Thou hast loved a reward upon every corn-flour

You have loved a reward upon every corn-flour.

Israel saw the nations have a great deal of plenty upon their corn floors, which they attributed to the serving of their idol gods, therefore Israel thought to comply with them out of the love to the plenty they had, and since the time that she had complied with the nations about her, she prospered more she thought, and this she loved, by this she was exceeding hardened in her ways of idolatry, and blessed herself in them. This is the scope. God made many promises for provision for Israel in his service, but they made account to get more in following the ways of the Gentiles, than in following God's ways: like harlots, though they have liberal provision from their husbands, yet they hoping to get more by others, they love bravery, and jollity, and they see that other harlots they live more merrily, and go finer in clothes, and can be whole nights in chambering and wantonness, and have good cheer, and they love this, and though they have allowance enough at home, yet they leave their husbands and follow whoremasters. Just thus it was with Israel, though she might have God's care over her, and provision for her in the ways of his worship, yet she beholding the Gentiles living more bravely she would follow after them: at first (as you heard) she hired lovers herself, but now she loves a reward upon every corn-floor, now she expects greater advantage; this indeed was the matter that put her on, the loving a reward upon every corn-floor; she might have many pretences, why she did not see but that she might do such and such things, and they were not directly contrary to God's Word, but whatever she did pretend in the altering the way of God's worship, yet this was the great matter that prevailed with her heart, it was, the loving a reward upon every corn floor: and thus it is with very many that are superstitious, come and speak to them of their ways, they will have very many fair pretences, they think that they have this and that warrant out of the Scripture for it, but all the while there is a pad in the straw, there is their living, and trading, and estates, and friends that they have an eye upon, and it is that which biases their hearts and spirits. But divers things have been spoken to the same purpose of this, that we met with before, only this one note.

Idolaters do love their corn and outward prosperity, because it is a reward of their service to their idols: so the sweetness of our comfort should be in this, because they come from God as a reward of our faithfulness. Shall idolaters when they look upon their plenty and attribute it to their idol gods, shall it be so much the sweeter to them? Let all our comforts be so much the sweeter to us when we look upon them as coming from God as a reward of our faithfulness. In (Psalm 119:56) says David, "This I had, because I kept your statutes." You will say, can we look upon any thing as a reward of our righteousness? Free grace, and the gospel reward may stand together, God may reward according to our works, though not for our works, and God is pleased to call it so for the encouragement of his people. It is very sweet to those that keep close with God when they prosper outwardly, that outward prosperity if it follow our keeping close with God is very sweet, as the cipher when it does follow the figure it does add to the number though it be nothing in itself.

But now we come to the second verse.