because hee dishonoured GOD and caused his holy name to be blasphemed amongst the Gentiles by his sinnes of adulterie and murther as also by his indulgency towards his Children whom he not onely corrected not but not so much as reproued the Lord punished him not onely as hee was a King but also as hee was a Father by suffering both Children and Subjects to neglect their duetie and as both by the sword of the Children of Ammon and his owne vncleanesse hee had dishonoured God so the Lord vsed both the sword and filthines of his owne Children to his dishonour and disgrace For Ammon his Sonne defiled Thamar his Daughter and then Absalon murthered Ammon because his Father had not as hee ought duely punished his abhominable filthinesse And then againe when as justice was not executed against Absalon for his murther according to Gods Law hee liued to the dishonour of his Father who had not giuen glory to God by inflicting deserued punishments for sinne defiling his Concubines in the sight of the people and thrusting him for a time out of his kingdome with extreame perill of his life The vse of this Doctrine serueth first to teach vs that aboue all things wee labour in the performance of all holy Dueties to aduance the glory of Gods holy Name whereby it will come to passe that the Lord will bee carefull of our honour and reputation and so guide and direct by his holy Spirit all those who belong vnto vs that they shall performe all good Dueties vvhich may both credit and comfort vs. Whereas on the other side if wee dishonour God by neglecting such duties as hee requireth he will withdraw his spirit and giue ouer our inferiours to their owne vnnaturall stubbornesse and perversnesse and then they by neglecting all good duties will dishonour and disgrace vs. 1 Sam. 2. 30. 1 Sam. 2. 30. Secondly from hence wee learne whence originally Whence chieflie proceede all disorders in families proceede all disorders and enormious Crimes in families namely because the chiefe heads neglect their duety towards God and so dishonour his holy Name It is an vsuall complaint which soundeth in euery mans eares in these our dayes that children are vndutifull to parents stubborne and disobedient and that Seruants vvere neuer so negligent in performance of all dutyes towards their superiours and men wonders to see such a great difference betweene these times and those which went before But if wee would goe to the fountaine of these euils and finde out the core of all these corruptions wee shall finde that howsoeuer inferiours cannot be excused yet the fault is principally in the Superiours and gouernours Either because they neglect their dutie towards them from whom they expect dutie as by being like Elie indulgent not correcting the vices of their Children and so honouring them more then God or by being loose in their gouernment or lewde and scandalous in their example or finally because they doe not like Abraham instruct their familie in the wayes of the Lord themselues nor take care that they may be instructed by others and so liuing in ignorance and neglecting all duties which they owe to God it is no meruaile that they are vndutifull and disobedient to parents and gouernours seeing the loue and feare of God is the fountaine of all loue and dutie towards men Or if so be men can pleade not guiltie in all these inditements yet if they be arraigned at the barre of Gods iudgement and haue their owne consciences produced as witnesses against them they will bee forced to confesse that they haue ben exceeding negligent in performing all good duties towards God himselfe and through their coldnesse backwardnesse want of zeale and disobedience they haue beene wanting to God in the aduancement of his glorie and contrariwise haue dishonoured his name and scandalized their profession and therefore it is most just with God that hee exposeth them to shame and reproach by suffering their children and seruants to liue in such infamous sinnes and rebellious wickednesse as disgrace and discredite the whole familie without any inward restraint of his spirit or any outward stop by afflictions and punishments Thirdly whereas hee saith that this people who did Ignorance doth not free vs from the punishment of sinne not vnderstand that is who continued ignorant of God and his will should fall and bee ouerwhelmed with Gods judgements hence wee obserue that ignorance will not free vs from punishment but rather will make vs to bee swallowed vp of vengeance in the day of wrath For the better vnderstanding whereof wee are to consider what ignorance is lawfull and good and what is sinfull and wicked what ignorance excuseth and extenuateth sinne and mittigateth punishment and what doth aggrauate them Of diuers kinds of ignorance 1 Commendable ignorance And first wee are to know that there is a lawfull and commendable kinde of ignorance when as wee doe not presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand but that wee doe vnderstand according to sobrietie as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of Faith as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 12. 3. And when as wee leaue the secret things Rom. 12. 3. not reuealed in Gods word to the Lord and earnestly labour to informe our selues in those things which are reuealed as it is Deut. 29. 29. not curiously prying into Gods hidden Deut. 29. 29. Mysteryes but rather drawing before them the curtaine of reuerent ignorance For example it is no sinne to bee ignorant of Gods secret will and counsaile and of his works before the Creation of the orders and degrees of the Angels or not to comprehend by a cleare and distinct knowledge the Mysterie of the Trinitie the hypostaticall Vnion of Christ two natures nor the Vnion betweene Christ and his Church seeing some of these are not manifestly reuealed but as it were in a darke Myrrour and some being infinite and incomprehensible can no more bee comprehended by our shallow vnderstanding then the whole world can bee grasped in a mans hand or the maine Ocean can be contained in a nut-shell The sinfull ignorance is of two kindes The first necessary Of sinfull and necessary ignorance the other voluntary and affected Necessary ignorance is eyther that darknesse of vnderstanding and blindnesse of minde deriued from our first Parents which is one of the branches of originall sinne or that actuall ignorance which continueth in vs after wee come to yeares when as we are depriued of the meanes of knowledge both which cannot bee excused much lesse defended in that wee are ignorant of those things which wee ought to know and that through our owne default as being guilty of the sinne of our first Parents for God in them indued vs with a cleare light of knowledge but wee in them did fall into sinne and thereby put out the light and defaced the image of God in our vnderstanding But howsoeuer this ignorance is the euill of
duty doth appertaine namely to all those who are made members of the That all the faithfull must labor to gaine others to the Church church whether they be publike or priuate persons for there is none which are in respect of their meannesse of gifts exempted seeing there is not any who hath receiued such a small talent but that if he will profitably imploy it he may thereby gaine some glory to his Lord and maister and in some respect or other bring some benefit to his brethren either by instruction consolation exhortatiō or holy example of life But howsoeuer this duty belongeth to all yet especially to Gods Ministers who are appointed of God both to be the spirituall fathers by whom men are begotten vnto God and conuerted to the faith and also to be the nurses who by the milke of the word are to nourish and bring vp in their spirituall growth those who are regenerate and added to the Church And therefore they are with all care and diligence to preach the word in season and out of season instructing the ignorant exhorting those that are backward perswading the obstinate confirming the weake and comforting and incouraging those which are ready to faint and by all meanes labouring that those who are not conuerted may be gained vnto Christ and likewise that those who are already added to the Church may bee more and more strengthened and confirmed in their spirituall vnion with Christ and communion with the Saints Fourthly we are to obserue to whom this duty is to be performed namely to our brothers and sisters that is those who are already and those that may be hereafter our brethren and sisters and in y◠we do not know who these are because Gods That we must labour to informe all in Gods trueth secret counsaile decree of election is known only to himselfe therfore we are to exhort instruct and perswade all to become members of the Church so far as in regard of our state and calling we possiblie can for the Spirit bloweth where it listeth and can easilie cause Lions Tigers and Cockatrices to become the sheepe of Christ hee can make idolatrous Abraham the fether of the faithfull bloodie and barbarous Manasses an humble conuert a persecuting Saul a preaching Paul and a leaud cheefe a holy confessor and therfore say not in thy heart I will spare my labour because this or that man is too wicked too worldlie too couetous too proud to make a Christian seeing the Lord is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham to humble the most proud and obstinate and to sanctifie the most prophane neither is hee onely able to doe it but also often doth it to shew the infinite riches of his wisedome power mercie and goodnesse and that our saluation is not for our owne works or worthinesse but of his owne free grace and vndeserued loue that so he may be all in all and haue the whole glorie of his owne worke Fiftly we are to obserue the maine arguments which the The arguments which we must vse for the conuersion of others faithfull are to vse that they may perswade others to ascend with them out of the land of darkenesse into the kingdome and Church of Christ namely because they were the people of God and therefore they are to ascend into the kingdome of their Lord and redeemer And lest their sinnes and Gods iustice and wrath should discourage them it is further said that they haue obtained mercie and remission of their sinnes and are now reconciled vnto God in Christ Whence we learne what is the strongest inducement and most forcible argument to mooue any to leaue the kingdome of darkenesse and to adioyne themselues vnto the Church of God namely when they heare and hearing beleeue that they who were aliants and strangers are now in Christ become Gods subiects and seruants that they whom the law for their grieuous sinnes excluded from all mercie and made obnoxious to Gods wrath are now in Christ made partakers of Gods mercie whereby they haue the remission of their sinnes and are so reconciled to their Lord and Soueraigne So long as a malefactor who hath deserued death knoweth that his Prince is iustly displeased with him and intendeth to prosecute the law against him hee fleeth his kingdome and liueth in voluntarie exile but if hee heare that the princes sonne fauoureth him and hath obtained his fathers pardon and reconciled him vnto him this is a strong motiue to perswade him to leaue the strange countrie where he liueth and to returne againe into the kingdome of his Soueraigne So we who are grieuous malefactours which by transgressing Gods law haue made our selues subiect to to his wrath and obnoxious to the punishment of the law eternall death whilest wee remaine in this case flee from Gods presence and as much as in vs lieth though it neuer lieth in vs we banish our selues out of his kingdome and iurisdiction but when we heare that Christ his dearely beloued sonne hath obtained our pardon and reconciled vs to his father then and not before we approach his presence and adioyne our selues to his kingdome It is then the preaching of the Gospell which gathereth vs into Christs kingdome For it is Gods strong power vnto saluation to al that beleeue whereby he perswadeth vs to come out of Satans kingdome and to adioyne our selues vnto his Church And therefore those who seeke the conuersion of others they must not onely denounce legall threatnings against sinne for this will make men rather flee from God then come vnto him but hauing by the law brought them to a sight of their miserie in regard of the curse thereof the anger of God death and condemnation which they haue deserued then they are to preach the glad tidings of the Gospell whereby they may be assured of the remission of their sins and reconciliation with God and so be mooued to come vnto Christ and to adioyne themselues to his Church Examples hereof we haue Act. 2. 38. 39. 2. Cor. 5. 18. 19. 20. Act. 2. 38. 2. Cor. 5. 18. Gal. 3 26. That we must continuallie labour to conuert others to the faith Gal. 3. 26. 27. 28. Now we are further to obserue that we are not to deliuer this glad tidings of the Gospell for the conuersion of those who are not yet called once or twice or diuers times but continually till they be conuerted we must teach them perswade and exhort them to ascend out of the land of darkenesse into the kingdome of Christ for hee doth not define and determine a certaine number but indefinitely and absolutely commandeth vs that we should speake vnto them For God calleth not all at the same houre but some at one time and some at another neither doth he make the word effectuall for the conuersion of all sinners at the first hearing but in some he lets it often outwardly sound in their eares before by the inward working of
place in their memorie The punishment threatned is proportionable to the sinne namely that God likewise would forget their children the which is spoken after the manner of men that he might the better fit himselfe to their capacitie for if wee speake properly God cannot be said to forget or remember seeing all things past present and to come are present before him in one perfect view but hereby hee would signifie vnto them that as they had so neglected his law that they did not so much as remember it so he would vtterly neglect them and withdraw from them all signes of his loue and care as if he had vtterly forgotten them and his couenant made with them Now whereas he saith that hee would forget their children the meaning is that he would destroy the Priesthood for ordinarily the children succeeded the parents in the Priests office but now he telleth them that he would not onely strip them of this honour but their posteritie also and so make the priesthood to cease for whereas he threatneth the children he much more includeth the parents for if the heate of Gods wrath extended to the children for their fathers sinnes much more should it be inflamed against the fathers themselues Lastly whereas hee speaking of the Priests sinne saith that they had forgotten his Law and of his owne punishment that hee would forget their children hereby is implyed Gods mercifull justice and mans impietie in that God doth not forget them before they haue forgotten him and therefore if God at any time neglect and forget his people it is manifest that it is because they haue neglected and forgotten him first And thus haue I shewed the meaning of the words the doctrines which arise out of them are diuers The first thing That ignorāce is a great sinne in the people to be obserued is that if a people liue in ignorance of God and his religion for want of teaching and instruction the Lord condemneth it as a great sinne both in the ministers and people In the ministers in that they neglect their dutie and eyther through their insufficiencie or idlenesse suffer them to goe on in the wayes of darknesse to their perdition whereby they become accessarie yea principall causes of their destruction of which I shall speake afterwards And in the people in that they are content to liue in their ignorance and voluntarily submit themselues to be led by such blinde guids as cannot informe them in the wayes of the Lord. For they should haue care of their owne soules though others neglect it they should count this one thing necessarie to be instructed in the knowledge of gods truth and preferre it before their worldly affaires they should wanting this precious pearle of gods word rather sell all they haue to purchase it then content themselues to be without it they should themselues read studie and meditate in the scriptures which are sufficient to make them wise to saluation especially when the ordinarie meanes faile But this sin is much more haynous in the people if they continue in ignorance when as the Lord giueth them liberally the meanes of knowledge if they wilfully shut their eyes when the light of Gods word clearly shineth vnto them if they continue blinde because they will not see if they refuse to heare the word preached or neglect and despise it when they heare it as not worth the knowing or remembring if they chuse rather to be vnder blind guides because they would not be troubled with hearing and learning or with admonitions and reprehensions whereas they rather desire to liue quietly and securely in their sinnes then vnder faithfull and painefull Ministers who would disturbe their ease and awake their consciences out of the sleepe of sinne for such liuing in ignorance are without excuse and for want of knowledge shall most certainely be destroyed The second thing to be obserued is that where the people The people shall be destroyed which want knowledge are destitute of knowledge for want of instruction there the people ministers shal be destroyed The people first because they content themselues with such blind guids and willingly remaine in their ignorance secondly because wanting knowledge they depriue themselues of all meanes wherby they may be saued for those whom God hath elected to saluation as to the end he hath also ordained that they should vse the meanes whereby they may attaine to saluation that is that they should be effectually called justified and sanctified but none can attaine to any of these meanes without the knowledge of God and his religion for whomsoeuer God effectually calleth those with his word and holy spirit hee illuminateth with the knowledge of his will their owne miserie the worke of redemption wrought by Christ and with other principles and fundamentall poynts of Religion without then this knowledge there is no effectuall calling So likewise no justification for whosoeuer are justifyed they are also endued with a liuely faith whereby they apply vnto themselues the merits and suffrings of Christ but without knowledge there is no faith for wee cannot beleeue and be certainely perswaded of that whereof wee are ignorant and consequently no justifycation In a word without knowledge there is no sanctifycation for knowledge is the foundation of all vertue and obedience without which wee can neyther chuse the good nor refuse the euill Now without these meanes there is no saluation neyther is there any saued but those who are effectually called justified and sanctified and therefore it necessarily followeth that they who want knowledge are destroyed This might be proued more particularly whether we respect the temporary destruction of the body and state or the eternall destruction of the soule but that I haue already handled this point before intreating of the first verse of this Chapter But if this want of knowledge in the people proceed from the insufficiencie or idlenesse of their ministers then doth it bring destruction to them also as being the causes of their ruine This the Lord threatneth Ezech. 3. 18. and 33. 8. Ezech. 3. 18. 33. 8. When I shall say to the wicked O wicked man thou shalt dye the the death if thou dost not speake and admonish the wicked man of his way that wicked man shall dye for his iniquitie but his bloud will I require at thy hand To which Paul seemeth to allude Act. 20. 26. Where approuing his paines in his ministery Act. 20. 26. he saith he was pure from the bloud of all men From which place Gregorie thus concludeth tot occidimus quot ad mortem ire tepidi tacentes videmus Wee murther saith hee so many as we see going the way to destruction and carelesly hold our peace The vse of this doctrine serueth to teach vs in what a miserable estate such a people are who content themselues to liue in ignorance whether they want the meanes of knowledge or hauing them doe neglect and contemne them seeing
of all and euery of them neither must we imagine that these two not my people and the sonnes of the liuing God are alike generall as though all and euery man amongst them of whom it might be said not my people of them it should be said that they were the sonnes of the liuing God but it is to be vnderstood of Gods elect onely who should be called from amongst them both and added to the Church For many were eternally reiected many who neuer heard of the Gospel and of Christ many outwardly called by the ministery of the word who were not called effectually and so neither iustified nor made Gods soones by adoption and grace The third thing which is signified in these words is the instrumentall cause or meanes whereby they should attaine vnto this dignity namely by the preaching of the Gospell the which is implied by the phrase of speech here vsed for he doth not say they shall begin to be or they shall be made or they shall be adopted the sonnes of God but it shall be said vnto them Yee are the sonnes of the liuing God to wit in the preaching of the Gospell which is the strong power of God to saluation vnto all that beleeue Rom. 1. 16. and the onely ordinary meanes of begetting faith Rom. 10. 17. by which Rom. 1. 16. 10. 17. Iohn 1. 12. 1. Cor. 4. 15. faith we attaine vnto this prerogatiue of being the sonnes of God Iohn 1. 12. And this the Apostle plainely sheweth 1. Cor. 4. 15. where affirming himselfe to be the Corinthians spirituall father who had begotten them vnto God he sheweth likewise whereby they were begotten and regenerate namely through the preaching of the Gospell Furthermore it is to be obserued that it is set down absolutely it shal be said vnto them without expressing by whom but we are to vnderstand it of God himselfe who had said ye are not my people for he onely after their reiection from being his people could make them his sonnes notwithstanding we are not to vnderstand it that this should be spoken by God himselfe immediately but as he said yee are not my people by the ministery of his Prophet so he saith yee are the sonnes of the liuing God by the ministery of his Apostles and Ministers in the preaching of the word The last thing to be considered is the dignity or prerogatiue it selfe expressed in these words Yee are the sonnes of the liuing God Where we are to note that he doth not obserue a perfect antithesis betweene these and the former words which should haue bin thus expressed In the place where it was said yee are not my people it shall be said vnto them ye are the people of God but in stead thereof he saith ye are the sonnes of the liuing God The reason whereof is this first because he would hereby signifie that through Christ in the couenant of grace we haue a far more excellent estate then vnder the law by the couenant of works for then they were but the people or subiects of God but now they are his sons adopted in Iesus Christ and being sonnes they are likewise Rom. 8. 17. heires and coheires with Christ as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. 17. Then they were the people of God on the condition of their perfect obedience to the Law which when they obserued not they lost this dignity and were reiected from being Gods people but now they are sonnes on the condition of faith and heires of an inheritance immortall vndefiled and that fadeth not away as the Apostle speaketh 1. Pet. 1. 4. because 1. Pet. 1. 4. they shall neuer fall from the couenant nor forsake or be forsaken of God seeing his seed remaineth in them 1. Iohn 3. 9. 1. Iohn 3. 9. Secondly by this phrase he excludeth in the worke of our saluation all kind of merit and sheweth that it is wholly to be ascribed to the free grace of God If he had said ye shall be called Gods people it had not so fully excluded all merit seeing there may be some desert in a people which mooueth the Prince to take them for his subiects but when he saith Ye shall be called sonnes it shutteth out all merit seeing no sonne can deserue of his father to be begotten of him before he hath his being Thirdly he vseth this phrase of speech because it containeth All the benefits of the Gospell comprised vnder this title The sons of God in it the summe of those benefits which are offered and bestowed in the Gospel is as it were a briefe abridgement of the whole worke of our saluation for those who are sons are likewise predestinate to eternall life seeing he hath therfore predestinate vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe as it is Eph. 1. 5. If we are sonnes then need we not Ephes 1. 5. to doubt of the loue of our heauenly father if we are sons then are we called to this high dignitie seeing before our calling we were strangers and enemies if sonnes then are we iustified in Gods sight freed from sinne and indued with righteousnesse and so fully reconciled vnto God seeing the Lord infinit in iustice would neuer admit any into such a high degree of fauour who were yet polluted in their sinnes and destitute of righteousnesse If we are sonnes then haue we receiued the spirit of adoption which leadeth and ruleth vs mortifieth our corruptions and quickneth vs in the inner man raising vs vp from the death of sin to holines and newnes of life Finally if we are sons then also we are heires and coheires with Christ of the kingdome of glorie Rom. 8. 17. Rom. 8. 17. Lastly as hereby he expresseth the inestimable benefits of The name of sonnes stirreth vs vp to all Euangelicall duties the Gospell so also doth he hereby stirre vs vp to all Euangelicall duties for sonnes more beleeue trust hope in loue their fathers then people their gouernours and with more alacritie and diligence performe obedience vnto their commandements and therefore if wee bee the sonnes of God wee must bee mindfull to performe these duties to our heauenly father The last thing to bee considered in this royall dignitie is that they shall be called the sonnes of the liuing God whereby the greatnesse of this benefit is amplified as though hee should say Ye shal be the sonnes of a God not like vnto the idols and Gods of the heathen which either neuer liued or but for a short time but of the eternall and euer liuing Iehouah who is and will be euer willing and able to defend and prouide for you who are his children And as hereby is signified the eternitie of our heauenlie father so there is implied also the eternitie of vs his children For as Christ saith God is not the God of the dead but of the Matth. 22. 32. liuing so may I say hee is not a father of the dead but of the liuing
of Israel appeareth by the order of the words where first it is said that she was not his wife and then that he was not her husband for the Lord did not forsake her before shee forsooke him hee did not deny to bee her husband before she refused to be his wife hee did not cease to performe his couenants which hee made with her of grace protection and preseruation before she withdrew her loue falsified her faith denied her seruice and obedience and went a whoring after strange gods And therefore there was no cause why for this diuorce they should expostulate with God and impute any fault vnto him but rather they were to lay the blame vpon themselues who by their spirituall fornications had broken off the mariage knot and had refused to be the Lords spouse so that hee was constrained to proclaime this diuorce because she had first refused him The like place vnto this we haue Esay 50. 1. Thus saith the Lord Where is the bill of your mothers diuorcement whom I haue cast off or who is the creditour vnto whom I haue solde you Behold for your iniquities are ye sold and because of your transgressions is your mother forsaken Where the Lord expostulateth with the Iews concerning the cause of their reiection and sheweth that the cause was not in him but in themselues and this he proueth by an olde rite and custome vnder the Law which was that those who were put away by the husband had a bill of diuorce giuen vnto them and that Deut. 24. 1. parents which were deeply indebted sold their children to satisfie their creditors as appeareth Exod. 21. 7. 2. King 4. 1. But I saith the Lord neuer put you away for if I did where Exod 21 7. 2. King 4. 1. is the bill of diuorcement neither did I sell you for where is the creditour to whom I stand indebted And therefore the fault is not in me but in your own iniquities and in the transgressions of your mother why you are sold and shee diuorced So Ier. 3. 8. Ezech. 16. Jer. 3 8 Ezech. 16. And this is the meaning of the diuorce which the Lord commandeth should be denounced The doctrines which The Law and the Gospell must be intermixed in the ministerie of the word hence arise are diuers First out of this mixture of Legall comminations with Euangelicall consolations Gods Ministers may learne spirituall discretion neither onely to thunder out the threatnings of the Law nor wholly to stand vpon Euangelicall promises but in their sermons to mixe the one with the other that whilest they beate downe the pride and presumption of secure hypocrites they doe not altogether exanimate deiect those who are truly humbled and contrariwise that whilest they comfort and raise vp Gods children who are afflicted in mind and deiected they doe not confirme proud hypocrites in their securitie and presumption Neither is this course profitable alone in respect of hypocrites and secure worldlings but also in respect of Gods deere children for being partly flesh and partlie spirit as in respect of their spirituall part they haue neede to heare the sweete comforts of the Gospell for the confirmation of their faith so had they in regard of the flesh neede to heare often of the threatnings of the Law to restraine them from sinne to beate downe pride presumption and securitie and to containe them in holy obedience Secondly we may obserue the nature of hypocrites who The nature of hypocrites to expostulate with God when they suffer the punishment due vnto their sinnes are ready to expostulate with God and to calumniate his iustice of crueltie as though their punishment were either altogether vndeserued or else at least farre greater then their sins To this purpose they vse all friuolous pretences to excuse their faults laying them of themselues vpon others yea rather then faile they will not sticke to accuse God that they may excuse themselues And therefore the Lord is faine oftentimes to expostulate the matter with them to cleare himselfe from all imputation of fault and to conuince them of their sinnes that they may be brought to true repentance An example hereof we haue in our first parents Gen. 3. 12. Gen. 3. 12. 4 19 Ier. 2. 35. Mal â— 8. 1. King 18. 17. Math. 25. 24. 13. In Caine Gen. 4. 13. In the Iewes Ier. 2. 35. Mal. 3. 8. In Ahab 1. King 18. 17. In the vnprofitable seruant Mat. 25. 24. 26. Thirdly we here learne when we suffer affliction or beare We must not murmure against God in our afflictions our punishment that we doe not murmure and expostulate with God as though he dealed more seuerely and rigorously with vs then we haue deserued but let vs descend into our selues and examine our owne hearts and consciences and so shall wee find that not the Lord but our selues are in fault that our punishment is farre lesse then our sinnes and that it is the great mercie of the Lord that we are not vtterlie consumed as the Church confesseth Lament 3. 22. And this Lament 3. 22. course must be taken of euery one of vs before we will euer be truely humbled and brought vnto God by vnfained repentance or before the Lord will euer bee mooued to pardon our sinnes or release our punishment For none will euer sorrow for those sinnes of which they thinke they are not guiltie there is none wil lay them to hart be humbled vnder the weight of them so long as they pretend excuses and seeke to put off their burthen from their owne to others shoulders and so long as wee content our selues with these fig-leaues we wil neuer looke after a better garment to hide our nakednesse Againe the Lord will neuer absolue vs before we condemne our selues he will not pardon our sinnes till we setting aside all excuses ingenuously and freely confesse them he will neuer case vs of this burthen whilest with false pretences we seeke to vnloade our selues neither will he euer make vs partakers of his mercy till we acknowledge that we haue deserued the extremity of his iustice as may appeare by the former examples Fourthly wee are to obserue that the children are commanded That particular men may expostulate with their mother the Church to expostulate not onely one with another but also with their mother the Church that so both the particular members and the whole Church in generall comming to a sight of their sinnes and condemning themselues for them they might bee brought to true repentance Whence wee learne what dutie is owed by children to their parents and by particular members to the whole body of the Church namely they are so to honour them that God bee not dishonoured so to excuse them that God bee not accused so to hide their faults from others that they doe not ignorantly foster them in themselues The Papists crie out vpon vs for discouering the nakednesse of their Church which
them that he would refuse them so as they should be no Priests to him because they had refused knowledge and neglected the maine duetie in teaching the people From whence wee learne that though ignorant idle Ministers haue neuer so manifold allowance and approbation from men yet God rejecteth them as not being worth the hauing for all who are called of God to this function are furnished with sufficiencie of gifts where by they are able and with willingnes of minde whereby they are readie to instruct his people as for those who are not thus fitted it were a great disparagement both to Gods wisdome loue and prouidence eyther to chuse them or to owne them There is no wise Prince will chuse a dumbe ambassadour or one who will not eyther for feare or idlenesse do his message there is no housholder would haue in his seruice a steward who in respect of his follie cannot prouide for the familie there is no man will chuse such an one for his carpenter who hath no skill in building nor knoweth how to handle a toole there is no people so simple that will retain a shepheard if they know that eyther he is ignorant how to vse their sheepe or idle and carelesse and will not take paines eyther in feeding or defending them and shall wee thinke the Lord lesse wise or prouident then man that hee should send on his message dumbe ambassadours or commit his familie to be gouerned by foolish or malicious stewards or chuse for the building of his spirituall temple them that haue no knowledge or will not labour or set ouer his flocke such ignorant or idle shepheards who either want skill or will to feede his sheepe and to defend them from the Wolfe The vse hereof serueth first to teach vs whom wee Who are to be approued for faithfull Ministers are to approue as the faithfull Ministers of God namely not all who are allowed by men seeing many of these are ignorant and many idle the one wanting abilitie the other will to instruct the people but onely those who are furnished with sufficiencie of gifts whereby they can and with willingnesse and alacritie whereby they will with painefull diligence informe the people in the wayes of God Secondly it sheweth and condemneth the grieuous sinne of many amongst vs who runne and are not sent and presumptuously rush into the place of Gods ambassadours hauing neither calling nor approbation from him yea that after in his word he hath plainely protested that seeing they haue refused knowledge he hath rejected and deposed them from the Priest-hood It is counted an hainous fault amongst vs for one who is lawfully suspended and degraded to execute the function of the Ministerie but how much more intollerable is their contempt against Gods soueraigne Majestie who being for their ignorance depriued by him and rejected as being none of his Ministers dare yet audaciously take vpon them this office and function Much better therefore were it for such with those false Prophets of whom Zacharie speaketh to giue ouer the place of a Prophet as being Zach. 13. 4. 5. ashamed of their ignorance and insufficiencie and to lay aside their habite wherewith they haue deceiued and abused the people and plainely to confesse I am no Prophet I am an Husbandman or an heard-man or a trades-man then by retayning the place of Gods Ministers to inflame his wrath and pull downe his fearefull vengeance against them Ezech. 34. 10. Ier. 27. 15. Ezech. 34. 10. Ier. 27. 15. Knowledge not succession a true note of a lawfull Ministerie Thirdly it confuteth the doctrine of the Church of Rome who approue their Priest-hood not by their knowledge or painefulnesse in teaching the people both which were vtterly neglected in former ages till of latter yeares for pollicie sake they haue beene forced to take more paines or rather through necessitie being otherwise vnable to defend their declinining hirarchie but by the continuall succession of their Bishops the which also they make a note infallible of the true Church Notwithstanding in this they goe not before the apostate Church of Israell who had a continuall succession of their Priests and Leuites euen from Aarons time and yet now they ceased to be the true Church of God and are rejected from the Priest-hood It is not therfore the succession of the Ministerie but their knowledge and painefull diligence in teaching the people which approueth them to be the true Ministers of God and where these are they are an infallible note of Gods true Church but when the preaching of the Word is neglected eyther through Ignorance or Idlenesse there is no Ministerie approued of God and consequently no true Church And so much concerning the sinne of the Priests The second is forgetfulnesse of God and his Law in these words And seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God Vnto which is annexed a grieuous punishment in these words I will also forget thy children Their sinne was forgetfulnesse of Gods Law for howsoeuer The exposition they were the Lords Priests vnto whom Gods Oracles were committed in which by Gods Commaundement they were to meditate continually that so not onely knowing but also remembring them they might be the better fitted both to obserue them themselues and also to teach and instruct the people in the knowledge of Gods will in his Law reuealed yet such was their carelesnesse negligence and contempt of it that they neyther knew nor remembred it and much lesse obeyed it themselues or informed the people that they might know and keepe it From whence we may Our inclinablenesse vnto forgetfulnesse of God obserue how inclinable we are to this vice of forgetfulnesse seeing neyther respect of our place and duety nor any meanes that can be vsed will imprint Gods Law in the stony tables of our memories vnlesse it be engrauen with the finger of gods spirit howsoeuer they are like waxe ready to receiue the print of any worldly impression like brasse to keep it The causes of this our forgetfulnesse are first our naturall The causes of our forgetfulnesse corruption and the vncleannesse of our hearts and mindes being one of the cursed fruites of originall sinne whereof it is that they are forges of wicked thoughts fountaines from which nothing spring but carnall meditations and like wide siues which suffer all the flower of goodnes to passe through them and retaine nothing but the grose branne of worldlinesse and wickednesse This appeareth Gen. 6. 5. and. 8. 21. Gen. 6. 5. 8. 21. Mat 15. 19. Mat. 15. 19. The second cause is our want of loue and delight in heauenly and spirituall things and our too much loue of the world and worldly vanities for if our treasure were in the Arke of God our hearts would be there also if Gods Law were to vs as it was vnto Dauid sweeter then the hony the hony combe if with him we loued it better then all
worldly riches then would we also neuer forget it but meditate therein day and night The third cause of the forgetfulnesse of Gods Law is Gods mercies make vs vnmindfull of him our pride of heart through the vnthankfull abuse of our prosperitie for such is our corruption that whereas Gods benefits should make vs mindfull of his Law that in lue of thankfulnesse we might obey it contrariwise the abundance of Gods mercies makes vs to forget not onely the Law but euen God himselfe so the Lord complaineth Hos 13. 6. Hos 13. 6. As in their pastures so were they filled they were filled and their heart was exalted therefore haue they forgotten me Hence it is that the Lord giueth the Israelites so oft warning that when they abounded in Gods blessings they should not suffer their hearts to be lift vp so to forget him the authour of all their good Deut. 8. 11. 12. A man would thinke that as tokens Deut. 8. 11. 12. sent serue to put vs in minde of an absent friend so the innumerable tokens of Gods loue which as it were from heauen he sendeth vnto vs should serue as so many remembrancers to put vs in minde of him who sendeth them vnto vs but though against all reason it falleth out otherwise for the tokens of Gods loue as riches pleasures and honours make vs forget the sender and therefore wise Hagur seeing this corruption in himselfe doth intreat the Lord to restraine his bountie and not to bestow too much vpon him least being full he should denie him say who is the Lord. Prou. 30. 8. 9. Pro. 30. 8. 9. Seeing therefore our corrupt nature is so inclinable to The greatnesse of this sinne of forgetfulnesse this vice of forgetfulnesse let vs labour not onely to see it but also to subdue and mortifie it which that we may the rather performe with the greater care and conscience let vs consider the grieuousnesse of the sinne and the greatnesse of the punishment which doth attend it The grieuousnesse of the sinne herein appeareth in that it is not onely in it selfe haynous but a cause also of innumerable other sinnes In it selfe it is a haynous sinne as appeareth by the Lords often and earnest forbidding of it So Deut. 4. 23. Take heed vnto Deut. 4. 23. and 8. 11. your selues least you forget the couenant of the Lord your God and 8. 11. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God not keeping his commaundements And when the people notwithstanding these admonitions did forget the Lord he grieuously complaineth of this neglect So Deu. 32. 18. thou hast forgotten Deut. 32. 18. Esay 57. 11. Ier. 2. 32. the mightie God that begat thee and formed thee Esa 57. 11. Ier. 2. 32. Can a maide forget her ornament or a bride her attire yet my people hath forgotten me daies with out number Secondly to forget God and his word is a kinde of Athisme seeing they haue not God nor his law in their principall parts namely their heart minde and soule for they who so haue them doe also remember them Thirdly this forgetfulnesse is ioyned with singular contempt of Gods word for they who regard it doe also remember it they that can say with Dauid that they delight in his statutes may also adde that which hee addeth that they will not forget his word Psal 119. 16. Psal 119. 16. Fourthly as this forgetfulnesse is in it selfe a sinne so it is the cause of almost all sinne Whereof it is that forgetfulnesse and the transgression of the law are often joyned together as the cause and effect Deut. 8. 11. Beware that thou Deut. 8. 11. forget not the Lord thy God not keeping his commaundements Ier. 3. 21. They haue peruerted their way and haue forgotten the Lord their God Prou. 2. 17. Which forsaketh the guide of Ier. 3. 21. Pro. 2. 17. Ezech. 22. 12 her youth forgetteth the couenant of her God Ezech. 22. 12. Iud. 3. 7. The children of Israell did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and forgat the Lord their God The reason is because Iud. 3. 7. they who doe not so much as remember the law of God can much lesse obserue it and those vvho neuer thinke neyther on gods promises nor threatnings are neither incouraged to that which is good nor discouraged from that which is euill But as this forgetfulnesse is to be auoyded in that it is a The punishment of the sinne of forgetfulnesse grieuous sinne so also because God inflicteth vpon it grieuous punishments As in this place he threatneth the Priests that because they had forgotten his Law he would not onely forget them but their children the which was a fearefull judgement whether we consider it in the generall or in this particular In the generall for if in God we liue and moue and haue our being Act. 17. 28. If when hee but hideth his face Act. 17. 28. we are troubled Psal 104. 29. If when he neglecteth vs we are straight depriued of all good and exposed vnto all euill Psal 104. 29. then what is Gods forgetfulnesse but our destruction so likewise in this particular where by Gods forgetting their children is meant his neglect of them the with-drawing of the signes of his loue the disinheriting of them of the honour of Priest-hood as if he would call backe his commission and suffer them no more to beare the name of his ambassadours turne them out of their stewardship and make them more base then common seruants make them of shepheards worse then the meanest of the flocke and of Captaines common souldiers which also with the rest should be casheerd out of his Campe the Church militant Besides this heauie judgement there are diuers others threatned against this sinne of forgetfulnesse in the booke of God and these both temporall and eternall Of the first sort is the punishment of barrennesse and dearth Esay 17. Esay 17. 10. 11 10. 11. Desolation and destruction of their cities Hos 8. Hos 8. 10. 10. Bondage and subjection vnder tyrannicall enimies 1. Sam. 12. 9. The Lord scattereth those that forget him and 1 Sam. 12. 9. his word as stubble before the winde Ier. 13. 24. 25. Hee Ier. 13. 24. Ier. 18. 17. ouerthroweth them in the day of battaile Chap. 18. 17. But the most grieuous punishment of all is that they shall beare their wickednesse which is a burthen intollerable and presseth all that are vnder it euen down to hell Ezec. 23. 35. Ezech. 23. 35. So likewise it is punished with eternall punishments for as it is Psal 9. 17. The wicked shall turne into hell and all the nations that forget God And therefore I conclude this point Psal 9. 17. and 50. 22. with the Psalmist Psal 50. 22. O consider this O ye that forget God least I teare you in peeces and their be none to deliuer you And these are
and almost princely brauery are driuen to increase their fines and inhaunse their rents to excessiue rates and when all this is not sufficient to defray their charges they are faine to giue ouer hospitalitie and to hide themselues in corners to saue expences And thus also Citizens vying with one another who shall exceede in pride and excesse and not being able to maintaine themselues in this course by their lawfull gaines and honest labours are driuen to vse all manner of fraud and deceipt in buying and selling subtill slights and indirect wayes and when all this will not serue the turne they are at the last constrayned to breake and become bankrupts either vtterly ruined in their estates or that which is worst of all they keepe in their hands the goods of those who haue credited them and so seeke to rise againe by their fall to inrich themselues by bringing others into pouertie or if not so then they seeke to buy or farme some office wherein they may liue by bribing proling extortion and exaction or procure a patent for some Monopolie that so they may aduance and raise their owne gaines out of the losse hinderance of the whole land and common wealth The vse hereof is to moue men to liue within their compasse and to imbrace temperance and frugalitie as being Frugalitie is a good vertue excellent vertues in themselues and also singular meanes to preserue vs from many vices and to restraine vs from rushing into grieuous tentations For so long as a man liuing by his honest labours doth keepe his expences with in the compasse of his gaines so long he hath much peace of conscience and contentation of minde neither is he easily drawn by hazarding his credit and much lesse his soule to gaine that wealth which he can well want whereas those who spend their time in idlenesse pleasure and luxurious excesse haue alwayes their mindes stretched vpon the racke of want tormenting themselues with carking care how they may salue their credit and maintaine their idle brauerie and luxurious wast and not being able to compasse their desires by honest and lawfull meanes they lye open to all tentations of the diuell and are ready to entertaine any wicked and dishonest course which seemeth to proffer vnto them the least gaine Fourthly we may here obserue that the Lord condemneth That it is an haynous offence to indeauour to inrich our selues by the sinnes of others it as a haynous offence when as men desire to inrich themselues by the sinnes of others I say when as men desire the falls of their neighbours for their owne aduantage otherwise it is lawfull for Magistrates to take penall fines when as they doe not desire that their subiects should offend for their owne gaine but rather by these punishments indeauour to restraine them from committing of the like faults But to delight in the sins of our brethen because thereby we haue gaine and aduantage is outragious wickednesse in the sight of God for seeing the plagues of God death and condemnation is the due wages belonging vnto sinne what do these men but greedely desire gaine though it cost the price of mens bodyes and soules and cast the offenders downe into hell Now if it be an outragious sin to desire gaines though it be purchased with the bodily life of our neighbour what shall we thinck of the horriblenesse of their sin who seeke their owne profit by hazarding both their bodyes and soules to eternall destruction Thus doth the Pope of Rome offend who inricheth himselfe by selling dispensations for sinne and is content to tollerate filthy stewes that thereby he may increase his yearely revenew And thus doe Magistrates offend when they rejoyce in the peoples faults and transgressions because by inflicting vpon them a penal mulct they inrich their owne coffers Thus doe Lawyers offend who delight in the malice discord and contentions of the people because hereby they haue fit opportunitie to inrich themselues with fees Thus doe Iudges and Officers of such Courts offend as make a pray of the sinnes of the people watching after hopefully expecting the neglect of duties as after a booty or prize and rejoycing in their hearts when as they heare of adulteries slanders and other enormious crimes because they may out of them raise their owne profit which wickednesse they manifestly commit who change the course of the Law and turne open punishments into priuie mulcts and punishments which should be personall and exemplary into punishments of the purse Thus also do they sinne who that they may preuaile in their suites giue hire vnto the sons of Beliall to confirme their false euidence by wicked perjury And thus doe shop-keepers grieuously offend when as they can be content that their seruants should in selling their wares vse lying swearing and deceipt that thereby they may put them off at the higher rate But in this respect Ministers doe most grieuously sinne when as either they mislead the people in errours and heresies that they may haue the fitter opportunitie of inriching themselues or when as they flatter them in their sinnes and sow pillowes vnder their elbowes that they may more securely goe on in wickednesse that so by pleasing them in their lewde courses they may haue the greater interest in them in their purses And this was the sinne of the Priests in this place who by their false doctrine hartned the people in their sins teaching them that when they had sinned there was no more to bee done for the appeasing of Gods anger but to offer their sacrifices and thus the Scribes and Pharises countenanced children in their vndutifullnesse and rebellion against their parents if they would bring vnto them oblations Mat. 15. Mat. 15. 4. 5. 4. 5. 6. And this is the sinne of those false teachers which the Apostle Peter fore-telleth should be in these latter dayes which through couetousnesse should with fained words make merchandise of mens soules 2 Pet. 2. 3. The which prophecie 2 Pet. 2. 3. we may see most euidently accomplished in the Cleargie of the Church of Rome who for mony sell dispensations for sinnes and incourage the people in all manner of wickednesse by offring vnto them easie remedies to free them from this burthen namely by doing or buying out of penance by going on pilgimages by offring to Saints by purchasing of pardons indulgences and absolutions by auricular confession by giuing of money to haue masses trentals and dirges saide for their soules for what worldly man would not be incouraged to liue in his sinnes which are more deare vnto him then his wealth yea then the fruite of his owne body as the Prophet sheweth if he may be acquitted of the guilt Micah 6. 7. and punishments thereof by confessing them to the Priest and by giuing of money for the procuring of a pardon or dispensation The vse of this doctrine serueth to make vs abhor the sin Couetousnesse the roote
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
a side out of the way of righteousnesse the Lord is readie to whip him into it againe by the scourge of afflictions and that not for want but in the abundance of his loue because hee should haue no incouragement to goe on in sinne which would bring him to destruction And this Dauid himselfe well knew and therefore saith that before hee was afflicted hee went astray but being afflicted hee kept Gods word Psal 119. 67. And therefore hee saith that it was good for him that hee had beene afflicted seeing hereby hee had Psal 119. 67. and 94. 12. learned Gods statutes verse 71. And Psalme 94. 12. Hee pronounceth them blessed whom God doth chastise and teach in his Law So the Lord telleth Dauid that if his sonne Salomon sinned hee would chasten him with the rod of men but his mercy should not depart from him 2 Sam. 7. 14. giuing vs to vnderstand that hee will not let his children escape 2. Sam. 7. 14. in their sinnes without correction and yet neuerthelesse remaineth mercifull vnto them Finally howsoeuer the gentiles were suffered to goe on in their idolatrie and to flowrish in their sinnes yet as soone as his owne people Israell did leaue his pure worship and follow Idols hee did seuerely punish them as appeareth Exod. 32. and in the History of the Iudges and Kings Exod. 32. Lastly this appeareth by cleare euidence of reason for The former doctrine prooued by reasons as impunitie is a manifest signe that God giueth men ouer to goe on in their sinnes to their destruction because he denyeth them the meanes whereby they might come to the sight of their sinne and vnto true sorrow for it so it is a good signe that God loueth vs as his Children when hee vseth vs like his Children that is correcteth vs for our faults and affordeth vnto vs the meanes whereby wee may bee reclaymed Wee are so blinded with carnall securitie and selfe loue that wee cannot see our transgressions and iniquities and afflictions are that sharpe but yet soueraigne water which helpeth to the recouery of our sight when as therefore the Lord denyeth to afflict vs liuing in sinne what doth he else but leaueth vs to our own naturall blindnesse to goe on in our sins till we fall into the pit of destruction They are those precious salues which serue to draw out the core of our corruptions and those wholesome though vnpleasant potions whereby wee are purged from our sinnes when as therefore the Lord afflicteth vs hee intendeth to cure and purge vs but when he with-holdeth these meanes his purpose is to let vs fester and rot in our sin and to let vs abound in these grose humours which will bring the sicknesse and death of the soule vnto vs they are those purging fires which purifie vs from the drosse of our corruptions and therefore when the Lord casteth vs into them his purpose is to make vs pure gold fit for his treasurie of eternall happinesse but when he letteth vs alone in the drosse of our sinnes his meaning is to let vs rust and canker and to cast vs away as refuse siluer The vse hereof serueth to confute the vaine bragges of The Papists confuted who glory in the outward pomp of their church the Papists who boast of the glory pompe riches and the flourishing estate of their Church vsing it as an argument of Gods loue towards them and of the truenesse of their Church and Religion that they are blessed with great prosperitie and on the other side objecting the crosse and manifold persecutions which the professours of the Gospell are subject vnto as a reproach to their Religion But seeing so many sinnes are not onely committed but also tollerated yea defended and countenanced in that Church their immunitie from afflictions and punishments can bee no signe of Gods Loue but rather that in his heauie displeasure hee hath giuen them ouer as a desperate cure and because by no meanes they vvill bee reclaymed from their Superstitions Idolatryes Adulteries and other enormious crimes that therefore they are giuen vp to a reprobate sense and to their owne filthy lusts that so committing sinne with greedinesse they may treasure vp against themselues wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God And the like vse also may secure Worldlings make of this Doctrine who blesse themselues in their sinnes because they are not crossed in their euill courses seeing nothing ought to bee a greater terrour vnto them then this that the Lord leaueth them to themselues and with-holdeth from them this wholesome meanes of their amendement Lastly it serueth for the comfort of Gods Children when as they are sharply afflicted for their sinnes seeing this is no signe of Gods hatred and of their rejection but rather of his Loue and Fatherly care ouer them which causeth him to lay vpon them these chastisements that hereby they may bee reclaymed from their sinnes and not suffered to runne on in their euill courses to their destruction The second doctrine which wee here learne is that if If we dishonor God he will dishonour vs. wee doe neglect our dutie to GOD hee will make those who owe vs dutie to neglect this dutie when we most expect it and if wee dishonour him by our sinnes hee will cause vs to bee dishonoured and disgraced not onely by our enimies and strangers but also by our nearest and most familiar friends So because the people of Israell who professed themselues the spouse and children of God did by forsaking the Lord their husband and father and adhaeâ—ing vnto Idols grieuously dishonour his holy name the Lord layeth vpon them a proportionable punishment that their wiues and daughters should neglect to them all loue conjugall duties and filiall obedience whereby they should not onely inwardly bee vexed and grieued in their minds but also outwardly in their names be exposed to infamie and reproach The like example wee haue else where in the booke of God when Noah neglected the duty of temperance and sobriety towards God his wicked sonne C ham neglected the dutie of reuerence towards him When Elie was so indulgent towards his sonnes that hee would rather displease God by suffering them to dishonour his name then hee would displease his sonnes by giuing them due correction whereby they might haue beene reclaymed from their sinnes they neglected all dutie to their father contemned his holy admonitions and so brought shame and reproach vpon the whole familie For the Lord caused in one day not onely the glory to depart from Israell when the Arke was taken which chiefly redounded to the dishonour of Elie who then was the Iudge of Israell but also tooke away his sonnes which were to be the glory of his house and togeather with them the office of the Priesthood and so made him inglorious both in the Common-wealth Church and in his owne priuate familie The like may be sayd of Dauid who