An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 5 · Verse 14
VER. 14.
For I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon, and as a young Lyon to the houſe of Judah.
THat which i… here tranſlated in your books, a Lyon, th… Seventy tranſlate it by the Panther, which is the moſt ſwift & fierce creature one of them in the world.… Gods wrath for ſtrength is compared to a Lyon, and for ſwiftneſs to a Panther.Panther To a Lyon, becauſe though he is moſt ſtrong and terrible, yet Hiſtorians ſay, that if you fall down and ſubmit unto him he will ſhew mercy. God is a Lyon,Lyon. and ſtrong and fierce in his wrath, yet merciful to thoſe that ſubmit unto Him.
foreign the ordinary word is foreign of foreign to tear, or foreign validus. Geſner the LyonThe word here tranſlated, Lyon, it is not that ordinary word that is for a Lyon, but Shacal, that ſignifies a fierce Lyon: And ſo you have it in Joh, 4.10. the roaring of the Lyon, and the voice of the fierce Lyon, Shacal. So that God threatneth here to be a fierce Lyon. This creature is very fierce, and therefore Geſner in his Hiſtorie of living creatures ſaith, That nature hath ſo ordered it that becauſe the Lyon is ſo fierce of himſelf, that alwaies he hath a kind of a quartan feaver or ague upon him to mittigate or refreſh his fierceneſs. And it were well with many if it were ſo with them. Many that are fierce and of Lyon-like ſpirits, for their luſts, and for the ſatisfying of their own humors, but are ſheepiſh enough for the cauſe of God.
But mark, God was before a moth and a little worm, but now He is become a Lyon. I will be a moth unto Ephraim, and a little worm unto Judah (for ſo you may tranſlate it) And now I will be a Lyon to Ephraim, and a young Lyon to Judah. Why a Lyon? that is, He will appear in the fierceneſs of his wrath againſt Ephraim.
The different expreſſion of the text.But what is the reaſon of the difference of theſe expreſſions here? As he ſaid before, He would be a moth to Ephraim and rottenneſs to Judah; ſo here he ſaith, He will be a Lyon to Ephraim, and a young Lyon unto Judah. Here is a different expreſſion, and the reaſon is the ſame here that was there: As there it was to ſhew that God though He intended the deſtruction of Ephraim and of Judah both, yet Ephraim ſooner and Judah later: ſo here, though God would be terrible in His wrath to Judah, yet He would be more terrible in His wrath to the ten Tribes: For we find, that though Judah was carried into captivity, yet that captivity laſted but for ſeventy years, and Judah returned again; but Iſrael, he was torn in pieces ſo as he was never made up after. They were both ſinners, but Judah retained ſomewhat of Gods true worſhip, therefore God would ſpare them a little: Though wicked men will ſpare the Saints ſo much the leſs becauſe of their godlineſs, and will take ſo much the more advantage of their frailties becauſe they are profeſſors, yet God will pitie them.
The obſervations from hence are theſe.
Firſt, When Gods leſſer afflictions work not, Obſer. 1.there God will be moſt terrible. You heard of the moth and little worm before; they are leſſer afflictions, and it ſeems the moth and little worm did not work their hearts to repentance, to bring them unto God, therefore God doth turn to be a fierce Lyon and a Lyons whelp unto Ephraim and Judah. Gods wrath is as Elijahs cloud that at firſt appeareth but as a handbreadth, but within a while after the whol Heavens were overſpread with it: It is as the thunder, that when you hear it firſt it is ſimile 1 but a little roaring noiſe a far off, but ſtay a while and it will be a dreadful crack. It is as the fire that at firſt burneth a little within upon a few boards, but when it prevaileth it ſimile 2 burſteth out in a moſt terrible flame. As in that known place Levit. 26.18. If you will not yet for all this ſaith the Lord, hearken unto me, then will I puniſh you ſeven times more for your ſins; and again, ſeven times more, and ſeven times more. God will go on in His wrath from a little unto a great deal of wrath; From being as a moth and as a little worm, to be like a Lyon. Such degrees there are in Gods wrath. You had need look to it when the hand of God is ſtretched out but a little againſt you, though it be but as a moth and as a worm yet if you look not to it, there may be ſuch a gradation of Gods wrath upon you; For as great a difference as is between a moth and a fierce Lyon, ſuch a difference may be between wrath now and that which is to come. Thus the Lord is many times unto mens ſpirits: Many men have gripes and nips of conſcience,Admonit. to thoſe that are a little touched in ſpirit. and God cauſeth ſecretly that worm of conſcience to be gnawing upon them, and there is ſome kind of trouble, but notwithſtanding they go on in their ſins; and at length God cometh upon them as a Lyon, tearing their ſpirits. Did you never ſee a ſinner lying upon his death bed in the torment of his ſoul, Gods wrath like the pawes of a Lyon preying upon the very caul of his heart,A dying & terrified conſcience. when he lies roaring out he is damned, he is damned! and now he ſees, yea feels the heat of the wrath of God againſt him. Thus God comes as a Lyon to prey upon thoſe that will not regard the gnawings of the worm: When the worm was but little and ſmall, they ſlighted it, and that cauſed God to bring the greater judgment. So it is with families; God cometh upon families ſometimes in a little ſickneſs, in a child or in a ſervant, and that is not regarded; afterwards God cometh with plague of peſtilence or ſome other dreadful judgment.
So in Kingdoms, the Lord cometh firſt with little judgments, and then with greater. As in Ireland, Ireland.for many yeers together, there the Lord was as a moth and rottenneſs, but of late how like a Lyon hath he there appeared? How hath He torn and rent that Kingdom in a moſt dreadful manner?
Yea the truth is the Lord had been to England Englandas a moth and rottenneſs; And this very text I make no queſtion but ſome of you have heard many yeers ago applied unto England, when as thoſe Miniſters that preached upon this text did little think that ever there ſhould be ſuch a hand of God againſt many parts of England as now there is at this day. In many parts of this Kingdom the Lord is at this day as a Lyon. We all hear the roaring of the Lyon, and who can but tremble! Oh it is time for us all to fall down to the ground before the Lord. It is true God hath not yet come to this Citie as a Lyon to tear and rend it as other places in the Countrie;London. but yet we have heard the roaring of the Lyon abroad, and God calleth us to fall down before Him that He may not be ſo to us, that he may not come and tear us likewiſe. Certainly, the Lord will have glory of His creature; God hath ſworn by Himſelf and the word hath proceeded out of His mouth in righteouſneſs, that every knee muſt bow to Him, and every tongue confeſs His Name: Every creature muſt ſubmit unto Him, and if leſſer judgments will not do it, God will lay every ſinner upon His back, He will come as a Lyon to tear him in pieces.
Secondly, Mark what is between theſe two, being a moth Expoſ. 2 and a Lyon; between theſe two it is ſaid, Ephraim ſaw his ſickneſs and his wound, and he went to the Aſſyrian and ſent to King Jareb, and now ſaith God, I will be a Lyon unto Ephraim. Hence Note,
That ſeeking out ſhifting waies for our ſelves in times of affliction, provoketh God very much and makes our affliction to be very great. Obſer.The Lord looks upon this with indignation; what, when I appear in My diſpleaſure, do they ſeek to ſhift me off by ſending to the Aſſyrian and to King Jareb? upon this the indignation of God riſeth high,Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 6, 7. and He becometh a fierce Lyon to them. Joſephus reports in the factions that were in Jeruſalem, Antiochus being called in by one party who proved the ruin of both. This is the honor God expects, that in our affliction we ſhould not flye from, but humble our ſelves before Him; if we do not, His anger, His jealouſie ariſeth to a feaful height, He wil purſue in the fierceneſs of His wrath. The way is not to flie from God, but to fall down before Him, to lie at His feet.ſimile If a Lyon ſhould come roaring upon us, the way is not to run away ſhreeking, but to fall down before him.ſimile There is no man can abide the ſlighting of his anger; if a parent or a maſter ſhould be ſlighted by the child or the ſervant, this makes him more angry: ſo when men make light of the anger of God and think that there is power enough in any creature to pacifie Him, this cauſeth the wrath of God burn more fiercely againſt them: you have as not able ā example as any in the book of God; in Iſa. 7.17.Iſa. 7.17. opened. if you compare the ſtory there with the 2 King. 17. you ſhall find that Abaz in the time of his diſtreſs ſought unto the King of Aſſyria, and though God offered him a ſign by the Prophet that he Himſelf would deliver him, yet he ſends for help unto others: But mark, upon this the Lord threatneth that he would bring upon him and upon his people daies the like whereof had not come ſince the day that Ephraim departed from Judah: ſuch daies God would bring upon them, more dreadful th…n ever yet came upon Judah, and that becauſe at this time when they were in ſtraights they ſought for help from the Aſſyrian. And as it provoketh God in a dreadful manner againſt thoſe that ſeek unto others for help in outward dangers; ſo if a man ſhall ſeek for help in the ſtraights of his ſoul; Doth God wound thy ſpirit, doth he make it ſick, and doſt thou ſeek for unlawful means to help thy ſelf? doſt thou go to thy company, to muſick, to good cheer to help thee? Oh this provokes God againſt thee! This is juſt as if a man in a feaver ſhould drink a draught of cold water from the conduit; it's true for a while he may have a little eaſe; but O what a ſcalding fit doth this bring him into afterwards!ſimile ſo thoſe that in trouble of conſcience ſeek for carnal helps, it will bring them to a dreadful fit afterwards. It follows.
I, even I will tear.] The main thing wherein God expreſſeth the dreadfulneſs of His wrath here in this place, is the tearing of them as a Lyon, we may take in pieces that which we intend to mend and to make uſe of: but when we tear a thing we intend to make no further uſe of it. God expreſſeth great ſeverity of his wrath in this expreſſion, Pſal. 50.22. Conſider this ye that forget God, leſt I tear you in pieces. Now this tearing here, refers to the letting in the Aſſyrian upon Iſrael, and the Babylonian upon Judah. And the main obſervation from it, and which is indeed ſeaſonable for theſe times of ours, is, That,
Obſer.When God in his wrath cauſeth war in a Kingdom, then God teareth.
I will ſend the ſword amongſt you, I will ſend the Aſſyrian againſt you and then I will tear you. The judgment of war it is a tearing judgment. Gods wrath never appeareth more dreadful than in letting out the wrath and rage of provoked enemies upon a people.The Teeth & Claws of the Lyon, & his mouth. The teeth and claws of this Lyon is no other than ſpears and ſwords and poleaxes, the mouth of this Lyon is no other than the roaring Cannon, from whoſe mouth proceedeth fire and ſmoke and ſudden death: Here you may ſee thouſands ſtout and ſtrong ones ſtruck down to t… ground in a moment; Here one mans arm is torn from his ſhoulders, there another mans leg is rent from his body; here one lies wallowing in his own blood giving up the ghoſt, there another weltring in his gore all mangled and wounded, Every battel of the warrior is with confuſed noiſe and with garments rolled in blood, death reigneth in the field and is ſure to have the day which ſide ſo ever falleth; And when report of what is done in the field cometh home, as in 1 Sam. 4.17. when there was a great ſlaughter among the people, one brings Phineas his wife news that her Husband and her Brother-in-law was dead; ſo when news comes home to the poor fatherleſs children and widdows, your husband is dead, and your father is dead, Oh what tearing of hair, wringing of hands, rending of clothes, lifting up the voice and crying until the noiſe thereof reach up to heaven. My brethren, war is a tearing judgment, it is Malum complexum, a compound of ſorrow. The cup that is now in the hand of God,Pſa. 57.8. opened. is full of mixture, full of bloody ingredients, of fire, famine, peſtilences, murders, rapes, cruelties, and all miſeries; the Lord teareth now indeed: Oh how is the husband rent from his wife, haled to priſon by cruel and bloody ſouldiers! How are mens eſtates and whatſoever is comfortable unto them rent and torn from them in tumultuous outrages! Their pleadings and cryings are rejected with ſcorn and contempt, and the bodies of their wives and children and their own too, abuſed in the rage and malice of the inſulting adverſary. And of all wars, Civil wars are moſt dreadful;Civil war moſt dreadful. there God teareth moſt indeed; there the brother contendeth with the brother, and the father goes about to tear out the bowels of his ſon. Thus the Lord hath been a Lyon in many parts of the Kingdom. Alas our brethren abroad they cannot ſay as they in Jer. 4.5. Ariſe, Let us go into the fenced Cities, they ſtand a far off, & are afraid to come out of the Land of their captivity becauſe of the oppreſſing ſword. Yea here is tearing indeed in this heavy judgment that is upon us,2. tearing of Gods Name. never was Gods Name ſo torn as now it is by bloody Oathes and hideous and unheard of blaſphemies, And what do our adverſaries deſire but to tear the Saints and to trample them under their feet?
My brethren, time it is for us all to rend our hearts, even to tear and rend our very hearts within us, becauſe the Lord is come out againſt us as a tearing Lyon, rending and tearing this way and that way. The Jews were wont when they heard the Name of God blaſphemed to rend their garments preſently. We hear of the dreadful blaſphemies of our adverſaries, rending and tearing of the Name of God, Oh how ſhould we rend our hearts rather than our garments! It is dreadful to hear of the tearing of mens eſtates and bodies, but much more dreadful ſhould it be to us to hear of the tearing of the Name of God. It's time then for ſorrow to be in our hearts, and not ordinary ſorrow neither, but rending of our hearts now; and now we ſhould even be ready to tear the heart out of our bowels to ſee that we have been no more affected hitherto than we have. And the rather becauſe we have ſcaped for the preſent & our eſtates and bodies are yet whole. Our ſins have had an influence into the miſeries of our brethren; our ſins have been thoſe claws and teeth that have torn our brethren. Thus the Lord is raiſed from a moth and worm even to a tearing Lyon.
Obſ. 2 And note, Though the Aſſyrians and curſed Babylonians did this, yet ſaith God, I will be as a Lyon to tear them.
Hence another obſervation, That God hath a righteous hand in the worſt actions of men.
We cry out of men that they are thus and thus, Oh never ſuch vile and wicked men. But you muſt look upon God, He hath a hand in all. The moſt horrid wickedneſs that ever was done in the world, the betraying of Chriſt and the crucifying of the Lord of life,Act. 2. the Scripture ſaith, it was done by the fore-determined counſel of God. Therefore let thoſe that have been ſenſible of the tearing of their eſtates, and have had their husbands and their children torn from them by wicked men, let them not only cry out of ſuch vile and ungodly men, but let them know that the Lord hath had a hand in it. Though men be wicked, yet the Lord is righteous, let them juſtifie God in all: This is Gods glory, that He can have a hand in the moſt hideous wickedneſs in the world and yet remain righteous notwithſtanding: Therefore He ſaith here, I, even I will do it. He doth not only own it, but He would have people to take ſpecial notice that He hath a hand in all. Oh the uſe that we might make of this to our ſelves, if in all thoſe dreadful judgments that are upon us, if in all thoſe tearing judgments that ſome of our brethren have felt; we could but take notice that the hand of God hath done it. I, even I I, even I,have done it, here is the Emphaſis in this; And in this one verſe here is I, four times together; Let the thing be never ſo hideous unto you, yet know that I am the great orderer and diſpoſer of all, and I have ſome great thing to bring to paſs in all this that is come upon you. And certainly though the miſery be great that ſome parts of the Kingdom endure, yet becauſe Gods hand is ſo much in it, therefore we muſt know that God hath ſome great thing to bring to paſſe by this that He hath begun to doe amongſt us.
What the wicked Aſſyrians and curſed Babylonians did, that God is ſaid here to do. Hence obſerve, That God hath a righteous hand in the worſt actions. Obſ. 3
As in the ſin of Judas, the moſt horrible that ever was Act. 2.23. God doth not only permit, but order all, and ſo far as an evil of puniſhment works in it: and ſo far as any natural action is in the ſin; as in opening the mouth the natural act of ſpeaking; drawing the ſword (the natural act towards fighting) &c. This is Gods glory, and yet to be free from the evil of ſin. Many knots there are about this, that men exerciſe their wits to untie; but cum veneit Elias (as the Hebrews uſe to ſay when they are gravel'd, when Elias cometh we ſhall underſtand, there is a time when all difficulty ſhall be eaſie to reconcile) let us look to Gods hand, not cry out on ſuch and ſuch wicked men. You whoſe eſtates have been torne from you, and it may be many of your deareſt friends, conſider that it is God that is the Lyon tearing.
From the duplication of the words, we may obſerve this Note, That the hand of God is more imediate in ſome judgments than Obſ. 4 in others, and the more imediate the more remarkable, there ſhall not only come judgments upon you, but I will bring them, they ſhall be ſuch, that you ſhall ſee, that I am in them. In ſome judgments upon men, God makes ſo much uſe of the creature, that ſinners can ſee little of Gods hand in them, but in ſome others, they can eaſily ſee the hand of God in them; Belſhazzer trembled at the hand-writing, and his thoughts were troubled within him, why ſo? the hand ſtruck him not at all, only he ſaw it to be the hand of God, the hand of the Deity was in it, Dan. 5.5, 6. and this made him to tremble. Gen. 6.17. Behold, I, even I do bring a floud: And that wrath which is out againſt us at this time, eſpecially our adverſaries, is the hand of God in a ſpecial manner, God may well ſay to us,Applic. England. I, even I wil tear ye O England, O how hath God manife-feſted Himſelf to us in theſe latter yeers ſince the wars began. As we ought to take notice of Gods tearing and rending Kingdoms, ſo alſo in familes, and particular perſons, God would have us take notice, that it's He; as a godly heart takes notice of Gods hand in mercies; and then they are moſt ſweet; ſo on the contrary, he takes notice of Gods hand in every judgment to be humbled under it: I will eſtabliſh my Covenant with you: Gen. 9.11. and Iſa, 43.19.25. I, even I am he which blotteth out thine iniquities: Mercies are then moſt ſweet when we ſee them come from Gods immediate hand, in a ſpecial providence. Gods hand-remarkable in judgments muſt be taken notice of. For,
Reaſ. 1 1. Hereby the heart comes to be humbled, when it conſiders that 'tis God which appeareth againſt him,It humbleth. not devils nor men, but God, that God upon whom I live and enjoy every mercy that I have; this it was that troubled Chriſt, more than all the wrong which the Scribes and Phariſees did to him, when he conſidered that it was His God, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? When the Saints ſee Gods hand againſt them in any thing, this trombles them and humbles them more than any thing elſe.
Reaſ. 2 2. It is a ſpecial means to quiet the heart with patience, Pſal. 39.9.It quiets. I was dumb and ſpake not, becauſe thou Lord didſt it. See it in Ely, It is the Lord, let him do what he wil with me: and in Chriſt himſelf, ſhall not I drink of the cup which my father ſhall give me? Is God my God, and doth this come from my Father? I will take it, I am ſure it will do me no harm but much good.
3. By this means the ſoul is put upon the enquirie, why Reaſ. 3 this affliction is upon it,It puts up on ſearch what the cauſe of this trouble may be; when we ſee nothing but man the inſtrument of an affliction, we look not ſo much at it, it never puts us upon ſoul-ſearch and tryal of our ſelves, but when God is ſeen in a croſs, the ſoul begins to conſider, what have I done? what's the matter oh my ſoul? Thus did the Church: Mica. 6.9. Hear ye the Rod, and who hath appointed it: There are letters written upon Gods rods which the man of wiſedome can reade.
4. It cauſes the ſoul to receive content and ſatisfaction in Reaſ. 4 nothing but God alone, and in peace with him,Cauſeth the ſoul to make out for God to get him our friend; when we look upon judgments only in the ſecond cauſe, we are apt to think that ſecond means will make up the breach again, which ſin hath made; as they in Iſa. 9.9, 10. The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn ſtone; for all this his anger is not turned away: why ſo? in the 13. verſe we have the reaſon, For the people turned not unto him that ſmiteth them, neither do they ſeek the Lord of hoſts: They would not ſee the hand of God, nor give glory to him, for if they did, they would ſay as this people, in the next chapter, Come, let us return unto the Lord, for he hath wounded us, and He will heal us. Thus much for the doubling the expreſſion. It follows.
I, even I will tear you and go away.
The Lyons when they tear their prey, they are not afraid of what they have done,Expoſ. but walk majeſtically before the dead carkieſe as it were bidding defiance to al other creatures, they run not away as the Fox doth, but walk as it were in ſtate, for ſo the words in the original carry: I, even I will tear. foreignAs if God did challenge all the creatures in Heaven or Earth for to grapple with him, I wil tear them. It implies how God wil deal with Judah, He will not be afraid of them, what He doth it ſhall be in an open way, He will not come againſt them in ſecret but in a publick way.
Applic. enemies of Engl.The judgment at this time upon our enemies is not in a ſecret, but an open way, the Lord doth not deal ſubtilly and by craft with them, as they do with his people; and though the Lord deal as a Lyon with them, tearing and rending them, yet they will not ſee him, neither are they able to reſiſt him, nor can any reſcue them out of his hands: Let the means be never ſo weak in Gods hand, yet when he is in a way of wrath there ſhall be no delivery out of his hands;Iſa. 26.6. opened. Iſa. 26.6. The feet ſhall tread it down: tread down what? the lofty City: by what feet? even the feet of the poor, and the ſteps of the needy. Jer. 37.10. The Lord tels them, that though they had ſmitten the whol Army of the Caldeans, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet ſhould they riſe up every man in his tent and burn their City with fire. When God intends ruin and deſolation to a people, 'tis impoſſible for any to deliver them out of his hands.
Obſer.Further we may note, That when God comes againſt a people, He takes them to do, when they are the ſtrongeſt, and greateſt in power, and moſt confident in an arm of fleſh, that none at that time may deliver our of His hands. Iſa. 24.21. And it ſhall come to paſs, in that day, that the Lord ſhall puniſh the hoſt of the high ones, which are on high: When he is in his greateſt pride, gets the greateſt victories, conquers and obtains the greateſt Cities of refuge, and Towns of harbor. And 'tis very obſervable,Applicat. for Engl. that ſince our enemies got their greateſt advantages they have loſt the moſt, God then puld them down when they were moſt proud, God will go on in his work though men are never ſo proud and ſtrong, therefore 'tis our wiſdom to give our ſelves into Gods hands, yea though into his afflicting hand, although no power can reſcue out of his hand, yet there is a way to change the operation of his hands by humbling our ſelves, falling down before him, willingly ſubmitting to him, and this way now God hath his will upon us in the moſt acceptable way that can be: God had rather have men voluntarily give him his glory, than to compel him to force it from them.
I now come to the laſt.