A30574:1482
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 Cornhill, London / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being the seventh book published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1650
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But the ploughing of the heart, that's the thing that is here especially intended, and I desire to apply it particularly to every man and woman. Those who have such sore necks who cannot bear the yoke, yet you must be Plough-men and Plough-women, for Alice Driver that I told you of, her father brought her up to plough, and both men and women, the daintiest Ladies of all must hold this plough that is here spoken of. Now for this ploughing of humbling your hearts it is for the getting in of Truths into your spirits, that may rend up your hearts, I'll name some few Truths that are as it were the Plough-share, that you must not only know them, but labour to get them into your hearts.
But the plowing of the heart, that's the thing that is here especially intended, and I desire to apply it particularly to every man and woman. Those who have such sore necks who cannot bear the yoke, yet you must be Plow-men and Plow-women, for Alice Driver that I told you of, her father brought her up to plow, and both men and women, the daintiest Ladies of all must hold this plow that is here spoken of. Now for this plowing of humbling your hearts it is for the getting in of Truths into your spirits, that may rend up your hearts, I'le name some few Truths that are as it were the Plow-share, that you must not only know them, but labor to get them into your hearts.
As first, That such is the vileness of every sin, as it separates the soul from God and puts it under an eternal Curse. This one Truth, you must get this into your hearts, and get it deep into your hearts, it will help to unloosen the roots of the thorns and briars that are there, the settled apprehension of this Truth.
As first, That such is the vileness of every sin, as it seperates the soul from God and puts it under an eternal Curse. This one Truth, you must get this into your hearts, and get it deep into your hearts, it will help to unloosen the roots of the thorns and bryars that are there, the setled apprehension of this Truth.
And then secondly, This Truth: That, there is such a breach between God and my soul by sin, that all the power in all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth is not able to make up this breach, here is a sharp plough-share to get into the heart.
And then secondly, This Truth: That, there is such a breach between God and my soul by sin, that all the power in all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth is not able to make up this breach, here is a sharp plow-share to get into the heart.
And then thirdly, This Truth, that by nature I am full of this sin, my heart is full of it, all the faculties of my soul are filled with sin that is of such an heinous nature. Here is a sharp plough-share to get into the heart.
And then thirdly, This Truth, that by nature I am full of this sin, my heart is full of it, all the faculties of my soul are filled with sin that is of such an hainous nature. Here is a sharp plow-share to get into the heart.
And then fourthly, That every action that ever I have done in all my life, in my unregenerate estate, it is nothing else but sin, nothing else but sin that hath such a vile nature.
Yea further, That if any sin be pardoned to me it is by virtue of a price paid that is more worth than ten thousand worlds: This Truth. Now here's the Gospel as well as the Law, for the ploughing is but the spiritualness of the Law, the Truths of the Law in a Gospel way, for you must take notice that the Law [as Law] accepts of no humiliation for sin, it is as it is revealed in a Gospel way, in a Gospel way it doth tend to humiliation, for let men be humbled never so much, the Law never accepts of them for their humiliation, but the Law in a Gospel way so it comes to humble the soul so as to do it good. Now therefore the Consideration of the Truths that the Law requires, having reference to the Gospel they serve for the humbling of the soul; Now get in these truths and see what they will do in thy Soul, you must work them in, And let conscience be put on to draw this plough, These are as the Plough-share, and the working of Conscience is the drawing of this plough; while the plough stops (as when it meets with a thorn and briar) now a strong Conscience will draw it on, and will make the thorns and briars to be rent up by the roots, if the Conscience be put upon with strength to draw these Truths in the soul; and though they put you to pain, yet you must be content to draw them on in the soul; And if these and the like Truths be got into thy soul, and thou beest at plough, and thy Conscience be drawing, This is that I shall say, God speed the Plough, yea, God speed these Truths that Conscience is drawing on in the soul, for it may tend to a great deal of good, to prepare thee for the seed that may bring forth Righteousness and Mercy to thy soul for ever. I confess it is a hard work to be thus ploughing; Indeed for men and women only to hear Sermons, and be talking and conferring of good things, these things are pretty easy, but to go to plough, to plough with such Truths as these are, to get up the thorns and briars by the roots, this is a very hard task; but we must be willing to do it, and to continue ploughing; as the fallow ground must not ⟨p. 471⟩only be ploughed once,1 but (it may be) it may stand in need of ploughing the second and third time before it may be fit for the seed to be cast in, and so it must be with our hearts. It may be some of you have got in some Truths,2 and you have been ploughing;
yea, but since that time you have had many weeds and thorns grown up, and you must to ploughing again; it may be it is divers years ago since you have been thus ploughing,1 and your hearts have lain fallow all this while, do not think it enough that once you have been humbled, but be often ploughing up this fallow ground, you were as good have the plough get into your hearts though it be sharp, as to have the Sword of Gods Justice be upon you. We have in these times a wanton generation that have risen up, that cannot endure to go to plough, they would be doing nothing but taking in the sweet, (as I told you before in a former Exercise) Treading •ut the Corn. But this ploughing they cry out of merely through a wantonness, and tenderness of their spirits, a sinful tenderness, because they would have nothing but jollity and licentiousness in their hearts and ways,2 yet the Scripture in Luke, 9. 62. compares the Ministers of the Gospel to the plough, He that puts his hand to the plough and looketh back, is not fit for the Kingdom of God, not fit to be employed in the administration of the Gospel. Though these men cry out so much of humiliation for sin, which is as strange a Generation as ever have risen up, that should cry out of that, when there's nothing more humbles for sin than the price that was paid for sin in the blood of Jesus Christ, and there is no such sharp plough-share as that. If I were to preach one Sermon in all my life for the humbling of men for sin, I would take a text that might show the great price that was paid for it, and therein open the breach that sin hath made between God and mans soul. But they will not make use of the Gospel neither, so much as to be a plough to plough the heart for the work of humiliation.
yea, but since that time you have had many weeds and thorns grown up, and you must to plowing again; it may be it is divers yeers ago since you have been thus plowing,1 and your hearts have lain fallow all this while, do not think it enough that once you have been humbled, but be often plowing up this fallow ground, you were as good have the plow get into your hearts though it be sharp, as to have the Sword of Gods Justice be upon you. We have in these times a wanton generation that have risen up, that cannot endure to go to plow, they would be doing nothing but taking in the sweet, (as I told you before in a former Exercise) Treading ut the Corn. But this plowing they cry out of meerly through a wantonness, and tenderness of their spirits, a sinful tenderness, because they would have nothing but jolity and licentiousness in their hearts and waies,
Well,1 God hath prospered this work heretofore, and notwithstanding all the wantonness of mens spirits this way, yet (I say) still, God speed the plough, God speed this way of ploughing the hearts of men, and getting in those Truths that do humble the hearts of men for their sins; these were the Truths that God hath blest in former times, and there's none that ever did live to the honour of the Gospel so much: for this generation that is come up, they talk of the Gospel, but they live not to the honour of it, the Gospel hath not honour by them, nor Jesus Christ hath not honour by them. But the former generation of men, though in some things they might fail, yet certainly God blest them in their way so far as it was according to Truth.
Well,1 God hath prospered this work heretofore, and notwithstanding al the wantoness of mens spirits this way, yet (I say) still, God speed the plow, God speed this way of plowing the hearts of men, and getting in those Truths that do humble the hearts of men for their sins; these were the Truths that God hath blest in former times, and there's none that ever did live to the honor of the Gospel so much: for this generation that is come up, they talk of the Gospel, but they live not to the honor of it, the Gospel hath not honor by them, nor Jesus Christ hath not honor by them. But the former generation of men, though in some things they might fail, yet certainly God blest them in their way so far as it was according to Truth.
No marvel though these men bring forth such little fruit of Righteousness,1 it is, because they sow among thorns,2 presently they are up at the top, and so confident presently in their way, their seed is among thorns and therefore it doth not prosper. And thus much for this expression about the ploughing up of fallow grounds, both in reference to general Reformation, and Humiliation, and concerning mens Souls in particular. It follows;
No mervail though these men bring forth such little fruit of Righteousness,1 it is, because they sow among thorns,2 presently they are up at the top, and so confident presently in their way, their seed is among thorns and therefore it doth not prosper. And thus much for this expression about the plowing up of fallow grounds, both in reference to general Reformation, and Humiliation, and concerning mens Souls in particular. It follows;
It is time.1
First,1 Yet you have time to seek the Lord; 'Tis well for you that you have time to seek the Lord; It is mercy that there is any time at all to seek the Lord. It might have been past time with you for seeking the Lord, God might have forced his honour from you in another way, have fetched out his glory from you in your eternal ruin, Oh! 'tis mercy that God will be sought of you,2 and therefore plough up your ⟨p. 473⟩fallow ground, and sow in Righteousness; for it is time to seek the Lord. Oh! you that are the oldest and wickedest, and yet live still, Oh! remember this Scripture; yet, you have time to seek the Lord, It is mercy that you have any time to seek the Lord: If you did but understand what this mercy were, ye would fall down with your faces upon the ground and bless the Lord that you have yet time to seek him. What do you think those damned creatures in Hell would now give, if it might be said of them, That they have time to seek the Lord, if they might have but one hour more to seek the Lord with any hope to obtain mercy from him? What you are now, they were not long since: Oh! do you fear and tremble, lest, if you not seeking the Lord, you ere long be, as now they are, that it shall be said of you, Time is gone, time to seek the Lord is past; I will not now be sought of you; Seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near, It was a speech once of a woman in terror of Conscience,3 when divers came to her (it was in Cambridge) divers Ministers and others coming to her in way of comforting of her, she looks with a ghastly countenance upon them, and gives them only this Answer, Call time again: If you can call time again, than there may be hope for me: but time is gone.
First,1 Yet you have time to seek the Lord; 'Tis well for you that you have time to seek the Lord; It is mercy that there is any time at al to seek the Lord. It might have been past time with you for seeking the Lord, God might have forc'd his honor from you in another way, have fech't out his glory from you in your eternal ruin, Oh! 'tis mercy that God will be sought of you,
Oh! that we had hearts to prize our time, to seek the Lord therefore while he may be found. And when thou goest home, fall down upon thy face before the Lord, and bless him that yet it is time to seek the Lord. It is time for the public, through Gods mercy it is time, yet for us to seek the Lord. It might have been past time; and who almost that did desire to know any thing of Gods mind for seven or eight years ago or more, but did think that Englands time was even gone of seeking God? But the Lord hath been pleased to lengthen out our time to seek Him; and this we should prize and make use of.
Oh! that we had hearts to prize our time, to seek the Lord therefore while he may be found. And when thou goest home, fall down upon thy face before the Lord, and bless him that yet it is time to seek the Lord. It is time for the publick, through Gods mercy it is time, yet for us to seek the Lord. It might have been past time; and who almost that did desire to know any thing of Gods mind for seven or eight yeers ago or more, but did think that Englands time was even gone of seeking God? But the Lord hath been pleased to lengthen out our time to seek Him; and this we should prize and make use of.
For first,1 God hath been long time patient towards you. He hath been long suffering, there is a time that the Lord saith, He will be weary with forbearing, and therefore the Lord having suffered so long, it is high time for you to seek him, for you to look about you, lest the Lord should say, That he would be weary in forbearing, and forbear no more. It is fit you should seek the Lord at all times, but now it is high time when God hath been so long suffering towards you; how do you know but that the time for the end of patience is at an end? And that is the second consideration, God hath been long patient.
And 2.1 Mercy it is even going, for Judgments are now threatened by the Prophet: as if the Prophet should say, if ever you will seek him, seek him now, God is going, and Judgments are at hand, and therefore it is high time for you to seek the Lord. As a Prisoner when he is at the Bar, he is pleading a great while when the Judg is at the Bench,2 but if he sees the Judges ready to rise off the Bench, and if they be gone, then he is gone and undone for ever, then he lifts up his voice, and cries out, Mercy, mercy. So it is high time to seek the Lord, high time, Mercy is going, Judgment is at hand; God as the Judg is going off the Bench, now cry, cry out for your lives or you are undone for ever.
And 2.1 Mercy it is even going, for Judgments are now threatned by the Prophet: as if the Prophet should say, if ever you will seek him, seek him now, God is going, and Judgments are at hand, and therefore it is high time for you to seek the Lord. As a Prisoner when he is at the Bar, he is pleading a great while when the Judg is at the Bench,2 but if he sees the Judges ready to rise off the Bench, and if they be gone, then he is gone and undone for ever, then he lifts up his voice, and cries out, Mercy, mercy. So it is high time to seek the Lord, high time, Mercy is going, Judgment is at hand; God as the Judg is going off the Bench, now cry, crie out for your lives or you are undone for ever.
