A69234:1180
Lectures upon the four first chapters of the prophecy of Hosea Wherein the text…Lectures vpon the foure first chapters of the prophecie of Hosea Wherein the text…
Lectures upon the four first chapters of the prophecy of Hosea Wherein the text is expounded and cleared, and such profitable instructions observed, and applied, as naturally arise out of this holy Scripture, and are fit for these times. By John Downame Bachelor in Divinity, and preacher of Gods word.Lectures vpon the foure first chapters of the prophecie of Hosea Wherein the text is exponded and cleered, and such profitable instructions obserued, and applied, as naturally arise out of this holie Scripture, and are fit for these times. By Iohn Dovvname Bacheler in Diuinitie, and preacher of Gods word.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston and T. East for William Welby, 1608
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 second thing to be observed is the gorse ingratitude 1of our corrupt natures: whereby it cometh to pass that the more God multiplieth his mercies, the more ready we are to rebel against him, and to provoke his wrath by our sins; for whereas Gods manifold benefits multiplied upon us should make us to humble our selves before him, in that he hath made us so deeply indebted to his infinite goodness; we contrariwise abusing them, make them serve as so many steps whereby we may ascend into the seat of pride; whereas they should serve as so many common places to put us in mind of Gods gracious goodness towards us; we abusing them are made hereby more forgetful of God, as though now being throughly furnished, we had no further need of his help; whereas they should serve as so many motives to stir us up to holy obedience, that thereby we may glorify God, the author of all our good; we hereby grow more undutiful, like cockered children towards their Parents, or pampered horses towards their masters, and are ⟨p. 175⟩more ready to fall into the sins of pride, voluptuousness, love of the world, profaneness, and utter neglect of religion and all religious duties; whereas the abundance of Gods blessings which we enjoy, should make us to pity, and take compassion on those who want them, they abused through our corruption, do make us to disdain & contemn them; furious and cruel in revenge, and insolent in offering wrongs and injuries. And hence it is that the Lord doth so carefully warn the Israelites, that when they did enjoy all the blessings of Canaan, they should not forget and rebel against him. Deut. 6. 10. 11. 12. Into which sin they shamefully 2fell, notwithstanding they were thus admonished. So Psal. 62. 10. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Examples of this ungrateful abuse of Gods blessing, we have in Saul, Jeroboam, Naball, Nebuchadnezzar, 3the people of Israel: but never was age more fruitful of these examples, never land more plentiful in these ungrateful presidents, then this of ours; wherein the more the blessings of God abound, the more pride, forgetfulness of God, contempt of Religion, and the utter neglect of all holy duties abound likewise; so that hard it is to find a man bettered by Gods benefits; or more zealous of Gods glory, the more blessings they receive from him;