Ephraim hath hired Lovers

Ephraim has hired Lovers.

The Assyrians and Egyptians, and others; the words signifie Loves. Before they put their confidence in the Assyrians, and now they make them their loves. The thing I note is this.

That where we place our confidence, there our love should be placed. If God be the confidence of our hearts, let our love be placed there, yes let God be our Loves, in the plural number, for so it is here, they hired Lovers; she would fain have the Assyrians to love her. When God is forsaken, when we have lost our interest in God's love, no marvel though there be such a seeking after the creatures' love; men that forsake God they seek to make up what they have not in God in the creature: as a dog when he has lost his master he is ready to follow every one he meets with. Again,

He has hired Loves.] Because they had nothing lovely in themselves therefore they hire the love of others to them, they seek even to hire love, though the truth is, love cannot be hired nor purchased, although men may fawn and glaver, and flatter, and crouch that they may gain the love of some other, yet if there be no loveliness in themselves to gain love, although those whom they fawn on, and flatter may use them for their own turn, and serve themselves upon them, yet the truth is they will despise them in their hearts, and so often they will discover to their intimate friends how they scorn and contemn them; therefore if others would have love, there must be some excellency and loveliness in us; for love cannot be hired. But,

Ephraim has hired Lovers.] This shows the shamelessness of the ten Tribes in seeking after their false worship. Other harlots they are hired to commit uncleanness; but Ephraim will be at charge for their idols: many harlots count it a great dishonor for to seek after loves, to seek after whoremasters, though they can embrace them when they come to them, but yet they will rather have a hire than they will hire them; but mark, those that are superstitious they think not upon their honor, but they will hire, to the commission of spiritual whoredom they will go to hire lovers and be at a great deal of charges, in (Ezekiel 16:33, 34). They give gifts to all whores; but you give your gifts to all your lovers. And the contrary is in you from other women in your whoredoms, whereas none follows you to commit whoredoms, and in that you give a reward, and no reward is given to you; therefore you are contrary. As if God should say, you are more vile and base in your uncleannesses than any in the world besides; for other whores they receive rewards, but you are so set upon your filthy lusts that you will give rewards that you might commit uncleanness.

From hence the note is, that idolaters will not stand upon terms if they may have their idols, any way: they care not how they debase themselves, they will not stand upon honor and respect, but let them have their false worship they will submit to any thing. Oh! why should we stand upon our terms thus in the matters of the honor of our God, when public good lies at the stake? Why should not we be willing to suffer shame and disgrace, any thing rather than the public good should not go on, than the service of God should be hindered? If others will not seek to us, yet if good may be done, let us seek to them, if God may have glory: though others be never so vile in their carriage towards us, yet let us do what we can to win and convince them, let us be willing to lie under their feet that God may be glorified: if others will not join in a good work except they may have the honor of it, let them have it so be it the work may go on, let us reason so, Why should I put forth myself and others go away with all the glory? Let the work go on, and if they will stand for the glory let them have it: so God may be lifted up let us be willing not to be seen. This is that which does hinder you the promoting of his causes. But men stand upon terms and they will not go on in a good cause but break off if others be preferred before them. If there be two carrying a piece of timber through a narrow passage, and if these two men that are carrying a long piece of timber and they must carry it through a narrow passage, if they should stand striving who should go foremost, one says I will go first, the other says, no but I will go first, they can never carry the timber, if one have one end and the other the other end and they cannot agree which should go first, and he that goes after thinks himself dishonored because his fellow goes before him, they can never carry it through but they must lay it down. So it is many times with a good cause, it is like a piece of timber upon two men's shoulders, and it must go through a narrow passage, and one says, why should not I have the glory of it? And the other says, why should not I have the glory of it? And the while men stand wrangling who should have the greatest glory, in the mean time the public cause is exceedingly hindered; let us be willing to submit and debase ourselves any way so be it the true worship of God may go on.

Further, He has hired Lovers.] It's an evil thing to be drawn to false worship, or bodily uncleanness upon any terms, out of hope of the greatest gain, and to deliver ourselves from the greatest affliction: but now, for a man or woman to seek after the ways of sin, to be at cost that they might have their lusts, this is more vile; for a whore to prostrate herself for money, this is base and abominable though she should have never so much money, but to give money, this is more base and abominable. Josephus reports of one Decius Mundus which was a nobleman, that to one Paulina, a lady in Rome, he offered as much as came to six thousand pounds for to satisfy his lusts but one night, and yet was refused. So certainly uncleanness should be cast off with indignation though it be tempted to with never so much gain; but for one to be set upon uncleanness so as to seek after it, and to spend their husbands' estates that they might have the free way for the satisfying of their lusts, this is a most abominable thing indeed, and yet thus, many are guilty both in regard of bodily and spiritual adultery. It follows.