whoredome departing from the Lord. The Hebrew text hath it From after the Lord that is forsaking the Lord and leauing to follow after him in the paths of true holinesse and righteousnesse and cleauing vnto their idols following them in the by-paths of superstition and idolatry The sense therefore of these wordes is this Goe and propound vnto the people of Israel this parable and thereby conuince them of their grosse idolatry for howsoeuer they may flatter themselues through selfe-loue yet the trueth is they are no better then common harlots for after that I haue vouchsafed them this dignity to espouse them to my selfe and they haue plighted vnto me their faith and vowed their obedience they both forgetfull of my mercie and of their owne dutie haue commonly impudently and continually committed spirituall whoredome with stockes stones and diuels forsaking me their Lord and husband and refusing to follow me in the waies of my commandements and prostituting their bodies and soules to commit spirituall fornication with their idols according to their owne inuentions and their burning and vnbridled lusts and appetites Where first we may obserue that the Lord intending to The vse of parables to conuince the sinner of his sins conuince this people of their sinnes doth before he plainely sets downe their sins propound it vnto them by way of parable to the end that they who were blinded with selfe-loue and partiall Iudges in their owne cases might better see their sinnes in the person of others and without partialitie condemne them when they appeared like strangers which they would suffer to passe without any hard censure if they discerned them to be of their familiar acquaintance And thus Nathan dealt with Dauid 2. Sam. 12. And our Sauiour Christ with the Scribes and Pharisies Matth. 21. 33. 2. Sam. 12. Matth. 21. 33. And here in this place the Lord maketh the people to condemne themselues and their sinnes in the person and practise of an adulterous harlot and so inticeth them as it were to wound and kill their beloued friend whilest it is masked and disguised in the habit of an enemy Out of which we may further gather how farre wee are naturally in loue with our sinnes so that we cannot be moued Our naturall and corrupt loue to sinne to hate condemne and mortifie them so long as they beare our owne names but rather are ready to mince excuse and defend them vntill we view them in the person of others and see them enrolled vnder their names Secondly wee may note our too too great loue of our selues and too too small loue towards our neighbours That self-selfe-loue makes vs exceeding partiall which maketh vs easily to discerne and heauily and seuerely to censure other mens faults whereas we are readie to excuse or defend the same or greater in our selues and therefore â—â—â— Lord when he would haue vs to see and condemne our sinnes doth not offer them to our censure as they are in our owne selues whom we loue too much but in the person of others whom for the most part we loue not so much as we should as appeareth in the former examples and in this place wherein the Lord is faine to deale with vs as tender mothers deale with their wanton and wayward children whom when they would as willingly amend as vnwillingly displease them they vse to chide and beate the standers by and sometime shadowes and pictures for those faults which their children haue committed to the end that so they may see and learne to dislike their faults in others which they would not so easily discerne nor so vnpartially condemne in themselues Thirdly we may obserue what exordium or beginning The thundring exordium of the Prophet of speech the Prophet here vseth namely hee doth not vse faire words and sweete inticing allurements to make them attentiue hee doth not first sweeten his seuere and bitter reprehensions and legall threatnings with any commendation of their persons or mitigation of their faults but by propounding vnto them this parable whereby he laboureth to make them vnpartiall Iudges of their owne sinfull and miserable estate he accuseth them to be no better then an adulterous generation of adulterous parents adulterous children and that by their often adulteries they had made the land as it were a common stewes and therefore that the Lord would no longer beare with their spirituall whoredomes but would withdraw his loue and diuorce them from him So that now our Prophet commeth not as an Ambassadour sent from God with conditions of peace and with gracious promises to allure them to obedience but as a sonne of thunder and like an Herauld sent from the Lord to denounce open warres against the people for their grosse idolatry and outragious rebellion hee beginneth his speech vnto them The reason why the Lord causeth his Prophet thus thunderingly to beginne his prophecie was because the Why the Prophet dealeth so roughly with the people people had a long time euen since the beginning of Ieroboams raigne continued in their sinnes especially their grosse idolatry notwithstanding that the Lord had sent diuers of his Prophets to reproue them for their sinnes of which their consciences were conuinced by Gods law and to draw them to repentance sometimes by propounding vnto them Gods sweete promises of gratious benefits if they would turne vnto them and sometimes by threatning punishments against those who went forward in their sinnes All which notwithstanding the people continued vncorrigible and grew worse and worse and therefore the Lord causeth the Prophet to deale with them in this hot and rough manner because they had a long time lien frosen in the dregs of their sinnes And this course haue other of Gods faithfull ambassadours vsed when they had to deale with such obstinate and incurable sinners As Iohn the Baptist with the Saduces and Pharises Matth. 3. 7. Peter with Ananias and Sapphira Act. Matth. 3. 7. Act. 5. 8. 13. 10. Matth. 21. 23. Gods Ministers must sit their speech to their auditory 5. and with Simon Magus Act. 8. Paul with Elymas Act. 13. 10. And our Sauiour Christ himselfe with the Priests and Pharises Matth. 21. 23. Out of which examples Gods Ministers may learne in the deliuerie of Gods word spirituall discretion in fitting their speech according to the condition of their auditorie and not to deale with ignorant and vntaught men after the same manner that they deale with wilfull and obstinate sinners but as Physitions put a difference in their patients applying to ordinarie sicknesses ordinarie remedies and to desperate diseases desperate physicke and as Chirurgions to small cuts applie healing plaisters and for the curing of deepe festered wounds vse eating corrosiues and the sharpe lancher So the Physition and Surgion of the soule for the curing of some desperate disease or healing of some festered sore which sinne hath made in mens consciences must vse bitter potions a rough hand and desperate
for not entertaining him not for stripping the clothed but for not clothing the naked not for hurting and iniuring the sicke and prisoner but for not visiting and comforting them Verse 41. 42. c. The reason hereof is because we being the Lords seruants it is not sufficient Mat. 41. 42. that we doe not serue Gods enimies or that we spend our time in idlenesse and serue no body but wee must doe faithfull seruice to him our Lord and Maister for which end he hath created and redeemed vs and spend our liues not onely in abstayning from euill but also in doing of good Moreouer vertue and vice being extreames without meane hereof it followeth that the absence of the one in a subject capable of it argueth the presence of the other so that if we be destitute of vertue we are replenished with vice If our houses be cleane swept and empty of Gods graces they become forthwith fit habitations for vncleane spirits if we be Mat. 12. 44. not indued with knowledge we are blinded with ignorance if we be destitute of faith we are full fraught with infidelitie if we cease to doe good immediately we beginne to doe euill And therefore our sinnes of omission being alwayes accompanied with sinnes of commission are sufficient matter of inditement for our iust condemnation whensoeuer the Lord shall summon vs to appeare before him The vse hereof is that wee doe not with simple ideots That we must not blesse our selues in our harmlesnes blesse our selues because we are harmelesse and doe no man wrong and because we abstaine from such grosse impieties as we see others commit for the Lord requireth that we not onely refraine from euill but also that we doe good so that it is not sufficient that we doe not scorne Gods worship if we doe not also religiously serue him nor to abstaine from biaspheming Gods name if we doe not also glorifie it nor to forbeare doing wrong to our neighbour vnlesse also wee be ready to performe the duties of justice charitie and christianitie towards them Secondly out of the order which the Prophet vseth in The duties of Iustice the true Touchstone of the duties of Pietie reprehending the peoples sinnes vve may obserue that hee first conuinceth them of their sinnes against their neighbors and then of their sinnes commited against God and this methode is vsuall in the Scriptures which the holy Ghost obserueth first that he may beate downe the pride and vaine boasting of hypocrites who are ready to brag of their knowledge faith loue of God and other hidden graces though they be destitute of the loue of their brethren and barren of good workes And therefore he bringeth such as these who make a golden shew of spirituall and inward graces in respect of God to the true touchstone of outward obedience and the externall works of charitie and mercy towards their brethren to the end that if they will not abide this tryall it may appeare that though they make neuer so glittering a shew of spirituall and hidden graces yet they are nothing but drosse and Copper guilt And this is the Touchstone which Christ giueth vs to discerne a Hypocrite from a sound professor namely by their fruits Mat. 7. 16. By their fruites ye shall know them And the Apostle Iames. Chap. 2. 18. Shew me thy faith by thy works The Apostle Iohn likewise 1. Ioh. 4. 20. If any man say I loue God and hate his brother hee is a lyar c. And Chap. 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Verse 9. So our Prophet knowing how ready the hypocrites of his time were to brag of their Religion towards God doth conuince them of the want hereof by laying open their injuries and cruelties towards their neighbours Secondly this is done for the behoofe and benefit of Gods children who by reason of their naturall blindnesse and selfe loue cannot easily spye out their secret and hidden corruptions but contrariwise are ready to flatter themselues with an opinion of a great measure of their spirituall graces these also are to examine themselues by this touch-stone for their loue of God is not much if their loue of their neighbour be but a little their faith is not strong if their obedience be but weake their knowledge is not great if their practise be but small and their Religion is rootelesse if it bee but fruitlesse Thirdly whereas he includeth the breach of the first table The true know ledge of God the fountaine of all sound Obedience and all manner of impietie against God vnder this one particular that there was no knowledge of God in the land hence we gather that as true knowledge of God is the fountaine of all true obedience so contrariwise ignorance is the cause of all neglect of Religion of all impietie and wickednesse And this may further appeare both by reason and Ignorance the root of all sin also by manifold examples By reason for they that know neyther God nor his will they are ignoraunt of that which pleaseth him and displeaseth him and therefore though they had some good intention to serue God yet they must needs displease him through ignorance and errour Againe whosoeuer sinneth he also erreth according to that Prou. 14. 22. Prou. 14. 22. Doe they not erre that imagine euill and those that erre doe erre eyther through ignorance or wilfull maliciousnesse Thirdly for this cause sinners are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such as are ignorant and through ignorance are deceiued And sinnes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Ignorances Heb. 5. 2. and 9. 7. Heb 5. 2. 9. 7 So also this appeareth by examples For this was the cause of Adams transgression because hee knew not Gods truth both in his promises and threatnings Gen. 3. Of the sinne of Gen. 3. the Israelites for the Lord himselfe rendreth this reason why his people erred because they had not knowne his wayes Psal 95. 10. This made the Iewes to erre because they knew not Psal 95. 10. the Scriptures Mat. 22. 29. This caused them to crucifie the Lord of life Act. 3. 17. And to become proud iusticiaries testing Act. 3. 17. in their owne righteousnesse because they knew not the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 3. This was the cause of the Rom. 10. 3. Gentiles Idolatry Gal. 4. 8. But when yee knew not God yee Gal. 4. 8. did seruice to them which by nature were not Gods And of Pauls persecuting Gods Saints 1 Tim. 1. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 13. And as this Ignorance is the cause of all vice and sinne Ignorance turneth good inclinations into sinne so it maketh all our inclinations which are good and vertuous being guided with the light of knowledge to degenerate and become euill for example Religion joyned with ignorance bringeth forth Idolatry deuotion joyned with
common to those that are regenerate to slippe into the puddle of sinne but being defiled they are neuer at rest till they be washed and cleansed from their pollution with the blood of Christ applied vnto them by a true and renued faith but it is proper to the vnregenerate after they are fallen into this filthie sinck to wallow in it and to take their chiefe delight in their pollution It is incident to the faithfull to bee lead Rom. 7. 24. captiue of sinne howbeit being in captiuitie they are neuer quiet till they come out of this thraldome and obtaine desired libertie but it is peculiar to the wicked being made slaues to loue their bondage and being imprisoned as Satans vassals to delight in their prison and to be in loue with their greues setters and chaines of sinne wherewith they are held in his captiuitie The godly may do the euil they would not and neglect the good which they would do neuerthelesse they take no pleasure in their transgressions but they are delighted in the law of God in the inner man and it is as sweete vnto them as the honie or hony combe but to commit wickednes with the full swinge and consent of will to loath vertue and to be in loue with vice to offend God and to be well pleased when he is offended is the diuels badge whereby his seruants are knowne and distinguished from the seruants of God Lastly we here obserue that the Lord condemneth it as a great sin in the Rulers of Israel to take bribes and rewards in that not only thereby themselues were corrupted but also the whole state of gouernment disioynted and disordered because their bribing peruerted iustice and brought in impunitie and together with it all manner of sin and wickednesse But of this sinne my purpose is to speake more largely elsewhere and therefore I will heere passe it ouer ANd thus much concerning their sins Their punishmeÌ„t followeth Vers 19. The winde hath bound theÌ„ vp in her Vers 19 wings And they shall be ashamed of their sacrifices In which The exposition words he denounceth against them a double punishment the latter whereof is the effect of the former the first is captiuitie in these words The winde hath bound them vp in her wings the other is shame and confusion in the words following and they shall be ashamed of their sacrifices The former is expressed in a loftie allegorie wherein he resembleth the wrath of God pursuing the wicked Israelites to a swift winde or an vnresistable tempest and the people to dust or chaffe which thereby is caught vp and scattered ouer the face of the earth This similitude is here contracted but may be thus explicated As the wind catcheth vp the chaffe and carrieth it aloft with vnresistable swiftnes as though it were fast bound vnto his wings and hauing tossed it to and fro doth at last scatter it abroad vpon the earth so the anger of God stirred vp with the sinnes of the Israelites should seaze vpon them like a furious tempest and scatter them here and there in a miserable captiuitie amongst the Gentiles and nations who should be Lords ouer them The persons then thus to be scattered were the people of Israel signified by this word them which in the originall is expressed in the feminine gender and singular number ligauit eam hath bound her towit the nation of the Israelites or the tribe of Ephraim of which the former words are to be vnderstood The meanes whereby they should be thus scattered was the winde of Gods furie and fierce displeasure prouoked by their sinnes The like allegorie is vsed Iob 21. 18. Psal 1. 4. where it is Job 21. 18. Psalm 1. 4. Ezech. 5. 3. said that the wicked are as chaffe which the winde driueth away Ezech. 5. 3. Now the cause why he vseth this similitude was not only because these darke speeches were fit for a prophecie which is as a booke sealed vp vntill it be opened and expounded by the euent but also because in these few words being rightly vnderstood those heauie iudgements which were inflicted vpon the Israelites were most fully and fitly signified For first hereby is implied the suddennesse of this iudgement which should befall them when they least expected it for as a foule storme suddenly followeth a faire calme and the winde which commeth we know not from whence rusheth vpon vs with vnexpected speed so the Lord surprizeth the Israelites at vnawares with his heauie punishment of a miserable captiuitie and whilest they pampered themselues with the fleshly pleasures of drunkennesse and vncleannesse and hoarded vp the riches of iniquitie by bribing and extortion as though they were assured that they should neuer be dispossessed of them euen then suddenly the wrath of God attached them and brought vpon them the Assyrians who spoiled the land and led them into cruel bondage Secondly hereby is implied the swiftnesse of this iudgement which is here compared to the swiftnes of the winde and that wheÌ„ it goeth on Gods message with posting speed for as though the swiftnes of the winde were not quicke enough to expresse the speedines of Gods vengeance he giueth wings vnto it to double as it were his hast And thus this similitude is commonly vsed to signifie the hastie speedinesse of an action So when Dauid would in liuely manner expresse the speedie swiftnes which the Lord vseth in assisting his seruants and destroying his enemies he saith that He rode vpon the Cherub and did flie and he came flying vpon the wings of the winde Psal 18. 10. 2. Sam. 22. 11. and Psalm Psalm 18. 10. 104 3. 2. Sam. 22. 11. 104. 3. He maketh the clouds his chariot and goeth vpon the wings of the winde And in the same sense this similitude is vsed with prophane writers So Virgil Et ventis fulmiâ—â—s ocyor alis swifter then the winde or lightning Thirdly hereby is implied that this iudgement should come vpon them with such vnresistable furie that they should not be able by any meanes to withstand it and this is signified whereas it is said that the winde should binde them in his wings that is as they who are bound hand and foote are vtterly vnable to make resistance so they should bee so ouermatched and hampered by the Assyrians that it should be but folly to striue against their streÌ„gth seeing they should be debarred of all meanes whereby they might either defend themselues or offend the enemie And thus the vnresistable power of the Chaldeans is at large described Ioel. 1. 6. 7. 2. 2. 3. c. Joel 1. 6. 2. 2. 3. Fourthly hereby is signified the nature of their captiuitie namely that being led away by their enemies they should not haue any set place wherein they might rest and assemble themselues together for the performance of ciuill and diuine duties but that they should be tossed to and fro from post to pillar and be scattered and
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.
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
greatnesse and in respect of our owne base vilenesse and vnworthinesse Lastly the wiues ignorance of her husbands perfections 6. The Lord marrieth his Church in knowledge whereby shee neither knoweth nor acknowledgeth his excellencies and good parts and whereby as she is often ready to vnderualue his worthinesse so also with an ouerweening conceit to ouerprize the gifts and qualities of strangers is a notable meanes to alienate her mind from her husband as being vnworthie of her loue and to moue her to affect others so the ignorance of the spouse the Church of Gods excellencie mercie goodnes and all perfections is a chiefe cause that moueth her to leaue the Lord and to follow her louers for if she did but know the Lord she should need no other arguments to rauish her heart with his loue nor any further inducement to moue her to forsake all others and to embrace him alone with constant affection And therefore the Lord in the last place promiseth that he will eternize the mariage betweene him and his Church by illuminating her mind with a true knowledge of him whereupon it must necessarily follow that shee will preferre him aboue all idols and false gods seeing she clearely perceiueth that he infinitly excelleth them all in goodnesse perfection and all true worthinesse The like promise we haue Esay 54. 13. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord Ier. 31. 34. And they shal teach Esay 54. 13. Jer. 31. 34. no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. So Ioel. 2. 28. 29. which was accomplished Act. 2. 17. Joel 2. 28. Act 2. 17. Now this knowledge of which he here speaketh is not so much what Christ is in himselfe namely most infinite most mightie most wise c. but especially what he is vnto vs to wit a carefull head and a most louing husband who hath not only created vs but also redeemed vs with his precious blood shead and hereby obtained for vs the pardon of our sinnes reconciliation sanctification and eternall saluation who giueth vnto vs also all benefits spirituall and temporal and protecteth vs frō all dangers With which sauing knowledge whosoeuer are indued it is impossible they should forsake Christ their husband or preferre a strange loue before the loue of him who hath so dearely loued them And thus haue I shewed the meaning of the words and The Do ∣ ctrines the chiefe points contained in them In the next place wee are to consider of those doctrines which arise out of them both for our instruction and consolation And first out of Gods couenant is grounded vpon his vndeserued grace goodnesse this contract of mariage wee may obserue that the couenant of grace betweene God and his Church is grounded vpon Gods free mercie and vndeserued goodnesse without any condition of our owne workes and worthinesse Neither is it here said that hee would marrie the Church if she were iust holy faithfull and worthie his loue but hee absolutely promiseth without all conditions that hee will marrie her and being married will endow her with righteousnesse iudgement pardon of her sinnes faithfulnesse so that these are not the causes mouing the Lord to espouse the Church but because in his free loue he hath married her therefore hee will prosecute her with his loue and bestow all these graces and benefits vpon her But this most cleerely appeareth whereas hee saith hee will marrie her in benignitie and mercie for benignitie presupposeth the Churches want and pouertie and mercie presupposeth her miserie neither if she were rich in her selfe should she neede the Lords beneficence nor if she were in happie estate should she neede mercie and compassion Secondly wee may obserue that the Lord alone is the author of this spirituall mariage for when wee neither seeke nor desire it hee wooes vs and also inclines vs to grant his suite And therefore let the Lord haue the whole glorie of his owne worke and let not vs rob him of any part thereof by ascribing it to our owne free will merits or worthinesse Thirdly we here leanre what is the great dignitie and excellencie The dignitie of the faithfull of the Church and of euery faithfull man for howsoeuer they are basely esteemed of in the world and accounted the very ofscouring of al things yet in truth there is none equall with them in honour and worthinesse seeing it hath pleased the Lord of Lords and King of Kings to espouse them vnto himselfe When Saul offered Dauid his daughter in mariage hee thought it such an high degree of honour as he was altogether vnworthie of so that in sight of his owne meannesse he crieth out What am I and what is my life or the 1. Sam. 18. 18. familie of my father in Israel that I should be sonne in law to the King how much more then may we filled with rauishing wonder exclaime what are we dust and ashes miserable and wretched men that wee should be aduanced to this royall dignitie as to be the spouse of the glorious King of heauen and earth The vse which we are to make hereof is that if we are not We must desire the spirituall honour of the faithful as yet inuested with this honour we labour to attaine vnto it for if we doe as it is the nature of all men desire honour and preferment why doe wee follow a shadow and neglect the substance why doe we like children runne after the bubble of vaine and momentanie glorie and in the meane time neuer seeke after that superexcellent and eternall glorie of being espoused vnto God especially considering that worldly honour is vncertaine both in getting and in the keeping and seeing if wee labour after this honour of being married vnto God wee shall most surely attaine vnto it for the Lord himselfe publisheth and offereth this contract and there can no impediment hinder it vnlesse we our selues forbid the banes And secondly those that are aduanced alreadie vnto this height of honour must neuer forget to be truly thankfull vnto him who is the author of their aduancement when they deserued by their sinner ignominie and disgrace Fourthly wee may heere learne that the poorest faithfull The poorest faithfull man richer then the wealthiest worldling man is in better estate and possessed of more rich treasures then the wealthiest Mammonist in the world for they haue Christ himselfe and all his benefits they are true owners of the treasures of his righteousnesse and obedience yea and by vertue of this spirituall mariage they haue right and interest not only to all the temporall benefits of this life but they also haue the ioynter of Gods kingdome assured vnto them Fiftly being espoused to God let vs euer remembring this We ought to behaue our selues as it becommeth the spouse of Christ honourable aduancement
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
of free grace rather iudgement condemnation the Lord had mercy vpon vs whē we were no people but aliants strangers yea enemies vnto God the Lord of his free grace made vs his people yea of his owne familie and this the Apostle plainly sheweth 2. Tim. 1. 9. As therfore no conceit of our own worthines should 2. Tim. 1. 9. make vs to derogate any from Gods free grace vndeserued loue so neither ought our vnworthines cause vs to doubt of thē seeing without respect of our deserts the Lord hath chosen vs. Sixtly we here learne that our saluation hath his beginning in Gods mercy for by reason of our sins we are in misery in the Gods mercie the beginning of our saluation state of condemnation the which our miserable condition is so much the more miserable in that of our selues we cannot possiblie come out of our miserie but God in mercy pardoning our sins for Christs merits freeth vs from our wretched estate and aduanceth vs to all glorie and happinesse Seuenthly this serueth notably for the consolation of euerie The faithfull are consident in Gods mercie true mēber of the Church in that they are assured that they haue obtained Gods mercy so that though they haue fallē through infirmity they need not with Adam to hide thēselues frō Gods presence but in cōfident assurāce of pardon forgiuenes go boldly vnto the throne of grace that they may receiue mercy find grace to helpe in the time of need as it is Hebr. 4. 16. 10. 22. Hebr. 4. 16. 10. 22. As God chuseth vs so we chuse him Lastly we here learne that as the Lord maketh choice of vs to be his people so we answerably must make choice of him to be our God as he sheweth his loue towards vs so we must be ready to expresse ours towards him by our holy obediēce zeale of his glory as he professeth that we are his people aboue before al other natiōs not called so we must not only inwardly know and beleeue that he is our God in our hearts performe seruice vnto him but we must say with the Church in this place O my God that is acknowledge cōfesse that he is our Lord Sauiour opēly and in the sight of mē publikely performe vnto him his pure worship seruice which he requireth in his word that not only whē by our professiō glorifying God we grace our selues but also when we incurre thereby shame reproch affliction and persecution In a word we must with the Church here in all our need and necessaries inuocate and call vpon Gods name and wholly depend vpon and expect from him all things necessarie for this life and the life to come FINIS LECTVRES VPON THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE PROPHECIE OF HOSEA IN this Chapter the Lord sheweth that The argument of the Chapter howsoeuer the Church of Israell had grieuously offended him by her Idolatry vnthankfulnesse and voluptuousnesse yet hee did not cease to loue her and in his loue to seeke her conuersion and saluation and therefore because fond and cockering loue would but cause her to continue in those her sinnes to her vtter destruction his purpose was to afflict and chastice her with a miserable and tedious captiuitie wherein shee should liue in a poore and contemptible estate vnder the tyranny of her enimies without her owne lawes magistracy or any forme of gouernement and without the publike meanes of worshipping eyther God or her Idols Howbeit least shee should desperately sincke vnder the waight of this tedious and grieuous affliction hee promiseth that in the end after that by his chastisements he hath humbled her hee will conuert and turne her vnto himselfe by true repentance and so receiue her into his former grace and fauour And this is the maine argument of this Chapter out of The generall parts which wee may obserue the parts thereof which are two The first is a testification of Gods loue towards the Church of Israell verse 1. The second is an approbation of this loue by a two-fold fruit thereof the first is by inflicting on her fatherly chastisements that so she might be restrained from running on in her sinnes to her perdition The second is the sanctifying of this affliction to her vse and benefit namely for her true Repentance and conuersion to God And these are the generall parts of this Chapter Now the maine drift and scope of all is that the Lord might containe The scope of the Prophecie the people in an euen course so as they should neyther presumptuously and securely goe on in their sinnes without repentance nor desperately sinck vnder the guilt and punishment of them For whereas their present prosperity might cause them securely to promise vnto themselues immunitie from punishment and Gods former promises of inriching and multiplying the Church of Israell might cause them to imagine that though the Lord suffered them to be led into captiuitie yet hee would in some short time deliuer them and speedely aduance them to all happinesse by multiplying vppon them the former benefits the Lord meeting with this their security and presumption assureth them that he would not so easily forget their grieuous sinnes whereby they had so long and often prouoked him but before he would be reconciled vnto them his purpose was seuerely to correct them with a miserable Captiuitie wherein they should bee grieuously afflicted with pinching pouerty and base contempt and that not for a short space but for a long time euen vntill the comming of the Messias And on the other side whereas when they were grieuously afflicted they might easily be moued to doubt of gods loue and to thincke their estate desperate both because misery and calamitie doth cause men more clearely to see and more sensibly to feele the haynousnesse of sinne and to apprehend the wrath of God due vnto them and also in that they found and felt the fruites of Gods anger loading them with afflictions and withall might doubt that they should neuer againe be reconciled vnto God or be made partakers of any of his gratious promises seeing they were so long deferred and their punishments so tediously continued therefore the Lord giueth them some comfort in the middest of trouble by assuring them that notwithstanding their manifold sinnes yet hee loued them that in loue hee did chastise and correct them for their conuersion and amendement and that howsoeuer their afflictions were grieuous and tedious yet they should not continue for euer for after hee had by them made them to forsake their Idolatry and other sinnes he would admit them to be his Church and people and continue them in his feare and pure worship ANd this is the maine scope and chiefe end of this Prophecie In the next place we are to speak of the special parts thereof And first of the testification of Gods loue towards the Church of Israell Ver. 1. And the
had their eyes and mindes alwayes fixed vpon them Secondly he saith that they loued the wine bottles whereby wee may eyther generally vnderstand that besides their sinne of Idolatry they were also addicted to all manner of vnlawfull pleasures and luxurious excesse as surfetting and drunkennesse lasciuiousnesse and wantonnesse for with the corruption of Religion is vsually ioyned corruption of manners Pietie and Honesty being such twins as both liue and die together And if we take the words in this sence then we are to vnderstand them Synecdochecally dunkennesse being put for voluptuousnesse and all corruption of manners of which he maketh speciall choyse that he may persist in the former Allegory seeing Adultery Drunkennes are commonly ioyned together and are mutuall causes one of another Or els we may take them more specially and properly for that drunkennesse and those voluptuous delights which they vsed in their Idolatrous feasts for with their Idolatry they vsually ioyned feasting and reuelling as may appeare Exod. Exod. 32. 6. 32. 6. Iudg. 9. 27. vnto which custome the Prophet Amos alludeth Iudg. 9. 27. Chap. 2. 8. They drinck the wine of the condemned in Amos. 2. 8. the house of their God The which custome lasted vnto the Apostles time as appeareth 1. Cor. 10. 21. and this as I take 1. Cor. 10. 21. it is the more naturall and proper sence of this place namely that the people of Israell did not onely commit Idolatry but also by their drinking feasting and reuelling shewed the exceeding great delight which they tooke in their sinne And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines Our pronenesse to fall into desperation or presumption which arise out of them are diuers First we may obserue out of the generall scope of this Chapter our exceeding pronenesse to run into two extreams secure presumption abiect desperation in respect of our diuers estate and condition when we are in prosperity we are deafe to all reprehension admonion threatnings we flatteringly perswade our selues that this Sunne of Gods fauour will euer shine vpon vs notwithstanding that our sinnes continually ascend and as a thick cloud interpose themselues betweene vs the beams of Gods loue and when we heare Gods curses we blesse our selues in our hearts saying I shall haue peace although I walk Deut. 29. 19. according to the stubbernenesse of mine owne heart adding drunkennesse vnto thirst as it is Deut. 29 19. Yea when the Lord beginneth to punish we are ready in the securitie of our hearts to promise vnto our selues immunitie and to say with those wicked men Esay 28. 15. We haue made a couenant with Esay 28. 15. death and with hell we are at agreement though ascourge run ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs c. And on the other side when God withdraweth from vs his gracious countenance and taking away our prosperitie in stead thereof layeth vpon vs affliction and aduersitie then we are as ready to fall into the contrary extreame concluding that God hath vtterly reiected vs and cast vs off for euer foolishly imagining that when our Sunne of comfort is once set and the night of sorrow and aduersitie hath ouershadowed vs that it will neuer arise againe and replenish our hearts with ioy and consolation An example hereof we haue in the Israelites in this place and in Dauid Psal 30. 6. 8. The consideration whereof should moue all Gods Ministers according to the practise of the Prophet in this place wisely to intermixe comminations with consolations iudgement with mercy threatnings with promises and the Law with the Gospell that they may keep men in an euen course and in the golden meane neither presumptuously going forward in sin in regard of Gods mercies and benefits nor desperately sincking vnder the waight of sinne and punishment when they are ouertaken of Gods iudgements Secondly whereas the Lord commandeth the Prophet That Gods ministers must often inculcate their instructions and admonitions yet againe to put the people in minde of his mercyes and their owne sinnes and vnworthinesse hence we obserue that it is not sufficient for Gods Ministers once alone to stand vpon these points but considering how forgetfull men are of Gods benefits and how obdurate and obstinate in their wicked courses they must repeate beate vpon these things againe and againe neuer thinking any duety sufficiently taught which is not also sufficiently learned Neyther must they seeke to please the itching eares of phantasticall hearers who are impatient in hearing the same things twise deliuered nor seeke to delight such surfetted and cloyed appetites as cannot indure oftner then once to tast of the same food no nor yet take pleasure though varietie of food be offered vnto them if it be brought in the same dish desiring onely varietie and to heare continually new matter out of a new Text but they must like good Surgeons apply the same salues to the same sores till they be perfectly cured they must speake againe and againe of the same mercyes of God till they bee remembred teach the same doctrines till they be learned exhort to the same dueties till they be practised and reproue the same sinnes till they be amended And like good house-holders as they are to auoid the glutting of the family by the continuall vse of the same meate so also they must oftner then once set before them that spirituall food which they know is good and wholesome and think it no disgrace and disparagement to their plenty and hospitalitie if they feed twise of the same dish Thirdly we may obserue that the Lord propoundeth his The vse of Parables mercyes and the peoples sinnes by way of Parable that so he might in a liuely manner and as it were with reall words represent these things to their vnderstanding as it were in a plaine picture that so he might hereby more effectually approue his owne vndeserued goodnesse and conuince them of their vnworthines and this forme as it is alwayes delightfull so is it sometimes most profitable as when Gods Ministers are to deale with Magistrates or with obstinate and impudent sinners who wil not know nor condemne sinne vnlesse it be in another mans person See Chap. 1. Ver. 2. Fourthly wee may obserue that the Lord intending to The assurance of gods loue our chiefe comfort in afflictions arme his children with such patience as might inable them to beare those grieuous afflictions which he purposed to lay vpon them doth in the first place assure them of his loue notwithstanding he seuerely corrected them for their sinnes yea that he therefore did chastice them because he loued them and would not suffer them to goe on in their sinnes to their destruction whence we learne that to attain patience in afflictions and aduersitie the best way is earnestly to labour that we may discerne with the eye of faith the beames of gods loue and fauour through the cloud of our
appeareth Ezech. 45. 11. and the Epha was almost a pottle lesse then our bushell whereby is signified first the slauish condition of the people in their captiuity for Barley was eaten onely of slaues and captiues and not of free women secondly their pouerty which is noted by the small quantitie of this course fare alotted vnto them as their onely sustenance for a long time so that their fare was both course and sparing thirdly here is imployed the Lords loue in that he gaue them some maintenance for the preseruation of life and but a sparing measure of course foode that hereby hee might humble and reclaime them The meaning then of this part of the vision is as the Prophet bought the adultresse so shall the people be bought and sould and liue like slaues and seruants as he bought her at a low base rate euen for halfe the price of a seruant so they shal be basely esteemed and meanly valued more like vassels and slaues then the spouse of God as he doth not giue vnto her Wheate but Barley and that in small quantitie so the Lord will afflict them with course dyet whereof they shall not eate vnto saciety but sparingly by measure as if the Lord should haue said seeing you haue abused your liberty vnto licentiousnes and when the reigne was laied on your owne necks haue runne away from me like vnrulie colts therefore I will bridle and curbe you in with captiuitie and make you to returne vnto mee seeing euery base trifle hath moued you to sell your selues to be slaues to sinne I will also cause you like slaues to be bought and sould at vile rates seeing you haue abused your honourable estate vnto which I called you namely to be my Church and people and haue thereby bene puffed vp in pride I will humble you with your enimies contemptible disdainefull vsage of you seeing your plentie and prosperitie hath made you to forget and neglect me I will rub your memorie with pouerty and want but yet I will not leaue you comfortlesse for I will not vtterly forsake you and suffer you to perish in your penurie but will allow vnto you some poore maintenance and by my hard vsage I will not destroy you but buy you that is reclaime and reduce you againe vnder my gouernment And this is the meaning of the words The instructions hence to be gathered are these First wee may obserue that the Lord approueth his loue to the people of Israell by Afflictions a signe of Gods loue those afflictions which hee layeth on them to the end that he may reclaime them from their sinnes For as there is no greater signe of Gods hatred and our rejection then when the Lord giueth vs ouer vnto our selues to doe what we list to prosper in our sinnes and without any checke to run forward in the wayes of wickednesse to our destruction so can there not be a more euident signe of his loue then when like a carefull father he correcteth vs that he may not disinherite vs and maketh the pleasures of sinne loathsome vnto vs by mingling them with the Wormewood of afflictions And hence it is that the Apostle sayth that whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth Heb. 12. 6. Apoc. 3. 19. Heb. 12. 6. So Apoc. 3. 19. For the Lord aymeth not at our hurt and punishment but at our good and profit that we might be pertakers of his holinesse Heb. 12. 10. And Heb. 12. 10. when wee are iudged we are chastened of the Lord because wee should not be condemned of the world as it is 1. Cor. 11. 32. 1. Cor. 11. 32. The Lord bridleth vs with afflictions that we may not run headlong in the course of sinne and like a good scholemaister he correcteth vs that he may teach vs in his wayes and make vs more diligently apply our lessons And this Dauid well knew by his owne experience and therefore he sayth Psal 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but Psa 119. 67. 71 now haue I kept thy word And verse 71. It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes When our heauenly Physition dyeteth vs from the pleasures of sinne which we loue better then out meate and drincke giueth vs the bitter pils and loathsome potions of afflictions it is a signe that he intendeth the cure and that there is some hope of our recouery but when he letteth vs haue whasoeuer we lust after and letteth our appetite bee the onely rule of our diet it is a shrewde token that he hath giuen vs ouer as being a desperate cure when our father suffereth vs to goe on in all wicked and licentious courses it is a signe he neglecteth vs and meaneth to disinherite vs when our Lord and maister lets vs neglect all dueties without controlement and suffers vs to goe on in our stubbornenesse and disobedience without any reproofe or correction hee makes it manifest that his purpose is to turne vs out of his seruice and when he lets vs feed at will in the pleasant pastures of sinne it is more then probable that hee hath destinated vs to the slaughter The vse which we are to make hereof is first that wee The vses faint not in our afflictions imagining that they are signes of Gods hatred and our rejection but beare them with patience considering the Lord hereby sheweth his loue and care ouer vs especially let vs be not onely patient but also ioyfull and thankfull when the Lord crosseth vs in our sins and restraineth vs from going forward in any course of wickednesse for such afflictions are blessed which preserue vs from Gods eternall curse and that is a sweet chastisement which keepes vs from being condemned with the world Secondly seeing the Lord in loue correcteth vs that hee may reclaime vs from our sinnes let vs when we suffer any affliction labour to finde out our sinnes bewayle them and turne from them vnto the Lord by true repentance and then the same loue which moued the Lord to correct vs will also moue him when we are reformed to ease vs of our affliction neyther will he cause vs any longer to drink these bitter potions when hee hath already recouered vs of our health Thirdly wee learne to iudge charitably of those whom the Lord exerciseth with afflictions and not to imagine that because any are extraordinarily afflicted therefore they are more then ordinary sinners as the Iewes did Luke 13. 1. 2 Luk. 13. 1. 2. And the Barbarians Act. 28. 4. For then we shall condemne Act. 28. 4. the generation of Gods children Psal 73. 15. Yea euen the Son Psal 73. 15. of God himselfe as it is Esa 53. 3. 4. Esa 53. 3. 4. Secondly wee may here obserue what fearefull punishments The punnishment of Idolatrie the Lord inflicteth vpon those Idolaters whom hee purposeth to conuert and saue first
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
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
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
wee know that Christ our Mediatour hath satisfied for our sins and reconciled vs vnto his Father then doe we bewaile our sinnes because we haue by them dishonoured and displeased our gratious Father and hauing repented of them wee goe boldly vnto the throne of grace crauing mercie and forgiuenesse Heb. 4. 16. 10. 22. Heb. 4. 16. 10. 22. ANd thus much concerning the punishments which the Lord threatneth against the people for their idolatrie and the first kinde or degree of their vnthankfulnesse as also concerning the effects of these punishments Now followeth the second degree of their vnthankfulnesse together with the punishments denounced against them for it Their ingratitude is expressed Vers 8. And she did not know that I Vers 8 gaue her corne and wine and oyle and multiplied her siluer and gold which they bestowed vpon Baal In which words he accuseth The exposition her of double ingratitude first that she did not know or knowing did not acknowledge the Lord to be the author of all those benefits which she enioyed secondly in that she did not vse these benefits to the glorie of God but bestowed them vpon her Idols The first is expressed in these words And she did not know that I gaue her corne c. By this coniunction copulatiue he knitteth these words with the former and sheweth that God iustly punished them seeing to their other sinnes they added another kinde of grosse ingratitude as though he should say And moreouer besides the sinnes before spoken of she hath shewed her selfe grosly vngratefull both in not acknowledging God the author of the benefits which she enioyed and in abusing them to Gods dishonour in the seruice of her Idols and therefore it is iust with God to afflict her with the former and following punishments that she may learne to ascribe vnto God the praise of his owne gifts and may desist to abuse them by bestowing them vpon Baal And this is the coherence of this verse with the former Now let vs come to the words themselues in which is expressed the partie offending and the sinne committed the first in this word And she which hath an emphasis in it and serueth to aggrauate the sinne For though the Heathen nations should not haue knowne or acknowledged the Lord to haue been the giuer of the benefits which they enioyed it had been no such great wonder seeing they had onely the light of nature and the booke of the creatures to looke vpon but that the people of Israel should be ignorant hereof was more then blockish senselesnesse and blind ingratitude seeing they had the booke of God wherein it was reuealed vnto them that they had all the benefits which they enioyed from the meere blessing of God that the Lord gaue them this land flowing with milke and honey by his owne omnipotent power casting out their enemies before them that from him they had the first and latter raine whereby their land was made fruitfull and seeing that they were entred into possession of al these benefits whilest they serued the Lord alone before they worshipped their Idols so that they had no shew of reason to ascribe Gods gifts vnto them which they alreadie enioyed before they serued them and therefore the Lord might iustly take vp that complaint against them Esa 1. 2. 3. The first branch of their sinne was they did not know that Esa 1. 2. 3. God gaue vnto them their gifts which they had receiued whereby wee are not to imagine that the Israelites were so blinde and ignorant as to thinke that they had all these benefits from their Idols only and not from Iehouah the God of Israel for many of the Heathens though they worshipped Idols and pettie gods yet by the light of nature knew that there was a chiefe and superiour power who was the originall fountaine of all goodnesse and therefore the people of God could not be hereof ignorant but they are said not to know that God gaue them these gifts because they did not know and acknowledge him alone to be the author of them but ioyned Idols and pettie gods with him and so robbed him of part of his praise they did not know that they had receiued these gifts of Gods free grace and meere goodnesse but for their golden Calues and other Idols and for that new deuised worship which they offred vnto God in them which they thought was more acceptable vnto him then the seruice prescribed in his word So Iere. 44. 17. 18. the Iewes said Ier. â—â— 17. 18. they would worship the Queene of Heauen that is the Sun because hereby they had plentie not that they were so brutish as to thinke that they had these benefits from the Sunne only but because they ascribed this power and vertue vnto the Sunne in it selfe rather then vnto Gods blessing and prouidence and so offered sacrifices and diuine worship vnto the Sunne as being a ioynt cause with God of these benefits whereas it is only his instrument which doth nothing of it selfe but by his appointment The second branch of their sinne was that they bestowed and spent the gifts which they had receiued of the Lord vpon their Idols expressed in these words which they bestowed vpon Baal For the vnderstanding whereof wee are to know that this word Baal is in the Scriptures either taken generally for all Idoll gods in respect of the generall signification thereof which is as much as a Lord or Patrone and in regard that in the Punicke tongue from whence it is taken it signifieth a god or else specially for a particular Idoll of the Sidonians which was called by that name whose originall was after this manner Ninus who first reigned in Asia and built that famous citie which was called Nineue after his owne name was the sonne of one Belus whom in his pride according to the practise of Heathen Tyrants he deified and built a Temple vnto him wherein hee appointed that hee should be worshipped And this Idol amongst the Sidonians was called Baal and with the Babylonians Bel and was worshipped amongst them as their god Now this Heathen god did Ahab worship and built a Temple and erected an altar vnto him in Samaria to gratifie hereby Ithobal or Eth-Baal his father in law who was King of the Tyrians and Sidonians 1. King 16. 31. Lib. 9. antiq cap. 6. as Iosephus recordeth of which also wee may reade 1. King 16. 31. And although this Idoll god Baal was one and the same yet sometime the word is vsed in the plurall number Baalim or Baals either when it is taken in the generall signification for all Idols or in respect of the diuers statues or images erected in the honor of this Idoll aâ— Baal-peor Numb 23. 2. King 4. 2. or Baal-phigor Baal-zebub In this place as I take it wee are to vnderstand it in the generall signification for all their pettie patrones and Idoll gods because we reade that Baal the Idoll