A Key to the Key of Scripture, Chapter 1 · Exposition of verse 26, 27
Verſe 26 For this cauſe God gaue them vp vntounto vile affections: for euen their women did change the naturall vſe into that which is againſt nature.
Verſe 27. And likewiſe alſo the men left the naturall vſe of the woman, and burned in their lust one toward another, and man with man wrought filthineſſe, and receiued in themſelues ſuch recompence of their errour, as was meete.
THere now followeth the increaſe of their puniſhment ſpirituall; as they grew more and more corrupt in the worſhip of GOD: ſo by Gods iuſt iudgement, much more filthy in their conuerſation: chaunging the verie courſe of nature in their vncleanneſſe. This foule abhominable filthineſſe was one of thoſe crying ſinnes of Sodome. See Gen. 19.5. and is therefore of Diuines called Sodomie. How frequent the Gentiles were herein, who ſo reades their poets, many of them, Paederaſtes, and other hiſtories of the heathen, as Suetonius in Nerone, ſhall eaſily perceiue.
But hence let vsus obſerue, how as man encreaſeth transgreſſion: ſo doth God vengeance; Obſer. and it is true of iudgements temporall: Leuit. 26. per totum. Spirituall, 2 Tim. 3.13. Pſal. 69.27. Eternall: Mat. 11. Rom. 2.5.
And let it be our warning, how wee goe about to prouoke the eyes of the Lords glorie. Ʋſe. It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God:Heb. 10.31. eſpecially when wee walke ſtubbornly againſt him, and refuſe to be reformed by his lighter corrections. Leuit. 26 23.24.
Obſer. Againe, ſee here the miſerable condition of a man forſaken of GOD; with ſuch a man, there is no ſtay, till he come to the extreamitie of prophanenes. See Apoc. 22.11.
Iob. 11.12.And no maruell, ſince man in his nature is borne as a wilde aſſe colt, headſtrong in wickednes; but where GOD by grace pleaſeth to reſtraine: what maruell then, the bridle remoued, if wee runne headlong into all prophaneneſſe?
2 Tim. 2.26. Epheſ. 2.2.Againe, what other thing can be hoped when a man is wholly giuen vp to the power of Sathan? our prouerbe is, hee muſt needes goe that the diuell driues; and what wickedneſſe will hee make conſcience of, in whom the prince of the vvorld raigneth? ſuch is the ſtate of eueryevery man forſaken of God.
Ʋſe. And let graceleſſe men here conſider, how fooliſhly they promiſe themſelues preſeruation from groſſe wickedneſſe. Tell them of Cain, Iudas, Achitophels vngodly liues, and diſcomfortable ends: I warrant you ſay they? And doe you thinke vsus ſuch wretches? It cals to minde the ſpeech of Hazael; to vvhom when the Prophet weepingly foretolde vvith what mercileſſe crueltie hee ſhould vſe the people of God, not ſparing the women with child, nor the Infants that hung on the breaſt:2 Reg. 8.12.13. Is thy ſeruant a dogge (ſaith he) that I ſhould doe this great thing? thinkest thou mee ſo beaſt-like ſauage, that I ſhould doe theſe things? yet accordingly it fell out, God giuing him vp to the power of Sathan. Alas men know not the viciouſnes of their owne deceitfull hearts, that thus ſpeake.
Secondly, mee thinkes well weighing this fearfull eſtate, I cannot but pray GOD of all iudgements to keepe mee from this; the giuing mee ouer to mine owne hearts luſts. If GOD ſhould giuegive me the option, to chooſe the torments of hell, with hope to recouer his gracious fauour, or thus vtterly forſake me of his grace, and leaue mee to mine owne counſels; I would wiſh rather hell torments with expectation of deliuerance, then this giuing vp to the luſts of mine owne heart.
Signes of this fearefull eſtate are theſe.
Firſt, when GOD curſeth the meanes of reformation vntounto vsus, ſo that we are not bettered by them. Heb. 6.8. Iſay 6.
Secondly, hardneſſe of heart,Epheſ. 4.18.19. when conſcience ceaſeth to doe her office, and that which accompanieth it, working wickedneſſe with greedineſſe.
Thirdly, when the Lord remoues, or denies meanes of reclaiming. Hoſ. 4.14.
Fourthly, to walke in our owne counſels. Pſal. 81.12. Ezek. 24.13.
Whereas this giuing vp to theſe fearfull ſinnes, is called a iuſt recompence of their errour: it followeth that ſinnes hauehave ſometimes the nature of puniſhments. See Annotat. in verſe 24. Neither doth that which ſome obiect, any way impeach the truth. They ſay they are not painefull, therefore no puniſhments: For firſt, not feeling makes them ſo much the more grieuous; in regard that they are hereby kept from ſeeking remedie: Secondly, that they are not felt proceedes of the hardneſſe of their heart, as when a limme of the bodie is cut off, the member being firſt mortified by the Chirurgion: Thirdly, when God awakes their conſcience by his iudgements, they feele the horror thereof; or if they die ſenſeleſſe, yet followes their vnſpeakeable torture, weeping, wayling, and gnaſhing of teeth.
And whereas againe they ſay ſinnes are voluntarie, and therefore no puniſhments. Anſ. There are puniſhments voluntarie, vvhichwhich men greedily runne into: as Saul to his Sword, Iudas to the halter, &c.
The vſes, ſee verſe 24. this onelyonly annexed; vve hauehave many that in reſpect of outward proſperitie, becauſe they come in no misfortune like other men, bleſſe themſelues in their courſes, and thinke that their verie irreligion, or ſuperſtition, pleaſeth God; becauſe the Lord ſo long forbeares inflicting of outward plagues; whereas notwithſtanding, they are giuen vp to moſt vile abhominations in life, whoredome, drunkenneſſe, couetouſneſſe, &c. which if they had eyes to ſee, are heauier plagues, then all thoſe outward misfortunes that betide Gods children. How fond is this argument? I am free from afflictions, therefore my wayes pleaſe GOD. Yea, how certaine is this inference? I thriue in wickednes, therefore the Lord is angry with mee. Ezech. 24.13. And this; ſinne dies in mee, therefore GOD loues mee; Sinne growes in mee, therefore I am none of his.