A Christian Plea, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3 · Objection 4 · Exegesis 4
Touching Hoſ. 13.1.
The next Scripture here alledged, is out of the ſame Prophet, Hoſ. 13, 1. vvhere the vvords are theſe,Hoſ. 13, 1. When Ephraim spake, trembling, he exalted himſelf (or, ſtirred it up) in Iſraell, but when he offended in Baal, he dyed. Of the diverſity of the tranſlation, and application of theſe vvords, I vvil not inſiſt. OnelyOnly for the point in hand, obſerue theſe things.
Firſt, that the ſame terme and phraſe is uſed by Chriſt, ſpeaking of the church of Sardis: when he ſaith to Iohn, VntoUnto the Angell of the church in Sardis write, Theſe things ſaith he that hath the ſeuen ſpirits of God, and the ſeuen ſtarres: I know thy vvorks, that thou haſt a name that thou liveſt, and art dead. Rev. 3, 1. Should we novv infer hereupon (as this man here doth upon the like phraſe in the Prophets touching Iſraell) that therefore baptiſme, and the other ordinances of God had in the church of Sardis, vvere but in ſhew reteyned therein, and could not be unto them the ſignes and ſeales of forgiuenes of ſinnes, and of life eternall: and therefore vvere in their uſe of them, falſe and deceitful: as vvere the ordinances (as he ſaith) of God, reteined among the Gentiles? Would any man of heart and underſtanding, endure ſuch blaſphemie? Saith not the Scripture, that the church of Sardis, vvas one of the ſeuen golden candleſticks shewed unto Iohn? And doth not Chriſt our Lord (who hath the ſeuen ſpirits of God, & vvhoſe eyes are as a flame of fire) accordingly approue it ſo to be? Rev. 1, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, 20. with 3, 1, &c. Far rather will I, with Chriſt & his Apoſtle, eſteem it to be dead in ſome reſpect, & yet acknowledge it a golden Candleſtick, and true Church of God in other reſpect: then gather ſuch maner of conſequences, as this man uſually doth upon any ſuch phraſes, that he meteth vvithall. And this is the more to be mynded touching this doctrine of his, becauſe himſelf in the ſame treatiſe affirmeth, that‘Animad. pag. 103. our reaſons from Iſraell are impertinent to the eſtate of Rome (there ſpoken off) but might vvell ſerue for the times vvherein Iohn lived, vvhen the true ”Rev. 2, and 3 cha.Churches vvere many of them apoſtate. Where alſo he citeth in the margent, Rev. 2 and 3 chapters: and ſo this Church of Sardis for one. Where I might note againe his contradicting of himſelf, and his manifold errors in divers reſpects, if I vvould here ſtand thereupon. For if the eſtate of apoſtate Iſraell, may vvel ſerue the times of Iohn, when the true churches (ſpoken off in the Revelation, ch. 2, and 3.) vvere many of them apoſtate: then it cannot be that the eſtate and ordinances of God had in Iſraell should be ſuch, as‡Animad. p. 70 &c. in this other place, and throughout his treatiſe he would beare us in hand: Thē alſo should Iſrael be a true church, though in apoſtaſie: as here himſelf calleth thoſe churches in the Revelation, apoſtate, and yet true churches: Which by vvord and vvriting othervvhere he ſtill oppugneth. That vvhichwhich concerneth the church of Rome, may be touched othervvhere. In the meane time, we hauehave now ynough from theſe men themſelues, ſeeing the church of Sardis, vvhichwhich they ſay was apoſtate, and Chriſt ſaith vvas dead, is by themſelues acknowledged to be a true church, & by the Scriptures approved for a golden candleſtick. So al their pretences and oppoſitions vanish into ſmoke.
Secondly, for the place of Hoſeah it ſelf, if it be underſtood, as (by putting a vvord to the text) here they expound it, of death in ſinne: yet let it be vvell conſidered, vvhether it will therefore follow, that circumciſion now in Iſrael was not the Lords ſigne, & his ſeale of forgiuenes of ſinne, but a falſe and deceitfull ſigne in their uſe thereof, and no better then the ordinances of the heathen. The Scripture sheweth, how vvhen one being called of Chriſt to follow him, requeſted, ſaying,‘Luke. 9, 59, 60. Lord ſuffer me firſt to goe and bury my father: Chriſt ſaid unto him again, Let the dead bury the dead: but goe thou and preach the kingdome of God: meaning, Let the dead ſpiritually bury thoſe that are dead bodily. Shall we novv therefore hereupon gather, that the circumciſion then had among the Iewes, vvas a falſe & deceitful ſigne in their uſe thereof, and not the Lords ſeale of forgiuenes of ſinne, and eternall life? Alſo vvhen Paul, ſpeaking of widovves in the Church, ſaith,“1 Tim. 1 3, 5, 6. Honour widowes that are vvidowes in deed, &c. Now ſhe that is a widow in deed, and deſolate, truſteth in God, and continueth in ſupplications & prayers night and day: But she that liveth in pleaſure, is dead while ſhe liveth. Meaning, she that liveth the naturall life, but is dead vvith spiritual death. May we now infer hereupon, that the baptiſme had in the church of Epheſus (where Timothee thus vvritten unto,“1 Tim. 1, 3. now was) or in any other of the Primitiue churches, wherein ſuch widowes were, was not the Lords ſigne of the remiſſion of ſinnes and eternall life, but a lying & execrable ſigne in their uſe thereof, and no better then the heathens baptiſme, or other obſervations of theirs? Shall the infidelitie of man make Gods trueth of none effect? Shall not God be true, though men be lyars? Shal not his ſignes & ſeales ſtill be his true and holy ordinances, though eyther Churches generally, or ſome particular perſons that enjoy them, walk unworthy of them, abuſe and corrupt both them and themſelues? If ſome among this people that write shus, yea if the Congregation it ſelf, vvherof theſe men themſelues are, should be dead in ſinne (having*Rom. 16.17. Gal. 5, 19, 20. Heb. 10, 25 Iude v. 19. offended & ſcandalouſly divided themſelues from the church whereof they vvere, as†Arrow againſt idolatrie. p. 4, 71. &c. they acknovvledge that Iſraell did from Iudah, notwithſtanding all their pretences to the contrary:) will they therefore yeeld, that the baptiſme had among them, is not the Lords ordinance, nor his ſigne & ſeale of forgiuenes of ſinne, and of eternall life, but a lying and deceitfull ſigne in their uſe thereof, and no better then the heathens ordinances? Or if ſome in any Churches, euen in the beſt at this day, be found dead in their ſinnes, will they therefore infer ſuch conſequences about the baptiſme & other ordinances of God, had among them, that they are not the Lords ſignes and ſeales, but lying & deceitfull in their uſe thereof? The vvord of God it ſelf, is by ſome made unto themſelues the ſavour of death unto death: Is it not therefore in the Lords ordinance, the ſavour of life unto life? 2 Cor. 2, 14, 15, 16. So likevviſe is it with the Lords ſupper, as the Apoſtle shevveth, 1 Cor. 11, 18 — 34. Yet may vve not therefore gather ſuch conſequences thereupon, as theſe men doe about the queſtion in hand.
Thirdly, their expoſition of the place aforeſaid being admitted, it was then that Iſraell became dead in ſinne, when they offended in Baal. But the vvorship of Baal in the ten tribes, vvas firſt inſtituted by Achab. 1 Kin. 16. 31, 32, 33. And Ahab was the ſeuenth king of Iſraell, and reigned, about threeſcore yeeres, after Ieroboam the ſonne of Nebat that ſet up the Calues & cauſed Iſraell to ſinne, 1 King. 12 — 16 chap. And there was great difference betweene Ieroboams calues, and Baals idolatrie: as appeareth both by Eliahs hiſtorie, vvho‘1 Kin. 18, 18. &c. directly & earneſtly ſet himſelf againſt the Prophets of Baal, in Ahabs time, that firſt brought them into Iſraell and by Iehues hiſtorie, who”2 King. 10, 28, 29. deſtroyed Baal out of Iſraell, and yet, from the ſinnes of Ieroboam the ſonne of Nebat that cauſed Iſraell to ſinne, he departed not from after thē, to wit, the golden calues, that were in Dan and Bethel. Will they now therefore graunt that Iſraell vvas aliue, and not dead in ſinne, till Achabs time that they offended in Baal: and that the circumciſion in Iſraell, was Gods ſeale, & no deceitfull ſigne, all the time betvveen Ieroboams reigne and Achabs, notwithſtanding Ieroboams apoſtaſie and ſetting up of the calues at Dan and Bethell? If they graunt this, then their aſſertion is overthrowne; If they deny it, vvhat then will they ſay to their ovvne allegation and expoſition of this Scripture, that when Iſraell offended in Baal, they became dead in ſinne: ſeing Baals idolatrie vvas brought into Iſraell by Ahab, a good many yeeres after Ieroboams ſetting up of the calues: as I shevved here before.
Fourthly, the Scripture sheweth, that in Eliahs time, there were“… King. 19, 18. ſeuen thouſand in Iſraell, who bowed not the knee unto Baal. What now shall we ſay to theſe? Were they not circumciſed? Or had they not the circumciſion that was then in Iſraell? Or was it not unto them the Lords ſeale of forgiuenes of ſinne, and eternall life: but a falſe and deceitfull ſigne in their uſe, and no better then the ordinances reteyned among the Heathen: as here they ſpeak of the circumciſion then had in Iſraell? Or vvas this Sacrament of the Lord, being one and the ſame in it ſelf, a true ſigne & ſeal unto theſe: but a lying ſigne and deceitfull ſeale unto others? Or doeth the trueth of Gods Sacraments depend on man, & not on the Lord himſelf? Or shall the ſinne of man make the trueth of God to be a lye?
Fiftly, the Scripture alſo shevveth, that*Ier. 7, 2, 9. Judah burnt incenſe unto Baal, and walked after other Gods whom they knevv not. and again, that they‡Ire. 19, 3, 4, 5. forſook the Lord, and built the high places of Baal, to burne their ſonnes with fire for burnt offrings unto Baal, &c. And moreover, that vvhen all the tribes vvere together, in the time of the judges, then alſo“Judg. 2, 11, 12, 13. and 8, 33. the children of Iſraell forſook the Lord, and ſerved Baal and Aſhtaroth. Will they now here againe inferre, as they doe touching the tenne tribes, that then circumciſion and other ordinances of God novv had in Iudah, and beforetime in the dayes of the Iudges could not be unto them the Lords ſigne and ſeale of forgiuenes of ſinnes, and of life eternall, and therefore vvere in their uſe of them falſe and deceitfull, as vvere alſo the ordinances reteyned among the Gentiles? What shall we ſay to theſe things? Where then vvas circumciſion had, that was the Lords ſigne and ſeale of forgiuenes of ſinne, unto his people, if it was neyther in Iſraell nor in Iudah, if it was a falſe and deceitfull ſigne in their uſe, if the ordinances of God reteyned in Iudah & Iſraell, vvere no better then the ordinances reteyned among the Heathen? Who is there fearing God, that could indure ſuch falſe and deceitful conſequences: vvhichwhich doe but ſtrengthen the Anabaptiſts in their errors, and ſeduce others to like impietie.
If they vvould ſuccour themſelues by meanes of theſe clauſes inſerted, (unto them, in their uſe of them, &c.) I hauehave†Pag. 37, 38. &c. heretofore shevved how theſe will not help the matter, being duely and rightly conſidered: vvhichwhich I shall not need here to repeat. OnelyOnly remember ſtill, that though mans idolatrie or other ſinnes may make Gods ſacraments or other conſtitutions unprofitable unto himſelf: yet they cannot make them to be lying & deceitfull ſignes; yea they cannot hinder but that in the Lords ordinance, they are unto al, & therfore alſo unto them, the Lords true ſignes and faithfull ſeales (on his part) of the forgiuenes of ſinnes & of eternall life. If men by their owne unbelief and impietie make them unprofitable unto themſelues: shall therefore the infidelitie of man turne the trueth of God into a lye? God forbid.
And obſerue moreover, that if the Sacraments were not ſtil the Lords ſignes and ſeales of remiſſion of ſinnes and life eternal: vvofull would be the caſe of the moſt godly on the earth, who ſinne and tranſgreſſe dayly: and vvo vvould it (be in particular) with ſuch as are borne or liue in an idolatrous eſtate, when they repent and turne again unto the Lord. For vvhat should they now doe, to hauehave aſſurance by the Lords ſeale of the forgiuenes of their ſinnes? Should they be circumciſed or baptized a new? So in deed vvould the Anabaptiſts, whom vve hauehave confuted before. Or can a falſe and deceitfull ſigne, be the Lords true ſeale of mercy unto them? Or shal the ſame circumciſion and baptiſme, which is to day a lying ſigne and a deceitfull ſeale unto men (when they are in Idolatrie or other iniquitie) become unto them to morrovv the Lords true ſigne and ſeale of grace and eternall life? And if the ſame men ſinne likevviſe againe, then it againe become falſe and execrable? And if they repent againe, then the ſame againe be the true and holy ſigne and ſeale of forgiuenes of ſinnes and life eternall unto them? And ſo change and alter from time to time, to be the Lords ſigne to day, and a lye to morrow, to be the Lords ſeale the next day, and execrable againe the day following; and thus dayly to be turned from a lye to a trueth, and from a trueth to a lye againe, as fraile and ſinfull man shall demeane and cary himſelf? Which vvhat is it els, but alſo to make mans repentance, faith, and obedience, and not the Lords free grace, promiſe, & fidelitie, to be grounds and foundation of the Sacraments, &c. And ſo to bring people to Anabaptiſtry and Arminianiſme in the end?
Sixtly, it is not unknowne that the terme (dying) is diverſly uſed in the Scriptures: And many both Ievves and Chriſtian writers doe otherwiſe underſtand it here, then of being dead in ſinne, as by their writings upon this place may appeare. Some vvhereof it will not be amiſſe to mention, conſidering vvhat manner of concluſions are builded upon this Scripture as on the other aforeſaid.Jonathae f. Vzz. Chal. paraphr. in Hoſ. 13, 1. David Kimhi. Aben Ezra. Sal. Jarchi. And firſt of the Ievv Writers:
The Chaldee Paraphraſe expounds it thus, When heretofore ſome of Ephraim ſpake, fear took hold on the people: they had the dominion in Iſraell: but after they turned to the worship of idols, they are ſlaine. Rabbi David Kimhi thus, Ephraim lift up his head in Iſraell: but after he ſinned in Baal, he dyed. As if he should ſay, He was wounded before his enemies, as if he were dead, becauſe his hand [his ſtrength] went away.
Aben Ezra thus, He was accounted as dead: and moreover, becauſe Abiah ſlew all his ormy: Referring it to Ieroboam, who was of Ephraim, as others alſo doe. Salomon Iarchi thus, After he came up unto greatnes, he ſinned in idolatrie: and he dyed: the houſe of Ieroboam was cut off, and likewiſe the houſe of Ahab.
As touching the Chriſtian writers, Mercerus expounds it thus, The beginning of idolatrie [in Iſraell] was the worship of the Calues,Mercerus. brought into Iſraell out of Egypt, where Ieroboam had lived an exile. Hereupon there followed an other evill, the worship of Baal the Sidonian idoll, brought in by Iezabel (Ahabs wife) 1 King. 16. What calamitie followed hereupon, he sheweth†He dyed. in one word: See more in the hiſtorie. The family of Ahab was cut off, the land was afflicted with famine, which was accompanied with the plague & forreigne enemies, &c. And then againe (applying it to Ieroboam:) After that he ſinned by idolatrie (for Baal is often the generall name of an idoll) he dyed, all his dignitie and beauty being loſt. The houſe of Ieroboam, for the calues that he ſet up, was deſtroyed, according to the word of the Lord by the Prophet.
Zanchius thus, As there is a threefold generation: a Bodily, when one is borne being conceived by the ſeed of man:Zanchius. a Spirituall, when one of being the ſonne of Adam is born anew by the boly Ghoſt, to be the ſonne of God: and a Civil, when one from low degree is advanced to ſome dignitie, or is freed from hard ſervitude to happie liberty: So there is a threefold death. A Bodily, when the ſoule is ſevered from the body: a Spiritual, when a man through ſinne is bereft of the grace of God, which is the life of the ſoule: and a Civill, when a man is deprived of his dignitie and power or kingdome or his happy eſtate. Now by the name of [death] in this place comes properly to be underſtood the Civill death. And that word [He dyed,] reſpecteth two things, both the preſent eſtate, wherein Iſraell then was, and their future eſtate now shortly to come. When therefore he ſaith, [And he dyed,] shewing the other eſtate of Iſraell, ſuch as was at that preſent, and ſuch as should shortly follow after, he teacheth, that the kingdome of Iſrael for their idolatrie, both was ſo far weakned, as it wanted litle of utter ruine, & that shortly and certainely it should utterly be deſtroyed.
Calvin thus, After that they ſinned in Baal, they dyed, to wit, becauſe God deprived the tribe of Ephraim of that power,Calvin. wherewith before he had adorned it, ſo as they wanted litle of utter decay. For although their kingdome was not yet fallen, yet was it come euen to the utmoſt, ſo as the Prophet might well ſay they were dead, that did now ſo farre differ from their former eſtate. But where he ſaith, [They ſinned in Baal,] it is certaine that this was not the beginning of their idolatrie. Ieroboam firſt made the calues: afterward his ſucceſſour ſett up Baal, and borrowed that ſuperſtition from their neighbours the Sidonians, as is thought.
English notes.And accordingly the notes of our English Bibles hauehave it thus, The Ephraimites are not farre from deſtruction, and hauehave loſt their authority.
Druſius thus, That people is ſayd to dye which is utterly waſted and deſtroyed. Amos 2, 2. [And Moab shall dye vvith tumult.] So in another Prophet,†Haba. 1, 12. [Thou art God from everlaſting,Druſius. we shall not dye.] Others expound it, he is dead in ſinnes: Which I doe leſſe approue. I had rather thus take it, [He is dead,] he hath received divers overthrowes and ſlaughters, he is fallen into grievous calamities, which afterward perpetuall exile followed. And although corrections be inſtructions: yet when he ſuffered thoſe ſo many evils, they did not profit him at all. So thus I ſay, They could not bring him to life againe.
Tremellius and Iunius thus, [He dyed,] That is, he was accounted as dead, being of no account,Tremel. & Junius. Piſcator. and of no power or might.
And Piſcator thus, [He Dyed,] that is, he loſt his authoritie, ſo as he did no more make the ſubjects to tremble, as before. It is a metaphoricall ſpeach. For as the Greek proverb ſaith, The dead bites not.
Thus hauehave I ſet downe particularly the expoſition of divers vvriters upon this place: that ſo it might the better appear, not onelyonly how theſe men doe ground their aſſertions, in ſo vvaightie matters as theſe are, upon ſuch underſtanding of the Scripture, as both Ievv vvriters and Chriſtians (of the beſt) are otherwiſe mynded therein: but alſo, that this Scripture being ſo underſtood, as both Iewes & Chriſtians expound it, there can no ſuch opinion or concluſions be gathered from it, as theſe men would hereby mainteyne: as any may perceiue. And that from their owne expoſition, ſuch conſequences vvill not follovv, I hauehave shevved before. And if neither from their ovvn nor others expoſition hereof, what a manner of proof then is this? Which if they will not yet obſerue in the caſe of Iſraell, let them but conſider it in their ovvne, thus as followeth.
If one applying this Scripture unto them, should ſay: N.N. was a teaching Elder, and ruled alſo in the church, but when he offended by ſchiſme and falſe doctrine, he dyed: that is, he loſt his dignitie and authoritie, being by the Church put frō the miniſtration of the Teachers office, which before he executed vvith good regard in the Church: And that the reſt of them, are dead vvith him in like ſort, according to the place and eſtate vvhichwhich they had in the church formerly: &c. Or, If ſome should ſo apply this Scripture unto them (as they doe to Iſrael) thus: vvhen they offended by deſpiſing and oppoſing the governors & government of the church, by contention, confuſion, & breaking avvay from the church offenſiuely, they dyed; and ſo remayne unto this day, dead in their ſinnes: If then another (keeping their ovvne vvords) should infer hereupon, that therefore the baptiſme and other ordinances of God which they in shevv reteyn, cannot be unto them the ſignes and ſeales of forgiuenes of ſinnes, and of life eternall: and therefore are in their uſe of them, falſe and deceitfull; as be alſo the ordinances of God (as they call them, that are) reteyned among the beathens: Would they now themſelues yeeld, either that the baptiſme, and other ordinances of God had among them, are but reteyned in shew; or that they cannot be unto them the ſignes and ſeales of forgiuenes of ſinnes and of life eternall; or that they are in their uſe of them falſe and deceitfull; or that they be but as the ordinances reteyned among the heathens? &c. Or if they or their children should repent, and returne to the Lord and his Church againe, would they reject the baptiſme they hauehave, as falſe and deceitfull; and get them another that might be unto them the ſigne & ſeale of forgiuenes of ſinnes? Or vvould they ſtill reteyne a falſe and deceitfull ſigne, and ſuch as is no better then the baptiſmes and other ordinances of the Pagans? Or think they that a lying & deceitfull ſigne, which is no better then the ordinances of the heathens, can be the Lords true ſigne & holy ſeale of forgiuenes of ſinnes and of life eternall? Or that the Lords ſigne and ſeale of forgiuenes of ſinnes can be falſe and decetfull, as be the ordinances of the heathens? Let them conſider theſe things in their heart, & take better heed to their vvaies and aſſertions hereafter.
Laſtly, to omit other things heretofore obſerved in this Prophet: if they had but looked eyther to the things here going a litle before, or to page missing ordinances had among them,See alſo Jer. 50, 17, 18. &c. was but as the Gentiles? Or doe theſe men novv judge righter of their eſtate, then the Prophets did then? Or shall we beleeue them, rather then the Prophets of the Lord? Far be it frō us.
If any except, that theſe things here ſpoken by Micah, may be applyed, and ſo are by†Piſcator, &c. ſome, to Ieruſalem and Iudah: I deny it not: though”Danaeus, in ver. 16. &c. ſome alſo think that they were then applyed to Iſraell properly. But this hindreth not, but in ſome reſpect furthereth the matter againſt theſe men: ſeeing that this Prophet, prophecying“Micah. 1, 1. both againſt Samaria (in Iſrael) and Juruſalem (in Iudah:) joyneth them both in like tranſgreſſions of idolatrie, oppreſſion, contempt of the word of God taught by the Prophets, louelove of falſe Prophets and their dawbing, &c. Mica. 1, 5, 13. and 2, and 3 chap. and 5, 12, 13, 14. And in this ſame chapter (vvhereof we ſpeak) mentioneth in particular‘Mic. 6, 16 the keeping of the ſtatutes of Omri, and all the works of the houſe of Ahab, and walking in their counſels, &c. Novv both Omri and Ahab vvere kings of Iſraell, and of the worſt of them: the one making ſtatutes for maintenance of the idolatrie received, and the other bringing in moreover the worship of Baal, (as vvas noted‡Mic. 1, 5, 13. and 5, 12, 13, 14. with 6, 16 here before.) So as whether the things aforeſaid be applyed to Iſraell, or to Iudah,†P. 89, 90 in whom the tranſgreſſions of Iſraell were found: it will come much to a like ende, touching the point in controverſie: for eyther or both of them, now ſtill to be the Lords people, to whom“Mic. 6, 2 — 5. the things aforeſaid vvere applyed by the Prophet Micah: and many the like by other of the Prophets alſo, as by divers inſtances hath ben shevved before: Pag. 58, &c And thus much touching this objection, and the Scriptures aforeſaid here alledged.