An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 4 · Verse 9
Verſe 9.
And there ſhall be like people like Prieſt; and I will puniſh them for their waies, and reward them for their doings.
THE Lord threatning of the ten Tribes, eſpecially points his threats againſt the Prieſts, as the great cauſe of the evil both of the ſin and puniſhment of the people, as ever they have been; Evil Miniſters in a countrey have been a chief cauſe of the ſin and of the miſery of the Countrey. Divers of Gods threats againſt them we ſaw before and ſtill it follows.
There ſhall be like people, like Prieſt.] Here is a mixt threat, both againſt Prieſt and people. They have made themſelves like one another in ſin,Obſer. God will make them like one another in puniſhment. They joyn themſelves together in ſin and were alike there; God wil joyn them in judgment and they ſhal be alike there too. There is a likeneſs between people and Prieſt upon two grounds, I mean in evil eſpecially.
Firſt, They are like in ſin one to another uſually from the juſt judgment of God upon people. When people diſlike the powerful Miniſtry of the word,Obſer. when their hearts cannot bear a ſpiritual and lively Miniſtry God in juſt judgment ſendeth unto them Miniſters according to their very luſts; Miniſters that ſhall be ſutable unto that very diſpoſition of their hearts to harden them in it. And this is a fearful judgment upon a people. They may rejoyce and bleſs themſelves in it and think themſelves now quiet and in ſafety, and ſay they have got a very honeſt man, a brave man, a quiet man amongſt them; but while they are rejoycing the wrath of God is in a moſt dreadful manner let out againſt them, in ſending them a Miniſter according to their luſts; As God threatneth in Ezek. 14.4. If a man ſet up an Idol in his heart, God will anſwer him according to his Idol; ſo when people ſet up Idols in their hearts, their hearts are bent unto ſuch and ſuch luſts and wicked waies, God in his juſt judgment will anſwer them according unto their own hearts and luſts, they ſhall have ſuch Miniſters ſent amongſt them as will harden them in thoſe wicked waies.
Again ſecondly, [Like people like Prieſt] In evil in regard of the great influence that there is mutualy from the Prieſts to the people and from the people to the Prieſts, ſo they come to be like one another in evil. Sometime from the people to the Prieſts. If people be Malignants and ſuperſtitious and looſe and vain, the Prieſts that are among them being carnal, they will ſeek to humour them; they love to be made of by them and therefore they preach ſuch things as may ſuit with ſuch kind of humours. But this is a very vile thing. It is an extream diſhonor to the Miniſtry of the word to ſubject it unto the luſts of men. It is this that makes it ſo contemptible in the eyes of wicked men. Though they be pleaſed with it yet the truth is the ſuiting of their luſts makes the Miniſtry of the word contemptible. How is that you will ſay, they are pleaſed with it, commend ſuch men and like them well? While they commend the men and like them well, yea like what they ſay yet they contemn the Miniſtry, upon this ground, becauſe they come to ſee that even their miniſtry is under their humours, and it is to pleaſe their humours; upon this they look upon themſelves and their luſts as above the Miniſtry, and ſo deſpiſe any authority in it: They are pleaſed with the ſuiting of it to their luſts, but they deſpiſe it in regard of any authority, for they ſee apparantly it is under their humors. In Revel. 19.10.Rev. 19.10. When John did but fall down to worſhip an Angel,Opened the Angel cometh to him and ſaith, O ſee thou do it not, why? for I am thy fellow ſervant and have the teſtimony of Jeſus. What you a Miniſter that have the teſtimony of Jeſus to fall down to an Angel; An Angel, what is an Angel? The glory of an Angel it is to be a fellow ſervant with you and to have the ſame teſtimony of Jeſus that you have. A Miniſter muſt not in hi… miniſtry fall down under the luſts of any man living, upon this ground, bccauſe he hath the teſtimony of Jeſus with him. It is true thoſe that are Miniſters in regard of themſelves ſhould be willing to be under all, ſervants unto all for Chriſt; they ſhould I ſay be willing to put their perſons under every man for Chriſt, but they ſhould keep their Miniſtry above every man. Their Miniſtry and the authority of that is to be kept above the greateſt and that for Chriſt too.
Again, A great influence as from people to the Miniſter ſo from the Miniſter to the people. Look how Miniſters are, ſo uſually the people are. Like Prieſt like people, eſpecially in evil, they have an influence there. You know it almoſt in all places where you have malignant ſuperſtitious Miniſters you have accordingly ſuch kind of people. Jerem. 23.10. The land is ful of adulterers (ſaith the text) then in the next verſe, For both Prophet and Prieſt are prophane, that is the reaſon. And again verſ. 14. I have ſeen (ſaith God) in the Prophets of Jeruſalem an horrible thing; they commit adultery and walk in lyes; they alſo ſtrengthen the ban… of evil doers, that none doth return from his wickedneſs. Here we …ee how they harden others in ſin, they walk in lyes, they tell people we need not be ſo ſtrict, we may take more liberty, it is but the fancies and humors of ſuch and ſuch men, they walk in lyes and ſo they ſtrengthen mens hands in wickedneſs and none returneth from his wicked waies. And then verſe 15. From the Prophet there goes prophaneſs quite thorough the land; if they be prophane and wicked they have an influence quite thorough the land to make the whol countrey wicked and prophane. And on the other ſide, there is a great influence in the Miniſtry of the word upon people for good many times. If Miniſters continue painful, faithful, conſcionable, it is very rare but that they bring people to ſome kind of obedience or other. Very few godly, conſcionable, powerful Miniſters that have lived any time in any place but they leave ſome ſavour of their ſpirits behind them, that in their people you may find the ſavour of ſuch a Miniſtry. It was wont to be ſaid, Da Ambroſios et habebimus Theodoſios let us have Ambroſes and we ſhall have Theodoſius's. Let us have godly Miniſters at Court and we ſhall have godly Princes; that is the meaning; The reaſon why Theodoſius was ſo good, it was becauſe he had an Ambroſe. So we find it in 2 King. 12.2. that Jehoaſh ſo long as Jehojada the Prieſt lived, did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, ſo long as he had a godly Miniſter with him that inſtructed him, he did that which was right in the eyes of God. No mervail then ſo much evil at Court and other places becauſe we know what kind of Miniſters they ever have had. And becauſe of the influence that a Miniſter hath upon people, hence it is that the evil and malignant party ever deſire to nouriſh theſe Miniſters; and the force of their rage and malice is againſt godly Miniſters, for like Miniſter like people they think; and indeed ſuppoſing their principles it is but that which is prudential for their ends; for when they cry out and ſay that theſe Miniſters are the cauſe of al, they ſay true, & there is ſome kind of truth in it, that is, they are the cauſe to diſcover to people their evil and wicked waies, and to cauſe thoſe to whom they preach to cleave to the truth, and that is it their ſpirits do vex and rage at, that they ſee the Miniſtry of the Word prevail ſo much upon the people as it doth. Therefore I remember a pulicie that I have read of Xerxes, that when he was in ſtraights by reaſon of Agiſelaus who prevailed much in his countrey, he took this courſe, he ſent men with good ſtore of money to corrupt the Towns in Greece, and they went and corrupted Athens and Thebes, and ſo cauſed great diſturbance in Greece, by reaſon of which Agiſelaus was ſent for home to look to his own Countrey. They went eſpecially for the Univerſities Athens and Thebes and there corrupted the Orators and ſo thought to prevail much. It hath been the policie of our men in theſe daies to corrupt Univerſities much, thinking by Scholers and others there to prevail moſt. There is a ſtory of the Wolves that they would make a league with the Sheep, but they would by any means have one article granted, that was that their Shepheards muſt be delivered up unto them and then they would be at peace with the Sheep and do them no hurt. I make no queſtion but if our adverſaries ſhould come to article with us, there is no one thing they would ſtand more upon than the delivery up of the ſhepheards and then there would be good peace between the Wolves and the ſheep. Like people like Prieſt.
They are like in evil and they ſhall be like in puniſhment, they ſhall be involved in the ſame puniſhment, I will make the Prieſts as contemptible and as miſerable as the vileſt of the people; their places exalted them above others, and their ſin hath made them as vile as others, and ſo they ſhall be dealt withal accordingly. You will ſay, what great judgment is here threatned that like people like Prieſt? Yes certainly to them the judgment was very bitter and grievous, was moſt againſt the hair, for the Prieſts have at all times been puffed up with their callings, ſo that they looked upon themſelves as above the people abundantly, looked down to the people with ſcorn and contempt. The Phariſees in John, 7.49. This people (ſay they) who know not the Law are curſed, this ſame vulgar ſort are they that are accurſt; ſo theſe Prieſts here, though the truth is they were made of the vileſt of the people (as they were in Jeroboams time, for it is ſpoken of thoſe) yet being once got up into that place they were puffed up as if they had been of another kind of mould than the people were. It is uſual for wicked Miniſters though never ſo baſe and vile other waies either in birth or breeding, yet when they get up a little and are come to preferment, to look upon others as very contemptible in their eyes. This i… a Maſter deſign in Popery, to advance Prieſthood and make them to be great above the people; and we know what a way they were going in of late; what were your Gentry in the Kingdom but even ſlaves and vaſſels to every Popiſh Prieſt in the Countrey, but eſpecially unto Prelates; And we cannot imagine (but we muſt look at the hand of God in his dreadful judgment beſotting men) why the Gentry ſhould deſire to have prelacy come in again, knowing how they were contemned and deſpiſed of them before. There was ſcarce any Vicar in the Countrey but if he were Filius Eccleſiae as they called him, a child of the Church, a ceremonious man but he was able to vaunt himſelf above any of the Gentry whatſoever; and it was an evident argument of the coming in of Popery upon us, a too much extolling of their Prieſtly Office, although that wherein the true honour of their office conſiſted, the faithful Preaching of the word, was not regarded. I have read of ſome of the Papiſts, (to give you an inſtance or two that you may ſee what way they went, ju…t as they did here of late) one Riconius hath this paſſage,the pride of popiſh Prieſts. The Prieſt ex…elleth the King as much as a man a beaſt; yea as much as God is above a Prieſt ſo is a Prieſt above the King; theſe very words he hath. And Pope Innocent the ſecond, he would have Lotharius the Emperour painted in his pallace as a vaſſel lying down at his feet. And ſo Becanus he calls the Pope the chief Prieſt their Shepheard,Emperors & Kings the Popes dogs. and Emperors and Kings are their Dogs and Curs ſaith he, and if they will be faithful and be at the hand of the Shepheard well and good, they muſt be made of, but if they will be lazie and troubleſom, they muſt be removed. Is it poſſible now that Kings and great ones ſhould ever love Popery and think to bring in that for their honor when as they do advance their Prieſthood far above themſelves; only for the preſent they would puff them up to procure what lies in them an Arbitrary government, but ſtil that that Arbitrary government of theirs muſt be Arbitrary under them, and then it ſuits very well with their ends. There is a ſpirit of fornication (as follows afterward) upon men, or otherwiſe it were impoſſible they ſhould be ſo beſootted as they are.
But though they lifted up themſelves above the people thus yet ſaith God, I will make them in puniſhment like to the people, God is no reſpecter of perſons, to ſpare any for their place above another; So neither ſhould we, we ſhould not ſay, Oh it would be a diſgrace unto the calling, therefore it muſt be paſt over; rather becauſe he is a Prieſt or becauſe he is a Magiſtrate, let him be what he will be, let him be in place of Magiſtracy or Miniſtry or of Parliament, yet proving to be a Delinquent and an enemy unto the State, certainly he muſt be dealt withal and be made an example in judgment as well as the meaneſt of the people, and for thoſe that be under to be executed and for them to be ſpared in that regard, God forbid ever ſuch a thing ſhould be. God is no accepter of perſons in regard of place neither ſhould men be.
Queſt. Yea but it may be you will ſay, Like people like Prieſt, one would rather think that God ſhould ſay, I will make their judgment greater than the judgment of the people, for the ſin of the Prieſts is far greater than the ſin of the people.
Anſw, 1 To that I anſwer firſt, It is true the ſin of the Prieſts is greater than the ſin of any of the people, but it is not greater than the ſin of the whol Congregation. In Levit. 4. compare verſe 3. with verſe 13. and you ſhal find that the ſame ſacrifice that was offered for the ſin of the whol Congregation, it is offered for the ſin of the Prieſt, ſo that the ſin of the Prieſt it is equivalent to the ſin of the whole Congregation: So there is a parallel here, like people like Prieſt, that is, I will deal with the Prieſts as with the whol Congregation.
Anſw, 2 Yet further for a ſecond anſwer, As the condition of the perſon aggravateth the ſin, ſo the condition of the perſon aggravateth the judgment. It is a greater puniſhment for a man of an high condition to ſuffer the ſame thing that a man that is of a lower condition doth ſuffer.
And I will puniſh them for their waies.] The reading you have in your books of puniſhing them for their waies, it is otherwiſe in the Hebrew foreign I will viſit them for their waies, and ſo it is I think tranſlated in ſome of your books, Super vias ejus: I will viſit them upon their waies, or viſit their waies upon them, ſo the words are. God hath his daies of viſitation wherein he will narrowly enquire into the waies of men, Obſervand call to an account for ſins long before committed; that's the Note from thence. Exod. 32.34. In the day when I viſit I will viſit their ſin upon them; I will ſpare them for the preſent, but I have a day to viſit, and then I will come upon them even for this ſin. God ſpareth ſinners now, why? becauſe the day of his viſitation is not yet come, but when that is come then look to your old ſins; look that now your repentance be thorough, for otherwiſe you may be ſpared a while, but when the day of viſitation comes then all your old ſins ſhall be call'd over. In ſome mens viſitations of late, the more conſcionable men were and godly, the more were they aimed at, and it alwaies went worſt with them in their viſitations; But it ſhall be otherwiſe in this viſitation of Gods, God will viſit the viſitors, and viſit them for their viſitations, and then as Eſa. 10.3. What will you d… in the day of viſitation? You knew what to do in the day when you your ſelves did viſit, but what will you do in the day of Gods viſiting of you? As Mic. 7.4. The day of thy watchmen and thy viſitation cometh, now ſhall be their perplexity. Certainly thoſe viſitors did begin to be in perplexitie, for their day was coming, and we hope their day is yet coming.
But in the day of Gods viſitation mens own waies will come upon Obſ. 2 them; that's the ſecond Note. I will viſit their waies upon them. Men may have ſhifts to put off God for a while, but when God ſhall viſit, then they ſhall ſee that all the evil that is come upon them it is from their own waies; And that will be the very torment of the damned in Hell, that they ſhall cleerly ſee that all the evil that is upon them it is but their own waies.ſimile As it is reported of ſome birds that lime is made out of their dung by which they are taken, ſo out of the dung of mens ſins doth God make his limetwigs to take them withal, that is, the judgment that comes upon them it is no other but their own waies, they have procured this unto themſelves.
And reward them for their deeds.] The word that is here tranſlated deeds, foreignit ſignifies Cogitationes, ſtudia, their ſtudies, their thoughts as well as opera, their works: From whence there may be theſe two Notes, Firſt that God will call men to account Obſ. 1 for their thoughts; the uncleanneſs of your thoughts, the vanity of your thoughts, the envy, the malice of your thoughts;Thoughts. you muſt look to your thoughts, they are not free before God; that's the firſt point. Then, that ſtudied Obſ. 2 wickedneſs, thoughtful wickedneſs is the worſt wickedneſs; when men ſhall plot wickedneſs in their thoughts, that is the wickedneſſe that above all wickedneſſe God will come to viſit.
And reward them.] There is a great elegancy in theſe words that in your Engliſh you paſs over very lightly. Reward them their doings: We know that God will reward every one according to their doings;foreign but I ſay in the Original in the Hebrew it ſignifies Redire faciam, I will make to return your doings, that is the propriety and elegancy of the word, I will make your doings return back upon you. From whence there is this Note,Obſer. Sin paſſeth away in the act of it with much ſweetneſs, but God will make it return back again in the guilt of it with much bitterneſs. As Gideon ſaid in Judg. 8.7. unto the men of Succoth, When I return, (ſaith he) I will tear your fleſh with t…e thorns of the wilderneſs and with briars; How many men and women have paſt over the act of their ſins very pleaſantly, but within a month perhaps or a quarter of a yeer, or it may be within a yeer or two or ſometime ſeven yeers after, God hath made their ſin return upon them, and it hath returned as Gideon did return upon the men of Succoth and hath torne them with briars and thorns that they have lien roaring in the anguiſh of ſpirit for the horror that hath been upon them for their ſins. You ſinners that have not returned unto God in the way of repentance, do you expect that all thoſe pleaſant delightful ſins of yours will one day return upon you and that in a dreadful way.
And from the propriety of this word Redire faciam, I will make to return, I may give a hint of a meditation the other way too. Surely the good works of the Saints ſhall return upon them, return upon them with comfort and peace. It may be you have ſome troubleſom afflictions in the fleſh in ſome works and ſervices you are exerciſed in, yet know they ſhall return with abundance of peace and joy. Do not think that what you do for God ſhall be quite loſt and that there is an end of it, If you venture any thing of your eſtates for a good uſe in the cauſe of God, as never ſince you were born nor ſince your forefathers were born, that there was a more full opportunity to glorifie God than is at this day; that which is called upon you to venture for the calling in of our brethren the Scots into the Nation,Scots comming in it i… ſuch a thing that hath ſo much in it, ſuch an opportunity of ſerving God, that you never had nor never are like to have the like ſo long as you live, For it is not the bringing in of ſo many men into the Kingdom, but the engaging of a Kingdom for us; and not only an engagement, but the greateſt teſtimony of the goodneſs of our cauſe before all the Nations that are about us; for though now the Nations about us know not which part to take there having been ſuch proteſtations on both ſides, but when they ſhall hear that ſuch a Kingdom that heretofore did carry themſelves ſo loyally though being here in England with an Armie yet went away in ſo much peace, ſo that the King himſelf by proclamation declared they are his faithful and good Subjects, when theſe I ſay that had ſuch an opportunity in their hands, yet have ſhewn themſelves ſo loyal and ſo faithful, ſhall now engage themſelves on one ſide, certainly this will be a mighty high witneſs before all the Nations about us, and no queſtion cannot but gain many amongſt our ſelves. Therefore I ſay, it is the higheſt and largeſt and fulleſt opportunity for the ſervice of God and good of your countrey as ever you or your forefathers had; And though you have done ſome what and much already, yet you never had ſuch an opportunity as this is which you may bleſs God you are imploied in. And do not think now that what you do is quite gone and loſt, Oh no, the Lord will make it return, you ſhall have a good return for it. You that are Merchants are you not willing to venture your ſtock at Sea upon expectation of a good return? you will venture the winds and waves and ſeas and venture your ſervants that may prove unfaithful. You never ventured any thing in all your lives that you could have ſuch aſſurance of a good return as what you venture in ſuch a caſe as this is. It is not adventured, God will certainly make your good works to return as he wil make the doings of the wicked return upon them. It follows.