Hosea, Chapter 8

Hosea, Chap. VIII.

VERSE I - Observation 1 Ministers must not only be trumpeters of mercy and peace, but also of judgment Page 2 - Obs. 2 Ministers must not be weary of their work though little good come of it 3 - Obs. 3 The denunciation of threatning in the name of God, is a terrible sound ibid. - Obs. 4 Men flatter themselves when danger is at a distance 4 - Obs. 5 All the swiftness of an enemy is from God 5 - Obs. 6. God does not presently cast away a Church, though it be guilty of many sins. ibid - Obs. 7. It is an high expression of the privilege of a Church, That it is the house of the Lord. 6 - Obs. 8 Though we be God's house, yet enemies may come upon us. 7

VERSE II. - Opened 8 - Obs. 1 In affliction men see their need of God. 9 - Obs. 2 The vilest wretches in time of distress will call for help of God ibid - Obs. 3. Acknowledgment of God in a formal way, is that hypocrites think will commend them to God 10 - Obs. 4 Degenerate children look for favor for their godly parents sakes. 11 - Obs. 5 They will think to have the same mercies their fathers had ib.

VERSE III. - Obs. 1 The true worship of God is the good thing by way of excellency 12 - Obs. 2 God's worship is repelled by carnal hearts ib. - Obs. 3 Though at first men only leave God, yet at last they cast him off with abomination ib. - Obs 4 When the good of duty is cast off, the evil of punishment will come in 14

VERSE IV. - Expounded 15 - Obs. 1 We may do the thing God would have done, and yet sin highly against God 17 - Obs. 2 To go about great businesses without consulting with God, is sin. 18 - Obs. 3 Alteration in civil government is a great matter ib. - Obs. 4 When we are about great businesses we must look at God's ends. ib. - Obs. 5 We can have no comfort of God's mercies, if we stay not God's time 19 - Obs. 6 When we have a mercy promised, we must take it by lawful means ib. - Obs. 7 When we have a mercy we must improve it for God 20 - Obs. 8 God knows how to make use of men's sins 22 - Obs. 9 God many times suffers sinners to prosper a long time ib.

VERSE V. - Obs. 1 Though idolaters promise themselves safety by their idols, yet they will leave them at last 26 - Obs. 2 Take heed of engagements in what is evil 28 - Obs. 3 If by custom in evil we have no power to get out, this will be no excuse ib.

VERSE VI. - Obs. 1 None are so foolish in wicked ways as apostates 30 - Obs. 2 To be devisers of evil in God's worship is a great aggravation of sin ib. - Obs. 3 Men stick close to their own inventions in God's worship ib. - Obs. 4 There is no sin more hereditary than idolatry ib. - Obs. 5 Idols must be broken in pieces 34 - Obs. 6 Whatever may be broken in pieces we may not make our God ib. - Obs. 7 Deifying a creature makes way for the destruction of the creature 35

VERSE VII. - Obs. 1 Idolaters are willing to take pains for their false worship 35 Use. Let us take pains for the true worship ib. - Obs. 2 Idolaters sow in hope 36 - Obs. 3 Idolaters lay a ground for succession ib. - Obs. 4 Idolaters observe their season ib. - Obs. 5 Many sow the wind 37 - Who sow the wind 1 Some students ib. 2 Idolaters ib. 3 Formalists 38 4 Vainglorious ib. 5 Carnal politicians 39 6 Such as serve themselves of sin. ib. - Use 1. Comfort for the Church that all their enemies do but sow the wind 39 - Use 2. Ministers must beware of sowing the wind 1 If they bring empty words. 2 Their own fancies to the people 41 - Obs. 6 They that sow the wind, it is just with God they should reap the whirlwind 42 - Obs. 7 Sometimes wicked actions may seem to prosper, though the curse of God be upon them. 44 - Obs. 8 To have our desires satisfied for a while, and then destroyed, is a great judgment 45

VERSE VIII. - Expounded 46

VERSE IX. - Expounded 50 - Object. Why does God compare the ten tribes to a wild ass? - Answ. 1. To show their stubbornness 52 - 2 To show their contemptibleness 53 - Obj Why does he say [Alone?] - Answ. 1. To show they would be under no government 54 - 2 That they were fit for no society 55 - Obs. 1 Where we place our confidence, there our love should be placed ib. - Obs. 2 Idolaters will not stand upon terms if they may have their idols any way 56 - Obs. 3 It is an evil thing to be drawn to false worship 57

VERSE X. - Obs. 1. It is a great evil when wicked men seem to prosper more than God's people in outward estate 59 - Obs. 2 Many times when men think they provide most for their peace, they provide most for their ruin 61 - Obs. 3 People many times run headily on in evil ways that will destroy them 62 - Text opened in diverse particulars 63 - Obs. 1. When sinners have brought trouble upon themselves, then they complain much 66 - Admonition to England ib. - Obs. 2. Taxes upon men's estates is but a little burden in respect of being brought under the power of the enemy 67 - Obs. 3 Taxes are but little burden in comparison to the carrying of our brethren into captivity 67 - Obs. 4 It is God's mercy to bring lesser evils upon us thereby to prevent greater ib. - Obs. 5. The consideration of little burdens upon us, should move us to turn to God 68 - Obs. 6. God's judgments against wicked men are the beginnings of further judgments ib.

VERSE XI. Opened 69 Object. Why God would have but one Altar? 74 Answ. 1. These Altars did typify two things: 1. That Christ was to be the only sacrifice 74. 2. That all our services are accepted only in him ib. 2. That it might be the bond of the Church. Other Objections Answered. 76 Obs. 1 Man's inventions in God's worship are rejected of God 77 Obs. 2 There is no stop in superstitious worship 78 Obs. 3 We are ready to imitate our forefathers in what is evil, but not in what is good 79 Obs. 4. Take heed distance of time make us not to fear the threatening the less. 80 Obs. 5 Every age adds something to idolatry and false worship 81 Obs. 6 Whatever names we give to things it may be God will give other names and titles 83 Obs. 7 When men's hearts are set upon false ways of worship, it is just with God to let them have their desires to the full ib.

VERSE XII. Obs. 1 Whatever is urged or practiced in matter of worship, it must have warrant out of the written Word of God 85 Obs. 2 We should look upon the Scriptures as concerning ourselves 92 Obs. 3 The things of God's worship are to be looked upon as great things. 96. 1. Because they are from a great God ib. 2. The luster of the great God shines in them ib. 3. They are the mysteries of God's will 97. 4. They are of great concernment. 98. 5. They have great power on the heart of man ib. 6. They make all those great that receive them 99. 7. They are great in God's account ib. Obs. 4 The word is matter for the greatest spirits to exercise themselves about 101 Obs. 5 It is a special means to obedience to have high thoughts of God's law 102 Obs. 6. The worship of God is a great matter 103 The Word of God accounted strange: 1. As not concerning them 105. 2. Strange in their apprehensions. 106. 3. There is no suitableness between their hearts and the doctrine. 107. 4. They use the Word as a stranger, namely, for their own ends 108. Obs. 7 Superstitious people that are very zealous in their own way of worship, are very negligent in God's way 108 Obs. 8 It is a dangerous thing for men to have their hearts estranged from God's law 110 The degrees of the heart's estrangement from God: 1. His delight in God abates 111. 2. They are less frequent together ib. 3. He has hard thoughts of God's Word ib. 4. He wishes the things in the Word were otherwise ib. 5. He begins to listen to things that are against the Word 112. 6. He will not search thoroughly into truths ib. 7. An engagement in some unlawful practice ib. 8. Weighty arguments now become weak ib. 9. He violently rejects the Word ib. Obs. 8 That which men's corrupt hearts will not close withal they put it upon Christ, as if Christ had delivered them from it 113

VERS. XIII. Obs. 1 Men may continue in outward profession, and yet the great things of God's law may be strange to them 115 Obs. 2 Most men offer up nothing to God in sacrifice but flesh 116 Obs. 3 To aim at self in serving God, eats out true devotion 117 Obs. 4 If self be regarded, all is rejected 119 Obs. 5 Men may be much in holy services and yet their sins stand upon the score nevertheless 120 Obs. 6 However God may forbear wicked men a time, yet he has a time to remember all ib. Obs. 7 God remembers the sins of wicked people, especially in the performance of holy duties 122. 1. Because we come into God's presence ib. 2. Holy duties are aggravations of sin ib. Obs. 8 God visits men's sins when they think he neglects them most 123 Obs. 9 Carnal hearts, when God visits their sins, plot which way to shift for themselves 124 Obs. 10 It is one of the most dreadful judgments of God upon a nation, when he has delivered them from one bondage, to deliver them into the same again 125 Obs. 11 It is just with God that those that inherit their fathers' sins should inherit their fathers' judgments ib. Obs. 12 All places are places of misery when God forsakes a people ib.

VERSE XIV. Obs. 1 God punishes for sin when men are most secure 126 Obs. 2 It is God's favor that makes a man 127 Obs. 3 The greater excellency God raises a man to, the viler is his sin to forget God 128 Obs. 4 When men's hearts are farthest off from God, then are they forwardest in superstition 128 Objections answered 129 Obs. 5 Men are more subject to secure themselves from outward things than from God's wrath 132 Obs. 6 When men bless themselves in their own thoughts, they should consider what are God's thoughts? 133 Obs. 7 Brave things are subject to God's devouring fire 134