A69234:412
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.
But let us come to the exposition of the words, and after 1observe the doctrines which arise out of them. Plead with your mother. These words may seem to contradict the former: for there the Lord promiseth, that he would gather his Church, and unite them unto Christ, that he might be her head, she his members, he her husband, and she his spouse; and now presently he threateneth that he will give her a bill of divorce, and break off the marriage between them. But we are to know, that the former words were an Evangelical promise, which was not presently to be performed, but in the time of the Gospel, after the coming of Christ: but in the mean time because the Israelites were not terrified with the former threatenings, nor allured to repentance by Gods gracious promises, therefore having by y• former consolations comforted Gods ⟨p. 154⟩children amongst them, who were truly humbled; now he beginneth again to thunder out Gods threatenings against the obdurate and impenitent, showing that notwithstanding God would extend such mercy to the faithful in the time of the Gospel, yet this should be no privilege to exempt them who lived in impenitency from Gods judgements, but he would for their sins certainly reject them, unless they speedily repented of them. And this is usual with the Prophets, to intermix mercy with judgements, consolations with threatenings, that neither the humbled may despair, nor the obdurate and impenitent presume: as also to mingle their prophecies which concerned the present time, with those which concerned the kingdom of the Messiah, in the time of Gospel; for as their main end was to point at Christ, that at his coming their prophecies being fulfilled in him, he might be received; so they were not to neglect their present auditory, but by showing their sins and Gods judgements, to bring them to God by true repentance. And if this be observed it will give great light to the understanding of them, whereas contrariwise the not observing hereof causeth great confusion and obscurity.
But let vs come to the exposition of the words, and after 1obserue the doctrines which arise out of them. Plead with your mother. These wordes may seeeme to contradict the former: for there the Lord promiseth, that he would gather his Church, and vnite them vnto Christ, that he might be her head, she his members, he her husband, and she his spouse; and now presently he threatneth that he wil giue her a bil of diuorce, and break off the mariage between them. But we are to know, that the former words were an Euangelical promise, which was not presently to be performed, but in the time of the Gospel, after the cōming of Christ: but in the meane time because the Israelites were not terrified with ye former threatnings, nor allured to repētance by Gods gracious promises, therfore hauing by y former consolations comforted Gods