An Exposition of Hosea 8-10, Exposition · Chapter · Verse 9
VER. 9.
For they are gone up to Aſſyria, a wild Aſs alone by himſelf; Ephraim hath hired Lovers.
THE Lord by the Prophet proceeds on in his charge againſt the ten Tribes here.
They are gone up to Aſſyria for help.
They are gone up] The vileneſs of diffidence in God.they look not up to the high God for their help, but they are gone up to Aſſyria, Aſſyria is higher in their eyes than the God of Heaven is. How vile a thing is it to forſake confidence in God out of ſuſpitious thoughts of him; for ſo it was here, they retained ſuſpitious thoughts of God, as if He would leave them in their extremity, and out of thoſe ſuſpitious thoughts of him, they forſake him and ſeek help elſe where; they expect more good, more faithfulneſs, more love, not only from the creature than from God, but from the very Enemies of God than from God Himfelf; yea, and that people that profeſſed Intereſt in God, that would ſeem to bleſs themſelves in this, That God was their God, even this People, look'd to have more good and to find more faithfulneſs in the very enemies of God than in God Himſelf; let the Heavens be aſtoniſhed at this wickedneſs: and yet this evil is in the hearts of the children of men.
A wild Aſs, alone by himſelf.
This creature the Scripture mentions in divers places for one of the moſt unruly, and untamable, and fierce creature in the world. Such a creature as cannot be brought to be ſerviceable, it wil not be brought to live with men, no, it cannot be brought to live long with other beaſts, no nor to keep company with their own kind, ſo fierce and ſavage it is, but runs up and down in the wilderneſs alone. In Job, 11. 12. we have mention of this creature. For vain in an would be wiſe, though man be born like a wild Aſſes Colt. And in Job, 39. 5. Who hath ſent out the wild Aſs free? or who hath looſed the bands of the wild Aſs? And in Jer. 2. 24. to name no more. A wild Aſs uſed to the wilderneſs that ſnuffeth up the wind at her pleaſure; in her occaſion who can turn her away? all they that ſeek her will not weary themſelves, in her month they ſhall find her. Ier. 2. 24. illuſtratedIn her occaſion when he hath a mind unto the foemale, ſhe ſnuffeth up the wind, as the Hiſtorians ſay of her, they go up to Mountains and there they ſeek to have the ſent of the foemale, or the male, ſo they ſnuff up the wind even for the ſent of her.Pliny And ſo the Naturaliſts that write the nature of this Creature, Pliny. in his eighth Book and fourty Chapter: Thoſe that are Scholers that deſire to know more of the nature of this beaſt may find divers things there. But now we are only to ſpeak of it as the Scripture ſpeaks of it here.
Why doth God compare Ephraim amd the ten Tribes to the wild Aſs?Queſt.
For two Reaſons.Anſw. 1. To ſhew the extream ſtubbornneſs and fierceneſs of this people.Why the ten Tribes compared to a wild Aſſes colt. Wicked men that have forſaken God, and are left to themſelves, do not only become like unto ſavage creatures, but the very worſt of all ſavage creatures, they run up and down ſatisfying the luſts of their own hearts irreſiſtably and bear down all before them,Wicked men wild upon their luſts. they ſtamp, and rage, and are mad when at any time they are oppoſed in their wicked way, this is the ſcope of the holy Ghoſt here: thus Ephraim was when he was oppoſed. Do you not find many ſo, that are in a violent way ſet upon wickedneſs and ungodlineſs that they will hear nothing, they ſnuff at the wind and all that is ſaid againſt them, and run violently upon wicked waies, and upon their own ruin:In their month, what? It may be in their month you ſhall find them; that hath reference unto the very laſt month which the wild Aſs goes when it is with young, then when it is ſo big, and till then there is no dealing with them. Some Hiſtorians ſay that the wild Aſſes are ſo fierce, that they will tare aſunder Armor of proof, but only in the very month when they are ſo big that they cannot weld themſelves, then you ſhall find them. So, though ſinners be never ſo ſtubborn, yet God hath his month, and perhaps then you ſhall find them. When at any time you find your children, or ſervants, or others to be ſtubborn and ſtout againſt whatſoever is ſaid to them, and even rage in their madneſs for the ſatisfying of their wicked wills, you may remember this text and creature: they are as wild Aſſes that are alone by themſelves; and among all wicked men Idolaters are the moſt ſtubborn and ſtout in their wicked waies, their hearts are ſet upon their Idols, yea as the phraſe of Scripture is in Jer. 5. 38, They are mad upon their Idols. There's nothing that can be ſaid to thoſe whoſe hearts are taken with falſe worſhip, nothing will prevail with them without an infinite power of God put forth, and there's no ſinners more bold, more untamable and fierce in their waies, then thoſe that are ſuperſtitious, and that's their reaſon that if they be oppoſed in their way of falſe worſhip, you know there will be ſuch tumultuouſneſs of people flinging of ſtones againſt windows where God is truly worſhipped, any thing in the world though they know not what they do, yet becauſe they think themſelves condemn'd in their ſinful waies, therefore they run like wild beaſts in a furious manner even againſt thoſe that worſhip God better than themſelves.
Secondly,2. Wicked men contemptible. God compares the ten Tribes to the wild Aſs in way of contempt of them. As in the former place of Job, 11. 12. Vain man would be wiſe; though man be born like a wild Aſſes Colt: he would fain think himſelf ſomebody, yet he is a moſt baſe and vile creature. And if any of you be not ſo fierce in your wicked waies as ſome others are, if God hath tamed your ſpirits by His Word and Spirit, bleſs God for it, for all men are born like a wild Aſſes Colt, they are mad upon their wicked waies to ruin themſelves.Stubbornneſs the fruit of pride. But becauſe there's no men that think higher of themſelves than ſtubborn ſpirits; for ſtoutneſs and ſtubborneſs doth evermore proceed from pride, becauſe they think it ſuch a diſhonor for their wills to be croſt in any thing, therefore the Scripture caſts the more contempt upon them, and calls ſuch, proud, ſtout fools, wild Aſſes; and indeed there are none more contemptible in the eyes of God than ſtout ſinners. It follows.
A wild Aſs, alone, by himſelf.
Alone.] The reaſon of this expreſſion is, to ſhew, that Ephraim and the ten Tribes they would be at their own hands, they would have their own wills▪ alone: There's theſe two things expreſt in it.
Firſt, That they would be under no government, but alone by themſelves,Alone. and have liberty to frisk up and down,1. VnderUnder no government. and do what they liſt alone, acknowledging no Commander; and ſo the Chalde Paraphraſe hath it, Becauſe that they would walk in the evil of their own luſts, Eò quòd ambularunt in voluntate animae ſuae.and would acknowledg no Comander. And thus many at this day, they love to be alone, that is, to live at their own hand, to be from under Government. Though it is here, he was alone in the Wilderneſs, he would rather be in the Wilderneſs alone, ſo be it he may acknowledg no Commander, than in the beſt paſtors under any command. Thus it is with many, they love to be alone, that is, they are loth to come under any Government, they had rather be in the wildernes and ſuffer never ſo great ſtraights than come under any Government;Servants at their own hand, It is true of divers ſorts of people, even the loweſt ſort, many that love to live at their own hand, ſervants that are not able to provide for themſelves that if they have but a little ſickneſs are ready to ſtarve, yet that they might live without any command, not under any Government, they will chuſe rather to endure abundance of hardſhip that they may live alone;Eſpecially Maidens. many times it is ſo, eſpecially in the foemale ſex, which ought to be under Government and ſome Protection, yet they love to be alone at their own hand; I ſay, and meerly becauſe they cannot endure to come under any kind of Government whatſoever.
And in the wilderneſs.] Their lives indeed are as in the wilderneſs, when they are in any ſtraights and diſtreſſes they have no body to look after them and regard them becauſe they loved their liberties ſo much before. So, many had rather be without all Ordinances in the Church, or many Ordinances,Chriſtians without ordinances only that they might live as they liſt, at their own wills, that they may not be under the Government of Chriſt, they had rather live in the wilderneſs of the world ſo that they might have liberty, rather than be in Gods Vinyard under the Government of Chriſt. Theſe come under the reproof here that Ephraim did in this place.
Secondly, Alone by himſelf, as unfit for Society, they were ſo furious and fierce in their way: Some are of ſuch untoward and perverſe diſpoſitions that they can agree with no body, ſo that they are only fit to live in the wilderneſs: I ſuppoſe you have met with in your families that are ſo extreamly perverſe in their waies, and they are of ſuch untoward and crooked diſpoſitions that they are fit to live in no Society but alone in the Wilderneſs: and this reproof of Ephraim comes likewiſe upon thoſe.
Ephraim hath hired Lovers.foreign
The Aſſyrians and Egyptians, and others; the words ſignifie Loves. Before they put their confidence in the Aſſyrians, and now they make them their loves. The thing I note is this.
That where we place our confidence, Obſ. 1.there our love ſhould be placed. If God be the confidence of our hearts, let our love be placed there, yea let God be our Loves, in the plural number, for ſo it is here, they hired Lovers; ſhe would fain have the Aſſyrians to love her. When God is forſaken, when we have loſt our Intereſt in Gods love, no mervail though there be ſuch a ſeeking after the Creatures love; men that forſake God they ſeek to make up what they have not in God in the Creature:ſimile. as a dog when he hath loſt his Maſter he is ready to follow every one he meets with. Again,
He hath hired Loves.] Thoſe that have nothing lovely in themſelves, will uſe unworthy means to purchaſe it.Becauſe they had nothing lovely in themſelves therefore they hire the love of others to them, they ſeek even to hyre love, though the truth is, Love cannot be hyred nor purchaſed, although men may fawn and glaver, and flatter, and crouch that they may gain the love of ſome other, yet if there be no lovelineſs in themſelves to gain love, although thoſe whom they fawn on, and flatter may uſe them for their own turn, and ſerve themſelves upon them,Love cannot be bought. yet the truth is they will deſpiſe them in their hearts, and ſo often they will diſcover to their intimate friends how they ſcorn and contemn them; therefore if others would have love, there muſt be ſome excellency and lovelineſs in us; for love cannot be hyred. But,
Ephraim hath hyred Lovers.] This ſhews the ſhameleſsneſs of the ten Tribes in ſeeking after their falſe worſhip. Other Harlots they are hyred to commit uncleanneſs; but Ephraim will be at charge for their Idols: Many Harlots count it a great diſhonor for to ſeek after Loves, to ſeek after Whoremaſters, though they can imbrace them when they come unto them, but yet they will rather have a hyre than they will hyre them; but mark, thoſe that are ſuperſtitions they think not upon their honor, but they will hyre, to the commiſſion of ſpiritual whordom they will go to hyre Lovers and be at a great deal of charges, in Ezek. 16. 33, 34. They give gifts to all Whores; but thou giveſt thy gifts to all thy Lovers. And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whordoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whordoms, and in that thou giveſt a reward, and no reward is given unto thee; therefore thou art contrary. As if God ſhould ſay, you are more vile and baſe in your uncleanneſſes than any in the world beſides; for other Whores they receive rewards, but you are ſo ſet upon your filthy luſts that you will give rewards that you might commit uncleanneſs.
From hence the Note is,Obſ. 3. That Idolaters will not ſtand upon terms if they may have their Idols, any way: they care not how they debaſe themſelves, they will not ſtand upon honor and reſpect, but let them have their falſe worſhip they will ſubmit to any thing. Oh! why ſhould we ſtand upon our terms thus in the matters of the honor of our God, when publick good lies at the ſtake?An exhortation to the godly why ſhould not we be willing to ſuffer ſhame and diſgrace, any thing rather than the publick good ſhould not go on, than the ſervice of God ſhould be hindered? If others will not ſeek to us, yet if good may be done, let us ſeek to them, if God may have Glory: Though others be never ſo vile in their carriage towards us, yet let us do what we can to win and convince them, let us be willing to lie under their feet that God may be glorified: If others will not joyn in a good work except they may have the honor of it, let them have it ſo be it the work may go on, let us reaſon ſo, Why ſhould I put forth my ſelf and others go away with all the glory? let the work go on, and if they will ſ…and for the glory let them have it:An apt ſimile. ſo God may be lifted up let us be willing not to be ſeen: This is that which doth hinder thee the promoting of his Cauſes. But men ſtand upon terms and they will not go on in a good cauſe but break off if others be prefer'd before them. If there be two carrying a piece of timber through a narrow paſſage, and if theſe two men that are carrying a long piece of timber and they muſt carry it through a narrow paſſage, if they ſhould ſtand ſtriving who ſhould go foremoſt, one ſaies I will go firſt, the other ſaith, nay but I will go firſt, they can never carry the timber, If one have one end and the other the other end and they cannot agree which ſhould go firſt, and he that goes after thinks himſelf diſhonored becauſe his fellow goes before him, they can never carry it through but they muſt lay it down. So it is many times with a good cauſe, it is like a piece of timber upon two mens ſhoulders, and it muſt go through a narrow paſſage, and one ſaith, why ſhould not I have the glory of it? and the other ſaith, why ſhould not I have the glory of it? and the while men ſtand wrangling who ſhould have the greateſt glory, in the mean time the publick cauſe is exceedingly hindered; let us be willing to ſubmit and debaſe our ſelves any way ſo be it the true Worſhip of God may go on.
Further, He hath hyred Lovers.] It's an evil thing to be drawn to falſe worſhip, or bodily uncleanneſs upon any terms, out of hope of the greateſt gain, and to deliver our ſelves from the greateſt affliction: but now, for a man or woman to ſeek after the waies of ſin, to be at coſt that they might have their luſts, this is more vile; for a Whore to proſtrate her …elf for money, this is baſe and abominable though ſhe ſhould have never ſo much money, but to give money,Paulina. this is more baſe and abominable. Joſephus reports of one Decius Mundus which was a Noble man,Joſephus lib. 18. cap. 4. that to one Paulina, a Lady in Rome, he offered as much as came to ſix thouſand pounds for to ſatisfie his luſts but one night, and yet was refuſed. So certainly uncleanneſs ſhould be caſt off with indignation though it be tempted unto with never ſo much gain; but for one to be ſet upon uncleanneſs ſo as to ſeek after it, and to ſpend their Husbands eſtates that they might have the free way for the ſatisfying of their luſts, this is a moſt abominable thing indeed, and yet thus, many are guilty both in regard of bodily and ſpiritual adultry. It follows.