A69234:499
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 end why the Lord thus dealeth with them, is expressed in these words, That she should not find her paths: whereby is meant, that the Lord would therefore hedge and wall them in with afflictions, that they should not go forward in their ordinary course of committing idolatry: the which is called her paths, because, as by often going in the same way, a path is made by the continual treading of mens feet; so she so usually and commonly frequented her Idols, that her idolatries seemed as her path and common way, wherein she daily and continually walked.
The end why the Lord thus dealeth wirh them, is expressed in these words, That she should not find her pathes: wherby is meant, that the Lord would therefore hedge and wall them in with afflictions, that they should not go forward in their ordinarie course of committing idolatrie: the which is called her pathes, because, as by often going in the same way, a path is made by the continuall treading of mens feet; so shee so vsually and commonly frequented her Idols, that her idolatries seemed as her path and common way, wherin she daily and continually walked.
And this is the meaning of these words. The instructions 1that we are to gather out of them, are these. First, we may observe, that howsoever the Lord doth often suffer the wicked and reprobate to go forward in their sins, without any check and controlment, and to have a prosperous course, and wished success in their wicked designs, without any let or hinderance; yet he dealeth not thus with those that belong unto his election: but if they, through the corruption of the flesh, either of ignorance, or of infirmity, resolve to prosecute wicked courses, though he may suffer them for a time, yet in the end he will lay in their way the thorns of crosses and afflictions, to hinder them from achieving their ⟨p. 196⟩wicked ends; that so being stayed, they may return back again unto him by true repentance. So he suffered the Gentiles to go forward without stop, in their idolatries: but when the Israelites forsook him, and followed idols, he laid continually thorns of affliction in their way, to cause them to desist in their course, and to return unto him, as appeareth in the history of the Judges, and the Kings: the like examples we have in Jonah, in David,