An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 4 · Verse 6
Verſe 6.
My people are deſtroyed for want of knowledg, becauſe thou haſt rejected knowledg I will reject thee, &c.
For want of knowledg] As if he had ſaid, if they had the knowledg of God they might have prevented all this, but they were ignorant and ſottiſh people and this was the forerunner of their miſery and deſtruction.Quos perdere vult Iupiter dementat prius. Obſ. The Heathens were wont to ſay, If their god Jupiter would deſtroy one, he would firſt beſot him; ſo theſe people were firſt beſotted and then deſtroyed: Ignorance is not the mother of devotion but rather the father and mother too of deſtruction. How diametrically croſs is the language of the Scripture and the Doctrin of Papiſts! Ignorance is the mother of devotion ſay they, Ignorance is the mother of deſtruction ſaith God, they periſh for want of knowledg. In the beginning of this Chapter we have the ſin of ignorance ſet forth, here we have the danger of ignorance ſet forth. There we had the charge, that they had no knowledg of God in the land, here we have the judgment, that they are deſtroyed for want of knowledg.
Ignorance is not only the deformity of the ſoul as blindneſs is the deformity of the face, though a man or woman have never ſuch a comely viſage otherwiſe, yet if they be blind it mars their comlineſs, if they have but one eye it takes away their beauty; ſo ignorance takes away the beauty of the ſoul, and not only ſo but it is dangerous; it is deſtructive; And that in theſe regards.
The rational creature is very active of it ſelf and will alwaies be in motion, alwaies working, and it is in the midſt of pits and ſnares, if then it be blind how dangerous will it be for it! As now if you have a metteld horſe that is in the middeſt of deep ſnares and pits, and blind, and he will be curvetting and dancing and will not ſtand ſtill, in what danger is he? no creature is ſo ful of activity as the rational creature is, he will be active in the world, and then wanting knowledg, in what danger is he?
Further, Mans way is for eternity, and there is but one way that leads unto eternity of happineſs, and that way is in the midſt of a hundred croſs waies and by paths. If he have not light, if he want knowledg what ſhall become of him?
But you will ſay, Though he be dark himſelf yet he may have ſome others to guid him and ſo he may do well enough.
Therefore conſider in the third place, That man is not only going unto eternity and in dangerous & by waies, but he muſt go with his own light. All the light of all the Angels in Heaven nor of all the Miniſters in the world cannot help a ſoul in his journey to eternity, except this light be conveyed into his own eyes. It is true, a man that is corporally blind he may have help though it be but by a dog, but the ſoul that is ignorant no Angel in Heaven can help it, except it be an inſtrument of God to bring ſight into his eyes, ſo far it may. But (I ſay) he muſt have light otherwiſe or he muſt periſh, for he muſt go in his way to eternity by his own light.
Fourthly, The work we are to do about our ſouls and eternal eſtates it is a moſt curious work, the moſt exact piece that ever was done in the world, and we muſt do it by our own light. Surely if a man were to make a moſt curious piece of work, as a curious Watch or the like, he need have light, put ſuch a one in the dark and what can he do? The work of grace, God muſt enable us to do it, but we muſt work together with God; God enableth a man to make a Watch, he gives him skill, but he muſt work with God: ſo it is with the work of grace, we muſt have light in our own ſouls, therefore ignorance is dangerous.
Further, Blindneſs in this world makes men objects of pity and compaſſi…n, but this ignorance and blindneſs makes men to be the objects of hatred and the curſe of God. When you ſee a poor blind man here, what is he loathſom in your eyes becauſe he is blind, do you hate him? No, you pity him. But now the blindneſs of your ſouls makes you abominable in the ſight of God, and it is that which God will be avenged on you for. But you will ſay, How can we help it? We have put out our own eyes, God gave us light at firſt and we brought ignorance upon our ſelves.
Uſe If ignorance then be ſo dangerous that people periſh for want of knowledg, How vile is it to deny the means of knowledg unto men meerly to ſatisfie the humours of others! How many hundred congregations are there that have been deprived of their Miniſters, for a Surplice or a Croſs, &c.
Queſt. But you will ſay, Obedience unto a Church is a great matter?
Anſw. The anſwer is, Therefore it is the fault of a Church or governours, to require ſuch things as God never required, and after the requiring of them it is a greater fault for them to ſtand ſo much upon them as that many thouſands muſt periſh rather than their humours muſt be not ſatisfied.
Uſe 2 If this be the ground of periſhing for want of knowledg, then though divers countries have felt the hand of God moſt fearfully, yet we hope that England ſhall not periſh, for the knowledg of God is begun to ſhine among us, and never ſince the word began hath the knowledg of God and of Chriſt ſhined more brightly upon a Kingdom than upon us. We hope therefore though God intendeth to chaſtiſe us we ſhall not periſh.
Becauſe thou haſt rejected knowledg,] Only let us take heed that we do not reject knowledg and deſpiſe it. The word [reject] ſignifies contemning,foreign deſpiſing, thou haſt caſt it off with deſpight and contempt, it is, Ignorantia non merae negationis, ſed pravae diſpoſitionis, affected ignorance. Thou haſt rejected knowledg; theſe two waies. Firſt when the means of knowledg is rejected then knowledg is rejected. Secondly when the directions of our knowledg are rejected, when we refuſe to be guided by our knowledg, upon this our knowledg doth decay and ſo knowledg is contemned.
Now this is a great ſin in any but eſpecially in the Prieſts. When others think that the knowledg of God and his truth is too ſlight too mean a thing to take up their thoughts, this is vile. When Merchants and Tradeſmen ſhall think they muſt buſie thei… heads about ſome other matters, but for this knowledge of the Scriptures, it is no great matter, they may be happy without that, let them have their tradings and bargainings and houſes and comings in ſtand that is that which is ſutable unto them) let them have their cables ſpread and their diſhes full, and for this Scripture and theſe points of Religion theſe are too mean things for them: Theſe men now deſpiſe knowledge, for ſo the word here ſignifies, it is rejecting with a vile with a contemptible eſteem of knowledg. But I ſay when the Prieſts ſhall reject knowledg, the Prieſts that ſhould have laboured to have fill'd their ſouls with knowledg, if they ſhall ſeek to live bravely, to be gallant, to grow rich, to pamper the fleſh, and care not either to have the knowledg of God in their own ſouls or to bring the knowledg of God unto the people, but look upon them as not worth the regarding, this is in a more ſpecial manner a moſt grievous ſin. How many are there amongſt us at this day that ſtudy to get preferment &c. and then ſell away their books and never after any more mind knowledg! And others if they have knowledg and learning and prize it in ſome reſpect, yet in this they contemn it, they prize knowledg meerly as ſervicable unto their luſts. It is not for the beauty and excellency of the knowledg of God that they prize it ſo much, that ſweetneſs that they find in the knowledg of Chriſt that they do ſearch to know, but that they may be accounted Scholers, underſtanding men, learned men. This is to deſpiſe knowledg, when we ſeek for knowledg but in a way of ſervice unto our luſts, and ſuch men may be charged for men that deſpiſe knowledg.
But further, Theſe Prieſts and ſuch as were eminent in Iſrael rejected knowledg, becauſe they had their houſes and goods and comings in amongſt the ten Tribes. (I beſeech you obſerve it for this concerns us) I ſay the Prieſts that were amongſt the ten Tribes, they were ſetled there and had their houſes and in comes and their eſtates there; but now there was this taught, that we muſt worſhip God at Jeruſalem, at the Temple, they rejected this knowledg eſpecially, they ſaw that if they did imbrace that truth of worſhiping God in his own way, then farewel our incomes, farewel our livings, farewell our houſes, we muſt leave our brave dwellings and all our maintainance and go from Samaria, and we muſt go to Judah, and how ſhall we live there? Upon this they ſhut their eyes againſt the knowledg of that very truth that ſhould have brought them to the true worſhip of God; Rather than they would loſe their eſtates they would reject that knowledg; And that I think to be the meaning of the holy Ghoſt here, They deſpiſed as other knowledg, Text opened.ſo that knowledg of the true worſhip of God; ſo it is turned by ſome, Scientiam illam, that kind of knowledg they rejected; For they knew that theſe truths were ſuffering truths,Obſer. Now ſuffering truths are truths that wil hardly go down with men nor with many a Miniſter, they had therefore rather be ignorant of them; as the holy Ghoſt in Ezekiel ſpeaks of men that ſhut their eyes againſt the Sabbath, ſo they ſhut their eyes againſt thoſe truths that ſhould have brought them to the true worſhip of God. And in this caſe it is not enough for a man to ſay, God knows I go not againſt my conſcience, if my conſcience were convinced that ſuch and ſuch things muſt be in the worſhip of God, if my conſcience told me than this were the Word of God, I would obey it: But the reaſon they ſee this not to be the Word of God, why their conſciences tell them not ſo, is, Becauſe they have no mind to know it, they reject that knowledg, it is againſt their caſe and preferment, and it is ſuffering truth, and therefore they ſhut their eyes againſt it. This is no excuſe, Mark the judgment follows upon this.
Therefore I will reject you.] You deſpiſe knowledg, I will deſpiſe you, ſo the words may be read as well as re…ect you; God ſcorneth wicked men as much as they ſcorn him,Pſal. 18. with the froward he will deal frowardly, and with the ſcornful he will deal ſcornfully, that is, he will laugh them to ſcorn: What do you look upon Gods waies and worſhip as a vile thing? Are the thruths of God vile in your eyes? You are vile in Gods eyes, God looks upon you and your ſpirits as baſe and contemptible as you can look upon his Worſhip and his Saints and Ordinances. You deſpiſe knowledg and I will deſpiſe you ſaith God.
And I will r…ject you.] The word here tranſlated reject, that is for deſpiſing,foreign pro foreign it hath a letter in it more than it hath in any other place in all the ſcripture. It is a Note of Tremelius from thence, there is a letter in this word in the Hebrew that is redundant, that is beyond the ordinary forme of it, and this is his note upon it in his Comment upon this Text, It noteth ſaith he, the extraordinary manner of Gods rejecting them,Temelius. he will caſt them out of the hearts of his people; as he doth apoſtate Miniſters, above all others God caſts out apoſtate Miniſters out of the hearts of people: There is a peculiar way of Gods rejecting wicked Miniſters, an extraordinary way,Obſ. more than deſpiſing and rejecting any other, and there is that ſhame and contempt caſt upon them more than any in the world; That is his note upon this; he will reject them with contempt: Yea for ever. You heard before in Luk. 6. that Chriſt pronounced his Diſciples, faithfull preachers, bleſſed when their names were call out as evil, when they were vilified by men. But now mark, when a Miniſter goes on faithfully in declaring the mind of God unto people, and there be ſhame caſt upon him, bleſſed be that Miniſter; but if the Miniſter be wicked and there be ſhame caſt upon him, that ſhame is a part of the curſe, for then he is caſt out as unſavory ſalt and men tread upon it ſaies Chriſt. Wicked men would caſt out the godly, but God and Gods Saint… they embrace them, and they bleſs God for them; but if you be wicked and men caſt you out as unſavory ſalt, then men contemn you, then you are troden upon. Yea ſo rejected as never to be received again. Ezek. 44.13. the Prieſts there that did forſake the Lord when Iſrael forſook him, moſt never again come neer unto God, no not ſo much as neer unto the Prieſts Office. A notable text that concerns you to know for your direction about receiving in wicked perſons that have been wicked in ill times. Perhaps now they preach good Sermons, but you are to enquire what they were when others were ſuperſtitious and evil; and although we are not utterly to reject them, yet until there be further evidence of their repentance they are not to be received. God threatneth an utter rejection of thoſe Levits that forſook God when Iſrael forſook him.
Now the obſervation that I ſhould have noted from hence is this,Obſer. That unfaithfulneſs in ſervice provokes God to caſt us out of ſervice. I cannot ſtand to ſet an edge upon it.
And then another Note is this, That it is a great judgment to be rejected from the Prieſts Office, Obſer.from the Office of a Miniſter. I will reject thee that thou ſhalt be no Prieſt to me. To be rejected from any imployment it is a great judgment, Neb. 5.13. So God ſhake out every man from his houſe and from his labor that performeth not this promiſe. It is a judgment to be ſhaken out of our labour, but to be ſhaken out of ſuch an office whereby we draw ſo nigh unto God as to be the mouth of God unto the people, and the mouth of the people unto God again, this is a ſore evil.
Again, whereas it may be ſaid, Iſrael had no true Prieſts therefore it was no judgment for them to be rejected out of that Office. But to be caſt out of what we ſeem to have, that is likewiſe a judgment of God, Luk. 8.18.
—Seeing thou haſt forgotten the Law of God, I will alſo forget thy children.
You have forgotten the Law.] You live ſo as you ſhew that you never think of the Law, of the holineſs, equity and authority of it, and the threats annexed unto it, for if you remembred theſe you could not go on ſo quietly in a ſinful way, but you have caſt off all the remembrance of the Law, it is even worn out of your memory. The book of the Law of God was loſt for a long time in Judah, ſurely in Iſrael much more.
I will forget] Eti…m Ego, even I. It is a ſad thing to be forgotten by our friends when we are in miſery,foreign Oh that ſuch a deer friend, ſuch a father or ſuch a mother ſhould forget me! but how ſad a thing is it for God to forget you!
Yea, I will forget your children] That is, there ſhall be no ſucceſſion in the Prieſtly office. This was threatned againſt Eli his houſe 1 Sam. 2.20. It is a bleſſing for children of godly Miniſters being godly to ſucceed them in the Office;Obſerv. and the contrary is a judgment. Your children ſhall not ſucceed you in this Office, but they ſhall be forgotten by me. The families of wicked Miniſters thorough Gods judgment are many times forgotten. You have forgotten me,Obſer. I wil forget you and your children. I will not here ſpeak how the child may ſuffer …or the fathers offence, we often meet with it; Only now as it concerns the poſterity of wicked Miniſters, they are thorough Gods judgment often forgotten. But let not the families of Godly Miniſters eſpecially if their children be godly too, Oh let not them be forgotten. It is a judgment threatned upon theſe wicked Prieſts that God would forget their children, therefore though men forget them it is not ſo evil; but if there be any that have been faithful Miniſters, God forbid their children ſhould be forgotten after they are dead. This City hath been honored for their reſpect to godly Miniſters, but have you never forgotten their children, their families that have been left behind? When they were with you and preached among you, you ſeemed to give mighty reſpect unto them, but are there not many that belong unto their families now with you that live in a hard condition, yea their children and families that are godly, their widdows too? how are they forgotten! If the children of godly Miniſters that are godly too, ſhould go unto God and complain thus, would it not be a ſad thing? Lord thou threatneſt Idolatrous Prieſts that forget thee that thou wouldeſt forget their children, but Lord my father in the City was a faithful Miniſter, he remembred thee, and he was a faithful remembrancer for thy people, yet we are forgotten, is this according to thy Word? ſhall the judgment that is threatned upon the children of Idolatrous Prieſts be the judgment upon us that are the children of faithful Miniſters that we are thus forgotten though our fathers forgot not thee? Look therefore into the families of godly Miniſters, look after their children, for their fathers did not forget God, do not you forget them, let not the judgment that is threatned upon the children of wicked Miniſters be upon them but let there be a diſtinction made between the children of faithful and godly Miniſters and the children of Idolatrous Prieſts.