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…

And this is the peoples summons, where by they who had ¹a long time neglected the word of the Lord in the mouth of his Prophets, were now cited to answer their contempt before the Tribunal seat of Gods Judgement. Now followeth the cause of this summons, which is, for the trial of a controversy between the Lord and the people of Israel. ⟨p. 53⟩For the Lord hath a Controversy with the Inhabitants of the Land: Where first, we are to consider the nature of this controversy, and secondly, the parties between whom it is controverted. Gods controversies with a people are either verbal or real: Verbal, when as by his word, either immediately pronounced by himself (as we may see in the example of Cain) or by his Ministers he reproveth, convinceth, and condemneth a people for their sins, and threateneth his Judgements due unto them: Real, when as a people notwithstanding Gods reprehensions and threatenings continuing in their impenitency have deserved punishments inflicted upon them. Of both which kinds of controversies this place may be understood, but yet principally as I take it, of the latter. For whereas the people had long contemned Gods verbal contentions, by the Prophets, and continued in their impenitency, without any amendment, the Lord now threateneth that he will contend with them after another manner: namely, by inflicting upon them his real Judgements, seeing words would not prevail with them.

And this is the peoples summons, where by they who had ¹a long time neglected the word of the Lord in the mouth of his Prophets, were now cited to answere their contempt before the Tribunall seat of Gods Iudgement. Now followeth the cause of this summons, which is, for the tryall of a controuersie betweene the Lord and the people of Israell. ⟨p. 53⟩For the Lord hath a Controuersie with the Inhabitants of the Land: Where first, we are to consider the nature of this controuersie, and secondly, the parties betweene whom it is controuerted. Gods controuersies with a people are eyther verball or reall: Verball, when as by his word, eyther immediately pronounced by himselfe (as we may see in the example of Cain) or by his Ministers he reproueth, conuinceth, and condemneth a people for their sinnes, and threatneth his Iudgements due vnto them: Reall, when as a people notwithstanding Gods reprehensions and threatnings continuing in their impenitencie haue deserued punishments inflicted vpon them. Of both which kindes of controuersies this place may be vnderstood, but yet principally as I take it, of the latter. For whereas the people had long contemned Gods verball contentions, by the Prophets, and continued in their impenitency, without any amendement, the Lord now threatneth that he will contend with them after another manner: namely, by inflicting vpon them his reall Iudgements, seeing words would not preuaile with them.