A69234:1293
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…
Lectures upon the four first chapters of the prophecy of Hosea Wherein the text is expounded and cleared, and such profitable instructions observed, and applied, as naturally arise out of this holy Scripture, and are fit for these times. By John Downame Bachelor in Divinity, and preacher of Gods word.Lectures vpon the foure first chapters of the prophecie of Hosea Wherein the text is exponded and cleered, and such profitable instructions obserued, and applied, as naturally arise out of this holie Scripture, and are fit for these times. By Iohn Dovvname Bacheler in Diuinitie, and preacher of Gods word.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston and T. East for William Welby, 1608
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Moreover it is called the spirit of fornications, rather then ⟨p. 229⟩the spirit of idolatry, not only because he would persist in the former allegory of marriage, but also that hereby he might point out as it were in lively colours the disposition of idolaters. As though he would say, it fareth with these filthy idolaters, as with unclean adulterers; who are so blinded and inflamed with their lust, and so besotted and hardened by their vice, that without either shame or wit, like brute beasts they run headlong into their sin, and into all those mischiefs which do accompany it, as though they were utterly deprived of all judgement and understanding. And for this cause also he useth the plural number fornications, rather then the singular, to note both their furious earnestness and their accustomed practise in committing this sin.
Moreouer it is called the spirit of fornications, rather then ⟨p. 229⟩the spirit of idolatrie, not onely because he would persist in the former allegorie of marriage, but also that hereby he might point out as it were in liuely colours the disposition of idolaters. As though he would say, it fareth with these filthy idolaters, as with vncleane adulterers; who are so blinded and inflamed with their lust, and so besotted and hardned by their vice, that without either shame or wit, like brute beasts they runne headlong into their sinne, and into all those mischeifes which doe accompany it, as though they were vtterly depriued of all judgement and vnderstanding. And for this cause also he vseth the plurall number fornications, rather then the singular, to note both their furious earnestnesse and their accustomed practise in committing this sinne.
Whereby he plainly showeth that howsoever their Priests utterly neglected their duty, yet were not the people hereby excused of their sins; both because they gave themselves to voluptuous pleasures and thereby were deprived of their understandings, and became prone unto all wickedness, and also because they were not only outwardly mislead by their false teachers, but also had inwardly in themselves a spirit of fornications, that is, a vehement proneness unto idolatry, wherewith they were wholly besotted.