Vers. 29.* 1.1 For they shall be confoun∣ded for the Oakes which yee haue desired, and yee shall bee ashamed of the gardens that yee haue chosen.
THe particle, Ci, is put in the Hebrew, which shewes the cause: but it is often also vsed for an exposition. Now because the P••ophet addes no new matter here, but only manifests vnto them the cause of the ruine, which hung ouer the heads of the wicked, the Hebrew word, which wee haue translated, to wit, hath seemed to agree very well; as if the Prophet should haue said, There was no plague more hurtfull to them then superstiti∣on; the idols, saith hee, which you doe so heape together to procure your welfare, shall rather turne to your ruine. Now whereas some haue heretofore translated gods, for the word trees, is refuted by the text it selfe: for he by and by makes mention of gardens. More∣ouer he reprooues all false, and new found seruices vnder the names of trees and gar∣dens, by a figure called Synecdoche, when a part is taken for the whole. For howsoeuer there were all sorts of Idolatrie among the Iewes, yet this particular kind, namely, to chuse woods and forrests, to offer sacrifices, was specially the most vsuall amongst others. Now be it that one would reade woods, or gardens in the second place, yet no doubt, but he meant to point at their Altars, and Chapels, where they performed their diuellish worships: and although it was not their meaning, wholly to reuolt from the true God, yet notwithstan∣ding they forged new seruices: and as if one place had been more acceptable to God then another, they consecrated and dedica∣ted them to their deuotions, as wee see it is come to passe in the Papacie. But by and by there followes a change of the person: for to the ende the reproofe might bee the more sharpe, he speakes euen to the wicked them∣selues, of whom he spake before in the third person.
Afterward by the word, to couet, he taxeth the furious affection wherewith the wicked are set on fire in their superstitions. God re∣quires that the whole heart be dedicated vn∣to him: but they violently plunged them∣selues in a blind pursuing of their new deui∣sed seruices, as if they were carried away with a beastly and brutish affection And to say the trueth,* 1.2 this sicknes is rooted almost in the vnderstandings of all men, that hauing once forsaken the true God, they runne a madding after their Idols. Therefore it is, that the Scripture often compares this fury to ye loues of harlots, who not only cast off al reason, but likewise all shame. Although it further ap∣peares by the second member, that hee not onely taxeth their intemperancie, but also their boldnes to violate the seruice of God, when he saith they chose gardens: which word is opposed to that which was commanded in the law. For with what flourishes soeuer the vnbeleeuers seeke to shadow their superstiti∣ons withal, yet notwithstanding this sentence remaines sure, that obedience is better then sacrifice, 1. Sam. 15.22. And therefore S. Paul Col. 2.23. vnder the word superstition, com∣prehends all those corrupt worships, which men forge to themselues without the com∣mandement of God. God then complaines, that the Iewes hauing despised his word, plea∣sed themselues in their owne inuentions: as if he should say, It was your duties to haue