An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth, & tenth chapters of the prophesy of Hosea being first delivered in several lectures at Michaels Cornhil, London / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being the seventh book published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]

VER. 8.

The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel shall be de∣destroyed: the Thorn and the Thistle shall come up upon their Altars.

I Confess from th••se words to the end of the Ele∣venth Verse, there appears at the first reading, much obscurity; yet they are like unto a Mine, that the out-side of it is barren, but dig within, and you shall find rich Treasure.

Israel,* 1.1 the ten Tribes did confide in two things, and so strengthened themselves against what the Prophet could say against them; the first was in the power of their King, now that's gon, that's as foam, saith God, never confide

there in the power of the King, and think that will bear you out, for he shall be as foam.

But the second was their Sacrifices that they offered, and their Devotion, their Religion, they were a Religious people, and they were very costly in their Devotion, they confided much in that: Well for the second, saith the Lord, The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel shall be destroyed, the Thorn and the Thistle shall come up on their Altars. Though they were never so pompous in their eyes, yet they are the high places of Aven;* 1.2 they were called before Beth-aven [the house of Vanitie,]* 1.3 now it is called Aven,* 1.4 [vanitie it self:] That place was no other than Bethel, whose name signifi∣ed the house of God, where one of the Ca••ves was set up; Now the name of this place did a great deal of hurt a∣mong the people; Oh! to go up to Bethel, the house of God; therefore God would take away that name, and calls it Beth-aven first, and then calls it Aven, that is, instead of calling it the house of God,* 1.5 I will have it called the house vanitie, yea, vanitie it self. Aven signifieth vanitie, yea ini∣quitie it self; from whence note,

That God stands much upon taking people off from specious and glorious names, that are put upon any things that are made use of in ways of false worship,* 1.6 he stands much upon it

For, whereas be∣fore he had changed it from Bethel to Beth-aven, he changes it now from Beth-aven to Aven; God would obliterate the name of Bethel, and would make it to be accounted by the people to be nothing but iniquitie and vanitie. As for The high places, we have spoken to formerly.

The sin of Israel.

The sin, that is, in the very abstract, sin; 'tis more than if he should say, the sinfull things of Israel, the very sin of Israel.

The more any thing comes to have the nature of sin,* 1.7 the more vile and abominable it is. Therefore God expresseth it by

an expression that should come as near the nature of sin it self, as he could to make it abominable. Their sin, that is their Idolatrous worship.

Their false worship,* 1.8 it is the great sin; and it was the grea∣ter sin in Isrrel, because that their holiness did especially consist in instituted worship, their holiness was typical, and much stood in instituted worship; it's true, God would have true holiness if ever they came to Heaven, but that holiness upon which they were called, a holy people, it was in their instituted worship, and it was typical, to set forth the true holiness that should be in all the Members of the Church now, therefore God was much provoked with their polutions in instituted worship, their holiness consi∣sted so much in it.

And then further, In that their Idols, and their creatures that they abused to sin are here call'd, Their Sin, the Sin of Israel.

You may note that,* 1.9 We may so abuse the creatures of God as not only to make them sinful to us, but even to turn them into sin (as it were;) thus many men abuse their bodies so that they may be call'd sin its self.

Well, that which they accounted holy you see God he accounts not only sinful, but sin, and saith it shall be de∣stroyed.

It shall be destroyed.

When any Ordinances of God are abused,* 1.10 they are but to be pur∣ged. But if they be inventions of men they are to be de∣stroyed. They shall be destroyed, The sin of Israel shall be destroyed. We must learn for ever to take heed of medling with, or putting any thing of our own in the place of Gods Worship, we may think in reason this may be good, as well as that, we see no evil in this, why may not this way be as good as that way? Yea, but God he looks upon things according as he himself requires them: and there∣fore

Calvin I remember upon this place (saith) God he pronounces that sin and sacriledg,* 1.11 and would have it de∣stroyed, those things that may please us; let us therefore rest in his judgment, it's not our part to dispute (saith he) about matters of Worship, we must not dispute, & say, Why may not this be? and this may be for a good use, and a great deal of good may come of it, we must not stand di∣sputing with God, and debating the matter with God, for though it may be very specious in our eyes, yet it may be very odious and abominable to the eyes of God.

It shall be destroyed.

Even all those things that evil men makes use of for sin shall one day be taken from them,* 1.12 you shall not alwaies have the creatures of God to abuse them to sin, there will be a time when God will deliver his creatures from this va∣nity that they are subject to. And then lastly.

They shall be destroyed.

Mans sin brings destruction upon the creatures.* 1.13 It is as poyson in a glass that causes the glass to be broken and cast upon the dunghil.

The Thorn and the Thistle shall come up on their Al∣tars.

[ 1] This expression is, to note, the great vastation that shall be made in those places where they had Altars in Bethel: (especially, Samaria being besieged for 3. years together.) The enemies had Bethel in their own hands and they mani∣fested their rage upon their Altars,* 1.14 and upon all their Re∣ligious things presently, they pull'd them down and made them lie in heaps of rubbish, that in the space of three yeers the very thistles and thorns grew up in the place where they had their Alters. It's a usual expression of the deva∣station of a place, that the grass shall grow where their hou∣ses were, shall Corn grow where the City was, here there shall be Thistles and thorns grow where their Altars were.

And secondly, It's an expression of indignation, as if God should have said, I'le take more delight to see the Thorns and Thistles grow out of the very rubbish of the Altars than of all the Images and brave pictures and gil∣dings that are about them. Just as if it should have been said about the Service-Book, Oh now you honor it much, and it must be bound bravely, and gilt bravely, and strung curiously, if one should have said about seven or eight yeers ago, This that you do so Idolize now, within a while it shall be but wast papers, it shall be thrown to the Mice and Rats to eat, this would have been an expression of in∣dignation against it.

Obs.* 1.15 First, If it be sad that places of false worship should not be frequented as formerly they were wont to be, how much more sad is it that places of true worship should be neglected? as thus, They were wont to go to Bethel to worship with their Al∣tars: yea, but saith God, they shall go no more thither, but those places shall be fill'd with Nettles, Thorns, and and Thistles; they accounted that sad. Yea, but we should account it sad that the pathes to the true Worship of God should not be beaten, as in former times where there was an Altar (as it were) for the Worship of God, those places that were frequented much; but had our Adversaries had their wills we should have had those paths that were wont to be beaten to the true Worship of God, to have had Net∣tles and Thorns grown up in them.

Secondly,* 1.16 If it be so sad to have such an ill succession here in false worship, sad to false worshipers, what sadness is there for the true Worshipers of God to have an ill succession in the Church? Truly much like me thinks it is, when there hath been in a place a godly and a powerful Ministry, and afterwards for the sins of the people God takes it away, and instead of a powerful Ministry there comes up a pricking Thorn, a Bryar, a Thistle, a Nettle, there comes an unworthy man of no gifts or gra••es, but only can gall and prick, and do hurt and mischief, this is a succession like to the succession

that God here threatned, that there should be Thistles and Thorns succeed their Altars. And Hierom upon the place seems to hint some such kind of meditation, he saith, in∣stead of true Doctrine,* 1.17 there shall be a wilderness of very corrupt Doctrine, where there was true Doctrine taught, now it shall lie wast as a wilderness,* 1.18 and corrupt Doctrine shall be taught instead of true.

Thirdly,* 1.19 God doth account the ruin of the most glorious things abused to sin, a more pleasing object, than when those things were in the greatest pomp and glory. Brave building, and brave Al∣tars when they were rubbish and grown over with Thorns, and Bryars,* 1.20 God lookt upon them as more glorious. And so if a man hath a very beautiful comely body and abuse it to sin, when God shall strike him, and he shall be a filthy rot∣ten carkass that the worms shall be gnawing upon, when he shall be covered with worms as a filthy carkass, God will look upon that as a more lovely sight than to see his body deck'd with all kind of ornaments.* 1.21 Better that the creature perish than to have it abused to sin, though it be the most glorious creature in the world.

And then lastly,* 1.22 Those things that men account highly of in the matters of Worship, when God lets in their enemies they con∣temn them. They accounted highly of their Calves, but when the Assyrians came they contemn'd them, and pull'd them down, and made them rubbish. It's not only so in matters of false worship, but in matters of true; those things that we highly esteem and bless God for, and we think what infinite pity it is that they should not be conti∣nued, yet if God should let our Adversaries in they would scorn us. As now, such liberties as these are, what infinite pity were it that people should be deprived of them, but if God should let our Adversaries in upon us they would scorn and contemn these things, as the Assyrians did con∣temn those things that the Israelites did account to be as God. It follows.

They shall say to the Mountains, Cover us, and to the Hills, Fall on us.

This is an expression to shew,* 1.23 First, the dreadfulness of their misery. It should be such a great misery as should make them be weary of their lives, should make them ra∣ther desire death than life.

Secondly, It is to note the wonderful desperation that in the apprehension and sence of this their misery they had no whither to go for help, but their hearts should dispair, and all the help that they should expect was, to have the Mountains fall upon them, and the Hills to cover them. Now this expression I find Christ makes use of in the setting out the misery of the destruction of the Jews by the Romans afterwards,* 1.24 in Luke, 23. 30. and so I find the holy Ghost in expressing the misery of the Antichristian party, when the wrath of God should come out upon them, their misery shall be so great, as to cry to the Mountains to fall upon them,* 1.25 and the Hills to cover them, in Revel. 6. 16. there the Princes and the great men, and mighty men, and Captains, they call upon the Mountains to fall upon them and the Hills to cover them. I remember reverend Mr. Brightman upon that very Scripture interpreting, the great men,* 1.26 and the mighty men calling to the mountains to fall upon them, and the hills to cover them, he saith, That it was fulfil'd in the time of Constantine, when the Heathen Emperors were vanquished, and he doth interpret it upon Dioclesian that he was so terrified in apprehension of the wrath of the Lamb that Christ did appear against him, that he drank poyson and kild himself. And Maximian ended his life with a haltar, and hanged himself. Galerius died of a most noisom and filthy disease. Maximinus that he might prevent his death he likewise murdered himself. And so Maxentius ran into the bottom of Tiberis to hide himself there. And thus they did seek by several waies

to hide themselves from the sight of the Lamb by violent deaths.

I suppose all of you do understand cleerly that it is meant an expression of great anguish and desperation; but yet that we may see why the holy Ghost makes use of this expression rather than others, and to find out the reason of it, you must know that the expression doth arise from hence;* 1.27 the Land of Canaan (where the Prophet here Pro∣phesies) it was a Land full of Mountains and Hills, and these Mountains were stony and rocky (many of them) and they were wont therefore to dig places in the mountains that were stony and rocky for safety in case they should be in any great danger,* 1.28 to dig such holes that they may run into, and that by their narrow passage they might be able to keep out an enemy from them; and therefore I remem∣ber I find in Josephus 14.* 1.29 Book of Antiquities, 27. Chap. and so his Book of the Jewish Wars, the 1. Book, and 12. Chap. he saith, That those that were Theeves and Robbers they would make use of such Caves and Dens in the Mountains and Hills; and now to these the Scripture doth allude, and by this you may be helped to understand divers places of Scripture,* 1.30 in Isa. 2. 19. And they shall go into the holes of the Rocks, and into the caves of the Earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his Majesty, when he arises to shake terribly the Earth. They should go then into the holes of the Rocks and caves of the Earth, for they were wont to use such things there much.* 1.31 And so that Scripture in Psal. 11. 1. In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your Mountain? In times of danger they were wont to flee to those Mountains.* 1.32 And so in Psal. 121. 1. I will lift up mine eyes unto the Hills from whence cometh my help: not only to the Temple, but to the Hills, because in time of danger they were wont to think of the Hills: But (saith David) I lift up my heart to God, and that shall be to me instead of an hundred holes in Hills.* 1.33 And in Psal. 36. 6. Thy Righteousness is like the great Mountains. It's not only

because the Mountains stand steadily and strongly, but be∣cause the Mountains were places of refuge and shelter. So the Saints have refuge in the faithfulness of God, as they did run to the holes in the Mountains, and therefore God is call'd a strong Rock that the Righteous run to; why? not only because a Rock is strong and cannot be removed, yea, but what safety is there: Suppose a man run to the Rock, cannot the enemies follow him and take him in the Rock? Therefore it is not only meant when it is said, God is as a Rock, not only because the faithfulness of God is steady as a Rock, but because they had caves and holes in the Rocks that they were wont to run to in time of danger, therefore God is call'd a Rock.* 1.34 And so, The strength of the Hills is his also, in Psal. 95. 4. These Scriptures we may un∣derstand by this, by understanding the manner what they were wont to do in their Mountains.* 1.35 In Psal. 94. 22. But the Lord is my defence, and my God is the Rock of my refuge.

But yet further, that we may understand the meaning of this expression: Because when in times of danger they ran to the Mountains, and to the Rocks, and Holes, into their Caves, they considered when they were there, Oh! the e∣nemy if he should come upon us, how sad would our con∣dition be? Oh! that rather this Mountain that is now o∣ver us, I would rather that it should sink down and fall upon me than the enemy should take me, and this Hill that I am got into a hole of, for my refuge, it were well if this should sink down and press me to nothing. This I take to be the meaning of this Phrase, & the rise of it; they despised the Mountain of God, the going up to his Moun∣tain, but now they would be glad to have so much use of these Mountains that they might crush them in pieces. From thence there are these Notes.

First,* 1.36 Oh! the Alteration that God can make in Cities and Kingdoms: They who were proud and scornful ere while, are now so distressed as would think themselves happy to be crush'd by Mountains and Hills.

Secondly,* 1.37 Hence we may learn how great is the misery of fal∣ling into the hands of our enemies, for that's the meaning; when the Assyrians should come against them, and they were besieged for three years together, they knew how sa∣vigely the Enemies had used others in the Country, so that they desired to die under the Mountains rather than to fal into their hands; the great misery there is in falling into the hands of Enemies.* 1.38 And I remember Josephus in one of the forenamed places gives us a notable story of this, he tels us of some that did run into the Mountains and Holes for safety, and Herod he pursued them, and among others there was an old man, and he had seven Children and his Wife with him,* 1.39 but rather than he would fal into Herods hands, he call'd his Children one by one unto the mouth of the Cave that he had made in the Mountain, and when one came he kil'd that before the Enemy, and he cal'd another and kill'd him, and so he did till he had killed all the se∣ven, and killed them Himself, and afterwards his Wife, and when he had cast their dead bodies down the Rock, he threw himself down head-long after them, and so he slew himself, and all this rather than he would fall in∣to the hands of his Enemies. Certainly there is wonder∣ful misery. Some of you perhaps have seen or felt some∣what, but that that you have felt and seen hath been no∣thing to what was like to be, had the Enemies gotten full power; He was fain to deal fairly to get people to himself, but cruelty doth break out now and then, and by that you may see what should have been generally if the Lord should deliver you into the power of the Enemy: Let us bless God then that we are delivered from that, that we have no such cause to cry out to the Mountains to cover us and the Hills to fall upon us.

Thirdly,* 1.40 The wrath of God, Oh! how dreadful is it? there is nothing so fearful as the wrath of God: One would think that, that which these poor people should desire here should be dreadful enough, to have the Mountains fall up∣on

them, and the Hils to cover them: Oh! but 'tis not so dreadful as Gods wrath; take all the terrors in the world they are nothing to the wrath of the Almighty when that is apprehended: sometimes the wrath of God lies more heavie upon a mans Conscience than a thousand Moun∣tains: And (my brethren) if it be so dreadful in outward judgments, how dreadful is it like to be when it shal come to be fully powred out upon the wicked and ungodly? In Revel. 9. 6.* 1.41 They shall seek for death, and shall not find it; they shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them (saith the text) Oh! when Gods wrath appears against the ungodly, it will be dreadful, especially when the full vials of it comes to be powred out.

And further,* 1.42 To live in misery is worse than present dreadful death: to live in a lingring way of misery is worse than present death even in this world.* 1.43 I remember Suetonius tels of Tibe∣rius Caesar, that there was one that he had adjudged to death, and he that was adjudged to die, petitioned to him, that he might have his dispatch. He answers him thus, Sir, you and I are not friends yet, you must not die, you must be kept in misery. It is worse than death many times to be kept in a lingring way of misery, it is so, even in regard of the miseries of this world, Oh! how much worse than death is it then to be kept under the wrath of God to all e∣ternity? How fearful is it to live in misery for ever then, and never to die? Why it's better, certainly Sence would apprehend it better for a man to be dispacht presently than to live in lingring misery: yet, if we did know all, it were better to live in the greatest misery in the world (for a wic∣ked man) than to die the fairest death; thou wert better to live as a Dog, a Toad, yea, as a stock-log at the back of the fire (if it were possible) than to die, if thou knewest all (being a wicked man) but however hereafter in Hell, then it were better if it were possible to perish than to live so as thou hast, yet then thou shalt not die, though it would be the greatest happiness to thee; if thou shouldest after a thou∣sand

yeers cry to God, Oh Lord, that Mountains might fall upon me! The Lord would answer: You and I are not friends yet; and if after a thousand years more thou shouldest cry, Oh Lord that I might be crush'd to pieces: the Lord would answer you still, You and I are not yet friends.* 1.44 Saith Bernard, Oh! I tremble to think of that, that I should fall into the hands of living death, and of dy∣ing life, where men do not die, that they might for ever die (saith he) they do die that they may for ever die, they are alwaies dying,* 1.45 but never die, but are kept by the Al∣mighty power of God on purpose that they might be fewel for his wrath, and subjects for his revenging Justice to strike upon.* 1.46 Oh! consider of this you that are so ready to desire death, because you are in a lingering misery at any time. Is a lingering misery so evil? Then what will be the linge∣ring evil of eternity?

Fifthly observe,* 1.47 The wonderful misery of wicked men in their affliction, they have no whither to go for help, they have not God, they have no refuge, but to the mountains and hills, and what's their refuge there but that they may fall upon them? Oh the difference between a Saint of God and a wicked man in times of affliction? When in times of affliction thou (if thou beest wicked) shalt rage and be mad and know not whither to go, and the uttermost help that thou canst think to have is from the Hills and Moun∣tains to fall upon thee, but then the Saints of God shall be able to look up to Heaven, and Cry, Heaven is open for us, open to receive my soul, Angels come and guide it, and bear it in, Oh Arms of Mercy, Bowels of Mercy, spread o∣pen your selves to imbrace me: here's a difference. And is not this better than to cry to mountains to fall upon thee, and hills to cover thee? And yet such a difference in mens estates doth sin and godliness make.

And then the last is,* 1.48 Oh the wonderful evil of despair! what a dreadful thing is desperation? It suggests nothing else, the greatest benefit it doth suggest it is to be crush'd in

pieces:* 1.49 so the help that many have, it is a halter to strangle them, a knife to murder them, the water to drown them. Oh desperation is a dreadful thing. Francis Spira feeling the dreadfulness of desperation, Cries out, Verily desperati∣on is Hell its self. Upon all this Luther concludes with this exhortation: Oh let us stir up our selves to the fear of God,* 1.50 let us fly Idolatry, let us beautifie the Word by our holy lives, and pray to Christ that we might escape such things as these are, that God inflicts upon the contemners of his Word. If you would not come into this wonderful despairing condition, Oh learn to fall down before the Word, fear God now that you may not despair; you that contemn, and slight, and scorn the Word now, this may prove to be your portion ere long, that this desperate cry may be the greatest ease that your forsaken souls can have.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Two prop•• of Israels false confi∣dence.
• * 1.2

  Bethaven.
• * 1.3

  Aven.
• * 1.4

  Bethel.
• * 1.5

  Vanitas 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ini∣quitas, labor.
• * 1.6

  Obs. 1.
• * 1.7

  Obs. 2.
• * 1.8

  Obs. 3.
• * 1.9

  Obs. 4.
• * 1.10

  Obs. 5.
• * 1.11

  Calvin in loc.
• * 1.12

  Obs. 6.
• * 1.13

  Obs. 7.
• * 1.14

  Expos.
• * 1.15

  Obs. 1.
• * 1.16

  Obs. 2.
• * 1.17

  Solitudo pessimae doctrinae.
• * 1.18

  Hier. in loc.
• * 1.19

  Obs. 3.
• * 1.20

  Mens abu∣sed bodies.
• * 1.21

  Better the creature perish than be abused.
• * 1.22

  Obs. 4
• * 1.23

  Expos. 1.
• * 1.24

  Luke, 23. 30.
• * 1.25

  Rev. 6. 16
• * 1.26

  See Mr Brightm. in Revel. 6. 16.
• * 1.27

  The Land of Canaan.
• * 1.28

  The custom of the Iews in time of danger.
• * 1.29

  Josephus Antiq. lib. 14. cap. 27 De Bello Iudaic. lib. 1, cap. 12.
• * 1.30

  Isa. 2. 19. ••llustrated
• * 1.31

  Ps. 11. 1. also.
• * 1.32

  Ps. 121. 1 in like manner.
• * 1.33

  Ps. 36. 6. by the same.
• * 1.34

  And Psal. 95. 4.
• * 1.35

  with Psal. 94. 22,
• * 1.36

  Obs. 1.
• * 1.37

  Obs. 2.
• * 1.38

  Josephus.
• * 1.39

  A lamen∣table story.
• * 1.40

  Obs. 3.
• * 1.41

  Rev. 9. 6.
• * 1.42

  Obs. 4.
• * 1.43

  Suetonius L. 3. C. 6. Nondum tecum in gratiam redii.
• * 1.44

  Bernard lib. 5. de consid. c. 12
• * 1.45

  A dreadful considera∣tion.
• * 1.46

  Use to the impatient.
• * 1.47

  Obs. 5
• * 1.48

  Obs. 6.
• * 1.49

  Despair chuses crushing, strangling, stabbing, drowning, &c.
• * 1.50

  Fr. Spira. Luther in loc.