A69234:487
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.
Secondly, we here learn, that the Church doth only so 1long remain the spouse of God as she keepeth her marriage faith, loving and obeying, worshipping and serving him alone: but if she playeth the harlot, either by forsaking the true God and worshipping idols, or by so worshipping the true God as she worshippeth idols; that is, after an idolatrous manner, & not after the prescript rule of his word, this causeth the ⟨p. 190⟩Lord to divorce her from him, and to strip her of all his benefits. So that it is not sufficient for a Church, that she hath been the spouse of Christ, that she hath plighted he faith unto him, and worshipped him according to his word, unless she persevere in her faithfulness, love, and sincere and pure obedience; for this was the estate of the Israelites who were divorced for their apostasy. So that the Church of Rome doth in vain pretend her long continuance and succession of Bishops, to prove her self to be the spouse of Christ: seeing they have made an apostasy, breaking their faith, forsaking Gods pure worship, and embracing their own will-worships and inventions, worshipping in stead of the true God, their breaden god, Saints, Angels, crosses, crucifixes and images. And therefore having played the harlots, the mother together with the children, they were long ago divorced from God, and stripped of his spiritual benefits.
Secondly, we here learne, that the Church doth onely so 1long remaine the spouse of God as she keepeth her mariage faith, louing and obeying, worshipping and seruing him aloue: but if she plaieth ye harlot, either by forsaking the true God and worshipping idols, or by so worshipping the true God as she worshippeth idols; that is, after an idolatrous maner, & not after the prescript rule of his word, this causeth the ⟨p. 190⟩Lord to diuorce her from him, and to strip her of al his benenefits. So that it is not sufficient for a Church, that she hath been the spouse of Christ, that she hath plighted he faith vnto him, and worshipped him according to his word, vnlesse she perseuere in her faithfulnesse, loue, and sincere and pure obedience; for this was the estate of the Israelites who were diuorced for their apostasie. So that the Church of Rome doth in vaine pretend her long continuance and succession of Bishops, to prooue her selfe to be the spouse of Christ: seeing they haue made an apostasie, breaking their faith, forsaking Gods pure worship, and imbracing their owne will-worshippes and inuentions, worshipping in stead of the true God, their breaden god, Saints, Angels, crosses, crucifixes and images. And therefore hauing plaied the harlots, the mother together with the children, they were long agoe diuorced from God, and stripped of his spirituall benefits.