Exposition of Hosea 6, Title page – Dedication
AN EXPOSITION VPONUPON THE SIXT Chapter of the Propheſie of HOSEA.
VVherein is ſet downe the true repentance of the Godly, as alſo the Hypocriticall repentance of the wicked; moſt needfull for theſe times.
WHEREIN
1. The Summe and Scope.
2. The Doctrines.
3. The Reaſons.
4. The Vſes. Of moſt Texts are obſerued.
FIRST PREACHED BY SAMVEL SMYTH Miniſter of Roxwel in Eſsex, and now by him publiſhed, intending the further good of his charge, and the profit of as many as ſhall pleaſe to read it.
Seene and allowed.
PSAL. 34.11.
Come Children hearken to me, I will teach you the feare of the Lord.
LONDON, Printed by Tho. P…oot for Richard Woodroffe, and are to be ſold at his ſhop in Paules Church-yard, at the Signe of the golden Key, neere the great North dore. 1616.
TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FAther in God, IOHN by Gods prouidence, Lord Biſhop of LONDON: Grace and peace from the Father, Prince and Spirit of Peace.
IN the building of the materiall Temple, which the Lord himſelfe commanded (Right Reuerend Father in God) As Moſes the ſeruant of the Lord deliuered the forme of it,Exod. 25.40. as he had receyued of the Lord in the Mount: So the people of Iſrael with ready hearts, and willing minds furthered the ſame, howbeit, one after one manner,Exod. 35.22.23. and an other after an other. The wealthieſt amongſt them, and ſuch as were beſt able, brought ſiluer and gold earerings, bracelets, and Iewels of gold: A ſecond ſort of people brought blew ſilke, purple, ſcarlet, and fine linnen: Others, in regard of their pouerty brought Goats hayre, Rams skins, and Badgers skins, eueryevery one anſwerable to his ability: No man appeared before the Lord empty: and God accepted of the meaneſt gift that proceeded from a willing heart, aſwell as the greateſt. So fareth it with me a poore Labourer in the Lords Vineyard, I acknowledge my own wants, that I am not able to bring any great and glorious offering: yet I hauehave brought here a ſmall preſent, as it were, a little Goates hayre, or (as with the widdow) two Mites to bee caſt into the Treaſury of God. It is the old and ancient doctrine of faith and repentance that I heere entreat of, a needfull Subiect, eſpecially in theſe dangerous dayes, wherein men labour more for the ſhewes of godlines, then for the power of it: for we need not ſo much to complain of ignorance in this age (for many hauehave knowledge) as the want of ſincerity. I hauehave endevoured in this ſhort Expoſition to ſet out the nature of true repentance, which onelyonly is to bee found in the godly, being ſound and ſincere: as alſo the hypocritical repentance of the wicked, which is but for a time, not durable, nor laſting. If my lines be plaine, they beſt anſwere a ſtraight and an euen leuell. The euidence of the ſpirit is beſt ſeene in plaineſſe. And now this poore labour of mine flyes to your Lordſhip for protection, not fearing your iudgement in the allowance, or doubting of your fauour in the acceptance thereof: for matters of learning, are moſt fitte to bee preſented to thoſe that excell therein; for, as the Prouerbe is, Scientia neminem habet inimicum, praeter ignorantem, ſo by the ſame rule, may I ſay, Scientia neminem habet amicum & Mecaenatem, niſi ſtudioſum fautoremque bonarum literarum. And although (Right Reuerend) I know right well, that you not onelyonly fauour Religion, but are an earneſt profeſſor thereof, and that I need not exhort and ſtirre you vp therein; yet let mee in moſt humble manner deſire you, that as you hauehave done much good ſince you came into this place, ſo your works may bee more at the laſt, then at firſt, and that you would ſtill honour him, who hath honored you, and imploy ſtill thoſe rich talents of learning, authority, and fauour of your Soueraigne, (which your great Maſter hath beſtowed on you) to the aduancement of Gods glory, & the good of Gods Church. That by you, godly and painefull Miniſters may more and more be encouraged in their holy calling, and that thoſe malicious enemies of Gods truth, the Papiſts, may be more and more diſcouraged, and rooted out from troubling Iſrael: They are Babylons Children: Bleſsed are they that daſh their heads against the stones: Some ſhall hauehave the honour) I aſſure my ſelf) to be the inſtruments vnderunder God, vtterly to root them out of this land; Let it not paſſe your hands: Who knoweth whether you are come to your place for ſuch a purpoſe? Vſe your fauour you hauehave with his Maieſtie, to waken his ſleeping lawes, that as hee hath long ſung mercy, ſo hee would at laſt tune Iuſtice againſt the Papiſts of our land; and commaund that his laws may hauehave their courſe, that they may not beare it ont with full breaſt, & go vncontrolled as they doe amongſt vsus. It is a worke not vnfitting your Lordſhip (being called to be a Gouernour of the Church) to incite his Maieſty to this.
I beſeech your Lordſhip pardon my boldneſſe, being a ſtranger vntounto you, and one of the meaneſt of the Tribe of Leui, within your Dioceſſe; yet one that wiſheth all good to Sion. Be you ſtill for God in al your wayes, and God will bee ſtill for you in all your wayes; aduance him ſtill, and he will aduance you, yea perpetuate vntounto you an honourable name and memory amongſt his faithfull heere, and crown you with an euerlaſting crowne of glory amongſt his Saints in the heauens.
Your Lordſhips in the Lord to bee commanded, SAMVEL SMYTH.