An Exposition of Hosea 4-7

Yet] The Hebrew word is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Vere, as if he should say, truly it is in vain for any one to stand striving or reproving his neighbor, or seek to convince or admonish him, it is in vain for one friend to meddle with another, for they are so violent in their wicked ways, they are so far from hearkening to private admonition, that they will contend with the Priest, even with him that is set by God, and designed by special office to teach and reprove. Some carry it thus, They are so vile as no man is fit to reprove one another, being their wickedness is general no man is fit to reprove his brother of his sin. But I rather take it the other way.

It doth first import thus much unto us in the general, That sin cannot be got from men without striving. Such is the perverseness of men's hearts, that they take fast hold of deceit Jer. 8.5. and you cannot get them away without striving; like men in a frenzy, you cannot get them off from that which will mischieve them without struggling with them. When you admonish and reprove men for sin, you must make account aforehand that they will strive with you, strugle with you, yet afterwards perhaps they will bless God for you; If you come indeed at the first you shall have rugged usage, What you come to judge u • , as they said to Lot? Who made you a Ruler? So you have very ill language usually from men at first when they are reproved, yet be not be discouraged, they will bless God for you afterwards, they will say as David unto Abigail, Blessed be God, and blessed be thy advise, and blessed be thou for thy counsel.

Secondly (which is employed in the former,) Even private [Obs. 2] men, so long as there is any hope, they should strive with their brethren by way of admonition and reprehension to bring them from their sin. We must not say, Are we our brothers keepers? that is the language of a Cain. There is much striving and contending one with another for our own ends; Oh that there were more striving and contending for God and his glory! It is a sign that the Glory of God and the Souls of our Brethren are not precious in our eyes when we can so strive and contend to have our own wills, and though God loseth his Glory, and our Brothers Soul is like to perish, we cannot strive and contend there, not even those that are too too full of strife otherwise.

Thirdly,

Let no man strive; It is in vain to strive now, (thats the meaning) Indeed so long as there was hope there might be st • iving, but now they are past striving. This was their height of wickedness that they were grown unto, and the fore-runner of that wrath of God that was now ready to fall upon them, because they were now past all reprehension and admonition. I will give you for that two or three notable texts of Scripture to fatten this upon your hearts, that it is a most fearful thing for people to stand out against admonition and reprehension. That place in 1. Sam. 2.25. is a notable one, the text saith of Eli's sons, that they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, why? Because the Lord intended to destroy them. Oh you children do you hearken to this Scripture, turn to it, read it over, you 〈…〉 stout rebellious children, and your parents they are 〈◊〉 •• ving you for your sins and admonishing you, but you will not hearken to them, and in the pride of your hearts and stoutness of your spirits you refuse admonition; but if you read that Scripture and believe that it is the Word of God, Oh tremble at it, They hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them. Here is a stuborn child, regards not the voice of his father and mother reproving him, it is a fearful argument that God intends to destroy that child. Another text you have in 2 Chron. 25.16. it is a speech of the Prophet to Amaziah; when the Prophet came to rebuke him for worshiping the gods of that people whom he had overcome in battle (Here is the infinite vanity and sottishness of Idolaters, Amaziah falls to worship those very gods that could not deliver themselves nor their people out of his hands;) when the Prophet (I say) came to reprove him for it, in what a rage was he? One would have thought that there was so much the more reason fo • 〈◊〉 ••• rit to have yielded to the Prophet's reproof, but saith the King, Art thou made of the Kings Counsel? forbear; it may be he hath other fetches, other intentions, what have you you to do to meddle? The Prophet did forbear indeed, but mark what he saith, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel. Here was his collection, because the King would not regard admonition and reproof, certainly God had a purpose to destroy this King; here is the forerunner of his destruction. And it is observable of this King, that he should now stand out so: for in the Chapter before you shall find him seem to be of a yeildable spirit though he was a naughty man; when he had hired an hundred thousand out of Israel to • oyn with him in battle, and had given them all pay, yet when God did but send to him by the Prophet to send them back and to loose those hundred talents that he had paid the Soldiers withal, upon the very word of the Prophet he sends back a hundred thousand of his Soldiers and looseth all their pay; and yet this Amaziah that was so yeildable at that time how stubborn was he against the Prophet at another time! And therefore at that time when he did so yield to Go • 〈◊〉 prospered him in the battle, and he overcame his enemies 〈◊〉 had a glorious victory, and after that victory he falls a worshiping the Idols he had overcome, and was stout against the Prophet, and so soon after he was destroyed accordingly. The last Scripture is that in Pro. 29.1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. It is a dangerous thing to stand out against reproof and admonition.

Again, Let no man strive with his brother.] You may see that this people were grown to a worse pass than they were before, for in the second Chapter of this prophesy, Say to your brethren Ammi, and to your sisters Ru • hamah. There those that were godly amongst them were admonished to speak to their brethren and their sisters, though they were naught yet the godly that were dispersed amongst them must be admonishing those they lived withal; but now it is come to such a pass that there must be no more striving, no mo •• 〈◊〉 •• monishing. Here we may take this note, That sin doth increase in •• aces where [Obs. 4] it is let alone. Those that were capable of admonition one while, going on in sin and hardening their hearts, grow quickly past all admonition.

Fifthly,

Especially in these two cases; when those that they should admonish scorn their admonition, when they grow scorners; when they trample their admonitions under their feet as swine, or turn again upon them and rend them as dogs. There are two sorts not to be admonished or reproved, Swine, and Dogs. When they grow to be swine and dogs then you may leave, yea you ought to leave admonishing them. For admonitions and reprehensions are precious things, they are pearls, they must not be cast to swine, Mat. 7.6. Give not holy things to dogs, neither cast pearls before swine; they are holy things and precious things; For I do not take that place to be meant of the Sacrament only, it may be by an argument a minori ad majus applied to it, but that place, Give not holy things to dogs, and cast not pearls before swine, is meant of admonition and reprehension. So that admonition is to be looked upon as a holy thing, as a pearl, you are to prize it and therefore not to be angry when we come to admonish you, but you are to look upon the holiness of God in it & so reverence it, and look upon it as a mercy of God and bless God for it. There are many in Heaven now blessing God for the admonitions which they have received from others, as David blessed God for Abigail and her counsel. Many think it a great happiness unto them that they can re • ect admonition and counsel, and when they are gone from such as have admonished them and are among their companions they can boast and say, Oh such a one came and reprehended me, but I said thus and thus to him, and so rejoice how they have re • ected admonition. But if they knew all they have cause to mourn, it is a great m • sery for them when as it comes to that, that God shall bid those th • t have to deal with them to strive no more with them; when as men have rejected the admoniti •• of others, that they think they have stopped their mouths, I will warrant you say they, such a one will neve • come to me more; Oh your misery is the greater. F •• .

• • st, You have deprived yourselves of a special Ordinance of G •• . Admonition and reprehension, even brotherly admonition and reprehension is an Ordinance of God.

Secondly, T • ose who strive thus, who admonish and reprove you, they must give an account unto God what becometh of their admonition and reprehension. You must give an account to God one day, and so must they give an account unto God too; yea they should do it for the present, thus, After they have done they must go to God and tell him how it hath sped, for they have done it in his Name when they have done it right; And when they go unto God if their admonition and reproof have prevailed with you, they are to return to God with blessing, to bless God that he hath been pleased to bless their admonition to such a one. And on the other side if you reject their admonition they are to tell that too when they go unto God, they are to tell a lamenting of your condition and to entreat God to look upon you, and to tell God, Lord I have been thus and thus admonishing such a one; it hath been in thy Name, but Lord he contemns it, he rejects it: When you are laughing at it that you have rejected such a friends admonition, then he that hath been faithful to you he is telling God of it, and do you not think there will come somewhat of this one day?

Lastly, You are left to God's striving and rebuking, and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. It is better when God striveth with you by men than that he should come and strive with you himself. As now, if a father send his servant to go and fetch in a child, to rebuke a chile, and he comes and tells the father, he cares not what I say; No saith the father, I will go myself, and then it is worse with the child, the child then smart • for it; So God sends thy brother to rebuke thee, and to fetch thee in, thou carest not for him, thou lookest upon him as thy fellow-creature, and so thy brother goes to God, Lord he doth not regard what I say, No says God? I will rebuke him myself, and God's rebukes in this case will be furiou • rebukes; Ezek 5.15. When I shall • x • •• te judgments in anger and in fury and in fur •• us rebukes, Mark it. furious rebukes; The rebukes of a brother are loving reb • kes, but if thou reject them God's rebukes may come • nd they wilt prove furious rebukes, The rebukes of a brother are out of ••• e but Am • s 7.4. The Lord calls to contend by ••• e. When 〈◊〉 friends did strive with him they could not pr • veil, but Job. 38.1. God calleth out of the whirlwind to answer to him, and who is this that darkeneth words without counsel? The Lord out of the whirlwind calleth to contend with Job and so overcometh him. If thou regardest not friends contending with thee, the Lord himself out of the whirlwind may come and contend with thee. Take heed how thou rejectest the strivings of a brother with thee, tor God may not only say he shall strive no longer, but my spirit shall no longer strive with thy soul.

This people are as one that striveth with the Priest.] That is the reason why they must not strive one with another. Here are only these two things by way of explication;

[Quest. 1] 1. Why it is said with the Priest rather than with the Prophet?

[Quest. 2] 2. Why it is said, For this people are [as] they that strive with the Priest? did not they strive with the Priest? why then is it not said this people are a people that strive with the Priest?

For the answer to these two briefly.

[Answ. 1] First, It is said that they strive with the Priest rather than with the Prophet, though the Prophet did rebuke them and strive with them, upon this reason, Because the Priest was a standing office in the Church of God; the Prophet that was an extraordinary office, and they could not be sure of the Prophet whether he were a true Prophet or no but according to the event of the Prophesy; [Quere] but the Priest they acknowledged him to be an officer of God, and that is the reason that the Priest is here named rather than the Prophet.

[Answ.] And then, As those that strive with the Priest. It may be the Priests were generally so bad that there was scarce any Priest that did strive with them at all, those Priests being Jeroboams Priests they did join with them in their wickedness, therefore he could not say they did strive with the Priests, but yet thus their hearts were as vile, God saw this in their hearts that if there were Priests to strive with them they would strive with them.

Or secondly thus, As those that strive with the Priest; because indeed those Priests of Israel at this time they were not such as were called of God, for in 1 King. 12.31. the text saith of Jeroboam, that he made Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi, and chap. 13. ver. 33. Whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the Priests of the high places. But the people received them as Priests still, for indeed they thought that the Kings authority was enough for all, because the king would have them to be Priests they would receive them, as it the King had the absolute power to make all Church Officers, if they were sent by the Kings Authority they must be acknowledged to be Church Officers. So it was then, and that may seem to be the reason of that expression, as those.

Now from hence the Notes are these, for you must take it that this is employed here, that suppose there were Priests faithful and godly that did strive with them, yet their hearts were so hard that they would strive against those Priests, and this sets out the grossness of the hardness of their hearts. Take then the sense thus and here we may have these Notes

First, That it is the work of the Priest to contend against men for their sin. That is the proper work of a Priest, to strive with men against their sin. They are the salt of the earth and so they should have some acrimony in them. In 1 Tim. 3.3. It is said indeed of the Minister of God that he should be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 mo striver. A Minister of God should be one that is in office to look to the souls of people and he should be no striver; How will you say then that he should strive? That is, he should never strive with men for his own ends, for his own ways, no brawler, no striver, no adulterer but one of a quiet and gentle spirit, that should pass by wrongs done unto himself; but when he comes for God he should be a striver;

Oecolampadius writing to his fellow Ministers, I remember he hath a notable expression, Let not our zeal and anger (saith he) burn when we are scorned ourselves and reproached ourselves, but when the Truth is in danger, and the Name of God i • in danger, then let our heat arise, then let us strive. This indeed is the Character of a true godly Minister, that he is in his own cause, gentle, yeildable, but when it comes to the cause of God, the heat riseth in his face, and there he hath zeal and fervency, there he will strive and contend with men in the ways of their sin.

Secondly, When Ministers do reprehend and strive with people, they must expect to be striven withal by people. These are as a people that strive with the Priest, they have such vile hearts that had they never such faithful and godly Officers that were set over them by God, they would strive with them. And indeed all faithful Ministers must expect that if they strive with men for their sins, men will strive with them. If there had at any time any faithful ones been sent amongst them by God, they would have been ready to have cried out of them and have told them,

Thus no question but they would be ready to strive with the Priest at that time. And thus they did with Amos, chap. 7. ver. 12. Go to Judah and prophesy there; they strove with Amos that was contemporary with Hosea, prophesying at this time unto this people, the land say they cannot bear Amos his words, let him go to Judah, he were best be gone, he tells us we are a superstious people, and that we do not worship God in the right manner and in the right place, let him go thither, we wish he were out of the Country; he and such as he is raise a fire in the land. Thus when Ministers discharge their consciences showing people their sins and the mind of God, this is ordinarily the recompense that they have. Thus it was with Jeremiah, chap 15. ver. 10. We is me saith he, that my mother ever bear me, for I am (saith he) a man of strife and of contention to the whole earth, and everyone curseth me. Jeremiah a grave and holy Prophet, yet a man of contention to the whole earth, and every man cursed him: A strange thing that he should meet with such hard dealing, and yet he appealed to God in the matter of his sincerity, he desired not the evil day, and he prayed for the people so long til God bid him pray no more; when thy were railing upon bim he was praying for them. This was the ill condition he was in for that respect. And so it was with other Prophets besides him. I might name other texts in Jeremiah, as chap. 20. ver. 7.8. I am in derision daily, everyone mocketh me, for since I spake I cried out, I cried, violence and spoil, because the Word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me and a derision daily; After I threatened that there should come some judgment upon the Nation I cried out of the violence and spoil that they for the present made in the Nation, and then they mocked and scorned me. The like we have in Esa, he had the same dealings from the people. Esa, 28.13, 14. But the Word of the Lord was to them precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little, that they might go and fall backward, and be broken, and snared and taken. You will say, how do they strive against the Prophet in this? I take it this Scripture is often mistaken, and the scope of these words are to show how the people did jeer and mock the Prophet in his preaching. But the Word of God was to them precept upon precept, that is thus, they scorned at God's Word, What we have nothing but precept and precept, one precept after another, in a scorning language, the word of the Lord, and Commandment one after another, and one Prophesy after another, a line upon line, and now you would have a little more; it is spoken in a contemning way; And I rather take it to be thus, because in the Hebrew the sound of the words do carry it in a mocking, in a jeering way, as thus: trar letrar, kar lekar; precept to precept line to line. As mocking people will jeer in the nose at men, so they did at this time with the Prophet, the very sound of the words in the Hebrew is such as noteth a mocking and jeering of the Prophet, and they pronounced the same words again and again, as mockers and jeerers use to do, nothing but precept and precept, and when will the fellow have d • ne? And I take this to be the meaning because the threatening follows after, that they might fall backward and be br • ken a • d s •• red and taken, wherefore (saith the text in the very next words) hear the word of the Lord ye scornful men; They manifested a scornful spirit in such kind of expressions, retorting upon the Prophet in such a manner; And God's anger riseth in his face Wher • fore • ear ye the word of the Lord ye scornful men. It is the us • all way of many scornful men that if they can get anything that Ministers speak and get a sound of it, they will by sounding of it double express their jeering and scorning; So did they with the Prophet who was one of the most admirable elegant, and eloquent Prophets that ever was, a man that spake in hi • time so as never man spake, for he spoke in a most high style, he was himself of the Kingly race, a great man, a Noble man born and a most admirable eloquent man, yet when he came to prophesy to this people in the name of God, thus they jeered and scorned him. And Esa. 30.10. Which say to the seers, see not, but preach smo • th things to us, tell not us of such and such things as these are. Thus they contemned him. Yea and in Christ's time we find that when Christ himself preached, one time as soon as ever he had done his Sermon the people got him up to the brow of a hill that was upon the side of the City and would have thrown him down and broke his neck; that was the reward he should have had. And Paul that was one of the excellentest preachers that ever was (It was one of Austin's wishes that he could but see Paul in the pulpit) yet when he came to preach, What will this babbler say? and, he is a pestilent fellow, one that is of a furious spirit and an incendiary, and where ever he goes he turns the world ups • de down. Such kind of entertainment had the Apostles. And Luther I remember hath such an expression, Quid est praedicare Evangelium? What is it to preach, unless it be this, to derive all the fury of people upon ones self? if one would preach conscientiously. And Mat. 5.12. there Christ tells his Disciples what they were like to meet withal, how they were like to be reviled and persecuted, for so saith he persecuted they the Prophets which were before you. Acts, 7.53. Which of the Prophet h • ve not your f • thers pe • secuted? Thus those that are in office those that are sent to speak unto the people, they must expect if they would be faithful in their administrations to be striven withal.

But though wicked men do strive, yet as Samson said unto the men of Judah that came to bind him that they might deliver him into the hands of the Philistines, Do not ye fall upon me yourselves. It were well if faithful Ministers were not striven withal many times by those that are godly. It is not so much for a faithful Minister to have wicked and ungodly men to strive with him. Though they bind them, Oh brethren do not do not you bind them: after that in conscience of their duty and in love to your souls they have hazarded all the hatred and malice that may be of the adversary, even to stand in the fore-front as the But to their malice, yet in requital of all, even many that are godly, if they see them grow troublesome, they are ready to strive with them; because wicked men are exasperated by the Word of God preached, therefore they could wish that even such Ministers had never come amongst them, and this even such as make profession of godliness do. Is here a requital of he hazard that faithful Ministers undergo? I appeal unto you, Are there any people in the Kingdom that stand as a But against the malice of the Adversary, so much as godly and faithful Ministers do? Do not think that it is out of that precipitancy, that ra hness that we do not consider what danger we stand in in doing what we do; yes, we consider it beforehand,

Now when we have done all this, we expect a far better r • quittal from many people than we find. When Moses and Aaron came unto the people of Israel when they were in Egypt to deliver them, (for that was their message) but because for the present their bondage was increased and the wr • th of Pharaoh more incensed, therefore they were weary of Moses and Aaron, and they fall to striving with them as if they were the cause of their misery, Why 'twas better with us before than three you came, if you had never come amongst us it would have been better with us. So it is now, because those that are faithful, out of conscience, labor to declare to you the mind of God, and to draw you to those duties that God calls for, (this indeed enrageth the adversary, they are the more incensed when you follow what your Ministers teach,) and you are ready to think, they h • ve brought us into this way, they have kindled the fire, they have told us it is the Cause of God, they have exhorted us to come in with our Estates, and now the King is exaspered against u • , and our adversaries are enraged against us and we are like to be in some misery; And so even all the strivings of the better sort are ready to devolve upon the Ministers, and they strive with them as the only incendiaries and troublers of the places where they come. Well, howsoever Ministers may meet with hard dealing from some, even from professors, yet their way is with the Lord, and their judgment is with the Almighty: As there is a most admirable promise to help those that have been most forward to rebuke sin & in a zealous way for God, though men are enraged against them. Isa. 49.2. He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand hath he bid me. This text is true of every faithful Minister: Mark it, He hath made made my mouth like a sharp sword; why if I did speak smooth things I were not like to be in so much danger, but if speak sharp things do not I hazard myself much? I shall incur the rage and anger of all kind of people; but mark, He hath made my mouth as a sharp sword, But in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me. Ministers whose mouths are as sharp swords they are in a great deal of danger, yea but let such be comforted, here comes a promise presently, in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me. So that those Ministers whose mouths are sharpest in the Name of God, and who speak but the Truth of God, those are under God's protection more than any other Ministers that have held their peace, they are in more safety, they are hid in God's hand, in the shadow of his hand more than any other. So God comforted Jeremiah, Chap. 10. verse. 15. after he had cried out, woe is me, I am a man of strife, well saith God, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant, I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction. It may be many of you think it is a weakness in Ministers to appear so much as they do and discover themselves, for they endanger themselves, and cannot they be quiet as others are? there are many of more moderate spirits and deal wiselyer for themselves, they keep in and say nothing, and so they may scape of either side, looking which side will prevail; May not these scape? No, they are in more danger than the other, for the other are under a promise, these are not, they are so studious for themselves and for their own safety that God will take no care of them. Our Savior Christ takes care to encourage his Disciples against the st •• ings of people with them; we have in Luk. 6. many blessings pronounced, blessed are the poor, blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, blessed are they that mourn &c. But they that understand the Original shall find that the word [ye] is not in, only blessed are the poor, and blessed are they that mourn &c. But when he cometh to his Disciples verse. 22. there is an Este put more than in the other, Christ speaks more particularly to his Disciples: when as people shall speak evil of them and cast out their name as filth, then there is a blessed are ye, with an este, more than there was in all the other blessednesses; That shows God hath a special care of his Ministers when men speak evil of them and strive with them. But on the other side, Woe to you when all men speak well of you; It is meant most of Ministers, it is true indeed of all Christians, but I take it that the scope of Christ in that place is concerning Ministers that were to go and preach, and woe to you when all men speak well of you. The word that is translated well, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that speak of you so as to commend you for a spruce curious neat Teacher; I there are such and such fiery men, but here's a Preacher, a quaint man, an Eloquent man, a dainty man, a man that hath brave language with him, and they will never persecute such as these. The other are pronounced blessed when they are reviled and cast out as evil.

These are they that will strive with the Priest] The next Note is this, That though the Ministers of God must expect striving withal, yet to strive with those that come in God's Name to reprove, it is a great aggravation of sin and a hastening of judgment. God expects when he sends his Ministers that you shovld obey them in the Lord and not strive with them. 2 Chron. 26.12. God took it ill that King Zedekiah did not humble himself before Jeremiah the Prophet; And in ver. 16. of the same chap. it is said, They mocked the Prophets, and contemned them until the wrath of God arose against his people and there was no remedy; No remedy when once they strove with those that God sent amongst them. Those that are sent by God they are the special witnesses of God: Revel. 11. It is said of those two witnesses that if any do them hurt and contend with them, fire shall go out of their mouths and devour their enemies. Those that are sent by God and come in God's Name they have the power of Jesus Christ with them, Mat. 28. All power is given to me &c. Go and teach &c. As if he should say, know as I have all power given to me, it shall go along with you to do good to those that obey your Doctrine and to execute revenge upon all those that strive with you. The Apostles were to shake off the dust of their feet in contempt of those that contemned their Doctrine.

[Quest.] But you will say, May we not in any case strive with the Minister?

[Answ.] I confess in Popery they would so exalt their Priestly Office as that all people must be brought into a blind obedience unto them, and the people must receive whatsoever Doctrine they preach; The Priests lips only must preserve knowledge, the people must not so much as examine it, they must obey and not contradict whatsoever is said; It is one of the Popes Canons concerning him, that though he should carry down with him by heaps souls to Hell, yet no mortal man must presume so much as to rebuke him or find fault with him, for he being spiritual as they say (for so they abuse that Scripture) he judgeth all men and no man judgeth him; and in a proportion all their Priests would fain have that power. And this certainly hath been the policy of our Priests of late to bring the people into ignorance that so they might not be able to contend with them let then) do what they will. They cry out there was never such a time when every Taylor and every Shop keeper hath had so much knowledge that they can contradict their Minister as now, and try the Doctrine of their Minister. They vex at this that poor men have so much knowledge as to be able to try their Doctrine they preach, they would fain so preach as that you must be led like a company of sheep what way they would lead you and believe what ever they preach. Certainly so many gross errors and doting conceits of Popery could never have prevailed except they had prevailed with people in their blind obedience. Therefore there may be some striving with Ministers and that according to God, though here their striving is forbidden; As thus, Christ requires that his sheep should know the difference between his voice and the voice of a stranger: Yea we know that there is a charge that if any preach any other Doctrine he should be accursed; even people should look upon those that come to them to preach any other Doctrine as accursed; Therefore they are required to know; And they are commanded to try everything and not to believe every spirit, yea not to bid them good speed that bring other Doctrines; And they are to say to Archeppus, Take heed to thy Ministry which thou hast received that thou fulfil it; so far people have leave. Yet still it must be done in ways of respect to them. If they look upon them as true Officers (whether they be or no yet if they look upon them as such) the rule will take hold of them, Receive not an accusation against an Elder without two or three witnesses, You must not be so ready to strive with those that you look upon as officers. And rebuke not an Elder, but entreat him as a father; It must not be in a male pert way but with respect and reverence; And when you have done that, contended by witnesses, and spoken to them with reverence as owning the place wherein he standeth, you have liberty then if he bring ill Doctrine, or if his life be naught, to strive with him and contest with him in the Name of the Lord, and not to suffer yourselves to be under such bondage as to believe what ever they would have you, and they never to be called to any account at all. There was wont robe crying out of people if they went from their parish Churches (as they called them) Oh it could not be suffered, and yet they themselves would be away a whole year together, as if the relation were not mutual, and they bound as much to continue with their people as the people tied to keep unto them; If the Minister may have leave to go away, certainly the people may have the same freedom; whereas indeed neither of both ought to go away, so long as the one is looked upon as an Officer and the other as under that Officer. But I speak of that bondage that they would have brought you into whereby in time they would wholly have freed themselves that you should have had nothing to do with them in Church power. And then they would be t • e Clergy, whereas it is an absurd thing that they should be accounted the Clergy, for the Scripture speaking of the people in distinction from the Ministers, calls the people the Clergy, Let them not lord it over God's Clergy, so the word is there. But they would be accounted the Church and the Clergy, as if the people were no part of the Church at all, all Church power must come into their hands. And then they endeavored to free themselves from all Civil power too, as the Papists you know do, so they aimed at it and were going many steps in it; therefore they would send forth things in their own names, and in time they would have wrought themselves free from all Civil power and have had all Church power in their hands, and so indeed you could not strive with them. Bless God for the deliverance he hath now given you.

Yet further, If public means prevail not there is little hope of private. Why should one man strive with another, these are they that strive with the Priest? Though they had never so good public means, they resist that, surely then they will resist private. Therefore public means is to be preferred before private; When a man can speak as an officer to another, that is more to be regarded and will be more efficacious to those God hath a love unto, than private means. If this be so, let parents take heed how they teach their children to deride public means: When you have been at a Sermon, perhaps you will despise what you have heard; It is just with God they should, despise your admonition and reproof, for you have taught them to despise public means.

Again further, To reject those that we look upon in Office, though their calling be not good, yet it is a wickedness that God will revenge, (I say) though their calling be not right, if you look upon them or think them to be true Officers, so long if you despise what they do that is according to God's will, so long God will avenge it. If they come in God's Name and you know nothing to the contrary but that they are true Officers, you must not oppose them, so long as you have any apprehensions that they are true Officers, though perhaps if they were examined they have no true calling, yet if you cannot see but they have a true calling, you are to have such reverence and respect unto them, that you are to be subject to them.

Mark, Though private men are here bid not to strive one with another, or reprove one another; yet Hosea he goes on in his striving and reproving. Therefore shall they fall in the day and the Prophet also shall fall with them in the night. So that those in office must go on though they be striven against; so long as they remain in office they must still go on though people strive against them. It is a speech I remember Latimer hath in one of his Sermons, Many Ministers (saith he) they will not preach, and if they be a • ked the reason it is this, because they can do no good to people; Oh this (says he) is a naughty answer. Certainly so long as you continue in that place whether you do good or whether you do not good, you must go on in your work.

Therefore shalt [thou] fall. He directs the judgment to the particular, Thou every particular of you, in the singular number. Perhaps some might think, well though the generality suffer I may escape; No, look to yourselves everyone of you. When a threatening comes to particulars then it works.

The word translated, thou shalt fall, it is a word that signifies the falling ofa man by stumbling in the dark, suitable to their sin, they had no knowledge therefore they shall stumble in the dark.

Thou shalt fall in the day, Thou shalt stumble as a man in the dark, but it shall be in the day to thee, and yet thou shalt stumble. [In the day;] that is, First in thy prosperity, for in the latter times of the second Jeroboam (which was a little before the destruction of the ten Tribes) they were in a better case than they had been in before, yet from thence they began to fall. I say, not long before their ruin they were in more prosperity than they had been in many years before, therefore it is here said, thou shalt fall in the day, even when thou art in a prosperous condition. Or secondly, thou shalt fall in the day, that is, you shall see your misery before you yet you shall fall, you shall not be able to prevent it; it shall be in the day time, at noon day, you shall see plainly where your misery lies, yet you shall be as if you were in the night you shall stumble and fall.

Oh my brethren this is a Scripture that doth nearly concern us here in England as much as any I know. If England falleth and perisheth now, it falleth and perisheth in the day. We see apparently our evil before us; we see means to prevent it, God doth not bring night upon us in this sense, that is, he doth not bring misery so upon us as that we do not know how it comes or by what means, or how we should prevent it. No we are not so in the night, but in the day; we have seen the misery that hath come upon us by a continued design, we know almost the very bottom the very beginning of that design, how it hath gone on by degree, step by step; we see now the reason of the breaking of it out, because the stream is stopped it violently breaks out: We know who are the causers of our evil, what their counsels, intentions, what their ways are notwithstanding all their protestations, we see what we are like to be brought into if we do give but a little way and do not appear to quit ourselves like men; And we see apparently what God would have us to do; we see ways to help us and power to help us if we will, we have power to help ourselves, and direction to help ourselves too; we all of us know or may know clearly what we should do, and what in an ordinary course of providence would help us. Yet Lord how do we fall, we fall notwithstanding this, we fall even in apparent day light: so that if this Kingdom of England be brought into slavery, it will be the heaviest wrath that ever fell upon a Nation. There was never any Nation fell in a clear Sun-shine day as we are like to do if we perish now having such means for our help.

Again, You shall fall in the day] Hodie, that is, soon, presently, your destruction shall not be long.

And the Prophet shall fall with you in the night] There seems to be some difficulty in this. How cometh this in, you shall fall in the day, and the Prophet shall fall also with you in the night?

First, The Prophet shall fall with you] The blind lead the blind and they both fall into the ditch. You gave yourselves up to false Prophets to be guided by them, and here is all the good you shall have, both you and they shall perish together, the Prophet shall fall as well as ye. This is observable here,

For in the captivity of the ten Tribes they had no Prophets, nor never had since. Judah was carried into captivity yet they had Prophets among them, as there was Ezekiel, and Zechariah, and Haggai, they had Prophets to direct them though they had a great deal of misery. But Israel shall be carried into captivity and shall have no Prophet to help them. Here is a Note of great use from hence, Look to yourselves that you regard the Prophets of God now, otherwise when you shall be brought into misery, under the power of your adversaries, you shall have no Minister among you, none to show you God's mind, none to open his will. It was so with Israel, they never had any Prophet since the captivity to tell them the mind of God.

Thus the Prophets shall fall, but why in the night? Some therefore because they think hard of the different expression, they read it thus; You shall fall in the day with the Prophet, in the night your mother shall be destroyed, and so do but point it differently. It may be fairly read so, You shall fall in the day with the Prophet, in the night your mother past be destroyed. But I had rather read it as we have it, You shall fall in the day, and the Prophet with you in the night. Upon these two reasons, the Prophet shall fall in the night, false Prophets, so they are meant, they shall fall.

Those that abuse most light they come into most gross darkness, and therefore it is a usual expression in Scripture when Prophets are threatened, to threaten, that darkness shall be upon them, Micah 3.6. To you (saith he, speaking of the Prophets) it shall he dark, night shall be upon you, the Sun shall go down over the Prophets, and the day shall be darkened over them; over the Prophets in a special manner. And Zech. 11.17. His right eye shall be utterly darkened, the chief understanding that he hath, the pregnancy of parts that he hath he shall be besotted in, even in his very parts. Do we not see it even at this day that the Prophets fall in the night? There is more darkness upon wicked Ministers at this day amongst us than upon ordinary people. Ordinary people they understand more what God would have them to do than ill Ministers. Ill Ministers God doth besot them in their very parts and abilities, and they do nothing but cry out still for that which will bring themselves and us into slavery. Were it not for them, people would see competently well what to do, and the great darkness that is upon people cometh from the Prophets, they bring darkness upon the people, therefore their darkness is more than the darkness of the people. In divers Towns are there not many people that know the mind of God and see need of, and desire a Reformation in God's worship? and yet notwithstanding wicked Ministers will see no need of any Reformation.

But there is a second reason and that is more evident yet, [The Prophet also shall fall with you in the night] That is, the distress that shall be upon the Prophets shall be greater than shall be upon other people, it shall be night to them indeed, not only shall there be more darkness upon their understandings, but more darkness in regard of their afflictions, they shall be in greater horror of conscience and distress than any other people, for they shall see that they have brought you into all misery. And the truth is at this day the great misery that is come upon England it is through false Prophets, through wicked Ministers, through that Doctrine that they have taught. We had never been in such a condition as we are had not they flattered at Court and told at Court that all was at the Kings power and pleasure, and there ought to be no resistance, and that whatsoever he would have, to refuse it is rebellion. Had they not taught such things as these we never had had such times. Now if this Kingdom be destroyed, it may be God may bring horror upon their consciences, how ever they would put it off unto others, yet those that have any light remaining in them, the Lord will cause horror to be in their consciences and distress in their spirits as the cause of all that evil that shall be upon us. They shall fall in the night, a black dismal night shall be upon them when judgments cometh. Therefore in tims of public judgment, God's Ministers are to look upon God's hand as especially against them, and more horror and distress of conscience shall be upon them than upon others.

I will destroy their mother] They boasted of their mother a • the Papists do of their mother the Church, that is, their Church-state and Civil state shall be destroyed, and so there shall be no hope of this people, both children & mother shall be be destroyed; it seems to have some allusion to that in the Law where we are forbidden to take the dam with the young ones because of the preservation of succession; but here saith God my wrath shall be so hot, that I will not only take the young ones, but the dam, they shall be destroyed together with their mother.

The word that is here translated destroyed is a word that signifies shall be brought to be silent, for indeed this word signifies silence, as noting thus much, in times of God's judgments wicked men shall have nothing to say for themselves, but their mouths shall be stopped, and they shall be forced to lay their hands upon their mouths and be silent. It follows.

For want of knowledge] As if he had said, if they had the knowledge of God they might have prevented all this, but they were ignorant and sottish people and this was the forerunner of their misery and destruction. The Heathens were wont to say, If their god Jupiter would destroy one, he would first besot him; so these people were first besotted and then destroyed:

How diametrically cross is the language of the Scripture and the Doctrine of Papists! Ignorance is the mother of devotion say they, Ignorance is the mother of destruction saith God, they perish for want of knowledge. In the beginning of this Chapter we have the sin of ignorance set forth, here we have the danger of ignorance set forth. There we had the charge, that they had no knowledge of God in the land, here we have the judgment, that they are destroyed for want of knowledge.

Ignorance is not only the deformity of the soul as blindness is the deformity of the face, though a man or woman have never such a comely visage otherwise, yet if they be blind it mars their comeliness, if they have but one eye it takes away their beauty; so ignorance takes away the beauty of the soul, and not only so but it is dangerous; it is destructive; And that in these regards.

[ 1] The rational creature is very active of itself and will always be in motion, always working, and it is in the midst of pits and snares, if then it be blind how dangerous will it be for it! As now if you have a metteld horse that is in the midst of deep snares and pits, and blind, and he will be curvetting and dancing and will not stand still, in what danger is he? no creature is so full of activity as the rational creature is, he will be active in the world, and then wanting knowledge, in what danger is he?

Further, Mans way is for eternity, and there is but one [ 2] way that leads unto eternity of happiness, and that way is in the midst of a hundred cross ways and by paths. If he have not light, if he want knowledge what shall become of him?

But you will say, Though he be dark himself yet he may have some others to guid him and so he may do well enough.

Therefore consider in the third place, That man is not only [ 3] going unto eternity and in dangerous & by ways, but he must go with his own light. All the light of all the Angels in Heaven nor of all the Ministers in the world cannot help a soul in his journey to eternity, except this light be conveyed into his own eyes. It is true, a man that is corporally blind he may have help though it be but by a dog, but the soul that is ignorant no Angel in Heaven can help it, except it be an instrument of God to bring sight into his eyes, so far it may. But (I say) he must have light otherwise or he must perish, for he must go in his way to eternity by his own light.

Fourthly, The work we are to do about our souls and eternal [ 4] estates it is a most curious work, the most exact piece that ever was done in the world, and we must do it by our own light. Surely if a man were to make a most curious piece of work, as a curious Watch or the like, he need have light, put such a one in the dark and what can he do? The work of grace, God must enable us to do it, but we must work together with God; God enableth a man to make a Watch, he gives him skill, but he must work with God: so it is with the work of grace, we must have light in our own souls, therefore ignorance is dangerous.

Further,

When you see a poor blind man here, what is he loathsome in your eyes because he is blind, do you hate him? No, you pity him. But now the blindness of your souls makes you abominable in the sight of God, and it is that which God will be avenged on you for. But you will say, How can we help it? We have put out our own eyes, God gave us light at first and we brought ignorance upon ourselves.

[Use] If ignorance then be so dangerous that people perish for want of knowledge, How vile is it to deny the means of knowledge unto men merely to satisfy the humors of others! How many hundred congregations are there that have been deprived of their Ministers, for a Surplice or a Cross, &c.

[Quest.] But you will say, Obedience unto a Church is a great matter?

[Answ.] The answer is, Therefore it is the fault of a Church or governors, to require such things as God never required, and after the requiring of them it is a greater fault for them to stand so much upon them as that many thousands must perish rather than their humors must be not satisfied.

[Use 2]

Because thou hast rejected knowledge,] Only let us take heed that we do not reject knowledge and despise it. The word [reject] signifies contemning, despising, thou hast cast it off with despite and contempt, it is, Ignorantia non merae negationis, sed pravae dispositionis, affected ignorance. Thou hast rejected knowledge; these two ways. First when the means of knowledge is rejected then knowledge is rejected. Secondly when the directions of our knowledge are rejected, when we refuse to be guided by our knowledge, upon this our knowledge doth decay and so knowledge is contemned.

Now this is a great sin in any but especially in the Priests. When others think that the knowledge of God and his truth is too slight too mean a thing to take up their thoughts, this is vile. When Merchants and Tradesmen shall think they must busy thei • heads about some other matters, but for this knowledge of the Scriptures, it is no great matter, they may be happy without that, let them have their tradings and bargainings and houses and comings in stand that is that which is suitable unto them) let them have their cables spread and their dishes full, and for this Scripture and these points of Religion these are too mean things for them: These men now despise knowledge, for so the word here signifies, it is rejecting with a vile with a contemptible esteem of knowledge. But I say when the Priests shall reject knowledge, the Priests that should have labored to have filled their souls with knowledge, if they shall seek to live bravely, to be gallant, to grow rich, to pamper the flesh, and care not either to have the knowledge of God in their own souls or to bring the knowledge of God unto the people, but look upon them as not worth the regarding, this is in a more special manner a most grievous sin. How many are there amongst us at this day that study to get preferment &c. and then sell away their books and never after anymore mind knowledge! And others if they have knowledge and learning and prize it in some respect, yet in this they contemn it, they prize knowledge merely as serviceable unto their lusts. It is not for the beauty and excellency of the knowledge of God that they prize it so much, that sweetness that they find in the knowledge of Christ that they do search to know, but that they may be accounted Scholers, understanding men, learned men. This is to despise knowledge, when we seek for knowledge but in a way of service unto our lusts, and such men may be charged for men that despise knowledge.

But further, These Priests and such as were eminent in Israel rejected knowledge, because they had their houses and goods and comings in amongst the ten Tribes. (I beseech you observe it for this concerns us) I say the Priests that were amongst the ten Tribes, they were settled there and had their houses and in comes and their estates there; but now there was this taught, that we must worship God at Jerusalem, at the Temple, they rejected this knowledge especially, they saw that if they did embrace that truth of worshiping God in his own way, then farewell our incomes, farewell our livings, farewell our houses, we must leave our brave dwellings and all our maintenance and go from Samaria, and we must go to Judah, and how shall we live there? Upon this they shut their eyes against the knowledge of that very truth that should have brought them to the true worship of God; Rather than they would lose their estates they would reject that knowledge; And that I think to be the meaning of the holy Ghost here, They despised as other knowledge, so that knowledge of the true worship of God; so it is turned by some, Scientiam illam, that kind of knowledge they rejected; For they knew that these truths were suffering truths,

as the holy Ghost in Ezekiel speaks of men that shut their eyes against the Sabbath, so they shut their eyes against those truths that should have brought them to the true worship of God. And in this case it is not enough for a man to say, God knows I go not against my conscience, if my conscience were convinced that such and such things must be in the worship of God, if my conscience told me than this were the Word of God, I would obey it: But the reason they see this not to be the Word of God, why their consciences tell them not so, is, This is no excuse, Mark the judgment follows upon this.

Therefore I will reject you.] You despise knowledge, I will despise you, so the words may be read as well as re • ect you; God scorneth wicked men as much as they scorn him, with the froward he will deal frowardly, and with the scornful he will deal scornfully, that is, he will laugh them to scorn: What do you look upon God's ways and worship as a vile thing? Are the thruths of God vile in your eyes? You are vile in God's eyes, God looks upon you and your spirits as base and contemptible as you can look upon his Worship and his Saints and Ordinances. You despise knowledge and I will despise you saith God.

And I will r • ject you.] The word here translated reject, that is for despising, it hath a letter in it more than it hath in any other place in all the scripture. It is a Note of Tremellius from thence, there is a letter in this word in the Hebrew that is redundant, that is beyond the ordinary form of it, and this is his note upon it in his Comment upon this Text, It noteth saith he, the extraordinary manner of God's rejecting them, he will cast them out of the hearts of his people; as he doth apostate Ministers, above all others God casts out apostate Ministers out of the hearts of people: There is a peculiar way of God's rejecting wicked Ministers, an extraordinary way, more than despising and rejecting any other, and there is that shame and contempt cast upon them more than any in the world; That is his note upon this; he will reject them with contempt: Yea forever. You heard before in Luk. 6. that Christ pronounced his Disciples, faithful preachers, blessed when their names were call out as evil, when they were vilified by men. But now mark, when a Minister goes on faithfully in declaring the mind of God unto people, and there be shame cast upon him, blessed be that Minister; but if the Minister be wicked and there be shame cast upon him, that shame is a part of the curse, for then he is cast out as unsavory salt and men tread upon it says Christ. Wicked men would cast out the godly, but God and God's Saint • they embrace them, and they bless God for them; but if you be wicked and men cast you out as unsavory salt, then men contemn you, then you are trodden upon. Yea so rejected as never to be received again. Ezek. 44.13. the Priests there that did forsake the Lord when Israel forsook him, most never again come near unto God, no not so much as near unto the Priests Office. A notable text that concerns you to know for your direction about receiving in wicked persons that have been wicked in ill times.

God threateneth an utter rejection of those Levites that forsook God when Israel forsook him.

Now the observation that I should have noted from hence is this, That unfaithfulness in service provokes God to cast us out of service. I cannot stand to set an edge upon it.

And then another Note is this, That it is a great judgment to be rejected from the Priests Office, from the Office of a Minister. I will reject thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me. To be rejected from any employment it is a great judgment, Neb. 5.13. So God shake out every man from his house and from his labor that performeth not this promise. It is a judgment to be shaken out of our labor, but to be shaken out of such an office whereby we draw so nigh unto God as to be the mouth of God unto the people, and the mouth of the people unto God again, this is a sore evil.

Again, whereas it may be said, Israel had no true Priests therefore it was no judgment for them to be rejected out of that Office. But to be cast out of what we seem to have, that is likewise a judgment of God, Luk. 8.18.

You have forgotten the Law.] You live so as you show that you never think of the Law, of the holiness, equity and authority of it, and the threats annexed unto it, for if you remembered these you could not go on so quietly in a sinful way, but you have cast off all the remembrance of the Law, it is even worn out of your memory. The book of the Law of God was lost for a long time in Judah, surely in Israel much more.

I will forget] Eti • m Ego, even I. It is a sad thing to be forgotten by our friends when we are in misery, Oh that such a deer friend, such a father or such a mother should forget me! but how sad a thing is it for God to forget you!

Yea, I will forget your children] That is, there shall be no succession in the Priestly office. This was threatened against Eli his house 1 Sam. 2.20.

Your children shall not succeed you in this Office, but they shall be forgotten by me. You have forgotten me, I will forget you and your children. I will not here speak how the child may suffer • or the fathers offense, we often meet with it; Only now as it concerns the posterity of wicked Ministers, they are thorough God's judgment often forgotten. But let not the families of Godly Ministers especially if their children be godly too, Oh let not them be forgotten. It is a judgment threatened upon these wicked Priests that God would forget their children, therefore though men forget them it is not so evil; but if there be any that have been faithful Ministers, God forbid their children should be forgotten after they are dead. This City hath been honored for their respect to godly Ministers, but have you never forgotten their children, their families that have been left behind? When they were with you and preached among you, you seemed to give mighty respect unto them, but are there not many that belong unto their families now with you that live in a hard condition, yea their children and families that are godly, their widows too? how are they forgotten! Lord thou threatnest Idolatrous Priests that forget thee that thou wouldest forget their children, but Lord my father in the City was a faithful Minister, he remembered thee, and he was a faithful remembrancer for thy people, yet we are forgotten, is this according to thy Word? shall the judgment that is threatened upon the children of Idolatrous Priests be the judgment upon us that are the children of faithful Ministers that we are thus forgotten though our fathers forgot not thee? Look therefore into the families of godly Ministers, look after their children, for their fathers did not forget God, do not you forget them, let not the judgment that is threatened upon the children of wicked Ministers be upon them but let there be a distinction made between the children of faithful and godly Ministers and the children of Idolatrous Priests.

THe Lord is here further charging these ten Tribes, but especially their Priests, he aimeth at them most in this his Charge. They had before rejected the knowledge of the Lord, and the Lord threatened rejection of them. The knowledge 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that knowledge, Scientiam illam, that knowledge of God in the way of his worship, that he was to be worshiped at Jerusalem alone, that truth was a suffering truth, therefor • that truth they did reject, they rejected others but especially that; And in this seventh verse here is some ground of their rejection of the knowledge of God, As they were increased, so they sinned against me. God had increased them, they were grown first into a great multitude, and as their number increased so their sins increased. But especially that which I take to be the meaning of the holy Ghost here is,

The first is not to be rejected viz. As they increased in multitude: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : so the Seventy turn it, according to their fullness. And it may be turned both ways, fullness of number, or fullness of their prosperous estate. It is a usual thing where there is increase in number to be increase in sin. The more meat there is in the pot the more scum ariseth. So in [ 1] great Cities what a great deal of filth is there, filth of sin, moral [ 2] filth: Where there is any confluence of people at Fares and [ 3] Merkets in the Country, or in any Corporation, what abundance of filth is there continually? As there is any increase in number usually there is increase in sin. In Churches, though when they are but small, at their first beginning, a few called Saints, they can agree well together, and go on sweetly in their way, but ordinarily as they increase in number, when Churches grow to any number, they begin to corrupt and increase in sin. They should increase so much the more in godliness, but this is the corruption of man's heart, everyone bringing in some corruption, Therefore as there is an increase in number, so in sin.

But because that is not the scope, but the second, to speak to that a little; As they increased in their prosperous estate. For we are to know that at this time the ten Tribes were in a very prosperous condition; they were grown rich and great and so they were increased, and especially the Priests for they had the favor of Jeroboam and of the Princes; For their main design was to uphold their false worship, and the Priests served for their turns most, therefore they countenanced those Priests of Dan and Bethel, the Priests of the Calves, and they flourished at this time in the Court and in the Country, and were much increased in their prosperous estate; And as they increased so they finned. This is man's vile disposition, that increase of mercies should be the increase of their sin, Thus was it with the Church, when the Church was in a lower condition, then there was more holiness and more sincere love to the truth, when it began to flourish in outward prosperity it began to decay in true Piety. And therefore Ecclesiastical histories tells us, that when the Church received their donations from Constantine of great preferments, then there was heard a voice in the air: Hodie venenum infunditur &c. To day poison is poured forth into the Church; when great livings and great estates were given to the Ministers of the Church, then poison was poured forth into the Church. It was a good speech of Boniface the Martyr, when one asked him whether it were lawful to receive the Communion in wooden Chalices, his Answer was, Time was when in the Church there were wooden Challices and golden Priests, but now there are golden Challices, but wooden Priests. And the answer of Aquinas was fit for this to Innocent the third, when he shown him a table of gold and silver saying, we have no need to say as Peter once did, Silver and gold have we none; Aquinas answered presently, neither can ye say, Arise and walk, as you have more money than they had, so you have less gifts than they had, you have not so much of the Spirit of God as they had. It was so in the increase of the prosperity of the Church; And usually it is so in the increase of their prosperity. As it is with the spleen the greater it grows the less the body is, so the more prosperity the leaner and lanker are the spirits of men. Deut. 32.15. Thou art waxed fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness, then he forsook God which made him and lightly esteemed the God of his salvation. How many when they were low and poor in their estates were more holy and gracious and more spiritual than now they are? It is true in particular persons, in Churches and Countries, but most true in Ministers. It was once a complaint that was made to a Prelate here, that he had a kinsman that was a very zealous preacher in the Country, well says he, I will silence him, and his silencing was this, he gave him two livings and that stopped his mouth; when he came once to have fatted livings then his zeal quickly abated. And Jerome in the life of Malachus hath this expression, when the Church saith he came to Christian Princes, and there had countenance, we may well say of it that indeed it was fatted with riches but it was less a great deal in virtue and godliness.

God threateneth here that seeing they did abuse their prosperity, as they did increase they sinned more, that therefore he would turn their glory into shame, he would cast dirt into their faces. God doth love to stain the pride, the haughtiness of men. He would turn the glory of the people and the glory of the Priests, but especially the glory of the Priests (for so it is meant, but we must take in all) into shame; Either first he would instead of glory bring shame, or secondly he would make that wherein they did most glory to be their shame.

First, That he would bring shame instead of glory. So God useth to do. If any one glory in beauty, God brings that which makes them contemptible many times instead of that beauty. That is a notable text for women that glory in their beauty and in their bravery, Isa. 3.16.24. Because the daughters of Zion are haughty &c. therefore there shall be destruction upon them; and ver. 24. There shall be burning instead of beauty, and instead of well-set hair, baldness, and instead of their brave dressing, sackcloth. If any will glory in parts, the Lord justly brings shame upon them, blasting of their parts, as it is said of Albertus Magnus that great Scholar, that for five years before his death he did dote and was so ignorant that he did not know letters, he could not read. God can soon blast the parts of men that glory in them and turn that to shame. If any glory in riches, God can soon turn that into shame too, As histories tells us of an Earl of Exceter that married the sister of King Edward the Fourth, and yet Philip de Commines reports of him, that he was seen begging of his bread in the Low Countries barefoot. God can soon take away the riches of men and turn that their glory into their shame. And then if any boast in honor, glory in that, God can soon turn that into shame, as in that example of Herod that gloried in the applause of the people when they cried out the voice of God and not of man, and presently he was consumed by worms.

And much shame comes unto men that glory in these things, Mark it, according to the glory of men in external things so is their shame when God takes them away. Here is the difference between the Saints losing these outward things and wicked men. When the Saints lose these outward things there is not much shame comes to them, because they did not much glory in them when they had them; but carnal hearts because they know no higher things than these things are therefore when they are taken from them there is much shame comes upon them, for their glory was in them when they had them.

Secondly, God makes the very things they glory in to turn to their [ 2] shame. He doth not only take away their parts and bring ignorance and dotage instead of their parts, but he makes their parts to be their undoing, he makes use of their parts to bring them to shame. He makes their very riches and honors to be their shame, and their glorying in their success, he makes that thing turn unto their shame; As now, when men shall glory in this that they had such success such a victory upon such and such a time, and upon this they gather an argument, surely God is with us and blesseth us and owneth us; in this they glory; well, God turns this into their shame when he comes to be against them, and blasts them that they shall not have success, that it shall appear unto all that though they have outward means for advantage yet they go by the worst; now where is the argument of God's owning their cause, where is the argument of glorying with them if that were a good argument that God was with them because of their success? Those that shall make that the only or principal argument that God is with them, how doth God turn their glory into shame when he doth apparently deny them success and that when they have most outward advantages for success? The Saints shame is turned into glory, but the wicked's glory is turned into shame. When the Saints suffer any shame for God, they can glory; the Apostles they account it their honor, they rejoice that they were worthy to suffer, that they had the honor to suffer dishonor, so the words in the propriety of them signify, they gloried that they bore about them the marks of the Lord Jesus. Thus what the world accounts their shame is their glory, and that which the world judgeth to be their glory is their shame.

But it is especially meant of the Priests, for so the Prophet is speaking of them. God will turn their glory into shame. The Priests though they did reject the knowledge of God and their duty, they never regarded to do that wherein the true glory of their office was; That blessed knowledge of God that might have made them glorious indeed, that was despised by them, and the faithful administration of their office, that was neglected by them; Yet they would glory for all this, they would bear it out as if they were THE men; why, they were countenanced at Court, they had good livings and they could lord it over their brethren; and they gloried in that. It is usual with wicked Priests if they can have but countenance from them that are in public place, and can have but estates and livings, though they be never so negligent of their office and never so ignorant, yet to glory. How hath it been amongst us thus of late? How have they carried their heads on high and accounted themselves the triumphant Church, and all must be made to come under them; The land was not able to bear the pride of Prelates and Prelatical men. It is a speech of Cyprian, Ambition and Pride doth sweetly sleep in the bosom of Priests; And there are none indeed so much puffed up with vain pride as they are, and as such as are most ignorant and do neglect that which is the true glory of their office. God threateneth to turn their glory into shame, that is, the glory of their Priestly office, for that I think especially to be the meaning of the words, to cast shame and contempt upon the Priests. And God doth take much delight in this, to cast shame and contempt upon wicked Priests and Prophets, therefore in Esa. 9.15. God saith, The Prophet that speaks lies is the tail, he speaks contemptibly of them; And Malac. 2.9. There fore I will make them (speaking of the Priests that had been partial in the Law and had not kept the ways of God) base and contemptible before all the people; And Rev. 3.16. I will spew them out of my mouth, as loathsome. And Mat. 5.13. When salt hath lost his favor, it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden underfoot of men, as a contemptible and vile thing. Thus God casts shame upon wicked Priests. So much for that seventh verse. It follows.

THey eat up the sin of my people] There is some difficulty in these words. To eat up sin, to eat up the sin of people, what is that? There is much in this to be learned.

The word here translated Sin, in Scripture hath three acceptions.

First, It is used for that which is properly sin, the transgression of God's Law. That I need not give you any Scripture for.

Secondly, It is used for the punishment of sin; He shall bear his sin, his punishment of sin. Christ was made sin. And

Thirdly, It is used for the sacrifice that was offered for sin, Levite. 10.17. why did you not eat the sin in the holy place? so the words are to be read, that is, the sin offering.

The observation from hence (by way of allusion at least) that one hath is not to be neglected: Let Priests hear this, They did not eat the sin-offering in the holy place: Let those Priests that spend their time in playing, in pleasures of the flesh, in Taverns, and make their houses to be very sinks of vice, Let them hearken unto this, They should eat the revenues they have by their Office in an holy place, that is, by way of Analogy and proportion, their houses in which they spend the allowance they have for their office, should be holy places; for the offerings of the people were such as the Priests had in lciu of their office, and they were to eat them in an holy place. So Ministers now should eat their means they have coming in, in holy places, their houses should be Sanctuaries, and not Taverns or stews, or sinks of wickedness and sin. (But that by the way.)

For the meaning here, They eat up the sin of my people.

Where lies the Charg?

First here, in that they did flatter them in their sin, and so got advantage thereby: So Gregory hath it, Why or how are they said to eat up the sin of people, but because they do nourish the sins of those that are delinquents for their own advantage? So all your Court-flatterers and others, that flatter men in their sin for their own advantage, they may be said to feed upon the sins of the people.

Secondly, They eat the sins of the people in this regard, Because they were negligent in their office, and took all the profits, the advantages that came in by their office, but neglected their charge, and so let people go on in their sin, and cared not what became of them in that regard, so that they might have their tithes and means coming in they cared not: These Ministers may be said to live upon, or to eat the sins of the people, and to wear the sins of the people, their very backs are covered and their tables spread with the sins of the people. A Writer upon this place relates a story of one in Charles the fifths time, a Prelate, that inviting his friends unto his house and preparing good cheer, they did not eat of it; What faith he, will you not eat of dainties that are bought at so dear a rate? this meat which I have prepared for you and you will not eat, it is like to cost me the pains of hell: He was convinced in his conscience of the neglect of his duty, and so looked upon his very diet that was on his table as the sins of his people, and that which was like to cost him eternal misery.

But further, to open it far more clearly, [They eat up the sins of my people] That is, the Sacrifices which were offered for sin.

But you will say then, [Quest.] how is this so deep a charge that they should eat of the sacrifices that were offered for sin? for God allowed the Priests to eat the sin offering, as that place Levite 10.17. shows.

This therefore was the evil that was in it, [Quest.] that they were greedy of the people's sacrifices, but why? Not that God might have honor; but that themselves might have advantatages. It is true God had honor by the people's offering of sacrifice, but they looked not to that so much as unto their own advantages. Hence they put on people as much as they could to sacrifice, teaching them to rest in their sacrifices, and indeed making light of their sin; though you sin, Come and I will offer for your sins and they shall be pardoned. Just as the Papists do at this day, they teach the people though they sin yet by so many Masses, and Pater-nosters, and Indulgences, and Dirges they shall be delivered; and by this means they get the wealth of Kingdoms and eat up the sins of the people. The Priests in those times were images of the Papists now.

Again, They were glad when people did offend and sin against [ 3] God, why? because then their sacrifices must be multiplied, and so their gains would be increased: And so it is a rebuke of the covetousness of Priests. It is a most abominable thing for those that are to watch over souls that they should regard their own profit and sensuality more than the good of souls; Just like your Chancellors and Commissaries Courts that were wont to be, they cated not what offenses there were, they rejoiced at long presentments, all brought griest to their Mill. And Bernard in his 77. Sermon upon the Canticles quoteth this place, (It seems there were such then in his time) and saith he, They eat upon the sin of my people, as if he should say; they exact the price of their sin, but take not due care for the sinners. And again, Give me (saith he) any one of those that are Governors in the Church that doth not watch more to empty people's purses than to save their souls: How many Commissaries and Chancellors of late grew extraordinary rich, and went up and down in their silks and satins and in their Coaches, and all this was the sins of the people.

It is then a most cursed thing to desire or rejoice in the sins of others because of our own advantage. That is the special observation here. How many are there that watch for the falls of their enemies, and rejoice in their sin? I appeal unto you, had you an enemy to you, when you heard of his fall, though it were a sin against God, yet if it tended unto his disgrace, did not you rejoice in it? were you not glad of it? because the more an enemy is disgraced the more you think yourself justified and honored. Oh this is horrible! Oh be humbled before the Lord for this, and seek unto God that if it be possible he may pardon the thoughts of thy heart in this thing. What, to rejoice that the infinite blessed God is dishonored because thou thyself hast an advantage, it is a most horrible cursed thing. How many are there that looking upon the professors of Religion whom they think to be adversaries unto them, do rejoice when they see them fall, why? because they think by their disgracing, themselves to be thereby justified. This is to feed upon the sins of people. You shall have vermin and swine rooting in filth and in dung, so there are many that feed upon the filth and dung of others, upon the filth of their sins. It is a vile and cursed wickedness to be glad of the afflictions of our neighbor for our own advantage, much more to be glad of his sin. When thy neighbor falls into affliction thou shouldst not rejoice at his affliction though thou hast advantage by it; but when thy neighbor falls into sin, to be glad of it for thine own advantage, this is a most cursed thing indeed. For a Surgeon to be glad of another man's wounds and to prolong the healing of them because he thereby shall have some advantage, would not everyone cry out of him? And truly this were wickedness. So for Soldiers to love war, and to lengthen out war, and care not what becomes of the lives of men and the woeful miseries of a Kingdom so they may have long pay, (I say) for them willingly to lengthen out war because of their own advantage, this you will all account a great wickedness: But this is not so bad as to be glad of the sins of people for our own advantage. Certainly as Surgeons that shall lengthen out the affliction of their Patients for their own advantage may be said to feed, upon the matter and filthy stuff of the wound; and Soldiers that shall lengthen out war for the increase of their own pay may be said to drink the blood of people; those cups of wine that go down so merrily and those dishes of meat that they are so jovial with, may be said to be the flesh and the blood of people; but this is not so bad as to feed upon the sins of others. Thou that feedest upon the sin of thy brother do thou know that this diet of thine must needs breed diseases, It is no wholesome diet to feed upon the sins of people, it is such a diet as will breed Worms, breed the worm of conscience one day, and thou wilt get such a surfeit as will need a strong purge of humiliation to purge thee from that surfeit. It was once an expression concerning a Prelate that was very fat, one being asked the reason why such a Prelate was so very fat? why furely (says he wittily) he grows so fat by so often eating of his own words; but no mervail though men grow to have fat hearts that feed upon the sins of people. As this is the ordinary diet'of many, merely to feed upon the sins of others, so especially of Ministers, and for Ministers to feed upon the sins of people so as to keep them alive by their flatteries & connivence, that is evil; but if by their faithful preaching they did first slay the sins of the people and then receive maintenance for their work, this is allowed by God, and this they may do; when God bad Peter arise and eat, he first bid him slay, Arise Peter slay and eat; so Ministers if first they would arise and slay the sins of the people by their preaching, they may eat, that is, they may comfortably then receive maintenance and allowance for their work; but if they keep their sins alive, then their diet is ill diet for they feed upon their sins.

What, is there such wickedness in the hearts of men as to rejoice in the sins of others for their own advantage? Oh how much more then should the Saints rejoice in the graces of God in others for God's glory? In Ezek. 8.17. you have an expression that seems hard to be understood. God chargeth the people there as with other notorious evils so with this among the rest, that they did put the branch to their nose; In these words the people are charged with a most notorious wickedness, this may be often read and little understood what it is, I conceive the meaning to be this, It is a charge of this people for Idolatry, that they worshipped the Sun, or Vesta the goddess of the earth, either of both, because by them the sweet flowers and branches of trees came forth from the earth, they attributed the flourishing of trees and of the plants wholly unto the Sun whom they worshiped as a god, or unto Vesta whom they worshiped is a goddess, and when they worshipped either of those in the acknowledgment of the honor due to them, they took a branch and put to their nose, thereby showing their respect and their homage unto them as rejoicing in that good and sweet fruit that was caused by the Sun or by Vesta their god or goddess. So that God chargeth them here for so rejoicing in these creatures as to worship the Sun or the earth as the cause of it. To apply it to our purpose; As Idolaters because they looked upon the Sun or the earth as causes of such flourishing of plants and sweetness of branches and flowers, did put them to their nose and delighted in them and thereby shown their honoring of the Sun and of the earth; so should we take the graces of the Spirit of God in our brethren that are the fruits of the Sun of righteousness, for the Sun of righteousness causeth them to flourish in the hearts of our brethren, and we should put them to our nose, smell at them, account them fragrant and thereby do honor unto Jesus Christ as the Author of them, this is quite contrary to this of rejoicing in the fins of people. Thus much for that phrase they eat up the sin of my people.

And they set their hearts upon their iniquity.] The words are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 They lift up their hearts, every ones heart. It may be interpreted either of the heart of the Priests or the heart of the people, both ways, and according to the scope of the Spirit of God either way.

First the heart of the P •• ests, they lift up their hearts to the [ 1] iniquity of the people, so it may be understood, for so this phrase, lifting up of the heart to a thing, doth note in Scripture the earnest desire that there is in the heart for the attaining of such a thing; as in Deut. 24.15. speaking of poor men He is poor saith he, and sets his heart upon his wages. A poor man that wants provision for his family, he sets his heart upon his wages, Oh when shall I have my wages that I may provide for my family! now the word is here in this text of the poor man, he lifteth up his heart to his wages, Oh my wages that it might come. And Jerem. 22.27. the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return, that is, the land whereto they lift their hearts; so the word is the same here in the text, they have an earnest desire unto the land; And Ezek. 24.25. I will take from them the desire of their eyes and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters; it is spoken of their love unto their children, they lift their minds or their hearts to their children. So that then it notes thus much, the earnest desire the Priests had unto the sins of the people, that they might have the greater advantage by them; As it is noted of some who are of poor servile spirits and whose greatest means comes in by burials, that they are glad and rejoice when they hear the bell ring, and they are ready to desire the death of men out of respect to their own • ees, because the more die and the richer they die the more ad •••• age cometh in to them. So the Priests at this time they 〈◊〉 • he multiplying of the sins of the people that they 〈◊〉 have • he more sacrifices thereby.

〈◊〉 rather think, according to other Interpreters, the scope to be more principally in regard of the lifting up of the hearts of the people, that the Priests did lighten the hearts of the people, that is thus, that they might have the more advantage by their sacrifice, they do make the sins of the people nothing & encourage them in their sins, & lighten their hearts; they lift up their hearts above their sins, persuading them that if they offer sacrifice all should be well, they should be fully cleared, they need not be further troubled: Whereas indeed the Priests ought to convinc • men's consciences of the evil of their sins, when they came to sacrifice they ought to have shown them how they deserved death for their sins, whereas this poor beast dies, and you are to lay your hands upon the head of it, know that your sins deserve the death of your souls eternally; and they were to instruct the people how the sacrifices typified the blood of Christ, they were to tell them, you come now to offer sacrifice and to have the blood of the beasts shed, this typifieth out the Messiah that is to come into the world, the Son of God that is be made Man and to shed his precious blood to pacify the wrath of God for your sins, and you are to exercise your faith upon this Messiah that is to come: they should have told them that no sin could be pardoned but by the blood of Christ, they should have loaded their consciences with their sins, they should have made their sins heavy upon their consciences, but they lightened their minds by putting such apprehensions into them that if they did but offer sacrifice all would be well, they might take their liberty then, and though they committed sin again yet still there was a sacrifice for it, and so they lightened the sins of the people that way.

This was a most abominable sin of the Priests, Calvin upon this place brings in Plato himself that Heathen, inveighing against the absurdity and ridiculousness of people's offering sacrifice thinking thereby to pacify their gods and then take liberty to sin again, Even Plato thought it an abuse of an Heathen god for people to think it enough to offer sacrifice. And yet is not this the distemper of the hearts of many people amongst us, that they commit sin and take liberty to themselves to satisfy the lusts of the flesh, and what will they do? They will pray to God to forgive them, and some go so far that they will fast, and then sin again, and then pray and fast again, and then to it again, thinking to put off God with such kind of sacrifices as these are; It is true, we are all linners and we must repent, and so tin, and repent, and sin and repent again, and so make repentance that should be the death of their sins a means to nourish their sins. The Priests here did abuse the type, the sacrifices, they lighten the hearts of people by telling them that there was a sacrifice to expiate their sin, and have you not at this day many that abuse the Antitype as much, that tell the people with such kind of expressions as there,

It appears that in Jerome his time there were such a kind of people, for he hath this expression of some in his days; when they saw any to live wickedly they would say thus to them, you sin and offend, but God requireth nothing else but only abide in the truth of the faith, do but believe and that is enough. And again he hath a further expression, which faith if you do but keep God doth not so much regard your lives what they are, only looks that you do believe: And by this means faith he men repent not neither are they humbled, but they walk up and down with a stretched out neck; you shall find them by their very gate, they walk so peartly abroad and cast up their heads, because they think they hold the true faith and so take liberty to sin. The Church hath been continually troubled with this generation, and no mervail there be such men now amongst us, for there being not yet a full Reformation (for we are but in the way tending toward it) and all things cannot be reformed at once, therefore some kind of liberty for the present is permitted to such men, and therefore I say no mervail that we have such among us that are of such spirits to abuse the free grace of God and lighten the hearts of men in their sin by telling of them there is a sacrifice in Christ's death sufficient to pay for all. And so much for this eighth verse.

THE Lord threatening of the ten Tribes, especially points his threats against the Priests, as the great cause of the evil both of the sin and punishment of the people, as ever they have been; Evil Ministers in a country have been a chief cause of the sin and of the misery of the Country. Divers of God's threats against them we saw before and still it follows.

There shall be like people, like Priest.] Here is a mixed threat, both against Priest and people. They have made themselves like one another in sin, God will make them like one another in punishment. They join themselves together in sin and were alike there; God will join them in judgment and they shall be alike there too. There is a likeness between people and Priest upon two grounds, I mean in evil especially.

First, They are like in sin one to another usually from the [ 1] just judgment of God upon people. When people dislike the powerful Ministry of the word, when their hearts cannot bear a spiritual and lively Ministry God in just judgment sendeth unto them Ministers according to their very lusts; Ministers that shall be suitable unto that very disposition of their hearts to harden them in it. And this is a fearful judgment upon a people. They may rejoice and bless themselves in it and think themselves now quiet and in safety, and say they have got a very honest man, a brave man, a quiet man amongst them; but while they are rejoicing the wrath of God is in a most dreadful manner let out against them, in sending them a Minister according to their lusts; As God threateneth in Ezek. 14.4. If a man set up an Idol in his heart, God will answer him according to his Idol; so when people set up Idols in their hearts, their hearts are bent unto such and such lusts and wicked ways, God in his just judgment will answer them according unto their own hearts and lusts, they shall have such Ministers sent amongst them as will harden them in those wicked ways.

Again secondly, [Like people like Priest] In evil in regard [ 2] of the great influence that there is mutualy from the Priests to the people and from the people to the Priests, so they come to be like one another in evil. Sometime from the people to the Priests. If people be Malignants and superstitious and loose and vain, the Priests that are among them being carnal, they will seek to humor them; they love to be made of by them and therefore they preach such things as may suit with such kind of humors. But this is a very vile thing. It is an extreme dishonor to the Ministry of the word to subject it unto the lusts of men. It is this that makes it so contemptible in the eyes of wicked men. Though they be pleased with it yet the truth is the suiting of their lusts makes the Ministry of the word contemptible. How is that you will say, they are pleased with it, commend such men and like them well? While they commend the men and like them well, yea like what they say yet they contemn the Ministry, upon this ground, because they come to see that even their ministry is under their humors, and it is to please their humors; upon this they look upon themselves and their lusts as above the Ministry, and so despise any authority in it: They are pleased with the suiting of it to their lusts, but they despise it in regard of any authority, for they see apparently it is under their humors. In Revel. 19.10. When John did but fall down to worship an Angel, the Angel cometh to him and saith, O see thou do it not, why? for I am thy fellow servant and have the testimony of Jesus. What you a Minister that have the testimony of Jesus to fall down to an Angel; An Angel, what is an Angel? The glory of an Angel it is to be a fellow servant with you and to have the same testimony of Jesus that you have. A Minister must not in hi • ministry fall down under the lusts of any man living, upon this ground, bccause he hath the testimony of Jesus with him. It is true those that are Ministers in regard of themselves should be willing to be under all, servants unto all for Christ; they should I say be willing to put their persons under every man for Christ, but they should keep their Ministry above every man. Their Ministry and the authority of that is to be kept above the greatest and that for Christ too.

[ 3] Again, A great influence as from people to the Minister so from the Minister to the people. Look how Ministers are, so usually the people are. Like Priest like people, especially in evil, they have an influence there. You know it almost in all places where you have malignant superstitious Ministers you have accordingly such kind of people. Jerem. 23.10. The land is full of adulterers (saith the text) then in the next verse, For both Prophet and Priest are profane, that is the reason. And again verse. 14. I have seen (saith God) in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing; they commit adultery and walk in lies; they also strengthen the ban • of evil doers, that none doth return from his wickedness. Here we • ee how they harden others in sin, they walk in lies, they tell people we need not be so strict, we may take more liberty, it is but the fancies and humors of such and such men, they walk in lies and so they strengthen men's hands in wickedness and none returneth from his wicked ways. And then verse 15. From the Prophet there goes profaneness quite thorough the land; if they be profane and wicked they have an influence quite thorough the land to make the whole country wicked and profane. And on the other side, there is a great influence in the Ministry of the word upon people for good many times. If Ministers continue painful, faithful, conscionable, it is very rare but that they bring people to some kind of obedience or other. Very few godly, conscionable, powerful Ministers that have lived any time in any place but they leave some savor of their spirits behind them, that in their people you may find the savor of such a Ministry. It was wont to be said, Da Ambrosios et habebimus Theodosios let us have Ambroses and we shall have Theodosius's. Let us have godly Ministers at Court and we shall have godly Princes; that is the meaning; The reason why Theodosius was so good, it was because he had an Ambrose. So we find it in 2 King. 12.2. that Jehoash so long as Jehoiada the Priest lived, did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, so long as he had a godly Minister with him that instructed him, he did that which was right in the eyes of God. No mervail then so much evil at Court and other places because we know what kind of Ministers they ever have had. And because of the influence that a Minister hath upon people, hence it is that the evil and malignant party ever desire to nourish these Ministers; and the force of their rage and malice is against godly Ministers, for like Minister like people they think; and indeed supposing their principles it is but that which is prudential for their ends; for when they cry out and say that these Ministers are the cause of all, they say true, & there is some kind of truth in it, that is, they are the cause to discover to people their evil and wicked ways, and to cause those to whom they preach to cleave to the truth, and that is it their spirits do vex and rage at, that they see the Ministry of the Word prevail so much upon the people as it doth. Therefore I remember a pulicie that I have read of Xerxes, that when he was in straights by reason of Agiselaus who prevailed much in his country, he took this course, he sent men with good store of money to corrupt the Towns in Greece, and they went and corrupted Athens and Thebes, and so caused great disturbance in Greece, by reason of which Agiselaus was sent for home to look to his own Country. They went especially for the Universities Athens and Thebes and there corrupted the Orators and so thought to prevail much. It hath been the policy of our men in these days to corrupt Universities much, thinking by Scholers and others there to prevail most. There is a story of the Wolves that they would make a league with the Sheep, but they would by any means have one article granted, that was that their Shepherds must be delivered up unto them and then they would be at peace with the Sheep and do them no hurt. I make no question but if our adversaries should come to article with us, there is no one thing they would stand more upon than the delivery up of the shepherds and then there would be good peace between the Wolves and the sheep. Like people like Priest.

They are like in evil and they shall be like in punishment, they shall be involved in the same punishment, I will make the Priests as contemptible and as miserable as the vilest of the people; their places exalted them above others, and their sin hath made them as vile as others, and so they shall be dealt withal accordingly. You will say, what great judgment is here threatened that like people like Priest? Yes certainly to them the judgment was very bitter and grievous, was most against the hair, for the Priests have at all times been puffed up with their callings, so that they looked upon themselves as above the people abundantly, looked down to the people with scorn and contempt. The Pharisees in John, 7.49. This people (say they) who know not the Law are cursed, this same vulgar sort are they that are accurst; so these Priests here, though the truth is they were made of the vilest of the people (as they were in Jeroboams time, for it is spoken of those) yet being once got up into that place they were puffed up as if they had been of another kind of mould than the people were. It is usual for wicked Ministers though never so base and vile other ways either in birth or breeding, yet when they get up a little and are come to preferment, to look upon others as very contemptible in their eyes. This i • a Master design in Popery, to advance Priesthood and make them to be great above the people; and we know what a way they were going in of late; what were your Gentry in the Kingdom but even slaves and vassels to every Popish Priest in the Country, but especially unto Prelates; And we cannot imagine (but we must look at the hand of God in his dreadful judgment besotting men) why the Gentry should desire to have prelacy come in again, knowing how they were contemned and despised of them before. There was scarce any Vicar in the Country but if he were Filius Ecclesiae as they called him, a child of the Church, a ceremonious man but he was able to vaunt himself above any of the Gentry whatsoever; and it was an evident argument of the coming in of Popery upon us, a too much extolling of their Priestly Office, although that wherein the true honor of their office consisted, the faithful Preaching of the word, was not regarded. I have read of some of the Papists, (to give you an instance or two that you may see what way they went, ju • t as they did here of late) one Riconius hath this passage, The Priest ex • elleth the King as much as a man a beast; yea as much as God is above a Priest so is a Priest above the King; these very words he hath. And Pope Innocent the second, he would have Lotharius the Emperor painted in his palace as a vassel lying down at his feet. And so Becanus he calls the Pope the chief Priest their Shepherd, and Emperors and Kings are their Dogs and Curs saith he, and if they will be faithful and be at the hand of the Shepherd well and good, they must be made of, but if they will be lazy and troublesome, they must be removed. Is it possible now that Kings and great ones should ever love Popery and think to bring in that for their honor when as they do advance their Priesthood far above themselves; only for the present they would puff them up to procure what lies in them an Arbitrary government, but still that that Arbitrary government of theirs must be Arbitrary under them, and then it suits very well with their ends. There is a spirit of fornication (as follows afterward) upon men, or otherwise it were impossible they should be so besootted as they are.

But though they lifted up themselves above the people thus yet saith God, I will make them in punishment like to the people, God is no respecter of persons, to spare any for their place above another; So neither should we, we should not say, Oh it would be a disgrace unto the calling, therefore it must be past over; rather because he is a Priest or because he is a Magistrate, let him be what he will be, let him be in place of Magistracy or Ministry or of Parliament, yet proving to be a Delinquent and an enemy unto the State, certainly he must be dealt withal and be made an example in judgment as well as the meanest of the people, and for those that be under to be executed and for them to be spared in that regard, God forbid ever such a thing should be. God is no accepter of persons in regard of place neither should men be.

[Quest.] Yea but it may be you will say, Like people like Priest, one would rather think that God should say, I will make their judgment greater than the judgment of the people, for the sin of the Priests is far greater than the sin of the people.

[Answ, 1] To that I answer first, It is true the sin of the Priests is greater than the sin of any of the people, but it is not greater than the sin of the whole Congregation. In Levite. 4. compare verse 3. with verse 13. and you shall find that the same sacrifice that was offered for the sin of the whole Congregation, it is offered for the sin of the Priest, so that the sin of the Priest it is equivalent to the sin of the whole Congregation: So there is a parallel here, like people like Priest, that is, I will deal with the Priests as with the whole Congregation.

[Answ, 2] Yet further for a second answer, As the condition of the person aggravateth the sin, so the condition of the person aggravateth the judgment. It is a greater punishment for a man of an high condition to suffer the same thing that a man that is of a lower condition doth suffer.

And I will punish them for their ways.] The reading you have in your books of punishing them for their ways, it is otherwise in the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I will visit them for their ways, and so it is I think translated in some of your books, Super vias ejus: I will visit them upon their ways, or visit their ways upon them, so the words are. God hath his days of visitation wherein he will narrowly inquire into the ways of men, and call to an account for sins long before committed; that's the Note from thence. Exod. 32.34. In the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them; I will spare them for the present, but I have a day to visit, and then I will come upon them even for this sin. God spareth sinners now, why? because the day of his visitation is not yet come, but when that is come then look to your old sins; look that now your repentance be thorough, for otherwise you may be spared a while, but when the day of visitation comes then all your old sins shall be called over. In some men's visitations of late, the more conscionable men were and godly, the more were they aimed at, and it always went worst with them in their visitations; But it shall be otherwise in this visitation of God's, God will visit the visitors, and visit them for their visitations, and then as Esa. 10.3. What will you d • in the day of visitation? You knew what to do in the day when you yourselves did visit, but what will you do in the day of God's visiting of you? As Mic. 7.4. The day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh, now shall be their perplexity. Certainly those visitors did begin to be in perplexity, for their day was coming, and we hope their day is yet coming.

But in the day of God's visitation men's own ways will come upon [Obs. 2] them; that's the second Note. I will visit their ways upon them. Men may have shifts to put off God for a while, but when God shall visit, then they shall see that all the evil that is come upon them it is from their own ways; And that will be the very torment of the damned in Hell, that they shall clearly see that all the evil that is upon them it is but their own ways. As it is reported of some birds that lime is made out of their dung by which they are taken, so out of the dung of men's sins doth God make his limetwigs to take them withal, that is, the judgment that comes upon them it is no other but their own ways, they have procured this unto themselves.

And reward them for their deeds.] The word that is here translated deeds, it signifies Cogitationes, studia, their studies, their thoughts as well as opera, their works: From whence there may be these two Notes, First that God will call men to account [Obs. 1] for their thoughts; the uncleanness of your thoughts, the vanity of your thoughts, the envy, the malice of your thoughts; you must look to your thoughts, they are not free before God; that's the first point. Then, that studied [Obs. 2] wickedness, thoughtful wickedness is the worst wickedness; when men shall plot wickedness in their thoughts, that is the wickedness that above all wickedness God will come to visit.

And reward them.] There is a great elegancy in these words that in your English you pass over very lightly. Reward them their doings: We know that God will reward everyone according to their doings; but I say in the Original in the Hebrew it signifies Redire faciam, I will make to return your doings, that is the propriety and elegancy of the word, I will make your doings return back upon you. From whence there is this Note,

As Gideon said in Judge. 8.7. unto the men of Succoth, When I return, (saith he) I will tear your flesh with t • e thorns of the wilderness and with briars; How many men and women have past over the act of their sins very pleasantly, but within a month perhaps or a quarter of a year, or it may be within a year or two or sometime seven years after, God hath made their sin return upon them, and it hath returned as Gideon did return upon the men of Succoth and hath torn them with briars and thorns that they have lien roaring in the anguish of spirit for the horror that hath been upon them for their sins. You sinners that have not returned unto God in the way of repentance, do you expect that all those pleasant delightful sins of yours will one day return upon you and that in a dreadful way.

And from the propriety of this word Redire faciam, I will make to return, I may give a hint of a meditation the other way too. Surely the good works of the Saints shall return upon them, return upon them with comfort and peace. It may be you have some troublesome afflictions in the flesh in some works and services you are exercised in, yet know they shall return with abundance of peace and joy. Do not think that what you do for God shall be quite lost and that there is an end of it, If you venture anything of your estates for a good use in the cause of God, as never since you were born nor since your forefathers were born, that there was a more full opportunity to glorify God than is at this day; that which is called upon you to venture for the calling in of our brethren the Scots into the Nation, it i • such a thing that hath so much in it, such an opportunity of serving God, that you never had nor never are like to have the like so long as you live, For it is not the bringing in of so many men into the Kingdom, but the engaging of a Kingdom for us; and not only an engagement, but the greatest testimony of the goodness of our cause before all the Nations that are about us; for though now the Nations about us know not which part to take there having been such protestations on both sides, but when they shall hear that such a Kingdom that heretofore did carry themselves so loyally though being here in England with an Army yet went away in so much peace, so that the King himself by proclamation declared they are his faithful and good Subjects, when these I say that had such an opportunity in their hands, yet have shewn themselves so loyal and so faithful, shall now engage themselves on one side, certainly this will be a mighty high witness before all the Nations about us, and no question cannot but gain many amongst ourselves. Therefore I say, it is the highest and largest and fullest opportunity for the service of God and good of your country as ever you or your forefathers had; And though you have done some what and much already, yet you never had such an opportunity as this is which you may bless God you are employed in. And do not think now that what you do is quite gone and lost, Oh no, the Lord will make it return, you shall have a good return for it. You that are Merchants are you not willing to venture your stock at Sea upon expectation of a good return? you will venture the winds and waves and seas and venture your servants that may prove unfaithful. You never ventured anything in all your lives that you could have such assurance of a good return as what you venture in such a case as this is. It is not adventured, God will certainly make your good works to return as he will make the doings of the wicked return upon them. It follows.

Some would carry these words, They shall still grow worse and worse in eating the sin of my people, and so would refer to the eating of the sin of the people in that sense you heard before, that is, they shall never think they have advantage enough from the sin of the people; they desire the sin of the people for their own advantage, well, they shall eat their sin in that respect, but they shall never have enough, they shall never be satisfied, but still desire that people may sin more and more that they may have more advantage by their sacrifices.

But I rather take it thus, more plainly according to the words, They shall eat and not have enough, howsoever they think to provide for themselves by that which they get in such a base sinful way, yet they shall find no satisfaction unto themselves in i • , they shall be deceived. The truth is, if they should find satisfaction, it were a great matter, seeing they shall come to answer for it after wards; but they shall not only be judged for it afterwards, but for the present they shall find no satisfaction in that that they promised unto themselves satisfaction in, They will get an estate perhaps, get money and get riches this way, and be brave in the world, but I will curse that which they have got. Take goods that are lawfully got yet there is a vanity in them, a vanity in goods got by good means, though we have them we cannot enjoy them except God give us to enjoy them, God is the God of all consolation, it is the mercy and goodness of God conveyed thorough creatures that can bring any comfort in the use of them. If a man should think to fill his be • lie with wind, it were a poor satisfaction; but it were worse it he should open his mouth to fill his belly with air infected with the plague: When thou thinkest to satisfy thyself with goods never so well got, it is but opening thy mouth to the wind, but when thou thinkest to satisfy thyself with goods unlawfully got, it is opening thy mouth to draw in pestilential air, there is no satisfaction there. Ecceles. 5.10. He that desires silver shall not be satisfied with it. Howsoever men think with themselves if they had such an estate what brave lives should they live; but when they have it they find it otherwise. Those that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be satisfied, but they that hunger and thirst after anything in the world they shall find it to be an empty thing unto them. It is true, there is a kind of satisfaction that God gives sometimes unto wicked men, but it is a cursed satisfaction, a fearful judgment of God. Prov. 14.14. Wicked men shall be satisfied with their own ways, that is, they shall have enough of them; as when a man will go on in his own ways and he suffers much for it, we say, what have you not enough of it, enough of such a course, so he shall be satisfied, he shall have enough of his ways, that is he shall find such plagues and miseries that follow them as he shall be satisfied, he shall be filled with them. It is spoken of an Apostate, a backslider in heart, one that will apostatise from God and think to provide for himself better in the ways of his Apostasy, he shall be satisfied but it shall be with his own ways.

If we understand this of bodily whoredom, then the sense must carry it thus, that God will cross them in that, even in the way of their whoredom, they shall commit whoredom and not increase. You will say what great judgment is that, Whoremasters do not care for increasing? It is true now whoremasters do not desire increase, only to satisfy their lusts, and in this thing they resemble evil and wicked Ministers as much as in anything; as many Ministers desire only to please the fancies of their Auditors and never look after begetting any unto God; they are like harlots or whoremasters in this, they love to please the fancies of men and their own fancies too, but to get children unto God, that they look not after; as whoremasters & harlots when their lusts are satisfied, they have their ends, for to bring forth, that they care not for. This is now, but in former times, in the time when the Prophet did prophesy, increasing in a numerous of-spring was a special thing that all gloried in, therefore they sought it any way, not only by marrying many wives, but by their concubine • and whores too. But God threatens to send out a curse upon them that they shall not increase. And for this it is very observable (for you may take it more general) God's curse upon a man in anything he undertakes unlawfully, he can never expect to prosper in it; that is the Note from it, Whatsoever a man undertakes unlawfully he can never expect to prosper in it. And that is very observable for this one particular concerning Sol ••• o • you know he had seven hundred wives and three hundred co • cubines a thousand in all, yet we read but of one son that Solomon le •• b • hind him, and that son was but a foolish son neither, Re • ob •• m, whom the Scripture calls a child when he was above forty ye • rs old, 2 Chron. 13 7. When Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, he had a childish foolish heart though a rugged and churlish heart. Solomon was not blessed with a numerous progeny notwithstanding he gave himself liberty to satisfy his flesh so much as he did. But on the other side, of all the fathers in the Old Testament we read of Isaac from whom came the promised seed that were to be as the stars of Heaven and as the sand of the sea shore for nu • ber, yet he had but one wife, he took not that course that many of the Patriarch • did to marry many wives, but contented himself with one wife and yet from him came the promised seed so many as the stars and the sand for number. From which we may infer that it is the best way for us to keep to God's Ordinances, [Use.] we shall prosper more in what we would have, to keep to God's ways than to go out into our own sinful ways.

They shall not increase] The words are read otherwise by some, Jerome hath this Note upon it, they have committed whoredom and have not ceased, so he reads it, his note upon it is this (I think that which hath been delivered unto you is the main scope, but I will only present what he notes upon it, and it is of good use) saith he, they have committed fornication & whoredom till they have spent all their strength yet they have not ceased, their hearts are still that way; just as it is with many old whoremasters they have committed whoredom and spent their strength in their young time, yet they cease not, they have unclean hearts, their lusts boil within them notwithstanding their strength is spent. And if you read the words so and then either take it for bodily or spiritual whoredom, they have committed whoredom and have not ceased, that is, they still go on and on in the ways of Idolatry, Idolaters seldom come in and return.

Tarnovius he hath another expression in the reading of it, Non per rumpant eximent legibus aut paenis, they shall not break forth, for so the word in the Hebrew doth well carry it, that is, they think to take liberty in their whoredom and idolatry, they break forth from God's Laws and punishments and think still to escape Laws and punishments, to break forth from all bonds whatsoever, no saith God, they shall not break forth, God will lay fetters upon them that they shall not break forth. But I take the first to be the more special, and so we shall leave that expression, they shall commit whoredom and shall not increase. Why?

There is a great de • l of elegancy in this expression. They have left the Lord to take heed (so you may read the words, ad custodiendum ) to keep themselves within any bounds of the Commandment of God. They run wild (as if the Prophet should say) • nd have le • t off • o take heed of God or any of his 〈◊〉 Perh • ps the • hav • not le •• the Lord wholly, for they will woe •••• p God in some ex • ernal ways of worship, but God cares not for that, they have left the Lord in this to take heed of him. Though we think to follow the Lord in any external duties, if we leave to take heed of God in all his ways, he takes no notice of it: that may be one Note.

But the special thing is this, [They have left off to take heed to the Lord.] At first though temptation may prevail against a man, yet the Truth of God will be working in his conscience (I speak to one enlightened and a professor of Religion, as these were) Though at first a temptation prevail against a professor of Religion, yet he having an enlightened conscience the Truth of God will be working still in his conscience and in his heart; but now if he still give way to that lust, at length his lust will so far prevail as that he will wholly leave minding and regarding that Truth of God that is against his sin and give himself fully up unto the ways of his own heart; and this man's condition is very dangerous. Oh take heed of this, take heed of this not taking heed; you that begin to decline and you find some secret lust prevailing in your heart; well, yet you have the Truth of God boiling and bubbling in your hearts and will not let you go on quietly, but yet your lusts strive against that truth, well, if this lust be not mortified, if you give way to it that it continue a while, you will come to be weary of that truth that is against that lust and you will turn your eyes from it, [Use.] and you will leave off to take heed further to think of that which should make against your sin; and when you are come to this pass your condition is very dangerous.

They have left off to take heed.] The way to keep the heart and life in order, in ways of obedience, it is, to take heed to the Lord, that is the special Note, to take heed to the infinite glorious blessed Majesty of the holy and great God, to mind God in his sovereignty, in his authority, in that infinite worthiness that is in him of all obedience from all his creatures, to look upon God the only Jehovah, the high and eternal God: This is the way to keep our hearts and lives in order, to take heed of God thus, to have God in our thoughts and hearts and to heed him diligently and his ways.

But yet there is a further note from hence and that is especially intended. The evil that they are accused of is, That they did leave off to take heed of God in point of worship, for that is the thing that God especially charged them for, that they did corrupt his worship, and they did leave off to take heed of God in things of his worship, that is thus, that kind of worship that they thought to be most suitable to their own reason and politick ends, that worship they set up; but now to take heed to God for the rule of worship, to look up unto God, that whatsoever they had in his worship should be according to the rule he setteth, that they left off, they minded that no more now but altogether what was suitable to their own ends. And that is an evil thing in any Kingdom that men should leave off so to take heed; as it is almost come to that now. [Use.] I make no question at first but that for the government of the Church the primitive Christians had a special eye to the rule, to Apostolical institution, but it is come to pass I know not how, it is almost a general conclusion amongst men, yea amongst good men, amongst Divines and good Divines, that we can scarce have a rule, a rule of institution, they think it needs not at all, and we can find no such thing at all in the word, and so they have quite left off so much as to examine things in the word: I say they have done so. It is an evil thing for any in matters that concern the worship of God not to take heed of God's word in it; Though in civil things we are left to prudence and reason, but when we come to matter of worship we must take heed to the word, in every particular that is properly Ecclesiastical, that is properly Church-work, we must I say in everything take heed to the Word of God. It is a notable expression that Luther hath about this, It is not saith be so much in Religion to look at what is the thing as who commands it; and he citeth Seneca, Seneca saith he gives this rule, observe not who commandeth but what is commanded, but in the Church and in Religion it is to be turned quite another way, it is not so much Quid but Quis and Q • alis and Quantus, but the Devil saith he changeth this into quid quale quantum, that is, he changeth this who, and what manner of person, and how great a one commandeth; into this; what, what manner, and how great a thing. So that this is the reason why many despise some Ordinances in the Church, why what great matters are there in these things? So they look to the thing and not to the institution; whereas did we look to Christ the Institutor which we should do, we should look more to the institution than unto the thing itself. Let the thing commanded be never so low and poor, never so mean in itself, yet the institution must be honored. Take heed to God especially in the point of worship. So we have done with the tenth verse. It follows.

Still the holy Ghost envieth especially against the Priests; for their whoredom, their wine and new wine did take away their hearts. Take away, The words are translated diversely, either Take the heart, or, Take away the heart.

Take the heart.] So I find some turn it, and there is a good sense of it, that is, these lusts do take possession of their hearts. It is one thing for a man to be overtaken with a lust, and another thing for a lust to take a man. It is said of the godly that they are overtaken, but it is said of these that their lusts take them; but now when it comes to this that you do not only yield to a temptation but a temptation takes you, when you are taken captive, whoredom and wine they have taken their hearts. So some.

But I rather think the other more proper, these lusts take away the heart. It is true, of any one lust there is not one lust harboured in the heart of a man but in time it will take away his heart, will eat out all the juice and strength and vigor of anything that is in him. That is the reason that many professors grow so sapless, so heavy, so dull, so de • d in the way of Religion, there is some secret lust or other that they have a haunt after and that doth take away their hearts, that now their hearts are like to dead beer, all their spirit and life is quite gone and their lust hath eaten it out; And that, man is in a sad condition whose vigor and strength is gone and eaten out by some lust in his heart.

But to speak of these lusts as they are here set forth unto us, these two sins, whoredom and drunkenness. I shall not speak of the nature of the sins, I have spoken somewhat of that in the beginning of the Chapter, but I shall only speak of them in the expression of the holy Ghost here, to show you a little how these take away the heart.

First, For both the sins in general, as they are sins of sensuality, [ 1] joining them both together. Only one Note first from the connection, they left off to take heed of God in point of his worship, now it seems they are left to the sins of whoredom and drunkenness; the Note therefore is, It is just with God that they that will not seek to satisfy their souls in himself they shall be given over to base filthy delights of the flesh, that they shall never have any other comforts but those. Let them have those comforts saith God, there is all the comfort that ever they shall find. So we read in Rom. 1. that when they did not glorify God as God he gave them up unto unnatural affections and unclean sins.

Sensuality it is a besotting sin (that is the Note) sensuality either in whoredom or intemperancy in drinking. You know how it took away the heart of Solomon (who was so wise) as that his wives did trun away his heart from God, and turned him to Idolatry. And so it did Sampson who was so strong, when Delilah had first taken his heart then she took away his heart, for you know in the story though she sought his destruction many times, he saw it apparently that she sought his life, to give him up into the hands of the Philistines, yet for all this Samson's heart could not be taken off from Delilah. The Scripture speaks of the sin of lust for this most fully. Prov. 2.19. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life; None that go unto the whore returneth, or as some would read it interogatively, do any return that go unto her? It is a rare thing for any one to return whose heart is taken with a whore, or ever to enter into the paths of life. The holy Ghost speaks this, make of it what you will. And again 2 Pet. 2.14. Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; when as eyes come to be full of adultery they cannot cease from sin; their hearts are so taken off from all good. And Prov. 23.27 A whore is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow pit; It is hard to get out of a deep ditch, especially if the mouth be narrow too; those that are got in there are like to Jeremiah that was put in the dungeon where there was no water but filth and mire so that he sunk in the mire; and except the Lord send from Heaven long cords of his mercy, it is unlike they should ever come out but they must die and perish, and how many thousands do die and perish? Nothing ever deadened David's heart more than that sin of adultery; Psal 51. he cries out Oh establish me with thy free Spirit, as if he should say, Lord I was wont to have more power over temptation, but now I am weak and quickly overcome, Lord stablish me. And as the sin of uncleanness takes the heart away from God and from truth, therefore in that place of Peter verse 18. the professors were assured thorough the lusts of the flesh unto much wantonness, even such as had escaped, virtually escaped the pollutions of the world and from them who live in error; So drunkenness, that likewise takes away the heart, wine takes away the heart exceedingly. When Solomon gave himself to wine, he took hold of folly at that time, Eccles. 2.3. though somewhat of his wisdom re mained, yet wine took way his heart in a great measure. He gave himself liberty (as appeareth by that Scripture, though we read not of drunkenness) yet he gave himself liberty to satisfy himself with wine and then he took hold on folly. Those that give themselves liberty in drinking wine and strong drink they are besotted in their very parts, as you know by experience, they are as a snuff of a candle in a socket, drowned in the tallow, a while since it gave a good light over the room, but now being even drowned in the tallow there is nothing lest but a little smoke and a stinking snuff and little or no light remaining; so many men when they were young were like a candle upon the table that gave light to all about them, but now having given themselves up to the satisfaction of that filthy and vile lust of drinking, all their parts are become like a snuff of a candle in the socket, almost drowned in the tallow. Or rather they are become as a quagmire, we know if the husband man should sow never such precious seed in a quagmire, what fruit will it bring forth? Austin hath this expression, just as when the ground hath too much rain it grows miry and dirty and is not fit for seed, so do those that ingulge themselves in drink. Therefore in Ezek. 47.11. it is said the waters of the Sanstuary did not heal the miry places and the marishes, miry hearts are seldom healed by the waters of the Sanctuary. Basil in a Sermon of his upon intemperancy, makes drunkenness as the Idols spoken of in the Psalms, that have ears and hear not, and eyes and see not, and feet and walk not, it takes away their standing and their understanding likewise, their very parts are taken away and they are left at liberty unto all kind of wickedness. How many are therethat were excellent when they were young, yet being taken with that lust, how are they grown like Esau that sold his birthright for a mess of pottage, so these will sell Heaven for a cup of wine; yea they are more profane than Esau, for he was in a straight, he came out of the field and be was very hungery and he thought he should die if he had not the pottage, so that he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage out of a kind of necessity, which he might plead; but these will sell their souls and Heaven and all merely to please that humor, that lust, venture the health of their bodies, the consuming of their estates, the loss of their friends, the shaming of themselves, the ruin of their names and the damnation of their souls and all for a little drink. Oh how doth this besot men that otherwise have excellent parts!

Well, But these two are applied here unto the Priests, and so we must make use of them especially, That whoredom and Wine and new wine did take away their hearts, for these Priests (as before we have heard) they did reject the knowledge of God, and so left off the work they were appointed to do, to instruct the people, therefore the people were brought up in ignorance; now they leaving their office, their duty that they should perform in the place they were set in, they gave themselves up to sensuality, to whoredom and to wine. From hence this may be the note,

We find it so in experience, we need not go about to prove it. Have there not been many that in their younger time have been forward preachers, and when they have gotten livings and preferment, never minded their study and preaching any longer, but gave themselves to satisfy the flesh in uncleanness and filthy lusts and grew to drinking? do we not know some that have had excellent parts when they were young and having gotten preferment fell to drinking and uncleanness? People are but in an evil case when they have such Ministers. Esa. 56.9. Ye beasts of the field come to devour, yea all ye beasts of the forest, what is the matter? the 12. verse shows what kind of Priests and Prophets they had, Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink, and tomorrow shall be as this day and much more abundant; such kind of Priests they had, and then all ye beasts of the field come to devour, you lie open to all kind of misery. Paul would have Timothy when he was weak drink a little wine for his stomachs sake and often infirmity; he good man out of conscience it seems would drink but water, though he were but a weak young man, yet for fear least it might do hurt he would drink but water till he had a commission from Paul; he was fain to exhort him to drink wine and yet it was but a little, drink a little wine. Oh those in public places especially should take heed of intemperancy. I have read of some Heathens that they have made it death for a King or a Magistrate to be drunk. It follows.

There is a little more difficulty in these words than in the former. Only first from the connection there is this useful Note,

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart, and then, they ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them. First they are besotted with these lusts and then they fall to the most gross ways of Idolatry, for these words in this verse seem to express the most gross and stupid Idolatry that ever was in the world, to ask counsel of their stocks, and their staff to declare unto them; but when they had given up themselves to the lusts of their hearts then they grew most sottish in their way of Idolatry. [Use.] I remember I have read of one that law one go to Mass and presently after go to a house hard by where a whore was, he hath this speech upon it: A lupanari massam tantum esse passum: that is, there is but one step from the Mass to a whorehouse. Spiritual whoredom and bodily go together, their hearts are taken away by their whoredom, and they ask cousel at their stocks. Jewel in his Apology relates this that by very credible report search being made in the year 1565. for harlots belonging to the stews in Rome, there was found in Rome to the number of 28. thousand women of that sort. Thus bodily and spiritual whoredom you see how they go to gether; 28. thousand of such kind of women found in one City, in that City which we know is called the City of whoredoms, it is not only in regard of spiritual whoredom, Idolatry, but of bodily whoredom likewise, for those two as I said usually go together.

Now for opening this, They ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff doth teach them.

Their stocks,] That is their Images, God puts that contemptible name upon them; they ask counsel of them. And that is to be observed too, My people, there is the emphasis; Mine by profession, not wholly call off yet, yet these ask counsel at their stocks, their Images, which perhaps they beautified with Silver and Gold, yet God calls them their stocks.

And their staff teacheth them.] Here is a peculiar way of Idolatry to be taught by their staff. Vatablus and others interpret it thus, their false Prophet upon which they leaned as upon a staff, and so they they think by staff here is meant their false Prophets. But I rather think it is to be meant literally, There was a kind of Idolatry which the Jews had and likewise the Romans after this, a way to ask counsel by the staff, which the Prophet here charged them with, which they called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Divinatio ex virgis, divination by rods, or sticks, or arrows, or staves; And there were four [ 1] ways by which they did divine by these. The first was to put arrows or staves into a close thing having the names written upon them of what they divined about, and then drawing out one or two, according to what they found written the staves they determined any business; thus their staff declared to them either good or bad; And thus Nebuchadnezzar seemed to do Ezek. 21.22. there Interpreters show that the business was, that Nebuchadnezzar being in doubt whether he should war against Philadelphia or against Jerusalem he took two arrows and wrote the name of Jerusalem on the one and Philadelphia on the other • nd so came to divine which way he should go. And this is the first way of declaring by the staff. [ 2] A second was by casting up staves or arrows into the air, and according as they did fall, on the right hand or on the left, before or behind, so they did divine their good luck or their [ 3] ill luck as they called it. A third way was this, they used to peel off the bark of some part of a stick and then cast it up and divined according to which part of the pith either black or [ 4] white appeared first. A fourth was (which we find in the Roman antiquities) that their Augures or South-sayers used to sit upon the top of a Tower or Castle, and the air being very clear and fair without any clouds, having a crooked staff in their hand which the Latins c • ll Li • uus, there they quartered out the regions of Heaven, so much as was for their purpose, & when they had quartered them out they did reach forth this staff (having first offered sacrifices and prayers to their gods) upon the head of a person or a thing they would divine for, and so they came to have good or ill luck to be shown according to what at that time they observed in the Heavens, the birds flying &c. when that staff was upon the head of the party. This the Romans did, and it is like they had it somewhat from the Jews, they did ask counsel of their staff.

By all this we may see what poor ways Idolaters have had to know the mind of their gods. When men forsake the right way of knowledge of God's mind, what poor ways do they go to know the mind of God. [Use.] Oh by this how should our hearts be raised up to bless God that we have such a way to know his mind, that we have his Word, that we have his Son that come out of his bosom to declare the eternal counsel of his father unto us. These are the poor ways that Idolaters have to know the mind of their gods.

Now follows the ground of all:

For the spirit of whoredoms.] Some would have it thus, that [ 1] look as there are particular sins, so there are particular Devils [ 1] to attend upon them; As there is a devil especially to attend upon Idolatry, another to attend upon whoredom, another upon drunkenness, another upon envy, another upon pride, another upon passion and the like; and so the spirit of whoredom that is (say they) that devil that especially attended upon this sin caused them to er. But I think this not to be the scope, [ 2] but this rather, the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to er, the spirit, that is, that impetus of spirit that was in them; there is an impetus an ardency, a vigor, an activity of their spirits to such a kind of sinful way, it is that which hath carried them on and caused them to er. The Scripture oft speaks of several sorts of spirits, as sometimes the spirit of perverseness, Esa. 19.14. it is translated in your books, a perverse spirit, but the words are Spiritus perversitatum, a spirit of perverseness, there is an impetus of spirit that hath caused Egypt to er in every work thereof. So the spirit of uncleanness Zech. 13.2. it is translated in your books the unclean spirit, but it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the spirit of defilements or uncleanness, so the spirits of lying, 1 King. 22.22. the spirit of error, 1 John, 4.6. He that knoweth God heareth us, he that is not of God heareth not us, hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error, that is, there is an Impetus, a strength of spirit that carries men on unto such an erroneous way. [Use.] And the consideration of that will be of marvelous use unto us. Let us look to our spirits my brethren, and consider what spirit we are of, especially when we are carried with an Impetus of spirit to a thing, that is, when we find an eagerness of spirit that way, to such a thing we would fain have, let us then take heed to ourselves: when you find I lay your spirits very eagerly and strongly set upon such a thing, examine then what spirit you are of, that it be not a spirit of lust, of envy, of malice, as sometimes there is in men's hearts when they are carried with a more than ordinary strength after such a way. There is many people when they find themselves carried on with such an impetus, and ardency, and fervency, they cannot endure that anybody should cross them in it, no, but they must have it; As they in Samuel that would have a King, when they heard all the reasons that could be to persuade them against it, they would not answer one reason but held to their conclusion, No, but we will have a King, say they. So a man that hath a spirit of such an evil, A spirit of envy, a spirit of error, a spirit of Antichrist in him, a spirit of domineering in him, a spirit of cruelty, a spirit of bitterness in him, first he will rush upon such a thing without examining of it, and further, if there come anything against it, any truth, he slights it presently and casts it off and thinks there is nothing in it, why? because he hath a spirit that carries him that way, and if the truth come more strongly that he is convinced by it, yet he hath a spirit that carries him on, and though he meet with many difficulties in the way he will break through them all. Oh it is a dangerous thing when men have a spirit of error, or a spirit of bitterness. You shall find some men that have much remaining of Antichristanisme in them, do but speak to them of anything that concerns an Ordinance of Christ, of Christ's institution, of the will of Christ in the word, as soon as it is but mentioned, you shall not hear any answer to the argument, but you may perceive a spirit of bitterness, a spirit of envy, a spirit of frowardness and passion presently to rise in them. So in other things you shall find men, and some that have good things in them, that if you do but discourse with them of some things that you know are according unto the mind of Christ, yet they have been brought up otherwise and have drunk in other principles, and they have a spirit of bitterness and anger and vexation that presently will appear in them to cast off any truth that is suggested unto them.

But let us labor on the other side rather to be acted by the [Use 2] Spirit of God, the Children of God are led by the spirit. And it is true, the Saints of God have a Spirit of holiness in them, as wicked men have a spirit of uncleanness in them so God's children are carried on with a spirit of holiness, the love of Christ hath taken hold of their hearts, and perhaps they are weak and cannot reason out the case with some subtle Sophisters, but they have the spirit of Christ, an Impetus of spirit that carries them on. But take heed, the Spirit of Christ is joined with much humility and holiness; do not say you are carried with the Spirit of Christ and yet bitterness and pride is mixed with it; but if there be humility and holiness, then perhaps though you cannot answer every objection of every Sophister yet there is the Spirit of Christ in you; that as wicked men have a bias upon their hearts that swaies their judgment, so the godly have a bias upon their hearts, the truth and love of God doth bias their hearts and carries them on with strength in the ways of God; as the poor man, the Martyr that said, I cannot dispute for the truth, but I can die for it; There was such a spirit of love in him unto Jesus Christ that carried him on and made him savor and relish holy things though he could not dispute for them.

We are to pray unto God that he would satisfy us not only [Use. 3] in body and in soul but in spirit, that that Impetus of spirit may be sanctified, for great things depend upon that Impetus, that force, that activeness of our spirits; almost all 〈2 pages missing〉 fell down under the dreadful authority of those commands, then it was well with them, but now you have got from under this, you do not fear God's word as you were wont to do, you will not tremble at his commands as'you were wont, now you run wild and frisk about in your own ways; Oh poor creature whither art thou gone thou art got from under the protection of the Lord.

In the former verse the Prophet in the Name of God had charged Israel for having the spirit of fornication, and accused them for going a whoring from under their God, And now shows to them wherein, and in what particular.

They will stand it out exceedingly if you charge them only with Idolatry in general, of going a whoring from God, except you demonstrate wherein. It is so with many sinners. Mal. 1.6. Ye have despised me, and yet you say, wherein have we despised thee? verse 7. Ye offer polluted bread upon mine Altar, and yet you say, wherein have we polluted thee? Stubborn hearts will stand it out with God a great while until it be shewn in particular wherein they have done such and such evils. And it is wisdom therefore for all God's Ministers not to leave things in general, but if they would have their Ministry a convincing Ministry they must not only charge people that they are wicked and naught in general, but they must instance. Instancing preaching it is the most convincing preaching.

Now the Prophet doth instance in that kind of Idolatry that seems to have the most specious show and fairest intention of anything in the world, and one would have thought that there should have been as little evil in that which he instanceth in as in anything we can imagine. Why what great matter is it they might say? You accuse us for going a whoring from under our God, what is the matter? we offer sacrifice upon mountains, we sacrifice under trees, is that so great a matter? It is sacrifice, and you cannot say but we sacrifice to the true [ 1] God, we do not sacrifice to Idols, why do we go a whoring from God then? Nay the show of this is very specious that they should sacrifice thus upon mountains and under trees, in this they seem to be more devout than Judah was; the people [ 2] of Judah they sacrificed only in one place, they sacrificed only in a Temple, and did as it were confine and limit God to that place, and they sacrificed only upon one Altar; Now say they, we think God worthy of a great deal more than so, we think it is fit to sacrifice unto him everywhere, in every place, and especially upon mountains, for it is to the high God that we sacrifice, therefore we go to mountains to express the high esteem we have of God. Just as the Papists at this day, they will have their Images in every place and their Crosses in every high way as they travail, that by them they may be put in mind of God continually. What a specious show is this? Yet the Lord by the Prophet chargeth them with going a whoring from under their God, and he instanceth in this which they thought they had most plea for.

From whence we may note first, Whatsoever seems to be most [Obs. 1] specious in our eyes, yet if it be not according to the rule, it may prove most abominable in the eyes of God. And,

Secondly, That for a thorough conviction of people in their sin, [Obs. 2] Ministers should especially labor to present to them the foulness of those things that they think have least evil in them. To come to people and to cry out of notorious wickedness that they themselves cannot but acknowledge to be notorious, this will never so convince as thoroughly to humble: but to come and close with them and to open the evil of their ways in those things that they bless themselves most in, and show how they make themselves abominable unto God even in those things, that is the way to have our Ministry a convincing & an humbling Ministry indeed. Thus the Prophet doth, you sacrifice upon the mountains and high places and under the shadow of every tree. Jerome upon this place hath this Note, Israel, saith be, loveth high places, for they have forsaken the high God, and they love the shadow, for they have left the substance. It is thus with men, ordinarily when they have left the high God, forsaken him, then they have somewhat or other that they set up high in their hearts; they forsake the shadow of the wings of God and then they seek after vain shadows to be their protector.

But to open this Scripture yet more clearly, to show wherein their sin lay here, that they sacrificed upon the mountains and hills and under trees. For that, we are to know that in former times before the Ark and the Tabernacle and the Temple was built, it was lawful to sacrifice in any place, and God approved of sacrificing in mountains, and did direct Abraham to go and sacrifice his son upon a mountain, upon Moriah, Gen. 22.2. And we read of Abraham's planting a grove when he called upon the name of God, Gen. 21.33. So that the forefathers did sacrifice upon mountains, and they planted groves and trees by the places where they sacrificed; there was no hurt then in such things. But afterward God prohibiteth this, Deut. 12.13.14. Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest, but in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings. God would limit them the place of his worship. When the Ark was made and the Tabernacle they were bound to come to that and sacrifice there and nowhere else, and so when the Temple was built they were bound to come thither and to sacrifice there and nowhere else. Yea then the Lord commanded them to pull down the high place, and to cut down the groves and trees, Deut. 12.2. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the Nations which ye possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree. When once God had appointed a place of worship then they were to destroy the other places where the Heathens were wont to worship their gods.

The Note is this from it, When once God chooseth places or things, when God once putteth a stamp of holiness upon places or things, then no men may choose places or things and put such a stamp of holiness upon them as God hath put. If God appointeth a way of worship of his own, this stops us from all other of our own. If God makes a place holy this stops us that we must never make any place holy but that; so it is true of things, of ceremonies, anything, if once God sets a stamp upon a thing to make it holy, we must confine ourselves to that, and not think to imitate God in it, to make anything of the same kind to be holy as God hath done. It was now a sin for them, and God stands much upon circumstances we see in his worship. You shall have many men plead why should men be so strict and scrupulous to stand upon circumstances? what must we have every circumstance in the word of God commanded? My brethren, that which is natural and moral and may be subservient to religious things, may be left (it's true) unto prudence, but whatsoever hath any Religion in it, though it be but a circumstance, God stands much upon it, and we must have a Divine rule for it.

Here they are not accused for sacrificing the things they ought not to sacrifice, no question but they offered those sacrifices which they were commanded, sheep and beeve • and the like, but only in the circumstance of place, they did not sacrifice where God would have them sacrifice, therefore God charged them in this thing that they went a whoring from under their God. It is true, we read sometime of some godly men's sacrificing else where, Gideon under an Oak, Judge. 6. and Samuel upon an high place, 1 Sam. 2. and so David in the threshing floor of Araunah, 2 Sam. 24. Now to all those instances the answer generally is given by Divines, that they could not be any way lawful for them to do thus but by some special dispensation of God himself, some special revelation from God to give them order to do it there or elf it could not but be a sin. For the Kings of Israel and Judah they also are charged for their sacrificing in the high places; Even Solomon himself in 1 King. 3.3. where when he is commended for loving the Lord and walking in the Statutes of David his father at first, yet the text saith, Only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. And amongst other high places we re • de in 2 Chron. 1.2. that Solomon went to Gibeon, that was a great high place. And though some excuse him because it is said the Tabernacle was there therefore he might go to Gibeon that great high place to sacrifice yet for all that Austin in his Questions upon Judges he thinketh Solomon is to be blamed though the Tabernacle was there, for he it seems sacrificed in other high places besides, and though the Tabernacle was there yet it seems he put a more than ordinary respect upon that high place, wherefore else is it called the great high place? and he went there not only for the sake of the Tabernacle, but became it was that great high place, therefore he is to be blamed. So that we may go to God's Ordinances, but if we do go to the Ordinances of God where yet there are other mixtures, and we do the rather go and esteem of them because there is some addition of man's inventions, this is a sin against God. And further, this is observable, though Solomon were blamable for going unto that high place though the Tabernacle were there, having some more than ordinary respect unto that high place, yet we find that God revealed himself unto Solomon in a wonderful gracious manner even in that place, and bad Solomon ask what he would. Solomon had very graci • u • manifestations of God unto him when he went to that high place though there was evil in it and he put more respect upon it than he should: So certainly many of God's people have found God so far indulge them that though sometimes they have been in the use of Ordinances where there hath been such mixtures as they have sinned against God, that Ordinance hath been polluted unto them by those mixtures, yet 〈◊〉 Lord hath been so gracious unto them that he hath accepted of the uprightness of their hearts, and they have had many sweet manifestations of God unto them even in these Ordinances: they can remember those times when they have been at Sacrament, and they have known how they offended against God by reason of some pollutions, yet they have found for all this God letting out of abundance of mercy unto them, refreshing their souls with comfort and joy in the holy Ghost. This was God's me • cy. Do not you think therefore that there was no evil in it because God let out himself so far unto you? [Use.] There was evil in Solomon's respecting this high place so much, yet God let out himself abundantly unto him. Other Kings there were that are exceedingly blamed that they did not take down the high places, which were all one with these mountains here spoken of.

Yet there were some of the Kings that were very careful in this thing, As amongst the rest Hezekiah and Jehoshaphat. Hezekiah in 2 King. 18.22. where he is charged by Rabshakeh for taking down the high places, Is it not he that hath destroyed the high places and Altars of God saith he? God approveth of it well though Rabshakeh thinks he hath done ill; Oh saith he, Hezekiah, do you trust in him? he hath taken down the high places. He thought that Hezekiah had been an enemy unto Religion and to the worship of God for taking down the high places. Thus it is with ignorant people at this day that do not know the way of God's worship; because some in authority (as the Parliament) seek to take away corruption in the worship of God, abundance of people cry out that they are enemies unto all Religion, that they will take away all Religion. Thus it is reported by your country people that dwell far off, as in Wales and in other places, the people are there persuaded that the Parliament are a company of vile men that seek to take away all Religion out of the Kingdom. But this is so but in the understanding of a Rabshakeh that thinks the taking away of high places to be the taking away of Religion.

The other King is Jehoshaphat that is commended for taking away the high places, and it is noted of him, that his heart was lifted up more than ordinary in the ways of God when he did it; For this sacrificing upon the high places was such a thing that the people were so set upon it, what say they, is it not a brave decent thing that we should go up to a high place to offer unto the high God? therefore when Jehosahhat took them away the text saith, his heart was lifted up in a more than ordinary manner. So it should be with Governors when they see corruptions in God's worship, though the people stick close to them, yet they should have their hearts lifted up with courage and zeal to go on in the work. [Use.] In 2 Chron. 17.6. there you have it, His heart was lifted up in the ways of God, Moreover he took the high places and groves out of Judah. Here is two things that Israel is charged for, the high places, and the groves, Jehoshaphat took away, and he took them away out of Judah. He was of a lift up mind and his heart took boldness for the ways of God, so the old Latin hath it. But mark, what course, what way did Jehoshaphat take to remove the high places and the groves? In the 7. verse of that chapter you find this, He sent to his Princes to teach in the Cities of Judah. Mark here, Princes are become Preachers; He sent to his Princes to teach in the Cities of Judah, and with them Levites and Priests, and they taught in Judah, and had the book of the Law with them, and they went about all the Cities of Judah and taught the people. This is the course to take them away. If he had only by an Edict removed them he could not have done so much, but he took this wise course, he sent faithful Preachers throughout all the Country, in all the great Cities especially. He was careful they should have faithful Preachers and then the work would be easily done. So that it appears it was because of the ill Preachers they had before or because they had no Preachers at all that the high places were so hard to be taken away. How easy would it be in England at this day to make a Reformation, to take away corruptions from the worship of God, if in all Cities and Towns there were faithful Preachers! For we see apparently that people that have been brought up in ignorance they stick most to these things. Let a faithful Minister come into a Congregation and take pains, so that the people may see and be convinced that he takes pains, and expound the Scripture unto them, they will begin to confess we get more by this than by all the reading of prayers all this while, and this is more painful to the Minister. They would I say be convinced of this if they had teaching. This was Jehosaphats way, and Oh how happy were it if we took the same course? But there is one thing more observable it is said in this 7. chapter that Jehoshaphat took away the high places; but in Chap. 20. ver. 33. it is said he took them not away; but how is it? It is put upon the people, the text saith, The high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not prepared their heart unto the God of the •• fathers. The people were the cause. Now for the reconciling of these two places, it seems Jehoshaphat did what lay in him, In chap. 17. therefore God accounts it as being done for his part, but because when he had done what he could yet the people were so stubborn and stout and would not yield to the command of the King, therefore in this 20. Chapter it is all laid upon the people; As if God should say, they were not taken away because the people had not prepared their hearts, but as for Jehoshaphat he did what lay in him for the taking them away. God will accept of the intention of Governors, Let them do what they can in it and if it be not done the fault will lie where the cause is. You may see by this that people may hinder the work of Reformation much, their hearts were not prepared, that is, they were not fit to receive such instructions as were sent unto them. And truly in England many people are not yet prepared to receive the work of Reformation. We never read (that is observable too) of any difficulty of any of the Kings either of Judah or Israel to bring in any false worship, observe it in all the stories of the Kings or Chronicles when there was any King that would bring in any false worship there was never any difficulty in it; But when good Kings did seek to bring in true worship and to cast out false, it was too difficult a work for them. Thus men's hearts do cleave more to false worship than they do to true.

And this is one thing further observable for the high places, that it is not said here in the Text only that they sacrificed upon the Mountain • , but upon the top of the mountains. There are two things very observable from hence.

[ 1] First, It noteth the publicness of their way of Idolatry. They would not do it in a corner, in a hole, but they would go to the mountains, to the top of the mountains and were not ashamed. Idolatry is brazen faced, it is impudent and loveth to be public. [Use.] Oh why should we not have the true worship of God as public! It is a lamentable case when the true worship of God must get into holes and corners and dare not appear in public; yea when they are persecuted because they are in corners and they say they get into holes and corners and there they do thus and thus. Well my brethren, let us pray and endeavor what we can to bring in the true worship of God to the most public way that may be, that we may not be ashamed of it in public before the world. In Revel. 14.6. there is mention of an Angel flying in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel in his hand to preach unto them that dwell on the earth; Now it is ordinary in the Revelation to set out the Ministry of the Gospel by an Angel, and so it is a prophesy of the Ministry of the Gospel, that it shall fly in Heaven, aloft, publicly, that all the world shall see it. And mark what follows upon this, verse 8. And there followed another Angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen. So that the Note from thence is,

[ 2] Secondly, They sacrificed not only upon the mountains, but upon the tops of the mountains. Idolaters they seek to rise to the height of their way of false worship, they would do it unto the uttermost; they content not themselves with hills and mountains, but the very uppermost of hills and mountains, if there were any higher than other, if they could get up to Heaven they would do it. Idolaters do not content themselves with a lower degree of false worship. [Use.] How much less should we in the way of God's worship? we should not content ourselves in a mean way but get up to the top of godliness, and labor to gain the very height of the worship of God; Not content ourselves in one Ordinance, but get all Ordinances, and get them in the full exercise of them as much as may be. That place in Ephes. Walk accurately, circumspectly not as fools but as wise, the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as if he said, walk to the top of godliness, to the height, if there be any higher degree than other labor to get to it, as Idolaters will get up to the tops of the mountains. Thus for their sacrificing upon the mountains.

The next is, Their sacrificing under Oaks, and Poplars, and Elms. And these trees that are here named are such whose leaves are broad and did abide longest upon them. But why did they seek to sacrifice under trees and such trees as these? There are five or six reasons why the Heathens and these peo-were so set upon sacrificing under trees.

The first was this, The Heathens did consecrate many trees [ 1] to their Idols. The Poplar to Herculus, the Vine to Bacchus, the Mirtle to Venus, the Bay to Phoebus. They consecrated several trees to their several gods and therefore sacrificed under those trees.

Secondly, They sacrificed there in imitation of the Patriarchs, as I showed before, Abraham built a grove by the Altar he made; and so many of the Patriarchs had groves and trees by their Altars, and in imitation of them they did it, and so did the Heathens, for the Devil did strive much to imitate the way of the true worship of God, but now when they came once to abuse the ancient practice of the Patriarchs, God removes it.

Thirdly, They thought that dark and shady places, dark [ 3] by the shadiness of these trees, might strike some fear and reverence in the hearts of men when they came to worship, there is a kind of dismalness as it were, and it doth cause a kind of reverence in coming into woods where there are high trees and shady places, there is a kind of solemness in it, and they thought it was a means to put reverence into the hearts of the worshippers. Even Heathens themselves when they worshipped their Idols they sought to have the hearts of the worshippers to be filled with reverence. And,

[ 4] Fourthly, They thought that the spirits of their Heroes were up and down in the woods and groves. It was the tradition of the Heathens, they were taught it by their Priests, that the ghosts of their great men, their Heroes were in woods and in groves: Nulli certa domus, lucis habitamus opacis. So you have it in Virgil, that they themselves have no certain houses to dwell in, but they dwelt in dark and solitary places, in woods and groves.

[ 5] Fifthly, They were fit places for committing of filthiness when they came to those places, which many of them did. The sacrifices of the Heathen many of them were mixed with filthy and abominable uncleanness, and those places were fit for such uncleanness, and therefore the Devil liked well of them. So Philo, and Sozamen in his history he tells us of this reason of their sacrificing there, because of the filthiness that was there commmitted.

[ 6] Lastly, It was the conceit of many of the Heathens that it was too much to the dishonor of God to be worshipped in any place covered above head or to be circumscribed within any limits. Even the Heathens, some of them looked upon God as infinite, and for him to be worshipped within any place covered above head they thought it was a dishonor, therefore they would worship him in the open fields and under trees. This was the reason of their sacrificing under trees.

Now the holy Ghost says they did this, because the shadow of them was good. The holy Ghost instanceth only in one reason; the shadow was good, that is, they pleased themselves in their own ways, they thought there was more solemnity in this way of worship than to go to the Temple to worship there. The shadow was good, Oh it was brave to go to the open fields, and it was more solemn they thought to go there than to worship in the City. The shadow was good, they applauded and blest themselves in this way.

that is the Note from hence. Therefore it is observable of the Papists, the way of their worship it is most ridiculous and absurd, yet they write whole volumns of their Rational, of Divine Service to show reason for what they do, as if it were a reasonable service, and in Colos. 2. ult, it is spoken of will-worship, that it hath a show of wisdom. Now the words in the Greek are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 it hath the reason of wisdom, for so it may be turned, for is used for Ratio, it hath the reason of wisdom. So that word your Reasonable Service, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . So that Idolaters think that it is not only wisdom, but that they have the very reason the very quintessence of wisdom in their way of false-worship, they can give such account of it, the shadow is good; And especially in that very thing that they think their worship is more sumptuous and brave and hath more solemnity in it than the Ordinances of God have: This is the vanity and pride of men's spirits, to think that the worship of God appointed in his word hath not solemnity enough in it: That is the point naturally rising from thence. But certainly if it be not God's own, whatsoever outward respect can be given unto God in it, he • bominateth it and abhorreth it. I have read of a Lady in Paris, that when she saw the bravery of a Procession to a Saint, she cried out, Oh how fine is our Religion beyond that of the Hugonites, that is such as those who in England they call Puritans! They have a poor and mean and beggarly Religion, but we have a fine and brave Religion; so your Papists with decking up their Churches and their Altars and their crings and bowings, they have a fine and brave Religion, their shadow is good, there is bravery and solemnity in it. Oh take heed of this in any point of God's worship, to think that any addition of man's makes it more solemn and more reverent. It is the worst argument you can use, to say can we do things in God's worship with too great reverence? Is it that which you have warrant out of God's word for? doth God enjoin it? Have you not either some rule or ensample at least for it? If you think by your own addition to do it with more reverence, this very argument spoils it, though it were lawful in other respects. Take some gesture, suppose it were indifferent, suppose it were lawful some way; but if you take it up thus, to think that by it you put more reverence and respect upon God's worship than there is, there you spoil it; upon some other grounds it may perhaps be granted, but upon that ground you spoil it quite. Therefore the Lord • orbad his people when they were to make an Altar to him, to lift up a tool upon it, for then saith he, you pollute it: They might have said, Lord we would fain have thine Altar not so plain as other things, we would fain bestow carving and some cost upon it and so show some respect to it: No saith God, If you lift up a tool upon it, you pollute it. So if you think to put more reverence and solemnity upon God's worship by any invention of your own, certainly you defile it. That was the sin of Israel at this time, they would sacrifice here, why? because the shadow was good. So much for that, for their high places, and their worshiping under trees.

Now follows the judgment threatened:

You commit adultery in going a whoring from m • , you shall be punished in the like kind, your daughters and your spouses shall go a whoring from you.

They shall commit adultery.] Take it first under this consideration, as a judgment of God upon them.

Secondly under this, As that which they themselves were the occasion to produce.

First, It was the judgment of God upon them. Hence note, God sometimes punisheth sin with sin, he punisheth spiritual adultery with corporal uncleanness; Corporal pollutions are the fruit of spiritual filthiness. So Rom. 1. They worshiped not God as God but in an Idolaters way, after the s militude of an Ox that eateth gras • , therefore God gave them up to • ncleanness. If men be not careful to maintain purity in God's worship, God care • not for their bodily ch • stity. If you • ol • u • e my worship, be unclean then • aith God. Not that he doth permit it as lawful but in ju • t • udg • ent he leaveth them unto it. What care I for all y • ur unclea • ness otherwise in your bodies if you pollute • y w •• s • ip. And it is usual for bodily and spiritual adultery to go together. The word R • ma, turn the letters and it is Amor, there is a deal of unclean filthy love in Rome, as I showed b • fore W ••• e th • re is most Idolatry there is most adultery.

But secondly, The sin of Parents is punished many times in the children and in the family. Your daughters and your spouses, I will leave them saith God, and mine hand shall be upon them. When a parent or a husband sees the hand of God against his child or against his wife he should consider, how doth God meet with me in this? is it not a s • gn of God's displeasure against me in this particular? It is observable, that of the woman of Canaan, Mat. 15.22. when her child was vexed with an unclean spirit, saith she, Have mercy upon me, O Lord, my child is griev • usly vexed with a Devil; she did not say Lord have mercy upon my child, but Lord have mercy upon me, for my child is vexed with an unclean spirit, as if she should say, O Lord, my sin may be this unclean spirit, it may be the punishment of my sin, therefore Lord have mercy upon me & forgive me my sin that hath caused such a thing as this, yea Lord it may be I have had an unclean spirit, and this my child did imitate me in somewhat that was evil, and so thy hand is come upon it, I am the Original, therefore Lord have mercy upon me, for my child is vexed with an unclean spirit. So should you, when you see the hand of God upon your children, not only outwardly upon their bodies, cry out, Lord h • ve mercy upon me for my child hath such a disease, hath such convulsion fits, hath such pain and such extremity, Lord pardon my sin. And doth God leave your children in wickedness? do you see unclean spirits in your children, the spirit of filthiness? Cry out, Lord have mercy upon me; perhaps it was by imitating of you that they came to have such unclean spirits.

Thirdly, It is a great reproach unto any family to have uncleanness committed in it. Fornication and adultery is a great reproach unto a family, especially when the daughter or the wife is unclean. It is a reproach unto a family if a servant prove naught, especially to some families more than others, the family of a Minister, or of a Magistrate, or a man in public place and esteem, to have a servant prove naught: which by the way should teach Governors to be more careful of their families than they are, for many times thorough their carelessness God sends such a judgment, puts this disgrace upon their families. Many of you for your pleasure and delight can go to your country houses, and while you are there your servants are doing wickedness. You should have an especial eye over your families in this, lest God as a just judgment upon you for your neglect bring this reproach upon your families. But especially your children, your daughters and your spouses, and above all, the children of Ministers, Levite. 21.9. it is said there, if the daughter of any Priest profane her self by playing the whore, she shall be burnt with fire; Now fornication was not punished with death in any other, though adultery was, but the fornication of a Priests daughter was to be puinshed with death, she was to be burnt with fire.

The fourth note is this, which is the note I specially aimed at from these words. Our ill dealings with God, our unfaithfulnes towards God is made more sensible when those that are near unto us deal ill with us, and are unfaithful to us. Well saith God here, you go a whoring from me, your spouses they shall go a whoring from you, you have been unfaithful to me, your children shall be unfaithful to you, they shall go a whoring too, and then by that anguish and trouble that you have when you see this in your wife, or in your child, you shall be made sensible how grievous this is to my Spirit, that you go a whoring from me. You have many Parents if they should hear that their daughters were grown strumpets and have played the whore, Oh how would they beat their hands upon their breasts, and tear their very hair, and stamp upon the ground and cry out, I am undone, I am undone, and though they had never such great estates they would think they had no comfort in anything but would even look upon themselves and their family as ruinated and undon; And if you should hear that your wife had played the whore, how would it be as a dagger in your hearts. Are you so sensible of this? then by that extremity of grief you would have in such a case, know such is the extremity of the grief of God's heart when a child of his goes a whoring from him. If his people go on in ways of superstition and Idolatry from him, yea though it be in things that otherwise seem to be but small (it is but a circumstance of place I told you here) yet it goes as near to the heart of God to have his people set upon superstitious ways in his worship, as it doth to the heart of any husband or father to have his wife or daughter play the whore. [Use] Oh that you would consider that there is this grief In Heaven when God looks upon his people forsaking the true way of his worship. We think indeed that murder and blasphemy provoke God, but we little think how the corruption of his worship provokes him. Let us know that the great provocation of the most high God is the corruption of his worship, I mean when his people shall corrupt his worship any way.

And further, As in this particular so we may take occasion to make use of it other ways. Do your children prove stubborn, stout to you? Oh how many times doth the father or mother get alone into their chamber and fall a bemoning of themselves, Oh what a stout, stubborn child have we, nothing will reform him, no admonition! It may be the mother goes [ 1] alone and wrings her hands and cries out because of the stubbornness of her child. Well, are you so sensible of this when your children prove stubborn towards you? Oh consider how sensible God is if you carry yourselves stubbornly towards him. If a husband have an ill wife that is froward and troublesome, [ 2] that grieves his spirit and loves him not, he goes alone and laments his condition and thinks himself one of the miserablest men upon the earth. Is this so grievous to you? Oh how grievous is it unto Jesus Christ to have his Church so to him? And have you any friend that hath dealt unfaithfully [ 3] with you? Oh such a friend hath dealt unfaithfully with me, was ever any served so? Oh consider how you have dealt unfaithfully with God, and as it goes to your hearts to have a friend deal unfaithfully with you, so it goes to the heart of God when you deal unfaithfully with him. This is the note then, Our ill dealings with God and our unfaithfulness to him, is made more sensible when those that are near unto us deal unfaithfully with us. And thus much for the words under that consideration. I will make you sensible saith God of your dealings with me, if nothing will do it, it shall be by this way of mine, to bring this judgment upon you, your daughters and your spouses shall commit adultery.

But the next is under the other consideration, as they were causers of it. Now the people of Israel we • e the causes of the uncleanness of their daughters and wives by this their way of false worship in two respects.

[ 1] First, By going abroad from their families to hills and mountains to worship, in the mean time they committed filthiness and adultery. Calvin hath this note upon the place, As it is in Popery when they go a Pilgrimage, that is the oportunest time for filthy places, places of bawdry to have the most trading. So it was here, when they went unto the hills and mountains to worship, then the unclean places had most trading. So when husbands and parents go up and down without any lawful call, then their wives and families do oft miscarry. Therefore it should teach them to be as little from their families as they can be, to abide at home until God calls them out, if they have a lawful call they may trust God with their families, if not, they may have some mischief befall them before they come home.

[ 2] Secondly, They were the causers of it thus, By carrying them into those places, mountains and groves and under trees, because (as I said before) those places were chosen on purpose for the committing of filthiness as being most fit for it. It is dangerous for young women to go into places that are fit for filthiness, and parents and husbands are exceedingly to blame for that, and it is to be charged as a great evil upon them, when they shall venture to carrye their daughters or wives into places that are sit for filthiness. But this shall suffice for that thirteen verse.

This is as severe an expression as any we have in the Scripture, They shall commit whoredom and adultery, yet I will not punish them. It is strange, God hath threatened whoredom and adultery with death, and threatened the Priests daughters that committed fornication, with fire; and this is spoken here of the Priests especially; but here saith he, I will punish none of them when they commit whoredom or adultery.

These words are read by some interogatively, Will I not punish [ 1] them? and then they carry another sense. But I think that is not the scope.

Others read these words comparatively, and that I confess [ 2] hath some probability in it, I will not punish them, ] that is, I will not punish them in comparison of you, for your example makes them such as they are, you should restrain them, and though the sin be great in them, yet in comparison of you they shall not be punished at all. Wicked parents they look upon their children when they are wicked, as swearers, liars, unclean &c. they look upon them as those that it will go very ill withal. Well, it shall go ill with them indeed, but if you be so too, it shall be worse with you: Many wicked parents are loath their children should be wicked: I have known some drunkards and whoremasters, have put their children to be educated by Puritans; they are wicked, yet their consciences tell them it is not good for their children to be so. But the truth is, if you be wicked and your children too, though they may perish in their sins, yet you shall perish with a seven-fold destruction.

[ 3] But thirdly it is read plainly by most thus, I will not punish them when they commit adultery ] that is, I will show my wrath against you in this that I will even give up your children and your wives, let them do what they will I will not restrain them by any punishment. And this is many times a way of God's judgment against wicked ones, that the Lord will not restrain them in their evil ways, that's the especial Note from these words,

Jerome upon those words in Ezek. 7.4. I will not spare. God doth not spare saith he that he might spare, he hath not mercy that he might have mercy upon people, that is, when God intends any good then he will not spare, that is, he will afflict and chastise, those that he loves he will chastise, but if you be bastards and not children he doth not care for chastising of you. All the while a parent hath any respect to a child and intendeth he should inherit, he doth correct him, but when once he hath cast off a child and is fully resolved he shall never inherit one penny of all that he hath, he lets him go on and take his course. A Pysician doth so with a patient, he will give him potions and bitter potions all the while that there is hope, but if the disease be grown too strong and there is no hope, he lets him alone; thus God deals with sinners many times in this world. Origen in one of his Sermons upon Exodus quoting this Scripture he hath this expression, Will you hear the terrible voice of a provoked God! I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom nor your spouses when they commit adultery, this is the most terrible thing this is the most extreme thing of wrath and judgment that can be imagined, here is a terrible voice of God indeed, I will not punish you. So Luther, Woe to those men at whose sins God winketh. It is a fearful judgment to fall into the hands of the living God, but it is a more fearful judgment to fall out of the hands of the living God in this regard. Many men bless themselves in this that they can go on in the world and sin and sin and still prosper and thrive, they do not pray in their families as others do, they are not so scrupulous in their consciencces as others are, they are not so strict to walk exactly as others, yet they thrive in their trades as others, they are as rich as others, as healthful as others, they have as fine bodies, as hansom children as others, and upon this they are hardened in their sin. Oh but know, though thou mayest bless thyself in this thing, yet it is the heaviest curse of God that can be upon thee unless he should send thee quick unto Hell. There is no such brand of a reprobate as this for God to suffer a wicked man to prosper in his sin.

Jerome hath this Note upon these words, when thou seest saith he a sinner flow w ^th wealth, when thou seest him boasting and braving of his power, when thou seest him very healthful and hail and have a lusty body, when thou seest him delighting in his wife, when thou seest him to have a company of brave children, bravely arrayed, then say the threatening of God by the Prophet Hosea is fulfilled upon that man.

Thy judgment is very great in this, for the less punishment thou hast now the more thou art like to have hereafter. The less punishment the more sin and so the more misery. Know that Justice will have somewhat and much too for the forbearance of her act, of her stroke, and certainly it were better for thee that art a wicked and ungodly man that thou shouldest beg thy bread from door to door. Perhaps now thou hast much coming in, thou liest soft and farest daintily, while others are put to miserable extremities and have scarce a rag to cover them, or a bit of bread to put in their bodies, and in cold weather have no fire to warm them, and yet thou art ungodly and wicked, know that it were better for thee, and thou wilt one day say it and wish it thyself, that thou hadst been in such a case as the poor beggar that hath begged a farthing at thy door, and it is God's wrath upon thee that thou art not now as miserable as they. Let us therefore stop the troubles of our thoughts in this, we see the wicked how they prosper in the world and how vile men are exalted, and though they undertake causes that we know are abominable in the eyes of God, and we know their ways are loathsome before God, and they provoke the God of Heaven in their wicked way • and tempt him to his very face, yet they prosper. They are indeed ready to take this their prosperity as an argument that God approveth of their ways, and that God loves them. Oh let us not (I say) be troubled at their prosperity, for it is so far from God's showing it as an argument of his approbation of their ways, that it is one of the greatest judgments that can possibly befall them in the world, when God shall say let them go on and fill up the measure of their s • ns, they shall have their hearts desire for a while and so shall be fatned up to their destruction. This few will conceive of but such who have spiritual eyes. Carnal hearts are ready to call the proud happy, and to think those to be in the best condition that are most prosperous in the world; but this text teacheth us the contrary. It follows.

For themselves.] Ipsi. Here God chargeth the persons (your daughters and your spouses, for they are separated with whores) per modum indignationis, so interpreters note upon the place, God chargeth the persons by way of indignation. As when one man is speaking to another and his anger riseth, he turns from him and speaks to somebody else, so God seems here to have his anger so arise against his people, that he turns as it were from them as if he did speak to somebody else, though indeed he meaneth them; themselves are separated, or divided themselves,

Junius reads it only so, they have separated; and so addeth to it Res opimas, they have separated fat and plentiful things, their choice and rich things that they had at home, so he carries the meaning and not improbably, the best meat they had or any precious thing they had at home, they would set it apart under pretence of consecrating it to a religious use, and then when they went to sacrifice they would eat that among their whores, and so deceive their spouses at home, and say they would set this apart for their gods and so carry it and spend it among their whores. That is the interpretation he makes upon the word Seperate.

Others I confess carry it thus, They have separated themselves [ 2] from their God: first in spiritual whoredom: and then from their wives in bodily uncleanness.

Or else thus, Separated: That is, gone alone in secret where [ 3] they might not be known, as the filthiness of that sin causeth men to desire to be hid, and when they have got into a secret place or separated themselves from all that know them, then they commit that bodily uncleanness; as many men when they are gone abroad from their own houses, in their journeys in their Inns, that is a fit opportunity for their filthiness.

Thus God gives the reason why their daughters and their wives commit this uncleanness, because they themselves do so. Thence the Note is, When parents are filthy and unclean, what can be expected from the children but that they should be so too? Take it either in bodily or spiritual uncleanness. In bodily, David commits adultery, and Amnon commits incest; and in spiritual, Jer. 7.18. The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough to make cakes to the Queen of Heaven. If fathers and mothers be Idolaters children will be so too; so it is at this day, in superstitious places, take any that are superstitious that stand upon the old way, if the father and the mother do so, the children will do so too, any that are Malignants, if the parents be so, the children though young it is strange to hear in what a way they will speak, because their parents are so. Which should be a good caveat unto all parents to make them take heed what they do before their children, he that sins before a child sins twice, [Use.] for the child will do as his father doth, he thinks it enough that my father said so, or my father did so. T • ke heed how you sin before your children.

But this word translated Whores, and the other that follows Harlots, have a further signification than our English here expresseth it. According to most Interpreters it hath this meaning. It presents to u • those women that worshiped B • all Peor, or Priapus that unclean god. In 1 King. 15.13. it is said of Asa that he took away Maachah his mother from being Queen, now it is interpreted by some that he removed her that she might not be a special Queen in the solemnity of that unclean god Baal Pe • r, which Idol she had set up in a grove. So then those women that were devoted to the service of that unclean god, in whose worship there was most abominable filthy uncleanness, yet these people did separate themselves to those women, not to ordinary whores, but to those that were consecrated to the service of that unclean god, and so went to worship that unclean god, and committed uncleanness with the women devoted to that service.

And the other word, Sacrificed with harlots, if we were to take it merely according to our translation, harlots, then the Note is only this, That those that are filthy and unclean, yet they will sometimes make some show of Religion. Harlots and yet sacrifice? how can these two stand together? One would think harlots should cast off all sacrifice. No, many times such as are filthy and unclean will make a show of Religion, to think to satisfy all their filthiness with some Religious action; as the harlot in the Proverbs she had peace-offerings, and the rather she had them, she made her peace-offerings but preparations for her committing of uncleanness. What horrible wickedness is this! yet this is ordinary for many that are very devout in some Religious duties, and upon that they think they have served God well, God hath had his turn and so they think they may take the more liberty to the flesh afterward; It is true we are sinners, we cannot serve God always, we will serve God sometimes and so take the more liberty because of that. It is an abominable thing to join filthiness and sacrifice both together.

But this word translated harlots here, hath a great deal further meaning I suppose than our English can express or bear. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 translated harlots, it is meant of the Priests with the consecrated ones. This doth more justify the interpretation of the other word whores, for I told you by that was meant those women that worshiped Baal-Peor, for there the word signifies the consecrated ones, the holy ones. You will say, holy ones, how can it be translated harlots then? Yes, merely by way of contrariety, for so the Scripture expresseth things and words, and so doth other languages too, as wood is called wood by a name that comes from light. So here, holy ones, that is, devoted to filthiness as others do consecrate themselves to God and therefore are called holy ones in a quite contrary sense, because they rather devoted themselves unto all manner of filthiness. And that I think is the meaning of this place, the Priests of Baal. Peor they are here those that are meant that this people did separate themselves for.

Jerome upon the place hath this Note, he saith that the Romans in disgrace of the French used to separate Priests of that Nation for that Idol and to make them Evnuches, from whence all such Priests to that Idol that they had (which was the like to that of Baal-Peor the Jews had) they used to call Gallos, French-men to put an ignominy upon that Nation for some especial revenge they had to them, and they would have them to serve that Idol being first made Eunuchs.

Take it thus then and it will afford us a very profitable instruction. These people were grown so corrupt that they had forsook the true Priests of God and the Prophets of the Lord and separated themselves from the Lord to join in sacrificing with these filthy Priests of Baal-Peor, that unclean Idol that is said in Scripture to be that shame.

But only here is a Scruple how can it be meant of Priests when the word in the Hebrew is in the feminine gender? [Quest.] [Answ.] That is answered thus, because of the effeminateness of these Priests, some of them were made Ev • ukes and so might be put into the feminine gender in that regard, and they were grown to be so sottish and filthy that they lost the very name of men. Therefore Aquila he turns it, Cum mutatis, so he calls those that were effeminate, they were changed from men into women, and so the Scripture speaks of men that have lost their true fortitude and are changed from it, they are called women or men of womanish spi • i • s; And so the Heathen Poet Virgil, he calls the Trojans women not men, which he had from Homer, because they were rather to be of the feminine than the masculine gender. Therefore the Priests here of that unclean Idol had the feminine gender put upon them.

Or as Cyril and Theophilact and others think that these Priests seemed to be men, but were indeed women. So that then by this text is meant such notorious prostituted filthy ones that were consecrated to be as Priests to the service of this unclean Idol. Now then here riseth the Note from hence this was their abominable vileness, to forsake the Priests of the Lord, to separate themselves from them and to join with such unclean Priests as these Priests of Baal-Peor were. Here were Separates indeed. Have we not many amongst us at this day 〈◊〉 vile and wicked, of as wicked spirits as these, whose hear • • re against the faithful Ministers of God, against the purity of God's Ordinances, & they separate themselves to any drunken unclean filthy Malignant Priest? It was just so here for all the world, there were the true Priests of God in Judah, they had the true Ordinances of God there, and yet these men rather than they would join with them in the true service of God, they will separate themselves to the Priests of Baal-Peor, to these filthy and unclean and base Priests, and they think there is more good to be had in joining with them than with the true Priests of God. How hath God of late discovered the filthiness and malignancy of out superstitious Priests who cared not what became of our Liberties of Religion, of our Liberties as men, of our Religion as Christians, so they may have their lusts; yet how vile are men's spirits still that though faithful and conscionable Ministers are sent amongst them who would reveal the mind of Christ and the way of Heaven unto them, that they may now know more in one month than before they knew in many years if they had hearts to hearken to them, yet they will separate themselves and join rather with such as are manifested to be of most vile spirits, not only malignant but filthy and wicked in their lives, and commend them for the only men, these they love with their very hearts. Heretofore when they had but some Sr. John that could only read prayers sent by the Bishop, and godly Ministers were thrust out, yet if men did then go from their parish Church to hear a Sermon, how did they cry out upon such then, they were called Sectaries and Schismatics presently; but now when men of vile and malignant spirits are by a better Authority put out for their wicked lives, and godly and holy men are put in their rooms, yet these they will not hear though it be in their own parish Church, but if a malignant Preacher be in the City, to him they will flock: Who is the Separate or Schismatic now? they separate themselves now to such men, and now they think they may hear those men they can most profit by, that is those that preach things suitable to their spirits. When the case come • to be men's own how partial are they in their judgments? I know nothing sets out the condition of these men as these words do, though as they are read in your books there is no such thing appears, but the words according to the Original signifies separating themselves to unclean Priests.