An Exposition of Hosea 8-10, Exposition · Chapter · Verse 1
VERS. 1.
Set the Trumpet to thy mouth: he ſhall come as an Eagle againſt the Houſe of the LORD: becauſe they have tranſgreſſed my Covenant, and treſpaſſed againſt my Law.
THE Prophet ſtill continues the Denunciation of Judgment againſt Iſrael, with the Declaration and Aggravation of their ſins.
Set the Trumpet to thy mouth.1. Text.
Let there be a full,2. Apptic. by paraphraſe. and free, and open manifeſtation of the ſin and the danger of Iſrael: The ſame commandement that we have here to the Prophet, we have in the 58 of Iſa. at the beginning to the Prophet there, Cry aloud, ſpare not, lift up thy voice like a Trumpet, ſhew my people their tranſgreſſion, and the Houſe of Jacob their ſin.
Miniſters muſt not only be Trumpeters of the Goſpel, Trumpeters of Mercy and Peace,Obſ. 1 but Trumpeters of Judgment and of War; they are ſet to give warning to people of danger, and wo to them if they do not, God will require the blood of people at their hands. How ever peoples ſpirits may be againſt it, againſt the free and bold work of the Miniſtry in denouncing Judgments, yet the ſpirits of Gods Miniſters muſt go on in their way:Luther called the trumpet of rebellion Luther in his time for the freedom and boldneſs of his ſpirit inveighing againſt the ſins of the times, he was called the very Trumpet of Rebellion, he enveighs againſt their ſins and threatens Judgments, and they exclaim againſt him, they are as loud againſt him, and trumpet out their exclamations againſt him, calling of him the Trumpet of Rebellion and ſedition. If a Town be beſieged by the enemy, it is not the crying of children or women that muſt hinder the beating up of the Drums,ſimile nor the roaring of the Canon. God takes it exceeding ill at his Miniſters hands to be mealy mouthed, when his wrath is incenſed; and therefore he calls the Watchmen that did not give warning by an ignominious name, DƲMB DOGS, that cannot bark, Plinyin Iſa. 56. 10. I remember Pliny in his 29. Book, 4. Chapter, tells of the Dogs in Rome, that were ſet to keep the Capitol, becauſe when the Gauls did ſcall the Capitol, the Dogs being fed too full, lay ſleeping and did not give warning; they therefore not only hanged them up, but every yeer the Romans obſerved that time of the yeer, and on that day, hanged up certain Dogs in the City for exemplary Juſtice, by way of crucifying of them alive upon an Elder tree, Why crucifying on a tree was ſo hateful to the Romans.and upon this ground it is thought that the Romans did ſo hate that kind of death, of hanging upon a tree. And therefore it was the more curſed death that Chriſt died to hang upon a tree. It is that that God is exceedingly provoked againſt his Watchmen for, if they give not warning.
Hoſea had proclaimed war before this in the name of the Lord,Expoſ. 3. but he muſt do it again; from whence the Note is further.
That Gods Miniſters muſt not be weary of their work though they ſee little good come of it; Obſer. 2.yea ſo far from being weary or diſcouraged as their ſpirits muſt riſe up in their intentions ſtrength and fervency of it.
Before Hoſea's voice was the voice of a man;The paraphraſe. but now it is the ſound of a Trumpet: Let wickedneſs ſtop her mouth, but let the mouths of Gods Servants be opened, yea let a Trumpet be ſet againſt their mouths in diſclaiming againſt the wickedneſs of the times wherein they live.
Thirdly,Obſ. 3. The denunciation of threatning in the Name of God, it is a terrible ſound, if men be not afraid of this Trumpet, and awakened by it, there is a time that ſhall awaken them, when a Trumpet (I ſay) ſhall awaken them and make them afraid, when the Arch Angel ſhall blow his Trumpet, thoſe that are moſt awakned and fears the ſound of this Trumpet ſhall have the moſt comfort when the Trumpet of the Arch Angel ſhall blow.
He ſhall come as an Eagle.
Luther upon the place thinks this Propheſie meant againſt Judah,Luther becauſe of the naming of the Houſe of the Lord, as follows after. And then this Eagle muſt be underſtood of Nebuchadnezzer, who is called an Eagle in Ezek. 17. 3. and Jer. 48. 40. Author.But rather I think it to be meant of the Aſſyrian, for the Prophet here is propheſying againſt the ten Tribes, and he ſeems to take away the two great confidences that they had whereby they hoped that they were not in ſo great danger.
The firſt was, that they had made a league with Egypt which was nigh hand, as for the Aſſyrian he was a great way off, and there was not ſo much danger to be thought of the Aſſyrians.
Secondly: As they imagined they had the houſe of the Lord with them, and did worſhip the true God. Now the Prophet takes away theſe two, He ſhall come as an Eagle, againſt the Houſe of the Lord: The Aſſyrians Army, why an Eagle.that is, the Aſſyrian, Salmaneſſer he is called an Eagle, and becauſe he was to come with an Army, therefore an Eagle; (and it may be his Enſign might be an Eagle) you know the parts of Armies are called Wings, and ſo is compared to an Eagle, to ſhew to them that their danger is not ſo far off as they imagin. He ſhall come as an Eagle, that is ſwiftly, with a mighty force and vehemency; and he ſhall have an Eagles ſpirit, an Eagles eye: the Eagle is quick ſighted, and the ſpirit of an Eagle is not eaſily daunted: and yet it is obſervable that in the Law the Eagle was an unclean bird,Why the Eagle was unclean under the Law. though the Eagle the King of Fowls, and of a brave ſpirit, yet he was unclean, God would not have the Eagle offered in ſacrifice, but rather the Dove, God many times doth not regard Eagles ſpirits,Obſ. Go… accepts not Eagles, but Doves. thoſe that ſore aloft and fly on high, but he doth receive Dove-like ſpirits, ſuch as are of meek and quiet ſpirits.
But he ſhall come as an Eagle ſwiftly, that is upon the prey before it is aware.
Men flatter themſelves when danger is at any diſtance from them,Obſ. 1. if it be not juſt upon them, then think themſelves ſafe, but God can bring evil ſuddenly and ireſiſtably upon them. In Iſa. 5. 26. He will lift up an Enſign to the Nations from far, and will hiſs unto them from the end of the earth: Gualt.and behold, they ſhall come with ſpeed ſwiftly. Gualter upon this place applies it to the Turks coming into ſome part of Germany, they were come on a ſudden from the uttermoſt part of Europe, yea from Aſia, and ſo Spain and Secily, and Italy; God, to puniſh the contempt of the Goſpel,Applied to England. brought them ſuddenly upon them. Howſoever the Lord hath delivered us hitherto from forreign Nations, we think our ſelves ſecure becauſe God hath put work enough into their hands for the preſent, the Danes, French, Spaniards, but how eaſily is it for the Lord in an inſtant when there is no fear of them at all, to bring them ſwiftly.
Secondly,Obſ. 2 All the ſwiftneſs, and fierceneſs and quick-ſightedneſs, and ſpirit of an enemy is from the Lord: If an enemy be ſwift in his courſe, and quick-ſighted and fierce, and hath a ſtrong ſpirit we are to attribute this from the Lord.
Thirdly,Obſ. 3. Wicked men in ſatisfying their rage and malice, they are as Eagles; much more ſhould we be in our ſervice, we ſhould not be ſlow: if they be to ſati…fie their rage as Eagles, we ſhould imitate them in this to be much more ſo in the ſervice of God. But it follows,
He ſhall come as an Eagle againſt the Houſe of the Lord.
Interpreters differ much about this, Againſt the Houſe of the Lord: Luther.becauſe Hoſea propheſied againſt the ten Tribes, therefore Luther and divers others think that this clauſe muſt be meant againſt Judah, as if God threatning Iſrael ſhould ſay, do not you think to eſcape, for the enemy ſhall come as an Eagle even againſt the houſe of the Lord.Author. But we need not ſtrain it ſo, for it may be meant againſt the ten Tribes notwithſtanding this expreſſion, upon this ground: becauſe they called that place, the Eminent place, where one of their Calves were ſet up, they call'd it Bethel, the Houſe of God: and ſo ironically here the houſes of their Idols may be called the Houſe of the Lord, becauſe they choſe thoſe Houſes and Places inſtead of the Houſe of the Lord. He will come againſt the Houſe of the Lord; that is, againſt that which you account ſo. But I think that is not ſatisfactory, but rather this: the Church of Iſrael though very corrupt, yet before their actual devorce, is call'd the Houſe of the Lord, ſo that from thence then the note is:
That God doth not preſently caſt away a Church ſo as to unchurch it though they may be guilty of many hainous ſins. Obſ. 1.Great ſins do not ipſo facto, do not un-church a Church therefore there ſhould be much patience before any do decline from a Church by way of renouncing it.
It is a high expreſſion of the priviledg of a Church,Obſ. 2. that it is the Houſe of the Lord, whereſoever there is any true Church, yea though it be very corrupt. But you will ſay, What do you mean by a true Church? I take it for the preſent nothing but this: Any company of Saints in body to ſet up what Ordinance of God they know,A true Church. that's a Church whereſoever it is, and here God dwels, here God keeps houſe;Uſe. 'Tis good dwelling in Gods houſe and it is good keeping houſe with God; He is worſe than an Infidel that provides not for his own houſe: certainly God will provide for his own Houſe: Moſes was faithful in al the Houſe of God; that is, in all the Church of God: What then though thou dwelleſt in a poor Cottage, ſo be it thou beeſt a Member of the Church of God? if God give thee this bleſſing to dwell in his own Houſe, you are well enough. In Pſal. 26. 8. Lord I have loved the habitation of thy Houſe, and the place where thine Honor dwelleth. The Church is not only Gods Houſe,Pſ. 26. 8. explained. but the Houſe wherein the Honor of God dwelleth. Princes may have ſome houſes where they may retire to for a time, but they have ſome principal Houſes to ſhew their magnificence and glory; and ſuch a houſe is the Church of God unto the Lord; all then that are in the Church, eſpecially Officers, muſt behave themſelves and be faithful in the Church as in the Houſe of God,Officers of the Church He will come againſt the Houſe of the Lord.
Though we be Gods Houſe,Obſ. 3. yet the enemies may be ſuffered to come upon us, it will not ſerve us if we tranſgreſs the Covenant: Joab was pluck'd from the horns of the Altar; and ſo may we be pluck'd even out of the Houſe of God; Gods own Houſe is no ſecurity to ſin and wickedneſs. It follows.
Becauſe they have tranſgreſſed my Covenant.
God loves to cleer his Juſtice, and to ſhew what the cauſe of the evil is that comes upon us, he would have it cleerly charged upon our ſelves, that we may not put it off to Gods Decree, that we are predeſtinated to ſuch and ſuch evils, but the Lord hath his time to charge all the evils that comes upon ſinners, upon themſelves; Thy deſtruction is of thy ſelf; the bond that is between God and his Church, it is his Covenant, and all the good or evil of a Church depends upon the Covenant; and therefore it was the way alwaies of the people of God when they were far declined from God, to return unto him by way of renewing Covenant;The good of Chriſtians depends upon the Covenant more than formerly. in Pſal. 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant; and eſpecially all our good now depends upon the Covenant more than formerly the good of the people of the Jews did, becauſe the Lord hath ſealed the Covenant now with the blood of Jeſus Chriſt actually, which was not ſo then. But for this expreſſion we had it formerly, and ſomewhat was ſpoken about the opening of the Covenant of the Jews and what kind of Covenant it was, but yet not then fully opened, and as then I ſaid, ſo ſtill I look at it as a Point that will require a particular Exerciſe of its ſelf.
And treſpaſſed againſt my Law.
Saith Calvin upon the place,Calvin further to covince them, to ſhew that it was not through ignorance that they did tranſgreſs, they could not ſay, Lord, what is thy Covenant? for ſaith God, I did make it known cleerly in my Law, they had it plainly ſet out in my Law: The Heathen can know the mind of God no otherwiſe but only by looking into the book of the Creature, and there the mind of God is written but very darkly, & they can ſee but little of it there: I but ſaith God, my people have my Law where my mind is written plainly, and they may ſee it there and know what my Covenant is with them, and therefore their ſin is ſo much the greater, they have tranſgreſſed againſt my Law. The Seventy tranſlate theſe words, They have dealt ungodlily againſt my Law: The 70. foreign.and the word eſpecially hath reference to the worſhip of God that is commanded in the Law, they have not worſhiped me according to my Law; for though God looks at every part of his Law, yet more eſpecially at that that requires his more immediate worſhip. And in the Hebrew it is, they have prevaricated againſt my Law,Praevaricati. foreign they have made a ſhew that they would do what my Law requires but they do quite contrary, that's the propriety of the word in the Hebrew. What people is there in the world but will make ſome ſhew, that they would obey Gods Law? no people but ſay it is fit that they ſhould be obedient to Gods Law, what variety of opinions and practices are there among men, and yet all will father their opinions and practices upon Gods Law? and mark, but they do prevaricate in this; they pretend one thing but they go quite the contrary way, and this is that which God charges his people withal, upon which he would ſend his enemies, even an Eagle upon them. It follows.