A69234:842
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.
So that hereby it appeareth, in what the widow-hood of the Church of Israel consisted; namely, that she should have no sign of Gods presence, in the civil government, for she should have no King nor Magistrate; nor yet in the ⟨p. 32⟩Church, for she should have no offering, nor Ephod, that is, no Priesthood, nor public means of worshipping God, according to his word. Neither yet should she follow her lovers, and commit Idolatry with them; for she should not worship the true God after a false manner, as Jeroboam did in images; nor the heathen idols, for she should be without a Teraphim.
So that hereby it appeareth, in what the widdow-hood of the Church of Israell consisted; namely, that she should haue no signe of Gods presence, in the ciuell gouernment, for she should haue no King nor Magistrate; nor yet in the ⟨p. 32⟩Church, for she should haue no offring, nor Ephod, that is, no Priesthood, nor publike meanes of worshipping God, according to his word. Neither yet should shee follow her louers, and commit Idolatrie with them; for she should not worship the true God after a false manner, as Ieroboam did in images; nor the heathen idols, for she should be without a Teraphim.
Now the Lords end in all this was, that he might wean the elect Israelites from their vain hopes, by withdrawing from them all those things wherein they trusted, that so having no other hope of being delivered out of their misery, they might turn to the Lord by true repentance, and so expect from him alone freedom from their afflictions. For as long as they had any Kings and government, or any form of a common wealth, whilst they had any show of Religion, or any outward means of worshipping God, though they were never so much depraved and corrupted, they rested, nay they boasted in it, as though they were in good estate: and therefore to beat them from this vain conceit, the Lord threateneth to bring upon them a confused anarchy, & to deprive them of all show & outward appearance of a Church, that so being humbled in the sight and sense hereof, they might be moved laying aside all other hopes, to expect salvation in Jesus Christ, and be the better fitted to receive him when he was exhibited, as their only King, Priest, Prophet, and Redeemer.