A30575:252
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eleventh, twelfth, & thirteenth chapters of…
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eleventh, twelfth, & thirteenth 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.]An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eleventh, twelfth, & thirteenth chapters of the prophesy of Hosea being first delivered in several lectures at Michaels Cornhil, London / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being the seventh book published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1651
Title page typeset from the transcription.
AN EXPOSITION Of the PROPHESY of HOSEA. › Chapter 11 › Verse 4: VERS. 4.
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.
And then likewise, If you have to deal with men, you 1must labour to draw them with the bonds of love; in Phil. 2. 1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of Love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels, and mercies; fulfil ye my Joy, that ye be like minded, saith the Apostle. Oh! let it be through Love, that you come to be like minded; and do not think to force men into the same mind, to use bitter language and expressions to men if they differ in judgment from your selves: But if there 2be any Love, be of the same mind, labour to get into one another's hearts, if you would do good to one another. As a Minister, if he would do good to his People, he must labour to get into their hearts, that the people may love him: therefore it hath been observed that your wrangling Ministers, and bitter men, that if they be but crossed in 3any thing they presently went their own bitterness, they never do any good at all. But those that can be willing to deny themselves, and willing to suffer for the Case of the Gospel, they prevail most. And so, if you would do good for any of your kindred, do what you ca[…] get 4into their hearts that they may love you, and so […] may be a means to draw them to the ways of God: […]y Love ⟨p. 71⟩you may come to have any liberty in their hearts that you would, you may say what you will if once they be persuaded that you love them, then you may ask more liberty to reprove any thing that is evil in them, and to persuade them to any thing that is good, then they take nothing ill from you; and therefore 'tis a great disadvantage that men of sour and bitter spirits have in obtaining 5their own designs; if they once speak any thing though never so good, yet it is rejected, because that people think it is not out of Love: But on the other side, it is a mighty advantage that a sweet and loving disposition hath, let such an one speak never so, though the thing be never so harsh, yet the party will take it well, because he knows he loves him. Oh! these bonds of love, my brethren, they are mighty strong. When you meet together in any Society, if you would have any thing, do not seek to get your will by wrangling, and frowardness, but by bonds of Love. I confess there are some men that are of such perverse spirits, that the nearer one comes to them, the further they go from one, that they have even