An exposition of the prophecy of Hosea begun in divers lectures upon the first…An exposition of the prophesie of Hosea begun in divers lectures vpon the first…

God sometimes letteth men,¹ and Nations, and Churches to rise a little out of their affliction, before their utter ruin: he gives them a little reviving, they have a little lightning before their death. Many men think themselves in a very good condition, if having been in affliction, their afflictions do begin once to abate, and they begin to get a little up; now they think they are safe, and they are ready to say with Agag, Surely the bitterness of death is gone, ²surely the worst is past. But you may sometimes be recovered, ⟨p. 65⟩when God intendeth you should be suddenly rejected. Many may be preserved from some judgements, because they are reserved to greater judgments. The Lord hath begun indeed to give us in England a little reviving, a little strength to enable us to rise against the oppressions of our Adversaries, those cruel oppressions. But let us not be secure, notwithstanding this; for though we have some little reviving, if we follow not God on in the way of humiliation and reformation, this our little reviving may be but a lightning before our death.

God sometimes letteth men,¹ and Nations, and Churches to rise a little out of their affliction, before their utter ruine: he gives them a little reviving, they have a little lightning before their death. Many men think themselves in a very good condition, if having been in affliction, their afflictions doe begin once to abate, and they begin to get a little up; now they think they are safe, and they are ready to say with Agag, Surely the bitternesse of death is gone, ²surely the worst is past. But you may sometimes be recovered, ⟨p. 65⟩when God intendeth you should be suddenly rejected. Many may be preserved from some judgements, because they are reserved to greater judgments. The Lord hath begun indeed to give us in England a little reviving, a little strength to enable us to rise against the oppressions of our Adversaries, those cruel oppressions. But let us not be secure, notwithstanding this; for though we have some little reviving, if we follow not God on in the way of humiliation and reformation, this our little reviving may be but a lightning before our death.