A69234:460
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.
Thirdly, we may observe, that because the Church of Israel did not repent upon the hearing of the divorce proclaimed, 1therefore the Lord threateneth an other punishment, namely, that he would strip and spoil them of all his gifts. So that although in his love and patience he doth not presently after he had divorced them, deprive them of his benefits, but giveth them a time to make use of his former punishment; yet his justice will not ever suffer him to wink at their sins; but if his first judgement will not reclaim them, he will go forward to a second, which usually is more grievous then the first. Notwithstanding in this he first denounceth the divorce, which is the greater punishment, and after the withdrawing of his gifts, which is the less; for separation from God is infinitely a more heavy judgement then to be deprived of all other happiness. And this he doth, because howsoever these things are in their own nature, yet to worldly men and profane hypocrites, the loss of God is more lightly esteemed then the loss of his gifts; for so they may enjoy their worldly glory, riches, and delights, they can be content to live deprived of Gods favour, and to be divorced from him. And therefore the Lord fitteth his speech to them, showing that if this heavy judgement of separation from himself, would not touch them ⟨p. 177⟩with any sense of their misery, he had an other judgement in store for them, which he knew they would feelingly apprehend; to wit, the withdrawing of his gifts and benefits from them, which they far better loved then himself.
Thirdly, we may obserue, that because the Church of Israel did not repent vpon the hearing of the diuorce proclamed, 1therefore the Lord threatneth an other punishment, namely, that he would strip and spoile them of all his gifts. So that although in his loue and patience he doth not presently after he had diuorced them, depriue them of his benefits, but giueth them a time to make vse of his former punishment; yet his iustice will not euer suffer him to winke at their sinnes; but if his first iudgement will not reclaime them, he will goe forward to a second, which vsually is more grieuous then the first. Notwithstanding in this he first denounceth the diuorce, which is the greater punishment, and after the withdrawing of his gifts, which is the lesse; for separation from God is infinitely a more heauy iudgement then to be depriued of all other happinesse. And this hee doth, because howsoeuer these things are in their owne nature, yet to worldly men and prophane hypocrites, the losse of God is more lightly esteemed then the losse of his gifts; for so they may inioy their worldly glory, riches, and delights, they can bee content to liue depriued of Gods fauour, and to be diuorced from him. And therefore the Lord fitteth his speech to them, shewing that if this heauy iudgement of separation from himselfe, would not touch them