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…

But let us come to the words themselves. And I will also cause all her mirth to cease. Where the Lord threateneth that he would take away all joy and rejoicing which they took in their ceremonial worship, and the outward pomp of their religion, especially in their feasts and solemn assemblies. Yea but this mirth & rejoicing in their solemn feasts was commanded by God: Deut. 16. 14. Thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, &c. And therefore the day of their feasting was called ¹a day of gladness, Numb. 10. 10. why therefore doth the Lord threaten to take this mirth from them which himself enjoined? I answer, because they did not rejoice in him but in their Idols, neither did they rejoice with a spiritual joy, with thankful hearts lauding and praising God, which the Lord, under the type of their external mirth, especially required, and therefore their outward worship which was also idolatrous, being severed from the inward worship of the Spirit, was odious in Gods sight: as appeareth by the like places, Esa. 1. 13. 14. Amos 5. 23. 8. 10. Her feast days] As ²the feast of blowing Trumpets, which was celebrated in the first day of the seventh month, as appeareth Levit. 23. 24. The feast of Expiation in the 10. day of the seventh month, as we may see, Numb. 29. 7. Levit. 16. 30. Her new Moons] ³Which were in the first day of every month, Numb. 28. 11. Levit. 23. 24