A69234:790
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.
Fourthly, we may observe that the Lord intending to 1arm his children with such patience as might enable them to bear those grievous afflictions which he purposed to lay upon them, doth in the first place assure them of his love, notwithstanding he severely corrected them for their sins: yea that he therefore did chastise them because he loved them, and would not suffer them to go on in their sins to their destruction; whence we learn that to attain patience in afflictions and adversity, the best way is, earnestly to labour that we may discern with the eye of faith the beams of gods love and favour, through the cloud of our sins and chastisements, and not only to look upon the rod, but also upon the hand of our loving father, who beateth us that he may correct and amend us. For if we be persuaded with Paul, that afflictions cannot separate us from the love of God. 2Rom. 8. 35. Then shall we also with Paul, rejoice in tribulations. Rom. 5. 3. And conclude with Job, that though he kill us, yet we will trust in him. Job. 13. 15. If in our greatest extremities we have this hope and assurance that we are beloved of God it will be a sure anchor-hold to preserve us from making ship-wrack of our souls upon the sands of desperation, though we be tossed and turmoiled with the tempests of tribulations and the surging waves of troubles, it will be a sure pillar to under-prop our fainting souls, so as they shall not ruinously sink under the weight of affliction, and an impregnable fort, into which being retired as our last place of refuge, we shall easily bear off and beat back the most violent battery that affliction and adversity can make against us.
Fourthly, wee may obserue that the Lord intending to 1arme his children with such patience as might inable them to beare those grieuous afflictions which he purposed to lay vpon them, doth in the first place assure them of his loue, notwithstanding he seuerely corrected them for their sinnes: yea that he therefore did chastice them because he loued them, and would not suffer them to goe on in their sinnes to their destruction; whence we learne that to attain patience in afflictions and aduersitie, the best way is, earnestly to labour that we may discerne with the eye of faith the beames of gods loue and fauour, through the cloud of our sinnes and chasticements, and not onely to looke vpon the rod, but also vppon the hand of our louing father, who beateth vs that he may correct and amend vs. For if wee bee perswaded with Paul, that afflictions cannot seperate vs from the loue of God.