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…

If the greatness of the affliction of the Church move the bowels of Gods compassion, then let not the greatness of affliction hinder our faith. Let not the greatness of trouble reason down our faith, but rather let it reason up our faith, for so indeed it should; and so the Saints of God heretofore have done, by the greatness of the trouble we must reason up our faith as thus: It is ••me for thee O Lord to work, for men have almost destroyed thy law; yea the high time is come for thee to have mercy upon Zion, ¹for thy people begin to favour the dust thereof. What, was this a good argument, Have mercy upon me, and pardon my sin for it is very great, to move God withal? Surely then this is a good argument, Deliver us in our afflictions, for they are very great: for sin makes a great deal more distance between God and us then afflictions: yet if the greatness of sin shall come to be put as an argument for Gods mercy and compassion to work, much more the greatness of afflictions. Yet this is the grace of God in the second Covenant that even the sins that before made the creature the object of hatred, those sins come now to make it an object of compassion. So afflictions that before were part of the curse, they come now to be arguments for the moving of the bowels of Gods tender compassion toward his people. Another note (if you read it so, for great is their affliction) is this, the promise is the only support of the soul,² and that which carrieth it through the greatest affliction.

If the greatness of the affliction of the Church move the bowels of Gods compassion, then let not the greatnesse of affliction hinder our faith. Let not the greatnesse of trouble reason down our faith, but rather let it reason up our faith, for so indeed it should; and so the Saints of God heretofore have done, by the greatness of the trouble we must reason up our faith as thus: It is ••me for thee O Lord to work, for men have almost destroyed thy law; yea the high time is come for thee to have mercy upon Zion, ¹for thy people begin to favour the dust thereof. What, was this a good argument, Have mercy upon me, and pardon my sin for it is very great, to move God withall? Surely then this is a good argument, Deliver us in our afflictions, for they are very great: for sin makes a great deale more distance betweene God and us then afflictions: yet if the greatness of sin shall come to be put as an argument for Gods mercy and compassion to work, much more the greatness of afflictions. Yet this is the grace of God in the second Covenant that even the sins that before made the creature the object of hatred, those sins come now to make it an object of compassion. So afflictions that before were part of the curse, they come now to be arguments for the moving of the bowels of Gods tender compassion toward his people. Another note (if you read it so, for great is their affliction) is this, the promise is the only support of the soul,