An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 7 · Verse 6
VER. 6.
For they have made ready their hearts like an oven whiles they lie in wait: their baker ſleepeth all the night, in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
THE meaning of theſe words is, to ſet out the ſtrength of Jeroboam, and his Princes deſires to ſet up falſe worſhip, and their ſubtilty in taking opportunity and lying in wait to leaven the people. The Notes are from the ſimilitude.
The heat of their hearts was ſo violent, that it did devour all that Obſ. 1 oppoſed it: as fire devoures all cumbuſtable things, ſo they devoured all kind of reaſon which was brought againſt them and their way, what was ſpoken to them to contradict them in their worſhip, it was like ſtraw or wood in an oven, they were ſo ſtrongly ſet upon it, they devoured all preſently, they tell in all companies, ſuch men have nothing to ſay for their way &c. Therefore at any time, when we come to men and ſee them wilfully bent upon their way, it is to no purpoſe to ſpeak to them, but let them alone, and let God but humble them upon their ſick beds, and then they will hearken. No dealing with Bees in a hot day, but at night there is.
Obſ. 2 As mens ſpirits are as hot as an oven in ſin, ſo Gods judgments which are prepared for ſuch, are as hot as an oven. Malachy, 4.1. God will make as little of them as they do of Gods people? The day of the Lord cometh, that ſhall burn as an oven; and all the proud, and all that do wickedly ſhall be as ſtubble, and the day that cometh ſhall burn them up. It follows.
Expoſ.While they lie in wait.
Though they are as hot as an oven, yet they do not run head-long imprudently, but they have will to wait their opportunity: And ſhould nor this be our wiſdom in the waies of God, Uſe not to carry things imprudendtly? Let not our deſires be ſo eagerly ſet after any thing but that we can be willing to be without it, or patiently to wait Gods time for it. They are as hot as an oven, and yet not cooled becauſe they have not their deſires preſently fulfil'd: So muſt we take heed of having our hearts cooled when we have opportunities to further any deſign we have on foot for God and his Cauſe: though they had not opportunities to further their plots, yet they waited ſtil and were not diſcouraged: How many times do people, when God ſends but a little famine of the Word amongſt them grow cold, and loſe all the heat which they had?
And their Baker ſleepeth.
Expoſ.'Tis, as if men which have a common oven, they put fuel into it and let it burn till they go and call their cuſtomers together, and when this was done, then they might go and ſleep. So the people were leavened. Theſe people by their Bakers were prepared, they had heated their oven, and now they thought they might go to ſleep, they might be quiet: and did not our Bakers do thus? they had heated their oven,Engl. but bleſſed be God that diſapointed them in their way: when theſe bakers ſlept, their oven heated, notwithſtanding.
Subtil adverſaries, when we think them to be moſt ſecure, Obſ.their deſigns are ſtill driving on. Thus it was in Ireland; and here amongſt us,Treaties in Engl. even in their greateſt ſhews of peace in their Treaties; the truth is, if ever we wil have the fire quenched which now burns ſo violently, we muſt take away the incendiaries and ſtirrers up of theſe unnatural wars. Let us in good cauſes, though opportunities may ceaſe for work, let not the fire go out, let the oven be hot ſtill; at the firſt their oven did but begin to heat, now it is all in a flame; at the firſt they would uſe fair means with the people and perſwade them with good words, and anſwer their arguments, but when their oven was hot, that they had brought their deſigns to maturity, and got power into their hands, then—, 'tis now no longer, will ye worſhip at Dan and Bethel? and 'tis your beſt courſe; but now Clup law, now no more ſatisfying of conſciences, but, to priſon with them, now ſuch a priſon for ſuch, & the other ſtrong goole for the reſt: this hath been the way and courſe of thoſe which would ſet up any falſe way of worſhip; when their morning is come and their oven hot, then— come the day is ours, no more perſwading now; Wil they not come in? force them to yeeld. Their way was at the firſt to leaven the people, to try how they ſtood affected; but now enough of that, ſeaze their eſtates, and impriſon their perſons.