The sin of Israel

The sin of Israel.

The sin, that is, in the very abstract, sin; 'tis more than if he should say, the sinful things of Israel, the very sin of Israel.

The more any thing comes to have the nature of sin, the more vile and abominable it is. Therefore God expresseth it by an expression that should come as near the nature of sin itself, as he could to make it abominable. Their sin, that is their idolatrous worship.

Their false worship, it is the great sin; and it was the greater sin in Israel, because that their holiness did especially consist in instituted worship, their holiness was typical, and much stood in instituted worship; it's true, God would have true holiness if ever they came to Heaven, but that holiness upon which they were called, a holy people, it was in their instituted worship, and it was typical, to set forth the true holiness that should be in all the members of the Church now, therefore God was much provoked with their pollutions in instituted worship, their holiness consisted so much in it.

And then further, in that their idols, and their creatures that they abused to sin are here called, their sin, the sin of Israel.

You may note that, we may so abuse the creatures of God as not only to make them sinful to us, but even to turn them into sin (as it were;) thus many men abuse their bodies so that they may be called sin itself.

Well, that which they accounted holy you see God he accounts not only sinful, but sin, and says it shall be destroyed.