of Israel appeareth by the order of the words where first it is said that she was not his wife and then that he was not her husband for the Lord did not forsake her before shee forsooke him hee did not deny to bee her husband before she refused to be his wife hee did not cease to performe his couenants which hee made with her of grace protection and preseruation before she withdrew her loue falsified her faith denied her seruice and obedience and went a whoring after strange gods And therefore there was no cause why for this diuorce they should expostulate with God and impute any fault vnto him but rather they were to lay the blame vpon themselues who by their spirituall fornications had broken off the mariage knot and had refused to be the Lords spouse so that hee was constrained to proclaime this diuorce because she had first refused him The like place vnto this we haue Esay 50. 1. Thus saith the Lord Where is the bill of your mothers diuorcement whom I haue cast off or who is the creditour vnto whom I haue solde you Behold for your iniquities are ye sold and because of your transgressions is your mother forsaken Where the Lord expostulateth with the Iews concerning the cause of their reiection and sheweth that the cause was not in him but in themselues and this he proueth by an olde rite and custome vnder the Law which was that those who were put away by the husband had a bill of diuorce giuen vnto them and that Deut. 24. 1. parents which were deeply indebted sold their children to satisfie their creditors as appeareth Exod. 21. 7. 2. King 4. 1. But I saith the Lord neuer put you away for if I did where Exod 21 7. 2. King 4. 1. is the bill of diuorcement neither did I sell you for where is the creditour to whom I stand indebted And therefore the fault is not in me but in your own iniquities and in the transgressions of your mother why you are sold and shee diuorced So Ier. 3. 8. Ezech. 16. Jer. 3 8 Ezech. 16. And this is the meaning of the diuorce which the Lord commandeth should be denounced The doctrines which The Law and the Gospell must be intermixed in the ministerie of the word hence arise are diuers First out of this mixture of Legall comminations with Euangelicall consolations Gods Ministers may learne spirituall discretion neither onely to thunder out the threatnings of the Law nor wholly to stand vpon Euangelicall promises but in their sermons to mixe the one with the other that whilest they beate downe the pride and presumption of secure hypocrites they doe not altogether exanimate deiect those who are truly humbled and contrariwise that whilest they comfort and raise vp Gods children who are afflicted in mind and deiected they doe not confirme proud hypocrites in their securitie and presumption Neither is this course profitable alone in respect of hypocrites and secure worldlings but also in respect of Gods deere children for being partly flesh and partlie spirit as in respect of their spirituall part they haue neede to heare the sweete comforts of the Gospell for the confirmation of their faith so had they in regard of the flesh neede to heare often of the threatnings of the Law to restraine them from sinne to beate downe pride presumption and securitie and to containe them in holy obedience Secondly we may obserue the nature of hypocrites who The nature of hypocrites to expostulate with God when they suffer the punishment due vnto their sinnes are ready to expostulate with God and to calumniate his iustice of crueltie as though their punishment were either altogether vndeserued or else at least farre greater then their sins To this purpose they vse all friuolous pretences to excuse their faults laying them of themselues vpon others yea rather then faile they will not sticke to accuse God that they may excuse themselues And therefore the Lord is faine oftentimes to expostulate the matter with them to cleare himselfe from all imputation of fault and to conuince them of their sinnes that they may be brought to true repentance An example hereof we haue in our first parents Gen. 3. 12. Gen. 3. 12. 4 19 Ier. 2. 35. Mal â— 8. 1. King 18. 17. Math. 25. 24. 13. In Caine Gen. 4. 13. In the Iewes Ier. 2. 35. Mal. 3. 8. In Ahab 1. King 18. 17. In the vnprofitable seruant Mat. 25. 24. 26. Thirdly we here learne when we suffer affliction or beare We must not murmure against God in our afflictions our punishment that we doe not murmure and expostulate with God as though he dealed more seuerely and rigorously with vs then we haue deserued but let vs descend into our selues and examine our owne hearts and consciences and so shall wee find that not the Lord but our selues are in fault that our punishment is farre lesse then our sinnes and that it is the great mercie of the Lord that we are not vtterlie consumed as the Church confesseth Lament 3. 22. And this Lament 3. 22. course must be taken of euery one of vs before we will euer be truely humbled and brought vnto God by vnfained repentance or before the Lord will euer bee mooued to pardon our sinnes or release our punishment For none will euer sorrow for those sinnes of which they thinke they are not guiltie there is none wil lay them to hart be humbled vnder the weight of them so long as they pretend excuses and seeke to put off their burthen from their owne to others shoulders and so long as wee content our selues with these fig-leaues we wil neuer looke after a better garment to hide our nakednesse Againe the Lord will neuer absolue vs before we condemne our selues he will not pardon our sinnes till we setting aside all excuses ingenuously and freely confesse them he will neuer case vs of this burthen whilest with false pretences we seeke to vnloade our selues neither will he euer make vs partakers of his mercy till we acknowledge that we haue deserued the extremity of his iustice as may appeare by the former examples Fourthly wee are to obserue that the children are commanded That particular men may expostulate with their mother the Church to expostulate not onely one with another but also with their mother the Church that so both the particular members and the whole Church in generall comming to a sight of their sinnes and condemning themselues for them they might bee brought to true repentance Whence wee learne what dutie is owed by children to their parents and by particular members to the whole body of the Church namely they are so to honour them that God bee not dishonoured so to excuse them that God bee not accused so to hide their faults from others that they doe not ignorantly foster them in themselues The Papists crie out vpon vs for discouering the nakednesse of their Church which
also alludeth to the state of the Israelites in the wildernesse who had no water but what the Lord brought out of a rocke in a miraculous manner Neither doth he onely aime at this bodilie thirst for want of water but also at the thirst of the soule for want of the water which floweth from the sanctuarie the word of God of which Amos speaketh Chap. 8. 11. 13. And of the Amos 8. 11. 13. water of life of which whosoeuer drinketh shall neuer more thirst euen the Spirit of God of which our Sauiour speaketh Ioh. 4. 14. 7. 38. 39. Ioh. 4. 14 7. 38. 39. The scope of the Prophet And so much for the meaning of the words wherein the Prophet aimeth at these foure things principally first hee setteth forth the admirable and infinite patience loue clemencie and bountie of God who when his spouse the Church of Israel had often and impudently plaied the harlot and for her whoredomes was diuorced from him yet he did not according to the iust custome of husbands in like cases take his gifts and rich benefits from her which he had bestowed on her but suffered her to inioy them still and this he implieth when as hee willeth her to repent lest he should spoile her noting thereby that as yet hee had not done it Secondly in these words he intimateth that if she would repent he was readie to forgiue her and to suffer her still to inioy his benefits for he had not as yet spoiled and stripped her as he iustly might and was loath to go about it and therfore he exhorteth her to turne from her sinnes that he might not be vrged to doe it in his iust displeasure Thirdly he laboureth to worke in her true repentance by forewarning her of an increase of punishment namelie that if that great punishment of diuorce and separation from God would not mooue them to turne from their sinnes hee was readie to inflict other punishments vpon them which though they were not so great as the former in their owne nature yet perhaps they were farre more grieuous in their opinion and apprehension For where hee willeth her to take away her sinnes lest hee spoiled her hee implieth that vnlesse she repented he would not content himselfe with that punishment of her diuorce but would most certainely spoile her of all the ornaments gifts and benefits which he had bestowed on her Fourthly because pride and true repentance will not stand together therefore he seeketh to humble her both by putting her in minde of her miserable and base estate wherein she was before hee aduanced her and by assuring her that if she did not humble herselfe forsake her sinnes and turne vnto him from her idols he would leaue her as hee found her depriue her of all his gifts and ourwhelme her with an vnsupportable load of woe and misery And these are the maine things at which the Prophet aimeth The Do ∣ ctrines in these words The doctrines which from hence are to be obserued are these First we may obserue what is the God denounceth his iudgments that we may repent cause why the Lord denounceth his iudgements against his people to wit that they may repent of their sinnes and that repenting they may escape punishment which his iustice vrgeth him to inflict vpon them continuing in their sins So he causeth the diuorce to be proclaimed that they may take away their adulteries and that repenting of them they might not be stripped of all the gifts and benefits which as yet they inioyed So that the end of Gods threatnings is that we may repent and of our repentance that wee may escape punishment and the end of one punishment is that making good vse of it we may escape an other Whence we may obserue that God euen in wrath remembreth mercy for hee threatneth that he may not punish and punisheth that he may not destroy he punisheth vnwillingly after a sort and therefore before hand he giueth warning that wee may escape it and hauing inflicted it he laboureth to apply it to our senselesse hearts that by our obstinacy wee doe not vrge his iustice to proceede in punishing And therefore let vs not by our stubburnnesse and impenitency make Gods end frustrate and turne mercy into iustice but when he threatneth let vs repent that we may escape punishment or at least let vs turne vnto him when he punisheth that we doe not moue him to deale more seuerely with vs. The second thing to be obserued is that after the Lord God doth not alwaies strip a people of al his benefits after he hath reiected them hath reiected a people hee doth not alwaies presently vpon the diuorce withdraw his gifts and benefits from them but leaueth them with them for a time to bee inioyed that this his loue patience and bounty may moue them to forsake their sinnes that so they may bee receiued into his former loue and fauour Whereby as wee haue occasion to admire and praise the indefatigable patience and infinite bountie of our gratious God so may we hereby be admonished not to iudge of Gods loue and fauour nor of our owne happinesse by outward benefits whether they be ciuill or spiritutuall as namely peace plenty a flourishing estate the word Sacraments c. seeing after the diuorce he vouchsafeth to the diuorced such benefits for a time as appeareth in this place The like example we haue in Caine who being banished Gods presence flourished in the world and in Saul who though hee were reiected yet the Lord suffered him a long time to inioy the Kingdome and in Ahab whose destruction was long determined before it was effected Thirdly we may obserue that because the Church of Israel did not repent vpon the hearing of the diuorce proclamed If one iudgement will not reclaime vs God will send another therefore the Lord threatneth an other punishment namely that he would strip and spoile them of all his gifts So that although in his loue and patience he doth not presently after he had diuorced them depriue them of his benefits but giueth them a time to make vse of his former punishment yet his iustice will not euer suffer him to winke at their sinnes but if his first iudgement will not reclaime them he will goe forward to a second which vsually is more grieuous then the first Notwithstanding in this he first denounceth the diuorce which is the greater punishment and after the withdrawing of his gifts which is the lesse for separation from God is infinitely a more heauy iudgement then to be depriued of all other happinesse And this hee doth because howsoeuer these things are in their owne nature yet to worldly men and prophane hypocrites the losse of God is more lightly esteemed then the losse of his gifts for so they may inioy their worldly glory riches and delights they can bee content to liue depriued of Gods fauour and to be diuorced from him And therefore the Lord
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
were tyrannicall vsurpers to wit Zachariah Shalem Menahem Pekahiah Pekah and as it is very probable in the daies also of Hosheah but mention is made of him that light might be giuen to the Cronologie that it might appeare how long Hosea prophecied as we shall shew afterwards The causes why mention is here made of the raigne of these Kings are First to shew the certaintie of this prophecy in that the particular time wherin it was deliuered is specified Secondly because in Cronologies no fitter course can be taken for the numbring of times and yeares wherein things were done then by the raignes of Kings because the time by this meanes is better obserued and remembred Kings raignes and the things done by them being often repeated in common discourse Thirdly because it giueth light vnto the vnderstanding of the prophecie by hauing recourse to the historie of these Kings where vnderstanding their disposition life actions wee may thereby guesse at the state and condition of the Regis ad exemplem totus componitur orbis times and people ouer whom they raigned seeing the subiect either for feare or fauour vsually imitateth and conformeth himselfe to the nature disposition and behauiour of his Prince Fourthly that it might appeare that these prophecies were not deliuered for priuate ends and respects but for the publike vse and profite as well of their people as of their Princes that all with one accord both by Gods sweete promises and seuere threatnings might bee brought vnto true repentance Lastly that we might know how long the Lord vsed the constant ministerie of his Prophet in mouing the people to How long Hosea prophecied forsake their sinnes before he would inflict the punishments which they deserued the which may be gathered out of this Cronologie of the raigne of these Kings of Iuda and Israel For Vzziah who is called also Azariah raigned two and fiftie yeares in whose raigne hee beganne to prophecie and lest we should thinke that hee beganne to prophecie in the latter end of his raigne he addeth also that hee prophecied in the daies of Ieroboam who raigned one and forty yeares ouer Israel 2. King 14. 23. And in the seuen and twenty yeare of his raigne began Vzziah to raigne ouer Iuda 2. King 15. 2. King 14. 23. 1. So that if we reckon but from the last yeere of Ieroboam it 2. King 15. 1. will appeare that Hosea prophecied in the time of Vzziah thirty seuen or almost thirty eight yeares to these if wee adde the time of Iothams raigne which was sixteene yeeres 2. King 15. 33. And of Ahaz which was sixteene yeeres more 2. King 16. 2. it commeth in all to 69. or 70. yeares 2. King â—â— 33. 2. King 16. â— Now it is likely seeing mention is made of Ieroboam and Hezekiah that hee prophecied also in some part of their raigne and according to Ieromes iudgement he prophecied fiue yeares vnder the raigne of Ezechias For as hee saith of him he did foresee the future and bewailed the present destruction of the Kingdome of Israel which was effected by Salmanasser in the sixt yeare of Ezechias raigne To all which time if wee adde some yeeres of Ieroboams raigne it will amount in all almost to eighty yeeres For whereas some imagine that the yeeres of Iothams raigne are to be numbred with the yeeres of his father Vzziah because in his time he being strucken with leprosie Iotham gouerned in his fathers stead it is very probable that besides this time he raigned after his fathers death sixteene yeeres For it is not said that he raigned as King while his father liued but that hee gouerned his fathers house and ruled the people of the land 2. King 15. 5. 2. Chronicles 26. 21. Namely as Vice-roy or his fathers Lieuetenant or Deputie 2. King 15. 5. 2. Chro. 26. 21 The doctrines which we hence gather are diuers First we Gods mercy in affording to his people the meanes of saluation may obserue Gods infinite mercy towards this people of Israel who before he would destroy them as their sinnes deserued he continued this and other of his Prophets ministery for a long time together to the end that they might be turned vnto him by true repentance and so escape his iust iudgements threatned Of this mercy we haue the like example in the daies of Noah before the captiuity of Iuda and the vtter destruction of Ierusalem in the times of Christ and his Apostles and in our owne daies Secondly we may obserue the obstinate wickednes and inflexible obduratenesse of this people who notwithstanding The hardnes of the peoples hearts this mercy of God and meanes of their conuersion continued in their sinnes without repentance The which obstinacie and rebellion is not proper vnto them but common with vs in these times wherein we stubbornely refuse the like or greater mercy and make no profitable vse of far greater meanes which God hath giuen vs for our conuersion But if we continue in the hardnesse of our hearts let vs not expect or hope for immunitie of punishment for as in the time of this Prophet after the people had long contemned Gods mercy he brought vpon them his fearefull iudgements so will he deale with vs c. The vse which we are to make hereof is that seeing our hearts are so hard and inflexible we doe not onely labour to bruise them by the hammer of Gods word and by applying vnto them the threatnings of the Law but seeing this is not sufficient in respect of their more then adamantine hardnesse we are often to implore the assistance of Gods holy Spirit for that onely is that precious oyle whereby they are suppled softned and made plyable to Gods will Thirdly we may heare obserue the painefull diligence The patience and diligence of our Prophet and vnwearied patience of the Prophet who for the space of so many yeeres continued his laborious ministerie and that not with a religious and obedient people which might haue yeelded vnto him some comfort and incouragement when as he did see the fruit of his labours but with an idolatrous and stiffe necked nation who scorned and despised his ministery The vse hereof serueth to stirre vs vp to follow his example in our seuerall places and callings though they seeme tedious and toilesome vnto vs especially Gods Ministers haue here a patterne of diligence and painefulnesse for their imitation which that they may imbrace and follow they are often to call to minde the recompence of reward promised Dan. 12. 3. Dan. 12. 3. So likewise the hearers of Gods word may here learne patiently to harken to the word of exhortation and reprehension and not to waxe wearie and tired though Gods Ministers doe for many yeares together inueigh against their sinnes and denounce Gods iudgements due vnto them as the custome of many is who though they be neuer wearie of sinning yet they are presently weary of
ouertaken with their punishments but they neglecting this example which the very sight and name of the place should haue continually called to their remembrance and going forward in their blinde superstition and idolatry the Lord in the verie same place brought vpon them the very like destruction The vse which we are to make hereof is this that we take warning by the example of others and make profitable vse of Gods iudgements which like a gracious Iudge he inflicteth on some that others being hereby admonished may escape which gracious warnings if we neglect he will likewise make vs examples of his iustice ANd so much concerning the first degree of the Israelites punishment signified by the birth of the Prophets first childe Now followeth the second degree the withholding of Gods mercy from them The which is first typically shadowed vnder the name of the second childe and after manifestly expressed first simply in the reason why this name was imposed verse 6. and afterwards amplified by way of comparison or dissimilitude verse 7. The second degree of their punishmēt is simply set down verse 6. Shee conceiued yet againe and bare a daughter And Verse 6 God said vnto him Call her name Lo-ruchamah for I will no more haue pity vpon the house of Israel but I will vtterly take them away Whereas the Prophet saith that his wife conceiued yet againe he sheweth that there was a certaine space or distance Exposition of time betweene the birth of the two children by which he signifieth that the Lord after that he had for their sinnes inflicted vpon them the first punishment would not presently bring vpon them his second and more grieuous iudgement but would giue them some respite and time of repentance that so turning vnto him hee might spare them and receiue them to mercy For if they had after they were ouerthrowne and led captiues vnfainedly repented of their sinnes the Lord would haue had compassion on them and receiued them into his loue and fauour But when they obstinately continued in their impenitency the Lord refuseth to shew mercy vnto them And this he signifieth by the birth of the second child Secondly by this second birth the Lord sheweth that they made no good vse of his former iudgements but grew from bad to worse and therefore his iustice required that he should lay vpon them a second punishment much more grieuous then the former And these things are to be gathered out of her second conceptiō It is further said that her secōd child was a daughter by which he intimateth their declining both in respect of their maners and state the former whereof was the cause of the latter First he sheweth their declination in manners for as the woman sexe is more weake and inconstant then the man so they were declined from that strength of faith vertue and constancy that was in Iacob and the rest of their godly ancestors and were become weake and inconstant in all good things Secondly he sheweth their declination in respect of the state of their Common-wealth For whereas their ancestors had valiantly defended and inlarged the Kingdome against all their enemies they were so weakened partly through their effeminatenesse the daughter of peace and plenty and partly through seditions and ciuill warres that they had made themselues a fit pray for their enemies being no more able to defend themselues then if they had been a Common-wealth of women And this weakenesse and infirmity is signified vnder the sexe of women in the Scriptures So when God would signifie that the Babylonians should not be able to stand in the hand of their enemies he saith that they should be like women that is weake and impotent Ier. 50. 37. Now this weakenesse in their state proceeded Ier. 50. 37. from their weakenesse in grace vertue faith and constancy for when they declined from holy obedience and after a weake and inconstant manner suffered themselues to bee withdrawne from God and were inticed to serue idols God tooke away from them their valour strength and manly courage and depriuing them of their hearts of men gaue them womens hearts which caused them to be so effeminate timerous and cowardly that they durst not indure the least incounter of their enemies And these are the things signified by the sexe The next thing to be considered is the name Call her name lo-ruchamah The signification whereof is without mercy or not obtaining mercy or as the Apostle Paul expoundeth it Rom. 9. 25. Not through Gods mercy beloued The which name is Rom. 9. 25. giuen to signifie that the people of Israel after they were led captiue by the Assyrians should neuer obtaine either presently or for the time to come Gods mercy to be restored againe into their Country And this is the meaning of these words concerning the Doctrine imposition of the name The doctrines which arise from Gods mercy euen in his punishments hence are diuers First me may obserue Gods gratious goodnesse in his manner of punishing men for their sinnes after he hath smitten them once he doth not presently strike againe but he pauseth and giueth time and respite that they may make profitable vse of his former visitation and amend their faults for which they were punished that so he may not be moued to redouble their punishment as it appeareth in his dealing with the Israelites in this place Whereby it is manifest that he taketh no pleasure in our paine and torment but in punishing aimeth at our amendment that so we may be eternally saued and therefore as he is hardly drawne to punish so when he hath begun he is loth to go forward but hauing like a gratious father giuen vs a few stripes he laieth the rod aside expecting our amendment that so he may no more punish vs. And thus he dealt with the Israelites in the time of the Iudges in the captiuity of Babylon and with vs likewise as at many other times so especially in the daies of Queene Mary and in our late visitation Secondly we may obserue in the example of the Israelites That we quickly forget Gods iudgements how soone we forget Gods iudgements when they are once past making no good vse of them nor amending those faults for which we were punished but when the affliction is once past we securely go forward in sinne and become worse then we were before as though now God had emptied his quiuer and had not one arrow of wrath and vengeance more to shoote at vs. A notable example hereof we haue in Pharaoh yea and in our owne times for how few is the number of those who haue made any profitable vse of Gods late visitation Nay how many are there who as though hauing escaped that they were priuileged from all others are growne worse and worse This is a miserable euill of which the Lord complaineth Esa 1. 5. and the forerunner Esa 1. 5. of vtter destruction For as the father
they falsely call our mother they will not indure that her sinnes should be reprehended and affirme it to bee impudent saucinesse for the children to reprooue the parents faults But first we answere that she is not our mother but a common strumpet who long agoe was diuorced from God for her spirituall fornications And secondly though she were our mother yet she were to be reprooued for her faults that so she might be brought to a sight of her sinnes and turne vnto the Lord her husband whom she hath forsaken by her whoredomes Fiftly we may obserue the grieuousnesse of the sinne of Idolatrie a grieuous sin idolatrie which appeareth in the greatnesse of the punishment which is vtter reiection and separation from God other sinnes mooue the Lord to afflict his spouse but this causeth him to diuorce her other sinnes prouoke the Lord to correct his children but this mooueth him to disherit them Now what more fearefull punishment can bee imagined then to bee diuorced from God to bee excluded from his grace protection and preseruation al which idolaters incurre through their spirituall whoredomes The consideration whereof should make vs to flee this sinne that so wee may escape the punishment The last thing which we are to obserue is out of the order God reiecteth not the Church before she reiecteth him of the words namely that the Lord neuer reiecteth his Church from being his spouse before shee hath cast him off from being her husband he neuer withdraweth his grace mercie and protection and prouidence from watching ouer vs till wee alienate our minds from him denying vnto him our faith obedience and alleageance and therefore let vs cleaue vnto the Lord and he will most certainely cleaue vnto vs let vs keepe our faith and couenant with him and hee will neuer faile vs let vs euer acknowledge him for our husband and father and hee will acknowledge vs for his spouse and children And so much concerning the diuorce Now the end why the Lord would haue it denounced is twofold first that hereby they might be mooued to repent of their wickednes and secondly that repenting they might escape punishment verse 3. The first end is expressed in these words that she may take away her fornications out of her sight or from her face and her adulteries from betweene her breasts In which Exposition words the Lord sheweth the cause why hee would haue the diuorce betweene him and the Church of Israel proclaimed namely not for any hatred of her person but that being brought vnto a sight of their sinnes they might repent of them and so forsaking their spirituall whoredomes they might be receiued againe of the Lord as his spouse as it is in the latter part of the chapter But let vs come to the meaning of them Some vnderstand by fornication of the face externall idolatrie and by the adulterie of the breasts that idolatrie which is in secret committed But as I take it the Prophets purpose here is to shew that the people were growne impudent in their sinnes so that they made an outward profession of them not caring who beheld them For before he had shewed that the Lord had diuorced them and consequently that they had committed adulterie and plaied the harlots for in other cases diuorces are not by God approoued and now he intimateth that they had the conditions and qualities of an harlot for as harlots in continuance of time grow past shame so that they doe not only in secret commit adulterie but publikelie make profession of it as of their trade decking themselues with such gorgious and garish apparrell as beseemeth not honest matrons glauncing with wanton eyes at their louers painting their faces and laying out their naked breasts that they may not onely professe themselues wanton and lasciuious but also with these baites allure others to commit wickednes with them so the Church of Israel liuing in spiritual whoredome grew to that impudencie in sinne that shee was not content to commit it in secret but also to professe it yea to defend and boast of it and because she would be known to bee an harlot who had forsaken the Lord and giuen her selfe ouer to commit this spirituall vncleannesse therefore in euery corner they erected images and idols they adorned them with gold and pretious ornaments they in most impudent manner prostituted themselues vnto them to commit spirituall whoredome in the sight of all the world worshipping and seruing them in stead of the true God and like shamelesse harlots they did not onely themselues commit this wickednesse but also allured others to goe a whoring with them These words then are metaphoricall borrowed from the practise of harlots who that they may display the filthy vncleannesse of their mindes and allure others to vnlawfull lust doe seeke to intice them by wanton lookes painting of their faces and laying out their naked breasts and hence it is that the Prophet attributeth fornication to the face and eies and adultery to the breasts because vnto harlots these parts are the instruments of their vncleannesse whereby they testifie and as it were proclame that they are ready and willing to commit whoredome and also allure others to ioyne with them in their beastlinesse So the Apostle Peter saith of some that their eyes were full of adulterie 2. Pet. 2. 14. because by their eyes they discouered their adulterous 2. Pet. 2. 14. hearts Now in these wordes the Prophet aimeth at three things first hee closely intimateth what was the cause of their diuorce namely their idolatry which he calleth adultery and fornication which they committed with all audacious impudency openly and in the sight of all Secondly hee cleareth God of all imputation of fault in that he diuorced them not for any hatred to their persons nor for small transgressions but for their grosse idolatry and spirituall whoredomes and therefore there was no cause why they should contend with him but with their mother For if shee would leaue her sinnes and returne vnto him by vnfained repentance hee would receiue her to mercie and acknowledge her for his spouse as hee after sheweth Thirdly and principally he laboureth by earnest exhortation to moue her to leaue her spirituall whoredomes and her professed audaciousnesse and shamelesse impudency in prostituting her selfe vnto idols and forsaking him their Lord and husband not in a secret corner but in the view of all the world And this is the meaning of these words The instructions which from hence we gather are these First we may obserue The Do ∣ ctrines that though the Lord by his Prophet had sharpely reproued That the sinnes of the people are often to be reprehended the people for their spirituall whoredomes in the former chapter and denounced his fearefull iudgements against them yet because they did not repent but obstinately and impudently continued in their idolatry the Lord contenteth not himselfe with once reprouing of them but causeth his Prophet to beate
her first husband who indeed alone deserued the name of a husband seeing the other were but louers seducers and adulterers The reason mouing her to make this returne vnto her husband is expressed in these words For at that time was I better then now that is I will now at length forsake these Idols and returne vnto the Lord because I plainly see and sensiblie discerne that my state and condition was farre better and more happie when I cleaued vnto the Lord my only true husband with all my heart louing seruing and obeying him alone and performing vnto him that pure and sincere worship which is described in his word then it hath bin since I forsook him and prostituted my self to commit spirituall vncleannesse with Idols for by this my apostasie I haue moued my louing husband in his iust displeasure to reiect me to strip me of al those benefits which he had bestowed on me I haue depriued my self of al true comfort ioy and peace of conscience and am now filled with horror feare and anguish of mind and I haue plunged my selfe into a sea of miserie and innumerable afflictions out of which my louers in whom I trusted and whose helpe I haue implored cannot deliuer me And therefore what remaineth but that I forsake my louers and my sinnes with them committed seeing they are miserable comforters in my greatest need and distresse and returne and reconcile my selfe vnto my husband who is infinite in mercie and compassion And so much for the meaning of this verse The doctrines The Do ∣ ctrines which arise out of them are these First we may obserue the superstitious blindnes of idolaters who when the Lord punisheth Idolaters in their afflictions flie vnto their Idols and not vnto God them for their idolatries do not repent of their sins and returne vnto the Lord crauing mercie forgiuenes release of their punishmēts but rather haue their recourse vnto their Idols with more then ordinarie deuotion seruing them with their Pilgrimages Vowes Inuocations Oblations and other rites and ceremonies wherewith they imagine they may be best pleased supposing that their slacknes and remissenes in these superstitious deuotions hath bin the cause of all their afflictions whereas in truth their superstitions and idolatrie is the chiefe cause of all their miseries and therefore the multiplying of them doth not release them of their punishment but rather redoubleth it An example whereof we haue in this place in Micha Iudg. 17. 13. Ahaziah 2. King 1. 2. and in the Papists who when the Lord Judg. 17. 13. 2. King 1. 2. punisheth them for their idolatries seeke freedome and deliuerance from the euils they suffer by their vowes pilgrimages prayers and oblations to their Idols and Images as though they could drie themselues being wet by leaping into a riuer or ease themselues being burnt by leaping into the fire Esay 1. 28. 29. Esay 1. 28. 29. Our naturall pronenes to Idolatrie Secondly we may obserue our naturall pronenesse vnto idolatrie for not only we easilie fall into it but being fallen we are hardly recouered and recalled from this sinne no though the Lord to his word shewing his truth and the falshood and abominablenes of idolatrie do also adde his rods of afflictions that at least sense of paine may make vs wearie of our sinnes And therefore it is not to be wondered at that the most part of the world do forsake Gods pure worship and liue in idolatrie seeing mans nature is so inclined thereunto that though he smart for it he will not leaue it and how much more then will he embrace it when he is allured and drawne vnto that which of his owne nature he is prone vnto by pleasures profit and preferments for the Lord doth not hedge in all with afflictions which resolue to follow their louers but onely those whom it is his purpose to conuert as belonging to his eternall election Thirdly we may obserue that affliction in it selfe is not sufficient to make vs forsake our sins and to turne vnto the Affliction if it be not sanctified doth not turne vs vnto God Lord by true repentance vnlesse it bee sanctified and made effectuall for this purpose by the inward working of Gods Spirit For though the Lord had hedged his people in with afflictions that they might not goe forward in their idolatries yet it is said heere that notwithstanding all this they the more followed and sought after their louers So Pharaoh the more hee was punished the more hee was hardened the more the children of Israel were afflicted in the wildernesse the more they murmured the more they were smitten the more they fell away Esai 1. 5. But I shall not need to go far Esai 1. 5. for examples seeing wee haue a present example amongst our selues who haue made no vse of Gods late visitation c. And therefore when we are afflicted let vs earnestly desire the Lord to sanctifie our afflictions vnto vs and to ioyne with his outward corrections the inward working of his Spirit whereby we may be moued to lay them to heart and to humble our selues vnder the hand of God Fourthly wee may obserue the corrupt nature of sinfull Corrupt man seeketh all other meanes before he flieth vnto God man who when he is in trouble and affliction assayeth all other meanes for his deliuerance before he flieth vnto God for helpe so here the Israelites being hedged in with afflictions flee vnto their Idols So Saul went to the witch Asa to the Physitions the Papists to their Saints and Images And thus many make gods vnto themselues for their deliuerance of their friends riches or of their owne power and policie when as being in trouble and affliction they do not in the first place flee vnto the Lord for helpe but rest vpon these meanes vntill they be altogether depriued of them or haue experience of their insufficiency in yeelding vnto them any helpe Lastly we may obserue that the Lord taketh from those God frustrateth other meanes that we may rest vpon him which he purposeth to conuert and saue all these Idols in whom they trust and these outward meanes wherupon they rest or at least teacheth them by lamentable experience that they are altogether insufficient to deliuer them out of their afflictiōs So he threatneth here that his elect people following after their louers should not come at them and seeking them to the end they might be by their helpe deliuered out of their afflictions they should not find them that so being made frustrate of their wicked hopes and abandoned of all outward meanes wherein they trusted and despairing of all other helpe might hereby be driuen to flee vnto the Lord for mercie and deliuerance And therefore when being in affliction or any distresse we are disappointed of our hopes and depriued or forsaken of those meanes wherein we trusted for deliuerance let vs perswade our selues that the Lord hereby doth chastise our vaine
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
sauing those which the Lord miraculously bestowed and in this respect howsoeuer they were preserued by God yet had they stil the image of death before them and after they had been tried and humbled by many afflictions were in Gods appointed time brought into the confines of the land of Canaan the countrie of Iericho and the valley of Achor where they enioyed all these blessings with great comfort and contentation so that in respect of the great and sudden alteration they seemed newly transported from death to life So the Church in the time of the Gospell after she is reconciled vnto God and hath passed thorow a wildernesse of affliction for her triall and humiliation is not only sustained in the middest of all her troubles with the inward comfort of Gods Spirit but also is further assured of Gods loue by the outward testimonie of his manifold benefits wherewith she is replenished with such ioy and consolation that shee seemeth vnto her selfe restored from the death of sorrow and miserie to the life of comfort and happines But yet whilest she remaineth in the valley of Achor and but in the borders of the heauenly Canaan howsoeuer shee hath great cause of ioy and contentment in regard of the manifold benefits which God bestoweth vpon her yet is her ioy often intermixed with sorrow and trouble through that cursed Achan the flesh which eagerly coueting the pleasures of sinne and the golden baites of wickednes is thereby allured to sinne and to prouoke Gods wrath by seasing vpon vnlawfull pleasures and profits accursed by God by which inward rebell shee is betrayed vnto her outward enemies those cursed Cananites the world and the diuell so that for a time they preuaile against her But yet in the end she hath an happie issue out of all her afflictions for as when Achan was stoned Israel hauing hereby appeased Gods wrath obtained a famous victory against the men of Ai so when the flesh is mortified which betrayed vs we obtaine a glorious victorie ouer the world and the diuell and so enter into a full possession of the heauenly Canaan And thus appeareth the great similitude which is betweene the passage of the children of Israel out of Egypt into the land of promise and our passage out of the spirituall Egypt the kingdome of sinne and Satan into the heauenly Canaan the true countrie and inheritance of all the Saints which moued the Lord allegorically to allude vnto it in this place as also Esay 65. 10. Esay 65. 10. And this is the benefit here promised The second thing specified is the time when the Lord would bestow it in this phrase from thence which in the Scriptures is sometimes referred to the time and sometime to the place and accordingly here it is diuersly interpreted by some of the place referring it to the desert namely that as soone as they came out of the wildernesse of affliction they should enter into this valley of pleasure by others of the time vnderstanding it thus from thence forward or as soone as I haue brought her thorow the wildernesse and haue replenished her with the inward comfort of my Spirit I will giue her a reall assurance of my loue and not only speake comfortablie vnto her heart by my word and Spirit but also in effect and deed assure her further of my loue and fauour by multiplying vpon her my mercies and manifold benefits The which interpretation is not much different from the other but the rather to be embraced because it hath better dependancie with the former benefit for as soone as the Lord hath inwardly comforted his people by his word and Spirit then presently hee giueth them a true sense of his loue and fauour by bestowing vpon them innumerable benefits spirituall and temporall The third thing heere expressed is the end why God giueth and the Church receiueth these his gifts and graces not onely that shee may haue by them ioy and comfort in their present vse but that they may serue as pledges and earnest penies to confirme their hope and assurance of the possession of eternall happines the which is signified by this phrase For the doore of hope For that is said to be the doore of hope which giueth entrance vnto hope by offering some assurance that we shall obtaine the thing hoped for As therefore the Lord gaue to the people of Israel the valley of Achor that it should be vnto them a doore of hope because the possession of the borders was a pledge vnto them that they should enioy the whole land of promise so the manifold benefits which the Lord bestoweth vpon the faithfull whilest they be in the borders of Canaan the Church militant are vnto them a doore of hope being assured pledges that after we haue a while fought with our spirituall enemies wee shall haue full possession of the heauenly Canaan and the new Ierusalem And these are the benefits which are here allegorically promised Now the reason why the Lord speaking of the spirituall deliuerance and happines of his people alludeth to their temporall deliuerance out of Egypt and entrance into the land of Canaan was first that hereby he might strengthen their faith in the full assurance of his promises seeing they had alreadie experience of his truth power mercy and goodnes in their former deliuerance when as the grieuous sins and great vnworthines of their forefathers could not moue him to change his purpose nor frustrate his word because his couenant was grounded not vpon their deserts but vpon his owne vndeserued loue and meere good will And secondly in promising new benefits he doth by this allusion put them in minde of the old that by the remembrance of these and hope of the other they might be moued to true thankfulnes and obedience The second thing to bee considered in this verse is the Churches ioy and thankfulnesse in the present fruition of Gods gifts and future hope of greater benefits signified in these words And she shal sing there as in the daies of her youth and as in the day when as she came vp out of the land of Egypt In which words is expressed the Churches ioy and thankfulnes together with the place or time thereof their ioy and thankfulnes is signified by their singing of praises vnto God the author of all these benefits which continuing in the former allegorie and allusion he compareth to that reioycing and praising God which the Israelites vsed after their deliuerance out of Egypt when as they saw Pharaoh and his armie drowned in the red sea of which we may reade Exod. 15. vnder which speciall we are generally to vnderstand all Exod. 15. their reioycing and songs of praises for all Gods benefits especially when they were in the valley of Achor and had entred into the possession of the land of promise Whereas then he saith that she shall sing as in the daies of her youth and childhood we are hereby to vnderstand the time of her
and were diuorced and cast off for their spirituall whoredoms it could not be fitly said of them that the Lord would espouse or contract them to himselfe seeing they only are properly said to be espoused who neuer before were taken to wife but rather he should haue said of them that he would againe be reconciled to her and receiue her to grace So that hereby wee are not to vnderstand that the Lord The properties of our spiritual mariage 1. it is not tēporarie but perpetuall would renue or confirme the old couenant of workes betweene himselfe and the Church of Israel for that was made frustrate by their spirituall whoredomes and rebellion for which they were diuorced and reiected but that hee would make a new couenant betweene himselfe and all the faithfull in the time of the Gospell receiuing them into this neere bond of mariage as pure and vndefiled virgins the which is inuiolably to continue for euer and euer Thirdly the parties contracted are Christ and his Church signified in these words I will marrie thee vnto me Where by thee wee are not to vnderstand the people of Israel according to the flesh but according to the spirit that is all the faithfull both Iewes and Gentiles and by me wee are to vnderstand Iesus Christ who in this spirituall mariage is vnited to his spouse the Church essentially and substantially bodie with bodie and spirit with spirit as before I haue shewed And so much for the contract it selfe The adiuncts hereof are first the perpetuall continuance of this mariage and secondly the conditions thereof which are as it were the mariage bands wherewith it is held inuiolable The perpetuall continuance is noted in these words for euer where the Lord maketh a secret opposition between the couenant of works made betweene him and the Israelites and the couenant of grace made betweene him and all the faithfull for that former mariage was not perpetual but temporarie and of short continuance because the Church of Israel perfidiously violated her mariage faith and persisted not in her loue and obedience towards the Lord her husband but forsaking him prostituted her selfe to commit spirituall whoredome with false gods and therefore was iustly diuorced from him as before we haue shewed but the new couenant of this spirituall mariage betweene Christ and the faithfull shall be perpetuall and inuiolable because he will write the lawes and conditions thereof not in tables of stone but in the fleshie tables of their hearts and will so rule and ouerrule them by his gratious Spirit dwelling in them that they shall neuer breake their couenant nor depart from the Lord their husband The like places of Scripture which may serue for an exposition of this wee haue Esa 54. 8. With euerlasting mercie haue I had Esa 54. 8. 9. 10 compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer vers 9. For this is vnto me as the waters of Noah for as I haue sworne c. vers 10. For the mountaines shall remoue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shall the couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee Ierem. 31. 31. Behold the daies come saith the Jere. 31. 31. 32 Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iacob 32. Not according to the couenant I made with their fathers when I took them hand by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt the which couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them saith the Lord. 33. But this shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those daies saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people c. So chap. 33. 20. 21. 22. 25. 26. Iere. 33. 20. 21. Ezech. 16. 59. Iere. 32. 38. 39. Ezech. 16. 59. I will confirme vnto thee an euerlasting couenant Ierem. 32. 38. 39. 40. By all which places it is cleere and manifest that the couenant betweene the Lord and the faithfull is permanent and perpetuall and that both in respect of God and of the faithfull and not only on Gods part as the Papists would haue it who affirme that we may haue certaine assurance of the continuance of this couenant in respect of God because hee for his part will most certainly performe the conditions thereof Iere. 31. 32. howbeit there is cause of doubting that it will be violated and made frustrate by the faithfull because they may lose their faith and all other graces and so forsake the Lord but according to this doctrine there should be no difference betweene the old couenant of works and the new couenant of grace in respect of the perpetuitie thereof for that also on Gods part was most firme and permanent seeing there was not one tittle of his promises which was not accomplished neuerthelesse on the part of the Israelites it was made voide and frustrate because they performed not the condition of faith and obedience Whereas the Lord promiseth that his couenant with the faithfull should be perpetuall and euerlasting not onely on his part but also on the faithfuls because hee would by the finger of his Spirit write his lawes in their hearts Iere. 31. 33. and because hee would also put his feare Iere. 31. 33. 32. 40. into their hearts so as they should not depart from him as it is Iere. 32. 40. And so much for the perpetuitie of this spirituall mariage The meanes whereby the couenant of our spirituall mariage is made perpetuall In the next place he setteth downe the manner how and the meanes whereby hee would make his couenant perpetuall and euerlasting namely by remouing all causes and meanes whereby it might be violated and by tying the faithfull vnto himselfe by such inuiolable bands as it should not bee possible for any thing whatsoeuer to cause a diuorce and separation All which is signified in these words I will marrie 1. The church is maried in righteousnes thee vnto me in righteousnesse and in iudgement c. Where the Lord sheweth first that whereas sinne and vnrighteousnesse might be a sufficient cause to make a diuorce and breake off the perpetuitie of the Churches mariage with him for what communion hath light with darknesse righteousnesse with 2. Cor. 6. 14. vnrighteousnesse he would therefore marrie the Church vnto him in righteousnes that is he would make her righteous first by washing away her sinnes with his own most pretious blood and imputing vnto her his righteousnesse full satisfaction and perfect obedience Of which the Apostle speaketh Esa 54. 14. Rom. 5. 17. 19. And secondly by working in her inherent righteousnesse that is sanctification integritie sinceritie and Rom. 5. 17. 19. vprightnes of heart whereby it should come to passe that
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
had their eyes and mindes alwayes fixed vpon them Secondly he saith that they loued the wine bottles whereby wee may eyther generally vnderstand that besides their sinne of Idolatry they were also addicted to all manner of vnlawfull pleasures and luxurious excesse as surfetting and drunkennesse lasciuiousnesse and wantonnesse for with the corruption of Religion is vsually ioyned corruption of manners Pietie and Honesty being such twins as both liue and die together And if we take the words in this sence then we are to vnderstand them Synecdochecally dunkennesse being put for voluptuousnesse and all corruption of manners of which he maketh speciall choyse that he may persist in the former Allegory seeing Adultery Drunkennes are commonly ioyned together and are mutuall causes one of another Or els we may take them more specially and properly for that drunkennesse and those voluptuous delights which they vsed in their Idolatrous feasts for with their Idolatry they vsually ioyned feasting and reuelling as may appeare Exod. Exod. 32. 6. 32. 6. Iudg. 9. 27. vnto which custome the Prophet Amos alludeth Iudg. 9. 27. Chap. 2. 8. They drinck the wine of the condemned in Amos. 2. 8. the house of their God The which custome lasted vnto the Apostles time as appeareth 1. Cor. 10. 21. and this as I take 1. Cor. 10. 21. it is the more naturall and proper sence of this place namely that the people of Israell did not onely commit Idolatry but also by their drinking feasting and reuelling shewed the exceeding great delight which they tooke in their sinne And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines Our pronenesse to fall into desperation or presumption which arise out of them are diuers First we may obserue out of the generall scope of this Chapter our exceeding pronenesse to run into two extreams secure presumption abiect desperation in respect of our diuers estate and condition when we are in prosperity we are deafe to all reprehension admonion threatnings we flatteringly perswade our selues that this Sunne of Gods fauour will euer shine vpon vs notwithstanding that our sinnes continually ascend and as a thick cloud interpose themselues betweene vs the beams of Gods loue and when we heare Gods curses we blesse our selues in our hearts saying I shall haue peace although I walk Deut. 29. 19. according to the stubbernenesse of mine owne heart adding drunkennesse vnto thirst as it is Deut. 29 19. Yea when the Lord beginneth to punish we are ready in the securitie of our hearts to promise vnto our selues immunitie and to say with those wicked men Esay 28. 15. We haue made a couenant with Esay 28. 15. death and with hell we are at agreement though ascourge run ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs c. And on the other side when God withdraweth from vs his gracious countenance and taking away our prosperitie in stead thereof layeth vpon vs affliction and aduersitie then we are as ready to fall into the contrary extreame concluding that God hath vtterly reiected vs and cast vs off for euer foolishly imagining that when our Sunne of comfort is once set and the night of sorrow and aduersitie hath ouershadowed vs that it will neuer arise againe and replenish our hearts with ioy and consolation An example hereof we haue in the Israelites in this place and in Dauid Psal 30. 6. 8. The consideration whereof should moue all Gods Ministers according to the practise of the Prophet in this place wisely to intermixe comminations with consolations iudgement with mercy threatnings with promises and the Law with the Gospell that they may keep men in an euen course and in the golden meane neither presumptuously going forward in sin in regard of Gods mercies and benefits nor desperately sincking vnder the waight of sinne and punishment when they are ouertaken of Gods iudgements Secondly whereas the Lord commandeth the Prophet That Gods ministers must often inculcate their instructions and admonitions yet againe to put the people in minde of his mercyes and their owne sinnes and vnworthinesse hence we obserue that it is not sufficient for Gods Ministers once alone to stand vpon these points but considering how forgetfull men are of Gods benefits and how obdurate and obstinate in their wicked courses they must repeate beate vpon these things againe and againe neuer thinking any duety sufficiently taught which is not also sufficiently learned Neyther must they seeke to please the itching eares of phantasticall hearers who are impatient in hearing the same things twise deliuered nor seeke to delight such surfetted and cloyed appetites as cannot indure oftner then once to tast of the same food no nor yet take pleasure though varietie of food be offered vnto them if it be brought in the same dish desiring onely varietie and to heare continually new matter out of a new Text but they must like good Surgeons apply the same salues to the same sores till they be perfectly cured they must speake againe and againe of the same mercyes of God till they bee remembred teach the same doctrines till they be learned exhort to the same dueties till they be practised and reproue the same sinnes till they be amended And like good house-holders as they are to auoid the glutting of the family by the continuall vse of the same meate so also they must oftner then once set before them that spirituall food which they know is good and wholesome and think it no disgrace and disparagement to their plenty and hospitalitie if they feed twise of the same dish Thirdly we may obserue that the Lord propoundeth his The vse of Parables mercyes and the peoples sinnes by way of Parable that so he might in a liuely manner and as it were with reall words represent these things to their vnderstanding as it were in a plaine picture that so he might hereby more effectually approue his owne vndeserued goodnesse and conuince them of their vnworthines and this forme as it is alwayes delightfull so is it sometimes most profitable as when Gods Ministers are to deale with Magistrates or with obstinate and impudent sinners who wil not know nor condemne sinne vnlesse it be in another mans person See Chap. 1. Ver. 2. Fourthly wee may obserue that the Lord intending to The assurance of gods loue our chiefe comfort in afflictions arme his children with such patience as might inable them to beare those grieuous afflictions which he purposed to lay vpon them doth in the first place assure them of his loue notwithstanding he seuerely corrected them for their sinnes yea that he therefore did chastice them because he loued them and would not suffer them to goe on in their sinnes to their destruction whence we learne that to attain patience in afflictions and aduersitie the best way is earnestly to labour that we may discerne with the eye of faith the beames of gods loue and fauour through the cloud of our
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
Gods heauy Iudgements for as it is the onely meanes to preserue vs free from punishment not to fall into sinne so it is the onely way of remouing punishments inflicted for sin to take away the cause thereof by vnfained repentance 2 Chron. 7. 14. Ezech. 18. 21. and 2. Chro. 7. 14. Ezech. 18. 21. 33. 14. 16. 33. 14. 16. The vse hereof serueth to teach vs what course is best to be taken for the remouing those judgements which lye heauie Repentance the best means to remoue iudgements vpon our land or at least haue displayed their coulours being ready to march against vs namely the Pestilence Invndations Dearth and Famine Surely we must not chiefly trust in humaine pollicies and preuentions or in the help of our bordering friends for all this will be to little purpose if we do not in the first place seeke reconciliation with God by forsaking our sinnes and turning vnto him by vnfained repentance The second vse serueth for the comfort of those that God protects those that mourne mourne in Sion and daily bewaile both their owne sins and the sinnes of their people for such are to know that the Lord will giue them a speciall priuiledge and protection whereby they shall be protected from the common calamities which he inflicteth vpon their nation or if as members Ier. 39. 16. 17. of this great body pollitick by reason of their communion they necessarily pertake in their miseries and afflictions yet the Lord will so sanctifie these crosses vnto them and will giue vnto them such a measure of strength faith patience and comfort that when vnrepentant sinners who neuer sighed nor groned vnder the burthen of sin doe now grone and languish vnder the waight of punishment they contrariwise who vpon their vnfained repentance are assured of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes shall not onely be patient but also rejoyce in their tribulations and their afflictions shall be vnto them as a Serpent without a sting Lastly this serueth to refute the practise of those who when they are justly punished for their sinnes in stead of remouing the cause by repentance doe adde sinne vnto sinne by vsing wicked vnlawfull meanes for the remouing The follie of those who by sinne labour to remoue punishment of their punishments as for example going vnto Witches Wizards and Sorcerers vsing falshoode and deceipt iniurie and oppression that so they may remoue the burthen which God hath laid vpon them vnto the shoulder of their neighbour But such are to know that this is not the way to giue them ease or to release them of their afflictions nay rather they are to expect that as they adde sinne vnto sinne so God will adde punishment vnto punishment vntill they which refuse to mourne for their sinnes faint and sinke vnder his heauie iudgements The third thing to be obserued is the senslesse hardnes The obdurate hardnesse of mans hart of mans heart and the secure impenitencie of our corrupt nature whereby it commeth to passe that neither Gods mercies nor judgements will any whit affect vs if the Lord giue vs ouer to our owne obdurate stubbernesse for euen when the senslesse and brutish creatures are in their kinde affected both with Gods mercies and judgements only man remayneth without sense and feeling The heauens vaile their face shed forth their teares the earth groneth shaketh the waters roare swell the beasts foules fishes mourne and hang down their heads shewing their inward griefe by that diuers language which God hath giuen them when as the Lord is angry and layeth his heauie hand vpon them onely man the chiefe rebell of the world smileth when God frowneth and though he be somewhat touched with sense of paine yet hee sorroweth onely because hee is punished and not because by his sinnes hee hath deserued punishment And hence it is that the Lord sometimes turneth his speach from man because he hath no eares to heare nor hart to vnderstand nor sense to feele and apprehend his mercies or judgements vnto the senselesse and brutish creatures to note vnto vs that the senselesse creatures are more sensible then a senselesse man So Esay 1. 2. 3. Ier. 22. 29. Esay 1. 2. 3. Ier. 22. 29. So it is sayd in this place that the land it selfe mourned and that the beasts birds and fishes bore their part in this sorrowfull song but the Inhabitants of the Land are sayde onely to haue languished vnder the burthen of their miseries and nothing is said of any sorrow or mourning vnder the heauie burthen of their sinne The like example we haue Gen. 4. 13. Exod. 8. 8. 15 1 Kin. 13. 6. 33 Mat. 11. 16. 17 and 23. 37. in Cain Gen. 4. 13. In Pharaoh Exod. 8. 8. 15. In Saul Ieroboam 1 King 13. 6. 33. And in the people of the Iewes Mat. 11. 16. 17. and 23. 37. But I shall not need to looke farre for examples to illustrate this point seeing our owne experience doth too manifestly proue it for howsoeuer like Bul-rushes we haue hanged downe our heads whilest the storme of Gods judgements did make vs bend and stoope yet vvee are presently ready to walk vnder the burthen of our sinnes with stiffe and stretched out necks when we see that the storme of Gods fury is a little ouerblowne The vse of this doctrine serueth first to teach vs that seeing naturally wee are hard hearted and so senselesly secure in our sins that we earnestly labour for a broken hart and contrite spirit and continually beg at the hands of God that he will take away our stonie hearts and giue vs hearts of flesh which will grieue and mourne when hee sheweth any signes of his displeasure and euen like the hart of Iosias melt at the hearing of the threatnings of his Law grounding these our prayers vpon his owne gracious promises Iere. Iere. 32. 39. Ezech. 11. 19. and 36. 26. 32. 39. Ezech. 11. 19. and 36. 26. Secondly it serueth for the reproofe of carnall worldlings who securely goe on in their sinnes foolishly imagining that they may repent when they list and so receiue their pardon from God but such are to know that as it is a worke of greatest necessity so also of greatest difficultie for if the Lord leaue them to their owne hardnesse of hart as he justly may seeing they haue abused his grace to wantonnesse and his mercy and long suffering to impenitencie well may they languish vnder punishment yet they shall bee further off from true repentance and vnfayned mourning for their sinnes then the senselesse earth or brutish Creatures Thirdly we are to obserue that the sinne of man is not onely hurtfull and pernitious to himselfe but euen to the Sin is pernitious to all the Creatures whole earth and all the Creatures therein contained In the Creation the Lord blessed the earth and her Inhabitants but sinne turned this blessing into a curse Gen. 3. 17. Gods Gen.
worldly riches then would we also neuer forget it but meditate therein day and night The third cause of the forgetfulnesse of Gods Law is Gods mercies make vs vnmindfull of him our pride of heart through the vnthankfull abuse of our prosperitie for such is our corruption that whereas Gods benefits should make vs mindfull of his Law that in lue of thankfulnesse we might obey it contrariwise the abundance of Gods mercies makes vs to forget not onely the Law but euen God himselfe so the Lord complaineth Hos 13. 6. Hos 13. 6. As in their pastures so were they filled they were filled and their heart was exalted therefore haue they forgotten me Hence it is that the Lord giueth the Israelites so oft warning that when they abounded in Gods blessings they should not suffer their hearts to be lift vp so to forget him the authour of all their good Deut. 8. 11. 12. A man would thinke that as tokens Deut. 8. 11. 12. sent serue to put vs in minde of an absent friend so the innumerable tokens of Gods loue which as it were from heauen he sendeth vnto vs should serue as so many remembrancers to put vs in minde of him who sendeth them vnto vs but though against all reason it falleth out otherwise for the tokens of Gods loue as riches pleasures and honours make vs forget the sender and therefore wise Hagur seeing this corruption in himselfe doth intreat the Lord to restraine his bountie and not to bestow too much vpon him least being full he should denie him say who is the Lord. Prou. 30. 8. 9. Pro. 30. 8. 9. Seeing therefore our corrupt nature is so inclinable to The greatnesse of this sinne of forgetfulnesse this vice of forgetfulnesse let vs labour not onely to see it but also to subdue and mortifie it which that we may the rather performe with the greater care and conscience let vs consider the grieuousnesse of the sinne and the greatnesse of the punishment which doth attend it The grieuousnesse of the sinne herein appeareth in that it is not onely in it selfe haynous but a cause also of innumerable other sinnes In it selfe it is a haynous sinne as appeareth by the Lords often and earnest forbidding of it So Deut. 4. 23. Take heed vnto Deut. 4. 23. and 8. 11. your selues least you forget the couenant of the Lord your God and 8. 11. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God not keeping his commaundements And when the people notwithstanding these admonitions did forget the Lord he grieuously complaineth of this neglect So Deu. 32. 18. thou hast forgotten Deut. 32. 18. Esay 57. 11. Ier. 2. 32. the mightie God that begat thee and formed thee Esa 57. 11. Ier. 2. 32. Can a maide forget her ornament or a bride her attire yet my people hath forgotten me daies with out number Secondly to forget God and his word is a kinde of Athisme seeing they haue not God nor his law in their principall parts namely their heart minde and soule for they who so haue them doe also remember them Thirdly this forgetfulnesse is ioyned with singular contempt of Gods word for they who regard it doe also remember it they that can say with Dauid that they delight in his statutes may also adde that which hee addeth that they will not forget his word Psal 119. 16. Psal 119. 16. Fourthly as this forgetfulnesse is in it selfe a sinne so it is the cause of almost all sinne Whereof it is that forgetfulnesse and the transgression of the law are often joyned together as the cause and effect Deut. 8. 11. Beware that thou Deut. 8. 11. forget not the Lord thy God not keeping his commaundements Ier. 3. 21. They haue peruerted their way and haue forgotten the Lord their God Prou. 2. 17. Which forsaketh the guide of Ier. 3. 21. Pro. 2. 17. Ezech. 22. 12 her youth forgetteth the couenant of her God Ezech. 22. 12. Iud. 3. 7. The children of Israell did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and forgat the Lord their God The reason is because Iud. 3. 7. they who doe not so much as remember the law of God can much lesse obserue it and those vvho neuer thinke neyther on gods promises nor threatnings are neither incouraged to that which is good nor discouraged from that which is euill But as this forgetfulnesse is to be auoyded in that it is a The punishment of the sinne of forgetfulnesse grieuous sinne so also because God inflicteth vpon it grieuous punishments As in this place he threatneth the Priests that because they had forgotten his Law he would not onely forget them but their children the which was a fearefull judgement whether we consider it in the generall or in this particular In the generall for if in God we liue and moue and haue our being Act. 17. 28. If when hee but hideth his face Act. 17. 28. we are troubled Psal 104. 29. If when he neglecteth vs we are straight depriued of all good and exposed vnto all euill Psal 104. 29. then what is Gods forgetfulnesse but our destruction so likewise in this particular where by Gods forgetting their children is meant his neglect of them the with-drawing of the signes of his loue the disinheriting of them of the honour of Priest-hood as if he would call backe his commission and suffer them no more to beare the name of his ambassadours turne them out of their stewardship and make them more base then common seruants make them of shepheards worse then the meanest of the flocke and of Captaines common souldiers which also with the rest should be casheerd out of his Campe the Church militant Besides this heauie judgement there are diuers others threatned against this sinne of forgetfulnesse in the booke of God and these both temporall and eternall Of the first sort is the punishment of barrennesse and dearth Esay 17. Esay 17. 10. 11 10. 11. Desolation and destruction of their cities Hos 8. Hos 8. 10. 10. Bondage and subjection vnder tyrannicall enimies 1. Sam. 12. 9. The Lord scattereth those that forget him and 1 Sam. 12. 9. his word as stubble before the winde Ier. 13. 24. 25. Hee Ier. 13. 24. Ier. 18. 17. ouerthroweth them in the day of battaile Chap. 18. 17. But the most grieuous punishment of all is that they shall beare their wickednesse which is a burthen intollerable and presseth all that are vnder it euen down to hell Ezec. 23. 35. Ezech. 23. 35. So likewise it is punished with eternall punishments for as it is Psal 9. 17. The wicked shall turne into hell and all the nations that forget God And therefore I conclude this point Psal 9. 17. and 50. 22. with the Psalmist Psal 50. 22. O consider this O ye that forget God least I teare you in peeces and their be none to deliuer you And these are
of the abstruse depth and obscure difficultie therof it doth as much as any other stand in need of explanation In handling whereof I haue chiefely endeuoured to cleare the text from all obscuritie and hauing laid open and discouered the hidden treasures therein contained to communicate and applie them to the inriching of all those who are willing to receiue them by their reading and meditation The which my labours I desired should come forth into publike view vnder your Lordships patronage and protection in respect of that great loue which you haue shewed to learning and religion euen from your tender youth For howsoeuer you were descended of a noble house and from parents of great worth and worship yet you made choice of a schollers life and of the profession of a Minister of the Gospell which howsoeuer it is in it selfe a calling most honorable and best replenished with happie contentment yet is it so contemned and vnder valued by the world worldly men that many much your inferiours both in birth and meanes do thinke this profession a great disparagement to their state and credit The which also would haue discouraged you from entring into this calling had you not with eyes spiritually illightned beheld the inward dignitie and glorie thereof through the ragged vaile of worldly contempt And as your loue to learning moued you to enter into this profession so the same loue incited you to take such extraordinary paines in your studies that I may truely say vpon mine owne knowledge being a poore member of that Colledge whereof you were once a chiefe ornament that scarce any of the poorest schollers who had no other meanes but learning to aduance either state or credit did goe before you in vnwearied paines and industrious labour The which your diligent studies the Lord so prospered with his blessing that the plentifull haruest answered and surmounted the greatest expectation which could bee had of such an hopefull seede time insomuch that in the iudgement of the most iudicious Vniuersity you were thought fit for the greatest honour which it could yeeld vnto any before the ordinary time which you preuented not onely by noblenesse of birth but also through sufficiencie and desert and since haue been thought the meetest by our Soueraigne King who is best able to iudge of those gifts wherein himselfe excelleth to bee his assistant in his most learned studies and after manifold experience of your great sufficiencie to be aduanced vnto one of the chiefe preferments which our land affordeth to those whose gifts are of greatest eminency whereby you who haue alwaies been a louer of learning are now enabled to be a chiefe patrone of the learned Of all which I now put you in minde not in base flatterie which the searcher of hearts knoweth my soule detesteth nor to angle your affection by casting before you the bait of your owne praises but rather to admonish you of your dutie towards God which worldly prosperitie causeth vs too often to forget namely that with your whole endeuour you seeke to honour him who hath thus highly honoured you and to imploy those rich talents of learning authoritie honour and fauour with your Soueraigne which your great master hath bestowed on you to the aduancement of Gods glorie and the good of his Church ouer a part whereof you are now made a steward and ouerseer Otherwise howsoeuer these gifts may adorne you in this life in the eyes of worldly men yet they will not profit you in the life to come but rather the greatnesse of your receits will inlarge the bill of your accounts in that great and last audit which you must make in the presence of God and his holy Angels More especially I entreate your Lordship to labour that in all places where you haue any authoritie and iurisdiction God may be glorified in the propagation of his truth and in the diligent preaching of his Gospell which is the spirituall sword and scepter of his kingdome whereby hee raigneth and ruleth in the hearts of men and to this end that as much as in you lieth you will endeauour to plant vnder you a godly learned and faithfull ministerie who may instruct the people committed to their charge in the true religion of Iesus Christ and to countenance and patronize them being placed against wicked Atheists prophane worldlings and idolatrous Papists that so vnder the shade of your protection they may comfortablie persist in the painfull worke of their ministrie and be sheltered from the scorching furie of all opposers So shal the Lord inlarge his mercies more and more towards you perpetuate vnto you an honorable name and memorie amongst his faithfull seruants in this life present and crowne you with endlesse glorie and immortalitie amongst his holy Saints in the life to come Your Lordships in the Lord to be commanded IOHN DOWNAME TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHristian Reader although the world is alreadie so full of Bookes that a man may spend his whole time in reading titles and inscriptions yet are there but few amongst this multitude in our English tongue which containe sound expositions of the bookes of holie Scriptures which are appointed by God to be the obiect of our faith and the rule and directorie of our life and manners In consideration whereof as I did in the generall thinke that no man can better spend his labours then in expounding and cleering these holie and hidden mysteries so more particularly that it should be a profitable and acceptable labour to explaine the Prophecie of Hosea which as it is exceeding obscure and not by any that I know of expounded in our tongue so also when it is vnderstood most excellent and of singular vse for these times And therefore relying my selfe vpon Gods assistance I haue vndertaken this hard taske and by his blessing haue alreadie proceeded vnto the fifth Chapter In handling whereof I haue chiefly laboured to cleere this Scripture from all obscuritie and then to informe the Readers iudgement by such instructions as naturally arise out of the text and to reforme his affections life and conuersation by making thereof vse and application The which my labours I may truly say I only intended for the benefit of mine owne priuate charge and neuer thought of making them publike by the presse till I had finished the three first Chapters when as being perswaded by some of my friends to set them out for the good of others I began to resolue vpon this course yet with a purpose not to diuulge any part till the whole were finished But he who is at the charge of printing this booke herein ouerruled me perswading me to publish my readings vpon these Chapters first for a taste of the rest Vnto which motion I haue condescended with a purpose to take the like paines in those Chapters which remaine by the assistance of God if I shall in the meane while perceiue that this part findeth good acceptation and shall be thought profitable by
wisedome is infinite and most perfect It is Iehouah that speaketh who hath his being from himselfe and therefore is eternall so that he euerliueth to reward the obedient aad punish the rebellious It is Iehouah who is immutable and therefore the same faults which he disliked amongst the people in the time of Hosea he misliketh also now the same duties he required of them he requireth of vs and as then he multiplied his mercies vpon them who heard and obeyed him and his iudgements vpon those who were rebellious and obstinate in their sinnes so hath he now also the like mercies and iudgements in store for them who either heare and obey his word or wilfully neglect and contemne it It is Iehouah who is omnipresent and omniscient and therefore is an eyewitnesse and beholder of all our actions yea of our secret thoughts and intentions so that he taketh a special view both of our obedience to reward it and of our disobedience to punish it If a iust Iudge should alwaies look vpon the actions of a malefactor it would restraine him from his wickednes because hee that seeth him hath power in his hand to punish him If a Prince should alwaies behold the seruice of his subiect he would performe his duty with great diligence and chearefulnes in hope of reward But our powerful Iudge looketh on vs and therfore let vs not offend him for feare of punishmēt our gratious King beholdeth our seruice and therfore let vs obey his word with chearefull diligence assuring our selues y◠he will not send vs away empty handed It is Iehouah that speaketh who is omnipotent and omnisufficient and therefore he is able to punish vs if we neglect his word be we neuer so mightie and sufficient to reward vs and to protect vs from all enemies and other daungers if we hearken vnto it and obey it It is Iehouah who is not onely in himselfe infinite in all perfection and the chiefe goodnesse but also doth communicate this his goodnes vnto his creatures for in him we liue and moue and haue our beeing Act. 1728. He hath created vs of nothing and redeemed vs when we were worse then Acts 17. 28. nothing he hath giuen vs our beeing and doth preserue vs that we may continue to bee multiplying vpon vs all those benefits which are necessarie for our health strength and welfare and when notwithstanding we made the end of our being to be in endlesse miserie he hath procured and prouided for vs by the price of the precious blood of his best beloued an eternall being in ioy and happines Seeing therefore Iehouah is our Lord by a treble right both because he hath created and giuen vnto vs our being and hath redeemed vs that we might euer be in happinesse and prouideth all things for vs needfull at his proper charges protecting vs from all enemies and deliuering vs out of all daungers therefore let vs attentiuely hearken to the voice of our Lord and diligently practise those duties which he inioyneth vs. Lastly it is Iehouah that speaketh vnto vs in this prophecie who as he hath his being of himselfe and giueth being Exod. 6. 3. to all his creatures so especially to his word and that both to his promises and also to his threatnings And therefore if we will performe obedience vnto the words of this prophecie then shall we be made partakers of all the gracious promises therin contained But if we wil not hearken vnto them nor submit our selues in holy obedience to walke in thē but cast them behind our back and wilfully go forward in those vices which in this book are forbidden and condemned then shall all those plagues and punishments which are therein threatned fall vpon vs for the Lord is most true of his word and immutable in the administration of his mercies iudgements vnto al men in al times and ages And so much concerning the principall cause chiefe author of this prophecie The second thing to be considered is the matter of this The matter of this prophecie the word of the Lord. prophecie which he saith is the word of the Lord that is the Lords speech or prophecie reuealed to the Prophet Hosea And this matter or argument is common to all the Prophets yea to all the Penmen of holy Scriptures and therefore it is vsually prefixed and often repeated in their writings but in diuers phrases as The word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord The vision of Isaiah The burthen which Habacuc did see c. which all signifie the same word of God sauing that the word respecteth the speaker vision the hearer and burthen signifieth the denunciation of some heauie punishment Now the reason why the Prophets prefix these phrases is that they may gaine authoritie to their speeches and moue their hearers and readers to reuerence attention and vnto holy obedience to those things which they deliuer because they come not in their owne names but are sent of God and haue his ambassage put into their mouthes they speake not according to their owne conceits and inuentions but the pure and sincere word of God And to the same end doe the Apostles likewise shew their calling from God that they speake not their own words but the words of God So Rom. 1. 1. Paul a seruant of Iesus Rom. 1. 1. Christ called to be an Apostle put apart to preach the Gospell of God Gal. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle not of men neither by man but Gal. 1. 1. by Iesus Christ and God the father And verse 11. he affirmeth that the Gospell which he preached was not of man nor receiued nor taught of man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ So the Apostle Iohn 1. Epist 1. 1. That which was from 1. Iohn 1. 1. the beginning which we haue heard c. that declare we vnto you And Apoc. 1. 1. The reuelation of Iesus Christ c. Apoc 1. 1. The doctrines which herehence we learne are diuers first Gods mercy in seeking the conuersion of sinners we may obserue the endlesse and boundlesse mercy of God to his Church and people who being iustly prouoked to wrath against them for their sinnes doth not suddainely powre forth his iudgements vpon them but giueth long time of repentance and because he would not haue them ouertaken of his plagues sendeth his Prophets to allure them to obedience by gratious promises and to terrifie them from sininng by denouncing heauie iudgements And thus did he deale with the Israelites in this place c. And the like mercy hath he a long time shewed vnto vs c. Out of which we may further gather that so long as hee sendeth his Prophets and vouchsafeth his word vnto a people he hath not vtterly reiected them nor shut vp the dore of his mercy against them For to this end he calleth them by his promises and threatnings because he would not the death of a sinner but that hee should
whoredome departing from the Lord. The Hebrew text hath it From after the Lord that is forsaking the Lord and leauing to follow after him in the paths of true holinesse and righteousnesse and cleauing vnto their idols following them in the by-paths of superstition and idolatry The sense therefore of these wordes is this Goe and propound vnto the people of Israel this parable and thereby conuince them of their grosse idolatry for howsoeuer they may flatter themselues through selfe-loue yet the trueth is they are no better then common harlots for after that I haue vouchsafed them this dignity to espouse them to my selfe and they haue plighted vnto me their faith and vowed their obedience they both forgetfull of my mercie and of their owne dutie haue commonly impudently and continually committed spirituall whoredome with stockes stones and diuels forsaking me their Lord and husband and refusing to follow me in the waies of my commandements and prostituting their bodies and soules to commit spirituall fornication with their idols according to their owne inuentions and their burning and vnbridled lusts and appetites Where first we may obserue that the Lord intending to The vse of parables to conuince the sinner of his sins conuince this people of their sinnes doth before he plainely sets downe their sins propound it vnto them by way of parable to the end that they who were blinded with selfe-loue and partiall Iudges in their owne cases might better see their sinnes in the person of others and without partialitie condemne them when they appeared like strangers which they would suffer to passe without any hard censure if they discerned them to be of their familiar acquaintance And thus Nathan dealt with Dauid 2. Sam. 12. And our Sauiour Christ with the Scribes and Pharisies Matth. 21. 33. 2. Sam. 12. Matth. 21. 33. And here in this place the Lord maketh the people to condemne themselues and their sinnes in the person and practise of an adulterous harlot and so inticeth them as it were to wound and kill their beloued friend whilest it is masked and disguised in the habit of an enemy Out of which we may further gather how farre wee are naturally in loue with our sinnes so that we cannot be moued Our naturall and corrupt loue to sinne to hate condemne and mortifie them so long as they beare our owne names but rather are ready to mince excuse and defend them vntill we view them in the person of others and see them enrolled vnder their names Secondly wee may note our too too great loue of our selues and too too small loue towards our neighbours That selfe-loue makes vs exceeding partiall which maketh vs easily to discerne and heauily and seuerely to censure other mens faults whereas we are readie to excuse or defend the same or greater in our selues and therefore â—â—â— Lord when he would haue vs to see and condemne our sinnes doth not offer them to our censure as they are in our owne selues whom we loue too much but in the person of others whom for the most part we loue not so much as we should as appeareth in the former examples and in this place wherein the Lord is faine to deale with vs as tender mothers deale with their wanton and wayward children whom when they would as willingly amend as vnwillingly displease them they vse to chide and beate the standers by and sometime shadowes and pictures for those faults which their children haue committed to the end that so they may see and learne to dislike their faults in others which they would not so easily discerne nor so vnpartially condemne in themselues Thirdly we may obserue what exordium or beginning The thundring exordium of the Prophet of speech the Prophet here vseth namely hee doth not vse faire words and sweete inticing allurements to make them attentiue hee doth not first sweeten his seuere and bitter reprehensions and legall threatnings with any commendation of their persons or mitigation of their faults but by propounding vnto them this parable whereby he laboureth to make them vnpartiall Iudges of their owne sinfull and miserable estate he accuseth them to be no better then an adulterous generation of adulterous parents adulterous children and that by their often adulteries they had made the land as it were a common stewes and therefore that the Lord would no longer beare with their spirituall whoredomes but would withdraw his loue and diuorce them from him So that now our Prophet commeth not as an Ambassadour sent from God with conditions of peace and with gracious promises to allure them to obedience but as a sonne of thunder and like an Herauld sent from the Lord to denounce open warres against the people for their grosse idolatry and outragious rebellion hee beginneth his speech vnto them The reason why the Lord causeth his Prophet thus thunderingly to beginne his prophecie was because the Why the Prophet dealeth so roughly with the people people had a long time euen since the beginning of Ieroboams raigne continued in their sinnes especially their grosse idolatry notwithstanding that the Lord had sent diuers of his Prophets to reproue them for their sinnes of which their consciences were conuinced by Gods law and to draw them to repentance sometimes by propounding vnto them Gods sweete promises of gratious benefits if they would turne vnto them and sometimes by threatning punishments against those who went forward in their sinnes All which notwithstanding the people continued vncorrigible and grew worse and worse and therefore the Lord causeth the Prophet to deale with them in this hot and rough manner because they had a long time lien frosen in the dregs of their sinnes And this course haue other of Gods faithfull ambassadours vsed when they had to deale with such obstinate and incurable sinners As Iohn the Baptist with the Saduces and Pharises Matth. 3. 7. Peter with Ananias and Sapphira Act. Matth. 3. 7. Act. 5. 8. 13. 10. Matth. 21. 23. Gods Ministers must sit their speech to their auditory 5. and with Simon Magus Act. 8. Paul with Elymas Act. 13. 10. And our Sauiour Christ himselfe with the Priests and Pharises Matth. 21. 23. Out of which examples Gods Ministers may learne in the deliuerie of Gods word spirituall discretion in fitting their speech according to the condition of their auditorie and not to deale with ignorant and vntaught men after the same manner that they deale with wilfull and obstinate sinners but as Physitions put a difference in their patients applying to ordinarie sicknesses ordinarie remedies and to desperate diseases desperate physicke and as Chirurgions to small cuts applie healing plaisters and for the curing of deepe festered wounds vse eating corrosiues and the sharpe lancher So the Physition and Surgion of the soule for the curing of some desperate disease or healing of some festered sore which sinne hath made in mens consciences must vse bitter potions a rough hand and desperate
sentence is pronounced that execution may be delaied and we reprieued till the next assises that in the meane time by true repentance we may procure our pardon and so escape deserued punishment And this is notablie set downe Esa 30. 18. Yet therefore will the Lord waite Esa 30. 18. that he may haue mercie vpon you c. Secondly we may obserue Gods infallible truth in performing 2 Gods infallible truth in performing his promises his promises notwithstanding mans vnworthines of the least of them After that Iehu had executed Gods iudgements vpon the house of Ahab the Lord promised him that he would confirme the kingdome vnto him and his posterity vnto the fourth generation Now after this promise made by God Iehu who had shewed his hatred to Achabs person and posterity shewed notwithstanding his loue to his sinnes forsaking the Lord and betaking himselfe to the worship of idols And in his steps did his progenie walke adding one outragious wickednesse to another but yet neuer the lesse the Lord made good his promises to him and his posteritie The consideration whereof may comfort those that are cast downe in the sight of their vnworthinesse thinking that because they deserue not Gods mercie therefore they shall not be partakers of it seeing we haue his gratious promises of grace and mercie the which though there be no cause in vs why he should performe yet there is cause enough in God himselfe who is infinite in mercy and infallible in his truth Rom. 3. 3 4. Rom. 3. 3. 4. Thirdly we may obserue that this people at this time 3. Pride goeth before a fall when as the Prophet threatneth Gods neere approaching iudgements were in the top of their pride presumptuous and secure fearing nothing lesse then such dangers and yet at this time destruction hasted and vengeance watched at the doore to seise vpon them Whereby it appeareth that when the wicked is most proud presumptuous and secure he is neerest to destruction when he thinketh himselfe out Psalm 37. 35. 36. of the gunshot of all danger then is hee most ready to be ouertaken of it as appeareth by the examples of Nebuchadnezzer Haman Herod and many others Lastly we may obserue that though the Lord spareth for 4. Punishmēts deferred are in the end inflicted a time yet he will not for euer deferre punishment for as sinne increaseth iudgement approcheth and though the Lord long delay to visit mens wickednesse yet the time runneth on and expireth and that which remaineth in the end will be very short and little before vengeance be inflicted And therefore let not Gods patience and long suffering harden vs in sinne and cause vs to deferre but rather hasten our repentance let vs lay hold of the acceptable time and day of saluation whilest it lasteth otherwise if we delay our conuersion the Lord within a little while when we least looke for it will cause his iudgements suddainly to surprise vs. And thus much concerning the time the punishment it selfe is expressed in these words I will visit The which word The Exposition is of ambiguous signification for it is sometime taken in the best part when as the Lord visiteth in mercy to bestow a benefite which hath been promised but somewhile deferred So he is said to haue visited Sara Gen. 21. 1. And so he promiseth to visit the children of Israel Exod. 13. 19. And Luk. Gen. 21. 1. Exod. 13. 19. Luke 1. 68. 1. 68. God is said to haue visited and redeemed his people Sometimes it is taken in the worst part and signifieth to reuenge and punish as in the second Commandement So Exo. 32. 34. In the day of my vengeance I will visit their sin vpon Exod. 32. 34. Psalm 89. 32. thē Psal 89. 32. I wil visit their transgression with the rod. And in this latter signification it is to be vnderstood in this place The doctrines which from hence we learne are these First The Do ∣ ctrines we may obserue the mercifull iustice of God who doth not rashly punish but first visiteth and then finding the fault inflicteth 1. Gods mercifull iustice who examineth before he punish Gen. 18. 20 21. Esa 26. 14. the punishment in which respect his punishments are called visitations And thus the Lord visited the Sdomites Gen. 18. 20 21. And so he is said first to haue visited and then to haue scattered and destroyed the wicked Esa 26. 14. Whence we are not to gather that the Lord needeth any such visitation to finde out mans wickednesse or that before he can spy out our sinnes he must make a quest of inquirie or priuy search for he is omnipresent and omniscient so that all things though neuer so much cloaked and disguised lye open before him and appeare naked in his sight as it is Heb. 4. 13. But by such borrowed phrases God setteth forth his orderly proceedings and approueth vnto men his iust Heb. 4. 13. iudgements in that they are not rashly executed but with good aduice and deliberation teaching them also in his own example to follow the like practise Here therefore Princes Magistrates Masters of families and all superiours are to learne their lesson namely that Superiours must visit before they punish they visit before they punish and by due examination finde out the fault before they giue sentence or proceede to execution for if God thus behaue himselfe in iudgement before whose eyes all things lie open how much more should men who are oft mistaken and easily deceiued vnlesse they vse great deliberation in their iudiciall proceedings Let therefore all such consider that where there is the most power there should be the least passion that rashnesse is a fault in all dangerous but in superiours pernicious that reasonable men should first iudge before they punish because punishment deferred may be inflicted but being inflicted cānot be recalled that they sustain the honorable place of a Iudge whilest they examine causes but the place of an executioner when without iudgement aduice they inflict punishmēt that they are Gods deputies represent his person therfore are according to his example first to visit and then to punish lest for want of due examination they punish the innocent in stead of offenders The second thing which hence we learne is that though God doth not rashly punish yet he will not suffer the wicked altogether to escape for though the Lord doth not punish euery day yet in the day of his visitation he will not spare And therefore let vs keepe our selues vndefiled from sinne or if we haue stained our consciences with sinne and haue as it were in these bookes registred vp our faults let vs by a liuely faith apply vnto vs the blood of Christ whereby these spots and writings may be washed away for if they remaine vntill the day of Gods visitation they will giue in such witnesse and euidence against vs as will conuict and condemne vs. In
let vs doe it in the loue of God which is the fountaine of euery good worke and in obedience to Gods commandement Secondly let vs propound as the maine ends of our actions the glory of God the good of his Church and our owne saluation Thirdly let our outward obedience proceede from the inward obedience of the heart and be done in sincerity and in vprightnes Fourthly let all be done in faith which by applying Christ and his pretious bloodshed vnto vs doth wash away the corruptions and imperfections wherewith our best actions are stained For though our actions in themselues be neuer so good yet if they be done in selfe-loue for our owne praise pleasure and profit without the sinceritie of the heart or true faith they are but glorious sinnes which displease God and make vs obnoxious to his iudgements and punishments Secondly we are here admonished that we doe not with Iehu and other hypocrites rest and content our selues in We must obey all Gods Commandements some one or two outward workes neglecting obedience vnto the rest of Gods Commandements assuring our selues that if our obedience be true and sincere it will be also whole and intire both in respect of the subiect and obiect that is both in respect of euery part of our selues who obey and in respect of al and euery of Gods commandements to which we are to yeeld obedience for true sanctification is not of one part alone but of the whole man and it maketh vs to hate all sinnes and to loue all vertues with the like affection although not in the same proportion Thirdly we here learne not to make our religion and the We must not make religion a cloake to couer our sins commandements of almightie God a cloak for our corruptions to couer our ambition malice cruelty morosity and other vices as Iehu did For if we do for corrupt and worldly ends imbrace and obey thē then when they wil not further but rather hinder vs in these respects we will cast them off and imbrace the contrarie sinnes and wickednesse according to the example of Iehu and all other apostates as appeareth daily by too too lamentable experience And so much for the sin of Iehu and his posteritie The fourth thing is the subiect or obiect of the punishment which is threefold first the house of Iehu by which is meant Iehu his posteritie which was destroyed by Shallum and so the kingdome taken from them namely Zachariah who was the last king of this family and the fourth from Iehu Here it may be demanded how it could stand with Gods How the child beareth the fathers sinnes Ezech. 18. 20. iustice to punish Iehues sinne in his posteritie seeing he saith that the child shall not beare his fathers iniquitie Ezech. 18. 20. I answere that the Lord may iustly punish the fathers sinne in the child by withholding his grace from him which he is not bound to giue him and so the child being destitute hereof and following his owne natural corruptions liueth in his fathers sin and transgressions and hereby iustly maketh himselfe obnoxious to Gods anger punishment It is true that the child is neuer punished with any positiue punishment for his fathers faults but for his owne sinnes into which being depriued of Gods grace he falleth For if he seeth his father sinnes and feareth and forsaketh them and indeuoureth to doe the contrarie workes of righteousnesse his fathers sinnes shall not be imputed vnto him but he shall liue in his owne righteousnesse as appeareth Ezech. 18. 14. which by Gods Ezech. 18. 14. infinite and vnlimited mercie oftentimes commeth to passe The vse hereof first concerneth parents that they be hereby Admonition to parents mooued to flee sin if not for their owne sake yet at least for their posterie seeing the child vnborne shall smart for their iniquities if the Lord as hee iustly may withhold his grace from them and suffer them to be carried away with their corruptions the which he often doth as he also threatneth in the second commandement Secondly the children of wicked parents may here learne Admonition to children of wicked parents carefully to flee their fathers vices and to indeuour to performe holy obedience vnto the Lord that so they may bee reconciled vnto him for if they follow their fathers steppes the Lord will certainely punish in them not only their own but also their parents sinne in the day of his visitation The second thing which here wee are to obserue is that God threatneth to begin his visitation with the King and God seuerely punisheth the sinnes of princes his posteritie because their owne sinnes were great and grieuous and also because they were accessarie to the sinnes of the people for whereas by their authoritie and good example they might haue restrained them from their open sinnes and stirred them vp to the profession and practise of righteousnesse and holinesse they contrariwise both by their law licensing idolatrie and by their practise liuing in it drew the people to follow their example and therefore the Lord first beginneth to punish them because they were the first agents and moouers vnto sinne So that here we may learne that it is not the great glorie and power of Princes which wil exempt them from punishment when God visiteth For howsoeuer they are gods Psal 82 6. 7. with men yet they are but men with God and as they shall die like men so shall they be punished like men neither shal their great authoritie and high place any thing priuiledge them Nay they aboue and before all others shall surely smart for it seeing they are seldome wicked alone but with their authoritie and example draw others into the like wickednesse The vse hereof concerneth not only Princes but also Magistrates and masters of families yea al that are in any place of authoritie ouer others that they most carefully auoide all sinnes especially such as are ioyned with scandall of their inferiours seeing against the day of Gods visitation they hasten and redouble their punishment The second obiect of this punishment is the state and Exposition kingdome in these words And will cause to cease the kingdome of the house of Israel The which punishment the Lord begun to execute presently after the ouerthrow of Iehues posteritie when as there were no lawful kings which gouerned the Commonwealth but such as vsurped the kingdome by treason murthers al outragious cruelty but it was fullie accomplished 41. yeeres after the death of Zachariah vnder the reigne of Hoshea when as all Israel were carried away captiue and neuer more had any kings of their owne to rule ouer them Where first wee are to obserue what a singular blessing Doct. of God it is when there is a continued sucession of lawfull Succession of lawfull Princes is a great blessing to a land Princes for it is the sinewes of a State wherein consisteth her chiefe strength which being cut
when hee seeth his child after hee hath often corrected him for his faults grow thereby more stubburne and disobedient iudgeth him past all grace and without hope of amendment and therefore giueth him ouer and thrusteth him out of his house So doth God deale with vs all Thirdly we may here learne that if hauing one affliction or punishment laid vpon vs we do not make good vse therof If Gods former chastisements doe not amend vs he will inflict greater punishments of for our amendment but casting Gods iudgements behind our backs become more and more stubburne and rebellious the Lord will surely increase our punishment if we increase in sinne vntill he haue brought vs to vtter destruction for the pit of his vengeance can neuer be drawne drie neither will he euer want thunderbolts of his wrath of all sizes to dart against sinners sinne they neuer so often but after a plague he can send a famine after famine the sword after priuate euils publike mischiefes after corporall spirituall and after temporarie eternall punishments And this appeareth Leuit. 26. Deu. 28. by the former examples of Pharaoh the Israelites in the time of the Iudges and in this place and this wee likewise shall find true by our owne experience if we do not in this time of respite make vse of Gods former iudgements For the Lord hath pulled backe his hand to spare vs if we repent but if we securely go on in our sinnes he is in this time and space but lifting vp his hand the he may strike the greater stroke The last thing which we will here obserue is that if wee decline in our vertues graces and manners we shall also decline So much we decline in courage and strength as we decay in vertue in our strength and manlinesse if we waxe cold in the zeale of Gods glorie he will also coole our courage and if with effeminate inconstancie wee turne from him hee will also effeminate our minds and take away our valor strength and fortitude and so becomming weake impotent and dastardly cowards we shall bee made a fit pray for our weakest enemies And those who heretofore trēbled at our names whilest seruing God he filled our hearts with courage and our hands with strength shall after our defection when our hearts are changed and made effeminate giue vs shamefull foiles and obtaine an easie victorie And this appeareth in Jos 7. the example of the Israelites Iosua 7. in the time of the Iudges in the reigne of Saul and Dauid and the rest of the Deut. 28. 7. 25. Leuit. 26. 7. 8. 17. Kings according to the word of the Lord Deut. 28. 7. 25. 32. 30. Ios 23 10. Leuit. 26. 7. 8. 17. And so much for the second punishment as it is shadowed vnder the name of the Prophets child Now wee are to consider of it as it is plainely expressed in the reason giuen why this name is imposed For I will no more haue pitie vpon the house of Israel but I will vtterly take them away The words in the originall are For I will not adde go forward or continue Exposition to haue mercy By which he signifieth that howsoeuer heretofore he had multiplied his mercies vpon them and after that he had cast them off for their rebellions had often receiued them againe into his former loue and fauour yet now seeing they had abused his mercie and patience he would not proceed any longer to shew mercie but the acceptable time of grace being past he would inflict his iudgements vpon thē which long agoe they had deserued For I will no more haue pitie The word here vsed signifieth generally to haue mercie but is fitly here translated pity for whereas there are two kinds of mercie the one spirituall the which especially sheweth it selfe in the forgiuenesse of sinnes the other temporall whereby the Lord seeing the misery of men pitieth them and in his tender compassion deliuereth them out of temporarie affliction the former kind of mercie God denieth not to the Israelites seeing none are excluded from this mercie who repent and beleeue but the latter namely freedome and deliuerance out of their miserable captiuitie Whereas therefore the Lord saith that hee will no more haue mercie vpon them his meaning is that he will not anie more in pitie and compassion deliuer them out of their enemies hands as he had done in former times as in the daies of Ioash 2. King 13. 23. 25. from the Aramites and in the daies 2. King 13. 23. 2. King 14. 26. of Ieroboam 2. King 14. 26. 27. besides those manifold deliuerances in the time of the Iudges Saul and Dauid but that now their enemies should for euer haue the dominion ouer them It followeth But I will vtterly take them away The which words are diuersly translated The Vulgar readeth it I will vtterly forget them as though this should be the sense I will be so farre from pitying them that I will not so much as remember them But this translation the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not admit vnlesse wee would change the third radicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Others reade it I will vtterly take them away namely out of the land of promise into captiuitie by their enemies which will well stand with the words sense and the euent Iunius readeth it thus I will not proceede anie more to haue mercie one the house of Israel that I should by any meanes pardon them The which translation also well agreeth with the text and with al circumstances for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 followeth it commonly signifieth to pardon and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes Gen. 38 15. Iudg. 8. 6. Jer. 13. 14. Amos 7 8. signifieth that as Gen. 38. 15. Iudg. 8. 6. And in this sense we haue the like threatning Ier. 13. 14. Amos. 7. 8. And so much for the meaning of the words The doctrines which from hence we gather are these First whereas he saith Doctrine that he will no longer proceede to haue pity on them hence Gods former mercies abused doe not exempt vs from future iudgements we learne that it is a false inference which carnall and secure men make namely that because the Lord hath multiplied his mercies vpon them in former times therefore they are sure that he will do so still notwithstanding that they continually abuse his mercie and take occasion thereby to go on in their sinnes without repentance For this was the case of the Israelites in this place against whom he threatneth that he would turne his mercies into iudgements It is true indeede that Gods faithfull children may make such conclusions from their former experience of Gods mercies in his spirituall gifts and graces for in them hee is vnchangeable Rom. 11 29. And also concerning temporall benefits so
Rom. 11. 29. farre foorth as they will stand with their spirituall good as Dauid did 1. Sam. 17. 37. But this is no sure ground whereupon 1. Sam. 17. 37. secure men may build their presumption For if Gods mercies will not moue vs to feare and serue him he will not alwaies continue to be mercifull towards vs but as he hath a time for mercie so he hath also a time for iudgement wherein he will vtterly take vs away in wrath and bring vs to destruction An example whereof wee haue in this place and before the flood Gen. 6. 3. c. Secondly whereas the Lord threatneth that they should Gen. 6. 3. Captiuitie is the fruit of rebellion for euer remaine in captiuitie vnder the rule and dominion of their enemies here we may obserue a notable fruite of rebellion For so long as the Israelites serued God whose seruice indeed is the only true libertie they were freed from all seruitude and bondage but when they refused to serue God as their Lord and master would not be ruled by his word and Spirit they were compelled to serue crueli tyrants in a miserable and perpetuall seruitude yea which was worse they were not onely the captiues of their enemies but the perpetuall bondslaues of their arch enemie the diuell as many as did not turne vnto God and againe betake themselues to his seruice Thirdly whereas the Lord pronounceth this definitiue Release from temporall afflictions doth not alwaies follow true repentance Hos 1. 10. 2. 20 sentence that he would neuer haue pitie on them to deliuer them out of their bondage and yet vpon the true repentance of many of them pardoned their sinne and receiued them to mercie as appeareth vers 10. chap. 2. 20. hence wee learne that vpon the forgiuenes of sinne and reconciliation with God there doth not alwaies follow release from temporall afflictions which for sinne are inflicted vpon the faithfull For the Lord after that he hath pardoned his children their sin doth oftentimes chastise them afterwards for them that hereby he may weane them for the time to come from their corruptions and with this bitternesse of affliction may moue them to hate those sinnes which otherwise would be sweete pleasant to their corrupt flesh An example hereof we haue in Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 13. 18. 16. 12. And in Moses 2. Sam. 12. 13. 18. 16. 12. Numb 20. 10. 12. Num. 20. 10. 12. The consideration whereof should make vs carefully flee sinne if not for feare of eternall torments from which all the faithfull are deliuered by Christ yet at least of temporarie afflictions which haue in them more bitternesse then sinne sweetenesse c. ANd so much concerning their secōd degree of punishment the which is amplified by a dissimilitude vers 7. Vers 7 Yet I will haue mercie vpon the house of Iuda and will saue them Exposition by the Lord their God and will not saue them by bow nor by sword nor by battell by horses nor by horsemen In which words is contained a gratious promise to the house of Iuda of that mercie which in the former verse hee refuseth to vouchsafe the house of Israel Wherein we are to consider the partie to whō this promise is made namely the house of Iuda and secondly the benefits which are promised the which are two fold first his mercy and secondly saluation which is an effect thereof vnto which are annexed the true meanes whereby he would saue them to wit by the Lord their God and after the false and insufficient meanes are remoued in which notwithstanding men vsually put their confidence and will not saue them by bowes This gratious promise of mercie and saluation is made to the Iewes not for any excellencie or worthines which was in them which deserued such grace and mercie for they also oftentimes had grieuouslie rebelled against the Lord and had prouoked his wrath against them with their manifold sins which reigned amongst them especially by their grosse idolatrie as may appeare both by the historie in the bookes of the Kings and Chronicles and in the writings of the Prophets which were sent vnto them to wit Esay Ieremie and the rest But this mercie is promised vnto them first because they did not goe forward in these sinnes with such obstinacie and impenitencie as the Israelites did but vnder the gouernement of their godly Kings Iehosaphat Ezechias Iosias and the rest oftentimes returned againe to the Lord by true repentance and forsaking their idolatry restored Gods pure worshippe and seruice and after they were led captiue they made profitable vse of their afflictions and harkened vnto the voice of God brought vnto them by his Prophets whereas the Israelites after their first defection vnder Ieroboam neuer wholly turned vnto the Lord but grew worse and worse in their rebellion and grosse idolatry Secondly God spared the Tribe of Iuda that he might performe his gratious promise which he had made to Dauid that there should not be wanting one to sit vpon his seate till the Messias came whose kingdome should be eternall the which could not be accomplished if this Tribe likewise had been vtterly destroyed or the kingdome altogether ceased Now the reasons why this our Prophet which was sent to the Israelites maketh this gracious promise in the name of the Lord of that mercy and saluation vnto the Iews which was denied vnto the Israelites was first that he might hereby awaken them out of their deepe sleepe of carnall security and beate downe their pride and selfe confidence into which their present prosperity had brought them For at this time the Kingdome of Israel exceedingly flourished both in multitude as containing in it ten Tribes and in strength and all warlicke prouision hauing obtained many great victories ouer their enemies and particularly against the Iewes whom they had ouerthrowne and brought into great extremity in wealth also which they had gotten by spoiling their enemies and namely the Iewes whose Temple they had robbed and carried away all their treasures and vessels of gold and siluer whereas the Iewes were but a few in number as being but one Tribe and a halfe many of which were miserably slaine by their enemies disfurnished of their warlicke munition and meanes of defence and lastly spoiled of their riches and treasures which are the sinewes of warre and so brought into miserable pouerty In all which respects the Israelites despised the Iewes and proudly insulted ouer them in their miseries yea and which was worst of al they combined themselues with the Syrians the enemies of God conspired how they might bring the poore afflicted Kingdome of Iuda to vtter ruine as appeareth Esay 7. 5 6. And therefore the Lord to beate down this Esa 7. 5 6. pride and cruell insolency sendeth his Prophet to foretell their destruction who were many strong and abounding in all riches and contrariwise the preseruation and saluation of the Iewes who were few
weake and in want of all things but want of misery Secondly because he was a Prophet sent not to the Iewes but to the Israelites he doth not meddle with their sinnes which were many nor denounceth Gods iudgements against them but leauing that to their owne Prophets he applieth himselfe to his owne people by all meanes seeking to humble and bring them to true repentance and because this promise of saluation and mercy vnto the Iewes was effectuall to this purpose therefore he reciteth it that their hearts being wounded with griefe and emulation and their pride and insolency being beaten downe they might in some sort be prepared for true repentance And thus much for the vnderstanding of the first point The doctrines which from hence we learne are these First Doctrines That in common calamities God hath aspeciall care ouer the faithfull that when the Lord exerciseth his iudgements vpon the wicked he hath in the meane time a speciall care of the preseruation of those that feare and serue him to deliuer them out of the middest of common calamities as appeareth in this place for though he suffered the people of Israel to be ouerthrowne by their enemies yet he so curbeth them in with the strong raine of his prouidence that they could not enter into the next bordring countrie of Iuda whom they hated with equall malice albeit they were much fewer in number and weaker in power and in outward appearance altogether vnable to make any resistance And this is manifest by many such examples of like deliuerances out of common euils So was Noah preserued in the common deluge Lot in the destruction of Sodom the Israelites from the plagues of Egypt For the iust Iudge of heauen and earth will not destroy the iust with the wicked Gen. 18. 25. And the Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly out of tentation and to reserue the Gen. 18. 25. 2. Pet. 2. 9. vniust to be punished Secondly we here learne that though our sinnes be great Gods mercy to those that repent and our imperfections and corruptions manifold yet this will not withhold from vs the course of Gods mercies if we turne to God by repentance The Iewes were not much behinde the Israelites in rebellion idolatry and all wickednes and yet because they often forsooke their wicked waies either when they were admonished by Gods Prophets or exercised with afflictions and turned vnto God by true repentance therefore the Lord promiseth vnto them mercy and deliuerance whereas the Israelites who continued obstinately in their impenitency were giuen ouer of God to vtter destruction The like example we haue in Saul and Manasse Peter and Iudas and many others Thirdly we learne that it is a notable argument to moue the Lord to spare a people when as they maintaine amongst God spareth those who maintaine his pure worship though they be polluted with many corruptions them Gods pure and sincere worship and seruice notwithstanding they are polluted with many corruptions and imperfections but when as true religion is banished or despised when Gods sincere worship is neglected and idolatry and superstition erected this is a strong motiue to cause the Lord to powre downe his fearefull iudgements as appeareth in the example of the Israelites and the Iewes Whilest the wise continueth her loue and mariage fidelity towards her husband he is content to beare with many infirmities and to put vp many iniuries but if she violate her faith and place her loue vpon a stranger he is kindled with rage and iealousie and will neuer indure such intolerable wickednesse so whilest the Church which is Gods spouse continueth in her loue and obserueth her mariage promise that she will obey and respect him aboue all he is content to spare her though she be full of corruptions and imperfections but when she withdraweth her loue and setteth it vpon idols and disclaiming her promised obedience neglecteth his pure religiō sincere worship and seruice then will his iealousie burne like fire and his wrath wil suddenly breake forth and vtterly consume her being now no better then an adulterous harlot It is true indeed that where Gods true religion is established and his Gospell sincerely preached there if the people doe not liue according to their professiō bring forth the fruits thereof it will not priuiledge them from afflictions and punishments nay rather the Lord will first visit them because they are of his owne family as appeareth 1. Pet. 4. 17. Ier. 25. 29. Heb. 12. 6. Apoc. 3. 19. But these visitations are in 1. Pet. 4. 17. Ier. 25. 29. Heb 12 6. Apoc 3. 19. 1. Cor. 11. 32. mercy that by his fatherly chastisements he may reclaime them lest running on in their sinnes they should be condemned with the world as it is 1. Cor. 11. 32. But yet so long as they doe not withdraw their loue from God nor violate their faith by neglecting Gods true religion and his sincere worship and seruice and erecting idolatry and superstition the Lord will not vtterly forsake them nor altogether withdraw his mercy from them as we may see in the example of the Iewes and haue sufficiently learned by our owne experience Fourthly we here learne that no vice is more intolerable God abaseth the proud in Gods sight then when by our prosperity and Gods gratious and free benefits we be puffed so vp in pride and selfe-confidence that we despise oppresse and insolently insult auer those who are in affliction and misery For this was the cause which moued the Lord to withdraw his mercies and benefits from the Israelites when as they abused them to pride and to bestow them vpon the Iewes who were contemned and oppressed by them And thus much for the first point The second is the benefits promised to the house of Iuda first in generall that he Exposition will haue mercie vpon them secondly that he will in mercy saue and preserue them from their enemies In which benenefits promised there is a secret antithesis vnto the iudgement threatned against the house of Israel in the former verse they should bee lo-ruchamah such as should haue no mercie but the house of Iuda should bee ruchamah that is such as should obtaine mercie they should be vtterly taken away and neuer returne out of their captiuitie but these how they should also be led captiue yet they should continue but a while in their seruitude and at the end of 70. yeeres be againe restored into their owne countrie The which benefits promised were accordingly performed First in the daies of Ahaz when they were deliuered out of the hands of Rezin King of Aram and Pecah the sonne of Remaliah as it is Isai 7. 1. and also in the daies of Ezechias when as the Lord gaue vnto them a meruailous deliuerance by sending his Angell to destroy the host of Senacharib euen 185000. men as appeareth 2. King 18. and 2. King 18. 19. Esa 36. 37.
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
glorie hereof in part or whole to any other sauing our onely Sauiour Christ c. The second thing which we obserue is that the onely true 2. Iehouah wil be their God alone who worship him according to his word Iehouah is the God of those alone who worship and serue him after his will reuealed in his word as for those that in stead of Gods reuealed truth imbrace their owne wil-worships though they make neuer so glorious a profession of their seruice to the true Ged yet he esteemeth it not as done vnto him neither will he acknowledge them his seruants nor himselfe their God who in stead of his wil do their own wills and in stead of his pure seruice offer vnto him their owne inuentions Whereas contrariwise hee vouchsafeth to bee called the God of them who worship him after his reuealed will though otherwise their obedience be mingled with many corruptions and imperfections as appeareth in the example of the Israelites and the Iewes in this place Thirdly we here learne whence we are to expect deliuerance 3. Saluation is onely from the Lord. and saluation out of the hands of our enemies not from our own strength munitiō number riches friends seeing our saluation commeth not from our selues or from our own meanes but from the Lord alone And therfore when we abound in these things we must not trust in them and so grow proud in our owne strength but in Gods helpe and promised assistance and when these things are wanting let vs not despaire of deliuerance seeing the Lord without aboue or contrarie to these meanes can saue and preserue vs by his owne omnipotent power as appeareth in the example of the Israelites deliuered out of the captiuitie of Egypt out of the hands of the Madianites by Gedeon and his 300. men Iudg. 7. from the power of Sanacherib by his Judg. 7. 2. King 19. owne Angell and in the example of the slaughter of the Philistims by Ionathan his Armourbearer 1. Sam. 14. 6. And so 1. Sam. 14 6. in our greatest weakenes and want of meanes we may comfort our selues in the Lords assistance which is al-sufficient and say with Ionathan It is not hard to the Lord to saue with many or with few 1. Sam. 14. 6. and with Asa 2. Chron. 1. Sam. 14. 6. 2. Chron. 14. 11. 14. 11. O Lord it is nothing vnto thee to helpe with many or with no power Whereas on the other side all worldly helpes are insufficient to deliuer without Gods assistance for though the horse be prepared against the day of battaile yet our saluation commeth of the Lord Prou. 21. 31. And if the Lord doe not Prou. 21. 31. blesse this meanes A horse is but a vaine helpe and shall not deliuer any by his great strength Psalm 33. 17. And therefore Psalm 33. 17. when we abound in these meanes although wee may lawfully vse them and thanke God for them yet let vs put no affiance in them but say with Dauid Psalm 44. 6. I doe Psalm 44. 6. not trust in my bow neither can my sword saue me c. ANd so much concerning the second degree of the Israelites punishment The third followeth which is their vtter and finall reiection vers 8. Now when shee had weaned Vers 8. 9. Lo-ruchamah she conceiued and bare a sonne Vers 9. Then God said Cal his name Lo-ammi for ye are not my people therefore I will not be yours In which words the third punishment is first typically shadowed vnder the childs name and afterwards plainely expressed in the reason rendred thereof But before this third punishment is denounced there is a certaine space interposed betweene it and the former which is signified vers 8. Now whē she had weaned Loru-chamah c. By the weaning of Loru-chamah the Prophet typically sheweth that because the people were not reclaimed with the former punishments the Lord would be so far from repealing his sentence of those iudgements before denounced that he would now ratifie and confirme it yea and because their diseases were growne so desperate that they were past all cure and seeing neither mercies nor iudgements would reclaime them he would now inflict vpon thē a third iudgement more heauie then all the rest namely he would reiect them frō being his people But yet he would not do this sodenly but as the child is first weaned before it be taken from his nurse so they should be weaned and restrained from their nurses the Prophets and frō the food of their soules the milk 1. Pet. 2. 2. of Gods word of which the Apostle speaketh 1. Pet. 2. 2. and consequently should bee depriued of al the graces of Gods spirit which are both begotten by this spiritual seed of Gods word and nourished and increased with this heauenly food But howsoeuer the Lord goeth forward in the denunciation of iudgements yet it is not altogether without mercy for before he vtterly reiecteth them he interposeth a conuenient distance of time between this and the former iudgement that in the meane while they might repent and so escape this last punishment And this also is signified by the weaning of Loru-chamah before Lo-ammi is conceiued For though he had condemned them to perpetual captiuitie yet he doth not presently exclude them out of that couenant which he had made with their fathers wherby they became his people but for a time hee patiently waited for their conuersion that so they might still retaine the name of Gods people and attaine vnto the saluation of their soules though their bodies were inthralled in a perpetuall seruitude But when as they made no vse neither of Gods former iudgements nor yet of his patience long suffering but obstinately and desperately went on in their sins they increasing in wickednesse the Lord increaseth his punishments and finally casts them off from being his people The which finall reiection is signified and shadowed vnder the name Lo-ammi the signification wherof is Not my people as it is expounded by God himselfe in this place and after it is plainely expressed in the reason for ye are not my people therefore I will not be yours The Lord had in former times made choice of the children of Israel amongst all the nations of the world to be his Church and people according to that Deut. 32. 9. For the Deut. 32. 9. Lords portion is his people Iacob is the lot of his inheritance with them hee made his couenant and vpon them as being his owne peculiar people and proper familie he multiplied his benefits with a more liberall hand then vpon any other nation But when Israel obserued not the condition of the couenant but renounced the seruice of God went a whoring after idols and when neither Gods mercies would moue them to loue him nor his iudgements to feare him nor both ioyned together could reclaime them from their wicked waies and bring them to repentance the Lord casteth them
Christ their head In the last place this their felicity is amplified in these words for great is the day of Izreel The which words by others are otherwise translated and The exposition expounded Some reade them thus When as the great day of Izreel shall be or shall haue been some thus Although great shall be the day of Izreel Both vnderstanding by day of Izreel the day of the calamitie of the people when they were ouerthrowne in the valley of Izreel and so led captiue by their enemies According to which translation they make this to be the sense of the place that after this great destruction the Lord would cause this great deliuerance or although this great calamity should certainely befall them yet this should not hinder the performance of Gods promises concerning the prosperous estate of the Church vnder the gouernment of Christ their head But as I take it we are not to vnderstand here by this great day of Izreel the day of their great affliction and calamitie but the day of their great felicitie and happinesse not the day of their ouerthrow and captiuity but of their restoring and deliuerance out of their enemies hands for in the fift verse hee had spoken of this iudgement and now hee speaketh onely of mercie and deliuerance whereby hee would comfort Gods people who were deiected with the former threatnings as appeareth by that both which went before and that also which followeth Now it is called the great day because it should be a day wherein the Lord would shew the greatnesse of his mercy power wisedome and goodnesse in the deliuerance of his people and the destruction of their enemies and because it should bee a day of great reioycing and triumph to the Church when as they should be gathered together vnder their head and King Iesus Christ and by him bee deliuered out of the land of darkenesse and kingdome of Satan where they were inthralled and so ascend into the Kingdome of God the kingdome of grace first and afterwards the kingdome of eternall glory And it is called the day of Izreel because it is a day of their redemption and saluation so Luk. 19. 41. 44. Where by Izreel wee are to vnderstand the Luk. 19. 41. 44. seed and sonnes of God not as in the fourth verse the seede which God would scatter and disperse but which in the time of the great haruest he would reape and gather into his garners of grace and glory And this is the meaning of the wordes The doctrine which from hence ariseth is this Here we may obserue what What is the chiefe day of our reioycing we are to esteeme the day of our great reioycing and as it were our solemne festiuall not wherein wee attaine some worldly riches or temporary preferment or wherein we are freed from some corporall calamitie although in some measure we may lawfully reioyce in these respects but the day of our ioy and triumph is when as we are deliuered out of the bondage of Satan and are gathered into the Church of God and are ruled protected and gouerned by Christ our head seeing in this day wee are freed from the greatest euils and aduanced to the greatest dignities and preferments And therefore let vs say with the Prophet Dauid vpon an other occasion This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad in it Psal 118. 24. And that wee may shew Psal 118. 24. and testifie this our ioy and gladnesse let vs solemnly assemble together to praise Gods name and to render thanks to God as for all other his benefites so especially for this great worke of our deliuerance FINIS LETCVRES VPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE PROPHECIE OF HOSEA THe argument of this chapter is like The argument vnto the former for herein the people of Israel are accused and sharply reproued for their sinnes of idolatrie and vnthankfulnesse towards God and withall Gods fearefull iudgements are denounced both against the whole Synagogue and Church of Israel and also against the particular members thereof With which threatnings lest the faithfull and true children of God should bee too much amased and beaten downe with excessiue griefe for the downefall of the Church hee raiseth them vp againe with sound comfort preaching vnto them the glad tidings of the Gospell wherein he foretelleth their reconciliation with God the espousals of the Church to her husband Iesus Christ and the manifold benefits which should accompanie this happie contract And this is the maine argument of this chapter Out of The analysis which we may obserue the parts thereof which are two first legall threatnings secondly Euangelical promises The first part beginneth vers 2. and continueth to the 14. Wherein is set downe both their sinne and punishment and these are intermixed one with another Their sinne is twofold first their idolatrie secondly their ignorant ingratitude which also consisteth of two branches first their ascribing of all the benefits which they inioyed to their idols vers 5. Secondly their not acknowledging God to be the author of them vers 8. Their idolatrie is set downe in the 2. 3. 4. and 5. verses Wherin is contained 1. a denunciation of a diuorce between God and the Church of Israel vers 2. And the cause thereof namely her spirituall whoredomes vers 5. The dinorce is first inioyned that it should be denounced and then the causes or ends of the denunciation are expressed which are two First that the Church of Israel taking notice of it might lay it to heart and be mooued thereby to repent of her spirituall whoredomes vers 2. And secondly that she repenting the Lord might not be mooued in his iust displeasure to punish neither her vers 3. nor her children vers 4. And this is the generall resolution of this chapter Now let vs come to the words themselues Vers 1. Say vnto your Verse 1 brethren Ammi and to your sisters Ruchamah In the last verse Exposition of the former chapter the Prophet had shewed that the faithfull which appertained to Gods election should be gathered together should set ouer themselues one head Iesus Christ and so becomming subiects of his kingdome and members of his bodie should by vertue of this vnion ascend out of the kingdome of sinne and satan into the kingdome of grace and glorie Now he exhorteth them to congratulate one another in respect of these great benefits receiued and with mutuall incouragements to stirre vp euerie man his neighbour and brother that with a godlie care and earnest desire and indeauour and with a liuely faith they would receiue and applie to themselues this grace of God and most mercifull benefits which in Christ are offered vnto them and not only so but being themselues made partakers of these inestimable benefits he exhorteth them not to rest contented with their owne happinesse but to labour that it may be communicated to their brethren and being escaped out of their
duty doth appertaine namely to all those who are made members of the That all the faithfull must labor to gaine others to the Church church whether they be publike or priuate persons for there is none which are in respect of their meannesse of gifts exempted seeing there is not any who hath receiued such a small talent but that if he will profitably imploy it he may thereby gaine some glory to his Lord and maister and in some respect or other bring some benefit to his brethren either by instruction consolation exhortatiō or holy example of life But howsoeuer this duty belongeth to all yet especially to Gods Ministers who are appointed of God both to be the spirituall fathers by whom men are begotten vnto God and conuerted to the faith and also to be the nurses who by the milke of the word are to nourish and bring vp in their spirituall growth those who are regenerate and added to the Church And therefore they are with all care and diligence to preach the word in season and out of season instructing the ignorant exhorting those that are backward perswading the obstinate confirming the weake and comforting and incouraging those which are ready to faint and by all meanes labouring that those who are not conuerted may be gained vnto Christ and likewise that those who are already added to the Church may bee more and more strengthened and confirmed in their spirituall vnion with Christ and communion with the Saints Fourthly we are to obserue to whom this duty is to be performed namely to our brothers and sisters that is those who are already and those that may be hereafter our brethren and sisters and in y◠we do not know who these are because Gods That we must labour to informe all in Gods trueth secret counsaile decree of election is known only to himselfe therfore we are to exhort instruct and perswade all to become members of the Church so far as in regard of our state and calling we possiblie can for the Spirit bloweth where it listeth and can easilie cause Lions Tigers and Cockatrices to become the sheepe of Christ hee can make idolatrous Abraham the fether of the faithfull bloodie and barbarous Manasses an humble conuert a persecuting Saul a preaching Paul and a leaud cheefe a holy confessor and therfore say not in thy heart I will spare my labour because this or that man is too wicked too worldlie too couetous too proud to make a Christian seeing the Lord is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham to humble the most proud and obstinate and to sanctifie the most prophane neither is hee onely able to doe it but also often doth it to shew the infinite riches of his wisedome power mercie and goodnesse and that our saluation is not for our owne works or worthinesse but of his owne free grace and vndeserued loue that so he may be all in all and haue the whole glorie of his owne worke Fiftly we are to obserue the maine arguments which the The arguments which we must vse for the conuersion of others faithfull are to vse that they may perswade others to ascend with them out of the land of darkenesse into the kingdome and Church of Christ namely because they were the people of God and therefore they are to ascend into the kingdome of their Lord and redeemer And lest their sinnes and Gods iustice and wrath should discourage them it is further said that they haue obtained mercie and remission of their sinnes and are now reconciled vnto God in Christ Whence we learne what is the strongest inducement and most forcible argument to mooue any to leaue the kingdome of darkenesse and to adioyne themselues vnto the Church of God namely when they heare and hearing beleeue that they who were aliants and strangers are now in Christ become Gods subiects and seruants that they whom the law for their grieuous sinnes excluded from all mercie and made obnoxious to Gods wrath are now in Christ made partakers of Gods mercie whereby they haue the remission of their sinnes and are so reconciled to their Lord and Soueraigne So long as a malefactor who hath deserued death knoweth that his Prince is iustly displeased with him and intendeth to prosecute the law against him hee fleeth his kingdome and liueth in voluntarie exile but if hee heare that the princes sonne fauoureth him and hath obtained his fathers pardon and reconciled him vnto him this is a strong motiue to perswade him to leaue the strange countrie where he liueth and to returne againe into the kingdome of his Soueraigne So we who are grieuous malefactours which by transgressing Gods law haue made our selues subiect to to his wrath and obnoxious to the punishment of the law eternall death whilest wee remaine in this case flee from Gods presence and as much as in vs lieth though it neuer lieth in vs we banish our selues out of his kingdome and iurisdiction but when we heare that Christ his dearely beloued sonne hath obtained our pardon and reconciled vs to his father then and not before we approach his presence and adioyne our selues to his kingdome It is then the preaching of the Gospell which gathereth vs into Christs kingdome For it is Gods strong power vnto saluation to al that beleeue whereby he perswadeth vs to come out of Satans kingdome and to adioyne our selues vnto his Church And therefore those who seeke the conuersion of others they must not onely denounce legall threatnings against sinne for this will make men rather flee from God then come vnto him but hauing by the law brought them to a sight of their miserie in regard of the curse thereof the anger of God death and condemnation which they haue deserued then they are to preach the glad tidings of the Gospell whereby they may be assured of the remission of their sins and reconciliation with God and so be mooued to come vnto Christ and to adioyne themselues to his Church Examples hereof we haue Act. 2. 38. 39. 2. Cor. 5. 18. 19. 20. Act. 2. 38. 2. Cor. 5. 18. Gal. 3 26. That we must continuallie labour to conuert others to the faith Gal. 3. 26. 27. 28. Now we are further to obserue that we are not to deliuer this glad tidings of the Gospell for the conuersion of those who are not yet called once or twice or diuers times but continually till they be conuerted we must teach them perswade and exhort them to ascend out of the land of darkenesse into the kingdome of Christ for hee doth not define and determine a certaine number but indefinitely and absolutely commandeth vs that we should speake vnto them For God calleth not all at the same houre but some at one time and some at another neither doth he make the word effectuall for the conuersion of all sinners at the first hearing but in some he lets it often outwardly sound in their eares before by the inward working of
fitteth his speech to them shewing that if this heauy iudgement of separation from himselfe would not touch them with any sense of their misery hee had an other iudgement in store for them which hee knew they would feelingly apprehend to wit the withdrawing of his gifts and benefites from them which they farre better loued then himselfe Fourthly we may obserue that the abuse of Gods graces The abuse of Gods gifts moueth him to strip vs of them and benefits doth moue him iustly to spoile and strip vs of them as appeareth here in the example of the Israelites for therefore the Lord suffered them to inioy still his gifts which with a liberall hand hee had bestowed vpon them that his mercy and bounty might leade them to repentance and might mooue them with all earnestnesse to seeke reconciliation with him who had been so good and gratious a God vnto them but when as contrariwise they the rather forsooke the Lord impudently committed spirituall whoredome with their idols abusing Gods benefits as meanes to harten them in their sinne and spending their wealth vpon their false gods the Lord threatneth that if they would not speedily repent of these sinnes he would strippe them of his gifts rather then they should be thus abused If therefore we would haue Gods benefits continued vnto vs let vs take heede that wee doe not abuse them to pride wantonnesse forgetfulnesse of God insulting ouer our brethren or by mispending them vpon any euill vses to further vs in any sinne nay not onely this but also let vs be carefull to imploy them well to Gods glory the good of our brethren and for our owne furtherance in all vertue and godlinesse for though we doe not abuse them yet if with the vnprofitable seruant we hide them in a napkin and do not vse them the Lord will take his talent from vs and not onely strip vs of his gifts but also cast vs into vtter darkenesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth as appeareth Matth. 25. 30. Matth. 25. 30. God putteth vs in minde of our naturall basenesse to humble vs. Fiftly wee may obserue that in the Lords threatning whereby hee indeauoureth to bring the Church of Israel to repentance he putteth them in minde of their former basenesse miserie and nakednesse not onely to worke in their hearts a true loue and reuerent respect towards him who from such a contemptible condition had aduanced them to such high dignitie but also to beate downe their pride with which in respect of their present prosperitie they were puffed vp and to humble them with the remembrance of their owne naturall vilenesse As if a Prince hauing taken to wife a meane seruant and perceiuing her to waxe proud and insolent towards him and to neglect him who had aduanced her setting her loue vpon others should after this manner say vnto her There is no reason why thou shouldest bee so proud insolent for howsoeuer I haue now aduanced thee thou wast when I found thee poore base and beggarly especially considering that I who haue raised thee vp haue power in my hand to pull thee downe and to place thee in as base condition as thou wast in former times if thy preferments puffe thee vp in pride and moue thee in thy insolency to neglect and despise me who haue been the only cause of thine aduancement And hereby it may appeare how easily by Gods grace and bountie we are made insolent wanton and forgetfull of God how odious a vice this is in Gods sight in that he vseth such meanes to draw vs from it and that there is no better course to bring vs to repentance then by beating downe this our pride by calling to minde what we were before the Lord called vs and aduanced vs namely base poore and miserable destitute of all good and replenished with all euill Lastlie we may obserue the manifold miseries and calamities The miseries that God bringeth on those who forsake his true worship which the Lord bringeth vpon those who forsake his pure worship and seruice and giue themselues ouer to commit idolatrie for hee not onely diuorceth them from himselfe but also vnlesse they repent he strippeth them of all his gifts and benefits which he had bestowed vpon them he taketh from them the light of their vnderstanding and suffereth them to be deluded and infatuated in their owne imaginations as appeareth Rom. 1. 21. 22. 2. Thess 2. 11. Rom. 1. 21. 22. 2. Thes 2. 11. Matth. 21. 43. He taketh from them the sunshine of his word and suffereth them to walke in darkenesse and in the shadow of death he strippeth them of al his gifts both of bodie and mind leaueth them in their naturall nakednesse defiled with sin vglie and deformed he taketh from them the name of his seruants children and spouse and leaueth them as hee found them the slaues of Satan the children of wrath and heires of perdition He maketh them like a desert wildernesse barren of all grace and goodnesse and inhabited with their owne lusts corruptions and passions which like wild beasts torment and euen rent them in peeces yea he maketh whole cities and countries of idolaters waste and desolate exposing them to the common spoile of their conquering enemies as our Sauiour threatneth the Iewes Matth. 23. 38. In a word he depriueth their soules of all true ioy and sound Matth. 23. 38. comfort and letteth them perish in the extremitie of their want So that the end of idolaters who hauing knowne God and do renounce his pure worship and seruice is worse then their beginning For better had it been for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it to turne out of it as the Apostle speaketh 2. Pet. 2. Pet. 2. 20. 21. Matth. 12. 45. 2. 20. 21. So Matth. 12. 45. ANd so much concerning the punishment of the adulterous mother the whole Synagogue Church of Israel In the next place he forewarneth her of the punishment of her children vers 4. And I wil haue no pity vpon her children Vers 4 for they be the children of fornications In which words are contained The exposition two things first the punishment secondly the cause thereof In the first we are to consider first against whom this punishment is threatned secondly the punishment it selfe The persons against whom this punishment is denounced are the children of the adulterous mother And I will haue no pitie vpon her children Whereas he saith And I will c. by this connexion he signifieth that vnlesse his adulterous spouse whom hee had diuorced would take away her fornications and adulteries by true repentance he would not content himselfe with her diuorce and spoile but hee would goe forward in his course of iust vengeance to inflict the like punishments vpon her children Where as by mother we are to vnderstand in generall the whole Synagogue Church of Israel
especially their magistrates superiors goueruours both ecclesiastical and ciuil so by the children we are to vnderstand the particular members of this Church especially subiects and inferiours For the Lord contenteth not himselfe with a generall denunciation of his heauy iudgements against the whole Church but he descendeth to particulars and specially applieth his threatnings to euery particular member of this body that so hee may bring the mother and the children the whole body and the seuerall parts superiours and inferiours vnto true repentance Superiours when as they consider that not onely they themselues shall haue the greatest measure of punishment inflicted on them because by their authority and example they haue bin the ringleaders vnto al wickednes but also that the poore people committed to their charge whom they ought as tenderly to loue as the kinde mother her deare children shal through their bad example and ill gouernment fall into the like sins so be made obnoxious to the like punishmēts So likewise inferiours may be drawne to repentance when as they consider that their following of the example of their superiours and obeying their authority in euil will not priuiledge them frō Gods iudgements but being partakers with thē in sin they shall also be partakers of their punishments And so much for the persons The punishment it selfe is that the Lord will haue no mercy or pittie vpon them not that the Lord will vtterly and absolutely exclude them from mercy but onely on this condition if they perseuered in their sinnes without repentance neither doth hee debarre them of all mercy in regard of their eternall saluation but in respect of their temporary reiection from being his people and children as may appeare by the latter part of the chapter The meaning therefore of these words is this that as he had denied to haue pitie vpon the mother and had diuorced her stripped her and made her like a wildernesse c. so neither would he haue any compassion of the children to to spare them but would bring vpon them the same punishments which he had denounced against their mother And this is the punishment here denounced The cause moouing the Lord to inflict it is expressed in these wordes For they bee the children of fornications In which words is contained a twofold cause of the childrens punishment the first because they are the children of fornications that is the issue of an adulterous mother or more plainely thus because they are members of an idolatrous Church who by their gouernours ciuill and ecclesiasticall are nuzled and nursed brought vp and instructed in idolatry and a false religion The first cause therefore why the Lord reiecteth the children is in the mother that is in the whole Church especially their gouernours and rulers both ecclesiasticall and ciuill because by the former they were taught not a true but a false and idolatrous religion and by the other were not restrained from idolatry and false worship and vrged to worship the true God after a true manner but rather by their example inticed and by their authority forced to forsake the true God and follow idols But here it may be demanded whether the sinne of the How God punisheth the sinnes of gouernours in the people gouernours is a iust cause to mooue the Lord to punish the subiects To which I answer that there are two sorts of punishments the first corporall and temporall the second spirituall and eternall In respect of temporall punishments it is iust with God to punish the sinnes of parents in children and of gouernours in the subiects because in respect of the whole body they are parts and members belonging vnto them as the chiefe and principall and therefore whilest the children and subiects suffer punishment the parents and gouernours are punished in them 2. Sam. 12. 14. 24. 12. 17. 2. Sam. 12. 14. 24. 12. 17. But in respect of spirituall and eternall punishments the Lord doth not inflict them vpon the children and subiects for the sinnes of the parents and gouernours positiuely vnlesse they likewise partake with them in their sinnes and follow their wicked example howsoeuer hee may iustly for Ezech. 18. their sins lay vpon them priuatiue punishments by withholding from them his grace and the gifts of his holy spirit which he is not bound to giue of which they being depriued runne into sinne and so make themselues obnoxious to positiue punishments Now these children of which the Prophet speaketh were not onely borne of an idolatrous mother but also they themselues liued and continued in that idolatry in which they were bred and instructed And this is the more principall cause why these children are punished because they liked and approued imbraced and liued in the idolatry of their mother for not simply to haue been the children and members of an idolatrous Church nor to haue been brought vp and instructed in her idolatries is a cause which moueth the Lord to reiect any if afterwards they hate and forsake the idolatry of their mother and loue and imbrace the pure and sincere worship of God The which was the state of many of Gods children in the common apostasie of the Israelites and is the state of many who haue come out of the spirituall Babylon being begotten vnto God by the immortall seede of his word But these of whom the Prophet speaketh had not onely in times past been but presently were the children of fornications they were not onely brought vp in idolatry but still they liked and liued in it and this he implieth when as he faith not that they had been but presently were the children of fornication And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines to be obserued out of them are these First wee may note that That particular application is necessary in the ministery of the word the Lord contenteth not himselfe with a generall denunciation of his iudgements against the whole Church of Israel but also applieth them specially to the particular members thereof The which example is to be imitated of Gods Ministers especially considering that such is the selfeloue pride hypocrisie and security of men that they will make no application of generall reprehensions and threatnings vnto themselues so long as they can shift them off and apply them vnto others An example hereof we haue in the secure Israelites Esa 28. 15. and in the Priests and Pharisies Matth. Esa 28. 15. Matth. 21. 41. 21. 41. yea Dauid himselfe made no vse of the generall parable for his humiliation till it was particularly applied 2. Sam. 12. 7. And therefore because that which is spoken to all is 2. Sam. 12. 7. spoken to none it hath been the custome of all Gods true Prophets and Ambassadours to make particular application of their general doctrines to the special vse of their own hearers so Nathan to Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 7. Peter to the Iewes 2. Sam. 12. 7. Acts 2. 23. Act. 2. 23. all
their sinnes without any check and controlement and to haue a prosperous course and wished successe in their wicked designes without any let or hinderance yet he dealeth not thus with those that belong vnto his election but if they through the corruption of the flesh either of ignorance or of infirmitie resolue to prosecute wicked courses though he may suffer them for a time yet in the end he will lay in their way the thornes of crosses and afflictions to hinder them from atchieuing their wicked ends that so being stayed they may returne backe againe vnto him by true repentance So he suffered the Gentiles to go forward without stop in their idolatries but when the Israelites forsooke him and followed idols he laid continually thornes of affliction in their way to cause them to desist in their course and to returne vnto him as appeareth in the historie of the Iudges and the Kings the like examples we haue in Ionas in Dauid 2. Sam. 11. 12. in reprobate Ieroboam 2. Sam. 11. 12. and elect Manasses in the Scribes and Pharisies and the Apostle Paul Act. 9. in the rich Glutton the prodigall Act. 9. Luk. 15. 16. sonne Luk. 15. 16. Whereby it appeareth that the Lord will not suffer those which belong vnto him to be so euill as they would be but when they resolue to go forward in sin he layeth in their way a hedge of thornie afflictions either trouble of mind or sicknes or losse in their state that so they may not go on in the pathes of sinne but returne againe by true repentance Whence wee may gather a notable signe whether we belong to Gods election or be in the number of the reprobate for if wee go forward in our wicked courses without stop or hinderance with ease and prosperitie it is a signe that wee belong not to God for then he would not suffer vs to go on in the way of perdition but if we no sooner resolue vpon some wicked designe but straight we are either crossed in it or afterward afflicted that we cannot proceed in it as we purposed surely it is a signe that the Lord hath a care of vs in that he holdeth vs backe from running headlong to euerlasting destruction Secondly because though the Lord lay these thornes in our way yet through our negligence and securitie though We do not acknowledge Gods hand in our afflictions we see the hedge and feele the prickes of affliction pearcing our soules and bodies we oftentimes neither consider who hath set this hedge in our way nor for what cause but are readie to ascribe our afflictions to chance and fortune to our owne want of prouidence to the malice of our enemies or some secondarie cause therefore the Lord willeth them to behold and to consider that he it was that set this hedge in their way and for this cause in that they had resolued to go forward in their sinnes that knowing the meritorious cause of their punishment to be their sinnes they might labour to take them away by true repentance and knowing the Lord to be the author of them they might humble themselues vnder his hand and implore mercie and forgiuenesse Thirdly we may here learne that it is impossible for Gods elect to perish for he will not suffer them to goe on in sin to their perdition yea though they will desire and resolue to liue in wickednesse the Lord will finde meanes to pull them out of it for his will is aboue their wils his eternall purpose and decree which is vnchangeable causeth a change in their wicked designes and vnlawfull purposes so that they shall not atchieue them according to their setled resolutions as we may see in the example of Ionas Dauid Paul and many others So that Gods elect may certainly be assured that seeing their sinnes are insufficient therefore nothing else is effectuall to separate them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 38. 39. Fourthly here we learne most carefully to take heed that We must not leape ouer the hedge of afflictions we doe not when the Lord setteth this hedge in our way to restraine vs from sinne leap ouer it for if the fence bee not strong enough hee will make it stronger and in stead of an hedge he will set a wall to restraine vs that is if lighter afflictions will not withhold and stay vs from going forward in the course of sinne he will inflict those which are heauier and more intolerable Lastly wee may here obserue the great benefit which our afflictions cause vnto vs for they serue for sharpe thornie Afflictions restrain vs from sinne hedges strong walles to containe vs in the waies of Gods commandements and to keep vs from leaping ouer into the pleasant pastures of sinne and wickednesse where we should but bee fatted to the slaughter the Lord laieth in our way these thornie afflictions not to kill vs but to prick vs and by pricking to restraine vs from going the broad way that leadeth to destruction for when we are thus iudged we are chastened of the Lord because wee should not be condemned with the world 1. Cor. 11. 31. He correcteth vs not because he hateth 1. Cor. 11. 31. vs but because hee entirely loueth vs euen as his owne children not for our hurt but for our profit that we might be partakers of hie holinesse Heb. 12. 7. 10. And though no chastening Heb. 12. 7. 10. 11. seemeth to be ioyous but grieuous for the present yet afterwards it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Heb. 12. 11. Though these afflictions be bitter and vnpleasant to the flesh yet are they profitable to the spirituall part for whilest the outward man perisheth the inward man is renued daily 2. Cor. 4. 16. Though these thornes 2. Cor. 4. 16. pricke vs yet they doe not mortally wound vs only they let out the winde of vainglorie and humble vs that wee be not exalted out of measure Though they seeme tedious and intolerable 2. Cor. 12. 7. and tending to our destruction yet in truth they are but light and momentanie and cause vnto vs a superexcellent and eternall waight of glorie 2. Cor. 4. 17. 2. Cor. 4. 17. But yet wee are not to imagine that affliction in it owne Afflictions not good in themselues but through Gods blessing nature worketh al these benefits but by the secret operation of Gods Spirit inwardly applying it vnto our hearts and teaching vs to make a holy vse of it for such is our obstinate stubbornnesse that wee will like vntamed and wilde beasts rush thorow this hedge of afflictions that we may still continue our course in sinne and such is our senselesnesse in our securitie that either we feele not the pricking of these thornes or at least are not by the smart moued to sorrow for sinne as being the cause thereof or to flee vnto God
wee know that Christ our Mediatour hath satisfied for our sins and reconciled vs vnto his Father then doe we bewaile our sinnes because we haue by them dishonoured and displeased our gratious Father and hauing repented of them wee goe boldly vnto the throne of grace crauing mercie and forgiuenesse Heb. 4. 16. 10. 22. Heb. 4. 16. 10. 22. ANd thus much concerning the punishments which the Lord threatneth against the people for their idolatrie and the first kinde or degree of their vnthankfulnesse as also concerning the effects of these punishments Now followeth the second degree of their vnthankfulnesse together with the punishments denounced against them for it Their ingratitude is expressed Vers 8. And she did not know that I Vers 8 gaue her corne and wine and oyle and multiplied her siluer and gold which they bestowed vpon Baal In which words he accuseth The exposition her of double ingratitude first that she did not know or knowing did not acknowledge the Lord to be the author of all those benefits which she enioyed secondly in that she did not vse these benefits to the glorie of God but bestowed them vpon her Idols The first is expressed in these words And she did not know that I gaue her corne c. By this coniunction copulatiue he knitteth these words with the former and sheweth that God iustly punished them seeing to their other sinnes they added another kinde of grosse ingratitude as though he should say And moreouer besides the sinnes before spoken of she hath shewed her selfe grosly vngratefull both in not acknowledging God the author of the benefits which she enioyed and in abusing them to Gods dishonour in the seruice of her Idols and therefore it is iust with God to afflict her with the former and following punishments that she may learne to ascribe vnto God the praise of his owne gifts and may desist to abuse them by bestowing them vpon Baal And this is the coherence of this verse with the former Now let vs come to the words themselues in which is expressed the partie offending and the sinne committed the first in this word And she which hath an emphasis in it and serueth to aggrauate the sinne For though the Heathen nations should not haue knowne or acknowledged the Lord to haue been the giuer of the benefits which they enioyed it had been no such great wonder seeing they had onely the light of nature and the booke of the creatures to looke vpon but that the people of Israel should be ignorant hereof was more then blockish senselesnesse and blind ingratitude seeing they had the booke of God wherein it was reuealed vnto them that they had all the benefits which they enioyed from the meere blessing of God that the Lord gaue them this land flowing with milke and honey by his owne omnipotent power casting out their enemies before them that from him they had the first and latter raine whereby their land was made fruitfull and seeing that they were entred into possession of al these benefits whilest they serued the Lord alone before they worshipped their Idols so that they had no shew of reason to ascribe Gods gifts vnto them which they alreadie enioyed before they serued them and therefore the Lord might iustly take vp that complaint against them Esa 1. 2. 3. The first branch of their sinne was they did not know that Esa 1. 2. 3. God gaue vnto them their gifts which they had receiued whereby wee are not to imagine that the Israelites were so blinde and ignorant as to thinke that they had all these benefits from their Idols only and not from Iehouah the God of Israel for many of the Heathens though they worshipped Idols and pettie gods yet by the light of nature knew that there was a chiefe and superiour power who was the originall fountaine of all goodnesse and therefore the people of God could not be hereof ignorant but they are said not to know that God gaue them these gifts because they did not know and acknowledge him alone to be the author of them but ioyned Idols and pettie gods with him and so robbed him of part of his praise they did not know that they had receiued these gifts of Gods free grace and meere goodnesse but for their golden Calues and other Idols and for that new deuised worship which they offred vnto God in them which they thought was more acceptable vnto him then the seruice prescribed in his word So Iere. 44. 17. 18. the Iewes said Ier. â—â— 17. 18. they would worship the Queene of Heauen that is the Sun because hereby they had plentie not that they were so brutish as to thinke that they had these benefits from the Sunne only but because they ascribed this power and vertue vnto the Sunne in it selfe rather then vnto Gods blessing and prouidence and so offered sacrifices and diuine worship vnto the Sunne as being a ioynt cause with God of these benefits whereas it is only his instrument which doth nothing of it selfe but by his appointment The second branch of their sinne was that they bestowed and spent the gifts which they had receiued of the Lord vpon their Idols expressed in these words which they bestowed vpon Baal For the vnderstanding whereof wee are to know that this word Baal is in the Scriptures either taken generally for all Idoll gods in respect of the generall signification thereof which is as much as a Lord or Patrone and in regard that in the Punicke tongue from whence it is taken it signifieth a god or else specially for a particular Idoll of the Sidonians which was called by that name whose originall was after this manner Ninus who first reigned in Asia and built that famous citie which was called Nineue after his owne name was the sonne of one Belus whom in his pride according to the practise of Heathen Tyrants he deified and built a Temple vnto him wherein hee appointed that hee should be worshipped And this Idol amongst the Sidonians was called Baal and with the Babylonians Bel and was worshipped amongst them as their god Now this Heathen god did Ahab worship and built a Temple and erected an altar vnto him in Samaria to gratifie hereby Ithobal or Eth-Baal his father in law who was King of the Tyrians and Sidonians 1. King 16. 31. Lib. 9. antiq cap. 6. as Iosephus recordeth of which also wee may reade 1. King 16. 31. And although this Idoll god Baal was one and the same yet sometime the word is vsed in the plurall number Baalim or Baals either when it is taken in the generall signification for all Idols or in respect of the diuers statues or images erected in the honor of this Idoll aâ— Baal-peor Numb 23. 2. King 4. 2. or Baal-phigor Baal-zebub In this place as I take it wee are to vnderstand it in the generall signification for all their pettie patrones and Idoll gods because we reade that Baal the Idoll
so specially called and his Temple were destroyed by Iehu neither doe we 2. King 10. 27. finde that any after him did restore him or reedifie those ruines The sense therfore of these words is this that the Israelites bestowed that wealth which they had receiued from God vpon their Idols and Images making them of their gold and siluer as it is Hos 8. 4. or else by decking and adorning them Hos 8. 4. with rich ornaments and all costly furniture as appeareth 2. Chron. 24. 7. or by maintaining their priests and offering 2. Chro. 24. 7. 1. King 18. 22. sacrifices and oblations vnto them as we may see 1. Kin. 18. 22. 26. Whereby the sinne of this people is much aggrauated in that they did not only not glorifie the Lord in his owne gifts by giuing vnto him the first fruites and offering vnto him oblations and sacrifices which hee required in his law but also spent these his gifts to the dishonour of God in bestowing them vpon their Idols Gods arch-enemies Like vnto adulterous harlots who spend the goods which they haue receiued of their husbands in the maintenance of their louers c. The like place vnto this wee haue Ezech. 16. 17. Ezec. 16. 17. 33 18. 33. And so much for the meaning of the words The doctrines which we are hence to obserue are these First we learne that The Do ∣ ctrines the Lord esteemeth ingratitude as a grieuous sinne and punisheth That ignorāce is a grieuous sinne it with sharpe afflictions euen in his owne Church and people The which sinne is committed when either through ignorance we know not or through wilfulnesse will not acknowledge or both knowing and acknowledging yet through negligence doe not returne thankes and praise vnto the Lord for all his benefits and secondly when as in whole or in part wee attribute the praise of the gifts which we haue receiued from the Lord vnto any other as authors and principall causes thereof And thus do men offend when as they ascribe extraordinarie and vnexpected blessings to chance and fortune and not to Gods prouidence when as they ascribe their wealth to their owne wit labour or friends and do not know and acknowledge the Lord to be the chief author and bestower of the riches which they enioy or else doe not returne thanks and praise vnto him for his benefits when as they ascribe their health in the first place to their good diet or to the Physition and not to the Lord who is the chiefe preseruer and restorer thereof But most grieuously in this respect doe they offend who rob the Lord of those thankes and that praise which is due vnto him for his spirituall benefits For the greater the gifts are the greater praise and thankes is due to the bestower and consequently the greater iniurie and ingratitude when hee is robbed of his right And thus doe those offend who ascribe the praise of these benefits vnto the intercession of Saints and so robbe Christ of his glorie who alone by his intercession obtaineth them for vs at his fathers hands thus doe they offend who ascribe their iustification and saluation either in whole or in part to their workes and worthinesse or vnto the merits of Saints which is to be attributed onely to Gods free mercie and Christs al-sufficient merits thus doe they offend who doe not know or acknowledge that it is the blood of Christ alone which washeth away all our sinnes but think that they haue remission by Masses popish pardons penance pilgrimages oblations Saints relikes holiwater and such like All which and all other of the like kinde are esteemed as idolatrous vnthankfulnesse in Gods sight Secondly we here learne that ignorance doth not excuse Ignorāce doth not excuse sin nor exempt vs from punishment our sinnes nor exempt vs from Gods iudgements nay so far is it from excusing other sins and from exempting vs from punishment that it selfe is a sin and deserueth punishment as appeareth in this place Which notwithstanding is not to be vnderstood of that ignorance which is naturall and necessarie for want of the meanes of knowledge for though this be not only the punishment of sin but also a branch of our originall corruption yet doth it extenuate our sins and mitigate our punishments as appeareth Luk. 12. 48. Act. 3. Luk. 12. 48. Act. 3. 17. 17. 30. 1. Tim. 1. 13. 17. 17. 30. 1. Tim. 1. 13. but of that ignorance which is either through negligence or obstinately affected notwithstanding God granteth vnto vs plentifull meanes of knowledge which is so far from excusing other sins that it selfe is esteemed by the Lord a grieuous sin and is seuerely punished as being not onely a haynous sinne in it selfe but also the chiefe roote of all other sinnes either of omission or commission Thirdly we may here learne that as ingratitude is a grieuous Ingratitude is most hainous in the members of the Church sinne in all so especially in those who are members of the Church as it is emphatically signified in these words And she knew not c. For they not onely receiue from God the greatest benefits and therefore should returne vnto him the greatest thankfulnes but also are sufficiently instructed both by the word of God and by their continuall experience that they haue all these benefits from the Lord and that of his meere mercie and grace and therefore it is more then brutish ignorance and impious ingratitude either not to know and acknowledge the Lord to be the sole author of all these benefits or not to returne vnto him continuall thankes and praise for them The which sin is too too common in our times euen in the cleare light of the Gospell both in respect of all other benefits which we enioy and especially in respect of our daily food which men as not knowing or not acknowledging God to be the giuer of it do vsually receiue without praising God or giuing thankes in which respect they are farre worse then the oxe or asse as Esay 1. 3. Not to acknowledge the Lord the sole author of his gifts is not to acknowledge him at all the Prophet speaketh Esay 1. 3. Fourthly we here obserue that not to acknowledge the Lord to be the sole author of his gifts nor to yeeld vnto him the whole praise of them is not to know or acknowledge him at all as appeareth in this place for though the Israelites did in part ascribe their benefits receiued vnto God yet because they did not acknowledge him the sole author of them but ioyned with him copartners in his praise because they did not acknowledge that they had receiued them of his meere mercie but for their new worship which they offered vnto him in their idols therfore the Lord condemneth them of ignorant ingratitude as though hee were not acknowledged at all The reason is because the Lord cannot indure any sharing or halting in his seruice he cannot abide
to haue any partners of his praises which are due to himself and therefore hee will haue all or none for well the Lord knoweth that they who serue praise him to the halues wil in the end neither serue nor praise him at all Wherby it may appeare that the seruice of the Church of Rome which they performe vnto God is no better then abominable idolatrie and their praises odious in his sight as sauouring of grosse ingratitude for though they serue God indeed yet not in spirit and truth but in their Idols though they acknowledge and praise God as the author of his gifts yet not him alone for they ioyne with him the virgin Marie and innumerable Saints many whereof are of their owne making as pettie gods and patrones vnto whom they yeeld a chiefe part of their thankes and praise though they acknowledge God to haue giuen vnto them the benefits which they enioy yet not of his meere mercie and grace but for their owne merits and through the intercession of Saints But the Lord esteemeth these halfe praises to be dishonors and this partie and shared thankfulnes to bee no better then grosse ingratitude 2. King 17. 32. 33. 41. 2. King 17. 32. 33. The excessiue cost which idolaters do bestow vpon their idols Fiftly we may obserue what excessiue cost idolaters are readie to bestow vpon their idols and images for though they highly esteeme their gold siluer and iewels yet doe they willingly bestow them vpon Baal that is for the making and adorning of their idols and for the furthering of their superstitions though they will hardly part with the least trifle in obedience to Gods Commandement to the aduancement of his glorie and furthering of his pure worship and seruice yet they thinke their whole substance little enough to be bestowed vpon their owne wil-worship for the maintenance of their idolatrie An example whereof we haue in this place and in the Israelites Exod. 32. 3. Ezech. 16. 16. to 21. And in the Papists who care not what they Exod. 32. 3. Ezech. 16. 16. 21. bestow vpon the making and adorning of their images in maintaining their Clergie the Priests of Baal in building Monasteries and Nunneries in Copes vestiments oblations in procuring pardons and such like their superstitions The which their bountie in their wil-worship and idolatrie should make vs ashamed of our base niggardlinesse in furthering setting forth and maintaining Gods pure worship and seruice which is enioyned in his word for what a reproach is this to our Christian profession that they should so much exceed in their blind zeale and forwardnes vnto idolatrie and wee bee so cold in Gods true religion that they should bestow such excessiue cost in building Churches in honor of their Saints and we be so backward in repairing of God house that they should so liberally maintaine such swarmes of locusts and innumerable numbers of the Priests of Baal and we suffer Gods true Prophets which in comparison are but few in number to liue in want that idolaters should endow the Church with goods and lands and professors of Gods true religion should rob and spoile it of necessarie maintenance Surely their fruitfull ignorance shall condemne our barren knowledge their superstitious deuotion our coldnesse and slackenesse their liberalitie in euil our niggardlines in that which is good and their great loue vnto their idols and idolatrie shall rise in iudgement against our little loue to God and his truth Lastly we may obserue that it is a grieuous sinne to abuse That it is a great sinne to abuse Gods gifts to his dishonor the gifts which wee haue receiued from God to other or contrarie ends then those for which the Lord hath giuen them for this is heere condemned in the Israelites in that they bestowed their gold and siluer vpon their idols which they should haue imployed to the glorie of God and good of his Church Thus the Papists offend who bestow their wealth vpon their Images Copes Monasteries Thus carnall Gospellers offend who spend their riches vpon gorgeous attire vnfitting their calling vpon excessiue cheere and vaine pleasures which they haue receiued from God to this end that out of their superfluitie they should releeue the penury of their poore brethren Thus do they offend who vse their tongue to the blaspheming of Gods name which is giuen them to glorifie him And thus doe they offend who abuse their wits and learning for the nourishing of contentions and the maintenance and vpholding of iniurie oppression and iniustice which were giuen them to make peace right wrongs and further iustice as it is the vsuall fault of the Lawyers of our times c. All which being not only vnprofitable seruants in not vsing the Lords talents but also wicked and malicious enemies who abuse them to his dishonour shall if they perseuere in this sinne without repentance haue their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone ANd thus much concerning the sin of the people of Israel In the next place hee setteth downe their punishments for whereas he had vers 6. in generall threatned that he would hedge her in with afflictions now he proceedeth to specifie the particular kinds thereof First that he would depriue her of al those necessary benefits which appertained to the preseruation of their life vers 9. Secondly that hee would discouer her shame in the sight of her louers and expose her to reproch and contempt vers 10. Thirdly that he would cause to cease all her solemne festiuals and take away all cause of mirth and reioycing vers 11. Lastly that hee would destroy all her pleasant gardens and fruitfull vineyards and turne them into a vast wildernesse vers 12. After which comminations he repeateth againe their sins which were the causes of the punishments namely their vnthankfulnes in the latter part of the 12. verse and their idolatrie vers 13. and so hee concludeth the first part of this Chapter But let vs come to the particulars Vers 9. Therefore I wil Vers 9 returne and take away my corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recouer my wooll and my flaxe lent to couer her shame In which words hee threatneth that because The exposition the Israelites would not acknowledge the Lord to be the author and bestower of those manifold benefits which they enioyed but vngratefully ascribed the praise of them to their idols therefore he would strip them of all his blessings to the end that they who could not learne in the time of their plentie that the Lord had bestowed vpon them these his gifts might at least learne this lesson by the want of them I will returne and take away c. Some resolue these words thus I will receiue or resume my corne because the former verbe in the Hebrew phrase hath in it sometimes the nature of an aduerbe So Genes 26. 18. Isaak returning digged the Gen. 26. 18.
themselues and hide their nakednesse they abused them for the decking and adorning of their Idols As it may plainly appeare if we cōpare this verse with the former and with Ezech. 16. 16. 17. 18. So that these words are added to shew the lawfull vse of these benefits for which God gaue Ezech. 16. 16. 17. them that their grosse abuse of them might the better appeare And this is the meaning of these words Out of which we The Do ∣ ctrines may obserue first that howsoeuer the Lord in his patience and long-suffering doth deferre our iustly deserued punishments Impenitencie moueth the Lord to turne mercie into iudgement and in stead of them giues vnto vs the fruition of manifold benefits yet if this his mercie will not mooue vs to feare him and to repent of our sinnes he will not for euer spare vs but he will returne and alter his course stripping vs of all his benefits and turning mercie into iudgement An example whereof wee haue in the Israelites in this place in the time of our Sauiour Christ as also in the primitiue Churches of Rome Corinth Galatin c. Secondly we learne that our vnthankfulnesse in not ascribing Our vnthankfulnes moueth the Lord to strip vs of his gifts of Gods benefits vnto him or in ascribing them to other causes besides him or ioyntly with him doth moue the Lord to take his gifts away from vs that so if wee cannot know and acknowledge him the Lord and owner of them when they abound we may learne this dutie by the want of them For such is our corruption and ignorant vnthankfulnesse that wee are more readie to acknowledge the Lord the author of all the good things which we enioy when hee taketh them away then when he bestoweth them he is better knowne and acknowledged to be the feeder of his creatures in the time of dearth then in the time of plentie to bee the author of health in the time of sicknes then when wee are whole and sound to be the giuer of riches in the time of pouertie then in abundance to be our preseruer rather in the middest of dangers then when wee are most secure So that Gods gifts make vs forget the giuer and with forgetfulnesse is ioyned his vsuall companion vnthankfulnesse And this is one speciall cause why the Lord taketh them from vs because his iudgements doe better teach vs then his mercies And therfore if we would not be stripped of Gods benefits let vs learne to acknowledge him the fountain of them whilest we enioy them and yeeld vnto him the whole praise of his owne gifts And to this end let vs remember the example of Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Herod c. Thirdly we here learne that the Lord is the true and absolute The Lord is the absolute owner of all the good things which we enioy Psal 24. 1. owner of all the benefits which wee possesse for so hee calleth them here my corne my wine c. so that we are not absolute Lords of those things which we vsually call our own but only the Lords bailiefs and stewards and therefore shall one day be called to a reckoning how we haue vsed and imployed them The consideration whereof should moue vs to vse the Lords goods to the glorie of the owner and the good of our fellow seruants as he hath commanded vs neither must we imagine that we haue absolute authoritie ouer the things we possesse to doe with them what we list seeing the Lord hath chiefe interest in them And if this were well thought of men would not be so close handed to their poore brethren for what steward can answere it to his Lord if he suffer his fellow-seruant to pine for want withholding from him his portion which his master hath allotted him neither would they be so open handed to mispend Gods gifts to his dishonour by gaming gluttonie and excesse brauerie in apparell and such like abuses For this will be but a bad reckoning in the day of our generall accounts when we shall say so much laid out on vnlawfull pleasures so much spent in gorgeous attire so much consumed in law to haue my will vpon my neighbour c. For this will be thought far worse then with the vnprofitable seruant to haue hid our talent in a napkin c. Fourthly we learne that there is no certaintie nor sufficient That there is no certaintie in the possession of temporarie benefits cause of securitie in these worldly and temporarie benefits seeing God oftentimes depriues vs of them when wee thinke our selues most assured to enioy them Innumerable be the vnlooked for accidents which may spoile the fruits of the earth both in seed time winter spring and summer as too much raine too much drought wormes cankers caterpillers blastings mildewes and such like But though they escape all these yet can they promise vnto vs no certaintie of enioying them seeing the Lord for our sinnes can take away our corne in the time of haruest and our wine in the vintage either by vnseasonable weather or the inuasion of our enemies He can sincke the ship in the hauen as well as in the middest of the ocean and he can pluck back his benefits from vs euen when we are readie to stretch out the hand to receiue them The consideration wherof should make vs neuer to promise vnto our selues securitie and certaintie of these benefits so long as liuing in our sinnes without repentance we iustly prouoke the Lord to strip vs of them And secondly we may hereby be moued not to put our trust and confidence in these worldly things for our preseruation seeing they are most vncertaine but to place our whole affiance in the Lord who will neuer faile them in time of need who rest and relie themselues vpon his prouidence Fiftly we may heere obserue that all those who doe not Those are vsurpers of hold the benefits which they enioy as from the Lord but ascribe them to their friends their owne wit labour and industrie Gods gifts who do not acknowledge that they hold them frō him they are vniustly possessed of them because they hold them by an vnlawfull tenure and therefore may at the will of the grand-Lord of heauen and earth be iustly euery minute dispossessed of them And though he suffer them for a time to hold them in their custodie yet they are not to be esteemed true owners but vsurpers and intruders into that which belongeth not vnto them and therefore in the great day of assises they shall answere for it c. ANd so much concerning the first punishment here denounced Vers 10 The second followeth vers 10. And now will I discouer her leaudnes in the sight of her louers and no man shall deliuer her out of mine hand In which words the Lord The exposition meeteth with a corrupt conceit and wicked hope of the Israelites namely that though the Lord should oppose against them yet they
their calling to deliuer their embassage and seeing in resisting them they rebell against God himselfe neither is it possible that any should be obedient vnto God who maligne his messengers for his message sake And secondly when Gods iudgements are denounced out of his Word against them for their sinnes they are not to neglect them but to lay them to heart that therby they may be moued to vnfained repentance notwithstanding they see no appearance of danger or any likely meanes wherby such punishments may bee deriued vnto them seeing the Lord whose Word it is which we heare is able to effect it though to vs it seeme impossible ANd so much concerning the first part of this Chapter containing in it legall threatnings denounced against the people of Israel for their sinnes Now we are to speake of the second part containing in it Gods gratious promises of diuers excellent benefits which hee would bestow vpon his Church and people the true Israel of God in the time of the Gospell The first whereof is their effectuall calling and conuersion vnto God wherby they are freed out of the spirituall captiuitie of Satan chosen out of the world and made Gods Church and peculiar people The second is true consolation wrought in their hearts by the glad tidings of the Gospell made effectuall by the inward working of his holy Spirit Both which are contained Vers 14. in these words Vers 14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and speake friendly or confortablie vnto her Where the The exposition Lord sheweth that howsoeuer being prouoked vnto wrath by their sinnes he would execute vpon them all those punishments before threatned yet he would not retaine his anger for euer but in the end when he had laid vpon them such afflictions as were sufficient measuring their proportion by the rule of his fatherly loue and not according to the hainousnes of their sins he would turne all their chastisements to their good and gathering them into his Church multiplie his mercies vpon them But let vs come to the words themselues wherein we are to consider first the context and secondly the benefits promised the context in these words Therefore behold This may seeme a strange kind of consequence for in the former verse he had set downe their obstinacie in their grosse idolatrie and that they were so wholly deuoted to their Idols that they had quite forgotten the true God and now hee presently inferreth hereupon that therefore he would allure her and speake comfortablie vnto her But howsoeuer this may seeme but a bad inference if we regard their sinnes vpon the recitall whereof it should rather haue followed that therefore they should haue such punishments inflicted vpon them as their sinnes had deserued yet it hath good dependance if we respect Gods infinite mercie and his eternall purpose whereby he hath of his free grace and vndeserued goodnes ordained to call them who belong to his election out of their sinnes that being conuerted they may also bee saued As though he should haue said Seeing they follow their idols with delightfull obstinacie and haue altogether forgotten me and seeing their hearts are so blind and obdurate that all my punishments will not reclaime them and finally seeing it is not my purpose to giue them ouer to destruction and to suffer them to run headlong to condemnation therefore I will not let them go forward in their owne courses nor be ruled by their owne obstinate wils for then they would neuer returne vnto me but I wil work vpon their hard harts by my Word and Spirit alluring and perswading them to leaue their idols and false worship and to returne vnto me that they may worship me according to my reuealed will and submit themselues vnto me in all holy obedience And because this is a wonderfull mercie of God farre aboue all humane conceite and therfore not lightly and negligently to be passed ouer hence it is that the note of attention is added Therefore behold that we might more carefully obserue and obseruing praise and magnifie this vnspeakable goodnes of God who by our sinnes is moued rather to pitie then to punish vs. And so much for the context The first benefit here promised is their effectuall calling whereby working vpon their hearts with his Word and Spirit hee would allure and perswade them to forsake their idolatrie and to come out of the seruice of sin and Satan that they might become true members of his Church and liue in holy obedience vnto his will as his true subiects and seruants All which is contained in these words I wil allure her and bring her into the wildernesse where he alludeth to their first deliuerie out of the captiuitie and from the blind idolatrie of Egypt when as first he allured and perswaded them by his seruants Moses and Aaron to desire earnestly to come out of that bondage that they Exod. 4. 30. 31. might become his seruants and people and hauing so inclined their hearts hee brought them out with a strong arme and led them into the wildernesse where he made his couenant with them and afterwards brought them into the land of promise where he multiplied vpon them his manifold benefits as it followeth in the next verse So the Lord by his seruants and Ministers doth worke in the ignorant minds and stubborne hearts of those that belong to his election a desire to come out of the thraldome of the spirituall Pharaoh Satan and hauing thus inclined and allured them by his powerfull Spirit applying vnto them the benefits of Christs death and obedience hee deliuereth them out of this miserable bondage notwithstanding hee doth not presently bring them from Egypt to the heauenly Canaan but causeth thē to passe first thorow the wildernesse of this wicked world where howsoeuer hee prouideth for them and causeth their safetie by his almightie protection so that they are now in far better estate then whilest they liued in the spirituall captiuitie of sinne and Satan yet they are there afflicted with many miseries hunger thirst heate cold sicknesse and diseases with inward mutinies and sedition amongst themselues and with the outward malice and violence of the spirituall Cananites their worldly and wicked enemies with which hauing a while exercised and humbled them and withall wrought in their hearts an earnest desire to come into their heauenly countrey in the end he bringeth them into the spirituall and new Ierusalem The like allusion the Prophet Esay hath speaking of this spirituall deliuerance through Christ Esa 11. 15. 16. Esa 11. 15. 16. Whereas then hee saith I will allure her the meaning is that by his word and holy Spirit he will bring them to true repentance effectually perswading them to leaue the bondage of sinne and Satan and to adioyne themselues to his Church and familie and more specially that he will incline them and change their obstinate resolution in following their idols and make
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
malice for their owne destruction Fourthly we may here obserue what is the chiefe cause of The Lord is the chiefe author of our peace our peace and tranquillitie namely not our owne power and policie or strength of neere adioyning friends but the Lord himselfe and therefore when we do enioy it as wee haue done for many yeares let vs ascribe the whole praise and glorie vnto God who is the author thereof and let vs Esa 45. 7. 2. Chron. 14. 6. make this vse of our great peace and tranquilitie with more diligence to doe God seruice both priuately at home and publikely in the congregation which is the chiefe end why the Lord hath giuen this peace vnto vs. Lastly we may here obserue a notable marke of those that Christian securitie a true note of our conuersion are truly conuerted vnto God reconciled in Christ namely when as with a Christian securitie we can rest vpon Gods prouidence and protection after we haue attained vnto some assurance of the pardon of our sinnes not onely when the world promiseth safetie but also in the middest of troubles and dangers for there is no such peace to the wicked who Esa 57. 21. howsoeuer they are bold and confident in their prosperitie yet when they are ouertaken with any vnexpected danger faint with feare and are perplexed with a guiltie astonishment whereas they who are at peace with God haue the inward peace of a good conscience which maketh them as the Wise man saith confident as a lion knowing that Gods Prou. 28. 1. prouidence watcheth ouer them which will either deliuer them from danger and euill or turne them to their euerlasting good ANd so much concerning the fourth benefit The fifth followeth which is that neere and inseparable vnion that is betweene Iesus Christ and his Church expressed in these words Vers 19. And I will marrie thee vnto me for euer yea and I will marrie thee vnto mee in righteousnesse and in Vers 19. 20. iudgement and in mercie and in compassion 20. I will euen marrie thee vnto me in faith and thou shalt know the Lord. Where the Prophet proceeding in his former allegorie compareth The exposition The vnion betweene Christ and his Church resembled to mariage Psal 45. the vnion which is betweene Christ and his Church vnto mariage because no other similitude doth more liuely and fully expresse it whereof it is that this spirituall and mysticall vnion is vsually in the Scriptures represented vnto vs vnder this type of mariage wherein Christ Iesus is the husband and his Church the spouse So Psal 45. the vnion of Christ and his Church is shadowed vnder the type of Salomons mariage with Pharaohs daughter the whole booke of Canticles containeth nothing else but the doctrine of this spirituall mariage The Prophet Esay speaketh of it chap. 54. 5. For he that made thee is thine husband whose name is the Lord of hosts c. Esa â—4 5. 6. 62. 5. Ezech. 16. 8. v. 6. ch 62. 5. The Prophet Ezechiel likewise chap. 16. 8. c. And our Sauiour Christ in the new Testament calleth himselfe the Bridegroome of the Church Matth. 9. 15. And chap. Matth. 9. 15. 22. 2. 22. 2. God the Father is compared to a King who married his sonne that is Iesus Christ with the Church The Apostles also vse the same similitude to signifie this vnion So Paul 2. Cor. 11. 2. I haue prepared you for one husband to present you 2. Cor. 11 2. Eph. 5. 23 25. Apoc 19. 7. 21. 2. 9. as a pure virgin to Christ And Eph. 5 23. 25. 32. And the Apostle Iohn Apoc. 19. 7. Let vs be glad and reioyce and giue glorie to him for the mariage of the Lambe is come and his wife hath made her selfe readie So chap. 21. 2. And I Iohn saw the holie citie the new Ierusalem come downe from God out of heauen prepared as a Bride trimmed for her husband and vers 9. Seeing therefore this vnion betweene Christ and vs is in The great similitude betweene our spiritual vnion with Christ and mariage so many places resembled to mariage let vs in the next place consider the great similitude which is betwixt them that so wee may the more plainly conceiue of this excellent mysterie which is the ground and foundation of al our good and happinesse First as vnto euery lawfull mariage there is required that the parties married be of the same kinde and nature so it is in this spirituall mariage for the Sonne of God the second person in Trinitie tooke vpon him our nature and was made flesh that so he might be a fit husband of the Church and the Church is regenerate and purged from her sinnes and corruptions Ioh. 1. 1. of nature that so being made like Christ in holines and vnblame ablenesse she might become a fit spouse for Christ as the Apostle speaketh Ephes 5. 25. 26. 27. So that if Ephes 5. 25. 27 we speake properly neither God the Father nor God the holie Ghost is the husband of the Church but God the Sonne who alone tooke vpon him our nature and became like vnto vs and therfore both this and all the like places of Scripture which speake of the mariage between the Lord and the Church are to be vnderstood properly of God the Sonne And as these persons being of the same nature ought to be of a different sex male and female so in this spirituall mariage Christ is the man or husband the Church is the woman or spouse who was taken out of the side of Christ in his deadly sleepe as Eua out of Adams and therefore may bee said to be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh of whom he begetteth by the seede of his word and holy Spirit many faithfull children vnto himselfe Secondly as in mariages there ought to be only two ioyned together one man with one woman according to that Matth. 19. 5. And they two shall be one flesh so in this spirituall Matth. 19. 5. marriage there are but two one husband Christ and one spouse the Church for although the faithfull are many in number yet they make but one intire bodie seeing they are conioyned and quickned by the same Spirit as diuers members make but one bodie being quickened by the same soule And as in our ordinarie mariages speciall regard is to bee had that we be not vnequally yoked the godly with the wicked the beleeuer with the infidell as the Apostle chargeth vs 2. Cor. 6. 14. So in this spirituall mariage Christ the husband most iust holie hath had a speciall care not to chuse 2. Cor. 6. 14. but to make his spouse being chosen glorious and without any spot or wrinkle holie and vnblameable by washing away Eph. 5. 26. 27. her sinnes and corruptions with his blood and that first in her iustification whereby her sinnes are pardoned and hid out of
howsoeuer she might fall through infirmitie yet she should neuer fall away though she may offend her husband by her corruptions and imperfections yet she should neuer forsake him nor desist in her faith and holy obedience So that neither her sins past nor her sins to come should be able to separate her from the Lord her husband not her sins past because they should be blotted out of remembrance and washed away by Christs blood nor her sinnes to come for as much as shee should be endued with such sinceritie and indignitie of heart that she should neuer sin with full consent of will nor euer leaue the Lord to commit spirituall adulterie with sinne and Satan Neither should want of righteousnes cause her to be reiected seeing shee should bee adorned with the glorious robe of Christs righteousnes imputed vnto her and also by vertue of Gods Spirit dwelling in her she should be enabled to walke before the Lord in the integritie and vprightnes of her heart indeauouring to performe all duties of holines and righteousnes vnto him Secondly whereas error and blindnesse of iudgement is a 2 The Church is married vnto Christ in iudgement cause of diuorce and separation seeing thereby the wife is moued to preferre an adulterer before her lawfull husband therfore that this may not be a cause of separation betweene him and his Church the Lord promiseth that he will endue her with a cleare and wise iudgement whereby she shall bee able to discerne betweene good and euill right and wrong and how much more profitable will it be for her to embrace the Lord as her only husband louing reuerencing and obeying him in all things than to forsake him and to follow after her adulterous louers that is idols the world Satan and the pleasures of sinne which last but for a season and in the end bring euerlasting destruction and how much better it is to embrace his pure worship reuealed in his word then to follow humane traditions and her owne inuentions Thirdly the wife is moued to breake her coniugall fidelitie 3. The Church is maried to Christ in mercie and beneficence and to leaue her husband and follow her louers when as she is brought into doubt of his loue and good will in respect of his illiberall cariage towards her and when as by his niggardly restraining her of necessaries she is brought into extremitie and want for then being hopelesse at home she rangeth abroad and seeketh help of strangers when her husband neglecteth her Whereas contrariwise when shee hath assured testimonie of his loue by his readines to supplie all her necessities to the vttermost of his power it is a notable meanes to work in her loue towards him and to preserue her faith inuiolable And thus it fareth in this spirituall mariage when we doubt of Gods loue and fauour and are brought into extreame exigents through our spirituall or corporall wants then our corrupt nature inclineth vs to leaue trusting and depending vpon the Lord and to follow Idols Saints Angels and Images looking for by them a supplie of that wherein we thinke that the Lord is defectiue And therefore he heere promiseth that he will also marrie her vnto himselfe in mercie or as the word may more fitly in this place signifie in benignitie and beneficence that is that he will so multiplie vpon her mercies and benefits as thereby shee shall haue full assurance of his loue and prouidence watching ouer her and shall by his bountie be so furnished with all necessaries that she shall not need to depend vpon any other The which promise is accomplished both in respect of corporal and spirituall benefits for if the first be wanting the Lord giueth the other in such plentie and abundance that in the middest of worldly wants she shal haue little cause to doubt of Gods loue and liberalitie seeing he doth bestow vpon her these rich treasures and gifts of greatest value And thus haue we this prophecie expounded Ier. 32. 40. I will make an euerlasting couenant with them that I will neuer turne away Jer. 32. 40. 41. from them to do them good c. 41. Yea I will delite in them to do them good c. Fourthly because when the husband is of an austere rigorous and impacable nature so as he will not beare with his 4. The Church is married to Christs compassion wiues infirmities but punisheth euery fault in all bitternesse and extremitie it is a notable meanes to worke in her alienation of minde and to moue her to affect others more then him and contrariwise compassion and readines to pardon faults and passe by infirmities is a singular meanes to nourish loue and fidelitie therefore the Lord promiseth in the next place that he wil marrie the Church in mercy and compassion so that though through frailtie she fall and by her sinnes offend him yet this shall bee no sufficient cause to moue her desperately to forsake and flee from him seeing he is so full of mercie and compassion that she can be no more readie to repent then he to forgiue nor to aske pardon then he to grant it And that not only for light and veniall sinnes nor for offences seldome committed but for all her sinnes most grieuous and innumerable and this is implied in that he here vseth the plurall number saying that he will marrie her in mercies to note the multitude of his mercies whereby he is readie to forgiue a multitude of sinnes The like place vnto this we haue Ier. 31. 34. For I will forgiue their iniquitie Jer 31. 34. Esay 54. 10. and remember their sinnes no more So Esay 54. 10. The mountaines shall remoue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee c. Fifthly because all loue and benefits cannot restraine an 5. The Lord marrieth his Church in faithfulnes inconstant woman who is naturally addicted to lust and vncleannesse but that vpon euery occasion she is apt to forsake her husband and follow her louers therefore in the next place the Lord saith that he will marrie his Church in faithfulnes wherby we are to vnderstand that not only the Lord himselfe will continue faithfull and constant in his loue to the Church but that also he will by his holy Spirit wherewith his Church and he are ioyned in marriage so rule her affections mortifie her naturall lightnesse and pronenesse to spirituall adulterie and confirme and strengthen her in constancie and fidelitie that shee shall euer keepe her mariage faith inuiolable and reserue her selfe for him alone pure and vndefiled Where we may further note that he doth the third time repeate these words I will marrie thee vnto me to this end that we might by this his redoubling of his speech bee the more vndoubtedly assured of the certaintie of this holy and heauenly contract of which we are easily moued to make some question in respect of Gods glorious Maiestie and incomprehensible
are Those who are married vnto Christ haue a sound iudgement espoused vnto God they are so inlightned and haue their iudgements so enformed by his word and Spirit that they can discerne betweene truth and error religion and superstition God and an idoll and far preferre the sincere worship of God reuealed in his Word before their owne wilworship and humane inuentions so that it is not possible that they should be seduced and withdrawne from God and his pure seruice to idols and idolatrous worship by all the slights and subtilties of Satan the world Antichrist and all his false Prophets as our Sauiour teacheth vs Matth. 24. 24. because the Lord Matth. 24. 24. hath married them vnto himselfe in iudgement wherby they are moued to prefer the excellencie of their husband Christ and his reuealed will before all their louers and all their alluring baites with which they endeauour to draw them from him Whence it appeareth that they who are drawne vnto idolatrie or wedded to that cōmon strumpet the world and the vanities therof are not indued with this soūd iudgement and consequently were neuer maried vnto Christ 1. Ioh. 2. 19. 1. Joh. 2. 19. Thirdly whereas he promiseth that hee will marrie his Christs benefits should cause vs to loue him Church for euer in benignitie wee learne hence what vse wee are to make of Gods manifold benefits which hee bestoweth vpon vs namely that they serue as helpes to eternize our mariage with Christ by knitting our hearts vnto him in true loue and entire affection For what wife would not dearely loue a husband so bountifull and gratious who neuer is wearie in bestowing vpon her benefits and in seeking by all meanes her good and happines especially considering that he requireth nothing else at her hands but her heart and louing affection But alas such is our corruption that wee cannot afford him thus much yea rather as some wiues by their husbands benefits do wax so wanton and insolent that they begin in the pride of their hearts to contemne him of whom they haue all their ornaments and aduancement so do many of vs deale with Christ c. Fourthly whereas he saith that he will marrie his Church Our sins must be no cause to alienate our minds from Christ in his mercies hence we learne that there is no cause why our sinnes should alienate our minds from Christ seeing so manifold are his mercies that he is alwaies readie vpon our repētance to forgiue vs. It is a Machiauellian principle put in practise by too too many in our daies that whom they haue offended those they will neuer forgiue because in their self-guiltie consciences they expect from him whom they haue iniured deserued reuenge and therefore to such one degree of wrong is an occasion vnto another This hellish policie so odious in the sight euen of a ciuill mā our corrupt nature is inclined to vse towards Christ for when we haue offended him in stead of flying to him and seeking reconciliation we are readie to flee from him and in guiltines of conscience to distrust of his fauour and to seeke for helpe of Idols Images Saints Angels Popish pardons and such like wicked meanes therein making amends for our former sinnes by adding others vnto them much more grieuous But little cause haue we to be thus Italianate towards Christ seing his mercies are infinite so that he is alwaies readie freely to forgiue and after reconciliation wil neuer beare a secret grudge nor watch for opportunitie of reuenge Fiftly whereas he saith that he will marrie vs vnto himselfe Our naturall vnfaithfulnes and faithfulnes through grace in faithfulnes hence we learne first that by our naturall disposition we are vnfaithfull and readie to breake the bond of marriage by forsaking the Lord and following idols till the Lord giue vnto vs this singular gift of fidelitie And secondly being indued herewith it is impossible there should be a diuorce and separation betweene vs seeing the Lord for his part is most faithfull in keeping his couenant with vs and seeing we also being indued with fidelitie shall keepe our couenant with him and shall neuer depart from him as it is Ier. 32. 40. Jerem. 32 40. We are naturally ignorant Luk. 1. 78. 79. Lastly whereas he promiseth that shee shall know him hence we learne that naturally we walke in the darke vale of ignorance till God illuminate our minds with knowledge and that wee are thus illightned by vertue of our spirituall vnion with Christ whose Spirit dwelling in vs doth with his bright beames dispell the darknes of our minds so as we are enabled in some measure to know God and his truth as appeareth 1. Ioh. 2. 20. 27. Ioh. 16. 13. 1. Joh. 2. 20. 27. Joh. 16. 13. Secondly we here learne that all those who are truly maried Those who are married vnto Christ are endued with sauing knowledge vnto Christ are endued with the knowledge of God seeing this is one of the conditions of this happie contract and that not only with a bare and idle speculatiue knowledge whereby they are able to discourse of the nature of God his persons attributes and workes seeing the diuels also can do this as well as they but with a true sauing and sanctifying knowledge whereby knowing we beleeue and beleeuing applie vnto our selues make profitable vse of those things which we know concerning God and his truth not onely for the rectifying of our iudgements but also for the sanctifying of our affections life and conuersation as when knowing Gods iustice and power we be made thereby afraide to offend him knowing his mercie wee are moued thereby to loue and obey him knowing his all-seeing and all-ruling prouidence we be moued hereby to trust and depend vpon him knowing his omnipresence wee alwaies walke before him so behaue our selues as in his presence c. So knowing that Christ is a Sauiour we also know that he is our Sauiour and wholly and onely rest vpon him for our saluation knowing that he hath suffered death satisfied Gods iustice vanquished Satan and all the power of hell c. we also beleeue that hee hath done all this for our sakes for as it helpeth not the Physitian being sicke that he hath skill to make soueraigne medicines not only for curing himselfe but also others affected with the like diseases vnlesse he make vse of his skill and applie his medicines to himselfe so it will little auaile vs though wee haue such a great measure of knowledge that we are able to informe our owne iudgements in the greatest difficulties and to instruct others also who are ignorant vnlesse we make vse of our knowledge for our own benefit it will little profit vs that wee haue skill enough to cure others of their diseases of sinne by the precious potion of Christs blood and the soueraigne baulme of his merits vnlesse we do apply them likewise vnto our owne soules and
heare her when as he giueth vnto her vertue to gather cloudes and vapours and open her windowes floodgates so as she may distill her sweete drops to water the earth The last thing here expressed is the persons vpon whom the Lord will bestow these benefits namely all his elect and faithfull ones whom hee hath espoused vnto himselfe and these are comprehended vnder the name Iizreel the signification of which word is here changed neither is it here taken in the euill part as it was Ch. 1. 4. to wit for the seed of God whom he would scatter and cast away but in the better sense for the seed of God whom he would gather into his Church and store vp in his garner of euerlasting happinesse By which change of the signification the Lord would shew that his wrath was changed into mercie and his iudgements into benefits in the time of the Gospell And that this name is so to be taken it appeareth by the verse following where the Lord following the allegorie saith that he will sow her that is this Iizreel his holy seed as also in that he changeth both the other names Lo-ruchamah into ruchamah Lo-ammi into ammi No mercie into Mercie and Not my people into Thou art my people And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines The Do ∣ ctrines which arise out of them are these First wee may here learne who is the author of all our blessings and benefits temporall The Lord is the author of all blessings and spirituall namely the Lord himselfe for he it is that giueth vs our corne wine and oyle he it is who causeth plentie and maketh dearth and out of the garners of his al-sufficient prouidence wee haue all our prouision and sustenance The eyes of all waite vpon him and he giueth them their meate in due season and if he shut his hand they all hunger and pine for want if he open it all things liuing are filled with plentie as it is Psal 145. 15. 16. Psalm 145. 15. 16. The consideration whereof should moue vs rather to depend vpon the Lord for our plentie and prouision then vpon the heauens the earth or the seasons of the yeere seeing he is the principall cause and these but his instruments and inferiour meanes which he vseth for our good Secondly if wee abound in these blessings let vs praise the Lord in the fruitiō of them and be readie out of our abundance to relieue the want and penurie of our poore brethren as the Lord hath inioyned vs for all these temporall benefits though good in themselues are not good vnto vs vnlesse they be receiued with thanksgiuing and sanctified to our vse by the word and prayer as it is 1. Tim. 4. 5. And if abounding with them we do 1. Tim. 4. 5. not communicate them with the poore we commit the sinne of the Sodomites as appeareth Ezech. 16. 49. and consequently Ezech. 16. 49. make our selues obnoxious to their punishments Secondly we may here obserue the time when the Lord The new Couenant is the fountaine of all our good bestoweth these benefits vpon his Church expressed in these words And in that day that is in the day of her espousals when she is married vnto Christ in righteousnes iudgement c. and by Christ reconciled vnto God for before this day we are not onely strangers but also enemies and so remaining subiect to Gods wrath we haue all the creatures opposed against vs but when wee are married vnto Christ and in him reconciled vnto God then all things work together for our good and nothing is wanting vnto vs which is profitable Rom. 8. 28. for vs to receiue From whence we learne that this new couenant of grace betweene God and vs and this spirituall marriage with Christ is the fountaine from which all blessings and benefits spring and flow vnto vs. And therefore if we would haue no good thing wanting which we can desire thē let vs in the first place seek to be espoused vnto Christ in righteousnesse iudgement benignitie and compassion and then the Lord will supplie all our wants and giue vs plentie of corne wine and oyle and all other his benefits And let vs auoid the practise of worldly men who in the first place seeke for glorie riches houses lands and pleasures and in the meane time neuer seeke to be espoused vnto Christ or in him to be reconciled vnto God deferring this as a matter of least importance to old age or the end of life but rather let vs In the first place seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Matth. 6. 33. and then all other things shall be cast vpon vs as our Sauiour hath promised Matth. 6. 33. Let vs first labour to be receiued into the couenant of grace and to be espoused vnto Christ Iesus and then he will inrich vs with the dowrie of all his temporall and spirituall benefits Thirdly we here learne that whatsoeuer vertue strēgth The creatures haue all their vertue from God whereby they benefit vs. is in any of the creatures to benefit sustaine and nourish vs they haue it wholly from the Lord as appeareth by this notable gradation for we cannot ordinarily liue without corne and food we cannot haue these vnlesse the earth bring them foorth for our vse the earth is barren and vnfruitfull vnlesse it be watered with the dew of heauen the heauens haue no power to distill their fruitfull and pleasant shewers vpon the earth vnlesse the Lord giue this vertue vnto them So that he is the principall cause and first mouer who setteth all inferiour meanes on worke and giueth them motion and strength to deriue his blessings and benefits vpon man neither can a drop of raine fall vpon the earth nor the earth bring foorth one graine of corne but by Gods prouidence and appointment and therfore we may conclude with the Apostle that In him we liue moue and haue our being Act. 17. 28. Is then Act. 27. 28. the earth fruitfull let vs ascribe the whole glorie vnto God haue we a fertill soyle let vs not rest vpon it but vpon Gods prouidence for he that hath giuen it this power and vertue can take it away make it barren Is there a dearth and scarcitie Psal 107. 34. in the land let vs not looke so much to the heauens clouds and weather as vnto God the ruler and disposer of them all expecting and begging plentie at his hands and so hee will heare the heauens and the heauens the earth the earth the fruits and the fruits will heare vs c. Fourthly we here learne that howsoeuer the Lord is the God bestoweth his blessings by inferiour meanes principall cause and chiefe author of all the benefits which we receiue yet we are not to expect them from his hand immediatly but mediatly by inferiour causes and instruments as appeareth by the gradation here vsed and therefore wee
of free grace rather iudgement condemnation the Lord had mercy vpon vs whē we were no people but aliants strangers yea enemies vnto God the Lord of his free grace made vs his people yea of his owne familie and this the Apostle plainly sheweth 2. Tim. 1. 9. As therfore no conceit of our own worthines should 2. Tim. 1. 9. make vs to derogate any from Gods free grace vndeserued loue so neither ought our vnworthines cause vs to doubt of thē seeing without respect of our deserts the Lord hath chosen vs. Sixtly we here learne that our saluation hath his beginning in Gods mercy for by reason of our sins we are in misery in the Gods mercie the beginning of our saluation state of condemnation the which our miserable condition is so much the more miserable in that of our selues we cannot possiblie come out of our miserie but God in mercy pardoning our sins for Christs merits freeth vs from our wretched estate and aduanceth vs to all glorie and happinesse Seuenthly this serueth notably for the consolation of euerie The faithfull are consident in Gods mercie true mēber of the Church in that they are assured that they haue obtained Gods mercy so that though they haue fallē through infirmity they need not with Adam to hide thēselues frō Gods presence but in cōfident assurāce of pardon forgiuenes go boldly vnto the throne of grace that they may receiue mercy find grace to helpe in the time of need as it is Hebr. 4. 16. 10. 22. Hebr. 4. 16. 10. 22. As God chuseth vs so we chuse him Lastly we here learne that as the Lord maketh choice of vs to be his people so we answerably must make choice of him to be our God as he sheweth his loue towards vs so we must be ready to expresse ours towards him by our holy obediēce zeale of his glory as he professeth that we are his people aboue before al other natiōs not called so we must not only inwardly know and beleeue that he is our God in our hearts performe seruice vnto him but we must say with the Church in this place O my God that is acknowledge cōfesse that he is our Lord Sauiour opēly and in the sight of mē publikely performe vnto him his pure worship seruice which he requireth in his word that not only whē by our professiō glorifying God we grace our selues but also when we incurre thereby shame reproch affliction and persecution In a word we must with the Church here in all our need and necessaries inuocate and call vpon Gods name and wholly depend vpon and expect from him all things necessarie for this life and the life to come FINIS LECTVRES VPON THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE PROPHECIE OF HOSEA IN this Chapter the Lord sheweth that The argument of the Chapter howsoeuer the Church of Israell had grieuously offended him by her Idolatry vnthankfulnesse and voluptuousnesse yet hee did not cease to loue her and in his loue to seeke her conuersion and saluation and therefore because fond and cockering loue would but cause her to continue in those her sinnes to her vtter destruction his purpose was to afflict and chastice her with a miserable and tedious captiuitie wherein shee should liue in a poore and contemptible estate vnder the tyranny of her enimies without her owne lawes magistracy or any forme of gouernement and without the publike meanes of worshipping eyther God or her Idols Howbeit least shee should desperately sincke vnder the waight of this tedious and grieuous affliction hee promiseth that in the end after that by his chastisements he hath humbled her hee will conuert and turne her vnto himselfe by true repentance and so receiue her into his former grace and fauour And this is the maine argument of this Chapter out of The generall parts which wee may obserue the parts thereof which are two The first is a testification of Gods loue towards the Church of Israell verse 1. The second is an approbation of this loue by a two-fold fruit thereof the first is by inflicting on her fatherly chastisements that so she might be restrained from running on in her sinnes to her perdition The second is the sanctifying of this affliction to her vse and benefit namely for her true Repentance and conuersion to God And these are the generall parts of this Chapter Now the maine drift and scope of all is that the Lord might containe The scope of the Prophecie the people in an euen course so as they should neyther presumptuously and securely goe on in their sinnes without repentance nor desperately sinck vnder the guilt and punishment of them For whereas their present prosperity might cause them securely to promise vnto themselues immunitie from punishment and Gods former promises of inriching and multiplying the Church of Israell might cause them to imagine that though the Lord suffered them to be led into captiuitie yet hee would in some short time deliuer them and speedely aduance them to all happinesse by multiplying vppon them the former benefits the Lord meeting with this their security and presumption assureth them that he would not so easily forget their grieuous sinnes whereby they had so long and often prouoked him but before he would be reconciled vnto them his purpose was seuerely to correct them with a miserable Captiuitie wherein they should bee grieuously afflicted with pinching pouerty and base contempt and that not for a short space but for a long time euen vntill the comming of the Messias And on the other side whereas when they were grieuously afflicted they might easily be moued to doubt of gods loue and to thincke their estate desperate both because misery and calamitie doth cause men more clearely to see and more sensibly to feele the haynousnesse of sinne and to apprehend the wrath of God due vnto them and also in that they found and felt the fruites of Gods anger loading them with afflictions and withall might doubt that they should neuer againe be reconciled vnto God or be made partakers of any of his gratious promises seeing they were so long deferred and their punishments so tediously continued therefore the Lord giueth them some comfort in the middest of trouble by assuring them that notwithstanding their manifold sinnes yet hee loued them that in loue hee did chastise and correct them for their conuersion and amendement and that howsoeuer their afflictions were grieuous and tedious yet they should not continue for euer for after hee had by them made them to forsake their Idolatry and other sinnes he would admit them to be his Church and people and continue them in his feare and pure worship ANd this is the maine scope and chiefe end of this Prophecie In the next place we are to speak of the special parts thereof And first of the testification of Gods loue towards the Church of Israell Ver. 1. And the
Lord said vnto Verse 1 me goe yet and loue a woman beloued of her husband and was an harlot according to the loue of the Lord towards the children of Israell yet they looked to other Gods loued the wine bottles In which words the loue of God is typically propounded The exposition and afterwards plainely expounded it is typically shadowed vnder another vision not much vnlike vnto the former Chap. 1. 2. wherein the Lord commaundeth the Prophet to loue an adulterous and vngratefull harlot not that indeed he would haue him to set his affection vpon such an one seeing it was a thing vnlawfull and dishonest for the Prophet of God to loue an Adultresse being another mans wife but that hee hauing receiued this commaundement by vision might propound it as a Parable vnto the people that hereby they who were dull of conceit might see both the loue and mercy of God and their owne wickednesse and vnworthynesse represented as in a cleare glasse or plaine picture As though he should say go yet againe vnto the Israelites and propound this parable vnto them that the Lord is like vnto a husband who continueth to loue his wife though she neglecting his loue and forgetting his benefits haue forsaken him committed whoredome with her louers and giuen ouer her selfe vnto all voluptuous pleasures But let vs come to the words more particularly And the Lord said vnto mee that is after I had deliuered the former Prophecie the Lord againe spake vnto me by vision saying goe yet againe that is content not thy selfe to haue spoken once of my mercy loue and gracious benefites and of the wickednesse and vnworthinesse of this people but againe repeate and reiterate these things vnto them that so eyther they may be moued at the second hearing or that their obstinacie and hardnesse of heart may be manifested and they left without excuse And loue a woman beloued of her husband and was an harlot that is by propounding vnto them this Parable shew them that I am a gracious Husband in that notwithstanding their manifold whoredomes I continue to loue them and withall conuince them of their grose wickednesse and vnthankfulnesse in that all my loue and gracious benefits will not restraine them from committing Idolatrie and spirituall adultery with false Gods In which Parable vnder the husband wee are to vnderstand God himselfe who loued his people from all eternitie and continued constant in his loue euen after the people had broken their mariage faith plighted vnto him in mount Sinai and committed spirituall whoredome with false Gods By the wife wee are to vnderstand the people of Israell and not the people of Iuda as some haue imagined for first in this first verse here mention is made of the children of Israell and secondly it is not true of the Iewes that they should be without Magistrates and gouernement for the Scepter might not depart from Iuda till the Messias came Gen. 49. 10 Gen. 49. 10. But is was verified in the ten tribes who had no Magistrates of their owne in the time of their captiuitie Yea but the ten Tribes were diuorced from God excluded out of the couenant and for euer debarred of mercy how then could it be said of them that God loued them as his spouse and that they should being conuerted seeke the Lord I answere that we are not to vnderstand these words generally of the whole people of Israell but of those onely amongest them which belonged to Gods election for of these alone it could truely be said that God loued them and that being conuerted they should seeke the lord And vnderstanding it of them we may easily answere the former obiections for though they were excluded out of the couenant of works yet this hindreth them not from being admitted into the couenant of grace though they were debarred of mercy in respect of their deliuerance out of a temporall captiuitie yet they obtained mercy in regard of their spirituall freedom out of the captiuitie of sinne and Sathan though they were for euer exiled out of the earthly Canaan yet being reconciled vnto God in Christ they might neuerthelesse become Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Lastly by the Prophet who is commaunded by God to loue this Adultresse beloued of her husband wee are to vnderstand Iesus Christ who loued these elect Israelites which were exculded out of the couenant of works and marryed them vnto himselfe by making with them the new couenant of grace and this appeareth in that hee willeth him to loue her with such loue as the Lord loued her namely with a constant most infinite and eternall loue which properly can be ascribed to no other sauing to our Sauiour Iesus Christ alone And this is the meaning of this parable The exposition followeth According to the loue of the Lord towards the children of Israell yet or when as they looked to other Gods and loued the wine bottles In which words the Lords loue is amplyfied by the wickednesse and vnworthinesse of the people and the peoples sinne aggrauated by the loue and goodnesse of God towards them The Lords loue is hereby commended in that he did not onely loue this people whilest they loued him kept their coniugall faith and serued him according to his word but euen when they dispised him forsooke him violated their faith and committed spirituall whoredome with false Gods the which he could neuer haue done had not his loue beene infinite most constant and eternall Secondly their sinne and wickednesse is exceedingly aggrauated in that they were so vngratefull and obstinate in their Idolatry that neyther Gods loue nor all his manifold benefits which he had multiplyed vpon them as pledges of his endlesse loue could moue them to loue him againe nor containe them in their fidelitie nor restraine them from committing spirituall fornication with false Gods If a wife doe not loue her husband who loatheth her and behaueth himselfe towards her cruelly and inhumanely though this doth not altogether take away her fault yet it doth much extenuate and excuse it but if she loue not such a husband as entirely loueth her nor will be restrained by his great kindnes and manifold benefits from breaking her faith and following her louers her fault is so haynous that it admitteth of no excuse but such a louing husband was the Lord to this Church of Israell and such a rebellious and vnfaithfull wife was she to him and therefore her wickednesse was so much the more grieuous and intollerable But let vs come to the particular branches of their sin the first whereof is expressed in these words Yet they looked to other Gods by which phrase with the Hebrewes is vsually signified loue and desire hope and trust reposed in that thing which they are said to looke after Wheras therefore they are said to looke after other Gods the meaning is that they set their hearts and affections vpon them and hoped and trusted in them and in these respects
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
they may gather any wholesome doctrine and profitable instructions vvherin they vtterly forget the presence in vvhich they stand the end wherfore they are sent the maiestie and authority of the ambassage and the grauitie required in such ambassadours and plainely shew that they ayme not at the sauing of soules or the building of men vp in Christ but that they gape after the wind of vulgar prayse that they enuy poets their fantasticall wits and therefore contend with them for the Lawrell vvho shall most abound in giddy conceits that they labour to rob Players of their popular applause and to get to themselues their thronged audience when as their hearers may receiue as much delight and as plentifully furnish their treasurie of wit by comming to their exercises as by frequenting the theaters Others there are who with Ahabs Prophets betray the truth through base flatterie dissembling the truth because it procureth hatred and teach lies because they thinke this the best ladder whereby they may climbe vnto preferment and such are those who preach prosp eritie where the Lord threatneth ruine who proclaime peace where the Lord denounceth warre who so they please care not how little they profit who sow the pillowes of gods mercies and put them vnder the elbowes of obstinate and impenitent sinners that so they may with more securitie and lesse checke of conscience continue in their wickednesse And thus you see how much truth faileth in our dayes both in the Church and common wealth which may bee Benignitie and mercy barnished vnto vs a just cause of feare that the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of this land the like also may be said of mercy whether we vnderstand therby benignity and compassion or beneficence consisting in the actions of charitie and christianitie In respect of the first wee may vvell acknowledge that this is the iron age of the world wherein the most part of men are cruell hard harted destitute of all pittie and compassion and quite senselesse in the feeling of their neighbours miseries for who almost is touched with such a fellow-feeling of other mens calamities as becoÌ„meth those who professe themselues members of the same bodie who is ready to mourne with those that mourne or to bee a co-partner in another mans griefe if hee bee not also partaker in his miserie who being well clothed feeleth colde when hee seeth anothers nakednesse who abounding in wealth compassionateth anothers want who injoying libertie is touched with the sense of that wretchednesse which others feele that are imprisoned who liuing in health groneth at anothers sicknesse or who liuing in securitie is touched with feare when hee seeth his neighbours daungers and yet we boast our selues to bee members of Christ Iesus and fellow members one with another though we bee destitute of all compassion and fellow feeling The like want also we haue of Christian beneficence The great want of Christian beneficence and of the works of mercy for the coldnesse of Charitie in the hart doth cause it also to freese in the tongue hand for who almost in our time is ready to instruct the ignorant to exhort the sluggish to admonish those who fall through weaknesse to reprehend those who sin through negligence or obstinacy to counsaile the simple or to comfort the distressed And contrariwise how many are there amongst vs who are content to be Sathans ready instruments to discourage others in any good course both by their word and example also How many are ready to seduce the ignorant to discourage the forward by reproaching their profession to corrupt the weake by their vnsauorie prophane and filthy communication to applaud men in wicked courses and by insulting ouer those who are in misery to adde affliction vnto affliction And as this beneficence is wanting in communication so The works of mercy neglected also in charitable actions and in works of mercy for is not I pray you good hospitalitie almost qâ—â—â—e decaied and almes-deeds vtterly neglected are not those goods which God hath bestowed vpon the Land in great abundance wholy spent in gorgious attire in maintaining of Horses Coaches Hounds Haukes and Whores in dicing carding masking and reuelling or if not thus prodigally spent yet which is as bad hoorded vp in Misers Chests and worshipped as Idols Are not men in these times more ready to strip the clothed then to cloth the naked to spoyle the needy of their prouision then to feed the poore to dislodge the harboured then to lodge the harbourlesse to cast into prison then to relieue the imprisoned witnesse our streets wherein vve see daily many pampered Horses and neere-starued people witnesse the stately houses in the Country abandoned by their maisters because they haue no other means to abandon their poore neighbours as though these Babels were built for the honour of their maiestie and not for hospitalitie for shew and not for vse witnesse the prisons replenished with prisoners eyther for small or desperate debts laid in by cruell creditors rather for mercilesse reuenge then any hope of satisfaction witnesse the complaints of the needy and cryes of the distressed which daily ascend vp into heauen and moue the Lord to take the cause of the poore into his owne hand and to proclaime a controuersie with the inhabitants of this land because there is no mercy to be found amongst them Neither are we wanting to our neighbours alone in the The want of pietie sound Religion dueties of Iustice and Charitie but also vnto God in the duties of pietie and of his worship and seruice for if vvee make a generall search through our whole people we shall finde that there is little knowledge of God in the land in respect of the plentifull meanes hereof which the Lord hath graunted vnto vs aboue al the nations which are round about vs. For how many are there amongst vs who despise and contemne knowledge and the meanes of comming by it continuing in the blindnesse of ignorance because they wilfully shut their eyes in the cleare light of the Gospell how many securely neglect it being wholy taken vp with the world so as they haue not any leasure to seeke after this precious pearle throughout the whole weeke how many are there who in their outward behauiour make shew that they respect knowledge and seeke after it that labour in this pursuite so coldly and remissely that they make it manifest they seeke for that which they doe not care to finde for how many of those who make some profession of Religion who come to the Church and heare the word of God both read and preached who neuerthelesse remaine children in knowledge ignorant of the Historie of the Scriptures and of the principles of Christian Religion of our state by nature of the worke of our Redemption wrought by Christ of the manner and meanes of our Iustification and saluation how many are there who are not able to giue any account of their
faith and hope in any reasonable sort after so many yeares of instruction yea how many are there who if wee set aside the outward Ceremonies which are subiect to the sences can put no difference between the religion of Christ and Antichrist and howsoeuer in words they professe themselues such forward Protestants that they could be content to burne for their Religion yet in truth are not able to put a difference betweene the doctrine of our Church and refined Popery and as many amongst vs spit at the Diuels name and defie him in word and yet in their liues and conuersation remaine his vassals being at his beck to do him seruice so many shew an outward detestation of the Pope and poperie but yet their hatred extendeth no further then the name for eyther they exclayming against the Beast retaine his marke being not yet purged from the dregs of Poperie and Superstition or else remaine ignoraunt of Gods true Religion and so lye open as an easie pray to all Seducers And thus you see how small the number of those is who haue the knowledge of God in comparison of those innumerable numbers of ignorant persons which liue amongst vs. Now further if we make a diligent search among those who haue some knowledge and consider how many of this number haue onely an historical and speculatiue knowledge swimming in the braine whereby they are able to discourse of Religion and in the meane time make no vse of it for the sanctification of their hearts and affections or for the reformation of their liues and conuersation all which may truely be said to be without the true knowledge of God his religion for vvee are truely said to know so much onely in Christianitie as vvee make a fruitfull and profitable vse of for the purifying of our inward affections and for the bettring of our outward actions And if hauing set all these aside vvee then take a view of those that remaine who know God and his Trueth and liue according to their knowledge in holinesse and newnesse of Life wee shall finde the number so small that the Lord may iustly also in this respect contend vvith vs because there is no knowledge of God in the land And thus you see that if the Lord should summon vs to appeare before him should arraigne vs before the tribunall seate of judgement to answere for our selues in respect of these sinnes here laid to the Israelits charge wee also must needs plead guilty and put our selues wholy vpon the plea of mercy All which our sins are much aggrauated hereby Our sinnes are much aggrauated by gods mercies in that they are commited by the inhabitants of this land vpon which the Lord hath bestowed many more and farre greater benefits both temporall and spirituall then euer he bestowed vpon the people of Israell Secondly in that he hath by his omnipotent power and watchfull prouidence preserued vs in this land from the open violence and secret treasons of our malicious enimies especially from that more then barbarous conspiracie wherby the enimies of gods truth had plotted by one blast of gun-powder to blow vp the whole state ruine the Church and ouerturne the whole common-wealth which deliuerance is cause sufficient in it selfe alone to moue vs daily with incessant prayses to magnifie gods mercie and to shew our thankfulnesse by performing vnto him all holy duties Thirdly in that wee hauing bound our selues by couenant to our God that we would imbrace truth mercy and increase in his sauing knowledge yet neuerthelesse haue broken our couenant by vtter neglect of these holy duties Fourthly in that the Lord hauing giuen vnto vs singular meanes of attaining vnto these rich ornamentes of the soule namely his word printed read and preached amongst vs and the vse of his Sacraments yet we haue made no fruitfull vse of them but still remaine in our spirituall nakednesse Lastly in that these are not the sinnes of some few persons but generally of the inhabitants of the land which doe not hide themselues in some secret corners but walke boldly in the open streetes being priuiledged from both shame and punishment in respect of the multitude of offenders Seeing therefore we are guilty of the Israelits sinnes yea and haue aggrauated them by many circumstances what can we say for our selues why we should not bee subject to their punishments Seing there is no truth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the land what can wee expect but that the Lord will contend with vs and that not in verball controuersies by the mouth of his ministers for though wee haue often heard them yet wee haue little regarded them but haue contemned their persons and dispised their threatnings neyther can we hope that he will any longer vse his his fatherly corrections and gentle chasticements for these hee hath often vsed in vaine as for example he hath diuers times summoned vs by famine sicknesse plague and pestilence daunger of enimies yea and of late laid the head of our whole state as it were vpon the block and lifted vp The gun-powder treason the fearefull axe of his feirce iudgement being ready to giue the mortall stroke and yet are we hereby nothing reclaimed from our sins nothing moued to the performance of any holy duties And therefore seeing neyther words nor chasticements are auaileable for our amendment and seeing after that the Lord hath repriued vs as it were from the blocke yet we remaine vnreformed what can wee further expect but that he should in his feirce wrath sweep vs away in an vniuersall deluge of his judgements vnles we seeke reconciliation and appease gods anger by speedy humiliation and vnfayned repentance ANd so much concerning the sinnes of omission whereof the people of Israell are here accused and conuicted now follow the sinnes of commission whereby they had positiuely and actually broken Gods commaundements vers 2. By swearing and lying killing stealing whoring Verse 2 they breake out and blood toucheth blood In the originall text these sins are expressed in the Infinitiue moode to note their The exposition continued act of sinning To sweare and lye kil steale whore is their vsuall custome or common fashion so that they do not onely sometimes fall into these sinnes through infirmitie but wilfully continue in them and make them as it were their ordinarie exercise and common practise The sinnes whereof they are here conuicted and condemned eyther immediately respect God and the breach of the first table or their neighbour and the breach of the second Table both which are first propounded and then intended and aggrauated The sinnes which respect God and the breach of the first Table are all comprised vnder this one particular of swearing the word here vsed may eyther signifie swearing or cursing and so is diuersly translated by diuers but seeing it was the purpose of the Lord in this place to set downe a briefe Epitome of the peoples
not giue the people warning nor admonish them of their wicked wayes the wicked should dye in their sinnes but their bloud should be required of the watchmans hands The reason hereof is manifest Ezech. 33. 8. for if those whom he hath appointed to be his ambassadors vnto the people liuing in their rebellion that they may tell them of their sinnes and denounce his judgements doe conspire with the people against God sooth them in their sinnes and become the heraulds to proclaime Gods mercies not caring to displease God so they may please the people the Lord in his justice can doe no lesse but punish the rebellions of the people and the treacherous treason of such ambassadours The vse of this doctrine serueth first to stirre vp Gods Ministers Sinceritie required in the Ministers in Preaching Col. 1. 10. with all care and conscience to deliuer that ambassage which they haue receiued from God purely and sincerely not as men pleasers but as the seruants of Iesus Christ Least in seeking popular applause by not reprouing of sinne they cause both themselues and the people to fall into the pit of Gods judgements in the day of his visitation 1. Kin. 22. 14. 1. Kin. 22. 14. Secondly it teacheth the people with all patience and reuerence to receiue the word of admonition and rebuke as Patience and reuerence required in the people in hearing being the meanes sanctifyed by God to bring them to a sight of their sinnes and vnfayned repentance that so both they and their ministers may escape Gods justly deserued wrath and vengeance If one walking in a pleasant way should be admonished by a friend that if hee went forward he were in danger to fall into an hidden pit or into an ambushment of enimies though his walke were delightfull who would not turne backe and shew himselfe thankefull to him from whom he had receiued such a friendly admonition but this is our case we walke in the pleasant wayes of sinne which lead vs into the pit of destruction and cause vs to fall if wee goe forward in them into the ambushment of our spirituall enimies sathan hell and condemnation who therefore being admonished to desist in this daungerous though pleasing course would not willingly turne backe and render thanks vnto him by whose admonition he was preserued from such imminent daunger Lastly this serueth for the iust terrour of all time-seruers Terrour for time-seruers who sooth men in their sinnes and men pleasers who will not or dare not deliuer Gods ambassage nor admonish or reproue great personages for their sinnes for feare of incurring their displeasure or loosing those rewards which they hope to receiue by soothing them in all their wicked wayes in this respect worse then Balaam himselfe who howsoeuer hee loued the reward of iniquitie yet protested that he would not speake any other thing then that which God put in his mouth for to gaine thereby all the wealth of Balaac whereas they for a farre lesse matter speake the cleane contrarie commending where God condemneth blessing where he curseth and cursing where he blesseth proclayming peace where he denounceth warre and giuing a Quietus est and generall acquittance to those whom the Lord for their great grieuous debts is ready to arrest and attach such although for a time they get the fauour of great personages and flowrish in the world yet they are in a most miserable condition seeing the time will come when as the Lord will cause his judgements to apprehend them as being traitours to his Majestie in deliuering a quite contrary ambassage to that which they receyued from him Traytours vnto their Prince and Country in that they haue not admonished them of imminent daungers but soothing them in the pleasing wayes of sinne haue encouraged them to goe forward in them till they fall into the pit of punishment and traytours to their owne soules in that as they accompany them in their sinnes so also they shall accompany them in their punishments Thirdly we are to obserue that God will inflict punishments God seuerely punisheth those who contemne admonition speedely continually and one in the neck of another vpon that people who despise admonitions and are impatient to heare rebukes for when his soueraigne salues of instruction will not heale them nor his sharpe corasiues of rebuke keepe them from putrifaction and rottennesse what remaineth but that with the sword of vengeance hee should cut them off And thus the Lord punisheth contemners of his word by suffering them to fall into errours and heresies and by giuing them vp to strong delusions and to beleeue 2. Thes 2. 11. lyes by giuing them ouer to a reprobate sense to runne on in their wicked wayes without check or stop and lastly by bringing vpon them calamitie vpon calamitie and punishment vpon punishment till they bee vtterly destroyed and cut off An example whereof wee haue in the Churches of Israell and Iuda in Ieroboam in Ahab and many others The vse is that if we would escape these manifold and A perticular Church may cease to be a true Church continuall calamities we submit our selues to be ruled by the scepter of the word and bee as well contented to heare our selues admonished of our faults and reproued for out sinnes as to heare of comfort when we doe well and of the gracious promises of the Gospll when we haue turned from our sinnes by vnfayned repentance Lastly we may obserue that howsoeuer the Catholike and invisible Church of Christ cannot faile and cease to be his Church yet a particular and visible Church may as we see in the example of the Church of Israell in this place For when Idolatry Will-worship and humaine traditions thrust out Gods pure and sincere worship when the ministery of the word ceaseth and in stead thereof lyes are published and imbraced when the Sacraments are neglected or wholy corrupted and depraued such assemblies whether particular or nationall cease to be the Church of Christ and begin to be the Synagogue of Sathan This heauy judgement Christ also threatneth against the Church of the Iewes Mat. 21. 43. The kingdome of God Mat. 21. 43. shall be taken from you c. And against the Church of Ephesus Apoc. 2. 5. I will come against thee shortly and will remoue Apoc. 2. 5. thy Candlestick out of his place except thou amend that is I will translate my Church from thee to some other nation The fearefull execution of all which threatnings we see at this day for all those famous Churches mentioned in the Scriptures are vtterly perished and become both in their soules and bodyes the Vassals of Gog and Magog the Turke Mahomet and the seauen headed beast the Antichrist of Rome The vse which we are to make hereof is first to admonish Wee must not rest in outward priuiledges vs that we doe not flatter our selues in those glorious titles and goodly priuiledges which yet through Gods
those punishments both temporall and eternall which the Lord inflicteth vpon those who forget his law which that wee may auoyde wee are not onely with all reuerence to heare and receiue the word of God but also with all care and conscience to treasure it vp in our memories that so we may performe obedience therevnto in our liues and conuersations which if wee doe we shall be eternally blessed Iam. 1. 25. Iam. 1. 25. To this purpose let vs briefly consider of some meanes Of the meanes to help our memorie auoid forgetfulnesse whereby we may helpe our memories and auoide this sinne of forgetfulnesse The first is that we prepare our selues before we heare the word of God that our hearts may be fit grounds to receiue the seede of Gods word And this is done first by meditating vpon our sinnes which we desire should be mortified and on those vertues and graces wherein wee are weake or wanting and this will worke in vs an earnest desire to heare the word which is the Physick that will cure our corruptions the food which will nourish strengthen vs in all grace and goodnesse Now those who feede vpon this heauenly banquet with a hungry appetite and a good stomacke they will well digest it and retaine this wholesome nourishment whereas they who heare the word and receiue this food with cloied appetites they are ready as soone as they haue receyued it to cast it vp againe through forgetfulnesse Secondly before wee come wee must purge our hearts from all maliciousnesse and filthinesse and remoue out of our minds all our worldly businesses and distractions which will choak in vs the seede of Gods word and keepe vs from hearing and remembring it If then we would keep and lock vp the treasure of Gods word in the chest of our hearts wee must first cast out of it the base rags of worldly vanities for God and Mammon spirituall wisdome and worldly profanenesse will neuer dwell together Thirdly wee must before wee come haue recourse vnto God by hearty prayer desiring him that with his holy spirit hee will not onely open our eares that wee may reuerently heare his word but also write it in our harts so as it may neuer be blotted out So in the hearing of the word we are to performe these dueties if wee would retaine it in memorie first we must heare it with delight for if with Dauid we delight our selues in Gods statutes then we will not forget his word Psal 119. 16. Psal 116. 16. If we receiue it with joy as being that precious pearle which alone maketh rich then our hearts will be fixed on it for there as the treasure is there will the heart be also Secondly we must heare the word with great reuerence and attention fixing our eyes on the teacher as they on Christ Luke 4. 20. and our hearts vpon his words and so Luke 4. 20. that which is receiued with such attentiue reuerence will not easily slip out of memory Thirdly we must obserue the methode and order of our teacher how he deuideth his Text into seuerall branches and how he passeth from point to point and so the generall points being remembred will help vs to recall the particulars vnder them contained euen as the body of a Tree bringeth vs to the maine boughes the boughes to the braunches and the braunches to the little sprigges and leaues Lastly after we haue heard the word we are to help our memories by prayer meditation and conference for otherwise the foode of the word will be as meate vndigested which cannot abide in the stomacke or as the seede vncouered which is deuoured of the fowles as soone as it falleth on the ground ANd so much concernig the second sinne laide to the charge of the Priests the third followeth together with the punishment denounced against it Verse 7. As they were Verse 7 increased so they sinned against mee therefore will I change their glorie into shame The which words containe two parts Exposition first the Priests sinne secondly their punishment Their sinne was the vngratfull abuse of Gods abundant blessings and rich mercies multiplyed vpon them in these wordes As they were increased the more they sinned against me Where hee expresseth both the blessings multiplyed vpon the Priests and their abuse of them the blessings in these words as they were increased Whereby is signified not onely that the Lord had multiplyed the Priests in number but also and that as I take it more principally that he had increased them in riches power and dignitie aboue the rest of the people the which extraordinary benefites should haue wrought in them an extraordinary measure of thankfulnesse and care to glorifie God seeing he was the sole authour of all their preferment as he also implyeth whereas he saith not that they had thus increased themselues but that they were increased namely by the Lord their God Their sinne was their vngratefull abuse of these benefits in these words So they sinned against me that is the more I multiplyed my blessings vpon them the more they multiplyed their sinnes against me for thus this word So is somtimes taken as Exod. 1. 12. But as they vexed them so they Exod. 1. 12. multiplyed that is the more they vexed them the more they multiplyed as our translation also hath it So in this Prophecie Chap. 11. 2. They called them so they went from them that Hos 11. 2. is the more they called them the more they went from them This then was their sinne that whereas Gods liberall bounty towards them should haue made them thankfull to God and zealous of his glory contrariwise his benefites made them wanton proud and forgetfull of God and not onely negligent of all good duetyes but ready to commit any iniquitie and impietie against God The which sinne as it is odious in all so especially in the Priests as some also thinke it is implyed in the words against me which they translate Sic peccauerunt mihi they haue sinned to me wherby is intimated that the Priests sins who draw neere vnto God and not onely professe his law themselues but also teach others do more neerely touch the Lord dishonor his name and prouoke his wrath then the sins of the ordinarie people euen as the crimes of a Steward whom his Lord putteth in trust with the rest of the familie doe more discredite his maister and incense his anger then the faults of the common seruants The punishment denounced against this sinne is contained in these words therefore I will change their glorie into shame where by glory we are to vnderstand al those benefits of riches power and honour in which the Lord had increased them all which he comprehendeth vnder the name glory because they were their glory or the things wherein they chiefely gloryed So whereas he saith that hee would turne their glory into shame the meaning is that he would depriue them of all
that the Magistrates in the feare of the Lord execute righteous judgement without hauing respect of any mans person place or state not peruerting justice for feare fauour or reward knowing that there is a supreame Magistate aboue them before whom they must be also judged who cannot be corrupted or peruerted from judging righteously because there is no iniquitie with him nor respect of persons nor receiuing of rewards as Iehosaphat speaketh to his Iudges 2 Chron. 1 Chron. 19. 6. 7. 19. 6. 7. So likewise Maisters of families are so to behaue themselues towards their familie and seruants in loue peaceablenesse and justice as knowing that they also haue a maister in heauen and a judge of all their actions who will judge without all partialitie the person of the Maister and seruant being vnto him both alike and this vse the Apostle maketh of this doctrine Eph. 6. 9. Ephe. 6. 9. The second thing to bee considered is that howsoeuer God doth not continually punish our sins but deferreth his punishments to certaine dayes of visitation wicked men doe daily by their sinnes prouoke Gods wrath yet the Lord doth not continually inflict his punishments but as a just and mercifull Iudge deferreth them vnto certaine times of visitation and as it were vnto certaine dayes of Assises as appeareth in this place for howsoeuer the Priests were so wholy corrupted in their wayes that they deserued present punishment yet he doth not presently inflict it but deferreth it to the day of his visitation so when the whole world was wholy corrupted with sinne yet he deferred their punishment for the space of an hundred yeares Though Sodome and Gomorrah abounded in all wickednesse yet he put off the day of his visitation till the measure of their sinnes was full and though the Cananites were outragiously sinfull yet the Lord deferred to punish them for many yeares till their sinnes were come to full ripenesse The causes of which delayes are diuers the first and principall is Gods owne nature euen his patience and long-suffering which maketh him long in resoluing to punish and when he hath resolued slow in execution and this the Lord himselfe professeth in that discription whereby hee maketh himselfe knowne Exod. 34. 6. The Lord the Lord strong Exod. 34. 6. mercifull and gracious slow to anger So Dauid Psal 103. 8. Psal 103. 8. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse 9. He will not alway chide c. And this made Ionah lothe to denounce destruction against Nineueh because he knew that he was a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger repenting him of euill As it is Ion. 4. 2. The second cause is Ion. 4. 2. that men may haue time to turne from their sinnes by repentance and so escape his punishments For God taketh no delight in their destruction but in their conuersion and saluation as hee protesteth Ezech. 33. 11. And this end Ezech. 33. 11. the Lord plainely noteth Esa 30. 18. Yet therefore will the Esa 30. 18. Lord waite that he may haue mercy vpon you c. And the Apostle plainly expresseth it Rom. 2. 4. where he saith that Rom. 2. 4. Gods patience and long-suffering leadeth vs to repentance The Apostle Peter likewise whereas he saith that the Lord is patient towards vs because he would haue no man to perish but would haue all men to come to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Lastly that he 2 Pet. 3. 9. may leaue the wicked and impenitent without excuse for when as he hath shewed himselfe lothe to punish both by his delayes and by vsing all meanes to reclaime them and yet they stubbornly persist in their wickednesse then are the judgements of God inflicted vpon them approued by all men and euen by their owne guilty consciences Notwithstanding howsoeuer the Lord for these and diuers Gods delaying judgement maketh men secure other causes deferreth the execution of his just vengeance yet men abuse this his long-suffering vnto sin either imagining with the Atheist that he hath not thunderbolts inough to dart against euery sinner for euery fault or that there is no prouidence no justice no God that regardeth the sins of men or with the secure Worldling that they may go on in their sinnes without repentance because these punishments which are so long delayed will neuer be inflicted according to that Eccle. 8. 11. because sentence against an euill worke is Eccl. 8. 11. not executed speedely therefore the hart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill An example whereof we haue in the euill seruant Mat. 24. 48. who because his maister Mat. 24. 48. deferred his comming so behaued himselfe as though hee would neuer come and in those mockers who because the day of judgement is deferred therefore walk after their owne 2 Pet. 4. 3. lusts like herein vnto foolish theeues who imagine that because the Iudge doth not euery day sit vpon the judgement seat therefore they may securely steale because the Assises will neuer come But such are to know that as Gods mercy and patience will not suffer him to make hast in the punishing of sinne so his justice will not suffer him for euer to let it go vnpunished and howsoeuer hee doth not vse martiall law in executing justice as soone as the offence is committed yet let them assure themselues that vnlesse by repentance they plead their pardon he will surely visite them either at his quarter Sessions in this life or at his generall Assises in the life to come Though Saul were long repriued after he was condemned yet at last came the fearefull day of his execution Though Naboths bloud was long vnreuenged yet at last God visited this sinne both vpon Ahab Iesabell and all their posterity Though for a time Ieroboam flourished in his Idolatry yet at length it brought a fearefull destruction vpon his whole familie And though the Lord for a long while suffered the people of the Iewes with great patience and long-suffering yet at last he payed them home so that now they are a spectacle of his heauy wrath vnto all nations and a reproach and hissing to the whole world The vse of this doctrine is first for our instruction that we imitate the Lord in his patience and long long-suffering not letting the raines loose to fury and reuenge vpon euery occasion but rather striuing to ouercome euill with goodnesse Secondly for our admonition that we doe not abuse Gods patience to impenitencie and hardnesse of hart least whilst we thus heape vp the measure of our sinnes we doe also treasure vp for our selues wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God who will reward euery man according to his workes as it is Rom. 2. 5. 6. Rom. 2. 5. 6. The third thing to be obserued is that he saith he will visit their wayes vpon them thereby
they the adjuncts as the vices the subject of the Soule And further this proannesse is called a spirit Metonimically to point out vnto vs the chiefe authour and fountaine from whence it is diriued euen Sathan the spirit of all wickednesse Moreouer it is called the spirit of fornications rather then the spirit of idolatrie not onely because he would persist in the former allegorie of marriage but also that hereby he might point out as it were in liuely colours the disposition of idolaters As though he would say it fareth with these filthy idolaters as with vncleane adulterers who are so blinded and inflamed with their lust and so besotted and hardned by their vice that without either shame or wit like brute beasts they runne headlong into their sinne and into all those mischeifes which doe accompany it as though they were vtterly depriued of all judgement and vnderstanding And for this cause also he vseth the plurall number fornications rather then the singular to note both their furious earnestnesse and their accustomed practise in committing this sinne Whereby he plainly sheweth that howsoeuer their Priests vtterly neglected their duty yet were not the people hereby excused of their sinnes both because they gaue themselues to voluptuous pleasures and thereby were depriued of their vnderstandings and became proane vnto all wickednes and also because they were not onely outwardly mislead by their false teachers but also had inwardly in themselues a spirit of fornications that is a vehement pronesse vnto idolatry wherwith they were wholy besotted Finally he addeth And they haue gone a Whoring from vnder their God that is they haue quite shaken off the marriage yoke and with-drawing themselues from vnder the gouernment and subjection of God their lawfull husband haue wholy giuen themselues ouer to spirituall vncleannes and to commit whordome with their impure Idols The which words may be vnderstood as a cause of the former that they therefore forsooke the Lord and gaue themselues ouer to be ruled by their Idols because they were possessed with a spirit of fornications which caused them to fall into these grosse and absurde errours or as an effect that therefore they were mislead by the spirit of fornications because hauing forsaken the Lord and his truth he had giuen them ouer to a reprobate sense suffred them to be deluded by a spirit of errour with strong delusions because they would not imbrace nor loue the truth For these are mutual and reciprocall causes to imbrace false worship idolatrie to forsake God for when the idolater beginneth to worship his idols hee renounceth the worship of God and when he will not loue nor delight himselfe in Gods true worship and seruice then the Lord giueth vp him to a reprobate sense and to be deluded with strong delusions as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 1. 23. 24. 2 Thes 2. 11. Rom. 1. 23. 24. 2. Thes 2. 11. And so much concerning the meaning of the words the The doctrines doctrines which arise out of them are diuers First we may obserue that it is no true honour to grace vs nor any sound The title of Gods people doth not grace or profit vs vnlesie we liue like the people of God benefit to profit and comfort vs that wee beare the title of Gods people and abound in his temporall gifts and blessings if our life be not conformable to our titles and priuiledges and if wee doe not thankfully imploy Gods benefits bestowed vpon vs to the aduancement of his glory the good of his Church and the furthering of our owne saluation yea contrariwise if wee vse them as incouragements to harten vs in our sinnes and vngratefully abuse them to Gods dishonour and the disgrace of our profession making them serue as vayles vnder which we may more cunningly hide our leprous sores of sinne and close acted wickednesse then are they so farre from gracing vs that they wholy tend to our discredit and so farre from being truely profitable that they serue as so many arguments to aggrauate our sinnes and to approue the justice of Gods righteous judgements when as hee taketh the most rigourous course in inflicting punishments It was an high priuiledge of honour to the people of Israell to be intitled the people of God but when they contemned his true worship forsooke the Lord and consulted with Idols all this tended to their vtter disgrace and to make their idolatrie much more abhominable then the idolatrie of the Gentils So it was a great dignitie to the wicked Angels that they were created the most excellent of the creatures and were made the immediate Ministers of God and as it were courtiars to the great King of heauen and earth but when as they most vngratfully sinned against such as gratious creator their excellencie did not benefit them but aggrauated their sinne and plunged them into the deepest bottome of just condemnation It was a great mercie of God vouchsafed to the Sodomites that they were placed in Gen. 13. 8. the garden of the world where they abounded in all Gods temporall blessings but when they abused Gods goodnesse and by his benefits became more rebellious they were not hereby priuiledged from punishment but inflamed Gods Gen. 19. more fearefull wrath against themselues which caused fire and brimstone to raine downe from heauen and consume them It was a great priuiledge to the Israelites to be the vineyard of the Lord which he had hedged in from the rest of the world for his owne vse and delight but when they answered not to Gods mercy in their obedience but in stead of the sweet grapes of righteousnes brought forth the sowre Esay 5. grapes of sinne the Lord did not onely forsake it but also pull downe the hedge and layde it open to the common spoyle It was a singular prerogatiue vnto them that they had amongst them the profession of Religion and the Temple of God the place of Gods worship but when they abused it as a visard of hypocrisie to countenance their sinne and as a shield to fence off all Gods threatnings of punishment God sendeth them to Shilo to see a patterne of his fearefull Ier. 7. 4. 12. vengeance which should also ouer-take them vnlesse they repented Finally it was a great dignitie and royall priuiledge to the people of the Iewes that they injoyed all earthly benefits in the land of Canaan that they were Gods peculiar people with whom he had made his couenant his chosen nation his royall Priest-hood the treasurers of his word the keepers of his seales and that they had the first offer of eternall saluation by Christ and of the joyfull tidings of the Gospell but when they abused this rich mercy by continuing in their rebellion by stopping their eares to Christs heauenly Sermons by crucifying the Lord of Life and by continuing in finall impenitencie after they were long called there vnto by the preaching of the Apostles all Gods patience long-suffering
sinne and Necessarie ignorance extenuateth faults not the euill of punishment alone as some haue imagined yet it doth excuse other faults and sinnes and also lesseneth the punishment It doth excuse wholie a fault before men when as it is committed through necessarie ignorance all meanes of knowledge being wanting but before God it doth not wholy excuse and acquite vs for the reasons aboue alledged but onely in part and as the schoolemen speake it freeth vs à tanto non à toto that is it lesseneth our sinne and punishment but doth not wholy take them away so our Sauiour saith that the seruant that knew not his maisters will and did commit things worthy of stripes should not altogether escape vnpunished but should bee beaten with fewer stripes Luke 12. 48. And that Tiâ—e Luke 12. 48. and Sidon who wanted those meanes of knowledge which Corazin and Bethsaida neglected should not altogether be acquitted in the day of judgement but more easilie punished Math. 11. 21. Mat. 11. 21. But yet this also is to be held with this caution and reseruation Ignorance as it is the punishment of sinne excuseth not that wee vnderstand it onely of primarie and simple ignoraunce and not of that necessarie ignoraunce which is a just punishment of sinne namely when as men being enlightned with the knowledge of God and his truth are for with-houlding of this truth in vnrighteousnesse and not louing nor imbracing it giuen vp of God to a reprobate sense to blindnesse of minde and to bee seduced and besotted with errours and stronge delusions Which was the case of many of the Israelites in this place of the Gentiles Rom. 1. 18. 28. and is the state of many Rom. 1. 18. 28. 2. Thes 2. 10. 11. in these dayes as it was foretould 2 Thes 2. 10. 11. For this ignorance is so farre from excusing other sinnes that in it selfe it is damnably desperate for howsoeuer in regard of the absence of meanes it is for the present necesarie yet if wee respect the first causes thereof it is wilfull and obstinate Now whereas it may be objected that the Apostle saith The meaning of Acts. 17. 30. vnto the Gentiles that the Lord did not regard the times of their ignorance Act. 17. 30. wee are to know first that it is not taken simply but comparatiuely that hee did not regard so much their sinnes committed in the time of ignorance as those which they should commit after the manifestation of his truth and secondly that the speach is not legall shewing what God would exact in the rigour of his justice but Euangelicall namely that hee would not impute those sinnes of ignorance vnto them but bury them in Christs death and obedience so that now they would imbrace him as their Sauiour by a liuely faith and bring forth the fruits hereof in vnfained repentance forsaking their former ignorance and the sinfull fruits thereof and labouring after knowledge and holy obedience The other kinde of ignorance which is affected and voluntary when as men continue ignorant because they neglect and contemne the meanes of knowledge offred vnto them is so farre from excusing other sinnes that it doth much aggrauate them as being it selfe in a desperate degree of sinne and also the cause of much other wickednesse for therefore they refuse to know their maisters will because Psal 36. 3. they are desperately resolued not to obey it and will not vnderstand because they will not bee hindered in their course of wickednesse Of such the Psalmist speaketh Psal 36. 3. Hee hath left off to vnderstand and to doe good or least hee should doe good And as this doth aggrauate mens sinnes so also it doth increase their punishment and augment the fearefull measure of their condemnation But of Verse 1. 6. of this Chapter this I haue already spoken and therefore I will here passe it ouer The vse hereof is that wee doe not labour to hide our sinnes vnder this broken vaile of Ignorance or extenuate our faults by pretending that if wee doe offend it is because wee are ignorant and know no better for our ignorance after that wee haue so long injoyed the light of the Gospell cannot bee necessarie but voluntary and wilfull because wee neglect or dispise the meanes of knowledge and therefore this ignorance will not excuse vs but rather aggrauate both our sinne and punishment Lastly wee here learne that when the Lord hath vsed God giueth ouer those who dispise the means of their conversion all meanes both by his word and works his benefites chastisements and more gentle punishments to bring a people to Knowledge Faith and Repentance and they neuerthelesse neglecting and contemning these meanes doe continue in wilfull Ignorance grose Infidelitie and secure Impenitencie then the Lord will giue them ouer to their owne wicked courses and suffer them to fall head-long both into the euils of sinne and the euils of punishment For Example hee will giue them ouer to the blindenesse of their mindes to runne on in Errours Heresies Superstition and Idolatry to the perversenesse of their wils to refuse the good and chuse the euill to their owne vile affections to commit such abhominable wickednesse as nature it selfe though much corrupted abhorreth and detesteth and euen to a reprobate sense that they may heape sinne vpon sinne and treasure vp against themselues wrath against the day of wrath And when hee hath often assayed fatherly corrections and light afflictions to amend them and they will not bee reformed hee will cause them to bee ouertaken by his fearefull plagues and heauie judgements and in the end plunge them into the gulfe of destruction and eternall condemnation An Example hereof wee haue in this place for when the Israelits would not vnderstand nor bee reformed neyther by Gods Word nor works his mercies nor iudgements the Lord caused them to fall and to be ouer-whelmed with most fearefull punishments When the Gentiles would not serue God according to that light of nature which hee had giuen vnto them hee gaue them vp to their owne vile affections and to a reprobate minde Rom. 1. When the Lord giueth vnto men Rom. 1. meanes of knowledge and they refuse instruction then hee will pronounce that fearefull sentence 1 Cor. 14. 38. If any 1 Cor. 14. 38. man bee ignorant let him bee ignorant If hee long affordeth the meanes of regeneration and yet men continue in their vnrighteousnesse and naturall corruptions hee will leaue them to themselues and passe vpon them that difinitiue sentence Apoc. 22. 11. Hee that is vniust let him be vniust Apoc. 22. 11. still and hee that is filthy let him bee filthy still If hee in his patience and long-suffering doe giue vnto sinners long time of repentance and also graciously affordeth vnto them the meanes of their conversion then is there nothing to bee expected but vtter destruction and desolation if by all these meanes they will not
bee reclaymed So when the people of Iuda grieuously sinned the Lord hauing compassion on his people sendeth his Prophets to call them to repentance But when as they mocked the Messengers of God and dispised his words and mis-vsed his Prophets then there being no remedy the wrath of the Lord was kindled against his people and hee deliuered them into Captiuitie and made their Land desolate as appeareth 2 Chron. 36. 15. 16. 17. And in the time of our Sauiour 2 Chro. 36. 15. 16. Christ when as they stopped their eares against his gracious call and would not vnderstand the great woorke of Redemption wrought by him which was so euidently declared both by his Word and workes hee pronounceth against them the fearefull sentence of desolation and destruction Luk. 13. 34. 35. Luk. 13. 34. 35 The reason hereof is because the Lord the most wise Physition of our soules will not loose his labour by ministring his Physicke to such Patients whose diseases are desperate and therefore when they wilfully refuse to bee cured rend in peeces his prescripts pull off his plaisters and reject those wholesome Potions which hee ministreth to purge them from their corruptions and to restore them to their spirituall health he giueth them ouer to themselues to dye and perish in the sicknesse of their soules Secondly as the Lord hateth all other sinne so his soule abhorreth the contempt of his Word which hee hath appointed to bee the meanes of the conversion and saluation of all sinners And therefore if his sword of the spirit will not make a separation betweene vs and our sinnes hee will make it a sword of vengeance and destruction to cut vs off in his fierce wrath For it is neuer drawne out but it accomplisheth eyther the work of his mercy or of his iudgement So the Lord saith Esay 45. 23. I haue sworne by my Esay 45. 23. and 55. 11. selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse it shall not returne c. And 55. 11. So shall my word bee that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me voyd but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it So the Apostle saith that Gods word is the sauour of life to them that are saued and the sauour of death to those that perish 2 Cor. 2. 15. 26. 2. Cor. 2. 15. 16. The vse hereof serueth to teach vs that with all carefull diligence wee make profitable vse of the meanes which the Lord hath giuen vs both for the inlightening of our vnderstandings and the reforming of our liues For if hauing the word of God purely and sincerely preached wee continue in wilfull ignorance and will not vnderstand if being allured by God mercies and inforced by his judgements wherwith diuersly at diuers times hee hath exercised vs wee notwithstanding continue in our impenitency and securitie what remayneth but that the Lord should giue vs ouer as a desperate cure and suffer vs to runne on in the course of sinne vntill at length wee fall into the pit of destruction in this life and into the bottomlesse gulfe of condemnation in the life to come AND thus much concerning the former part of this The second part of the Chapter Chapter in which I haue shewed are contayned diuers bils of Inditements against the rebellious and apostate Church of Israell now because they were desperately suncke in their wickednesse and past all hope of recouerie In the second part of the Chapter hee laboureth to perswade with the house of Iuda that they should not joyne with them in their sinnes nor be seduced by their euill example to make the like Apostasie least accompanying them in their defection and rebellion they were also made pertakers of their punishments And this is the Prophets maine drift and scope in the second part of this Chapter The parts thereof are two The first is an admonition to the house of Iuda to auoide the sinnes of the Israelits The second contayneth certaine reasons to enforce it taken both from the haynousnesse of their sinnes and the greatnesse of their punishments The admonition is expressed verse 15. Though thou Israell play Verse 15 the harlot yet let not Iudah sinne Come not yee into Gilgall neyther goe yee vp to Beth-auen nor sweare The Lord liueth In which admonition he doth first ingenerall disswade them The expositiō from imitating the Israelites in their sinne and especially from their Idolatrie and Apostasie and then hee dehorteth them from certaine speciall meanes whereby they might easily be brought to communicate with them in their impietie namely joyning with them in irreligious societie and intermingling Gods pure worship with their superstition and Idolatrie The generall disswasion is contayned in these words Though thou Israell play the harlot yet let not Iuda sinne as if hee had said although thou Israell being wholy possessed with a spirit of fornication art so desperately addicted to idolatrie and spirituall whoredome that there is no hope remayning that euer thou wilt be reclaymed yet let not the Lord be as it were robbed of both his sonnes in the same day O let not Iuda who is not as yet come to that desperate degree of sin be seduced by your bad neighbour-hood and euill example and deriue the same guilt of iniquitie vpon himselfe for so the word Assam vsually signifieth such a fault or guilt as is deriued from one to another the one being the motiue and impulsiue cause of the other sinne The ground of this disswasion was the dangerous estate of the people of Iuda first in regard of their neere neighbour-hoode with these idolatrous Israelites who were ready to seduce them both by their example and allurements the which is implyed in the first words Though thou Israell c. As though he should haue said seeing thou Israel which art so neere a neighbour and kinsman to Iuda art so defiled with idolatrie that there is great daunger least thou should poyson them with thy contagion yet let Iuda carefully take heede to auoide thy leprous infection Secondly this amplyfieth their daunger that they were already tainted with their superstition and idolatrie which through their naturall corruption and proanes vnto this sin was apt to spread further and further and therefore like a good Phisition he laboureth to cure their ague in the first fits and to stay them from falling any deeper into this sicknesse of sinne And to this purpose hee admonisheth them that they should not imitate the Israelites in their Idolatrie but purge away their dreggs of superstition wherewith they were alreadie corrupted and restore Gods pure worship in his Temple amongst them by the office and Ministerie of his true Priests and Leuites Now howsoeuer this admonition did principally concerne the people of Iuda yet the Prophet doth here publish it to the Israelites speaking of Iuda in the third person as being absent And this hee doth
they pray vpon them And finally when they made no end of prouoking the Lord to anger by their sinnes how miserably were they scattered like sheepe without a shepheard and made a pray to the sauage beasts the cruell Heathens as the Lord threatneth in this place The vse hereof is that we carefully keep our selues in Gods safe sheepfold and pleasant pasture the true Church and attentiuely hearken and diligently obey the voyce of our great shepheard and so wee shall not only be safe vnder his protection but also be plentifully fedde with his abundant blessings Otherwise if we leaue our sheepish nature and become vnruly like vntamed heifers the Lord will let vs range at large pinch vs with penurie and expose vs to all the former dangers ANd thus much in generall concerning the sinnes of the Israelites namely their stubborne rebellion which the Prophet vseth as an argument to disswade the men of Iuda from associating themselues with them In the next place he doth more specially expresse the particular sinnes which most raigned amongst them the which are of two sorts first their sins against the first table in this verse and secondly their sinnes against the second table in the verse following Their sinne against the first table was their idolatrie in these words Vers 17. Ephraim is ioyned to idols Vers 17 let him alone Which words containe two things first a reason The exposition to disswade the men of Iuda from accompanying the Israelites in these words Ephraim is ioyned to idols and secondly a repetition of the generall dehortation whereby it is reenforced in the words following let him alone Concerning the former here by Ephraim we are Synecdochically to vnderstād the ten Tribes of Israel which made a defection from the house of Dauid and ioyned with Ieroboam But Ephraim one of the ten is here and elsewhere principally named first because it was at this time chiefe of all the rest both in honor and wealth Secondly he nameth Ephraim only to vpbraide his vnthankfulnes in that hee had abused Gods extraordinarie mercie towards him for wheras he had of the meere mercie and loue of God receiued the preheminence before his elder brother Manasses in his great grandfather Iacobs blessing and the priuiledge of the birthright the which also the Lord verified by the euent this should haue moued him to extraordinarie thankfulnes and obedience he contrariwise did not onely himselfe make a fearefull defection from God and his pure religion but polluted also the whole kingdome with his superstition idolatrie and became the head and first mouer of this horrible Apostasie Lastly he here nameth Ephraim rather then any other Tribe because Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat and other idolatrous Kings which were the setters vp and maintainers of idolatrie were herehence descended so that as hereby he taxeth the whole Tribe as being principall ringleaders to idolatrie so especially the Kings Nobles of this Tribe which by their authoritie example and practise drew not only them but the other Tribes also to idolatrie and superstition It is further added that this Ephraim is ioyned to idols the word signifieth a continued act of time namely as they had in former times so they continued to ioyne themselues to their idols where he vnderstandeth such a ioyning and coniunction as is betweene the fornicatour and the harlot who by their whoredome so ioyne together as that they become one flesh implying hereby that they and their idols were vnited together in such a neere and inseparable knot that there was scarce any possibilitie that they would euer admit of any disunion and separation And this was the maner of their coniunction The things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which they were ioyned were their idols The word here vsed is deriued from an Hebrew roote which signifieth sorrow griefe and terror and therefore Iunius translateth it Coniunctus est terriculis Ephraim wherby is implied that the worshipping and seruing of idols neuer bringeth any sound comfort peace of conscience or cheerefull deuotion but griefe and seruile feare anxietie and trouble of mind And this is the meaning of the first part of this verse Now vpon this reason alledged the former dehortation is vrged and inforced in these words Let them alone The which many learned Expositors vnderstand as the speech of God to the Prophet as though the Lord seeing the stubborne peruersnes of the people who by no meanes would bee reclaimed should enioyne his Prophet to surcease his labours and to giue them ouer as being a desperate cure But I rather take it to bee the speech of the Prophet himselfe to the people of Iuda disswading them from intermedling with the Israelites because they were such grosse idolaters as were now become past hope of amendment And I thus expound it first because the maine drift of this second part of the chapter is to disswade the men of Iuda from associating themselues with the idolatrous Israelites and therefore as in the 15. verse he dehorted them from comming into their company so now he admonisheth them not to intermeddle or haue any dealings with them And secondly we see that after this restraint the Prophet still continueth his labours in the worke of his ministerie which hee would not haue done had the Lord by his prohibition enioyned him to desist for it is a fault to fight when the Lord soundeth the retraite as well as to stand still or flee backe when hee soundeth the alarum to battell And Hosea should haue offended if hee had preached when the Lord had enioyned him silence as well as Ionas in detracting his labours and in not speaking that which God had put into his mouth when he sent him on his message although I deny not but that the Lord doth sometimes vse rhetorical and semblable prohibitions in this kind not that he would haue the euent accord with the outward letter but to put the secure people in mind of the desperatenesse of their condition and to awake them out of their spiritual lethargie but I see no reason why we should run to figures when the plaine sense better accordeth with the scope of the place The meaning then is that Iuda should let the Israelites alone and haue no manner of familiaritie or entercourse of dealing with them For whereas they might pretend that they therfore conuersed with them that by their admonitions they might reclaime them from their idolatrie hee taketh away this obiection by shewing that they were so desperately addicted to their idols and so as it were glewed vnto and incorporated with them that there was no hope of any separation and therefore seeing there was no likelihood of their reclaiming it was the best course not to meddle with them for well might they make them worse but it was not like they could make the other better well might they allure them to communicate with them in their superstitions but it was scarce possible to disswade them from
their idolatrous and false worship Againe as our Sauiour saith in another case they had Moses and the Prophets the Luke 16. booke of Gods law faithfull Expositors to make it cleare to their vnderstandings and to admonish them of their euill waies and therefore it was likely if they would not giue them the hearing then much lesse would they regard their priuate admonitions And this is the meaning of the words The doctrines The do ∣ ctrines which arise out of them are these First we here learne that the greatnes of those that offend either in respect of honor The greatnes of the sinner doth aggrauate the sinne power riches or other Gods blessings doth not take away or extenuate the fault guilt or punishment of sinne but rather doth increase and aggrauate them Because Ephraim was the principall Tribe amongst the ten and most abounded with all maner of Gods blessings therefore in the first place he is accused as being more sinful then all the other Tribes and in the generall inditement hee beareth the name of all his confederates as being in respect of his greatnesse more guiltie of sinne then any of his brethren So because the Lord had aduanced the people of Israel aboue all the nations round about them and had priuiledged them with extraordinarie blessings both temporall and spiritual aboue al their neighbour countries therefore their sinnes and rebellions were much more haynous and abominable in Gods sight and their punishments much more grieuous as appeareth Ezech. 5. 5. 6. 9. 10. In these respects also the Prophet matcheth Ezech. 5. 5. 6. 9. 10. cap 6. them yea and giueth them the preheminence in wickednes aboue Sodome it selfe especially in that they had abused Gods more rich mercie and wilfully withstood the meanes of their conuersion and saluation which the other wanted as he sheweth at large Ezech. 16. And surely not without reason are those to be condemned as the most grieuous malefactours who being most highly aduanced by God in the fruition of all his gifts and blessings do notwithstanding dishonor him by their sinnes and with an high hand rebell against him First because to their other sinnes they adde horrible ingratitude a vice odious to God and man for whereas Gods bountie should oblige them to dutie and obedience they forgetting or neglecting the author of their preferment abuse his owne gifts to his dishonour and like vnthankfull rebels being aduanced and inriched by their Soueraigne vse all their credit power and wealth to strengthen them in their rebellion Secondly because those who are aduanced aboue others in honour power and riches are seated as it were vpon a hill and in the eye of all men whereby it commeth to passe that their sinnes are exemplarie and so they doe not only offend God themselues but also draw others to imitate their wickednes and hereby their single sinnes are doubled and redoubled vpon their sinfull soules according to the number of those who are corrupted by their euill example The vse hereof serueth to stirre vp all whom the Lord hath The more we are aduanced the more should be our thankfulnes aduanced aboue others in his blessings that they earnestly labour to exceede others in thankfulnes and obedience Otherwise if they being vnmindfull of Gods benefits rebell against him and dishonour his name by their sinnes they shall be condemned and punished not only as ordinarie sinners but also as vngratefull rebels and as chiefe captaines and ringleaders who by their example haue drawne others into the like transgressions Secondly those who are of a meane estate may here learne The smalnes of our receits causeth short accounts contentation seeing by the smalnesse of their receits they haue the benefit of short accounts and the lower their condition is the more they are priuiledged from the guilt of other mens sinnes For whereas those who are in eminent places are exposed much more to the boisterous stormes of manifold tentations and when they fall like high buildings beate downe inferiours as it were vnder cottages with their ruines those who are but of meane qualitie doe not lie so open to these blasts of triall or though they be ouerthrown in the day of tentation yet commonly they are only guiltie of their owne fall there being few or none that by their example are drawne into their sinne Secondly we here obserue that such is the neere coniunction betweene idolaters and their idols that they most The neere coniunction betweene idolaters their idols hardly admit of any separation for as in corporall fornication the adulterer is so ioyned with the adulteresse that they become one flesh whereby it commeth to passe that they so desperatly dote one vpon another that neither the losse of their credit nor the impouerishing of their estate nor the manifold mischiefes which accompanied their sinnes in this life nor the eternall torments of hell fire which are threatned against adulterers in the life to come can weane them one from another so in this spirituall whoredome the idolater doth in his hart and affections so cleaue vnto his idols that he neglecteth his fame and reputation with the godly consumeth his wealth and substance contemneth Gods heauie iudgements denounced against idolaters both in this life and the life to come And this was the estate of Ephraim in this place who so firmely cleaued vnto their idols that they could by no meanes be seuered neither by Gods alluring promises nor terrifying threats neither by his mercies nor by his iudgements neither by the publike preaching of Gods Prophets nor by the priuate admonitions of their brethren and therefore the Lord commandeth the men of Iuda not to intermeddle with them as being now become a desperate cure of whom there was no hope of amendment and reformation Many such examples we haue in the book of God Although Laban long enioyed the companie of holie Iacob and plainly saw the manifold blessings which the true Iehouah multiplied vpon him yea and vpon himselfe also for Iacobs sake yet all this could not withdraw him from worshipping his idols So although the Lord made choice of the Israelites for his peculiar people and gaue vnto them his law wherein he prescribed his true worship and restrained them from idolatrie and confirmed this law by powerfull miracles and by continuall experience gaue them to vnderstand that he blessed them with all his benefits whē they worshipped him according to his reuealed will and contrariwise multiplied his plagues vpon them when they worshipped idols yet so wholly were they possessed with a spirit of fornications that all this would not restraine them from this sin nor reclaime them from their idolatrie when they had addicted themselues vnto it So although the Lord had punished the land of Iuda with captiuitie and desolation and had sent his Prophets vnto them that remained to ascertaine them that their idolatrie was the chiefe cause of all their miseries yet they rebelliously
not our long peace and prosperitie brought an vniuersall sleepe of securitie vpon the land Haue not our people greeuously abused their great plenty and the manifold blessings wherewith God hath inriched them by mis-spending them in voluptuous pleasures and in all manner of luxurious wantonnesse and intemperance Was euer the land so defiled with surfetting and drunkennesse whordome and all manner of vncleannesse Was there euer the like greedy couetousnesse oppression bribing extortion and all manner deceitfull cruell dealing Were euer the hearts and hands of our Nation so effeminated as in these times wherein there is scarce any difference betweene men and women in nicenesse wantonnesse and soft luxuriousnesse both in respect of diet and attire Is not the manly courage and able valour of this our Nation much decaied and doth not foxe-like wilinesse take the place of true fortitude Finally were euer men more insolent in offering iniuries or more impotent in repelling deserued reuenge What therefore can remaine but a miserable conclusion of all these premises what can we expect but that as we haue matched and surpassed those who haue gone before vs in voluptuousnes intemperance and couetousnesse wee should also be like vnto them in punishment confusion and destruction vnlesse wee speedily preuent Gods iudgements by vnfained repentance and auert these punishments by turning from our sinnes Secondly we may here obserue that howsoeuer the Lord The Lords patience endeth in wrath towards the impenitent in his infinite patience and long suffering deferreth the iust punishment of wicked men and sinfull nations to the end that hereby they may be drawne to repentance so escape his plagues yet when notwithstanding all this mercie and patience of God they continue in their hainous transgressions the Lord bringeth his iudgements like a whirle-winde and taketh them away in a tempest of his wrath as appeareth in the example of the Israelites in this place More paticularly Punishment commeth vpon the wicked suddenly the punishments of the wicked which haue been long deferred shall at length come vpon them suddenly and when they least expect any danger euen as the storme doth suddenly follow the calme To this purpose it is said that Though the excellencie of the wicked mount vp to heauen and his head reach vnto the clouds yet shall he perish for euer like his dung and they which haue seene him shall say Where is he He shall flee away as a dreame and they shall not finde him and shall passe away as a vision in the night Iob 20. 6 7 8. And Job 20. 6 7 8. 21. 13. Psal 73. 19. Chap. 21. 13. They spend their daies in wealth and suddenly they goe downe to the graue So Psal 73. 19. How suddenly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed as a dreame when one awaketh And the Prophet Esay compareth the destruction of the wicked to the ruines of a wall which though it standeth a long time yet it suddenly falleth and in a moment Esa 30. 13. Therefore this iniquity shall be vnto you as a breach Esa 30. 13. that falleth or as a swelling in an high wall whose breaking commeth suddenly and in a moment Examples whereof we haue in the old world and in Sodome and Gomorrah who whilest they securely inioyed their voluptuous pleasures without feare of any danger were suddenly surprized with Gods iudgements euen with the generall deluge with fire and brimstone descending downe from heauen So when Nebuchadnezzer gloried in his power and maiestie it is said that whilest the word was yet in his mouth the message of Gods anger was deliuered vnto him Secondly as the winde is so swift that it is impossible to Gods iudgements are swift and vnauoidable flee away from it though we runne vpon our greatest speed so the iudgements of God pursue the wicked with such posting hast that it is impossible for them to escape though they be as swift as the Hinde in the forrest or the Swallow in the aire To this purpose it is said Matth. 3. 5. I will come Mal. 3. 5. neere to you to iudgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the soothsaiers c. And 2. Pet. 2. 1. the Apostle saith that 2. Pet. 2. 1. the lying Prophets by their false teaching brought vpon themselues swift damnation So when the Lord would bring vpon the men of Iuda destruction and desolation he saith that their enemies should come vp against them as the cloudes his chariots as tempests and that his Horses should be lighter than the Eagles Iere. 4. 13. And therefore though Ier. 4. 13. 46. 6. they were neuer so swift yet they should not be able to flee away as he also speaketh Chap. 46. 6. for either the flight should perish from the swift as it is Amos 2. 14. or if they Amos 2. 14. continued in their swiftnesse their persecuters should bee swifter as the Lord threatneth Esa 30. 16. Esa 30. 16. Thirdly as the winde or tempest carrieth away the dust Wicked men cannot resist when God punisheth and chaffe with such vnresistable furie that it is altogether impossible for it by any waight or strength it hath to remaine together vndispersed so the iudgements of God doe surprize the wicked with such force and violence that it is not possible for them with their greatest power to make any resistance but their destruction shall be vnto them altogether vnrecouerable In which respect the Prophet compareth Esa 30. 13 14. the iudgements of God falling vpon wicked men to the ruines of a wall for as before it falleth it may easilie be vnderpropped and repaired but when it is in falling it cannot be staied by any force of man so howsoeuer it is no hard thing to preuent the iudgements of God from lighting vpon vs before they attach vs if we forsake our sinnes by true repentance yt if the sentence bee past and the punishments haue alreadie begunne to seaze vpon vs then is our case desperate and vnrecouerable seeing we are not able to make any resistance hor to withstand them with our greatest power And hence also it is that in the same place hee compareth the wicked to a Potters pot which is so brittle that it is broken with the least violence and being broken cannot be amended nor serue for any vse Esa 30. 13 14. to the same purpose it is said Prou. 6. 15. That the wicked man Prou. 6. 15. shall be destroyed suddainely and without recouerie and that as the swift should not scape by flight so neither the strong man by his strength Ierem. 46. 6. So Amos 2. 14. Iere. 46. 6. Amos 2. 14. The flight shall perish from the swift and the strong shall not strengthen his force neither shall the mightie saue his life And in this respect the wrath of God in this place is compared to a strong winde and the wicked to chaffe which is scattered by it So Iob.
the earth and I will haue mercie vpon her that was not pitied and I will say vnto them which were not my people thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God In which words is set downe first the multiplication of the Church and secondly The exposition the meanes whereby it should bee multiplied The first in these words And I will sow her vnto me in the earth The which speech is allegoricall borrowed from the practise of husbandmen who desiring increase of their corne doe sow it in the ground so the Lord promiseth that hee will sow his Church that is he will multiplie and exceedingly increase it as the seed is multiplied which is sowne in the earth so that it shall no longer be contained within the narrow borders of the land of Canaan but be propagated farre and wide ouer the whole face of the earth Where he alludeth to the name Izreel signifying the seed of God of which hee had spoken in the former verse although the word her being of the feminine gender hath relation vnto the spouse for whereas his meaning was that hee would sow Izreel his seed he saith he will sow her because all this while he had spoken of his Church and faithfull people vnder the name and title of a wife But besides the multiplying of the Church here is also as I take it promised the continuall stabilitie therof for so this word sowing or planting signifieth as appeareth Ier. 24. 6. I will plant them and not roote them out Psal 92. 13. 14. Ier. 31. 27. 28. 42. 10. Iere. 24. 6. Psal 92. 13. 14. Iere. 31. 27. 42. 10. Further he saith that he will sow her vnto himselfe where he noteth the end why he would multiplie his Church and people namely that they being chosen and called might glorifie his name by seruing and obeying him and this is the maine end not onely of our calling but also of our creation and redemption 2. Cor. 6. 20. Ephes 1. 4. Tit. 2. 14. 2 Cor. 6. 20. Ephes 1. 4. Tit. 2. 14. Againe whereas hee saith that hee will sow her in the earth without any special restraint vnto any particular place the meaning is that hee would sow her thorowout the whole earth and no longer confine her within the limits of Canaan the which promise was accordingly accomplished when Christ gaue commandement to his Apostles and Disciples that they should goe teach all nations Matth. 28. 20. the which they also performed as appeareth in the Acts of the Apostles Matth. 28. 20. And this is the promise concerning the multiplying of the Church Now the meanes whereby hee would increase it to so great a number is expressed whereas he saith that hee will haue mercie vpon Lo-ruchamah and will call Lo-ammi his people wherby he vnderstandeth the calling not only of the ten tribes but also by occasion of them the Gentiles amongst whom they were scattered as the Apostle plainly expoundeth this prophecie Rom. 9. 24. 1. Pet. 2. 10. for of whom it might be said Rom. 9. 24. 25. 1. Pet. 2. 10. that they were without mercie and not Gods people of thē he promiseth that he would haue mercie and chuse them for his people but this might be said not of the Israelites alone but also of the Gentiles as the Apostles testifie and therefore of them also this prophecie is to be vnderstood And these are the meanes whereby the seed of the faithfull is multiplied In the last place he setteth downe the disposition affection and dutie of the Church being called in these words And they shall say thou art my God Where there is implied the entire loue of the Church towards God in that she vseth here the vocatiue case as the originall hath it and by a certaine kind of hearty acclamation crieth out O my God which briefe maner of speech doth most pathetically expresse the otherwise vnexpressable affection passion of the heart So Thomas rauished with Christs assured presence crieth out My Lord and my God Ioh. 20. Ioh. 20. 28. 28. and Mary v. 16. Rabboni Master Rom. 8. 15. Secondly that Rom. 8. 15. she shall not only beleeue that the Lord is her God but also acknowledge and make profession hereof for she shall not only thinke it but also say it Thirdly that she shall inuocate and call vpon his name as is signified in this phrase of speech O my God And this is the meaning of these words The doctrines which The do ∣ ctrines arise out of thē are these First whereas the Lord saith that he will sow his Church hence we learne that the Lord is the sole cause of The Lord is the principall cause of multiplying the Church Ephes 2. 5. the multiplying of his Church by his word and Spirit and not our owne inclination and free will for we are as seed in the hand of the sower vnlesse hee husband vs wee will euer remaine vnfruitfull Eph. 2. 5. And this the Apostle affirmeth namely that the faithfull are not borne of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1. 13. Iohn 1. 13. God multiplieth his church for his owne glorie 1. Pet. 2. 10. 11. 12. Secondly we learne here that the Lord doth sow or multiplie the Church vnto himself that is for his own glory worship and seruice that the Church being chosen to be a royall Priesthood and holy nation may abstaine frō fleshly lusts haue their cōuersation honest that so God may be glorified euen of those that are without And therfore seeing the Lord hath made choice of vs for this purpose let vs labour to attaine vnto our end otherwise we can haue no assurance that we are in the nūber of Gods people seeing it is impossible that he shuld be frustrate of his end Thirdly by this chāge of names no mercy into mercy no Gods anger turned into loue people into a people we learne that in the time of the Gospel Gods anger is turned into loue iudgement into mercy punishment into reward cōdemnation into life saluation by vertue of Christs merits mediation The which serueth notablie for the consolation of al those that mourne in Sion whē as being beaten downe by the apprehēsion of Gods anger the sight of sinne and the curse of the law they consider that Christ hath freed them from them all reconciled them vnto God and procured for them remission of their sinnes Fourthly we here learne that the wall of separation is broken The Iewes and Gentiles gathered into one Church downe both Iewes and Gentiles admitted into one and the same Church so that as our Sauiour speaketh there is now but one sheepfold one shepheard Ioh. 10. 16. See p. 125. 133. 135. Fiftly we here learne that our vocation was altogether free and vndeserued for when as we were without mercy deseruing Our vocatiō is
word of the Lord ye Children of Israell Secondly the cause hereof which is a controuersie betweene the Lord of heauen and earth who is the party offended and both the plaintiffe and the judge and the Israelites who are the delinquents and parties offending For the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the Land Thirdly the crimes whereof they are accused and conuicted which are the causes mouing the Lord to pursue them with his justice because there is no truth c. In the handling of which points I will obserue this order First I will expound the wordes Secondly obserue out of The order obserued in handling these verses them such instructions as they naturally offer vnto vs. Thirdly I will apply them to our owne times Concerning the First we are first to note the context and so come to shew the meaning of the words themselues In The context the former chapter the Lord vnder certaine types and Parables comforted those Israelits which were to be afflicted in a grieuous and tedious captiuitie by assuring them of his loue and that their miseries were but the chastisements of a louing father for their good and conuersion and not the punishments of an enemie for their hurt and destruction Now lest the secure Israelits of his owne times should take encouragement vnto them by the former doctrine of consolation to be moued thereby to continue in their impaenitencie hee sheweth that howsoeuer the Lord was purposed to be gracious vnto his elect Israelits in after ages yet he would in the meane time punish seuerely those haynous enormious sinnes as raigned amongst them vnlesse they preuented his judgements by their vnfained repentance And this is the context now let vs come to the meaning The peoples summons of the words Heare the word of the Lord ye children of Israell Wherein the Prophet summoneth the people to appeare before the Lord to answere vnto such things as should bee The exposition objected and laid to their charge For as judges before they suffer any to be accused or condemned doe cause their clarke or cryer to summon and call forth the partie to see what hee can answere for himselfe so doth the Lord take the same iudiciall course with sinners for the approouing of his righteous judgements that is hee citeth them before he accuseth them and accuseth them before hee condemneth them The which summons hee pronounceth sometimes immediately by himselfe as when he cited Adam to appeare before him Gen. 3. 9. in Paradise Gen. 3. 9. And thus hee summoneth men when as he speaketh vnto their harts consciences by his judgements and punishments And sometimes by his Ministers and that either men or Angels by men as by his Prophets ambassadors an example whereof we haue in this place the like whereof we haue Esa 1. 18. Ier. 2. 4. 5. Mich. 1. 2. Esay 1. 18. Iere. 2. 4. 5. Mich. 1. 2. and 6. 1. 2. 3. and 6. 1. 2. 3. c. By Angels either in this life when he maketh them his instruments and ministers of his afflictions judgements and punishments or at the end of the world when as the arch-Angell with the sound of his trumpet shall summon all men to appeare before the tribunall seate of Gods iudgement of which we may read Math. 24. 31. Mat. 24. 31. 1. Cor. 15 52. 1. Thes 4. 16. The drift of the summons 1 Cor. 15. 52. 1 Thes 4. 16. Now the maine drift of these summons is to moue the people to heare with greater reuerence care and conscience the reprehensions and comminations which after follow for howsoeuer they might haue some reason to neglect and contemne them if they regarded the Prophets person and the meanesse of his qualitie condition yet there was great cause why they should heare them not onely with reuerence but also with feare and trembling if they considered that he was but a cryer who summoned them in the name and at the appointment of the supreame judge of heauen earth and but a meane ambassador who deliuered vnto them not his owne words but the ambassage of his glorious and most mighty king from whom he is sent But let vs more specially consider of those arguments The arguments here vsed to moue attention which are contained in these summons proclaimed by the Lords Cryer whereby he moueth them to receiue his message with attention feare and reuerence The first is taken from the manner of his speach which is vsed when matters of great waight and importance follow and therefore is not to be hearkened vnto negligently or lightly to be regarded The second is taken from the person of him from whom this message is deliuered namely because it is Iehouah that speaketh vnto them who created them and continually preserued them who is al-sufficient to reward those who harken vnto him and almighty to punish those who neglect his word who had giuen vnto them many testimonies of his loue and multiplyed vpon them all his benefits aboue all other nations of the earth who did not reprehend and punish them for mallice to their persons or other sinister respects but that he might preserue them from vtter destruction if they would repent and forsake their sinnes or glorifie his justice in their punishments if by no meanes they would be reclaimed but obstinately persist in their sins after they had so often warning The third reason to moue them to heare and obey the voyce of the Lord summoning them by his Prophet is taken from their owne persons to whom the message is deliuered in that they were the people of Isel descended of the holy Patriarkes chosen amongst all other nations to be Gods peculiar Church and people with whom God had made a couenant and had on his part most absolutely performed it preseruing them from their enimies and multiplying vpon them all his benefits And this is the peoples summons where by they who had The controuersie between the Lord and the people of Israell a long time neglected the word of the Lord in the mouth of his Prophets were now cited to answere their contempt before the Tribunall seat of Gods Iudgement Now followeth the cause of this summons which is for the tryall of a controuersie betweene the Lord and the people of Israell For the Lord hath a Controuersie with the Inhabitants of the Land Where first we are to consider the nature of this controuersie and secondly the parties betweene whom it is controuerted Gods controuersies with a people are eyther verball or reall Verball when as by his word eyther immediately pronounced by himselfe as we may see in the example of Cain or by his Ministers he reproueth conuinceth and condemneth a people for their sinnes and threatneth his Iudgements due vnto them Reall when as a people notwithstanding Gods reprehensions and threatnings continuing in their impenitencie haue deserued punishments inflicted vpon them Of both which kindes of controuersies
innumerable benefits serued but as so many arguments to aggrauate their sinnes to bring vpon them more fearefull punishments and to make their condemnation more horrible and grieuous as may plainely appeare by these places Math. 11. 21. Luke 13. 34. 35. Mat. 11. 21. Luk. 13. 34. Rom. 2. 4. 5. Rom. 2. 4. 5. By all which it appeareth that Gods benefits are not blessings Gods blessings abused doe aggrauate our sinnes vnto vs if we doe abuse them as motiues vnto sinne but rather they make our sinnes out of measure sinfull and our punishments more intollerable And of this the reason is most apparant for as it excuseth the neglect of dutie when the partie to whom it is to be performed is but a meere stranger and extenuateth the fault when as it is committed against an enimie so it doth much aggrauate it if he be a familiar acquaintance or neere friend vnto whom we are deepely indebted for many benefits if the wife do misdemeane her selfe towards a crabbed and perverse husband though it doth not altogether excuse her yet it extenuateth her fault but if she thus behaue her selfe towards a husband who is most kinde and louing and omitteth no good duty which can be required of him the world is ready to crie shame against such misbehauior If the seruant neglecteth his duty to such a maister as performeth no duty vnto him but defraudeth him of his wages and daily oppresseth him with new injuries although it will not justifie his doings yet it will lessen his faults but if this neglect be towards such a one as is louing and liberall it deserueth justly a sharper censure and more seuere punishment So if the Lord were vnto vs as a stranger or enimie a bitter husband or cruell maister we might haue som-what to say for the neglect of our duty but seeing he is most bountifull and benigne requiting euery dramme of loue with a pound of kindnesse and rewarding euery penny-worth of seruice with a talent of wages yea seeing he preuenteth vs with his free grace and beginneth and continueth and multiplyeth his benefits without any manner of our deserts if after all this we neglect our duties to such a God so gracious and infinite in mercy yea and contrariwise abuse his owne gifts to his dishonour and take occasion by his benefits the more to prouoke his wrath by our sinnes what judgements are too heauy what punishments too grieuous for such vnthankfull wretches The vse hereof serueth to teach vs not to content ous selues We must not content our selues with the priuiledges of Christians vnlesse we liue their liues with the priuileges of Christians vnlesse we liue the liues of Christians not to rest in Gods temporall benefits as being sufficient arguments of his loue or vndoubted pledges of our saluation vnlesse we haue also the grace giuen vs to imploy them to the aduancement of Gods glorie and to vse them to those good and holy ends for which God hath bestowed them For it will nothing avayle vs that we are chosen out of the rest of the world to be Gods peculiar people vnlesse as it becommeth the inheritance of God we be purged from our iniquities and be zealous of good workes it will Tit. 2. 14. not profit vs to be intertayned into Gods owne familie if we doe not behaue our selues as it becommeth his children and seruants nor to haue the couenant and the seales thereof the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ and the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper vnlesse this couenant be as well written in our harts as in our bookes and be as fruitfully practized as it is faithfully deliuered In a word wee shall be neuer the better for the abundance of temporall benefits as peace plenty health libertie and the rest vnlesse as wee surpasse others in these priuiledges and pledges of Gods loue so also we doe excell them in loue towards God zeale thankfulnesse and holy obedience yea contrariwise if God haue sowen amongst vs the seeds of his mercies with a liberall hand expecting a fruitfull haruest of holynesse righteousnesse and we in stead hereof returne vnto him the taâ—es and cockle of sinne and wickednesse we shall bee but the nearer vnto a curse and his great bounty and innumerable benefits shall serue as so many arguments to aggrauate our sinnes and multiply our punishments That the Papists in vaine boast of the priuiledges of their Church Secondly it serueth to beate downe the glorious braggs of the Papists and sinagogue of Rome who boast themselues as being the peculiar people and Church of God vpon whom the Lord hath multiplyed manifold benefits spiritual temporal and in whose custody still remaine the treasure of Gods word and his seales the Sacraments but though it should be graunted vnto them that their Church in former times hath had these priuiledges and that yet there remaine some steps and prints of them this doth not any whit commend them or make their state the better yea rather it serueth to aggrauate their fearfull Apostasie their haynous rebellion and abhominable idolatrie in which they liue and perseuere notwithstanding the Lord hath formerly dealt so gratiously with them and presently doth not take that just vengeance of their sinnes which they long agoe deserued For howsoeuer the Lord hath caused the light of the Gospell to shine vnto them whereby he hath discouered the sottish grosenes of their idolatrie and superstitions yet they will not forsake their idols and turne to the liuing God Acts. 14. 15. who hath made heauen and earth but like vnto the Israelites here spoken of they worship their images of wood stone and daily commit more then heathenish idolatrie they consult with their idols in all their difficulties and dangers going on pilgrimage vnto them for their counsaile and direction they make vowes vnto them offer them oblations in euery high place that is in the innumerable temples which they haue erected for this purpose and they are so wholy seduced by the spirit of fornications that if any man gaine say them in these their wicked courses they are ready to pursue and persecute him with sword fire and fagot In a word they haue wholy corrupted Gods worship and seruice and are become more sottish in their superstitions and idolatrie then either the Turkes or Pagans So that if they will needes vaunt themselues of their titles that they are Gods people and Church and in their priuiledges which they haue aboue others they doe but glory in their shame seeing they are so many arguments to aggrauate their sinnes and vngratefull wickednesse in that they are worse then the Turkes and infidels in her idolatrie and superstition especially in this resspect that they haue had many singular meanes graunted them by God for their conversion and reformation which the other haue wanted and yet notwithstanding all Gods mercies persist in their apostacie and rebellion The second thing to be obserued is that
the Lord condemneth That it is an haynous sinne to worship Images it as a haynous sinne to worship Images and to aske counsaile of stocks stones And in truth what groser Idolatry can be imagined then to giue that honour and worship which is proper the vnto Lord to the works of mens hands as to fall downe before a base Idoll to creep vnto it to invocate it and to offer vnto it vowes and oblations neuerthelesse how sottishly absurd soeuer this Idolatry be yet hath it many patrones amongst those who make profession of Christianitie namely the whole Church of Rome who allow by their doctrine and practise both the making and worshipping of Images not onely of God himselfe and the three persons in Trinitie but also of Angels and Saints But we are to abhorre this grose Idolatry as being in the word of God condemned as impious and derided as sottish and ridiculous It is expresly condemned in the second commandement Thou shalt not make vnto thy selfe any grauen Image c. So Deut. 4. 15. Take therefore good heede vnto your selues Deut. 4. 15. for yee saw no Image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the middest of the fire 16. That you corrupt not your selues and make you a grauen Image or representation of any figure whether it be male or female c. So Leu. 19. 4. Leuit. 19. 4. 26. 1. Esay 40. 18. and 26. 1. Esa 40. 18. And least we should thinke that this was onely a legall ordinance which is abrogated by the Gospell as one of the Papists doth impudently affirme it is no Catharinus lesse strictly vrged in the new Testament and the neglect thereof condemned as appeareth Rom. 1. 23. 1 Cor. 10. 20 Rom. 1. 23. 1 Cor. 10. 20. 1 Iohn 5. 21. 1 Iohn 5. 21. And as the Lord hath strictly forbidden and condemned this sinne so also hath he seuerely punished it as we may see in the example of the Israelits Exod. 32. In the time of the Exodus 32. Iudges and of the Kings of Ieroboam Ahab and the rest Deut. 27. 15. Psal 97. 7. according to his word Deut. 27. 15. Psal 97. 7. But as the Lord hath condemned the making and worshipping of Images as wicked so also as sottish and ridiculous as may appeare Psal 115. 4. 5. c. And 135. 16. Psal 115. 4. 5. 17. c. Esay 40. 20. 21. c. And 44. Ver. 9. to 21. But it is objected by the Papists that Images are Lay The Papists confuted who say that images are Lay mens bookes mens books I answer that if Lay men haue no better books the greater is the Cleargies sinne for the Lord hath giuen the bookes of holy Scriptures not onely vnto them but to the Laytie also that by studying therein they may be led into all truth but they vse them like little children or fooles for taking away from them the rich treasure of Gods word in stead thereof they giue vnto them babies and pictures to play withall to keep them as it were from crying and complayning They take away from them the profitable schoolmaister which would throughly instruct them in the will of God because hereby all their jugling and deceipt would be discouered and giue them Images to be their play-fellowes Yea in truth they deale farre worse with Gods people for childish babies and play-fellowes are vnto children harmelesse delights whereas these Images are pernitious vnto their soules by seducing them out of the way of truth into the way of errour and falshood as the Scriptures plainely teach vs. Ier. 10. 15. They are called vanitie and the work of errour Ier. 10. 15. not onely because they grosly erre that make but they also that serue them They teach men indeed but what is their doctrine euen the doctrine of vanitie as it is Verse 8. They vse a kinde of dumbe eloquence to perswade simple men but what is it they speake The Prophet Zacharie telleth vs Zach. 10. 2. Surely the Idols haue spoken vanitie They Zach. 10. 2. teach Ideots but what is their lesson the Prophet Habakkuk Hab. 2. 18. telleth vs Chap. 2. ver 18. They are teachers of Lyes But they reply that in these places the Images of the heathens Not only Images of the heathen Gods forbidden are condemned but they make and worship onely jmages of the true God and saints I answere that as in the commandement all manner of similitudes are forbidden so principally Images of the true Iehouah as the Law-giuer doth Deut. 4. 12. Esay 40. 18. Act. 17. 29. Rom. 1. 23. expound himselfe in many places Deut. 4. 12. 15. Esay 40 18 to 26. Act. 17. 29. Rom. 1. 23. For what greater dishonor can be offered vnto God then to represent him who is an invisible Majestie by a base visible Creature and to circumscribe him in a little Image who is infinite and incomprehensible Secondly they object the Cherubins which couered the The Cherubins brasen serpent no excuse for Popish Images Mercy seate and the brasen Serpent To which I answere that both the one and the other make against them for they were both made by Gods expresse Commaundement but they make Images which in his Law are expresly forbidden and condemned The Cherubins were made not to be worshipped but to couer the mercy seate that when the glory of God appeared men might be kept from curious prying into his secrets and that seeing no manner of similitude they might make no resemblance of him And the brasen Serpent was not erected that the people should worship it but that it should be a figure and type of Christ a Sacrament of their curing and healing not onely in respect of the wounds which the fiery Serpents made in their bodies but of those spirituall wounds which the old Serpent Sathan had made both in body and soule by the sting of sin And when the people did alter the end and vse thereof and abused it vnto Idolatry Ezekias in zeale to Gods glory did breake it in peeces 1 King 18. 4. King 18. 4. And thus they object for their making of Images now The popish excuse for worshipping images answered for their worshipping of them which is the grosest kinde of Idolatry and so extreamely repugnant to the word of God they alledge in their excuse that they doe not worship the Images themselues but onely so far forth as they haue relation with the things wherof they are Images To which I answere that this excuse is both false and vaine the falshood of their doctrine appeareth by their practise for if they did not worship the images themselues to what purpose did they by their deuices giue vnto them a seeming life and motion as the turning of the eies the mouing of the hands and the bending of the head and body and why was one Image had in great esteeme another image