Commentary on Malachi

VERS. III.

BEhold, I will corrupt your seed. ] The future judgments prophesied of, two in this verse, Famine and Reproach. Thus hath God decreed to punish those; but before he will execute, he makes it known to the Prophet, and tells him what he will do.

[Doctrine 1] When the Lord purposeth to bring a judgment upon his people, he communicates his counsels with his Prophets and Ministers.

I will corrupt your seed. ] The first judgment in this verse is, Famine: for the seed corrupted that it can bring forth no fruit, must make that, must cause famine.

[Doctrine 2] For the iniquities of a land and people, the Lord will lay dearth and famine upon them, even for their sin, and for this in special, for contempt of his Worship and Word. So here, and 2 Chron. 7.13.14. Levite. 26.19, 20. Psal. 107.34. Ezech. 5.16.17. Amos 4.4.5.6. & 8.8.13.

[Reason 1] Because this, when many other things prevails not, is a means to make men retire, and return to God by repentance. As the instance in the prodigal son, Luke 15.16.17.

[Reason 2] Because as S. Chrysostom speaks, they who blaspheme God, deserve not the use of those creatures which glorify him; because the son which reproaches his father, is unworthy of the ministry of servants.

[Reason 3] Because it is just with God to starve their bodies, who by the contempt of the word starve their own souls; as Haggai 1.4. God called for a famine upon the people, because they contemned his house, and decked their own: So in this, the soul being his perpetual house, where he would dwell forever, and their bodies their own clay houses, and momentary.

[Use 2] To inform men's judgments, who when such judgments are upon them, to ascribe them to second causes: as to the wind and weather, to the disposition of heavens and earth, or to the cruelty of men in hoarding up and making a dearth, as the sick often imputeth his disease to his meat, or bad diet, or taking the cold; & such like, and never to their sins, as the cause of it: these may be the means, and so thought of; and as in health and prosperity there is somewhat to be given to them as means; so in this. But the principal is their sins, thus provoking God, thus shutting heaven, and opening it against them; either by drouth making a dearth, as in Judea; or by moisture making a famine, as in England; or howsoever else it comes, yet the cause of it is man's sins, & the iniquities of the people; out of the Church, sins against honesty, and the second Table: and in the Church, both those, and sins against the first Table, contempt of God's Worship and Word.

[Use 2] To teach us in our land, and time, what we may expect, as by the course of God's dealing, adding famine to pestilence, before he bring the sword, and other destructions: As Princes do with rebels in a walled town, or intrenched in a fence, cut off their provision and victuals to make them yield: so the sins of the time abounding, as it was prophesied of the latter times, and the contempt of the word being marvelous great amongst us; even among all sorts, of all degrees. If it was just with God, for sending a famine upon Israel three years, year after year, for breaking their faith with the Gibeonites, and not regarding their word they had passed to them, 2 Sam. 21.1. what will it be with God to send it so upon us, who have so often broken faith with him, and contemned his Word and his Promise? Are not they unworthy of the creatures of God, which glorify him not in their places, who do daily blaspheme his Name and Word, and make it to be evil spoken of? Are such sons as contemn their father, and regard not his word and command, unworthy of the help of any of his servants? Let us sit as Judges in the general, and we will give sentence against others, that it is so. To us Nathan the Prophet speaketh, We are the men. Therefore what expect we else? nay, what can we expect better? And if we have not been bettered by God's hand, as David called the pestilence, It is better we fall into the mercy of insensible creatures, then into the cruelty of unreasonable men.

[Use 3] To direct men when they are under such a judgment, & God sends cleanness of teeth, and scarcenesse of bread, not to quarrel with the means, and complain of this and that, but for a man to quarrel with his own sins, and consult not with flesh and blood, which will make him accuse the means; but with the Oracle of God, which will make him accuse himself, and let him see where the sin is, that it may be reproved, and he humbled, and the land cured. David took this course, though it was long before he did it, to inquire of the Lord the cause of their famine in the end of the third year, and understanding why it was, and that the satisfying of the Gibeonites.

I will corrupt. ] The word signifies, to rebuke: i. I will with a word of my mouth destroy it.

[Doctrine.] God is able with his bare Word to bring judgment and destruction upon a whole land and people, if he but speak the word, they shall soon come to naught, and perish: he that is powerful in the voice of the people, by the sound of Rams horns, to the overthrowing of the walls of Jericho, Joshua 6. can be powerful by his own word, to overthrow whom be will: Or thus, it is as easy for the Lord to punish and destroy men, as it is for man to speak a word, Jer. 18.6.7. Psa. 104.29.

[Reason 1] Because he made all things with ease, and with his own word, Gen. 1. Now it is a far lesser thing to destroy thousands, then to make one. A man can more easily overthrow whole Cities in shorter time then build one house; sooner sink a Navy then make one ship.

[Reason 2] Because he is Lord over all, and hath all creatures at his command, being Lord of hosts. Now how easy it is for Princes to destroy their enemies, or those they hate, and are displeased withal, when they are of a great command.

[Use 1] To teach men not to rely, or put confidence in man, or any creature. There is in it self that which might keep men from it, being well thought of and considered; because they are in themselves mortal and mutable, very uncertain and deceitful: but more when this comes to be considered, that God can so easily destroy them, with a word, or blowing upon them; which to trust and put confidence in them, will certainly procure him to do: and, which done, will make a man marvelously ashamed, that he hath put any confidence in them.

[Use 2] To let us see the fearful condition, and the danger wherein they stand, who live, by reason of their corruptions and iniquities, out of the favor of God, who can easily destroy them, and the things they have, or is beloved of them, with a word, with a blast. If it be so in respect of men to live out of the favors of Kings and Princes, who have their limited powers, who are but men, and have their breath in their nostrils, as they have; what is it to be out of God's favor, by whose breath they stand and live, and who with-drawing his breath, they come to nothing? If he be so able, why doth he so suffer them? It is from the abundance of his patience, not want of power; which abused by them, increaseth his wrath and their sins, and will make that he will come the more suddenly and heavily upon them. The heavier the weight is that is hung at the clock, the wheels run swifter, and the hammers strike sooner and smarter.

[Use 3] To teach every man to take heed how they offend or displease God, as they love themselves, or anything they have, seeing he can so easily destroy both one and other. Men are apt to make the power of great men either a bridle to restrain them from offending, or a spurr to make them do the things they command, even when they are unlawful: For who are we, say they, to withstand so great men? Were their faith as good as their sense, they might see there were cause to say so of God, and would know, it is a far more fearful thing to fall into the hands of God, then into the hands of men.

And cast dung upon your faces ] The second particular in this verse, for laying shame and ignominy upon them.

[Doctrine 1] God makes men, Ministers and others, to be had in reproach because of their sins.

Even the dung. ] These Priests had thought to have gotten love, estimation and credit, by bearing with the corruption of the people, not reproving them for their sacrifices they brought, and their carelessness in God's service; but this God will turn to their shame.

[Doctrine 2] When men think by unlawful means to get credit, honor and estimation among men, the Lord he will turn it to their shame and reproach. So here, and so with them who built Babel, Gen. 11.4. but it was their confusion. To this we may apply that general, Psal. 112.10. Hereto belong the examples of Haman, Ester 6. and 7. And of Herod, Acts 12.21. of Pilate. Joh. 10.12. From henceforth Pilate sought to loose him; but the Jews cried, saying, if thou deliver him, thou art not Caesars friend: for whosoever maketh himself a King, speaketh against Caesar. But see what Eusebius reports, We are not to be ignorant, that the same Pilate who was interressed in our Savior's death, fell into so great calamities shortly after in the reign of Gaius, that being driven by necessity, he slew himself with his own hand, and became himself the revenger of his own wickedness.

[Reason 1] Because this will manifest his power, that he can beat them with their own weapons, overthrow them by their own inventions.

[Reason. 2] Because he is zealous of his glory, and to suffer this, would obscure it. It is against the honor of a Prince to let a subject grow by rebellion: it argues either injustice or impotency.

[Use 1] This may show the folly of those men, whether they be private men, or men in place, Magistracy or Ministry, who think by unlawful m • •• s to reconcile favor unto them, to get a good name, estimation or credit. These men we may compare to him whom Hier. against Heloid. speaks of out of the fable, that when he could do no good to be famous for, or so •• mous as he would, he set Diana's Temple on fire; and when none accused him for the sacrilege, he went raving up & down the streets himself, crying, that he kindled the fire. And being demanded by the Ephesians, why he did so, he answered; Because I could not get same by doing well, I would get it by mischief. But it was his shame & ruin; and so may these look for, though they may prosper in it for a while: as they in building of Babel, yet shall they fall by it. And that they would stop their mouths withal, will be the means to open them the wider, specially if ever there fall a breach betwixt them, they will show them directly, that they gained not by their courses, and the contrary to that will follow, which we read of David, 2 Sam. 6.22.

[Use 2] To teach every man to take heed how he seeks reputation and name by bad courses, or by any the least unfaithfulness and sin. Every man is desirous of a good name; and it is more to be desired then silver and precious things, Prov. 22.1. If any man would have it, let him labor for it by lawful means, and by well-doing. If he seek it by forsaking his uprightness, and sincerity of his place and profession, I may say as 2 Kings 9.31. Had Zimri peace, that slew his master? So, had such a one credit, that left his honesty? And God shall do to him as here is threatened. A man may happily build up his house by oppression, and usury, and cruelty; but in a few successions, in a few years it comes to nothing: holds not in the third heir. A man may seek to rise like Haman, and be aloft a while, but he shall be cast down. A man may get a name a while, but it will not last long; partly because it is vana, quia vani sunt filii hominum; because it is not in himself but others, as wares put up in a broken bag, as a treasure laid up in another's mouth, nor locked in a chest, nor made fast with bars, as Bernard hath it. And partly, because God will cast dung into his face. The best glory is for well doing: that is in a man's self, not in another's power, 2 Cor. 1.12. That is laid upon a good ground, that is certain and immovable. It is from God, and those who have his Spirit, Vera gloria est à Spiritu veritatis: True glory is from the Spirit of truth.

Dung in your faces. ] The Lord had honored these Priests very high, they had dishonored him; he threatens marvelously, and the more to disgrace and dishonor them.

[Doctrine.] The more God hath honored and advanced men, either in Church or Common-wealth, if they dishonor him, he will dishonor them, and lay the greater disgrace upon them. So with these Priests, none more honored with God then they; no greater disgrace then here is mentioned. Now this is proved in the example of Jezebel. 2 Kings 9.37. of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 14.7.8.9.10. of Eli, 1 Sam. 2.27. ed finem. Of Capernaum, Matth. 11.22.23. Manifest in the Jews, who were the mirror, now the wonder of the world: it was once spoken of with admiration, now the by word.

[Reason 1] Because, according to their privileges abused, so are their sins of those who have the greater, or moe in number: then God giving or rewarding according to their sins, and works, must needs receive more disgrace and dishonor.

[Reason 2] Because his judgments in them will be more perspicuous, and strike a more awe and fear in others, and moe shall take notice of it, because they are more in the eye, as a Beacon upon a hill, as a Captain or Lievetenant in a Band. And so the more shall glorify his justice, and fear his power.

[Use 1] If thou seest men lifted up to honor & high place, do not envy them: for if they be good, there is cause to rejoice. Prov. 29.2. If they be wicked, and abuse their privileges & high places, there is cause to sigh, but not to envy, Pro. 29.2. because they are not far from a disgrace, a public one, a great one, answerable to their honor. The clouds that obscure the Sun, are lifted up, but poured down again. Who would envy men upon an high pinnacle, ready to be cast down? Who a man walking upon the Ice, where it is ten to one, every hour his feet will slide, or it break, and he be utterly cast down to the bottom of a pit? specially if some secret fire be kindled on it, or the beams of the Sun shine hotly upon it.

[Use 2] To teach those whom God hath advanced and honored more then others with any privilege of knowledge, wisdom, authority, or credit, not to think that those privileges were given them that they might be the Nimrods of the earth, and fight against God, and his cause, and his Church, and dishonor him, and think to carry it away without dishonor from him; nay, they shall be more dishonored, and more vile then any others. For the greater grace sinners have received, if they sin, their punishment shall be so much larger. Chrysost. Mighty sinners shall be mightily tormented, Jerome. ad Heliod. It were good all that are above others, would write it in their houses, and every place where they come, and keep it in their hearts. And such as are above others in their places in the Church, would remember that, Matth. 5.13. Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his favor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men.

And you shall be like unto it. ] Or, it shall carry you away; meaning, that he would add confusion and destruction unto their shame.

[Doctrine.] Shame and disgrace brought upon Ministers, Magistrates, or any other by their just desert and default, by their careless carriage, and dissolute life, is but a fore-runner of confusion and destruction, which usually followeth, unless it be prevented by repentance. So is it here. Matth. 5.13. 1 Sam. 2.30.31.32. with chap. 4. 1 Sam. 15.30. Jer. 24.9.10.

[Reason 1] Because this argueth a great height of wickedness, and that men are settled much in it, when shame will not shake them from it, and rouse them up. For whereas to a man of any honesty, or that hath any spark of goodness, his name is of more account then his goods; and that touched, more affects him then the other taken away. Now touched in this, and not affected, argues his desperateness and dishonesty.

[Reason 2] Because when God hath smitten men in things that are so near unto him, and ought to be so dear, and they return not, it is just with him to proceed unto their persons, and themselves.

[Use 1] To teach us, when we see men in contempt, Ministers, Magistrates, and others, to judge of it as a fore-runner of some fearful confusion and destruction. If they be unjustly, without their default, then is it of a general judgment upon the Church and land, it being also a judgment it self; if justly for their dissolute and corrupt lives, then is it a fore-runner of a judgment to them, of their confusion and destruction. As it was in the time of Popery, when the Clergy was come to the height of wealth, yet they were in the wane and ebb of worship and respect; nay, in shame and reproach: because as in the morning, the nearer it is to the rising of the Sun, the more light is in the air, and the more are deformities and things out of order espied: So as the Gospel drew nearer, that they were like Baals Priests, for deceiving the people, in contempt, with not affecting them to make them return from their Idols to the living God. Therefore shame and confusion came upon them, as we have seen. So of others, if they be in contempt, &c. And as of them, so of Magistrates, and other particular men. For as a sickness caused by man's misdieting of himself, or otherwise by his default, and not speedily cured, is a forerunner and procurer of a greater disease: so is it in this case.

[Use 2] To teach everyone that is in any reproach or contempt, whatsoever he is, to think of it as the harbinger of confusion and destruction, if he be not affected with it to repentance. Therefore should he labor to lay it to his heart, and be humbled for it, and reformed by it: he should be occasioned by it to search his ways and his conversation. If it befall him for righteousness sake, he hath wherein to rejoice; if for his infirmities, and unjustly from those who reproach him, yet he should see whether it is not justly from God, or no: for that may be justly from him, which is unjustly from them. But if indeed justly for his dissolute and loose life; then is not to be expected anything but the confusion and destruction of his person, unless that make him to humble and reform himself: for when hard and bitter words prevail not, then masters go to beating and punishing with blows. So doth God.

VERS. IV.

ANd ye shall know. ] The Prophet proceedeth to the causes of this condemnation. These are three: the first is, because they had neglected their care of God's worship, not of any ignorance, but against their knowledge: for they knew that the duty belonged to them, and the commandment was to them. For thus it is to be read: For you know.

[Doctrine. 1] Their sin is the greater, and deserveth the more punishment, who have the knowledge what they ought to do, and yet follow their corrupt affections, then theirs which know not.

Now the knowledge here spoken of, is of two things: of their duty, and what they ought to do; and of their dignity, and what God had bestowed upon them. And both makes their sin the greater, because they have gone against their own knowledge, and God's kindness. That though God had bestowed great blessings upon them, they had forgot it, though they knew it, and were unthankful unto him.

[Doctrine 2] Unthankfulness is a sin, when men do not answer God's love as he hath had care and dealt liberally with them. vide Chap. 1. verse 2.

I send this commandment unto you, that my covenant might stand. ] They must perform, that is their parts; or else he would perform no covenant with them.

[Doctrine 3] God will not, neither is bound to perform covenant with man to give him anything he hath promised, whether spiritual or temporal, of this life, or that is to come, unless he perform his covenant and conditions. The covenant of God is either general or special. The general, either legal or Evangelical. All which requires the conditions to be performed on man's part, if he would have God perform; or else, &c. Levite. 18.5. Gal. 3.11. Mark. 16.16. 1 Sam. 2.30. 2 Chron. 15.2.

[Reason 1] Because their not performing, frees him from his promise, and binds him not to perform it, to give such good things to such unworthy fedifragies, covenant breakers; not to give, as it were, the children's bread to dogs.

[Reason 2] When they perform, he will because he is most faithful that hath promised, and can neither lie nor deceive, he being true, and Truth it self.

[Object.] Rom. 3.3.4. For what though some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, and every man a liar, as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, and overcome when thou art judged. Then will he perform when man doth not.

[Answer.] That will not follow from this, which is manifest thus: The Apostle asketh the question: Whereas many of the Jews were unfaithful, and covenant breakers, whether their infidelity should abrogate and make void the covenant of God, that he should show no fruit of it among them: and, as man, should break his promise, and perform to none that which was promised to all. He answereth, that cannot be; but howsoever the greater part of them had broken covenant, with whom he might justly break, and would, yet his covenant should have his full force and efficacy; though not in all, yet in the Nation: because there was ever some good men among that people; who believed the promises, and lived uncorruptly and holily; therefore in them, and to them should that be performed which was promised. Showing, that the wickedness of a multitude shall not make the promise of God void, and of none effect; but he will perform them to the believers, and they who perform conditions, though they be but a very few. And so the place makes for the point, not against it.

[Object.] Many enjoy God's blessings, and never perform the condition, but live wickedly and profanely.

[Answer.] They enjoy not the blessing of eternity, neither ever shall: and as for temporal things, they may enjoy them, but not any blessing by them: it were better for them to be without them; for they increase their sin, and are but fed and sustained by them for the slaughter, as the damned are by God's power to endure his wrath and punishment.

[Use 1] If in our observation we find, that many promises God hath made, are not performed to ourselves, or others. As there are many other things which may be answered for clearing and acquitting the truth and fidelity of God, in this kind; especially in temporal things; he gives spiritual, an ounce of which is better then many a pound of the other. And if he breaks not, that promiseth silver, and gives the greater sum in gold: so not God. If he promise deliverance, and gives patience under the cross, which is better for the sufferer, he still performs, because such things had those exceptions: And so in many other things, but this especially, when the good things promised are not performed, the cause is in ourselves and other men, why they are not performed, and not in God; because we perform not conditions. And this being, makes us, not him, covenant-breakers, who have made ourselves uncapable, and unworthy of his blessings, and so have freed him from his promise, by our breaking with him. Now he that is freed, cannot break covenant, though he do not the thing before covenanted.

[Use 2] To let us see the folly of those men who think to have God's promises performed unto them, and him to keep covenant with them; and in many things make no doubt but he hath done, and in future times assure themselves he will, when they neither have done, nor yet endeavor to keep any covenant with him. If the former be true, do they not deceive themselves? and are they not (though how wise soever in other things, yet in this) stark fools? For if he be a fool, that because he hath the word, or the bond of a good man, one able, and that never broke for the payment of a thousand pounds at such a time, and such a place, but upon condition he perform such a service, or effect such a work, to lay his whole state and his whole condition upon that, that it will be performed in the same time and place; and yet he never go about to perform the conditions at all, or as it should be performed; were he not a fool? Sure in all your judgments he were very unwise. And yet, alas! how many fools and unwise men have we, who deal thus, lay all upon God's fidelity, and perform nothing themselves at all? As if God must needs perform, because he had promised, and could not be faithful, unless he did perform, when they keep no condition. Many a man deluded by Satan, and his own secure heart, persuades himself God hath been merciful unto him, and forgiven him his sins, though he never came truly to see sin, nor to sorrow for sin, nor forsake and reform his corruptions, wherein true repentance consisteth, and which is the condition on man's part, if ever he would have God take away his sin, and put them out of his remembrance. Many one thinks God had performed his covenant of temporal things, because he is in the midst of abundance, and hath his barns full, and his bags full, and everywhere finds he increaseth, though he never made any conscience of his ways, and the works of God; but at best lived but civilly, and kept his credit with men: and sees not that he is deceived, & sees that these are but things that are common things, wherewith he is but fatted for the shambles, and such as are reserved for his evil. And for time to come many doubt not but they shall obtain great things in this life, and that God will give them honor, and favor, and riches and abundance, though, they never keep condition with him. Fools and blind, who know they cannot live, except they eat; not reap, except they sow; not recover health, except they use physic, and the means appointed: And yet think, without performing the grand means and condition with God, they shall have what he hath promised; and so happily they may: But as Israel had a King in God's wrath, and quail in his displeasure: And as the Physician gives his patient liberty to eat what he list, when he is out of all hope, and despairs of ever recovering him. Many a man persuades himself that God will save him, though he never was able to perform the condition of the Law, neither ever endeavored to perform the condition of the Gospel. Truly this is not to believe, but deceive himself with an opinion of faith, he neither having the knowledge of the promises, the ground of it, nor works the answerable fruits of it. And so hath but a vain, foolish, and dead faith. But he shall know his folly, when God shall manifest unto him, that he is not bound to perform promise, because he never kept condition.

[Use 3] To teach every man that hath any desire that God should perform covenant with him, to endeavor to perform conditions with God. He must first seek to know what they are God requires of him, and then do them: for without that he cannot do. And his searching for knowledge must not only be for the general, but for the particulars of his place, what command is sent to him; and then faithfully do it, that God's covenant may stand: We must repent, believe and obey the Gospel and Commandments of God: For it is godliness that hath the promises, and shall have the performance. Let such a one remember, 1 Tim. 4.8. and Prov. 21.21. Yea, he may assure himself, that if he apply himself to that which God requireth of him, and he hath covenanted for, he shall be sure to find him that hath been a willing promiser, a most faithful performer. For parum erat promissio, etiam scripto se teneri voluit, Aug. in Psal. 119. And so no good thing that he hath promised shall fail, but shall all be made good, Joshua 22.15.

My covenant with Levi, ] Here is the honor and dignity he had bestowed upon them, having made a special agreement and covenant with them.

[Doctrine.] The Lord hath specially honored his messengers and servants the Priests in the old, and the Ministers in the New Testament: for he hath not only made the general covenant with them. I will be their God, they my people; but hath made a particular and special agreement and covenant with them: So here, and Numb. 8.13.14. Thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them as a shake offering to the Lord. Thus thou shalt separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. 1 Sam. 2.28. And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my Priest, to offer upon mine Altar, and to burn Incense and to wear an Ephod before me; and I gave unto the house of thy father, all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel. Joh. 15.15. 2 Cor. 3.6.

[Reason 1] Because they are of his privy counsel, and know his secret. Amos 3.7. Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the Prophets. Privy counselors are specially honored and have a particular covenant made with them.

[Reason, 2] Because they are his messengers, his ambassadors, 2 Cor. 5.20. they are specially honored, and new sworn, a new covenant.

[Use 1] No reason why the great and rich men of the world should contemn the ministry for their children, as too base a thing, and not fit for their sons, when as God hath thus honored it, and taken them so near unto himself. In respect of which, Amos, who was believed to be the brother of Azariah, the King of Judah, thought it no base thing his son should be a Prophet; neither Christ himself to be a preacher.

[Use 2] This may be a caveat for men to take heed how they abuse or injure the ministers who are so near unto him, and whom he hath thus honored: certainly they ought to honor him, though it go against the hair, and stomach with them, as with Haman, because he would have them honored; but if not, but they abuse and disgrace them, and use them as the Ammonites did David's servants: Let them take heed they stink not in his nostrils; for if Princes be tender hearted and stone affected, with the injuries of their common subjects, and will revenge them; what will they do for their counselors, their ambassadors? And yet mean men will now abuse them in words, and contemn as far as they can for the law of man; if they sing not placentia, if they teach cross to their humors; but their portion is with the Lord, and so is theirs who so abuse them. And one day they shall both know whether is better to reprove and lift up his voice and spare not, or to spare and reform nothing.

[Use 3] It may comfort the minister against contempt when he is faithful, yet to be still so, and bold, remembering his honor God hath given him, which is better then all the honor man can afford. And though men may think their faithfulness may hinder them from honor, as Balak said to Balaam, Numb. 24.11. Therefore now flee unto thy place, I thought surely to promote thee to honor, but loe, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor yet it is not so: for that is the true honor which God gives, and will give, and no man can take, and they ought as it is 2 Cor. 3.12. seeing they have such hope, to use boldness of speech.

[Use 4] This may teach what manner of men Ministers ought to be, how sanctified, of what purity and integrity, seeing God hath taken them to be so 〈◊〉 unto himself: therefore ought they to be careful that offer them to God, and they that receive them when they offer; and when they receive, not for favor, or money, or kindred, or any such thing. A man will be marvelous careful whom he commendeth but for a common servant to a mean man his friend, more, to a Prince; most, to be so nigh to him. If the Steward of a house be permitted and trusted to admit such as are fit, how careful will he be? If the President of a Princes Council to take in such as are able men, how vigilant and inquisitive will he be, that they be such as be competent for the place: So should it be in this, the like care should be had, and woe unto him that hath not. And men that are in the place, ought to look marvelous carefully to their conversation, & to keep themselves holy. It was taught, Lev. 22.2. ad 10. how unblemished the Priest should be: for if the whole people must be holy, more they. And if they must be darefull of their offering and sacrifices, more of themselves. And if they be not, then ought authority, like Ashpenaz; Dan. 1.3.4.5. to choose out the most unblemished, and look to them, and suffer not them to be good fellows, gamesters, and such like.

Covenant with Levi. ] They took not this calling to themselves, but were chosen to it of God, and he made the agreement and covenant with them.

[Doctrine.] None may take this calling upon them, to be God's Ministers, God's Messengers, and to meddle in these spiritual things, which are proper to the Ministers, but he that is called of God, and with whom God hath made this covenant. The affirmative infers the negative. Hereto belongs that, Numb. 1.51. and 16.10. and 4.15.20. Ezra 2.62.63. Heb. 5.4. This made the Apostles ever avouch their calling, Gal. 1.1. Jam. 1.1. Pet. 1.1. Hereto is that Rom. 10.15. There are three kinds of callings, when men are called by men, and not by God, as first, all reachers: Secondly of God by Ministry of the Word, all ordinary Ministry: Thirdly, by Christ immediately, as Apostles, Gal. 1.1. The first to be abhorred, the third to be admired, the second to be expected of all in an ordinary planted Church, Rom. 10.15. The calling is double, or hath two parts; the first inward ability for gifts, and aptness for mind, willingness and ability. The second is outward, the calling by man, and the Church. Hereto belongs the descriptions of a Bishops and Ministers, set out by Saint Paul 1. Tim. 3.2. whereto else may it tend? if everyone may intrude himself into the Church and the calling, without the call of it, and that, 1 Tim. 5.22.

[Reason 1] Because it is a sin unto them who shall, and a curse belongs to them for meddling with things that are holy, when they are not separated and appointed for them. They are thereby liable to God's judgments, as was Uzzah, 1 Chron. 13.10. and Uzziah, 2 Chron. 26.18.19.

[Reason. 2] Because else the Church should be too much burdened: for when as, 1 Tim. 5.17. The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honor; Therefore many for ambition and ease would challenge the Ministry, and take it upon them for the honors sake.

[Reason 3] Because, 1 Cor. 14.40. Let all things be done decently and in order. Therefore must there be a calling and choosing of them by the Church: for the other is to make all confusion and disorder.

[Use 1] This serves to confute all Anabaptistical dreams, who contemn all ordinary callings, vocations, and think that every man may at his pleasure, and when he list, take this calling, and those Ecclesiastical functions upon them. For if this be found and true, that must needs be false and corrupt, that any should take any part of this calling, without warrant from God, and besides the order that God hath appointed. Yet I deny not but there is a difference where a Church is not yet planted, where everyone that knows Christ may preach him, and labor to gain others that are ignorant of Christian religion, and are not to look for an ordinary ordination. For then is he chosen by the silent suffrages and voices of those who hear, and that is his calling; yet is he not to refuse the ordinary calling, if after it be to be had. But when a Church is already planted; and established; because all things must be done in order, then is required an apparent ordination by voices or imposition of hands; that trouble and confusion might be avoided. Neither do I deny, but sometime there is an extraordinary function, as were the Prophets, not of the Levitical stock, not ordained of the Priests, which God stirred up, when ordinary Ministers could not reform the corruptions of the time; but what he did extraordinarily, is to be admired rather then imitated: For we must follow the prescript rule that is given us, which is, that every man have his ordinary calling which is from God by men.

[Object.] 1 Cor. 16.15. Now brethren, I beseech you, know ye the house of Stephanus, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have given themselves to minister unto the Saints.

[Answer.] The meaning is not, that they called themselves, but that they set themselves apart to the Ministry of the Saints, in the purpose & resolution of their own hearts, and not contemning or neglecting the calling of God by the Church.

[Use 2] To let private men and women see their danger in meddling with those things which are proper to the Minister, when they have not a calling to it. If Uzzah if Uzziah were smitten, how shall they escape? whether they can pretend the authority of the Church, as in the Romish Church they can, for women to baptize, yet shall they not escape for excuse of necessity; it will not serve, because that it is not from God, but it is from man's folly, or ignorance. If it be objected, that it is not then a Sacrament which is given by them, when they have no authority to deliver a Sacrament; I answer: yes, for the Seal is the Princes, though some other then the Lord Keeper set it to by some indirect dealing. And though such a Minister sin in dealing with the Word and Sacraments, yet are they such to the hearer and receiver. Again, that which S. Augustine hath in his second book against Petill. They are true Sacraments though they are not true Ministers; because what they give is not their own, but God's.

[Use 3] To teach every man to be sure, that he hath a calling of God to the Ministry before he take it upon him, that he may be able to say, as Jer. 7.16. I have not thrust in myself for a Pastor after thee; neither have I desired the day of misery; thou knowest that which came out of my lips was right before thee. His calling is his inward gifts and conscience, ability and care to use them; and the outward calling of the Church, 1 Tim. 3.10. For without this may he not do it, though he be never so excellent, as it is dangerous for him to meddle with this without the other. And if his gifts be inferior to many, or as it may be but in his own sense: yet if it be the judgment of others, he may not by modesty or shamefastness refuse, though at first he may profess what he thinketh of himself: yet if they will not change, then must he yield and submit himself.

VERS. V.

MY covenant was with him of life and peace. ] The dignity bestowed upon these Priests consisting in the special Covenant, is here amplified by the parts of the Covenant. First on God's part, which is double, a Gratious promise of life and peace, and a faithful performance.

My Covenant was with him of life and peace ] That is, I covenanted with him, and took him into favor, and made a league and agreement with him; and by my covenant I bound myself to give him first life, that is, length of days here on earth; Saint Jerome's opinion of the life of grace here, and of glory hereafter, is not greatly probable, hardly any instance of the like interpretation, and that peace following after, not so to be understood of spiritual peace, but of an outward prosperity in this life: and so they who incline to Jerome in the former, understand it. And it must needs be, according to that which is Numb. 25.12.13. Wherefore say to him; Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace, and he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of the Priests office forever; because he was zealous for his God and hath made an atonement for the children of Israel. For the covenant of peace is expounded by the perpetual Priesthood. And in other places the branches of this covenant are set down in the abundance of outward things, by the offering and other means both to the Priests, Numb. 18.8. ad 20.26.30. and for the Levires, Numb. 18.21.24.31.

And I gave them him. ] God's performance; As I promised him these things, so I did very certainly and assuredly perform to Aaron, and Phineas, and others, who did perform conditions and covenant with me; and will do to as many as shall so deal also with me.

For my fear. ] Now he comes to the second, containing the conditions performed by Levi, and these are the fear of God and humility. Some read it; I gave him my fear; which is true, and agrees well with the doctrine of faith: for the fear of God is the gift of God, Jer. 32.40. but the words are otherwise: I gave him these for the fear wherewith he feared me. Because he believed my word, and honored me in his place, and looked to my worship in himself and others, I honored him, and gave him these things.

And was afraid before my Name.] Junius readeth it: He was destroyed for my Name: i. for not honoring my Name, Numb. 20.12.24.28. But the whole speech here is against it: for he intending to set forth the care which Aaron and his sons had of the worship of God, and to commend him rather then tax his infirmities. It is rather, he was humbled before me, he walked humbly and lowly and did all in humility, not lifting up himself either for his high calling, or for his faithful service. The parts of the covenant which is the Priests dignity. And first on God's part, and first his promise.

[Doctrine.] Long life and the length of days is the blessing and gift of God, that which he promiseth and performeth to all those who fear him and walk in his ways. Prov. 10.27. The fear of the Lord increaseth the days; but the years of the wicked shall be diminished, and 16.31. Exod. 20.12. Deuter. 25.45. 1 Kings 3.14. And if thou wilt walk in my ways to keep mine ordinances and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, I will prolong thy days. Psal. 91.16.

[Reason 1] Because God will be glorified by his in this life, as the Psalmist, I will not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. Now the longer they live, the more they may glorify God; then it is a blessing.

[Reason, 2] Because it is a blessing to help many, and to draw many unto God in this life, but that is done by living long; seeing it is so long before a man comes to be able to do either; many of his years and days spent before he be fit for it.

[Object.] But many of the children of God die untimely, and live not long; how then is this true?

[Answer.] This is not simply a blessing, as if he were happy that lives long, but as a symbol or sign of God's good favor, and love. If then, he shows his love to some rather by taking them out of this life, then by prolonging their days, he doth the rather perform his promise then break it. A man promiseth ten acres of ground in one field, and gives him an hundredth in another, he hath not broken his promise. So if God have promised long life, that is, an hundred years here, and after not give it him, but gives him eternity in the heavens, hath not broken his promise, for it being not promised as a blessed and happy thing in it self, but as a sign of his good will, which is greater sometimes to be taken out of this life. As Jereboam's good son was, that he might not be infected with the sins of his fathers house, and not afflicted with the sight of those horrible judgments that were to fall upon that graceless family; which was no ill bargain to be taken from earth to heaven, from the conflict to the triumph, from the battle to the victory, from men to God, and to the company of his Angels and Saints.

[Use 1] This is to admonish old men to be thankful unto God for his mercy in preserving them so long, and lengthening their days, specially if they have been found in the way of righteousness. Prov. 16.31. If they have feared God and walked uprightly and humbly before him; it hath been his blessing upon them, and mercy to them; otherwise it hath been but a curse unto them, for they have but lived to heap up wrath against the day of wrath, and to make up a greater measure of their sins, that God may make a greater measure of vengeance. So that it had been better for them never to have been borne, or else to have died so soon as they were borne; for the longer they live, the more sins they commit, and the greater shall be their torments. But greater shall be his glory that is found in the way of righteousness and in well-doing because he hath more glorified God. And he ought still to use this as a blessing of God, that he may glorify him more, and fit himself more for him and for his service; imagining that as old age is a blessing, so is it a bond, that he should perform; as Psa. 71.17, 18. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth even until now: therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works. Yea, even unto mine old age and gray head. O God forsake me not until I have declared thine arm unto this generations, and thy power to all them that shall come. And if he have borne it in his youth it will be less burdensome in his old age, for to others it is heavy.

[Use 2] Then is it lawful for a man to pray for long life, that he may live to glorify God here; so did David, Psalm. 102.27. so Hezekiah, Isaiah 38.3. True it is that a Christian man should be equally prepared to life or death; for in things wherein a man cannot certainly know, which will make more for the glory of God, and their own good and salvations; the will of man should be equally prepared for both, left it should resist God; so in this. And because he should less torment and vex himself with the desire of life or fear of death; yet is it not unlawful for him to pray for life for the grounds before, so he pray for it as for other things, conditionally. Truth is that of Solomon, Eccles. 7.1. The day of death is better then the day of ones birth, because of miseries and fearful times, when it is like as August: to be Diù vivere, diù torquere, to live long, to be vexed long: Or as Cyprian, Death is not only not unprofitable to believers, but profitable; because it sets a man out of danger of sinning, and puts him in a security of not sinning. Yet proves it nor that it is the more to be desired. When as a man may show his patience, and spiritual fortitude in his own miseries, and the more he suffers and conquers, the more he shall be glorified. And in other men's miseries he may show piety, comfort and good will towards other, and mercy to them in their miseries, and find himself the more mercy. And his sins he may break off, not by ending his life, but by amending of it, & by true repentance. And so his age may be a crown of righteousness. He is a wise Physician that knows how to temper his medicine, that it will confirm health: And he is a wise man who learns so to live, that a good death may follow after.

[Doctrine.] Peace, plenty, prosperity, a prosperous estate, and plenty of outward things, a liberal portion, God hath promised, and will perform to those who fear him, and will walk in his ways, 1 Tim. 4.8. Bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, which hath the promise of the life present, and of that that is to come, Deut. 28.1. Psal. 84.11.

[Reason 1] Because they may by them be better able both to glorify God, & benefit men, being helps of their weakness, and strength to their infirmities.

[Reason 2] Because he might encourage them against all the discouragements they shall find in professing his fear, and by these balance them that they be not driven back from him by the tempests Satan will stir up against them.

[Use 1] They who have the true fear of God, may best be, and live without carping care for the things of this life, they may best take the Apostles exhortation; Let their conversation be without covetousness, Heb. 13.5, For they have his promise and covenant to be provided for of a liberal and rich portion: he that hath covenanted with a rich wealthy man, and one of great power, with a Prince of a country, that he shall be in safety and abundance under him for such and such service, hath taken all care he will for it, only his care is to use it well: so it should be with these. And far better may it be, seeing his power and riches exceedeth all: he hath promised, and will perform; and though the Lions lack, and suffer hunger, yet shall they lack nothing at all who fear the Lord. But many wicked men, void of God's fear, have more abundance then most of those who fear him. Be it so; yet is not this crossed: for as the life of man consists not in abundance, so not their prosperity when they have competency. And a little that is sufficient which the righteous hath where there is contentment with it, is better then great riches of the ungodly. And if such have not so great abundance and seem sometime to be scanted, it is either because they have some secret sin known to God which shuts up his hand towards them, or because they seek them indirectly, which God makes frustrate, or he sees how their hearts would be upon them, and stolen away from him, and that riches would devour, or for a time obscure their religion; knowing their hearts better then themselves or as Chrysost. ho. 16. ad popul. Antioch. He first makes men fit to use and dispose the riches he means to give them, and after gives them riches. Which unless he had done, the bestowing of riches had not been a gift, but a punishment and revenge. This public and general charter of God hath these exceptions.

[Use 2] To teach every man what is the nighest and readiest way, what is the Kings high-way to prosperity and plenty, to riches and wealth, the fear of God, and the walking in his ways. Many men who hasten to riches, and have set down with themselves, and resolved to be rich, take many ways to it, by false weights and measures, by cozenning or deceit, by flattery or other wicked courses. Happily a man may come to riches or abundance sooner then another, that keeps the Kings high-way; as he that hath found a bye and casting way, may come to his journeys end speedier then he that keeps the ordinary way; but they shall not prosper with him. Prov. 20.21. An heritage is hastily gotten at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed. But poverty shall come upon him. Prov. 28.22. A man with a wicked eye hasteth to riches, and knoweth not that poverty shall come upon him. And he shall be guilty of much sin, and bring much sorrow upon himself. Prov. 22.20. 1 Tim. 6.9.10. But they who take the right way shall be sure of them, and not find sorrows with them. For so God's blessing makes rich, for they shall have them by virtue of his covenant, and as testimonies of his love, which is far better then far greater riches, if it be but a pittance.

And I gave them him ] That he had promised, that he performed.

[Doctrine.] God in his will and decrees, covenants and promises, is most certain and sure. So much is here, and James 1.17.

[Use.] To comfort those who live in trouble and affliction in this life, the Lord will make good all his promises to them in due time, upon this should they stay themselves as the Anchor hold, fast against all temptations, herewith should they comfort themselves, As Psal. 119.49.50. Remember the promise made to thy servant, wherein thou hast caused me to trust. It is my comfort in my trouble; for thy promise hath quickened me. As Abraham said, Gen. 22.8. God will provide; it may be in this life, but if the leaves fall, the roots are sure to stand; though earthly things are not always performed, because they are not absolutely promised, yet heavenly and eternal shall.

My fear.] Or for the fear wherewith he feared me. ] The conditions on the Priests part are fear and humility.

[Doctrine.] Though men be bound to do and suffer whatsoever God shall lay upon them; and when they have done all, both are, and must confess they are unprofitable servants. Luke 17.10. yet the Lord in his great mercy and goodness propoundeth, promiseth, and performeth a reward unto them here, and Gen. 22.16.17. Mat. 6.4.6.18. Mat. 10.42. Mark 10.29.30. Hebrews 6.10.

[Reason 1] Because of the imperfection and corruption of men; therefore hath he propounded them.

[Reason 2] Because he is faithful, and having promised, must, and will perform.

[Use.] This is to encourage and hearten us to obey in all things with cheerfulness, and to bear all things with patience by the hope and expectation of these things. Heb. 10.32. ad 38. and 11.24.25.26. Mat. 5.11.12. 2 Cor. 7.1. Indeed the most ingenuous, filial & acceptable service, is to obey for the love of God, and that simply without respect of reward, but because of our infirmity that cannot, and God's mercy who hath so provided for our weakness. For as S. Chrysostom speaks, We ought in grievous and irksome things, to consider not the labors but the rewards; as Merchants mind the gain, not the dangers of the sea; so must we look at heaven and the presence of God.

For the fear. ] These blessings of life and peace are promised for God's fear, and this is the condition he required of them for them.

[Doctrine.] He that would have the blessings of God performed to him, which he hath promised, must have this condition of his fear and must fear him, for that he commends here in Levi, he commends to posterity, and commands the performance for the obtaining of the other. Deuter. 5.29. Oh that there were such an heart in them to fear me, and to keep all my commandments always: that it might go well with them, and with their children forever. Psalm. 115.11.13. Prov. 14.26.27. Luke 1.50. This fear of God is a continual reverent awe of him, rising partly on consideration of his power, and partly of his mercy. First, it is a reverent awe, serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice in trembling. Secondly, continued not only for a brunt or in some judgment, as those in Jonah 1.16. but Prov. 28.14. Blessed is the man that, feareth always; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into evil. Thirdly, the grounds, 1. God's power, though there be no expectation of evil, as we reverence a man of authority, though he bear no evil will unto us, but good, even for his authorities sake. 1 Kings 19.13. Heb. 12.21.2. his mercy because he hath shown them mercy and goodness, both in soul and body. Psal. 130.4. Hos. 3.5. Job 1.9.

[Reason 1] Because only they must have them to whom they belong; now as Christ of one, health, Mar. 15.26. And he answered and said, it is not good to take the children's bread & to cast it to whelps. So of all, they are children's bread, only their portion, which are God's. Now they are only his which fear him. Mal. 1.6. Honor is filial fear.

[Reason 2] Because in covenants no man may expect another's promise, but he that performs that he undertook; so in this. And though the mercy of God be great, it is to be expected and found, not when men perform no conditions, but in passing by their infirmities when they perform them

[Use 1] It is matter of comfort to as many as live in the fear and continual awe of God: to them belong the promises, and they shall have the performance of them; for the performing their condition, he cannot nor will not but perform his. They may happily be in reproach and scorn in the time and age they live in, for the fear of God which they profess, the righteous being an abomination to the wicked, and restraining themselves from evil be made a prey to the wicked, Isaiah 59. • 5. yet against these must this comfort them, thinking that these things are but as sower sauce to make sweet and delicious meat more tooth some and more wholesome: neither must it trouble them to see others in abundance, greater then they, and happily when they are such as perform no condition with God at all, but are Atheists and profane blasphemers, and wicked miscreants, and such like: for this should rather comfort them: if he do so in his general providence to those who have no promise, what will he do to those who have the promise? And if he feed the swine, will he starve the children? If the dogs be full, and corn-fed, will he destitute the children when the bread is theirs? He will not sure. It may be they shall not have things superfluous to abuse unto wantonness, and so to grow worse; but they shall have that which is necessary and fitting for them: And that little is better then the others much.

[Use 2] To stir up every man that hath not this fear, to labor and use all means to come by it. It is the condition that makes him capable of the blessings of God, and the lawful heir of them. He that knew a means to make himself capable of some rich man's goods, and to be his heir or executor after his death, would desire it, seek for it, and strive to attain it by all means. Admit it were the reverencing, and honoring, and pleasing of him in all things; would he not be double diligent about it? So in this, every man should pray earnestly for it, and long after it. Nehem. 1.11. Psal. 86.11.

But because many take the comfort to them, who have no part in it, and persuade themselves they have this fear, when they have no portion of it; we may not unprofitably call to mind the five effects, as five notes to know this childelike fear by, handled Chap. 1.6.

He was humbled before me. ] The second thing God commendeth in these as the thing he delights in and approved, and as the condition on their parts, for which he gave them his blessings, is humility.

[Doctrine.] He that is humble and lowly in mind shall receive the blessings of God; to him hath God promised them and will perform them. James 4.6. But the Scripture offereth more grace, and therefore saith, God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble, Psal. 138.6. Prov. 3.34. and 29.23.

VERS. VI.

THe law of truth was in his mouth. ] Here begins the second reason given of the Lord, why he would bring these judgments upon these Priests; namely, their dissimilitude with the former and first Priests, with whom he made the covenant, and to whom he did perform it, Aaron, Eleazar, Phineas. And in this the order observed is, he setteth down in the first part of the comparison, their good and worthy parts which were the predecessors, verse. 6. and the reason of it, verse. 7. There are four worthy parts reckoned of theirs. And these were not of private and particular parts, as they were private men; but they were such parts as were in them as public persons: As if it had reference with the former, he said, he did not only carry himself and approve himself a good and godly man; but he shown himself a wise and complete Doctor, both in teaching the Law and Truth of God, and giving most wise, grave, and wholesome counsel.

The law of truth was in his mouth. ] The first part of the predecessors, which was commendable in them, he was ever most studious of the law of God, and most skillful in it, and taught it most sincerely to his people, ever teaching most sound doctrine to them, that they might observe my precepts.

And there was no iniquity found in his lips. ] The second thing commendable; he never propounded or taught any error, he never deceived any of my people to draw them from my true worship; but taught ever that which was wholesome and good. Iniquity is commonly taken for the pervertion and depravation of the known right, and is opposite to equity and truth.

He walked with me in peace and equity. ] The third thing commendable; the sum of it is, he lived and performed the duty of his place without all negligence & unfaithfulness, approving himself to God and men. He walks with me, i. he was most careful to please me, and to approve himself unto me, to worship me as I required, and followed not the wickedness of the age, nor was corrupted with the depravations of the time, whereby men were depraved in my service and fear, as Gen. 5.22.

In peace. ] That is peaceably, not provoking me to anger; but cleaving fast unto me, and obeying my will, so that I had no cause of expostulating or quarrelling with him. Cyril saith, To have peace with God, is nothing else but to desire to know and do that which God requires, and to offend him in nothing.

And did turn many from iniquity. ] The fourth thing commendable in them, was, that by their exact walking, and faithful teaching, they helped to turn others from their sinful ways. Out of the coherence, that from their personal and inherent virtues, he proceeds to the virtues of their place, and their public actions and carriages; we may note:

[Doctrine.] It is not enough for a man to be honest and good in himself, in his own person; but if he have any place, either more or less public, he must be good & faithful in that, if he would be approved of God: As if he be a Magistrate, or Minister, or officer, or master of a family. As this is manifest in the coherence: so by that, Gen. 18.17.18.19. & Exo 18.19.20.21. Hence is both the commendations & blemish of old Eli, he was a good Priest, a good Magistrate, but a bad father; in the more public, good; in the less, defective, 1 Sam. 1.2. Hence we read in Scripture, the commendations of good governors, and Kings, both for their private parts, and their public virtues: In themselves fearing God, and in public discharging their duties sufficiently and faithfully. And in the New Testament we find not only private and personal duties prescribed to Masters, Fathers, Husbands, to Ministers and Magistrates; but specially public, Ephes. 5. and 6. Col. 3. and 4. 1 Tim. 3.2. &c. Tit. 1.6. Hence the commendation of the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, though he was defective in personal, Rev. 2.2. and the reproof of the Angel of Pergamos, verses 14.15.

[Reason 1] Because he more glorifies God: for though his good works, as a private man, do glorify God; yet nothing so much as his faithfulness in his place public, which makes that God is glorified much more, and of more. An annual Magistrate may procure the glory of God more in that year, then in all his life: not only because Regis ad exemplum, &c. but because they may command and compel moe.

[Reason, 2] Because this will blemish the other their private parts, and bring God's judgments upon them, at least temporal, as in Eli, and the Angel of Pergamos.

[Use 1] This may let all those see their error and corruption, who take places, or seek them only for the honor and dignity of them, without either ability for the duties, or conscience and care to perform those public duties, only it sufficeth them that they have some faith and fear of God, as other private men have, and never show themselves faithful in their public places, never regard to do and execute the places. But of few fathers of families can God say as of Abraham; nay, he knows the contrary, that they took the place with no mind to do any such duty, and so execute it still. So of Magistrates and Ministers. They are brought, or thrust themselves, before they be called upon the stage of the world; and when they are on it, do no more then make a dumb show, perform no more then looks on, or but things that must be done of course, and would be though they slept: which is the fault not only of men profane, or but civilly honest; but of men who profess the fear of God; and may well be thought to have some good measure of it, and go for good and truly honest men. Yet it is their blemish, that they are careless of the duties of their place. That as he said, An evil man may be a good Citizen: we may say, Good men are evil Citizens, Masters, &c. which blemisheth much their private graces in the sight of God and good men. And upon many hath, and doth, and will bring particular and temporal judgments, from their families, and servants, &c. For this is a grand cause why good men, fathers of families, have such graceless children, and corrupt servants, Ministers such untoward flocks, Magistrates such people.

[Use 2] This may admonish and instruct all that have the faith and fear of God, to join with it this care of the duties of their place whatsoever it is; that they must have, because these duties though they be profitable for the common good, yet are they not acceptable from him. As he saith, Cypriansec. de zela & livore, that performeth holy things and is not a consecrated Priest, doth things in respect of himself, childish and unprofitable though they may be good to others. So he that doth things without faith and the fear of God, they are unprofitable, yea wicked and damnable sins, howsoever they may benefit others; so may I say of these; but yet this had, will not bear out, nor excuse the negligence and not doing the duties of his place. It may make the infirmities of them passed over, but not defend the omitting of them. Therefore to be accepted of God, men must also be careful of that: Masters, &c. The excuses that commonly are pretended will not go for currant; servants will not abide with me, if I instruct, correct, and restrain them, as duty and reason requireth. First, see whether thou art not the cause why they are so intractable, either not seeking by prayer a blessing upon thy government, or dealing hardly and passionately in thy government, as if thou hated them, rather then loved good things, or thy servants see thee do contrary to that thou directs them; for if none of these, God will persuade them to be tractable and bend their hearts, or else know that he would have thee purge thy house of them, as David said and did his, of his said lewd servants; lest us God prospers a bad household for a good servant, so he curse a good household for a bad servant. Ministers excuses of the untractablenesse, and unwillingness of their people which may happily come from their former negligence, or indiscretion; or if God do not bless his labors to them, his reward shall be never a whit the less, nor he less acceptable, so he do his duty. Magistrates and Officers, that they shall be accounted busy, officious, and pragmatical, and it may be when they are out of their office they shall have actions against them for this and that usage; they may happily be justly so accounted, because they follow and do things in humor not in conscience. If they do not, they need not doubt of God's protection, and of good success, and should rather fear an action from God then men, besides the loss of the good they may have by doing it. But to all I say as she said to the Heathen King, do me justice, or else cease to be my King. So let them either do the duties of their places or else never take them, or speedily give them over and leave to be masters, &c. Or else they must know that if God will not justify; he will condemn.

The law of truth was in his mouth. ] He taught the truth and word of God, and nothing but that, and that wholly.

[Doctrine.] The Minister of God must deliver to his people, the law of truth, and it only; only the word of God and nothing else, Rev. 2.7. hear what the spirit saith.

The law of truth was in his mouth. ] He taught the truth and nothing else but the truth, and the whole truth, all the truth not keeping anything from them.

[Doctrine.] The Minister must deliver to his people the whole truth of God, all his will and counsel whatsoever he hath commanded and revealed. Levite. 10.11. Deut. 5.27. Mat. 28.20. Acts 10.33. and 20.27.35.

[Reason 1] Because else he cannot be free from the blood of his flock, that is, the perishing or slaughtering of them, sanguinis, i. caedis, saith Chrysostom, upon Acts 20.26. For if Paul be free from their blood and from their murder, because as he said Acts 20.26.27. I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have kept nothing back, but have shown you all the counsel of God. Then will this by the contrary follow.

[Reason, 2] Because else they should not be faithful neither to him that sent them, nor to them over whom they are set; for what fidelity can there be when for their own pleasures or respects, they shall not deliver the whole he commanded, and might be profitable to them. 1 Cor. 4.2. And as for the rest, it is required of the disposers, that everyone be found faithful.

[Use 1] This will cross their opinion who affirm many things in the word, are unfit to be delivered and taught to the people, and are ready to scandal and stumble at it, when at any time they are. But if the Minister must deliver the whole truth, If Rom. 15.4. Whatsoever things are written aforetime are written for our learning, that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. If Deuter. 29.29. The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Why should they nor be taught? It is certain that many things ought to be spoken wisely, discreetely, in their fit and due times; but yet all things must be delivered. That which Jerome counseled Laeta for her daughter, that the book of Canticles she should read last of all the Scriptures, when without danger she might, lest in reading it in the first place, she should be wounded when she was not able to discern spiritual things and spiritual love under carnal words. It may be a rule for all things of the like kind: for as Hilar. Psa. 134. As an unskillful man coming into a field abounding with wholesome herbs, passes by all, as of no more use then the grass; but a skillful one otherwise: So of the Scriptures. And as Bernard; Why may I not draw a sweet and wholesome repast of the Spirit, out of the sterile and insipide letter, as grain from out the husks, as the nut from out the shell, as the marrow from out the bone. And as Basil; All bread affords nourishment for health; but of no use ofttimes to the sick or queamish: so is the Scripture pure unto the pure. And if any seem unclean and uncomely, it is to those that are such in themselves. For other things that men think unfit to be taught because of the greatness of the mystery, and the depth of them; I say as to the former. If Paul have written of election and reprobation, and hath said, All things that are written are profitable, and are for learning, in the same Epistle where he specially handles those things, why should they not be taught, but with wisdom in their place. That which S. Chrysostom speaks in another case, we may apply to this: A petty School-master, that takes a young child from his mothers lap, ignorant yet of all things, only teacheth him his first letters, whom another master takes, and instructs after in higher learning: so in the knowledge of the Scriptures. For as all men cannot dive, and fetch precious stones from the deep, but he that is cunning, and hath the Art of it: so not all, but the wife, can either teach or conceive the deep mysteries. First children must be taught letters, then syllables, after words, then construction, and after all the matter. So is it here.

[Use 2] This teacheth the Minister of God how diligent he ought to be, both in his private state and public preaching, both to find out the whole will and counsel of God, and to deliver it to his people; he must exercise himself in diligent reading of the Scriptures, and comparing of spiritual things with spiritual, as Daniel did, Chap. 9.2. his time must not be spent in hunting after profits and preferments, not in idleness, pleasures and pastimes, more than such recreation as is helpful to make him fit in body and mind for his Ministry: Ars is longa, and vita is brevis, therefore had he not need to lose no more time then needs must, but spend it so, as that the Scripture may dwell in him, by which he may be made perfect to his works, 2 Tim. 3.17. Then must be instant to teach it, cap. 4.2. To deliver the whole counsel of God. But no man knows the whole counsel of God, how can he deliver it to others, and many have not life and time to deliver it? If any man know it not by his own fault, not searching for it, not studying and endeavoring, it will not excuse him, but condemn him the more. If God hide something from him, it is, without doubt, such a thing as is not so profitable to be known or taught, and not required of him. If God shorten his days, and that in the first year, or second of his Ministry, there is no more required of him then he can perform, so the default be not his.

[Use 3] To teach the hearers, that they must endeavor by diligent hearing, to know from the Ministers, the whole law of God, the whole counsel of God; for therefore must the one teach, that the other may receive it. For he would not have it delivered only because it should be spoken, but that it should be learned and received. If any say, they are not able to conceive, and are not capable of it: I answer, their children at first are not capable of all the learning the School-master can teach them; yet at length, and by success and progress, he learns as much as he can teach him, and is fit for a higher School: So may it be with them. The wit and capacity of man is compared by one, to the womb of a woman, which at the first is not able to contain the infant, if it were at first conception as perfect for quantity, as when it is borne: but as parts are added to parts, so is it enlarged, so they, when Christ is formed in them.

And there was no iniquity found in his lips. ] The second commendable part in them; they never taught error nor deceived his people with lies.

[Doctrine.] The Minister of God must not corrupt the doctrine of religion, nor teach any error unto his people, whether touching knowledge or obedience, in matter of doctrine or manners. If it was Aaron's commendations, it is others commandment. Hence are the reproofs, Isa. 3.12. Jer. 23.13.16. Ezek. 13.10.14. Acts 20.29.30. 2 Cor. 2.17. Gal. 1.8. Jude verse. 13.

[Reason 1] Because when he exhorteth and persuadeth, he may the better be believed, and prevail. For the case is here as in common affairs, once taken in a lie, hardly believed afterwards: so once in an error, and uncertain in his judgment, hardly believed again, and things before and after will be doubted of.

[Reason. 2] Because he being a guide of others, a leader of the blind, it is not with him as with another; a private man, whose error may live and die with himself; but it is the hurt of many, even so many as are led by him, who are readier to wander with him, then to walk in the right way after him.

[Use 1] This showeth how far the Priests of Popery are from being true and commendable Priests before the Lord, who deliver nothing but lies unto their people. For as they have turned the truth of God into a lie, hardly holding any one point of the truth truly and uncorrupt, but having falsified all the truth of God: so that which they specially preach unto the people, are lying legends, the false reports of lying and false Saints, their lying miracles of foolish, childish, ridiculous impossible things that were done by them. That Paul said of the Cretans, Tit, 1.12. so I may truly of them. It were infinite and unprofitable to enter particulars: This one thing may sufficiently prove that they have no meaning the people should be taught the truth, seeing it is manifest they forbid their Priests to read such things as they may understand the truth by, to teach the people, or to see more of the truth then ordinary men do. For there was an inhibition by his Holiness, that no Priest should be allowed to read Bellarmine, because he hath more truly set down the truth, as we hold, and more largely then others have done: therefore none may read him without special license, lest they should see the truth; and none must be licenced but such as are sufficient grounded Priests, that there is no fear they should receive any tincture of the truth, being such obstinate heretics already.

He walked with me in peace and equity. ] The third thing commended in him; his sincere, faithful and upright walking in his place and calling.

[Doctrine.] The Minister of God ought to walk with God in peace and equity; that is, to have his conversation so holy, faithful, religious and godly, that it might be pleasing and acceptable to God, and give him no cause of quarrelling and contending with him. Commended here. So Mat. 5.15.16. 1 Tim. 4.12. Tit. 2.7. 1 Pet. 5.3. The reproofs of all of corrupt lives and conversation in the old and New Testament prove this.

[Reason 1] Because they are ever to be near unto the Lord his remembrancers for his people: Now they who must live ever with him, and should entreat him for others, they had need be such as he will like of and approve. They who are ever in Princes Courts nigh them, ought to be clad in white and fine apparel: they who must commend the suites of others, had need be in favor and liking themselves.

[Reason 2] Because they must deliver his will to his people, preach his word and perform his ordinance; which lest they should make to be abhorred for their corruptions, as queasy and full stomachs will do meat, for the sluttishnesse of the Cook; and many the gifts of Princes, if the bringers be leprous, or have the pest; As the people abhorred the sacrifice because of the wickedness of Eli's sons.

[Use 1] To reprove the Priests, of Popery, who impropriate unto themselves to be the only Priests and Ministers of God. To which we may have enough to say out of Bellarmine's defense of John 23. lib. 4. de Pont. Rom. cap. 14. He was accused in the council of Constance for denying the resurrection of the body, and everlasting life. Bellarmine's first answer is, that he is not bound to defend him; because he was not certainly and undoubtedly Pope: For at that time there were three Popes, Greg. 12. Benedict. 13. and John 23. and whether was, could not be determined, they all had many and singular portions. (A monstrous body which had three heads or no head.) He answers secondly, that he had no such •• rour imputed to him for certain: for, saith he, there were 53. Articles put up against him; but all touching his life and manners, and were proved by witness. And other Articles were objected without witness, whereof this was one. Then was he found faulty in his manners in 53. crimes. His third answer is, that this was only proved against him by the tumour of the common people, who seeing John of so dissolute a life, begun to think and to speak it abroad, that he believed neither eternal life, nor the resurrection of the body: for it had been unpossible he should have lived so, if he had been persuaded of either. Now if the head be thus, the whole body is sure no better, they so depending upon him as they do. For to use Pintus similitude in Isaiah, one of their own against themselves. As in a fish, the head being corrupted and putrefied, the whole body is corrupted: so saith he for a Common-wealth (I for their Church) when the principal is corrupted, the other must needs be: and he that would know whether the fish be corrupted, must behold the head which is first corrupted. So in this.

[Use. 2] To admonish the Ministers, that if they would be accepted of God, they must walk faithfully before him, and with him have their conversations sincere, without hypocrisy, upright, without turning aside after the corruptions of the times. They must be as stars fixed in the firmament, that though the clouds be carried up and down with the wind, yet the stars being lift above that region, should remain fixed, seeing God hath taken them into his own tabernacle of heaven, as it were: therefore is it not enough for them to exceed others in knowledge, but they must also surpass them in holiness and piety. They have or ought to have more knowledge, after that must be their piety and practice. They come nearer to God, they should be the liker to him: They are the guides of the people, they should go before them, and be not like to our shepherds which drive their flocks before them but like the shepherds of the Jews, which went before their stocks, not like him that said, itc, but to him who said venite, how should they else prevail with God for his people: or with the people for their God, when they make themselves unacceptable of God: yea, hateful by their sins, and the offering of God and his service loathsome, and to be abhorred of the people for their corruptions. The Lord forbad to Aaron and all his forever, strong drink, Levite. 10.9. forbidding by it all excess which might make them any ways unfit for the service of God. The penalty is death; how shall they escape God's judgments who are drunkards, deceivers, swearers, and such like?

This commendation given to the Priest, may teach also a general instruction to all.

[Doctrine.] Everyone that walketh with God, cleaveth to him in uprightness, and his worship is acceptable in him.

Some Papists would hence gather, that a man may be perfect in this life: For out of this will follow, say they, that the high Priest was perfect. I answer, that if either they knew themselves, or knew the Scripture, they would never gather any such thing; for who knows himself, and finds not himself at the best estate full of corruption? as Saint Paul did, Rom. 7. Or who knows the Scripture; and can be ignorant, that he was never yet found since the fall of Adam, which had not his taint and corruption? Not the dearest Saint of God. And for the particular, Aaron the high Priest had his sin divers times: For he yielded to the people to make a Calf, Exod. 32. He are not the offering according to the Law, Levite. 10. And so transgressed, that God threatened and performed it, that he should not set foot in the land of Canaan, Num. 6.2. If this be so, then could he not be perfect.

[Object.] But how is it true, he had no iniquity in his mouth? and Jam. 3.2. for in many things we sin all, if any man sin not in word, he is a perfect man, and able to bridle all the body.

[Answer.] It is true, if he sin not in his tongue at all; but no such thing is here given unto him, he is made found in his Doctrine, not in his whole speech. A man may be perfect in his place, but never in his person. Again I say, as there is a double justice, so there is a double perfection: one legis, which hath all the points and parts of justice, and all the perfections of all parts which some call, Perfectio graduum obedientiae, which was never in any but Christ, and Adam for a while. Another Evangelii, which hath all the parts of true justice, but it wants the perfection of those parts. As a child hath all the parts of a true man in the infancy, though it want perfection of stature, and tallness, and strength, which is called of some, Perfectio partium, because all are there in truth; which is nothing else but the conversion of a sinner, with a purpose, will and endeavor, with integrity and sincerity to please God according to all his commandments. And thus was Job just and perfect, Noah, Zacharias and Elizabeth, &c.

He walked with me in peace and equity. ] Therefore in peace; because in equity, being upright in his conversation, he had peace with God, and peace with himself.

[Doctrine.] They who walk uprightly, and walk with God in equity and righteousness, they, and they only walk in peace, shall have true inward peace with God and themselves. To this purpose is that of Isaiah 54.13. Psal. 119.165. Joh. 14.27. and 10.33. Phil. 4.5.6.7. e contra Isai. 57.20.21.

[Reason 1] Because he is justified, that his uprightness and sanctification showeth: for it proceedeth from justification, as fruit from the life of a tree. Now he that is justified, and he only, hath true inward peace, Rom. 5.1.

[Reason 2] He that walks not uprightly, can have no assurance of his justification, and so remission of his sins, and so no peace and quietness. A sinner is as a debtor sued to judgment.

And did turn many away from iniquity. ] The fourth thing commended in him, that he labored so diligently, and so effectually, and walked so carefully, that many who were borne and bred in sin and iniquity, and continued in it as slaves of Satan, were turned from it to God and godliness.

[Doctrine.] The Minister of God must and ought to turn many from sin and Satan, to God & godliness; that is, he ought so to teach, so to labor, and so to walk, that by the blessing of God upon his endeavors, many may be gained to God out of the bondage of sin and Satan, be called and converted unto God. This is given unto the Word, Psal. 19.7. in the Ministers preaching of it, Rom. 10.14. Isai. 49.5. Ezek. 3, 17, &c. and 33.7. &c. Matth. 28.19. Acts 18.9.10. 2 Tim. 2.24.25.26.

[Reason 1] Because he shall be free from their blood and perishing, not only if he convert, but if he so labor as they may be converted, though they never be: for it not being in his power to work upon the heart, and to alter it, if he do what he can by all means to the outward man, he is free; else he must be culpable and guilty of his perishing. If in Ezekiel's parable, Chap. 33. a watchman set up of themselves, shall answer for their bodies, if they perish for want of warning; what shall he do that is set up of God?

[Reason 2,] Because if God do make his labor effectual, his honor shall be the more. I cannot say as Chrysost. Non minus praemii, if he come without them, he shall not lose his labor, but less sure, because of that, Dan. 12.3. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament: and they that turn many to righteousness, shall shine as the stars forever and ever.

[Use 1] This reproveth and condemneth all Preachers and Ministers, who do not labor so in doctrine, and live so in practice, that men may be converted to God from iniquity; but by negligence and corruption, suffer men to remain still in their sins: yea, harden them in their iniquities. They are far from their duty, and far unlike to these Priests, who were thus approved and commended of God.

[Use 2] To teach all Ministers so to preach, and so to live, that they may convert men to God, and turn them from iniquity: They must exhort, improve, and rebuke with all meekness, longsuffering, constancy and courage, that there may be nothing wanting in them, why they should not be turned. This is his duty, and he that is a Priest, and rebukes not delinquents, he forsakes the office of a Priest. In the doing of it faithfully, he may well expect a blessing from God; because of that Isaiah 55.10.11. Surely, as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth; and maketh it to bring forth and bud, that it might give seed to the sower, and bread to him that eateth: so shall my word be, that goeth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I will, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it: And if he do waste himself, hazard his life, and spend his strength, and gain but one, or few, it will be the recompense of his labor. The Captain that redeems and recovers but one captive, whose freedom is desired by his Prince, shall not lose his reward, though he shall have greater that recovers more. So in this. Dan. 12.3. And if God do not bless his labors, yet if he be not wanting in his duty, care and endeavor, but be found wise and faithful, he shall be rewarded. Isai. 49.5. And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, that I may bring Jacob again to him, though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.

[Use 3] This may teach us why the Ministry of the Word, and the Ministers of it, are so harsh and so unacceptable unto most men, if they be faithful, and will seek by all means to convert men to God; because they must turn them from their sin, separate them and their iniquities, which they love so dearly, as Micah 6.7. Sin is either natural, or by custom, or both; natural diseases are almost incurable, and no less diseases that grow into a custom, which is another nature: And the Physician that should go about to cure these against a man's will, should have little thank for his pains, and be not greatly welcome, when such things cannot be removed without most sharp and bitter medicines, great pain and grief: So in this. And here is the cause why many a man's ministry at the first coming to a place, is very acceptable for a while, because he speaks things good and wholesome, but somewhat generally, because he knows not the state of his flock and people: but after he hath lived some years, and sees their sins, and begins to speak home unto them; then is he unacceptable, because he would part them and their sins. As that Minister that should persuade a divorce betwixt a man & his wife which he loves most dearly, should never be welcome to his house or company: so in this. It may be it is but the same he hath often spoke of before, but then it was borne; because they probably conjectured, he meant not them, but when he hath been a while with them: that it is like he may know them to be guilty of that sin, though happily, and ten to one, he did not, then is it tolerable, because they think he would separate them and their beloved sin, their profitable and delightful sin. All the while he will preach peace and comfortable things to them, and bring the word of reconciliation, and tell them of God's love, and God's mercy, and that he is sent to woo them to be married to God: all that while he shall be kindly welcome. As he that should sue for a Prince, to win the love of a woman to him, all the while he tells of his honor and riches, and beauty, and such things, he shall be kindly welcome: but if he come to tell her, that she must separate her self from some place and company she loves well, and change her manners, and forsake her friends and fathers house; he shall find his entertainment, both for usage and countenance, changed: So in this. Which makes oftentimes Ministers, if they be not the more faithful, grow cold and careless, and so fall into many grievous sins.

And turn many from iniquity. ] In themselves, and of themselves by nature, they were in iniquity, carnal, and sold under sin, Rom. 7. till the Minister by the word brings them out of it, and turns them to God from sin, and makes them his.

[Doctrine 1] No man naturally is God's, but a slave to sin and Satan, till he be turned and converted by the preaching of the Word, and work of the Ministry.

[Doctrine 2] Turn from iniquity. ] Their conversion to God, and their calling, is thus noted, By turning from iniquity. To note this unto us:

Those who are truly called and converted, are turned from their sin and corruption; that is, washed cleansed and purged from them, 1 Cor. 6.11.

VERS. VII.

FOr the Priests lips. ] In this verse is the reason of the precedent duties required in others, and commended in those with whom God made his covenant at first, generally commanding a duty of the Priest, or a double duty, because by knowledge and law some understand two several things. It depends upon the former thus: These things he ought to do: for he ought to be a man of knowledge, &c. Some read them, Doth preserve, in the present tense; but commonly it is read in the future: Not to note out a promise, as if the Priests lips should never err, but should be so kept, that he might not err. But it is a commandment, showing how he ought to be qualified.

Shall keep. ] It is not, saith S. Jerome, shall bring forth, or produce: for that was spoken before; but shall keep, that he may speak it and produce it in time, and may give his fellow servants their portion in due time. Some take knowledge here for the understanding of the spiritual and heavenly mysteries, as the Law after, for the rule of the composing of their manners and actions: And these are said to be the Priests, because they must study the books of divine wisdom, by which they become more wise and more learned then the rest of the people.

And they should seek the Law at his mouth. ] That is, they ought to require from his mouth who ought to teach it them, Levite. 10.9.10.11. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. The Law, saith Bernard lib. 2. de Consid. Non nugas profecto, vel fabulas: Not toys and fables. S. Cyril, Ait nomine legis contineri omnium ad been vivendum necessariorum cognitionem.

For he is the Messenger of the Lord ] This is a reason for confirmation of the former; he must be a man of wisdom and knowledge, because he is one God hath made choice of, to be his messenger to carry and declare his will unto his people: He is called Angelus, not that he was so by nature, but by office.

In the verse we observe two things, two duties, and one reason enforcing both. The first is the Ministers duty, he must be a man of knowledge, learning and understanding.

[Doctrine.] The Minister of God, he that is to go in and out before God's people, ought to be a man of learning, knowledge, and understanding in the word of God, and of the mysteries there delivered. It is so here commanded. This Elisha knew well, therefore 2 King. 2.9. he asked a double portion of Elijah's spirit. Matth. 13.52. Every Scribe which is taught unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure, things both new and old. Therefore are they compared to stars, Rev. 2.1. Made the light of the world, Matth. 5.14. To prove that stars should have light, that the eye should have sight, were needless: for all know and will confess it, Tit. 1.9. God's stewards, of whom as they must be faithful, 1 Cor. 4.2. so also skillful, seeing he hath the keys of the kingdom of heaven Haggai 1.13. he is the Lord's messenger. 2 Cor. 5.20. in God's stead.

[Reason 1] Because he is God's messenger, as Paul, 1 Cor. 5.20. God's Ambassador; now necessarily it follows, that the Messenger and Ambassador of a Prince should know and understand his Masters will, what he is to speak and to deliver in the name of him that sent, to those to whom he was sent: so in this.

[Reason, 2] Because he ought to instruct the ignorant, to strengthen the weak, to exhort and excite the slow and cold, to confirm the truth, to confute error, and improve them that speak against the truth, being every way both able and apt to teach, as the tenor of the Epistles to Timothy and Titus do run.

But this cannot be done, except he be a man of knowledge and understanding of the word.

[Use 1] This admonisheth all those, who are by God and Man, God and his Church, put in trust, and credited with the choice and election of fit men for this calling and function, that they impose not hands upon any, neither admit any to this place, but such as are able men, such as after trial & examination are found fit and sufficient for it. If they lay their hands suddenly and foolishly upon any, they shall be partakers of their sins, and not be pure, as 1 Tim. 5.22. And where sin cleaves to the hand, the rod and judgment will be upon the back. The General that for his proper gain, or private respects, shall admit Captains and Colonels, and Marshals, for the leading of several Bands, which have no skill in War and Marshall affairs, that when the field is to be fought, are not able to lead their bands & to go in and out before them, can never answer it to their Prince if it he known, that this is the cause why the Battle succeeds so badly, why so many perished and the enemy gathered ground upon him. So in this. I think too many may say of those whom they have ordained, as Marcianus said, when he heard how Sabbatius demeaned himself whom he had ordained a Presbyter, It had been better he had laid his hands upon thorns, then by the imposition of his hands to have designed Sabbatius to the degree of a Presbyter.

[Use 2] This reproveth those who think anybody sufficient for the Ministry: As corrupt Patrons and Parents and such like; ungodly Patrons to enrich themselves, and better their state and portion, think anybody sufficient to discharge, if he can change Peters voice, Acts 3.6. Silver and gold have I store; or if he want that, if he can part stakes, and divide it, take thirds, or stand to his courtesy, though he have not a whit of Elisha's spirit, nor any knowledge in his lips; such a one, if they may be judges, there is none to him, as David said of Goliath's sword, and more fit then one that hath Elisha's double spirit doubled upon him, and will look as he may to have that which God hath given him. If we will make them judges, either the Apostle Paul forgot himself, or the Printer, by negligence left out a word, 2 Corinth. 2.16. for it should be, Who is not sufficient for these things? But these Jereboam's, which bring in Ministers of the lower sort of the people; because they fill the hand, shall have Jereboam's punishment, 1 Kings 13.33.34. Like to these are carnal parents, who bring up their children only so far as they may be capable by the law of a living; but care not for other sufficiency: only perhaps for credit and complement sake, that they be able now and then to make a Sermon in some place of honor and fame: And they will provide and purchase livings and benefices for them, and thrust them into them. To these, and their like, I may apply that, Dan. 1.10. And to these may I adjoin those Ministers which themselves having knowledge, yet I know not out of what corruption it cometh, they think a few men of learning is enough. If a few Parishes in a City or Country have learned men and preachers, as if all Ministers should not be men of knowledge.

[Use 3] To reprove all Ministers who are ignorant, whose lips have not knowledge; who though they should be good Scribes, yet are as ignorant of the word of God, as Samuel was in his childhood of the voice of God, 1 Sam. 3.4. So unable are they for that place. Like to Balaam, Num. 22. that though God forbad him, yet for gain he would needs go: So these, for the wages of iniquity, when as God by denying them gifts, hath said, Go not, yet they will threap kindness of him, and will go. As Ahimaaz, 2 Sam. 18.23. that would needs run to carry the King news from the Campe; but when he came he knew nothing: So these, needs must they be Ministers of the Gospel, Messengers of glad tidings, such as will carry news from the King to the Campe: but when they come to tell their message, they know nothing, no more, or often not so much as many of their flocks, as Hosea 4.4.

[Use 4] To admonish every man how he takes this calling upon him, that he find in himself some competent sufficiency for it, not to be persuaded by friends, drawn by others, not thinking it is enough, when he hath the calling of the Church: for he must be a man of knowledge. These things may increase other men's sins, but not lessen his own; for he must be accepted by that is in him: therefore must he be studious, and of some competent parts before, and still continue in reading, and look to learning, as 1 Tim. 4.13.16. For he shall find himself still bound to study, and to have need of it daily, for so great a work to find out knowledge for his people, the Word being so deep as it is, Bernard.

[Object.] Whether if he have not gifts, not knowledge, is he a Minister or not.

[Answer.] He is, though not such as he should; as he is a Minister which is corrupt and lewd, though not as he should.

From these words some of our Papists do gather that the Priests could not err; and so by consequent not now the Bishops, nor a Council. The reason is, because this is a promise, and God keeps his promises.

To this I answer: It is no promise, but a commandment, showing what manner of man a Minister ought to be: The same which the next sentence is.

Again, I affirm, that if it be a promise, it is general: for the reason is general to all, yea and particular to everyone. But the Scripture is manifest, that both particular Priests, and general Councils of Priests have erred. In general are these, Isaiah 59.10. Jerem. 6.13. and 14.14. which places show, that the most of the Priests and Prophets were then corrupt. Now if there should have been a Council gathered of these, what good might be hoped for from them, by going to the Council; they might have changed their places, but not their minds; they would have been the same in a Council they were at home. Besides, is it not manifest, that Councils have erred? 1 Kings 22. But Bellarmine happily will answer, they were a Council of Prophets, not Priests, gathered by the King, not the high Priest. Then see a Council of Priests gathered by the high Priest erring, John 9.22. and 11.53. and Mark 14.64. But Bellarmine will say, that a Council of the Jews lawfully called before Christ, could not err; but he being come, they might. The ground must be, because they are not Priests, neither the high Priest; but this is false: for the Priestood of Aaron was not abolished till Christ became a Priest, which was not till his sacrifice: for if they had been, then had he sinned in communicating with them. And if this were so, it were marvel how the Rhemists, and the general Popish argument will hold, who by the example of Caiaphas, Joh. 11.49. proves, that the Pope cannot err, though he be wicked: for if he were not a high Priest, then holds not this argument; but he was a high Priest, and they all Priests, and yet they erred, and so may it err. More ingeniously deal Hosius and Cano, affirming, the Council did pronounce a right sentence, when they condemned Christ of blasphemy, that they might establish this, a Council cannot err.

And they should seek the Law at his mouth. ] The commandment touching the people, showing what they ought to do.

[Doctrine.] The people of God, and they who be of his Church, must hear and receive the word of God at the mouth of the Ministers. It is not spoken exclusively, as if these must only hear from the Minister, and not to read themselves: for that is commanded, Joh. 5.39. but principally they must hear it from him, and ordinarily when he speaketh the Word, they must not withdraw themselves, but must hear. This is the order God hath ordained in his Church: This is that is commanded here: so Hag. 2.12. so Jam. 1.16. Isaiah 2.3. To God's house to hear and be taught, there speak the Ministers, Heb. 13.17. Then must they be heard.

[Reason 1] Because they are begotten and borne again of the seed of the Word; but that not by their own private reading, but from the preaching of the Ministers, 1 Pet. 1.23.25. They are the sons of God by faith, Gal. 3.26. But faith is not to be had ordinarily, but by hearing, Rom. 10.14.15.17.

[Reason 2,] Because, as Chrysostom, Hom. 11 ad pop. Antioch. Se quisque per scipsum non facile emendare potest. Men are so partial in judgment, so perverse in affection, oftentimes blinded by one means or another, they see not what is fit for them, and if anything dislike them, not willing to take it to them, then had they need of another.

[Use 1] This will convince of sin all those who hold either in opinion or practice, no such necessity of resorting to the public Congregations, where the Law is to be had from the mouth of the Ministers: for if it be a duty that they should, then must it be a sin to think they ought not, and to withdraw themselves from it; contemning the ministry of the Word, being the ordinance of God, by which he would teach them the Law. Their pretences they hold forth in their defense, are vain: First, they can read at home, and it may be, better Sermons then he they should hear, can preach any. Let me grant them they can; yet follows it not they will: for he that accounts little of God's public ordinance, will hardly perform any such private duty, man's nature being more apt to public then private duties. But say they can, and will, and do it, yet is it faulty, because it is cross to God's commandment, who could as well have commanded private at that time, as public. And though it be in it self good, yet being out of it fit time, it is evil. It is good and lawful for a man to follow his calling, or to build Churches, or to get in his harvest; or to recreate himself in their times; but to do these upon the Lord's day, is evil. As in the body the blood, that is the continent of life, is good, so it be in the proper vessels, the veins: but if out, it is hurtful, and breeds putrifactions and diseases. And as all the members are good in their proper place, but one in another is monstrous, and hurtful, as the finger upon the hand, and in the eye: so it is of these things. Again, what is this, but to cross the ordinance of God? What is it else but to challenge more wisdom to themselves, then God hath, who hath commanded it, who hath given Pastors and Teachers to the Church, who hath bid them preach in season and out of season.

Secondly, they are begotten already, therefore they need not hear. Nay, they are therefore not begotten, because they think it needless. For there cannot be life, but there • ill be a desire of food. They cannot be God's, but they have his Spirit; and where his Spirit is, there cannot be contempt of his ordinance: but it argues they have not his Spirit, nor are not begotten.

Thirdly, you cannot prove we ought to hear so often. Thou must learn and hear from him the whole Law of God, which cannot be heard in a man's life in so seldom hearing, as they can be content only to hear, and much less learned. If they must hear out of season, then oftener then they would, or do. But shall I tell you the true cause of this refusal? It is either pride of heart, whereby they are puffed up with their own knowledge, and condition, and think they know as much and need no more, and are, as the speech is, as well as meat can make them; which is plain hypocrisy: or it is pride of state, when they are puffed up with their wealth and state, and think it enough for the poor to receive the Gospel, and press upon it. It is not for their state and worship to be over attendant, to strive and thirst after the Word, they come more to honor the Word, or to be well thought of by men, then for any good they look to receive by it; which is a spice of Atheism: or it is because of the guilt of their consciences, who find the galling of the Word, who think if they should continually hear it, they should have no quietness in themselves at all, when they can hardly quiet themselves that hear so seldom, which is carnal security; or else he that hath them in a snare at his will, is afraid to lose them: And when he finds that one Sermon makes Agrippa almost a Christian, he is afraid of a constant hearing, lest they should become Christians altogether, and he be cast out, knowing the Preacher is the power of salvation.

[Use 2] To teach everyone to make conscience of this duty, to hear and receive the word of God at the mouth of his Ministers in the public assemblies; it is the commandment of God, he that maketh not conscience of this duty, maketh not conscience of any: For he that maketh no conscience of all known duties, maketh none of any. Therefore should we be glad with David, to go into the house of God, so shall we subscribe to the wisdom of God, who hath so ordained, and given men gifts, not in vain, not for themselves, when as little would save them, but as tears to the mother, and Art to the Be to make honey, &c. so shall we be begotten of God, to be sons, or reformed of God to be holy sons, or repaired by God, who decay in mind as well as in body, and had need of continual instruction as of daily eating. For our work is not like others, saith Saint Chrysostom, who find it as they left it.

They should seek the Law. ] This is the commandment touching the people, that they must receive the Law from the Ministers mouth; and not only receive it, but seek or require it, as it were exact it, as men do for their due, or as servants require their portion from the Steward when he was slack in giving.

[Doctrine.] The people must not only hear and receive the word of God at the mouth of the Ministers, but they must seek it, and require it; seek it with earnestness, and fervent desire: So here: and to the same purpose is that, when the Spirit speaks of buying the truth, Prov. 23.23. and Isaiah 55.1. And hence are the comparisons when it made as milk and men as new borne Babes, 1 Pet. 2. when it is compared to gold, Rev. 2.18. to a treasure, and men to purchasers, Matth. 13.44. to pearls, and men to Merchants, verse. 45.46.

[Reason 1] Because it is that which will make men rich spiritually with riches of faith and piety, and such like: which had, will enrich men, will they seek very earnestly.

[Reason 2,] Because here Christ, and with him eternal life and all happiness, is to be found, and nowhere else, Joh. 5.39. Search the Scriptures: for in them ye think to have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me. Rom. 10.6.7.8. Hence Joh. 6.67.68. Jesus said to the twelve, Will ye also go away? Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. Hence the Gospel is, The grace of God bringing salvation, Tit. 2.11.

[Reason 3] Because without this, whatsoever a man hath else, whatsoever state and condition he is in, better or worse, health or sickness, &c. he can use no state well: for the blessings of God, 1 Tim. 4.5. are sanctified by the Word.

[Use.] To convince of sin all such, as though they hear, yet seek not, nor desire it, have no fervent affection to it.

The Law. ] That is, the simple and plain words of God, not trifles, and fables, and other vanities of wit, but the whole Law, whatsoever he is bound to deliver.

[Doctrine.] The people ought to hear and receive, to seek and desire the Law, the pure Law, and the whole Law from the Ministers. As before, the Minister ought to deliver all: so here they must affect and receive all. So is it here; and to the same purpose is that, Isai. 1.3. For the whole Law is his way. This is proved, Deut. 5.27. Matth. 28.20. 1 Thess. 5.20.21. Heb. 6.1.2. This by the contrary, Matth. 2.11. 2. Tim. 3.4.

[Reason 1] Because they are his people, servants, children, spouse, all which requires they should hear and affect his words, his laws, his will and his precepts, and them all.

[Reason, 2] Because the whole is either concerning God or themselves; God, as it setteth forth his wisdom, power, justice, mercy, and so forth: Themselves, as it offers mercy, or threateneth judgment, as it reproveth evil, or promiseth good.

[Use 1] This will serve to reprove many, and to convince several men of several corruptions, some in one sin, and some in another, who will hear, and seem to desire the Law out of the Ministers mouth, but not the whole. There are some who think many things needless to be known and heard, many things not fit to be taught, as before v. 6. Besides that was then said, I say, let them see if this be not to check the wisdom of God, who hath written both, and preserved the whole to the Church; and if pride did not transport them beyond themselves, it could not be they should be so affected. As wisdom would teach them that many things are necessary, though not the present profit of them appear. For as in instruments only the strings sound, yet are there other things in the whole body, as that whereunto they are tied, the bridge, the pins, which help the music: so in the Prophets, though all be not prophesies, yet they are things to which these are tied and illustrated. Aug de Civ. D. lib. 16.2. And sometimes for those things which signify something, are those things which signify nothing added. As the ground is only plowed and rent up by the plow share, yet that this may be, other parts of the plow are necessary. And humility, if they had any, would teach to suspect their own wisdom, in not seeing the use and end, the profit and fitness of things, rather then questioning and reasoning against God. Others can be content to hear all pleasant things, as the promises and mercies of God, but judgments and reproofs, threats and checks, that they cannot brook; like unto those, who in medicines affect only the smell or trimnesse, or gaynesse of them, as pills rolled in gold, but cannot away with the force of purging and preserving. And see not that a great company more go to hell by presuming in their lives, then by despairing at their deaths. Some can willingly hear that which concerns other men, and their sins, their lives and manners, but nothing touching themselves at all, and their own sins: As men can willingly abide to hear of other men's deaths; but cannot abide to hear of their own. Oftentimes they will make the Minister to believe as they did, Jerem. 42.5.6.7. Then they said to Jeremiah, The Lord be a witness of truth and faith between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us, whether it be good or evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord God, to whom we send thee, that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the Lord our God. But when he shall declare unto them the will of God, that crosseth their affections, they will entertain him and answer, as Chap. 43.2. Thou speakest falsely, the Lord hath not sent thee to say thus. These and such like are here reproved and convinced of the breach of this duty, that they receive not, nor desire the Law of God.

[Use 2] To admonish everyone to labor for hearts willing and desirous to receive the whole law and word of God, as he shall put it into the mouths of the Ministers to dispose it unto them, whatsoever it may be, whether it be pleasant or crossing: For if men deal so with their Physicians, submit themselves to their prescripts, though often they be unpleasant, because they are persuaded of their wisdom, and that they work all by Art; and yet may they sometimes err, how much more unto all that which God hath spoken and prescribed, when they may well know they cannot err, judging of such thoughts, as esteemeth anything superflous or unfit, anything difficult or too deep for them to look into, as suggestions of Satan, and their own corruption, and not rising from God's Spirit, condemning in themselves all such thoughts as gain-say the Word, and any part of it delivered unto them, as unloyall to their Prince and Master, Father and Husband, yea censuring all such affections as gain-say and repine at the Word, which toucheth them to the quick, and their particular sins and corruptions, as fearful fore-runners of some dangerous fall and backsliding; specially when in former times they could endure as much as that, and happily more, to be spoken unto them, or were such as condemned other men for spurning when they were touched. And indeed it is fearful: for it argues, he was either an hypocrite before, or else by reason of some security and carelessness over his own spiritual estate, he is fallen into a spiritual disease and some sins he had not before; and refusing the remedies or the bitter potion which should recover him, he must needs putrefy more. The body that is sick, and the part that is wounded, if either the remedy be rejected, or the salve be pulled off when it is applied, will doubtless grow worse. As he that is sore sick, and grievously wounded, gives hope of his recovery, while he will submit himself to his Physician, and take whatsoever he prescribes him: but he that is but a little ill, and refuseth to hearken or receive anything, gives no hope at all, though his hurt be the less: So in this. Therefore men who would save themselves, must receive the whole: They who will show themselves dutiful and loyal, either his spouse or children must be content to be reproved and chid, when they have given cause, and never love the less, as well as cherished. And it is a good sign of a good heart, that likes his Ministry best, which will reprove and chide him, and not his that will sooth and flatter him.

For he is the Messenger of the Lord. ] The reason of the former: The Priest is God's Messenger, therefore must he be such and such.

[Doctrine.] The Lord he useth the ministry of man in revealing his will to his people, Rev. 3.14.

VERS. VIII.

BVt ye are gone out of the way. ] Or, Ye have departed from that way. The second part of this dissimilitude follows now in this and the next verse, which contains their degenerating, and so their corruption, verse. 8. and the iteration of the judgment, verse. 9. And in the 8. verse there are three corruptions, these Priests be challenged withal, wherein they are most unlike to the former Priests. You are gone out of that way: that is, from the piety and faithfulness of those Priests who lived in the first age, and with whom I made the covenant at first. They neither swerved from that rule, but you have forsaken and contemned my law, and followed your own devices, and sought yourselves and the establishing of your dignity more then my glory, and have sought how to make a gain to yourselves of my worship: You have done this who have the same place, enjoy the same privileges, have the same portion of tithes and offerings they had.

Ye have caused many to fall by the Law: ] the second difference and dissimilitude: That whereas the former Priests by their care and diligence in their places, recovered and caused many to return from their sins, and the breaches of the Law, and to walk uprightly by it: They on the contrary, by their defect and want in teaching, and their passing over their sins as if they saw them not, that they might purchase grace, and procure commodity to themselves. As also by their wicked example they were the cause of the fall of many; that is, that many have sinned, and were not punished, as the word sometime signifies. By the Law, is not meant, as if they did so teach and temper the Law as sometime the Priests did, in giving liberty by it to sin, as to hate their enemies, to lust and covet, so nothing were outwardly acted: but that they caused many to stumble and go contrary to the Law.

Ye have broken the covenant of Levi. ] The third difference: They kept my covenant and were faithful, and I performed whatsoever I promised to them; but you have broken covenant; & gone clean contrary to the agreement which passed betwixt me and your predecessors in whose loins you were, and who made the covenant for you; and so by your iniquities have caused me not to perform to you peace, plenty and prosperity, with length of days. From the general I observe this:

[Doctrine.] Men, of what sort and condition soever they be, ought to imitate and follow the virtue, piety, and faith of their predecessors, whether they were in place, nature, or age. And on the contrary, it is a great wickedness and shame to degenerate from their piety and virtue, to be unlike unto them. Therefore reproves our Prophet these Priests. To this purpose is that Heb. 6.12. and 13.7. and 12.1. inferred upon the 11. and Jam. 5.11. Hence was the commendations of Jehoshaphat, 1 King. 22.43. and of Josiah, 2 King. 22.2. On the contrary, it was reproved in Jehoram, 2 Chron. 21.12. and in the Jews, Joh. 8.39.

[Reason 1] Because God hath therefore written these; he hath written not that they should be known as matter of story, to be made for delight or speech only; but for matter of life and conversation: thereby teaching us what to do in others whose memory is new and fresh, that God may have his end.

[Reason, 2] Because it will not profit them to have descended from, or succeeded such: for as he said of Nobility, what profiteth it a channel or river, flowing from a pure and wholesome spring, if it be corrupt and defiled? Nay, it will the more condemn them, as we may well gather from that, Matth. 12.41.42.

[Use 1] Then are they justly reproved, who talk of doing as their forefathers have done, being neither willing nor able to examine what they did, good or evil; but is all one to them, so they did it before them. Such as our ignorant Papists be, who imitate not the faith, but the infidelity and errors of their fathers; not their virtues and piety, but their vices and profaneness, their liberty and licentiousness. No man will condemn their following of that is good in them, or rather that which had but the show of goodness in them; as their works which were good for the outward act, though not otherwise, their works of mercy and liberality, their zeal, fervency, and diligence in prayer, though their prayers not to be imitated; as a man may imitate the diligence and watchfulness of a thief, but not his theft: the providence of a bad Steward, but not his corruption. But to imitate anything they have done, without choice of their good, is that which is justly condemned: For if the Apostle must not, nor will not be otherwise followed, then 1 Corinth. 11.1. as he follows Christ. If the Prophet forbid us to follow our fathers, if they are condemned for following their forefathers, as did all the Kings of Israel. If that be the commendations of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chro. 17.3. that he walked in the first way of his father David, and not that he imitated him in all things. Is it approvable to follow those who are far inferior to him in all things? Nay, it is that which shall improve their sin, and inhance their punishment, as Isai. 14.21. with 65.7.

[Use 2] To provoke us to read the Scriptures, where we may see the truth, and patience, and piety of our most holy predecessors, and when we see them, to provoke ourselves to imitate them, and to uphold ourselves in right paths by them, Heb. 12.1.

But ye are gone out of the way. ] They had erred from the truth and good ways of their predecessors.

[Doctrine.] The Rulers, Governors, and Ministers of the Church may err, both in matter of doctrine, and of God's worship. Let us look into the book of God, and we shall find this true, not in someone or two, but in the greatest part of them; yea all, for ought we know. First, these things were fore-told: for though the people bragged, Jer. 18.18. The Law should not perish from the Priest, nor counsel from the wise: God threatened the far contrary, Ezek. 7.26. and Micah. 3.6. That the Sun should go down over the Priest. And see the event of this, Isa. 56.10. Zephan. 3.4. Jerem. 6.13. and 23.13. But this was in Israel only: yea, see it in Judah, Jerem 23.14.16. and not in Prophets only but Priests, 2 Chron. 36.14.

[Reason 1] Because their knowledge, be it never so great, is but in part, and imperfect, 1 Cor. 13.9. Now they who are ignorant in part, may err in some things. Ignorantia erroris matter. Bernard ad Cant. nisi ignorando errare non potest. August. Enchirid. Seeing all men are in part ignorant, then they may err; yea the Priest, Heb. 5.2.

[Reason 2] Because they are but in part sanctified, and every man hath some part of the old man in him, as Saint Paul, 2 Cor. 11.5. who had gone as far as any other, confesseth of himself, Philip. 3.12.13. Rom. 7.17.24 Therefore may they in part strive against their own judgment, and be drawn by temptation to defend error. Sometime against their own conscience: for though error in judgment, arise ever of ignorance; yet error in act, as in teaching, in defending and maintaining of error, is joined often with knowledge, and ariseth not out of ignorance, but want of grace and sanctification.

[Reason 3] Because the promise of incessant assistance, and infallible guidance, was never made to any but to the Apostles; because they were to plant Churches where there never had any been before, and to establish a new form of Church government and worship of God, never used or heard of before, therefore to them; John 14.26. and 16.13. which was not a perfect and absolute illumination which the Apostle professeth he had not, 1 Cor. 13.9. but an infallible suggestion of things as occasion required: Which is understood not of things that were expedient for them to know as Christians nor as teachers, which they had already but as Apostles. 1. To be planters of new Churchs, and new government. Now that this was promised to them only, I prove, for it is added, he will show you the things to come; a privilege that no Pope or Patriarch ever durst challenge; and if not this will pass by virtue of that promise, why the other, when they are both in one and the same promise: therefore it was to them alone; yea not so much as the extraordinary Prophets of the Old Testament, had it either promised or performed, as Greg. super 1 Reg. 3.8. observeth: for they had not the Spirit extraordinarily always infallibly guiding them, save when they came with some special message from God, which is manifest by the error of Nathan, when he was out of his message, 2 Sam. 7.3. And of him that was deluded by the false Prophet after he had done his message to Jeroboam, and made to transgress the commandment of the Lord, 1 King. 13.2.18. and 19. which he would not have done if he had not been deceived: for before he would not do it for all the Kings offer, verse. 7.8. and in Jer. cap. 42.4.7.

[Use.] This serves to confute the doctrine of Popery, who hold, that the Church cannot err, nor a Council, which is the representative Church; but they have brought it to a narrower scantling: for the question is wholly about one, for whatsoever they talk of Church or Councils, it cometh in conclusion all home to the Pope, he it is alone that cannot err: For the Church, they grant that any particular Church in the world may err, save the Church of Rome; & that too, if the Pope should translate his Sea from Rome, as Peter did from Antioch thither, Bell. de Pont. Rom. 4.4. For Councils, that a general Council may err, if the Pope do not confirm it. Ibid. 4.3. And e contra Idem de Conc. author. 2.2.5. But if all be true that we have shown, he may err. But Bellar. de Pontif. Rom. 4.3. proveth he cannot: for Luke 22.32. I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not, and so for the Pope, and so he cannot err. It is answered: First, that by faith is not here meant an historical faith, but a justifying faith; not a general faith, but a particular; nor that by which we believe God, but in God: which fails not by error, so it be not fundamental: for so should we condemn all whoever have lived: But when a man doth fall wholly from grace, and ceaseth to be a member of Christ. And that it is so, appears out of the drift and scope of our Savior Christ, for his drift was to arm and protect Peter against that trial and temptation that he then foretold him of: not against error in teaching the Church, but against Apostasy in time of trial. Therefore saith Theophilact in Lucam, he showeth him the particular temptation: for our Savior would not arm there where he was not to be hurt, where there was no danger: not put an helmet upon the head when the heart and breast was to be stricken. And thus much Bellarmine confesseth, when he makes Peters fall to be a matter of fact, to cast utterly off his former profession, and not of faith; and therefore it was perseverance in the habit of justifying faith, not infallibility in the matter of historical faith that Christ prayed for; which so differs, that a man may have the one, that is, justifying faith, and yet hold an error not fundamental to the death, as Bellarmine contends for the Fathers, divers of them. And the other, that is a right belief of the general points of religion, and yet not have justifying faith, nor saving and sanctifying grace, as Bellarmine contendeth the Pope cannot err, and yet confesseth he may want saving grace.

Secondly, it is answered, that that he prayed for here, was a thing not proper to Peter, but common to all the Apostles, yea all the elect; and if the gift and grace be common to all, and conceived, Joh. 17.9.10.20. by the same person in effect the same for all: upon which ground the ancient Fathers apply this place to all the Apostles; yea to all the elect: and if to all, then helps it them but a little.

The second proof he cannot err, is Matth. 16.18. The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church: whence they first reason, that the foundation and roof of the Church cannot err: such as Peter and the Popes his successors. I say nothing that it is not yet proved, that the Pope is Peters successor: nay, it is manifest, that he succeeded rather Simon Maguer then Simon Peter. But I say, that Peter is not the rock. In the words, saith Augustine, there is difference betwixt Petrus and Petra, both in the Greek and Latin. Again, the rock here is not Peter, but Christ, 1 Cor. 10.4. and 3.11. whereunto agrees the Fathers, and their own writers, & also late writers; whereby all color of argument taken from this place for the Pope, is utterly quashed. But grant that they beg: then must it either be in regard of his person; but but cannot be: for the Church cannot be built upon flesh and blood; Or in regard of some superiority and place above the rest. But as that cannot be proved: so the contrary is manifest, 2. Cor. 12.11. Or of his doctrine taught by him, and of the faith of Christ confessed by him, and so it is true. Now this was common to him and all the rest. For as John is called a Pillar, Gal. 2.9. so was James as well as Peter, and all the rest, as Revel. 21.14. To which is that, Ephes. 2.20. with whom the Prophets are joined, because they writ the Scriptures, which is indeed te foundation of our faith; they being put for their writings. Our of all which nothing will follow for the Pope, or nothing in special manner.

I will trouble you with no other reasons, only I will show you this challenge is false, because many of them have erred. The first shall be Marcellus, or Marcellinus, who offered up sacrifice to Idols, and by the Council of Sessa was made to recant it. The second Liberius, whom Jerome and Athan sius affirm to have been an Arian, one that denied the Deity of Christ. Thirdly, Thirdly, like to him was Felix, who was an Arian, as the same Jerome writeth. Innocent the first made both Baptism and the Eucharist necessary to salvation of Infants. Augustine lib. 1. contra Julian. Pelagian. cap. 2. The latter of these errors was condemned by the Council of Trent, Sessio. 5. sub Pio quarto, Canon 4. Fourthly, Leo the first, who died as Arius did, an Arian. Fifthly, Siricius accounted Matrimony, pollution. Sixthly, Vigilius accursed all who affirmed, that there be two natures in Christ. Seventhly, Honorius the first, which taught, as Melchior Cano confesseth, that Christ had not two wills or operations. Eighthly, Pope Stephen the sixth, he abolished all the Acts of Formosus his predecessor, and commanded all that had received Orders from him, to be ordered again: and thought that the Sacrament depended upon the virtue of the Minister. Ninthly, in concilio Ravennae habito John 9. disanulled all the Acts of Stephen: and Sergius the third, all that Formosus had done: And so that which John had done and approved the Acts of Stephen. Some of these must needs err. Tenthly, Gregory the seventh, whom Cardinal Benno in his writing of him, who lived at the same time, makes an Heretic, a Necromancer, a seditious, and a Simonist, & an adulterer, not the worst Bishop, but the worst of all men. A right Hellebrand. Eleventhly, Celestinus the third allowed heresy to break the bond of marriage, and that a man might marry again if his wife fell into heresy, and e contra. So Alphonsus de Castro. Twelfthly, John 22. or 21. who held that the souls separated from the bodies, saw not God, nor rejoiced not with him, before the day of judgment, and was forced to recant it with sound of trumpet by the University of Paris, for fear of losing his Popedom, as John Gerson writeth in his Sermon of Easter. Thirteenthly, John 23. or 22. was accused in the Council of Constance for denying eternal life, and the resurrection of the body.

All which, with many moe, prove manifestly against them, that the Pope can err, and hath erred, and so may still. Bellarmine, I confess, hath a great many of shifts and evasions to clear his holy Fathers, but they are so light and foolish, they are not worth the studying on for the most part.

[Use 2] This teacheth us how dangerous a thing ignorance is, even in every Christian: for if it be the cause of error in the Ministers, it will be in the people. And if the Ministers all, one and other, are subject to error, if they err, and the people be without knowledge, they will go after, taking error for truth; because they are able to distinguish neither the one nor the other. If it were infallible and certain, that their guides could not err, nor their Ministers be deceived, it were no matter though they were never so ignorant; but when it is most certain that they are subject to it, and their erring will not excuse the people, though the other answer for their abusing and misleading of them; their ignorance is very dangerous, and that implicit faith (Popery so much commends) damnable. And in them and others, who would persuade the people they may be ignorant, and a little or no knowledge is required of them, it is suspicious, as if they meant to make a prey of them, & to broach some errors among them: For then (saith Chrysostom ) thieves go to stealing when they have first put out the candle; and then do men utter their bad wares, when they have dim and false lights.

[Use 3] To persuade all men to labor for knowledge, and to increase in the knowledge of the Word and Mysteries of salvation. That they having the rule of truth and falsehood, the word of God may not be carried away with the error of one or many, be they never so great or learned. Err they may, be they never so learned: for they know but at the best in part, and err oftentimes they do, because they are not wholly sanctified. For as the greatest part of a Church is wholly unsanctified: so the best are but in part sanctified, and so are subject to partiality and error; yea, may both err, and defend error against their knowledge, some violent temptation of pride, pleasure, and profit, and such like, carrying them thereunto, seeing none now is incessantly guided and governed by the Spirit. Then had they need of knowledge, that they may try and discern the spirits and doctrines, and he that is not careless which end goes forwards, not reckless for his soul whether it walk in the paths of truth, or in the paths of error, will not be careless for it, and to grow in knowledge. But if they err, how not we? Lookers on may see more then players. We may allude to that, Prov. 28.11. The rich man is wise in his own conceit: but the poor that hath understanding can try him. And God, often to the simple, reveals things, when hid from wise, Matth. 11.25. to humble them, and know themselves but men.

It is a thing that cannot be denied, because stories of all times do manifestly prove it, that sometimes errors and heresies have so much prevailed, that the most part of them who held and possessed great places of office and dignity in the Church of God, either for fear, flattery, hope of gain, or honor, or else misled through simplicity, or directly falling into error and heresy, and departed from the soundness of the faith, so that the sincerity of religion was upholden, and the truth defended and maintained only by some few, and they molested, persecuted and traduced, as turbulent and seditious persons, enemies to the common peace of the Christian world. To say nothing of the times of Christ, and after him of the first Churches in the Acts. This was the state of the Christian world in the time of Athanasius, when in the Council of Selencia and Ariminium, the Nicence faith was condemned, and all the Bishops of the whole world were carried from the soundness of the faith, save Athanasius, and some few Confessors banished with him. So that Hieron. contra Luciferam, Ingemuit totius orbis, & miratus est factum se Arrianum. So Hilarius contra Aux. Episc. Mill. complained that the Arian faction had confounded all. Paphnutius in the Council of Nice for the marriage of Ministers, was alone.

But ye are gone out of the way. ] Though they succeeded them in their places, yet not in their faith, not in the truth of doctrine.

[Doctrine.] There may be an ordinary and external succession of place and person without succession of faith and truth of doctrine. Manifest here in these Priests, who held the places, and did ordinarily succeed the Priests, who were specially approved of God, yet did not succeed them in faith, and in soundness of truth. And as it was in the times before, often a succession of the one without the other. And this is first manifest by the former doctrine: for when it often happened, that all the ordinary Priests, such as had the outward succession, were in error; God exciting extraordinary Prophets to reprove them, as Isaiah, Jeremiah, &c. It must needs be that there was a separation of these two. In particular, it is manifest in the time of Elijah, 1 King. 19.14. So when wicked Ahaz was King, 2 King. 16.11. Uriah the high Priest corrupting the worship. In the Church of the Jews in Christ's time it was so: for they condemning Christ and his followers as schismatical, Joh. 9.22. and 12.42. This is further proved, Acts 20.29.30. These had their succession from the Apostles, and held the same seats, the same places which the Apostles held, yet had not the same truth and faith. So out of the Ecclesiastical stories it is manifest, that the Arian Bishops, as Eusebius Nicomediens. and Eustathius, and others did derive their succession of place, persons, seats and Churches, from the Apostles. For they were called, chosen, and ordained, after the custom of the Church, and had no new, but the lawful calling. So of the Donatists, and Paulus Samosatenus in the Church of Antioch succeeded Peter, as well as they did at Rome. And the Greek Church, judged by the Papists, schismatical, hath her personal succession not only 1200. years, as they confess, from Constantine's time, but long before, from Andreas the Apostle, as Nicephorus lib. 8. Chronol. cap. 6.

[Reason 1] Because the grace of God, and the truth is not hereditary, that men should leave it at their pleasure to their heirs and successors, as they can their places and seats: for John 3. as the wind, so the Spirit, blows where it lists. Not living men can make others whom they gladly would, partakers of their faith and truth: how should the dead and departed? living men more likely.

[Reason 2] Because as in a common wealth, new Lord's, new laws, and succeeding men have different minds, affections, wills, desires, ends, &c. and so change many things: so it is in the Church. And though they should leave them it, as an inheritance, yet we see children hold not their patrimony, but many spend all: so of this. And as is said of Hymenaeus and Alexander, that they made shipwreck of faith, 1 Tim. 1.19.20. So of others.

[Use 1] Then falls to the ground the doctrine of Popery, making this external and personal succession, a note of the Church, and by it would prove theirs to be the true Church. But if there may be such a succession without true faith, and if true faith only makes a true Church, then can it be no true nor certain note. Besides, it is not certain nor expressed in the word of God, that the Pope was Peters successor, no not in place, but to be proved only by tradition, and not to be deduced out of the Word, as Bellarmine de Rom. Pont. lib. 2. cap. 12. confesseth. And so the main point, whereon the government and Hierarchy of the Papacie dependeth, hath no word in the Scriptures to prove it: and so the whole is hanged upon the conjectures of men, as upon a rotten thread. For the Scripture not affirming it, what assurance can there be for matter of faith, the matter must needs be suspicious and doubtful? Again, even the histories, which is their proof, are in such various opinions, that a man can hardly tell whom to follow, touching Peters coming to Rome, and his immediate successors. Some say he came to Rome in the first year of Claudius the Emperor, some in the second, some in the fourth, some in the tenth, and it may be that none of these is true: sure it is, all cannot be true: For his successors, Tertullian maketh Clement his next successor. Optatus nameth Linus, and then Clement. Irenaeus maketh Linus, then Cletus then Clement. If they differ thus, what certainty? where should faith find any sure ground? If then the succession at best is questionable and doubtful, if it may be certain, and yet be dis-joined from the succession of faith, as it is most certainly in them, and true faith only makes a Church: then can this be no true note of the Church.

[Use 2] To teach us not to be deceived with the glorious show and great boast of such succession; specially when there is an apparent digression from the faith, or a probable doubt of corruption in it. For what succession soever, be it never so long or glorious (as a greater could not be then these Priests and people could have objected unto the Prophet) yet if it be without truth of doctrine, and true faith, which is the very soul of succession, it is nothing else but a very dead carcass; whereas true faith, without any such outward succession, establisheth and maketh a Church. And indeed one of the purest and most excellentest Churches was without such a succession. For the Church, of which Christ in his own person was Author and Master, in which the Apostle was brought up & instructed, had no succession. And yet none will, or dare deny, that it was the best and purest Church. For whom succeeded Christ and his Apostles? Did he succeed Aaron and the Levitical Priesthood? Did he elect his Apostles out of them? Nothing less. For he succeeded not Aaron, but Melchizedek being a Priest after his order, not the others: and so the succession was interrupted for many hundred years, and so may be still. And on the contrary, there may be succession and no true Church, when the faith is corrupt, and not sound, which made the Fathers when they speak of succession, not urge a naked and external succession, but a true succession, and such as was joined with the succession of faith and religion. They are not the children of the Saints who hold their seats, but who follow their works. We must not prove the faith from the persons, but the persons from the faith. So say we, let them prove the persons from the faith, and not faith from the persons. They have not the inheritance of Peter who have not the faith of Peter. All which shows they would not have us to stand upon the succession of the place and person, but the faith and doctrine.

[Use 3] This will prove our Church to be a true Church, though we have no succession external and personal, which separated from faith, makes no Church; but we have succession of faith, which makes a Church: for if these may be separated, if there may be a Church where there is no personal succession, as before; If a personal succession and no Church, as also before: we holding the true faith of Christ, the true doctrine of salvation, are notwithstanding the want of personal succession, the Church of Christ. If they understand an extraordinary succession, such as hath oftentimes been in the Church, we say we have it. Neither hinders that which the adversaries object, that an extraordinary succession ought to be confirmed with miracles, which we have not: for the calling of the Prophets was extraordinary, yet had they no miracles to confirm it; let them show us what miracles, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Hosea, Amos had, who were called extraordinarily, or John the Baptist, John 10.41. Besides, what miracles needs there, when as our Pastors either deceased or living, bring in no new doctrine, or new faith, nor erect a new Church, but restore the old faith, and repair and purge the Church foully corrupted. And whereas they deny us any ordination of Ministers, because they which are lawfully ordained, must be by an Apostle, or one succeeding him immediately; they be all fictions of their own, without a word of the Scripture: for they are true Pastors, which are called of their flocks, and of the lawful Magistrate, teaching the people, and doing those things which good Pastors should do. And for Bellarmine's distinction of calling or election, which he acknowledgeth was sometime alone of that the people did choose, and grants may be good, but not ordination. It is answered, if election be good, we contend not much about ordination: for they who have authority to choose and call, have to ordain, If an orderly ordination be not to be had. And finally, if all Bishops should be Arians, and such as would ordain none but them of their own sect, as sometimes they were, must ordination by them be necessary, or we must have no Ministers.

[Use 4] Then ought men to labor for knowledge, that they be not deceived by the face of men and the Church, but that they may know what is the true faith, and who they are that bring it, knowing them to be the Pastors of the Church by their doctrine, Mat. 7.15.16. This fruit is doctrine.

Ye have caused many to fall by the Law. ] The second thing reproved in them, in seducing or misleading others, making them to fall into sin.

[Doctrine.] It is a manifest corruption in the Ministers of the Church, a thing wherein they are far unlike to their faithful predecessors & whereby they are made unacceptable unto God, when their preaching or carriage is such, as men by them are kept in sin, caused or occasioned to sin: As this proves it, and Isaiah 3.12. Ezek. 13.22.

And this is done either by not preaching, or very negligently, that they cannot know what to do, and so must needs sin and offend. Or by not reproving, by which they do not think thir sins to be sins, but remain in them, according to that, Levite. 19.17. or by daubing, as Ezek. 13.10. and promising life unto them, notwithstanding their sins, as verse. 22. or by bad example, as Gal. 2.12.13.

[Reason 1] Because it is against the main and principal end of his calling, which is to turn men from sin and Satan to God and godliness, and righteousness. As then it is a fault for men to go contratry to the main end of their calling or trade; any Artificer, as when he should build, to pull down; when he should make, to mar; when he should cure, to wound. And if we may speak familiarly, as we complain of Tinkers for making two holes when they undertake to stop one; or of Surgeons that make two wounds when they profess to cure one, made already: so must it needs be a corruption in these.

[Reason, 2] Because he crosseth the desire of God, who delighteth much in the conversion of a sinner, and would have men converted from sin, and not kept in them.

[Use 1] This will convince many Ministers of corruption & degenerating from the Prophets & faithful Ministers of God, who so walk in their Ministry, as men are hardened by them, caused and occasioned to sin; they preach so seldom, and carelessly instruct the people they have charge of, they reprove so little, or smooth so much, or are so corrupt and licentious. And this not in the Church of Rome only, but in the reformed Churches, which have justly separated from her: so that sin abounds everywhere. Now woe be to such watchmen, for they shall answer for the blood of those perishing souls, and that which perisheth shall be made good, foul for soul. And woe unto such daubers, Ezek. 13.13.

[Use 2] This may serve for an Apology for the Ministers of God, when they preach, and exhort, and reprove, and threaten, but with small thanks from those that hear them, yet seeing the contrary is corruption, and a degenerating from the faithful and their steps, and a means to make them unacceptable to God their Lord and Master. It may speak for them, if they thus preach and practice. It may be, if they preached all peace, all placentia, and waken never a secure man out of his sin, they would cunne him more thank, and all speak well of him. But woe unto you when all men speak well of you, saith Christ, Luke 6.26. this is a sign of a false Prophet, a corrupt Teacher: but blessed on the contrary, verse. 22.23. when they speak but that which he hath commanded, and do but that he hath enjoined them, Isaiah 58.1. For want of which he reproves and threatens the false Prophets, and will condemn all Ministers. A Physician hath two sons of a Prince committed unto him, the one taken with a frenzy, the other sick of a lethargy, upon pain of the Princes displeasure if they miscarry and be not cured by his default, for him to lose life for life, if he should be heard and seen chiding and beating, and binding the one, and pinching and nipping the other, and using all such means as might cure them, he were not to be blamed.

Ye have broken the covenant of Levi. ] This is the third thing, and the general of the former; the former being a proof of this, that the covenant was broken when they had failed in these particulars. Of the covenant and the conditions of it, and so of the keeping and breaking of it, hath been spoken verse. 4. and 5. One thing may we observe, which will serve for more general use, which is from this, that by two particulars they are made guilty of the breach of the whole covenant.

[Doctrine.] One or two particular offenses makes a man guilty of the whole covenant which he hath made with God. And to speak with Jam. 2.10. He that is guilty of one is guilty of all: so much the nature of a covenant will carry. For when it stands on several conditions on both parts, when any condition is broken, the whole must be. In this the general on man's part is obedience, the special are the particulars of that obedience, which are the several commandments and branches of them: he then that is guilty of one branch, and hath broken it, is guilty of that commandment; and he that is of that, of the whole, whereof that is a part; and so faulty in one, he is in the whole guilty of the breach of the whole covenant, and the whole law, Jam. 2.10.

VERS. IX.

THerefore have I made you to be despised and vile before all the people ] Therefore have I also made you to be despised. This is the repeating of these judgments, against these Priests for their corruption, and for the dissimilitude and unlikeness which is betwixt these and their predecessors. If we consider the verse in it self, here a judgment not threatened, but executed; not imminent, but present, and the deserving cause of it: First, general, Not kept his ways: secondly particular, being partial in dividing the law.

Therefore. ] That is, because you have thus broken covenant with me, and have declined and turned out of the way of your predecessors from the truth they held, and the faithfulness they practiced and performed, I have made you despised. Private and personal sins are often turned by the perverseness of men to the disgrace of the calling; but here the faults and corruption of the calling, neglecting or corrupting those duties, maketh their persons in contempt, which is that here set down.

I have made ] It is others malice so to do it, or their corruption, or some other respect; but it is my judgment, I have brought it justly upon you.

I also made you. ] You first broke my covenant, keeping not my conditions, & I also by judgment have now broken it with you, and brought this contempt upon you. And this have I done, because you keep not my ways, because you had little care of your carriage and behavior towards me, and of my ways to glorify me; but neglecting my precepts, have made my honor to be contemned: therefore have I given you up to scorn and contempt, and specially have I laid it upon you for this, That you have been partial in the Law. ] Which is as much as you have accepted persons. He accepts persons, who being Judge, is nor drawn or led by the laws or by justice, but beholds his person which is brought into question, and is so moved & affected with it, that he favors it against right, either because he is his friend, or because he is mighty, or terrible, or poor, and to be pitied, Jerome. So in the Church the Minister he accepts persons.

The judgment upon these Prophets for breaking of covenant with God, and dealing unfaithfully in their places, is shame and reproach.

[Doctrine.] The hatred, envy, and contempt of the people, is a punishment, which in this life the just judgment of God brings upon all ill Ministers for the neglect of the duties, & the corrupting of manners. It is here so executed by God. To this purpose is that Jer. 23.40. And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame which shall never be forgotten. For it hath relation in special to the Prophets, and Mich. 3.7. Zach. 13.4. Examples in Eli's sons, 1 Sam. 2.24. the faltering Prophets of Ahab, 1 King. 18.40. for that they killed them, came from hatred. And in Amaziah, Amos 7.17.

[Reason 1] Because it is a just rule of equal recompense, to do to men as they do to others, much more as they do to him, that when they make him despised and dishonored, he should make them according to that, 1 Sam. 2.30. Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said that thine house, and the house of thy father should walk, before me forever. But now the Lord saith, It shall not be so: For them that honor me, I will honor; and they that despise me, shall be despised.

[Reason 2] Because it is most equal, that they who have first cast off their authority and dignity, should find it also lessened, and changed with others.

[Use 1] Hence we learn why the Clergy of the Church of Rome is in that just contempt and hatred that it is everywhere; because they have neglected their duties, and their manners: They are not only hated of those who are out of their authority, but even of those who are under their command who happily fear them, but yet hates. And this is not noted by us, but by Riberah upon this place speaking thus: This place is not so much to be expounded as lamented. What is more holy, more honorable then the Priesthood? and yet now who are more despicable? and why so, but because we dishonor our dignity with our lives? How their wisdom, and profession, and practice, is as Jam. 3.16. sensual, earthly, and devilish, I have not long since shown, how justly they are then in contempt, need not to be proved. Let me add to that hath been said, the opinion of Bernard of the Court of Rome, that you may judge what the confines be; he written thus to Eugenius, lib. 4. Amongst these, you being their Pastor, walk decked with much precious apparel: If I durst speak it, these are rather Pastors for Devils then for Christ's sheep. Your Court usually receiveth good men, but maketh few good, there the wicked are not made better, but the good far worse.

[Use 2] This teacheth us, that those Ministers take not the right way to honor and credit, and love of the people, who think to have it by foothing and smoothing of them, by playing the bad fellows with them, frequenting the Taverns, Isaiah 56.10.11.12. revelling and rioting, following cards and dice, neglecting both study and preaching. So this verily is the high way to have the hatred and contempt of the people, if this be true here set down of God. Yet they will not be persuaded of it, because they find those that will speak fair to their faces, and commend them, and happily countenance them for a while, and see not how wicked they are in the eyes of all god men. According to their warrant, Psal. 15.4. who cannot choose but hate them, when they keep away, and steal away the word of God from them? and as much as lies in them, are cause of perishing of their souls, but perish many moe by defrauding them of the word, and by corrupting of them by their bad example, whose ruin they cannot pity, but contemn the authors; yea, all civil men, who savor not religion, hate them, only because they expect they should be more holy then others; and though they cannot conceive all the diligence they ought, to have in their places, yet suppose they ought to do far more then they do: and even those who now love them, if God ever call them, will hate them to the full. And if they should be laid in their graves with the love of them, yet when they shall meet in hell, when their eyes shall be opened to their cost, they shall be ready to tear one another for hatred and malice, having been the cause of the perishing one of another. As generally in all things, it is usual with God to make that a snare to the wicked, whereby he sought good to himself: so will he make that a shame whereby they sought honor.

[Use 3] To teach the Ministers, if they be in contempt, as who is out of it, to consider the cause of it: for as they say, it is the cause that makes the Martyr, not the suffering; so in this, the cause affords comfort or woe. If it be for the faithful performance of a man's place, by instructing, persuading, and reproving, there is comfort in it, and he may say, as Job. 31.35.36. But if in examining his heart and ways, it be for the contrary: if he would either remove the present, or prevent that is to come, he must repent and reform; for if he continue, God hath said it, he will make him despised. The world will tell him happily, that the way to favor, and love, and account, is to be corrupt & careless in his place, to do somewhat, and not much. Balak told Balaam so, Num. 24.11. but he speaketh like an heathen King, and they as deceivers.

Have I also ] You begun and broke covenant with me, and now I have broken with you; not I, but you began first, I only followed.

[Doctrine.] The Lord never breaks covenant with man, unless he first break covenant with him: he never denies them any blessing promised, but when they first deny him the duties promised, and do not perform them: when they have begun, he will follow after. So is it here, and 1 Sam. 2.30. 2 Chron. 15.2. He went out to meet Asae, and said unto him, O Asa, and all Judea and Benjamin, hear ye me: The Lord is with you while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you: but if ye forsake him, he will forsak • you, Jer. 22.13.16.17. &c.

[Reason 1] Because he is immutable, and without change: all the while then they are the same, and do perform duties to him, he will not be otherwise; because then should he change, which is not possible. But they having once changed, they are not the parties to whom he made such promises, and so he neither will, nor doth perform them.

[Reason 2] Because he is most just, yea Justice it self, one that gives Suum cuique. Now while a man performs his promise, and cleaves to God, he will not with-hold, or forsake anything: for promise is debt.

[Use 1] To teach what is the cause why man often enjoyeth not many of the blessings which are promised. The cause is not in God, not that he hath promised more then he can perform, for he is all-sufficient; nor more then he thought fit, for he is most wise in promising as well as performing. Nor as men who promise rashly that they cannot spare, and after repent themselves; none of these, nor the like in God, are the cause of it, but it is in man himself: for he hath stripped himself of all interest and right unto the promises of God; because he hath first forsaken him, and dealt unfaithfully with him. Many a man in want of his things he had thought he had had a promise for, and being impatient through his corruption, is like a sick man of a fever, accusing his meat rather then his palate: so he will accuse God rather then himself. But he must accuse himself, seeing God never did, neither can break with any who have not broken first with him. Many a man finds he wanteth, or is deprived of many graces he had, and good things he possessed, as health, liberty, comforts, and such like, he calleth upon God for them, and thinks to receive, because of the large promises God hath made: And all the while he never thinks that he is not the man to whom the promises are made, or at least, though he did once make a covenant with him; yet he is not the man, because he hath not performed his condition. Like Israel, Isai. 59.1.2. Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save: neither his ear heavy that he cannot he • r: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

[Use 2] To instruct a man how he may enjoy the blessings and promises of God, whether one or other: he must keep promise with him, and perform all the conditions on his part. It is in him to have them or reject them from himself: for if he perform his conditions, God will not fail in his; else he must hear what David heard, 2 Sam. 12.8.

[Object.] Then God's faithfulness dependeth on man's.

[Answ.] Not his faithfulness, but his performance: for he may be faithful, and is undoubtedly still, without the performance, as he is a faithful man who never performeth condition with another, when they had broken their conditions of his performing of covenant as before.

[Doctrine.] I made you to be despised. ] It was others malice and corruption, but God's judgment.

[Reason.] As other judgments which befall men, so this of hatred and contempt and reproach; it comes from God, though man be the instrument of it; therefore saith God, I have made you vile, Jerem. 23.40. Psal. 44.13.14. and 107.40. 2 Sam. 16.10.

Because all evil, as in the City, so in every place comes from the Lord, Amos 3.6. the evil of punishment. Now such is this.

[Quest.] A question may be made, whether this be a sin or no: If it be, how should God be free from sin, when he hath his hand in that which man doing sinneth.

[Answ.] It is not simply a sin to despise the wicked, for it is a mark of the child of God, Psal. 15.4. To hate the wicked for his wickedness, so it be done simply and only for that he set at naught all wicked persons as well as one, and not this and that only, from whom perhaps he hath received some wrong, or whose outward state is contemptible in the world: But if man sin in it, and hate the person rather then his wickedness, and do it in the malice and corruption of his heart; yet is God free from sin, because as Augustine speaketh of that of Shimei: Deus non est tam Author quam ordinator: The disposer of his corruption, not the Author of it, for they having this venom by nature to hate and contempt; God leaving them as he justly may to their own corruption, and they will be hating and despising. Now he doth order and dispose of this at his good pleasure, and makes it fall where he thinks best, where he would punish, and for what end he purposeth, not for what they intended: As Solomon, Prov. 16.1. The preparations of the heart are in man, but the answer of the tongue is of the Lord. Meaning in the general that God disposeth of all so in this, not unfitly.

[Use 1] This may show the folly of those who despise and set naught by the despising and reproaches, because they come from inferiors, from bule, and mean, and weak men. But these should consider that it is not from them, but God, and by them, and are the sign of his displeasure. It is not to be braved of bragged out: Men may not think to acquit themselves by answering one reproach with another, one contempt with another; for this is but to fight against God, who hath made them to despise them, who if he cannot make to return with such blasts, and small winds, hath verily sharp Arrows and keen Swords, hath mighty armies, and great store of men of arms to subdue them.

[Use 2] To teach men when they are in such judgments, the way how to have them removed: first to have David's thoughts, they cursed, because God bids them curse, they reproach and contemn them, because he hath so made them, and then to imagine and consider that he who set them on must snap them & check them. He must only charm these Adders that they sting not, or he only must cure their biting; therefore must they by prayer seek unto him for the removing of them who must take these from them, so David prayed, Psal. 119.39. Take away my rebuke that I fear: for thy judgments are good. And if he a King of that magnificence and greatness, of that power and authority could not have them removed but by seeking to God; if he could not cure the biting of a dead dog, as Abishai calleth Shimei, but God must do it; how then shall any other inferior man be able to help himself and remove it without him? Thirdly, he must humble himself and remove his sin which is the cause of it; for if he remove no judgment unless man remove the cause; if he give not favor in the eyes of men, unless they have favor in his own eyes first, If Prov. 16.7. When the ways of a man please the Lord he will make also his enemies at peace with him, Then must they turn unto him, and forsake that which is displeasing, and do that which is acceptable. And if a reproach be, as they say of words irrevocable; yet will God do him good for the others evil, 2 Sam. 16.12.

But ye have been partial in the law. ] Their particular sin, why he would lay this judgment upon them; their accepting of persons in the work of their Ministry.

[Doctrine.] As it is in a Magistrate, and in him that executes judgment, a great corruption to accept persons; so is it in a Minister and him that must dispose of God's mysteries. As the Magistrate in distributing of justice may not respect poor or rich, friend or foe, high or low, or anything besides justice and equity; so must not the Minister in dividing the word. Therefore are they here reproved as offenders for doing so. It is proved by the command to Jeremiah, Chap. 1.17.18. Hence is the commandment indefinite and general to preach to all, and to reprove all. Ezek. 3.18. It is that Paul teacheth. 2 Tim. 2.15. And that which he seemeth to reprove in Peter and Barnabas, Gal. 2.14. The examples of evil and good Prophets and Ministers show this.

[Reason 1] Because as Jehoshaphat said of judgment, that it was the Lord's and not man's, and therefore persuaded the Judges to do it without respect; seeing God himself would do so, therefore ought they, 2 Chron. 19.6, 7. so of this, the word is the Lord's; therefore must they speak it as he would have them.

[Reason 2] Because they ought to be faithful disposers of God's mysteries, fidelity consisteth in delivering the whole, and in delivering the parts to them for whom God hath appointed them.

[Use 1] To reprove all Ministers who are partial in the law and dividing of God's word and mysteries, respecting persons and accepting faces, they are all guilty of very grievous sin before God; Amongst others the whole Clergy of Rome are guilty of this sin, having fitted the word and disposition of those mysteries to every man's humor, as not long since was shown, when as the word is contrary to every man's humor, as contrary as light is to darkness; yet with them they have fitted it, making it as they speak of it, a shipmans hose, a nose of wax, a leaden rule. So Pighius and Nicolas Cusanus a Cardinal of Rome, writeth to the Bohemians, Epist. 2. Epist. 7. This understand that the Scriptures are fitted to the time, and diversely to be understood, so that at one time they may be expounded according to the common and customable course, but change that and the sense is changed. So that it is no marvel if the custom of the Church at one time interpret the Scriptures after this manner, and another time after that; and according to this they so deal, for time and persons, and so prove partial in the the whole. One thing amongst other argues the partiality of the high Priest of Rome, which they would persuade us is part of the Law and Word of God; that is Purgatory: which they dispose in respect of persons, the rich and great ones able to give much, shall not long be in it; they who can give less, the longer, they who are able to give nothing, perpetually. If he had any charity in him of which they brag much, he would free all, and freely, seeing they teach it is the Popes peculium; but if he had but equity and justice in him, he would free one as well as another, and not accept persons, and be thus partial. But not to trifle with them. The partiality is oftentimes too palpable in the reformed Churches and the Ministers of them, when in dividing the word they look not as the Cherubimes to the Ark, they to the word to speak as it would teach them, which is not partial, but to those who sit before them and apply it so, making it as some write of Manna, that it tasted after every man's palate and stomach, so this: But they are guilty of this sin, and though as fools and wicked persons, they enjoy honor for a time, yet they shall have dishonor, Prov. 3.35. It is said of the Panther that he is so greedy after the excrements of a man that if they be out of his reach and natural power, he stretcheth himself so much that he kills himself in the end: so may I apply it to these.

[Use 2] To persuade the Ministers of God not to be partial, but upright in the law. To respect, as just Judges will do, the cause, equity, and justice, and not the persons, the honor, or commodity that is to be had by them, not to deal for that partially with the law, or in it, but strive to divide the word of truth aright, and to go with a right foot unto the Gospel, even as God himself will do, for they are God's judgments. A Ministers resolution should be that of Elihu Job 32.21, 22. I will not now accept the person of man, neither will I give titles to man, for I may not give titles; least my maker should take me away suddenly. Remembering that as Saul was put out of the Calendar of God's Kings, for his partiality, and is accounted to have reigned but two years, when he did many more: so shall they be out of the number of God's worthies if they be partial, whereas their uprightness and faithfulness will with the good Steward bring them into the joys of their Master.

[Use 3] To persuade our hearers to give us leave to divide the word without partiality, and not to be swayed with their greatness and riches, and frowns, and such like; but as occasion may be to deal with their sins, as others, and to give them their portion of judgment as well as mercy, without the knitting of their brows, the strangeness of their look, the censure at their tables and tavernes, among such as are companions with them in the like iniquity, but if they will not, we must take leave, we had rather fall into the hands of men then God, we know that is a fearful thing. It is neither your wealth, nor your favor, nor honor, and credit, that either can keep us from being vile and despised; If God say to men, despise them; nor will answer for us when we must give an account of our Stewardship.

VERS. X.

HAve we not all one father? ] The second part of the Chapter beginneth here and continueth to the end, containing the reproof of divers particular vices in the people of Israel in general, both Priest and people, in this tenth verse he reproveth their injurious and unequal dealing in the general.

Have we not all one father? ] Some understand these words with the next verse, as if it were a reason spoken in the defense of their taking of Idolatrous wives, by them who had done it; their reason is thus: That seeing that they had all one father, which was Adam, and all one Creator, which was God: there was no reason why they should not marry with them. But others do understand them as two main reasons against their marrying them, urged by the Prophet from God himself: and so the expounding of the words will rather confirm, and the greater consent of the learned old and new, go that way. Jerome saith that the people being returned out of captivity, the Princes and Priests, and people put away their wives of the Israelites kindred, which by reason of their poverty, and injury of the long way, and weakness of their sex, impatiently bearing the labor, were wasted, and became both infirm and deformed in body; whereupon they matched with strangers, who were fresh in years, beautiful and comely, the daughters of rich and mighty men; as we may see in the ninth of Ezra, that is with the Canaanites, Hethites, Pheresites, Jebusites, Ammonites, &c. Therefore they think the Prophet here reproves them; first for their marriages, and after for their divorces, Verse 16.

There are two special and chief causes of love and good will amongst men; the one is kindred, affinity, or consanguinity; the other is one and the same society of religion. First, nature compels men to affect and love earnestly those who are borne in the same family, descended from the same parents and stock; which bond cannot be violated or broken off without great wickedness. Secondly, men reasonable and wise, do think those specially to be affected by them, who are companions with them in the same religion and worship. And though this is the most worthy and sure, yet the other goes before, and first carries sway with men; because it is by nature bred with them, and continued from their infancy. And these two they are here pressed withal, as those which condemns their fact, dealing thus to put away the daughters of Israel, the worshippers of the true God, and to take unto them the daughters of the heathen, worshippers of the false God's. For the first of these reasons, it is here said, Have we not all one Father? That is, are we not all men and women descended from Abraham by one Isaac, from Isaac by one Jacob? Why then should we thus do? dismiss those, or pass them over, and join ourselves to the kindred of the heathen and strangers? And for the second he saith, Hath not one God made us? Do we not all acknowledge one God the Creator, and worship and serve him with duty? Do you dismiss those wives, who acknowledge the same Creator with you, and worship him, and take unto you those who worship Idols for him, and put their trust in them? To create, or the Creator, is not here taken in that common sense, as when we speak of God's creation of the world: for then could this be no reason against, but rather for them, as some would make it a reason in that sort which the Prophet laboreth to confute. But this being against them, must not be taken in that sense, but in another sense, as there is a special use of it in the Scripture, when it speaketh and dealeth of some new & secret disposition of things, as Jer. 31.22. And so it is used, Isaiah 65.18. of such a special creation is it here meant, where love and duty is specially due unto those, who are of the same religion with us, who follow the laws and statutes of the same Creator and Author.

Why do we transgress everyone against his brother? ] It is taken by some to be the reproof of their vice, though closely, or not so openly, as verse. 11. it is set down: i. seeing we are of one kindred, descended from one father, why do we thus transgress one against another, either putting away, or refusing our own kindred in respect of strangers and aliens? Brother, here some interpret either the sister or daughter of our brother; or rather accorrding to the use of the Scripture and Hebrew, which by brother understand the female as well as the Male. And the application according to the occasion either both, or but the one: Both, as Jam. 1.2. and the one, as here upon this occasion, must needs be the female.

And break the covenant of our Fathers. ] Some think that this is applied unto the second reason; because the covenant of the Fathers was, That they all, and their whole posterity, should acknowledge and worship one God only: and one people should be consecrated to one and the same God. Others think, by covenant is meant the Law of God, a thing usual in the Scriptures, and that Law which God gave unto our Fathers, that they should not take the daughters of a strange God to wife, or of another nation.

Others think the reason stands thus, making a third reason of it; because God, when he made covenant with the Israelites, did it not with those more then with these, with one more then with another, but with all alike: so that they who despise others, violate the common covenant, as if it were only a covenant made with them.

The conclusion of all is thus framed: If you be all one in body and soul, and by Law, why do you contemn one another?

Generally, in that he used reason, and not the bare authority of God, which had been that he well might, we observe this:

[Doctrine 1] Men who persuade others to good, or dissuade them from evil, must use all those reasons that may any way cause it to take hold, and put an edge to it.

Have we not all one Father? ] But in this verse, as I said, I take not to be reproved any particular sin, but generally their injuring, and dealing unequally and unjustly one with another. And this the first reason by which it is reproved, condemning this, because it was against nature, they being all of one parent, all one flesh.

[Doctrine 2] Nature it self, and humanity, though men have no other bonds to link them together, ought to keep men from hurting and injuring, or transgressing one against another; and to bind them to be helpful and profitable, and do good one to another. So reasoneth the Prophet here. And to this I apply that which is Levite. 18. When it is given so often a reason to dissuade from injuring, as verse. 7. for she is thy mother, for it is thy fathers shame; 10. thy shame, 12. she is thy fathers kinsewoman, 13. mothers kinswoman. To this may that be used, Acts 7.26. Hereto that, Gen. 50.16.17. and Isai. 58.7.

[Reason 1] Because unreasonable creatures, as beasts and birds, fishes and fowls, love their own kind, and by nature are taught not to hurt and injure them, but to do them good. Hence is deemed the reason why those beasts that feed on flesh, will not eat the flesh of their own kind; taught, as it were, by nature, lest they should eat and devour their own brood, or breeders: how much more then unreasonable men?

[Reason 2] Because it is the rule and voice of Nature: Quod tibi non vis, alteri ne feceris.

[Use 1] To condemn men, not only as irreligious, and void of piety and godliness; but as beastly and unnatural men, and void of humanity, who injure and wrong, transgress against others, and oppress them. I mean not such as may sometimes do it, carried by passion or affection, in ignorance and want of information: but I speak of such as live in it, and to satisfy their own lust and desires, care not whom they wrong & injure; they will despise, defraud, deceive and oppress any, in buying and selling, in letting or fetting, by manifest usury and other oppression. All is fish that comes to net with them: of such I speak, and how rich soever they may grow or be, whatsoever otherwise, yet are they unnatural men, and void of humanity. And may reprove them as the Apostle the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11.14. So, doth not nature teach, that if any man injure others, it is a sin unto him? it is against the very light of nature. And though there were no word of God, neither Law nor Prophets, nothing that might reprove them in the mouth of the Minister, which they now spurn against, and could be content there were none, that they might sin without controulment, yet should they not without condemnation: for even that, Rom. 2.12. will here have place, and shall condemn them by the very light of nature, and now double condemn them; because the light of the Word hath shined in a dark place, and they have loved darkness more then light.

[Use 2] To teach every man, that if there were nothing else to bind him to do good to others, or avoid the hurting of others; yet nature ought, and he ought to be thus a law to himself, though he had no written Word from God. Whether he be a husband, or parent, or master, or e contra, or a private man, nature and humanity ought to keep him from the one, and hold him to the other. The heavenly providence hath armed all beasts with natural defences; but man instead of them hath the affection of pity, which is called humanity, by which we are defended. This very thing ought then to bind men.

It is hard from many men when they reprove others for transgressing and injuring others: It is not for your profession, it doth not become a man of that zeal and profession as you do. If they speak it that they are more bound, it is true; but if to excuse themselves, or others, as if it were little or no sin in them, then it is their corruption, and is false: For wherein doth their profession bind them, which nature it self and humanity binds them not to do, or from doing? Undoubtedly in nothing, though it bind more: he is as well bound, that is bound in a single bond, as he who is tied in a double; both are bound, though not alike. Set then religion aside, which follows in the next place, and even nature it self binds every man to these duties, and from the contrary. And whilst nature lasteth, and is undissolved, the bond is never cancelled. Therefore must everyone remember it to do good, and not hurt, even all the days of his life, to those to whom nature hath bound him. Contrary to that some perform for a while, but as if nature died, they living, do not continue it: as for instance, betwixt man and wife, many at first do, but continue not; betwixt parents and children.

Hath not one God made us? ] The second reason by which he reproveth their injuring and transgressing against others; because they were all of one Church, professed one religion, and served one God.

[Doctrine.] Religion, when men profess one and the same religion, are servants of one and the same God, it ought to keep men from transgressing against, or injuring one another: which as this proves, so that, Gen. 50.17. Thus shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive now, I pray thee, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin: for they rewarded thee evil. And now, we pray thee forgive the trespass of the servants of thy fathers God. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. Manifest further; because the foundation of religion, which is the word of God, commands love to neighbors, and so under that title, other men, Levite. 19.18. Rom. 13. Tit. 2.11.12. Jam. 1.27. even so far that it comes to enemies, Prov. 25.21. Exod. 25.4. Matth. 5.43.44.

[Reason.] Because, as it is natures voice: so somewhat differing, but all to one purpose: it is Christ's voice, the author of religion, Quod tibi vis, alteri feceris, Matth. 7.12.

[Use.] This will serve to condemn men as irreligious and profane, and void of all piety and godliness, and yet profess religion, who make no conscience of hurting their brother, or transgressing against them, who worship the same God with them. There are some who make no conscience of transgressing against their brethren, by false slanders, railing speeches, and persecuting their brethren, as Ishmael did Isaac, by mockings and reproaches, yea sometimes more then the servants of a strange God will do; that as an ancient Writer said, As Moab and Ammon came from the seed of Abraham, and yet hated the seed and kindred of Abraham: So, he of heretics, I of Christians, they say they profess Christ, and yet none so much as they, hate the generation of Christ his seed. May we not say of them, as Revel. 2.9. They say, they are Jews and are not, but are the Synagogue of Satan. Again, as 1 Cor. 11.18. When ye come together in the Church, I hear that there are dissensions among you, and I believe it to be true in some part: so I hear, that there are some who make the profession of religion but a cloak, the better to transgress against their brethren, and under that color to deceive or injure them; and I believe it to be true in some part, that some do it that they might better over reach or deceive, and plainly injure others. So did Simeon and Levi, the two sons of Jacob, to be revenged on the Shechemites, but they had Jacob's curse, and God's with it: so shall these have so crossing of God, that that which he would have as a main reason to tie them together, and keep them from transgressing one against another, they make but a mask for their iniquity. Verily offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom they come, it were better he had never been borne. And when Christ shall come to judgment, howsoever he may carry it out in the mean time, this will not then serve, Luke 13.26. and Matth. 7.22. For they shall have the answer in both places: and if they be excluded for not helping, Matth. 25. how shall they be for transgressing against them, and hurting them?

Now that the spirit of God by the Prophet hath joined these two, and added religion to nature, as that which strengtheneth, yea makes men perform duties when the other cannot, or is corrupt. From thence I observe this instruction:

[Doctrine.] The only means to keep men in their duties one to another, is the fear of God, and true religion; no bond of nature is strong enough, if that be wanting, or if it be corrupted and unsound, as it was in this people; but if sound and true, nothing to that.

Why do we transgress everyone against his brother? ] The word signifies to deal disloyally, traitorously, and unfaithfully. And so he accuseth them of perfidious and unfaithful dealing one with another, that they did not keep their promise, word and covenant one with another.

[Doctrine.] Perfidie and unfaithfulness in word and promise, when men promise the doing of somewhat to come, and do not take care to perform it, is a foul vice, and gross impiety. So this showeth: And it is condemned as one of the sins of the Heathen, who were given over to a reprobate mind, Rom. 1.30. And made one of the sins of the last and perilous times, 2 Tim. 3.3. They shall be truce breakers. Saint Paul maketh his apology, that he was not guilty of this, 2. Cor. 1.18. James commandeth the contrary, Jam. 5.12. For this cause was Saul's posterity punished, because he had broken the covenant made with the Gibeonites, 2. Sam. 21.6. And Zedekias, because he had broken his oath & covenant he made with Nebuchadnezzar, 2 Chro. 36.13. In regard whereof Ezekiel saith, Ezek. 17.15. but he rebelled against him, and sent his Ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doth such things? or shall he break the covenant of God and be delivered?

[Reason 1] Because it excludes men from God's Kingdom, which appears thus, because that is a note of him that must enter in which promiseth, whether simply, or with oath, Psa. 15.4. and performs when he hath done: now e contra, this excludes, and nothing but sin will do that.

[Reason 2] Because fidelity and faithfulness is not commended for a small matter or virtue; but one of the weightiest things of the Law, Matt. • 3.23. then e contra, this must needs be a great vice.

[Reason 3] Because it is an enemy to all human society and fellowship, which God hath ordained for man's exceeding comfort, faithfulness and truth is the bond of it, and the very sinews of it, when men are faithful in word and promise; this is that which dissolves and disjoynts it: for what comfort and society can a man have of him that is of and on, in and out, and nowhere certain, no more comfort then a man can have of his hand or arm, which he cannot stir or put forth, but it is still, and will be out of joint.

[Use 1] To convince the age as guilty of great iniquity, seeing they are so guilty of perfidy and unfaithfulness, many a husband to the wife, the particular here spoken of and e contra, putting one another way, or taking others with them, when they promised the contrary, but of that after. Many forsaking one another in extremity and sickness, when they promised, and that without exception of any sickness, still to cleave to them: In many as it is infidelity to God, so is it perfidy to their husbands, and so e contra. Many masters unfaithful to their servants, not teaching, not bringing them up as they promised, not providing for them things necessary in health and sickness. Many servants unfaithful to their Master, like Judas, like Zion, more then Gebez • i that 〈◊〉 but the gain his master refused, they that which is proper to the master. Many men one with another deal unfaithfully, promising things they either cannot, or never mean to perform, or know cannot be so; many a seller promiseth his ware shall prove thus and thus, when he knows the contrary. Many a buyer to pay at such and such a day, when he never intends it, and knows before hand he shall not be able. Many promising only to be free from the importunity of some, or trouble of others, only is a matter of complement without any conscience of it, when it is once passed them; they are guilty of perfidy and unfaithfulness, and besides are drawn to many wicked and rash oaths, for deceiving they are not believed, which makes them add to confirm their credit, heady and rush oaths.

[Use 2] To persuade everyone to avoid this, and to labor to deal faithfully one with another, and to be faithful and true in promises; husband to wife, &c. Seeing it is commended unto us: 1. from the example of the Lord himself, whose fidelity in keeping of his promise is to be imitated of us, if we would be repured his children. 2. From the testimony, of the holy Ghost, where it is made one of the notes of God's children, Psal. 15.4.3. The promise of a great blessing. Pro. 28.20. And commanded to us not amongst matters of small importance but amongst the weightier points of the law. Math. 23.23. Not when it is in great matters, but in less; for as all disobedience is more displeasing when the thing commanded is small, because the obedience was so easy, August. So unfaithfulness in the smallest things is the most displeasing to God when fidelity was so easy; therefore must we be careful to perform in all things that we promise, and therefore be careful how we promise, that it be of things in our own power, or probability like to be in our power. In many things whether we will promise or no it is in our power; as Acts 5.4. but when it is made we are bound to the performance of it; yea, though it cannot be performed without great loss and hindrance.

And break the covenant of our fathers. ] That is, offend against that law which God gave unto our fathers, it being usual in Scripture to call the law by his name and covenant, Psal. 119. And this is the royal law according to that, James 2.8.

Why do we transgress, &c. And break the covenant of, &c. ] It is therefore accounted a sin because it breaks the covenant, the law which God hath given unto his people.

[Doctrine.] Every thing is good, or evil, righteousness or sin, lawful to be done, or unlawful, not as it is profitable or hurtful, not as it may benefit men, or may by God's providence be turned to his glory, and make for it; but as it is agreeable or repugnant to the law and word of God. Thus he reproveth these because they had gone against the law: This is manifest by that, 1. John 3.4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And by that, Rom. 7.7.

[Reason 1] Because the Law and Word of God is the perfect rule of all actions, and so ordained of God, now in an art whatsoever is according to the rule, is good, but what is different must needs be corrupt: so in this. Again the law is God's will, now everything is as he willeth, or nilleth it, good or evil; for they are not such, and then he willeth, or nilleth them; but his willing or nilling them maketh them such.

[Reason 2] Because whatsoever is just is good, what unjust, is evil, but whatsoever is agreeable to the law of justice, is just and e contra.

[Reason 3] Because whatsoever is agreeable to charity, which is the sum of the law, is good; whatsoever repugnant, evil.

[Use 1] This will confute appoint of Popery whereby they allow things to be done, though contrary to the law, so they be done with a good intent, or with a good zeal for a good end; for so it is in the gloss upon Gratians decrees, Malum factum excusatur per bonam intentionem. And again, Excusatur malum si sit bone zelo propter bonum. And upon this ground they allow murdering of Princes, massacring of people, treason in subjects, treachery in servants, disobedience in children, that they may dishonor their parents, deny them, and forsake them, so it be bono zelo propter bonum. And be lawful to do anything. And this must make it good, contrary to the apparent word of God here, and that Rom. 3.8. so contrary is the spirit of Antichrist to Christ's spirit.

[Use 2] To convince amongst ourselves men who allow and maintain many sins, because they are profitable to others, & not hurtful to them; and therefore they think they may be done though they be contrary to the law. One or two instances. Many hold an officious lie lawful, because it may stand with charity, when it is profitable for their neighbor. But if against the law and word of God which forbiddeth lies, how should it not be sin and unlawful to be done? besides they must understand that charity, which is the sum of the law, hath reference towards God, towards our neighbor, & towards ourselves. And so is this against charity, though helpful to thy neighbor, in whose favor it is told. First, because it is repugnant to verity, and therefore to charity: for God, who is Truth, hath forbidden all untruth, as that which is opposite to him, and so cannot stand with the charity and obedience we owe to God. Secondly, it is to the hurt of the teller, because, Psal. 5.6. The lying mouth destroyeth the soul. So it cannot stand with love which a man oweth to himself. Now then, though a man may help his brother and neighbor with the loss of his goods and hindrance that way, but not necessary with the hazard of his life at all times, but never with the hazard of his soul, as every liar shall do. Again, things must first be considered whether lawful or no, whether agreeable to the word; and then whether profitable or hurtful, that is a second affection of things, and a second consideration. They cannot be lawful but they will be profitable, though not in our carnal apprehension, nor unlawful, but unprofitable, though we always see it not. A second instance is, for the matter of usury; many allow it if it be moderate, and if it be not joined with the hurt but the profit of the borrower. But whereas usury is simply unlawful and evil, I may answer with some of the learned; when men make question of moderate usury, whether that be lawful or no, they might as well make question, whether moderate adultery, or moderate lying, or moderate theft be lawful: for as they are things in themselves unlawful, so is this. Again, I answer, it is very hurtful, and against charity: for though it be not against the profit of the particular, yet is it against public charity: for usury is many ways noisome to the common wealth, as is easy to be shown. Again, it is against charity and our allegiance to God, who hath forbidden it, denounced his judgments against it, made gracious promises to them who will do the contrary. Lastly, it is against love we owe to our own souls; for whosoever putteth out to usury, or taketh increase, he shall not live, but die the death, Ezek. 18.13. But for the benefit of the borrower, if it sometimes so fall out by the providence of God, and his pains and hazard, that is no thank to the lender: for it is without all question, he never intendeth it, though he may sometimes pretend it, and so though it might make it no sin in it self, yet that makes it sin to him: for gain the borrower or not, he will have security for his principal and gain, and an absolute covenant, and makes no provision for the borrowers indemnity, for he will have it, lose he or gain he, all is one to him. And so it falleth sometimes our against charity, but if not it is ever against charity in them. Calvin, who is much pretended for the defense of this: and indeed, upon Ezek. 18. saith, that a man may in some cases take usury, and cannot precisely be condemned for it: yet in the same place he saith apertly, we must always hold it to be a thing scarcely possible, that he which taketh usury, should not wrong his brother. And therefore it were to be wished that the very name of usury were buried and utterly blotted out of the memory of men; but howsoever it may be profitable, and as they think so agreeable to charity; yet it is unjust in it self against the law of justice, then the rule holds, Rom. 3.8.

[Use 3] To teach men when they have done anything; or when they are about to do anything, to examine it whether it be lawful or good, not by the event and fruit which may follow of it, or hath; but by the law of God how agreeable it is to it, and how profitable it is, or may be, nor how it is fallen out for God's glory, but how lawful and warrantable by the word: for a man may profit another and gloryfie God by that for which he may be condemned. As in Judas and the Jews. If then a man hath done anything and it is fallen out to the profit of man, and to the glory of God; it is never a whit better for him, unless he find the thing he hath done to be agreeable to the word of God; for if he have done evil and good come of it, it is no thank to him, but to the providence of God who so disposed it. So if a man be about to do anything, if not agreeable or repugnant to the word, he must not think it good & lawful for to be done, because he sees it may profit man or honor God, as if he had need of his lies and unlawful actions; neither if he be to do that which is agreeable, he must not think he must abstain and not do it, only because he doubts of the consequent of it, but that is lawful and which he must do by his place that he ought to do, and leave the other to God; for not the effects make a thing good, but the ground of it; not the fruit makes a tree good, but the roots of it. A man may spoil a good action agreeable to the word by his corrupt end, affection, or defect of faith; but he can never make it good, by them nor anything else, if it be not with that agreeable.

VERS. XI.

IVdah hath transgressed. ] In the former verse he hath generally reproved them for transgressing one against another; here he sets down one particular, their refusing of their own kindred, and marrying of strangers, whereby they were both injurious to their brethren, and transgressors against God. The sin is, that they have married with the daughters of Idolaters: the heynousnesse of which sin is amplified from the persons, as that it is Judah which hath done this evil, whom he had chosen before all the world; and specially reserved to himself in the defection of the ten Tribes, they whose name is Faithful, is become unfaithful, from whom no such thing was expected, that they should do so, yet they had transgressed. From the subject. In Israel among that people, whom the Lord hath enriched and endowed with so many blessings and benefits. In Jerusalem, in the place which he chose to place his Sanctuary, which was the Kings feat, and mother City; whence whatsoever comes, whether piety and honesty, or the contagions of vice and iniquity may and will easily spread themselves abroad. For the thing, it is called an abomination; that is, such an evil as the Lord abhorreth. Abomination generally is taken for anything that is done against law and right, against some ancient decree, or the custom of laws and manners. As generally, Gen. 46.34. Hence in Scripture is this word Abomination used so much, when it speaketh of mixing of feed, when caution is had, lest anything be done but that which is right and lawful.

It is amplified further, because they have polluted God's Holiness. ] By holiness is here meant that holiness which was in this people, because they were dedicated to God, and the inheritance of the Lord, and his own proper people, gotten and purchased to himself; which holiness they had violated, in that they had mixed themselves with strange women. Thus Jerome expounds these words, and it is most like to be the meaning: for so is it taken, Psal. 114.2. Judah was his Sanctuary, or holy place: That land was dedicated to God, and possessed of God, and by that is made holy; and there he exerciseth his power by directing and governing them as his own people, and those who are dedicated to him.

There are some who understand by it the bond of marriage, ordained and sanctified of God in Paradise. But the words following, argue the first exposition more like to be the meaning, Which he loved. ] That is, which the Lord loved; which is spoken of this people and land.

And hath married the daughter of a strange God. ] In the original it is, Hath the daughter: but the meaning is, Hath married the daughter; that is, such as profess and worship a strange God: not that they were God's, or thus acknowledged by him, and the Word; but it is an usual thing in the Scripture, to call things not as they are, or as the Scripture judgeth of them, but after the affection of those of whom he speaks, as 2 Cor. 4.4. Phil. 3.19. So these were not true God's, nor no God's indeed, but so accounted of. And this name is communicated to them. Origen. hom. 14. in Numeros, hath this rule, That wheresoever the name Jehovah is, there is meant the true God, the creator of the world; but the other names of God, are attributed both to the true God, and to false God's.

Judah hath transgressed, an abomination is committed. ] Thus the Prophet speaketh, not for the particular only, but the general, that transgressions, even all, are an abomination to the Lord, those things he abhorreth: And so that is the point.

[Doctrine.] Transgression and sin, all and everyone, is an abomination to the Lord, that which his soul loathes, hates and abhors. Hence he speaketh so often of sin, and gives it this name of abomination, as in very many places in the books of Moses, as Levite. 18.26.27.28. Deut. 20.18. Hence he speaketh of particular sins, as Prov. 11.1. and 12.22. Rev. 2. Hence he is said to abhor the man that is wicked: not that he doth his person, as he is his creature, which he loves, but as he hath made himself such, Psal. 5.6.

[Reason 1] Because he is righteous and holy himself: Now the more righteous the Judge is, the more he hates iniquity and sin. He is righteousness and holiness it self. Now as the Sun is the greatest enemy to darkness, because it hath light of it self, and is as it were light it self: So in this.

[Reason 2] Because he loves his creature, and sin is that which destroyeth it. Now no man can indeed love any man, but he will hate that which is the cause of the ruin and destruction of him.

[Use 1] This may let us see, and give wicked men themselves to understand in what state they stand, by reason of their sin: God hates their sin, and abhorreth it, and them for it. How fearful then is their condition: for he cannot hate but unreconciled; his face and hand shall be against them for their sins, Revel. 2.6. Object. Then is everyone in a fearful case: for all sin, even the best. Ans. The first is true, yet follows not the second; because though they sin, and have it, yet they hate it. Now God only hates men for their sin, when they love it; not when they hate it, and he will only then judge them, when they will not judge themselves, 1 Cor. 11.31. As in a land and state, when the Magistrates will not punish, then God will go the circuit, and hold an Assize, and bring his plagues and judgments upon them; but when they do, it is an explication of his wrath: so in a particular man, which is a little world, a little country.

[Use 2] To teach us, that it is dangerous to have society with men who embrace their sin, and love it.

[Use 3] For imitation; if God hate sin, and it is abomination to him, it should be so to his, they should hate it first and principally in themselves, and their dearest friends: for if it be not first, that he hate the same sin in himself and friends, he hates it not, though he oppose it in others. But if he be God's, he hates the evil in himself which he doth, then hates he it in others, and must do it, for that God commends in the Church of Ephesus, and so commands in others, Rev. 2.6.

In Israel and in Jerusalem. ] The people and place which he enriched with such benefits, & honored with such privileges, made it the place of his worship, and the Kings seat: therefore them to do it, it is more heinous.

[Doctrine.] Their sin is the greater, and more heinous, who have received the most blessings from God, or the greatest privileges. Vide cap. 2.12 Doct. 1.

For Judah hath defiled the Holiness of the Lord. ] This is a further amplification of their sin; because it did pollute the people and place dedicated to the Lord, and so made holy to him.

[Doctrine.] Sin is a filthy and polluted thing, that which polluteth and defileth both places and persons; where, and by whom it is committed: So here, and Zachar. 13.1. sin is called Uncleanness. Jerome translated it as the word will carry it, Menstruata, menstruous; then which, saith he, Nihil eras in lege immundius, qua quicquid tangebat, immundum faciebat, Rev. 3.18. Thy filthy nakedness. And Micah 2.10. Because it is polluted.

[Use.] To teach every man to be willing to receive a reproof, and to endure to be told of his offenses and corruptions, from this reason, because they are they which pollute and defile him. In a garment, saith Chrysost. ho. 17. ad popul. Antioch. Put on auquerly or unhandsomely, if a boy tell thee of it thou wilt not much blush because it is no great shame, the greater shame were to go with it so out of order; And if dirt be upon the garment or face, and one tell thee of it, thou wilt thank him and take it kindly, how ought thou in this? for by this, reformation may be had, and thou mayest be made clean and kept clean; for though it is somewhat difficult and hard for a man to part with his sins and overcome them himself, yet if he have many admonitors, or be often admonished; at length he may be rid of them.

The holiness of the Lord. ] So is the Church called, either because of God's presence which makes it holy, or else because they were dedicated to God, and made his proper and peculiar people: for a sanctified in Scripture, so signifies, to be set a part to a holy use and a sanctified end; as is said of the Sabbath.

[Doctrine.] The Church and children of God must be holy unto the Lord, separated from the world and corruption, and dedicated to him and his service, sanctified and set apart for holy things, and holy worship; as the instruments of the Temple, the sacrifices, and other holy things, once dedicated to God, might not be taken and applied to profane uses or common uses; no more may men once dedicated to God, give themselves to corruption and sin; nay much less, for those things were but the shadows, men are the substance, those but the types, they the truth. Therefore must they be continued to holy things by his service as they are dedicated. James 1.27. Pure religion and undefiled before God even the father, is this, to visit the fatherless, and widows in their adversity, and to keep himself unspotted of the world. To which we add 1 Pet. 2.9 Rom. 6.13.

[Use 1] This condemneth all late repentance, all deferring of repentance, from day today till a man be sick, or a dying, because where repentance is not a turning from sin to God, there can be no holiness at all; for where sin reigns, there holiness can have no place. One heaven can better have two suns, and one kingdom two kings, then one man and one heart these two, while then they remain impenitent, and do it ex professo, they must needs be impure.

And hath married the daughter of a strange God. ] This is their sin that they had married with Idolaters, with them who were of a false worship, and worshipped a false God.

[Doctrine.] It is a sin and impiety for Christians and God's people to make marriages with Infidels, those who are of a diverse and contrary Religion, which are not the servants and professors of the God of their fathers, the true God and true Religion. And this is manifest by inhibition first in general. Exod. 23.32.33. Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their God's, Neither shall they dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their God's, surely it shall be thy destruction. In particular, Deut. 7.3. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them neither give thy daughter unto his son, nor take his daughter unto thy son. 2 Cor. 6.14. Be not unequally yoked with the Infidels: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? The proposition of the Apostle is general, forbidding all society and fellowship with them, much more then this, then which nothing is more strict, and by none men are so firmly knit together as by this. And by the name of yoking he seemeth to allude to the type of the law, when God commanded that men should not plow with an Ox and an Ass together, Deut. 22.10. whereunto also belongs the prohibition of the like, Levite. 19.19. which God spoke not for them, but to teach man.

[Reason 1] Because it is dangerous, lest by that means through their continual society and cohabitation the believer and godly party may be drawn from their piety to impiety, and from the true worship to the false. It fell out with Solomon and Jehoram, 2 Chron. 31.6. yea with the whole people of God, Num. 25.2. Now that which fell out with such great men, and with such multitudes is danger, it may fall out with others, inferior, fewer, simpler, and weaker. Nay the Lord saith without any may bees, that it shall befall unto them. Deut. 7.4. For they will cause thy son to turn away from me; and to serve other God's: then will the wrath of the Lord wax hot against you, and destroy thee suddenly. And the reason of that is, because being confident in their own strength they tempt God. And so it is just he should give them over to see their own weakness.

[Reason 2] Because it cannot be but that the service of God which every believer is bound to perform even in his private family must either be omitted altogether, because the man not believing will not suffer it, or interrupted greatly, because the wife will be a scoffing and mocking as Michal. And to this may I apply that of Chrysostom. As the woman is an helper, so she often becomes a traitor; and as marriage is an harbor, so it often causes shipwreck.

[Reason 3] Because it must needs be prejudicial to the education of their Children: When the parents consent not betwixt themselves, how should the children be brought up in piety & the fear of the Lord? Nay the children will ever follow the worse side, though it happen to be the weaker, because nature is so capable of error and false worship, over that it is of the true. Hence hardly an Idolatrous King made mention of in the stories of the Scriptures, but their mothers are named with them, as they who prevailed with them for false worship, more then the fathers did or could for the true. But against this Doctrine there are certain objections, by which some would prove that it is lawful to marry with those who are of a contrary Religion.

[Object.] And first for the places alleged out of Exodus and Deuternomy, they say that they are not to be taken generally, as forbidding all matching with such, but particular prohibiting to match with those seven nations of the land of Canaan.

[Answer.] Those inhibitions are general for all of a diverse religion, because it is a certain and true Rule where the reason is general, there the precept is; but the reason of it is general. There being still as much danger as ever was, lest by the unbeliever the faithful may be drawn from the true God and pure worship.

[Object.] Salmon one of the Princes of Judah married Rahab the harlot, a Canaanite, Math. 1.5. Judah married a Canaanite, also, Gen. 38.2. Moses the daughter of Jethro, Joseph of Potiphar. Solomon the daughter of Pharaoh.

[Answer.] Solomon is condemned for it, by the Scriptures. Judah was a wicked man, no matter what he did. Joseph and Moses went before the law, but yet no doubt they had them to embrace the true Religion, and they were converted. As the Scripture speaks manifestly of Rahab. And so it might be lawful. Though there be of the learned who think that they might not marry any of those nations, though converted, because God hath so utterly banished those nations from his people, that without some special dispensation they might not marry with the converted. Deuter. 21.11. Therefore lawful to marry such.

Because it is lawful by a special warrant and dispensation; therefore it follows it was simply unlawful, for else there needed no dispensation. Again, all the signs set down in that place show rather that the Lord did dislike it then approve it, and that he did yield so much, it was because of their incredible wantonness and corruption. First, she must shave her head, that whereas the hair is an inticer or that which gaineth the unclean affection, he liking her in that, when she was shaven might begin to dislike her; and her nails must be pared to make her more deformed; and her garments must be changed, that whereas some garish apparel was as a snare to an unchaste heart, she being put in modest apparel and plain, he might less affect her. And she must mourn thirty days, that if for her pleasantness and cheerful carriage she deceived and delighted him; now in her mourning and dejected countenance she might less affect him; finally, if he disliked her he might neither make her a servant to himself, nor sell her to another; which thing they accounted a burden. By which things God endeavored rather to cure such an inordinate love and affection then to give liberty to it. Finally, some add that these were used for signs of her repentance and renouncing of her false worship; and if she were converted, then was it lawful.

[Object.] If such do match together, whether is their marriage lawful, or whether a marriage or no?

[Answer.] Many of the learned do think it is none, but ought to be dissolved. Tertullian hath called it stuprum. The ground of all their reason is, because God hath forbidden such marriages to be made, therefore they ought to be dissolved, but this (saving their judgment) is not universally true, but rather that many things, quae fieri non debent facta valent. For instance in the like. There is a twofold infidel, one who doth openly profess it, and deny some main Article of faith, as that there is no such Trinity in the Unity. Another, who professeth in words and denieth it in deeds, and is in heart an infidel. It is not lawful to marry with either of these, being known, not the later. But say a man or woman do marry, and after it appeareth, whether is it a lawful marriage or no? I presume, no man will think that after the knowledge of it, there ought to be a divorce made. But to unfold this as I think more fully, I would demand this question, whether if one of the parties fall after the marriage into heresy? whether stands the marriage good? or whether ought there to be a divorce? Papists generally think there should be a divorce à Thoro, non à vinculo, a divorce unknown to the Scriptures. Celestinus thought à vinculo, though Innocentius was much against him. Many of our learned men think it will break a contract, not a marriage; only they hold liberum divortium; That is, when all the means and ways are taken to bring them from their error and heresy, and the party infected will not dwell with the other, or not without blaspheming or reproaching of Christ, they may freely with consent one depart from the other; but if he will abide in peace with the sound party, he or she is not to put him or her away, which by proportion is gathered from that, 1 Cor. 7.13.14.15. which place though it be understood of those who were found in their heathenish marriages, and visited, so of the grace of God; And so as Tertullian saith, allows not the faithful to make marriages with the unbelievers, yet it affords some equity and direction when they are once made; and so that they are lawful marriages de facto, though not lawfully made de jure.

VERS. XII.

THE Lord will cut off the man that doth this. ] In this Verse the Prophet threateneth the judgment of God against them for this sin, even the cutting of them off from the tents of Jacob, whosoever commits any such thing, whether he that teacheth, or is instructed, Priest or people, whether he stand out obstinately or hypocritically, he would seem to appease his anger by some offering.

The Lord will cut off. ] The Lord will not put up this injury done to him and his daughters; but whatsoever he be that either shall do this hereafter, or hath done it and repents and reforms it not, everyone of them will I cut off and destroy. Jerome observes it here as worth the observation, that he cuts not men off from pardon, or the hope of it; for he saith not, the Lord curseth him that doth this, but he that shall do it, prolonging his curse as it were for the time to come, that he might provoke the offenders to repentance.

Will cut off. ] It is a phrase like that Gen. 17.14. Exo. 12.15. which Tremellius thus interpreteth, that is, both here and in the world to come, he shall be cut off from the company & society of the Saints & faithful. The Metaphor, as some probably think, is borrowed from Physicians, who cut off the body putrefied and rotten members, and have often occasion and necessity so to do. As if the wicked were but rotten and putrefied members in the Church.

The man that shall do this. ] A sentence without exception, whosoever he be, it shall be all one to him, who accepts no man's person.

Both the master and the servant. ] and particularly, both master and servant. ] The Interpreter in the Latin, hath Master and Disciple or Scholar; following rather the signification then the original: for that is either he that watcheth and answereth, or he that exciteth and answereth. But for the meaning, some difference there is: some understand by the watcher or exciter, the teacher, who watcheth that he may teach true things unto his scholars or hearers, and excite their minds; by the answerer, the scholar or hearer, who follows the master, and for further instruction answereth to his demands, or questions. And so by this should be signified, that both the people and the Priests, who were authors and warranters, or assurers of their course by precept or practice, should perish together. Others take it more generally, and more probably. The meaning is, one and other, and all; not one man of those shall escape, who are defiled with these profane marriages, no not any one of those families shall be left alive, but be cut off.

Out of the Tabernacles of Jacob. ] That is, from God's people, or God's Church; some think it is taken for the Cities of Jacob, as they think it to be taken, Psal. 87.2. But all is to one purpose: for those Cities were part of the Church.