Lectures Upon Hosea 1-4, Lectures 1 · Part 6
The third obiect of puniſhment is the whole Commonwealth, and people of Iſrael in theſe words, v. 5. And at that day I wil breake the bow of Iſrael in the vally of Iizreel. The meaning wherof is this. By that day, we are to vnderſtad, the The expoſition.day of Gods viſitation, when as the meaſure of the peoples ſinne being full, and come to ripenes, hee would not onelyonly ouerthrow Iehues poſteritie, and the ſtate of the kingdome, but alſo bring the like deſtruction vponupon the whole Commonwealth and bodie of the people.
By breaking of the bow, we are to vnderſtand the defeating and ſubuerting of their whole power, by a vſuall ſynecdoch of the part for the whole: ſo Pſalm. 44. 6. I trust not in my Pſalm. 44. 6. 1. Sam. 2. 4.bowe. So that it is as much as if hee had ſaid, that he would deſtroy and ouerthrow al their munition, warlicke furniture, and prouiſion, yea all their power and ſtrength, in whatſoeuer it conſiſted, ſo as they ſhould not bee able to reſiſt their enemies.
From whence we learne, firſt, that although Princes and Doctrines. ſuperiours ſhall be moſt ſeuerely puniſhed, becauſe they hauehave not onelyonly ſinned themſelues, but alſo by their authority The ſubiect is not acquitted when his Prince leadeth him into ſinne.and example hauehave drawne and allured their inferiours into like wickednes: yet the ſubiects who hauehave obeyed their lawfull authority in vnlawful things, and hauehave followed their example in euill, ſhall not be excuſed; but as they hauehave been partakers with them in their ſinnes, ſo likewiſe they ſhall be partakers with them in their puniſhments. For if authority be an argument to preuaile with them, then the authority of God, which is ſupreme, ſhould be of greater force to continue them in holy obedience, then the authority of man to draw them to ſinne: if examples doe ſtrongly allure and perſwade, then the example of God himſelfe, and of Ieſus Chriſt, ſhould more forcibly reſtraine vsus from ſinne, then of the greateſt Prince in the world to intice vsus to commit it.
The vſe hereof is, that we be not forced with any humane authority to fall into ſinne: for when they hauehave done their worſt, they can but kill the body; and bleſſed are they who chuſe rather to giuegive their liues & deareſt blood, then to pollute their conſciences with knowne wickedneſſe: for by ſinning againſt God, they prouoke his wrath againſt them, who is able to deſtroy the body, and after to caſt body and ſoule into eternall torments. Matth. 10. 28.
Secondly, we may obſerue what was the eſtate of this Matth. 10. 28.kingdome when this threatning was denounced by the Prophet; No ſtrength can vphold that State which ſinne pulleth down.namely, ſo ſtrong, flouriſhing, and proſperous, that the people feared nothing leſſe, then ſuch approching deſtruction: for they abounded at this time in multitude, munition, walled townes, and ſtrong holds; they had proſperous ſucceſſe againſt their enemies, and had obtained many famous victories; ſo that now they were lulled aſleepe in deepe ſecurity, fearing no danger: and yet at this time God threatneth, and ſoone after bringeth vponupon them ſudden deſtruction. Whence we learn, that there is no ſtrength nor power which will vphold any State, when the ſinnes thereof pull downe Gods iudgements vponupon it. And therefore farre be it from vsus to truſt in our owne multitude, power, and munition, and ſo to be mooued and incouraged thereby to goe on in our ſinnes; for the Lord can eaſily breake the bowe, and turne all humane ſtrength into weakeneſſe; ſo that when it ſeeming greateſt we truſt therein, it ſhall moſt faile and deceiue vsus.
And ſo much for the ſubiect of the puniſhment. In the laſt place is ſet downe the place, where this puniſhment ſhould Expoſition.principally be inflicted; namely, in the vally of Iizreel: which was a ſpatious plaine, ten miles in length, ſituated by the Hierome.Citie Iizreel, and extended it ſelfe neere vntounto Samaria; where in a battaile fought between the Aſſyrians and the Iſraelites, the people of Iſrael were ouerthrowne.
Where firſt wee may obſerue, that they were not ouercome in a ſtrange Country, or in ſome place of diſaduantage; Doctrine. but in the very heart of their kingdome, where their Worldly helpes vaine when God oppoſeth.chiefe ſtrength conſiſted, wherein they put ſuch great confidence. Whence we learne, how vaine the beſt worldly helpes are, when God oppoſeth himſelfe againſt any people, &c. Which ſhould teach vsus in our moſt flouriſhing eſtate, not to truſt in our owne power and ſtrength, but to reſt vponupon Gods prouidence and promiſed aſſiſtance, which will neuer faile vsus.
Secondly, as the Lord by ouerthrowing them in this chiefe place of their ſtrength, did teach them the vanity of their We muſt be admoniſhed by the example of others.ſelfe-confidence: ſo doth he hereby iuſtly and fitly puniſh an other ſinne of theirs; namely, the neglect of his former iudgements: for in this valley the Lord had brought a fearefull deſtruction vponupon the family of Ahab, for their groſſe idolatry: of which the Iſraelites ſhould hauehave made profitable vſe, by flying their ſinnes, leſt they ſhould be ouertaken with their puniſhments: but they neglecting this example, which the very ſight and name of the place ſhould hauehave continually called to their remembrance; and going forward in their blinde ſuperſtition and idolatry, the Lord in the verie ſame place brought vponupon them the very like deſtruction.
The vſe which we are to make hereof is this, that we take warning by the example of others, and make profitable vſe of Gods iudgements, which like a gracious Iudge he inflicteth on ſome, that others being hereby admoniſhed, may eſcape: which gracious warnings if we neglect, he will likewiſe make vsus examples of his iuſtice.