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…

And so much concerning their punishment generally expressed. In the next place it is particularly specified, Verse 10. For they shall eat and not have enough, they shall Verse 10 commit Adultery and shall not increase, because they have left off to take heed to the Lord. In which words he doth proportionate ¹a punishment to their sin, and withal adjoineth another cause of all the evil which he brought upon them. The punishment proportionable to their sin is, that whereas they bent their whole endeavour to pamper the belly, and to pass their days in all voluptuous excess, the Lord threateneth that they should spend all their labour in vain, for either they should not attain to that plenty which they so earnestly desired, or though they had abundance, yet he would with-draw his blessing and make all unprofitable, so as they should find no contentment in any thing which they enjoyed: and whereas they exceedingly desired to have store of children, unto whom they might leave that abundant wealth which they had covetously scraped by the wicked abuse of their office and Priest-hood, that so they might perpetuate their names and continue an everlasting memory of themselves in their posterity; and because they could not have so many children as they desired in lawful marriage, therefore gave themselves to unlawful lusts, and multiplied their adulteries, that so at least they might increase a bastardly brood, who might succeed them; the Lord threateneth that he would cross them in this their wicked purpose also; for howsoever they multiplied their whoredoms for increase, yet their posterity should not hereby be multiplied, but their name should perish notwithstanding all their wicked devices to continue it, and their wealth which they desired should be enjoyed by their children, should all come into ⟨p. 207⟩the hands of strangers.

ANd so much concerning their punishment generally expressed. In the next place it is particularly specified, Verse 10. For they shall eat and not haue enough, they shall Verse 10 commit Adulterie and shall not increase, because they haue left off to take heede to the Lord. In which words he doth proportionate ¹a punishment to their sinne, and withall adjoyneth another cause of all the euill which he brought vpon them. The punishment proportionable to their sin is, that whereas they bent their whole indeauour to pamper the belly, and to passe their dayes in all voluptuous excesse, the Lord threatneth that they should spend all their labour in vaine, for eyther they should not attaine to that plenty which they so earnestly desired, or though they had abundance, yet he would with-draw his blessing and make all vnprofitable, so as they should finde no contentment in any thing which they injoyed: and whereas they exceedingly desired to haue store of children, vnto whom they might leaue that abundant wealth which they had couetously scraped by the wicked abuse of their office and Priest-hood, that so they might perpetuate their names and continue an euerlasting memory of themselues in their posteritie; and because they could not haue so many children as they desired in lawfull marriage, therefore gaue themselues to vnlawfull lusts, and multiplyed their adulteries, that so at least they might increase a bastardly broode, who might succeed them; the Lord threatneth that he would crosse them in this their wicked purpose also; for howsoeuer they multipled their whoredomes for increase, yet their posteritie should not hereby bee multiplyed, but their name should perish notwithstanding all their wicked deuices to continue it, and their wealth which they desired should be injoyed by their children, should all come into