvorship our owne superstitious deuotions because when vve haue spent our time and euen tyred our selues in these things all our labour will bee spent in vaine So the Lord himselfe saith Mat. 15. 9. In vaine they worship mee teaching Mat 15. 9. for doctrines mens precepts And the Apostle saith that humain inventions and traditions as touch not taste not handle not doe perish in the vsing Col. 2. 22. For if we would haue Col. 2. 22. any wages for our labour vve must doe the Lords vvorke vvhich himselfe hath commaunded otherwise hee vvill demaund of vs as hee did of the Israelits Esay 1 12. Who hath Esay 1. 12. required these things at your hands And vvill say vnto vs as he did to the Priests and people of Israell Zach. 7. 5. When yee Zach. 7. 5. fasted and mourned did ye fast vnto me
this fearefull punishment till they haue often neglected and dispised his fatherly corrections wherby they should haue beene reclaymed So long as there is any hope of amendement the Lord vseth his rod of chastisement but when they vvill not bee reformed but desperately sinne against God the Lord casteth his rod aside thrusteth them from vnder his discipline and gouernement and suffereth them to runne on in their owne vvicked courses The vse of the particular doctrine is that vvee imbrace Gods pure worship and seruice and do not defile our selues with Idolatry superstition and our owne vvil-worship for if we dishonour the Lord by our spirituall whoredome hee will dishonour vs by suffering those of our familie to disgrace and discredit vs by their corporall whoredome If we vexe and grieue our gracious husbands by prostituting our soules and bodyes to commit spirituall vncleannes with Idols he wil vexe grieue vs by suffering our wiues daughters to become harlots and by turning our houses into common stewes Lastly we may here obserue that the Lord neuer wanteth The Lord neuer wanteth meanes to execute his iudgements meanes to execute his judgements for to say nothing of his owne absolute power whereby he is able to destroy the sinner with a word of his mouth he hath whole armies of his creatures readie to be the instruments of his wrath So that when men prouoke his anger hee cannot onely raise their enimies against them to bring them to destruction but euen their familiar acquaintance yea euen the children of their owne body and their wiues who lye in their bosome are ready to be the executioners of Gods vengeance when he appointeth them When he meant to bring a judgement vpon the house of Ahab he could make the tutors and gouerners 2. Kings 10. of his children to become their executioners When he purposed to cut off proud Senacharib he could vse his owne sonnes Adramelech and Sharezer to take away his 2. King 19. 37. life and though Dauid had had no other enimie which might haue beene Gods scourge to correct his sinne his owne sonne Absalon will not be wanting to chastise him so farre forth as God permitteth yea if the sinner had neither friend nor enimie to execute Gods vengeance he can make them to become their owne executioners as wee may see in the example of Saul Achitophel Iudas Nero and many others The vse hereof is that we doe not by our sinnes prouoke God vnto anger seeing wee are not stronger then hee as the Apostle speaketh for besides his owne strength whereby he 1. Cor. 10. 22. is able to destroy vs euerie minute he hath the helpe of all his creatures yea he can vse our owne strength for our vtter ouerthrow and make our best patrons and protecters to become our murtherers Secondly it serueth to shew the extreame follie of those who labour to please men more then God and to hazard the The folly of those who labour to please men more then God losse of his loue by committing of sin against their knowledge and conscience rather then they will hazard the losse of the loue of some carnall friends seeing if they had done that which is vpright in Gods sight they should hereby haue some assurance of Gods loue who hath the harts of men in his hand and can make their enimies to become their friends whereas on the other side when they prouoke Gods wrath by their sinnes hee can easilie make those whom by euill meanes and wicked policies they haue made their friends to become their mortall foes and the instruments of his anger to take just vengeance on them for their sinnes AND thus much concerning the first degree of their punishment the second followeth Verse 14. I will Verse 14 not visite your daughters when they are harlots nor your spouses when they are whores for they themselues are separated or doe separate themselues with harlots and sacrifice with whores therefore the people that doth not vnderstand shall fall In which wordes are contayned their punishment and the cause thereof their punishment is particularly expressed in the first wordes I will not visite your daughters c. and then vpon the inferring of the cause it is in more generall sort repeated and ratified in the last wordes therefore the people that doth not vnderstand shall fall The cause of this punishment is expressed in these words for they seperate themselues with harlots and sacrifice with whores And these are the parts the exposition followeth Some The Expositiō Iunius Polanus of great learning and judgement doe reade these vvordes by way of interrogation thus should not I punish your daughters because they play the harlots c. as though hee should say I will most certainely punish them and I appeale to your owne consciences whether it be not just that they should be punished for their vncleannesse The which interpretation they imbrace because they thinke that it could Heb. 13. 4. not stand with Gods justice to suffer their adulteries to goe vnpunished But howsoeuer this exposition be agreeable with the analogie of faith and is not contrary to the circumstances of the place yet I preferre before it our owne translation first because it better agreeth with all antiquitie secondly because it more fitly accordeth with that vvhich vvent before and that which followeth For before hee sayd that hee vvould punish the spirituall whoredome of the Husbands and Fathers with the corporall Adulteries of the Wiues and Daughters and now hee further sheweth the meanes whereby hee would inflict this punishment not by infusing this wickednes into them or by inclining or vrging them to commit these sinnes but by not onely with-holding his grace vvhich should stay them and so leauing them to their owne naturall corruption which in it selfe was most prone to this vncleannesse but also by denying to chastice and correct them for their sinnes whereby they might haue beene restrayned or reclaimed from them the vvhich impunitie would bee an occasion through their corruption to make them more securely to goe forward in their wickednesse And because it might seeme hard that the God of justice should when sinne abounded make a non-sizes and tollerate such wickednesse hee sheweth in the next words the cause hereof namely that hee suffered their Wiues and Daughters to liue in whoredome and vncleannes that hereby hee might punish vvith reproachfull infamy and shamefull disgrace their Husbands and Fathers because they committed both carnall and spirituall vvhoredome against him Yea but howsoeuer it was just vvith God to punish the sinnes of the husband and fathers with the sins of the wiues and daughters yet how can this stand with his justice not to punish their sinnes also I answere that we are not to vnderstand these words generally and absolutely as though he would inflict vpon them no kinde of punishment or at no time visite them for their sinnes For it is said that whoremongers and
such direct Testimony yet it may clearely bee proued that it was a place famous or rather infamous for the impious Idolatry there committed as appeareth Hos 9. 15. and 12. 11. Hos 9. 15. and 12 11. Amos. 4. 4. Amos. 4. 4. The reason then why the Prophet doth so earnestly forbid the people of Iuda to come at Gilgall and Beth-auen was not onely because they were consecrated vnto idolatry and therefore in this respect daungerous in that by frequenting these Idolatrous places they might easily bee seduced to joyne with them in their false worship but also because there was more perill of these places then of others in regard of that reuerend estimation the people had of them for the reasons abouesaid And this also was the cause why hee specially maketh mention of these two places vnder which he comprehendeth all the rest of like qualitie because as they were more famous then eyther Dan or any other of the high places so also in respect of their credit with the people much more dangerous Now in the forme of the prohibition wee are further to obserue that hee doth not onely prohibite them to sacrifice in these places but not so much as to ascend or goe vnto them not that it was not lawfull for them to come into these places for their ciuill affaires and worldly businesses but by this strait prohibition hee implyeth that hee would as little as might be haue them to frequent the company of Idolaters but especially that it was altogether vnlawfull for them who professed Gods true Religion to bee present at their idolatrous sacrifices and other solemnities whereby in time they would bee seduced to immitate them in their superstitions And thus wee haue seene what was the first meanes of idolatrie the other is that they should not ioyne with them in their religion which consisted of true and false worship mingled together In these words nor sweare the Lord liueeth In which words hee doth not forbid the lawfull vse of an oath which being made in truth righteousnesse and judgement is a part of Gods worship which is expresly commaunded in his word as appeareth Deut. 6. 13. and Deut. 6. 13. 10. 20. Ier. 4. 2. But onely restrayneth them from imitating the practise of the Idolatrous Israelites who ioyned the worship of God prescribed in his word with their owne inventions and superstitions and though they serued idols yet swore not onely by them but also by the true Iehouah as appeareth plainely Amos. 8. 14. They sweare by the Amos. 8. 14. sinne of Samaria and say thy God O Dan liueth c. So Zeph. 1. 5. Zeph. 1. 5. the Lord threatneth his judgements against those in Iuda vvho did worship and sweare by the Lord and sweare by Malcham The sinne therefore which is here forbidden is their ioyning a true oath with false worship and the seruice of God with the seruice of idols So that these words haue reference to the former after this manner if yee goe to Gilgall and Beth-auen to communicate with idols in their idolatrie doe not presume to sweare by the Lord nor to make profession of his religion for he cannot abide that there should bee any mixture of his true worship with idolatrie nor that the same mouth should sweare by his name and call vpon idols Neither doth hee heere simply forbid them to sweare at all but that they should not vse this forme the Lord liueth As though hee should say if yee worship Idols sweare by them also if yee will but haue nothing to doe with my name in your oathes vnlesse you turne from your idolatrie And according to this sense the words may fitly be reade as a learned Hebritian Drusius hath obserued by a disiunction after this manner Come not at Gilgall or sweare not the Lord liueth Now vnder this one perticular part of Gods seruice by an Psal 63. 11. oath is comprehended his whole worship as also it is taken Psalm 63. 11. And so generally they are here forbidden to make any manner of mixture and composition betweene idolatrie and any part of Gods true worship So that the 1 King 18. Lord requireth of them the same thing which Elias required afore times of the Israelits 1 King 18. If Baal be God serue him but if Iehouah be God serue him that is you are Psal 50. 16. Math. 6. 4. Eze. 20. 39. 40. at your choyse whether yee will serue but the Lord will no longer indure that you should halt betweene both So Psal 50. 16. Math. 6. 4. Ezech. 20. 39. 40. The doctrines And thus much concerning the meaning of the words The Lord vseth the meanes of our conuersion vntill our estate is desperate The doctrines which doe hence arise are diuers First vve may here obserue that as the Lord giueth ouer those whose estate is desperate and incurable to runne on in the headlong course of sinne to their destruction So contrariwise where there remayneth the least shew of hope hee neuer forsaketh his people but vseth all meanes to bring them to Repentaunce that they may bee saued An example hereof wee haue in this place for when the people of Israell were past cure hee causeth his Prophet to labour with the men of Iuda for their reformation who were not so deepely sunke in rebellion So when neyther the heauenly Sermons nor wonderfull Miracles of Iesus Christ would draw the Iewes to repentance hee causeth the Apostles to preach the Gospell to the Gentiles that they at least might bee gathered to his Church and that hereby in an holy emulation the Iewes also might bee converted to the Faith So although the Land of Iuda vvas exceedingly defiled with sin so as from the crowne of the head vnto the sole of the foote there was nothing sound in this polliticke body yet doth hee when they professed open emnitie call them to a parley offering vnto them reasonable conditions of Peace namely that if they would turne vnto him by vnfained repentance hee would make their scarlet sinnes as white as snow Esay 1. 18. Esay 1. 18. Now the cause hereof is not in any desert of sinners who hauing already by their sinnes prouoked Gods fierce wrath rather merit his heauie punishments but in the Lord himselfe who is of such infinite mercy that he desireth not the destruction but the conversion of sinners would haue all men to bee saued and come to true knowledge and vnfayned repentance as appeareth Ezech. 33. 11. 1 Tim. 2. 4. Ezech. 33. 11. 1 Tim. 2. 4. And to this purpose hee sendeth his Prophets to call them and multiplyeth his benefits to allure them and also visiteth their sinnes with gentle chastisements that hee may reclayme them yea and after they haue long had these meanes of conversion the Lord in infinite patience is content to wayte their leasure as it is Esay 30. 18. and neuer Esay 30. 18. bringeth vtter destruction till there
of the abstruse depth and obscure difficultie therof it doth as much as any other stand in need of explanation In handling whereof I haue chiefely endeuoured to cleare the text from all obscuritie and hauing laid open and discouered the hidden treasures therein contained to communicate and applie them to the inriching of all those who are willing to receiue them by their reading and meditation The which my labours I desired should come forth into publike view vnder your Lordships patronage and protection in respect of that great loue which you haue shewed to learning and religion euen from your tender youth For howsoeuer you were descended of a noble house and from parents of great worth and worship yet you made choice of a schollers life and of the profession of a Minister of the Gospell which howsoeuer it is in it selfe a calling most honorable and best replenished with happie contentment yet is it so contemned and vnder valued by the world worldly men that many much your inferiours both in birth and meanes do thinke this profession a great disparagement to their state and credit The which also would haue discouraged you from entring into this calling had you not with eyes spiritually illightned beheld the inward dignitie and glorie thereof through the ragged vaile of worldly contempt And as your loue to learning moued you to enter into this profession so the same loue incited you to take such extraordinary paines in your studies that I may truely say vpon mine owne knowledge being a poore member of that Colledge whereof you were once a chiefe ornament that scarce any of the poorest schollers who had no other meanes but learning to aduance either state or credit did goe before you in vnwearied paines and industrious labour The which your diligent studies the Lord so prospered with his blessing that the plentifull haruest answered and surmounted the greatest expectation which could bee had of such an hopefull seede time insomuch that in the iudgement of the most iudicious Vniuersity you were thought fit for the greatest honour which it could yeeld vnto any before the ordinary time which you preuented not onely by noblenesse of birth but also through sufficiencie and desert and since haue been thought the meetest by our Soueraigne King who is best able to iudge of those gifts wherein himselfe excelleth to bee his assistant in his most learned studies and after manifold experience of your great sufficiencie to be aduanced vnto one of the chiefe preferments which our land affordeth to those whose gifts are of greatest eminency whereby you who haue alwaies been a louer of learning are now enabled to be a chiefe patrone of the learned Of all which I now put you in minde not in base flatterie which the searcher of hearts knoweth my soule detesteth nor to angle your affection by casting before you the bait of your owne praises but rather to admonish you of your dutie towards God which worldly prosperitie causeth vs too often to forget namely that with your whole endeuour you seeke to honour him who hath thus highly honoured you and to imploy those rich talents of learning authoritie honour and fauour with your Soueraigne which your great master hath bestowed on you to the aduancement of Gods glorie and the good of his Church ouer a part whereof you are now made a steward and ouerseer Otherwise howsoeuer these gifts may adorne you in this life in the eyes of worldly men yet they will not profit you in the life to come but rather the greatnesse of your receits will inlarge the bill of your accounts in that great and last audit which you must make in the presence of God and his holy Angels More especially I entreate your Lordship to labour that in all places where you haue any authoritie and iurisdiction God may be glorified in the propagation of his truth and in the diligent preaching of his Gospell which is the spirituall sword and scepter of his kingdome whereby hee raigneth and ruleth in the hearts of men and to this end that as much as in you lieth you will endeauour to plant vnder you a godly learned and faithfull ministerie who may instruct the people committed to their charge in the true religion of Iesus Christ and to countenance and patronize them being placed against wicked Atheists prophane worldlings and idolatrous Papists that so vnder the shade of your protection they may comfortablie persist in the painfull worke of their ministrie and be sheltered from the scorching furie of all opposers So shal the Lord inlarge his mercies more and more towards you perpetuate vnto you an honorable name and memorie amongst his faithfull seruants in this life present and crowne you with endlesse glorie and immortalitie amongst his holy Saints in the life to come Your Lordships in the Lord to be commanded IOHN DOWNAME TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHristian Reader although the world is alreadie so full of Bookes that a man may spend his whole time in reading titles and inscriptions yet are there but few amongst this multitude in our English tongue which containe sound expositions of the bookes of holie Scriptures which are appointed by God to be the obiect of our faith and the rule and directorie of our life and manners In consideration whereof as I did in the generall thinke that no man can better spend his labours then in expounding and cleering these holie and hidden mysteries so more particularly that it should be a profitable and acceptable labour to explaine the Prophecie of Hosea which as it is exceeding obscure and not by any that I know of expounded in our tongue so also when it is vnderstood most excellent and of singular vse for these times And therefore relying my selfe vpon Gods assistance I haue vndertaken this hard taske and by his blessing haue alreadie proceeded vnto the fifth Chapter In handling whereof I haue chiefly laboured to cleere this Scripture from all obscuritie and then to informe the Readers iudgement by such instructions as naturally arise out of the text and to reforme his affections life and conuersation by making thereof vse and application The which my labours I may truly say I only intended for the benefit of mine owne priuate charge and neuer thought of making them publike by the presse till I had finished the three first Chapters when as being perswaded by some of my friends to set them out for the good of others I began to resolue vpon this course yet with a purpose not to diuulge any part till the whole were finished But he who is at the charge of printing this booke herein ouerruled me perswading me to publish my readings vpon these Chapters first for a taste of the rest Vnto which motion I haue condescended with a purpose to take the like paines in those Chapters which remaine by the assistance of God if I shall in the meane while perceiue that this part findeth good acceptation and shall be thought profitable by
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
were tyrannicall vsurpers to wit Zachariah Shalem Menahem Pekahiah Pekah and as it is very probable in the daies also of Hosheah but mention is made of him that light might be giuen to the Cronologie that it might appeare how long Hosea prophecied as we shall shew afterwards The causes why mention is here made of the raigne of these Kings are First to shew the certaintie of this prophecy in that the particular time wherin it was deliuered is specified Secondly because in Cronologies no fitter course can be taken for the numbring of times and yeares wherein things were done then by the raignes of Kings because the time by this meanes is better obserued and remembred Kings raignes and the things done by them being often repeated in common discourse Thirdly because it giueth light vnto the vnderstanding of the prophecie by hauing recourse to the historie of these Kings where vnderstanding their disposition life actions wee may thereby guesse at the state and condition of the Regis ad exemplem totus componitur orbis times and people ouer whom they raigned seeing the subiect either for feare or fauour vsually imitateth and conformeth himselfe to the nature disposition and behauiour of his Prince Fourthly that it might appeare that these prophecies were not deliuered for priuate ends and respects but for the publike vse and profite as well of their people as of their Princes that all with one accord both by Gods sweete promises and seuere threatnings might bee brought vnto true repentance Lastly that we might know how long the Lord vsed the constant ministerie of his Prophet in mouing the people to How long Hosea prophecied forsake their sinnes before he would inflict the punishments which they deserued the which may be gathered out of this Cronologie of the raigne of these Kings of Iuda and Israel For Vzziah who is called also Azariah raigned two and fiftie yeares in whose raigne hee beganne to prophecie and lest we should thinke that hee beganne to prophecie in the latter end of his raigne he addeth also that hee prophecied in the daies of Ieroboam who raigned one and forty yeares ouer Israel 2. King 14. 23. And in the seuen and twenty yeare of his raigne began Vzziah to raigne ouer Iuda 2. King 15. 2. King 14. 23. 1. So that if we reckon but from the last yeere of Ieroboam it 2. King 15. 1. will appeare that Hosea prophecied in the time of Vzziah thirty seuen or almost thirty eight yeares to these if wee adde the time of Iothams raigne which was sixteene yeeres 2. King 15. 33. And of Ahaz which was sixteene yeeres more 2. King 16. 2. it commeth in all to 69. or 70. yeares 2. King â—â— 33. 2. King 16. â— Now it is likely seeing mention is made of Ieroboam and Hezekiah that hee prophecied also in some part of their raigne and according to Ieromes iudgement he prophecied fiue yeares vnder the raigne of Ezechias For as hee saith of him he did foresee the future and bewailed the present destruction of the Kingdome of Israel which was effected by Salmanasser in the sixt yeare of Ezechias raigne To all which time if wee adde some yeeres of Ieroboams raigne it will amount in all almost to eighty yeeres For whereas some imagine that the yeeres of Iothams raigne are to be numbred with the yeeres of his father Vzziah because in his time he being strucken with leprosie Iotham gouerned in his fathers stead it is very probable that besides this time he raigned after his fathers death sixteene yeeres For it is not said that he raigned as King while his father liued but that hee gouerned his fathers house and ruled the people of the land 2. King 15. 5. 2. Chronicles 26. 21. Namely as Vice-roy or his fathers Lieuetenant or Deputie 2. King 15. 5. 2. Chro. 26. 21 The doctrines which we hence gather are diuers First we Gods mercy in affording to his people the meanes of saluation may obserue Gods infinite mercy towards this people of Israel who before he would destroy them as their sinnes deserued he continued this and other of his Prophets ministery for a long time together to the end that they might be turned vnto him by true repentance and so escape his iust iudgements threatned Of this mercy we haue the like example in the daies of Noah before the captiuity of Iuda and the vtter destruction of Ierusalem in the times of Christ and his Apostles and in our owne daies Secondly we may obserue the obstinate wickednes and inflexible obduratenesse of this people who notwithstanding The hardnes of the peoples hearts this mercy of God and meanes of their conuersion continued in their sinnes without repentance The which obstinacie and rebellion is not proper vnto them but common with vs in these times wherein we stubbornely refuse the like or greater mercy and make no profitable vse of far greater meanes which God hath giuen vs for our conuersion But if we continue in the hardnesse of our hearts let vs not expect or hope for immunitie of punishment for as in the time of this Prophet after the people had long contemned Gods mercy he brought vpon them his fearefull iudgements so will he deale with vs c. The vse which we are to make hereof is that seeing our hearts are so hard and inflexible we doe not onely labour to bruise them by the hammer of Gods word and by applying vnto them the threatnings of the Law but seeing this is not sufficient in respect of their more then adamantine hardnesse we are often to implore the assistance of Gods holy Spirit for that onely is that precious oyle whereby they are suppled softned and made plyable to Gods will Thirdly we may heare obserue the painefull diligence The patience and diligence of our Prophet and vnwearied patience of the Prophet who for the space of so many yeeres continued his laborious ministerie and that not with a religious and obedient people which might haue yeelded vnto him some comfort and incouragement when as he did see the fruit of his labours but with an idolatrous and stiffe necked nation who scorned and despised his ministery The vse hereof serueth to stirre vs vp to follow his example in our seuerall places and callings though they seeme tedious and toilesome vnto vs especially Gods Ministers haue here a patterne of diligence and painefulnesse for their imitation which that they may imbrace and follow they are often to call to minde the recompence of reward promised Dan. 12. 3. Dan. 12. 3. So likewise the hearers of Gods word may here learne patiently to harken to the word of exhortation and reprehension and not to waxe wearie and tired though Gods Ministers doe for many yeares together inueigh against their sinnes and denounce Gods iudgements due vnto them as the custome of many is who though they be neuer wearie of sinning yet they are presently weary of
Vers 2 Lord said vnto Hosea Go take vnto thee a wife of fornications and children of fornications for the land hath committed great whoredome departing from the Lord. In this verse is contained the Lords commandement and the reason thereof In the commandement is set downe 1. The time or order 2. The commander 3. The person vnto whom the commandement is directed 4. The thing commanded The time or order in these words At the beginning The expositiō At the beginning which some expound that the Lord first spake vnto this Prophet before he spake vnto any of the rest and sent him to prophecie vnto the people before any of the other Prophets But this being generally vnderstood is not true seeing before he had spoken to many as to Abraham Noah Elias Elizeus c. And if more particularly we vnderstand it of the Prophets of his time whose writings are extant it is not probable that Hosea was first but rather Ionas who prophecied in the beginning of Ieroboams raigne and did foretell all his famous victories as appeareth 2. King 14. 25. 2. King 14. 25. whereas it is very likely that Hosea prophecied not vntill the latter end vnlesse we would say that he prophecied 100. yeares for so much it is almost from the beginning of Ieroboams raigne to the beginning of Ezechias And moreouer it is heere said vers 4. that the iudgements threatned by Hosea should within a little while be inflicted which was not in Ieroboams raigne but in his sonnes and those who succeeded him These words therefore are rather thus to be vnderstood that this was the beginning of the Lords speech vnto Hosea or that the Lord thus began his speech vnto Hosea when he called him to be his Embassadour vnto the people and this the Hebrew text will well beare for it may as well be translated thus The beginning of the Lords speech as at the beginning the Lordspake seeing the word may indifferently be either noune or verbe The Commander is Iehouah who doth not speake vnto The Lord spake to Hosea the people immediately by his owne voice but by his Prophet Hosea the word in the originall signifieth that the Lord spake in Hosea which some expound that the Lord spake vnto Hosea some that he spake with Hosea some that he spake by Hosea but somewhat more is here to be vnderstood namely that he so spake by him as that also he spake in him prompting him as it were by his Spirit what hee should deliuer from him to the people In the first verse it is said that the word of the Lord came to Hosea by which we are to vnderstand not onely that the Lord barely spake vnto the Prophet for so the Lord also speaketh to all whom he instructeth by his word but that he spake vnto him immediately by himselfe and not as vnto an ordidary man but as vnto his Prophet whom he sent as his ambassadour vnto the people with his word in his mouth which he was to deliuer vnto them as in Gods owne person Here it is said that the Lord spake not onely to him and by him for he spake also by Balaams Asse vnto his Master vsing him as his instrument to reproue the Prophets folly but also that he spake in him because the Spirit of God dwelling in him directed his tongue so that he deliuered nothing according to his owne inuentions but the pure word of God The like phrase is vsed 2. Sam. 23. 2. Haba 2. 1. Heb. 1. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Sam. 23. 2. Habbac 2. 1. 2. Cor. 13. 3. Matth. 10. 20. 2. Cor. 13. 3. Seeing ye haue experience of Christ that speaketh in me Matth. 10. 20. For it is not you that spake but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you By all which places it appeareth that God dwelling in his Prophets Apostles and Ministers by his holy Spirit doth vse them as his instruments in his owne stead to deliuer his word vnto his people In the words following he addeth That the Lord said vnto Hosea which hath relation vnto the speciall commandements which ensue So that here is somewhat more to be vnderstood then was expressed in the first verse namely that the Lord did not onely speake vnto the Prophet generally but that hee thus spake after this speciall manner as followeth And this is the meaning of the first wordes of this verse the summe whereof is this that the Lord when as he called Hosea to be a Prophet put his word into him and spake in him and by him as his Ambassadour who represented his owne person and for the beginning of his speech caused him to vse the words following vnto the people Now let vs come to the doctrines and instructions which arise out of these words First here we obserue that before The do ∣ ctrines the Lord sendeth Hosea to speake vnto the people he first speaketh vnto the Prophet and putteth his ambassage into God furnisheth all whom he sendeth on his Embassage his mouth preparing and fitting him vnto this great worke vnto which he called him From whence we learne that all who are called of God to the worke of the ministery are first by him so furnished with the gifts of his Spirit that they are in some good sort enabled to deliuer Gods word and message vnto the people And this is apparant through the whole course of the Scriptures for those who were after an extraordinarie manner called were also extraordinarily furnished for this worke as the Prophets and Apostles those who had an ordinary calling were prepared by ordinarie meanes as in the schooles of the Prophets as the vse also is still amongst vs at this day Whereby it appeareth that those blinde guides and dumbe Ministers which in these times abound were not sent of God for if an earthly Prince will not make choyce of an ignorant and speechlesse Ambassadour much lesse will God infinitely wise make choyce of such messengers especially considering that hee is in himselfe able to furnish any whom he sendeth with sufficiency of gifts fit for that calling vnto which he calleth them Secondly we may obserue that the Prophet doth not enter into the worke of his Calling before he is after a speciall An outward Calling necessary for Ministers manner sent from God although hee was furnished with gifts and had his minde illuminated by the Lord speaking to him and in him From whence we learne that we are not to thrust our selues into this Calling though wee had great knowledge and learning vnlesse we be first called and sent by God which extraordinarily was done by God himselfe to the Prophets and Apostles immediately and ordinarily by the Church or those which by the Churches consent are appointed for this purpose For though Christ had instructed his Apostles yet they preach not till he sendeth them Matth. 10. 5. Though Iohn the Baptist was strong in the spirit Matth. 10. 5. yet he
remained in the wildernesse as a priuate man till the appointed time came that he should shew himselfe vnto Israel Luke 1. 8. Yea though our Sauiour Christ had the Spirit Luke 1. 8. of God and the gifts thereof without measure yet he executed not his publike ministery till the day which God had appointed came and til he was prepared thereunto by his fortie daies fast Matth. 4. None of the Pastors and Doctors Matth. 4. might take vpon them to discharge the works of those callings till they were allowed of the Church by the imposition of hands 1. Tim. 4. 14. 5. 22. Those therefore which are Gods true Prophets as they are furnished with gifts so they 1. Tim. 4. 15. and 5. 22. haue Gods speciall warrant and calling before they vndertake the execution of their office And contrariwise to speake before God sendeth is a note of a false Prophet as appeareth Ier. 23. 21. I haue not sent these Prophets saith the Lord yet they ranne I haue not spoken to them yet they prophecied Ier. 23. 21. 14. 13. 27. 15. 28. 8 9. Gods loue to his Prophets Ier. 14. 13 14. 27. 15. 28. 8 9. Thirdly we may obserue that before the Lord executed those punishments vpon the people which their sinnes deserued he first reuealeth his will vnto his Prophets Whence we learne Gods speciall loue towards them and their dignitie in that the Lord maketh choyce of them to be as it were his priuie counsellers without whose knowledge he will do no worke of great importance according to that Amos 3. 7. Amos 3. 7. The Lord will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secret to his seruants the Prophets The practise whereof wee may see towards Abraham Gen. 18. 17. Gen. 18. 17. Fourthly whereas the Lord vseth the ministerie of his The benefit of the ministerie to both Teachers and people Prophet for the manifestation of his will hereby he declareth his great mercy and goodnesse both to the Prophets and people to the Prophets in that he vouchsafeth them this dignitie to be his Ambassadours and Ministers of our reconciliation with God and eternall saluation which office belonged also to his most dearely beloued Sonne In which respect the Apostle saith that they were co-workers with Christ 2. Cor. 6. 1. To the people to whom he appointeth the ministerie 2 Cor. 6. 1. of man like vnto themselues because in respect of their sinne and corruption they could not indure the glorious voice of God vnlesse this glorious maiestie were as it were veiled and shadowed with the ministery of man as appeareth by their suit made vnto God Exod. 20. 19. The which is graciously granted Deu. 18. 16 17. And because we could Exod. 20. 19. Deu. 18. 16. 17 not conceiue and vnderstand his glorious and most wise speech he hath appointed his Ministers that they like nurses in their childish and broken language which is most fit for our capacitie might instruct vs in the knowledge of Gods will Fiftly whereas it is said that the Lord speaketh in the Prophets we learne with what feare reuerence and attention Reuerence required in hearing the word we are to heare and receiue the word of God in that the Lord himselfe speaketh vnto vs by them and vseth their mouth and tongue as his instrument and as it were the interpreter of his minde as it is Luke 1. 70. And in that they are Gods Ambassadours representing vnto vs his person Luke 1. 70. and in Christs stead bring vnto vs the glad tydings of the Gospell and of our reconciliation with God 2. Cor. 5. 20. 2. Cor. 5. 20. Whom if wee receiue wee receiue Christ himselfe whom if we contemne wee contemne not man but the euerliuing God as appeareth Luke 10. 16. Luke 10. 16. Lastly whereas he sendeth the Prophet with special commandements Gods mercy in denouncing punishments to the people to shew vnto them their sinne and to denounce such punishments as by them they had deserued We are to obserue a double mercy of God towards his Church For first before he will punish them hee giues them warning that by their repentance they might preuent his iudgements threatned And secondly if they went forward in their sinnes till the punishments were inflicted they might then call to minde who punished them to the end that then at the least they might forsake their sinnes and turne vnto the Lord by true repentance that so hee might haue mercy vpon them Where as otherwise such is our corruption they would neuer looke vnto the hand of God correcting them nor consider the cause of their punishment but ascribe all either to chance fortune or to some inferiour cause and so goe forward in their sinnes to their destruction And so much concerning the commander and the person Goe take vnto this a wife of fornications commanded Now wee are to speake of the commandement it selfe which is inioyned vnto the Prophet which is that he should goe and take vnto him a wife of fornications c. where first we are to cleare that question of great difficultie which hath troubled many namely whether the Whether Hosea was commanded actually to marrie an harlot or but in vision only Lord inioyned the Prophet indeede and truth to take to wise an infamous harlot or whether it were a vision onely and to be propounded by the Prophet by way of parable to the people Many thinke that it was inioyned by the Lord to be done indeede and that it was accordingly performed actually to which iudgement they are moued by the outward letter of the text And amongst these expositors are generally the Papists whose custome is to expound things done by allegories and allegories and parables as things done though innumerable absurdities follow thereupon But that this was onely shewed to the Prophet by vision and inioyned that by way of parable he should declare it to the people it appeareth plainely by these reasons First because God commandeth nothing which is contrarie Reasons prouing that the Prophets mariage was onely in vision to honestie the law of nature and good manners but that the Prophet of God should marrie with an infamous and common harlot is contrarie to all these and therefore God did not command it actually to be done but onely by way of parable But against this is obiected that God commanding it it becommeth honest and lawfull I answere that this is to beg that which is in question neither doth God command euill and vnlawfull things that so they may become good and honest but his will being the rule of goodnesse and iustice doth onely command things good and iust and therfore they are so to be esteemed because not onely they are good and iust in their owne nature but also because he willeth and commandeth them But it is further vrged that God commanded the Israelites to spoile the Egyptians of their gold siluer iewels
the third place is set downe the sinne for which the Lord The exposition threatneth to visit in these words The blood of Iizreel The which words of diuers men are diuersly expounded but leauing to set downe all mens iudgements because many of them haue little likelihood of trueth I will onely propound two which seeme most probable Some thinke that by the blood of Iisreel is vnderstood the slaughter of Achabs familie and posterity Iesabel Ioram and his seuenty sonnes which were all destroyed by Iehu Others imagine this cannot be the meaning of the words because this was an action commanded by God 2. King 9 6 7 8. and commended in Iehu after it was by him performed and by God rewarded 2. King 10. 30. and done by Iehu in zeale of Gods glory as he professeth 2. King 10. 16. And therefore they rather 2. King 9 6 7. 2. King 10. 30. 2. King 10. 16. thinke that by Iisreel here is vnderstood not the Citie or valley of Iisreel but the people of Israel which by Iehu and his posteritie were continued in their grosse idolatrie and so made obnoxious to the iudgements of God and their destruction And this exposition doth the rather please them First because the name Iisreel signifieth the seede of God and therefore may be taken for the people of Issreel as appeareth Exodus chap. 4. verse 22. And secondly Exod. 4. 22. because the name blood is taken sometime for destruction either temporall or eternall of bodie or soule So Ezech. 3. 5. Chap. 33. 6. Thirdly because some Greeke Ezech. 3. 5. Chap. 33. 6. copies reade it Israel and not Iisrael and those which reade it Iisrael haue prefixed before it an article not of the feminine Gender but of the masculine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnderstanding thereby not the citie of Iisrael but the people of Israel Lastly because the same word Iisrael vsed Hos 2. 22. is by Hos 2. 22. all vnderstood of the people of Israel and not of the citie And this is the first exposition which hath in it great likelihood and probabilitie without any absurditie or great force offered vnto the text Which if we imbrace there ariseth from it this doctrine that kings are guiltie of the destruction Doct. of those who are vnder their gouernment if How princes are accessarie to the sinnes of the people by their authoritie commandement or example they draw their people from the seruice of the only true God to commit idolatrie and therefore in the day of Gods visitation he wil require their bloud at the princes hands and will seuerely punish them not onely for their owne sinnes but for the sinnes of the people into which they haue been either drawne by their authoritie or allured by their example Others as I said expound these words of the slaughter of Achabs familie and posteritie Iezabel Ioram Ahabs 70. Exposition sons Ahaziah and 42. of his brethren wherein they follow the plaine historie and the manifest words of the text without any change and alteration Which as I take it is the rather to bee imbraced for where the exposition is according to the plaine words of the text agreeing with the circumstances thereof the analogie of faith the rest of the Scriptures and containeth nothing improbable or absurd there it is to bee giuen and receiued without anie further search for one further fetched mysticall and hidden Yea but will some say this fact of Iehues was commanded of God to be done and commended and rewarded when it was done and therefore it is not likely that God would punish him and his posteritie for it I answer that we are to consider in this fact two things the outward fact it selfe and Iehues doing of it The outward fact it selfe was good and inioyned by God himselfe as a iust reuenge taken vpon Achab for his tyranny murther idolatry and other outrages by him committed and in respect hereof Iehu is commended and rewarded because he was Gods minister and instrument in performing a worke in it selfe commendable and acceptable vnto God But in respect of Iehu his doing of it it was wicked and vnlawfull for he did it not in the sinceritie and vprightnesse of his heart but with a corrupt minde poisoned with ambition as appeareth 2. King 10. 31. He did 2. King 10. 31. it not in zeale of Gods glory as he falsely boasted but his maine end was his owne aduancement which when he had attained vnto hee vtterly neglected the glory of God and grieuously dishonoured him by his grosse Idolatry He did not doe it in obedience to Gods commandement for then he would haue made conscience of the rest which hee transgressed resting and contenting himselfe like an hypocrite in this one outward act he did not doe it in detestation of Achabs sinne but for selfe-loue for hee continued in the same idolatry and although he destroyed Baals Priests and house yet following Ieroboams policie hee worshipped the golden calues in Dan and Bethel whereby he cleerely shewed that al he did was not in hatred of idolatry but for his worldly aduantage He did not when he was seated in the kingdome labour to restore Gods pure worship and seruice for which end and purpose he was stirred vp of God to destroy Achabs posterity but hauing satisfied his ambitious desire he laboured to confirme the kingdome to himselfe and his posterity by following Ieroboams policie and liuing in his Idolatry withholding his people from going to worshippe the Lord in his Temple at Ierusalem which was the place appointed by God for his publike seruice lest they should againe adioyne themselues to the house of Dauid So that hee onely made shew of religion and zeale whilest it stood with his owne worldly benefit but when it but seemed to crosse that he shooke handes with all and became an Apostate Howsoeuer therefore the fact as it was commanded by God was good and lawfull and in respect hereof was rewarded of God who will not let any shew of good goe vnrecompenced that hee may not onely heereby stop the mouthes of the wicked but also giue certaine assurance vnto his children that he will much more reward their true and sincere obedience yet if we respect with what mind and purpose it was performed by Iehu it was nothing but ambitious rebellion and cruell murther which therefore at the hands of God who respecteth not so much the outward action as the sincerity of the heart the inward obedience of his commandement the causes and ends of our actions it was sharpely and iustly punished The doctrines which from hence we learne are these First that wee doe not content our selues with outward workes Doctrines good in their owne nature and inioyned by God for vnlesse ther What is required to the doing of a good worke circumstances doe concurre they will be wicked and odious in Gods sight First therefore being assured that we do that which God hath commanded
off either by death or conspiracies treasons and seditions the state and kingdome is miserably turmoiled with ciuill warres tumults murthers and massacres wherewith being weakned it is laid open as a prey to the forraigne enemie as it notably appeareth in this present example of Iehu and his successours The like whereof this land hath had experience of in the time of those ciuill disscensions betweene Yorke and Lancaster Whereby it further appeareth that it is farre better for a State to be gouerned by a succession of Princes which are not of the best sort then that there should be an anarchy which is accompanied with ciuill warres tumults murthers and innumerable mischiefes seeing the most tyrannicall gouernment doth not subiect a State to such and so great euils Iehu and his posterity were wicked and idolatrous Princes but whilest the succession was continued in his house the Common-wealth in some sort flourished but after that by treason Zachariah was slaine then their land was miserably afflicted with ciuill warres the fruitfull mother of all misery And therefore a wise people after the succession is established will indure many iniuries oppressions and insolencies at their Princes hands rather then they will by treason and rebellion seeke their ouerthrow seeing the destruction of the Prince is vsually accompanied with the ruine of the kingdome The vse which we are to make hereof is this that with thankfull hearts and bended knees we praise the Lord who when we were in danger of all these miseries hath establishshed the kingdome by giuing vnto vs a religious Prince who hath confirmed our peace and continued the Gospell vnto vs and hath not onely giuen vs assurance of these benefits for his owne time but also by Gods blessing seemeth to promise the continuance hereof by the establishment of succession in his royall posteritie The third obiect of punishment is the whole Common-wealth and people of Israel in these words v. 5. And at that day I wil breake the bow of Israel in the vally of Iizreel The meaning wherof is this By that day we are to vnderstad the The exposition day of Gods visitation when as the measure of the peoples sinne being full and come to ripenes hee would not onely ouerthrow Iehues posteritie and the state of the kingdome but also bring the like destruction vpon the whole Commonwealth and bodie of the people By breaking of the bow we are to vnderstand the defeating and subuerting of their whole power by a vsuall synecdoch of the part for the whole so Psalm 44. 6. I trust not in my Psalm 44. 6. 1. Sam. 2. 4. bowe So that it is as much as if hee had said that he would destroy and ouerthrow al their munition warlicke furniture and prouision yea all their power and strength in whatsoeuer it consisted so as they should not bee able to resist their enemies From whence we learne first that although Princes and Doctrines superiours shall be most seuerely punished because they haue not onely sinned themselues but also by their authority The subiect is not acquitted when his Prince leadeth him into sinne and example haue drawne and allured their inferiours into like wickednes yet the subiects who haue obeyed their lawfull authority in vnlawful things and haue followed their example in euill shall not be excused but as they haue been partakers with them in their sinnes so likewise they shall be partakers with them in their punishments For if authority be an argument to preuaile with them then the authority of God which is supreme should be of greater force to continue them in holy obedience then the authority of man to draw them to sinne if examples doe strongly allure and perswade then the example of God himselfe and of Iesus Christ should more forcibly restraine vs from sinne then of the greatest Prince in the world to intice vs to commit it The vse hereof is that we be not forced with any humane authority to fall into sinne for when they haue done their worst they can but kill the body and blessed are they who chuse rather to giue their liues dearest blood then to pollute their consciences with knowne wickednesse for by sinning against God they prouoke his wrath against them who is able to destroy the body and after to cast body and soule into eternall torments Matth. 10. 28. Secondly we may obserue what was the estate of this Matth. 10. 28. kingdome when this threatning was denounced by the Prophet No strength can vphold that State which sinne pulleth down namely so strong flourishing and prosperous that the people feared nothing lesse then such approching destruction for they abounded at this time in multitude munition walled townes and strong holds they had prosperous successe against their enemies and had obtained many famous victories so that now they were lulled asleepe in deepe security fearing no danger and yet at this time God threatneth and soone after bringeth vpon them sudden destruction Whence we learn that there is no strength nor power which will vphold any State when the sinnes thereof pull downe Gods iudgements vpon it And therefore farre be it from vs to trust in our owne multitude power and munition and so to be mooued and incouraged thereby to goe on in our sinnes for the Lord can easily breake the bowe and turne all humane strength into weakenesse so that when it seeming greatest we trust therein it shall most faile and deceiue vs. And so much for the subiect of the punishment In the last place is set downe the place where this punishment should Exposition principally be inflicted namely in the vally of Iizreel which was a spatious plaine ten miles in length situated by the Hierome Citie Iizreel and extended it selfe neere vnto Samaria where in a battaile fought between the Assyrians and the Israelites the people of Israel were ouerthrowne Where first wee may obserue that they were not ouercome in a strange Country or in some place of disaduantage Doctrine but in the very heart of their kingdome where their Worldly helpes vaine when God opposeth chiefe strength consisted wherein they put such great confidence Whence we learne how vaine the best worldly helpes are when God opposeth himselfe against any people c. Which should teach vs in our most flourishing estate not to trust in our owne power and strength but to rest vpon Gods prouidence and promised assistance which will neuer faile vs. Secondly as the Lord by ouerthrowing them in this chiefe place of their strength did teach them the vanity of their We must be admonished by the example of others selfe-confidence so doth he hereby iustly and fitly punish an other sinne of theirs namely the neglect of his former iudgements for in this valley the Lord had brought a fearefull destruction vpon the family of Ahab for their grosse idolatry of which the Israelites should haue made profitable vse by flying their sinnes lest they should be
weake and in want of all things but want of misery Secondly because he was a Prophet sent not to the Iewes but to the Israelites he doth not meddle with their sinnes which were many nor denounceth Gods iudgements against them but leauing that to their owne Prophets he applieth himselfe to his owne people by all meanes seeking to humble and bring them to true repentance and because this promise of saluation and mercy vnto the Iewes was effectuall to this purpose therefore he reciteth it that their hearts being wounded with griefe and emulation and their pride and insolency being beaten downe they might in some sort be prepared for true repentance And thus much for the vnderstanding of the first point The doctrines which from hence we learne are these First Doctrines That in common calamities God hath aspeciall care ouer the faithfull that when the Lord exerciseth his iudgements vpon the wicked he hath in the meane time a speciall care of the preseruation of those that feare and serue him to deliuer them out of the middest of common calamities as appeareth in this place for though he suffered the people of Israel to be ouerthrowne by their enemies yet he so curbeth them in with the strong raine of his prouidence that they could not enter into the next bordring countrie of Iuda whom they hated with equall malice albeit they were much fewer in number and weaker in power and in outward appearance altogether vnable to make any resistance And this is manifest by many such examples of like deliuerances out of common euils So was Noah preserued in the common deluge Lot in the destruction of Sodom the Israelites from the plagues of Egypt For the iust Iudge of heauen and earth will not destroy the iust with the wicked Gen. 18. 25. And the Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly out of tentation and to reserue the Gen. 18. 25. 2. Pet. 2. 9. vniust to be punished Secondly we here learne that though our sinnes be great Gods mercy to those that repent and our imperfections and corruptions manifold yet this will not withhold from vs the course of Gods mercies if we turne to God by repentance The Iewes were not much behinde the Israelites in rebellion idolatry and all wickednes and yet because they often forsooke their wicked waies either when they were admonished by Gods Prophets or exercised with afflictions and turned vnto God by true repentance therefore the Lord promiseth vnto them mercy and deliuerance whereas the Israelites who continued obstinately in their impenitency were giuen ouer of God to vtter destruction The like example we haue in Saul and Manasse Peter and Iudas and many others Thirdly we learne that it is a notable argument to moue the Lord to spare a people when as they maintaine amongst God spareth those who maintaine his pure worship though they be polluted with many corruptions them Gods pure and sincere worship and seruice notwithstanding they are polluted with many corruptions and imperfections but when as true religion is banished or despised when Gods sincere worship is neglected and idolatry and superstition erected this is a strong motiue to cause the Lord to powre downe his fearefull iudgements as appeareth in the example of the Israelites and the Iewes Whilest the wise continueth her loue and mariage fidelity towards her husband he is content to beare with many infirmities and to put vp many iniuries but if she violate her faith and place her loue vpon a stranger he is kindled with rage and iealousie and will neuer indure such intolerable wickednesse so whilest the Church which is Gods spouse continueth in her loue and obserueth her mariage promise that she will obey and respect him aboue all he is content to spare her though she be full of corruptions and imperfections but when she withdraweth her loue and setteth it vpon idols and disclaiming her promised obedience neglecteth his pure religiō sincere worship and seruice then will his iealousie burne like fire and his wrath wil suddenly breake forth and vtterly consume her being now no better then an adulterous harlot It is true indeed that where Gods true religion is established and his Gospell sincerely preached there if the people doe not liue according to their professiō bring forth the fruits thereof it will not priuiledge them from afflictions and punishments nay rather the Lord will first visit them because they are of his owne family as appeareth 1. Pet. 4. 17. Ier. 25. 29. Heb. 12. 6. Apoc. 3. 19. But these visitations are in 1. Pet. 4. 17. Ier. 25. 29. Heb 12 6. Apoc 3. 19. 1. Cor. 11. 32. mercy that by his fatherly chastisements he may reclaime them lest running on in their sinnes they should be condemned with the world as it is 1. Cor. 11. 32. But yet so long as they doe not withdraw their loue from God nor violate their faith by neglecting Gods true religion and his sincere worship and seruice and erecting idolatry and superstition the Lord will not vtterly forsake them nor altogether withdraw his mercy from them as we may see in the example of the Iewes and haue sufficiently learned by our owne experience Fourthly we here learne that no vice is more intolerable God abaseth the proud in Gods sight then when by our prosperity and Gods gratious and free benefits we be puffed so vp in pride and selfe-confidence that we despise oppresse and insolently insult auer those who are in affliction and misery For this was the cause which moued the Lord to withdraw his mercies and benefits from the Israelites when as they abused them to pride and to bestow them vpon the Iewes who were contemned and oppressed by them And thus much for the first point The second is the benefits promised to the house of Iuda first in generall that he Exposition will haue mercie vpon them secondly that he will in mercy saue and preserue them from their enemies In which benenefits promised there is a secret antithesis vnto the iudgement threatned against the house of Israel in the former verse they should bee lo-ruchamah such as should haue no mercie but the house of Iuda should bee ruchamah that is such as should obtaine mercie they should be vtterly taken away and neuer returne out of their captiuitie but these how they should also be led captiue yet they should continue but a while in their seruitude and at the end of 70. yeeres be againe restored into their owne countrie The which benefits promised were accordingly performed First in the daies of Ahaz when they were deliuered out of the hands of Rezin King of Aram and Pecah the sonne of Remaliah as it is Isai 7. 1. and also in the daies of Ezechias when as the Lord gaue vnto them a meruailous deliuerance by sending his Angell to destroy the host of Senacharib euen 185000. men as appeareth 2. King 18. and 2. King 18. 19. Esa 36. 37.
off as being a desperate cure and finally reiecteth them from being his Church and people Yet he doth not presently execute this last punishment after he had inflicted the former for after they were led into captiuitie and liued as captiues in the land of the Medes vnder the Empire and gouernment of the Assyrians they retained still amongst them some relicks of their owne manner of worship and vsed their ceremonies in their owne assemblies and in respect of this outward seruice and communion which was amongst them they had not altogether lost the name of Gods people but when as Deioce the first King of the Medes preuailed against the Assyrians they were driuen out of the countrie of the Medes and scattered into diuers parts of the world so as they could not any more assemble together nor exercise their owne worship nor vse their owne ceremonies And so mixing themselues in marriages with the Gentiles and imbracing their religion they were wholly excluded out of Gods couenant and losing both the name and priuiledges of the people of God were numbred amongst Pagans and infidels But here it may bee demanded how this can stand Obiection with Gods couenant made vnto the posteritie not only of Iuda but of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and how it can agree with the words following that the children of Israel should be as the sand of the sea c. I answer that howsoeuer the Answer Lord reiected the whole bodie and Common wealth of Israel generally considered yet not all and euery person amongst the Israelites for he had in this generall defection many who serued him in the sinceritie of their hearts and therefore in this common reiection he retaineth many as his people both in respect of the time present and future For many in that generall defection of the 10. Tribes vnder Ieroboam who hated idolatrie and imbraced the pure and sincere worship and seruice of God left their patrimonies and possessions in the kingdome of Israel and adioyned themselues to the house of Iuda as appeareth 2. Chron. 11. 13. 16. 2. Chro. 11. 13. 16. Some also in the reigne of Asa fel frō the Kingdom of Israel and subiected themselues vnto his gouernment when they saw that God was with him as it is 2. Chron. 15. 9. Diuers 2. Chron. 15. 9. others were vnited to Iuda in the reigne of Ezechias as appeareth 2. Chron. 30. 11. 18. 25. of which number though 2. Chron. 30. 11. 18. 25. some after the celebration of the Passeouer returned into their owne countrie yet it is verie likely that when the Prophets of God foretold their captiuitie when Gods religion was wholly reiected and prophaned and when the Assyrians made cruell warre against the kingdome of Israel both they and many more who beleeued Gods word in the mouth of his Prophets expected the execution of those punishments which were threatned against their countrie left their owne habitations and adioyned themselues to the kingdom of Iuda and were led captiue with them into Babylon and likewise with them returned out of their captiuitie as appeareth Ezra 2. Ezra 2. Moreouer God no doubt had his number amongst those who were led captiue by Salmanasser who though they lost the outward name of Gods people and the notes of a visible Church the purity of doctrine publikely preached and the right vse of the Sacraments publikely administred yet they wanted not the spirituall graces of his Spirit not were excluded out of his Church inuisible and howsoeuer they were reiected from the old couenant yet they had their part in the couenant of grace Lastly for the future time many of these who were scattered ouer the face of the earth after the comming and ascension of Christ were by the ministery of the Apostles and Gods Ministers conuerted to the faith and receiued together with the Gentiles into the couenant of grace and admitted as true subiects of Christs Kingdome And yet notwithstanding all this because the greatest number of the people who were led captiue remained in their impenitency it might bee said that Israel should be Lo-ammi none of Gods people the farre greater part giuing the denomination to the whole In the last place as he reiecteth them from being his people so he denieth himselfe to be their God therefore I will not be yours the Hebrew hath it I will not be vnto you the meaning is that he would not be their God which is not expressed but to be vnderstood by mutual relation So Ier. 11. 4. Jer. 11. 4. Ye shall be my people and I will be your God But he vseth this speech as being more emphaticall and doth not onely say vnto them that he would refuse to be their God but that he would not be vnto thē intimating thereby that they should haue no manner of part or interest in him nor any thing to doe with him for their benefit so that though his being giueth being and all goodnesse and happinesse to his creatures yet this should not profit them because he would not be vnto them c. As though he should say seeing you haue vngratefully abused my benefits and stubbornely contemned my iudgements and notwithstanding all the meanes I haue vsed to reclaime you ye continue in your rebellion security and hardnesse of heart forsaking me your gratious God and neglecting my pure worship and seruice and haue made choyce of false Gods and committed with them from time to time grosse idolatry therefore seeing you haue refused me I will likewise refuse you seeing you reiect me from being your God I will reiect you from being my people and howsoeuer my being being infinit in goodnesse deriueth vnto those that feare and serue me all happinesse yet it shall not be vnto you for your good and preseruation but rather as your sinnes deserue for your punishment and vtter destruction And so much for the meaning of the words Now we are to set downe such doctrines as do arise out of them The first The Do ∣ ctrines thing which here we obserue is that when the people of Israel were not reclaimed with the two former punishments God inflicteth more heauie punishments where lighter will not amend vs. the Lord goeth forward vnto the third which was farre more grieuous then both the other because they did not onely goe forward in their former wickednesse but also added this vnto the rest the neglect and contempt of Gods iudgements So that this physicke of Gods correction either worketh vpon the conscience and purgeth away the corruptions of sinne or if it haue no operation it maketh the party diseased worse then he was before and moueth the Lord our Physitian to administer a purgation of greater force And therefore let vs learne to make profitable vse of lesser punishments or else the Lord will inflict those which are more grieuous either till he haue amended or else destroyed vs. Examples hereof we haue in Pharaoh the Iewes and many others Secondly
we may obserue that the more heauy the iudgement is which is denounced the longer the Lord deferreth The greater the iudgement is the more loath the Lord is to inflict it to inflict it as though he were loth to vse extremities if mans wickednes did not deserue it and his iustice require it seeing lighter punishments will not preuaile When Iizreel was borne Lo-ruchamah was soone after conceiued but she conceiueth not Lo-amni whereby the vtter reiection of the people was signified before Lo-ruchamah was weaned all which time the Lord gaue them to make vse of his former iudgements and expected their amendment with admirable patience that he might not vtterly reiect them Wherein the Lord behaueth himselfe like vnto a good and tender-hearted Surgeon who leaueth no good meanes vnassayed before hee will cut off the member which is ill affected c. Thirdly we may note that before the Lord doth vtterly God taketh away his liuerie before he turne men out of his seruice reiect them from being his people he first weaneth them from the milke of his word and foode of his Sacraments debarring them of all their publike assemblies the meanes of his worship and seruice and taking from them all their priuiledges and prerogatiues which they inioyed whilest they were his people Like vnto Noble men who vpon the ill behauiour of their seruants first pull off their liuery before they turne them out of seruice not onely because they are vnworthy of any such credit or protection as it might cause vnto them but also because they should not by abusing themselues in such habits dishonour their Lords who haue reiected them Fourthly we may here obserue the greatnesse of this punishment That it is a fearefull punishment to be reiected from being Gods people which may be considered in the inestimable benefits whereof they were hereby depriued and in the intolerable euils and miseries into which they were plunged whilest Iehouah was their Lord and King they were vnder his protection and so secured from the danger of all enemies they were prouided for by his al-sufficient prouidence and therefore sure to want nothing indued with many noble titles prerogatiues and priuiledges as being his seruants children heires yea his spouse partakers of many vnualuable benefites temporall and spirituall his word Sacraments and such like and after a short time of their seruice here on earth they were assured to receiue for wages an immortall Crowne of glorie and eternall felicitie and happinesse in his Kingdome But as soone as they are cast out of his Kingdome and reiected from being his people they were stripped of those benefits exposed to the danger of their enemies sinne Satan and the world who speedily assault and easily ouercome all those who are out of Gods protection and so taking them captiue inthrall them in a miserable seruitude the wages whereof for the time present is misery horrour of conscience and desperation and in the life to come eternall death Rom. 6. 23. As therefore we iudge their case most wretched Rom. 6. 23. who hauing been the subiects and seruants of some gratious Prince vnder whom they haue inioyed all the benefits of a peaceable and well gouerned kingdome are for their crimes and misdemeanors banished into a Country in it selfe vncomfortable and amongst the middest of cruell enemies so and much more miserable is the state of those who are banished out of the kingdome of grace where is all good and felicitie and liue in the kingdome of Satan where is nothing but all woe and misery And this is that punishment which here is threatned Now let vs further consider vpon whom it is inflicted euen Gods former mercies priuiledge not a rebellious people from future iudgements vpon the people of Israel the chosen people of God vnto whom in former times he had bestowed innumerable benefits Whereby it appeareth that though a people haue in former times been partakers of neuer so great priuiledges and neuer so much inriched with Gods benefits though God haue made his outward couenant with them of his grace and the continuance of his fauour yet if they breake their couenant which interchangeably they haue made with God denying vnto him their obedience and liuing in all sin and wickednesse all this wil not priuiledge them from Gods fearefull punishments no not from finall reiection and destruction And therefore let vs not thinke it enough that God hath outwardly made his couenant with vs vnlesse it be also written in our hearts and we perform at least in our holy indeuour that part thereof which concerneth our selues for vnlesse we liue like his people and seruants he wil not acknowledge vs for such but will cast vs off as he did the Israelites Now the sinnes for which especially the Israelites were Idolatrie and impenitencie the cause of the peoples reiection reiected were first their grosse idolatrie whereby they had forsaken God and betaken themselues to the seruice of idols and secondly their obstinacie and impenitencie in their course of rebellion from which they would not be reclaimed neither by Gods bountifull benefits nor by his seuere threatnings nor yet by his chastisements and more grieuous punishments which first like a tender father and after like a iust Iudge he inflicted on them but rather grew worse and worse and more and more intolerable in their wickednesse For this is the last course and meanes which the Lord vseth for the conuersion of a sinner which when it will not preuaile he giueth them ouer as being past all help seeing they are past all grace If the skilfull surgeon find that healing salues are not fit to heale a deep festered wound he vseth drawing corrasiues and the lancher but if he seeth the part diseased notwithstanding all good and fit meanes vsed to be past cure he will no longer lose his labour and cost but cutteth it off The gratious Iudge when he hath for the offenders first fault giuen him some fatherly admonition or threatned some seuere punishment if he offend again he punisheth him with a whip or with a burning iron but if all these chastisements and punishments will not reclaime him he condemneth him to exile or death as being past hope of amendment And so the Lord when he seeth that neither the healing plaister of his gracious promises nor the sharpe corrasiue of his threatnings and punishments will cure a people of the deepe festered sores of sinne when hee seeth that neither admonition nor gentle chastisement nor seuerer punishment will restraine the sinner from outragious wickednesse then doth he cut and cast them off as men of a desperate estate and past all cure And this was the estate of the Israelites in this place and of the Iewes of whom the Lord complaineth Esa 1. 5. and of Pharaoh Saul Esa 1. 5. and many others The vse which we are to make hereof is that wee doe not neglect Gods mercifull visitations and fatherly corrections
rebellious Israelites which were the seed Answer of Abraham according to the flesh yet he would be as good as his promise which is to be vnderstood of the seede of Abraham not according to the flesh but according to the spirit that is both of the Israelites and also the Gentiles which should in great numbers be gathered into the Kingdome of Iesus Christ and be true members of his Church Secondly whereas the faithfull might haue been ouerwhelmed The multiplying of Gods Church by ioyning together the Iewes and Gentiles with sorrow and troubled with many doubtings when they heard of the vtter reiection of the Israelites as though the Church of God should thereby come to ruine the Prophet comforteth them and strengtheneth their saith against such doubtings by assuring them that the Lord would make good his promise concerning the multiplying of Abrahams seed as the starres of heauen and that this reiection of the rebellious Israelites should be so far from hindering of it that he would in his infinit wisedome make it an occasion of accomplishing his promise and multiplying his Church because in regard of his promise made to Abraham he would in the ministery of the Gospell by his Apostles and Ministers call into his Kingdome of grace first the Israelites and then by occasion of them the Gentiles amongst whom they were scattered and so of both the reliques of Abrahams posterity according to the flesh and of the beleeuing Gentiles his children according to the spirit he would multiply the number of his Church like vnto the stars of heauen and sands by the sea side in multitude But let vs come more particularly vnto the words of the text Yet the children c. Here the Prophet ioyneth those things which in their owne nature seeme to differ as though he should say The former threatnings which I haue denounced may seeme to contradict Gods promise made to Abraham concerning the multiplying of his seede but notwithstanding that the Lord will execute those iudgements which I haue denounced yet he is not vnmindfull of his promise but will though he cast off the rebellious Israelites multiply the true sonnes and children of Abraham consisting not onely of the beleeuing Israelites but also of the beleeuing Gentiles which by the preaching of the Gospell shall be conuerted vnto the faith and so adioyned to the Church as the starres of heauen and like the sands by the sea side in number And therefore the wicked Israelites haue no reason to insult in their security as though Gods Church could not stand if they fall but must needes be ouerthrowne in their ruine and as if God could not be true of his word vnlesse they were preserued and multiplied seeing the Lord in his infinite wisedome and power can of stones raise vp children vnto Abraham and of vnbeleeuing Gentiles make beleeuing Matth. 3. Christians Yet the number of the children of Israel c. By children of Israel we are to vnderstand the whole Church of God vnder the gouernment of Christ consisting of all beleeuers both Iewes Israelites and Gentiles For Israel in the Scriptures â— diuersly taken sometimes for the whole people which were the posterity of Iacob according to the flesh and sometimes for the ten Tribes alone and that both elect and reprobate beleeuers and vnbeleeuers sometimes it is taken for them onely who were Israelits according to the flesh by naturall generation and not according to the spirit borne by spirituall regeneration neither children of the promise made to Abraham because they were not indued with the faith of Abraham Of such the Apostle speaketh Rom. 9. 6. All are not Israel which are of Israel 7. Neither all children because Rom. 9. 6 7. they are of the seede of Abraham c. And 1. Cor. 10. 18. Behold 1. Cor. 10. 18. Israel which is after the flesh Of these the Prophet here speaketh not because they were not members of the Church of Christ but rather these are those whom in the former verses the Lord threatned to reiect and to withdraw all mercy from them Sometimes it is taken for those who like Nathaniel are true Israelites indeed both in regard of their naturall generation and also their spirituall regeneration the children of Abraham both because they issued out of his loynes and likewise because they were indued with his faith And of these Christ speaketh Matth. 10. 5. Goe not into the way of the Matth. 10. 5. 6. Gentiles 6. But rather to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel And Matth. 15. 24. Matth. 15. 24. Sometimes it is taken for those which are not the sons of Abraham according to the flesh but according to the spirit borne vnto him not by nature but by grace and according to the promise Gen. 17. 5. which were all the beleeuers Gen. 17. 5. amongst the Gentiles that imbraced the faith of Abraham And of both these latter kindes of Israelites is this prophecie to be vnderstood first of the beleeuing Israelites which from the comming of Christ to the end of the world should be effectually called by the preaching of the Gospell neither are they here excluded as some haue imagined who expound this prophecy onely of the calling of the Gentiles seeing our Sauiour professeth that he was sent in the first place to them Math. 15. 24. And the Apostle Rom. Matth. 15. 24. Rom. 11. 25 26. 11. 25 26. That Israel likewise shall be saued when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in and seeing many also by the ministery of Christ and his Disciples were conuerted to the faith But howsoeuer this prophecy is to be vnderstood of them in the first place yet not of them onely but likewise of the beleeuing Gentiles which were added to the beleeuing Iewes and became one Church with them as appeareth Ioh. 10. 16. And this is manifest first because otherwise the promise John 10. 16. here made of multiplying the Israelites like the sands by the sea side in number could not be verified if it should be vnderstood onely of the children of Abraham according to the flesh whereas it is fully accomplished if it be vnderstood of his children according to the spirit as the Apostle also sheweth Rom 4. 16 17 18. Rom. 4. 16 17 18. Secondly the Apostle meeting with an obiection which might arise from the comparing of the small number of those who did beleeue with the promise made to Abraham concerning the multiplying of his seede as the starres and sands which also is repeated in this place affirmeth that Abrahams children should haue their name in Isaac Rom. 9. 7. Rom. 9. 7 8. and expounding himselfe verse 8. he saith that they which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seede So that all the elect of God indued with the faith of Abraham are to be accounted his children and the onely true Israelites And
they falsely call our mother they will not indure that her sinnes should be reprehended and affirme it to bee impudent saucinesse for the children to reprooue the parents faults But first we answere that she is not our mother but a common strumpet who long agoe was diuorced from God for her spirituall fornications And secondly though she were our mother yet she were to be reprooued for her faults that so she might be brought to a sight of her sinnes and turne vnto the Lord her husband whom she hath forsaken by her whoredomes Fiftly we may obserue the grieuousnesse of the sinne of Idolatrie a grieuous sin idolatrie which appeareth in the greatnesse of the punishment which is vtter reiection and separation from God other sinnes mooue the Lord to afflict his spouse but this causeth him to diuorce her other sinnes prouoke the Lord to correct his children but this mooueth him to disherit them Now what more fearefull punishment can bee imagined then to bee diuorced from God to bee excluded from his grace protection and preseruation al which idolaters incurre through their spirituall whoredomes The consideration whereof should make vs to flee this sinne that so wee may escape the punishment The last thing which we are to obserue is out of the order God reiecteth not the Church before she reiecteth him of the words namely that the Lord neuer reiecteth his Church from being his spouse before shee hath cast him off from being her husband he neuer withdraweth his grace mercie and protection and prouidence from watching ouer vs till wee alienate our minds from him denying vnto him our faith obedience and alleageance and therefore let vs cleaue vnto the Lord and he will most certainely cleaue vnto vs let vs keepe our faith and couenant with him and hee will neuer faile vs let vs euer acknowledge him for our husband and father and hee will acknowledge vs for his spouse and children And so much concerning the diuorce Now the end why the Lord would haue it denounced is twofold first that hereby they might be mooued to repent of their wickednes and secondly that repenting they might escape punishment verse 3. The first end is expressed in these words that she may take away her fornications out of her sight or from her face and her adulteries from betweene her breasts In which Exposition words the Lord sheweth the cause why hee would haue the diuorce betweene him and the Church of Israel proclaimed namely not for any hatred of her person but that being brought vnto a sight of their sinnes they might repent of them and so forsaking their spirituall whoredomes they might be receiued againe of the Lord as his spouse as it is in the latter part of the chapter But let vs come to the meaning of them Some vnderstand by fornication of the face externall idolatrie and by the adulterie of the breasts that idolatrie which is in secret committed But as I take it the Prophets purpose here is to shew that the people were growne impudent in their sinnes so that they made an outward profession of them not caring who beheld them For before he had shewed that the Lord had diuorced them and consequently that they had committed adulterie and plaied the harlots for in other cases diuorces are not by God approoued and now he intimateth that they had the conditions and qualities of an harlot for as harlots in continuance of time grow past shame so that they doe not only in secret commit adulterie but publikelie make profession of it as of their trade decking themselues with such gorgious and garish apparrell as beseemeth not honest matrons glauncing with wanton eyes at their louers painting their faces and laying out their naked breasts that they may not onely professe themselues wanton and lasciuious but also with these baites allure others to commit wickednes with them so the Church of Israel liuing in spiritual whoredome grew to that impudencie in sinne that shee was not content to commit it in secret but also to professe it yea to defend and boast of it and because she would be known to bee an harlot who had forsaken the Lord and giuen her selfe ouer to commit this spirituall vncleannesse therefore in euery corner they erected images and idols they adorned them with gold and pretious ornaments they in most impudent manner prostituted themselues vnto them to commit spirituall whoredome in the sight of all the world worshipping and seruing them in stead of the true God and like shamelesse harlots they did not onely themselues commit this wickednesse but also allured others to goe a whoring with them These words then are metaphoricall borrowed from the practise of harlots who that they may display the filthy vncleannesse of their mindes and allure others to vnlawfull lust doe seeke to intice them by wanton lookes painting of their faces and laying out their naked breasts and hence it is that the Prophet attributeth fornication to the face and eies and adultery to the breasts because vnto harlots these parts are the instruments of their vncleannesse whereby they testifie and as it were proclame that they are ready and willing to commit whoredome and also allure others to ioyne with them in their beastlinesse So the Apostle Peter saith of some that their eyes were full of adulterie 2. Pet. 2. 14. because by their eyes they discouered their adulterous 2. Pet. 2. 14. hearts Now in these wordes the Prophet aimeth at three things first hee closely intimateth what was the cause of their diuorce namely their idolatry which he calleth adultery and fornication which they committed with all audacious impudency openly and in the sight of all Secondly hee cleareth God of all imputation of fault in that he diuorced them not for any hatred to their persons nor for small transgressions but for their grosse idolatry and spirituall whoredomes and therefore there was no cause why they should contend with him but with their mother For if shee would leaue her sinnes and returne vnto him by vnfained repentance hee would receiue her to mercie and acknowledge her for his spouse as hee after sheweth Thirdly and principally he laboureth by earnest exhortation to moue her to leaue her spirituall whoredomes and her professed audaciousnesse and shamelesse impudency in prostituting her selfe vnto idols and forsaking him their Lord and husband not in a secret corner but in the view of all the world And this is the meaning of these words The instructions which from hence we gather are these First we may obserue The Do ∣ ctrines that though the Lord by his Prophet had sharpely reproued That the sinnes of the people are often to be reprehended the people for their spirituall whoredomes in the former chapter and denounced his fearefull iudgements against them yet because they did not repent but obstinately and impudently continued in their idolatry the Lord contenteth not himselfe with once reprouing of them but causeth his Prophet to beate
againe againe vpon the same point that at least by his importunity he might bring thē to repentance Whence we are to learne that it is not sufficient either in the publike ministery of the word or in priuate conference to reprehend and beate downe sinne once onely but considering how many shifts and deuices the hypocrisie of mans heart findeth to hide excuse and extenuate their sins and how soone they forget and cast behinde them the remembrance of their sinnes and Gods iudgements due vnto them it must not be thought much either of publike or priuate persons oftentimes to vse the same admonitions and reprehensions and to denounce againe and againe the same iudgements of God against the same sinnes which are not as yet forsaken by true repentance Secondly wee may obserue the infinite mercy of God who when his spouse the Church had innumerable times Gods mercy in inuiting the people to repentance committed spirituall whoredome with idols and professed her filthinesse like an impudent harlot openly to all the world yet laboureth to bring her to repentance that so hee might receiue her to grace and fouour againe for to this end he causeth her sinnes to be laid before her and the diuorce betweene him and her to be denounced not because he hated her or was delighted with her reiection and destruction but that she might forsake her idolatry which so impudently she professed and returne vnto him her Lord husband that so he might receiue her to grace and pardon her former wickednesse And therefore when we heare our sinnes sharply reproued and the iudgements of God denounced let vs not thinke that this is done for want of loue either in God or in his Ministers but to this end that wee should hereby bee brought to true repentance and so bee receiued into Gods grace and fauour Thirdly out of the metaphors and borrowed speeches here vsed we may obserue that the sinne of vncleannesse is Of the fornication of painted faces and naked breasts not onely committed in fact but that also there is a fornication of the face and an adultery of the breasts when as harlots with glancing and wanton lookes by painting of their faces and laying out of their breasts doe not onely by these signes testifie the adultery and vncleannesse of their hearts but also with these baits of lust indeuour to allure others to commit filthinesse and to inflame their hearts with the fire of vnlawfull concupiscence Whereby may appeare how common this sinne of adultery and vncleannesse is in our times wherein the signes and meanes thereof do so abound seeing not onely those who are harlots by profession but euen such as would be reputed pure virgins and chaste wiues shew these outward signes of their inward filthinesse and vse these baits to catch the foolish in the nets of vncleannes by painting their faces setting forth thēselues with adulterate beauty and by laying out their breasts after a whorish manner to be seene and touched for is it likely that those who lay thē out to the shew would haue them only seen Neither hath this corruption of manners entred into the court alone where wantonnesse and immodesty challenge vnto themselues a place by the right of prescription and long custome but it is crept also into the City and Country amongst those that should be modest virgins and graue matrons and examples of sobriety vnto others Euen here naturall beauty is hid with a painted vizard and naked breasts are laid out to the view if at least they may be called naked which are commonly couered with false colours or vncouered when as they are masked in a net But as there is no sin so vile which maketh not some kind of Apologie for it selfe so this against which I inueigh wanteth An excuse of vaine women answered not her excuses for whē those who are vain wanton in their attires haue their immodesty laid to their charge they are ready to say that whatsoeuer they seeme in shew yet their hearts are chaste and honest But to these I reply that if they haue the hearts of honest and chaste matrons what haue they to doe with the habit of an harlot why doe they Ezra 3 9. disguise themselues vnder the vizard of a false beauty vnlesse they meant to deceiue and allure why do they make shew of their wares vnlesse they would offer thē to sale why do they display the banners of lust vnlesse they meant to be at defiance with chastity and all honesty why doe they play the hypocrits by appearing that they are not if they be honest in deed why should they seeme harlots in shew if they be dishonest in shew and truth why doe they slander and disgrace the name of honesty and chastity by intitling themselues vnto it In a word if either they are pure virgins or chaste matrons and would haue others so to iudge of them let them take away their fornications from their face and their adulteries from betweene their breast But they further answer that though in their owne iudgement they like not of these practises yet they yeelde vnto A second excuse taken away frō those who paint their faces and discouer their breasts them in regard of the fashion because they must be like others of their sort and ranke To which I answere that if this be a fashion it is the fashion of harlots who first inuented it and most cōmonly practise it and therefore why should this moue any that are honest women to imbrace it not rather to detest it that we are commanded by God not to fashion our selues to the world nor to follow a multitude in that which is euill that if they will follow the fashion they must set themselues to worke wickednesse seeing no fashion is more common that those who for fashions sake are thus immodest and impudent would become farre worse if it were the fashion that those who professe themselues Christians should fashion themselues according to the example of those who are modest sober and religious and not of the wanton and lasciuious for otherwise they will plainely discouer themselues that their hearts are corrupt and wicked seeing they like and imbrace rather the fashion of prophane worldlings then of the faithfull and vertuous And lastly that if they sinne for company they are like for company sake to suffer the punishment of sinne in hell fire But they will say that they doe not thus adorne themselues A third excuse taken away either to shew their owne lust or to prouoke it in others but that their beautie which in it selfe is good and commendable may be liked and praised of the beholders To this I answer that vn◠si qua placet culta puellasat est graue Propert. lib. 1. eleg eleg 2. matrons are to thinke themselues beautifull enough when they please and content their husbands that by these wanton and lasciuious ornaments they doe not more commend
their beauty to the eye then disgrace the deformity of their mindes to any sober iudgement that they doe not hereby grace and adorne but rather disgrace and deforme themselues for whereas by their creation they are Gods beautifull and excellent workmanship by their painting and dawbing they make themselues but like walking pictures and talking images that if beauty be a good it is such an one as is not bettered by communicating that they are not hereby liked and praised of the good and vertuous but of those if of any who like themselues are vaine and wanton Yea but they thus set forth themselues that they may bee liked and loued of their husbands vnto whom they cannot make themselues too amiable I answere that no wise husband would haue his wife set out to sale if he would reserue her to his owne proper vse that this is but a false pretence to excuse a false beauty For as the Satyrist saith moechis foliata parantur Juuenal sat 6. they vse these wanton arts not to please their husbands but to inflame the adulterer that the habit and behauiour of an harlot cannot bee pleasing and amiable vnto any husband that desireth to haue an honest and chaste wife that they must not so labour to please men as that in the meane time they displease God for their wanton behauiour and habit is offensiue and at least euill in appearance and therefore to bee forborne of Christians they derogate from Gods wisedome by altering and adding to his workemanshippe which kind of iniury an ordinary artificer cannot patience brooke and therefore seeing they are new creatures of their own making quite altered from their first creation it is not likely that the Lord wil owne or acknowledge them for his worke In a word they breake and transgresse the seuenth Commaundement both by shewing the signes of wantō vncleannes vsing the means to kindle inflame lust both in themselues others The last thing to be obserued is that as all kinds of idolatrie Sinnes openly professed and defended most odious in Gods sight and of all other sinnes are odious and loathsome vnto the Lord so especially those which are of the face and breast that is such as are openly professed and impudently defended Whilest sinne lurketh in the secret corners of the heart not daring to shew it selfe in the face and outward actions it maketh the sinner but like a poore fugitiue who hauing offended his Prince through selfe guiltinesse shunneth his presence but when it growes so presumptuous that it dare shew it selfe in the face words or externall actions and not onely so but also vaunt it selfe to the publike view daring Gods iustice and prouoking him as it were to his face then the sinner becommeth a proud rebell who regardeth not his Princes presence and contemneth his authoritie or like vnto an impudent adulteresse who not contenting her selfe with her secret whoredomes doth prostitute her selfe to her louers in the sight of her husband and like Absalon pitcheth a pauilion euen at noone day vpon the toppe of the house that hee may bee seene of all men This is the height of sinne when as men doe not onely consent vnto it but also act it not in a corner but in the face of the world not as blushing and being ashamed at it but impudently defending it boasting and glorying in their wickednesse And as it is the height of sinne so it shall bee plagued with the height of punishment euen with the diuorce and separation from God and therefore let all that would bee Gods spouse aboue all other sinnes flee these and though they fall through infirmitie humanie frailtie into sin yet at least let them take it away from their face and from betweene their breasts that is let them not defend it and much lesse vaunt and glorie in their wickednesse ANd so much concerning the first end of the denunciation of the diuorce namelie the repentance of the people Now concerning the second end which is a consequent of the former that is to say their freedom from punishment vpon their vnfained repentance and this either respecteth the whole Church or the particular members thereof The first is expressed vers 3. Lest I strip her naked and set her as Vers 3 in the day that she was borne and make her as a wildernesse and leaue her like a drie land and slay her for thirst In the former verse the Prophet shewed that the Lord The exposition had diuorced the Church of Israel but howsoeuer he had inflicted on her this iudgement yet such was his infinite goodnesse that in wrath he remembred mercie for although hee might iustly as husbands vsed to doe in such cases when he diuorced her haue stripped her of all his gifts and benefits yet in mercie he did not thus farre proceed in punishing of her but though he had put her away hee suffered her still to enioy the good things which he had bestowed vpon her at least in some measure and that to this end that they might remaine with her as pledges of his loue not altogether as yet extinguished and as vndoubted arguments to assure her that as he had not diuorced her for any hatred of her person but for her sinnes so if shee would repent of them hee would bee ready to receiue her againe into his former loue and fauour But because she abused the mercie of God and continued in her impenitencie therefore he threatneth that vnlesse she would seriously repent of her sinnes he would not only diuorce her but also strippe and spoyle her of all those his gifts and benefits which he had bestowed vpon her and which as yet she inioyed Wherein the Lord alludeth to the behauiour of kind husbands who hauing put away their wiues for their whoredomes doe notwithstanding allow vnto them liberall maintenance with which benefits when they are not restrained from their sinne and brought to amendment but rather abuse their gifts as meanes to further them in Ezech. 16. 16. 17 their vncleannesse and by bestowing them on their louers they threaten to strip and spoile them of all those benefits which they inioy and to leaue them destitute of all maintenance As though he should haue said Although vpon your diuorce iustly caused by your whoredomes I might also haue depriued you of all my benefits which I haue bestowed vpon you yet such hath been my mercie that I haue spared you hitherto and suffered you to inioy them in hope of your amendment but doe not continue to abuse my patience and mercie for vnlesse you repent and take away your fornications and adulteries which with such audacious impudencie you commit I will strippe you of all my benefits which as yet you inioy and leaue you as naked and beggarlie as you were when I first tooke you in mariage Now the benefits which the Lord threatneth to spoile the people of Israel of were either temporall and corporall or else spirituall
of the first sort were their peace kingdom protection from enemies plentie and abundance of all worldly profits and delightes of the other were the law the priesthood some relikes of Gods worship in the ministrie of the word in the vse of the Sacraments and prayer the fauour of God and pardon of their sinnes from which they were not as yet vtterly excluded as it may hereby appeare in that the Lord laboureth to recall them by his Prophet vnto repentance and forewarneth them of these iudgements that repenting they might escape them And these are the benefits of which he threatneth to spoile them Now the manner and nature of their stripping and spoyling is further described and illustrated by diuers comparisons for first hee threatneth to strip them and to leaue them as destitute of all his benefits as they were at the day of their birth in these words and set her as in the day that shee was borne By the day of the children of Israels birth we may either vnderstand the day of their forefather Abraham his calling out of an idolatrous nation that hee might be the father of the faithfull or the day of the peoples deliuerance out of the bondage of Egypt which I take to be the more probable because he speaketh not here of the birth of one man but of the whole nation Now this day of the peoples birth was a time wherein they were in great miserie pouertie impotencie and manifold extremities and therefore not vnfitly compared to a childs birth seeing in many things it resembleth it in regard of the wretchednesse thereof and that both in respect of their persons and also in respect of their state And first for their bodies as the child is borne so impotent that it is vnable to resist the weakest enemie so they came out of Egypt weake vnskilfull and vnarmed altogether vnable to resist their enemies the Egyptians And so in respect of their soules as the child is borne defiled in his blood as it is described Ezech. 16. 6. so Ezech. 16. 6. they were defiled with their sins especially their grosse idolatrie which they learned of the Egyptians as the childe is borne destitute of wisedome and actuall vnderstanding so they were ignorant and without the sauing knowledge of God and his true religion In respect of their states likewise there is great similitude for as the child is borne poore and naked so they came out in great pouertie being not onely destitute of the heauenly gifts of Gods Spirit but also of glorie power and riches as the childe liueth as it were imprisoned a close prisoner in the straite prison of the wombe so they were held in a straite and miserable seruitude till God deliuered them and as in the birth it is in greatest danger and extremitie so that it no sooner breatheth the aire but it crieth out with sense of paine so they howsoeuer they had formerly indured many miseries yet they were in greatest extremitie of all euen as it were in the very birth and deliuerance when as they were pursued by their enemies and beset on all sides with vnauoydable dangers so that in anguish of soule they cried out for feare Lastly as the child Exod. 14. being borne is vnable to helpe it selfe either in respect of defence from outward iniuries or of prouision of food and necessaries so they being brought into the wildernesse were vnable to defend themselues from the iniuries of the weather either by day or night had no other prouision of food then the Lord prouided for them after a miraculous maner And this was the miserable condition of the people of Israel at the day of their birth and deliuerance out of Egypt the which is excellently and largely described by the Prophet Ezechiel Chap. 16. Out of which base estate the Lord aduanced them to the greatest and highest dignitie for after Ezech. 16. that he had led them into the wildernesse hee espoused this people vnto him for his wife hee loued and protected her he fed and nourished her he decked and adorned her he multiplied his benefits vpon her both spirituall and temporall induing and as it were endowing her with riches glorie pleasures and all happinesse he gaue vnto her his law containing the couenants of marriage betweene them hee gaue also a Priesthood a kingdome a land flowing with milke and honie a Tabernacle a Temple his word and Sacraments and all things needefull both for soule and bodie But shee being surfetted with pleasures vngratefully forgat Deut. 32. 14. 15. her former base condition and also him who had aduanced her to this great dignitie and happinesse and forsaking her Lord and husband who had been thus gratious vnto her went a whoring after false gods and therefore the Lord is faine to put her in mind of her former wretched estate and to threaten her that vnlesse she repented and turned vnto him he that had raised her would pull her downe and make her as poore contemptible and miserable as when he first met and matched with her And this is the first comparison whereby hee describeth and aggrauateth the miserie which hee threatneth to bring vpon them The second is that he would make her as a wildernesse or the wildernesse as the article prefixed portendeth where he alludeth to the desert wildernesse in which the children of Israel were led 40. yeeres Others resolue it rather thus And wil place her as in the wildernesse that is bring her into the same condition wherein shee was in the wildernesse But the other translation better pleaseth me seeing it is without addition of any word and seeing it is likely hee threatneth here a farre worse state then that which at this time she liued in because then she inioyed Gods presence she was his spouse she was led and fed defended and sustained by the Lord her husband And therefore I thinke rather he threatneth to make her like that wildernesse that is to make her selfe desert and barraine of all his gifts and graces temporall and spirituall to suffer her to be inhabited of her vices and corruptions as it were with so many wild beasts to lay her kingdome countrie and cities waste like a wildernesse being ouerrunne burnt and spoiled by their enemies as the Lord threatneth Deut. 28. 51. Leuit. 26. Deut 28. 15. Leuit. 26. 31. 32 31. 32. Thirdly he saith that hee will leaue her like a drie land that is he will depriue her of all her comforts pleasures and delights like a drie and schorched ground where for want of moisture all the pleasant herbes and sweet flowers wither and fade away Lastly he threatneth that he will flay her with thirst that is he will ouerwhelme her with the greatest miseries for water is more easily come by then foode and therefore the extremitie of their want is hereby in a liuely manner described when as they should want euen water to quench their thirst and saue their life Where he
also alludeth to the state of the Israelites in the wildernesse who had no water but what the Lord brought out of a rocke in a miraculous manner Neither doth he onely aime at this bodilie thirst for want of water but also at the thirst of the soule for want of the water which floweth from the sanctuarie the word of God of which Amos speaketh Chap. 8. 11. 13. And of the Amos 8. 11. 13. water of life of which whosoeuer drinketh shall neuer more thirst euen the Spirit of God of which our Sauiour speaketh Ioh. 4. 14. 7. 38. 39. Ioh. 4. 14 7. 38. 39. The scope of the Prophet And so much for the meaning of the words wherein the Prophet aimeth at these foure things principally first hee setteth forth the admirable and infinite patience loue clemencie and bountie of God who when his spouse the Church of Israel had often and impudently plaied the harlot and for her whoredomes was diuorced from him yet he did not according to the iust custome of husbands in like cases take his gifts and rich benefits from her which he had bestowed on her but suffered her to inioy them still and this he implieth when as hee willeth her to repent lest he should spoile her noting thereby that as yet hee had not done it Secondly in these words he intimateth that if she would repent he was readie to forgiue her and to suffer her still to inioy his benefits for he had not as yet spoiled and stripped her as he iustly might and was loath to go about it and therfore he exhorteth her to turne from her sinnes that he might not be vrged to doe it in his iust displeasure Thirdly he laboureth to worke in her true repentance by forewarning her of an increase of punishment namelie that if that great punishment of diuorce and separation from God would not mooue them to turne from their sinnes hee was readie to inflict other punishments vpon them which though they were not so great as the former in their owne nature yet perhaps they were farre more grieuous in their opinion and apprehension For where hee willeth her to take away her sinnes lest hee spoiled her hee implieth that vnlesse she repented he would not content himselfe with that punishment of her diuorce but would most certainely spoile her of all the ornaments gifts and benefits which he had bestowed on her Fourthly because pride and true repentance will not stand together therefore he seeketh to humble her both by putting her in minde of her miserable and base estate wherein she was before hee aduanced her and by assuring her that if she did not humble herselfe forsake her sinnes and turne vnto him from her idols he would leaue her as hee found her depriue her of all his gifts and ourwhelme her with an vnsupportable load of woe and misery And these are the maine things at which the Prophet aimeth The Do ∣ ctrines in these words The doctrines which from hence are to be obserued are these First we may obserue what is the God denounceth his iudgments that we may repent cause why the Lord denounceth his iudgements against his people to wit that they may repent of their sinnes and that repenting they may escape punishment which his iustice vrgeth him to inflict vpon them continuing in their sins So he causeth the diuorce to be proclaimed that they may take away their adulteries and that repenting of them they might not be stripped of all the gifts and benefits which as yet they inioyed So that the end of Gods threatnings is that we may repent and of our repentance that wee may escape punishment and the end of one punishment is that making good vse of it we may escape an other Whence we may obserue that God euen in wrath remembreth mercy for hee threatneth that he may not punish and punisheth that he may not destroy he punisheth vnwillingly after a sort and therefore before hand he giueth warning that wee may escape it and hauing inflicted it he laboureth to apply it to our senselesse hearts that by our obstinacy wee doe not vrge his iustice to proceede in punishing And therefore let vs not by our stubburnnesse and impenitency make Gods end frustrate and turne mercy into iustice but when he threatneth let vs repent that we may escape punishment or at least let vs turne vnto him when he punisheth that we doe not moue him to deale more seuerely with vs. The second thing to be obserued is that after the Lord God doth not alwaies strip a people of al his benefits after he hath reiected them hath reiected a people hee doth not alwaies presently vpon the diuorce withdraw his gifts and benefits from them but leaueth them with them for a time to bee inioyed that this his loue patience and bounty may moue them to forsake their sinnes that so they may bee receiued into his former loue and fauour Whereby as wee haue occasion to admire and praise the indefatigable patience and infinite bountie of our gratious God so may we hereby be admonished not to iudge of Gods loue and fauour nor of our owne happinesse by outward benefits whether they be ciuill or spiritutuall as namely peace plenty a flourishing estate the word Sacraments c. seeing after the diuorce he vouchsafeth to the diuorced such benefits for a time as appeareth in this place The like example we haue in Caine who being banished Gods presence flourished in the world and in Saul who though hee were reiected yet the Lord suffered him a long time to inioy the Kingdome and in Ahab whose destruction was long determined before it was effected Thirdly we may obserue that because the Church of Israel did not repent vpon the hearing of the diuorce proclamed If one iudgement will not reclaime vs God will send another therefore the Lord threatneth an other punishment namely that he would strip and spoile them of all his gifts So that although in his loue and patience he doth not presently after he had diuorced them depriue them of his benefits but giueth them a time to make vse of his former punishment yet his iustice will not euer suffer him to winke at their sinnes but if his first iudgement will not reclaime them he will goe forward to a second which vsually is more grieuous then the first Notwithstanding in this he first denounceth the diuorce which is the greater punishment and after the withdrawing of his gifts which is the lesse for separation from God is infinitely a more heauy iudgement then to be depriued of all other happinesse And this hee doth because howsoeuer these things are in their owne nature yet to worldly men and prophane hypocrites the losse of God is more lightly esteemed then the losse of his gifts for so they may inioy their worldly glory riches and delights they can bee content to liue depriued of Gods fauour and to be diuorced from him And therefore the Lord
especially their magistrates superiors goueruours both ecclesiastical and ciuil so by the children we are to vnderstand the particular members of this Church especially subiects and inferiours For the Lord contenteth not himselfe with a generall denunciation of his heauy iudgements against the whole Church but he descendeth to particulars and specially applieth his threatnings to euery particular member of this body that so hee may bring the mother and the children the whole body and the seuerall parts superiours and inferiours vnto true repentance Superiours when as they consider that not onely they themselues shall haue the greatest measure of punishment inflicted on them because by their authority and example they haue bin the ringleaders vnto al wickednes but also that the poore people committed to their charge whom they ought as tenderly to loue as the kinde mother her deare children shal through their bad example and ill gouernment fall into the like sins so be made obnoxious to the like punishmēts So likewise inferiours may be drawne to repentance when as they consider that their following of the example of their superiours and obeying their authority in euil will not priuiledge them frō Gods iudgements but being partakers with thē in sin they shall also be partakers of their punishments And so much for the persons The punishment it selfe is that the Lord will haue no mercy or pittie vpon them not that the Lord will vtterly and absolutely exclude them from mercy but onely on this condition if they perseuered in their sinnes without repentance neither doth hee debarre them of all mercy in regard of their eternall saluation but in respect of their temporary reiection from being his people and children as may appeare by the latter part of the chapter The meaning therefore of these words is this that as he had denied to haue pitie vpon the mother and had diuorced her stripped her and made her like a wildernesse c. so neither would he haue any compassion of the children to to spare them but would bring vpon them the same punishments which he had denounced against their mother And this is the punishment here denounced The cause moouing the Lord to inflict it is expressed in these wordes For they bee the children of fornications In which words is contained a twofold cause of the childrens punishment the first because they are the children of fornications that is the issue of an adulterous mother or more plainely thus because they are members of an idolatrous Church who by their gouernours ciuill and ecclesiasticall are nuzled and nursed brought vp and instructed in idolatry and a false religion The first cause therefore why the Lord reiecteth the children is in the mother that is in the whole Church especially their gouernours and rulers both ecclesiasticall and ciuill because by the former they were taught not a true but a false and idolatrous religion and by the other were not restrained from idolatry and false worship and vrged to worship the true God after a true manner but rather by their example inticed and by their authority forced to forsake the true God and follow idols But here it may be demanded whether the sinne of the How God punisheth the sinnes of gouernours in the people gouernours is a iust cause to mooue the Lord to punish the subiects To which I answer that there are two sorts of punishments the first corporall and temporall the second spirituall and eternall In respect of temporall punishments it is iust with God to punish the sinnes of parents in children and of gouernours in the subiects because in respect of the whole body they are parts and members belonging vnto them as the chiefe and principall and therefore whilest the children and subiects suffer punishment the parents and gouernours are punished in them 2. Sam. 12. 14. 24. 12. 17. 2. Sam. 12. 14. 24. 12. 17. But in respect of spirituall and eternall punishments the Lord doth not inflict them vpon the children and subiects for the sinnes of the parents and gouernours positiuely vnlesse they likewise partake with them in their sinnes and follow their wicked example howsoeuer hee may iustly for Ezech. 18. their sins lay vpon them priuatiue punishments by withholding from them his grace and the gifts of his holy spirit which he is not bound to giue of which they being depriued runne into sinne and so make themselues obnoxious to positiue punishments Now these children of which the Prophet speaketh were not onely borne of an idolatrous mother but also they themselues liued and continued in that idolatry in which they were bred and instructed And this is the more principall cause why these children are punished because they liked and approued imbraced and liued in the idolatry of their mother for not simply to haue been the children and members of an idolatrous Church nor to haue been brought vp and instructed in her idolatries is a cause which moueth the Lord to reiect any if afterwards they hate and forsake the idolatry of their mother and loue and imbrace the pure and sincere worship of God The which was the state of many of Gods children in the common apostasie of the Israelites and is the state of many who haue come out of the spirituall Babylon being begotten vnto God by the immortall seede of his word But these of whom the Prophet speaketh had not onely in times past been but presently were the children of fornications they were not onely brought vp in idolatry but still they liked and liued in it and this he implieth when as he faith not that they had been but presently were the children of fornication And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines to be obserued out of them are these First wee may note that That particular application is necessary in the ministery of the word the Lord contenteth not himselfe with a generall denunciation of his iudgements against the whole Church of Israel but also applieth them specially to the particular members thereof The which example is to be imitated of Gods Ministers especially considering that such is the selfeloue pride hypocrisie and security of men that they will make no application of generall reprehensions and threatnings vnto themselues so long as they can shift them off and apply them vnto others An example hereof we haue in the secure Israelites Esa 28. 15. and in the Priests and Pharisies Matth. Esa 28. 15. Matth. 21. 41. 21. 41. yea Dauid himselfe made no vse of the generall parable for his humiliation till it was particularly applied 2. Sam. 12. 7. And therefore because that which is spoken to all is 2. Sam. 12. 7. spoken to none it hath been the custome of all Gods true Prophets and Ambassadours to make particular application of their general doctrines to the special vse of their own hearers so Nathan to Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 7. Peter to the Iewes 2. Sam. 12. 7. Acts 2. 23. Act. 2. 23. all
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
in worldly men who content themselues with their outward worship in hearing the word calling vpon God and receiuing the Sacraments But all those who would be truly religious must goe further and ioyne with the ceremonies the substance with the outward worship of the bodie the inward worshippe of the soule for if wee rest in the outward action and deed done God will esteeme no better of vs then of hypocrites our seruice of him though it neuer so much please our selues yet will it be odious and abominable in his sight as appeareth Esa 1. 13. 14. 29. 13. 66. 3. Mich. 6. 6. 8. Esa 1. 13. 14. 29. 13 66. 3. Micha 6. 6. 8. It is not pleasing to God to imbrace some part of his worship only Secondly wee may obserue that it is not acceptable in Gods sight to performe some part of his worship and seruice vnlesse we embrace the whole and that in such manner as he hath reuealed in his word The Israelites as we may see in this place retained some parts of Gods worship but because they neglected others and in stead thereof did offer a seruice vnto God according to their owne inuentions therefore the Lord threatneth that hee would take from thē those relikes which remained The same may bee obserued in the Church of Rome at this day c. and therefore though in many points concerning Gods worship they agree with vs yet we may not ioyne with them nor listen to any pacification or reconcilement of our religions vnlesse they would altogether forsake the abominations of the whore of Babylon and their owne wil-worship and wholly conforme their seruice of God in respect of the substantiall parts therof according to his will reuealed in his word ANd so much concerning the third punishment The fourth is expressed in these words Vers 12. And I will Vers 12 destroy her vines and her figge trees whereof she hath said These are my rewards that my louers haue giuen mee and I will make them as a forrest and the wilde beasts shall eate them In which words is set down their punishment together with the cause thereof their punishment was that hee would strip them of The exposition his temporall and corporall benefits and bring their land to vtter desolation For whereas he saith that he would destroy her vines and figge trees vnder these specials he doth by a Synecdoche generally vnderstand that hee would vtterly spoile their pleasant gardens and fruitful orchards and vineyards yea and all their fertile countrie with all the encrease thereof So that heere hee denounceth a farre more heauie iudgement then that contained in the ninth verse namely that hee would take away their corne and wine that is the fruites of the earth for though there had been a dearth of them through one yeeres scarcitie yet their gardens orchards fields and vineyards remaining vntouched of Gods punishing hand the fruitfulnes of the following yeere might haue supplied the want and defect of his foreruiner but whē they also were wasted and destroied there remained no hope of any reliefe And this he threatneth because as they ascribed the fruites of the earth to their Idols so also euen their fields orchards trees and vines themselues according to the custome of the Heathen The which their sinne was the more vnexcusable because the Lord had taught them not only by continuall experience but also by his written word that all these were his blessings and benefits and therefore the praise of them was due vnto him alone Deut. 8. 7. 8. Deut. 8. 7. 8. But notwithstanding all this they in the blindnes of their superstition thought and with great impudencie did not sticke to speake and professe it that al these were the rewards which their louers had giuen them The word here vsed signifieth the hire which the harlot receiueth for prostituting her selfe to the adulterer whereby is signified that they had after the manner of impudent harlots committed spirituall adulterie with their Idols and afterwards boasted that they had receiued all these benefits of their false gods for that idolatrous worship which they had performed vnto them And therefore because they robbed God of that glorie and thankfulnesse which was due vnto him for his own gifts the Lord threatneth to take them away that so by their want of them they might learne to acknowledge the Lord to bee the author of them Moreouer he saith that he would make them namely their vines and figge trees their orchards gardens and vineyards waste and desert like vnto a forrest which is barren fruitlesse in which words he threatneth that such should be the desolation of the land that their fruitfull orchards and vineyards should bee turned into a vast and desert wildernesse And lastly he saith that the wilde beasts should eate them the which words may bee vnderstood either literally thus that their countrie should by their enemies be so dispeopled and al husbandry intermitted that wilde beasts should make their dennes and feed in their vineyards and orchards or allegorically that their enemies the Assyrians should like wilde beasts make spoyle and hauocke of all not only eating their fruites but also destroying their orchards and vineyards Whereby their vtter subuersion and desolation is implied for when the enemie spareth the trees and gardens he doth not intend the destruction of a countrie but the enlarging of his owne Empire and dominions as wee may see Esa 36. 16. but when he destroyeth these and maketh hauock Esa 36. 16. of all then hee intendeth the vtter subuersion and ruine of that state and people And this is the meaning of those words Out of which we may obserue how the Lord threatneth one punishment after The Do ∣ ctrines another and causeth his Prophet to denounce great varietie of iudgements that so hee might fit himselfe to euery ones That God fitteth his chastisements for the cōuersion of al the elect disposition and draw all vnto God by true repentance One is touched with the lighter chastisements others not moued vnlesse they heare of more heauie iudgements one is affected with one kind of punishment another with such an one as is of a diuers qualitie some with pouertie some with shame some with spirituall some with corporall afflictions and some are not moued at all vnlesse they heare of vtter desolation and destruction and therefore according to the varietie of mens mindes the Lord varieth his threatnings as appeareth in this place Whereby we may learne how impenitent and hard hearted wee are seeing the Lord is faine to vse so many meanes and to trie as it were so many conclusions for our conuersion and also wee may heere obserue Gods infinite goodnesse and mercie which hee sheweth not only in his promises but also in his threatnings For whereas he might iustly when we sinne vtterly destroy vs he giueth vs warning by his threatnings that being moued thereby to repent wee may escape his punishments yea and that
their calling to deliuer their embassage and seeing in resisting them they rebell against God himselfe neither is it possible that any should be obedient vnto God who maligne his messengers for his message sake And secondly when Gods iudgements are denounced out of his Word against them for their sinnes they are not to neglect them but to lay them to heart that therby they may be moued to vnfained repentance notwithstanding they see no appearance of danger or any likely meanes wherby such punishments may bee deriued vnto them seeing the Lord whose Word it is which we heare is able to effect it though to vs it seeme impossible ANd so much concerning the first part of this Chapter containing in it legall threatnings denounced against the people of Israel for their sinnes Now we are to speake of the second part containing in it Gods gratious promises of diuers excellent benefits which hee would bestow vpon his Church and people the true Israel of God in the time of the Gospell The first whereof is their effectuall calling and conuersion vnto God wherby they are freed out of the spirituall captiuitie of Satan chosen out of the world and made Gods Church and peculiar people The second is true consolation wrought in their hearts by the glad tidings of the Gospell made effectuall by the inward working of his holy Spirit Both which are contained Vers 14. in these words Vers 14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and speake friendly or confortablie vnto her Where the The exposition Lord sheweth that howsoeuer being prouoked vnto wrath by their sinnes he would execute vpon them all those punishments before threatned yet he would not retaine his anger for euer but in the end when he had laid vpon them such afflictions as were sufficient measuring their proportion by the rule of his fatherly loue and not according to the hainousnes of their sins he would turne all their chastisements to their good and gathering them into his Church multiplie his mercies vpon them But let vs come to the words themselues wherein we are to consider first the context and secondly the benefits promised the context in these words Therefore behold This may seeme a strange kind of consequence for in the former verse he had set downe their obstinacie in their grosse idolatrie and that they were so wholly deuoted to their Idols that they had quite forgotten the true God and now hee presently inferreth hereupon that therefore he would allure her and speake comfortablie vnto her But howsoeuer this may seeme but a bad inference if we regard their sinnes vpon the recitall whereof it should rather haue followed that therefore they should haue such punishments inflicted vpon them as their sinnes had deserued yet it hath good dependance if we respect Gods infinite mercie and his eternall purpose whereby he hath of his free grace and vndeserued goodnes ordained to call them who belong to his election out of their sinnes that being conuerted they may also bee saued As though he should haue said Seeing they follow their idols with delightfull obstinacie and haue altogether forgotten me and seeing their hearts are so blind and obdurate that all my punishments will not reclaime them and finally seeing it is not my purpose to giue them ouer to destruction and to suffer them to run headlong to condemnation therefore I will not let them go forward in their owne courses nor be ruled by their owne obstinate wils for then they would neuer returne vnto me but I wil work vpon their hard harts by my Word and Spirit alluring and perswading them to leaue their idols and false worship and to returne vnto me that they may worship me according to my reuealed will and submit themselues vnto me in all holy obedience And because this is a wonderfull mercie of God farre aboue all humane conceite and therfore not lightly and negligently to be passed ouer hence it is that the note of attention is added Therefore behold that we might more carefully obserue and obseruing praise and magnifie this vnspeakable goodnes of God who by our sinnes is moued rather to pitie then to punish vs. And so much for the context The first benefit here promised is their effectuall calling whereby working vpon their hearts with his Word and Spirit hee would allure and perswade them to forsake their idolatrie and to come out of the seruice of sin and Satan that they might become true members of his Church and liue in holy obedience vnto his will as his true subiects and seruants All which is contained in these words I wil allure her and bring her into the wildernesse where he alludeth to their first deliuerie out of the captiuitie and from the blind idolatrie of Egypt when as first he allured and perswaded them by his seruants Moses and Aaron to desire earnestly to come out of that bondage that they Exod. 4. 30. 31. might become his seruants and people and hauing so inclined their hearts hee brought them out with a strong arme and led them into the wildernesse where he made his couenant with them and afterwards brought them into the land of promise where he multiplied vpon them his manifold benefits as it followeth in the next verse So the Lord by his seruants and Ministers doth worke in the ignorant minds and stubborne hearts of those that belong to his election a desire to come out of the thraldome of the spirituall Pharaoh Satan and hauing thus inclined and allured them by his powerfull Spirit applying vnto them the benefits of Christs death and obedience hee deliuereth them out of this miserable bondage notwithstanding hee doth not presently bring them from Egypt to the heauenly Canaan but causeth thē to passe first thorow the wildernesse of this wicked world where howsoeuer hee prouideth for them and causeth their safetie by his almightie protection so that they are now in far better estate then whilest they liued in the spirituall captiuitie of sinne and Satan yet they are there afflicted with many miseries hunger thirst heate cold sicknesse and diseases with inward mutinies and sedition amongst themselues and with the outward malice and violence of the spirituall Cananites their worldly and wicked enemies with which hauing a while exercised and humbled them and withall wrought in their hearts an earnest desire to come into their heauenly countrey in the end he bringeth them into the spirituall and new Ierusalem The like allusion the Prophet Esay hath speaking of this spirituall deliuerance through Christ Esa 11. 15. 16. Esa 11. 15. 16. Whereas then hee saith I will allure her the meaning is that by his word and holy Spirit he will bring them to true repentance effectually perswading them to leaue the bondage of sinne and Satan and to adioyne themselues to his Church and familie and more specially that he will incline them and change their obstinate resolution in following their idols and make
them pliable to holy obedience that forsaking their false gods and idolatrous worship they may worship the only Iehouah in spirit and truth Where still hee continueth the allegorie of mariage as though hee would say Her louers that is her idols haue inticed her with many baits to commit spirituall whoredome with them but they shall no longer seduce and abuse her for I her louing husband offering vnto her innumerable benefits and eternall happinesse will allure and perswade her to forsake her louers and to returne vnto me And whereas hee saith that hee will bring her into the wildernesse the meaning is that they shall not passe presently out of their miserable seruitude of sinne and Satan into the heauenly Canaan but shal for a time make their abode in the wildernes of this world where they shall be tried with many calamities and afflictions wherewith being throughly humbled they shall enter into their heauenly countrie according to that Act. 14. 22. Wee must Act. 14. 22. thorow many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Others translate these words thus I will allure her after I haue led her into the wildernesse as though the time were herein implied when the Lord would perswade and conuert his people namely after he had first brought them into the wildernesse of affliction and thereby throughly humbled them But howsoeuer this exposition may be thought not repugnant to any thing in the text yet I rather embrace the other as being more plaine and simple without the changing of any word from his owne signification and also because it more fitly answereth to the deliuerance of the people of Israel vnto which it is manifest he here alludeth and lastly because it well agreeth with the like place Ezech. 20. 34. 35. 37. where the same allusion is vsed Ezeth 20. 34. 35. And this is the first benefit The second is expressed in these words and I will speake friendly or comfortably vnto her The originall hath it thus and I will speake vnto her heart by which is signified that he would speak vnto her such pleasant and acceptable words as should replenish her hart with true ioy and comfort though they were in the middest of the wildernesse of affliction And thus this phrase is vsed Esa 40. Esa 40. 1. 2. Gen. 34. 3. Iud. 19. 3. Ruth 2. 13. Ioh. 11. 19. 1. Thess 2. 11. 1. 2. Gen. 34. 3. Iud. 19. 3. Ruth 2. 13. And so in the new Testament whereas it is in the Greeke they comforted any the Syriacke hath it they spoke with their hearts So Ioh. 11. 19. 1. Thess 2. 11. The meaning therefore is that as when hee had brought his people into the wildernesse he spake vnto them deliuering his law vnto which were annexed manifold promises of his great benefits by which the people for the present were somewhat comforted in the middest of the afflictions which they suffered in the wildernesse so hee would in the time of the Gospell after hee had deliuered his people out of the thraldome of sin and Satan speake comfortably vnto them whilest they were vexed and molested with manifold afflictions in the wildernesse of the world that so being filled with consolation they might patiently and cheerefully through the middest of these miseries march towards their heauenly countrie Now this speech of comfort of which he here speaketh is nothing else but the glad tidings of the Gospell wherein we are assured of our deliuerance out of our spirituall thraldome vnto sinne and Satan of the free pardon and remission of all our sinnes of our peace and reconciliation with God and of euerlasting happinesse which Christ by his death and merits hath purchased for vs. The which speech of the Gospell is much more effectuall for our comfort and consolation then the speech of the Law For then the Lord spake to the eare but now hee speaketh to the heart that comfort was but for the present because being grounded vpon the condition of their obedience to the law that prouing impossible their comfort was changed into horror and despaire but this is eternall hauing his foundation not in our owne workes and worthinesse but vpon the free mercie of God and merits of Christ apprehended by a liuely faith And lastly because the Gospell offereth vnto vs farre greater benefits then we are promised in the Law and therfore filleth our hearts with greater comfort And of this consolation the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 1. 3. 4. 5. 7. 6. Act. 9. 31. 2. Cor. 1. 3. 4. 5. and 7. 6. Act. 9. 31. Luke 2. 25. Of which our Sauiour Christ is the principall cause and therfore he is called the consolation of Israel Luk. 2. 25. And so much for the meaning of the words The doctrines The Do ∣ ctrines which from hence arise are these First we may obserue that howsoeuer the Lord being prouoked to iust displeasure by The Lord doth not retaine his anger for euer the sinnes of the people doth not onely threaten his iudgements but also inflicteth deserued punishments yet he doth not retaine his anger for euer nor yet delighteth in the afflictions of his Church but hauing with his fatherly chastisements humbled them and brough them vnto vnfained repentance hee turneth his frownes into smiles his threatnings into promises his iudgements into mercie and withdrawing their afflictions and punishments hee multiplieth vpon them his gratious benefits For hee is slow to anger but abundant in goodnesse and truth Exod. 34. 6. 7. He will not alwaies Exod. 34. 6. 7. Psal 103. 8. 9. chide neither keepeth he his anger for euer Psal 103. 8. 9. And though he afflict vs yet he dealeth not with vs after our sinnes nor rewardeth vs according to our iniquities as it is verse 10. neither retaineth he his anger for euer because mercie pleaseth him as it is Mic. 7. 18. An example wherof we haue in this Micha 7. 18. place where after his sharpe threatnings he adioyneth gratious promises likewise in the Israelites in the time of the Iudges in the Iewes lead captiue into Babylon and afterwards restored but there needs but few examples to confirme that of which we our selues haue so manifold experience c. Secondly out of the connexion of this with the former The mercie of God infinitely exceedeth the mercie of mā verse wee may obserue how infinitly the mercie of God exceedeth the mercie of man for whereas man being offended maketh this conclusion because hee hath iniured me therefore I will reuenge my selfe vpon him the Lord contrariwise in this place concludeth that because the people had grieuously prouoked his anger by their obstinacie in their idolatrie and forgetfulnesse of him therefore hee would allure them to repentance by his benefits and speake comfortably vnto them as though he should say Though they be so peeuishly obstinate that they care not wilfully and desperately to go on in their sins to their vtter destructiō yet I wil not set my
world that hated our head Christ will also hate vs which are his members as our Sauiour hath told vs Ioh. 16. 18. 19. Satan continually assayleth Ioh. 16. 18. 19. vs labouring to regaine vs into his thraldome and though we had no outward molestation yet our inbred enemie the flesh will not let vs want combersome trouble and vexation And therefore let vs not look for a paradise in this world which was appointed for our pilgrimage nor expect victorie and triumph before wee haue vndertaken and finished our warfare neither let vs imagine that we shall be conformable vnto Christ in glorie before we haue been conformable vnto him in his afflictions or that we shall raigne with Rom. 8. 17. 18. him before we haue suffered with him or finally that wee can passe into the kingdome of heauen but by many afflictions and tribulations Examples hereof we haue in Adam Act. 14. 22. Abel Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid and in the Apostles yea in our Sauiour Christ himselfe who first suffered and so entred into glory And this is that which our Sauiour hath forewarned Luk. 24. 26. vs of in many places Mat. 10. 17. 26. 38. 16. 24. 24. 9. Iohn 15. 20. 16. 20. 1. Thess 3. 3. 4. 2. Tim. 3. 12. And therefore before we giue our names vnto Christ and make profession of his Gospell but let vs as he counselleth vs sit downe and with the wise builder count the cost lest hauing begun this great worke and not being able or willing to finish it we expose our selues to derision Let vs with Luk. 14. 28. 2. Cor. 6. 8. the Apostle resolue to go forward in our Christian course by honor and dishonor euill report and good report and make full account if we will be followers of Christ to waite vpon him with our crosse on our backes otherwise if we embrace Christ and his Gospell for worldly respects we will be ready to forsake him when we see our hopes frustrate with Iudas Simon Magus and Demas And though for a time we heare the Word with gladnes and bring forth the blade of a glorious profession yet when the sunne of affliction ariseth it will wither and in the time of temptation we shall fall away Luk. 8. 13. Luk. 8. 13. And these are the doctrines which we are to obserue out The Lord is the sole author of all true comfort and only giueth it to the conuerted 2. Cor. 1. 3. 4. 7 6. Rom. 15. 5. of the first benefit promised in the former part of the verse Now out of the second benefit namely the comfort and consolation of the Church promised in the latter part of this verse these things are to be obserued First we here learne that the Lord is the author of all true comfort which hee imparteth onely vnto those whom hee hath first allured and perswaded that is effectually called for where there is no peace with God nor peace of conscience there is no sound comfort but there is no such peace till we be conuerted and reconciled vnto God according to that Esa 57. 21. Howsoeuer therfore worldlings may laugh Esay 57. 21. from the teeth outward yet they haue no sound comfort till the Lord conuert them and speake comfortablie vnto their hearts their mirth being continually checked with the pangs of an euil conscience which continually summoneth them to appeare before Gods iudgement seate No Traitour being condemned can hartely reioyce till he haue his pardon c. The vse which we are to make hereof is that wee doe not seek for ioy consolation in worldly vanities in the meane time being destitute of the comfort of Gods Spirit but first let vs labour for assurance of our true conuersion and then being at peace with God wee shall be replenished with the ioy of the holy Ghost And secondly seeing there is no true comfort till God the author of consolation speake vnto our hearts let vs not seeke it elsewhere but with the Apostle beg it at Gods hand by prayer 2. Thess 2. 16. 17. 2. Thess 2. 16. 17. God afflicteth his but doth not ouerwhelme them with miseries Secondly wee heere learne that howsoeuer the people of God after their conuersion are lead into the wildernesse of affliction yet they are not left desolate to be ouerwhelmed with their miseries for though all other helps faile the Lord himselfe will speake comfortably vnto them and keep them from fainting or sinking vnder the heauiest waight of affliction Neither in truth is there any miserie so intolerable but it may be borne with patience and ioyfulnesse of them vnto whom the Lord hath spoken by his word and Spirit assuring them that they are reconciled vnto him and in his loue and fauour that they haue their sinnes pardoned and haue escaped condemnation that all things shall worke together for the best and that these momentanie and light afflictions 2. Cor. 4. 17. shall cause vnto them a superexcellent and eternall weight of glorie Examples hereof we haue in Abraham Iacob Dauid Elias in the Apostles Act. 5. 11. in the Thessalonians Act. 5. 11. 1. Thess 1. 6. who receiued the word with much affliction and with ioy of the holy Ghost 1. Thess 1. 6. And finally in all the faithfull who being iustified through faith and being at peace with God doe not onely reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God but also in tribulation Rom. 5. 1. 2. 3. Rom. 5. 1. 2. 3. And therefore when we heare of or feele sharpe affliction for the profession of the Gospell let vs not bee daunted or discouraged for the Lord when he hath brought vs into this wildernesse will speake comfortably vnto vs he will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our power but will giue a good issue to all our trials and will so arme vs with inward comfort 1. Cor. 10. 13. that we shall easily indure all outward afflictions So that when we are brought into the wildernesse of affliction so far are we to be from doubting of Gods loue and fauour and of the comfort of his Spirit that then aboue all other times wee are surely to expect them Thirdly we are to obserue the meanes whereby this comfort The meanes whereby God comforteth vs. is deriued vnto vs namely by Gods speaking vnto vs the which speech is twofold the outward speech of the Gospell containing the glad tidings of our reconciliation with God and all the gratious promises of life and saluation in Christ and the inward speech of the Spirit crying in our hearts Abba Father and testifying vnto our spirits that we are Rom. 8. 15. 16. the sonnes of God And hence it is that the Spirit is called the Comforter Ioh. 16. 7. and our spirituall comfort the consolation Ioh. 16. 7. of the Spirit Act. 9. 31. If then we would haue this inward Act. 9. 31. ioy and comfort let vs with al diligence and attention
and in the right poeticall vaine vnlesse they bee stuffed with the names of Heathen idols as Iupiter Apollo Pallas Venus Cupid and such like sometime also in a prophane deuotion inuocating their helpe for the perfecting of their poesie but accursed be that vaine wit or eloquence which sacrilegiously robbeth God of his honor bestoweth it vpon idols whether it be done in iest or earnest So likewise here is condemned their practise who sweare by the idoll of the Masse by the Rhood and such like idols for what is this but to renue their credit by an honorable remembrance of them and after an idolatrous manner to seate them in Gods place which we are not so much as to name without branding them with some note of hatred and detestation ANd so much concerning the third benefit which the Lord promiseth to the Church The fourth followeth which is peace tranquillitie and immunitie from dangers Vers 18. And in that day will I make a couenant for them with Vers 18 the wilde beasts and with the fowles of the heauen and with that that creepeth vpon the earth and I will breake the bow and the sword and the battell out of the earth and will make them to sleepe safely In which words the Lord promiseth that he wil The exposition so watch ouer his Church and people with his prouidence that they shall haue securitie and peaceable rest though they be compassed about with dangers and manifold euils and amongst others he maketh choice of two to signifie all the rest namely that he would deliuer them first from the brutish rage and violence of vnreasonable creatures and secondly from the force and violence of men who shall oppose against them The first is expressed in these words I will make in that day a couenāt for them with the wilde beasts Where the Lord sheweth that when his people were conuerted and reconciled vnto him he would not only bestow vpon them his benefits both spirituall and corporall but also defend them from dangers so that no euill should come vnto them and particularly he promiseth to protect them from vnreasonable creatures which are all referred to three sorts first beasts as Beares Lions Tigres Wolues c. secondly the fowles of heauen by which hee vnderstandeth all rauenous and harmefull birds thirdly creeping things as serpents canker wormes locusts caterpillers and such like All which creatures before the fall were by Gods appointment vnder mans lordship and dominion yeelding vnto him voluntarie and free obedience but after by his sinne and rebellion man had made God his enemie he lost his soueraigntie the creatures rebelling against him who was a rebell to their great Lord and Creator and pulling their necks out of the yoke of their subiection and whereas before they peaceably obeyed him now they were willing to bee the Lords readie instruments to inflict deserued punishments and bring man to destruction the water to drowne him as it did the whole world the fire to burne him as it did Sodome the aire to poyson and infect him as in the time of the pestilence the earth to swallow him as it did Dathan and his followers the beares to deuoure him as 2. King 17. 25. Numb 21. 6. they did the 42. children at the prayer of Elisha the lions to destroy him as they did the Samaritanes Serpents to sting him as they did the Israelites yea euen the basest creatures haue both will power enough when God giueth signe of battel as frogs caterpillers lice as we may see in the plagues of Egypt and in the example of Herod deuoured by lice Act. 12. And therefore when the Lord mustereth and marshalleth vp together his armie of iudgements wherewith he punisheth the rebellion and sin of man cruell and noisome beasts are one choice band wherewith he assaulteth him as appeareth Leuit. 26. 22. Ezech. 14. 15. But when as man in Christ is Leuit. 26. 27. Ezech. 14 15. reconciled vnto God then also the Lord beginneth to restore vnto him his dominion ouer the creatures and maketh a couenant with them for man that is causeth them to become harmelesse so that they shall not be either willing or able to hurt any of his children And this is that which the Lord promiseth to those that feare him Psal 91. 13. Ezech. Psal 91. 13. Ezech. 34. 25. 34. 25. So also Eliphaz speaketh notably to this purpose Iob 5. 22. 23. Howsoeuer therefore Gods children are compassed Iob. 5. 22. 23. about with dangers yet they shall be safe vnder the shadow of his wings Psal 91. 1. 4. And in the middest of turmoyles Psal 91. 1. 4. and molestations their soule shall dwell at ease as it is Psal 25. 13. Psal 25. 13. But it may be demanded how this promise is accomplished How the faithful haue peace with the brute creatures seeing the godly man hath these beasts in subiection no more then the wicked and oftentimes they are alike hurtfull and pernitious vnto both I answere first that the Lord doth performe this promise as hee doth all other concerning worldly and temporall benefits and deliuerances namely not absolutely but conditionally so farre foorth as they will stand with his glorie and the good and saluation of his children and if at any time it fall out otherwise then though he inflicteth vpon them the contrarie afflictions troubles and dangers yet hee sanctifieth them for the accomplishing of these maine ends the furthering of his owne glorie and their saluation so as they are not hurtful but exceeding good and profitable vnto them And thus the Lord performeth his promise of preseruing his children from bruite beasts and such like dangers so that either they may be assured of deliuerance from them which vsually the Lord granteth as wee may see in the example of Daniel in the lions denne and Dan. 6. Act. 28. 5. Paul whom the viper could not hurt or otherwise if they be ouertaken of these dangers it is for their good seeing all things euen afflictions themselues worke together for the best to Gods elect Rom. 8. 28. Rom. 8. 28. Secondly wee are to know that the Lord doth vsually in the old Testament vnder the promises of temporall benefits and deliuerances with which the people were best acquainted shadow out vnto them his spirituall grace and protection and so here particularly he promiseth protection and deliuerance from brute and sauage beasts with which the Israelites were much vexed and indangered that by this benefit which they could feelingly apprehend he might leade them as it were by the hand and bring them to a full assurance of his protection and carefull prouidence alwaies watching ouer them for their deliuerance out of all dangers especially from the furie and malice of our spirituall enemies sinne Satan and the world who neuer cease assaulting of Gods elect 1. Pet. 5. 8. 1. Pet. 5. 8. Thirdly this couenant of peace and harmelesnesse may be said
sleepe so that the Angell that was sent to deliuer him was faine to smite him on the side that he might awaken him Act. 12. And Paul Act. 12. and Silas being in the like danger although they are not said to haue slept yet they rested quietly and peaceablie vpon Gods prouidence spending the night not in mourning and weake lamentation but in prayer reioycing and singing of Psalmes Act. 16. 25. Act. 16. 25. And this is the meaning of these words The instrustions The Do ∣ ctrines which arise out of them for our owne vse are these First we may obserue what is the cause which hath depriued vs of the Sin depriued vs of the dominion and vse of the creatures dominion vse and benefit which we had by creation ouer and by all the creatures namely our sins for this priuiledge was granted vnto man vpon the condition of his obedience vnto God which because he obserued not therefore he lost his rule and dominion right and interest he had vnto them so that what rule he hath ouer them and vse of them whilest he continueth in the state of disobedience he enioyeth it not by any lawfull right but by tyrannicall vsurpation vnder which thraldome the creatures grone earnestly desiring to be deliuered from it Rom. 8. 22. So that howsoeuer in the Rom. 8. 22. creation all the creatures were made for man subiected vnto his gouernment and appointed for his vse and man only was made for God and his seruice yet after man by his fall had disabled himself so as he neither could nor would serue his Creator the creatures were freed from the subiection and slauish vse of man and in stead of seruing and obeying him they are readie euery one in their place to be the executioners of Gods iust iudgements inflicted for his sinne and rebellion like seruants who set themselues against their master when he traiterously setteth himselfe against his Prince who is the chiefe Lord and Soueraigne ouer them all When as therefore we heare of losses and spoiles by fire or water of the hurt or death of men by the brute beasts and serpents of dearth and scarcitie caused by too much raine or drought cankers caterpillers and such like all and euery of these are so many remembrancers to put vs in mind of our sinnes and rebellion against God and so many monitors to warne vs that we forsake our wicked courses and turne to the Lord by vnfained repentance Secondly wee heere learne when man is restored to his When our dominion ouer the creatures is restored right of ruling and vsing the creatures without sin in respect of God and tyrannie in respect of them namely when he is reconciled vnto God in Christ being adopted for his son in him becommeth heire and lawfull owner of all the creatures for when the Lord hath renued his couenant with vs then doth he also renue the couenant betweene vs and the creatures which is set downe Gen. 1. 28 29. The consideration Gen. 1. 28. 29. whereof should moue vs earnestly to labour after the assurance of our reconciliation with God and our adoption for vntill then we haue no right vnto any of Gods creatures but theeuishly and tyrannically vsurpe vpon that which belongeth not vnto vs and for this cause the blood of the creatures which for our vse is spilled the clothes which which we put on the bread which we eat yea and the verie Habac. 2. 11. stones and timber of our buildings crie loude in Gods eares for vengeance and shall be sufficient matter though we had no other sinnes of inditements for our theft at the great assisses Againe vntill the Lord haue renued this couenant betweene the creatures and vs they are all our enemies which are euer readie when God suffereth them to reuenge the dishonor which by our sins we haue done to their Creator and the iniurie and oppression which we haue offered vnto them if we be at home the fire threatneth vs if abroad the beasts if God permit them are readie to assault vs the water is readie to drowne vs the earth to swallow vs the aire to infect vs yea as we walke in the streete the tyles vpon the houses are readie to braine vs in our gardens snakes and adders are readie to sting vs and at our tables euery crumbe of bread is readie to choake vs all which Gods creatures are readie to serue vs and to offer vnto vs a safe and comfortable vse of them when vpon our reconciliation with God they are also reconciled vnto vs. Thirdly wee may here learne what is the best meanes to The best meanes of obtaining a well grounded peace with men obtaine and enioy a sound and well grounded peace with men or at least entertaine a iust and safe warre namely by turning from our sinnes and seeking earnestly reconciliation with God in Christ for the cause of inward rebellions and outward inuasions is our sins which prouoke the Lord to iust displeasure and moue him to raise vp against vs enemies at home and broad to the end they may execute his iust iudgements against vs. The way therfore to settle peace and preuent warre is to take away this cause to wit our sins by true repentance and to labour that we may be at peace with God and then he will giue vs peace with men or at least a prosperous warre wherin he will assist and protect vs against our enemies Whereby it appeareth that that peace which is grounded vpon worldly policies and hath not this peace with God for the foundation thereof howsoeuer it may last for a time yet in the end it will proue rotten and vnsound For example some thinke it the best course to settle a peace by tolerating Poperie and idolatrie some by vtter forsaking Gods true religion and by conforming our selues to the world both in profession and life some by ioyning in neere leagues with neighbour Princes and by many such other deuices but seeing the Word plainly teacheth vs that the only sure foundation of our peace is our reconciliation with God and holy obedience to his Commandements how can wee hope to obtaine it by taking such courses as will cause the Lord to be our enemie and by transgressing his Commandements the breach whereof the Lord threatneth in so many places to punish with warre and those innumerable miseries which do accompanie it So Leuit. 26. 25. Deut. 28. Leuit. 26. 25. Deut. 28 49. 1. King 8. 33. Jer. 5. 15. 19. 49. 50. 1. King 8. 33. Ier. 5. 15. 19. The vse which we are to make hereof is that when wee heare of our enemies preparations we do in the first place consider that our sinnes is the cause of this warre intended against vs and therefore before we resolue vpon any other course for our defence let vs repent of our sinnes and labour to be at peace with God and so he will change their minds or vse their
howsoeuer she might fall through infirmitie yet she should neuer fall away though she may offend her husband by her corruptions and imperfections yet she should neuer forsake him nor desist in her faith and holy obedience So that neither her sins past nor her sins to come should be able to separate her from the Lord her husband not her sins past because they should be blotted out of remembrance and washed away by Christs blood nor her sinnes to come for as much as shee should be endued with such sinceritie and indignitie of heart that she should neuer sin with full consent of will nor euer leaue the Lord to commit spirituall adulterie with sinne and Satan Neither should want of righteousnes cause her to be reiected seeing shee should bee adorned with the glorious robe of Christs righteousnes imputed vnto her and also by vertue of Gods Spirit dwelling in her she should be enabled to walke before the Lord in the integritie and vprightnes of her heart indeauouring to performe all duties of holines and righteousnes vnto him Secondly whereas error and blindnesse of iudgement is a 2 The Church is married vnto Christ in iudgement cause of diuorce and separation seeing thereby the wife is moued to preferre an adulterer before her lawfull husband therfore that this may not be a cause of separation betweene him and his Church the Lord promiseth that he will endue her with a cleare and wise iudgement whereby she shall bee able to discerne betweene good and euill right and wrong and how much more profitable will it be for her to embrace the Lord as her only husband louing reuerencing and obeying him in all things than to forsake him and to follow after her adulterous louers that is idols the world Satan and the pleasures of sinne which last but for a season and in the end bring euerlasting destruction and how much better it is to embrace his pure worship reuealed in his word then to follow humane traditions and her owne inuentions Thirdly the wife is moued to breake her coniugall fidelitie 3. The Church is maried to Christ in mercie and beneficence and to leaue her husband and follow her louers when as she is brought into doubt of his loue and good will in respect of his illiberall cariage towards her and when as by his niggardly restraining her of necessaries she is brought into extremitie and want for then being hopelesse at home she rangeth abroad and seeketh help of strangers when her husband neglecteth her Whereas contrariwise when shee hath assured testimonie of his loue by his readines to supplie all her necessities to the vttermost of his power it is a notable meanes to work in her loue towards him and to preserue her faith inuiolable And thus it fareth in this spirituall mariage when we doubt of Gods loue and fauour and are brought into extreame exigents through our spirituall or corporall wants then our corrupt nature inclineth vs to leaue trusting and depending vpon the Lord and to follow Idols Saints Angels and Images looking for by them a supplie of that wherein we thinke that the Lord is defectiue And therefore he heere promiseth that he will also marrie her vnto himselfe in mercie or as the word may more fitly in this place signifie in benignitie and beneficence that is that he will so multiplie vpon her mercies and benefits as thereby shee shall haue full assurance of his loue and prouidence watching ouer her and shall by his bountie be so furnished with all necessaries that she shall not need to depend vpon any other The which promise is accomplished both in respect of corporal and spirituall benefits for if the first be wanting the Lord giueth the other in such plentie and abundance that in the middest of worldly wants she shal haue little cause to doubt of Gods loue and liberalitie seeing he doth bestow vpon her these rich treasures and gifts of greatest value And thus haue we this prophecie expounded Ier. 32. 40. I will make an euerlasting couenant with them that I will neuer turne away Jer. 32. 40. 41. from them to do them good c. 41. Yea I will delite in them to do them good c. Fourthly because when the husband is of an austere rigorous and impacable nature so as he will not beare with his 4. The Church is married to Christs compassion wiues infirmities but punisheth euery fault in all bitternesse and extremitie it is a notable meanes to worke in her alienation of minde and to moue her to affect others more then him and contrariwise compassion and readines to pardon faults and passe by infirmities is a singular meanes to nourish loue and fidelitie therefore the Lord promiseth in the next place that he wil marrie the Church in mercy and compassion so that though through frailtie she fall and by her sinnes offend him yet this shall bee no sufficient cause to moue her desperately to forsake and flee from him seeing he is so full of mercie and compassion that she can be no more readie to repent then he to forgiue nor to aske pardon then he to grant it And that not only for light and veniall sinnes nor for offences seldome committed but for all her sinnes most grieuous and innumerable and this is implied in that he here vseth the plurall number saying that he will marrie her in mercies to note the multitude of his mercies whereby he is readie to forgiue a multitude of sinnes The like place vnto this we haue Ier. 31. 34. For I will forgiue their iniquitie Jer 31. 34. Esay 54. 10. and remember their sinnes no more So Esay 54. 10. The mountaines shall remoue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee c. Fifthly because all loue and benefits cannot restraine an 5. The Lord marrieth his Church in faithfulnes inconstant woman who is naturally addicted to lust and vncleannesse but that vpon euery occasion she is apt to forsake her husband and follow her louers therefore in the next place the Lord saith that he will marrie his Church in faithfulnes wherby we are to vnderstand that not only the Lord himselfe will continue faithfull and constant in his loue to the Church but that also he will by his holy Spirit wherewith his Church and he are ioyned in marriage so rule her affections mortifie her naturall lightnesse and pronenesse to spirituall adulterie and confirme and strengthen her in constancie and fidelitie that shee shall euer keepe her mariage faith inuiolable and reserue her selfe for him alone pure and vndefiled Where we may further note that he doth the third time repeate these words I will marrie thee vnto me to this end that we might by this his redoubling of his speech bee the more vndoubtedly assured of the certaintie of this holy and heauenly contract of which we are easily moued to make some question in respect of Gods glorious Maiestie and incomprehensible
vnto which wee are preferred so behaue our selues as beseemeth our high place and calling A Prince will not seruilely drudge for day wages nor sell his honor for a small trifle nor set his minde vpon base obiects no more should we who by vertue of this royall mariage are called to higher honour then the whole world affoordeth spend our sweate and labour to obtaine vncertaine richer and filthie pleasures wee should not dimme our glorie and impeach our honour by behauing our selues like the slaues of sinne and Satan nor affect with the highest pitch of our desires worldly toyes and base trifles seeing things of farre greater excellencie are reserued for vs. Lastly as hereby wee may be put in minde of our honour We must performe coniugall duties vnto Christ and dignitie so also of our dutie namely that being married vnto Christ wee labour to performe vnto him all duties required of a good wife seeing he is wanting in nothing which belongeth vnto a most gratious and kinde husband that is let vs loue him aboue all the world and shew our loue by our readinesse to lay downe our liues for his sake who is our louing husband seeing he hath laid down his for vs euen whilest wee were his enemies Let vs yeeld vnto him voluntarie and absolute obedience and submit our selues to bee ruled and guided by his word and Spirit Let vs keepe our coniugall fidelitie reseruing our selues pure and vndefiled as from all other sinnes so especially from idolatrie and superstition Let vs who haue communion both in Christ and all his benefits not grudge to giue our selues and the best things we haue vnto him for the aduancement of his glorie and the furthering of his worship and seruice especially let vs giue vnto him our hearts which he so much desireth Let vs reuerence him as our heauenly husband fearing his displeasure as the greatest euill and mourning for no losse so much as for the losse of his fauour Let vs rest wholly relie on his prouidence for the supplie of all our wants and for protection from all dangers In a word let vs labour to performe all duties which belong to such a husband and to deck our selues with all graces which may make vs appeare amiable in his sight and so wee shall confirme our selues in this assurance that we are espoused vnto Christ and shal be made partakers not only of himselfe but also of all his benefits And these are the doctrines which are to be obserued out Nothing can frustrate the couenant betweene God and vs. of the contract it selfe Now follow those which arise out of the adiuncts and properties of this mariage and first out of the perpetuitie thereof Where first wee may obserue to our singular comfort that it is impossible for any thing whatsoeuer to breake off the couenant betweene God and vs or to make a separation after hee hath once contracted vs to himselfe in this holy mariage nor all our spirituall enemies Satan the world the flesh nor all the power of hell ioyned together no nor yet our owne sinnes past present or to come for the Lord hath here promised that he will espouse vs vnto himselfe for euer Who therefore would not labour with his whole endeuour to attaine vnto this most honourable estate accompanied with such inestimable benefits seeing they are infinitely more excellent in their owne nature then all the glorie and riches of the world and besides they are eternall and neuer to be taken from vs. He that is in honour to day may be in disgrace to morrow he that is now rich may within a while be brought to extreame pouertie but who so is aduanced to this spirituall honour of being espoused vnto God shall neuer be depriued of it neither in this life nor in the life to come Secondly seeing the vnion betweene Christ and vs is perpetuall seeing the bonds of this vnion is the Spirit of God and a true and liuely faith hence we learne that Gods Spirit and this faith after we are married vnto Christ shall neuer be taken from vs for then the mariage bonds being broken the mariage also should bee dissolued which is contrarie to the promise of God in this place And these are the things to be obserued out of the perpetuitie Whosoeuer are married vnto Christ are made righteous of this mariage Out of the properties and conditions thereof we may further note these instructions First whereas the Lord promiseth that hee will espouse the Church in righteousnes hence we learne that whosoeuer are maried vnto Christ they are also made righteous that is they are not only clothed with the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse imputed vnto them by which they are iustified in Gods sight but also are made righteous by the sanctification of his Spirit dwelling in them the which their righteousnes consisteth in the integritie and vprightnes of their hearts and in their earnest and sincere desire and endeauour to performe obedience vnto Gods Commandements the which their obedience is in this life mingled with manifold infirmities and imperfections but shal become perfect in the life to come Secondly we learne that though this righteousnesse bee Our righteousnesse constant and perpetuall weake and imperfect yet shall it be perpetuall euen as our mariage with Christ is perpetuall and eternall And therefore although wee must worke out our saluation with feare and trembling and labour earnestly to haue this our righteousnes more and more strengthned and increased yet when we feele our slow progresse in the pathes of righteousnes and finde it mingled with our great corruptions and imperfections like a few graines of corne in a heape of chaffe let vs not be vtterly discouraged as fearing lest this little sparke of righteousnes will be altogether quenched with the floud of our corruptions seeing the Lord hath promised that as this his couenant of mariage with vs shall bee perpetuall so also that it shall for euer continue in righteousnes c. Thirdly whereas the Lord promiseth that he will marrie Our righteousnesse is not the cause of our vnion with Christ his Church in righteousnes not by chusing her being righteous but by making her righteous being chosen hence we learne that our owne righteousnes is not the cause of this holy and happie vnion but that this vnion is the cause of our righteousnes for after we are vnited vnto Christ by the Spirit of God then this Spirit dwelling in vs doth applie vnto vs the vertue of Christs death which purgeth vs from not only the guilt and punishment of sin but also from the corruption power and dominion thereof and the vertue of his resurrection whereby wee also are raised from the death of sinne to holines and newnes of life And this notablie appeareth Ezech. 16. 8. 9. 10. 11. c. Ezech. 16. 8. 9. Secondly whereas the Lord saith that he will marrie his Church in iudgement hence we learne that whosoeuer
Ignorance begetteth superstition hope blinded with Ignorance becommeth presumption and feare hereby is turned into desperation c. Secondly we here obserue that as ignorance is the fountaine Ignorance the cause of punishment of all sinne so also it is the cause of all punishment for vvhen a land is destitute of the knowledge of God then doth the Lord proclaime that he hath a controuersie with that people and that he will after a reall manner plead against them till he hath destroyed them with his Iudgements And indeed many are the euils which in the Scriptures are threatned against men for this sinne of Ignorance as for example the Lord threatneth that he will laugh at their destruction stop his cares at their prayers who hate knowledge Prou. 1. 28. He punisheth it with Captiuitie Esay 5. 13. Pro. 1. 28. Therefore my people is gone into captiuitie because they had no Esay 5. 13. knowledge With desolation Esay 27. 10. The defensed citie shal become desolate c. 11. For it is a people of none vnderstanding Esay 27. 10. 11 therefore hee that made them shall haue no compassion of them It bringeth destruction and moueth the Lord to forsake vs. Hos 4. 6. It maketh men subject to the curse and wrath of God and therefore the Prophet bouldly prayeth Hos 4. 6. that the Lord would poure out his wrath vpon them that doe not know him Iere. 10. 10. Psal 79. 6. It maketh them strangers Iere. 10. 10. Psal 79. 6. Ephe. 4. 18. from the life of God Ephe. 4. 18. and also from lyfe euerlasting for as he that is ignorant of the way cannot come to the iourneyes end so they who are ignorant of the meanes of comming to eternall lyfe can neuer attaine vnto it In a word it maketh men subiect to gods vengeance at the day of judgement for the Apostle telleth vs. That the Lord will come in flaming fire to render vengeance to those that doe not know him 2. Thes 1. 8. 2. Thes 1. 8. The vse of this doctrine serueth first to refute the practise of the Papists who vse all meanes to extinguish the light of Popish patrones of ignorance reproued knowledge and to bring into those lands wherein they haue any authoritie more then Aegyptian darknesse and barbarous ignorance To which purpose they take away the preaching of the Gospell the onely ordinarie meanes of begetting faith yea they cannot indure that the people should injoy the sun-shine of the scriptures but interpose betweene it and their vnderstanding the dark cloude of an vnknowne tongue they cannot abide that they should behould this radient Pearle most precious diamond which would send forth his bright rayes in the darkest night of ignorance but keepe it close hidden and fast locked from them vnder the locke of an vnknowne language perswading the people that they may bee most deuout vvhen they are most ignorant and that being destitute of any true faith of their owne they are notwithstanding in good case if they haue onely an implicite faith vvhereby they beleeue as the Church beleeueth though they know not what But let all such know who haue wilfully suffered themselues to bee hudwinckt vvith this thick vaile of ignorance that these Romish shauelings doe notably abuse the people to their perdition seeing they take away knowledge the root and foundation of all grace vertue and obedience and bring in ignorance the fountaine of all errour sinne and wickednesse and consequently make whole nations countries lyable to Gods judgements because the knowledge of God and his true religion is banished from amongst them Secondly it serueth for the reproofe of those ignorant Ignorant ideots reproued ideots and secure worldlings who content themselues to liue still in ignorance being vtterly destitute of the knowledge of God and of his religion and imagine that they are religious inough if they haue a good meaning and that they are exempted from gods judgements and highly in his fauour if they bee of a ciuill conuersation and honest behauiour though in the mean-time they remaine wilfully blind shutting their eyes against the light and contemning or at least carelesly neglecting all meanes of knowledge But let such know that being destitute of knowledge they are also destitute of all sauing grace and that liuing in ignorance they liue also in their sinnes and consequently haue God their aduersarie vvho will contend vvith them and vnlesse they repent adjudge them to deserued punishments Lastly this serueth to stop the mouthes of those eyther Slaunderers of the Gospell refuted foolish or malicious slaunderers vvho accuse the preaching of the Gospell as the cause which hath impayred the state of the land both by making it more to abound with sinne also more liable to Gods judgements It was neuer good vvorld say they since this new religion came in and since there vvas so much preaching Neuer so much infidelitie hipocrisie dissimulation fraude oppression and cruelty Neuer such want and scarcitie plague and sicknesse and all sorts of miseries But let such know that not the preaching of the gospell is the cause of all this but the neglect and contempt of the Gospell preached and because vvhilest the light of Gods word shineth yet men loue darknesse more then light and therefore are iustly giuen ouer of God to a reprobate sence It is not our too much knowledge which is the cause of our sinnes and punishments but our great ignorance notwithstanding the Lord hath a long time graunted plentifull meanes of knowledge and as well may we say that the light of the Sunne causeth men to stumble and goe out of the way that the faithfull surgeon and good salue doe make the sore that the Iudge maketh the theefe or that the Law doth make transgressours as that the word of God or the knowledge thereof should be the cause eyther of our sinnes or of our punishments And so much for the doctrines which are to be obserued Application out of this first verse Now in the last place let vs apply that which hath been said to our owne times for our owne vse benefit And to this purpose let vs examine what similitude there is betweene the land of Israell as it was in the time of Hosea and our owne Country in these dayes and whether we are not guilty of the same sins whereof they are here conuicted to the end that if we proue cleare and innocent we may haue the comfort hereof in our owne consciences or if vve be found alike faulty that wee may humble our selues by vnfained repentance Otherwise let vs assure our selues that if there be between vs similitude of manners there shall also be similitude of punishment if we be guilty of the same sins the Lord will take the same course with vs that is he will summon and arraigne vs before his Iudgement seate where being conuicted vve shall be condemned to suffer the like or
sinnes I see no reason why in our exposition we may not comprehend them both Yea but this people transgressed the first table in many other respects as namely by their grose Idolatry false worship contempt of Gods word and profanation of his Sabbaths why then doth he onely here accuse them of this sin of swearing I answere hee doth vnder this one particular comprehend all the rest eyther because this sinne most notoriously raigned amongst them or els because this prophane and false swearing is vsually accompanied with all impietie for he that maketh no conscience of vaine vsuall and false swearing maketh conscience of no impietie But let vs consider what kinde of swearing is here condemned neither must we vnderstand this of all manner and kindes of swearing seeing a lawfull Oath is in Gods word commaunded as a notable part of his worship and seruice So Deut. 6. 13. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue Deut. 6. 13. and 10. 20. him and shalt sweare by his name Chap. 10. 20. Yea and sometimes it signifieth the whole seruice of God as Psal 63. Psal 63. 11. 11. All that sweare by him shall reioyce in him But here onely vnlawfull swearing is condemned which sinne is diuersly committed as first in regard of the object Esay 65. 16. when men sweare by any thing besides the Lord alone Secondly in respect of the manner when as they doe not sweare in truth justice and judgement Thirdly in respect Ier. 4. 2. of the end when as in their oathes they do not chiefly ayme at Gods glory or their owne or their neighbors good which sinne they commit who sweare rashly ordinarily and in their rage and fury But of this argument I purpose to speake more largely else where therefore I will here passe it ouer The other sinne signified by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is cursing and direfull imprecations which is vsed against our selues Of Cursing or against our neighbours against our selues when as rashly vainely and vnnecessarily we inuocate Gods feareful Iudgements against our state person body or soule for the needlesse confirmation of some truth eyther in our asseuerations or promises or for the binding of our selues to the performāce of some vnprofitable or euil action An example wherof we haue in Iesabel 1 King 19. 2. Against our neighbours when in malice or rage we desire God to poure vpon them 1 King 19. 2. some grieuous punishment The which is an horrible abuse of Gods name power and justice when as we goe about to make him our instrument of vnjust reuenge and the executioner of our malicious and wicked outrages and likewise a haynous sinne against our neighbours when as our malice exceeding our power vve wish vnto them those euils which we are not able to inflict And this our Sauiour condemneth though it be vsed against those vvho curse and persecute vs. Math. 5. 44. So Rom. 12. 14. Mat. 5. 44. The second sinne of which the people of Israell are accused Rom. 12. 14. and conuicted is Lying for the better vnderstanding Of Lying whereof that knowing it we may auoyde it vve will consider the nature and kindes thereof A Lye is when by any meanes a man vttereth an vntruth or the truth vntruely and with a purpose to deceiue So that What a Lye is there are two sorts of Lyes the first vvhen as a man speaketh not as the thing is the second vvhen hee speaketh the 2. Sorts of lies truth but deceitfully with a desire to be otherwise vnderstood then the truth is The first which is a logicall or a reall Lye is of two sorts first when as a man speaketh an vntruth against his minde and knowledge and this is the chiefe kind of Lying from whence in the Latine it hath his name for mentiri est contra mentemire Secondly when a man inconsiderately and through errour vttereth an vntruth thinking that hee speaketh true Which howsoeuer it bee a lie in the generall signification yet he that vttereth it cannot bee called a lyar because howsoeuer his words agree not with the thing yet they agree with his minde Onely hee offendeth through inconsiderate rashnes in that hee affirmeth that as certaine truth of which hee hath no certaine knowledge and thereby giueth offence to those that heare him who discerne the vntruth but doe not know the minde of him that vttereth it Secondly hee lyeth who speaketh the truth with a purpose to deceiue not knowing that to bee true which hee auoucheth or thinking it to be otherwise or knowing it to That he lyeth who speaketh the truth to deceiue bee truth desireth to be vnderstood otherwise then he speaketh it and this is as great a sinne as a plaine lie for as it is a lesser fault in regard it hath more shew of truth so it is greater because it is ioyned with more deceipt As therefore a man may pronounce an vntruth and yet be no lyer so hee may be a lyar in vttering the truth when as hee doth not speake it with a simple heart And these are the diuers kindes of lying which are here condemned the which howsoeuer they seeme small sinnes That lying is a great sinne in gods sight in the sight of men as appeareth by their common practise yet they are great in Gods sight and therefore carefully to be auoyded by all christians which that we may the rather doe let these motiues perswade vs. First because the Lord in the scriptures hath straightly forbidden it Leu. 19. 11. Ye shall not lye one to another Eph Leu. 19. 11. 4. 25. Cast of lying and speake the truth euery man to his neighbour Ephe. 4. 25. for wee are members one of another Col. 3. 9. Lye not one to another seeing ye haue put off the old man and his workes Col. 3. 1. Secondly because it is condemned as a greuous sinne namely as an abhomination to the Lord Pro 12. 22. as a sin which God abhoreth Pro. 6. 17. As being the cursed off-spring Pro. 12. 22. of that wicked father the diuell Ioh. 8. 44. The which is to bee vnderstood not onely of pernicious lyes but also Ioh. 8. 44. merry lyes for God condemneth it as a sinne to make Princes merry with lyes Hos 7. 3. Yea of officious profitable lyes For truth must not be sould at any price Pro. 23. 23. Hos 7. 3. Pro. 23. 23. And it is vnlawfull to lye for Gods cause Iob. 13. 7. 9. and Iob. 13. 7. 9. therefore much lesse for any worldly benefit Thirdly as truth maketh vs to resemble our heauenly father Lying maketh men resemble the Diuell who is the authour and fountaine of truth so Lying maketh men to resemble the Diuell who is the father of Lyes and as truth is the badge or cognisance of a Christian in earth and Heire of heauen so Lying is a note and Psal 15. 2. token of
one who is the sonne of perdition for Lyers haue their childes-part in the Lake which burneth with fire and Apoc. 21. 8. brimstone Fourthly because by Lying men loose their credit so as no man will beleeue them when they speake the truth Fiftly because it taketh away the true vse of speach which Lying ouerthrovveth the vse of speach is to expresse the meaning of the heart and ouerturneth all humaine societie contracts and commercements betweene man and man c. Lastly it maketh the Lord to proclaime a controuersie with vs and to contend with vs by his heauie Iudgements For a false witnesse shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh Lyes shall not escape Prou. 19. 5. But he shall perish Verse 9. Prou. 19. 5. 9. Psal 5. 6. And be destroyed Psal 5. 6. As appeareth in the example of Ananias and Saphira Act. 5. And after this life he shall Act. 5. be shut out of Gods kingdome Apoc. 22. 15. And be cast into Apoc. 22. 15. and 21. 8. hell fire Apoc. 21. 8. The third sinne whereof they are conuicted and condemned Of Killing is killing whereby wee are not onely to vnderstand the taking away of the life of man which is murther in the highest degree but also all hurts wrongs and injuries offred against the person of their neighbour for as in the former verse by the want of mercy was vnderstood the want of loue compassion and all christian beneficence so by this sinne of commission opposed thereunto we are to vnderstand the contrary vices cruelties injuries and oppression committed against the person and life of our brother Againe it seemeth that it was the Prophets purpose in setting downe this short Epitome of the peoples sinnes to bring them to an examatition of themselues by the Law of God that so the obstinate might bee conuinced of their manifold transgressions as though he should say if you who vpon euery occasion are ready to justifie your selues would examine your hearts and consciences your liues and conuersations according to Gods Law you should finde that you haue broken all and euery part therof as namely by swearing lying killing stealing c. Seeing then the Prophet in this place hath relation vnto the Law of God violated by them it followeth that as these sinnes are condemned in the Law so also here But in the Law is condemned not onely the capitall sinne which is specified but all other of the same kinde with the meanes and occasions thereof and therefore whereas the Prophet doth accuse them of Killing hee doth vnder this one word include all other their sinnes of this kinde and nature As first the killing and murther of the heart to which is to be referred all vnjust anger inueterate malice repining enuie purpose of taking priuate reuenge disdaine rejoycing at other mens harmes crueltie discord and such like Secondly the murther of the tongue to which is referred chiding railing cursing scoffing backbiting and slaundering Thirdly the murther of the hands vnder which is comprised all manner of violence against the person of our neighbour as quarrelling fighting wounding and killing eyther of his body or soule The fourth sinne is Stealing whereby as in the former Of Stealing we are not onely to vnderstand Theft in the grosest kind as that open and violent Theft which is called Rapina Latrocinium Rapine and Robberie or that secret and deceitfull Theft which we call Furtum that is pilfering and stealing but also all manner of vnlawfull meanes whereby our neighbour is defrauded and depriued of his goods whether they be condemned by humaine Lawes or allowed and tolle rated And this is a Tree which sendeth forth many branches The diuers kindes of theft For eyther this theft is committed out of contract or in contract to the first we are to referre all violent and forcible courses taken for the spoyling our neighbour of his goods As first oppression wherby those who excel others in power Oppression authoritie and riches are ready to deuoure swallow vp the poore to grinde their faces feed vpon their sweat and euen drink their bloud of such we read Esay 3. 14. 15. Micah 3. Esay 3. 14. 15. 2. 3. And in this respect those oppressors are called roaring Micah 3. 2. 3. Lyons and deuouring Wolues Zeph. 3. 3. And this oppression Zeph. 3. 3. is committed eyther through meere violence and without coulour of Law which is the vsuall Theft of Tyrants and cruell Land-lords or else when some shew of Law is pretended which is called extortion and is the sinne eyther of Magistrates who make Lawes for the oppression of the common wealth who take bribes to betray the cause of the innocent who presse the extreamitie of the Law and strictly stand vpon the outward letter though in respect of circumstances it be without all equitie Or else of officers who inhaunce their fees grate vpon the poore delaying the dispach of his businesse vnlesse for expedition their dueties be doubled and trebled Or else of Lawyers who taking vpon them to bee the patrons of poore mens causes become latrones of their goods robbing and spoyling whole common wealths vnder coulour of righting the wronged and maintaining equitie and Iustice Or else of Ministers who fleece the sheepe eate the milk and cloth themselues with the wool but doe not feede the flock being eyther vtterly vnfurnished of sufficient gifts or being sufficient neglect their duety through idlenesse or for ambition Or else this theft is committed by the people who receiuing spirituall things from their Ministers will not communicate vnto them their carnall things but by fraudulent or violent courses with-hold from them that necessary and sufficient maintenance which both by the lawes of God man is allotted and allowed vnto them The which howsoeuer it is esteemed a small fault or none at all yet it is not onely theft but Sacriledge in Gods sight as appeareth Mal. 3. 8. Mal. 3. 8. The second kinde of theft is cloaked and disguised vnder the habite of lawfull contracts vnto which we may referre all manner of deceipt and fraud vsed in buying and selling vsurie selling time vnder shew of giuing credit and such like All which kindes of theft are grieuous sinnes in Gods sight forbidden and condemned in gods Law Exod. 20. 25. Exod. 20. 25. And punished in this life with gods curse Zach. 5. 3. 4. and in the life to come with banishment out of gods kingdome Zach. 5. 3. 4. 1. Cor. 6. 10. 1. Cor. 6. 10. The last sinne whereof they are accused and conuicted Of whoredom and the diuerse kinds of vncleannesse is whoring by which wee are to vnderstand all manner of vncleannes eyther internall in the minde or externall in the body the internall are the vncleane lusts of the flesh which are eyther suddainely intertayned condemned by Christ Math. 5. 28. or nourished and retained which the Apostle calleth burning 1.
are once spoyled weakned maymed vvounded especially Gods spirit which by their presumptuous sinnes they haue grieued being departed from them The second thing to be obserued is that he comprehendeth All impietie comprised vnder vnlavvfull swearing all impietie and the whole breach of the first table vnder this one sin of vnlawfull swearing and as in the former Verse he had comprised all the sinnes of omission vnder the want of knowledge as being the fountaine of all the rest and the internall root from which they spring so here he comprehendeth all sinnes of commission vnder this one of abusing Gods holy name which is an external sin of the tongue First because it is an vndoubted signe an inseperable companion of all manner of wickednesse for hee that maketh no conscience of blaspeming Gods holy name by eyther false or vaine and idle oathes he maketh conscience of no sinne but would if he might with as little disgrace and danger doe it commit all manner of impietie hee that will not be restrained by Gods feare loue mercy goodnesse and the manifold benefits which he hath receiued of him from vaine swearing whereby he receiueth no profit but losse euen the losse of Gods fauour the assurance of saluation of a good conscience and of reputation amongst those that feare God nor any pleasure vnlesse he take like the Diuell himselfe a hellish pleasure in acting sinne and despiting God nor hath thereby any credit but rather is branded with the black marke of a prophane person hee that will contemptuously trample vnder feete the precious body and bloud of Jesus Christ which he spared not to giue for our redemption and so irreligiously scorne the greatest benefit that euer the Lord bestowed vpon vs it is not to be doubted but that this man what shew soeuer hee maketh is a prophane person who when hee is allured by the baites of the world riches honours and pleasures will not stick to commit any manner of wickednesse seeing he is ready to commit this horrible sinne of blaspheming gods name being induced therunto without any respect of the least good Secondly he implyeth vnder this one sinne of swearing all the sinnes commited against the first table because all these sinnes are linked together and so inseperably ioyned one with the other that whosoeuer is held in bondage vnder one of them he is subiect to the rest according to that Iam. 2. 10. Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole law and yet faileth in Iam. 2. 10. 11. one point he is guiltie of all The reason is because hee that wilfully neglecteth any part of Gods Law he doth not performe any one dutie as he ought in obedience to gods commandement and for the aduancement of his glory but for sinister respects for if out of a good conscience and the true feare of God he performed any duety then the same causes would moue him to performe all seeing God injoyneth one commandement as well as another as the Apostle there reasoneth Verse 11. The vse hereof is that we make conscience not onely of one but of all Gods Commandements and that we carefully auoyde not onely this or that sin as Herod did but all kinds and degrees of sin especially false or vaine swearing for this alone includeth or necessarily inferreth all manner of impietie and therefore let blasphemous swearers make at some times what shew of religion they will yet vve may safely and surely conclude with the Apostle as in the generall so especially of this sinne of blaspheming Gods Name that if any amongest you seemeth Religious and refraineth not his Iames. 1. 26. Tongne from customable swearing and vaine Oathes hee but deceiueth his owne heart and his Religion is in vaine Iames. 1. 26. The third thing to bee obserned is that the Lord conuinceth Why God condemneth all sinnes vnder the names of those which are greatest in that kinde and condemneth the Israelits of all their transgressions vnder the names of the greatest sins of that kinde as cruelty and oppression vnder the name of murther all manner of deceipt vnder the name of theft all kinds of vncleannesse vnder the name of whoring and adulterie And this he doth Reason The First First to giue vs to vnderstand that howsoeuer wee make small accompt of these sinnes yet in his sight vnjust anger is no better then murther deceipt though neuer so cunningly cloaked no better then theft and vnlawfull lusts are reputed in his estimate adulterie as our Sauiour also expoundeth the law Mat. 5. Mat. 5. Reason The Second Secondly that hereby hee might moue vs to a hatred and detestation euen of all sinne whatsoeuer and to make conscience of committing the least transgression Naturally wee minse sinne and extenuate it with vaine excuses this is but a small sinne and I would no body did worse I am content to leaue all grosse sinnes and therefore in this small trifle I hope the Lord will be mercifull vnto mee wee cannot here be Saints and to bee too scrupulous is to bee more precisethen wise But vnto such as thus extenuate their sins the Lord aggrauats them plainely affirming that their couetousnesse is theft their rash anger murther their inward lusts and vnchast speaches adulterie in his sight Reason The third Thirdly as the Lord by this meanes restraineth vs from committing the smallest sinnes so if wee haue fallen into them hee doth hereby humble vs and bring vs to serious repentance when as wee consider that those sinnes which wee haue innumerable times committed making no reckoning of them are reputed haynous in the Lords sight who is to bee our iudge so that hereby wee may be moued to lay our hands vpon our mouthes to desire with the Prophet that the Lord would not enter into judgement with vs to disclaime our owne righteousnesse and to hunger after the righteousnes of Christ to cease boasting with the Pharisee I am no extorcioner murtherer adulterer c. and to change the Pharisees brag into the poore Publicans humble praier God be mercifull vnto mee a sinner Fourthly whereas he saith they breake out like vnruly beasts Sinne if it bee not quicklie suppressed growes violent who would be held in by no sence like swelling streames which breake downe their banks and ouer-flow the whole country here againe wee may obserue the nature of sinne which if it be not quickly suppressed wil grow so violent contagious that nothing will restraine nor containe it with in any bounds The violence thereof if once it hath taken full possession of vs is such that neither Gods loue mercie and manifold benefits nor yet his law fearefull curse feirce wrath nor terrible judgements will restraine vs from runing head-long into it yea rather sinne will take occasion by the commaundement to worke in vs all manner of concupisence as appeareth Rom. 7. 8. And such is the contagious infection thereof that it will not be contained in the Rom. 7. 8. persons who are
or by saying Lord haue mercy vpon vs for we are all sinners or by making some counterfaite shew of repentance in their sicknesse or when they lye vpon their death beds as also it refuteth the doctrine of the Papists who so lightly esteeme of sinne that they teach it may be done away by auricular Confession Pennance humaine Satisfactions Pilgrimages saying ouer of so many Pater-nosters Aue-Maryes and Creedes by a Bishops blessing and Popish Pardons but vve are to know that howsoeuer they esteeme of it yet it is so odious in Gods sight that no satisfaction can be made for it but by the alone sufficient sacrifice of Christs bloud in which if we haue not part our bloud will be vpon our owne heads and the guilt and punishment of our sinnes will euer remaine vpon vs. And so much for the doctrines and vses which are to be Application obserued out of these words Now in the next place we are to apply them to our owne times and to examine whether we That vnlawfull swearing exceedingly aboundeth bee not guiltie of those sinnes of which the Israelites are her conuicted and condemned The first sinne is swearing in which respect if we take a generall suruey of our state we shall finde that we may well take vp Ieremies complaint that because of oathes this land mourneth Ier. 23. 10. For the Ier. 23. 10. name of God was neuer so prophaned and blasphemed amongst the people of Israell as in this sinfull nation neither can wee finde that they euer so lightly vainely and impiously abused the dreadfull and glorious name of their Iehouah as it is abused amongst vs nay contrarywise we find that it was vsuall with them to rent their garments when they hard Gods name blasphemed which if we should do in our dayes we should neuer go in whole apparel the whole wealth of the land were scarce sufficient to furnish the people with clothes yea such a superstitious respect they had of the name of God that numbring by letters they durst not vse the letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because one of Gods names was thereby expressed but in stead of them vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest the name of god should be prophaned by common vse whereas amongst vs the fearefull name of God is vsed without all respect in jests and May-games common swearing and impious cursing But the more full handling of this point I will reserue for a larger discourse of this argument And so much concerning the sinne of swearing the other sinne signified by the same word is cursing and direfull That wicked cursing is rife in these times imprecations The which sinne also doth exceedingly raigne in this our land and pulleth downe gods heauie judgements vpon vs for are men sporting themselues in their pleasures recreations if any thing crosse them in their delights what Poxes Plagues and mischeifes will their accursed cursing mouthes thunder out are they about their worldly affaires businesse if they doe not sort according to their desire what direful curses wil they vtter if they be by any accident incensed with anger they haue no readyer way to ease themselues then by belching out of their poysonous stomacks curses and blasphemies neyther is there any thing priuiledged from this their impious furie for not onely their enemies who haue injured or abused them are thought fit subiects vpon whom they may lay their heauy curses but also their friends who are neere and deare vnto them yea what soeuer commeth next to hand sometimes they thus reward their poore seruants for their painefull seruice sometimes their seelie cattell are thus requited for all the vse and benefits which they haue by them yea sometimes the children of their owne bowels haue these hellish blessings bestowed vpon them and that vpon small and trifling occasions nay such is their senslesnesse in this sinne that they are ready to curse the senstesse creatures and that oftentimes when there is no fault in them which are onely their bare instruments but in themselues who for want of heede wit or prouidence could vse them no better but let such cursers know that the The punishment of cursing curses which they haue still in their mouthes shall fall vpon their owne heads and that they are but like stones or balls cast against a hard wall which hurt it not but rebound vpon the throwers Let them remember the saying of the Psalmist Psal 109. 17. As hee loued cursing so shall it come vnto Psal 109. 17. 18. him and as hee loued not blessing so shall it bee farre from him 18. As hee clothed himselfe with cursing like a rayment so shall it come into his bowels like water and like oyle into his bones And well were it if hee that curseth did beare the punishment of his owne sinne himselfe alone but it is otherwise Cursing maketh the common wealth liable to Gods iudgements for where cursing aboundeth it causeth the Lord to proclaime a controuersie with the whole land and to inflict vpon it his heauie judgements The which as it should forcibly restraine men from this horrible sinne because thereby they make not onely themselues but also their deare country liable to grieuous punishments so also it should moue Christian magistrates to bee carefull in the suppressing of this vice seeing where it aboundeth there the whole country lyeth open to Gods fearefull plagues The third sinne whereof the Israelits are accused is Lying in which respect if we take a view of our land wee That the sinne of lying is exceeding common in these times shall finde that neither they nor the Cretians themselues exceeded our people in this vice For looke amongst all sorts and conditions of men and it will plainely appeare that al sorts of lyes abound vaine lyes which haue no other end but to keepe their tongues in vre merry lyes for to that passe are men come that they will lie for recreation sport themselues in their wickednes officious lyes for gaine and aduantage though it be joyned with the losse of their soules yea and pernitious lyes tending to the hurt reproach and slaunder of their neighbours If we take a view of state pollicie vvee shall finde that their mixta prudentia which is so much admired and highly esteemed is nothing else but a mixture of worldly wisedome with aduantageable lying and deepe dissimulation Looke amongst our Lawyers who take vpon them to maintaine truth and justice and you shall see a common practise of lying in their false pleas and allegations joyned with an impudent facing out and discountenancing of Truth tending to the ouerthrow of justice innocency and the aduancement of wrong and oppression the which sinne is more daungerous to the state because these lyars are licensed and countenanced in their sinne and suffered to say what they will or can for their Clyent though it be neuer so false without check or controulement Examine the state of the Citie
and you shall finde that among buyers and sellers there is scarce any bargaine made without the help of many Lyes the which they finde so beneficiall for the increase of their wealth that they would not sell their gaines which they get by Lying for that which they get by their honest labours yea so highly is this sin in fauour with them that they reade a Lecture of lying to their seruants which who so best learneth he is esteemed the finest chapman and fittest to be imployed in his maisters most waighty businesses On the contrary side he that is not expert in this Lying skill eyther being naturally inclyned to honest dealing or else because he maketh conscience of his wayes such an one though neuer so faithfull and painfull in his calling is in no fauour with his maister but esteemed a heauy headed and dull witted fellow altogether vnfit for any imployment Yea so little account or conscience is made of this sinne that vpon euery tryfling occasion it is thought fit to be vsed for let a mangoe to another but to speake with him at his house and he shall find all seruants generally instructed to returne a Lye that they know not whether their maister be within but they will goe see and if the maister liketh not the party or his businesse then at the returne of the messenger the Lye is doubled Doe these men thinke we beleeue the Scriptures that a Lye is abhominable in Gods sight that Prou. 12. 22. and 6. 17. Apoc. 22. 15. and 21. 8. he abhorreth it that the Lyar shall be excluded out of Gods kingdome and cast into the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone without doubt eyther they are so invred to Lying that they measuring God by themselues doe not beleeue his truth or else they neuer meditate or thinke vpon it for there is none so gamesome that would leape into hell fire for sport there is none so couetous that would wittingly and willingly sell his soule for euery small trifle which is of more value then the whole world there is scarce any so giuen ouer to desperate wickednesse that would haue his seruant by a Lye to hazard his saluation which daunger might bee preuented by vndergoing little or no inconuenience The fourth sinne laid to the Israelites charge is Killing That the land is defiled with blood the which we must needs acknowledge doth exceedingly abound in this land in all the kinds degrees thereof for first if we examine our state concerning murther in the highest nature we must needes acknowledge that our country is exceedingly defiled with bloud for how many outragious and more then barbarous Murthers haue beene committed in euery corner of this Land within the compasse of a few yeares how many openly haue beene slaughtered by desperate Ruffians in frayes and quarrels how many murthered by Theeues and Robbers how many traiterously poysoned and priuily made away by treacherous enimies the which bloudy sinnes being committed by some priuate men would not lye so heauy vpon the whole state if they had ben seuerely punished by the Magistrates and bloud had beene punished with bloud But alas it hath ben far otherwise for diuers horrible murthers haue had their pardons by the mediation of their great friends contrary to the expresse cōmandement of almighty God Gen. 6. 9. Exo. 21. 12. Num. 35. 30. Gen. 9. 6. Exod. 21. 12. Num 35. 30. 31 31. Wherby it is come to passe that the whole land is defiled with bloud for as it is Vers 33. Bloud defileth the Land and the Land cannot be cleansed of the bloud that is shed therein but by the bloud of him that shed it But if wee speake of the other inferiour kindes of Murther wee shall finde that not onely some few persons but euen the whole body of the people is guilty of this sinne for to speake first of the murther of the hart how doth it abound Of the murther of the Heart amongst vs in the seuerall kinds thereof for how common is vnjust anger without a cause inueterate malice whereby one beareth to another such hatred that they will not so much as speak to them for long time together yea and rather then they will forgiue injuries depriue themselues of the Sacrament the seale of their saluation spightfull enuie whereby one is vexed at the prosperitie of another no lesse grieued at the sight of their neighbors good then in the sense of their own euil So how doth desire of taking priuate reuenge bear sway in mens harts insomuch that men think it a disparagement to their courage and a great disgrace to them if they put vp an injurie how doe men disdaine and dispise one another if they come neere them in place apparrell or account whom they esteeme their inferiours what rejoycing is there in other mens harmes especially if they enuie their state or beare them any secret grudge when was there in any age the like crueltie in the harts of men whereby they are not onely restrained from doing good one to another in their greatest extremities but moued also to hurt and oppresse one another when they haue opportunitie when were men so eagerly disposed to entertaine discord and contention vvhen but the least shew of an occasion is offred by all which it appeareth how the murther of the heart aboundeth The like may be said of the murther of the Tongue for Of the murther of the Tongue rayling chiding and reuiling is to be heard in euery corner for euery trifle one miscalling another by reprochfull names and out of the malice of their hearts men are ready to vtter for euery light cause such poysoned words as tend to their disgrace and ruine how ready are the most to deride and scoffe one another with bitter frumps thinking that they haue much commended their wits when they haue taunted one another with byting jests what back-biting and slandering aboundeth in euery house where the continuall subject of mens talke both at their table and in their ordinarie communication is the faults and imperfections of their neighbours yea sometimes of their most familiar friends by all which it is manifest that the most men are guilty of the murther of the tongue Neyther are the greatest part amongst vs to be excused Of the murther of the Hands of the murther of the Hands for although for feare of the Law the most be restrayned from actuall murther yet how many haue offred violence against the person of their neighbour by quarrelling and fighting hurting and wounding of their bodyes thinking this to bee a small or no sinne at all if they doe not take away their liues So that if the Lord should contend with vs and arraigne vs before his iudgement seate vve must generally plead guilty and put our selues wholy vpon the doome of Gods infinite mercy The fift sinne wherof the Israelites are indited and condemned is Stealing of which the whole people of this
land is guilty many vvayes For first if vve speake of the highest degree of this sinne the naturall disposition of this people is That the people of this land are much addicted to stealing so inclinable hereunto that it doth not vndeseruedly beare the brand and reproach of this vice amongst other nations And in truth amongst our selues vve haue great experience hereof for howsoeuer theft is punished seuerely in this land by death it selfe yet the most of our able poore if they bee of a base minde giue themselues to begging and those who are of more spirit and courage choose rather to rob and steale then to liue by their honest labours But howsoeuer many may plead not guilty in respect of Of the theft of the Heart this highest degree of theft by reason of their sufficiencie of maintenance or feare of punishment yet the other kindes of Theft which are not punished by humaine lawes abound amongst vs as first the Theft of the Heart discontentednesse with mens owne estates and couetousnesse whereby they desire by vnlawfull meanes to get vnto themselues the wealth of other men doth as much abound in this nation as amongst any people of the world And hereby the seede of Gods word and all spirituall graces are exceedingly choaked all holy duetyes of pietie and Christianitie neglected the reliefe of the poore and all works of mercy omitted and the contrary vices vnmeasurably increased Come from the theft of the hart to the theft which is in Of oppression fact both through violence and deceipt and we shal find our selues entred into an Ocean without eyther bottome or end for where amongst any ciuill people was euer seene the like tyrannicall oppression whereby the rich and mighty eate vp the weake and needy as the greater fishes deuoure the lesse when was there euer heard of the like exactions impositions inhaunsement of rents to such vnreasonable rates that poore men can not with the sweat of their browes earne their bread such delaying if not peruerting of justice for friendship and respect of persons In what age of the world was there such corruption in courts and Offices such inhaunsing of fees such extortion and intollerable pilling proling and bribing When did euer the Lawyers so flourish by the common spoyle by deceipt and impostures protractions of suites defending injury and fashood betraying the cause of the innocent like theeues contending one with another in counterfaite strife who shall haue the true mans purse Neyther is the state of the ministery to be acquitted of Theft of the Ministery towards the people this crime of Theft for how many is there in this land which liue vpon the common spoyle of the Parish performing no duety for it how many vnprofitable Drones who eate the honie and neuer labour some because they cannot by reason of their insufficiency ignorance which are those dumb dogs of which the Prophet speaketh which not being able Esa 56. 10. to barke betray the flocke into the jawes of the rauenous Wolfe some through idlenesse because they will not take paines prizing their owne sweate at a higher rate then the precious soules of all those which are committed to their charge some through couetousnes adding liuing vnto liuing and so become negligent Non-residents who feede themselues but starue the people c. And as the ministers offend by defrauding their flocks of Theft of the people towards the Ministers that spirituall foode which should nourish them to euerlasting life so also doe the people generally in the land and especially in this Citie defraud their Ministers of that sufficient maintenance which both by the Lawes of God and of the land are due vnto them some by might force some by deceiptfull conueyances crafty collusions and other vnjust and fradulent courses which although men in their carnall security can slightly passe it ouer yet let them bee assured that if euer they come vnto any sense of sinne it will lye heauy vpon their consciences that they haue thus defrauded their ministers and in them God himselfe Mal. 3. 8. Mal. 3. 8. And these with many other kindes of theft are committed Of theft by vsury buying and selling vsually in this land in ordinary dealing out of contract besides which there are innumerable kindes of theft committed in contracts as that legall theft of Vsury vnder coulour of lending which now especially in this citie is growne into such a common trade that if there were a Corporation made of those who chiefly liue by this profession it would exceed in number the greatest Company in the City The like theft is vsually committed in buying and selling for what innumerable deceipts are vsed in our times by men of this profession what false lights what vnequall measures and deceiptfull waights what corrupt and bad wares what deceipt in ouer-prizing them aboue their double value what facing lying swearing forswearing and ouer-reaching in which respects these professions may well keepe their old names of Crafts and Mysteryes seeing almost euery shop is now become a Schoole of deceipt and falshood in which there are so many hidden subtilties so many vnknowne secrecies and subtle turnings and windings that in their dealings there is not onely fraude but euen a Mysterie of deceipt And thus haue I briefly poynted at some kindes of theft commonly practised in this land the which if I should relate in al the particulars thereof the very names of the diuers sorts of this sin would be suffficient to fill a volume But this which hath beene sayd is inough to prooue that by this sinne of Theft we haue justly deserued that the Lord should contend with vs and inflict vpon vs his fearefull judgements and most grieuous punishments The last sinne laid to the Israelits charge is Adulterie with which filthynesse this land was neuer so much desiled That the land is exceedingly polluted with Adulterie as in these times so that if wee could plead not guilty in respect of the former crimes yet this sinne of vncleannesse were sufficient in it selfe alone to cause this land in Gods just wrath to vomit out her inhabitants who haue thus wickedly Leu. 18. 25. 27 defiled it For to say nothing of the inward vncleannes of the heart of which the Lord alone and mens consciences are the witnesses and iudges How many are there whose whoredomes are written in their for-heads and who carrie their adulterie betweene their brests How many are there who commit the adulterie of the tongue whilest they take their cheefe delight in ribauld and obsceane speaches rotten and filthy communication How many is there who commit the adultery of the eare whilst with pleasing delight they attentiuely listen to baudie jests and are neuer merrier then when they are in the companie of filthy ribaulds how many commit the adulterie of the eyes whilst they are so far from making with Iob a couenant with their eyes that they Iob. 31. 1. wil
3. 17. blessing made it fruitfull but mans sinne made it barren and in stead of Corne Wine and Oyle caused it to bring forth Thornes and Thistles if it bee not as it were watred with mans sweate Verse 18. 19. It brought a generall Deluge Verse 18. 19. wherein not onely man but all the Creatures perished It turned Sodome and Gomorrah which was like the garden of Eden into a salt Marsh and desolate wildernes It brought all those plagues of Aegipt not onely vpon man but vpon the beasts likewise In a word it is the cause of all the miseries which all the Creatures suffer vnder which they grone and trauaile in paine together with vs as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. 22. Rom. 8. 22. from which with feruent desire they waite to be deliuered when man is freed from his sinne as appeareth Verse 19. 20. 21. Ver. 19. 20. 21 Neyther is this vnjust with God that the creatures should be punished for the sinne of man seeing as man was not made for himselfe but for God so they were not made for themselues but for the vse of man and therefore as they were to joy in his rejoycing so to beare their part of griefe in his mourning and miserie like the seruants of Noble men who are quelled in their Lords ruines and though they are not guilty of their treasons committed against their soueraigne prince yet they are ouerthrowne in their estates pertakers in their punishments The vse of this doctrine is first to admonish vs that when wee see the miseries of any of the poore Creatures as the barrennesse of the earth the toyle sicknesse and manifold infirmities of the beasts c. we be thereby put in remembrance of our sinnes and be moued to bewayle them as being the cause not onely of our owne but also of all the creatures miserie Secondly it serueth to reproue those who abuse the poore creatures with tyrannical crueltie and are so far from pitying them in those miseries which our sinnes haue inflicted vpon them that they make seauen-fould greater the heauy burthen of their euils through their barbarous vsage of them like hard-harted and mercilesse Lords who seeing their seruant adjudged to death for their treasons in stead of pitying his punishment play themselues the executioner in causing him to dye by exquisite torments c. The last thing to bee obserued is that when the Lord exerciseth his judgements vpon the creatures when the That wee are not lightly to passe ouer gods judgements inflicted vpon the creatures Earth is smitten with barrennesse spoyled of her fruits and stripped of her goodly ornaments when the waters aboue eyther drop not at all or in such abundance that in stead of watring her they drowne and ouer flow her and when the beasts and cattle perish eyther by murraigne or famishment wee are not lightly to passe these things ouer but to esteeme them as signes of Gods displeasure conceiued for our sinnes and as so many summons whereby the Lord warneth vs to seeke reconciliation by true repentance lest we be ouertaken by his more fearefull judgements Leuit. 26. 14. 15. c. Leu. 26. 14. 15 Deut. 28. 15. 16. Deut. 28. 15. 16. c. The vse hereof serueth for the reproofe of those who are nothing affected with gods judgements vpon the creatures no further then themselues haue a sensible feeling of their euills so that if in the time of dearth and famine they feele no want they are neuer thereby put in minde eyther of Gods anger or of their owne sinnes nor touched with those miseries vnder which the brute creatures mourne nor with any compassion or fellow-feeling of their neighbours wants ANd so much concerning the first bill of Inditement whereby the Israelits are arraigned and conuicted the second is contayned Verse 4. And the sentence of condemnation Verse 4 is affixed Verse 5. The Inditement it selfe is comprised in these words Yet let none rebuke nor reproue another for thy people are as they that rebuke the Priest In which words The expositiō he aggrauateth their former sinnes by shewing that such was their desperate resolution of continuing in them that they would heare of no admonition or if they were admonished would vnjustly rebuke those of whom they were justly rebuked The sinne whereof they are accused is their impatiencie of rebuke for howsoeuer they abounded in all manner of sin yet they could not indure that eyther Gods Prophets or other his faithfull seruants should admonish or reprooue them for their wickednesse And this was a manifest signe that they were desperately resolued to continue in their sins and were now past all hope of recouerie in this sicknesse of their soules seeing they would not heare the Phisition nor regard his counsaile nor follow his directions nor vse any meanes for their recouery but cast the potions against the walls and pull of the plaisters applied for their curing and throw them in the Physitions face The like example wee haue Esay 30. 9. 10. 11. Where the Prophet complaineth that the Israelits were a rebellious people lying children who Esay 30. 9. 10. 11. would not heare the word of the Lord which say vnto the seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs Prophecie errours c. So Amos. 2. 12. 7. 12. Mich. 2. 6. Ier. 44. 15. 16. Amos. 2. 12. 7. 12. 13. 14 Mich. 2. 6. Ier. 44. 15. 16. Yea but it is not said here that the people forbid the Prophet to admonish and rebuke them but the Lord himselfe I answere the Lord in his word is so farre from forbidding these duties of admonition and reprehension that hee necessarily requires them vnlesse it be when as the sinner is so desperately resolued to continue in his wickednesse that he hateth admonition and is ready to reuenge it as though it were an injurie vpon him who doth admonish him Of such the Lord speaketh Ezech. 3. 26. I will make thy tongue Ezech. 3. 26. cleaue to the roofe of thy mouth that thou shalt be dumbe and shalt not be to them as a man that rebuketh for they are a rebellious house And our Sauiour Christ Mat. 7. 6. Giue ye not Mat. 7. 6. that which is holie to dogs c. And such were this people of whom the Lord saith Yet let none rebuke nor reprooue another As though hee should haue said although their sinnes are so many and haynous that they deserue continuall reproofe and reprehension yet let no man rebuke them seeing it is to no purpose they being so desperately giuen ouer to all wickednesse that they are become altogether impatient of any reproofe And this is plainely expressed in the words following For thy people are as they that rebuke the Priest that is they are such as indeed doe rebuke the Priest for so this word As is sometimes taken absolutely Hos 5. 10. The
all other our sinnes so namely in this horrible abuse of his benefits in the securitie and hardnesse of our owne harts vntill he attach vs by death and call vs to a reckoning before his seate of judgement hovv vve haue spent and vvhat vse vve haue made of his talents vvhen as not being able to answere one vvord vve shall be bound hand and foote and cast into vtter darknesse where shall be vveeping and gnashing Mat. 25. 30. of teeth ANd so much concerning the third sinne vvhereof the Priests are convicted and condemned and the punishment denounced against it The last sinne which particularly is laid to their charge is their greedy luxuriousnesse whereby they were vvholy addicted to pleasures and pampered themselues with ease and belly-cheare in the meane time neglecting the maine dueties of the Priesthood vvhereby they should haue glorified God and preserued from destruction both themselues and those also which vvere committed to their charge And because they could not maintaine this profuse luxurie vvithout great commings in and extraordinarie gaines therefore they vsed all wicked and vnlawfull meanes to inrich themselues both by neglecting the duties of their callings which God required and committing grieuous sinnes which in his word he had forbidden And this is contained Verse 8. They eate vp the sinnes of my Verse 8 people and they lift vp their minds vnto their iniquitie In vvhich words is set downe a maister sinne and his attendant The maister sinne is luxuriousnesse in these vvords they eate vp the sinnes of my people The attendant is vnlawfull avarice in these words following and they lift vp their minds vnto their iniquitie In the handling whereof we are first to Exposition shew the meaning of the words and then the doctrines which arise out of them And first vve are to enquire vvhat is meant by eating the sinnes of the people for the vnderstanding vvhereof we are to know that in many places of the Scripture sinne is put for the sacrifices vvhich vvere offred for sinne So Exod 29. 14 Exod. 29. 14. But the flesh of the Calfe and his skinne and his dung shalt thou burne with sire without the boast it is sinne that is a sinne Offering So Leu. 10. 17. Wherefore haue yee not eaten the Leu. 10. 17 sinne that is the sinne offrings in the holy place And in this sense Christ is said to be made sinne for vs. 2 Cor. 5. 21. that 2. Cor. 5. 21. is an oblation for our sinnes for the satisfying of his fathers justice and the appeasing of his wrath In which signification we are here to take it so that by eating the sinnes of the people is meant the eating of their sacrifices vvhich were offred for their sinnes But it may be demaunded how this is imputed vnto them as a sinne to eate these sacrifices seeing it was the portion of the Priests which was allotted vnto them by gods own commandement as appeareth Leu. 6. 25. 26. 29. Vnto vvhich Leu. 6. 25. 26. 29. I answere that they sinned in that these sacrifices did not belong vnto them seeing they were appropriated vnto Gods true Priests and Leuites vvhich instructed the people and vvorshipped God in the Temple at Ierusalem according to his commandement But these vvere Ieroboams Priests chosen out of the basest of people of other Tribes vvho being ignorant themselues vtterly neglected the duty of teaching the people neither did they offer the sacrifices in the place appoynted for Gods vvorship but in the high places of Dan and Bethell Secondly in that in these sacrifices they aymed not at the glory of God nor the good of the people not at Gods glory for they did not so much offer these sacrifices that God thereby might be worshipped and serued as that they might hereby serue their owne turnes and make large prouision for their owne bellies neyther did they respect the peoples good for so they would bring store of Sacrifices oblations vvhereby they might haue abundance of prouision to mainetaine them in idlenes and voluptuousnesse they were content to vvinck at their corruptions to flatter them in their sinnes to be altogether silent in admonitions and reproofes and to perswade them that though they liued in their sinnes yet God would be well pleased and fully satisfied if they brought their sacrifices to make their attonement Whereby the people were moued to goe on in their sinnes without repentance and to rest in the deede done as though that were sufficient for their saluation By vvhich their doctrine and practise they vtterly peruerted the right end and vse of the Sacrifices which were instituted of God to bring the people to repentance and faith For first when the beast was to be slaine they were injoyned to lay their hands on the head thereof that hereby they might acknowledge and professe that themselues had by their sinnes justly deserued that death which the poore beast suffered yea euerlasting death of body and soule to the end that hereby their hearts might be pricked and their consciences wounded with the consideration of their sinnes and the apprehension of Gods justice and seuere wrath against them and so be brought to mourne and bewaile their sinnes past and to a setled purpose and resolution not to fall into them againe for the time to come For which end also God appoynted these sacrifices as a certaine mulct and penaltie for sinne that by this cost and charge they might be restrained from committing these sinnes vvhich must be thus dearely expiated Againe wheras it vvas impossible that the bloud of Buls and Goats should purge away sinne hereby they vvere brought as by certaine types vnto Iesus Christ who was the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the vvorld by whose bloud alone they were to haue redemption and remission of sinne But this doctrine they eyther knew not or knowing it they concealed it as making much against their profit and taught the people to rest in the outward Sacrifices as in the deede done whereby they were not restrayned but rather incouraged to liue in sinne seeing such easie remedies vvere prouided for them And hence it is that the Lord vseth this metaphor of eating the sinnes of the people to signifie their eating of the sacrifices offered for sinne because whilst they receiued their offerings they wincked at their sinnes neuer giuing them any admonition or reproofe but rather incouraging them in their wickednesse by putting them in hope of pardon for the oblations sake they hereby turned their sacrifices into sinne and might fitly be sayd to feed vpon the sinnes of the people which they swallowed in silence for their owne profit And thus haue I shewed their luxurious pampering of themselues in ease and bellie-cheare signified in the first words Their greedy auarice vvhereby they maintained themselues in these luxurious courses may partly appeare by that which hath beene saide but is more plainely expressed in the words following And they lift vp their mindes
that the Magistrates in the feare of the Lord execute righteous judgement without hauing respect of any mans person place or state not peruerting justice for feare fauour or reward knowing that there is a supreame Magistate aboue them before whom they must be also judged who cannot be corrupted or peruerted from judging righteously because there is no iniquitie with him nor respect of persons nor receiuing of rewards as Iehosaphat speaketh to his Iudges 2 Chron. 1 Chron. 19. 6. 7. 19. 6. 7. So likewise Maisters of families are so to behaue themselues towards their familie and seruants in loue peaceablenesse and justice as knowing that they also haue a maister in heauen and a judge of all their actions who will judge without all partialitie the person of the Maister and seruant being vnto him both alike and this vse the Apostle maketh of this doctrine Eph. 6. 9. Ephe. 6. 9. The second thing to bee considered is that howsoeuer God doth not continually punish our sins but deferreth his punishments to certaine dayes of visitation wicked men doe daily by their sinnes prouoke Gods wrath yet the Lord doth not continually inflict his punishments but as a just and mercifull Iudge deferreth them vnto certaine times of visitation and as it were vnto certaine dayes of Assises as appeareth in this place for howsoeuer the Priests were so wholy corrupted in their wayes that they deserued present punishment yet he doth not presently inflict it but deferreth it to the day of his visitation so when the whole world was wholy corrupted with sinne yet he deferred their punishment for the space of an hundred yeares Though Sodome and Gomorrah abounded in all wickednesse yet he put off the day of his visitation till the measure of their sinnes was full and though the Cananites were outragiously sinfull yet the Lord deferred to punish them for many yeares till their sinnes were come to full ripenesse The causes of which delayes are diuers the first and principall is Gods owne nature euen his patience and long-suffering which maketh him long in resoluing to punish and when he hath resolued slow in execution and this the Lord himselfe professeth in that discription whereby hee maketh himselfe knowne Exod. 34. 6. The Lord the Lord strong Exod. 34. 6. mercifull and gracious slow to anger So Dauid Psal 103. 8. Psal 103. 8. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse 9. He will not alway chide c. And this made Ionah lothe to denounce destruction against Nineueh because he knew that he was a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger repenting him of euill As it is Ion. 4. 2. The second cause is Ion. 4. 2. that men may haue time to turne from their sinnes by repentance and so escape his punishments For God taketh no delight in their destruction but in their conuersion and saluation as hee protesteth Ezech. 33. 11. And this end Ezech. 33. 11. the Lord plainely noteth Esa 30. 18. Yet therefore will the Esa 30. 18. Lord waite that he may haue mercy vpon you c. And the Apostle plainly expresseth it Rom. 2. 4. where he saith that Rom. 2. 4. Gods patience and long-suffering leadeth vs to repentance The Apostle Peter likewise whereas he saith that the Lord is patient towards vs because he would haue no man to perish but would haue all men to come to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Lastly that he 2 Pet. 3. 9. may leaue the wicked and impenitent without excuse for when as he hath shewed himselfe lothe to punish both by his delayes and by vsing all meanes to reclaime them and yet they stubbornly persist in their wickednesse then are the judgements of God inflicted vpon them approued by all men and euen by their owne guilty consciences Notwithstanding howsoeuer the Lord for these and diuers Gods delaying judgement maketh men secure other causes deferreth the execution of his just vengeance yet men abuse this his long-suffering vnto sin either imagining with the Atheist that he hath not thunderbolts inough to dart against euery sinner for euery fault or that there is no prouidence no justice no God that regardeth the sins of men or with the secure Worldling that they may go on in their sinnes without repentance because these punishments which are so long delayed will neuer be inflicted according to that Eccle. 8. 11. because sentence against an euill worke is Eccl. 8. 11. not executed speedely therefore the hart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill An example whereof we haue in the euill seruant Mat. 24. 48. who because his maister Mat. 24. 48. deferred his comming so behaued himselfe as though hee would neuer come and in those mockers who because the day of judgement is deferred therefore walk after their owne 2 Pet. 4. 3. lusts like herein vnto foolish theeues who imagine that because the Iudge doth not euery day sit vpon the judgement seat therefore they may securely steale because the Assises will neuer come But such are to know that as Gods mercy and patience will not suffer him to make hast in the punishing of sinne so his justice will not suffer him for euer to let it go vnpunished and howsoeuer hee doth not vse martiall law in executing justice as soone as the offence is committed yet let them assure themselues that vnlesse by repentance they plead their pardon he will surely visite them either at his quarter Sessions in this life or at his generall Assises in the life to come Though Saul were long repriued after he was condemned yet at last came the fearefull day of his execution Though Naboths bloud was long vnreuenged yet at last God visited this sinne both vpon Ahab Iesabell and all their posterity Though for a time Ieroboam flourished in his Idolatry yet at length it brought a fearefull destruction vpon his whole familie And though the Lord for a long while suffered the people of the Iewes with great patience and long-suffering yet at last he payed them home so that now they are a spectacle of his heauy wrath vnto all nations and a reproach and hissing to the whole world The vse of this doctrine is first for our instruction that we imitate the Lord in his patience and long long-suffering not letting the raines loose to fury and reuenge vpon euery occasion but rather striuing to ouercome euill with goodnesse Secondly for our admonition that we doe not abuse Gods patience to impenitencie and hardnesse of hart least whilst we thus heape vp the measure of our sinnes we doe also treasure vp for our selues wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God who will reward euery man according to his workes as it is Rom. 2. 5. 6. Rom. 2. 5. 6. The third thing to be obserued is that he saith he will visit their wayes vpon them thereby
giuing them to vnderstand God judgeth vs according to our vsuall conuersation and not our extraordinarie actions that hee would not in examining and judging of them stand vpon their errours by-pathes and extraordinary actions but vpon their vsuall behauiour and vpon their ordinarie course in their life and conuersation From whence we learne that the Lord in the day of his visitation will not regard nor examine our sinnes to punish them nor our good actions to reward them if they be extraordinarie and extrauagant but will deale with vs according to our customable carriage of our selues and vsuall demeanure so that if our way and course of life wherein we walke be the way of holynesse and righteousnesse he justifieth and approueth of vs notwithstanding our many slips and fals in this way and errours by-pathes and digressions out of this way for not onely they are to be accounted blessed of God who sinne not seing thus the blessing should belong to none of the sonnes of Adam Christ excepted but they also are blessed Who haue not stood in the way of sinners nor sate in the seate of the scorners as it is Psal 1. 1. that is who haue not made Psal 1. 1. a custome and vsuall practise of sinne and wickednesse and the reason is because the Lord doth not judge vs as he findeth vs in some by-way where into we haue bene thrust with some violent or suddaine passion but according to that way wherein we walke with a constant purpose and setled resolution So it is saide that they are blessed who are vpright in their way and walke in the Law of the Lord Psal 119 1. Psal 119. 1. that is they are blessed notwithstanding all their infirmities and imperfections who in the vprightnesse of their harts desire to keepe a constant course in godlynesse and howsoeuer they often goe astray through errour and corruption yet make choise of Gods Law as the way wherein they desire to walke For if the Lord should marke what is done amisse who were able to abide it Psal 130. 3. If hee should Enter into iudgement with vs and examine our particular Psal 130. 3. faults none that liueth should be iustified in his sight Ps 143. 2. Psal 143. 2. But the Lord knoweth our weaknesse and accepteth of our desire and indeauours he doth not deale with vs after our sins nor rewards vs after our iniquities but as a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him for he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreh that wee are but dust as it is Psal 103. 10. 13. 14. Psal 103. 10. 13. As therefore a louing father beareth with the infirmities of his childe when he seeth that he taketh good courses indeauoureth with an earnest desire to please him so the God pardoneth our infirmities when we haue good indeauours Lord much more accepteth of the imperfect obedience of his children when as he seeth that with vpright harts they desire to serue and please him couering their imperfections with Christs perfect righteousnesse and washing away their corruptions in his most precious blood so as in the day of judgement they shall not arise against them to their condemnation Although Dauid did make a fearefull digression out of the way of righteousnesse when as he committed murther and adulterie and numbred the people yet God did not judge him according to these particular slips because in the whole course of his life he kept the wayes of the Lord and hated all by-wayes of falshood and iniquitie as himselfe professeth Psal 18. 21. and 119. 104. Hee did not condemne Peter for digressing into the way of iniquitie Psal 18. 2. and 119. 104. when as he denied his maister because he did not voluntarily make choise of this way but was suddainely thrust into it by violent feare nor Paul because he sometimes did the euill Mat. 26. which he would not being taken captiue with the violence of sinne seeing he was in his generall course delighted in the Rom. 7. law of God and did earnestly striue against his corruptions So in like manner he judgeth the wicked according to their wayes and not according to their particular actions God respecteth not ague fits in religion neither doth hee respect their ague fits of Religion and justice when as generally in the course of their life they cast his lawes behind their backe and willingly walke in the wayes of wickednesse but judgeth them according to their wayes and the constant course of their conuersation So it is saide that the wicked should eate the fruite of their owne wayes Prou. 1. 31. And the Lord threatneth to visit Iacob Pro. 1. 31. according to his wayes Hos 12. 2. Though Pharaoh sometimes Hos 12. 2. confessed his sinne and justified God though Saul vttered many good speeches and performed many actions which might well haue beseemed a better man though Iehu in a fit shewed great zeale in suppressing idolatrie and in erecting Gods true worship though Ahab once humbled himselfe before God and by outward signes testified his repentance and though Herod hard Iohn the Baptist willingly and in many things yeelded obedience to his admonitions yet none of all these were approued by God because whatsoeuer their particular actions were yet they were wicked in their wayes that is in their life and conuersation The vse of this doctrine is that wee labour for vpright We must labour for vpright harts harts and constantly resolue to forsake all sinne and to imbrace all righteousnesse in our liues and conuersations and then if besides our purpose and desire we digresse out of the right way by falling into some sinne through infirmitie and the violence of our corruptions the Lord will spare vs as a father spareth his childe who desireth to please him as hee professeth Mal. 3. 17. Neither shall our imperfections and Mal. 3. 17. slips with-draw Gods loue or hinder our saluation because he doth not visite nor punish men according to their errours and slips but according to their wayes and ordinarie course of life Secondly it serueth for the terrour of hipocrites who securely God regardeth not the extrauagant good deeds of hipocrits goe on in the course of sinne thinking that God will be well pleased if at sometimes they make a shew of religion by going to the Church or giuing an almes to a poore man or by performing some other workes of justice mercy or liberalitie But such are to know that vnlesse they keepe a constant course in godlines and make the path of righteousnesse and holinesse their ordinary way all their particular good workes which are but as it were so many steppings aside out of their constant course of sinning will little profit them in the day of Gods visitation because they shall bee judged not according to their extrauagant good deedes but according to their wayes and ordinary conuersation
vertue and make them weak impotent for any vse Yea so can he ouer-rule them that when he pleaseth he can accomplish by them contrary effects to their owne nature as for example if he with-draw his blessing and lay his curse vpon them bread and meate haue no more power to nourish vs then the earth or stones nay contrariwise they serue as the instruments of death to bring vs to our end and haue the same operation with deadly poyson causing vs to fall into desperate diseases Riches without Gods blessing doe not bring comfort and contentment but torment the possessour with care and work in him a greedy insatiablenesse Physick when God curseth it killeth in stead of curing and the very ayre it selfe which in it owne nature refresheth the vitall spirits and preserueth life when Gods curse lyeth on it in stead of refreshing poysoneth vs and by the infection thereof bringeth the plague and pestilence The vse hereof is that when the Lord hath giuen vnto We must rest on God in abundance as wel as in want vs plentie of meate drinke apparell riches and all manner of prouision that we doe not rest vpon and trust in our store as though being thus furnished we had no further neede of Gods helpe which was the sinne of the rich foole Luk. 12. 19 who said to his soule Soule thou hast much goods layed vp for many yeares liue at ease eate drinck and take thy pastime For if we thus make an Idoll of our owne prouision by trusting and relying on it more then on God himselfe the Lord in his just judgement will breake the staffe of bread and so we trusting to a broken staffe are sure to be most deceiued when wee most rest on it Let vs therefore learne not onely in the the time of want but also when wee abound in all plentie to beg at Gods hands our daily bread and to be as earnest in crauing his continuall blessing vpon that which hee hath already giuen vs as in imploring the supply of our wants before we haue receiued it The second vse serueth to comfort Gods poore seruants God maketh small prouision sufficient for seeing it is not in the vertue and much lesse the quantitie of the foode which wee receiue principally that we are nourished but in Gods blessing therefore though their store be small they may safely rest vpon Gods prouidence who as he can leaue little vertue in great store where he meaneth to curse so hee can adde double vertue to single prouision and make their small pittance as sufficient for the preseruing of their health and strength as the great abundance of the rich For as our Sauiour hath taught vs We liue not by bread Mat. 4. 4. onely but by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God Mat. 4. 4. If Elias haue but one meales meate yet God can adde such vertue to it that in the strength thereof hee shall bee able to trauaile fortie dayes if the poore widdow wil depend vpon gods prouidence though she haue no more but a handfull of meale and a cruse of Oyle yet it shall by Gods blessing be made sufficient to preserue her the whole time of dearth Though Daniell and his fellowes haue onely Dan. 1. 12. 15. water and pulse to feed vpon because they would not transgresse Gods commandement to haue better cheare they shal thereby be fairer and in better liking then they who eate the portion of the kings meate And who doth not see by daily experience that our poore country people who feed for the most part vpon hard cheese milke and roots through the blessing of God haue greater strength and better health and longer life then the richer sort who pamper themselues with all dainties The last vse is that seeing we are for our nourishment to We must make our prouision by lawfull meanes depend more vpon Gods blessing then vpon our owne prouision hence we learne to eate our bread in the sweat of our browes and to furnish our store by honest lawfull meanes that so we may with comfort expect Gods blessing vpon our foode otherwise if we make our prouision by wicked and vnlawfull meanes though we haue abundance in possession yet we shall haue little comfort in the vse seeing we can haue no assurance of Gods blessing For example if any get their goods by fraud deceipt how can they hope that the Lord will blesse them in their theft seeing he hath plainly tould them that they who eate the bread of deceipt their mouth shall be filled with grauell Prou. 20. 17. How can they expect the Pro. 20. 17. blessing of God vpon that food which is gotten by oppression and cruelty whereby they eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of the poore as the Prophet speaketh Mich. 3. 3. Mich. 3. 3. Seeing their meats swimming in blood call for vengeance and euen the stones in their walls and the timber of their houses cry vnto the Lord against them as it is Habac. 2. 11. Habac. 2. 11. The third thing to be obserued is the disposition of wicked men who care not what vnlawfull meanes they vse so they Wicked men vse all vnlawfull meanes for the compassing their desires may accomplish their desires So the wicked priests coueting to haue children who might inherit their wealth and by continuing their name might keepe them in perpetuall memorie and not hauing their desire satisfied by the ordinarie meanes of lawfull marriage in stead of fleeing vnto God who is the sole author of generation they take vnto them harlots and so imagined that by multiplying their adulteries they should also haue multiplyed their posteritie Thus when men desire to be rich in stead of crauing Gods blessing on their honest labours in whose hands the earth is all that therein is Psal 24. 1. they fall to vsing vngodly and Psal 24. 1. vnhonest meanes fraud and deceipt oppression extorsion and all manner of crueltie when they affect aduancement they doe not seeke Gods honour that he may honour them but rather vse Machiuilian pollicies to aduance themselues 1. Sam. 2. 31. not caring so they may rise though it be with the ruine of many others And the reason hereof is because men trust in themselues more then in God and depend more vpon their owne prouidence then on Gods promises imagining that they are able to finde out a readier way and a far more speedy course for the atchieuing of their desires then any is which God hath prescribed But oftentimes it commeth to passe that they make more hast then good speede the Lord frustrating their purposes and bringing their counsailes to nought Whilest Achan sought to bee presently rich and Ios 7. would not stay Gods appoynted time till he might injoy his portion in the Land of promise he brought Gods fearefull judgement vpon himselfe and all his familie When Gehezie 2 King 5. laboured to inrich
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
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
adulterers God will iudge Heb. 13. 14. but more specially that he would not lay vpon them that kinde of punishment which is called chastisement and correction wherby God restraineth his children from sinne or reclaymeth them by repentance when as they are fallen into it and that hee would not punish them as yet but would suffer them to goe on in their sinnes vntill thereby hee had punished the sinnes of their husbands and fathers and then vvhen the measure of both their vvickednesse vvas full he would ouerwhelme them all in an vniuersall deluge of his judgements both in this life and the life to come And this vvas their punishment now the cause is annexed for they separate with Harlots and sacrifice with Whores which vvords some reade also with an interogation and doe expound them thus should not I punish your daughters because they are harlots c. Because they that is their fathers do separate that is make choyse with their harlots at home of their best and fattest things which they may offer vvith their Whores publikely vnder shew of religion But this exposition seemeth forced and farre fetched that the Lord should punish the daughters and wiues vvhoredomes because the fathers and husbands joyned with harlots in their Idolatry besides that addition of separating the fattest things for Idotrous sacrifices standeth but vpon bare conjecture to say nothing of the interrogation and changing of the naturall signification of the particles where no necessity vrgeth and constraineth And therefore I rather choose another exposition vvhich better agreeth vvith the words of the Text and with the drift of the Prophet in this place For vvhereas before he had said he would not by his punishments restraine their daughters and wiues from their adulteries whereby they were vtterly disgraced and their houses made infamous in these words he justifieth this his heauy punishment by shewing that he had just cause to inflict it For there was no reason why their name and reputation should be in any account with him seeing they themselues had no regard of his glory but had shamefully dishonoured his holy name by making an apostasie from him and his true Religion and committing both carnall and spirituall whoredome with their louers And this is the generall meaning and maine drift of the Prophet the which will more euidently appeare in the more particular examining of the words Where first wee are to note that in this speach there is a change of the person for in the beginning hee said your daughters c. In which tenour if hee had proceeded hee should haue added for you seperate your selues c. but he turneth his speach from them and vseth the third person for they seperate c. the which howsoeuer it is vsuall in the writings of the Prophets yet it seemeth this conuersion of speach is purposely in this place affected for by turning from them hee sheweth his indignation and detestation of their sinne as though they were so defiled with their corporall and spirituall whoredomes that they were not worthy to be spoken vnto from the Lord. It is further added for they seperate with harlots c. the originall word Paradh which is heere translated Seperate is as some thinke deriued from Peredh which signifieth a Mule which is so named because amongst all the beasts they are most adultrous and lustfull howsoeuer they doe not generate And therefore Drusius thinketh the latine word diuidunt most fit to expresse the meaning of it which sometimes signifieth the act of vncleannes So Plautus in Aulular Me tu quidem herclè dicam palam non diuides By this phrase then is signified both their spirituall and corporall whoredome their spirituall whoredome vvhich is here principally vnderstood by way of Allegorie consisted herein that they seperated and diuided themselues from the Lord their true husband by breaking the bond of marriage forsaking his true religion and prostituting themselues to commit spirituall whoredome with their idols Which spirituall fornication well deserued to be punished with corporall adulterie that as they dishonoured God by the one so the Lord should cause them to be dishonoured by the other Their carnall adulterie by themselues committed may here also be implyed as an effect of the spirituall in which respect also they made diuers kindes of separation with their harlots For they separated themselues from their lawfull wiues to ioyne with harlots and separated their harlots from their Husbands to ioyne with them and both together seperated themselues from the company of men because this vice of whoredome lurketh in corners and loueth the vayle of night and darknesse which hideth from the eyes of men her foule deformitie and vglie filthinesse And I doe the rather expound these words in this generall sense both because they may well beare it and also because this spirituall and carnall whoredome are seldome seuered it being an vsuall paradoxe with idolaters to judge the sinnes of vncleannesse to be veniall as we may see in the example of the Israelites in former times and in the Papists at this day whose deuotions and superstitions are so polluted with carnall filthinesse that all Christendome doth take knowledge thereof Now in this respect also it was just with God to punish them with the adulteries of their wiues and daughters for seeing they had defiled and deflowred other mens wiues and daughters it was a just and proportionable punishment that theirs also should grinde vnto other men as Iob speaketh Iob. 31. 9. 10. Now this their sinne is more plainely signified in the next wordes where hee saith that they did sacrifice with whores Where hee sheweth that as their harts were diuided from God and joyned both with their spirituall and carnall louers so they made profession of their apostasie and adulterie in their open practise for as they secretly committed carnall whoredome with their strumpets vnder colour of religion and deuotion so they openly joyned with them in their spirituall adulterie and idolatrie by sacrificing vnto their idols And here againe I expound the wordes both of corporall and spirituall filthinesse because as their sacrificing is expressed plainely and not by Allegorie so wee are to vnderstand the other word their whores not by Metaphor but in it owne signification And therefore as by their sacrificing is signified their spirituall whoredome so by their sacrificing with harlots is implyed also their carnall vncleannesse And thus I haue shewed both their punishment and the cause thereof now in the last words is contained a further reason vvhy they should bee thus seuerely punished and then their punishment is in some generall tearmes repeated and ratified The reason is because they were a people that did not vnderstand that is a people not onely destitute of the knowledge of God and his true Religion but also so besotted in their superstitions and so vvholy possessed vvith affected ignorance and vvilfull indociblenesse that neyther Gods Word nor his vvorks his mercies nor his judgements vvould make
runne backe as an vnrulie heifer when her master putteth on the yoke runneth backward and will not suffer the yoke to come vpon her necke And thus the same word is vsed Hosea 7. 14. Hos 7. 14. And they rebell against me Againe this well agreeth with the drift of the place for before hee had said that Israel was rebellious as an vnruly heifer and here he sheweth what was the cause of their vntulinesse namely their excessiue drinking of wine or strong drinke Lastly others reade them according to our translation R. D. Kimhi Comment in Hos in lib. radic Mercer in Hos their drunkennesse or their drinke corrupteth and stinketh In which sense the Prophet alludeth to the qualitie and condition of drunken men who gull downe such excessiue store of wine and strong drinke that their stomackes being not able to digest it it there putrifieth corrupteth and stinketh and so they annoy the standers by with their vnsauory breath filthy belchings and vomitings as the Prophet Esay also speaketh Esay 28. 8. And this interpretation I imbrace Esa 28. 8. aboue the rest first because the word may well beare it for then drinke is said to goe backe when it loseth it naturall vertue degenerateth sowreth and corrupteth Secondly because as I take it it best fitteth with the scope of the Prophet which is not so much to shew the effects of these sinnes as that drinke or drunkennesse maketh men vnruly and rebellious as to set forth these odious sinnes themselues namely that they were addicted to beastly drunkennesse whoredome and bribing and therefore not to be conuersed withall with any that made conscience of their waies And thus the two other sinnes are to be vnderstood in themselues not in their effects Lastly this interpretatiō is most familiar simple plaine without either trope or allegorie and therefore offreth lesse force to the words then the other The meaning then is that they were addicted to this sin of drunkennesse and that in such brutish manner that euen their very breath was noysome and all their whole carriage so beastly and shamelesly loathsome as that it might be an effectuall argument to weane from their company not onely those amongst the men of Iuda who were religious but euen all such as had in them any ciuilitie or humanitie The next sinne which here he laieth to their charge is that they committed whoredome which some also vnderstand of spirituall fornication idolatry but I rather vnderstand it of their carnall whoredome and adultery of which they were also guiltie as before appeareth verse 11. And so these sinnes of drunkennesse and whoredome are fitly ioyned together as the cause the effect for sine Cerere Libero friget venus drunkennesse is a preparatiue to vncleannesse and as it were the wood or oyle wherewith this fire of lust is kindled and nourished Now further he implieth that they were not in any moderate sort giuen to this sinne for hee redoubleth the word in the originall text whoring they whored that is they continually liued in this sinne without measure or shame And this also was an effectuall reason to withdraw the men of Iuda from their company seeing they liued in an infamous and odious sinne and also were likely to infect and corrupt them by their wicked example the sinne of vncleannesse being in it owne nature an infectious and spreading sinne apt to poison all who come neere them that are tainted and infected with it The third last sin is bribing extortion in these words Their rulers loue to say with shame or shamefully Bring ye In which words we are to cōsider the persons who committed this sin and the sin it selfe The persons were their rulers and magistrates The word signifieth their shields whereby is implied first the office and dutie of good magistrates namely to shield and defend their subiects from outward violence iniuries and oppressions and secondly the sinne of these rulers the miserable conditiō of the people is hereby shewed aggrauated both in that the magistrates whose chiefe care and studie should haue been to defend the people to right their wrongs to execute iudgement and repell outward iniuries did greedily bend their mindes to couetousnesse both forgetting their place neglecting their dutie gaped after bribes also in that hereby nothing could follow but horrible disorder in the state when as those who should haue been the correctors and punishers of vice and the rewarders of vertue sought onely their owne priuate gaine and spent all their time and whole indeuours in hunting after bribes and rewards as after a pray whereby all manner of licentious libertie was giuen vnto the people of running headlong into all manner of sinne seeing their gouernours regarded them not or though they should call them into question yet they could easilie blinde their eyes and stoppe their mouthes and tie their hands with rewards and bribes And these were the persons The sinne is both expressed and also exceedingly aggrauated Their sinne laid to their charge is their bribing and extortion which as it is in it selfe euill so it is of worse consequence for it vtterly peruerteth all iustice and righteous iudgement and maketh those who should be vnpartiall Iudges respecters of persons as appeareth Deut. 16. 19. The reward blindeth the eyes of the wise Deut. 16. 19. and peruerteth the words of the iust Now this their sinne is aggrauated by their manner of committing of it and that both in respect of their inward affection and also their outward cariage and demeanure For the former it is said not onely that they were content to receiue gifts when they were offered but also that they embraced this sinne in their heart and affection and were farre in loue with their vice for they loued to say Bring yee For their outward cariage of it it is said not only that they loued to receiue gifts when they were offered and thrust vpon them but that they were growne to such an height of impudencie and iniustice that they did not sticke openly to professe their bribing and by word of mouth to require rewards wringing and extorting from them gifts by direct speeches when either they would haue them winke at their faults or administer iudgement or dispatch their businesse Yea and this they did not in any modest or shamefast maner but shamefully The word here vsed may be referred either to the manner of their requiring rewards that shamelesly and with a brasen forehead they called for bribes and couenanted before hand to haue rewards for any businesse which they dispatched or it may be referred to the rewards which they required namely that they called for shamefull rewards either in respect of their quantitie that they required great rewards for small businesses or in respect of their qualitie that they were the rewards of vnrighteousnesse giuen and receiued for the betraying of iustice and truth for the vpholding of the
21. 18. They shall be as stubble before the Job 21. 18. Psal 1. 4. winde and as chaffe that the storme carrieth away Psalm 1. 4. The vse hereof is that when being guiltie of sinne wee heare the iudgements of God denounced against vs wee doe earnestly repent of our wickednesse flee vnto the throne of grace submit our selues vnder Gods hands and humblie sue for pardon and forgiuenesse seeing it is the onely course wee can take to secure vs from being ouerwhelmed with Gods plagues For if we flee from the Lord his iudgements shall pursue vs with vnexpected speede and shall ouertake vs like the swift winde in our greatest hast and if we struggle and striue against them they will ouerthrowe vs with vnresistable violence and like a furious tempest they will carrie vs away as dust or chaffe The last thing to be obserued is the punishment of idolatrie Idolatrie is punished with shame and confusion and superstition for howsoeuer idolaters whilest they prosper in their superstition and false worship glorie in their idols and ascribe all the benefits which they haue receiued vnto them and their owne idolatrous deuotions yet when the Lord thundereth against them from heauen with his iudgements and bringeth vpon them afflictions and inextricable calamities and when for the remouing of these euils they haue long sued vnto their idols for helpe in vaine then are they couered and ouerwhelmed with shame and confusion then doe they with desperate sorrow bewaile their former follies and their bootelesse deuotions and cast away from them their images as vnprofitable wherein formerly they placed their chiefest confidence And this confusion as it is here poynted at by our Prophet so is it in large and most liuely manner deciphered Esa 2. 19. Then Esay 2. 19. â—0 21. shall they goe into the holes of the rockes and into the caues of the earth from before the feare of the Lord and from the glorie of his maiestie when he shall arise to destroy the earth 20. At that day shall a man cast away his siluer idols and his golden idols which they had made themselues to worship them to the mowles and to the backes 21. To goe into the holes of the rockes and into the tops of the ragged rockes from before the feare of the Lord and from the glorie of his maiestie when hee shall rise to destroy the earth So our Prophet saith that when the Lord in his wrath should destroy Auen that is the places consecrated to idolatrie then the idolaters being confounded with shame should say to the mountaines couer vs and to the hills fall vpon vs. Chap. 10. 8. And this is that punishment which the Prophet desireth should be inflicted Hosea 10. 8. vpon idolaters Psalm 97. 7. Confounded bee all they which Psal 97. 7. serue grauen images and that glorie in idols And which the Prophet Esay denounceth against the idolatrous Iewes Esa 1. 29. For they shall be confounded for the okes which yee Esay 1. 29. haue desired and ye shall be ashamed of the gardens that ye haue chosen An example hereof we haue in Baals priests who were confounded with shame when as they were in the sight of the people abandoned of his helpe when they most 1. King 18. needed and implored it The vse hereof is that abhorring and renouncing idols True obedience bringeth hope helpe and all manner of idolatrous superstition which will leaue vs hopelesse and helplesse in our greatest extremities we do cleaue vnto the true Iehouah performing vnto him such faithfull and sincere scruice as he requireth in his word without the mixture of humane inuentions and then the Lord will preserue vs in the day of affliction from all euill Or if for his glorie and our triall he bring vs to the touchstone of aduersitie and suffer vs to taste of some calamitie and miserie yet will he giue vs such a comfortable feeling of his fauour and arme vs with power and patience to beare our troubles that we shall neuer goe away ashamed and confounded To this purpose is that Psalm 34. 5. They shall Psal 34. 5. looke vnto him and run to him and their faces shall not be ashamed And Psalm 25. 3. All that hope in thee shall not be ashamed Psal 25. 3. So the Lord promiseth that none of them who consecrate themselues vnto him to be his people shall euer bee ashamed Ioel 2. 26. And this Dauid found by experience Joel 2. 26. both of his ancestors as appeareth Psalm 22. 4 5. Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted in thee and thou diddest deliuer them 5. Called vpon thee and were deliuered they trusted in thee and were not confounded And also of himselfe Psalm 34. 4. I sought the Lord and he heard me and deliuered me out of all my feare Whereas if wee leaue the Lord and trust in idols and in our owne inuentions and idolatrous superstitions wee shall bee abandoned in our greatest neede and be confounded with shame when we expect helpe and deliuerance FINIS
nor reforme the affections like pleasing musicke or witty poetry which are more fit for the stage then for the pulpit they must not when they deliuer Gods ambassage come with excellencie of wordes or in the inticing speech of mans wisedome which Paul disapproueth in his owne 1. Cor. 2. 1. 4. practise but in the plain euidence of the spirit of power which graue maner of speaking best becommeth the ambassadours of Iesus Christ Neither must they vnlesse it be sparingly and for speciall purposes cite the authorities of men of the Fathers Doctors Councels much lesse of Poets and Philosophers labouring to beautifie the pure golden veritie of Gods word by painting it ouer with the duskish colours of humane learning whereby they make no difference betweene the Prophets and Apostles and other writers betweene the authority of mans word and the word of the eternall God The second speciall doctrine concerneth the people who may here learne first to hunger after the sincere milke of Gods word as Peter exhorteth 1. Pet. 2. 2. and not after the 1. Pet. 2. 2. manner of those who haue itching eares and cloyed appetites reiect the word the foode of their soules because it is brought vnto them in an earthen vessell their surfetted stomackes not suffering them to feede vpon any thing which is not sauced with humane learning Secondly that when pure doctrine is deliuered vnto them by Gods ambassadours they doe receiue it and esteeme of it with the Thessalonians not as the word of men but as it is indeed 1. Thes 2. 13. the word of God which is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth as it is Rom. 1. 16. And therefore Rom. 1. 16. they are to heare it reuerently and not contemptuously attentiuely not drousily sleepily nor carnally hauing their mindes distracted with worldly cares and businesses and conscionably treasuring it vp in their hearts that they may practise it in their liues not securely and carelesly letting it goe like the sand in the houreglasse in at the one eare and out at the other And so much concerning the matter of this prophecie Now we are to speake of the instrumentall cause by whom it was deliuered expressed in these words That came vnto Hosea That came vnto Hosea the sonne of Beeri Wherein is expressed the manner how this prophecie was deliuered and the person to whom The manner in these words which came that is the word of the The manner of reuealing these prophecies Num. 12. 6. Lord which was deliuered vnto Hosea in a diuine vision the which the Prophets vsually saw in their dreames whilest they slept as appeareth Numb 12. 6. If there be a Prophet of the Lord omongst you I will be knowne to him in a vision and will speake to him by dreame So Zach. 1. 8. I sawe by night and behold Zach. 1. 8. Iob 33. 15. Dan 7. 1. hold c. But how then could the Prophets distinguish their diuine visions from ordinary dreames I answer first because the Lord who spake vnto them assured them that it was his owne voyce as appeareth Acts 16. 9. 10. Secondly because those who were not ordinary Prophets had their dreames Acts 16. 9 10. Gen. 37. 5. 9. 1 Sam. 3 4. Gen. 41. 32. commonly reiterated as Iosephs Gen. 37. 5 9. Samuels 1. Sam. 3. 4. Pharaohs as Ioseph affirmeth Gen. 41. 32. Thirdly they left such a deepe impression as could not be blotted out as appeareth in the dreame of Pharaohs seruants Gen. 40. 6. 8. Pharaohs Gen. 41. 8. Nebuchadnezzers Dan. 2. 4. 2. And these are called somnia sigillata Gen. 40. 6. 8. Gen. 41. 8. Dan. 2. 1. 4. 2. And thus the Lord made knowne his wil vnto his seruants in former times But now wee are not to expect dreames and visions for in these last times God hath spoken vnto vs by his Heb. 1. 2. Sonne Heb. 1. 2. The which is a farre greater mercy vnto vs then was shewed to our Fathers of olde for whereas they were faine to waite long for the knowledge of Gods will to be reuealed by vision and oftentimes were not satisfied because for the sinnes of the people the vision failed as appeareth 1. Sam. 3. 1. Psal 74. 9. wee haue Gods will manifested in his written word which at all times and vpon all occasions 1. Sam. 3. 1. Psal 74 9. we may make our counseller The vse which we are to make hereof is that we do not phantastically desire visions and reuelations but vse the meanes which God hath graciously graunted vnto vs for the attaining of knowledge praise his name for it for they who in the light of the Gospel desire visions are like those who goe out of the sunshine to worke by the light of a dimme candle And so much concerning the maner The person to whom this diuine vision was deliuered was to Hosea whose name Of Hosea is added to manifest the truth of this prophesie for when the writer expresleth his name it addeth credit and authoritie to his workes and therefore Hosea purposely professeth his name and the raigne of the Kings in whose time he wrote that it might be manifest that his writings were not forged and counterfaite but the pure word of God The doctrine which we here learne is that as the Prophets haue set downe many arguments to proue that that which they haue written was inspired by Gods Spirit so we labour to acquaint and confirme our selues with them lest through ignorance wee imbrace as grounds of our faith humane conceits for diuine prophecies And to this dutie the Apostle exhorteth Timothy 2. Tim. 3. 14. And the Apostle Iohn those to whom he writeth 1. Iohn 4. 1. Especially let vs 2. Tim. 3. 14. 1. Iohn 4. 1. learne to put a difference betweene the apocryphall and canonicall Scripture seeing the errour is more dangerous because they are in our Church ioyned in our bookes and read promiscuously in the seruice of God But let vs come to the name it selfe the signification wherof is the same which Iesus and Iosua a Sauiour the which Of the name Hosea name was giuen to this Prophet by his parents directed by the speciall prouidence of God and doth fitly agree vnto him first because he was a type of our Sauiour Christ in his wife of fornications as afterwards shall appeare secondly because God vsed him as his meanes and instrument in sauing the people by bringing them vnto God from their sinnes by true repentance and to their Sauiour Iesus Christ by a liuely faith But how could his parents foresee this when he was in his infancy I answere that it was the custome of the Hebrewes to giue vnto their children significant names whereby either they expressed their owne desires that their children should be such and so vertuous as their names portended or thereby were put in mind of some notable worke of God done about the time
mother is that is to bee diuorced and thirdly the diuorce it selfe Concerning the first diuers are of diuers iudgements some vnderstand it of the faithfull in the time of the Gospell that they after they were added to the Church should plead with their mother the Church of the Iewes that laying her sinnes to her charge they might bring her to repentance But this cannot agree with the rest that followeth for they are commanded to accuse her for her idolatry in forsaking the Lord and worshipping the Heathen gods which sinne was not committed by the Church of the Iewes in the time of the Gospell nor after their returne out of the captiuitie of Babylon Others vnderstand it of the two Tribes of the kingdome of Iuda that euery one of them who were faithfull should admonish their mother that is their Church and synagogue that she should take example of the ten Tribes and forsake her idolatry lest shee should likewise be diuorced and reiected But this is not likely seeing the Prophet was not sent to the Iewes but to the ten Tribes and therefore to them he directeth his speech for their conuersion and not vnto the other who were not belonging to his charge Others expound it of the faithfull who liued in the Prophets time amongst the Israelites especially the Prophets and Priests called to this publike office that they fearing God and hating the wickednesse of the times should reproue the Church and Synagogue of Israel for her spirituall whoredomes The which their exposition though I reiect not yet I thinke an other more probable and better fitting the circumstances of the place And that is of those who expound it generally of the rebellious and hypocriticall Israelites who when they were reproued for their sinnes and heard Gods iudgements denounced against them by the Prophet in stead of laying them to heart that they might be humbled thereby were ready to plead against God himselfe and to condemne him of vntruth and cruelty For whereas the Lord had threatned that hee would vtterly reiect them they were ready to obiect first that this could not stand with the truth of Gods promises made to Abraham concerning the multiplying of his seede To which obiection the Prophet answereth in the two last verses of the former chapter as I haue shewed Now because the Prophet had deferred the accomplishing of that promise vnto the time of the Messias the hypocrits would be ready in the second place to obiect that God had promised perpetually and continually to be their God and that they should be his people and therefore if he did reiect them though it were but for a time he must needes be vntrue of his promise To this the Prophet answereth that this imputation was not to be laid vpon God but vpon their mother the Synagogue and Church of Israel for whereas the Lord had ioyned her in mariage vnto himselfe a mutuall stipulation being made betweene them on the Lords part that he would acknowledge her as his spouse protect her and multiply his benefits vpon her on her part that shee would keepe her coniugall faith plighted vnto him and wholly and onely reserue her selfe for his worship and seruice shee had broken her couenant and falsified her faith by forsaking the Lord and prostituting her selfe vnto idols and had most vnthankfully ascribed vnto them all those benefits which the Lord had bestowed vpon her And therefore their diuorce was not to be ascribed vnto any inconstancy or cruelty in God but to their owne whoredomes and vnthankfulnesse By the children then who are to pleade with their mother we are to vnderstand all those amongst the Israelites who vpon the hearing of the diuorce and reiection of the Church were ready to expostulate with God and to excuse themselues would not sticke to lay the fault of their reiection vpon him Secondly by their mother in this place we are to vnderstand the Synagogue and Church of Israel and more especially their rulers and gouernours both ecclesiasticall and ciuill for whereas they aboue others should haue maintained Gods pure worship seruice and contained their inferiours in holy obedience they were the first who did forsake God and betooke thēselues to the worshipping of idols drawing others by their authority and example into the like wickednesse and that in a twofold respect the first concerned their religion when as they were mislead by the false doctrine of their ecclesiasticall gouernours and drawne from God to their idols the other concerned their policy when as by their ciuill rulers they were moued to ioyne themselues in league and in neere friendshippe with idolatrous Nations whereby also they themselues were corrupted and seduced Now we are further to obserue that hee redoubleth the word pleade or contend whereby he implieth the importune impudency of the people which was such that their mouthes would not easily be stopped but still they would calumniate Gods iustice and truth and therefore with greater earnestnesse which is often expressed by such redoubled speeches he biddeth them to plead against their mother againe and againe and to lay the fault where it was not vpon God but vpon themselues As if he should haue said Doe not pleade and expostulate with mee in that your mother is diuorced and you reiected as an adulterous issue for the husband is not to be blamed for putting away an adulteresse but shee rather for her filthinesse and vnfaithfulnesse and therefore seeing your mother hath forsaken me and prostituted her selfe to idols acquit me of all wrong and iniury and contend and expostulate with her in that by her vnfaithfulnesse and vncleannesse she hath moued me iustly to diuorce her from me and to reiect you as being an adulterous issue of an adulterous mother The third thing to be considered is the diuorce it selfe betweene God and the Church of Israel expressed in these words for shee is not my wife neither am I her husband Which that we may vnderstand we must know what the mariage betweene them was namely a contract and mutuall stipulation on Gods part that he would be her Lord and husband to loue protect and prouide for her multiplying his gratious benefits from time to time as he should see most for her good on her part that shee would forsake all others and cleaue onely and wholly vnto the Lord louing obeying worshipping and performing all holy duties vnto him and finally keeping this her faith plighted vnto him inuiolable They are therefore said to be diuorced when as this contract is broken off and the couenants not performed as when the Lord not acknowledging her for his spouse doth cast her off and ceaseth to defend and prouide for her and when she withdrawing her loue from God and fixing it vpon idols breaketh her mariage faith refusing to worshippe and obey the Lord her true husband and prostituting her selfe by spirituall whoredome vnto false gods Now that the cause of this diuorce was not in the Lord but in the Church
fitteth his speech to them shewing that if this heauy iudgement of separation from himselfe would not touch them with any sense of their misery hee had an other iudgement in store for them which hee knew they would feelingly apprehend to wit the withdrawing of his gifts and benefites from them which they farre better loued then himselfe Fourthly we may obserue that the abuse of Gods graces The abuse of Gods gifts moueth him to strip vs of them and benefits doth moue him iustly to spoile and strip vs of them as appeareth here in the example of the Israelites for therefore the Lord suffered them to inioy still his gifts which with a liberall hand hee had bestowed vpon them that his mercy and bounty might leade them to repentance and might mooue them with all earnestnesse to seeke reconciliation with him who had been so good and gratious a God vnto them but when as contrariwise they the rather forsooke the Lord impudently committed spirituall whoredome with their idols abusing Gods benefits as meanes to harten them in their sinne and spending their wealth vpon their false gods the Lord threatneth that if they would not speedily repent of these sinnes he would strippe them of his gifts rather then they should be thus abused If therefore we would haue Gods benefits continued vnto vs let vs take heede that wee doe not abuse them to pride wantonnesse forgetfulnesse of God insulting ouer our brethren or by mispending them vpon any euill vses to further vs in any sinne nay not onely this but also let vs be carefull to imploy them well to Gods glory the good of our brethren and for our owne furtherance in all vertue and godlinesse for though we doe not abuse them yet if with the vnprofitable seruant we hide them in a napkin and do not vse them the Lord will take his talent from vs and not onely strip vs of his gifts but also cast vs into vtter darkenesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth as appeareth Matth. 25. 30. Matth. 25. 30. God putteth vs in minde of our naturall basenesse to humble vs. Fiftly wee may obserue that in the Lords threatning whereby hee indeauoureth to bring the Church of Israel to repentance he putteth them in minde of their former basenesse miserie and nakednesse not onely to worke in their hearts a true loue and reuerent respect towards him who from such a contemptible condition had aduanced them to such high dignitie but also to beate downe their pride with which in respect of their present prosperitie they were puffed vp and to humble them with the remembrance of their owne naturall vilenesse As if a Prince hauing taken to wife a meane seruant and perceiuing her to waxe proud and insolent towards him and to neglect him who had aduanced her setting her loue vpon others should after this manner say vnto her There is no reason why thou shouldest bee so proud insolent for howsoeuer I haue now aduanced thee thou wast when I found thee poore base and beggarly especially considering that I who haue raised thee vp haue power in my hand to pull thee downe and to place thee in as base condition as thou wast in former times if thy preferments puffe thee vp in pride and moue thee in thy insolency to neglect and despise me who haue been the only cause of thine aduancement And hereby it may appeare how easily by Gods grace and bountie we are made insolent wanton and forgetfull of God how odious a vice this is in Gods sight in that he vseth such meanes to draw vs from it and that there is no better course to bring vs to repentance then by beating downe this our pride by calling to minde what we were before the Lord called vs and aduanced vs namely base poore and miserable destitute of all good and replenished with all euill Lastlie we may obserue the manifold miseries and calamities The miseries that God bringeth on those who forsake his true worship which the Lord bringeth vpon those who forsake his pure worship and seruice and giue themselues ouer to commit idolatrie for hee not onely diuorceth them from himselfe but also vnlesse they repent he strippeth them of all his gifts and benefits which he had bestowed vpon them he taketh from them the light of their vnderstanding and suffereth them to be deluded and infatuated in their owne imaginations as appeareth Rom. 1. 21. 22. 2. Thess 2. 11. Rom. 1. 21. 22. 2. Thes 2. 11. Matth. 21. 43. He taketh from them the sunshine of his word and suffereth them to walke in darkenesse and in the shadow of death he strippeth them of al his gifts both of bodie and mind leaueth them in their naturall nakednesse defiled with sin vglie and deformed he taketh from them the name of his seruants children and spouse and leaueth them as hee found them the slaues of Satan the children of wrath and heires of perdition He maketh them like a desert wildernesse barren of all grace and goodnesse and inhabited with their owne lusts corruptions and passions which like wild beasts torment and euen rent them in peeces yea he maketh whole cities and countries of idolaters waste and desolate exposing them to the common spoile of their conquering enemies as our Sauiour threatneth the Iewes Matth. 23. 38. In a word he depriueth their soules of all true ioy and sound Matth. 23. 38. comfort and letteth them perish in the extremitie of their want So that the end of idolaters who hauing knowne God and do renounce his pure worship and seruice is worse then their beginning For better had it been for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it to turne out of it as the Apostle speaketh 2. Pet. 2. Pet. 2. 20. 21. Matth. 12. 45. 2. 20. 21. So Matth. 12. 45. ANd so much concerning the punishment of the adulterous mother the whole Synagogue Church of Israel In the next place he forewarneth her of the punishment of her children vers 4. And I wil haue no pity vpon her children Vers 4 for they be the children of fornications In which words are contained The exposition two things first the punishment secondly the cause thereof In the first we are to consider first against whom this punishment is threatned secondly the punishment it selfe The persons against whom this punishment is denounced are the children of the adulterous mother And I will haue no pitie vpon her children Whereas he saith And I will c. by this connexion he signifieth that vnlesse his adulterous spouse whom hee had diuorced would take away her fornications and adulteries by true repentance he would not content himselfe with her diuorce and spoile but hee would goe forward in his course of iust vengeance to inflict the like punishments vpon her children Where as by mother we are to vnderstand in generall the whole Synagogue Church of Israel
might bee releeued and deliuered out of his hands by their louers that is their false goods shewing that their ioyning with them should not hinder the course of his iudgements for so far was he from fearing their succouring of them that hee wuld inflict these his punishments vpon them euen in the presence of their idols neither should they be able to releeue or deliuer them out of his hands So that still he alludeth to the practise of insolent and impudent adulteresses who when their husbands threaten that for their whoredomes they will strip them of all the gifts which they haue bestowed on them they are readie to deterre them from such seuere courses by telling them that they haue friends in store who wil reuenge their wrongs and not suffer them to be so euill intreated vnto whom their husbands being men of spirit and courage will returne answere that they are so farre from fearing their louers that they will not sticke thus to vse them euen in their presence But let vs come to the words themselues in which is expressed first the time when he would inflict his punishmēts And now will I c. where he sheweth that because his patience and long-suffering had made her insolent and secure he would no longer make delayes but presently execute his iudgements vpon her and this hee doth to make her rouse vp her spirits and speedily to turne vnto him by true repentance Eccles 8. 11. Eccles 8. 11. Secondly hee setteth downe the punishment it selfe to wit that he would discouer her leaudnesse c. The word here vsed signifieth either foolishnes or filthines in the first sense it is taken 1. Sam. 25. 25. Psal 14. 1. Deut. 32. 6. in the latter Gen. 34. 7. Deut. 22. 21. If we vnderstand it in the former signification 1. Sam. 25. 25. Psal 14. 1. Deut. 32. 6. Gen. 34. 7. Deut. 22. 21. the meaning is that by stripping her of all his benefits he would shew that she had done foolishly in ascribing them to her louers seeing they were his gifts and in forsaking him a God most gratious and almightie that she might follow after her louers who had neither will nor abilitie to releeue her wants But the coherence with the former words is better if we vnderstand it in the latter signification for in the former verse the Lord threatneth that he would strip her of his benefits and namely of her clothes which he had giuen her to couer her nakednes and here hee sheweth that he would not strip her in a corner but euen in the sight of her louers that they might also behold and detest her abominable filthinesse And this interpretation I rather embrace then the other because it agreeth with the like places of Scripture as Ezech. 16. 37. Ier. 4. 30. Ezech. 16. 37. Jer. 4 30. Now this her punishment is aggrauated in that he saith he would strip her in the sight of her louers for as men are impatient of all disgraces so especially of those which are offered them in the presence of their most respected friends but they grow altogether intolerable when as their friends in whom they most trusted shall to their shame and reproch see their wretchednes and vncleane filthines and not be able to make any apologie for them or to defend them against the accuser But this the Lord threatneth should be the condition of the Church of Israel namely that hee would strip her of all his benefits and discouer her naturall filthines and vncleannes her pouertie miserie sinne and grosse corruptions and that in the sight of her louers that is when she depended vpon her idols and most assuredly hoped that they were present to helpe and releeue her Lastly because while they conceiued any hope of helpe in their idols they would easily neglect and contemne Gods threatnings hee taketh away from them this vaine confidence in these words And no man shall be able te deliuer her out of my hands as though he should say It may be she will hope when I haue taken from her my benefits that the sun starres planets and her other idols will supplie her wants it may be she may thinke that when I haue discouered her filthines her louers wil relieue her miseries but all in vaine for who amōgst the gods is able to help whē I who am almightie take in hād to punish her Wel may they behold her abominable filthines to her further griefe and disgrace but they shal only look vpō her not be able to afford her any relief And this is the meaning of these words Out of which we Punishments deferred shall be inflicted vnlesse wee preuent them by repētance may first learne that howsoeuer the Lord in his mercie doth long deferre our iustly deserued punishments as he did the Israelites of whom the Prophet speaketh here yet if his patience and long-suffering doe not moue vs to repentance the time will come that the Lord will say as he doth in this place And now I will discouer your leaudnesse c. For as there is a time for mercie so there is a time for iustice and though the Lord be slow to anger and vengeance and swift in the course of his grace and goodnes yet he goeth forward as surely and certainly in the way of iustice as in the way of mercie if wee doe not meet him in the way and turne his course by turning vnto him by vnfained repentance Examples hereof we haue in the old world in the Sodomites Cananites Israelites c. And therefore let vs seeke the Lord whilest he may be found c. Isay 55. 6. let vs take hold of the acceptable Esay 55. 6. time and day of saluation and whilest it is called to day let vs hearken vnto his voice and not harden our hearts Psal 95. 7. 8. For though the Lord now hide our sinnes vnder the vaile of his mercie blessings and benefits yet the time Psal 95. 7. 8. will come vnlesse we repent when as hee will strip vs and discouer our filthines c. Secondly we may obserue the the Lord oftentimes punisheth our vaine confidence in worldly things by making them God punisheth vaine confidēce in creatures by making them insufficient to helpe vneffectuall and insufficient to satisfie our desires in those things for which we most trusted in them that when they most abound and seeme to promise vs most assured helpe So heere hee strippeth the Israelites in the presence of their idols in whom they trusted for deliuerance and discouereth their filthines euen in their sight when as they seemed in regard of their presence to giue them the greatest hope of their assistance Thus he ouerthrew Pharaoh Senacherib Benhadad in the middest of their great armies Nebuchadnezer in his greatest pride and power Thus he destroyeth idolaters in the presence of their idols thus he maketh the couetous to feel the smart of his punishing hand when as their
deeds which are open and manifest And this is the meaning of the words the doctrines The doctrines Gods vnpertiall proceeding in the administration of his iudgements which arise out of them are these First wee may obserue Gods vpright and vnpartiall proceeding in the administation and execution of his judgements and punishments whereby without any respect or acceptation of persons callings or degree he rendreth vnto euerie one according to their deserts as in this place howsoeuer the Priests farre excelled the common people in place dignitie and authoritie yet because they were a like sinfull he putteth no difference between them in their punishments When the whole world rebelled against him without any respect of persons state or condition he ouer whelmed them all with a generall deluge When Pharaoh resisted his commaundement he found no more fauour then the basest of his people When Nebuchadnezzar would needs be his riuall in his glorie it was not his Monarchie could keepe him from feeding and lodging amongst the brute beasts All Ahabs royalty power and authoritie could not priuiledge neither him nor Iesabell from hauing their blood licked by the dogges In a word there was neuer any so great and mightie who had any fauour at Gods hand for their power and mightinesse but if they as grieuously sinned they also were as grieuously punished as the poorest and most abject The curse of the law is denounced indifferently against all who transgresse it Deut. 27. 26. Tophet is prepared of old not onely for poore Deut. 27. 26. Esay 30. 33. Ezech. 18. 20. wicked men but also for the wicked King Esay 30. 33. And without all respect of persons the soule that sinneth must dye Ezech. 18. 20. The reason is because they are all alike the workmanship of his hands and therefore as the potter is no more beholding to his pots which are more curiouslie wrought then to those which are made for the basest vse so the Lord is no more bound to men of greatest dignitie then to those of meanest condition seeing all are his creatures alike and what they haue they haue receiued from him This reason Elihu rendreth he accepteth not saith he the person of Princes and regardeth not the rich more then the poore for they be all the worke of his hands Iob. 34. 19. Againe in respect Iob. 34. 19. of Gods infinte Majestie all are alike and in respect of his soueraigne authoritie all are equally his poore vassals vnto whom he hath giuen his Law from the obedience whereof none are exempted more then other nor yet from the punishment therein denounced if they transgresse it Yea so far is God from sparing the great rich and mighty that these of all other shall receiue the greatest measure of punishment First because they haue more vnthankfully abused his rich mercies as meanes to further them in their sins which should haue serued as so many arguments to moue them to obedience then because being aduanced aboue others in place dignitie and authoritie their sinnes tend more to the dishonour of God and hurt of their neighbours then the sinnes of those who are in meane estate because they are examplary and scandalous inticing and drawing inferiours to imitate their wicked practises so that seldome do these high Cedars fall but they beate downe many of the lower shrubs that stand about them The vses of this doctrine eyther concerne all men in generall Gods vprightnesse should moue vs to mortifie our sinnes or more especially respect those who are of higher place and condition the vse which concernes all men is first that seeing the Lord who is to be their judge judgeth vprightly without respect of persons they be hereby moued to labour in the mortifying of their corruptions in the cleansing of their soules from sin that so they may appeare righteous before him and thereby escape the seueritie of his justice And this vse Moses maketh Deut. 10. 16. Circumcise Deu. 10. 16. therefore the foreskinne of your hearts and harden your necks no more 17. For the Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God mighty and terrible which accepteth no persons nor taketh reward The second vse is that wee shake off securitie whereby Gods justice should make vs to shake off security men carelesly goe forward in their sinnes as though God would neuer call them to reckoning or though he did yet were so mercifull that no place will be left for his justice such are to know that as God is infinite in mercy so also hee is infinite in justice and therefore will execute his righteous judgements according to their workes good or euill without respect of any mans person so that it behoueth euery one carefully to watch ouer their owne wayes and to tremble with feare before Gods majestie when as they finde that they liue in any knowne sinne without repentance And this vse is made by the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 17. And if ye call him 1 Pet. 1. 17. father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euerie mans worke passe the time of your dwelling here in feare The third generall vse is that we doe not offer wrongs God a just reuenger of wrongs and injuries against our neighbours for though we can carry the matter so cunningly that they can get no aduantage against vs before the judgement seate of men yet when God the vpright Iudge shall come in his visitation he will without respect of person reuenge the wrongs of the injured and pay euery one by that measure wherewith they haue measured vnto others And this vse also the Apostle maketh diswading men from behauing themselues injuriously to others because hee that doth wrong shall receiue for the wrong which hee hath done there being no respect of persons with GOD. Col. 3. 25. Col. 3. 25. The vse which concerneth Superiours first respecteth God punisheth the mighty as well as the weake those who excell others in power and riches that they bee not hereby enbouldened to bee insolent in offring injuryes or cruell in oppressing the poore and weake knowing that there is a superiour power vnto theirs who nought respecteth their wealth and might for hee regardeth not bribes nor feareth the face of the Prince more then the basest subject who one day will goe his circuit and visitation and summon all to appeare at his Assises and will haue the causes of the weake and needy without partialitie tryed before him For hee accepteth not the persons of Princes and regardeth not the rich more then the poore because they be all alike the work of his hands as it is Iob. 34. 19. Iob. 34. 19. Secondly it respecteth superiours in authoritie as Magistrates Magistrates must execute righteous judgement and maisters of families that they be hereby moued not to abuse their authoritie which God hath put into their hands to his dishonour and the hurt of their neighbour As first