Lectures Upon Hosea 1-4, Lectures 1 · Preface
The Preface or Introduction.
BEfore I come to expound this our Prophet, I will prefixe ſomewhat, Why the 12. Prophets are called the leſſer, the other foure the greater.both concerning the twelue Prophets, of which this our Prophet is one; and alſo concerning the Prophet himſelfe in generall. Concerning the former, we will conſider in the firſt place, why they are called the ſmaller or leſſer Prophets, the other foure the greater. Not becauſe the other were before them in time; for this our Prophet in this reſpect had the precedence of them all, as afterwards ſhall appeare; nor yet becauſe they excelled them in dignity and authoritie, for in theſe reſpects alſo this our Prophet giueth place to none of the greateſt: but becauſe the bookes containing the prophecies of the other foure, are much more large then theſe which containe the prophecies of theſe twelue. And therefore, becauſe the dignity and authoritie of the bookes of holy Scriptures is not deriued from their length and greatneſſe, but from God, who is the Author of them, and from the truth which they containe, wee are not to make leſſe account of the ſhorteſt then of the longeſt, nor of the ſmalleſt Prophet then of the greateſt.
In the ſecond place let vsus conſider, why all theſe twelue Why theſe were ioyned in one vollume.were originally ioyned in one booke or volume: not becauſe they liued, prophecied and wrote in the ſame time, and ſo ioyned their workes together; for ſome of them were the firſt, ſome the laſt of all the Prophets, whoſe writings are extant; ſome before, ſome in, and ſome after the captiuity: but by Gods all-ruling prouidence it came to paſſe, that their prophecies which were written in diuers ages, and ſcattered in diuers bookes, ſhould afterwards bee collected into one volume, to this end, that they might be the better preſerued from loſing and periſhing, to which danger they would hauehave beene more expoſed, if they had beene ſeuered and ſcattered.
Where by the way, we may obſerue Gods vigilant care in preſeruing all the writings of his Prophets, Apoſtles, and holy men inſpired by his Spirit, which were neceſſary for the inſtruction and ſaluation of his whole Church and eueryevery member thereof. So that the Church of Rome hath but a ſlender argument for their traditions, when as they alledge, that they are inuented to ſupply the defect of thoſe bookes of holy Scripture which are loſt and periſhed.
The third thing to be conſidered of, is, the ſeuerall people vntounto which theſe Prophets prophecied; for ſome prophecied VntoUnto what people the ſeuerall Prophets prophecied.to the Iſraelites, namely Hoſea, Ioel, Amos, Micheas; ſome to the Iewes, as Zophonias, Haggeus, Zacharias, Malachias; ſome to the Gentiles, as Ionas and Nahum to the Niniuites; Habacuc to the Babylonians, Abdias to the Edomites: the which conſideration is very profitable, as bringing great light to the vnderſtanding of their prophecies.
The laſt thing which I will conſider, is the generall ſubiect The ſubiect of theſe prophecies.or matter which the Prophets handle; the which is partly legall, and partly Euangelicall. For that which was briefly and ſomewhat darkely ſet downe by Moſes in the Law, is inlarged and expounded by the Prophets. Firſt therefore they containe holy precepts, preſcribed by God for the guiding and directing of men in the waies of godlineſſe and righteouſneſſe. To which are annexed gracious promiſes of both outward, temporall, and alſo ſpirituall and eternall benefites to thoſe that yeelde obedience to Gods Commandements; for neither would the Lord hauehave men to ſerue him for nought, nor yet beſtowe his benefites vponupon ſuch as will not vouchſafe him their ſeruice: and therefore as on his part he promiſeth his graces and benefites, ſo he requireth that thoſe vponupon whom he beſtoweth them, ſhould liue in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, as it becommeth the people of God.
Secondly, they containe reprehenſions and ſeuere threatnings of grieuous puniſhments againſt the tranſgreſſours of theſe holy precepts, and that both temporall and eternall.
Thirdly, there are intermixed with theſe threatnings of common calamities, ſpeciall conſolations for thoſe who continue in their integrity, and are not carried away with the vniuerſall deluge of wickedneſſe which ouerfloweth the land.
Laſtly, they foretell the comming of the Meſſias, who ſhould be the Sauiour of the world; for this was the maine end both of the Law & the Prophets, to bring men to Chriſt, in whom (notwithſtanding their imperfections and wants in their legall obedience) they were to be iuſtified, reconciled vntounto God, and eternally ſaued.
And theſe are the maine ſubiect, matter and ſcope of both Moſes and the Prophets. The differences which are betwixt The difference betweene the bookes of Moſes and the Prophets.them are theſe: Moſes expoundeth theſe things briefly and darkely; theſe more largely and plainely, as being expoſitions of him. Moſes ſetteth downe both the threatnings & the promiſes generally and indefinitely, without limitation of puniſhment, perſon, time, or place: the Prophets ſpecially determine theſe circumſtances, ſetting downe the particular puniſhments which ſhall be inflicted, the perſons againſt whom, the time when and the place where. Moſes generally and obſcurely promiſeth that the Meſſias ſhould come, ſaying, that a Prophet ſhould bee raiſed by God from among the people, like vntounto himſelfe, &c. Deut. 18. 18. The Prophets particularly deſcribe him, what kinde of Meſſias hee ſhould be, namely, that he ſhould be of the Tribe of Iuda, of the ſeede of Dauid, borne of a virgin, in Bethlem of Iurie, how hee ſhould liue, and how hee ſhould die for the people, &c.
And ſo much in generall of theſe twelue Prophets: now wee will adde ſomething of this our Prophet Hoſea. And That Hoſeahs prophecie is authentical.firſt concerning the authoritie of this prophecie. It is manifeſt that it was indited by Gods Spirit, and by his commandement deliuered to the Church. Firſt, becauſe it is cited and alledged by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and ſo by them approued for canonicall Scripture. So Matth. 2. 15. Out of Egypt hauehave I called my Sonne: ſpoken by Hoſea, chap. 11. 1. Matth. Matth. 2. 15. Hoſ. 11. 1. Matth. 9. 13. Hoſ. 6. 6. Rom. 9. 25. Hoſ. 2. 23. 1. Cor. 15. 55. Hoſ. 13. 14.9. 13. I will hauehave mercy and not ſacrifice: ſpoken by Hoſea, chap. 6. 6. Rom. 9. 25. As hee ſaith alſo in Hoſea, I will call them my people which were not my people, &c. Hoſe. 2. 23. 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death I will be thy death; O graue where is thy victory? Hoſ. 13. 14.
Secondly, the authority of this prophecy is ſufficiently approued by the certainty of the euent, which is a certaine ſigne that it was inſpired by God, and an infallible note to diſtinguiſh true prophecies from thoſe which are falſe. Deut. 18. 21, 22.Deut. 18. 21, 22
The ſecond thing to be conſidered, is the time in which he prophecied: but of this I ſhall hauehave occaſion to ſpeake in the firſt verſe of this prophecie.
Laſtly, we are to ſet downe the ſumme of this prophecie, which conſiſteth in theſe points: Firſt, he ſeuerely reprehendeth The ſumme of this prophecie.the ſinnes of the Iſraelites, eſpecially their ſinne of Idolatry: for whereas the Lord had reſtrained his publicke worſhip and ſeruice to be performed in the Temple at Ieruſalem, theſe ten Tribes by the inſtigation of Ieroboam, made choice of two other places, Dan and Bethel for this purpoſe, where they erected golden calues and other Idols, and built ſtrange altars, that they might (as the Papiſts doe in their images) worſhippe God in theſe Idols, whereas in trueth, in ſtead of God, they worſhipped the diuell.
This ſinne of Idolatrie the Prophet ſharpely reprehendeth, ſhewing the heynouſneſſe thereof, how odious it is in Gods ſight, the miſerable effects which it produced, and the fearefull plagues and puniſhments wherewith the Lord would puniſh it.
Secondly, hee exhorteth and vſeth diuers arguments to perſwade them to repentance, that ſo they might eſcape theſe plagues and heauie iudgements, ſhewing alſo how they ſhould repent and turne vntounto God.
Laſtly, he prophecieth of Chriſt and of his kingdome, for the comforting of all thoſe who did expect him, and did reſt vponupon him for their ſaluation.
All which points are ſet downe, partly vnderunder ſhadowes and types, and partly euidently, ſimply, and clearely.
And ſo much in generall of this prophecie: now I will proceede The order in this booke obſerued.to the more ſpeciall handling thereof. Wherein I will obſerue this order; firſt I will briefly ſet downe the ſumme or maine argument of eueryevery chapter; ſecondly, I will diuide it into his generall parts; thirdly, I will expound and explane the particular verſes; and laſtly, gather out of them ſuch doctrines and vſes as ſhall offer themſelues to our conſideration, and ſhall be moſt fit for our inſtruction and edification.
Let vsus therefore come to ſpeake of the firſt chapter, the The argumēt of the firſt chapter.maine argument whereof is this. After that he hath prefixed the inſcription, wherein is contained the Author of this prophecie, his calling from God, and the time of his prophecying, to the end that hee might make the hearers and readers more attenttiue, hee accuſeth the people of Iſrael of their ſinnes, and namely of their grieuous Idolatry, vnderunder the type of an infamous harlot and her adulterous iſſue: ſetting downe withall, comminations of heauy iudgements which the Lord would ſhortly execute vponupon them for their ſinnes. To which hee adioyneth a ſingular conſolation to the faithfull; that notwithſtanding the ſinnes and puniſhments of the rebellious people, the Lord would ſhew himſelfe conſtant in his promiſes which hee made to their forefathers, and would multiply their ſpirituall ſeede in great numbers, making them not onelyonly his people, but alſo his ſonnes and children.
And this is the argument of this chapter, out of which we The parts of this chapter.may gather the ſeuerall parts thereof, which are two: Firſt, the inſcription of the prophecie, verſe 1. And ſecondly, the prophecie it ſelfe, in the reſt of the chapter; the which may be diuided into two parts: firſt, legall comminations: ſecondly, Euangelicall conſolations. In the comminations is ſet downe, firſt the ſinne, verſ. 2, 3. and ſecondly, the puniſhment, verſ. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9. The conſolations are firſt proper to the houſe of Iudah, verſ. 7. and ſecondly, common to Iudah and Iſrael, verſ. 10, 11.