bee no remedie as it is said Chro. 36. 14. 2. Chro. 36. 14 The vse hereof serueth first to confute the practise of the Brownists who leaue and forsake the Church of Christ for some small spots and little wrinkles their Ministers refusing to preach and the people to heare in our congregations But herein they nothing resemble the Lord whose children they would seeme to be who when the Church of Israel had made a feareful apostasie from Gods true religion and was wholly defiled with superstition idolatrie and all wickednesse and obstinately continued in these sinnes notwithstanding the manifold and continuall meanes which the Lord vsed to call them to repentance yet still hee sendeth his Prophets vnto them to teach admonish and reproue them that they might be brought to amendment and when as they desperately perseuered in sinne and were now past all hope of recouerie he causeth his Prophet to admonish the Iewes to auoid their sinnes and punishments when as their state also was exceedingly corrupted Secondly it serueth for our comfort and incouragement The Lord hath mercy in store for those who forsake their euill waies if that now at the length we will forsake our euill waies and take hold of the meanes of our conuersion whilest God offereth them vnto vs. For howsoeuer wee are sunke deepe in our rebellion and haue many waies prouoked Gods wrath continuing in our sinnes notwithstanding the Lord hath afforded vs such plentifull meanes to bring vs to amendment yet if now wee will begin a new course and consecrate our selues to the seruice of God there is assured hope of pardon For yet the Lord waiteth that hee may haue mercie vpon vs Esa 30. 68. yet he patiently granteth vnto vs the meanes of our conuersion and wee may assure our selues that if hee be so gratious when as wee obstinately perseuere in sinne hee will be much more mercifull if we turne vnto him by true repentance But on the other side if wee contemne so great a mercie of God we shall haue a more fearefull iudgement laid vpon vs for laesa patientia furor the greater Gods patience is which wee despise the more furious reuenge hee will take on vs in the day of his visitation Rom. 2. 4. 5. The second thing to be obserued is that Gods Ministers Rom. 2. 4. 5. ought not to surcease their paines in their Ministerie though The Ministers must not surcease their paines in the Ministerie they plainly discerne that the estate of the people committed to their charge is altogether desperate and past hope of recouerie For though there were no apparance of hope at home yet he is painfully to persist in the worke of the Ministerie that hee may conuert those who are abroad and want the preaching of the word that so hee may helpe to gather those into the Church which are elected and increase the number of the faithfull as much as in him lieth So when the Israelites to whom our Prophet was sent were past cure he laboureth to conuert the Iewes vnto God And so when the Iewes desperately refused the meanes of their conuersion and saluation the Apostles ceased not their labours but turned to the Gentiles and by their painfull preaching endeuoured to conuert them vnto the faith For howsoeuer our hearers profit not there is a necessitie that lieth vpon vs and a fearefull woe denounced against vs if we preach not the Gospell 1. Cor. 9. 16. Whatsoeuer bee the successe of our labours wee 1. Cor. 9. 16. are charged as wee will answere it before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ which shall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing that we preach the word and be instant in season and out of season and that wee improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine 2. Tim. 4. 1. 2. Whether the people 2. Tim. 4. 1. 2. will heare vs or no we must tell them of their sinnes and giue them warning of Gods approching iudgements and then though they die in their sinnes yet wee haue discharged our dutie and shall saue our owne soules Ezech. 33. 7. 8. 9. Ezech. 33 7 8 9. Those reprooued who surcease their paines in the Ministerie The vse hereof serueth to reprooue those who surcease their paines in the worke of the Ministerie because they cannot see the fruite of their labours but contrariwise finde that the more diligently they preach vnto their people the more obstinately they contemne the meanes of their saluation lothe the food of their soules and persist in their impenitencie For the neglect of other mens duties must not be an argument to make vs neglect ours but rather should make vs more earnest in the worke of the Ministerie Neither doe we know whom nor when the Lord will call the Spirit bloweth where it listeth and when it listeth and the Lord who hath the hearts of all in his hand can make those who were lions Esa 11. and beares and wolues yesterday to become this day gentle as lambes innocent as doues and of mockers of his word he can make zealous conuerts of persecuting Saul a preaching Act. 2. 13. 37. Act. 9. Paul Besides though they had certaine assurance that they should neuer conuert a soule of those people which are committed to them nor build vp any one in the faith of Christ yet are they not discharged of their worke nor hereby haue receiued a priuiledge of idlenesse seeing when these who haue often heard them doe obstinately stop their eares there are perhaps others who would willingly haue the benefit of their Ministerie And though there were not yet must we preach the word euen when wee are assured that it is the sauour of death vnto death because the Lord who hath set vs on worke and will surely pay vs our wages is as well glorified by executing iustice against obstinate sinners as by shewing mercie to those who are by his word moued to repentance and amendment of life The third thing to be obserued is that as al men had need The danger of euill neighbourhood to be admonished of their waies in the ministerie of the word so especially those which liue neere vnto wicked and vngodly neighbours who by their manifold inducements allurements and euill examples are alwaies readie to seduce them out of the way of righteousnesse into the way of sinne For this was the case of the people of the Iewes in this place who being themselues corrupted had the wicked Israelites for their neighbours who by all meanes were ready to draw them more and more from God into the bywaies of sin and wickednesse and therefore the Lord thought it good and necessarie to stop them in these euill courses not only by the admonitions of their owne Prophets who were purposely sent vnto them but also causeth our Prophet who was sent to the Israelites to admonish them to beware of being corrupted by their euill example So when the
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
the Prophets to their seueral peoples to whom they were sent And this duty is to be performed of all faithfull Ministers for they are Gods stewards and therefore they are not to suffer euery one to rush into the storehouse of Gods word and to take what pleaseth them but they must giue euery man his owne portion in season as it is Luke 12. 42. Luke 12. 42. They are the Churches Surgeons to cure their spirituall wounds and sores of sinne and therefore they must not onely make good plaisters but also they must apply them to their sores and wounds for otherwise many are so senselesse that they feele no paine and therefore desire no helpe many so wayward and impatient that they will rather let their spirituall wounds putrifie through securitie and presumption then abide the cure fearing the plaister more then the wound Secondly wee may obserue that the idolatry and other grieuous sinnes of the whole Church especially of the gouernours God punisheth the sins of gouernours in the people both ecclesiasticall and ciuill being not repented of do moue the Lord not onely to punish the whole body but also the particular members that is subiects and inferiours if not with spirituall as when they are not partakers with them in their sinnes yet at least with temporall punishments because being one body the sinne of superiours is not onely punished when the punishment is inflicted on themselues but also vpon the inferiours as being parts of them and members of the whole body But besides corporall afflictions they make them also obnoxious vnto Gods wrath and eternall punishments when as by their false doctrine authoritie and euill example they mooue and allure them to imbrace their idolatrie and other sinnes An example wherof we haue in the papacie where because the whole Church is idolatrous especially their Magistrates and Cleargie therefore priuate men being by their false doctrine authoritie and example nuzled and instructed in idolatrie are together with them diuorced from God and ouerwhelmed in the common destruction So that the first and more remote cause of this their punishment is in the whole Church and gouernours thereof the next and immediate cause is the idolatrie of euery particular man which himselfe committed being seduced by the false doctrine and euill example of their adulterous mother The consideration whereof should make superiours most carefull to acquaint themselues with Gods truth and to imbrace and professe his true religion to forsake and detest all manner of false worship and idolatrie and to auoid all other grieuous and open sinnes or if they haue fallen into them speedily to repent of them seeing hereby they do not only draw vpon themselues the heauiest measure of punishment for the mighty shal be mightily tormented but also by their sins not repented of do make their VVisd 6 7. subiects and inferiours which they should loue as their children and parts of their owne bodie guiltie of their sinnes and obnoxious to their punishments 2. Sam. 24. 17. 2. Sam 24. 17. That it is not sufficient to conforme our religion to the religion of superiours Thirdly subiects inferiors priuate men may here learne that in respect of their religion it is not sufficient to conforme themselues to the religion of their gouernours nor in respect of their faith to beleeue as the Church beleeueth nor in respect of their manners to liue according to the example of their superiours but euery one ought to informe himselfe of Gods true religion and to be assured out of Gods word that he worshippeth the true God after his reuealed will and to leade his life not according to the example of others but according to Gods precepts with which he is throughly to be acquainted for it will not excuse vs to say that we haue bin seduced by false teachers mislead by ill gouernours allured by the wicked example of superiours seeing euery man is to liue by their owne faith to bee directed by his owne knowledge and to be approoued or condemned by his owne life and actions And therfore the only priuiledge which he shall haue by the false religion idolatrie and wicked examples of his superiors is that hauing sinned with them for company they shall haue their company also in suffering punishment Lastly we may here obserue that the Lord will not reiect That former idolatrie repented of doth not cause God to reiect vs. vs because we haue bin the children of an adulterous mother in time past so that we hate and forsake her fornications and leauing her as an adulterous harlot do cleaue vnto our heauenly father for it is not said here that the Lord would exclude them from his mercie because they had been but also presently were the children of fornications that is not onelie borne of an adulterous harlot but also approouing and following her spirituall whoredomes The consideration whereof serueth for the comfort of those who hauing been borne and brought vp in poperie and idolatrie are conuerted vnto the truth for howsoeuer if they had continued with thir mother the great whore of Babylon and committed Apoc. 18. 4. with her spirituall whoredome they should haue been forsaken and so perished together with her yet being now come out from Babylon they shall not be partakers with her in her sinnes and punishments but being regenerate and borne anew vnto their heauenly father by the immortall seede of his word and Gospell they shall be exempted from her plagues admitted as legitimate and made capable of that heauenly inheritance which God rescrueth in store for all his children ANd so much concerning the diuorce between the Lord and the Church of Israel In the next place is the cause thereof expressed to wit the sinne of the people especiallie their idolatrie and vnthankfulnnsse and afterwards the punishments due vnto their sinnes are threatned The first is contained in these words Vers 5. For their mother hath Vers 5 plaied the harlot she that conceiued them hath done shamefully for she said I will goe after my louers that giue me my bread and my water my wooll and my flaxe mine oyle and my drinke In which words are contained first their idolatrie and spirituall Exposition whoredomes and secondly their ingratitude Their idolatrie is first plainely expressed and afterwards aggrauated It is expressed in these words For their mother hath plaied the harlot Where still he continueth the allegorie of marriage adulterie and diuorce shewing and proouing that there was iust cause why the mother was diuorced and the children reiected because the mother had plaied the harlot and so her children were an adulterous issue Neither had she only before or after committed whoredome but euen in the generation of these her children shee had conceiued them of the seede of fornication for otherwise howsoeuer shee was a harlot yet her children should haue been legitimate and therefore vnlawfully disinherited but they were not onelie borne of an harlot but also in
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.
riches wherin they trusted cannot yeeld vnto them any comfort c. Thirdly we may obserue that howsoeuer our sins in mans Sinne maketh vs vgly in Gods sight carnall iudgement do exceedingly grace and adorne vs as beautifull ornaments yet in truth they defile both our bodies and soules and make them filthie and vgly in Gods sight yea and in our owne too when as we come to a true view and sensible feeling of them As for example ruffinlie oathes scurrilous iests which are but the scumme and excrements of the wit pride gorgeous attire vnfitting our callings painting the face and discouering the breasts luxurious nicenesse and excesse in diet furious thirsting after reuenge vpon the least shew of a disgrace offered and such like sinnes which are vsed of worldlings as ornaments to commend them but in Gods sight they make them to appeare deformed filthie and abominable Fourthly we may obserue how prone we are to trust in Our pronenes to trust in worldly meanes worldly meanes and in regard of our vaine confidence how apt we are to shrowde our selues vnder these vaine shields imaging that by them we shall be secured from Gods iudgements threatned against vs so the Israelites here trusted for deliuerance from all euils which were denounced against them by the helpe of their Idols And therefore the Lord to beate them from this vaine confidence telleth them that he will inflict his iudgements vpon them though their louers looked on neither should they be able to deliuer them out of his hands Thus the Israelites trusted to the outward presence of the visible Arke 1. Sam. 4. 3. 4. to the helpe of the Egyptians 1. Sam. 4. 3. 4. Esay 31. 1. 3. Hos 10. 13. Ierem. 49. 16. Esai 31. 1. 3. to the visible Temple Ier. 7. 5. to their multitude of strong men Hos 10. 13. Thus the Idomeans trusted to the strength of their seat Ier. 49. 16. And thus in our times men in dearth trust to their owne prouision in warre to their strength in sicknesse to their flight preseruations and medicines and when the thundering threatnings of Gods iudgements sound in their eares they hide themselues from them vnder the shadow of those outward titles the Gospell the Church and profession of Gods true religion But the Lord will inflict his iudgements euen in the sight of our louers and those things wherein wee trusted shall not be able to deliuer vs in the day of his visitation ANd so much concerning the second punishment The Vers 11 third followeth Vers 11. And I will also cause all her mirth to cease her feast daies her new moones and her Sabbaths and all her solemne feasts Although the people of Israel worshipped The exposition God not according to his word but according to their owne inuentions not in spirit and truth but after an idolatrous manner in their idols not in the place which hee had appointed to wit his Temple but in Dan and Bethel yet they exceedingly pleased themselues in their outward worship and externall shew of their new deuised religion as though they had done vnto God that seruice which he required imagining it could not go ill with them so long as they obserued some outward ceremonies of the law notwithstāding they declined in substance frō Gods true religion reuealed in his word And therfore the Lord here threatneth that he would plucke away from thē the visard of their outward profession stop the current of their superstitious deuotions by taking from them their corrupted ceremoniall worship wherein now they so much delighted and gloried that so they might the better see their miserable estate when as there remained vnto them not so much as an outward shew of religion nor an externall manner of worshipping God and hauing nothing to rest vpon might at length bee moued to forsake all their superstitions and to worship the Lord according to his reuealed will But let vs come to the words themselues And I will also cause all her mirth to cease Where the Lord threatneth that he would take away all ioy and recioycing which they took in their ceremoniall worship and the outward pompe of their religion especially in their feasts and solemne assemblies Yea but this mirth reioycing in their solemne feasts was commanded by God Deut. 16. 14. Thou shalt reioyce in thy feast c. And therefore the day of their feasting was called Deut. 16. 14. Num. 10. 10. a day of gladnesse Numb 10. 10. why therefore doth the Lord threaten to take this mirth from them which himselfe enioyned I answere because they did not reioyce in him but in their Idols neither did they reioyce with a spirituall ioy with thankfull hearts lauding and praising God which the Lord vnder the type of their externall mirth especially required and therefore their outward worship which was also idolatrous being seuered from the inward worship of the Spirit was odious in Gods sight as appeareth by the like places Esa 1. 13. 14. Amos 5. 23. 8. 10. Her feast daies As Esa 1. 13. 14. Amos 5. 23. 8. 10. the feast of blowing Trumpets which was celebrated in the first day of the seuenth moneth as appeareth Leuit. 23. 24. The feast of Expiation in the 10. day of the seuenth moneth as we may see Numb 29. 7. Leuit. 16. 30. Her new Moones Leuit. 23. 24. Numb 29. 7. Leuit. 16. 30. Numb 28. 11. Leuit. 23. 24. 25. 4. Which were in the first day of euery moneth Numb 28. 11. Leuit. 23. 24. Her Sabbaths Which were either the seuenth day from the creation or euery seuenth yeere Leuit. 25. 4. And all her solemne feasts Which were principally three 1. The feast of the Passeouer or of vnleauened bread Leuit. 23. 5. The feast of Pentecost or of weekes Leuit. 23. 15. 16. Leuit. 23. 5. 34. 35. The feast of Tabernacles of which reade verse 34 35. c. Now by these particulars he vnderstandeth all their ceremoniall worship and externall seruice in which they gloried and reioyced of all which together with the ioy which they tooke thérein the Lord depriued them when as hee caused them to be led captiue by the Assyrians And so much for the meaning of the words Out of which Hypocrites may reioyce in the outward seruice of God we may obserue that men not truly religious may in the hypocrisie of their hearts or the ignorance of their mindes reioyce and delight themselues in some external seruice which they performe vnto God seuered from his pure worship in spirit and truth as appeareth in the example of the Israelites in this place who reioyced with great mirth in their Sabbaths new Moones and solemne feasts appointed by God as also in the parable of the seede falling into the stonie ground Luk. 8. 13. In the Papists who exceedingly delight Luke 8. 13. in their outward and pompous religion in their sweete musicke odoriferous perfumes and masking showes and
and sincere worshippe and seruice namely the Lord himselfe I will take away So that it is not in the will and purpose nor in the power and policie of man to worke this great alteration and reformation first and principally for man in his owne nature is prone to idolatrie and superstition and when he is once entred into it in stead of returning out of this puddle he is readie being ouer the shooes to plunge himselfe ouer head and eares but it is the Lord himselfe who illuminateth our eyes with the knowledge of his truth and inableth vs to discerne the sottishnes of superstition and the filthines of our spirituall whoredomes and moueth our harts to loath and detest them to embrace his true religion and sincere worship And therfore when as we would haue the house of God clearely purged from all reliques of superstitiō we must not only euery man in his place and calling further as much as in vs lieth this good worke but principally wee are all in generall to ioyne together in prayer vnto God desiring his assistance for the effecting of it for he is the chiefe cause thereof and the greatest Potentates of the earth are in this worke but his instruments and deputies whom he can easilie incline to effect it when so it pleaseth him Prou. 21. 1. Prou. 21. 1. Secondly we may obserue that there cannot too great There cannot too great diligence be vsed in purging the Church from idolatrie precisenesse care and diligence bee vsed in purging the Church from all reliques of idolatrie and superstition and in restoring the puritie of religion and Gods true worship according to the prescript rule of his Word as appeareth in this place where the Lord refuseth to be called by the name of Baal though good in it owne signification because it had been abused to idolatrie and enioyneth his people not so much as to mention the name of an idoll The like places are those before quoted Exod. 23. 13. Deut. 12. 2. 3. Psal 16. 4. 5. to which we may adde Zach. 13. 2. I wil cut off the names Zach. 13. 2. of the Idols out of the land and they shall no more be remembred and Esay 30. 22. Yee shall pollute the couering of the images of Esay 30. 22. siluer and the rich ornament of the images of gold and cast them away as a menstruous cloth and you shall say vnto it get thee hence This rule then is to be obserued of all who reforme the Idolatrie must be rooted out both head and taile Church that they root out idolatrie and superstition both head and taile in substance and ceremonie and not suffer an idolatrous or superstitious name to remaine yea they are not only to remoue things out of the Church which are idolatrous and superstitious in their owne nature but also such indifferent things as being lawfull in themselues are abused to idolatrie because through the corruption of our nature all meanes and occasions to put vs in mind of idolatrie are so many traps to catch vs and so many baites to allure vs to fall into this sin againe So heere the Lord will not haue his people to name Baalims because he would not haue them so much as remembred But lest it might be obiected that these idolatrous names are originally euill wee shall also finde Ier. 23. 36. that the Lord forbiddeth to call his Word Jerem. 23. 36. the burthen of the Lord notwithstanding that it was his owne phrase by the mouth of his Prophets because it was now growne amongst the people into obloquie and contempt And Ezechias is commended for breaking the brasen serpent which was made by Gods appointment because the people abused it to idolatrie 2. King 18. 4. Yea but 2. King 18. 4. Princes and supreme Magistrates must reforme the Church who hath this authoritie to purge the Church from all reliques of idolatrie I answere chiefe Gouernours Princes and supreme Magistrates who are appointed by God to be the nursing fathers of the Church neither may priuate men intermeddle with publike reformation but only the Gouernours of the Church as we may see it confirmed by innumerable presidents in Gods word And they as I said are to root out idolatrie and all reliques thereof for this is a singular dutie belonging vnto them which is so much commended in those godly Magistrates and Kings Moses Dauid Ezechias Iosias and the rest the neglect whereof wee shall find condemned in other Kings though vertuous and religious who restoring Gods true religion yet suffered the groues and high places to remaine But if this dutie be neglected by Magistrates how are priuate Priuate men must not intermeddle with publike reformation men to behaue themselues I answere they must containe their courses within the compasse of their calling and in the first place they must seeke to reforme themselues and those vnder their priuate charge purging preseruing them as from all other sinnes so especially from all manner of idolatrie and superstition and for the publike reformation they are to further it as priuate men by petition the helpe of their friends and best meanes especially they are to commend Gods cause into his owne hands by feruent and continuall praier who is able to bring it to passe by iust and lawfull courses But may they ioyne themselues to such Churches as are Ceremoniall imperfections of the Church must not cause a separation spotted with imperfections I answere there are some corruptions which are substantiall and vndermine the foundation of religion and these may iustly cause a separation but there are others in ceremonies and circumstances onely the substance and parts of religion and Gods worship remaining sound and vnshaken and these are not causes sufficient to make a rent from the Church seeing there was neuer any Church without her wants and imperfections and seeing where the foundation remaineth sure as it doth where the Word is purely and sincerely taught and the Sacraments administred according to Christs institution there we may bee built vp in Christ and attaine vnto eternall saluation And as the people are not for these wants and imperfections to leaue the publike seruice of God so neither as I take it are Gods Ministers to forsake their ministrie without the helpe whereof the people cannot publikely worship God nor be built vp in Christ and edified in their holy faith rather then they will vndergoe some rites and ceremonies though very inconuenient if it cannot be proued that they are in their vse simplie euill and vnlawfull Neither do I thinke any inconuenience so great as the neglect of preaching Christ crucified c. 1. Cor. 9. 16. 1. Cor. 9. 16. The prophane practise of Poets condemned Thirdly whereas God saith that his people shall not so much as name idols vnlesse it be with hatred and detestation here is condemned the prophane practise of our Poets who thinke their poems are not artificiall
to be excused if they reserue their hearts for God But let such know that herein they rob God of his glorie in denying to make publike profession of his true religion they giue a grieuous offence to their weake brethren who see their outward practise and do not see their inward intention they spoile the Lord of his right in that they doe not worship him in the whole man but with a part onely they cast themselues into desperate danger of making a further apostasie from God and his true religion and of embracing idolatrie both in bodie and minde they depriue themselues of a good testimonie of their owne saluation in a word they Rom. 10. 10. deny Iesus Christ and his truth before men and therfore vnlesse they repent of this sinne he will also deny them before his Father in heauen as it is Matth. 10. 33. Matth. 10. 33. Fiftly we here learne that all places lose their dignitie and become infamous when as they are defiled with sinne All places lose their dignitie when they are defiled with sinne and consecrated to idolatrie and consecrated to idolatrie so famous Gilgal which was ennobled by many memorable accidents which there hapned became through the idolatrie there committed so infamous and of such bad note that the people of Iuda are forbidden to resort vnto it And Beth-el which in former times was the house of God by the like abuse became Beth-auen a house of vanitie So Shilo which was greatly renowned because God had set his name there and placed therein his Tabernacle and Arke the visible signes of his presence became afterwards as remarkeable for Gods heauie iudgements as before it had been for his great mercies through the grieuous sinnes therein committed so as the Prophet Ieremie doth propound it as a paterne and example of Gods fearefull wrath to keep the people of Iuda from glorying in the Temple Ier. 7. 12. Psal 78. 60. The like may be said of the Jerem. 7. 12. Psal 78. 60. Temple it selfe which in the first institution was the house of prayer consecrated to Gods publike worship and seruice but through the wicked abuse thereof it became by Christs owne testimonie a den of theeues Matth. 21. 13. So Ierusalem Matth. 21. 13. the holy citie is become an harlot and whereas heretofore it was the place of Gods presence it is now the prey of Gog and Magog And Rome also which was the spouse of Christ is become the whore of Babylon and whereas heretofore it was a famous Church professing and practising Gods true religion now it is become the habitation of diuels the hold of all foule spirits and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird as it was prophesied of her Apoc. 18. 2. Apoc. 18. 2. The vse hereof serueth first to admonish vs that we reade our lesson out of all these examples which were written for our learning namely that we do not vaunt of our land countrie as being a place wherin the Church is seated Gods true religion planted and his pure and sincere worship established and exercised for if we securely go on in sin sheltering our selues from the heate of Gods anger vnder the shade of these priuiledges we shall in the end finde that our countrie was neuer so famous in the fruition of Gods manifold mercies as it shall be infamous and reproched through the filthinesse of our sins and the fearefulnesse of Gods vengeance which he will execute amongst vs. Secondly it confuteth popish pilgrimages vnto Rome Popish pilgrimages confuted and the Holy land for though these places retained still their ancient diguity and maintained still Gods pure religion yet haue wee no reason to goe vnto them to worship God seeing in the time of the Gospell all difference of places is taken away Neither are we now restrained to mount Gerazim or Ierusalem or Rome or any other place but this only is required that as God is a spirit infinite and omnipresent so wee worship him in spirit and truth as it is Ioh. 4. 23. To this purpose Ioh. 4. 23. Hierome one saith Non Hierosolymam vidisse sed Hierosolymis bene vixisse laudandum est It is no commendation to haue seene Hierusalem but to haue liued well at Hierusalem that is praise worthie Another saith Non terrena sed coelestis Hierosolyma Bernard epist. 319. ad Lelbert Abbat requirēda est non pedibus proficiscendo sed affectibus proficiendo that is We must not seeke after the earthly but the heauenly Ierusalem not by pilgrimage on foote but by bettering our affections How much lesse then are wee now to trauaile vnto these places seeing these Beth-els are become Beth-auens and howsoeuer they were heretofore the places of Gods worship yet are they now vtterly degenerate being wholly deuoted to Turcisme Antichristianisme superstition and idolatrie and therefore hauing lost their ancient dignitie and now become infamous we are not to esteeme them as they were but as they are nor to go vnto them lest they taint vs also with their superstitions and idolatrie The Last thing which is heere to be obserued is that the All mixture betweene true and false religion condemned Lord condemneth all manner of mixture betweene true religion and false religion betweene his pure worship prescribed in his word and wil-worship superstition and idolatrie For he could not endure that those who went vp to Gilgal and Beth-auen and communicated with idolaters should sweare by his name and thereby make a kind of outward profession of his religion he could not abide the halting of the Israelites betweene him and Baal but putteth them to their choice either to worship him alone or Baal alone 1. King 18. The like place we haue Ezech. 20. 39. As 1. King 18. Ezech. 20. 39 Jer. 44. 26. for you O house of Israel thus saith the Lord God go you and serue euery one his idoll seeing that you will not obey me and pollute my holy name no more with your gifts and with your idols So Zeph. 1. 4. 5. he threatneth to cut off all those who worshipped Zeph. 1. 4. 5. the host of heauen and them that worship and sweare by the Lord and sweared also by Malchan And this was the sin of the Samaritanes who worshipped the true Iehouah because they would auoid his punishments but withall worshipped together with him the gods of their own countries as appeareth 2. King 17. 29. 30. 2. King 17. 29. 30. The reason why wil-worship is condemned 2. Cor. 6. 14. 15. The reason why this sin is so straitly forbidden and condemned is because first there can be no communion betweene God and idols betweene his true religion and wil-worship idolatrie and superstition according to that 2. Cor. 6. 14. 15. What fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath the beleener with the infidell and
wickednesse with the heauy burthen of our corruptions And therefore Let vs cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on and let vs runne with patience the race which is set before vs as the Apostle exhorteth Heb. 12. 1. and according to Heb. 12. 1. his example Let vs forget that which is behind and indeuour our selues to that which is before and follow hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus as it is Phil. 3. 13. 14. The vertues of our parents are not hereditarie Phil. 3. 13. but their vices and their godlinesse will not priuiledge vs from falling into all wickednesse vnlesse we striue and labour non solùm ad Ruborem sed sudorem with all paines and diligence to follow after them in their steppes for through our owne corruption we easily degenerate and if at any time we cease to become better we then beginne to become worse Thirdly we may obserue that as it little auailed the people Outward titles nought auaile vs without inward vertues of Israel to be the sonnes of Iacob according to the flesh when they nothing resembled him in the spirit nor to be intituled with his name wheÌ„ as they disclaimed his graces and vertues seeing notwithstanding all this God now threatneth and soone after inflicteth vpon them most feareful punishments so it will little profit vs to be entitled Christians if we liue as prophanely as infidels to be called the Church of God if in our conuersatioÌ„ we resemble the synagogue of Satan to be counted professors of religion and the children of God when in our liues we denie the power thereof and spend our times like the sonnes of Belial to be the children and posterity of the godly if we degenerate from their Christian profession holy practise For God is not pleased with shadowes but with substance not with outward titles but with truth in the inward parts neither wil our pareÌ„ts vertues exempt vs from feeling Gods heauie iudgements if we like a degenerating ofspring be euill and vitious And this appeareth Ezech. 18. 10. 13. and in the examples of Cham Ezecb. 18. 10. 13 Esau Absolon Adoniah Iehoahaz and many others ANd thus much concerning the name wherein the punishment of the people is typically signified Now we are to speake of the reason hereof wherein this punishment is plainely denounced For yet a little and I will visite the blood of Iisreel vpon the house of Iehu and will cause to cease the kingdome of the house of Israel Vers 5. And at that day Verse 4. 5. I will also breake the bow of Israel in the valley of Izreel In which words are contained first the time of the punishment The exposition when it must bee inflicted yet a little 2. the punishment it selfe I will visit 3. the sinne for which the punishment is inflicted The blood of Izreel 4. the obiect or subiect of this punishmeÌ„t which is threefold 1. Iehu and his posteritie 2. the state of the kingdome of Israel 3. the whole power and strength of the Commonwealth Lastly the place appointed for execution in the vallie of Izreel The time is signified in these words yet a little whereby he intimateth two things first that the Lord would not presently inflict these iudgements threatned but that he would yet giue them some time of repentance and for a while deferre his punishments which long agoe they had deserued 2. That though hee spared them for a while yet the time should not be long vnlesse they preuented his iudgements by forsaking their sinnes and turning vnto him For in all threatnings though neuer so speedie this condition is to be obserued the which the Israelites neglecting the punishment was accordingly inflicted For at the most the Prophet prophesied but 14. yeeres before the end of Ieroboams raigne and after that his sonne Zacharias had reigned but sixe moneths he was killed by Shallum and so the kingdom 2. King 15. 8. 10. ceased in the house of Iehu at which time God begun to visit the people the which his visitation not onely of the sins of Iehu but of the house of Israel hee accomplished in the reigne of Hosea when as the King and people were led into captiuitie by Shalmaneser King of Babylon So that the sense of these words is thus much as if hee should haue said Although your rebellions bee great and the measure of your sinnes full yet such is your hardnesse of heart and carnall securitie that you promise vnto your selues immunitie from punishment putting the euill day farre from you as though you should euer escape but doe not thus flatter your selues for assuredly the Lord will very shortly visit you for your iniquities and pay you home for all It is true indeede that although your outragious wickednesse doth crie out for present vengeance yet the Lord to shew his patience and long suffering and to leaue you quite without excuse will a little deferre his punishments and expect your repentance but let not Gods delaies and mercifull patience cause you to deferre your conuersion for vndoubtedly if you obstinately persist in your impenitencie the Lord will very quickly execute on you these iudgements which he hath caused mee to denounce against you And this is the meaning of these words yet a little The The doctrines doctrines which hence we gather are these First we may obserue 1. Gods patience and long suffering Gods infinite mercy patience long suffering in sparing of this rebellious people long after their sins cried for vengeance in the meane time sending his Prophets vnto them to inuite theÌ„ to repentance that so they might escape his iust punishments He is long before he threatneth and rather striueth to master mens stubburnnes to incline them to obedience by his mercies and benefits and after he threatneth he is long before he is drawne to punish and after that his iustice vrgeth him to resolue vpon this and that the hainous sinnes of his people crie out in his cares that it is more then time that deserued punishment were inflicted yet hee spareth a little and like a louing father after he that hath taken his rod into his hand and hath lifted it vp to fetch his stroke he yet pauseth and staieth his hand expecting our submission and repentance that so hee may spare vs. And thus hee dealt with the old world as appeareth Gen. 6. 5. 12. 13. with Gen. 6. 5. 12 13. the Amorits who though they were most wicked idolaters yet he deferred their punishment 400. yeeres Gen. 15. 16. Gen. 15. 16. And thus also hath the Lord dealt with vs. So that the Lord is content to attend our leasure being more loath to punish then we to suffer punishment and therefore when the time is more then past wherein iustice bâ—ggeth for vengeance mercie intreateth yet a little that iudgement may be deferred yea and after
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.
thereof that so we may cleare God and accuse our selues And likewise if we would haue the punishment remoued we must not vse euill meanes for the euill of sinne will not remooue the euill of punishment nay rather it will redouble it as being the chiefe cause thereof but if we would haue our punishment taken away let vs first take away our sinnes by vnfained repentance for if the cause bee remoued the effect will cease Secondly we here learne that the Church doth onely so The Church remaineth the spouse of Christ onely so long as she keepeth her mariage faith long remaine the spouse of God as she keepeth her mariage faith louing and obeying worshipping and seruing him aloue but if she plaieth the harlot either by forsaking the true God and worshipping idols or by so worshipping the true God as she worshippeth idols that is after an idolatrous maner not after the prescript rule of his word this causeth the Lord to diuorce her from him and to strip her of al his benenefits So that it is not sufficient for a Church that she hath been the spouse of Christ that she hath plighted he faith vnto him and worshipped him according to his word vnlesse she perseuere in her faithfulnesse loue and sincere and pure obedience for this was the estate of the Israelites who were diuorced for their apostasie So that the Church of Rome doth in vaine pretend her long continuance and succession of Bishops to prooue her selfe to be the spouse of Christ seeing they haue made an apostasie breaking their faith forsaking Gods pure worship and imbracing their owne will-worshippes and inuentions worshipping in stead of the true God their breaden god Saints Angels crosses crucifixes and images And therefore hauing plaied the harlots the mother together with the children they were long agoe diuorced from God and stripped of his spirituall benefits Thirdly we may obserue that after men haue forsaken the No moderation in idolatrie and wil-worship Lord and his pure worship and giuen themselues ouer to commit idolatrie they can containe themselues in no moderatiō but behaue themselues most shamefully infinitly multiplying their superstitions and kindes of idolatrie according to the varietie of euery mans inuention An example wherof we haue in the old Egyptians in the Gentiles Rom. 1. In the Papists at this day whose idolatries are manifold and their superstitions innumerable for they do not only make Idols but they also worship them by kneeling and praying vnto them offering vnto them incense and oblations consecrating vnto them Churches going on pilgrimage ascribing vnto them power to doe miracles and forgiue sins The consideration whereof should make vs most carefully to auoid all wil-worship and to restraine our selues vnto that worship which God hath reuealed in his word Fourthly wee may obserue the impudencie of idolaters The impudencie of idolaters and their resolued obstinacie in their sinnes for they do not only fall of ignorance and infirmitie nor content themselues with their idolatries in secret committed but like shamelesse harlots they make a trade and open profession of their sins not sticking openly to say that they will follow their louers An example whereof we haue in this place as also in the Papists who not only in secret but also in their Churches market places and open processions beare about their Idols and make open profession of their idolatrie and apostasie Fiftly wee may here obserue the palpable ignorance and The ignorāce and vnthankfulnes of idolaters wilfull blindnesse the grosse ingratitude and carnall worldlinesse of idolaters their ignorant blindnesse in ascribing their prosperitie and plentie vnto their sinne of worshipping Idols which is the cause of their miserie pouertie and nakednesse their vnthankfulnesse in attributing the praise of all those benefits which they enioy through the free mercie and bountie of God vnto their louers that is their Idols and false gods which are no causes of their blessings but of their punishments their carnall worldlinesse in that they make choice of their religion not for the loue of God and of his truth but for worldly benefits pleasures and preferments So the idolaters heere in their ignorance and vnthankfulnesse ascribe their riches and pleasures to their louers professing that therefore they will follow them because they were benefited by them Thus they ascribed their deliuerance out of Egypt to the golden Calfe Exod. 32. 4. and to their Calues in Dan and Bethel 1. King 12. 28. Thus the men of Iudah impudently Exod. 32. 4. 1. King 12. 28. and stubbornely refused to heare the word of the Lord by the mouth of Ieremie and stifly affirmed that they would doe sacrifice to the Queene of Heauen because whilest they committed this idolatrie they had plentie of victuals and were well and felt none euill c. Iere. 44. 17. 18. Iere. 44. 17. 18. 19. And thus many in these daies through their grosse ignorance and vnthankfulnesse approue and iustifie like and liue in the idolatrous religion of the Papists because whilest they worshipped the Queene of Heauen the Virgin Mary and their Saints and Images they had plentie of victuals and all things good cheape But as the Apostle saith of such Their end is damnation whose god is their bellie and whose glorie is to Phil. 3. 19. their shame which minde earthly things Philip. 3. 19. Thus also doe they offend who ascribe the benefits which they enioy not to the free mercie and bountie of God but to their owne wits industrie and labour sacrificing to their owne nets and burning incense vnto their yearne because by them their portion is fat and their meate plenteous as the Prophet Habacuc speaketh Hab. 1. 16. But most grieuously of all in Hab. 1. 16. this respect doe the Papists offend who rob and spoile the Lord of the praise of his gifts by ascribing almost euery particular benefit which they enioy to some Saint or Idoll as the peculiar patrone author and preseruer thereof vnto whom they pray and goe on pilgrimage when they stand in need of any of these benefits and vnto whom they offer oblations and praises when they abound with them Lastly as it is the nature and disposition of idolaters out Idolaters approue their religion by their prosperitie of their religion to seeke their gaine and profit and accordingly to esteeme that religion best and truest whereby they may reape vnto themselues the greatest haruest of worldly benefit so if they be put to the proouing and iustifying of their religion the maine argument which they commonly vse for this purpose is their worldly prosperitie and abundance of pleasures riches and preferments thinking themselues most approoued of God and their religion most true when they most abound in these worldly things This wee see in this place in the example of the Iewes in the time of Ieremie Iere. 44. 17. 18. And in the Papists at this day who Iere. 44. 17. approue their religion
confidence and carnall affiance whereby we trust and rest vpon rather the creature then vpon him our Creator and withall doth beate vs from those worldly hopes that we might flee vnto him for succour and rest vpon his promises and prouidence for our deliuerance And these are the doctrines which arise out of the former God doth not suffer his to remaine alwaies in their sinne and idolatrie part of this verse containing the first effect of the peoples afflictions Now out of the latter part wherein is shewed the second effect namely their forsaking their Idols and turning vnto the Lord these instructiōs are further to be obserued First we learne that howsoeuer those that belong to Gods election may for a time leaue Gods pure worship and follow Idols yea and be so blinded in their superstitions that when they are afflicted for their sinne they doe with more earnestnes embrace idolatrie yet the Lord will not so leaue them but at length he will open their eyes that they shal see their sinnes and sensiblie discerne that they are the causes of their punishments though for a time in their ignorance and superstition they preferre idolatrie before his true worship yet at last he illuminateth their iudgemēts so as they may see how much better it is to follow him then to follow idols to embrace his true religion reuealed in his word then to follow their owne inuention Examples hereof we haue in Abraham in the Israelites comming out of Egypt and in the time of the Iudges and in many at this day who haue forsaken the idolatries of the whore of Babylon and haue embraced Gods true religion Secondly we may obserue that as soone as they spie their As soone as the faithfull see their errors and sins they reforme and forsake them errors they do not go on further in them but they returne into the way of truth as soone as they see their sins they forsake them as being the causes of their miserie when they see the vainenes of their idols then they returne vnto the Lord their true husband neitheir is it enough to see our sins if wee continue in them nay rather this will redouble our punishment it is not sufficient to know truth and error vnlesse we Luk. 12. 47. embrace the one and forsake the other it will not profit vs to see our former grossenesse in following idols vnlesse Matth. 11. 21. hereby we be moued not only to forsake them but also to returne vnto our husband the Lord our God worshipping him according to his will So that here we learne what is the practise of true repentance it consisteth not in the knowledge only or acknowledgment of our sins for thus far did Pharaoh and Saul proceed thus did Iudas and thus do many worldlings repent but we must so see our sinnes as that with the sight of them wee bee exceedingly displeased with our selues we must so acknowledge them as that withall we vnfainedly bewaile them we must when we behold them also hate and detest them and not only forsake our sins but also returne vnto the Lord with full purpose of heart resoluing and endeuouring to serue and please him in holinesse and newnes of life Thirdly we may obserue the profit of afflictions when as The profit of afflictions they are sanctified vnto vs by Gods Spirit for whereas prosperitie maketh vs blind through pride selfe-loue and securitie so as we can neither see our sinnes nor Gods approaching iudgements aduersitie openeth our eyes and rectifieth the iudgement so as then we not only see our sins but are readie also to condemne our selues iustly to haue deserued those euils which we suffer yea and far greater if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs for when as the light of nature our owne conscience and the written Word of God teach and conuict vs of this that God is the chiefe goodnes most gratious most mercifull and in his owne nature not apt and readie to hurt and punish any of his creatures but rather to extend his bountie multiply his benefits vpō all when we fall into miseries and calamities we must needs iustifie God in his iudgements and condemne our selues whō Lam. 3. 22. we know to be full of all corruption and wickednes An example whereof we haue in Iosephes brethren Gen. 42. 21. in Gen. 42. 21. the Israelites vnder the Iudges in Dauid Psal 51. 4. yea in Psal 51. 4. Exod. 10. 16. 17 Pharaoh himselfe Exod. 10. 16. 17. Where as prosperitie maketh vs dissolute and licentious in our waies affliction serueth in stead of a thornie hedge to stay vs from running on in the course of sinne to our perdition Whereas prosperitie maketh vs negligent in performing the duties of Gods worship and seruice miserie and affliction maketh men zealous forward and deuout according to that Esa 26. 16. O Lord in Esa 26. 16. trouble they haue visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them And because men at such times are most fit and readie to performe such duties therefore then the Lord especially requires them Psal 50. 15. Lastly whereas Psal 50. 15. prosperitie makes vs to forget God and to flee away from him affliction maketh vs to remember him and by true repentance to turne vnto him An example wee haue in this 2. Chron 33. 12. 13. place in the Israelites in the time of the Iudges in Manasses and the prodigall sonne Luke 15. Lastly wee may obserue the motiues perswading the The motiues which perswade the Church to turne vnto God Church to returne vnto God the first whereof is contained in the word husband for therein she gathereth vnto her selfe some assurance of his loue for although for her sinnes she was diuorced yet vpon her true repentance she might gather certaine hope that she should be pardoned and receiued into former grace seeing she had not to deale with an enemie or stranger and an ordinarie friend but with a most louing and gratious husband who was as readie to forgiue as she to aske forgiuenes Ierem. 3. 1. 12. 22. The second motiue Iere. 3 1. 12. 22 is the assurance of the bettering of her estate for she could speake by experience that her estate whilest she serued the Lord was much better then when she followed Idols and by the assurance of faith and hope she was assertained that repenting she should be receiued to grace and restored to her former state condition The like example we haue in the prodigall sonne who returned vnto God because hee knew him to be his gratious father and was assured that being reconciled vnto him hee should be deliuered out of his present miserie into a state of happinesse Where we may learne that true faith is the cause of vnfained repentance for vntill we haue some assurance of Gods loue and mercie in Christ wee flee from him as from a seuere Iudge but when
in worldly men who content themselues with their outward worship in hearing the word calling vpon God and receiuing the Sacraments But all those who would be truly religious must goe further and ioyne with the ceremonies the substance with the outward worship of the bodie the inward worshippe of the soule for if wee rest in the outward action and deed done God will esteeme no better of vs then of hypocrites our seruice of him though it neuer so much please our selues yet will it be odious and abominable in his sight as appeareth Esa 1. 13. 14. 29. 13. 66. 3. Mich. 6. 6. 8. Esa 1. 13. 14. 29. 13 66. 3. Micha 6. 6. 8. It is not pleasing to God to imbrace some part of his worship only Secondly wee may obserue that it is not acceptable in Gods sight to performe some part of his worship and seruice vnlesse we embrace the whole and that in such manner as he hath reuealed in his word The Israelites as we may see in this place retained some parts of Gods worship but because they neglected others and in stead thereof did offer a seruice vnto God according to their owne inuentions therefore the Lord threatneth that hee would take from thē those relikes which remained The same may bee obserued in the Church of Rome at this day c. and therefore though in many points concerning Gods worship they agree with vs yet we may not ioyne with them nor listen to any pacification or reconcilement of our religions vnlesse they would altogether forsake the abominations of the whore of Babylon and their owne wil-worship and wholly conforme their seruice of God in respect of the substantiall parts therof according to his will reuealed in his word ANd so much concerning the third punishment The fourth is expressed in these words Vers 12. And I will Vers 12 destroy her vines and her figge trees whereof she hath said These are my rewards that my louers haue giuen mee and I will make them as a forrest and the wilde beasts shall eate them In which words is set down their punishment together with the cause thereof their punishment was that hee would strip them of The exposition his temporall and corporall benefits and bring their land to vtter desolation For whereas he saith that he would destroy her vines and figge trees vnder these specials he doth by a Synecdoche generally vnderstand that hee would vtterly spoile their pleasant gardens and fruitful orchards and vineyards yea and all their fertile countrie with all the encrease thereof So that heere hee denounceth a farre more heauie iudgement then that contained in the ninth verse namely that hee would take away their corne and wine that is the fruites of the earth for though there had been a dearth of them through one yeeres scarcitie yet their gardens orchards fields and vineyards remaining vntouched of Gods punishing hand the fruitfulnes of the following yeere might haue supplied the want and defect of his foreruiner but whē they also were wasted and destroied there remained no hope of any reliefe And this he threatneth because as they ascribed the fruites of the earth to their Idols so also euen their fields orchards trees and vines themselues according to the custome of the Heathen The which their sinne was the more vnexcusable because the Lord had taught them not only by continuall experience but also by his written word that all these were his blessings and benefits and therefore the praise of them was due vnto him alone Deut. 8. 7. 8. Deut. 8. 7. 8. But notwithstanding all this they in the blindnes of their superstition thought and with great impudencie did not sticke to speake and professe it that al these were the rewards which their louers had giuen them The word here vsed signifieth the hire which the harlot receiueth for prostituting her selfe to the adulterer whereby is signified that they had after the manner of impudent harlots committed spirituall adulterie with their Idols and afterwards boasted that they had receiued all these benefits of their false gods for that idolatrous worship which they had performed vnto them And therefore because they robbed God of that glorie and thankfulnesse which was due vnto him for his own gifts the Lord threatneth to take them away that so by their want of them they might learne to acknowledge the Lord to bee the author of them Moreouer he saith that he would make them namely their vines and figge trees their orchards gardens and vineyards waste and desert like vnto a forrest which is barren fruitlesse in which words he threatneth that such should be the desolation of the land that their fruitfull orchards and vineyards should bee turned into a vast and desert wildernesse And lastly he saith that the wilde beasts should eate them the which words may bee vnderstood either literally thus that their countrie should by their enemies be so dispeopled and al husbandry intermitted that wilde beasts should make their dennes and feed in their vineyards and orchards or allegorically that their enemies the Assyrians should like wilde beasts make spoyle and hauocke of all not only eating their fruites but also destroying their orchards and vineyards Whereby their vtter subuersion and desolation is implied for when the enemie spareth the trees and gardens he doth not intend the destruction of a countrie but the enlarging of his owne Empire and dominions as wee may see Esa 36. 16. but when he destroyeth these and maketh hauock Esa 36. 16. of all then hee intendeth the vtter subuersion and ruine of that state and people And this is the meaning of those words Out of which we may obserue how the Lord threatneth one punishment after The Do ∣ ctrines another and causeth his Prophet to denounce great varietie of iudgements that so hee might fit himselfe to euery ones That God fitteth his chastisements for the cōuersion of al the elect disposition and draw all vnto God by true repentance One is touched with the lighter chastisements others not moued vnlesse they heare of more heauie iudgements one is affected with one kind of punishment another with such an one as is of a diuers qualitie some with pouertie some with shame some with spirituall some with corporall afflictions and some are not moued at all vnlesse they heare of vtter desolation and destruction and therefore according to the varietie of mens mindes the Lord varieth his threatnings as appeareth in this place Whereby we may learne how impenitent and hard hearted wee are seeing the Lord is faine to vse so many meanes and to trie as it were so many conclusions for our conuersion and also wee may heere obserue Gods infinite goodnesse and mercie which hee sheweth not only in his promises but also in his threatnings For whereas he might iustly when we sinne vtterly destroy vs he giueth vs warning by his threatnings that being moued thereby to repent wee may escape his punishments yea and that
vngarnished without all care or conscience zeale or deuotion But such are to know that the Lord will not be pleased with the worship of an Idoll for little regardeth he the outward habite if the heart and soule bee defiled beggarly and naked Fourthly we may out of the order which the Prophet here The idolaters progresse obserueth in setting down their idolatrie note the progresse which idolaters make in their sinne ascending from one degree to another till they come to the highest First hee saith that through the naturall inclination which is in euery man they are drawne to worship and serue their Idols Secondly more and more doting in their fond loue toward them they decke and adorne both their statues and images and themselues being to performe worship vnto them with gold siluer iewels and pretious ornaments that hereby they may themselues performe seruice vnto them with greater pleasure and also allure others to ioyne with them in their idolatrie Thirdly hauing thus bewitched themselues with their owne sorceries they goe forward in their idolatrie with great pertinacie and wilfull obstinacie And lastly they so inebriate themselues with drinking in this golden cup of fornications and are so wholly intent and deuoted vnto their blinde superstitions that they quite forget the Lord and his true worship All which are noted in this place in the idolatrous Israelites by the Prophet and may be obserued in the practise of the Papists in our owne daies The consideration whereof should moue vs to flee the first allurements vnto idolatrie and the beginnings and first degrees of this sinne for one steppe will bring vs to another till we come to the highest namely forgetfulnesse of God and vtter neglect and contempt of his pure religion Fiftly we may obserue that the worship of the true God The worship of God and idols will not stād together and the seruice of Idols will not possibly stand together for assoone as we begin to offer incense vnto Baal we forget Iehouah when we loue Idols we cease to loue the Lord when we depend vpon them we distrust God and this is that our Sauiour teacheth vs Matth. 6. 24. No man can serue two masters c. and the Apostle telleth vs that we cannot drinke of Matth. 6. 24. the cup of the Lord and the cup of diuels c. 1. Cor. 10. 21. That 1. Cor. 10. 21. there is no concord betweene Christ and Belial and no agreement betweene the temple of God and idols 2. Cor. 6. 15. 16. The 2. Cor. 6. 15. 16. 1. Sam. 5. 2. ark of God Dagon cannot stand together 1. Sa. 5. 2. There is no halting betweene God and Baal but if God be God serue him if Baal be god serue him 1. King 18. 21. And therefore 1. King 18. 21. let vs not hearken vnto those who would reconcile together Christ and Antichrist Michael the Archangell and the Dragon the whore of Babylon and the spouse of Christ Gods true religion and popish superstition and so make a hotch potch of religion like vnto the religion of the Samaritanes condemned by God 2. King 17. 33. 41. Let vs take heed that 2. King 17. 33. 41. we doe not to make peace on earth proclaime warre against heauen and ioyne in league with men to fight against God and his truth assuring our selues that light and darknesse righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse God and Belial may as well be reconciled together as Christs true religion with the superstitious idolatries of the Romish Babylon Sixtly wee here learne that not to remember the Lord to They forget the Lord who doe not remember him according to his word be such an one as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word is altogether to forget him as appeareth in the example of the Israelites of whom the Lord complaineth that they had forgotten him notwithstanding they still outwardly professed that hee was their God and they his people because they remembred and worshipped him in their Idols So they who forget any of Gods attributes whereby in his word he hath made himselfe knowne vnto vs forget God himselfe for his attributes are his essence as the wisedome of God is the wise God the infinitenes of God is the infinite God the loue of God is the louing God c. And therefore that God which they remember is not the true Iehouah but an idoll of their owne making If then we only remember that God is mercifull and doe not remember that hee is also iust as it is the custome of carnall secure men wee make an idoll vnto our selues but forget the true God and so in like manner wee forget the Lord if with desperate sinners wee remember his iustice and forget his mercie And the like may be said of his omnipotence omnipresence al-sufficiencie prouidence and the rest of his attributes Lastly we may here obserue that the Prophet concludeth The authority of Gods word countenāceth his Ministers in their embassage all his reprehensions of their sins and threatning of punishment by telling them that whatsoeuer he had deliuered was not his owne but the word of the Lord whereby he confirmeth his former denunciations of iudgements and certainly assureth them that how vnlikely soeuer they thought them yet they should most vndoubtedly come to passe seeing it was the word which truth it self had spoken and therfore if they would escape them there was no dallying nor delaying of the time but speedily they must preuent them by turning vnto God by true repentance And secondly hereby hee auerteth all their malice and displeasure from himselfe seeing these heauie tidings were not the deuices of his owne braine but the word of the Lord of which onely he was the Embassadour and therefore if they would without taking any exceptions patiently heare an Embassadour sent from an earthly King denouncing warre against them because iniury or violence offered to an Embassadour is condemned by the law of nations how much more should they heare him without all malice or preiudice seeing he only deliuered the embassage which the Lord of hosts had put into his mouth From which example Gods Ministers may learne to deliuer nothing to the people but the pure word of the Lord which they are boldly to vtter though it seeme neuer so improbable to flesh and blood for as much as hee who hath spoken it will most surely accomplish it otherwise they shall commit the sinne of Ionas who when the word of the Lord was put into his mouth durst not deliuer it but being sent to Niniue fled to Tarshish and in this respect make lesse conscience of their calling then Balaam as appeareth Numb 24. 13. Numb 24. 13. And so likewise the people may here learne with patience to heare Gods Ministers though they denounce Gods heauie iudgements against their sinnes if they deliuer nothing but that which they haue warrant for out of Gods written word seeing they are bound in conscience of
that vve highly valew and esteeme these outward signes of Gods presence namely a ciuill and That the magistracie and ministerie are highly to be esteemed peaceable gouernment in the common-wealth vnder a lawfull Prince and a faithfull and painefull ministrie in the Church by vvhose meanes vve injoy the publike vvorship seruice of God For vvhilest both these are setled amongst vs vve haue assured testimonies that God hath joyned himselfe vnto vs in a neere communion And on the other side when these for our sinnes are taken away then doth the Lord hide his face from vs and maketh a visible seperation betweene vs and him The consideration vvhereof should make vs rejoyce and magnifie the name of the Lord vvhen vve injoy these vnualuable blessings and to sit downe and mourne like a desolate vviddow vvhen vve are depriued of them Secondly this serueth for the reproofe first of Popish Popish traitors reprooued Traytors who are euer plotting and contriuing the death of Christian Princes and continually labour to disturbe and ouerthrow all peaceable and vvell setled gouernment that so bringing in all disorder and confusion they may haue better opportunitie of fishing in these troubled waters For what doe they else herein but euen offer violence vnto Gods own person when as they hurt Princes whom he hath placed as his liuely Images to represent his presence in the common wealth What doe they else but as much as in them lyeth seuer that communion which is betweene God and the people and bring their country into the mournefull estate of an afflicted Widdow How farre are these from the precept of the Apostles Rom. 13. 1. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 17. And from the Rom. 13. 1 5. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 17. practise of Dauid whose heart throbbed because he had but cut the garment of the Lords annoynted though hee were already rejected of God and himselfe chosen to his place 2 Sam. 24. 6. 2 Sam. 24. 6. Secondly hereby are reprooued sedicious Mal-contents Seditious mal-contents rebuked who neuer thinke nor speake of the manifold blessings and benefits which the land injoyeth by the gouernment of their lawfull Princes as Peace Plenty Safety the Preaching of the Gospell and such like but are euer talking of the infirmities of their gouernours and of the defects and imperfections of their gouernment the which seditious murmurings work no reformation of things amisse but incense the Prince and discontent the people Lastly hereby is condemned the practise of the Brownists who depriue themselues of the outward signes of Gods presence the Ministrie of the word and the outward meanes of his publike worship and seruice because of some blemishes and corruptions remaining in the Church from which the Church in no age was euer perfectly purged ANd so much concerning the first fruite of Gods loue whereby he approueth it vnto the people namely by inflicting vpon them his fatherly chastisements now followeth the second fruite which is the sanctifying of these afflictions for their conuersion Verse 5. Afterwards shall the Verse 5 children of Israell conuert seeke the Lord their God and Dauid their King and shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes In which words is set downe the conuersion of the people of Israell and the time thereof Their conuersion it selfe is first expressed and then a two-fold effect thereof their conuersion in these words Afterwards shall the people of Israell conuert or rather shall be conuerted The which words haue relation to their former afflictions as though he should say after they haue beene long exercised with grieuous afflictions at length the Lord will so sanctifie them to their vse as that hereby they shall be truely humbled conuerted and brought to vnfained repentance The which promise tended to the singular comfort of the afflicted Israelites when as being almost ouerwhelmed with miseries they were assured not onely that at length they should haue an end but also that they should bring forth this notable fruit of their true conuersion The effects of their conuersion are shewed in the words following first That they shall seeke the Lord their God and Dauid their king Where by this phrase of seeking the Lord we are to vnderstand that hauing bewailed their former apostacy and forsaken their sinnes by true Repentance they should labour to be reconciled vnto God in Christ worship and serue him according to his Word inuocate his Name make profession of his true Religion and imbrace the true Iehouah as their onely God by a liuely faith And this large signification hath this phrase of seeking the Lord not onely here but also else where So Psal 24. 6. and 27. 8. Esay 55. 6. Psal 24. 6. and 27. 8. Esay 55. 6. It is further added And Dauid their King In which words are implyed two things First that the Israelites had formerly made a defection from the kingdome of Dauid namely vnder the raigne of Rehoboam 1 King 12. And secondly 1 Kings 12. that now they should make vp this breach by readjoyning themselues as obedient subiects to this kingdome Where by Dauid we are not to vnderstand the sonne of Ishai who was long agoe dead but our Sauiour Iesus Christ who vsually in the Prophets was called Dauid as appeareth Ezech. 34. 23. 24. And I will set vp a Shepheard ouer Ezech. 34. 23. and 37. 24. them and he shall feed them euen my seruant Dauid And 37. 24. Dauid my seruant shall be king ouer them c. Ier. 30. 9 Ieremie 30. 9. They shall serue the Lord their God and Dauid their king The reason hereof is first because Dauid was a Type of Christ secondly because he came out of his loynes and in this respect is vsually called the sonne of Dauid thirdly because the promise made to Dauid concerning the eternitie of his kingdom was knowne commonly to all the people of which they are here put in minde for the better strengthening of their faith So that by seeking the Lord and Dauid their king is meant that they should know and acknowledge worship and serue both God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ according to that Iohn 17. 3. This is life eternall that they Iohn 17. 3. know thee the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ For as when they were said to haue made a defection from Dauid the meaning was not that this defection vvas made from his person seeing hee was dead many yeeres before but from his kingdome established in his posteritie so when they are here said to seeke Dauid their king the meaning is that they should not seeke his person which was dead but his kingdome established for euer in his seed Iesus Christ The second effect of their conuersion is expressed in these Morrall words And shall feare the Lord and his goodnes or as the Hebrew hath it shall feare vnto the Lord. Wherby we are not to vnderstand that they should performe that
this place may be vnderstood but yet principally as I take it of the latter For whereas the people had long contemned Gods verball contentions by the Prophets and continued in their impenitency without any amendement the Lord now threatneth that he will contend with them after another manner namely by inflicting vpon them his reall Iudgements seeing words would not preuaile with them The like place to this we haue Gen. 6. 3. Therefore the Gen. 6. 3. Lord said my spirit shall not alwayes striue with man because he is but flesh and his dayes shall be an hundred and twenty yeers The meaning is that because the world was rooted in a desperate wickednesse and would not be reclaimed by his spirit preaching vnto them by righteous Noah therefore hee would no longer contend with them in verbal controuersies seeing they were wholy carnall and corrupt but would bring vpon them reall punishments and that within the space of an hundred and twenty yeeres vnlesse in the meane time they preuented his Iudgements by turning from their sinnes by true repentance So here the Prophet telleth them that because Gods word was of no force with them for their amendment the Lord would no longer thus striue with them and seeing his Prophets and their reprehensions were derided neglected and contemned therefore hee would take his owne cause into his owne hand and contend no longer verbally but really with them proceeding from words to blowes from threatnings to punishments The parties betweene whom this debate is are the Lord The parties betweene whom the controuersie is and the people of Israell which are here called the inhabitants of the land whereby he implyeth First that the Lord himselfe was now become their aduersarie seeing there is no controuersie or contention but betweene aduersaries as though hee should say the contention shall not be hereafter betweene you and the Prophets because ye contemne their persons as weake and base men and deride and neglect their admonitions reprehensions and threatnings as though they were false and rediculous but betweene the Lord himselfe and you who is most wise to finde out your sinnes and most just to punish them And this controuersie shall be begun in the Court of Conscience before the Tribunall Seate of Gods Iudgement where by the law which you haue transgressed you shall be conuicted and after shall be fully determined when as hee shall inflict vpon you such reall punishments as your sinnes haue deserued Secondly he hereby implyeth that the Israelites are guilty of enormious sinnes and grieuous transgressions when as he saith that the Lord hath a controuersie with them for such is Gods exact justice that he sueth none but such as are indebted vnto him neyther contendeth he with any but onely such as haue wronged and offended him Thirdly whereas he saith that the Lord had this controuersie with the Inhabitants of the Land hereby first he conuinceth them of their breach of Couenant which they had made with God for howsoeuer the Lord had made good his promise in driuing out the Canaanites and giuing vnto them the Land in possession yet they had broken their promise made to God violated their faith forsaken Gods true Religion and denied their obedience vnto his lawes Secondly he aggrauateth their sinnes and grose ingratitude in that after the Lord had cast out the Canaanites the auncient inhabitants of this country for their Idolatry and other sinnes and giuen this land to the people of Israell for their possession that therein they might make profession of his true religion and glorifie his name by worshipping and seruing him according to his will they neuerthelesse neither remembring gods judgements inflicted vpon the Canaanits nor his mercies multiplyed vpon themselues forsooke the couenant of their God broke his lawes committed idolatrie and all other outragious sinnes and so defiled the land with the same sinnes for the which the Canaanits were expelled in the which gods true religion holinesse of life and righteousnesse should haue raigned and flourished And this was the cause or matter of their inditement in all which the Prophet aymeth at this that he might bring the people to true repentance vpon some hope of their reconciliation for whereas he saith that the Lord had a controuersie with the people hee doth herein include a secret admonition that seeing the Lord was not only far mightier then they but also had the law equitie on his side therefore they should labour after reconciliation by turning vnto him by vnfayned repentance for other meanes there was none to escape his just judgements And this is indeed the maine end at which the Lord aymeth in all his threatnings namely that those his people whom hee threatneth hearing of his judgements might preuent and escape them by their repentance For as a louing father when he threatneth his child sheweth that he hath no desire to punish him seeing by threatning hee giueth him warning to desist from his faults that so he may escape so our gracious and heauenly father threatneth his judgements in the ministerie of the word that heareing them wee may auoyd them by forsaking our sinnes and humbling our selues before him and this end of the Lords contending with his people is plainly Esay 1. 18. Eze. 33. 10. 11. Ier. 18. 7. 8. expressed Esay 1. 18. Ezech. 33. 10. 11. Ier. 18. 7. 8. And so much concerning the cause why the Israelits are arraigned Now wee are to speake of the particular crimes The sinnes whereof the Israelits are accused and condemned whereof they are accused conuicted and condemned and these are of two sorts the first priuatiue or sinnes of omission verse 1. the second positiue or sinnes of commission verse 2. The sinnes of omission whereof they are accused either respect their neighbour or God himselfe those that respect their neighbour are reduced to two heads First sinnes of injustice vnder the word truth Secondly neglect of mercy The sinnes which respect God are all included vnder one namely that there was no knowledge of God in the land and consequently no religion no faith no obedience The first sinne whereof he accuseth them is that there The first sinne that there was no truth in the land was no truth in the land for the vnderstanding whereof we are to know that truth respecteth either the minde and hart and then it is called simplicity or integritie or else the outward carriage and behauiour and that either in our words or speaches which properly is called veritie or else in our workes and actions which is called justice or vpright dealing Whereas therefore he chargeth them that there was no truth in the land the meaning is that there was no simplicitie or integritie in their minds and harts no verity in their speaches nor justice in their actions and because vertues and vices are contraries without meane so that the denying of the one in a subiect capable of it is the affirming of the other therefore
hereby hee implyeth when he saith there was no simplicitie in the land that it was full of hipocrisie and dissimulation and when he affirmeth that there was no veritie he implyeth that there was lying and when he accuseth them to be without truth or justice in their actions he intimateth also that they were full of all manner of fraud and deceit The second sinne whereof he accuseth them is that they The second sinne that they wanted mercy were without mercie the word signifieth either benignitie or beneficence and in the former signification it is referred to the minde and hart and so is called mercy and compassion and in the latter to the words and works and then it is called beneficence and comprehendeth in it all workes of charitie and christianitie as when in our words we are ready to help and benefit our brethren by exhortation counsaile consolation admonition and reprehension and in our workes by defending them with all our power and relieuing them with our riches Whereas therefore he chargeth them to be without mercy his meaning is that they were destitute of all these vertues and neglected all these christian duties and contrariwise he implyeth that their minds were full of malice and cruelty their words rotten and vnsauorie their workes replenished with oppression violence and barbarous inhumanitie And these were the sinnes which respected their neighbours and the breach of the second table their sinnes which immediately respected God are all comprehended in this that there was no knowledge of God in the land vnder The third sin no knowledge of God which particular he compriseth the neglect of all the duties injoyned in the first table and of all religion piety for as from the true sauing knowledge of God as from the root of all graces there springeth Faith affiance hope loue the feare of God obedience and all true worship of God so contrariwise ignorance is the roote of all impietie infidelity diffidence presumption despaire hatred of God contempt disobedience superstition idolatrie And therefore whereas he chargeth them that they were without the knowledge of God he necessarily implyeth that they were vtterly destitute of all grace piety and all true religion and guilty of the breach of all the commandements of the first table for where the roote is dead there the braunches must needes perish Now these their sinnes are aggrauated in that hee saith that there was no veritie mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land First in that it was a Land which God in great mercy had bestowed vpon them to the end that therin they should worship and serue him a land wherein he had protected and preserued them a land wherein he had plentifully afforded vnto them the meanes of attaining these graces of truth mercy and knowledge namely his Word and Sacraments Secondly in that this impietie and neglect of Religion did not onely lurke in some few corners but ouerspread the whole land neyther were there onely some few men tainted with these vices and corruptions but generally the whole body of the people So that they did not onely hide these sinnes as being ashamed of them but being come to bee as it were a common fashion they impudently professed and defended them And so much for the meaning of this first Verse the That the Lord himselfe will contend with those who contemne the ministerie of his Prophets doctrines which are to be obserued are these First we here learne that if Gods Prophets haue long contended vvith a people in Gods cause as his aduocates and doe not preuaile with them by causing them to humble themselues before him by true repentance then the Lord will take his cause into his owne hands and ceasing to contend with them any longer by his word and spirit will prosecute his controuersie with them by afflictions and punishments and if hauing often sent his Ambassadours with reasonable conditions of peace men neglect them and refuse to hearken vnto their ambassage then will this powerfull king march against them with an armie of his judgements and neuer cease encountring them with his plagues till he hath eyther humbled or destroyed them And this appeareth in this place as also Gen. 6. 3. In the example of the Iewes led captiue into Babilon Gen. 6. 3. and afterwards destroyed by the Romaines So that God first dealeth with men by his word and then if this will not preuaile by his chastisements and lastly if these will not reforme them by his destroying plagues and punishments Would we therefore escape his corrections then let vs suffer our selues to be reformed by his word would we not be destroyed by his fearefull punishments then let vs labour to profit by his gentle chastisements The vse hereof serueth for the comfort of Gods faithfull A comfort for Gods ministers Ministers when their persons are disgraced and contemned and their Ministerie neglected and dirided by wicked men then they are to remember that they being the Lords aduocates to pleade his cause against an impenitent people are sure to be strongly backed by the Lords own power wherby those shall be brought vnder who would not submit them selues to be ruled by the scepter of the word Secondly it serueth for the terrour of all those scoffers A terror for contemners of Gods word and desperate wicked men who contemne and deride those threatnings which they heare denounced in the ministerie of the word against them for their sinnes for let such know that if they will not be reclaimed from their wicked courses by the ministery of Gods Prophets the Lord himselfe will follow his owne cause and ceasing any longer to contend with them with his word and spirit he will prosecute them by his judgements and punishments The second thing to be obserued is Gods judiciall course The just administration of Gods iudgements of proceeding in the execution of his Iudgements although being infinite in wisedome power and justice he might sodainely inflict his punishments vpon sinners as soone as they haue offended yet first to approue the justnes of his judgements hee doth in the Ministery of his word summon them before his seate of Iustice arraigne and conuince them that so they may be moued to sue for a pardon by turning vnto God by true repentance hereby preuent deserued punishments So he sent Noah to the old world before he brought the Deluge Lot to Sodome before he destroyed it with fire and brimstone Moyses to Pharaoh before he drowned him in the red sea The Prophets to the Iewes and Israelites before he brought them into Captiuitie and our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples before their vtter destruction and desolation All which as it serueth to commend Gods mercifull justice so also to condemne the hardnes of mens harts and to leaue them without excuse who will not after so manifold warnings turne from their sinnes by vnfained repentance that so they might escape these fearefull punishments Thirdly
for not entertaining him not for stripping the clothed but for not clothing the naked not for hurting and iniuring the sicke and prisoner but for not visiting and comforting them Verse 41. 42. c. The reason hereof is because we being the Lords seruants it is not sufficient Mat. 41. 42. that we doe not serue Gods enimies or that we spend our time in idlenesse and serue no body but wee must doe faithfull seruice to him our Lord and Maister for which end he hath created and redeemed vs and spend our liues not onely in abstayning from euill but also in doing of good Moreouer vertue and vice being extreames without meane hereof it followeth that the absence of the one in a subject capable of it argueth the presence of the other so that if we be destitute of vertue we are replenished with vice If our houses be cleane swept and empty of Gods graces they become forthwith fit habitations for vncleane spirits if we be Mat. 12. 44. not indued with knowledge we are blinded with ignorance if we be destitute of faith we are full fraught with infidelitie if we cease to doe good immediately we beginne to doe euill And therefore our sinnes of omission being alwayes accompanied with sinnes of commission are sufficient matter of inditement for our iust condemnation whensoeuer the Lord shall summon vs to appeare before him The vse hereof is that wee doe not with simple ideots That we must not blesse our selues in our harmlesnes blesse our selues because we are harmelesse and doe no man wrong and because we abstaine from such grosse impieties as we see others commit for the Lord requireth that we not onely refraine from euill but also that we doe good so that it is not sufficient that we doe not scorne Gods worship if we doe not also religiously serue him nor to abstaine from biaspheming Gods name if we doe not also glorifie it nor to forbeare doing wrong to our neighbour vnlesse also wee be ready to performe the duties of justice charitie and christianitie towards them Secondly out of the order which the Prophet vseth in The duties of Iustice the true Touchstone of the duties of Pietie reprehending the peoples sinnes vve may obserue that hee first conuinceth them of their sinnes against their neighbors and then of their sinnes commited against God and this methode is vsuall in the Scriptures which the holy Ghost obserueth first that he may beate downe the pride and vaine boasting of hypocrites who are ready to brag of their knowledge faith loue of God and other hidden graces though they be destitute of the loue of their brethren and barren of good workes And therefore he bringeth such as these who make a golden shew of spirituall and inward graces in respect of God to the true touchstone of outward obedience and the externall works of charitie and mercy towards their brethren to the end that if they will not abide this tryall it may appeare that though they make neuer so glittering a shew of spirituall and hidden graces yet they are nothing but drosse and Copper guilt And this is the Touchstone which Christ giueth vs to discerne a Hypocrite from a sound professor namely by their fruits Mat. 7. 16. By their fruites ye shall know them And the Apostle Iames. Chap. 2. 18. Shew me thy faith by thy works The Apostle Iohn likewise 1. Ioh. 4. 20. If any man say I loue God and hate his brother hee is a lyar c. And Chap. 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Verse 9. So our Prophet knowing how ready the hypocrites of his time were to brag of their Religion towards God doth conuince them of the want hereof by laying open their injuries and cruelties towards their neighbours Secondly this is done for the behoofe and benefit of Gods children who by reason of their naturall blindnesse and selfe loue cannot easily spye out their secret and hidden corruptions but contrariwise are ready to flatter themselues with an opinion of a great measure of their spirituall graces these also are to examine themselues by this touch-stone for their loue of God is not much if their loue of their neighbour be but a little their faith is not strong if their obedience be but weake their knowledge is not great if their practise be but small and their Religion is rootelesse if it bee but fruitlesse Thirdly whereas he includeth the breach of the first table The true know ledge of God the fountaine of all sound Obedience and all manner of impietie against God vnder this one particular that there was no knowledge of God in the land hence we gather that as true knowledge of God is the fountaine of all true obedience so contrariwise ignorance is the cause of all neglect of Religion of all impietie and wickednesse And this may further appeare both by reason and Ignorance the root of all sin also by manifold examples By reason for they that know neyther God nor his will they are ignoraunt of that which pleaseth him and displeaseth him and therefore though they had some good intention to serue God yet they must needs displease him through ignorance and errour Againe whosoeuer sinneth he also erreth according to that Prou. 14. 22. Prou. 14. 22. Doe they not erre that imagine euill and those that erre doe erre eyther through ignorance or wilfull maliciousnesse Thirdly for this cause sinners are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such as are ignorant and through ignorance are deceiued And sinnes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Ignorances Heb. 5. 2. and 9. 7. Heb 5. 2. 9. 7 So also this appeareth by examples For this was the cause of Adams transgression because hee knew not Gods truth both in his promises and threatnings Gen. 3. Of the sinne of Gen. 3. the Israelites for the Lord himselfe rendreth this reason why his people erred because they had not knowne his wayes Psal 95. 10. This made the Iewes to erre because they knew not Psal 95. 10. the Scriptures Mat. 22. 29. This caused them to crucifie the Lord of life Act. 3. 17. And to become proud iusticiaries testing Act. 3. 17. in their owne righteousnesse because they knew not the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 3. This was the cause of the Rom. 10. 3. Gentiles Idolatry Gal. 4. 8. But when yee knew not God yee Gal. 4. 8. did seruice to them which by nature were not Gods And of Pauls persecuting Gods Saints 1 Tim. 1. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 13. And as this Ignorance is the cause of all vice and sinne Ignorance turneth good inclinations into sinne so it maketh all our inclinations which are good and vertuous being guided with the light of knowledge to degenerate and become euill for example Religion joyned with ignorance bringeth forth Idolatry deuotion joyned with
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
1 Sam. 15. 11. and 1 King 11. 33 Because 1. Sam. 15. 11. 1. King 11. 33. they haue forsaken me c. and haue not walked in my wayes Againe the Lord is our true husband and the couenant of marriage on our part is that we will obserue marriage fidelitie and keepe our faith which we haue plighted vnto him inviolable which wee performe when as wee worship him alone in spirit and truth according to his reuealed will when as therefore we either goe a whoring after Idols or in stead of Gods true worship offer vnto him our owne will-worship and humane inventions wee violate our faith break the bond of marriage betweene vs and so renounce the Lord from being our husband The vse hereof is that we most carefully avoide all manner of Idolatry Superstition and will-worship and not flatter our selues with a conceipt that the Lord will be content with our devotion and good meaning though it dissent from his word that we may prostrate our bodie vnto an image and reserue our hearts for God and that his will our owne wils his Law and humane inventions may well stand together in his worship and seruice for God and Idols the Ark and Dagon light and darknesse righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse true religion and sottish superstition will neuer agree together but as soone as we receiue the one we doe ipso facto exclude and forsake the other and therefore wee are put to our choise whether wee will forsake the true Iehouah or the Idoll Baal Gods true religion or our owne Superstions HEtherto we haue spoken of their first kind of Idolatry that is to say their consulting with Idols The second followeth which is their worshipping of them by offring vnto them sacrifices and oblations Vnto which is annexed the punishment which is inflicted vpon them for both the one and the other Verse 13. They sacrifice vpon the tops of Verse 13 the mountaines and burne incense vpon the hils vnder the Oake and the Poplar tree and the Elme because the shadow thereof is good therefore your daughters shall be harlots and your spouses shall be Whores c. The which words containe two parts The expositiō the first is an accusation of sinne the second is a denunciation of punishment Their sinne was their Idolatrous worship which also was performed in places prohibited by Gods expresse commaundement They sacrifice vpon the tops of the mountaines Where hee more plainely sheweth what he meant by the spirit of fornications in the former Verse namely that they had forsaken the Lord and his true worship together with the place vnto which it was appropriated and committed spirituall whoredome with their idols which they erected to themselues vpon euery hill and mountaine So that here he accuseth and condemneth them of a double sinne the first was their Idolatrie wherby they worshipped God in Idols and Images of wood and stone contrary to the expresse Word of God both in the second commandement and else where the second was that they worshipped in prohibited places for the Lord had expresly charged them that they should offer their sacrifices in no place but in his Tabernacle and Temple and that they should erect no other Alters but the Alter for the burnt offrings and for the incense which himselfe had caused to be made and placed first in the Tabernacle and then in the Temple as appeareth Deut. 12. 11. 13. 14. 2 Chro. 7. 12. Exod. 20. 24. Deut. 12. 11. 2 Chro. 7. 12. Exod. 20. 24. Deut. 27. 5. 6. Ios 22. 10. 16. Deut. 27. 5. 6. 7. Ios 22. 10. 16. 19. Both that hee might hereby restraine them from will-worship and also that hee might typically teach them that as they had but one Temple to serue in so they had but one God to serue as they had but one Alter for their sacrifices and one for their incense so there was but one Mediator which sanctified all their oblations and perfumed all their prayers whereby they became like sweet odours in Gods nosthrils But they neglected the commaundements of God and erected altars and offred sacrifices vpon the hils and mountaines imitating therein the heathenish Gentiles who erected their Temples in woods and groues vpon the tops of hils according to that Lucus in vrbe fuit media laetissimus vmbra c. Vir. Aeneid lib. 1. Hic Templum Iunoni ingens Sidonia Dido Condebat Whereof also their Temples were called Phana because in respect of their high situation they were eminent and conspicuous to which they were moued by these considerations because being more stately majesticall they thought them more fit for diuine worship and also because they thought these places in regard of their eminencie nearer vnto heauen which is the place of Gods chiefe residence wherin they preferred heathenish wil-worship and their owne naturall reason before the expresse word of God And this was that idolatrous superstition which is so often condemned in the bookes of the Kings Chronicles namely that they did worship in the groues and high places yea kings otherwise godly religious are blemished with this note of disgrace that they suffred such kinde of worship and did not cut downe the groues and vtterly demolish these idolatrous places Thus Salomon sinned in erecting an high place for Chemosh the abhomination of Moab in the mountaine c. as appeareth 1 King 11. 7. And thus the Israelites 1. King 11. 7. Esay 57. 7. Ier. 2. 20. Ezech. 6. 13. daily prouoked Gods anger against them as we see both in this place in diuers others Esa 57. 7. Ier. 2. 20. Ezec. 6. 13. It is further added by way of more particular description that they burned incense vpon the hils vnder the Oakes the Poplar tree and the Elme and the reason mouing them therevnto is adjoyned because the shadow therof was good the meaning is that they sacrificed and burnt incense in their groues and made choyse for this purpose of such trees as were most pleasant and by reason of their broad and thick leaues most fit to cast a delightful shadow which would not onely shelter them from the schorching heat of the Sun but also stirre vp in them a kind of superstitious deuotion The which also was increased by a conceit which they had of the trees themselues for as they put more holynesse in the hils then in the vallies so also in one tree more then in another in respect of the diuers idols vnto which they were consecrated according to that Populus Alcidae gratissima vitis Iaccho formosae myrtus veneri sua laurea Phoebo Virg. eglog 7. That is the Poplar tree is most acceptable to Hercules the Vine to Bacchus the Myrrhe tree to Venus and the Bay tree to Apollo Whereby the Prophet sheweth that they were vtterly fallen away from the true religion to Paganisme and Heathenish superstition and idolatry for which sinnes they were much more vnexcusable both because for
a side out of the way of righteousnesse the Lord is readie to whip him into it againe by the scourge of afflictions and that not for want but in the abundance of his loue because hee should haue no incouragement to goe on in sinne which would bring him to destruction And this Dauid himselfe well knew and therefore saith that before hee was afflicted hee went astray but being afflicted hee kept Gods word Psal 119. 67. And therefore hee saith that it was good for him that hee had beene afflicted seeing hereby hee had Psal 119. 67. and 94. 12. learned Gods statutes verse 71. And Psalme 94. 12. Hee pronounceth them blessed whom God doth chastise and teach in his Law So the Lord telleth Dauid that if his sonne Salomon sinned hee would chasten him with the rod of men but his mercy should not depart from him 2 Sam. 7. 14. giuing vs to vnderstand that hee will not let his children escape 2. Sam. 7. 14. in their sinnes without correction and yet neuerthelesse remaineth mercifull vnto them Finally howsoeuer the gentiles were suffered to goe on in their idolatrie and to flowrish in their sinnes yet as soone as his owne people Israell did leaue his pure worship and follow Idols hee did seuerely punish them as appeareth Exod. 32. and in the History of the Iudges and Kings Exod. 32. Lastly this appeareth by cleare euidence of reason for The former doctrine prooued by reasons as impunitie is a manifest signe that God giueth men ouer to goe on in their sinnes to their destruction because he denyeth them the meanes whereby they might come to the sight of their sinne and vnto true sorrow for it so it is a good signe that God loueth vs as his Children when hee vseth vs like his Children that is correcteth vs for our faults and affordeth vnto vs the meanes whereby wee may bee reclaymed Wee are so blinded with carnall securitie and selfe loue that wee cannot see our transgressions and iniquities and afflictions are that sharpe but yet soueraigne water which helpeth to the recouery of our sight when as therefore the Lord denyeth to afflict vs liuing in sinne what doth he else but leaueth vs to our own naturall blindnesse to goe on in our sins till we fall into the pit of destruction They are those precious salues which serue to draw out the core of our corruptions and those wholesome though vnpleasant potions whereby wee are purged from our sinnes when as therefore the Lord afflicteth vs hee intendeth to cure and purge vs but when he with-holdeth these meanes his purpose is to let vs fester and rot in our sin and to let vs abound in these grose humours which will bring the sicknesse and death of the soule vnto vs they are those purging fires which purifie vs from the drosse of our corruptions and therefore when the Lord casteth vs into them his purpose is to make vs pure gold fit for his treasurie of eternall happinesse but when he letteth vs alone in the drosse of our sinnes his meaning is to let vs rust and canker and to cast vs away as refuse siluer The vse hereof serueth to confute the vaine bragges of The Papists confuted who glory in the outward pomp of their church the Papists who boast of the glory pompe riches and the flourishing estate of their Church vsing it as an argument of Gods loue towards them and of the truenesse of their Church and Religion that they are blessed with great prosperitie and on the other side objecting the crosse and manifold persecutions which the professours of the Gospell are subject vnto as a reproach to their Religion But seeing so many sinnes are not onely committed but also tollerated yea defended and countenanced in that Church their immunitie from afflictions and punishments can bee no signe of Gods Loue but rather that in his heauie displeasure hee hath giuen them ouer as a desperate cure and because by no meanes they vvill bee reclaymed from their Superstitions Idolatryes Adulteries and other enormious crimes that therefore they are giuen vp to a reprobate sense and to their owne filthy lusts that so committing sinne with greedinesse they may treasure vp against themselues wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God And the like vse also may secure Worldlings make of this Doctrine who blesse themselues in their sinnes because they are not crossed in their euill courses seeing nothing ought to bee a greater terrour vnto them then this that the Lord leaueth them to themselues and with-holdeth from them this wholesome meanes of their amendement Lastly it serueth for the comfort of Gods Children when as they are sharply afflicted for their sinnes seeing this is no signe of Gods hatred and of their rejection but rather of his Loue and Fatherly care ouer them which causeth him to lay vpon them these chastisements that hereby they may bee reclaymed from their sinnes and not suffered to runne on in their euill courses to their destruction The second doctrine which wee here learne is that if If we dishonor God he will dishonour vs. wee doe neglect our dutie to GOD hee will make those who owe vs dutie to neglect this dutie when we most expect it and if wee dishonour him by our sinnes hee will cause vs to bee dishonoured and disgraced not onely by our enimies and strangers but also by our nearest and most familiar friends So because the people of Israell who professed themselues the spouse and children of God did by forsaking the Lord their husband and father and adhaeâ—ing vnto Idols grieuously dishonour his holy name the Lord layeth vpon them a proportionable punishment that their wiues and daughters should neglect to them all loue conjugall duties and filiall obedience whereby they should not onely inwardly bee vexed and grieued in their minds but also outwardly in their names be exposed to infamie and reproach The like example wee haue else where in the booke of God when Noah neglected the duty of temperance and sobriety towards God his wicked sonne C ham neglected the dutie of reuerence towards him When Elie was so indulgent towards his sonnes that hee would rather displease God by suffering them to dishonour his name then hee would displease his sonnes by giuing them due correction whereby they might haue beene reclaymed from their sinnes they neglected all dutie to their father contemned his holy admonitions and so brought shame and reproach vpon the whole familie For the Lord caused in one day not onely the glory to depart from Israell when the Arke was taken which chiefly redounded to the dishonour of Elie who then was the Iudge of Israell but also tooke away his sonnes which were to be the glory of his house and togeather with them the office of the Priesthood and so made him inglorious both in the Common-wealth Church and in his owne priuate familie The like may be sayd of Dauid who
such direct Testimony yet it may clearely bee proued that it was a place famous or rather infamous for the impious Idolatry there committed as appeareth Hos 9. 15. and 12. 11. Hos 9. 15. and 12 11. Amos. 4. 4. Amos. 4. 4. The reason then why the Prophet doth so earnestly forbid the people of Iuda to come at Gilgall and Beth-auen was not onely because they were consecrated vnto idolatry and therefore in this respect daungerous in that by frequenting these Idolatrous places they might easily bee seduced to joyne with them in their false worship but also because there was more perill of these places then of others in regard of that reuerend estimation the people had of them for the reasons abouesaid And this also was the cause why hee specially maketh mention of these two places vnder which he comprehendeth all the rest of like qualitie because as they were more famous then eyther Dan or any other of the high places so also in respect of their credit with the people much more dangerous Now in the forme of the prohibition wee are further to obserue that hee doth not onely prohibite them to sacrifice in these places but not so much as to ascend or goe vnto them not that it was not lawfull for them to come into these places for their ciuill affaires and worldly businesses but by this strait prohibition hee implyeth that hee would as little as might be haue them to frequent the company of Idolaters but especially that it was altogether vnlawfull for them who professed Gods true Religion to bee present at their idolatrous sacrifices and other solemnities whereby in time they would bee seduced to immitate them in their superstitions And thus wee haue seene what was the first meanes of idolatrie the other is that they should not ioyne with them in their religion which consisted of true and false worship mingled together In these words nor sweare the Lord liueeth In which words hee doth not forbid the lawfull vse of an oath which being made in truth righteousnesse and judgement is a part of Gods worship which is expresly commaunded in his word as appeareth Deut. 6. 13. and Deut. 6. 13. 10. 20. Ier. 4. 2. But onely restrayneth them from imitating the practise of the Idolatrous Israelites who ioyned the worship of God prescribed in his word with their owne inventions and superstitions and though they serued idols yet swore not onely by them but also by the true Iehouah as appeareth plainely Amos. 8. 14. They sweare by the Amos. 8. 14. sinne of Samaria and say thy God O Dan liueth c. So Zeph. 1. 5. Zeph. 1. 5. the Lord threatneth his judgements against those in Iuda vvho did worship and sweare by the Lord and sweare by Malcham The sinne therefore which is here forbidden is their ioyning a true oath with false worship and the seruice of God with the seruice of idols So that these words haue reference to the former after this manner if yee goe to Gilgall and Beth-auen to communicate with idols in their idolatrie doe not presume to sweare by the Lord nor to make profession of his religion for he cannot abide that there should bee any mixture of his true worship with idolatrie nor that the same mouth should sweare by his name and call vpon idols Neither doth hee heere simply forbid them to sweare at all but that they should not vse this forme the Lord liueth As though hee should say if yee worship Idols sweare by them also if yee will but haue nothing to doe with my name in your oathes vnlesse you turne from your idolatrie And according to this sense the words may fitly be reade as a learned Hebritian Drusius hath obserued by a disiunction after this manner Come not at Gilgall or sweare not the Lord liueth Now vnder this one perticular part of Gods seruice by an Psal 63. 11. oath is comprehended his whole worship as also it is taken Psalm 63. 11. And so generally they are here forbidden to make any manner of mixture and composition betweene idolatrie and any part of Gods true worship So that the 1 King 18. Lord requireth of them the same thing which Elias required afore times of the Israelits 1 King 18. If Baal be God serue him but if Iehouah be God serue him that is you are Psal 50. 16. Math. 6. 4. Eze. 20. 39. 40. at your choyse whether yee will serue but the Lord will no longer indure that you should halt betweene both So Psal 50. 16. Math. 6. 4. Ezech. 20. 39. 40. The doctrines And thus much concerning the meaning of the words The Lord vseth the meanes of our conuersion vntill our estate is desperate The doctrines which doe hence arise are diuers First vve may here obserue that as the Lord giueth ouer those whose estate is desperate and incurable to runne on in the headlong course of sinne to their destruction So contrariwise where there remayneth the least shew of hope hee neuer forsaketh his people but vseth all meanes to bring them to Repentaunce that they may bee saued An example hereof wee haue in this place for when the people of Israell were past cure hee causeth his Prophet to labour with the men of Iuda for their reformation who were not so deepely sunke in rebellion So when neyther the heauenly Sermons nor wonderfull Miracles of Iesus Christ would draw the Iewes to repentance hee causeth the Apostles to preach the Gospell to the Gentiles that they at least might bee gathered to his Church and that hereby in an holy emulation the Iewes also might bee converted to the Faith So although the Land of Iuda vvas exceedingly defiled with sin so as from the crowne of the head vnto the sole of the foote there was nothing sound in this polliticke body yet doth hee when they professed open emnitie call them to a parley offering vnto them reasonable conditions of Peace namely that if they would turne vnto him by vnfained repentance hee would make their scarlet sinnes as white as snow Esay 1. 18. Esay 1. 18. Now the cause hereof is not in any desert of sinners who hauing already by their sinnes prouoked Gods fierce wrath rather merit his heauie punishments but in the Lord himselfe who is of such infinite mercy that he desireth not the destruction but the conversion of sinners would haue all men to bee saued and come to true knowledge and vnfayned repentance as appeareth Ezech. 33. 11. 1 Tim. 2. 4. Ezech. 33. 11. 1 Tim. 2. 4. And to this purpose hee sendeth his Prophets to call them and multiplyeth his benefits to allure them and also visiteth their sinnes with gentle chastisements that hee may reclayme them yea and after they haue long had these meanes of conversion the Lord in infinite patience is content to wayte their leasure as it is Esay 30. 18. and neuer Esay 30. 18. bringeth vtter destruction till there
what agreement hath the Temple of God with idols Secondly because the Lord is not capable of any copartnership for whereas there are three sorts of men who can abide no sharing nor partnership a King in his kingdome a master in his familie a husband in his mariage bed the Lord is both our King master and husband Hee is a King yea a glorious King Psal 24. and last verse and he will not giue his Psal 24. 10. Esay 42. 8. glorie to another Esay 42. 8. and therefore he will rule vs alone by the scepter of his word or he will thrust vs from vnder his gouernment and giue vs ouer to be ruled by the tyrannie of Satan and our owne corrupt wils He is our master Malac. 1. 6. who requireth all our seruice or else will haue Malac. 1. 6. none of it at all because we cannot performe faithfull seruice to two masters especially being of a contratie disposition Matth. 6. 24. He is the husband of the Church Esa 54. 5. Matth. 6. 24. Esay 54. 5. yea a iealous husband who can endure no cotriuals in his loue and therefore if she will needs play the harlot with others the Lord will diuorce her from him as being altogether vnworthie to enioy his loue The vse of this doctrine serueth to admonish vs that wee Wee must make no mixture betweene Christs true religion and Popish superstition carefully beware of making a mixture betweene that true religion which we professe and Popish superstition that is the religion of Christ and the religion of Antichrist for seeing they match yea and far exceed euen the Gentiles themselues in their multitude of idols they hauing for euery day in the yeare for euery little village in a whole kingdome and for euery occasion and imployment a seuerall Saint to whom they giue diuine honor by praying vnto them by erecting statues images and temples for their honor by dedicating and setting apart holy daies for their seruice by making vowes and offering oblations vnto them seeing they worship the Idoll of the Masse and creepe to the crosse and to magnifie their owne merits extenuate the al-sufficient merits of Iesus Christ therefore it is as possible to reconcile truth and falshood light and darknesse God and Belial as Christian religion with Popish superstition And therfore let those whom God hath in mercie seuered from this Romish synagogue hearken to the Prophets admonitiō Come yee not at Gilgal nor go vp to Beth-auen and let those who are alreadie amongst them hearken to that voice which came downe from heauen Go out of her my people and bee not pantakers in her sinnes that yee receiue not of her plagues Apocal. Apoc. 18. 4. 18. 4. ANd thus much cōcerning the admonition Now follow the reasons wherby it is inforced the which are of two sorts the first are taken from their sinnes the other from their punishments Their sinnes are first generally propounded namely that they were vndutiful stubborne and rebellious vers 16. And then they are more specially expounded to wit that they had grieuously transgressed the first table by their grosse idolatrie vers 17. and the second also both by intemperancie against themselues and by their adultery and extorsion against their neighbours vers 18. Their punishments which should discourage Iuda from imitating their sinnes were two the first was captiuitie vers 16. the other ignominie and confusion vers 19. And these are the particular branches of this last part of the Chapter Now we will entreate of them as they lie in order Vers 16. For Israel is rebellious as an vnrulie heyfer now the Vers 16 Lord wil feed thē as a lambe in a large place In which words are The exposition contained two reasons to disswade Iuda frō associating thēselues in too neere familiaritie and friendship with the Israelites especially frō ioyning with them in their idolatrous worship The first whereof is taken from their sin the other from their punishment Their sinne is contained in these words For Israel is rebellious as an vnrulie heyfer The meaning is that the Israelites were exceedingly contumacious and stubborne and euen wanton in their rebellion and that they were become like out-lawes who had shaked off the yoke of Gods gouernment for so the word Sorerah which is heere translated rebellious is taken elsewhere as Deut. 21. 18. If any man haue a sonne that is Sorer stubborne and rebellious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 21. 18. that is to say who will not submit himselfe to his fathers gouernment c. Now this their rebellious stubbornnesse is in liuely manner expressed by a similitude taken from an vnruly heifer the which is here contracted but may be thus explicated as the heifer which is well fatted by running in a fruitfull pasture groweth in time so wanton that she contemneth her master shaketh off the yoke gaddeth abroad and skippeth ouer hedge and ditch into other pastures rather for wantonnesse then for hunger so the Israelites being fatted by Gods manifold benefits grew thereby so wanton and rebellious that they despised the Lord who sed them shooke off the yoke of his gouernment denying to submit themselues to be ruled by his holy word forsooke the Temple which was appointed by the Lord to be their pasture wherein hee would feede them with his word and Sacraments and broke into forbidden places euen the hils groues and idolatrous Temples where for wantonnesse and not for hunger they fedde themselues with the poysonous hemlocke of idolatrie and Heathenish superstition refusing in the meane time the wholesome food of their soules Gods pure and sincere worship whereby they should haue been fed to eternall life In which similitude diuers things are implied first that the Israelites were contumatious and rebellious against the Lord and that beyond all bounds and limits of humanitie and therefore they are compared in their rebellion not with reasonable men but with vnreasonable beasts to shew their stupiditie and brutishnes in this their sinne Secondly hee intimateth their audacious stubbornnesse whereby they were readie to resist God to his face in that he compareth them not to such beasts as shew their contempt of their master by their flight and running away but to a stubborne and vnruly heifer which will not only shake off the yoke but also put at her master with her hornes Thirdly here is implied their vnruly wantonnesse which would not suffer them to continue in one and the same Church with the Iewes as it were in one heard and one pasture but caused them after a wilde fashion to seuer themselues from the rest and to leape as it were ouer Gods fence to associate themselues with the Gentiles in their more then brutish idolatrie and damnable superstitions Lastly hee heere intimateth their wicked abuse of Gods blessings wherewith being as it were fatted and pampered to the full they did not only vngratefully forget and forsake the Lord but also rebelliously cast
off the yoke of his gouernment and stubbornely opposed his will and as it were in sauage and brutish manner made head against him Now what could be a more forcible disswasion to restraine all amongst the people of Iuda in whō there was any sparke of grace or dramme of goodnesse from consorting with the Israelites in neere familiaritie and much more in their Heathenish idolatrie then this that they were barbarous yea brutish rebels against the soueraigne Maiestie and most mightie King of heauen and earth who after an audacious manner resisted and opposed against God as it were to his face and who had separated themselues from Gods true Church and from the communion of Saints to ioyne with the Heathen people in their idolatrie and that not being vrged through any necessitie but of a waiward will and vnruly wantonnesse vnto which they were come through the wicked and vngratefull abuse of Gods blessings and plentifull benefits wherewith they were fed and pampered according to that Deut. 32. 15. But he that should haue bin vpright when hee waxed fat spurned with his heele Thou art fat thou art Deut. 32. 15. grosse thou art laden with fatnesse therefore hee forsooke God that made him and regarded not the strong God of his saluation Amos 4. 1. And this was the first reason to disswade the men of Iuda Amos 4. 1. from consorting with the idolatrous Israelites The second argument is taken from their punishment in these words Now the Lord will feed them as a lambe in a large place Wherby is signified that the Lord would bring vpon the people of Israel all kinde of miserable calamities in the land of their captiuitie wherewith he would tame their stubborne vnrulinesse and humble their haughtie pride But let vs descend vnto more particulars In this punishment here threatned two things are to be considered first the time whē it should be inflicted secondly the punishmēt it selfe The time is expressed in the present tense Now the Lord will feede them Whereby is signified that seeing they were growen to such haughtie stubbornnesse in their rebellion God would no longer indure it but would take a speedie course to abate their pride master their vnruly stubbornnesse and to tame their wantonnesse by loading them as it were with calamities The punishment it selfe is expressed by way of allegorie for as before he had signified their vnrulinesse and rebellion by a similitude of an vnruly heifer so now he setteth downe their abiect and miserable condition vnder the similitude of a sillie wandring lambe in a desert place As though hee should say Because whilest I fed them plentifully with my benefits they behaued themselues like wanton stubborne and vnruly beasts I will out of hand strip them of my gifts wherewith they are too much pampered and so loade them with miseries and calamities that they shall become as mild and tame as sillie lambes wandring in the wildernesse and forsaken both of damme and shepheard By which similitude the Prophet doth in most liuely maner decipher the miserable condition of the people of Israel for first whereas sheepe being sociable creatures delight in companie and loue to be in the flocke it is vnto them irksome and tedious when being straied from the rest they wander alone in desert places but such tediousnesse of life the Lord threatneth against the Israelites for seeing they would not associate themselues with the rest of his flocke the people of Iuda nor would bee content to be infolded in his Temple as it were in their safe sheepfould but behaued themselues rather like wanton heifers then like the Lords sheep taking delight in gadding from the rest of their companie and leaping into forbidden pastures therefore the Lord threatneth that seeing through wantonnesse they delighted in separation he would so scatter them amongst the Heathen that they should not haue any flock to ioine themselues vnto nor no fellowship or communion one with an other but should become like single sheepe scattered here and there in vast and desert places And this is implied whereas hee vseth the singular number saying that they should be feede not as lambes flocking together but as a lambe seuered from the rest of his companie Againe the good and saferie of the sillie lambe herein consisteth when as hee is vnder the gouernment and protection of his carefull shepheard and may satisfie his hunger either by sucking his damme or by nibling the sweet grasse in a pleasant pasture on the other side no greater miserie can befall the sillie lambe then to be forsaken of the shepheard abandoned of the damme and to goe wandring in the wildernesse amongst wolues and other sauage beasts especially being sillie and simple in wit vnable to make any shift by policie to escape danger feeble and weake not able to make resistance against the least violence and slow of pace hauing no hope to saue himselfe by flight For what can the poore lambe doe in this case but wander vp and downe fearing euery shadow and trembling at euery noise till he haue spent his strength with bleating and crying for hopelesse helpe or is pined with hunger or is made a pray of some rauenous beast But this the Lord threatneth should be the condition of the rebellious Israelites for because they would not bee ruled by him their louing and carefull shepheard hee excluded them out of his fould and thrust them from vnder his gouernment and protection because they despised their mother the true Church he seuers and scatters them from her so as they could not any longer sucke her breasts nor receiue the milke of the word and Sacraments for the relieuing their spirituall hunger because they could not be content to liue in that fruitfull pasture the land of Canaan but like vnruly heifers tooke their chiefe pleasure in ranging abroad hee threatneth that hee would prouide a place for them large enough for they should haue the whole world to wander in after they were led into captiuity where their commons should be no lesse hard then full of danger for it should not be vnto them like the land of Israel and Iuda which was like a pleasant pasture hedged about on euerie side with the strong fence of Gods mightie power and euer watching prouidence but like a vast and desert wildernesse which being drie and barren should affoord vnto thē but bare and slender prouision to sustaine their liues and being full of cruell and wicked men as it were with so many wolues beares tigres and lions should giue vnto them continuall cause of feare of being deuoured and destroyed both in respect of their rauenous rage and powerfull malice and also their owne feeble weaknesse in making any resistance And this also was an effectuall argument to disswade the men of Iuda from associating themselues with the wicked Israelites seeing if they were copartners with them in their defection and rebellion forsaking Gods true Church Temple and religion to ioyne with them
vnto which wee are preferred so behaue our selues as beseemeth our high place and calling A Prince will not seruilely drudge for day wages nor sell his honor for a small trifle nor set his minde vpon base obiects no more should we who by vertue of this royall mariage are called to higher honour then the whole world affoordeth spend our sweate and labour to obtaine vncertaine richer and filthie pleasures wee should not dimme our glorie and impeach our honour by behauing our selues like the slaues of sinne and Satan nor affect with the highest pitch of our desires worldly toyes and base trifles seeing things of farre greater excellencie are reserued for vs. Lastly as hereby wee may be put in minde of our honour We must performe coniugall duties vnto Christ and dignitie so also of our dutie namely that being married vnto Christ wee labour to performe vnto him all duties required of a good wife seeing he is wanting in nothing which belongeth vnto a most gratious and kinde husband that is let vs loue him aboue all the world and shew our loue by our readinesse to lay downe our liues for his sake who is our louing husband seeing he hath laid down his for vs euen whilest wee were his enemies Let vs yeeld vnto him voluntarie and absolute obedience and submit our selues to bee ruled and guided by his word and Spirit Let vs keepe our coniugall fidelitie reseruing our selues pure and vndefiled as from all other sinnes so especially from idolatrie and superstition Let vs who haue communion both in Christ and all his benefits not grudge to giue our selues and the best things we haue vnto him for the aduancement of his glorie and the furthering of his worship and seruice especially let vs giue vnto him our hearts which he so much desireth Let vs reuerence him as our heauenly husband fearing his displeasure as the greatest euill and mourning for no losse so much as for the losse of his fauour Let vs rest wholly relie on his prouidence for the supplie of all our wants and for protection from all dangers In a word let vs labour to performe all duties which belong to such a husband and to deck our selues with all graces which may make vs appeare amiable in his sight and so wee shall confirme our selues in this assurance that we are espoused vnto Christ and shal be made partakers not only of himselfe but also of all his benefits And these are the doctrines which are to be obserued out Nothing can frustrate the couenant betweene God and vs. of the contract it selfe Now follow those which arise out of the adiuncts and properties of this mariage and first out of the perpetuitie thereof Where first wee may obserue to our singular comfort that it is impossible for any thing whatsoeuer to breake off the couenant betweene God and vs or to make a separation after hee hath once contracted vs to himselfe in this holy mariage nor all our spirituall enemies Satan the world the flesh nor all the power of hell ioyned together no nor yet our owne sinnes past present or to come for the Lord hath here promised that he will espouse vs vnto himselfe for euer Who therefore would not labour with his whole endeuour to attaine vnto this most honourable estate accompanied with such inestimable benefits seeing they are infinitely more excellent in their owne nature then all the glorie and riches of the world and besides they are eternall and neuer to be taken from vs. He that is in honour to day may be in disgrace to morrow he that is now rich may within a while be brought to extreame pouertie but who so is aduanced to this spirituall honour of being espoused vnto God shall neuer be depriued of it neither in this life nor in the life to come Secondly seeing the vnion betweene Christ and vs is perpetuall seeing the bonds of this vnion is the Spirit of God and a true and liuely faith hence we learne that Gods Spirit and this faith after we are married vnto Christ shall neuer be taken from vs for then the mariage bonds being broken the mariage also should bee dissolued which is contrarie to the promise of God in this place And these are the things to be obserued out of the perpetuitie Whosoeuer are married vnto Christ are made righteous of this mariage Out of the properties and conditions thereof we may further note these instructions First whereas the Lord promiseth that hee will espouse the Church in righteousnes hence we learne that whosoeuer are maried vnto Christ they are also made righteous that is they are not only clothed with the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse imputed vnto them by which they are iustified in Gods sight but also are made righteous by the sanctification of his Spirit dwelling in them the which their righteousnes consisteth in the integritie and vprightnes of their hearts and in their earnest and sincere desire and endeauour to performe obedience vnto Gods Commandements the which their obedience is in this life mingled with manifold infirmities and imperfections but shal become perfect in the life to come Secondly we learne that though this righteousnesse bee Our righteousnesse constant and perpetuall weake and imperfect yet shall it be perpetuall euen as our mariage with Christ is perpetuall and eternall And therefore although wee must worke out our saluation with feare and trembling and labour earnestly to haue this our righteousnes more and more strengthned and increased yet when we feele our slow progresse in the pathes of righteousnes and finde it mingled with our great corruptions and imperfections like a few graines of corne in a heape of chaffe let vs not be vtterly discouraged as fearing lest this little sparke of righteousnes will be altogether quenched with the floud of our corruptions seeing the Lord hath promised that as this his couenant of mariage with vs shall bee perpetuall so also that it shall for euer continue in righteousnes c. Thirdly whereas the Lord promiseth that he will marrie Our righteousnesse is not the cause of our vnion with Christ his Church in righteousnes not by chusing her being righteous but by making her righteous being chosen hence we learne that our owne righteousnes is not the cause of this holy and happie vnion but that this vnion is the cause of our righteousnes for after we are vnited vnto Christ by the Spirit of God then this Spirit dwelling in vs doth applie vnto vs the vertue of Christs death which purgeth vs from not only the guilt and punishment of sin but also from the corruption power and dominion thereof and the vertue of his resurrection whereby wee also are raised from the death of sinne to holines and newnes of life And this notablie appeareth Ezech. 16. 8. 9. 10. 11. c. Ezech. 16. 8. 9. Secondly whereas the Lord saith that he will marrie his Church in iudgement hence we learne that whosoeuer
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