An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 7 · Verse 7
VER. 7.
They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their Judges; all their Kings are fallen, there is none among them that calleth unto me.
NOT only Jeroboam and his*for this Ieroboam under whom Hoſea propheſied, was the ſon of Ioaſh, chap, 1.1, not the firſt Ieroboam ſucceſſors, but alſo Princes, and people at length grew hot in the purſuit of that great deſign of altering Religion, in ſo much, that no man might dare to ſhow himſelf againſt them; many of the people at the firſt made ſcruple of yeelding to their new way: but having overcome their conſciences, now nothing troubles them, they not only yeeld themſelves, but violently preſſe the conſciences of others which refuſed: but this ſimilitude we met withal in the fourth verſe of this Chapter, which we opened then, and therefore paſſe it over here. It follows.
They have devoured their Judges.
Some of their Judges (it is like) could not, but have ſome light in them, to ſee that the altering of Religion could not but be againſt their Laws, yet ſeeing both the Princes and the people were ſet violently upon it, they alſo yeelded, Hierom obſerves this.
This is the vile, baſe, and low ſpirits of men in honor, and this honor depending upon the favour of Kings, that rather than they will hazard their places, and loſe their gains, will yeeld to any thing, and for the pleaſing the King wil tel him the Law is for him, the bonds of the Kingdom do not forbid him. Mica. 3.11. They build up Zion with blood, and Jeruſalem with iniquity; the Heads thereof judge for reward, and the Prieſts thereof teach for hire, and the Prophets thereof divine for money: the Princes and the Prophets ask for a reward. The Princes have a mind to ſuch and ſuch a thing of their ſubjects, but to cover the vileneſs of the action and his injuſtice,King craft he would ask the Judges whether it were not Law or no; now the Judges for their own profit encouraged him, and told him it was lawful, he might do it. How have our Judges immitated theſe? Though men had ſome integrety at the firſt,England yet the heat ariſing ſo high in the Princes and Nobles, yea and in many of the High Court of Judicature, that they could not endure it. Thus we ſee how one time anſwers to another in wickedneſs, The Princes deſigns go on with ſtrength, when they have got the Judges to ſide with them, and to give ſentence for them in their unjuſt deſigns.
Expoſ. 2 Others carry it thus: They having miſchieved and ruined their Judges that did oppoſe them,Mercer ex talmud theroſolymit. therefore Mercer that learned Interpretor, for the furtherance of this ſenſe, brings a tradition of the Jews, That the Princes and Rulers had ſo wrought about with the people, that they ſhould come to the King & bring a humble petition to him, in which they ſhould deſire & intreat the King to give them leave to ſet up an Idol, which they did; and when they came, the King put them off & told them it was late in the evening now, & bid them come in the morning: in the morning they came, and bid him, Ariſe, and ſet them up an I…ol. No (ſaith he) your*Synedrin the Court Eccleſiaſtical and Civil: according to the government of thoſe times. Synedrium will not give conſent to it, nor ſuffer it. No ſay they, we have taken a courſe with them, we have kil,d them; which is the old way and courſe which perſecutors take with thoſe which might ſeem to oppoſe them in their plots.
Or thus: They had devoured their Judges and their Princes Expoſ. 3 by treacherie: and this ſtory hath reference to that in 2 Chron. 13. a Chapter of as much treachery as we read of: All their Kings are fallen: that is, into that falſe worſhip which Jeroboam was fallen into. And that is very obſervable, that all the Kings in the ten Tribes were wicked. From Jeroboam the firſt, to to the captivity, there were eighteen Kings, and all of them wicked and naught, and the reaſon of this was, that the way of falſe worſhip did ſo ſute with their politick ends; ſo that the Obſervation may be from it,
That 'tis a hard thing to take men off from their ſtrong engagements. Obſer.It was a work ſo difficult, that all the Prophets could not do it, it is very hard, eſpecially when their engagements are in great things; they were wiſe politick men, and therefore could not chuſe in all probability but ſee, how point blank their waies went againſt Gods mind; even Jehu himſelf who was raiſed up ſo high by God on purpoſe to root out Idolatry, and did root out Idols and Baals Prieſts, and yet he followed the Calves as well as hi… predeceſſors.
Therefore never wonder to ſee men obſtinate, Uſe. and who wil not be convinced of their evil waies, this text ſhews it cleerly, many are willing to deny themſelves in ſmall things, but when it comes to great things then they flinch and hang off; therfore we ſee wh…t ſnares places of honor are to moſt men, many Miniſtees ſee the evil of Ceremonies, and are convinced of it, that they ſin if they ſhould yeeld to them, and rather than ſin they will leave their livings rather than yeild to them;Places of honor great ſnares. but when did you ever ſee a Biſhop deny himſelf? when was it ever known that a Prelate ſo far ſubmitted to lay down his great dignities and fat livings for his conſcience? It follows.
There is none among them that calleth unto me.
They were preſumtuous and confident in their way, and none of them would ask counſel of me, notwithſtanding their Judges were devoured, they ſought to other helps, or reſted in their outward proſperity, or 2. They are ſottiſh and ſtupid, and call not unto me, though all be in a confuſion in the State, their Judges devoured &c.
Obſ. 1 When people are under Gods hand, and Governors ſet up falſe worſhip, ſuch times ſhould quicken our prayers: Mic. 7.7. I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my ſalvation, my God will hear me: ſo in Act. 4.29. And now Lord hear us. The Chriſtians there got into a corner and made their complaints and moans to God,foreign Act. 4.29 of the evil of the times and do but obſerve the riſe and ground of their prayers, and now O God hear us. They do as men that would leap a great way, take their riſe upon a hill to further them; ſo theſe people make the miſeries of the times their encouragements, not their diſcouragements; it is a deſperate ſign to ſee men ſink under their diſcouragements, and to murmur againſt God, Oh let us go to God and make our moan to him, and let us die calling upon his Name, let that be our reſolution which was Dauids, Pſal. 116.2. I will call on the Lord as long as I live. And this is a very good argument that the Cauſe of God will ſtand; if our ſpirits of prayer hold, the Cauſe of God will hold, but if that go down, fear the ſinking of the Cauſe.