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
might bee releeued and deliuered out of his hands by their louers that is their false goods shewing that their ioyning with them should not hinder the course of his iudgements for so far was he from fearing their succouring of them that hee wuld inflict these his punishments vpon them euen in the presence of their idols neither should they be able to releeue or deliuer them out of his hands So that still he alludeth to the practise of insolent and impudent adulteresses who when their husbands threaten that for their whoredomes they will strip them of all the gifts which they haue bestowed on them they are readie to deterre them from such seuere courses by telling them that they haue friends in store who wil reuenge their wrongs and not suffer them to be so euill intreated vnto whom their husbands being men of spirit and courage will returne answere that they are so farre from fearing their louers that they will not sticke thus to vse them euen in their presence But let vs come to the words themselues in which is expressed first the time when he would inflict his punishmēts And now will I c. where he sheweth that because his patience and long-suffering had made her insolent and secure he would no longer make delayes but presently execute his iudgements vpon her and this hee doth to make her rouse vp her spirits and speedily to turne vnto him by true repentance Eccles 8. 11. Eccles 8. 11. Secondly hee setteth downe the punishment it selfe to wit that he would discouer her leaudnesse c. The word here vsed signifieth either foolishnes or filthines in the first sense it is taken 1. Sam. 25. 25. Psal 14. 1. Deut. 32. 6. in the latter Gen. 34. 7. Deut. 22. 21. If we vnderstand it in the former signification 1. Sam. 25. 25. Psal 14. 1. Deut. 32. 6. Gen. 34. 7. Deut. 22. 21. the meaning is that by stripping her of all his benefits he would shew that she had done foolishly in ascribing them to her louers seeing they were his gifts and in forsaking him a God most gratious and almightie that she might follow after her louers who had neither will nor abilitie to releeue her wants But the coherence with the former words is better if we vnderstand it in the latter signification for in the former verse the Lord threatneth that he would strip her of his benefits and namely of her clothes which he had giuen her to couer her nakednes and here hee sheweth that he would not strip her in a corner but euen in the sight of her louers that they might also behold and detest her abominable filthinesse And this interpretation I rather embrace then the other because it agreeth with the like places of Scripture as Ezech. 16. 37. Ier. 4. 30. Ezech. 16. 37. Jer. 4 30. Now this her punishment is aggrauated in that he saith he would strip her in the sight of her louers for as men are impatient of all disgraces so especially of those which are offered them in the presence of their most respected friends but they grow altogether intolerable when as their friends in whom they most trusted shall to their shame and reproch see their wretchednes and vncleane filthines and not be able to make any apologie for them or to defend them against the accuser But this the Lord threatneth should be the condition of the Church of Israel namely that hee would strip her of all his benefits and discouer her naturall filthines and vncleannes her pouertie miserie sinne and grosse corruptions and that in the sight of her louers that is when she depended vpon her idols and most assuredly hoped that they were present to helpe and releeue her Lastly because while they conceiued any hope of helpe in their idols they would easily neglect and contemne Gods threatnings hee taketh away from them this vaine confidence in these words And no man shall be able te deliuer her out of my hands as though he should say It may be she will hope when I haue taken from her my benefits that the sun starres planets and her other idols will supplie her wants it may be she may thinke that when I haue discouered her filthines her louers wil relieue her miseries but all in vaine for who amōgst the gods is able to help whē I who am almightie take in hād to punish her Wel may they behold her abominable filthines to her further griefe and disgrace but they shal only look vpō her not be able to afford her any relief And this is the meaning of these words Out of which we Punishments deferred shall be inflicted vnlesse wee preuent them by repētance may first learne that howsoeuer the Lord in his mercie doth long deferre our iustly deserued punishments as he did the Israelites of whom the Prophet speaketh here yet if his patience and long-suffering doe not moue vs to repentance the time will come that the Lord will say as he doth in this place And now I will discouer your leaudnesse c. For as there is a time for mercie so there is a time for iustice and though the Lord be slow to anger and vengeance and swift in the course of his grace and goodnes yet he goeth forward as surely and certainly in the way of iustice as in the way of mercie if wee doe not meet him in the way and turne his course by turning vnto him by vnfained repentance Examples hereof we haue in the old world in the Sodomites Cananites Israelites c. And therefore let vs seeke the Lord whilest he may be found c. Isay 55. 6. let vs take hold of the acceptable Esay 55. 6. time and day of saluation and whilest it is called to day let vs hearken vnto his voice and not harden our hearts Psal 95. 7. 8. For though the Lord now hide our sinnes vnder the vaile of his mercie blessings and benefits yet the time Psal 95. 7. 8. will come vnlesse we repent when as hee will strip vs and discouer our filthines c. Secondly we may obserue the the Lord oftentimes punisheth our vaine confidence in worldly things by making them God punisheth vaine confidēce in creatures by making them insufficient to helpe vneffectuall and insufficient to satisfie our desires in those things for which we most trusted in them that when they most abound and seeme to promise vs most assured helpe So heere hee strippeth the Israelites in the presence of their idols in whom they trusted for deliuerance and discouereth their filthines euen in their sight when as they seemed in regard of their presence to giue them the greatest hope of their assistance Thus he ouerthrew Pharaoh Senacherib Benhadad in the middest of their great armies Nebuchadnezer in his greatest pride and power Thus he destroyeth idolaters in the presence of their idols thus he maketh the couetous to feel the smart of his punishing hand when as their
sauing those which the Lord miraculously bestowed and in this respect howsoeuer they were preserued by God yet had they stil the image of death before them and after they had been tried and humbled by many afflictions were in Gods appointed time brought into the confines of the land of Canaan the countrie of Iericho and the valley of Achor where they enioyed all these blessings with great comfort and contentation so that in respect of the great and sudden alteration they seemed newly transported from death to life So the Church in the time of the Gospell after she is reconciled vnto God and hath passed thorow a wildernesse of affliction for her triall and humiliation is not only sustained in the middest of all her troubles with the inward comfort of Gods Spirit but also is further assured of Gods loue by the outward testimonie of his manifold benefits wherewith she is replenished with such ioy and consolation that shee seemeth vnto her selfe restored from the death of sorrow and miserie to the life of comfort and happines But yet whilest she remaineth in the valley of Achor and but in the borders of the heauenly Canaan howsoeuer shee hath great cause of ioy and contentment in regard of the manifold benefits which God bestoweth vpon her yet is her ioy often intermixed with sorrow and trouble through that cursed Achan the flesh which eagerly coueting the pleasures of sinne and the golden baites of wickednes is thereby allured to sinne and to prouoke Gods wrath by seasing vpon vnlawfull pleasures and profits accursed by God by which inward rebell shee is betrayed vnto her outward enemies those cursed Cananites the world and the diuell so that for a time they preuaile against her But yet in the end she hath an happie issue out of all her afflictions for as when Achan was stoned Israel hauing hereby appeased Gods wrath obtained a famous victory against the men of Ai so when the flesh is mortified which betrayed vs we obtaine a glorious victorie ouer the world and the diuell and so enter into a full possession of the heauenly Canaan And thus appeareth the great similitude which is betweene the passage of the children of Israel out of Egypt into the land of promise and our passage out of the spirituall Egypt the kingdome of sinne and Satan into the heauenly Canaan the true countrie and inheritance of all the Saints which moued the Lord allegorically to allude vnto it in this place as also Esay 65. 10. Esay 65. 10. And this is the benefit here promised The second thing specified is the time when the Lord would bestow it in this phrase from thence which in the Scriptures is sometimes referred to the time and sometime to the place and accordingly here it is diuersly interpreted by some of the place referring it to the desert namely that as soone as they came out of the wildernesse of affliction they should enter into this valley of pleasure by others of the time vnderstanding it thus from thence forward or as soone as I haue brought her thorow the wildernesse and haue replenished her with the inward comfort of my Spirit I will giue her a reall assurance of my loue and not only speake comfortablie vnto her heart by my word and Spirit but also in effect and deed assure her further of my loue and fauour by multiplying vpon her my mercies and manifold benefits The which interpretation is not much different from the other but the rather to be embraced because it hath better dependancie with the former benefit for as soone as the Lord hath inwardly comforted his people by his word and Spirit then presently hee giueth them a true sense of his loue and fauour by bestowing vpon them innumerable benefits spirituall and temporall The third thing heere expressed is the end why God giueth and the Church receiueth these his gifts and graces not onely that shee may haue by them ioy and comfort in their present vse but that they may serue as pledges and earnest penies to confirme their hope and assurance of the possession of eternall happines the which is signified by this phrase For the doore of hope For that is said to be the doore of hope which giueth entrance vnto hope by offering some assurance that we shall obtaine the thing hoped for As therefore the Lord gaue to the people of Israel the valley of Achor that it should be vnto them a doore of hope because the possession of the borders was a pledge vnto them that they should enioy the whole land of promise so the manifold benefits which the Lord bestoweth vpon the faithfull whilest they be in the borders of Canaan the Church militant are vnto them a doore of hope being assured pledges that after we haue a while fought with our spirituall enemies wee shall haue full possession of the heauenly Canaan and the new Ierusalem And these are the benefits which are here allegorically promised Now the reason why the Lord speaking of the spirituall deliuerance and happines of his people alludeth to their temporall deliuerance out of Egypt and entrance into the land of Canaan was first that hereby he might strengthen their faith in the full assurance of his promises seeing they had alreadie experience of his truth power mercy and goodnes in their former deliuerance when as the grieuous sins and great vnworthines of their forefathers could not moue him to change his purpose nor frustrate his word because his couenant was grounded not vpon their deserts but vpon his owne vndeserued loue and meere good will And secondly in promising new benefits he doth by this allusion put them in minde of the old that by the remembrance of these and hope of the other they might be moued to true thankfulnes and obedience The second thing to bee considered in this verse is the Churches ioy and thankfulnesse in the present fruition of Gods gifts and future hope of greater benefits signified in these words And she shal sing there as in the daies of her youth and as in the day when as she came vp out of the land of Egypt In which words is expressed the Churches ioy and thankfulnes together with the place or time thereof their ioy and thankfulnes is signified by their singing of praises vnto God the author of all these benefits which continuing in the former allegorie and allusion he compareth to that reioycing and praising God which the Israelites vsed after their deliuerance out of Egypt when as they saw Pharaoh and his armie drowned in the red sea of which we may reade Exod. 15. vnder which speciall we are generally to vnderstand all Exod. 15. their reioycing and songs of praises for all Gods benefits especially when they were in the valley of Achor and had entred into the possession of the land of promise Whereas then he saith that she shall sing as in the daies of her youth and childhood we are hereby to vnderstand the time of her
malice for their owne destruction Fourthly we may here obserue what is the chiefe cause of The Lord is the chiefe author of our peace our peace and tranquillitie namely not our owne power and policie or strength of neere adioyning friends but the Lord himselfe and therefore when we do enioy it as wee haue done for many yeares let vs ascribe the whole praise and glorie vnto God who is the author thereof and let vs Esa 45. 7. 2. Chron. 14. 6. make this vse of our great peace and tranquilitie with more diligence to doe God seruice both priuately at home and publikely in the congregation which is the chiefe end why the Lord hath giuen this peace vnto vs. Lastly we may here obserue a notable marke of those that Christian securitie a true note of our conuersion are truly conuerted vnto God reconciled in Christ namely when as with a Christian securitie we can rest vpon Gods prouidence and protection after we haue attained vnto some assurance of the pardon of our sinnes not onely when the world promiseth safetie but also in the middest of troubles and dangers for there is no such peace to the wicked who Esa 57. 21. howsoeuer they are bold and confident in their prosperitie yet when they are ouertaken with any vnexpected danger faint with feare and are perplexed with a guiltie astonishment whereas they who are at peace with God haue the inward peace of a good conscience which maketh them as the Wise man saith confident as a lion knowing that Gods Prou. 28. 1. prouidence watcheth ouer them which will either deliuer them from danger and euill or turne them to their euerlasting good ANd so much concerning the fourth benefit The fifth followeth which is that neere and inseparable vnion that is betweene Iesus Christ and his Church expressed in these words Vers 19. And I will marrie thee vnto me for euer yea and I will marrie thee vnto mee in righteousnesse and in Vers 19. 20. iudgement and in mercie and in compassion 20. I will euen marrie thee vnto me in faith and thou shalt know the Lord. Where the Prophet proceeding in his former allegorie compareth The exposition The vnion betweene Christ and his Church resembled to mariage Psal 45. the vnion which is betweene Christ and his Church vnto mariage because no other similitude doth more liuely and fully expresse it whereof it is that this spirituall and mysticall vnion is vsually in the Scriptures represented vnto vs vnder this type of mariage wherein Christ Iesus is the husband and his Church the spouse So Psal 45. the vnion of Christ and his Church is shadowed vnder the type of Salomons mariage with Pharaohs daughter the whole booke of Canticles containeth nothing else but the doctrine of this spirituall mariage The Prophet Esay speaketh of it chap. 54. 5. For he that made thee is thine husband whose name is the Lord of hosts c. Esa â—4 5. 6. 62. 5. Ezech. 16. 8. v. 6. ch 62. 5. The Prophet Ezechiel likewise chap. 16. 8. c. And our Sauiour Christ in the new Testament calleth himselfe the Bridegroome of the Church Matth. 9. 15. And chap. Matth. 9. 15. 22. 2. 22. 2. God the Father is compared to a King who married his sonne that is Iesus Christ with the Church The Apostles also vse the same similitude to signifie this vnion So Paul 2. Cor. 11. 2. I haue prepared you for one husband to present you 2. Cor. 11 2. Eph. 5. 23 25. Apoc 19. 7. 21. 2. 9. as a pure virgin to Christ And Eph. 5 23. 25. 32. And the Apostle Iohn Apoc. 19. 7. Let vs be glad and reioyce and giue glorie to him for the mariage of the Lambe is come and his wife hath made her selfe readie So chap. 21. 2. And I Iohn saw the holie citie the new Ierusalem come downe from God out of heauen prepared as a Bride trimmed for her husband and vers 9. Seeing therefore this vnion betweene Christ and vs is in The great similitude betweene our spiritual vnion with Christ and mariage so many places resembled to mariage let vs in the next place consider the great similitude which is betwixt them that so wee may the more plainly conceiue of this excellent mysterie which is the ground and foundation of al our good and happinesse First as vnto euery lawfull mariage there is required that the parties married be of the same kinde and nature so it is in this spirituall mariage for the Sonne of God the second person in Trinitie tooke vpon him our nature and was made flesh that so he might be a fit husband of the Church and the Church is regenerate and purged from her sinnes and corruptions Ioh. 1. 1. of nature that so being made like Christ in holines and vnblame ablenesse she might become a fit spouse for Christ as the Apostle speaketh Ephes 5. 25. 26. 27. So that if Ephes 5. 25. 27 we speake properly neither God the Father nor God the holie Ghost is the husband of the Church but God the Sonne who alone tooke vpon him our nature and became like vnto vs and therfore both this and all the like places of Scripture which speake of the mariage between the Lord and the Church are to be vnderstood properly of God the Sonne And as these persons being of the same nature ought to be of a different sex male and female so in this spirituall mariage Christ is the man or husband the Church is the woman or spouse who was taken out of the side of Christ in his deadly sleepe as Eua out of Adams and therefore may bee said to be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh of whom he begetteth by the seede of his word and holy Spirit many faithfull children vnto himselfe Secondly as in mariages there ought to be only two ioyned together one man with one woman according to that Matth. 19. 5. And they two shall be one flesh so in this spirituall Matth. 19. 5. marriage there are but two one husband Christ and one spouse the Church for although the faithfull are many in number yet they make but one intire bodie seeing they are conioyned and quickned by the same Spirit as diuers members make but one bodie being quickened by the same soule And as in our ordinarie mariages speciall regard is to bee had that we be not vnequally yoked the godly with the wicked the beleeuer with the infidell as the Apostle chargeth vs 2. Cor. 6. 14. So in this spirituall mariage Christ the husband most iust holie hath had a speciall care not to chuse 2. Cor. 6. 14. but to make his spouse being chosen glorious and without any spot or wrinkle holie and vnblameable by washing away Eph. 5. 26. 27. her sinnes and corruptions with his blood and that first in her iustification whereby her sinnes are pardoned and hid out of
howsoeuer she might fall through infirmitie yet she should neuer fall away though she may offend her husband by her corruptions and imperfections yet she should neuer forsake him nor desist in her faith and holy obedience So that neither her sins past nor her sins to come should be able to separate her from the Lord her husband not her sins past because they should be blotted out of remembrance and washed away by Christs blood nor her sinnes to come for as much as shee should be endued with such sinceritie and indignitie of heart that she should neuer sin with full consent of will nor euer leaue the Lord to commit spirituall adulterie with sinne and Satan Neither should want of righteousnes cause her to be reiected seeing shee should bee adorned with the glorious robe of Christs righteousnes imputed vnto her and also by vertue of Gods Spirit dwelling in her she should be enabled to walke before the Lord in the integritie and vprightnes of her heart indeauouring to performe all duties of holines and righteousnes vnto him Secondly whereas error and blindnesse of iudgement is a 2 The Church is married vnto Christ in iudgement cause of diuorce and separation seeing thereby the wife is moued to preferre an adulterer before her lawfull husband therfore that this may not be a cause of separation betweene him and his Church the Lord promiseth that he will endue her with a cleare and wise iudgement whereby she shall bee able to discerne betweene good and euill right and wrong and how much more profitable will it be for her to embrace the Lord as her only husband louing reuerencing and obeying him in all things than to forsake him and to follow after her adulterous louers that is idols the world Satan and the pleasures of sinne which last but for a season and in the end bring euerlasting destruction and how much better it is to embrace his pure worship reuealed in his word then to follow humane traditions and her owne inuentions Thirdly the wife is moued to breake her coniugall fidelitie 3. The Church is maried to Christ in mercie and beneficence and to leaue her husband and follow her louers when as she is brought into doubt of his loue and good will in respect of his illiberall cariage towards her and when as by his niggardly restraining her of necessaries she is brought into extremitie and want for then being hopelesse at home she rangeth abroad and seeketh help of strangers when her husband neglecteth her Whereas contrariwise when shee hath assured testimonie of his loue by his readines to supplie all her necessities to the vttermost of his power it is a notable meanes to work in her loue towards him and to preserue her faith inuiolable And thus it fareth in this spirituall mariage when we doubt of Gods loue and fauour and are brought into extreame exigents through our spirituall or corporall wants then our corrupt nature inclineth vs to leaue trusting and depending vpon the Lord and to follow Idols Saints Angels and Images looking for by them a supplie of that wherein we thinke that the Lord is defectiue And therefore he heere promiseth that he will also marrie her vnto himselfe in mercie or as the word may more fitly in this place signifie in benignitie and beneficence that is that he will so multiplie vpon her mercies and benefits as thereby shee shall haue full assurance of his loue and prouidence watching ouer her and shall by his bountie be so furnished with all necessaries that she shall not need to depend vpon any other The which promise is accomplished both in respect of corporal and spirituall benefits for if the first be wanting the Lord giueth the other in such plentie and abundance that in the middest of worldly wants she shal haue little cause to doubt of Gods loue and liberalitie seeing he doth bestow vpon her these rich treasures and gifts of greatest value And thus haue we this prophecie expounded Ier. 32. 40. I will make an euerlasting couenant with them that I will neuer turne away Jer. 32. 40. 41. from them to do them good c. 41. Yea I will delite in them to do them good c. Fourthly because when the husband is of an austere rigorous and impacable nature so as he will not beare with his 4. The Church is married to Christs compassion wiues infirmities but punisheth euery fault in all bitternesse and extremitie it is a notable meanes to worke in her alienation of minde and to moue her to affect others more then him and contrariwise compassion and readines to pardon faults and passe by infirmities is a singular meanes to nourish loue and fidelitie therefore the Lord promiseth in the next place that he wil marrie the Church in mercy and compassion so that though through frailtie she fall and by her sinnes offend him yet this shall bee no sufficient cause to moue her desperately to forsake and flee from him seeing he is so full of mercie and compassion that she can be no more readie to repent then he to forgiue nor to aske pardon then he to grant it And that not only for light and veniall sinnes nor for offences seldome committed but for all her sinnes most grieuous and innumerable and this is implied in that he here vseth the plurall number saying that he will marrie her in mercies to note the multitude of his mercies whereby he is readie to forgiue a multitude of sinnes The like place vnto this we haue Ier. 31. 34. For I will forgiue their iniquitie Jer 31. 34. Esay 54. 10. and remember their sinnes no more So Esay 54. 10. The mountaines shall remoue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee c. Fifthly because all loue and benefits cannot restraine an 5. The Lord marrieth his Church in faithfulnes inconstant woman who is naturally addicted to lust and vncleannesse but that vpon euery occasion she is apt to forsake her husband and follow her louers therefore in the next place the Lord saith that he will marrie his Church in faithfulnes wherby we are to vnderstand that not only the Lord himselfe will continue faithfull and constant in his loue to the Church but that also he will by his holy Spirit wherewith his Church and he are ioyned in marriage so rule her affections mortifie her naturall lightnesse and pronenesse to spirituall adulterie and confirme and strengthen her in constancie and fidelitie that shee shall euer keepe her mariage faith inuiolable and reserue her selfe for him alone pure and vndefiled Where we may further note that he doth the third time repeate these words I will marrie thee vnto me to this end that we might by this his redoubling of his speech bee the more vndoubtedly assured of the certaintie of this holy and heauenly contract of which we are easily moued to make some question in respect of Gods glorious Maiestie and incomprehensible
them pliable to holy obedience that forsaking their false gods and idolatrous worship they may worship the only Iehouah in spirit and truth Where still hee continueth the allegorie of mariage as though hee would say Her louers that is her idols haue inticed her with many baits to commit spirituall whoredome with them but they shall no longer seduce and abuse her for I her louing husband offering vnto her innumerable benefits and eternall happinesse will allure and perswade her to forsake her louers and to returne vnto me And whereas hee saith that hee will bring her into the wildernesse the meaning is that they shall not passe presently out of their miserable seruitude of sinne and Satan into the heauenly Canaan but shal for a time make their abode in the wildernes of this world where they shall be tried with many calamities and afflictions wherewith being throughly humbled they shall enter into their heauenly countrie according to that Act. 14. 22. Wee must Act. 14. 22. thorow many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Others translate these words thus I will allure her after I haue led her into the wildernesse as though the time were herein implied when the Lord would perswade and conuert his people namely after he had first brought them into the wildernesse of affliction and thereby throughly humbled them But howsoeuer this exposition may be thought not repugnant to any thing in the text yet I rather embrace the other as being more plaine and simple without the changing of any word from his owne signification and also because it more fitly answereth to the deliuerance of the people of Israel vnto which it is manifest he here alludeth and lastly because it well agreeth with the like place Ezech. 20. 34. 35. 37. where the same allusion is vsed Ezeth 20. 34. 35. And this is the first benefit The second is expressed in these words and I will speake friendly or comfortably vnto her The originall hath it thus and I will speake vnto her heart by which is signified that he would speak vnto her such pleasant and acceptable words as should replenish her hart with true ioy and comfort though they were in the middest of the wildernesse of affliction And thus this phrase is vsed Esa 40. Esa 40. 1. 2. Gen. 34. 3. Iud. 19. 3. Ruth 2. 13. Ioh. 11. 19. 1. Thess 2. 11. 1. 2. Gen. 34. 3. Iud. 19. 3. Ruth 2. 13. And so in the new Testament whereas it is in the Greeke they comforted any the Syriacke hath it they spoke with their hearts So Ioh. 11. 19. 1. Thess 2. 11. The meaning therefore is that as when hee had brought his people into the wildernesse he spake vnto them deliuering his law vnto which were annexed manifold promises of his great benefits by which the people for the present were somewhat comforted in the middest of the afflictions which they suffered in the wildernesse so hee would in the time of the Gospell after hee had deliuered his people out of the thraldome of sin and Satan speake comfortably vnto them whilest they were vexed and molested with manifold afflictions in the wildernesse of the world that so being filled with consolation they might patiently and cheerefully through the middest of these miseries march towards their heauenly countrie Now this speech of comfort of which he here speaketh is nothing else but the glad tidings of the Gospell wherein we are assured of our deliuerance out of our spirituall thraldome vnto sinne and Satan of the free pardon and remission of all our sinnes of our peace and reconciliation with God and of euerlasting happinesse which Christ by his death and merits hath purchased for vs. The which speech of the Gospell is much more effectuall for our comfort and consolation then the speech of the Law For then the Lord spake to the eare but now hee speaketh to the heart that comfort was but for the present because being grounded vpon the condition of their obedience to the law that prouing impossible their comfort was changed into horror and despaire but this is eternall hauing his foundation not in our owne workes and worthinesse but vpon the free mercie of God and merits of Christ apprehended by a liuely faith And lastly because the Gospell offereth vnto vs farre greater benefits then we are promised in the Law and therfore filleth our hearts with greater comfort And of this consolation the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 1. 3. 4. 5. 7. 6. Act. 9. 31. 2. Cor. 1. 3. 4. 5. and 7. 6. Act. 9. 31. Luke 2. 25. Of which our Sauiour Christ is the principall cause and therfore he is called the consolation of Israel Luk. 2. 25. And so much for the meaning of the words The doctrines The Do ∣ ctrines which from hence arise are these First we may obserue that howsoeuer the Lord being prouoked to iust displeasure by The Lord doth not retaine his anger for euer the sinnes of the people doth not onely threaten his iudgements but also inflicteth deserued punishments yet he doth not retaine his anger for euer nor yet delighteth in the afflictions of his Church but hauing with his fatherly chastisements humbled them and brough them vnto vnfained repentance hee turneth his frownes into smiles his threatnings into promises his iudgements into mercie and withdrawing their afflictions and punishments hee multiplieth vpon them his gratious benefits For hee is slow to anger but abundant in goodnesse and truth Exod. 34. 6. 7. He will not alwaies Exod. 34. 6. 7. Psal 103. 8. 9. chide neither keepeth he his anger for euer Psal 103. 8. 9. And though he afflict vs yet he dealeth not with vs after our sinnes nor rewardeth vs according to our iniquities as it is verse 10. neither retaineth he his anger for euer because mercie pleaseth him as it is Mic. 7. 18. An example wherof we haue in this Micha 7. 18. place where after his sharpe threatnings he adioyneth gratious promises likewise in the Israelites in the time of the Iudges in the Iewes lead captiue into Babylon and afterwards restored but there needs but few examples to confirme that of which we our selues haue so manifold experience c. Secondly out of the connexion of this with the former The mercie of God infinitely exceedeth the mercie of mā verse wee may obserue how infinitly the mercie of God exceedeth the mercie of man for whereas man being offended maketh this conclusion because hee hath iniured me therefore I will reuenge my selfe vpon him the Lord contrariwise in this place concludeth that because the people had grieuously prouoked his anger by their obstinacie in their idolatrie and forgetfulnesse of him therefore hee would allure them to repentance by his benefits and speake comfortably vnto them as though he should say Though they be so peeuishly obstinate that they care not wilfully and desperately to go on in their sins to their vtter destructiō yet I wil not set my
himselfe in marriage Now because this tedious captiuitie and confused anarchie should not be without comfort therefore the Lord giueth them some testimonie of his loue by assuring them that hee would as well waite for their true conuersion as they for his mercy and that in the meane time he would not reject them and make choyse of some other people to be his Church but would stay his choyse till vpon their true repentance hee might receiue them into his former loue and fauour And this is emphatically signified in these words And I wil be so vnto thee wher the Lord not doth explicate his meaning at large but like those whose mindes are exceedingly perturbed with griefe indignation or some singular commiseration he vseth this abrupt and broken speach as though it so much grieued him to deferre reconciliation and to withhould the outward testimonies of his loue from his people that he was not able to pronounce this his definitiue sentence at large but in these abrupt and broken speeches So that here is Iudgement mixed with Mercie Iudgement in that he with-houldeth from them the signes of his loue for a time Mercie in that he with-houldeth them not for euer Iudgement in that he would not as yet admit them to be his people Mercy in that for their sakes he wil make choyce of no other but expecteth their repentance that thereupon hee might be reconciled vnto them But against this there may be made two obiections first An answere to a two-fold obiection that this testimonie of Gods loue and hope of their future reconciliation will not stand with Gods former threatnings namely that hee would no more haue mercy vpon them Chap. 1. Ver. 6. That they should not be his people nor he their God Ver. 9. That hee had vtterly diuorced and rejected them Chap. 2. Ver. 2. And secondly that it will not stand with the euent seeing the Lord did neuer after espouse this whole people nor yet them alone Both which obiections are taken away with one answere namely that this Prophecie is not to be vnderstood of the whole body of the people but of the faithfull amongst them which belonged to Gods Election of which it is truely verified so as it may well stand with the former Prophecie and the future euent For though he rejected the whole body of this people yet he reserued a remnant according to the Election of grace Rom. 11. 5. whom after their repentance and conuersion he did espouse to him and for these hee reserued his grace so as he would not after the people were excluded from the outward couenant admit of any other neyther before the comming of Christ nor after he was come till he had called and reconciled them and so vpon occasion of their calling and conuersion hee called also and conuerted the elect Gentiles amongest whom they were scattered and to them both who only were the true Israelites according to the spirit he made good his promises of mercy and grace and this appeareth Math. 10. 5. 6. 15. 24. 26. Act. 13. 46. Mat. 10. 5 6. 15. 24 26. Act. 13. 46. And so much for the exposition of the words the doctrines which from hence arise are these First whereas the Lord saith that he will not presently be reconciled vnto the Length of affliction no signe of our rejection Church of Israell but she shall waite his pleasure and bee content to liue in an afflicted estate vntill hee saw fit time of giuing vnto her assurance of his loue and fauour hence we learne to arme our selues with patience when our afflictions are tediously continued and not desperately to cast aside all hope as though the length of our afflictions were a signe of our vtter rejection for as it appeareth in this place the Lord causeth the afflictions euen of those that belong to his Election to endure for a long time together and maketh them to wayte and expect till hee seeth the fit time for their deliuerance Examples hereof we haue in the captiuitie of Aegypt and Babilon in Dauid Iob and many others The vse hereof is that though our afflictions be of long We must waite vpon God for deliuerance frō our afflictions continuance we waite the Lords leasure and possesse our soules with patience and so in the end wee shal be assured of deliuerance An example hereof we haue in Dauid Psal 40. 1. I wated patiently for the Lord c. In the faithfull grieuously Psal 40. 1. and 123. 2. Esay 8. 17. afflicted Psal 123. 2. Esay 8. 17. in Iacob Gen. 49. 18. Which duety that we likewise may performe let vs consider first that the Lord inioyneth and requireth it at our hands Psal 37. 34. Wayte thou on the Lord and keepe his Psal 37. 34. way Secondly that the Lord wayteth vpon vs that hee may finde vs fit to receiue his mercy that is humbled in the sence and feeling of our owne misery and want and earnestly hungring after his grace Esa 30. 18. Yet therefore will the Lord Esay 30. 18. wait that he may haue mercy vpon you Seeing then the Lord wayteth on vs to shew mercy great reason haue we to wait that we may receiue mercy for waiting and attending better becommeth suiters then benefactors Thirdly let vs waite vpon the Lord because the holy Ghost commendeth it vnto vs as a good thing Lamen 3. 26 Lamen 3. 26. It is good to trust and to waite for the saluation of the Lord. Fourthly if being afflicted we doe not onely watch but also wayte in prayer it is a good argument to confirme our faith in this assurance that our prayers shall be heard and our petitions graunted and therefore the Church vseth this reason for the strengthening of her faith Esay 33. 2. O Lord Esa 33. 2 haue mercy vpon vs we haue wayted for thee And Mich 7. 7. Mich. 7. 7. she joyneth these two together I will wait for God my sauiour my God will heare Of this Dauid had experience Psa 40. 1. Psal 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord and hee inclined vnto mee and heard my cry Fiftly because our waiting and patient abiding the Lords leasure shall assuredly haue a good issue for he will not suffer those that wait vpon him to goe away ashamed Esay 49. 23. And howsoeuer the hope of the afflicted may bee Esa 49 23. deferred yet it shall not perish for euer Psal 9. 18. But those Psa 9. 18. that attend the Lords leasure in the end shall be exalted haue the land in possession Psal 37. 34. They shall be saued and deliuered Psal 37. 34. from all euill Pro. 20. 22. Yea they shall be eternally Pro. 20. 22 blessed Esay 30. 18. The Lord is the God of iudgement blessed Esa 30. 18. are all they that wait for him Howsoeuer therefore the hope of the afflicted being deferred is for the present bitter and irkesome yet
mind times of old wherein the Lord gaue vs sure testimonies of his loue and so from the immutabilitie of his loue mercy and goodnesse wee may receiue comfort So Dauid Psal 77. 11. Psal 77. 11. Secondly we may obserue how the Church behaueth her selfe when shee seemeth left and forsaken of God namely she sits downe like a desolate widdow and spendeth her time That we must not be carelesse and sencelesse in the time of affliction in mourning and lamentation whence we learne not to make light of this heauie affliction nor to walk vnder this waighty burthen with stiffe and stretched out necks but when God in the time of affliction seemeth to estrange and absent himselfe we must humble our soules with mourning and lamentation watch and waite for his returne and continually cry and call vpon him by hearty prayer desiring nothing in the world so much as that hee will hasten his comming and re-assure vs of his fauour And if we thus behaue our selues then shall we finde Gods promise verified Esa 54. 8. For a Esay 54. 8. little while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee And by this meanes also shall we gather vnto our selues assurance that we are indeed espoused vnto God when as the Lord our husband hauing absented himselfe in some displeasure we doe not like strumpets rejoyce in his absence or if there be any little griefe seeke to put it off by haunting the company of vaine persons and by passing the time in sports and pastimes but like loyall and louing wiues bewayle his absence and displeasure taking delight in nothing till wee enjoy his loue againe in whom our soule delighteth Here therefore two extreames are to be auoyded for as we must not sincke and fall downe flat vnder the burthen of Gods displeasure so we must not stand vpright with stiffe and stretched out necks casting it aside without care or sorrow but we must take the middle course that is we must stoupe and buckle vnder our burthen as being weary of bearing it we must sit downe and mourne like a widdow forsaken and desolate delighting in nothing till wee feele and finde that God deligheth in vs and is reconciled vnto vs. An example hereof we haue in the Church Psal 137. 2. 3. Psal 237. 2. 3. Thirdly we are to obserue Gods wise mixture of Mercy and Iudgement that the Church might neyther be secure Gods wise mixture of Mercy and Iudgement and carelesse nor yet comfortlesse and without hope for whereas he saith that she shall sit mourning for many dayes herein is implyed that her afflictions should neyther bee very short nor very long First hee sheweth that they should not be very short for they should last for many dayes and then that they should not be very long for they should not last for many ages or many yeares but onely for many dayes He doth not reckon the time by minutes or houres for then they would haue beene secure and wretchlesse and so taking no care to arme themselues with patience they would haue beene altogether vnprepared when contrary to their hope their afflictions were tediously continued nor yet by yeares or ages least whilest he sought to arme them with patience he should disarme them of hope vvhich is our chiefe stay to keepe vs from sincking vnder affliction The vse which we are to make hereof is that vvhen vvee are in affliction vve doe neither expect present deliuerance nor yet imagine that God will forsake vs for euer For if our hopes be frustrate vve shall grow impatient and if vve haue no hope at all we shall grow desperate Fourthly vve may obserue that he saith the Israelits should That our afflictions are momentanie howsoeuer they seeme tedious to the flesh continue in their afflicted estate many dayes vvhereas in truth they continued diuers ages euen sixe hundred fourescore yeeres So hee saith that the Church of the Smirnians should haue tribulation for ten dayes Apoc. 2. 10. And that the Church should be fed in the vvildernesse of affliction a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Chap. 11. 6. By vvhich computation hee teacheth vs how vve are to accompt of the time of affliction namely howsoeuer to the flesh it seeme long and tedious yet it is to be judged short momentanie in comparison of that eternall glory vvhich attendeth for vs after vve haue finished the short skirmish of afflictions When as therefore our troubles and crosses seeme so tedious as though they would neuer end let vs comfort our selues with this consideration that they are in truth but light short and momentanie in respect of that superexcellent and eternall waight of glorie which is reserued for vs. 2 Cor. 4. 17. 2 Cor. 4. 17. Fiftly whereas the Lord describing the widdowhood of the Church of Israell and the seperation betweene him and her doth after-wards expound himselfe and sheweth that it consisteth in the taking away of their King Magistrates The Magistracie and Ministerie signes of gods presence ciuill gouernment and the meanes of his publicke worship and seruice hence wee learne that Princes wisely ruling in the common wealth and godly and faithfull Ministers publickly executing their functions which concerne gods pure and sincere worship in the Church are notable signes representing vnto vs Gods owne presence So that where the Lord hath established a lawfull and vvise Magistracie and a godly learned and faithful Ministerie there himselfe is present ioyned in a neere communion with that church common-wealth where these are wanting from thence the Lord may be said to haue withdrawne himselfe and to haue made a seperation leauing such a people in the estate of an afflicted vviddow And this appeareth not onely in this but also in diuers other places of scripture For first for Kings and Magistrates they are said to be breathing and mortall gods and the children of the most high vvho in their gouernment after a more peculiar manner resemble their heauenly father Psal 82. 6. 7. In vvhose assemblies God standeth and Psal 82. 6. 7. judgeth righteous judgement ver 1. God standeth in the assemblie of gods he iudgeth among gods And for the ministery and publicke seruice of God vvee haue Christs promise That where two or three are gathered together in his name there is hee in the middest of them Mat. 18. 20. And howsoeuer Mat. 18. 20. being infinite he filleth heauen and earth vvith his presence yet after a more peculiar manner he walketh in the middest of the seauen golden candlestickes Apoc. 1. 13. that is he is present in his Church to rule defend and preserue it And hence it is that vvhen Dauid vvas banished from the Temple and debarred of the publike meanes of Gods worship hee complayneth that he vvas banished from Gods presence and cast Psal 42. 2. and 84. 1. 2. out of his sight Psal 42. 2. and 84. 1. 2. The vse hereof is first
God so his name Dauid implyeth that he is man descended of Dauids posteritie Againe from the conjunction of these two seeking God and Dauid vve gather that God is then alone vvorshipped God is to bee worshipped in Christ aright vvhen as he is worshipped vvith his sonne and in his sonne For in him alone the father is reconciled and well pleased Mat. 3. 17. In him alone we are graciously accepted Ephe. 1. 6. Math. 3. 17. Eph. 1. 6. In him he vvill be vvorshipped and serued and vvhosoeuer vvorshippeth not God the father in his sonne Christ they doe not vvorship the true Iehouah but an idoll of their own framing for vvhosoeuer hath not the sonne hath not the father 1 Ioh. 2. 23. Because howsoeuer they are distinguished 1 Iohn 2. 23. in persons yet they are one in substance of the selfe same nature coessentiall and coeternall Where it appeareth that howsoeuer the Iewes and Turkes doe professe that they worship God the Father yet in truth they do nothing lesse seeing they neither know nor acknowledge his sonne Iesus Christ as their onely Sauiour and redeemer Fourthly whereas he calleth Christ by the name of Dauid The Royall dignitie of the faithfull vve may here obserue the great and royall dignitie of the faithfull in that the Lord vouchsafeth to call himselfe by their name and to call them after his name Because Dauid faithfully serued him in his life therefore he honoureth him after his death reuiuing his memory and eternizing his name by taking it vpon himselfe and so because vve professe his religion and vvorship him though vvith much vveakenesse and imperfection he vouchsafeth vs this dignitie that according to his owne name vvee should bee called Christians Thus hee honoured the Patriarkes Abraham Isaac and Exod. 3. 15. Iacob Exod. 3. 15. And his people Israell in that though he vvere the God of the whole Earth yet he vvould be called after a peculiar manner the God of Israell The vse hereof is that vve zealously serue the Lord and If we honour God hee will honour vs. seeke his glory in honour and dishonour euill report and good report not fearing any vvhit at all that we shall be reproched haue our names traduced and loose that reputation which we haue in the world by being ouer forward and precise in performing the duties of Gods worship and seruice for let vs assure our selues that whilest by our Godly conuersation we honour God hee will not onely cause vs to be honoured in our liues but euen after our death our names shall liue and be kept vpon record in the honourable roule of his holy Seruants and bee calendred amongst the Saints Whereas on the other side the name of the wicked though it be neuer so glorious in their liues yet shall it be ignominious in their death and putrifie in the ayre as fast as their bodyes in the earth as the wise man sheweth Prou. 10. 7. The Prou. 10. 7. memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot Fiftly we may obserue that when the people of Israell That we neuer flie to God before wee are throughly humbled are affrighted and terrified with the sight and sence of their sinnes and those miseries which doe accompany them they doe then and not before flye vnto the Lord for grace and mercy in whose example wee haue a notable president of our owne disposition and practise whilest wee continue in our carnall securitie and hardnesse of heart we neuer desire mercy and forgiuenesse whilest we thinke our selues whole and sound wee neuer seeke to our heauenly Physition to be cured of our spirituall Leprosie and sicknesse of sinne whilest we thinke our selues rich and haue no sence of our pouerty and nakednesse we neuer labour after the riches of Gods mercy and Christs merits nor to be clothed with the glorious garment of his innocency and obedience whilest we haue no sence of our owne vnrighteousnesse wee will neuer hunger after Christs righteousnesse whilest wee thinke our selues already highly in gods fauour we neuer seeke to Christ our Mediator to reconcile vs vnto his father but when our hearts are broken contrite our consciences wounded then doe wee earnestly desire the oyle of Gods mercy and the precious baulme of Christs bloud that thereby we may be cured when we see our owne pouertie we labour after the riches of his merits and in a word when we are terrified with the sight and sence of sinne and labour vnder it as a heauie burthen then doe we flye vnto the Lord for comfort and sue vnto Iesus Christ that according to his gracious promise hee will ease and release vs. Of the former we haue Math. 19. 16. 20. Luk. 18. 11. 14. Iob. 41. 6. Luk. 15. and 18. Acts. 2. 37. examples in the young Iusticiarie Mat. 19. 16. 20. The Pharisie Luke 18. 11. 14. And in the Pharasaycall Papists Of the latter in Iob Chap. 41. 6. In Dauid Psal 51. In the prodigall sonne Luke 15. In the poore Publican Luke 18. And in the Iewes Act. 2. 37. Sixtly we may obserue that howsoeuer the Elect are affrighted Son-like feare maketh vs to draw neere vnto God and terrified with the sight and sence of sinne and the apprehension of Gods displeasure yet this their feare doth not make them to flie Gods presence but moueth them with all possible speede to hast vnto him and his goodnesse for they are not like vnto slaues who hauing offended and being without any assurance of their maisters loue do for feare of the whip runne away but like ingenious and well nurtured children who hauing by their faults displeased their father doe not flye his presence but rather runne vnto him and fall downe at his feete acknowledging their fault promising amendement and imploring pardon and forgiuenesse For howsoeuer the apprehension of his displeasure greatly feareth them yet the perswasion of his loue moderateth their feare and begetteth in them some hope of remission and reconciliation So that here wee haue a plaine difference betweene The difference betwene son-like and seruile feare the Son-like feare of the faithfull and the desperate and seruile horrour of the wicked for that causeth them with awfull reuerence to flye vnto the Lord for mercy and forgiuenesse because of the experience which they haue of his goodnesse and the other causeth the wicked to flye from God by reason of the fearefull expectation which they haue of Gods just vengeance Of the former wee haue examples in Dauid Psal 51. In Daniell Chap. 9. 5. And in the prodigall Psal 51. sonne Luk. 15. Of the latter in Saul Iudas and in the Dan. 9. 5. reprobate Apoc. 6. 16. Luke 15. Seauenthly whereas he saith that being affrighted with Apo. 6. 16. the sight and sence of sinne they should hast vnto Gods goodnesse here we learne what is our best place of refuge Gods mercy our best
refuge to flee vnto when our sinnes terrifie vs namely Gods free and vndeserued goodnesse for the shade of Gods mercy is our best shelter when as wee are scorched with the heat of his wrath and our best course when we are pursued by his Iustice is to flye to the throne of his grace and goodnes for pardon and forgiuenesse When therefore our consciences accuse vs for sinne let vs not flye vnto our owne righteousnes merits satisfactions for whatsoeuer wee haue done it was but our Luke 17. 10. duety and no man dischargeth one debt by paying another nor yet to the merits of Saints for they could merit nothing for themselues much lesse for others neyther haue we any proprietie vnto them nor they sufficiency to make satisfaction for the least sinne but we must flye vnto Gods goodnes and expect pardon onely through his free and vndeserued mercy and Christs all sufficient merits An Example hereof we haue in Dauid who hauing sinned doth not seeke for pardon by pleading that he had beene in former times a man according to Gods owne heart or by promising to make satisfaction by his future obedience but disclayming all opinion of desert he onely relyeth himselfe vpon Gods mercy Psal 51. 1. Psal 51. 1. Eightly out of the time of the accomplishing this promise concerning the conuersion and deliuerance of the afflicted Long afflictiōs often necessary for our humiliation Israelits namely that it should be after that they had a long time beene tryed with afflictions and in the last dayes hence we obserue first that such is the obstinacie and hardnes of hart euen sometimes of those that belong to Gods election that they had neede for their humiliation and conuersion to be afflicted not onely with grieuous but also long lasting miseries And therefore it is not alwayes expedient for vs to haue quicke deliuerance out of our afflictions vnlesse they haue wrought that good worke in vs for which they were inflicted that is humiliation and vnfayned repentance for it will little auaile vs to haue our soules wounded with sinne once or twise dressed if they bee so left before they bee perfectly cured because they will againe ranckle and become as dangerous as they were before it will nothing profit vs to haue ben cast into the fierie furnace of affliction if presently wee be taken out before wee be purged and purified from the drosse of our corruptions Secondly wee may obserue that howsoeuer the afflictions The Lord deliuereth out of tedious afflictions of gods elect being tediously continued doe seeme to threaten their vtter distruction yet in the end the Lord will graunt deliuerance cause them to further their conuersion and saluation it may be whilest we deferre our repentance the Lord will delay his helpe as though hee had vtterly forsaken vs but wee may assure our selues that though he bee long in comming to our ayde yet at length hee will come and graunt vnto vs a good issue out of all our trialls Examples hereof wee haue in the Israelits in the Aegyptian captiuitie in Babilon and Assiria in the three Children Daniell in the Lyons den and many others LECTVRES VPON THE FOVRTH CHAPTER OF THE PROPHECIE OF HOSEA THe Prophet hauing in the former Chapter The argument testified and approued the loue of God towards the people of Israell to the end that those who were long to continue in a grieuous Captiuitie might in the middest of their miseries be supported with some comfort doth now againe direct his speach to the Israelites of his owne times accusing and conuincing all states and conditions of diuers grieuous and enormious sinnes which raigned and ruled in the whole land and withall intermixeth such just and well deserued punishments as the Lord was purposed to inflict vpon them vnlesse they preuented them by their vnfained repentance And least the people of Iuda by following their practise should make themselues subiect to the like miseries he admonisheth them not to communicate with them in their sinnes that they might not be pertakers of their punishments And this is the maine argument of this Chapter the parts The generall Analysis of the Chapter thereof are two The first is an accusation or sharp reprehension of the people of Israell for their manifold haynous sinnes from the first Verse to the fifteenth The second is an admonition to the people of Iuda to auoid their sinnes that they may escape their punishments from the fifteenth Verse to the end of the Chapter The first part is expressed in a judiciall forme of proceeding wherein the people of Israel are summoned to appeare and arraigned before the Tribunall of Gods Iudgement to answere such things as should bee laid to their charge namely that they had by their capitall crimes and enormious sinnes offended against their soueraigne Lord the king of heauen and earth and so breaking his Lawes had made themselues guiltie and obnoxious to those punishments which were therin threatned All which their offences were comprized in foure seuerall bils of inditement of which being conuicted there is annexed to euery bill a forme of condemnation to suffer such punishments as they had justly deserued The first bill of inditement is contained Verse 1. and 2. the sentence of condemnation is affixed Verse 3. The second bill Verse 4. the sentence in the 5. The third bill and third sentence are intermixed Verse 6. 7. vnto the 11. The last bill Ver. 12. 13. the sentence of Iudgement in the latter part of the 13. Ver. and in the 14. And these are the speciall branches of this first generall The maine scope of this Prophecie part Now the generall scope of the Lord in all this is that the people who liued so securely in their sinnes that they little or nothing regarded eyther the person of the Prophets or their threatnings might at least be awakened out of their spirituall Lethargie when as they heard themselues summoned before Gods Iudgement Seate and perceiued that the Lord would no longer suffer his word to be contemned in the mouth of his seruants but would plead in his owne cause and examine and try the transgressours of his lawes before his owne Tribunall Seate of Iudgement and so proceed to the condemnation and execution of those whom he found guiltie BVt let vs come to speake of these speciall parts more particularly the first whereof is contayned in the three first verses wherein the people of Israell are by law conuicted and then by Gods just sentence condemned They are conuicted in these words verse 1. Heare the word of the Lord Verse 1 yee children of Israell for the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land verse 2. By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they brake out and bloud toucheth bloud Where is set downe first the summons and araignement of the people Heare the
hereby hee implyeth when he saith there was no simplicitie in the land that it was full of hipocrisie and dissimulation and when he affirmeth that there was no veritie he implyeth that there was lying and when he accuseth them to be without truth or justice in their actions he intimateth also that they were full of all manner of fraud and deceit The second sinne whereof he accuseth them is that they The second sinne that they wanted mercy were without mercie the word signifieth either benignitie or beneficence and in the former signification it is referred to the minde and hart and so is called mercy and compassion and in the latter to the words and works and then it is called beneficence and comprehendeth in it all workes of charitie and christianitie as when in our words we are ready to help and benefit our brethren by exhortation counsaile consolation admonition and reprehension and in our workes by defending them with all our power and relieuing them with our riches Whereas therefore he chargeth them to be without mercy his meaning is that they were destitute of all these vertues and neglected all these christian duties and contrariwise he implyeth that their minds were full of malice and cruelty their words rotten and vnsauorie their workes replenished with oppression violence and barbarous inhumanitie And these were the sinnes which respected their neighbours and the breach of the second table their sinnes which immediately respected God are all comprehended in this that there was no knowledge of God in the land vnder The third sin no knowledge of God which particular he compriseth the neglect of all the duties injoyned in the first table and of all religion piety for as from the true sauing knowledge of God as from the root of all graces there springeth Faith affiance hope loue the feare of God obedience and all true worship of God so contrariwise ignorance is the roote of all impietie infidelity diffidence presumption despaire hatred of God contempt disobedience superstition idolatrie And therefore whereas he chargeth them that they were without the knowledge of God he necessarily implyeth that they were vtterly destitute of all grace piety and all true religion and guilty of the breach of all the commandements of the first table for where the roote is dead there the braunches must needes perish Now these their sinnes are aggrauated in that hee saith that there was no veritie mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land First in that it was a Land which God in great mercy had bestowed vpon them to the end that therin they should worship and serue him a land wherein he had protected and preserued them a land wherein he had plentifully afforded vnto them the meanes of attaining these graces of truth mercy and knowledge namely his Word and Sacraments Secondly in that this impietie and neglect of Religion did not onely lurke in some few corners but ouerspread the whole land neyther were there onely some few men tainted with these vices and corruptions but generally the whole body of the people So that they did not onely hide these sinnes as being ashamed of them but being come to bee as it were a common fashion they impudently professed and defended them And so much for the meaning of this first Verse the That the Lord himselfe will contend with those who contemne the ministerie of his Prophets doctrines which are to be obserued are these First we here learne that if Gods Prophets haue long contended vvith a people in Gods cause as his aduocates and doe not preuaile with them by causing them to humble themselues before him by true repentance then the Lord will take his cause into his owne hands and ceasing to contend with them any longer by his word and spirit will prosecute his controuersie with them by afflictions and punishments and if hauing often sent his Ambassadours with reasonable conditions of peace men neglect them and refuse to hearken vnto their ambassage then will this powerfull king march against them with an armie of his judgements and neuer cease encountring them with his plagues till he hath eyther humbled or destroyed them And this appeareth in this place as also Gen. 6. 3. In the example of the Iewes led captiue into Babilon Gen. 6. 3. and afterwards destroyed by the Romaines So that God first dealeth with men by his word and then if this will not preuaile by his chastisements and lastly if these will not reforme them by his destroying plagues and punishments Would we therefore escape his corrections then let vs suffer our selues to be reformed by his word would we not be destroyed by his fearefull punishments then let vs labour to profit by his gentle chastisements The vse hereof serueth for the comfort of Gods faithfull A comfort for Gods ministers Ministers when their persons are disgraced and contemned and their Ministerie neglected and dirided by wicked men then they are to remember that they being the Lords aduocates to pleade his cause against an impenitent people are sure to be strongly backed by the Lords own power wherby those shall be brought vnder who would not submit them selues to be ruled by the scepter of the word Secondly it serueth for the terrour of all those scoffers A terror for contemners of Gods word and desperate wicked men who contemne and deride those threatnings which they heare denounced in the ministerie of the word against them for their sinnes for let such know that if they will not be reclaimed from their wicked courses by the ministery of Gods Prophets the Lord himselfe will follow his owne cause and ceasing any longer to contend with them with his word and spirit he will prosecute them by his judgements and punishments The second thing to be obserued is Gods judiciall course The just administration of Gods iudgements of proceeding in the execution of his Iudgements although being infinite in wisedome power and justice he might sodainely inflict his punishments vpon sinners as soone as they haue offended yet first to approue the justnes of his judgements hee doth in the Ministery of his word summon them before his seate of Iustice arraigne and conuince them that so they may be moued to sue for a pardon by turning vnto God by true repentance hereby preuent deserued punishments So he sent Noah to the old world before he brought the Deluge Lot to Sodome before he destroyed it with fire and brimstone Moyses to Pharaoh before he drowned him in the red sea The Prophets to the Iewes and Israelites before he brought them into Captiuitie and our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples before their vtter destruction and desolation All which as it serueth to commend Gods mercifull justice so also to condemne the hardnes of mens harts and to leaue them without excuse who will not after so manifold warnings turne from their sinnes by vnfained repentance that so they might escape these fearefull punishments Thirdly
are once spoyled weakned maymed vvounded especially Gods spirit which by their presumptuous sinnes they haue grieued being departed from them The second thing to be obserued is that he comprehendeth All impietie comprised vnder vnlavvfull swearing all impietie and the whole breach of the first table vnder this one sin of vnlawfull swearing and as in the former Verse he had comprised all the sinnes of omission vnder the want of knowledge as being the fountaine of all the rest and the internall root from which they spring so here he comprehendeth all sinnes of commission vnder this one of abusing Gods holy name which is an external sin of the tongue First because it is an vndoubted signe an inseperable companion of all manner of wickednesse for hee that maketh no conscience of blaspeming Gods holy name by eyther false or vaine and idle oathes he maketh conscience of no sinne but would if he might with as little disgrace and danger doe it commit all manner of impietie hee that will not be restrained by Gods feare loue mercy goodnesse and the manifold benefits which he hath receiued of him from vaine swearing whereby he receiueth no profit but losse euen the losse of Gods fauour the assurance of saluation of a good conscience and of reputation amongst those that feare God nor any pleasure vnlesse he take like the Diuell himselfe a hellish pleasure in acting sinne and despiting God nor hath thereby any credit but rather is branded with the black marke of a prophane person hee that will contemptuously trample vnder feete the precious body and bloud of Jesus Christ which he spared not to giue for our redemption and so irreligiously scorne the greatest benefit that euer the Lord bestowed vpon vs it is not to be doubted but that this man what shew soeuer hee maketh is a prophane person who when hee is allured by the baites of the world riches honours and pleasures will not stick to commit any manner of wickednesse seeing he is ready to commit this horrible sinne of blaspheming gods name being induced therunto without any respect of the least good Secondly he implyeth vnder this one sinne of swearing all the sinnes commited against the first table because all these sinnes are linked together and so inseperably ioyned one with the other that whosoeuer is held in bondage vnder one of them he is subiect to the rest according to that Iam. 2. 10. Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole law and yet faileth in Iam. 2. 10. 11. one point he is guiltie of all The reason is because hee that wilfully neglecteth any part of Gods Law he doth not performe any one dutie as he ought in obedience to gods commandement and for the aduancement of his glory but for sinister respects for if out of a good conscience and the true feare of God he performed any duety then the same causes would moue him to performe all seeing God injoyneth one commandement as well as another as the Apostle there reasoneth Verse 11. The vse hereof is that we make conscience not onely of one but of all Gods Commandements and that we carefully auoyde not onely this or that sin as Herod did but all kinds and degrees of sin especially false or vaine swearing for this alone includeth or necessarily inferreth all manner of impietie and therefore let blasphemous swearers make at some times what shew of religion they will yet vve may safely and surely conclude with the Apostle as in the generall so especially of this sinne of blaspheming Gods Name that if any amongest you seemeth Religious and refraineth not his Iames. 1. 26. Tongne from customable swearing and vaine Oathes hee but deceiueth his owne heart and his Religion is in vaine Iames. 1. 26. The third thing to bee obserned is that the Lord conuinceth Why God condemneth all sinnes vnder the names of those which are greatest in that kinde and condemneth the Israelits of all their transgressions vnder the names of the greatest sins of that kinde as cruelty and oppression vnder the name of murther all manner of deceipt vnder the name of theft all kinds of vncleannesse vnder the name of whoring and adulterie And this he doth Reason The First First to giue vs to vnderstand that howsoeuer wee make small accompt of these sinnes yet in his sight vnjust anger is no better then murther deceipt though neuer so cunningly cloaked no better then theft and vnlawfull lusts are reputed in his estimate adulterie as our Sauiour also expoundeth the law Mat. 5. Mat. 5. Reason The Second Secondly that hereby hee might moue vs to a hatred and detestation euen of all sinne whatsoeuer and to make conscience of committing the least transgression Naturally wee minse sinne and extenuate it with vaine excuses this is but a small sinne and I would no body did worse I am content to leaue all grosse sinnes and therefore in this small trifle I hope the Lord will be mercifull vnto mee wee cannot here be Saints and to bee too scrupulous is to bee more precisethen wise But vnto such as thus extenuate their sins the Lord aggrauats them plainely affirming that their couetousnesse is theft their rash anger murther their inward lusts and vnchast speaches adulterie in his sight Reason The third Thirdly as the Lord by this meanes restraineth vs from committing the smallest sinnes so if wee haue fallen into them hee doth hereby humble vs and bring vs to serious repentance when as wee consider that those sinnes which wee haue innumerable times committed making no reckoning of them are reputed haynous in the Lords sight who is to bee our iudge so that hereby wee may be moued to lay our hands vpon our mouthes to desire with the Prophet that the Lord would not enter into judgement with vs to disclaime our owne righteousnesse and to hunger after the righteousnes of Christ to cease boasting with the Pharisee I am no extorcioner murtherer adulterer c. and to change the Pharisees brag into the poore Publicans humble praier God be mercifull vnto mee a sinner Fourthly whereas he saith they breake out like vnruly beasts Sinne if it bee not quicklie suppressed growes violent who would be held in by no sence like swelling streames which breake downe their banks and ouer-flow the whole country here againe wee may obserue the nature of sinne which if it be not quickly suppressed wil grow so violent contagious that nothing will restraine nor containe it with in any bounds The violence thereof if once it hath taken full possession of vs is such that neither Gods loue mercie and manifold benefits nor yet his law fearefull curse feirce wrath nor terrible judgements will restraine vs from runing head-long into it yea rather sinne will take occasion by the commaundement to worke in vs all manner of concupisence as appeareth Rom. 7. 8. And such is the contagious infection thereof that it will not be contained in the Rom. 7. 8. persons who are
to be excused if they reserue their hearts for God But let such know that herein they rob God of his glorie in denying to make publike profession of his true religion they giue a grieuous offence to their weake brethren who see their outward practise and do not see their inward intention they spoile the Lord of his right in that they doe not worship him in the whole man but with a part onely they cast themselues into desperate danger of making a further apostasie from God and his true religion and of embracing idolatrie both in bodie and minde they depriue themselues of a good testimonie of their owne saluation in a word they Rom. 10. 10. deny Iesus Christ and his truth before men and therfore vnlesse they repent of this sinne he will also deny them before his Father in heauen as it is Matth. 10. 33. Matth. 10. 33. Fiftly we here learne that all places lose their dignitie and become infamous when as they are defiled with sinne All places lose their dignitie when they are defiled with sinne and consecrated to idolatrie and consecrated to idolatrie so famous Gilgal which was ennobled by many memorable accidents which there hapned became through the idolatrie there committed so infamous and of such bad note that the people of Iuda are forbidden to resort vnto it And Beth-el which in former times was the house of God by the like abuse became Beth-auen a house of vanitie So Shilo which was greatly renowned because God had set his name there and placed therein his Tabernacle and Arke the visible signes of his presence became afterwards as remarkeable for Gods heauie iudgements as before it had been for his great mercies through the grieuous sinnes therein committed so as the Prophet Ieremie doth propound it as a paterne and example of Gods fearefull wrath to keep the people of Iuda from glorying in the Temple Ier. 7. 12. Psal 78. 60. The like may be said of the Jerem. 7. 12. Psal 78. 60. Temple it selfe which in the first institution was the house of prayer consecrated to Gods publike worship and seruice but through the wicked abuse thereof it became by Christs owne testimonie a den of theeues Matth. 21. 13. So Ierusalem Matth. 21. 13. the holy citie is become an harlot and whereas heretofore it was the place of Gods presence it is now the prey of Gog and Magog And Rome also which was the spouse of Christ is become the whore of Babylon and whereas heretofore it was a famous Church professing and practising Gods true religion now it is become the habitation of diuels the hold of all foule spirits and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird as it was prophesied of her Apoc. 18. 2. Apoc. 18. 2. The vse hereof serueth first to admonish vs that we reade our lesson out of all these examples which were written for our learning namely that we do not vaunt of our land countrie as being a place wherin the Church is seated Gods true religion planted and his pure and sincere worship established and exercised for if we securely go on in sin sheltering our selues from the heate of Gods anger vnder the shade of these priuiledges we shall in the end finde that our countrie was neuer so famous in the fruition of Gods manifold mercies as it shall be infamous and reproched through the filthinesse of our sins and the fearefulnesse of Gods vengeance which he will execute amongst vs. Secondly it confuteth popish pilgrimages vnto Rome Popish pilgrimages confuted and the Holy land for though these places retained still their ancient diguity and maintained still Gods pure religion yet haue wee no reason to goe vnto them to worship God seeing in the time of the Gospell all difference of places is taken away Neither are we now restrained to mount Gerazim or Ierusalem or Rome or any other place but this only is required that as God is a spirit infinite and omnipresent so wee worship him in spirit and truth as it is Ioh. 4. 23. To this purpose Ioh. 4. 23. Hierome one saith Non Hierosolymam vidisse sed Hierosolymis bene vixisse laudandum est It is no commendation to haue seene Hierusalem but to haue liued well at Hierusalem that is praise worthie Another saith Non terrena sed coelestis Hierosolyma Bernard epist. 319. ad Lelbert Abbat requirēda est non pedibus proficiscendo sed affectibus proficiendo that is We must not seeke after the earthly but the heauenly Ierusalem not by pilgrimage on foote but by bettering our affections How much lesse then are wee now to trauaile vnto these places seeing these Beth-els are become Beth-auens and howsoeuer they were heretofore the places of Gods worship yet are they now vtterly degenerate being wholly deuoted to Turcisme Antichristianisme superstition and idolatrie and therefore hauing lost their ancient dignitie and now become infamous we are not to esteeme them as they were but as they are nor to go vnto them lest they taint vs also with their superstitions and idolatrie The Last thing which is heere to be obserued is that the All mixture betweene true and false religion condemned Lord condemneth all manner of mixture betweene true religion and false religion betweene his pure worship prescribed in his word and wil-worship superstition and idolatrie For he could not endure that those who went vp to Gilgal and Beth-auen and communicated with idolaters should sweare by his name and thereby make a kind of outward profession of his religion he could not abide the halting of the Israelites betweene him and Baal but putteth them to their choice either to worship him alone or Baal alone 1. King 18. The like place we haue Ezech. 20. 39. As 1. King 18. Ezech. 20. 39 Jer. 44. 26. for you O house of Israel thus saith the Lord God go you and serue euery one his idoll seeing that you will not obey me and pollute my holy name no more with your gifts and with your idols So Zeph. 1. 4. 5. he threatneth to cut off all those who worshipped Zeph. 1. 4. 5. the host of heauen and them that worship and sweare by the Lord and sweared also by Malchan And this was the sin of the Samaritanes who worshipped the true Iehouah because they would auoid his punishments but withall worshipped together with him the gods of their own countries as appeareth 2. King 17. 29. 30. 2. King 17. 29. 30. The reason why wil-worship is condemned 2. Cor. 6. 14. 15. The reason why this sin is so straitly forbidden and condemned is because first there can be no communion betweene God and idols betweene his true religion and wil-worship idolatrie and superstition according to that 2. Cor. 6. 14. 15. What fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath the beleener with the infidell and