A69234:426
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.
Thirdly, we here learn, when we suffer affliction, or bear 1our punishment, that we do not murmur and expostulate with God, as though he dealed more severely and rigorously with us then we have deserved; but let us descend into our selves, and examine our own hearts and consciences, and so shall we find that not the Lord, but our selves are in fault, that our punishment is far less then our sins, and that it is the great mercy of the Lord that we are not utterly consumed, as the Church confesseth, Lament. 3. 22. And this 2course must be taken of every one of us, before we will ever be truly humbled, and brought unto God by unfeigned repentance, or before the Lord will ever be moved to pardon our sins, or release our punishment. For none will ever sorrow for those sins, of which they think they are not guilty, there is none will lay them to hart & be humbled under the weight of them, so long as they pretend excuses, and seek to put off their burden from their own to others shoulders, and so long as we content our selves with these fig-leaves, we will never look after a better garment to hide our nakedness. Again, the Lord will never absolve us before we condemn our selves, he will not pardon our sins till we setting aside all excuses, ingenuously and freely confess them; he will never case us of this burden, whilst with false pretences we seek to unload our selves; neither will he ever make us partakers of his mercy, till we acknowledge that we have deserved the extremity of his justice, as may appear by the former examples.
Thirdly, we here learne, when we suffer affliction, or beare 1our punishment, that we doe not murmure and expostulate with God, as though he dealed more seuerely and rigorously with vs then we haue deserued; but let vs descend into our selues, and examine our owne hearts and consciences, and so shall wee find that not the Lord, but our selues are in fault, that our punishment is farre lesse then our sinnes, and that it is the great mercie of the Lord that we are not vtterlie consumed, as the Church confesseth, Lament. 3. 22