no war moved by the rest of the tribes, as was in Gibeah, against those children of iniquity, which did that shameful act upon the Levite's concubine:

X. 10 It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.

But this shall be no advantage to them; for it is my purpose, to take their punishment into my own hands: I will cause the Assyrians to be gathered together against them, when I shall correct them for their two calves in Dan and Beth-el; betwixt the worship whereof and my service, they have halted, as an ox that passeth betwixt two furrows.

X. 11 And Ephraim is an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break

his clods.

Ephraim is as a delicate young heifer, that loves to tread out the corn, when it is in the floor, but cannot abide to draw the plough or harrow he loves to enjoy blessings, but not to earn and work them out; but I did put my hand upon the fair neck of Ephraim, and find this heifer fit enough for the yoke: I will put all my people to those services they are fit for: if need be, I will put Ephraim to the saddle, Judah to the plough, Israel to the harrow.

X. 12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come, and rain righteousness upon you.

Give yourselves to all holy and conscionable endeavours: sow to yourselves in holiness and righteousness, and reap mercy and loving kindness from the Lord; break up the fallow grounds of your hearts, by a true and serious repentance: for it is time for you to turn to the Lord, and to seek to recover his favour; so far, as that

he may rain upon you the showers of his grace and mercy, whereby ye may appear righteous in his sight.

X. 13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies.

But, alas! contrarily, ye have ploughed up deep furrows of wickedness, and have reaped a large crop of iniquity; ye have fed yourselves with the lying hopes of your vain self-confidence.

X. 14, 15 As Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children; So shall Beth-el do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.

As Shalmaneser spoiled Beth-arbel, amongst other the cities which he conquered, wherein he was so cruel, as to dash the mother and children one against another; So shall the idolatry, wrought in Beth-el, bring the like destruction upon you, because of your great wickedness: in one morning shall the king of Israel, be utterly cut off; there shall no long time need, for the accomplishment of this judgment.

XI. 1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

When Israel was but newly entered into league and covenant with me, then I loved him; and called that son of my love out of the bondage of Egypt, by the hands of Moses and Aaron.

XI. 2 As they called them, so they went from them they sacrificed unto Baalim.

As those their holy leaders and their ensuing successors called them, so they perversely turned their backs upon them, and sacrificed to Baalim.

XI. 3 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.

I did with Ephraim, as mothers or nurses do by their little infants: I taught him to go; holding him by the arm, while he moved his feet; but they considered not the great favours that I did them, and did neither answer nor acknowledge my mercies.

XI. 4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.

I drew them unto me, by the strong persuasions of reason, and with bonds of love: and I did to them, as a kind husbandman to his well-respected team; I took off the yoke from them, and I laid meat unto them; I withdrew their burdens, and refreshed them with mercies.

XI. 5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.

He shall not go any more into the land of Egypt, to seck aid; but the Assyrian shall surprise him, and be his king, because they refused to return to me.

XI. 7 And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the Most High, none at all would exalt him. My people Israel are bent to backsliding from me: although my prophets called unto them, and persuaded them to turn unto the Most High; yet they would not obey, nor be won to exalt and glorify their God.

XI. 8 How shall I give thee up, 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, my repentings are kindled together.

O Ephraim, how shall I carry myself towards thee? If I should regard thee according to thy demerits, I should give thee up, Israel, to my fearfullest judgments; but how can I endure to deal thus with thee? how can I make thee a sad spectacle of my wrath, like those five cities of Sodom, which were consumed with fire from heaven? Surely it goes against my heart, to think thus to proceed with thee: I cannot but revoke that dreadful sentence, which I was ready to pass against thee:

XI. 9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.

For I am a gracious and immutable God; and not a man, subject either to passion or change: I, that an the Holy One of Israel, am yet still in the midst of thee, by my favour, and thy (howsoever impured) worship; and I will not turn to thee, in the extremity of my wrath, to consume thee.

XI. 10 They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall rour, then the children shall tremble from the west.

Those of my Church, whom I shall choose from both Jews and Gentiles, shall walk holily and obediently, in the ways of God: he shall send forth the strong and mighty voice of his Gospel, and shall call all his elect ones; and when he shall powerfully speak unto their hearts, his children shall awfully submit themselves to him, even from the utmost ends of the world.

XI. 11 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, saith the LORD.

They shall come with an awful reverence unto God, and shall hasten their address unto him; upon the wings of their holy desire, out of all lands, even out of Egypt and Assyria, and all those parts where they have been most distressed; and I will establish them in my Church, saith the Lord.

XI. 12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit : but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

In the mean time, Ephraim makes a profession of my name, but false and counterfeit; and the house of Israel serves me, but in hypocrisy; as being full of idolatry and infection: but Judah, as yet, had not swerved from God, but continued faithful, as the true children of those holy Patriarchs.

XII. 1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.

Ephraim pleaseth himself with following vain and idle hopes : he daily adds to his own disappointment and desolation: they project how to make themselves strong by their leagues with the Assyrians; and they send of their most precious presents, to insinuate with the Egyptians.

XII. 2 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.

Neither is Judah altogether free: God hath just quarrels against this better part of the posterity of Jacob, and will proceed against them according to their doings.

XII. 7 He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand. Israel is a crafty, deceitful merchant: he makes use of false ba. lances, and loves to oppress his brethren.

XII. 8 And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found

me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.

And Ephraim said, Yet I am become exceeding rich: I have prospered wonderously in the increase of my substance; and yet, Í have so carried the matter, that, in all labours and contracts, no man can accuse me of iniquity, or say, Herein thou hast sinned.

my

XII. 9 And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feasts.

And I, that am the Lord thy God, and have so approved myself ever since I brought thee out of the land of Egypt, do yet offer, in my long suffering, to continue thy peaceable habitation, and to give thee opportunity of celebrating thy Feast of Tabernacles, as thou wert wont.

XII. 10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets. I have also sent my prophets unto thee, and have by then declared my will and purposes towards thee, and have given them visions and revelations concerning thee, and have used all clear and fami liar means of thine instruction by them.

XII. 11 Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.

Do ye think there was more iniquity in the Gileadites, that are already carried away captive, than in you? Surely the rest of Israel is in the same case: they all lie open to the same judgment: they sacrifice to their idols, in Gilgal also; yea, their altars are as frequent every where, as the clods are in the furrows of the fields.

XII. 12 And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

I have not deserved this at their hands: I have been always graciously ready to preserve them: I protected Jacob, when he fled into the country of Syria; where Israel your father served Laban for a wife, and for a wife kept the sheep of that hard fatherin-law.

XII. 14 Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.

Notwithstanding all the mercies of God, both late and ancient, Ephraim provoked him to anger, most grievously; therefore shalĺ God lay upon him the punishment of his own sin; and that reproach, which his wickedness hath cast upon God, will God justly return upon Ephraim.

XIII. 1 When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.

Ephraim was once very awful to the rest of his fellows, so as while he spoke, the other tribes were ready to tremble; but when he

once fell to his idolatry, in worshipping Baal, he lost his reputa tion, and no reckoning was made of him.

XIII. 2 They say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the

calves.

They say to them, Let those, that would sacrifice to God, do honour to those calves of Dan and Beth-el, in which God is worshipped.

XIII. 5 I did know thee in the wilderness.

I did not only bring thee out of the land of Egypt, but I bestowed many favours upon thee in the wilderness.

XIII. 6 According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted.

According to the height of their feed, so was their pamperedness and pride: they were no sooner filled, than their heart was exalted.

XIII. 9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.

O Israel, I have not been wanting to thee in my favours and blessings thou canst not tax me of any defect of mercy; but thou wouldest not hearken to me, but wouldest needs procure thine own destruction: so as thy misery, and undoing, is thine own; all the hope, and remainder, of thy help and salvation, is in and from me.

XIII. 10 I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?

I will be thy king: in vain hast thou trusted to any other; thou hast found it to thy sorrow: Where is there any other in all thy cities, that can deliver thee? Where are those judges of thine, those great rulers, of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? What were they? What are they able to do for thee?

XIII. 11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.

Thou seest how I gave thee thy first king, Saul, in mine anger; and now take away thy last king, Hoshea, in my wrath.

XIII. 12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid. Let no man be offended, that I took not a sudden revenge on Ephraim: I have bundled up all his sins together, and trussed up his iniquities, for a meet day of punishment.

XIII. 13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.

His calamities shall come upon him, as the pains of childbirth upon a woman it is his fault and his misery, that he sticks so long in the birth: were Ephraim wise, he would make his peace with God; that he might, by his mercy, be delivered fully from those miserable straits wherein he is.

XIII. 14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O