An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 4 · Verse 8
Verſ. 8.
They eat up the ſin of my people, and they ſet their heart on their iniquity.
THey eat up the ſin of my people] There is ſome difficulty in theſe words. To eat up ſin, to eat up the ſin of people, what is that? There is much in this to be learned.
The word here tranſlated Sin, foreignin Scripture hath three acceptions.
Firſt, It is uſed for that which is properly ſin, the tranſgreſſion of Gods Law. That I need not give you any Scripture for.
Secondly, It is uſed for the puniſhment of ſin; He ſhall bear his ſin, his puniſhment of ſin. Chriſt was made ſin. And
Thirdly, It is uſed for the ſacrifice that was offered for ſin, Levit. 10.17. why did you not eat the ſin in the holy place? ſo the words are to be read, that is, the ſin offering.
The obſervation from hence (by way of alluſion at leaſt) that one hath is not to be neglected:Audiant hoc ſacerdotes &c. Let Prieſts hear this, They did not eat the ſin-offering in the holy place: Let thoſe Prieſts that ſpend their time in playing, in pleaſures of the fleſh, in Taverns, and make their houſes to be very ſinks of vice, Let them hearken unto this, They ſhould eat the revenues they have by their Office in an holy place, that is, by way of Analogie and proportion, their houſes in which they ſpend the allowance they have for their office, ſhould be holy places; for the offerings of the people were ſuch as the Prieſts had in lciu of their office, and they were to eat them in an holy place. So Miniſters now ſhould eat their means they have coming in, in holy places, their houſes ſhould be Sanctuaries, and not Taverns or ſtews, or ſinks of wickedneſs and ſin. (But that by the way.)
For the meaning here, They eat up the ſin of my people.
Where lies the Charg?
Firſt here, in that they did flatter them in their ſin, and ſo got advantage thereby:Greg. Cur pecata poopuli comedere dicuntur, niſi quia pecata deliquentium &c. So Gregory hath it, Why or how are they ſaid to eat up the ſin of people, but becauſe they do nouriſh the ſins of thoſe that are delinquents for their own advantage? So all your Court-flatterers and others, that flatter men in their ſin for their own advantage, they may be ſaid to feed upon the ſins of the people.
Secondly, They eat the ſins of the people in this regard, Becauſe they were negligent in their office, and took all the profits, the advantages that came in by their office, but neglected their charge, and ſo let people go on in their ſin, and cared not what became of them in that regard, ſo that they might have their tythes and means coming in they cared not: Theſe Miniſters may be ſaid to live upon, or to eat the ſins of the people, and to wear the ſins of the people, their very backs are covered and their tables ſpread with the ſins of the people. A Writer upon this place relates a ſtory of one in Charles the fifths time, a Prelate,Ob hos cibes ego addicor gebenua poenis, & vos dapos that inviting his friends unto his houſe and preparing good cheer, they did not eat of it; What faith he, wil you not eat of dainties that are bought at ſo dear a rate? this meat which I have prepared for you and you wil not eat, it is like to coſt me the pains of hell: He was convinced in his conſcience of the neglect of his duty, and ſo looked upon his very dyet that was on his table as the ſins of his people, and that which was like to coſt him eternal miſery.
But further, to open it far more clearly, [They eat up the ſins of my people] That is, the Sacrifices which were offered for ſin.
But you will ſay then, Queſt. how is this ſo deep a charge that they ſhould eat of the ſacrifices that were offered for ſin? for God allowed the Prieſts to eat the ſin offering, as that place Levit 10.17. ſhews.
This therefore was the evil that was in it, Queſt. that they were greedy of the peoples ſacrifices, but why? Not that God might have honor; but that themſelves might have advantatages. It is true God had honor by the peoples offering of ſacrifice, but they looked not to that ſo much as unto their own advantages. Hence they put on people as much as they could to ſacrifice, teaching them to reſt in their ſacrifices, and indeed making light of their ſin; though you ſin, Come and I will offer for your ſins and they ſhall be pardoned. Juſt as the Papiſts do at this day, they teach the people though they ſin yet by ſo many Maſſes, and Pater-noſters, and Indulgences, and Dirges they ſhall be delivered; and by this means they get the wealth of Kingdoms and eat up the ſins of the people. The Prieſts in thoſe times were images of the Papiſts now.
Again, They were glad when people did offend and ſin againſt God, why? becauſe then their ſacrifices muſt be multiplied, and ſo their gains would be encreaſed: And ſo it is a rebuke of the covetouſneſs of Prieſts. It is a moſt abominable thing for thoſe that are to watch over ſouls that they ſhould regard their own profit and ſenſuality more than the good of ſouls; Juſt like your Chancellors and Commiſſaries Courts that were wont to be, they cated not what offences there were,Bern. Populi mei peccata comedunt; quaſi licat, peccatorū prelie exigunt, & peccantib. debitā ſollicitudinè non impendunt & rurſum: Quam dabis mihi numero prepoſitorū qui nō plus invigiles ſubditorū …acuandis marſupijs, quam vitijs extirpancis they rejoyced at long preſentments, all brought grieſt to their Mill. And Bernard in his 77. Sermon upon the Canticles quoteth this place, (It ſeems there were ſuch then in his time) and ſaith he, They eat upon the ſin of my people, as if he ſhould ſay; they exact the price of their ſin, but take not due care for the ſinners. And again, Give me (ſaith he) any one of thoſe that are Governors in the Church that doth not watch more to empty peoples purſes than to ſave their ſouls: How many Commiſſaries and Chancellours of late grew extraordinary rich, and went up and down in their ſilks and ſattins and in their Coaches, and all this was the ſins of the people.
It is then a moſt curſed thing to deſire or rejoyce in the ſins of others becauſe of our own advantage. That is the ſpecial obſervation here. How many are there that watch for the falls of their enemies, and rejoyce in their ſin? I appeal unto you, had you an enemy to you, when you heard of his fall, though it were a ſin againſt God, yet if it tended unto his diſgrace, did not you rejoyce in it? were you not glad of it? becauſe the more an enemy is diſgraced the more you think your ſelf juſtified and honored. Oh this is horrible! Oh be humbled before the Lord for this, and ſeek unto God that if it be poſſible he may pardon the thoughts of thy heart in this thing. What, to rejoyce that the infinite bleſſed God is diſhonored becauſe thou thy ſelf haſt an advantage, it is a moſt horrible curſed thing. How many are there that looking upon the profeſſors of Religion whom they think to be adverſaries unto them, do rejoyce when they ſee them fall, why? becauſe they think by their diſgracing, themſelves to be thereby juſtified. This is to feed upon the ſins of people. You ſhall have vermine and ſwine rooting in filth and in dung,ſimile ſwine. ſo there are many that feed upon the filth and dung of others, upon the filth of their ſins. It is a vile and curſed wickedneſs to be glad of the afflictions of our neighbor for our own advantage, much more to be glad of his ſin. When thy neighbour falls into affliction thou ſhouldſt not rejoice at his affliction though thou haſt advantage by it; but when thy neighbor falls into ſin, to be glad of it for thine own advantage, this is a moſt curſed thing indeed.Chyurgion For a Chirurgion to be glad of another mans wounds and to prolong the healing of them becauſe he thereby ſhall have ſome advantage, would not every one cry out of him? And truly this were wickedneſs. So for Soldiers to love war,Souldier and to lengthen out war, and care not what becomes of the lives of men and the woful miſeries of a Kingdom ſo they may have long pay, (I ſay) for them willingly to lengthen out war becauſe of their own advantage, this you will all account a great wickedneſs: But this is not ſo bad as to be glad of the ſins of people for our own advantage. Certainly as Chirurgeons that ſhall lengthen out the affliction of their Patients for their own advantage may be ſaid to feed, upon the matter and filthy ſtuff of the wound; and Soldiers that ſhall lengthen out war for the encreaſe of their own pay may be ſaid to drink the blood of people; thoſe cups of wine that go down ſo merrily and thoſe diſhes of meat that they are ſo jovial with, may be ſaid to be the fleſh and the blood of people; but this is not ſo bad as to feed upon the ſins of others. Thou that feedeſt upon the ſin of thy brother do thou know that this diet of thine muſt needs breed diſeaſes, It is no wholſom diet to feed upon the ſins of people, it is ſuch a diet as will breed Worms, breed the worm of conſcience one day, and thou wilt get ſuch a ſurfet as will need a ſtrong purge of humiliation to purge thee from that ſurfet. It was once an expreſſion concerning a Prelate that was very fat, one being asked the reaſon why ſuch a Prelate was ſo very fat? why furely (ſaies he wittily) he grows ſo fat by ſo often eating of his own words; but no mervail though men grow to have fat hearts that feed upon the ſins of people. As this is the ordinary diet'of many, meerly to feed upon the ſins of others, ſo eſpecially of Miniſters, and for Miniſters to feed upon the ſins of people ſo as to keep them alive by their flatteries & connivence, that is evil; but if by their faithful preaching they did firſt ſlay the ſins of the people and then receive maintainance for their work, this is allowed by God, and this they may do; when God bad Peter ariſe and eat, he firſt bid him ſlay, Ariſe Peter ſlay and eat; Alluſionſo Miniſters if firſt they would ariſe and ſlay the ſins of the people by their preaching, they may eat, that is, they may comfortably then receive maintainance and allowance for their work; but if they keep their ſins alive, then their diet is ill diet for they feed upon their ſins.
What, is there ſuch wickedneſs in the hearts of men as to rejoyce in the ſins of others for their own advantage?Conſeg. ex opoſitio. Oh how much more then ſhould the Saints rejoyce in the graces of God in others for Gods glory? In Ezek. 8.17.Ezek. 8.17 you have an expreſſion that ſeems hard to be underſtood.Opened God chargeth the people there as with other notorious evils ſo with this among the reſt, that they did put the branch to their noſe; In theſe words the people are charged with a moſt notorious wickedneſs, this may be often read and little underſtood what it is, I conceive the meaning to be this, It is a charge of this people for Idolatry, that they worſhipped the Sun, or Veſta the goddeſs of the earth, either of both, becauſe by them the ſweet flowers and branches of trees came forth from the earth, they attributed the flouriſhing of trees and of the plants wholly unto the Sun whom they worſhiped as a god,Sol & homo, generunt hommem. or unto Veſta whom they worſhiped is a goddeſs, and when they worſhipped either of thoſe in the acknowledgment of the honor due to them, they took a branch and put to their noſe, thereby ſhewing their reſpect and their homage unto them as rejoycing in that good and ſweet fruit that was cauſed by the Sun or by Veſta their god or goddeſs. So that God chargeth them here for ſo rejoycing in theſe creatures as to worſhip the Sun or the earth as the cauſe of it. To apply it to our purpoſe; As Idolaters becauſe they looked upon the Sun or the earth as cauſes of ſuch flouriſhing of plants and ſweetneſs of branches and flowers, did put them to their noſe and delighted in them and thereby ſhewed their honoring of the Sun and of the earth;ſimile ſo ſhould we take the graces of the Spirit of God in our brethren that are the fruits of the Sun of righteouſneſs, for the Sun of righteouſneſ cauſeth them to flouriſh in the hearts of our brethren, and we ſhould put them to our noſe, ſmell at them, account them fragrant and thereby do honour unto Jeſus Chriſt as the Author of them, this is quite contrary to this of rejoycing in the fins of people. Thus much for that phraſe they eat up the ſin of my people.
And they ſet their hearts upon their iniquity.] The words are foreign not foreign They lift up their hearts, every ones heart. Calu.It may be interpreted either of the heart of the Prieſts or the heart of the people, both waies, and according to the ſcope of the Spirit of God either way.
Firſt the heart of the P…eſts, they lift up their hearts to the iniquity of the people, ſo it may be underſtood, for ſo this phraſe, lifting up of the heart to a thing, doth note in Scripture the earneſt deſire that there is in the heart for the attaining of ſuch a thing; as in Deut. 24.15. ſpeaking of poor men He is poor ſaith he, and ſets his heart upon his wages. A poor man that wants proviſion for his family, he ſets his heart upon his wages, Oh when ſhall I have my wages that I may provide for my family! now the word is here in this text of the poor man, he lifteth up his heart to his wages, Oh my wages that it might come. And Jerem. 22.27. the land whereunto they deſire to return, thither ſhall they not return, that is, the land whereto they lift their hearts; ſo the word is the ſame here in the text, they have an earneſt deſire unto the land; And Ezek. 24.25. I will take from them the deſire of their eyes and that whereupon they ſet their minds, their ſons and their daughters; it is ſpoken of their love unto their children, they lift their minds or their hearts to their children. So that then it notes thus much, the earneſt deſire the Prieſts had unto the ſins of the people, that they might have the greater advantage by them; As it is noted of ſome who are of poor ſervile ſpirits and whoſe greateſt means comes in by burials,ſimile Sextons. that they are glad and rejoyce when they hear the bell ring, and they are ready to deſire the death of men out of reſpect to their own …ees, becauſe the more die and the richer they die the more ad…age cometh in to them. So the Prieſts at this time they … …he multiplying of the ſins of the people that they … have …he more ſacrifices thereby.
… rather think, according to other Interpreters, the ſcope to be more principally in regard of the lifting up of the hearts of the people, that the Prieſts did lighten the hearts of the people, that is thus, that they might have the more advantage by their ſacrifice, they do make the ſins of the people nothing & encourage them in their ſins, & lighten their hearts; they lift up their hearts above their ſins, perſwading them that if they offer ſacrifice all ſhould be well, they ſhould be fully cleared, they need not be further troubled: Whereas indeed the Prieſts ought to convinc… mens conſciences of the evil of their ſins, when they came to ſacrifice they ought to have ſhewed them how they deſerved death for their ſins, whereas this poor beaſt dies, and you are to lay your hands upon the head of it, know that your ſins deſerve the death of your ſouls eternally;the ſacrifice what it taught and they were to inſtruct the people how the ſacrifices typified the blood of Chriſt, they were to tel them, you come now to offer ſacrifice and to have the blood of the beaſts ſhed, this typifieth out the Meſſiah that is to come into the world, the Son of God that is be made Man and to ſhed his precious blood to pacifie the wrath of God for your ſins, and you are to exerciſe your faith upon this Meſſiah that is to come: they ſhould have told them that no ſin could be pardoned but by the blood of Chriſt, they ſhould have loaded their conſciences with their ſins, they ſhould have made their ſins heavy upon their conſciences, but they lightned their minds by putting ſuch apprehenſions into them that if they did but offer ſacrifice all would be well, they might take their liberty then, and though they committed ſin again yet ſtill there was a ſacrifice for it, and ſo they lightned the ſins of the people that way.
This was a moſt abominable ſin of the Prieſts, Calvin upon this place brings in Plato himſelf that Heathen,Calvin. Plato. inveighing againſt the abſurdity and ridiculouſneſs of peoples offering ſacrifice thinking thereby to pacifie their gods and then take liberty to ſin again, Even Plato thought it an abuſe of an Heathen god for people to think it enough to offer ſacrifice. And yet is not this the diſtemper of the hearts of many people amongſt us, that they commit ſin and take liberty to themſelves to ſatisfie the luſts of the fleſh, and what will they do? They will pray to God to forgive them, and ſome go ſo far that they will faſt, and then ſin again, and then pray and faſt again, and then to it again, thinking to put off God with ſuch kind of ſacrifices as theſe are; It is true, we are all linners and we muſt repent, and ſo tin, and repent, and ſin and repent again, and ſo make repentance that ſhould be the death of their ſins a means to nouriſh their ſins. The Prieſts here did abuſe the type, the ſacrifices, they lighten the hearts of people by telling them that there was a ſacrifice to expiate their ſin, and have you not at this day many that abuſe the Antitype as much, that tell the people with ſuch kind of expreſſions as there, Sin at faſt as you can, there is a ſufficient ſacrifice for ſin, it is but to beleeve in Chriſt, Chriſt hath ſhed his blood for the greateſt ſins of all, and ſin as faſt as you can yet there is a price paid for ſin. It is true there may be ſome truth in the words ſome matter in them without cloathing them with ſuch abſurdities, that is, that there is a ſacrifice for the greateſt ſin, but now to ſpeak to people upon this in ſuch a manner, ſin as faſt as you can there is a ſacrifice for ſin, for it is the manner, the Modus, that doth either encourage or keep back people from ſin. I appeal unto you, whether have you not many that do reveal Chriſt in ſuch a way and manner and open the rich and glorious free grace of God in Chriſt as is an encouragement to people unto ſin. It is true when they come to be examined they deny it, no God forbid, they do not encourage men to ſin, they only tel them of Gods free grace: Yea but they tell them of it in ſuch a manner without ſuch cautions as prudent wiſe conſcionable Miniſters uſe to do; And therefore you find that all your lewd and looſer ſort of Profeſſors cloſe with them becauſe they have ſuch a way of preaching of free grace. It appears that in Hierome his time there were ſuch a kind of people, for he hath this expreſſion of ſome in his daies;Ierom againſt the abuſers of Free-grace when they ſaw any to live wickedly they would ſay thus to them, you ſin and offend, but God requireth nothing elſe but only abide in the truth of the faith, do but beleeve and that is enough. And again he hath a further expreſſion, which faith if you do but keep God doth not ſo much regard your lives what they are, only looks that you do beleeve: And by this means faith he men repent not neither are they humbled, but they walk up and down with a ſtretched out neck; you ſhall find them by their very gate, they walk ſo peartly abroad and caſt up their heads, becauſe they think they hold the true faith and ſo take liberty to ſin. The Church hath been continually troubled with this generation, and no mervail there be ſuch men now amongſt us, for there being not yet a full Reformation (for we are but in the way tending toward it) and all things cannot be reformed at once, therefore ſome kind of liberty for the preſent is permitted to ſuch men, and therefore I ſay no mervail that we have ſuch among us that are of ſuch ſpirits to abuſe the free grace of God and lighten the hearts of men in their ſin by telling of them there is a ſacrifice in Chriſts death ſufficient to pay for all. And ſo much for this eighth verſe.