Lectures Upon Hosea 1-4, Lectures 2 · Part 2
ANd ſo much concerning the firſt end of the denunciation of the diuorce, namelie, the repentance of the people. Now concerning the ſecond end, which is a conſequent of the former, that is to ſay, their freedom from puniſhment, vponupon their vnfained repentance: and this either reſpecteth the whole Church or the particular members thereof. The firſt is expreſſed, verſ. 3. Leſt I ſtrip her naked, and ſet her as Verſ. 3 in the day that ſhe was borne, and make her as a wilderneſſe, and leaue her like a drie land, and ſlay her for thirſt.
In the former verſe the Prophet ſhewed, that the Lord The expoſition.had diuorced the Church of Iſrael, but howſoeuer he had inflicted on her this iudgement, yet ſuch was his infinite goodneſſe, that in wrath he remembred merciemercy; for although hee might iuſtly (as husbands vſed to doe in ſuch caſes) when he diuorced her, hauehave ſtripped her of all his gifts and benefits, yet in merciemercy he did not thus farre proceed in puniſhing of her, but though he had put her away, hee ſuffered her ſtill to enioy the good things which he had beſtowed vponupon her, at leaſt in ſome meaſure: and that to this end, that they might remaine with her as pledges of his louelove, not altogether as yet extinguiſhed, and as vndoubted arguments to aſſure her that as he had not diuorced her for any hatred of her perſon, but for her ſinnes, ſo if ſhee would repent of them, hee would bee ready to receiue her againe into his former louelove and fauour.
But becauſe ſhe abuſed the merciemercy of God, and continued in her impenitencie, therefore he threatneth that vnleſſe ſhe would ſeriouſly repent of her ſinnes, he would not only diuorce her, but alſo ſtrippe and ſpoyle her of all thoſe his gifts and benefits, which he had beſtowed vponupon her, and which as yet ſhe inioyed. Wherein the Lord alludeth to the behauiour of kind husbands, who hauing put away their wiues for their whoredomes, doe notwithſtanding allow vntounto them liberall maintenance; with which benefits, when they are not reſtrained from their ſinne, and brought to amendment, but rather abuſe their gifts as meanes to further them in Ezech. 16. 16. 17their vncleanneſſe, and by beſtowing them on their louers; they threaten to ſtrip and ſpoile them of all thoſe benefits which they inioy, and to leaue them deſtitute of all maintenance. As though he ſhould hauehave ſaid, Although vponupon your diuorce iuſtly cauſed by your whoredomes, I might alſo hauehave depriued you of all my benefits, which I hauehave beſtowed vponupon you, yet ſuch hath been my merciemercy, that I hauehave ſpared you hitherto, and ſuffered you to inioy them, in hope of your amendment; but doe not continue to abuſe my patience and merciemercy, for vnleſſe you repent, and take away your fornications and adulteries, which with ſuch audacious impudencie you commit, I will ſtrippe you of all my benefits, which as yet you inioy, and leaue you as naked and beggarlie as you were, when I firſt tooke you in mariage.
Now the benefits which the Lord threatneth to ſpoile the people of Iſrael of, were either temporall and corporall, or elſe ſpirituall; of the firſt ſort were their peace, kingdom, protection from enemies, plentie, and abundance of all worldly profits and delightes; of the other were the law, the prieſthood, ſome relikes of Gods worſhip in the miniſtrie of the word, in the vſe of the Sacraments, and prayer; the fauour of God and pardon of their ſinnes; from which they were not as yet vtterly excluded, as it may hereby appeare, in that the Lord laboureth to recall them by his Prophet vntounto repentance, and forewarneth them of theſe iudgements, that repenting they might eſcape them.
And theſe are the benefits, of which he threatneth to ſpoile them. Now the manner and nature of their ſtripping and ſpoyling is further deſcribed and illuſtrated by diuers compariſons; for firſt hee threatneth to ſtrip them, and to leaue them as deſtitute of all his benefits, as they were at the day of their birth, in theſe words; and ſet her as in the day that ſhee was borne.
By the day of the children of Iſraels birth, we may either vnderſtand the day of their forefather Abraham his calling out of an idolatrous nation, that hee might be the father of the faithfull; or the day of the peoples deliuerance out of the bondage of Egypt, which I take to be the more probable, becauſe he ſpeaketh not here of the birth of one man, but of the whole nation. Now this day of the peoples birth was a time wherein they were in great miſerie, pouertie, impotencie and manifold extremities, and therefore not vnfitly compared to a childs birth, ſeeing in many things it reſembleth it, in regard of the wretchedneſſe thereof, and that both in reſpect of their perſons, and alſo in reſpect of their ſtate. And firſt for their bodies, as the child is borne ſo impotent that it is vnable to reſiſt the weakeſt enemie; ſo they came out of Egypt weake, vnskilfull, and vnarmed, altogether vnable to reſiſt their enemies the Egyptians. And ſo in reſpect of their ſoules, as the child is borne defiled in his blood, as it is deſcribed, Ezech. 16. 6. ſo Ezech. 16. 6.they were defiled with their ſins, eſpecially their groſſe idolatrie which they learned of the Egyptians: as the childe is borne deſtitute of wiſedome and actuall vnderſtanding; ſo they were ignorant, and without the ſauing knowledge of God and his true religion. In reſpect of their ſtates likewiſe there is great ſimilitude: for as the child is borne poore and naked; ſo they came out in great pouertie, being not onelyonly deſtitute of the heauenly gifts of Gods Spirit, but alſo of glorie, power and riches: as the childe liueth as it were impriſoned a cloſe priſoner in the ſtraite priſon of the wombe; ſo they were held in a ſtraite and miſerable ſeruitude, till God deliuered them: and as in the birth it is in greateſt danger and extremitie, ſo that it no ſooner breatheth the aire, but it crieth out with ſenſe of paine; ſo they howſoeuer they had formerly indured many miſeries, yet they were in greateſt extremitie of all, euen as it were in the very birth and deliuerance, when as they were purſued by their enemies, and beſet on all ſides with vnauoydable dangers, ſo that in anguiſh of ſoule, they cried out for feare. Laſtly, as the child Exod. 14.being borne is vnable to helpe it ſelfe, either in reſpect of defence from outward iniuries, or of prouiſion of food and neceſſaries: ſo they being brought into the wilderneſſe, were vnable to defend themſelues from the iniuries of the weather, either by day or night, & had no other prouiſion of food then the Lord prouided for them after a miraculous maner.
And this was the miſerable condition of the people of Iſrael, at the day of their birth and deliuerance out of Egypt, the which is excellently and largely deſcribed by the Prophet Ezechiel, Chap. 16. Out of which baſe eſtate the Lord aduanced them to the greateſt and higheſt dignitie; for after Ezech. 16.that he had led them into the wilderneſſe, hee eſpouſed this people vntounto him for his wife, hee loued and protected her, he fed and nouriſhed her, he decked and adorned her, he multiplied his benefits vponupon her both ſpirituall and temporall, induing, and, as it were, endowing her with riches, glorie, pleaſures and all happineſſe; he gaue vntounto her his law containing the couenants of marriage betweene them, hee gaue alſo a Prieſthood, a kingdome, a land flowing with milke and honie, a Tabernacle, a Temple, his word and Sacraments, and all things needefull both for ſoule and bodie. But ſhee being ſurfetted with pleaſures, vngratefully forgat Deut. 32. 14. 15.her former baſe condition, and alſo him who had aduanced her to this great dignitie and happineſſe; and forſaking her Lord and husband who had been thus gratious vntounto her, went a whoring after falſe gods: and therefore the Lord is faine to put her in mind of her former wretched eſtate, and to threaten her, that vnleſſe ſhe repented and turned vntounto him, he that had raiſed her would pull her downe, and make her as poore, contemptible and miſerable, as when he firſt met and matched with her.
And this is the firſt compariſon, whereby hee deſcribeth and aggrauateth the miſerie which hee threatneth to bring vponupon them. The ſecond is, that he would make her as a wilderneſſe, or the wilderneſſe, as the article prefixed portendeth; where he alludeth to the deſert wilderneſſe, in which the children of Iſrael were led 40. yeeres. Others reſolue it rather thus, And wil place her as in the wilderneſſe, that is, bring her into the ſame condition wherein ſhee was in the wilderneſſe. But the other tranſlation better pleaſeth me, ſeeing it is without addition of any word: and ſeeing it is likely hee threatneth here a farre worſe ſtate then that, which at this time ſhe liued in, becauſe then ſhe inioyed Gods preſence, ſhe was his ſpouſe, ſhe was led and fed, defended and ſuſtained by the Lord her husband. And therefore I thinke rather he threatneth to make her like that wilderneſſe, that is, to make her ſelfe deſert and barraine of all his gifts and graces, temporall and ſpirituall, to ſuffer her to be inhabited of her vices and corruptions, as it were with ſo many wild beaſts, to lay her kingdome, countrie and cities waſte like a wilderneſſe, being ouerrunne, burnt and ſpoiled by their enemies: as the Lord threatneth, Deut. 28. 51. Leuit. 26. Deut 28. 15. Leuit. 26. 31. 32▪31. 32.
Thirdly, he ſaith that hee will leaue her like a drie land, that is, he will depriue her of all her comforts, pleaſures and delights, like a drie and ſchorched ground, where for want of moiſture all the pleaſant herbes and ſweet flowers wither and fade away.
Laſtly, he threatneth that he will flay her with thirſt, that is, he will ouerwhelme her with the greateſt miſeries; for water is more eaſily come by then foode, and therefore the extremitie of their want is hereby in a liuely manner deſcribed, when as they ſhould want euen water to quench their thirſt, and ſaue their life. Where he alſo alludeth to the ſtate of the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe, who had no water but what the Lord brought out of a rocke in a miraculous manner. Neither doth he onelyonly aime at this bodilie thirſt for want of water, but alſo at the thirſt of the ſoule, for want of the water which floweth from the ſanctuarie the word of God, of which Amos ſpeaketh, Chap. 8. 11. 13. And of the Amos 8. 11. 13.water of life, of which whoſoeuer drinketh, ſhall neuer more thirſt, euen the Spirit of God, of which our Sauiour ſpeaketh: Ioh. 4. 14. 7. 38. 39.Ioh. 4. 14 7. 38. 39. The ſcope of the Prophet.
And ſo much for the meaning of the words: wherein the Prophet aimeth at theſe foure things principally: firſt, hee ſetteth forth the admirable and infinite patience, louelove, clemencie and bountie of God, who when his ſpouſe the Church of Iſrael had often and impudently plaied the harlot, and for her whoredomes was diuorced from him, yet he did not (according to the iuſt cuſtome of husbands in like caſes) take his gifts and rich benefits from her, which he had beſtowed on her, but ſuffered her to inioy them ſtill: and this he implieth, when as hee willeth her to repent, leſt he ſhould ſpoile her, noting thereby, that as yet hee had not done it.
Secondly, in theſe words he intimateth, that if ſhe would repent, he was readie to forgiue her, and to ſuffer her ſtill to inioy his benefits; for he had not as yet ſpoiled and ſtripped her as he iuſtly might, and was loath to go about it, and therfore he exhorteth her to turne from her ſinnes, that he might not be vrged to doe it in his iuſt diſpleaſure.
Thirdly, he laboureth to worke in her true repentance, by forewarning her of an increaſe of puniſhment, namelie, that if that great puniſhment of diuorce and ſeparation from God would not mooue them to turne from their ſinnes, hee was readie to inflict other puniſhments vponupon them, which though they were not ſo great as the former in their owne nature, yet perhaps they were farre more grieuous in their opinion and apprehenſion. For where hee willeth her to take away her ſinnes leſt hee ſpoiled her, hee implieth, that vnleſſe ſhe repented, he would not content himſelfe with that puniſhment of her diuorce, but would moſt certainely ſpoile her of all the ornaments, gifts and benefits which he had beſtowed on her.
Fourthly, becauſe pride and true repentance will not ſtand together, therefore he ſeeketh to humble her, both by putting her in minde of her miſerable and baſe eſtate, wherein ſhe was before hee aduanced her; and by aſſuring her that if ſhe did not humble herſelfe, forſake her ſinnes, and turne vntounto him from her idols, he would leaue her as hee found her, depriue her of all his gifts, and ourwhelme her with an vnſupportable load of woe and miſery.
And theſe are the maine things at which the Prophet aimeth The Do∣ctrines. in theſe words. The doctrines which from hence are to be obſerued are theſe. Firſt, we may obſerue, what is the God denounceth his iudgments that we may repent.cauſe why the Lord denounceth his iudgements againſt his people; to wit, that they may repent of their ſinnes, and that repenting they may eſcape puniſhment, which his iuſtice vrgeth him to inflict vponupon them continuing in their ſins. So he cauſeth the diuorce to be proclaimed, that they may take away their adulteries, and that repenting of them, they might not be ſtripped of all the gifts and benefits which as yet they inioyed. So that the end of Gods threatnings is, that we may repent, and of our repentance that wee may eſcape puniſhment; and the end of one puniſhment is, that making good vſe of it, we may eſcape an other. Whence we may obſerue, that God euen in wrath remembreth mercy; for hee threatneth that he may not puniſh, and puniſheth that he may not deſtroy; he puniſheth vnwillingly after a ſort, and therefore before hand he giueth warning that wee may eſcape it; and hauing inflicted it, he laboureth to apply it to our ſenſeleſſe hearts, that by our obſtinacy wee doe not vrge his iuſtice to proceede in puniſhing. And therefore let vsus not by our ſtubburnneſſe and impenitency make Gods end fruſtrate, and turne mercy into iuſtice; but when he threatneth, let vsus repent that we may eſcape puniſhment; or at leaſt let vsus turne vntounto him when he puniſheth, that we doe not moue him to deale more ſeuerely with vsus.
The ſecond thing to be obſerued is, that after the Lord God doth not alwaies ſtrip a people of al his benefits after he hath reiected them.hath reiected a people, hee doth not alwaies preſently vponupon the diuorce, withdraw his gifts and benefits from them; but leaueth them with them for a time to bee inioyed, that this his louelove, patience, and bounty may moue them to forſake their ſinnes, that ſo they may bee receiued into his former louelove and fauour. Whereby, as wee hauehave occaſion to admire and praiſe the indefatigable patience, and infinite bountie of our gratious God, ſo may we hereby be admoniſhed, not to iudge of Gods louelove and fauour, nor of our owne happineſſe by outward benefits, whether they be ciuill or ſpiritutuall; as namely, peace, plenty, a flouriſhing eſtate, the word, Sacraments, &c. ſeeing after the diuorce he vouchſafeth to the diuorced ſuch benefits for a time; as appeareth in this place. The like example we hauehave in Caine, who being baniſhed Gods preſence, flouriſhed in the world: and in Saul, who though hee were reiected, yet the Lord ſuffered him a long time to inioy the Kingdome: and in Ahab, whoſe deſtruction was long determined before it was effected.
Thirdly, we may obſerue, that becauſe the Church of Iſrael did not repent vponupon the hearing of the diuorce proclamed, If one iudgement will not reclaime vsus, God will ſend another.therefore the Lord threatneth an other puniſhment, namely, that he would ſtrip and ſpoile them of all his gifts. So that although in his louelove and patience he doth not preſently after he had diuorced them, depriue them of his benefits, but giueth them a time to make vſe of his former puniſhment; yet his iuſtice will not euer ſuffer him to winke at their ſinnes; but if his firſt iudgement will not reclaime them, he will goe forward to a ſecond, which vſually is more grieuous then the firſt. Notwithſtanding in this he firſt denounceth the diuorce, which is the greater puniſhment, and after the withdrawing of his gifts, which is the leſſe; for ſeparation from God is infinitely a more heauy iudgement then to be depriued of all other happineſſe. And this hee doth, becauſe howſoeuer theſe things are in their owne nature, yet to worldly men and prophane hypocrites, the loſſe of God is more lightly eſteemed then the loſſe of his gifts; for ſo they may inioy their worldly glory, riches, and delights, they can bee content to liue depriued of Gods fauour, and to be diuorced from him. And therefore the Lord fitteth his ſpeech to them, ſhewing that if this heauy iudgement of ſeparation from himſelfe, would not touch them with any ſenſe of their miſery, hee had an other iudgement in ſtore for them, which hee knew they would feelingly apprehend; to wit, the withdrawing of his gifts and benefites from them, which they farre better loued then himſelfe.
Fourthly, we may obſerue, that the abuſe of Gods graces The abuſe of Gods gifts moueth him to ſtrip vsus of them.and benefits, doth moue him iuſtly to ſpoile and ſtrip vsus of them; as appeareth here in the example of the Iſraelites: for therefore the Lord ſuffered them to inioy ſtill his gifts, which with a liberall hand hee had beſtowed vponupon them, that his mercy and bounty might leade them to repentance, and might mooue them with all earneſtneſſe to ſeeke reconciliation with him, who had been ſo good and gratious a God vntounto them: but when as contrariwiſe, they the rather forſooke the Lord, & impudently committed ſpirituall whoredome with their idols, abuſing Gods benefits as meanes to harten them in their ſinne, and ſpending their wealth vponupon their falſe gods, the Lord threatneth that if they would not ſpeedily repent of theſe ſinnes, he would ſtrippe them of his gifts rather then they ſhould be thus abuſed. If therefore we would hauehave Gods benefits continued vntounto vsus, let vsus take heede that wee doe not abuſe them to pride, wantonneſſe, forgetfulneſſe of God, inſulting ouer our brethren, or by miſpending them vponupon any euill vſes to further vsus in any ſinne; nay, not onelyonly this, but alſo let vsus be carefull to imploy them well, to Gods glory, the good of our brethren, and for our owne furtherance in all vertue and godlineſſe; for though we doe not abuſe them, yet if with the vnprofitable ſeruant we hide them in a napkin, and do not vſe them, the Lord will take his talent from vsus, and not onelyonly ſtrip vsus of his gifts, but alſo caſt vsus into vtter darkeneſſe, where ſhall bee weeping and gnaſhing of teeth; as appeareth, Matth. 25. 30.Matth. 25. 30. God putteth vsus in minde of our naturall baſeneſſe to humble vsus.
Fiftly, wee may obſerue, that in the Lords threatning, whereby hee indeauoureth to bring the Church of Iſrael to repentance, he putteth them in minde of their former baſeneſſe, miſerie, and nakedneſſe, not onelyonly to worke in their hearts a true louelove and reuerent reſpect towards him, who from ſuch a contemptible condition had aduanced them to ſuch high dignitie, but alſo to beate downe their pride, with which in reſpect of their preſent proſperitie they were puffed vp, and to humble them with the remembrance of their owne naturall vileneſſe. As if a Prince hauing taken to wife a meane ſeruant, and (perceiuing her to waxe proud and inſolent towards him, and to neglect him who had aduanced her, ſetting her louelove vponupon others) ſhould after this manner ſay vntounto her: There is no reaſon why thou ſhouldeſt bee ſo proud & inſolent; for howſoeuer I hauehave now aduanced thee, thou waſt when I found thee poore, baſe and beggarly; eſpecially conſidering that I who hauehave raiſed thee vp, hauehave power in my hand to pull thee downe, and to place thee in as baſe condition as thou waſt in former times, if thy preferments puffe thee vp in pride, and moue thee in thy inſolency to neglect and deſpiſe me, who hauehave been the only cauſe of thine aduancement. And hereby it may appeare how eaſily by Gods grace and bountie we are made inſolent, wanton, and forgetfull of God; how odious a vice this is in Gods ſight, in that he vſeth ſuch meanes to draw vsus from it; and that there is no better courſe to bring vsus to repentance, then by beating downe this our pride, by calling to minde what we were before the Lord called vsus and aduanced vsus, namely, baſe, poore and miſerable, deſtitute of all good, and repleniſhed with all euill.
Laſtlie, we may obſerue the manifold miſeries and calamities, The miſeries that God bringeth on thoſe who forſake his true worſhip.which the Lord bringeth vponupon thoſe, who forſake his pure worſhip and ſeruice, and giuegive themſelues ouer to commit idolatrie; for hee not onelyonly diuorceth them from himſelfe, but alſo vnleſſe they repent, he ſtrippeth them of all his gifts and benefits, which he had beſtowed vponupon them; he taketh from them the light of their vnderſtanding, and ſuffereth them to be deluded and infatuated in their owne imaginations, as appeareth, Rom. 1. 21. 22. 2. Theſſ. 2. 11. Rom. 1. 21. 22. 2. Theſ. 2. 11. Matth. 21. 43.He taketh from them the ſunſhine of his word, and ſuffereth them to walke in darkeneſſe, and in the ſhadow of death; he ſtrippeth them of al his gifts both of bodie and mind, & leaueth them in their naturall nakedneſſe, defiled with ſin, vglie and deformed; he taketh from them the name of his ſeruants, children and ſpouſe, and leaueth them as hee found them, the ſlaues of Satan, the children of wrath, and heires of perdition. He maketh them like a deſert wilderneſſe, barren of all grace and goodneſſe, and inhabited with their owne luſts, corruptions and paſſions, which like wild beaſts torment and euen rent them in peeces; yea, he maketh whole cities and countries of idolaters waſte and deſolate, expoſing them to the common ſpoile of their conquering enemies, as our Sauiour threatneth the Iewes, Matth. 23. 38. In a word, he depriueth their ſoules of all true ioy and ſound Matth. 23. 38.comfort, and letteth them periſh in the extremitie of their want. So that the end of idolaters, who hauing knowne God, and do renounce his pure worſhip and ſeruice, is worſe then their beginning, For better had it been for them not to hauehave knowne the way of righteouſneſſe, then after they hauehave knowne it to turne out of it, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, 2. Pet. 2. Pet. 2. 20. 21. Matth. 12. 45.2. 20. 21. So Matth. 12. 45.