A69234:159
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.
Secondly, though idolatry is a far greater sin then adultery, yet when it is called by this name it is aggravated, not in it own nature, but according to mens conceit and opinion; who make light account of the sins of the first table, as idolatry, blasphemy, breaking the Sabbath, but think the sins of the second table very heinous in respect of the other, as murder adultery, theft and such like. And therefore the Lord calleth them by the names of these sins, which we can better judge of, to make them as they are odious and heinous in their own nature, so also to appear unto us. As if a man having to deal with a loving child, and intending to aggravate the heinousness of this sin of murdering the prince, should compare it to parricide, he should to his conceit make it appear much more grievous, although it be a far more heinous and pernicious sin to murder the prince, who is the father of the country, then a mans own natural parent.
Secondly, though idolatrie is a farre greater sinne then adulterie, yet when it is called by this name it is aggrauated, not in it own nature, but according to mens conceit and opinion; who make light account of the sins of the first table, as idolatrie, blasphemie, breaking the Sabbath, but thinke the sinnes of the second table very hainous in respect of the other, as murther adulterie, theft and such like. And therfore the Lord calleth them by the names of these sinnes, which we can better iudge of, to make them as they are odious and hainous in their owne nature, so also to appeare vnto vs. As if a man hauing to deale with a louing child, and intending to aggrauate the hainousnesse of this sinne of murthering the prince, should compare it to parricide, he should to his conceit make it appeare much more grieuous, although it be a farre more hainous and pernitious sinne to murther the prince, who is the father of the countrie, then a mans owne naturall parent.
And these are the things which are to be observed out of 1the name. The fourth thing to be observed, is, that he saith, they had committed great whoredoms, and also continued in them: wherein we may note the nature as of all other sins, so of this sin of idolatry. For if once it be entertained, it knoweth no limits nor bounds; but with the heat of blind fury, & ignorant superstition, it carrieth men as it were hoodwinked into all gross and abominable impiety: so that there is no creature in heaven or earth so base and contemptible, which the Idolater in his blind devotion will not worship in the place of God, as appeareth,