An Exposition of Hosea 8-10, Exposition · Chapter 10 · Verse 2
VER. 2.
Their heart is divided; now ſhall they be found faulty.
MY Brethren, I know that you would be willing enough that I ſhould in ſuch a Point as this is, go beyond an Expoſitory way, ſeeing God hath caſt me upon it; but in regard this Point hath been fully handled in a *See the ſeveral Exerciſes and Sermons which he ſpent (moſt ſeaſonably and excellently) upon this ſubject, are printed in a Trettiſe by themſelves with this Title [IRENICVM: Heart-diviſions opened, &c.] which is to be taken in here, and then that which follows (in the ſubſequent Expoſition) to be annexed.Treatiſe already printed, (to which I ſhall refer you) I ſhall paſs it, and proceed to the following words:
He ſhall break down their Altars: he ſhall ſpoil their Images.
The Diviſions of this People, of which you have heard ſo largely*In the Treatiſe of Heart-diviſions printed by its ſelf., were much about the way of Worſhip, moſt of them contending for the way of Falſe Worſhip againſt the True; they would have their Images and their Altars honored: but God ſaith, he would break them down, and ſpoil them; ye keep a ſtir for them, but you ſhall not have them: But he will break down their Altars. Decollabit, the word comes from a root that ſignifies a Neck; Expoſ. 1.and ſo that which you have in your Books tranſlated,Decollabit foreign cervix. break down, it is, break their necks; he will break the necks of their Altars. Ternovius a learned Interpreter hath a Note upon the place, it hath an alluſion (ſaith he) to that that they were wont to have upon their Altars,Vatabl. they were wont to have Ornamenta quaſi Capitela, that were (as it were) the heads of their Altars, they were wont to have brave things upon their Altars, and Crowns upon their Altars: I, but ſaith the Lord, I will break the necks of them all: He will break down their Altars, and ſpoil their Images.
The Notes from thence are briefly theſe.
Firſt,Obſ. 1. Though men make never ſuch a ſtir to maintain that which is evil, God will break it; they may by their contending and ſeeking have it a while, but God will break the neck of it at laſt, it ſhall come to nothing.
He will break down their Altars.
Why,Expoſ. 2. they were convinced before of the evil of them, for ſo in the former words, Now ſhall they be found guilty, they ſhall acknowledg themſelves guilty in contending ſo much for them; well, but ſaith God, though you are convinced of your guiltineſs, yet that's not enough, I'le break them down, for otherwiſe if they do remain, they may be ſnares unto you afterwards.
From whence then the Note is:Obſ. 2. That though men be convinced of an evil, yet if the temptation ſhall ſtill abide, they will be ready to fall to it again. Wherefore to prevent that evil, the temptations are to be taken away as much as we can, (ſaith he) I will take away the temptation; you acknowledg your ſelves guilty when my hand is upon you, but you will fall to it again if the temptation be not taken away.
Thirdly,Obſ. 3. Superſtitious Altars and Images are to be taken away. Altars & religious Images to be removed frō among Chriſtians and brokē: not ſold.It's the Magiſtrates work to take away thoſe that are in publick place; but I have met with that heretofore, and I ſhall not need to ſpeak of it now, only for you to meet with any ſuperſtitious Pictures, and Images, you muſt not keep them and ſay, what hurt will theſe do? though they do not hurt now, yet they may do hurt afterwards, you are not to ſell and make advantage of them, but do as God doth, break them down and ſpoil them, that they may not hereafter be ſnares to any others.
Fourthly,Obſ. 4. Thoſe things that we give that reſpect to, which is Gods due, are liable to the ſtroke of God. They gave reſpect to their Altars, and Images that was due to God, Gods Spirit riſes againſt that, I'le break them down and ſpoil them ſaith God. So, whatſoever it be that you give that reſpect to, that God challenges to himſelf, you may expect that God will ſpoil them and break them down. If you give reſpect to your Eſtates, that's due to God, you may make an Idol of them, expect that God will break them; yea, to your Children, your Names, your Bodies, Parts, whatſoever you have, that you rob God of that reſpect that's due to him, and give it unto them, expect that God will break ſuch things.
Fifthly,Obſ. 5 If it be Gods will to break down that which is evil in his Worſhip, let us take heed that we have no hand to ſet it up, that we do not endeavor to ſet up falſe Worſhip, for it's in Gods heart to break it down, let us not ſet up Idols in our hearts neither, or elſe where.
I'le break down their Altars, and will ſpoil their Images.
From whence our Note is this;Obſ. 6. We muſt not break down ſuperſtitious and Idolatrous things to make up our own broken eſtates, for our outward advantage. We ſhould labor the aboliſhing of thoſe things, and not our own benefit by them; as certainly many do in breaking down things that are naught and ſuperſtitious, they endeavor to make up their broken eſtates and to gain to themſelves that way, and there's all they aim at: but ſaith God, I'le break them down and utterly ſpoil them; ſo ſhould we, and look not to our own advantage.
He will break them down.
I find ſome Interpreters render the words thus,Expoſ. 2. It ſhall break them down, and ſo apply it to their divided hearts. Ipſum cor, for ſo the Pronoun that is tranſlated, hee, is relative, and the Antecedent according to the former Expoſition is in that laſt Verſe of the former Chapter where he had ſpoken of God; but according to this Interpretation the Antecedent is: Their heart is divided: Their hearts, their very diſſentions, their diviſions ſhall break down their Altars, and ſpoil their Images. And we may have a hint of a good meditation from thence, If I ſay the Relative ſhould have that Antecedent, and their hearts being divided ſhould be a means to break down their Altars, then the Note is this:
That mens diviſions and contentions break the neck of that which they contend for; Obſ. 7.eſpecially when men in their contentions, are violent, furious, outragious, and heady, they do uſually by their rage and headineſs, and paſſion in their contentions, break out and ſpoil the very thing that they would fain maintain, and their party is very little beholding unto ſuch as ſeek to maintain them in a furious and in an outragious way, by a ſpirit of contention. You know thoſe furious violent Prelates,The late Prelates. Did not they break the neck of their Prelacie meerly by their furie and outragiouſneſs? And in any party, thoſe that are the moſt furious and outragious,Furious mē do the leaſt ſervice. do the leaſt ſervice to their party, and many times are the very break-neck of their Party, and of their Cauſe: It ſhall break them down. It follows.