An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 5 · Verse 7
VER. 7.
They have dealt treacherouſly againſt the Lord; for they have begotten ſtrange children: now ſhall a month devour them with their portions.
IN the words before, the Lord threatneth to withdraw himſelf from Iſrael. When he ſhall be ſeeking of him with his flocks and herds, he ſhall not find him. A dreadful ſentence, that the God of mercy ſhall withdraw Himſelf in a time of mercy from his creature that ſeeks unto Him for mercy.
But what is the cauſe of all? Why will God withdraw Himſelf from them though they ſeek Him with their flocks and their herds?
There is reaſon enough for it,Conexiō. They have dealt treacherouſly againſt the Lord.
The word that is here tranſlated, Dealing treacherouſly, foreign ſignificat. of the word.ſignifies Perfide agere, to deal perfideouſly, they have been perfideous.
And it ſignifies likewiſe, Decipere, they deal deceitfully. And it ſignifies eſpecially that fraudulent dealing that there is in breaking of covenants (that's the propriety of the word) and it is often applied unto men breaking of covenant with their wives, as in Mal. 2.14, 15.
And I find Luther tranſlate it, they have contemned the Lord, (and ſo according to ſome it is divers times tranſlated, Sperno, to contemn God) And from thence Luther hath this note. What (ſaith he) do they ſeek the Lord with their flocks and herds and yet deſpiſe God how can this ſtand together? They ſeem as if they would honor God exceeding much, yet here they are charged for contemning and deſpiſing God? He anſwereth it to this effect. Whatſoever men pretend (ſaith he) in honoring of God, yet if they do not obey and keep to his word, and that eſpecially in the way of His Worſhip, theſe are guilty of contemning and deſpiſing God. We may be plentiful in outward ſervices, and yet in the mean time our hearts deſpiſe God, deſpiſe the Authority and Majeſty of God.
Engliſh tranſlat.But the word ordinarily is uſed according to that we tranſlate it here, they have been treacherous, they have been falſe with me.
And mark the connexion: They come to ſeek Me with their flocks and their herds,Conexiō. but I have withdrawn My ſelf from them, for they have dealt treacherouſly. Hence the Note is briefly this, That
Obſer.When ungodly men come to ſeek God, then God remembreth all their wickedneſs that they have formerly been guilty of, and looks into the wickedneſs of their hearts as it is for the preſent.
They have dealt treacerouſly.] As if God ſhould ſay, Here comes a company of wretches, baſe, falſe-hearted hypocrites, treacherous, perfideous, ungodly wretches to ſeek Mee with their flocks and herds. Are they like to be heard? are they like to be regarded in all their ſervices? No, they are baſe, perfideous wretches, they have vile, wicked, and curſed hearts.
Oh conſider this you that have not yet done away your ſins in the blood of Chriſt, and made up your peace with God:Uſe of Admonit. The guilt of your ſin is yet upon you, and the filthineſs of it yet doth ſtick: you will come to God in prayer, and ſeek Him, and cry unto Him for mercy: Know that all the wickedneſs that ever you committed in all your lives, is freſh in the preſence of God; God looks upon all as if it were now preſent. Here cometh ſaith God, a filthy old whoremaſter,Proſopopoeia. an unclean wretch, he cometh now to pray unto me: and here comes an old drunkard, a wicked ſcorner and blaſphemer. When thou comeſt to ſeek God, then all thy wickedneſs is remembred before him; and upon this, God juſtly doth caſt thy ſervices back again in thy face. Thus it is here. Oh learn therefore to cleanſe thy heart in the blood of Chriſt by faith in Him and by repentance, and then though thou haſt been vile heretofore, when thou comeſt to ſeek the face of God, thy ſins ſhall not be remembred before Him. That for the connection.
But for the words Themſelves, and firſt in that proper ſignification Expoſ. 1 of them. [They have dealt trecherouſly;] the meaning is, they make a great deal of ſhew of Religion, but it is only for their own ends, and under that ſhew of Religion they do that which diſhonoreth me, they betray my glory. Here is treacherous dealing indeed, treachery againſt the God of Heaven; theſe are treacherous ſpirits, to make profeſſion of Religion, to make proteſtations, to make any uſe they can of Religion, ſo far as it wil ſute with their own turns, but when it will ſerve their turns no longer, to caſt it off; yea if it prove croſs to them, to perſecute it. This is trerchery againſt God in a high degree.
Again, Treacherous, in that they break their Covenant Expoſ. 2 with God: that is the ſpecial treachery here intended, they have broken that Covenant in which they were engaged.Treachery againſt God, as our King Huſband. They did give up themſelves to be the Lords, O but they have baſely forſaken the Lord and dealt treacherouſly with him. So that this treachery relateth either to the Oath of allegiance unto God as our King, or to the Covenant that we make with him as our Husband. And from thence Note, That Obſ.The ſins of ſuch as are engaged unto God in Covenant, are ſins of treachery. They are ſins of a more deep dye than other mens ſins are.
Other mens ſins are tranſgreſſions againſt God, they are diſobedience to the will of God; yea but they are not ſo properly treachery: but the ſins of thoſe that are engaged unto God in Covenant have another ſtamp put upon them than the ſins of other men, their ſins are treachery againſt God. And we know there is nothing accounted more vile amongſt men than treachery;Trechery the greateſt ſin. It is the higheſt expreſſion of our indignation againſt a man that can be, to ſay, ſuch a man, take heed of him, he is a treacherous man. Certainly the ſins of thoſe that have engaged themſelves unto God, go nearer to the heart of God than any mens ſins do elſe; they are more diſhonorable to him, they provoke the eyes of His glory more than any ſins whatſoever.
Uſe O let us then look back to what we have done ever ſince we entred into Covenant with God; ever ſince our firſt Covenant, when we firſt gave up our names to Him, And let us charge our ſouls with this aggravation of our ſins, Oh my ſoul what haſt thou done? Thou haſt not only treſpaſſed and diſobeyed as others have done, but thou haſt been treacherous againſt the Lord. Let us keep our ſelves from ſin and awe our hearts and ſtrike fear upon our ſpirits with this meditation, what, ſhall I that have ſo deeply engaged my ſelf unto God now forſake Him and deal treacheouſly with Him?
Take we heed of this evil of dealing treacherouſly with God, not only in regard of the particular Covenants between God and our own ſouls; but in a more ſpecial manner, let us take heed of breaking our publick Covenants. England hath been guilty of great ſins againſt God, but England was never ſo engaged unto God as it hath been of late; We never entred into ſuch ſolemn Covenants with God as we have done of late, therefore if we keep not our Covenants with God now, Englands ſins will prove to be greater than they were before, they wil prove to be treacherous ſins. Do not account your entring into covenant with God any at time to be a ſlight matter; do not dally, do not trifle with Him: When you come to the Sacrament there you renew your Covenants; Perhaps in your cloſets in the day of your affliction you renew your Covenants; but eſpecially when you come in a ſolemn way to joyn with the people of God, to bind your ſelves in a Covenant with God to amend your lives, and to enquire after the true worſhip of God, and to conform your ſelves according to his Word; Oh now take heed what you do; now to walk as formerly you have done, Oh this is a treachery againſt the God of Heaven. Certainly God expects much from us after ſuch a Covenant as we have lately entred into, the moſt ſolemn Covenant one of them that ever was taken; for people to come and lift up their hands to the moſt high God as they have done; And a National Covenant, and therefore more to be regarded than a private: yea an uniting Covenant, that uniteth two Nations if not three together; And a Covenant that is more for the Kingdom of Chriſt, and more directly againſt the Kingdom of Antichriſt, againſt the Antichriſtian party than ever yet was taken ſince the world began. Antichriſt quickly did ariſe and there hath bin much oppoſition of him; but for two Nations ſo ſolemnly to lift up their hands to the moſt high God to oppoſe all Antichriſtian government, it is that, wch if it be kept as carefully as it was made ſolemnly, is the greateſt honor that ever yet Chriſt had in regard of his government here upon earth. And we had need look to it, becauſe it is ſuch a mighty work as ſhould take our hearts, that ever we ſhould live to ſee that God ſhould bring about ſuch a ſtrange thing in our generation. I appeal unto you, was it poſſible four yeers ſince for any man in the world, yea for an Angel to conjecture ſuch a thing as this, that two Nations ſhall joyn together, the Repreſentative body of the Kingdom, and Aſſembly of Divines, in one day ſhould be lifting up their hands to the moſt high God, to do what lies in them to extirpate Prelacy, that is, government by Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Archdeacons, Deans, &c. Now the more miraculous the work of God is in bringing this ſtrange thing about, the more bonds lie upon us, to keep that Covenant with God. Oh therefore let us not now ad treachery unto all our former apoſtacy, our ſins now will prove ſins of treachery.
Object. But if it be ſuch an aggravation of our ſins, to be Covenanters with God, if we neglect our engagement, then we were better (perhaps ſome will ſay) never to enter into Covenant; for it ſeems if we had not taken the Covenant there would not have been ſuch an aggravation of our ſins.
Anſw. 1 The anſwer to that is this, None but a carnal heart is ſorry for his engagement unto God, neither becauſe of afflictions that are in the waies of God, nor becauſe the bonds of obedience unto God are ſtronger, nor becauſe the danger of breaking them is greater. Perhaps when thou art engaged to God and his waies, thou meeteſt with many afflictions that are in thoſe waies, take heed of repenting of thy engagement becauſe of thoſe afflictions. Perhaps thou ſeeſt thy ſelf ſo ſtrongly bound that thy conſcience will fly in thy face if thou doeſt go but a little awry more than before; Oh take heed of recenting from thy engagement notwithſtanding that. For one whoſe heart is gracious, certainly will never repent of his engagement though there be more danger of his ſin now than before; why? becauſe he hateth his ſin: Now let there be never ſo much danger to keep me from that which I hate, I will never be ſorry for that; as for inſtance, ſuppoſe there be a deep gulf, that if I fall into it, wil deſtroy me, I tremble to come neer it, well there is a fence to keep me off from that gulf full of ſhap iron pikes, ſo that if I ſhould but try to get over it,ſimile they will gore and prick me; ſhall I be ſorry that the ſence is ſo full of ſharp things that will gore and prick me if I endeavor to get over, when the fence is but ſet there to keep me from deſtroying my ſelf? So a gracious heart will never be ſorry that it is engaged in the waies of God, and that if it ſhould break the engagement there would be an aggravation of his ſin, for why? this my engagement is but as a fence full of pricks to keep me from that which I would be loth to come to, which would deſtroy me. And thoſe that begin to think their engagement to God and his waies, to be a hard thing and could wiſh more liberty, theſe kind of men will certainly deal treacherouſly with God, yea their hearts are even already departing from God. Take heed of this it is a great degree of Apoſtacy (remember it my brethren it is an argument of marvellous uſe) it is I ſay a great degree of apoſtacy for any man to begin to be ſorry that he is ſo deeply engaged to God and His waies.The … degree of apoſtacy. All that are the Saints of God, when they are engaged, they bleſs God that ever they were engaged.
Again, They have dealt treacherouſly againſt the Lord.] Againſt Jehovah. This is the vileneſs of mans heart. Though God be never ſo gracious, ſo merciful, ſo faithful; Though He be never ſo bleſſed, ſo glorious in himſelf and worthy of all honor, yet ſo vile is mans heart that it will deal treacherouſly with God Himſelf. To deal treacherouſly but with a friend, with a fellow creature is an evil; but to deal treacherouſly with the infinite and bleſſed God is a far greater evil. Uſe. When others therefore deal treacherouſly with you, and you are vexed at them, and you go to your friends and complain, was ever any dealt ſo with as I am? Oh conſider how treacherouſly God is dealt withal in the world. Thou thinkeſt none was ever ſo dealt with, ever ſo wronged, as thou art; God is more wronged, more contradicted, more treacherouſly dealt withal than ever any was. And how many are there that think it a diſhonor to them to be ſuſpected to deal treacherouſly, and will often ſay, what, deal treacherouſly with my friend, I were not worthy to live if I ſhould; yet theſe men deal treacherouſly with God every day.
Thus much for this charge, For they have dealt treacherouſly againſt the Lord. Next he ſhews wherein.
They have begotten ſtrange children.Expoſ.
That is a further agravation, that they have not only ſinned themſelves, but they have ſought to propagate their ſin and their wickedneſs: For it might otherwiſe be ſaid, It is true, Iſrael hath ſinned very grievous againſt the Lord, but may there not be hope of another generation coming on? No, for they bring up their children in the ſame way of ſuperſtition, Idolatry and wickedneſs that they themſelves walk in. That is the meaning, They have begotten ſtrange children; they ſhould beget children unto God, but they beget them unto Idols, and ſo this wickedneſs, this treachery againſt God is propagated from one generation to another, there is a ſucceſſion of it; as are the old ſo are the young.
When any draw others to evil waies, they are ſaid in Scripture to make them children of the Devil, to beget them as children of the Devil. Mat. 23.15. Ye compaſs Sea and Land to make one Proſelyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of the Devil than your ſelves, you beget him to the Devil. So parents, firſt by way of natural generation they beget children to themſelves, and then by educating their children in waies of wickedneſs they beget them the ſecond time to the Devil.…eaſ. And they are called ſtrange children, becauſe God will not own them, they are none of mine ſaith God, they are ſtrangers from me, I will have nothing to do with them.
The words being thus opened, the Notes are theſe.
Obſer.Firſt, Parents, have by God committed to them the charge of their children.
That is implyed here, That is, it is their duty to look to beget their children unto God, and to take heed that their children be not begotten to the Devil: For Ephraim here, the ten Tribes are charged, that whereas they ſhould have brought forth their children for God, and ſo they ſhould belong to Gods Inheritance and God ſhould have owned them, now they beget them to their Idols, and they are ſtrange children. God certainly doth not give you children to beget them for the Devil and for Hell. It ſhould be a ſad thing to parents to think here is a child coming from my loyns, conceived in my womb, and what, ſhall an enemy unto God come out of my loyns? ſhall a firebrand of Hel be conceived in my womb? Certainly it ſhould go to the heart of a parent to ſee his child to be eſtranged from God, though he were not the cauſe of it: But much more when a parent ſhall come to be convinced, this child is thus wicked and ungodly, and as he hath received the ſeed… of his corruption from me at the firſt, ſo thoſe ſeeds were nouriſhed up by my example, and encouragement, I have led him to ſuch wickedneſs. Wo to ſuch parents, and ſuch children may even curſe the time that they were born of ſuch parents, and rather wiſh they had been of the generation of Dragons, and off ſpring of Vipers, than begotten of ſuch parents. God when he gives you children, expects that you ſhould labour that there may be a ſucceſſion of godlineſs in the world, that not only you ſhould be godly, but that you ſhould bring up your children to be ſo too. Pſal. 78.5. He eſtabliſhed a teſtimony in Jacob, and appointed a Law in Iſrael, which …e commanded our fathers; that they ſhould make them Known to their children, that the generation to come might Know them, even the children which ſhould be born; who ſhould ariſe and declare them to their children. This is the way of God, He commandeth you to make known His Statutes and Laws to your children, that the generation to come might know them, and not that you ſhould bring up your children in waies of wickedneſs and ſuperſtition. I have read of the Romans, Roman Cuſtoro,that it was wont to be their way to ſue ſuch parents as were not careful of the education of their children. The educating of children amiſs bid bear an Action amongſt the heathen Romans. Therefore Cicero inve…gh…ng againſt Verres hath this expreſſion, Quod filium tuum &c. You have not only done thus and thus your ſelf ſaith he, but you have educated your ſon amongſt thoſe that were intemperate in riotouſneſs, in feaſting, in drinking amongſt wantons and unclean perſons, and by this means ſaith he you have not only wronged your child, but the Common-wealth. Thus he laid his action againſt him. Now how might Heathens ſhame us in this thing, they account thoſe men to deſerve puniſhment not only from God but from men that are not careful of the education of their children? There is a great de… of reaſon for it, and it were very good now that there might be a Law enacted to that purpoſe, upon this ground, becauſe the Common-wealth hath a part in the children as well as the parent, and the parent not being careful to bring up the child in the fear of God, he wrongs the Common-wealth as well as the child, therefore to be puniſhed by the Common-wealth.
The ſecond is this. That Obſer. 2.Children uſually are as their parents are, and as their education is.
The parents they were Idolaters, they were ungodly and ſtrangers from God, their children are ſo too. In many families we ſee that the father is an enemy unto God, and the ſon an enemy unto God, and his ſon is an enemy unto God, and his ſon after him is an enemy unto God, and ſo there goes a line and a ſucceſſion of wickedneſs and profaneſs and enmity unto God. It is uſually ſo.
Uſe for thoſe that are well educated.Therefore let thoſe children that are born of, and brought up under godly parents, bleſs God that they were not born and brought up by wicked parents. It may be if thou hadſt been born and brought up of Papiſts, thou wouldſt have been a Papiſt thy ſelf. If thou hadſt been born of one that is a ſtranger to God, of a Malignant, of a contemner of God, thou wouldſt have been ſo too.
And ſeing this is ordinary for children to be as their parents, Oh then what a mercy is it for any child that is born of wicked parents,2. to thoſe that are born of wicked parents. yet that God ſhould work His grace in him. This is not any ordinary mercy. There are ſome that are born of godly parents that do bleſs God that they are kept from wickedneſs that way: but there are ſome that are born of wicked parents, and ſo brought up by them in the family; yet ſo gracious is God unto them, that in a more than ordinary way, He goes further in mercy to them and works grace in their hearts notwithſtanding. This is His extraordinary mercy, a mercy that thou art to admire at unto all eternity, that notwithſtanding thy birth and education, yet God ſhould reveal himſelf unto thee.
But how vile are they that being born of good parents, are wicked! It is ordinary for ſuch as are born of wicked parents and have wicked education, for them to be wicked, to be ſtrange children; but for thoſe that have godly parents, and godly education, for them to be wicked and ſtrange children, this noteth a notorious height of wickedneſs.
The third Note is this, That It is a dangerous thing for children to follow the Example of their parents in wickedneſs.Obſer.
It is from hence that they are called ſtrange children, they are ſtrangers to God. It is not enough for them to plead, I did as my father or as my mother taught me. No, if thy parents be wicked and ſuperſtitious, and they bring thee up in wickedneſs and ſuperſtition, and ſo thou art wicked and ſuperſtitious thy ſelf, know that notwithſtanding this excuſe, God looks upon thee as a ſtrange child, thou haſt no part nor por…ion in God, thou art an Alien, thou art eſtranged from God.
Children therfore had need to examin their parents waies and actions: And above all, Uſe. the children of ſuperſtitious people, for there is nothing more natural in ſucceſſion, in a line, than Idolatry and ſuperſtition. Never plead thus then, we do but as our forefathers have done. That place we have in Peter, one would think ſhould be a Scripture for ever to ſtop the mouth of that plea, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. We are not redeemed by gold and ſilver, nor ſuch kind of things, from our vain converſation, received by tradition from our fathers; but by the blood of Jeſus Chriſt that imaculate Lamb. Mark the text; that the being redeemed, from our vain converſation received by tradition from our fathers, is ſo great a mercy that it coſt the blood of Jeſus Chriſt.1 Pet. 1.18. applied. If God accounteth it ſuch a mercy as that He is willing to lay down the blood of His Son to purchaſe that mercy for a poor creature, ſhall not this creature prize this mercy? And yet you think it rather to be a mercy to go on in theſe waies that you have received by tradition from your fathers, and you think it a great plea becauſe you have this by tradition from your fathers: Mark what you do, I ſay thoſe men or women, whether young or old, that ſhall plead for any ſuperſtitious way upon this ground, becauſe they had it from their forefathers, they do in effect ſay, we look upon the blood of Jeſus Chriſt as a common, as a worthleſs thing. He ſhed His blood to redeem thee from that which thou thinkeſt is worth nothing to be redeemed from. Thou thinkeſt it a good thing to go the way of the traditions of thy fathers; and Chriſt ſaith, I account it ſo great an evil, that rather than any that doth belong to Me ſhall go on in that way, I will lay down My blood, My life to deliver him from it.
The fourth Note is this, That Obſer.When the ſucceeding generation is wicked, there is little hope of ſuch a people, of ſuch an Nation
I have withdrawn my ſelf ſaith God, I have done with them, and afterward he telleth us, that they ſhal be deſolate, and this is the reaſon, they have begot ſtrange children: The children, the generation that is coming after they are idolaters too, they go as their fathers did, and what hope is there of them?ſimile When in a Vineyard or an Orchyard not only the old trees are rotten, but the young trees, they likewiſe come to be corrupted and blaſted by them, then there is little hope of any great coſt to be beſtowed about it, but it is likely to be digged up for the beaſts to be let in up on it.
Uſe. Much care is to be had therefore of the ſucceeding generation. And there is no better argument whereby we may come to divine (as we may ſay) what God intendeth to do with a Nation,The way to divine what ſhal become of a Nation. than this; look how the children are, how the yong ones are that are coming up in that Nation, and by that you may come to divine what God intendeth to do with the next. We have much cauſe to bleſs God for His mercy toward us herein, in that He hath in a great meaſure (we hope) taken away that ſign of His dreadful wrath upon us in this particular. I ſay in a great meaſure; though the truth is, we have a great many of the young generation extream rude, abundance of Apprentiſes and others that are fit, prepared, and ready to make riots and tumults to maintain their Fathers, their Maſters old ſuperſtitions; and if ever there be any ſtirs in a Kingdom about ſuch things (as ſeldom ſuperſtition and idolatry can be baniſhed from a Kingdom but ſome ſtirs will be) uſually they are begun by the young ones, What,ſtirs upon the putting down of ſuperſti…ion. they are begun by young ones uſually. if you take away their Holy-daies from them, you take away their lives. I make no queſtion but ſo far as is fit, times of recreation will be allowed them, and there is good reaſon for it; though ſuch kind of ſuperſtitious daies be taken from them. But becauſe they find liberty in thoſe daies, and their maſters and many of their parents ſtick to the old waies of ſuperſtition therfore many young ones they do accordingly, and had almoſt rather loſe their lives than loſe them, and being heady and naught they wil ſoon be brought to raiſe tumults and make ſeditions for them. But though there are many that are very vile that way, and ſuch as they are, are the ſaddeſt Omen of God… diſpleaſure againſt a Nation; yet on the other ſide we ſhould wrong the grace of God if we ſhould not obſerve His goodneſſe towards us in the workings of His Spirit upon. Young ones. Yea many whoſe parents have been ſuperſtitions, wicked and ungodly, and their maſters have bin ſo too, yet we find that the Lord hath delivered a great number of the young generation from thoſe old ſuperſtitions, and they are not willing to fully themſelves with ſuch vanities as their parents and maſters before them did; they do begin to know the Lord, and to enquire after God;Young ones the hope of a Nation. And bleſſed are you of the Lord, you are our hope, that God intendeth good unto us, and that He will not let out the wild beaſts to devour us, but will rebuke them for your ſakes. And although perhaps many of theſe gracious young ones may periſh, yea many have been ſlain already in this Cauſe, yet let not others that remain behind be diſcouraged at it, for it is in argument that there is ſome great and ſpecial mercy that God intendeth for us, in that He is willing to venture ſuch precious ones for the procuring of that mercy. We may well reaſon ſo, that if ſo much precious young blood that might have lived to ſerve God, be ſhed in this Cauſe, if God come to grant unto England mercy, He wil grant ſuch mercy as wil be worth al their blood; and that mercy muſt needs be great that ſhal be worth all the blood of thoſe that are ſo precious, which might have lived to ſerve God ſo many years here in this world.
And ſeeing God makes uſe of them, it is becauſe the mercy that is to come for the next generation is ſo precious, that indeed ſuch as have defiled themſelves with ſuperſtitious vanities are like to have no ſhare in it; and as they are not like to live to ſee it, ſo God will not make uſe of them to prepare that mercy for the next generation: But becauſe God hath a love unto the young generation that are godly, therefore He hath reſerved much mercy for many of them that are like to ſee and enjoy it; and others of them that are not like to ſee it, yet he will be ſo gracious to them as he will imploy them in making way for that mercy: And whether it is better to be made inſtrumental for the glory of God and the good of another generation, or to live to ſee the fruit of this, it is hard to determine. Certainly thoſe that in one generation are made ſo inſtrumental, as to lay the ground work of mercy for another generation, they are as happy as that other generation that comes to reap the fruit of their labours and ſufferings; and thoſe that do come to reap the fruit of their labors ſhall bleſs God for them, and when they enioy the good and liberty of the Goſpel, they ſhall ſay, Oh bleſſed be God that ſtirred up ſuch a generation of young ones to ſhed their blood, and now we reap the fruit of it, and bleſſed be God for them; they will bleſs you to all generations. Therefore let there be no diſcouragement to godly young ones though it pleaſeth God to cut of many by death in this Cauſe, for God hath ſome excellent end in it beyond all our reaches. Thus much for theſe words; Only one Note more, and that is this, That Obſ.God takes it exceeding ill at mens hands, that they ſhould corrupt young ones.
This Note is as full in the words as any other. God takes it exceeding ill, it is a part of treachery againſt God for any to be a means to corrupt young ones. Take heed what you do in corrupting of young ones. Thoſe young people that are coming on and beginning to enquire after godlineſs, take heed what you do, that you hinder them not; Eſpecially parents and governors; Oh let your conſciences flie in your faces when you begin to curb them for their forwardneſs: Many times your conſciences cannot but miſgive you when you think, I have been wicked and naught moſt part of my daies, I ſpent God knows many of my yeers in vanity and profaneſs, here are young ones that begin betime to enquire after God, and yet wretch that I am my heart riſeth againſt them.
And as theſe people that hinder young ones are to be rebuked, ſo ſuch as ſeek to corrupt them by falſe opinions. Certainly it is that by which God is much provoked at this day; and as on the one ſide there is hope of mercy in regard ſo many young ones begin to enquire after God, ſo I know no ſuch dreadful argument of Gods diſpleaſure againſt this Nation as this, That aſſoon as young ones begin to come to know Jeſus Chriſt, there are preſently corrupt erro… infuſed into them, and that under the notion of honoring Chriſt and free grace and the Goſpel ſo much the more; whereas indeed they do no other than infuſe principles of libertiniſme and looſneſs and ſuch as will even eat out the heart of godlineſs. Certainly the Lord hath a quarrel againſt ſuch as corrupt young ones by their falſe principles: for there are none ſo ready to drink in falſe principles as young ones, eſpecially young converts, who begin to enquire after the waies of God: and theſe men that are their corrupters, they have this advantage, they come not to them to perſwade them to profaneſs, but they come to them with ſeeming pretences of giving honor unto Chriſt and of magnifying free grace, and in the mean time ſow ſeeds in them that will eat out the power of godlineſs. Oh to corrupt children and young ones and when they begin to enquire after God and to know him, for you to do that which may eſtrange them from God, this is that which God will have a quarrel againſt you for! And it is a greater argument of Gods diſpleaſure againſt us,A common evil. that it is ſo common and frequent at this day, than any one I know; there is not any one argument (that I know) that is a greater diſcouraging argument to us of Gods diſpleaſure, than this thing. But ſo much for thoſe words, They have begotten ſtrange children. It follows.
Now ſhall a month devour them with their portions.
Expoſ.A month] I find Interpreters have a great deal of do about this expreſſion. Many think that God aims at one ſpecial month, and they tell u… of one month in the yeer which anſwereth to our July, that there were many grievous things to befal the Jews in that month in former times, and in latter times too, as if that were a more Ominous month than any other. I will not ſpend time to ſpeak further of that.
But there is certainly ſomewhat elſe in this expreſſion. I find an expreſſion paralel to this in Zech. 11.8. the holy Ghoſt there ſpeaks of three Shepherds that God will cut off in one month; theſe Idol Shepherds, ſaith he, My ſoul loathed them, and their ſoul alſo abhorred me, I will cut them off in one month. There is the moſt exact deſcription of your ſuperſtitious Idol Shepherds, even ſuch as we have at this day amongſt us in many places, ſaith God, My ſoul loathed them, and their ſoul abhorred me. Who do more hate the power of godlineſs than thoſe kind of men, and againſt whom is the ſoul of God more than againſt thoſe kind of men? And I will deſtroy them in a month ſaith God. Wherefore by this Month I take the meaning of the holy Ghoſt to be in theſe two things.
Firſt, It ſeems to have ſome reference to the way of the Jews in thoſe times, they were wont to have their daies of reckoning with their workmen and with their debters, uſually at the beginning or ending of every month, and this expreſſion ſeems to allude that way of theirs; A month ſhall devour them, that is, the time of their month ſhall come when I will reckon with them, and when that fixed time ſhall come of my reckoning, they ſhall be undone, they ſhall be devoured and deſtroyed.
So that it noteth, Firſt, That God hath a ſet time to reckon with ſinners. Though Obſ. 1 He be patient for a long time, yet He hath a month, a ſet time that He appointeth, and He will not go beyond that time. Secondly, When God cometh to reckon with wicked men, that is Obſ. 2 the time of their deſtruction. The time of their reckoning will be the time of their deſtruction.
Secondly, A month ſhall devour them.] I find yet many Interpreters Expoſ. 2 go this way, that is, a little ſhort time ſhall devour them, it ſhall not be long, it ſhall not be an hundred and twenty yeers, as it was when He threatned the old world, but it ſhall be very ſpeedy; As if God ſhould ſay, when once I begin with them, a month ſhall make an end of the work. And indeed what will a month do when God letteth the ſword come upon a Nation? (for that (the ſword) was the judgment here threatned.) As in many parts of England, what a great deal of havock have the enemy made in a month? How many that were rich and had great eſtates, yet before a month went about, into what a miſerable condition were they brought? ſo that God ſeemeth to have reference to the Aſſyrians that were let out upon them, let them but once come ſaith He, and they will not be long about the work, a months time ſhall devour them.
Luther, Lutherhath another Note, and ſo ſome agree with him, Expoſ. 3 by the month, he thinketh is here meant, their Solemnities and new Moons, and ſo it hath reference to their ſuperſtition and Idolatry. But that I think to be too far from the meaning: I rather conceive that by a month is meant the ſhort time of their deſtruction when once the adverſary cometh in upon them.
And their portions.] I find the Seventy tranſlate it, Cleros, foreign foreigntheir lots. And it may be turned, their lots, upon this ground, becauſe in the diviſion of the land of Canaan, that which they had for their eſtates, was given unto the ten Tribes at firſt by Lot. Well ſaith God, I did give you your eſtates by ſuch a ſpecial providence of mine, by lot; but though I did in another way meaſure out your eſtates than I do meaſure out the eſtates of any men upon the earth, yet a month ſhall devour your Lot, all that you had in that way of my ſpecial providence it ſhall now be devoured. From thence then the Note is this, and of exceeding uſe to us, That Obſer.The more ſpecial the providence of God is toward us, in bringing any mercy to us, the more grievous is it after, if God be provoked in his judgment to come and take that away from us.
That mercy that I had by a ſpecial hand of Gods providence, that I can relate Gods providence how it wrought about from this paſſage to the other paſſage, how ſtrangely the Lord did work about His ends, to beſtow ſuch a mercy and ſuch a mercy upon me; Well, thou canſt ſpeak of Gods providence and bleſs His Name, thou doſt well in it, but take then heed thou doſt not abuſe that mercy that thou enjoyeſt by the ſpecial hand of Gods providence; take heed of provoking God to come and devour that mercy. So it is threatned here, a month ſhall devour their portion, their eſtates that they had by ſpecial lot it ſhall now come to be deſtroyed becauſe of their ſin.
Expoſ. 2 But then ſecondly, Take it according as we tranſlate it in your books, and ſo likewiſe it is ſutable to the Original, A month ſhall devour their portion, that is, all their portion that they have here in their outward eſtates, all their riches, all their outward comforts, what ever they have, that which they account to be their portion, a month, a little time ſhall deſtroy it. And from thence there are theſe two Notes.
Obſ. 1 Firſt, That all the portion of a carnal heart, it is the enjoyment of a few outward things in the world.Carnaliſts portion outward.
Here is his portion, he hath his portion in this world. And then,
Obſ. 2 Secondly, Here we may ſee the poor condition of the greateſt in the world;poor condition of the worldly rich. for why? his portion is no other, but a month may devour it. If thou hadſt the whol Kindom and many Kingdoms for thy portion, if this were all, thou hadſt a poor pittance for thee that haſt an immortal ſoul, who art made for eternity, a month may devour it. That man is but a poor man that hath no other portion but that which a month may devour. But now the Saints they have God Himſelf for their portion, that portion that neither month can devour nor time deſtroy, but that portion which they ſhall enjoy freſh, and green, lively, and full, and that unto all eternity; that portion which liveth for ever, and that portion which will keep them ſafe to live for ever too.