A30574:659
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.
The word that is translated pleasant places for Silver,1 it is, the desire of their silver.
First, It may have reference to this, to their furniture of silver, that nettles shall grow where they wear their fine silver things,1 their fine Cupboards of plate, and household stuff that they did take so much delight in, as in Lament. 1. 7. Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction, and of her miseries, 2all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old. Mark but these two things from this text, Jerusalem in the days of her affliction and misery. My Brethren, there may be days of affliction, and yet no days of misery, the Saints may meet with days of afflictions, but not of misery; the wicked when they meet with days of affliction, ⟨p. 185⟩they meet with days of misery; but the thing I note that text for is this, They shall remember all the pleasant things that they had. Oh! they shall think then, what fine Cupboards of plate they were wont to have, and all their fine things; so here, here's a threatening that there should nettles grow in the very place where their fine household stuff stood, such a place of the house where such a fine Cupboard of plate was, all shall be so demolished that perhaps Nettles and Thorns shall grow there.
First, It may have reference to this, to their furniture of silver, that nettles shall grow where they wear their fine silver things,1 their fine Cupbords of plate, and houshold stuff that they did take so much delight in, as in Lament. 1. 7. Jerusalem remembred in the daies of her affliction, and of her miseries, 2all her pleasant things that she had in the daies of old. Mark but these two things from this text, Jerusalem in the daies of her affliction and miserie. My Brethren, there may be daies of affliction, and yet no daies of miserie, the Saints may meet with daies of afflictions, but not of misery; the wicked when they meet with daies of affliction, ⟨p. 185⟩they meet with daies of misery; but the thing I note that text for is this, They shall remember all the pleasant things that they had. Oh! they shall think then, what fine Cupbords of plate they were wont to have, and all their fine things; so here, here's a threatning that there should nettles grow in the very place where their fine houshold stuff stood, such a place of the house where such a fine Cupbord of plate was, all shall be so demolished that perhaps Nettles and Thorns shall grow there.
And then secondly, The places where they hid their Silver, as you know in times of War men will hide their Silver, and they think they may come back again and have them, but saith God, you shall go far enough from them, and I make no question but another Generation may find treasures of silver in the Countries, in the midst of Nettle bushes and Thorn bushes.
Thirdly, It is their delightful houses adorned with silver, that were so glorious to their eyes, all now is gone saith God,1 and Nettles and Thorns shall grow up, they shall Inherit, so the word is; you hope to leave these brave houses to your children to inherit, but now saith God I have other Heirs for your houses than your children, I have Thorns and Nettles to inherit them, for so the word is in the Hebrew, They shall inherit. It's a lamentable spectacle to see places where fair buildings have been that now Nettles and Thorns should grow, as it is like to be if these Wars hold in divers places of this Kingdom, that was the complaint heretofore of Troy, 2There was Corn grew where once Troy was, it was made a ploughed field, but to have Nettles grow it is worse, for where the plough goes there are inhabitants, but where Nettles and Thorns are that's a desolate wilderness. Travellers tell us, that in many places of Germany, 3when they go by where brave buildings were, there's nothing now but bushes and nettles; the Lord deliver us from such a heavy stroke as this is,4 this is threatened in Isa. 32. 13. Upon the Land of my people ⟨p. 186⟩shall come up bry•rs and thorns, yea upon all the houses of joy in the joyous City. Would it not be a sad spectacle to see such a City as this to have the buildings overthrown and to have Nettles and thorns in your fairest streets come up?5
this that here is threatened in my text, and many of them have been spoiled already, and if God give them not hearts speedily to see the evil of their ways it's very probable that within a few years this text of mine may be fulfilled upon them,
this that here is threatned in my text, and manie of them have been spoiled already, and if God give them not hearts speedily to see the evil of their waies it's very probable that within a few years this text of mine may be fulfilled upon them,
It may be they think though the War did keep us from our houses a while, nay though they should be broken down, yet our Lands will hold, they cannot take away them. Nay saith God, flatter not your selves with thinking to come to it again, for you shall never come to them, for Nettles and Thorns shall possess it. And thus we have done with the sixth Verse, but a very little of the seventh Verse. And so,
The days of Visitation are come, the days of Recompense are come. And of Recompense.
The daies of Visitation are come, the daies of Recompence are come. And of Recompence.
GOD hath his set time for the Execution of Judgment.1
What good is it to a Malefactor that he is let alone a while in the Prison,1 when he knows that at such a day of the Month must be the day of his Execution?
Your Judgments they are none other but, Recompenses; you may have vain pleas and reasons to justify your selves, but when God comes to visit you he will deal with you in away of Recompense proportionable to your ways; If you would fall down and acknowledge your sins and your need of Mercy, then it may be you may find Mercy; but if you will stand to justify your selves, then expect that God when he comes, will come in a way of Recompense.
Your Judgments they are none other but, Recompences; you may have vain pleas and reasons to justifie your selves, but when God comes to visit you he will deal with you in away of Recompence proportionable to your waies; If you would fall down and acknowledg your sins and your need of Mercy, then it may be you may find Mercy; but if you will stand to justifie your selves, then expect that God when he comes, will come in a way of Recompence.
And now my Brethren, Oh! what a desperate venture is this, that men will venture to deal with God in a way of Recompense, whenas you may be dealt withal in a way of mercy?
And now my Brethren, Oh! what a desperate venture is this, that men will venture to deal with God in a way of Recompence, whenas you may be dealt withal in a way of mercy?
Certainly those that will plead and justify themselves, and will say, God knows I do what I can, and this is not so much my fault as others: Then expect that God when he comes to deal with you he will have your pleas to be fully examined, and if it prove that your pleas will hold, you shall have accordingly; and if it prove that your pleas ⟨p. 188⟩shall be found false, then you shall be dealt withal in a way of justice. Will you venture? dare any of you venture upon your Pleas to stand it out? if you say, you do what you can, you will be tried by it, and you shall be recompensed accordingly; and if it be found indeed that you do what you can, you shall be saved; but if it be found you have not done what you could, you shall perish eternally: Will you venture? certainly, whatsoever you stand pleading to justify your selves by, you may expect that God will deal with you in a way of Recompense.
Certainly those that will plead and justifie themselves, and will say, God knows I do what I can, and this is not so much my fault as others: Then expect that God when he comes to deal with you he will have your pleas to be fully examined, and if it prove that your pleas will hold, you shall have accordingly; and if it prove that your pleas ⟨p. 188⟩shall be found false, then you shall be dealt withal in a way of justice. Will you venture? dare any of you venture upon your Pleas to stand it out? if you say, you do what you can, you will be tried by it, and you shall be recompenced accordingly; and if it be found indeed that you do what you can, you shall be saved; but if it be found you have not done what you could, you shall perish eternally: Will you venture? certainly, whatsoever you stand pleading to justifie your selves by, you may expect that God will deal with you in a way of Recompence.
Thirdly, It is their delightful houses adorned with silver, that were so glorious to their eyes, al now is gone saith God,1 and Nettles and Thorns shall grow up, they shall Inherit, so the word is; you hope to leave these brave houses to your children to inherit, but now saith God I have other Heirs for your houses than your children, I have Thorns and Nettles to inherit them, for so the word is in the Hebrew, They shall inherit. It's a lamentable spectacle to see places where fair buildings have been that now Nettles and Thorns should grow, as it is like to be if these Wars hold in divers places of this Kingdom, that was the complaint heretofore of Troy, 2There was Corn grew where once Troy was, it was made a plowed field, but to have Nettles grow it is worse, for where the plow goes there are inhabitants, but where Nettles and Thorns are that's a desolate wilderness. Travellers tell us, that in manie places of Germany, 3when they go by where brave buildings were, there's nothing now but bushes and nettles; the Lord deliver us from such a heavy stroke as this is,4 this is threatned in Isa. 32. 13. Ʋpon the Land of my people ⟨p. 186⟩shall come up bry•rs and thorns, yea upon all the houses of joy in the joyous City. Would it not be a sad spectacle to see such a City as this to have the buildings overthrown and to have Nettles and thorns in your fairest streets come up?5 yet sin is such a ruinous thing as this. And then in Isa. 34. 13. Thorns shall come up in her Palaces, Nettles and Brambles in the Fortresses thereof, 6and it shall be a habitation for Dragons, and a Court for Owls; the Owls they shal keep Court there. In our Courts we know what abundance of sin was there, now the Owls shall keep Court there instead of these Courtiers that lived so bravely there formerly. Oh my Brethren! sin is a leprosie that infects the doors of our houses: there's a notable story in 2 King. 25. 9. it said of Nebuchadnezzar, 7That he burnt the House of the Lord, and the Kings house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every g•eat mans house burnt be with fire. There is a great deal of sin committed in great mens houses, and at this day how have the great men of the Land almost in all places shewed a spirit of Malignity against the work of Reformation, Oh how just with God is it that the houses of these great men should s•ffer;
