An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 5 · Verse 3
VER. 3.
I know Ephraim, and Iſrael is not hid from me &c.
I know Eprhraim.] This is, Notitia judicialis, non approbationis. A knowledge to judge, not a knowledge of approbation.
Expoſit.I kn…w Ephraim, that is, I know all his ſhifts, I know all his evaſions, all his cunning devices, all his plots, all his pretences, all his baſe ends. Theſe may be hid from men, but I know them, they are not hid from me. Mark, firſt, I know Ephraim, and then, I know Iſrael.
EphraimFirſt, Ephraim. By Ephraim (as you have heard heretofore) we are to underſtand, the Princes, the great ones amongſt them, becauſe Jeroboam was of the Tribe of Ephraim. I know Ephraim, that is, I know the politick ends of all the great ones amongſt them:S…e Re…gion. They bear men in hand that they deſire to worſhip Me, and they ſay, Oh God forbid that they ſhould change Religion, and they cry out of all men that ſhould raiſe up ſuch ſuſpitions of them amongſt their good people. But I … Ep…r…im ſaith he, I know what his aim is, I know what hi… th…ughts are, and what his counſels are, and what w…s plotted at ſuch a time, and what his Chamber-counſels with ſuch and ſuch Prieſts were, I know what correſpondence he hath with ſuch and ſuch that corrupt my worſhip, and all that …e…in to him and all that favor him, I know them all, I know all their devices and depths. I know what h…th b…en working theſe many yeers;…dal reades verſ. 2. ther kill ſ… crifices on heaps, to d…c…ive. I know how he ſeems as it he would ſerve me, but I know that that he doth is meerly to ſerve… …wn ends and no further. I know the poor people they are d…lud…d by his fair and ſolemn proteſtations, they think he means nothing but well, and there are none but a company of preciſe people that are jealous of him, but I know what they intend and what their waies are whatſoever colour they put upon them. Ephraim, that is, the great ones, the Princes, they perſwade the people that Jeroboam and his ſucceſſors aim at nothing elſe but to reform things for the beſt, but I know that things are far otherwiſe, I know Ephraim.
Iſrael Iſraelis not hid from me] That is, the people, they pretend that they do but as they are taught, and they do but ſubmit unto authority, they could be glad indeed if things were better, but ſome things m… be yeilded unto for peace-ſake. It is true, theſe Prophets and ſome others are good honeſt men, and they would have us to do otherwiſe, but things are not cleer yet, we cannot ſee but we may do this and this in caſe of neceſſity; that way they would have us go may bring us a great deal of trouble; Indeed what they ſay, ſeems to be like that which is in the Scripture, but then theſe and theſe inconveniences will follow; we ſhould be glad if things were better r…formed according to the Word, but for peace-ſake we muſt be contented to yeild to the judgment of ſuch and ſuch learned and wiſe men; and though we yeild to theſe and theſe things yet our hearts are right for God. But ſaith God, Iſrael is not hid from me.
Iſrael. That is, The baſe, cowardly, temporizing, revolting, ſuperſtitious ſpirits of the people, they are not hid from me, their being loth to come under my government, their love to their eaſe and eſtates, the lothneſs of their carnal hearts to venture and ſuffer any thing for my Truth and Ordinance…. Iſrael in theſe his diſtempers of heart is not hid from me: all theſe things are plain before Me, he may blind men and battle his own conſcience, but he cannot hide it from me ſaith God.
From whence the obſervations are theſe.
Fi…, Th…t Gods eye i… upon the ſe…rets of mens hearts, up n t…eir Obſ. 1 aims, and plots, and all their w…ies.
Certainly therefore Hypocrites muſt needs be …; Uſe. 1 they that think to put off God with outward ſhews muſt …eeds deny God, as if God did not ſee the ſecret turnings and windings, and plottings, and contrivances, and aims, and ends of their hearts.
Uſe. 2 And then, O the patience of the infinite God, that notwithſtanding he ſees what villany there is in the world, colored over with Religious proteſtations and profeſſions, yet …he bears with them. I know ſaith he, I know what all their ends are, what they aim at, and what they would have if once they get the day; yet I ſee that they colour and cover all theſe vile ends of theirs with ſuch proteſtations of Religion and of ſetting up the profeſſion of it.Patience of God. Oh the infinite patience of God that can bear with men that colour ſuch vile aims and ends with proteſtations and profeſſions of Religion in ſuch a ſacred way as they ſeem to do! Here is the patience of God that we muſt admire at.
Uſe. 3 Again, God knows all the hearts and ſecret aims of men; Let us pray unto God to make our own hearts known to our ſelves. He knows them, and except we be upright in that, to be willing to know our own hearts, and unfeignedly to deſire God that he would ſhew us our own hearts, we poſſibly after many duties performed may come to periſh for ſome ſecret ſin that we do not know our ſelves. I ſay, it is poſſible for a man or woman to go on a long time in the profeſſion of Religion and to make conſcience of all known duties, yet to periſh at laſt for ſome ſin that he doth not know in himſelf.
A hard ſ…ying.You will ſay, This is a hard thing, what ſhall become of us then?
To molifie this therefore a little, take this along with it, that is,Caution. Except thou haſt a heart unfainedly willing to know thy own heart, willing to ſearch into thine own heart, and earneſt with God that He who knows thy heart would make thy heart known to thy ſelf: If indeed thy heart be thus upright that thou canſt appeal unto God and ſay, Lord I know I have a vile and falſe and hypocritical heart, and there may be much evil lie ſecretly in my heart that I have not known all this while, and ſuch evil as I may juſtly periſh in it; but good Lord make it known to me, let me know the worſt of my ſelf, let me know the evil that is in me, and my purpoſe is to reſiſt it; If thou haſt ſuch an heart, thou haſt no cauſe to think that thou ſhalt periſh for any evil that thou doſt not know by thy ſelf. But if thou haſt any ſecret evil in thy ſelf, and thou doſt not in the uprightneſs of thy heart unfeignedly deſire to know it that ſo thou maieſt forſake it and get thy ſelf rid of it, and canſt not appeal unto God that thou art willing to have it made known unto thee, thy condition may be dangerous notwithſtanding all the dutyes thou performeſt.
But further, This that the Prophet ſaith [I know Ephraim] is brought in to be a means to humble Ephraim, to humble Iſrael. From thence the Note is, That
Gods eye upon our hearts and waies, Obſer.is a ſpecial means to humble us.
No more powerful means in the world to humble the heart than to behold God looking upon our hearts and waies. The diſcovery of our evil to others may be ſome means to humble us. O how would it abaſe men if God ſhould diſcover to all their friends and acquaintance all that evil that is in their hearts. And hereafter at the great day of judgment when the ſecrets of all hearts ſhall come to be diſcloſed, how will the wicked and ungodly be abaſed before men and Angels! We reade of the adulterer in Job, …4.17. that the morning is unto them even as the ſhadow of death, and if any one know them they are then in the terrors of the ſhadow of death. Wicked men (eſpecially adulterer… for it is ſpoken of them) they hate the light, and the morning is unto them as the ſhadow of death, and if they come once to be diſcovered they are terrified as with the ſhadow of death Now I argue thus, if the knowledg that me… h…ve of ou… ſec…t wicked waies is ſo ter…ible unto a guil… con…nce, what is it then when this guilty conſcience ſhall … apprehenſions of the infinite God? He hath ſ en thee … ha…t been ſ…n… wretch in ſuch an …n, in … T… in ſuch a ſe…t place. He hath ſeen wh… thou … and plotted, yea what thou haſt thought and plotted. Look upon God thus ſeeing thee and try if it will not humble thine heart. Oh labor to humble thy heart by this, How ſhie was I to know ſuch a truth, how glad was I when I got ſuch a thing out of my conſcience, ſuch a thing that would have put me upon that which I was loth to do? and whatever I pretended, love to my ſelf to my caſe, to my eſtate, made me decline ſuch a truth of God; and God ſaw all this. When we feel ſuch baſe workings of our hearts, ſuch plotting and contrivings of them for our own ſelves and for our carnal ends and aims, let u… caſt our eye upon God and conſider that his eye is upon us. Let u… conceive …s if we heard the voyce of God from Heaven ſaying unto us, I know what you are plotting, I know what your aims are, I know the baſe workings of your ſpirits. Did we but apprehend God thus ſpeaking from Heaven unto us, as here He ſpeaks by the Prophet, I know Ephraim, and Iſrael is not bid from me, it would be a ſpecial means to humble our hearts for evil preſent, and to prevent evil for the future.
For now, O Ephraim, thou committeſt whoredom, and Iſrael is defiled.
Now] There is ſomewhat in this word, it is a great Emphaſis: Even ſtill Ephraim goes on in wickedneſs; he hath gone on a great while, and even now when I am coming againſt him, even now he continueth in his wickedneſs. From thence the Note is:
Obſerv.God will …eal with men according to their preſent waies.
In what He finds them for the preſent, He will deal with them for that eſpecially. Not but that when he finds them in evil for the preſent, He will call them to an account for al things that are paſt too; but He points Himſelf at them as they are in their preſent waies.
Uſe. I note this the rather, for this end, to ſhew unto ſinners this uſeful le…on. Whatſoever thou waſt before, though thou haſt continued a long time in thy wickedneſs, yet if thou haſt but now a repenting heart to return unto God, there might be hope and help for thee. Oh conſider this thou wretched ſinner. As if God ſhould ſay here, Ephraim hath continued wicked a long time, but if he had Now a heart to return unto me, it ſhould be well with him, but Even now, to this very moment Ephraim committeth whoredom. So ſay I unto the vileſt ſinner in this place, whatſoever thou haſt been, here is ſalvation if now at this inſtant thou haſt a heart to turn to God; thou canſt not tell whether God will ever give thee another Now; God gives thee [a NowA Now.] now, if thou return now unto Him and repent and beleeve thou mayeſt be ſaved: But if God come upon thee after this Exerciſe and find thee continuing in thy ſinful waies, and ſay, Even Now, yet for all this this ſinner continueth in his ſin, this wil be a heavy thing indeed. So here he cometh upon Ephraim, Now Oh Ephraim! He makes an exclamation againſt him; O Ephraim after all the means that hath been uſed to recall thee, yet ſtil, O Ephraim thou continueſt in thy Idolatry.
And, Ephraim, Thou committeſt wh…red…ms, Thou doeſt it, thy ſin is greater in this continuing, for thou carrieſt the people with thee, and little hope there is of reformation till the great ones reforme; If Ephraim commit whoredom, Iſrael muſt needs be defiled, ſo it follows.
Iſrael is defiled.] There is a Twofold defilement of the people of Iſrael.
Firſt, Defiled morally; that is, by th…ir wicked works:Defilement. 1. Moral. as here, by their murders, and thefts, and adulterie, that was before in Chap 4.
Secondly. Iſrael is de…ile…: that is,2. Spiritual. They defile My Worſhip and that d…fileth the…. They have de… My Worſhip and by defiling My W…rſhip they come t… be defiled. And that I take to be eſpecially meant here. Iſrael is d…f…led, that is, among other waies of defilement …ey mingle with Heathen, and they bring them in to d… my Worſhip. In Iſa. 47.6. God threatneth to defile His …anctuary, and to pollute His Inherit…ce: That is when is ſuffereth by His …uſt …udgment, …dolaters and He … to come in… … Sanctuary, to mingle with His ….
And then Iſrael is d… …n…her way: that is, Iſrael both mingleth his own inv…n…on… with my Worſhip & Iſrael d…th bring in or ſuffer the Heathen to come in to my worſhip and ſo my worſhip is defiled and they are defiled by defiling my worſhip. From whence the Note is, That
Obſ.Defiled worſhip, exceedingly defiles the ſouls of people.
Nothing defileth the ſouls of men more than defiled worſhip.Defiled worſhid And among other defilements in worſhip, the mixing with wicked and ungodly men in waies of worſhip, the mixing with ſuch as God would not have come into the waies of his worſhip.
Object. But you will ſay, Doth the mixing of wicked and ungodly men defile the worſhip of God, or defile others in it? Is the Sacrament of the Lords ſupper the worſe if there be wicked men partake and mix in that worſhip? Am I the worſe for it, or is the Sacrament the worſe, is that worſhip defiled? How may we refer this defilement of Iſrael to our defilement at this time? Is there any Church in the world but hath wicked ones in it? And will you ſay that they are defiled and that the worſhip is defiled becauſe there are wicked ones amongſt them? Then we can go no wherein the world but we muſt be defiled, and the worſhip muſt be defiled?
Many men think they have a good argument of this, to ſay, all Churches are mixed, there is a mixture in the beſt Churches, therefore if mixtures make the Communion defiled, then all are defiled. It comes fully in my way to ſpeak a word or two of this, and it ſhall be but a word or two.
Anſw, 1 Firſt, I know none living on the earth hold any otherwiſe but that the beſt Church in the world may have wicked men creep in amongſt them, and be amongſt them. Who knows the hearts of men when they come in? and therefore the beſt Churches may have wicked men amongſt them. This (I ſay) all men do hold; therefore this Objection, Will not there be wicked men in the beſt Church? can have no ſtrength in it, for there is no man denies it, and therefore they that make it fight with a ſhadow.
Anſw, 2 But ſecondly, I lay this, for another poſition, which I think all men whatſoever wil grant alſo, That the Sacrament is not defiled to the receivers meerly for the preſence of wicked men there. I verily beleeve every one will grant this; I know none in the world for my part, denies this to be a truth, namely, that the Sacrament is not defiled to the right receivers of it, meerly becauſe wicked men are preſent there. No man affirm… the contrary to this, but all that I know of, that are the ſtricteſt in the way of Church order and diſcipline will grant this to be a truth, that the Sacrament is not defiled to true receivers meerly becauſe wicked men are there.
But what then, you will ſay? Queſt. How ſhall we diſtinguiſh mixture of communion, or mixture of worſ…ip?
Not meerly becauſe wicked m…n are there. But firſt, then Anſw. 1 a Congregation is defiled if they do not uſe the power that Chriſt hath given unto them. As he hath given a power unto every Church (let the Church-ſtate be what it will) to caſt out all the ſcandalous perſons that are amongſt them. Now if this Church ſhal (under what pretence ſoever, as ſaying they have no power, or that the power is taken from them or the like) neglect the duty of it, viz to caſt out thoſe that are unworthy then the Church cometh to be defiled,when, and how, a Church, and the cōmunion of it, is defiled by the preſence of wicked men. 2 Cor. 5. opened & aplied. and their communion to be defiled. So that their communion is not defiled becauſe the wicked are there, but becauſe they neglect their duties of caſting out the wicked from thence. For let a man be wicked, let him be a hypocrite, it is not the duty of the Church to caſt out that hypocrite until he diſcover himſelf; but if that hypocrite diſcover himſelf, if then the Church perform not her duty as it ought in caſting him out, then it cometh to be defiled. And the example of the inceſtious Corinth, in 2 Cor. 5. is a plain place for it; A little leaven (ſaith the Apoſtle) leaveneth the whol lamp. What is that lump there? It is the Church communion, and the leaven there is the inceſtious perſon; and the Apoſtle gives order to caſt him out; now ſaith he, while this leaven continues, if you do not do your dutie to caſt out this ſcandalo…s perſon, your … up, your whol communion will come to be defiled. So Churches come to be defiled.2. How pa…icular perſons.
Again further, Not only Churches come to be defiled; but ſecondly, particular perſons and communicants come to be defiled in this if they neglect the duty that belongs unto them as Chriſtians. That is thus: Chriſt requires this, If thy brot…er offend thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; but if he will not bear thee, then take with thee one or two more; And if he ſhall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the Church. Now if thou haſt done this thy duty to all ſcandalous perſons in the Congregation, then the ſin be upon the Church, thou maiſt receive the Sacrament with comfort though wicked men be admitted there. So that though the communion be defiled, that is, defiled to thoſe that are guilty, to thoſe that have neglected their duty (whereſoever the power lies in a Church, whoſoever in that Church neglects their duty of caſting out thoſe that offend, they defile the communion ſo farr as in them lieth, and if any of you that are particular members neglect your duties, ſo far as in you lieth the communion is defiled by you:) but if you do your duty once, then, though wicked men may be there, you may receive the Sacrament with comfort; For though the communion may be defiled in reſpect of others that have neglected their duty, yet it is not defiled in reſpect of you that have done your duty. Now then, to conclude this with that place in Pſal. 119.1. Bleſſed is the man that is undefiled in the way. Bleſſed are thoſe men that in their way, in the courſe of their lives keep themſelves from defilement, and eſpecially keep themſelves from defilement in the waies of Gods worſhip. Bleſſed is he whoſe heart is cleanſed from ſecret filth, that by the vain carnal plots reaſonings and cunning fetches of wicked men he doth not defile himſelf in his way.
Again, A further Note from hence is this:
Obſer. A defiled Nation near to ruin.A defiled Nation, is neer u… …n.
Iſrael is defiled (He ſpe… ſrael that is ready to fall, for ſo it follows verſe 5. Iſrael a… Ephraim ſhall fall, and here juſt before he tels us, that Iſrael is defiled.) When cloathes are filthy and naſty and wil not be purged, are not worth the cleanſing,ſimile we uſually caſt them upon the dunghil; ſo when there is defilement and filth amongſt a people and they will not be purged, and are grown even rotten in their filthineſs, the Lord caſteth them upon the dunghil.While a Nation is purging there is hope. ſimile While God is indeed purging of a Nation (I beſeech you obſerve it) there is all that while hope of that Nation. As for example, though a piece of cloath be very ſoul, yet if you ſee the ſervants of the houſe waſhing that cloath, you will ſay, ſurely this piece of cloath is not intended for the dunghil: It is ſoul indeed and it is noiſom, but you ſee there is care taken and coſt beſtowed upon it for the purging of it, and that is an argument that there is an intention for the preſerving of it. So while the Lord is taking care and beſtowing coſt to purge a Nation, there is much hope that the Lord intends to ſave that Nation. And we may comfortably hope that this is Gods intention toward us. God knows we have been a defiled people, England.and have defiled our ſelves; never a one of us but may lay his hand upon his heart and ſay, I have been defiled and ſo may deſerve to be caſt upon the dunghil. But behold, the Lord is beſtowing coſt upon us, and He is cleanſing and purging of us, and therefore we may hope that the Lord will not caſt us off.
But no mervail that the Lord letteth us and our brethren lie abroad in froſty nights.Froſtynights Many complain of much hardſhip, our brethren many of them are ſent from their houſes where they have had their beds and fire, and now are fain to lie in the fields in the cold. No marvail I ſay, this Nation hath been defiled. When cloathes are much defiled, it is not enough to waſh them and rince them, but you lay them abroad in froſty nights. Yea there are ſome defilements that cannot be taken away but by fire,Fire and if the Lord will not only waſh us and rince us and lay us abroad, but put us into the fire for to cleanſe us at laſt, bleſſed be his Name. Iſrael is defiled.