An Exposition of Hosea 8-10, Exposition · Chapter 9 · Verse 15
VER. 15.
All their wickedneſs is in Gilgal: for there I hated them.
WHAT this Gilgal was I opened in the 4th Chapter at the 15. Verſe,Gilgal. it was a very famous place for many remarkable things:Chap. 4. 15 Stones were ſet up in remembrance of ſo great a mercy in coming over Jordan, and there was the firſt Paſſeover that ever they had, and there they were circumciſed, and the Lord ſaid unto Joſhua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you, from whence it had the name; they were not circumciſed in all that time in the Wilderneſs, from whence it was called Gilgal, becauſe the reproach was rolled away; I ſhewed abundance of mercy to them in Gilgal, there they eat the fruit of the Land, and there the reproach was rol'd away,Expoſ. and the monument of my great mercy in bringing them over Jordan; but now they have turned this place to the moſt abominable place in the Country, for becauſe there were ſuch great things done in Gilgal, they thought that it was a holy place, and therefore they might juſtifie their ſuperſtitious waies, though God afterwards did chuſe another place for his Worſhip, yet they thought to ſacrifice and worſhip in Gilgal, they thought it might be juſtified, becauſe it was a place where ſuch great things were done. Now ſaith God, I never intended that, all their wickedneſs is in Gilgal.
Superſtitious men are proud to put holineſs upon places that have had remarkable things done in them in reference to Religion.Obſ. This phraſe we have had occaſion to meet with before, and therefore I paſs it.
All their wickedneſs.
That is, Their chief wickedneſs, as if God ſhould ſay, there is a great deal of wickedneſs among them,Expoſ. 1. there are Murders and Thefts, and abundance of other evils, the breaches of the ſecond Table; but yet above all, their wickedneſs is at Gilgal, they think to make uſe of that place where I ſhewed ſo much mercy to them, they think to juſtifie their ſuperſtitious worſhip, but I'le have them know that I hate this, There I hated them ſaith God, I abhor this that they think to be juſtified by. So that the Notes are.
Above all ſins, Obſ. 1.the ſin of Idolatry is that that God looks upon as the great wickedneſs for which he doth hate and abhor a people. Becauſe in that ſin men think by their own waies of worſhip to make God amends for their wicked waies, and preſent their own waies of worſhip, to juſtifie themſelves in all other kind of wickedneſs.
And again:Obſ. 2. For men to abuſe that wherein God ſhews mercy: For them to take advantage or occaſion by that to turn it into ſin againſt God, this is that which God hates. For there was much mercy they met withal at Gilgal, and they made Gods mercy an occaſion to their wickedneſs. To make that which ſhould engage us to God to be an occaſion of wickedneſs againſt God this is abominable in Gods eyes: As you reade in the Law,Exod. 23. 19. that you muſt not ſeath a Kid in his mothers milk; that which is the milk to preſerve the Kid, that muſt not be a means for a ſecond death, to ſeath or boyl it in ſaith God, that's unnatural, and but cruelty; ſo for us to deal with God to take thoſe things that ſhould be a means to engage our hearts further to God to be occaſion of further ſinning againſt God, that's abominable; there ſaith God, I hated them.
Concerning Gilgal. Expoſ.Their Idolatrous Prieſts told them (as 'tis propable) that that place was a holy place, and ſurely God that had appeared ſo to them there would accept of their ſervices in that place rather than any other, and ſo though God had after choſe another place, yet ſtill they doted upon this place, [Gilgal] and that which was ſo famous for Gods Worſhip became as infamous for ſuperſtition and wickedneſs.
Polanus upon the text compares that Town in Germany, Wittebergan ob Reformationis inititū per Lutherū Sathanus haereſium Theatrum fecit. Pol. in loc.[Wittenberg] to this Gilgal. Thoſe places where the Lord hath been more gracious to people, the Devil ſeeks to corrupt thoſe places moſt of all; as in Wittenberg was the beginning of Reformation by the means of Luther, and now (ſaith he) the Devil hath made it the Theater of divers Hereſies, and ſtill makes it more and more; that very place which was a place of Gods mercy to the Country: ſo here, that place that was the greateſt place of mercy,See Wilkingſon againſt the Familiſts; print. Lon. 1579. pag. 3. Reporting the like of Colcheſter in Eſſex. And in Fox Act. Mon. 1. edit. p. 606. A. not untruly is here the greateſt place of wickedneſs; the Devil envies it ſo much the more, and all their wickedneſs is here.
All their wickedneſs.] That is, the chief wickedneſs, their Superſtition and Idolatry is the chief and the great wickedneſs that provokes God againſt a people; not only becauſe of the preſumption in it, but becauſe it's an Inlet to all other kind of wickedneſs. Hence obſerve:
1. Where there is falſe worſhip in any place all manner of wickedneſs follows. And people do moſt ſtick unto their ſuperſtitious waies more than to any thing, and therefore that's the chief wickedneſs, yea and they think to ſatisfie God with thoſe waies for their other ſins, All their wickedneſs is there.
A further Note from hence is,Obſ. 2. That to ſin in face of mercies, where there are the Teſtimony of Gods abundant mercies, that is very abominable to God. That's a great aggravation of ſin, to ſin in the face of the teſtimonies of the mercies of God, what, where ſo much mercy, yet here wicked and abominable? Doth God fill thy family, thy chamber, thy cloſet, thy bed, thy ſhop with the Teſtimonies of his mercy? Take heed how thou ſinneſt there where there are abundant Teſtimonies of Gods mercy to witneſs againſt thee, and to aggravate thy ſin.
But I find ſome Interpreters,Expoſ. 2 Ar. Mon. and ſome Hebr. Interpreters. and that not one or two, but many, (and that makes me ſpeak of this Interpretation) that refer this wickedneſs to the caſting off the Government that God had appointed, and the bringing in of a new Government: at Gilgal was the place where they would have Saul to be their King, and caſt off the Government by Judges that God had appointed among them, Gilgal was the place; now this was the ground of all their other obſtinate wickedneſs, and God remembers this a long time after and ſaith, All their wickedneſs is in Gilgal, and there I hated them.
From hence the Note is this,Obſ. 3. That it's a hateful thing to caſt off the Government that God would have us under, Civil and Eccleſiaſtical Government united in Iſrael.it is hateful to God; the Jews had both their Civil and Eccleſiaſtical Government by Divine Inſtitution, they were both mixt in one there. And though now we have not our Civil Government by Divine Inſtitution, but it's left to the Creation of man,Civil Government Eccleſiaſtical Government according as in prudence men in ſeveral Countries ſhall think beſt; but Eccleſiaſtical Governm…t certainly is as much by Divine Inſtitution now, as ever it was, and it muſt be ſo, becauſe it is ſpiritual, and nothing can work in a ſpiritual way upon the inward man but that that is by Divine Inſtitution, therefore whatever the Government be (I will not meddle with the particulars) yet we muſt take heed how we caſt off that which is appointed by God, for that's hateful, there I hated them; we had need therefore ſearch and examin to find what that is,pains muſt be taken about it. and if we think it be not ſo cleer as their Government was to them, we muſt take ſo much the more pains to examin, and not think it long that there is ſo much time ſpent i… ſeeking to find out what the Government ſhould be, do not think it a light matter: many people they think it but a circumſtance, and things that we need not trouble our ſelves ſo much about, and why ſhould there be ſo much time ſpent in ſearching it out;As a thing of great conſeque…ce. Learn from hence to look upon it as a great matter, as a matter upon which the welfare or the evil of a Kingdom doth much depend, for ſo it was here, ſaith God, becauſe they caſt off the Government that I would have, there I hated them. Thus you may take in both the meanings, both the Teſtimonies of Gods mercies in Gilgal at firſt, and the place where they caſt off my Government and would have another, I hated them there ſaith God.
Again,Obſ. Some ſins provoke God to hatred. There I hated them.] There are ſome ſins that provoke God to anger, and ſome to grief, but ſome to hatred, and that's dreadful when our ſins ſhall provoke hatred, the Lord hates the works of iniquity. This is the great difference between the ſins of the Saints and others, the ſins of the Saints may anger God, may grieve God, but the ſin of others they provoke God to hatred. I hated them.
Again,Obſ. God manifeſts his diſpleaſure in the places wher we ſin. There I hated them.] (There) Sometimes God manifeſts his hatred in the very places where men do ſin againſt him. As a mans ſpirit will riſe if he comes to a place where he hath been wronged by any; If you ſhould come into the very place where your children have been murdered,ſimile. or wives raviſhed, would not you have your hearts riſe with indignation, in this place was my child murdered, in this place was my child raviſhed; ſo ſaith God, every time he looks upon Gilgal, Oh! here was this wickedneſs committed, there I hated them. Hence it is that many guilty conſciences dare not go into the place where they have committed ſin, There I hated them.
It follows.
I will drive them out of my houſe.
They ſhall remain no longer in a Church-State, they ſhall remain no longer ſo to be in my Houſe.Expoſ.
Thoſe who under the colour of being under the Church of God, yet live in the waies of wickedneſs, God will unchurch them even in regard of the outward appearance of a Church Eſtate; I'le drive them out of my Houſe: It's a dreadful expreſſion this, for a father to take his child or ſervant and drive them out of his houſe notes great indignation;ſimile. to be driven out of Gods Houſe is a ſore evil, that makes all other evils indeed to be evil, as abiding in Gods Houſe is a great bleſſing, and recompences the want of many outward bleſſings. If any of you that have been ſervants to great men, and ſhould be driven out of their houſes, and eſpecially for your conſcience, yet if God takes you into his Houſe you are well enough,Pſal. 2. 8. illuſtrated. and for that you have a famous Scripture in Pſal. 52. 8. But I (ſaith David) am like a green Olive tree in the Houſe of God, I truſt in the mercy of God for ever and ever; Upon what occaſion was this Pſalm pen'd? It was when David was driven out of the houſe of Saul by the occaſion of Doeg, there was a Doeg that did exaſperate Saul againſt him, and David was driven from his houſe, ſo he dared not come into it, but what comfort had David? But I am like a green Olive tree in the Houſe of God; though I cannot be in Sauls houſe, and enjoy the priviledges of his houſe, yet bleſſed be God that I may be in His Houſe, and there thrive and proſper as a green Olive tree.
I will drive them out of my houſe.
God cannot endure wickedneſs in his houſe,Obſ. God cannot endure wickedneſs in his houſe, neither ſhould we; God accounts it his diſhonor to have wickedneſs and wicked men in his houſe, and ſo ſhould we, as in the Church, ungodly men ſhould be driven out of the houſe of God; we muſt not make Gods houſe an Hogs-ſty, an unclean place for all Swine to come in,Neither ſhold Chriſtians in their families. but they ſhould be driven out as Chriſt drave out the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple; yea, and ſo ſhould all Chriſtians drive out of their families wicked and ungodly ſervants: Pſal. 101. 7. He that worketh deceit ſhall not dwel within my houſe (ſaith David) And he that telleth lyes ſhall not tarry in in his ſight. Pſ. 101. 7…It's a diſhonor for any who make profeſſion of Religion, that though themſelves be not ſcandalous in their own lives, yet there are thoſe in their houſe that live ſcandalouſly, they have as wicked ſervants in their houſes as any; this is a diſhonor to Religion: God drives out wickedneſs out of his houſe, and do you do ſo to yours.
And I will love them no more.
By [Love] here is meant,Expoſ. the communication of outward good things, for that carnal hearts account to be the only love of God: Indeed if they may have but outward proſperity here in this world, they make that an argument of Gods love unto them: Well (ſaith God) though you have had many ſuch kind of arguments of my love, (ſuch fruits of my love) yet I will love you no more, I will take away all thoſe priviledges and good things that you have enjoyed, There are priviledges and good things that come from no other love but that which may be taken away; Oh! let not us be ſatisfied with thoſe, let us be ſatisfied with nothing elſe but that which comes from everlaſting love. You may have your outward eſtates, you may have comely Bodies, Health, Strength, Succeſs in your labors, comings-in plentifully, yea, you may have Church Priviledges, and yet all this not come from the everlaſting love of God, that can never be taken away; theſe fruits of Gods love may be taken from you, and God may ſay as concerning all theſe, I will love you no more: but there are fruits of love, the ſanctifying Graces of Gods Spirit, the fruits of Electing love, and God can never ſay of theſe, I will love you no more.
No more.
After many deliverances that this people had in a way of love, God reſolves with himſelf that he will have done with them, he will love them no more, he wil deliver them no more: God may withdraw the ſence of his love from his people for a while, but he manifeſts his love again, the afflictions of the Saints they are but a little cloud that ſoon paſſes over, the Sun ſoon breaks in again upon them, and Love ſhines; but the Sun of the wicked and ungodly ſets, and never riſes again: this is dreadful when a mans ruin, or a peoples ruin is thus ſeal'd by God, whatever mercies you have had heretofore, yet now there's an end of all, Adieu merciemercy, adieu love, I had gracious manifeſtations of them once to my ſoul, but they are now gon, I muſt never enjoy them more, now God hath changed his adminiſtrations towards me, I muſt expect nothing but wrath, the hand of his ſore diſpleaſure to cauſe ruin, and to be ſunk everlaſtingly: Oh! let thy provocations of God be no more, do not thou ad unto them; I have dealt falſly with God, dallied and trifled with the Lord, many times promiſing fair, but when I was delivered then have dealt wickedly with thee; but no more Lord: Oh! take heed, if thou add'ſt any more unto thy wickedneſs leſt that this dreadful ſentence be pronounc'd in Heaven againſt thee, I will love thee no more. Original reading▪The words are in the Original, I will add no more; I have done enough already, I will do good to this wretched creature no more; my Goodneſs and Mercy hath had their turn, no more; Spirit ſtrive with them, no more; Ordinances, no more do them any good; Mercy meddle no more with them, I will love them no more.
All their Princes are revolters.
This is a very ſtrange expreſſion: What all? Yes, even from Jeroboam to Hoſhea's time, every one of them, th… Princes of Iſrael were wicked men, for two hundred and fifty yeers ſpace, in all ſucceſſions every one were naught, and falſe,foreign and ungodly, all were revolters. It's an elegant Paranomaſia that in the Original, Princes revolters, the words have a greater elegancy in the Original than in our Engliſh;foreign. qui perſuaderi [ut credant] non poſſunt 70. the Seventy they turn it by this word, Men that could not be perſwaded, they were all of them men that could not be perſwaded, they were ſet upon their own way, their own ends, and would have their own politick fetches, and let Prophets, let any of the Godly come to ſhew them the mind of God, they were reſolved in their way, they would not be perſwaded, but were wilful, and they would have this way, and whatever came of it they would venture their lives and the loſs of their Kingdom but they would have it, in a deſperate way they were ſet upon their wills, come of it what would they would go on in this way.
Men that are great in Power and Authority they think it a diſhonor to them to be perſwaded to alter their minds, Obſ. 1.but rather will go on deſperately to the ruin of themſelves, and the ruin of their Kingdoms, rather than they will hearken to counſel; they were all of them men that would not be perſwaded: and Luther upon the place hath this expreſſion (ſaith he) Being lift up in the pride of their hearts by their Power that they had,Elati potē tia volebāt ſuperiores eſſe verbo. they would be above the Word it's ſelf, they think it much to have their hearts come under the Authority of the Word.Luther. This is the wickedneſs of mens hearts when they grow great they ſwell above the Word of God.
They are all wicked, all of them revolters.
Some of them there were that made ſome kind of ſhew at their firſt coming in,Expoſ. when they came firſt to the Crown they gave great hopes (ſome of them) that they would have better times than they had before,Princes when they come firſt to the crown promiſe fair. and that things that were evil in former Princes Reigns would now be reformed, but within a while they went all the ſame way; you know Jehu, and ſo ſome others went in a fair way at firſt, but they all turned to be revolters; from whence our Notes are: Firſt, See what CREATURE ENGAGEMENTS are: Obſ. 1.ſee what engagements will work in the hearts of men when they are engaged in their honors, and in their preferments in their great places of Dignities and Powers, and Profits and Gain▪ ſee what they will do: evil Princes being engaged and afraid of loſing their power; if any ſhould go to Jeruſalem to worſhip, they all went in one ſtream, not one of them was taken off from their great Engagements; indeed many in ſmaller matters may be taken off to God, but if it come to a great matter, then none; perhaps ſome poor Miniſters that had little livings (you know) heretofore, they would be taken off, and ſee the Truths of God, and the ſinfulneſs of Ceremonies; but where did your Deans, and Biſhops? where did any of the Prelates that had great Engagements? they would never ſee the Truth that now almoſt every body ſees, their great Engagements hindered them. And ſo the great Engagements of Princes hindered them though the Truth was cleer enough.
Secondly; This is brought as the cauſe of the evil of the People, they were all wicked, no mervail though the people were ſo,Obſ. 2. According to peoples intereſts ſo they are, as they ſee thoſe above them go that have power over them, that way people will go. Ephraim was wicked, becauſe all their Princes were revolters. Thoſe that are in places of power they drive the people along before them, for (I ſay) God hath little honor in the world but as it ſutes in mens Intereſts,Uſe. according as they have Intereſt this way or that way.Let Magiſtrates conſider.
Thirdly, They are all Revolters.
From this the Note is this,Obſ. 3. That Princes though they ſhould be uſed with reverence, yet muſt not be flattered, but their ſins muſt he ſhewed plainly unto them, Pſal. 104. 32. reflected on.[They are all Revolters,] though they can hardly bear it. Touch the Mountains and they will ſmoke, touch the great men, reprove but them, and preſently the heat of their wrath riſes and they ſmoke even wth indignation. But yet thoſe that are faithful about them they ſhould truſt God with their places,Servants to great men exhorted. and eſtates, and with their lives; Oh had we but thoſe about Princes that would deal faithfully and ſhew to them how far the guilt of blood may be upon them, and the evil of it might be upon them, Certainly it would be otherwiſe with us than it is at this day: had we but Latimers and Deerings (that worthy Preacher in Queen Elizabeths time) It's ſaid of Latimer, Latimers and Deerlings ſpirit.that ſending a Book to King Henry the Eigth, he writes in the firſt Page of it, Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judg: and Deering in his Sermons even before the Queen ſpeaking of diſorders of the times, and theſe and theſe things are thus and thus, and you ſit ſtill and do nothing: and again, even before her face, preaching to her, (ſaith he) may we not well ſay with the Prophet, It's the mercy of the Lord that we are not conſumed, ſeeing there is ſo much diſobedience both in Subjects, and in Prince: Certainly much good might come had we men of ſuch Spirits as heretofore have been.Note. All their Princes are Revolters.
Fourthly,Obſ. 4. When Princes one after another are wicked, there's little hope of good then to a people. The Saints under the perſecution of one they groan and cry to God, but another comes and oppreſſes them more. We had need therefore pray for thoſe in high places, for Princes, for it concerns much the people, as we ſhall ſee more after. It follows.