adulterie and therefore they were the children of fornication Now as they are rightly called bastards which are not begotten of the lawfull husband but of the seed of a stranger so the Lord in respect of the spirituall generation accounteth them bastards which hee hath not begotten by the immortall seede of his word made powerfull by the inward 1. Pet. 1. 23. opperation of his Spirit And therefore those who are begotten vnto the Church by false doctrines and lying spirits and according to their birth are so brought vp they are to be accounted the children of fornications But such was the birth and bringing vp of these children for their mother the Church of Israel vnder the reigne of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat committed spiritual whoredom when as forsaking the Lord shee worshipped the golden calues in Dan and Bethel whilest she plaied the harlot the posteritie which came of her were borne vnto the idols when as being brought vp in ignorance destitute of the knowledge of God and his religion they were instructed in false doctrine and idolatrie and so became as grosse idolaters as their predecessors And therefore being in adulterous issue of an adulterous mother both she and they were iustly reiected And this was the first and chiefe sinne for which the mother was diuorced and the children disinherited namely because she plaied the harlot and the children were begotten in her adultery Now this their sinne is aggrauated first by her shamelesse filthinesse therein shewed and secondly by her impudent and obstinate resolution to commit it The first is expressed in these words she that conceiued them hath done shamefully The Hebrew text hath it Shee that conceiued them is affected or confounded with shame whereby is not meant that she was shamefast or ashamed of her sinnes for this agreeth not to the disposition of an harlot especially to such a shamelesse harlot as this whose fornications were in her face and her adulteries betweene her breasts and who impudently professed that shee would goe after her louers but that she had committed such shamefull actions and had liued so filthily and infamously that shee had exposed her selfe to all shame and reproch The meaning therefore of these words is this that shee had not fallen into her sinnes of infirmity or after shee was fallen carried her selfe after any moderate manner but that she often committed these sins and defiled her selfe with so many kindes of idolatry and superstition that shee was growne infamous and iustly reproched of all who heard of or saw her abominable filthinesse Now this hee proueth and with all further aggrauateth the greatnesse of her sinne by giuing a particular instance of her wickednesse in these wordes for she said I will goe after my louers c. Whereas he saith that she thus said he implieth that shee did not follow her louers and forsake the Lord through infirmitie ignorance or as one ouertaken at vnawares but aduisedly wilfully vpon a deliberate and setled resolution shee determined to doe it and not onely so but in an impudent manner she professed that renouncing God her lawfull husband she would follow her louers Where by her louers we are to vnderstand her idols and false gods which are compared fitly vnto louers for as louers that is adulterers allure intice mens wiues to withdraw their hearts from their lawfull husbands and to fixe it vpon them to breake their coniugall faith and to commit whoredome by offering vnto them gifts and pleasures So the spouse of God is allured and inticed by idols to forsake the Lord and to set her heart vpon them and to violate her mariage saith by leauing his pure worship and seruice and prostituting her selfe to commit spirituall whoredome with them when as they seeme to offer vnto her as a reward some profit or delight And this also appeareth in the reason which she yeeldeth of her apostasie in the wordes following that giue mee my bread and my water my wooll and my flaxe mine oyle and my drinke In which words is also contained the exceeding great vnthankfulnesse of the people in ascribing all the benefits which they inioyed vnto their idols and false gods whereas the Lord alone was the author and fountaine of them The which their sinne was so much the more vnexcusable because in the Law the Lord had promised all these gifts vnto them to the end that they should expect them from him alone hauing receiued them they should ascribe the whole praise vnto him onely of his owne gifts Leuit. 26. 4 5. Deut. Leuit. 26. 4 5. Deut. 28. 2 3. 28. 2 3 4 5 c. Now vnder these particulars here named hee vnderstandeth all kind of benefits necessarie either for their sustenance and preseruation or for their pleasure and delight For by bread and water in the Scriptures is vsually signified all kind of meate and drinke food and sustenance as appeareth Exo. 34. 28. Deut. 23. 4. 1. King 13. 17. Esa 3. 1. By wooll and Exod. 34. 28. Deut. 23. 4. 1. King 13. 17. Esa 3. 1. flaxe is vnderstood all kind of clothing apparrell and furniture made of them By oyle and drinke is vnderstood all their pleasures and delicacies for oyle in those hot countries was vsed for pleasure ornament smell agilitie and strength and by drinke is meant not ordinarie drinke for that hee comprehendeth vnder the name of water but their drinkes which were most costly and delicate and further the word here vsed is of the plurall number and deriued from such a roote as signifieth to drinke abundantlie whereby is vnderstood their plentie of such delicacies And so much for the meaning of these words The instructions Sinne the cause of all punishment which hence arise are these First wee may obserue what was the cause of all those punishments before denounced both against the Church of Israel her children namelie their sinnes especially their idolatrie and vnthankfulnes For because the mother plaied the harlot and her children were begotten in her adulteries and not onely so but also liked and approoued imbraced and followed the whoredomes of their mother therefore ioyning in sin they were ioyned in punishment And indeede the sinne of man is the cause of al the miseries and euils which he suffereth for God who is the chiefe goodnesse taketh his delight in doing good and in multiplying his benefits vpon his creatures according to that Psalm 145. 9. The Lord is good to all and Psal 145. 9. his mercies are ouer all his workes and that of Micah Chap. 7. vers 18. He retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercie Mich 7. 18. pleaseth him Neither doth he punish but when mens sinnes vrge his iustice and draw vpon themselues his iudgements Whence we learne when we are punished not to murmure against God nor to looke to inferiour meanes but rather to examine our owne consciences and to search out our sins Psalm 51. 4. which are the cause
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
19. and Esa 36. and 37. And secondly when as being led captiue into Babylon he moued Cyrus and Darius to haue compassion on them and to returne them againe into their owne Country And this is that which is meant by these benefits promised Doctrines Now the things which hence are to be obserued are All Gods benefits included vnder his mercy these First that he includeth all his benefits promised vnder the name of his mercy to note vnto vs that they doe not come vnto any by merit and desert but of free grace and Gods vndeserued goodnes for mercy doth not presuppose merit but rather misery both in regard of sinne and the punishment due vnto it And further to assure vs that if we haue Gods mercy and be in his fauour we shall neede no benefit either for our maintenance or else our defence and preseruation whereas on the otherside without this mercy we can haue no assurance of either Secondly we may obserue that he knitteth these two together Mercy the cause of saluation mercy and saluation and setteth mercy in the first place because it is the cause of saluation and the fountaine from which this streame of our deliuerance floweth Whence we learne that when the Lord saueth and deliuereth vs out of the hands of our enemies we doe not ascribe our deliuerance to our goodnesse workes or worthinesse but to Gods free mercy and vndeserued grace The third thing to be considered is the meanes whereby Exposition the Lord would saue them which are described first affirmatiuely by the Lord their God and after negatiuely where the false and insufficient meanes are remoued And will not saue them by bow c. Concerning the first by the Lord their God we are to vnderstand the true Messias Iesus Christ the eternall Iehoua Gen. 19. 24. with his Father and holy Spirit who onely saueth and deliuereth his Church out of the hands of their enemies and procureth for them eternall saluation and happinesse first as the meritorious cause for his sake and merits we haue saluation and all other benefits deriued vnto vs from God the Father who if he should behold vs out of his Sonne in our sinnes and corruptions would in stead of benefits heape vpon vs plagues and punishments and in stead of saluation would plunge vs into euerlasting death and destruction And secondly as the efficient cause of our saluation for the Father saueth vs but by his Son who is his strong power whereby he not onely created vs but also hath redeemed and saued vs. Moreouer he saith that he would saue them by the Lord their God rather then that he would saue them by himselfe to the end that he might hereby signifie not onely that the house of Iuda did make choyce of him the true God whom they worshipped and serued but also that he was not the God of the Israelites seeing they had forsaken him and betaken themselues to the worship of idols But here it may be demanded how this can be true that he was not the God of the Israelites but of the Iewes onely seeing he professeth himselfe to be the God of all the seed of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and also seeing the Israelites at this time professed that they serued him in their idols I answere that God accounteth himselfe to be no God vnto them who had refused him and that they had in truth refused him whatsoeuer shew and profession they made to the contrary when as they did not worship him after the prescript forme of his word but in hypocrisie and in idols not in his temple vnto which place hee had limited and restrained his publike worshippe but in groues and high places And this was the true meanes whereby he would saue them In the next place hee expresseth and remooueth the false and insufficient meanes of their saluation And will not saue them by bow nor by sword nor by battell by horses nor by horsemen As though hee should say Although they bee so weake poore and impotent as that they may appeare vnto themselues and others to lie open for a pray to their enemies yet this shall bee no meanes to hinder their saluation and deliuerance seeing my purpose is not to saue them by any power riches or meanes of their owne but by mine owne might which without all humane helpe is in it selfe omnipotent and omnisufficient Whereas then he saith that hee will not saue them by bow nor by sword c. his meaning is that hee would not saue them by their owne power and strength or by any humane and worldly meanes but that their deliuerāce should whollie come from and by himselfe the which accordingly was effected first in the reigne of Ezekias when as being inuaded with the mightie host of Senacharib hee caused his Angell to slay 185000. of their enemies and so without their owne bow sword or battell deliuered them And after that they were led captiue into Babylon he gaue thē grace in the eies of Cyrus and Darius and when otherwise they were altogether vnable by force to relieue themselues he caused their enemies in pitie and compassion to free them out of captiuitie and to restore them againe into their owne countrie Now the reason why the Lord excludeth all their owne strength and meanes was first to beate downe the pride and insolencie of the Israelites who thought it impossible that the house of Iuda in regard of their weakenesse pouertie and small number should bee deliuered out of their hands especially hauing combined themselues with the Syrians to worke their ouerthrow and secondly to strengthen the Iewes in the assurance of their deliuerance notwithstanding they saw no possible meanes in regard of humane power which was exceeding needfull considering that through our naturally corruptions we are readie to doubt of our deliuerance when as we are abandoned of outward helpes And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines which The doctrines from hence arise are these First wee may obserue that the 1. That we haue all benefits from God in and for Iesus Christ saluation of Gods Church and elect children and all other benefits which they receiue either spiritual or temporal is in and for Iesus Christ alone and not from their owne meanes nor for their own merits And this appeareth in this place where the Lord promiseth to saue the Iewes out of the hands of the enemies but not by their own means but in the Lord their God the promised Messiah And as this is true concerning our temporall deliuerances so especially concerning our eternall saluation for there is not saluation in any other c. Act. 4. 12. And he is able perfectly to saue all those who Acts 4. 12. Heb. 7. 25. come vnto God by him Heb. 7. 25. The vse hereof is that wee doe not with the Papists looke for saluation elsewhere not in our owne merits nor in the merits and intercession of Saints nor ascribe the
their beauty to the eye then disgrace the deformity of their mindes to any sober iudgement that they doe not hereby grace and adorne but rather disgrace and deforme themselues for whereas by their creation they are Gods beautifull and excellent workmanship by their painting and dawbing they make themselues but like walking pictures and talking images that if beauty be a good it is such an one as is not bettered by communicating that they are not hereby liked and praised of the good and vertuous but of those if of any who like themselues are vaine and wanton Yea but they thus set forth themselues that they may bee liked and loued of their husbands vnto whom they cannot make themselues too amiable I answere that no wise husband would haue his wife set out to sale if he would reserue her to his owne proper vse that this is but a false pretence to excuse a false beauty For as the Satyrist saith moechis foliata parantur Juuenal sat 6. they vse these wanton arts not to please their husbands but to inflame the adulterer that the habit and behauiour of an harlot cannot bee pleasing and amiable vnto any husband that desireth to haue an honest and chaste wife that they must not so labour to please men as that in the meane time they displease God for their wanton behauiour and habit is offensiue and at least euill in appearance and therefore to bee forborne of Christians they derogate from Gods wisedome by altering and adding to his workemanshippe which kind of iniury an ordinary artificer cannot patience brooke and therefore seeing they are new creatures of their own making quite altered from their first creation it is not likely that the Lord wil owne or acknowledge them for his worke In a word they breake and transgresse the seuenth Commaundement both by shewing the signes of wantō vncleannes vsing the means to kindle inflame lust both in themselues others The last thing to be obserued is that as all kinds of idolatrie Sinnes openly professed and defended most odious in Gods sight and of all other sinnes are odious and loathsome vnto the Lord so especially those which are of the face and breast that is such as are openly professed and impudently defended Whilest sinne lurketh in the secret corners of the heart not daring to shew it selfe in the face and outward actions it maketh the sinner but like a poore fugitiue who hauing offended his Prince through selfe guiltinesse shunneth his presence but when it growes so presumptuous that it dare shew it selfe in the face words or externall actions and not onely so but also vaunt it selfe to the publike view daring Gods iustice and prouoking him as it were to his face then the sinner becommeth a proud rebell who regardeth not his Princes presence and contemneth his authoritie or like vnto an impudent adulteresse who not contenting her selfe with her secret whoredomes doth prostitute her selfe to her louers in the sight of her husband and like Absalon pitcheth a pauilion euen at noone day vpon the toppe of the house that hee may bee seene of all men This is the height of sinne when as men doe not onely consent vnto it but also act it not in a corner but in the face of the world not as blushing and being ashamed at it but impudently defending it boasting and glorying in their wickednesse And as it is the height of sinne so it shall bee plagued with the height of punishment euen with the diuorce and separation from God and therefore let all that would bee Gods spouse aboue all other sinnes flee these and though they fall through infirmitie humanie frailtie into sin yet at least let them take it away from their face and from betweene their breasts that is let them not defend it and much lesse vaunt and glorie in their wickednesse ANd so much concerning the first end of the denunciation of the diuorce namelie the repentance of the people Now concerning the second end which is a consequent of the former that is to say their freedom from punishment vpon their vnfained repentance and this either respecteth the whole Church or the particular members thereof The first is expressed vers 3. Lest I strip her naked and set her as Vers 3 in the day that she was borne and make her as a wildernesse and leaue her like a drie land and slay her for thirst In the former verse the Prophet shewed that the Lord The exposition had diuorced the Church of Israel but howsoeuer he had inflicted on her this iudgement yet such was his infinite goodnesse that in wrath he remembred mercie for although hee might iustly as husbands vsed to doe in such cases when he diuorced her haue stripped her of all his gifts and benefits yet in mercie he did not thus farre proceed in punishing of her but though he had put her away hee suffered her still to enioy the good things which he had bestowed vpon her at least in some measure and that to this end that they might remaine with her as pledges of his loue not altogether as yet extinguished and as vndoubted arguments to assure her that as he had not diuorced her for any hatred of her person but for her sinnes so if shee would repent of them hee would bee ready to receiue her againe into his former loue and fauour But because she abused the mercie of God and continued in her impenitencie therefore he threatneth that vnlesse she would seriously repent of her sinnes he would not only diuorce her but also strippe and spoyle her of all those his gifts and benefits which he had bestowed vpon her and which as yet she inioyed Wherein the Lord alludeth to the behauiour of kind husbands who hauing put away their wiues for their whoredomes doe notwithstanding allow vnto them liberall maintenance with which benefits when they are not restrained from their sinne and brought to amendment but rather abuse their gifts as meanes to further them in Ezech. 16. 16. 17 their vncleannesse and by bestowing them on their louers they threaten to strip and spoile them of all those benefits which they inioy and to leaue them destitute of all maintenance As though he should haue said Although vpon your diuorce iustly caused by your whoredomes I might also haue depriued you of all my benefits which I haue bestowed vpon you yet such hath been my mercie that I haue spared you hitherto and suffered you to inioy them in hope of your amendment but doe not continue to abuse my patience and mercie for vnlesse you repent and take away your fornications and adulteries which with such audacious impudencie you commit I will strippe you of all my benefits which as yet you inioy and leaue you as naked and beggarlie as you were when I first tooke you in mariage Now the benefits which the Lord threatneth to spoile the people of Israel of were either temporall and corporall or else spirituall
in worldly men who content themselues with their outward worship in hearing the word calling vpon God and receiuing the Sacraments But all those who would be truly religious must goe further and ioyne with the ceremonies the substance with the outward worship of the bodie the inward worshippe of the soule for if wee rest in the outward action and deed done God will esteeme no better of vs then of hypocrites our seruice of him though it neuer so much please our selues yet will it be odious and abominable in his sight as appeareth Esa 1. 13. 14. 29. 13. 66. 3. Mich. 6. 6. 8. Esa 1. 13. 14. 29. 13 66. 3. Micha 6. 6. 8. It is not pleasing to God to imbrace some part of his worship only Secondly wee may obserue that it is not acceptable in Gods sight to performe some part of his worship and seruice vnlesse we embrace the whole and that in such manner as he hath reuealed in his word The Israelites as we may see in this place retained some parts of Gods worship but because they neglected others and in stead thereof did offer a seruice vnto God according to their owne inuentions therefore the Lord threatneth that hee would take from thē those relikes which remained The same may bee obserued in the Church of Rome at this day c. and therefore though in many points concerning Gods worship they agree with vs yet we may not ioyne with them nor listen to any pacification or reconcilement of our religions vnlesse they would altogether forsake the abominations of the whore of Babylon and their owne wil-worship and wholly conforme their seruice of God in respect of the substantiall parts therof according to his will reuealed in his word ANd so much concerning the third punishment The fourth is expressed in these words Vers 12. And I will Vers 12 destroy her vines and her figge trees whereof she hath said These are my rewards that my louers haue giuen mee and I will make them as a forrest and the wilde beasts shall eate them In which words is set down their punishment together with the cause thereof their punishment was that hee would strip them of The exposition his temporall and corporall benefits and bring their land to vtter desolation For whereas he saith that he would destroy her vines and figge trees vnder these specials he doth by a Synecdoche generally vnderstand that hee would vtterly spoile their pleasant gardens and fruitful orchards and vineyards yea and all their fertile countrie with all the encrease thereof So that heere hee denounceth a farre more heauie iudgement then that contained in the ninth verse namely that hee would take away their corne and wine that is the fruites of the earth for though there had been a dearth of them through one yeeres scarcitie yet their gardens orchards fields and vineyards remaining vntouched of Gods punishing hand the fruitfulnes of the following yeere might haue supplied the want and defect of his foreruiner but whē they also were wasted and destroied there remained no hope of any reliefe And this he threatneth because as they ascribed the fruites of the earth to their Idols so also euen their fields orchards trees and vines themselues according to the custome of the Heathen The which their sinne was the more vnexcusable because the Lord had taught them not only by continuall experience but also by his written word that all these were his blessings and benefits and therefore the praise of them was due vnto him alone Deut. 8. 7. 8. Deut. 8. 7. 8. But notwithstanding all this they in the blindnes of their superstition thought and with great impudencie did not sticke to speake and professe it that al these were the rewards which their louers had giuen them The word here vsed signifieth the hire which the harlot receiueth for prostituting her selfe to the adulterer whereby is signified that they had after the manner of impudent harlots committed spirituall adulterie with their Idols and afterwards boasted that they had receiued all these benefits of their false gods for that idolatrous worship which they had performed vnto them And therefore because they robbed God of that glorie and thankfulnesse which was due vnto him for his own gifts the Lord threatneth to take them away that so by their want of them they might learne to acknowledge the Lord to bee the author of them Moreouer he saith that he would make them namely their vines and figge trees their orchards gardens and vineyards waste and desert like vnto a forrest which is barren fruitlesse in which words he threatneth that such should be the desolation of the land that their fruitfull orchards and vineyards should bee turned into a vast and desert wildernesse And lastly he saith that the wilde beasts should eate them the which words may bee vnderstood either literally thus that their countrie should by their enemies be so dispeopled and al husbandry intermitted that wilde beasts should make their dennes and feed in their vineyards and orchards or allegorically that their enemies the Assyrians should like wilde beasts make spoyle and hauocke of all not only eating their fruites but also destroying their orchards and vineyards Whereby their vtter subuersion and desolation is implied for when the enemie spareth the trees and gardens he doth not intend the destruction of a countrie but the enlarging of his owne Empire and dominions as wee may see Esa 36. 16. but when he destroyeth these and maketh hauock Esa 36. 16. of all then hee intendeth the vtter subuersion and ruine of that state and people And this is the meaning of those words Out of which we may obserue how the Lord threatneth one punishment after The Do ∣ ctrines another and causeth his Prophet to denounce great varietie of iudgements that so hee might fit himselfe to euery ones That God fitteth his chastisements for the cōuersion of al the elect disposition and draw all vnto God by true repentance One is touched with the lighter chastisements others not moued vnlesse they heare of more heauie iudgements one is affected with one kind of punishment another with such an one as is of a diuers qualitie some with pouertie some with shame some with spirituall some with corporall afflictions and some are not moued at all vnlesse they heare of vtter desolation and destruction and therefore according to the varietie of mens mindes the Lord varieth his threatnings as appeareth in this place Whereby we may learne how impenitent and hard hearted wee are seeing the Lord is faine to vse so many meanes and to trie as it were so many conclusions for our conuersion and also wee may heere obserue Gods infinite goodnesse and mercie which hee sheweth not only in his promises but also in his threatnings For whereas he might iustly when we sinne vtterly destroy vs he giueth vs warning by his threatnings that being moued thereby to repent wee may escape his punishments yea and that
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
morral dutie of fearing God as our English translation seemeth to import but that they should fearefully hasten vnto the Lord and his goodnesse that is being affrighted with the sight and sence of their sinnes the curse of the law the anger of God death and damnation due vnto them they shall with all possible speede flye vnto the Lord to his goodnes and by a liuely faith lay hold vpon gods mercie offred vnto them in Christ and rest vvholy therevpon for their saluation So that this seemeth to be a Metaphor taken from Birds which being sodainely feared doe fearefully flye vnto their retiring places of greatest safety And thus this word is taken Chap. 11. 11. Hosea 11. 11. They shall feare as a sparrow out of Aegipt that is being affrighted they shall flye with great hast And in this sence the Latine vvord trepidare is vsed as Liuij annalium 23. Moxque in sua quisque ministeria discursu trepidat ad prima signa Virgil Aeneid 9. Ne trepidate meas Teucri defendere naues id est ne festinate Neuè armate manus c. And the rather doe I thus expound the vvords first because it is an vnproper manner of speach to expresse the morrall dutie of fearing God by this phrase of fearing vnto God Secondly vve are not said to feare Gods goodnesse but rather his justice and judgements True it is that God is feared for his goodnesse according to that Psal 130. 4. Psal 130. 4. namely as a gracious father whom for his goodnesse towards vs we are loath to displease but his goodnesse it selfe is not fearefull or terrible but sweet and comfortable Thirdly because the vvord is so taken in other places The meaning therefore of these vvords is briefely thus much that the people of Israell being terrified and affrighted with the sight and sense of their sinnes and the punishments due vnto them should flye speedily vnto the Lord as being their protector sure defence comforting themselues in the assured hope of his grace and goodnesse vvhereby they should bee assured that their sinnes shall bee forgiuen them and they freed from them both in respect of their guilt and punishment And these are the effects of their conuersion The time is expressed in these words in the latter or last dayes that is after that Iesus Christ the true Messias is exhibited in the flesh which vsually in the Scriptures is called the last dayes Deut. 4. 30. Esa 2. 2. Micha 4. 1. Heb. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 20. 1 Iohn 2. 28. The which time is specified First to shew their obstinacy in their sinnes and corruptions seeing these tough humours could no otherwise be purged away but by the long working potions of tedious and bitter afflictions Secondly that they might prepare themselues patiently to beare these miseries thus tediously continued when as they were forwarned of them for praemonitus praemunitus Thirdly that they might hereby bee refreshed with some comfort when as they were assured that howsoeuer their troubles were tedious yet at length they should haue a happie end seeing they should bring them vnto God by true repentance and a liuely faith And this is the meaning of the words the instructions God sanctifieth the afflictions of his Elect for their conuersion which from hence arise are many first wee here obserue how the Lord sanctifieth the afflictions of the Elect for their conuersion and true repentance for after that the people are grieuously afflicted at the length they are humbled in the sight of their sinnes and turne vnto the Lord. The like examples wee haue in Dauid the Israelites in the Iudges time Manasses the prodigall Sonne and many others and this is that which the Prophet speaketh Esay 26. 16. O Lord Esay 26. 16. in trouble they haue visited thee they haue poured forth a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them So that affliction humbleth them whom prosperitie puffeth vp with Pride it softneth those whom prosperitie hardened it conuerteth into the wayes of righteousnesse those whom prosperitie made to wander into the by-pathes of sinne But yet they worke not these good effects in all but onely in those vnto whose vse they are sanctified by Gods spirit as we may see in example of Pharaoh Saul Ieroboam c. who the more they were hammered and beaten vpon with afflictions the more hard and obdurate they waxed The vse hereof serueth to comfort all the faithfull in their greatest troubles and miseries seeing they may bee assured that the Lord vvill sanctifie their afflictions for their humiliation conuersion saluation For wel may we be contented to be beaten that wee may bee betred to bee put into the furnace of affliction that being purged from the drosse of our corruptions wee may like pure gold be treasured vp in the treasury of eternall happinesse to be pruned that wee may become more fruitfull to be hammered that our hard hearts may be made contrite and not onely with patience but also with joy and loue may we kisse that rod which maketh vs to run vnto God for mercy and forgiuenesse But forasmuch as the tree of affliction bringeth forth no such fruits vnlesse it be vvatered vvith the sweet dew of gods spirit therefore let vs also make this vse hereof that when we are afflicted we earnestly pray vnto God that hee will sanctifie our miseries to our vse and benefit and out of this poyson gather for our good this sweet hony of humiliation and obedience that is that our pouerty may turne to our spirituall inriching with the gifts of his spirit that our trouble may tend to eternall rest our shame to glory our sence of paine to the encrease of our sence of sinne and that our light and momentanie afflictions may cause vnto vs a superexcellent 2 Cor. 4. 17. and eternall waight of glory Secondly we learne that the Elect in their afflictions go directly vnto the Lord by his Sonne Iesus Christ that they may be reconciled vnto him and be receiued into grace and not vnto Saints and Angels as it is the custome of the Papists who when they are in any daunger or trouble make their prayers and vowes vnto the Virgin Mary Peter and other Saints Thirdly wheras he saith that they shall seeke Iehouah and Christ is true God coequall with his father Dauid their king that is Iesus Christ here we obserue that the same diuine worship is ascribed vnto Christ which also is attributed vnto God and consequently he is not meere man but God coequall with his father for vnto God alone belongeth diuine worship and this Christ chalengeth to himselfe Iohn 5. 22. 23. Where he sheweth that the father hath Iohn 5. 22. 23. committed all Iudgement vnto the Sonne that all men might honour the Sonne as they honour the Father Christ true man Secondly we hence gather that he is not God alone but man also for as this diuine vvorship yeelded vnto him prooueth him to be
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
4 2. 5. 12. to take a roll or booke Ezech. 3. 1. 2. to lay siege against Ierusalem Chap. 4. 2. To sleepe vpon his left side 390. daies Vers 5. To bake his bread in the dung of man vers 12. So Ieremie is commanded to cast a booke into the midst of Euphrates Ier. 51. 63. To hide his girdle by the Ier. 51. 63. 13. 4. riuer Perath or Euphrates Ier. 13. 4. when hee was straitly besieged in the citie Ierusalem and could not goe out but he must be taken by the Babylonians All which and many such like were not things done but visions and parables But it is further obiected that it should bee to no purpose Obiection 2 if this were not really done and that it would haue been as effectuall to conuince the people of their sinnes if the Prophet had set them before them in plaine words and vsed no parables I answer that parables are more emphaticall Answer and leaue a more deepe impression then bare words for they are as it were reall speeches wherein things are liuely represented to the sight of the vnderstanding as in pictures and tables And therefore the Lord would haue his Prophet not onely in plaine words but also in parables to set before the people their sinnes especially their sinne of idolatrie wherein both their patents and themselues had grieuously offended As though he should haue said The Lord inioyned me to the end that I should in more liuely manner set before you your sinne of idolatrie to propound vnto you this parable wherein he commanded me to resemble himselfe vnto me who should marrie a harlot and haue by her adulterous children For whereas the Lord like a louing husband had espoused you vnto him you haue plaied the harlot and haue committed spirituall adulterie with idols and diuels so that now the land is become like vnto a brothel or common stewes And therefore the Lord is purposed to take with you that course which husbands do with their adulterous wiues that is to diuorce and put you away from him And this is the generall meaning of this parable Now let vs consider the particular words Goe take vnto thee a wife of fornications That is take in mariage a wife which is an infamous common harlot which hath not only once but often not with one man alone but with many committed fornication and that not onely before mariage but also after and therefore not only an harlot but an adulteresse also as appeareth Chap. 3. 1. By wife then of fornications Hos 3. 1. we are to vnderstand a fornicating wife or a wife which is a fornicatour for the Hebrewes by reason that they haue few adiectiues do vse the Genitiue cases of substantiues in stead of adiectiues as A woman of vertue for a vertuous woman Ruth 3. 11. A citie of strength for a strong citie Esa 26. 1. The which Genitiue case if it be the plurall number it doth Ruth 3. 11. Esa 26. 1. aggrauate the thing and is to be vnderstood superlatiuely as A man of bloods that is a most bloodie man Psal 5. 6. A Psalm 5. 6. man of griefes that is a man full of griefes or extremely grieued Esa 53. 3. So here a wife of fornications that is a cōmon Esa 53. 3. harlot addicted to all manner of iust and vncleannesse And children of fornications That is beget of this vncleane and filthie wife vncleane and filthy children which may be called children of fornications either because they are borne of an adulterous harlot or because when they come to yeeres they will resemble and imitate their mother in her fornications And this is the meaning of the words In which is propounded a parable to the Israelites wherein the Prophet representeth the person of God the wife of fornications the Church or Synagogue of the Israelites or the ten Tribes the children of fornications the particular men and women which successiuely one age after an other committed spirituall fornication forsaking God their first and true husband and betaking themselues to the worshippe and seruice of idols Where we may obserue the great mercy and goodnesse of God who vouchsafeth to match himselfe in marriage with his Church which is farre vnworthy so great a fauour and so excellent a dignity Christ Iesus hath espoused himselfe vnto vs but what were we before he made choyce of vs Gods mercy vouchsafed his Church in her espousals surely vncleane fornicators who had prostituted our selues to idols wantons buggerers theeues couetous drunkards railers extortioners as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 6. 9 10 11. And what are we after our espousals surely blacke through 1. Cor. 6. 9. Cant. 1. 4. our corruptions spotted with manifold infirmities tanned with the sunshine of wordly prosperity and in no respect comely and beautifull but onely in that we are decked and adorned with the glorious robe of Christs righteousnesse and washed from our filthinesse with his precious blood And that which is worst of all the gracious goodnesse and entire loue of our husband will not worke in vs the like loue towards him againe but as before we were exalted by his free choice to this high dignity we plaied the harlot so after that we are espoused we commit spirituall whoredome by setting our hearts and affections more vpon the world and the pleasures thereof then vpon our heauenly husband for euery small trifle prostituting our soules to sinne which we should keepe pure and vndefiled And yet notwithstanding all this the Lord doth not diuorce vs from him but exhorteth vs to returne promising that hee will receiue vs into his former loue and fauour Ier. 3. 1. 12. 14 22. Ier. 3. 1. 12. 14. 22. The Reason And so much concerning Gods Commandement Now we are to speake of the reason thereof For the land hath committed great whoredome departing from the Lord. By land we are to vnderstand the inhabitants of the land by a vsuall metonymie of the subiect for the adiunct that is the ten Tribes of Israel which in times past were married to the Lord by promising vnto him alone their faith and loyall obedience Hath committed great whoredome The Hebrew text hath it Because the land whoring shall whore By which manner of phrases wherein the word is doubled the thing spoken is intended and aggrauated as weeping he wept that is he wept exceedingly reioycing he reioyced that is he greatly reioyced going he went that is he went hastily and speedily so here whoring it shall whore that is it will commonly impudently and with a brasen forehead play the harlot and that without intermission successiuely one age after an other for so much is signified by the future tense here vsed by which vsually is expressed a continuall act of time as though hee would say that the Israelites had not in former times onely and presently did but afterwards would continue in their spirituall whoredome Lastly it is said that they committed this
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
he will turne vnto vs his gratious countenance and whilest wee are in the confines of Gods kingdome the Church militant let vs patiently beare our crosse remembring that ere long wee shall haue full possession of our heauenly Canaan where we shall enioy a perpetuall rest from all troubles and be fully replenished with all ioy and happinesse Thirdly we here learne that the Lord bestoweth his temporall Gods temporall benefits are to the faithful earnest penies of those which are eternall benefits corporall and spiritual vpon the faithfull not only for their present vse and comfort but also for the confirming and increasing of their faith and hope in the assurance of farre more excellent gifts euen the vnualuable treasures of his eternall kingdome for hee giueth the valley of Achor for the doore of hope that is the benefits of this life that they may be pledges and earnest penies to assure vs of all his benefits belonging to the life to come The which as it may be vnderstood of all Gods gifts bestowed vpon the faithfull so especially of the inward graces of Gods sanctifying Spirit namely charitie zeale patience humilitie loue to the Gospell sanctification of life and the rest so that whosoeuer finde themselues indued therewith they may be assured that they haue so many pledges and earnest penies of their eternall happinesse and that it is not possible that their hope should become void and frustrate which the Lord hath confirmed with so many seales The consideration whereof should make vs to labour aboue all things for these spiritual gifts and graces whereby this doore of hope may be opened vnto vs and wee confirmed in the assurance of our election and saluation vnto which dutie the Apostle exhorteth vs 2. Pet. 1. 10. especially let vs by all meanes seeke to obtaine 2. Pet. 1. 10. the gift of Gods Spirit which giueth vnto vs an assured testimonie that wee are his children and heires of eternall life Rom. 8. 16. 17. sealeth vp this assurance in our harts and consciences Rom. 8. 16. 17. Eph. 1. 13. Eph. 1. 13. and also is the pledge and earnest penie of our heauenly inheritance 2. Cor. 1. 22. 2. Cor. 1. 22. We must meditate vpon Gods blessings new and old to increase our thankfulnes Fourthly whereas the Lord making new promises doth shadow them out vnder the allegorie of ancient benefits to the end that our assurance of future blessings by experience of his former goodnesse and truth may be ratified and confirmed and that in remembrance of pasted benefits in the fruition of his present blessings and in assured hope of his future goodnesse wee may be stirred vp to true thankfulnesse and obedience let vs learne hereby seeing we stand in need of all these helpes to make this profitable vse of them that is first let vs call to minde Gods mercies of old of which our selues haue had experience as also his goodnesse truth and power which he hath shewed towards others in preseruing sustaining and defending them and so shall we with greater affiance and confidence depend vpon his neuer failing promises and all ruling prouidence in the middest of all extremities And secondly let vs not only thinke vpon those benefits which we presently enioy but let them serue also to call to our remembrance Gods former goodnes towards vs as also those more excellent blessings and rich treasures of his heauenly kingdome wherof all these are but pledges and earnest penies that so this threefold cable of Gods gratious benefits being as it were twisted together in our memories may more strongly draw vs to true thankfulnes and obedience and that this infinite flame of his loue towards vs may at least kindle in our hearts some sparks of loue towards him againe And these are the doctrines to be obserued out of the benefits Whosoeuer haue part in spirituall blessings are filled also with ioy gladnesse and thankfulnesse here promised Now out of the Churches dutie wee may further obserue that whosoeuer are made partakers of the former benefits they are also hereby filled with ioy and gladnes the which they expresse by singing Gods praises not only with the voice but also with the heart and by glorifying Gods name not only with verball thankfulnes but also with the fruits of holy obedience in the whole course of their liues for as certainly as God promiseth our reconciliation conuersion and all other his benefits so doth hee likewise promise that those that are possessed of them shall laud and magnifie his name And therefore whosoeuer haue not this inward ioy gladnes in their harts nor expresse the same by lauding and magnifying Gods name it is certaine they haue no true taste of Gods spirituall benefits For this inward fire of ioy and thankfulnes will not be smothered in the heart but the flame thereof wil burst out into praises and thanksgiuing Now because euery one may say that he is filled with inward ioy and may faine and straine out a verball thankfulnes therefore we must labour to approue them by our outward actions and a continuall course of holy obedience to be true and sincere and so they will giue vs assurance that we haue indeed our part in al the former benefits which otherwise we cannot haue seeing the Lord giueth the one as well as the other and to this end bestoweth his benefits that we may glorifie his name by thankfulnes and obedience as appeareth 1. Pet. 2. 9. 1. Cor. 6. 20. 1. Pet. 2. 9. 1. Cor. 6. 20. We must not deferre our thankfulnesse Secondly we may obserue that this our thankfulnesse is not to be deferred but presently to be expressed euen whilest we are in the vineyards that is whilest our hearts are replenished with ioy in regard of the comfortable vse of Gods present benefits and our assured hope of those greater mercies in the time to come for negligent delaies cause forgetfulnes which is also the mother of the grossest kinde of vnthankfulnes But contrariwise then will our praises and thanksgiuings be most zealous and feruent when they issue from a hart presently inflamed with the ioyful sense of Gods benefits An example hereof we haue in Dauid 2. Sam. 7. 18. 2 Sam. 7. 8. Exod. 15. 1. Luk. 1. 46. in the Israelites Exod. 15. 1. in the Virgin Marie Luk. 1. 46. Thirdly we may here obserue that as the ioy so the praises The praises of the faithfull must not be slight but great and feruent Esay 9. 3. and thanksgiuings of Gods people are not slight and ordinarie but exceeding great and feruent not only like vnto the ioy in haruest that is in the fruition of Gods common benefits but like the ioy wherewith men reioyce after some famous victory obtained against their enemies yea and such enemies as haue in former times held them in most seruile and slauish seruitude for this was the ioy of the Israelites vnto which the Prophet compareth here the ioy and
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 not idlie to expect food from Gods immediate prouidence neglecting the subordinate meanes as obseruing the seasons and husbanding the ground with labour and diligence for though he bee bountifull in bestowing his benefits yet he giueth them not to idle loyterers but to painfull labourers Gen. 3. 19. Genes 3. 19. Fiftly we may obserue the infinite wisdome of God who Gods wisdom an making his creatures to stand in need of one anothers helpe hath lincked his creatures together in such excellent order as they haue need of one anothers helpe and all depend vpon him as vpon the first mouer Man needeth food food is not prouided without the helpe of the earth the earth is not fruitfull without the dew of heauen that heauens cannot send their raine without Gods blessing appointment Where we may note that man who is Lord of the creatures standeth in need of the meanest of thē that whereas his soueraigntie might puffe him vp in pride his necessitie which maketh him stand beholding to the basest creature might teach him humilitie Sixthly wee may obserue that the chiefe meanes which the Praier the chiefe meanes of obtaining all blessings Church is enioyned to vse for obtaining of all benefits is prayer as is implied by the manner of speech here vsed And I will heare saith the Lord c. For howsoeuer the Lord hath determined to multiplie his mercies vpon the faithfull yet not without the meanes of prayer inuocatiō Because if we did not first see and feele our wants if seeing thē we did not earnestly desire to haue them supplied if to haue our desire satisfied we had not our recourse vnto God by prayer wee would neuer know nor acknowledge that we had receiued these gifts frō God nor bee thankfull vnto him for them nor for the time to come depend vpon his prouidence And thus do earthly parents deale with their childrē although they are willing to supply al their wants yet first they will be intreated that hereby their loue affection towards them may be endeared and that they may learne obedience and reuerence seeing their owne want of their parents helpe and their readines in granting succour and reliefe Seeing then praier is the meanes of obtaining all blessings We must pray continully from God the conduit whereby the cleare streames of graces and benefits are deriued frō God the fountaine of all goodnes and the hand wherewith we fill our emptie soules in the store-house of Gods rich mercie let vs continually exercise our selues in this holy dutie and seeing our wants are continuall Let vs pray continually as the Apostle exhorteth vs 1. Thes 5. 17. Are we 1. Thess 5. 17. destitute of Gods blessings praier obtaineth thē Ioh. 16. 23. 24. Ioh. 16. 23. haue we them in abundance prayer sanctifieth them to our vse 1. Tim. 4. 5. doe wee employ our selues in our busines prayer bringeth a blessing vpon our labours Gen. 24. 12. do we cease 1. Tim. 4. 5. Genes 24. 12. Numb 10. 36. from them prayer blesseth our rest Numb 10. 35. are we merrie prayer seasoneth our mirth are we sorrowfull prayer easeth our griefe Iam. 5. 13. are we in trouble praier obtaineth Jam. 5. 13. Psal 50. 15. 107. 10. 13. deliuerance Psal 50. 15. are we in any manner of extremitie prayer bringeth reliefe Psal 107. 6. 13. 19. 28. Seuenthly whereas he saith not that God will heare Iizreel Our corruption in depending vpon inferiour means but that he will heare the heauens c. and that the corne wine and oyle shall heare Iizreel he doth here intimate our corruption and imperfection which causeth vs in the time of our wants in the first place to thinke vpon the inferiour meanes and secondarie causes for the supplying our necessities as vpon the corne wine and oyle before in our cogitations we ascend vnto God begging for helpe and reliefe at his hands the which our infirmitie the Lord tolerateth if wee doe not rest in their inferiour meanes but ascend from one to another vntill we come to the supreme cause of all blessings God himselfe as when being in want penurie we think we must needs starue vnlesse we haue corne food then we must also remember that we cānot haue thē vnlesse the earth yeeld thē nor the earth yeeld thē vnlesse the heauēs make thē fruitful nor that the heauēs can do this vnlesse the Lord enable thē And therfore finding that he is the chiefe cause first mouer who setteth al the rest on work let vs chiefely labor by our praiers to moue him to succour vs assuring our selues that when he is inclined to help and releeue vs there wil be no want in the inferiour meanes as thus we are to ascend vnto God that wee may call vpon him so being possessed of his benefits we must likewise to ascend to returne him thankes Lastly we here learne that all Gods gifts and benefits are All benefits bestowed vpon man for the faithfuls sake grāted vnto mankind at the suite of Iizreel that is for the faithfull and elects sake and if it were not for them the heauens would be as brasse without raine and moisture and the earth as iron barren and vnfruitfull Iolatrous Laban is inriched for religious Iacobs sake and Putiphar hath a blessing vpon his whole Deut. 28. 23. house because Ioseph is one of his familie The murmuring Israelites gather Manna sent from heauen because the faithfull Israelites should not want the whole people fareth the better because they haue a Moses amongst them who in his feruent prayers commendeth their suits vnto God And contrariwise when the godly are seuered from the wicked there is nothing to be expected but plagues punishments When Noah is entred into the Arke the sloud drowneth the whole world Whē Lot is gone out of Sodome it is soone after consumed with fire and brimstone When Gods people haue seuered themselues from Corah the earth swalloweth vp him and his followers And when Iosias is gathered to his fathers then sinful Israel must expect captiuitie and desolation Notwithstanding such is the blind pride of wicked men and The wicked impute all their euils vnto the faithful their inueterate malice towards the faithfull that they are readie to ascribe their prosperitie vnto themselues their calamities vnto the godly Ahab thinketh himselfe innocent and condemneth Elias to be the troubler of Israel Saul supposeth that neither he nor his posteritie could prosper vnlesse Dauid were murthered and the Scribes and Pharisies shame not to affirme that if Christ were suffered all would beleeue in him and that hereupon must needs follow their destruction and the desolation of their countrey Ioh. 11. 48. Ioh. 11. 48. ANd so much concerning the sixth benefit The last followeth which is the propagation and multiplication of the Church in the time of the Gospell Vers 23. And I will sow her Vers 23 vnto me in
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
not lasciuiously looke vpon a woman that they purposely open them that they may take full view of obsceane objects and frequent those places where they may most glut their adulterous eyes with wanton spectacles How many openly professe their inward vncleannesse of heart by their immodest attire wanton esseminate apparell and by laying open to the common view their naked breasts as though it were a bill affixed to the doore post to signifie to the passers by that within that place dwelleth an vncleane hart that whosoeuer wil may there buy honestie chastitie at an easie rate Yea how many are there in this land who giue themselues ouer to all manner of vncleannes and adulterie in the highest degree spending both their strength and whole estates vpon filthie harlots euen till they rot with loathsome diseases and haue brought themselues to vtter beggerie The which adulterous filthines the more raigneth because the Magistrates doe if not altogether wincke at it yet so slightly punish it as though they jumped with the Papists in iudgement that it is but a veniall sinne which may be well tollerated or as though the multitude of offenders did priuiledge the sinne and take away all hope of reformation the guilty which should be punished exceeding the number of the innocent who should see them punished And thus haue I shewed that the people inhabitants of this land are in most haynous manner guilty of all these sins whereof the Israelits are here conuicted and condemned the which we haue also fearefully aggrauated by the same many other circumstances for they are not seldome committed in few places but they are come to a common custome vsuall fashion in euery corner of the Realme and especially in this Citie there is no modestie or moderation in committing of them but men breake out and like vnrulie beasts will bee contayned by no fence for neither Gods infinite goodnesse his meruailous mercie nor his innumerable benefits so bounteously bestowed vpon this country will restrain them from committing of these sinnes no nor yet the curse of his law the feareful denunciation of his heauy judgements so often sounding in our eares his fatherly admonitions and gentle chastizements where-with we haue diuers times ben exercised Yea so barbarously bould are men growne in their sinnes that the more diligently the Lord vseth all good meanes to stop them in their wicked courses the more their vnruly lusts swell violently breake downe the bankes of modestie pietie iustice and the feare of God and so with an vnresistable sloud of wickednes ouerflow the whole country the more carefully the Lord applyeth vnto them such soueraigne salues as might cure the wounds of sin the more desperate they are in plucking them off againe that they may rot in their corruptions the more meanes is vsed to stay the infection of this contagious plague the more it spreadeth it selfe ouer the whole country And as these sinnes abound in innumerable numbers so they are haynous and bloudy in respect of their qualitie being committed in the highest degree of their seuerall kindes so that Gods Ministers in our times may justly complaine of the inhabitants of our land that those sinnes of swearing lying killing c. are vsually committed amongst them that like beasts they violently breake out and bloud toucheth bloud Whereof it necessarily followeth that seeing we abound in these sinnes and will not be reclaymed from them seeing the Lord hath often allured vs by his innumerable benefits by his sweet promises by his fatherly admonitions and often terrified vs by his seuere threatnings fearefull judgements of famine and dearth sicknesse and pestilence and yet there is no amendment and reformation that we can expect no other but that the Lord will bring this land to vtter destruction and desolation vnlesse we labour to preuent these heauie punishments by turning vnto him by speedy and vnfayned repentance For the Lord taketh that course with vs which we take with our children and seruants first he contayneth vs in his feare and obedience by his gracious benefits then if wee notwithstanding liue in sinne hee admonisheth and threatneth vs and if this will not reclaime vs then he correcteth and punisheth vs but if these often inflicted are not auaileable but that with full resolution wee will desperately runue on in our wicked courses then he will reject and cast vs off thrust vs out of his familie withdraw from vs all signes of his fauour and giue vs ouer to bee vtterly destroyed with those plagues which duely attend vpon such desperate sins AND so much concerning the first bill of inditement whereby the people of Israell are accused conuicted now followeth the sentence of condemnation whereby they are adjudged to suffer deserued punishments Verse 3. Therefore shall the land mourne and euery one that dwelleth Verse 3 therein shal be cut off with the beasts of the field and with the foules of the heauen and also the fishes of the sea shal be taken away Where the Lord more plainely expresseth after what The exposition manner he would contend with the people to wit not by his word alone but by his judgements also The punishment it selfe here threatned is the vtter destruction and desolation of the land by warre and the vsuall companion thereof dearth and famine the which is most liuely and emphatically expressed in diuers metaphoricall and hyperbolicall speeches the which I will expound as they lye in order And first here is expressed the cause of their punishment then the punishment it selfe the cause of their punishment in this word Therefore that is because all manner of sinne both of omission and commission doth abound in the land and the people is desperately resolued to rush into all manner of wickednesse notwithstanding all those meanes which I haue vsed to reclaime them and euen are now growne to a custome and habite of sinning therefore I will forbeare them no longer seeing they giue no hope of their reformation but will presently execute my fearefull judgements amongst them till they be vtterly destroyed The punishment it selfe is first expressed and then amplified it is expressed in two borrowed speaches the first in these words the land shall mourne As though he should say because the people will not mourne for their sinnes euen the land it selfe shall mourne and as it were sigh groane vnder the heauy burthen of my punishments So that hereby hee implyeth their stubberne rebellion impenitencie and hardnesse of hart in that the brute and senseles earth would bee sooner affected and touched with the feeling of Gods judgements then the more senselesse inhabitants and also the greatnesse of the punishment which should be so sharpe that it would giue sense to the senseles creatures The judgement it selfe is destruction and desolation by warre famine whereby the inhabitants of the land should be destroyed and swept away and all the goodly ornaments of the earth as the pleasant
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