Hosea 11 commentary

When Israel were weak and helpless as children, foolish and froward as children, then God loved them; he bore them as the nurse does the sucking child, nourished them, and suffered their manners. All who are grown up, ought often to reflect upon the goodness of God to them in their childhood. He took care of them, took pains with them, not only as a father, or a tutor, but as a mother, or nurse. When they were in the wilderness, God showed them the way in which they should go, and bore them up, taking them by the arms. He taught them the way of his commandments by the ceremonial law given by Moses. He took them by the arms, to guide them, that they might not stray, and to hold them up, that they might not stumble and fall. God's spiritual Israel are all thus supported. It is God's work to draw poor souls to himself; and none can come to him except he draw them. With bands of love; this word signifies stronger cords than the former. He eased them of the burdens they had long groaned under. Israel is very ungrateful to God. God's counsels would have saved them, but their own counsels ruined them. They backslide; there is no hold of them, no stedfastness in them. They backslide from me, from God, the chief good. They are bent to backslide; they are ready to sin; they are forward to close with every temptation. Their hearts are fully set in them to do evil. Those only are truly happy, whom the Lord teaches by his Spirit, upholds by his power, and causes to walk in his ways. By his grace he takes away the love and dominion of sin, and creates a desire for the blessed feast of the gospel, that they may feed thereon, and live for ever.

God is slow to anger, and is loth to abandon a people to utter ruin, who have been called by his name. When God was to give a sacrifice for sin, and a Saviour for sinners, he spared not his own Son, that he might spare us. This is the language of the day of his patience; but when men sin that away, then the great day of his wrath comes. Man's compassions are nothing in comparison with the tender mercies of our God, whose thoughts and ways, in receiving returning sinners, are as much above ours as heaven is above the earth. God knows how to pardon poor sinners. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and therein declares his righteousness, now Christ has purchased the pardon, and he has promised it. Holy trembling at the word of Christ will draw us to him, not drive us from him, the children tremble, and flee to him. And all that come at the gospel call, shall have a place and a name in the gospel church. The religious service of Israel were mere hypocrisy, but in Judah regard was had to God's laws, and the people followed their pious forefathers. Let us be faithful: those who thus honour God, he will honour, but such us despise Him shall be lightly esteemed.

God here expostulates with the people of Israel for their ingratitude. The obligation of the people was twofold; for God had embraced them from the very first beginning, and when there was no merit or worthiness in them. What else, indeed, was the condition of the people when emancipated from their servile works in Egypt? They doubtless seemed then like a man half-dead or a putrid carcass; for they had no vigour remaining in them. The Lord then stretched forth his hand to the people when in so hopeless a state, drew them out, as it were, from the grave, and restored them from death into life. But the people did not acknowledge this so wonderful a favour of God, but soon after petulantly turned their back on him. What baseness was this, and how shameful the wickedness, to make such a return to the author of their life and salvation? The Prophet therefore enhances the sin and baseness of the people by this circumstance, that the Lord had loved them even from childhood; when yet, he says, Israel was a child, I loved him The nativity of the people was their coming out of Egypt. The Lord had indeed made his covenant with Abraham four hundred years before; and, as we know, the patriarchs were also regarded by him as his children: but God wished his Church to be, as it were, extinguished, when he redeemed it. Hence the Scripture, when it speaks of the liberation of the people, often refers to that favour of God in the same way as of one born into the world. It is not therefore without reason that the Prophet here reminds the people that they had been loved when in childhood. The proof of this love was, that they had been brought out of Egypt. Love had preceded, as the cause is always before the effect.

But the Prophet enlarges on the subject: I loved Israel, even while he was yet a child; I called him out of Egypt; that is, “I not only loved him when a child, but before he was born I began to love him; for the liberation from Egypt was the nativity, and my love preceded that. It then appears, that the people had been loved by me, before they came forth to the light; for Egypt was like a grave without any spark of life; and the condition this miserable people was in was worse than thousand deaths. Then by calling my people from Egypt, I sufficiently proved that my love was gratuitous before they were born.” The people were hence less excusable when they returned such an unworthy recompense to God, since he had previously bestowed his free favour upon them. We now understand the meaning of the Prophet.

But here arises a difficult question; for Matthew, accommodates this passage to the person of Christ. Matthew 2:15. — fj. They who have not been well versed in Scripture have confidently applied to Christ this place; yet the context is opposed to this. Hence it has happened, that scoffers have attempted to disturb the whole religion of Christ, as though the Evangelist had misapplied the declaration of the Prophet. They give a more suitable answer, who say that there is in this case only a comparison: as when a passage from Jeremiah is quoted in another place, when the cruelty of Herod is mentioned, who raged against all the infants of his dominion, who were under two years of age,

‘Rachel, bewailing her children, would not receive consolation, because they were not,’ (Jeremiah 31:15.)

The Evangelist says that this prophecy was fulfilled, (Matthew 2:18.) But it is certain that the object of Jeremiah was another; but nothing prevents that declaration should not be applied to what Matthew relates. So they understand this place. But I think that Matthew had more deeply considered the purpose of God in having Christ led into Egypt, and in his return afterwards into Judea. In the first place, it must be remembered that Christ cannot be separated from his Church, as the body will be mutilated and imperfect without a head. Whatever then happened formerly in the Church, ought at length to be fulfilled by the head. This is one thing. Then also there is no doubt, but that God in his wonderful providence intended that his Son should come forth from Egypt, that he might be a redeemer to the faithful; and thus he shows that a true, real, and perfect deliverance was at length effected, when the promised Redeemer appeared. It was then the full nativity of the Church, when Christ came forth from Egypt to redeem his Church. So in my view that comment is too frigid, which embraces the idea, that Matthew made only a comparison. For it behaves us to consider this, that God, when he formerly redeemed his people from Egypt, only showed by a certain prelude the redemption which he deferred till the coming of Christ. Hence, as the body was then brought forth from Egypt into Judea, so at length the head also came forth from Egypt: and then God fully showed him to be the true deliverer of his people. This then is the meaning. Matthew therefore most fitly accommodates this passage to Christ, that God loved his Son from his first childhood and called him from Egypt. We know at the same time that Christ is called the Son of God in a respect different from the people of Israel; for adoption made the children of Abraham the children of God, but Christ is by nature the only-begotten Son of God. But his own dignity must remain to the head, that the body may continue in its inferior state. There is then in this nothing inconsistent. But as to the charge of ingratitude, that so great a favour of God was not acknowledged, this cannot apply to the person of Christ, as we well know; nor is it necessary in this respect to refer to him; for we see from other places that every thing does not apply to Christ, which is said of David, or of the high priest, or of the posterity of David; though they were types of Christ. But there is ever a great difference between the reality and its symbols. Let us now proceed —

Hosea 11:2

2. As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.

2. Vocarunt illos (vel, clamaverunt ad illos:) sic ambulaverunt a facie illorum: Baalim sacrificia obtulerunt, et sculptilibus suffitum fecerunt.

The Prophet now repeats the ingratitude of the people in neglecting to keep in mind their redemption. The word, “called,” is here to be taken in a different sense. For God effectually called, as they say, the people, or his Son, from Egypt: he has again called by the outward voice or teaching through his Prophets. Hence, when he said before that he called his Son from Egypt, it ought to be understood, as they say, of actual liberation: but now when he says, They have called them, it is to be understood of teaching. The name of the Prophets is not expressed; but that they are intended is plain. And the Prophet seems designedly to have said in an indefinite manner, that the people had been called, that the indignity might appear more evident, as they had been called so often and by so many, and yet had refused. Hence they have called them When he thus speaks, he is not to be understood as referring to one or two men, or to a few, but as including a great number of men, doing this everywhere. Even thus now have they called them; that is, this people have been called, not once or twice, but constantly; and God has not only sent one messenger or preacher to call them, but there have been many Prophets, one after the other, often thus employed, and yet without any benefit. We now perceive what the Prophet meant.

They have called them, he says, so they went away from their presence Horsley, Newcome, and others, have unnecessarily divided here the compounded word, מפניהם, “from their presence,” and have thereby destroyed the force of the passage, as it appears from subsequent remarks. — Ed. The particle so, כן, can, is introduced here to enliven the description; for the Prophet points out, as by the fingers how wickedly they conspired to execute their own counsels, as if they wished purposely to show in an open manner their contempt. So they went away; when the Prophets called them to one course, they proceeded in an opposite one. We then see, that to point out thus their conduct was not superfluous, when he says, that they in this manner went away: and then he says, from their face Here he shows that the people sought hiding-places and shunned the light. We may indeed conclude from these words, that so great was the perverseness of the people, that they not only wished to be alienated from God, but also that they would have nothing to do with the Prophets. It is indeed a proof of extreme wickedness, when instruction itself is a weariness, and ministers cannot be endured; and no doubt the Prophet meant to set forth this sin of the people.

He afterwards says, that they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burnt incense to graven images In the former clause, he shows the contumacy of the Israelites, that they deigned not to give ear to God’s servants. He now adds, that they made incense to graven images, and also offered worship to their idols. By Baalim, as it has been already stated, the Prophet means the inferior gods. For no such stupidity prevailed among the people as not to think that there is some chief deity; nay, even profane Gentiles confessed that there is some supreme God. But they called their advocates (patronos) Baalim, as we see to be the case at this day under the Papacy, this same office is transferred to the dead; they are to procure for men the favour of God. The Papists then have no grounds for seeking an evasion by words; for the very same superstition prevails at this time among them, as prevailed formerly among Gentiles and the people of Israel. Here the Prophet enhances the wickedness of the people; for they not only contemptuously neglected every instruction in religion, but also openly perverted the whole worship of God, and abandoned themselves to all abominations, so as to burn incense to their own idols. Let us go on —

Hosea 11:3

3. I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.

3. Et ego ad pedes deduxi eum (vel, ad pedes deducto mea) ad Ephraim attollendum (vel, sustulit) supra brachia sua, One MS. and the earlier versions have “my arms,” and this reading is adopted by Newcome. — Ed. et non cognoverunt quod sanaverim eos.

Here again God amplifies the sin of the people, by saying, that by no kindness, even for a long time, could they be allured, or turned, or reformed, or reduced to a sound mind. It was surely enough that the people of Israeli who had been brought by the hand of God from the grave to the light of life, should have repudiated every instruction; it was a great and an atrocious sin; but now God goes on farther, and says, that he had not ceased to show his love to them, and yet had attained nothing by his perseverance; for the wickedness and depravity of the people were incurable. Hence he says, I have led Ephraim on foot The word occurs no where in Scripture but here. Gesenius in his Lexicon gives it as a quadriliteral verb, and says that it means “to teach to go,” or, “to guide the steps.” But Parkhurst is of the same opinion with Calvin, and renders it “a footing,” or, “going on foot,” and translates this passage thus: — “And as for me, my footing was for Ephraim;” q.d., “I footed after him, I attended him pn foot, as a nurse does a child.” Buxtorf considers that ת is put for ה, and regards it as a Hiphil of the verb רגל, “I have footed,” or, “taught Ephraim how to foot or walk.” Newcome is of the same opinion. — Ed. Some are of opinion that it is a noun, from רגל, regel, foot, and it seems the most suitable. For otherwise there will be a change of a letter, which grammarians do not allow in the beginning of a word; for ת, tau, in this case would be put instead of ה, he; and put so as if it was of frequent occurrence in Hebrew; but no such instance can be adduced. So they who are skilful in the language think that for this reason it is a noun, and with them I agree. They, however, who regard it as a verb, give this view, — “I have led him on foot, תרגלתי, teregelti; that is, as a child who cannot yet walk with a firm foot, is by degrees accustomed to do so, and the nurse, or the father, or the mother, who lead him, have a regard for his infancy; so also have I led Israel, as much as his feet could bear. But the other version is less obscure, and that is, My walking on foot was for him; that is, I humbled myself as mothers are wont to do; and hence he says, that he had carried the people on his shoulders; and we shall presently see the same comparison used. And Moses says in Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy 32:10-12. — fj. that the people had been carried on God’s wings, or that God had expanded his wings like the eagle who flies over her young ones. With regard to the matter itself the meaning of the Prophet is not obscure; for he means, that this people had been treated by God in a paternal and indulgent manner; and also, that the perseverance of the Lord in continuing to bestow his blessings on them had been without any fruit.

He afterwards adds, To carry on his arms Some render the expression, קחם, kochem, “He carried them,” as if the verb were in the past tense; and they consider the word, Moses, to be understood. But it is God who speaks here. Some think it to be an infinitive — “To carry,” as when one carries another on his shoulders; and this seems to be the most suitable exposition. There is in the sense no ambiguity; for the design of the Prophet is what I have already stated, which is to show that this people were most wicked in not obeying God, since they had been so kindly treated by Him. For what could they have expected more than what God had done for them? As he also says by Isaiah, Isaiah 5:4. — fj. ‘What, my vine, ought I to have done more than what I have done?’ So also in this place, My walking has been on foot with Ephraim; and for this end, to carry them, as when one carries another in his arms. ‘They yet,’ he says, ‘did not know that I healed them;’ that is, “Neither the beginning of my goodness, nor its continued exercise, avails anything with them. When I brought them forth from Egypt, I restored the dead to life; this kindness has been blotted out. Again, in the desert I testified, in various ways, that I was their best and most indulgent Father: I have in this instance also lost all my labour.” How so? “Because my favour has been in no way acknowledged by this perverse and foolish people.” We now then see what the Prophet meant: and he continues the same subject in the next verse.

Hosea 11:4

4. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.

4. In funibus hominum traham eos (hoc est, traxi eos) in vinculis amoris: et fui illis sicuti qui attollunt jugum super maxillas: et attuli super eos cibum (vel, feci eos comedere) quiete. (Dicemus postea de utroque sensu.)

The Prophet states, first, that this people had not been severely dealt with, as either slaves, or oxen, or asses, are wont to be treated. He had said before, that the people of Israel were like a heifer, which shakes off the yoke, and in wantonness loves only the treading of corn. But though the perverseness of the people was so great, yet God shows here that he had not used extreme rigour: I have drawn him, he says, with human cords and lovely bands By the cords of man, he means humane government. “I have not,” he says, “treated you as slaves, but dealt with you as with children; and I have not regarded you as cattle, I have not driven you into a stall; but I have only drawn you with lovely bands.” The sum of the whole is, that the government which God had laid on the people was a certain and singular token of his paternal favour, so that the people could not complain of too much rigour, as if God had considered their disposition, and had used a hard wedge (as the common proverb is) for a hard knot; for if God had dealt thus with the people, they could have objected, and said, that they had not been kindly drawn by him, and that it was no wonder if they did not obey, since they had been so roughly treated. “But there is no ground for them,” the Lord says, “to allege that I have used severity: for I could not have dealt more kindly with them, I have drawn them with human cords; I have not otherwise governed them than as a father his own children; I have been bountiful towards them. I indeed wished to do them good, and, as it was right, required obedience from them. I have at the same time laid on them a yoke, not servile, nor such as is wont to be laid on brute animals; but I was content with paternal discipline.” Since then such kindness had no influence over them, is it not right to conclude that their wickedness is irreclaimable and extreme?

He then adds I have been to them like those who raise up the yoke upon the cheeks “It is very probably that the words refer to the custom of raising the yoke forward to cool the neck of the laboring beast.” — Newcome. “I have not laden you,” he says, “with too heavy burdens, as oxen and other beasts are wont to be burdened; but I have raised up the yoke upon the cheeks. I have chosen rather to bear the yoke myself, and to ease these ungodly and wicked men of their burden.” And God does not in vain allege this, for we know that when he uses his power, and vindicates his authority, he does this not to burden the people, as earthly kings are wont to do; but he bears the burden which he lays on men. It is no wonder then that he says now, that he had lifted the yoke upon the cheeks of his people, like one who wishes not to burden his ox, but bears up the yoke himself with his own hands, lest the ox should faint through weariness.

He afterwards adds, And I have made them to eat in quietness, or, “I have brought meat to them.” Some think the verb אוכיל, aukil to be in the future tense, and that אוכיל, aukil is put for אאכיל, aakil; that is, I will cause them to eat; and that the future is to be resolved into the past: and it is certain that the word אט, ath, means tranquil sometimes. Then it will be, “I have caused them quietly to eat.” But another exposition is more commonly received; as the word אט, ath, is derived from נטה, nathe, to raise, it is the same as though the Prophet had said, that meat had been brought to them.

God then does here in various ways enhance the ingratitude and wickedness of the people, because they had not acknowledged his paternal kindness, when he had himself so kindly set forth his favour before their eyes; I have, he says, extended meat to them; that is, “I have not thrown it on the ground, nor placed it too high for them; they have not toiled in getting it; but I have, as it were, brought it with mine own hand and set it before them, that they might eat without any trouble.” In short, God declares that he had tried in every way to find out, whether there was any meekness or docility in the people of Israel, and that he had ill bestowed all his blessings; for this people were blind to favours so kind, to such as clearly proved, that God had in every way showed himself to be a Father. It follows —

Hosea 11:5

5. He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.

5. Non revertetur in terram AEgypti; Assur dominabitur ipsis, quia noluerunt converti (renuerunt ad convertendum.)

Here the Prophet denounces a new punishment, that the people in vain hoped that Egypt would be a place of refuge or an asylum to them; for the Lord would draw them away to another quarter. For the Israelites had cherished this hope, that if by any chance the Assyrians should be too powerful for them, there would yet be a suitable refuge for them in Egypt among their friends, with whom they had made a treaty. Since, then, they promised themselves a hospitable exile in Egypt, the Prophet here exposes their vain confidence: “This their expectation,” he says, “that they shall find a way open to Egypt, shall disappoint the people: it is shut up,” he says, They shall not return to the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be their king. By saying, that the Assyrian shall rule over them, he means that the people would become exiles under the Assyrians, which indeed happened. He then anticipates here all the vain hopes by which the people deceived themselves, and by which they hardened themselves against all the threatening of God. “There is no reason for them,” he says, “to look towards Egypt; for the Lord will not allow them to go there; for he will draw them to Assyria.”

He afterwards gives the reason, Because they have been unwilling, he says, to return This “return” is to be taken in another sense: but there is here a striking similarity in the words. They thought that there would be to them a free passage into Egypt; and yet they had been unwilling to pass over unto God, when he had so often called them. The Prophet therefore says that a return into Egypt was now denied them, inasmuch as they had been unwilling to return to God. The import of what is said is, that when men perversely resist God, they in vain hope for any free movements either to this or that quarter; for the Lord will hold them tied and bound. As it is wont to be done to wild beasts, who, when they show too much ferocity, are shut up in cages or bound with chains, or as it is usually done to frantic men, who are bound with strong bands; so also the Lord does with obstinate men; he binds them fast, so that they cannot move a finger. This, then, is the meaning of the Prophet.

There is, at the same time, to be understood, an implied comparison between the former bondage they endured in Egypt, and the new bondage which awaited them. They had known of what sort was the hospitality of Egypt, and yet so great a blindness possessed their minds, that they wished to return there. Their fathers had been kindly enough received; but their posterity were grievously burdened; nay, they were not far from being entirely destroyed. What madness was this, to wish of themselves to return to Egypt, when they knew how great was the ferociousness and cruelty of the Egyptians? But as I have said, something more grievous awaited them; they were not worthy to return to Egypt. To return there would have been indeed a dreadful calamity; but the Lord would not, however open a way for them to go there; for he would force them to pass to another country; yea, they were to be by force dragged away by their conquerors into Assyria. The drift of the whole is, that though the people had been cruelly treated in Egypt, there was now drawing nigh a more grievous tyranny; for the Assyrians would double the injuries, and the violence, and all kinds of wrongs and reproaches, which had been exercised against this people.

Some think that it was added for consolation, that God, though greatly provoked by the people, was yet unwilling to lead them again into Egypt, lest the former redemption should be made void; but that a middle course was prepared by which he would chastise the ungrateful and yet retain them as his peculiar possession. But I have already shown what I mostly approve. At the same time, whichever view is taken, we see how grievous and severe was the denunciation of the Prophet.

Prayer

Grant, Almighty God, that as thou hast deigned to choose us before the foundations of the world were laid, and included us in thy free adoption when we were the children of wrath and doomed to utter ruin, and afterwards embraced us even from the womb, and hast at length favoured us with a clearer proof of thy love, in calling us by thy gospel into a union and communion with thy only-begotten Son, — O grant, that we may not be unmindful of so many and so singular benefits, but respond to thy holy calling, and labour to devote ourselves wholly to thee, and labour, not for one day, but for the whole time designed for us here, both to live and to die according to thy good pleasure, so that we may glorify thee to the end, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lecture Thirtieth

Hosea 11:6

6. And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.

6. Et cadet gladius in urbes ejus, et consumet vectes ejus (alii vertunt, ramos, vel, membra) et vorabit, propter consilia eorum.

As it was difficult to persuade proud people that the overthrow was at hand, which Hosea had foretold, seeing, as they did, that they were furnished with many defences, it is therefore now added, that their fortified cities would not prevent the enemy to break through, and to devastate the whole country, and to lead away the people captive. We now understand how this verse is connected with the last. The Prophet had threatened exile; but as the Israelites thought themselves safe in their nests, he adds, that there was no reason for them to trust in their fortresses, for the Lord could by the sword destroy all their cities.

He therefore says, The sword shall fall on their cities. The verb חול, chul, means to abide, and to encamp, and sometimes to fall or rush upon: and this second sense is more suitable to this place. Some, however, render it, The sword shall abide on the cities until it consume them. But as to the meaning, there is not much difference. I will, however, briefly state what I deem the right view. The sword then shall fall, or rush, upon his cities; and further, it shall consume his bars The Hebrews often call bars or bolts בדים“badim”, still oftener, branches, or members, — the branches of a tree, or the members of man. Hence some take the word metaphorically, as meaning towns and villages; for they are, as it were, the branches or members of cities. Others, however, explain it as signifying sons, who grow from their parents as branches from the tree: but this seems too far-fetched. I do not disapprove of the opinion, that the Prophet refers here to towns and villages, which are, as it were, the appendages of cities, as branches spread out here and there from the tree. The sense then is not amiss, that the sword will consume and devour towns and villages, when it shall fall on the cities. But what I have already said of bolts seems more suitable to the design of the Prophet. We must at the same time consider the word בדים, bedim, as including a part for the whole; for bolts were only a part of the fortifications; but the gates, being closed and fastened, render the cities strong. So this place, by taking a part for the whole, may be thus expounded, that the sword, when it fell on cities, would consume and destroy whatever strength and defence they possessed.

He at the same time mentions the cause, Because, he says, of their own counsels No doubt, he added this expression, because the Israelites thought themselves wise; for ungodly men arrogate to themselves much prudence; and this they do, that they may, as it were, from their height look down on God, and laugh at every instruction. Since then they who despise God seem to themselves to be very wise, and to be fortified by their good counsels, the Prophet shows that the cause of ruin to the Israelites would be, that they were swollen with this diabolical prudence, and would not condescend to obey the word of the Lord.

Hosea 11:7

7. And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him

7. Et populus meus suspensi ad aversionem (alii vertunt, conversionem) et ad excelsum vocabunt (id est, vocant) simul non extollet (id est, nemo extollit.)

This verse is variously rendered. Some explain the word תלואים, teluaim, as signifying “perplexed;” as though the Prophet had said, that the people would suffer a just punishment through being anxious and looking around them, and yet finding no comfort; for this would be the reward of their defection or apostasy. Hence he says, My people are in suspense; that is, there is no wonder that the Israelites are now tormented with great anxiety, and find no end to their evils; for they who have rebelled against the Lord are worthy of being thus bound fast by him. It is the fruit of their defection that they are now so full of sorrow, and also of despair. This is one exposition. Others say that God here complains of the wickedness of the people, as of those who deliberated whether they ought to repent. They then take suspense for doubt, My people are in suspense; that is, they debate on the subject as on a doubtful matter, when I exhort them to repent, and they cannot at once decide what to do, but alternate between divers opinions, and now incline to one thing and then to another; as if truly the subject itself made it necessary for them to deliberate. Doubtless what is right is in no way hid from them: but as they are unwilling, they seek for themselves, by evasions, some excuses for doubting; for the Prophets cry to them, and no one extols them. This is the second exposition.

It must at the same time be observed, that the word משובת, meshubat, is variously taken; for the first render it, “turning away,” and the “jod” that is affixed must then be expounded passively, and must mean their turning away from God, because the Israelites had fallen away from him; as in Isaiah chapter 56 Isaiah 56:7. — fj. he calls that the house of his prayer in which the people were wont to pray. Then the turning away from God, according to them, is to be taken passively, because the people were alienated from him. Others render it, “conversion.” But the Hebrew doctors will have this word to be ever taken in a bad sense, and affirm that there is no place where it signifies any thing but rebellion or apostasy. Since it is so, I am inclined to consider it to be turning away; and thus the second sense, that the people deliberated whether they ought to hear the admonitions of the Prophets, will not stand.

The Prophet also seems to me to mean what is different from what I have referred to in the first place, as the opinion of those who say, My people are in suspense; that is, they anxiously torment themselves on account of their defection, because I punish them for their apostasy; through which it has happened, that, forsaking me, they have wandered after their own inventions. But I take the passage otherwise, as I have already said, My people are fastened; that is, my people have not only once departed from me, but they are, as it were, fastened in their defection. He says, that they were fastened, not that they were sorrowful and endured great tortures, and found their affairs perplexed; but that they were fastened, because they remained obstinate; as when one says, that a man is fastened to a thing, when he cannot be moved. This being fastened, is indeed nothing else but the obstinacy of the people. They were then fastened to defection.

He afterwards adds, To him on high they call them; none at all rises up What an indefinite sentence signifies we stated yesterday. The Prophet means that instruction had been given the people, and that many witnesses or preachers had been sent by the Lord, but that all this had been wholly useless. Hence he says, They call them to him on high, no one raises up himself. Some indeed consider the word, God, to be understood; and this is the commonly received opinion; but in my judgement they are mistaken; for the Prophet, speaking of the Israelites, doubtless means that they remained in the same state, and were not moved by any instruction to make any progress, or to show any sign of repentance. Hence, no one rises up. He uses the singular number, and puts down the particle יחד, ichad, as though he said, “There is no one, from the first to the last, who is touched with grief, for they continue obstinate in their wickedness.” And when he says, No one raises up himself, he seems to allude to the word, fastened. They are then fastened to their defection; and when the Prophets cry and diligently exhort them to repent, they do not rise up; that is, they do not aspire to God; and this indeed they neglect with one consent, as if they all alike blindly united in one and the same wickedness.

In this verse then the Prophet brings again to view the sins of the people, that it might more fully appear that God threatened them so dreadfully not without a cause; for they who were so perversely rebellious against God were worthy of the most grievous punishment. This is the sum of the whole. Let us now proceed —

Hosea 11:8-9

8. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

8. Qumodo ponam te Ephraim? Tradam te Israel? Quomodo ponam te sicut Sodomam? Statuam te sicut Zxeboim? Inversum est in me cor meum, simul revolutae sunt (alii, incaluerunt; nam כמר illud significat, simul ergo revolutae sunt) poenitudines meae.

9. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.

9. Non faciam (id est, non exequar) furorem irae meae, non revertar ad perdendum Ephraim: quia Deus ego, et non homo, in medio tui sanctus; et non ingrediar urbem.

Here God consults what he would do with the people: and first, indeed, he shows that it was his purpose to execute vengeance, such as the Israelites deserved, even wholly to destroy them: but yet he assumes the character of one deliberating, that none might think that he hastily fell into anger, or that, being soon excited by excessive fury, he devoted to ruin those who had lightly sinned, or were guilty of no great crimes. That no one then might assign to God an anger too fervid, he says here, How shall I set thee aside, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee up, Israel? How shall I set thee as Sodom? By these expressions God shows what the Israelites deserved, and that he was now inclined to inflict the punishment of which they were worthy and yet not without repentance, or at least not without hesitation. He afterwards adds in the next clause, This I will not do; my heart is within me changed; I now alter my purpose, and my repenting are brought back again; that is it was in my mind to destroy you all, but now a repenting, which reverses that design, lays hold on me. We now apprehend what the Prophet means.

As to this mode of speaking, it appears indeed at the first glance to be strange that God should make himself like mortals in changing his purposes and in exhibiting himself as wavering. God, we know, is subject to no passions; and we know that no change takes place in him. What then do these expressions mean, by which he appears to be changeable? Doubtless he accommodates himself to our ignorances whenever he puts on a character foreign to himself. And this consideration exposes the folly as well as the impiety of those who bring forward single words to show that God is, as it were like mortals; as those unreasonable men do who at this day seek to overturn the eternal providence of God, and to blot out that election by which he makes a difference between men. “O!” they say, “God is sincere, and he has said that he willeth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live.” God must then in this case remain as it were uncertain, and depend on the free-will of every one: it is hence in the power of man either to procure destruction to himself, or to come to salvation. God must in the meantime wait quietly as to what men will do, and can determine nothing except through their free-will. While these insane men thus trifle, they think themselves to be supported by this invincible reason, that God’s will is one and simple. But if the will of God be one, it does not hence follow that he does not accommodate himself to men, and put on a character foreign to himself, as much as a regard for our salvation will bear or require. So it is in this place. God does not in vain introduce himself as being uncertain; for we hence learn that he is not carried away too suddenly to inflict punishment, even when men in various ways provoke his vengeance. This then is what God shows by this mode of speaking. At the same time, we know that what he will do is certain, and that his decree depends not on the free-will of men; for he is not ignorant of what we shall do. God then does not deliberate as to himself, but with reference to men. This is one thing.

But we must also bear in mind what I have already said, that the Prophet here strikes with terror proud and profane despisers by setting before their eyes their own destruction, and by showing how little short they were of the lot of Gomorra and other cities. “For what remains,” the Lord says, “but that I should set you as Sodom and Zeboim? This condition and this recompense awaits you, if I execute the judgement which has been already as it were decreed.” Not that God would immediately do this; but he only reminds the Israelites of what they deserved, and of what would happen to them, except the Lord dealt mercifully with them. Thus much of the first part of the verse.

But when he says that his heart was changed, and that his repentings were brought back again, the same mode of speaking after the manner of men is adopted; for we know that these feelings belong not to God; he cannot be touched with repentance, and his heart cannot undergo changes. To imagine such a thing would be impiety. But the design is to show, that if he dealt with the people of Israel as they deserved, they would now be made like Sodom and Gomorra. But as God was merciful, and embraced his people with paternal affection, he could not forget that he was a Father, but would be willing to grant pardon; as is the case with a father, who, on seeing his son’s wicked disposition, suddenly feels a strong displeasure, and then, being seized with relenting, is inclined to spare him. God then declares that he would thus deal with his people.

Then follows an explanation of this sentence, I will not execute the fury of my wrath: by which figurative mode of speaking he sets forth the punishment which was suitable to the sins of men. For it must ever be remembered, that God is exempt from every passion. But if no anger is to be supposed by us to be in God, what does he mean by the fury of his wrath? Even the relation between his nature and our innate or natural sins. But why does Scripture say that God is angry? Even because we imagine him to be so according to the perception of the flesh; for we do not apprehend God’s indignation, except as far as our sins provoke him to anger, and kindle his vengeance against us. Then God, with regard to our perception, calls the fury of his wrath the heavy judgement, which is equal to, or meet for, our sins. I will not execute, he says, that is, “I will not repay the reward which you have deserved.”

What then? I will not return to destroy Ephraim The verb אשוב, ashub, seems to have been introduced for this reason, because God had in part laid waste the kingdom of Israel: he therefore says, that the second overthrow, which he would presently bring, would not be such as would destroy the whole of Israel, or wholly consume them. I will not then return to destroy Ephraim; that is, “Though I shall again gird myself to punish the sins of the people, I shall yet restrain myself so that my vengeance shall not proceed to the destruction of the whole people.” The reason is subjoined, For I am God, and not man.

As he intended in this place to leave to the godly some hope of salvation, he adds what may confirm this hope; for we know that when God denounces wrath, with what difficulty trembling consciences are restored to hope. Ungodly men laugh to scorn all threatening; but those in whom there is any seed of piety dread the vengeance of God, and whenever terror seizes them, they are tormented with marvellous disquietude, and cannot be easily pacified. This then is the reason why the Prophet now confirms the doctrine which he had laid down: I am God, he says, and not man; as though he had said, that he would be propitious to his people, for he was not implacable as men are; and they are very wrong who judge of him, or measure him, by men.

We must here first remember, that the Prophet directs not his discourse promiscuously to all the Israelites, but only to the faithful, who were a remnant among that corrupt people. For God, at no time, suffered all the children of Abraham to become alienated, but some few at least remained, as it is said in another place, (1 Kings 19:18.) These the Prophet now addresses; and to administer consolation, he moderates what he had said before of the dreadful vengeance of God. This saying then was not to relieve the sorrow of hypocrites; for the Prophet regarded only the miserable, who had been so smitten with the feeling of God’s wrath, that despair would have almost swallowed them up, had not their grief been mitigated. This is one thing. But further, when he says that he is God, and not man, this truth ought to come to our minds, that we may taste of God’s gratuitous promises, whenever we vacillate as to his promises, or whenever terror possesses our minds. What! Do you doubt when you have to do with God? But whence is it, that we with so much difficulty rely on the promises of God, except that we imagine him to be like ourselves? Inasmuch then, as it is our habit thus to transform him, let this truth be a remedy to this fault; and whenever God promises pardon to us, from which proceeds the hope of salvation, how much soever he may have previously terrified us by his judgements, let this come to our mind, that as he is God, he is not to be judged of by what we are. We ought then to recumb simply on his promises. “But then we are unworthy to be pardoned; besides, so great is the atrocity of our sins, that there can be no hope of reconciliation.” Here we must take instant hold on this shield, we must learn to fortify ourselves with this declaration of the Prophet, He is God, and not man: let this shield be ever taken to repel every kind of diffidence.

But here a question may be raised, “Was He not God, when he destroyed Sodom and the neighbouring cities?” That judgement did not take away from the Lord his glory, nor was his majesty thereby diminished. But these two sentences are to be read together; I am God, and not man, holy in the midst of thee. When any one reads these sentences apart, he does wrong to the meaning of the Prophet. God, then, does not only affirm here that he is not like men, but he also adds, that he is holy in the midst of Israel. It is one view of God’s nature that is here given us, and what is set forth is the immense distance between him and men, as we find it written by Isaiah the Prophet,

‘My thoughts are not as yours: as much as the heaven is distant from the earth, so distant are my thoughts from your thoughts,’ (Isaiah 55:8.)

So also in this place, the Prophet shows what God is, and how much his nature differs from the dispositions of men. He afterwards refers to the covenant which God made with his people: and what was the purport of that covenant? Even that God would punish his people; yet so as ever to leave some seed remaining.

‘I will chastise them,’ he says, ‘with the rod of men; I will not yet take away from them my mercy,’ (2 Samuel 7:14,15.)

Since God then had promised some mitigation or some alleviation in all his punishments, he now reminds us, that he will not have his Church wholly demolished in the world, for he would thus be inconsistent with himself: hence he says, I am God, and not man, holy in the midst of thee; and since I have chosen thee to myself to be my peculiar possession and inheritance, and promised also to be for ever thy God, I will now moderate my vengeance, so that some Church may ever remain.”

For this reason he also says I will not enter into the city Some say, “I will not enter another city but Jerusalem.” But this does not suit the passage; for the Prophet speaks here of the ten tribes and not of the tribe of Judah. Others imagine an opposite meaning, “I will not enter the city,” as though he said, that he would indeed act kindly towards the people in not wholly destroying them; but that they should hereafter be without civil order, regular government, and other tokens of God’s favour: ‘I will not enter the city;’ that is, “I will not restore you, so that there may be a city and a kingdom, and an united body of people.” But this exposition is too forced; nay, it is a mere refinement, which of itself vanishes. There is another exposition, which Calvin probably did not think it worth his while to mention. It is an old one of Jerome, revived by Castallio, adopted by Lowth and Newcome, and highly praised by Horsley: and yet it seems to have neither point nor meaning, and certainly comports not with this place. The proposed rendering is this—

“Although I am no frequenter of cities.”

God is not a frequenter of cities!! How odd and meaningless is this when compared with the view given by Calvin of the passage?

There is another explanation approved of by Dathe, which, as to the meaning, agrees with that of Calvin. He takes עיר, rendered “city,” to mean “anger,” and then the version would be, “I will not come in anger.” The Septuagint is, literally, “I will not come into the city.” There is no doubt but that the similitude is taken from a warlike practice. For when a conqueror enters a city with an armed force, slaughter is not restrained but blood is indiscriminately shed. But when a city surrenders, the conqueror indeed may enter, yet not with a sudden and violent attack, but on certain conditions; and then he waits, it may be for two days, or for some time, that the rage of his soldiers may be allayed. Then he comes, not as to enemies, but as to his own subjects. This is what the Prophet means when he says, ‘I will not enter the city;’ that is, “I will make war on you and subdue your and force you to surrenders and that with great loss; but when the gates shall be opened, and the wall demolished, I will then restrain myself, for I am unwilling wholly to destroy you.”

If one objects and says, that this statement militates against many others which we have observed, the answer is easy, and the solution has already been adduced in another place, and I shall now only touch on it briefly. When God distinctly denounces ruin on the people, the body of the people is had in view; and in this body there was then no integrity. Inasmuch, then, as all the Israelites had become corrupt, had departed from the worship and fear of God, and from all piety and righteousness, and had abandoned themselves to all kinds of wickedness, the Prophet declares that they were to perish without any exception. But when he confines the vengeance of God, or moderates it, he has respect to a very small number; for, as it has been already stated, corruption had never so prevailed among the people, but that some seed remained. Hence, when the Prophet has in view the elect of God, he applies then these consolations, by which he mitigates their terror, that they might understand that God, even in his extreme rigour, would be propitious to them. Such is the way to account for this passage. With regard to the body of the people, the Prophet has already shown, that their cities were devoted to the fire, and that the whole nation was doomed to suffer the wrath of God; that every thing was given up to the fire and the sword. But now he says, “I will not enter;” that is, with regard to those whom the Lord intended to spare. And it must also be observed, that punishment was mitigated, not only with regard to the elect, but also with regard to the reprobate, who were led into captivity. We must yet remember, that when God spared them for a time, he chiefly consulted the good of his elect; for the temporary suspension of vengeance increased his judgement on the reprobate; for whosoever repented not in exile doubled, as it is evident, the wrath of God against themselves. The Lord, however, spared his people for a time; for among them was included his Church, in the same way as the wheat is preserved in the chaff, and is carried from the field with the straw. Why so? Even that the wheat may be separated. So also the Lord preserves much chaff with the wheat; but he will afterwards, in due time, divide the wheat from the chaff. We now understand the whole meaning of the Prophet, and also the application of his doctrine. It follows —

Hosea 11:10-11

10. They shall walk after the Lord: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.

10. Post Jehovam ambulabunt, et quasi leo ruget: quum ipse ruget, tunc pavebunt filii a mari (vel, occidente; mare enim vocatur occidentalis regio, respectu ipsius Judeae.)

11. They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord.

11. Pavebunt quasi passer (vel, avis; tam species est quam genus) ab Aegypto; et quasi columba a terra Assur (hoc est, ab Assyriis) et habitare eos faciam in dominibus suis, dicit Jehova.

When the Prophet says, that they shall walk after Jehovah, he proceeds farther than before; for here he refers not to the mitigation of punishment, but promises restoration. He had said before, that though the Lord would deal severely with his people, there would yet be some moderation in his wrath, so that he would not destroy the whole people. Now, it follows, that God, after having thus restrained himself, will extend his favour even to the restoration of the people, and bring to life those who seemed to have been dead. We now then perceive what the Prophet means.

But to expound this, — they shall walk after Jehovah, of the obedience of the people, as it is done by interpreters, does not seem right to me. It is indeed certain that no people can be restored except they repent; yea, it is the main beginning of God’s favour, when he chastises men and heals them of their wickedness. But here the Prophet handles another thing, even that the Lord will show himself a leader to his people, who had been for a time dispersed. As long as the people were scattered in Assyria and in other distant lands, they were without any head, as a mutilated body. But when the ripened time of restoration came, the Lord revolved to deliver them, and proclaimed himself the leader of his people; and in this manner the people were gathered to God. This is what the Prophet now means when he says, after Jehovah: that is, for a time, indeed, God will forsake them, that they may languish in their dispersion; but at length he will gather them, and show himself as their leader in their journey, that he may restore them to their country. They shall then, he says, follow Jehovah, and he shall roar as a lion: when he shall roar, then children from the sea shall tremble”; that is, God will be formidable to enemies so that none will hinder the return of his people. Many, indeed, will be the enemies, many will labour to set up opposition: but the people shall nevertheless come forth free. How so? For the Lord will fill all with dread, and restrain all the efforts of their enemies; so that they shall be constrained to withdraw from the Assyrians, as well as from the Egyptians. Though, on one side, the Egyptians may resist, and, on the other, the Assyrians, they shall not yet impede the return of the people. Why? Because the Lord will put them to flight, and he will be to them as a lions and fill them all with terror. But the rest we shall defer.

Prayer

Grant, Almighty God, that since we are too secure and torpid in our sins, thy dread majesty may come to our minds, to humble us, and to remove our fear, that we may learn anxiously to seek reconciliation through Christ, and so abhor ourselves for our sins, that thou mayest then be prepared to receive us: and that unbelief may not shut the door against us, enable us to regard thee to be such as thou hast revealed thyself, and to acknowledge that thou art not like us, but the fountain of all mercy, that we may thus be led to entertain a firm hope of salvation, and that, relying on the Mediator, thy only-begotten Son, we may know him as the throne of grace, full of compassion and mercy. O grant, that we may thus come to thee, that through him we may certainly know that thou art our Father, so that the covenant thou hast made with us may never fail through our fault, even this, that we are thy people, because thou hast once adopted us in thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lecture Thirty-first

In the last lecture, we began to explain what the Prophet means by saying, that the Israelites shall come after the Lord: that is, that when the time of the exile shall be completed, God will be the leader of his people in their journey, that they might return safe to their country. And for this reason, he also subjoins, that the Egyptians as well as the Assyrians would be timid; and hence he compares them to doves and sparrows, or birds; for when the nations should attempt to hinder the return of the people, and strive against them with great forces and great efforts, God would break down their courage. For as God had determined to redeem his people, his decree could not have been nullified, no, not by the whole world. Whatever then, the Assyrians, and also the Egyptians, might attempt to do, though powerful in forces, it would yet avail nothing; nay, God would strike into both such fear and dread, that they should not make any stir when the Lord restored his people. There is a similar mode of speaking in Joel, Joel 3:16. — fj. except that he does not introduce the similitudes that they would be like birds and doves. But he speaks of the roaring of God, as though he said, that the power of God would be terrible and invincible, so that he would defend and protect his people, and no one would dare to rise up against him; and that if one should dare, he would be constrained instantly to succumb. Let us now proceed —

Hosea 11:12

12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

12. Circumdedit me mendacio Ephraim, et fraude domus Israel: Judah autem adhuc dominatur (vel, principatum tenet) cum Deo, et cum sanctis fidelis est.

I shall not stay now to recite the opinions of others; nor does it seem necessary. I might have indeed referred in the last verse to what some say respecting the roaring of God, — that his voice will roar through the Gospel: but as this and the like are refinements of which I think the Prophet never thought, it is enough to understand the simple meaning of the Prophet, and not to accumulate the sentiments of others. I indeed know that this makes a great display, and there are some who are delighted with a mass of opinions; but I regard what is more useful.

I come now to the last verse, in which the Lord complains, that he had been compassed with the falsehood and fraud of the people By these words he means that he had in every thing found the multiplied perfidy of the Israelites; for this is the import of the word, “compassed”. We now then perceive that the Prophet means that the Israelites, not only in one way, or in one thing, acted unfaithfully towards God, and used frauds: but that it was the same, as when one besieges an enemy with a great army; so that they were thus full of innumerable frauds, with which on every side they surrounded God. And this is what hypocrites are wont to do; for not only in one thing do they endeavour to deceive God, but they transform themselves in various ways, and ever seek some new subterfuges. When they are caught in one sin, they pass into another; so that there is no end to their deceit. This subject the Prophet now takes up, that is, that the Israelites never ceased to act deceitfully towards God.

And he speaks of frauds and falsehood; for they thought that they escaped, provided they covered themselves with some disguise whenever the Prophets reproved them. But God here testifies, that they gained nothing by their craftiness, as though he said, “Ye think indeed that your coverings will avail with me, but they are vain. I indeed see myself as it were encompassed by your falsehoods, for on every side ye attempt to cover your sins; but they are false coverings.” In short, the Prophet reprobates those specious excuses, by which people think that they are absolved before God, so as to elude through this confidence all the threatening and reproofs of the Prophets. “I see,” the Lord says, “what the Israelites bring forward for themselves; but they are only falsehoods and frauds.” This passage then teaches, that men in vain make excuses before God; for when they contrive pretences to deceive God, they are themselves greatly deceived; for he clearly perceives their guiles and falsehoods.

He afterwards subjoins, that Judah still ruled, or, held sovereignty, with God, and was faithful with the saints By saying that he held sovereignty with God, he declares, I doubt not, that the kingdom of Judah was legitimate, because it was connected with a pure and lawful priesthood. For whence did arise the corruptions in the other kingdom, but because the people had revolted from the family of David? Hence it was that the new king changed both the law and the worship of God, and erected new temples. Israel then did not rule with God, for the kingdom was spurious, and the beginning of the dispersion, so that the people forsook God. But of Judah the Prophet speaks much otherwise, that he still ruled with God, because the posterity of David, though we know that they laboured under many vices, had not yet changed the worship prescribed by the law, except that Ahab had erected an altar like one at Damascus, as the sacred history relates, (2 Kings 16:11,12;) but yet pure religion always prevailed at Jerusalem. But the Prophet speaks comparatively, as it will be presently seen: for he does not wholly excuse the Jews, but says that in comparison with Israel they yet ruled with God; for the kingdom and the priesthood, as we have said, were joined together in Judah, and both had been divinely instituted.

He says further, that he was faithful with the saints By saints some understand God. The word קדושים, kodushim, we know, is plurals and sometimes an epithet of the singular number is joined to it, though not often. In the last chapter of Joshua Joshua 24:19. — fj. we have these words, קדושים הרא, kodushim eva, holy is he But as I have said, these examples are rare. And here I know not whether or not the Prophet means God. I would rather refer this word to the holy fathers or to the whole Church; so that the Prophet calls here קדושים, kodushim, saints, Abraham and others who justly deserved to be counted among the children of God; and I am inclined to include the angels. But of the sanctuary we do not find this word anywhere used; when the Scripture refers to the sanctuary, the letter מ, mem, is added. He uses indeed the plural number, though one may suppose that both the sanctuary and its worship are here intended. But as this application would be strained, and without example, I am satisfied with this plain meaning — that Judah was faithful with the saints; that is, that he retained faith in God together with the fathers, and departed not from the pure worship which had been delivered to him, according to which God had made his covenant with Abraham and his seed.

But the Prophet here praises the tribe of Judah, not because he wished to flatter them; but, as it has been stated in a former place, he had regard to the office deputed to him. When we at this day cry against our domestic evils, when we say that things are better ordered elsewhere, under what supposition is this done? We take it as granted, that others have their own teachers by whom they are reproved and if there be any vices prevailing, there are those who are to apply the remedy. This consideration then ought often to be remembered by us, that we may, by way of reproach, bring forward the conduct of others, when we wish deeply to wound those, the care of whom has been committed to us by God. Even so our Prophet did: at the same time, those who then taught at Jerusalem did not spare the Jews; they cried boldly and vehemently against their vices. But Hosea, as we have said, does here attend to his own vocation; and hence he exposes the sin of the ten tribes in having departed from the legitimate worship of God, when they had at the same time a well-known and memorable example in the tribe of Judah, who had continued in obedience to the law. This is the meaning. Let us now go on —

Chapter 12

Hosea 12:1

1. Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.

1. Ephraim pascitur vento, et sequitur orientem: quotidie mendacium et vastitatem multiplicat: foedus cum Assyrio percutiunt, et oleum in Aegyptum portatur.

CHAPTER 11

Ho 11:1-12. God's Former Benefits, and Israel's Ingratitude Resulting in Punishment, Yet Jehovah Promises Restoration at Last.

Ho 11:5 shows this prophecy was uttered after the league made with Egypt (2Ki 17:4).

1. Israel ... called my son out of Egypt--Bengel translates, "From the time that he (Israel) was in Egypt, I called him My son," which the parallelism proves. So Ho 12:9 and Ho 13:4 use "from ... Egypt," for "from the time that thou didst sojourn in Egypt." Ex 4:22 also shows that Israel was called by God, "My son," from the time of his Egyptian sojourn (Is 43:1). God is always said to have led or brought forth, not to have "called," Israel from Egypt. Mt 2:15, therefore, in quoting this prophecy (typically and primarily referring to Israel, antitypically and fully to Messiah), applies it to Jesus' sojourn in Egypt, not His return from it. Even from His infancy, partly spent in Egypt, God called Him His son. God included Messiah, and Israel for Messiah's sake, in one common love, and therefore in one common prophecy. Messiah's people and Himself are one, as the Head and the body. Is 49:3 calls Him "Israel." The same general reason, danger of extinction, caused the infant Jesus, and Israel in its national infancy (compare Ge 42:1-43:34; 45:18; 46:3, 4; Eze 16:4-6; Jr 31:20) to sojourn in Egypt. So He, and His spiritual Israel, are already called "God's sons" while yet in the Egypt of the world.

2. As they called them--"they," namely, monitors sent by Me. "Called," in Ho 11:1, suggests the idea of the many subsequent calls by the prophets.

went from them--turned away in contempt (Jr 2:27).

Baalim--images of Baal, set up in various places.

3. taught ... to go--literally, "to use his feet." Compare a similar image, De 1:31; 8:2, 5, 15; 32:10, 11; Ne 9:21; Is 63:9; Am 2:10. God bore them as a parent does an infant, unable to supply itself, so that it has no anxiety about food, raiment, and its going forth. Ac 13:18, which probably refers to this passage of Hosea; He took them by the arms, to guide them that they might not stray, and to hold them up that they might not stumble.

knew not that I healed them--that is, that My design was to restore them spiritually and temporally (Ex 15:26).

4. cords of a man--parallel to "bands of love"; not such cords as oxen are led by, but humane methods, such as men employ when inducing others, as for instance, a father drawing his child, by leading-strings, teaching him to go (Ho 11:1).

I was ... as they that take off the yoke on their jaws ... I laid meat--as the humane husbandman occasionally loosens the straps under the jaws by which the yoke is bound on the neck of oxen and lays food before them to eat. An appropriate image of God's deliverance of Israel from the Egyptian yoke, and of His feeding them in the wilderness.

5. He shall not return into ... Egypt--namely, to seek help against Assyria (compare Ho 7:11), as Israel lately had done (2Ki 17:4), after having revolted from Assyria, to whom they had been tributary from the times of Menahem (2Ki 15:19). In a figurative sense, "he shall return to Egypt" (Ho 9:3), that is, to Egypt-like bondage; also many Jewish fugitives were literally to return to Egypt, when the Holy Land was to be in Assyrian and Chaldean hands.

Assyrian shall be his king--instead of having kings of their own, and Egypt as their auxiliary.

because they refused to return--just retribution. They would not return (spiritually) to God, therefore they shall not return (corporally) to Egypt, the object of their desire.

6. abide--or, "fall upon" [Calvin].

branches--that is, his villages, which are the branches or dependencies of the cities [Calvin]. Grotius translates, "his bars" (so La 2:9), that is, the warriors who were the bulwarks of the state. Compare Ho 4:18, "rulers" (Margin), "shields" (Psa 47:9).

because of their own counsels--in worshipping idols, and relying on Egypt (compare Ho 10:6).

7. bent to backsliding--Not only do they backslide, and that too from Me, their "chief good," but they are bent upon it. Though they (the prophets) called them (the Israelites) to the Most High (from their idols), "none would exalt (that is, extol or honor) Him." To exalt God, they must cease to be "bent on backsliding," and must lift themselves upwards.

8. as Admah ... Zeboim--among the cities, including Sodom and Gomorrah, irretrievably overthrown (De 29:23).

heart is turned within me--with the deepest compassion, so as not to execute My threat (La 1:20; compare Ge 43:30; 1Ki 3:26). So the phrase is used of a new turn given to the feeling (Psa 105:25).

repentings--God speaks according to human modes of thought (Nu 23:19). God's seeming change is in accordance with His secret everlasting purpose of love to His people, to magnify His grace after their desperate rebellion.

9. I will not return to destroy Ephraim--that is, I will no more, as in past times, destroy Ephraim. The destruction primarily meant is probably that by Tiglath-pileser, who, as the Jewish king Ahaz' ally against Pekah of Israel and Rezin of Syria, deprived Israel of Gilead, Galilee, and Naphtali (2Ki 15:29). The ulterior reference is to the long dispersion hereafter, to be ended by God's covenant mercy restoring His people, not for their merits, but of His grace.

God, ... not man--not dealing as man would, with implacable wrath under awful provocation (Is 55:7-9; Mal 3:6). I do not, like man, change when once I have made a covenant of everlasting love, as with Israel (Nu 23:19). We measure God by the human standard, and hence are slow to credit fully His promises; these, however, belong to the faithful remnant, not to the obstinately impenitent.

in the midst of thee--as peculiarly thy God (Ex 19:5, 6).

not enter into the city--as an enemy: as I entered Admah, Zeboim, and Sodom, utterly destroying them, whereas I will not utterly destroy thee. Somewhat similarly Jerome: "I am not one such as human dwellers in a city, who take cruel vengeance; I save those whom I correct." Thus "not man," and "in the midst of thee," are parallel to "into the city." Though I am in the midst of thee, it is not as man entering a rebellious city to destroy utterly. Maurer needlessly translates, "I will not come in wrath."

10. he shall roar like a lion--by awful judgments on their foes (Is 31:4; Jr 25:26-30; Joe 3:16), calling His dispersed "children" from the various lands of their dispersion.

shall tremble--shall flock in eager agitation of haste.

from the west--(Zec 8:7). Literally, "the sea." Probably the Mediterranean, including its "isles of the sea," and maritime coast. Thus as Ho 11:11 specifies regions of Africa and Asia, so here Europe. Is 11:11-16, is parallel, referring to the very same regions. On "children," see Ho 1:10.

11. tremble--flutter in haste.

dove--no longer "a silly dove" (Ho 7:11), but as "doves flying to their windows" (Is 60:8).

in their houses--(Eze 28:26). Literally, "upon," for the Orientals live almost as much upon their flat-roofed houses as in them.

12. Maurer joins this verse with the twelfth chapter. But as this verse praises Judah, whereas Ho 12:2 censures him, it must belong rather to the eleventh chapter and a new prophecy begins at the twelfth chapter. To avoid this, Maurer translates this verse as a censure, "Judah wanders with God," that is, though having the true God, he wanders after false gods.

ruleth with God--to serve God is to reign. Ephraim wished to rule without God (compare 1Co 4:8); nay, even, in order to rule, cast off God's worship [Rivetus]. In Judah was the legitimate succession of kings and priests.

with the saints--the holy priests and Levites [Rivetus]. With the fathers and prophets who handed down the pure worship of God. Israel's apostasy is the more culpable, as he had before him the good example of Judah, which he set at naught. The parallelism ("with God") favors Margin, "With THE Most Holy One."

When Israel was a child - In the infancy of his political existence.

I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt - Where he was greatly oppressed; and in this I gave the proof of my love. I preserved my people in their affliction there, and brought them safely out of it.

I taught Ephraim also to go - An allusion to a mother or nurse teaching a child to walk, directing it how to lift and lay its feet, and supporting it in the meantime by the arms, that it may use its feet with the greater ease. This is a passage truly pathetic.

I drew them with cords of a man - This is a reference to leading strings, one end of which is held by the child, the other by the nurse, by which the little one, feeling some support, and gaining confidence, endeavors to walk. God, their heavenly Father, made use of every means and method to teach them to walk in the right and only safe path; for, as the Targum says, "As beloved children are drawn I drew them by the strength of love."

That take of the yoke on their jaws - I did every thing that mercy could suggest, and justice permit, to make their duty their delight and profit. There appears to be here an illusion to the moving and pulling forward the collar or yoke of beasts which have been hard at work, to let in the cool air between it and their neck, so as to refresh them, and prevent that heat, which with the sweat would scald their necks, and take off not only the hair, but the skin. I have often done this at the land ends, in ploughing, when at the turnings the cattle were permitted a few moments to draw their breath after the hard pull that terminated the furrow at either end of the field: -

And I laid meat unto them - Giving them at the same time a bite of grass or hay, to encourage them to go on afresh. The metaphor is strong and expressive; and he who ever had or saw the management of cattle in the plough or cart must admire it. Thus God acted with the people on whose necks was the yoke of his law. How many privileges, advantages, and comforts did he mingle with his precepts, to make them at once a righteous and happy people!

He shall not return into - Egypt - I have brought them thence already, with the design that the nation should never return thither again; but as they have sinned, and forfeited my favor and protection, they shall go to Assyria; and this because they refused to return to me. This view of the verse removes every difficulty.

The sword shall abide on his cities - Israel was agitated with external and intestine wars from the time of Jeroboam the Second. Although Zechariah his son reigned twelve years, yet it was in continual troubles; and he was at last slain by the rebel Shallum, who, having reigned one month, was slain by Menahem. Pekahiah succeeded his father Menahem, and reigned two years, and was killed by Pekah, son of Remaliah. He joined Rezin, king of Syria, and made an irruption into the land of Judah; but Ahaz having obtained succor from Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, Pekah was defeated, and the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, were carried away captives by the Assyrian king; and in a short time after, Hosea, son of Elah, slew Pekah and usurped the kingdom, which he could not possess without the assistance of Shalmaneser, who for his services imposed a tribute on the Israelitish king. Wishing to rid himself of this yoke, he applied to the king of Egypt; but this being known to Shalmaneser, he came against Samaria, and after a three years' siege took and destroyed it. Thus the sword rested on their cities; it continued in the land till all was ruined. See Calmet.

Though they called them to the Most High - Newcome is better: "And though they call on him together because of the yoke, he will not raise it. He shall receive no refreshment." See the metaphor, Hos 11:4 (note).

How shall I give thee up - See the notes on Hos 6:4, where we have similar words from similar feeling.

Mine heart is turned within me - Justice demands thy punishment; Mercy pleads for thy life. As thou changest, Justice resolves to destroy, or Mercy to save. My heart is oppressed, and I am weary with repenting - with so frequently changing my purpose. All this, though spoken after the manner of men, shows how merciful, compassionate, and loath to punish the God of heaven is. What sinner or saint upon earth has not been a subject of these gracious operations?

I will not execute - Here is the issue of this conflict in the Divine mind. Mercy triumphs over Judgment; Ephraim shall be spared. He is God, and not man. He cannot be affected by human caprices. They are now penitent, and implore mercy; he will not, as man would do, punish them for former offenses, when they have fallen into his hand. The holy place is in Ephraim, and God is in this holy place; and he will not go into the cities, as he did into Sodom and Gomorrah, to destroy them. Judgment is his strange work. How exceedingly affecting are these two verses!

They shall walk after the Lord - They shall discern the operations of his providence, when,

He shall roar like a lion - When he shall utter his majestic voice, Cyrus shall make his decree. The people shall tremble - be in a state of commotion; every one hurrying to avail himself of the opportunity to return to his own land.

They shall tremble as a bird - Those of them that are in Egypt shall also be called thence, and shall speed hither as a bird. Those in Assyria shall also be called to return, and they shall flee as doves to their windows. All shall, in the fullness of time, return to their own land. And,

I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord - They shall have their temple once more, and all their holy ordinances.

Ephraim compasseth me about with lies - I think this verse does not well unite with the above; it belongs to another subject, and should begin the following chapter, as in the Hebrew.

Judah yet ruleth with God - There is an allusion here to Gen 32:24, where Jacob having "wrestled with the Angel," had his name changed to Israel, one that rules with God. That glory the Israelites had lost by their idolatry; but Judah still retained the true worship, and alone deserved the name of Israel.

Bp. Newcome translates this clause thus: - "But hereafter they shall come down a people of God, even a faithful people of saints."

Even allowing this to be the most correct view of the original, I do not see what we gain by this change.

Was a child - In the infancy of Israel. I loved him - Manifested my tender and paternal affection to him. Called my son - Adopted him to be my son, and as my son, provided for him, and brought him out of servitude. Out of Egypt - But Israel, the first adopted son was a type of Christ the first - born. And the history of Israel's coming out was a type of Christ's future coming out of Egypt.

They - Moses and Aaron, and other prophets. Called - Persuaded, intreated, and urged by exhortations, the whole house of Israel. From them - From the prophets counsel and commands. Baalim - In the desert they began this apostacy, and held on with obstinacy in it.

I taught - As a mother or nurse helps the child. Taking them - Supporting and bearing them up. They knew not - They would not see nor acknowledge me in it.

Cords of man - With such kindness as best fits and most prevails with a man. I was to them - As a careful husband - man in due season takes the yoke from his labouring oxen, and takes off the muzzle with which they were kept from eating, when at work. I laid meat unto them - Brought them provision in their wants.

He - Ephraim. Shall be king - Shall rule them with rigour and cruelty. They refused - The reason of all is, their obstinacy in idolatry.

His branches - The lesser towns and villages. Their own counsels - Which they have followed in opposition to all the good counsels the prophets gave them from time to time.

They - The prophets. None at all - Scarce any one would hearken and obey.

Give thee up - To utter destruction. Admah and Zeboim were two of the four cities which were destroyed with fire from heaven. My repentings - Not that God is ever fluctuating or unresolved; but these are expressions after the manner of men, to shew what severity Israel had deserved, and yet how divine grace would be glorified in sparing them.

Return - Conquerors that plunder the conquered city, carry away the wealth of it, and after some time return to burn it; God will not do so. Not man - Therefore my compassions fail not. The holy One - A holy God, and in covenant, though not with all, yet with many among you. Enter into the city - Utterly to destroy thee, as I did Sodom.

They - The remnant shall hear and obey the Lord. Like a lion - The word of the Lord, so saith the Chaldee, shall roar as a lion. Christ is called, The lion of the tribe of Judah: and when he cried with a loud voice, it was as when a lion roared. The voice of the gospel was heard far, as the roaring of a lion; and it was a mighty voice. Tremble - The spirit by its power awakening them to a sight of sin, shall make them fear and tremble. From the west - From the ends of the earth.

They shall tremble - At their return into their own land, some shall hasten, yet with solicitude, out of Egypt, whither they fled for shelter; others like doves shall hasten out of Assyria, but with fear and trembling. I will place them - A seasonable and comfortable promise.

Ephraim - Most of the people of Israel. With lies - Play the hypocrite with me still. Judah - The two tribes. Yet ruleth - While idolaters are slaves to the devil, the true worshippers of God, like princes, rule with God. Faithful - Retains purity, at least truth of worship, and comparatively is faithful. Judah adheres to God's holy prophets, priests, and other saints of God.

1 WHen Israel was a child , then I loved him , and called my son out of Egypt .

In the infancy of Israel, which is here dated equal with his being in Egypt.

Manifested that tender and paternal affection which I did bear to him, increasing him in numbers, wealth and honour.

Adopted him to be my Son, and as my son provided for him, and brought him out of servitude; I so loved him as to give Egypt for his ransome, Isa. 43.3.

Where they had sojourned 215 years, and in them suffered many outrages from the Egyptians, who were their enemies, and aim'd at extirpating Israel; Now amidst such enemies, God own'd them to be his Sons, his eldest Son, and redeemed him out of bondage, a fruit of wonderful love never to be forgotten. This in the Letter and History is exceeding plain, but there is difficulty in the application of this unto Christ, and his call out of Egypt, of which many interpreters treat at large, which may not now be so much as summarily toucht; It is too little to say that the Evangelist doth Mat. 2.15. allude to this place, and I think 'tis too much to say this place is cited by Matthew, as in the History of the thing, referring only to Christ, being called out of Egypt, but if you will make Israel the first adopted Son, Type of Christ, the first born, and the history of Israels coming out to be a Type of Christs future coming out, you then give to both their proper share in these words, and the Letter and History is verified in both, and the principal import of the words will refer to Christ as principally intended in them, yet not excluding the Type.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 21.[illegible: 2 letters].

2 As they called them , so they h went from them : they sacrificed unto Baalim , and burnt incense to graven images .

Moses and Aaron, and other Prophets, and holy zealous Judges and Priests, as Samuel &c.

advised, perswaded, intreated, and urged by exhortations.

The whole house of Israel, and among these the ten Tribes, or Ephraim.

Frowardly, and most disingenuously apostatized more and more, as the Prophet, Isa. 1.5. horrible ingratitude so to requite God!

From the Prophets counsel and commands delivered as they came from God.

In the desert they began this Apostacy, join'd themselves to Baal Peor, Numb. 25.3. and worshipt the Calf, Exod· 32.4, 5, 6. and held on with obstinacy in it.

Images of their Gods, before which they performed another part of Religious Worship, burning incense before them.

Israelites called and intreated, especially they of that Age, when the division was made, and ever since.

3 I taught Ephraim also to go , taking them by their arms , but they knew not that I healed them .

As a Mother or Nurse doth help the child, and with tenderest care doth guide and form its steps, and by long continued patience waits on it; Such like was the tenderness of God toward Israel in his Childhood.

Supporting and bearing them up, as Nurses bear up the child in their hands, taking them up by the arms, giving strength for motion, till the child should grow to strength.

Unthankful, sottish and heedless ones, neither would see nor acknowledge me in it, but Exod. 32.4. within few Moneth[illegible: 1 letter] time ascribe their deliverance to a Golden Calf; thus foolishly they requite the love of their God.

4 I drew them with cords of a man , with bands of love , and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws , and I laid meat unto them .

I found them backward and unapt to lead, I therefore in my pity laid my hand on them, and as a Father or Friend, drew them gently to me,

i. e. with such obliging kindness as best fits and most prevails with a man, with reason.

These arguments of love, which might as strong bands hold them fast to my Law and Worship for their good. I used [illegible: 1 letter]all manner of kindnesses towards them to fix them in good.

As a careful Husbandman doth in due season take the yoke from his labouring Oxe, and takes off the muzzle with which they were kept from eating, when at work, gives them time of rest and feeding: So did God with Israel.

Brought them provision in their wants, as the careful Husbandman brings fodder and provender for his wearied labouring Oxe, by which plain simile God doth inform Israel in Hosea's time, what antient, tender▪ constant and vigilant love he had shewed to Israel to their predecessors, and to them also, and hereby discovers their unheard of ingratitude, and wickedness, which began in their Fathers▪ and hath continued with increase to the dayes of their final ruin.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]

5 ¶ He shall not return into the land of Egypt , but the Assyrian shall be his king , because they refused to return .

Ephraim thus provided for by me, thus indulged, or else Ephraim punished.

Either needed not have courted Egypts friendship, or desired that assistance; I would have kept them safe enough, and sufficiently provided for them, so if you refer this to Ephraim, not threatned or punisht, but if Ephraim be here threatned, then you have it foretold, that though Ephraim flatters himself with false hopes of a refuge in Egypt, it should not be

conquering and captivating them should make himself their King, and rule them with rigour and cruelty.

The reason of all is, their obstinacy in Idolatry, and their impenitence, refusing to return to God, which two latter passages are also explicable as the former; thus, if they would have return[illegible: 1 letter]ed unto me, Assyria should not have been their King.

Marginal references: chap. 9.3.

6 And the sword shall abide upon his cities , and shall consume his branches , and devour them n, because of their own counsels .

Either intestine or forreign warrs, or both.

Shall be long, not be as a sudden incursion, which doth much mischief to surprised and unfortified places, but it shall be a lasting war; Three years Samaria was besieged, so the sword did abide.

All the Cities of Ephraim, the enemy should have courage and leisure to attend the siege of every one of them.

Shall prevail to take, sack, burn and ruin the branches.

Lesser Towns and Villages.

Which they first took, 1 King. 12.28. and ever since irreclaimably have followed in opposition to all the good counsels the Prophets gave them from time to time, to all which they have turned a deaf ear; they have sued for Egypt and Assur's favour, and slighted mine.

Which he shall swallow up with speed and ease, without remedy.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 10.6.

7 And my people are bent to backsliding from me : though they called them to the most High , none at all would exalt him .

Yet God owneth them for his, he had not cast them quite off, or since they call themselves his, he is willing to encourage them by owning all in them that looks toward him.

God in his holiness, justice, goodness and truth, all which a repenting people do magnifie, but these will not. They retain their Idols, depend on Egypt, and put all on that cast, and will neither believe, nor try Gods goodness.

The Prophets

invited, exhorted, and encouraged them with many fair promises to give Glory to God by returning.

Not one of many, scarce any one in those great numbers in Israel would hearken and obey.

God in his holiness, justice, goodness and truth, all which a repenting people do magnifie, but these will not. They retain their Idols, depend on Egypt, and put all on that cast, and will neither believe, nor try Gods goodness.

Or continue in suspence doubtful and unresolved what to do, or rather inclined most to an aversion from me; though the Lord's Prophets have perswaded them earnestly to return by Repentance, yet they continue unresolved what is best to be done, whether to adhere to their Idol Gods, to make sure of Egyptian aids, or to turn to God, and cast off the other; this they most dislike, and continue as 'twere tackt and fastned to their Rebellion as the French version.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] together [illegible: 3 letters]lted not.

8 How shall I give thee up , Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me , my repentings are kindled together.

O Ephraim, thou hast deserved to be destroyed for ever, thy sins call for this, and my Justice threatens it, I may do it, but my mercy interposeth, and I would rather spare in mercy, then destroy in justice, there is still a debate between these two; How shall I give up to J[illegible: 1 letter] stice, saith Mercy, and ho[illegible: 1 letter] shall I not give up (saith Justice) into the han[illegible: 1 letter]s of enemies? Justice must be executed that I must do, saith God▪ and Mercy shall be Magnified that I will do▪ but how shall this be done, if I deliver thee, O Israel, to thine enemies, they will utterly destroy, and where then is mercy? If I deliver thee not, thy sins will not be chastised, and where then is Justice? If I punish thee, as I pun[illegible: 1 letter]sht Admah and Zeb[illegible: 1 letter]im with fire from Heaven, I do what is just, but then I shew no mercy; for these are two of the four Cities which suffer the vengeance of Eternal Fire, of these, Genesis 19.24.

After the manner of man God speaks, we know what 'tis to have a heart turn'd from wrath into kindness and compassions, so God speaks of himself here, and Isa. 63.15. Ier. 31.2[illegible: 1 letter].

After such unparallel'd abuse of infinite mercy and patience, what could be expected, but unrelenting wrath and fiercest indignation, but here is a wonder above all the rest. Bowels troubled, and strugling with anger, and contesting on behalf of most inexcusable sinners.

Still like a compassionate man, he could wish his threats in again, his bowels are now as in a flame for them.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 6.4.; [illegible: 1 word] 14.8.29.23.4.11.

9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger , I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God, and not man , the holy One in the midst of thee , and I will not enter into the city .

Here Mercy rejoyceth against judgment, and God declareth his purpose to spare, he promiseth that he will not execute according to utmost severity,

This promise he confirmeth by doubling it, though in somewhat different words, I will not do as men, who having beat down an enemy, and wounded him, do return again to see whether he breathe, and to make an end of him, or conquerours that plunder the conquered City, carry away the wealth of it, and after some time return to b[illegible: 1 letter]rn it; God will not do so.

His infinite compassions, his unchangeable goodness; he remembers all his promises to every one, and now seeth who among Israel believe, and hope for his grace and mercy; these he must spare as he is just Judge of the whole Earth, and for their sakes he will spare many others▪

A Holy God, and in Covenant, though not with all, yet with many among you, and those that are in Covenant with God are holy ones too: I will not make them as Admah or Zeboim, for the case is different, in the Cities of the plain there were no righteous ones, but here are some, though not many, and so Rivet renders the words, there is a Holy One in the midst of thee, where the singular is used for plural, as in that passage, the[illegible: 1 letter]e is none righteous.

I will not come amongst you, as I came into Sodom, &c. Here is comfort for Gods remnant.

10 They shall walk after the LORD : he shall roare like a lion : when he shall roare, then the children shall tremble from the west .

Whom infinite mercy spareth, the choice remnant

shall hear and obey, worship and depend on the Lord, on the Messiah, of whom these, and the words of the next verse do certainly speak. They refer also to the return out of Captivity, in both History and Type, of our deliverance out of Spiritual and Eternal Captivity.

Christ the Lyon, of the Tribe of Iudah, shall send out his Gospel, this meant by the Lyons roring, Ioel 3.16. of whom 'tis observed, that he doth by roring gather his Whelps, and others of his kind to the prey; by the mighty voice of the Lord in the Gospel, the Elect shall be gathered to partake of Eternal Life;

The spirit by its power awakening them to the sight of sin, shall make them fear and tremble,

to the ends of the earth. This is the mystical sense, yet the literal I think, refers to the return of the Iews out of Captivity, when many out of Assyria and Egypt returned, and some report 100000, from Ethiopia Cusaea, and the parts toward Arabia; and possibly this hath particular respect to Darius his decree, on the behalf of those that follow'd Haggai and Zechariah's counsel, finisht the Temple, restored the Worship of God, reformed strange and unlawful Marriages, paid their Tithes, &c. in these they followed the Lord; And Darius made a decree for them, terrible to the children of the West, as the roaring of a Lyon. Let this work go forward, Ezra 6.7. &c. who dares to hinder, let Timber be taken out of his house, and a Gallowes made thereof, and such be hanged thereon, ver. 11.12. All this filled the inhabitants of those parts with great fear, when God thus gathered his dispersed ones; but what I conjecture at I do submit to better Judgments.

Marginal references: Amos 1.[illegible: 1 letter].

11 They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses , saith the LORD.

They'l find none but I [illegible: 1 letter]ill place them in houses, and they shall be theirs too. It is a [illegible: 1 letter]ery seasonable and comfortable Promise, and suited to the state and wants of those returning Exiles and in the letter of it refers to them, and they as Types of what is more Mysteriou[illegible: 1 letter]ly and more darkly contain'd in them; viz. the gathering of Believers from all quarters to Christ with the Alacrity and speed which Birds make in flying to their nests, and Gods providing Mansions of rest for them. Well resembled here in these similes.

The summary of the first part of this verse seems to be, That some should hasten, yet with solicitude, out of Egypt, whither they fled for shelter, like as a bird that hath been cast out of her nest hasteth to it; others like doves shall hasten out of Assyria unto Iudaea, but with fear and solicitude, which cannot but attend them in a land though their own, yet now desolate and horrid under 180 years devastation since Salmaneser tran [illegible: 2 letters]orted them, i. e. 110 years before and 70 years concurrent [illegible: 1 letter]ith the Iews Captivity in Babylon.

Marginal references: Isa. 60.8.

12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies , and the house of Israel with deceit : but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints .

Many, or the most of Ephraim.

Play the Hypocrites with me still, yet give me good words call themselves my people, and say I am their God, and that they worship me and seek me but they flatter we with their mouths and lie unto me with their Tongues, as Psal. 78.36. So God upbraids them with this their sin.

The same thing in an ingeminated phrase to affect and ascertain the more.

The people of the two Tribes, under the Government of the house of David.

While Idolaters are Vassals and slaves to the Devil and to their own superstitious fears; the true worshippers of God like Princes rule with God. Or rather keeping to the house of David retain'd the Government in state affaires which was Theopolitia, a Government set up of God, when Ephraim made Kings and Princes but God did not know it, i. e. did not advise, nor approve it.

Retains also purity at least truth of Worship, and in the holy things of God keepeth to his word, and comparatively is faithful; whereas Ephraim is Hypocritical and false, Iudah adheres to God's holy Prophets, Priests and other saints of God.

This Verse might better begin the next Chapter, and by most Interpreters I have seen, it is the first verse of the next Chapter; but since we find it here we will here consider it.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]

Hos 11:1-2

The prophet goes back a third time (cf. Hos 10:1; Hos 9:10) to the early times of Israel, and shows how the people had repaid the Lord, for all the proofs of His love, with nothing but ingratitude and unfaithfulness; so that it would have merited utter destruction from off the earth, if God should not restrain His wrath for the sake of His unchangeable faithfulness, in order that, after severely chastening, He might gather together once more those that were rescued from among the heathen. Hos 11:1. “When Israel was young, then I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt. Hos 11:2. Men called to them; so they went away from their countenance: they offer sacrifice to the Baals, and burn incense to the idols.” Hos 11:1 rests upon Exo 4:22-23, where the Lord directs Moses to say to Pharaoh, “Israel is my first-born son; let my son go, that he may serve me.” Israel was the son of Jehovah, by virtue of its election to be Jehovah’s peculiar people (see at Exo 4:22). In this election lay the ground for the love which God showed to Israel, by bringing it out of Egypt, to give it the land of Canaan, promised to the fathers for its inheritance. The adoption of Israel as the son of Jehovah, which began with its deliverance out of the bondage of Egypt, and was completed in the conclusion of the covenant at Sinai, forms the first stage in the carrying out of the divine work of salvation, which was completed in the incarnation of the Son of God for the redemption of mankind from death and ruin. The development and guidance of Israel as the people of God all pointed to Christ; not, however, in any such sense as that the nation of Israel was to bring forth the son of God from within itself, but in this sense, that the relation which the Lord of heaven and earth established and sustained with that nation, was a preparation for the union of God with humanity, and paved the way for the incarnation of His Son, by the fact that Israel was trained to be a vessel of divine grace. All essential factors in the history of Israel point to this as their end, and thereby become types and material prophecies of the life of Him in whom the reconciliation of man to God was to be realized, and the union of God with the human race to be developed into a personal unity. It is in this sense that the second half of our verse is quoted in Mat 2:15 as a prophecy of Christ, not because the words of the prophet refer directly and immediately to Christ, but because the sojourn in Egypt, and return out of that land, had the same significance in relation to the development of the life of Jesus Christ, as it had to the nation of Israel. Just as Israel grew into a nation in Egypt, where it was out of the reach of Canaanitish ways, so was the child Jesus hidden in Egypt from the hostility of Herod. But Hos 11:2 is attached thus as an antithesis: this love of its God was repaid by Israel with base apostasy. קראוּ, they, viz., the prophets (cf. Hos 11:7; 2Ki 17:13; Jer 7:25; Jer 25:4; Zec 1:4), called to them, called the Israelites to the Lord and to obedience to Him; but they (the Israelites) went away from their countenance, would not hearken to the prophets, or come to the Lord (Jer 2:31). The thought is strengthened by כּן, with the כּאשׁר of the protasis omitted (Ewald, §360, a): as the prophets called, so the Israelites drew back from them, and served idols. בּעלים as in Hos 2:15, and פּסלים as in 2Ki 17:41 and Deu 7:5, Deu 7:25 (see at Exo 20:4).

Hos 11:3-4

Nevertheless the Lord continued to show love to them. Hos 11:3, Hos 11:4. “And I, I have taught Ephraim to walk: He took them in His arms, and they did not know that I healed them. I drew them with bands of a man, with cords of love, and became to them like a lifter up of the yoke upon their jaws, and gently towards him did I give (him) food.” תּרגּלתּי, a hiphil, formed after the Aramaean fashion (cf. Ges. §55, 5), by hardening the ה into ת, and construed with ל, as the hiphil frequently is (e.g., Hos 10:1; Amo 8:9), a denom. of רגל, to teach to walk, to guide in leading-strings, like a child that is being trained to walk. It is a figurative representation of paternal care foz a child’s prosperity. קחם, per aphaeresin, for לקחם, like קח for לקח in Eze 17:5. The sudden change from the first person to the third seems very strange to our ears; but it is not uncommon in Hebrew, and is to be accounted for here from the fact, that the prophet could very easily pass from speaking in the name of God to speaking of God Himself. קח cannot be either an infinitive or a participle, on account of the following word זרועתיו, his arms. The two clauses refer chiefly to the care and help afforded by the Lord to His people in the Arabian desert; and the prophet had Deu 1:31 floating before his mind: “in the wilderness the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son.” The last clause also refers to this, רפאתים pointing back to Exo 15:26, where the Lord showed Himself as the physician of Israel, by making the bitter water at Marah drinkable, and at the same time as their helper out of every trouble. In Hos 11:4, again, there is a still further reference to the manifestation of the love of God to Israel on the journey through the wilderness. חבלי אדם, cords with which men are led, more especially children that are weak upon their feet, in contrast with ropes, with which men control wild, unmanageable beasts (Psa 32:9), are a figurative representation of the paternal, human guidance of Israel, as explained in the next figure, “cords of love.” This figure leads on to the kindred figure of the yoke laid upon beasts, to harness them for work. As merciful masters lift up the yoke upon the cheeks of their oxen, i.e., push it so far back that the animals can eat their food in comfort, so has the Lord made the yoke of the law, which has been laid upon His people, both soft and light. As הרים על על does not mean to take the yoke away from (מעל) the cheeks, but to lift it above the cheeks, i.e., to make it easier, by pushing it back, we cannot refer the words to the liberation of Israel from the bondage of Egypt, but can only think of what the Lord did, to make it easy for the people to observe the commandments imposed upon them, when they were received into His covenant (Exo 24:3, Exo 24:7), including not only the many manifestations of mercy which might and ought to have allured them to reciprocate His love, and yield a willing obedience to His commandments, but also the means of grace provided in their worship, partly in the institution of sacrifice, by which a way of approach was opened to divine grace to obtain forgiveness of sin, and partly in the institution of feasts, at which they could rejoice in the gracious gifts of their God. ואט is not the first pers. imperf. hiphil of נטה (“I inclined myself to him;” Symm., Syr., and others), in which case we should expect ואט, but an adverb, softly, comfortably; and אליו belongs to it, after the analogy of 2Sa 18:5. אוכיל is an anomalous formation for אאכיל, like אוביד for אאביד in Jer 46:8 (cf. Ewald, §192, d; Ges. §68, 2, Anm. 1). Jerome has given the meaning quite correctly: “and I gave them manna for food in the desert, which they enjoyed.”

Hos 11:5-7

By despising this love, Israel brings severe punishment upon itself. Hos 11:5. “It will not return into the land of Egypt; but Asshur, he is its king, because they refused to return. Hos 11:6. And the sword will sweep round in its cities, and destroy its bolts, and devour, because of their counsels. Hos 11:7. My people is bent upon apostasy from me: and if men call it upwards, it does not raise itself at all.” The apparent contradiction between the words, “It will not return into the land of Egypt,” and the threat contained in Hos 8:13; Hos 9:3, that Israel should return to Egypt, ought not to lead us to resort to alterations of the text, or to take לא in the sense of לו, and connect it with the previous verse, as is done by the lxx, Mang., and others, or to make an arbitrary paraphrase of the words, either by taking לא in the sense of הלא, and rendering it as a question, “Should it not return?” equivalent to “it will certainly return” (Maurer, Ewald, etc.); or by understanding the return to Egypt as signifying the longing of the people for help from Egypt (Rosenmüller). The emphatic הוּא of the second clause is at variance with all these explanations, since they not only fail to explain it, but it points unmistakeably to an antithesis: “Israel will not return to Egypt; but Asshur, it shall be its king,” i.e., it shall come under the dominion of Assyria. The supposed contradiction is removed as soon as we observe that in Hos 8:13; Hos 9:3, Hos 9:6, Egypt is a type of the land of bondage; whereas here the typical interpretation is precluded partly by the contrast to Asshur, and still more by the correspondence in which the words stand to Hos 11:1. Into the land from which Jehovah called His people, Israel shall not return, lest it should appear as though the object, for which it had been brought out of Egypt and conducted miraculously through the desert, had been frustrated by the impenitence of the people. But it is to be brought into another bondage. ואשּׁוּר is appended adversatively. Asshur shall rule over it as king, because they refuse to return, sc. to Jehovah. The Assyrians will wage war against the land, and conquer it. The sword (used as a principal weapon, to denote the destructive power of war) will circulate in the cities of Israel, make the round of the cities as it were, and destroy its bolts, i.e., the bolts of the gates of the fortifications of Ephraim. Baddı̄m, poles (Exo 25:13.), cross-poles or cross-beams, with which the gates were fastened, hence bolts in the literal sense, as in Job 17:16, and not tropically for “princes” (Ges.), electi (Jer., Chald., etc.). “On account of their counsels:” this is more fully defined in Hos 11:7. נעמּי, and my people (= since my people) are harnessed to apostasy from me (meshūbhâthı̄, with an objective suffix). תּלוּאים, lit., suspended on apostasy, i.e., not “swaying about in consequence of apostasy or in constant danger of falling away” (Chald., Syr., Hengst.), since this would express too little in the present context and would not suit the second half of the verse, but impaled or fastened upon apostasy as upon a stake, so that it cannot get loose. Hence the constructing of תּלה with ל instead of על or ב (2Sa 18:10), may be accounted for from the use of the verb in a figurative sense. על־על, upwards (על as in Hos 7:16), do they (the prophets: see Hos 11:2) call them; but it does not rise, sc. to return to God, or seek help from on high. רומם pilel, with the meaning of the kal intensified, to make a rising, i.e., to rise up. This explanation appears simpler than supplying an object, say “the soul” (Psa 25:1), or “the eyes” (Eze 33:25).

Hos 11:8-9

They deserved to be utterly destroyed for this, and would have been if the compassion of God had not prevented it. With this turn a transition is made in Hos 11:8 from threatening to promise. Hos 11:8. “How could I give thee up, O Ephraim! surrender thee, O Israel! how could I give thee up like Admah, make thee like Zeboim! My heart has changed within me, my compassion is excited all at once. Hos 11:9. I will not execute the burning heat of my wrath, I will not destroy Ephraim again: for I am God, and not man, the Holy One in the midst of thee: and come not into burning wrath.” “How thoroughly could I give thee up!” sc. if I were to punish thy rebellion as it deserved. Nâthan, to surrender to the power of the enemy, like miggēn in Gen 14:20. And not that alone, but I could utterly destroy thee, like Admah and Zeboim, the two cities of the valley of Siddim, which were destroyed by fire from heaven along with Sodom and Gomorrha. Compare Deu 29:22, where Admah and Zeboim are expressly mentioned along with the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, which stand alone in Gen 19:24. With evident reference to this passage, in which Moses threatens idolatrous Israel with the same punishment, Hosea simply mentions the last two as quite sufficient for his purpose, whereas Sodom and Gomorrha are generally mentioned in other passages (Jer 49:18; cf. Mat 10:15; Luk 10:12). The promise that God will show compassion is appended here, without any adversative particle. My heart has turned, changed in me (על, lit., upon or with me, as in the similar phrases in 1Sa 25:36; Jer 8:18). יחד נכמרוּ, in a body have my feelings of compassion gathered themselves together, i.e., my whole compassion is excited. Compare Gen 43:30 and 1Ki 3:26, where, instead of the abstract nichūmı̄m, we find the more definite rachămı̄m, the bowels as the seat of the emotions. עשׂה חרון אף, to carry out wrath, to execute it as judgment (as in 1Sa 28:18). In the expression לא אשׁוּב לשׁחת, I will not return to destroy, שׁוּב may be explained from the previous נהפּך לבּי. After the heart of God has changed, it will not return to wrath, to destroy Ephraim; for Jehovah is God, who does not alter His purposes like a man (cf. 1Sa 15:29; Num 23:19; Mal 3:6), and He shows Himself in Israel as the Holy One, i.e., the absolutely pure and perfect one, in whom there is no alternation of light and darkness, and therefore no variableness in His decrees (see at Exo 19:6; Isa 6:3). The difficult expression בּעיר cannot mean “into a city,” although it is so rendered by the ancient versions, the Rabbins, and many Christian expositors; for we cannot attach any meaning to the words “I do not come into a city” at all in harmony with the context. עיר signifies here aestus irae, the heat of wrath, from עוּר, effervescere, just as in Jer 15:8 it signifies the heat of alarm and anxiety, aestus animi.

Hos 11:10-11 “They will go after Jehovah; like a lion will He roar; for He will roar: and sons will tremble from the sea. Hos 11:11. Tremble like birds out of Egypt, and like doves out of the land of Asshur: and I cause them to dwell in their houses, is the saying of Jehovah.” When the Lord turns His pity towards the people once more, they will follow Him, and hasten, with trembling at His voice, from the lands of their banishment, and be reinstated by Him in their inheritance. The way for this promise was opened indeed by Hos 11:9, but here it is introduced quite abruptly, and without any logical particle of connection, like the same promise in Hos 3:5. הלך אחרי יי, to walk after the Lord, denotes not only “obedience to the gathering voice of the Lord, as manifested by their drawing near” (Simson), but that walking in true obedience to the Lord which follows from conversion (Deu 13:5; 1Ki 14:8), so that the Chaldee has very properly rendered it, “They will follow the worship of Jehovah.” This faithfulness they will exhibit first of all in practical obedience to the call of the Lord. This call is described as the roaring of a lion, the point of comparison lying simply in the fact that a lion announces its coming by roaring, so that the roaring merely indicates a loud, far-reaching call, like the blowing of the trumpet in Isa 27:13. The reason for what is affirmed is then given: “for He (Jehovah) will really utter His call,” in consequence of which the Israelites, as His children, will come trembling (chârēd synonymous with pâchad, Hos 3:5). מיּם, from the sea, i.e., from the distant islands and lands of the west (Isa 11:11), as well as from Egypt and Assyria, the lands of the south and east. These three regions are simply a special form of the idea, “out of all quarters of the globe;” compare the more complete enumeration of the several remote countries in Isa 11:11. The comparison to birds and doves expresses the swiftness with which they draw near, as doves fly to their dovecots (Isa 60:8). Then will the Lord cause them to dwell in their houses, i.e., settle them once more in their inheritance, in His own land (cf. Jer 32:37, where לבטח is added). On the construing of הושׁיב with על, cf. 1Ki 20:43, and the German auf der Stube sein. The expression נאם יי affixes the seal of confirmation to this promise. The fulfilment takes place in the last says, when Israel as a nation shall enter the kingdom of God. Compare the remarks on this point at Hos 2:1-3.

God's Goodness to Israel; The Ingratitude of Israel; God's Displeasure with Israel. (b. c.  730.)

1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. 2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images. 3 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them. 4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them. 5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return. 6 And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels. 7 And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

Here we find,

I. God very gracious to Israel. They were a people for whom he had done more than for any people under heaven, and to whom he had given more, which they are here, I will not say upbraided with (for God gives, and upbraids not), but put in mind of, as an aggravation of their sin and an encouragement to repentance. 1. He had a kindness for them when they were young (v. 1): When Israel was a child then I loved him; when they first began to multiply into a nation in Egypt God then set his love upon them, and chose them because he loved them, because he would love them, Deut. vii. 7, 8. When they were weak and helpless as children, foolish and froward as children, when they were outcasts, and children exposed, then God loved them; he pitied them, and testified his goodwill to them; he bore them as the nurse does the sucking child, nourished them, and suffered their manners. Note, Those that have grown up, nay, those that have grown old, ought often to reflect upon the goodness of God to them in their childhood. 2. He delivered them out of the house of bondage: I called my son out of Egypt, because a son, because a beloved son. When God demanded Israel's discharge from Pharaoh he called them his son, his first-born. Note, Those whom God loves he calls out of the bondage of sin and Satan into the glorious liberty of his children. These words are said to have been fulfilled in Christ, when, upon the death of Herod, he and his parents were called out of Egypt (Matt. ii. 15), so that the words have a double aspect, speaking historically of the calling of Israel out of Egypt and prophetically of the bringing of Christ thence; and the former was a type of the latter, and a pledge and earnest of the many and great favours God had in reserve for that people, especially the sending of his Son into the world, and the bringing him again into the land of Israel when they had unkindly driven him out, and he might justly never have returned. The calling of Christ out of Egypt was a figure of the calling of all that are his, through him, out of spiritual slavery. 3. He gave them a good education, took care of them, took pains with them, not only as a father or tutor, but, such is the condescension of divine grace, as a mother or nurse (v. 3): I taught Ephraim also to go, as a child in leading-strings is taught. When they were in the wilderness God led them by the pillar of cloud and fire, showed them the way in which they should go, and bore them up, taking them by the arms. He taught them to go in the way of his commandments, by the institutions of the ceremonial law, which were as tutors and governors to that people under age. He took them by the arms, to guide them, that they might not stray, and to hold them up, that they might not stumble and fall. God's spiritual Israel are thus supported. Thou has holden me by my right hand, Ps. lxxiii. 23. 4. When any thing was amiss with them, or they were ever so little out of order, he was their physician: "I healed them; I not only took a tender care of them (a friend may do that), but wrought an effectual cure: it is a God only that can do that. I am the Lord that healeth thee (Exod. xv. 26), that redresseth all thy grievances." 5. He brought them into his service by mild and gentle methods (v. 4): I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love. Note, It is God's work to draw poor souls to himself; and none can come to him except he draw them, John vi. 44. He draws, (1.) With the cords of a man, with such cords as men draw with that have a principle of humanity, or such cords as men are drawn with; he dealt with them as men, in an equitable rational way, in an easy gentle way, with the cords of Adam. He dealt with them as with Adam in innocency, bringing them at once into a paradise, and into covenant with himself. (2.) With bands of love, or cartropes of love. This word signifies stronger cords than the former. He did not drive them by force into his service, whether they would or no, nor rule them with rigour, nor detain them by violence, but his attractives were all loving and endearing, all sweet and gentle, that he might overcome them with kindness. Moses, whom he made their guide, was the meekest man in the world. Kindnesses among men we commonly call obligations, or bonds, bonds of love. Thus God draws with the savour of his good ointments (Cant. i. 4), draws with lovingkindness, Jer. xxxi. 3. Thus God deals with us, and we must deal in like manner with those that are under our instruction and government, deal rationally and mildly with them. 6. He eased them of the burdens they had been long groaning under: I was to them as those that take off the yoke on their jaws, alluding to the care of the good husbandman, who is merciful to his beast, and will not tire him with hard and constant labour. Probably, in those times, the yoke on the neck of the oxen was fastened with some bridle, or headstall, over the jaws, which muzzled the mouth of the ox. Israel in Egypt were thus restrained from the enjoyments of their comforts and constrained to hard labour; but God eased them, removed their shoulder from the burden, Ps. lxxxi. 6. Note, Liberty is a great mercy, especially out of bondage. 7. He supplied them with food convenient. In Egypt they fared hard, but, when God brought them out, he laid meat unto them, as the husbandman, when he has unyoked his cattle, fodders them. God rained manna about their camp, bread from heaven, angels' food; other creatures seek their meat, but God laid meat to his own people, as we do to our children, was himself their caterer and carver, anticipated them with the blessings of goodness.

II. Here is Israel very ungrateful to God.

1. They were deaf and disobedient to his voice. He spoke to them by his messengers, Moses and his other prophets, called them from their sins, called them to himself, to their work and duty; but as they called them so they went from them; they rebelled in those particular instances wherein they were admonished; the more pressing and importunate the prophets were with them, to persuade them to that which was good, the more refractory they were, and the more resolute in their evil ways, disobeying for disobedience-sake. This foolishness is bound in the hearts of children, who, as soon as they are taught to go, will go from those that call them.

2. They were fond of idols, and worshipped them: They sacrificed to Baalim, first one Baal and then another, and burnt incense to graven images, though they were called to by the prophets of the Lord again and again not to do this abominable thing which he hated. Idolatry was the sin which from the beginning, and all along, had most easily beset them.

3. They were regardless of God, and of his favours to them: They knew not that I healed them. They looked only at Moses and Aaron, the instruments of their relief, and, when any thing was amiss, quarrelled with them, but looked not through them to God who employed them. Or, When God corrected them, and kept them under a severe discipline, they understood not that it was for their good, and that God thereby healed them, and it was necessary for the perfecting of their cure, else they would have been better reconciled to the methods God took. Note, Ignorance is at the bottom of ingratitude, ch. ii. 8.

4. They were strongly inclined to apostasy. This is the blackest article in the charge (v. 7): My people are bent to backsliding from me. Every word here is aggravating. (1.) They backslide. There is no hold of them, no stedfastness in them; they seem to come forward, towards God, but they quickly slide back again, and are as a deceitful bow. (2.) They backslide from me, from God, the chief good, the fountain of life and living waters, from their God who never turned from them, nor war as a wilderness to them. (3.) They are bent to backslide; they are ready to sin; there is in their natures a propensity to that which is evil; at the best they hang in suspense between God and the world, so that a little thing serves to draw them the wrong way; they are forward to close with every temptation. It also intimates that they are resolute in sin; their hearts are fully set in them to do evil the bias is strong that way; and they persist in their backslidings, whatever is said or done to stop them; and yet, (4.) "They are, in profession, my people. They are called by my name, and profess relation to me; they are mine, whom I have done much for and expect much from, whom I have nourished and brought up, as children, and yet they backslide from me." Note, In our repentance we ought to lament not only our backslidings, but our bent to backslide, not only our actual transgressions, but our original corruption, the sin that dwells in us, the carnal mind.

5. They were strangely averse to repentance and reformation. Here are two expressions of their obstinacy:— (1.) They refused to return, v. 5. So much were they bent to backslide that, though they could not but find, upon trial, the folly of their backslidings, and that when they forsook God they changed for the worse, yet they went on frowardly. I have loved strangers, and after them I will go. They were commanded to return, were courted and entreated to return, were promised that if they would they should be kindly received, but they refused. (2.) Though they called them to the Most High. God's prophets and ministers called them to return to the God from whom they had revolted, to the most high God, from whom they had sunk into this wretched degeneracy; they called them from the worship of the idols, which were so much below them, and the worship of which was therefore their disparagement, to the true God, who was so much above them, and the worship of whom was therefore their preferment; they called them from this earth to high and heavenly things; but they called in vain. None at all would exalt him. Though he is the most high God they would not acknowledge him to be so, would do nothing to honour him nor give him the glory due to his name. Or, They would not exalt themselves, would not rise out of that state of apostasy and misery into which they had precipitated themselves; but there they contentedly lay still, would not lift up their heads nor lift up their souls. Note, God's faithful ministers have taken a great deal of pains, to no purpose, with backsliding children, have called them to the Most High; but none would stir, none at all would exalt him.

III. Here is God very angry, and justly so, with Israel; see what are the tokens of God's displeasure with which they are here threatened. 1. God, who brought them out of Egypt, to take them for a people to himself, since they would not be faithful to him, shall bring them into a worse condition than he at first found them in (v. 5): "He shall not return into the land of Egypt, though that was a house of bondage grievous enough; but he shall go into a harder service, for the Assyrian shall be his king, who will use him worse than ever Pharaoh did." They shall not return into Egypt, which lies near, where they may hear often from their own country, and whence they may hope shortly to return to it again; but they shall be carried into Assyria, which lies much more remote, and where they shall be cut off from all correspondence with their own land and from all hopes of returning to it, and justly, because they refused to return. Note, Those that will not return to the duties they have left cannot expect to return to the comforts they have lost. 2. God, who gave them Canaan, that good land, and a very safe and comfortable settlement in it, shall bring his judgments upon them there, which shall make their habitation unsafe and uncomfortable (v. 6): The sword shall come upon them, the sword of war, the sword of a foreign enemy, prevailing against them and triumphing over them. (1.) This judgment shall spread far. The sword shall fasten upon their cities, those nests of people and store-houses of wealth; it shall likewise reach to their branches, the country villages (so some), the citizens themselves (so others), or the bars (so the word signifies) and gates of their city, or all the branches of their revenue and wealth, or their children, the branches of their families. (2.) It shall last long: It shall abide on their cities. David thought three months flying before his enemies was the only judgment of the three that was to be excepted against; but this sword shall abide much longer than three months on the cities of Israel. They continued their rebellions against God, and therefore God continued his judgments on them. (3.) It shall make a full end: It shall consume their branches, and devour them, and lay all waste, and this because of their own counsels, that is, because they would have their own projects, which God therefore, in a way of righteous judgment, gave them up to. Note, The confusion of sinners is owing to their contrivance. God's counsels would have saved them, but their own counsels ruined them.

The Divine Forbearance. (b. c. 730.)

8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. 9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. 10 They shall walk after the Lord : he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west. 11 They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord . 12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

In these verses we have,

I. God's wonderful backwardness to destroy Israel (v. 8, 9): How shall I give thee up? Here observe,

1. God's gracious debate within himself concerning Israel's case, a debate between justice and mercy, in which victory plainly inclines to mercy's side. Be astonished, O heavens! at this, and wonder, O earth! at the glory of God's goodness. Not that there are any such struggles in God as there are in us, or that he is ever fluctuating or unresolved; no, he is in one mind, and knows it; but they are expressions after the manner of men, designed to show what severity the sin of Israel had deserved, and yet how divine grace would be glorified in sparing them notwithstanding. The connexion of this with what goes before is very surprising; it was said of Israel (v. 7) that they were bent to backslide from God, that though they were called to him they would not exalt him, upon which, one would think, it should have followed, "Now I am determined to destroy them, and never show them mercy any more." No, such is the sovereignty of mercy, such the freeness, the fulness, of divine grace, that it follows immediately, How shall I give thee up? See here, (1.) The proposals that justice makes concerning Israel, the suggestion of which is here implied. Let Ephraim be given up, as an incorrigible son is given up to be disinherited, as an incurable patient is given over by his physician. Let him be given up to ruin. Let Israel be delivered into the enemy's hand, as a lamb to the lion to be torn in pieces; let them be made as Admah and set as Zeboim, the two cities that with Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone rained from heaven upon them; let them be utterly and irreparably ruined, and be made as like these cities in desolation as they have been in sin. Let that curse which is written in the law be executed upon them, that the whole land shall be brimstone and salt, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, Deut. xxix. 23. Ephraim and Israel deserve to be thus abandoned, and God will do them no wrong if he deal thus with them. (2.) The opposition that mercy makes to these proposals: How shall I do it? As the tender father reasons with himself, "How can I cast off my untoward son? for he is my son, though he be untoward; how can I find in my heart to do it?" Thus, "Ephraim has been a dear son, a pleasant child: How can I do it? He is ripe for ruin; judgments stand ready to seize him; there wants nothing but giving him up, but I cannot do it. They have been a people near unto me; there are yet some good among them; theirs are the children of the covenant; if they be ruined, the enemy will triumph; it may be they will yet repent and reform; and therefore how can I do it?" Note, The God of heaven is slow to anger, and is especially loth to abandon a people to utter ruin that have been in special relation to him. See how mercy works upon the mention of those severe proceedings: My heart is turned within me, as we say, Our heart fails us, when we come to do a thing that is against the grain with us. God speaks as if he were conscious to himself of a strange striving of affections in compassion to Israel: as Lam. i. 20, My bowels are troubled; my heart is turned within me. As it follows here, My repentings are kindled together. His bowels yearned towards them, and his soul was grieved for their sin and misery, Judg. x. 16. Compare Jer. xxxi. 20. Since I spoke against him my bowels are troubled for him. When God was to give up his Son to be a sacrifice for sin, and a Saviour for sinners, he did not say, How shall I give him up? No, he spared not his own Son; it pleased the Lord to bruise him; and therefore God spared not him, that he might spare us. But this is only the language of the day of his patience; when men have sinned that away, and the great day of his wrath comes, then no difficulty is made of it; nay, I will laugh at their calamity.

2. His gracious determination of this debate. After a long contest mercy in the issue rejoices against judgment, has the last word, and carries the day, v. 9. It is decreed that the reprieve shall be lengthened out yet longer, and I will not now execute the fierceness of my anger, though I am angry; though they shall not go altogether unpunished, yet he will mitigate the sentence and abate the rigour of it. He will show himself to be justly angry, but not implacably so; they shall be corrected, but not consumed. I will not return to destroy Ephraim; the judgments that have been inflicted shall not be repeated, shall not go so deep as they have deserved. He will not return to destroy, as soldiers, when they have pillaged a town once, return a second time, to take more, as when what the palmer-worm has left the locust has eaten. It is added, in the close of the verse, "I will not enter into the city, into Samaria, or any other of their cities; I will not enter into them as an enemy, utterly to destroy them, and lay them waste, as I did the cities of Admah and Zeboim."

3. The ground and reason of this determination: For I am God and not man, the Holy One of Israel. To encourage them, to hope that they shall find mercy, consider, (1.) What he is in himself: He is God, and not man, as in other things, so in pardoning sin and sparing sinners. If they had offended a man like themselves, he would not, he could not have borne it; his passion would have overpowered his compassion, and he would have executed the fierceness of his anger; but I am God, and not man. He is Lord of his anger, whereas men's anger commonly lords it over them. If an earthly prince were in such a strait between justice and mercy, he would be at a loss how to compromise the matter between them; but he who is God, and not man, knows how to find out an expedient to secure the honour of his justice and yet advance the honour of his mercy. Man's compassions are nothing in comparison with the tender mercies of our God, whose thoughts and ways, in receiving returning sinners, are as much above ours as heaven is above the earth, Isa. lv. 9. Note, It is a great encouragement to our hope in God's mercies to remember that he is God, and not man. He is the Holy One. One would think this were a reason why he should reject such a provoking people. No; God knows how to spare and pardon poor sinners, not only without any reproach to his holiness, but very much to the honour of it, as he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and therein declares his righteousness, now Christ has purchased the pardon and he has promised it. (2.) What he is to them; he is the Holy One in the midst of thee; his holiness is engaged for the good of his church, and even in this corrupt and degenerate land and age there were some that gave thanks at the remembrance of his holiness, and he required of them all to be holy as he is, Lev. xix. 2. As long as we have the Holy One in the midst of us we are safe and well; but woe to us when he leaves us! Note, Those who submit to the influence may take the comfort of God's holiness.

II. Here is his wonderful forwardness to do good for Israel, which appears in this, that he will qualify them to receive the good he designs for them (v. 10, 11): They shall walk after the Lord. This respects the same favour with that (ch. iii. 5), They shall return, and seek the Lord their God; it is spoken of the ten tribes, and had its accomplishment, in part, in the return of some of them with those of the two tribes in Ezra's time; but it had its more full accomplishment in God's spiritual Israel, the gospel-church, brought together and incorporated by the gospel of Christ. The ancient Jews referred it to the time of the Messiah; the learned Dr. Pocock looks upon it as a prophecy of Christ's coming to preach the gospel to the dispersed children of Israel, the children of God that were scattered abroad. And then observe, 1. How they were to be called and brought together: The Lord shall roar like a lion. The word of the Lord (so says the Chaldee) shall be as a lion that roars. Christ is called the lion of the tribe of Judah, and his gospel, in the beginning of it, was the voice of one crying in the wilderness. When Christ cried with a loud voice it was as when a lion roared, Rev. x. 3. The voice of the gospel was heard afar, as the roaring of a lion, and it was a mighty voice. See Joel iii. 16. 2. What impression this call should make upon them, such an impression as the roaring of a lion makes upon all the beasts of the forest: When he shall roar then the children shall tremble. See Amos iii. 8, The lion has roared; the Lord God has spoken; and then who will not fear? When those whose hearts the gospel reached trembled, and were astonished, and cried out, What shall we do?—when they were by it put upon working out their salvation, and worshipping God with fear and trembling, then this promise was fulfilled. The children shall tremble from the west. The dispersed Jews were carried eastward, to Assyria and Babylon, and those that returned came from the east; therefore this seems to have reference to the calling of the Gentiles that lay westward from Canaan, for that way especially the gospel spread. They shall tremble; they shall move and come with trembling, with care and haste, from the west, from the nations that lay that way, to the mountain of the Lord (Isa. ii. 3), to the gospel-Jerusalem, upon hearing the alarm of the gospel. The apostle speaks of mighty signs and wonders that were wrought by the preaching of the gospel from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum, Rom. xv. 19. Then the children trembled from the west. And, whereas Israel after the flesh was dispersed in Egypt and Assyria, it is promised that they shall be effectually summoned thence (v. 11): They shall tremble; they shall come trembling, and with all haste, as a bird upon the wing, out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria; a dove is noted for swift and constant flight, especially when she flies to her windows, which the flocking of Jews and Gentiles to the church is here compared to, as it is Isa. lx. 8. Wherever those are that belong to the election of grace—east, west, north, or south—they shall hear the joyful sound, and be wrought upon by it; those of Egypt and Assyria shall come together; those that lay most remote from each other shall meet in Christ, and be incorporated in the church. Of the uniting of Egypt and Assyria, it was prophesied, Isa. xix. 23. 3. What effect these impressions should have upon them. Being moved with fear, they shall flee to the ark: They shall walk after the Lord, after the service of the Lord (so the Chaldee); they shall take the Lord Christ for their leader and commander; they shall enlist themselves under him as the captain of their salvation, and give up themselves to the direction of the Spirit as their guide by the word; they shall leave all to follow Christ, as becomes disciples. Note, Our holy trembling at the word of Christ will draw us to him, not drive us from him. When he roars like a lion the slaves tremble and flee from him, the children tremble and flee to him. 4. What entertainment they shall meet with at their return (v. 11): I will place them in their houses (all those that come at the gospel-call shall have a place and a name in the gospel-church, in the particular churches which are their houses, to which they pertain; they shall dwell in God, and be at home in him, both easy and safe, as a man in his own house; they shall have mansions, for there are many in our Father's house), in his tabernacle on earth and his temple in heaven, in everlasting habitations, which may be called their houses, for they are the lot they shall stand in at the end of the days.

III. Here is a sad complaint of the treachery of Ephraim and Israel, which may be an intimation that it is not Israel after the flesh, but the spiritual Israel, to whom the foregoing promises belong, for as for this Ephraim, this Israel, they compass God about with lies and deceit; all their services of him, when they pretended to compass his altar, were feigned and hypocritical; when they surrounded him with their prayers and praises, every one having a petition to present to him, they lied to him with their mouth and flattered him with their tongue; their pretensions were so fair, and yet their intentions so foul, that they would, if possible, have imposed upon God himself. Their professions and promises were all a cheat, and yet with these they thought to compass God about, to enclose him as it were, to keep him among them, and prevent his leaving them.

IV. Here is a pleasant commendation of the integrity of the two tribes, which they held fast, and this comes in as an aggravation of the perfidiousness of the ten tribes, and a reason why God had that mercy in store for Judah which he had not for Israel (ch. i. 6, 7), for Judah yet rules with God and is faithful with the saints, or with the Most Holy. 1. Judah rules with God, that is, he serves God, and the service of God is not only true liberty and freedom, but it is dignity and dominion. Judah rules, that is, the princes and governors of Judah rule with God; they use their power for him, for his honour, and the support of his interest. Those rule with God that rule in the fear of God (2 Sam. xxiii. 3), and it is their honour to do so, and their praise shall be of God, as Judah's here is. Judah is Israel—a prince with God. 2. He is faithful with the holy God, keeps close to his worship and to his saints, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whose steps they faithfully tread in. They walk in the way of good men; and those that do so rule with God, they have a mighty interest in Heaven. Judah yet does thus, which intimates that the time would come when Judah also would revolt and degenerate. Note, When we see how many there are that compass God about with lies and deceit it may be a comfort to us to think that God has his remnant that cleave to him with purpose of heart, and are faithful to his saints; and for those who are thus faithful unto death is reserved a crown of life, when hypocrites and all liars shall have their portion without.

CHAP. XI.

Verſe 1. WHen Iſrael was a childe, then I loved him,] Or Becauſe Iſrael was a childe, I loved him. Young things are lovely; young children eſpecially, for their innocency, and igneſcency. Some ſence it thus, Iſrael was a child, and had nothing of worth, or lovely in him; yet I loved him freely, Deut. 7.7. Hoſ. 10.9. called him out of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, led him thorow the deep, as an horſe in the wilderneſſe, Eſay 63.13. poſſeſſed him of the promiſed land. Out of which though I ſhall ſhortly caſt him for him ingratitudes: yet there is hope of his reſtauration, by the Meſſiah my Sonne, whom when I have called out of Egypt, he ſhall gather together again the diſperſed of Iſrael, and bring life and immortality to light by the Goſpel. The foundation of which reſtauration, he here maketh to be his own free-grace. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Luke 1.53. He hath holpen his ſervant (or his childe) Iſrael, in remembrance of his mercy. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Son, &c. Joh. 3.16. Here then beginneth our Prophets firſt Evangelicall ſermon, as Tarnovi[illegible: 1 letter]s obſerveth: who alſo readeth the Text thus: Albeit Iſrael was a childe, ſuch a forlorn out-caſt childe, as is deſcribed, Ezek. 16. and 23. Yet I loved him, and adopted him for my ſonne: not for any defect on my part, (for I had an onely begotten Son, in whom I am well pleaſed:) or, for any deſert on his part, for I found him in his blood, in his blood, in his blood, Ezek. 16.6. when I caſt my skirt of love over him, and ſaid unto him, Live. Yea and for his ſalvations ſake, I have called, that is, I have decreed to call out of Egypt (whither he fled from Herod, and where he abode two or three years at leaſt) my childe Jeſus, whoſe office it is to ſave his people from their ſinnes. Epiphan. Mat. 1.21. And although I might juſtly have deprived them of ſuch a Saviour for ever, becauſe when he came to his own, his own received him not, (yea, rejected him to whom their own ſignes given to Herod, did ſo aptly and evidently agree) yet out of Egypt, to ſhew the conſtancy of my love to Iſrael,Mat. 2. have I called (by mine angel, as Jacob by a meſſenger called his wives to him into the field, Gen. 31.4.) My Son Chriſt, who is Gods Son, firſt by eternall generation, Prov. 8.22, 23. Secondly, by perſonall union, Pſal. 2.7. And thus God called out of Egypt, firſt Iſrael his people, and then Chriſt the Head of his people; in whom at length this prophecy was fulfilled.

Verſe 2. As they called them,] i. e. As the Prophets and Miniſters (whoſe names are here concealed, that the Word onely may be glorified, as Acts 13.48.) called to them, to come out of ſpirituall Egypt, out of darkneſſe to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they might receive forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, and inheritance among the Saints, by faith that is in Chriſt, Act. 26.18.

ſo they went from them:] They went a contrary way, as the child Samuel, when God called him, ran to Eli: or rather as the wilfull Jews, when God would have gathered them, as the hen doth her chickens, they would not. When God called his naturall Son out of Egypt, he came preſently, Heb. 10.7. Pſal. 40.7, 8. not ſo his adopted ſonnes: for they turned upon him the back, and not the face, as Jer. 2.27. they refuſed to be reformed, they hated to be healed. See chap. 7.1. with the Note. Nay to make up the full meaſure of their ſins, and to heighten their contempt,

they ſacrificed unto Baalim, and burnt incenſe to graven images,] Quaſi agrè facturi Deo, as if they would deſpite God on purpoſe, and ſpit in his very face: commit the like villany in his preſence, as the Iriſh Rebels lately did, when they bound the husband to the bed-poſt, whiles they abuſed his wife before him. See the Notes on chap. 2. and almoſt on every chapter where their idolatry is cried out upon, and their extreme ingratitude.

Verſe 3. I tauaght Ephraim alſo to go,] A child he was verſe 1. and like a childe I dealt with him, teaching him how to ſet his feet, pedare to foot it, as nurſes do their little ones: he keepeth the feet of his Saints, 1 Sam. 2.9. he guideth their feet in the way of peace, Luke 1.79. See for this, Deut. 1.31. & 32.11. Num. 11.12. So great is the goodneſſe of God to his people, that he dealeth with us as with his little children, nos ſublevando, ſubmonendo, docendo, ducendo, regendo, tegendo, convocando, Tarnou. condonando, portando, confortando, &c. ſaith a learned Interpreter truely, and trimly. He ſpeaketh unto us as unto children, Heb. 12.5. paternè diligit, [illegible: 1 letter]micè dirigit, he loveth us as a father, he directs us as a friend, guiding us with his eye, leading us in his hand, ſetting us betwixt his knees, as ſome interpret that text, Deut. 33.3. ſetting us upon his knees, as a father doth his darling, and rejoycing over us with joy, yea joying over us, with ſinging, Zeph. 3.17. His affections are more then fatherly:Mr. Baine. and his expreſſions are according. We are like infants (ſaith One) new-born, in a manner. They are kept by the loving parents from fire and water: they are fed, laid to ſleep, made ready, and unready, and ſhifted in their ſcapes, but they know not who doth all this for them. So doth our heavenly Father by us in Chriſt. But (he knows) little underſtanding have we of him. After this, he teacheth us to go, taking us by the arms,] to help our feeble knees. And taking us up in his own arms, when we come to a foul or rough place: helping us over the quagmires of croſſes, and the difficulties of duties. And whereas we fall ſeven times a day, and in many things fail all: he taketh us up after that we have caught a knock, and cheriſheth us in his boſome, &c. Montanus and Junius carry the ſence another way, as if the words were not a deſcription of Gods love to the people, but of their unthankfulneſſe to God; rendring the words thus: When as [illegible: 1 letter]inform Ephraim, he taketh them in his arms, that it, he ſetteth up idols, and, after the manner of impudent and ſhameleſſe ſtrumpets, he taketh the puppets in his arms, and embraceth them before my face. But I like the former ſence better.

But they knew not that I healed them.] Not onely held them, that they might not fall, but healed them when they had fallen. Daring they would be ſometimes to ſtand upon their own legs, to prevail by their own ſtrength, 1 Sam. 2.9. to ſay with her in the Poet,Arachne apud. Ovid. Metam. Conſilij ſatis eſt in me mihi, &c. I am wiſe enough, and able enough, to go on as if they were petty-gods within themſelves, and had no need of nor dependance upon me. Hence they hurt themſelves, but I healed them. I forgave all their iniquities,Pſal. 103.3. I healed all their diſeaſes, their bruiſes, and putrifying ſores, that elſe had not been cloſed, bound up,, nor mollified with ointment, Eſay 1.6. God left not his people in their low eſtate, as ſome Phyſicians do their Patients: but provided a ſoveraigne ſalve, an horn of ſalvation, ſuch as would cure any diſeaſe, or maim, even the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt too: but that it is the nature of it to rage and rave both againſt the phyſick, and the Phyſician. Chriſt is both the one and the other: as beeing made unto us of God, Wiſdom, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemption, 1 Cor. 1.30. Quod ſanitas in corpore, id ſanctitas in corde. He is Jehovah that healeth, for he is Jehovah that ſanctifieth. This Ephraim knew not, that is, out of pride and ſtoutneſſe they acknowledged it not, but ſacrifice to their own nets, wits, endeavours, &c. Of all things God can leaſt endure to be neglected, or to have the glory of his benefits transferred upon others (See chap. 2.8. with the Note.) When men ſhall either ſay in the language of Aſhdod, 1 Sam. 6.9. It is a chance, or elſe, I have made my ſelf thus and thus happy. This, though the Saints ſhould at any time do, yet God will pardon their frowardneſſe, and ſay, as Eſay 57.17, 18. I have ſeen his wayes, (his waywardneſſe) and will heal him (nevertheleſſe) and reſtore comforts to him.

Verſe 4. I drew them with cords of a man,] Not of a beaſt: though they have deſerved to be hampered as unruly heifers, and to be yoked and ruled over with rigour; to be tamed and taken down a link lower, yet I, out of my Philanthropie, yea out of ſingular grace, have dealt civilly, nay courteouſly with them, in an amicable and amiable way, and not as I might have done out of my Soveraignty, and according to my juſtice. I drew them by the cords of a man, that is, 1. Gently, and favourably; ſuiting my ſelf to their diſpoſitions, (which are oft as different as their faces) hiring them to obedience, afflicting them in meaſure, with the rods of men, 2 Sam. 7.15. fitted to the weakneſſe of men: If God ſhould plead againſt us with his great power, as Job ſpeaks chap. 23.6. it would ſoon grinde us to powder; but he hath no ſuch deſigne: he correcteth his children vel ad demonſtrationem debitae miſeriae, Aug. Tract: in Joan. 124. vel ad emendationem labilis vitae, vel ad exercitationem neceſſariae patientiae, ſaith Auſtin, ad exercitium non ad exitium, ſaith another Ancient, to refine, and not to ruine them. 2. Rationally, by cogent arguments and motives, befitting the nature of a man: able to convince them and ſet them down with right reaſon, would they but conſider, Deut. 32.29. would they but be wiſe, and weigh things aright. This God wiſheth they would do: calleth them to reaſon the caſe with him, Eſay 1.18. pleads with them in a friendly way, Jer. 2.31. and then appeals to their own conſciences, whether they have dealt well with him, yea, or no, Eſay 5.3. making them read the ſentence againſt themſelves, as did Judas the traytour, Matth. 27.4. and thoſe Phariſees, Matth. 21.40. He beſpeaks them, after moſt clear conviction, as Eſay 46.8. Remember this, and ſhew your ſelves men: bring it again to minde, O ye tranſgreſſours. Moſt people are led on in a continued hurry of luſts, and paſſions, and never bethink themſelves, as 1 King. 8.47. never ſay ſo much as What have I done? Orat. pre Quintio. Si haec duo tecum verba reputaſſes quid ago? ſaith Cicero to Nevius. Hadſt thou but bethought thy ſelf of thoſe few words, What have I done? thou wouldſt never have been ſo covetous a cormorant. Oh could men have but ſo much power over their paſſions and luſts, as to get alone and weigh Gods wayes, much good might be done upon them: But for want of this, Fertur equis auriga, &c. they ruſh into all exceſſe of riot, as an horſe into the battle: yea they are ſo farre unmand, as to think that they have reaſon to be mad, and that there is no ſmall ſenſe in ſinning. I do well to be angry, even unto death, Jon. 4.9.

with bands of love,] Heb. thick cords, cart-ropes (as it is rendred, Eſay 5.18.) ropes of many wreathes, twiſted together, and inter-twined with love, that ſweeteſt Attractive. So Jer. 31.3. With loving-kindneſſe have I drawn thee: and Eſay 63.9. In his love and his pity he redeemed them, and he bare them, and carried them all the dayes of old. He gave them a law, the ſumme of which was nothing but love; and multiplied mercies upon them without meaſure, as is amply ſet forth by thoſe holy Levites, Neh. 9. Now, mercy commands duty: and every new deliverance is a new tie to obedience. Love ſhould have love, Publicans and ſinners yeeld that, Matth. 5.46. Yea, love ſhould ſhew it ſelf ſtrong as death, Cant. 8.6. Jonathan would have died for his David; David for his Abſalom; Cos amoris amor. Priſcilla and Aquila, for Paul, Rom. 16.4. Chriſt out of his love did die for his people. Have I but one life to loſe for Chriſt? ſaid that holy Martyr. Let men take heed how they ſinne againſt love, for this is the greateſt aggravation of ſinne: this is beſtiall, this is like unruly horſes in a teame, to break the gears, to ſnap in ſunder the traces, that ſhould hold them. Such yokeleſſe ſons of Belial ſhall one day be held by the cords of their own ſinne, and whipt with thoſe cords of conviction, that they would not be drawn by. Shall the harlots hands be bands, her words cords to draw men to deſtruction, and ſhall God ſtretch out his hand all day long to them to no purpoſe? Shall he loſe his ſweet words upon them, &c? Peters heart burſt, and hee brake out in weeping, when he ſaw Love ſparkling in Chriſts looks;Mar. 14.72. and conſidered how he had burſt aſunder the bands of love, ſinned againſt ſuch manifeſtations of mercy, wiped off all his comfortables for the preſent, drew from Chriſt thoſe piercing quick queſtions, Loveſt thou me? yea but doſt love me indee? O let the cords of Gods kindneſſe draw us nearer to him, hold us cloſer: to ſinne againſt mercy, is to ſin againſt humanity: and as no ſurfet is more dangerous then that of bread: ſo no judgement is more terrible, then that which grows out of love felt and ſlighted.

and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on the jaws, &c.] i. e. on their neck: albeit it ſeemeth by that law, made for not muzling the oxe that treadeth, &c. that thoſe creatures when they wrought, were muzled or haltred up: and that halter faſtened to the yoke that was upon their necks. The ſence is this, I unyoked them often, to give them meat, as the good husbandman doth that is mercifull to his beaſt, he lifts up the yoke that lies hard upon its neck, leads it to the manger, layes food before it, &c. So dealt God by this people all along from the wilderneſſe, and forward: not ſuffering them to abide jugiter ſub jug is Gentium, long under their enemies yoke: but delivering them out of the hand of thoſe that ſerved themſelves of them, Ezek. 34.27. Chriſt alſo hath delivered His out of the hands of thoſe that hated them, and lay hard upon them; as the devil is an hard taskmaſter, that neither takes off the yoke, nor layes meat: gives no reſt or refreſhment to his drudges, and dromedaries: but acts them and agitates them day and night, &c. Now thoſe that are His, Chriſt brings them from darkneſſe to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may do works meet for repentance, that weigh juſt as much as Repentance doth, Acts 26.18, 20. and ſo finde reſt to their ſouls: Provided, that they take and keep Chriſts yoke upon them (not thinking to live as they liſt more ſaying as thoſe Libertines in Jeremy we are delivered to do all theſe abominations) and learn of him to be meek and Iowly &c.Jer. 7. Mat. 11.29. ſo ſhall they ſoon find Chriſts yoke eaſie,Luth. in loc. and his burden light Verſ. 40. And of this eaſie yoke of Chriſt Luther underſtands this text in Hoſea; and thereupon diſcourſeth of the Lawes rigour, and Goſpels relaxation, according to that of Auſtin, Lex jubet, gratia juvat: the Law commandeth but the Goſpel helpeth: God by his ſpirit aſſiſting, and further accepting pence for pounds, the will for the work, the deſire for the deed done &c. and laying meate before us, meate that the world knowes not of, hidden Manna, the convivium juge of a good conſcience &c.

Verſ. 5. He ſhall not return unto the land of Egypt] That is, he needs not run to Egypt for help, (as King Hoſea did) nor to the Aſſyrian, to whom they were tributaries from the time of Menahem: for they wanted nothing, and leſs ſhould have wanted, if they would have been ruled by me.

but they refuſed to return.] He was not to have returned to the land of Egypt or of the Aſſyrian who is his king; ſo ſome read the text. Others ſenſe it thus: When I threaten them with the Aſſyrian, they think to ſhift and ſhelter themſelves in Egypt: but I ſhall keep them thence, or find and ferret them out there. God knowes how to croſs wicked men of their will, to ſpoyle their plots. Egypt ſhall prove no better then a broken reed running into the hand of him that leaneth on it 2 King. 18.21. The Egyptian was ever an enemy to Iſrael: and though for his own ends he gave goodly words, and ſeem reconciled: yet ſuch Reconciliations are but vulpinae amicitiae. But were he never ſo faſt a friend, yet ſin-guilty Iſrael ſhall not have their an Aſylum, nec ſtabile ſtabulum (ſee Chap 9.3. with the Note) becauſe the deſire of the wicked ſhall periſh Pſal. 112.10. They take counſell together, but it ſhall come to nought, they ſpeak the word, but it ſhall not ſtand Eſay. 8.10. Confer Eſay. 30.1.2. and 31.1.2.3. Prov. 21.38.

but the Aſſyrian ſhall be his king] Will they, nill they, they ſhall be carried captive to Aſſyria: and ſith they will needs be croſſing of God, he will croſs them much more: he will walk contrary to thoſe that walk contrary to him Lev. 26.21. and be as froward as they for the hearts of them Pſal. 18.26. They will not return to me, ſaith the Lord, they ſhall not therefore return to Egypt: they will not ſubmit to my ſcepter, they ſhall therefore have the Aſſyrian for their King, that proud cruel ſtout-hearted Prince Iſay. 10.5.7.12. who will tyranniſe over their bodies, and over their cattle at their pleaſure, ſo that they ſhall be in great diſtreſs Neh. 9.37. [non-Latin text not transcribed]

becauſe they refuſed to return] Heb. they diſdained to do it, ſcorned the motion, ſlighted the meſſenger.Sen: in Agamem. Plus eſt a vi[illegible: 1 letter]s ſe revocaeſſe quàm vitia ipſa neciviſſe Amb. in Pſal. [non-Latin text not transcribed] By their ſins they had run from God: by repentance they ſhould have returned unto him, and then the amends had been well-nigh made: for Quem poenitet peccaſſe paenè eſt innocens the penitent is in almoſt as good a caſe as the innocent; Ambroſe ſaith he is in a better. But for theſe men, to all other their ſins to add obſtinacie and impenitencie, as Herod to all his former evils did the death of the Baptiſt, this was to heap up wrath againſt the day of wrath Rom. 2.5. The word here rendred (refuſed) is by the Seventy turned They would not. That therefore thy returned not to God, it was the fault of their will. True it is, they had no power to turn themſelves: but the cauſe of that inability too, was in themſelves. They therefore neither could nor would return: and both by their own fault and folly.

Verſ. 6. And the ſword ſhall abide on his cities] Heb. ſhall keep reſidence or ruſh upon his cities. It can do no leſs; it cannot return into the ſcabbard, reſt or be ſtill till the Lord, who put it into commiſſion, call back againe his commiſſion, Jer. 47.6.7. It is a dreadfull thing when the ſword abideth on a people; as in Germany that ſtage of warr, Ireland ſtill a land of divine ire &c. England hath ſome Halcyons at preſent,incredibili celeritate & temporis brevitate à Pompeio confectum. Aug: de Civ. Dei. Mr. Burr. praiſe be given to God: and let every good man pray with David, ſcatter thou the people that delight in warr Pſal. 68.30. The Pira[illegible: 1 letter]s warr was diſpatcht by Pompey with incredible ſwiftneſs, to his eternall commendation. And we have cauſe to bleſs God (ſaith a countryman of ours) that God hath raiſed up inſtruments for us, who have hazarded the ſhortening of their own lives for the ſhortning of the warr: who have done their worke of late, as if they had took it by the great &c. And the ſame Author obſerveth, that it is a ſad thing for the ſword to be in the field; but for the ſword to be in the cities it is much more ſad: and he inſtanceth in Jeruſalē out of Joſephus,Joſ. de bell Jud: l. 7. c. 7. where the number of the ſlaine was eleven hundred thouſand: We may further inſtance in that unhappy city of Magdeburg in Germany, where ſo much cruelty was exerciſed firſt by Charles the fift, (much regrated by him at laſt in his retired life, taking account of his actions) & ſince that in our memory by Mounſier Tilly, who like a bloody villain put to the ſword there twenty thouſand perſons at leaſt of all ranks, ages, and ſexes:Mr. Clark life of K. of ſwed. 23. that great city alſo he burned down, utterly turning it into cinders excepting an hundred nine & thirty houſes &c. The like immanity was exerciſed by the Popes champions upon the poor Proteſtants at Angrogue in France: where they killed and burned without mercy: but could never ſet fire upon the two temples there, nor upon the Miniſters houſe,Act: and Mone 880. which remained whole, the houſes round about being all conſumed with fire.

and ſhall conſume his branches and devour thèm] His branches or his villages, which are as branches of the greater cities. The trees of America (but eſpecially of Braſile) are ſo huge, that it is reported of them,Abbbots Geog. p. 271. that ſeverall families have lived in ſeveral armes or branches of one tree, to ſuch a number as are in ſome petty village or pariſh here. The greater cities are as the body or-root of a tree, the villages as the branches. The ſcripture oft calleth them mother and daughters, as Heſhborn and all her daughters, That is villages Num. 21.25. as the Chalde there explaineth it. See Ezech. 10.44.45.46.48.53. hence we read of a citieand mother in Iſracl 2 Sam. 20.19. Branches alſo are called daughters of the trees they grow from Gen. 44.23. The word here rendred branches is by ſome rendred Barres, by others, Diviners or Liers, as the word here uſed is interpreted Jer. 50.36. A ſword is upon the liars or diviners, and they ſhall dote: poteſt Augur Augurem videre & nou ridere? ſaith Tully of ſuch diviners: that is, Can they one looke upon another and not laugh, conſidering how they gull people with their lies and fopperies? The ſword ſhall be upon ſuch, as it was upon Balaam Satans ſpelman, they ſhall be a portion for foxes Pſal. 63.10. as thoſe that Aſtutam vapido ſervant ſub pectore vulpem.

becauſe of their own counſels] He that goeth to ſchool to his own carnall reaſon, is ſure to have a fool to his maſter; an ignis fatuus that will bring him into the bogges and briers. The wiſdome of the fieſh is enmitie to God. Nemo laeditur niſi à ſeipſo. See the Note on chap. 10. verſ. 6.

Verſ: 7. My people are bent to backsliding from me] they have a principle of Apoſtacie in them, as thoſe Galathians had, of whom the Apoſtle, I marvaile that you are ſo ſoon removed unto another Goſpell Gal. 1.6. and as thoſe old Apoſtates in the wilderneſſe, who ſo ſoon as Moſes his back was turned almoſt, cryed out to Aaron, Make us golden Gods. This people was before accuſed to be acted by a ſpirit of fornication, a certain violent impetus, a ſtrong inclination to whoredome, and to be apt to backſlide with a perpetuall backſliding: all their recidivations and revolts were but a fruit of the bent of their ſpirits, which were falſe and unſettled: not reſolved whether yet to turne to God, though they were beſet with ſo many miſchiefs: they hangd in ſuſpence and rather inclined to the negative then elſe. Suſpenſi ſunt, ſo Calvin, Pareus, and others, read this text. My people are in ſuſpence, or in a mamering whether to turne to me or not, they hang in doubt, as the ſame word is rendred Deut: 28.66. God liketh not that his people ſhould ſtand doubtfull as S[illegible: 2 letters]pticks; and adhere to nothing certainly: to be in religion as idle beggars are in their way, ready to goe which way ſoever the ſtaffe falleth: but that they ſhould ſtrive to a full aſſurance in what they beleeve Luk. 1.4. to be fully perſwaded as ver. 1. and to a firm purpoſe of heart in what they ſhould practiſe Act. 11.23. Irreſolution againſt ſin or for God can hardly conſiſt with the power of Godlineſſe: be not off and on with him, halt not, hang not in doubt what to do; but follow God fully as Caleb did; come off freely as David, who had choſen Gods precepts when he was ſolicited to have done otherwiſe Pſal. 119.173. And again, I have choſen the way of truth: thy judgements have I laid before me ver. 30. I have waighed them, and am reſolved to keep them, I am come to a full determination. Mr. Deodate ſenſeth the words thus. They deſire and expect that I ſhould turn in favour to them and relieve them: whereas they ſhould turn to me by repentance, which they will not do: and herein he followeth Arias Montanus. Thus thoſe ſtiffnecked Jewes in Jeremy expected that God ſhould ſtill deale with them (however they dealt with him) according to all his wondrous works chap. 21.2. preſuming and promiſing themſelves impunity; and thus Judas alſo had the face to ask,Mat. 26.25. as the reſt did, Is it I? as reſting upon Chriſts accuſtomed gentleneſſe, and that he would conceale him ſtill, as he had done certain daies before.

though they called them to the moſt High] They, that is the Prophets as verſ. 2. called them with great importunity, upon every opportunity, to the moſt High, to God (in oppoſition to thoſe Dii minutuli petty deities whom they doted on. See chap. 7.16.) to come up to him, to have high and honourable conceptions of Him, not caſting him in a baſe mould, as thoſe miſcreants did, Pſal. 50.21. but ſaying as David, and with a David-like ſpirit, Thous Lord art high above all the earth, thou art exalted far above all Gods, and there-hence inferring, Ye that love the Lord, hate evil Pſal. 97.9.10. I am God Almighty, walk before me and be upright Gen. 17.1. The God of glory appeared to Abraham Act. 7.2. he ſo conceived of God; and hence his unchangeable reſolutions for God.

none at all would exalt him] Heb. together he exalted not, ſcarce a Hee, a ſingle man that would do it, that would lift up his head to liſten to ſuch good counſel, (ſo ſome ſence it) or that would exalt and extol the moſt High; who though he be high above all praiſe as Neh. 9.5. and cannot be praiſed according to his excellent greatneſſe: Yet is he pleaſed to account himſelf exalted and magnified by us, when, conſidering the infinite diſtance and diſproportion that is betwixt him and us, we lay our ſelves low at his feet for mercy, we ſet him up in our hearts for our ſole Soveraign,2 Sam. 18.3. we eſteem him as the people did David more worth then ten thouſand, we give him room in our ſoules, and with higheſt apprehenſions, moſt vigorous affections, and utmoſt endeavours wee beſtow our ſelves upon him, as the only Worthy. Now this is done but of a very Few, and well done but of fewer yet; ſo droſſy and drowſy are mens ſpirits, and ſo little is the Lord, li[illegible: 1 letter]ted up by the ſons of men. See the Prophet Eſay his complaint chap. 64.7.

Verſ: 8. How ſhall I give thee up Ephraim?] Here beginneth the ſecond part of this chapter, full of many ſweet Evangelicall promiſes, and here, if ever, Mercy rejoyceth againſt Judgment, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Cervix or treadeth on the very neck of it, as St. James his word importeth chap. 2.13. The Lord ſeemeth here to be at a ſtand, or at ſtrife with himſelf about the deſtruction of this people fore-threatened; which well might have been a gulf to ſwallow them up, and a grave to bury them in for ever, being moſt worthy to periſh, as were the Cities which God deſtroyed in his wrath. Gen. 19. Howbeit God in the bowels of his mercy earning and taking pitty of his Elect amongſt them (for he had reſerved 7000. hidden ones that had not bowed their knees to Baal) ſpareth to lay upon them the extremity of his wrath, and is ready to ſave them for his mercies ſake. Heare how father-like he melts over them;

how ſhould I expoſe thee O Ephraim? how ſhould I deliver thee up O Iſrael? How ſhould I diſpoſe the as Admah? how ſhould I ſet thee as Zeboim] q. d. Juſtice requires that I ſhould lay thee utterly waſt, and even rain down hell from heaven upon thee as once upon Sodom and her ſiſters. But Mercy interpoſeth her four ſeveral How's (in the Originall two onely, expreſſed, but the other 2. neceſſarily underſtood, and by Interpreters fitly ſupplied) foure ſuch patheticall Interrogations as the like are not to be found in the whole book of God, and not to be anſwered by any but God himſelf: as indeed he doth to each particular in the following words, My heart is turned within me, that is the firſt anſwer, The ſecond, My repentings are kindied together: The third I will not execute the fierceneſſe of my wrath: The fourth I wil not return to deſtroy Ephraim. And why? Firſt I am God and not Man: Secondly the Holy One in the middeſt of thee.

My heart is turned, or turneth it ſelf, within me] that is my mind is changed, or at leaſt is, in doubt what to do, in this buſineſſe. This is ſpoken [non-Latin text not transcribed] after the manner of men, and muſt be underſtood [non-Latin text not transcribed] agreeably to Gods greatneſſe. Here is mutatio rei non Dei, effectus non affectus, facti non conſilij: Repentance with man is the changing of his will. Repentance with God is no more then the willing of a change: ill is not a change of his will, but of his work. Confer Lam. 1.20. & 2.11. Am. 1.12. There are that render it, My hart is turned againſt me, that is, againſt my former ſevere ſentence of cutting them all utterly off at one blow; Fiat Juſtitia, pereat mundus. Oh! I cannot finde in my heart to do it. For my

repentings are kindled together,] Simul aeſtuant viſcera mea poenitentiâ. So Tremellius: My bowels are altogether on a light fire with repentings, as Gen. 43.30. and 1 King. 3.27. Now repentings are as improperly attributed to God, as bowels. There were a ſort of ignorant Monks in Egypt, who ſtarted this fooliſh and ridiculous queſtion (which yet bred no ſmall ſtirres there Anno Dom. 403.) An Deus corporeus ſit? Whether the Divine Eſſence be a body, having hands, heart, bowels, &c? The ruder ſort of them held it affirmatively. What blaſphemies Vorſtius hath vented, in that baſe book of his de Deo, I need not relate. How God is ſaid to repent, hath been ſaid already: Sure it is,Calvin. that herein he graciouſly accommodateth himſelf to our rudeneſſe, and ſpeaketh as we are able to bear. It appeareth that fury is not in God, Eſay 27.4. Our ſins put thunder-bolts into his hands, and it is, Non niſi coactus with him, when he proceeds to puniſhment. His bowels are very ready to work in the wayes of grace, and mercy toward ſinners: and the leaſt act of faith in that mercy, would certainly ſet bowels on work amain. This the Church in Eſay well knew, and therefore prayed when deſerted, Look down from heaven, &c. Where is thy zeal, and thy ſtrength? Eſay 63.15, 16. the ſounding of thy bowels and of they mercies toward me? are they reſtrained? Doubtleſſe thou art our Father, notwithſtanding thine auſterities. God ſeemeth ſometimes to loſe his bowels, and then we muſt find them for him: to ſleep, and we muſt awake him: to hide himſelf, and then we muſt fetch him out (as the woman of Canaan did by the force of her faith, Mark. 7.24, 25.) God will come, but he will have the faithfull prayers of his people to lead him. I came for thy word, Dan. 10.9. &c.

Verſe 9. I will not execute the fierceneſſe of mine anger,] Heb. the heat of it Gods bowels kindled, and whatſoever might cauſe repentance came together, and lay glowing as it were at his heart: and this cooled and even quenched the heat of his wrath, (as the Sun-beams when they ſhine full upon the fire) ſo that now hee reſolves not to execute the height of his heat, the extremity of his fury, for then the ſpirit ſhould fail before him. Ephraim is Gods dear ſonne, his pleaſant child: whom when he hears bemoaning himſelf, as Jer. 31.18, 19, 20. he ſoon repents him of the evil, ans cries, —Satis hoc, pro crimine magno Paulum ſupplicij lenem ſun[illegible: 2 letters]ſiſſe parente[illegible: 2 letters].

I will not return to deſtroy Ephraim,] I will not undo him twice over, or utterly ruine him: as thoſe that have laid their enemy for dead, returne to ſee whether he be dead out-right: or as ſouldiers that have once pillaged a city, return after a while to take all that little that was left before, and to ſet the reſt on fire. God will not deal ſo hardly with Ephraim, though he might do it. Reprobates indeed ſhall have an evil, an onely evil, Ezek. 7.5. without mixture of mercy; they muſt expect one plague upon another, as it fared with Pharaoh, till God had daſhed the very breath out of his body, &c. But for his elect people, Hath he ſmitten them, as he ſmot thoſe that ſmot them? No, but in meaſure, in the branches onely: hee ſtayeth his rough wind, &c. Eſay 27.7, 8. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Hero. And as Craeſus his dumb ſonne burſt out into Kill not King Craeſus. So when enemies are ready to devour the Church, or Satan to ſwallow Gods child up in deſpair, his bowels work; he can hold no longer, but cries, Save my child, ſave my Church, &c. Why ſhould the ſpirit fail before me, and the ſouls which I have made? I have ſeen his wayes, and (though bad enough) I will heal him, I will lead him alſo, and reſtore comforts unto him, and to his mourners. Eſay 57.16. 17, 18.

For I am God, and not man,] yea ſuch a God, as the like is not, for pardoning iniquity, and paſſing by the tranſgreſſion of the remnant of his heritage, Mic. 7.18. 'Tis naturall to him, Exod. 34.6. 'tis uſuall, Neh. 9.17. there he is called a God of pardons, as Eſay 55.7. he is ſaid to multiply pardons. He hath commanded men to forgive an offending but repenting brother, ſeventy times ſeven times in a day, Mat. 18.22. What then will himſelf do? For he is God Almighty, and not man. Man is an angry vindictive, cruell creature: one man is a Wolf, yea a Devil to another: unſociable, implacable, unmercifull, as thoſe were Rom. 1.31. Beware of men, ſaith our Saviour to his diſciples, Matt. 10.17. abſurd and wicked men, 1 Theſſ. 3.2. barbarous, and bruitiſh, skilfull to deſtroy, Ezek. 21.31. Yea beware of good men, when enraged. What ſtrange deaths did David (ſoon after his foul fall, and not fully recovered) put the poor Ammonites to, 2 Sam. 12.31. Further, men as they are unmercifull, ſo they are unmindfull of their promiſes. But God is not a man that he ſhould lie, Num. 23.18. What he hath ſpoke with his mouth, he will make good with his hand. The eternity of Iſrael will not lie, (as men will, Rom. 3.4.) nor repent, (as men do, whatever he may ſeem to do; ſee the note on the former verſe) for he is not a man that he ſhould repent, 1 Sam. 15.29. Men are mutable: the trueſt friend is [non-Latin text not transcribed], and eaſily changeable creature, as the Heathen complained; all in changeable colours, as Tertullian ſaith of the Peacock; as often changed as moved. Not ſo Almighty God. I am Jehovah, I change not, Mal. 3.6. See the Note there, and remember ſtill to retain high thoughts of God: not meaſuring him by our modell; as to think him to be as mercifull as we are, as powerfull as our underſtanding can reach, &c. See Eſay 55.8, 9. and beg ſupernaturall grace: without which it is impoſſible for a finite creature to beleeve the infinite Attributes of Almighty God.

the holy One in the middeſt of thee,] Though Iſrael had deeply revolted, ſet up golden gods, and done wickedly as they could, ſo that there was no viſible Church amongſt them, yet God was the holy One in the middeſt of them: Seven thouſand he had reſerved that Eliah knew not of, 1 King. 19.18. and a Church there was in Iſrael, when at worſt. Like as there was in medio Papatu, in the darkeſt midnight of damned popery: and at this very day, there are ſaid to be thouſands of profeſt Proteſtants,Spec. Eur. even in Italy it ſelf: and in Sivil, a chief city of Spain, there are thought to be no fewer then twenty thouſand.

and I will not enter into the city.] I will not invade the city as an enemy, to waſt all with fire and ſword, as once at Sodom. For why, there are holy ones in the middeſt of thee (ſo Rivet expoundeth it by an enallage of the number) a conſiderable company of righteous people, for whoſe ſake I will ſpare thee, Jer. 5.1.

Verſe 10. They ſhall walk after the Lord,] powerfully calling them by his Word and Spirit, going before them, and bringing up the Rere, Eſay 52.12. their King ſhall paſſe before them, and the Lord on the head of them, Mic. 2.13 Time was, when they fled from God, Hoſ. 7.13. and ſaid, I will go after my lovers, &c. chap. 2. Now they are of another minde, and other manners: they ſhall walk after the Lord, non pedibus ſed affectibus: they ſhall be carried after him with ſtrength of of deſire,Rev. 14.4. and delight, which he ſhall work in them: they ſhall follow the Lamb whither ſoever he goeth: Gods people are ſaid in Scritpture to walk before him in godly ſincerity, to walk with him in an humble familiarity, to walk after him in an holy conformity, yeelding unto him the obedience of faith. As Iſrael in the wilderneſſe, ſo muſt we, follow God and the line of his Law, though it ſeem to lead us in and out, backward and forward (as them) as if he were treading a maze.

he ſhall roar like a lion,] By the preaching of the Goſpel, he ſhall ſhake heaven and earth. The voice of the Goſpel is, Repent. Aut poenitendum, aeut pereundum, except ye repent ye ſhall all periſh. He that beleeveth and is baptized, ſhall be ſaved: He that beleeveth not, Mar. 16.16. ſhall be damned, was a terrible voice. Of the Lion it is reported, that he roareth ſo fiercely, that the reſt of the creatures ſtand amazed: and that, whereas his own whelps come dead into the world, he roareth over them, and reviveth them.Plutar. in lib. de juſt. animal. Afterwards, when he meeteth with prey, he roareth for them to come about him. Let this be applied to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Confer Jo[illegible: 1 letter]l 3.16.

then the children ſhall tremble from the Weſt.] The children of grace, Deut. 14.1. ſhall joyn themſelves in ſpirit to the communion of the Church from all the ends of the world, where they have been ſcattered: they ſhall ſerve the Lord with fear, rejoyce with trembling. The Ancient Hebrews applied this promiſe to the coming of the Meſſiah: onely they dreamt of an earthly kingdom of his, as did alſo the diſciples, being ſowred with the leaven of the Phariſees. Others think it to be a Prophecie of the converſion, and calling of the Jewes, to be accompliſhed in the laſt dayes: as alſo of the generall ſpreading of the Goſpel, and gathering of the Elect, far and wide from one end of the heavens unto another. And this they call, the time of the Reſtitution of all things.

Vorſe. 11. They ſhall tremble as a bird out of Egypt.] Trepidè accurent, ſo Tremellius: they ſhall run tremblingly. Fear cauſeth haſt. Men delay and trifle till God ſtrikes their hearts with fear: then 'tis ecce ego, mitte me, Here I am, ſend me, Speak Lord, for thy ſervant heareth, What wilt thou have me to do Lord? &c. timor addidit ulas; as the doves when purſued by the hawk, ſcour into their columbaries. As birds frighted, flie to their neſts, and other creatures to their holes, and harbours: ſo do thoſe that are prickt at heart with the terrours of the law, flee to the precious promiſes of the Goſpel: hiding themſelves in the wounds of Chriſt crucified, and are relieved. All St. Pauls care was, that when he was ſought for by the juſtice of God, he might be found in Chriſt, not having his own righeouſneſſe,Phil. 3.9. but that which is through the faith of Chriſt.

and as a dove out of the land of Aſſyria,] i. e. out of what countrey ſoever, where they ſhall be ſcattered, I will recollect them by my Goſpel, which is therefore called Gods arm, becauſe thereby he gathereth his Elect into his boſome. Doves flie ſwiftly, Pſal. 55.6. and by flocks, Eſay 60.8. ſo ſhall the Elect to Chriſt, both of Jewes and Gentiles. By the children of the Weſt, may be meant theſe Weſtern Churches, and withall the Northern parts. By Egypt, the whole South. By Aſhur, all the Eaſtern Tract, thoſe large and mighty kingdoms that lie Eaſtward from Judea, even to the Sun-riſing. Thus many ſhall come from Eaſt and Weſt, and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, and [illegible: 1 letter]acob in the kingdome of heaven, Mat. 8.11. The molten-Sea ſtood upon twelve Oxen, which looked to all the four quarters of the world: ſo did the twelve gates of the new Jeruſalem, &c.

and I will place them in their houſes,] Not in ſtrong gariſons, but in their ownhouſes; where they ſhall dwell ſecurely under their own vines and fig-trees: for they ſhall have the Goſpel of peace, and the peace of the Goſpel, See 2 Sam 7.10 Or thus, I will place them in their own houſes, that is, in my Church (ſaith Polanus) which hath its houſes and places of receipt among all people the whole world thorowout, where they may ſerve God, without fear, in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe before him all their dayes. Thus the Apoſtles in their travels, where ever they came, found brethren, &c. and having nothing, yet they poſſeſſed all things, 2 Cor. 6.10. True tranquillity and ſound ſecurity is to be found no where but in Chriſt, Mic. 4.4. and 5.5. nor by any but by thoſe that hear him roaring, and calling them to the participation of his grace and peace. Thoſe that hearken to Chriſts Oracles ſhall dwell in his tabernacle.

Verſe 12. Ephraim compoſſeth me about with lies,] They get about me as if they would do me doubty ſervice (Pſal. 76.11. the ſaints are called a people that are round about God: and Pſal 148.14. a people near unto him, and that compaſſeth his altar. See Rev. 4.4.) but all's but counterfeit: a meer impoſture, a loud lie, Pſal. 78.36 whereby they would cozen me of heaven, if they could: putting upon me falſe coyn ſilver'd over a little; and circumventing me, if it lay in their power. But what ſaith Bernard, Sapi[illegible: 1 letter]ns nummularius Deus eſt; Nummum fictum non recipiet. God is a wiſe Mint-man: there's no beguiling him with counterfeit coyn. Hypocriſie (that reall lie) is an odious, a complexive evil: for it hath in it, 1. Guile, oppoſite to ſimplicity, as intending to beguile God, which he cannot, and man, which he fain would, and oft doth, to further his worldly and wicked deſignes, as Judas, Herod, Matth. 2.8. Phariſees, Mat. 23.14. 2. Falſhoud, oppoſite to truth; as onely acting religion, playing devotion, compaſſiong God with deceit, as the houſe of Iſrael here, deceiving him not by impotency onely, and in the event; but by impoſture, and ſo in purpoſe; contenting themſelves with a ſhew, with a ſemblance, Luke 8.18. with a form of knowledge, Rom. 2.20. and of godlineſſe, 2 Tim. 3.5. rather [illegible: 1 letter]eeming to be good, then ſeeking to be ſo. Theſe are hells free-holders: and other ſinners are ſaid but to have their part with them. There are that thus interpret this Text; Ephraim compaſſeth me, the Prophet preaching mercy, and promiſing good things, they beſet me, and gather cloſe about me, as deſirous of my doctrine: but it is in mendacio, in hat[illegible: 1 letter]full hypocryſic (ſee Ezek. 33.31, 32.) and when I croſſe them never ſo little, they craftily conſpire to prejudice my Miniſtery, to aſperſe my perſon, &c. To preach ſaith One, is nothing elſe but to derive the rage of the whole world upon a mans ſelf, to become the But-mark, yea the Center ad quod omnes lineae dolorum tendunt, Meiſner. in loc. to which all the lines of lies and falſehoods do tend.

but Judah yet ruleth with God,] To ſerve God is to rule with him (as Livia ſaid, ſhe ruled her husband Auguſtus, by obeying him) It is the greateſt liberty, Rom. 6.18, 22. 1 Pet. 2.16. Abraham was a prince of God, Jacob prevailed with God, and had power as a Prince, Gen. 32.28. Moſes (as if he had been Chancellour of heaven) over-ruled the buſineſſe, and God is fain to beſpeak his own freedom, Exod. 32.10. Judah alſo is here ſaid to rule with God, to be potent with him; becauſe God was ſincerely ſerved amongſt them, and they held faſt their firſt integrity: the true religion was openly profeſſed, and the true worſhip of God incorruptly maintained in the Temple at Jeruſalem. This made Abijah (though none of the beſt) ſo boldly to boaſt, and he prevailed: ſo that there fell down of Iſrael ſlain four hundred thouſand, 2 Chron. 14.10, 17. and yet the men of Judah that ſlew them, were but four hundred thouſand ina ll, verſe 3. Iſraels Apoſtacy is here aggravated by Judah's integrity: they were not under the temptation of evil example. Judah was the worſe for them, and not they for Judah.

and is faithfull with the Saints.] Or, with the moſt Holy: he keepeth the faith to God, thoſe Holy Ones, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (ſo ſome ſence it) as Joſh. 24.19. Prov. 9.10. he is far from thoſe falſe and fraudulent dealings wherewith the ten Tribes ſeek to circumvent and beguile god. Or thus, J[illegible: 1 letter]xlah is faithfull with the ſaints of former ages: he holds to his old principles, to the good old way, wherein Abraham and the other Ancients went before him. He is alſo faithfull; with ſuch as are ſanctified, the true prieſts of God, conſecrated to himſelf, and ſet apart for holy uſe: In oppoſition to the ten Tribes, who went after thoſe leaden prieſts made by Ieroboam of the lower ſort of the people, and well fitted to golden deities. Laſtly, he is faithfull with the people of God, thoſe good ſouls that left the ten Tribes and went to Judah, to the true worſhip of God. With theſe Judah was faithfull, courteous, and communicative: embracing and encouraging them all that might be. This was a ſingular commendaton.