at large prosecute Gods Controversie against Israel especially in sharp accusations and sad sentences for the many hainous iniquities committed both by private and publick persons against both first and second Tables of the Law His Scope in all which is to invite them to repentance and if they continued obstinate that God might be justified in his judgements and they rendered inexcusable This taske he performes in such sharp and concise termes as might testifie how his heart filled with zeal and love to God stood affected to their way and with very little intimation of any hope of future mercie till towards the end wherein he brings forth Gods purpose of love and in the very close summeth up all with Evangelical and ample promises to them CHAP. I. IN this Chap. we have 1. The Inscription of the whole Prophecy ver 1.2 A typicall accusation of Israel for their Idolatry v. 2 3. 3. A prediction of several degrees of calamities to come upon them under the type of three children brought forth to the Prophet By the first whereof is intimated the judgement to come on Jehu's posterity and on the Kingdome thereby v 3 4 5. By the second is signified a further stroke upon them in their begun captivity by the Assyrians v. 6. In opposition to which there is a promise of mercy and deliverance to Judah v. 7. And by the type of the third childe is held forth their utter rejection in their finall captivity v. 8 9. 4. We have subjoyned unto these threatenings some Gospel-promises of the increase of the Israel of God v. 10. and of the recollections of Judah and Israel under Christ their Head v. 11. Vers 1. NHe word of the LORD that came unto Hosea the son of Beeri in the dayes of Vzziah Jotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Judah and in the dayes of Jeroboam the son of Joash King of Israel THe Inscription of the Prophecy holds forth 1. The Pen-man of this Doctrine described from his own and his Fathers Name concerning whom since we read no more it were needlesse curiosity to dip further in it seeing that is not the great businesse to be here looked to 2. The Divine authority of this Doctrine and his calling to publish it 3. The time of his Ministery which is reckoned by the reignes of the Kings of Judah in that time though he preached unto Israel because as would appear the fearful miscarriages of most of these Kings and the confusions occasioned thereby rendered them unworthy of being taken notice of by God Only Jeroboam the second one of Jehu's race is mentioned partly to shew that he did not begin to Prophesy toward the end of Uzziah's reigne but even in Jeroboams time who began his reigne before Uzziah or Azariah 2 Kings 14.23 and 15.1 and ended it a good while before him 2 Kings 15.8 and so it intimates that he Prophesied long and continuing in the dayes of Hezekiah it is likely that he saw the captivity of Israel which was in the sixth year of Hezekiah 2 Kings 18.10 partly this is marked to shew that Hosea began thus to Prophesy not when the declining condition of affaires under the succeeding Kings might represent to any these sad things which he foretold but when Israel was in a most flourishing condition as it was under this King 2 Kings 14.23 25. From this Inscription Learn 1. Whoever be the instrument that carrieth the Lords message it is still our duty to study the Divine Authority of his Word and Messages sent by them that so we may know whereon to lane that we may be attentive considering we have to do with God and not with men and vain terrours from them and that it may take the envy of any hard Message from off instruments as flowing no way from their humors or desire to disturbe the common tranquillity For these causes is the Divine Authority of this Prophecy in particular asserted it is The word of the Lord to Hosea the son of Beeri See 2 Pet. 1.20 21. 2. As it is the duty of the Lords faithful servants to preach only Gods Word to his people so for performing of this it is required not only that they have abilities and endowments but authority and a calling also which may assure them of assistance and successe in some measure and of support under any difficulties they meet with Therefore it is called The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea The Lords Word came unto him to call him to the Office and being called he received the ensuing Messages by Inspiration and extraordinary Revelation and these only be recordeth and publisheth 3. Such is the goodnesse and long-suffering of God as not to give up with his sinful people at first but he will pursue them with messages from himself even for a long time and till their case prove irrecoverable For so much doth he manifest by continuing Hosea in his Ministery for so long a time notwithstanding their Apostasy The word of the Lord came unto Hosea in the dayes of Uzziah Jotham Ahaz and Hozekiah c. See 2 Chron. 36.14 15 16. 4. It may be the lot of the Lords faithful servants that when they have spent their time and strength for a long time among a people yet they become worse and go to ruine For notwithstanding Hoseas paines for so long a time yet Israel was not converted but sent into captivity as his own Doctrine and the History of these times bear witnesse See Isa 49.4 5. It is the commendation of thâ— Lords faithful servants that as length of time doth not make them weary of their hard toile and apparently fruitlesse labours so in varierie of times and changes they remaine the same For notwithstanding the many revolutions in the time of Hoseas Ministery yet he bears out in his calling and is uniforme in his Doctrine 6. As the Lord may have sad strokes coming on a people when they are in the height of prosperity and have overcome all their outward enemies So however wicked people do abuse their prosperity and turne it into a snare for themselves yet spiritual observers will not be blinded therewith but will see sad wrath under all of it ready to break forth For this message containing sad threatenings came in the dayes of Jeroboam the son of Joash King of Israel when Israel was flourishing and then the Prophet saw it 7. It is in special commendation of faithfull Ministers when the prosperity of an impenitent people doth not tempt them to Prophesy smooth things but they denounce wrath most stoutly against a people liable to it when the Lords dispensations seem to promise the contrary Therefore in the dayes of Jeroboam when all seemed to go well and when therefore faithful Prophets could hardly be suffered Amos 7.10 12. even then doth he so freely plead the Lords controversie Ver. 2. The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea And the LORD said to Hosea Go take unto thee a wife
another to which she is given up of God as a punishment for her presuming to debord in the least so much also are we taught in the challenge The land hath committed great whoredome or in whoring hath gone a whoring one step hath drawn on another as the Original imports 9. A Church making defection from God unto Idolatry doth bring great prejudice upon her children or particular members either by drawing them into defection with her or by making them share in the sad effects thereof Therefore albeit an Idolatrous Church may bring forth children unto God so long as he hath not given her a bill of divorce Ezek. 16.20 21. yet the state of the particular members of the Church of Israel is here represented under the type of children of whoredomes partly because Idolatry was not only authorized and enjoyned by the representatives of Church and State but generally embraced by the people and partly because when such an iniquity overfloweth it fareth the worse with particular members for their sake and they do share in the common plagues as children of whoredomes Idolatry is a speciall sin the sad effects whereof may follow posterity long Exod. 20.5 10. As a people do grow in sin or draw neerer judgement they become the more stupid and insensible of their sin and danger for this cause it is that Israel needs these types to inculcate this Doctrine 11. Such as God employeth in carrying his minde to the Church must deny themselves and their interests and be content to be exercised and disposed of as the Lord seeth may most contribute to make their Doctrine useful and effectual Therefore must Hosea apply unto himself this ignominious type of taking a wife of whoredomes even Gomer the daughter of Diblaim if so be it might convince them So Ezekiel must be content to lose his beloved wife by a sudden stroak and to forbear mourning under it if so be it might move the people to hear one Sermon Ezek. 24.16 17 c. Ver. 3. Which conceived and bare him a Son Vers 4. And the LORD said unto him Call his name Jezreel for yet a little while and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of John and will cause to cease the Kingdome of the house of Israel 5. And it shall come to passe at that day that I will break the bowe of Israel in the valley of Jezreel Followeth from the end of ver 3. to v. 10. a prediction of the calamities that were to come upon them by degrees till they should cease to be a Kingdome a Nation or a Church This is typically held forth under the representation of three children brought forth to the Prophet by this wife of whoredomes whereby is signified a threefold period of the ripening of their sin and a threefold degree of their ruine and destruction And in this the type doth suite well for as children are the fruit of Marriage or of unlawful conjunction under cloak of an Husband so their Idolatry and other sins being ripe did at last bring forth that sad fruit The first son called Jezreel did intimate sins coming to an height under Jehu's posterity for which the Lord threatens shortly to call them to an accompt and to take vengeance on Jehu's race for his bloodshed committed on the house of Abab 2 Kings 9 and 10th Chap. as accordingly was accomplished on Zechariah the son of this Jeroboam who reigned but six moneths before he was slain by a conspiracy 2 Kings 15.8 9 10 12. This stroak is amplified from some effects thereof that by it not only Jehu's race should be cut off but the Kingdome should cease or get such a blow in their fall and after it as it should never recover its former vigour till it were destroyed And that their warlike power should be broken even in the very heart of their Countrey and in the valley lying before Jezreel which was one of the habitations of Ahab 1 Kings 21.1 of which see Josh 17.16 Judg. 6.33 To all this prediction doth the childes name Jezreel agree as being to be punished for the blood which was shed in Jezreel as being a den of bloody robbers as Ahab made Jezreel by killing Naboth and being in stead of Israel to become Jezreel or scattered of the Lord and broken by divisions as they were after that time till they were utterly scattered Doct. 1. Whatever present fruits men may seem to reap by sin yet at last being continued in it will ripen to an height and fit for stroakes for this wife of whoredomes doth conceive and beaâ— a son her whoredomes come to an height and did draw down the sad fruits thereof 2. Notwithstanding that sinners in the Church do conceit of their priviledges yet God will not only plague them but make their sin and judgement as conspicuous as if it were their very name For The Lord said unto him Call his name Jezreel whereby is signified that however they gloried in the name of Israel yet the Lord should make them become a Jezreel by manifesting of their sin and by plagues for it 3. Albeit Idolatry be the great sin of the Church and doth deserve saddest judgements yet the Lord useth to give up such Apostates unto other grosse wickednesses to let them and the world see the fruit of their departing from God and by all these sinnes together to hasten the judgement For albeit the chief sin and cause of Gods controversie be Idolatry v. 2. yet for these causes are they given up to murther and bloodshed with it 4. The Lord is so respective of man made after his Image and of justice and equity among men as the blood even of these who are wicked and deserve destruction at Gods hand will not be unrevenged on these who shed it unwarrantably either for their way or end in it I will saith he avenge the blood or bloods of Jezreel or the blood of Ahabs house the Lords requiring whereof gives ample ground of hope to expect the like of others who suffer more innocently See Gen. 9.6 Ps 9.12 He nameth it bloods because there were many slaughters even of all Ahabs family 2 King 10.11 together with Ahaziah 2 King 9.27 and his brethren 2 Kings 10.13 14. And the bloods of Jezreel because however some of these were slain in Samaria and elsewhere yet not only did the execution begin or was most there and was done elsewhere by Jehu's authority in Jezreel but because what was done there on Jehoram and Jezebel seemed to be most justifiable because of foregoing Prophecies 2 Kings 9.25 26 36 37. and yet the Lord will avenge it 5. Men may not only be doing that which God in his Holy Providence will permit to succeed but even that which is in it self just and materially Gods command and yet be guilty before God and justly punished for it when either they do not the Lords work sincerely but for their own base ends and interest or when they do it
not throughly but only in so farre as may serve their own turne For albeit Jehu was anointed at Gods command to execute his judgement on Ahabs house 2 Kings 9.6 7. yea and temporally rewarded for it 2 Kings 10.30 yet it is here accounted murther to be avenged on his house because he did it not out of zeal for God but to get a Kingdome to himself and because which is an evidence of the former he did only so much as might serve his ends and establish him in the Kingdome For though he executed Gods quarrel on Ahab and his house and on Baals Priests and followers yet he clave to the Idolatry of the calves for securing his own interest 2 Kings 10.31 and so proved himself more careful of his own affaires and setling then of Religion 6. Men may prosper a while in a course against which the Lord hath a standing quarrel and will avenge it on their posterity For saith the Lord I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu though himself and his next successours were exempted for a time which as it may be dreadful to men who prosper in an ill way who may be made to rot above ground in plagues on their posterity So it may warne men not to follow the sins of their predecessors meerely because they prospered in their hand 7. However sinners may blesse themselves when judgements seem to be afar off yet they will at last draw near and any thing that is measured by time will soon come about For notwithstanding the promise given to Jehu and his posterity for some generations yet now it is Yet a little while and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel c. 8. As Kingdomes have their periods prefixed by God so there may be so much anger against a Nation evidenced in the smiting even of their wicked Magistrates and so great commotions in overturning of them and confusions following thereupon as may not only be a presage of the overthrow of a Kingdome but will give it such an irreparable stroak and so break the power thereof as it shall never recover especially continuing in the same sins Therefore is it subjoyned to this stroak on Jehu's house And I will cause to cease the Kingdome of the house of Israel for though it endured a while after yet this was a presage of it and they never recovered of that stroake but were broken by confusions and distractions till the forreigne enemie came upon them as is hinted at in the next verse and expressed more at length in their miserable condition 2 Kings 15. 9 As there is no power nor strength of a Kingdom able to resist God coming in anger So the Lords breaking of a Kingdomes power and exhausting it totally is a sad evidence of his displeasure and presage of further ruine Therefore is it added as a part of the stroak and the way how the Kingdome came to cease At that day I will break the bowe of Israel under the bowe much used among them and whereof Jehu made special use 2 Kings 9.24 comprehending all warlike power And that he will do this in the valley of Jezreel that is not so much by any battel there of which we read not elsewhere as that they should not be broken by any discomfiture on their borders which the Kingdome might repaire again but this decay should reach the very heart of their Countrey where their strength and royall Cities were and where they thought themselves secure and therefore were insolent in oppression and bloodshed and this exposed them to the calamities which followed Vers 6. And she conceived again and bare a daughter and 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 The second childe is a daughter called Lo-ruhamah or not having obtained mercy This type is made use of as would appear to point at that period of their sins ripening for the stroak of a begun captivity by Tiglah-pileser King of Assyria of which see 2 Kings 15.29 The Lord declareth that this time should be a time of no mercy as the childes name signified because he would not adde any more as he had done formerly 2 Kings 14 25 26 27. to manifest his mercy toward them in their affliction but would make that captivity irrecoverable and a presage of the captivity of the whole Nation which shortly followed 2 Kings 17. and under which they are held to this day Doct. 1. Whatever be the Lords prerogative of free-grace in delivering when and whom he will and whatever be his pitie toward his own who cry to him under justly procured afflictions yet such as continue in sin after the Lord hath smitten them may expect that their calamities will not expiate their sin but that God will pursue them with stroake upon stroak Therefore albeit Israel was plagued and broken before yet since they continued in their defection from the true worship of God and from the house of David this ripens to a new birth of judgement She conceived again and bare c. 2. It is a sad judgement when the Lord not only weakens a people outwardly but takes away also manly spirits from them and they became like women either for doing or suffering So much may be imported by this type of a daughter that the estate of the people after the former stroake and at the coming on of this was quite broken and themselves effeminate so that they were content to take any tearmes of the Assyrians who molested them 2 Kings 15.19 which is called a light affliction in respect of this that followed Isa 9.1 and did quietly stoop under so many murthering Kings who did rise every one upon the ruines of another When men are in such a temper conscience will readily be trampled on through basenesse 3. It is a sad ingredient of an afflicted condition when Gods mercy and bowels of compassion are withheld from a people under it when they have no assurance of a roome in his heart and sympathy which is a faire advantage nor any effects thereof manifested in moderating or delivering from it Therefore saith he Call her name Lo-ruhamah for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel The sadnesse of this condition may be read in the Churches complaint Isa 63.15 and in Gods promise to his children Psal 89.30 31 32 33 34. 4. However the Lord do manifest much mercy toward a visible Church and she be ready to presume on that yet abuse of former mercy may bring the exercise of mercy toward a visible Church to a period For saith the Lord I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel or adde no more to have mercy as of before and the sad evidence of this condition is that their former rods had not been blessed but their abuse thereof by their continuance in sin had drawn forth this new rod with this sad
her of corrupt worship in her trouble though it be so in it self and he intend mercy in all of this But the scope is to shew that whereas the people of God may gather comfort either from the enjoying of the pure Worship of God in sad times or from the continuance of some face of a Church though corrupt as a token that God hath not yet totally rejected yet Israel though God have a purpose of good to her and do preserve her for it should enjoy none of these She shall neither have the true Religion nor the face of a Church and Worship as they had it to assure them that they were not quite divorced and this is the fruit of their corrupting the Worship of God and serving of Idols 4. It is a judgement and token of Gods severity whatever love be intended in it when a Nation are given up not to be wholly the Lords nor do serve him in a national way nor are a national Church to him For such is the misery of Israel to this day that they are deprived of Worship and any Church-State as a Nation and if their conversion and Worship and Church State under the Gospel shall be national as the opposition must carry it then certainly a national Church is no Paradoxe under the Gospel Vers 5. Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the LORD their God and David their King and shall fear the LORD and his goodnesse in the latter dayes Followeth the last part of the Chap. and an Explication of that part of the type v. 3. I will also be for thee containing a Prophecy of Gods mercy in bringing about the national repentance and conversion of Israel in the latter dayes and their renewing of the Covenant and taking Christ the Son of David for their King and constantly serving and fearing the Lord even because of his goodnesse Whence learn 1. Albeit Israel as a Nation hath been and yet is rejected and lost yet they will certainly returne to God For so is here prophesied expressely afterward shall the children of Israel return and this we are much to long and pray for 2. As true repentance and conversion will appear in mens being sensible of their great distance from God and in their seeking to make up this distance albeit they cannot as yet prove much enjoyment and seeking him chiefly and only in place of many things which natural hearts lust after so all this is a sweet and blessed fruit of affliction For such shall be the result of Israels being in a low condition they shall returne and seek the Lord. 3. The Covenant standeth still to be forth-coming for Apostates when they repent and turne to God renouncing false wayes and worship For so will Israel finde when they return they are allowed to seek the Lord their God and any who seek the Lord ought not to make themselves an ill answer but come and they will finde him their God 4. There is no right seeking of God nor finding of him or the comforts of the Covenant but through Christ whom converted Israel shall acknowledge and embrace For they shall seek the Lord their God and David their King 5. Christ is here named David and their or Israels King so also Jer. 30.9 Ezek. 34.23 24. and 37.24 not only because he is Davids Son and Heire Rev. 22.16 and because David was a type of him But 1. Because in their conversion they will have a deep sense of their sinful revolt from the house of David which began their woe and Apostasy true penitents will trace back their defection to the very fountain and beginning of it with much sorrow and resentment 2. Because Christ the substance will be eminently such a King unto them as he is to all his people as David the type was unto Israel of old 3. Because Israel shall so embrace Christ as to acknowledge him in all his offices and particularly shall submit to him as a King which is the duty of all true Converts Doct. 6. True conversion will appear in its constancy and perseverance and particularly in the Converts entertaining an holy fear and aw of God For when Israel shall returne and seek the Lord they shall also hold on and shall fear the Lord. 7. As God is alwayes good to his own people whatever they think to the contrary Psal 73.1 2. so much of his goodnesse will be manifested in the time of that life from the dead when all Israel shall be saved For so is imported here the Lords goodnesse will then be matter of holy exercise 8. The goodnesse of God will not make a true Convert presumptuous but will be unto him matter of reverence and holy fear and trembling For they shall fear the Lord and his goodnesse 9. Albeit Israel be long in gathering and converting yet we are firmely to beleeve that before time end it will certainly come to passe For all this shall be in the latter dayes Which albeit it often signifie all the time of the dispensation of the Gospel yet in this prediction is to be taken for that period of time more immediately preceding the end of the World CHAP. IV. IN this Chap. Israel is cited to Gods tribunal to hear his controversie pleaded v. 1. In prosecution of which controversie 1. The Lord accuseth them more generally for their grosse violation of both Tables of the Law both by omission and commission v. 1 2. and threatens because of this to send extream desolation ver 3. 2. He accuseth them for their desperate incorrigiblenesse v. 4. Threatening therefore to destroy such and the false Prophets and the body of the people and Church v. 5. 3. He accuseth the Priests in Israel that through their fault the people were kept in ignorance threatening to cast them and their posterity off v. 6. Likewise he accuseth them for ingratitude toward him for which he threatens to make their glory turne to ignominie v. 7. Lastly he accuseth these Priests for their sensuality and covetousnesse rendring them unfaithful in their calling v. 8. and threatens to plague both Priests and people according as they deserved v. 9. and to take away the blessing from their provision and to deprive them of issue because they sleighted God v. 10. being stupified by their sensuality v. 11. 4. He accuseth the whole people for their gross idolatry v. 12 13. and threatens to give up their wives and children to bodily filthiness v. 13. and not to restraine that sin by corrections for a time till for that and all the sins of all together they be utterly destroyed v. 14. 5. He accuseth them for the Idolatry of the calves from which he disswades Judah v. 15. as being an evidence of Israels wantonnesse and the cause of their ensuing exile v. 16. 6. He accuseth Ephraim their Kingly Tribe for their incorrigibleness in idolatry v. 17. for their intemperance filthiness and corruption of justice through covetousness v. 18. for which he
rest since others of whom God took no such strict notice were afflicted as well as they By these predictions God would let them see that he had a hand in all of them 3. This doctrine against the Nations tendeth to the aggravation of Israels guilt for whose sake God had plagued so many as will appear in the rest of the Chapter and yet they proved as bad as any 4. It tendeth also to shew unto them that the present prosperity of the wicked Nations should not embolden them to despise Gods threatnings against themselves seeing that prosperity was to come to such an end 5. From these threatnings Israel might gather that God who punished the Nations who were without the written Law would not spare them who were his people and knew his will and who were guilty of sins and these as grosse and many as any of the Nations For they were Idolaters as well as they and were cruel oppressours of their brethren as well as the heathen whom God was to punish for the same fault The first Nation here spoken to is Syria whose head City is Damascus Isa 7.8 These the Lord challengeth and threatneth not to withhold any longer their deserved punishment And that because of their many and multiplied sins and especially because of their cruelty against his people in Gilead which the History declareth was done by Hazael 2. Kings 8.12 and 10.32 33. And by Benhadad his son 2. Kings 13.3 7. As for this kinde of cruelty of threshing people with instruments of Iron it seemeth to be the same with that 2. Sam. 12.31 or somewhat like it It was a kinde of torture inflicted upon vanquished people which the Syrians put in practise or at least did use them as cruelly as if they had done so Doct. 1. God is soveraigne Judge of all the world to give out sentence according to mens ways and to ride circuit in it to see his sentence executed for so much is held forth in this processe led against the Nations on every hand to every one of which Thus saith the Lord is prefixed 2. Eminent persons and such as live in eminent places of a Land do ordinarily prove the fountains an promoters of all that evil which draweth down wrath upon the whole Land for this cause it is that here onely Damascus the chief City is at first named as being together with the Royall Family comprehended under it v. 4. the rise and cause of all this provocation and woe 3. Albeit the Lord be long-suffering towards all yea even towards heathens yet when men abuse his patience by continiance in sin till there be no end nor remedy he will surely reckon with them for now it cometh to this I will not turn away the punishment thereof as in his long-suffering he had done formerly or he will not let them be quiet or at peace or not take pains to convert them any more but will give them up to reap as they deserve 4. The Lord will then begin to reckon with a people for sin When 1. Their provocations are grosse for kinde being transgressions or rebellions 2. When these sins are not few out multiplied and many three and four 3. When their sins are still growing and sin added to sin as when it goeth from three to four 4. When the longer they grow in sin their sins are still the grosser and more horrid as it will still be such as the particular sin here laid to their charge is 5. When iniquity continued in filleth up the compleat measure prescribed by God in his long-suffering for three and four make up seven which is a number of perfection All this is imported in this general chalenge and threatning which is made use of here and afterward for three transgressions and for four I will not turn away the punishment because they have c. Doct. 5. Albeit a people may have many sins and these very grosse provoking God against themselves Yet when God is about to punish there is ordinarily some particular ill that puts the capstone on all the rest and fills up the measure and which draws out the stroak Therefore after these three transgressions and four there is here one particular sin condescended on as a notable one above the rest for which especially God will strike 6. Cruelty against Gods people as it is a fruit of mens ripenesse and comming to an hight in sin so it is a particular sin which God will not passe over though he wink at many other faults for this is the particular sin here because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of Iron the sub-joining whereof to the generall chalenge sheweth that none but they who had three transgressions and four would have followed such a cruel course against the Church And that however he had turned away their punishment notwithstanding many former provocations yet now because of this he would not spare 7. Before the Lords people shall want a scourge when they provoke him he will raise up even subdued Nations to do that worke for these Syrians were subdued by David 2. Sam. 10.15.19 but they began to lift up their head again upon Solomons defection from God 1. Kings 11.23 24 25 and are now a strong and sharp scourge to Israel Verse 4. But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad 5. I will break also the bar of Damascus and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven and him that holdeth the Secpter from the house of Eden and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir saith the Lord. In these verses is held forth the particular sentence and threatning for this sin that he will destroy the Palaces of their Kings v. 4. and will break the strength of their fortified Cities and so give them up into the enemies hands who shall destroy the inhabitants waste the Country root out their Kingly race and send the body of the people into captivity v. 5. As for the place here named Damascus the plain of Aven and the house of Eden or Beth-Eden it is thus conceived that as Damascus was their chief City and commanded a tract or Province of Syria about it so Aven was another great City and chief in another Province though Damascus was chief of all which together with the plain about it are here threatned or the name of it was Bikath-Aven which is translated the plain of Aven and it is threatned with the losse of the inhabitants And the house of Eden or Beth-Eden signifying a place of pleasure was the chief City in another pleasant Province called afterward Coelo-Syria from whence their Royall Race came or they did much reside there because of the pleasantnesse of the place or on other occasions not left on record and therefore it is threatned they shall be cut off with this place Doct. 1. Gods threatnings not to spare a wicked people are not empty words but will
the word of God in whose mouth soever it be and the excellency of the power thereof is of God and not of men for Amos thinks it no just ground of sleighting the message he carried that the Lord took him as he followed the flock and said Go prophesie c. 5. Where the Lord giveth a call and imposeth a duty he must be obeyed and followed oppose who will for in answer to all that was said for his fleeing to Judah he asserts this The Lord took me and said Go prophesie to Israel See Act. 4.19 6. The Lord evidenceth such respect to a people in sending his messengers unto them that it is very odious in them to despise and loath such a mercy for he upbraids their ingratitude with this that it was in the Commission prophesie unto my people Israel Verse 16. Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord Thou sayest Prophesie not against Israel and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac 17. Therefore thus saith the Lord Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword and thy land shall be divided by line and thou shalt die in a polluted land and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land In the second part of this reply Amos in the Lords name threatens this false Priest for his presumptuous prohibiting of him to prophesie and foretels that his wife shall be an open harlot not so much forced by souldiers as voluntarily addicted to it his children shall be slain his land divided and himself die in exile out of the holy land And withal he declareth that however he would not hear of it yet Israel should certainly go into captivity And it is very likely he went into captivity with them either at the first or second time of which 2. Kings 15.29 and chap. 17. for it is not so many yeares betwixt the death of this Jeroboam and the last captivity as should make it altogether incredible Doct. 1. Such as would hinder the course of Gods word and oppose his servants in carrying of it shall not misse a sad word against themselves for though this Priest deserved this sad sentence otherwise yet this put the capstone on all Thou sayest prophesie not against Israel and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac And for this phrase that prophesying is called dropping See on Mic. 2.6 And even threatnings against incorrigble people may be compared to dropping and rain because however they do not make a people fruitful yet they prosper in what the Lord sends them to do as is said in a certain case Isa 55.10 11. 2. It is an ill use made of a peoples priviledges when they are held up to ward off sad messages and do embolden them to despise the word Therefore doth Amos mention his mustering up of the titles of Israel and the house of Isaac in this matter though it was not before recorded It may be he pressed Amos oftener then once and was more boisterous at one time then another 3. It is righteous with God to make opposers of the word spectacles of his justice and indignation and to let out judgements on corrupt Church-men their families and enjoyments sutable to their abusing of his Church and people in their calling for such a procedure is to be seen in this sentence against the Priest He induced Gods Church to spiritual adultery and his wife is an harlot in the city See Hos 4.13 He destroyed the souls of Gods children and his sons and daughters fall by the sword He was given to the world and was a chiefe cause why Israel was dispoiled of their inheritance and his land is divided by line among the Conquerours He was a chiefe cause of Israels exile and would not let them beleeve it and he gets the threatning verified on himself and that without recovery thou shalt die in a polluted land And he polluted the holy land with idolatry and he dies in a polluted land 4. Whatever be the secure confidences of sinners or seducers yet these will not make void Gods threatnings but he will refute all their dreames by reall stroaks for in opposition to what he would not beleeve himself nor let the people beleeve it is here again asserted and Israel shall surely go into captivity saith the Lord. 5. Whatever may be the lot of the truly godly yet it cannot but be sad and bitter to wicked men when they are made witnesses of these calamities which they occasion and draw upon a people by misleading and hardning them in sin and when they share deeply in them and never see an end of them but die under them for so much may be gathered from this that he lived till the captivity came and drank so deep of that cup. CHAP. 8. AMos doth not stand upon the prohibition laid upon him but goeth on fully and clearly to lay before them their approaching ruine and the causes thereof And in this chapter first under a new type is represented the final subversion of that State and Nation neare approaching v. 1 2. wherein their sacred songs should be turned into howlings and their dead should be so many as they should bury them without lamentation v. 3. Secondly this sentence is enlarged and amplified in the rest of the chapter Wherein 1. The equity of the sentence is cleared from the consideration of their sins procuring it which beside what is mentioned in the threatnings are their great inhumanity v. 4. and their wearying of their sacred solemnities longing to have opportunity to follow their gain and that by deceitful bargaining they might enrich themselves and bring the poor into bondage v. 5.6 2 The grievousnesse of the calamities that were to be inflicted for their sins is pointed forth in several particulars Namely That God hath sworn not to forget these courses but will keep them on record till he punish for them v. 7. That this should draw on horrible confusions accompanied with great sorrow and a deluge of calamities to cast them out of their land as their consciences could tell them v. 8. That he would send a sudden change of their condition when they least expected v. 9. would fill them with bitter sorrow v. 10. would plague them with the want of his despised word v. 11 12. would consume even the strongest with calamities v. 13. and which contains another cause of the judgement would cause idolaters to perish without hope of recovery v. 14. Verse 1. THus hath the Lord God shewed unto me and behold a basket of summer fruit 2. And he said Amos what seest thou and I said A basket of summer fruit Then said the Lord unto me The end is come upon my people of Israel I will not again pass by them any more In these verses by the type of a basket of summer fruit which Amos is excited to consider is signified that God will not plead any longer with them nor
of whoredomes and children of whoredomes for the land hath committed great whoredome departing from the LORD 3. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim which conceived and bare him a son Diblaim The first Message wherewith Hosea is intrusted and the divine authority of which is in particular asserted is an accusation of Israel for their spiritual whoredome or idolatry and violation of the Marriage-Covenant betwixt God and them represented by the Prophets taking a wife of whoredomes which however some understand literally and that Hosea did this pretending to justifie it by Gods extraordinary command who might warrant Israel to spoile the Egyptians and Abraham to offer up his own Son yet beside what difference may be conceived in the actions themselves between mens taking of reward and wages for their long and hard service and offering up to God what was his own and this fact of a Prophet making himself the member of an harlot this would seem probable 1. That the Prophet took not so long a time in preaching this one Sermon as was requisite for marrying a woman and having three children by her she her self giving them suck and weaning them far lesse that he should take yet another as he is commanded Chap. 3.1 either with her or after her in so short time and should multiplie such strange facts 2. That in a time wherein the Prophets person and calling was already much in contempt the Lord would not enjoyne him that as a duty which might justly adde to it as being not only specially prohibited unto the Ministers of holy things Lev. 21.1 7. but at the same time wherein Hosea lived was threatened as a curse upon a false Priest Amos 7.17 Therefore I rather understand it typically that the Prophet is commanded under this type to point out the great Idolatry of the land and their defection thereby from God and to declare that the Nation was such to God as if after he had taken a wife she had plaid the harlot and particular persons were such as if his wives children were children of whoredomes that is suspected to be Bastards being borne of such a mother though going under his name or given to whoredome in imitation of their mother And accordingly the Prophets taking Gomer the daughter of Diblaim is his preaching their case under such a type and the names here used may either be taken properly for the name of a famous strumpet in that time daughter to such a one who might fitly resemble Israels filthinesse or they may be taken appellatively the first word Gomer signifying either perfection or consumption and the second Diblaim being either the name of a great wildernesse called Diblath Ezek. 6.14 or signifying a cluster or cakes of figs as a word like this is translated 1 Chron. 12.40 1 Sam 30.12 which were used in Feasts Both these may very fitly point out the condition of Israel whom God is now challenging as being brought from an howling wildernesse and desolate condition and made perfect through his comliness Ezek. 16.3 14. but now because of her sensuality drawing her unto and attending her Idolatry was to be consumed Doctrine 1. Such as would profit by the Word will finde it not enough to acknowledge in general the authority thereof unlesse they have serious thoughts of it in receiving every particular message and particularly hard tydings Therefore beside the general inscription v. 1. we have the divine authority of this particular message twice asserted it is The word of the Lord by Hosea or in Hosea to wit by divine inspiration And The Lord said it to Hosea 2. Whatever be the Lords tendernesse and meeknesse and his allowance that his servants deal so with such as sin through ignorance and infirmity and are not hardened in their sin yet when a people are obstinate and desperate in sinning it is the Lords will they be handled sharply and peremptorily dealt with For this sad challenge is the first Message put in Hoseas mouth to this people It is the beginning of the word of the Lord or the first message he got in commission 3. Albeit it should be the care of Ministers to gain the affections of people that way may be made for their message yet they would guard lest in so doing they blunt the edge of zeal and quit their faiâ—hfulness and a good conscience but they would first and last declare their opposition to sin Therefore also is Hosea commanded to begin thus without any previous insinuation to the prejudice of this duty 4. Whatever grosse iniquities may be in the visible Church and whatever Gods controversie may be because of them yet the great sin and cause of Gods controversie is when she corrupts Religion and especially when she makes Apostasy unto Idolatry Therefore doth the Lord begin with this as the great challenge against Israel 5. Idolatry especially in the Church is spiritual whoredome because it strikes at the marriage-tie and relation betwixt God and his people and takes in another lover and therefore is more hainous in the Church then among Pagans and because it is an irreconcileable fault as awaking jealousie which the Scripture calleth the rage of a man Therefore is it called whoredome and their sinfulness is represented by a wife of whoredomes See Exod. 20.4 5. 6 As Idolatry is exceedingly aggreaged by the consideration of the partie whom Idolaters do desert who is the Lord Jehovah and by their obligations unto him by reason of many favours being the land or the people who were setled in that promised land by his especial hand and who enjoyed special dignities and priviledges in it and by the gene above flowing of this sin when it is not some few only but the land all of them and the body of the Nation who fall in it So whatever Idolaters may pretend of cleaving to God together with their Idols as Jeroboam did 1 Kings 12.28 yet the Lord will look upon them as rejecters of him and his yoke and such as he wil have no communion with Therefore saith he The land hath committed whoredome departing from the Lord or whoredome from after the Lord as in effect renouncing all subjection to him and casting him off whatever they pretend See 2 Cor. 6.15 16. 7. It is the plague of God on a visible Church that when she renounceth God and his Worship she is given up to be exceedingly grosse in Idolatry and corrupting the Worship of God as not only the fruit of her inclination but that Gods judicial upgiving of her may also be seen in it Therefore is Israel resembled to a wife of whoredomes or a wife eminently and superlatively whorish as the Original forme of speech imports See 2 Chron. 33.9 Ezek. 16.46 47 48 51 52. 2 Thess 2.10 11. 8. Idolatry is also an intangling sin which when the Church once falleth into she is still the more enamoured and taken with it and goeth the more incessantly on adding one degree of defection to
note upon it 5. Where the Lord denies his mercy under affliction not only will that stroak prove irrecoverable but it is an evidence of moe strokes to come till a people be consumed for saith he I will no more have mercy but I will utterly take them away that is seeing I deny mercy not only shall this captivity be without recovery but moe of them even the whole Nation shall follow Vers 7. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and will save them by the LORD their God and will not save them by bowe nor by sword nor by battel by horses nor by horsemen This sad condition of Israel is illustrate from the contrary condition of Judah who adhered better unto the Covenant Albeit Judah was both before and after this molested by Israel Isa 7.1 c. 2 King 14.12 c. and looked on as forlorne by them yet the Lord promiseth to manifest mercy unto them and deliver them from their enemies and that not by ordinary meanes and wayes but by his own immediate hand or by Christ Dan. 9.17 and by vertue of the Covenant Zech. 9.11 This was verified in their deliverance from Senacherib when Israel was carried captive and Judah was very low and in their returne from the Babylonish captivity Hosea doth thus speak favourably of Judah whom their own Prophets dealt more roundly with not only because he was sent chiefly to insist on Israels condition but because Judah in his dayes had none of the worst Kings except Ahaz and especially an Hezekiah to whose dayes this seems especially to relate and because they were in many things better then Israel as Hosea 11.12 and were accordingly better dealt with Doct. 1. Albeit the Lord cut off a sinfull people pretending interest in him yet will he not want a Church to whom he will be kinde and whose priviledge shall be to be the object of his mercy for at this time of calamity on Israel I will have mercy upon the house of Judah saith he 2. It will be an aggravation of backsliders misery to see others who waite on God well dealt with when they reap the fruit of their doings Therefore is Judah's lot set in opposition to theirs to imbitter their cup I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel vers 6. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah 3. Great mercy may be attending a people who yet may be plunged in great difficulties for so was Judah after this promise both by Syria and Israel 2 Chron. 28.5 6 c. and by the Assyrians 2 Kings 18.13 we must not measure Gods purposes of love by present crosses without which we could not take up his mercy well 4. The mercy of God is a fountaine from whence deliverance will flow according to the tenor of the Covenant and the safety and deliverance of the Church is a thing out of question though she oft-times fall in debate with God about the way and means of it for upon this I will have mercy it followeth I will save them and it is an absolute promise I will save them though he will not take these wayes to do it that the Church usually looks most unto 5. The Lord needs not creature-helps nor is he so tied to meanes as that he cannot work greatest things without and above them yea he oft-times delights to act more immediately for his Church and to take her as the forlorne into his own hand for saith he I will save them by the Lord their God that is as is before explained by his own hand through Jesus Christ and by vertue of the Covenant and thus he saves them though he will not save them by bowe c. 6. The Lords laying aside probable meanes and instruments in delivering his people is for their double advantage for not only are they certainly delivered but their deliverance that way doth assure them of their interest in God through Christ by vertue of a Covenant standing firme in the midst of all their afflictions for the God by whom they are saved is then seen to be the Lord their God 7. Albeit deliverance of the Lords Church from her troubles be a sweet mercy and call for praise whatever way the Lord be pleased to send it and albeit the Lords people having his calling may by warre assert themselves into freedome yet it is a special mercy when the Lord not only saves by his own hand but without warre and bloodshed not only because he humbleth them so farre and so advanceth their spiritual good but because warre even when it brings safety is a terrible lot and in effect a scourge and produceth such distempers and effects as may leave matter of humiliation in the midst of greatest deliverances so much also may be gathered from this that the Lord will not save them by bowe nor by sword nor by battel by horses nor by horsemen that is neither by military preparations nor actians how promising soever but by his own hand answering the mournful prayers of his people as in Hezekiah's dayes Vers 8. Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah she conceived and bare a sonne 9. Then said God Call his name Lo-ammi for ye are not my people and I will not be your God The last period of their sinnes ripening for Gods judgements is represented under the type of the third childe called Lo-ammi or not my people pointing at the time of their utter captivity by Shalmanesor 2 King 17. whereby God made void the relation betwixt him and that people scattering them among the Nations and making them cease from being his Church and people to wit as a Nation for otherwise remnants of them did cleave to Judah Whence learne 1. Such is the long-suffering patience of God especially toward the visible Church that he is not only slow to anger and to manifest the same by judgements but even when he hath begun to strike he yet waits patiently to see what use they will make of present judgements to prevent future and sadder stroakes and in particular it is very long ere the Lord come to unchurch a people that have been in Covenant with him So much are we taught in this type that this stroak came not till the birth of the third childe and that this childe was not conceived till after she had weaned Lo-ruhamah which took up a longer time then if she bad given it suck by another 2. However the Lords long-suffering patience be great and admirable yet it will not last alwayes toward a sinfull people especially after he hath begun to plead with them but will at last come to a sad period For at last she conceived and bare a son typifying their utter rejection 3. Albeit no limits ought to be set to the freedome and efficacy of the grace of God who can and doth sanctifie afflictions unto the Church and make them a mean to turne her and cause her cleave faster to him yet it doth also
Israel in the Spirit who are not only people and subjects but Sons by vertue of Regeneration and Adoption 7. As it is an high dignity to become children Sons and Heires unto God so this dignity doth appear more distinctly by considering that God to whom they have relation is not a dumb idol but the living God who hath life in himself who is the Fountain of all life and the Author of eternal life to all his children For it is their dignity Ye are the sonnes of the living God 8. Grace in God can and doth make choice of such to be his children as had no relation to him or such as had forfeited all their relations and priviledges and they who are thus advanced ought not to forget what they were without it For these who were not my people either Gentiles without God or Israelites rejected and put from their priviledges are made sons of the living God and this is put in the promise to minde them of it 9. It is a comfortable and refreshful mercy when Religion is taking place in the World where it was not before and it is the advantage of Gospel-times that the Church is not confined to one Nation or Countrey but in all places God may be served and our interest in him avowed For they get this dignity in the place where it was said unto them Ye are not my people that is throughout the World where the Gentiles lived without God and the Israelites dispersion there was an evidence of their rejection and so their condition said it to them beside the verdict of the Word against them See John 4.21 10. It is also a great advantage when the Lords goodnesse to his Saints and their way doth convince the World of their excellencie and neither their afflictions nor carriage doth make them a reproach nor cause the World to stumble at them So much may be gathered from this it shall be said unto them Ye are the sonnes of the living God not only shall the Gospel call and bring them to this dignity and passe such a sentence in their favours but others shall be made to acknowledge and admire it in them Isa 61.9 Ver. 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 Jezreel The second Promise seemes to relate more especially to Israel in the letter holding forth their future recollection and union with Judah under Christ their Head and their coming up out of their forlorne condition to enjoy the priviledges allowed upon them The same Promise for substance is also held forth Isa 11.13 Jer. 3.18 Eezek 27. from ver 16 to 26. As for this part of the promise They shall come up out of the land albeit it be spoken with allusion unto the Babylonish captivity from whence Judah came up to Judea which lay higher yet it was not then accomplished for neither did there at that time any such number of Israel come up nor can Zerubbabel be the head appointed here but only Christ Ezek. 34.22 23. 37.24 25. And albeit this may be understood spiritually of converted Judah and Israel as all the godly their gathering themselves out of the World to the Church and moving on toward their heavenly Canaan which was typified by Israels coming out of Egypt and Judah out of Babylon yet the parallel places speak also expressely of their coming up from the land of their dispersion to the land which their Fathers inhabited Ezek. 37. 21 22 25. Jer. 3.18 Doct. 1. Albeit the Lord have now for a long time rejected the body of Judah and Israel and filled their room with Gentiles the branches of the wilde Olive yet his gifts and calling toward them are without repentance as doth appear in his reservation of a special portion of Gospel-blessings for them as this Promise holds forth 2. The salvation promised to the seed of Abraham in the dayes of the Gospel is not peculiar to the Jewes only who were rejected for their crucifying of Christ but common to Israel also who shall be converted and made again one body with Judah after all the rents that have been betwixt them since their defection from the house of David and their corrupting of Religion For The children of Iudah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together See Rom. 11.26 3. The day is coming wherein all Israel shall acknowledge the true Messiah when Iudah shall look unto him whom they have peirced and mourn and embrace him and when Israel shall embrace him for their King and the true Son and Heire of David from whom they have made so foule defection and in him shall they be united For he is that one head in embracing of whom they shall be converted and in whom they shall be united 4. As union amongst the people of God is a choice Gospel-mercy considering among other things the violence of the contentions of Brethren So true union needs never be expected but where Christ is made our Head with whom communion is holden and set up as a King to governe and men are not suffered to walk after their own imaginations This general instruction may be gathered from this particular instance Iudah and Israel shall be gathered together their union after so great dissensions is a great mercy and they attain to it when they have one head 5. Albeit Christ be a King set by his Father over Zion Psal 2.6 yet it is the duty and priviledge of the Church voluntarily to embrace and acknowledge and submit unto him Therefore it is said they shall appoint themselves one head 6. The happinesse of choicest Gospel-times consists not so much in what the people of God enjoy for present as in their moving forward toward their heavenly rest joyning themselves to the Church that they may have the use of means for that end and a time of love will make difficulties in the way easie and loose the bonds of earthly affections or spiritual slavery wherein men are held or retarded by them So much doth this promise spiritually understood teach they shall come up out of the land See Cant. 8.5 7. When Israel and Iudah shall be converted the Lord will remember his Covenant and restore them to their promised priviledges and in particular there will not only be converts of them scattered here and there among the Gentiles but their conversion will be accompanied with the recollection of them as a Nation and as would appear with a restitution of their captivity and bringing them back to their land So much appeares to be in this promise They shall be gathered together and they shall come up out of the land as is before explained And this is the tenour of the Covenant with them Deut. 30.1 2 3 4 5. 8. Whatever be the difficulties of the children of God in their journey toward Heaven or may be the trials
God are justly at enmity with man and armed against him so long as he is not reconciled with God their Creatour So much may be gathered from this promise following on their reconciliation 2. Reconciliation with God brings peace with all the creatures so far as is for the reconciled mans good though there must be an exception of needful trial and however none of them shall marre his true peace and happinesse So much is held on t in this promise I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowles of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground See Job 5.23 3. That which secureth the godly man from trouble from the creatures is Gods dominion over all of them who can ensure his peoples tranquillity for them For saith he I will make a Covenant for them c. that is not only send this mercy to them by vertue of the Covenant which makes it sweet but makes it as sure by reason of his dominion as if there were an expresse Covenant for that effect 4. As peace and deliverance from war is a great blessing So it is the Lord only who puts an end to war and giveth peace For I will break the bowe and the sword and the battel that is all other instruments of war or the war it self acted by these weapons which is broken when the weapons are broken out of the earth See Jer. 47.6 7. 5. When a people studie reconciliation with God and are cordial in following a through Reformation they arr in Gods way for attaining outward peace For it is upon the accomplishment of the former promises and particularly that v. 16 17. that this promise followeth In that day I will break the bowe c. otherwise it may be said as Jehu said to Joram 2 Kings 9.22 See Judg. 5.8 6. When the Lord hath given peace it is he only who must maintain it and can give quietnesse of minde to make people enjoy quietnesse and tranquillity by it For it is a new promise I will make them to lie down safely or in confidence Unlesse he give peace outward tranquillity will not afford it and if he give that we have no cause to complain though we be in the midst of trouble Vers 19. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in mercies 20. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness and thou shalt know the LORD The fifth ground of consolation and fountain of all these blessings is the renewing of the Marriage-covenant with them which because they had turned it of old into a Covenant of Works to themselves and had been plagued for the breach of it Therfore he promiseth now to renew it on such tearmes as should make it sure and comfortable Doct. 1. Whatever may be Gods dealing at first with his own people whom he calleth yet his calling of them imports and tends to an advancing of them to a Marriage-communion with himself whereby they are made one with him and reap the fruits of this conjunction in communication of estates and much love to them For I will betroth thee unto me saith he and it is called betrothing not only because his affection continues still fresh as of new betrothed persons but because our enjoyments here are but as a betrothing in order to a Marriage to be consumnat in Heaven Revel 19.7 2. The Lords renewing his Covenant with his penitent people after their backslidings will be without any upbraiding of them for former debordings whereof now they are ashamed For his covenanting with converted Israel is not a taking her again as an adulterous and divorced wife but a betrothing of her as a pure Virgin 3. Albeit there may be many vicissitudes betwixt Christ and his confederate people as to their conditions his dispensations and manifestations yet the Marriage-tie will remain unviolable for ever And thr Covenant being renewed with Israel as a Natton will endure for ever for the good of the Elect among them For I will betroth thee unto me for ever It is so well ordered that it must be sure 2 Sam. 23.5 See Psal 89.30 34. 4. As for the first propertie of the Marriage-Covenant that it is in righteousnesse it may import that this bargain shall be made and performed in reality and not in shew only Jer. 32.41 for thus Gods righteousnesse seemeth to be taken for his integrity in promising and his reality and constancy in performing what he undertakes as Mic. 7.9 and is the same with that uprightnesse and opposite to that unrighteousnesse of which Psal 92.15 But it seemes to hold out yet more concerning this Covenant that God will communicate the imputed righteousnesse of Christ to the confederate whereby he shall stand in Covenant for ever nothing being to be objected against him but what is abundantly answered and satisfied in his Cautioner Rom. 8.33 34. And that the Lord by doing this shall do them good in righteousnesse as being satisfied in his Son 1 John 1.9 and without any imputation to his righteousnesse and justice against sin having received such a ransome Rom. 3.25 26. 5. The second property in judgement teacheth 1. That as for his confederate people the Lord will have a tender respect and consideration what they are and what their mould is with whom he makes the bargain and therefore will not cast the bargaine for after-failings seeing he knew what they would prove whom he choosed and he will moderate his dealing with them as considering what they are able to bear This discreet consideration and moderating of dispensations is held out under the name of judgement as Psal 99.4 and elsewhere Secondly it teacheth that as for enemies he will not faile to execute vengeance on these of them who are incorrigible and will right all wrongs done to her Thus judgement is frequently taken in Scripture 6. The third property in loving kindnesse or goodnesse or bounty teacheth that the Lord will not only keep Covenant because he is tied but as of his love and bounty he entered in Covenant so he will constantly delight in the confederates as a Bridegroom in his Bride Zeph. 3.17 he will do them good freely and bountifully will be easie to be intreated and answer all objections that can be moved with his own goodnesse and love 7. The fourth property in mercies or bowels teacheth that as the confederate will be far from perfection and will daily need much compassion both as to his sin and miseries following upon it and yet be confederate for all that So the Covenant doth ensure unto him the tender bowels of Gods compassion to sympathize with him in his afflictions and graciously to pardon acknowledged and repented of guilt and that there shall be many even bowels of them to answer to the greatnesse of his sin or trouble and his frequent falling in the one or the other
were tempted by wandering from their families into these solitary and retired places And this should warne all professors to beware of straining the true Religion by such blemishes as are a plague upon Idolaters See Rom 1.21 25 26 27. 9. God may justly punish the sins of parents in their children and may make us sensible of our unfaithfulnesse to God in the ill carriage of others who are bound to us for he punisheth their sin in their daughters and lets them see their whoredome against God in the lewdnesse of their daughters and spouses injuring and bringing reproach on them and their family Ver. 14. I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredome nor your spouses when they commit adultery for themselves are separated with whores and they sacrifice with harlots therefore the people that doeth not understand shall fall The Lord threatens further because of this sin that albeit whoredome in virgins and adultery in married women be by the law punishable with death yet for a time the Lord would not by any corrections restrain the wantonnesse of their daughters and spouses and that because they themselves were separate from God by their Idolatrieâ— and did commit the like lewdness with harlots when they came to their Idolatrous sacrifices For which as he did punish them in giving up their daughters and spouses to uncleannesse so his forbearance of that fault for a time was onely because he had a greater quarrel against them for their Idolatry which drew on the other and for which and their affected ignorance in it he would at last when it came to an height certainly destroy the Nation Whence learn 1. It is one of the sore judgements of God and tokens of his anger when he takas no wains by needfull corrections to restrain the course of a peoples sin but looseth the rains and lets them run on for a time for it is a threatening I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredome nor your spouses when they commit adultery See Psal 89.30 31 32 33. Heb 12. 6 7 8. Rev. 3.19 2. When the Lord lets particular sinners go on unpunished it is not because they shall still be spared for the text saith they shall certainly fall But first because sin becoming generall is passed over in particular persons till it ripen for a national stroak Secondly his sparing of them and others for some sins is because he hath a greater quarrel and cause of controversie for all which together he will in due time reckon Both these are imported in that reason subjoyned to the sentence of not punishing their daughters for themselves that is not only their daughters and spouses but the parents and husbands He speaks of them and not to them as formerly to testifie his indignation against them are separated with whores and they sacrifice with harlots where by whores and harlots we are to understand not only spiritually their Idols and Paramours with whom they committed spiritual adultery but even literally their harlots whom they feasted and courted in the time of their sacrifices in the groves committing both spiritual and bodily adultery together And so the force of the reason is That sin of uncleannesse is more general and more are guilty of it then their daughters and spouses and therefore they are spared till the people or Nation fall together and that it is no wonder he spare them seeing he hath a greater quarrel because of their Idolatry for which when by reason of his indulgence they have added bodily filthinesse to it he will certainly punish and the people shall fall 3. False worship is very licentious in that not only God plagueth it with loosenesse but in that it doth allow and foster much fleshly liberty For they sacrifice with harlots not only continue they avowed harlots and yet follow that forme of worship but in their solemne sacrifices they stand not to joyne with harlots in feasting them with the sacrifices and courting of them 4. Let Idolaters joyne never so many fleshly pleasures with their worship yet God will have no communion with such but will plead with them as renouncers of his Covenant and of all communion with him For they are separated to wit from God with whores c. 5 Idolaters how learned soever they pretend to be or really are yet in effect they are but brutish and ignorant It is great brutishnesse to put so base an object as oft-times men do in the place of God Psal 115.8 and it is great ignorance to think that true Religion must be made subservient to mens politick interests which was the rule that Jeroboam walked by or to think that Rulers will must give the Law in this matter which might be the peoples pretence or that pompe wanting institution will make a worship acceptable for these reasons it is said they are the people that doth not understand 6. Ignorance especially when it is affected will not excuse the visible Church her declining in the matter of Religion but that she is ignorant as well as her idolatry which she would excuse by it will be the cause of her total and sad overthrow for the people that doth not understand and so run on to these mad courses shall fall The original word used only here and Prov. 10.8 10. signifieth such a fall as shall so confound them as they shall not know what they are doing Vers 15. Though thou Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend and come not ye unto Gilgal neither go ye up to Beth-aven nor swear The LORD liveth 16. For Israel slideth back as a back-sliding heifer now the LORD will feed them as a Lamb in a large place The fifth article of the accusation is for the idolatry of the calves in Gilgal and Bethel It is contained in an exhortation to Judah not to joyne with them in that harlotry however it be palliate under the pretence of worshipping God that way v. 15. and that because 1. Which is his accusation and aggravation of this sin in Israel it is not only harlotry v. 15. but a mark of Israels wantonnesse against God and of her love of carnal liberty and therefore not to be imitated 2. Which is his sentence against them for this sin because the Lord will drive them shortly into exile for it where they shall be as a solitary Lamb in a wildernesse not knowing where to finde a flock or its dam and exposed as a prey to all wilde beasts And therefore it were madnesse in Judah to run on such hazards for clearing this text a little Consider 1. That in this prohibition the Prophet doth not mention Dan which was one of the two places wherein Jeroboam erected the calves for publick worship 1 Kings 12.28 29. because Gilgal and Bethel being on the South-border toward Judah the Jewes might easily be drawn and come thither but Dan was remote and on the Northmost border of Israel and so Judah was in no hazard of
the pitiful mothers and then dashed the mothers to death and laid them in heaps above their children Ver. 15. So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickednesse in a morning shall the King of Israel be utterly cut off Secondly as for their confidence in their way of Religion and settled State the Lord threatens First that that sore calamity mentioned v. 14. should come upon them because of their great sin of Idolatry at Bethel Secondly that their King and Kingdome should fall by a sudden and speedy blow Whence learn 1. Idolatry and corrupting of Religion is the great wickednesse of a visible Church and the cause of saddest judgements For So as is before threatned shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickednesse to wit which is committed there and under Bethel the other place of their corrupt worship are comprehended 2. As we are ready enough to see instruments in our calamities and ought to acknowledge Gods hand in them So we should see the great influence of our own sin in procuring them For So shall Bethel do unto you to wit by your provoking of God there 3. Impenitent Rulers and their Kingdomes may not only be sore afflicted and wasted but it may draw at length to utter cutting off even though they be Gods people in visible Covenant with him for the King of Israel and the Kingdome with him shall utterly be cut off 4. God can very speedily and suddenly bring about great revolutions and overturnings of Kingdomes And he would have the greatnesse of their sin and of his displeasure seen in such a dispensation for in a morning shall this be done which imports a short time as a morning before the Sun rise and a sudden stroak as if in a morning before men were awake an Army or City were surprized And it seemes that albeit Samaria endured a three years siege 2 King 17.5 yet some one morning it was surprized and so their King and Kingdome came to an end CHAP. XI IN the first part of this Chap. the Lord continueth to accuse and give out sentence against Israel And 1. He accuseth them of ingratitude in that albeit he had loved them in their Infant-condition and delivered them out of Egypt ver 1. and had sent Prophets to them to teach them their duty v. 2. yet they walked contrary to their directions and served Idols v. 2. And albeit he did carry them through the wildernesse yet they did not consider nor acknowledge this v. 3. and that notwithstanding he did gently draw them to their duty and provide for them v. 4. For this the Lord threatens that they should finde Egypt no refuge to them but should be carried to Assyria v. 5. and that the sword should abide upon their Townes and Villages till it consumed them according as they deserved v. 6. 2. He accuseth them for their pronenesse to Apostasie and ill intertainment given to the messages sent from God unto them v. 7. In the second part of the Chap. the godly are comforted against the judgements imminent and deserved by their sinnes wherein is held forth the mercy of God interposing to hold off the judgements deserved by them v. 8. and his expresse promise to moderate the execution of his just displeasure in not consuming the Nation utterly v. 9. and to convert and restore them after their rejection and exile v. 10 11. In the third part of the Ch. the Lord rejects all their pretences wherewith they would cover their faults and sheweth how much they were worse then Judah ver 12. Ver. 1. WHen Israel was a childe then I loved him and called my sonne out of Egypt 2. As they called them so they went from them they sacrificed unto Baalâ—m and burnt incense to graven images THis Chap. begins with a challenge of Israels ingratitude And for this end the Lord brings to remembrance his favour and his benefits conferred upon them and subjoynes what their ingrate carriage had been In these Verses he calls to minde his love toward them in their infant-condition in Egypt his preserving and delivering them out of Egypt as his adopted children and as a type of Christ and his sending Prophets particularly Moses to call them to obedience and to entertain fellowship with him in the use of his worship which trust these Prophets faithfully discharged All which doth aggreage their sin and convince them of ingratitude who walked so crosse to the directions of the Prophets and multiplied Idols and Images which they worshipped Doct. 1. Ingratitude and walking unanswerably to many received mercies is the great and crying sin of the Lords people and Church as this challenge teacheth Unfruitfulnesse under rods will not be rightly mourned for till this sin be begun at See Deut. 28.47 48. 2. The Church and people of God are in themselves very unlike the great dignities to which he advanceth them And particularly Israel was in a very mean and low condition till God did forme them both into a distinct and potent Nation and into a visible Church for himselfe For Israel was a child or in an infant-condition not as yet grown up No more like to the condition God put them in when he increased and delivered them and when he exalted and established them in the promised land then a child is like a grown up man And at that time they were not formed in a Church-State till after their deliverance from Egypt Which may put us in minde of the mercy of a grown up Church-State under the Gospel and what obligations a perfected reformation layeth upon them who attain to it 3. Gods love to the Church is her first and great priviledge which prevents her in her lowest condition when she is unworthy and base and which is the fountain of all his bounty and so makes it comfortable For when Israel was a child witlesse and worthlesse then I loved him and this is the fountain of all his bounty after mentioned Deut 7.7 8. 4. The Lord will make his love to his people conspicuous in their preservation in a low condition and under much trouble when he seeth it not fit to deliver them from it For so is supposed he dealt with Israel in Egypt preserving them from being extinguished by the fury of Pharaoh till he called them out of Egypt See Exod. 1.12 5. The Lord also will magnifie his love in their deliverance from trouble and bondage not only spirituall but outward also in so far as is for their good For I called my Son out of Egypt or brought him out with my invitation by the Ministery of such as were sent to speak to Pharaoh and them which I made effectuall And this was not only a type of the Churches delivery from spirituall bondage but a pledge also of his doing great things for his people See Exod. 12.42 Psal 34.19 6. As the Lord doth oft-times manifest his love and put speciall honour on his people by putting them to sufferings
and not let it out And here the Lord speaks to our capacity that as a father greeved with the disobedience of a son is ready to avenge it sharply and yet out of fatherly affection represseth his anger and doth not let all of it out in execution So the Lords bowels of compassion are such as not to execute his just wrath as if he repented and as men who repent use to do Doct. 1. The provocations of the visible Church may be and oft-times are so great both in themselves and by reason of many aggravations of ingratitude and backsliding as to deserve utter extirpation like Sodom and Gomorrah For so is imported that it was just to make them as Admah and set them as Zeboim See Isa 1.10 Ezek. 16.48 It is but a needlesse curiosity to enquire why he mentions these two Cities and not Sodom and Gomorrah and therefore I passe it 2. Not only doth the Churches sinne deserve much but it is no easie matter to hold off the extremity of execution when after long forbearance sin is still continued in For so is imported here that only strong afflictions in God prevented the extremity of desolation They were at this brink of misery though they little considered it 3. Whatever be the desert and danger of the sinfull people of God yet no trouble can take effect against them unlesse God permit and let it out and actively concurre in it For whatever their sin was yet they could not be plagued till he give them up and deliver them to the will and power of enemies yea till he make them as Admah and set them as Zeboim See Deut. 32.30 4. When the Church hath put her selfe in a wofull plight by sin there is nothing to step in and interpose for preventing what is deserved but only mercy in God For there is no other impediment to this sad sentence but how shall I give thee up c mine heart is turned within me c. And this he layeth before them that at least they would study to see their need of mercy 5. Mercy in God toward his sinfull people as it cannot be hindered by the greatnesse of their sin So it can put a stop to deserved judgements For how shall I give thee up c. Saith he mine heart is turned within me c. He can finde reasons against his own proceeding in justice against them taken from himselfe when they have nothing to plead and there is no cause of it in them And can argue that mercy is free and goeth not by the rule of deserving and therefore may be extended to the most unworthy And albeit it be an act of his sovereignty in free-grace thus to respect a people going on in sin and therefore ought not to be presumptuously rested on by the impenitent Yet as that cannot hinder it to be shewed even to them So it may be an encouragement to them who are driven sensibly to need his mercy 6. The greatnesse of Gods mercy toward his people is such as all the affections of parents toward their children are but shadowes of it and he who is the unchangeable God will do all for them that can be expected from a parent whose anger is overswayed and changed into pity For so much do all these expressions point out How shall I give thee up doth import that his fatherly affection could not think of putting Israel into the miserable condition they deserved and that he looked on it as not beseeming his love and interest so to deal with them mine heart is turned within me or overcome with motions of love striving against that severity and my repentings are kindled together which are tearmes borrowed from among men do import what abundance of stirrings of love are in his heart toward his ill-deserving people and how all things that might prevent that sentence were kindled and mustered up within him that it might not come to execution and effect 7. It is a speciall evidence of Gods magnified mercy toward Israel that whatever condition they be put in yet they are never dealt with as Sodom and Gomorrah nor totally consumed without hope of restitution or recovery For that is the scope of this whole v. which is further explained in the following purpose Vers 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 middest of thee and I will not enter into the city In the next place the Lord comforts them by expresse promises pointing out what this his mercy which had interposed for their good had purposed concerning them The promises are two In the first whereof in this v. he promiseth to moderate that punishment which he in just anger might inflict and that he will not deale with them like an angry man who after he hath stricken returneth and strikes again till he destroy and undo them he is angry at or as souldiers who spoile and spoile again so long as there is any thing to take but he will deale like a mercifull conquerour who having subdued his rebellious subjects and brought them at under doth not come with an army to destroy their câ—ty So he will plague them for sin and yet will not utterly destroy and cut off that Nation This he confirmes from some reasons 1. Because he is not an implacable man but a mercifull unchangeable God 2. He is in the midst of them as his elect and chosen people and holy in his promise to perpetuate the elect of the seed of Abraham throughout all generations Whence learn 1. Gods mercy interposing on the behalfe of sinners doth produce not only good wishes but reall effects unto them For here unto the former stirring of his bowels an expresse promise is subjoyned to shew that he not only as is usuall with men pittied and could not help them but that his pitty produceth reall help 2. Gods mercy toward his sinfull people doth not see it fit to keep off all effects of his displeasure or leave them altogether unpunished For the promise is only I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger which imports he will execute it in measure See Jer. 30.11 Albeit the Lord do pity them yet it concerneth him to vindicate his own holinesse and to promote their good by afflicting them in measure 3. When a sinful people are under saddest temporal judgements yet so long as they are in the land of the living they are bound to reckon that their condition might be yet worse if all Gods just displeasure were let out For notwithstanding all that was to come on Israel as we see it accomplished this day yet it is imported it had been worse if he had executed the fiercenesse of his anger and returned with stroak after stroak to destroy Ephraim and entered into the city See Lev. 26.18 21 24 28. Isa 9.12 17 21. 4. The Lords moderating of deserved judgements if it were but to
will hold off stroakes And albeit presumptuous sinners do reject God his authority and yoke yet he will exercise dominion over them whether they will or not For saith he his Lord shall returne it upon him whereby he sheweth that no interest will avail to plead for exemption and particularly that his people whom he chooseth he will let them finde that he choosed them on these tearmes to be Lord over them as the Name here is a Name of dominion and will prove it to be so when they sinne CHAP. XIII THis whole Chapter may be taken up as a probation of that conclusion v. 9. of the ch that their destruction came of themselves whereas God was their help This he proveth two wayes First that it was their own sins which had changed and would change their good condition into which he put them into calamities and miseries and had drawn on former plagues and would draw on more till they were rejected and driven into exile And namely 1. That by the Idolatry of Baal they were despoiled of authority and their State broken v. 1. 2. That their perseverance and growth in the Idolatry of the calves after their State was again something recovered from that decay v. 2. did provoke God suddenly and violently to consume them altogether v. 3. 3. That their ingratitude toward God recompencing him who had been good to them v. 4 5. with swelling pride and forgetfulnesse v. 6. did provoke him to take vengeance in a dreadful manner ver 7 8. Unto these challenges and evidences he subjoynes the inference and conclusion v. 9. Which Secondly he proveth yet further by promises of mercy and moderation to be manifested by him when thus they had destroyed themselves and drawn on a deluge of miseries Of this we have these evidences promises 1. He would prove a King to them when their Kings and Princes whom they sinfully sought and whom he had given in anger were to be cut off in his displeasure v. 10 11. 2. When he should reckon with them for their treasured up and marked iniquities and they should be brought into greater extremity v. 12 13. yet he would at last raise them up as it were out of their graves v. 14. All this the Prophet closeth with assuring them that notwithstanding his being their help yet there should be a desolation first both of the Nation and chief City v 15 16. Vers 1. WHen Ephraim spake trembling he exalted himselfe in Israel but when he offended in Baal he died In the first part of this Chap. the Lord demonstrates that their own sins had procured all the desolation that had come or should come upon them and that he had been good unto them till they by their sins had overturned their own good estate The first sin which he mentions as destroying them is their Idolatry in worshipping Baal Concerning which the Lord cleareth for his part that Ephraim was not only made a distinct tribe though he was but the son of one of the twelve Patriarchs who had another at least beside him and preferred to Manasseh the elder brother but was so dignified numerous and potent that he was formidable to the rest as appeared in the person of Joshua who came of that tribe Josh 4.14 and in the whole tribe Judg. 8.1 2. Yea and that tribe was exalted to authority in Israel Jeroboam the first King of Israel being come of it So that they had great authority above the rest But now having brought in the pagan Idolatry of Baal in the dayes of Ahab Ephraim was become like a dead man despoiled of authority many of his subjects cut off and so broken in his former estate and dignity that he is not far from utter ruine though yet he be as one unburied He mentions only the Idolatry of Baal as the cause of this ruine because however they had the golden calves before and these tended to their destruction yet it was the cape-stone of their defection when beside these in serving of which they pretended some acknowledgement of the true God they brought in pagan Idols renouncing him And after this they began to decay by the invasion of forreigners having for most part had to do only with Judah before Doct. 1. As honour and respect is due to superiours So their power and authoritie over subjects is of God and to be held of him For so is here imported that God made trembling or reverence when Ephraim spake or gave out his commands See Psa 18 47. 2. Such as God hath made very eminent may yet go very far wrong yea and greatnesse may embolden men to sin For it was Ephraim who when he spake made trembling and who exalted himselfe in Israel or was set in high dignity that offended even in Baal 3. When men do thus decline and abuse Gods bounty toward them his kindnesse will stand as a witnesse against them For therefore is Ephraims former dignity recorded to witnesse against their way and to cleare that God was free of the consequences of it See Dan. 5.19 20. 4. Sin will undoubtedly blast the eminency either of persons or Nations and will lay them low in their repute estimation and power and make them like a dead carcase above ground For even glorious Ephraim when he offended he died that is he looked no more like what he was before then a dead man hath the activity and vigour of one that is living 5. Idolatry and corrupting of Religion is above all sins a cause of corruption and decay to States and Nations For when he offends in Baal he died 6. Albeit God be angry at all sorts of Idolatry yet he is more especially provoked when a people do altogether renounce him and choose an Idol in his place for the object of their worship And when men will not repent for other Idolatry they are justly given up to this grosse defection to put the certainty of their destruction out of all controversie For whatever Israel thought of their calves and whatever was Gods controversie against them for them yet now when he offends in Baal it is undeniably just that he died as being under an abominable defection Vers 2. And now they sinne more and more and have made them molten Images of their silver and idols according to their own understanding all of it the worke of the crafts-men they say of them Let the men that sacrifice kisse the calves The second sin that destroyed them is their Idolatry in worshipping Images and calves notwithstanding this decay of their State and Gods preserving of them yet from utter destruction For albeit Jehu destroyed Baal and his worshippers and God did in some measure uphold the State of the Kingdome under his posterity yet the golden calves were still adhered unto yea they grew worse in following that sin and multiplied Images according to their own pleasure and fancy And the Rulers commanded and the people encouraged one another to kisse the calves as a
moe neck-breaks they have to meet with both by their own further sinful stumbling and by Gods breaking of them in pieces in due time For but the transsours shall fall therein by their own sinful stumbling at Gods Word and dealing Luk. 2.34 1 Pet. 2.8 and by Gods causing them to fall in end and come to miserable ruine Joel THE ARGUMENT THE time wherein this Prophet lived and exercised his function is not specified here nor any where else in Scripture Nor can it certainly be determined when that stroak of famine spoken of by him was inflicted That in the dayes of Jehoshaphat which came upon Israel under Joram according to the prediction of Elisha 2 Kings 8.1 cannot be it For here there is no word of Israel but only of Judah And upon the same ground it can hardly be conceived to be that which Amos spaâ—â— of as came upon Israel Am. 4.6 7 8 9. And therefore it may more probably be conceived to relate to that famine under Josiah Jer 14.1 2 c. However it be this may suffice us that as the Lord in wisdome points at the time of the Prophets their exercising of their calling when the Prophecy could not be so well understood without the knowledge of the History of that time So in this Prophet the determination of that question is not so needful seeing the purpose may be understood without it For in summe he denounceth and pointeth out a grievous famine to come upon Judah exhorting them to make right use of it by repenting and turning to God and subjoyning many promises for encouragement of the penitent both concerning their deliverance from that present rod and concerning the spirituall benefits of the Kingome of Christ and their recollection and restitution under the Gospel CHAP. I. IN this Chapter after the Inscription v. 1. First the Prophet propounds and describes the anger of God which was manifested or shortly to be manifested in a terrible judgement of famine He propoundeth it and that as singular and to be observed v. 2 3 4. and then he describeth and amplifieth it from several effects to affect them the more as namely that the scarcity should be such as should make drunkards to howl and weep v. 5 6 7. that want of publick services should be matter of bitter lamentation v. 8 9. that the desolate face of the land shall be a sad sight v. 10. and that the Husbandmen should be disappointed of their hopes and of the fruits of their labours v. 11 12. Secondly the Prophet prescribes the right use and true remedie of this calamity which is that they should humble themselves before God and deprecate his anger and therefore he exhorts the Priests to observe private fasts v. 13. and to call the body of the land to a publick humiliation that they may call on God v. 14. considering that that dreadful day was near at hand v. 15. that their meat and sacred solemnities were to be cut off v. 16. that it was but lost labour to sowe v. 17. that beasts and herds were made to groan out their life v. 18. and that the Prophet behoved to cry to God about it when he looked upon the desolate condition of the fields and how the beasts were put to cry to God v. 19 20. Verse 1. THe Word of the LORD that came to Joel the sonne of Pethuel This Inscription wherein the messenger is designed and the authority of his message asserted teacheth 1. What Gods servants deliver in his Name is not their own but should be looked on as Gods Word for it was the Word of the Lord that came to Joel He did not seigne this nor is it lesse the Word of God that God sent it by a weak man 2. The minde of God is not to be sought nor enquired after in the fanatick revelations of wilde spirits but in what he hath mediately delivered to the Church by his extraordinary officers and hath registrate in his Word for the Word of the Lord came to Joel the sonne of Pethuel and by his Ministery to the Church in all ages 3. It is Gods great mercy toward his Church that when stroaks are on or coming on them he leaveth them not without his Word which may expound his dealing toward them and direct them how to carry under it for in or about the time of this sad stroak the Word of the Lord came to Joel See Psal 94.12 4. The Lords sending diversity of messengers either at the same time or after other as here Joel is after many others and it may be with others and others also coming after him doth not only teach the alsufficiency of God to furnish many instruments and to raise up instruments to fill their room who are removed but it tends also to confirme the doctrine which is testified by so many witnesses and to convince the Church of obstinacy and incurablenesse if she contemn them and be not prevailed with by such variety of tempers and instruments See Matth. 11.16 17 18 19. Ver. 2. Heare this ye old men and give care all ye inhabitants of the land Hath this beene in your dayes or even in the dayes of your fathers 3. Tell ye your children of it and let your children tell their children and their children another generation 4. That which the palmer worme hath left hath the locust eaten and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten and that which the cankerworme hath left hath the caterpiller eaten The Prophet doth here propound this terrible judgement inflicted by the means of small insects or devouring vermine who coming in great multitudes one kinde after another did devoure the fruits of the ground so as little was left for man and beasts This he doth not propound nakedly but as singular and to be observed as such it was so singular that none of the eldest in Judah either by themselves or by report from their Progenitours had ever known the like and their posterity even to the fourth generation should never see the like but as the history of it should come to after ages they should think upon it as a prodigious judgement For clearing of this a little Consider â— Albeit these insects be only named here as the cause of their famine yet it seemeth also that either before or with or after them there was rotting unseasonable raines in seed-time v. 17. and a drought likewise causing it which is expressed under the name of withering v. 12. and of fire v. 19 20. which that it cannot be understood only of these creatures devouring all as fire doth is clear from v. 20. where it is the rivers of water are dried up 2. It is not necessary for us peremptorily to determine whether the Prophet speak of this as a judgement already lying on or shortly to be inflicted seeing it is usual with the Prophets to set out approaching judgements as if they were present and it is certain that some of these at
a thing impossible 5. As by the Law such as had not wherewith to make restitution did suffer in their persons Exod. 22.3 So the Lord by sad plagues will let enemies know that no lesse then their destruction can repaire the damage done by them to his people For saith he I will returne your recompence upon your own head that is as a man being offered an unworthy recompence doth in anger cast it at them again who presume to offer it So the Lord will let them know what the recompence must be and will returne upon their own head according as their injuries deserved 6. Albeit the Lord seem to delay long from avenging the injuries done to his people yet it doth not only certainly come at last but it doth surprize enemies and after he once beginneth to appear he will make a short work and so execute judgement as one hasting to be avenged In this respect it is that he saith swiftly and speedily will I returne your recomâ—ence 7. It is an horrid injury which God will avenge when men do spoile Gods people of the wealth he hath given them that so they may inrich themselves by their calamities or when they dare take away and intervert that which is devoted to him and his service for this is one part of the quarrel Because ye have taken my silver and my told and my goodly pleasant things whereby we may understand both the wealth and precious things bestowed upon his people which now in avenging the quarrel he owneth as his and these things that were laid up for his service in the Temple 8. This sin is yet more odious when men not only injustly take away what doth not belong to them but when all this purchase is consecrated to advance and cry up a false Religion For saith he ye have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things Not all which they had injustly taken away but these things that were most excellent and belike what they got of that which belonged to the Temple as an oblation to their Idols 9. As God hates cruelty especially against his people and that men should not only spoile them of their goods but bring themselves into slavery and bondage So it is an iniquity which he will avenge when men labour to make the condition of his people desperate and without hope of restitution that so they may possesse their rights For it is another branch of the quarrel the children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians with whom the Tyrians had commerce Ezek 27.2 13. that ye might remove them far from the border Vers 7. Behold I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them and will returne your recompence upon your own head 8. And I will sell your sonnes and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah and they shall sell them to the Sabeans to a people far off for the LORD hath spoken it In opposition unto and for a recompence of this their cruelty the Lord passeth sentence in favours of his people and against these whom he hath thus pleaded with Wherein he undertakes to gather his people and bring them from under that bondage and to reward these enemies by bringing them under the power of the Jewes who shall sell them for slaves to the remotest Arabians according as he hath determined Whence learn 1. Whatever mens projects be against the Church yet they will never gain their point against her For though they would have had the Jewes so far removed as they might never returne yet saith he I will raise them up 2. The Lord can restore his people when he pleaseth and when his time cometh neither his former rejecting of them nor their desperate condition will hinder it For though they sold them that they might never returne yet saith he I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them 3. God can deliver his people though their condition were as hopelesse as that dead men should be raised Ezek. 37.11 12. and though they were as little minding deliverance as men that are asleep For saith he I will raise them or awake them as the Original imports 4. The wonderfulnesse of what God promiseth should be no impediment to our faith for God both can and will bring about the deliverance of his people in an admirable way Behold saith he I will raise them 5. The triumphing of enemies for a long time is no ground of assurance that they shall still escape But God in due time and at the deliverance of his people will repay them for all they have done for when God doth all this for his people it is also added and will returne your recompence upon your own head 6. God will repay enemies in the same measure they have measured to his people and he may make his Church instrumental in it And however the judgement be executed yet he is still the principal agent in it For I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hands of the children of Judah or deliver them over into their hand and put them under their power to be at their disposal For so to sell is to be understood Judg. 2.14 and frequently and they shall sell them to the Sabeans to a people far off For the Sabeans were on the remote coasts of Arabia or it may be understood that these Sabeans should sell them to a people yet more remote In which sentence we ought to read the justice of God in dealing with them as they dealt with Judah 7. Gods Word is sufficient for the Church to rest upon in expecting greatest things And it may be sufficient ground of terrour to enemies that the Word hath spoken sad things against them Therefore it is added by way of confirmation for the Lord hath spoken it Vers 9. Proclaime ye thus among the Gentiles prepare warre wake up the mighty men let all the men of warre draw near let them come up 10. Beat your plow-shares into swords and your pruning-hookes into speares let the weak say I am strong 11. Assemble your selves and come all ye heathen and gather your selves together round about thither cause thy mighty ones to come downe O LORD 12. Let the heathen be wakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about Followeth the way of executing this sentence thus pronounced In recording whereof first in these Verses we have again the convocation of these enemies for that effect It is declared that they shall be gathered together by the effectual providence of God to fight against his people v. 9. That they shall prepare armour as much as they can and shall encourage one another to war wherein there shall be no vacation but even the weak shall take courage to go on in this enterprize v. 10. And that they should convene not a few but as many on every
when they had gone astray but they openly and avowedly refused when they were seriously invited See Jer. 8.4 5. Vers 6. And the sword shall abide on his cities and shall consume his branches and devour thee because of their own counsels Secondly the Lord threatens them with an abiding sword upon their cities and their villages which as branches spring out from the cities or on their bars that is their strong holds Rulers and valiant inhabitants and that because of their following their owne wayes and counsels rejecting the Lords Of this See Chap. 10.6 Doct. 1. The sword ought to be looked on as one of the Lords scourges because of his peoples ingratitude and abuse of mercies and their trusting to their own counsels and not regarding Gods Word For because of these provocations it is threatned here 2. The sword is then a most sharp scourge and speakes much of Gods displeasure when it rageth not only amongst armies in the fields but falls in upon Cities when it is universall upon Cities and branches or villages or Forts or Rulers and other inhabitants and when it continueth long thus and abideth till it consume and devour See Jer. 47.6 7. 3. However men trust much to their own inventions and projects neglecting God and his way as here is supposed Yet all this their wit and policy will be so far from holding off a judgement that on the contrary it doth draw it on For it is added as a reason of the sentence because of their owne counsels Vers 7. And my people are bent to backsliding from me though they called thee to the most High none at all would exalt him The first part of this v is by many taken as a further threatning that they should be in suspense and anxiety being pressed on every hand because of their backsliding from God Which though it be a truth in it selfe Deut. 28.66 and the word doth also signifie to be in suspense yet the Originall construction will not beare this interpretation for it is not because of but to backsliding Therefore I understand it with the translation as a second accusation against Israel for their backslidings to which they were so prone that their inclination and course did still hang sway and bend toward it And if they were at any time in suspense and doubt about their course as the word also imports yet all that but tended to more Apostasy and testified their inclination to it in that no such hesitation stopped their course This generall challenge is more particularly confirmed in the end of the v. from the ill entertainment they gave to the Messages sent by Gods servants to them Doct. 1. Backsliding and Apostasy is the great sin of the visible Church to which she hath a strong inclination naturally even in her best frame any other course she followeth being but a motion against nature For it is a challenge that they not only backslide from what they attained but are bent to backsliding See Chap. 6.4 2. Mens hanging sometime in suspense and having some inclinations to returne will neither double out their point against the power of corruption within them nor will it extenuate but rather aggreage their backsliding that it overfloweth such banks So much doth the other reading teach they are in suspense and yet it tends but to backsliding 3. The great backsliding of Gods people is their backsliding from God and communion with him which draweth on all other Apostasies and defections And every backsliding of the Church in duty or worship is a backsliding from God in so far as men thereby do renounce his prerogative to be the sovereigne Lord to prescribe their duty and the way of his own service and do renounce these wayes and means wherein only communion with God is to be found and intertained In these respects it is challenged that they backslide from me saith the Lord. 4. God will not forget a backsliding peoples interest and pretences of interest in him to aggravate their sin For it adds to the challenge my people are bent to backsliding It cannot but grieve God when these whom he hath choosen to be his peculiar people and hath put them in possession of speciall favours and gained their consent in part do recede from him as unworthy and do choose husks whereon the world feeds as the only desirable portion And it is a sad case when all a peoples priviledges and advantages serve only to make their ditty the sadder 5. As it is of the Lords great mercy that he ceaseth not to follow backsliders with Messages from his Word as here it is supposed that yet there were and that diverse and many who called them So by the entertainment that is given to the Word men may trie whether they have backsliden or not or whether they be persisting in it or turning from it For by this is the charge of Apostasy and bentnesse in following it proven in that they obeyed not the call though they called them none at all would exalt him 6. When the Lord by his Word reclaimes his people from their backsliding it is not because he needs them who is glorious and high in himselfe but for their own advantage For he called them from these base things which drew them away to the most high 7. We are never free of backsliding but when God is most high to us and in our estimation and when he is exalted in our hearts and in our respect to his commands and directions and conscience made of his praise the neglect whereof is an evidence of Apostasy and portends more of it For so is imported in that they are called from their backsliding to come to him as the most high and to exalt him 8. Backsliding is by so much the sadder and the cause of a greater quarrell that it is universall For none at all would exalt him but all refused the call Though it may be also understood and read together they exalted not that is not only with one consent they refused but they joyned not in that work as indeed want of union is a speciall mean of carrying on backsliding and defection Vers 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 repentings are kindled together In the second part of the Chap. the Lord comforts the godly against the imminent and deserved judgements with some blenks of his mercy And first in this v. the mercy of God is held forth in coming over their provocations to do any thing for them and interposing to hold off the extremity of judgements deserved by them wherein 1. It is insinuate by way of sentence for their Apostasy that their sins deserved hard things even such calamities as befell Sodom and the neighbouring Cities of which See Gen. 19.24 Deut. 29.23 But 2. in the execution the Lord was willing to make a stand