Theol. In the fourth of Hosea, 1the Lord telleth his people, that he hath a controversy with the Inhabitants of the Land: (and the reason is added) because there was no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the Land. By swearing, lying, killing, stealing, and whoring, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the Land mourn: and every one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off.
Here then we see what it is that will incense God against us, and cause us all to mourn. So likewise the Lord threateneth by his Prophet Amos, that for the cruelty and oppression ⟨p. 224⟩of the poor, he would plague the whole Land.2 Shall not the Land tremble for this (saith the Lord) and every one mourn that dwells therein?
Again, the Lord saith by the Prophet Jeremiah, 3Do they provoke me to anger, and not themselves, to the confusion of their own faces? Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, mine an••r and my wrath shall be poured upon this place, upon man and beast, upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground: and it shall burn, and not be quenched.
4Again, the Lord saith; If ye will not hear these words, I swear by my self (saith the Lord) that this house shall be waste, and I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons, and they shall cut down thy chief Cedar-trees, and cast them into the fire.
Likewise the Lord threateneth by his Prophet Ezekiel, 5saying: Because you have not walked in my Statutes, nor kept my Judgements: therefore behold, I, even I, come against thee, and will execute judgement in the midst of thee, even in the sight of the Nations: and I will do in thee that I never did before, neither will I do any more the like, because of all thine abominations. For in the midst of thee, the fathers shall eat their sons, ⟨p. 225⟩and the sons shall eat their fathers. Again, by the same Prophet the Lord saith,6 The Land is full of the Judgement of blood, and the City full of cruelty. Wherefore I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen, and they shall possess their houses. I will also make the pomp of the mighty to cease, and the holy places shall be defiled. When destruction cometh, they shall seek peace, and not have it. Calamity shall come upon calamity, and rumour upon rumour. Then shall they seek a vision of the Prophet: but the Law shall perish from the Priest, and counsel from the Ancient.
Theol. In the fourth of Hosea, 1the Lord telleth his people, that hee hath a controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land: (and the reason is added) because there was no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the Land. By swearing, lying, killing, stealing, and whoring, they breake out, and bloud toucheth bloud. Therefore shall the Land mourn: and every one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off.
Here then wee see what it is that will incense God against us, and cause us all to mourne. So likewise the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Amos, that for the cruelty and oppression ⟨p. 224⟩of the poore, he would plague the whole Land.2 Shall not the Land tremble for this (saith the Lord) and every one mourne that dwells therein?
Againe, the Lord saith by the Prophet Jeremy, 3Doe they provoke mee to anger, and not themselves, to the confusion of their owne faces? Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, mine an••r and my wrath shall be poured upon this place, upon man and beast, upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground: and it shall burne, and not be quenched.
4Againe, the Lord saith; If yee will not heare these words, I sweare by my selfe (saith the Lord) that this house shall be waste, and I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons, and they shall cut downe thy chiefe Cedar-trees, and cast them into the fire.
Likewise the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Ezekiel, 5saying: Because you have not walked in my Statutes, nor kept my Judgements: therefore behold, I, even I, come against thee, and will execute judgement in the midst of thee, even in the sight of the Nations: and I will doe in thee that I never did before, neither will I doe any more the like, because of all thine abominations. For in the midst of thee, the fathers shall eat their sons, ⟨p. 225⟩and the sons shall eat their fathers. Againe, by the same Prophet the Lord saith,6 The Land is full of the Judgement of bloud, and the Citie full of crueltie. Wherefore I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen, and they shall possesse their houses. I will also make the pompe of the mighty to cease, and the holy places shall be defiled. When destruction cometh, they shall seeke peace, and not have it. Calamity shall come upon calamity, and rumour upon rumour. Then shall they seek a vision of the Prophet: but the Law shall perish from the Priest, and counsell from the Ancient.
- 1Hos. 4.1.
- 2Amos 3.8.
- 3Jer. 7.19, 1.
- 4Jer. 2•.5.
- 5Ezek. 5.7.
- 6Ezek. 7.23, 27.