Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 24

Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture · Scripture 24

p. 521HOSEA.

CAP. I.

WHen God first revealed his will to Hosea,2 The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea: and the Lord said to Hosea, Goe, take unto thee a wife of whoredomes, and children of whoredomes: for the land hath committed great whoredome departing from the Lord. and gave to him his first charge; the Lord said unto him; Thy very person, and thine actions are propheticall; and thou therein shalt carie a type of the relation betwixt me, and the Church of Israel; Goe therefore, and for a resemblance of my respects to sinfull Israel, take unto thee a wife, that hath heretofore beene noted for unchastity, (howsoever now reclaimed) and beget children of that wife, which was once blemished with knowne fornication; For such is the state of Israel towards me; the land p. 522hath beene notorious for her spirituall whoredomes; departing from the Lord to abhominable idols.

3 So he went and tooke Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, which conceived and bare him a sonne.So, in obedience to the command of God; and for a signe to Israel; the prophet went and tooke to wife Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, a woman formerly noted for incontinency; which conceived, and bare him a sonne.

And the Lord said unto the Prophet Hosea; Call his name Iezreel;4 And the Lord said unto him, Call his name Iezreel: for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Iezreel upon the house of Iehu, & will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. for, ere long, I will avenge upon the posterity of Iehu, the blood, which he in his cruelty and ambition shed in Iezreel; which slaughter however in my just judgement, it were deservedly executed, yet as it was the act of trechery, and undue affectation of dominion in the chiefe agents therein, shall be accordingly punished; for Zacharias, the sonne of Ieroboam (the last of that line,) shall after sixe moneths raigne lose both his life and his Kingdom, by the hand of Shallum; and with him, the posterity of Iehu shall be extinguished.

And, from that day, I will cause the state of Israel to impaire and sincke more,5 And it shall come to passe at that day, that I wil breake the bow of Israel in the vally of Iezreel. and more; till at the last, I shall cause the Kingdome thereof to cease by the hand of Salmanasar King of the Assyrians, and shall utterly overthrow all the strength of Israel, in the vally of Iezreel.

Now Israel thus wasted, shall be (as it were) changed to the condition of a weake and womanish remnant;6 And she conceived againe, & bare a daughter, & God said unto him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. for the signification whereof, the Prophes once-infamous wife conceived againe, and bare a daughter, and God said unto him; Call her name, Lo-ruhamah; not obtaining mercy; for Israel, being thus given over by me, shall receive no further mercy from me, but I will utterly leave them to spoile, and dispersion; neither shall they be any more a Kingdome.

7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Iudah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battel, by horses, nor by hors-amen.But, as for the house of Iudah, I will have mercy upon them, and repaire their Kingdome; not by any force of armes, nor by the power of any warlike assistance, but by my owne effectuall inclination of the heart of Cyrus the King of Persia, whose favour shall reestablish them in their country.

Now, when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, and God had for some yeares expected the amendment of his people Israel,8 Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bare a son. Gomer conceived, and bare a sonne.

Then said God, Call his name, Not my people; for I had before cast off Israel from being a Kingdome:9 Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi, for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. now I will cast them off from being at all any people of mine; I will not owne them for mine any more.

10 Yet the number of the children of Israel, shall be as the sand of the Sea, which cannot be measured nor numbred, and it shall come to passe, that in the place where it was said unto them, Yee are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the Sons of the living God.Yet, for all this, know, that I will make good that promise, which I made to Abraham, concerning the p. 523number of his seed, no lesse innumerable then the sand of the Sea; for, to my Spirituall Israel (which are the true seed of the promise) shall this word be surely fulfilled; they shall be happily increased; and of them, (whereas there was no face of a Church, no appearance of a people of God) now it shall bee clearely manifest, that they are a chosen generation, and a peculiar people unto mee.

Then shall my Church be gathered out of all coasts, and out of both Israel, and Iudah,11 Then shall the children of Iudah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Iezreel. out of Iewes and Gentiles shall mine elect be called, by the voice of the Gospell, and shall submit themselves to one head, Christ Iesus; and shall be gathered into one Ierusalem, which is above, the mother of us all; Oh, how great and glorious shall that day be, wherein, being delivered from the servitude and captivity of sinne, they shall be adopted for the Sonnes of God, and heires of glory.

CAP. II.

YEe Prophets of God, say ye unto those few of Israel,1 Say yee unto your brethren, Ammi, and to your sisters, Ruhamah. which are as yet mine, and those, to whom I have yet shewed mercy, in withholding them from the wickednesse of their fellowes; say thus.

Lay before the face of this Church of Israel,2 Plead with your mother, plead: for shee is not my wife, neither am I her husband, let her therefore put away her whoredomes out of her sight, and her adulteries from betweene her breasts. your common mother, boldly and freely, her notorious sins, and inforce them against her; let her know that this demeanure of hers is not such, as is fit for my wife, neither will I be to her, as an husband; charge and advise her to repent of all her wickednesse, to put away all those her spirituall fornications, wherewith she hath defiled her selfe.

Lest I strip her naked of all those blessings,3 Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was borne, and make her as a wildernesse, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. wherewith I have endowed her, and leave her in that forlorne estate, wherein she was, ere I chose her for my Church, lest I give her up to utter desolation, and barrennesse, leaving her destitute of all hope and comfort.

As for those severall persons, which appertaine unto her, and are, (as it were) the sonnes of her wombe,4 And I will not have mercy upon her children, for they be the children of whoredomes. I will not have mercy upon them in forbearing their punishment; for they are bred and borne in the practice of grosse Idolatry.

For their mother,5 For their mother hath plaid the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will goe after my lovers, that give mee my bread and my water, my wooll and my flaxe, mine oyle, and my drinke. the Church of Israel hath given her selfe over to spirituall fornications; and hath said, I will follow the fashions of the Aegyptians, and Assyrians, to whose league and friendship I have betaken my selfe; p. 524and from whose bountifull Gods, I have received my maintenance.

Therefore behold, I will take a course to prevent thy gadding after these thy adulterous mates; I will set an hedge of thornes in thy way,6 Therefore behold, I will hedge up thy way with thornes, and make a wall that she shal not find her paths. restraining thee by mine afflicting hand, yea I will wall up her passage by the siege of an enemie.

I will frustrate all her hopes and desires; so as, howsoever she be affected to her idols,7 And she shall follow after her lovers, but shee shall not overtake them; and she shall seeke them, but shall not finde them: then shall she say, I will goe and returne to my first husband, for then was it better with me then now. and her heathenish confederates, yet she shall not bee able to make any use of them; Then, when she is throughly crossed, and humbled by my afflictions, she shall beginne to entertaine penitent thoughts, and shall say within her selfe; I will returne to my God, whom I have offended; for it was better with me, whiles I kept me to his sincere, and holy service then it is now.

For, whiles she tooke these leud courses, she had not the grace to consider,8 For she did not know that I gave her corne, and wine, and oyle, and multiplied her silver and her gold, which they prepared for Baal. that it was I, her God, to whom she was beholden for all those blessings, which she injoyed, even for her wine, and oyle; yea, for that very silver and gold, which she wickedly bestowed upon her idols.

And, because she would not acknowledge this, therefore I will bereave her of those my blessings,9 Therefore will I returne, and take away my corne in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wooll and my flaxe, given to cover her nakednesse. & will take away from her my corne, and my wine, wherewith shee was wont to be fed & refreshed, even in that season, whē she makes most account of injoying it; and will take backe my wooll, and my flaxe, wherewith I clothed her; that she may learne to know whence she received these benefits.

10 And now will I discover her leannesse in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.And now, I will make her unthankfulnesse, and vaine confidence openly knowne to the world, and convince her of it, before her professed confederates; and none of them shall bee able to deliver her out of my afflicting hand.

11 I wil also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast dayes, her new moones, and her Sabbaths, and all her solemne feasts.I will take from her all her solemne rejoycings, in abridging her of her feast-dayes, and new moones, and Sabbaths, wherein she was wont to make publike professions of mirth.

13 And I will visit upon her the dayes of Baalim, wherein she burnt incense to them, and she decked her selfe with her earerings, and her Iewells, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LordAnd I will then call her to account for those festivities of Baalim, wherin she did idolatrously burne incense to those her false Gods, and set out her selfe, in her best dresses, for the honor of her idols, and the pleasure of her heathenish confederates, and forgat me, saith the Lord.

14 Therefore behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wildernesse, and speak comfortably unto her.Therefore behold, I will take all courses to reclaime p. 525her; I will earnestly solicit her with all wholsome counsell; and will bring her into captivity, and will therein, yet speake comfortably to her; sustaining her in the midst of her grievous adversity.

And in her returne from thence,15 And I will give her, her vinyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a doore of hope, and she shall sing there, as in the dayes of her youth, and as in the day when shee came up out of the land of Aegypt. I will give her those vineyards, which she had deservedly lost; and will re-admit her into that vally of Achor, which is on this side Jordan, as her entrance into that hoped, and promised land of her inheritance; and there she shall rejoice, and sing, and live chearefully, as she did in her first possession of it, when shee came out of the land of Aegypt.

And, in that day, thou shalt call me, Ishi, my husband;16 And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi, and shalt cal me no more Baali. and shalt no more call me, Baali, my Lord; which name, howsoever I mis-like not in it selfe, yet, because it caries with it, the sound and remembrance of your former idol, I will not abide to be put upon me.

For I doe so hate and detest those your idols,17 For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more bee remembred by their name. as that I will not indure the very mention of their names, but damne them to perpetuall forgetfulnesse.

And, in that day, will I ordaine, and give charge to all creatures, that they shall bee helpfull unto them,18 And in that day will I make a Covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowles of heaven, & with the creeping things of the ground, and I will breake the bow and the sword, and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie downe safely. and forbeare any annoyance of them; even to the beasts of the field, and fowles of the ayre, and to the creeping things upon earth; and I will pacifie all enemies; and prevent all those wars, that may be in danger to be raised against them, and will cause them to dwell safely, and peaceably.

And I will renew my everlasting Covenant with thee, I will be thy God, thou shalt be my people;19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever, yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse, and in judgement, & in loving kindnesse, and in mercies. I will be thy husband, and Saviour, thou shalt be my Church and Spouse, inseparably united unto me; to whom I will gratiously communicate my perfect righteousnesse; and whom I will imbrace in my just acceptation, in loving kindnesse, and in mercies.

I will even marrie thee unto my selfe,20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know the Lord. in all faithfull plighting of our mutuall troth, one to another; and thou shalt finde that I am, and will be a gracious Lord unto thee.

And it shall come to passe in that day, saith the Lord,21 22 And it shall come to passe in that day, I will heare, saith the Lord, I will heare the heavens, and they shall heare the earth: and the earth shall heare the corne, and the wine, and the oyle, and they shall heare Iezreel. that all creatures shall receive a command from me to contribute their severall blessings to my people; as if the heaven, and the earth, and the wine, and oyle, and my people Israel, did joyne all together both to sue for, and to conferre those benefits unto my Church, which their severall natures and condition can, and doe yeeld unto them.

p. 52623 And I will sow her unto me in the earth, and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy, & I wil say to them which were not my people; Thou art my people, and they shal say, Thou art my God.And I will so multiply my Church in the earth, as if I had sowne it with men; and I will so alter the estate of things, as that my mercy shall magnifie it selfe upon that people, both of Jewes and Gentiles, that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, I have chosen thee to be my people; and they shall say againe in a blessed restipulation, Thou art my God.

CAP. III.

1 Then said the Lord unto me, Goe yet, love a woman (beloved of her friend, yet an adulteresse) according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who looke to other gods, and love flagons of wine.THen said the Lord; Goe, and by this act that I doe now injoyne thee, shew to Israel their sinne, and their shame, and punishment; Goe then, and make profession of love to a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteresse; and bring her home to thee; and make it known, that thou dost it in a type of that love, which the Lord beareth towards the adulterous nation of Israel, who Idolatrously lookes after other gods, and gives her selfe to intemperate courses.

2 So I bought her to me for fifteene pieces of silver, and for an homer of Barley, and an halfe homer of Barley.So I went according to the command of God, and, for no great price, I porcured such a woman (beloved of friend; though otherwise infamous, and proclamed her a type of Israel.

And for that purpose, I said unto her, Thou shalt continue as a widow in my house mourning for many dayes;3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for mee many dayes, thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not bee for another man, so will I also bee for thee. and shall not be permitted to play the harlot, neither will I suffer thee to have the liberty of conversing with any other man.

Neither will I come to thee to converse with thee, The following words are foreign & etiam ego ad te; the negative particle (foreign) being here to be understood to be repeated; so as the words seeme to runne) Neither will I be to thee.

For the children of Israel, who have beene guilty of these spirituall fornications,4 For the children of Israel shall abide many daies, without a King, and without a Prince, and without a sacrifice; and without an Image; and without an Ephod; and without Teraphim. shall (for a just punishment of their uncleannesse) bee left desolate for many yeares; (for from the time of their deportation into captivitie till the restauration of my Spirituall Kingdome, by the Messiah, shall be sixe hundred, and foure score yeares) in which time they shall bee without a King, without a Prince, without a sacrifice; and (in short) without any face either of a Church, or cōmon-wealth, yea even of so much as a Church miserably depraved by those superstitions, & corrupt services, which are now in use amongst them.

p. 527Afterward,5 Afterward shall the children of Israel returne, and seeke the Lord their God, and David their King, and shall feare the Lord, and his goodnesse in the later dayes. when the Sonne of God shall be manifested in the flesh, the children of Israel, together with all my whole Church shall returne, and submit themselves to the worship of the true God, and of the Messiah, the true Sonne, and successor of David; and shall bee holily and religiously affected to God, and his service in the dayes of the Gospell.

CAP. IIII.

THey breake out into horrible outrages,2 They breake out, and blood toucheth blood. and murders are so frequent, as that one overtakes another without any distance, or intermission of bloodshed.

Yet let no man trouble himselfe,4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another; for this people are as they that strive with the Priest. and lose his labour in reproving those sinnes, which he sees committed; for thy people are obstinately bent to continue in their wickednesse; they are such as will be ready to brawle and quarrell with the messengers of God, that shall indeavour to reclaime them.

Therefore will I bring swift judgement upon thee;5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the Prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. thou shalt speedily fall, and thy Prophets with thee; for if thou fallest in the day, thy Prophets shall not be long after thee, they shall fall in the night, and I will destroy the very Church, and Kingdome, whereto thou appertainest.

My people are destroyed for lacke of the true knowledge of me their God, and of my Law, &c.6 My people are destroied for lacke of knowledge.

They make a gaine of the sinnes of my people,8 They eate up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquitie. and feed themselves fat with their sacrifices; willingly giving way to their sinnes, for the benefit of their oblations; and being well pleased with their gainefull iniquities.

So as they shall be all too like to each other;9 And there shall bee like people, like Priests; and I will punish them for their wayes. wicked people, and wicked Priests; The peoples sinnes deserved to be punished with such Priests; and such Priests have helped to make the people thus wicked, &c.

They shall eate, and yet not finde the benefit of their sustenance, in an increase of strength,10 For they shall eate and not have enough, they shall commit whordome, and shall not increase, because they have left off to take heed to the Lord. or satisfaction of appetite; they shall spend their bodies in the acts of their lust, and shall have no increase of issue; for that they cast off all care of Gods service, and their obedience to him.

They are so besotted with their whoredomes,11 Whoredome, and wine, and new wine take away the heart. and drunkēnes, that they have lost all the sense of whatsoever grace, and goodnesse; and are utterly bereft of all care of God, or themselves.

p. 52812 My people aske counsell at their stockes, and their staffe declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredomes hath caused them to erre, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.My people are so sottish, as to goe unto their wooden Images, for either counsell, or prediction of future events; a peece of a sticke is their god, and their oracle; for this grosse idolatrous disposition (whereto they have long inclined) hath drawne them into these foule enormities, and hath drawne them a whoring, from under their onelyonly true God.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredomes, nor your spouses when they commit adultery, for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots, therefore my people that doth not understand, shall fall.I will not so farre favour you as to punish your daughters, or your wives, when they play the harlots; whiles I respected you, and tooke keepe of you, I was ready to correct you for your mis-deeds, but now, I have given up the care of you; and will not chastise that in your children and wives, which ye, that are the parents and husbands, are willingly guilty of; for ye your selves goe aside with your harlots; and spend the good ch…are of your sacrifices, upon whores; therefore (as I before denounced the sentence) the people (both one, and other) that doe not understand, nor seek after God, shall perish.

15 Though thou Israel play the harlot, yet let not Iudah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither goe yee up to Beth-aven, nor sweare, The Lord liveth.But though Israel (or, the tenne Tribes) be thus mis-caried with Idolatry, yet let not the infectious example of their sinne so farre prevaile, as that Judah, and Benjamin should bee tainted therewith; Goe not yee, O men of Judah, so farre as Gilgal (the utmost bounds of your region on this side Jordan) upon any Idolatrous pilgrimage; neither goe yee up to the golden calfe of Bethel; (yea of Beth-aven rather, the house of vanity) neither do ye in your solemne oathes apply my name to your idols, as to say of them, The Lord liveth.

16 For Israel slideth backe, as a back-sliding heifer, now the Lord will feed them as a lambe in a large place.For Israel is sliden backe from her profession; as some wild and stubborne heifer drawes backe to pull his necke out of the yoake; and now, the Lord will lay them open to judgement, as if some silly lamb, in a large pasture should bee exposed to the violence of some devouring beast.

17 Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone.Ephraim (or the ten tribes of Israel) have given themselves over to Idolatry; meddle not thou with them, O Judah; If Israel will needs offend, let him sinne without thee.

18 Their drinke is sowre, they have committed whoredome, continually, her rulers with shame doe love, Give ye.Their intemperance is odious, they have committed whoredome continually; her rulers are all for bribes, and are not ashamed to say, Give.

But they shall bee miserably dispersed; the winde of Gods judgements is ready to carrie them away, upon the wings thereof,19 The winde hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sa…fices. into fearefull desolation; and they shal rue the time that they yeilded themselves over to those their Idolatrous sacrifices.

p. 529CAP. V.

ANd give yee eare, O house of the King of Israel;1 And give ye eare. O house of the King, for judgement is toward you, because ye have bin a snare on Mizpah, & a net spread upon Tabor. for judgment is towards you; because when as my people were, according to my command, to goe up to sacrifice at Jerusalem, ye procured wait to be laid for them, both at Mispah, at mount Tabor (as a fowler would lay nets, and snares for birds) to intercept them in their way, and to draw them backe to your owne Idolatrous altars.

And the revolted Israelites are profound,2 And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have beene a rebuker of them all. and subtile in their plots, to draw the slaughter of the sacrifices to the place of their owne choosing; though I have not forborne my vehement rebukes of them all.

I know Ephraim, the chiefe of those ten Tribes;3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me, &c. and the rest, which make up the Kingdome of Israel, are not hid from me, &c.

Judah also (since he would not be warned to avoid the sinnes of Israel) shall partake of their judgements,5 Iudah, also shall fall with them. as well as of their iniquity.

They shall goe with whole flockes and heards of their sacrifices, to seeke the Lord, to appease his wrath,6 They shall goe with their flockes, and with their heards, to seeke the Lord: but they shall not finde him. and recover his favour; but they shall not finde grace and acceptation at his hands, &c.

They have dealt trecherously against the Lord;7 They have dealt treacherously against the Lord, for they have begotten strange children, now shall a monethmonth devoure them with their portions. for they have trained up their children in heathenish Idolatry; now therefore in a very short space shall they, and their land be devoured by the enemy.

Make speedy preparation therefore for the war; Blow the cornet in Gibeah, the utmost border of Judah,8 Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah, crie aloud at Beth-aven, after thee, O Benjamin. and blow the trumpet in Ramah, the utmost border of Israel; cry a loud at Beth-aven that is betwixt both; and doe thou O Benjamin, consider what thou hast to doe when the enemie is at thy backe.

Even that leading tribe of Ephraim shall bee desola… in the day of my vengeance;9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke, among the tribes of Israel have I made knowne that which shall surely be. I have signified unto the tribes of Israel, what they shall surely finde, how incredulous soever they may be for the present.

The Princes of Judah were lawlesse in their cariage,10 The Princes of Iudah were like them that remove the bound; therefore will I poure out my wrath upon them like water. as men that resolved not to regard those bounds, and limits, which my law hath set unto them in their callings; therefore, I will abundantly poure out my wrath upon them.

Ephraim is oppressed by the Assyrian,11 Ephraim is oppressed, and broken in judgement; because he willingly walked after the commandement. and gone to wracke; because he willingly walked after the commandement of their wicked, and Idolatrous governors.

p. 53012 Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Iudah as rottennesse.Therefore will I consume Ephraim, as a moth eateth a garment; and will consume Judah, as a worme (or rottennesse) consumeth wood; so will I decay them by an insensible, yet certaine judgement.

When Israel saw the danger, wherein he was, he made meanes to the Assyrian for help;13 When Ephraim saw his sicknesse, and Iudah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to King Iareb: yet could he not heale you, nor cure you of your wound. and when Ahaz, the King of Judah was in distresse, he sends to Tiglath Pileser, that should stand out for him, but all in vaine; neither shall any ayd of mortall man be able to cure you of those wounds, which the hand of my justice shal inflict upō you.

I will goe, saith the Lord, and will withdraw my selfe from them;15 I will goe and returne to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seeke my face; in their affliction they will seeke me earely. not giving them any testimony of my grace, or presence; till they shall be humbled in the sense of their sinnes; and seeke to recover my favour in their affliction; And if any meanes can possibly prevaile with thē it must be this; In their affliction they will seeke me instantly.

CAP. VI.

1 Come, and let us returne unto the Lord.ANd in their seeking after me, they shall exhort, and excite one another to repentance; Come and let us returne, &c.

After a very short space of our afflictions he will be gracious unto us,2 After two dayes will he receive us. and so cheare and restore us, as if he had given us a new life, &c.

Then shall we attaine to the perfect knowledge of the Lord,3 Then shall we know, if wee follow on to know the Lord, his going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come unto us as the raine, as the latter and former raine unto the earth. if we doe carefully and constantly persist in using those good meanes that he hath appointed; he shall then so reveale himselfe to us, as the Sunne shewes himselfe to the world, in his morning-rising; by degres ascending to his full height, and he shall come to us (not at once) but as the raine, that falls downe by drops, even as the raine of the Autumne, and Spring, that descends sweetly in soft and gentle showers.

4 O Ephraim, what shall I doe unto thee? O Iudah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodnesse is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away."O Israel and Judah, what course should I take with you? I have neglected no meanes of your good; yet there is no hold to bee taken of you: some profession you make, but it is altogether fickle, and inconstant; your appearing goodnesse vanishes away, like as a morning cloud, or an early dewe in summer.

Therefore, I have wrought upon them by my prophets, denouncing judgement against them;5 Therefore have I hewed them by the Prophets, I have slaine them by the words of my mouth, and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth. I have as it were, smitten them dead by the terrible threats of my punishments; and I have given them such meanes of information, as have beene no lesse cleare then the light it selfe, that goeth forth upon the world.

p. 531For it was true inward goodnesse, and mercy,6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God, more then burnt offerings. that I required of them, and not the outward formalities of sacrifice; and the true knowledge of God was that which I called for, more then their burnt offerings.

But they (like the right sonnes of Adam) have transgressed the covenant, that I made with them, &c.7 But the like men have transgressed the covenant.

Even Gilead it selfe (a city of the Priests) is a society of notoriously wicked men; and is full of murders.8 Gilead is a citie of thē that worke iniquitie, and is polluted with blood.

Also, O Judah, corrupted Israel hath prepared an harvest of revenge for thee,11 Also O Iudah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivitie of my people. in sowing the seeds of Idolatry in thee; upon occasion of that captivity whereinto thy brethren of Israel led thee, under Pekah, the sonne of Remaliah, from which I procured and wrought thy deliverance.

CAP. VII.

WHen I would have healed those ten tribes of Israel, by the medicines applied by my Prophets,1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquitie of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickednesse of Samaria: for they commit falsehood. then did the iniquitie of Ephraim, which was the chiefe of them, and the wickednesse of Samaria (the chiefe city of Israel) breake out most outrageously, &c.

They are readily obsequious to their governors in all their wicked commands;3 They make the King glad with their wickednesse, and the Princes with their lies. and doe gladly sooth them up with their lyes and flatteries.

They are all adulterers, burning with filthy lust,4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the Baker: who ceaseth from arising after he hath kneaded the dough, untill it qe leavened. as hote as an oven heated by the Baker; who forbeares medling any further with that flame, whiles the dough, that hee hath kneaded, be sufficiently leavened; in which space the heat of the oven growes to the height.

In the day of the solemnity of our King, there hath beene excesse of surfet and drunkennesse,5 In the day of our King, the Princes have made him sicke with bottells of wine, he stretched out his hand with scorners. whereinto the Princes have not stucke to draw in their Soveraigne himselfe; so as he hath beene miscaried to consort with them, in their wicked debauchednesse.

They have given up their heart to beastly concupiscences,6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in waite; their Baker sleepeth all the night, in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. wherewith they have burned like an oven whiles they lie in wait for an opportunity of fulfilling those wicked lusts; even like an oven, which the Baker hath over-night filled with kindled wood, and awaking in the morning findes flaming with a strong fire.

They have burned with uncleane,7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their Iudges: all their Kings are fallen, there is none among them that calleth unto me. and with malicious desires, and affections, and have made away with many of their governors; All their late Kings have comne to an untimely end; and indeed there was none of them that had any piety, or goodnesse, or that cared to call upon mee.

p. 5328 Ephraim, he hath mixed himselfe among the people, Ephraim is a cake not turned.For Ephraim, he hath mixed himselfe with heathens, and is a professed associate with them; Ephraim is grown irresolute in his religion; like a cake that is halfe dough, and halfe baked; so is he, halfe Israelite, halfe Pagan.

9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and hee knoweth it not: yea, gray haires are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.God hath sent forraine enemies to spoile, and wast his country, and to carry away his substance, yet he is not sensible of this divine hand; yea, that part of his cake which is not turned is growne musty, and hoary, and worthy to be cast out, yet he perceiveth it not.

11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without heart; they call to Aegypt, they goe to Assyria.Ephraim is like a silly dove; going on without wit, without heed, into that net which is spread for him; they call to Aegypt, they goe to Assyria for help; whereas these will be their bane.

12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them, I will bring them downe as the foules of the heaven: I will chastise thē as their congregation hath heard.I will bee as a fowler to this silly dove of Ephraim, I will spread my net upon them, and catch them in their owne devices; I will fetch them into the compasse of my judgements, as the fowls of heaven are caught in a snare; I will chastise them, in the same manner that my Prophets have fore-warned them.

13 Woe unto them, for they have fledde from me; destruction unto them, because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.Woe be unto them, for they have forsaken me; & have vainly sought help of impotent strangers; Destruction will fall upon them, because they have willingly transgressed against me; though I have done much for them, and delivered them from their enemies, yet, they have falsly and injuriously imputed these benefits to their Aegyptians, and Assyrians, and not to me.

14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corne and wine, and they rebell against me.And though they have made shew of some great repentance, and humiliation, howling and crying upon the beds of their distresse, yet they have not, with their harts unfainedly sought unto me; They can meet together to consult how to prevent, or remedy their dearth; but they neverthelesse rebell against me, who do justly send it.

15 Though I have bound and strengthened their armes yet doe they imagine mischiefe against mee.And though I have deserved well of them in strengthening their hands against their enemies, and giving them many victories, yet doe they requite me with imagining mischiefe against me, distrusting my prower or will to save them.

16 They returne, but not to the most High, they are like a deceitfull bow.They turne to their Idols, in stead of the most High God; they turne aside like a broken bow, shooting out their arrows at a wrong marke, &c.

CAP. VIII.

1 Set the trumpet to thy mouth: he shall come as an Eagle against the house of the Lord.CAll the people to warre; The Assyrian enemie shall come like an Eagle against the professed Church of God, the people of Israel, &c.

2 Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.Israel shall fainedly cry unto me, and challenge favour p. 533from me; and say, My God, wee make profession of thy name.

They have set up Kings, but,4 They have set up Kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold, hauehave they made them Idols, that they may be cut off. ever since their defection, I have had no hand in the appointment of them; for they have not beene of the seed of David, which I have chosen, but men of their owne designing. And as they have made Princes, so they have made gods to themselves; for of their silver, and gold have they made them idols; as if they had aimed at nothing else, but their owne destruction.

O Samaria, (the chiefe citie of Israel,5 Thy calfe O Samaria, hath cast thee off, mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attaine to innocencie.) the calfe which thou hast made and worshipped, hath failed thee; and left thee miserable; Mine anger is justly kindled against those Idolaters; How long will it be, ere they bethinke themselves of their wicked wayes, and attaine to their former innocency.

The Israelites did not receive it from the Gentiles,6 For from Israel was it also; the workman made it, therefore it is not God: but the calfe of Samaria shall be broken in peeces. but they themselves made it: and since it was of their making, it cannot be God; no it is nothing but meere metall, and shall be used accordingly, for it shall be broken in pieces.

And as for them, they s…all even reape,7 For they have sowne the winde, and they shall reape the whirle-winde: it hath no stalke, the bud shall yeeld no meale; if so bee it yeeld, the strangers shall swallow it up. as they have sowne, they have sowne the winde, and they shall reape the whirle winde; they have trusted to vanity, and they shall receive losse, and disappointment; A famine shall come upon them; The graine that they have sowne shall yeeld no stalke; or, if it have a stalke, yet that stalke shall yeeld no eare; or, if an eare, yet that eare shall yeeld no substance of meale; or, if it doe yeeld any, the strangers (their enemies) shall swallow it up.

Israel is now swallowed up of their heathenish enemies,8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles, as a vessell wherein is no pleasure. now shall they be to the Gentiles as broken vessells, that are put to base uses.

For they are gone up to Assyria, to seeke for help,9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild Asse alone by himselfe; Ephraim hath hired lovers, like a wild asse that wanders alone by himselfe in a dry desert, to seeke that water which he cannot finde; Israel hath sent out to solicit, and hire confederates.

But,10 Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the King of Princes. though they have hired abettors among the nations, yet will I fetch them up together, to a common destruction; and they shall now sorrow, too late, for the charge of that tribute, that was raised upon them to pay to the great King of Assyria.

Because Israel hath set up many altars in Dan,11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sinne, altars shall be unto him to sinne. and Bethel, and other high places, to sinne in their Idolatrous devotions; those altars of theirs shall be unto them both p. 554an occasion of their sinning, and a motive of my just judgements.

12 I have written to him the great things of my Law, but they were counted as a strange thing.I have given unto them my royall Law, and have left it recorded for them; that it might bee a perpetuall direction to them; but they have sleighted it, as if it were a thing that concerned them not.

13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eate it: but the Lord accepteth them not, now will he remember their iniquity, and visite their sinnes, they shall returne to Aegypt.They have made faire shewes of religious services; they have presented me with their sacrifices, and have eaten the flesh of them, accordingly, but the Lord regardeth not these outward formalities; now hee will rather remember their iniquity, and take account of their sinnes; they shall returne to an Aegyptian captivity.

14 For Israel hath forgotten his maker, & buildeth temples, and Iudah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devoure the palaces thereof.For Israel hath forgotten his maker, and, contrary to his commandment, buildeth Temples to their Idols; and Judah (contrary to the command of the same God) hath multiplied fenced cities, as trusting in his owne strength; but I will send the Assyrian, as a fire, upon the cities of Israel, and the Chaldean into the cities of Judah, and they shall consume, and waste the palaces thereof.

CAP. IX.

1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy as other people: for thou hast gone a whoreing from thy God, thou hast loved a reward vponupon every corne floore.THou hast no reason, O Israel, to rejoyce, as other people; because thou hast provoked thy God, by thine abhominable Idolatries; thou hast loved to give an oblation to thy gods, in every corn-floore, of that wheat, the plenty whereof thou hast ascribed to the bounty of thine Idols.

2 The floore and the wine presse shall not feed them, and the new wine shall faile in her.And now because they have thus abused these blessings of God, it shal be just with God, to withdraw them; I will send famine, and enemies, upon them; so as their corne, and wine shall faile them; neither shall they reap their expected comfort therefrom.

3 They shall not dwell in the Lords land, but Ephraim shall returne to Aegypt and they shall eate uncleane things in Assyria.They shall not dwell in this land of Israel, which God hath chosen; but Ephraim shall returne to a miserable captivity in Aegypt, and shall be forced to eate uncleane and forbidden meates, in the land of Assyria, whither they shall be caried.

4 Their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners: all that eate thereof shall be polluted, for their bread for their soule, shall not come into the house of the Lord.Their Sacrifices shall bee utterly unpleasing unto him; even like such, as are offered by the sad heart, and hand of a professed mourner; which cannot but displease that God, who requires chearfulnesse in those that approach to his altar. All that eate thereof shall be polluted; for God hath ordained that their feasts for the dead, (being ever attended with sorrow) shall not be used in the house of the Lord.

p. 535What will yee doe, O ye Israelites,5 What will ye doe in the solemne day, and in the day of the feast of the Lord? when ye are once driven into your captivity; what will yee doe in the solemne feast-dayes, which God hath appointed to bee chearfully celebrated?

For loe, they shall be cast out of the holy land,6 For loe they are gone, because of destruction, Aegypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall burie them; the pleasant places for their silver nettles shall possesse them, thornes shall be in their Tabernacles. and lie open to destruction; Aegypt shall take them up, and make them sure enough for returning; Memphis shall be their buriall place; those pleasant closets, and cabinets, wherin they had wont to hide their treasures and jewels, shal be over-growne with nettles; their neat Tabernacles shall be covered with thornes and bryers.

Ye shall know, O Israelites,7 The Prophet is a foole, the spirituall man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquitie and the great hatred. that those your false prophets, which have said, Peace, peace, are but fooles, and those your spirituall guides, that have mis-led you, no better then mad men; whom yet God hath justly sent amongst you, as a punishment of your iniquity, and of your hating to be reformed.

Ye falsly imagined that these prophets of Ephraim,8 The watchmen of Ephraim was with my God, but the Prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his wayes, and hatred in the house of God. were sent of God, and had familiar acquaintance with him; but ye shall finde your prophets to be but as a snare of the fowler, laid in your wayes to entrape you; & such, as have procured the hatred of your God against you.

They have deeply corrupted themselves,9 They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the dayes of Gibeah. as in the daies of Gibeah, of Benjamin, when the shamefull outrages of the wicked inhabitants were abated by the strength of their tribe, &c.

Israel was no lesse pleasing to me, at the first,10 I found Israel like grapes in the wildernesse, I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the figge tree at her first time, but they went to Baal-Peor, & separated thēselves unto that shame, and their abominations were according as they loved. then ripe grapes would bee to a thirsty traveller, in a drie wildernesse; I esteemed your forefathers, (those fruitfull Patriarkes,) as the most choice, and first ripe figges: but their sinfull progenie fell off, and degenerated to Idolatry, applying themselves to the worship of Ball-Peor; and separating themselves to that shamefull Idoll; and chose to themselves severall abhominable deities, according as they were affected to the parties, that worshipped them.

As for Ephraim; their glory, which is in their strength,11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall flee away like a birde, from the birth and from the wombe, and from the conception. and number, shall flie away like a bird; since their children shall be slaine, even from their very birth, yea, even from their conception, by their cruell enemies.

And though they doe live to bee brought up to mans estate, yet will I then so bereave them,12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea woe also to them when I depart from them. that there shall not be a man left amongst them; Yea, they cannot but expect, and feele all manner of miseries, when I remove my presence, and protection from them.

Ephraim, or Israel, is like unto Tyrus,13 Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place, but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer. and next in glory thereunto; it findes it selfe planted in a rich, and goodly, p. 536and no lesse fortified place, and is thereupon puffed up with a foolish-selfe confidence. But Ephraim shall finde himselfe deceived, his hopes shall faile him; his children shall fall under the hand of a murdering enemie.

14 Give them O Lord: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarying womb, and drie breasts.Give them, O Lord; what shall I intreate thee to give them? even that which they would thinke to be a judgement, mis-carrying wombs and dry brests; that they may never bring forth, or nourish up children to Idolatry, or slaughter.

15 All their wickednesse is in Gilgal, for there I hated them: for the wickednesse of their doings, I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their Princes are revolters.Their old wickednesse cleaves unto them still, even that which they bewrayed in their ancient incircumcision; and in their humorous desire of the change of their government, and challenge of a King, even there I began to take displeasure against them for their wickednesse; which still so continues, that I am resolved to drive them out of that good land of mine; I will love them no more, for all their Princes are revolters, both from their rightfull King, and from my true religion.

CAP. X.

1 Israel is an emptie vine, hee bringeth forth fruit unto himselfe, according to the multitude of his fruit, he hath increased the altars, according to the goodnesse of his land, they have made goodly images.ISrael is a vine indeed, but a fruitlesse one, or, if hee beare fruit, it is to himselfe; for the advancing of his owne profit, and pleasure: As his wealth and abundance increaseth, so doth his Idolatry; looke how much hee is pampered with his store, so much more doth he spend upon his goodly Images.

2 Their heart is divided, now shall they bee found faulty, hee shall breake downe their altars.Their heart is divided in the choice of their gods; now shall the jealous God finde out their guiltinesse; he shall in his just indignation breake downe their altars, &c.

3 For now shall they say, we have no King, because wee feared not the Lord, what then should a King doe to us?For now they shall say, we are left destitute & helpless; we have no King to defend us; because we feared not the Lord, who was wont to be our King; therefore he hath given us up; and what then can a King doe for us?

4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant, thus judgement springeth up as hemlocke in the furrowes of the field.They have made no conscience of their oathes, and covenants; but have broken them at pleasure: Yea even judgement it selfe; which should be sincere, and sacred, is grown miserably depraved, and hatefull to my people, yea, no lesse deadly then the Hemlocke of the furrowes is to the taste.

5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall feare because of the calves of Beth-aven: for the people thereof shall mourne over it.The inhabitants of Samaria shall justly feare, because those calves which they worshipped in Beth-aven, are already destroyed; for the people thereof shall mourne, expecting (as they well may) the same measure; &c.

p. 537The nobles of Samaria shall be carried to Assyria,6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present, to King Iareb, Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his owne counsell as a present to that great King. Ephraim shall receive shame by his projects, and Israel shall too late be ashamed of his vaine and wicked plots.

As for Hoshea, the King of Samaria,7 As for Samaria, her King is cut off as the fome upon the water. he shall be cut off, and blowne away into captivity, and shall vanish and sinke as a bubble or fome in the water.

The high places also of Bethel (or Beth-aven rather) wherein Israel hath so palpaply sinned,8 The high places also of Aven, the sinne of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorne and the thistle shall come upon their altars, and they shall say to the mountaines, cover us, and to the hills, fall on us. shall bee utterly destroyed; and laid so waste, that the thorne and the thistle shall come up on their very altars, & the inhabitants shall be so terrified with the sword of the enemie, that they shall wish themselves under ground; and speake to the hills and mountaines, to fall upon them, and shelter them from that fury.

O Israel, thou hast sinned, ever since that foule offence,9 O Israel thou hast sinned from the dayes of Gibeah, there they stood, the battell in Gibeah against the children of iniquitie did not overtake them. that was done in Gibeah of Benjamin; thou hast continued, and aggravated their sinne; yet thou hast not beene taken downe for it; here was no warre moved by the rest of the tribes (as was in Gibeah) against those children of iniquity which did that shamefull act upon the Levites concubine.

But this shall be no aduantage to them;10 It is in my desire that I should chastise them, and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall binde themselves in their two furrowes. For it is my purpose to take their punishment into mine owne hands; I will cause the Assyrians to bee gathered together against them; when I shall correct them for their two calves in Dan and Bethel; betwixt the worship thereof, and my service, they have halted, as an oxe that passeth betwixt two furrowes.

Ephraim is as a delicate young heifer,11 And Ephraim is an heifer that is taught and loveth to tread out the corne, but I passed over upon her faire necke, I will make Ephraim to ride, Iudah shall plow, and Iacob shall breake his clods. that loves to treade out the corne, when it is in the floore, but cannot abide to draw the plough, or harrow; hee loves to injoy blessings, but not to earne, and worke them out; but I did put my hand upon the faire necke of Ephraim, and finde this heifer fit enough for the yoke; I will put all my people to those services they aret fi for; If neede be, I will put Ephraim to the saddle, Judah to the plow, Israel to the harrow.

Give your selves to all holy & conscionable endevors;12 Sow to your selves in righteousnesse, reape in mercy, breake up your fallow ground: for it is time to seeke the Lord till he come, and raine righteousnesse upon you. sow to your selves in holinesse, and righteousnesse; and reape mercy and loving kindnesse from the Lord; Break up the fallow grounds of your hearts, by a true, and serious repentance; For it is time for you to turne to the Lord, and to seeke to recover his favour; so farre, as that he may raine upon you the showres of his grace, and mercy, whereby ye may appeare righteous in his sight.

p. 53813 Yee have plowed wickednesse, ye have reaped iniquitie, ye have eaten the fruit of lies.But, alas, contrarily, yee have plowed up deepe furrowes of wickednesse, and have reaped a large crop of iniquity; ye have fed your selves with the lying hopes of your vaine selfe-confidence, &c.

14 As Salman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children;As Salmanasar spoyled Beth-arbel, amongst other the cities which he conquered; wherin he was so cruell, as to dash the mother, and children one against another;

So shall the Idolatry wrought in Bethel, bring the like destruction upon you,15 So shall Bethel doe unto you, because of your great wickednesse: in a morning shall the King of Israel be utterly cut off. because of your great wickednesse; in one morning shall the King of Israel, be utterly cut off; there shall no long time neede for the accomplishment of this judgement.

CAP. XI.

1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my Sonne out of Aegypt.WHen Israel was but newly entred into league and covenant with me, then I loved him; and called that Sonne of my love out of the bondage of Aegypt, by the hands of Moses and Aaron.

2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed ūto Baalim.As those their holy leaders, and their insuing successors called them; So they perversely turned their backes upon them; and sacrificed to Baalim, &c.

3 I taught Ephraim also to goe, taking them by their armes: but they knew not that I healed them.I did with Ephraim, as mothers, or nurses doe by their little infants. I taught him to goe; holding him by the arme, whiles he moved his feet; but they considered not the great favours that I did them, and did neither answer, nor acknowledge my mercies.

I drew them unto me by the strong perswasions of reason, and with bonds of love; and I did to them, as a kind husbandman to his well-respected teame; I tooke off the yoke from them, and I laid meat unto them;4 I drew them with cordes of a man, with hands of love, and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jawes, and I laid meat unto them. I withdrew their burdens, and refreshed them with mercies.

5 He shall not returne into the land of Aegypt, but the Assyrian shall bee his King, because they refused to returne.He shall not goe any more into the land of Aegypt, to seeke aid; but the Assyrian shall surprise him, and be his King; because they refused to returne to me.

7 And my people are bent to backsliding from me, though they called thē to the most high, none at all would exalt him.My people Israel are bent to backe-sliding from mee; although my Prophets called unto them, and perswaded them to turne unto the most high; yet they would not obey, nor be won to exalt and glorifie their God.

8 How shall I give thee up Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repētings are kindled together.O Ephraim, how shall I carry my selfe towards thee? If I shold regard thee according to thy demerits, I shold give thee up, O Israel, to my fearfullest judgements; but how can I endure to deale thus with thee? how can I make thee a sad spectacle of my wrath, like those five cities of Sodom, which were consumed with fire from heaven? Surely it goes against my heart to thinke thus to p. 539proceed with thee, I cannot but revoke that dreadfull sentence which I was ready to passe against thee.

For I am a gracious and immutable God;9 I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger, I will not returne to destroy Ephraim, for I am God and not man, the holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the citie. and not a man subiect either to passion or change; I that am the holy one of Israel am yet still in the midst of thee, by my favour, and thy (howsoever impared) worship: and I will not turne to thee in the extremity of my wrath, to consume thee.

Those of my Church, whom I shall choose from both Jewes, and Gentiles, shall walke holily and obediently,10 They shall walk after the Lord: Hee shall roare like a Lyon: when he shall roare, then the children shall tremble from the west. in the wayes of God; He shall send forth the strong, and mighty voice of his Gospell; and shall call all his elect ones; and when hee shall powerfully speake unto their hearts, his children shall awfully submit themselves to him, even from the utmost ends of the world.

They shall come with an awfull reverence unto God,11 They shall tremble as a bird, out of Aegypt: and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord. and shall hasten their addresse unto him; upon the wings of their holy desire, out of all lands, even out of Aegypt, and Assyria, and all those parts where they have beene most distressed; and I will establish them in my Church, saith the Lord.

In the meane time Ephraim makes a profession of my name, but false and counterfeit;12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Iudah yet ruleth with God, and is faithfull with the Saints. and the house of Israel serves me, but in hypocrisie; as being full of Idolatry, & section; But Iudah, are yet, had not swerved from God, but continued faithfull, as the true children of those holy Patriarkes.

CAP. XII.

EPhraim pleaseth himselfe with following vaine and idle hopes; he daily addes to his owne disappointment,1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the East winde, he daily increaseth lies and desolation, and they doe make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oyle is caried into Aegypt. and desolation; they project how to make themselves strong by their leagues with the Assyrians; and they send of their most precious presents to insinuate with the Aegyptians.

Neither is Judah altogether free;2 The Lord hath also a controversie with Iudah, & will punish Iacob according to his waies: accorto his doings will hee recompence him. God hath just quarrells against this better part of the posterity of Jacob, and will proceed against them according to their doings.

Israel is a crafty deceitfull merchant; he makes use of false balances; and loves to oppresse his brethren.7 He is a Merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand.

And Ephraim said; yet I am become exceeding rich;8 And Ephraim said, yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall finde none iniquitie in me, that were sinne. I have prospered wondrously in the increase of my substance; p. 560and yet, I have so carried the matter, that in all my labours, & contracts, no man can accuse me of iniquitie, or say, herein thou hast sinned.

9 And I that am the Lord thy God, from the land of Aegypt, will yet make thee to dwell in Tabernacles, as in the dayes of the Solemne feast.And I that am the Lord thy God, and have so approved my selfe ever since I brought thee out of the land of Aegypt, doe yet offer in my long suffering to continue thy peaceable habitation, and to give thee oportunity of celebrating thy feast of Tabernacles as thou wert wont.

I have also sent my Prophets unto thee, and have by them declared my will,10 I have also spoken by the Prophets, & I have multiplied visions & used similitudes, by the ministery of the Prophets. and purposes towards thee, and have given them visions, and revelations concerning thee: and have used all cleare and familiar meanes of thine instruction by them.

11 Is there iniquitie in Gilead? surely they are vanitie, they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal, yea their altars are as heapes in the furrows of the field.Doe ye thinke there was more iniquitie in the Gileadites that are already carried away captive, then in you? Surely the rest of Israel is in the same case; they all lie open to the same judgement; they sacrifice to their idols, in Gilgal also; yea their altars are as frequēt every where, as the clods are in the furrowes, of the fields.

12 And Iacob fled into the countrey of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheepe.I have not deserved this at their hands, I have beene alwayes graciously ready to preserve them; I protected Jacob, when he fled into the country of Syria; where Israel your father served Laban for a wife; and, for a wife kept the sheepe of that hard father in law.

14 Ephraim provoked him to anger, most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproch shall his Lord returne unto him.Notwithstanding all the mercies of God, both late, and ancient, Ephraim provoked him to anger, most grievously; therfore shall God lay upon him the punishment of his own sinne; and that reproch which his wickednesse hath cast upon God, will God justly returne upon Ephraim.

CAP. XIII.

1 When Ephraim spake, trembling, he exalted himselfe in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.EPhraim was once very awfull to the rest of his fellowes, so as whiles he spoke, the other tribes were ready to tremble; but when he once fell to his Idolatry, in worshiping Baal, hee lost his reputation, and no reckoning was made of him.

2 They say of them; let the men that sacrifice kisse the calves.They say to them; let those that would sacrifice to God, doe honor to those calves of Dan and Bethel, in which God is worshiped.

5 I did know thee in the wildernesse.I did not onelyonly bring thee out of the land of Aegypt, but I bestowed many favours upon thee in the wildernesse, &c.

6 According to their pasture, so were they filled, they were filled and their heart is exalted.According to the height of their feed, so was their pamperednesse, and pride; they were no sooner filled, p. 561then their heart was exalted; &c.

O Israel,9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thy selfe, but in me is thine help. I have not beene wanting to thee in my favours, and blessings; thou canst not taxe me of any defect of mercy; but thou wouldest not hearken to me, but wouldest needs procure thine owne destruction; so as thy misery and undoing is thine owne; all the hope and remainder of thine help and salvation, is in, and from me.

I will be thy King;10 I will be thy King: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities, and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a King and Princes. in vaine hast thou trusted to any other; thou hast found it to thy sorrow; where is there any other in all thy cities, that can deliver thee; where are those judges of thine, those great rulers, of whom thou saidst; give me a King, and Princes? What were they, what are they able to doe for thee?

Thou seest how I gave thee thy first King, Saul,11 I gave thee a King in mine anger, and tooke him away in my wrath. in mine anger, and now take away thy last King Hoshea, in my wrath.

Let no man be offended that I tooke not a sudden revenge on Ephraim;12 The iniquitie of Ephraim is bound up: his sinne is his. I have bundled up all his sinnes together, and trussed up his iniquities, for a meet day of punishment.

His calamities shall come upon him,13 The sorrowes of a travelling woman shall come upon him, hee is an unwise son, for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children. as the paines of child-birth upon a woman; It is his fault, and his misery that he sticks so long in the birth; were Ephraim wise, he would make his peace with God; that he might by his mercy bee delivered fully from those miserable straits wherein he is.

Let them repent,14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave: I will redeeme them from death; O death I will bee thy plagues: O grave, I wil be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. and I will deliver them from all their distresses; yea, even from death it selfe, and from the power of the grave. O death, I will vanquish & consume thee; O grave, I will destroy thee for ever, and will never repent me of that victory.

But now, as the case stands with Ephraim,15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an East-wind shall come, the winde of the Lord shall come up from the wildernesse, and his spring shall become drie, and his fountaines shall be dried up: hee shall spoile the treasure. though hee be fruitfull among his brethren, yet I will fetch the Assyrian upon him; who, like an East-winde from the wildernesse, shall blast him; and utterly dash all his hopes, and carry away all his treasures, &c.

CAP. XIIII.

GOe unto him with humble submission,2 Take with you words and turne to the Lord, say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: So will we render the calves of our lips. and turne to the Lord, and say; O God, forgive all our iniquity, and receive us to mercy; so will we offer up unto thee the sacrifices of our thanksgivings.

p. 5243 Ashur shall not save us, wee will not ride upon horses, neither will we say any more to the worke of our hands, ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy.We will no more trust to the King of Assyria, to save us; we will no more trust to our owne munition, and warlike preparation; neither will wee any more make Idols of the works of our owne hands; for now we finde and professe, that thou only art that God, in whom the fatherlesse and distressed can, and shall finde redresse, and mercy.

5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the Lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.I will be comfortable and refreshing unto Israel, even as the dewe is to the mowne grasse; so as hee shall grow up in beauty, as the lily, and in strength, and height, as the Cedar in Lebanon.

7 They that dwell under his shadow, shall returne: they shall revive as the corne, and grow as the vine, the sent theraof shall be as the wine of Lebenon.They that dwell under the shadow of my Church shall there finde comfort, and rest; they shall grow up fruitfully, as the corne in a well tilled field, and sprout forth, as the most generous vine, to the great joy & contentment themselves, and others.

I shall be to thee as a tall, and shadie firre tree; and whatsoever fruit thou yeeldest,8 I am like a greene firre tree, from me is thy fruit found. it shall bee of my giving; thou shalt be beholden to me for it.