An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 4 · Verse 13

An Exposition of Hosea 4-7 · Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 4 · Verse 13

p. 140Verſe 13.

They ſacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incenſe upon the hills under Oaks, and Poplars, and Elms, becauſe the ſhadow thereof is good; therefore your daughters ſhall commit whoredom, and your ſpouſes ſhall commit adultery.

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 ſhews to them wherein,Obſer. and in what particular. General accuſations without particular ſpecification will not prevail with ſtubborn hearts.Obſerv. Above all Idolaters muſt be convinced wherein they have committed Idolatry. 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 untill it be ſhewn in particular wherein they have done ſuch and ſuch evils. And it is wiſdom therefore for all Gods Miniſters not to leave things in general,Uſe for Miniſters 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 ſhew and faireſt intention of any thing in the world, and one would have thought that p. 141there ſhould have been as little evil in that which he inſtanceth in as in any thing 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 1God, we do not ſacrifice to Idols, why do we go a whoring from God then? Nay the ſhew 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 2of 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 every where, 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.Papiſts 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 ſhew 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 labour to preſent to them the foulneſs of thoſe things that they think have leaſt evil in them. for Min.To come to people and to cry out of notorious wickedneſs that they themſelves cannot but acknowledg 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 waies in thoſe things that they bleſs themſelves moſt in, and ſhew how they make themſelves abominable unto God even in thoſe things, that is the way to have our Miniſtry a convincing & an humbling p. 142Miniſtry indeed. Thus the Prophet doth, you ſacrifice upon the mountains and high places and under the ſhadow of every tree. Hierom Hierom.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 protectour.

But to open this Scripture yet more cleerly, to ſhew 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 reade of Abrahams 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 thy ſelf that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou ſeeſt, but in the place which the Lord ſhall chuſe 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 no where elſe, and ſo when the Temple was built they were bound to come thither and to ſacrifice there and no where 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.

p. 143The Note is this from it, When once God chuſeth places or things, when God once putteth a ſtamp of holineſs upon places or things, Obſer.then no men may chuſe 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, any thing, if once God ſets a ſtamp upon a thing to make it holy, we muſt confine our ſelves to that, and not think to immitate God in it, to make any thing 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. Natural circumſtances, moral, civil, circumſtances, prudence is enough to guide us in, but any religious circumſtance we muſt have a 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 reade ſometime of ſome godly mens ſacrificing elſe where, Gideon under an Oak, Judg. 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 p. 144for 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 al that Auſtin in his Queſtions upon Judges he thinketh Solomon is to be blamed though the Tabernacle was there,Austin 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 Gods 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 mans inventions,Obſer. 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 Gods 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 p. 145have 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 Gods 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 Solomons 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 Jehoſaphat. Hezekiah in 2 King. 18.22. where he is charged by Rabſhekah 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 Rabſhekah 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 Gods worſhip; becauſe ſome in authority (as the Parliament) ſeek to take away corruption in the worſhip of God,Parliam 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 countrey people that dwel far off, as in Wales and in other places, the people are there perſwaded 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 Rabſhekah that thinks the taking away of high places to be the taking away of Religion.

The other King is Jehoſaphat 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 waies 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 p. 146to 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 Governours when they ſee corruptions in Gods 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 waies 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, Jehoſaphat took away, and he took them away out of Judah. He was of a lift up mind and his heart took boldneſs for the waies of God, ſo the old Latine hath it. But mark, what courſe, what way did Jehoſaphat 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, Princes preachersand 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 thoroughout all the Countrey, 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 eaſie would it be in England at this day to make a Reformation,preaching the way to remove ſuperſtitiō to take away corruptions from the worſhip of God, if in all Cities and Towns there were faithful Preachers! For we ſee apparantly 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. p. 147They 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 Jehoſaphat took away the high places; but in Chap. 20. ver. 33.2 Chron. 17. with cap 20.33 reconciled,2 Chr 17 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 Jehoſaphat 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 yeild to the command of the King, therefore in this 20. Chapter it is all layed upon the people; As if God ſhould ſay, they were not taken away becauſe the people had not prepared their hearts, but as for Jehoſaphat he did what lay in him for the taking them away. God will accept of the intention of Governours, 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;Obſer. 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 mens 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.

p. 1481Firſt, It noteth the publickneſs of their way of Idolatry. They would not do it in a corner, in a hole, but they would go to the mountains,Obſerv to the top of the mountains and were not aſhamed. Idolatry is brazen faced, it is impudent and loveth to be publick. Uſe. Oh why ſhould we not have the true worſhip of God as publick! It is a lamentable caſe when the true worſhip of God muſt get into holes and corners and dare not appear in publick; 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 publick way that may be, that we may not be aſhamed of it in publick before the world. In Revel. 14.6.Revel. 14.6.Rev 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 propheſie of the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, that it ſhall fly in Heaven, aloft, publickly, 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,Obſer. That when the Miniſtry of the Goſpel and the Ordinances of the Goſpel comes to be made openly publick, then is the time for Babylon to fall, and ſo long as Babylon ſtands and Antichriſt ſtands ſo long is the Goſpel fain to be preach'd in corners, but when the time of Babylons fal cometh then ſhal the Miniſtry of the Goſpel be in Heaven, above, in the eyes of all the people, in a publick way.

2Secondly, They ſacrificed not only upon the mountains, but upon the tops of the mountains.Obſer. 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 p. 149leſs ſhould we in the way of Gods worſhip? we ſhould not content our ſelves in a mean way but get up to the top of godlineſs, and labour to gain the very height of the worſhip of God; Not content our ſelves 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, Eph. 5.15.Eph 5:15circumſpectly not as fools but as wiſe, the word is foreign 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. Why the Heathens ſacrificed under trees.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,Populus Alcideo, graiſſima, viti… Iacho, formofio myrtus Veneri, ſua Laurea Phoebo, Virg. Aeneed. 7. The Heathens did conſecrate many trees 1to 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 Patriarches, as I ſhewd 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 3by 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 p. 150of the worſhippers. Even Heathens themſelves when they worſhipped their Idols they ſought to have the hearts of the worſhippers to be fild with reverence. And,

4Fourthly, 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:Vi…g. Aeneed. 6. Nulli certa domus, lucis habitamus opacis. So you have it in Virgil, that they themſelves have no certain houſes to dwel in, but they dwelt in dark and ſolitary places, in woods and groves.

5Fiftly, 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.

6Laſtly, 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 ſaies 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 waies, 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. Ʋſually ſuperſtition thinks it p. 151hath a great deal of reaſon for what it doth, Obſer.that is the Note from hence. Therefore it is obſervable of the Papiſts, the way of their worſhip it is moſt rediculous and abſurd, yet they write whol volumns of their Rational, of Divine Service to ſhew reaſon for what they do, as if it were a reaſonable ſervice,Rationale divinorum officiorum and in Coloſ. 2. ult, it is ſpoken of will-worſhip, that it hath a ſhew of wiſdom. Now the words in the Greek are foreign 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 foreign. 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 mens 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. It is the pride I ſay of mens ſpirits to think that Gods Ordinances are too plain,Obſ. too mean for them, they can find out a way that ſets out the worſhip of God thus and thus, they will ſhew more reverence of and reſpect to God than others ſhall. But certainly if it be not Gods own, whatſoever outward reſpect can be given unto God in it, he …bominateth it and abhorreth it.A Lady in Paris. 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 Gods worſhip, to think that any addition of mans makes it more ſolemn and more reverent. It is the worſt argument you can uſe, to ſay can we do things in Gods worſhip with too great reverence? p. 152Is it that which you have warrant out of Gods word for? doth God enjoyn 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 Gods 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. Therfore 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,ſimile we would fain beſtow carving and ſome coſt upon it and ſo ſhew 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 Gods 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: Therefore your daughters ſhall commit whoredom, and your ſpouſes ſhall commit adultery.

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.

1 Obſerv.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 p. 163but in an Idolators 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 Gods 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.Roma Amor inverſio. That is prepoſterous love becauſe of the unnatural filthineſſe there practiſed. Iohannes à Caſá Arch Biſhop of Bendnutū, wrote a Book in commendation of Sodomy. 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 ſhewd 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 Gods 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, therfore 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 p. 154me; perhaps it was by imitating of you that they came to have ſuch unclean ſpirits.

Obſ.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 publick place and eſteem,Uſe for Governors to have a ſervant prove naught: which by the way ſhould teach Governours to be more careful of their families than they are, for many times thorough their careleſneſs God ſends ſuch a judgment, puts this diſgrace upon their families. Many of you for your pleaſure and delight can go to your countrey houſes,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, Levit. 21.9.Miniſters daughters it is ſaid there, if the daughter of any Prieſt profane her ſelfe by playing the whore, ſhe ſhal 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.

Obſ. 4The fourth note is this, which is the note I ſpecially aymed at from theſe words. Our ill dealings with God, our unfaithfulnes towards God is made more ſenſible when thoſe that are neer unto us deale ill with us, and are unfaithfull to us. Well ſaith God here, you goe a whoring from me, your ſpouſes they ſhall goe a whoring from you, you have beene unfaithfull to me, your children ſhall be unfaithfull to you, they ſhall goe 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 p. 155upon their breſts, and tear their very haire, 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 any thing 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 Gods heart when a child of his goes a whoring from him. If his people go on in waies 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 neer to the heart of God to have his people ſet upon ſuperſtitious waies 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 waies. 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,Inſtances ſtubborn child have we, nothing will reform him, no admonition! It may be the mother goes 1alone and wrings her hands and cries out becauſe of the ſtubborneſs 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 your ſelves ſtubbornly towards him. If a husband have an ill wife that is froward and troubleſome, 2that 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? p. 156Oh how grievous is it unto Jeſus Chriſt to have his Church ſo to him? And have you any friend that hath dealt unfaithfully 3with 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,Obſer. 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 ſhal 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.

1Firſt, By going abroad from their families to hills and mountains to worſhip, in the mean time they committed filthineſs and adultery. Calvin Calvin.hath this note upon the place, As it is in Popery when they go a Pilgrimage,Pilgrimages. 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 hils and mountains to worſhip, then the unclean places had moſt trading.abſent frō the family So when husbands and parents go up and down without any lawful call, then their wives and families do oft miſcarrie. Therfore it ſhould teach them to be as little from their families as they can be, to abide at home until God cals them out, if they have a lawful call they may truſt God with their families, if not, they may have ſome miſchief befal them before they come home.

2Secondly, 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 p. 157filthineſs, and parents and husbands are exceedingly to blame for that, and it is to be charged as a great evil upon them,Play-houſes. when they ſhall venture to carrye their daughters or wives into places that are ſit for filthineſs. But this ſhal ſuffice for that thirteen verſe.