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…

This gracious promise of mercy and salvation, is made to the Jews, not for any excellency or worthiness, which was in them, which deserved such grace and mercy; for they also oftentimes had grievously rebelled against the Lord, and had provoked his wrath against them with their manifold sins, which reigned amongst them, especially by their gross idolatry, as may appear both by the history in the books of the Kings and Chronicles, and in the writings of the Prophets, which were sent unto them, to wit, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the rest. But this mercy is promised unto them, first, because they did not go forward in these sins with such obstinacy and impenitency as the Israelites did, but under the government of their godly Kings Jehoshaphat, ⟨p. 93⟩Hezekiah, Josiah, and the rest, oftentimes returned again to the Lord by true repentance, and forsaking their idolatry, restored Gods pure worship and service; and after they were led captive, they made profitable use of their afflictions, and harkened unto the voice of God brought unto them by his Prophets: whereas the Israelites, after their first defection under Jeroboam, never wholly turned unto the Lord, but grew worse and worse in their rebellion and gross idolatry. Secondly, God spared the Tribe of Judah, that he might perform his gracious promise which he had made to David; that there should not be wanting one to sit upon his seat, till the Messiah came, whose kingdom should be eternal: the which could not be accomplished, if this Tribe likewise had been utterly destroyed, or the kingdom altogether ceased.

This gratious promise of mercie and saluation, is made to the Iewes, not for any excellencie or worthines, which was in them, which deserued such grace and mercie; for they also oftentimes had grieuouslie rebelled against the Lord, and had prouoked his wrath against them with their manifold sins, which reigned amongst them, especially by their grosse idolatrie, as may appeare both by the historie in the bookes of the Kings and Chronicles, and in the writings of the Prophets, which were sent vnto them, to wit, Esay, Ieremie, and the rest. But this mercie is promised vnto them, first, because they did not goe forward in these sinnes with such obstinacie and impenitencie as the Israelites did, but vnder the gouernement of their godly Kings Iehosaphat, ⟨p. 93⟩Ezechias, Iosias, and the rest, oftentimes returned againe to the Lord by true repentance, and forsaking their idolatry, restored Gods pure worshippe and seruice; and after they were led captiue, they made profitable vse of their afflictions, and harkened vnto the voice of God brought vnto them by his Prophets: whereas the Israelites, after their first defection vnder Ieroboam, neuer wholly turned vnto the Lord, but grew worse and worse in their rebellion and grosse idolatry. Secondly, God spared the Tribe of Iuda, that he might performe his gratious promise which he had made to Dauid; that there should not be wanting one to sit vpon his seate, till the Messias came, whose kingdome should be eternall: the which could not be accomplished, if this Tribe likewise had been vtterly destroyed, or the kingdome altogether ceased.