Lectures upon the four first chapters of the prophecy of Hosea Wherein the text…Lectures vpon the foure first chapters of the prophecie of Hosea Wherein the text…

The third thing to be observed is the senseless hardness ¹of mans heart, and the secure impenitency of our corrupt nature; whereby it cometh to pass, that neither Gods mercies nor judgements, will any whit affect us, if the Lord give us over to our own obdurate stubbornness; for even when the senseless and brutish creatures, are in their kind affected, both with Gods mercies and judgements, only man remaineth without sense and feeling. The heavens veil their face & shed forth their tears; the earth groaneth & shaketh; the waters roar & swell; the beasts, fowls & fishes mourn and hang down their heads, showing their inward grief, by that divers language which God hath given them, when as the Lord is angry and layeth his heavy hand upon them; only man the chief rebel of the world smileth when God frowneth, and though he be somewhat touched with sense of pain, yet he sorroweth only because he is punished, and not because by his sins he hath deserved punishment. And hence it is that the Lord sometimes turneth his speech from man, because he hath no ears to hear, nor hart to understand, nor sense to feel and apprehend his mercies or judgements, unto the senseless and brutish creatures; to note unto us that the senseless creatures are more sensible then a senseless man. So Isaiah 1. 2. 3. Jer. 22. 29.²

The third thing to be obserued is the senslesse hardnes ¹of mans heart, and the secure impenitencie of our corrupt nature; whereby it commeth to passe, that neither Gods mercies nor judgements, will any whit affect vs, if the Lord giue vs ouer to our owne obdurate stubbernesse; for euen when the senslesse and brutish creatures, are in their kinde affected, both with Gods mercies and judgements, only man remayneth without sense and feeling. The heauens vaile their face & shed forth their teares; the earth groneth & shaketh; the waters roare & swell; the beasts, foules & fishes mourne and hang down their heads, shewing their inward griefe, by that diuers language which God hath giuen them, when as the Lord is angry and layeth his heauie hand vpon them; onely man the chiefe rebell of the world smileth when God frowneth, and though he be somewhat touched with sense of paine, yet hee sorroweth onely because hee is punished, and not because by his sinnes hee hath deserued punishment. And hence it is that the Lord sometimes turneth his speach from man, because he hath no eares to heare, nor hart to vnderstand, nor sense to feele and apprehend his mercies or judgements, vnto the senselesse and brutish creatures; to note vnto vs that the senselesse creatures are more sensible then a senselesse man. So Esay 1. 2.