A Christian Plea, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3 · Objection 4 · Exegesis 3
Touching Hoſ. 2.2.
The next Scripture here alledged, is Hoſ. 2.2. vvhichwhich for ſundry queſtions touching churches in apoſtaſie may wel be obſerved: ſo it be rightly done. The vvords are theſe,“Hoſ. 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Say ye unto your brethren, †That is my people.Ammi,, and to your ſiſters, *That is, having obteyced mercy.Ruhamah. Plead vvith your mother, plead; ”Or, that shee is not.for ſhe is not my vvife, nor I her …uſband: ‡Or, that she put away.let her therefore put avvay her vvhoredomes out of her ſight, and her adulteries from betvveen her breſts, Leaſt I ſtrip her naked, and ſt her as in the day that ſhe vvas borne, and make her as a wildernes, and ſet her like a drie land, and ſlay her with thirſt. And I vvill not hauehave mercy upon her children, for they be the children of whoredomes. For their mother hath played the harlot: ſhe that conceived them hath done ſhamefully: for ſhe ſaid, I vvill goe after my lovers that giuegive me my bread & my water, my wooll and my flax, myne oyle and my drink. &c. To finde out the meaning …hereof the better, let us conſider, both what vvent before, and what followeth after in this Prophecie it ſelf; and vvhat further light other Scriptures compared herevvith will afford hereabout. Firſt therefore (to begin vvith that vvhichwhich goes before in this prophecy) obſerue and remember ſtill the time when Hoſea prophecied: vvhichwhich was†Hoſ. 1, …. in the dayes of Vzziah; …otham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah kings of Iudah, & in the dayes of Ieroboam the ſonne of …oaſh king of Iſrael: who was the thirteenth king after Ieroboam the ſonne of Nebat, that cauſed Iſraell to ſinne.
Next, mark hovv the Lord novv ſaid to Hoſeah the Prophet,”Hoſ. 1, …. Goe, take thee a wife of whoredomes, and children of whoredomes: for the land (of Iſraell) hath committed great vvhoredome, departing from the Lord: And how the Prophet went and did it Hoſ. 1.3. &c.
That this is a type of Iſraels eſtate in Hoſeahs time, none wil deny. And that here Iſraell is expreſſely termed a vvife, is evident, though yet a wife of whoredomes in that their eſtate. Novv the Lord then threatnerh for this ſpiritual whoredome of their idolatrie & ſinful iniquities, to punish and caſt thē avvay. And this alſo (to be done by degrees, if any way they could be brought to repentance) is declared by tipes of the children borne by this wife the harlot one after another. Whereof the firſt vvas called”Hoſ. 1, 4. Jezreel, according to the name of a town in Iſrael becauſe the calamity now prophecied of Iſrael should begin whē Zachariah (the fourth frō Iehu) should be ſlain by Shallum, & ſo the kingdome be taken away frō Iehues houſe, for the ſlaughters that he made‡2 Kin. 9. & 10 ch. before in Iezreel, Hoſ. 1, 4, 5. The accōplishment whereof, ſee in 2 Kin. 15, 8 — 12. And this fell out after the time of Ieroboam the ſonne of Ioash (the third from Iehu:) in whoſe dayes, Hoſeah began to prophecy: as I noted before, Hoſ. 1, 1. with 2 King. 14, 23, 29. and 15, 8. &c. So this vvas not yet performed, when Hoſeah thus prophecied: but it vvas then to come.
The ſecond child vvhichwhich vvas conceived & borne by this wife, was called‡Hoſ. 1.6. Lo-ruhamah (that is, not having obteyned mercy) noting that calamity which came upon Iſraell, vvhen in the dayes of Pekah king of Iſraell Tiglath Pileſer King of Aſſyria came and waſted the countrey beyond Iordan, carying avvay the Rubenites, Gadites, & half tribe of Manaſſeh, 1 Chron. 5, 26. and took Iion, and Abel-beth-maachah, and Ianoah, & Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galile, all the land of Naphtali, and caried them captiue to Aſſyria. 2 King. 15, 29. with Hoſ. 1, 6. And this alſo vvas then to come, vvhen Hoſeah thus prophecied.
The third child, borne by this vvife vvas called,*Hoſ. 1, 9. Lo-ammi (that is, not my people) noting the third & great calamitie, which came in the dayes of Hoſeah the laſt king of Iſrael, when the whole kingdome of the tenne tribes vvas overthrovvne by Salmanaſſer, king of Aſſyria, & the Iſraelites caſt out of the Lords land, & ſcattered amōg the nations, as if they vvere not the Lords people, but accounted as the Gentiles. 2 King. 17, 3 — 6. &c. with Hoſ. 1, 9. And this likewiſe vvas yet to come, vvhen Hoſea thus prophecied thereof.
Novv the firſt chapter having theſe types and prophecies, vve may obſerue†Hoſ. 2. ch. the ſecond chapter accordingly to hauehave the application thereof eſpecially of the laſt of them, to the eſtate of Iſrael. In the former part of vvhichwhich chapter there is a denunciation, of the rejection of Iſraell, and of caſting of them out of the land, vvith other afflictions accompanying the ſame: becauſe of their ſpirituall adulterie and idolatrie. Which is ſet downe by ſimilitude of the divorce of an adultereſſe woman (ſo to call it, as‡Piſ…ator. Anal. …n Hoſ 2, &c. ſome vvriters doe:) a divorce, I ſay, vvhereby an adultereſſe is put out of her husbands houſe, and deprived of the benefits which formerly she enjoyed therein: vvhereof many particulars be here mentioned: as novv by the Prophet they vvere threatned againſt them.
So then the wife of whoredomes (ſpoken of chap. 1, 2.) is the Congregation of Iſrael, the mother (ſpoken of chap. 2.2. to vvhom the Lord vvould not novv be an huſband to protect her, becauſe she vvas not a loyall wife but*… played the harlot. Thus now she is a wife, and not a vvife. She is vvife, but a wife of whoredomes, Hoſ. 1, 2. She is not a vvife, that doth de…eane her ſelf loyally as she should, but hath her adulteries between her …reſts. Hoſ. 2, 2.
To vvhichwhich purpoſe alſo may be obſerved, that the Lord vouchſafeth …et*Hoſ. 2, 2. to plead with her, as vvith”Ch. 1, 2. a wife of whoredomes; to exhort and require …er to‡Ch. 2, 2. put away her whoredomes out of her ſight, &c. to threaten her (as he did Iudah alſo) that els‘v. 3, &c. he vvil ſtrip her naked, *Ezec. 23, 25, 26, 29, &c.and ſet her as in the day that ſhee was …orne, that is, depriue her wholly of her ornaments and bleſſings (ſo then they vvere not yet all taken avvay:) and that he would bring her into as miſerable eſtate, as when she was in bondage in Egypt: at which time, in the midſt of all her miſerie, he took pitty on her, and made her his vvife: and endewed her with many excellent gifts and bleſſings; and brought her into the land of Canaan, and into his houſe and dvvelling place: Out of which now he would thruſt her againe, and depriue her of all his mercies and bleſſings there enjoyed. Hoſ. 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. with Ezec. 16, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. &c. Now this being but threatned here, vvas not yet performed▪ And difference is to be put betvveen a threatning (as here is made) & the performance or execution thereof: which followed after. As we hauehave …hewed here before, out of the hiſtorie: 2 King. 17 chap. Els men might al… think that Iudah was not the wife of God, nor he her husband, in Ezechiels time: by whom the Lord calleth her an harlot, and more corrupt in whoredomes then Iſraell, and threatneth againſt her (as here he doth by Hoſeah againſt Iſraell) that he will ſtrip her out of her clothes & take away her faire jevvels, and leaue her naked and bare: &c. Ezec. 16, 35-59. …d 23, 4, 11, 26, 29, 36, 44, 45. with Hoſ. 1, 2. and 2, 2, 3. Or if we should here underſtand it otherwiſe, yet this ſtil is evident, that the Prophet“Hoſ. 1, 9. vvith ch. 2 & 3, & 9, &c. firſt ſpeaketh of the birth of Lo-ammi (not my people) Hoſ. 1, 9. afore he ſaith, Plead with your mother, that ſhe is not my wife, nor I her huſband; that ſhe put away her whoredomes, leaſt I ſtrip her naked, &c. Hoſ. 2, 2, 3. &c. And both by the prophecy & hiſtorie appeareth (as is shewed before) that the time & eſtate of this Lo-ammi, was yet to come: it typing out that time and calamitie of theirs, vvhen the Lord droue them out of his houſe, and caſt them out of his land, and gaue them up into the hands of Salmanaſſer and Eſar…addon kings of Aſſyria, when now their kingdome was quite over…rowne, and themſelues captived and caryed away out of Canaan (the …and of promiſe) into the polluted lands of the heathen nations, &c. So as …is then toucheth not the queſtion it ſelf, which is concerning the eſtate of Iſraell, vvhiles they remayned in the land, being now fallen into defe…on, as is aforeſaid.
Some (I knovv) there are, who take it, that”Hierom. Zanchius, Mercerus, &c. on Hoſ. 1. &c. by Iezreel (the firſt childe …re ſpoken off) is meant, the captivitie brought upon part of the tenne …bes, by Tiglath Pileſer aforeſaid: and by Lo-ruhamah (the ſecond child) …e captivitie of all the ten tribes by Salmanaſſer: and by Lo-ammi (the …ird child) that eſtate of theirs, when being thus punished, and not yet …enting, they vvere in the end rejected from being the people of God, and accounted as the Gentiles, among vvhom they vvere vvanderers. Or that ‡ by Jezreel (the firſt child) was meant the captivitie of the ten tribes by Salmanaſſar aforeſaid, vvhen they vvere caried out of their land, and diſperſed among the nations: and by Lo-ruchamah, their eſtate afterwaad in captivitie, when they found not mercy vvith the Lord, vvhichwhich yet he would hauehave shewed unto them, if they had repented & turned unto him: and by Lo-ammi, that time and eſtate of theirs, when after all the former punishments, and forbearance of the Lord, they not yet repenting, vvere novv no longer accounted his people, but rejected and eſteemed as the heathen: And accordingly they make this ſecond chapter (vvhereabout vve treat) an explication of that vvhichwhich went before in the firſt chapter: And ſo apply it now alſo to the eſtate of the Ievves generally, ſince their refuſall of Chriſt and his Goſpell. Which then is the more againſt theſe men: and ſtil shevveth that this perteynes not to the queſtion in controverſy, concerning Iſraels eſtate, before their diſperſion, vvhiles yet they were in the land of Canaan, & not made wanderers among the Gentiles.
Novv to come to ſuch things, as follow after in this prophecy; I could here at firſt inſiſt upon the very next vvords, in†Hoſ. 2, 2.3. &c. this verſe, and the verſes follovving: let her therefore put away her whoredomes out of her ſight, leaſt I ſtrip her naked, and ſet her as in the day that shee was borne, &c. Which plainely sheweth, that she vvas not yet brought to this paſſe, but was thus threatned, to bring her to repentance, or leaue her the more vvithout excuſe: as in ſuch pleading & dealing is commonly uſed: like as I noted here before touching Iudah alſo, out of Ezec. 16, and 20, and 23 chap. I could moreover out of this chapter it ſelf, compare vvith”Hoſ. 2.2, vvith v. 13 &. 16. this verſe, that vvhichwhich is vvritten in the 13 & 16 verſes follovving. vvhere it is ſaid, I wil viſit upon her the dayes of Baalim, &c. Hoſ. 2, 13. And it shalbe at that day, ſayth the Lord, that thou shalt … me Isht, and shalt call me no more Baali. For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembred by their name. Hoſ. 2, 16, 17. & ſo comparing theſe together, leaue it to the Reader, to conſider whether the meaning here may not be this (agreeable to ſome things aforeſaid:) Plead vvith your mother, that she is not Ishti, my vvife, and that I am not Isha, her huſband: becauſe she calleth me not Ishi, my huſband, that is, doeth not vvorship me ſynceerly vvithout mixture of Idolatry, as she should, and as I her huſband hauehave appointed her to doe: but calleth me Baali, my Lord, that is,*Like as novv the Papiſts vvorship God in & by their images, &c. worshippeth me as her Lord or husband in and by Baal, and ſuch like Idols, &c From vvhichwhich hovv ever she vvill not be dravvn, vvhiles she remayneth i… this eſtate: yet I shall hereafter cauſe her to leaue it, and to cleaue unto me and ſerue me in ſincerity, when I shall by corrections and by my vvord and ſpirit bring her to repentance and amendement. Hoſ. 2, 2. vvi… ver. 13 — 16. &c. Where note, that the vvord Baali is in it ſelf”…xo. 21, 3 De…. 24.4. 2 …. 21, 26 (vvhere …th Jo… and Baal is …ſed to note out the … and) … 3….23. … 8. a good terme (ſignifying my Lord, or, my huſband:) but becauſe it vvas a vvord, not kep… peculiar to husbands, but made common to Idols, unto vvhichwhich it vvas applie I and abuſed in Idolatrie, therefore vvould not the Lord ſo be called nor ſo be vvorshipped vvith a mixt and adulterate kind of ſervice and …orship, &c. Neyther doeth the Lord blame & punish this onelyonly in Iſ…ell, but in Iudah alſo, and all the tribes together: who vvere likevviſe …uilty of the ſame tranſgreſſion, of vvorshipping Baal, as Iſraell was. As …ay be ſeen throughout the Scriptures: Iud. 2, 13. and 8, 33. 2 King. 21, 3. … Chron. 24, 7. and 28, 2. Ier. 2, 2, 8, 23. and 7, 9. and 9, 14. and 11, 13, 17. and 19, 5. …d 23, 13, 27. and 32, 29, 35. Zeph. 1, 4. Of theſe things (as I ſaid) I could in…ſt: but I vvill proceed to other things following in this Prophecie.
And here firſt obſerue†Hoſ. 3 ch. the next chapter, & therein the very next pro…hecie of Hoſeah, following after the other aforeſaid. Where the Lord …ovv again giving another type, ſaid unto him,*v. 1, &c. Goe yet, louelove a vvoman (be…ved of her ”Or, huſband, as it is trāſlated Ier. 3, 20.friend, yet an adultereſse) according to the louelove of the Lord tovvard the …ildren of Iſraell, who look to other Gods, and louelove flagons of vvine. &c. Where eve… ſentence of the prophecie is a convictiō of their manifold errors. The …ord had before ſaid to Hoſeah,“Hoſ. 1, 2, &c. Goe, take a wife of vvhoredomes, &c. ch. 1. … 2. Now after that vvhereof he ſpake both in the firſt & ſecond chapter, he ſaith unto him again, Goe yet, notvvithſtanding that thou haſt done before, in taking a vvife of vvhoredomes &c. Goe yet, I ſay, and louelove a vvo…n beloved of her huſband, yet an adultereſſe. &c. And vvho novv is typed out by this vvoman? The Lord himſelf shevveth, it is the children of Iſraell. And vvho is this friend or husband, that loveth this vvoman. He ſaith expreſſely …s the Lord that loveth the children of Iſrael? What alſo is this vvomans adulterie? He, shevveth it likevviſe as plainly to be Iſraels looking to other Gods, and loving flagons of wine; that is, intentiuely vvorshipping idols, & delightfully frequenting†Exo. 32, 5, 6. vvith 1 Cor. 10, 7. Num. 25 2. vvith Pſal. 106, 28. the banketting feaſts, that vvere kept in honour of thoſe their Idols. And hovv very evident novv are all theſe particulars?
If then the Prophet did in deed meane before, that Iſraell (being yet … the land of Canaan) was not any way to be eſteemed the Lords vvife, …r he her husband: hovv then ſaith he here, that she is yet beloved of …e Lord, being an idolatreſſe, as the woman that is loved of her husband …ing an adultereſſe? May we think that the Prophet contradicteth him…f, as theſe men uſually doe thēſelues? God forbid. Or doeth this type …ntradict the former, where she is called‡Hoſ. 1, 2. a vvife of whoredomes? Or doth … contradict the Prophet Ieremie, vvho alſo ſpeaking of Iſraels idola…us defection from the Lord, ſaith thus,”Jer. 3, 20 Surely as a wife tretcherouſly de…teth from her †Hebr. frend.huſband: ſo hauehave you dealt tretcherouſly with me, O houſe of Iſrael, … the Lord. Jer. 3, 20.
Why alſo doth the Prophet in this ſame chapter (when again he threat…th their exile) ſpeak of it in the time to come, ſaying,‡Hoſ. 3, 4. The children of Iſ… shall abide many daies without a King, and vvithout a prince, and vvithout a ſacri… and vvithout an image, and vvithout an Ephod, and vvithout Teraphim. &c. Why …th he not in the preſent time, The children of Iſrael doe novv ſit without a …, and vvithout a ſacrifice, &c. but that novv he denounced what vvas yet …come, & did not declare what vvas upon them already in this behalf? … as yet they had their king, and their ſacrifices, ſtatutes, and Tera…m, &c. and ſo had yet in their ovvne land, among themſelues, the face of a church and common vvealth: though adulterate and corrupt. Hoſ. 3, 4. vvith 1, 1. and 9, 3. and 2 King. 14, 23.24. and 15, 8, 9, 17, 18, 24, 27, 28. and 17.1, 2. Yea,*Zachariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekachiah, Pekah, Hoshea. ſix kings reigned in Iſrael, after Ieroboam the ſonne of Ioash in vvhoſe dayes Hoſeah prophecied. Hoſ. 1, 1. vvith 2 King. 14, 29. and 15, 8. 13, 16, 23, 27, 30. But the time vvas now a comming (as here he threatneth) vvhen they should be†Hoſ. 9, 3.12, 15, 17. driuen out of the Lords land, houſe, and preſence, and be“Eſa. 7, 8. ſo broken, as they should not novv be a people; but”Hoſ. 3, 4. ceaſe to hauehave their owne politie and kingdome, as hitherto they had enjoyed it in their ovvne land. Which accordingly came to paſſe afterward. 2 King. 17 ch. Finally note here (by this occaſion) whether the latter part of the third verſe of this chapter, may not be tranſlated thus, Thou shalt not be for an other man, neyther alſo vvill I be for thee (or, vvith thee:)†…dler. … repeating the negatiue particle in the latter clauſe: as al interpreters uſually doe, in Pſa. 9, 18. or (as ſome tranſlations hauehave it) ver. 19. Which then alſo will hauehave his vvaight for the matter in hand. And the more, conſidering that the Lord othervvhere in this prophecy denounceth this Woe againſt them, ſaying Woe unto them, vvhen I depart from them, Hoſ. 9, 12. And hitherto of this Chapter, and the type conteyned therein: vvhichwhich about this queſtion is much to be obſerved.
Leaue we novv this chapter, and come to the other following, we find therein that this Prophet himſelf doeth ſtill afterward throughout his prophecie ſtile them“My people. which sheweth that the other (of Loammi Hoſ 1, 9.) was a prophecy, & not yet performd. Ammi, & acknowledge them yet ſtil to be the people of the Lord, and the Lord to be their God, applying unto them the terme of the covenant, & from thence deducing ſundry arguments of reproof and exhortation: according as his calling and their eſtate required: A namely about their idolatrous worship; marying vvith ſtraungers; ſeeking unto th… Aſſyrians and Egyptians, &c. Of which (becauſe I hauehave ſpoken †here befor… and shall hauehave occaſion hereafter to note ſome things againe out of thi… Prophet) I will not now therefore inſiſt upon the particulars: but onel… refer the reader to theſe and the like places in this prophecy: to be compared alſo vvith the like in other of the Prophets:‘Pag. 61, 62, 63. viz. Hoſ. 4, 6, 8, 12. and … 4, 6, 7, 13. and 6, 4, 5, 6, 7. and 7, 8, 10, 11. and 8, 1, 8, 9, 11, 12. and 9, 3, 15. and 11… 7. and 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 14. and 13, 4, 5, 11, 13, 16. and 14, 1. And thus much her of things to be obſerved out of this prophecy it ſelf.
Now if we compare herewith, the hiſtorie and other Prophets, muc… more light vvill yet appeare hereabout. The hiſtorie ſpeaking of B… sha (the third king from Jeroboam the ſonne of Nehat) noteth hovv the wo… of the Lord came to Iehu the ſonne of Hanani againſt Baasha, ſaying”1 King. 16, 1, 2. Foraſmuch as I hauehave exalted thee out of the duſt, and made thee prince over my peop… Iſraell, and thou haſt vvalked in the vvay of Ieroboam, and haſt made my people Iſrael ſinne, &c. 1 Kin. 16, 1, 2. Which sheweth that the Lord now accounted I… raell to be his people. As we hauehave the like,”2 King. 9.6. in the Lords ſpeach to Ie… (the tenth king of Iſraell after Ieroboam:) to whom the Prophet annoi… ting him ſaid, Thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſraell, I hauehave annoynted thee king or the people of the Lord, euen over Iſraell. 2 King. 9, 6. Of which I hauehave ſpoke here‘P. 58. &c before more particularly. And moſt of all in the hiſtorie of Johoa…z and Joash (the eleuenth and twelfth kings after Ieroboam) vvhere it … recorded, that vvhen Hazael king of Syria had oppreſſed Iſraell all the …ayes of Iehoahaz,‡2 Kin. 13 23. the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compaſſion on them, …nd had reſpect unto them, becauſe of his covenant with Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, and …ould not deſtroy them, neyther caſt he them from his preſence as yet. 2 Kin. 13, 23. By which againe it appeareth that yet they vvere ſtill accounted the Lords …eople and he their God; who (notwithſtanding their ſinnes deſerved otherwiſe, yet) was gracious unto them becauſe of his covenant, and had not …aſt them from his preſence as yet. Of vvhichwhich alſo I hauehave ſpoken before. But …heſe things are of ſuch waight & uſe about the queſtions in controver…e, as we cannot ynough obſerue and regard them, as we should: and in reſpect whereof I may wel omit other things that might be obſerved …ut of the hiſtorie hereabout.
For the Prophets; Amos, who prophecied as Hoſeah did, in the …ayes of Ieroboam the ſonne of Ioash (the thirteenth king from the other Ioroboam aforeſaid) sheweth the ſame things both for mercy and …udgment to Iſrael throughout his prophecy: and in the ſeuenth & eight chapters, under types & ſimilitudes; other then thoſe which Hoſeah had,Amo. 7 ch. …ut tending to one and the ſame end. As when,‘ver. 1, & 2. by graſſehoppers formed by the Lord, he noteth out famine, or more eaſie incurſions of enemies, to …ome upon them. Amos 7, 1, 2. And“vst. 4. by the Lords calling to contend by fire, figureth out greater and heavier punishments; as the great troubles and …aughters among themſelues; and the ſore vvarres and calamities that …hould come upon them by forreine enemies, as by Tiglath-pileſer, &c. Amo. 7.4, 5, 6. The‡Amos 7, 2 — 6. mitigation of both vvhichwhich judgments (that they were …ot waſted up by them) Amos obteyneth of the Lord by prayer: where…n he uſeth reaſons reſpecting the covenant and mercy of the Lord: Of …hich ſee before, pag. 63. And laſtly,”Amo. 7, 7, 8. by the Lords ſtanding upon a wall try… by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand, &*Chap. 8, 1, 2. by a basket of Summer fruit, &c. …oresheweth the deſtruction of the kingdome of Iſraell, the end & over…hrovv of their eſtate both eccleſiaſticall & civill: vvhen the Lord would …are them no longer, nor paſſe them over any more, but deliver them in…o the hands of the‡Salmanaſſar, & Eſar-Haddon. 2 Kin. 17. Ezr. 4, 2. kings of Aſſyria, to be ruinated, waſted, and caryed …way out of their owne land, &c. Amo. 7, 7, 8, 9, 11, 17. Which how fitly & …irectly it agreeth with the prophecy & types of Hoſeah, mentioned be…ore, and vvith the hiſtorie it ſelf, I need not ſtand here to declare, having … lately ſpoken thereof.
OnelyOnly by the way let me vvish the Reader here to obſerue, how the …ord hath a plumbline in his hand, which when he ſet in the midſt of his …eople Iſraell, trying out theit uneuenes and incorrigible iniquitie, he …ould not then paſſe by them any more, but overthrew their eſtate, and …rought upon them their deſerved punishment: like as a”Amo. 7, 7, 8. vvith Pſal. 62, 3. Eſa. 30, 13. vvall that be…g tryed by a plumbline, & found to be uneuen, bovved, & ſwolne with …reaches that cannot be amended, is therefore overturned and throvvne dovvne. Thus teaching all Churches and people, to be carefull in time to redreſſe their erroneous and ſinfull vvayes and courſes, and in all things to conforme themſelues and their eſtate according to the word of God, leaſt otherwiſe the Lord comming to take the plumbline in his hand, and finding their eſtate to be uneuen and incorrigible, he then ſpare them no longer, but bring upon them condigne punishment: as he dealt of old vvith his people Iſraell, and ſince hath done the like with divers chriſtian Churches from time to time.
But to returne to the point in hand, the Prophet Eſay maketh the matter yet more playne, when (prophecying in the dayes of Ahaz, as Hoſeah alſo did) he limiteth the time expreſſely from that day forward, ſaying: Within threeſcore and fiue yeres, shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. Eſa. 7, 1, 8. with Hoſ. 1, 1, 9. and 3, 4. and with Deut. 32, 21. So yet then it was not done. Which Hoſeah alſo often shewed, both by the types before ſpoken off; & more expreſſely, when ſpeaking of Iſrael, he ſaith in plain termes, ſpeaking of the time yet to come,”Hoſ. 9, 17. My God will caſt them avvay, becauſe they did not hearken unto him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations. Where, there is a denunciation of exile & rejecting of them by the Lord; as had ben before in the firſt, ſecond, and third chapters of this Prophecy: So plainly ſignifying, that as yet it vvas not done: ſeing that yet they were not caſt away by the Lord, nor made wanderers among the nations: but were yet ſtill dwelling in the Lords land, vvhere and when Hoſeah thus prophecyed unto them.
Which is made evident yet further, vvhen the Prophet in the ſame chapter threatneth alſo for time to come, ſaying,”Hoſ. 9, 3. They shall not dwell in the Lords land; but Ephraim shall returne to Egypt, and they shall eat uncleane things in Aſſyria, &c. And,†ver. 12. Woe unto them, vvhen I depart from them. And moreover again,‡ver. 15. For the vvickednes of their doings I vvill driue them out of myne houſe; I wil louelove them no more. So then hitherto the Lord had loved them, and was not departed from them, but shewed compaſſion upon them, and kept them in his ovvn land, as in his houſe and preſence, & had not yet driuen them from thence to be vvanderers in other lands: &c. Which when the Lord afterward brought upon them, then was the bill of divorce giuen, whereof‡Ier. 3, 8. Ieremie ſpeaketh: vvhichwhich was alſo thus foretold by Hoſeah and the other Prophets, as is aforeſaid.
But what is this to the point of the queſtion in hand, vvhichwhich is not touching the condition aftervvard; but concerning their circumciſion & eſtate, from the time af Ieroboams apoſtaſie, whiles they were yet in the kind, as in the Lords houſe and preſence: and ſo in deed, before the bill of divorce was giuen them, and they caſt out of the Lords houſe and preſence? In vvhichwhich time, how graciouſly the Lord dealt with them, and reſpected his covenant towards thē; & how the Prophets eſteemed them, and dealt vvith them, as vvith the people of God, the Scripture every where shevveth, as we hauehave here before ſpecified. Which how theſe men vvill ever make to accord vvith their aſſertions, let the time manifeſt, and ſuch as are judicious obſerue.
And novv that I am here ſpeaking of the Prophets, I could alſo note out of Ezekiel, how the Lord bade him lye on his ſide,Ezec. 4, 4, 5, 6.. and beare the iniquitie of Iſraell three hundred and ninety dayes: that is (reckning a day for a yere) 390 yeres: the Lord ſo noting out his long ſufferance and bearing with his people, notwithſtanding their idolatrie, before he caſt them off. Ezec. 4, 4, 5, 6. But hovv should this be verifyed, if the Lord himſelf brake covenant with them and caſt them off, vvhen they fell into Idolatry, vvith Ieroboam the ſonne of Nebat? Nay, ſeeing theſe yeres of Gods long ſufferance began with Ieroboams reigne and falling into apoſtaſie, (as‘Mr. Brought. Conſent of Scripture. ſome reckon them) or about the ſeuen and tvventieth yere of Salomons reigne, when he declined to idolatrie, 1 Kin. 11.4 (as”M. Junius annot. Ezec. 4, 4, 5. others think) and ended with the laſt captivitie and carying avvay of the Iewes by Nebuchadnezer: this doth directly confirme the particulars, vvhichwhich I hauehave here before alledged againſt the objections aforeſaid. Beſides that this ſame Prophet,‘Ezec. 16, and 23 ch. othervvhere sheweth (as I hauehave noted‡Pag. 74, &c. here before) that Iudah by her idolatrie and iniquitie, juſtified her ſiſter Iſrael. So as if by their idolatrie, the covenant vvas alſo broken on Gods part, and circumciſion among them become a lying ſigne and deteſtable ſacrament: then muſt it likewiſe be in Iudah: And vvhere then was the Church of God, and his ordinance of circumciſion, if it was neyther with Iſraell nor Iudah? But Ieremy ſaith, that Iſrael was not forſaken, nor Iudah of his God, of the Lord of hoſts, though their land was filled with ſinne againſt the holy one of Iſrael. And Hoſeah (no doubt) contradicteth not the other Prophets. So as then vve muſt ſtill remember, to diſtinguish betvveene the breach of the covenant on the peoples part, together with the ſpeaches of the Prophets that are ſpoken in that reſpect: and between the breaking & regarding of the covenant on the Lords part, and the things ſpoken by the Prophets in that behalf. When Iſraell played the harlot, and brake the covenant on their part, yet the Lord bare vvith them a long time, & shewed compaſſion upon them, reſpecting the covenant on his owne part, which he in mercy had made with thē: as novv we hauehave ſeen out of the hiſtorie & Prophets aforeſaid.
It is alſo a commō thing vvith the Prophets to ſpeak of things to come as if they vvere already done, becauſe of the certainty of the fulfilling of them accordingly. As when Hoſeah ſaith,‡Hoſ. 8, 8. Iſraell is ſwallowed up, now †Meaning they shall be. As the Tranſlations hauehave it uſually.they hauehave ben (or are) among the Gentiles, as a veſſell wherein is no pleaſure: vvhen as yet they dwelt in the Lords land, uncaſt out from thence: as he shevveth in the next chapter, and throughout his prophecie. Hoſ. 9, 3, 11, 12, 13, &c.
Hoſeah moreover was one of the laſt Prophets, that prophecyed to Iſraell before their finall captivitie: and continued prophecying from the dayes of Vzziah, unto the raigne of Hezekiah; in the ſixt yere of whoſe raigne, Iſraell vvas captived by Salmanaſſar king of Aſſyria: So he might now vvell ſpeak of things as already done, which vvere ſo shortly & certainly to be fulfilled. And namely, of the things ſignified by the children aforeſaid, ſucceding one after another, Jezreel, Lo-ruchamah, Lo-ammi. With the laſt vvhereof (Lo-ammi, not my people) may that alſo agree, that she is not my wife, nor I her huſband. Hoſ. 2, 2. with 1, 9. Yet himſelf that in the firſt chapter thus foresheweth their eſtate, by the child named Lo-ammi, not my people: doth notvvithſtanding afterward ſtil cal thē Ammi, my people, throughout his Prophecie; ſo teaching us hovv to eſteem to them, until that was performed in deed, vvhichwhich was thus foreshevved in figure. And again the Lord that by the Prophet ſaith in the ſecond Chapter, Plead with your mother, that she is not my wife, nor I her huſband; doth aftervvard in the third chapter ſay to the ſame Prophet, Goe yet, louelove a woman (beloved of her ‡Or, huſband.frend, yet an adultereſſe) according to the louelove of the Lord toward the children of Iſraell, who look to other Gods, and louelove flagons of wine. &c. And many the like might be shevved out of this and the other Prophets. In all vvhichwhich vve muſt alway be carefull ſo to underſtand the Prophets (if vve will underſtand them aright) as one place may agree with another, & not imply contradictions. For they neither contradict themſelues, nor one another. And it hath alwaies ben a ſpeciall fountaine of error and hereſie, to take hold of the ſound or letter of ſome words in ſome places, without conferring them vvith other Scriptures, or having regard to the circumſtances of the place it ſelf, not ſo much as reſpecting vvhat goeth before, or followeth after, or the like.
Finally, the Chaldee Paraphraſe thus expoundeth that vvhichwhich is writtē in Hoſ. 2, 2.”Ionathae Chald. paraphr. in Hoſ. 2, 1. Rebuke the congregation of Iſraell, and ſay unto her, that ſhe ſubmitteth not her ſelf to my worship, therefore neither doeth ‡Chriſt. So this Paraphraſt often speaketh.my word accept of her prayers: untill ſhe ſhall remoue her evil works out of her ſight, and the worship which ſhee yeeldeth to idols out of the mids of her cities. Thus hath the Chaldee Paraphraſe. Where marke if their expoſition do not agree with the things aforeſaid, & lead us ſo to underſtand this Scripture, as if it were ſaid, Plead with your mother, that ſhe is not my wife, nor I her huſband: that is, that she doth not demeane & cary her ſelf as becometh my vvife, in that she ſubmitteth not unto my vvorship, vvhichwhich I hauehave appointed her: therefore neither doe I shevv my ſelf tovvards her as her husband, to receiue her requeſts in the time of her need, and accordingly to ſuccour and protect her, &c. And it is not unknovvne among men, that ſometimes ſuch things and ſpeaches fal out between maried perſons, when yet notvvithſtanding they remayne ſtill man and wife together, untill there be a divorce and forſaking one of another. Neyther are ſuch maner of phraſes (in other caſes) unuſuall in the Scriptures, and common ſpeaches of men. Ioh. 8, 39. Iob 17, 14. Pro. 7, 4. and 12, 4. Ier. 2, 27. Eſa. 1, 10, 21. and 57, 3, 4. Ezech. 16, 3, 35, 44. &c. And note withall that the caſe both of all the tribes (vvhen they vvere together) & afterward of Iudah alſo was often ſuch (as the Chaldee paraphraſe here ſpeaketh) that they ſubmitted not to the vvorship of God, but followed idols & other Gods: vvhereupon the Lord many times refuſed to heare their prayers, and to protect them, as formerly he had done: and gaue them up into their enemies hand, time after time. Iud. 2, 12. &c. 2 Chro. 28, and 33 ch. Jer. 2, 13. and 7, 15, 16. and 11, 13, 14. and 14, 10, 11, 12. Eſa. 57, 3 — 8. & …5, 2 — 7. Zach. 7, 12, 13, 14. Yet vvere they ſtill the Lords vvife and people, and he their God and husband: as I think theſe men themſelues will not deny. And divers”Calvin, Danaeus, &c. in Hoſ. 2, 2. good interpreters expounding this Scripture, doe ſo underſtand it, as thinking it agreeth with that which is writtē in Eſa. 50, 1. (where the Prophet ſpeaketh of Iudah, to vvhom the Lord had not giuen a bill of divorce) And vvith Ezec. 16 ch. ſpoken of before. And‘Danaeus, ibid. ſome of them alſo compare it vvith Ier. 3, 8. vvhichwhich ſpeaketh of Iſrael, vvhen they vvere out of the land of Canaan, and giuen into the hands of the Aſſyrians, &c. Whereof I hauehave treated here before more particularly.
To conclude then, by that which hath ben ſaid may appeare, how in this‘Hoſ. 2 ch. chapter there is a further explication & application of‡Both for the judgemēts threatned & mercies promiſed. things ſpoken of in the former chapter; and that the ſeveral names, & times of the birth of the children (”Hoſ. 1, 4.6, 9. there ſpoken of) follovving one after another by degrees, and being giuen as types unto Iſraell, doe neceſſarily shevv, that this people came not to be‡Not the Lords people. Lo-ammi, when Ieroboam the ſonne of Nebat ſet up the calues, and Iſraell fell into idolatrie vvith him, but a long time aftervvard, as hath ben shevved before: Moreover, that when”Hoſ. 1, 4. with v. 6, and 9. Jezreel vvas borne of Gomer the harlot (noting the avenging of the blood of Iezreel upon the houſe of Iehu, vvhichwhich was about tvvo hundred yeres after Ieroboams apoſtaſie) then Iſraell yet vvas Ruchamah, and Ammi ſtill: And finally, that vvhen Iſraell, for their continuance in ſinne, came to be‡Hoſ. 1, 6 with ver. 8 & 9. Lo-ruchamah, unpittied, or not obteyning mercy (ſome of the tribes and cities being delivered up into the hands of Tiglath Pileſer, &c.) yet vvere they Ammi ſtill: and ſo continued untill the birth of the next child, when Gomer brought out”Hoſ. 1, 8.9. Loammi, not my people: vvhenas Iſrael was caryed away by Salmanaſſer out of the Lords land, driuen out of the Lords houſe, caſt avvay by the Lord out of his preſence, and made vvanderers among the heathen nations. As hath ben shevved heretofore out of the Prophets and hiſtorie, compared together.
And hitherto of this Scripture, in Hoſ. 2, 2. and of the things that goe before and follovv after in the ſame Prophecie,*2 King, 17. &c. & the like in other Scriptures, concerning the queſtion in hand. Of which I hauehave ſpoken the more largely: deſiring that the right and true meaning of this and the other Prophets in theſe things may be found out, and rightly obſerved. Which novv (both for my ſelf and others) I leaue to further conſideration: hoping that the right diſcerning and diſtinguishing of the things aforeſaid, vvill giuegive us great light, both to direct us hovv to eſteem of churches in apoſtaſie, and to keep us from the aberrations that are now ſo common, both on the right hand and on the left: whiles ſome regard not the defection or corruptions of Churches, as they should, and others by reaſon thereof would preſently and utterly make a nullitie of ſuch Churches, or of the ordinances of God, yet remayning (though corrupted) therein.