Lectures Upon Hosea 1-4, Lectures 2 · Part 1
ANd ſo much for the conſequent dutie to bee performed of the faithfull, after themſelues are made partakers of the Euangelicall benefits. In the next place the Prophet returneth to the legall threatnings; in theſe words: Verſ. 2. Pleade (or, contend) with your mother, pleade with her, Verſ. 2 for ſhe is not my wife (or, as the word is ſometimes taken, that ſhee is not my wife) neither am I her huſband; but let her take away (or, that ſhee may take away) her fornications out of her ſight, and her adulteries from betweene her breaſts. Where the Lord commandeth that a diuorce ſhould be proclaimed betweene him and the Iſraelites, and withall ſheweth the cauſe or end of this denunciation, namely, that they might repent and turne from their ſpirituall whoredomes.
But let vsus come to the expoſition of the words, and after Expoſition.obſerue the doctrines which ariſe out of them. Plead with your mother. Theſe wordes may ſeeeme to contradict the former: for there the Lord promiſeth, that he would gather his Church, and vnite them vntounto Chriſt, that he might be her head, ſhe his members, he her husband, and ſhe his ſpouſe; and now preſently he threatneth that he wil giuegive her a bil of diuorce, and break off the mariage between them. But we are to know, that the former words were an Euangelical promiſe, which was not preſently to be performed, but in the time of the Goſpel, after the cōming of Chriſt: but in the meane time becauſe the Iſraelites were not terrified with ye former threatnings, nor allured to repētance by Gods gracious promiſes, therfore hauing by y• former conſolations comforted Gods children amongſt them, who were truely humbled; now hee beginneth againe to thunder out Gods threatnings againſt the obdurate and impenitent, ſhewing that notwithſtanding God would extend ſuch merciemercy to the faithfull in the time of the Goſpell, yet this ſhould bee no priuiledge to exempt them who liued in impenitencie from Gods iudgements, but hee would for their ſinnes certainely reiect them, vnleſſe they ſpeedelie repented of them. And this is vſuall with the Prophets, to intermixe merciemercy with iudgements, conſolations with threatnings, yt neither the humbled may deſpaire, nor the obdurate and impenitent preſume: as alſo to mingle their prophecies which concerned the preſent time, with thoſe which concerned the kingdome of the Meſſias, in the time of Goſpell; for as their maine end was to point at Chriſt, that at his comming their prophecies being fulfilled in him, he might be receiued; ſo they were not to neglect their preſent auditorie, but by ſhewing their ſinnes and Gods iudgements, to bring them to God by true repentance. And if this bee obſerued it will giuegive great light to the vnderſtanding of them, whereas contrariwiſe the not obſeruing hereof cauſeth great confuſion and obſcuritie.
But let vsus come to the words themſelues. Plead with your mother, &c. Where we are to conſider, who they are whom the Lord commandeth to plead as children: ſecondly, who this mother is, that is to bee diuorced: and thirdly, the diuorce it ſelfe. Concerning the firſt, diuers are of diuers iudgements, ſome vnderſtand it of the faithfull in the time of the Goſpell, that they after they were added to the Church ſhould plead with their mother the Church of the Iewes, that laying her ſinnes to her charge they might bring her to repentance. But this cannot agree with the reſt that followeth; for they are commanded to accuſe her for her idolatry, in forſaking the Lord and worſhipping the Heathen gods, which ſinne was not committed by the Church of the Iewes in the time of the Goſpell, nor after their returne out of the captiuitie of Babylon.
Others vnderſtand it of the two Tribes of the kingdome of Iuda, that eueryevery one of them who were faithfull, ſhould admoniſh their mother; that is, their Church and ſynagogue, that ſhe ſhould take example of the ten Tribes, and forſake her idolatry, leſt ſhee ſhould likewiſe be diuorced and reiected. But this is not likely, ſeeing the Prophet was not ſent to the Iewes, but to the ten Tribes; and therefore to them he directeth his ſpeech for their conuerſion, and not vntounto the other, who were not belonging to his charge.
Others expound it of the faithfull who liued in the Prophets time amongſt the Iſraelites, eſpecially the Prophets and Prieſts called to this publike office, that they fearing God, and hating the wickedneſſe of the times, ſhould reproue the Church and Synagogue of Iſrael for her ſpirituall whoredomes. The which their expoſition though I reiect not, yet I thinke an other more probable, and better fitting the circumſtances of the place.
And that is of thoſe who expound it generally of the rebellious and hypocriticall Iſraelites, who when they were reproued for their ſinnes, and heard Gods iudgements denounced againſt them by the Prophet, in ſtead of laying them to heart, that they might be humbled thereby, were ready to plead againſt God himſelfe, and to condemne him of vntruth and cruelty. For whereas the Lord had threatned that hee would vtterly reiect them, they were ready to obiect; firſt, that this could not ſtand with the truth of Gods promiſes, made to Abraham concerning the multiplying of his ſeede. To which obiection the Prophet anſwereth in the two laſt verſes of the former chapter, as I hauehave ſhewed.
Now becauſe the Prophet had deferred the accompliſhing of that promiſe vntounto the time of the Meſſias, the hypocrits would be ready in the ſecond place to obiect; that God had promiſed perpetually and continually to be their God, and that they ſhould be his people; and therefore if he did reiect them, though it were but for a time, he muſt needes be vntrue of his promiſe. To this the Prophet anſwereth, that this imputation was not to be laid vponupon God, but vponupon their mother the Synagogue and Church of Iſrael: for whereas the Lord had ioyned her in mariage vntounto himſelfe, a mutuall ſtipulation being made betweene them; on the Lords part, that he would acknowledge her as his ſpouſe, protect her, and multiply his benefits vponupon her; on her part, that ſhee would keepe her coniugall faith plighted vntounto him, and wholly and onelyonly reſerue her ſelfe for his worſhip and ſeruice; ſhee had broken her couenant and falſified her faith, by forſaking the Lord, and proſtituting her ſelfe vntounto idols, and had moſt vnthankfully aſcribed vntounto them, all thoſe benefits which the Lord had beſtowed vponupon her. And therefore their diuorce was not to be aſcribed vntounto any inconſtancy or cruelty in God, but to their owne whoredomes and vnthankfulneſſe.
By the children then who are to pleade with their mother, we are to vnderſtand all thoſe amongſt the Iſraelites, who vponupon the hearing of the diuorce and reiection of the Church, were ready to expoſtulate with God, and (to excuſe themſelues) would not ſticke to lay the fault of their reiection vponupon him.
Secondly, by their mother in this place, we are to vnderſtand the Synagogue and Church of Iſrael, and more eſpecially their rulers and gouernours both eccleſiaſticall and ciuill: for whereas they aboue others ſhould hauehave maintained Gods pure worſhip & ſeruice, and contained their inferiours in holy obedience; they were the firſt who did forſake God, and betooke thēſelues to the worſhipping of idols, drawing others by their authority and example into the like wickedneſſe; and that in a twofold reſpect: the firſt concerned their religion, when as they were miſlead by the falſe doctrine of their eccleſiaſticall gouernours, and drawne from God to their idols: the other concerned their policy, when as by their ciuill rulers, they were moued to ioyne themſelues in league and in neere friendſhippe with idolatrous Nations, whereby alſo they themſelues were corrupted and ſeduced.
Now we are further to obſerue, that hee redoubleth the word, pleade, or contend: whereby he implieth the importune impudency of the people, which was ſuch, that their mouthes would not eaſily be ſtopped, but ſtill they would calumniate Gods iuſtice and truth; and therefore with greater earneſtneſſe (which is often expreſſed by ſuch redoubled ſpeeches) he biddeth them to plead againſt their mother againe and againe, and to lay the fault where it was, not vponupon God, but vponupon themſelues. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid; Doe not pleade and expoſtulate with mee, in that your mother is diuorced, and you reiected as an adulterous iſſue; for the husband is not to be blamed for putting away an adultereſſe, but ſhee rather for her filthineſſe and vnfaithfulneſſe: and therefore, ſeeing your mother hath forſaken me, and proſtituted her ſelfe to idols, acquit me of all wrong and iniury, and contend and expoſtulate with her, in that by her vnfaithfulneſſe and vncleanneſſe, ſhe hath moued me iuſtly to diuorce her from me, and to reiect you as being an adulterous iſſue of an adulterous mother.
The third thing to be conſidered, is the diuorce it ſelfe betweene God and the Church of Iſrael, expreſſed in theſe words; for ſhee is not my wife, neither am I her huſband. Which that we may vnderſtand, we muſt know what the mariage betweene them was; namely, a contract and mutuall ſtipulation; on Gods part that he would be her Lord and husband, to louelove, protect, and prouide for her, multiplying his gratious benefits from time to time, as he ſhould ſee moſt for her good; on her part, that ſhee would forſake all others, and cleaue onelyonly and wholly vntounto the Lord, louing, obeying, worſhipping, and performing all holy duties vntounto him; and finally, keeping this her faith plighted vntounto him inuiolable. They are therefore ſaid to be diuorced, when as this contract is broken off, and the couenants not performed; as when the Lord not acknowledging her for his ſpouſe, doth caſt her off, and ceaſeth to defend and prouide for her; and when ſhe withdrawing her louelove from God; and fixing it vponupon idols, breaketh her mariage faith, refuſing to worſhippe and obey the Lord her true husband, and proſtituting her ſelfe by ſpirituall whoredome vntounto falſe gods.
Now that the cauſe of this diuorce was not in the Lord, but in the Church of Iſrael, appeareth by the order of the words: where firſt it is ſaid, that ſhe was not his wife; and then, that he was not her husband: for the Lord did not forſake her before ſhee forſooke him, hee did not deny to bee her huſband, before ſhe refuſed to be his wife; hee did not ceaſe to performe his couenants which hee made with her, of grace, protection, and preſeruation, before ſhe withdrew her louelove, falſified her faith, denied her ſeruice and obedience, and went a whoring after ſtrange gods. And therefore there was no cauſe, why for this diuorce they ſhould expoſtulate with God, and impute any fault vntounto him; but rather they were to lay the blame vponupon themſelues, who by their ſpirituall fornications had broken off the mariage knot, and had refuſed to be the Lords ſpouſe; ſo that hee was conſtrained to proclaime this diuorce, becauſe ſhe had firſt refuſed him.
The like place vntounto this we hauehave, Eſay 50. 1. Thus ſaith the Lord; Where is the bill of your mothers diuorcement, whom I hauehave cast off? or who is the creditour vntounto whom I hauehave ſolde you? Behold, for your iniquities are ye ſold, and becauſe of your tranſgreſſions is your mother forſaken. Where the Lord expoſtulateth with the Iews concerning the cauſe of their reiection, and ſheweth that the cauſe was not in him, but in themſelues: and this he proueth by an olde rite and cuſtome vnderunder the Law, which was, that thoſe who were put away by the husband, had a bill of diuorce giuen vntounto them; and that Deut. 24. 1.parents which were deeply indebted, ſold their children to ſatisfie their creditors; as appeareth, Exod. 21. 7. 2. King. 4. 1. But I (ſaith the Lord) neuer put you away; for if I did, where Exod 21 7. 2. King. 4. 1.is the bill of diuorcement? neither did I ſell you, for where is the creditour to whom I ſtand indebted? And therefore the fault is not in me, but in your own iniquities, and in the tranſgreſſions of your mother, why you are ſold, and ſhee diuorced. So Ier. 3. 8. Ezech. 16.Jer. 3 8 Ezech. 16.
And this is the meaning of the diuorce, which the Lord commandeth ſhould be denounced. The doctrines which The Law and the Goſpell muſt be intermixed in the miniſterie of the word.hence ariſe are diuers. Firſt, out of this mixture of Legall comminations, with Euangelicall conſolations, Gods Miniſters may learne ſpirituall diſcretion, neither onelyonly to thunder out the threatnings of the Law, nor wholly to ſtand vponupon Euangelicall promiſes, but in their ſermons to mixe the one with the other, that whileſt they beate downe the pride and preſumption of ſecure hypocrites, they doe not altogether exanimate & deiect thoſe who are truly humbled; and contrariwiſe, that whileſt they comfort and raiſe vp Gods children who are afflicted in mind and deiected, they doe not confirme proud hypocrites in their ſecuritie and preſumption. Neither is this courſe profitable alone in reſpect of hypocrites, and ſecure worldlings, but alſo in reſpect of Gods deere children: for being partly fleſh, and partlie ſpirit, as in reſpect of their ſpirituall part, they hauehave neede to heare the ſweete comforts of the Goſpell for the confirmation of their faith; ſo had they in regard of the fleſh neede to heare often of the threatnings of the Law, to reſtraine them from ſinne, to beate downe pride, preſumption and ſecuritie, and to containe them in holy obedience.
Secondly, we may obſerue the nature of hypocrites, who The nature of hypocrites to expoſtulate with God.when they ſuffer the puniſhment due vntounto their ſinnes, are ready to expoſtulate with God, and to calumniate his iuſtice of crueltie, as though their puniſhment were either altogether vndeſerued, or elſe at leaſt farre greater then their ſins. To this purpoſe they vſe all friuolous pretences to excuſe their faults, laying them of themſelues vponupon others, yea rather then faile, they will not ſticke to accuſe God that they may excuſe themſelues. And therefore the Lord is faine oftentimes to expoſtulate the matter with them, to cleare himſelfe from all imputation of fault, and to conuince them of their ſinnes, that they may be brought to true repentance. An example hereof we hauehave in our firſt parents: Gen. 3. 12. Gen. 3. 12. 4 19 Ier. 2. 35. Mal …. 8. 1. King. 18. 17. Math. 25. 24.13. In Caine, Gen. 4. 13. In the Iewes: Ier. 2. 35. Mal. 3. 8. In Ahab. 1. King. 18. 17. In the vnprofitable ſeruant, Mat. 25. 24. 26.
Thirdly, we here learne, when we ſuffer affliction, or beare We muſt not murmure againſt God in our afflictions.our puniſhment, that we doe not murmure and expoſtulate with God, as though he dealed more ſeuerely and rigorouſly with vsus then we hauehave deſerued; but let vsus deſcend into our ſelues, and examine our owne hearts and conſciences, and ſo ſhall wee find that not the Lord, but our ſelues are in fault, that our puniſhment is farre leſſe then our ſinnes, and that it is the great merciemercy of the Lord that we are not vtterlie conſumed, as the Church confeſſeth, Lament. 3. 22. And this Lament. 3. 22.courſe muſt be taken of eueryevery one of vsus, before we will euer be truely humbled, and brought vntounto God by vnfained repentance, or before the Lord will euer bee mooued to pardon our ſinnes, or releaſe our puniſhment. For none will euer ſorrow for thoſe ſinnes, of which they thinke they are not guiltie, there is none wil lay them to hart & be humbled vnderunder the weight of them, ſo long as they pretend excuſes, and ſeeke to put off their burthen from their owne to others ſhoulders, and ſo long as wee content our ſelues with theſe fig-leaues, we wil neuer looke after a better garment to hide our nakedneſſe. Againe, the Lord will neuer abſolue vsus before we condemne our ſelues, he will not pardon our ſinnes till we ſetting aſide all excuſes, ingenuouſly and freely confeſſe them; he will neuer caſe vsus of this burthen, whileſt with falſe pretences we ſeeke to vnloade our ſelues; neither will he euer make vsus partakers of his mercy, till we acknowledge that we hauehave deſerued the extremity of his iuſtice, as may appeare by the former examples.
Fourthly, wee are to obſerue, that the children are commanded That particular men may expoſtulate with their mother the Church.to expoſtulate, not onelyonly one with another, but alſo with their mother the Church, that ſo both the particular members, and the whole Church in generall, comming to a ſight of their ſinnes, and condemning themſelues for them, they might bee brought to true repentance. Whence wee learne what dutie is owed by children to their parents, and by particular members to the whole body of the Church, namely, they are ſo to honour them, that God bee not diſhonoured, ſo to excuſe them, that God bee not accuſed, ſo to hide their faults from others, that they doe not ignorantly foſter them in themſelues. The Papiſts crie out vponupon vsus for diſcouering the nakedneſſe of their Church, which they falſely call our mother; they will not indure, that her ſinnes ſhould be reprehended, and affirme it to bee impudent ſaucineſſe, for the children to reprooue the parents faults. But firſt we anſwere, that ſhe is not our mother, but a common ſtrumpet, who long agoe was diuorced from God, for her ſpirituall fornications. And ſecondly, though ſhe were our mother, yet ſhe were to be reprooued for her faults, that ſo ſhe might be brought to a ſight of her ſinnes, and turne vntounto the Lord her husband whom ſhe hath forſaken by her whoredomes.
Fiftly, we may obſerue, the grieuouſneſſe of the ſinne of Idolatrie a grieuous ſin.idolatrie, which appeareth in the greatneſſe of the puniſhment, which is vtter reiection and ſeparation from God: other ſinnes mooue the Lord to afflict his ſpouſe, but this cauſeth him to diuorce her; other ſinnes prouoke the Lord to correct his children, but this mooueth him to diſherit them. Now what more fearefull puniſhment can bee imagined, then to bee diuorced from God, to bee excluded from his grace, protection and preſeruation? al which idolaters incurre through their ſpirituall whoredomes. The conſideration whereof ſhould make vsus to flee this ſinne, that ſo wee may eſcape the puniſhment.
The laſt thing which we are to obſerue, is out of the order God reiecteth not the Church, before ſhe reiecteth him.of the words: namely, that the Lord neuer reiecteth his Church from being his ſpouſe, before ſhee hath caſt him off from being her husband; he neuer withdraweth his grace, merciemercy and protection, and prouidence from watching ouer vsus, till wee alienate our minds from him, denying vntounto him our faith, obedience and alleageance: and therefore let vsus cleaue vntounto the Lord, and he will moſt certainely cleaue vntounto vsus; let vsus keepe our faith and couenant with him, and hee will neuer faile vsus; let vsus euer acknowledge him for our huſband and father, and hee will acknowledge vsus for his ſpouſe and children.
And ſo much concerning the diuorce. Now the end why the Lord would hauehave it denounced, is twofold, firſt, that hereby they might be mooued to repent of their wickednes; and ſecondly that repenting, they might eſcape puniſhment; verſe. 3. The firſt end is expreſſed in theſe words; that ſhe may take away her fornications out of her ſight, (or from her face) and her adulteries from betweene her breaſts. In which Expoſition.words the Lord ſheweth the cauſe, why hee would hauehave the diuorce betweene him, and the Church of Iſrael proclaimed, namely, not for any hatred of her perſon, but that being brought vntounto a ſight of their ſinnes, they might repent of them, and ſo forſaking their ſpirituall whoredomes, they might be receiued againe of the Lord as his ſpouſe, as it is in the latter part of the chapter.
But let vsus come to the meaning of them. Some vnderſtand by fornication of the face, externall idolatrie, and by the adulterie of the breaſts, that idolatrie which is in ſecret committed. But as I take it the Prophets purpoſe here, is to ſhew that the people were growne impudent in their ſinnes, ſo that they made an outward profeſſion of them, not caring who beheld them. For before he had ſhewed that the Lord had diuorced them, and conſequently, that they had committed adulterie, and plaied the harlots, for in other caſes diuorces are not by God approoued; and now he intimateth that they had the conditions and qualities of an harlot; for as harlots in continuance of time grow paſt ſhame, ſo that they doe not only in ſecret commit adulterie, but publikelie make profeſſion of it, as of their trade, decking themſelues with ſuch gorgious and gariſh apparrell, as beſeemeth not honeſt matrons, glauncing with wanton eyes at their louers, painting their faces, and laying out their naked breaſts, that they may not onelyonly profeſſe themſelues wanton and laſciuious, but alſo with theſe baites allure others to commit wickednes with them: ſo the Church of Iſrael, liuing in ſpiritual whoredome, grew to that impudencie in ſinne, that ſhee was not content to commit it in ſecret, but alſo to profeſſe it, yea to defend and boaſt of it; and becauſe ſhe would be known to bee an harlot, who had forſaken the Lord, and giuen her ſelfe ouer to commit this ſpirituall vncleanneſſe, therefore in eueryevery corner they erected images and idols, they adorned them with gold and pretious ornaments, they in moſt impudent manner proſtituted themſelues vntounto them, to commit ſpirituall whoredome in the ſight of all the world, worſhipping and ſeruing them in ſtead of the true God; and like ſhameleſſe harlots, they did not onelyonly themſelues commit this wickedneſſe, but alſo allured others to goe a whoring with them.
Theſe words then are metaphoricall, borrowed from the practiſe of harlots, who that they may diſplay the filthy vncleanneſſe of their mindes, and allure others to vnlawfull luſt, doe ſeeke to intice them by wanton lookes, painting of their faces, and laying out their naked breaſts: and hence it is that the Prophet attributeth fornication to the face and eies, and adultery to the breaſts; becauſe vntounto harlots theſe parts are the inſtruments of their vncleanneſſe, whereby they teſtifie, and as it were proclame, that they are ready and willing to commit whoredome, and alſo allure others to ioyne with them in their beaſtlineſſe. So the Apoſtle Peter ſaith of ſome, that their eyes were full of adulterie: 2. Pet. 2. 14. becauſe by their eyes they diſcouered their adulterous 2. Pet. 2. 14.hearts.
Now in theſe wordes the Prophet aimeth at three things: firſt, hee cloſely intimateth what was the cauſe of their diuorce; namely, their idolatry, which he calleth adultery and fornication, which they committed with all audacious impudency openly and in the ſight of all.
Secondly, hee cleareth God of all imputation of fault, in that he diuorced them not for any hatred to their perſons, nor for ſmall tranſgreſſions, but for their groſſe idolatry and ſpirituall whoredomes; and therefore there was no cauſe why they ſhould contend with him, but with their mother. For if ſhee would leaue her ſinnes, and returne vntounto him by vnfained repentance, hee would receiue her to merciemercy, and acknowledge her for his ſpouſe; as hee after ſheweth.
Thirdly and principally, he laboureth by earneſt exhortation, to moue her to leaue her ſpirituall whoredomes, and her profeſſed audaciouſneſſe and ſhameleſſe impudency, in proſtituting her ſelfe vntounto idols, and forſaking him their Lord and husband, not in a ſecret corner, but in the view of all the world.
And this is the meaning of theſe words. The inſtructions which from hence we gather are theſe. Firſt, we may obſerue, The Do∣ctrines. that though the Lord by his Prophet had ſharpely reproued That the ſinnes of the people are often to be reprehended.the people for their ſpirituall whoredomes in the former chapter, and denounced his fearefull iudgements againſt them; yet becauſe they did not repent, but obſtinately and impudently continued in their idolatry, the Lord contenteth not himſelfe with once reprouing of them, but cauſeth his Prophet to beate againe & againe vponupon the ſame point, that at leaſt by his importunity he might bring thē to repentance. Whence we are to learne, that it is not ſufficient, either in the publike miniſtery of the word, or in priuate conference, to reprehend and beate downe ſinne once onelyonly, but conſidering how many ſhifts and deuices the hypocriſie of mans heart findeth to hide, excuſe, and extenuate their ſins, and how ſoone they forget and caſt behinde them the remembrance of their ſinnes, and Gods iudgements due vntounto them, it muſt not be thought much, either of publike or priuate perſons, oftentimes to vſe the ſame admonitions and reprehenſions, and to denounce againe and againe the ſame iudgements of God againſt the ſame ſinnes, which are not as yet forſaken by true repentance.
Secondly, wee may obſerue the infinite mercy of God, who when his ſpouſe the Church, had innumerable times Gods mercy in inuiting the people to repentance.committed ſpirituall whoredome with idols, and profeſſed her filthineſſe like an impudent harlot openly to all the world, yet laboureth to bring her to repentance, that ſo hee might receiue her to grace and fouour againe: for to this end he cauſeth her ſinnes to be laid before her, and the diuorce betweene him and her to be denounced; not becauſe he hated her, or was delighted with her reiection and deſtruction, but that ſhe might forſake her idolatry, which ſo impudently ſhe profeſſed, and returne vntounto him her Lord & husband, that ſo he might receiue her to grace, and pardon her former wickedneſſe. And therefore when we heare our ſinnes ſharply reproued, and the iudgements of God denounced, let vsus not thinke that this is done for want of louelove either in God or in his Miniſters; but to this end, that wee ſhould hereby bee brought to true repentance, and ſo bee receiued into Gods grace and fauour.
Thirdly, out of the metaphors and borrowed ſpeeches here vſed, we may obſerue, that the ſinne of vncleanneſſe, is Of the fornication of painted faces and naked breaſts.not onelyonly committed in fact, but that alſo there is a fornication of the face, and an adultery of the breaſts, when as harlots with glancing and wanton lookes, by painting of their faces, and laying out of their breaſts, doe not onelyonly by theſe ſignes teſtifie the adultery and vncleanneſſe of their hearts, but alſo with theſe baits of luſt, indeuour to allure others to commit filthineſſe, and to inflame their hearts with the fire of vnlawfull concupiſcence. Whereby may appeare, how common this ſinne of adultery and vncleanneſſe is in our times, wherein the ſignes and meanes thereof do ſo abound; ſeeing not onelyonly thoſe who are harlots by profeſſion, but euen ſuch as would be reputed pure virgins and chaſte wiues, ſhew theſe outward ſignes of their inward filthineſſe, and vſe theſe baits to catch the fooliſh in the nets of vncleannes, by painting their faces & ſetting forth thēſelues with adulterate beauty, and by laying out their breaſts after a whoriſh manner to be ſeene and touched: for is it likely, that thoſe who lay thē out to ye ſhew, would hauehave them only ſeen? Neither hath this corruption of manners entred into the court alone, where wantonneſſe and immodeſty challenge vntounto themſelues a place by the right of preſcription and long cuſtome; but it is crept alſo into the City and Country, amongſt thoſe that ſhould be modeſt virgins and graue matrons, and examples of ſobriety vntounto others. Euen here naturall beauty is hid with a painted vizard, and naked breaſts are laid out to the view; if at leaſt they may be called naked which are commonly couered with falſe colours, or vncouered when as they are masked in a net.
But as there is no ſin ſo vile, which maketh not ſome kind of Apologie for it ſelfe; ſo this, againſt which I inueigh, wanteth An excuſe of vaine women anſwered.not her excuſes: for whē thoſe who are vain & wanton in their attires, hauehave their immodeſty laid to their charge, they are ready to ſay, that whatſoeuer they ſeeme in ſhew, yet their hearts are chaſte and honeſt. But to theſe I reply, that if they hauehave the hearts of honeſt and chaſte matrons, what hauehave they to doe with the habit of an harlot? why doe they Ezra 3 9.diſguiſe themſelues vnderunder the vizard of a falſe beauty, vnleſſe they meant to deceiue and allure? why do they make ſhew of their wares, vnleſſe they would offer thē to ſale? why do they diſplay the banners of luſt, vnleſſe they meant to be at defiance with chaſtity and all honeſty? why doe they play the hypocrits by appearing that they are not? if they be honeſt in deed, why ſhould they ſeeme harlots in ſhew? if they be diſhoneſt in ſhew and truth, why doe they ſlander and diſgrace the name of honeſty and chaſtity, by intitling themſelues vntounto it? In a word, if either they are pure virgins; or chaſte matrons, and would hauehave others ſo to iudge of them, let them take away their fornications from their face, and their adulteries from betweene their breaſt.
But they further anſwer, that though in their owne iudgement they like not of theſe practiſes, yet they yeelde vntounto A ſecond excuſe taken away frō thoſe who paint their faces and diſcouer their breaſts.them in regard of the faſhion, becauſe they muſt be like others of their ſort and ranke. To which I anſwere, that if this be a faſhion, it is the faſhion of harlots, who firſt inuented it, and moſt cōmonly practiſe it: and therefore why ſhould this moue any that are honeſt women to imbrace it, & not rather to deteſt it? that we are commanded by God, not to faſhion our ſelues to the world, nor to follow a multitude in that which is euill; that if they will follow the faſhion, they muſt ſet themſelues to worke wickedneſſe, ſeeing no faſhion is more common; that thoſe who for faſhions ſake are thus immodeſt and impudent, would become farre worſe if it were the faſhion; that thoſe who profeſſe themſelues Chriſtians, ſhould faſhion themſelues according to the example of thoſe who are modeſt, ſober, and religious, and not of the wanton and laſciuious; for otherwiſe they will plainely diſcouer themſelues, that their hearts are corrupt and wicked, ſeeing they like and imbrace rather the faſhion of prophane worldlings, then of the faithfull and vertuous. And laſtly, that if they ſinne for company, they are like for company ſake to ſuffer the puniſhment of ſinne in hell fire.
But they will ſay, that they doe not thus adorne themſelues, A third excuſe taken away.either to ſhew their owne luſt, or to prouoke it in others, but that their beautie (which in it ſelfe is good and commendable) may be liked and praiſed of the beholders. To this I anſwer, that vn… ſi qua placet, culta puellaſat eſt: graue Propert. lib. 1. eleg. eleg. 2.matrons are to thinke themſelues beautifull enough, when they pleaſe and content their husbands; that by theſe wanton and laſciuious ornaments, they doe not more commend their beauty to the eye, then diſgrace the deformity of their mindes to any ſober iudgement; that they doe not hereby grace and adorne, but rather diſgrace and deforme themſelues: for whereas by their creation they are Gods beautifull and excellent workmanſhip, by their painting and dawbing, they make themſelues but like walking pictures, and talking images; that if beauty be a good, it is ſuch an one as is not bettered by communicating; that they are not hereby liked and praiſed of the good and vertuous, but of thoſe (if of any) who like themſelues are vaine and wanton. Yea but they thus ſet forth themſelues, that they may bee liked and loued of their husbands, vntounto whom they cannot make themſelues too amiable. I anſwere, that no wiſe husband would hauehave his wife ſet out to ſale, if he would reſerue her to his owne proper vſe; that this is but a falſe pretence to excuſe a falſe beauty. For as the Satyriſt ſaith; moechis foliata parantur: Juuenal. ſat. 6.they vſe theſe wanton arts, not to pleaſe their huſbands, but to inflame the adulterer; that the habit and behauiour of an harlot cannot bee pleaſing and amiable vntounto any husband that deſireth to hauehave an honeſt and chaſte wife; that they muſt not ſo labour to pleaſe men, as that in the meane time they diſpleaſe God; for their wanton behauiour and habit is offenſiue, and at leaſt euill in appearance, and therefore to bee forborne of Chriſtians; they derogate from Gods wiſedome, by altering and adding to his workemanſhippe, which kind of iniury an ordinary artificer cannot patience brooke: and therefore ſeeing they are new creatures of their own making, quite altered from their firſt creation, it is not likely that the Lord wil owne or acknowledge them for his worke. In a word, they breake and tranſgreſſe the ſeuenth Commaundement, both by ſhewing the ſignes of wantō vncleannes, & vſing the means to kindle & inflame luſt both in themſelues & others.
The laſt thing to be obſerued is, that as all kinds of idolatrie, Sinnes openly profeſſed and defended, moſt odious in Gods ſight.and of all other ſinnes are odious and loathſome vntounto the Lord; ſo eſpecially thoſe which are of the face and breaſt, that is, ſuch as are openly profeſſed, and impudently defended. Whileſt ſinne lurketh in the ſecret corners of the heart, not daring to ſhew it ſelfe in the face and outward actions, it maketh the ſinner but like a poore fugitiue, who hauing offended his Prince, through ſelfe guiltineſſe ſhunneth his preſence; but when it growes ſo preſumptuous, that it dare ſhew it ſelfe in the face, words, or externall actions, and not onelyonly ſo, but alſo vaunt it ſelfe to the publike view, daring Gods iuſtice, and prouoking him as it were to his face; then the ſinner becommeth a proud rebell, who regardeth not his Princes preſence, and contemneth his authoritie; or like vntounto an impudent adultereſſe, who not contenting her ſelfe with her ſecret whoredomes, doth proſtitute her ſelfe to her louers in the ſight of her husband; and like Abſalon, pitcheth a pauilion euen at noone day vponupon the toppe of the houſe, that hee may bee ſeene of all men. This is the height of ſinne, when as men doe not onelyonly conſent vntounto it, but alſo act it; not in a corner, but in the face of the world; not as bluſhing and being aſhamed at it, but impudently defending it, boaſting and glorying in their wickedneſſe. And as it is the height of ſinne, ſo it ſhall bee plagued with the height of puniſhment, euen with the diuorce and ſeparation from God: and therefore let all that would bee Gods ſpouſe, aboue all other ſinnes flee theſe; and though they fall through infirmitie humanie frailtie into ſin, yet at leaſt let them take it away from their face, and from betweene their breaſts, that is, let them not defend it, and much leſſe vaunt and glorie in their wickedneſſe.