Hosea 5

In that sense the Apostle says, that the commandment which was ordained to life, he found to be to death (Romans 7:10). But I rather judge, that having charged the people with neglect and contempt of the laws and judgments of God which were good, God's giving them up judicially…

Neither man nor Angel can be kept without a surety; and unless Christ be continually present with his own gifts, there is no standing. Thirdly, they fell dreadfully, and from Angels became devils, exercising theft, lying, envy, murder towards men: the best things corrupted, beco…

If we well consider the prayers that we find recorded in the Book of Psalms, I believe we shall see reason to think, that a very great, if not the greater part of them, are prayers uttered, either in the name of Christ, or in the name of the Church, for such a mercy: and undoubt…

And they represent God's people, while his Church is in such a state, before God delivers and restores the same, as seeking him, looking for him, searching and waiting for him, and calling after him. Hosea 5:15: I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offen…

When he is ripe, like the first ripe in the fig-tree (Hosea 9:10). 3. Often he chooses in the furnace (Hosea 5, last verse): I will return to my place. Hebrew, till they make defection, or be guilty; for the most part, man is not guilty in his own eyes, while he be as Manasseh w…

And though he be not able to turn himself in his bed, yet he may turn to God. It is a vain thing to put off God to health, for in our sickness God will sooner visit us, and does expect that in the day of our affliction we should seek him diligently and early (Hosea 5, last verse…

Therefore sin is evil because it makes an estrangement between us and God (Isaiah 59:2): Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you. But affliction is good, because many times it makes us the more earnestly to seek after him…

Psal. 78. 34, 35. Hos. 5. 15. Affliction naturally speaks Anger, and Anger respects Sin.

Let Person so affected be fully satisfied, that they can never Cleanse or Purifie themselves by any Endeavours that are meerly their own, or by any Means of their own finding out. According to mens Convictions of the Defilements of sin, so have and alwayes will their Endeavours…

Nothing more ordinary than for men thus to deal with their convictions. They see their sickness, feel their wound,and go to the Assyrian, Hosea 5:13. And this insensibly leads men into Atheism.

2. Seasonableness, so it's taken in that expression, the Lord will help and that right early (Psalm 46:5). 3. Seriousness, so (Hosea 5:15) they shall seek me early, that is, seriously. Here it implies, that she, as one impatient of delays, desires to go with expedition, and for…

The spirit of giddiness and error leads Egypt (Isaiah 19:14). The spirit of whoredom (Hosea 4:12; Hosea 5:4) that inclines to idolatry. The spirit of lying (1 Kings 22:22).

If men know not their sickness, they will not seek for a cure. Some when they see their sickness, and their wound, will apply themselves to wrong useless remedies, like them in the Prophet (Hosea 5:13). But none will make use of any cure who see no disease at all.

By this therefore will he awake them to a diligent enquiry after him. Upon the discovery of his absence and such a distance of his glory from them as their faith cannot reach to it, they become like the doves of the valleys all of them mourning every one for his iniquity, and do…

[1.] We must be of a meek spirit — [in non-Latin alphabet] qu. [in non-Latin alphabet] facilis: So the Critics. Meekness is easiness of spirit; not a sinful easiness to be debauched, as Ephraim's that willingly walked after the commandment of the idolatrous princes (Hosea 5:11).…

It was a very ill time when there was a separation between the ten Tribes, and the rest, when the ten Tribes left the Temple, left the Ordinances of God, and followed after Jeroboam; this was a very hard time, and the rather because Jeroboam set watchers, to observe who would go…

Or strength while he smites? (Hosea 5:15): I will go and return to my place, until they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face. I will leave them, hide my face, and what will become of their peace and strength?

It is the only means of the removal of that, which will allow us neither the one nor the other. Men that are sick and wounded under the power of lust, make many applications for help; they cry to God, when the perplexity of their thoughts overwhelms them; even to God do they cry…

Ah! how many poor souls are thus deluded to eternity! When Ephraim saw his sickness, he sent to King Jareb (Hosea 5:13), which kept him off from God. The whole bundle of the Popish religion is made up of designs and contrivances to pacify conscience without Christ; all described…

6. This is the reason of affliction; we are so backward in this work that we need be whipped to it. Hosea 5:15: I will go and return to my place, says God, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face. God knows that want is a spur to a lazy creature, and therefore does…

In his pang, in his distress, when his conscience pinches him sore, he will be calling upon God: yes, but has he any delight in God? he wants sincere grace. Some time he may come with his flocks and herds to seek the Lord (Hosea 5:6). And cry, arise, Lord save us (Jeremiah 2:27)…

1. Take notice of the law-giver, You: It is not our equal, or one that will be baffled, but the great God upon whom you depend every moment. Men are easily carried away to please those that have power over them, even sometimes to the wrong of God and conscience: Hosea 5:11. Ephr…

Partly from self-love, when our turn is served, we neglect God: as the raven returned to Noah no more, when there was floating carrion for it to feed upon (Genesis 8:7). Wants try us more than blessings (Hosea 5, last verse): in their affliction they will seek me early. Our inte…

Lord in trouble have they visited you, they poured out a prayer when your chastening was upon them. Hosea 5:15: In their affliction they will seek me early. It were endless to run out in discourses of this nature.

That is good that sets us nearer to God, and that is evil which separates us from him; therefore sin is evil, because it makes an estrangement between us and God (Isaiah 59:2). But affliction is good, because many times it makes us the more earnestly to seek after him (Hosea 5:1…

3. Among these means, afflictions, indeed sharp afflictions are some of those things which our need and profit requires: they are needful to weaken and mortify sin (Isaiah 27:9), "By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged"; to increase and quicken grace (Hebrews 12:10), "But…

So Jeroboam would have his calves worshipped (1 Kings 12:32). And yet all that complied with him therein, are charged for walking so willingly after the commandment (Hosea 5:11). We dare not offend God to please men; the good Levites are commended (2 Chronicles 11:14).

Hence those desertions that are for chastisement usually end when we are brought to God's foot, and amended by them. If God corrects us for our folly, and we continue to be stout and refractory, or careless and regardless, it is not to be wondered if he proceed with us in this c…

A dead man cannot hear one word at no one time, he was not dead if he could. Men's minds are far from God, and hearts also, that they are neither stricken with the sight of his glory, nor sense and savour of his goodness, but must be vain, and have worldly hearts in the Church,…

Had the hedge been so [illegible] and easy and the wall so low that they might have broken through the one or leaped over the other, she would have made a hard shift but she would have followed and found her lovers; but the hedge was made of thorns [illegible] and insufferable s…

So it is with the heart of man, when his heart is so broken, so humbled and touched with the sense of his sinnes, that he longs after nothing but remission, nothing but the assurance of Gods favor, the assurance of his love and kindnesse, nothing will satisfie him but that: it i…

Need'st you be long in resolving whose you art? did ever any question, whether those were Jeroboams subjects, who willingly followed his command? Hosea 5:11. Alas, for you, you are under the power of Satan, tied by a chaine stronger than brasse or iron; you lovest your lust.

When the Princes, men of renown in their tribes, stood up with Corah, presently a multitude are drawn into the conspiracy. Let Jeroboam set up idolatry, and Israel is soon in a snare; it's said the people willingly walked after his Commandment, Hosea 5:11. Secondly, should the s…

5. So must there be a deadening of the husband to the wife (Job 19:17), to servants (Job 15:16), to sons (2 Samuel 16:11), of the mother to the daughter, of the daughter-in-law to the mother-in-law (Micah 7:6), to blood-friends. 12. All the godly and zealous Prophets said Amen t…

3. Consider Gods afflictive providences, and see if our limbeck will not drop when the fire is put under. God has sent us of late years to the school of the cross; he has twisted his judgements together; he has made good upon us those two threatnings, (Hosea 5:12). I will be to…

Sorrow is such a vehement passion as will have vent: it vents it self at the eyes by weeping, and at the tongue by confession, (Nehemiah 9:2). The children of Israel stood and confessed their sins, (Hosea 5:15). I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their sins.

By this therefore he will awaken them to a diligent inquiry after him. Upon the discovery of his absence and such a distance of his glory from them as their faith cannot reach, they become like the doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity, and they…

For we should sooner be dulled than amended, with the scourges of adversity, unless he did frame us to that tractableness by his Spirit. Now whereas the Lord, being offended, and in a manner wearied with our obstinate stubbornness, does not for a time leave us (that is by taking…

Example of Manasseh: and when he was in tribulation he prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly. And David says: It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn your statutes (Genesis 42:21; Hosea 5:15; Lamentations 3:20; 2 Chronicles 33:12; Psalm…

For a while it may be they take little notice of it. Sometimes they complain, but think they will do as in former times, until being insensibly weakened in their spiritual strength, they have work enough to do in keeping alive what remains and is ready to die (Hosea 5:13). I sha…

Men choose it in its causes, and in the ways and means leading to it, but not in itself. So the Prophet informs us (Hosea 5:11). Ephraim was not willingly oppressed and broken in judgment; that was his misery and trouble; but he willingly walked after the commandment of the idol…

Afflictions are a merciful invention of heaven to do us that good, which nothing else can; they awaken us to a sense of God, and of ourselves, to a consideration of the evil of our ways; they make us to take notice of God, to seek him, and enquire after him. God does as it were…

Secondly, consider of the Lord's mercy and readiness to save you, who has prepared mercy, and entreats you to take it, and waits every day for you to that end (2 Corinthians 5:19). The third reason of man's ruin is that carnal confidence, whereby men seek to save themselves, and…

Afflictions are the servants and pursuivants of the accusing law, sent out to cause us lay hold by faith on peace made, and pardon purchased in Christ: The hot furnace is the work-house of Christ, in that fire he takes away the scum, the dross, the refuse of the true metal, that…

Thirdly, take heed of all murmuring in any afflictions. If God cross our wills, and we fall to murmuring, then we cannot make so much as a quiet prayer, much less a humble and fervent prayer: we vex the holy Spirit of God when we grumble at any affliction (Isaiah 63:9-10), to sh…

As God's blessings have a punctual time, from the twenty-fourth of the ninth month, from this day I will bless you: so likewise have his judgments too (Haggai 2:18). The days of man shall be a hundred and twenty years, to the old world (Genesis 6:3): nor are years only, but even…

Neither will it be any excuse that we have done according to the precepts of men, if we have done contrary to those of God. Ephraim, of old, was broken in judgement, because he willingly walked after the commandment (Hosea 5:14). But would not his obedience hallow, or at least e…

Is not the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience to the church or any man, a destroying of liberty of conscience and reason also? Yes. (Romans 10:17; Romans 14:23; Isaiah 8:20; Acts 17:11; John 4:22; Hosea 5:11; Revelation 13:12, 16-17; Jeremiah 8:9…