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 thus much concerning the meaning of the words. ¹The doctrines which do hence arise are divers: First we may here observe that as the Lord giveth over those whose estate is desperate and incurable to run on in the headlong ⟨p. 288⟩course of sin, to their destruction. So contrariwise where there remaineth the least show of hope he never forsaketh his people, but useth all means to bring them to Repentance, that they may be saved. An example hereof we have in this place, for when the people of Israel were past cure, he causeth his Prophet to labour with the men of Judah for their reformation, who were not so deeply sunk in rebellion. So when neither the heavenly Sermons, nor wonderful Miracles of Jesus Christ, would draw the Jews to repentance, he causeth the Apostles to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, that they at least might be gathered to his Church, and that hereby in an holy emulation the Jews also might be converted to the Faith. So although the Land of Judah was exceedingly defiled with sin, so as from the crown of the head unto the sole of the foot there was nothing sound in this politic body, yet doth he when they professed open enmity, call them to a parley, offering unto them reasonable conditions of Peace, namely, that if they would turn unto him, by unfeigned repentance, he would make their scarlet sins as white as snow. Isaiah. 1. 18.²

And thus much concerning the meaning of the words. ¹The doctrines which doe hence arise are diuers: First vve may here obserue that as the Lord giueth ouer those whose estate is desperate and incurable to runne on in the headlong ⟨p. 288⟩course of sinne, to their destruction. So contrariwise where there remayneth the least shew of hope hee neuer forsaketh his people, but vseth all meanes to bring them to Repentaunce, that they may bee saued. An example hereof wee haue in this place, for when the people of Israell were past cure, hee causeth his Prophet to labour with the men of Iuda for their reformation, who were not so deepely sunke in rebellion. So when neyther the heauenly Sermons, nor wonderfull Miracles of Iesus Christ, would draw the Iewes to repentance, hee causeth the Apostles to preach the Gospell to the Gentiles, that they at least might bee gathered to his Church, and that hereby in an holy emulation the Iewes also might bee converted to the Faith. So although the Land of Iuda vvas exceedingly defiled with sin, so as from the crowne of the head vnto the sole of the foote there was nothing sound in this polliticke body, yet doth hee when they professed open emnitie, call them to a parley, offering vnto them reasonable conditions of Peace, namely, that if they would turne vnto him, by vnfained repentance, hee would make their scarlet sinnes as white as snow.