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…

Now because the Prophet had deferred the accomplishing of that promise unto the time of the Messiah, the hypocrites would be ready in the second place to object; that God had promised perpetually and continually to be their God, and that they should be his people; and therefore if he did reject them, though it were but for a time, he must needs be untrue of his promise. To this the Prophet answereth, that ⟨p. 156⟩this imputation was not to be laid upon God, but upon their mother the Synagogue and Church of Israel: for whereas the Lord had joined her in marriage unto himself, a mutual stipulation being made between them; on the Lords part, that he would acknowledge her as his spouse, protect her, and multiply his benefits upon her; on her part, that she would keep her conjugal faith plighted unto him, and wholly and only reserve her self for his worship and service; she had broken her covenant and falsified her faith, by forsaking the Lord, and prostituting her self unto idols, and had most unthankfully ascribed unto them, all those benefits which the Lord had bestowed upon her. And therefore their divorce was not to be ascribed unto any inconstancy or cruelty in God, but to their own whoredoms and unthankfulness.

Now because the Prophet had deferred the accomplishing of that promise vnto the time of the Messias, the hypocrits would be ready in the second place to obiect; that God had promised perpetually and continually to be their God, and that they should be his people; and therefore if he did reiect them, though it were but for a time, he must needes be vntrue of his promise. To this the Prophet answereth, that ⟨p. 156⟩this imputation was not to be laid vpon God, but vpon their mother the Synagogue and Church of Israel: for whereas the Lord had ioyned her in mariage vnto himselfe, a mutuall stipulation being made betweene them; on the Lords part, that he would acknowledge her as his spouse, protect her, and multiply his benefits vpon her; on her part, that shee would keepe her coniugall faith plighted vnto him, and wholly and onely reserue her selfe for his worship and seruice; shee had broken her couenant and falsified her faith, by forsaking the Lord, and prostituting her selfe vnto idols, and had most vnthankfully ascribed vnto them, all those benefits which the Lord had bestowed vpon her. And therefore their diuorce was not to be ascribed vnto any inconstancy or cruelty in God, but to their owne whoredomes and vnthankfulnesse.