A69234:465
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.
The persons against whom this punishment is denounced, are the children of the adulterous mother; And I will have no pity upon her children. Whereas he saith, And I will, &c. by this connection he signifieth, that unless his adulterous spouse whom he had divorced, would take away her fornications and adulteries by true repentance, he would not content himself with her divorce and spoil, but he would go forward in his course of just vengeance, to inflict the like ⟨p. 180⟩punishments upon her children.
The persons against whom this punishment is denounced, are the children of the adulterous mother; And I will haue no pitie vpon her children. Whereas he saith, And I will, &c. by this connexion he signifieth, that vnlesse his adulterous spouse whom hee had diuorced, would take away her fornications and adulteries by true repentance, he would not content himselfe with her diuorce and spoile, but hee would goe forward in his course of iust vengeance, to inflict the like ⟨p. 180⟩punishments vpon her children.
Where as by mother, we are to understand in general the whole Synagogue & Church of Israel, especially their magistrates, superiors & governors, both ecclesiastical and civil; so by the children we are to understand the particular members of this Church, especially subjects and inferiors. For the Lord contenteth not himself with a general denunciation of his heavy judgements against the whole Church; but he descendeth to particulars, and specially applieth his threatenings to every particular member of this body, that so he may bring the mother and the children, the whole body and the several parts, superiors and inferiors unto true repentance. Superiors when as they consider, that not only they themselves shall have the greatest measure of punishment inflicted on them, because by their authority and example they have bin the ringleaders unto all wickedness; but also that the poor people committed to their charge (whom they ought as tenderly to love as the kind mother her dear children) shall through their bad example and ill government, fall into the like sins, & so be made obnoxious to the like punishments. So likewise inferiors may be drawn to repentance, when as they consider that their following of the example of their superiors, and obeying their authority in evil, will not privilege them from Gods judgements; but being partakers with them in sin, they shall also be partakers of their punishments.