Hosea 11

WHen Israel was a child In the infancy of Israel, which is here dated equal with his being in Egypt., then I loved him Manifested that tender and paternal affection which I did bear to him, increasing him in numbers, wealth and honour., and called my son 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. out of Egypt 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 does 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..

As they Moses and Aaron, and other Prophets, and holy zealous Judges and Priests, as Samuel &c. called advised, persuaded, intreated, and urged by exhortations. them The whole house of Israel, and among these the ten Tribes, or Ephraim., so they h went from Frowardly, and most disingenuously apostatized more and more, as the Prophet, Isa. 1.5. horrible ingratitude so to requite God! them From the Prophets counsel and commands delivered as they came from God.: they sacrificed unto Baalim 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., and burnt incense to graven images 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.

I taught Ephraim also to go As a Mother or Nurse does help the child, and with tenderest care does 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., taking them by their arms 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., but they knew not that I healed them Unthankful, sottish and heedless ones, neither would see nor acknowledge me in it, but Exod. 32.4. within few Moneth time ascribe their deliverance to a Golden Calf; thus foolishly they requite the love of their God..

I drew 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, them with cords of a man i. e. with such obliging kindness as best fits and most prevails with a man, with reason., with bands of love These arguments of love, which might as strong bands hold them fast to my Law and Worship for their good. I used all manner of kindnesses towards them to fix them in good., and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws As a careful Husbandman does 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., and I laid meat unto them Brought them provision in their wants, as the careful Husbandman brings fodder and provender for his wearied labouring Oxe, by which plain simile God does inform Israel in Hosea's time, what antient, tender constant and vigilant love he had showed to Israel to their predecessors, and to them also, and hereby discovers their unheard of ingratitude, and wickedness, which began in their Fathers and has continued with increase to the days of their final ruin..

¶ He Ephraim thus provided for by me, thus indulged, or else Ephraim punished. shall not return into the land of Egypt 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, but the Assyrian shall be his king conquering and captivating them should make himself their King, and rule them with rigour and cruelty., because they refused to return 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 ed unto me, Assyria should not have been their King..

And the sword Either intestine or forreign warrs, or both. shall abide Shall be long, not be as a sudden incursion, which does much mischief to surprised and unfortified places, but it shall be a lasting war; Three years Samaria was besieged, so the sword did abide. upon his cities All the Cities of Ephraim, the enemy should have courage and leisure to attend the siege of every one of them., and shall consume Shall prevail to take, sack, burn and ruin the branches. his branches Lesser Towns and Villages., and devour them n, because of their own counsels 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.

And my 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. people are bent to backsliding from me 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.: though they The Prophets called them to the most High invited, exhorted, and encouraged them with many fair promises to give Glory to God by returning., none at all Not one of many, scarce any one in those great numbers in Israel would hearken and obey. would exalt 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.. 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 persuaded 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.

How shall I give thee up 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 stice, says Mercy, and ho shall I not give up (says Justice) into the han s of enemies? Justice must be executed that I must do, says 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 sht Admah and Zeb im with fire from Heaven, I do what is just, but then I show no mercy; for these are two of the four Cities which suffer the vengeance of Eternal Fire, of these, Genesis 19.24., 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 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., my repentings are kindled together. 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.

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger Here Mercy rejoyceth against judgment, and God declareth his purpose to spare, he promiseth that he will not execute according to utmost severity,, I will not return to destroy 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 rn it; God will not do so. Ephraim; for I am God, and not man 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, the holy One in the midst of thee 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 e is none righteous., and I will not enter into the city I will not come amongst you, as I came into Sodom, &c. Here is comfort for Gods remnant..

They Whom infinite mercy spareth, the choice remnant shall walk after the LORD 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.: he shall roare like a lion 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 does 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;: when he shall roare, then the children shall tremble The spirit by its power awakening them to the sight of sin, shall make them fear and tremble, from the west 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 has 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..

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 They'l find none but I ill place them in houses, and they shall be theirs too. It is a 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 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., says the LORD. 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 has 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 orted them, i. e. 110 years before and 70 years concurrent ith the Iews Captivity in Babylon.

Ephraim Many, or the most of Ephraim. compasseth me about with lies 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., and the house of Israel with deceit The same thing in an ingeminated phrase to affect and ascertain the more.: but Judah The people of the two Tribes, under the Government of the house of David. yet ruleth 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. with God, and is faithful with the saints 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.