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Ver. 13. Wo unto them, for they have fled from me: destruction unto them, because they have trans∣gressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
The Lord having thus laid so many sins to their charge (mix∣ed with some threatenings expressed or insinuate) whereby he makes it cleare that their case was desperate, and that there was no healing of their backslidings: Now he proceedeth to take away from them all hope of pardon, or exemption from judge∣mentst,
and to declare he behoved to destroy them, as was insinu∣ate in that challenge and expostulation, Chap. 6.4. And for this end, he pronounceth a sad sentence against them, and demonstrates the equity thereof, from severall aggravations of their sin, which takes away all pretences and excuses from them.
In this ver. the sentence is pronounced in a threatning of wo and destruction to come upon them, for their Apostasy and rebellion, unto which is added the first confirmation of the equi∣ty of this sentence, taken from their horrid ingratitude against God, who had redeemed and delivered them from many trou∣bles since the time of their deliverance from Egypt, and yet they lied against him, both in profession and practice. Whence learn, 1. The sins of the visible Church are odious, in that they are not simple sinnes, but Apostasy and defection; as here is laid to their charge. 2. Apostasy is in this horrible, in that the A∣postate not onely like a vagabond, runs away from so excellent a Master, contrary to his duty; but that he labours to bring an ill report on God, by fleeing from him, as if he were an enemy; for, they have fled from me, is the aggravation of their guilt. 3. Departing from God will soone draw men to most wicked and rebellious courses; for, unto this is subjoyned, they have trans∣gressed, or, rebelled against me, not onely by their Apostasy, breaking all bonds, but this drawing on more insolencie in sin. 4. As Apostasy and rebellion, is of it selfe a condition suffici∣ently plagued and miserable, though no calamities followed upon it; So it will also at last draw on desolation and destructi∣on, and Gods curse with it; for, wo and destruction, or spoil, a destruction with a wo in the bosome of it, followeth on their course, to confirme what a wofull course it was of it selfe. 5. However the Lord in mercy bestow many notable deliverances on his sinning people, yet that will not stop the course of their defection, and this doth highly aggravate their sin; for, though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. See, Psal. 106.43. 6. The visible Church doth lie against God, ha∣ving been delivered by him, either when she denieth him in her practice, Tit. 1.16. Psal. 14.1. or, when being delivered, she doth belie these professions and promises she made in trouble; or, when she cleaves still to false doctrine and corrupt religion, pretending it to be the truth, and constructs of Gods delivering her, as if it were a testimony that he favoured her way; or, when in her prosperity she forgets God, ascribing all her deliverances
to her Idols, as all her afflictions to him, as, Chap. 2.5. Jer 44.17, 18. In all these respects, it was the sin of Jsrael, that when God redeemed them, yet they spoke lies against him.