A69234:802
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 Next point to be considered is the baseness of their estate in their captivity, signified by the price here given for the Adulteress, to wit, fifteen pieces of silver. What was the precise quantity of this sum it is uncertain, neither is it material to the understanding of the Prophets purpose, only this we are to know, that the Prophet maketh mention of a certain price given, that he might in more lively manner set forth this vision as a thing done, & hereby more feelingly affect his hearers: & secondly, that this Adulteress was bought at a very low rate, seeing there is such a slender price payed for her, as fifteen silver pieces.
The Next point to be considered is the basenesse of their estate in their captiuitie, signified by the price here giuen for the Adultresse, to wit, fifteene peeces of siluer. What was the precise quantitie of this summe it is vncertaine, neyther is it materiall to the vnderstanding of the Prophets purpose, onely this we are to know, that the Prophet maketh mention of a certaine price giuen, that he might in more liuely manner set forth this vision as a thing done, & hereby more feelingly affect his hearers: & secondly, that this Adultresse was bought at a very low rate, seeing there is such a slender price payed for her, as fifteene siluer peeces.
For there was three sorts of silver coin in use amongst the Israelites, the Shekel of the Sanctuary, which was about two shillings four pence in value, and this had on the one side Aaron's rod, and on the other, the pot of Manna: the common or half Shekel, amounting to fourteen pence; and the Gerah or Obolus, which was about the value of our ⟨p. 15⟩three half-pence. Now we are not to understand these words of the Shekel of the Sanctuary, which was only the price of holy things, and therefore not of an adulteress; and if we understand them of the common Shekel, then the whole price amounted but to the sum of seventeen shillings and six pence, which was given for this Adulteress: whereby the base estate and contemptible condition of this harlot is showed, in that she is valued at less then a slave or captive. For if an Ox gored a servant, the owner was bound to give to the master thirty Shekels in recompense, as appeareth,