An Exposition of Hosea 8-10, Exposition · Chapter 10 · Verse 13
VER. 13.
Ye have Plowed wickedneſs, ye have reaped iniquity, ye have eaten the fruit of Lyes.
NOtwithſtanding all exhortations,Expoſ. in general. and all offers of mercy, yet you have gone quite contrary (ſaith the Prophet:) Inſtead of breaking from your iniquities, you have plowed your iniquities. The meaning is this: You have taken pains to propagate that which is evil, you have taken pains to prepare for wicked things and to do all you can for the propagation of that which is evil, both in your ſelves and others. That is the plowing of wickedneſs.Prov. 21. 4. The plowing of the wicked is ſin, their endeavors, (that is the meaning) their labor it is eſpecially for the furtherance of ſin, the very ſtrength of their ſpirits is let out for the furtherance of their ſin; In Job, 4. 8. Job, 4. 8.Even as I have ſeen, they that plow iniquity, and ſow wickedneſs reap the ſame: to plow it is to endeavor, and labor for iniquity, for ſo the word that is here tranſlated Plow, foreignit ſignifies, to Frame things, to Work things, to Endeavor any thing with all our might; that is the ſignification of the word. You have ſet your hearts altogether upon this work, for the furthering of wickedneſs, in thinking of it, in plodding about it, in ſtirring of one another, and doing all you can in your endeavors for the furtherance of wickedneſs.
Yea, You have been willing to go through all difficulties to accompliſh your wicked intentions:Micah, 7. 3. As we reade in Micah, 7. 3. Vt benefaciant, Munſter.it is a notable Scripture, it ſhews the ſtrong endeavors of wicked men after their ſin. They do evil (ſaith the text) with both hands earneſtly. foreign Vel nitunter ut (mala ſua) bonafaciunt; i.e. juſtificent.It is a very ſtrange text, they are willing to take pains and plow for their ſin.
Oh!Some take more pains to periſh than others to be ſaved, how many are there that take more pains to go to Hell, than others do that go to Heaven? they will ſo ſtruggle, and ſuffer for their ſin, willing to break with their friends to accompliſh their ſinful luſts, willing to venture their eſtates, to hazard their healths, willing to do any thing in the world, they are willing to go through all difficulties that they may have their ſin: Yet they will not plow for God: Oh! they complain of any little difficultie in the waies of God;yet complain of any difficulty in Gods waies. but complain of no difficultie in the waies of ſin, Oh! what a wicked and wretched heart is this, to be offended with any hardneſs in Gods waies, and yet be content to endure any hardneſs at al in the waies of ſin! Oh! that we were but as inſtrumental for God, and willing to plow, as hard as others do for that which is ſin. And Oh! when you ſhall come to die, to reap the fruit of your labor, what terror do you think will this be to your conſciences, when it muſt tell you that you have taken more pains in the waies of wickedneſs than ever you did in the waies of God?Cardinal Wolſey. See the Book of Martyrs. As it was ſaid of Cardinal Wolſey, when he was to die, Oh! ſaith he, Had I but ſerved God as diligently as I have ſerved the King, he would not have given me over in my gray hairs. So when you ſhall come to die and your conſciences ſhall ſay, Oh! that I had but broken as much ſleep to prayer and ſeeking God, Oh! that I had but ventur'd my eſtate, and name,Who cannot die in peace (without ſerious repentance)▪ as much in the waies of God as in the waies of ſin, it had been happy for me; Is it poſſible that any of you can die in peace of conſcience, and yet your conſciences ſhall tell you that you never took that pains for God as you have done for ſin? In a good motion that is for God, if others do it you will agree and go on with them: I, but you will not plow hard for it; but in things that are ſutable to your luſts, you will not only move ſuch a thing, and joyn with others, but you will plow hard for it, Oh! what pity is it, that mens parts and ſtrength ſhould be laid out ſo much upon that which is evil! Men that have active ſpirits, Oh! how inſtrumental might they be for God if their necks were but in Gods yoke? but they, all the daies of their lives, have their necks in the Devils yoke, and are plowing for the Devil all their daies, and they will reap accordingly.
Now this plowing wickedneſs was eſpecially their way of falſe worſhip,Expoſ. in parti…. Oh! they endeavored there, they plowed hard to get up their falſe worſhip, their worſhip at Dan and Bethel, and not to go to Jeruſalem to worſhip. It follows.
You have plowed wickedneſs, ye have reaped iniquity.
You do not hear of any ſowing; for the truth is, there need no ſowing for wickednſs, there need be but the preparation, do but plow, that is, do but prepare the ground, and wickedneſs will come up alone. When you plow Righteouſneſs you muſt ſow the ſeeds of Righteouſneſs.
Ye reap iniquity.
The meaning is this,Expoſ. You have your hearts deſire to bring about your own ends, to have what you plowed for. Sometimes men do plow and take a great deal of pains in that which is evil, and God croſſes them; but at other times God lets them reap: that is, Do you labor for to promote ſuch a thing though it be not according to Gods mind, it may be God will let you have it; well, you plow for it, and you ſhall have it; and doeſt thou bleſs thy ſelf in that? Oh! wo to thee, it is a woful harveſt that thou haſt, it is a fearful curſe for any man or woman for to have their hearts deſires ſatisfied in their ſin, it were a thouſand times better that thy plowing were to no purpoſe at all, that all thy labors and endeavors were quite loſt; thou art loth to loſe thy endeavors in the waies of ſin, Oh! but it were a thouſand times better that thy endeavors were all loſt than that thou ſhouldeſt attain that which thou ploweſt for.
But I find the word that ſignifies Iniquity, foreignis uſed in Scripture to ſignifie, The puniſhment of iniquity: for the Hebrews have the ſame word to ſignifie Sin, and the puniſhment of ſin.
Or thus, which I think the holy Ghoſt hath ſome aim at,What is here meāt by inniquity. You plow (ſaith he) wickedneſs, and reap iniquity; the plowing was for their falſe worſhip, and their reaping was iniquity: I beſeech you obſerve this Note further.
That, The fruit of falſe worſhip it is the encreaſe of ſin in a Nation.Obſ.
You plow wickedneſs, for ſo afterwards it is called, The great wickedneſs; and the fruit of that, it is the encreaſe of much ſin, it brings forth a harveſt for ſin. When men have ſtriven to ſet up any falſe worſhip, and have gotten it up, what is the fruit of it? There grows preſently a formality in Religion, Men have a Religion, and yet they enjoy their luſts, for only the true Worſhip of God is that which will not ſtand with mens luſts, therefore when men ſet up any kind of falſe Worſhip, this will be the fruit, there will be a formality in Religion, and this will pleaſe men exceeding well, for they can live in worldlineſs, and licentiouſneſs, and this will be the fruit of it. And verily my Brethren, this is one main thing, that makes carnal, looſe hearts contend ſo much for a looſe kind of worſhip,Why carnal men contend for ſuperſtition. that they may have looſneſs in their waies ſo much the more: Endeavoring for this kind of evil the fruit of it will be the reaping of iniquity.
You have eaten the fruit of lyes.
Firſt,Lyes here what? What are thoſe lyes that they eate the fruit of?
Firſt,1. Reaſons for it. Thoſe arguments by which you juſtifie your ſelves in your iniquity. Yea, but they are but the fruit of lyes. They would ſet up a way of falſe worſhip, but they would have ſome Reaſons for it, they would have ſome arguments to defend it, and thoſe, Oh how they hugged and cloſed with them, and let any one bring and ſhew them that ſuch a thing may be proved thus and thus by ſuch an argument; now becauſe they had a mind to the thing, their hearts cloſed upon thoſe arguments, and they fed upon it, it did them good at their hearts.
Secondly,2. Comforts from it. You feed upon lyes; that is, Thoſe comforts that you have from the way of falſe worſhip, the way that you ſet up you have a great deal of comfort in it, and you are very glad that it thrives, It is but a Lye (ſaith God.)
Thirdly,3. Hopes by it. Their hopes that they had when that way was eſtabliſhed of theirs, they had ſuch hopes that all ſhould be ſo well, and that there ſhould be no more trouble between them and Jeruſalem: I, but you feed upon Lyes (ſaith God) It is but a Lye that you feed upon.
The Fourth Lye that they fed upon was,4. Interpretation of Gods bleſſings in it. The Interpretation of Gods dealings, in bleſſing them for the way of their falſe worſhip which they had ſet up; then all kind of outward bleſſings which they had they made this Interpretation of them, the goodneſs of God to them for that which they had done: As that is uſual in places where there is any thing in matters of Religion altered, though it be not right, yet you ſhall have men that are for that way, what ever bleſſing comes upon a Nation, they will interpret it as the fruit of that. I, but this will come to nothing.
And then fiftly,5. Reports of the cō trary party. The fift Lye, was, Thoſe falſe reports that came to them againſt thoſe that did oppoſe their way of falſe worſhip: there were many that would not yield to the way of falſe worſhip, and upon that reports were raiſed upon them, what kind of men they were, and what they had done, and when theſe reports were brought to them of the other way, Oh they did them good at their hearts, I but, You have eaten the fruit of lyes: many mens Break-faſts, and Dinners, and Suppers are nothing elſe but lyes. Surely now this will breed no good nouriſhment. And what's the reaſon that we have ſuch a deal of ill blood among us? It is, becauſe that men have ſuch courſe food as they have.
Becauſe thou dideſt truſt in thy way, and the multitude of mighty men.
Iſrael (the ten Tribes) had two great Confidences that are expreſſed in this lattter part of the 13. Verſe.
1. The Confidence of their Way.
2. And the Confidence of their Mighty Men.
Now the Way in which they did truſt was, the Way of Religion that they choſe to themſelves, that way that was diſtinct from the way of Judah, from the true Worſhip of God.
And the Mighty Men was, the Power they had in their State.
Theſe are two great Confidences of people.
Firſt,Expoſ. 1. Partie. Thou dideſt truſt in thy Way; they were confident that was right, they were not willing to hear any thing to the contrary: And if they did, yet their hearts were ſo byaſſed by their falſe worſhip, that any thing that was ſaid to the contrary was nothing to them, they were very confident that there was no man able to ſay anie thing to purpoſe againſt them, no, we have ſo many underſtanding learned men for this way, no queſtion it is right, there's none but a company of ſilly, weak men that are in any other way.
Thus they truſted in their way, they pleaſe themſelves, and one another, and did ſeek to harden themſelves, and one another in their way, they have got the day, no queſtion they have laid all upon their backs that have oppoſed them, there's a great deal more reaſon for this way than for any other. There's no way of peace to the State, to the Kingdom, but this, that which others would have, namely to go to Jeruſalem to worſhip, it's a moſt unreaſonable way. Yea, they think that God is well pleaſed with their way, and they do good ſervice in oppoſing and perſecuting thoſe that are not of their way; Thus they truſt in their way.
From whence the Note and Point is,Obſ. That which is a mans own way he is very ready to truſt in, to make much of; Whatſoever is a mans own way: we have for this a notable Scripture in the Book of Judges, 2. 19. Judg. 2. 19.Oh the ſtrength of ſpirit that there is in men when the way is their own, ſaith the text there, They ceaſe not from their own doings, nor from their ſtubborn way. I beſeech you obſerve it, 'tis but a ſeveral expreſſion, own doings, and own way, the doings were their own, ſuch things as they had contriv'd to themſelves, Their own way; and then they ceaſed not from, they would ſtick to their own way, they were ſtubborn in their way becauſe their way was their own,Prov. 12. 15. Prov▪ 12. 15. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; but he that hearkeneth to counſel, is wiſe. A fool, one that underſtands little, yet if the way be his own, he will not hearken to counſel, he thinks he is ſure, he needs not counſel with any, he is ſo ſtrong in it becauſe it is his own way. It's a hard thing to get men out of that way that they have contriv'd to themſelves in matters of Religion: and therefore it's obſervable what God ſaith of all the Heathen in Jer. 2. 10, 11. Jer. 2. 10. 11.Have any of the Nations changed their gods? but my people hath (ſaith he.) No Nation would change their gods whom they had choſe, only Gods People they were peculiar in this to make change of their God: Why? becauſe the gods of the Nations were of their own making.opened. What waies are of mens own that they ſtick exceeding much to, They truſted in their own way; as when an object is too neer the eye,ſimile. the eye is not able to ſee it, to ſee any evil in it; If a foul thing be put too neer the eye, the eye cannot ſee it: ſo the evil that is neer ones ſelf, very neer, that is ones own, that is very hard to ſee; and yet what great difference is it between ones being defil'd by ones own dung, and by the dung of another? If a mans heart be engaged in a way of his own, he will be ready to father it upon God himſelf, and ſay, It is Gods way, and he will be ready to think that all other waies different from his are mens own.
No men are more ready to charge others of pride than proud men; and no men more ready to charge others of going to their own way, than thoſe that do moſt ſtick to their own waies;A note of one conceited of his own way. it's one fruit of a mans heart ſticking to his own waies and conceits, to think that whoſoever differs from him, doth ſtick to his own conceits and his own waies.
It's a hard thing to make a man or woman that ſticks much to their own waies, to own it that it is their own; but how ever men wil not own what is theirs, but put it upon God many times, yet the Lord he will one day diſcover all the waies of men, diſcover all the waies of men and women and ſhew how much is their own in it:Prov. 21. 2. It's a notable text for that in Prov. 21. 2. Every way of man is right in his own eyes; but the Lord pondereth the heart, (or the Lord weigheth the heart) for pondering and weighing is all one. Mark, every way of man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord pondereth the heart; that is, Though we chuſe waies to our ſelves, and think they are right, and we are ready to think that our waies are Gods, that we might juſtifie our ſelves ſo much the more, but ſaith the text, God pondereth the heart; that is, God weigheth exactly how much there is of his own, and how much there is of our own in it, Oh! it were a happy thing if we were able to do ſo, it's a great part of the skill of a Chriſtian to be able ſo to ponder his own waies as to know how much of God & how much of himſelf is in a thing. There's very few in the world knows this, there's ſcarce any action that the beſt of us do but there is ſomewhat of ſelf in it, there is ſomewhat of God, and ſomewhat of ſelf; but now here's the skill, to be able to weigh how much of God, and how much of our ſelves is in an action. It's a great skill that your Goldſmiths have, they can preſently tell you how much gold and ſilver is in a veſſel; an unskilful man looks upon it and thinks it's all gold, but your Refiners will tell you even how much to a drachm is mixed with it. Oh! it were an excellent skil to be able in all our actions thus to ponder al our waies, to know how much of God, and how much of our ſelves is in our waies, for want of thi… it is that we do miſcarry ſo much in our waies as we do; every way of man is right in his own eyes, but God ponders, God weighs mens actions to ſee how much of himſelf; and how much of us there is in our actions.
But now then,Uſe. Is it ſo, that it is in the hearts of men to truſt ſo much in their own way, becauſe it is their own? Oh! what a ſhame is it then that we ſhould not have our hearts cloſe with, and truſt in Gods way! Let a way be never ſo baſe and vile, yet if it be a mans own, his heart doth cloſe, and truſt, and is ſtrong in it: Oh then! when the way is apparently Gods, why ſhould we be ſo fickle and unſteadie as we are almoſt alwaies in the way of God? Make but the way of Religion to be thy own, and then thou wilt be ſtrong enough in it, but till that time is, till we have given up our Wils to the Will of God, and we have made Gods Wil to be our own Wil, we are never like to be ſtrong in the Waies of God. When there is but one Will between God and us, that Gods Will is our Will then we are ſtrong, when Gods Intereſt is our Intereſt, when Gods Glory is our Glorie then we come to be ſtrong. Oh! happie are they that have ſo given up themſelves to God, as that they look upon their own good to be more in God than themſelves, this is the work of Grace to look upon ones own good, and Wil, and comforts of our hearts and happineſs of our lives, to be more in God than in our ſelves, that's the way to perſevere in Godlineſs; as thus, As it is between man and wife; when the wife comes to make the Will of her huſband her own, then ſhe loves him ſtrongly, and conſtantly: ſo when Gods will is made to be our own, then we will fol Gods will ſtrongly, and ſhall perſevere in it. It follows;
And in the multitude of their Mighty Men.
This made them very confident in their way: Why, they had an Army to back them,Expoſ. they had an Army to fight for them, to maintain that way of theirs, they had countenance from men of Power, they had ſtrength enough to cruſh any that ſhould oppoſe them.
That's the Note that lies plainly before us:Obſ. When the outward ſtrength of a Kingdom goes along with a way of Religion then men think it muſt needs be right, and that all men are but weak men that appears againſt it. Mark the connexion: They truſted in their way: that is, (as I find generally Interpreters go) The way of Religion. And then, their Mighty Men, theſe two are put together: ſo that you ſee the Note is very evident before you,That way the mighty men go that ſhall be troden that's the way that generally men will truſt in, and men will go that way; were the ſcale turn'd and the ſtrength of the mighty men went another way; As now, Suppoſe that the ſtrength of the Kingdom of the ten Tribes had been bent to go up to Jeruſalem to worſhip, and not to worſhip at Dan & Bethel, Do you think there would have been almoſt any conſiderable party that would not have gone up to Jeruſalem, but worſhiped at Dan & Bethel? but when the ſtrength of the Kingdom held the other way, when the mighty Men and the way of Religion went both in one, the generality of the people went that way that the mighty men went. This is the vanity and the exceeding evil of mens hearts, that which way ſoever the mighty men go, that way they will truſt in. There are very few that will deliberatly ſay ſo, I will go that way that I ſee the mightie men go in: But this is a ſecret byaſs & poiſe upon the ſpirits of men wch inclins them to harken to what may be ſaid for that way, & not willingly to what may be ſaid for another. And ſecondly, It is ſuch a poiſe upon their ſpirits, as makes them to be willing and ready to let in any probability, if there be but the leaſt probability for the way that the mighty men go on in they take in that, and when they have taken in one probability, that makes way for another, and another, and ſo they drink in more and more, & ſo com to be ſtrengthned for that way, ſo as to put off the ſtrength of any thing that can be ſaid againſt the way, except it be ſo apparent, as whether they will nor no, they muſt be forced to ſin againſt their conſciences directly if they go another way; I ſay, when the ſpirits of men are byaſſed by ſeeing the ſtrength of the Kingdom go in a way, though (perhaps) they may have ſome good lie at their hearts, yet there is that corruption in mans heart that except we can make the other way ſo cleer, that notwithſtanding all ſhifts, and all kind af reaſonings that may be, they ſhal be ſelf-condemned in their own conſciences, that their conſciences ſhall tell them, they go directly againſt their light, I ſay, except we can come thus, we cannot prevail with mens hearts, when the ſway of a Kingdom goes another way. And there are many Truths of God that concerns his Worſhip, that cannot be made ſo cleer but that a man may have ſuch a diverſion to ſatisfie his conſcience in this, That I in going another way, do not go againſt my conſcience; God would have us, that what is moſt likely to be his mind that way to go, without any conſideration of any outward reſpects. Now if there be a temptation for outward reſpects that they will come into the ballance, do but turn the ballance; and ſuppoſe in your own heart that all outward reſpects were in the other ballance, that all the mightie men were of the other way, what would your hearts think?Rev. 13. 1, 2, 3. In Revel. 13. 3. That when Power and Authority was given unto Antichriſt, The whol World wondred after her. So it is ordinary, that way that the mighty men go, that way mens hearts will generally go. Oh! the little honor that Jeſus Chriſt hath by us! Our hearts are ſwayed for the moſt part by carnal Arguments, and carnal Motives.
Again, They truſt in their way and in the multitude of their Mighty Men.
Great Armies are the things that are the Confidence of Carnal hearts: Obſ. 3.when they can get a great Army up of a multitude of Mighty Men, let there be never ſuch threats in the Word, yet if they think they have ſtrength enough to bear them out, they bleſs themſelves in that. Oh! let us take heed of this Carnal Confidence: Through Gods MercieMercy the Lord hath given us now, that we have the multitude of Mightie Men on our ſide,Applic. to Engl. let us take heed that our Faith do not eb and flow as our Armies do; and I wil give you one Scripture that ſhews how far a gracious heart is from making fleſh his Arm, Curſed is that man (you know the Scripture) that maketh fleſh his Arm. But an example of a godly man to ſhew how far he was from truſting in an Armie of mighty men,2 Chron. 14▪ 11. obſerved. in 2 Chron. 14. 11. It is nothing (ſaith Aſa) with thee to help with many, or with them that have no power. Why Lord, though we have no power, yet thou canſt help us. Why did Aſa ſpeak thus? Had he no power? You ſhall find in the Chapter a little before, that Aſa had five hundred and fourſcore thouſand valiant fighting men, Almoſt ſix hundred thouſand valiant men that he had at that time when he is pleading with God, Lord thou canſt ſave where there is no power. We account it a great Army, if we have twentie, or thirtie, or fourty thouſand men; he hath almoſt ſix hundred thouſand men, and yet goes to God and praies, Lord, thou canſt help where there is no power.
And yet further from the connexion of theſe two.
Their way in which they truſted.] That is, The way of Religion, they thought that was good; But had they had nothing elſe to truſt in but that, their truſt would not have been very ſure.
From thence the Note is this,Obſ. 4. That thoſe who truſt to any way of their own, had need of creature ſtrengths to uphold them. It's a Note of very great uſe, they had need of bladders to be under their arm-holes, if they truſt in a way of their own. But now if the Way be the Way of God that a man hath confidence in, why then though all outward helps ſhould fail him, though all encouragements ſhould fail in this world, though we ſhould ſee the creatures at never ſo great a diſtance, yet the heart that hath confidence in Gods way hath enough to uphold it; here's the difference between men truſting in their own way, and in Gods way. Indeed when men truſt in their own way ſo long as the Sun ſhines upon their way, that they have external helps, they can go on confident, but let outward helps fail, and their hearts ſink within them.
But now when the heart is upright with God, and truſts in the Word,Hab. 3. 17▪ and Promiſes, then it is able to ſay with Habakkuk, in Chap. 3. 17. That though the Fig-tree ſhall not bloſſom, neither the fruit be in the Vines; the labor of the Olive ſhould fail, and the Field ſhould yeeld no meat, the Flock ſhould be cut off from the fold, and there ſhould be no Herd in the ſtalls; yet they will rejoyce in the Lord, and joy in the God of their ſalvation. Let Heaven and Earth meet …ether, whatſoever becomes of Armies, and of the Policies of men, of Friends, and all outward reſpects; yet I will bleſs my ſelf in the Lord, and bleſs the time that ever I knew God, and his waies,The confidence of a gracious heart. my heart yet is confident it is the way of God, and I can venture my ſtate upon it, and my libertie, and my life and ſoul upon this way; let all things ſeem to be under a cloud and never ſo diſmal, yet my heart is ſteady, and is fixed in this way of God that the Lord God graciously hath drawn my heart into.
Oh! this is an excellent thing.Uſe. Examin. Examin your hearts in that; when at any time you have ſeen things go very croſs, yet then whether you have not had your hearts to ſhake.
I remember it's an Obſervation that one hath about John Baptiſt. John Baptiſt.After he was caſt into priſon, he ſends two of his Diſciples to know whether Chriſt were the Meſſias, or no: They think that though before he was caſt into priſon he did know that he was ſo; Behold the Lamb of God! but when once he came to ſufferings, ſome think that there was ſome ſhaking of his Spirit. So it is many times with men, that when they begin to ſet upon a way and things do ſomewhat ſhine upon them, and they have ſome encouragements outwardly,when men ſuffer for a way, then they begin to queſtion it. then they go on, and are perſwaded that it is a right way; but when things fall croſs, that they are like to ſuffer in that way, and the hearts of men are againſt it, and they are like to meet with more evils than ever they made account of, then they begin to call things into queſtion, And is this the right way? Oh! it is a ſign that there was much failing in thy heart (at firſt) when in the time of outward afflictions thou comeſt to call into queſtion whether it be the way of God, yea or no. It follows.