Exposition of Hosea 6, Exposition · Verse 10
VERSE. 10.
I hauehave ſeene villany in the houſe of Iſrael: there is the whoredome of Ephraim: Iſrael is defiled.
THe Prophet now comes to the common people, and doth accuſe them of villany and vile Idolatry againſt God: I hauehave ſeene villany in the houſe of Iſrael: there is the whoredome of Ephraim; Iſrael is defiled.
Firſt, for the coherence of this verſe with the former: When as the Lord had accuſed the Prieſts before to bee wicked, and exceeding bad men: And now comes to the common people, and layes open their ſinnes to bee like vntounto the Prieſts, ful of abhominable and vile Idolatry:
Wee learne hence, that if the Prieſts be naught, Doct. 1 if they bee vile and filthy perſons, Children of Belial, it is not poſſible the people ſhould be as they ought to bee; for Like Prieſt, like people. As the Miniſter is, ſo is the people.This is clearely to bee ſeene in this place, the Prieſts were like to theeues and murderers, and the people were monſtrous blinde and abhominable Idolaters: So hath it beene in all ages:Pro. 29.18. The words of Salomon are moſt true, Where viſion failes, there the people decay. It is the Decree of God touching Prieſt and people,Mal. 2.7. The Prieſts lippes ſhall preſerue knowledge, and the people ſhall heare the Law at his mouth. Now then, when this Prieſt is ignorant, blind and vaine, Alas, in what wofull eſtate muſt this people needs bee in? the Prophet Micha doth declare,Mich. 3.11.12. ſaying, The Priests teach for hire: And the Prophets propheſie for money: yet will they leane vponupon the Lord, and ſay; Is not the Lord amongſt vsus? no euill can come vponupon vsus. This was the behauiour of the Prieſts in thoſe dayes, their hearts were ſo ſet vponupon Couetouſneſſe, that they ſpake pleaſant things vntounto the people, and layde to pleaſe them more then God: But what followed, they by this drew the iudgements of God not onelyonly vponupon their owne heads, but alſo vponupon the heads of the people: Therefore ſhall Sion for your ſakes bee plowed as a Field, and Ieruſalem ſhall bee a heape, and the mountaine of the houſe, as the high places of the Forreſt.
The falſe Prophets did not onelyonly procure Gods wrath againſt themſelues, but the common people were puniſhed for their ſakes. It is that which our Sauiour himſelfe concludeth of, If the blind leade the blinde, they both fall into the ditch: And in the Reuelation,Reu. 3.14. that Church being committed to a wicked man, they were guilty of the ſame ſinnes with their Paſtour. And in thoſe Epiſtles ſent to the ſeuen Churches in Aſia, where the Paſtor is commended for any vertue: ſo are the people, and when the Paſtor is reproued for any vice, the people alſo hauehave part in the ſame reproofe. For ſuch as the Paſtors bee, ſuch bee the people; ſuch as the Shepheards bee, ſuch bee the Sheepe. In them lyes the bad or the good eſtate of the Flocke. For where the Miniſter is blinde, ignorant and dumbe, that neyther can nor will reach: where hee is careleſſe and vnconſcionable, liues ſolely and wickedly; how can it chuſe but the people muſt needes bee ignorant, blinde and vnskilfull in Gods matters, prophane, wicked, and irreligious?
This is proued indeed by wofull experience in the World; Goe to any Towne or Parriſh in the land, where there liues a careleſſe and vnconſcionable Miniſter, an ignorant ſot, a beaſtly liuer, a miſerable worldly man, that ſeldome or neuer preacheth, and when hee doth, ſo colde and ſo raw, as good neuer a whitte, as neuer the better: You ſhall finde generally ſinne to raigne in that place, the people like their Paſtor, blinde, ignorant, rude, ſo ſimple, and ſo ignorant in Gods matters, that they know nothing of the Scriptures, what Faith, Sacrament, Repentance, or New birth meanes; no, not the meaning of one Article of their Faith, or petition in the Lords prayer.
Seeing the ſtate of a Congregation doth depend Ʋſe. 1 ſo vponupon the Paſtor: This ſerueth to reproue all ſuch Miniſters as take this charge on them, and yet not as Gods Miniſters to preach the Word, to bring good tyding of the Goſpell, doe ſeldome or neuer preach the Word of God. Theſe the Lord doth not eſteeme as Miniſters, but Murderers, not Shepheardes, but Wolues; they will take the dignity but doe no duty.
The Prophet Eſay cryes out againſt ſuch Paſtors,Io. 21. Eſay. 66. calling them Dumbe Dogges that cannot barke: They looke to the Fleece, but not to the Flocke.
Secondly, this reproues ſuch as leaue the ſincere Milke of the Word of God, and teach their own duplicate page duplicate page fantaſies, their owne dreames, Toyes, and Fables, which doe not labour to make the people to vnderſtand the ſenſe and doctrine of the Scriptures; and hence it comes to paſſe, that though they teach and preach, yet they finde little fruit, few conuerted, becauſe they teach not Gods Meſſage, but their owne deuiſes.
Thirdly, ſuch as are reprooued, as in bringing the Lords Meſſuage, and deliuering it to the people, ſeeke not the honour of God, and the credite of their Maſter that ſent them, but their owne credite and honour: Neyther doe they deſire to preach Ieſus Chriſt plainely in the euidence of the Spirite, but in the intiſing Words of mans wiſedome: Yea, whereas Saint Paul had rather ſpeake fiue wordes in a knowne tongue to edifie,1. Cor. 14. then fiue thouſand in a ſtrange tongue: Some there bee who thinke they neuer ſpeake wel, vnleſſe they ſpeake ſo as none can vnderſtand.
And here alſo wee may note the folly of our common people, who doe they eſteeme and account of as a good Preacher, but hee that ſpeaketh eloquentlie in a ſtrange tongue? him, whom they vnderſtand leaſt, they commend moſt: And no maruell, for they learne nothing at ſuch a Sermon; therefore they admire it, and commend the man, leaſt they ſhould ſeeme to ſay nothing.
Vſe. 2 Seeing this is ſo, Like Prieſt, Like People; Wicked Prieſt, Wicked people; carefull Paſtor, good Sheepe; for Knowledge, Faith, Repentance, and Obedience. Then wee ſee that a good Gouernour, Paſtor, and Miniſter is a ſingular bleſſing of God, that not onelyonly can, but is willing to take all poſſible paines to doe good, to teach in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon, to bee like a Cocke, firſt, to awake himſelfe, by reading, meditation and prayer: and ſecondly, the people by his Crowing, like a Candle that ſpendes himſelfe to giuegive comfort to others: ſuch a one is a maruellous bleſſing of God when hee is beſtowed vponupon a people: for when the Lord would ſhew his louelove to the people, hee ſayth; I will giuegive them Paſtors after my owne heart, Such as ſhould watch ouer their ſoules, to feed, to inſtruct, and to comfort them. Oh how ſhould men with thankefull hearts bleſſe God, when they hauehave ſuch ſet ouer them!
But on the contrary part, it is a feareefull iudgement of God to liue vnderunder ſuch as bee blinde, ignorant, vnconſcionable, prophane, wicked, and irreligious: for how can they teach and inſtruct others that are ignorant themſelues? And how can they ſeeke to conuay grace to others,Mat. 18. Ier. 3.…4. that hauehave not taſted of the worke of grace themſelues: If the blinde lead the blinde they both fall into the ditch together. And by the Prophet Ieremie, the Lord there threatneth this as a grieuous plague, to giuegive them naughty Miniſters.
It ſeemes the Prophet had no reaſon to accuſe the poore people, and to complaine of them: alas, Obiect. they did but as the Prieſts taught them, they meant well.
Anſwere. Neyther the euill life, Anſwere. and ignorance of the Prieſts, nor yet their owne intent and purpoſe could any whit excuſe them: ſo long as they liued in ſinne: But wee ſee here that the Lord complains of them, that hee ſaw villany in the houſe of Iſrael: There is the whoredome of Ephraim, Iſrael is defiled.
Hence then wee learne, that neyther the wickedneſſe of the Prieſts and Gouernours, nor yet the good intent and meaning of the people can pleaſe God, or any way excuſe themſelues, if men liue in ſinne, in impietie; and prophaneſſe. They are farre wide, that thinke their ignorance will excuſe them.
Doct. 2 Ignorance may excuſe indeede à tanto, but neuer à toto: Ignorance may leſſen faults; but not change their natures;Ignorance will excuſe none if they liue in ſinne. ſinne ſhall ſtill be ſinne, though a man doe the ſame neuer ſo ignorantly: for as men are commaunded to take notice of the Princes Lawes, and being found to treſpaſſe againſt them, their ignorance ſhall not excuſe them: ſo the Lord hath ſtraightlie commaunded vsus to take notice of his Lawes, that ſo we may performe our obedience vntounto him. The Commandement of God to this end is very ſtaight: Theſe words which I commaund thee this day, Deu. 6.6.7.8.ſhall be in thy heart: and thou ſhalt rehearſe them continually vntounto thy Children, and ſhalt talke of them when thou tarrieſt in thy houſe, and as thou walkeſt by the way: when thou lyeſt downe, and when thou riſest vp, and thou ſhalt binde them for a ſigne vppon thy hand, &c.
Behold here what a ſtraight charge the Lord hath giuen vntounto the people of Iſrael, and ſo vntounto vsus; all to this end, that no man ſhould bee a Stranger vntounto the Word: And it is the commandement of our Sauiour,Io. 5.39. Search the Scriptures, for they are they that teſtifie of mee.
Act. 17.It was the great commendations of the men of Bereah, that they ſearched the Scriptures, to ſee whether thoſe thinges were ſo as Paul deliuered; they would not preſentlie entertaine that Doctrine of theirs vponupon the firſt view, but brought the ſame to the Touchſtone of Gods Word: neyther would they reiect it, though they had not before heard of the like.
2. Cor. 4.3.What meanes that place of the Apoſtle? Trie the Spirits whether they bee of God. And againe, If the Gospell bee hidde, it is hid to thoſe that periſh, in whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds.
So that it is moſt cleare, that Ignorance of the Word and glorious Goſpel of Chriſt in ſuch as ought to know it, is a moſt fearefull ſinne, and a moſt certaine fore runner of deſtruction: for if this bee life eternall,Ioh. 17.3. To know thee to bee the true God, and Ieſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent; Then on the other part it muſt needs bee the beginning of eternall death in thoſe, eſpecially in theſe dayes that are ignorant of the true God, and Ieſus Chriſt whom hee hath ſent.
So that wee ſee clearely, that it is not our good intents and meanings that will goe for payment at Gods handes, in that the Lord doth require, that all men ſhould take notice of his Will, reuealed in his Word.
This condemnes the horrible practiſe of the Ʋſe. 1 Papiſts, that maintaine all Idolatry and ſuperſtition, their Maſſe, Inuocation of Saints, Prayer for the dead, Worſhipping of Images, &c. And they thinke that ſo long as they meane well, and hauehave good intents and purpoſes, all is well, God cannot but bee pleaſed with them: But wee are taught heere another Leſſon; namely, that that is not good which we thinke good; but that the Lord allowes and aproues of for good: And therefore ſeeing the Lord abhors all Idolatry and ſuperſtition, as moſt abhominable in his ſight, and that therein the whole ſeruice and worſhippe of God amongſt the Papiſts doth conſiſt. It ſhall little auaile them one day that they ſtand vponupon their good intents and meanings: All theſe ſhall not bee worth a button, if the Lord can ſay of them, as hree of this people, I ſee villany amongſt them, Idolatry, worſhipping ſtockes and ſtones, praying to Saints, &c.
This is villany in Gods account: and then what will their good meaning ſtand them in ſtead? Had not Ʋzza a good intent to ſtay the Arke from falling; but the Lord doth not ſo take it at his handes, for it coſt him his life; And therfore ſayth Samuel vntounto Saul, To obey, 1. Sam. 15.is better then Sacrifices; and to hearken, is better then the fatee of Rams.
Oh then remember that thy ignorance will not excuſe thee, nor thy good meanings will not goe for payment at Gods hand; to ſay, though I doe this and this, I meane well as the beſt of them all: but if the Lord like not of it, nor approue of it, bee thy intent what it will bee, all is in vaine, the ſame is an abhomination to the Lord.
Ʋſe. 2 Secondly, this may ſerue to condemne a great many amongſt vsus, that notwithſtanding wee liue in ſuch an age and time, that both knowledge and grace is euen thruſt vponupon vsus: yet alas, doe not the very body of our Congregations remayne ignorant ſtill? This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world, and men loued darkneſſe rather then light, Ioh 3.19.becauſe their deedes were euill.
It muſt needes bee a ſtrange darkneſſe that cannot bee driuen away by the bright heames of the glorious Goſpell of Chriſt; And ſurely God doth euen now ſitte in iudgement vponupon ſuch perſons; and by this (their ignorance) eſpecially in theſe dayes, makes knowne their reprobation and finall perdition.
The excuſes of men are but vayne. I am not booke learned, and I hope God will beare with me; Thus I am taught and inſtructed by my Teachers: I. but what if thy Teacher bee a blinde Guide? wilt not thou trie the Spirits whether they be of God? Surely, ſuch perſons conclude their owne iudgement, and giuegive ſentence againſt themſelues, that they want grace, and are in a moſt fearefull condition: for now to bee ignorant in the cleare light of the Goſpel, it argues that Gods wrath and vengeance hath taken hold on ſuch perſons, as the Apoſtle ſayth:2. Cor. 4.3. If our Goſpell bee hid, it is hid to thoſe that are loſt, in whome the God of this world hath blinded their minds, that is of the Infidels, that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the Image of God, ſhould not ſhine vntounto them. Oh then ſeeing it is ſo fearefull a iudgement of God, to be ignorant of his Word and Will, and that it will not excuſe when God ſhall enter into iudgement with vsus; Let vsus (I ſay) ſeeke for knowledge, as for treaſures: Let vsus ſearch the Scriptures, that in them wee may finde eternall Life: Let vsus labour to hauehave the Word of God dwell plentifully in vsus, which is able to make vsus wiſe vntounto ſaluation: Let vsus vſe all holy meanes both to begette, as alſo to increaſe this Knowledge in vsus, that ſo wee may not bee ledde aſide by blinde guides to commit Idolatry with this people here; but that God may bee ſtill our God, and wee his People.
I hauehave ſeene the villany of the houſe of Iſrael, and the Whoredome of Ephraim.
Idolatry the ſinne of this people.THe ſinne that Almighty God doth heere accuſe them of, it is Idolatry, and that in moſt vile manner, ouerſpred generally the whole body of this people, euen all the Ten tribes, which ſinne to ſhew the vileneſſe of it, the Lord cals Villany & whoredome, things abhominable to the Lord, and ſuch as hee loathes. And hee cals it Whoredome, becauſe as an Harlot or an Whore doth forſake her owne huſband, and commits filthineſſe with another man: euen ſo Idolaters forſake God, and marry themſelues to Idols. It is called the Whoredome af Ephraim, becauſe Ieroboam which came of the Tribe of Ephraim had ſet it vp amongſt them,1. Reg. 12.28. to worſhip the Calues in Dan and Bethel.
Doct. 3 Now the Doctrine wee gather hence is this, that it is a wofull and an heauy iudgement of God vponupon a Country or Kingdome,It is a heauy iudgement of God vponupon a people, when the chiefe gouernors bee Idolaters. 2. Sam. 6.1. when the chiefe Gouernours be men voyd of religion, and giuen to ſuperſtition & Idolatry. We ſee this in this preſent Text, for here the Lord complaines of Ephraim and the ten Tribes, becauſe they were poluted with miſerable Idolatry which was ſet vp by Ieroboam: for as the King is, ſo will the Subiects be: They are not onelyonly to informe their inferiours, and giuegive direction vntounto them by Word, but by their example and practiſe to go before them. Now then if they bee Idolaters, prophane and ſuperſtitious, you ſhall then ſee the whole Body of the people to follow them. Againe, if they bee religious and deuoute in the ſeruice of God, the whole people that are vnderunder them, in ſhew at the leaſt, will bee the ſame. And as the oyntment that was powred on Aarons head, ran downe to his beard, and ſo to the very border of his garments: Euen ſo the impiety and wickednes of the Superiour runneth about through the whole Family; and all that are vnderunder them infecting and corrupting them.
This is cleare by diuers examples in the booke of God.Luk. 23.11. When Herod begunne to offer indignitie to Chriſt, all his traine were ready to doe the ſame. And when wicked Ahab deſired to bee vpholden in his purpoſe to goe vp againſt Ramoth Gilead, 2. Reg. 22.8.all his ſeruants were ready, and at hand to feede him in his humour; for when the King ſent them to call Michaiah, they were readie to tell the Prophet what he ſhould ſay to the King, All the other Prophets (ſay they) declare good to the King with one accord, let thy words be like theirs: and whē the good Prophet would not flatter, but tolde the King plainely the truth from the Lord; Zidkijah the Kings Chaplaine ſmote him on the cheeke: So true is that ſaying of Salomon: Of a Prince that hearkneth to lyes, all his ſeruants are wicked. Pro. 29.12.Their example is a Law, and by their lewd example they ſtrengthen other mens hands in ſinne: ſo that it is in a common wealth (as one ſayth) as it is in a Fiſh; that if the head bee once corrupted and putrified, the whole body certainly is no leſſe. And if a man would know, vhether the body of the Fiſh be corrupted or no, hee muſt ſmell the head: Euen ſo, if the heads of Church and common wealth be corrupted, the whole body of both muſt needs be infected.
And therefore what great cauſe hauehave we to bleſſe God, who hath ſet ouer vsus a Religious King, Ʋſe. a Fauourer of the Goſpell, an enemy to Popery and ſuperſtion. Oh let vsus giuegive God the honour of it, and let vsus pray for him, that the Lord would vſe him to bee a further inſtrument, vtterly to roote out all the Reliques of Poperie, and deface all the monuments of Idolatry; that Idolaters and thoſe that hauehave giuen their names to the Pope, that Antichriſt of Rome, may vtterly bee rooted out of this Land; that our Kingdome may bee diſburdened of them, that wee may neuer ſee the fornication and Idolatry of the Whore of Rome ſet vp againe, that this Church of England may neuer bee polluted with it any more.
Secondly, this ſhould ſerue as an inſtruction to all Princes, Magiſtrates and Mighty men, that they endeuour by all meanes poſſible, by their godly life, and good example, to draw on others that are vnderunder them to the knowledge and feare of God: for certaine it is, if great men bee backeward in good things, whole multitudes are readie to preſume by their example. Wee ſee in our ſmall Pariſhes and little Villages, if there bee but one or two that are of the chiefeſt in the Parriſh, that are negligent and careleſſe in the ſeruice of God, Children of Belial, Idolaters, Drunkards, or the like, what a poyſon are they to peſter a whole Congregation?
It is too apparant, The Lord lay not this ſinne to their charge one day, that ſhould hauehave giuen better example: for as there is a happie and bleſſed vnion in Religion, and Chriſtian obedience, when Magiſtrate and Miniſter goe hand in hand to build vp an holy Temple vntounto God,Note. and are both of one mind, and of one mouth to ſeeke to ſet forth the glory of God: ſo I hauehave found by my own experience, that though the Miniſter bee neuer ſo laborious in preaching the Word, yet when other Gouernors, and ſuch as are the chiefe of a Pariſh, hauehave no ſappe or ſeaſoning of the feare of God in them, the hands of the wicked waxe ſtrong in ſuch a place. Oh that our Magiſtrates and great men would lay this to heart, that as their place is eminent in the common-wealth, that they would giuegive ſuch good example by their godly and religious walking, their ſanctifying of the Lords Sabbath, their countenancing of godly and painefull Miniſters, that ſo they might prouoke and ſtirre vp others to godlineſſe.