An exposition of the prophecy of Hosea begun in divers lectures upon the first…An exposition of the prophesie of Hosea begun in divers lectures vpon the first…

And shameful also it is because it holdeth forth this, that we dare not trust §1God for our civill estate and for our peace, therefore Religion must come under.

And shamefull also it is because it holdeth forth this, that we dare not trust §1God for our civill estate and for our peace, therefore Religion must come under.

Shameful it is again because it is gross folly, for there is no such way to §2breed disturbance in a politic state, no such way to undo a State, as to make Religion an underling to policy. Was it not so here? That very way that they took to uphold their policy was the way to destroy their State, & did destroy it at last, even their corrupting of Gods worship.

Shamefull it is again because it is grosse folly, for there is no such way to §2breede disturbance in a politicke state, no such way to undoe a State, as to make Religion an underling to policie. Was it not so here? That very way that they tooke to uphold their policie was the way to destroy their State, & did destroy it at last, even their corrupting of Gods worship.

What cause had they then to be ashamed of this, that God should take that which they thought to help themselves by, and make that the very thing that should cause their ruin? And certainly it will be so, they that are of the deepest and politicest fetches and reaches, if they think to secure themselves and preserve their peace, out of that principle, so as Religion must come under, and must be serviceable, it will appear at last they do shamefully, God will make them ashamed of it one way or other, it will be the only way to undo themselves and us. I confess in matters of Religion there are some commands that are affirmative precepts: These though they doe ligare semper, yet not ad semper, there is not a necessity that at every time and instant they should be urged, so that it may be that a people may be in such a frame that men cannot but by degrees bring in a reformation to the height of it, and then it is not carnal policy to bring in such ways of God gradually, as are commanded by affirmative precepts; but negative precepts binde semper and adsemper, and the State must look to that, that they do nothing against Christ out of policy that they do not hinder by any positive Law the way of Christ, for though Christ may be willing to forbear some Ordinances for a time, and he doth it out of mercy to a people, he saith he will have mercy and not sacrifice, but Christ will never bear that there should be any thing done against him in that time. If they should out of any State policy to preserve peace, or to gratify an evil party, sacrifice any part of Religion, or any godly person, this will prove a shameful thing, Christ accounts