glorifie God by praising and serving him, but rather Idols. But in this last they goe plainly from the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which if it be rendred by exalting, must be exalt them, not him, and to being referred to the Lord without any tolerable sense.
How shall I make thee as Admah, how shall I set thee as Zeboim? Here the Lord speaketh as one at a stand, for the love he bate to Israel, studying as it were, what to doe unto him being so full of sin, to shew his unwillingnesse to re∣verely to punish him, as now he was about to do, being, as it were, forced to it thereby, even as a father dealeth by his dear son degenerating. For the destruction of Admah and Zeboim here spoken of, they were utterly destroyed to∣gether with Sodom, Gen. 19. Whereby we may see, that God doth not willingly [Note.] but unwillingly destroy his people, although most sin••ull, being ready, if by any means they would be brought to turn, to save them, which sheweth that not God but man only is the cause of his own destruction, and is not by any fatall necessity put on in a sinfull way, but of his own will. My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kinaled together, this is spoken per anthropopatheian, and not properly, because diverse thoughts and repentance are not incident to God, who is without all variablenesse or shadow of change. It is thus spoken then, to shew how full of compassion God is towards man sinning and here∣by provoking him, by reason of which, although he severely punisheth, yet he will not utterly destroy all Israel, with whom he is in covenant with, for which it is added, v. 9. I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim, for I am God and not man, the holy one in the midst of thee, and I will not enter into the City: in which words the Lords sheweth in what sense he spake be∣fore of repentance burning within him, & the turning of his heart within him. Whilest he thought upon destroying Ephram and threatned it, he meditated upon shewing some favor; for which he saith, I wil not execute the fierceness of mine anger by utterly destroying Israel for ever, whereby be intimateht that there shall one day be an healing even of the people of the ten tribes, and that they shall not alwayes be bound up in infidelity for everlasting destruction, as is plainly taught Rom. 11. 26. And therefore when in other places utter destru∣ction for ever is threatned unto them, it is to be understood, as Calvin well no∣teth, not of all without exception; for there is a remnant of elected on s, who are alwayes excepted, which shall finally come in to the faith, as is of∣ten taught.
In saying, I will not return, &c. he hath reference to former destructions that had been amongst them, a cessation whereof there was at that time, but because he was about to bring upon them a greater judgment then ever by the Assyrians, he said I will not return, &c. by these my judgments threatned utterly to destroy Ephraim, for I am God and not man, that is, not as a malicious man, who being provoked is implacable for ever, God is not so, but in time when he thinketh that his people have suffered enough, he will deale with them again in mercy and loving kindnesse, the holy one in the midst of thee, this is added to shew that it could not be otherwise, forsomuch as the Lord is the holy One, and this is one point of holiness not to retain anger for ever, to persist alwayes in wrath being a notorious blemish and contrary to the beauty of holiness, as it is called Psal. 110 3.
If it be said Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for ever, and reprobates lye under Gods wrath for ever, how the•• may he be justified herein to be holy, if to shew mercy at length be a part of holiness?
Sol. This is spoken to Israel, not to other nations, because Israel was Gods peculiar people, and therefore it is to be noted, that he saith I am the holy one in the midst of thee, not of every other nation, but of thee, with whom I am in co∣venant. Holinesse herein shineth in God towards the elect, in that what mise∣ries soever they suffer and how long soever; yet at length God will put an end thereunto: but towards reprobates his justice shall shine for ever to his glory, Rom. 9. and I will not enter into the City, that is, in an hostile manner utterly to destroy it, as he that hath subdued a City by the sword enters, and