An Exposition of Hosea 8-10, Exposition · Chapter · Verse 11
VER. 11.
Becauſe Ephraim hath made many Altars to ſin, Altars ſhall be unto him to ſin.
IT was the Charge of God in Scripture, That there ſhould be but one Altar for Sacrifice, and there was another Altar that afterwards was made for Incenſe, and no further, in Deut. 12. 3. and 5. ver. There we have the Charge of God that there ſhould be none other made, You ſhall overthrow their Altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire, and you ſhall hew down the graven Images of their gods, and deſtroy the names of them out of that place &c. And then, Take heed to thy ſelf that thou offer not thy burnt offering in every place that thou ſeeſt, but in the place which the Lord ſhall chuſe &c. And in Deut. 27. 5. Thou ſhalt build an Altar to the Lord thy God, an Altar of ſtones: thou ſhalt not lift up an Iron tool upon them. And according to which Joſhua did, in Joſhua, 8. 30. and hence in Joſhua, 22. 11. Now for the Altar of God, I ſhall firſt ſhew you a little the meaning of them, and then the reaſon why God would have but this one Altar, in Exod. 20. 24. there is an injunction of God for the Altar of Sacrifice;The Altar 1. of earth. An Altar of earth thou ſhalt make unto me, and ſhalt ſacrifice thereon thy burnt offering &c. Here obſerve that, That when God would have an Altar made for ſacrifice it muſt be but an Altar of earth, but if it ſhould be of ſtone,2. of ſton, no tool on it. Take heed that thou lifteſt not up a tool upon it. Why, one would think that to carve and paint the ſtones and do any thing to make it brave would do better, than to have the ſtones rough; No ſaith God, whatſoever you may think that to make my Altar brave, by carving of it and painting it, If you do but lift up a tool upon it, you polute my Altar; all mans devices in the worſhip of God though they be never ſo pompous they do but polute Gods Worſhip:3. no ſteps. High Altars. And they muſt not go up upon ſteps (quite contrary to our high Altars) that their nakedneſs be not diſcovered therein: Noting that when we come into the preſence of God we ſhould take heed of our ſpiritual nakedneſs, and the pride and vanity of our ſpirits in prayer; God would have them make an Altar ſo as they might not go up upon ſteps, leſt their nakedneſs ſhould be diſcovered. But now in Exod. 27. 1, 2. there you ſhall find an Altar of Shittim wood overlaid with Braſs;Altar of braſs. you will ſay, Why was the firſt with earth and the other with braſs? The reaſon was, becauſe that the one was to be made when they were in an unſetled condition, and the other to be made afterwards when they were in a more ſtated condition than formerly, and that it might endure a long time. But mark, it muſt be according to Gods direction, except God doth reveal that it ſhould be of Shittim wood and overlaid with braſs they were not to do it.
And then,Altar of Incenſe. the ſecond Altar was the Altar of burnt Incenſe, and that you have in Exod. 30. 1, 2, 3. verſes, and that was to be overlaid with pure Gold: that of braſs it was, becauſe there was ſin offerings to be offered upon it; but now the Altar of Incenſe it was the Altar that was juſt before the Vail againſt the Mercy-ſeat, where there was only Incenſe offered, which was to ſignifie the Interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt preſenting his Merits, and the Prayers of all his people to the Father: the prayers of the Saints are compar'd to Incenſe, and there's many things obſervable about the Altar of God,Rev. 9. 13 opened. it is ſaid that there ſhould be four horns, and in Revel. chap. 9. ver. 13. I heard a voice from the four horns of the Golden Altar which is before God. Now Saint John ſpeaks of after-times that ſhould be, he heard a voice from the four horns of the Altar, that is, from all the prayers of the Saints that were in the four corners of the earth, there came a voice from them all and did ſound, and did great things in the world. Certainly my Brethren, the prayers of Gods Saints in all the corners of the world is that that makes the world ring. It was a Speech of a learned man, If there be but one ſigh come from a gracious heart, it fills the ears of God ſo that God hears nothing elſe;Rev. 8 3. nay, that's obſervable in Revel. 8. 3. about this Altar of Incenſe, And another Angel came and ſtood at the Altar, having a golden Cenſer, and there was given unto him much Incenſe, that he ſhould offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne. Thus we ſee that in our time we are to make uſe of this golden Altar that is before the Throne, all our prayers are to be offered up upon that which was a Type of Jeſus Chriſt, and our prayers except they be mingled with the Incenſe which Chriſt did offer himſelf upon the golden Altar, cannot be accepted, and likewiſe that's very obſervable about it that we reade in Exod. 30. 3. Exod 30. 3that there was a Crown of Gold round about it, to typifie the Interceſſion of Chriſt, and the prayers of the Saints; you may ſee by this that Chriſts Interceſſion, and the prayers of the Saints that came from faithful hearts, are accounted the very glory of Jeſus Chriſt, Jeſus Chriſt accounts it his dignity and glory, to make Interceſſion for his People, and to take the poor prayers of his People and preſent them to his Father; he makes account that his Crown is ſet upon his head, when you exerciſe your faith upon Jeſus Chriſt that Chriſt might preſent your prayers with his Interceſſion to the Father, then you ſet the Crown upon Jeſus Chriſts head; but when you think to be heard your ſelves, and do not exerciſe your faith upon Chriſt, you do (as it were) take off the Crown from the head of Jeſus Chriſt. And that's very obſervable, the difference between this Altar that was here enjoyn'd to be made by Moſes, and ſo was afterwards made, and the Altar that we reade of ſhould be in the times of the Goſpel.
Firſt, Chriſt he is our Altar in the Goſpel, ſo it is in Heb. 13. 10. Heb. 13. 10.We have an Altar that thoſe have no right to eat of it, that ſerve a… the Tabernacle; that is, ſuch men as ſhall pertinaciouſly ſtill ſtick to the Ceremonies of the Law, they have no right to partake of Jeſus Chriſt.
And then further, you ſhall find that in the Goſpel there is a propheſie of the Altar that the Church ſhall have, in Ezek. 41. 22. The Altar that was in the Law, the text ſaith, it was to be a cubit long, and a cubit broad; but that which muſt be in the time of the Goſpel, muſt be three cubits high, and two cubits long: and this notes thus much, That there ſhal be a larger extent of the ſervice of God in the time of the Goſpel, than in the time of the Law; that place in Malachi, Mal. 1. 11doth much open this, 1. 11. For from the riſing of the Sun even unto the going down of the ſame, my Name ſhall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place Incenſe ſhall be offered unto my Name, and a pure offering: for my Name ſhall be great among the Heathen, ſaith the Lord of hoſts.
Another thing obſervable is, It was ſet before the Vail by the Ark of the Teſtimony, before the Mercy-ſeat. It was to ſtand in the holy of holieſt, but juſt before the Vail, right againſt the Mercy-ſeat; and by this you muſt be helped to underſtand that Scripture in Heb. 9. 4. Heb. 9. 4.which (as ſome underſtand it) ſeems to have ſome variety from this,Calvin. it is ſaid that the holieſt of all had the golden Cenſer, by which they underſtand the golden Altar, in which the Cenſer was; but we ſhall find that the golden Altar did not ſtand in the holy of holieſt, for we reade in Exod. 30. 6. And thou ſhalt put it before the Vail that is by the Ark of the Teſtimony, before the Mercy-ſeat; that is, over the Teſtimony. And therefore Interpreters reconcile it thus: it is not ſaid here that the golden Cenſer or Altar (if we ſo take it) was in it, but it had it, that is, it was for the uſe of the holy of holieſt,See Beza, not Major and it ſtood juſt before the holy of holieſt, and juſt againſt the Mercy-ſeat, ſo that the high Prieſt when he was to enter into the holy of holieſt he was to take a Cenſer and Incenſe from this Altar, and ſo go into the holieſt of all.
But this is the Note, in that the Altar of Incenſe ſtands juſt againſt the Mercy-ſeat, and yet there is a Vail between the Mercy-ſeat and it. So when we are to offer up our Incenſe upon the Merits of Chriſt and his Interceſſion, though we cannot by the eye of our bodies ſee the Mercy-ſeat, yet we muſt act our faith upon the Mercy-ſeat; and then that's obſervable, that the Incenſe muſt be burnt upon this Altar at that very time when the Lamps were to be trim'd and lighted, ſo you ſhall obſerve it in Exod. 30. 7. and that was to note thus much to us: That we are to joyn the Word with our Prayers, and not to come ignorantly to God, but labor to enlighten our ſouls with the Lamp of his Word, when we come to offer up our Incenſe to God.
Further, There is a command that no ſtrange Incenſe ſhall be offered upon it. This is to teach us thus much: That we muſt take heed of bringing any thing to God to offer him in Prayer, but what comes from the Spirit of God, only Gods own Incenſe; Take heed (I ſay) of bringing unſanctified parts, or any thing but that which is from the Spirit of God.
Laſtly, Once a year an atonement was made upon the horns of the Altar, with the blood of the Sin-offering; though the Sin offering was not offered upon it, yet once a year an atonement was made upon it with the blood of the Sin-offering. This is to note thus much: That even by our Incenſe we defile the Altar what in us lies. And thus I have a little digreſt, and yet it is ſtill for opening of Scripture to you, to ſhew unto you the meaning of Gods Altars.
But why would God have no other Altars,Queſt. but accounted it ſo hainous a crime to make any other Altars but thoſe?Why but one Altar.
The Reaſons are theſe.Reaſ. 1
Firſt,1. The Altar typified Chriſts only ſacrifice. Becauſe theſe Altars did typifie theſe two things.
The Altar of burnt-offerings did typifie this: That Chriſt was to be the only Sacrifice; there ſhould be no other ſacrifice to pacifie Gods wrath but only Jeſus Chriſt, who was both the Sacrifice indeed, and the Altar its ſelf, for his human Nature was offered to God upon the Merits, as it were upon the worthineſs of his divine Nature: Heb. 9. 14. How much more ſhall the blood of Jeſus Chriſt who through the eternal Spirit offered Himſelf without ſpot to God &c. This Altar did ſignifie the offering of Jeſus Chriſt. As if God ſhould ſay, Know that what endeavors you do or can uſe to ſatisfy my Juſtice, and my wrath it is to no purpoſe, there's nothing but only my Son and that offering that ſhall ſatisfie my wrath: and now for them to make more Altars, it was to deny that great point of Religion that there was only the Sacrifice of Chriſt to ſatisfie God.2. No acceptation but by him
Secondly, This ſignified, That in Chriſt only our ſervices which are our ſpiritual ſacrifices are accepted of God; there muſt be no Altar, but this for the ſacrifice, and the other for Incenſe; God would have this Doctrine kept pure from that time and ſo ever after, that none of our ſpiritual ſacrifices can be accepted any other way but only as they have reference to Jeſus Chriſt that Altar that the Lord hath appointed.
And then another reaſon why the Lord would have only thi… Altar for Sacrifice,Reaſ. 2. and the other for Incenſe, and that all the people ſhould come to theſe Altars,Vinculum unitati Eccleſiae. it was; That it might be the bond of the Church; becauſe the people of the Jews were a National Church, therefore there was to be a National Worſhip, for that all the Nation was to joyn not only in the ſame likeneſs of Worſhip, but in the very ſame individual Worſhip;No National Church now. and this was the bond of their National Church. Now for my part, I know none living that holds a National Church in theſe daies in this ſenſe, that is to be of Divine Inſtitution, and joyned in one, by Gods commanding any National Worſhip for them.yet in ſome ſenſe. Where there are in Nations a great many of the Saints of God, that they may be called a National Church we deſpute not againſt that; but people when they talk of a National Church, do not conceive the meaning of it; Certainly this was a ſpecial end why God would have them come to this one Altar, it was to be the bond of the National Church, that they ſhould have ſuch a worſhip wherein they were all of them to joyn in one, and this it was that made them a National Church: It is not enough to have the ſame kind of worſhip; as now, we al pray, and reade the Word in all Congregations, we have all the ſame Sacraments, but they muſt joyn in one individual worſhip. If the Nation of the Jews had worſhiped the ſame God after the ſame manner, in divers Temples, and upon divers Altars, this had not been a National bond to them; but by coming up to the ſame Temple, and offering upon the ſame Altars, and when the Sacrifice and Incenſe was offered for them all, they were joyned in the very act, all of them in that one thing, this was the thing that did unite them into a Church-union in another manner than any Church-union can be in this world, til we have ſuch a kind of Inſtitution as they had. We have no Inſtitution for worſhip but where people may perſonally joyn together: but for thouſands of Congregations to be bound by Inſtitution to joyn in the very ſame bond of worſhip, in the very ſame individual act, ſuch an union we have not in theſe daies, and without the underſtanding of this aright, we underſtand not the ſcope why they had but one Altar for burnt offerings, and one Altar for Incenſe.
But now it may be ſaid, Obj. 1.That it doth not ſeem to be ſuch a ſin to erect Altars, for that's the ſin charged upon Ephraim, That they did erect many other Altars; for the Scripture ſpeaks of many Altars that were Gods Altars,1 King. 19 1 King, 19. you know it is the complaint of Elias that they had caſt down Gods Altars, They have caſt down thine Altars; now this was ſpoken after the time of the Law when there was but only two Altars appointed by God, and the Prophet did not mean them, the Altar for burnt offerings and Incenſe.
Therefore the Anſwers that Divines give to this is;Anſw, 1. of others. That this is ſpoken of thoſe Altars that the Patriarks and others had built for the honor of God to ſacrifice upon, before the time that the Law was given by Moſes, for that one only Altar of ſacrifice, (and here he complains they had caſt down thoſe Altars) for it was Lawful before the command was given to build divers Altars, but after the command was given, it was not.
Yea, Obj. 2.but ſtill the Objection will be, How could it be a ſin to caſt down thoſe Altars when they were of no further Religious uſe? for after the Command of God for that one Altar, then the other were to be demoliſhed; Was it not commended in the godly Kings that they caſt down high Places, and cut down Groves? though ſome of them formerly were for the true Worſhip of God, yet after God had appointed a peculiar place for His Worſhip and thoſe other places were abuſed to ſuperſtition, then they were to be caſt down; and ſo there's no queſtion to be made but all other Altars that were built for Religious uſes were to be caſt down, after Gods own Altars were made.
The Anſwer to it therefore is this;2. The Authors Anſ. That the evil that Elijah complains of, it was the prophaneſs of the people, their caſting off all fear and reverence of God; becauſe they did not caſt down thoſe Altars out of love to God, and his Worſhip, upon this Principle, that they would not ſuffer any thing that might be dangerous to ſuperſtition, that was not the Principle whereby they were acted in caſting them down, but they caſt them down as led thereunto by malice and rage againſt Religion, and to ſatisfie their luſts; and thus if men oppoſe that which is indeed ſuperſtitious, yet if it be not out of a true love to God and his Honor,A good act in Religion may be evil in the doer. if it be not out of a deſire to ſet up and to maintain the true Worſhip of God, but in a bitterneſs and rage, meerly out of ſelf-ends to pleaſe themſelves in a way of revenge, or through any diſtemper, though (I ſay) the thing be evil that theſe men do oppoſe, yet God will not own it as any ſervice to him, it is a ſin in them to caſt down that which ſhould be caſt down, if they do not caſt it down out of a right and gracious Principle; Then what evil is it for men in bitterneſs of ſpirit to oppoſe that which is in its ſelf good, if God account it ſin to oppoſe that which which ſhould be oppoſed, if it be through bitterneſs of ſpirit, and not through gracious Principles.
They have made many Altars.
Whatſoever is made by man in a Religious Worſhip it is rejected of God,Obſ. there muſt be nothing of mans making in Divine Worſhip;Mans inventions in the Worſhip of God rejected. the very ſpirit and life of the ſecond Commandement it conſiſts in this, Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelf any graven Image. Thats one inſtance in the matter of Worſhip, but by that we are to underſtand any thing in Divine Worſhip, we muſt not make to our ſelves; (I ſay) there lies the very life, and the very ſpirit of the ſecond Commandement the making to our ſelves; if God will appoint Ceremonies ſignificant to put us in mind of Heavenly things,The 2d Commandement. and ſtir up our hearts on high, we are to uſe them with reverence and reſpect; but if we will preſume to do things as God hath done; that's the ground of all ſuperſtitious Ceremonies, becauſe they find God makes ſome, they think that they may preſume to make others to imitate God; now it is a ſin againſt the ſecond Commandement for us to preſume to make any thing in matters of Divine Worſhip.
Further, They have made many.
There's no ſtop (that's the Note) in ſuperſtitious Worſhip, Obſ. 1.if men leave the rule they know not where to ſtay: hence is the multiplying of things thus among the Papiſts, five hundred Altars in ſome one Temple.Auſt. Epiſt. 19. ad Ianuarin omnia in Eccleſiâ preſumptionibus plena. And Auſtin in his 19th Epiſtle complains of the multitude of Ceremonies that were in the Church in his time. What complaints would he have now? All things in the Church were full of preſumptions, they did multiply one thing after another; and indeed let but the right way once be left and there's no limits. Oh let us take heed how we multiply in Gods Worſhip; there's much controverſie between the Papiſts and us, about multiplying in the Worſhip of God.
We would have but one MEDIATOR,Controverſy between us and the Papiſts about multiplying. they would have many; We would have but one rule of Faith, but they will give power to Pope, and Church to make Articles of faith; we would have but one object of Worſhip, they would have many; we would have but one Sacrifice, they would have many Oblations for the quick and dead; we would have but one Satisfaction, they would have many; we would have but one Merit, they would have many: And thus by multiplying, the unity of the Church is divided: but we muſt keep to the unity that we find in the Scriptures.
And then further, They have made many Altars.
In the opening what a ſin it was to make any other Altar but that God hath appointed,Ioſh. 22. 11. I ſhewed out of Joſhua, how their Progenitors was ſo provoked when there was made another Altar, they did riſe againſt them and made account to deſtroy them every one, becauſe of making any other Altar beſides Gods; but now they make many Altars. Their Fathers were careful to keep themſelves to one Altar, but their ſucceſſors they make many.
Hence note that,Obſer. We are ready to imitate our forefathers in that which is evil, but not in that which is good. Their forefathers were great enemies and were mightily incenſed againſt adding but one Altar to Gods Altars, but they will not imitate their forefathers in this good thing, in ſtanding for that one true Worſhip of God; ordinarily when any thing is evil there we will imitate our forefathers, but we leave them in that which is good.
If you would ask the reaſon why it came to paſs that their Progenitors were ſo zealous for Gods own Altar, and yet now their children after them make many Altars, the reaſon may be this, which will afford a Note of very great uſe unto us, When their Progenitors came firſt into the Land af Canaan, and Joſhua aſſoon as they came in he did according to the Commandement of God by Moſes, ſet up an Altar, and they ſeeing upon their firſt coming into the Land the goodneſs of God towards them, they were much taken with this; but now after they had enjoyed the Land a while, after they begun to be ſetled, to be warm in their neſts, and to proſper in the Land, then they ventured upon this way of corrup…ing of Gods Worſhip, and multiplying Altars; and when they had once ventured, and eſcaped unpuniſhed, then they thought they were ſure: and ſo by degrees they come to this exceſs in ſuperſtitious Worſhip▪
The Note is this,Obſer. We muſt take heed to make any diſtance of time from the Commandement given, or the Threatning denounced to make us to fear the breach of the Commandement leſs: They were afraid of the breach of the Commandement ſoon after it was given; but when there was a diſtance of time from the Commandementt, and when they were ſetled in a way of proſperity, then they ventured: ſo that (I ſay) from hence our Note is, That we muſt take heed that the diſtance of time, or our ſetling in a proſperous condition doth not make us to fear the commandement leſs than we did fear it at firſt when we were not in ſuch a ſetled way. And for this you have a moſt excellent Scripture in Deut. 4. 25. ſaith the text there,Deut. 4. 25. When thou ſhalt beget children, and childrens children, and ſhalt have remained long in the Land, and ſhall corrupt your ſelves, and make a graven image, or the likeneſs of any thing, and ſhall do evil in the ſight of the Lord thy God to provoke him to anger. When thou ſhalt beget children, and childrens children, and ſhalt remain long in the Land, then thou ſhalt make graven images: There was not ſo much fear that when they came firſt into the Land, that they ſhould make graven images when they firſt were delivered out of their bondage, and God had made known his glorious Word unto them, their hearts were a little warm, but after they had lived long in the Land, then they began to forget God and make graven images. Juſt ſo it is with us for all the world, when we are newly come out of afflictions, then our hearts are kept a little warm, and then we would ſerve God according to his own way;Applicat. but after we have continued long in the Land, and been a while in a proſperous condition and pretty well neſſel'd, and find all things pretty well about us, Oh! then we begin to be cool and for get the Lord in his way. It hath been alwaies ſo, and it is ſo, not only in particular perſons and Nations, but Churches too, ordinarily when people are delivered from ſuperſtitious vanities and come to worſhip God in his own way, at firſt when they come to enjoy the Ordinances of God in the purity of them, Oh! how glad are they, and they bleſs God, and their hearts are warmed and enlarged, and their hearts do cloſe one with another, and what ſweet union is there together at firſt! but after they have lived a while in the Land, after they have lived a while in the way of God and enjoyed him a little, they begin to grow more cool, and dead, and begin to fall to wrangling and contending, and ſo all that ſpiritualneſs and that heavenly heat that they had before it vaniſhes and comes to nothing: I beſeech you remember this text,Deut. 4. 25. to be remembred. Deut. 4. 25. Take heed after you have abode a while in ſuch a condition; you thought when you came firſt into it you would never forget God, Oh you bleſſed God, and rejoyced in Gods Worſhip; well, your hearts are taken at firſt, but look to your ſelves, for after you have continued any long time it may prove to be otherwiſe with you.
Again further, Ephraim hath made many Altars: hath multiplied Altars,Multiplicavit. ſo Hierom. So the Seventy hath gone on in way of multiplication.Hierom. foreign 70. They had ſome Altars at firſt, and their fore-fathers made ſome, and they afterwards made more, and ſo ſtil every generation did multiply their Altars.
From thence the Note is this:Obſerv. That Idolatry and Falſe-worſhip doth not only continue in ſucceſſion, but in every age there will be an addition. Oh my Brethren! let the True Worſhip of God then, not only continue, but multiply. Idolaters they will make this no argument, Why ſhould we be wiſer than our fore-fathers? No, they will go beyond their fore-fathers in way of falſe Worſhip, And yet, how many among us wil be pleading againſt Reformation with this argument, Why ſhould not we content our ſelves with what our fore-fathers did? our fore-fathers knew not of ſuch new waies of Worſhip as you tell us of. But now my Brethren, if our fore-fathers reformed a little, let us bleſs God for what they did, but let us add more, to raiſe up the Worſhip of God yet higher and higher, as in Pſal. 71. 14. Pſ. 71. 14.But I will hope continually, and wil yet praiſe thee more and more. The words may be read thus: I will ad unto thy praiſe, …lluſtrated.O Lord: Thou haſt had praiſe, indeed formerly thou hadſt praiſe from others; Oh! but I will do ſomething to add to thy praiſe, I will praiſe thee more and more: ſo every generation ſhould ſtrive to praiſe God more & more, to add to Gods praiſe, to find out more of Gods Truths, to add to the purity of Gods Worſhip, and to caſt out ſuperſtition more than our fore-fathers have done: it was an argument of a great deal of praiſe in our fore-fathers to do what they did, and (I ſay) we are to bleſs God for them,More expected of us than of our Anceſters. that the Lord put ſuch a ſpirit into them, but know that that which was accepted of from our fore-fathers, wil not be accepted of from us, God expects that we ſhould add to the praiſe of God. Men deſires to ad more and more to the States of their Progenitors,As in outward eſtates. and ſo your Children they will add a little to the eſtates that you leave them; and ſo men account it their ambition to raiſe their families.Holy Ambition. My Brethren, we ſhould have an holy Ambition by practice of Religion more and more in every age, as Jehu ſaid in 2 King. 10. 18. Ahab ſerved Baal a little, but Jehu ſhall ſerve him much: So others; as he ſaid of falſe worſhip, though in a fained way; we ſhould ſay of the true Worſhip of God, we have ſerved the Lord a little, but we will ſerve him more; we have more mercies than they had, more light than they had, if they ſerved God a little, we will ſerve him more.
And then, Ephraim hath made many Altars to ſin.
God ſtill remembers the firſt and the chief Actors in ſin [Ephraim] he ſpeaks to the ten Tribes, and yet only names Ephraim, Obſ. 1.becauſe the Governors were of that Tribe. The chief in a family, by whom the whol family is corrupted, and the chief in a Town or Country, God hath an eye upon them, and though others eſcape they ſhall not, Ephraim hath multiplied Altars to ſin; they intended not to ſin, it was not their intention when they made Altars that they might ſin, they thought they pleaſed God, but God accounts it …n, and a provocation to him:
And from thence the Note is only this;Obſ. 2. That whatſoever names we may give to things, yet (it may be) God will give other names and titles to them; we may ſay, that it is devotion, God will ſay, it is ſuperſtition; we may ſay, it's good intention, but God may ſay, it is preſumption; we may ſay, it is prudence, and wiſdom, but God may give it another name, and ſay it is temporiſing, 'tis time-ſerving, God doth uſe to give other names to things than we do;Iſa. 44. 9. in the Scripture they call their Images their,Ezek. 37. 23. delectable things: God calls them deteſtable things. No queſtion if you would ask them why they built Altars they would ſay, to the honor of God; but ſaith God, You built Altars to ſin.
And then, Altars ſhall be unto him to ſin.
Shall be to him.] That's thus; Seeing they will have them, they ſhall have them, they ſhall have enough of them, let them go on in their way, let them multiply their ſin.
When mens hearts are ſet upon falſe waies of worſhip it's juſt with God to let them have their deſires to the full; Obſ. 3.They ſhall have their way that they do contend for: they keep a great deal of ſtir for it, and have it they muſt, they refuſe to ſee the light, they are prejudiced againſt the way of Gods Worſhip, let them have what they would have; ſaith God,1. Governors for it. they ſhall have Governors to eſtabliſh what they would have by their Authority, and they ſhall have their Teachers that ſhall defend by ſubtil Arguments thoſe things to be lawful,2 Teachers they multiply Altars to ſin and they ſhall be to ſin, even to harden them; and ſo the Seventy ſeem to take the meaning of theſe words by their tranſlation of them;foreign. 70. whereas you have it, They ſhall be to ſin, their Altars ſhall be to love, their hearts are ſet upon them and they will have them, and love them, and they ſhall be hardened in them: and this is the heavy judgment of God to give unto men their hearts deſires in what is evil; and as it ſhall be to them for ſin, ſo it ſhall be to them for their miſery for the fruit of ſin,for ſin i.e. for puniſhment for ſin. for ſo ſin is taken very frequently in Scripture for the fruit of ſin, they will have them to ſin, and they ſhall find the fruit of ſin by what they are ſo eagerly ſet upon them. And thus much for the eleventh verſe. It follows.