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…

So likewise this sin of Ignorance did lye heavy upon the people, for howsoever the Priests utterly neglected their duty in teaching and instructing them, yet the people were not hereby excused: First, because they willingly suffered themselves to be hood-winked by their Priests, and were contented to be nuzzled in ignorance by these blind guides, choosing rather to go on securely in their sins without admonition or reproof, then to be troubled by any means in their evil courses. Secondly, because though the Priests neglected their duty, yet they had Gods Prophets sent unto them, to inform them in the knowledge of gods truth, whom they despised and refused to hear as hath been showed. Thirdly, in that they had the word and Law of God written, delivered unto them, out of which through painful reading and meditation they might have attained unto some knowledge. So that their case was unlike the case of the Gentiles, who had only the light of nature, and so remained in ignorance because they wanted the means of saving knowledge: whereas they had the law and oracles of God committed unto them, the which were faithfully expounded unto them by Gods Prophets, but they neglected the reading of the Law, and contemned the admonitions and instructions of the Prophets, and so were ignorant because they would be ignorant, and loved the darkness of error better then the light of Gods truth. And this is Emphatically implied, whereas the Lord doth say (not the people but) my people: that is, this my people, with whom I have made my Covenant, and unto whom I have given my Law, and sent my Prophets to instruct them in my truth, even they are destroyed for want of knowledge.

So likewise this sinne of Ignorance did lye heauy vpon the people, for howsoeuer the Priests vtterly neglected their duety in teaching and instructing them, yet the people were not hereby excused: First, because they willingly suffered themselues to bee hud-winckt by their Priests, and were contented to be nuzled in ignorance by these blinde guides, chusing rather to goe on securely in their sinnes without admonition or reproofe, then to be troubled by any meanes in their euil courses. Secondly, because though the Priests neglected their duetie, yet they had Gods Prophets sent vnto them, to informe them in the knowledge of gods truth, whom they despised and refused to heare as hath beene shewed. Thirdly, in that they had the word and Law of God written, deliuered vnto them, out of which through painfull reading and meditation they might haue attained vnto some knowledge. So that their case was vnlike the case of the Gentiles, who had onely the light of nature, and so remained in ignorance because they wanted the meanes of sauing knowledge: whereas they had the law and oracles of God committed vnto them, the which were faithfully expounded vnto them by Gods Prophets, but they neglected the reading of the Law, and contemned the admonitions and instructions of the Prophets, and so were ignorant because they would be ignorant, and loued the darknesse of errour better then the light of Gods truth. And this is Emphatically implyed, whereas the Lord doth say (not the people but) my people: that is, this my people, with whom I haue made my Couenant, and vnto whom I haue giuen my Law, and sent my Prophets to instruct them in my truth, euen they are destroyed for want of knowledge.