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…

Fourthly, he saith, that their hearts were so wholly set upon their idols, and that they followed them with such great earnestness and intention of mind, that they forgot the Lord; like unto harlots, who are so bewitched, and wholly transported with a fury of blind love, or rather lust towards their lovers, that they altogether forget their lawful husbands, and all the benefits which they have received from them. So that here he aggravateth the impious folly, and more then brutish blockishness of this people, who were so blinded, and even drunken in their idolatrous superstitions, that neither Gods word, nor his works, neither his blessings and benefits, nor his judgements and punishments, would put them in mind of God, and of those duties which they owed unto him. But how could the Israelites be said to have forgotten God, seeing still they professed themselves his people, and performed some kind of service unto him? I answer, they are said to forget him, because they did not remember him to be such a God, as he had revealed himself in his word; namely, that he was a Spirit most holy, most pure, and infinite in all perfections, but figured and represented him in a little image, whom heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain; and because they forgot to perform unto him that pure worship, which he had enjoined unto them in his word, and in stead thereof, offered unto him their own will-worship, and the idolatrous inventions of their own brain: and thus one is said to forget another, when they forget to perform those things, which the one required, and the other promised.

Fourthly, he saith, that their hearts were so wholly set vpon their idols, and that they followed them with such great earnestnes and intention of minde, that they forgate the Lord; like vnto harlots, who are so bewitched, and wholly transported with a furie of blind loue, or rather lust towards their louers, that they altogether forget their lawfull husbands, and all the benefits which they haue receiued from them. So that heere he aggrauateth the impious folly, and more then brutish blockishnes of this people, who were so blinded, and euen drunken in their idolatrous superstitions, that neither Gods word, nor his works, neither his blessings and benefits, nor his iudgements and punishments, would put them in minde of God, and of those duties which they owed vnto him. But how could the Israelites be said to haue forgotten God, seeing still they professed themselues his people, and performed some kind of seruice vnto him? I answere, they are said to forget him, because they did not remē ber him to be such a God, as he had reuealed himselfe in his word; namely, that he was a Spirit most holy, most pure, and infinite in all perfections, but figured and represented him in a little image, whom heauen, and the heauen of heauens cannot containe; and because they forgat to performe vnto him that pure worship, which he had enioyned vnto them in his word, and in stead thereof, offered vnto him their owne wilworship, and the idolatrous inuentions of their owne braine: and thus one is said to forget another, when they forget to performe those things, which the one required, and the other promised.