Jewish Hypocrisy, Chapter 12
CAP. XII.
1. The ſecond General truth diſcourſed of, that after their return from Babylon they had not left theſe ſins. 2. God had taken care to prevent their falling-into them, but Zachary tells us to how ſmall effect. 3. And ſo doth Haggai. 4. And Malachi in whoſe Propheſie a difficult place is explained, Mal. 2.13, 14, 15. 5. Zachary tells us what would be in after times. 6. Which was too fully verified in their baſe uſage of the Lord of life. 7. Chriſtians not free from the ſame ſins to this day.
1. AND now leaving theſe obſervations to every mans private conſideration, I ſhall paſs to the Second General truth which I promiſed to illuſtrate, and that is this; That theſe were the ſins which the Prophets note this people to have been guilty of after they were returned out of their captivity, and when an amendment might juſtly have been expected. Ezekiel who had ſeen the Glory of the Lord depart from the Temple, and ſo his protection from the Nation (as you read before, ch. 9.) doth propheſie likewiſe of its return again, and in a viſion he beheld it coming in at that gate where it went out, and ſeating it ſelf in the new houſe of God, which he deſcribes, Ezek. 43.3, 4, 5. Juſtice and gratitude would make us now think that they would never offend God in ſuch manner as their Fathers had done; eſpecially after they had felt ſo long darkneſs by the departure of the divine glory from their land. But yet as if theſe ſins had been transfuſed into them with their parents ſeed, they would not croſs the old Proverb, Like Father, like Son, treading in their ſteps, and leaving the like example to their poſterity. Very devout they were (for ought that we can read) in their Religious worſhip; no complaints are brought in againſt them for not keeping the Sabbath, not praying, faſting, and offering Sacrifice: But they knew themſelves ſo punctual in theſe things, that they ſlided into the ſame deceit wherein their Fathers were caught and periſhed. They imagined that thoſe things were all the reverence that was to be performed to the divine glory which dwelt among them, and that it would not be offended with their unjuſt and unmercifull dealings. For in the very beginning of this Propheſie of Zachary (where we begun this diſcourſe) he crys out chap. 1. v. 2, 3, 4, &c. Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts, Turn you, turn you unto me; Be not ye as your Fathers, unto whom the former Prophets cryed the very ſame words; who though they would not hearken then, yet afterwards were forced to acknowledge when Gods words took hold of them, that they were puniſhed according to their doings. And this was when the captivity was expired, that he made this proclamation unto them; whereby we may judge that they were not converted when God had turned their captivity.
2. And indeed God foreſaw what would be their practice, and wherein they would beſtow their greateſt ceremony; And therefore many years before this deliverance he labours to ſecure the obſervance of theſe neglected duties when it ſhould be vouchſafed to them. For before he warns them a word about their ſacrifices by the Prophet Ezekiel, he gives the Princes a great charge about matters of juſtice, equity and kind dealing, as you may read Ezek. 45.8, 9, 10, 11, &c. And then there immediately follows a large direction about their offerings and feaſts that they ſhould obſerve, in the latter end of that chapter, and part of the next. But as he begun, ſo he concludes that diſcourſe, with a buſineſs that concerns juſtice, Ezek. 46.18. The Prince ſhall not take the peoples inheritance by oppreſsion, to thruſt them out of their poſſeſsion, &c. And yet we cannot but take notice that they were horribly faulty in theſe things, though the Laws of ſacrifice which they carefully kept, were invironed with cautions about them. For Zachary plainly tells us that robbery and perjury (two moſt groſs ſins) did ſtill reign among them, and to make them more provoking, they ſaid notwithſtanding that they were innocent. So Iunius reads thoſe words, ver. 3. This is the curſe that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth; for every one that ſteals of this people, ſaith, as it, (i. e. as the reſt of the earth) I am innocent: and whoſoever ſweareth of this people ſaith, as it, that he is innocent. i. e. They were no more ſenſible of theſe ſins then many Heathen people who knew but little of God, and ſo might more eaſily forget what was only taught them by themſelves. But in our tranſlation indeed it is a threatning, and thus it may be expounded (as De Dieu hath noted) moſt agreeably to the Hebrew text, He that ſteals is cut off on this ſide (viz. of the flying roul) according to it (i. e. according to the curſe) and he that ſwears is cut off on the other ſide according to it. The roul or book that he ſpeaks of, ver. 2. which contained a curſe in it, threatned upon all Iudea (which was as the roul, longer then broad) was to fly abroad and ſpread it ſelf upon all the guilty perſons. Now one ſide of the Book (ſaith he) contains a curſe againſt all thieves, which ſhall certainly light upon them and the other ſide of it againſt all falſe ſwearers, which ſhall alſo come upon them according as is threatned. And therefore he goes on further to denounce Gods judgements upon ſuch perſons, v. 4. and ſpeaking of the woman that ſate in the midſt of the Epaph, ver. 7. (by whom was ſhadowed the people of the land, whoſe iniquities ſhould be born withal but to a certain meaſure,) he ſaith ver. 8. this is foreign Wickedneſs, i. e. iniquity it ſelf, the mother of all deceit, thefts and perjuries: And for this he threatens again unto them another expulſion and diſperſion into another Babylon, as you may ſee in the following part of the chapter. And afterward God having moſt plainly told them how the caſe ſtood with their Fathers, and how angry he had been with them, chap. 8.2. he ſaith, that now he was returned to Zion, and would dwell in the midſt of Jeruſalem, and it ſhould be a City of truth, &c. ver. 3. And he tells them what great things he would do for them, and that as they had been a curſe, ſo now they ſhould be a bleſſing, ver. 4, 5, &c. & v. 13. But then He adds that theſe are the things they muſt do; Speak ye every one the truth to his neighbour, execute the judgement of peace and truth in your gates; and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts againſt his neighbour; and love no falſe oath: For all theſe are things that I hate, ſaith the Lord, ver. 16, 17.
3. And if we look back to Haggai who propheſied but two years before theſe words in the eighth of Zachary were ſpoken (one being in the ſecond, the other in the fourth year of Darius) he will tell us no better news of this people. For he ſaith, chap. 2. ver. 11, 12, 13, 14. That every thing that the people did take in hand, was as unclean and polluted as that which was touched by one defiled with a dead body, and that though they were an holy people to him, yet that did not make the things that they medled withall holy. Now if we compare this paſſage with thoſe that were before gathered out of Zachary, we ſhall eaſily diſcern I think what the matter was that made God ſo offended with their doings. At firſt they let the Temple of the Lord lye waſte, and builded their own houſes after their return from captivity before they built it, though God had given them a command to go about it. But of this neglect they were awakened by theſe two Prophets, and by many judgements and ſore afflictions mentioned, Hag. 2.15, 16, 17. and Zach. 8.9, 10. And then they thought all was well, becauſe they obeyed Gods voice in this thing, and becauſe he promiſed from that day forward to bleſs them, Hag. 2.19. So the Temple were but carried on to perfection, they thought no great care was due to other things, and ſo continued in a world of wickedneſs, making their zeal for Temple-work eat up all their love to juſtice and mercy.
4. If we ſhould trace their footſteps further, we ſhould ſoon find that when the Temple was compleated and finiſhed, they were but little better. For Malachy who concludes their ſtory in the Old Teſtament (and is called by them foreign the ſeal of the Prophets, becauſe he was the laſt and ſhuts up all) complaining of the iniquity both of Prieſt and people, ſets down theſe ſins as famous among the reſt, chap. 3.5. Falſe ſwearing, oppreſſion of the hireling in his wages, of the widdow and fatherleſs; and turning aſide the ſtranger from his right, all which they did without any fear of what would follow. And particularly of the Prieſts, he tells us that they were partial in the Law, chap. 2.9. i. e. they did not judge according to the merit of the cauſe, but according to their love of the perſon. And of the Princes we are told by Nehemiah, how heavily they oppreſſed the people, by exacting uſury of them, chap. 5. By which together with the dearth they became ſo poor, that it was the cauſe (I believe) of their detaining the tythes from the Levites, chap. 13.10. and that they were tempted to rob God him ſelf as the Princes robbed them, Mal. 3.8. To which add the great violence that they all offered to their wives, either putting of them quite away, (as ſome underſtand the place) or elſe taking others to them (which was worſe for their poor wives) & theſe the daughters of a ſtrange God, Mal. 2.11. This you know they had begun to do preſently after their return out of captivity, and upon the ſerious admonition of Ezra repented of it; but it ſhould ſeem that they fell into the ſame ſin again in after times, and that ſo univerſally, and ſo much to the injury of their wives, that they cauſed the Altar of the Lord to be covered with tears, with weeping and with crying out, inſomuch that he regarded not their offerings any more, &c. Mal. 2.13. i. e. their wives made ſuch grievous complaints to the Lord of the violence that was offered them (ſo it is called, ver. 16.) that it cauſed him to deſpiſe all their gifts that they brought him; he looking more at the others tears, then at all their ſacrifices. And yet they have the front to come and ask God wherefore he would not receive them, ver. 14. To which he anſwers, that he muſt deal righteouſly though they would not, and he could not but take notice how treacherouſly they had dealt with their wives, who as they had been their companions merited greater kindneſs from them, and as they were taken by Covenant and contract, they were in juſtice obliged to have dealt better with them. And he proves that it muſt needs be a great offence, becauſe it was ſo contrary to Gods inſtitution in marriage; for did not he make one, and yet he had the reſidue of the ſpirit, &c. ver. 15. i. e. according as we tranſlate it Did not he make one wife only for Adam, whereas he having more the ſame ſpirit that he breathed into her, could have made many, &c. Or if we render it with others: Did not be who is one make it (i. e. the covenant of marriage) and he hath abundance of ſpirit ſtill to breath into our ſeed. And wherefore did that one make that order that a man ſhould cleave to his wife, but that he might have a godly ſeed? and therefore take heed what you do in putting away your wives, and taking others; for hereby you offend him that breaths the ſpirit of life into us. Or if we take it as others interpret it, their wickedneſs is ſtill argued to be the greater, becauſe they boaſted that they were the children of Abraham. Now Did that one (i. e. the firſt of your family) do ſo, of whoſe ſpirit we are the reſidue? and what did that one? he ſought a godly ſeed, he put not away Sarah though ſhe was barren (which to you would ſeem a juſt cauſe) nor matched with an Idolater, that he might have iſſue. Or if we receive that rendring of the words which the learned De Dieu prefers above all the reſt, it argues them of great inhumanity, and that they had not common good nature in them, which makes the ſin ſtill greater. No one would do thus that had but any reliques of the ſpirit of God in him, and therefore much leſs they that ſeek a godly ſeed, as you pretend to do. You ſee that he might well call this covering violence with his garment, ver. 16. becauſe it was ſuch a wrong to thoſe that by the Laws of God and nature deſerved better at their hands. To ſpread ones garment, or ones skirts over a woman, is a phraſe in holy writ for to marry her, Ruth 3.9. Ezek. 16.8. By taking therefore of a ſtrange woman into their ſociety, which was engaged before to another, they did as it were marry to violence, and contract a relation with injuſtice. Or as the forenamed author thinks it ſhould be tranſlated, Violence covered their garments, i. e. when as they ought ſtill to have caſt their garments of love and protection over their wives violence and wrong did cover thoſe garments; their marriage was an act of injuſtice, and their skirts which they ſpread over ſtrangers, were all over ſtained with cruelty, hard-heartedneſs and oppreſſion.
5. And Zachary tells us by way of propheſie, what ſhould be in after times toward the end of this Nation and what manner of Rulers ſhould be over the people. He compares their Shepherds, i. e. Governours (as I have ſhewn before) unto young Lyons, who do not uſe to protect but to devour the ſheep, Zach. 11.3. And he calls the people the flock of ſlaughter, ver. 4. (whom he is bid to inſtruct) either becauſe they were to be deſtroyed by the armies of their enemies or becauſe they were a prey unto their Governours; According as it follows, ver. 5. Their poſſeſſors ſlay them, and they hold themſelves not guilty. Yea to ſuch a confidence were they arrived in theſe ſins, that they Bleſs God for the riches which they had got in this ſort. They had ſome devotion you ſee left, though no honeſty nor goodneſs. God is intituled to all wicked poſſeſſions and acquiſitions, that he may make them good, and defend them againſt all the clamors of men, and the ſuits of their own conſcience. And it ſeems the people were very bad alſo, for ver. 6. he threatens them that he would have no more pitty on them then their Rulers had, but let them deſtroy one another by ſeditions, and at laſt deliver them all into the hands of the King that oppreſſed them, who ſhould be ſo far from taking any paſtoral care of them, that he ſhould only ſlay and devour them, as you may read, v. …6.
6. And ſome underſtand by that King the Roman Caeſar to whom they made themſelves a prey by ſuch ſins as thoſe I have been treating of. That long Captivity which indures to this day, had its way prepared by their avarice and cruelty, as thoſe acquaint us upon whom the ſpirit of prophecy was again poured forth. For our Lord coming and reproving the chief of that generation when he lived, for devouring widdows houſes, for extortion, rapine and blood; for covetouſneſs and oppreſsion, for being without natural affection, and the like ſins; while they made long prayers and pretended a great deal of ſanctity and religion: He declaring alſo that faith, judgement, mercy and the love of God were more to be regarded then their ſtrict obſervation of dayes, and the multitude of ſacrifices; They out of a great zeal for their religion which they thought he did not ſpeak honourably enough concerning, moſt ſhamefully put him to death I believe they took themſelves to be very religious perſons, and were zealous in what they did; only their zeal was not equally diſpenſed nor conveyed alike through the whole body of duties that God commanded. Their heat was like the fluſhing in mens faces, or the burning in their hands, which we do not take to be an argument of a good temper; but rather a ſign that there are obſtructions (as the ordinary language calls them) in the body, ſo that there is not a free motion of the vital blood in all the parts. I mean, they ſpent ſo much zeal in a few things, that they left no warmth of affection for other moſt neceſſary duties. In thoſe things their heat was ſtaid and ſtopt, which made them of an extraordinary high colour, and to have the repute in the world of very great Saints and moſt vertuous perſons. Yea they themſelves gazed ſo much upon this flame that they took no notice how cold they were in matters of common honeſty, but they committed all iniquity, in a comfortable belief that they were good men, and moſt beloved of God. Their great zeal for the Sabbath and ſuch like matters made them take themſelves for pious and devout perſons: but the partiality and particularity of it (whereby it remained there confined) made them really to be ſuch as our Saviour calls Hypocrites; which appellation they took in ſuch diſdain, that they conſpired his death, who would not let ſuch as they paſs for godly men.
7. And are Chriſtians to this day more reformed who have inherited their promiſes? I wiſh I could ſay that we are as free from covetouſneſs, rapine and unmercifulneſs, as the Phariſes were from Sabbath-breaking and Idolatry. R. D. Kimchi upon Hoſ. 2.19, 20. hath confeſſed a great deal of that truth which I have endeavoured to illuſtrate, but I can only wiſh that the latter part of his gloſs were found as true as the former part hath proved. He ſaith thoſe words cannot have a compleat ſenſe till the time of the Meſſiah, and that God uſes the word betroth three times becauſe of the 3. captivities after which God doth as it were marry them to himſelf; but in the dayes of the Meſſiah after a more excellent manner then in former times. For when they came out of Aegypt he did not betroth them foreign for ever, as he ſaith he will, ver. 19. And when they came out of Babylon he did not betroth them in righteouſneſs, judgement and mercy, as he ſaith he would, ver. 19. for we read, Ezra 9.2. that they took ſtrange wives, and they oppreſſed their Brethren likewiſe, &c. Therefore in the dayes of the Meſſiah (which they ſtill expect after this third captivity) all this ſhall be done, when he will betroth his people in faithfulneſs, ver. 20. We have ſeen the truth of what he ſaith concerning the time of their coming out of Babylon, and that they did not love righteouſneſs, judgement and mercy; We alſo ſee the dayes of the Meſſiah, and God hath married us Gentiles to himſelf; O that we could ſee the Chriſtian world full of juſtice and charity! But alas! Chriſtians deal falſely with God in his covenant, and they are not thus eſpouſed to him They would have God and Mammon at the ſame time in marriage together. And they grieve the ſpirit of God as the Jews did their lawful wives, by taking co-partners with it into their love. I wiſh that this truth did not ſhine as clear without any proof, as it doth appear by the many proofs I have alledged, that this was the ſtate of Iſrael. And I need not borrow more light from any other Scriptures to make it plainer then it is, that theſe have been very often the waſting and deſtroying ſins; becauſe commonly not obſerved in the midſt of a blaze of religious duties which dazzle mens eyes, and make theſe ſins ſeem either none at all, or very little and contemptible.