An Exposition of Hosea 11-13, Exposition · Chapter 12 · Verse 8
VER. 8.
And Ephraim ſaid, Yet I am become rich, &c.
IN the Verſe before Ephraim is charged for being a Merchant, for having the Ballances of Deceipt in his hand, and Loving to oppreſs; but yet Ephraim ſaith, I am become rich. Yet.
The Particle here is [nevertheleſs,] as if they ſhould ſay, Ve…tamen.Let the Prophet ſay what he will, let him enveigh againſt me as he pleaſeth, I know not what he means by his Deceipt, and Oppreſſion, I am ſure I gain well by it, Yet I am become rich, I am ſure I proſper in this way, and that's enough for me. I have found me out ſubſtance.
The Hebrew word that is here tranſlated Subſtance, it labor, opes foreign vanitas, &c.ſignifies ſometimes Iniquity, Labor, Violence, Rapine, Affliction, Riches, an Idol, and Subſtance; all theſe things this word ſignifies: for indeed moſt of them, if not all are uſually joyned together with Riches, where men are wicked that do enjoy them. I have found ſubſtance.foreign
The Greeks they have a word, Reſt, Refreſhing to my ſoul. They account the great refreſhing and reſt to their ſouls to be in the riches that they have gotten, however they get them. I have found Subſtance.
Thoſe things that the Prophet tels us of, they are but Expoſ.Notions, Imaginations; but in what I have found there's Subſtance, to have an Eſtate, and Riches, and Comings-in, there's Subſtance, I have found ſubſtance.
Firſt from this obſerve, Wicked men will have ſomething Obſ. 1.to ſay for themſelves though their waies be never ſo foul. The Prophet charges them of very foul things, the Ballances of Deceipt, and loving to oppreſs, and other ſins before were named. Yet Ephraim [ſaith] He hath ſomewhat to ſay: It's a very hard thing to ſtop the mouths of wicked men, and eſpecially Rich wicked men; wicked men that proſper in their wicked waies, ſay what you wil you cannot ſtop their mouths: The work of Converſion is not ſo much as begun till the mouths of ſinners be ſtopt, till they be ſo convinc'd of their evil waies as they have nothing to ſay for themſelves.
Secondly, Men though very wicked and going on in very Obſ. 2.ſinful courſes, yet they may proſper for a while. Ephraim ſaid, I am become Rich.
It's true, ſometimes God meets with wicked men and curſes them in their way, that they have not their deſire ſatisfied, but many times they have, they do become rich, they get their hearts deſires: Job, 21. Pſal. 73. with other places ſufficient for this.
Thirdly, Wicked men in their proſperity and riches, what Obſ. 3.they get, they attribute to themſelves. I am become rich, and I have found ſubſtance, I have got: They do not look up to God, indeed they dare not; thoſe that get by a ſinful way, they dare not acknowledge God in it: and this is the evil of getting any thing in a way of ſin, that a man cannot come to God and ſay, Lord, I bleſs thee that thou haſt given me this; no, his Conſcience would fly in his face▪ wicked men attribute all to themſelves: This is a very wicked and vile thing, Deut. 6. 12. Beware, leſt thou forget the Lord thy God, ſpeaking of their having Houſes, Deut. 6. 12. Interpretedand Lands, Beware, leſt thou forget the Lord thy God, and only look at thy ſelf, & atribute al to thy ſelf, that's the meaning.
Then Fourthly, Carnal hearts they account outward things (Riches) to be the only ſubſtantial things. I have found Obſ. 4.ſubſtance; they think there is no ſubſtance in other things; you ſpeak of Spiritual things, of Communion with God, of Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, and of the Promiſes, they are but poor dry things that have no ſubſtance in them; but tell me of Gain, and Comings-in, there's ſome ſavour there, there's ſubſtance there; For indeed there's nothing gives ſubſtance unto Spiritual things but Faith, in Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the evidence of things not ſeen, and the ſubſtance of things hoped for, Faith doth give a ſubſtance to ſpiritual things, a Beleever looks upon ſpiritual things as the moſt ſubſtantial, and looks on theſe outward things as imaginary; Carnal hearts think ſpiritual things imaginary, and an outward eſtate ſubſtantial; it's quite contrary in thoſe that are ſpiritual, in the 8. of Proverbs, verſ. 21. ſaith Wiſdom there, That I might cauſe them that Prov. 8. 21. Noted.love me to inherit *foreignſubſtance, to inherit that, that is; as if there were nothing had a ſubſtance but only that which comes in by Wiſdom, by Grace. We call rich men, ſubſtantial men, ſuch a man (we ſay) is a ſubſtantial man, for indeed all the ſubſtance that the world looks after, it is riches, they make account that's ſubſtance.
And then Fifthly, When carnal heats have got eſtates, Obſ. 5.they much glory in what they have got. I am become rich, and I inherit ſuſtance.
They make their boaſt in what they have got, they bleſs themſelves in their way; in Zephan. 1. verſ. 9. it is ſpoken of the verie ſervants of rich covetous men, that ſeek to get an eſtate but to their Maſters, in a way either of violence, or of deceipt, They leap upon the threſhold (the text ſaith) They triumph, and leap, and skip in their Zeph. 1. 9. Openedrejoycing that they have circumvenced others, that they have got ſuch and ſuch things to their Maſters; much more then will the Maſters themſelves leap and rejoyce in the having their hearts deſires fill'd: They glorie in it.
And then Sixthly, and that's eſpecially to be obſerved here, That carnal hearts that get eſtates in ſinful waies, Obſ. 6.they ſeek to relieve their conſciences that are full of guilt, with the conſideration of the outward comforts they do enjoy. The Prophet charges them with their ſin, charges the guilt of their ſin upon them. But we are rich ſay they, and we inherit ſubſtance. Wicked men will ſeek to relieve their conſciences, their guiltie conſciences, in the rejoycing in their riches, and in their eſtates, and in what they have got; in Iſa. 57. 10. you have a Scripture ſomewhat ſutable to this, Thou haſt found the life of thine hand, therefore thou waſt not grieved: It may be if a man goes on in an evil way and doth not proſper in it, if God croſſes him in Iſa. 57. 8. Interpreted.it, then he begins to bethink himſelf, Is not this a finful way? doth not God oppoſe me in it? and then he begins to be griev'd; But if he can find the life of his hand go on, and he proſper and have what he deſires, then he will not be griev'd, then his heart is hardened: Wicked men will ſet their riches and eſtates againſt all their guiltineſs, and think it will countervail it. I beſeech you conſider this Note,
There is no more full and ſure ſign of a man of the world, of a worldlie man than this, That he can think to relieve his conſcience in the guilt of the leaſt ſin, by the A ſure ſign of a carnal heart.enjoyment of all the things of the world that he can ſet the good of the things of the world againſt the guilt of ſin, that he can put any thing in the world in the ballance to down weigh the leaſt guilt of any ſins; here is a worldly heart, here's a man of the world, a wretched heart, thou doeſt bleſs thy ſelf in a great eſtate thou g… teſt, but hath there been no guilt at all that thou haſt contracted by that eſtate which thou haſt got, Thou canſt not ſay but ſome guiltineſs hath been contracted, yea, but this contents thee, there is ſo much gain comes by it, Oh! thou art a wretched man that canſt ſet the gain in the world to the leaſt guilt that thou haſt contracted, Oh! it hath been an ill bargain, riches got by guilt, thou haſt made (I ſay) an ill bargain for thy ſelf, thou knoweſt not God, knoweſt not with whom thou haſt to deal that canſt ſet any gain by ſin for to countervail the evil of that guilt that thou haſt committed for the getting of that gain of thine.
And further, Wicked men labor to ſatisfie their conſciences with the proſperitie they are in, and what they have got by their ſin as they ſet it againſt their guilt, ſo in the Seventh place, They perſwade themſelves that God is Obſ. 7.not, (at leaſt) ſo much diſpleaſed with them as many would bear them in hand. Surely if my condition were ſo dangerous as you would perſwade me to, I ſhould not proſper ſo much in my way as I do, I ſhould not get riches ſo as I do; upon this they begin to think that God is of their mind, as in Pſal. 50. 21. Thou thoughteſt I was like unto thy ſelf: we find it by experience that when men are under affliction, when Gods hand is upon men then they begin to think that God doth not like of their waies; but when they go on and proſper they are readie to think that God approves of their waies, that they walk in. There's a notable ſtorie concerning the Mother of Lumbard, Gratian, and Comeſtor, [The firſt, the Maſter of the Sentences (as they call them.) The Second, the compiler of a great part of the Popes Law, the Decretal Epiſtles; the third, the Author of the Scholaſtical Hiſtorie, the beſt man and book of the three.] All famous men, and all The Mother of Gratian &c.three of them were Baſtards; Now the Mother of them being a Whore, when ſhe came to make her confeſſion to the Prieſt, ſhe could not acknowledg much evil in it, and ſhe profeſt ſhe could not find her heart griev'd or troubled much about it; (when the Prieſt urged her penance and repentance for it) becauſe though it's true, that the thing was evil that ſhe did, yet that ſhe did proſper ſo wel, that they were three ſuch eminent men of ſuch great uſe as thoſe were. Thus it's ordinarilie, men think that it may leſſen the-greatneſs of their ſin if they get any thing by it, if they proſper in their ſinful way, there is no ſuch cauſe of trouble and grief for it: The people they may laugh at me (ſaith a covetous man) but Populus me ſibilat, at mihi plaudo ipſe domi ſimul ac numos contemplor in Arca.I applaud my ſelf at home, when I behold the money in the Cheſt, ſo long as I ſee comings-in, let men talk what they will, I cannot beleeve that things are ſo bad as they report, that God is ſo much againſt me, but I hope God loves me. Theſe are the reaſonings of a carnal heart, and all becauſe he proſpers in his ſin. I remember it's reported of Dioniſius that when he had committed Sacriledg, and had a good voyage after it, ſaith he, See Videtis quàm bona navigatio, ab ipſis dijs, ſacriligis tribuatur. Val. Maximus, lib. 1. cap. 2.what a good Navigation the Gods hath granted me; you tell me of Sacriledg, but I am ſure I have had a good Voyage after it. Oh! theſe are Heatheniſh reaſonings, and yet I fear they are not altogether rooted out of ſuch as profeſs themſelves Chriſtians. You that have good Voiages abroad (obſerve it) it may be if you meet with an ill Voiage, then you begin to recollect your ſelf, What ſin have I been guiltie of? but now, if you have a good Voiage, though you have contracted much guiltineſs upon your ſpirits while you were at Land, yet proſpering in your Voiage, you never think of anie danger, but all is well becauſe you have a good Voiage. Oh no, a good Voiage is no ſign that there is not guiltineſs: As ſometimes I have told you, that a painted face is no ſign of a good complexion; it may be it is the Curſe of God upon thee that doth let thee ſo to proſper, and if God had anie love unto thee he would not let thee to proſper ſo as he doth, he would croſs thee in thy waies that ſo thou mighteſt bethink thy ſelf, There's another man perhaps that was as wicked as thou, and yet the Lord had a love to him, and he croſt him in his waies, ſo that he hath begun to bethink himſelf, and not to be at reſt till he gets the guilt of his ſin done away; but for thee, Gods heart it ſeems is not yet towards thee, he hath no love to thee; and if he lets thee go on and ſtill proſper in a ſinful way, this is from the fruit of Reprobation; and certainlie there cannot be ſcarce a greater note of a Reprobate than for a man to proſper in a ſinful way: This A dangerous Note of Reprobation.is that we ſhould all pray to God to deliver us from, Lord, let us never proſper in a ſinful way, if thou feeſt our way be naught, that we contract guiltineſs upon our ſpirits in our way, Lord, let us not thrive and proſper; if we do, a thouſand to one but we are undone for ever. He ſaid he was rich, and he had found ſubſtance.Text.
So he put off all that the Prophte ſpake. I remember in Luke, 12. when Chriſt was preaching to the Phariſees, the text ſaith, Thoſe that were rich derided him; rich covetous men they ſlight any thing that is ſaid againſt them, for they have where withal, they think to relieve their conſciences againſt all their guilt; Well, though thou maieſt think to relieve thy conſcience for the preſent, it will not alwaies be ſo, there is a time that conſcience will ſpeak, and will not be put off with thoſe conceits that now thou putteſt it off withal, The Saints they beleeve the The difference between a godly and a carnal heart.Ward againſt ſence, and carnal hearts beleeve ſence againſt the Word; here's the difference between a Godly man, and a wicked; I ſay, one that's Godlie, and hath Faith, he beleeves the Word againſt ſence; let me go on in a way that I know is Gods way, though I do not proſper, yet I have peace in it, I do not repent me of it; but a wicked man, he will beleeve ſence againſt the Word, let the Word ſay, my way is never ſo dangerous, yet if I have experience by ſence, that I proſper in it, that ſhall ſuffice me, Yet I am rich, and have got ſubſtance. —In all my labors they ſhall find no iniquity in me, that were ſin.Text.
In all my labors] That is, In all that I get by my labors.
They ſhall not find in me that that is ſin] That is, Let them Expoſ. 1.ſearch they ſhal not find in me that that is; No, as if they ſhould ſay, Labhor what you ſay, To oppreſs, cheat, and cozen, Who can prove it? let any man prove it if he can, that I do cheat, or get any thing in a falſe way, let any 2.man dare to come and ſay it; Is there any Law that can take hold of me? They ſhall not find iniquity in me; though there be ſome little matter, yet there's not any 3.great matter, not any thing that the Law of the Land can 4.take hold of me; and if my way be ſuch as no man can take advantage againſt me by the Law, why ſhould I be thus condemned and cried out of as I am. That's the meaning of theſe words, In all my labors.
From thence the Firſt Note is this, That evil things many times have good names. The truth is, That which is meant Obſ. 1.here, is that which they had got by Oppreſſion and Deceipt, and they call it by the name of their Labors: ſo Covetouſneſs is call'd by the name of good-husbandry, and following their Callings, and the Art and Myſtery of their Callings; Many men think to put off their conſciences with good words, It's but the Art of my Calling, and good-husbandry, and the like, in all my labors. Further, obſerve;
It's very hard to convince any covetous men of their iniquity, Obſ. 2.Rich, covetous men are much conceipred in themſelves; in Prov. 28. 11. The rich man is wiſe in his own conceipt. You ſhall ſometimes ſee a men that gets riches, and as we ſay of ſome when we look upon their wit, we wonder at their wealth; and others when we look upon their wealth, we wonder at their wit to get an eſtate, they have wit only to get money, but for any thing elſe they are ignorant, poor, weak men, eſpecially in matters of Religion, as weak as children, and yet they are wiſe in their own conceipts, for they have got that that they ſee all the world runs after: It's very hard to convince covetous men of their falſneſs, that they get any thing in a ſinful way.
Again, There is no fin that is more hard to convince Covetouſneſs hard to be convinc'd.a man of than the ſin of Covetouſneſs; and yet the Apoſtle ſpeaks in 1 Cor. 5. 11. That it's a ſin for which a man is to be caſt out of the Church. When almoſt did you ever hear of a covetous man convinc'd? What example can you almoſt ever bring of one that hath been covetous, and rich, and got his eſtate in a falſe way, that ſhal come and give glory to God, and acknowledg his ſin, and caſt up his ſweet morſels again? Covetouſneſs it is a beforting ſin, it is a blinding ſin; Who ſhall find any iniquity in me? what do I do but that I may?
Then Thirdly, That covetous men, as it's hard to convince Obſ. 3.them, ſo they do not love to be charged with their ſin: For ſo according to ſome it is, Who dares charge me? It is a very dangerous thing to charge a rich man of any evil, for he hath his Purſe by his ſide, and can tell how to revenge himſelf upon you.
Yea, Fourthly, Men notoriouſly guilty, may yet in words Obſ. 4.at leaſt profeſs what they are guilty of, to be an abominable thing. Who ſhall find iniquity in me, that were ſin? If I ſhould be falſe that were a very horrible and vile thing. Come to all trades-men one after another, and tel them of cheating, and cozening, and deceiving; they will ſcorn your words, it were a wicked thing, one were unworthy to live: How often Trades men when they have a mind to cheat, will profeſs, That if they ſhould cozen and cheat, they were unworthy to trade any more? Oh! what cauterized Conſciences have many men that give up themſelves to gain, that make all their Godlineſs to conſiſt in gain, that make Mamon their God, that will go ſo directly againſt their conſciences. Luther renders it, God Abſit ut deprehendar ſceleratus in meis factus. Luth… l.forbid that I ſhould be found wicked in my actions. Oh! manie that have much guilineſs upon them, will clap their hands upon their breaſts, and when you charge them, you have cheated and cozened us, Oh! God forbid that I ſhould do ſo; and yet their conſciences will tell them that they have done ſo, and will be ready to take their oaths, and ſwear, and uſe ſuch curſes that they never did ſuch a thing, or never had ſuch a thing; and when their Books are falſe, wil ſware that they are true.
Again, If wicked men cannot be accuſed by other men, then Obſ. 5.they care not. If they can carry it ſo cloſely that men ſhall not ſee it, then they bleſs themſelves, all is well and fair, if they have cunningly contrived their wickedneſs that men cannot charge them, Who ſhall find iniquity in me, that were ſin? Well though you think your ſelves wel enough becauſe men cannot accuſe you and find out your ſin, yet God can find it out, Deut. 32. 33. be ſure your iniquitie will find you out, God hath his time to find out iniquitie, that will be ſin to you, and there is much between God and your conſciences, though men cannot charge you. Oh! but if ſo be, that God would but diſcover unto the world, unto all your neighbors what he is able to charge you of, how loathſom would many of you appear to your neighbors! how unfit would you be to trade with men, or who would meddle with you! if (I ſay) God ſhould open to the world all that he is able to charge you of. Now certainly your condition is not the better becauſe it is kept ſo ſecretly that men cannot charge you, but perhaps it would be better if they could, for it might bring you ſooner to be humbled for it; you think now becauſe you have only to deal with God you can do well enough with him: Do you think it ſuch a matter to deal with the infinite, holy, and glorious God! Indeed Servants would be troubled if their Maſters ſhould know their deceipt and cozening; but if a little child knew it they care not for that; ſo men Simile.think it is no matter for the knowledge of God, but they are loth that men ſhould know it, that will bring ſhame and diſgrace unto them; Oh! carnal, wicked, Athieſtical heart that canſt not be ſatisfied if men know the evil, but can be ſatisfied well enough though God knows it!
A Sixth Note is, A carnal heart leſſens his ſins that he Obſ. 6.commits.
Indeed the words may carry it, Who ſhall find iniquity in me? If they could find it I would acknowledg it to be a great ſin. But I rather take it thus; Who ſhall find iniquity in me that were any great matter? Both theſe waies I find Interpreters carry it. It is but a little over-reaching, a little craft and cunning, the matter is not great. Well, that which thou accounteſt little, the Lord will account great another day, the over reaching thy brother, the defrauding thy borther, though it be but a ſlight of hand, God will find it to be a great matter one day, if God were but humbling thy heart, and doing good to thy ſoul, Thou wouldeſt rather aggravate thy ſin, that's in▪ the way of a true Convert, he labors rather to aggravate A true Converthis ſin, to bring all the circumſtances he can to make his ſin heavie upon his ſoul: Oh! I find I cannot get my heart to break for my ſin, I cannot apprehend the evil of my ſin as I would in the greatneſs of it, and therefore, Oh! that God would help me to ſee the greatneſs of it; he ſtudies all the circumſtances that he can to make his ſin great in his own eyes: but now a heart that is not wrought upon to a work of Repentance, all that he labors for, it is to leſſen his ſin, and to have all the reaſonings that he can in a way of deminution of his ſin; Oh! this is an ill ſign.
It is a very ill ſign, That a man ſtands it out as long as he Ill ſigns.can. 2. When he can ſtand out no longer, than he falls a leſſening; 1. 2.It is no more than others do, and how ſhould I maintain my family? and I hope men may make the beſt of what they have? Oh! If the Lord once ſhew thee the evil of ſin, all theſe reaſonings will vaniſh before thee, and thou wilt fall down and humble thy ſelf before God as one worthy for ever to be caſt out from the preſence of God: for in this that thou dareſt not truſt in him, thou ſeekeſt to Hell to provide for thy ſelf and family, rather than thou wilt depend upon God.
And then the laſt Note is this, That if men can but ſcape the danger of Law, that they cannot be ſued, there's all that Obſ. 7.they care for. Who ſhall find iniquity in me, that were ſin? That is, by the Law: Oh how many are there that you may eaſily convince them that they have been very falſe, you ſpeak to their conſciences, yea, but what's that? can you take your advantage? Take your advantage if you can, ſay they: Now if it were not for Atheiſm in mens hearts it would be the greateſt advantage of all, that a man is able to charge his conſcience: What witneſs have you for ſuch a thing? I have your conſcience, Oh they are glad of that, if they hear that you have no other witneſs, then they think they can do well enough: Now that's an argument of Atheiſm in mens hearts, that they think they are well enough whatſoever they do, when Law cannot take hold on them. Well, there is a Court of Conſcience to ſue thee in, and Juſtice will ſue thee in that Court, and caſt thee one day, though mans Law cannot. It follows;