Lectures Upon Hosea 1-4, Lectures 2 · Part 8
ANd thus much concerning the ſin of the people of Iſrael. In the next place hee ſetteth downe their puniſhments for whereas he had, verſ. 6. in generall threatned, that he would hedge her in with afflictions: now he proceedeth to ſpecifie the particular kinds thereof: Firſt, that he would depriue her of al thoſe neceſſary benefits, which appertained to the preſeruation of their life, verſ 9. Secondly, that hee would diſcouer her ſhame in the ſight of her louers, and expoſe her to reproch and contempt, verſ. 10. Thirdly, that he would cauſe to ceaſe all her ſolemne feſtiuals, and take away all cauſe of mirth and reioycing, verſ. 11. Laſtly, that hee would deſtroy all her pleaſant gardens, and fruitfull vineyards, and turne them into a vaſt wilderneſſe, verſ. 12. After which comminations he repeateth againe their ſins, which were the cauſes of the puniſhments, namely, their vnthankfulnes, in the latter part of the 12. verſe, and their idolatrie, verſ. 13. and ſo hee concludeth the firſt part of this Chapter.
But let vsus come to the particulars. Verſ. 9. Therefore I wil Verſ. 9 returne and take away my corne in the time thereof, and my wine in the ſeaſon thereof, and will recouer my wooll and my flaxe, lent to couer her ſhame. In which words hee threatneth, that becauſe The expoſition.the Iſraelites would not acknowledge the Lord, to be the author and beſtower of thoſe manifold benefits, which they enioyed, but vngratefully aſcribed the praiſe of them to their idols, therefore he would ſtrip them of all his bleſſings, to the end, that they who could not learne in the time of their plentie, that the Lord had beſtowed vponupon them theſe his gifts, might at leaſt learne this leſſon by the want of them.
I will returne and take away, &c. Some reſolue theſe words thus: I will receiue, or reſume my corne: becauſe the former verbe in the Hebrew phraſe, hath in it ſometimes the nature of an aduerbe. So Geneſ. 26. 18. Iſaak returning, digged the Gen. 26. 18.welles of water, which they had digged in the daies of Abraham, &c. that is, he redigged them. But as I take it, the word in this place hath a greater emphaſis in it, and ſignifieth thus much; that howſoeuer the Lord ſeemed by his long deferring of puniſhment, and by the continuance of his merciemercy in ſuffering them ſtill to enioy his gifts, either to approue, or at leaſt not to regard their wickednes, and groſſe abuſe of his benefits, yet now he would take a new courſe with them, ſo as they ſhould ſee that he was a iuſt God, who would not let ſin for euer go vnpuniſhed. In former times the Lord had multiplied his gifts vponupon them, as their corne, wine, oyle, &c. and that oftentimes beyond all hope and expectation, in reſpect of naturall cauſes, that ſo they might not reſt vponupon the ſtarres and planets, nor feare the ſignes, according to the cuſtome of the Gentiles, but relie vponupon his al-ſufficient prouidence, as himſelfe commandeth them, Ier. 10. 2. And hauing Jerem. 10. 2.his bleſſings powred vponupon them, as it were with his owne immediate hand, they might learne hereby to acknowledge and praiſe him, as the author of theſe his gifts. But when notwithſtanding all this they would not learne hereby to praiſe the Lord, as being the cauſe of all their benefits, but aſcribed them to their Idols, the Lord threatneth that hee would returne and alter his former courſe, by depriuing them of all his bleſſings, euen when in reſpect of inferiour cauſes and meanes they ſeemed moſt aſſured of them; that ſo if his extraordinarie manner of beſtowing them would not, yet his extraordinarie taking them away, might moue them to acknowledge that he alone was the beſtower of them.
Now the things of which the Lord threatneth to depriue them of, are their corne and wine, their wooll and flaxe, all which before they had aſcribed to their Idols, and abuſed to their ſeruice; vnderunder which particulars here as before, wee are to vnderſtand not only all things appertaining to their food and apparell, but all other commodities belonging to this life: So 1. Tim. 6. 8. When we hauehave food and raiment, let vsus therewith 1. Tim. 6. 8.be content.
And further, wee are to note that the Lord calleth theſe things his, my corne and my wine, &c. whereby hee meeteth with the erroneous conceit of the Iſraelites, who imagined that theſe bleſſings of God were giuen vntounto them by their Idols, as a reward of their ſeruice; and therefore that they were ſo become their owne, that they might vſe or rather abuſe them at their pleaſure, verſ. 5. But the Lord telleth them, that they were not their Idols gifts, but his bleſſings; which becauſe they did not hold of him, as of the grand Lord and owner of them, therefore hee would (as hee iuſtly might) take away from them theſe things which were his owne, vntounto which they had no right; that ſo they might learne to giuegive vntounto him the praiſe of his owne gifts.
The time alſo when the Lord threatneth to reſume his gifts is expreſſed; I will take away my corne in the time thereof, that is, in the time of their harueſt, and my wine in the ſeaſon thereof, that is, in the vintage; as though he ſhould ſay, When moſt eſpecially they expect theſe benefits, I will fruſtrate their hope, and ſo make their affliction more intolerable, becauſe it ſhall come vnlooked for, and in ſuch a time wherein they made ſure account of plentie. And I will bring ſuch a ſcarcitie amongſt them of theſe bleſſings, that there ſhal be a want of them euen in the time of harueſt and vintage, when they vſually moſt abound: and therefore if they wanted in the time of their greateſt plentie, how great was their penurie like to be, when that ſmall ſtore they had was ſpent and conſumed? The which dearth was cauſed, either by the curſe of God vponupon their land, ſo as it could not yeeld her increaſe, which is threatned, Leuit. 26. 20. or through the abundance Leuit. 26. 20.of caterpillers, graſhoppers, wormes, drought, of which wee reade, Deut. 28. 23. 24. 38. 39. &c. Ioel 1. 4. or by their enemies, Deut. 28. 23. Ioel 1. 4.who vſually at the time of harueſt goe into the field, becauſe then they may moſt endamage them againſt whom they make warre, by waſting their countrie, & furniſh themſelues with all prouiſion, which the Lord threatneth, Deut. Deut. 28. 33. Ioel 2. 3.28. 33. Ioel. 2. 3.
And I will recouer my wooll, &c. The word here vſed ſignifieth, with ſtrong hand to plucke away from one that which he vniuſtly poſſeſſeth. It is vſed, Gen. 31. 9. where Iacob ſaith, Gen. 31. 9.that God had taken away Labans ſubſtance, and giuen them vntounto him, becauſe it was wrongfully poſſeſſed by Laban, ſeeing it belonged vntounto Iacob, as a reward of his painfull ſeruice. So the Iſraelites are commanded to take away the Egyptians goods and to ſpoyle them, becauſe they wrongfully withheld them in their hands from the Iſraelites, ſeeing they were due to thē for their great paines and tedious bondage, Exod. 3. 22. Others tranſlate it thus: I will free and ſet at libertie my Exod. 3. 22.wooll and my flaxe, &c. which commeth all to the ſame end: for when the creatures of God are vniuſtly poſſeſſed and abuſed to other ends, then thoſe for which God hath giuen them, they may bee ſaid to bee in a kinde of bondage, from which they are freed when God plucketh them from ſuch Rom 8 22. Hab. 2. 11.vniuſt owners. So Rom. 8. 22. Hab. 2. 11.
The meaning therefore of theſe words is, that the Lord would plucke out of the hands of the idolatrous Iſraelites theſe his bleſſings, becauſe they vniuſtly poſſeſſed them and abuſed them to wicked purpoſes. They poſſeſſed them vniuſtly, becauſe they did not acknowledge them, as held of the Lord the true owner of heauen and earth: for as he hath no right to his lands, which are held in capite of the Prince, who will not acknowledge him his grand Lord, but rather ſome forraine enemie, and therefore is iuſtly diſpoſſeſſed; ſo in this caſe. And as he who hauing receiued either authoritie or riches from his King, that hereby hee may th… better be enabled to ſerue him; if he abuſe his Princes gifts by vſing them againſt him and ſeruing his enemies, is iuſtly ſtript of all: ſo here, &c.
Lent to couer her ſhame. The word here vſed ſignifieth, her nakedneſſe, and more eſpecially the nakedneſſe of the ſecret parts. Whereby ſome vnderſtand that theſe idolaters abuſed the gifts of God to couer their ſpirituall nakedneſſe, and did hide their ſinnes vnderunder the vaile of Gods benefits. But, as I take it, the more ſimple and plaine interpretation is beſt, and moſt agreeable to the text, namely, that the Lord would take away from her, his wooll and flaxe, becauſe whereas hee had giuen vntounto them theſe things, that they might with them apparell themſelues and hide their nakedneſſe, they abuſed them for the decking and adorning of their Idols. As it may plainly appeare, if we cōpare this verſe with the former, and with Ezech. 16. 16. 17. 18. So that theſe words are added, to ſhew the lawfull vſe of theſe benefits, for which God gaue Ezech. 16. 16. 17.them, that their groſſe abuſe of them might the better appeare.
And this is the meaning of theſe words. Out of which we The Do∣ctrines. may obſerue, firſt, that howſoeuer the Lord in his patience and long-ſuffering, doth deferre our iuſtly deſerued puniſhments, Impenitencie moueth the Lord to turne merciemercy into iudgement.and in ſtead of them giues vntounto vsus the fruition of manifold benefits; yet if this his merciemercy will not mooue vsus to feare him, and to repent of our ſinnes, he will not for euer ſpare vsus, but he will returne and alter his courſe, ſtripping vsus of all his benefits, and turning merciemercy into iudgement. An example whereof wee hauehave in the Iſraelites in this place; in the time of our Sauiour Chriſt: as alſo in the primitiue Churches of Rome, Corinth, Galatin, &c.
Secondly, we learne that our vnthankfulneſſe in not aſcribing Our vnthankfulnes moueth the Lord to ſtrip vsus of his gifts.of Gods benefits vntounto him, or in aſcribing them to other cauſes beſides him, or ioyntly with him doth moue the Lord to take his gifts away from vsus, that ſo if wee cannot know and acknowledge him the Lord and owner of them when they abound, we may learne this dutie by the want of them. For ſuch is our corruption and ignorant vnthankfulneſſe, that wee are more readie to acknowledge the Lord the author of all the good things which we enioy, when hee taketh them away, then when he beſtoweth them; he is better knowne and acknowledged to be the feeder of his creatures in the time of dearth, then in the time of plentie; to bee the author of health in the time of ſicknes, then when wee are whole and ſound; to be the giuer of riches in the time of pouertie, then in abundance; to be our preſeruer rather in the middeſt of dangers, then when wee are moſt ſecure. So that Gods gifts make vsus forget the giuer, and with forgetfulneſſe is ioyned his vſuall companion vnthankfulneſſe. And this is one ſpeciall cauſe why the Lord taketh them from vsus, becauſe his iudgements doe better teach vsus then his mercies. And therfore if we would not be ſtripped of Gods benefits, let vsus learne to acknowledge him the fountain of them, whileſt we enioy them, and yeeld vntounto him the whole praiſe of his owne gifts. And to this end let vsus remember the example of Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, &c.
Thirdly, we here learne that the Lord is the true and abſolute The Lord is the abſolute owner of all the good things which we enioy. Pſal. 24. 1.owner of all the benefits which wee poſſeſſe; for ſo hee calleth them here, my corne, my wine, &c. ſo that we are not abſolute Lords of thoſe things which we vſually call our own, but only the Lords bailiefs and ſtewards, and therefore ſhall one day be called to a reckoning, how we hauehave vſed and imployed them. The conſideration whereof ſhould moue vsus, to vſe the Lords goods to the glorie of the owner and the good of our fellow ſeruants, as he hath commanded vsus; neither muſt we imagine that we hauehave abſolute authoritie ouer the things we poſſeſſe to doe with them what we liſt, ſeeing the Lord hath chiefe intereſt in them. And if this were well thought of, men would not be ſo cloſe handed to their poore brethren: for what ſteward can anſwere it to his Lord, if he ſuffer his fellow-ſeruant to pine for want, withholding from him his portion which his maſter hath allotted him? neither would they be ſo open handed, to miſpend Gods gifts to his diſhonour, by gaming, gluttonie and exceſſe, brauerie in apparell and ſuch like abuſes. For this will be but a bad reckoning in the day of our generall accounts, when we ſhall ſay, ſo much laid out on vnlawfull pleaſures, ſo much ſpent in gorgeous attire, ſo much conſumed in law, to hauehave my will vponupon my neighbour, &c. For this will be thought far worſe, then with the vnprofitable ſeruant, to hauehave hid our talent in a napkin, &c.
Fourthly, we learne, that there is no certaintie, nor ſufficient That there is no certaintie in the poſſeſſion of temporarie benefits.cauſe of ſecuritie, in theſe worldly and temporarie benefits; ſeeing God oftentimes depriues vsus of them, when wee thinke our ſelues moſt aſſured to enioy them. Innumerable be the vnlooked for accidents, which may ſpoile the fruits of the earth, both in ſeed time, winter, ſpring and ſummer, as too much raine, too much drought, wormes, cankers, caterpillers, blaſtings, mildewes and ſuch like. But though they eſcape all theſe, yet can they promiſe vntounto vsus no certaintie of enioying them: ſeeing the Lord for our ſinnes can take away our corne in the time of harueſt, and our wine in the vintage, either by vnſeaſonable weather, or the inuaſion of our enemies. He can ſincke the ſhip in the hauen, as well as in the middeſt of the ocean: and he can pluck back his benefits from vsus, euen when we are readie to ſtretch out the hand to receiue them. The conſideration wherof, ſhould make vsus neuer to promiſe vntounto our ſelues ſecuritie and certaintie of theſe benefits, ſo long as liuing in our ſinnes without repentance, we iuſtly prouoke the Lord to ſtrip vsus of them. And ſecondly, we may hereby be moued, not to put our truſt and confidence in theſe worldly things, for our preſeruation, ſeeing they are moſt vncertaine; but to place our whole affiance in the Lord, who will neuer faile them in time of need, who reſt and relie themſelues vponupon his prouidence.
Fiftly, we may heere obſerue, that all thoſe, who doe not Thoſe are vſurpers ofhold the benefits which they enioy, as from the Lord, but aſcribe them to their friends, their owne wit, labour, and induſtrie, Gods gifts, who do not acknowledge that they hold them frō him.they are vniuſtly poſſeſſed of them, becauſe they hold them by an vnlawfull tenure, and therefore may at the will of the grand-Lord of heauen and earth, be iuſtly eueryevery minute diſpoſſeſſed of them. And though he ſuffer them for a time to hold them in their cuſtodie, yet they are not to be eſteemed true owners, but vſurpers and intruders into that which belongeth not vntounto them; and therefore in the great day of aſſiſes they ſhall anſwere for it, &c.