Chap.'i 3. An Expofition upon the BookofJos, Verf. I o. upon everyfoul ofman that doth evil, of the Jewfarfl, and alfo ofthe Gentile ( Rom. 2.9.) There is a certain decreegone forth, and theword is ratified in heaven, that every fin (hall be puntfhed, ptiniíhed either in the perfon that doth commit it,or in his furety: The wages of fin is death,and that either the iinner muff receive, or Quilt, upon whomour fins are laid.HeTwillfurely reprove thee, if, &c. Thirdly, Obferve, God will reprove and punijhfannersfeverely; bewilldo it to purpofe when hrdoth at. If we come under his hand,we fhall feel his hand; ifhe rebuke us, we (hall know he rebukes us; 7hots haft chaflifedme (faith Ephraim, Jer. 3t. ) and I was chafiifed, (Gen. 2. 17.) In the day thou eatefl thereof, dying thoufhalt dye (whichwe tranflate) thou (halt furely dye ; There is a certainty and a feverity in it; thou (halt havea through death, death in thy body, and death in thy foul, a temporal death and an eternal death. There isfeverity to thofe that continue in their impenitency. Some reprove as if they did not reprove, their reproofs are foothings rather then reprovings. Eli did not furely reprove, he in reproving did not reprove; he did rather fmooth than rebukehis fons; his words didrather encourage then humble them Ifwe compare,a Sam. 2.13. with chap. 3.13. we fhall find what account God gaveof his reproofs. Eli (I Sam..2.23.) comes tohis foes and faith,; why doye fuck things ? for 1hear of your _evil doings by all this people. Nay, my funs, for it is nogood report that 1 hear, yemake the Lords people to trangrefs : And then telleth them, If one man fin againtanother,the judgefhalljudge him;but ifamanfin againfl the Lord, who(hall intreatfor ham? Here is 'a reproof,and,indeed, there is a great deal init, but it didnot come up to the natureof the fin of thofe men, hefhould have ftormed and thundred upon them,he fhould have madehis fopsears to tingle,and their hearts to tremble ; and becaufe hedid not, therefore (chap.3.i3.) the Lord lent a 7neffage to him by Samuel, Behold, Iwill do a thing inIfrael, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it (hall tingle,&c. Becaufehis fansmade themfelves vile, andhe reffraaned them not,; or ( according to the Hebrew) frowned not upon them. He either fmiledor looked too pleatingly upon his fons, when he reproved them ; this caufed God to frown upon Eli, and brought fore difpleefure uponhis family, It is good for us E e to 393
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