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…

Again, You are not my people, and I will not be your God. Mark here, the first is, you are not my people, before the second cometh, I will not be your God.

Again, You are not my people, and I will not be your God. Marke here, the first is, you are not my people, before the second commeth, I will not be your God.

We first begin with God in our apostasy,¹ before God begins with us in his rejection; I would not have withdrawn my self from being your God, if you had not first rejected me, and would not be my people. When God loveth, he begins first; we love not him, but he loveth us first: But when it comes to departing, it then begins on our side, we first depart before the Lord doth: and this is that which will be a dreadful aggravation to wicked men another day to think with themselves. This evil is come upon us, God is gone, mercy is gone, but who began this first? where is the root and principle? Thy perdition is of thy self: ²I begin first, and therefore all the loss of that grace and mercy which is in God, I may thank this proud, this distempered, this base, passionate, wretched heart of mine own for it.

VVe first begin with God in our apostacy,¹ before God begins with us in his rejection; I would not have withdrawn my self from being your God, if you had not first rejected me, and would not be my people. When God loveth, he begins first; we love not him, but he loveth us first: But when it comes to departing, it then begins on our side, wee first depart before the Lord doth: and this is that which will be a dreadful aggravation to wicked men another day to think with themselves. This evil is come upon us, God is gone, mercy is gone, but who began this first? where is the root and principle? Thy perdition is of thy selfe: ²