An Exposition of Hosea 11-13, Exposition · Chapter 12 · Verse 9
VER. 9.
And I that am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt, will yet make thee to dwell in Tabernacles, as in the daies of the ſolemn feaſt.
THe dependance is this: You ſay you are grown rich by thoſe ſinful waies of yours; I am grown rich, I Cohaerance.have found ſubſtance: You think now you have no need of me, you have found ſubſtance other waies, and I am forgotten by you; but you ſhould remember that I am the Lord your God, and that God that brought you out from the Land of Egypt; there was a time when you had need of me, there was a time when you knew not what to do without my help, when you were in great affliction, then I delivered you with a mighty hand, you ſhould remember thoſe old mercies of mine; Oh! but you are ungrateful, you do not think what I have done for you in bringing you out of the Land of Egypt; If I be the ſame God ſtill, why might not you live upon me, and receive as much good from me, as others? You wil go and ſeek to ſhift for your ſelves by falſe waies, and forſake me, A… not I the Lord? that God that brought you out of the Land of Egypt, Have not I by what I have done for you ſhown plainly to you that you might aſwel provide for your ſelves by me, as by any other God, by my waies aſwel as by any other waies that you take? Can any God work for you ſo as I have done? Is there that good to be got in thoſe waies of ſin as there is in mine? I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt; not only at that time, delivering of you, but ever ſince, providing for you, graclouſly preſerving of you, doing you good many waies, from the time that I have been a God to you, and yet you do thus wretchedly forſake me; In all your ſtraits I have helped you, in all your neceſſities I have ſupplied you, in all your difficulties I have relieved you, in all your diſtreſſes I have delivered you, in all you burdens I have eaſed you, everie way of my providence hath been gracious to you, from the verie time of your coming out of the Land of Egypt, how did I provide for you in the wilderneſs after by Judges, raiſing you up Kings? And I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt. The Obſervation is,
Firſt, When men proſper in a ſinful way they forget what God hath done for them in former times. As if he ſhould ſay, Obſ. 1.You do not remember that I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt; Now you are frolick and merrie, and have your hearts deſires; but remember there was a time when you were low enough, and cried and made your moan to me in your affliction, Oh! remember thoſe daies. Oh! how ordinarie is it for us in our proſperitie to forget Gods mercies in delivering of us, from Affliction? We have been low enough not long ſince, Applied to England.but the Lord hath in great meaſure delivered us from our Egypt, and preſently aſſoon as God hath delivered us, everie man begins to think of enriching themſelves and are plotting for eſtates, preſentlie (I ſay) we have forgotten our ſad condition, the time of our mourning, our praying, Oh what diſpoſition is there in our hearts now contrarie to what ſeem'd to be a while ago? when we were under ſore and ſad afflictions, New ſins that we commit doth as it were occaſion God to remember afreſh his mercies that he hath done for us.
The Second Note is this, When you walk unthankfully it doth occaſion the freſh remembrance of Gods mercy to you; God Obſ. 2.looks upon ſuch a people that walk ſo vilie, What, are theſe the people that I have done ſuch things for? it's as freſh in Gods memorie▪ (to ſpeak after the manner of men) what he hath done for us.
And if we could have what God hath done for us afreſh Uſe.in our minds upon the commiſſion of new ſins, it would be a mightie means to humble us.
And the next is, Old mercies are great engagements to duty, Obſ. 3.and great aggravations of our ſin or neglect of duty: But we have had occaſion to ſpeak of theſe things for merlie. It follows; And I will yet make thee to dwell in Tabernacles.
By way of Interogation ſome reade it thus, What ſhall I the Lord that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt Expoſ. 1.make thee to dwell in Tabernacles? Shall I yet continue my wonted love to you as to make you to keep your Feaſt of Tabernacles ſtill with joy as you were wont to do yeerly? ſhall I do thus ſaith God?
Or as Calvin hath it: (and it's a peculier interpretation 2. Calvin.that he hath, different from all) it's as if God ſhould ſay thus, It is a wonderful thing that you ſhould be ſo forgetful of my great merciemercy, in bringing of you out of Egypt, it is ſo out of your minds that I had need work over that deliverance again; What, ſhall I caſt you out of your houſes, and bring you into captivity again, and then deliver you again, and bring you into the wilderneſs to dwell in Tabernacles again? ſhall I go over my work again? It is ſo much gone out of your minds and hearts, as I had need to quicken up your ſpirits to go all over it again; this is Calvins Interpretation upon this place; and he commonlie hits as right as any: And this Interpretation may be of verie good uſe to us thus,
Let us conſider our ſelves, that if all Gods merciful Applic. to England.dealings towards us were to begin again, if we were to go through all thoſe ſtraits, and fears, and ſorrows that we have paſſed through, our hearts would ſhake within us: as a Marriner that hath paſt through dangerous Seas, Oh he thinks if I were to paſs over theſe again, it would be hard and grievous: Now let us conſider of this, if God ſhould but put us into the ſame condition that we were in ſeven yeers ago, and ſay, you ſhall paſs through all thoſe ſtraights that you have been in▪ and you ſhall come into the ſame condition that you have been in, it would be very ſad to us to think of, it would make our hearts quake to think of it; I verily beleeve there's ſcarce any of you who have been any way obſervant of the providence of God towards you, but would be very loth to venture all again, would be loth that God ſhould be to go over with you in all thoſe providences; and yet God is the ſame God ſtill, and may do it, yea, but fleſh and blood would ſhake at it; now do not ſhow your ſelves ſo unworthy of Gods gracious dealings with you, as to put him to it to bring you into ſtraits again, to renew what he hath done unto you. Thus he.
Many carrie the words in a meer threatning way, and no otherwiſe. I did indeed bring you from the Land of Egypt, but I'le bring you into Tabernacles again, as if God ſhould ſay, I'le caſt you out of your brave ſtately Pallaces, your City and Country Houſes, and you ſhall come into the wilderneſs again, and dwell in Tents and Tabernacles. Thus many.
But rather I think the ſcope and meaning of the words, is a conſolatory Promiſe, whereby the holie Ghoſt invites 3. The Authors Expoſition.them here to-Repentance, as if God ſhould ſay thus, Though you have indeed deſerved to be caſt out of your dwellings, you have deſerved to be brought into Tents and Tabernacles in the Wilderneſ again, yet I remember my ancient goodneſs towards you, and my Covenant with your Father Abraham, I am the ſame God that brought you out of the Land of Egypt, and therefore return and repent, and I'le be with you in as much mercy as ever I was, what ever the breaches have been for time paſt, I'le be as gracious to you as ever I was; as you have celebrated the Feaſt of Tabernacles with abundance of rejoycing, ſo I'le continue this your proſperous eſtate, you ſhall from yeer to yeer have cauſe to rejoyce, hav… …auſe to rejoyce in the Feaſt of Tabernacles: For this Feaſt of Tabernacles it was the principal Feaſt of their rejoycing that they had, and therefore all their Feaſts were Feaſt of rejoycing, in Lament. 2. 7. They have made a noiſe in the Houſe of the Lord, as in the day of a ſolemn Feaſt. There was Triumph and Joy in their ſolemn Feaſts. But now this Feaſt of Tabernacles was a ſpecial Feaſt of rejoycing, and that you have in Deut. 23. 40 Feaſt of Tabernacles.there they are commanded to rejoyce in this Feaſt, for it was after the gathering in of their Corn, and Wine, in Deut. 16. 13, 14. there you ſhall ſee further, and in the end of the 15, verſe, Thou ſhalt ſurely rejoyce, it is not only you may, but a Command, look to it that you do rejoyce in this Feaſt of Tabernacles, ſo that the Feaſt of Tabernacles was a very joyful Feaſt. Now ſaith God, I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt, and I will yet make thee rejoyce, as in the Feaſt of Tabernacles. From hence we have theſe Notes.
Firſt, God loves to give hopes of mercy to ſinners upon their Obſ. 1.repentance; God loves to draw the hearts of wretched, vile ſinners, by giving them hopes of merciemercy upon their repentance; ſo you have it in 1 Sam. 12. 21, 22. there they confeſt their ſin, and their ſpecial ſin, in asking a King above all; but ſaith Samuel, Though you have ſinned, yet do not depart from the Lord, Yet there is hope in Iſrael concerning this thing, as in Ezra, 10. God ſees that if there be not hope, men will grow deſperate in their wickedneſs; Jer. 2. 25. They ſaid there was no hope, and therefore they would go on ſtill. Oh! it's good for ſinners to ſee there may be hope.
And Gods Miniſters when they have to deal with ſinners, though very wicked, yet to give them ſome line of Miniſters duty.hope to catch at; though they be even drown'd in their Covetouſneſs in the world, and in their guiltineſs, yet to caſt a line of hope; there is nothing reveal'd to the contrary but there may yet be poſſibility for thy ſonl at length to be ſaved. Oh! let men take heed of diſpa…g, determining concluſions againſt themſelves.
It's not the greatneſs of any ſin that can be ground enough for a deſperate determining concluſion; for any man or woman Note.to ſay, God wil never ſhew mercy, I ſay, there's no greatneſs of ſin, there's no circumſtances to aggravate, that can be ground enough for thee to ſay, God will never ſhew mercy; it is a proud, ſullen, deſperate ſpirit of thine to make ſuch concluſions; thou maieſt indeed, and thou oughteſt to ſay, It were juſt with God not to ſhew merciemercy, the Lord might juſtly caſt me out of his ſight, but to A ſinners duty.ſay, That he will not ſhew merciemercy, it's more than thou, or any Angel in Heaven can ſay, & therfore, O wretched ſinful guilty Conſciences, and eſpecially you that have been Apoſtats, that have forſaken God and his Truths, yet return, return, O return thou Shulamite, thou maieſt poſſibly Apoſtats.find God as merciful to thee as ever he was, there's hope of mercy for thee ſtill, and if thou doeſt periſh eternally it will rather be for ſome ſin to come, than for any paſt; If God let thee live, if God let thee live to night, I ſay, thou wilt rather periſh for the ſins cōmitted this moment, Note in ſpecial.than for all the ſins committed in all thy life time before.
But now for thy continuance in Impenitency, that's a new ſin, for thy continuing in rejecting the Grace of God, for thy continuing in thy unbeleef, this indeed may cauſe God to bring over again all thy former ſins, and reckon for them. Oh! this Conſideration might draw the hearts of the wretchedeſt wicked ſinner to God.
Is it ſo, that it is not for any ſins that have been paſt that I am like to periſh, but if I periſh, I ſhall periſh for continuing rather in evil, than for what evil I have committed, Oh! the Lord forbid then that I ſhould continue, let me this day make a ſtop in evil. The Lord would have hopes of merciemercy caſt to wicked and vile ſinners.
And let us be merciful, as our Heavenly Father is merciful Uſe to perſons offended by others.That is, Let ſervants and children that have offended you, let them ſee, that upon their returning they ſhall find as much favor from you, as ever they did; ſometimes Governors when they are provok'd, behave themſelves ſo ridgedly towards them that it makes them even deſperate: God deals not ſo with you, do not you deal ſo with your inferiors.
And as God ſhews himſelf not to be changed, but wil be the ſame towards this people as ever he was in goodneſs; and ſo it beſeems us to be, that if we have ſhewn reſpect anie way to other, either in ſpeeches or otherwiſe, if they appear to be what they were, it beſeems us to be towards them as then, let them but appear to be what they were when ſuch reſpect were ſhown to them, and according to the example of God it beſeems us to ſhew our ſelves to them again, and again, to what we then did. I that am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt, will yet make thee to dwell in Tabernacles.
That's another Note, The Conſideration of what God hath Obſ. 2.done, ſhould help our faith in beleeving what yet he will do; he that hath delivered us thus far, may he not deliver us further? I am the Lord that hath delivered you from Egypt; Oh! let us make uſe of what God hath done for us to help our faith in confidence of him for doing further; The truth is, God hath done ſo much for England, Applied to England.as there is not more to be done than hath been done, and if there be but as much of the Power, Goodneſs, and MercieMercy of God towards us for the next five or ſix yeers' as hath been for theſe laſt ſix years, ecrtainly it will be as glorious a Nation as ever was upon the face of the earth, it will be the beginning of the new Jeruſalem, if God ſhould continue ſo as he hath done. And why may not the Lord that hath brought us out of Egypt, bring us to rejoyce as in the feaſt of Tabernacles?
And ſo Spiritually; God who at firſt did enlighten Applied ſpiritually.thy mind, & brought thee from Egyptian darkneſs, Certainly that God he is able to do as great things for thee ſtill, and to finiſh the work for thee. How many are there that though they have found Gods mighty hand upon them in giving a turn to their hearts, and bringing them out of the gall of bitterneſs, and the bond of iniquitie, and yet at any time when they feel but their corruptions a little ſtirring, Oh they are readie to think that they ſhall periſh one day by the hand of thoſe corruptions? When we were enemies, were we not reconcil'd to him? God hath ſtruck the deadly wound to it, he hath mortified thee, and the truth is, (conſider but of this) I ſay there is not more to be done to bring thee to Heaven (thou that haſt the leaſt degree of Grace) than God hath alreadie done; by giving thee the leaſt meaſure of grace he hath made a greater alteration in thy eſtate, from one that is in an eſtate of nature, than the alteration will be from thy Converſion to the height of glorie, that alteration wil not be ſo much, neither will it require ſuch a great Power of God to make thee a glorious Saint in Heaven, as it did require to make thee of one that was a child of wrath to be a child of God, thou haſt the better half, and the moſt eminent power of God is put forth alreadie; for our change from Grace to Glorie will be but gradual, but our change from Nature to Grace, it is Total; and therefore let thy faith be helped from what God hath done, to beleeve what he will do. —I will yet make thee to dwell in Tabernacles.Text.
Divers Learned men carrie this, I will yet make thee to dwell in Tabernacles, to be a Promiſe of their return from captivity, Albertus and others.that they muſt again in the Land of Jewry keep the Feaſt of Tabernacles.
I confeſs were this a Promiſe to Judah I ſhould think it to be the meaning of it, but becauſe it is to Iſrael who never returned, I ſhall follow thoſe that think it hath reference to the times of the Goſpel, and to all the true Iſrael of God that ſhould be converted to the faith, and I think it hath reference to that, becauſe we find ſo often in this Propheſie of Hoſea things that are ſo far off to be interpreted to the times of the Goſpel.
Therefore I will yet make them to dwell in Tabernacles, Thus to be underſtood in this Spiritual Senſe, That the Lord hath his time, though he ſeem'd to caſt off theſe ten Tribes, yet to bring the Jews and all the Iſrael of God, to bring them into his Church, and to build ſeveral Tabernacles for them in his Church: And there in ſeveral Churches as ſo many ſeveral Tabernacles there they ſhal have the feaſt of ſweet things, of fat things, of refined Wine upon the Lees, as in Iſa. 25. the Promiſes of the Goſpel are ſet out by a feaſt of fat things; ſo ſaith God, I'le bring thee into ſeveral Churches, as ſeveral Tabernacles, and there ſhall they keep a feaſt, and there ſhall their hearts rejoyce and be ſatisfied as with marrow, and fatneſs.
My Brethren, the Lord hath delivered us in great meaſure from Egypt all the difficultie now is about building Reformation in England.of Tabernacles; for the preſent there's verie little matter to make Tabernacles of amongſt us. I remember Mr Ainſworth in Exod 25. 3. he tells of a Tradition of Ainſworth.the Jews, and cites Rabbi Menachem for it, that obſerved there was no Iron ſtuff for the building of the Tabernacle: truly our hearts are moſt Iron, and hard one towards another, and therefore notfit matter for Tabernacles, in 1 King. 6. 7. There was no Iron tool neither heard in the building of the Temple. Oh! my brethren, Iron tools will not do the work for the building of Gods Tabernacle, we muſt have other manner of tools than theſe, A Note for the Congregational and Presbyterian Churches.There's no Tabernacles almoſt yet, wherein the Saints either of one judgment, or of another, have much rejoycing. The Glory of God hath not yet filled our Tabernacles that we have built, what God intends towards this Generation, whether ever to bring them into thoſe Tabernacles that here he promiſes, I know not, but ſurely that God that hath brought us out of Egypt, he will bring either us, or the poſteritie after us, he will bring a Generation of his people to keep the feaſt of Tabernacles with rejoycing. It follows;