The calling of the Ievves A present to Iudah and the children of Israel that ioyned with him, and to Ioseph (the valiant tribe of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel that ioyned with him. The Lord giue them grace, that they may returne and seeke Iehovah their God, and Dauid their King, in these latter dayes. There is prefixed an epistle vnto them, written for their sake in the Hebrue tongue, and translated into English. Published by William Gouge, B. of D. and preacher of Gods word in Blackefryers. London.

CHAP. 5. 6. 7.

1. Heare this, O yee Priests, and attend, O yee house of Isra∣el and yee the Kings house giue eare, for to you pertaineth this iudgement: because yee haue beene a snare in Mizpah, and a net spred voon Tabor.

2. They that turning aside to make slaughter a 1.1 goe into deepe places: Iam a correction to them all.

CHAP. 5.

1. The second Sermon is in the 5. 6. and 7. Chapters, wherein being to declare grieuous crimes in both the king∣domes of Israel and Iuda, and the punishments of God vp∣on them, he beginneth with an exordium to procure audi∣ence and attention to that which hee is to say, fetching ar∣guments: first from their person, who all; to wit, the Priests, both the hedge Priests of Ieroboam, and the holy Priests of Leu••, the house of Israel, and the house of Iuda, which holding fast to Dauid (the King set vp of God) are called the Kings house, doe well deserue this sentence, be∣ing as guilty of capitall crimes, as thieues and robbers by the high way side.

2. Next, from the person of God to whom it belongeth by his word and by his roddes, to chastise these robbers, that are like to those that lurking in the caues and holes of the earth to murder poore soules.

3. I know Ephraim and Israel is not hid from mee: that now O Ephraim, thou playest the harlet, that Israel is defiled.

4. They a 1.2 frame not their doings to turne vnto their God; for the spirit of fornications is in the middest of them, and Iehovah they know not.

5. Yea, the pride of Israel doth testifie to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim tumble downe in their iniquitie, Iudah also shall tumble with them.

6 Let them goe with their flocke, and with their heard to seeke Iehouah, but they shall not finde him; he withdraweth him∣selfe from them.

7. Against Iehouah they haue dealt treacherouslie; for they haue brought forth strange children: now shall the moneth eate them vp, their parts.

8. Blow ye the Cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ra∣mah: shout at Bethaven, let Beuiamin behinde thee shout.

9. Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: when a∣mong the Tribes of Israell I shall make knowne the same to bee certaine.

10. The Princes of Iudah were like them that remooue the bound: vpon them will I powre out as waters, mine indignation.

3. After the Exordium, in the second place hee layeth downe their crimes; in body and soule rushing into all impietie.

4. Hauing no desire of reformation, nor to bring forth the fruits of true repentance.

5. And therewithall the punishment for their pride and arrogancie, being so great that it may serue for a thousand witnesses to conuince their wickednesse: they shall there∣fore fall and be cut off, both sorts of them, the ten Tribes, and Iuda.

6. So certainly, that they shall not be able with any ex∣ternall seruice to appease the wrath of God, nor to escape his hand and iudgement.

7. And euen as they make no bones to breake their faith to God by spirituall fornication, mingling, as it were,

their seede with strange Gods and forreine people: so it shall it come to them which happeneth to women worne with adulteries, as Ezechiel speaketh that their monethly diseases, procured by inordinate lust eate vp and consume their bodies.

8. These Iudgements are garnished by a hypotiposis, or a liuely pourtraiture and representation thereof before their eyes: as if God did summon all the parts of the Land to prepare themselues for an vnhappy war. Gibeah the boun∣der of Iuda, Rama the bounder of Israel; Bethauen, in the Desert confining vpon both, but longing to Bethel and vn∣to Israel to conclude the Tribe of Iuda, scituate behind Beniamin.

9. For both Ephraim the flower of Israel, and all the Israelites, howsoeuer now they scorne my words and hold them for fables, shall one day feele the truth of them, being laid wast and desolate.

10. And vpon the Princes of Iuda, that peruert Church and common wealth, and breake the bounds of all lawes diuine and humane, will I power forth my indignation in most plenteous and aboundant manner.

11. Ephraim is oppressed and crushed in iudgement: because he will, he goeth after the commandement.

12. Therefore was I as a moth vnto Ephraim: and as rot∣tennesse to the house of Iuda.

13. But when Ephraim saw his disease and Iudah his sore, then went Ephraim vnto Ashur, and Iuda sent to a King that would protect: but hee shall not bee able to heale you, neither shall hee cure you of the sore.

14. For I will be as a fierce Lyon to Ephraim, and as a young Lyon to the house of Iudah: I, I will teare and goe away, I will take vp and none shall rescue.

15. I will goe returne to my place, till they acknowledge the offence, and seeke my face: a 1.3 when affliction is vpon them, they will seeke me early, saying.

CHAP. 6.

1. Come and let vs returne to Iehouah, for he hath torne and hee will heale vs; hee hath smitten, and hee will binde vs vp.

2. Hee will restore vs to life within two dayes: the third day hee will raise vs vp, and wee shall liue in his sight.

3. And wee a 1.4 shall know and proceed in the knowledge of Iehouah, as the morning whose going forth is steddy: and he shall come as the raine vnto vs, as the latter and seasonable raine vn∣to the earth.

4. What should I doe to thee, O Ephraim? What should I doe to thee, O Iudah; since your goodnesse is as a morning cloud, and as the dew b 1.5 dropping early, goeth away.

5. Therefore hewed I by the Prophets, I slue them by the words of my mouth; and thy iudgements were as the light that breaketh forth.

6. That I am delighted with kindnes and not with sacrifice; and with the knowledge of God more than with burnt offerings.

7. But they transgressed the couenant, as if it had beene a mans: there dealt they treacherously against me.

8. In Gilead they were euery one, a City of workers of iniquity: a 1.6 with bloody footsteps.

9. And like to troopes waiting for a man, are the society of Priests: they murder after the manner as it was at Sechem; for they worke abhomination.

10. In the house of Israel doe I see a horrible matter: There by the whoredome of Ephaim, Israel is defiled.

11. Yea, O Iudah, that Ephraim did put an harnest in thee: whilst I brought backe the captiue multitude of my people.

CHAP. 7.

1. Whilst I heale Israel, then is the iniquity of Ephraim disco∣uered, and the b 1.7 exceeding wickednesse of Samaria; for they worke falshood: and the thiefe commeth in, the troope rusheth forth.

2. Neither doe they say c 1.8 in their heart, that I remember all their wickednesse: now their doings compasse them about, they

are before my face.

3. With their wickednesse they make glad the King; and with their lies the Princes.

4. All of them are adulterers, as an ouen heated by the baker; who leaueth off watchings after hee hath kneaded the dough vntill it be leauened.

5. In the day of our King, the Princes haue made him sicke, with heat caught of wine: hee hath stretched out his hand with scorners.

6. For they haue applied their heart to lying in waite, as an Ouen: which, whilest their baker sleepeth all night long, in the morning burneth as a 1.9 a flaming fire.

7. They all waxe hot as the Ouen, and eat vp their Iudges: all their Kings fall, there is none among them that calleth vn∣to me.

11. In the third place followeth a Narration of the of∣fences of both these people, fiue in number, with iudge∣ments suteable thereunto.

First, will-worship and Idolatry; in preferring the ordi∣nances of men before Gods institution: That albeit his Iudgements lay heauy vpon them, and crushed them to pieces, yet they were not therewith dismayed, but with a full swing, and with their whole heart went after the trash of mens inuentions only, because it liked them better, then follow Gods Commandements.

12. Secondly, when God by chastisements went about to reclaime them, wasting them as a moth doth a vesture, and as rottennes doth the bones.

13. They, though seeing and knowing it full well, be∣tooke them not to God. But the Israelites and Menachen their King, they become tributaries vnto Asshur: Achaz the King of Iuda, hee flies vnto the same, as vnto a Bul∣warke, though he shall not be able to doe them good.

14. Thirdly, neither Gods corrections nor his Word mouing them to repentance, can preuaile to make them from their heart to seeke vnto him. Wherefore first hee

speaketh of correction, wherein God as a gracious and lo∣uing father, thought that partly by carying a hard hand vpon them, renting and tearing them in peeces.

15. Partly by withdrawing his gracious presence from them, keeping Court as it were, at another place, they would confesse themselues guilty, and at the least in their affliction earnestly seeke his face.

CHAP. 6.

1. Secondly, he prescribeth a forme of their conuersion, what he would haue them to doe, and how to stirre vp one another.

First, in acknowledging, by repentance, Gods iust and righteous hand before vpon them.

Secondly, in apprehending through faith, the power of the same hand for their healing and repaire.

2. Grounding vpon his kinde and gracious nature, ea∣sieto be intreated, and full of mercie and compassion to poore repentant sinners: He will heale, hee will quicken, he will raise vp, we shall liue for euer before him.

3. And grow in faith and knowledge, as the light of the morning that groweth more and more vnto the steddy day, Prou. 4. 18.

To conclude, hee will aboundantly bestow vpon vs all spirituall blessings.

4. But neyther of these, his word nor chastisements, or whatsoeuer God might doe else, could fasten vpon his people a sound and constant course of godlinesse. If any good motions rose within them, they quickly vanished and came to nothing.

5. The fourth sinne is, that albeit God seeing their in∣constancie and ficklenesse in seruing him, caused his Pro∣phets, their teachers and instructers, not onely to slay and terrifie them with the horror of his deadly iudgements, that so they might be kept from euill, which is the first vse of the Minister, but to hold forth the light and lanterne

of the word, that they might know what they ought to doe, and be brought to vnderstand and performe their duties, which is the second vse of the Ministery.

6. A thing more pleasing vnto God, than all sacrifices and oblations.

7. Yet they brake the bonds of couenant betwene God and them, as if they had had to do but with a mortall man, yea (which mightilie encreaseth the quality of their fault) where God so slew them, and shined vnto them by his Pro∣phets, euen there, in that place, they made no conscience of transgressing against God, and falling to iniquity.

8. The whole land, euen all the parts of it; for in Gi∣lead (the Country beyond Iordan) there was euery Citie full of malefactors, bloudy men, and murderers. A man might trace them in their wickednesse, through the very streets, for their footsteppes were in bloud.

9. The Colledge of Priests was a societie and fraternity of robbers that stand by the high way side, they kill & slay after the manner as it was at Shechem, impudently, shame∣lessly and audaciously, in barbarous and sauage manner; a foule abhomination.

10. The people of Israel haue horribly transgressed, and committed spirituall fornication.

11. Yea Iuda also hath wrapped himselfe in the same offences, and receiued from themthe seede of Idolatrie; when euen them, saith God, (which aggrauateth the offe∣nce) when I graciously brought backe my people from captiuity oppressed of Israel, and of Aram.

CHAP. 7.

1. Their fift offence is a greedinesse in sinning prouo∣king one another to all kinde of wickednesse: Set forth.

1. By a peeuish disposition of theirs, when God meant most to doe them good. Euen as it fareth with a sicke patient, who the more carefull the Phisition is to prescribe dyet for recouerie of his health, the more earnestly is hee carried to all kinde of surfetting and disorder, though it be the endangering of his life.

Secondly, by a distribution of their offences, for they abound both in flye and in open sinnes, lying, theiuery, robbery.

2. Thirdly, they are so farre from being abashed to thinke that God seeth and remembreth all their iniquity, as contrarily they bragge and boast of the multitude of their sinnes, euen as a man would doe of a guard of men that doe attend him.

3. Fourthly, all degrees, the King himselfe and his no∣bles, and as the people of the Land adulterate them∣selues.

4. Fiftly, all these runne as greedily after sinne, (that sin especially the sinne of adultery) as fire burneth in a hot ouen, when the Baker after hee hath kneaded his dough, ouertaken with sleepe; forgetteth to make it cleaue.

5. Sixtly, by the circumstance of time, euen that very day, when at the Kings Coronation, God is to bee serued and the Prince and people to bee put in minde of their dutie, then they doe most of all runne ryot. The Princes, who by their grauity and wisedome should bee the stayes, and proppes of the common wealth, haue their hand deepest in this offence; not only themselues bibbers and tossepots, but forcing one another to drink, till they fall into a surfet.

The pinte and quart, moderate and reasonable measures will not serue their turne: but they must haue whole flag∣gons full of wine and drinke as wee say by the dozen. The King himselfe quaffes as well as they and ioyneth hands with beastly drunkards: so impudent in their wicked∣nesse, that they scorne both God and man.

6. Well did I therefore, saith the Prophet, resemble them to an ouen; for they are as hot as any furnace, and furious vnto euill.

The King indeed, as the Baker doth the ouen, ought to make cleane the common wealth, and by his power and authority to coole the heate and fury of the Princes.

But hee sitteth still and letteth all alone: that like the ouen which burneth all night long vnto the morning.

7. They set a fire with wine, conspire all of them a∣gainst their King, his ministers and seruants, whereby they change their kings apace: for by their conspiracies many perish in a short time; wickedly if you respect the conspi∣rators: but iustly and righteously, if you looke vnto the Kings themselues; for they are all wicked Kings: there is none of them that calleth vpon God.

8. Ephraim, he mingleth himselfe among the people: Ephra∣im is as Cake not turned.

9. Strangers deuoure his strength, and he knoweth not: yea, hoarinesse is sprinkled vpon him and he knoweth not.

10. And though the Pride of Israel testifie to his face: yet they doe not returne to Iehouah their God, nor seeke him for all that.

11. But Ephraim is like a silly doue, without heart: to Aegypt they call, to Ashur they goe.

8. The fourth and last part of this Prophecie hath a sum∣marie repetition of the peoples sinnes and of Gods iudge∣ments in that regard.

Their sinnes, first, consociating with strangers and ma∣king a mixture of their religion with the superstitions of the Gentiles. They neither hold them to the sincerity of Gods seruice, not to the meere toyes and fooleries of the heathen; but frame to themselues a mingle mangle out of both. And therefore may well be compared to a Cake halfe tosted, neither hot nor cold, being as wee vse to speake nei∣ther fish nor flesh.

9. Secondly, an incredible blockishnesse, without com∣mon sence.

That albeit the euils they endure of their confederates and allies, bring gray heares vpon them, and make them old before their time, yet they not onely not consider it:

10. But (which is their third offence) they are so proud and insolent, that for all this they turne away, and will not bee brought to God, but had rather ioyne themselues to

forreigne nations, then to seeke after him.

The fourth and last offence is their madde and foolish consorting with strangers. So silly they are and without vnderstanding to pray in ayde of those whose minde is onely to spoyle and eate them vp.

12. When they shall goe, I will spreade my net vpon them, and bring them downe as the foule of the heauen: I will chastise them, a 1.10 as their congregation hath heard.

13. Wo vnto them, for they haue flitted from mee, desolation vnto them, for they haue transgressed against me: when I am to redeeme them, then they speake vnto me with lyes.

14. And doe not crye vnto me with their hearts, when they houle vppon their beds: when for corne and new wine they assem∣ble and turne aside vnto me.

15. But when I binde vp and strengthen their arme; then doe they imagine mischiefe against me.

16. They returne not to the most high, they are like a deceitfull bow, their Princes fall by the sword, comming from the rage of their tongue: this is their derision in the land of Aegypt.

12. The punishment is, that as the fouler taketh the Doue, so God will ensnare and catch these foolish ones, and lay vpon them the scourges and corrections threatned by his Prophets.

13. All because of their sinnes, especially their hypocri∣sie, which hypocrisie of theirs is set forth by a dissimilitude, when they haue need of mee that I am to doe them good, and helpe them out of trouble, in their difficulties and distresses, then they call vpon me: but all is nothing else, but meere dissimulation.

14. For they doe it not from their hearts; what face soeuer they set vpon it, whether it bee priuately in the night or openly in the day, yet in those times of their need, in famine and want, they make a pretence, as if they would come towards me.

15. But when I, as a kinde Phisition, hold vp their

arme, and bring them case and comfort, they goe on in their wickednesse.

16. Turne they doe, but not vnto God, it is falsly and deceitfully: But they haue their reward according.

The sword that serueth to work their conspiracies, doth slay and kill the Princes. And this sword is whet on and sharpened by virulent tongues, setting debate betweene them.

These murders so rife, and their common and dayly plotting of stirres and troubles in the state, make them a scorne euen to their friends and allies.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Deepen.
• a 1.2

  Geut.
• a 1.3

  In affliction vnto them.
• a 1.4

  Shall know, follow after.
• b 1.5

  Morning at a man may say.
• a 1.6

  Footstepped (if I may so say) with blood.
• b 1.7

  Wickednes∣ses.
• c 1.8

  To.
• a 1.9

  A fire of a flame.
• a 1.10

  According to the hearing of their congrega∣tion.