An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 6 · Verse 7
VER. 7.
For they like men have tranſgreſſed the Covenant.
HEre is an argument, that mercy in the former verſe is to be underſtood in a large ſenſe: Why? Becauſe it is the very ſubſtance of the Covenant; they have been hard-hearted, cruel and unmerciful, and thereby they have tranſgreſſed the Covenant: I am merciful in the Covenant, and my grace is free and full to ſinners there; but they have tranſgreſſed the Covenant by being cruel and unmerciful, for they like men have tranſgreſſed the Covenant.
Like men] That is, like Adam, theſe men have ſinned after Expoſ. 1 the ſimilitude of Adams tranſgreſſion; Rom. 15.14. ſpeaks of thoſe who had not ſinned after the ſimilitude of Adams tranſgreſſion: But theſe, as they have old Adam in them, ſo they have dealt with me as he did; and as he for his ſin was caſt out of Paradiſe, ſo theſe men have deſerved to be caſt out of Expoſ. 2 the good Land. But Vatablus, & Tremelius Vatablus & Tremel.and others, reade the words thus; They have broken my Covenant as a man, they thought that I had been as their fellow creature; as they made it their practice to break covenants with men, ſo they thought to do with God: ſo they have tranſgreſſed my Covenant. This ſenſe may be taken, and ſo the note of Obſervation would be ſeaſonable.
That the cauſe of breach of Covenant with God, is, Obſer.becauſe we conſider not that it is with God that we make our Covenants.
But the words are more uſually read, as in our books, But Expoſ. 3 they like men have tranſgreſſed my Covenant: that is, Not as I, who like a God have kept Covenant: but they like ſuch men as themſelves, i. e. weak, unconſtant, frail, unfaithful creatures have tranſgreſſed, Job, 31.33.
Object. But may not this ſeem to be an excuſing or diminution of their ſin, to ſay, They like men, (implying the common frailty of humane nature) have tranſgreſſed?
Anſw. foreignNo, 'tis rather an aggrav…tion of their ſin. Therfore the word here tranſlated Men, is uſed for man in his corrupt eſtate, for weak men, frail men, not men at their ſtrength, but weakneſs, and ſo diſtinct from that which ſignifies, generous and ſtrenuous men; and ſo the compariſon is not only between God and man, but between the ſeveral degrees of men.
foreign 4.Or thus: They have tranſgreſſed my Covenant like men. That is, not like my people. Saints that are of my Church, they have not tranſgreſſed my Covenant ſo. Their waies have been the waies of ordinary men, and as ſuch they have tranſgreſſed my Covenant. The two laſt ſenſes are principally meant here.
Covenant with God 3 fold. 1. with Adam. 2. with Abraham. 3 with IſraelMy Covenant] The Covenant of God we uſually divide into two parts; but the Scripture to me ſeems to hold forth a threefold Covenant: the one of Works, that which was made with Adam in Paradiſe. The other Covenant is that which was made with Abraham, the Covenant of Grace, the tenor of which is this, I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed after thee. Then there was a Covenant which was made with them upon mount Sinai. Now the Covenant here cannot be meant imediatly of the Covenant of works, nor of the Covenant of grace, for this Covenant here implyed, is one eſpecially made with them, and therfore muſt be underſtood of that at mount Sinai, made many hundred years after the others, yet it hath reference to that of Works, and of Grace.
And were this knot rightly underſtood and untied, the Antinomians and we might eaſily be reconciled; for we grant that Believers are delivered from the Law in reſpect of the power of it, as condemning; from the riger of it, but not from the duties of the Law; for the things commanded in the Law were duties before the Law was given, the Law was written in the hearts of the Saints from the beginning. But the opening of this point would require a whol Exerciſe, and I ſhall reſerve this to ſome other time.
Now then the Covenant which they tranſgreſſed,Expoſ. was the Covenant at large, but eſpecially that Covenant which God made with them when they came into the Land of Canaan.
They tranſgreſſed] the word is, They went over it,They tranſgreſſed. foreign the Covenant was betwixt them and their ſins, and they went over it to their ſins, the banck was not high enough to keep them and their ſins aſunder. Expoſ. 1
There] they tranſgreſſed the Covenant,There foreign there in that good Land of Canaan into which God had brought them, and given them poſſeſſion, ſo the Chaldae. Expoſ. 2
Again, There they tranſgreſſed the Covenant,Pſa. 14.5, ibi tinuerunt; i. e. tunc there when God had hewed them by his Prophets, and thought to work them to good.
Laſtly, There, that is, in the Covenant it ſelf, and that in Expoſ. 3 thoſe things wherein they thought they kept the Covenant, and thought they honored me moſt; in thoſe things they broke the Covenant.
They dealt treacherouſly] The Greek renders it,foreign they have deſpiſed me; they have forſaken me, and choſen other lovers, and left me; even as a woman leaves her own husband to whom ſhe was engaged and goes to other men. It notes, the hearts joyning to ſome other rather than God, ſo as to be willing to leave the Lord, and either out of affection to ſome other, or for private advantage, to forſake God and his Cauſe, to promote and further that which is againſt God. The Notes of Obſervation from the words are theſe.
That it is Gods goodneſs that he will pleaſe to enter into Covenant Obſ. 1 with ſuch poor creatures as we are. It is made an aggravation of their ſin here, that they did falſifie the Covenant, the love of God in entering into Covenant with ſuch mean worthleſs creatures ſhould command dutie from us in the moſt difficult precepts that are, and that with willingneſs.
God is conſtant in his Covenant with men. This is in oppoſition Obſ. 2 to their unfaithfulneſs, they deal falſly with God in the Covenant, but God is conſtant in his Covenant, he confirms his Covenant with the ſtrength of a Gyant,Dan. 9.27 expounded foreign Dan. 9.27. And he ſhall confirm the Covenant with many for one week: The word there ſignifies, he confirms the Covenant like a Gyant, or a mighty ſtrong man; they as weak men break Covenant with me, but I with ſtrength confirm my Covenant, therefore David ſaith, 2 Sam. 23.5. Yet he hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant, ordered in all things, and ſure, it is immovable.
Obſ. 3 Mans nature is very weak and unſetled.
They like men have tranſgreſſed the Covenant. We muſt not lay too much upon men, for when they are moſt unfaithful they do but like men, Oh what folly is it in men to forſake the eternal God and run to the creature! We truſt our ſervants in our buſineſſes, and ſhall we not truſt God much more? the Word ſaies, all men are lyars; nay, every man in his beſt eſtate is vanity. Pſal. 62.9. God is our refuge: men of low degree are vanity, men of high degree a lye: if they be laid in the ballance, they are lighter than vanity it ſelf.
Obſ. 4 The apprehenſion of our obligations to obey, ſhould keep us within Covenant. Oh never let it be ſaid, that our ſins are ſo ſtrong as to break Covenant, to get our own deſires; it is a ſign of a moſt vile wretched ſpirit, ſo to deſire ſin, as to break over this bond of the Covenant; think of this all you that are ſo eaſily overtaken with ſin; when a temptation comes to any ſin, ſay thus, ſuch a ſin I would have and my deſires are after it, but did I never Covenant againſt it? and what, ſhall I be ſo wicked as to break my Covenant for it?
Obſ. 5 The breach of Covenant with God, is a moſt grievous aggravation of our ſin; it provokes God highly againſt that people or perſon, there have they dealt treacherouſly againſt me, Deut. 29.24, 25. Why hath the Lord brought all this evil upon this people? Then men ſhall ſay, becauſe they have forſaken the God of their fathers, and the Covenant in which they were bound to him in. What cauſe have we to bleſs God that he hath not deſtroyed us for breach of Covenant with him? why ſhould not our condition be the condition of this people here in Deuteronomy? had God turned his hand and let our enemies prevail this might have been our caſe.
God expects ſomething from his people which cannot be done by every Obſ. 6 one; they muſt not plead they are fleſh and blood as other men, God would have you more than men, you muſt remember that you are Saints and Members of Chriſt, and therefore muſt live as the redeemed of the Lord, in the firſt of the Corinthians, 3.3. Are you not carnal, and walk as Men? 1 Cor. 3.3 explainedThe Apoſtle rebukes the Corinthians for this, God looked that they ſhould walk beyond other men, and that which the Apoſtle makes the ground of his reproof, they make their excuſe; Jeſus Chriſt deſcended from on high, to this end; to purchaſe a peculiar people to himſelf that might honor him in the world beyond that which he hath from other men; we ſhould live as thoſe which have the Divine Nature in them, we ſhould beware of paſſion and anger, even as God is ſlow to anger: how far are thoſe from doing any eminent thing for God, which cannot deny themſelves in their wills and paſſions, and have not ſo much as humanity in them?
If God at any time give us hearts to keep Covenant with him, it is Obſ. 7 more than is in us; we have not that power of our ſelves, therefore bleſs God for this mercy.
Men may go on in multitudes of ſervices and yet be Covenant Obſ. 8 breakers. 'Tis poſſible for a man to have committed the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, and yet be a profeſſor of Chriſt and and the Goſpel; therefore we had need look to our hearts.
Many times in thoſe things which we ſeem to be moſt Religious in, Obſ. 9 there we may be falſe and Covenant breakers. But may this be in the duties of Gods worſhip? yea, thereby this may be; thus, When men ſhall think by this to cover any ſin they live in, by their performing of duties, this is treacherous dealing and playing falſe in the Covenant.
The ſins of the Saints which break Covenant with him are ſins of Obſ. 10 a double dye; other mens ſins are rebellions againſt God, but theirs are treacheries.
The want of the right knowledg of God, is the main cauſe of breach Obſ. 11 of Covenant with God. Dan. 11.32. And ſuch as do wickedly againſt the Covenant, ſhall be corrupt by flatteries; but the people that do know their God ſhall be ſtrong, and do exploits. Who ſhall be corrupted by flatteries? thoſe that know God? No, they ſhall be ſtrong and do great exploits, ſuch ſhall be imployed by him in his work.
Obſ. 12 There can be no keeping Covenant with God, where there is unmercifulneſs to men: let there be never ſuch profeſſions and expreſſions of Religion in words, if there be cruelty and unmercifulneſs there can be no keeping of Covenant with God, Heb. 3.10.
Obſ. 13 The conſideration that it is God that we break Covenant withal, is a humbling conſideration. It is againſt Me who am their God, who have protected them from dangers, delivered them in ſtraights, 'tis againſt Me that they have thus ſinned; as a man that ſhould bring up a poor child and take care, for him, and when he comes to yeers, this child ſhould abuſe him and wrong him, would not this be ingratitude and unkindneſs indeed? ſo the conſideration of what a God it is that we break Covenant withal, doth wonderfully ſet forth our unkindneſs to God.