An Exposition of Hosea 11-13, Exposition · Chapter 11 · Verse 1
VERS. 1.
When Iſrael was a child, then I loved him, and called my Son out of Egypt.
THIS Chapter is made by ſome, the ſixth Sermon of Hoſea's Propheſie. The ſcope The ſcope of the Chapter.of it is this: To cleer God from ſeverity, and to upbraid Iſrael for ungrateful and ſtuborn carriage, againſt Mercies and Means: and yet to promiſe mercy to the remnant, to his Elect ones, which is to the end of the 11. verſe. As for the 12. verſe, though it Where the Chapter ends.be made a part of this Chapter, yet it were more aptly a great deal joyned to the 12. Chapter; and ſo it is by ſome.
There were in the end of the former Chapter dreadful threatnings againſt Iſrael, that the Mothers ſhould be daſhed The coh…e…ence.in pieces upon their Children, and the cutting off of the King utterly, this was in the cloſe of the laſt Chapter. But now, doth not this argue God to be a God of ridgedneſs and ſeverity? Where is the Mercy, Goodneſe, and Clemency of God towards his people? What! to have the Mother daſht in pieces againſt her Children! To cut off the King of Iſrael u…terly! Yes, ſaith God, for all this I am a God of Mercy and Goodneſs, for I have manifeſted abundance of Mercy already, and am ready ſtill to manifeſt more; but you have been a ſtubborn and a ſtout hearted people againſt me. And from that General ſcope, Note:
That, God ſtands much upon the cleering of Himſelf to be a God of love and mercy: Whatſoever becomes of wicked Obſ. 1.men, yet God will be cleered before all the world, that he is a God of much mercy; God takes it very ill that we ſhould have any hard thoughts of him, let us not be ready to entertain ſuch thoughts of God, as if he were a hard Maſter. I remember Luther hath ſuch an expreſſion, That, all the Scripture, the general ſcope of the Scripture it is, to declare the Lord to be a God of mercy and goodneſs; Tota Scriptura hoc praecip…è agit, ne dubitemus, ſed certo ſperemus …dan…u & credamus Deum eſſe miſericordē benegnum patientem. Luth.ſaith he, The whol Scriptures aim at this, That we ſhould beleeve and be confident that God is a gracious and merciful God. And this is the ſcope of this Chapter. Let us rather charge our ſelves of wickedneſs, and ungrateful dealings with God, and let us for ever juſtifie God and acknowledg him to be not only a Righteous God, but a Gracious God; though thou and thouſands ſuch as thou art ſhall periſh to all eternity, yet the Lord ſhall be acknowledged a God of Mercy before his Angels and Saints for evermore. But thus much for the ſcope. When Iſrael was a Child.
At his firſt beginning to be a people, that's … …In his yong time my heart was towards him. Indeed, the heart of God was to Iſrael, that is, Jacob, the Father Rom 9. 11. 12.of the Tribe, before he was born, before he did either good or evil: But here 'tis ſpoken not of the Father, but of the Tribes, Iſrael, when they were firſt a people, In their yong beginnings, then I loved them. When he was a Child.The phraſe opened.
That is, Firſt, When he knew little of me.
Secondly, When he could do little for me.
Thirdly, When there was much vanity and folly in him, as there is in children.
Fourthly, When he was helpleſs and ſucco…ſs, and ſhi…eſs, and knew not how to provide for himſelf.
And further, Tarnovius, a learned Commentator upon this Propheſie, thinks that the Hebrew word that is here Excuſſ… foreign ſignificat eum, qui creb…ò ſugum parentis vel Heri excutit & quamvis foreign Ternov. in…c.tranſlated a Child, is a word that notes the ſtubbornneſs of Iſrael againſt God, one that hath often ſhaken off the yoke of parents, or of a maſter, and ſo [Ky] that is tranſlated [when] is ſometimes [although] Although Iſrael was a Child, a Froward and Perverſe Child, that ſhook off the Yoke, yet then I loved him. And what a child Iſrael was when God loved him you may find, in Ezek. 16. 4, 5. &c. What a child Iſrael was. Ezek. 16. 1. &c. applied.And as for thy Nativity in the day that thou waſt born, thy navel was not cut, neither waſt thou waſhed in water to ſupple thee, thou waſt not ſalted at all, nor ſwadled at all. (and then in the 5. verſe) None eye pi…ed thee to do any of theſe unto thee, to bave compaſſion upon thee, but thou waſt caſt out in the open field to the loathing of thy perſon in the day that thou waſt born: then in the 6. verſe, And when I paſſed by tree and ſaw thee polluted in thine own blood, I ſaid unto thee when thou waſt in thy blood, Liv…: yet, I ſaid unto thee when thou waſt in thy blood, Live. Again and again, (and then in the 8. verſe) Now when I paſſed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I ſpread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedneſs: yea, I ſware unto thee, and entred into a Covenant with thee, ſaith the Lord God, and thou becameſt mine.
Well, but wherein did God manifeſt that he did love Iſrael when he was a Child?
Mark the 8. verſe, When I paſſed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I ſpread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedneſs: yea, I ſware unto thee and entred into a Covenant with thee, ſaith the Lord, and thou becameſt mine.
The Love of God to Iſrael i expreſt in theſe three particulars.Wherein the love of God to Iſrael ſtood
Firſt, That God made a Covenant with him. Oh 'tis a great mercy of God, and a fruit of great love, that ſuch an infinite God would be pleaſed to make a Covenant with his people, to bring them into Covenant with him; all man-kind was in Covenant with God at firſt, but falling from that firſt Covenant, there was but only a peculier people that God took into Covenant with himſelf, and made it as a fruit of his great love, to take a certain people into Covenant with himſelf more than others.
And ſecondly, Thou becameſt mine; that is, I had ſeparated thee for my ſelf, and took thee for a peculier one to me, and intended ſpecial mercy and goodneſs to thee, Thou becameſt mine, ſo as that I ſhould have a ſpecial propriety in thee, and thou ſhouldeſt have a ſpecial propriety in me.
And then thirdly, I confirmed all this by an Oath, I ſware this unto thee; Was not here love, for God to Covenant, to take in to ſuch propriety, and to ſwear that we ſhould be his? Thus when Iſrael was a child I loved him, that's the meaning of this Scripture.
Now the Note of Obſervation is this.
Firſt, That, it is the priviledg of the Church and of the Saints, Obſ. 1for God to love them: God loves his people, this is their priviledge, he loves them with a ſpecial love. In the 12. of Jer. 7. they are called, the dearly beloved of Gods ſoul; ſee Jer. 12. 7.how God loves his people. God he delights in his Saints, and there is nothing in the world that ſhould ſanctifie a gracious heart more than this, That God loves him; And as Gods love is extraordinary to them more than to other People, ſo their love again ſhould be reflected upon God in a more than ordinary way; There's nothing can be a recompence to Love, but Love: that's certain, Love is never ſatiſfied but with Love; And therefore, ſeeing God profeſſes love to his people, he doth expect love from them, therefore he will not be ſatisfied with any duties you perform, whatſoever you do, but it muſt be out of Love, Love muſt have Love, and know, that you cannot prize Gods love more than God prizes yours, there is nothing in Heaven and Earth that God prizes more than the love of his Saints, and therefore, if ever Gods love, or Gods prizing of your love, may gain love, Oh you Saints, love the Lord. That's the firſt.
But Secondly, It's a great aggravation unto ſin, to ſin againſt love. For to that end God here ſhews that he loved Obſ. 2.them, that he might aggravate their ſin ſo much the more, and cleer himſelf. Many times you make in the daies of your humiliation, and at other times, many aggravations of your ſin, that your ſin it is againſt knowledge; this is great; That your ſin it is of an hainous nature, that it doth a great deal of hurt, that it brings you under dreadful threatnings, that it provokes the wrath of an infinite God againſt you; theſe are great things for the humbling of your hearts for ſin. But above all aggrevations for ſin, this is the great aggravation, That your ſin is againſt Love, that though God hath ſhown much love to you, yet you ſin againſt a loving God, and a gracious God. God begins with this aggravation, being his ſcope here to cleer himſelf, and to charge his people of ungratefulneſs, yet God loved them. Oh! ſins againſt love are great ſins indeed.
But Thirdly, I loved him when he was a child. … very …. 3.… to mind Gods old love. That's the Third Note; The love of God unto us when we were children; yea, the love of God unto our fore-fathers, the love of God unto a people when they were at the firſt beginning, the ancient love of God to a people, 'tis of very g… uſe, it is of great uſe for al to conſider of the love of God in former times to them; nay brethren, it would be of very great Gods ancient love to England. An inſtance of it.uſe for us to conſider of ancient love of God to England. And I will give you one remarkable Note of Gods antient love to this Nation, that's this; That it was the firſt Nation that ever God ſet his heart upon for the chuſing of the Goſpel, the firſt Nation in the world that by publick Authority England the firſt Nation in the world that God choſe for the embracing Religion by publick Authority.did ſubmit to the Goſpel, and certainly God remembers that love of England. For we find it recorded; it's true, we cannot expect Scripture for this, becauſe it was Lucius of England is ſaid to be the firſt Chriſtian King. (Centur. Cent. 2. Cap. 2. Tit. de Propagation. Eccleſiiae … J. Balai Catal.) Who alſo by publick Authority eſtabliſhed Chriſtianity, about the year 169. Lucius in lucem prodit. de patre coello. J. B. Author primus apud Britones Religiones erat. Roſſaei Britania.…nce the time of any Scripture; but ſo far as we may give any credit to Stories, we find it, of all Nations upon the face of the Earth, the firſt that received the Goſpel with the Countenance of Publick Authority. And this is not a little matter: Certainly the Lord remembers the kindneſs God remembers the kindneſs of Englands youth & firſt loveof our youth, and the old love of England, and the firſt love of England in receiving the Goſpel. Indeed God cauſed the Goſpel to be preached to other places before it was to England; I, but there was no plac… that by the countenance of Publick Authority … it ſo ſoon as England did, and therefore England may be ſaid to be the very firſt fruits of the Goſpel in that reſpect. Oh! 'tis good for us to conſider of that, and many good uſes we may make of Gods old & ancient love; when we ſee any further expreſſions of Gods love it may encourage us upon the thoughts of his former love, there was an old love and this God continues, his old love unto his people, and ſurely God intends yet further love unto us.
And then for our ſelves in particular, It's very good for Particul. perſons ſhould recal Gods antient love unto them when they were childrenus to look back unto his ancient love: That is, Now God hath loved ſome of you from your child-hood, how the providence of God did work towards you then; Some of you (I ſuppoſe) in this place may ſay, that God loved you when you were children, when I was a child I had ſuch and ſuch expreſſions of Gods love towards me, It was love that I was born of Chriſtian Parents, and that I was brought up in Chriſtian education, That I was delivered from ſuch and ſuch dangers, yea (it may be) God began to reveal himſelf to me betimes. And if you would call to mind all the loving paſſages of Gods providence ſince you were children, you might have matter of meditation ſufficient. There's many of you that complain you cannot find matter for meditation: I'le give you a rule to help you in meditation at any time, it's this, When you A Rule how we may never want matter of meditationcannot meditate of other things but you are preſently be wildered and know not whither to go, then turn your ſelves to this meditation, To think of all the gracious paſſages of Gods providence towards you ever ſince you were children, and this the weakeſt may be able to go along in. And that's the third Note of Obſervation.
Fourthly, All Gods old mercies remain engagements unto duty, Obſer. 4.and aggravations to our ſin. I loved him when he was a child; 'tis brought to that end, to aggravate their ſin, and further to engage them unto duty. Remember that the love and mercies of God unto you when you were children are engagements to duty when you are old. And they are aggravations of your ſin, The ſins of thoſe men and women that are againſt old mercies they are the greateſt ſins: Oh! that you ſhould ſin againſt that love of God unto you when you were children! God began with you then, and hath continued his love and mercy to you ever ſince; then, Oh! make this an aggravation of your ſin, in the day of your humiliation, charge it upon your own ſouls, theſe and theſe ſins have I committed, though God loved me, though Gods mercy and goodneſs was towards me when I was a child and hath gone along to me, yet I have walked unworthy of all that love and mercy, know that if you do forget the old love of God, yet the Lord remembers it, he remembers his old mercies, and he remembers your old ſins.
But then fiftly, Let not our hearts ſink in deſpairing thoughts, though we ſee that we are able to do but little for God, and though Obſ. 5.we are unworthy of love; Though there be much vanity and folly in our hearts, and in our lives, yea, though there hath been much ſtubbornneſs, yet ſtill let not our hearts ſink in deſpairing thoughts, I loved them when they were a child, They could do little for me, and they knew little of me, and they were vain, and fooliſh, and ſtubborn, and yet I loved them. Certainly the waies of God towards Gods waies of mercy and affliction toward Iſrael, a type of his waies toward his people in all ages.Iſrael are as a type of his waies towards his Saints, as the afflictions of Iſrael are Typical to the Church; and we gather an argument to be patient in afflictions when we reade how God dealt with the people of Iſrael in the wilderneſs; ſo we may gather an argument to help our faith when as we reade how God dealt with them, though they were unworthy and were poor and weak, yet God loved them. Therefore you poor people that find your ſelves weak in underſtanding, alas! you know little, and can remember little of that which is good, and alas! you can do little for God, …ea I find (perhaps ſaith one) much frowardneſs and ſtubborneſs in my heart againſt God; but do you bewail it? if ſo, let not your hearts be diſcouraged, do not think that theſe are things that will hinder the love of Gods love doth not find, but make the perſon lovely.God; Gods heart may be towards you notwithſtanding this, when God comes to love he doth not find the object to be lovely before he loves, but his love makes the object to be lovely, therefore God can love though thou knoweſt little, and can do but little.
But you will ſay, He can love, I but, Will He love? If Object.I did but know that, this would ſatisfie my heart.
To that I anſwer,
Firſt, how ever, when you hear that God did love Iſrael Anſw.when he was ſuch a child that none eye pitied him, this is enough to help you againſt any concluding thoughts againſt Gods love, for God did love his people when they were as unworthy as you are.
And then ſecondly, But would you know whether God would love you? the readieſt way for you to know whether God will love you, yea or no,
It is firſt, To raiſe up your faith, if you are able, upon ſuch grounds as theſe are, Upon the conſideration of his love to his people when they were unworthy.
And then ſecondly, In quietneſs and meekneſs of ſpirit to lay thy ſelf before the Lord as an object of his pity. If thou doeſt not think thy ſelf worthy to be an object of How to know whether God will love us or no?love, yet lay thy heart before God as an object of pity, and there reſolve to wait til the time of love ſhall come, till God ſhall make known that his heart is towards thee for good, 'tis not the way for thee to be froward and vexing becauſe of thy unworthineſs, meanneſs, poverty, and baſeneſs, and ſo to determine that he will not love thee therefore; but, I ſay, the way for thee to have the ſence of Gods love, is this, When thou ſeeſt there is no worthineſs in thee why he ſhould love thee, yet there is enough in thee to make thy ſelf an object of his pity.
And ſixtly, Doth the love of God to his people begin Obſ. 6.ſo ſoon? I loved Iſrael when he was a child, Oh! let not thy love then to him be deferred too long; Gods love begins betimes to his people, let not his people; love be deferred too long. God is before hand with you in love, and when ever we begin to love him it is upon this ground, Becauſe he loved us firſt. You who are yong youths, do you love Youth.God betimes, for if you be ſuch as ever ſhall be ſaved, God did not only love you when you were a child, but he loved you before you were born, before the foundations of the world was laid; Oh! it is pity that the firſt ſpringing of your love ſhould not be beſtowed upon God: Certainly old love is the beſt love, as old love in God is ſweet, ſo old love in the Saints; it's a ſweet thing to think that God loved me from a child; but then, if I can ſay this too, I What will compleat the comfort of our lives.loved God from a child, this will make it ſweeter: put but theſe two together, Oh! when theſe two can be added, what is wa…g to the comfort of ones life? God loves that love that is from a child, Jer. 2. 2. I remember Jer. 2. 2.the kindneſs of thy youth, ſaith God. For yong people to love God, Oh! God loves that, God loves the love of yong ones, the love of children; how ſweet will old age be to thee if thou canſt ſay thus, Lord, through thy mercy I have loved thee from a child, and that's an evidence that How we may know whether God loved us when children.thou dideſt love me when I was a child? How many are there now that are old whom God loved when they were yong, that would give ten thouſand worlds if they had them that they had known and loved God ſooner than they have done? Though it's true, I lived in wickedneſs almoſt all my daies, and yet at length God manifeſted himſelf to me, and by that I know God hath loved me from eternity, but, Oh! that I had loved God from a child; I ſay, thoſe whoſe eyes God enlightens, and hearts God converts to himſelf, would give ten thouſand thouſand worlds that they could but ſay this, Oh that I had but loved God from a child! You who are children and yong ones, do you begin betimes to love God, that if you live to be old you may ſay, that God loved you from a child. It was an excellent ſpeech of Auſtin when God pleaſed to work upon his heart, Lord, I loved thee too late: And ſo it will be with any that do begin to love God, Nimis ſerò te amami. Aug.they will ſay that they loved God too late; and it will be the great burden to their ſouls that they loved God ſo late as they did. And called my Son out of Egypt.
I call'd him; that is, by Moſes and Aaron, I ſent them to call them out of Egypt and bring them from thence; and this ſeems to have reference to that Scripture in Exod. 4. Exod. 4, 22.22. where the Lord ſaith, Iſrael is my Son, even my firſt born. Moſes comes to Pharaoh in the Name of God to have Iſrael out of Egypt, and he coms to Pharaoh after this manner, and, Tell him, that God ſaith, Iſrael is my ſon, even my firſt born, ſo in Jer. 31. 9. I am a Father to Iſrael, and Ephraim Jer. 31. 9.is my firſt born.
My ſon, The Seventy have it in the plural, My ſons, his foreign 70.ſons out of Egypt; but in the Hebrew it is in the ſingular, I called my ſon out of Egypt, and although the holy-Ghoſt foreignſpeaks of al the people in general, yet he puts them in the ſingular number, and in their very community they are cal'd the ſon of God.
The Church (that's the Note from hence) is related to God Obſ. 1.as a ſon to the father; yea, the very firſt-born; what God ſpeaks of the people of Iſrael is eſpecially intended towards Priviledges of Iſrael refer to the Saints.his Saints which are the true Iſrael of God, they have the priviledg to be ſons unto God, to be children, Is it a light matter (ſaith David) to be the ſon in Law to to a King? but then what do you think it is to be the ſon to the King of Heaven and Earth? and the Heir of Heaven and Earth? Is Ephraim my dear ſon? Jer. 31. 20. Ephraim my dear ſon, This is the priviledg therfore of the Saints, that God deals with them as ſons, I'le ſpare them as a Father ſpareth his own ſon that ſerveth him, in the Malach. 3. 17.third Chapter of Malachy, the 17. verſe. And the ſpecial priviledg that they have from this is, that they are not Saints therefore not under the Law.under that Law that ſlaves are under, in reference to God; thoſe that are in the ſtate of ſlaverie they are under this Law, Do, or Die, if thou doeſt offend but in the leaſt thou ſhalt periſh for ever, the curſe of the Law is upon thee; But the Sons of God are brought into another condition not to be under that Law, they indeed if they Pſal. 89. 30, 31. &c.do offend may be corrected and chaſtized, but they are never under the Law of the ſentence of eternal death for their offence; there's a great deal of difference between the adminiſtration of God towards Slaves, and towards Sons, This is the great priviledg of Son-ſhip, That thou art not under the Law, thou art brought under another Law, under the Law of Jeſus Chriſt, that though thy ſin indeed of its own nature, if God ſhould deal with thee in Juſtice, would be enough to put thee under an eternal Curſe, yet being a Son, God puts thee under another Law, and doth not deal with thee by that Law that pronounces a Curſe againſt every ſin. They are Sons.
Secondly, Let wicked men who have to deal with Gods people, Obſ. 2.when any of the Saints of God are under their power, let them take heed how they uſe them; For they are Sons; they are not Slaves, they are the Sons of the eternal God, in Jer. 2. 14. Is Iſrael a Servant? is he a home-born Slave? why is Jer. 2. 14.he ſpoiled? How comes it to paſs that Iſrael is dealt withall ſo as he is? What, is not Iſrael a Son?
When as any of the people of God are under the power of any men, God looks upon them as Sons, and if they Uſe.deal hardly with them God will enquire and will ſay thus, Is ſuch a one a ſlave? had he been a ſlave I would not ſo much have car'd for your dealings thus with him, but he is a Son. You find in the Acts that they were afraid when they heard that Paul was a Roman. When thou knoweſt thou haſt to deal with a Son of God, know that thou haſt not ſo much liberty to miſuſe him as thou haſt to miſuſe another man, though no liberty to miſuſe any.
Thirdly, The Saints are not only Sons in their particular Obſ. 3.relation, but in their Community they are ſons too: Take them joyn'd together, as the members of the Church, and ſo the whole Community of the Church now, is but as one Son: I called my Son out of Egypt. He ſpeaks of the whole Body of Iſrael: Now the Lord looks upon the Community The Church one [in Faith, Spirit, Babtiſm, &c. Eph. 4. 4, 5. not in outward incorporation and viſible Government]of his Church as one Son in the ſingular number. There are many priviledges that do belong to the Church of God in their Community, as well as in their particular relation.
And they ſhould labor to unite themſelves much together, ſeeing God puts them altogether in the ſingular number. Oh! the Lord loves unity in his Church.
Though a Son, yet in Egipt.
That's the Note further from thence, That Gods Sons Obſ. 4.are not free from ſore and grievous evils in this world, though they be Sons, yet they may go into Egipt. In Jer. 12. 7. I have Jer. 12. 17.for ſaken mine houſe, I have left mine heritage, I have given the dearly beloved of my Soul into the hands of her enemies. Though the dearly beloved of Gods Soul, yet given into the hands of enemies: Though Gods Son, yet goes into Egypt: So the Church under Antichriſt for above twelve hundred years, God gave up his Sons into that ſpiritual Egypt.
We muſt not think therefore as ſoon as we come under greivous afflictions, that God hath caſt us off from being Sons; though they were in Egypt, yet ſtil they were my Sons. Now we are ready to think that if God bring us into ſore afflictions then we are no more ſons; No, thou mayeſt be delivered up to the power of the enemy, and yet a ſon of God ſtill, and no ſlave for all that, and no enemy. There's a notable Scripture in Deut. 32. 10. Deut. 32. 10. obſerved.where it is ſaid of the people of Iſrael, That they were in the waſte howling wilderneſs, and yet they were as the apple of Gods eye.: ſo thou maeſt be delivered up to the waſt howling wilderneſs, to ſuffer ſore things, to be baniſhed from thy houſe and home, and to wander up and down in the wilderneſs, and yet remain as the apple of Gods eye. It is a ſtrange ſight indeed to ſee a child of God, an Heir of Heaven, a Co heir with Jeſus Chriſt, one dearer unto God, than Heaven and Earth, to be under the power, the humors, the luſts of wicked men, of baſe ungodly Gods Sons ſlaves to Satan oft-times, and for a ſeaſon. And to wicked men;ones; yet it is ſo, yea, for a time they may be ſlaves to Satan; I ſay, thoſe that God hath an eternal love to even are for a ſeaſon oft times ſlaves to Satan: But then they have not the comfort of this Son-ſhip, nor do not know it. But now they may know themſelves to be Sons, and yet ſlaves to the humors of wicked and ungodly men, there is not a ſtranger ſight in the world, I which is the admiration of Angels.beleeve the Angels in Heaven do not ſee a ſtranger ſight that they more admire at, when they ſee a godly man to be under the luſts of wicked men; but this is Gods work for the preſent: God intends to manifeſt himſelf in another way hereafter, but for the preſent he fetches about the glory of his own ends this way, to let even his own dear ſons to be in Egypt. But God calls them out of Egypt, God hath his time to deliver his people and call them out of Egypt: and 'tis but a Call, and it's done, it is God hath his time to call them out of that ſlavery.as eaſily done as a man that gives a call for ſuch a one out of ſuch a place; let our bondage be never ſo great, 'tis but a word from God to deliver us.
Again, It is a great mercy to be cal'd out of Egypt. This the Lord here brings as a great teſtimony of his love to Obſ. 5.them, that he calls them out of Egypt. In Exod. 12. 42. It is a night to be much obſerved of all the Children of Iſrael in Exod. 12. 42.their Generations; To be called from that Egypt was a fruit of Love; and ſo to be called from ſpiritual Egypt, (for mans natural eſtate, is a ſpiritual Egypt) to be cal'd from Antichriſtian Egypt is a great fruit of Love; and as 'tis a fruit of love, ſo it is an aggravation of ſin, for ſo it is brought, I called my Son out of Egypt, and yet they did thus and thus.
If God remembred this mercy, of calling them out of Egypt ſo many years before as an aggravation of their ſin, how much more may the Lord make that an aggravation of our ſin that called us of late out of that Egypt that we Applicat. to England.were in? Many waies I might ſhew you that we were under a great, if not a greater bondage than the Iſraelites were under in Egypt. And there hath been as out ſtretched an arm (though not ſo obvious to ſence) in calling of us out, as in calling of them out of Egypt; now let not this be an aggravation of our ſin, the ſound of our cries under the yoke of our bondage is not yet out of our ears, and the very ſores of our ſhoulders through their yokes are not yet throughly healed, and therefore if we now before the ſound be out of our ears and our ſores be healed, yet grow to be wanton, fooliſh, vain proud, cruel, oppreſſing one another, and abuſing of our liberty, Oh! our ſin muſt needs be accounted exceeding great before God.
Well, but yet we ſee not all the mind of God in this expreſſion, The Text as cited Mat. 2. 15, further expounded.nor the chief part of his mind, for we find in in Matth. 2. 15. that there the holy Ghoſt cites this Scripture that now I am opening to you, and interprets it of Jeſus Chriſt. When Jeſus Chriſt was fain to fly into Egypt to ſave his life, the holy Ghoſt ſaith, That it was to fulfil that Scripture, I called my Son out of Egypt.
It is a very ſtrange Interpretation, (as we have divers other ſuch in the new Teſtament) and Hierom upon the place ſaith, That Julian takes advantage upon this, and Hierom in loc. Matthew's interpretation ſeems ſtrange to ſome.ſome of the Jews, with others that hated Chriſtian Religion, did take much advantage upon this quotation of Matthew, againſt the Authority of the Goſpel, and ſaid, ſurely it argued Matthew very unskilful in Scripture, that he ſhould make ſuch a quotation as this, when it is apparant that it is ſpoken of the calling of the people of Iſrael out of Egypt. And truly we ſhould never have thought that there had been ſuch a meaning in this place of Hoſea, had we not found it ſo interpreted by the holy Ghoſt. And by the way, before we come to open that, and ſhew how that was a right quotation of this Scripture, I'le but obſerve this one Note from it, that we may ſee that by the interpretation both of Matthew, and divers other places we find in the new Teſtament, that there is much more of the mind of God in the old Teſtament, than was ordinarily known to them that lived in thoſe times. Which of the Jews could have made ſuch an Interpretation, I have called my Son out of Egypt? That is, Jeſus Chriſt after he is born, he ſhall be perſecuted and forced to fly for his life, and that into Egypt, and he ſhall come again out of Egypt; who could have thought the holy Ghoſt could have intended ſuch a thing as this is? Things were not underſtood til they came to be fulfilled, and then they were underſtood. And the truth is, as in the old Teſtament, ſo in the new, there are a great many Scriptures that we underſtand yet but little of. And the time of our knowing the meaning of them is reſerved to the time when they are to be fulfilled, many Propheſies we have in the Revelations, and other places, that are (I am confident) as dark to us as this place of Hoſea was dark to the Jews; and there is as excellent a ſpiritual meaning in many places of the new Teſtament hidden from us, that will hereafter to the Church of God be revealed cleerly, as there were in the old Teſtament, many places (I know not whether I may ſay as many as thoſe) but are as much hidden from us. Jeſus Chriſt that was the Lamb ſlain from the beginning of the world, in Rev. 5. … he that ſhall open the Book that is ſeal'd, and it is a fruit of the death of Chriſt, it is the Lamb, as he is a Lamb ſlain from the beginning of the world that ſhall open the Book that is ſealed: there are many things in the book of God that are ſealed to us this day, and 'tis the purchaſe of the blood *See Bucer on Matth. 28. P. 197. ſhewing, that the Apoſtles allegations of Scripture were not proper, unleſs to ſuch as the holy Ghoſt enlightned to ſee the myſtical ſenſe of them; and except we ſhall ſay that thoſe Expoſitions were received things in thoſe daies, as are among the Jews, now the Chaldae paraphraſe; expounding many places of Chriſt, which according to the Letter have another ſenſe, and this perhaps may be the ſa…er to affirm, becauſe elſe it may ſeem the Apoſtles could not ſo well have charged the Jews with Obſtinacy, as Act. 13. and Chap. 28. and elſe where.of Jeſus Chriſt to open it, and …hen his time comes it ſhall be opened to us. I have called my Son out of Egypt
Interpreters I do find do much weary and tire themſelves and the readers about this point, and thoſe that will ſearch into Interpreters about the aptneſs of this quotation may quickly ſpend daies in it, I find the opinions reduced to theſe three heads.
Some think that Matthew quotes this but only by way Opinions about the place in Matthew.of alluſion, and ſimilitude, that there is a ſimilitude between Chriſts going to Egypt and returning, as the people of Iſraels going to Egypt and returning, but that is a fridged and a poor, weak Interpretation, and againſt what is ſaid in Matthew, which ſaith it was that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
But the ſecond hath more in it, which is of Junius Junius in loc. Paralel. lib. 1. Paral. 6. Iſa. 2. 9.that learned man, he thinks that the very litteral ſenſe of the place is rather a Propheſie of Chriſts going into Egypt and returning again, than of the people of Iſraels going into Egypt and returning again. So he ſaith in his Paralels, in his 6th of the firſt book, it is (ſaith he) as if God ſhould ſay, I have threatned that I will utterly deſtroy the King of Iſrael, what ſhall I wholly deſtroy Iſrael therefore? No no, I will not do that for my Sons ſake, for though Iſrael is unworthy and receive not my Son, and by my Sons going into Egypt it is declared that they are unworthy of him, and that they ſhould never have my Son come among them again, yet he ſhall come amongſt them again, and that ſhall be an evidence to them that I will not caſt off my people of Iſrael, and it's a very ſpiritual and good Interpretation, and we find often that, the Lord when he did promiſe mercy to his people, and would give an evidence that he would not deſtroy them, he would give a promiſe of Jeſus Chriſt; as in Iſa. 9. 6. Ʋnto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: Iſa. 9. 6.he ſeals the Promiſe that he will not caſt off his people by promiſing the Meſſias; ſo Junius thinks that the Lord here doth ſeal this promiſe of mercy to the people of Iſrael, that he will not utterly cut off his own people, Why? becauſe he will call his Son out of Egypt.
But, yet I cannot think that it will fully ſatiſfie, but 3. preferred.I will give you that which may more cleerly appear to be the mind of God, and that's this, That this Scripture in Hoſea, it was intended to be typical, not only to ſhew (ſo Hierom on Hoſ. 11. 1. expounds it.)what was paſt, that God did indeed call his people out of Egypt, but to be a type of what God did intend for the time to come; as to give you other inſtances, there are many things that are ſpoken in the old Teſtament, that are ſpoken litterally of ſome other things, and yet apparantly are meant typically of Jeſus Chriſt, firſt in Exodus, 12. 46. compared with John, 19. 26. in Exodus, Exod. 12. 46. and Joh. 19. 36. comparedit is in the inſtitution of the Paſs-over where God ſaith, Not a bone of it ſhould be broken: Now in John 19. 36. it is ſaid, when as the Soldiers came to break the bones of the two Theeves that were upon the Croſs, through a providence they find that Chriſt was dead and ſo they broke not Chriſts bones. One would think now that this were a meer accidental thing, but yet the holy Ghoſt ſaith there, it was for the folfilling of that Propheſie, that not a bone ſhould be broken. Thus you ſee things that Things accidental are under providene.are very accidental yet God hath a ſpecial work in them, God intends great things by things that ſeem to be of little moment in our eyes, What more light thing than that, that they ſhould not break the bones of Chriſt? Great things intended of God by ſmal.though meant cleerly at firſt, & litterally concerning the paſchal Lamb, yet typically concerning Jeſus Chriſt. Compare two other Scriptures together in 2 Sam. 7. 14. with Heb. 1. 5. in Sam. it's apparantly ſpoken concerning 2 Sam. 7. 14. Heb. 1. 5. compared alſo.Solomon, I will be his Father, and he ſhall be my Son. But now the Apoſtle in Heb. 1. 5. he ſpeaks of Chriſt there cleerly, and ſaith, To which of the Angels bath he ſaid, Thou art my ſon, this day have I begotten thee? and again ſaith he, he ſhall be my Son, and I will be a Father to him. It's meant firſtly of Solomon, and typically meant of Jeſus Chriſt. So the people of Iſrael going into Egypt and turning back again, are meant litterally of Iſrael, but God meant to Propheſie what would be done with Chriſt, that he ſhould go to Egypt and return back again.
And indeed, God hath an eye to Chriſt in all things he Obſ. God ſom way or other aims at Chriſtin all his works;doth, in all his works ſome way or other they have reference to Jeſus Chriſt; that indeed was one of the greateſt works of God for his people carrying them to Egypt and bringing them back again, but God did not intend that ſo much, but he had an eye to Jeſus Chriſt in it.
And we ſhall ſee hereafter (take this Note) that it will be one great part of the Glory of the Saints to ſee how which to ſee wil be one part of the Saints glory.God had an eye to Jeſus Chriſt in all his great works in the world; now we look upon ſuch a work, and ſuch a work to have ſuch an influence upon ſuch a buſineſs, but we do not ſee the reference that it hath to Jeſus Chriſt; hereafter it will be a ſpecial part of the glory of the Saints that they ſhall ſee how in all the works of God, he had an eye to Jeſus Chriſt; even the work of Creation; God would not have created the world but for his Son, and the fall, and in every thing he had an eye to his Son, for the magnifying the great work of his Son, and ſuch who had a ſpecial work of the Spirit of God in thoſe times did underſtand Gods meaning, though ordinarily they did not: I remember one learned Interpreter hath this expreſſion, to ſhew how they might underſtand Gods mind by his types, he expreſſes it thus, As it was with Jonathan when he carried his Bow and Arrows into the field A ſimilitude.to give David a note whether he ſhould fly away for fear of Saul, or return back again. Now when Jonathan ſhot his Arrows, he ſaid unto his youth, It is beyond, and on this ſide. Now the youth knew no more but thus, that he was to look at the Arrow; yea, but ſaith he, David knew more, that when he ſaid it was beyond him, then he ſhould do thus, and when it was on this ſide then he ſhould do thus. It is a very good expreſſion in the difference of the types and the letter of things, thoſe who knew but meerly the letter they were but like Jonathans youth that did but only according to what Jonathan ſaid, but David he knew the reach of Jonathan, and ſo was able to make uſe of it. Oh! it's an excellent thing to be able to underſtand the reach of God in his Word (as I may ſo ſay) and it's a fruit of love. It's a fruit of A fruit of Gods Love, and of Chriſt's Spirit, to underſtand the reach of God in Scripturethe love of Jeſus Chriſt to his Saints that we ſhould know his mind more than other men do. And certainly if the people of Iſrael had but known this when they firſt went into Egypt and returned back again, that the Lord did aim at Jeſus Chriſt in it. Would it not have been a comfort to them, if they had known that God intended to make them conformable to his Son? Would it have been a comfort to them to have known it? Then certainly it muſt needs be a comfort to the Saints to A comfort to the Saints in their ſufferings, that they have a conformity with Jeſus Chriſt by them.know now, that in all their ſufferings they have a conformity to Jeſus Chriſt; we know it now, and that's the reaſon why we do ſuffer, it is to make us conformable to Jeſus Chriſt; the Jews did not know this, that which was the reaſon why God would have them ſuffer, but we know it, and therefore in all our ſufferings we ſhould exerciſe our faith in the ſufferings of Jeſus Chriſt, Do we ſuffer thus and thus? he did ſo, to take away the ſting of our ſufferings: and in a ſpecial manner you that have been driven from houſe & home, if there be any here that have been driven to fly for their lives, and perhaps you have been driven to go among ſtrangers; Oh! but your ſuffering is not ſo great as the ſuffering of Jeſus Chriſt was, he fled for his life when he was but an infant, and did not only fly to ſtrangers, but to his enemies, to the Egyptians: you are driven but from one part of England to Thoſe that fly with their children.another, Oh! exerciſe your faith in this; it was a very ſtrange work of Gods providence that preſently after he was born he muſt fly for his life; you that are fain to carry your children with you, Oh! remember how Joſeph and Mary was fain to do it, was fain to fly for the life of Jeſus Chriſt, and carry him, and this flight was a great deal more than your flight, for they were fain to fly to Egypt. Now ſuppoſing it was by land as that many reaſons may be given, they were fain to fly a matter of an The danger and length of Chriſts flight into Egypt.hundred miles through the deſert wilderneſs where there was no habitations: you fly from one town to another and find relief; they were fain to fly above an hundred miles, it's fifty leagues, which your Marriners accompt three miles to a league, and was in the very deſert between the Land of Canaan and Egypt: Now though it's true, the people of Iſrael was fourty yeers in the Wilderneſs; but it was not through the length of the place, three daies journey might have carried them into the Land of Canaan, but it was fourty years that they were about it, God prolonged it, and they did intangle themſelves and were ſtubborn and Rebellions, and ſo it was prolonged, though the way was but in its ſelf ſhort: but yet certainly this flight of Joſeph with Chriſt to Egypt muſt needs be ſad and miſerable; it cannot be conceived that any of your flights ſhould be ſo ſaid and miſerable as that was, for they could not carry any proviſion with them, but were fain to fly in a private way to ſave the life of Jeſus Chriſt; Oh! how often do you think did Joſeph and Mary look upon this Babe when they were flying through the deſert Wildernes, & think, What, is this the Son of God? The inward tentations of the parents … Chriſt in thei… flight.Is this the Savior of the World? Is this he that ſhould be the redeemer of Iſrael? Is this he that is God and Man? Is this he that is the ſecond perſon in Trinity, that preſently after he is born we muſt fly for his life through a deſert wilderneſs? Oh! the ſtrange work of God in the very work of Mans Redemption! Things were ſo low and poor, and ſeemed to go on in ſuch a contrary way, as it would have put any ones faith to it, to have thought that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould have done ſuch great things as he did. Oh my brethren! this is the way of God to put the faith of men to it, eſpecially at firſt. So it was with Chriſts flight into Egypt. It follows;