The Christian Governor in the Commonwealth and Private Families, Exposition 1 · Part 11
They shall not cleaue vntounto me.
IN these words the Prophet protesteth his hatred of fallers away in a second effect: Their work… shall not cleaue to him; that is, they shall hauehave no countenance from him, nor protection vnderunder him: where his further meaning is, that their euill shall not be in his soule, nor their persons in his Court or Kingdome: and that (therefore) he would auoyd them as poyson… to the fountaine of good discipline in a house; and (as plaguie persons) lodge them without the host of Gods sound people, in their graues or in prison, where they shall not be able to spread their infection as they might, either liuing or at libertie.
Doct. 1.This is the Prophets meaning, where, in his example, all may learne that hauehave the charge of others, to take heede how they giuegive hyre or countenance to any vnderunder them, who are corrupt in Religion, or manners: where they must prouide, and be carefull that they be the seruants of God, who shall be their seruants, and bee religious in Gods house, who would hauehave countenance in theirs; and that they hauehave grace in their hearts, and a good conscience in their wayes, that shall serue them. But I shall hauehave fitter occasion when I come to the sixt verse, to speake more, and more fitly to this purpose. Adam must not keepe a Martherer in his house, Gen. 4 14. And Abraham must cast out Ismael, a Mocker, Gen. 21.10. And Iosua must put out of the host. and put to death Aca…, an excerable sinner, Ios. 7.25.26. And Dauid (heere) will neither hauehave wicked persons, nor tale-tellers, nor proud persons, nor lyers, nor men of big-lookes, and little grace, nor deceiuers, nor slaunderers, to serue him, they shall not cleane to the house where he is Master, nor liue in the Realme where he is King.
The Reasons.
Such are as pitch, that defileth those who touch it, and cleaueth to those whom it toucheth. Or, they are as Leprous persons among the whole, and as contagious persons among the sound: and then who will suffer them that would not hauehave the sound corrupted, and the good made naught? Secondly, so much as wee are ioyned to God, we must be parted from sinners; and so much place as God hath in vsus, so little countenance we must giuegive to sinne. If (then) we will hauehave God to dwell with vsus, wee must put the vngodlie from vsus; and if wee will sticke to him, we must breake from them.
The vse reprooueth those Protestant Maisters,Vse 1. who keepe in their houses a medley of Seruants, of all sorts: for some shall be Protestants, some Papists, some Atheists and Neuters, some Swearers, some Drinkers & Swaggerers, and some such as those foure hundred men of Esau, who came against Iacob, deriders of Religion and decliners from it, Gen. 33.1. These doe not promise for their followers, as Dauid did for his; nor for their trayne of Seruing-men, as hee did for those that should serue him, that none shall hauehave their badge, and weare their cloth, that will not cleaue to God in the badge of his truth, and liuery cloth of his holinesse, keeping his Sabbaths, and reuerencing his Sanctuary, being religious to him, and charitable to their neighbour.
Vse 2.Here (also) are condemned all lincks and tyings in Mariage betweene Protestants-sonnes and Papists-daughters, being Papists for some portion of money or piece of land. For how can these but countenance false Religion, when they will be hyred for a matter of nothing to marry with it? When Protestants will match with the Diuels Daughter for a portion, and hee content that the Diuell shall be their Father-in-lawe for a little money? So much for the Prophets protestation concerning fallers away: his protestations concerning other wicked persons follow.