This Prophet was sent to the ten Tribes, to apostate Israel; God threatened dreadful evils against them, and yet from the beginning of this 14. verse to the end of the Chapter, maketh Gracious promises unto them. I shall only thus premise, that the scope of the Holy Ghost here is to show mercy ⟨p. 376⟩to discover the Mercy of God to Apostatizing Israel in a way of conjugal union, that though she had gone a whoring from God in regard of her idolatrous worship, yet God was contented upon her repentance to take her again, and to marry her unto himself, and therefore all along the Prophet suits himself with such expressions, that signify Gods willingness to marry himself unto her again, in that way as they did use to manifest their conjugal love unto their Spouses, and that being premised will help us to understand many expressions both in the words read, and in the succeeding part of the Chapter, that otherwise would be very obscure to us, and especially that in verse, 14. I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her, this may be taken for bringing her into affliction, and then speaking comfortably to her, but that is not the scope of the Holy Ghost here, it was only taken from the way of Marriage, to carry the spouse out of the City into the field that was a heath and a common, and so had the term of a wilderness, and there rejoicing, and so bringing of her into the City and carrying of her to his Fathers house; and that I might show out of diverse places of scripture, especially out of the Canticles, who is this that cometh from the Wilderness, The Holy Ghost taking this allusion from thence, so that the meaning of this expression is nothing else, but I will deal graciously with her, as one that Marries a spouse, and carries her out of the City into the field, and there rejoiceth with her, and speaks comfortably to her; The main doctrinal conclusion which I intend to go through, shall be raised from these words, I will give her the valley of Achor for a door of hope, for I •hall speak to no more then one point of Doctrine, raised from those words, I will give her the valley of Achor for a door of hope▪ It will be necessary therefore before I tell you the doctrinal point to open these words unto you, The valley of Achor.
THis Prophet was sent to the ten Tribes, to apostate Israel; God threatened dreadful evills against them, and yet from the begining of this 14. verse to the end of the Chapter, maketh Gratious promises unto them. I shal only thus premise, that the scope of the Holy Ghost here is to shew mercy ⟨p. 376⟩to discover the Mercy of God to Apostatizing Israel in a way of conjugal union, that though she had gone a whoring from God in regard of her idolatrous worship, yet God was contented upon her repentance to take her again, and to marry her unto himself, and therefore al along the Prophet suits himself with such expressions, that signify Gods willingness to marry himself unto her again, in that way as they did use to manifest their conjugal love unto their Spouses, and that being premised wil help us to understand many expressions both in the words read, and in the succeeding part of the Chapter, that otherwise would be very obscure to us, and especially that in verse, 14. I wil allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her, this may be taken for bringing her into affliction, and then speaking comfortably to her, but that is not the scope of the Holy Ghost here, it was only taken from the way of Marriage, to carry the spouse out of the City into the field that was a heath and a common, and so had the terme of a wilderness, and there rejoycing, and so bringing of her into the City and carrying of her to his Fathers house; and that I might shew out of diverse places of scripture, especially out of the Canticles, who is this that cometh from the Wilderness, The Holy Ghost taking this allusion from thence, so that the meaning of this expression is nothing else, but I wil deal gratiously with her, as one that Marries a spouse, and carries her out of the City into the field, and there rejoyceth with her, and speakes comfortably to her; The main doctrinal conclusion which I intend to go through, shal be raised from these words, I wil give her the vally of Achor for a door of hope, for I •hall speak to no more then one point of Doctrine, raised from those words, I wil give her the vally of Achor for a door of hope▪ It wil be necessary therefore before I tell you the doctrinal point to open these words unto you, The vally of Achor.
